Nancy+Salvato

Congress - Conservatives - Constitution - Democrats/Leftists - Ethics - Free Speech - Freedom - GOP - Liberals - Liberty - Nancy Salvato - Republicans - Rights

Where Your Rights End and Mine Begin

December 9, 2011 by 1 Comment

-By Nancy Salvato

As a child, I used to play with the neighbors across the street in one of the coolest sandboxes one could imagine. It was built into the landscape, with giant boulders lining the back and sides. Five kids could easily play in it, building sandcastles and manipulating bulldozers and dump trucks to their hearts content. Hours could go by before being called home to dinner. There was only one problem… neighborhood cats considered that magical place as their personal giant sized litter box. We were often told, sadly, that we could not play in it because of this ongoing problem.

These past few months, renting a home in a beach community has allowed my dog and I the opportunity to take a daily walk along the shore, where I hunt for shells, watch for porpoise, and occasionally exchange niceties with the fisherman who set up their poles in the sand, and with the locals who are also enjoying their surroundings. Every day, I thank my blessings that I’ve been given this chance to live in such surroundings but my happiness is often interrupted by dogs roaming the beach, unleashed, in violation of the rules which are clearly posted at each entrance. Not only do these dogs defecate on the sand but often they are not well behaved, running at leashed dogs, children, solitary walkers, and anyone within their proximity.
Continue reading “

Where Your Rights End and Mine Begin”

Anti-Americanism - Budget - Congress - Conservatives - Constitution - Declaration of Independence - Democrats/Leftists - Elections - Founders - GOP - Government - History - House of Representatives - Liberals - Nancy Salvato - Republicans - Senate - Socialism - Taxes

Contrasting World Views

December 5, 2011 by

-By Nancy Salvato

Thomas Jefferson outlined the philosophy of our nation’s government in the Declaration of Independence with the words,

“All men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.–That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed.”

Make no mistake; this is the philosophy on which our fundamental law is based. The goals for our government, which are listed in the preamble to our constitution, are intended to secure these unalienable rights.

“In Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity,…”

If the electors and elected officials of our country do not honor our covenant

“We the People…[who] do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America…”

And if they choose not to uphold the blessings of liberty, then

“Whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute a new Government.”

What happens if the electorate and elected officials of our country do not understand the covenant, or what if they choose not to subscribe to the mission? What if the goals of our electorate are not aligned with the fundamental law set down by the Founders and Framers? What if the policy on which our representatives vote and implement is at odds with the philosophy on which our government was founded?

Continue reading “

Contrasting World Views”

Nancy Salvato - Thanksgiving

On Thanksgiving

November 24, 2011 by

-By Nancy Salvato

Looking at the Atlantic Ocean off the Virginia Beach coast, I occasionally see US Navy ships on the horizon, F-18 Hornets flying in formation, the Coast Guard helicopter overhead, and porpoise darting in and out of the waves; it’s just a part of the scenery. Having lived in Glenview, Illinois, in the years prior to the naval base closing, and outside Annapolis, Maryland, for a year, I’m very used to seeing our men and women in uniform and experiencing a military presence where I reside. What changes for me is a deeper appreciation for the job our military performs and for the freedom we cannot take for granted.

Most of the time I can go about my life following a routine that includes working on the Constitutional Literacy curriculum for our BasicsProject.org website, writing articles about the relevance of our Fundamental Law, taking my daily constitutional along the beach, and performing the chores that demand my attention, but never far from these distractions is the daily reminder that there are men and women who have dedicated themselves to our security; who have placed their lives in harm’s way to protect this absolutely ordinary life I am privileged to lead.

Continue reading “

On Thanksgiving”

Anti-Americanism - Barack Obama - Budget - Democrats/Leftists - Elections - Government - Liberals - Nancy Salvato - President - Taxes

Election 2012: Third and Long

November 19, 2011 by

-By Nancy Salvato

Football fans understand that each game played either moves a team forward toward the conference playoffs, conference championship, and Super Bowl, or toward the role of spoiler, where their role is to affect the outcome of the seasons’ top teams. While they watch their favorite players, they recognize that one injury can make the difference between a good season and a bad season unless there is depth in the team’s capacity. The ability of a team to work together, weather, home field advantage, seasoned leadership, knowing the other team’s playbook, all of this factors in when developing a championship team. True fans understand the complexity involved in bringing home the ring.

Politics also involves such complexity and as we ramp up toward the 2012 election, it behooves the citizenry of this country to become educated in the strategies used by both parties to enhance the viability of their candidates while reducing the credibility of the opposition. For those who enjoy politics, following the primaries is as compelling as watching the football season unfold, and for the populace as a whole, a much higher stakes game is being played that goes beyond who will gain the office of chief executive. The 2012 election has the potential to influence the direction of our country for many years beyond a presidential term of office.

Strategy 1: Discredit the messenger. Within a party and between the parties, this strategy is used to cast doubt in the mind of the voter as to whether the person running for office has the intellectual or moral capacity to lead our country. While it is important to get to know each candidate, to understand his or her strengths and weaknesses, it is also critical to remember that we are not always given the choice of voting for the best person to hold office; we are given a choice of picking the better person to become president. We need to have a set of criteria that this person must meet, much like the ideal candidate for a job. While most people cannot meet every expectation, it is the combination of skills and personality that makes a person the most viable choice. What traits make a good president? Part of this depends on the challenges that person will face. What experiences have prepared the candidate for this role? How has the candidate dealt with adversity, job growth, managing others? What problems face this person going in? Does the person have the depth to understand the long as well as the short term impact of each challenge in relationship to any solution being proposed? Does the candidate exhibit the intellectual capacity to weigh all considerations against a long term goal for leadership? What future does this person envision for our country?
Continue reading “

Election 2012: Third and Long”

Constitution - Democracy - Elections - Ethics - Founders - Nancy Salvato

A 2012 World View: What is the End Game?

November 11, 2011 by

-By Nancy Salvato

Having a world view and understanding how that perception influences our choices is important to knowing ourselves, being able to take or defend a position, and set goals and work to meet them. Sharing perspective helps us to understand and communicate with those who do not share the same belief systems but allows us to get along if we can find some commonalities or on what we can agree to disagree. When people holding a world view do not have the awareness to understand why they hold their position or are unable to comprehend that different experiences allow for a different outlook, this is when conflict can occur. This holds relevance for the 2012 election cycle.

Conflict is not confined between strangers. It can arise within family units; it can happen in the workplace, on the playing field, or even at a party. On such a smaller scale, it might be considered a personality conflict. A person can even be conflicted inside one’s own head. It is how potential conflict is addressed that makes all the difference in the world.

Within our own country, the Founders and Framers understood that there has to be a balance between individual rights and the rights of the community. They were under no illusions that in a country this large that everyone could hold the same beliefs and goals. They wanted to create a place where to the largest extent possible, people could be free without imposing on others. You could say their end goal was freedom. In creating the U.S. Constitution, they created a document that would maximize freedom and minimize conflict. For example, rather than elevate one religion over others by sponsoring it by the state, they included the First Amendment, which reads:
Continue reading “

A 2012 World View: What is the End Game?”

Children - Christianity - Crime - Democrats/Leftists - Ethics - Government - Liberals - Morals/Sex - Nancy Salvato - PCism - Religion - Society/Culture - Western Civilization

The Consequences of Making your Privates Public

June 16, 2011 by

-By Nancy Salvato

Sexting: When someone sends someone else a naked/nude pictures – Urban Dictionary #14

An individual who hasn’t heard the news reports on Anthony Weiner by now would have to be living under a rock. However, there may be large numbers of people unaware of what may be considered an epidemic in what has become known as sexting.

According to an article in Safety Web, Sexting 101 – Guide for Parents, “39% of teens and 59% of young adults have sent or posted sexually suggestive emails or text messages, and 20% of teens and 33% of young adults have sent/posted nude or semi-nude images of themselves.” It doesn’t stop there, “38% teens and 46% of young adults say it is common for nude or semi-nude photos to get shared with people other than the intended recipient.”
Continue reading “

The Consequences of Making your Privates Public”

Budget - Business - Capitalism - Communism - Congress - Constitution - Democracy - Democrats/Leftists - Economy/Finances - Education - Elections - Ethics - Founders - Free Trade - GOP - Government - History - House of Representatives - Liberals - Nancy Salvato - Republicans - Security/Safety - Taxes

Notes on Democracy: And to the Republic, for Which It Stands

May 31, 2011 by

-By Nancy Salvato

I’m fairly certain that everyone from my generation knows the words to The Pledge of Allegiance by heart.

“I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the Republic, for which it stands, one Nation, under God, indivisible, with Liberty and Justice for all.”

When reciting the pledge, we should focus on the meaning attached to these words, most of which were written by Francis Bellamy, commemorating our history in honor of the 400th anniversary of Columbus Day at Chicago’s World’s Fair. I say “most” because the original pledge, as written by Bellamy, was altered. Nevertheless, each word in this final version provides our citizenry an appropriate lens through which we may view our world.
Continue reading “

Notes on Democracy: And to the Republic, for Which It Stands”

Alexander Hamilton - Congress - Constitution - Democracy - Democrats/Leftists - Federalism - Founders - GOP - Government - History - House of Representatives - James Madison - Liberals - Nancy Salvato - President - Republicans - Senate

‘A Government of Laws, and Not of Men’: The Electoral College

May 11, 2011 by 1 Comment

-By Nancy Salvato

In Federalist 51, James Madison writes,

“In framing a government which is to be administered by men over men, the great difficulty lies in this: you must first enable the government to control the governed; and in the next place oblige it to control itself. A dependence on the people is, no doubt, the primary control on the government; but experience has taught mankind the necessity of auxiliary precautions.”

Madison’s concern is that, even though the people are sovereign, hold the ultimate authority over the government, there need be additional mechanisms to assist in preventing the possibility of power becoming consolidated within a particular faction of those charged with governing on our behalf. Should power become consolidated under one entity, and the faction abuse its authority, the people would be ruled through tyranny, denying them their ultimate sovereignty unless they take drastic measures to remove the authority from power.

Perhaps what Madison is saying here is better understood through an analogy of what can happen when those charged with looking after our best interests give greater concern to selfish motives. Until a child grows into an adult, he or she cannot make all the decisions associated with being grown up. In such a case, all power is vested in one or two parents who are expected to make decisions in the best interest of the child. Sometimes one or both parents make really bad decisions that can cause irreparable damage to a child. This might require a drastic measure, such as a child protective services agency stepping in to remove the child from the situation. James Madison feared that those in a position of power may not always put our rights first. This problem would become much worse, and more drastic measures would need to be taken, when all authority is vested in one entity that is in charge of all decision making, as in the situation of a child with abusive parents.

Continue reading “

‘A Government of Laws, and Not of Men’: The Electoral College”

Budget - Business - Capitalism - Crime - Democrats/Leftists - Economy/Finances - Free Trade - Government - Illinois - Illinois State Government - Liberals - Nancy Salvato - Property Taxes - Taxes

I’m a Writer, Not a Financial Planner

December 14, 2010 by

-By Nancy Salvato

Like many Americans, I searched for a new job in 2010. Although I wasn’t unemployed at the time of my search, I concluded that it was in my best interest to find a job with a company that offered more stability and in which my job skills would continue to be valued. When I was offered a position which fit my criteria, with room to grow, I opted to take it. This meant no longer living near family and friends, which would be hard. Thankfully, they were supportive of my decision and agreed this would be best. There was one other hurdle. I would need to sell my home.

Very quickly we realized the extent of the economic recession in Illinois, as there was no way our house would sell without our owing money. Like many Americans, we had three options. We could default, we could rent and try and ride it out, or we could short sell. Since we had invested a good sized down payment into the house, defaulting or short selling were not our first choices. We decided to rent if we could find a tenant.

Surprisingly, we did find a tenant who would pay us the same amount that would be required of us to rent a home out of state. Though we would have to continue to supplement the cost of our present mortgage because we would not be renting the house for the amount of our mortgage payment, we would not lose money. We could just hold the house until things got better. The Universe seemed to be smiling on us.
Continue reading “

I’m a Writer, Not a Financial Planner”

Founders - Government - History - Law - Liberals - Nancy Salvato - Rights - Thomas Jefferson

Eternal Principle

September 7, 2010 by

-By Nancy Salvato

Marcus Tullius Cicero, who was born in 105 B.C. and was beheaded by Antony’s soldiers in 43 B.C, writes in On the Laws ,

“Law was neither a thing to be contrived by the genius of man, nor established by any decree of the people, but a certain eternal principle, which governs the entire universe, wisely commanding what is right and prohibiting what is wrong.”

In the Declaration of Independence, Thomas Jefferson echoes this eternal truth when he explains that the function of government is to secure God-given rights.

How do we know about these rights?
Continue reading “

Eternal Principle”

Budget - Democrats/Leftists - Economy/Finances - Nancy Salvato - Taxes

For the Long Haul

July 29, 2010 by

-By Nancy Salvato

And it’s two bare feet on the dashboard,
Young love in an old Ford,
Cheap shades, and a tattoo, and Yoohoo bottle on the floorboard.
– Kenny Chesney, Summertime, 2006)

Driving down the highway today, I noticed a little yellow ragtop, possibly an MGB Roadster that I would venture to guess was as old as I am! In any event, what caught my eye, besides how utterly cool this car was, was the idea that two of these sport cars could probably drive side by side in only one lane of highway. My wheels started to spin, not the car’s tires, but the figurative ones in my head.

Continue reading “

For the Long Haul”

Anti-Semitism - Christianity - Democrats/Leftists - Egypt - Government - Immigration/Immigrants - Islam - Islamofascism - Jews - Judaism - Liberals - Military - Nancy Salvato - Religion - Terrorism - Western Civilization

A Brief History of the Palestinian-Israeli Conflict

June 10, 2010 by

-By Nancy Salvato

It was around 1400 B.C., when Moses led the Hebrew slaves out of Egypt into Palestine, the “promised land”. After the Romans destroyed Jerusalem in 70 A.D., the Jewish state came to an end and the Hebrew (Jewish) people were dispersed. In the 1890’s, Jews driven by Zionism to establish a modern Jewish nation-state and flocking back to their ancient biblical homeland in British controlled Palestine, eventually became embroiled in a modern day conflict between themselves and Palestinian Arabs.

During WWI, British Foreign Secretary Lord Balfour issued the Balfour Declaration; Britain would view establishing a national home for the Jewish people in Palestine, favorably. Thus, Palestine was carved into “Emirate of Transjordan” (later simply “Jordan”); the area east of the Jordan River, where Britain installed a Saudi Arabian Bedouin tribal chieftain, Abdullah ibn Hussein, to rule over Bedouin and Palestinian Arabs, and the western half; between the Mediterranean Sea and Jordan River, where Palestinian Arabs and Zionist Jews wrestled for control.

Britain handed responsibility over the western half of Palestine to the United Nations; which partitioned it into two states, one for the Jews; which would consist of the Negev Desert, the coastal plain between Tel Aviv and Haifa, and parts of the northern Galilee, and the other for the Palestinian Arabs; which would consist primarily of the West Bank of Jordan, the Gaza District, Jaffa, and the Arab sectors of the Galilee. Jerusalem would stay under UN control. Led by David Ben-Gurion, Zionists accepted this partition plan while Palestinian Arabs and surrounding Arab states rejected the proposal.
Continue reading “

A Brief History of the Palestinian-Israeli Conflict”

Anti-Americanism - Anti-Semitism - Barack Obama - Constitution - Democrats/Leftists - Elections - Foreign Countries - Government - Israel - Liberals - Nancy Salvato - President

Should the Ends Justify the Means?

April 28, 2010 by

-By Nancy Salvato

Watching the most recent episode of 24, it was infuriating to watch President Allison Taylor tell Jack Bauer to stand down instead of agreeing to have him question Dana Walsh about the assassination of President Hassan, rationalizing her actions by saying that the peace process she was negotiating between the Russians and the Middle East is for the “greater good.” She essentially told him that the ends justify the means and that those in the employ of CTU are to serve what she believes to be in the nation’s interest, not only ignoring her oath to the Constitution of the United States but demanding his fealty, or allegiance to her.

Anyone serving the country must take an oath of office.

President: “ I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the Office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States.
Continue reading “

Should the Ends Justify the Means?”

Journalism - Media - Media Bias - Nancy Salvato

News Fast

April 13, 2010 by

-By Nancy Salvato

Sometimes, reading the news can be so frustrating and frightening that it can affect my mood. In his book Eight Weeks to Optimal Health, Dr. Andrew Weil suggests taking a news fast one day a week.

“I don’t want you to become uninformed about the state of the world, but I note that paying attention to news commonly results in anxiety, rage, and other emotional states that probably impede the healing system.”

I don’t have any problem with Dr. Weil’s suggestion. Vacations are important for health and happiness. News about VATs, a nuclear Iran, or Hamid Karzai aligning with the Taliban, does raise my blood pressure. And I often have headaches and stomachaches that are directly related to stress. I can understand the correlation. However, I do have a problem with people who automatically dismiss a news source or item because it is associated with one or the other side of the aisle.

Continue reading “

News Fast”

Barack Obama - Budget - Constitution - Democrats/Leftists - Economy/Finances - Government - Health - House of Representatives - Liberals - Nancy Pelosi - Nancy Salvato - President - Senate - Socialism - Taxes

The Shot Heard Round the World

March 20, 2010 by 1 Comment

-By Nancy Salvato

“By the rude bridge that arched the flood,
Their flag to April’s breeze unfurled,
Hence once the embattled farmers stood,
And fired the shot heard round the world.”
— Ralph Waldo Emerson

Tension, leading to the deadly confrontation between British troops and an angry mob, better known as the Boston Massacre, had mounted for many months before violence erupted. The city was occupied by British troops tasked with enforcing tax laws. Townspeople worried troops would soon be quartered in their homes. Sailors feared being impressed into service by the Royal Navy; dockyard workers were frustrated by the loss of work to off duty soldiers. A lack of general security, combined with the new laws, fueled the flames of revolution.

Not everyone favored cutting the ties to Britain; however, King George III refused to entertain the concerns of the colonists and left them the choice of submitting unconditionally or declaring their independence.
Continue reading “

The Shot Heard Round the World”

Anti-Americanism - Barack Obama - Budget - Constitution - Democrats/Leftists - Economy/Finances - Government - Liberals - Nancy Salvato - Taxes

Counting the Votes Before They Are In

March 5, 2010 by

-By Nancy Salvato

Everyone can identify with foreshadowing, you know what I’m talking about, the part in a book or a movie or a play when you have that sense of foreboding that something isn’t quite right, that the characters are celebrating too early. Maybe the real killer is still lurking out there, somewhere, waiting for the right moment to pounce. You’re sitting on the edge of your seat, wanting to shout, wait, no, be careful! But to no avail. Sometimes, like in 24, the hero, Jack Bauer, comes in to save the day, just in a nick of time. Sometimes, as in Silence of the Lambs, the killer escapes the odds and disappears, no one knowing just when he will resurface. How many reincarnations of Jaws movies are there?

Events don’t always come to what feels like proper closure, for example, in Gone Baby Gone, folks may question their values of right and wrong and wonder about whether the ends or the means is more justifiable. The point I’m making, if I haven’t made myself abundantly clear, is that I’m feeling a bit unsettled whenever I read or hear about how optimistic Republicans are about the 2012 elections. As if status quo Republicans coming into more power will settle our problems.

The issues we are witnessing in our country are much bigger than the next election cycle. Perhaps a repudiation of those in power will stop the hemorrhaging, but I’m not convinced it will fix the problem. Before a problem can be fixed, we must agree there is a problem. And on this, we all do not agree.
Continue reading “

Counting the Votes Before They Are In”

Anti-Americanism - Barack Obama - Budget - Congress - Democrats/Leftists - Economy/Finances - Freedom - House of Representatives - Liberals - Nancy Salvato - President - Senate - Taxes

‘Excuse Me…Can You Help Me Out with Some Change?’

December 26, 2009 by

-By Nancy Salvato

“Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach him how to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.” – Lao Tzu

Every evening on my way to Union Station, the same set of street hustlers are hanging about, soliciting for a handout. Some line the sidewalk, perched on the foldable camping chairs one would expect to see toted by soccer moms en route to children’s’ organized sporting events, not associated with placards that read homeless or jobless. Others play instruments; one man strategically situated on the bridge playing plastic buckets for drums, another accompanies himself with some kind of Karaoke machine. There is also a Saxophone player on occasion and I have sometimes thought to myself that they should all get together and form a band. One fellow simply whines, using the same line every time I pass him, “Please, can you help me buy a meal at McDonalds, please?” Once in awhile, if I have stayed for dinner in the city and need to take a cab to the station, there are hustlers that magically appear to open the passenger door upon my arrival, expecting a tip for their efforts.

The cynical side of me rationalizes away their plight by thinking if these people can spend this much time figuring out ways to relieve me of my spare change, why not just apply for a legitimate job providing some type of service? Is it that they can clear more money working on the streets? Would earning a paycheck cause them to lose their welfare or unemployment? Do they not want to work for someone? What drives this practice? Most don’t appear incompetent. And they are out there regularly, as if they were putting in regular hours on the job. While I can walk past these people, without feeling compelled to give them a contribution, I find it particularly unsettling, when hustlers are accompanied by their children, who must watch their parents, beg for money.
Continue reading “

‘Excuse Me…Can You Help Me Out with Some Change?’”

Christianity - Congress - Conservatives - Democrats/Leftists - Founders - Liberals - Nancy Salvato - Socialism - Society/Culture - Taxes

For the General Welfare, or an Encroachment on Rights?

December 16, 2009 by

-By Nancy Salvato

Taking Metra usually affords me a solid 20 minutes to read on my Kindle during my commute home and I relish that pause from responsibility to research many of the topics on which I write. Tonight’s train ride, however, provided an unanticipated diversion during which I mused on a variety of scenarios that left me pondering. What percentage of the population would place such scenarios under the category of an encroachment on one’s individual rights in the guise of the public interest or visa-versa? The catalyst for the redirection of my concentration was correlated to one particular passenger who seriously compromised my efforts to focus on the inner workings of the Executive Branch of our government. Due to the exercise of her individual rights, and some really “gawd-awful” perfume, I determined to leave my seat -preferring to wait in an icy cold vestibule until the train reached my stop.

Though I felt frustrated and put out by someone whose liberal use of perfume almost immediately gave me a piercing headache, I recognize that it is well within her right to wear the stuff. What I would often prefer from my fellow passengers is very different from what I can reasonably expect from my fellow passengers. This is not the first time my olfactory organ has been overwhelmed by the odors I confront as I make my way home. Who can account for what one delights in eating? Though it is not permitted on the train, people consume anything from fried chicken to Asian Cuisine on the BNSF Line, with complete disregard for those around them. Some of the extremely inconsiderate sit down next to a complete stranger and proceed to gorge themselves. Others have no compunctions about what falls to the floor or is left behind on the seat. What bothers me most is the co-mingling of smells in a confined area. It is the opposite of appetizing, and usually has the effect of making me want to, in the words of Garth from SNL’s Wayne’s World, “hurl”.
Continue reading “

For the General Welfare, or an Encroachment on Rights?”

Anti-Americanism - Barack Obama - Budget - Business - Capitalism - Communism - Constitution - Democrats/Leftists - Economy/Finances - House of Representatives - Liberals - Nancy Salvato - President - Senate - State Government - Taxes

The Turkey That Is Obamanomics

December 2, 2009 by

-By Nancy Salvato

Thanksgiving day progressed in somewhat the usual manner, sleeping in; savoring our coffee; reading the news; putzing around on the computer; and at least one of us (me) working out in anticipation of moderating the inevitable consequences of splurging on an inordinate amount of really good food. Soon, though, we found the afternoon getting away from us and realized we needed to pick up the pace. Our newly allotted time-frame no longer permitted enough time for us to take our dogs, Reilly and Coulter, for a long walk. With the promise that we’d take them to the forest preserve with us the following day, we grabbed the dishes we’d prepared earlier, leaving the pups to their own devices, soon to arrive at our destination.

After exchanging hugs and kisses, we got down to the business of setting out the food and carving the turkey. Sitting around the dinner table, we gave thanks for our family, friends, the meal before us and voiced our hope that the soldiers spending this Thanksgiving away from their loved ones would be kept safe in the months to come. Then, in what seemed like an inordinately short amount of time – in contrast to the time it took to plan and prepare the meal – we toasted to each other and plowed through the turkey, stuffing and other fixings, eventually chasing it all down with dessert. Now we were ready to play games.
Continue reading “

The Turkey That Is Obamanomics”

Anti-Americanism - Barack Obama - Communism - Congress - Conservatives - Constitution - Democrats/Leftists - Elections - Freedom - GOP - History - House of Representatives - Liberals - Nancy Salvato - Patriotism - President - Republicans - Rights - Security/Safety - Socialism - Society/Culture - State Government - Taxes - The Law - Western Civilization

An Abridgement of Constitutional Rights

November 24, 2009 by

-By Nancy Salvato

The objectives for the United States Constitution are outlined in its preamble. Read it putting emphasis on the action verbs.

“We the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America…”

All the objectives for the Constitution were chosen carefully and reflect the concerns which surfaced around The Articles of Confederation, this country’s first Constitution.

Read this again, but with a renewed emphasis on certain elements.
Continue reading “

An Abridgement of Constitutional Rights”

Anti-Americanism - Budget - Constitution - Democrats/Leftists - Economy/Finances - Education - Founders - Freedom - History - Islam - Islamofascism - Liberals - Nancy Salvato - Rights - Society/Culture - Taxes

Utopia or Dystopian Nightmare?

November 2, 2009 by

-By Nancy Morgan

Sometimes I worry that our country will become more like the former Soviet Union. Americans will wait in lines for hours in order to receive bread for the week. I wonder what it would be like to run out of toilet paper and not be able to run to the store to stock up on what I grew up believing were necessities. Mostly, I am angered that I am living paycheck to paycheck…tethered to a house not worth the mortgage I own, unable to advance my earning potential because there is no free money for a middle aged white person who gives one third of her income back to the government to be spent on programs with which I don’t agree and from which I receive no benefit. However, I must pick my battles when addressing an issue with which I’m concerned because I know the majority of folks in the blue state in which I reside and work dismiss my speculation as the ranting of a lunatic or someone who can’t get with the program; embrace “change”.

Today, I read how our government has set aside a multi-million dollar technology fund for Islamic countries. Our education system would thrive if that kind of money could be used to provide free online courses to adults wanting to earn a terminal degree or specialize in a shortage area. Instead, tuition goes up, taxes go to fund free money for those who qualify for the Pell grants which will supplement the cost of a college education, and more and more graduates (and many who won’t graduate) will leave their post-secondary experience with an accumulated debt that will make it even more impossible to chase the elusive American dream. Many will not find jobs that require their advanced education.

Continue reading “

Utopia or Dystopian Nightmare?”

Budget - Capitalism - Economy/Finances - Nancy Salvato - Society/Culture

M-O-N-E-Y & Influence

September 22, 2009 by

-By Nancy Salvato

If you want that girl
Listen, son
Don’t you sit around and cry
Because, love
In this world
Ain’t nothing you can’t buy

— Lyle Lovett, Money

Money may not really buy love or make the world go round, but it certainly does help society to function efficiently. Money, which is assigned a value, is the item of exchange we use if we want to purchase something. The work we do to earn money is also assigned a value and the amount something costs reflects the value in producing or developing it. Most people would agree that the reward of money is the incentive they need to invest their time and labor into many of the tasks that demand their attention. While there may be additional reasons for applying ourselves to projects, a surplus of money allows us more freedom to devote our energy to additional pursuits.
Continue reading “

M-O-N-E-Y & Influence”

Anti-Americanism - Barack Obama - Communism - Congress - Conservatives - Constitution - Democrats/Leftists - Elections - Founders - Liberals - Nancy Salvato - President - Socialism - Society/Culture - Taxes

Political Science 101: Power Breeds Corruption

September 18, 2009 by

-By Nancy Salvato

Chicago is known as “The Windy City” not because it is windy (although anyone who tries to use an umbrella during a heavy rain in the Loop knows how difficult that can prove) but because of the blowhard politicians it has produced throughout the centuries. Chicago’s scandalous history of political corruption began in the l9th century around the time of the Chicago Fire continuing through today, most notably, Governor Blagojevich’s attempt to “sell” President Obama’s Senate seat. Political malfeasance doesn’t begin and end in Illinois, though. Other states have equal or worse reputations.

The Wall Street Journal, in an article titled, A Swamp of Corruption, noted that “Louisiana ranks third in the nation in the number of elected officials per capita convicted of crimes (Mississippi takes top prize).” Paging through the list of politicians on the take is like reading a who’s who in the society pages. Most recently, former Democratic Louisiana congressman, Rep. William Jefferson, was convicted by a federal jury, “of taking bribes on 11 of 16 counts in a case in which agents found $90,000 in his freezer.” Corruption is not unique to what is referred to the modern era in our history.
Continue reading “

Political Science 101: Power Breeds Corruption”

Anti-Americanism - Barack Obama - Congress - Constitution - Democrats/Leftists - Founders - History - House of Representatives - Liberals - Nancy Salvato - President - Senate - Society/Culture

Two Americas or One Nation with Liberty & Justice for All

September 2, 2009 by 1 Comment

-By Nancy Salvato

Fundamental law is the key to maintaining the rights and freedoms of every citizen in the United States of America. It is questionable how many people actually understand what is considered fundamental law, or why it is referred to as such. The US Constitution and the Bill of Rights -which was promised as part of the ratification of the US Constitution in order to ensure its passage-, are both considered to be the fundamental law of the United States. These documents, along with the Declaration of Independence are commonly referred to as our founding documents – the Charters of Freedom.

Fundamental law is so important to this society that the justices working in our federal judicial system are sworn to uphold it. Every case that comes before the Supreme Court brings into question fundamental law. If a law or decision contradicts fundamental law, it is to be overturned. The only way to change the fundamental law of our nation is through the amendment process and in the history of our country, this has only occurred 27 times, including the first 10 amendments to the US Constitution -which are encompassed in the Bill of Rights.

Every President and every US Representative and Senator take an oath of elected office, swearing to uphold the US Constitution.
Continue reading “

Two Americas or One Nation with Liberty & Justice for All”

Anti-Americanism - Barack Obama - Congress - Constitution - Democrats/Leftists - Economy/Finances - Elections - Founders - Freedom - History - Journalism - Liberals - Media Bias - Nancy Salvato - President - Republicans - Security/Safety - Socialism - Society/Culture - Taxes

Two Americas or One Nation with Liberty & Justice for All

August 10, 2009 by

-By Nancy Salvato

Fundamental law is the key to maintaining the rights and freedoms of every citizen in the United States of America. It is questionable how many people actually understand what is considered fundamental law, or why it is referred to as such. The US Constitution and the Bill of Rights -which was promised as part of the ratification of the US Constitution in order to ensure its passage-, are both considered to be the fundamental law of the United States. These documents, along with the Declaration of Independence are commonly referred to as our founding documents – the Charters of Freedom.

Fundamental law is so important to this society that the justices working in our federal judicial system are sworn to uphold it. Every case that comes before the Supreme Court brings into question fundamental law. If a law or decision contradicts fundamental law, it is to be overturned. The only way to change the fundamental law of our nation is through the amendment process and in the history of our country, this has only occurred 27 times, including the first 10 amendments to the US Constitution -which are encompassed in the Bill of Rights.

Every President and every US Representative and Senator take an oath of elected office, swearing to uphold the US Constitution.
Continue reading “

Two Americas or One Nation with Liberty & Justice for All”

00Publius Contributor - Children - Democrats/Leftists - Liberals - Media Bias - Morals/Sex - Nancy Salvato - News - Society/Culture - State Government

Houston, We Have a Problem

February 14, 2009 by

-By Nancy Salvato

“64 percent of all students engage in one of three of the most serious cheating behaviors — copying from another student’s work, using cheat notes or helping someone else cheat.”

I wonder how many people find the above statistic the least bit surprising. More importantly, I’m curious as to how it has come to this? Why do students cheat in such large numbers?

I would guess that a substantial portion of these cheaters use “pre-conventional” thinking skills. According to Kohlberg’s Moral Stages of Development, cheaters see morality as something external to themselves, as something that people say they must do -so when they break the rules, it is with the intention of not getting caught. What is right to them is what meets their own interests. They haven’t internalized the values of the family or community. When they follow the law, it is only because they don’t want to get into trouble. Their behaviors as members of our society depend on external controls.
Continue reading “

Houston, We Have a Problem”

00Publius Contributor - Anti-Americanism - Barack Obama - Congress - Democrats/Leftists - Elections - GOP - History - Media Bias - Nancy Salvato - News - Patriotism - President - Society/Culture

True Patriots Put Country First

November 14, 2008 by

-By Nancy Salvato

Sometimes, I find it hard to stomach reading the headlines in my preferred publication of choice, the New Media Journal. I just finished an article reporting that Osama Bin Laden is planning on attacking the U.S. again –real soon. It’s hard to believe 7 years have passed since our hijacked planes were flown into the Pentagon and the World Trade Center. It almost seems surreal. However, we must remember that the terrorists who would do us harm do not adhere to commonly accepted timetables, do not fight a conventional war, do not distinguish between military or civilians, and are not affiliated with any one country. And any westerner or infidel is considered fair game for their next atrocity.

While some citizens have become complacent, others have been vigilant in monitoring the war on terrorism. Most news reported about the war on terror is picked up by the New Media Journal as a courtesy for the readers who don’t want to see another 9/11 befall our civilization in their lifetime or after. For those who have opted not to take a permanent news holiday by burying their heads in the sand (As Andrew Weil recommends) and instead continue to expose their intestines to ulcers and IBS in order to stay informed and to inform others, it will not come as a surprise if there is an electro magnetic pulse explosion in our immediate hemisphere. Terrorists are capable of pulling off such a feat. Needless to say, they won’t have any remorse over such actions. It is all in a days work.
Continue reading “True Patriots Put Country First”

00Publius Contributor - Barack Obama - Democrats/Leftists - Education - Elections - Media Bias - Nancy Salvato - News - President - Race - Security/Safety - Society/Culture

The Oath of a Citizen

November 9, 2008 by

-By Nancy Salvato

The United States of America has in one fell swoop rejected the status quo and elected the first black president. Now that the minorities in this country have seen one of their own elected to the highest office in the land, hopefully we can finally put the race issue to bed and discontinue the Balkanizing of America. Although we have our differences, these differences should not be what identify us. There should not be a hyphen in front of or behind the word American. Profiling should be left to those who investigate crime.

Although I chose to support McCain-Palin, I feel none of the angst that my Democratic brethren expressed at President Bush’s election. I am willing to accept America’s choice in the next leader of this free country. To be perfectly honest, I am relieved that the sky did not fall, Chicago did not succumb to rioting, and there is a relative sense of calm in the air.
Continue reading “The Oath of a Citizen”

00Publius Contributor - Congress - Constitution - Democrats/Leftists - Education - Elections - Free Speech - GOP - Media Bias - Nancy Salvato - News - Patriotism - President - Society/Culture

The Constitution, Two Candidates & An Election

November 4, 2008 by

-By Nancy Salvato

We are presently witnessing an historic event during this 2008 presidential election. On the one hand, we could see the first female vice president resulting from the vote. On the other hand, we may find that we have elected our first black president. Either way, a glass ceiling will have been broken, heralding in a new era in our history. Many challenges had to be met before a moment like this could take place, beginning with the creation of a written constitution which reflected an entirely new understanding about government. I’m not talking about federalism or the idea that democracy could be scalable. What I’m referring to is the idea that there can be “conflict in consensus.”

Our Constitution was ratified on September 13, 1788 but only after a series of compromises were made, first by the delegates to the Constitutional Convention and then during the ratification process when it was promised that a Bill of Rights would be added to the document in order to convince some state representatives to vote affirmatively. The careful notes that James Madison took during that long summer when the delegates hammered out the changes to his Virginia Plan –which later became the US Constitution, inform us that it wasn’t an easy process and that no one was entirely satisfied with the finished product. However, the Framers accepted that the Constitution they molded would not create a utopia. They were striving to achieve “national cohesion, political stability, economic growth, and individual liberty” -all out of reach under the Articles of Confederation. They understood that they were creating a more perfect union and that this process would be ongoing.
Continue reading “The Constitution, Two Candidates & An Election”

00Publius Contributor - Constitution - Democrats/Leftists - Elections - Nancy Salvato - News - Society/Culture

Article 2, Section 1: Just Words

October 30, 2008 by

-By Nancy Salvato

In a 1995 Press Release is a statement by the Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights, Deval Patrick (yes, that Deval Patrick -“just words”), on the Appellate Court Ruling upholding the Constitutionality of the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 (otherwise known as “Motor-Voter” Law), a bill signed into law by then President Clinton.

“Today’s favorable decision by the Court of Appeals follows similar victories in federal district courts in California and Pennsylvania. The decision sends a clear message that Congress was well within its authority to pass a law making it easier for all Americans to register to vote. Today’s decision also reaffirms the lower court’s opinion that the state had no legal basis for failing to comply with such a common sense law.

Motor-voter is government made easy — one stop shopping. Already the law is producing tremendous results across the country. Millions of Americans already are benefiting from this law — now millions of citizens of Illinois can, as well.” [1]
Continue reading “Article 2, Section 1: Just Words”