One of my first thoughts when selecting a political leader is to find one that is as close to my own personal moral fiber and lean towards them. That becomes difficult especially on the national level because we can only go by what we read, hear in twenty second sound bites, etc. With that kind of system it’s really hard to get a good read on what kind of person someone really is. The next question that comes to mind is “if I can’t pick them based on their moral fiber (or more often than not, their lack thereof) then what do I base my choice on?” Their record is a good thing because what they do is much more important than what they say. But then you run into the issue that people change. So now we’re back to what they say they stand for in the here and now. That gets us back to can you trust what they say. Which gets back to their moral fiber. Pretty vicious circle if you continue to look at it in these terms. It’s also unproductive to do so because after all they are politicians and by in large will say what they think you want to hear to get your vote. Ugh…It goes without saying that we have very little influence with the politicians of Washington. Once they’re in place they’ve got their political machine to protect them. At least with the local politicians we can get face to face with them if we’re concerned enough and have our voice heard.

So what do we do with the politicians on the national scale? I’m beginning to realize that voting people into office that are for as much limited govt as possible is really the only realistic way to vote with a clear conscience. Turns out a representative republic primarily controlled by state and local govts is best. That’s probably why the Founding Fathers put this in the Constitution – The Tenth Amendment “The power not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people”.

If we can limit and stifle the federal govt we can then more realistically elect people that will make good laws that align with our moral compass because we will be able to keep closer tabs on them and get face to face and make sure our voices are heard. The original design of this country was built on this premise.

I know religion in politics is a polarizing topic but that doesn’t mean it isn’t an important one that shouldn’t be discussed. Religion to me are your core spiritual beliefs and what guides you as to right and wrong on a moral level. Politics to me is the practical governing of the collective populous and your surroundings but for this conversation let’s say it’s our local, state, and federal govt.

Since our govt makes the laws we as a society live by, why wouldn’t you want those people in govt to make those laws based on their moral beliefs? Before you say because those in govt are worthless pieces of crap remember that you elected them to be there! Think about that the next time you go to vote.

Religion always has and always should be in the practical governing of this country. This country was formed because of people looking for religious freedom. There is no way to separate religion and politics, nor should it be attempted. There is NOTHING in our founding documents stating we should not have religion in politics. It does state that “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the exercise thereof…” What I read there is that the govt can’t adopt an official religious denomination but I also read that there is total freedom to draw strength and guidance from it as well. We are governed by our peers in a representative form and since that be the case we can’t ask those that govern us to not draw their opinions from their religious (moral) beliefs.

Laws should be based in morality. We create laws to protect each other and to maintain civility. It is morally wrong to kill someone so we make laws against murder. It’s morally wrong to be a thief so we make laws against stealing. The point is we govern ourselves based on our collective perception of right and wrong. That perception is formed from our beliefs. One of the primary ways we gain our beliefs is from our religion. Since the majority of the people in this country claim a Christian faith it is only natural that the law of the land would be influenced by Christianity. To ignore religion in the process of making laws is not realistic. I dare say it’s not ethical to do so either.

If a politician can leave his/her religion at the door when he enters congress, White House, etc, then I certainly don’t want anything to do with them. If they can check their morality at the door then that means they will have the ability and inclination to make immoral laws.

George Washington had a quote that seemed to speak to this quite well. It is “Let us with caution indulge the supposition that morality can be maintained without religion. Reason and experience both forbid us to expect that national morality can prevail in exclusion of religious principle.”

Ask yourself if those that we have elected govern us with God or morality… If the answer is no maybe we should change who’s governing us?

 I just read an article where Jeb Bush said that the Republican Party needs to give up the “nostalgia” of the Reagan era and look forward, even if it means stealing the winning strategy deployed by democrats in the 2008 election. Excuse me? You mean to tell me that Republicans should be more like the Democrats? Really?

If you’re a Republican leader the first thing you need to do is say you’re sorry. You need to apologize for spending our money like a crackhead that’s won the lottery. You should apologize for how much you’ve grown the govt in the past 8 years. You need to apologize for tricking those of us who are conservatives into thinking you might be as well. You need to apologize for being too conciliatory with the Democrats.

If you are a Republican and want to get elected then come out, do the things mentioned above, and then tell us the right things and more importantly DO the right things.

The right things are the following:

1. We will greatly reduce personal income tax for the foreseeable future. That means that we will have to cut back on federal programs that are funded by you the tax payer. Sorry, we wont have the money, we’re leaving it with you. You as a working citizen are having to cut back in these tough times and so should, and will, the govt.
2. We will regulate the lending industry. We will increase the requirements on getting home loans, car loans, and personal loans, and make it harder to get one. Gotta be able to afford to live within your means. Doing these two things will force cash back into the market via more take home pay and the consumer can either pay down their current debt (recommended) and/or go grow the economy by buying more, whatever it may be.
3. We will no longer dump money into the car industry. We don’t have it to dump in, sorry because you’re keeping it. Not to mention it’s unconstitutional. Govt doesn’t have the RIGHT to take money in from the private citizens and in turn give it to a failing private company. Just like it doesn’t have the RIGHT to take that same company over when it gives them the money.
4. We’ll do everything we can to unleash the market and allow it to run at full strength so that we can get this economy going again.

Government seems to be getting more and more sinister each and every day. It’s like the guy that’s got the van and is asking little children if they want any candy. The general population in this country is climbing right in that van and being taken for a ride. We all know that ride never ends good.

We as a society are living in such a politically correct world that we cant disagree with someone. Well we have to re-learn that its okay to dislike someone. We have to re-learn that it’s okay to be mad when we are being sold down the river. We have to re-learn that it’s okay to call peoples’ ideas out and tell them they are wrong and tell them why.

I honestly believe that if this country continues on it’s current path that we are headed for some violent times. Good people will take a lot but they will take only so much, then something has got to give. Gun sales are through the roof. Concealed carry license applicants are through the roof. Ammo sales are through the roof. These are all things done by law biding citizens. These are not things done because people are bored. These are not done because people have got lots of extra income. These are preparatory measures.

Time to start paying attention folks.

The same borrowers that got loans for houses they couldn’t pay for and started causing the financial debacle we are in. Since the last democrat that was in the Oval office started the whole sub prime lending disaster it only seems natural that our latest democrat president would revive this assinine policy.

I wrote a while back on my blog about charity. When you give charity you become somewhat responsible for the recipient of your charity, to make sure that it’s used in what you perceive to be the right way. The companies that stepped up to the govt and asked to be put on the dole, i.e. given charity, are now having to reap that “reward”. They have put themselves in a place where they are now being claimed by the govt, and to a certain extent the govt is right in doing so. I just wish someone in the govt would have stood up when they all came running to get bailout money and proclaimed in no uncertain terms that “if you ask the federal govt for a bailout then you are relinquishing the right to self governance. You are giving up, TO THE GOVT, the right to make your own decisions for your business. Once you give it up don’t expect to ever get it back.” I wonder if these companies would have been so quick to come to the feed trough if it was put to them in those terms?

Now, the stock market gets up this morning, looks at what the govt made Rick Wagoner do, see that they still didn’t get any more money, there is lots of unrest in the preparation for the G20 summit. I wonder what the market will do today??? I’ve got a good idea, how about you?

This past weekend my oldest son asked me to come to church with him, mom, and little bro. I knew it really meant a lot to him and said sure, I’ll go. I’ve never felt an aversion to church but haven’t felt drawn to go either. I haven’t really felt a need to go. I’ve been to many different churches over the years and I have appreciated each service that I’ve been to but the church that my family goes to is by far the most comfortable that I’ve been in. It has a huge children’s church and the boys really enjoy it. The congregation is a good mix of young thru old and Amy really gets a lot out of her time spent there so all is good in those regards.

I’ve never really felt “drawn” to go to church. I feel like I have a good relationship with God and I draw on his strength throughout my day to get me thru. I guess since I feel like I’ve got a good relationship with God I haven’t felt the need to go to church to “get right with God”. I know there are countless reasons that people go to church and there is no one right answer for everyone but for me I think it’s beneficial because it allows me to really concentrate on my relationship with him. No matter how good you feel about any relationship there is always room for improvement.

I’ve described my fishing trips to friends that don’t fish as forced relaxation. If I take the time to hook the boat up, go to a lake or river and then get out there there’s nothing else to do but fish. I don’t take books, there’s no phone, etc. so the only thing to do is fish. It’s forced relaxation. Well it occurred to me while sitting in the service Sunday that going to church enables me to experience that same feeling in regards to my relationship with God. It gives me uninterrupted time to work on, and appreciate, that relationship. I must say that was a comforting and calming feeling.

I am working so that’s a good thing. My “extra” side work has dried up some but that has allowed me to finish up on some of the projects that I’ve neglected at home for so long. Don’t get me wrong the house is no Taj Mahal but it is getting better.

The side work drying up is a good indicator of how things are going though. People are getting really worried and trying to hold on to their money. I don’t blame them; I’m trying to do the same. I’m not buying how the govt is going to fix this either. Anybody looking at what the govt is doing can see that they don’t have a clue. They’ve handed 700B to the head of the treasury to spend it however he chooses. That attitude is so typical of how so many people think today. People just have a just fix it and lets be done with it attitude. That type of thinking or lack thereof has put us here. We as a nation have lived so far beyond our means that we don’t know how to methodically pay down debt, save money, and not live off of credit. I’m not saying credit is a bad thing, I’ve certainly carried it. I’ve gotten in trouble with it too. I’ve also worked my way thru it and paid it off as well. I learned my lesson and now it appears that our country as a whole has to learn the same lesson. Think of it this way, the govt is spending 700 billion bucks to get certain people and organizations out of debt. Since the govt has a deficit, 10 TRILLION DOLLARS WORTH, they just borrowed 700 billion more from us. Think we’ll get that money back?? Now have you ever borrowed your way out of debt? That’s what the govt is doing and we’re letting them!!!  I say them knowing full well that since we are Of, By, and For the People it’s our debt but our elected officials are the ones that have been running this tab up. Turns out they have been running the tab up to the tune of 3.9 billion dollars a day since Sept of 2007. Doesn’t sound like they are checking up at all to me.

My granddaddy was my primary male roll model as a child and always has and always will mean the world to me. He was incredibly independent and always helped others. Our house and I call it ours even though it was actually his house but I stayed there, would go without repair so that he/we could help others that he deemed needed it more. That was fine with me. I never once thought that we were suffering. He made it clear that we should help others who needed help. Not those that were too lazy to do it for themselves or that took advantage but those that just weren’t able and needed an extra hand. One of the worst people in the world to him if not the worst was a thief. I guess that came from growing up in the depression and not having anything and having to work for everything he had. It certainly taught me the lesson that the things you have you have to earn. If you want more that’s great just work harder. Obama has made it clear that he thinks that a politician has the right to take your money and allocate to those that HE feels need it more. For all of you that agree with him in those regards I would like to ask you why haven’t YOU already done that? Why haven’t YOU gone out and taken YOUR money and given it to those that don’t want to have to worry about filling their gas tanks and don’t want to have to worry about paying the mortgage? Now, explain to me how its okay for a politician to take money from one citizen and “redistribute” it to another and that not be stealing?

I’ll finish this with a quote:

“You cannot strengthen the weak by weakening the strong. You cannot help small men by tearing down big men. You cannot help the poor by destroying the rich. You cannot lift the wage earner by pulling down the wage payer. You cannot keep out of trouble by spending more than your income. You cannot further the brotherhood of man by inciting class hatreds. You cannot establish security on borrowed money. You cannot build character and courage by taking away a man’s initiative and independence. You cannot help men permanently by doing for them what they could and should do for themselves.”

If Obama taxes that plumber more then he takes money away from him. That money could be spent by that plumber, who earned it, to hire new employees and grow his business. Isn’t that the desired result, economic growth? Does anyone truly believe that the government can spend your money better than you can? That’s what you’re saying when you agree with Obama on this. He’s saying that he knows better what to do with your money than you do, therefore you need to be taxed more.

Also, don’t believe the adds that he’s running saying he wouldn’t increase your taxes if you make less than 250,000 a year. That is wrong.  Here is an explanation and his voting record on increasing your taxes if you make 42,000 a year or more.  http://richmond.craigslist.org/pol/858401534.html