Practically Speaking
Kyle and her husband moved to Brookfield in 1986. She became active in local politics and started blogging in 2004. Her focus is primarily on local issues but often includes state and national topics, too. Kyle looks at things from the taxpayers' perspective in a creative, yet down to earth way, addressing them from a practical point of view.
Fall of Berlin Wall's 20th Anniversary gladdens and saddens
Remember the fall of the wall in 1989? It was like a dream come true to those like me who recall it's construction and lived through the height of the Soviet Union's power.
Fast-forward 20 years and today we celebrate the anniversary of that momentous day. But when I compare the state of our country in 1989 to the U.S.A. of today, it saddens me.
Our House of Representatives just passed the most expensive and oppressive health care reform bill AGAINST the wishes of the majority of Americans.
Ordinary citizens have risen up in unprecedented numbers for Tea Party rallies, Town Hall meetings and an impromptu' House Call press conference on the stairs of the nation's Capitol, all to no avail. Turning a deaf ear, 220 Representatives ignored their constituents' wishes and voted for it.
The house bill includes what I believe are unconstitutional mandates for insurance purchase and a hefty $25,000 fine and/or up to 5 year imprisonment for noncompliance. So much for America being called the Land of the Free.
I don't know which saddens me more: the fact that our president didn't think the 20th anniversary of the Berlin Wall's fall was important enough to merit his time? Or that if he would have gone, any commentary from him about New Berliners being freed from oppression would ring hollow, considering his own socialist agenda.
But I do celebrate in spirit today with those gathered in Germany and recall the boldness of President Reagan's famous words: "Mr. Gorbachev, Tear down this wall," and the bravery of leaders like Lech Walesa for freeing Poland.
``We Poles owe him [Reagan] freedom,'' Walesa said through an interpreter. ``Freedom is just like good health - when in good health, you take it for granted, and you appreciate good health only when it's gone.''
Ironic that Obama's health care bill brings more oppression to our country than anything we've seen so far, isn't it?
Four Little Words - Reagan deliberately confronted criminal regimes with what they fear most: the publicly spoken truth about their moral weakness.
Why the Berlin Wall Fell - From Truman to Reagan, the benefits of moral clarity.
POST SCRIPT: Heritage Foundation: Reagan, Obama and the Berlin Wall: "But the leftists in America do not want us to remember Reagan’s role in history. That is why President Barack Obama (the same man who found time to jet to Copenhagen at the drop of a rumor that his presence could win the Olympics for his hometown of Chicago) could not be bothered to attend the 20th anniversary of the wall’s fall last night. Instead, President Obama taped a video message that completely failed to mention Reagan or British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher."
Links:
Brookfield7, Fairly Conservative, BetterBrookfield, Vicki McKenna, Jay Weber, The Right View Wisconsin, Randy Melchert, Mark Levin, The Heritage Foundation, CNS News, Breitbart BigGovernment
6 COMMENTS
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Tarzan patient sort. Will wait to see what happen in Senate before get loin cloth in a knot.
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"Before his prime-time speech to Congress, 52 percent disapproved of Obama's handling of health care. Now the public is split, with 48 percent approving and 47 percent disapproving." More for than against. Sounds like a majority to me.
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Please find and read "Tear Down This Myth: How the Reagan Legacy Has Distorted Our Politics and Haunts Our Future"
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Thank you, Nail Bender, you understood perfectly.
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I think Tarzan is eating the wrong vegitation from the jungle, brain has many short circuits, never any positive monkey talk.
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Tarzan wonders how magnificent anniversary has anything to do with healthcare. How anyone could be oppressed by a bill that hasn't passed?
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Back to topTarzan of the Apes - Nov 10, 2009 12:14 PM - Report Abuse
Think Nail Bender jump to many conclusions about Tarzan's personal politics. Stealing fruit wrong.
CarpieD speak truth.
Tarzan admirer of Reagan but also student of Russian problems. Suggest you read history about real causes of Berlin Wall collapsing.
CarpieD - Nov 10, 2009 10:56 AM - Report Abuse
CarpieD - Nov 10, 2009 9:40 AM - Report Abuse
He did NOT bring down the wall by staring down Gorbachev. His policies not only bankrupted Russia, but created record (at the time) deficits for the US.
From Amazon: "The Ronald Reagan who won the cold war, cut taxes, shrank the government, saved the economy, and was the most beloved president since FDR is a myth. The cold war fizzled out primarily because of Soviet economic collapse. Reagan cut taxes just once, in 1991, and thereafter raised them yearly. He vastly expanded the government and burdened the economy with enormous deficits. Moreover, his approval ratings were just average, reflecting his divisiveness as a political figure. Bunch also shows that however tough-talking, Reagan was a negotiator who achieved nuclear arms reductions by talking with Soviet leader Gorbachev and got into the Iran-Contra mess because he wouldn’t send combat troops abroad. In practice, especially of foreign policy, he was a pragmatist, not an ideologue. The truculent jingoist of the myth was concocted after Alzheimer’s silenced the man and the would-be juggernaut launched by the GOP’s 1994 election triumph crashed and burned before a Democratic president who shrank government and the deficit, balanced the budget, and even racked up surpluses. Bunch names the leading, venal mythmakers and shames the myth exploiters, too. Anyone interested in America’s immediate future should read this book."
Kyle Prast - Nov 10, 2009 9:12 AM - Report Abuse
I should have mentioned Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher in the post, too. She and Reagan were a dynamic duo!
Nail Bender - Nov 10, 2009 8:41 AM - Report Abuse
Kyle express's her opinion very well. The fact that the health bill is there is enough to make some one oppressed. The means by which it naroly passed stinks out loud. Enough to make one vomit. The relationship between the Berlin Wall and how the Democrats are trying to make government bigger is very clear. Taking away individual freedom of choice with a smoke screen of helping the poor and lazy people get it all for free along with illegal aliens being included so the government has them supporting taking away freedom of choice from those that work for a living.
This is class oriented discrimination, taking away from those that contribute to a productive society to give to those that for the most part are useless and want to continue to live that way off productive people.
Tarzan, if you were to come out of the jungle and have to pay for your wacky fruit instead of stealing it from some property owner, you to might have to get a different frame of mind in the direction of conservatisim and not liberalism.
To wait until something becomes law and then start complaining about it just indicates that your among those that will be receiving the freebie. Don't forget to apply for your free welfare supplied phone and free 70 minutes of air time that those of us that work have to pay for.
Tarzan should over indulge in your favorite wacky fruit so you can fall out of your tree house and land on what is left of your head so that your constant negativity and monkey talk can dissapear from a productive community blog.
Tarzan of the Apes - Nov 09, 2009 10:01 PM - Report Abuse
Tarzan wonder if Kyle have big imagination.
Believe it or not Tarzan has been to East Berlin. And Checkpoint Charlie. Shook hands with border guard. Only once.
East German border guards monkeys compared to Tarzan.
Tarzan speak truth.
Has Kyle been to Checkpoint Charlie? Expert on healthcare?