I nominate...

In honor of Obama winning the Nobel Peace Prize, I decided to nominate him for some other awards...
I nominate Barack Obama for the Cy Young Award, for his outstanding pitching abilities, exemplified at the All Stars Game.
I nominate Barack Obama for the Oscar Award for best actor.
And finally, I nominate Barack Obama for Orator of the Year

Interview with Larry Kilgore

Here is my interview with Larry Kilgore--take it as you wish.

Q: I have read some on Wikipedia about you, but it was pretty limited, so tell me about
yourself. Schooling (primary and secondary)? School age programs and awards? Family? Career?
A: I was born and raised in Amarillo Texas across the street from Mesa Verde Elementary School where I attended school in the first grade. Due to the United States government forced busing program, I attended Robert E Lee Elementary three miles away during second through sixth grade. I attended Travis Junior High, Palo Duro High and Amarillo College. I was very involved in the Royal Ambassadors Program at First Baptist Church. I was employed at Sutphen's BBQ, Peking Chinese Restaurant and McKenzie's Interior Design.

At age nineteen I enlisted in the United States Air Force. After completing basic training, I attended electronics school at Keesler AFB. I served in Lajes Field, Portugal and Cheyenne Mountain NORAD. While at NORAD I volunteered to wear a key to participate in the launch of nuclear weapons if so ordered. After serving in the Air Force as a NCO, I started a career in wireless communications.

In 1989 I married my virtuous wife, Valerie. We have three teenage children. My 17 year old daughter and 15 year old son have graduated from home school and my 13 year old son is participating in athletics in government (public) school.

Q: You got 150,000 votes last election (in round numbers), how did you do it? How big was your campaign? Are you trying to replicate the "magic"?
A: Actually I received 226,649 votes in the 2008 Republican Primary. Money raised totaled 0.03% of what the opponent received. However, votes received totaled 18.5% of what the opponent received. The reason there was such a large vote percentage for myself without the advantage of large donations was due to Texans' desire for freedom via secession. And secession is still my main issue.

Q: Against Rick Perry raising $4 million in just 9 days, do you think you are a good enough fundraiser to compete?
A: Perry or Hutchison will win the fund raising war. However elections are won by votes and not by money.

Q: Do any "big name" Texans support you?
A: One thing I like about social networks is the ability to quickly identify supporters. And all of them are important, even the "small name" people.

Q: Texas Secession--why?
A: Washington continues to ignore the 10th amendment and Texas is not in a suicide pact with the US government. Until Texas independence, Washington's mandates on transportation, education, housing, health care and family issues will continue. Texas GOP Platform page 8 and 20: "We support state sovereignty reserved under the Tenth Amendment and oppose mandates beyond the scope of federal authority. We support downsizing of the federal government in order to re-establish states’ rights."

Q: Do you really consider the state to be a slave to the US?
A: Yes. 76% of the Texas budget is education, health & human services. And we receive federal funds for these programs only if we obey their mandates. Texas government has been overruled by US on the issues of alcohol, drugs, abortion, adultery, marriage, sodomy, death penalty, education, housing, employment, etc. Texans currently have no jurisdiction on Security, Immigration or Trade Agreements. Texans are forced to participate in Social Security & Medicare. Yes, Texans are slaves to the US government.

Q: Would the US really let its second largest state just leave?
A: The USSR peaceably separated and the USA can accomplish the same feat. The US Congress will need to work on a separation plan so the US government will be prepared to fairly and equitably divide assets & liabilities with states that request independence.

Q: Besides Texas Secession, what sets you apart from the other candidates?
A: Secession is so huge an issue that all others pale in comparison. I have not heard the other candidates speak about issues involved in running a new country with a new constitution.

Q: Perhaps I should rephrase that. Besides secession, what are your "pet peeves"?
A: Unlike my opponents I actually have a plan that will allow local communities to make decisions for themselves on the issues of Education, Health Care, Criminal Justice, retirement, etc. The other candidates may want to do something about these issue, but I am the only one offering a viable solution.

Q: What do you think of the other candidates (Perry, Medina, Hutchinson)?
A: Any of the candidates mentioned would probably do a wonderful job leading the nation of Texas via the parameters provided in the new Texas constitution. However, unless they pursue secession they will just become a slave governor reporting to their US masters.

Q: Do you honestly think you can win, or are you just trying to pull the discussion your way?
A: 2006 was Goliad. 2008 was the Alamo. 2010 is San Jacinto.

Q: If someone wanted to donate money or volunteer for your campaign, how would he/she go about it?
A: To volunteer or donate please visit www.larrykilgore.com or email info@larrykilgore.com or call 817-453-5744.

Heads-up

I am just giving all of y'all a heads up, keep watching the blog--in the next couple of days, I will be posting an interview that I was able to conduct with Larry Kilgore (candidate for Texas governor).

Well, this must be a bad day for Obama's PR people (or Democrats in general). First, this morning, the Washington Compost,er, Post, released a poll that said that for the first time since he was elected, the approval for Obama's handling of the health care system has fallen below the "healthy" mark of 50%. Another poll, this one by CBS, says that Obama's approval ratins have dropped 6 points in the last month. Next up, the Feds are now estimating that Obama's efforts to correct the economy could cost as much as twenty three TRILLION dollars. That is double the nation's total economic output a year. Tax and Spend Democrat, anyone? Next up is that Democrats are planning to oppose an amendment by John Thune that will allow CHL holders to carry in other states that also have CHL. Guns are a topic that moderate Dems don't want to have to touch, so this could mean trouble. As a final problem for the day, Obama is delaying the release of the mid-session budget info, fueling speculation that he is trying to do that, since the numbers are not expected to be good. So, I think that just about covers it. Not the kind of day I would want to deal with...

Minor(ish) Candidates

Debra Medina:
I must admit, I had never heard of Debra Medina until someone commented on a post of mine, and told me to check her out. So, I did. Unfortunately, I could not find out too much about her, but what I did was this. She is from Beeville Texas, with two children. Her education includes a Nursing Degree from Baptist Memorial Hospital System, and a Bachelor of Science and Business Management from Le Tourneau University. Apparently she is currently the President/CEO of Prudentia, a medical claims management firm. She is the chairwoman of the Wharton County Republican Party. As far as I can tell, she has never held office. Reading the "issues" section of her website, she sounds like pretty typical Republican fare. That is until I read two things, first she wants Texans to use ballot initiative to force Republican candidates to support, or at least not harm, the Republican platform. The second is that she was the state director for Ron Paul's Campaign for Liberty. Now, I have this thing against Ron Paul since he and his supporters usually come across as moonbats. And before the election, I would have supported the ballot initiative idea, but I saw that the Democrats have a winning idea with allowing people to adjust to their districts, to be able to take the other party's turf. So, that is two strikes against her, in my book. However, it is still to far away from the election to pass judgement, so I will wait, and learn more about her before I decide who I am gonna support.

Larry Kilgore:
You can sum Larry Kilgore up in two words: Texas Seccession. I do believe that is enough to say about him, but I will give you his background regardless. He is from Amarrillo. He served in the USAF from 1984-88. He has run for a variety of offices, from congress (in CO) to US Senate against John Cornyn, but has never won. Here is a complete list:

• Colorado Republican Primary HD40 1994
• Colorado Republican Primary HD40 1996
• Colorado Constitution Party General Election HD40 1998
• Texas Republican Primary HD93 2004
• Texas Republican Primary Governor 2006
• Texas Republican Primary US Senate 2008
• Texas Republican Primary Governor 2010

It is not to early to make a call about Kilgore: no. While I respect that he is very religious, seccession is absolutely the wrong course of action to take, at the moment.

Kinky Friedman:
How could it be a race for Gov without him? Well, he is running again, this time around trying to get the Democratic nomination. Kinky was born in 1944, and was a singer/comedian, as well as a novelist, and a columnist for Texas Monthly. He gained notoriety for his 2006 campaign for Governor, featuring the themes of "How Hard Could It Be?" and "Why The Hell Not?" He gained 12.6% of the vote, to come in fourth. He has also run (1986) for Justice of the Peace in Kerrville, but, predictably, lost. As I said, he will be running as a Democrat, which is good, since many of his ideas are more towards the Democratic side. He is pro-choice, anti-death penalty, and pro-gay marriage. And being a joke, he should be a perfect fit over there.

Ah, Britain

I am in Oxford, England, studying bio-ethics. Slightly ironic, but two major bioethical things have been announced today, here. First, the House of Lords (equivalent to our Senate) has voted down a bill that would allow citizens and doctors to go abroad for physician assisted suicide. The other issue is that scientists now claim to have made artificial sperm. So, one more step towards being able to create life on our own...

Biden Single-Handedly Drives Stock Market Down

Here is a story from the Forbes that Vice President Biden literally drove down the stock market by his comments about the economy, alone. Enjoy.

The (Future) Republican Comeback....Otherwise known as the "If you can't keep it in your pants, don't run as a Republican!" Plan

Well, I know I am a little late to start chiming in on this, but I have been sitting here steaming about what has been going on with Republicans lately. First, Senator John Ensign had an affair. Less than 2 weeks later, Mark Sanford, another up-and-comer admitted to an affair. This is not the way to have things happen when the party is already out, and trying to stage a comeback. Now, I understand the urges a man gets, after all I am one. However, what these folks need is a good dose of discipline. Ooooor, if you want to have an affair and still be a FISCAL conservative, go be a Libertarian! After all, a trademark of the Republicans is supposed to be family values, but we can't hang on to that and our hypocritical members at the same time. So folks, get your act together!

Christians and Politics: Part 1

I am going to preface my discussion by stating that I am a Christian, and that I believe that the Bible is the inspired word of God. This influences how I look at everything in my life. This post will be about how I got to this point (I guess this should actually be the intro, but it is too late for that). Growing up, I was in a very political family. There was never any question about whether or not Christians should be in politics. In fact, when I was 10, I remember reading a book titled The Political Christian.

I have just finished my first year at Criswell Bible College in Dallas. My brother attended there, and talked me into going there for a year to figure out if I was really a Christian, or if it was just because my parents were Christians. After that I planned on transferring to UT for pre-law, and intended on getting in to politics after I finished my law degree. However, Criswell changed all that. For the first time, I have been faced by people who have spent their entire adult lives studying what they are teaching, who are so good that they can read the Bible straight from the original languages, translating on the fly. And these professors presented the Bible in a different way than I had ever heard before. All of a sudden the Bible was not a disconnected set of principles that could be used to fuss at gays.

Through these profs, I came to a correct view on ecclesiology, which is just a five dollar word for: "What the church is supposed to be". I discovered that the church, when done correctly, is very geo-political, and that it is to be a standalone society. The church should offer an alternate way to view the world. We are supposed to be differnent in almost every way, from our way of persuasion, to our care of other people. Now, obviously this is not the way the church actually is, but I am dealing with how is SHOULD be, not how it currently is. The main conflict with politics is that the political system is based on power which they obtain through manipulation, force, deception, etc. The Christian obtains power through weakness. Christ was led to the cross like a lamb. He told us to not try to fight those who hurt us. That is weakness. This is the problem that any Christian would have to deal with in order to be in politics. How do I be in the system, and yet not work it the way everyone else does?

The next few posts will be expounding this further, as well as dealing with a few individual issues that would be affected by Christians' involvement or non-involvement in politics.

Christians in Politics-Introduction

Well, I have finished another semester. I took 21 hours this semester, which is why I have not had time to write. However, life is slowing down now, and there is a topic that I am going to start exploring. This topic is the relationship between Christians and politics. What is the role that Christians should play in politics? Is being involved in politics really the best way to change things? Is being in politics even biblical? These are the questions that I am going to start answering over the next few posts.

Empty Holster Solidarity

Well folks, I have been gone from writing for a while, due to an incredibly hectic school schedule. However, I thought I should pass along this little tidbit. The Texas Legislature is having a bill (HB 1893; SB 1164) that would allow people with a concealed carry permit to carry on a college campus. We have seen what happens when guns are not allowed (Virginia Tech) and we have seen armed classrooms remain safe (Israel, Thailand, and Utah, law school shooting a few years ago). So, I think in solidarity, not protest, all students should carry an empty holster on campus while the bill is being debated.

Corrupt Democrats

Well, I have told all my friends that I was going to give Obama a chance, going in with an open mind to see how he would do. Well, it took him just three days to tick me off. What did he do? I am glad you asked. He removed the rule that would prevent US tax dollars from being used to fund international abortions. Next up on the list, after his claims that he was going to be this new, transparent, ethical administration, Obama is already bending the rules to allow a lobbyist to serve as Deputy Secretary of Defense. So, everyone says that the first 100 hours are critical to setting the tone for the rest of the administration. Is this what I have to look forward to for the next 8 years? Talking a good talk, and then undoing what you just did less than 2 days? This is not good for our country. On this note, the only media that has gotten an interview with him since he became President was the company (ABC) that spent millions hosting a ball for him. This has created what some reporters are calling a "Pay to play system." Oh, and the Feds are raiding a contractor that Democrat Jack Murtha steered more than $100,000,000 to. Can anyone say corruption?

In other news (non-corrupt), Bobby Jindal is not doing much to clamp down on the rumors of a Presidential run when he is getting the top speaking slot for the NRCC, a spot usually taken by former President Bush.

Congratulations President Obama

Well, congratulations are in order to Barack Obama for becoming the 44th President, and the nations first black president. While I think that it was high time for a black person to be elected President, I had wished that it would not be him. However, he won, and that is how the system works. I do hope that the Democrats observed Republicans showing how not to be a sore loser, like they have been for the last 8 years. Unlike Bush's Inaugural that was plagued by frustrated Democrats who wanted to ruin the day for him, protesters were more or less non existent for Obama. Unlike Democrats who made the election drag on for a month, Republicans conceded quickly when the results came in. Maybe Democrats will learn how to be a sport, but I doubt it. I guess the bottom line on that is just that Republicans aren't Democrats. So, congratulations President Obama.

I'm Back!

Well everyone,
I am back. I have not been posting because of a lack of news, rather I just have a lack of time. I have started writing a paper on how the Republican Party can return to dominance. I will be posting it here, piece by piece. I expect it to be a while since it is low priority, and I will be taking 21 hours of school. So, without further ado, here is the first section, which is a brief summary of the Republican Party.


Republican History
Is there a need for the Republican Party? This is a difficult question, and ties in with the next section. History repeats itself, so I will start with going over the history of the GOP.
The Republican Party was founded in 1854 in opposition to the Kansas Nebraska Act, which would have allowed the expansion of slavery into Kansas. At the time, the two major parties were the Democrats and the Whigs. The Republican Party was just filling a niche, somewhat like the Libertarian Party of today. They started gaining power through Congressional elections.
In 1860, the party’s second Presidential nominee—Abraham Lincoln—was elected to the nation’s highest office. The Republican’s platform was for "Free Soil, Free Labor, and Free Men".
The Civil War was followed by roughly 30 years of Republican dominance, with the Democratic Party limited to the South. This came to an end in the 1880s as the Democratic Party became competitive, winning the White House in 1884, and losing it in 1888. In 1892, the Democrat’s took control of the government, and the economy crashed. In 1894, in response to the economy, the Republicans won the biggest landslide (130 seats, comparable to 158 seats today) in their history.
In 1896, the Republicans recaptured the White House. This was seen as the resurgence of the Republican Party, brought about by honing their message, reviewing their policies, and the Democrat’s policies failing.
In 1912, the party split, allowing the Democrats to win again. In the 1920s, the party again gained power. They pushed through the agenda of big business. At that time, “social conservatives” were members of the Democratic Party. When The Great Depression came, the country turned to the Democrats, who established firm control of the nation. While the Presidency would go back and forth between the parties, the Congress would be controlled by Republicans for only 2 years between 1934 and 1994.
During the period of time following the Great Depression until the 1980s, the Republican Party was controlled by moderates. They also were repeatedly defeated. The first time the conservative showed their strength was in the nomination of Barry Goldwater, who was defeated by Lyndon Johnson.
In 1980, Ronald Reagan led the conservatives to victory. It was during this election that social conservatives abandoned the Democratic Party, and joined the Republicans. The moderates lost control of the party, and briefly regained it in 1996, followed by 2008, both of which ended in defeat.
In 1988, George Bush was seen as the heir to the conservative leadership. By 1992, conservatives saw that he was not a true believer and he lost to Bill Clinton. The majority people did not support Clinton, but many conservatives thought that Bush had lost his way, and would not vote for him, and Clinton won with only a plurality.
In 1994, America had had two years of liberalism, and decided that they did not like it. In combination, the Republicans defined their message with the Contract with America, and were brought to dominance in the House.
In 1996, the moderate candidate won the nomination, and was defeated. The Republicans retained control of the conservative House, however.
In 2000, the conservatives nominated George W. Bush, who many saw as a true conservative. He united both economic and social conservatives. The Republican Party rode his coattails to take tie control of the Senate. In the 2002 midterm elections, America had had a taste of conservatism, and they liked it. They gave complete control of Congress to the Republican Party for the first time since the 1950s. When the GOP took power, however, they lost sight of their goals, took part in wasteful spending, became corrupt, and failed at being decisive leaders. In many instances, you could not tell the difference between a Democrat and a Republican. In 2006, the nation resoundingly rejected this type of leadership. The aftershocks of this were still being felt in 2008, resulting in the GOP losing more Congressional seats, as well as the Presidency.
The one caveat to purifying the brand is that while it is needed at the Presidential level, the Democrats proved in 2006 and 2008 that they can run moderates on Republican turf, and win. Republicans may have to put this into their formula for finding candidates.
The Republican Party has accomplished many great things over the years, and they can again, if they follow their ideas, and don’t compromise to liberal pressure.