Tomorrow is Election Day, 2020!

Tomorrow we go to the polls to elect our leader for the next four years, and it is imperative that we all vote for JOE BIDEN.  The very soul of our nation depends on it.

 Four years ago we elected the most unfit man ever to hold that office.  He has disgraced our country and we must show the world that we realize that we made a mistake, but we corrected it at the very first chance we got. 

 I listen to Trump supporters who tell me that that know Trump is not perfect and they recognize the flaws of his character, but they ignore them because he lowered their taxes or reduced some regulations they did not like.  They have dozens of reasons to rationalize their choice.  Some of Trump’s policies have indeed been good and beneficial to our people.

BUT THE ENDS DO NOT JUSTIFY THE MEANS.   We cannot not sacrifice our integrity as a nation for short-term benefits.   The Devil always temps us; it takes true strength of character to stand up for what is right even though it may mean we don’t get what we want right now.   Did we not learn anything from the very first lesson in the Bible?

As a Christian, I try to teach my kids the lessons that Jesus taught us.  I try to teach my kids the difference between right and wrong.  I try to teach them to treat other people with dignity.  I try to teach them to treat other people the way they want to be treated.  I try to teach them to help others less fortunate.  I try to teach them that honesty is the best policy; that a man’s word is his bond; that his reputation for honesty is his most important asset.  I try to teach them that we are all children of God.  “Red and yellow, black, and white, they are precious in his sight.”:  What a beautiful thought, and one that we all need to remember. I try to teach my children that racism and prejudice are the tools of the devil. 

How can I teach my children these things by supporting a man whose actions are just the opposite of all of these things?   What kind of message would I be sending to my kids?

What kind of message are we sending to all of our children?   What kind of message are we sending to the rest of the world?

Over the past 100 years, we have been the beacon of democracy throughout the world.  We have been there for our friends when they needed us.  We stood up for the weaker countries and shed our blood to defend their freedom.  Our word was our bond.  Under our leadership, Democracy spread like wildfire throughout the world. Monarchies, dictatorships, and communism all diminished under the light of our democracy.  When a country was in need, we gave.  We shared our ideals, and backed them up with financial aid, and even our very lives.

Even though our ideals cost us a lot of money and lives, we prospered beyond anyone’s wildest dreams.  We went from being an isolated nation before World War I to being the world’s only superpower. We became the richest, most prosperous nation in the world.  Our people prospered.  We educated our children.  We reduced Illiteracy.  We wiped out many childhood diseases.  We went from horse and buggy to putting a man on the moon! 

But in the last four years, our shining light has been darkened.  We have become the laughingstock of the world. Our word is no longer any good. Indeed, we have abandoned our allies and left them to die on the battlefield.  We have alienated our friends and embraced our enemies. Without our leadership, we are seeing democracy crumple in countries all over the world.  Here at home, civil unrest is at its highest since the Civil War.  We are no longer a united people but a divided one.

Our Presidency is more than just an office. The President is our moral leader as well.  He not only sets the general policies and directions our nation takes, but he embodies all that we stand for as well.

Donald Trump is a pathological liar.  We cannot believe anything that he says.  He cannot be trusted.  He has lied over 20,000 times since taking office!  How can we teach our children that honesty is the best policy when our leader lies over 10 times every day? 

Donald Trump has mocked our Constitution.  He has abused the power of his office.  He has ignored the checks and balances our founding fathers built into the Constitution.  His corruption has spread like a cancer throughout his Administration and the Republican party itself.

We need a leader that can unite us in times of crisis.  When our country split apart, Lincoln led us through our bloodiest period and reunited us.  When we were attacked by the Japanese on December 7, 1941, FDR stepped up and led us through four years of hell, but kept us united.  As a result, we defeated fascism and rose out of the Great Depression at the same time.  When we were attacked on September 11, 2001, George W. Bush stepped up and united us.  His approval rating was over 90% during that crisis!

Now, during the past year, we have suffered another huge crisis; one that has killed more Americans than died in Vietnam and Korea combined.  During this crisis, Trump has FAILED us miserably.  Not only has he failed to unite us, he actively tries to divide us.  He has failed to follow the policies of his own experts and has not only ignored them, but ridiculed them as well.  This virus originated in China, which is about as far away from us as we can get.  Yet our infection and death rate is the worst in the world.  The counties closest to China, such as Vietnam and Japan, followed the advice of the experts and have had only a handful of deaths.

Trump’s failure of leadership not only has costs the very lives of tens of thousands of Americans, but has destroyed our economy as well.  Trump inherited a booming economy.  Indeed, it was the longest peacetime expansion in the past 100 years. Now, we are seeing the highest unemployment numbers since the Great Depression.  Even before the pandemic, Trump was only able to sustain the economic growth under Obama by vastly increasing the deficit, mortgaging our children’s future for our short-term goals.

Freedom of the press is one of our most important rights. Democracy depends on knowledge and transparency.  For 200 years, our press has served to keep our leaders honest.  It has served as a check against abuse of power.  Trump has not only attacked the media, he has successfully convinced many Americans that the press is the enemy of the people.  These are not the actions of a leader of a Democracy, they are the tyrannical actions of a dictator.

Both Presidents Obama and Bush were relentlessly attacked by citizens who disagreed with their policies.  But they both realized that Freedom of speech is essential to our Democracy, for it’s the right of every American to speak their minds and hold our leaders accountable for their actions that gives us our strength and that’s why it’s the very first right embodied in our Bill of Rights.   That’s why neither Bush nor Obama ever personally attached those who criticized their actions.  The recognized that their position of power could easily be abused and that accepting criticism was a core part of their job.   Trump, on the other hand, has done just the opposite.  He has used the megaphone of his office to attack and drown out all those who disagree with him.  These are not the actions of a democratic leader; they are the actions of a tyrant.

We need a president that we UNITE our people, especially in times of crisis.  Instead, Trump has used crises as an opportunity to divide us even further.  We are seeing civil unrest and riots all over our country at a level unseen in decades. Instead of recognizing and addressing the legitimate concerns of the people, he has chosen to attack them.

Get out tomorrow and VOTE.  Cast a vote to HEAL our country.  Cast a vote for DEMOCRACY.  Cast a vote for FREEDOM.   Cast a vote for INTEGRITY.    Vote for JOE BIDEN.

 

Endorsement of Joe Biden

 

I am a lifelong Republican. 

 I have donated money to most of our local Republican candidates, including Ben Cline, Emmet Hanger, Dickie Bell, Steve Landes, and others. I have never a single penny to any Democratic candidate.

 I marched in several parades to help Ben Cline get elected.

 I served as Vice Chair to the Augusta County Republican Committee.

 

I ENDORSE 

JOE BIDEN FOR PRESIDENT.

 

Why?  Because I believe in the principles and values outlined in our Republican Creed:

 

“That the free enterprise system is the most productive supplier of human needs and economic justice”

 

Donald Trump’s withdrawal from trade agreements and his arbitrary and vindicate tariffs flies in the face of free enterprise, not to mention his disgraceful efforts to hurt American companies such as Goodyear and Amazon simply because they did not agree with his political policies. Donald Trump has failed us miserably, and this alone is reason enough to realize he is unfit for the office of President.

 

“That all individuals are entitled to equal rights, justice, and opportunities and should assume their responsibilities as citizens in a free society”
 

Almost every one of Trump’s words and actions are designed to enrich himself and his cronies at the expense of the good people of our country. Under Trump, millions of Americans have lost their health insurance.  He has used his power to pardon to reward those loyal to him. He has further sabotaged our already-broken immigration system by slashing quotas, dividing families, and instilling fear in many. Remember, our creed states, “All Individuals”, not simply all citizens.  For Trump, justice comes second to loyalty to him. He has rewarded those loyal to himself while punishing those that disagree or otherwise oppose him, not only by his words – think Twitter – but by his actions as well.   Donald Trump has failed us miserably, and this alone is reason enough to realize he is unfit for the office of President.

 

“That fiscal responsibility and budgetary restraints must be exercised at all levels of government”

 Fiscal responsibility means paying your bills.  Trump promised to balance the budget and start to pay of our National Debt.  Instead, he increased both the deficit and national debt to historic levels during a time of economic boom, and that was well before the Covid-19 crisis. Sometimes it’s necessary to run a deficit to stimulate the economy in times of economic downturn, but during economic booms its equally important to be fiscally responsible by balancing the budget and repaying the debt that was incurred. Donald Trump has failed us miserably, and this alone is reason enough to realize he is unfit for the office of President.

  

“That the Federal Government must preserve individual liberty by observing Constitutional limitations”

 Trump has ignored Constitutional limitations by abusing his executive authority, issuing illegal executive orders, ignoring Congressional subpoenas, and actively obstructing justice on numerous occasions. Donald Trump has failed us miserably, and this alone is reason enough to realize he is unfit for the office of President. 

 

 “That peace is best preserved through a strong national defense”

 They key to a strong national defense is a strong system of allies.  World wars I and II were won be a strong collation of allied nations.  When we were attacked on September 11, 2001, our allies came to our defense as was required of member nations of NATO.  Trump has done everything he could to destroy NATO.  He has alienated our allies while embracing our enemies.  Worst of all, he abandoned our allies on the battlefield leaving them die.  Of all of his abominable actions, this is arguably the worst, and this alone is reason enough to realize he is unfit for the office of President.

  

“That faith in God, as recognized by our Founding Fathers is essential to the moral fiber of the Nation”

 A true Christian leads by example, he does not use it as a weapon to attack others or as political props.  Christians use the lessons, values, and morals taught us in the bible to guide us as we live our lives. Trump has no morality, ethics, or willingness to follow those principles.  For him, everything is about himself. Donald Trump has failed us miserably, and this alone is reason enough to realize he is unfit for the office of President.

 

 We need a leader that we can trust.  Donald Trump has LIED to the American People over 20,000 times since taking office.  He repeats the same lies every after they have been totally debunked.  He endorses crazy conspiracy theories while ignoring the advice from our intelligence agencies, scientists, and learned scholars.  He has attacked the media, labeling anything that is not flattering to himself as “Fake News”.  He promised to “Drain the Swamp” by banning government expenses from working as lobbyists right after leaving government service, but issued waivers that excluded much of his own staff.  Even worse, in multiple occasions, he has appointed lobbyists to run the very agencies whose job is to oversight their industries.

 Donald Trump is NOT a Republican, he is a charlatan simply telling his followers what they want to hear so that they will allow him to ignore existing laws, obstruct justice, and divide our country solely to pursue his own personal agenda to enrich himself and his cronies.  He has ignored all of the principles and values under which our party was founded. 

 On the other hand, Joe Biden has a long and distinguished history of serving his country and upholding these principles. He has shown us by his actions that his morality and faith in God are not merely words spoken to gather votes, but are the guiding principles in his life.  His perseverance during times of extremely personal crises have shown us that he has the courage, ethics, and morality to lead our nation out of this time of darkness by uniting rather than dividing us.

 Perhaps most importantly of all, a President’s job is lead and unite the people.  We are, after all, the UNITED States.  Instead, Trump has divided us.  Every one of his words and actions are designed to enrich himself by dividing us.  He actions have done great harm to our moral fiber as a nation, and he is totally unfit to hold the office of President of the United States.

  

As a TRUE REPUBLICAN, I proudly ENDORSE JOE BIDEN for PRESIDENT of the United States.

 

 

Defunding the Police

I have seen protesters demanding that we defund the police, or even dismantle them.

I understand their frustration and desire for dramatic changes.

But demanding the defunding or dismantling of the police makes no sense.  If I see a mouse in my house, I’ll buy a cat or a mouse trap.  I won’t burn down my house.

What we need is more accountability and transparency from our existing police departments.  We need to eliminate the “blue wall of silence”.  Every policeman must realize that we WILL hold them to the highest standard because we are entrusting them with our lives.

Specific actions can be taken:

(1) Every department needs a civilian oversight committee, whose members are either elected or appointed to one or two year terms.  If appointed, these committees must be large enough to ensure that they reflect the racial makeup of their jurisdiction.  No person should be able to serve on a committee for more than one term.  This will ensure prevent a new “establishment” from entrenching itself.

(2) Mandate the use of video cameras on all patrol cars and persons on patrol. These videos must be made public as much as possible, without compromising investigations or citizens’ privacies.  The decision on when to release these videos should be made by the civilian oversight committee.

(3) Set policies that officers who witness serious misconduct must report it, and, when possible, actively intervene to stop it.  “Serious” misconduct would include any conduct that could result in a felony or civil rights charge against the officer.

(4) Identify officers whose attitude does not reflect the proper values and respect for all citizens that is required of them.  These officers should be terminated, or, at the very least, removed from the street until they have received counseling and additional training to correct the issues.  In larger departments, annual reviews for all officers should be conducted using an independent counselor or board.

(5) Every department needs to maintain statistics detailing the quantity and reason for all police/citizen contacts, arrests, complaints, prosecutions, etc., using a national standard that uniformly classifies types of encounters, broken down by race, sex, age, geographic area, etc.  We need a NATIONAL website that will make these statistics publicly available.  This website would not only let us look at any individual department, city, or even neighborhood, but would show averages for each category as a whole, and also broken down by state, city, and even city size.  Police departments that fall below par would be identified and correct measures taken.

(6) Emphasize community involvement.  The public should be encouraged to meet their patrolman, and given ample opportunities to do so.  “Ride a longs”, “Citizen Police Academies”,  and other such programs should be offered that allow the public to see not only how the police operate, but WHY they take the actions that they do.

BUT THAT’S NOT ENOUGH!

We need to take actions to address the underlying social and economic problems plaguing our communities, such as poverty, hunger, healthcare including mental health, inadequate child care services, income inequality, below-par educational inner-city schools, gangs, the homeless, drugs, and other issues which lead to crime.

We need to stop treating drug addicts as criminals and offer them treatment and support. That includes programs to identify and enable early intervention.

It cost’s the taxpayers an average $31,000 per year to keep someone in prison, and the average inmate spends two years in prison.  That’s $64,000 every time we send someone to jail.  For far less than that, we could help them get back on their feet by making sure that they have food, a decent place to live, and providing meaningful job training and assistance.

We need to eliminate this fear of giving help to a community because someone might get something they don’t deserve.  We setup our current support and aid programs in a way that makes it difficult for many to get access to the services they need.  We are so worried about someone getting food stamps that doesn’t deserve it, we make it so that many people who DO need them don’t.  I would rather see ten people get them who don’t need them than one person who does need then get deprived.   (Of course, when we find those that do abuse the system, they do need to be held accountable.)

Most people DO WANT TO WORK.  There is tremendous satisfaction to being able to support one’s self and their family.  It builds self-esteem, and people NEED THAT.   It’s the lack of self-esteem and pride that leads many into a sense of hopelessness, and that is the major underlying cause of most of our social ills.

Let’s give people the TOOLS they need to success.  Let’s make sure that EVERY PERSON in the county has the CHANCE to succeed. 

Why we need to be able to trust our President

For 200 years, our country has built a reputation of trust.  When we committed to support our allies, they could take that to the bank.  This week, President Trump abandoned our Kurdish Allies and left them to die unprotected.   AND TODAY, SOME OF THEM DIED.  This is not a petty tweet insulting someone.   This is not “Trump being Trump”.   These Kurds put everything on the line to help us defeat ISIS.  AND WE LEFT THEM TO DIE when we no longer needed them.   200 years of our hard-earned reputation of trust – trust earned with the blood of millions of Americans – has been shattered by the disgraceful act of a despicable man.

The situation in Syria between the Kurds and Turkey appears to be more complicated than most people realize.   Both Turkey and the Kurds have worked with us to defeat ISIS.  There are many factions in the middle east that hate each other, and allegiances seem to shift often.  The presence of U.S. forces in the area not only helps in the fight against ISIS, but helps keep the peace between our allies as well.  In this case, it appears that the presence of only around 100 U.S. troops was what was preventing Turkey from attacking the Kurds.

Perhaps there was a good reason for his actions. Maybe some top-secret intelligence that we, the public, do not have access to made this decision necessary. This is why it is so important to have a President that we can trust.  Because he has access to the intelligence, we depend on him to properly understand it and make the correct decisions.   Ordinary U.S. citizens do not have access to the intelligence needed to fully understand the situation, let alone be able to make the proper decisions on how to deploy our military and/or diplomatic corps. 

But Donald Trump has proven himself to be untrustworthy and unfit.  While many of his lies, tweets, and actions are petty and relatively harmless, or even designed just to troll the media and his distractors, their cumulative effect is to destroy the public’s trust that we must have in our president. 

If we can’t believe what he says about easily verifiable facts, how can we be expected to believe him about matters of grave concern, such as this week’s decision to abandon our allies in Syria?

LOST: Accountability & Integrity in the GOP

I am a proud Republican. I have been a Republican all of my life. I voted for Reagan and both Bushes. I have never donated a single penny to a Democratic Candidate. 

The Republican Party was founded on a set of values and principles which are expounded in our Republican Creed, and exemplified by our greatest leaders, including Lincoln, Roosevelt, and Eisenhower. 

“Our great President Dwight D. Eisenhower has counseled us further: "In all those things which deal with people, be liberal, be human. In all those things which deal with people's money, or their economy, or their form of government, be conservative."
--- 1956 Republican Party Platform

I will wholeheartedly support any Republican candidate whose actions and words reflect the values on which our party was founded.  In the past two years, I have made financial donations to most of our local representatives, including Dickie Bell, Emmet Hanger, Ben Cline, and Steve Landes. I have marched in parades. I joined the local Augusta County Republican Committee in an effort to make a difference.

But my honor and integrity are not for sale.  Period.

I feel that it is our duty, as Republicans, not only to support our elected officials while they govern using the values and principles of our party, it is also our duty as Republicans to call them out and hold them accountable when they fail to live up to our values and principles.

Sadly, there are very few TRUE Republicans left in leadership positions in the Republican Party today. 

Today’s GOP party leaders and elected officials are failing us miserably. Corruption is running rampant at every level of our party. Our GOP leaders speak often of our Republican Creed, but their words ring hollow. Their actions do not even come close to what our creed requires. 

What’s worse, when anyone speaks out against what they want to hear, they are immediately labeled as “liberals”, “closet Democrats”, or RINO’s.  The real irony is that it’s today's GOP leaders that are the real RINO's.   And they have the gall to call us true Republicans RINO's!

This week was just another example of the corruption that pervades our party. There can be no defense when a sitting President calls the leader of another country and asks them to investigate his chief political rival, and to coordinate that investigation with his personal attorney. 

The transcript released by the White House itself reveals our President doing just that.

This disgraceful action cannot be blamed on the Democrats. It cannot be blamed on the media. It cannot be blamed on the whistleblower. It cannot be blamed on Adam Schiff. It cannot be dismissed because of “all the things he has accomplished as President.” 

Richard Nixon accomplished much during his presidency. He established trade with China. He created the Environmental Protection Agency. He signed into law both the Clean Air Act and the Endangered Species Act. He started the process of getting us out of the Vietnam War. He balanced the budget. He established OSHA. Voting age was lowered by Constitutional Amendment during his watch, and he supported the ERA amendment. He won re-election by one of the widest margins ever: 520 electoral votes to McGovern’s 17 votes.  He carried FORTY-NINE states!

But when it was revealed he obstructed justice, our own Republican Leaders did their duty and held him accountable..

It’s time for our current party leaders and elected officials to step up and DO THEIR DUTY as well.  

OH, YEAH:  Our Republican Party Platform used to say this as well: 

“We believe that basic to governmental integrity are unimpeachable ethical standards and irreproachable personal conduct by all people in government. We shall continue our insistence on honesty as an indispensable requirement of public service. We shall continue to root out corruption whenever and wherever it appears.”

The Wall

This entire “Build the Wall” nonsense could be eliminated if both sides would just relax and actually communicate with each other.

First, let’s look at what President Trump is actually asking for.  He wants $5.7 billion dollars.  But how is it to be used exactly?  I have not seen any details, although I have heard some reports say that not all of that is for actual construction.   I have read that this is to cover 230 miles of the border.  Exactly where is this portion of the wall to be built?  Will this replace an existing fence or wall, or will it be constructed where there is currently no barrier at all?   Will we need to use eminent domain to get the land needed for any portion of this 230 miles of wall?

I would be more inclined to support the $5.7 billion dollar funding request if I knew what I was buying.  We all ridiculed Pelosi for saying we had to pass the law to know what was in the law.  This sounds like the same thing.  Mr. President, please just provide the details on the exact breakdown and time frame you are talking about.

I would also be more inclined to support the $5.7 billion if the wall construction was just part of a project that would include the use of modern technology and an increased number of border agents as well.

We also need to look at how much of the border actually needs a physical, man-made barrier.  Take 20 minutes and use Google Maps and Google Satellite to zoom all the way in on the actual border and look at it all. 

It’s plain to see that there are vast sections of the border that not only do not need a wall, but where physical construction of any type of barrier would be impractical.  There are hundreds of miles of border that are so isolated that a wall would serve no purpose.  If someone did manage to even reach the wall, they would have days to get over it before any law enforcement would arrive to stop them.  And then they would have hundreds of more miles to go to reach civilization.  Other parts of the border are mountainous and just as isolated.

Then there is the Rio Grande river.  Parts of it have carved out a canyon that has steep cliff hundreds of feet tall on each side, rendering crossing impossible for anybody not named Evil Knievel.  Other parts of the river are flatter, but any wall, or even a fence, constructed there would dam up the river.  Any wall there would eventually be washed away, and if it wasn’t, would violate water rights treaties we have with Mexico that prevents either country from interfering with the flow of the river.

But what is pretty clear from looking at the Google Satellite is that where the border is anywhere near a town or road, there is already either a wall, fence, river, or impassable terrain already in place.

The truth is no reasonable person can think that a wall across the entire southern border is even feasible.  But no one wants a border that can be easily crossed at will, either. 

The solution is to make sure adequate security is used all along our border.  Key crossing areas, such as those near major highways and large cities, need a physical wall.  In other locations, a strong fence would suffice.  But the terrain itself is all that is needed along vast parts of the border.

But the most aggravating part of this issue is the fact that wall is a solution in search of a problem.  Illegal border crossings have been declining for the past ten or fifteen years, and are at their lowest levels in decades.  Most of the drugs entering our country come across through legal ports or from the ocean.  While this does not mean we can relax our border security, there is no reason that this border issue should be a major issue at this time, and it certainly does not even come close to being any type of emergency.

Both sides should work together to come up with a solution that address all aspects of our immigration system.  Remember, illegal border crossings are just a symptom indicating a much large issue.  Addressing real immigration reform is the answer.

"How to pass Laws for Guns and Voting" for Dummies and Congress.

The rights to vote and to bear arms are two of our most precious and fundamental rights, and they must be protected.  Many people have concerns that laws put into place to ensure that the mentally ill and felons (whose civil rights have not been restored) are imposing unreasonable burdens on law-abiding citizens who want to exercise their rights to vote and/or buy a firearm.

Republicans are concerned that the Democrats want to take away our guns, and fight every effort to impose any restrictions. But they are very concerned with preventing voter fraud.

Democrats, on the other hand, are afraid that the Republicans’ requirements for voter registration are really designed to disenfranchise minority voters. The Democrats also want to do something about the gun violence in our country.

Nether side is willing to work with the other.

HERE’S AN IDEA:

Let’s make the requirements to vote and the requirements to purchase a firearm EXACTLY THE SAME.  

Let Congress setup whatever waiting periods, registration procedures, background checks, and/or identity verification requirements that they feel is necessary.  But whatever requirements they pass apply equally to the right to vote and the right to buy a gun.   If they cannot pass a law within 90 days, all current restrictions on both go away.

Maybe then the members of Congress can start to work together and DO THEIR JOB and pass a reasonable law.

Hint:  THIS IS NOT HARD.   Start with a simple background check, 15 day waiting period, a valid birth certificate, and an annual renewal.  

Doing the right thing: Brett Kavanaugh

“Do what is right, not what is easy nor what is popular.”
                                          - Roy T. Bennett

Our Sunday school teacher put this quote up on the board yesterday.   It’s sad that so many people fail to follow this simple principle.   That includes many of my fellow Republicans that are still backing Kavanaugh’s nomination.   It’s time they stepped back and DID THE RIGHT THING, even if it’s not the popular thing.

KAVANAUGH’S OWN TESTIMONY AND BEHAVIOR ON THE STAND ILLUSTRATES THAT HE IS NOT QUALIFIED TO BE ON THE SUPREME COURT.  Christine Ford’s testimony was not needed at all in order to reach this conclusion.

Let me start be saying how disgusted I am that certain Democrats sat on these allegations and released them at the last moment.  They knew about them from the start.  If they were not willing to release them back in July, they should have never released them now.

But, regardless of how they were released, once out in the open, they needed to be investigated. 

I watched, but mostly listened, to almost all of Christine Ford’s testimony.  She came across as sincere and believable.  She was obviously not a professional activist nor witness, and it was apparent she was very nervous throughout the hearing.  Yet, her story was consistent, despite the attempts to nit-pick it apart.  I have no doubt that she was sexually assaulted as she described, and believe her attacker probably was Kavanaugh.  An incident such as this would be a life-altering one, and it would be one of those times that is indelibly pressed into your memory.  It would be one of those events where you always remember where you were and what you were doing when it happened.

I believe Brett Kavanaugh was in a drunken stupor, and probably does not remember the incident.  Ford herself said that this particular party was not anything special, and she stated that Kavanaugh was falling-down drunk and was bouncing off the walls in the hallway and staircase.  Ford did not report the incident to the police or even tell a single person about it.  That would mean that nobody else at the party except for the three people in the room would have any reason to remember that party as out of the ordinary.  It is likely that Kavanagh was not even aware that she was resisting. He was a varsity football player, and was so drunk he was unable to remove or even rip any of her clothes.  That does not excuse his behavior.  He chose to drink alcohol, and is responsible for his actions. 

As horrible as his actions were, and, while he should have been punished at that time, almost forty years have passed.  He grew up, and, by all accounts, has been an pillar of the community for all of his adult life.  That must be taken into consideration.

After hearing Ford’s testimony, my heart went out to her for all of the suffering she has gone through, including the last few weeks.  But, when compared against almost forty years of exemplary behavior, I could not punish the man now.  As a Christian, I believe in Forgiveness and redemption.   (This is the same reason I am so adamantly opposed to deporting illegal aliens who have lived here in the U.S. for many years and have led upstanding lives.)

I do support a delay, however long is reasonably needed, for the FBI to re-open its background investigation to ensure that this incident was indeed a one-time, out-of-character, drunken act of stupidity by a 17 year-old kid.  If the investigation were to reveal other similar incidents or a pattern of behavior, that would, of course, be immediately disqualifying.

I watched most of Kavanaugh’s testimony live, and I watched it all again over the weekend.

BUT IT WAS KAVANAUGH’S OWN TESTIMONY AND BEHAVIOR ON THE STAND HAS CAUSED TO CHANGE MY MIND.  I would have reached this same conclusion had I not seen or heard ANY of the testimony from Christine Ford.  I stated above that my support for Kavanaugh was not changed by her testimony; my opinion was changed by his.

I completely understand his anger and frustration at these charges, especially since I believe that he really does not remember it and that he believes he really is innocent.  I would be angry as well.   But his statement clearly showed political bias, and judges are supposed to be above that.

As a judge, he should be able to control his anger and emotions, and let reason prevail.  I am not referring to his emotions when he was describing the effect it had on his family; I am talking about the anger he was directing at the Democrats by invoking conspiracy theories and claims that it was all made up as revenge for the Clintons.   As I said earlier, I am disgusted that the Democrats waited so long to present the allegations, but their failure to act timely does not diminish the veracity of the claim.

I am especially disturbed that, during cross-examination, he seemed to be less than truthful when answering questions about his past drinking, behavior, and language used. I graduated the same year as he, and my memories of my own high-school during that time echoes his own school.  While I cannot say he outright lied, he was less than truthful with at least three statements: 

When asked if he passed out, He claimed he just “went to sleep”.  Since passing out IS going to sleep, that statement would have been correct.  But “going to sleep” has a connotation that it was an conscious action take because one was tired, as opposed to an involuntary action over which he had no control.

Second, he stated that he had no connections to Yale, when he was a legacy student.  Again, while it’s possible he did not use his grandfather’s connection to Yale to get in, it does not change the fact that he did indeed have connections to Yale.  I find it highly unlikely that he would have been unaware that his grandfather had attended that school.

Third, he made it a point to state that drinking was legal at age 18 when he was in high school, implying that he was legally drinking, when, in fact, he was only 17.  While not technically a lie, it was misleading, and a failure to tell “the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth”. 

His demeanor in court was not appropriate.  He repeatedly evaded direct questions, and questioned his questioners.  “I don’t know.  Did you?”   That kind of behavior would not fly in any courtroom, and, as a sitting judge, he knows that.

But the turning point for me came when he refused to support a proper FBI investigation.  He intentionally attempted to deflect the question several times when asked, and finally simply refused to answer.  Now, the Democrats will claim that is because he knows he is guilty and has something to hide.  I won’t go that far.  To me, it means that he worries, and rightfully so, that any delay can only harm his chances for confirmation.  An FBI investigation cannot clear him since there were only three people in the room and all physical evidence is long since gone.  The best he could hope for is for the FBI to state that they could find no corroborating evidence and no evidence of similar behavior and incidents. 

What he was doing was putting his ambitions and desire to be on the Supreme Court over the good of the country, and over the need to seek the truth.  In my mind, that alone is a disqualifying act for a candidate for Supreme Court Justice.

I believe that Brett Kavanaugh is a good person who has led an exemplary life throughout his adulthood.  He appears today to be a man of high morals and good character  a great citizen.   

But we require more than that for our top Justices.  We already hold law enforcement officers, lawyers and judges to a higher standard than the average citizen.   We must always hold our highest leaders to the highest of standards. 

Sadly, Brett Kavanaugh is not one of those leaders.  It was not his alleged behavior from forty years ago, but, rather, his own testimony and behavior on the stand this week that demonstrates to me why he does not reach those highest of standards.

George W. Bush withdraw Harriet Myers from consideration for reasons far less serious than Kavanaugh is facing today.  Kavanaugh still has a life-time appointment to the D.C. Federal Court, arguably the second-highest court in the land.   President Trump should withdraw his nomination and choose another candidate.   There is no shame in that; it would be the right thing to do.  We are not in a race against time; we waited almost a year before replacing Scalia. 

Surely, we can take some more time and find the next truly great Supreme Court Justice.

The Ends do not Justify the Means

The Trump Administration has had significant accomplishments over the past year. I am very happy that our economy is booming right now.  Just this week, the report came out that unemployment reached the lowest level in decades.  We have a new Supreme Court Justice who will serve us well for many years.  We are in talks with North Korea for the first time in decades.  A lot of excessive regulations have been rolled back, removing unnecessary burdens on our businesses.  Congress passed a long-needed reform on Business taxes, bringing our business tax code in line with every other nation. 

But, the ENDS DO NOT JUSTIFY THE MEANS.

EVER.

It is NEVER OKAY to dismiss unethical, corrupt, and immoral behavior in order to achieve a goal.   We all should have learned that in Kindergarten.

I am not talking about the petty issues that the Democrats keep bringing up. I am not talking about his being “politically incorrect”.  I am not talking about his making everything all about himself.  All that just goes to his personality, and we have had plenty of presidents with eccentric personalities.

But don’t confuse character and morality with personality. That’s something totally different, and it’s one’s character and morality that counts.

When Trump repeatedly lies on an almost daily basis, that is a moral failure of character, and we must stand up and speak out against that. I am not referring to his statements of opinion or statements that can be construed in different ways.  I mean the flat-out lies that have been disproved beyond doubt, but that he keeps repeating over and over again.  We are brought up to respect our leaders, and it we inherently want and need to believe and trust our leaders.  When one repeats the same lie over and over again, people actually start to believe it; especially those who don’t have the time to research and find out the truth.

When Trump falsely attacks every media outlet that publishes something he does not like, labeling it “Fake News”, that is a moral failing.  Some of these media may be editorially liberal, but very little of what they have reported has been proven wrong.  Reputable conservative-leaning media, such as the Wall Street Journal, National Review, and The Economist, are reporting essentially the same facts as the liberal media.  Even Fox News reports these same facts during their regular news programs, such as Shepard Smith’s segments in the afternoons. 

When Trump claims that our Justice Department and FBI are corrupt and are out to get him, that is not only a moral failure, it’s an attack on our very Democracy, and one I WILL NOT STAND FOR.  Our law enforcement agencies are made up of dedicated, hard-working Americans who put their lives on the line every day for far too little pay, and that includes those at the very top.  Both James Comey and Robert Mueller are Republicans, and both have a decades-old reputation for honesty and integrity. Neither one of them has ever been caught telling a lie, and it is beyond belief how anybody could believe the ridiculous accusations made against them by someone who tells lies big and small almost daily.

When we have a President that spreads conspiracy theories that are so outrageous that until now only the radical far-right or -left nut cases actually believed them, that’s another attack on our democracy.  There is no “deep-state” conspiracy. It is virtually impossible for two or three people to keep a secret.  Can anybody really believe that hundreds of people on both sides of the political spectrum are part of some wide conspiracy that controls every part of our government? 

Our party was founded 150 years ago on a set of core values, and followed by our greatest leaders, including Lincoln, Roosevelt, Eisenhower, and Reagan.  These values are based on honesty, integrity, and morality. 

I AM A REPUBLICAN, and I believe in the core values our party was founded on 150 years ago.  Our own Virginia Republican Creed pretty much sums up exactly what I believe: That the free enterprise system is the most productive supplier of human needs and economic justice, that all individuals are entitled to equal rights, justice, and opportunities and should assume their responsibilities as citizens in a free society, that fiscal responsibility and budgetary restraints must be exercised at all levels of government, that the Federal Government must preserve individual liberty by observing Constitutional limitations, that peace is best preserved through a strong national defense, and that faith in God, as recognized by our Founding Fathers is essential to the moral fiber of the Nation.

BUT MY INTEGRITY IS NOT FOR SALE, and I will not compromise my own values by staying silent while a corrupt leader mocks these very values on which our party is based. 

There is nothing wrong with supporting the policies of our President, especially when they follow our party’s positions.  But we also must call out and condemn immoral and unethical behavior with just as loud and united of a voice.  We can never allow our ethics and integrity to be compromised by any individual.

OUR LOYALTY should ALWAYS be to our COUNTRY and to TRUTH and HONESTY, and then to our PARTY, and NEVER to any individual.

Right now, too many people in our party are allowing these core values to be sacrificed, and this is wrong. When we have a leader that lacks moral character, it becomes a CANCER that spreads throughout the administration and throughout the party, and that has been clearly evident ever since Trump took office.  This corruption has flowed all the way down to the local districts.

Is Trump too sleazy to be guilty?

The $130,000 payment made to Stormy Daniels as hush money has been a hot topic over the last few weeks.  Was this an illegal campaign contribution or not?   Did Trump know about the payment or not?   Did Trump reimburse his attorney or not?

If the payment was made in order to influence the election, or prevent negative influence over the election, then it was a campaign contribution unless Trump made it himself.   But Trump had stated that he did not know about the payment at the time.  He has stated that Cohen represented him. 

Much has been made over the fact that an attorney cannot settle a case without his client’s approval.  If Trump did not know about it, how could he have approved it? 

There is one scenario that has not been explored:

If covering up bad behavior was something that happened regularly going back way before the campaign, then it is entirely reasonable that Trump could have instructed his attorney to handle all such issues and could have authorized Cohen to confidentially settle them up to a certain dollar amount without further authorization.  His ongoing $35,000 monthly retainer payments to Cohen actually bolster this argument.   He essentially budgeted $35,000 per month to cover any consequences from his sleazy behavior.  $35,000 per month to a billionaire is about the same as $25 to people like you and me.

Personally, I can easily believe that Trump had just such an arrangement with Cohen.   After all, Cohen was his “fixer”.   Remember, Trump was caught on tape bragging that since he was a celebrity, he could randomly grab women by their private parts.  I think it’s safe to assume he actually did do that to women on occasion.  He also bragged about walking into women’s dressing rooms whenever he wanted as well.

While there is NO EXCUSE for that kind of behavior, we all know that there are some women that would have willingly accepted his assaults and returned the “affection”.   Others would have silently acquiesced out of fear or intimidation.  Others might have slapped him or slugged him.   Finally, it stands to reason that at least some of them would have taken some sort of legal action.  Given that the Billy Bush conversation happened almost 15 years ago, this does show a pattern of bad behavior going back decades.  Does anyone really believe that Stormy Daniels and the Playmate were the only two who complained?   And isn’t also likely that even Trump has occasionally been falsely accused by someone just looking to make money?   

I do NOT know for sure if this was what really happened or not.  But it DOES explain the actions of both Cohen and Trump, and explains how Trump really might not have known about the specific payments. 

If this WAS the case, and these types of settlements were so routine that his attorney was authorized to settle up to a certain amount without even contacting Trump, that pretty much negates the campaign contribution issue.

It kind of comes down to this:  If this was an isolated incident that required a payment right before the election, a crime probably was committed.  But, if Trump was so sleazy and immoral that these settlements were routine, then he probably did NOT violate election finance laws.

Hijacked!

I am a life-long Republican,

I believe in the values under which our party was founded almost two hundred years ago.  It distresses me that in the past 50 years or so, factions with agendas of their own have managed to hijack the Republican Party for their own corrupt purposes.  They have twisted our core values so much, that in many ways, current GOP leaders are taking positions that are completely in opposition to these very core values.  This is a CANCER in our party that must be eliminated before it destroys our party completely.

For example, our founding fathers specified in the Constitution that Federal Judges would be appointed for life.  This was to ensure that these judges would remain above and outside of party politics, and follow the rule of law when rendering their decisions.  As a check on this power, our founding fathers provided that BOTH of the other branches would have to individually approve EVERY Federal judge before he could take office.  As a further check, all decisions at the highest levels of our courts must be made by a majority from a panel of judges. 

But, right now, we have a candidate seeking the party’s nomination to the House of Representatives, who has stated that, if elected, she plans to try to usurp the checks and balances put into place, and use to improperly the impeachment power of Congress to remove Federal Judges who make decisions that she does not agree with.  Congress was granted the power of impeachment to remove corruption, not enable it!  This is a blaring example of the CANCER that has infiltrated our party and that needs to be excised as quickly as possible. 

WHAT DO I BELIEVE?

Our founding fathers put into place a brilliant system of government, with power divided between three separate branches, complete with checks and balances that ensure that democracy will always prevail and tyranny can never again rear its ugly head. 

But for our governmental to work, we must insist on integrity, unimpeachable ethical standards, and irreproachable personal conduct from all people in government. We need  to demand that honesty be an indispensable requirement of public service. We need to vigilantly root out corruption whenever and wherever it appears.

I believe THAT THE FREE ENTERPRISE SYSTEM IS THE MOST PRODUCTIVE SUPPLIER OF HUMAN NEEDS AND ECONOMIC JUSTICE.   This is the essence of Capitalism, and is the philosophy upon with our entire economic system is built.  As Republicans, we must protect the FREE MARKET. Government regulation of business is not inherently bad.  Indeed, while we must protect the free market from UNNECESSARY government interference, we must also use the government’s power to prevent immoral businesses from using their size and wealth to inhibit that same free market.

I believe THAT ALL INDIVIDUALS ARE ENTITLED TO EQUAL RIGHTS, JUSTICE, AND OPPORTUNITIES AND SHOULD ASSUME THEIR RESPONSIBILITIES AS CITIZENS IN A FREE SOCIETY. I believe that ALL citizens should be encouraged to vote, and we should do everything we can to make the voting process easily accessible to every citizen. I believe that Gerrymandering of any type that puts any race at a disadvantage is illegal and immoral.  I believe that discrimination of any type is immoral, including discrimination by age, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, or familial status.

I believe THAT FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY AND BUDGETARY RESTRAINTS MUST BE EXERCISED AT ALL LEVELS OF GOVERNMENT.  We must operate under an overall balanced budget. The government should be extremely frugal when spending the people’s money, and must be able to justify every dollar that it spends.  At the same time, failing to impose taxes at a rate that will ensure a balanced budget during times of economic growth is fiscally irresponsible. The ONLY time a deficit is acceptable is during a national emergency or during times of economic recession. During times of economic growth, such as now, our budget must generate a SURPLUS that can be used to cover any deficits that are necessary during times of economic recession. Taxing power is a necessary evil that must be used fairly and responsibly to ensure that our government can meet its fiscal responsibilities.

I believe THAT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT MUST PRESERVE INDIVIDUAL LIBERTY BY OBSERVING CONSTITUTIONAL LIMITATIONS.  Our country was founded on the belief that we all have the rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. It’s our individual liberties that allows us to exercise these rights. Our Constitution must always be interpreted to ensure that these rights are preserved, not impeded. We shall not tolerate those who attempt to twist the Constitution in order LIMIT the individual liberties of others.

I believe THAT PEACE IS BEST PRESERVED THROUGH A STRONG NATIONAL DEFENSE. This not only includes properly maintaining our military to the highest standards, but ensuring that our State Department should work hand-in-hand with our military to implement a comprehensive, consistent, and clear foreign policy using diplomacy to avoid war, but being ready, willing, and able to back up our policies with force with diplomacy fails.

I believe THAT FAITH IN GOD, AS RECOGNIZED BY OUR FOUNDING FATHERS, IS ESSENTIAL TO THE MORAL FIBER OF THE NATION. Just as our government is of the people, it is the collective moral fiber of our citizens that gives our nation its moral fiber – not the other way around. We do NOT use the government to force our personal religious beliefs on others. It means that we lead our own lives, guided by our own faith in God, to set an example for others. This is why the First Amendment guarantees each of us freedom of Religion. A government that mandates religion in any way cannot guarantee religious freedom. That is why our Founding Fathers made sure that adhering to any specific religion shall never be a requirement to hold public office.

Mental Health Problem OR Gun Problem? Really?

I have listened to various politicians and activists push arguments such as “Guns don’t kill people; people kill people”, “We don’t need new gun laws; we just need to enforce the existing ones” and “It’s not a gun problem; it’s a mental health problem”.   But these are not really arguments at all; they are just rhetoric used to deflect the focus off guns.  They are nice sound bites, but do not address the problem and offer no solutions.

“It’s not a gun problem; it’s a mental health problem”   OF COURSE it’s a mental health problem. Sane people don’t walk into schools and start shooting kids.  But that does not mean that we don’t also have a gun control problem.  The two issues are not mutually exclusive.

“Guns don’t kill people; people kill people”.   What a stupid thing to say!   When we say we have a Gun Problem, most people with more than two working brain cells realize we mean that we have a Gun CONTROL Problem. 

“We don’t need new gun laws; we just need to enforce the existing ones”.    For the most part, I agree.  We already have laws prohibiting felons and the mentally ill from possessing guns.  But these laws are not properly enforced.   Universal Background Checks are simply a tool to enforce the existing laws.  They will not prohibit anyone from possessing a gun who is not already prohibited from owning one.

 SECOND AMENDMENT

Like all of our rights, our right to bear arms comes with responsibilities as well.  

The Second Amendment is not absolute.   We already prohibit felons and the mentally ill from possessing firearms, even though the Second Amendment does not state that “the rights of the people shall not be infringed, unless they are felons or mentally ill”.

When the founding fathers adopted the Second Amendment, the musket was the height of technology.  You fired once, then had to take 30 seconds to reload before you could fire again.  It was not possible to use one to rapidly kill multiple people.  

School shootings are not something new.  That has been at least one school shooting almost every year for the past 150 years.  But the carnage inflicted by these shootings has increased as weapons technology has improved.

UNDERLYING CAUSES OF GUN VIOLENCE

Before we can even attempt to solve the gun control problem, we need to look at the causes.  Most gun deaths can be classified in one of four ways:

Criminals using guns to commit crimes.   If we want to get serious about preventing criminals from getting access to guns, background checks have to be universal.  There can be no exceptions.  All it takes is one loophole.  If criminals can buy guns easily at gun shows, that’s just what they will do.  Why even try to buy at a store when they have a ready alternative?  It’s even easier to buy a gun from someone they know who does not have a criminal record.

Crimes of passion; domestic violence; suicide.   These account for the majority of all gun deaths, and most of these are committed by people with no criminal history.  Criminal Background checks alone would not be effective.  This is where waiting periods come in.  A 30-day waiting period would give a person time to calm down or would give those close to him or her time to recognize the crisis and to intervene before it’s too late. 

  

Mass Shootings.  While this is the one that gains the most attention, it is also the one that will be hardest to prevent.  Most of these mass shooters plan their crimes well in advance, often months or even years.  Most have no criminal backgrounds. Waiting periods and background checks may prevent a few, such as the church shooting in Texas, but that was an exception more than the rule.  The only way to prevent these types of incidents is for people to pay attention for warning signs and intervene and/or alert authorities.

Accidents.  These are easily the most preventable deaths.  If one wishes to own a firearm, they have the responsibility to learn how to properly use and store their firearms.  Yet there are no requirements for even the most basic training or education before one is allowed to buy such a deadly weapon. 

This illustrates that there will not be one simple solution.  The ultimate solutions will involve addressing each of the underlying causes, and there will not be one-size-fits-all solution that addresses all of the causes.

Ultimately, we will need to come up with a solution that provides:

1. A way to ensure that felons and the mentally ill do not have access to guns by any means.   This will include  mandatory reporting of all criminal convictions to a central registry.  This registry would also include those deemed mentally ill.  It would also include those who are under protective orders.

2. A process that allows one to appeal his or her placement on this list to ensure mistakes are not made.

3. A requirement that one who does purchase a gun understands their responsibilities to properly use and store their weapons.

4. A waiting period to ensure that violent reactive emotions do not factor into the equation.

Back in November, after the church shooting in Texas, I posted my own ideas on a comprehensive solution.   Read about them here:  http://scottmcmurrain.blogspot.com/2017/11/use-common-sense-people-demand.html

Demanding Real Immigration Reform

We all agree that the entire immigration situation in our country is a disgrace.

Unless your parent or adult child is already here, It can take over twenty years to get approved for legal immigration into the U.S., and that is if you already have other relatives here. This is what Trump has referred to as “Chain Immigration”.  The average time is more than 12 years. If you have no existing relatives or contacts in the U.S., your chances of ever being allowed in are slim to none.

While we do depart many criminals, they seem to just sneak right back in.  We have heard stories about gang members who have been deported numerous times, but continue to return and commit even more crimes.

What really complicates the issue is that politicians from both sides are using isolated incidents to instill fear and outrage among their constituents.  Much of what we hear about immigration is simply NOT TRUE.  With over 11 million illegal immigrants already here, there are bound to be some bad apples.  But that’s true of any population that size.

On the other hand, the vast majority of the immigrants in our both, both legal and illegal, are hard-working, honest people who just want to make a better life for themselves in the land of opportunity.  In fact, they are VITAL to our economy, and also to YOUR OWN FINANCIAL SECURITY!

Our labor pool is shrinking, and immigrants are needed to take the jobs that Americans do not want.  Unemployment is already at its lowest point in many years, and employers are finding it difficult to hire needed workers. Working immigrants also increase the number of people paying into Social Security, which is desperately needed.  Unless Social Security revenues are raised, Social Security benefits will have to been cut very soon.

Another area of concern is that our fertility rate is less than 2.0, which means that our population will DECREASE without immigrants.  A decreasing population is BAD for our nation and for our economy. 

And let’s not forget that ALL of our ancestors were immigrants at one time or another.  It is this DIVERSITY that gives us our strength. 

We need to make sure that we find a solution that solves the REAL problems, and is not the result of  showboating politicians following an agenda of their own.  Congress needs to work TOGETHER to solve this issue.  Any solution that does not have bi-partisan support will surely fail.

There are many people shouting out what they think is wrong with the system, but very few are offering any REAL solutions that address the issues in a logical and reasonable manner.

I have some ideas for a system that should meet the basic demands of BOTH political parties, and provides a clear set of rules that immigrants can follow.  It does not solve every problem, but it could be a great starting point for anybody who is SERIOUS about solving the problems, and can look at the issues with an open mind, and is willing to compromise to reach a fair solution we all can live with.

My ideas will meet the Republicans’ Demands:

• Allow for removal of all immigrants upon conviction of a felony, violent misdemeanor, or gang affiliation
• Bans sanctuary cities
• Provides additional funding for border security without impacting the general budget
• Eliminates “chain migration” and other discrimination among immigrants
• Ensures immigrants do not receive welfare, free healthcare, and other benefits

And they will meet the Democrats’ Demands as well:

• Protects nuclear families
• Protects Dreamers and other law-abiding immigrants
• Provides a path to citizenship for all immigrants who have not committed felonies or violent misdemeanors

If you have logical and constructive comments, I would love to hear your input.  If you like what I have envisioned, PLEASE SHARE these ideas and send them to your lawmakers and urge them to work in a bipartisan manner and pass some REAL IMMIGRATION REFORM.

LOGICAL IMMIGRATION REFORM PLAN

AVENUES TO IMMIGRATION

If you want to immigrate to this country, you have to meet these requirements:

OPTION 1 – Nuclear Families

• Have a parent or an adult child who already is a U.S. citizen or legal resident, or is immigrating under Option 2 
• Have no felony convictions or violent misdemeanors in the past 5 years
• Your parent or adult child who is already here must take financial responsibility for you
• No waiting list to get in
• This option keeps families together, which is one of the Republican Party’s core values.

OPTION 2 – General Permanent Residency

• Speak English
• Express a desire to come to America and contribute TO our economy and eventually become a U.S. citizen
• Have no felony convictions or violent misdemeanors in the past 15 years
• Have a sponsor who is already a legal resident or citizen who will be financially responsible for you.  Should you lose your sponsor, you have 30 days to find a new one or leave the country.
• Congress will set a maximum number of immigrants allowed into the U.S. per year under this option.  If the number of people applying for entry exceeds this number, a lottery will be used to randomly select the maximum number allowed without any other criteria.  Those not chosen may reapply each year.  Nuclear families will not be split up; if one is selected, their spouse may join them
• This option does not discriminate between race, sex, religion, country of origin, or sexual orientation, and treats all persons the same.  This also supports the Republican Party’s core goal to be the “Party of Inclusion”

OPTION 3 – Asylum / Refugee

• Have a bonafide need for asylum
• Go through the same extreme vetting process through the U.N. that has been in place for the past 5 years, and takes two years to complete
• Have no felony convictions or violent misdemeanors in the past 15 years
• Must have sponsoring organization in U.S. that will guarantee financial support

GENERAL RESTRICTIONS APPLIED TO ALL IMMIGRANTS:

• Immigrants must pay taxes 
• Immigrants are NOT eligible for welfare or social security benefits
• Immigrants are NOT eligible for health care subsidies or Medicaid, except for the same emergency medical care available to anyone else
• Have no ties to terrorists or terrorist organizations
• Children must attend public schools and may receive free lunches
• College-aged immigrants are not eligible for grants or student loans, but may pay in-state tuition rates if they meet that state’s residency requirements
• Upon conviction of a felony or violent misdemeanor, immigrants must serve their sentence in full, then will be immediately deported.  They may reapply for admission after five years.  Congress may designate certain felonies to render the immigrant ineligible for readmission for longer periods or for life.
• Must inform ICE of their place of residency with 15 days of arriving in U.S. and after any changes of residency. 
• Must physically check in with ICE once per year
• Willful violation of immigration laws other than felonies and violent misdemeanors may result in fines and deportation for subsequent violations
• Except for deportations at the end of a sentence, no immigrant shall be deported without a hearing

DREAMERS ALREADY HERE

• Children who were brought here when they were under 16 years old and have been here at least 5 years may remain unless they have been convicted as an adult of a felony or violent misdemeanor
• If they want to become citizens, they must apply within 90 days of new law or within 90 days after their 18th birthday, whichever comes last
• If both parents or guardians with whom they have resided are deported, then they will be too if they are under 18 or have no sponsor.

CURRENT ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS GRANDFATHER CLAUSE

• If they have been convicted of any felonies since coming here (other than crossing the border), they must be deported
• If they have been convicted of any violent misdemeanors within the past 5 years, they must be deported
• If they are a current gang member, they must be deported
• If they were previously a gang member, they must show evidence that they have been completely out of the gang for at least two years
• If they have been here less than 2 years and do not qualify under Option 1, they will be deported but may reapply immediately
• They may remain if:
• They would qualify under Option 1 or Option 2
• They have a job and have been employed for at least 2 years, OR
• They have an adult sponsor who is an American citizen or legal resident and who will accept financial responsibility for them
• Must register within 90 days or lose the grandfather rights
• Must pay all back-taxes including penalties and interest
• Must pay a $5,000 fine
• Back taxes and fine may be paid under a payment plan lasting up to 10 years based on ability to pay.  
• 5  year clock to citizenship test starts AFTER fines and back taxes are paid

ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS AFTER NEW LAW

• Immigrants caught here illegally more than 90 days after the new law is passed will be deported immediately 
• Immigrants caught here illegally who have ever been previously deported will serve 5 years in prison, then be deported again.   
• The 5 year sentence will double each time for report offenders.

HIRING IMMIGRANTS 

• All Immigrants must be paid a wage equal to the going rate for local workers
• Employers will pay an additional tax of 25% of their wages to the Federal Government.   
• This tax shall be used to fund immigration enforcement and border security. 
• This will ensure immigrants will not be taking American jobs.

TEMPORARY WORK VISAS

• Temporary Work Visas allow specific individuals immediate entry into the country outside of the permanent resident program. 
• Immigrants who possess certain skills not available from U.S. labor shall be issued 6 month Work Visas.  
• They must already have a firm job offer from a specific employer, and must leave within 30 days if they lose that job and fail to find another one.
• These Visas may be renewed every six months indefinitely
• Immigrants with temporary work Visas must be paid a wage at least 25% higher than the prevailing local rate for the same job, if applicable. 
• Employers will pay an additional tax of 25% of their wages to the Federal Government.   
• This tax shall be used to fund immigration enforcement and border security. 
• This will ensure immigrants will not be taking American jobs.

PATH TO CITIZENSHIP

• Immigrants, including those on temporary work visas, who have been here legally and continually for at least 5 years and are 18 or over may become a U.S. citizen.  Temporary absences of up 90 days per year, or for educational, occupational, or humanitarian purposes shall not be counted against the 5 year continuous residency requirement.
• Must pass same citizenship knowledge test used today

BORDER SECURITY

• Border security is essential and should be enforced rigidly
• Ensure that we employ an adequate number of enforcement agents
• Use high-tech cameras and drones to enforce border security
• Use fences where necessary
• A wall is not needed.  Use the money for other, more productive, measures

SANCTUARY CITIES

• If an immigrant on ICE’s wanted list is arrested, local cities MUST notify ICE before releasing the prisoner.
• ICE has 12 hours to respond to the city if it intends to deport the individual, or the city may release him or her.  
• ICE must physically take custody of the prisoner within 72 hours of initial notification, or the city may release him or her.
• Cities have no obligations to hold individuals that are NOT on ICE’s wanted list
• Cities that violate these requirements will pay a $100,000 fine per violation

It's time for ACTION!

Yesterday, 3% of the Republicans in Alabama stood up for decency and integrity and stopped the Trump/Bannon populism cancer in its tracks.

Yes, the seat went to the Democrats.  But that’s OK.   For all real Republicans know that truth, honesty, and ethics are far more important than populism, politics, policies, positions, and party.

We all should have learned in Kindergarten that it’s not whether you win or lose, but how you play the game.  The Bannon/Trump gang trumpeted their populism using systematic lies, false allegations, fearmongering, and other and unethical actions.  They produced some short-term wins, but they will eventually destroy the entire party if we continue to let them lead through threats and intimidation.

We cannot let that happen!

During this next year, we need to ensure that our voices are heard loud and clear.  All true Republicans who believe in the fundamental values under which the party was founded can no longer stand for far-right, out of touch, and offensive views being pushed by the current leadership.  If the GOP candidates in the general election refuse to disavow the Trump/Bannon agenda, we MUST NOT VOTE FOR THEM.  

Alabama showed us last night that it will only take a small percentage of GOP voters to do what is right to send the message loud and clear.

Losing one seat to the Democrats is probably not enough to rid the party of its cancer.  It may take a catastrophic loss in 2018 or 2020.  But once the cancer is removed, the party can return to its roots, rebuild itself, and once again reflect the values of Lincoln, Roosevelt, and Eisenhower.

And what are the fundamental values of the Republican Party?   What does the party of Lincoln, Roosevelt, and Eisenhower really stand for?

 “Basic to governmental integrity are unimpeachable ethical standards and irreproachable personal conduct by all people in government. We shall continue our insistence on honesty as an indispensable requirement of public service.“

That’s verbatim from the 1956 Republican Platform.  That means NO MORE LIES, THREATS, INTIMIDATIONS, ATTACKS ON THE MEDIA, ATTACKS ON OTHER BRANCHES OF THE GOVERNMENT.

We Republicans believe in liberty.  For the first part of our history, our country denied our basic right of liberty to an entire class of people. The Republican Party was founded primarily to correct that injustice, and ensure that all persons were able to enjoy this basic human right.  As Republicans, this must be our guiding principle.  We should never support any type of policy that excludes any class of people.  Period.  This is our “Prime Directive”. Everything else we stand for must build and support this basic idea.  We are the party of Inclusion.  Everybody is welcome!

We Republicans also believe in the right to pursue happiness.  This is probably the least understood of our rights.  Many people think that we have the right to be happy.  That is not true.  We have the right to PURSUE happiness.  This means that it is up to US to be happy.  It is OUR responsibility to ensure our own happiness.   Neither the government nor anyone else owes us anything.

But it is our right to PURSUE happiness that gives us our freedoms.  It’s our freedoms that give us the ability to make the decisions and take the actions that we feel necessary to achieve our goals.

The need to pursue happiness is part of our basic human nature.  It is a need that is as important as the need for food and shelter.  No matter how many things are given to us, we are never really happy until we work for our own rewards. The only things we truly appreciate are the things we worked and sacrificed to achieve.  It’s this desire to achieve on our own that drives mankind.

Any society that attempts to deprive men of the opportunity and responsibility to provide for themselves is doomed to failure.  That is why Socialism as a system will never survive.

We all know the analogy that to give a man a fish will feed him for a day, but to teach a man to fish will feed him for a lifetime.

As Republicans, we do not want to give people fish; we want to teach them to fish.  But’s it a little more than just that.  Before we will teach them to fish, they must want to learn.  We are not going to force-feed our ways on anybody; that would be taking away their freedoms.  We also realize that a few people don’t want to put up the effort needed to achieve happiness; they want everything handed to them. We will not cater to these people.  For just as it is one’s right to pursue happiness, one also has the right to do nothing and be unhappy.

In other words, we believe that when somebody is willing to work for their goals, we have a responsibility to ensure that they have access to the basic tools needed to achieve those goals.  We have this responsibility because we cannot tolerate or allow conditions to exist where classes or segments in our society are oppressed and cannot even pursue happiness no matter how hard they try.

What does all that mean?  

Perhaps Ike said it best: 

“In all those things which deal with people, be liberal, be human. In all those things which deal with people's money, or their economy, or their form of government, be conservative."

We must stop moving to the right and move back to the center, for it’s the center that allows us to reach and serve the most Americans.  We were founded to be the Party of Inclusion; but we cannot be that party and be far-right at the same time.

Our country was founded on the principles that everyone has the rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.  These are our core beliefs, and every law from our Constitution on down builds, or should build, on these beliefs.  No valid law should arbitrability take away any of these fundamental rights.

Before we take a position on any issue, we ask ourselves, “Does this position support or infringe on our core beliefs?”   If it infringes on our core beliefs, we must step back and reexamine our position.  If we cannot reconcile and justify our position so that it supports our core beliefs, we must change our position.

We must apply this high standard to EACH AND EVERY ISSUE we face.  Sometimes that means that we must do things we do not like.  But we must have the courage to uphold our convictions and do the right thing.  EVERY TIME.

Wedding Cakes and the Supreme Court

The Supreme Court agreed to hear the case of the Baker who refused to bake a wedding cake for a homosexual couple.  It will be interesting to see how they rule, and how they reason out their opinion.

Here is my take on the issue:

Generally, businesses should not be allowed to discriminate. If you offer widgets for sale to the public, you are not allowed refuse to sell to customers based on race, religion, or sexual orientation.   The key is when you are engaged in commerce and offering your goods to the public.  When you make your choice to go into business, you must accept the responsibilities that go with it.

This is fair to all involved, because both parties have a choice:

The merchant is free to create the widget in any way he wants.  He does not have to violate any of his beliefs when creating the widget.  He can choose to make only those widgets that he is comfortable with.

But once he creates the widget, he cannot discriminate WHO he sells it to.  Now, it’s the customer who has the right to decide whether or not to buy one of the widgets. 

But where the issue gets complicated is when you are not selling widgets, but products custom made for each customer.  If the couple came in and wanted to buy a standard cake off display, I would say that they had every right to buy that cake.

But, if the couple wanted something different, even something as minor as having two grooms statuettes on top, I would then side with the baker, since they are no longer desiring to buy what the merchant has offered to other customers.  They are wanted something that he has not offered to other customers.

Ultimately, merchants should have the freedom to sell only items they want to sell, but customers should have to freedom to buy that item once the merchant has decided to offer it to the public.  When the customer wants to buy what the merchant sells, the merchant must sell it.  But when the customer wants the merchant to create something new, or alter what he has already created, the decision then shifts back to the merchant.

Judging Roy Moore

I have been giving some though to the allegations against Roy Moore.

Even before these allegations were made, I already believed Roy Moore is one of the few politicians around even less qualified for office than Donald Trump. Unlike Trump, Roy Moore has already been removed from office for misconduct not once, but twice. His misconduct was not some trivial nonsense not related to his job – he was removed because he refused to follow orders from higher courts. When any government official refuses to obey lawful court orders, that’s bad enough. But Moore was a Justice on the State Supreme Court whose refusal to follow orders disrespected the very office he held, and that shows a lack of character and integrity.

Now, I do not for one minute think the Washington Post made these allegations up in an effort to discredit the judge. Their investigation was very thorough. They interviewed over 30 people in order to corroborate the allegations. They were very transparent and complete in their reporting. Regardless of whether you agree with their editorial board on its opinions, the news department at the Post is completely separate from the editorial board, and has a stellar reputation for its integrity and professionalism that runs back many decades.

I also believe the women who made these allegations. They have nothing to gain by coming forward at this time. Their stories are believable, and the dates and times match up with verified events. What makes these women even more believable is that their allegations do not include actual rape or forced sexual acts other than one attempt to get the girl to touch his underwear. If one were to make these stories up, the more lurid and outrageous the behavior, the greater the slander would be.

But here is where I have some issues:

In this country, we are innocent until proven guilty. Since the statute of limitations has long since run out on all of these allegations, there will be no criminal charges, and no trial to prove his guilt.
I realize that we are not talking about legal prosecutions. We are talking about public opinion and an upcoming election. But I would still like to know the whole story before passing judgement.

The timing of these allegations immediately arouses some suspicion. After all, it’s been 40 years. Why now? It’s easy to think that these women came forward because of a political agenda, but I doubt that. At least one of them appears to be Republican and voted for Trump in the past election. A more credible explanation for the timing is that it seems to coincide with the current changing of attitudes toward sexual harassment we are seeing with the release of allegations against other public figures in the past few weeks.

There is another point to consider. Unlike the allegations against Weinstein, Spacey, Trump, C.K., and others whose sexual improprieties were much more recent and continued until the allegations were made public, all of the allegations against Moore allegedly occurred 40 years ago, and there are no allegations of his behaving inappropriately (sexually) since that time. By all accounts, he has been happily married and faithful for over 35 years.

However, he was no kid when these acts allegedly happened. He was 30 years old, and an attorney. He definitely should have known better.

But how appropriate is it to judge and punish someone for alleged bad acts that occurred forty years ago, but has led an exemplary life since that time? There is a reason we have statutes of limitations on almost all crimes except murder. Had any of these women come forward back then, he could have been properly tried, convicted, punished, and given a chance to rebuild his life.

In this case, however, it may indeed be appropriate to consider these allegations. For, if they are true, we are not talking about a mistake or a lapse in judgement. We are talking about a man in a position of power taking sexual advantage of children. This shows a complete lack of character. While you can atone for bad acts and not repeat them, you cannot change your character; you can only mask it. And let’s not forget it was the children’s fear of his power over them that prevented them from coming forward at the time.

I don’t live in Alabama, and I won’t be voting in that election. The voters of Alabama will have to make up their own minds as whether to believe the women or believe Judge Moore. It may come down to a question of character, and, as I stated at the beginning of this post, Judge Moore already demonstrated on at least two occasions that he is not a man of character and integrity.