{"id":2646,"date":"2016-10-29T00:01:23","date_gmt":"2016-10-29T07:01:23","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/davesevern.com\/blog\/?p=2646"},"modified":"2016-10-27T14:50:00","modified_gmt":"2016-10-27T21:50:00","slug":"transparency-a-lost-commodity","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/davesevern.com\/blog\/transparency-a-lost-commodity\/","title":{"rendered":"Transparency: A Lost Commodity"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>During the wild, crazy, and deadly decade of the sixties (over 50 years ago) there was a Hippie song written by Bob Dylan and entitled \u201cThe Times They Are A Changin.\u201d The message of the song was about how much times, things, and people are in a constant state of change and flux as concerns politics, religion, chaos, and military involvement in world affairs (remember Viet Nam). The song and its lyrics could just as easily apply to today\u2019s conditions and situations as they are about the same as exists in our country today as they were in the 1960s….unhappiness, unrest, dissatisfaction, and lots of anger. The lyrics of the song are as follows:<\/span><\/p>\n

The Times They Are A-Changin\u2019<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Come gather ’round people<\/span>
\n Wherever you roam<\/span>
\n And admit that the waters<\/span>
\n Around you have grown<\/span>
\n And accept it that soon<\/span>
\n You’ll be drenched to the bone<\/span>
\n If your time to you<\/span>
\n Is worth savin’<\/span>
\n Then you better start swimmin’<\/span>
\n Or you’ll sink like a stone<\/span>
\n For the times they are a-changin’.<\/span><\/p>\n

Come writers and critics<\/span>
\n Who prophesy with your pen<\/span>
\n And keep your eyes wide<\/span>
\n The chance won’t come again<\/span>
\n And don’t speak too soon<\/span>
\n For the wheel’s still in spin<\/span>
\n And there’s no tellin’ who<\/span>
\n That it’s namin’<\/span>
\n For the loser now<\/span>
\n Will be later to win<\/span>
\n For the times they are a-changin’.<\/span><\/p>\n

Come senators, congressmen<\/span>
\n Please heed the call<\/span>
\n Don’t stand in the doorway<\/span>
\n Don’t block up the hall<\/span>
\n For he that gets hurt<\/span>
\n Will be he who has stalled<\/span>
\n There’s a battle outside<\/span>
\n And it is ragin’<\/span>
\n It’ll soon shake your windows<\/span>
\n And rattle your walls<\/span>
\n For the times they are a-changin’.<\/span><\/p>\n

Come mothers and fathers<\/span>
\n Throughout the land<\/span>
\n And don’t criticize<\/span>
\n What you can’t understand<\/span>
\n Your sons and your daughters<\/span>
\n Are beyond your command<\/span>
\n Your old road is<\/span>
\n Rapidly agin’<\/span>
\n Please get out of the new one<\/span>
\n If you can’t lend your hand<\/span>
\n For the times they are a-changin’.<\/span><\/p>\n

The line it is drawn<\/span>
\n The curse it is cast<\/span>
\n The slow one now<\/span>
\n Will later be fast<\/span>
\n As the present now<\/span>
\n Will later be past<\/span>
\n The order is<\/span>
\n Rapidly fadin’<\/span>
\n And the first one now<\/span>
\n Will later be last<\/span>
\n For the times they are a-changin’.<\/span><\/p>\n

Whatever happened to the \u201cGolden Rule,\u201d \u201chonesty is always the best policy,\u201d \u201cbe good for your word,\u201d and \u201calways tell the truth.\u201d The very foundational values of our American society and civilization are slowly slipping away into oblivion. What has been really important in the past is seemingly no longer really important. This is the primary reason why our social behavior and our understanding of ethical conduct and truth, no longer matters.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

It is happening at all levels of our society, and most people don\u2019t even seem to care or be offended by the exorbitant lack of integrity.<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Our elected officials break the laws and rules of engagement and do so with impunity. Trusted officials lie and mislead the public and still sleep well at night. There is no shame for misconduct or illegal activities, and a vast majority of our population still supports the perpetrators.<\/strong> We have, as a nation, fallen to a never before known bottom level of performance and accountability. This sad situation generally doesn\u2019t seem to bother most people. They just continue on performing more and more bizarre, unruly, and rude personal behavior. They continue to lie, cheat, and steal from one another. It is indeed a very sad and pathetic situation.<\/span><\/p>\n

Now comes lots of new first time events and people, particularly in the political world. Consequently, I personally have had it. I am fed up. I can no longer just sit back and watch things unfold in their wrong and improper manner and method without putting out my personal take on the sad state of affairs that exists in our present political process and everything related to it.<\/span><\/p>\n

In the olden days, the office of President of the United States was a sacred, honored, and highly respected position. Honesty, integrity, and respect for the office and all that it stood for governed the candidates and their speech and activities.<\/strong> Good human behavior was expected among the candidates regardless of their personal political beliefs and points of view. Proper social manners and conduct were expected and respected. WHAT HAPPENED?<\/span><\/p>\n

Yes indeed, the \u201cTimes\u201d they are a changin.<\/span><\/p>\n

Political cronyism, the \u201cgood old boy\u201d mentality, and it\u2019s accepted philosophy that it is O.K. to lie, cheat, or steal has totally changed since the by-gone eras of yesteryear. The change that has occurred is all for the worse in my personal opinion.<\/span><\/p>\n

America as a whole has changed. Social conduct and personal behavior have changed. Respect has been lost or forgotten. America, one nation under God, has been swept under the rug. Moral values and religious knowledge and understanding have quietly disappeared. God Almighty has been kicked out of our public schools and venues. As hard as it is to believe, these things have actually occurred, all to the country\u2019s detriment. This mostly occurred because \u201cwe the people\u201d no longer seemed to care about them. Liberalism–gradualistic socialism–and finally communism is the cycle of slow death to the free enterprise system.<\/strong> It is all allowed to occur because the masses of people suffer from economic inattentiveness and ignorance. The vast majority of Americans are all looking for a free lunch, or some other type of government hand out, or entitlement,…something for nothing.<\/strong> If one would simply take five minutes out of their already-too-busy life to watch the television show \u201cWaters World\u201d on The FOX News Channel, you would readily and undeniably understand what is happening to our people, our country, and its population through the failed government ownership and operation of our public school system in America. Through the generations of Americans since the days of President Lyndon Baines Johnson, hundreds of millions of dollars has been pumped into an inflated government school system all to no avail. What has it produced? Watch Water\u2019s World!<\/span><\/p>\n

Progressive Liberalism lies squarely at the foot of these despicable issues and personal conduct. Unless and until the Truth of Life, sound biblical teachings, and personal respect for the truth and how God commands His people to conduct themselves is recaptured and returned to our entire society,… things will continue to slide downward and further downward until they reach the \u201ccliff\u201d and fall off into the abyss,… forever.<\/strong> What is happening in America is exactly what began to happen to ancient societies that are no longer in existence. If you don\u2019t know what I am now telling you, you have a scant grasp on world history.<\/span><\/p>\n

If things don\u2019t get turned around and put back into proper and godly alignment, if people don\u2019t wake up and turn from their wicked ways, and if the real God-fearing men and women of America don\u2019t stand on the foundation of our U.S. Constitution and biblical truths in all of their affairs, then,…I am afraid that all we have sacrificed to establish, and worked so hard and long to sustain,…will be lost. History proves that once a country loses its freedoms and liberties, they never regain them.<\/span><\/strong> We as free Americans simply cannot permit that to happen. Liberalism has got to be dethroned, curtailed, or even eliminated,…it is no longer viable for thinking people! Don\u2019t let anyone tell you any different.<\/span><\/p>\n

America, together with its declared liberties, freedoms, and justice, cannot and will not continue to prevail by basing its future and its very existence upon the ugly and dishonest falsehoods that are permitted to continue within our nation\u2019s boundaries, halls of Congress, Supreme Court, and the Presidency. America is indeed a special and exceptional nation chosen and created by God Almighty to be a beacon to all the world of what to do and how to live. God wanted men and women to live and prosper equally and well regardless of race, color, or creed. The United States of America is definitely \u201cA City on a Hill\u201d for all the world to see and emulate. America is not a democracy, it is a Constitutional Republic! God told us the \u201csecret\u201d to maintaining our Constitutional Republic. This divine secret was and continues to be the guiding light to the establishment and successful operation of our nation….Truth, Justice, Liberty, and free enterprise i.e.,…Real unrestricted Conservatism!<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Throughout all of known and recorded history, whenever man tried to take over the operation and control of other men and women, chaos and destruction always followed. \u201cHere we go again!\u201d in 2016.<\/span><\/p>\n

This upcoming national election to be held on November 8, 2016 is totally out of control and has attracted vicious and arrogant actions, efforts, speech, and personal conduct on the part of the two opposing candidates, Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump and their national political party convention leadership. As always happens in the affairs of men and women when they choose to leave God out of their efforts, ugly, anger, and out-and-out hatred breed and explode. That is not what godly men and women do.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

America, like it or not, is a Christian-Judeo nation formed and built upon true biblical principles. Returning to those same biblical principles is the only real solution to winning our country back to what it was originally designed to be.<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

It is time to put aside personal desires and political affiliations and do what is right and what is best for our entire nation. If a person is elected as President and who does not want to submit to the authority and sovereignty of The Only One True God of the Holy Bible, then we will lose our great nation and it won\u2019t make any difference which party you support.<\/span><\/p>\n

Like it or not, Truth is just that, Truth! God is Truth, whether you believe it or not. God is in control of everything because He created all of it. And The Creator is always greater than that which gets created! God emphatically states within the Holy Scriptures that He shall not be mocked.<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

The battle lines are drawn. Just remember that God tells us in His Word that you cannot be for and against Him at the same time. It is always one way or the other. You cannot straddle the fence and get by doing it. It is definitely time to choose. Which side are you really on?<\/span><\/p>\n

There is an old Chinese Proverb that says:<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou can lose all your money, it will hurt you, but you can earn more and replace what you lost.<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

You can lose a friend, it too will hurt you greatly as friends are most valuable blessings, but in time you can make a new friend to replace the one you lost.<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

But, if you lose your Word,…that is terrible because you have lost your most important and valuable attribute and you cannot replace it.\u201d<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Americans would be well served by remembering and implementing the advice of this Chinese Proverb come election day.<\/span><\/p>\n

Honesty and Integrity are the two foundational building blocks upon which all good and lasting personal relationships are built. Trust and respect can never be achieved by and between people who cannot or who do not tell the truth…Period! No exceptions!<\/strong> No valid personal relationships will ever exist with other people whom you do not trust or respect. If you ever trust a habitual liar, you will soon be very sorry you ever did. That is a promise.<\/span><\/p>\n

I have been alive for over seven decades. I voted in every election in which I have been eligible to vote since 1966 when I turned twenty-one. I have voted in 13 separate presidential elections since becoming eligible to vote. Never in all of my personal experience have I seen such a fiasco as this 2016 election and its party\u2019s candidate\u2019s words, efforts, and actions taken. It has been a true disgrace to the Office, the Person, the Position and to the entire country as a whole. The conduct of both candidates and their speech and actions have offended all True Americans still living as well as any man or woman or their surviving family members who sacrificed their lives to protect and defend the rights, privileges, and freedoms that all of us who are living enjoy and from which we benefit.<\/span><\/p>\n

There also is one over riding tenet to this year\u2019s election that cements the right choice for the person who will lead this country as President in the years ahead. What has been missing in the political leadership of America is honesty and integrity. Character really does count. Personal accountability must be the mainstay of the person who becomes President.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Now lets us be perfectly clear, no single person is ever going to be the perfect candidate. We are all flawed human beings. We have all made bad decisions in our past and we have made great errors in judgment and so suffered from the fallout of their related mistakes. But we serve a loving God who is always willing to forgive our sins and give us His grace,…IF,…we are wise enough to ask Him for that loving kindness, and then repent of our sins.<\/span><\/p>\n

Ours, my fellow Americans, is to recognize who best fits the mold necessary for the to-be-elected President to administrate and guide this nation through the maze that lies before us…no matter of their political affiliation.<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

For the first time in my life, there has been one candidate for President who has been willing to disclose his desired cabinet and\/or Supreme Court Justice selections \u201cpool\u201d before<\/span> the actual election day. Furthermore, last Friday, October 19, 2016, this same candidate together with his flaws and mistakes, drew out and published His Personal Contract with the American Voters.<\/span><\/p>\n

I include this contract with the American voters within the body of this article which was given them by Donald J. Trump, Conservative, Republican Candidate for President. I personally believe, with all things considered, that a change in all areas of our nation\u2019s leadership is what is really demanded, as well as needed, to stop the downward spiral and the eventual destruction that, if left uncorrected, will surely result. Make no mistake, this year\u2019s national election is all about America vs. Globalism.<\/span><\/p>\n

Again no single person will ever be flawless, but what has to occur in order to save our nation from take over or total destruction of our way of life,… is a \u201cNon-Career\u201d politician running the country and administering the largest economy in the world. The one Candidate who knows how the free enterprise system of economics works (not to be manipulated) in order to run and successfully keep running our U.S economy, is Donald J. Trump,…whether you like him or not. The single biggest thing to his credit, is that he is not soiled by a lifetime of being a crony elected official. His pluses outweigh his minuses. Sure he is bold, sometimes arrogant, able to be hardheaded, and unsympathetic…but so have been all the other great leaders of men and women throughout history. It truly is the right time in history for a real man to take over the White House. We haven\u2019t had one since Ronald Wilson Reagan left office.<\/span><\/p>\n

Now I challenge you, the reader or listener, regardless of what you call yourself, to read this enclosed Contract With The American Voters as given to them by Donald J. Trump…The next President of the United States of America.<\/span><\/p>\n

DONALD J. TRUMP CONTRACT WITH THE AMERICAN VOTER:<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

What follows is my 100-day action plan to Make America Great Again. It is a contract between myself and the American voter \u2013 and begins with restoring honesty, accountability and change to Washington<\/span><\/p>\n

Therefore, on the first day of my term of office, my administration will immediately pursue the following six measures to clean up the corruption and special interest collusion in Washington, DC:<\/span><\/p>\n

\u25cf FIRST<\/strong>, propose a Constitutional Amendment to impose term limits on all members of Congress;<\/span><\/p>\n

\u25cf SECOND<\/strong>, a hiring freeze on all federal employees to reduce federal workforce through attrition (exempting military, public safety, and public health);<\/span><\/p>\n

\u25cf THIRD<\/strong>, a requirement that for every new federal regulation, two existing regulations must be eliminated;<\/span><\/p>\n

\u25cf FOURTH<\/strong>, a 5 year-ban on White House and Congressional officials becoming lobbyists after they leave government service;<\/span><\/p>\n

\u25cf FIFTH<\/strong>, a lifetime ban on White House officials lobbying on behalf of a foreign government;<\/span><\/p>\n

\u25cf SIXTH<\/strong>, a complete ban on foreign lobbyists raising money for American elections.<\/span><\/p>\n

On the same day, I will begin taking the following 7 actions to protect American workers:<\/span><\/p>\n

\u25cf FIRST<\/strong>, I will announce my intention to renegotiate NAFTA or withdraw from the deal under Article 2205<\/span><\/p>\n

\u25cf SECOND<\/strong>, I will announce our withdrawal from the Trans-Pacific Partnership<\/span><\/p>\n

\u25cf THIRD<\/strong>, I will direct my Secretary of the Treasury to label China a currency manipulator<\/span><\/p>\n

\u25cf FOURTH<\/strong>, I will direct the Secretary of Commerce and U.S. Trade Representative to identify all foreign trading abuses that unfairly impact American workers and direct them to use every tool under American and international law to end those abuses immediately<\/span><\/p>\n

\u25cf FIFTH<\/strong>, I will lift the restrictions on the production of $50 trillion dollars\u2019 worth of job- producing American energy reserves, including shale, oil, natural gas and clean coal.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u25cf SIXTH<\/strong>, lift the Obama-Clinton roadblocks and allow vital energy infrastructure projects, like the Keystone Pipeline, to move forward<\/span><\/p>\n

\u25cf SEVENTH<\/strong>, cancel billions in payments to U.N. climate change programs and use the money to fix America\u2019s water and environmental infrastructure<\/span><\/p>\n

Additionally, on the first day, I will take the following five actions to restore security and the constitutional rule of law:<\/span><\/p>\n

\u25cf FIRST<\/strong>, cancel every unconstitutional executive action, memorandum and order issued by President Obama<\/span><\/p>\n

\u25cf SECOND<\/strong>, begin the process of selecting a replacement for Justice Scalia from one of the 20 judges on my list, who will uphold and defend the Constitution of the United States<\/span><\/p>\n

\u25cf THIRD<\/strong>, cancel all federal funding to Sanctuary Cities<\/span><\/p>\n

\u25cf FOURTH<\/strong>, begin removing the more than 2 million criminal illegal immigrants from the \u2028country and cancel visas to foreign countries that won\u2019t take them back<\/span><\/p>\n

\u25cf FIFTH<\/strong>, suspend immigration from terror-prone regions where vetting cannot safely occur. All vetting of people coming into our country will be considered extreme vetting.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2028Next, I will work with Congress to introduce the following broader legislative measures and fight for their passage within the first 100 days of my Administration:<\/span><\/p>\n

1. Middle Class Tax Relief And Simplification Act.<\/span><\/strong> An economic plan designed to grow the economy 4% per year and create at least 25 million new jobs through massive tax reduction and simplification, in combination with trade reform, regulatory relief, and lifting the restrictions on American energy. The largest tax reductions are for the middle class. A middle-class family with 2 children will get a 35% tax cut. The current number of brackets will be reduced from 7 to 3, and tax forms will likewise be greatly simplified. The business rate will be lowered from 35 to 15 percent, and the trillions of dollars of American corporate money overseas can now be brought back at a 10 percent rate.<\/span><\/p>\n

2. End The Offshoring Act.<\/strong><\/span> Establishes tariffs to discourage companies from laying off their workers in order to relocate in other countries and ship their products back to the U.S. tax-free.<\/span><\/p>\n

3. American Energy & Infrastructure Act.<\/strong><\/span> Leverages public-private partnerships, and private investments through tax incentives, to spur $1 trillion in infrastructure investment over 10 years. It is revenue neutral.<\/span><\/p>\n

4. School Choice And Education Opportunity Act.<\/span><\/strong> Redirects education dollars to gives parents the right to send their kid to the public, private, charter, magnet, religious or home school of their choice. Ends common core, brings education supervision to localcommunities. It expands vocational and technical education, and make 2 and 4-year college more affordable.<\/span><\/p>\n

5. Repeal and Replace Obamacare Act.<\/strong><\/span> Fully repeals Obamacare and replaces it with Health Savings Accounts, the ability to purchase health insurance across state lines, and lets states manage Medicaid funds. Reforms will also include cutting the red tape at the FDA: there are over 4,000 drugs awaiting approval, and we especially want to speed the approval of life-saving medications.<\/span><\/p>\n

6. Affordable Childcare and Eldercare Act.<\/span><\/strong> Allows Americans to deduct childcare and elder care from their taxes, incentivizes employers to provide on-side childcare services, and creates tax-free Dependent Care Savings Accounts for both young and elderly dependents, with matching contributions for low-income families.<\/span><\/p>\n

7. End Illegal Immigration Act.<\/strong><\/span> Fully-funds the construction of a wall on our southern border with the full understanding that the country Mexico will be reimbursing the United States for the full cost of such wall; establishes a 2 -year mandatory minimum federal prison sentence for illegally re-entering the U.S. after a previous deportation, and a 5-year mandatory minimum for illegally re-entering for those with felony convictions, multiple misdemeanor convictions or two or more prior deportations; also reforms visa rules to enhance penalties for overstaying and to ensure open jobs are offered to American workers first.<\/span><\/p>\n

8. Restoring Community Safety Act.<\/strong><\/span> Reduces surging crime, drugs and violence by creating a Task Force On Violent Crime and increasing funding for programs that train and assist local police; increases resources for federal law enforcement agencies and federal prosecutors to dismantle criminal gangs and put violent offenders behind bars.<\/span><\/p>\n

9. Restoring National Security Act.<\/strong><\/span> Rebuilds our military by eliminating the defense sequester and expanding military investment; provides Veterans with the ability to receive public VA treatment or attend the private doctor of their choice; protects our vital infrastructure from cyber-attack; establishes new screening procedures for immigration to ensure those who are admitted to our country support our people and our values<\/span><\/p>\n

10. Clean up Corruption in Washington Act.<\/strong><\/span> Enacts new ethics reforms to Drain the Swamp and reduce the corrupting influence of special interests on our politics.<\/span><\/p>\n

On November 8th, Americans will be voting for this 100-day plan to restore prosperity to our economy, security to our communities, and honesty to our government.<\/span><\/p>\n

This is my pledge to you.\u2028And if we follow these steps, we will once more have a government of, by and for the people.<\/span><\/p>\n

D.J.T.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

It is your personal right as well as your personal responsibility to go to the polls and vote! There simply is no excuse for you not to vote. Failure to do so automatically labels you as a non-participant un-American free-loader…..And you don\u2019t really want to be one of those.<\/span><\/p>\n

History records that millions of lives have been sacrificed and lost protecting and maintaining you, the American citizen, your rights and privileges, and personal freedoms. Failure to vote and thereby permit the smooth and non-violent transfer of leadership to the newly elected government officials is totally unacceptable. It insults the sacrifices made by those who gave their very lives protecting us.<\/span><\/p>\n

Get to the polls and vote! No excuses!<\/span><\/p>\n

God Bless America and God Bless You.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Peace and Love To All Of You…………………..Poppa Bear<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

During the wild, crazy, and deadly decade of the sixties (over 50 years ago) there was a Hippie song written by Bob Dylan and entitled \u201cThe Times They Are A Changin.\u201d The message of the song was about how much … Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2646","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/davesevern.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2646","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/davesevern.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/davesevern.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/davesevern.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/davesevern.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2646"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/davesevern.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2646\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2652,"href":"https:\/\/davesevern.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2646\/revisions\/2652"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/davesevern.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2646"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/davesevern.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2646"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/davesevern.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2646"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}