President Obama's Philosophy Leads to Covetousness and Contempt

President Obama's Philosophy Leads to Covetousness and Contempt
Written by Scott Cooper
October 14, 2011

When I was a child, under The Reagan Administration, I was inspired to become an entrepreneur – someone who would use my gifts and talents to become all I could be and to earn as much as I possibly could, not only for self interest, but because wealth was also the source of doing good for others.  That value had a lot to do with my upbringing of course, but it was also reinforced by our president.

Today we have a President who attacks the wealthy, despite the fact they are the source of great good in our republic.  He does not commend the work they do – but criticizes them for not doing more.  He does not inspire youth to become great, because they see that leads to others coveting what everything the successful have achieved.

I could write more – but I just want to say I am thankful I grew up in the era of Ronald Reagan, for if I was a youth today – and I studied the covetous attitude of our leadership in the Whitehouse I would be greatly troubled and have a hard time moving into my future.

My prayer is that this covetous president who does not inspire success, but breeds contempt for it will be a one term president – and we will elect leaders who will encourage us to use our gifts and talents to become all God created us to be.

It Is Time To Be Bold and Courageous

It Is Time To Be Bold and Courageous
Written by Scott Cooper
October 10, 2011

Those that got on boats to come to this great land, regardless of the century, did not do so for security – they did so for freedom.  Many of them did so for religious freedom.  Those that established this republic did not do so for security.  They established this republic for freedom.  Those who have fought and died for this republic these last 235 years did not do so for security – they did so to protect our freedoms.

Those that are protesting for the right to a job, the right to healthcare, the right to free education, the right, the right, the right…..  These folks are not fighting for what made our republic great – they are fighting for an ideology that has yet to succeed on any continent, in any country at any point in the history of the world.

Are we going to allow them to succeed?  We currently see this fight being fought in the streets of multiple cities in our republic, through national museums being closed/occupied in Washington, DC, and state capitals being occupied like we saw in Wisconsin this year.  More importantly, this is an ideological war that is being fought in the electoral process which begins long before election-day.  It begins in the identification of leaders – the training of leaders and the financial and sweat equity support of leaders who will choose to represent you at School Board, City Council’s, County Supervisor’s, and a whole host of constitutional offices. 

The left has a belief that no office is to small.  They have strategically infiltrated every level of our government and every avenue of our society, while many of us were completely disengaged from this process, living our lives.  We had the freedom to live our lives, the freedom to be disengaged and the freedom to ignore this process.  Today, we continue to be free to live our lives, the freedom to be disengaged and the freedom to ignore this process.  That being said, we are rapidly approaching the time where we will no longer have that freedom to simply ignore and continue to enjoy freedom – our republic will be lost.

Unfortunately, there are many in the faith community who believe that our focus should not be on temporal government at all, but solely on the Great Commission as laid out in Matthew 28:19 + 20.  To those, I have two thoughts: 

First, why should we make it a choice, and not be engaged in both?  I do not understand why it should be a choice, yet I hear within the Christian Community voices that say focus on civil governance is misplaced and we should exclusively be focused on winning souls.  I think that is a false choice, and ultimately when I study our culture, I think we are losing both efforts.  I choose to be engaged in both.

Second, the often quoted verse “As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord” makes a nice plaque to hang on a wall or be placed on a bumper sticker – but how is that verse quantified?  Two thoughts:  First, it is quantified by those we have with us on the other side of the veil, who have arrived there at least in part due to our influence.  Second, it is quantified by how we influence culture and the civil arena.  This verse, “As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord,” is at the end of the biography of Joshua – a temporal leader who God had anointed to lead – in civil governance.  That is the end of his life.  The beginning of the book should also be a focus, where God charged him to go in and claim the promised-land. 

Joshua 1:6-9 “Be strong and courageous, for you shall give this people possession of the land which I swore to their fathers to give them.  Only be strong and very courageous; be careful to do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, so that you may have success wherever you go.  This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it; for then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have success.  Have I not commanded you?  Be strong and courageous!  Do not tremble or be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go."

God has granted us, the American church the opportunity to be strong and courageous.  He has granted us an unprecedented opportunity in history to be engaged in the process by which we select our leadership, and place men and women of character who will heed the admonition given to Joshua into positions of authority.  This unprecedented opportunity is at all levels, but especially local – not just high office.  By and large we have abdicated that God granted responsibility.  Studies show that roughly 50 % of evangelicals are registered to vote, and that only 2/3’s of those registered actually turn out to vote. 

These statistics show a lack of strength and courage.  Indeed, if our country is lost to a minority held worldview, I believe that these statistics indicate that we will be able to lay the blame of our demise at the feet of the American church. 

I reflect on the German church in the 1930’s, who in exchange for a savior, in exchange for comfort and in exchange for security allowed outrageous atrocities to take place.  I am not suggesting that such atrocities are in the works at this point in history – I am not – I am simply using a modern day example of how people of faith so disengaged from civil governance that they were allowed to be co-opted by a minority held view of the world.

Let us be bold and courageous.  Let us engage in the process of civil governance and influence not only civil governance, but our culture and ultimately win the right to share with others the great commission.  We must be engaged in both.  We must be engaged at all levels.  Finally, if we are not engaged yet, the time to get engaged is now – and use your sphere of influence to get other non-participants engaged.  In the end, the results are in God’s hands.  Our duty is not the result, but to be faithful in our action. 

My Rant For The Day - I Don't Know What Else To Call It.

Written by Scott Cooper
September 21, 2011

So the front page of today’s WSJ says “Home Forecast calls for PAIN - Prices to stumble to 2015.”  Further into the article, “consumer spending stifled and more pushed into foreclosure.”

Hmmm.  Wasn’t it three years ago President Bush “Abandoned the free market in order to ‘save’ the free market?”  Here we are three years later, and we are considering more spending and more bailout – and we continue to push recovery into the future.

This weekend I had the pleasure of speaking with a woman who escaped Romania during the height of communism in that country.  The stories she told were gut wrenching – and can be read first hand in her book Echo’s of Communisim – Lessons from an American by Choice written by Dr. Ileana Johnson Paugh.  Today – Romania is freer than we are.  How sad is that?

Here are a couple thoughts:

1. Let’s never again try loaning money to people who can’t afford it. (pushed by the government since implantation of CRA and expansion of Freddie and Fannie).
2. Let’s encourage our citizens to spend only what they have money for – and stop using the equity of the roofs over our heads to purchase cars, boats and consumer merchandise that does not ever appreciate in value.  (Encouraged by President Bush after 9/11/01).
3. Let’s stop borrowing money from China and the Fed to give to states – to fund projects that should be paid for by the states to begin with.
4. Let’s elect local and state leaders who are tired of and will DEFEAT career politicians who see Federal Grants, not as a way for our republic get deeper in debt – but rather as a way to make them look good by brining money to our localities.  Money that is borrowed money that will end up enslaving us.
5. Let’s elect leaders who inspire us to be self-reliant and independent citizens – who encourage us to use our God given talents and abilities to take us as far as those talents and abilities can take us – vs. creating a dependency on Government and a fear of becoming “too successful” due to constant class warfare rhetoric. 
6. Let’s elect leaders who see private charity as the most cost effective, well run and compassionate charity that exists.  Individuals who are tired of government programs where bureaucrats earn 6 figure incomes implementing programs that fail – while private groups are accomplishing great things on shoe string budgets.  Private charities that employ people because they feel called to use their gifts and talents in those capacities – rather than occupy a desk simply for the six figure income, retirement and outrageously non-competitive compensation packages compared to private and non-profit workers. 
7. Let us pray for people within the bureaucracy to be bold and courageous – to stand up and say “enough is enough.”  Individuals who will say, “I am not going to purchase another thing – simply because it is the end of the fiscal year – and I am more concerned about my budget increase next year than I am about the well being of our republic.  I am not going to push a program that is failing simply because I am concerned about my retirement and benefits.  I won’t sit idly by any longer and watch my country go down the tubes – because I am primarily motivated by my self-interest.”

Our founders risked everything – their lives, their fortunes and their sacred honor – because they believed in individual rights – not collective rights.  They believed in Freedom.  It is time for a new generation of Founders to rise up and say enough is enough. 

Inaction in this battle is indeed action.  It is action by default.  What action are you taking?

"Those Who Throw Dirt, Lose Ground"

Those Who Throw Dirt, Lose Ground
Written by Scott Cooper

Ten years ago today, I did not know that I was less than one month away from completing my career in the travel industry.  Twelve days from Thursday August 30, 2001 an event would take place that would put the nails in the coffin of my career in the travel industry.  Of course, the day I am referring to is September 11, 2001. 

That was a day that impacted everyone’s life.  I am sure that in the next 12 days I will be writing more about my thoughts of that day, and how its impact has changed our lives.  There is no doubt, with my concern about Sharia Law being in opposition to Constitutional Law, I will reflect on the terrorism, and the philosophical views of those who flew planes into buildings that day.  I am sure, since it is the 10^th anniversary of that dreadful day, we will be reading, hearing and viewing a lot about that day, and what has taken place since.   Today I am not writing about September 11^th, but a lesson I learned from a mentor, a very successful entrepreneur, during my final days in the travel industry.

Prior to September 11^th, I had the privilege of working for an entrepreneur who was extremely successful.  Today, he is probably in his mid-70’s, which means he was in his mid-60’s when he invested time with me, a young lad, ages 31 and 32 at the time!

He started his professional life as an engineer; however early in his career decided to pursue his desire to be an entrepreneur, in charge of his own destiny.  During the course of 35 years, by the time I got to know and work for him, he and his wife had built quite an enterprise.  He was in charge of multiple businesses, in more than one industry, in several states.  Even though the events of September 11 and declining business took me out of my “mentorship” with him, I remember many things about him. 

He was a professional engineer by trade, who had advanced degrees; however he taught me that most of what he learned that had made him successful was dealing with people.  Both he and his wife had a tremendous ability to make everyone feel comfortable and cared about.  They did little things to ensure each of their employees were appreciated – like the time, out of the blue, he mailed my sons “scooters” just because he thought they each needed one!

Although he was extremely successful, if you met him on the street or in public, you would not know it by his lifestyle.  He drove a modest car, and with the exception of when we attended an important meeting – his favorite outfit were jeans and a t-shirt.

I mention him today, because this week I have been thinking about a lesson he taught me.

This week, I have been thinking about the climate where people feel it necessary to tear individuals down, even to the point of telling lies.  This is something that unfortunately is commonplace in the world of politics.  I am thinking of one conservative political candidates run in with supposed “Conservative Bloggers” who attempted to make her look foolish and derail her campaign, with no validity behind their allegations.  They told lies that to date, cannot be substantiated with video or audio, despite our living in a “New Media” digital age.  I am not going to mention the campaign or situation, because I know those who read this and are familiar with the situation will know what I am referring to – and posting links to the situation does no one any good.  But the situation this week has made me think about my old boss and mentor, and some advice he gave me on more than one occasion.

During my relationship with this employer / mentor, we were engaged in development projects that included many individuals and companies.  There were multiple occasions where it was apparent that individuals or companies that were attempting to do business with us were completely crooked, partially dishonest or simply untrustworthy.  I remember on more than one occasion after we had already determined we would not be working with said individual or company, I would attempt to bring up a situation where these individuals or companies had a reputation or tendency to be bad, and the response from my mentor was always – “Now Scott – those who throw dirt, lose ground.”

He never indicated to me that he was unaware of the facts, or that he was willing to do business with folks who did not meet his ethical standard.  He simply indicated that we weren’t going to talk negatively about anyone.  If we knew the facts, we simply moved on to find another individual or company that met his standard.  He was a firm believer in, “we will know them by their fruits” and he left it there. 

This man is a doer, someone who liked to accomplish things – and did not waste his energy, time or any other resource in speaking negatively against another human being or company, because at the end of the day, he knew their actions would reveal themselves and would ultimately be manifested in the type of fruit they would harvest.  Investing his energy in tearing someone down would never help him accomplish his goals, so that is not where he placed his effort.

There are a lot of applications to this lesson he taught me.  I thought enough of it, that I remember it to this day.  There is a specific reason it clicked in my mind this week, but perhaps it will have another application for you.  It is worth remembering.

Those who throw dirt, lose ground.

Perhaps one adaptation – “Those who throw dirt, whether the dirt is true or fabricated, lose ground.”



The Next Greatest Generation

The Next Greatest Generation
Written by Scott Cooper
August 16, 2011

As we speed down the super-highway towards financial Armageddon, each of us must ask ourselves, as individuals – am I a giver or am I a taker?  Will I help prevent the collapse, or will I enhance it?    Am I okay with my grandkids having a lesser lifestyle, paying my debt so that I don’t have to sacrifice? 

The fact is, if we do not stop the Ferrari speeding down this financial super-highway, it will lead to the end of our republic.  We will be responsible for our republics demise.

Over the course of the last several decades, government revenue has gone up consistently, as has government spending.  Raising more revenue is not the solution.  Individual and fiscal responsibility is.  We must realize that the entitlement mentality and dependency that our government has created and forced upon us is unsustainable. 

Ultimately, the takers do not care about the future of our republic – and they currently are in control.  They are the most vocal. 

Most troubling is the silence of the millions who are not yet ready to personally engage in this battle and sacrifice.  By their silence, they indicate that they are on the side of the takers.  Unless this changes, our republic will collapse.  Are you one of the silent ones?

If you are willing to sacrifice in order to steer us back to the right track – what does that mean you are willing to give up?  How are you going to formulate that in your own mind, and then begin to prepare for your own independence from whatever dependency you must give up, and then articulate that to the powers that be?  This is not going to be an easy task, because literally everyone is on the take – from Agriculture subsidies, home mortgage interest deductions, all the way to cell phone subsidies.  This is a huge problem, but I believe the American people can rise to the occasion. 

I don’t believe that the generation of the 1940’s alone was the greatest generation.  I believe that our grandkids will refer to us as “the next” greatest generation.

Our grandparents were amazing people.  Many went off to foreign lands to fight tyranny.  Those that remained at home focused all their attention on basic survival and producing for the war effort.  Women and children both took on important jobs that they had never done, or even considered doing before.  The financial sacrifice they gave was phenomenal.  Of those that did not leave their jobs to go fight the war, many returned to their “home-place” to live with extended family, in order to make ends meet and support their extended family.  The sacrifice at home was just as significant as the sacrifice that was given on the battlefields thousands of miles away from home.  Nothing can ever be taken away from their sweat, toil, blood and sacrifice.  Their sacrifice saved freedom for the world – for our parents, and for our generation.  For that, we are eternally grateful.

Now it is our turn.  The reason I believe our grandchildren will look back and refer to us as the “new” greatest generation, is because while our grandparents went to foreign lands to fight tyranny, our generation must rise up to fight against tyranny in our own land.  We will even be required to intellectually fight against tyranny with well-meaning people we have considered friends.  This is going to include fighting to dismantle the bureaucracy we have allowed our Federal, State and Local governments to create.  These bureaucracies are growing at exponential, unsustainable rates.  Many will fight indefinitely to keep this leviathan, not because it is right, but because it is in their self-interest to do so.  That is ok, many colonists in the war of 1776 stood with the king as well.

My entire life I have heard about “The Draft.”  Being born in the late 1960’s, I was not subject to it.  Well, let me assure you, there is currently a draft taking place in our country today.  Actually it is a voluntary enlistment.  This enlistment effort to save our republic is not taking place by governments at any level or even at the political party level.  Both parties have led us to the brink of this disaster – do we really believe they can rescue us from precipice of collapse? 

The new “Draft / Enlistment” is a call to action by the citizenry.  Like King George was not fond of the early American Patriots – Our current administration (Vice President Biden) refers to this citizenry as terrorists.   

A mental picture of our enlistment effort is in the movie “The Patriot” when Benjamin Martin and his son split up and go into the communities and churches to find recruits.  Their effort was a grassroots effort to enlist all able bodied men to fight off a tyrannical king.  I love the scene where Gabriel is in the church pleading for individuals to join the fight and no one would take a stand.  Finally, it took his future bride, a female to inspire men to action.

What will it take to inspire you to action? 

This war is not going to be fought with bullets and battle ships, but it does require huge sacrifice.  It requires able bodies to sacrifice time, talent AND financial resources. 

Do you have some T.V. time, some golf time, some scrap-booking time, and some financial resources from eating out three times a week that you can give to this cause?  Our sacrifice is nothing in comparison to what our grandparents gave – yet like them, the freedom of our grandkids is at stake.  It is worth the sacrifice.

This war is going to be fought in local elections.  It is going to be fought in School Board Meetings.  It is going to be fought in City Council and County Supervisor Meetings.  It is going to be fought in “County Green Committee” meetings (who even know such things existed).  It is going to be fought at state legislatures.  It is going to be fought at your desk, studying idiotic regulations that are taking place in education departments, environmental departments, agriculture departments etc. – all of which are well funded machines, funded with YOUR tax money.  Notice I did not mention the Presidency or even the Federal level – because the true battles are in our back yard.  I HATE going to meetings.  That said, I would much rather spend some time going to meetings that have been infiltrated with leftists, than be required to go fight in the trenches of WWII.

If we engage the enemy locally, we will win – and those victories will ultimately find thier way to the Federal level.

Your help is needed.  Reinforcements are required.  Unlike the war of 1776, we will not have any French ships coming to back us up – your enlistment is required.  Will you enlist – or will you be a “draft dodger?”

In Virginia – to find a group near you where you can lend your time, talents and financial resources – please check out

http://virginiateapartypatriots.com/

If you are outside of Virginia – to find a group near you, please check out:

http://www.teapartypatriots.org/

I hope you will join what I believe will indeed be “the next” greatest generation. 

We have discovered our Normandy – and we are storming the beaches! 

Come join us!

A Prayer For Leadership

Standing on principle is an incredibly hard thing to do. 

Let us pray for our leaders to guide the citizenry of our great republic to stand firm for principles worth fighting for.  Our founders provided some amazing principles for us to follow, which need to be emphasized with great fervor again.

Let us pray our leaders will inspire us to be all that we can be, with our God given talents and abilities.

Let us pray our leaders will motivate us to be independent and self-reliant. 

If personally we are not there yet – Let us pray our leaders will challenge us to make it our goal to become self-reliant and independent!  Let them encourage us to be dependent on no man or organization for our sustenance, but with a firm reliance on God to assist us in living up to our potential, that we may provide for ourselves and our families.

Let us pray our leaders would encourage us to do the right thing and help our neighbor and family members who are in need– not because we are forced to – but because it is the right thing to do!  Every one of us knows someone in need – who we can serve right now.  If we do not know someone in that position, our eyes are not truly open. 

Let us pray our leaders will stop promoting class warfare, envy and covetousness.

We still live in the greatest republic in the world.  There are still countless stories of individuals that rise to achieve phenomenal things, without servitude to the state. 

Finally – those leaders that are in power now, that are incapable of providing such guidance, inspiration, motivation, challenge and encouragement – may they be defeated in the very next election cycle, to be replaced by men and woman who are capable of leading us, in these very important areas.

Let us pray daily for God to continue working in the hearts and minds of those individuals He rising up to take the reins of leadership away from those who have led us astray.

Where Are The Leaders Within the Bureaucracy?

Forget the Congress.  What I want to know is how many Patriots are there within the government bureaucracy who see the writing on the wall, but are doing NOTHING to cut their departments budgets?

How many Department Managers continually seek additional funds for their departments, even though our country is bankrupt?

How many Cabinet Members continually seek additional funds for their agencies, even though our country is bankrupt?

How many State and County Government officials continually seek “Grants” which are nothing more than borrowed money from our enemies – to fund their local governments?

We need a groundswell of government workers who will put our republics survival AHEAD OF SELF INTEREST. 

If we do not see this type of financial responsible “revival” in the arena of public service – our republic will not survive.

If you have articles demonstrating government bureaucrats who are indeed fighting this battle and feverously working to reduce their OWN departments and agencies budgets – please share them below.  I would greatly appreciate some encouragement and inspiration in this area.  Thank you!

This is an aerial photograph of The Department of Agriculture in Washington.  WOW – that is one huge monstrosity of a building.  Most of the folks in this building are earning far more than the average family farmer. 

Most of those inside this building are earning salaries and benefit packages far superior to the citizens they regulate.