Rafael Cruz - A Time for Action: Empowering the Faithful to Reclaim America

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

I want to express my appreciation to Keith Urban and his team for their advice and interaction throughout the writing of this book; to our publishers, WND Books; to Geoffrey Stone, editorial director; and Thomas Freiling, vice president, for their continuous editorial support; and to Michael J. Klassen for his invaluable research assistance.

The constant encouragement that I have received from my son, Ted; my daughter, Roxana; and my niece Bibi have been a tremendous source of strength that has helped to keep me on course and focused as I tried to navigate through my extremely busy schedule and find the time to work on this manuscript. Similarly, I have been inspired by the many, many people who have encouraged me to write this book.

Finally I offer praise and thanksgiving to my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, and to the divine inspiration of the Holy Spirit, not only in the writing of this book, but also in guiding my daily walk. To Him be all honor, glory, and praise!

APPENDIX 1

TEN PLANKS OF THE COMMUNIST MANIFESTO

In 1848, German philosophers Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels wrote a political pamphlet they called The Manifesto of the Communist Party. Better known today as the Communist Manifesto, the document serves as a blueprint for Communism. Over time, political theorists have derived ten objective planks that summarize Marx and Engels flawed theory and document. Tragically, more than a few of these planks are manifested in todays federal government.

PLANK #1: ABOLITION OF PRIVATE PROPERTY

Did you know the US federal government owns almost 650 million acres of land about 28 percent of our nations total surface area? In fact, it owns 85 percent of the state of Nevada. The 2012 Congressional Overview of Federal Land Ownership readily admits:

47% of the 11 coterminous western states [is federally owned]. By contrast, the federal government owns only 4% in the other states. This western concentration has contributed to a higher degree of controversy over land ownership and use in that part of the country.

But the governments voracious appetite isnt satisfied. In the 2005 Kelo v. City of London ruling, the Supreme Court expanded the interpretation of eminent domain, allowing the government to seize citizens properties outside traditional depressed areas. Today, property can be seized any time the state deems its use for the public good, including for private shopping malls and sports complexes.

Through Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, the government also purchases home mortgages on the secondary market and can seize properties when loans become delinquent.

PLANK #2: A HEAVY PROGRESSIVE OR GRADUATED INCOME TAX

When Ronald Reagan was elected president in the taxpayer revolt of 1980, the marginal tax rate had reached 70 percent. By the end of his second term, the top tax rate had plummeted to 28 percent. At the conclusion of President Bill Clintons presidency, the rates had risen to 39 percent. With the imposition of Obamacare, taxes will only increase.

At the same time, the US corporate tax rate is now the highest in the world at 39.2 percent, higher than France, Denmark, and even Sweden.

PLANK #3: ABOLITION OF ALL RIGHTS OF INHERITANCE

In a 2012 article for TheBlaze, Tiffany Gabbay wrote:

What was most ironic about Marxs desire to abolish inheritance was that, if he had his way, citizens would not own anything of value to bequeath upon death in the first place. Nonetheless, his odd and arguably redundant tenet has worked its way into the American landscape via the estate tax.

Think about it: the government taxes the items we accumulate and then taxes them again when we bequeath them to our loved ones when we die. The higher the death tax, the less motivated we are to accumulate savings and pass them on to our heirs.

PLANK #4: CONFISCATION OF THE PROPERTY OF ALL EMIGRANTS AND REBELS

The Second Amendment reads, A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed. The Communist Manifesto advocates the opposite. According to this plank, anyone the government determines is an emigrant (foreigner) or rebel is fair game for arbitrary property confiscation by the government.

Before the Soviet government confiscated the property of their people, they first confiscated their guns. We cannot allow the US government to violate our Second Amendment rights, which could easily lead to the forfeiture of the rest of what lawfully belongs to us.

PLANK #5: CENTRALIZATION OF CREDIT

In 1913, the Federal Reserve Act of Congress created a national bank, which we call the Federal Reserve. The Fed sets our monetary policy and is supposed to combat inflation by raising or lowering interest rates.

Probably the greatest danger of the Feds powers is their ability to print money at their discretion. The Wall Street Journals Stephen Moore recently commented:

One of the fundamental problems with the U.S. economy right now is the Federal Reserve thinks the answer to all our economic problems is printing money. We havent created new jobs from all of this printing of money, but what we have produced is inflation in prices.

PLANK #6: CENTRALIZATION OF THE MEANS OF COMMUNICATION AND TRANSPORTATION

On February 26, 2015, the Federal Communications Commission promulgated its new net neutrality regulations, under the heavy hand of the Obama administration. Acting directly contrary to federal law, the FCC has decreed that Internet service providers (ISPs) will be treated like public utilities. Previously, the Internet had grown up free of the heavy hand of regulators; now, under the Obama FCC, Washington bureaucrats are declaring for themselves the power to impose billions in taxes, set prices, regulate terms of service, and stifle innovation.

Likewise, in transportation we have the heavily subsidized AMTRAK passenger train monopoly. Instead of allowing market forces to determine pricing and quality, the US government funds this money pit. The result? An inferior-quality, overpriced passenger train system with poor service that runs on time. Occasionally.

PLANK #7: GOVERNMENT OWNERSHIP OF FACTORIES

Market corrections and recessions tend to weed out bloated businesses, making room for newer and more dynamic companies to take root and grow. For years, the auto industry has stood out as the poster child of bloated, underperforming businesses that need a fundamental overhaul.

So, when the Great Recession tightened its grip on the economy in 2009, President Obama and the US government began bailing out the auto industry. General Motors, for example, received a total of $49.5 billion in bailout funds, giving the government a stake in its business. Five year later, who benefited most? General Motors, to the tune of $22 billion. The American taxpayers, however, lost $10.5 billion on the deal, according to CNN in a 2014 report. How did that happen? Uncle Sam decided to purchase GM stock instead of giving it a loan and weighing it down with additional debt. The CNN article explains: Although GM has been very profitable since 2009, its stock price never rose to a level that let Treasury to recoup that investment.

Just as troubling, Tiffany Gabbay asks, How [can] government ... fairly regulate its own business? Regulating businesses in which it has invested a generous sum cannot avoid accusations of favoritism and corruption.

PLANK #8: EQUAL OBLIGATION OF ALL TO WORK

Labor unions and the US government have long partnered together to control wages. Union bosses largely support Democratic candidates for election, who then support the union bosses. The result is unions that focus only on preserving the power of the bosses.