America’s Impending Death: The Why, The Way, And The Only Way Out
Have you ever been watching a movie, and you realize what’s going to happen next, before it even happens? Well, truth be told, that doesn’t happen to me too often. I’m usually not too good at predicting movies. But real life; well that’s another story.
I wish I had a blog back in about 2000, because then all of this would have been on record – but instead, I was just a guy with instinct, who told this to friends, but never made it public. For example, I believed G.W. Bush would win in a nail-biter, and I knew he’d win re-election. After McCain became the nominee, I knew he’d lose in a near landslide. I refused to vote for McCain – voting instead for Bob Barr, the 3rd Party candidate on our ballot. My reasoning: Read more
The War On Christmas…Or Is It On Something Different??
So I’ve read a few articles over the last few weeks about the “War on Christmas.” I must admit, on this subject I’m basically winging this. This is merely my raw, un-debated, un-researched, off-the-cuff expression of my emotional beliefs in this matter…which may actually be better in this discussion.
I will admit right off the bat that I am torn about this. I am a devout, though imperfect, Christian, still nowhere near the man Christ saved me to be. I have spent the last year studying and appreciating the science of the laws of nature and the origins of liberty. I am a Christian who values God first and foremost, Read more
A Government of the People, by the People, for….the People?….the Government?….for Who?
We have all heard that we are known as a government “of the People, by the People, for the People.” But that phrase is not found in The Declaration of Independence or The U.S. Constitution, so what does it mean? Its meaning becomes crystal clear when you “read between the lines” of The Declaration of Independence. But is that concept even true anymore in America today? Well let’s explore… Read more
Abortion – Logical Points In An Emotional Debate
I have always been troubled by the debate over whether or not abortion should be allowed in America. The problem with this debate is that it’s simply emotion vs. logic in many ways. And I want to make crystal clear, up front, that I do not harbor ill feelings towards any woman who has had an abortion, and I would never object to an abortion in the situation where the life of the mother is in jeopardy (though exceptions such as that are extremely rare). If you’re a Christian, no, you’re not “going to hell” if you’ve had or facilitated an abortion. I’m not going to throw red paint on you and call you a murderer or protest in front of an abortion clinic, and I would never, ever condone killing a doctor who performs abortions, Read more
A Logical and Principled (Though Difficult) Approach to the Debt Crisis
I was recently discussing the debt problem with a friend, and explaining how our federal spending is broken down; how 22% goes to National Defense, 21% to Medicare & Medicaid, 20% to Social Security, 14% to “Safety Net” programs, i.e. handouts – Earned Income Credit, WIC, Federal Housing Assistance, etc., and 8% to the interest on the national debt – which total 85% of our federal spending. I also mentioned how for every dollar we spend, 40 cents is borrowed.
Unless I’m mistaken, I have heard well intentioned people such as Sean Hannity, Phil Valentine, and others talk about how “if we don’t increase the debt limit (which don’t turn away, I do not support raising the debt limit – this is not a pitch to increase our debt further), we don’t have to worry, because we can pay Social Security, Medicare/Medicaid, National Defense, and interest on the debt with money to spare.” And then it hit me… NO, we CAN’T!!! [NOTE - my understanding of Phil's position was mistaken, he corrected me in the "comments" section below] Read more
Has Islam Been Hijacked By Radicals? Could Christianity Be Hijacked?
While I always respect and appreciate other people’s opinions, I don’t like to rely on their opinions, to form my own opinions, if there is actual text I can study myself. For that reason, I decided I was through with listening to “experts” on the dangers of Islam, or the peaceful nature of Islam, or the misunderstandings of Islam; and instead decided to study Islam for myself. (And for the record, nearly all of what I’m about to say is not my opinion…it’s FACT; with documentation to back it up.) Read more
Some of My Personal Favorite Quotes From My Studies
So, it’s been over FOUR MONTHS since my last blog!! There is a reason; and it’s not complacency. I have been studying a lot; reading material that I find important to fighting the battle for liberty that I’m determined to fight. Some of the readings in the last six months include Frederic Bastiat’s 13 Essays on Political Economy and his Economic Harmonies; Leonard Read’s “I Pencil”; a couple of Milton Friedman books; a few David Barton books, James Madison’s notes from The Constitutional Convention of 1787; Bill Warner’s Sharia Law for non-muslims; the qur’an; the hadith of Bukhari; Read more
Public Employee Collective Bargaining Is A Right: But So Is Refusing That Right
I recently made a comment on a public forum that “Unions are a basic Natural right in the PRIVATE sector. However, the PUBLIC sector is totally different, for many reasons;” to which the response was “Curious…can you give me some reasons why this basic natural right (as you call it) does not apply to all people? Are public sector workers second class citizens?”
My response was as follows…
“Sorry, but this isn’t summed up in a sentence or two. If you are genuinely curious, please read the following, even though it is likely to get a little bit long… Read more
What Is Liberalism? Why Does It Matter?
In my previous blog post, I examined the meaning of a Conservative. Now, let’s look at “what is a liberal?” “Liberal” is also a word with broad meaning. Liberalism, in its intention, is a philosophy of limited personal responsibility; favoring instead the collective taking care of everyone, and placing the “overall good” – of society, of individuals, of groups – above property rights and liberty. It is the freedom to attempt “to be,” and to be bailed out by the collective whole if you fail trying. It is an attempt at freedom from pain, suffering, discomfort, discouragement, or failure; or else a consorted effort to make the collective suffer together those same conditions.
Liberals, or “progressives,” are people who want to move our society towards equalization by any and all means, primarily through the use of the government. Read more
What Is Conservatism? Why Does It Matter?
We hear about “liberal” and “conservative” all the time, so; what is a “conservative?” Conservative is a word with broad meaning. At its heart, conservatism is a philosophy of limited government intervention in everyday life and liberty. It is the freedom “to be,” or to fail trying. Therefore, a Conservative is someone who, by nature, seeks these principles…and more
There are many conservatives who simply want to see fewer regulations on businesses so they can prosper. There are some who want abortion outlawed, and that is all. Some are concerned with the moral decay that is undeniably embedding its tentacles throughout our society. Read more
Another Act of Senseless Violence Defies Reasoning
While reports still vary, it is understood that Arizona Representative Gabrielle Giffords was shot in the head at point blank range today, but she is alive, and in critical condition. Join me in praying for her in this time of need. Pray for guidance, on behalf of the doctors and nurses caring for her and for God’s healing hand of mercy. Also harmed in this incident were some aides of hers, as well as some by-standers. Reports and numbers are still unclear, however one thing is not; the need for prayers at this time. Read more
Is The Giving of Stolen Money Really Charity; or Benevolence?
First off, let me say that my life perspectives, and thereby my principles, come from the fact of my being first a Christian, and second a patriot who stands in admiration and awe of our Founders and Framers. With that stated, I must ask; what truly constitutes charity? Webster’s dictionary defines charity as Read more
America: Home of the Brave; But Land of the Free?
Am I the only person who sees our liberties being eroded one by one? Obviously this question is rhetorical, especially given the results of the last election. There is the “full body scan or pat down” option at the airport, the warrantless wire tapping by the DHS under the PATRIOT Act, and the reading of our e-mails by the FBI just to name a few. But let’s be honest, these are obvious. What about the more subtle ones that you may not even have thought of; these are FAR more dangerous, in my opinion, because they show just how far we are from truly being a free nation and an independent populace, as we were intended to be. And the following are all in the name of “protecting us,” Read more
Is America A Christian Nation?
Recently, I was engaged in a debate with a good and intelligent friend as to whether or not we are a “Christian Nation.” While I have always considered us a Christian nation, and assumed that most Christians did, I was hit with some new opinions and perspectives that were interesting and thought provoking. In this debate, key questions that must be addressed are: what do you consider the criteria for being a Christian nation; and are we talking about intentions or results?
You see, I’ve just always assumed that since nearly 90% of the population are self described Christians, that it was self evident. After all, our founding documents; aren’t they Christian based? Most of us refer to Egypt as a Muslim nation, because Read more
2010, A Good Start; 2012 The Next Step ~ CONSERVATIVES UNITE!
As I have previously stated, I served in the U.S. Air Force from 1994 through 1998. I went through Basic Training from mid July through late August of 1994. I got yelled at, humiliated, humbled; broken down! There are many reasons for and goals of Basic Training. To teach us discipline, to force us to listen to authority, and most important, for obvious reasons, is to break down the individual and rebuild us into a team. Conservatives, we should be no different.
This Progressive movement has broken us down; humiliated and humbled us (or at least it should have). We were trusting people, and assumed the best in our adversaries in the opposing party. We assumed that, like us, they loved this nation; they simply had a different view of the world and a different means Read more
Tonight We Put The Brakes On Socialism; In 2012, We Turn The Ship
If the metaphoric “blood bath” that I believe is coming tonight materializes as I believe it will, then friends, tonight will be a GREAT night for America and all Americans! Not because “Republicans” win big, but because of the quality of Republicans who will win. Tonight, we should be able to put the brakes on this socialistic Titanic, and in 2012, finally have control enough to turn this ship around.
For far too many years, the nation has been under the control of one political party, the Progressive Party, with two wings; the extreme left Democratic wing of the Progressive Party, and the slightly left Republican wing of the Progressive Party. Read more
435 National Representatives; 100 National Senators
So I live in, and ran for the U.S. House seat in, Tennessee’s 5th Congressional District. However, it occurs to me that if elected, I would not have been a representative merely of the 5th District; just as Jim Cooper is not merely my representative. Under today’s political culture – which in no way resembles the nation of our founding – we are not a nation of 50 sovereign states with a common federal government; rather we are The National State of America, with 50 sub-territories.
Under this system, where every single day congress is passing new blanket legislation, often in disregard for the laws and constitutions of the several States, we have lost our States sovereignty. We do not recognize the states as 50 unique and separate entities as we have historically been. Our Founders gave us a very weak federal government, whose only purpose was to provide a national defense, make sure the states would always be fair to one another, and provide a few services for convenience to all citizens. Otherwise, each state was its own entity, and all states were bound together by this limited agreement. It is a near-flawless system. If one state has prohibitive laws you don’t like, you move to a state which does not. If the taxes are too high in New York, you can move to Florida. If the government of Michigan becomes too invasive for your taste, you can move to Kansas. It is very important to remember that the States created the federal government; the federal government did not create the States.
So, fast forward to 2010: the federal government has mandated to ALL the States how much water a toilet can use per flush, what light bulbs you can or cannot use, the lowest amount of money you can pay a person per hour for gainful employment, and worse yet, a mandate to all residents of every single state that they must have healthcare provided. These, of course, are only a few out of thousands of regulations the federal government has no business, and no legal authority, to mandate to the states.
Friends, we are out of control. And that is why I declare that we are now a National State, with 435 National Representatives and 100 National Senators. Until we turn this ship around, and get the power back into the hands of the States and out of Washington, all representatives and senators represent all of us, not merely their district or state.
So, how do we do it? It’s a very simple solution, however, that does not mean it will be easy.
We need legislators in Washington who understand the purpose, intent, and structure of our founding, and who have the integrity and fortitude to stick with it whether it is popular or not. We need people who, like myself, would rather serve only two years in the U.S. House of Representatives, and then be voted out because of standing for what’s right, than serve for 40 years by making deals. We need people who are willing to fight for what is right.
We also need people at the state level who are willing to tell the federal government to go pound sand when they pass legislation that is outside their constitutional bounds. We need states to start simply refusing to follow mandates by the federal government when they are illegal. If the federal government won’t give our state highway funds because we refuse to tighten our DUI limitations to .08%, then we need to refuse to send our federal tax dollars to Washington. Seriously, what are they going to do, attack us? Kick us out of the Union? Kidnap some of our citizens and hold them hostage for ransom? What are they going to do?
This is not a joke, my friends, and it’s not for the faint of heart. This is not your nation, it is not my nation, and it is neither our parents nor our children’s nation; this is GOD’S nation! You don’t even belong to you! (You are not your own; you were bought at a price. 1 Cor. 6:19-20) God made us for His purpose, this nation for His purpose. Some of us are being called to protect it from the heathens and godless communists who are attacking it. ALL of us have been born here, in this place at this time, for a reason; a reason that is far beyond what we can imagine. I truly believe we are living in a time that will be looked at decades from now as a turning point in American history; a reawakening: a time when we choose either to continue on the brink of destruction, about to collapse from corruption from within; or choose to focus on God, turn back to our Divinely inspired founding, and for the first time in nearly a century, continue the march towards the vision our Founders started. The course we choose is up to us.
Or, maybe we get it wrong in 2012: maybe we don’t elect conservatives who are ready for the fight and full of integrity, while seeking God’s will for their own lives and His nation. Maybe we lose everything, and become a socialist/Marxist nation where mediocrity and irresponsibility are rewarded; where personal responsibility and success are punished. Maybe we become the nation that Ronald Reagan warned of when he said “…one day we will spend our sunset years telling our children and our children’s children what it was once like in the United States where men were free.“
The choice is ours.
Our Courts Know Not Their Limitations
So there I was, driving with my beautiful wife, on our way to Carrabba’s (by the way, THE BEST restaurant on the planet) for a date, when I hear on the radio that some ridiculous federal court has ORDERED the United States Air Force (with whom I served for four years) to immediately reinstate Maj. Margaret Witt, the open and known lesbian who was discharged for violation of the “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy. U.S. District Judge Ronald Leighton decided that she “should be given her job back as soon as possible.”
When you get a minute, read Article III of the U.S. Constitution (you know, that old power-limiting document that too many federal Republicans are unaware of, and most Democrats at the federal level hate) Read more
Thank You, and God Bless You!
First off, let me say THANK YOU ALL for your support and prayers. Now that the polls are closed, I will give you my prediction for the evening. Of course, rule #1 is not to tell people you don’t think you’ll win; otherwise, why would they vote for you? So, that’s why I have waited until the polls closed to post this. No, I do not personally believe that I have a chance of winning THIS election cycle. Let’s be realistic. I have no staff, no funds, I didn’t raise money (because I didn’t try Read more
I Want A Restoration of the Truth ~ Defeat Liberalism!
I want a restoration of truth and respect for our Founding Fathers once again in America. Why do liberals and progressives want to suppress the truth and make our Founders and our founding into something it’s really not? This is a rhetorical question, of course, but I mean the following with all sincerity: friends & family who support the national Democratic Party…WAKE UP & GET REAL! If you have a conscience, how can you support a love of Christ, American ideals and the modern Democrat party? It is hard enough to swallow the rhetoric of the Republican Party; Read more
DRILL – BABY – – – STILL!
So BP is making advances, and hoping (85 days in) to finally cap this oil leak for good. Wonderful! Finally! Alas!
But where is our federal government? Where is President Obama? Why is he on the golf, and not in the gulf? Why SHOULD he be in the gulf? Why SHOULD the federal government be responsible for a private (and foreign for that matter) company’s mistakes?
You see, I don’t think the President of the United States is responsible for capping the oil leak in the Gulf of Mexico. This man has never (and has proven that if charged to, he could never successfully have) managed so much as a lemonade stand; let alone actually having ever shown the capacity to deal with something of this magnitude. However, Read more
Patriotism ~ What Is It? Happy Independence Day To All!
PATRIOTISM ~ What is it? I believe it’s putting others ahead of yourself. I believe it is a willingness to serve people you’ve never met while offering them freedom they don’t deserve. I believe it’s providing them the liberty and CONSTITUTIONAL REPUBLIC our Founders secured, while they vote for those who’d destroy it. Some do so because they envision a new and “better” America; some simply vote a party line without ever vetting the candidates they support. I view patriotism as the ability Read more
The Oath I Took!
Below is an exact copy of the Oath I took as an enlisted troop in the United States Air Force in 1994. This is an oath that I believed in then, and believe in now. In fact, the only thing that has changed for me is that I no longer must obey the orders of the President! In fact, I now view it as my duty to disobey the President Read more
Mother Teresa on a Stamp – DENIED? Separation of Church & State???
So, the United States Post Office wants to honor Mother Teresa on a stamp, and there are actually people who protest? Why? Because aside from being an incredible woman who willingly gave of herself, gave her possessions to the poor and needy, helped everyone in her path, forsook self indulgence to indulge others, she had a very dark and evil side…she was a CHRISTIAN!
Can an organization actually exist that loves America, understands the Constitution, and would support such nonsense? I do not believe so, but enter – Read more
SICK and TIRED of WASHINGTON INSIDERS!!!
I am SICK AND TIRED of these morons in Washington D.C. who refuse to let me be free. Why do they feel the need to control my life? Why do they feel the need to control your life? Why can they not take LESS of my money and let me have MORE? Why do they seek to enable the weak and helpless with the fruits of providers and gatherers? Why do they think THEY ARE ENTITLED TO TAKE WHAT I HAVE EARNED AND GIVE TO THOSE WHO HAVE NOT? WHY WHY WHY??? Read more