Happy Independence Day!!!

[DCPatriot]

[mountaineer]

Under surveillance, indeed. "You are being watched. The government has a secret system, a machine that spies on you every hour of every day. ..." Person of Interest


In that spirit, I bring you an editorial from a newspaper in my area:

Americans Far from Being Independent

What if representatives from throughout the country met in Philadelphia tomorrow morning to write a new Declaration of Independence — from Washington?

It was relatively easy for the nation’s founders to issue the original declaration in 1776. For the most part, our ancestors relied on England only for defense, mechanisms of local government and markets for our goods. The founders decided we could defend ourselves against the Indians, set up our own governments and, if necessary, find new places to sell our goods.

No problem.

But the crown and parliament in 1776 were not as ingenious as Congress, the president and the federal bureaucracy 240 years later.

Here’s how dependent we are on the government in Washington:

* Nearly 63 million Americans receive Social Security or Supplemental Security Income checks every month.

* About 55.5 million rely on Medicare for health insurance.

* Another 72.4 million depend on Medicaid or the Children’s Health Insurance Program. Of that number, as many as 16 million were added as a result of Obamacare — one of the biggest increases in dependence in our history.

* Around 44.4 million people eat only by the grace of Washington. That’s the number of Americans receiving food stamps.

* A study in 2013 determined 105.8 million Americans were working in year-round, full time jobs. At the same time, 109.6 million were receiving some form of government benefits.

 Let’s not forget the most dependent of all Americans, the 16.6 million working full time for the federal government.

 Even working people and their families can be dependent. About 27 million received the earned income tax credit in 2015.

 Uncle Sam gets his hooks into Americans quickly. About 8.2 million college students wouldn’t be on campus without Pell Grants.

 Not so long ago, we remained fairly independent. A study intended to eliminate overlap (people benefitting from more than one federal program) determined 95.5 million Americans relied on Social Security, the earned income tax credit or Pell Grants in 2013. In 1975 the number was 39.5 million.

By one estimate, 70 percent of what Washington spends makes us more dependent on government. We call them “entitlements.”

Most states are so reliant on federal funds there’s no way their officials would want to go it alone. Well over $4.5 billion of what the state of West Virginia spends each year comes from Washington. In Ohio, it’s about $20.5 billion.

Here’s the true genius of what Uncle Sam has done: He’s made us dependent on him giving us back our own money and running up a credit card account in our names.

Don’t forget, every dime of real money the government spends comes out of our pockets or through borrowing. How do you suppose nations such as China and Japan, among our biggest foreign creditors, would react to a new American Revolution?

King George was an amateur. It was relatively easy for the colonists to sever ties with London.

But a Declaration of Independence from Washington? Forget it. We passed that point of no return decades ago.

[EC]

 

Well, my friend, you know what to do.

Celebrate anyway. Can't let the bastards get you down. 

[geronl]

 







 


 

[Sanguine]

That is so sad. 

[mountaineer]

Celebrate anyway. Can't let the bastards get you down. 

Worship this morning was glorious. We sang all the patriotic hymns that ask God to protect and preserve this free (still,  we hope) nation. 

[Chieftain]

What could possibly be more American than cooking hot pork on the 4th of July??  I got my piggie boned out, rubbed full of love, and in the fridge for the night so he can go on the smoker in the morning.  Got four squeeze bottles full of Hawg Sauce & 2 dozen ears of sweet corn ready to go.

I took a sawhorse and screwed a 2" thick x 12" wide x 4' long plank to it.  I was able to fit 3 rows of 8 mortar tubes and screwed them all down.  They are close enough to enable overlapping the fuses, so I can fire a 24 gun salute Monday night...I have 72 shots total & I'm sure others will be bringing a few of their own...

 

[mystery-ak]

[LMAO]

Under surveillance, indeed. "You are being watched. The government has a secret system, a machine that spies on you every hour of every day. ..." Person of Interest


In that spirit, I bring you an editorial from a newspaper in my area:
Under surveillance, indeed. "You are being watched. The government has a secret system, a machine that spies on you every hour of every day. ..." Person of Interest


In that spirit, I bring you an editorial from a newspaper in my area:
Quote
Americans Far from Being Independent

What if representatives from throughout the country met in Philadelphia tomorrow morning to write a new Declaration of Independence — from Washington?

It was relatively easy for the nation’s founders to issue the original declaration in 1776. For the most part, our ancestors relied on England only for defense, mechanisms of local government and markets for our goods. The founders decided we could defend ourselves against the Indians, set up our own governments and, if necessary, find new places to sell our goods.

No problem.

But the crown and parliament in 1776 were not as ingenious as Congress, the president and the federal bureaucracy 240 years later.

Here’s how dependent we are on the government in Washington:

* Nearly 63 million Americans receive Social Security or Supplemental Security Income checks every month.

* About 55.5 million rely on Medicare for health insurance.

* Another 72.4 million depend on Medicaid or the Children’s Health Insurance Program. Of that number, as many as 16 million were added as a result of Obamacare — one of the biggest increases in dependence in our history.

* Around 44.4 million people eat only by the grace of Washington. That’s the number of Americans receiving food stamps.

* A study in 2013 determined 105.8 million Americans were working in year-round, full time jobs. At the same time, 109.6 million were receiving some form of government benefits.

 Let’s not forget the most dependent of all Americans, the 16.6 million working full time for the federal government.

 Even working people and their families can be dependent. About 27 million received the earned income tax credit in 2015.

 Uncle Sam gets his hooks into Americans quickly. About 8.2 million college students wouldn’t be on campus without Pell Grants.

 Not so long ago, we remained fairly independent. A study intended to eliminate overlap (people benefitting from more than one federal program) determined 95.5 million Americans relied on Social Security, the earned income tax credit or Pell Grants in 2013. In 1975 the number was 39.5 million.

By one estimate, 70 percent of what Washington spends makes us more dependent on government. We call them “entitlements.”

Most states are so reliant on federal funds there’s no way their officials would want to go it alone. Well over $4.5 billion of what the state of West Virginia spends each year comes from Washington. In Ohio, it’s about $20.5 billion.

Here’s the true genius of what Uncle Sam has done: He’s made us dependent on him giving us back our own money and running up a credit card account in our names.

Don’t forget, every dime of real money the government spends comes out of our pockets or through borrowing. How do you suppose nations such as China and Japan, among our biggest foreign creditors, would react to a new American Revolution?

King George was an amateur. It was relatively easy for the colonists to sever ties with London.

But a Declaration of Independence from Washington? Forget it. We passed that point of no return decades ago.

Very sobering statistics.

[WAC]

Obama's idea of celebrating Independence Day......

[WAC]

1884 construction of statue of liberty

[HonestJohn]

Very sobering statistics.

There are only 4.18 million Federal government employees.  Of which, roughly half are military.

Source: Office of Personnel Management

The claim made by that article of 16 million federal government employees is a bald-faced lie.

[Chieftain]

The Missus has some late guest additions and is worried Miss Piggy won't feed everyone, so she had me defrosting the turkey she's had stashed since last October and I'm going to smoke-roast it too.  I'll do some breakdown on it once its defrosted and it can go on the smoker tomorrow morning too.

I'm just about ready to light some charcoal....

 

[WAC]

Happy Independence Day!!!




The Harpy Eagle's talons are about the size of a large grizzly bear ... 3 to 4 inches long.

[WAC]

The Missus has some late guest additions and is worried Miss Piggy won't feed everyone, so she had me defrosting the turkey she's had stashed since last October and I'm going to smoke-roast it too.  I'll do some breakdown on it once its defrosted and it can go on the smoker tomorrow morning too.
I'm just about ready to light some charcoal....

Sounds good to me! You're set!...and here's to you and yours....!

[WAC]

                                       

[WAC]

                   

[WAC]

                                     
                                      Betsy Ross House.....

                                   

                                   

[WAC]

                                                     

    WE NEED TO HEAR THE SECOND VERSE!

     (Watch the crowds reaction)


 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I0fQd858cRc

[geronl]

                   

great image

[WAC]

.."Reagan's Speech to America"....July 4th, 1986


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ynIW7CN08sc

[WAC]

great image

I Love the Fourth of July as Much as Christmas!.......The History of OUR nation's Birth His second only to Our Savior's Birth IMO.

Without this Nation we'd be going the way of Europe Today...what a frightening thought!!!!!

That should make us all the more eager to Protect and Secure this Country or I fear it will go even worse for us than Europe....

[WAC]

                                             

[TomSea]

While were here, I thank Europe, namely France as there is a chance, the United States would not have formed or it might have taken on a different shape without their assistance.  As Americans, we should not forget this or be arrogant. They have their problems, we have ours. At times, I'd rather have had Prime Minister Cameron than President Obama.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QB32OLW7suA

[WAC]