It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World

When we look out our windows, we see surroundings that have been familiar to us for many years. Sure there are some new buildings -- businesses have come and gone, the Las Vegas Strip has torn down some old hotels and added many new ones -- but it's still the same dry, brown Nevada desert where only sagebrush and cactus can grow and is crazy hot in the summer and mildly cool in the winter. The overall landscape and vistas haven't changed; they're the same as they were forty years ago when we were growing up. Sometimes it's nice to be surrounded by familiar things, especially when the rest of the world is becoming unrecognizable.

Now change isn't necessarily a bad thing. Some things need to be changed. That's why there are term limits to some political offices -- to force us to tune in to our politicians every once in a while and realize that we can't vote blindly for the same person again. And some people get too used to the political scenery and keep voting for the same person over and over, never really looking close to the ground and seeing the weeds that person is leaving behind. So sometimes change can be good.

Some changes, though, are nonsensical and mind-boggling. We're seeing some of those around us right now.

When we were growing up, our dad was very adamant that he would have little to no debt and that he would have a strong savings account. He never thought that the government would intervene in his personal economic woes, nor did it occur to him that he should ask for their help -- and back in the good ole days, the government would have never stepped in to provide that help. He mowed his own yard, fixed his own appliances, and made sure his car was serviced on time. He did all that because he knew that he was personally responsible for his family, his belongings, and our future.

Joe the Plumber became popular during this election cycle because he had the nerve to ask Senator Obama a question about increasing taxes. We are now finding out that his simple question encouraged several government offices to do background checks on Joe. A regular U.S. citizen asked a question of an elected official (someone who is supposed to be representing Americans) and his background and personal life were scrutinized beyond belief. Joe the Plumber's life received more scrutiny than Barack Obama's did. Would anyone have even cared about Joe the Plumber fifty years ago?

It's nice to be able to look out the window and see familiar sites, because when we turn on the news and the internet the sites we see are so unfamiliar -- even frightening. People are being attacked for their beliefs, churches are being vandalized, and Christians spit on because they voted yes on Prop 8. Supposedly, voting yes on Prop 8 was a hateful act, yet it doesn't hold a candle to the hate acts being perpetrated by the opposition -- the very people who want us to love everyone and be politically correct. "You go first" is our reply to the demonstrators.

Voltaire is attributed with having said, "I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it. ..." What happened to that world? Free speech is becoming a distant memory -- that's not a good change.

We're only one generation removed from growing up with a father who took responsibility for himself and his family. As we watch bailout after bailout be approved, we no longer recognize the country in which we were raised. Fiscal responsibility to fiscal irresponsibility is another change that we don't like.

Isaiah 5:20 states: "Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil." This is a change that we are experiencing now. Too bad.

Below is a link to an article that we completely agree with and wish we would have written:

http://pajamasmedia.com/blog/clinging-to-my-guns-salt-and-light-bulbs/

Is This Fair?

The Fairness Doctrine

Liberal Washington, D.C., politicians have been threatening to reinstate The Fairness Doctrine. These threats and possible action are their way of silencing conservative talk radio, currently the only real means that conservatives get up-to-date political information. Because talk show hosts are able to quickly get information to the public, they are a threat to the liberal agenda -- citizens calls to Washington shut down the capitol building switchboard when talk radio announced that a vote on immigration was pending.

We are adamantly opposed to a fairness doctrine. First, it's an infringement on our right to choose what we will listen to. Second, why would anyone let the federal government decide for us what's fair? When did they become the authority on what's fair for us? Washington's approval rating is, at best, in the teens and they want us to believe that they know what's best for us. Third, if we have a fairness act on public radio, then we demand that the same be granted for public school. Every time evolution is taught in school, equal time needs to be given to creationism. Fourth, does re-instating The Fairness Doctrine include MSNBC? Because no news agency is more one-sided than MSNBC, the liberal news network.

It seems obvious to us that Washington is limiting their attacks to conservatives. Why? Because conservatives are the ones who consistently pay attention to what Washington is doing and try to actually stop the feds from enslaving us with their regulations. We fight against their attempts to lead us like lambs to the slaughter. If The Fairness Doctrine once again begins to rear its ugly head, we need to fight for our right to free speech (this includes free listening) and stop the feds from taking away our choices.

The below link is to an article regarding The Fairness Doctrine:

http://townhall.com/columnists/WilliamRusher/2008/11/24/beware_of_the_fairness_doctrine

Signs Are All Around Us

We have a book by Cleon Skousen titled "Prophecy and Modern Times." We have been reading through it this weekend and were struck by several prophecies of the last days before Christ's second coming -- some of them are happening now.

Mr. Skousen originally wrote his book in 1939 -- he died in his 90's just a couple of years ago. So this book was written a long time before the current politicial and financial scenes began to take shape. We wanted to share a couple of passages from the book.

"The Lord does not reap down a nation until it is altogether ripe unto destruction. It is not the purpose of God to destroy nations but to build them up. He desires to bless, not punish. Nevertheless, God will not be mocked, and when any people begin to glory in their wickedness--to subvert and destroy the work of the Lord--then he has no alternative.

"As in the case of Rome, the decline begins in that hour when the cross currents of national life begin to ebb and flow with a rapidity wholly baffling to the ingenuity of human leadership; and because a wicked nation will not submit to divine leadership they soon become their own worst enemies. Because of distrust, jealousy and unholy ambitions among the people themselves, the very structure of their civil government soon threatens to collapse.

"It is at such a time that the people begin to lose confidence in their system of government. A crisis is precipitated by the populous demanding a change. This is a typical evolution of events in a nation which is sick at heart and will not admit that its growing lethargy is the result of poison issuing from within its own members."

Please note the bolded, italicized sentences. Notice how it correlates with our recent presidential campaigns and election.

The following is a portion of a talk given by Heber C. Kimball regarding the last days before Christ's return:

"A spirit of speculation and extravagance will take possession of the Saints, and the result will be financial bondage."

This is exactly what we're seeing happen on Wall Street, where the greatest financial speculation occurs.

We've said it before, but it bears repeating: it's time to build your ark. Have food and emergency supplies on hand. www.beprepared.com has several options for both food and emergency supplies. The dehydrated food has a shelf life of 15 to 20 years and is not expensive at all.

In addition to physical preparedness, we need to also be spiritually prepared. Store up your faith now through scripture study, prayer, worship, and repentance. The well of faith we store now may be the only spiritual drink we have to draw on during the coming disasters and trials.

Understanding the Constitution

If you want a better understanding of the Constitution, we highly recommend “The Making of America” by W. Cleon Skousen. He delves into the history leading up to the Constitution and also focuses on the Constitution itself. Skousen analyses the text of the Constitution comparing it with statements made by the founding fathers. This book is definitely a must read. When we first read this book, we discovered just how far the United States of America had strayed from the foundation upon which it was built. Thus began our passion for politics.

On a nonpolitical note, we also have a passion for the proper use of the English language. The link below will take you to an article that will make you laugh as well as shake your head in disbelief.
http://www.baltimoreexaminer.com/opinion/columns/michaelolesker/The_sad_sad_state_of_college_English.html

Along those same lines, we took this picture of a sign hanging on a restaurant in Green Valley.

Heavy sigh. It looks as if the sign proofreader needs to brush up on his spelling skills.

CPR for America

The Republicans lost the majority in Congress in 2006; and now, after the most recent elections, the Democrats are very close to having a filibuster-proof Congress, depending on the outcomes of the elections in Minnesota and Georgia. Why have the Republicans done so poorly in the last two elections? We believe one of the reasons is that they’ve abandoned their core conservative values, one of which is fiscal responsibility. And it’s not just the Republicans in Congress. During the last two years, President Bush has signed spending bills as if there were an unending supply of money. There is a definite disconnect between the Republicans elected into office and the voters, and the voters displeasure was reflected at voting booths across the country. Unfortunately, compared to the Democrats, the Republicans are penny-pinching misers. Since our elected officials refused to listen to the voice of the people, we watched helplessly as Congress approved a $700 billion dollar bailout with apparently no rules attached. Now there are talks of more bailouts for corporations and also talks of helping people with their mortgages—loans for which they shouldn’t have been approved in the first place. Where does it end? Where do we draw the bailout line? What makes one corporation more deserving than another? Do we bailout the auto industry when their CEO’s are fiscally irresponsible; i.e., three CEO’s flying in three different private planes to testify before Congress that they need money?

Below is a link to an article that shows just how disconnected the members of Congress are regarding taxpayers’ money.

http://www.worldnetdaily.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=81485

We need to hold Congress’ feet to the fire. We encourage everyone to write their Congressmen and demand that they stop the fiscal bleeding.

Here Come the Feds

Dancing With the Stars

Cody Linley and Julianne Hough exited DWTS last night. That was what we guessed would happen. It's down to the final three: Warren Sapp, Brooke Burke, and Lance Bass. It should make for a pretty good finale as they all have had some great dance moments on the show.

The Oxymoron of Government Healthcare

We knew it would happen eventually in a Democrat-controlled federal government and it looks like government-controlled universal healthcare will be on the table early next year. If they are able to push through this legislation, we can all say good-bye to the care part of healthcare. And the only part of health that will be available will be poor health (for more information and examples of government healthcare, please see our post from August 5).

This article explains what's coming:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/11/17/AR2008111703214.html?hpid=sec-nation

Dancing & Government Control

Dancing With The Stars

We weren’t able to watch Dancing with the Stars in real time last night, because we were at a gun class; however, we taped it and watched it this morning.

Lance and Lacey did very well last night. It was definitely their best effort thus far this season, and the judges concurred. Brooke and Derek’s first dance was not their best; in fact, the judges lambasted them. Brooke missed a step at the beginning of the dance and couldn’t recover. Their second dance, however, was very good; and the judges were pleased. Cody and Julianne’s first dance was definitely not up to Julianne’s standards, but their second dance was much better. Warren and Kym are entertaining, but Warren’s dance technique isn’t the best. Brooke and Lance should definitely be in the finals next week, and it’s a tossup between Warren and Cody as to which one should be eliminated tonight.

Controlling a nation’s economy means controlling that nation’s people
November 17, 2008 by J. D. Longstreet

The title to this article was taken for one of Ronald Reagan’s speeches. It is as true as truth gets. Ronald Reagan, the icon of the conservative movement in America, understood the fundamental truth of the Founding Fathers of America.

The Founding Fathers of America understood that a strong central government would never work in a republican form of government, the form of government they gave the American people. They knew that. They had just declared the independence of Americans from the “strong central government” of King George of Great Britain. They understood that for Americans to thrive and become a great nation of great people the government should provide one thing… freedom. They knew the American government should provide security from any20and all enemies that presented a threat to the freedom of the American people so the American people could make the seeds of liberty grow and flourish.

Meeting in Philadelphia in 1776 they labored to create a constitution, the bedrock foundation of this nation, dedicated to the idea that the people would control their own destiny, not the government, that the people would make or break this experiment in democracy, not the government, that the labors of the people, known as business, would be free to create and manufacture, to sell, and to create wealth and keep that wealth or distribute it as they chose, not the government.

The constitution is as simple a governing document as has ever been written. It was drawn up to protect the people of this country from its government. Our Founding Fathers had just turned their backs on government, which had insinuated itself into the lives and businesses of its colonists to the point that those colonists rebelled and said: “No more!” With the constitution, the Founding Fathers put in writing the limits of the new American government.

For the past 232 years the constitution has been a fly in the ointment to the political left everywhere on earth. When a people yearning to breath free, anywhere on the globe, look for a way, for a pattern, for directions on how to set up a non-repressive government, they turn to the US Constitution. There must be a reason. There is. Because it works!

Today, however, Americans themselves are ready to toss the constitution overboard and cling to a government, drunk on power and ready to do exactly the same thing King George did, insinuate itself into every aspect of the American people’s life. So bent on desecration of the constitution are they, that 52 % of the American voters cast their ballots for a man who has declared his allegiance to creating a strong central government, which will take away the freedoms, the liberty, our forefathers fought, bled, and died to give us. They have declared their overwhelming willingness to toss the democratic form of government in favor of a socialist form of government, which will guarantee cradle to the grave security. They voted “yes” to exchanging liberty for security. They voted to turn their backs on all the heroes of American history to follow in the footsteps of the Pied Piper of Socialism the now President-Elect of the United States of America.

Again, let’s turn to Ronald Reagan for clarity. In 1964 Reagan said the following:“It’s time we asked ourselves if we still know the freedoms intended for us by the Founding Fathers. James Madison said, “We base all our experiments on the capacity of mankind for self government.”

This idea? That government was beholden to the people, that it had no other source of power is still the newest, most unique idea in all the long history of man’s relation to man. This is the issue of this election: Whether we believe in our capacity for self-government or whether we abandon the American Revolution and confess that a little intellectual elite in a far-distant capital can plan our lives for us better than we can plan them ourselves. ”

Reagan went on to say: “The Founding Fathers knew a government can’t control the economy without controlling people. And they knew when a government sets out to do that, it must use force and coercion to achieve its purpose. So we have come to a time for choosing.

About financial security, Reagan had this to say: “There can be no security anywhere in the free world if there is no fiscal and economic stability within the United States. Those who ask us to trade our freedom for the soup kitchen of the welfare state are architects of a policy of accommodation.”

Reagan wound up this jewel of a speech by saying the following: “You and I have a rendezvous with destiny. We will preserve for our children this, the last best hope of man on earth, or we will sentence them to take the first step into a thousand years of darkness. If we fail, at least let our children and our children’s children say of us we justified our brief moment here. We did all that could be done.”

The question I would ask today is… have we done all we could do? It seems to me the 700 billion dollar bailout of our financial markets should be filed under “Controlling the people by controlling the people’s economy.”

As I view the America the voters of this nation created on November fourth, I am inclined to say that, indeed, we have, just as Reagan warned, sentenced our children to a thousand years of darkness.

The Battle Rages

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, or one day we will spend our sunset years telling our children and our children's children what it was once like in the United States where men were free. ~ Ronald Reagan

The Communist Party USA has written articles and made statements regarding their expectations of an Obama presidency. The link below will take you to an article that outlines their political aspirations and how they believe Obama is the person to deliver this country into their hands.

http://www.worldnetdaily.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=81204

Glenn Beck was talking today of visiting five states this past weekend promoting his new book, The Christmas Sweater. He said that at every single stop at least one person told him that he/she was from the former Soviet Union and with tears in his/her eyes, Glenn was begged to not stop talking about what is going on in our country today. These former residents of the former Soviet Union know what's coming--they've seen it before.

Don't fall asleep at the wheel, America. Stay alert, watch carefully, and be prepared to fight. Our freedom is at stake.

The Lord is My Light

Some time ago we arrived at our home in Utah to find that the screen door at the front entrance to the house had been caught by the wind and twisted so much that it was lying in an almost horizontal position against the house while still being connected to the frame with one fastener. It is our practice to make sure that all doors are locked and the screen door tightly latched before we leave the home. But, apparently, we either failed to properly secure the door, or someone came to the house and left the screen door ajar. Whatever the reason, the damage was done – and it extended to the door frame. Since we don’t possess the necessary tools or knowledge, we couldn’t remove the door or fix the frame. All we could do was put an object on the porch in front of the door to prevent further damage and to let visitors know that entrance to the house was not available at that portal.

Since then we have used the two doors on either side of the house to go in and out. It has been a little inconvenient to not have access to the front door, but we’ve managed without it; though we have commented several times that it would be nice to open the door and have access to the light it would bring. We reluctantly confess that during this time the entry way on the inside of the house became a nice place to store toys and boxes. It became a conveniently inconvenient space.

Last weekend we finally had the front doors replaced. We were able to get a storm door with a deadbolt so that we can prevent a similar attack on the door in the future. We learned that we needed extra precautions in place against forces of nature that are capable of twisting and mangling metal – and we also needed to put barriers in place in case a human unintentionally leaves the door unlatched and exposes it to the harshness of the outside world.

Sometimes we forget to tightly secure our own defenses against adversarial winds. Prayer, scripture study, standing in holy places, worship services, etc., provide that extra lock against adversarial forces. Satan blows through, looking for people who haven’t secured their latches – allowing him to pick them up and twist and mangle them to the point that it’s beyond their ability to fix. And, instead of seeking out the Carpenter who can fix the problem, we are slow to seek repairs, often letting the clutter of doubts, insecurity, procrastination, and denial block the repairs that need to be made. Instead we work around the problem, making adjustments because of the inconvenience and obstacles that are preventing our spiritual progress.

It was wonderful to get the door replaced. We no longer have to work around the problem of having one inaccessible door. The new door can be opened wide to allow the sun to shine through.

In the case of the door, repairs were delayed because of opportunity, time, and money. When we decided that it was finally time to make the repair, we made the time, found the opportunity, and budgeted the money.

The repairs to our spiritual broken doors shouldn’t be so difficult, but they usually are. It’s not easy to admit that you were so easily caught up in the adversary’s storm and it s hard to believe that we can recover from the mangled mess that’s left. But the Son’s light can shine through us again if we are willing to acknowledge and move the clutter we have built to hide the problem.

That’s why Jesus suffered for us, so that He can be the light when all we feel is darkness. He opens and repairs doors that seem inaccessible. And we can be left brighter than we were before.

Forewarned is Forearmed

The link below is to a YouTube video that was posted before the election. However, the information in it is still valid.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pk9GwXJNM2c

The Armies of God vs. The Armies of the Adversary

We recently read that Obama has on "Internet Army" whose responsibility it is to monitor the Net and go after anyone who writes negatively about him and also target those who oppose him. We got a little taste of these kinds of tactics during Obama's campaign when a group of lawyers who support Obama threatened to sue anyone who spoke or wrote disparagingly about him. These reports are very chilling. We've written before about our constitution hanging by a thread, and we see more evidence of the powers-that-be trying to snip that final hanging thread. Below is an article that should send chills up the spines of those who love this country and its constitution.

http://www.worldnetdaily.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=80829

Obviously we are in perilous times--political, economic, and spiritual. We've also written before about the need to build your own ark. The link below will take you to an excellent article written by Thom K. Hall, certified financial planner, entitled "You Need Your Own Ark to Protect from the Coming Economic Storm."

http://www.ldsmag.com/moneywise/081113storm.html

Both of these articles are necessary reading to prepare us for what's coming tomorrow. First, we need to make ourselves politically aware, so we can keep pressure on our senators and representatives to fight policies that will take our country further away from our constitution and closer to socialism. Second, we need to get our houses in order for the coming storms--storms about which we have been warned for decades.

We feel a sense of urgency as we watch the events unfolding around us. The time for fence sitting is past. It's time to become involved.

The Stars and the Communists Dance

DWTS

We were out of town this past weekend but were still able to watch Dancing With The Stars on Monday. The competition is tightening up. The stars were required to perform a 15 minute solo (sans professional dance partner) during one of the dances competition (each couple performs two dances). There were some very good performances--we really liked Warren Sapp's jive solo, but we weren't crazy about Maurice Greene's solo. The cape work he did was nice, but there was no foot movement at all. Is swinging a cape around considered dancing? After watching all of the performances Monday night, we decided that our vote for the couple to be eliminated went to Cheryl Burke and Maurice Greene. Last night was the results show, and sure enough, Cheryl and Maurice were voted off the dance floor. The remaining couples left to compete in the semifinals next week are Warren Sapp & Kym Johnson, Brooke Burke & Derek Hough, Lance Bass & Lacey Schwimmer, and Cody Linley & Edyta Sliwinska. Brooke Burke & Derek Hough are the couple to beat.

Election Results Have the Communist Party Swooning

On November 10, Bob Unruh posted an article for World Net Daily that outlines the Communist Party USA's exuberant gushing over Obama being elected president. It also provides another connection between Obama and the Communist Party. Click on the link below to read the entire article.

http://www.worldnetdaily.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=80663

Complacency vs. Freedom - It's Time to Choose

"Our great Constitution has been beaten and torn until now it hangs by a single thread, and that thread is our franchise to vote." (Ezra Taft Benson, 1976, Freeman Institute, Provo, Utah)

On November 4, Californians voted on Proposition 8, which is a California State ballot proposition that would amend the state Constitution to define marriage as a union between a man and a woman. The majority of the residents of California voted to pass it. Three lawsuits have been filed on behalf of the several anti Prop 8 groups to nullify the vote. Whether you were for the proposition or against it, the people voted and passed it. If the courts throw out the people’s vote, our constitutional rights are gone. This will set a precedent for other states to do the same thing. We will no longer be a government of the people and for the people. This country is already on the fast track to socialism, and the courts interfering with the rights of the people’s voice will hasten our country’s descent. As we’ve said before, Heaven help us.

It is past time for “we the people” to stand up and fight. We posted yesterday the names of the members of Congress who will come up for reelection in 2010. It is imperative that we do our homework and exercise our “franchise to vote” to ensure that our elected officials will lead this country out of the quagmire into which we are headed.

For those who think that all is well, shame on you for not understanding the Constitution and shame on you for not knowing why the founding fathers wrote it the way they did. Your ignorance will be your downfall—don’t take the rest of us down with you.

A quote that resulted from World War II is also significant for our time:

"First they came for the Communists, and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a Communist. Then they came for the Jews, and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a Jew. Then they came for the trade unionists, and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a trade unionist. Then they came for the Catholics, and I didn't speak up because I was a Protestant. Then they came for me, and by that time no one was left to speak up.” ~ Martin Niemoeller, Lutheran church leader who opposed the Nazis

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We will be out of town for an extended weekend and will not have Internet access. We'll post again on Tuesday.

Moving On

Dancing With the Stars

Last night Susan Lucci was voted off of Dancing With the Stars. It was time. She just didn't have the heart for it that is apparent in the remaining candidates. Now we get down to tougher choices. The remaining few are all good, though Brook Burke is still the best.

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"A society of sheep must in time beget a government of wolves." ~ Bertrand de Jouvenel

An Excellent Thought...

The following is a post from the United Kingdom's The Telegraph:

"I have to say that I feel really sorry for the poor of America, black or white. I also feel sorry for those middle class people who, feeling it would help the less well off, voted for BHO. America is no different from any other country when it comes to these situations. BHO is no different from any other left wing or Socialist Politician in these situations. He is now “in power” and will realise, pretty swiftly, that this power is very limited. It is very simple really, Socialism does not work. People vote for it because in an ideal world helping those who are disadvantaged is a laudable and desirable thing to be doing. In an ideal world, the wealthy and the wealth creators would altruistically shower their wealth on the poor. Indeed, it would be their raison d'être. In an ideal world, the poor would consist of those who are genuinely unable to look after themselves or their families and so require such help. We know this is not an ideal world. We know that a great deal of the people who want the State to support them do so because they cannot be bothered to do it for themselves and feel they are owed something.

"We know that some are no more than envious, wanting the trappings of success without putting in the effort. These people are more the enemies of the less well off and the disadvantaged than any capitalist or banker or right wing Politician. It is they who prevent any real progress in helping the poor because they taint everyone with their grasping ways. Our society is based on a work ethic and it is a natural thing for those who make the effort to begrudge passing their earnings onto wasters and slobs. Sadly, that means the truly deserving suffer. There is a great willingness among reasonable people to help those who need it. But when it comes right down to it, it never happens because the Right cannot deal with the disease because politically they are being B******s and the Left can’t do it because they are unwilling to deal with the spongers.

"So nothing, really, will change. The best example of all this is the UK where Socialist Governments come and go, each time promising to sort it all out. Each time, they leave office having thrown bundles of tax payers cash at it to virtually no effect, except that they always trash the economy thereby making it even worse for the people they purport to help. So good luck America! We in the UK are looking at you and wondering how you could embark on an experiment that has already been tried in this country and palpably failed. We will be suffering for years to come. Welcome to the club!"
Posted by PaddyBoy on November 6, 2008 1:08 PM

Trying to Move On

In light of this week's election results, Edie's new motto is "hope for the best, but prepare for the worst."

We can't change the results of this week's election, so we need to move on from here. Truthfully, John McCain was never our first choice for president -- he's certainly no conservative, but at least he had a history of making decisions and a military service record of which to be proud.

President-elect Obama has promised to be bi-partison and work with both sides of the aisle. At this point, it doesn't look good. The choices he is making for his White House staff are very left-wing liberals who have never been interested in the opinions of the other side. So we are not having a good start and Obama hasn't even taken office yet.

The one thing that we know for sure is that we will fight for our rights. The right to choose for ourselves was given to us by God, and we will not mock Him or make light of His gift by giving up easily.

We do have a question for anyone from Pennsylvania. Why would you re-elect John Murtha? He has called you names and clearly doesn't care about you. From the outside looking in, it appears that you are in an abusive relationship with him. He calls you names and you believe the fault is yours and run back for more abuse. We find this very confusing. We certainly believed that he was on his way out of office.

In an effort to now move on from this week's election, we will focus our efforts on the senate election in two years. Below are the senators up for re-election in November 2010.

Alabama - Shelby, Richard (Republican)
Alaska - Murkowski, Lisa (Republican)
Arizona - McCain, John (Republican)
Arkansas - Lincoln, Blanche (Democrat)
California - Boxer, Barbara (Democrat) California, please vote for her opponent.
Colorado - Salazar, Ken (Democrat)
Connecticut - Dodd, Christopher (Democrat) He's one of the leaders of the current financial mess.
Florida - Martinez, Mel (Republican)
Georgia - Isakson, Johnny (Republican)
Hawaii - Inouye, Daniel (Democrat)
Idaho - Crapo, Mike (Republican)
Illinois - Obama, Barack (Democrat)
Obviously, this seat will be filled by someone else, but the seat may be up for election.
Indiana - Bayh, Evan (Democrat)
Iowa - Grassley, Chuck (Republican)
Kansas - Brownback, Sam (Republican)
Kentucky - Bunning, Jim (Republican)
Louisiana - Vitter, David (Republican)
Maryland - Mikulski, Barbara (Democrat)
Missouri - Bond, Christopher (Republican)
Nevada - Reid, Harry (Democrat)
Our state! We'll do everything we can to get his opponent elected.
New Hampshire - Gregg, Judd (Republican)
New York - Schumer, Charles (Democrat)
Seriously, New York. We realize you'll pick a liberal, but could you please pick a different one.
North Carolina - Burr, Richard (Republican)
North Dakota - Dorgan, Byron (Democrat)
Ohio - Voinovich, George (Republican)
Oklahoma - Coburn, Tom (Republican)
Oregon - Wyden, Ron (Democrat)
Pennsylvania - Specter, Arlen (Republican)
South Carolina - DeMint, Jim (Republican)
South Dakota - Thune, John (Republican)
Utah - Bennett, Robert (Republican)
Vermont - Leahy, Patrick (Democrat)
Washington - Murray, Patty (Democrat)
Wisconsin - Feingold, Russell (Democrat)

The Floods Are Coming...

"The American people will never knowingly adopt Socialism. But under the name of 'liberalism' they will adopt every fragment of the Socialist program, until one day America will be a Socialist nation, without knowing how it happened." ~ Norman Thomas

While the results of yesterday's national election are still ringing in people's ears, we want to encourage people to open their eyes to the floodgates that have been opened. If you haven't already, it's now time to build your ark.

The one statement that Joe Biden made in the last few months that has any truth to it is when he advised people to mark his words -- Barack Obama would be tested as president with an attack on this nation. We agree. Please make sure that you have food, water, and emergency supplies on hand. In the event of a nuclear attack, you should have plastic sheeting and duct tape in your home. By covering your windows and doors with plastic, you can save yourselves from all but two of the known chemical agents.

Many Americans have become selfish and lazy -- that was really the issue on the table in this election. It has been a little over forty years since John Kennedy said, "Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country." We have now reached the point where we have Americans voting for a president because they believe he will take care of them. They want welfare handouts, universal health care, and government housing. Be careful when you vote for change -- you might actually get it and it may not be what you thought.

The American people had the opportunity to vote for a real hero, a man who has shown the world that he will fight for freedom and that he will stand up for them. Instead they voted for a man whom they believe they can mold into their form of a hero. Their wail of disappointment will be heard throughout the world when his mold of plaster cracks and the true Obama oozes out -- the one who only knows how to vote present and rarely does anything heroic.

Nancy Pelosi stated in a press conference this morning that "we will discuss issues in a bipartisan way." That ought to be interesting because she hasn't done it yet. John Emerich Edward Dalberg Acton stated "power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely." No political party should have absolute control. But that appears to be what the next two to four years are going to be. William Pitt stated, "unlimited power is apt to corrupt the minds of those who possess it."

To say that we are nervous about the future of this country is an understatement. But let us not forget that "we the people" still have the right to free speech. Let's make sure that we use it before it's also taken away from us. Christians and conservatives need to strengthen their spine and stand up for their rights before they wake up and find out that their freedom to choose has been taken away.

Dance Charisma vs. Political Charisma

Dancing With the Stars

With the elimination of the weaker contestants, Dancing With the Stars is now seeing a tighter contest. The next person to go should be Susan Lucci -- she just doesn't have the passion that's needed to be among the final contestants.

Cody Linley was at the bottom of the judges scores, but we have to give him a break because his usual partner, Julianne Hough, is out of the contest right now recovering from surgery. Cody had to dance with a different partner with whom he had no previous contact -- a disadvantage at this stage in the event. He still did a pretty good job and we hate to see him go home without another opportunity.

Brooke Burke received a perfect score for her dance with Derek Hough. She is outstanding and will probably win it all as long as voters vote for the most qualified contestant and aren't swayed by someone else's charisma (oh, wait -- this sounds like another election that's going on right now).

The contestants were split into two groups to perform team dances. The first group was good, but the second group was outstanding. It's amazing how these people are able to learn one and two dances in just a few days time.

Due to election coverage tonight, the DWTS results show will not air until Wednesday night. Which is the bigger nail biter -- who will be President or who will be eliminated from DWTS? Unfortunately, we'll probably be more disappointed in the choice of President.

A Letter To the Editor

Letters To The Editor - Richmond Times
Monday, Jul 07, 2008 - 12:09 AM

Beware Charismatic Men Who Preach 'Change'

Editor, Times-Dispatch:Each year I get to celebrate Independence Day twice. On June 30 I celebrate my independence day and on July 4 I celebrate America's. This year is special, because it marks the 40th anniversary of my independence.

On June 30, 1968, I escaped Communist Cuba and a few months later I was in the United States to stay. That I happened to arrive in Richmond on Thanksgiving Day is just part of the story, but I digress.

I've thought a lot about the anniversary this year. The election-year rhetoric has made me think a lot about Cuba and what transpired there. In the late 1950s, most Cubans thought Cuba needed a change, and they were right. So when a young leader came along, every Cuban was at least receptive.

When the young leader spoke eloquently and passionately and denounced the old system, the press fell in love with him. They never questioned who his friends were or what he really believed in. When he said he would help the farmers and the poor and bring free medical care and education to all, everyone followed. When he said he would bring justice and equality to all, everyone said "Praise the Lord." And when the young leader said, "I will be for change and I'll bring you change," everyone yelled, "Viva Fidel!"

But nobody asked about the change, so by the time the executioner's guns went silent the people's guns had been taken away. By the time everyone was equal, they were equally poor, hungry, and oppressed. By the time everyone received their free education it was worth nothing. By the time the press noticed, it was too late, because they were now working for him. By the time the change was finally implemented Cuba had been knocked down a couple of notches to Third-World status. By the time the change was over more than a million people had taken to boats, rafts, and inner tubes. You can call those who made it ashore anywhere else in the world the most fortunate Cubans. And now I'm back to the beginning of my story.

Luckily, we would never fall in America for a young leader who promised change without asking, what change? Would we? How will you carry it out? What will it cost America?

Manuel Alvarez Jr. Sandy Hook.

Twas the Night Before Elections...

Vin Suprynowicz wrote a very good article for the Las Vegas Review Journal newspaper. It was published in yesterday's paper and gives food for thought about both presidential candidates. To read the article, click on the link below:

http://www.lvrj.com/opinion/33714474.html

We don't know to whom we should give credit for the following poem, but the author is darn clever.

'Twas the night before elections

And all through the town,

Tempers were flaring

Emotions all up and down!

I, in my bathrobe

With a cat in my lap

Had cut off the TV

Tired of political crap.

When all of a sudden

There arose such a noise,

I peered out of my window

Saw Obama and his boys

They had come for my wallet,

They wanted my pay

To give to the others

Who had not worked a day!

He snatched up my money,

And quick as a wink

Jumped back on his bandwagon

As I gagged from the stink

He then rallied his henchmen

Who were pulling his cart;

I could tell they were out

To tear my country apart!

'On Fannie, on Freddie,

On Biden and Ayers!

On Acorn, On Pelosi'

He screamed at the pairs!

They took off for his cause

And as he flew out of sight,

I heard him laugh at the nation

Who wouldn't stand up and fight!

So I leave you to think

On this one final note:

IF YOU DON'T WANT SOCIALISM
GET OUT AND VOTE!!!!

Laws and Morals

Robert P. George (born 1955) is McCormick Professor of Jurisprudence at Princeton University, where he lectures on constitutional interpretation, civil liberties and philosophy of law. He also serves as the director of the James Madison Program in American Ideals and Institutions. He was educated at Swarthmore College (BA), Harvard Law School (JD), Harvard Divinity School (MTS), and New College, Oxford (DPhil). At Oxford he studied under John Finnis and Joseph Raz. Formerly, he served on the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights and as a fellow at the U.S. Supreme Court. He currently serves on the U.S. President's Council on Bioethics. He is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations. He serves on the editorial boards of Touchstone and First Things magazines, as well as several academic journals. (The above information was taken from Wikipedia.)

Professor George spoke at BYU on October 28, 2008, which is being broadcast this week on the BYU station (Cox Cable channel 352). BYU hasn't posted the text of the speech yet, but we did find an article that Mr. George wrote entitled "Law and Moral Purpose." This article includes a lot of the same information in his speech at BYU. The article is lengthy but well worth reading.

http://www.firstthings.com/article.php3?id_article=6101