Duty is a 24 hour Job

In a recent Washington Post article, a US Marine reservist and Iraq War veteran has been charged with misconduct after appearing at an anti-war protest while wearing a uniform. In addition, he insulted a superior and used offensive language when told that he was violating regulations by wearing the uniform. The Marine, CPL Lance Kokesh, stated in his defense that "This is clearly a case of selective prosecution and intimidation of veterans who speak out against the war," Cpl. Kokesh said. "To suggest that while as a veteran, you don't have freedom of speech is absurd." In regards to his participation in the protest, Cpl. Kokesh argues that he was not representing the military at the protest in Washington, and he made that clear by removing his name tag and other military insignia from his uniform. Mr. Lebowitz said Cpl. Kokesh technically is a civilian unless recalled to active duty and had the right to be disrespectful in his response to the officer. He called the proceedings against Cpl. Kokesh highly unusual and said the military usually seeks to change a veteran's discharge status only if a crime has been committed.

Sadly, CPL Kokesh is mistaken for serving in the military is a 24 hour a day/7 day a week job. We are accountable for our behavior both on and off duty whether or not we wear a uniform or not. CPL Kokesh can be, and will be, held accountable for his remarks towards his superior and for dishonoring a uniform whose honor, he knows full well he is to uphold.

There is freedom of speech and those in the military are allowed to participate in protests but there are also rules and wearing a uniform at an official protest is one one of them. Why? Because by wearing a uniform he is endorsing a Marine Corps position. CPL Kokesh's position, however, is not the Marine Corps position. Therefore, he should not have worn his uniform and should have worn his street clothing to represent his own opinion.

CPL Kokesh is also a member of the group known as Iraq Veterans Against the War which has been known for pulling publicity stunts and for distributing false information such as the so-called veteran who published a video on You Tube where he talked about US attrocities in Iraq which were later proven to be false. The soldier in question was also discharged while in basic training and never served in Iraq at all.

Rudy Giuliani says he can represent Blue states

Former NYC Mayor, Rudy Giuliani, who has come under fire from many on the conservative Republican side for his pro-abortion stance, states that he can represent both the Red and the Blue states; making it clear that he is a compromise candidate.

"My view of this race for president is that the Republican Party should not go into this election, as we have in the past, having to write off New York, Connecticut, New Jersey," he said. "We've got to make this a 50-state election." Recent polls from the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute showed Giuliani leading the pack of Republicans and Democrats in both Connecticut and New Jersey. He trailed Clinton, 50 percent to 42 percent, in New York - the strongest showing of any Republican there. Part of Giuliani's plan, according to Democratic strategist Hank Sheinkopf, "is to tweak Hillary at home - to say to the Republican base, which is decidedly anti-Clinton, anti-Hillary Clinton, that he can give her a run at home."

Click here to read more on this article.

Iraq Veteran no Veteran at All.

This is how far the left is willing to go to make our President and our country look bad.

A man who claimed in an anti-war video to have "slaughtered" hundreds of civilians while serving with the Army Rangers in Iraq faces federal charges of falsifying his record.
Jesse MacBeth, 23, alleged in a 20-minute production by a 1970s antiwar activist he personally killed 200 civilians, many of them at close range, while on patrols with the Army Rangers during 16 months in Iraq before being discharged due to wounds.

click here to read more on this story.

John Edwards Poor Choice of Days

For quite a while, I've had a begrudging respect for Senator John Edwards even though he is a Democrat. I relate to his growing up in the lower middle class. I admired the fact that he got where he was through his own efforts. Even during the 2004 Vice-Presidential debates, the soft-spoken South Carolinian seemed to have a grasp of what it is like to be a common man in America.

My respect for Senator Edwards has fallen, however, by his plan to stage anti-war protests across the country this Memorial Day.

I am not criticizing Senator Edwards right to protest, in fact, I encourage it. It's his right to do so under the First Amendment of the Constitution. What I do find fault with is the Senator's poor choice of days.

Memorial Day is a day when we are to remember those who have fallen in battle while defending our great nation. Although I believe Senator Edward's respect for veterans is true, it is with my deepest regret and sorrow that he chooses a day to remember veterans to make a political statement about the war in Iraq.

As much as Senator Edwards states that we should 'support the troops, not the war' I know, deep in my heart, that not everyone feels this way and that the rally will only end up as an ugly display and as a golden opportunity for those of the radical left to mock those who wear a uniform.

As a whole, I believe that the vast majority of Americans look favorably upon the men and women who serve in the Armed Forces. Still, there is that very loud minority who do not like soldiers and who take every opportunity afforded them to stir up dissent and to spout hatred towards servicemen.

I now believe that the slogan, "support the troops, not the war" is a false statement for you cannot do both. It is like cheering for your home team at the Superbowl all the while secretly rooting for the visiting team to win. It is therefore impossible to support the troops without supporting the war.

The radical left is going to take over and use this rally to shout out their ridiculous and unwarranted hatred of the military. Because of this, I wish that Senator Edwards would choose a different day to make his statement. Already there has been one burning of a US soldier in effigy in Oregon. How long will it be before returning soldiers are spit on again just like their Viet Nam predecessors? Or are attacked in airports? There are too many leftist radical who yearn for a return to those days of Viet Nam protests.

As a letter written by a young woman named Serai1 to the editor of Salon.com states: " are you seriously suggesting that people shouldn't protest on Memorial Day because it isn't polite?? In case you haven't noticed, this entire WAR isn't polite. War is filthy, nasty and obscene - what makes you think being polite about protesting is going to do a damn thing to make it stop?
And Memorial Day being "sacred"? Oh, give me a break. Armistice Day was sacred. Memorial Day (weekend - nobody celebrates the holiday anymore) is, for the vast majority of people, the first three-day weekend of the summer, and the weekend when the first big summer blockbusters hit the theaters. Most people have no idea what it is that's being memorialized, even."

This is the sentiment expressed by many on the side of the radical left; the side made up of crazy new agers, ultra-liberals, socialists, anarchists and just plain troublemakers.

I know that Senator Edwards only wants to honor veterans, or, at least, thinks he does, but this isn't the way to do it and his choice of day to hold his rally is an extreme poor one that has cost him my respect.

A Remarkable Obituary

Today we mourn the passing of a beloved old friend, Mr. Common Sense. Mr.
Sense had been with us for many years. No one knows for sure how old he
was since his birth records were long ago lost in bureaucratic red tape.


He will be remembered as having cultivated such value lessons as knowing when to come in out of the rain, why the early bird gets the worm and
that life isn't always fair. Common Sense lived by simple, sound financial
policies (don't spend more than you earn) and reliable parenting
strategies (adults, not kids, are in charge).

His health began to rapidly deteriorate when well intentioned but
overbearing regulations were set in place- Reports of a six-year-old boy
charged with sexual harassment for kissing a classmate; teens suspended
from school for using mouthwash after lunch; and a teacher fired for
reprimanding an unruly student, only worsened his condition.

Mr. Sense declined even further when schools were required to get
parental consent to administer aspirin to a student; but, could not inform the
parents when a student became pregnant and wanted to have an abortion.

Finally, Common Sense lost the will to live as the Ten Commandments
became contraband; churches became businesses; and criminals received better
treatment than their victims.

Common Sense finally gave up the ghost after a woman failed to realize
that a steaming cup of coffee was hot. She spilled a bit in her lap, and was
awarded a huge financial settlement.

Common Sense was preceded in death by his parents, Truth and Trust, his
wife, Discretion; his daughter, Responsibility; and his son, Reason. He
is survived by two stepbrothers; My Rights and Ima Whiner.

Not many attended his funeral because so few realized he was gone.

If you still remember him, pass this on; if not, join the majority and do
nothing

Great Leaders Part Two

This is how leaders speak:

Where is the Party of Lincoln?

Where is the Party of Lincoln?

Abraham Lincoln is my favorite American hero. Not only did he preserve the Union but he also ended the scourge of African slavery; beginning the long fight carried on by such people as Frederick Douglass, Marcus Garvey and Dr. Martin Luther King jr to prove the words, 'all men are created equal'.
Lincoln held sway over a political party which championed not only the rights of the individual but also became, for awhile, the self proclaimed protector of the Constitution. Lincoln had a vision as to what he intended to see the post-Civil War America become. Sadly, his plans were cut short by an assassin's bullet at Ford's Theater in Washington, DC.
Lincoln's dream became lost as his political descendants became embroiled with corruption and came under the influence of businessmen and corporations.
If Lincoln were alive today, I often wonder if he would recognize those who claim to be the political heirs of his legacy. Would he agree with the 'compassionate conservatism' of George W. Bush or the right wing talk of Newt Gingrich? Would he approve of Mitt Romney's Mormonism or Rudy Giuliani's stance on abortion and gay rights? Or, would he argue with Ron Paul on his absurd government conspiracy theories or agree with them?
Or would Lincoln, perhaps, find something more in common with more erstwhile Republicans such as Chuck Hagel, John McCain or Fred Thompson?
I think that over the years, the Republican party I call my own has somehow lost Lincoln's message in transmission. I am not even sure if it is even the same party Ronald Reagan called his during his administration in the 1980s. It's conservatism seems to be befuddled of late and the party acts as if it knows not which direction to steer.
I'm not sure where we are but I am sure of this: it sure would be nice to return to that long ago, Party of Lincoln again.

Does the Republican Party have to change?

Is the Republican Party in trouble? I think so.

Recently, several moderates journeyed to the White House to discuss their concerns with George Bush's intent to veto the Iraq War Bill signaling dissent and dissatisfaction within the Party of Bush over his management of the war. With the loss of the Senate and poor showings in the mid-term elections, many Republicans are concerned over the future.

In addition, Presidential candidate Rudy Guiliani has openly shown his support of pro-choice and gay rights activism which goes against the grain of the long time, Repubican platform of pro-life and family values.

Lastly, Senator Chuck Hagel of Nebraska, a lifelong Republican, former Viet Nam vet and yet another potential Republican Presidential candidate, has openly claimed that the Republican Party has been hijacked and that it is no longer the party of Reagan or Lincoln. Hagel believes it is time to form a new, third party.

Should the Republicans abandon their stance on abortion and gay rights? My thinking; no they should not. However, they do need to deflect the assault being driven upon them by the liberal (if not completely out-there) Democrats. There are other fronts that need to be fought such as greatly improving our decaying educational system and taking the lead on a national health care reform (it's time to take the air out of the insurance companies balloon). Both of these issues are, by far, of more interest to the common people than are the supposed rights of a minority.

In this age of media darlings such as Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama it will be important for the Republicans must do one of two things; they either must change the way they do business or to find themselves another Ronald Reagan. As their was only one Gipper, change is most likely the path they must follow; for better or for worse.

Ronald Reagan, "It's Morning Again" 1984 TV ad

Show me the Money?!?!?

President Bush gave a speech this afternoon telling reporters that one of the major reasons he vetoed Congress's proposed War Funding Bill is that it is laced full of 'pork barrell' projects for certain Senators and Representatives districts. Bush vehemently refused to sign the bill as the projects are not related to the war.

So, this really isn't about the War in Iraq as much as it is about putting money in politician's pockets.

Securing the Land of Liberty

"God grants liberty only to those who love it, and are always ready to guard and defend it." ~ Daniel Webster

In this age of violence, it is important to many to have a sense of security. We all crave it and will guard the safety of our families and friends with our lives. However, sometimes all is not what it’s cut out to be. A false sense of security is a dangerous trap to fall into. Unfortunately, it is one that I feel that many Americans, particularly those on the left, have already found themselves lured into.

Those on the left, the liberals, the Democrats, talk too much. They feel that negotiation will solve all the problems in the world. Let me rephrase that. It’s not so much negotiation that the Democrats and their liberal contingency want as much as it is appeasement of an enemy which wants to usurp and to destroy the United States. They are willing to sell out our nation for a false sense of security. Like Neville Chamberlain, the Democrats talk so much and are so willing to compromise the standing, if not the security, of the United States to the point where it would not surprise me at all if the liberal Democrats were completely willing to surrender the entire country to radical Jihadists. After all, the Democrats do not like Christianity; perhaps they will embrace Islam instead. Ladies, buy your burqas now while you can. Perhaps you can get them before they change the fashion style next spring.

Although many seem to ignore it, America is in a state of war. While millions of us go about our daily business everyday nearly oblivious to the fact that there are thousands of American soldiers, sailors and airmen who are fighting that war everyday. Sadly, many of us are apathetic to their cause or their welfare. They would rather spend their time musing over the goings on of Desperate Housewives, who got dumped on American Idol and what was the score of the NBA game last night.

America has enemies who are bent on our destruction. As much as the left would love to place the burden for all of this squarely in the lap of America itself, this is not so. Sometimes, people hate just because they can. In the case of the Jihadists, they want to destroy America so that there will be no one to stop them from spreading their evil form of Islam throughout the globe. This is Fascism but on a different level than we’ve ever seen before. Our enemy doesn’t arrive on our shores on military ships and planes but as tourists and illegal immigrants. They arrive stealthily and lay in secret waiting, like a coiled snake, for their opportunity to strike us when we are not looking.

It is therefore necessary for us, as Americans, to be eternally vigilant for the enemy is not only without; but within. Just look at the most recent headlines concerning the foiled terrorist attack at Ft Dix, New Jersey and the arrest of the Miami-7 last summer.

America needs to wake up from the terrible slumber we have fallen into. 9/11 was only the opening phase of an attack upon our nation. Our enemy is patient and they are willing to wait for their next chance to take a swing at us. 9/11 will happen again and the only way to stop it is to remain vigilant and not surrender ourselves to complacency.

U.S. Grant We Need You Now

"Now is the time for all good men to come to the aid of their country." ~ Unknown

My most favorite hero from American history is President Abraham Lincoln. I have read, and treasure, Stephen Sears noted biography of Lincoln as well as Gore Vidal's fictional novel of his administration during the Civil War. Whenever I visit Washington, D.C., which is far and in between, I make it a point to stop by his memorial to pay my respects. Other than the Viet Nam memorial, Lincoln's is the most solemn of memorials to our fallen and our great leaders. To say that I admire the 'Rail Splitter' would have to be called an understatement.

It is with abject irony that I write about Lincoln today as I read through the news clippings of the day. Other than perhaps for George W. Bush, no other President has ever faced the challenges that Lincoln has faced. He came into office in 1861 the President elect of a divided nation on the brink of war. The United States of America was united more in name than it was in actuality. We Americans were divided by geography, cultural, ideological and political boundaries. We were the North and the South. What we call an American today did not exist.

In April, insurgent Confederate forces opened fire upon the Federal garrison at Ft Sumter, SC initiating the bloodiest war in American history. 620,000 men died in combat far surpassing the number of dead in all of America's wars together. As President, Lincoln did what was considered then to be the most ill advised and today is the most daring decision ever made by a President. He ordered the Federal Army to march south into Confederate territory and to defeat the rebel army. Lincoln was President of the entire United States, not just a part of it, and he was not going to allow a section of the country to dissolve the Union Lincoln swore to protect without a fight.

I see many similarities between Abraham Lincoln and George W. Bush.

For the first few years, Lincoln, like Bush, had a serious problem with his generals. For all their braggart ways and beefed up military records, not one of his generals was able to lead the Union Army to victory over the Confederate. Lincoln went through several generals starting with Irwin McDowell, to Burnside, McClellan (twice), Hooker and George Meade before finally settling upon a young western general who seemed to succeed at bringing the fight to the Confederacy and in winning his battles. Who was this upstart general?

Ulysses S. Grant.

As I look at the paper today, I am shocked to find an article describing dissent being spread against our nation's commander in chief by a triumvirate of former U.S. Army generals: Wesley Clark, Paul Eaton and John Batiste. Not since McClellan was a general has a soldier so openly defied the President of the United States. This trio of has beens is calling for American troops to put their tail between their legs and to come home in defeat. They are doing the unthinkable; they are asking American soldiers to surrender their positions to the enemy and to come home in disgrace.

The current general in charge of American forces in Iraq is Gen. David Petraeus who is charged with halting the growing insurgency in Iraq. Like Meade who was tasked to stop the advance of Gen. Robert E. Lee into Pennsylvania, Gen. Petraeus has been given a hard task to undertake. A good man, I believe that Gen. Petraeus only has the best interests of American soldiers at heart and that he wants a victory in Iraq like everyone else does. Unfortunately, I do not think that our good general is aggressive enough.

Today's officers tend to be more boardroom educated than they are battlefield tested. Too many are content to lead from the safety of their desks or behind enemy lines than they are to lead from the front as their Civil War counterparts did. Today's military officers are more concerned about their futures in the corporate world than they are about winning the war.

This is why we need a modern day, Ulysses S. Grant.

Grant was not a popular general and many in both his administration and Lincoln's political opponents disagreed with Lincoln's choice of Grant to lead the Federal Army. Lincoln once sighed in frustration over the many rumors spoken about Grant by saying, "I cannot relieve this man; he fights!"

The war in Iraq is a different war. We need someone who is both bold and aggressive. We need a general who even when faced with a defeat can rally his troops to still strike back at the enemy again and again until our foes cry a proverbial "uncle".

We don't need green zones or defensive perimeters; we need to go on the hunt. We need to stop being turtles living in the comfort of our own box and start becoming predators looking for the kill.

We don't need any more complacent generals. No more George B. McClellans or George Meades. We need tigers ... We need another Grant to snare victory from the jaws of defeat.

Our modern day Ulysses is out there somewhere. I hope he is reading this for it is now time for all good men to come to the aid of their country.

No More Heroes?

I sometimes think that we Americans walk around with perpetual blinders on. We claim that the age of heroes is gone. There are no more to be found. We exist in a state of continual apathy; a lack of feeling. Heroes are not born; they are made. A hero is not someone without fear but a man who faces his fear and stands his ground 5 minutes longer than he would really like to. As John Wayne once said, "Courage is being afraid but saddling up anyway".

We all have opportunities to be heroes every day but we choose not to. We ignore the pleas of those around us who need our help; those people who are looking for a hero.

I ran across these videos of Cpl. Chris Mason on YouTube quite by accident. Cpl. Mason was killed in Iraq on November 28, 2006. Cpl. Mason believed in his mission to take down Saddam Hussein and to help the people of Iraq learn to govern themselves. He loved God, his country and serving in the US Army. I have never met Chris Mason but his dedication to duty and his unselfish love for others is a true inspiration.

Chris Mason is a hero because he gave willingly of himself. He was not a draftee but a volunteer. While thousands of able bodied men sit around in front of their video games or in coffee houses in campuses across the nation complaining about the War in Iraq Chris Mason decided to stop talking and to do something about it. He joined the US Army. He did his duty and paid the ultimate sacrifice for it.

While our troops engage both Iraqi insurgents and elements of Al-Qaeda there are members of Congress who wish to cut off all funding to men like Chris Mason. They wish to surrender them to our nations enemies all in the name of political expediency. While the President and our men and women in uniform wish to stay the course the Democrats wish to cut and run just so they can save face. The Democrats want to unmask our heroes, take off their cape and nullify their powers. They wish to destroy the very people who help to defend our country. They wish to nullify people like Chris Mason.

You don't have to wear a uniform to be a hero but it sure doesn't hurt either.

There are no more heroes?

I think that it is high time we took our blinders off.

Please take a moment to view the videos of an American hero; Chris Mason.

A Blatant Disrespect For Life

The Democratic Party, the so-called Party of the People, continues to show itself to have a blatant disrespect for the authority of the Supreme Court and an even greater, and more blatant, disrespect for life. Not even a day after the Court passed a ruling upholding the ban upon partial-birth abortions, Senator Barbara Boxer of California and Rep. Jerold Nadler of Massachussetts co-sponsored a bill called "The Freedom of Choice Act". This Act, if passed, would circumvent the Court's ruling by making partial-birth abortions legal.

For a party which states it's concern over American casualties in Iraq, the Democrats seem to show little care for the deaths of American children. In 2005, there were 346,213 abortions performed in the United States alone. Since the ruling on Roe vs Wade in 1973, 48,589,993 abortions have been performed. Those numbers far surpass the total deaths of American soldiers in all the wars this nation has fought.

In addition to abortion, many Democrats ghoulishly still clamor for the stem cells taken from human embryos despite the fact that adult stem cells can be used in place.

The Democrats are no longer willing to discuss the issue of abortion and have taken on a smear campaign of the pro-life stand. On the website Democrats.com, the Democrats compared Republican pro-lifers to the Islamic fundamentalists who reside in Saudi Arabia. They additionally state that we have no regard for the health of women and yet, hypocritically, Democrats seem not to care about the health, or life, of that woman's unborn child.
Even removing the religious sentiments of many Americans, abortion is still murder. Any 8th grader in America can tell you that a baby is formed when a male sperm impregnates a female egg and begins to divide. That's called 'a living organism' people. It is not a virus or some bacteria which, if uncured, can cause a deadly disease; it's a developing human being.

The Democrats are are more worried about being popular than they are about doing what is the right thing to do. They say that history will be the judge of us and it will be curious to see what a generation, a hundred years from now, will say about the willing genocidal murder of 48 million unborn children.

Interview with Fred Thompson

Take a look at this link. It is an interview with possible Republican candidate for President, Fred Thompson of Tennessee. It was nice to see a candidate not get all emotionally riled up as if he were at a pep rally.

Of all the Republican candidates, I like Fred Thompson first, with Mitt Romney second and Rudy Guiliani last. McCain lost my support long ago and I've no interest in the other candidates.

My Beliefs

One of the reasons I like conservatives is that they believe in the right of the individual to determine their own course within a society. I am a person; not a slave to a group. Having said that, what I write below are my own beliefs and morals. I have formulated them from 40 years of life; 20 of them in service to our country through the U.S. Navy.

I am a product of the Cold War and despise socialism and communism to this day. As Ronald Reagan once said, "How do you tell a communist? Well, it's someone who reads Marx and Lenin. And how do you tell an anti-Communist? It's someone who understands Marx and Lenin."

I understand Marx very well (I've read his Manifesto) and history has painted Lenin in the ugly light he deserved.

I have relatives and neighbors who once lived under communist rule. If you want to know what it's like, let me know, I'll take you to speak to them about it.

I believe in God, my family and my country; in that order. I believe in looking out for the poor but also in helping them stand on their own two feet. There is nothing worse than to see a family held in abject slavery because of economics and welfare.

I believe in morality as defined by the Bible and particularly by the Ten Commandments.

I am conservative in my views but I do not have tunnel vision. I do not like partisan politics. Still, I find fault with the Democrats and their acceptance and raising the banner for every cause under the sun.

We have been told that we should stand for something or you'll fall for anything. But when you stand for everything, not matter how ridiculous it is, you lose credibility.

Conservative is not a nasty word. A conservative is, according to dictionary.com:

1. disposed to preserve existing conditions, institutions, etc., or to restore traditional ones, and to limit change.
2.cautiously moderate or purposefully low: a conservative estimate.
3.traditional in style or manner; avoiding novelty or showiness: conservative suit.
4.(often initial capital letter) of or pertaining to the Conservative party.
5.(initial capital letter) of, pertaining to, or characteristic of Conservative Jews or Conservative Judaism.
6.having the power or tendency to conserve; preservative.
7. Mathematics. (of a vector or vector function) having curl equal to zero; irrotational; lamellar. –noun
8. a person who is conservative in principles, actions, habits, etc.
9.a supporter of conservative political policies.
10.(initial capital letter) a member of a conservative political party, esp. the Conservative party in Great Britain.
11. a preservative.

There is nothing vile nor harmful in that definition. Although, as for a perservative, I'm not salt but I have been known to rub salt in wounds!

I try hard to be civil and understanding with those who disagree with me.

I do have friends who are lifelong Democrats. As Gerald Ford said, "We can disagree, but we do not have to be disagreeable"

1. God and Religion

I am a Christian and therefore believe that Jesus of Nazareth is the Son of God, that there is only one God, and that Christian principles and ideas were used to help create this country. I do believe that we should return to our Christian roots but also recognize that other faiths share this land with us. We should do unto others as we would want done to us. I do not, however, recognize New Age, quack cults as having any merit nor do I approve of those who mock Christians, Jews or Muslims.

2.. Law and the Constitution

I am a student of history and therefore realize that any society, if it is to be a society at all, must have laws, rules and regulations. A society that does not have just laws to govern them by will slip into anarchy and barbarism. The Dark Ages are an excellent example of what life would be like without laws. I also believe that the Constitution of the United States is one of the best legal documents ever created and it is, in conjunction with the Declaration of Independence, the foundation of our democracy. It should not be tampered with and should be left as it stands. It also should never be circumvented nor try to be ursurped by special interest groups.

3. The President of the United States/Government

Like it or not, but the President is the leader of this nation and he was elected by winning the majority votes of the electorate. He is not a dictator and he will leave office at the end of his term. You do not have to agree with him but you should learn at least to express your disagreements in a much more agreeable manner. Slander and insults only show your own lack of maturity and sincerity.

Government that governs least governs best. I do not like 'big' government and do not think it should intrude into our everyday lives. It sounds just too much like communism to me.

4. Racism and Sexism

I don't tolerate it period. I don't practice it. I've seen it and I don't like it. If you do believe in it, please take yourself elsewhere. In America, people are equal under the law and discrimination based upon race, creed or gender is illegal.

5. Abortion/Stem Cell research.

I was taught in biology class in 7th Grade that human conception (life) began when a male sperm fertilized a female egg and began to divide. Life is precious and should be saved whenever possible. I believe that abortion is wrong and genocidal. There are alternatives to abortion. I am split on stem cell research. I am for it if the cells are from an adult; but against it if they come from an unborn child. Taking them from an unborn child is, to me, akin to rape.

6. Same Sex Marriage

I do not agree with them. Marriage is between one man and one woman. There should be protection against violence; but not a Constitutional amendment granting marriage rights. Marriage is sanctioned by God; not by governments. Civil Unions should be approved at the State level. I also do not approve of the agenda to lure young people into and approving of the homosexual lifestyle.

7. War on Terror/Iraq

I agree with the War on Terror and support the invasion of Afghanistan and the pursuit of Al-Qaeda. The invasion of Iraq was a mistake but it would be even a bigger mistake to abandon the Iraqis to both sectarian infighting and the watchul, preying eyes of the Syrians and Iranians. We made a mistake. We must fix it. I fully support my brothers and sisters in uniform fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan.

8. Education/Health care

Our schools suck. They are more jungle than they are blackboard learning institutions. They have failed mightily and continue to do so. I am for funding of religion sponsored private schools, charter schools and school vouchers.

A national health care plan along the lines of that run in Canada and Great Britain would break the US economy. Insurance companies and doctors, however, need to be reeled in and stopped from charging the outrageous fees they charge for their services. Insurance and medical services must be made more affordable to everyone.

9. Taxes/Social Security

I've paid taxes all my life and as long as they are not a burden I will continue to do so. I agree with George Bush's tax cuts.

If the government cannot manage social security then it should either be privatized or people allowed to put away part of their own money into a retirement account.

10. Globalization/Immigration

I was born an American. That is how I identify myself. My ancestors left the Old World because the Old World persecuted them because of their religion, their politics, their race or culture and economically kept them in chains. I am for discourse with the rest of the world; but not an alliance. NATO has outlived it's purpose and the UN is corrupt and ineffectual. I don't agree with NAFTA, the International Court system or the Tokyo Accords.

I am for immigration; but only legal immigration. Illegal immigrants need to be sent home. Our services are for American citizens and those who enter our country through legal means. We are not the world's welfare service.

11. The Right to Bear Arms

I do not own a weapon but I have. I believe in a citizen's right to defend themselves against aggression. Still, I am also for tighter gun laws to prevent guns from ending up in the hands of criminals.

12. Cloning.

I am against it. It's morally and ethically wrong. We are not God nor do we have the right to play God.

I am watching the candidates for Office very closely. I would like to see the conservative agenda continue.