Chuck Baldwin
May 13, 2008

There is an old adage that, for the most part, has proven itself to be true: “Birds of a feather flock together.” In other words, one can discern much about a person by the company he or she keeps. Accordingly, here is a sample of the quirky company of Senator John McCain.

As Jerome Corsi recently reported, John McCain has long enjoyed sizeable funding from the ultraliberal gazillionaire George Soros, and from liberal Massachusetts Senator John Kerry’s wife, Teresa Heinz Kerry. (See the report at http://www.worldnetdaily.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=56177 )

Question: Why would ultraliberals such as Soros and Kerry give so much money to a “conservative” Republican? Answer: They know that McCain is anything but a conservative. In fact, McCain is so liberal, he actually discussed becoming John Kerry’s Vice Presidential running mate on the Democratic ticket in 2004.

Dr. Corsi also reported the fact that McCain has chosen Juan Hernandez as his Hispanic outreach director. A former Mexican government official, Hernandez is a man who openly advances a “Mexico first” policy everywhere he goes.

Corsi wrote, “In an appearance on ABC’s Nightline in 2001, Hernandez said, referring to Mexican immigrants in the U.S., ‘I want the third generation, the seventh generation, I want them all to think “Mexico first.”"‘ Neither John McCain nor any of his spokesmen have repudiated Hernandez’ sentiments.

(See Dr. Corsi’s report at http://www.wnd.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=59890 )

Is it any surprise, therefore, that John McCain has agreed to speak at the upcoming annual conference of La Raza (”The Race”)? As most readers probably know, behind La Raza is a radical Hispanic group that advocates a militant “reconquista” of the Southwestern United States.

John McCain is also known to have surrounded himself with corporate lobbyists, who, for all intents and purposes, seek only the success of their international corporation employers, not any “conservative” principle.

Noted columnist Cliff Kincaid recently wrote, “Not all conservatives thought the [New York] Times was off-base in going after McCain’s ties to lobbyists. These activists are angry that McCain is surrounded by lobbyists who put corporate interests ahead of conservative interests. They note, for example, that it has been impossible to get McCain to firmly commit to opposing the U.N.’s Law of the Sea Treaty. McCain has also indicated support for the International Criminal Court.”

See Kincaid’s column at http://www.aim.org/aim-column/more-dirt-on-mccain/

In addition, World Net Daily recently reported that McCain’s family fortune (via his current wife) is tainted with connections to organized crime. The WND report begins by saying, “John McCain’s personal fortune traces back to organized crime in Arizona, through his father-in-law, according to a report published by a multi-news agency team called Investigative Reporters and Editors Inc.”

See the WND report at http://www.worldnetdaily.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=57354

In addition, a pro-abortion group has endorsed the now self-touted “pro-life” candidacy of John McCain. “The Republicans for Choice Political Action Committee decided that McCain was the best candidate to make the Republican Party pro-choice following Rudy Giuliani’s withdrawal from the race, reported CNS News today.”

See the report at http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2008/feb/08020605.html

And if all of the above is not enough, “Two of Sen. John McCain’s top advisors and fundraisers are among several Republican and Democratic presidential campaign officials whose lobbying firms have been paid more than $15 million by foreign governments since 2005.

“The firms of McCain senior advisor Charlie Black, who until recently was the chairman of Washington-based BKSH & Associates, and campaign co-chairman Thomas G. Loeffler, who heads the Loeffler Group in San Antonio, received millions of dollars lobbying the White House, Congress and others as agents of nearly a dozen foreign clients in recent years . . .” As it turns out, Red China and Mexico are the top employers. (Source: The Washington Times. See the report at http://www.washingtontimes.com:80/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080411/NATION/299288489/1001 )

If it is true that “a man is known by the company he keeps,” what does this say about Senator John McCain?

And for readers who would like to contribute to my 2008 Presidential campaign, I will mention this once, that a special Memorial Day “Money Bomb” has been created at http://www.freedommoneybomb.com/

Plus, I do not hesitate to state that the only national party that is 100% pro-life, that is committed to securing our borders against illegal immigration, and that is dedicated to preserving our nation’s sovereignty and independence by opposing NAFTA, CAFTA, and the burgeoning North American Union is the Constitution Party. Here is the web site:
http://constitutionparty.com

*If you enjoyed this column and want to help me distribute these editorial opinions to an ever-growing audience, donations may now be made by credit card, check, or Money Order. Use this link:

http://www.chuckbaldwinlive.com/donate.php

© Chuck Baldwin

Chuck Baldwin is Founder-Pastor of Crossroads Baptist Church in Pensacola, Florida. Dr. Baldwin is also the host of a lively, hard-hitting syndicated radio talk show  “Chuck Baldwin Live” and is the Constitution Party nominee for President in 2008.

To learn more about his radio talk show please visit his web site at: www.chuckbaldwinlive.com. When responding, please include your name, city and state

Congressman Ron Paul

The House passed two bills attempting to rehabilitate the housing and mortgage market this week.  There doesn’t seem to be any shortage of criticism and blame for the bad decisions, and rightly so.  Lenders and banks do share much of the blame for the overheated market.  Lending standards were relaxed, or even abandoned altogether, creating an exaggerated pool of homebuyers that led to ballooning home prices that many, especially real estate investors, expected to continue forever.  Now that the bubble has burst, the losses are staggering.

However, many in Washington fail to realize it was government intervention that brought on the current economic malaise in the first place.  The Federal Reserve’s artificially low interest rates created the loose, easy credit that ignited a voracious appetite in the banks for borrowers.  People made these lending and buying decisions based on market conditions that were wildly manipulated by government.  But part of sound financial management should be recognizing untenable or falsified economic conditions and adjusting risk accordingly.  Many banks failed to do that and are now looking to taxpayers to pick up the pieces.  This is wrong-headed and unfair, but Congress is attempting to do it anyway.

These housing bills address the crisis in exactly the wrong way, by seeking to hide the problem with more disastrous government bail-outs and interventions.  One measure, HR 5830 the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) Housing Stabilization and Homeowner Retention Act would allow the FHA to guarantee as much as $300 billion worth of refinanced home loans for those facing threat of foreclosure.  HR 5818 the Neighborhood Stabilization Act, would provide $15 billion in loans and grants to localities to purchase and renovate foreclosed homes with the object of then selling or renting out those homes.  Thankfully, President Bush has vowed to veto both of these bills.  It is neither morally right nor fiscally wise to socialize private losses in this way.

The solution is for government to stop micromanaging the economy and let the market adjust, as painful as that will be for some.  We should not force taxpayers, including renters and more frugal homeowners, to switch places with the speculators and take on those same risks that bankrupted them.  It is a terrible idea to spread the financial crisis any wider or deeper than it already is, and to prolong the agony years into the future.  Socializing the losses now will only create more unintended consequences that will give new excuses for further government interventions in the future. This is how government grows - by claiming to correct the mistakes it earlier created, all the while constantly shaking down the taxpayer.  The market needs a chance to correct itself, and Congress needs to avoid making the situation worse by pretending to ride to the rescue.

From an e-mail:

We had the meanest mother in the whole world! While other kids ate candy for breakfast, we had to have cereal, eggs, and toast. When others had a Pepsi and a Twinkie for lunch, we had to eat sandwiches. And you can guess our mother fixed us a dinner that was different than other kids had too.

Mother insisted on knowing where we were at all times. You’d think we were convicts in a prison. She had to know who our friends were, and what we were doing with them. She insisted that if we said we would be gone for an hour, we would be gone for an hour or less.

We were ashamed to admit it, but she had the nerve to break the “Child Labor Laws” but making us work. We had to wash the dishes, make the beds, learn to cook, vacuum the floor, do laundry, and all sorts of cruel jobs. I think she would lay awake at night thinking of more things for us to do.

She always insisted on us telling the truth the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. By the time we were teenagers, she could read our minds, and life was really tough.

She wouldn’t let our friends just honk the horn when they drove up. They had to come up to the door so she could meet them. While everyone else could date when they were 12 or 13, we had to wait until we were 16.

Because of our mother we missed out on lots of things other kids experienced. None of us have ever been caught shoplifting, vandalizing other’s property, or ever arrested for any crime. It was all her fault. We never got drunk, took up smoking, stayed out all night, or a million other things other kids did.

Sundays were reserved for church, and we never missed once. We knew better than to ask to spend the night with a friend on Saturdays.

Now that we have left home, we are all God-fearing, educated, honest adults. We are doing our best to be mean parents just like our mom was.

The world just doesn’t have enough mean moms anymore!

On the program this week is William Bunker a candidate for the State Legislature running in the Massachusetts Middlesex County’s Second District (Littleton, Westford and parts of Chelmsford). His message is simple - ‘For Peace and Liberty.’ A message straight from the Ron Paul playbook.. We will be talking with Mr. Bunker about his candidacy and the issues he wishes to get out to the voters. This and your phone calls!  

Broadcast – Understanding Our Times

Website - http://www.blogtalkradio.com/understandingourtimes

Time – Saturday, May 10, at 4:00 pm EST

Length – 30 Minutes

Call-In Phone Number – (347) 945-7171    
  
You can join us live Saturday afternoon at 4:00 pm EST, or download the broadcast in mp3 format at a time more convenient for you. 

Chuck Baldwin
May 9, 2008

Since I just celebrated my 56th birthday (on May 3), it is time for my annual “Strictly Personal” column. I think it only fair that readers should have an opportunity to learn a little something about the person who writes the words they read. Today’s column is designed with that goal in mind.

I was born in a small town in northern Indiana. My father and mother were dedicated Christians. Dad was a welder by trade and a lay jailhouse preacher. The Lord delivered him from a terrible life of alcoholism, and the story of his deliverance is nothing short of miraculous.

Readers should know that I will send a cassette tape or CD of my father’s life story, free of charge, to anyone who requests it. If you or someone you know struggles with alcohol or drug addiction, I urge you to obtain a copy of this remarkable story. Go to: http://www.chuckbaldwinlive.com/edbald.html

Dad was the only Baldwin in my clan to leave the South. All the rest of my kin were lifelong Arkansans. I moved South after my Sophomore year of college and have never left.

The Baldwins were all Democrats, and so was I, until Ronald Reagan’s candidacy, when I registered as a Republican. Now, however, I am an Independent affiliated with the Constitution Party.

I believe the two major parties are two peas in the same pod or, as Pat Buchanan calls them, “two wings of the same bird of prey.” In my opinion, both parties are selling out our constitutional liberties, our independence, and our national sovereignty. At the national level, I can no longer in good conscience support either of them.

The Constitution Party web site is located at: http://www.constitutionparty.com/

Readers should also know that the Constitution Party recently selected me as their 2008 Presidential candidate. My campaign web site is still under construction, but is located here: http://www.baldwin2008.com

Outside of the decision to trust Jesus Christ as my personal Savior, the decision to marry my wife, Connie, is the greatest decision I ever made. She is marvelous! We will celebrate our 35th wedding anniversary next month. She has borne me three wonderful children of whom I could not be prouder.

My oldest child, Sarah Beth, is married to Allan Baker, a structural engineer. She and Allan are the youth leaders in our church. They have three children. Our oldest son, Christopher, owns his own plumbing construction business here in Pensacola. He and his wife, Jana, are also dedicated Christians and serve God with us in our church. They have three sons. Our youngest son, Timothy, was a felony prosecutor with the Florida State Attorney’s office, and now owns his own law firm. He, too, is a committed Christian and is the worship leader in our church. Tim is married to the former Miss Jennifer Hanssen.

Readers should also know that Tim has an excellent legal review of the USA Patriot Act posted on our web site. Read it at: http://www.chuckbaldwinlive.com/TimBaldwin.htm

I believe in the primacy of the local New Testament Church. I have been privileged to serve as the Senior Pastor of the Crossroad Baptist Church in Pensacola, Florida, for over thirty-two years now.

I have hosted my own radio programs for more than thirty years. In fact, this column is the outgrowth of my radio talk show program, Chuck Baldwin Live. Here is the web address: http://www.chuckbaldwinlive.com/

Currently, my radio programs are aired 29 times a week on 8 different stations in the Northwest Florida, Southwest Alabama, and Central Florida areas.

My personal philosophy regarding social/political issues is quite simple. I believe abortion is America’s national holocaust. It is the deliberate killing of innocent human life. Furthermore, it is absolutely disgraceful that while the so-called “pro-life” Republican Party controlled the entire federal government from 2000 to 2006, they did nothing to overturn Roe v. Wade and end legalized abortion.

I believe the U.S. Constitution, including the Bill of Rights, is the greatest civil document ever devised by man. I steadfastly support the principles contained in the Declaration of Independence. I believe America’s Founding Fathers to be the greatest generation of Christian philosophers and patriots to ever live.

I believe the current attempts by politicians from both parties to ignore and violate the Constitution are unconscionable and draconian attacks against the liberties of the American people and should be vehemently resisted. I believe in the right of the people to keep and bear arms.

I believe there is a conspiracy by elitists within government and big business to steal America’s independence. I believe many, if not most, pastors today have become little more than glorified politicians, and I am very disappointed in the way today’s national Christian leaders seem to have sold out to political and commercial powers.

I further believe that the current effort to merge the United States into a North American Community, along with the sister-issues of the NAFTA superhighway and the push to provide amnesty to millions of illegal aliens, comprises the greatest threat to America’s independence and national sovereignty we have seen since our country’s inception. In this regard, I especially appreciate investigative journalist and author Dr. Jerome Corsi, and CNN broadcaster Lou Dobbs. I encourage every American to read and watch carefully what these two men are saying.

I opposed the preemptive invasion of Iraq, and I continue to oppose the occupation of that country. I believe the Bush administration was untruthful about the motivations for going to war with Iraq and continues to deceive the American people to this very day.

I believe the American people have more to fear from Washington, D.C., than they do from Baghdad or Tehran. I believe the United Nations is a sinister organization from which the United States should withdraw. I believe the federal government taxes too much, spends too much, lies too much, and snoops too much into the personal lives of the American people.

Besides Crossroad Baptist Church in Pensacola, Florida and the Constitution Party, the only organizations to which I belong are Gun Owners of America, and The National Rifle Association. I especially support GOA, as it is the only Second Amendment advocacy group that refuses to compromise for the sake of political correctness.

See GOA’s web site at: http://www.gunowners.org/

My favorite news magazine is The New American. I heartily recommend that every American read it. Here is their web site: http://www.thenewamerican.com/

If I have a hobby, it would be hunting and freshwater fishing, although I don’t get to do either as much as I would like. In fact, I recently sold my bass boat, as it was about to fuse itself to my driveway due to inactivity. I am probably what people would call a workaholic. I do not drink or smoke. In addition, I adhere to a strict diet and exercise regimen.

There it is. That is me in a nutshell. If you want to read more details about me, go to: http://www.chuckbaldwinlive.com/sketch.html

At least now you know more about who I am. You can rest assured that everything I write will be faithful to the beliefs mentioned above. And as always, thanks for reading my columns.

*If you enjoyed this column and want to help me distribute these editorial opinions to an ever-growing audience, donations may now be made by credit card, check, or Money Order. Use this link:

http://www.chuckbaldwinlive.com/donate.php

© Chuck Baldwin

Chuck Baldwin is Founder-Pastor of Crossroads Baptist Church in Pensacola, Florida. Dr. Baldwin is also the host of a lively, hard-hitting syndicated radio talk show  “Chuck Baldwin Live” and is the Constitution Party nominee for President in 2008.

To learn more about his radio talk show please visit his web site at: www.chuckbaldwinlive.com. When responding, please include your name, city and state

You will not want to miss out on some upcoming Understanding Our Times broadcasts.

This Saturday will be a live broadcast (yes, for once) with our guest Massachusetts State Rep candidate William Bunker.  He is a Ron Paul Republican hoping to bring some common sense to the State House (and, boy, do they need it!) Check out his website at www.WilliamBunker2008.blogspot.com.

Next Saturday will be a pre-recorded broadcast with New Jersey Senate candidate Dr. Murry Sabrin.  Sabrin has earned the endorsement of Ron Paul himself.  But even more importantly, Dr. Sabrin is considered by some to be the front-runner in the GOP primary.  The US Senate would be a much more interesting place with Dr. Sabrin there.  You won’t want to miss this interview!  You can find out more about Dr. Sabrin at http://www.murraysabrin.com. 

I am also in talks with the Constitution Party(the only party I would be a member of these days!) to have Dr. Chuck Baldwin on the program.  Dr. Baldwin is the CP nominee for President.  He certainly has my vote! 

This from the fine folks over at MassResistance:

1.  “Pro-family” MA legislators join overwhelming vote to increase funding in House 2009 budget for homosexual programs in schools - now $750,000!

Thursday evening the Massachusetts House of Representatives overwhelmingly voted to add an additional $150,000 of taxpayer money in the 2009 state budget for the Mass. Commission on Gay Lesbian Bisexual and Transgender Youth to use for homosexual programs in the public schools. The vote was 148 to 10.

This is in addition to the $100,000 increase which the House had voted early that morning (in a midnight session, as reported in our previous email) for homosexual programs in the schools.

Thus, the total figure in the House 2009 budget now stands at $750,000. The House Ways and Means Committee had originally budgeted $500,000, but the full House decided to increase that by 50%!

Thursday evening roll call vote for the $150,000 increase (148-10).

Thursday morning call vote for the $100,000 increase (142-16).

To our knowledge, no other state in America (or anywhere) budgets even a fraction of this amount of money for homosexual programs in the schools. Massachusetts leads the world in homosexual activism in its public schools.

Where are the “pro-family” legislators?

This clearly shows that when the rubber meets the road, politicians will turn against you. There was no question at all where this money is going. But just about all of them decided to take the easy way out.

Only 10 out of 200. Rather than list the many who sold out, we’ll list the few who didn’t. Out of 160 House members, only 10 voted against both of these increases.  They are: (all Republicans) Reps. Jones, Rogeness, Peterson, Lepper, deMacedo, Evangelidis, Perry, Poirier, Polito, Webster.

How did this happen?

The short answer is that the homosexual lobby scares them more than we do. Think about that.

For this upcoming fiscal year, Massachusetts is facing a revenue shortfall of well over a billion dollars. Yet your legislators are willing to give hardcore homosexual activists $750,000 of taxpayer money to use unsupervised in the public schools.

As we’ll report in our next email, the homosexual group MassEquality is already bragging that they worked overtime to pressure state reps to vote for this money. They met with them one-on-one. They leaned on them hard. They threatened them And guess what? Finally, even “good” ones caved in and sold out your kids.

How this money gets spent

This is every parent’s nightmare. This money is put in direct control of the Mass. Commission for Gay Lesbian Bisexual and Transgender Youth, which includes the most radical groups and individuals in the state. The two main leaders are a woman with a beard and sideburns and a man who cross-dresses. They see their next frontier as the transgender movement, which they promote heavily in addition to homosexuality and bisexuality. They set up homosexual clubs in high schools and middle schools, fund and put on homosexual programs and assemblies, They organize homosexual curriculum in the elementary schools. They often work directly with kids, with no outside supervision. Furthermore, they intimidate and threaten school officials who balk at allowing their activities. They also put on extra-curricular activities off-campus, such as the “Youth Pride” march and the “transgender prom”, alone with kids.

Transgender members of the Commission have even organized a “Trans Youth Summit” on June 28 for “youth 24 and under” (i.e., kids mixed with adults).

Using the force of law. Moreover, with the recent federal court ruling in the David Parker case, the state can “legally” push homosexuality and transgenderism as much as it wants in the schools. Schools do not have to allow any opt-out. Schools do not have to notify parents. They don’t even have to tell parents after the fact what they did.

They will do all this and more with your $750,000 - being handed to the homosexual activists.

What’s next?

It’s not over.  The 2009 budget now goes to the Massachusetts Senate. Yesterday the Senate Ways and Means Committee began to work on it. This committee can add or take out budget items or change amounts. They’ve already started their work. That process should take about two weeks, we’re told.

Around May 20, the Senate Ways and Means Committee will present its version of the budget to the full Senate for a vote, or for amendments.

After the Senate passes its version of the budget a hand-picked conference committee will work out the differences. Then it gets submitted to the governor.

---

2. What do we do now?

The Massachusetts Legislature really doesn’t get it. These public officials are disconnected from reality.

And the homosexual movement is using Massachusetts as a model for how they’re going to push this in schools all over America through legislative pressure, public funding, and legal mandates. (After they do this here, your state is next. And if you live here, get ready for worse things than you’ve ever seen.)

Can we stop it?  We don’t know.  But here’s what we DO know:

We know that there are far more of you (both here and across the county) than there are homosexual activists.

And we know that large numbers of people can let these legislators  know our outrage. They think that the MassEquality homosexual lobbyists are opinionated about this? They haven’t heard from the rest of us. Thousands of people can also make some noise. Not only from Massachusetts but from all over America.

Here’s the situation as of today. It’s pretty simple:

1. This budget is now in the Senate Ways and Means Committee. The Chairman of that committee is Sen. Steven Panagiotakos (who in the past has been generally pro-family).
    
2. All of us have between now and May 20 to make an impression on this committee.

That’s not much time. Let’s make the best of it. We will be publishing another email tomorrow on this - look for it! (In the meantime, feel free to start calling. There will be more!)
An addendum: MassResistance has been criticized by a major “pro-family” group in Massachusetts. They’ve said we should be more polite to elected officials. This group even told a homosexual newspaper that they disagreed with us because we are occasionally “rude” to state legislators. Well, so be it. This is a crucial time, a defining moment. Someone needs to lay down the law. 

Congressman Ron Paul

In the past few months, American workers, consumers, and businesses have experienced a sudden and dramatic rise in gasoline prices. In some parts of the country, gasoline costs as much as $4 per gallon. Some politicians claim that the way to reduce gas prices is by expanding the government’s power to regulate prices and control the supply of gasoline.  For example, the House of Representatives has even passed legislation subjecting gas stations owners to criminal penalties if they charge more than a federal bureaucrat deems appropriate. Proponents of these measures must have forgotten the 1970s, when government controls on the oil industry resulted in gas lines and shortages. It was only after President Reagan lifted federal price controls that the gas lines disappeared.

Instead of imposing further restraints on the market, Congress should consider reforming the federal policies that raise gas prices. For example, federal and state taxes can account for as much as a third of what consumers’ pay at the pump. The Federal Government’s boom-and-bust monetary policy also makes consumers vulnerable to inflation and to constant fluctuations in the prices of essential goods such as oil. It is no coincidence that oil prices first became an issue shortly after President Nixon unilaterally severed the dollar’s last link to gold.

Basic economics says that when government restricts the supply of a good, the price will increase. Yet Congress continues to reject simple measures that could increase the supply of oil. For example, Congress refuses to allow reasonable, environmentally sensitive, offshore drilling. Congress also refuses to remove the numerous regulatory hurdles that add to the prohibitively expensive task of constructing new refineries. Building a new refinery requires billions of dollars in capital investment. It can take several years just to obtain the necessary federal permits. Even after the permits are obtained, construction of a refinery may still be delayed or even halted by frivolous lawsuits.  It is no wonder that there has not been a new refinery constructed in the United States since 1976.

Last year, in order to provide the American people with relief from high oil prices, I introduced the Affordable Gas Price Act (HR 2415). This legislation protects the American people from gas price spikes by suspending the federal gas tax whenever the national average gas price exceeds $3.00 per gallon. The Affordable Gas Price Act also expands the supply of gasoline by repealing the federal moratorium on offshore drilling, including in the ANWR reserve in Alaska . HR 2415 also provides tax incentives and protection from nuisance lawsuits for those seeking to build new refineries. Finally, HR 2415 authorizes a federal study on the link between our nation’s monetary policy and the price of oil.

The free market can meet the American people’s demand for a reliable supply of gasoline as long as government does not distort the market through excessive taxation and regulation. Therefore, Congress should lower prices gas prices by pursuing an agenda of low taxes, regulatory relief, and sound money by passing legislation such as my Affordable Gas Act.

I was honored to preach today at North Baptist Church as Pastor Laitres was away for the weekend.  Down below are links to the mp3 files of my two messages:

Sunday Morning - Saved by Grace - Now What?

Sunday Evening - The True Test of Spirituality