Catholic?

We watched this week as a new pope was selected for the Catholic Church.  I, not being Catholic, find the whole ritual a bit odd; but, nevertheless, it is quite an interesting spectacle that dates back centuries, so, naturally, I followed the coverage as Pope Francis took his place as leader of the world's largest Christian denomination.

But, there is one thing that always surfaces each time a new pope is selected (or whenever a pope makes any pronouncement regarding the behaviors of those who call themselves Catholic), and that is how certain public figures who proclaim they are 'Catholic' participate in behaviors and proclaim  views that are contrary to the teachings of the Catholic church.  That got me to wondering ... 'Why do these people choose to associate with a church they don't agree with?'

What is the purpose of joining a Christian church (any church)? I suppose most would say to secure eternal security, to  fellowship with like-minded believers, to worship a Holy God, to render service to the community through self-sacrifice, to acquire knowledge about the Scriptures, and, finally, to submit to the lordship of Jesus and the fatherhood of God.

So, why do certain politicians chose to associate themselves with the Catholic church when their views (and political activism) work in direct opposition to the teachings of the Catholic church?  Perhaps they should find another body of believers who share their views?  .. or perhaps they aren't believers in Jesus at all?  What purpose is served when people call themselves 'Catholic' but do not believe in the teachings of that church?

Well, here's a short list of reasons some of these public figures call themselves 'Catholic' when there is little evidence in their life or speech that they actually practice the teachings of that church.

• It's popular to be a member of a church. I am not sure this is as true now as it may have been in the past, but, for politicians, I suppose those who call themselves 'Christian' are slightly more 'electable' than those who do not.  From my perspective, however, people can call themselves whatever they want, it doesn't mean they are what they claim to be. You can sit in your garage and call yourself a car, but that doesn't make you a car.
• Something we have 'always done' Tradition has a powerful bond on many people. If you come from a family that has always been a member of a particular denomination, then I suppose it isn't easy to step away from that. But, here's a newsflash, if you aren't practicing the teachings of the church you 'attend' .. then you have already 'left' that church.  Don't be an idiot.  Being in a church building has no meaning.. it is the life you live the other 167 hours each week that really matters.
• Subversives. There are those who call themselves Christians (or Catholics) that have no interest in following Christ, have no desire to learn about or emulate Jesus, but, who actually undermine the work of God's Church. These subversives don't exist in the minds of many people, because many believe these people are 'made up' by those who love to believe in 'conspiracy theories'.  Well, call me crazy, but when someone is occupying one of the highest offices in government, calls themselves Catholic, are members of a political party that denounces God and cheerfully fights to protect a 'woman's right to kill her children' .. I am not sure how you could view those individuals as anything other than subversive church-members.  Those behaviors don't build up the church, in fact, it could be the devil himself who is directing those behaviors.

I can't get get into the hearts and minds of these public figures who call themselves Catholic (or Christian), but I will say that the evidence in a person's life is the most powerful indicator of whether they are (or are not) followers of Christ.  And, just like the rest of us, they will be called to account for their actions (or lack of action) one day.

Never Retreat!

I had an interesting conversation on Facebook earlier this week after posting this graphic.  One of my friends decided to use this as an opportunity to lambaste me for sticking to conservative ideals. To sum up our conversation ... she believed that Republicans lose because they support causes such as life, gun rights, traditional marriage, and securing the borders. I, of course, insisted we must stand for conservative principles, but I never really mentioned the fact that I was not a Republican (but, a conservative). This exchange with my Facebook friend got me to thinking: has the GOP establishment brainwashed the majority of conservatives into believing it is best to stay silent on principles to win elections?  The answer to that question is NO. But, it will take a lot of work to undo the damage that is being done to the psyche of conservatives in this country, because there are a large number in the Republican establishment (aided by the conservative media) that share her views.  We have a lot of work to do.

I am currently reading Erick Erickson's book -  Red State Uprising: How To Take Back America and Erickson does a masterful job of explaining why retreating from conservative ideals not only results in a more progressive and growing government, but it actually diminishes opportunities for success. People are hungry for truth-tellers, for leaders who are passionate, articulate, intelligent, and who offer real and lasting solutions. People are tired of politicians who say anything, do anything just to get elected .. but then fail to deliver on any of their promises. People are tired of politicians who put loyalty to their party ahead of loyalty to this country and the American people. Voters detest candidates who hide their true convictions .. and despise those who pretend to support causes, when their actions are not indicative of that support. 

We need to know what we believe and articulate those beliefs with confidence to those who are searching for answers. Conservatism may not be as popular as it was during the days of Ronald Reagan, but that is only because conservatives have been silent. We need a voice .. we need to step forth with boldness. Retreat is never a path to victory. Don't be duped by those who would crush the conservative movement in this country. Anyone who tells you that you should stay silent on your principles has either been deceived by the cautious and retreating Republican establishment, or they are actually working to wipe out the conservative movement. Neither of these groups are your friends.

One of the best cases of how grassroots conservatism can appeal to the masses was the election of Senator Ted Cruz from Texas. He was an unknown when he decided to step into the race to face the powerful Lieutenant Governor of Texas, David Dewhurst. The GOP establishment quickly rushed to embrace the candidacy of Dewhurst and painted Cruz as extreme and unelectable. Remarkably, Cruz went from 2% in the polls to coming in 2nd in the general election and prevented Dewhurst from reaching the 50% of votes needed to avert a run-off.  Cruz went on to win the run-off with Dewhurst by 14% to the astonishment of the GOP party leadership in Austin (and Washington, D.C.). All the conventional wisdom gave Cruz ZERO chance against the powerful (and much better known) Dewhurst, but the truth-telling Cruz was just the right candidate to break through the establishment controlled process (and media) to bring in the votes and grab the power from the establishment.

Now, my Facebook friend pointed out that Texas voters are more conservative than the rest of this country .. and, as such, she felt the Cruz victory was something that could only happen in Texas. I don't agree with that .. and here are just a few more examples to indicate that thinking is wrong.

• California elected Ronald Reagan as governor. Reagan won the presidency in a landslide. He took both blue and red states. Reagan ran proudly as a conservative. He supported gun rights, life, traditional marriage, and limited government. He never backed down from conservative ideals. Reagan's conservatism was not a detriment to his political viability, it was an asset.

• Marco Rubio ran as a tea party conservative in Florida against the establishment candidate Charlie Crist. He supported gun rights, life, opposed excessive government regulation and lambasted the bloated and ineffective federal welfare system. He handily beat Crist (who is now a member of the Democratic party). Rubio never backed down from conservative ideals. Rubio's conservatism was not a detriment to his political viability, it was an asset.

• Deb Fischer ran as a staunch conservative Senate candidate in Nebraska. She supported life, gun rights, opposed EPA regulations and had a tough stance on illegal immigration. The same state that had elected the liberal Ben Nelson awarded Fischer with a victory. Fischer's conservatism was not a detriment to her political viability, it was an asset.

• Rick Snyder ran as a pro-life and pro-family candidate for governor of Michigan. He had a strong platform that opposed the big labor unions. Running as a conservative in the deep blue state of Michigan seemed like the longest of long-shots, but Snyder won the race. He subsequently signed into law some of the most sweeping union-busting reforms in recent history. Snyder's conservatism was not a detriment to his political viability, it was an asset.

There are many more conservatives that we could add to this list, but having said that, the number  of other examples is not nearly as large as it could be. If only MORE conservatives would simply stand up for their ideals and not run and hide (as is suggested by the GOP establishment). The GOP establishment has been feeding us the lie that conservatism loses since Reagan. In spite of the numerous victories showing that thinking is wrong, anti-conservative establishment types still have a firm grip on the GOP party apparatus, and, as such, they often discourage conservative candidates from entering races, they discourage candidates from fighting for conservative principles, they dismiss the idea that conservative principles can be (and often are) appealing to the majority of voters, and worst of all, they sometimes actually fight against candidates who have a strong conservative platform. (Karl Rove is doing precisely that, now)

That must change. We can not win if we don't fight.  Our principles are not crazy or extreme, in spite of the 24/7 propaganda war to the contrary. If we don't articulate our message, and if we are not willing to stand up and fight for conservative principles, then we cede government to the progressives. That is not an option. When it comes to the battle for the hearts and minds of Americans, failure is not an option. Stand proud, conservative warriors.

Will we stand for liberty?

There is a battle raging in this country against people of faith. The Housing and Human Services (HHS) mandate in Obamacare calls for all employers to offer healthcare insurance that covers free abortifacients and contraception. Hobby Lobby Stores along with Catholic Institutions have come out against this mandate as an assault on their first amendment right to freedom of religion. Hobby Lobby is wholly owned by the Green family, who are evangelical Christians. Hobby Lobby submitted a petition to the U.S. Supreme Court for an emergency injunction against this mandate, but were denied Wednesday by Justice Sonia Sotomayor. An attorney for Hobby Lobby Stores said Thursday that the arts-and-crafts chain plans to defy a federal mandate requiring it to offer employees health coverage that includes access to the morning-after pill, despite risking potential fines of up to $1.3 million per day.

The mission statement of Hobby Lobby includes the following:

The foundation of our business has been, and will continue to be strong values, and honoring the Lord in a manner consistent with Biblical principles. 

Jeannie DeAngelis of The American Thinker says this about the decision to defy the mandate:

Despite facing millions in fines, the non-compliant Hobby Lobby and Mardel Inc. CEO and founder David Green refuses to surrender the companies' religious convictions. Green has said he'd rather abandon the business. A $2.2 billion-a-year company that is willing to close its doors rather than compromise its core principles? Now that's impressive.

This is a test - Are we willing to fight for religious liberty?

Regardless of our personal beliefs regarding contraception and abortion, this behavior by our federal government should give every liberty-loving American pause. If we allow the government to force businesses to act against their religious beliefs in this one case, where will it end? Isn't this precisely the reason we have the religious liberty protections afforded to us in the Bill of Rights?

It is hard to communicate these religious principles to abortion-advocates, but I will attempt to make it easier for those who are confused about the Hobby Lobby stance to understand how the Greens and other people of faith are so unwilling to subsidize abortifacients.

Imagine a law being passed that you must pay for your employees to kill their children. That you must not only condone the killing of these children, but you must actively participate in their killing by providing the weapons (free of charge) to facilitate the killing. Imagine that you are being forced to provide these weapons by federal mandate.. and if you deny that mandate, you will be forced into bankruptcy.

The Greens believe that abortifacients are killing instruments. Whether or not you share this belief, should we not tolerate this belief in America? Nearly 55 million abortions have taken place legally in America since 1973.  People of faith who believe abortion is murder have been forced to live in a society that condones the practice of abortion. Now they are being forced to participate by providing abortifacients to their employees?

Now is the time for every liberty loving American, regardless of their personal stance on abortion, to stand up against this tyranny. This over-reach of the federal government is a gross violation of their Constitutional authority. If we don't take a stand now, we can be sure that more unconstitutional federal mandates will follow.

Take a stand with Hobby Lobby on January 5th 

by participating in the Hobby Lobby shopping day.

Write your senators and representatives voicing outrage 

over this unconstitutional over-reach:

Addresses for Senators and Representatives

Educate your friends and family about this issue by sharing this blog post and other articles explaining the Hobby Lobby story.

We must not rest until this is made right. If Hobby Lobby is forced out of business by the federal government, other businesses owned by people of faith are sure to be targeted next. Don't stand by as our liberties are being destroyed. Stand up and fight to preserve the rights of American citizens and businesses. Our rights come from God; it is our government's duty to honor and protect those rights. When our government fails to secure our rights, we are obligated to stand up against it.

These are the times that try men's souls...

“These are the times that try men's souls. The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of their country; but he that stands it now, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman. Tyranny, like hell, is not easily conquered; yet we have this consolation with us, that the harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph. What we obtain too cheap, we esteem too lightly: it is dearness only that gives everything its value.”

Boy, have times changed since those infamous words were first penned by Thomas Paine. Our Country was going through the last days of agony in a battle to free us from the clutches of tyranny. The hapless American soldiers of the American Revolution were not equipped with the best weaponry, in fact, many didn't have warm clothes or shoes to wear in the brutal winter battle at Trenton. The number who deserted far outnumbered the brave souls who stood with General George Washington. The British soldiers were far better equipped and were confident they would crush the rebellion. The patriots who fought then probably assumed they would never come out of the battle alive, but they pressed on regardless. The misery these men endured will likely never be fully appreciated.

I am in the middle of reading a book by Newt Gingrich and William R. Forstchen entitled To Try Men's Souls. This is a work of historical fiction that is based upon real events surrounding the battle at Trenton. The characters developed in this novel give new meaning to what life was like for those who fought to establish this nation. I find myself tearing up often as I imagine what they must have been thinking as they pressed on in a battle that everyone said was hopeless. The phrase give me liberty or give me death was more than just hyperbole .. it was their anthem.  Many men died, but the ones that pressed on in spite of the most ridiculous odds achieved one of the most glorious victories in human history. They established the first nation on earth that was governed by ordinary men, that valued liberty, acknowledged that rights come from God Almighty alone and that it is the duty of government to preserve, protect and defend those rights.

We've come a long way since that battle in Trenton. As a nation we have grown disengaged, lethargic and somewhat selfish. None of those characteristics were common among the American survivors at the battle of Trenton. In fact, any one of those characteristics would have resulted in certain defeat.

The people during the time of the Revolution were very engaged in the public debate. Conversations in the home centered around this new government they were forming. Arguments about exactly how this new form of government should be organized were taking place between working class people from every profession. There was no cable-television or radio, so people were limited to the news received by word of mouth, pamphlets and newspapers. In spite of this, people in this country were very knowledgeable and engaged in the affairs of government. Perhaps more so than at any other time in this nation's history. Seems strange since news is so readily available in this 'information' age.

A sad reality is .. that a very small percentage of our citizenry today is knowledgeable or interested in government. They take for granted that everything they've come to expect from government will always be there. If they look at history, they would know that few governments survive over the long term. We are heading into dangerous territory.. and many of us are unaware of the fragility of this system.

The system of government we have in America today barely resembles the one set up by the founders. The size of the country alone means that the number of those working at the federal level to represent us are each 'representing' a huge number of people compared to the numbered they would have represented at our founding. We've capped the number of representatives for logistical purposes, but what we haven't done is put in safeguards to assure that the government is held accountable by we the people.  One person being sent to Washington, D.C. can represent millions of voters back home. That was unfathomable by our founders.

We have little discourse about governmental affairs in homes anymore, and decisions about what laws are crafted and passed are left to professional politicians. Most of us assume that politicians will 'do the right thing' and ignore all those crazy extremists who suggest that the legislation being crafted and passed is undermining the Republic  Maybe we don't believe politicians always 'do the right thing' .. but believe that the system will survive in spite of bad laws.

But, they are both wrong. We are a nation of laws. Our entire system of government rests upon one founding document along with various amendments to that document .. that is our United State Constitution. If you read our Constitution and then examine the sorts of legal decisions handed down and laws routinely passed today (and unconstitutional executive orders), you'd see little of what goes on in government is remotely similar to what is described in our Constitution. We keep creating new 'roles' for the federal government that were never even imagined by our founders under the pretext of 'helping' people. But what we are not understanding, is that the Rome Republic followed a very similar path.  The Roman Republic collapsed when it ignored its laws and traditions and began to do more things and promise things to curry favor with voters. The cycle ended with tyranny under Julius Caesar. Are we headed for a similar fate?

We owe an enormous debt of gratitude to the brave men who fought at the battle of Trenton. They gave up everything to secure this nation for us. Many even gave their lives in defense of an idea of freedom. We wake up every day in the greatest and most free nation on earth, yet most of us take it for granted. We can't afford to take it for granted anymore. Our liberties are slowly being dissolved. The Constitution is being ignored and those who favor a continued weakening of our Constitutional government in favor of a European-style socialism are growing in numbers and influence inside our government.

Complacency is no longer an option. We may not have to sacrifice our lives to restore this nation like the brave souls at Trenton, but we are not going to be able to sit idly by if we expect a change in course. The time is NOW to speak out and begin the hard work of restoring what is left of this Republic. These are the time that try men's souls.  Are you up for the battle?

People who live in glass houses...

The election is over and conservatives are still trying to make sense of the election results. Why do we still have the same balance of power in Washington, D.C. after the election?  How did so many incumbents keep their jobs when the economy is so bad and the fiscal cliff is looming?  There are several issues being raised by conservatives that have me thinking. Maybe it is time for us to look inward and get our own house in order .. before we start championing candidates for the 2014 mid-terms.

You should vote straight-ticket GOP  

The GOP promotes straight-GOP ticket voting habits (of course) because it increases the likelihood of their candidates winning in races that are competitive because of the coattails of other GOP candidates on the ballot. This increases the power of the GOP in government. Many who call themselves conservatives believe this is a laudable goal, but I disagree. Voting straight-ticket sends the message that we are choosing the party to govern us, not the candidates who happen to be in that party. It does not allow for voters to hold incumbent candidates accountable for their voting records while in office.  It perpetuates the status quo .. keeping incumbents in office (even when they are doing a lousy job).  91% of representatives in the U.S. House were re-elected (this is with a 9% approval rating). Could it be that every single Republican on the ballot is the best option in an election cycle?  Perhaps .. but voting without thinking by clicking 'all Republican' is never what our Founders intended when they gave us this government of 'we the people'.

The exact same behavior happens inside the Democratic party. The Democratic Party has a full-on propaganda campaign against Republicans at every level.  Republicans are being painted as racists, crazy, intolerant, and haters of working men and women. The number of voters choosing to vote straight-ticket-Democrat has risen because of this demonizing of the GOP. I heard a complaint this week from a Republican voter about Jesse Jackson, Jr. (Democrat), who was easily re-elected earlier this month after being on medical leave (for months) for treatment of bipolar disorder and other medical issues. Jackson is also facing multiple legal problems, including a reported federal probe into possible misuse of campaign funds. The GOP voter lodging the complaint said that the only way Jackson got re-elected was because "the democrats don't even care who the candidates are, they all just vote straight-ticket-Democrat."  Ironically, this GOP voter cast a straight GOP-ticket.

People are too dependent on government

The number of people on food-stamps in this country has skyrocketed. Government programs are now giving away free birth-control, free cell phones and free or reduced-cost housing. The list goes on and on of the benefits the government is handing out with plans to include even more give-aways in the future. I hear complaints from conservatives daily about how more Americans are growing lazy and unproductive and blame these government programs for our decline as a nation and for bankrupting this country.

But what about us? How many of us are currently accepting some sort of hand-out or assistance from the Federal Government? I currently have a FHA loan on my house. Could I have afforded a conventional (more expensive) loan? probably. If I am going to lambaste these government programs, perhaps it is time to refinance this house into a conventional loan.

How many of us are taking advantage of some federal program that cost taxpayers money? If we aren't willing to give up the freebies or benefits we currently enjoy, how can we expect to convince a majority of voters to do that in 2014? ...or 2016?

The mainstream media is in the tank for Obama

This is probably the one that angers conservatives the most. The Benghazi scandal has been totally mishandled by the media. Liberal news outlets have been openly promoting Obama since he first came on the scene. Mistakes made by this president have not only been glossed over by the mainstream media, but it appears they are actively covering up his mistakes. There is really no excuse for their behavior .. and I believe it has permanently damaged the little credibility that remains with the legacy media.

But what about conservative news?  Weren't the majority of conservative 'news' outlets openly campaigning for Romney during this last election? Even most of the new media blog sites had jumped onto the Romney bandwagon. If we are going to be pointing fingers at a liberal mainstream media that is producing propaganda to prop up their dear leader, then we had better not turn around and do the exact same thing!

It is time to put our house in order. Perhaps another four years of Obama is the motivation we need to turn ourselves into better citizens before the next election cycle rolls around. We can't afford to stay on this path to tyranny and destruction. The only way we can restore the America that we love is if those of us who are willing to tell the truth will lead the way in practicing what we preach.

A Survey of the Wreckage ...

Well, the votes have been counted (if you want to call it that), and it appears that we will have another four years of destruction and despair courtesy of our commander in chief. The lamenting within the conservative movement and the GOP is ongoing, which isn't unexpected. Fingers are being pointed in every direction. The establishment is blaming the tea party, the liberal media is saying Republicans are too conservative to govern, some even suggest that the balance has tipped and those taking from the government now out-number those paying the taxes, but I suppose I have a different view of the landscape.  Here is my summary of the debacle of the GOP in this year's presidential race.

What was missed by all the political elites in this election cycle is just how poorly Romney was playing within the conservative base of the Republican party. I am sure the talking-heads chalked up all those nasty speeches about Romney emanating from Gingrich as Santorum as pure political bluster. Could it actually be that those messages had a ring of truth to them?  Was the GOP establishment ignoring the cries from the conservative base because they just wanted to continue to believe their own lies?

So what exactly was so bad about nominating Romney as the standard-bearer for the GOP?  He was, after-all, a really nice guy. Romney had the cash, the organization, the GOP birthright by being the 'next in line'.  He was well groomed, articulate, handsome. He had the business credentials that would appeal to the Wall street execs.  He had a lovely family, a beautiful wife .. and honestly the Romneys looked just like those family portraits you see adorning the frames in the gift-shops.  Well I am sure I'll incur the wrath of all establishment types and their minions, but I am not about to shut up now.  If we don't learn from our mistakes, we are doomed to repeat them.  Oh wait, I forget..  the GOP nominated McCain in '08.  Perhaps Republicans will  never learn.

Here are the top 5 reasons Mitt Romney was destined for failure as the GOP nominee:

Nobody trusts a serial flip-flopper

When a person changes positions on one or two issues, that is evolving. When they change positions on every core issue, sometimes in mid-sentence, that is called spineless. Romney was everything to everyone .. which means he was nothing to everyone. You have to have a set of core principles that guide you. If voters don't sense that, they don't trust you. Even with Obama's incessant lying, he still beat Romney on trust, because regardless of what actually happened during the last four years of the Obama administration, no one doubted that Obama deep down was an uber-liberal. I'm still not sure what's at Romney's core.

Nominating Mr. 1% plays into the liberal narrative

When the liberals talk day and night about how the Republican party is nothing but a bunch of uppity elite super-rich white men, it isn't exactly genius to nominate a man who fits that model exactly. Romney is very white, very rich, and very out of touch with the average Joe. He also was a great target for incessant ridicule online. The constant stream on Google + and twitter about how "Romney only cares about his rich friends" was repeated day and night for months. No matter how Romney might have felt in reality, his resume' provided all the liberals needed to keep that story front and center. Democrats did a good job making sure that was the message heard most often about Romney.

Isn't Mormonism a cult?

The fact that Mitt is a Mormon is a touchy subject. Even bringing up the topic is like throwing a grenade. Well, the election is over, and Mitt lost. I can't help but believe that there were Christians who were very uncomfortable voting for a person who is not a Christian. I know of few (actually none) of my Christian friends who believe Obama is Christian. But, at least Obama professes that he is one. I am not sure how these individuals who had an issue with Mitt's faith voted; perhaps they stayed home.  Not having the enthusiastic support of evangelical Christians is a disaster for any GOP nominee. Evangelicals make up one of the largest block of campaign workers. Now, there were plenty of evangelicals working on Romney's campaign, for sure, but there are reports that up to 21% of evangelical Christians voted for Obama. One has to wonder how Mitt's faith played in the hearts and minds of Christian voters.

Nobody wants to drink a beer with Romney .. er coffee... er ..?

Romney isn't a pal.  He comes across as very sophisticated and 'proper' .. but that means he comes across as stuffy and unapproachable by the average voter. The sad truth is, few voters actually vote for leaders based on issues, they choose who they like and trust.  The race for the presidency is the biggest popularity contest of them all.  If you don't look good, sound good, and seem like a person who is 'fun' to be around, there is a large block of voters who will never vote for you regardless of your stand on the issues.  We live in an 'American Idol' culture where everything is based on who is likable.. not who is most talented.  We have to face it, the only way a Republican is ever going to win, is if they are liked by people who have no knowledge or interest in politics. Hmm, I wonder if Tim Tebow is interested in running?

Ignoring the Tea-Party is really NOT so smart

The final nail in the coffin was dissing the tea-party. Sarah Palin was not invited to speak at the GOP convention in Tampa. Some say.. "well, there were other tea-party types speaking so the GOP embraced the teaparty in Tampa", well..  I say hogwash. There is little doubt the elites inside the GOP have great disdain for the teaparty. They continue to blame Sarah Palin for the loss in 2008. They believe (wrongly) that the teaparty is dragging down the GOP. What about 2010? Did they forget how the teaparty brought in new faces and brought the GOP back into power in the House of Representatives? The teaparty increased the GOP margin in the Senate? And this is how the GOP thanks them? ..being dismissed, dissed, disrespected? The teaparty was railroaded at every turn by the GOP establishment during the nomination process to get the 'anointed' Romney into position while continuously ridiculing those candidates who would challenge him. Did the GOP party bosses honestly believe these people who had been treated so poorly would turn around and campaign for their candidate?  Sadly, many did, and, in my estimation, some of those people lost a lot of the passion that once made the teaparty movement so powerful. But, many more decided to reluctantly go along, or just stay out of the Romney campaign altogether (I was in the latter group). If the elites think they can win without us, then by all means, they should be given the opportunity to try. I guess we see how well that worked out. The teaparty is all that is left of Reagan's conservative coalition. If the GOP succeeds in stamping out the movement, it will be the end of the GOP. The elite succeeded on one front. They have definitely soured much of the teaparty on the GOP.

This election is over. I am sure the pundits will be talking about this race for many years to come. Calls to 'moderate' and be more 'reasonable' will be the talking points to the GOP inside the beltway. Hopefully someone with good sense can break through the elite narrative to knock some sense into these people before we lose the whole country. Perhaps it is already lost.

Dignity Destroyed

There was a time in America when our politicians put the integrity of our government above politics. That day is long gone. Now political viability seems to dictate nearly every action taken by those in leadership. The action taken, or lack thereof, by the Obama administration in Benghazi is the most recent episode where decisions were made not based on what was best for American citizens, but what was politically expedient for our president.

When did our political leaders begin to destroy the integrity of our government?

During the presidential election of 1960 there was a very close race between Richard Nixon and John F. Kennedy. Charges of voter fraud were rampant in Illinois and Texas. The vote in these states gave a narrow margin of victory to the eventual winner, John F. Kennedy, but most agreed that the presence of voter fraud in both states likely tipped the balance in his favor. Many in the Nixon campaign thought he had a good case to make that the outcome of the election would have been different absent the voting irregularities in these two states. But, in spite of clear evidence of voter fraud, the advisers closest to Nixon recommended he accept the outcome of the election in the name of preserving our democracy. And so it was .. John F. Kennedy was sworn in as the 35th President of the United States.

In June 1972, a break-in occurred at the Democratic National Committee's headquarters at the Watergate office complex in Washington, D.C. The perpetrators worked on behalf of a fund-raising group for President Richard Nixon's re-election campaign. The subsequent cover-up by the Nixon administration led to his eventual impeachment by the House of Representatives, and this was likely to be followed by a conviction in the Senate. Many of those close to Nixon suggested that he fight the battle in the Senate to remain in office, but Nixon believed his resignation was necessary to preserve the democracy. And so it was .. President Richard Nixon resigned the office of the presidency in 1974 and Gerald Ford was sworn in as our 38th president.

My how these two episodes differ from the politics of today.

In 1998, President Bill Clinton was impeached by the House of Representatives for perjury and obstruction of justice because of his failure to testify truthfully about a scandal involving an illicit affair with a former White House intern, Monica Lewinsky. Clinton's run-in with a special prosecutor, Ken Star, began over allegations of sexual harassment by former government employee Paula Jones. During sworn testimony about these allegations, President Clinton lied about his Lewinsky affair which led to his impeachment. Unlike Nixon, Clinton was determined to fight the battle in the Senate and in 1999 fifty out of one-hundred senators voted to uphold the charges filed by the House. This was below the two-thirds threshold required for conviction, so Clinton was acquitted.

Many thought that it may be in the best interest of our democracy for Clinton to resign his office not only because of his impeachment in the House, but because of his behavior in the Lewinsky affair. The scandals that plagued Clinton were an embarrassment at home and abroad. But, in spite of this, those within Clinton's inner circle and President Clinton himself stubbornly refused to entertain the idea of resigning. Thus began the destruction of our integrity.

In 2000, we had a very close election between Democrat Al Gore and Republican George W. Bush for the office of the presidency. The race was so close, in fact, that the votes in just a few counties in the state of Florida determined the outcome of the race. On election night, the vote totals, as reported by the election commission in the state of Florida, gave George W. Bush the edge and the 25 electoral votes needed to seal the victory. Initially Al Gore made a phone call to George W. Bush to concede the race, but after campaign staffers alerted Gore to the close counts in several counties in Florida, Gore made a second phone call to rescind his concession. Thus began a long battle in the courts that eventually landed in the Supreme Court on December 12th who decided in favor of George W. Bush. And so it goes .. George W. Bush was sworn in as our 43rd President.

Many thought that it would be in the best interest of our democracy for Gore to initially accept the outcome of the election. In fact, there was great concern that the controversy would undermine the integrity of our electoral process both here and abroad. But, in spite of these concerns, Gore pressed ahead with the legal challenges that delayed the outcome of the election for over a month. A subsequent recount that had been demanded by the Gore campaign showed that Bush had an even larger margin of victory in the disputed precincts.

Now we come to the latest Benghazi scandal.

We find out this week that our government officials sat idly by while American citizens were being murdered by Al Qaeda terrorists in Benghazi, Libya on September 11, 2012. Even though calls for reinforcements had been requested weeks in advance and calls for help occurred during the attacks, it appears the Obama administration made the decision not to intervene, but to allow the violence and killing to continue for several hours. Ironically, a mob, that was initially blamed for the killings, took a severely injured ambassador Stevens to the hospital where he would later die. As our ambassador lay dying on the ground in Benghazi, our government made no attempt to save him. Many others were killed and injured during the attacks, but thanks to the heroism of two former Navy Seals (Glen Doherty and Tyrone Woods), at least thirty victim's lives were spared. Sadly, the two Seals lost their own lives as they worked to save others. According to the father of one of the Seals, these men disobeyed orders to save lives. Why would anyone order these Seals to stand down?

Many think that the decision to not send help to the victims of the Benghazi attack was to avoid political fall-out because of the presidential election coming up in November. Some thought that fighting terrorist attacks would force Obama to admit he'd done little to stem the growth of Al Qaeda. Perhaps they were afraid to showcase conflict in the middle east during the election season .. or perhaps intervening in the Benghazi attack would indicate that the toppling of Qaddafi had not been handled correctly by the Obama administration. Whatever the reason, there doesn't seem to be any legitimate reason for refusing to aid American citizens under attack.

The dignity of the office is no longer respected by our elected officials. In order to preserve their own political skins, politicians will say and do anything to hold onto power. It is time for us to look more closely as the character of those we choose to lead us. Politicians who are willing to undermine our entire system of government to cover up their own failures are destroying this country. We need to choose honorable people to lead us again, before we have nothing left to lead.

Conservative Voice Network