To “Lee” or Not to “Lee,” That is the Question

Mike Lee, Photo courtesy of United Liberty

The attacks on Senator Mike Lee have been steady and well thought out.  This is a tactical strategy put out by those who want to take away his seat.  It all begins with Bob Bennett, Mike Leavitt and his CMV group, Thomas Wright (who is considering a run against Lee), and helped with the backing of the Romney’s, with the Mitt Romney anti-Mike Lee rants put out in his recent tour around the state.  Top that off with a polling company that uses data from a focus group that wants to make YOU feel that this is all real.  We will go down that rabbit hole another time.   (Quinn Monson)

Mike Leavitt, Photo courtesy of Lawrence Jackson / AP

Thomas Wright, Photo courtesy of The Salt Lake Tribune

Now, those are all well-known names.  You trust them, right?

Well, you shouldn’t.

What is in it for you?  Nothing.  What is in it for them?   Power!  Let’s be honest, this isn’t Republican or Democrat either.  After Bob Bennett lost to Mike Lee and Tim Bridgewater, we had a primary, and Mike Lee won that.

Then Bob Bennett’s son went on the campaign for the Democrat in the race.  That is funny.

So don’t think the Republican ideals really mean that much to many in the party.  They don’t.  But the power … that means something, and they will do anything to maintain it.  The people can and should take this power back.

Here’s the deal.  Mike Lee is a constitutional scholar.  He isn’t playing the DC game, and all sides of the aisle are frustrated by that.  He was actually elected to end The Affordable Care Act, commonly known as Obamacare.  Stop it however he could.  Defund it, Repeal it.  That was the message from the people in Utah.  And many others in the nation really appreciate what he has done.  Read this article here.

Or listen to this quote: “Scheffler, Iowa’s GOP National Committeeman, said the group was looking for someone who hadn’t been to Iowa already and who does not “wilt under political pressure and is willing to stand up” for constitutional principles.” Found in the article here.

This government shut down isn’t because of Mike Lee.  It’s because the Democrats won’t even vote on the 9 compromises being offered by the House. This has happened 18 times in our history.  And it usually ends with government being more responsible to it’s citizens.

Now, what is in this for Mike Lee?  Think about it.  He is going to have a huge fight to maintain his seat.  He could sit comfortably back and do nothing, get along with all the Republicans, and have a chance at a long career in politics.  Or, he could actually “Stand for Something.”  That phrase should sound familiar to those who are members of his faith.  They have been admonished by our past prophet Gordan B. Hinckley to stand.  Mike Lee is standing on high moral ground when he stands for the Constitution and the rights of the citizens of these United States.  I hope he keeps standing.

The goal of the people putting out the articles, creating the attacks, and starting an initiative known as Count My Vote, is about power.  That’s it.  The Republican establishment lost power in 2010 when Bob Bennett was systematically removed from power after following the Republican led TARP bailouts.

So many people should have gone to jail on Wall Street, so many people should have paid for their blatant disregard of the free markets and the backroom, government/business deals.  The market was correcting.  That was actually a good thing.  Sometimes the markets need to correct.  We need to be in balance, and that was starting to happen.  However, the scary, dooms-day rhetoric of the Republicans led by Ben Bernanke at the head of the Federal Reserve, said we “HAD TO”, or our way of life would end.  Well maybe for a few people at the top of the food (aristocratic) chain.  Maybe for the people at Goldman Sachs.  They actually had the guts to say that Main Street had to have these bailouts on Wall Street.  I was trading the market when AIG received it’s $80 Billion bailout.  And there were so many more to come.

That’s where is started.  Then Obama was elected President.  Obamacare became a huge issue.  Everyone knew that Bennett had proposed a similar bill and it was distasteful for the Republicans.  We had sat on the sidelines, allowing the powers that be to control our system in Utah.  We stood up.  We took notice.  We wanted to understand how to change the system.  A group known as “Club for Growth” came forward.  They wanted Bob Bennett out, and so they simply taught everyday citizens the Utah system.  The Caucus or the Neighborhood Election.  Brilliant.

So now that the Republican Establishment couldn’t get their way, they needed to figure out how to beat the system.  They flooded the caucuses with their people to elect Orrin Hatch for ANOTHER (too many to count) term.  It worked.  But it was SO expensive.  They felt that a primary would have been so much easier.  It’s easy to fool most of the people in Utah with catchy ads, big name endorsements, and lost of name recognition.

Now, the people of Utah are not fools, but we are busy.  We have lives.  We have soccer games, jobs, stress, grocery shopping, church responsibilities, and frankly most of the time, politics isn’t a fun topic.  It can be negative and draining.

So a brilliant system was put in place.  The Neighborhood elections.  The neighbors get together once every two years and hold a meeting (a caucus), and they decide amongst themselves in like-minded meetings (Democrats, Republicans, Constitution Party etc, each in their own meetings) who they would like to have represent their neighborhood on the ballot.

We are busy.  We trust our neighbors.  So we elect them.  Now, they get to really get to know all of these candidates.  From National offices like Congress and Senate, to state offices like Governor, State Legislator, and State Senator.  Right down to the Sheriffs office.  Some people are elected as county representative’s called county “delegates” and others are elected as state “delegates.”  What a beautiful thing…a Republic.

Now, you get to go on with your busy life, go to soccer games, be the Scout leader, do your job, mow your lawn, etc.  And you have someone in your neighborhood that will “vet” all of these candidates.  Slick ads and endorsements won’t be deciding.  Someone will have a chance to meet with all of these candidates and hear them on multiple occasions.  They will see through the rhetoric right to the heart of a person (most of the time.)

You see, Orrin Hatch thought he’d stacked those caucuses so well, and guess what, he did.  But then, those delegates got to know him.  They learned there was a lot more to the picture than what the mainstream media puts out there.  They started looking at his voting record.  Some of them, a lot of them, changed their minds.  He had to go to a primary anyway, even after putting in over $2 million before convention.

CMV sounds good on the surface.  Give the “people” the chance to have their vote heard.  But that’s the amazing thing.  You are heard.  You are heard louder because you have elected someone to represent you from your neighborhood.  You have a true Republic.  Now, I know the LDS church is not getting involved either way on the CMV front, but I would like to quote the LDS church’s official statement from last year.

“Precinct caucuses are the most fundamental grassroots level of political involvement. They are best served by a broad representation of Utah citizens. Those who attend play a critical role in selecting candidates for public office.”

 If you read their statement, they talk about the declining attendance of the caucuses.  We’ve heard all of the rhetoric about how caucus attendance has dwindled.  Funny, nobody had a problem with low caucus attendance when they had their way.  The more people who show up, the more people are heard, and the harder it is to fool some of the people all of the time. I don’t know where their information came from but here are the numbers for you.

Year	Total Attending	Up/Down %
2002	28,207
2004	22,511	-20.19%
2006	34,563	53.54%
2008	23,550	-31.86%
2010	54,841	132.87%
2012	111,944	104.12%

Are you seeing those numbers?  Look at the increase in attendance in 2010 when Lee was elected.  And then again it went up over 100% in 2012.  That is a huge increase since 2002.  That is a 375% increase since 2008.  And I believe it will continue to rise.

The Establishment wants to take the “grassroots” out of the picture.  They know that most people will vote in a primary based on simple sound bites, simple name recognition, catchy slogans, or endorsements.  Principles will be gone, and money will reign.  YOU are the grassroots, and they want to silence that voice.

Read this article about “Big Money Backers.”  That is who wants to take over.  Big Money. 

We have a real issue here, and it isn’t “tea party” or “radical” or anything else. Aligning yourself with our founding documents, our Constitution is not extreme. These are Republicans that are getting educated.  These are Republicans that have watched their country go down the tubes under both sides of the aisle.  These are regular people with jobs, and a mortgage, and kids that need braces, that are tired, and we’ve stood up to our “masters” known as the Federal government, and we’ve said, “Enough!”  And these are Republicans that have begun to see the Democrats eye to eye on civil liberties issues.  Amazing, not radical.

Don’t sign CMV, don’t buy into the trap of the media that are trying to eliminate Mike Lee.  This is the establishment trying to fool you.  Support Mike Lee, because he supports the Constitution.  He isn’t perfect, but everyone who is throwing their hat into the ring has an agenda.  Power.  That’s it.

This is a Fourth Turning.  The time to change things is now.  Leaders stand against all odds.  I was told by a friend that Mike would throw away his political career.  Maybe he has.  But he is a hero.

If you don’t like Mike, show up to caucus.  The caucus system is becoming more and more inclusive all the time.  The SCC (State Central Committee) is working tirelessly on efforts to make everyone feel welcome.  This is your neighborhood.   Make your voice heard.  But do not buy into the garbage of Count My Vote and the media.  They want to take your voice.

To hear how this is happening on a national scale, listen to this.  Glenn Beck fan or not, please realize that the intimidation is real.  We are making a difference, and the establishment is scared.

“First they ignore you, then they ridicule you, then they fight you, then you win.” —  Mahatma Gandhi 

 (hashtag) #ILikeMike

 

 

 

 

 

 

Labels, Campaigns, and You

by Jacqueline Smith

I recently received an email sent out by the Democratic Candidate for Treasurer.  It linked Henry Glasheen the Republican Candidate for Treasurer to the “right wing” group The STAR Forum in a negative way.  First, Henry Glasheen is not a member of our group.  While most of the members support Henry in his election because he is a fiscal conservative, and qualified enough to handle this position, my main point of this article is to discuss labels. 

Labels are a way for the opposing view to denigrate individuals and groups.  Going back in history, we look at the Nomad age.  Those who were living on farms and in stable homes, also known as the Agrarian culture called the Nomads “barbarians.”  Once the Industrial Age caught on, those people building factories looked at the Agrarian age as “Third World.”  Each group wants to denigrate the other with a label.  What might the Information Age call the Industrial Age builders?  Polluters maybe.

Many labels have been attached to the freedom movement, such as “tea baggers,” “racists,” “hate-mongers,” and “right-wingers“ etc.  This type of label is not only inaccurate, but can fool us, if we as a people do not look at the entire picture.  We have a right / left paradigm in our society, and I have used the terms myself.  Liberal / Conservative is thrown around a lot as well, but with less negative connotations.  If you are using a term to describe a standpoint, be sure you are using it with accuracy.  Liberals call themselves liberals.  That is not a derogatory term.

 I think it would be good to define right-wing.  The video linked here is a video that shows why right-wing is the opposite of the definition many people place on groups intent on supporting the Constitution of the United States as seen through the eyes of the founding fathers.  Right wing actually is a call for anarchy.  This is not the case for The STAR Forum at all. 

The STAR Forum stands for Save The American Republic.  I cannot imagine a Republican, Democrat, Libertarian or Independent not wanting to Save the Republic.  Unless you believe in total anarchy or Fascism / Communism, we have common ground.  If you believe in God or simply in good, we have common ground.  If you believe that the Constitution of the United States is the law of the land, and holds government at bay to ensure the highest level of liberty for the people, then we have common ground.  If you believe that government is necessary, but should be limited, we have common ground.

The purpose of The STAR Forum is to educate people in ways of government workings.  We seek to give individuals the tools necessary to participate in an environment that may otherwise seem foreign.  We teach the proper role of government, and give the individuals the ability to look at history and better understand the period we are entering, known as The Fourth Turning.  It is individuals aligning themselves with others that want to recognize the vital role they can play in ensuring liberty for all.  It is recognizing the need for charity, honesty, and public virtue from ourselves on a daily basis.  We believe that an educated electorate is the most important thing in maintaining a Republic as our form of government.  We are not a democracy, because our founders understood as James Madison said, “…democracies have ever been spectacles of turbulence and contention; have ever been found incompatible with personal security or the rights of  property, and have in general been as short in their lives as they have been violent in their deaths.”  In addition, Samuel Adams stated, “Democracy never lasts long.  It soon wastes, exhausts and murders itself.”

If placing labels on individuals or groups is the only way to win elections, and it works, it will not be the fault of the person placing the label, but the individuals who are fooled by those labels and vote based on the “feeling” the label creates.  Be an educated voter.  Look at comments and phrases placed on opposing candidates in context.  Do not believe everything you hear.  Study things out for yourself.  Find the candidates that align most with your views and belief systems.  Above all else, remember that this Republic has lasted longer with our Constitution than any other written Constitution on the earth.  It is the duty of all who take office, and all who vote, regardless of party to align themselves within the bounds of that document.

 FREEDOM CAN WIN!

A Bit of a New Direction

June 1, 2010 by Jonathan | Edit 

Those who know me know that I have recently undergone a dramatic change in my life.  I had the blessing of awakening to an understanding of the principles of liberty and the awful situation that we are in due to our choices and how they place our liberties in jeopardy.  It amazes me how blindly I walked through life until recently.  Thankfully, I recognized my opportunity to change.  It was an opportunity to replace an incorrect worldview based on emotion and tradition with a sound foundation based on truth and principles.

To read more of this article please click here 

Jon Hellander and Mel Brown Meet the Delegates of District 53

Jon Hellander

“It is better to be despised and have liberty, than to be loved and subservient to the government.” — Jacqueline Smith    

On April 22, 2010, a group of state delegates for District 53 had an opportunity to put questions together that would be asked to each candidate.     

Jon Hellander was first and the moderator, Tom Burton, from Campaign for Liberty, drew the questions.     

Each candidate brings a very different style to their answers.  Mel Brown, being the incumbent, is a polished politician, who is knee-deep in the issues and brings a much richer background to his campaign.  He is a parliamentarian, and when you know the rules, you control the game.  He talked about the things he has done while in office, and spoke of his commitment to the area especially the fight against equalization for education.  Jon Hellander on the other hand, comes to this    

Mel Brown

campaign without the experience in legislation, but with many years experience in business, with 22 of those years being here in Summit County.  He stands firmly on principles. He is not a polished spokesman, like so many politicians, and comes across as someone with common sense wanting to change the nature of the political system.  Jon’s statements were always put forward inside his principal belief on the issues, not on specific bills like Mel’s answers.  It is currently Mel’s job to know and follow each bill, and Jon is looking at things from a principled perspective.  Mel has a voting record, and Jon has his word.  It will be up to the voters to decide who they believe will best represent them based on their answers, and their record.  http://www.UtahGrassRoots.org    

Most of the questions had similar answers, as is expected in an inter-party race; abortion, illegal immigration, defense of marriage amendment, etc.  This article will be focusing on the places where answers were different, as that is what the voters need to look at in order to make a good decision.    

 Here are some of the questions asked and their responses – paraphrased.    

Do you support taxpayer dollars being used to support out of classroom activities for union lobbyists? 

Jon’s response was that he is against any taxpayer money paying for activities involving union workers, but especially taxpayer money earmarked for our children’s education.  Mel’s response was that he is also against it.  However, when the bill was put forward to end this practice of waste with our taxpayer money, Mel Brown voted against this bill. (SB77)  His reasoning was that it should be local decision.  While I agree that decisions involving curriculum, etc should be at the local level, it is my understanding funds are allocated at the state level. 

Do you believe that a sales tax increase for all that is offset by tax break for a few is redistribution of wealth?  And will you vote to raise taxes if elected? 

Jon’s response was, to tax all and give breaks to a few is “socialism.”   He went on to say that taxes do not need to be raised, but cuts need to be made and better management of our money needs to be in place to ensure we are using our taxes wisely.  Jon promised to vote NO for any tax increases, regardless of what they were called.  Mel’s response , “All taxes are too high.”  That sounds great, because he’s right; however, he went back to 1998 to talk about how a newspaper article touted him as “Conan the tax-slasher.” 1998?  Really?  What does his record show now?  The last 3 out of 4 years Mel Brown has voted to raise taxes, including the increased sales tax that was “justified” by a tax reduction to a few.  He never actually answered the first question about the tax he actually voted yes on.  He did say he would not raise taxes.  Check his record.   

What are your thoughts on property rights?   

Each candidate answered this question identically saying they believed property rights are vital.  However, when a smoking bill went through the legislature this year, Mel Brown voted that even in your personal property (your vehicle) if a child is present you don’t have the right to smoke.  While this may seem well-intentioned to most of us that know second-hand smoke can be dangerous, it is a direct infringement on rights.  Property rights, parental rights and personal responsibility cannot be lost on well-intended legislation. (HB82)     

Mel Brown also voted to pass legislation allowing the power companies to curb your electrical consumption.  This goes against property rights as well.  Thankfully, our Governor vetoed this bill. (SB47)   

What are your thoughts on vouchers?   

Jon and Mel also agreed on this in word.  They want vouchers, they want school choice.  Again, the voting record on Mel differs from his answers.  We have no way to determine Jon’s answers because he has no record to run on, but since Jon has used both public and homeschooling methods, parental choice is a big issue to him.  Either you will trust him, or you won’t.  Mel voted against the voucher bill put forward claiming it was in direct conflict with our state constitution, and it left out homeschoolers.  (Homeschoolers do not want government money period.)   Here is what the Utah Constitution says in Article 10 Section 9:   

“Neither the state of Utah nor its political subdivisions may make any appropriation for the direct support of any school or educational institution controlled by any religious organization.”   

This argument did not hold water for me, as the state funds would not be given to a school directly.   Vouchers are not a direct support of any school.  If the state were making the decision of where to send money, that would be direct support.  A voucher is given to a parent, and the parent is deciding where the money is spent.  The money then follows the student where a parent decides is best for their child.  This is not a direct support of any school.  Sources on “the hill” say that Mel was against the voucher bill from the very beginning.  And to take it a step further, you could argue the other direction that the public system has become an atheistic institution, which is it’s own religion, or to put it bluntly it’s a religious organization of secular humanism.   

Nevertheless, let’s say he’s a strict Constitutionalist.  While he may argue using the Utah State Constitution for one bill, it appears he didn’t even look at the U.S. Constitution for his vote on another bill.  (HB150)  This bill is in direct violation of our 4^th amendment to the U.S. Constitution, and Mel voted yes on that bill.  This bill would allow internet service providers to turn over service information without a warrant.     

How do you feel about sunsets in legislation?  

Jon was adamant that the way it is currently handled is a bad practice.  He feels that to re-authorize programs in our government, each should be looked at individually, and not lumped together into one bill and reauthorized at the same time. (HB221).  Mel finds this practice suitable and believes that the committees that recommend the bills reauthorization have already done their homework.  

What are your thoughts on water?   

 This question on water began a pretty heated argument from a person in the crowd with Mel.  Both candidates recognized that water is very important.  On the one hand, Mel claims the state owns all the water, and on the other, said that the state doesn’t sell any water.  The person in the audience said, if you pay a fee of any kind in order to get water, you are paying the state for water, and actually run others wells dry.  Mel doesn’t see a fee to the state as a payment for water.  Not sure on this specific issue, but I do understand that water is our life blood here in the desert and it is a commodity that must be used wisely.  Jon also understands that ranchers and farmers, those that feed the rest of us, hold water rights as vital to their survival.   

What are your thoughts on privatizing more of the government jobs?   

Jon and Mel both recognize that some things government must do, but that there are many programs that could be done better, with less waste in the private sector.  Mel spoke of a Privatization Policy Board that he implemented years ago, that needs citizen involvement to get rolling.  This sounds like a great idea, and something that I want to look into.  Any time we can move jobs into the private sector, everyone wins.  Government wins because there is a profit motive, and profits mean tax base.  The people win because they are given jobs where they must perform, and there is no drain on the tax system. What are your thoughts on legislation with your name on it?   

This was one question that Jon had the opportunity to answer that Mel never did, because Mel’s answers went on much longer.  That question was about legislation put forth in order to appear as if you are getting something done.  Jon does not believe in this position.  He feels that legislation for the sake of legislation is just bigger government with more intrusion.  Our founding fathers would argue that the point of congress was to create laws in the hopes that they would have so much disagreement that very little would be passed.  Jon does not have a specific agenda going into the legislature, other than ensuring we limit the size of government, expand personal liberty and responsibility, and defend our 10^th Amendment rights (state rights).   

      

Will you revisit the raw milk bill and correct the regulations to ensure a free-market system and allow individuals to have the liberty to legally share their milk through cow sharing again?     

This question did not get asked, and that was unfortunate for the voters of this district.  I am all for buying raw milk, and there was a bill that passed with the help of Mel Brown that made the sale of raw milk in Utah legal with some big restrictions.  However, this bill also eliminated cow sharing.  Mel is on record as saying, “I don’t usually vote for raw milk, but I’m voting for this bill because the restrictions are so strict it will make it impossible for any new raw milk dairies to open.”  This statement disturbs me because it seems to go directly against free market principles and because his family is in the dairy business eliminates any competition in the form of raw milk.  It also created a bit of a monopoly within the state of Utah for the people who pushed the legislation through.  A well-intended bill that gives one thing while taking away so many others.  It hurts the free-market, and individual liberty by making it difficult for rural families and small farms to enjoy the benefits of raw milk in their communities without driving a great distance to get their supply.   It would be nice to know what both of these men think about this.     

Final Message:     

UtahGrassroots.org  puts Mel Brown (since he has a voting record) with an overall score of 49% for his career in the legislature, with a 64% for this year.  (All our legislators received higher scores this year with individual liberty and states rights being the forefront of this session.)  Some legislators received 100% and some 95% on their voting record.  Mel is not in the top 25 of the conservatives in our state, but he is also not in the bottom 25, where most Democrats fall.  This would indicate he is more of a liberal Republican.  We have no way of scoring Jon, since he has no voting record yet.      

At the end of the evening, everyone enjoyed chatting together.  It is the goal of The STAR Forum to bring people to awareness of the principles, the issues and the process.  We are looking for solid candidates that exemplify the standards set forth by our founding fathers.  Many people are speaking constitutionally right now, because it has become popular to be a conservative.  Each candidate must be vetted, and their record looked at carefully to ensure you are choosing a candidate that truly will stand and help Save The American Republic.

Tax Day Tea Partiers Geer Up, and Should Be On Guard

Thursday, April 15, 2010, there will be another opportunity for the Tea Party groups to rally.  In Utah, there will be a protest / rally at the Federal Building at 10:00 a.m. that moves to the Utah State Capitol Building at noon.  This will be a family friendly event, with speakers ranging from Tea Party Organizers, 9.12 Organizers (including me) , Candidates for public office, and those already holding political office.   For more information on this event go to www.utahrising.com

So who are the people who belong to the Tea Party Movement?  Are they anarchists, racists, and violent?  No, no, and no.  They are families that believe in their country, and they recognize government as a necessary evil to control anarchy, but government must never be allowed to become tyrannical.  They come from all backgrounds, all education levels, and all classes.  They are freedom loving people who recognize that failure is part of life, and the freedom to fail is part of what makes this country great.  They are peaceful people, that sing songs of our country when they are walking the streets of DC like “God Bless America” and “America the Beautiful.”

This clip gives you a great idea of the kind of people who make up the tea party movement.  My favorite line in this clip is “The more I give you, the more I control you.”  It really is true that a government big enough to give you everything, is also big enough to take it all away.

This next clip is a letter read by Jon Voight, and he is very accurate in his thinking.  We must be peaceful, God-loving, calm, resolved Americans.  Join us in this great movement for liberty.

Utah’s Biggest Tea Party … so far

by Jacqueline Smith

Before the 9.12 projects, and the tea party movement, many Republicans went to the polls in November, held their nose and voted.  Now we have a new age dawning.  9.12 groups, like the Davis County 9.12 Group, Utah Rising, The S.T.A.R. Forum, and Salt Lake County 9.12 have awakened the masses to the political process.  Groups already waving the banner of liberty with Utah Eagle Forum,  The Campaign for Liberty, and the John Birch Society have joined them.

This Tuesday, March 23, 2010, will be the biggest tea party so far.  You will see record numbers this Tuesday come out to caucus night in neighborhoods statewide.  This mass meeting is the cornerstone of the Representative Republic that holds our country together.  People have turned off the TV, they got off the couch, and they are attending.  In the past few months, people have read books like Glenn Beck’s Common Sense, and Cleon Skousen’s The 5,000 Year Leap.

Many Utahns have become educated in this process.  Before the education process swept over the masses, many people didn’t even understand that the only way to have a say on who showed up on the ballot in November was through this process.  It was a mystery how candidates were selected.  However, those days are over.

With the Federal Government ever encroaching into our daily lives, many Americans have been asking, “What can I do?”  The 9.12 movement came forward and said, “We have a plan, and it’s called caucus night.”

Henry Glasheen, Summit County Republican Chairman, said, “Turnout is going to be fantastic across the board.”  When asked why, he stated, “People are tired of government they view as not for the people.”

When an educated people participate in the process, liberty and freedom move forward.  We must constantly watch our elected officials and demand they give us the most individual liberty, ask for the most personal accountability from themselves and their constituents, and demand that Federal Government stay within the bounds set by the Constitution. 

You have never been to a caucus before?  That is okay, these people are your neighbors.  Find out where your caucus is by going to your COUNTY website.  All the county websites are listed at http://www.utgop.org/county.

This is a great year to begin your participation in the election process.  However, it cannot be your last.  We have much to correct in our states, and in our federal government.  So get involved, and stay involved.  That is how freedom works.  We have moved out of apathy, and it is vital to our liberty that we do not move back into a state of complacency.

FREEDOM CAN WIN!

Awaken, O America!

This 10 minute video is important to watch.  Senator Jim DeMint is asking a very important question.  I’m sure most of the American people are not aware that the recent bill that just passed has language that will stop all future Senators from amending or repealing this Health Care Plan.   Please watch the whole thing.   We are at the brink of tyranny.

Also, I wanted to share this video.   As someone who marched on 9.12 in Washington, D.C. this song and the pictures are moving.  Even though we are at a time of trouble, America truly is calling to you.  Stand up, be proud of our country, help our fellow countrymen through our own deeds, not those of the government, and be a light to your neighbors and friends.  O, America is calling.

Jeff Sandefer’s State Policy Network Speech

The following speech is available to read in it’s entirety by clicking here

SPN Speech

Thank you, Rich.  It is an honor to be introduced by such a good friend, a man who not only is my favorite education reformer, but brings incredible energy and good humor to such a difficult quest.

It is an honor too to be with so many freedom fighters. From my years on the board of the Texas Public Policy Foundation, I have seen how a state think tank can do so much for the cause of liberty. My thanks to all of you, for all that you do.

As I was preparing this talk, I was wondering what it might feel like to be on the front lines, defending freedom, in times like this.

Do you feel as I do?

Are you still wondering how a President from Texas, a self-proclaimed “compassionate conservative,” could have understood so little about freedom and free markets?

Are you angry with men like Mark Sanford, who with so much promise and so much to give, let personal appetites destroy their ability to serve?

Are you holding the Republican Party banner at arm’s length, like a soiled piece of cloth, wondering if we can ever wash off the stench from politicians who promised one thing to get elected, but spent money like drunken sailors once they were in office?

Does your heart, like mine, cry out for a Buckley or a Reagan or a Thatcher?

I am nothing more than an entrepreneur, a teacher and a father of three.  But I have had the honor of teaching with some of the finest entrepreneurs in this country.  And I have sat at Bill Buckley’s feet, and watched Margaret Thatcher from up close and studied Ronald Reagan from afar.

If you feel as I do today, please listen closely to what I say next, for it embodies all that I have learned as an entrepreneur and a teacher:

Do not give up hope.  For we freedom fighters have three simple truths, ancient truths, entrepreneurial truths, that are the secret to the American dream. Embrace them, master them, and you not only change the world – but you will change yourself as well.

Let me say that again:

Do not give up hope.  For we freedom fighters have three simple truths, that are the secret to the American dream. Embrace them and you not only change the world – but you change yourself as well.

I came here today because I believe that some of you in this room will change the world.  Not in a small way, but in a profound one. Because I have witnessed how the courage of ordinary people, armed with these three truths, can change the world.

Can the truths change your life as well? Stay with me for these next few minutes and I promise you’ll have your answer. …(Read the rest of the speech here)

Treaty to End U. S. Sovereignty?

 Here is a link to a copy of the treaty.  And here is a link to the entire speech at Bethel University.

Also, please read this PDF, and you’ll get the picture of where our current world is headed.  We must remain the beacon of REAL HOPE!   FREEDOM CAN WIN!!

Glenn Beck reviews the Tytler Cycle of Democracy

This is a great clip from the Glenn Beck show on the Tytler Cycle of Democracy.  This also correlates to The Fourth Turning.  Click on the GREEN words to read more about these two cycles, posted earlier on this website.  Enjoy.