When did we give away America?

I must have been asleep when we gave away our constitutional rights. As a young man, I enlisted in the Marine Corps and four years later I entered the U.S. Naval Academy. Four years after that, I was sworn in as a second lieutenant in the Marine Corps.

President John F. Kennedy spoke at our graduation and commissioning as officers in the military. Wow, what a way to be commissioned. Most became ensigns in the Navy, while a significant number became second lieutenants in the Marine Corps, Army or Air Force.

We all swore to support and defend the Constitution of the United States. That was so long ago. I have been retired for more than 20 years, but that oath rings as true today as the day I took it.

I just wish our elected officials felt the same. They also swore to defend and support that same Constitution. Neither they nor we swore to support a party, an individual or a particular cause.

That is what is so great about the oath of office. "I do solemnly swear to support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies foreign and domestic."

Wow! I saw many of our young men die for those words and lost several good friends as we fought for those words.

Throughout our history, tens of thousands have given the ultimate sacrifice for those words and what they mean.

Never in my wildest dreams did I ever think the greatest attack on this country would come from within, but it has.

Our citizens have been voicing their opposition to the current health care bill and yet our elected officials have turned a deaf ear.

At this time, they are now looking to push this bill without a vote by using a technique to provide some type of cover to members.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi stated they will do whatever is necessary in order to pass this bill.

The bill that is proposed actually does not exist. They merely want something to pass so it will be the groundwork for a government takeover some time in the future.

Go online to Google and listen to key individuals about their desire to have the government run health care and start with initial steps such as we now see proposed.

No one really knows what is in the current bill because it has not been finalized, and it will never be finalized until the government totally controls everything concerning health care. As of today, what do we really know about what is proposed?

The latest poll states one-third of current doctors will retire if this bill is passed. Millions of additional people will be covered by some type of insurance.

At present, about 13 percent of emergency visits are by people without insurance. That is a far cry from overwhelming the system.

What happens if a large number of doctors do retire while an additional number of people are covered by insurance? With fewer doctors, more people will be going to the emergency room.

The bottom line is this bill is not about reducing costs, providing coverage for all citizens or improving health care as a whole; it is about power and control.

The latest polls show the disapproval of the president now passes the approval ratings. Americans are angry and are concerned about the direction of the country.

We are a great people who have faced countless challenges during our history, but this is the first time the challenge has come from within to such a degree.

We fought a civil war and sacrificed hundreds of thousands of citizens. We fought two world wars with no desired property additions and assisted numerous countries in their development or relief from natural disasters.

We want our elected officials to follow the rule of law and the Constitution; and if they do not, then we will replace them.