Iowa Staw-Poll Results (An Opinion)

Okay, Congresswoman Michele Bachmann won and Congressman Ron Paul came in second. Governor Tim Pawlenty dropped out and Texas Governor Rick Perry jumped in to the race. Jon Caldera, a local Denver, Colorado radio host, says, "There is nothing the Republican Party can't screw up." I congratulate Ms. Bachmann. She ran and attractive campaign for the Iowa straw-poll. However, when was the last sitting member of the House of Representatives elected to the office of President? For those products of the Federal Department of Education (aka, Public School System), it was James A. Garfield (not to be confused with the cartoon fat cat), elected in 1880, shot on July 2, 1881, and died on September 19, 1881. Garfield was the first and last sitting member of the House elected President (our 20th).

As a Constitutional Conservative, I am looking for the candidate who will fight for the Constitution. Bush 43 paid it lip service calling it a, "G-D piece of paper." The current usurper-in-chief seems to enjoy shredding it. It appears to me he has touched off the afterburners in a full-scale assault to strafe our Constitutional Republic and subject America to the United Nations.

However, I want one of these candidates to stand up and say it is time for us to bring our troops home. I am not an isolationist, because it is unrealistic. Yet I ask do we have a clear mission to accomplish in the three published wars we are fighting? It seems our current liar-in-chief is intentionally weakening our nation. Can someone explain to me why we protect the border between North and South Korea, and the border between Pakistan and Afghanistan, yet we fail to close and protect our national boundaries?

In addition, I want a candidate who will put all entitlements on the table, including sacred-Social Security. The Constitution does not require the Federal Government to be the great benevolent provider - it cannot no matter how much the government steals from American taxpayers. This is not a fairness issue; it is how much theft will, we the people, allow. Obama Senior wrote in his economic thesis he believed it would be okay for a government to tax its populace 100% of their earnings so long as the government provided services were commensurate with the taking. How are agencies such as the EPA, DOE, and DHS performing? If they worked for me (oh wait - they do), I would fire all of them for failing to meet their stated objectives. For example, President Carter created the DOE in 1973. Their stated mission: Free America from foreign oil dependency. 38 years later, are we more or less dependent?

As we grow more dependent on government, we should recall that throughout history, every benevolent government eventually turns hostile on its own citizens, even if it is only a small segment of its population - a scapegoat for blaming society's ills. Americans have traded liberty for security. Now, we deserve neither. Apparently, the current administration (and its State controlled media) considers anyone like me a public enemy because I refuse to break faith with the founding principles, which formed our nation's Constitution. I hope I have the courage to stand up like Patrick Henry and declare, "Give me liberty or give me death."

Finally, I long for a candidate who will tell this nation the truth. It needs to repent and turn to the Lord, begging Him to lead us in a revival of faith, freedom, and personal responsibility. As a historian, unless we entreat God's intervention, we are doomed to follow the path of all previous empires - all fall and become enslaved by the next conqueror in line - possibly Russia, likely China, most probably the rioting-radical-Islamic nation. Regardless, liberty as we know it will cease to exist and a slaughter will ensue to make sure the sheep comply with the new masters.

Well, the 8-ring circus is over and who knows what we are going to be stuck with - certainly no one who will fit any of my unreasonable and unrealistic criteria. Since I doubt anyone will lead our body politic to humble ourselves before God, I pray for a revival at the individual level because unless we repent and turn to the Lord, America will be no more. Oh, the land will be here, and we will be residents of something, but never again the land of the free and the home of the brave.

Iowa Debate Results (An Opinion)

This post is a quick opinion piece regarding last night's Republican Presidential dog and pony show. My favorite fighter for America's survival as an independent, sovereign nation and future existence was Newt Gingrich. I want someone who will go on the offensive, and if necessary, be offensive against the self-proclaimed, progressive elites from both parties who think they control the sheep in their body-politic pasture.

I think Herman Cain advanced his status and I still like the idea of having a President who is not a whitewashed sepulcher like the Pharisees of Washington, DC.

The next fighter who scored punch points with me for truth, justice, and traditional American values fell to Rick Santorum. Unfortunately while fighting for the sanctity of human life and the correct definition of marriage, he complained too much about the amount of time he had before the audience.

The rest failed to impress me whatsoever and it is time for Tim Pawlenty to give up his place in the race.

So, I ranked my scorecard as follows:
1. Newt Gingrich, 2. Herman Cain, 3. Rick Santorum, 4. Michele Bachman, 5. Mitt Romney, 6. Ron Paul, 7. Jon Huntsman, and 8. Tim Pawlenty.

That is my opinion. Saturday, we will find out what the people of Iowa think.

Western Conservative Summit - 2011 (An Observation)

This year's Western Conservative Summit proved to be more than informative and inspiring. It proved revelatory. The Centennial Institute, think tank arm of Colorado Christian University (CCU) sponsored the weekend-filled conference. The stable of speakers was impressive and their topics covered a broad spectrum of thought provoking national concerns, international issues, and contrasts between constructive conservative and self-destructive, liberal-progressive worldviews.

In this post, I will address my observation of the declared and undeclared Republican Presidential hopefuls: Texas Governor Rick Perry (undeclared); Former US Senator from Pennsylvania, Rick Santorum (declared); Former UN Ambassador, John Bolton (undeclared); and Businessman, Herman Cain (declared). They all gave respectable speeches, but one inspired. They all said the right conservative words, but one set the right tone and tempo. They all expressed good ideas for putting America back on the right track to be that exceptional shining city upon a hill, but one showed us his executable plan. They are all good men, but one stood out above the rest.

I applied to CCU to be part of their volunteer corps to ensure the operational success of the Summit. CCU selected me to participate on the team that would monitor their respective book signing times. Moving people to and from these candidates for an hour or so placed me in the unique, close-proximity to observe how these four, mere men, interacted with people. I list them here in an order from the least to the most personable (in my opinion).

• Texas Governor, Rick Perry,


• Former UN Ambassador, John Bolton,


• Former US Senator from Pennsylvania, Rick Santorum, and


• Businessman, Herman Cain.

Governor Perry sat behind a table several feet away from the nearest admirer. He never once lifted off his chair until it was time to leave. Ambassador Bolton sat behind his table throughout his book signing, but allowed people to come up to it and he provided a chair next to him so fans could sit comfortably during a quick photo-shoot. Senator Santorum stood to his feet for every photograph; he allowed ample human contact ranging from simple handshakes to warm, yet appropriate (for a conservative crowd) embraces.

Herman Cain signed books, programs, bumper stickers, pamphlets, hats, and T-Shirts and he sat, stood, hugged, and shook hands. For me, the moment-of-truth arrived when his chief-of-staff leaned in to whisper in his ear that he won the straw poll by a whopping margin. I know this because I stood right across from his left side at this historical moment. Mr. Cain simply smiled, addressed his next visitor, and signed another book.

By the way, the one Presidential Candidate who gave an inspirational speech, set the right tone and tempo, presented and executable plan (handed out copies), and stood out above the rest, is Mr. Herman Cain.

Folks, it is time to raise Cain!