The people's voice of reason
The people's voice of reason
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Though I’m reminded daily of my many blessings, November is the month specifically set aside for giving thanks, and I highly doubt I’m alone in being thankful that the bitter and divisive 2016 presidential campaign will finally end. While political pundits will analyze the results ad nauseam, conservative activists will continue working diligently during the lame duck session of Congress to minimize detrimental legislation and spending decisions which typically occur during such sessions. Unfort...
I recently had an extremely unwelcome evening encounter with danger at our home as living in a rural setting almost guarantees that one will at some point have an experience with some of God’s creations that are most unfriendly to humans. Our barn is typically where I am at highest alert and admit that I had become a bit too complacent regarding the possibility of poisonous snakes close to our front door. I had taken a bit of care a few months ago as we had killed a few baby rattlers last y...
Our nation is less than 90 days away from electing the next president of our United States of America, although “united” seems to be a misnomer with the divisive political and cultural elements at work in our nation. This certainly has not been the presidential cycle I anticipated nor is it one that persuades me to think that the result in November will heal our wounds and place our nation on a corrected path to fiscal solvency. Regardless of the outcome, limited constitutional government will t...
Four years ago, I wrote a piece for The Alabama Gazette that recalled the leadership from the pulpits of the Black Robed Regiment during the founding days of our nation, and how those courageous patriots, with great risk to their lives and property, defied the tyranny of King George with sermons to empower their congregations in the fight for liberty. At that time, I speculated as to why I believe ministers and pastors today are reluctant to speak out regarding the political issues that...
Christian recording artist TobyMac released a song several years ago titled “Lose My Soul.”* As our state deals with yet another political corruption conviction, I can’t help but be of the opinion that some of our elected public servants would be wise to consider the words of the song and particularly the chorus. “I don’t want to gain the whole world and lose my soul.” In these days and weeks following the conviction of former Alabama Speaker of the House Mike Hubbard, I want to hope and believe...
If there’s a possibility of a bright spot in the current presidential election campaign as well as the ongoing circus known as Alabama politics, it’s learning that it has been far easier to wean myself from the 24/7 news cycle and political commentary than I thought possible. By no means have I shut down access to all news sources or turned a blind eye to the current issues that tremendously impact our communities, state, and nation, but I am attempting moderation to maintain a degree of san...
As I think about the increasingly vicious political climate we’re now experiencing, I reflect more often on just how we’ve reached a point in our nation’s history where more factions are fighting each other than ever before. No doubt there are reasons far more complicated than what I can comprehend or even begin to outline, but I can’t help but believe that so much of the animosity towards each other is a direct result of our escalating dependence on government to “do something” to correct an...
I find that most people detest election years because of the onslaught of ugly political advertising, never-ending robo calls, or roadside signage that is never fully eradicated. I detest it because while many of us are involved in campaigns to elect replacements in hopes of solving some of the problems created by the last election cycle, we tend to take our eyes off the shenanigans that continue to take place in our halls of government. I shudder to think of the damage likely being done in...
Many of my conservative friends, mostly those in my generation or older, continue to be amazed that an avowed socialist – disguised as “democratic socialist” – can be so popular with the youth of our nation. Like so many of my friends, I’ve attributed the appeal to the liberal bent of our public education system. While that absolutely has an enormous impact, I think there are other elements that those of us who call ourselves conservatives have been missing. But one factor has been apparent...
An article appeared on al.com prior to the College Football Championship game that spoke to me on a level beyond football and rivalries, as a political analogy came wrapped up in a piece regarding the football team of my beloved alma mater’s fight for a national championship title. The article was written prior to the championship game and outlined the mission of this year’s team while giving some insight as to how they overcame an early season loss to battle back for a shot at the title. One...
It's a New Year yet, once again, very little has changed in the world of politics. While most of the nation was celebrating the birth of our Savior and spending time with family and friends, our elected "public servants" ended the year with outrageous spending authorizations that will burden our children and grandchildren for decades to come, and further increase the debt that is in the process of destroying our nation. Keep in mind that this authorization also funds almost everything the Obama...
Writing about politics is rarely encouraging. In fact, I've been at a crossroads for a few weeks and admit I have been struggling with putting words to paper. When asked to contribute monthly to The Alabama Gazette in October 2010, I was incredibly honored that someone considered my thoughts and words worthy of print. Initially, writing was somewhat easy because there was so much to discuss – so many battles to fight – so many people who fervently believed we could reverse the political cou...
I can still hear my father’s wise words from my youth, typically shared because of some school-related disappointment that I’m not sure I now even remember. Perhaps it was the failure to make the tennis team, cheerleader selection or any number of rejections that many children encounter daily because someone is either more talented or better qualified to receive the accolades. Compassion was expressed as well as encouragement to either work harder and smarter to attain that particular goal or...
Many topics will dominate this presidential election cycle, yet nothing stirs emotions on either side quite like the national discussion on immigration. But this issue is hardly a new one as our Founding Fathers were debating it during the early years of our Republic. Our Founders were scholarly and visionary men, and their careful deliberation of the issue of immigration is still relevant today because our national identity remains at state. As much as our Founders embraced the idea of...
While many in America are still debating the aftermath of the first GOP presidential debate and others count the days to college football season kickoff, we continue down the path of transformation deemed necessary by the Obama administration with little to no attention from either the mainstream media or the citizenry. Unless you pay very close attention to the barrage of executive orders and directives flowing from the White House, you have likely missed the finalization of the Affirmatively...
Perhaps it was only my increasing feelings of unease concerning the direction of our nation and world that I chose to pack an old copy of Brave New World to re-read during a recent beach trip. More time than I care to admit has passed since the days of my high school required summer reading lists, and many of the details of this book had become a distant memory. Given some of the news headlines during the week of my trip, that book choice seemed eerily appropriate, and I have since been...
Another Independence Day celebration is upon us, yet I have to wonder if the meaning of the day hasn’t been lost to the America we’ve become. Holidays that once celebrated the history of our nation have seemingly become little more than retail sales events or long weekend relaxation trips rather than reflection on the significance of the day in history. But given the trend in certain segments of our culture to trivialize and/or demonize America and its accomplishments, the change in how man...
Many Americans have serious concerns about the vulnerability of our unsecured southern border and the danger it presents in allowing easy access to those who are determined to bring destruction on our nation. But while our attention is focused primarily on that southern border, little notice is paid to a federal program that may well be allowing those with evil intent into our country via legal and taxpayer-funded means. The Refugee Resettlement/Asylum Program has existed with relatively little...
A recent opinion piece from James Spann, Chief Meteorologist for ABC 33/40 in Birmingham regarding severe weather explored the various reasons that Alabamians fail to heed the warnings of approaching dangerous storms. Based on meteorologists’ collaboration with social scientists studying why there was such a tremendous loss of life from the April 27, 2011 tornadoes despite the timely warnings of that day, Spann relates that he learned many things. Given that my interest leans towards all t...
Sen. Ted Cruz announcement of his bid for President of the United States wasn’t surprising news, nor were the long knives from critics on the left and the establishment right that were immediately drawn for him. Because I assumed that a Cruz presidential campaign was simply a matter of time, I didn’t watch his speech at Liberty University until later that day, and frankly, it was the social media furor on Twitter that prompted me to take the time to watch it without interruption. I have no int...
As I have increased my participation in the political process over the last six years, the realization of just how little our citizenry knows or even cares about our system of government is probably the most frustrating, and at times, the most discouraging aspect of politics. My discouragement has little to do with the lack of involvement in party politics but rather in the basic knowledge and understanding of the system of checks and balances at the federal level envisioned by our Founders...
Along with millions of Americans, my husband and I recently viewed the movie “American Sniper” which portrays the four deployments of U.S. Navy SEAL Chris Kyle. As many have expressed on various social media sites, we also left the theatre in silence as we struggled to express the impact of the film and the ugly reality in which our men and women in uniform, along with their families, live their lives in service to our nation. Whether you agree or disagree with our overseas military strategy mat...
2 trillion dollars. That’s the amount Congress approved in appropriation funding to keep our government operating, including the pork required to pass it. If you wonder how we have reached a level of government requiring such an astronomical level of funding, retiring U.S. Senator Tom Coburn’s farewell address explained it best. In his remarks, Sen. Coburn read the oath all members of Congress take when being sworn into office as he believes the failure to comprehend that oath is part of the...
The mid-term elections are finally over and the holiday season is in retail overdrive wherever we turn. We’ve already felt the cold of the approaching winter, bringing delight to hunters across the state. While our sportsmen (and women) take to the woods of Alabama to fill their freezers with venison, there are far more dangerous animals for which we have little to no control – lame duck members of Congress and a lame duck president. Lame duck sessions occur after each November mid-term ele...
Fall is without a doubt my preferred season and November is definitely one of my favorite months, primarily because it seems that people exhibit far more of an attitude of thankfulness than during any other time of the year. Along with my absolute gratitude for all that God has provided, I venture to guess that some of us are more than a little thankful that another election season of road signs, phone polling, and negative advertising is ending. We’ll soon learn if those who are either r...