Words and Links

The following is a true letter to the editor from a North East Pennsylvania newspaper.  It is frightening to think that there are people out there who think like this.

A new Constitution to reflect the present

I am fed up with conservatives who criticize everything our president and the Democrats do.  They love to refer to a 200-plus-year-old document that is about as relevant today as the horse and buggy.  We need a new Constitution.  One that reflects our current needs and rights and Obama’s mandate for change from the American people gives him the power and indeed, the obligation to create one.  We know now that the free market does not work.  Obama was wise enough to know that only government could save us from ourselves and our adherence to a capitalist system that is run on greed.  Let’s use this wisdom to ensure that every American has the right to health care, housing, transportation, a college education and a good-paying job.  As for the current health care debate, how can the average American understand such a complex problem?  We have experts in the government to figure out what is best for us.  Let’s let them do the job we voted them into office to do.

No, I am not putting the writers name here out of sympathy for them.

Why is civility and decorum being abandoned at the town hall meetings?  On the surface it is definitely genuine and sincere opposition to President Obama’s health care reform initiative.  However, digging deeper into the motives of the protesters shows that the frustration comes from multiple sources, only one of which is the healthcare issue.

According to AP, the protesters are “white, conservative and working class. But they ranged in age and their concerns went beyond health care to deficit spending, taxes, government growth and other issues.”  The issues began rearing their head with George W. Bush abandoning of fiscal conservatism and disregard for personal liberties post 9/11.  The ball was then rolling downhill.  Increased Federal spending, the Iraq war, the near collapse of the financial system, and the massive government bailouts and buyouts of our large private institutions have pushed many people to the point where it was time to begin complaining and being vocal.

Healthcare reform was just the last straw.  As proposed, it is an awful idea that would cause our current system to suffer, and degrade the services available.  And it is virtually guaranteed to cause far more people to be unsatisfied with the health system than are now.

These protesters are frustrated and screaming out to put a brake on government expansion in general.  We still live in the greatest and most free country in the world and these people are screaming out to keep it that way.

Obama promises an overhaul of the healthcare system with or without the support of the Republican Party.  According to to an AP article The President and Democratic congressmen are remaining open to working on a bipartisan solution – for now.  But this manufactured “crisis” must be resolved by the end of the year in order to help “stabilize the nation’s fiscal health”.  So come September, despite the protests against, and without Republican support, watch for this to be forced through with all of the might the Dems can muster.  Because it is their “sacred duty to the American people” -Senator Jay Rockefeller, D-WV.

Or more accurately one of a group of dimwits calling themselves Wargod Inc.  These simpletons fashioned themselves a fugitive recovery agency who first came on police radar when they were seen walking the streets of Stroudsburg Pennsylvania recently.  They were wearing black military fatigues, empty holsters, and badges, and flashing cans of mace and handcuffs.  Appropriately this resulted in a few calls to police.

Then came the 911 call from the home for the elderly.  The manager there reported that these four  jokers were running up and down the halls and trying to enter one of the apartments.

Coincidentally, at the same time as this was going on, the Pennsylvania State Police were investigating neighbor’s complaints at the Wargod’s home base, a local home occupied by Kelly Hefferon and her two sons.  Apparently the neighbors had problems with the gunfire in the back yard, sirens ringing out at all hours, and the clown posse practicing marching in formation up and down the street.  Silly neighbors.

While the police were investigating the home, the crew returned from their night on the town.  Pulling up with a red light on the dash and a pistol grip shotgun and shells in full view in the car probably wasn’t too good of an idea.

According to police, Lawrence Colon, 39, explained that he was co-owner, with Hefferon, of Wargod. He also told police that he was licensed with the state, was training his agents, and that he was looking for a fugitive to collect the reward.

The police investigation revealed that his “license” was only a tax ID registration, and that they had no affiliation with the courts or a bail bondsman, as required by law.  Two of them were convicted felons which prohibits them from possessing firearms.

As if all of this wasn’t enough fun for these guys, The State Police had to come back to the house two days later to resolve a property dispute.  The police came upon felon Lawrence Colon (the photogenic beauty in the pic) carrying a 9 mm pistol.  Two more days after that the police had completed their investigation and returned to arrest the Wargods.

As of now, four have plead guilty and one is waiting for his trial.