ACT OF CONSCIENTIOUSNESS WAS HISTORIC MOMENT OF DEFIANCE FOR LIBERTY

by Sharon Rondeau

(Jan. 10, 2010) — In May 2009, Obama was enjoying unusually high approval ratings.  It looked as if he would experience little trouble in passing his health care and cap and trade initiatives following the massive “stimulus” bill in February, despite a majority of the American people’s opposition to an ever-growing federal government replete with wasteful programs and pet projects.

On June 1, Chris Weigant of The Huffington Post wrote:

“Obama had his ups and downs in May, taking on contentious issues from the left and from the right. A high point for him (as with any president) was getting to name his first candidate for Supreme Court Associate Justice… perhaps Obama is just enjoying an extended honeymoon period…But what does stand out is how solid Obama’s numbers are. There is very little movement in them all month, mostly what would be considered within the margin of error of the polls themselves. For the month, Obama wound up with an average of 61.4 percent approval and 31.6 percent disapproval.”

A slight decline occurred in June which was nothing compared to the dramatic “change” that was to follow in July.

On July 2, 2009, Weigant summarized:  “Obama’s June poll numbers were down a bit. But not by much… — a whopping one-and-a-half percentage points. In other words, reports that the sky is falling may have been overblown. Or pure bilgewater in the first place…”

Major Stefan Frederick Cook was scheduled to report for duty on July 15, 2009 in preparation for deployment to Afghanistan. After challenging Barack Hussein Obama’s eligibility to serve as President and Commander-in-Chief of the military, Major Cook’s deployment order was revoked. His case, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Georgia, catapulted the eligibility issue into the national media. The filing by Major Cook’s attorney, Orly Taitz, dated July 8, 2009, requested a temporary restraining order “against the enforcement of potentially illegal orders for the benefit of all servicemen and women and for the benefit of [sic] all officers in all branches of the U.S. Military…”

By the end of July, Obama’s poll numbers had dropped dramatically, and after what had been a complete blackout, the mainstream media finally began to report on the eligibility issue which had been swirling since June 2008.

“Radio talk shows, television programming, newspapers – even a liberal talk show host in New York and talk format icon Lou Dobbs – had begun taking note of the story long reported by WorldNetDaily (WND) over the doubts about and challenges to President Obama’s eligibility to occupy the Oval office.  Lynn Samuels, longtime New York radio talker, even accused Obama of lying about his birth certificate.  WND has been reporting – many times in solo fashion – on the issues that have been raised by multiple lawsuits contending that Obama does not qualify under the U.S. Constitution’s requirement that the president be a ‘natural born’ citizen.  But now word was spreading, prompted by the case brought that week by an Army major scheduled for deployment to Afghanistan”

According to the Pew Research Center on July 30, 2009,

“Barack Obama’s approval ratings have suffered major declines. The president’s overall job approval number fell from 61% in mid-June to 54% currently. His approval ratings for handling the economy and the federal budget deficit have also fallen sharply, tumbling to 38% and 32%, respectively. Majorities now say they disapprove of the way the president is handling these two issues. The new poll also finds significant declines over the last few months in the percentage of Americans giving Obama high marks for dealing with health care, foreign policy and tax policy.”

The following is an interview conducted with Major Cook about his life, military career, and the status of his case.

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Ms. Rondeau: When did you enlist in the military, and why?

Maj. Cook: I first went into the Military in 1978, straight from high school into the U.S. Air Force Academy as a Cadet.  I was there for one year, one month and one day.  Like many fourth-class Cadets, my academics were not up to par.   I had a nine-year break in service, and then enlisted in the New Jersey Army National Guard in 1988 after I had completed my MBA.   I served six months in an enlisted capacity, and then went to Officer’s Candidate School (OCS).  I was commissioned as a 2LT (Second Lieutenant) in 1990.  I first went into the Air Force Academy because I wanted to be an A10 pilot.  I then reenlisted in the Army as a Combat Engineer – I have always been quite adept at building things as well as blowing them up – hence my becoming a Combat Engineer in the Army.

Ms. Rondeau: What was the most important thing you learned from being a member of the Army?

Maj. Cook: The most important thing I learned from being a member of the Army is a thing called “Moral Courage.”  Moral courage is the deliberate choice between doing what’s easy and doing what’s right.

Ms. Rondeau: What do you consider your greatest accomplishment, in or out of the military?

Maj. Cook: I suppose my greatest accomplishment inside the Military is being one of the only Army Reserve Majors who has received the Joint Qualified Officer designator.  At the time of my award, I was one of two in the entire U.S. Army Reserve to have achieved that distinction.  My greatest accomplishment  outside the military would be raising a wonderful, bright, articulate daughter.

Ms. Rondeau: Where does Cook v. Good stand now? Does Orly Taitz still represent you in this or any other action?

Maj. Cook: We have an appeal filed in the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.  And yes, Orly represents me in this action.

Ms. Rondeau: As a result of the court case, SIMTech fired you. Have you found employment since then?

Maj. Cook: Yes, I have procured employment and am actually doing better now than when I was with SIMTech.  By the way, I harbor no malice against SIMTech and its owners.  Undue government pressure was exerted against them.

Ms. Rondeau: Although Judge Land ruled against you and sanctioned Attorney Taitz severely in a subsequent action brought by another party, do you feel that your case made an impact on the military, the public, and/or the courts in general?

Maj. Cook: Yes, I believe that my case made a distinct impact on the military, public, and courts.  Specifically what I see in the courts is that they are abrogating their responsibility to deal with legitimate questions of constitutional importance and are hiding behind the words “standing” and “jurisdiction”.  It appears to me that our judicial system and federal judiciary have been tainted by “politics.”  They no longer appear to serve the people.

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