A Window into the Grace of Our Best.

Now what do I mean by our best?  I believe the best in all of us come from the gifts of God.  He gives us the gifts of morality, selflessness, bravery, and honor.   Some of us fall short of our own expectations let alone the expectations our Creator had for us when He created us.  I believe our men and women in uniform exhibit this greatness to the world every day.  They are the light shining from the city on the hill.  God Bless each and every one of them this holiday season.

I want to share a little bit of a story for you of one our shining lights.  I want to talk about a man of the name of Captain Southworth.  Thank you to the NY Sun for putting this story out.  It appears that Captain Southworth was part of a team that visited the Mother Teresa Orphanage often.  He and his unit would talk to the children, play with them, and even bring them comfort in their time of fear from the bombs hitting their capital buildings. 

The story of the Captain is one that involves the greatest foundation in society.  It’s one of family.  On one of his visits to the Mother Teresa Orphanage he met a little boy named Ala’a Eddeen who happens to have cerebral palsy.  He was one of the children terrified from the bombings.  As Ala’a relayed his fears from the explosions the Captain simply responded “I’m here now. You’re fine.”  As the unit returned more and more to the orphanage Ala’a grew very close with Southworth.  He even began to refer to him as “Baba” which is Arabic for Daddy. 

It then came time when Ala’a was getting too big for the orphanage.  A worker told Captain Southworth that Ala’a would be transferred to a government run facility within a year.  Hope was very dim for Ala’a.  After hearing the news Captain Southworth decided to pray about a very big decision in his life.  After talking with God, family and friends he decided to adopt the 9 year old Iraqi boy.  Ala’a is now a part of Southworth’s family.  There is a lot more to this story such as the struggle that Captain Southworth went through to get young Ala’a here to America and you can read it at http://www.nysun.com/article/68515?page_no=1 but I think there is an underlying message here that people need to see.

This conflict in Iraq has gone on longer than anyone has wanted including the President.  Our soldiers are doing such great works for Iraq in the name of national security.  The compassion these people have to save lives as well as the courage to destroy the enemy is without question.  They are workers of liberation not occupation as some would have us believe.  Thanks to these wonderful people our two great families in America and Iraq will live in peace.  We will prosper in the name of freedom.  A freedom that not very many around the world would experience without the blood of American Soldiers.  America is the greatest nation in the world and our men and women in uniform are the best representation imaginable.  In this holiday season it’s important more than ever for them to know they are in our daily prayers forever.  We love you and thank you from the bottom of our hearts.

President Bush still has pull with republicans…

President Bush has been one of the more polarizing figures in America let alone with republicans in general.  There are obviously some things about him that are very Reaganesque and other things that aren’t anywhere in the same zip code of Reagan conservatism.  I would go through a list of each side of his qualities, but that’s not what this particular blog is about.  Maybe that will be written once the President respectfully leaves office in 2009. 

To refresh your memory Mr. Huckabee approved an article that blasted Bush’s foreign policy.  Of course this is after the former Governor admitted himself that he has very little experience anywhere near the realm of foreign politics.  It’s easy to sit on the sideline of the game and play Monday morning QB.  He goes on to claim that Bush has a “arrogant bunker mentality” as well as calling Bush’s foreign policy “counterproductive” in the same breath.  Again, this is a republican candidate for President that has by his own admittance very little experience in foreign politics.  I just felt it necessary to point that out again. 

Secretary of State Condi Rice decided to chime in her opinion on what was said even though she refused to mention names.  She responds “The idea that somehow this is a go-it-alone policy is just simply ludicrous.”  This at a State Department news conference.  She also says “One would only have to be not observing the facts, let me say that, to say that this is now a go-it-alone foreign policy.” 

It took a few sentences from Condi Rice and Huckabee needs to backtrack on what he wrote.  Frankly it was a poor attempt if you ask me.  He claims that 8-10 writers actually rewrote the article several times.  He says he takes full responsibility for the comments even though he may or may not have written them.  He then goes on to say he has nothing but admiration and respect for Rice.  I must say wow.  Would he have even said anything had Secretary of State Rice said anything at all?  Probably not. 

Romney did the smart thing and attacked Huckabee’s statements claiming that he sounded like a democrat.  Sounding like a democrat is not exactly a rare occurrence for the former Arkansas Governor.  Romney then went on to defend President Bush.  So let me get this series of events straight.  First, we have an attack on the President’s foreign policy by a novice in that area of politics.  Second, we have a negative response by the President’s secretary of state.  Third, we see a very poor attempt at a backtrack by said novice.  Then that novice’s chief rival in Iowa not only condemns those remarks along side Condi Rice, but also defends the President in the process.

Folks, this isn’t an article praising Bush’s foreign policy.  We all have our opinions on what he’s done wrong and what we feel he’s done right.  This was a simple example to show the pull that the President still has with the republican candidates.  Why is this important?  I feel it’s important because it’s almost a fad to hate the President in today’s world.  Even for republicans.  It’s kind of sad.  Is he Ronald Reagan?  Of course not.  However, no matter how much we kid the man behind his back it’s still pretty obvious candidates are a little touchy about ruffling the feathers of that very same republican base that claims to strongly dislike our President. 

TIME(s) are not changing…

What do we think about usually when we think about someone being named person of the year?  I don’t know about you, but usually I think that person must have done something great for mankind.  I usually think that person must have influenced the world in such a positive way that it MUST be recognized.  Someone we can all look to and someone who can uplift our spirits.  A person with a story that inspires greatness in us all.  Apparently TIME magazine feels differently…

 I say that assuming that TIME magazine doesn’t feel that communism and undermining democracy is something that inspires the spirit of the common man.  Although with their choice of Vladimir Putin for person of the year what else am I left to think?  Let’s take a look at a list of his accomplishments while “President” of Russia shall we?

I guess thousands of prisoners dying in pretrial detention is person of the year worthy.  Centralizing the executive branch’s power while eliminating the election of regional governors so he could appoint them himself is a symbol of accomplishment.  Appointing throughout the government fellow former KGB agents is good delegation.  Passing an election bill that forbids “creating a negative image” of political opponents is a breakthrough for civil rights.  Of course he chooses good company with friends like Ahmadinejad in Iran.  In case anyone forgot Iran is the country that has been in a proxy war with America and is indirectly killing American soldiers. 

Well what else can we really expect from TIME magazine?  If a socialist like Gorbachev and a fascist like Hitler can win then why not a communist as well? At least we know TIME mag isn’t against equality for all dictators of the world.  The magazine explains that they vote for a person because they are a “force” in the world.  Well as we all know forces for good vs forces for evil are all relative and subjective. Therefore we can appreciate men of accomplishment regardless of the consequences of their actions.  Thank you TIME for showing us these truths.  I feel much better now.

Conservatism can always win…

I’ve always believed that conservatism can win when placed in the realms of reality.  There are two reasons why conservatives sometimes lose.  First of all would have to be scandal.  Either because people are imperfect or because of bold faced lie which as we see no one in politics is above the political games.  The second would have to be because the conservative base in this country holds their values so near and dear to their hearts that we can sniff out a fake whenever we are intellectually honest with ourselves.

We are going through that battle right now.  We are scrambling to find the most conservative candidate that is electable enough to win the presidency.   The fact is no matter who gets the nod they can’t fake conservatism.  It’s just not possible.  You either have to truly adopt it as your own philosophy or else it has to be in your blood.  It has to be your way of thinking.  There are set principles in conservatism.  It isn’t just about “anti gay rights, anti abortion etc etc”…..It’s about the core beliefs that bring us to the conclusions that we do and feel is best for the future of our great nation.

Conservatism when shown through the views of a true conservative I believe will always win.  France, Germany, and now South Korea of all places are showing us these truths.  Lee Myung-bak won by almost a 2-1 margin over the competition.  His story tell us that he is a self made man whom climbed from poverty to become chief executive officer of Hyundai Engineering and Construction and mayor of Seoul.  He also says he wishes to reestablish an alliance with Washington.  I thought we were so hated around the world? 

He does have his personal problems I won’t lie.  He is having legal troubles right now.  He needs to get that fixed if he wishes to continue to be credible in the message he is delivering.  Do the message justice because it’s a powerful one of prosperity rather than victimization of people.  It’s a message of a moral freedom rather than a Godless tyranny.

As we look around the world we see conservatism winning.  It’s winning because people choose freedom.  It’s winning because leaders aren’t afraid to tell socialism that it doesn’t work.  For those of us that worry about the future I ask you hold your head high, jump in the fight, make yourself heard, and pray for our conservative leadership. 

Reagan and Paul:Brothers from another Mother

I love it when people call Ron Paul the “Reagan” candidate.   It shows me how little people actually must think of ole Reagan.  I know every candidate is trying to seduce voters by quoting Reagan left and right.  I know that there may never be another Ronald Reagan.  Not the whole package anyway.  We definitely see pieces of the man in the candidates today such as Thompson, Hunter, and yes…even Ron Paul. 

There is some good in Ron Pauls voting record without question.  I won’t take that away from him.   I like the fact he is very pro life.  I like the fact he has some very strong federalist principles in him.  I even agree with him on disbanding many of the bureaucracies in Washington.   I actually like that mindset in a candidate that government doesn’t solve problems…but in fact IS the problem.  I think that message is going out across the board to most of the republican candidates.

However, few are as kooky as Ron Paul.  It’s obvious he panders to the paranoid and doesn’t care to be challenged on his issues.  I may be wrong, but I have yet to hear him on Hannity, Beck, or Levin.  He would be challenged by all.  I would include Limbaugh in that list, but Rush only has important guests, anyways.  Ron Paul isn’t very important.  He will, however, appear on “The View” where he can appeal to…liberals?  Of course he can get some easy cheers for his view on Iraq from that crowd.  I don’t blame him, though.  He needs them after getting repeatedly boo’ed at the most recent debates. 

 Speaking of Iraq does anyone realize that Ron Paul is the man that called the surge a failure?  Does he have the foresight of a goldfish?  If that’s the case I don’t want any President without even a modicum of vision for the future of America.  Why does Ron Paul want America to lose this war anyways?  How is the world NOT better with a democratic Iraq?  How is the world NOT better without Saddam Hussein?  We’ve seen the examples of a democratic and free America and what greatness that has brought to the world….can a democratic Iraq do the same for the middle east?  I do believe so and too bad Paul will either be senile or dead before he can appreciate what greatness can transpire because of this battle in the global war on terror.  Yes, yes I understand his “non-intervention” policy and that’s all fine.  For the most part I agree with it unless it comes down to American security.  However he also said he wants to kill Bin laden.  Please share with us Mr. Paul how you plan to do that without an “intervention” policy because I doubt if you bark loud enough from over here in America that he will just give up.  Maybe your fierce debate/ranting style will scare him out of his cave.

I was listening to Michael Reagan’s radio talk show last night.  You know?  The actual SON of Ronald?  He believes his father would NEVER support Ron Paul.  I know, I know Paul kooks know better than the son of the icon himself, but I digress.  He constantly railed about what a nutjob Paul actually is as a person.  I tend to agree.  Just listening to him in a debate once had me figuring at least that much.  Then he had former Lt. General Thomas McInerny on his program.  This man was asked his opinion before a foreign relations committee in the senate before we went into Iraq.  His opinion matters.  He literally called Ron Paul a LIAR about his records in military donations.  He claimed that the military views Paul as “clueless” and his donations in fact come in large from the likes of Soros and MoveOn.org.  It wouldn’t surprise me at all if this were true.  Imagine if you are a republican candidate running against Paul seeing all of this money go to the only anti-war republican nobody candidate.  Think that may affect your decision on Iraq? It would not surprise me at all if the likes of Soros and MoveOn.org wanted to influence the republican platform to help the democrats/socialists in the general election.

Let’s say Pauls records are accurate, though.  Let’s just play with these numbers.  What is the one major issue that separates Paul from the rest of the republican candidates?  The Iraq war.  I can guarantee that he would most likely be getting all of the donations of the soldiers whom wish to stop the war and come home and yes there are some for sure.  It’s not even nearly a large minority let alone a majority, but there are those that feel that way.  They have that right for sure.  God Bless them for their sacrifices.  It’s a null and void issue for the rest of the candidates.  They all support the offensive on the global war on terror.  Now military personnel that wish to finish the job have to now look at different issues amongst the candidates.  It’s not a matter of “who is pro war” because the rest of the candidates ARE pro war.  A more accurate description would be to add up all of the military donations to the rest of the candidates in the republican primary combined vs Paul to show you the true nature of what the military wants and it’s pretty clear they want to finish the job.  My advice to Ron Paul.  Take a ritalin and some prozac.  Then take two weeks off and quit.

Huckabee…or Edwards?

I’m reading these answers from Mike Huckabee in the debate and frankly I can’t decide if he thought of these answers or John Edwards/Barack Obama/Hillary Clinton actually met with him for lunch and gave him advice on how to attempt to win a republican debate?

When asked the question “What do you believe you could accomplish in your first year as President?” Huckabee answers:

The first priority of the next president is to be a president of all the United States.  We are right now a very polarized country, and that polarized country has led to a paralyzed government.  We’ve got Democrats who fight Republicans, liberals fighting conservatives.  The left fights the right.  Who’s fighting for this country again?  And somehow we gotta quit fighting among ourselves as conservatives and as Republicans and start putting the better interests of this nation.

Someone explain to me this talk of Unification?  Has he not seen the liberal message?  Is he ignorant to what liberals want to do to this country?  They want to change everything as we know as well as KILL religion in the public square.  They constantly ignore the constitution and play social warfare with desperate people in the poor.  Rather than empower they entitle.  We want to unite with this?  Why not defeat it?  Just a question Mr. Huckabee.  If the country is to be “polarized” then so be it, but we must defeat the leftist agenda in this country along with pushing our founding father’s principles.

He was posed another question that bothered me.  The question was “Give me two examples, Governor Huckabee, you’ve not previously given, one on health-care, one on education, where your faith would define change you want to see in policy.” He answers:

The two overriding principles are, you treat others as you wish to be treated, as it relates in health care, that means that we recognize that a person who is sick shouldn’t be treated differently because they’re in poverty than a person who has extraordinary wealth, that we have some sense of balance in how we approach that.  That’s the essence of what America is about.  The second basic principle is that inasmuch as you’ve done it to the least of these, my brethren, you’ve done it unto me.  What it really means is that you go back to what the Founding Fathers said, “All of us are created equal, endowed by our creator with those rights: life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.”

This is another small example of class warfare.  Treated differently?  So people whom have worked hard for their income or wealth shouldn’t be able to seek the treatment they desire?  Should government solve this “problem” of inequality?  People are created equal and deserve equal opportunity.  However, equal outcome is guaranteed to no one.  Mr. Huckabee the founding fathers said we are able to PURSUE life, liberty, and happiness.  They never said government or anyone else shall give it to them as an entitlement to be a massive burden on everyone else’s wallet. 

Spare No Expense…

Well as we all know by now there is a controversy brewing in the CIA as to why these two interrogation videotapes were destroyed.  I want to make a couple of points as to what I believe are the major intentions behind this democrat led charge.

1. I believe they are testing new AG Mukasey.  I have a couple quotes from democrat senators for you.

First is Chucky Schumer he says “This is the kind of quick response the nation expects and deserves from an Attorney General who puts the rule of law first. It is a refreshing change.”

Also Dick Durbin called on the new AG to investigate whether the CIA legally destroyed the videotapes. He was joined by Ted Kennedy. Durbin was noted as saying “This is the first real test for Mukasey”…He then added “I hope he will do the right thing. What is at stake here goes to the heart of the rule of law and justice in America. If our government can destroy evidence, can misrepresent to our courts whether that evidence ever existed, if it can attempt to cover up wrongdoing, that Mr. President, goes way beyond the standards of justice and the values of America.”

 It’s a double edged sword for Mukasey.  They are trying to either discredit him or else use him to get to Bush.  He could investigate this if it comes down to that and will probably find nothing.  Then he’ll have to hear how he is just another Bush lackey or is Bush’s puppet.  Then we’ll hear it on the campaign trail “no more obstruction of justice” which is another idiotic quote that is being thrown around.  However he could also cave in and go after President Bush.  That’s probably not going to happen being so close to Bush’s end.  However the dems sure wouldn’t mind if he did.  I believe they are trying to set up Mukasey for attack and discredit him as much as possible as it will go back to Bush seeing as this is his appointee and more fodder for the campaign trails. 

Point two is that I believe the democrat led congress is going after this simply because they are getting beaten to death in approval ratings as well as getting embarrassed by a “dope” of a President.  He’s supposed to be an idiot, but he keeps beating them.  The Democrats believe they were voted into office to get us out of Iraq.  They have tried over 40 times to cut war funding as well as put time table withdrawals on our mission.  Bush has beaten them every single time.  That has to be humiliating to lose to someone so consistently that you portray to be a stupid, stupid man.  Their approval rating is around 11 percent and a new Gallup poll showed 65-70% of people polled believe it was a mistake to elect this congress into office.  Since this congress can’t win on substance and articulate their opinions effectively without showing people where they really stand, they choose to fling mud at the President over literally a non issue and yes..it’s a non issue. 

It’s a non issue because these tapes were made in 2002.  We even know what is ON these tapes. One tape was of an unnamed terrorist, and one was of Abu Zubaydah — who under questioning gave up information leading to the capture of alleged Sept. 11 conspirator Ramzi Binalshibh, a fact disclosed by President Bush last year.  These tapes were destroyed in 2005.  Jay Rockefeller D Senator of WVA in the senate intelligence committee says he knew about the tapes, but it’s “inconsistent” with the records.    Jane Harman D Congresswoman of California also knew about the tapes.

Michael Hayden had a response as he explained that the tapes were destroyed within the rule of law, that the intelligence committee leaders knew(as we have seen from Rockefeller’s comments), that they were destroyed mainly to protect the identities of the questioners, and he welcomes any investigation!! 

As far as protecting the identities of the questioners Carl Levin D Michigan responded that this was “a pathetic excuse,” and then he added “You’d have to burn every document at the CIA that has the identity of an agent on it under that theory.”

Oh. Okay so let me ask a question.  Why is it necessary to “protect” the identity of Valerie Plame a desk worker for the CIA who sends her Husband to Niger whom by the way is a PROVEN LIAR by the senate intelligence committee, but the people who do the REAL work in protecting this country don’t have that privilege?  Once again Carl..you’re a genius. 

In the name of God wake up!!(part 2)

So it continues.  Huckabee is under serious assault from his competitors and the media alike.  Frankly I think it’s ridiculous to go at Huckabee because of the pardon of the rapist.  That’s just a small piece of the puzzle.  He had over 1,000 pardons during his time as Governor and 12 of those were murder cases.  Holy compassionate conservative batman!  There is compassion and then there is chaos.  There’s a fine line between the two and frankly it appears to me Huckabee may have crossed it…over and over again.

He is also being attacked on his illegal immigration stances that seem to at least in my opinion blame Americans for their wishes in enforcing the law of the land.  How can a leader of our country tell us he’s with us when he is actively using our tax dollars to undermine our laws on illegal immigration?  Because he “feels” it’s the right thing to do?  Are you kidding me?!?

Let’s look at some of Govenor Huckabee’s statments regarding illegal immigration.  He has recently said …When people say illegal immigrants take jobs from Americans, Huckabee said he asks them to name someone “who cannot get a job because a Mexican illegally here has taken the job they want.”“If that’s the case, if you can get me their name and phone number by five this afternoon, I can have them making a bed, plucking a chicken, tarring a roof or picking a tomato by the morning at 8 o’ clock. “ 

Does this not bother anyone else?  Illegals have jobs Americans don’t want?  I’d say Employers have jobs they don’t want Americans to have.  He then wishes to go to the opposite extreme of amnesty in order to attempt to discredit the discussion that is opposed to his…Creating a system to process people properly and thoroughly would cost money, but certainly less than it would cost to “round up 13 million people and deport them,” Huckabee said.  Yes why don’t we try and LISTEN to the American people for just once rather than appeal to the Spanish voting bloc?  That’s a novel idea me thinks!

The President of the group “NumbersUSA” Roy Beck called Huckabee a disaster on illegal immigration.  Peter Gadiel, President of the 9-11 families for a Secure America, says “Huckabee is the guy who scares the heck out of me.”  Steven A. Camarota whom is the research director for the Center of Immigration Studies said I would say that Huckabee comes from the same perspective on the issue that George W. Bush came from — that out of a strong sense of compassion, he tries to identify with someone who comes to the United States, even if they came illegally. “

 Huckabee as we know supported in state tuition to illegal immigrants.  I don’t care how he spins it or what “requirements” where there…they are ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS.  Now his competitors are accusing him not requiring proof of ID for illegals in voting.  There are way too many red flags here for me to be comfortable with this candidate.  It’s no secret why conservatives in the club for growth and Robert Novak are going after his record.  It’s shaky at best and frankly Huckabee has dropped into a tie for last with Ron Paul for me personally.  I sincerely hope you think twice before voting in the primary for a candidate such as Huckabee.

In the name of God wake up!!(Part 1)

There is no denying that former Arkansas govenor Mike Huckabee has a new found national fame.  In fact he’s rising in the polls by the mercy of God himself…literally.  He’s showing great strength in a very key state in Iowa and has been surging in Florida.  He was polled as high as second in some national polls.  He is obviously a very popular political figure.  Popular mainly to the Christian conservatives.

No matter his popularity I have to actually ask how many have actually looked at his record.  Folks, I know he is very strong on some of the more social conservative issues.  However, the only way to fight for social conservative issues is through strict supreme court justices that refuse to legislate from the bench.  Even if he were to appoint excellent judges in the mold of a Thomas, Scalia, Roberts, or Alito.  Then the cases themselves would actually have to show up before the court itself by some chance. The most that could be done under our constitution is delegate issues such as abortion and gay marriage to the states.  If that were to happen then it’s a fight to ratify a constitutional ammendment defining marriage and banning abortion through the house and senate.  Basically what I’m saying is that Huckabee more than likely cannot save the day for the Christian right in these instances.  Hell, we have a President RIGHT NOW that wishes to define marriage as between one man and one woman.  How has that worked out?

Well folks we need to take a look at his fiscal records along with his stances on other domestic issues.  The President will have more effect on economy, spending, and illegal immigration much more so than gay marriage and abortion.  While he says he supports the FairTax right now it seems to be in stark contrast to his previous stances on taxes.  A couple of disturbing instances include:

Immediately upon taking office, Governor Huckabee signed a sales tax hike in 1996 to fund the Games and Fishing Commission and the Department of Parks and Tourism (Cato Policy Analysis No. 315, 09/03/98).

He supported an internet sales tax in 2001 (Americans for Tax Reform 01/07/07).

He publicly opposed the repeal of a sales tax on groceries and medicine in 2002 (Arkansas News Bureau 08/30/02).

He signed bills raising taxes on gasoline (1999), cigarettes (2003) (Americans for Tax Reform 01/07/07), and a $5.25 per day bed-tax on private nursing home patients in 2001 (Arkansas New Bureau 03/01/01).

He proposed another sales take hike in 2002 to fund education improvements (Arkansas News Bureau 12/05/02).

He opposed a congressional measure to ban internet taxes in 2003 (Arkansas News Bureau 11/21/03).

In 2004, he allowed a 17% sales tax increase to become law (The Gurdon Times 03/02/04).

 The man caved in left and right to a state legislature on taxes as we have seen in the youtube videos.  Imagine what he would do with a liberal congress should the democrats keep the house and senate?  Part 2 coming…