The Elephant Room

TIME TO CLOSE THE STORE

2009-02-04T23:11:00.002-05:00

With stores and businesses in this fledgeling economy closing by the droves, I guess it is time The Elephant Room follow suit.

I made a mistake with naming the address - I dated it. We are well into 09 thus, elephantroom08 is doomed to outdatedness. However - not irrelevant and certainly not down for good.

The spirit of blog is all over me these days - so I'm searching either for a new venue or at least a new blog name - this time, not dated. I will leave this blog up until I have settled on a new home. Meanwhile - I'm open to suggestions for a blog name - since some have critisized me for this name (stating I didn't have "rights" to use the GOP Elephant, paleeze). But - it is time to move forward and looking with motivation, hope, and excitement for 2010.

Republicans and Conservatives in general have a tremendous opportunity. Someone stated that the Democrats are the gift that keeps on giving....they win our elections for us because their policies are doomed for failure. We can only hope that by the time the mezmorized media and misguided municipal realize their mistake, the country is not damaged beyond repair.

Someone commented on a former Blog (not sure which one) in a sarcastic way stating "I guess you have all the answers don't you - how nice." I certainly don't have all the answer's but I have the one answer that matters: Jesus Christ as your personal savior, trust and faith in His crucifiction at Calvary (death, burial, and resurrection) and nothing or no one else. With that - no matter how much detriment to society and our culture we may see - we always have hope. Not Obama's hope - but Hope in Christ.

This world is not my home - I'm just passing through.

I will announce in a final blog where I begin the new one - once determined.

Questions for Obama

2008-10-09T22:29:00.003-04:00

I’m certain that John McCain cannot afford himself the privilege of asking some very difficult and exposing questions in a debate with Barak Hussein Obama. It might have something to do with the “throwing stones in glass houses” theory, or Hollywood and the press might have a hay-day making him out to be mean spirited as they did after the last debate in Nashville.

However – I have some serious questions that I need to have answered before I could ever pull the lever (or however we vote here in my district) for Barak Hussein Obama. So, I’m simply going to ask them. Though I don’t exactly fall into the category of “undecided voter” I’m not necessarily a McCain enthusiast either. But as it stands – with the following questions that I need answers to – Barak Hussein Obama makes me very nervous as an American voter – no matter how popular he might be right now.

So – Mr. Obama, if you or someone on your staff could answer these questions – I’ll be more than happy to oblige your campaign with posting your answers everywhere I have posted these questions on the internet.

1. If you grew up in such a penurious home environment – how were you able to afford to attend Ivy League Universities like Harvard?

2. When you attended the Occidental college in California – how did you enjoy such a vicarious lifestyle of drug use (by your own admission) and still maintain the grade level necessary to be accepted into Harvard?

3. What is your current relationship with your then college roommates Muham Hasan Chandoo and Wahid Hamid both of Pakistan?

4. If your family was of meager financial means – how did you pay for an around the world trip in 1981 which included a trip to Pakistan, Africa, and India? Incidentally – I struggle to pay for a trip to DC – and I live 20 miles away.

5. When you returned from that trip – how did you afford to enter into Columbia University in NY?

6. If the answer to the affordability questions to your college was student loans – how did you pay off those loans on a $12,000 a year salary as a Chicago Community Organizer?

7. What is your current relationship with Antoine “Tony” Rezko who was convicted this year of Fraud and Bribery but was in recent years named Entrepreneur of the DECADE by the Arab-American Business and professional Association?

8. Did Mr. Rezko pay for your college tuition to Harvard?

9. Did the law firm you went to work for after your Harvard graduation represent Mr. Rezko?

10. Did Mr. Rezko, who again is guilty of fraud and bribery and a member of the Arab-American Business and professional Association – fund or help fund your Senate campaign?

11. How are you able to afford a home worth $1.65 Million, and maintain your college education bills – because you were from a family with meager financial means?

12. Did you pay $1.65 Million for that house?

13. How and why did Rezko buy the property right next to yours?

14. Is it true that Nadhmi Auchi, an Iraqi-born Billionaire loaned Rezko $3.5 million only three weeks prior to your new home purchase? Of course you can’t answer that question – because who loans what to whom is really none of your affair – but I do find it odd and highly coincidental. So if you could shed some insight for me...

15. Have you ever med Nadhmi Auchi? Have you ever had a meeting with him and Rezko? Don’t need to know the purpose of the meeting – just whether or not you’re all three “buds” or something?

16. What is your relationship with Valerie Jarrett? Does she have a position in your campaign?

17. Where is Valerie Jarrett from? I heard she is originally from Shiraz, Iran. Isn’t that a conflict of interest considering your current position stated in your campaign where Iran is concerned? Scary.

18. Who is Robert Malley? What is his relationship to you and/or your campaign?

19. Does he have regular contact with ‘Hamas,’ which controls Gaza and connected to Iran as one newspaper supposedly reported?

20. Did you ask Iraqi leaders to do nothing about the war until after you were elected? And did you tell them you would “take care of things”?

21. OH – and those college roomies of yours out in California – were they Pakistani’s? What are those guys up to now-a-days? I hear they are in charge of all those “small” internet campaign contributions your campaign receives, is there any truth to that?

22. Where do those small internet contributions come from?

23. I wonder – and I know you can’t answer this – but I still wonder what the average contributor to your campaign makes per year? Can they really afford you? Or does the money come from the Middle East?

24. Did you tell George Stephanopoulos that you were of the Muslim Faith as The Washington Times reported on September 7, 2008? I know you stated that you made a mistake – but taking a lesson from the Bill Clinton playbook – it could have just been a mistake to let that slip out…so…here’s the more direct question: Are you Muslim in your Faith? (and yes – it does matter).

25. Did you sue anyone or any mortgage related businesses during your career which resulted in Federal legislation forcing mortgage loan companies like Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to approve bad loans – ultimately resulting in our current economic demise?

26. Did you vote down legislation that would have allowed a new born baby that happened to be a failed abortion attempt – denying that child healthcare and was left to die as a result of your actions? Wouldn’t that be defined as Infanticide (that’s how I define it)?

27. Do you really believe that if you raise taxes on the corporations that Bush gave tax cuts to and McCain states that NO ONE get’s higher taxes – that if you raise them – they will cut costs elsewhere (inclusive of new jobs)?

28. Do you really believe that Americans are going to use less fuel to help in the Oil Crisis we currently face? Do you honestly think that’s the best answer coming from our government?

29. And finally – if any or all of the above questions are legitimate concerns – am I going to be able to sleep at night living just 20 miles south of DC with you in the White House?

Savannah Phillips For Student Body Treasurer

2008-09-25T02:27:00.002-04:00

Campaign Speech for Savannah Phillips
Nominee for Student body treasurer at Matthew Henson Middle School

Hi, my name is Savannah Phillips and I want to be the COOLEST reasurer that Matthew Henson Middle School has ever had. I like being involved in our school and I care about how YOUR student government is ran.

I will make a great treasurer because my math skills are FOR REAL!!

AND

I CAN ADD!!!

Skills are not the only thing that make a cool treasurer. TRUST is a MAJOR!!

And you can totally trust Savannah Phillips.

Many of you are my friends and I want to thank all of you for signing my petition to be YOUR next treasurer.

By becoming treasurer, I will bring APPROACHABIITY to this office. It's cool to be a friend of the student body leaders and I want you as my friend. As your next treasurer I will work hard to serve this student body in maintaining accurate records and strong leadership within your student government.

My time is up. GOTTA BOUNCE!!

Vote for Savannah Phillips, your student body treasurer. Peace Out!

Bailing On Our Principles

2008-09-25T01:52:00.002-04:00

by Governor Mike Huckabee

Frankly, I'm disappointed and disgusted with my own Republican party as I watch them attempt to strong-arm a bailout of some of America's biggest corporations by asking the taxpayers to suck up the staggering results of the hubris, greed, and arrogance of those who sought to make a quick buck by throwing the dice. They lost, but want the rest of us to cover their bets so they won't be effected in their lavish lifestyles as they figure out how to spend their tens of millions and in some cases, hundreds of millions in bonuses and compensation which was their reward for not only sinking their companies, but basically doing the same to the entire American economy.

It's especially disconcerting to see the very people who pilloried me during the Presidential campaign for being a "populist" and not "understanding Wall Street" to now line up like thirsty dogs at the Washington, D. C. water dish, otherwise known as Congress, and plead for help. I thought these guys were the smartest people in America! I thought that taxpayers like you and I were similar to the people at the U. N. who have no translator speaking into their headset - that we just needed to trust those that I called the power bunch in the "Wall Street to Washington axis of power."

The idea of a government bailout in which we'd entrust $700 billion to one man without Congressional oversight or accountability is absurd. My party or not, that is insanity and I believe unconstitutional.

Will there be far-reaching consequences without some intervention? Probably, but we honestly don't know since we've really never seen this level of greed and stupidity all rolled into one massive move. But may I suggest that letting "Uncle Sugar" step in and bail out the billionaires who made the mess will be far worse and will start a long line of companies and individuals who will demand the same of the government---which last time I checked means that they will be demanding it out of YOU and ME. This is not money that Congress is risking from THEIR pockets or future, but ours. Many if not most of us have already experienced lost value on our homes, retirement accounts, and pensions. Now they'd like for us to assume some further risks so they won't have to.

What happened to the "free market" idea? Is that only our view when we WIN and when we LOSE, we ask the government to come in and take away the pain?

If you are a small business owner, is this the way it works at your place? When you have a bad month, a bad year, or face having to close, can you go up to Congress and get them to write YOU a fat check to take away your risk?

Some of what contributed to this disaster is too much government in the form of Sarbanes/Oxley. Some is due to the tax structure that created the hunger for companies to "game" the system. Some is the common sense that was ignored like loaning money to people who can't pay it back.

Wall Street has become Las Vegas east, but at least in Vegas, people KNOW they are gambling and they don't expect the government to cover their losses at the tables. In Wall Street, they do. And the American taxpayer burdens the responsibility.

If Congress wants to do something, here are some suggestions:

1. Eliminate ALL capital gains taxes and taxes on savings and dividends right now. Free up the capital and encourage investment. This is the kind of economic stimulus the Fair Tax would bring and if Congress is going to lose money, let them lose it with lower taxes, not with public dollar bailouts of private market mistakes.

2. Repeal Sarbanes/Oxley. It has failed. It was supposed to prevent this. It didn't. Kill it.

3. Demand that the executives who steered their ships into the ground be forced to pay back the losses of their companies. Of course, they can't, so let them work and give back to the government and they can live like the people they put on the streets or kept there. It makes no sense to put them in jail—that's just more they will cost you and me. I'd rather them go out and earn money—just not get to keep so much of it this time. I'm not talking about limiting CEO salaries---just those of the people who now are up in Washington begging for help because they ruined their companies.

Attempts by Democrats and Republicans to blame each other is nonsense. They are both guilty and ought to own up and admit it. They all lived off big campaign contributions and the swill of the lobbyists who strong armed them into permission to steal. Enough of blame. Fix it!

This would be a start. If we don't hold these guys responsible, we are all finished!

Wolves In Sheeps Clothing

2008-08-14T23:52:00.008-04:00

It's Getting To Be A Real Jungle Out There

In Matthew 7:15-20 Jesus issues a serious warning to "beware of false prophets." Sadly, this warning is more necessary today than ever before! Jesus said in Matthew 24:11 & 24 that in the last days there would be more and more false prophets. St. Paul warned the elders of the church in Ephesus to be on guard because after his (Christ) departure "SAVAGE WOLVES" would come among them not sparing the flock (Acts 20:28-31). A few years later St. Peter warned in II Peter 2:1-3:

But there were also false prophets among the people, even as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Lord who bought them, and bring on themselves swift
destruction and many will follow their destructive ways, because of whom the way of truth will be blasphemed. By covetousness they will exploit you with deceptive words, for a long time their judgment has not been idle, and their destruction does not slumber.
St. John the Apostle likewise warned at the end of the first century in I John 4:1-3

Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are
of God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. By this you
know the Spirit of God. Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come
in the flesh is of God, and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ
has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the spirit of the Antichrist,
which you have heard was coming, and is now already in the world.

What Jesus, Paul, and Peter warned of - John declared had already occurred before the end of the 1st century. How much more true today are John's words that "many false prophets have gone out into the world?" How much more true today are Peter's words that "...many will follow them?"

I have recently been absolutely appalled by the major Evangelical leaders today that have missed opportunity after opportunity to stand up for Christ on a National level with a major secular audience and have literally denied the power of Christ and His gospel message.

These are only two examples of Popular Preachers who have the audience and opportunity to change lives for Christ and yet deny him. When I first watched these video's I tried to justify the remarks - because these gentleman are so respected in the world.

So many people in our country and throughout the world will have the opportunity to hear this FALSE message of Christ and begin to believe they are "OK with God" when the Holiness of God and the Scriptures require a different outlook completely.

There are a few things I would point out about "False Prophets" or "Wolves in sheep's clothing"

1. Beware of False Prophets because of their Deadly Deceitfulness (Matthew 7:15)

False prophets do not introduce themselves as such. They don't wear name tags or stickers that say "Hello My Name Is FALSE PROPHET." They don't go by the title Rev. Wolf (unless there happens to be a pastor who's last name is really wolf). It is their sly, slick, and sneaky ways that make false teachers so dangerous. They come to the church and to society as wolves dressed as harmless sheep, the most ravenous of animals disguised as the most harmless of animals. This is the deceitfulness of the false prophet.

Jesus may have had a specific practice of the false prophets of his day in mind. During the 400 silent years between the Old and New Testaments in which no prophetic word from God was heard, many "pretenders" arose claiming to be prophets with a word from God. This continued into the first century. They would attempt to dress in animal skins like the prophets of old often had. Jesus may be saying here that all those who try to mimic the attire of a prophet are not prophets. Instead underneath their costume, which is all it is, they are ravenous wolves.

In our modern day, false prophets still use the same tactic: trying to pass themselves off as the real thing by disguising their rue nature.

Islam - who has its own false prophet in Mohammad, claims to have the same God, speaks well of Jesus, but claims Jesus is merely one of the prophets and not the eternally begotten Son of God. They also teach a salvation by works as opposed to a salvation by grace.

Mormonism - who has its own succession of false prophets beginning with Joseph Smith, uses the same lingo, sings the same hymns, family friendly, passes itself off as another Christian church/denomination, but denies the uniqueness of Jesus as the eternal Son of God.

Jehovah's Witnesses - Use the same lingo, talk about Jesus, use the Bible, but affirm the ancient Arian heresy that there was a time when "the Son was not" - a denial of the deity of Jesus.

Joel Osteen - Looks good, always smiling, large church, bestselling books in Christian bookstores, but as the video portrays - will not stand on the word of God and affirm that Jesus is the way, the truth, the life, and NO MAN cometh to the Father EXCEPT BY HIM.

T. D. Jakes - Sounds good, knows how to preach, emotional, sweats a lot, but denies that God has always existed in three distinct persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. He also claims (on MSNBC documentary) that he "is God's anointed" he is the man of the hour and "God's Chosen"

These are all signs of false prophets who preach a false god, a false Christ, and a false gospel. As Paul describes them in Philippians 3:18-19:

For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ: Whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things.

I understand that these words may seem harsh, but this is serious business. Eternal destinies are at stake. I share a fear that was expressed by the Apostle Paul in II Corinthians 11:3-4:

But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his
subtlety, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in
Christ. For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him.

There is such a thing as another Jesus, another spirit, and another gospel and we must be on guard that we be not deceived by it.

2. Beware of False Prophets because of their Devilish Deeds (Matthew 7:16-18)

Jesus describes in these verses how a false prophet can be recognized: by their devilish deeds. These three verses provide an excellent counter-balance to the first five verses of chapter seven. Those verses' famous injunction to "judge not" is often taken as a command to excuse any kind of behaviour and to forbid any kind of evaluation of the actions of another. That is clearly not what those verses mean in light of the context of verses 16-18. Here, Jesus says that we should e fruit inspectors. The actions/lifestyles of false prophets tell on them.

The truth is stated to begin verse sixteen and is then illustrated by the question of verse sixteen: "Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles?" The obvious answer to this rhetorical question is "NO! Of course not." Good trees bear good fruit. Bad trees bear bad fruit. This is a very simple horticultural principle that all of us can understand. It is impossible for a Good tree to bear Bad fruit or visa versa. Therefore, we must conclude, if you see bad fruit, you intuitively know "bad tree." If you see good fruit, you intuitively know "good tree."

What is the implication here? False prophets are known by their bad deeds. They may be able to hide their deadliness temporarily under a coat of sheep skin, but eventually they will be exposed for what they are. Because no matter how much they look like sheep, they will always still behave like wolves.

I don't need to recap the events of the past twenty years detailing the wicked deeds of many televangelists, pastors, and other supposedly Christian leaders in order to understand my meaning. There is no telling how many more will be revealed as charlatans during our lifetimes, but the greatest test of a false prophet is his/her teaching. Does it line up with the consistent teaching of the Word of God? If not, it is false. this means we must know our Bibles ourselves. The best defense against a counterfeit is to know the original. I am told that this is the way banks train their employees to recognize counterfeit bills They expose them to the real thing so much that the false is immediately apparent. That is the kind of people that we need to be. This is what we are called to be as Christians. This is part of my responsibility in teaching the Word of God, that false teachers will be recognized. A mature Christian shouldn't need a master list of all the good teachers and all the bad teachers. If the true preacher has done his job, the layman will be able to recognize the false prophet and if the layman has applied themselves to the study of God's Word - then by their fruits you will know them.

3. Beware of False Prophets Because of their Destructive Destiny (Matthew 7:19)

There is a final reason to avoid false prophets in these words by Jesus. It is that they have a destiny of destruction. Verse 19 states that "Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire."

2 Timothy 4:2-4 states:

Preach the Word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke,
exhort with all long suffering and doctrine. For the time will come when they
will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to
themselves teachers, having itching ears; and they shall turn away their ears
from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.

In 1 Corinthians 11:13-15 the Apostle Paul describes those who preach another Jesus as:

For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves
into the apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into
an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be
transformed as the minister of righteousness; whose end shall be according to
their works.

These false apostles have preached words that lead to damnation and that's exactly what their destiny shall be. Peter says in 2 Peter 3:16 that those who twist scriptures do so "to their own destruction." James warns in the first verse of the third chapter of his epistle: "My brethren, let not many of you become teachers, knowing that we shall receive a stricter judgment."

The warning is clear: Don't be a false teacher and don't associate with them, lest you share in their destructive destiny.

In closing:

The reason that this matter so much is that there is a true gospel about the True Prophet. Moses prophesied that a Prophet greater than he would come (Deuteronomy 18:15) and the Apostle Peter declared Jesus to be that Prophet (Acts 3). Therefore the existence of false prophets is an attack upon Christ! All messages of hope of deliverance apart from faith in Christ are all false gospels of a false salvation declared by false prophets.

Forsake whatever it is that you are clinging to in this pop culture and run to Jesus.

Sabatical is over - time to pull out the elephant!!

2008-05-21T15:11:00.004-04:00

OK! Huckabee's new website is forcing me to come out of political semi-retirement and start blogging again. This time - its the congressional race. Who do I support? I support a man that many Republicans say can't win because the incumbent congressman Stenny Hoyer is "unbeatable" but my candidate says IT CAN BE DONE! My only regret that my candidate is running is that if he wins - he would have to resign his elected school board position that oversees my children's schools.

Collins Bailey is active in his role as a Board of Education member. He keeps track of what is taking place in the schools. He listens to parents (like me) about concerns of social and cultural changes taking place that could potentially affect what my children are being taught that would be in direct conflict with my family's values and beliefs.

However - if he wants to run for Congress - I not only endorse him - I support him. I am serving as his County Coordinator for Charles County Maryland and I believe that Collins Bailey is the change that America is looking for (the real change and the right change - not the Obama change).

The American people made a huge mistake in 2006 when they threw out all of the Republicans and we are now paying the price for it. We need to reverse that and throw out those who want to do business as usual in Washington - not concerning ourselves with the R or the D behind the name.

Collins is a Republican. He wants to expel the incumbent and teach Washington how our goals to become an energy independent nation can happen. He wants to lead the nation to show Washington that we can follow its constitution and become a better nation for it. It CAN Be Done. Collins Bailey wants to show Washington that a balanced national budget CAN Be Done. Collins wants to prove to Washington that Americans will be better off without the IRS. It CAN Be Done. Mr. Bailey wants Americans to know that the Education system in America is best run by the state and local governments and not Washington Business as Usual Politics. It CAN Be Done. Collins is a Values minded candidate and believes that Roe v. Wade can and should be overturned.

I want to show Apathetic Republicans in Charles County and Maryland's 5th district that Stenny Hoyer (House Majority Leader) doesn't have a permanent address in D.C. Hoyer can be evicted. Collins Bailey has the plan for America that America needs and he has the "can do" attitude and spirit that led us to the campaign slogan: It CAN Be Done.

If all of the people who said "Mike Huckabee didn't have enough money to win the election" would have given $1 - Huckabee would have been the nominee. If all the people who said "Mike Huckabee can't win the nomination but I like him" would have voted for him in the primary He would have been the nominee. In Maryland's 5th district - we have the same defeatist mindset - but I say it again - if everyone who says Stenny Can't be beat will donate to the campaign, support by volunteering, and vote - we know It CAN Be Done.

Please visit Collins Bailey's website at http://www.baileyforuscongress.com/ and sign up today.

It CAN Be Done

Our House...It's A God Thing

2008-04-04T21:49:00.005-04:00

Can God continue to bless our family as He has for us since we moved to Maryland? Don’t worry - this is not a political blog posting. This is an account for how God truly answered prayer and blessed us over and above what me or my family "...could ask or think" (Ephesians 3:20)

In 2003 my family moved from Russellville, AR to Waldorf, MD to pastor a church. Arkansas was my home state – having been born and raised in North Little Rock with summers spent on my grandparent’s farms in Faulkner County. Though I would miss everything I knew and loved and the friends back in the Razorback state, I knew God was calling us to Waldorf and the plus side for my wife was that for the first time in twelve years of marriage she would be close to her home town in Delaware – only two hours from home verses twenty.

When Robin and I were first engaged, I met her parents for the first time and in the same weekend I would ask her dad’s permission to marry me – what a shocker for them huh? Me being from the south – a head to toe redneck and Robin’s picture in the dictionary next to the word "Yankee" – one would think that would be enough culture shock for one life time. Her parents – when I met them for the first time – lived in a town-house. I told my – then – fiancé, that being married to a yankee would mean a lot of changes in my life – but one thing I will never do is live in a town-house. Have you seen these things? Two or three story apartments are about what they amount to – A living room and kitchen (both small) on one level, two or three bedrooms on the upper level, and if yours is a NICE one – a basement to make into whatever you need it to be.

Twelve years later I learned a valuable lesson that I should have learned long before: "Never say never" (I once stated I would "never live west of Arkansas," and spent ten years in Oklahoma – not a bad penance…I mean calling. We actually miss OK every now and again). The first house we purchased in Maryland we rented – a plan for our first year, and then to purchase – took four months to find while I lived with church members. Our first house – you guessed it – a Town-house. However, as town-homes go – I must say ours was quite nice – a blessing that was hard to count at times – but must be counted. The basement was both a playroom and my office. When I needed quiet office and study time – it didn’t get any quieter than that basement. There are times now that I find myself missing the town-house, but not so much that I would consider moving back to it. That just shows me how God blesses in the midst of what I might otherwise think "I’m making do" for now. If you don’t know what "making do" is – then you must be from the north.

Our year was up on our town-home lease. The property manager would not sign us for a month – to – month lease until we found a home. It was difficult to find anything in Charles County that was either in our price range – or big enough for our family. Two months prior to our lease being up we worked diligently with our realtor, looking for a suburban home in a decent neighborhood that fell within our ability to pay.

The deadline came and we had to move out of the townhouse. Now we were homeless (for all intents and purposes). Homeless out of our house, out of our respective states (Arkansas and Delaware) and had it not been for the good nature of a church family with a Fifth Wheel camper, who knows where we would have ended up.

Those who know me well know that my dream is to live in an RV during retirement – and this fifth wheel was nice. It had the slide out living room, nice large master bedroom and as far as camping is concerned, we couldn’t have asked for nicer. We actually had fun in that camper for the first week – me and my wife and two kids. With all of our possessions in storage – again – we tripped over each other, had sleepless nights listening to the traffic pass through the thin camper walls and feeling every movement as the camper shook and rocked when someone turned over in the bed. The second week was wearing on our nerves and by the time the fourth week rolled around – not only were we pulling our hair out – but I think our church members were wanting us to go….as their privacy too had been invaded by our two children upon their invitation to enter their home 24/7 as we pleased. Graciousness and congeniatlities only go so far when you live thick as thieves and you begin to appreciate more fully your privacy and space.

After four weeks of searching to no avail for an affordable housing situation it was time to take the church kids to youth camp. I must admit, I was looking forward to the get-a-way from the RV to go off to somewhere in Pennsylvania I had never been before, leaving Robin and our youngest child behind while I took our oldest to camp. While at camp, I was listening to the camp Evangelist for the week – Ken Cash of North Carolina – and something he said in his message rang a bell. For the first time in six months I had suddenly realized that I had not prayed about our family finding a house. It’s not that I hadn’t prayed in six months – I just hadn’t prayed asking the Lord to help us find a house. We had gone through all of the steps that a person goes through when buying a house. We obtained a realtor, let him do his job, we did our job in looking through magazines, internet, and driving around neighborhoods. We followed all the steps – but what I didn’t realize is that we had actually left God out of the process. Imagine, me a Preacher...a pastor...telling people... young married couples...to "make God the center of your families and you’ll have a successful marriage" and I had forgotten to do just that. So during the invitation that night I made an appointment with God – after I asked His forgiveness. I promised the Lord: "In the morning – I will spend as long as it takes until I have peace about this housing dilemma."

The next morning came. I told the other counselor that went with me that I would not be available for the morning and asked if he minded being with the kids and I would re-join as soon as I could. He agreed and after breakfast – instead of going to the scheduled events with our kids, I stayed in the cabin. Not knowing how to face God – due to the embarrassment I felt – I simply opened up to the book of James – where the camp evangelist had been teaching from that week – and read a chapter or two – or three - OK, I read the entire book. Then I began to pray. My spirit flooded with sorrow, and I began to cry on God’s shoulders. I apologized for neglecting Him and His involvement in our house search. I began to complain to Him of how tired we were of looking for a house and how cramped that fifth wheel was.

I was reminded of how I found myself depending on Him most of my life and certainly most of my married life. Once before, twelve years prior, I had spent most of a night on my knees telling God I couldn’t provide for my newly-wedded wife, who had cried herself to sleep that night because we didn’t have enough money for groceries. I reminded God of his own words "I have come that you might have life and that you might have it more abundantly" (John 10:10b) and proceeded to tell Him that the life we were living was not one of abundance, but of poverty, stress, and worry. It was that night that the Holy Spirit spoke to me as clearly as my wife had only a few hours before. Certainly it wasn’t an audible voice, but when the Holy Spirit speaks to your inner soul, there is no question for the child of God as to the Source. The Lord basically told me to let go of my problems and give them to Him. At that moment, I realized that I had been trying to run my own life. I was trying to work out my own problems by working two jobs to make ends meet, looking for other odd jobs and sources of financial assistance, not to mention enough energy expenditure in worry and stress to power a small city. Not knowing what else to do or where to turn – I went to God. Why is it that we always wait until the darkest hours of our lives to consider God? I realized in that night of prayer that I had been working the gears and the machinery of my life instead of allowing God to manage the mechanics.

When I was young I remember my Pastor saying more than once that "Without God you couldn’t wake up in the morning. Without God you couldn’t take a breath. Without God you couldn’t even wiggle your fingers or your toes." With that in mind – the first vocal album I recorded in 1995 – I insisted on the song "I Can’t Even Walk Without You Holding My Hand." God reminded me of that message from Pastor Scott and in that reminding I realized that I can’t even provide for my family without His help. I told the Lord in a recalcitrant resonance that I was giving my problem to Him for Him to handle and that I fully placed my trust in His ability to provide for our need. During that next week, I went to the mailbox. There was an envelope with our name written on it – no address, no stamp, no post-mark, and no return address. I opened the envelope to find $150 in cash. In 1991, that bought a lot of groceries and if memory serves, money left over.

And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be
filled with all the fullness of God. Now unto him that is able to do exceeding
abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh
in us, Unto Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages,
world without end. Amen. Ephesians 3:19-21
Forward the video twelve years. I find myself again praying a similar prayer. Not about groceries, but about a roof over my family’s head, now having two children. Alone in a Youth Camp Cabin in the strange land of Amish country Pennsylvania (strange to this Arkansas boy – having never been further north than Louisville, KY) I once again turned my problem over to the Lord. I apologized for not having included Him in the search and process of finding a house. By the end of my prayer I had felt a strong sense of peace come over me and I just wept in the presence of God and enjoyed His fellowship.

The rest of the day seemed brighter as it usually does when you spend quality time with the Lord. I seemed to enjoy the kids more. The entire day my mind was on that morning and the peace was noticeably prominent in my spirit. I didn’t question it; rather I simply relished it, not realizing what I was about to experience that evening.

After the evening service and the night activities were in motion at the camp my cell phone rang. It was Robin. She usually let me call her since I was at Camp and she didn’t know what my schedule was, but she had called me. We had the usual "how are you" conversation then the ominous utterance: "I have something to tell you."

That’s usually not a good thing, so I nervously responded, "what is it?" not knowing what to expect next.

Robin said "I think I found us a house."

I could literally feel the hair raising up on the back of my neck. I had just prayed that morning – for the first time in six months of looking – I had asked God’s forgiveness for neglecting Him in the search process – and asked the Lord to help us. Only nine hours later – after looking for six months – my wife found a house? My mind was racing with these thoughts and others within seconds of my wife telling me this news.

"Tell me about the house" I said to Robin.

"It’s on 7 acres…"

"What??" I interrupted. I know the properties we had seen and researched.
There was nothing in Charles County, Maryland that fit our financial budget and now she’s going to tell me she found a house on seven acres? She had lost her mind – we will never be able to afford that. I then asked "Is this within our budget?" and she stated yes and told me the list price of the property.

"Robin, seven acres, within our budget – what is wrong with the house?"

She said – "there is nothing wrong with the house, it’s in good shape, it’s solid, the realtor said it was more solidly built than the suburban homes we had been looking at. There is just one problem though…"

Today I can quote the words of Jesus "…O ye of little faith" (Matthew 6:30) but that night I was thinking this can’t be true, something is wrong with this house and she is not telling me everything. However, I was also beginning to realize - - "This is the house that God has answered my prayer with – the one I just prayed this morning." At that moment in my thinking while Robin was describing the physical aspects of the house it occurred to me – "this is our house. This is the house God has provided us…I know it because we had searched for six months and this is not just a coincidence. I began to shake, and pace, my spine was tingling, my hair was standing, God was telling me – "stop questioning and accept this answer to prayer."

Robin’s words began to come to the forefront of my mind just then as I heard her say "…one thing that might be a problem…"

I said "What is that?" – while thinking to myself – "nothings a problem at this point – this is our house that God has given us."

She stated "The house is kind of small."

My response after a quick sigh of relief…."Is it bigger than the fifth wheel we’re living in?"

She laughed and answered "Yes, a little bigger – it’s only 900 square feet."

Of course I had no idea what 900 square feet was I just said – "it’s bigger than the fifth wheel – its big enough for me."

I didn’t tell her about my prayer time with the Lord during this conversation – I was still embarrassed as I know my wife had been praying. I just told Robin…"I know this is the house, go sign the contract tomorrow."

"But you haven’t seen it" she answered.

"I don’t need to see it, I know this is the house and I can’t tell you how I know right now – but trust me on this one. You’ve seen it, you like it, I don’t need to see it because I believe the Lord is in this…I will fax you over a Power of Attorney first thing in the morning so you can start the paperwork."

She said "You’re going to buy a house – sight unseen?"

While trying to hold back the tears and shouting I answered – "I wouldn’t buy just ANY house sight unseen, but I’m not questioning God on this one. I don’t need to see it. He saw this house before you or I and I’m telling you all I can tell you right now – this is our house."

She said "OK???" with a question mark in her tone. "I’ll take care of it…"

As soon as she hung up – I walked as fast as I could back to the cabin where I had talked to God earlier that morning – got back down on my knees and thanked Him for such a speedy reply and how I recognized fully that His hand was in this house and I would always give Him glory and credit for our owning it.

There is so much more I could tell about our house that God has blessed us with. I do realize now – quite fully in fact – what 900 square feet looks like. It is bigger than a fifth wheel – but not by much. But I haven’t complained once – and not a single day goes by that I don’t look out of my bedroom window or off my back deck, out into the back field watching a six point buck chase a doe in the spring time and remember the spiritual lesson I learned (3 years ago at this writing) about trusting God for all of our provisions.

"Wherefore if God so clothe the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is cast into the oven, shall He not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? … for your Heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the Kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you." Matthew 6:30-33

"I have been deprived of peace; I have forgotten what prosperity is. So I say, "My splendor is gone and all that I had hoped from the LORD." I remember my affliction and my wandering, the bitterness and the gall. I well remember them, and my soul is downcast within me.

Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope: Because of the LORD’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness.

I say to myself, "The LORD is my portion; therefore I will wait for him."
The LORD is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him; it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the LORD. It is good for a man to bear the yoke while he is young. Let him sit alone in silence, for the LORD has laid it on him. Let him bury his face in the dust— there may yet be hope." Lamentations 3:17-29

You can see our Blessing from God on my myspace. I have pictures and video: www.myspace.com/pastormikephillips

AMERICA, Home Of The Free Because Of The Brave

2008-03-27T19:13:00.004-04:00

by Savannah Phillips (12 yrs. old)

America today is free because everyone in our country has the same rights. We all can vote. No one is “owned” by another person. Also, we have a right to our own beliefs.

We can practice our beliefs as we please. We have the freedom to speak our minds and we have the right to feel and be safe, because of the brave.

Who has helped make America free? Try 42 Presidents, inclusive of our present President have helped keep America free.

To me, freedom is important because without it, some would have rights that others wouldn’t. All people are equal and deserve the same rights. No one person should have the right to dictate the rights of another person.

Our soldiers and veterans have helped make America free because they have fought for our freedom.

Heroes Don't Have To Be Cowboys...

2008-03-16T21:08:00.006-04:00

…In fact, Willie Nelson’s sights seemed to be set a mite low when he penned the words to “My Heroes Have Always Been Cowboys.” In another antithetical anthem he warns mothers everywhere not to let your babies grow up to be one. Willie’s advise: “let ‘em pick guitars and drive them ole trucks, let ‘em be doctors and lawyers and such.”

I guess “Preachers” didn’t rhyme too well with the song – or maybe Willie has even less reverence for the reverend as he does the range roving wrangler. As far as song’s go, I have to side with Mike Bowling and the Crabb Family and “Thank God For The Preacher.” I have this song on 3 of my 5 blog sites that speaks of the thankless job the Preacher does but tells people about Jesus and helps to change lives for Christ.

As far as heroes go – outside of a couple of family members – my heroes have always been Clergies. One hero of mine went home last week. Instead of being saddened, I choose to rejoice because he is where I long to be one day and it has been his encouragement and teaching during my early years as a ministerial student that kept me faithful to what God called me to do.

Even in times of discouragement – it is a mans hero that sometimes sits on his shoulder and quietly reminds him of the example he was and motivates him to go a little further down the road, motivated by trying to live up to his hero’s example.

My Hero – who never had the ability to leap tall buildings, transcend time, self-heal, read minds or any other super natural fantasy – used to tell me that “if you can’t find a church to pastor – start one.” He never met a stranger, and he never let a waiter or waitress come in and out of his lunch hour without asking if they knew the Lord. In fact – my hero was so sensitive to others, in order to protect a Waffle House Short Order cook one night after a Free Will Baptist Convention had let out and descended upon this understaffed dive, he went to the back of the counter where the cook was, grabbed an apron and a spatula and said “move over – I’ll help you serve this mob.”

My hero loved his truck and drove it all over the country preaching the gospel in revival services. In restaurants and hotels, telling people personally about a personal Savior, setting the example to young preachers like me – who will probably never live up to the reputation and standard he leaves behind. He would drive down the interstate with his puppet – a frog – and when he would pass other vehicles on the interstate he would use that puppet to talk to kids in other cars – and maybe adults too. At the next rest stop – if they happened to pull in too – he would have the opportunity to share the love of Jesus.

I’ll never forget sitting in my hero’s office and the phone rang…it was a wrong number. He said to the caller “Maybe this isn’t the wrong number. Maybe you got the right number and I may be just the person you need to talk to – do you know Jesus as your savior?” What a Soul Winner! If the Bible is true – and I know that it is – it says: He that wins souls is wise. My hero must be one of the wisest men in our generation. He lived to win someone to Jesus. “Hallelujah” and “Praise the Lord” were two phrases always on his lips - sometimes to the chagrin of others (I say let them just keep chagrinnin'). He preached 90 mph and had almost as many stories to tell in his sermons – or was that the same story I just heard that many times…but I never got tired of them. One thing I do know about my hero is that he was sold out and never let that hinder his quest for preaching the gospel.

Ralph Waldo Emerson once wrote: “A hero is no braver than an ordinary man, but he is braver five minutes longer.” In his twilight years my hero was pastor of a church; his age was showing considerably, his knees were giving way to age as well. Most of us would have retired – my hero stayed in five minutes longer. One Thursday night visitation – my hero came to a home with a staircase to the front door. His knees wouldn’t let him climb the steps – so instead of turning around and leaving or going to another house – he got on his hands and knees and literally crawled up the stairs to knock on a door for the opportunity to tell someone about Jesus. If I ever met a truly biblical evangelist - my heroe fits that calling.

I never heard my hero talk about going to Heaven to see his loved ones – but it was always to see Jesus and take as many people with him as he could. Today, my hero is not hindered by hurting knees or failing heart. He is able to transcend the time and space continuum (I guess they can do that in Heaven). He doesn’t grow breathless after a walk, but I’m sure he runs down the streets of Heaven paved with gold. He doesn’t crawl up steps of humility anymore – he sits humbly at the Savior’s feet - the Savior he shared with so many people. I know last week he must have heard the words we all long to hear some day “Well done – thou good and faithful servant – enter into your rest.”

Bob Shockey (1927- 2008) – A generation of Christians and preachers will miss you – and may we never forget the Soul Winning Preacher from Kentucky.

Brokered Convention

2008-02-26T23:55:00.001-05:00

A discussion about what it means to be a Republican.
by Conservatives United

1) Republican Brokered Conventions result in wins!

Abraham Lincoln – 3rd Ballot - Won Presidency
Rutherford Hayes – 7th Ballot - Won Presidency
James Garfield - 36th Ballot - Won Presidency
Warning Harding – 10th Ballot – Won Presidency
Dwight D. Eisenhower – “2nd Ballot” – Won Presidency

2) McCain has to win 467 more delegates (44% of remaining delegates) to secure the nomination. Huckabee needs 639 delegates (57% of remaining delegates) to force a Brokered Convention.

3) A Brokered Convention gives conservatives a voice. A Brokered Convention gives Mike Huckabee a voice. A Brokered Convention gives Mitt Romney a voice. A Brokered Convention keeps media attention on the Republican party for the next 6 months for free! If we just roll over and go to sleep the media will almost solely focus on the Democratic contest.

4) In 1968 Reagan stayed in the race and came in 3rd at the convention with 182 delegates. In 1976 Reagan stayed in the race all the way to the convention and prevented Ford from getting to 1130 delegates. Ford cut a deal that secured enough delegates before the 1st Ballot but Reagan did not bow out until Ford had crossed the finish line.

Reagan’s Revolution says: “Reagan came into the 1976 North Carolina primary having lost the first five consecutive primaries to Ford. The national party establishment was against Reagan, the media started to write him off, and his campaign was broke and in debt. Needless to say, the pressure to drop out of the race was nearly overwhelming.”

Even though Reagan won in NC it was soon statistically impossible for Reagan to win. He still stayed in. He said conservatives have a problem with Ford and until he gets 1130 I will press on.
5) Conservatives Unite! There is still time! Win the Red States and we go to the convention for a discussion about what it means to be a Republican.

Hope this brings encouragement and hope. Spread the word. It is not over!

Mike Huckabee....he just keeps on rolling

2008-02-15T23:23:00.001-05:00

Can Huckabee Win It? You Do The Math...

2008-02-11T15:51:00.000-05:00

Why Huck Fights On

2008-02-11T15:23:00.000-05:00

February 7, 2008 by Doug Wead

So why is Mike Huckabee staying in the race for president? What does he hope to gain? What is he seeing that the rest of us don’t see?

Ahhhh, it is the last question that answers the first two. Huckabee is reading different numbers on his chances and so far, his numbers are proving the more accurate. The cable networks and their pundits who keep telling him to drop out of the race are reading the numbers of evangelical voters in a given contest. Huck, who is afterall in a different business than entertainment news, is reading the “born again” numbers and it has made all the difference in the world.Here is how it works. A young couple and their family has been attending a Nazarene Church for the last six years. They like it, they are comfortable, they support the values, they will vote for a candidate who lines up. At the exit poll they are asked by a cable news network if they are an evangelical?

Well, they aren’t sure; this is a term that has been imposed from without, a catchall with negative connotations. In 2000, John McCain called evangelicals “agents of intolerance.” They don’t give to television evangelists. They are just Nazarene, or maybe their church is Southern Baptist, or Assemblies of God or some other “community church.” A huge percentage of evangelicals still do not know that they are, in fact, part of “the evangelical group.”

Huckabee is working with Gallup numbers, the only truly reliable numbers on religion. It is what we worked with in our successful 1988 campaign for George Herbert Walker Bush, who won 81% of evangelicals nationwide. Gallup’s numbers could be trusted then because they offered a definition inside the question itself. And because they offered a point of reference. (They had been publishing their surveys of religion for years.) And because no special interest drove their polling, it was strictly a curious socio-cultural snapshot of America.

Here was Gallup’s question…

“Are you a born again Christian, that is, have you had a turning point in your life in which you committed yourself to Jesus Christ?”

In 1984, as we looked ahead and planned the GHW Bush presidential run, 39% of the American public said “Yes” to that question. Today the number is closer to 42%.

In 1992, Gallup finally added an addendum to the above question to make it clear…

“And / or, are you an evangelical?”

To all of the above that Nazarene couple would have answered yes.

This year, Evangelicals have watched with bemusement and then horror as the cable news networks have hashed and rehashed who they are, what they believe and why they vote the way they vote. One would think that having an evangelical or two also commenting would be good marketing. Can you imagine networks full of whites talking on and on about Black voters with nary a word from the Black community itself? Well, you got it with evangelicals.

And the same arrogance led to their pointless, irrelevant polls. It led to them believe that Huckabee’s diminished evangelical pool could not support wins in the South on Super Tuesday, for example. But while they saw 28% of the voters in a given state as evangelical, Huckabee knew that twice that many were born again Christians who would support him.We encountered a similar problem in the 1988 cycle. CBS News had exit polls showing that 17% of the nation were fundamentalist Christians. This was a period in which national ignorance of religion in the media was so widespread that we couldn’t get the media to see the difference between fundamentalists, in the John Rice tradition, Jerry Falwell, for example, and the larger evangelical movement. The difference was huge. For example, our Gallup polls, including an excellent purloined survey that had been commissioned by Robert Schuller, showed that only 2% of the nation considered themselves as Fundamentalists, while the 39% claimed to be born again.So where did CBS get its 17%? Most of the public was far more informed about religion than the elitists in media who covered it. Some people answered no to CBS, even though they were born again Christians, some thought, well, I am not a fundamentalist but I think they are really wanting to know if I am born again. They said, yes. Others thought, maybe they are getting it mixed up with evangelicals, and so CBS came up with a bogus, irrelevant number that represented nothing more than a grasp in the dark.

For a brief period, the national news media had a perfect window into this world through John Ellis, a cousin of the Bush family who ran the polling division at NBC. The computer programming pioneer, Roman Godzich, who would later become famous for introducing news on the internet, had set up the NBC system. And we, evangelicals at the Bush campaign, were backtracking to NBC, to help them ask the right questions. The secular media thought our campaign was out of its mind for its early courting of evangelicals. But we got our work done, most of it by 1986, and we were moving into mainstream waters completely by the last year, unscathed by media antipathy toward our Christian allies.

This week, as frantic conservatives tried to drive Huckabee out of the contest, he saw numbers twice as big as theirs. He, alone paid attention to how evangelicals were cutting in Iowa in the last three days when the estrangement between Mormons and Evangelicals surfaced. He knew that if he dropped out, his supporters would not go to Romney. The race would be over. He knew that the bogus attacks on his conservative credentials would not phase his base. (Huckabee’s most liberal moment as governor of Arkansas was raising cigarette taxes in state. Evangelicals don’t care about “sin taxes.” They cared more about Romney’s support of gay civil unions and pro choice in Massachusetts.)

So why does Huckabee stay in the race?

Because in their rush to destroy his chances they have frightened the whole evangelical movement, maybe even awakened parts of it and united parts of it that Huckabee had not been able to reach. MSNBC openly sneered at him, for no apparent reason other than his faith. CNN marginalized him, excluding him from a debate when he was only 1 point separate from Mitt Romney in national polls. FOX News led its Super Tuesday morning program with Karen Hanratty’s anti-Huckabee rant, “Thank God he won’t be the nominee. I don’t care what he does.” Evangelicals themselves feel under attack.

But Huckabee’s numbers proved prescient, the networks bogus. And he is still reading those numbers and must follow them to their end conclusion in Virginia and elsewhere. Now he has become something more. He represents a huge segment of the nation that is feeling excluded, ripped, vilified and powerless. The media hostility and pushing and shoving is awakening the giant. Too late to win the nomination but not too late to bargain at the table of a beleaguered candidate.

This week the media elites, in their great ignorance of evangelicals, will announce that the negotiation have begun at C-PAC between Movement Conservatives and the nominee, John McCain. But C-PAC will represent only the Catholic talking heads and institutions inside the beltway. The negotiations will not be over. Any bargaining with evangelicals will now have to pass through the hands of Governor Mike Huckabee.

Oops! I Did It Again...

2008-02-06T03:36:00.004-05:00

Remember that email I blogged about between Sean Hannity and myself? Seems that Gary Bauer (who I CC'd) want's to weigh in. I received his response today.

For the sake of bringing you up to speed (in case you missed the first one) let me remind you that when Sean Hannity came out and endorsed Mitt Romney - I received an email from a frustrated friend in Ohio who - like many others - has a very difficult time in watching the continued mis-treatment of any GOP Candidate - but certainly Mike Huckabee since that is who the Principaled and Values Voters support. You can read the detailed account below - but the remark I made that "offended" Sean Hannity was "So much for Faith and Family Values. It's all about the money and the Mormon funding these guys receive."

It was that email that now the Evangelical Leader Gary Bauer decided to weigh in on. Gary is one individual that I have been discussing Huckabee and other candidates with quite vigorously for a while. His response was:

I understand the strong negative reaction to Senator McCain. I would caution, however, that some of the criticism is overblown. For example:

He has an 82% American Conservative Union voting record.

He has repeatedly promised to veto any tax increase.

He voted against the hate crimes bill.

He is the toughest Republican Senator on fighting pork barrel spending.

He has voted pro-life on every issue except, unfortunately, stem-cells.

Hillary or Obama will destroy our military, shut down conservative talk radio, raise taxes,
surrender in Iraq and give us socialized medicine. How can anything that bad for America possibly be good for conservatives?

Gary

Mr. Bauer is reacting to my comments of voting for Obama if Huckabee isn't at the very least a VP candidate.

I will close this blog with my copy and pasted response to Mr. Bauer and trust it will speak for itself without further commentary (but please feel free to add your comments).

Mr. Bauer,
In response to your reply (be forwarned - Hannity has called me a Huckabee Conspiracy Theorist on National Radio so whatever you have to offer I can take).

Is it overblown that McCain doesn't support the "Sovereignty" of the US?
Is it overblown that McCain supports gay marriage?
Is it overblown that McCain supports stem cell research ("unfortunately" not)?

As for promising to veto any tax increase - so has Huckabee. I'm not going into full explanation here - but you can listen to the same YouTubes and the radio interview between Huckabee and Colmes that I've heard regarding Huckabee's position on tax increase and his POSITIVE record of surplus and LOWERING Taxes in Arkansas (his record is far better than Romney's), along with fixing the education fiasco, the HealthCare problems and Road Problems, the Clintons left behind.
The Hate crimes bill has not been an issue (at least a major one) in this election (that I'm aware of)
Huckabee promises to be tough on Pork Barrel spending and has promoted a Line Item Veto to accomplish it.

Conservative Talk radio is far from conservative - and I'm at the place that they need to be shut down as you suggest the democrats will do. If they aren't going to report objectively and truthfully - why should they exist. It is gross misconduct to be King Makers. The reason FOX came into existence to begin with was so we had an alternative to the Main Stream Media King Maker's - now we have Conservative King Makers. As a matter of fact - what makes you think John McCain wouldn't shut them down alongside the Democrats - his McCain/Feingold bill certainly had the intent of shutting Evangelical Ministries down (even though it was only self-serving to get him the GOP nomination - and now that he has come out and stated that M/F is 'unconstitutional' and your candidate stated it was "bad legislation" the purpose of the M/F bill has been served - and Americans have been duped - and our Government Used like last nights prostitute) Their (FOX and relative pundits) journalism is and remains unethical in practice, and has been bought and paid for.

Socialized Medicine is a Romney plan as well as the democrats.

My position is - if we're going to elect a RINO - let's just put a Democrat in. At least we'll know what to expect of them. Then the GOP's will rally to keep their hands tied and regain Congressional/Senate seats back in 2010. Hillary would probably be the lesser of two evils between her and Obama - so maybe I overspoke in which Democrat I would vote for - but I will not vote for McCain unless Huckabee is the VP (provided he doesn't get the nomination in a brokered convention at this point). I will not vote for Romney even if Huckabee is his VP because of his dirty politics and "Do anything to get elected" mentality. He is as bad if not worse on flip-flopping than John Kerry and the Democrats will hand him his head on a platter in November should he win the nomination.

Evangelical Leadership, the GOP Washington Insiders, and Fox News (Conservative Radio) have all grossly mis-handled this election and probably have cost us the White House.

I almost ended with that - but just to be clear, I'm not upset because the groups I've listed have "Not supported" Huckabee (with exception to the Evangelical leadership who should know better). I'm upset because they clearly ostrosized Huckabee and (yourself included) came out very early stating that "we don't endorse" but you all eventually ended up endorsing when Mike Huckabee started showing promise and even early on - the non-endorsing crowd had no problem saying "we don't endorse - but Mike Huckabee is liberal" and spun his very conservative, very humane, very Christian governing record into what amounted to out-right lies. Evangelical leadership seemingly (this is a "Conspiracy Theory" floating about) have been simply trying to jump on the winning horse in this race - thus they have not backed their clear choice candidate.

THERE MR. HANNITY is why I stated "So much for Faith and Family Values" it seems that the Evangelical leadership can be bought and sold too (along with you and Clear Channel - if that offends you - I'm sorry - - I'm offended too). In the name of "power and open communication lines" with whomever becomes the next President, Evangelicals have remained silent. I have been told by Tony Perkins' staffer's and close friends of James Dobson that my thinking of Mormon Money lining their Organizational pockets is off - but I still maintain "follow the money" How many Mormon Dollars compared to non-mormon dollars pays their utility costs, payroll costs, etc. A comparison I'd like to see. But even taking the words of these individuals - one of which I trust greatly - the silence of these Evangelical leaders is not warranted and not appropriate. Sorry - my Bible tells me that once "having done all to stand... stand." and Evangelicals across this country have given to Focus on the Family, FRC (Tony Perkins), ACLJ (Jay Sekulow), AFA (who have done the right thing in this election), and I would even venture to say Gary Bauer's org and supported their battle cries and calls - and when the rubber met the road when Huckabee threw in (which would have been, should have been, and WAS their prime candidate) they should have gotten behind him with everything their organizations could throw....but they remained silent (an epitaph for their tombstones). They took to the political low road. When it came time to Put up or shut up - they shut up. That's what the Bible terms as being "lukewarm." They had their chance and missed it, and I will be watching and listening throughout the next Presidents adminstration and everytime I hear a complaint or a stance against abortion or any other "Christian issue" - I'm going to tell them Mike Huckabee, Mike Huckabee, Mike Huckabee....you had your chance and took a pass." Every aborted baby's grave should have that on their tombstone: "You had your chance to save me and took a political pass."

Well Mr. Bauer, you and I may never see eye to eye on this election. But you have lost a lot of respect of some very good Christian individuals that I've communitcated with. Why exactly - outside of your failed support of Huckabee and your attacks against him - I'm not sure - something transpiring before my time regarding political interests and involvment.

As stated earlier - I can vote for a McCain/Huckabee ticket as long as I follow it up with a stiff drink (just kidding - I don't drink - just watch too many westerns - since I don't have FOX News to watch or WMAL radio to listen to any more). I would hope we could work together in the future - but unfortunately until this election is over - I have the "if your not for me - your against me" mentaility as applied to Hucakbee - which as you should know is a Biblical Principal.

As for conspiracy theories - - a friend of mine has a very good concept on conspiracy theories - too long to get into here, but there is definately a conspiracy theory that is reality when you think about "principalities and powers" in high places. Many people are working (possibly at odds with others) for the same ultimate goal of the Prince of Persia - but our goal is for the Prince of Peace, and we are currently losing a well-fought battle with this election - haven't lost - but behind at this writing - and in the end you and I both know Who wins the war whatever the outcome of the battle may be. The battle at this time is only the Nomination for GOP Candidate, the next Battle is the General Election, but the War - is the Kingdom of Heaven and it's citizens, to which - in Jesus Christ - we are both a part of. I will stand with you anytime for that ultimate victory - and wish you and the other Evangelical Leaders who chose to go left when they should have gone right had stood with me and many others in this current battle we now face.

I don't know what you think about Don Wildmon - I've always thought he was pretty "out there" but he has supported this candidate and for now - has won my appreciation. I'm not sure how effective he is - but I give him an A for effort, diligence, and faithfulness to his calling over the years. The other more well-known Arlington Group members left their first love and as Mr. Hannity suggested for me...."should be ashamed" of themselves. You can read about that on my blog.

Thanks for the reply.

With respect,
Michael Phillips, Chairman
Maryland Faith and Family Values Coalition
Waldorf, MD

African-Americans Support Huckabee

2008-02-06T03:05:00.000-05:00

On Monday, February 4th a group of Black Conservatives from across the country gathered at the National Press Club to announce their backing of Mike Huckabee for President. Michael Brown (Washington DC) and Mike Phillips (Waldorf, MD) of Hucks Army – a grassroots organization supporting Mike Huckabee – were present to show their support and be able to report back to the Huckabee constituency.

The purpose of the press conference was to urge former Governor Mike Huckabee to remain in the Presidential race for the GOP nomination. They each stated their strong support for Mike Huckabee to remain in the race all the way to convention in September despite the efforts of intimidation and “cry-baby tactics” of Mitt Romney’s campaign. Don Scoggins – a black Republican for 50 years and President of Republicans for Black Empowerment located in DC – stated that “mike Huckabee should not be intimidated to stop his bid for the nomination.” Star Parker, founder and President of C.U.R.E. (Coalition of Urban Renewal and Education – www.urbancure.org) stated that “black Americans have been duped by the democratic party for too long.” Ms. Parker, a former welfare recipient admitting to four abortions before understanding the misleading myth that abortion is a harmless form of birth control, stated that “Barak Obama is the most liberal candidate in this election. His views do not reflect Christian Values or the values of Black People.” She further stated that black people have been repressed and it is the Democratic Party that has led us to believe that they are the answer to our plight. “Welfare doesn’t work for the black American, young black men need to go to work and build themselves a future” according to Parker. Star also stated that African Americans need to “…understand that moral and economic health go hand in hand and should not be underestimated.”

All of the speakers maintained the concept of the Christian’s responsibility to vote according to principals and values. If that is the goal, “Black people in this country will not choose Barak Obama or Mitt Romney as their choice for president” maintaining their records on abortion.

50 African American conservatives were represented at the Press Conference denoting their support of Mike Huckabee including but not limited to Ron Miller (a former congressional candidate of MD), Eric Brown of FL, Daryl Bassett of LR, Marvin Harris, GA and many others.

Rev. Clenard Childress of Montclair NJ asked the question “Does Barak Obama fit the dream of Martin Luther King?” Using the “I Have A Dream Speech,” Rev. Childress suggested that voters line each candidate up with the challenge that Dr. King gave America in Washington. Dr. King stated that we need to be a “Nation of conscience” to which Rev. Childress stated “Obama denied healthcare to babies who survived abortions, and he has a conscience?” He further stated that Barak Obama was an “African American perpetrating a fraud.”

I'm A Conspiracy Theorist: So Says Sean Hannity

2008-02-01T19:09:00.001-05:00

Is the next attack to be compared to Ron Paulinian conspiratists?

Today I had the distinct honor of exchanging emails with one of the Faux News Huck Heister's: Sean Hannity.

The exchange began last night with an email I received from a friend in Ohio (who's name I'll leave out for her benefit - but suffice it to say she is an Ohio leader of political values voting responsibility). Sean Hannity - yesterday - came out and endorsed Mitt Romney for President. Certainly Sean has that right - but where he and most every other Faux News Pundit has erred is that they have all tried to ram-rod this election from behind a camera and microphone.

It's difficult enough for a candidate with little money to show he is electable and can win in November while running against seven other candidates - one of which will climb a tree to tell a lie as to stand on the ground and tell the truth (Sean's choice - Romney). But add to that mix of seven candidates a slew of pundits like Sean, Rush, Ann Coulter, Laura Ingram, Britt Hume, Bill O'Reiley, and every other so-called Fair and Balanced campaign conjurator Fox and Bain Capital (Romney's Corporation) have on their payroll and you have a very difficult campaign hill to climb indeed. For most it would be impossible, but for Mike it has been impressive. With little funds, lies fabled, and limelight Fox-fettered Huckabee is still in the game.

Certainly the liberal media (Faux News included) would have you to beleive it's all over but the shouting with McCain in the driver's seat. But there are many states in the south that Mike Huckabee is either in a clear lead or tied for first place for Super Tuesday. He still has a chance - even though snow-ball might be looming in the back of our mind to further descript the chance. If there were no chance - I hope he remains in the race to muck up Mitt's opportunity to lead this country into a socialistic, government controlled wreck of a nation and GOP.

Senator Obama is calling for Obama Republicans in like fashion as Reagan called for his Reagan Democrats. If Romney wins the GOP nomination - I'm ready to roll for Obama. If McCain wins the nomination and chooses anyone but Huckabee - I'm rolling left in November. My rationale? If we're going to elect a democrat let's be honest about it and get a REAL Democrat in the Whitehouse.

Let's deal with my Consipiracy Theorisms

In recent weeks I've learned some things about the "money trail" in politics. Duncan Hunter has suggested in a few debates to "follow the money." Briefly, if we follow the money - or at least ask the question as to where the money originates, it becomes quite enlightening without a conspiracy anywhere in sight. As Mitt Romney told McCain the other night in the CNN debates "Facts are a funny thing." It is a fact that Mitt Romney owns Bain Capital. It is a fact that Bain Capital owns Fox News Network. It is a Fact that Sean Hannity is under contract until 2010 with Fox News Network. Any questions as to why the endorsement? Facts are a funny thing.

I stated in my email reply last night - when asked by my Ohio friend of what we can do at this point to help our canididate overcome these obstacles presented from our own GOP family - that I was just learning of Hannity's endorsement of Romney. I was also just learning of some very disheartening information as to Evangelicals participating in the Romney campaign. The only way I can rationalize in my mind the reason for Hannity's support for Romney (at least until I learned who his boss was) is that McCain is just too liberal and Huckabee is just too Christian.

"I just learned from the Mike Huckabee blog that Jay Sekulow is
a Senior Staff advisor for Romney. Unbelievable. I'm sorry - If Romney
wins this nomination - I'll be one of Obama's Republicans. At least we can count
on him to be honest with America. We've lost the Evangelical leadership that's
certain. Tony Perkins is pulling for Romney and Dobson seems to be with his
silence. So much for Faith and Values. It's all about the money and the
Mormon funding these guys receive."
To which Sean Hannity responds...

"This statement is beyond offensive.............you should be
ashamed of yourself..........and for the record pointing out that Rudy saved NY
from Pornography, prostitution, drugs murder, crime, high taxes, and excessive
welfare is not an endorsement.....IT IS A FACT!"

All screaming aside (all caps are considered shouting in emails - a FACT I'm sure Sean is aware of) Sean Hannity should be offended. He should be offended just like I'm offended. I am offended as a right of right conservative that Checkbook Journalism has won the day in this election. I didn't question Giuiliani's record in any email sent to Hannity. However, in my response, I reminded Hannity that Rudy is

"...Pro-choice, his position on Roe v. Wade is weak with his promise only to appoint judges. Huckabee's goal is to overturn Roe v. Wade. We've appointed enough judges in the last 30 years to have been able to get the job done by now. I am convinced that 'appointing judges' is Washington insiders little stroke to appease the 42% of Evangelicals in this country."

Hannity further responded

"You should be ashamed of yourself saying this,............ I will not even respond to your crazy conspiracy theory which is also FALSE--I speak for MYSELF only........."

I should be ashamed of myself.
For what exactly? For calling a duck a duck? For stating the facts as I see them? I'm not ashamed of that. I stand firm for principals in every aspect of life. I have let church member's walk out of my congregation because they wanted me to turn a blind eye to the wrongs they were committing, because others wanted me to water down the message of the Bible, because I taught what the word of God says whether the hearer liked it or not. I am Principaled and am not ashamed of the truth. The truth is, when I watch Fox News and listen to the Sean Hannity show (radio or TV), Huckabee is being ignored. I know it and see it. Other do as well - so while Hannity speaks for "HIMSELF only" I speak for me and MANY OTHERS who I've spoken to personally, read their comments in discussion boards, and blogged about on the internet.

What I AM ashamed of is what pretends to be "Evangelical" in this country. The so-called Evangelical leadership have failed this country, this consitituent, and this candidate (Huckabee). Sean Hannity could not today - nor can he deny that Tony Perkins, Jay Sekulow, and quite possibly James Dobson (though sources adamantly tell me otherwise) have BIG MONEY coming into their organizations from the LDS Church (Mormons). I hear Duncan Hunter's voice distantly in the past debates saying "Follow the Money"

In defending himself Hannity mentioned that Huckabee was on his TV show tonight at 9:00 - leaving me to beleive he was being gracious only later this afternoon to learn that Chip Saltzman requested the time for Huckabee to "pick a bone" with Hannity. I will certainly watch with interest. I did give Hannity his due kudos in that he has allowed Huckabee to have more airtime than any other candidate...

"And in those time frames, you have demeaned Huckabee's record by either lying or being mis-informed about his fiscal conservatism and raising taxes in Arkansas. The candidate you endorsed raised more taxes and fees that Huckabee did. The candidate you endorse pandered to the Homosexual agenda as Governor of his state. The candidate you endorse allowed for $50 co-pays for abortions in his mandated health-care program that he will bring to Washington.
Are you for mandated health-care? If so - I'm quite surprised.

Also in the majority of your time with Huckabee you have made it a point to call
him a Baptist Preacher and question his ability to lead. You and other FOX
pundits have all used the "Christian" aspect of Huckabee to cause his demise,
but where Romney has been concerned he is always referred to as a Governor - not a Mormon.
I will also give you credit for the post-debate interviews that you
have given - - as opposed to FOX's overall mishandling of the debates. The
last FOX debate allowed 22 minutes for Romney to speak and only 11 for
Huckabee. I didn't track McCain's time. There is no excuse for that - well
except for the excuse of having an agenda for electing the owner FOX and
Baines Capital as President. Our GOP Nomination has been bought and paid for
and I'm not the one who should be ashamed."

So, time draws nigh for the Huck/Hannity showdown. In closing, I'm no more a conspiracy theorist than I am a potential Vice Presidential pick for Huckabee should he win the nomination. I hope Huckabee is tough, firm, and Presidential tonight. I pray that many will watch the show - both the Fox Coolaid Swallowers as well as those of us who have spewn their lukewarmedness out of our mouths when we realized they were bought and paid for and trying to be king-makers instead of ethical and legitimate journalists.

Before I had the chance to hit the "publish Post" button Frank Luntz states to Hannity on Fox that Huckabee came out of the CNN Debate as the favorite. How many debates does Mike Huckabee have to win before FOX and the other Liberal Media outlets with them will see him as a viable candidate that can beat the Clinton Machine and "out debate" Obama.

"CHANGE" the current Buzz Word

2008-02-01T02:29:00.000-05:00

By: Doug Ritchie, a resident of Charles County, Maryland

What has happened to make us wonder just what words mean?

Take the word “CHANGE.” We hear much ado about change. Who are those among us who cry out for "change?" What do they mean?

Political comments have changed. Since Clinton was President, we have been hearing charges of every and all sorts about our republican leaders.

It has been ‘so long and far away’ since we have heard any of the music we all used to listen to and hum the melody during our day's work.

Lately all we read or hear from the media make us feel afraid to do what we have been doing all of our lives. I stopped reading newspapers years ago. I’m betting you will think: "What wisdom!"
Newspapers are so biased. I can’t believe them. I stopped when Vicki the Vulganizer was doing her very sincere best to destroy our republican county commissioners in the mid 1990’s. Wasn’t I smart! {I mean ‘wise.’}

Soon, folks, now Congress with that thin democrat majority will be trying to cause me to stop listening to radio. Have you heard about their Fairness Doctrine bill? Seems Congressional leaders want to violate the First Amendment to the Constitution with their version of “Fairness.”
‘Imprimis*’, they will violate the first of the Bill of Rights by making a law regarding the use of our public's air waves. Somehow they construe the idea that mandating Free Speech must be Equal Speech. What do you think of that? In using the term "fairness" they they twist the definition of fairness to mean what that bill will mandate. Really insightful.

Churches don’t pay taxes because they are not supposed to be houses of politics. [Editors Note: In Maryland we may not pay taxes as a church - but we do pay fee's in order to maintain tax exemption - go figure, sounds like something right out of Mitt Romney's playbook] Yet we see time and again democrat politicians at the main stations in many churches soliciting votes. We see church leaders touting openly candidates of their flavor so they obviously are convincing their group to support those candidates. Those churches should have to pay Federal and state income taxes as do all other groups who support candidates. Why hasn’t the IRS gone after them? They do come after us!

That they do what they do has been overlooked for what reason? Is that a FAIRNESS Doctrine?
Do you find it strange now that we hear and see words being used in strange ways?

Charles County, Maryland

When I hear the word SMART I think of "hurt." As in, “boy did that bee sting smart!”
What does Planning and Zoning Committees mean by SMART GROWTH?

That is why the term SMART GROWTH means painful growth to me. When you read your recent new tax assessment for your home didn't you feel pain? I did. My home assessment was increased by one hundred thousand dollars.

I could feel the pain of SMART GROWTH when I must pay not $2000, but $3000 per year to live in my brick Chicken Coop. [Oops, now they have me using double meanings.] Anyone who recently had to meet the demands of SMART GROWTH zoning will easily recant the pain they experienced.

Use of words such as Change, Fairness and SMART don't carry the same meanings anymore.

There are other terms you could easily add to this short list. Truth is one, isn't it?

As to the sounds we hear that are supposed to be "music" why don't they set us to humming any melodies do they? Are those sounds music? I don't think they are. Somehow we have warped back in time to that hypothetical year "1984." What was anticipated in 1948 in Great Britain was off the mark by just a couple of decades in our lives.

Seems it took a little longer for those among us to bring about the same changes here.

What are we going to do about all this?
Do we sit back and do the politically correct thing or are we going to stand up, declare our disdain, and do the right thing by fighting for those freedoms we are about to lose?

Don't we have grandchildren to leave those very freedoms we have had handed to us by those multitudes who actually died to keep for us?

I see a start of a war against "terrorists" of a new kind. Just as we know why in the mid 1850’s the French cried out "To Arms, Citizens!"

Don't you agree that Rudy Guiliani lost his fight for the Presidency of this great nation because he forgot what it was we must fight for? He forgot he was the first to tell us it is FREEDOM we will lose if we don't stand up and fight! How "slick" his media enemy was! Hillary did not wish to take him on later! All that glitters is not GOLD. The truth is not what it really is any more.
Now it has come to be the time for all good voters to go to the polls on February 12th to vote for fighters who can remember from day to day just what it is like to lose one's FREEDOM.

Experience is a dear teacher.

It will be so easy to stay home.

It will be so much harder to win back what we’ll lose just as it will be to pay the coming heavy tax bills from Governor O’Malley. His lesson taught us what truth really is, didn't he?

* Imprimis is Latin for “in the first place.”

Doug Ritchie
dougr33@earthlink.net
Proudly serving the cause of patriotism

MD General Assembly enacted the tax increases to support Socialism's growing hunger!

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What The Republican Capaigns Reveal About Their Candidates

2008-01-30T19:19:00.000-05:00

By a HucksArmy Grassroots Volunteer of Bishopville, SC

In this highly unusual presidential campaign, one thing has not changed – the passionate and hope-filled promises of a better America. The real ideas and hard facts for how they could actually work are few and far between, but the promises are there. The problem is most of us have heard them too often, and have grown skeptical.

According to the latest polls, the number one concern among republicans is the economy. We have a deficit in the trillions of dollars and an economy that is, at best, slipping into a recession. Each candidate has shared his promises and the, too often, empty words of dreamy results, but who can really change the course? Which Republican candidate is best qualified to lead this country back to financial health?

At first, Mitt Romney looks as if he is the Messaiah on this point. A self-made millionaire who has a proven record of turning failing companies around, who better understands the economy – who better to lead America to financial recovery? But critics assail that his millions were made by corporate restructuring and sell-offs, which translated, is layoffs and job reductions. If so, that is hardly what we need.

Then, there’s John McCain. He touts his record of fighting against government waste and tenaciously denounces pork barrel spending, offering a handful of examples where he did just that. On the other side, he has never really had the responsibility of running a government or balancing its budget. Romney has asserted that he’s part of the “Washington is broken” problem.
Mike Huckabee did run a government, balancing its budget ten straight years. He got the attention of fiscal conservatives with a fresh, new idea for a stimulus package in the most recent debate – investing the money in a major infrastructure project using American labor and American-made materials. On the flip-side, he has been labeled by the Club for Growth and prominent conservatives as a tax-and-spend liberal.

Ron Paul makes the case that, were we not funding the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, we could divert that money to stimulate the economy. However, that would require abandoning our security interests in that region – something that most republicans would consider far too great a risk.

So, who is really offers America the most hope? Perhaps the answer is not in the promises or opinions, but can be found in the campaigns themselves.

It is no secret that Mitt Romney has outspent all of the other candidates. Estimates are that he has outspent some contenders by as much as 20-to-1. Yet, he has only managed to win three primaries or caucuses, two of which were not contested and one in his “home” state of Michigan. How well does that testify of his ability to control spending? How does it portray fiscal responsibility? How would it translate as an ability to cut the waste out of the federal budget?
And what about the current front-runner, John McCain? Not that long ago, his campaign was on life support – about to go under. His answer – borrow money. Would that he his solution to the economic woes of our country? What would that do to the federal deficit?

How about Mike Huckabee? Huckabee has never had an abundance of cash for his campaign. In fact, the media clearly stated that once Iowa was over, he would be done – that he couldn’t financially compete nationally. But Huckabee has inspired a grass-roots effort that has kept him in the race, in contention in the national polls, and poised for several victories on super Tuesday. When his campaign was feeling the tightness of the budget during the Florida campaign, he made some tough decisions to cut spending, but stay in the black.

America has a problem with spending and deficits. We need a leader who can inspire people, make tough decisions, and put us back on track financially. Some people have already written Mike Huckabee off in this presidential election. That’s a mistake, in more ways than one.

Before you commit to the candidates who sponsored the McCain-Feingold-Thompson Bill - you might want to read this:

2008-01-20T20:59:00.000-05:00

SEPARATION OF CHURCH AND STATE: STRAIGHT FROM THE MIND OF HITLER
When Adolph Hitler took power in Germany, he recognized immediately that the major threat to his tyrannical designs would come from the church. If he could neutralize the voice of the church, he correctly reasoned, there would be no one else to stand in his way.

Consequently, he immediately cranked up the Nazi propaganda machine to develop slogans designed to silence the voice of the church, slogans which were then relentlessly hammered into the minds of gullible Germans and their pastors, who meekly complied.

Hitler crafted two slogans in particular, and these became the bulldozers he used to push the church to the margins of the culture and so squelch its freedom to speak truth to power that the liberty of the entire world was soon threatened. Liberty was only preserved at the cost of millions of lives, including hundreds of thousands of America’s finest young men.

These slogans, mind you, do not come from the United States Constitution or from Thomas Jefferson or from the mind of the Founding Fathers. These slogans come straight from the mind of Adolph Hitler, and bear a sobering similarity to the mantras of the ACLU, Americans United for the Separation of Church and State and the Freedom from Religion Foundation.

Here they are, straight from the mind of Adolph Hitler:

“Politics do not belong in the Church.”

“The Church must be separate from the State.”

If they sound eerily familiar, it will only be because you instinctively recognize in these words the voice of tyranny and repression.

Hitler himself drove the pilings even deeper when he said, in December of 1934, “The Nazi State will however not tolerate under any circumstances any new or any continued political activity of the denominations.”

In the same speech, he added these ominous words: “But we will ensure the purging from our public life of all those priests who have mistaken their profession and who ought to have been politicians and not pastors.”

The objective of the Nazi regime was virtually identical to the agenda of today’s ACLU: Contain the voice of the church within the four walls of its buildings, turning them into nothing more than echo chambers, and punish any effort of church leaders to make their voices heard in the public square.

Further, in a manner that is strikingly reminiscent of efforts to purge any references to God from our public systems of education, Josef Goebbels said the following in August, 1935:

"To educate the young people into religious ways may perhaps be the task of
the Church, but to educate the young in politics is very much our affair. The
youth belongs to us and we will yield them to no one."

All church youth groups were banned in favor of the Hitler Youth, which became the only legal youth organization in the country. Churches were no longer permitted to hold any meetings in public venues. They were instead locked up inside their sanctuaries, forbidden to speak their message outside the four walls of their church buildings.

And the rest, as they say, is history.

The current restraint on the freedom of the church in America to speak truth to political power was imposed in 1954 through the efforts of then Sen. Lyndon Johnson. Johnson, incensed at some non-profit organizations for opposing his most recent run for office, suspended the sword of the IRS over the necks of any religious leader who would dare to stand for justice and truth in the nation’s political life.

And so today’s church is still paying the price for this small-minded politician’s petty and vengeful ability to use the power of the federal government to punish his adversaries.
Prior to 1954, churches had the freedom to be as engaged in matters of public policy as they chose. They were free to be actively engaged without fear of punishment, and free to be completely uninvolved in political matters if they so chose. That, my friends, is liberty, both of the religious and political kind.

While churches may still today distribute non-partisan voter guides, and pastors are free to speak to the moral issues of the day, watchdogs from the ACLU and other leftist groups are lurking around every corner, looking to pounce on any religious leader who would dare use his influence to help shape the direction of America’s public policy.

Just this week, an IRS investigation has been requested by Americans United into a pastor who endorsed Barack Obama from his pulpit last Sunday. In a free country, he should be free to do so without fear that his voice will be strangled by the federal government.

Judicial activism has turned the First Amendment on its head, and the very provision intended by the Framers to protect religious liberty is now being used to repress it.

The remedy? First, Congress should repeal LBJ’s onerous 1954 IRS restriction. Second, we must elect a president who will appoint justices to the Supreme Court who understand the original intent of the First Amendment and will restore constitutional freedoms of religion and speech in full to America’s churches.

Then, and only then, can we be assured that true American liberty will be preserved for us, for our children, and for their children after them. (Nazi Persecution of The Churches, 1933-45, by J.S. Conway, Basic Books, 1968)

Who's Going To Fill Their Shoes?

2008-01-18T15:37:00.000-05:00

For those of you who don't know me - or know what I've been up to of late, I have been extremely involved in endeavors that I beleive to be of national and spiritual consequence. Enough said to that regard, but I'm blogging here today - because I need to get my mind wrapped around something else even for a few minutes for my sanity's sake.

I was thinking this morning about some of the wisdom that has been passed down to me from other, much older, experienced, and wiser pastor's that I believe had a part in making me the man, father, husband, pastor, believer, that I am today. I was saved at 11 in a church youth camp, and preachers and godly men and women have influenced my life ever since. So - I thought I'd share some of those statements that really stick out in my mind for others to read and though it may not be an exhaustive list of remarks, certainly I find them ever present in my psyche as each individual played a part in shaping who I am and my relationship with the Lord. This is my small tribute to the real Hero's in my life:

"Don't ever take a drink - if you do - I hope you see my face of dissapointment in your mind" - Rev. Ben Scott Retired pastor in Arkansas - - for the record, every drink I've ever drank as a teenager - my pastor's face was in front of me. This taught me to have a relationship with the youth of my church and not be so far removed as a pastor that I lost influence over them. It also kept me from drinking too regularly as some of my friends did in those days.

"Get out of that girls lap!!" - Rev. George Harvey Pastor in Arizona - - He grabbed me by the arm and sternly stated this to me when I was leaning too closely to my girlfriend in church service - taught me to treat ladies in dating relationships with respect - - a lesson I will surely pass on to my son and as for my daughter - to expect the same. (I was 13).

"Don't change the Message but the Method's must continue to change" - Rev. Bill Johnson (dec. Pastor in Ft. Smith, AR) -- taught me to never discount ministry methods outside the box of traditionalism. Winning people to Christ is the ultimate goal.

"Be ready to preach, pray, or die in a minutes notice." - Dr. Charles Thigpen (Bible College President, Ret.)

"Always tell the stories of your family" - Donald Phillips (Uncle) -- it certainly gives our children and grandchildren the sense of "heritage" and being part of a family much bigger than themselves and our immediate family.

"Faith is asking God for something and waiting for Him to provide should he decide you really need it" Rev. John Gibbs (Pastor in North Carolina) --not and exact quote, but more of the example he has set. I've known him to pray and ask and share with the Lord his need and has never been dissapointed. I recall several requests he has had over the last 10 -15 years of his ministry and I am always amazed at how God has provided - if not every one - certainly some pretty significant ones.

"If we as Christians live in fear, what hope does that give those who don't know Christ." Rev. John Gibbs (Pastor in North Carolina) stated on the Wednesday night that George H.W. Bush announced we were at war in Desert Storm.

"Jesus let go of God's hand on the Cross so that He could reach down - and I could reach up - and take Jesus' hand" Rev. John Gibbs (Pastor in North Carolina) - - I can get through any difficulty as long as I hold the hand of Jesus

"Would you go to church camp with me?" Boyd Osborne (Uncle) - - I asked Jesus to be my Savior that week as a result.

"If you can do anything else but that, I would encourage you to do it" Rev. Ben Scott (Arkansas Pastor Ret.) - - when I informed him I was answering the call into ministry. He was referring to the hardships of minsitry. Sometimes I wish I had listened.

Though I can't think of any specific quotes, here are others that have made impacts in my life:

Denny Smith (Uncle) - - made sure I had a place to hunt each deer season and taught me the importance of helping people with the only motivation of being your friend or family

Rev. Jim Walker (Pastor in Arkansas) - - never give up on ministry even when it's difficult and to keep a calm head in the heat of difficulties

Rev. Bob Shockey - (Pastor in Tennessee) - - Evangelist and Soul Winner - taught me the importance of keeping your joy and not being ashamed of the Gospel.

Rev. Bo Coffman (Pastor in Arkansas Ret.) - - taught me the importance of being a Pastor to the community regardless of whether the individual came to my church or not.

Larry Phillips (Dad) - - being an honest and upright man in business and private life leaving behind an impeccable reputation for quality and character. A man who is still missed after seven years. (and would probably be mad for being included here) :)

Gerald Phillips (Grandfather) - - Same as above, but I recall at age 70 he could outwork me at 17 in the Hay-field and barn on a hot August day.

What does $585,000 buy you?

2008-01-18T02:33:00.000-05:00

Question: What does $585,000 buy you?

Answer: It bought Mitt Romney backers a smear job against Mike Huckabee orchestrated by Beltway Insiders.

The Club for Growth has an affiliated 527 group, Club for Growth.net, running anti-Mike Huckabee ads in early primary states.

- At least $585,000 in contributions from Mitt Romney financial backers.

- Club for Growth has spent $750,000 against Governor Huckabee in Iowa, South Carolina and Michigan.
Here are donors that have donated both to Club for Growth.net* and Mitt Romney:

Name: John Childs**

Contribution to Beltway Group
$100,000 on 11/16/07

$100,000 on 12/31/07

Contribution to Mitt Romney
$2,100 on 1/8/07

Name: Bob Perry

Contribution to Beltway Group

$200,000 on 12/12/07

Contribution to Mitt Romney
$2,300 on 3/13/07

Name: Kristen Hertel

Contribution to Beltway Group

$25,000 on 12/21/07

$25,000 on 1/02/08

Contribution to Mitt Romney
$1,000 on 2/6/07

Name: Muneer Satter

Contribution to Beltway Group

$25,000 on 12/21/07
$25,000 on 1/02/08

Contribution to Mitt Romney

$2,300 on 2/6/07

Name: Michael Valentine

Contribution to Beltway Group

$40,000 on 1/3/08

Contribution to Mitt Romney

$2,300 on 4/4/07

Name: Travis Anderson

Contribution to Beltway Group

$25,000 on 12/19/07

Contribution to Mitt Romney

$2,100 on 2/8/07

Name: Richard Gaby

Contribution to Beltway Group

$20,000 on 12/19/07

Contribution to Mitt Romney

$1,000 on 2/12/07

* Only represents donors that contributed more than $20,000 to Club for Growth.net in 2007/2008.

** "Boston investor John Childs, who donated $2,100 to Romney in 2007, recently gave 100,000 to the Club for Growth." [Morain, Dan. "Huckabee foes open their wallets for attack ads," The Los Angeles Times. 1 January 2008.]

*** All contributor information obtained from Federal Election Commission's electronic database at www.fec.gov.

Paid for by Huckabee for President, Inc.
www.mikehuckabee.com

I Actually Agreed With Rush This Week

2008-01-13T00:37:00.000-05:00

It's no unknown fact that FOX news, Rush Limbaugh, Ann Coulter have fell off into the brink of biased media reporting because their pockets are lined with Washington Insider Dollars - or so one must assume. It's actually gotten so bad that many conservatives have either started surfing other political news outlets and commentators, or have simply turned them off altogether.

I now watch CNN more than FOX and only watch Fox long enough to be able to accurately describe their newly acquired SPIN-ZONE status with unfair-unbalanced reporting. I promise - I'll get off this broken record spill before I end this post.

Rush Limbaugh this week - in commentating on the Thursday night FOX Debate stated that "We should not be afraid to go after McCain's record." Most all debate watchers are in agreement that McCain made it through Thursday's debate "unscathed." Huckabee took the first punch from Thompson and gave back better than he received (In Normal Huck Fashion - I love it when he gets tough). Ron Paul took several hits (what's new), Mitt might have alluded to some McCain records but didn't really show his teeth too much - and didn't take too many scratches and bites from anyone either. Giuliani had his moments of giving as well as receiving some minor discussion. Huckabee's biggest hits probably came from the Moderator's - again - FOX people trying to Spin the Religion aspect of Huckabee into a negative....how do they sleep at night? (I have thoughts about that - but I don't want to offend some Huckabee supporters in the process - we'll wait until after November to discuss if your still interested).

Overall - McCain took it easy on everyone and in return didn't take any hits either. Rush says "go after his record." I agree, but with respect. He may be a Hero, but he is not Presidential material. When he was defeated by George Bush, he held a grudge against the President for almost 2 years, voting against proposals that Bush conceived or openly approved. McCain has sided with Democrats on many pivotal Bills that came before his signature pen.

WorldNetDaily.com came out with an article today stating that James Dobson has placed his stamp of DISapproval on John McCain. Though the article attempts to appear unbiased, the subtleties run clear that WorldNetDaily has drank the same Kool-Aide FOX has been drinking from GOP Washington insiders. But Dobson is a tee-totaler and doesn't drink that kind of kool-aide. He has no fear of pointing out the falicies of McCain's record.

Sidebar: When I mention subtleties of articles and reporting....I just want to give you an example of what I'm referring to here. This is a quote from WND.com on Dobson....

"Dobson, who always is careful to note that he's not speaking for the non-profit ministry, which cannot advocate for or against candidates legally, also doesn't hesitate to state his personal opinions on social or political issues and agendas."

This paragraph would almost be overlooked by the reader. That last sentence just leaps off the page at me. Has it occurred to WND that the reason Dobson offers his personal opinion is because a reporter probably stuck a microphone and camera in his face and asked.....NOT TO MENTION - ever heard of Free Speech? He has that right!

Well - if McCain had his way - certainly those rights would be absolved. Sometimes loopholes are good. Had Dobson been sitting in his office in the Focus on the Family premises and made that statement - his 501 c 3 would have been in jeopardy, but because he was - and noted thusly - that he was speaking as a private citizen and in his home - he could make those statements. Thank you McCain and Feingold for your bill to allow Big Government to split hairs in the private sector in order to stifle those you knew would not support you in 2008.

I still believe the McCain-Feingold bill was quite self-serving on John McCain's part. He new he was going to run again. He knew Evangelicals wouldn't support him. He knew he couldn't play on the same monetary ball field as other candidates would be able to - so he created and managed the passing of a bill that would bring the ball-game to his turf. How self-serving is that.

Dobson further points out his distaste for McCain as President in the fact the McCain does not support a One Man One Woman Marriage.

McCain stated: "I think that gay marriage should be allowed, if there is a ceremony kind of thing, if you want to call it that...I don't have any problem with that."

If I had any persuasion to think that McCain would be a lesser of two evils choice for me - you just lost me with that quote.

McCain also supports a Democratic authored legislative bill that creates obstacles for ministries to reach constituents with action messages about pending legislation.

This is currently being fought by groups like ACLJ, American Family Association, and Center for Moral Clarity. If this type of legislation is passed - it will effectively silence the church at large and our ability to amass opposition to future legislation such as Stem Cell Research, Abortion bills, Free Speech, and virtually limitless counts of bills that affect our everyday living and freedoms in this country.

Other rules are hidden deeply into this current legislation that include rules to "eliminate the many recent scandals involving members of Congress, ...require pro-family groups to provide documentation of their actions to the government anytime they try to spark any grass-roots action." Where is "smaller government" in this type of legislation? This is Big Government looming over the Church and affiliated organizations. This is Big Brother at his worse.

This would mean that "phone calls, personal visits, emails, magazines, broadcasts, phone banks, appearances, travel, fundraising, and other items all would be subject to government tabulation, verification, and audits....on and on it goes" according to Dobson.

"'Clearly, the objective here is to hide what goes on from the public and punish
and silence those of us who would talk about what our representatives are
doing,' Dobson said of the plan by Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev. American Family
Association Chairman Donald Wildmon, Family Research Council President Tony Perkins and American Values President Gary Bauer joined Dobson in urging listeners to flood Capitol Hill with phone calls demanding those speech limits be removed."

Don Wildmon referred to McCain's bill as "We don't want to hear from you and this is the way we're going to handle it."

I have blogged before - and I have written Mr. Bauer personally that there is a clear and present danger in front of us at this hour. It is the shutting down of the Evangelical and sending us back to the Dance Floor Sidelines to be wallflower's and never being asked to dance. We were courted in the '80's and learned how to dance in the political arena. Now that we as Evangelicals not only know how to dance - but have cleared the floor with our tango-ing Mike Huckabee - we're not welcome anymore. Washington's liberal bills can't get passed because the Evangelicals have a right to free speech and OMG!!! They are using it!!!!

I recall the day when the church in America was practically powerless. We have seen the church mature into a strong voice. Now - we see a government trying to squeeze us back into our box with articles like Robert Novak's stating that we aren't REALLY SERIOUS REPUBLICANS.

To this point, Mr. Dobson states "Republican leaders in Congress during this term apparently never understood, or they forgot, why Ronald Reagan was so loved and why he is considered one of our greatest presidents. If they hope to return to power in '08, they must rediscover the conservative principles that resonated with the majority of Americans in the 1980s – and still resonate with them today. Failure to do so will be catastrophic,"

Maybe it is this mentality that the Robert Novak's of journalism don't take Evangelicals sincerely. In fact I know it is. I experience it somewhat in my local Republican arena. GOP's believe you ought to vote GOP if Suddam Hussein himself were running against Hillary. I'm sorry - I can't buy into that. I have principals when I walk into a voting booth. If the candidate that the GOP's put up in nomination does not adhere to my principals- I won't vote for them.

I am not a Republican because I agree with the Party Platform. I am a Republican because the Party Platform agrees with me.

If that changes - and it will if certain candidates are nominated (Romney, Giuliani, and McCain, Thompson is a close call and will require consideration) - I will not be bound to my party. I will consider a 3rd party and watch to see if Hillary's hand burns when she places it on the Bible in January '09.

As far back as 1998, James Dobson has stated that the GOP has ignored moral issues.

Evangelicals have been asked to "take one for the party" election after election and to me - with the war on terror, the economy teetering on the edge of falling into the brink, illegal immigration helping the poor economy exist - there is just too much to risk to not consider a candidate who understands the political as well as spiritual implications of foreign policy, domestic policies and freedoms that we currently enjoy, stand to lose, and those we have already lost.

We still live in the greatest country in the world (Obama believes mother Africa to be the greatest), we will be weakened if that which made us strong is stripped away one legislative bill at a time. Let's elect a candidate that will change the face of Washington and keep America Great at the same time. That candidate is Mike Huckabee.

Huckabee Momentum

2008-01-12T10:27:00.001-05:00

CAN YOU AFFORD $25

Most of us would spend much more than that on dinner and a movie.

Click this link and pledge $25 on the day that 10,000 other pledges join yours.

http://www.huckabeemomentum.com/

This is an awesome way to join the effort in electing the most important President in our children's and grandchildren's generation. You can be a part of something not only bigger than you and me, but bigger than even Governor Mike or his campaign. We're building this campaign from the grassroots up - not the top down, and you are an intragal part of that effort.

Clicking the link above and the link in the blog-post below this one - and give a buck today by clicking my link on the right will help you get started. You can comment here for more information and I will get back to you.

Mike is RIGHT for U.S.
Get involved today!

OPERATION SWARM

2008-01-11T23:14:00.000-05:00

The Volunteers for Mike HuckaBEE have swarmed like a hive of bees. I started with 100 names to call in Iowa asking people to support Mike Huckabee in the caucus. At last count - our grassroots efforts will potentially contact 150,000 homes (one near you) in the Primary states this Tuesday.

Join nearly 300 other committed callers to get out the vote for Mike Huckabee by clicking here and registering with me and others all over the country:

http://phonecallsformike.blogspot.com/

You will not regret the experience of calling people and talking about Huckabee. We provide you the script and the phone number to call and you take it from there.

"Develop a plan, work your plan" - Mike Huckabee

Please comment here if you have questions.

Fox News Loses It's Fair And Balanced Banner This Election Cycle

2008-01-08T21:43:00.000-05:00

FOX News Network has been the Conservative Right response to the liberal media going as far back as the Reagan Presidency. Every anchor, talk show host, and reporter tauts the phrase "fair and balanced."

Where FOX may have begun their mission with the glamorous goal of being fair and balanced with a potential viewership eager for such a lofty aspiration - lost in a leftist media wilderness - they have deputationaly digressed. This backslidden state from balanced reporting has frustrated many of their faithfully committed conservative viewers.

We first saw FOX's faults in their failure to give ALL of the GOP candidates equal time and attention - writing them off as un-winnable or operating in the "fringe." They had moments of appearing to be "king-makers" rather than reporters of who the American people wanted and being "fair and balanced" in the doing. Mike Huckabee couldn't "buy" television time on FOX in his early campaigns, Ron Paul, and Tom Tancredo fell to the same bias. All of the candidates, snubbed by FOX had/have messages on issues that need to be heard and promoted as much as the early frontrunner messages that were - then - being applauded and lauded. Even Fred Thompson was being hailed as the answer to all things conservative - if he would just announce his candidacy at the chagrin of those vieing for some FOX Focus.

From the subtleties of left-handed comments focusing on Huckabee's being an ordained minister - referring to him as"The Baptist Preacher" at every opportunity vs his actual title of Governor that they privilege Romney with - to the strident spin of the Governor's Arkansas record attempting to label him as a liberal for being less of a liberal than Mitt Romney as two Governor's managed their states respectively.

What is so laughable to me is - when Mike Huckabee won Iowa by a very comfortable margin - tongue slingers like Sean Hannity began to pat themselves on the back making statements like "We have - from the beginning - stated that Mike Huckabee was going to do well." Unbelievable audacity.

I watched Governor Huckabee's interview with Fox after his win. He was understandably cold to Hannity in responding to his questions directly with no frills of conversation. Then - after a few minutes passed - I flipped over to CNN and saw a different face on the same candidate. The Mike Huckabee everyone of his supporters and those that don't know. Rush Limbaugh - with a sneering comment - stated that "other networks" could only talk about "Huckabee, Huckabee, Huckabee, Huckabee...." What Limbaugh failed to laud lip service to was the fact that FOX News could only talk about Obama, Obama, Obama.

The latest wave of attacks from Faux News and the like is one of NON-ATTACK. Has anyone but me noticed that Huckabee is being ignored since McCain won and moved to MI for his next wave? Certainly no blame is laid on McCain here - but if the Gary Bauer Evangelicals and Rush Limbaugh King-Maker's want to call Mike Huckabee a Liberal - and laud McCain as the hero to save the GOP - they are simply blinded by the bent of socialistic Government that is being ushered in the desperation that we just can't stand on principals alone and beat Hillary. Not one word of Huckabee passed the lips of Faux Pundits today as they attempt to force Huckabee back into the Evangelical closet of obscurity. For those evangelicals and NRTL leaders that overlooked this candidate who entered into politics to "stop abortion" twenty years ago certainly are telling on themselves as to their real goals unseen by the normal value voter eye.

Has it occurred to anyone that if "Tax-Hike Mike" who lowered taxes 90 times in Arkansas becomes the President and he is successful at eliminating the IRS or implementing the Fair Tax - that all of these non-profits such as http://www.ouramericanvalues.org/ would lose donations because there would be no need for wealthy donors to have a tax write off, ere go less income. If Huckabee were to be successful at ending abortion - Right to Life groups would have no need to exist because no more abortions - no more funds coming into their organizations. So - since Huckabee is serious about changing Washington - he poses a threat to well-intended organizations turned politico - let's support the candidate that LOOKS conservative enough and will appoint judges (which has been done over and over and still no end to Roe V. Wade) that will be pro-life in their judgments and we maintain our organizations, administrations, and our paychecks. Sound overtly cynical? Maybe. But please explain the logic of evangelical's supporting a candidate that was clueless about legislation before the House to overturn Roe v. Wade and who openly stated that overturning Roe v. Wade would not be the direction he would take as President. Yet Mike Huckabee entered politics to STOP ABORTION!
I chased that rabbit long enough: Back to Faux News:

Have the tables turned? Has Faux News drank the Kool-aide of checkbook journalism? The subtleties of their reporting - even in tonight New Hampshire Primary returns - suggest that they have.

One example: on CNN we are given the top three candidates of both parties and their results as the polls come in. But Fox - continuing their attempt to high-hat Huckabee only list the top two candidate results. Am I being cynical? Maybe. In and of itself that little "dig" would be dismissed as unmentionable. However, given all of the attacks, spins, false accusations from Fox and their seeming love affair with Giuliani and Romney - this insignificant notice carries weight.

It has gotten to the point that listening to the talk-show hosts on their radio programs has become sickening. Watching the returns on FOX is no longer appealing to this conservative. I've flipped back and forth between CNN and FOX in the last two returns now - and CNN has now become the more F&B than the original F&B now turned Faux - CNN just doesn't brag about it.

I've stated before in referring to Robert Novak - which now applies to the likes of FOX, Rush Limbaugh, Gary Bauer, and other so-called Reagan-ites, that there is a wedge being driven into the Grand Old Party and pundits like these are the hammer driving it deeper and deeper until the GOP will be so divided that anyone with an R beside their name will not be electable to dog-catcher.

One of my favorite Democrats - though I have no connection to his political beliefs - who is immeasurably intelligent in all things political had this to say about Fox:

"Fox was, is and will continue to be an asinine and ignorant network. I have
not spoken to anyone in the Clinton campaign about this. I have not done
domestic political consulting since President Clinton was elected. I'm not
getting back into domestic political consulting. If I do go back, it would
be safe to say that I'm the biggest liar in America." -- James Carville after Fox tried to start the rumor that he was going to work with the Clinton campaign.

Bottom line: If you want true Fair and Balanced reporting during this election - you'll find it at CNN before you'll get it at FOX. If you want perfectly fair and balanced - watch C-Span.

Whoa!! Did I Make The RIGHT Choice?

2008-01-05T16:32:00.000-05:00

YES I DID!!

I have been listening to the talking heads this past week on both radio and TV. Some of the most influential ones have been telling us the Gov. Huckabee is a liberal. I was stunned!

How could it be that I would pick a liberal to support? Have I lost my mind? Do they know something that I don't? Are the talking heads less then I thought or just willing to help their choice with rhetoric? I am amazed at the lies and innuendos that are being kicked around!

However, I was impressed with Sean Hannity's approach yesterday. He made his points, but gave Gov. Huckabee the opportunity to address them. Mike Huckabee was able to address many of the "pardons" off the top of his head and pointed out that the worst example wasn't something he was responsible for, but firmly showed the connection to Governors Jim Guy Tucker and Bill Clinton.

I found the endorsement of a PAC, "God Is Not Government PAC," that I know and respect above any other that I am aware of. Bill Murray, the head of the PAC, is an Evangelist and son of the infamous atheist, Madalyn Murray O'Hair. The "God Is Not Government PAC" has endorsed Gov. Huckabee. Please review the link I have provided to see what the "God Is Not Government PAC" has to say. Click Here: http://www.govnotgod.org/www2/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=27&Itemid=1

Sincerely,
Joe Crawford
Chairman,
Mike Huckabee for President,
Charles County MD
301-705-LIFE

My name is Mike Phillips - the blogger on the Elephant Room - And I approve this message! :)

It's A New Day!

2008-01-03T23:58:00.000-05:00

That phrase was one of the opening remarks of Mike Huckabee's victory speech last night. He finished the phrase with "It's a new day, but it doesn't end here - it ends at 1600 Pensylvania Avenue."

It may be a new day for the campaign and its supporters - but sit back and watch the same old hat from Fox News, Rush Limbaugh and Ann Coulter. An interview with Tom Tancredo - as I am typing - has already shown this to be true. Certainly last night the panels and heavy talker's gave Mike his victory - well sort of - they took their shots at Ed Rollins, Huckabee's campaign manager regarding a private conversation between him and his wife at an Iowa restaurant.

What's not being noticed or spoken about in terms of GOP's and specifically Huckabee is the percentages of Mike Huckabee over Hillary and his close proximity to Obama's percentile.

The Governor gave an awesome speech that was a message of uniting the Party and the nation. I was quite surprised at the similarities of both victory speeches between Huckabee and Obama. Tonight most certainly sent a message to the nation that Mike Huckabee is the candidate in the GOP that is going to not only seek change in Washington - but effectively make it happen.

Out of tonights political showcase - there were a lot of quotes to be heard and passed around. Some of them quite humorous as Faux News tried to take credit for predicting Mike Huckabee's popularity - while only earlier today taking opportunity to falsly make him out to be a RINO.

I'll close this blog with the quotes I found to be memorable or noteworthy:

We have all underestimated Huckabee. - - -Bill Crystal of Fox News

I Love Iowa A Whole Lot --- Mike Huckabee, opening comments of his victory speech

We have – from the beginning – reported Mike Huckabee would do well - - Sean Hannity

People are more important than the Purse - - Mike Huckabee

"...Outspent 15 to 1 it would be impossible...American politics are still in the hands of people…" --Mike Huckabee

...we will forever change the way people look at their political system and how we elect our Presidents. --- Mike Huckabee

"he [Romney] whipped Thompson, McCain, and Giuilani. [Huckabee's win] is not a blow (referring to Huckabee’s 9 point victory). What a blow is we beat the other top three organizations. - - -Bay Buchannan

Great conservative discontent among conservatives - - - Laura Ingram

The big story is on the democrat side. --- Rush Limbaugh

Huckabee was perfectly positioned to win Iowa - - Rush Limbaugh

I’ve stayed out of this up til now. -- Rush Limbaugh when asked who he supports (yeah right)

Some of us are missing the boat about what we think about Huckabee - - Laura Ingram

I haven’t underestimated Mike at all - - -Rush Limbaugh

I wouldn’t expect him to try to make peace - - Rush Limbaugh answering the question as to what he would say to Mike Huckabee if he calls in during tomorrow's show.

For every network except yours [Faux News] – it was Huckabee Huckabee Huckabee --- Rush Limbaugh – speaking to Fox regarding the coverage of the victory in Iowa.

This wasn’t an issue based race for Huckabee - - what are the issues Huckabee ran on? - - Tom Tancredo - I suppose he was asleep when Mike spoke to the issues in every debate that Tancredo participated in.

The story is not Huckabee for me - - the worry for me is that McCain get’s the real bump for me going into NH, that’s scary for me. - - - Tom Tancredo

We shall see....It is indeed "a new day" - Mike Phillips, The Elephant Room :)

Having Fun Yet?

2008-01-03T13:35:00.000-05:00

I'm posting this article from Dick Morris as it is the TOPIC OF DISCUSSION at every lunch, breakfast, sidewalk, grocery store line, conversation that I have these days. Dick Morris nails it on the head - and because I don't keep up with the Democrats at this point - thought I'd share the entire picture of what NEEDS TO HAPPEN in these next few weeks for each candidate across the board. By the way - when you read Mr. Morri's description of McCain - that would be a good point to comment on - - he refers to McCain as "charasmatic" - um - has he actually seen McCain speak - or do I need to go get my dictionary and bone up on my definition of the word? (not intended to be an attack - just a little surprised by the characterization).

What Iowa Means to Each Candidate

The Iowa caucuses mean different things to different candidates.
Of course Obama, Clinton and Edwards, for the Democrats, and Huckabee and Romney, for the Republicans, are vying for a win in Iowa. But there are separate sub-primaries going on as well: Obama vs. Edwards for the position of chief challenger to Clinton, McCain vs. Giuliani for the right to wear the “moderate” Republican mantle, and Fred Thompson vs. Oblivion for the right to stay in the race.
So here’s the scorecard to use in keeping track of what each candidate needs to get from Iowa.

Hillary Clinton

If she scores a decisive triumph, the race for the nomination is almost over.
A victory here would likely propel her to a win in New Hampshire and the nomination would be hers. But she doesn’t need to win. Her national base is so strong that she just has to stop anyone else from winning.
If no clear winner emerges, but the results show, instead, a three-way tie with Obama and Edwards, or a two-way tie between herself and either of her challengers, she comes out the winner. But if she clearly loses by a good margin or finishes third, she has blown a major opportunity and is in for a long cold winter of primaries. She won’t be knocked out in Iowa no matter what, but she could be knocked down.

Barack Obama

He’s got to win in Iowa. He is so far behind Hillary in the national standings that he needs a decisive victory to give him the momentum to prevail in New Hampshire and to compete in Florida and on Super Tuesday. He also needs to leave the pesky John Edwards far behind so he can consolidate the anti-Hillary vote behind his candidacy.

John Edwards

His immediate need is to finish close to or ahead of Obama so he can show that a vote for him is not wasted. With pro- and anti-Hillary sentiment so strong, Edwards risks being excluded as an also ran if he doesn’t make it. He also needs Hillary not to win decisively so that the race stays alive. He has a decent shot in New Hampshire if he can stay in the race and make sure there still is one.

Mike Huckabee

Win or die are his choices. The Huck-a-boom will be right in the ancient history books with the Howard Dean surge in September of 2004. But even if Huckabee wins in Iowa, he’ll probably lose in New Hampshire. Then his candidacy will come back to another game-set-match point in Michigan the following week.

Mitt Romney

He doesn’t have to win, place, or show. He’s got a big checkbook so he can survive any kind of showing and stay in the game. But, a defeat in Iowa might make him vulnerable to McCain in New Hampshire. A loss in the first two states would cost him Michigan and he would limp into Super Tuesday with only a checkbook to protect him. Only.

John McCain

He’s got to finish third or, in other words, beat Rudy. If he does, he has a good shot at winning New Hampshire and getting back into the game. If he doesn’t, Romney will win New Hampshire and McCain will be out of the race. Huckabee has to hope McCain does finish third so Romney doesn’t win New Hampshire and, therefore, doesn’t win Michigan. Got it?

Rudy Giuliani

The Republican frontrunner is in a parallel situation with Hillary. He won’t be knocked out no matter how badly he does. But finishing below McCain means that he has to split the moderate vote with the charismatic Arizona senator and could weaken his chances in Florida and on Super Tuesday.

Rudy can lose Iowa, New Hampshire, Michigan, Nevada, and South Carolina and still survive to compete in the big states that follow. But he lost a golden chance to avoid a fight by winning in Iowa.

And, if Hillary wins big in Iowa, it will help McCain and hurt Romney in New Hampshire. Why? All the independents who would have voted for or against Clinton in New Hampshire will pile into the Republican primary and may boost McCain to victory (if he survives Iowa).
And . . . by the same token, Rudy needs Hillary to win in the early rounds so he can draw independents into the Republican primary to vote for him rather than the religious right crowd.

Having fun yet?

[Elephant In The Room: Did he say Religious Right Crowd? hmmm., Did he just sneeze at 42% of voters that make or break elections? - Kazuntite - Dick. I feel another blog coming on] :)

Flip/Flop Is Too Nice Of A Term

2007-12-30T19:44:00.000-05:00

When I was young, I was always taught that if a person cheats on or lies to other people, they will eventually cheat on or lie to you. The principal that Anne Coulter fails to realize in her praise of Mitt's Tricks on the Dem's (see my post Tricky Mitt video #2) is if a person(s) is capable of it (as is everyone) with one person or group, that individuals character flaw will not allow them to draw the line no matter who's team they happen to be playing for.

Mike Huckabee's book: Character IS The Issue point's out very strongly how Mike Huckabee feels about doing what's right. Even his campaign today- almost ten years after his books release, he fights against advisers (like me) to resist the temptation of counter-attacking the attack ad's with similar negativity. Though Mike Huckabee has been creatively making counter-statements (as well he should), the like's of Mitt Romney (who has now added John McCain to his adversarial list albeit without Faux News assistance - only Evangelical Mike receives that honor as a distaste to Washington Insiders) and all his wealth and attack ads cannot escape his own shifting shibboleth.

Please browse through these documented quotes about Washington's latest subject of infatuation (Mitt Romney):

Abortion rights
"I will preserve and protect a woman's right to choose and am devoted and dedicated to honoring my word in that regard." Boston Herald Debate, 10/29/02

"Roe v. Wade continues to work its destructive logic throughout our society This can't continue." Speech to the Massachusetts Citizens For Life Mother's Day Pioneer Valley Dinner, 5/10/07

[ok, ok, a man can change his heart - even if it is right before he runs for President. Even if he changes...I suppose I'm still supposed to understand Romney's 2007 belief that states like Massachusetts should have the right to remain Pro Choice - Mitt Romney is Soft on Abortion BTW: Need a great deal for an abortion? Drive to Massachusetts - Romney signed a bill that allows for $50 Co-Pay's for Abortions - a bill that could have been vetoed by Pro-Lifer's as dedicated to the cause as Romney after such a thoughtful life changing decision as he SAYS he had. I RECANT my former statement about Romney being Soft on Abortion - - He remains to be Pro-Abortion]

Immigration reform

"With these 11 million people [here illegally], let's have them registered, know who they are....those that are here paying taxes and not taking government benefits should begin a process towards application for citizenship." Lowell Sun, 3/30/06
"One simple rule: no amnesty. If that [Kennedy-McCain bill] is not a form of amnesty, I don't know what is." New York Times, 6/4/07

[If I hear anyone is soft on immigration without Romney being included in the list - I think I'll be sick]

Gun laws

"We do have tough gun laws in Massachusetts; I support them. I won't chip away at them; I believe they protect us and provide for our safety."
Romney in 2002 gov. debate, Boston Globe, 1/14/07

"I have a gun of my own. I go hunting myself. I'm a member of the NRA and believe firmly in the right to bear arms." Boston Globe, 1/14/07

Amendment to ban gay marriage

"Mitt does not support it...As far as Mitt is concerned, it goes farther than current law, and therefore it's unnecessary." Romney spokesman, Boston Globe, 3/22/02
"When I was Governor, we took every conceivable step within the law to stop, block or slow down this unprecedented court decision." Speech to National Right to Life Convention, 6/15/07

"No new taxes" pledge

"I'm not intending to, at this stage, sign a document which would prevent me from being able to look specifically at the revenue needs of the commonwealth" Associated Press, 3/27/02
"Signing the pledge now sends a very clear message to those in Washington who have voted against tax relief and for tax hikes that such actions will never grow our regional and national economies." Romney spokesman, Boston Globe, 1/5/07

Minimum wage

"I think the minimum wage ought to keep pace with inflation. I think the minimum wage is a good thing to have in our economy and I think it ought to be updated." Boston Globe, 10/17/94
"[T]he challenge with raising the minimum wage excessively is it is a hurt to those that are entering the work force, the very poor, those that are trying to get early jobs, get those first jobs." Associated Press, 7/25/06

Cutting Social Security

"I don't think you go back and rewrite the contract the government has with people who've retired." Boston Globe, 10/17/94

"Personal accounts would be a big plus."... [Romney]also said changing the retirement age could be considered, as well as basing the Social Security cost of living adjustment on a different inflation gauge. Union Leader, 6/7/07

Adoption non-discrimination

Governor Mitt Romney and a legislative leader yesterday delivered unwelcome news to the Catholic bishops of Massachusetts, who plan to seek permission from the state to exclude gay and lesbian parents from adopting children through its social service agencies. The governor said he was not authorized to give such an exemption... Boston Globe, 2/17/06
"And then another slide along the slippery slope. The Catholic Church was forced to end its adoption service, which was crucial in helping the state find homes for some of our most difficult to place children... Now, even religious freedom was being trumped by the new-found 'right' of gay marriage." Speech to National Right to Life Convention, 6/15/07

Stem cell research

[Romney] endorsed embryonic stem cell research, saying the controversial science might one day help treat his wife's multiple sclerosis...."I am in favor of stem cell research. I will work and fight for stem cell research. I'd be happy to talk to [President Bush] about this, though I don't know if I could budge him an inch." Boston Globe, 6/14/02
"FACT: Governor Romney Opposes Using Taxpayer Money to Fund Embryo-Destructive Research." www.MittRomney.com A Record of Protecting Life

Bush tax cuts

Governor Mitt Romney refused yesterday to endorse tax cuts at the heart of President Bush's economic program...In addition to refusing to endorse the president's tax cut, the governor surprised several people at the meeting by saying he is open to a federal increase in gas taxes.
Boston Globe, 4/11/0

[Romney] said it was "absolutely critical" to renew tax cuts proposed by President George W. Bush. Letting them expire would result in a "massive tax increase" that would retard economic growth, Romney said. Detroit Free Press, 2/8/07

Reagan Republicanism

"I was an independent during the time of Reagan-Bush. I'm not trying to return to Reagan-Bush." Boston Herald, 10/27/94

"Ronald Reagan is ... my hero. ... I believe that our party's ascendancy began with Ronald Reagan's brand of visionary and courageous leadership." Boston Globe, 1/19/07

[This to me is the biggest Elephant In The Room. No one is bringing this into the lime-light and I don't understand why]

Desire to serve in Vietnam

"I was not planning on signing up for the military. It was not my desire to go off and serve in Vietnam..." Boston Herald, 5/2/94
"I longed in many respects to actually be in Vietnam and be representing our country there and in some ways it was frustrating not to feel like I was there as part of the troops that were fighting in Vietnam." Boston Globe, 6/24/07

[this flip flop is just plain offensive - my apologies to any Democrat Vietnam Vet's for this GOP candidate named Mitt Romney]

In Closing: I was shocked to learn last night in a discussion with friends that in Mitt Romney's Anti-Socialized Healthcare rhetoric - he passed a law as Governor in Massachusetts that MANDATES every citizen of Mass. to have Health Care. This is a John Edwards plan implemented. In other words - in case your not familiar with the word "MANDATE" - In Mass., you would be REQUIRED to own Health Insurance. Well - what if I were wealthy enough or had enough investments that I didn't need healthcare to spend my hard-earned dollars on - if I get sick - I'll just pay for my hospital visit out of my pocket - - but NOT in Mass. where Mitt Romney had Executive privaledge. In my understanding that is the epitomy of SOCIALISM coming from a GOP Candidate named Mitt Romney.

Without once stating the issues I have regarding his Mormonism - we have a complete list of why NOT to vote for Mitt Romney.

Quote for the Day: "Mitt Romney spends all his time telling people why we should not vote for other candidates but very little time explaining why we should vote for Mitt Romney." - Mike Huckabee

Explain yourself Mitt

Mike Is RIGHT for U.S.

Some Facts About A Favorite American Statesman!

2007-12-30T18:48:00.000-05:00

He was born to hard-working parents in unpretentious surroundings.

He graduated from high school and worked his way through college.

He was an avid outdoorsman and loved dogs.

He ran for Governor as a Republican in a very Democratic state and served two terms.

As Governor, he was criticized for raising taxes to eliminate the budget deficit.

He was able to consistently balance his state’s budget and end each year with a surplus.

He was faced with a very Democratic legislature and learned to work with members of the opposite party.

As Governor, he enlisted the help of parents in the education of their children.

In his run for President, there were 7 other Republican candidates running.

He refused to attack the other candidates and ran a positive campaign.

He was criticized for not having any foreign policy experience.

He was criticized for his occupation prior to his political career.

He was not ashamed of his Christian faith and referred to himself as a "born-again Christian."

He was known for his wit, charm and sense of humor.

He was able to cross party lines with his message of hope and vision for America.

He spoke with ease, with conviction, with passion -- and was able to communicate with the people like few politicians can.

His National Campaign Chairman was Ed Rollins.

His name is Ronald Reagan.

How many of you thought I was referring to Mike Huckabee? :) It is both interesting and exciting to see the similarities in the lives, ideas and policies of Ronald Reagan and Mike Huckabee. With so many of the current Republican candidates trying to assume the mantle of Ronald Reagan for the profit of their campaign, it is very special to be able to support the candidate that really does have the same principles as our great 40th president. This is evidenced by the fact that Ronald Reagan’s National Campaign Chairman, Ed Rollins, has recently joined Gov. Huckabee’s campaign in the same capacity. Mr. Rollins stated that since the days of Reagan he has been looking for another statesman like that, and that Mike Huckabee comes closer to Ronald Reagan than any other politician. Coming from a man who knew Ronald Reagan very personally, that’s a powerful statement! Instead of looking back and wishing for the days of Ronald Reagan, it's time to look forward into the bright future our country can have with a president like Mike Huckabee!

Written By Anna www.11smithsforhuckabee.com December 19, 2007

Tricky Mitt: His 2007 definition of Pro-Life - wait - choice - no wait - Life, I Think

2007-12-30T00:07:00.000-05:00

Iowa Still High On Huckabee

2007-12-29T02:06:00.000-05:00

According to Mike Huckabee in a conference with Bloggers Friday afternoon the "Enthusiasm is High in Iowa." Thursday evening the Governor spoke with 1500 people and noted that the overflow area contained as many people as the main room.

"We are experiencing a dramatic surge of activity and enthusiasm" Huckabee said and noted this in spite of the "enormous number of attack ads primarily from Mitt Romney" who has spent "a half million dollars in attack ads."

"We are relentlessly being attacked on the one hand and yet relentlessly supported by people getting out in the snow" to work for the campaign and to come out to hear Mike's message for Iowans.

Governor Huckabee stated that many people are calling from around the country to ask how they can help in Iowa. The advise he offered for this point in the campaign is "send money, send money, send money." Not to be portrayed as a candidate always with his hand out, Huckabee clarified with a follow-up statement that "there are no hotel rooms left available here" indicating that the help in Iowa is a packed house, no need for you to be here in person.

Mike noted that "significant funds" were raised on the day after Christmas as well as the 27th fund drive. He maintained the motivational reporting by stating "In the National polls we are in either #1 or #2 spot." "If we actually win - it will be a seismic event on the political scale that will be noted for years to come as we have been out-spent 20 to 1."

NEGATIVE CAMPAIGNING

Many of the questions posed to the Governor focused on the enourmous onslaught of negative attacks from Romney, Fox News, Rush Limbaugh, Ann Coulter, and others that have hammered the Huckabee campaign from as many angles as can be invented ranging from personal family attacks toward his son David's teenage indiscretions (a famous GOP insider tactic since Ross Perot), being likened to a modern day "Jimmy Carter," to being pro-embryonic stem cell research. As to the latter accusation Governor Huckabee stated "it's a pretty long stretch to accuse me of supporting embryonic stem-cell research."

In his rationale for the relentless onslaught of negative attacks against him from those who should be "fair and balanced" in the reporting of their own, Mike stated: "I'm not going to Washington because I want to be invited to all the party's. ...I think [Washington] needs changing. I don't want to be an insider. Much of the Republican party are not interested in those of us who have strong convictions about pro-life." "I am an economic conservative" Mike stated and related to us that because Washington did not "give birth to me....I am not one of them."

The Governor also noted as many bloggers and discussion forum's have done over the last week "These people [news networks, talk show hosts, and commentators] are closely tied to my competitors. That is not something I can help."

The response to the onslaught - or at least one response according to Huckabee - is to continue to point people to the "truth squad" at www.mikehuckabee.com where the attacks are responded to. He further stated that "we have over 500 dedicated bloggers to help counter-attack the negativity."

In Mike Huckabee fashion, with his ability to offer anecdotes for tough situations, he stated that he learned a long time ago not to get into a fight "If you can't stand the site of your own blood."

Certainly we know those anecdotes must keep the governor going on days when the political battle is raging at its worst. The Governor's HIGH ROAD position on attack campaigning is:

"We want to stay positive in Iowa against advice to attack back. We want to
answer in a voice that is FOR THIS COUNTRY and what is best for it."

IMMIGRATION

When asked to simply explain his immigration position - since one of the largest attacks comes from the accusation of Mike being "soft on immigration" Mike offered the following position.

"Our website has our '9 Point Immigration Program'" Jim Gilchrist, founder of the multi-ethnic Minuteman Project, says that our immigration policy is the "strongest...program presented by any of the candidates."

The Governor stated: "It should not take eight or nine years..." to become a citizen in this country. "It should take weeks/months - or however long it takes to process those immigrants in front of you" alluding to the further point that Mike is AGAINST AMNESTY for those here illegally today. Negative campaigning has accused Mike Huckabee of stating that illegal immigrants would gain legal status within a "one day time frame." Mike responded to this by saying "The ONE DAY THEORY is bogus - I never said that and don't know who came up with that." "I have been criticised that my immigration policy is TOO TOUGH - not soft. It is a tough policy."

FISCAL CONSERVATISM

"I'm not trying to make rich people poor - but I have a system that will make poor people rich." Mike stated when asked to comment on his Fiscally Conservative views. "Republicans have forgotten that SMALL BUSINESS is what creates job's in this country..." a statement that we haven't heard from any candidate since Ronald Reagan campaigned on that very topic until Mike Huckabee. "Get the taxes, regulatory and litigation system off his [small business owner's] back and let him know that his toughest competition won't come from his own government." "I will institute economic policies helping everyone from top to bottom..."

The Governor further added that he would "...push for total transparency of spending in congress....we ought to know how much it costs to mow the lawn in an Iowa federal court house. If we had a transparent expenditure system and transparent tax system - which the fair tax does - in 100 days the texture of the spending in this country would change."

CAMPAIGN DIRECTION

When asked how specifically Ed Rollins - former campaign manager to Ronald Reagan who orchestrated the 1980 landslide victory for the President - has impacted the Huckabee campaign, the Governor had this to say:

"Ed Rollins looked at our campaign from top to bottom" when he came on board. Mr. Rollins was "amazed at what we had accomplished with the resources we had to work with." Rollins asked "How can you run a campaign that gets this far [with so little]?" crediting Chip Saltsman for "doing a lot with a little."

"[Mr. Rollins] brought a perspective that we needed from [his experience of] running the successful campaigns we have run. His Rolodex is worth a 'gazillion' dollars. He can pull any number of contacts out to get the assist we need with this campaign."

WRAP

Though not exactly the answer I was hoping for - quite possibly it's simply too soon to see the REAL impact Mr. Rollins will have on this campaign. I was left with the impression that Ed Rollins has taken the helm of an already stable ship - on the right course - and will steer the campaign through the murky waters of attack and negativity - keeping us on course into clear water and sailing for the long haul once Iowa is chalked up as a victory.

I came away from this call feeling much better (or at ease) about Iowa seeing a 3 point drop in the polls this morning and following the negative campaigning. I'm glad to see Iowans being able to see through the Faux New's tactics of getting their candidate elected. I hope Faux News pays attention to their ratings, I'm seeing in the discussion rooms a lot of people turning the station to CNN for the more recent fair and balanced reporting.

I was glad to learn of the 9 point immigration policy being liked and lauded by Jim Gilchrist. Now Gary Bauer has nothing to complain about - unless he starts believing the newest spins that are sure to come.

Thanks for the opportunity Governor to be involved in your campaign, my national community, and a caucus victory in Iowa.

My favorite quote today:

"If your catching a lot of flack - you must be over the target."

Mike Is RIGHT For U.S.

A Conversation with a Former Presidential Candidate

2007-12-28T02:49:00.000-05:00

Not For The Weak Hearted:

It's not all that bad - but I've been conversing with Gary Bauer over the past few months. He certainly has been approachable and for the most part respectful - as I have tried to be with him (you'll have to ask him for my report card on that one). Most of our conversations via email could be shared - although not all of them, as he requested they be held confidential. My post today is my response to Mr. Bauer on the last email we exchanged. I'm leaving off his original statement because I'm a bit uneasy sharing his statements without permission (I desire to be ethical here) - so I'll play it safe. But my reply is fair game and something I was quite obviously "worked up" over (as you will see) as I attempt to explain to this "Evangelical Leader" we need to stick with our own. I feel Mr. Bauer has fallen to the media spin and though he claims not to "publicly endorse" any candidate - he has no problem publicly discrediting one either (to put it nicely after I just back-spaced over my "real" thoughts) which is what began our tête-à-tête.

Enjoy:

Mr. Bauer,
I disagree completely. Everyone you mentioned are Washington Insiders. Rush Limbaugh has jumped off the cliff of truth - not following his normal procedure and policy. Rush has NEVER taken the word of a blogger to use as a tool to attack someone in politics - be them GOP or DEM, but now all of a sudden - after spending time with the Giuliani camp, he uses an unidentified individual to make a case? Please. Not Rush-like in the least, which tells me he's been sold out. And further, the MSM and FOX (who isn't any better) folk won't allow Mike Huckabee to focus on issues (real fair and balanced, huh?) - they keep him pinned to his religion and the fact that he is a Baptist Minister - thinking that will hurt him. When it actually back-fired on them and Mike gained popularity - out came the spin, lies and half-truths to further discredit him in Clinton Machine fashion - and he (though taking some hits in the polls) still seems his metal is withstanding the fire.

I just have GREAT difficulty believing that the fire comes from his own. Let the Clinton Machine come, let the Washington Insider's come - but Evangelicals need to stand with their own. You of all people should know that having felt the same brunt of the Eighties Evangelical evacuation.

Whether they (the list you mentioned) like Huckabee or not - I could care less - but to ATTACK the man and not REPORT the progress of his campaign is totally out of character and will serve as a DRIVING WEDGE to send Christians on the run in the political process - to go back to being the political wall-flowers we were before Reagan (it's already happening here in Maryland).

Washington Insider's don't like the grassroots/mainstreet type of government that Mike Huckabee has successfully run in Arkansas. The Democrats have shown their ability to win an election with the lowest satisfaction rate in American History with a President and Congress. We better be thinking of a man who can speak to both sides of the aisle. Bush failed in that campaign promise and if Romney can do it - he'll only be able to do it by being fake for now - and showing his true colors later (after elected - remember in 2004 he stated "I'm not a Reagan/Bush Republican"...hmmm....we certainly hear differently today).

The soft immigration position (that you call it) is not soft - it's Biblical....wouldn't you as a Christian prefer a Christian country to handle the immigration with a Christian response? Afterall, we are a Christian nation.

Almost Every President in American History has claimed that they read the Bible daily, but to what end - if it offers no practical solutions to government? Mike Huckabee understands that better than any other GOP Candidate on the sale block, and his governing of Arkansas has been reflective of that on every issue from immigration to education.

As for his immigration bill in Arkansas that failed - I stated in one of my former blogs - that had I been an Arkansas State Senator - I too would have voted that bill down - however - I in the doing - I would have applauded the Governor's efforts for at least TRYING to resolve the problem that the Federal Government was ignoring and simply stated - go back to the drawing board and bring something we can accept.

He has stated time and again that he is for building a wall to stop the influx of illegals. He is AGAINST amnesty and AGAINST Sanctuary cities and states. He follows the law as it is presented and he understands there is a lady in New York harbor that cries "bring me your poor..." -- not build freeways from Canada to Mexico and open the flood gates selling out our country one NAFTA bad deal at a time (both coming from GOP Presidents).

That's why the Washington insider's truly don't like Mike - he is not in their pocket - he's in the American People's pocket - being one of us.

It is the same old argument that raged rampant when Bush announced his hero being his "Lord and Savior Jesus Christ" when he ran against you. Only this time the heat has been turned up because Mike - a legitimate Christian with a History of being Christian - can actually reach across the aisle in Washington and that scares insiders. What also scares insiders is that he is FOR smaller government and can actually make it happen. That's why Senator's (former or current) don't make good Presidents. They see the White house as a victory over the Dem's not as what the American People want our country to be.

Americans want change - not business as usual. If the GOP puts up a nominee that is Biz as Usual - we better be prepared for another Clinton regime.

And the false accusation of being soft on immigration, and sounding like John Edwards and Hillary is only media spin meant to drive the Christian right out of the race.

Take a look at my blog (http://www.elephantroom08.blogspot.com/) I posted last night (I didn't write it...I copied and pasted from a radio host/pastor in Detroit - with permission). http://www.godandculture.com/.

The attacks on Huckabee aren't only sickening to me - but there are non-Huckabee people that are making statements of frustration and dissatisfaction with the attack policies against him (Romney, Thompson, and Giuliani supporters). Negative campaigning works - there's no doubt - but to what expense? I've been telling the Huckabee campaign that for months back when Huckabee was not only NOT being attacked - but he wasn't seemingly coming across as tough enough in the first couple of debates - but negative campaigning is also divisive to the party as a whole.

If the goal of Evangelical's is to create a legitimate 3rd party - I'm fine with that - - tell me where to sign up, because they certainly are on the right path.

You once sent out an email requesting input as to the Christian response (Evangelical Response) to the immigration issue. Mike has the correct, Biblical response to that issue. He also has the ability to carry the south in November. Your accusation in a former email about Mike's position on Islamofacism needs a bit of clarification before I can address it. Everything I'm reading on Huckabee is right on target. He does talk about promoting peace before going to war - but he also has warned that they are a dangerous enemy and a win in Iraq is imperative for victory in and getting out of Iraq (that I heard from his mouth to my ear in a phone conversation). He also warned in a GOP debate that Hillary in the White house is a scary thought in light of our current situation with Islamofacism. So he is not Clinton-like on foreign policy.

His being a Governor gives him the mainstreet experience to become elected and being one of the most Popular Presidents since Reagan if not prior to. Government is supposed to be FOR THE PEOPLE AND BY THE PEOPLE not by Washington Insiders, tongue slinging commentators, and sinister spinisters. Mike Huckabee governs for the people.

Just because of his faith and the distaste that other politicians have for mixing the two (faith and politics) - he is not wanted by GOP's. The polls say American's like him....why can't the GOP's and Washington Insider's accept that? If they are or have a better candidate - let them run on the issues - not pull Huckabee down to boost their poll numbers.

These tactics are pathetic and I think - I HOPE - the American Public can see through it. Rush is only the latest Ace up the sleeve of Washington insiders to try to take Mike down. It may prove successful - - but then --- it may not, as it also serves to rally the Huckabee troops.

If you and people like you want to support Fred Thompson (or anyone else) - - - God Speed - but don't tear apart another person in the process to get your man elected. It's Not Evangelical. It's Not Christian.

BTW: My original email was not intended to strike up a confrontation with you regarding Mike Huckabee - I was a bit taken back with the response. However, I was dealing with the Negative campaign tactics from a generic standpoint and a "what if" scenario - because that's where I see this thing headed. Like you, I understand the fervor that builds - and no harm done, no apologies expected or wanted - not my point. I actually enjoy that back and forth and can give as well as take. I do ask that you take me at face value and with no underlying intent behind my emails and comments.

Evangelicals and Christians (may need to be considered as separate entities after this election) have both been in the back ground of politics since before the "Moral Majority" in the '70's. Now - they win elections (And to prove that is a God-thing - George Barna statistics indicate that only 8% of the American population consider themselves as Evangelicals - yet we are a political force in elections??). It took some years to bring Evangelicals to the forefront and a "deciding factor" in elections - if they - as Robert Novak states - are not considered as serious GOP's and quite seemingly unwanted - that's where this election process is driving them indeed, back to the side-lines of obscurity and to becoming the unwanted dance partner waiting in the wings, until they can't win an election without us.

I don't mean to be offensive with this, but I don't know how else to put it: emails like your last one to me prove that you are part of that process, not just because you choose not to vote for Mike - but because you choose to be part of the negative campaigning against him. Endorse your candidate publicly...have my blessing in the doing....but leave Mike out of your commentary. If you can't say something good - best not to say anything at all...That's the correct Evangelical approach.

Now - when all this is said and done and Huckabee is the nominee or not - can we still be friends? :-) By the way - - my emails have won over a Huckabee defector back to this side after flirting with Thompson (at least he said it was my emails). He has become a grassroots leader in Maryland for Mike as a result - so I'm not giving up on Gary Bauer just yet. As for Thompson - should he win the nomination, I can certainly consider supporting him - but his actions toward Huckabee will make all the difference for me. Thus far - Giuliani's camp has been the most respectful toward Huckabee and has all the reasons to be otherwise. Could there possibly be an undercurrent strategy taking place? Time will tell (and I'm not even sure I like the sound of that).

In His grace - yours,
Michael Phillips
Waldorf, MD
http://www.elephantroom08.blogspot.com/

When the going get's tough - the tough get ___________________!!!

2007-12-28T02:25:00.000-05:00

How do you fill in that blank?

I have just been informed by someone who talks to a lot of Hucksters - that there is some discouragement, some dissatisfaction, and overall distraction among our support base. (don't misunderstand - the campaign is not tanking in the very least - in fact new poll numbers in Iowa show us that Huckabee is still on the rise).

Now is the time to rally and get our candidate a win in Iowa. The campaign has stated from the beginning that we need to come in as a top 3 spot in Iowa.

I don't know all that much about running a campaign - but I know that if we don't win in Iowa - we're in BIG Trouble for the rest of the trip. In fact - IMO we will need to start thinking of who we're VP'ing for. BUT WE ARE FAR FROM THAT POINT.

I'm hinging this campaign on a win in Iowa, South Carolina, and a 2nd in Florida - while thinking we'll make a showing in NH even if we're dead last (of course Faux News - my new favorite term - will have a hayday should that happen). I believe we could pull a win if we spent time and money in NH - but probably isn't worth the effort at this point. A win in Michigan would seal the deal for a nomination and I think we own most of the South.

We have a lot of YOUNG supporters that don't have deep pockets. I am convinced by the way this campaign has been successful that we don't really need deep pockets if every one of our supporters simply gave a Buck for Huck once a week from now until Super Tuesday - how awesome that would be in financial gain. Most people - when you ask them to give a buck - will probably do better than that after going to the trouble.

What we ABSOLUTELY CANNOT DO is let the NEGATIVE CAMPAIGNING that has onslaughted us have the victory. If we go down (and I don't think we're really even breathing hard yet - much less going down) but if we do go down - we don't go down without a fight.

When your asked to make phone calls to Iowa - - volunteer.
When your asked by the campaign to spread your workload a little thin - - "take up your cross and bear it" but realize somebody can help you. DELEGATE! If your in Iowa - and getting discouraged because your overloaded - send me an email (reply to this post) - I'll make some phone calls from Maryland to recruit some help for you, and If I'm not successful - at least you'll be encouraged that I tried.

If you don't like the way the campaign is handling its business or the direction it's going - send them an email. Start a Blog (They pay attention to bloggers - I know from experience).

The bottom line here is - We need to "keep our powder dry" (whatever that means - my old preacher used to tell me that and it seems to fit here), and tighten our shoe-laces and keep running. Mike Huckabee's analogy of this camaign has always been that of a Marathon. In a marathon you set target's or goals and you meet each one - one at a time. The target before us is WIN IN IOWA. Ask someone - ask me if you don't know anyone else - what you can do to help the campaign meet that goal, then be willing to do it.

I have had so many people in Maryland ask me "what can I do to help." I have gathered a huge number of email addresses as a result. I sent an email to each one today asking for volunteers to make phone calls to Iowa. I received ONE volunteer. I understand the fear, the discomfort, and the challenge it takes to call someone you don't know - but if we're not willing to do the work - or if we get distracted by the complaints and discouragement - we will not be able to pull a victory for the nomination.

Huckabee is my man. I'm sold on him as a great Political and yes - even Spiritual leader with a broader audience than I - as a Pastor - could ever reach. He's the man for the job in the White House, and I will do whatever necessary (and legal) to help him get there. If he doesn't make it - I won't be sitting back pointing fingers or wishing I could have done more - I'll do what I can as much as I can.

I've had my discouragements with this campaign. I've had my disagreements and let-downs, some of them pretty disheartening. But, I'm still in it - and I'm still involved because the greater good is that Mike Huckabee get's to Washington. I ask everyone reading this post - to be willing to do the same. Not just verbally or by posting a "get-r-done" Hoorah reply - but by contacting someone at the campaign and volunteering your services in your state or in other states if you can. If you need my help in doing that - don't hesitate to ask.

Thanks
Mike Is Right For U.S.

Social Conservatives are Mad

2007-12-26T20:40:00.000-05:00

[NOTE: This article posted by www.Townhall.com written by Paul Edwards - Finally an exposing of the likes of FOX News, Ann Coulter, and even the Evangelical's that fell prey to the GOP Washington insiders]

Since about the time the Moral Majority coalesced in the late 1970s and early 1980s, the Republican establishment has welcomed social conservatives to help get their candidates elected so long as they let their concern for moral issues take a back seat to fiscal policies. The leaders of the pro-family movement have always been more than willing to comply with the demands of the Wall Street insiders just to keep their place at the table. If the unity of this social-fiscal conservative coalition ever fractured, social conservatives bore the brunt of the blame.

And so it goes in the present race for the Republican presidential nomination. The Republican establishment has once again told social conservatives to suck it up and accept Giuliani as the de facto nominee in spite of their reservations about his record on abortion and the homosexual agenda to redefine marriage. Why? Because Rudy has the fiscal credentials. And, right on cue, a number of leaders of the pro-family movement complied, vis-à-vis Pat Robertson.

Republican Presidential hopeful, former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, campaigns in Waterloo, Iowa in this Dec. 20, 2007 file photo. Sure, the presidential candidates have their talking points on taxes, their policies on poverty, their white papers on war. But look beyond their top-tier issues and voters can find an eclectic assortment of ideas that reflect the candidates' particular passions, their attention to the arcane and, in some cases, outsized expectations. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall, File)

But just as their leaders were turning left, the rank and file of family values voters turned right, falling in behind Mike Huckabee, much to the chagrin of fiscal conservatives.

Cue Romney—the fiscal conservatives’ alternative to Giuliani. The idea seemed to be to convince the social conservatives that Romney was one of them, only much more refined than that “country bumpkin” Huckabee. The plan went something like this: have Romney deliver a major speech about his faith under the guise of being persecuted because of his faith (even though 80 percent of potential Republican primary voters polled said Romney’s faith was not an issue for them), and then if anyone questioned his faith, accuse them of being a bigot. Further, have Romney stretch the truth about seeing his father “marching with Martin Luther King,” as an appeal to the African-American values voter, and then when the record indicates George Romney never marched with MLK, explain it all away by saying the candidate was speaking “figuratively.” This strategy was supposed to lure the drifting rank and file back into lock-step.
There was just one problem with this plan. Social conservatives looked at Romney’s record on social issues and discovered he was “effectively pro-choice” throughout his political career just as he told Tim Russert on a recent edition of Meet the Press. Romney, it turns out, looks like a Giuliani in sheep’s clothing.

“But wait! Romney is a changed man,” you say. We’re all for death-bed repentance, but social conservatives rightly question whether a man who has exerted all of his political energies his entire political life for socially liberal causes can be trusted to appoint justices who will be strict constructionists.

Thus, the Huckasurge. Having been told for 30 years to sit quietly, ”take one for the team,” and let the fiscal issues take precedent, social conservatives are mad as hell and aren’t taking it anymore. There is a grassroots revolt taking place among the rank and file of social conservatives that has found its voice in Mike Huckabee, leaving the leadership of the pro-family movement wondering where their influence has gone.

Huckabee is not the fiscal conservative the Republican establishment would like. Horror of horrors, he has actually advocated using tax dollars to help the poor. Huckabee, it seems, actually applied what the Gospels say about our responsibility to the poor and suffering to tax policy in Arkansas. On issues like HIV/AIDS, the plight of the inner city poor, and education, Huckabee’s positions are admittedly more center left than center right. And while he believes in securing the border, Huckabee reminds us that there is lady standing in New York Harbor with a torch raised high beckoning ”your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free” to come here, to the land of the free. Can we fault them when they actually do?

The Republican establishment has looked down its nose at social conservatives far too long, tolerating us because they need our votes. But now the tables are turned. The grass roots are looking up at the establishment with the will of a Lech Walesa, demanding that fiscal issues take a back seat to moral issues for a change. It’s long past time for the moral and social issues of our times to be given more than just lip service. It’s now time for our fiscal policies to be informed by our social policies rather than sacrificing our morality to our economic standing in the world.
Don’t expect the Republican establishment to take this lying down. The New Media tanks are already rolling in to suppress the revolt.

Paul Edwards is the host of The Paul Edward Program and a pastor. His program is heard daily on WLQV in Detroit and on godandculture.com

Dallas Morning News Endorses Huckabee

2007-12-24T03:49:00.000-05:00

Many Republican voters are dissatisfied with the GOP presidential candidates this year. We share that frustration. But one of these men is going to be the party's nominee. Of this field, Mike Huckabee is the best choice.

It was a hard decision. In most respects, Mr. Huckabee, who governed Arkansas as a pragmatic, compassionate conservative, is not dramatically different from his main GOP competitors. He is somewhat better on energy and the environment, and though none of the Republicans are as forward-thinking about Iraq as they should be, Mr. Huckabee's emphasis on diplomatic engagement in the Middle East is fresh and welcome.

Mr. Huckabee established a respectable record of fiscal responsibility in Arkansas. Rather than run up deficits, he backed raising taxes to pay for needed infrastructure, health care and education. That's called prudence, and it was once a Republican virtue.

Mr. Huckabee is not an ideal candidate. Once a Bush-style Republican on immigration, his recent hard-right turn smells of opportunism. He too often wings it on foreign policy. But Govs. Ronald Reagan, Bill Clinton and George W. Bush also took office without foreign-policy experience. Much depends on the quality of a president's advisers. A chief executive's core foreign-policy convictions matter most, and on those, Mr. Huckabee is a standard conservative.
His religious conservatism, particularly his past rhetoric on women and gays, can be alarming. But religious conservatives aren't easily pigeonholed. A liberal Arkansas professor told The New York Times Magazine that Mr. Huckabee was a good governor. ''When he first came to office, people like me were worried about the religious aspect," she said. "And he is very orthodox on gays, guns and God. But he knows there's more than just these issues."

Indeed. Mr. Huckabee has a stout heart for working families and the poor, which as governor got him crossways with some Republicans. Though his strident criticism of free trade is misguided, the economically moderate Mr. Huckabee seems particularly attuned to the anxieties ordinary Americans face in this era of rapid change.

And he is one social conservative who's acutely aware of the call to racial healing. In 1997, when Little Rock Central High commemorated integration's 40th anniversary, Gov. Huckabee delivered a magnificent speech about race, justice and reconciliation that left many in the audience weeping.

It was a profound and profoundly moving address, and it revealed an unusual gift for leadership. Plain-spoken and eloquent, Mr. Huckabee strikes us as decent, principled and empathetic to the views and concerns of others – an antidote to the power-mad partisanship that has led U.S. politics to a dispiriting standstill.

"I'm a conservative," he likes to say. "I'm just not mad about it." Along those lines, what sold us on Mr. Huckabee is a sense that of all the Republicans, he is the change agent the nation most needs. John McCain, whose candidacy is quite appealing despite concern about his age and temperament, was arguably that man once. But his moment has passed.

America needs a clean break from the bitter politics of the recent past. From the right, Mike Huckabee, a progressive conservative with a pastor's heart, can deliver...

Mormonism: A Fake Faith From A Fake FORMER Front-runner (Part III)

2007-12-23T21:09:00.000-05:00

Newsmax.com must get the credit for this post. Their intent is to stick Mike Huckabee with one of politics "embarrassing moments" but the article fails to make the case on Mike and actually makes the case against Mormonism. I am only going to post the portions of the article that deal with my intent of explaining/exposing the truth of Mormonism and not the False Doctrine that Mitt Romney calls Faith. At best Mormonism is a Religion and that's putting it more nicely than the SBC is quoted below. Whichever way is the most politically correct, there is no misunderstanding from my viewpoint, Mormonism is far from faith.

"...in June 1998, the Southern Baptist Convention held its annual meeting in Salt Lake City, the backyard of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints — the Mormons. The annual meeting created a stir between the Baptists and the Mormons.

The keynote speaker at the gathering was then-Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee.

At the annual meeting, the SBC distributed copies of a book entitled “Confronting the Contradictions Between Mormon Beliefs and True Christianity,” whose lead author is R. Philip Roberts, director of the Interfaith Witness Division of the North American Mission Board of the SBC.

The book maintains that while Mormons claim to be Christians, they propagate a non-Christian view of God, a non-Christian view of Jesus, and a non-Christian view of the gospel.

...the book quotes a Mormon apostle as saying: 'Satan is a person with a spirit body in form like that of all other men. He is a spirit brother of ours and of our Lord Jesus Christ.'

In another passage, Roberts and his co-authors state: 'Mormons claim that the early Christian church contained all the same teachings the LDS [Latter-day Saints] embrace today. However, with the death of Christ’s apostles, they believe the church fell into total apostasy, instituted false doctrine, changed the Scriptures, and lost the authority to minister in God’s name. Mormonism claims that every baptism performed by a minister outside of the true Church of Christ is rejected by God.'

The book also makes these assertions:

'Mormonism is not just a cult in terms of doctrine; it is a culture that seeks to attract and hold people and their families for generations.'
'Mormonism teaches that God is confined to a physical body and is married.'
'The more sinister and controversial aspects of Mormon history are not known by the average Mormon.'
In his address at the SBC meeting, Huckabee never addressed the Mormon controversy but he did say that he hoped Americans would 'take this nation back for Christ.'

See The Difference?

2007-12-21T12:23:00.001-05:00

ANY QUESTIONS?

A Whole New Race

2007-12-20T21:29:00.000-05:00

Those Pesky Cell Phones!

2007-12-16T20:42:00.000-05:00

This morning when speaking in a Baptist Church in Delaware, at quite a critical point in the message someones cell phone began to ring. I know we all love when that happens. Usually, a person quickly catches the phone, hits the "stop ring" button allowing the caller to go to voice mail. Not today!

Normally I get a little judgemental in that situation - however - recalling my own similar experience - and watching a woman in the third row from the front (all eyes in the church being on her) struggle to find her loudly ringing phone, just as I was wrapping up the message and bringing it to an altar call (you know - a very serious moment), I sympathized with the lady. My only recourse was to make light of the situation, and asked the rest of the congregation "Don't you love technology?" I followed up with "I don't mind waiting, it has happened to me..." After what seemed like an eternity to me - and longer to her I'm sure - she finally got the phone turned off. But not to be outdone by the devil that caused that phone to ring in the first place, I wrapped up my statement - finished with a powerful song that related to the message, everyone in tears - and we ended with one of the better services I've been involved in a while.

Isn't the Lord great that way? I am primarily blogging today to share that cell phone experience (no real message or analogy to go with it). As stated above, I've had a similar instance happen to me about a year ago. I had a cell phone that I could download various ring tones of favorite songs (I have since upgraded to a phone that would remove that temptation). I happened to run across one of my favorite secular singers singing a song I like so I downloaded it. Little did I know that on a given Sunday after preaching one of my better sermons and bringing the message to an invitation - people's heads bowed, eyes closed, not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse - the invitation song for that Sunday's altar call was loudly and clearly Michael Bolton singing the words "When A Man Love's A Woman..." Had it only been mother's day, maybe I could have salvaged the service, but needless to say that invitation was unrecoverable.

Feel free to share your cell phone war-stories.

I Seem To Recall - Not So Many Months Ago...

2007-12-15T18:13:00.001-05:00

...when Mike Huckabee wasn't even polling in double digits - and yet he simply plugged away in states like Iowa and New Hamphshire giving his message of Faith Family and Freedom (have I told you that my MD church where I serve as Pastor is named Faith Family Fellowship, hailing from Arkansas - NLR in fact - as my home town - I can't help but like Mike).

Not too much further in the campaign Mike broke double digits, causing O'Reilly to lose his dinner deal with Dick Morris.

In all of that hustle and bustle of Campaign (months before Christmas) two things I never heard - We're concerned about Mike Huckabee's poll numbers - - AND - - Mike Huckabee attacking those in the #1 and #2 (and #3 when it applied) spots in the polls.

Funny how that was Not So Many Months Ago....

In recent weeks, the process started when Mike tied and overtook Mitt in Iowa, Rudy in Florida, own's South Carolina, climbing in New Hampshire (with another steep hill before him). Fred wakes up from his winter slumber to slap Mike 6 times with negative statements (I wonder if he wakes up next to his "trophy wife" - his words not mine - with the same attitude and gives her 6 negative statements). Romney twists and turns every statement of Mike's to make him look mean and unconcerned about other religions and GOP politics, regardless of the fact that Mike thinks more like mainstreet voter's than Washington Business as Usual Politicians. And now McCain - who Mike has never publicly spoken any discouraging words or negative comments other than to call McCain a National Hero and thanked him publicly for his service to the country - only to receive a false accusation of Push Polling in New Hampshire. Which may be happening - but not from Mike Huckabee's directive, in fact latest news indicates that Mike Huckabee has also called on the NH Attorney General to investigate and stop the party from doing it (possibly a person trying to hurt the Huckabee campaign).

At the time I'm writing this blog - so far - Rudy has stayed away from the negative fray regarding Mike...He has kept to the high ground, and as I have noticed, Mike and Rudy tend to maintain a political respect for one another. Pay attention Mitt Romney and Fred, that's Presidential leadership material in action.

Mike didn't need to bring other's down to rise to the top over the course of the last 3 months. If your counting the "Jesus' brother" remark as negative - again - twisted and out of context from Romney's camp - but - Mitt got his apology nonetheless, then turns to slam Mike's statements on Bunker Bush tactics today. I don't get it (actually I do get it). But Negative campaigning will hurt you more than it helps you.

I like Rush Limbaugh's encouragement: Stick to the Issues. Getting distracted on the religion issues is only confusing the American Public [but still - keep reading my Mormon analogy on this blog (-: ].

Today has been a very huge day politically. Lot's of activity taking place. Hope your keeping up. Thank you for reading my blog - - as usual any and all comments are welcome (as long as they are on topic with the post your commenting on).

Cleaning Up The Game

2007-12-15T16:38:00.000-05:00

Today as John McCain stumps in South Carolina to try and build his support, he stops to answer a question about the Steroid scandal in Major League Baseball

"it's time we get serious about the testing, its time we get serious about the penalties, its time we get serious about the integrity of the game..."

Certainly, this is a good statement about baseball - but where does it bleed over into McCain's politics? So far it doesn't. McCain is falsely accusing Mike Huckabee of the illegal tactics of Push Polling. Push Polling is basically the practice of phone calls to people's home's negatively shmearing (too much time at Einstein's bagels) other candidates. Never mind the phone banks and push polling - let's use the mainstream media like Mitt and McCain are doing today.

THE FACT's (as I am currently aware and will be looking to http://www.mikehuckabee.com/ the truth squad link for the campaign's take) as I understand it:

1. The Push Polling for Mike Huckabee is being done by a Third Party to which Mike Huckabee's campaign has requested they stop.

2. The polling from this particular third party was not smearing other candidates, but rather keeping the message positive and truthful - such as talking to people about Pro-Life who happen to be supporting McCain - exposing the harm that McCain has done for the Pro-Life movement as a Senator. That is not smearing - that is offering the facts - facts by the way that are not spun or twisted as what passes for "facts" from other camps when slamming Mike.

So - How does McCain's MLB remarks bleed over into his politics? Let's get serious about the issues, let's get serious about change in Washington, and let's get serious about the integrity and character of the candidate and the campaign game. John McCain has done enough to hinder the GOP in this election year with the McCain-Feingold bill. It has hurt the GOP's and the Dem's aren't affected. Makes you wonder the motivation behind the bill from this candidate with little or no money.

Mormonism: A Fake Faith from a Fake Front-runner (Part 2)

2007-12-15T14:11:00.000-05:00

What role does Joseph Smith play in the Mormon Religion?

In Mitt Romney's "Faith in America Speech" the former anti-Reagan/Bush governor who believes that Mike Huckabee would make a great President stated the following:

There is one fundamental question about which I often am asked. What do I
believe about Jesus Christ? (http://www.mittromney.com/News/Speeches/Faith_In_America)

The Governor went on to state that he "believe(s) that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and the Savior of mankind."

While these two statements in and of themselves are certainly true, the question arises - are they genuine? Though it isn't always ours to judge the faith statements of others, the Bible tells us "try [test] the Spirits." Alongside of testing the Spirits - we are warned by the same Bible in II Peter 2:1 that Mr. Romney "says" he believes:

"...even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies..."

"Damnable Heresies" what harsh language, but God-inspired nonetheless.

I am reminded of the Old Testament story (also inspired by God even as an historical account of the acts of God with the Children of Israel) that I used as a sermon earlier this year prior to even knowing who Mitt Romney was (I'll spare you the sermon re-run here) entitled "Strange Fire." The Scripture accounts for two servants of God being killed by fire in Leviticus chapter 10 for using as their "igniting" fire from the wrong source to light the fire on the Altar in the Holy of Holies. The wrong fire (ie., Strange Fire) being used was in direct disobedience to God in the first place. There is so much rich historic value in this story - please don't take my skipping over it for sake of space and time as thorough analogy of the scriptural account. However there was a deeper - symbolic - message in God's decision to strike the sons of Aaron to their peril. It was a futuristic message of a coming Savior that God would offer upon the Altar of Sacrifice at Calvary's Cross - namely Jesus. The impact of the symbolism is that God will accept no other sacrifice for the sins of humanity than acceptance of "his fire" - a prescient message to the coming Messiah - Jesus Christ.

If Jesus is the True Fire of God - ie., the source of God's pleasure through sacrifice upon the cross, a prophetic fulfillment of the symbolism of the Temple Altar of sacrifice in the Holy of Holies - where does that leave Joseph Smith?

Joseph Smith - according to the doctrine of Mormonism - is a Prophet. There are several ways to define the term Prophet - all of which are arguably closely related. The more modern definition of a Prophet is simply "one who speaks for God." Under that particular definition, I am a Prophet, because every Sunday I speak for God from my pulpit at church. The Traditional view of a Prophet is someone who is "inspired as one who has a received a direct message from God meant to be shared with humanity through the Prophet." While closely related to the more modern version, there is a difference in that in my "prophetic state," I use God's word from the Bible - I haven't heard an audible voice as Moses did at the burning bush experience. Most Christians hold to the more traditional definition where a Prophet has more of a God-given "foretelling" that goes beyond the knowledge offered throughout the Bible which did not exist during the early church while much of Bible was still being written.

The "prophet" Joseph Smith - according to LDS Doctrine takes the definition of prophet a step further than traditional definition. Joseph Smith's prophetic state is equal to that of the Diety of Jesus Christ, as according to mormon doctrine, you are required to believe that Joseph Smith was a prophet in order to go to Heaven. We must believe in Jesus as Savior to get to Heaven - and we must believe in Joseph Smith's prophetic state. Why not Moses? Why not Isaiah? Why not Habakkuk? Afterall, there is no question as to their place in the prophetic roll-call of the Old Testament. As the founder of Mormonism, it's quite self-serving to require belief in that founder to keep the religion going.

“There is no greater prophet in any dispensation than Joseph Smith… Joseph Smith
was a prophet, and all the calumny and aspirations to the contrary cannot
controvert that fact. Anyone who has concern for the
welfare of his eternal soul should give attention to this
message. Every man who has lived since the days of Joseph Smith is subject to accepting him as a prophet of God in order to enter
into our Heavenly father’s presence” (A. Theodore Tuttle,
“Joseph Smith re-established fullness of true gospel, Church,” Church News,
March 17, 2001, p.14).

I purposely chose to highlight the above portions in red because these are very serious statements. They are Damnable Heresies. It is the epitome of "strange fire" as mentioned in Leviticus 10 which caused Aaron's sons to be struck dead. Aaron's sons were good guys, but disobedient just the same. A lot of good Mormon people will be sent to Hell because they have negated their belief in Jesus Christ by adding the "strange fire" of Joseph Smith and their belief in him as the "additional way to Heaven"

Jesus said: I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh to the Father, but by me. (John 14:6). Earlier in the gospel of John He stated "He that believeth on me hath everlasting life" (John 6:47). Notice that Jesus' only requirement for eternal life is belief in Him and only Him...no other.

The writer of Hebrews states that Jesus is the "author and finisher of our faith" (Heb. 12:2) which would suggest to the true Christian that no belief in any other is required for the ultimate goal or "finish line" before us as we run this "race that is set before us." (Heb. 12:1).

A belief in Joseph Smith - without which deems all non-Mormons as apostates - is a "strange doctrine" indeed.

Mormonism: A Fake Faith from a Fake Front-runner (Part 1)

2007-12-13T21:48:00.000-05:00

On December 6th, former Massachusetts Governor, Mitt Romney delivered his "Faith In America" speech from the Bush Presidential Library in College Station, TX. Much expectation was afloat for the governor to present his mormon faith as an explanation to his beliefs and quell the qualms of those believing Mormonism to be a cult, concerned with a President adjoining himself with such beliefs. Much to many's surprise, the word mormonism was only mentioned once in the speech and most comments were left to rhetorical, politically correct speak that Presidents are to be leaders of the entire country not just any particular sect of people - to which I agree - even though the U.S. has never elected a President that did not claim (whether lived up to the term or not) to be distinctly Christian, which mormonism is not.

Now that some time has passed and even Mike Huckabee posed a question as to what mormons believe - which was spun into a negative slam by both mainstream and unfair/unbalanced media outlets - the Elephant in the room is that the subject of mormonism (The Church of the Latter Day Saints - LDS) and what they actually believe and teach has yet to be addressed, to which I believe the LDS and their Presidential candidate hopes ambiguity abides.

It will be my attempt over the course of the next few posts to explain exactly what LDS teaches their following. Whether or not those teachings has an impact on a potential President - you can be the judge.

Personally speaking, (IMO) a person cannot separate him/herself from their core beliefs. Our faith indeed defines who we are. Though a Presidential candidate need not run for office based on his religious beliefs, his lack of faith should be a concern to Americans who enjoy the freedoms of our great nation that were founded by Christian men.

In the CNN/YouTube debate in Florida, the question was posed "do you believe this book [the Holy Bible]." The questioner then clarified his question so there was no mistaking the question by stating "Do you believe in this book" (turning the spine showing THE HOLY BIBLE inscription as he moved it close to the lens). Even if the question was a fake implant by the left wing as an attempt to expose the radical religious bent of conservatism, allow me the license to accept that question as "legitimate." As such, the implication in the question is: the Holy Bible is the ONLY word of God.

True or False: Mormons believe the Holy Bible to be the Word of God. False
They - as Mitt Romney stated in the debate mentioned above - believe the Bible to be the Word of God. The statement that Mitt Romney made as to his belief in the Bible is Fake - or False - that is if he truly holds to mormonism. To say that one believes the Holy Bible to be the Word of God must in fact believe that God spoke to the writers of Genesis to Revelation and inspired the message of the Bible. Theologians call this theory the plenary verbal inspiration of scriptures. (That is as deep as I will go in this format for Theology - you can thank me later).

Psalm 90:2 states: “Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever you have formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, you are God.”

Joseph Smith (the founder of LDS) has this to say about God - in direct contradiction to the above scripture:
“We have imagined and supposed that God was God from all eternity. I will refute that idea, and take away the veil, so that you may see. These are incomprehensible ideas to some, but they are simple. It is the first principle of the Gospel to know for a certainty the Character of God, and to know that we may converse with him as one man converses with another, and that he was once a man like us” (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p.345; also cited in Gospel Principles, p.305).

I should probably go further on this subject - but will save it for another post. I want to close this post with an interesting answer to Mike Huckabee's question about mormonism:

Though Mitt Romney stated that it was a common falsity of Jesus being the brother to Satan and the LDS church has rejected the notion, I found this quote:

The 12th Mormon President Spencer W. Kimball wrote,
“Long before you were born a program was developed by your creators ... The principal personalities in this great drama were a Father Elohim, perfect in wisdom, judgment, and person, and two sons, Lucifer and Jehovah.” (Teachings of Spencer W. Kimball, pp. 32-33).

This also goes to the false claim of believing the Bible to be the Word of God as Psalm 148:1-5 describes Lucifer as an Angel. Angels are created beings. The Son of God is the Alpha and Omega - the Beginning and the End.

It doesn't get much clearer than that. It simply sounds to me that Mitt Romney should run for President of the LDS and leave our Christian nation - distinctly Christian. More to come on this subject......

"...we need to make sure that we have a strong person who can take the baton from President Bush, and Gov. Huckabee is certainly one of those individuals. He'd make a fine president.” - Mitt Romney in 2005

2005: Romney says Huckabee would make a great president

2007-12-12T14:52:00.000-05:00

[Note: this blog entry is copied and pasted from www.huckabeehound.blogspot.com - just too good not to bring it to the Elephant Room]

In 2005, while at the Arkansas' Governor's Mansion for a meeting about health-care, Mitt Romney had the following to say about Mike Huckabee if he were to run for President:

"...we need to make sure that we have a strong person who can take the baton
from President Bush, and Gov. Huckabee is certainly one of those individuals.
He'd make a fine president.”

Is this another flip-flop by Mitt Romney? It seems like whichever way the wind blows, his position blows right along with it.More from the article...

The Arkansas News Bureau reported in August 2005 that Romney said Huckabee would have the support of many Massachusetts Republicans if the Arkansan were to run for president in 2008.

While at the Arkansas Governor’s Mansion for a meeting about health care, Romney demurred when asked whether a presidential race was in his future but had nice things to say about his host.“Who knows what the future will hold?” Romney said in 2005. “Most likely, we’ll all stay as governors or find other offices, but we need to make sure that we have a strong person who can take the baton from President Bush, and Gov. Huckabee is certainly one of those individuals. He'd make a fine president.”

Read the whole article from the Times Record by clicking here.

It's A Delaware Thing

2007-12-10T17:02:00.000-05:00

[Note: This post was published by the Delaware News Journal as an Op/Ed on 12/13/07]

Last week I had the privilege of working in Delaware for the Mike Huckabee campaign. The State of Delaware requires each Presidential Candidate to obtain five hundred signatures in order for a candidate to be on the ballot in the February 5th Primary election. The Huckabee campaign and other candidates sent their volunteers to the First State to knock doors, stand at malls, haunt the halls of GOP Headquarters and any variety of places where we could encourage people to sign petitions.

Being lightly leery of going door to door, I forged ahead in a hard driving snow to a Newark Neighborhood and began ringing doorbells. Much to my surprise, with my clipboard in hand and stuck with a Huck sticker on my chest, the reception I received at each door and with each individual I approached was one of welcome and hospitality. I was invited in to two homes - a practice I wouldn't encourage, but with an inch of snow on my ball-cap who was I to question? I shook hands with Congressman Castle, Senator Carper, Committee Woman Priester, and many others - Democrat and Republican alike.

All First Stater's were equally approachable and welcoming to this visiting Marylander whose roots and accent extend to Arkansas. Was it the sticker I was donning, my Arkansas accent, or just my good looks? Neither. I believe it was the warm friendliness of Delaware residents and even their politicians whom I met in 28th District's special election - all of which were equally receptive and welcoming. I was even asked to leave two locale's (a post office and a shopping area) but the approach to me was in such a nice and polite way that I couldn't even muster up a discouraging word to hopefully stay - I simply said "thank you for being polite about it" shook their hand and moved on.

Delaware has made an impression on my life over the last 16 years of marriage to a New Castle resident. Any preconceptions of the openness and friendliness being simply because I married into it has now dissipated. It's a Delaware Thing - your just friendly people.

From Maryland, my family, and Mike Huckabee - we thank you.

The Truth on Mike Huckabee and Immigration

2007-12-05T21:47:00.000-05:00

- The Governor opposes and will never allow amnesty.

- Governor Huckabee believes that securing our borders must be our top priority and has reached the level of a national emergency.

- The Governor supports the $3 billion the Senate has voted for border security. This money will train and deploy 23,000 more agents, add four drone planes, build 700 miles of fence and 300 miles of vehicle barriers, and put up 105 radar and camera towers.

- In this age of terror, illegal immigration is not only an economic issue, but also a national security issue.

- Governor Huckabee opposed the amnesty bill that was attempted to be rushed through Congress this summer, and opposed the misnamed DREAM Act, which would have put us on the slippery slope to amnesty for all.

- Governor Huckabee opposes and will not tolerate sanctuaries for illegals.

- Governor Huckabee opposes giving driver's licenses to those who are illegally in our country and supports legislation to prevent states from doing so.

- Governor Huckabee believes illegal aliens who try to vote or try to apply for welfare benefits should be arrested.

- Governor Huckabee will stop punishing cities which try to enforce our laws and protect the economic well-being, physical safety, and quality of life of our citizens.

- Governor Huckabee opposes and will not tolerate employers who hire illegals. They must be punished with fines and penalties so large that they will see it is not worth the risk or profitable.

- Governor Huckabee opposes the economic integration of North America that would create open borders among the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

- Governor Huckabee will never yield one inch of American sovereignty.

- Governor Huckabee will take our country back for those who belong here. No open borders, no amnesty, no sanctuary, no false Social Security numbers, no driver's licenses for illegals.

It has been reported that Mike Huckabee supported benefits for illegals immigrants while he was Governor of Arkansas.

Governor Huckabee never supported benefits for illegal immigrants. In Arkansas, illegal immigrants do not receive welfare benefits or food stamps. Governor Huckabee has always, and will always be supportive of the laws and regulations of the country. It has also been said that Mike Huckabee was in favor of providing college scholarships for illegal immigrants while he was Governor.

The governor only supported the measure that applied to those who met the academic qualifications and applied for legal citizenship. The measure didn't pass. Governor Huckabee stressed that any student would simply be treated as any other graduate of an Arkansas High School, and not given any special consideration. Critics say that Governor Huckabee's motives behind opening a Mexican consulate office in Little Rock was to court illegals to come work in Arkansas.

The Mexican consulate provided Arkansas businesses with access to Mexico and opportunities to expand their markets, and would help further ensure that immigrants from Mexico are legal and better able to secure legal documentation. At the same time, the office would open up opportunities for Mexican investors to invest money with Arkansas partners, which would help create more jobs in the state.

A Fair Question From Gary Bauer

2007-12-03T19:40:00.000-05:00

You Be The Judge!

As Mike Huckabee continues to improve in the polls, his positions on the issues are coming under greater scrutiny. Over the last week, a heated debate has broken out between Huckabee and many of the other candidates over the immigration issue, and particularly the question of providing benefits to the children of illegal immigrants.On Friday, many of the leading groups fighting illegal immigration blasted Huckabee for his position on the issue. While Governor Huckabee now says he is against amnesty and for secure borders, he continues to raise eyebrows with his defense of scholarships and other taxpayer-funded benefits for illegal aliens.

Since the illegal immigration debate will continue to be a big part of the 2008 campaign, and no doubt a key item on the legislative agenda in 2009, as it has been in Congress for the past few years, I want to get your take on the controversy.

The FactsWhen he was governor of Arkansas, Huckabee supported legislation allowing illegal immigrants who had attended Arkansas high schools to participate in a scholarship program to attend college. Huckabee lost that debate, and the bill failed. He also strongly opposed an effort by state Senator Jim Holt, also an ordained Southern Baptist minister, to end taxpayer subsidies for illegal immigrants in Arkansas and to require proof of citizenship in order to register to vote. Huckabee denounced Holt's legislation as "race baiting" and "demagoguery."

Huckabee's ArgumentGovernor Huckabee strongly defends the positions he took as governor on aid to illegals. He argues that denying illegal immigrant students scholarship money would be punishing children for what their parents have done. He says, "my soul will not let me" do that. On ABC News this weekend, when he was asked whether or not he would support federal scholarships for illegal immigrant students, Huckabee said, "I'm not sure." Senate Democrats recently proposed the "DREAM Act," which would have allowed illegal aliens to receive taxpayer subsidized in-state college tuition rates that out-of-state American citizens cannot get.

The "DREAM Act," like other recent immigration "reform" efforts, failed to pass due to overwhelming public outrage. One year ago, Huckabee compared America's response to illegal immigration to slavery by remarking, "One of the great challenges facing us is that we do not commit the same mistakes with our growing Hispanic population that we did with African Americans 150 years ago. I think, frankly, the Lord is giving us a second chance to do better than we did before."

The Critics' Response

Critics of Huckabee's positions point out that many illegal immigrants are entering the U.S. because they want to get benefits for their children. Increasing those benefits, such as college scholarships, would serve as a magnet for illegal immigrants. Since scholarship money is always limited, every scholarship that is given to an illegal immigrant student is a scholarship that is taken away from an American citizen. In addition, they point out that while it is a Christian responsibility to help the poor, it is not Christian to take someone else's money through the power of Big Government to redistribute it to the disadvantaged. Huckabee's critics also say that comparing slavery to illegal immigration is a complete distortion. Finally, they reject Huckabee's argument that children shouldn't be punished for their parents' actions. Children do get hurt when their parents are punished, including when a parent is imprisoned for criminal behavior.

My Take

I think the critics are closer to the truth in this debate. I believe any Republican presidential nominee who has a soft record on illegal immigration will have a hard time distinguishing themselves from Hillary Clinton, who, as you know, is tripping over herself to avoid appearing to be soft on illegal immigration.

What do you think?

Please address the issue I have presented. I have accurately described the two sides of the debate, so I am not sympathetic to the idea that simply posing the question is somehow anti-Huckabee. Rather this is part of an ongoing debate we need to have in order to understand what the conservative position on immigration "reform" is and to ensure that we have a clear conservative nominee in 2008. This issue cuts across party lines and many Americans - Republicans, Democrats, Independents - were outraged by the repeated efforts of politicians in both parties to push comprehensive immigration reform. Please feel free to pass on this "End of Day" update to interested friends and family members.

Paid for by Campaign for Working Families and not authorized by any candidate or candidate's committee. Campaign for Working Families2800 Shirlington RoadSuite 930Arlington, VA 22206 Phone: 703-671-8800 Fax: 703-671-8899 Web: www.cwfpac.com

Robert "The Hammer" Novak

2007-11-30T11:23:00.000-05:00

My dad - born, raised, and died in Faulkner County, AR - used to sing around the house a 1949 tune: "If I had a hammer - I'd hammer in the morning..." of course my kids think I've lost it when I sing it - in fact my daughter stated the other day (I was singing "listen to the Mockingbird") she said: "You come up with the wierdest songs." At age 12 I guess she thinks I invented these old tunes.

Robert "The Hammer" Novak seems to be singing the Hammer song or at least TRYING to live up to the name I've chosen to nick him with. How? By attempting to drive the wedge between Evangelicals and their Grand Old Party deeper with his statements this week. The first Article I blogged on earlier (See "As The Worm Turns.") Then yesterday he wrote a "smooth-over" article because of all the HITS he took from the first one and as follow-up from the CNN/You-Tube Debate - but it wasn't exactly smoothed over enough for my taste, he still took opportunity to jab a few punches at Mike....keep on hammering Bob - - keep on hammering...you and all the - ahem - "serious conservatives" - will be the worse for it.

IF I HAD A HAMMER (The Hammer Song)
words and music by Lee Hays and Pete Seeger

If I had a hammer
I'd hammer in the morning
I'd hammer in the evening
All over this land

I'd hammer out danger
I'd hammer out a warning
I'd hammer out love between my brothers and my sisters
All over this land

If I had a bell
I'd ring it in the morning
I'd ring it in the evening
All over this land
I'd ring out danger
I'd ring out a warning
I'd ring out love between my brothers and my sisters
All over this land

If I had a song
I'd sing it in the morning
I'd sing it in the evening
All over this land
I'd sing out danger
I'd sing out a warning
I'd sing out love between my brothers and my sisters
All over this land

Well I've got a hammer
And I've got a bell
And I've got a song to sing
All over this land
It's the hammer of justice
It's the bell of freedom
It's the song about love between my brothers and my sisters
All over this land

Sure would like to hear the new song dad's singing today. :)

What's Going On with Huckabee by Star Parker

2007-11-27T12:37:00.000-05:00

I received this article in an email and simply wanted to share it here for those who read this blog:

Crime and unemployment among black males is a values crisis, and transforming these young men to productive beings is an economic as well as a values initiative

Monday, November 26, 2007by Star Parker

With little resources, and with a GOP presidential candidacy hovering in obscurity through the summer, the former Arkansas governor is now running in a dead heat with Mitt Romney in the lead in Iowa.

The former Massachusetts governor's spending in Iowa has been 10 times greater than Huckabee's and, until this week, Huckabee had not run a single ad (versus Romney, whose ads have already run over 5,000 times).

In various national polls, Huckabee is coming in a solid third behind former New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani and former Tennessee Sen. Fred Thompson.

The Washington Post's David Broder provides one hint about the fuel that might be propelling Huckabee. He says that, according to veteran Democratic pollster Peter Hart, the attributes that are pushing voters' buttons this year are "transparency, authenticity and unity."

A just-released The Economist/YouGov poll shows Huckabee doing well in these areas. Republican voters rate him first in both honesty and morality.The long campaign and the plethora of pre-primary televised debates have been helpful to Huckabee, whose appeal has come through to voters, but who has not had a lot of resources for his own marketing. He has come off as genuine and not like a candidate, in Huckabee's words, "who's sort of the culmination of a room full of consultants."There is little question that on social issues that Huckabee, a Baptist minister, is the real deal. This is playing well among Iowa Republicans, a third of whom are evangelicals and 70 percent of whom are conservatives.But what about the rap against him that he is a populist with little regard for traditional Republican proclivities for unfettered markets and limited government?He's been accused by the Club for Growth of "big-government liberalism" and called by conservative columnist Jonah Goldberg a "statist."There's some justification, of course, to these labels. Huckabee invites them when he expresses reservations about free trade, which he does, when he talks about energy independence, which he does, and when he endorses ideas such as a nationally mandated ban on smoking in public places.But there are important strains in what Huckabee is about that defy simple labels, and in this sense these accusations and generalizations are not legitimate.When Huckabee says that "strong families are the foundation of a strong country," he means this. This is not a Hillary Rodham Clinton-like political throw-away line.

The traditional-values agenda is as much an economic initiative as anything else.It's family breakdown and values breakdown that drive poverty in our country today. Poor families are overwhelmingly single-parent families.Crime and unemployment among black males is a values crisis, and transforming these young men to productive beings is an economic as well as a values initiative. This is anything but statism.It's tough to see how someone who wants to get rid of the IRS, which Huckabee's "fair tax" initiative would do, can be thought of as someone who loves big government.His plan, which would replace the income tax with a national sales tax, has plenty of detractors, including those who see it as politically impossible to achieve.But how do you argue with the idea of taxing consumption rather than income and production, and freeing every American family of having to share every intimate detail of their economic life with the government?

On health care, Huckabee has repudiated mandated universal coverage and supports reforms that would allow individuals the same tax preferences for purchasing health coverage as employers and that would allow a national market, rather than our current state-regulated fiefdoms, for buying health care Sounds pretty darned free-market to me.On Social Security, Huckabee's plan would eliminate the payroll tax and he has expressed support for the idea of personal retirement accounts.And, of course, Huckabee is a hard-core supporter of understanding the Second Amendment as protection of the rights of individuals to bear arms.

So the simple big-government-loving box into which many want to stick Huckabee is just not an accurate picture of the man. Do I agree with many of the criticisms in areas where he does want to turn to government? Yes.Mike Huckabee is not a simple guy. But life is not simple. However, he is honest, he is clear and many, including me, appreciate his unequivocal stand for the traditional values that are critical for the future of this country.

As The Worm Turns

2007-11-26T20:25:00.000-05:00

William Shakespeare wrote in Henry VI, Part 3, where Lord Clifford urges the king against lenity and harmful pity, saying:

To whom do lions cast their gentle looks?
Not to the beast that would usurp their den.
Whose hand is that the forest bear doth lick?
Not his that spoils her young before her face.
Who 'scapes the lurking serpent's mortal sting?
Not he that sets his foot upon her back.
The smallest worm will turn being trodden on,
And doves will peck in safeguard of their brood.

Though too heavy a thought to be campaign clambake, "The Worm Is About To Turn" is a cliche that fits our current political climate.

Only a few weeks ago, Mike Huckabee was not getting enough attention in the media. Bloggers blogged, spinners spun, blitz's blasted and Mike's Glory-bound train took no jokers. Huckabee has arrived! O'Reily's olive branch obtained, Bauer's bashing buttoned, Hannity's hush now heralding its time to sing: FIVE GOLDEN RINGS!! four calling birds, three french hens, two turtle doves.......

Enter The new phase. Eight Candidates Clashing. Mike has left the 2nd tier behind to be in double digits nationally in the Rasmussen polls. He is well within the margin of error to be named #1 in Iowa - though the mainstream (and not so mainstream) media still refuses to recognize Mike as a contender. Fred who has floundered his campaign thus far with a lackadaisical approach - finally woke from slumber to hit Mike with six (6) negative ads "informing" Americans that Mike isn't a "Beltway insider" (as if that were a negative). Mitt's mindless mudsling would have you to believe that Mike is soft on immigration, when in fact - as a Governor of Arkansas he obeyed the laws and gave illegal immigrants the education required by state law as any governor would be required. Yes, in addition he allowed those immigrants who were successful in their education the same rights as other students with the requirements of maintaining above average GPA's and Citizenship. But, Mr. Romney fails to mention his personal lawn pawns amidst the rhetoric. Just so my bases are covered - they are not pawns - they are people (immigrants, aliens or whatever label you wish to place them under) and people deserve a chance in life - through the appropriate channels - to succeed. That is the very definition of being an American - more to the point - a Pro-life (all of life) American - how soon we forget after 231 years (or three years if your a former Massachusetts Governor adamantly campaigning as a pro-abortion and anti-Regan/Bush candidate).

While we all hear the bells on Christmas day, in the background you may very well hear the ringing of a hammer driving a wedge between the Evangelical/Values Voter and the GOP. Articles like Robert Novak's today (http://tinyurl.com/2plrus) will be the hammer as he views Evangelicals as not "serious republicans" or "real conservatives." I find it interesting that of all people, Robert Novak would be the town crier for defining the "real conservative" when he was a primary proponent of the evangelical inclusion into the GOP during the Reagan years. Now as the worm begins to turn and a true Evangelical shows up to the dance - he has cold feet and wants Evangelicals banished to the irrelevance of being political wall-flowers again.

Novak claims that Evangelicals pose a threat and Mike is the reputed repercussion of the religious right. He claims that Huckabee "press[ed] his new lifestyle" of good health on Americans after he lost 100 lbs. Let's hope Jenny Craig never runs for President, American might feel "pressed." I suppose Mr. Novak would prefer Americans to remain overweight and Diabetes to continue to be the fastest growing disease plaguing this country. Speaking of being pressed - wouldn't that be what Mr. Novak is doing in his article in trying to convince Americans that Evangelicals are bad (or a threat) for the GOP?

Who purports that Evangelicals created this candidate? Mike Huckabee has arrived on his own. Evangelicals have been shy to support Mike and some "Err-elevant" Evangelicals have supported other candidates in spite of the polarized view on the issues between them and their candidate of choice. Mike has at least wished for - if not actually asked for Evangelical monetary support as he struggled to get his train up the steep hill he has now crested. It hasn't been there. In fact, one evangelical leader suggested to me that Mike needs to 'prove he can make it on his own' before evangelicals will get behind him [with donations - implied]. Well, He's here, He's alive and thriving - and evidently threatening to pull off a nomination

One final thought before I close this episode of "As The Worm Turns," if I had the audience and the desire to go speak to the other GOP candidates - I would offer them this piece of advice.
Don't attack Mike too harshly - that strategy will backfire. It backfired with Reagan and it will backfire with Huckabee. He's a likeable candidate - by both parties and some in between. When other candidates attack Mike - especially with half-truths and blatant un-truths, they will only serve to burn themselves.

After claiming that Mike is no Goldwater-Reagan Republican - I think Iowa will prove him wrong as will the other February 5 states. Mike Huckabee is in fact the most Reaganesque candidate on the sale block. Rudy - would call for a Platform change by taking out the Pro-Life plank and Mitt is just too fake and flip-flop. Fred's closest association with Reagan is his acting career.

Mike remains the clear choice for the Value Voter and the Evangelical. He envisions an administration that is tough on immigration/border laws, victory in Iraq, Pro-Life, Pro-Marriage, Pro-Family, and Pro-American.

Your comments (even yours Ron Paul of Virginia) are welcome.

Burned out on Turkey - but not Thanksgiving

2007-11-26T00:50:00.000-05:00

Burn-out is a common occurrence with almost any subject. We burn out on Turkey after Thanksgiving, we burn out on soft drinks and have to switch from Coke to Dr. Pepper for a while. Weariness with our most favorite things creeps in at times - you know "too much of a good thing..."

On a more significant or consequential level we burn out in our careers, Minister's burn-out and quit the ministry (a phenomena that I will never understand or agree with). Sadly, many families burn out with each other and end in separation and/or divorce.

Personally, I have read a lot of blogs on thanksgiving and the things people are thankful for. After blogging for a while - I found myself a bit burned out on blogging. But - being thankful - for me - is not something I will burn out on. I have too much. I realize it's Monday Morning after Thanksgiving. Where most people blog on this holiday before or at least on the day, I've had to deal with my laptop burn-out. I took this weekend to step away from it, visit with family and - well - introduce myself to my kids. :)

I still need to blog (read my first blog) on the God-thing in my family's life three years ago. Not a day passes that I must stop and soak in the blessings that God has provided my family and give him credit and thanks for my home in Maryland, a provision of God that could have come from no other. Not only providing the home was a miraculous tale to be told later, but being able to keep the home in this very taxed Maryland economy.

Saturday I took my son on his first hunting experience. That will be a memory for him and me that will last the rest of our lives. Though we didn't bag a deer - we sat and watched one for thirty minutes as she stomped and snorted - knowing we were there - but couldn't really make up her mind as to what exactly we were. I am thankful for that teaching experience of responsible hunting for my son. I also told him that at age 42 I have never seen anything like the display we had just witnessed in person - and either of us may never again.

I'm thankful that my daughter includes me in her schoolwork and that we have developed a bond on her particular History project as she writes a report on George W. Bush (if he doesn't stop helping Hillary - I may have to encourage a subject change). I'm thankful that at age 12 she isn't following suit with every fad and peer pressure that comes along, but is very well aware of her relationship to Christ and desires to live her life that is pleasing to Him.

Finally, my wife Robin, though not always understanding why I do some of the things I do (both in ministry and community activity) still supports my efforts. Had it not been for her ability to manage our home, there would be times we would be in a great deal of trouble. Not only is she managing the home front but somehow finds the energy to involve herself in the ministry aspect of our lives.

So, while there are some things that burnout can creep in and destroy - appreciation for the blessings God has provided me and my family is an ever burning fire. I managed some motivation for these few minutes to type on my laptop one more time before my business day begins to tell cyber-space that I don't need anymore Turkey - but I've got plenty of Thankfulness to spread around.

Iowa Right To Life sends a message....

2007-11-21T22:48:00.000-05:00

The letter below from Iowa's Right To Life sends several messages in one. The first being the most important was a message of silence/neutrality. When a subordinate organization cannot effictively choose to support the "mother" organization's decision to support Fred Thompson sends a loud signal. The NRLC certainly placed the states in an awkward situation by their endorsement of a candidate that can't fully support the pro-life agenda.

The second message sent by this Iowa group is a very strong message to Giulinai supporters. Not only is Rudy NOT Pro-Life but he is depicted as Pro-Abortion almost to the degree (as I read this letter) of an Abortion Activist. Whether the latter is the intent of the author or not there still needs to be a recognition of the GOP Platform. If the Pro-Life plank is removed from the GOP Platform - there will be problems on the homefront. Here's the letter from the Iowa RLC....

Iowa Right to Life Committee Remains Neutral at This Time

Des Moines, IA—The Iowa Right to Life Committee met in a closed session yesterday in a response to the National Right to Life endorsement of Fred Thompson. As the affiliate to National Right to Life, the Iowa Right to Life Board of Directors took a positive position to honor and work with NRLC toward the common goal for life.

It was the decision of the Iowa Right to Life Board to stay neutral at this time in order to maintain a long tradition that supports all pro-life candidates in a primary, including Fred Thompson.

Thompson is fairly new in Iowa, but has good name recognition among the grass roots. On the other hand, Rudy Giuliani, who is the only anti-life candidate, has practically ignored Iowa. This lack of interest in Iowa could indicate that he never stood a chance there.

“Without a doubt, Giuliani's support is soft at best since there are still so many conservatives who do not know that he is a strong supporter of abortion, including tax funded abortions,” stated Kim Lehman, President of IRLC. The right to life issue has become, in many circles, the barometer to indicate the candidate’s ethical and moral foundation. Failure to honor life is a failure to the family, which remains under attack.

Anti-life Republicans are misguided to think that they can win an election without the pro-life vote. It is important for this country to choose a candidate that respects life, as Ronald Reagan respected life, because without the right to life, no other rights matter.

For More Information
Kim Lehman
President
Kim@IRLC.org
515-202-2517

Will You Be Mourning This Thanksgiving?

2007-11-21T22:07:00.000-05:00

This is copied from Gary Bauer's "end-of-day" email on November 19th....

Thanksgiving-a great American tradition during which families gather to thank God for the many blessings He has bestowed upon them in this great country-is fast approaching. Of course, in this age of left-wing political correctness it was only a matter of time before this cherished observance came under fire.

Last year, one public school insisted on teaching its children that the Pilgrims gave thanks to the Indians (whoops-I mean Native Americans) rather than to God. But the idiocy hasn't stopped there. Last week, the Seattle School District sent a letter to its teachers warning them that, "Thanksgiving can be a difficult time for many native students." The letter goes on to tell the teachers that for many Native Americans Thanksgiving is seen as a "time of mourning" and "a reminder of 500 years of betrayal." To which I reply, "Pass the stuffing!"

Seriously, folks, is there any little pleasure of hearth and home that we are allowed to enjoy unmolested by the thought police and bullies of political correctness? Puritans and Indians originally celebrated Thanksgiving as a time of celebration for a successful harvest. On October 3rd, 1789 President George Washington, by request of Congress, designated November 26th as a day "of public thanksgiving and prayer to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many.favors of Almighty God." In the same proclamation, Washington asked, "the great Lord and Ruler of nations...to pardon our national and other transgressions." There are plenty of things that American children can and should be taught about Thanksgiving, but mourning is not one of them-unless you happen to be the turkey.

Please feel free to pass on this "End of Day" update to interested friends and family members.

What's Fred Got That Mike Ain't Got?

2007-11-15T15:42:00.000-05:00

In light of this weeks endorsment for Fred Thompson from National Right To Life, I thought I would copy and paste an old post from my other blog on myspace. It received several comments from Mike Huckabee supporters. I hope to receive some comments from Fred Supporters being a little broader audience in this venue. Whoever your candidate is - feel free to comment (you can also comment on these responses. Just note the # your referring to).

To get started - here are a few responses I've received on my other blog:

1. (my favorite so far): Mike Huckabee will give us 1 definition of marriage across America of one man plus one woman equals marriage.Fred Thompson says he will give us 50 definitions of marriage by allowing 50 different states to define Marriage.

2. "I think Mike has many things that Fred doesn't: Charisma, character, humour, great communicative & speaking skills, and he has the ability to draw attention naturally. Fred has only 1 thing, people mascarading him as another Reagan. His 1st speech was a let down, he's not raising much money and soon people will begin to see he isn't anywhere near Reagan. Another thing is i only know of two politicians that could naturally outdo Hillary in a debate, because of their great communication: Gingrich & Huckabee."

3. "Fred Thompson originally had my vote and only because I thought he might be famous enough to get enough votes to beat Hillary. But, when he decided so long to run, and after the values voters debate that he didn't show up for. I'm for Mike.. Fred Thompson has a young family. He's been divorced several times, and I think he doesn't have any real answers. NOr do I think he is a true conservative."

4. Fred has got nothing much to say and what little he has to say he has trouble saying it. Mike has plenty to say, and knows how to say it. Did you see the Gov on the Glenn Beck show on CNN tonight, he spoke and made sense for the whole hour!! (note: I just heard Fred on CSPAN - and he has as much if not more trouble with speaking and speech giving as Pres. Bush - Hillary will rip him to shreds - mp)

5. "I feel I can actually trust Mike Huckabee. Fred has advisors telling him what to say and even when Fred does say something he is reading it off a sheet of paper. I have yet to see Mike Huckabee read from a script. The words he says are words of conviction that come right from his heart. I know who Mike was ten years ago and I know how Mike will be ten years from now. He convictions are firm with deep roots. That's the difference between Mike and Fred."

What is an Elephant In The Room?

2007-11-14T10:11:00.000-05:00

For those who may not be familiar with the phrase "Elephant In The Room" let me explain 2 ways, defintion and example:

Definition: The phrase is an old English Idiom that suggests something (a topic of discussion) is in the air and not being addressed. Another common and similar phrase would be the 8,000 lb gorilla in the room. The phrase also implies a value judgement that an issue needs to be discussed openly.

Example: (insert giddy snickers and chuckles) - Mike Huckabee has been the unmentionable candidate on many discussions for the last several months throughout the media (inclusive of Fox). In spite of all the discussion coming from Democrats to the contrary of Mike being the one to watch - Mike was simply ignored. In fact - Bill O'Reilly went so far to say that Mike would never make double digits in the polls (funny - I remember these same people talking about the unreliability of polls in the last two elections and following discussions of polls up with phrases like "if you believe the polls" - now the polls are the end-all to politics, making or breaking candidates, or so it seems).

Enter the Elephant (and if you've seen pictures of Mike Huckabee prior to his huge weight-loss as Governor of Arkansas - there's no correlation between the two). Mike Huckabee entered this race and not only climbed out of the trenches of "lower tier-ism" but became a 4th member of the upper tier - and still was refused to be recognized. I suggest that Mike Huckabee became the Elephant in the Room when he reached 10% in the polls (although probably way before then - I just have to start somewhere). Now the Elephant is not only in the Room - But he's just showing off now. Take a look at these Iowa Numbers (I mean - if you believe the polls):

Romney 26%
Huckabee 24%
Giuliani 11% (Wow - down from 15 earlier this week)
UNDECIDED 13% (If Thompson won over 1/2 of this - he would still be trailing)
Thompson 11% (hmm NRLC, still think your anti pro-life legislation candidate is worthy?)
Paul 4%
McCain 4%
Tancredo 1%
Hunter 1%

NRLC's Dr. Franz Forges Faulty Fred Facts

2007-11-13T12:41:00.000-05:00

This morning the National Right To Life Committee endorsed Fred Thompson as their choice for the GOP Nomination for President. Just so you know, if Fred Thompson wins the GOP Nomination - he is the only other candidate I could support other than Mike Huckabee that will keep my vote in the GOP - and that secondary support is quickly waning as the primary process continues.

However, many conservatives, values voters, single issue (pro-life) voters, have great difficulty with today's endorsement. The NRLC commented several factors (faulty as they are) that they considered in selecting a candidate to endorse.

Wanda Franz, Ph.d., President of NRLC stated:
"Our endorsement is a testament to Senator Thompson's long-standing pro-life record, his commitment to unborn children, and our our belief in his ability to win."

Certainly I hear the same sub-text of "ability to win" - A cliche that Mike Huckabee has been tagged with from all sides of the GOP since his 2nd place position in the Ames, Iowa straw poll and his continued rise in popularity among GOP voters. There are certainly many issues that bring others to doubt Mike's ability to win - money not being the least of them - but all have been discounted time and again by our dark horse candidate, Mike Huckabee.

As I read the comment from Dr. Franz "Thompson's long-standing pro-life record" some comments come to mind:
"...an amendment...going back even further than pre-Roe V. Wade, to have a constitutional amendment to do that, I do not think would be the way to go." - Fred Thomson - on Meet the Press November 4, 2007

"Nobody's proposed a federal law on [banning abortion in first trimester]" - Fred Thompson - on Meet The Press November 4, 2007

FACTOID: There are THREE (3) laws currently pending in congress

1. "Right to Life Act" H.R. 618 (boasting of 94 co-sponsors)
2. "Sanctity of Life Act" H.R. 1094
3. H.R. 2597

Sounds like Fred is slipping on his "life-long" pro-life position, as a former Senator and a Presidential candidate seeking Evangelical support - shouldn't he be "UP" on this sort of thing?

Thompson also stated in that same November 4th interview with Tim Russert that states should have the right to determine the definition of Marriage being between a man and a woman. In other words - this is not a National Dilemma - it's a State dilemma.

Every Republican platform since 1980 has supported a constitutional amendment to overturn Roe. V. Wade and every GOP candidate nominated has supported that platform. Now we have a GOP slate of candidates - of which Fred Thompson is a member that does not support a constitutional amendment to overturn Roe V. Wade. I have seen this coming since the GOP started touting "We re the party of INCLUSION." Now we have arrived at the result of compromise which is division within our own house. The Bible will prove itself once again to be true and accurate - "A House divided against itself will not stand."

Mike Huckabee on the other hand - is not on the same page as the other GOP candidates. He virtually stands alone in his support for a constitutional amendment for overturning Roe V. Wade. In fact, Janet Folger's [WorldNetDaily.com] stated today: Governor Huckabee is "exactly where Ronald Reagan was in 1979 in the polls and in finances." That fact alone throws the argument of "winnability" right out of the window.

Lest I be accused of being a "one-issue" voter - let me state that I am not, I'm simply dealing with this one issue now. Across the board - no matter how faithless the "Faith.org's" may be at the moment - Mike Hucakbee is a real man of Faith and Character. I believe he will win. If I'm proven wrong, I will say "he should have won." I will not enjoy an election that I have to choose between the "lesser of two evils." Mike Huckabee has stated many times: "The way to beat the Democrats is NOT to be LIKE the Democrats." That philosophy was proven true in the Virginia elections last week. those GOP's that compromised on their message lost, those that stood true to the conservative message across the board, won.

Dr. Franz also states in today's endorsement that "unlike endorsements by single individuals, this endorsement was made by representatives of statewide pro-life organizations across America which themselves are comprised of local community chapters and grass roots activists."

In this link you will be directed to an article by Jerry Cox - the Arkansas chapter of NRLC (I think you'll find -once again - faulty facts in Franz's statement).
http://www.mikehuckabee.com/index.cfm?FuseAction=Blogs.View&Blog_id=697

By the way - I can't help but laugh at how the NRLC tries to sell the endorsement "NRLC Shake Up Race For Republican Presidential Nomination" Yeah - - - Right!!! I'm ALL Shook Up!

Veteran's Day

2007-11-13T03:26:00.000-05:00

The Date/Time stamp will say Tuesday (which it is) but since I haven't gone to bed yet I'm still considering it Veteran's Day (for about 10 more minutes).

I want to thank the Lord for this great country of ours. I also want to thank those who helped to make it what it is. Those who fought over seas to keep the enemy out of my back yard - thank you. Some of you still struggle with the physical, emotional, and mental scars of the war's you did battle in. I owe you a debt I will never be able to repay. I have family members that served overseas, and it is never talked about or discussed - be it inconvenient or too painful - but if you read this blog - know that I have the utmost respect and honor for what you were able to do in my place so that I would be able to live a life of freedom.

For those of you who served in our military but never saw "action" - thank you for serving. Your role in the military - at whatever level or branch - is just as much a service to me and my family as those who gave life and limb. You were always on stand-by. Ready for the call - faithful to your post and I thank you for your service to my country and family.

Families who had sons or daughters to go overseas, never to return - thank you for your sacrifice. My family, who lives in safety and comfort will never be able to repay our debt but to be able to say thank you.

As with every veterens day, I watch on TV the President (Democrat or Republican) speak at the tomb of the unknown soldier. It's a sobering experience for me to hear the leader of our country recognize those serving and those that have fallen in service to this country. A country that is politically polarized finds on this one day, the fortitude to put differences aside and offer recognition to those that fight our battles in our stead.

When I hear the National Anthem sung, I get a lump in my throat as I think about those that are serving that makes possible the life we live today, that's keeping the enemy across the sea, so my family can sit around our dinner table without worry.

Thank you for all you have done, are doing, and will do tomorrow.

The E.R.

My Very First Blog at Blogger.com

2007-11-13T01:45:00.000-05:00

That's right - I'm a newbie. Before I start scanning the Internet recruiting subscribers to the E.R., I thought it would be prudent to offer a little more information about me than the "about me" section give room for. My name is Mike Phillips. I pastor a church in southern Maryland (about 20 miles south of Washington D.C.). As a private citizen - I am a member of the Republican party (if you needed that explained after seeing the header - consider yourself politically illiterate). I have a lot of Democrat friends, which will give me plenty of subject material to post about.

You should also know that I am a dedicated and loyal supporter of Mike Huckabee for President. Many of my posts, until after Mike is elected as President in '08 will be dedicated to that end.
On a personal note, I have a wife (Robin) of 16 years and two children: Savannah (12) and Johnathan (7). Before too long I will post more on where we live and how we got here --- It's a "God Thing" that will take some time to blog.

My plan for this blog will be to categorize by subject as many blogs do. Again - you will probably find most of my blogs on the subject of Huckabee for a while....certainly about politics as a whole - - I'm working on a real whopper in my mind and can't wait to post it.

I am a proud administrator of 4 myspaces. I plan to use this space as my primary blog and copy and paste onto myspaces. I have spent a lot of time and effort building friendships and acquaintances with people across the country on myspace. So this will not replace those blogs - but add to. I will probably copy and paste some of my older blogs onto here for those of you who don't have myspaces to be able to read and comment.

Speaking of commenting - please comment away (whether you agree or not). The open exchanging of ideas is what keeps America great. It keeps our Political Parties motivated, it keeps our churches growing and exciting, and it keeps our families healthy, ever-learning, and successful.

Finally, let me thank you for reading this far into my very first blog at Blogger.com. I look forward to making new friends/acquaintences here. And if I can ever be of help to you offline - please never hesitate to let me know.