Good Move, Mr. Speaker

President Obama informed an equal branch of government, also known as Congress, that he plans to address a joint session of Congress during the exact moment the Republican candidates for president will be participating in another televised debate. Speaker Boehner has done the right thing for the time being and made it clear he did not agree to the time slot the president is planning on, plus the speaker has sent this letter to the president, expressing his willingness to approve the following night for the president's "jobs" speech.  The White House spokesperson, Jay Carney, insulted our intelligence again by telling the press corps the president's plan to address Congress during the exact same time of the Republican debate was strictly coincidental.  Uh-huh.

The beauty of the speaker's move is Thursday, September 8 also happens to be opening night for the NFL. The new session of Congress is off to a good start.

Welcome To Upsidedownville

Did the conservative resurgence really have to add the following footnote when the demands to reduce spending escalated? (*not to include NASA or US Military)  Last Wednesday, August 24, a Russian supply spaceship blew up 5 minutes after launching.  No worries, though. There are plans being made to stop all travel to and fro between Earth and the International Space Station until Russia can figure out why their stuff doesn't work. The only remaining problem is the United States has astronauts on the International Space Station at this moment and they need a ride home.  Since all of our shuttles have now been relegated to museums, the only transportation available to them will be provided by the Russians.  How sick with worry might the families of those U.S. astronauts be? I was listening to Levin last night, asking WHY didn't we keep just one of our space ships available for use...just in case? What he didn't mention is that kind of logic has no home in Upsidedownville. (Of course, Levin, as one of the most brilliant legal minds of our time and King of Sarcasm, knows this full well.)

Sometimes the eagerness for this nightmare to be over is enough to make a person crazy. I firmly believe this country CAN and WILL recover from all the damage being done. We just have to hang on a little longer.

"Courage is fear holding on a minute longer."  Gen. George S. Patton

The Man Himself Isn't What Matters

I got to thinking tonight that a person, myself included, can easily get caught up in the incredibly annoying shortcomings of President Obama and become wrapped up in focusing on them.  However, the real issue is his inclinations and motivations, which are independent of his personal identity.  His inclinations and motivations are nothing new and have been around as long as humanity.  We need to be sure we are focusing on identifying in all those who hold positions of authority a tendency to reject personal responsibility, individual freedom, protecting life and so forth.  We must listen and watch for those elected officials who place value in government programs, and anything else associated with the government, above everything else.  Those people who elevate the government's role will always downplay the role of families and churches and try to cast them as inadequate and even dangerous.  They will always try to leave the impression that the government has the power to eradicate our problems, if only we allow A, B and C, which always--ALWAYS--translates into relinquishing freedom.

The conservative resurgence is evidence that citizens' gut level instinct is picking up every single day on those undercurrents, both subtle and glaringly apparent.  It seems to me patriotic citizens are as determined as a dog on a bone in working to secure what we need to turn this country around.  We're separating the chaff from the wheat and we're not wasting any daylight.

I can't WAIT for September 3rd.

I hope I hear the words I want to hear:

Harvesting Energy Will Get Us Out Of Debt: See North Dakota

Just as the Founders intended, the states are microcosms of what could be tried at the federal level.  The article linked below, along with hundreds of others out there, about what's going down in North Dakota is a screaming example of what we need to be doing nationwide.  Just think of it: groceries ALONE would go way down in price because everything arrives at the store by truck!  Imagine going back to paying $1.00 for a gallon of gas.  Imagine the revenue that would flow into the government's coffers (and on the receiving end should be tea party conservatives who would apply it properly.)  Imagine our unemployment going way, way down once these profitable energy jobs are opened up wide!  Not to mention the fact that North Dakota is only one small part of the energy resources available nationwide.  We have coal.  We have natural gas.  We need to access all of it.  We have got to put wack job environmentalists in their place and demand they stay there.  We need to do what is good for everyone and energy development is it.  This article is a MUST READ.

New Day Dawning: Bakken Formation, North Dakota

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Government That Exists To Exist

So I received in the mail today my always eagerly anticipated union newsletter.  I thought, "Oh good.  Material."  As one may expect, almost the entire thing was about the MN state shutdown and what a cardinal sin the tea party Republicans committed against everyone else.  One specific comment about the Republicans efforts to stand firm was, "The tea party's refusal to compromise is a colossal breach of [the] public trust."  Funny thing, though.  The voters put them there, so I find it difficult to ascertain how that conclusion is drawn. No, the "colossal breach of [the] public trust" would have come if the Republicans had caved.

Anyway, one of the union workers featured is employed by Alcohol and Gambling Enforcement and a photo shows her standing in front of hundreds and hundreds of pieces of paper, which apparently are the registrations and renewals that piled up during the shutdown.  A couple of the comments made about this particular state department are, "Manufacturers, distributors, retailers, bars, and restaurants were in danger of running dry or not being able to sell brands because their licenses, registrations or buyer's cards expired.  Registration is required for every imported and domestic brand of alcohol sold in Minnesota."

I realize my immediate reaction was supposed to be one of shock and deep sadness that the required registrations and licenses were not processed during the few-week-long shutdown.  What's weird, though, is my immediate reaction INSTEAD was, how about we dump all the stupid registrations and licenses and do something novel like just LET BUSINESS WORK??

After my initial reaction, I recalled a remark made by the natural born leader, Senator Marco Rubio of Florida, during the speech he gave at the Reagan Library Tuesday night.  He said, "[We need] a regulatory framework that doesn't exist to justify the existence of the regulators."  EXACTLY.  You see, the drum the unions constantly beat is "YOU NEED US. YOU NEED US. YOU NEED US."  The problem they face is if we figure out we DON'T need them, their power is stripped.  This is already happening everywhere and they know it.  The desperation is obvious in things like their newsletter where the entire thing is riddled with example after example after example of how the world would fall apart without them.  This is not to say that many of the workers aren't needed--of course they are--but they do NOT need to have union membership.  Additionally, deregulation is the taxpayer's friend because many of these taxpayer funded, union jobs would disappear if businesses weren't required to seek permission from the state for every move they make.  The paperwork requirements that are constantly shoved through, bogging down life itself, ensure the existence of union jobs.  Period.

I think taxpayers are absolutely fed up.  I liken many things to the life of a parent because I am one, but it makes me think of what it is like to negotiate and negotiate with a small child, trying to secure specific behavior.  Finally, the parent has to be a parent, put her foot down and state in no uncertain terms what the rules are going to be.  This is what the conservative insurgence is accomplishing all across the nation.  People aren't going to tolerate the crap anymore.  The gig is up.  Disciplinary action has taken place, is taking place and will continue to take place.  Either comply or face the consequences.

"Conservatism is about empowering people to catch up." Sen. Rubio

Golden expression of conservatism:

Beautiful Words From Thomas Paine

Thomas Paine:

"Tyranny, like hell, is not easily conquered; yet we have this consolation with us, that the harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph.

What we obtain too cheaply, we esteem too lightly; 'tis dearness only that gives everything its value.  Heaven knows how to put a price upon its goods; and it would be strange indeed if so celestial an article as freedom should not be highly rated.

The cause of America is in a great measure the cause of all mankind.  Where, say some, is the king of America?  I'll tell you, friend, He reigns above."

Having Us In Her Head Gives Maxine a Headache

So, Congresswoman Maxine Waters told her constituents in California a day or two ago that the "tea party can go straight to hell."  In my mind, that remark is congruent to a 6-year-old comeback of "shut up" because she can't think of anything else to say.  What a deeply insightful, compelling and convincing remark, Maxine!  I know I won't be sleeping all week now and you really knocked me off my game.  Well, the tea party was good while it lasted.  Now that Maxine told us to go to hell, that just took the wind right out of our sails.  What a shame.

                                         9-12-09 March on the Capitol D.C.

Let a 2-Year-Old Make Chocolate Chip Cookies

I swear, watching Barack Obama in the office of the presidency is like telling a small child to mix up a batch of chocolate chip cookies and then just standing back and seeing what happens.  By the end, there's such a disaster in the kitchen and the final product doesn't look or taste anything like chocolate chips cookies and likely even contains non-food ingredients.  It just looks like Obama is throwing so much junk everywhere and none of it makes any sense whatsoever.  There is room for improvement in my grip on foreign policy, but I do not believe I'm the only one trying to figure out what in the heck ours even is!  Can someone please explain to me why in the blue blazes our president is going all over this planet, ordering other country's leaders out of office??  I'm at a total loss as to what it is he's trying to accomplish, other than create such chaos and instability that all of God's green earth is nothing but tumult and unrest--and perhaps that IS the goal.  It is downright bizarre.  Put that together with the unmitigated disaster of junk "accomplishments" with our legislatures, past and present, and his incoherence and there is absolutely not one thing a person can point to with some measure of relief.  It's ridiculous.

The true irony, though, is the inclinations of this kind of "leadership" ends up destroying itself, too.  The result is the clean-up can then ensue--and it will in our nation, too.  We've already seen it starting.  Hopefully the disaster of the last 3 years will serve as a point of reference for the next several generations, thereby saving those yet unborn from the same anxiety and pain.  It is our job to drive the lesson home.

And this one...

Sarah Palin Is On Fire!

The raw determination in her eyes and the way she speaks directly to the crowd is inspiring beyond words.  People are hungry for positive passion for our nation.  I immediately noted her clenched fist, punctuating her comments.  I think she's in.  I hope she announces September 3 (coincidentally the third anniversary of her remarkable speech at the RNC in St. Paul) because we'll be in Indianola, Iowa for the event.  I want my children to witness history.

The Tea Party Shall Now Save Us

Ryan Rhodes, the tea party activist who confronted President Obama in Iowa a couple days ago, called into Rush's show earlier this week.  He is 29 years old and did own his own car dealership, until it was forcibly taken from him as a result of the government take-over of car companies.  I had the distinct impression while listening to him talk, that the fact he had Rush Limbaugh on the other end of the line didn't give him pause whatsoever.  The main thing I concluded listening to him was he is all about doing whatever he has to, to protect America and freedom.  He squeezed as much commentary as he could into his time with Rush and made as many points as possible.  My favorite part of the conversation was when Rush asked him what he does for a living and Ryan explained how he lost his business, due to this administration's Chavez-style governance.  Ryan was telling Rush how he was trying to decide what to do next and what the next phase will be when Rush interrupted him and said, "Ryan!  You're DOING it!  This IS the next phase!"  Rush told him big things are going to come his way.  I don't think what Rush was trying to tell him really sunk in because Ryan was so focused and driven about getting the point across that he's not the least bit interested in having the government DO anything for him.

All I could think was this is how the entire tea party is.  Unafraid.  Unimpressed.  Undeterred.  Unapologetic.  This fearlessness is precisely what is going to force a correction in our nation.  The conservative resurgence will accept nothing less and has no plans of relenting.  We are well aware of what's at risk and believe we have no choice.

Freedom burns brightly in this nation and we're going to see to it that flame stays lit.

The President of the United States Gets To Do Whatever He Wants

There are days when I get plain worn out, trying to figure out the man who occupies the Oval Office.  It is a challenge, trying to put into words just how offensive, out-of-touch, arrogant, narcissistic, elitist, self-important, insensitive and selfish it is for this man to spend 7 figures on a Canadian-made bus, to go on a "listening" tour, involving an entourage of dozens of vehicles.  Look here, Obama: we have over 9% unemployment in this country and real, genuine pain everywhere and you DARE to spend OUR money on something so wasteful and pointless?  A LISTENING tour????  What a joke.  This man is not a leader.  He doesn't have the capacity to relate to fellow citizens.  This man has the makings of an arrogant dictator and his inclinations are dangerous.  Period.  I'm sick and tired of anyone from the GOP saying, "The president needs to sit down with us."  No.  That train left the station months and months and months ago.  Our entire obsession has to be with defeating him.  There is absolutely nothing left for which to hope. I liked the earlier remark I heard from someone that he's copy catting Sarah Palin's bus tour.  The difference, though, is the president is going around, listing his excuses for the extremely poor condition of the economy; Gov. Palin never relents on building up American pride, eagerness for our future and determination to turn our situation around.  Excuses are a waste of time.  A positive attitude and a plan of action is our way out.

A leader has empathy for those he leads.
A leader serves.
A leader tells the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth.
A leader seeks to draw out the strengths of everyone around him.
A leader rejects division.
A leader takes ownership.
A leader cheers his team on.
A leader knows who to defend and who to defeat.
A leader is fiercely loyal to those he leads.

Barack Obama is NOT a leader.  But he can be replaced.

Wait. Reagan made these comments 32 years ago??

"America is my home."

My great aunt told me today that when my Great Grandma Anne came over to America on the ship from Norway, the passengers were so happy when they saw the Statue of Liberty because they knew they were in America.  What joy and excitement the immigrants must have felt as they came in through Ellis Island.  What a time of optimism!  Those who came into this country from Norway came because they had no way to make a living for themselves in Norway.  It was becoming more and more difficult for the farms of Norway to support an ever-expanding population and the promise of opportunity & prosperity in America drew people.  My great grandma gladly accepted work as a maid/farm hand in rural Minnesota when she first arrived, later settling in North Dakota.  She had 2 brothers here already and one of them sent a postcard to their father, back in Norway, simply stating, "Anne made it safely to America."  I remember reading in The Emigrants by Vilhelm Moberg about a father watching his son leave with his family and saying to his wife, "I must go outside and behold my son's funeral procession."  As so it was for many of those left behind, knowing they would never see their loved ones on this earth again.

Sixty years after my great grandma came to America, she returned to Norway for a visit.  Her sister, Karen, said to her, "You must stay now, Annie."  My grandma replied, "No, America is my home."

Isn't this how those who migrate here legally feel?  Americans warmly embrace those who come here legally, thereby showing respect for our laws, which by default is an expression of respect for our nation.  As I heard someone say, what makes us all Americans is that we agree to live under the same constitution.  We have a common understanding of what America is.  I heard Columbian immigrant, Tito Munoz say on 9-12-10, while addressing the second march on the capitol, "I was born in Columbia, but I was made in the U.S.A.!"  That crowd LOVED Tito Munoz.   Tito in 2009, and Great Grandma Anne in 1910, both wanted the same thing: freedom and opportunity.  America gladly delivers.  What a thing of beauty.

Freedom Produces What Oppression Prevents

Our family just had the joy of attending the Fargo Air Show yesterday.  My absolute favorite part was the military jets, past & present--but especially present.  When the F-16 roared past with deafening speed, over and over and over again, jets firing full blast at many hundreds of miles per hour, it made my heart swell with such pride, I could barely contain myself.  The skill and precision is difficult to comprehend.  It's no wonder it's difficult to fight us.  Good luck shooting one of those down.  By the time the enemy, say Iran, would realize an F-16 had entered its airspace, it would be just leaving Turkey.  Besides the amazing F-16 pilot, we also had the privilege of watching the Navy Blue Angels perform.  I cannot absorb the level of concentration, focus, control and trust each of those pilots must maintain.  How can they fly in such a tight formation and make such quick changes to their formation without making a fatal mistake?  It's beyond my comprehension.  And, yet, their announcer, during their performance, kept referring to them as "your Blue Angels" and saying things like, "Your Blue Angels love performing for you."  This is mine???  How can that be?  How can a person put into words what free people can accomplish?  As I watched, I kept thinking, this military of ours is worth whatever sacrifice we are asked to make, the most important of which is expressing the deepest gratitude and reverence for our all-volunteer military.  What a spectacular treasure and source of pride.

The other thing that boggles my mind is I can't think of a time I've thanked a soldier for his service that he hasn't replied with "my pleasure" or "I'm honored" (and always ending with "ma'am.")  What does that say about the United States of America?  Only freedom can cultivate such deeply rooted love and dedication to the importance of our military.  We had the privilege of watching the F-16 fly in formation with a WWII-era fighter jet.  What a contrast!!  It was so interesting to see that.  I don't even know where a person begins to describe the difference between the two.  The advances that have been made!  Wow.  And in less than 70 years.  People are brilliant creatures and what's unleashed in them when boundaries are removed is astounding.  The reason no other military on this planet even comes close in comparison to ours comes down to one ingredient:  FREEDOM.  Let's put everything we have into making sure it stays that way.

Do We the People Have To Do EVERYTHING??

Et tu, Fox News?  The questioning in tonight's Republican presidential candidate debate tonight was nothing more than pathetic.  Man for frustrating.  We are RACING towards $15 trillion in debt and we've got a moderator asking Michele Bachmann what she meant when she said she believes in submitting to her husband.  WTH???  This is stupid on a whole new level.  The very best thing that could happen right now is for We the People to moderate a debate.  Skip all the insiders and anchors and have ordinary citizens ask the questions.  Like someone said on Twitter tonight, the candidates weren't even asked if they support the Ryan Plan!  No less than 90% of this debate should have been focused on the economy and how these candidates compare and contrast with Barack Obama.  What was established beyond all reasonable doubt is that Michele Bachmann and Tim Pawlenty don't care for each other.  I'm sure that will become a highly valuable item to note while we dig ourselves out of the massive hole we're in.  Thank God we found that out.  Let me be clear: I don't care what kind of pizza the candidates like and I don't care if they like each other.  Move on to the substantive things already!  I am not a fan of Newt, but he nailed it when he chewed Wallace's rear end over the questioning and the crowd was solidly behind him for doing it.  The people are always right.  Period.  We're going to have to do what we've already been doing and do all the work ourselves.  We'll have to pick through the pathetic showings like we saw tonight and garner the nuggets of information that will help us decide what candidate to get behind and then do all the rest of the homework all on our own.  Really, the Founders intended for us to run the whole blame show, anyway, so I suppose expecting help from anyone else is more than that for which we should hope.

This will not preclude me from watching the remaining debates because I want as much as I can get, but I just wish what the moderators were digging for was far more rich in meaningful information.

I bet Kathleen is mad.

So I just read that Kansas has decided to tell the feds they are not interested in "helping" implement Obamacare by taking a federal grant to do such.  Considering Health & Human Services Secretary, Kathleen Sebelius, (who always looks SUPER crabby,) left her job as governor of Kansas in order to accept her federal post, I bet she's not very happy with her home state.  Much of the language in the Obamacare legislation starts over and over again with the phrase, "The Health & Human Services Secretary shall...."  You know, I can't help but resent the idea of one person in our government making decisions that impact the lives of millions of free citizens.  See, this is the thing: in this country, the people call the shots.  I know this is a very hard thing for our elected officials to accept and they probably aren't going to take it very well, but it's a fact and it won't be changing.

The news last night of our victories in Wisconsin was just what the doctor ordered, after the debt ceiling debate that did not end well, the subsequent downturn in the markets (could have told you that was coming,) the downgrade of our credit rating and the very painful deaths of our soldiers.  It never ceases to amaze me how the voters just keep on talking.  They're talking in the polls.  They're talking on the phones to their reps.  They're talking online.  They're talking with the way they spend their money in the market (Ford sales way up after auto bailouts of their competitors.)  They're talking at the ballot box.  The message doesn't change and it is overwhelmingly conservative.  It is just so incredibly encouraging.  The unions, who always claim to have the public on their side, just got their lunch handed to them and there's even a chance one of the Democrats up for recall next week could lose his seat.  The voters of Wisconsin chose freedom.  The voters of this country last fall chose freedom.  We know the path we need to choose and we know the route to take to get on it.

The constant rejection of the government's overtures is like watching a junior high kid who just cannot get a dance partner, but keeps trying anyway.  The government refuses to accept the rejection, which is why we need more like the house tea party freshmen in those positions.

Have you thought about what a rich blessing it is that, while Greece and Britain keep having to deal with infuriated citizens who demand "theirs," in this country we see massive rallies, demanding the exact opposite?  Overseas, they demand their governments do more and more and more.  In the homeland, we demand our government get their faces out of our lives.  What a sweet, sweet gift to reside in a nation that recognizes the value of freedom and expresses a strong desire to protect and defend it.

Oh, You Better Believe It Can Be Done.

I've read a few comments in recent days from naysayers, reminding everyone just how bad our debt problem is.  As if we didn't know that already.  I'd like to know how that's helpful, anyway.  Yes, we know and we've already done some things about it and have plenty more plans made to keep doing something about it.  Here's the thing the negative people fail to note:  There has never EVER been a nation like ours in history.  We have resources we haven't even begun to tap yet.  Because we are a free people, we have unquantifiable resilience.  We made history when our nation was born and you can bet we're going to make history again when we open up the world's biggest can of whoop ***.  We've just barely started and we haven't even considered backing down.  Every single time an elected official, in their whiny, condescending manner--Democrats and Republicans alike--start preaching to us, they are unwittingly throwing gasoline on the fire.  It's so bizarre that they don't even comprehend it.  Bring it on.  Socialism is not welcome here and we're on the brink of surrounding it and bringing it down.  I haven't gotten enough sleep for almost 3 years because the thought of victory is so all-consuming.  How sweet that's going to taste. Only 453 days...

Love Of Country

I saw last night that one of the precious Navy Seals killed in Afghanistan Friday night had the habit of keeping a big American flag, folded and next to his heart, under his armor.  It just so happened he didn't have it on him when he was killed the other night because he had sent it to his mentor stateside, who happens to be a Vietnam vet.  I know I'm not alone when I say it is impossible to put my reaction to that habit of his into words.  It brings to mind so many images and lessons learned and brings to heart so many emotions. It caused me to reflect on the fact I have felt so overwhelmed and discouraged the last couple days since the downgrade in America's credit rating.  We were screaming about how this "deal" would not help and congress refused to listen--again.  All I could think was, based on what our soldiers do every single day on the field, I am absolutely prohibited from even entertaining the thought of giving in to despair.  I dare not.  It would feel like nothing less than betrayal, not only of our current soldiers, but all those who died hundreds of years ago and decades ago.  It would be an act of betrayal against my Great Grandma Anne, who, at age 17, took the huge risk of coming across the ocean by herself to start a new life here.  Even though the fight overwhelms at times, there is nothing else to do but keep going.  That's it.  Keep going.

While driving today, I started thinking about just how much I love the land of my birth.

I love our military.
I love our flag.
I love American entrepreneurship.
I love American inventiveness.
I love the American spirit.
I love American landscape.
I love American business.
I love American culture.
I love American tradition.
I love America's Founders.
I love American elections.
I love American history.
I love America's founding documents.
I love American free speech.
I love America's small towns.
I love America's cities.
I love Fourth of July fireworks.
I love American pride.
I love being an American citizen.

"Love never fails."

The Constant State of Liberals is "Freak Out Mode"

There is absolutely nothing rational about liberalism, anyway, but when they're losing, it's downright impossible to not be riveted by their desperation and shrill reaction to defeat.  Today on Twitter, I kept seeing articles linked about the "haughty John Kerry, who served in Vietnam," as Rush always describes him, saying the Tea Party is responsible for the downgrade of the United States' credit rating.  Then you have Cokie Roberts, in her MSM condescending manner, telling all of us that what's causing the problem is the Constitution.  I bet if I just think about it for awhile, it'll start to make perfect sense, Cokie.  All I could think about was a Super Bowl game which is down to the final minute or so, and the separation in points is only a score with the losing team in possession of the ball on their own 10 yard line. Think, if you will, about how that team plays the final minute of the game.  They're panicky.  They're trying the most ludicrous of plays.  They're grasping at anything and everything.  They're clumsy and butter-fingered.  This is just exactly what's happening to the institutional left in this country.  They know they're down and they're grasping at everything and anything, hoping it will stick.  Hence, the name calling directed at the tea party.  They know it isn't going to get them anywhere, but they have to try.  They're going to lose because the tea party is putting on a defense like they've never seen.  We know we can secure victory.  We've just got to hold them.  We can do this.  All the rapping on the line before the ball is snapped are just words and will not result in us taking our eyes off the ball.  We sense victory is on its way and we'll be ready.

Must Read Commentary From Cong. Mike Pence (R-IN)

As Americans, we inherit what Lincoln...called "the mystic chords of memory stretching from every patriot grave." They bind us to the great and humble, the known and the unknown of Americans past--and, if I hear them clearly, what they say is that, although we may have strayed, we have not strayed too far to return, for we are their descendants. We can still astound the world with justice, reason and strength.

I know this is true; but even if it was not, we could not--in decency--stand down; if only for our debt to history. We owe a debt to those who came before, who did great things, and suffered more than we suffer, and gave more than we give, and pledged their lives, their fortunes, and their sacred honor for us, whom they did not know. For we "drink from the wells we did not dig" and are "warmed by fires we did not build," and so we must be faithful in our time as they were in theirs.

Many great generations are gone, but by the character and memory of their existence they forbid us to despair of the republic. I see them crossing prairies in the sun and wind. I see their faces looking out from steel mills and coal mines, and immigrant ships crawling into the harbors at dawn. I see them at war, at work and at peace. I see them long departed, looking into the camera, with hopeful and sad eyes. And I see them embracing their children, who became us. They are our family and our blood, and we cannot desert them. In spirit, all of them come down to all of us, in a connection that, out of love, we cannot betray.

They are silent now and forever, but from the eternal silence of every patriot grave there is yet an echo that says, "IT IS NOT TOO LATE; KEEP FAITH WITH GOD, AND DO NOT, DO NOT EVER DESPAIR OF THE REPUBLIC."

-- Mike Pence (R-IN)

More Brilliant Commentary From Bill Whittle

For Such a Time As This

Thousands of years ago, a queen named Esther was faced with a trying dilemma.  She was in the position of doing something to save the lives of thousands of people, an outcome not guaranteed.  By taking this certain action, she would be putting her own life in imminent danger.  When she hesitated, her uncle said to her, "Who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this?"  Upon receiving this admonition from her uncle, Esther took the risk and did the right thing.

Reagan used the phrase, "If not us, who?  If not now, when?"  in talking about cuts in federal spending in a 1981 speech.  This is the essence of the tea party movement.  We are, as conservatives, averse to "stirring the pot," so to speak, but dire circumstances have compelled us to turn away from the comfort of silence and inaction.  We instinctively understand if we remain silent and turn away, the result will be devastating.

Ronald Reagan also said,

"We are the showcase of the future. And it is within our power to mold that future---this year and for decades to come. It can be as grand and as great as we make it. No crisis is beyond the capacity of our people to solve; no challenge too great."

Just as Queen Esther's actions were justified when the would-be actions of a villain were frustrated and the course of history changed, so, too, does the conservative resurgence have within its power to turn our nation around, thereby having a massive impact on history.  We have already started.

Why On Earth Isn't It Working?

So I just heard on the news the Dow is down by over 300 points.  Now, considering Captain Government just swooped in to rescue us in the nick of time, how can it be the markets are not reacting well at all?  Oh, and gold went up again today.  I am downright puzzled by this unsettling news because history has shown over and over and over again how incredibly effective and reassuring bigger and bigger government always is.  The only thing we can hope for at this point is the government will come and do even more than they already have.  They're always so helpful.  There is hope, too, since Obama just told everyone at his birthday bash in Chicago that he's not even half-way done doing everything he wants to do "for" our country.  Oh goody.  It can only go up from here.

On another note, my dad just noted "Freedom is just started, but slavery is enforced."  So, what I wondered, then, is if the "silent" majority (an adjective no longer fitting) resists, I'd like to know what the government is going to do about it.  Hmm?  Obviously, senate majority leader, Harry Reid, is taking note of the resistance, since he said the actions of the Tea Party freshmen during the debt ceiling debate was "very, very disconcerting."  Yeah, I'll bet it was, Harry.  You haven't seen anything yet.

November 6, 2012: Save the Date.

Jim DeMint Does My Heart Good

I managed to catch of few minutes of Senator DeMint's comments during the debate on the senate floor last night after the House voted on the debt ceiling bill.  Senator DeMint, as expected, was not happy about the bill and made it clear it does nothing to address the underlying issues of our very serious debt problem.  While he did not offer blistering criticism of Senator McConnell and Speaker Boehner, he did indicate a lack of leadership is part of the problem.  Couple that with a White House that has no interest in helping America with her problems and it is going to be difficult to secure a meaningful solution.  However, Senator DeMint also said a couple of things that made my heart swell with pride and hope.  He said the struggle that ensued with the debt ceiling fight is evidence there's been "an historic sea change in the way we do business."  Also, after his remarks criticizing the White House and the congressional leaders, he said it's "nothing one more good election can't fix."  I love Senator DeMint.  He's on our team and he proves it every single day with his words and his actions.  We need to support and encourage as much as we can the people who are on our team.

I know there were many freshmen who voted for the debt ceiling bill.  I, along with tens of millions of Americans, want this debt problem worked on in a  meaningful way and we mean RIGHT NOW.  Of course this is going to be a difficult thing to accomplish since we lack adequate reins of power.  I know many of the freshmen voted in favor of this bill, believing it is a step in the right direction.  I hope they aren't burned by those who convinced them it was the right thing to do.  The only thing I fear is I think Americans need to be very careful to not throw overboard the freshmen who supported this legislation.  I heard there was a  comment or two, supposedly coming from segments of the tea party, suggesting we should offer a primary challenger to Colonel Allen West, for example.  This is downright ludicrous.  Col West did vote for the bill and, while I wish he hadn't, we cannot kneecap these freshmen every time they do something with which we disagree.  We will have no good congressional members left if we start doing that.  Of course, voicing our disagreement is crucial and has got to happen so Congress knows what we expect, but we also need to try to be patient.  Col. West said on On the Record with Greta Van Sustern last night that "Americans need to manage their expectations."  To a degree, he has a point.  We need to stay focused on the overall picture and keep pushing in the right direction and support those who are responding to our demands.  As scripture says, those who are not against us are for us.  Let's remember that and forge ahead together.

There has been a sea change, indeed.  The bloodied knuckle fight over this debt ceiling vote is proof.  There's more where that came from.