While I have been reading probably far too many peices of analysis on why Sarah Palin resigned, I have resigned myself to let Sarah show us all what she will do and do it in a fashion that suits her timeline and life.  Sarah has become a lightning rod for Democrats, the MSM, and everyone who is left of center in this country to attack and lob character bombs her direction in an effort to derail what could be one of the most authentic and no nonsense politicians to come our way in a very long time.

I have also been watching over the last year or so as she was introduced by John McCain as the VP-nominee for his now failed Presidential campaign.  I remember where I was when she was introduced and I remember how excited I was with her.  I thought it was the coup de gras on what the Democrats had attempted to put out in Hillary Clinton but could not muster the courage nor the candidate to handle what “could have been”.  Sarah was sharp from the start and while there were things that happened along the way that we look back on and read from various “sources” within the McCain campaign about the different things that Palin did to “hijack” the campaign, one thing was for certain; Sarah got more people excited and has kept that enthusiasm than any other Republican face except for maybe Mick Huckabee.  (My parenthesis are there for emphasis, and are to portray the allegations in a questionable light, which, is where they should remain, at best)

I have grown to admire what Sarah stands for and I respect her for what she is.  And, that is more than what just about anyone in the MSM can do.  I was interested as well to see Greta Van Susteran jump on a Fox News guy for what he was saying about her and how he just doesnt get it.  In the context of that clip, I had to agree with Greta because I think so many people still dont get Sarah and what she is doing.  I may not fully understand yet, but I think I have a good grasp on what she has done and why she did what she did yesterday.  But that is still not the point of my writing.

The point of what I am writing is simply this.  As Republicans, there are times where all we can focus on is what “we should become” or we “go on listening tours” and try to get that lost groove back.  But I think the answer is right underneath our noses.  Simply put, I am trying to become the exact opposite of what Barack Obama, Rahm Emmanuel, Barny Frank, and Nancy Pelosi are.  I want to be a party that does the polar opposite of them because I find what they do detestable.  Not to me personally, but what they are doing to our county and the future of the American people.  I wonder if the definition we are seeking is so simple and should be considered in a way that we look at what these people are not and become that to the American people.

I have had someone close to me make comments about what they have done in the past in regards to who they support and what I realized is that even though I look up to this person and considered them to be a role model, I realized how I did not want to be like them and realized how much I wanted to become something entirely different.  Sarah Palin is about as entirely different of a politician as we have seen and if you can count how many theories that are circulating, how many news stories are being run, and how many blog entries like this one are being penned, you should be able to see very quickly just how much she has inspired in just about every American regardless of party and gender.  More than any other Republcan this year, I would argue, and I dont think she is done yet.  Her ways are not the politics as usual, as she has said on so many occasions.  And as we think about what the Republican Party has done since its inception, we have to remember and look in the mirror as we remember it was the GOP who was for womens sufferage.  It was the GOP who was for african americans being able to vote.  We were the big tent party and we still are.  And while our light may be somewhat diminished because of the continuing false and malicious character attacks on not only Sarah Palin but every other Republican Candidate, I believe it is our principles, our ideals, and yes, our leaders who will bring America back to where it is once again a shining city on a hill that everyone in the world can see where democracy reigns supreme, the will of the people will be heard, and where tyranny has no place at the table of American families.

Sarah just needs time, and support.  She has shown that to us, and I think we should show that in return.

I have been listening, reading, and thinking about the issues that pertain to the recent disclosure by the Obama Administration to release the “CIA Torture Memos” as well as opening the door for AG Eric Holder to proceed with prosecutions in regards to the figures who authorized such ‘torturous’ exercises.  The crux of this discussion, in my opinion, rests on the principle of what torture really is and what place it has in our efforts to bolster and perform our constitutional duty of providing for the national defense.  What I hope to convey in this article is how it would appear Democrats are trying to frame this discussion on the CIA memos.  I believe that the tactics that we have engaged in are fully within the realm of our top governing document, the Constitution, by providing for our common defense.

The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy has a read on the discussion of torture that is worth reading.  What I can appreciate is how it compares torture to killing.  I believe this is part of the crux, because, we still have a defense force that, when called upon, defend our interests and others in the form of war, and subsequently kill others who stand in the way of the interests that we are engaged in.  While I believe there would not be a single person in congress would say that WWI or WWII was a mistake and we should try the soldiers and participants of those wars for their “atrocious” actions, I think that should be a point that they should all have to defend.  Let me define “they” as those who want these Truth Commissions.  Here is a point this entry makes on torture:

The conclusion to be drawn from these considerations is that torture is not necessarily morally worse than killing (or more undesirable than death), though in some instances it may well be. Killing is an infringement of the right to life and the right to autonomy. Torture is an infringement of the right to autonomy, but not necessarily of the right to life. Moreover, torture is consistent with the retrieval of the victim’s autonomy, whereas killing is not. On the other hand, the period during which the victim is being tortured is surely worse than not being alive during that time, and torture can in principle extend for the duration of the remainder of a person’s life. Further, according to our adopted definition, torture is an intentional or purposive attack on a person’s autonomy; this is not necessarily the case with killing.^[] Finally, torture can in principle involve the effective destruction of a person’s autonomy.

This is what I personally have a problem with in this entry when it comes to a good part of ‘philosophy’ is that they can argue, when they want, that any particular portion of a theory is just as relevant to another.  This is good for coffee shop discussion and even letting college students debate the merits of issues without any given institution being dogmatic about any particular angle.  But, philosophy, in my opinion, takes a back seat to the overall context of any given nation when it comes to application.  What appears to me to be happening is some of the people in DC are putting philosophy, namely some of the things I have sited, ahead of principle when it comes to all this.  In fact, I would say that they are putting philosophy ahead of our own constitution when it comes to framing this issue as it should.

Liz Cheney, as most of you have seen, put it to a liberal, MSM talking head, as I have seen so far.  She stated, very simply, that when Al Quaida captures an infidel, they cut the infidel’s head off.  Re-read that sentence if you want and think about that for a second.  When you think about getting your head cut off, I would call that terror-ism.  How does terror compete with torture?  Is that, to some degree and a large degree I would argue, a form of torture?  Isnt the concept and idea of terror stripping us, as Americans, of our ability to live our life as we would?  Here is another excerpt from this discussion on torture:

Given the moral importance of autonomy, torture is an evil thing — even considered independently of the physical suffering it involves.

This entry argues that torture in and of itself is evil, separate from the physical act.  Would not terrorism fall under that as well, seperate and apart from the acts of terror (see 9-11, Daniel Pearl, USS Cole)?  This article frames it conclusions on torture and while its something that frames it in an objective way, I believe it to be true that our governement should use the resources it deems to be valid when it comes to others who want to harm, kill, or otherwise cause us harm.  When it comes to terror, and others wanting to administer that on us, I believe we should do what we need to in order to mitigate that threat.

What bothers me is that this group of Democrats are putting Americans in a lump category with the rest of the world and saying, that as Americans, we are no better than the rest of you.  What I am NOT saying is that I am a racist, nor am I advocating any kind of class warfare or cultural warfare.  What I mean is that they advocate we should abide by the Geneva Convention, United Nations, etc, just like the rest of the world.  The problem with those things is that if we did abide by those, if we did agree with all these conventions that strive to keep anyone from keeping their autonomy, we would be just like other countries in the world.  But, as you and I would probably agree, we are not like the rest of the world and our model of Democracy is still a model by which people in other nations can only wish they have, with the freedoms that we have, and with the opportunties we have that no other country has in the entire world.  We accept, as a whole I believe, our role in this world very humbly.  Our autonomy is at stake in all of this, and I want to keep that as long as humanly possible.

Another point about all this from this entry:

Accordingly, we arrive at the following definition. Torture is: (a) the intentional infliction of extreme physical suffering on some non-consenting, defenceless person; (b) the intentional, substantial curtailment of the exercise of the person’s autonomy (achieved by means of (a)); (c) in general, undertaken for the purpose of breaking the victim’s will.

The world has sought, and may get with this President, what part B and C of this definition describes.  The World would have us operating on their level, their insistence, and their will.  Not ours.  Not our autonomy.  We are Americans, and while that puts us in no better place intrinsically as any other race or nation, we have our laws, our definitions, and we will not abide by any one else’s.  What some people in Congress want to do in my opinion is make America just like other places.  I dont know about you, but, I dont want to be like them.  That is exactly what Al Quaida and others want.  They dont abide by any of those conventions either, just like Liz Cheney said.

Our deepest enemies do not, will not, and have not, ever abided by the Geneva Convention or any other convention implemented about torture or other things.  I want my President and Congress to “provide for the common defense” by preventing another 9-11, and doing it in a way that makes no apologies.  Have those who were responsible for 9-11 apologized?  Do you think they ever will?  I think that people across the country should consider what terrorism is and how they would compare that to torture.  I would bet a bbq dinner that they could not find too many things different in the two.  And because of that, they may think that the tactics that we have used, that have resulted in valuable information that have prevented other attacks, should not be eliminated.  But, rest assured, this debate will continue and the outcome will be closely watched around the world.

Arkansas will have a Senate seat up for grabs in ’10 and its shaping up to be an interesting race.  A very, very good political blog here in Arkansas, The Arkansas Project, has a very good rundown on what its looking like as of today.  I have visited recently with Republican Party officials about how things are shaping up for 2010, and, I was pleasently surprised to hear them tell me about how many people are calling, and wanting, to run for offices next year.  I personally believe that Arkansas is a very good model for the center-right portion of our country when it comes to politics.  We are a very Democraticly registered state.  But, we are socially and to a large degree, fiscally conservative people.  

At the Tea Party held in my hometown of Batesville, we had people from 6 surrounding counties attend with over 180 people there.  I would gander to say that 60% were registered Democrats.  What was apparent, and this goes back to my theory of why I think we are a model, was the distaste for what the Governement is doing in regards to spending, etc.  See, we are gun-toting people who cling to our bibles.  We cherish the 2nd ammendment, and to a larger degree, are very churched.  

So where am I going with this?  When I visited with people in the Republican Party, they said normally they would be this busy with phone calls and interest from people this time NEXT year, but, they are busy with it THIS year.  They are getting serious calls, from serious people, and they are serious about picking up seats.  Here is a run down of some of the races that will be decided in 2010:

• Constitutional Races:  Governor, Lt. Governor, Secretary of State, State Treasurer, Land Commissioner, State Auditor, Attorney General.  Who can be beat?  Well, the slate of Treasurer, SOS, Land Commish, and Auditor are not as sought after.  Word is there could be some national monies put in to Secretary of State.  Our Governor, Mike Beebe, has high approval ratings but had a tough session this year.  A milk tax failed, a tobacco tax passed, and projections on revenue on the tobacco tax fell short of how it was sold, but, those are just a few things.
• State Legislature Races:  There are several seats coming open across the state, and the most that Republicans have held is 30 seats in either chamber.  But, there are a lot of people looking to run across the state.
• US Congressional Races:  There is one Republican who has announced an exploritory committee for the 1st Congressional District, Rick Crawford.  Congressman Berry, who has said that he wants to go down in history as the Congressman who has had the most earmarks, is getting up there in age and has rumored to be retiring because of his health, but, nothing official yet.  He is sometimes conservsative and almost always votes along with the party.  The region, very farmer oriented and mostly rural, has been Democrat for a long time.  But, remember, very conservative…

The Republicans, in Arkansas, have a chance to do things in this state that have not been done in a while.  I think with a new party  Chairman, Doyle Webb, and their efforts to gear their website like Gov. Huckabee’s (he had one of the best grassroots efforts of all Republicans in the primary’s, see here how it worked) fundraising should be easier for candidates.

I think 2010 is going to be a very, very interesting year across the county, especially in Arkansas…

Mrs. Pelosi said in an interview that she believes tax dollars should be used to buy birth control, which, would be used to help curb costs in our country:

PELOSI: Well, the family planning services reduce cost. They reduce cost. The states are in terrible fiscal budget crises now and part of what we do for children’s health, education and some of those elements are to help the states meet their financial needs. One of those – one of the initiatives you mentioned, the contraception, will reduce costs to the states and to the federal government.

She goes on to say, rather bluntly, why she feels that way:

PELOSI: No apologies. No. we have to deal with the consequences of the downturn in our economy.

If I was a person who lost my job, didnt know what to do, and just decided I needed to have copius amounts of intercourse, I would be ok, because Pelosi would give me the things necessary so I didnt produce a child.  Thats awesome!  That is exactly what I want my government to do, along with giving me more food stamps, keeping me on welfare, and being a drain on taxpayers who are working, earning a living, etc…….

I am actually not advocating any of those positions.  But what I think she and other Democrats are doing is creating such a dependency with people who do not know any better, and utterly holding them in those positions that do nothing to improve their lives, and do nothing more for them than give them contraceptives????  WITH OUR TAX DOLLARS NONETHELESS????  I find it so repulsive that it makes me want to go to California, move, and try to do something to vacate her seat.  Oh, wait, it is California.  They, for the most part, dont have problems with these things.  But the rest of the average American should, and I hope they do….

To me, the latest innauguration of our President set a precident, and in some cases, one that I think even President Obama should be ashamed of, considering the times.  When you think about the condition of our country, the rising unemployment, jobs that are harder to find than an ubiased media outlet, and anyone that is not just absoulutely gushing over our new President, here is something to reflect back on in 2004 for the innauguration of one Mr. George W. Bush:

The Presidential Inaugural Committee raised at least $8 million through last week toward a tab that could top $40 million. Most of the money is coming from wealthy individuals and corporations, which can contribute up to $250,000.

Fair enough.  Right?  Here is a headline from across the pond, declaring with zeal:

With an estimated price tag of $40m, the three-day celebration that is President Bush’s second inauguration will be the most expensive ever. (From the BBC, link: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/4187023.stm)

So what did it cost this time?  Here is rough estimate, from our friends across the pond:

Obama’s inauguration set to be the most expensive in US history, The $150m cost of the celebration will dwarf the amount spent on George Bush’s inauguration in 2005.  (Link: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/jan/14/barack-obama-inauguration-cost)

Why on earth would something so simple cost so much?  Here is some insight:

Carole Florman, spokeswoman for the joint congressional committee on inaugural ceremonies, told the New York Daily News, which estimated the cost at $160m: “We’re always very budget conscious. But we’re sending a message to the entire world about our peaceful transition of power, and you don’t want it to look like a schlock affair. It needs to be appropriate to the magnitude of events that it is.”

How did this compare with others, since it is good to keep perspective in regards to such matters:

This dwarfs the $42.3m spent on George Bush’s inauguration in 2005 and the $33m spent on Bill Clinton’s in 1993.

I guess when I heard all along during his campaign how there was so much damage done during the last President, that he was going to do everything different, so much, better, and so on.  He has broken from Bush on some things, and on this one, he REALLY broke from what was done in the past.

$140million.  That is one tenth of $1billion.  $140million can be used for a lot of things, including, rebate checks to some Americans that they can use as they see fit for their lives, that, would last alot longer than what it took for you to get sworn in, Mr. President.  Both times.

Mr. Bush, I want to thank you for what you have done, for our country, over the last eight years.  While I searched in vain for a way to submit this to you either online or in written form, this is the only outlet I have to say something simple that I think you would appreicate more than anything; Thank You.

You were the first President I voted for.  I was in college, following things very closely.  As I saw you speak, as I watched you debate, as I read about you and what you did while in Texas and wanted for our country, I believed in your ability to lead our nation and do it in a way that put the people first.  As we all know, not even a year in to your Presidency, we all watched with horror the events of September 11th, 2001.  I watched that morning as that second plane flew in the the second WTC Tower with my own eyes, something that is engrained and burned on my memory.  I will also never, never forget as the two towers came crumbling down as our country, in much of the same way, got on its knees in prayer as we sought guidance from our God in an amazing and terrible time.  But I also watched as you deciseively led our nation through those days, and your action was swift.  I could also see, in your eyes, your pain as you realized all to much what had happened, the lives that were lost, and what it would do to our country.  Yet, your guidance and leadership in those times was decisive and right.

Over the next year, you would meet the terrorists who had constructed and carried out those attacks head on to combat the single greatest devastating act on American soil.  The events of that day forever changed your Presidency, and for a while, changed our nation.  You were caught in a bind; act and get them and be victorious or not and be a coward.  You acted, you sought them out, and you are about to be victorius in a country that harbored those terrorists and helped enable the events of that day.

As your Presidency continued, you faced other challenges of putting an economy back on track, and more importantly, a nation.  You did this in the face of incredible criticism, and incredible scrutiny by an incrediblely relentless liberal media that started to put in the minds of the American people that 9/11 could have been an “inside” job, and that you were to blame.  The liberal media and the liberal left wanted Americans to believe that you were going to single-handedly lead our country in to such a war-monger position that all you were was a sherrif who like to shoot his guns at everything that moved.  Yet, as they started to portray things in that fashion, and kept building on those in to more and subsequently fostered the hate in those peoples hearts, our country was kept safe.  Attacks on our land didnt happen, again, to the very end of your Presidency.

While you were in office, you did many other things that allowed more choice and control to be in the hands of the people; to vote on important issues in their own states, issues on education and holding schools accontable for EVERY student, and so much more.  You put presssue on the institutions that were in charge of mass amounts of people.  The agencies that taught, educated, protected, and led the people that the burden they had was to do what was right and best for the people of America.  

I remember watching you speak at the RNC Convention at the acceptance of your nomination to a second term and hear you speak about how we are not to forget what happened on September 11th, and to see the passion in your eyes as you talked about your thoughts of this great nation and at that time I was convicted again about your leadership.  Your leadership, while at times portrayed in the media as from the hip, was not intrusive and allowed Americans to live their lives.  What so many wanted was for you, as President, to dictate things and allow an “anything goes” policy.  You would not do that, and in fact, you stood for what was right.  Not the political right, what was right for this nation.  Morals, values, and ethics that apply to all people, regardless if they are Republicans, Democrats, Greens, or anything else.  And all the time, the liberal portion of our nation grew to hate you more because you stood for what was right.

You had your misgivings and failures.  While I adknowledge your not perfect and know you will make mistakes, that is a fact of life for any President.  What others in our nation would not do is adknowledge what you did right and how it was the right thing for our nation.

And, at the end, I listen to debates while our current President, Mr Obama, has the complete disrespect to not call you by your title, the greatest in the world, President, as he conjured more hate and fear in peoples hearts about you and how your policies led us to where we are at.  In teaming with the main stream media, who, by a large margin, are now so uncredible, managed to get that message across.  So undeservedly so, our new President poured on to you unfair criticisms, lies about your actions, and charges of your record that were so short on accuracy but more importantly were lies.  But what I learned was a lesson in humility, and gratitude when you did not fire back and would let your record stand by itslef and how in so many ways is an example of how truth stands; on its own.

I will never forget when I watched as you walked up and were announced for the last time as President to the amazing amount of boos, and how, as you walked up, only smiled.  That tough demeanor was amazing, and I think speaks to your compassion of even those who hate you so much, that regardless of thier feelings for you, you did all you could to protect even them from harm of a would be terrorist.  And, as I listened to chants that cause the boos to pale in comparison, you stoicly transitioned the power from your Presidency to the next.  

So, Mr. Bush, Thank You.  Thank You for all that you did, and for eight years of your life that you gave to this country.  Thank you for giving your life, that you could have very easily given to a company, or to others, and that you took time away from your family to give to your country.  Those eight years are some I am sure you would never trade, and that aged you more than anything else could have.  For those eight years, and for what you did for our country, this young American thanks you.

With Tuesday coming at a very fast clip, and so many things going on and bets being taken on which media outlet will publish the first pictures of Oprah crying, I have some thoughts to transmit that I find rather paradoxial about Mr. Obama.  First, his train ride to DC, in which he hopes to invoke Abraham Lincoln, to me, is a very untactful and disrespectful display on his part.  I suppose a question that should be asked of Mr. Obama is would he die for his country in a fashion Mr. Lincold did?  I would find it hard for someone, in todays climate, like Mr. Obama, to put himself out in the open much like Mr. Lincoln did.  But the paradox here is that Mr. Obama is using the same Bible, the same type of train ride, etc, to some how figuratively put himself in the same position as Mr. Lincoln.  In the National Cathedral, you find the speech Mr. Lincoln gave upon his election to his people in Illinois.  Its both stirring and chilling in his foreshadowing of his days ahead.  For someone that was such a great man, such a troubled soul, for someone that went through so much to do what he did for this country, I find it rather unlikely any President we will ever have will be like that again, nor do I hope he or she would have to.  Presiding over a country during a time of civil war, and so many other things, the way he did, puts him in a category worth leaving, respecting, and protecting.  

The other thing I find to be such a paradox is the focus that is being put on this one man, who, by alll accounts, has the chance to do so many things of historic porportion.  But, this historic porporion could be in ways that you would want history to forget.  The paradox here is that he wants it to be a great new deal for America, and to for him to think he can rescue our nation and that our government can do everything for its people.  A vast amount of people in this country do not want their government to do that for them, in fact, they want just the opposite.  But he thinks he can do it, and he has changed his tune so much already in so many ways.  His rhetoric about chaning Washington by doing things different.  So far, in his appointments, he has shown nothing there.  Also, in his lessor appointments, he has broken rules of his own transition team and appointing lobbyists, and the ethics are out the door.  He is trying to appoint people who have evaded their taxes, and whose moral judgements are way, way off base.  But that is the paradox with a man so many are putting so much trust in to turn this country around.

His attacks on Republicans was about what they were doing to drive up our national debt, and to strap our children with debt for a generation.  But now, he wants to increase that even more, and he in turn, is driving up our debt.  HE is the one who said we should close Gitmo, period.  Now he is changing his tune.  You see, paradox is something that leads to a contradiction.  His Presidency, since November, has been one long contradiction to what he campaigned on.

The ulitmate paradox is that the Great Martin Luther King, Jr, whose day is symboically the day before The Day, said even that he dreamed of the day that a man would be judged based on the content of his character not by the color of his skin.  The pardox about Tuesday is that so many are so overjoyed about a black man becoming President, but, based on MLK, that should not matter.  Save for another post the ignorance people have about this man and his positions on things, but save not this simple idea.  Character.  That is what MLK said.  The content of his character.  Character is who you appoint, when  you know they have done wrong.  Character is when you know about conversations your staff had with a corrupt Governor.  Character is knowing an appointee of yours has not paid their taxes.  NOT PAID.  Not late, NOT PAID.  Character.  But in this day and time, character is more subjective.  At least to one party.

For me, Tuesday will come and go.  Yes, we will have a new President.  But the next four years I am not looking forward to in some ways, and in others I am.  I hope that the truth will be seen and that it will set the American public free from the shackles of hope based on rhetoric.  I hope that the truth will set free a people who deserve a government who puts them first, and who, through humility, deals with the issues based on what is best for the people, because, once they are no longer President, the question history asks is what did they do to make the Country and World better than when they first got there?  Were they in the office to get their names on a wall or their likeness on a hillside, or did they do something to elevate their people, who, by default, put their hopes of the unknown in the hands of an unknown?  That is the paradox of Mr. Obama, and, in four years, we should know much more about.

I have to seriously question the motives of the majority of “public servants” among us today.  I keep reading about issues facing our nation, both of a financial and ideological magnitude.  I read and hear constantly how people, who serve in elected and appointed offices, are continually creating bueracracy that is keeping our nation and consequently our lives captive.  What I mean by this are the most recent examples of our Presidential election.  While our nation was promised Change We Can Believe In, we are starting to see Change That Never Helped.  The struggles that our nation is facing, simply, can be found in the era that most American’s call some of the best 10-years our country has ever seen.  Yet, when we examine more closely what really happened in those “magical” years, we see unsustainable bubbles of greed, corruption, and humiliation that was not even shown or see in those years.  Some things coming later, and at a much greater price than we have seen in 9/11.  

And one public servant, George W. Bush, has receieved more hate, more dissent, and more negative press than several Presidents combined.  While he has done things that most of us do not find agreeable, and at times shaking our heads thinking why, he has done things that deserve our respect and thankfulness.  Recently, there have been a series of articles by Erick, here at RedState, that cover some things with Dick Chaney.  What is so good about it is that it puts in a light, that many of us may not have seen or realized, his motivation behind his role as Vice President.  Of which, I fully appreciate and find humbling.  His idea of national security, and at any cost, preventing another 9/11, humbles me.  Someone who has the moxey to do what is best for our nation; protection.

Public servatude has become something we quantify with earmarks, pork barrel spending, and ideologicial driven policy.  Gone are the days that elected officials weighed in their minds what was best for the collective, not just their constiuency.  Gone are the people who put country first, not to steal from a recent campagin.  In putting their country first, they put an entire nation first in their actions.  Teddy Roosevelt, who, by his own volition, worked to strike the balance between keeping business growing in our society and protection the citizens of this great nation from predatory practices that are evident in a captialistic society.  He was a leader of a new political party, who, worked to include an entire set of people, regardless of gender or race, because they were citizens of the nation, not because of their individual identities.

So here we are, in 2009, fresh upon an innaguration of a President who by title deserves our respect.  And for the next four years faces things in a new economy that warrant a “new” deal.  But what we are faced with are changes that could affect our nation, and our lives, for generations to come.  What choice does this new President have to make other than what he believes to be best?  But, what we are also faced with, is a President who is looking at ideology that has shaped him more than the experiences of his own life.  We dont know what has shaped Barack Obama.  We dont know what people have had intimate access to this mind, to this psyche, to this leader.  We have ideas and suppisitions of people, of which, have questionable pasts.  But what I ask again is where have all the public servants gone?  Public servatude is putting ideology second, and the common good first.

His ideologies are questionable, at best.  His support of organziations such as Unions of all shape and size, morally reprehensable issues such as abortion and infanticide, and a very relaxed idea of national security, at least when it comes to rouge nations such as Iran and North Korea.  So it is ideolgoy that will shape generations to come?

Ideogoly changes with the temperature in Chicago in the summers.  I know, I have lived there.  Ideology can be changed and proven wrong very easily, but the common good can not.  Securing our nation, providing simple life services, and keeping big government at bay are very simple aspirations and things that put the people first.  People, especially our founding fathers, had the belief that governement played a very limited role, and that minimal role should be played very well.  George W. Bush has done that for the most part, and whlie at times we probably had the biggest problem with his communication, we can only blame ourselves for so much that has transpired over the last 8 years, and the results of a glutenous decade before this one.  

George W had his faults, like us all.  So have all the Presidents before him, and all the Presidents after him.  The luxury that the newest President’s have is looking back on what went bad, and why.  They can look at emperical evidence and see what happened after decisions were made.  As of today, there is nothing “new” any President will face.  Its either domestic, international, or financial.  Period.  Of those, Presidents of yore have dealt with plenty.  One thing that rings true is ideology is no basis for decisions.  Rather, looking at issues from a historical perspective, and what was done for the nation that created the gretest good will return results that dont fit the norm, at least the incoming norm.  

And there seems to be a tide of this thinking, not only in elected officials, but in the poplulous.  That troublesome in that the champions for putting our country first are dwindling.  The people who are championing things these days are looking to change, for no other reason than change, things to ideologies based on them being an ideology, not because they pose any great benefit for people.  This is going on now in my home state of Arkansas.  We have a lottery because we wanted more money for college scholarships.  But now, there is jockying for who gets to appoint commissioners, who gets control of the money, etc.  Forgotten is that we have $50+million dollars a year that we have a hard time giving away.  But we wanted an idea, and the idea sounded good.  The idea now is problematic, and one that people are now questioning its purpose.  

Where have all the public servants gone?  I dont know, but I do know that before we grow as a country and come out of our troubles and issues we face, servants will need to step forward and put our country first, not ideologies.

The following was originally written by myself on an upcoming economic development initiative that has worked to engage an entire population in a small county in Arkansas

As you read this article, it will be the Wednesday after the sales tax vote for economic development. As I write this, I am contemplating the two outcomes and questions arise as to what both of them will mean for our community. I do not believe that excitement would describe my thoughts if this were to pass would be accurate. Nor would worried be my thoughts if it were to have failed. Both of those are very temporary while the issues we face will take a little while to fix. While I write this, I believe this tax will pass because I think the people of Independence County will have cast a vote for themselves, in the belief that they, as a group of people, can do more and do something about the economic situation that they find themselves in. While I am an optimist, and will frame my article as such, I believe that we face some challenges going forward. I will now dispense with what I believe we should do, can do, and hope to do post December 9th.
I have a dream that as a county, we can come together regardless of our cultural identities, affiliations, or social circles and address the problems that we have. When we, as a community, believe as a whole that we can do more good together than we can apart, our success will begin, and it will be difficult to stop. I have a dream that as a community, this tax will give us a tool to use that will make our economic picture much more attractive, but that as a community we can start to look at other things that need attention and work from us as well. I believe those issues to be substance abuse in our children, poverty in our working population, and apathy with all those in between. I believe that when we as leaders and concerned citizens of Independence County realize all that we have in front of us, that as a collective, we can accomplish a great and many things. You see, all these issues pertain to economic development, and while this vote and subsequent tax is related directly to jobs, these other issues remain and we can not sit idly by while areas of our county are deprived, while people have struggles, and our community still hurts. Our future was given a significant lift by the passage of this vote, and it begins a new chapter in the legacy of Independence County of which I believe one day we can all be proud. But we should ask ourselves is this the end or rather a beginning?

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I think the second part to a revolution, reorganization, and restoration type movement is using what the Democrats have given us. Here in Arkansas, we now have a lottery that will provide money for college scholarships. It was championed by a Democrat. It will create more government, more government jobs, etc, and will generate a huge “amount” for scholarships. NO path for the money to be distributed, etc, and NO clear way the scholarships will be awarded. It gets better. We currently have a $35million fund that is not used up every year because students dont apply. Why not? Ask the schools I suppose. But there is a solution.

I did an analysis of what counties in AR voted for this new system by at least 60%, and looked for some correlations. See, the argument was we didnt have one, needed one, and we need to send kids to college to help us get out of our economic doldrums. Well, I would agree with that (I went to college and have a degree) but we just had a big state-wide study done, and it said the answer is to not throw money at it (makes sense, right?). Well, that is what this is doing, and the counties that voted overwhelmingly for it are the lowest income areas in the State. The Delta region, and other rural counties. There are are areas where the vote was significant, like in NW Arkansas and Little Rock (skewed because of population centers, etc) but what I found was that outside of those exceptions, where it was overwhelmingly voted for was the most economically depressed areas.

So, I am working on something called Ambition Arkansas. It would be a program that would be funded from the lottery that helped kids starting in the 9th grade start to find their path in life. Its a program where they would be able to chose their own path, and there would be tools and programs in place (funded from the lottery) that would educate them on what they need to know, etc, and prepare them for that route. The program of course would not limit them if they wanted to go a different route later (college to two-year program, two-year program to college, etc) and would get them caught up in what ever the case was.

The problem I see that we have in our educational systems, which are our workforce systems, which prepare our kids for their futures, is we reward mostly achievement and not ambition! We reward the kids who go to college as the only route, as what “we” think they should do. But we dont realize their dreams and desires could be completely different. This program would be scaled to the level of per capita income of each county, and the poorer the county, the more funds they would get because of their economic status. But it would be equally funded throughout the state in areas where there was a need, and it would help those people in those areas get going in a direction, at an earlier age, that will hopefully raise the income on those areas.

We have to start with our kids and their future, and not dictate what their future should be like, and tell them that the only way to something is one way. That is too much governmental influence, and government should find ways for the individual to bring themselves out of their problems, or areas. This type of a program would be a way to get kids headed the right direction, THEIR direction, earlier in life. Letting them find that path, and working towards it. It will also hopefully generate more responsible people, so that the dependence on governmental programs and aid would go down because their ambitions are rewarded, and they want to do something they are passionate about. Not the opposite.

But if we use things the Democrats have created, and turn them around to benefit people in a much better and more broad way, we can make some headway. This program would not create more levels of government, in fact, I would like to eliminate quite a bit with this. The Department of Finance and Administration would watch over the funds and the formula being in place would be dispersement. The State Department of Education would be able to track the performance of the programs, and work with various other groups in AR to promote and get the program going.

We can do it, America. We just have to get the ship headed back in the right direction.

A revolution, by definition of the Latin term revolutio,is a fundamental change in power or organizational structures that takes place in a relatively short period of time. A Republican Revolution, by definition, is bringing to the forefront of the American psyche the things of which this country was founded on. They include limited government, limited (they actually had none originally) taxes, and national security. Its restoring the power and authority to the individual, not the government. Its not ignoring the needs of our fellow Americans, its helping them help themselves.

There have been many successful revolutions in our time. The one of course that comes to mind is the American Revolution, the very revolution of which our country was founded. It was because the colonies were required to pay an increase in taxes, without representation in the British Parliament, that led to the revolution. But there was more. It was the idea that a new line of thought, called republicanism, was something that guided the likes of Samuel Adams, Patrick Henry, Thomas Paine, Benjamin Franklin, George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and John Adams. This republicanism held the virtues that corruption was the greatest possible evil, and civic virtue required men to put civic duty above their personal desires.

One aspect of this was the deeply held religious beliefs of the founding fathers, and with that deep faith, they held that oppression and ruling kings found in the bible were to be despised. Where this was evident was a prominent Presbyterian minister distributed over 500 printed sermons on the Israelites rebelling against Pharaoh weeks before the Declaration of Independence to get the people ready to accept such rebellion.

This new thinking was not limited to high income class, or just low income class. It was open to everyone! What happened after was a series of acts that imposed taxes, fees, or payments by the colonies to the Crown without any kind of representation. Following were the Boston Massacre and other Intolerable Acts that kept the people wanting to do something other than have to live under these oppressive acts.

The British soon thereafter began what we know now as class warfare. They, in all their glory, had done a lot to create the slave trade, and through a court case worked to free a slave since England did not have a slave trade. They tried to turn the slaves against the colonies, and did so in a very hypocritical way. It didnt work, and in 1777, Vermont in their State Constitution abolished slavery with others to follow. The class warfare did not work.

It was Thomas Paine’s work, Common Sense, that called for republicanism and independence from Great Britain as the only answer for the colonies. What transpired afterward is something we all know the story of, and one we can all recount. But what this shows is that republicanism is something that started the revolution against the Crown when our country was founded. It was a republican-type thought that everyone bought in to, that they identified with, and one that helped get our country going.

It was later in the later 1800′s that we found another portion of our voice in being against the slavery movement. We had a majority of the black voters in the country until FDR came along, and with his Presidency, Republicans at the time called his actions socialism and class warfare. But what is important in all of this is that our party, The Republican Party, is the Grand Old Party, and it rings true today. It was these simple ideals that our country and party was founded on, and something we should consider during our own revolution.

I dont think we have to change anything perse, in fact, I think we have strayed from our message that rings true with any person in a Democracy. Its having the courage to proclaim that message in the face of people like Barack Obama and the Democratic Party. Its having the courage to portray that authenticity to the American people and help them understand that we are about ALL Americans, not just any one class, and at one time, our party was known for that.

When we start this Republican Revolution, lets remember there is a good roadmap to follow and we should look at it very, very closely.

What would Ronald Reagan do? As a conservative, I ask myself that and wonder what Mr. Reagan would say during these times. On Mark Kilmer’s post on the front page of Red State, he relayed some of the wisdom that most of us have forgotten. I was only eight years old his last year in office, but I can remember some things that happened during his Presidency, and one of those was the Berlin Wall coming down. So as we consider that question, what would Ronald Reagan do, lets look at some of his quotes and consider their context today.

“Above all, we must realize that no arsenal, or no weapon in the arsenals of the world, is so formidable as the will and moral courage of free men and women. It is a weapon our adversaries in today’s world do not have.” We still have this moral courage today, we just have to muster it up and use it…

“Concentrated power has always been the enemy of liberty.” I dont know what an Obama Presidency will look like, but it has the makings of centralized power, and I think that Mr. Obama would want to consider otherwise.

“Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn’t pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same.” Its not a birthright, its not inherited, its earned, its something we cherish and we take care of in the hopes that somehow we dont lose it.

“Government exists to protect us from each other. Where government has gone beyond its limits is in deciding to protect us from ourselves.” Nothing more to even say on this.

“Government’s first duty is to protect the people, not run their lives.” How powerful is that? Incredibly.

“Man is not free unless government is limited.”

I think its time that we revisit what we consider freedoms in our country, and as a party, what we consider to be our virtues. As a party, the Republicans to me are the most American of parties because of what we do for the American, not for the Government. Its what our ideals and ambitions are for citizens, not for programs. So as we consider what are to look like going forward, lets examine what we once looked like when a leader of men painted a picture that is on display for everyone to see.

Newt Gingrich would be an outstanding if not amazing leader to be atop the RNC. I would consider that a true return to conservative ideals, and someone who has lead a reformation and transformation of a party that did a good job of keeping a Democratic congress in check, and getting the Republican party back in shape. I vote for Newt!

I have been able to step back and think more about what the future looks like for the Republican Party, and everyone getting all caught up in Sarah Palin, Bobby Jindal, and any other Republican who is “hot” right now. I think as a Party, the Republicans (which I count myself to be one) need to transcend fads or phenomenons and find what our true core is. I am sure that Sarah and Bobby will be around, and contend on a level that they should in the upcoming years. But I think what happened last week was not so much about the Republican Party as it was an effort on the overall morals of our society, and they, currently, beg for immediate gratification and immediate results.

With this in mind, Obama will not be able to deliver. He will probably have to deal with the worst economic crisis we will ever face in this country. He will have so much to contend with I just dont see him going past one term, and in that, I dont think you will even see Joe Biden run because of everything that will happen. What I believe is simple; people are craving change and authenticity so much they are giving this desperate candidate a desperate chance. But, in the end, he will not be able to produce simply because he has promised so much and will be able to deliver on so little.

So, as Americans, I think we will be back to what we knew all along and that is that growth, ups and downs, all come and we have to endure. We have to pull through and things can not be “fixed” like we previously thought. Americans will have to realize, to some extent, that there is a duration to all that we put in to place, both good and bad. Obama will not be able to fix what has happened. The old mantra that has occurred is that business has moved at a much quicker pace than government, and in all that we have now, business did things, and were allowed to, that has put us where we are at. A huge governmental system will now try to fix it… Look out.

But more on our future. What is true conservatism? What lies in our future, and what are things that are conservative and what we believe government should be? I believe one of those tenants should be the repeal of the 16th Amendment and the establishment of a national, fair tax. The founding fathers hated taxes, hence the Boston Tea Party (taxation without representation), and would have established that I am sure had they thought it would be necessary. They didnt, in either case, and we should get back to that and establish the fair tax.

A second area is health care. What is the greatest cost driving up our health care? Uninsured. How do we eliminate that? Its not an easy answer. A lot of it start with people being responsible for themselves, for their health, no matter if they have insurance or not. There are a lot of people, of all ages, who do not have insurance, but so much of that is a choice that they make. We have to work so much harder and to a greater extent with our young people, their parents, and with the public about healthy lifestyles, and healthy living. Individuals are responsible for their health, and they have to be willing to accept that.

Another area is social issues. Of these, I dont believe that there are too many areas that need further consideration. Being pro-life, keeping stem cell research in check, so many things that can take our country down a path that would be very frightful and would open doors that I dont think anyone can foresee the results. With technology advancing, we will be faced with some very tough decisions, and some very hard answers. A willingness to decide those in a very conservative and thoughtful manner will be demanded.

We have a great nation, and I believe it will stay that way, for no other reason than there are too many of us who cherish these freedoms and will do whatever it takes to keep them. That coupled with the American spirit makes for a great combination.

There are so many things that really bother me about this election, and unlike Michelle Obama, I am not proud of this process, this year, and it has nothing to do with the color of man’s skin or the gender of any of the candidates.

What it has to do with is almost all integrity, almost all character, and almost all of what this country has been founded on seems to me to be on the chopping blocks of agenda’s, corruption, and thuggery. So many issues come to mind, so many to list, and just a few that are worth mentioning. Barack Obama, who spoke at the 06 DNC Convention, who got people all worked up, all of a sudden declared for President when a few years earlier said he would not, but that was just the beginning. He would later go on to defeat (albeit a partial concession by Hillary) Hillary in the primaries, after the debacle of Michigan and Florida were settled in house, with all the country to see, by the Democratic Party. All this going on as Howard Dean, crazy Howard Dean, is in the background scheming for all that would go on come 2008.

But then, as he said he would do, Barack said he would take only public money. But when he realized a good way in to the Hillary campaign, he was going to have to have some major money. So, he took that pledge back and started to raise more money than anyone has ever done. He has bought his way in to the main stream media’s hearts, so much so one of them (LA Times) is holding back a tape with him at a party with terrorists. This would be ok, with the reason they gave, had they not leaked some controversial audio from their Governor, or a video of a Governor from Alaska in a bathing suit. But, they didnt, and they are holding it. Then comes all the media coverage, all the TV coverage, all the media except a few who want an Obama presidency…

But what does all this mean? To me, I see a country whose ethics, morals, and values have been trumped by money, and by a candidate that has defined himself by money. I also see a country who has wanted something like this to happen, either a woman or a person of another race than white, but has made everything out to be about race, instead of leaving race out of it. I see a country who is divided about a crisis that even the best and brightest dont know what to do, yet “trust” a man who has been in the Senate for merely 4 years. A man, who in Bill Clinton’s own words, called him and said “Tell me what I need to do and I will sell it”. So are we electing a salesman?

But then there is McCain, who loves his country so much, who has served so nobly, and who has done everything he can to win an election for a home he loves arguably more than even me. That tends to be the case for those who have actually fought for our country. But he has had two strikes against him from the start, as mentioned above, and has wanted to debate with a man who refuses to interact with the people, but wants to “Sell” them on what should be done. He wants to discuss things about our country, and putting our country first. The problem is, most Americans dont put their country first, they put their own emotion.

Americans, as a whole, will (and have made) a decision based on emotion, and for many, that is the hate they have for George W. Bush. A hate for a man they will never know, but only read about and see on TV. Justified or not, their hate is what motivates them. So in a country where race and gender have become such an issue, the one core emotion at the root of all that, Hate, will prevail and move some people to vote for a man who has such limited qualifications, limited experience, and questionable past relationships with people who profess a deep hate and prejudice to so many things, but it is that exact same emotion in the hearts of so many people that will move them to vote in a way that they could potentially regret in a very short time.

So at 28, I wonder what the future holds for my country, for this place I love so much. I dont know, but I do know this; its enough for me to want to get involved and not let things like this happen in the future…