Huckabee Was Correct and America Needs Such Principled Leadership

There is currently a move underway to discredit Mike Huckabee over the rightful pardoning of a then 16 year old who had been sentenced to 108 years on robbery charges. I make this statement as someone who fully supports the death penalty for murderers and for child rapists, but also as someone who recognizes that getting tough on crime means fostering sensible rehabilitation, not turning first time offenders into violent career criminals.

Yes, Governor Huckabee pardoned more people than most governors do. That’s because Gov. Huckabee isn’t thoughtless, callous or cruel and recognizes that public service actually entails service to the public. Sentencing a 16 year old to months of hard labor generally serves as the greatest deterrent (except in cases of murder and the like). By contrast, sentencing a teen to years in prison has almost inevitably bred nothing more than a violent menace to society.

Yes, out of hundreds of deserved pardons granted by Gov. Huckabee, a few bad apples reemerged. That does not negate from the fact that hundreds of deserving people were spared the unbelievably inhumane (except in cases where society must be saved) punishment of life imprisonment. It also means that those who had been sentenced to prison sentences long enough to rob them of hope were now spared. This, in turn, prevented many from falling for radical Islamic recruitment, as thousands of inmates have each year precisely because long, harsh sentences have robbed them of hope and filled them with despair, and eventually with anger.

As I explained in an article over a year ago, in a column titled “America’s Greatest Terror Threat – A Threat From Within and Its Easy Solution,” there is an alternative to prison that would effectively deter crime instead of promoting it, fix our roads and public works and actually add to the budget of law enforcement while saving the public money and ensuring public safety. It would also provide stability to thousands of low income families, removing a key factor for the expansion of crime. Most of all, it would end the recruitment by terror cells of their most vulnerable populace. Huckabee seems to understand this, and understands that adopting such a system is key to saving American society.

To those who disagree, not because they have any argument of substance to offer, but because they attacked Huckabee since he first entered the national stage, purely out of spite for his openness about religion (going so far as to attack him for outlawing price gouging in the wake of natural disasters): Not only are you advocating the furtherance of a reckless policy ripe for a national disaster, you are also harming your own cause.

A Huckabee/Forbes ticket would not only be the strongest one that the GOP can put forward for 2012. Aside from uniting both sides of the party and appealing to a broad spectrum of voters who value Huckabee’s compassion and his sensible economic leadership, coupled with Steve Forbes’ expertise, it would also be the best ticket to govern the country. Huckabee’s commutation of a 16 year old’s life sentence proves this, unless hindsight were in fact 20/20.

Huckabee understands economic issues. He was a successful governor and, at the time of his retirement from public office, was one of the longest serving in America. He’s eminently qualified for the presidency. But what makes him a good leader is his sense of fairness and balanced compassion. Commuting a 108 year sentence for robbery that was handed down to a youth who was 16 at the time of his crimes is an example of fairness, and of nothing else.

Our Military and Our Nation Deserve Better

11/12/09

Having just celebrated Veterans Day, when we pay tribute those who defend our nation and our safety, we need to reflect on what we are doing and how we are treating those who serve. The brave men and women of our Armed Forces, their families – parents, grandparents, children, brothers and sisters who join in their sacrifices, deserve our prayers on a daily basis. They deserve our support and encouragement and it is our national responsibility to look out for their best interests, first and foremost – and always.

In light of the outrageous terror attack at Fort Hood, we must embolden ourselves and strengthen our efforts against terror. Ignoring the dangers faced by our nation does not make them go away. On the contrary, we must use common sense principles to safeguard this nation.

Surveillance of our shores is the most important part of a sound national security plan. Our shores are truly the front line in the War on Terror. And yes, we must call it a “War on Terror,” for to distort its name is to lose sight of reality at a time of incredible peril.

Veterans and our military embody what it means to provide effective response to challenge. And it is in our resolve to stand up for the needs and rights of our soldiers through which we show our determination to do our part in meeting that challenge.

When those entrusted with positions of civilian leadership refer to the attack at Fort Hood as the act of an “alleged shooter,” the effect is that we seem callous and naive in the face of terror, which is exactly the wrong message to send to those who wish us harm. Our nation and our military deserve better. They deserve much better.

Failure to recognize the attack at Fort Hood as one of terror certainly sends the wrong message. The alleged mass murderer was found to have made statements in support of terror. His attempts to connect with al Qaeda were confirmed through computer forensics. Action, not failure to act – together with help from Above – is the only way to respond with effectiveness.

If leaders on the national level can do nothing more than give “shout outs” to their favorite doctors in the face of crisis, then the many voices that are the people of the United States of America need to arise and fill the tremendous void in leadership that exists at the top. If they act callous, we can and must show our appreciation and resolve more than ever.

Through resolve and proactive leadership we can do our part to secure a safe nation. Now is not the time for foolish disregard. Now is a time that demands leadership from each and every one of us.

This, above all, is the lesson to take with us as we end the commemoration of yet another Veterans Day: To react with effectiveness and certainty in the face of any obstacle, to go outside of one’s field of comfort in order to benefit others, and to appreciate the great service of the men and women of our Armed Forces.

With that in mind, one extremely worthy group that truly assists veterans who need it most is found at http://www.woundedwarriorproject.org/. The Wounded Warrior Project is a tremendous source for good and embodies the spirit of American leadership in helping others and in offering gratitude to our soldiers.

May the tremendous folly in Washington, DC be replaced with the steadfast resolve of a caring and resilient nation.

Arizona - A Conservative Awakening

From the 1950s throughout the 1970s, Arizona was synonymous with conservatism. While this hasn’t been the case for decades since, a new group of leaders, together with a new generation of leadership, is quickly restoring Arizona’s prominence within the conservative movement.

First and foremost, the new change is led by Arizona’s new governor, Jan Brewer. Brewer is among the most competent chief executives anywhere in the nation and one who is most in touch with the needs of the electorate. The strong record of fairness and achievement that she garnered as a legislator over her 26 years in public service is surpassed only by her proactive leadership and the original, yet common sense, solutions that she brings to the table on various issues across the board.

Brewer is exactly what we need in government: a small business owner who has consistently brought an array of common sense solutions to the forefront. In the early 90s, she was among the first legislators in the nation to recognize the harmful effects of violent music lyrics on teenagers (such as increased delinquency, truancy, substance abuse, etc.), as she proposed proactive measures to limit their availability to those under 18.

Jan Brewer’s reputation for fairness was first noticed as far back as 1988. When Arizona was in middle of impeaching then Gov. Evan Mecham, Brewer blasted his performance while arguing against impeachment. Her unique style was not appreciated by those less discerning, but her reputation for making thoughtful decisions and of being an effective advocate for the positions she chose to advance was established.

Brewer’s common sense approach made her a national leader in election reform. As Arizona Secretary of State, she revamped the state’s entire voting system, streamlining it to be fair, effective and transparent. Even the minor steps that she took, such as moving primaries up a week, helped assure a fairer counting of ballots and gave officials time to properly address and rectify election challenges.

As governor, Brewer has made several bold moves. One of her first was to drop Planned Parenthood (the former eugenics based society, first named the “American Birth Control League,” whose workers still coerce indecisive minors into having abortions – as many of its former workers have personally attested) from a state sponsored health fair. Brewer has also recognized the valuable work that pro-family organizations play in society, such as the Center for Arizona Policy. She is living up to her reputation of putting children first, while also restoring that same level of common sense to the economic realm by keeping taxes low and encouraging new business to come to the state.

That is not the end of the story. While a new and vibrant governor sits at the helm of the state’s power base, conservatism is furthered by the unending and heroic efforts of emerging Arizonan leaders within the movement.

One of these up and coming leaders is someone I met first hand when he was sent to Florida to direct a countywide McCain office - Clint Van Wuffen. One of the GOP’s best organizers, Van Wuffen was quickly catapulted from volunteer, to office director, to county director and by midway through the campaign, was touring the nation and founding groups such as Bikers for McCain as an official member of the McCain-Palin team.

Van Wuffen is a down the line common sense conservative who can defend and articulate his views with sincerity. He’s a hard worker who’s well organized and is an inspiring leader, one who people want to work with. Most importantly, he’s exceptionally community minded and has recently founded the Hope Animal Foundation to assist owners with medical expenses for their sick pets.

With leaders like Governor Brewer and Clint Van Wuffen, Arizona seems poised to once again be a bastion of conservative leadership. And the kind of leaders that Arizona is turning out isn’t just good for Arizona. They’re good for America.

Florida House candidate defends Ulmer, Merwin

Florida House candidate Yomin Postelnik defends Jim Ulmer and Edwin Merwin against malicious slander. See http://www.timesanddemocrat.com/articles/2009/10/20/news/doc4ade50c4c131d107943298.txt

Corrine Brown for President

Democrat tricks would be comical, if they weren’t so blatantly farcical.

At this time in our nation’s history, we need people with ingenuity. So when a congresswoman with little name recognition decides to run for US Senate while simultaneously running for reelection to her House seat, that kind of creative thinking is worth noticing. Sure she dropped out after amassing hundreds of thousands in campaign funds, but you’ve just got to applaud that outside of the box thinking, the kind of thinking that makes sane people pause the nation over.

Still, one cannot help but wonder why Corrine Brown has stopped there. Running for US House and Senate simultaneously allowed her to skirt campaign contribution limits. But a run for the presidency would open up new doors altogether. And judging by Obama’s rating trend, at the end of the day she’d at least come in ahead of the incumbent. I can hear Hillary’s 2012 campaign cry already: “No way, no how, no crazy congresswoman.”

Back to her Senate bid. Did the scheme work? Well, to quote the Florida Times Union’s reporter David Hunt: “The possible Senate run did build some fundraising momentum. Spokesman David Heller said Brown generated about $445,000 in the last quarter. The money was split between her congressional and Senate exploratory funds, but can all be used to finance the House campaign.”

The odds of Corrine Brown being elected to the US Senate, even before she quit the race, were about as good as mine are of being the keynote speaker at an event hosted by the ACLU. She’s not foolish enough to give up her House seat for a long shot run and never started any of the mechanics that would have indicated a serious run for Senate. All of this was nothing more than a creative way to raise more funds for her House campaign - and the American people deserves better.

Take into account all of the above. Then factor in the following: Corrine Brown’s district is one of the poorest in Florida. Her lackluster record in Congress has produced precious little for the people of her district.

Fortunately, there is a solution for her district. It’s just not Corrine Brown.

While Brown was off ostensibly running for both House and Senate (yes, for the purposes of brevity we dare to leave out President, Queen of England and Heiress to Napoleon), someone else managed to launch a campaign to actually take care of the needs of her district. In a welcome change to the politics as usual that until now has been offered as the only choice to the people of her district, that person is proposing real solutions. And he is none other than common sense conservative Mike Yost.

Mike Yost is a man whose caliber we haven’t seen the likes of since Dick Armey. He proposes real solutions for real people. He’s a principled moral and economic conservative who also believes in common sense national security. More importantly, he’s got great ideas and is running for all of the right reasons.

I asked Mike Yost what he thinks of Corrine Brown’s shenanigans. Being that he was the first to expose them, his answer was “not much.” But we did have a conversation that touched on every indepth economic subject, as well as a detailed discussion of the problems facing his district. After a few minutes of conversation, it was clear that Yost is among the most informed and intelligent candidates that the GOP has today and that he possesses a true desire to better life in his district for his soon to be constituents.

Can he win? You’d better believe it!

Demographics have shifted significantly since the District was last redrawn in 2002. Moreover, because his district is economically depressed, the people of the district want solutions. Yost is taking the fight to Brown as no one ever has before. If you want to see his extensive platform and thought provoking updates, visit www.yostforcongress.com.

Then if you want to see what he’s up against and why close to nothing has ever been done under Corrine Brown’s watch, view this most eloquent speech given by Brown from the House floor - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8N2uQ7Fg_Uk. Perhaps it could be the start of an inaugural speech should she indeed decide to run for president (and should Obama’s education plans take hold, upping the prospects for her electoral victory).

Lastly, I do not want readers to think that I’m being in any way facetious in my endorsement of Corrine Brown for President or in the title of this article. I just mean it in a different way than most readers will have understood.

Corrine Brown would be a vast improvement to Venezuela’s Hugo Chavez and I readily endorse her for President of same. Incompetent is infinitely better than ruthless and the same can be said of many other countries, all of which would be far better off with Corrine as their president. But the people of Florida’s Congressional District 3 have a better choice. And they deserve Mike Yost.

In Defense of Chairmen Merwin and Ulmer

Two Republican county chairmen in South Carolina wrote an op-ed in support of one of our greatest Senators, Senator Jim DeMint. In their op-ed, they innocently used the argument of the frugality purportedly displayed by some Jews as a role model for sound economic policy. Their choice of words was open to misinterpretation, but their well meaning and intentions were not.

Democrats pounced on one line in the op-ed and even a great Jewish conservative organization, afraid of what this would do to Republican recruitment, wrongly chastised the writers. To be fair, the organization stated that the intentions behind the op-ed seemed fine, but that the wording was problematic. The trouble is, it’s only problematic if you grow up among Jews and know that saying “the Jews who became wealthy” sounds like a slur based on the way it’s been used by those who are less than friendly. These two gentlemen were using Jewish frugality as a compliment, as was clear from the context of their remark.

Democrats are always quick to pounce on any misconstrued line that they can use to portray the party as racist. Republicans need to simply speak the truth. The statement that should have been issued would be one that praises the intent of the county chairs and then explains that a better choice of words could have been used, while pointing out that in their region the meaning of their words was purely complimentary. Attack Democrat scandalmongers, not well meaning conservative op-ed writers.

As a party, we should be less concerned with the hissy fits of Democrats, who know all too well that the more they act out, the greater the reaction they will get. We should be more concerned with defending good party leaders and, when needed, privately training them to avoid unnecessary albeit well meaning remarks that are open to misinterpretation.

The basis of societal harmony demands that when people inadvertently use language that can be construed in a negative light, they be afforded the courtesy of being told as much privately. They can then be asked to issue a clarification. In similar vein, Chairmen Merwin and Ulmer should have been asked to issue a clarification, not have been made the subject of a press release.

I agree that the line “There is a saying that the Jews who are wealthy got that way not by watching dollars, but instead by taking care of the pennies and the dollars taking care of themselves” is a poor choice of words. But I think that this is only obvious to people who’ve grown up in areas where many Jews live and who understand that the same line has been used as an insult.

Furthermore, as the first visibly observant Jewish candidate for state office in my state, as someone who served as a director of the Ten Commandments Commission and who has fought for Judeo-Christian values, allow me to make the following clear: The same liberal Democrats who are quick to yell “anti-Semite” are the same people who’ve attempted to sell out both American and Jewish security in order to curry favor with the world’s “intelligentsia” (a misnomer if ever there were one). By contrast, the Republican Party has stood for the inalienable rights of all people since its founding right through to this day. Republican intent trumps Democrat pandering hands down, no contest, TKO.

Messrs. Merwin and Ulmer are fine people and I’m proud, not ashamed, to be in same the party as they are. When we start parsing words instead of measuring intentions, we all have a problem.



Yomin Postelnik
Candidate for Florida House of Representatives
Republican Committeeman and Conservative Writer

Gaddafi / Biden 2012

In 2003, Gaddafi agreed to cooperate with the President of the United States. So how nice it was of Barack Obama to return the favor and now agree so wholeheartedly with Gaddafi.

Obama’s moral relativism is at best shockingly and dangerously naïve. At worst, it’s something far more nefarious. But the problem is that this bankrupt philosophy has become a hallmark of liberalism and of today’s “Democratic” Party.

Moral relativism equates killers and mass murderers like Stalin with those who oppose such brutalities. It equates the burglar with the homeowner trying to defend his family and totalitarianism with those who patriotically resist it. The end result is one of cowardice in the face of evil and the development of a hazy world outlook where fact and fiction are mixed in a way that makes Alice’s Wonderland look sane, orderly and appealing. Indeed, such is the view of most Democrats.

So let’s make this clear. America, a nation that has fought against tyranny the world over has nothing to apologize for (other than for electing people like Obama). Sure, many things are far from perfect, but liberals never address real societal problems. They leave real leadership to conservative Republicans while they moan and groan and publicly defame their own nation on the international stage.

And while we’re at it, your attack on Israel was shameful as well, Mr. Obama. It’s reminiscent of how you treat allies like Great Britain. (Or did you think there was anything statesmanlike about unceremoniously turfing the Churchill bust in their Prime Minister’s face along with a package of DVDs that don’t work in the UK and then following up that class act by giving the Queen an iPod?) It smacks of how you treated Honduras after members of that nation’s ruling party saw fit to remove a thug who had usurped their constitution. All in all, your actions are shameful, they’re disgraceful and you should resign.

But to set the record straight after your outburst at the UN, let me say this much:

Just as America has nothing to apologize for, so too Israel, a country that has taken more precautions to protect the lives of civilians on the other side than any other and who has never started a single one of the wars that were brought upon it, has nothing to apologize for.

Yes, Israel won an increased amount of land in 1967. But Israel did not start that battle. They won it after they were aggressively surrounded by enemies on all sides who were very openly set on Israel’s destruction.

If the battle in Israel were a battle between Chicagoans and people from Detroit; if one side never made an aggressive move while the other side had openly targeted women and children, may G-d protect everyone, the side who justice and decency was on would be clear to all. It is also noteworthy that every discussion of regional peace has been about nothing more than how much Israel would give versus how much its enemies would stop attacking it should they receive something. And each time that Israel gave land, terrorists were emboldened. Netanyahu is right when he says that promoting mutual business, not dangerous land concessions, is the only possible road for peace in the Middle East.

Yet the strange thing is that in Israel, both the right as well as much of the left have come to understand that the only way to stand up to terror is to, well, stand up to it. That’s why Netanyahu and Ehud Barak were able to form a coalition. The only one who doesn’t get it is Tzipi Livni, who to her credit, is doing whatever she can to dispel the notion that all Jews are smart.

And who is harmed by Obama’s outbursts and insanely foolish worldview? America - because in today’s world, America cannot show weakness. Such an attitude invites contempt and emboldens our enemies.

The night that Obama was elected, people at the local McCain party turned to me and asked in a very concerned manner, “what about Israel?” I answered that Israel understands terror. Much of America does not and therefore I worry for its safety. We cannot take our eye off the ball and that weakness in the face of terror would only harm America, may G-d protect this land and our allies.

Let me be clear. While Obama and Biden may be the most naïve of fools ever to occupy our nation’s highest offices (with the possible exception of one peanut farmer who shall remain clueless), the American people know better and will demand a swift reaction against anyone who seeks to harm this nation. I’m just worried about the message that Obama is sending, not about our national resolve.

Obama and his gang have behaved like reckless school children with the US finances. No one with even a rudimentary understanding of history would have order the printing of a trillion US dollars, causing China, Russia and others to start a stampede against our currency. In foreign affairs Obama is seen as simply one of the group, not as the leader of the free world. His leadership is as shameful as his worldview is ridiculous and the sad fact is that his harmful outlook is shared by most of his party.

So what’s next for Democrats? A Gaddafi/Clinton ticket in 2012? Sounds like the next logical progression of a morally bankrupt and ideologically idiotic party. But then whatever would they do with Joe Biden? Not to worry. Perhaps Barney Frank needs a new congressional page.

Welcome Back Carter, Now Please Go Away

09/17/09

Jimmy Carter is a fool. That may not be the most civil of descriptions, but it is the most fitting one. Sometimes it’s more important to be factually correct than to be politically so.

Carter’s statement that Rep. Wilson is a “racist” for calling out Barack Obama on a mistruth is as troubling as the needless and petty resolution passed by his party, if not more so. And in making that statement, Jimmy Carter brings hypocrisy to a new art form.

The Democrats’ own Senate president pro-tempore, Carter’s own Senate majority leader, is an unrepentant former member of the Ku Klux Klan who as recently as 2001 used the n-word on national TV in one of the most tasteless and sickening exchanges since, well… since the Carter administration. Yet Democrats and Jimmy Carter have the temerity to call us racist - we Republicans who have stood up against racism since the very founding of our party.

Republicans have always been the civil rights party. This was true in both the 1860s as well as the 1960s. Charlton Heston was a great civil rights leader and Martin Luther King Jr. was a Republican. In the meantime, the Democratic Party has gone from being led by the likes of Hubert Humphrey, Scoop Jackson and Daniel Patrick Moynihan to boasting such luminaries as Diane “Castro” Watson, Barney Frank, Chris Dodd and Jimmy Carter among its highest ranks and to being organized on the ground level by the likes of Louis Farrakhan.

Carter’s tactic is as dangerous as it is shameful. Those who use the smear of “racism” lightly only increase paranoia and further divide the citizens of this great nation. Using accusations of racism as a political weapon is shameful.

Far worse still is the use of false accusations of racism to stifle political dissent. There can be few things more harmful to the health of a democracy. What’s more, holding someone above reproach because of his or her race is the very definition of racism. Such an attitude also allows for the unchecked growth of federal power.

I asked Bernard Sansaricq, the GOP’s first Caribbean-American congressional candidate, what he thinks about the situation. Sansaricq is the former President of the Haitian Senate and a renown human rights leader. He is running against Alcee Hastings, a Carter appointed judge who was impeached by the entire Congress.

Sansaricq’s answer was unequivocal and shows what a powerful candidate the GOP has in him: “Lack of decorum or not, Representative Joe Wilson shouted the honest truth, a cry from the heart of a great American. You can be sure that before too long, you will see signs popping up all over the country calling for ‘Joe Wilson for President 2012.’ We need straight shooters in Washington, DC and lack of decorum or not, Joe Wilson is a straight shooter and will have my vote for whichever office he chooses to run for, including the presidency.” Amen to that, Senator Sansaricq.

As far as Carter is concerned, some people should just stick to planting peanuts – no insult to the intelligent and hard working peanut farmers of America. We should only ridicule demagogues who plant peanuts.

Congressman Joe Wilson for US Senate

09/16/09

The American people often engage in robust debate. So do the citizens and (even the) parliamentarians of Britain and other Western countries. It’s considered a healthy aspect of most democracies, albeit an annoying one.

So when Democrats voted their disapproval of Representative Joe Wilson, they did a disservice to the American people. They also did a disservice to democracy, which was once a core principle of their party, but sadly is no more.

I’m all for civility. I’m even more for healthy, pointed, passionate dissent. Such dissent harms no one and has the potential to diffuse situations, as it allows each side to present their respective points of view with focused devotion.

Civility and indignation are two equally important aspects to the political health of a democratic republic. Civility allows us to discuss issues and righteous indignation allows us to express our passion in words. Rigorous dissent is healthy and needed. It’s what separates first class societies that engage in rigorous debate from countries that settle their disputes by way of mob violence.

Over the past eight years, I’ve heard Democrat activists and many of their Washington leaders yell an unending and ferocious tirade of curses and accusations at Republicans, at all Republicans. And as tasteless, wrongheaded and false as those tirades were, I would never dream of trying to stifle honest opposition. No Republican would.

What’s even more outrageous is that Congressman Wilson’s comment that President Barack Obama is a liar (which, based on both the Senate version at the time, as well as a proper reading of the House version, was a fair statement) pales in comparison to statements by Senator Dick Durbin, the number two ranking Democrat who compared our American troops to Nazis on the Senate floor. And “pales in comparison” is putting it extremely mildly.

I guess you can only yell outrageous obscenities from the floor of the US Senate. In the House, one must show decorum at all times. Well then, let me be the first to endorse Joe Wilson for US Senate. The difference is that he was standing up for the interests his constituents, not falsely maligning American heroes who risk their lives on behalf of the nation. Maybe that’s what congressional Democrats have a problem with.

Furthermore, in the 2006 State of the Union address, Democrats interrupted mid-sentence. The reaction was a smile from then President Bush followed by a one liner that turned the tables back on them. Not a single person in the chamber didn’t enjoy the exchange, and unlike Joe Wilson, they did not apologize.

Congressman Wilson’s statement also seems downright complimentary compared to that of former Democratic presidential nominee John Kerry, who went on national TV accusing our troops of harassing women and children. Of course, false accusations against American troops are nothing new for Senator Kerry. Just ask any Vietnam veteran.

President Obama may be many things. But he’s not more honorable than our American soldiers. He’s also not above reproof.

What congressional Democrats have shown by last night’s vote is how thin skinned all but 17 of them are, not to mention hypocritical.

Why Jews Should No Longer Vote Democrat

Obama’s foreign policy is troubling. Barack Obama has not only alienated Israel, America’s most steadfast ally and given hope to thugs everywhere with his Honduras debacle. Great Britain was also shamed by his actions. Simply put, a man who goes to Buckingham Palace and hands the Queen an I-pod is a lunatic, not a president. But that and the hostile return of the Churchill bust marked this administration’s first overture to the UK.

America has nothing to apologize for. Likewise, Israel, a country that has taken more precautions to protect the lives of civilians on the other side and who has never started a single one of the wars that were brought upon it also has nothing to apologize for.

Yes, Israel won an increased amount of land in 1967. But Israel did not start that battle. They won it after they were aggressively surrounded by enemies on all sides who were very openly set on Israel’s destruction.

If the battle in Israel was a battle between Chicagoans and people from Detroit; if one side never made an aggressive move while the other side had openly targeted women and children, may G-d protect all, the side who justice and decency was on would be clear to all. It is also noteworthy that every discussion of regional peace has been about nothing more than how much Israel would give versus how much its enemies would stop attacking it. And each time that Israel gave land, the terrorists were emboldened. Netanyahu is right when he says that promoting mutual business, not dangerous land concessions, is the only possible road for peace.

Yet the strange thing is that in Israel, both the right as well as much of the left have come to understand that the only way to stand up to terror is to, well, stand up to it. That’s why Netanyahu and Ehud Barak were able to form a coalition. The only one who doesn’t get it is Tzipi Livni, who to her credit, is doing whatever she can to dispel the notion that all Jews are smart.

America cannot show weakness. Such an attitude invites contempt and emboldens our enemies. When Obama was elected, people turned to me at the local McCain party and asked, very concerned, “what about Israel?” I answered that we cannot take our eye off the ball and that weakness in the face of terror would only harm America, may G-d protect this land and our allies.

I know that many of us have friends who are staunchly Democrat. Yet they fail to understand what the Democratic Party has become. For much of our history, the Republican Party was the clear civil rights party. In the 1930s, an economic debate over how to end the depression split the parties, with both sides making compelling arguments as each proposed solutions that they saw best to revamp the economy. At that time, most Jews and most of the American people sided with FDR.

Let this much be clear. No matter what side you were on of the economic debate of the 1940s, one thing is certain. The tables have turned, the parties have flipped and the party of Hubert Humphrey, Scoop Jackson and Daniel Patrick Moynihan has become the party of Diane Watson, Jimmy Carter and Louis Farrakhan.

Compassion is no longer a part of their agenda. Republicans, not Democrats, cut taxes on the poorest income bracket by a third. Democrats sought to reverse this until they realized that they could just cap and trade that bracket instead.

Likewise, Republicans, not Democrats, organized the most comprehensive homeland security overhaul in the aftermath of 9-11 as Democrats sat back and wondered what to do.

Republicans, not Democrats, sounded the alarm in 2002 about the pending mortgage crisis and the abuses of Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae.

And Republicans, not Democrats, put forward sensible prescription drug coverage for seniors that did not rob them of all healthcare options or put them under the control of statist non-doctor panels.

So when people ask why you are a Republican, why not answer this?:

I’m a Republican because I believe that hard working people should be encouraged to make jobs for others, not hindered in that task. That’s why I’m a Republican!

I’m a Republican because I believe that seniors are our most valuable members of society and they deserve far better than second rate government rationed so-called healthcare. That’s why I’m a Republican!

I’m a Republican because I believe that people should be protected and that madmen should be stopped. That’s why I’m a Republican!

And I’m a Republican because I believe that age old values and wisdom are better than feel good momentary fixes. That’s why I’m a Republican.

The problem with the Obama administration does not stop and end with Barack Obama. Hillary Clinton has repeatedly shown a lack of understanding of the nature of terror and Iran has no greater friend than Joe Biden. When you hear about “conservative Democrats in Congress” you need to ask what exactly is conservative or even slightly moderate about acquiescence to the lunacy of this administration. Increasingly, the words “conservative Democrat” are as much a misnomer as calling Congressman Barney Frank “erudite.” It’s like calling Joe Biden “articulate!”

You see, Democrats and the state media fail to realize that Mahmoud Abbas is anything but a moderate. He was a high ranking PLO member when the PLO, not Hamas as wrongly reported, made the suicide bombing Mickey Mouse. He’s never backed down from his calls to violence to fellow PLO members. Simply put, in the eyes of the media, a moderate is a murderer with a smile on his face.
Had local politicians and the equivalent of state representatives stood up in Chile in the late 1960s there would have been no radical government of Salvador Allende that terrorized the populace.
Had local politicians stood up in Venezuela in the early 1990s, there would have been no Hugo Chavez.
And had local leaders raised their voices in Cuba in the 1950s, the murder squads of Fidel Castro and Che Guevara would have gone to Russia instead of wreaking havoc 90 miles off of our shores.
We need to be keenly aware that failed dogmas have been allowed to take hold on every continent of our globe because local leaders have failed to articulate their sound beliefs. And we need to stand up and do something about it.

Jews believe in human rights and by and large have been among the chief proponents of a better society for all since the beginning. It is high time for all Jews, all Christians, all people of faith and all decent people to abandon the vestiges of the Democratic Party, a name that has become yet another misnomer.

The Biblical traditions upon which this nation was founded tell us that G-d will eventually perfect the world. Indeed, over the past 25 years, we’ve seen many breakthroughs in medicine and technology and most of all, in human rights.

But during these last trying times each of us has a role to play to promote better government and to do our part to ensure a better society for all; one that values human rights, one that values age old traditions and one that values people, families and community.

We will not let the superficial dictate to us, no matter how strong their platform. Their world view has failed time and time again. What we will do is stand with innocents, stand with what is right and promote common decency. In those matters, we are assured of victory and each of us have a crucial role to play.

Parents Should Form Study Groups Rather Than Have Their Children Participate in National Indoctrination Day

09/08/09

I have no problem with a President of the United States addressing school children, even in the classroom. But when the Department of Education formulates a lesson plan asking teachers to glorify the Office of the President and calls for students to read books about presidents “and Barack Obama,” the line is crossed between a nonpartisan speech and partisan political indoctrination.

An address by any president has an impact on a child. Those who grew up in the late 1980s anywhere in the western world likely remember hearing the words of Ronald Reagan. As a nine year old child, I remember hearing his speech on judicial activism and his summation that judges should uphold the law, not invent it. Those words had an affect on me and on my generation, albeit a mooted one, as most 30-35 year olds have yet to understand conservative philosophy.

The difference was that we chose to watch those political speeches or newsclips on our own time and hopefully under the supervision of parents. Subjecting all children to a speech in which presidents play up their agenda issues absent parental input is a problem. The Obama speech does touch on such issues and teacher guidance will likely highlight these points. This, however, would admittedly be inconclusive were it not for the lesson plan put forward by the Department of Education.

The lesson plan, which calls for teachers to glorify the Office of the President minutes prior to the President’s speech, is a subjective form of indoctrination that should be shunned. The same ultra liberals who think that the speech and the accompanying Obamacentric lesson plan are good ideas would have rightly been mortified had President George W. Bush announced a speech to the nation’s students on the day before a vote on Medicare Part D and further ordered the Department of Education to draw up lesson plans asking for students to be taught “what it takes to become president” and read books on presidents “and about George W. Bush” moments before the speech. If that had ever happened, their outrage would be justified. Yet that’s exactly what the current administration has done with this misguided “lesson plan.”

Do they not realize that the next Republican president will likely be pushed to do the same? Does anyone believe that this is healthy on any level?

Democrats should recognize the harm in this just as Republicans do. Central to our citizen based government is that we do not have a ruler - rather, citizens elect a president to lead them for a specific duration of time. Use of phrases like “Obama will begin to rule” by advisors such as Valerie Jarrett prior to the inauguration were problematic. Today’s glorification of the current office holder is just plain ridiculous and shameful.

In light of this, many have called for parents to take their children out of school for the day, but I do not believe in additional days off.

What I propose instead is that parents form study groups for their child’s class and invite all other students to participate. Failing that, parents should spend the day helping their children with necessary academic work. At the very least, parents who work should leave a study schedule for children to complete at home so that the day is spent learning, not merely taking off from school.

It is truly a shame that the White House has so politicized the address with a partisan lesson plan aimed to glorify Barack Obama and further a cult of personality from which little good can emerge. Parents should rightly avoid the process.

But what is shocking is that while a statewide solution is easy, no one in the nation has seen fit to propose one.

Florida (and any other state) can and should prohibit public school administrators and any other public school employee from engaging in subjective comments before or after the speech, including those outlined in the outrageous lesson plan provided by the US Department of Education. The course outline is suggestive and the Department of Education is actually prohibited by law from enforcing any specific type of material, so issuing a state decree that schools are prohibited from entering any suggestive comments prior to or after the address is a simple matter that any state can legislate.

Which bears the question: Why has no state done so and why is my campaign the first to propose this?

On another note, I’ve heard a lot of calls from numerous candidates essentially asking parents to let their kids skip school. None have advocated for organized study groups that will help children further their education or master the 3 Rs.

Well if my campaign is the only one to put forward a sound proposal, then that’s exactly what we’ll do.

Lastly, this is not an isolated issue. Our schools must be nonpartisan. This was true when schools canceled class to watch the inauguration of President Obama, while the second inauguration of President Bush was met with deafening silence in the halls of academia. (His first inaugural was on a Saturday, but there’s no reason to believe that schools would have aired that one had this not been the case). This is true when students are berated by staff for not supporting the candidate of their choice and this is especially true when school employees wear partisan political pins on school premises.

Most Republican and Democratic voters alike want to achieve a better standard of living for all, even if elitist Democratic politicians don’t. We argue only over how to get there. It’s important that schools allow parents and students to lead that debate without rigid or dogmatic interference. And when the federal Department of Education sees fit to thrust itself into the debate, such a move must be opposed by all citizens across the board.

Only One Way to Fix the GOP Brand

09/02/09

As a party, we should own all of the issues. Republicans, not Democrats, organized the most comprehensive homeland security overhaul in the aftermath of 9-11 as Democrats sat back and wondered what to do. Some were even thankful that there was a Republican administration – Remember, I’m talking about right after 9-11, when Democrats realized that we were in danger and before politics clouded the national security debate, causing them to oppose the same measures they themselves had co-authored, albeit only after Republicans pushed for a needed overhaul.

Republicans, not Democrats, sounded the alarm in 2002 about the pending mortgage crisis and the abuses of Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae. Democrats accused the Republicans of trying to curb homeownership at a time of record growth. Republicans were sensible. Democrats were not. But Republicans were assigned blame.

And the list goes on. Republicans, not Democrats, put forward sensible prescription drug coverage for seniors that did not rob them of all healthcare options or put them under the control of statist non-doctor panels. It should be noted that Republicans did this after decades of Democrats doing nothing, yet Democrats have the temerity to call themselves the party of compassion.

So it is not the positions which we advocate for that are the problem, rather it is our failure to properly advocate for those positions.

Do you get sick watching those Sunday political shows? When Maxine Waters yells out that whatever the Democrats are doing is better than those “tax cuts for the rich?” The last I checked in the tax cuts she was referring to Republicans cut taxes on the poor by a third while only cutting a few points for the wealthy, and those cuts to the upper brackets stimulated near record job growth. By contrast, Democrat congressmen, like Charlie Rangel who doesn’t pay taxes anyway, and Diane Watson, who praised Fidel Castro as the ideal fair arbiter of income distribution, fought to raise taxes on the lowest income bracket from ten percent back to 15.

Republican economics work. Republican solutions work and Republican values work, but we need to be able to articulate them as a party. These are not federal or state issues. They are issues that affect our brand name across the board, and local leaders must finally set the record straight.

But here are some of the state issues that are absolutely central to any campaign and should be part of the GOP message:

Current property tax rates are unsustainable and assessed values must come down to reality. A 1.35% property tax cap would be a good start, but we can do even more to stop exacerbating the foreclosure crisis.

Educational reform is key to our nation’s success. Spreading my lifeskills course is just one thing that needs to be done and that I will work on as we seek new methods to improve student motivation and to achieve success throughout the state.

Criminal justice reform, with shorter but harder labor sentences is key to stopping first time and nonviolent offenders from becoming career criminals. Long sentences, aside from being wrong and useless, have allowed radical Islamists to recruit within the prison system. There is a better way that focuses on rehabilitation while allowing the corrections system to fill necessary labor contracts. As always, society benefits from simply doing the right thing.

Furthermore, taxes are a family values issue. This is so because we must never allow the government to increase the burden on those who work hard to provide for their families and pay for their children’s education. It’s just a shame that it takes a candidate for State House to say so.

And speaking of missed opportunities, for some reason I’m the first candidate in the nation to make an issue of the simple fact that our shores are the frontline in the war on terror and that their proper surveillance should be priority number one.

This point is absolutely critical. Right now, anyone can take a ship from Saudi Arabia, or from anywhere else in the world, park 12 nautical miles off of our shores, load up a small yacht and we treat it as if that yacht had just come in from Chesapeake Bay. Am I hesitant to mention this? No – because this fact is well known to our enemies. The only question is, “What are we going to do about it?”

We must also be keenly aware of the need to stand up on all issues and all matters of importance.

Had local politicians and the equivalent of state representatives stood up in Chile in the late 1960s there would have been no radical government of Salvador Allende that terrorized the populace.

Had local politicians stood up in Venezuela in the early 1990s, there would have been no Hugo Chavez.

And had local leaders raised their voices in Cuba in the 1950s, the murder squads of Fidel Castro and Che Guevara would have gone to Russia instead of wreaking havoc 90 miles off of our shores.

We need to be keenly aware that failed dogmas have been allowed to take hold on every continent of our globe because local leaders have failed to articulate their sound beliefs.

So when Obama and his fellow socialist Democrats pledged to ration healthcare and relegate seniors to the backline, I called State Sen. Carey Baker and gave my input, as he was about to propose an amendment that would protect Florida from Obamacare.

You see, the way that we treat seniors says a lot about who we are as a society. I may not yet be elderly and I am not infirm, but I am the father of two small children and I don’t want them growing up in a society that does not value its senior citizens or fight for the infirm. Such an attitude is the exact opposite of American values. Such an attitude also cheapens the medical profession and stops doctors from realizing that their mission is to save lives across the board. Simply put, when you tell doctors whose lives they can and cannot try to save, you destroy motivation in a professional where staying motivated is crucial.

When the federal government decides to do all it can to return a communist thug to power in Honduras after the democratically elected dictator’s own party removed him from office and their courts declared his power grab unconstitutional, Florida can and should do what it can to help the people of Honduras as they do the right thing. We can promote sensible trade. Even our words of encouragement can make an untold difference.

If Obama’s team, the same people who prevented the CIA from communicating with the FBI before 9-11, now dares to harm our CIA agents who stand on the frontline in keeping our nation safe, we must withhold all Florida law enforcement resources and file amicus briefs on behalf of our agents.

And there’s no reason that every Republican in the nation shouldn’t be pushing with tremendous force for all of the same things.

All in all, local officials must raise the rallying cry against the advocacy of seductive yet harmful policies and against the demagoguery that is the hallmark of today's political left. I will do this without fail, because it is the responsibility of each of us to do so across the board; especially those who are running for office.

Our nation is in need of solutions if we are to continue to remain strong and vibrant. The answers are clearer than one would be led to believe and are routed in common sense and in a willingness to do what is right. That is what my campaign is about.

Lastly, I can tell you this:

We Republicans often take a lot of flack from friends, coworkers, employers and even employees. But as I stated earlier on, it is not the positions that we advocate for that are the problem; it is our failure to advocate for those positions.

When we’re asked by others why we are Republican, let me propose a few clear answers:

I’m a Republican because I believe that hard working people should be encouraged to make jobs for others, not hindered in that task. That’s why I’m a Republican!

I’m a Republican because I believe that seniors are our most valuable members of society and they deserve far better than second rate government rationed so-called healthcare. That’s why I’m a Republican!

I’m a Republican because I believe that people should be protected and that madmen should be stopped. That’s why I’m a Republican!

Lastly, I’m a Republican because I believe that age old values and wisdom are better than feel good momentary fixes. That’s why I’m a Republican.

When we see that in some areas more teens were dropping out of school than were graduating, we need to do something about it. I wrote a motivational course that was used by local schools and the United Way, but each of us, all creative Republicans, can do our own thing to find innovative solutions.

When we see issues that are in need of solutions, we must propose sensible ones and when we see the need to speak out, must do so. That’s representation in action that will trump the Democrats each and every time. That’s the kind of representation that we owe our nation and that’s the kind of representation that will rebuild our party.

Stand With Rifqa Bary

Rifqa Bary is an Ohio teenager who recently fled to Florida claiming that her father seeks to murder her in an “honor killing.” While the media seeks to report the matter as a he said, she said story, there are some very disturbing details that back up her story.

For starters, Rifqa’s parents are members of the Noor Islamic Cultural Center. The Center was home to resident scholar Salah Sultan, who calls himself a ‘friend and pupil’ of avowed terror supporter and advocate of suicide bombings Yusuf Qaradawi.

Qaradawi is designated by the United States as a ‘Specially Designated Global Terrorist.’Sultan most recently attended an event honoring Qaradawi where the two of them shared the stage with Khaled Mashaal, the head of Hamas. Sultan has also attended a Hamas rally and has publicly blamed the United States for the 9/11 attacks.

It is deeply troubling that the Noor Center would choose this man as a resident scholar. TheNoor Center has also hosted Hassan Mohamud, another advocate of terror. That is part of what makes this situation unique. Other facts relate more specifically to the case of Bary and her parents.

Pamela Geller of Atlas Shrugs rightly points out that Rifqa posted a message about her Christian beliefs on MySpace over two years ago. Geller’s report that her father officially dissolved his successful jewelry business days after her disappearance, as well as reports of a previous instance of bruising add to the suspicious nature of this case and force all caring people to, at the very least, err on the side of caution.

So what can we do? We can advocate for two simple changes to the law that would help Rifqa and other teens in clearly dangerous situations while not affecting cases in which there is no significant or immediate provable cause for concern.

Florida law, as laid out in Section 743.015 of the Florida Statutes, currently allows for emancipation petitions to be filed by a parent of a minor, 16 years of age or older. When both parents have not signed the petition, notice is given to the other parent informing them of the filing.

While many states allow minors to file their own petitions, after which a detailed emancipation hearing is held, Florida is correct in not allowing most minors to initiate the process. In so doing, the State of Florida upholds the rightful place of parents and also prevents the courts from being clogged up with frivolous petition filings.

But when a child no longer lives with their parents, waiting for a guardian ad litem to be appointed to initiate the process clogs up the very court system the statutes were designed to relieve. Moreover, restricting a 16 year old child’s ability to file, when both parents no longer play a vital role in the child’s upbringing, ends up being a fairness issue. It makes sense that parents who have abdicated their responsibilities and who no longer raise their child should not be turned to as the sole initiators of a petition on the child’s behalf.

There is a second needed change to the law as well. A second proposal should assertFlorida’s jurisdiction in custody hearings in cases where a minor had fled to Florida to escape a parent with provable ties to an organization that has promoted violence within the past ten years. The definition of such an organization would be based on one or more of its leaders advocating violence or claiming to be a follower of or in joint cause with a known advocate of violent acts.

Some contend that no changes to the law are necessary. In doing so, they fail to recognize that legal experts were divided as to how the judge would side with regard to jurisdiction in the most recent case of Rifqa Bary, precisely because the law is unclear. A girl’s life hang in the balance and it is unfathomable that other children may face similar circumstances due to a lack of clarity in the law.

The cost of inaction far outweighs the cost of making these necessary changes to the law.These two proposals I have proposed have no bearing on well over 90% of cases, and are purposely limited in scope, but they make a world of difference to the children who need them most.

Lastly, this case is a human rights issue. All concerned people need to take part in safeguarding teens from terror.

Florida House District 91 in good hands

In good hands with Maymon or Postelnik

http://www.redcounty.com/florida-house-district-91-good-hands?taxonomy=24

(of course, I have a preference - but I'm admittedly biased)

When Attending a House of Worship, Make Sure to do What the One Who We Worship Wants of Us

The following is a joint statement of two religious leaders who have become politically active and who have longstanding reputations of fighting for our moral values. Rev. O’Neal Dozier is the Founder and Reverend of The Worldwide Christian Center and Yomin Postelnik is a candidate for Florida State House District 91 and an ordained rabbi who runs the Jewish Learning Network and its array of Biblical and theological classes. The statement concerns the vital importance of choosing the right place of worship:

It is true that worship is one of the most fulfilling aspects of an individual’s life as well as an integral part of family living. But real worship must go beyond prayer and recognition. It must be a sincere desire to connect with our Creator.

On the simplest level, one wouldn’t greet a member of their favorite sports team and present them with the jersey of an opposing team. One would not go to the White House to ask a favor of a Democratic president and begin their supplication by telling the President what a great Republican they are, or vice versa. The same holds infinitely more true when giving supplication to the Almighty, to the King of Kings, who is all powerful and who can bring blessing, healing and salvation in every aspect of one’s life.

Worship, if it is to have true ramifications and if it is done sincerely, must have an effect on the lives of the worshipers. This is because worship is first and foremost a resolution to connect with the Almighty and to fulfill the will of God. This being the case, the need to pray with a congregation whose focus is on following the will of God, and thereby connecting with the Almighty, is the most important factor when choosing a congregation.

God’s will is not obscure. The Almighty put it in a book and made it crystal clear. Following God’s will is the right thing to do. It is a conduit for all blessings, it brings eternal life and it is relatively simple.

Today, we are confronted by two important battles: the struggle for our nation’s moral fortitude and the War on Terror. The two are connected, as God’s blessing brings peace and protection. Faced with these challenges, we as individuals must realize that we all play a role in this fight. We must also realize that where we worship is of primary importance for us to derive the strength and inspiration needed to meet these challenges.

There are far too many who have falsely claimed the mantle of modernity for views that are in fact as old as the societies that were destroyed by their proliferation. Ancient Rome, Greece and many others fell after hedonism became rampant and brought apathy in its tracks. At face value, moral uncertainty is a coward’s choice, as the sanity of time tested values is obvious even to a young child. It is indeed these values that have allowed societies to grow and to flourish since the dawn of man.

Unfortunately, many promoters of the hedonist lifestyle that history so thoroughly discredits seek to do so in the name of religion. They set up houses of worship in which the Word of God is questioned, if not totally shoved to the side. If they found some other and more honest outlet for their agenda, that would be at least more honest and more deserving of respect. Using God and the Bible to go against God and against the Bible is neither truthful nor admirable. More importantly, it should not receive the support of anyone who wishes to pay their respects to the Lord.

When choosing a house of worship, we urge you to do that which is, in truth, so obvious that it seems strange to give it mention; to choose a house of worship, a church or a synagogue that stands with God and the Bible on the seminal issues of the day: the struggle for morality and the War on Terror. It is indeed obvious that such a course must be followed by all who wish to serve God, as we can only serve the Creator as the Almighty has so clearly set forth. But given the promulgation of false notions and the number of institutions that believe that one can serve God while actively promoting agendas that fly in the face of everything the Bible stands for, this “obvious” statement about where to worship becomes one that is absolutely necessary.

If a pastor or a rabbi tells you that God’s word, as so clearly expressed in the Bible, is irrelevant, ask them two simple questions. Ask them if they are blind to the lessons of history. Then follow that by asking why they’ve chosen a profession that has as its central goal the spreading of God’s word when they stand in opposition to the clear Word of God. Then find yourself a new spiritual advisor, one who will give you strength to serve God as the Almighty so clearly laid out.

There are many churches and synagogues that stand at the forefront of the struggle for family values and for a moral way of life. Christians may well want to join churches similar to Rev. O’Neal Dozier’s Worldwide Christian Center, whose website is www.twwcc.org. Having fought for moral values for decades, Rev. Dozier also leads the fight against the spread of radical Islam in Pompano Beach.

Jewish people have an array of synagogues to go to where moral values are fought for, including Chabad Houses, which stand at the forefront of the Jewish return to values and who offer classes on the Oneness of God to Jew and Non-Jew alike. Yomin Postelnik runs the Jewish Learning Network where classes are given on God’s message. Postelnik has written about how hedonism leads to apathy and on the difference between authentic Kabbalah of two thousand years ago and the shameful star-studded mess that falsely claims Kabbalah as its mantle and that in reality has nothing to do with Kabbalah or with God. He offers Bible classes, discussions and a weekly newsletter. He is also running for the Florida House of Representatives on a platform of family values, security and education at www.abetterflorida.com.

Pastor Dozier and the Worldwide Christian Center may be reached at (number) or pastordozier@twwcc.org. The Jewish Learning Network may be reached at (954) 701-7167 or jewishdiscovery@gmail.com.

We All Must Fight Against Socialized Medicine, Especially on a Local Level

Socialized medicine has become the talk of the day. This is not only unfortunate. It is harmful and we have a responsibility to speak out.

Socialized medicine has led to a drastic reduction in services and in quality of care in every nation it’s been tried. The elderly and the infirm are always the hardest hit.

When Barack Obama was asked about this by the media, he openly admitted that the elderly and the infirm would not be priorities. How shameful it is that the media did not see fit to call him out on this. Can you imagine their reaction had a Republican president said the same thing?

Failure to care for the elderly and the infirm is a failure in society as a whole. It’s un-American and it lacks compassion. It is our responsibility to speak out against this, vocally and constantly. It is also our responsibility to gather civic groups and candidates throughout the nation to rally the public against this monstrosity.

Obama’s loyalists have organized themselves into groups that act locally. Obama’s team coordinates directly with them as they take their message to every county in the nation. While this is unfitting for a president and threatens the foundation of democracy, we must learn from them and speak out on a local level. Truth can easily destroy fiction if only it raises its voice in protest.

With that in mind, consider the following. Here are just some of the horrors that are socialized medicine:

The typical wait for hip surgery in Canada is 14 months.

In Canada’s Province of Quebec, patients in need of a 30 minute procedure to cure urinary tract infections are on a three year waiting list!

Children with significant hearing problems are denied access to cochlear implants.

Arthritis treatment in the United Kingdom has a waiting period of up to nine months. Also in the UK, a 22 year old man just passed away because the government refused to allow him to receive a liver transplant.

Is this the so-called compassion inherent in socialized medicine?! In a word, yes.

Patients across the spectrum are denied access to thousands of necessary medications, which are deemed “too costly” or “unnecessary” by non-doctor bureaucrats.

We cannot and will not allow this type of devastation in America. Our seniors deserve better. The infirm deserve better and society as a whole deserves better.

Most of all, protecting health care options for seniors is a sacred trust. These options are only available under a competitive system that at least attempts to force doctors and hospitals to be at their best.

Can health care by fought on a local level? You bet it can! But we all need to get involved in the fight.

All issues can be fought in the battle of ideas. And that battle starts locally.

I’m at least pleased to say that my State, Florida, is leading the fight. Palm Beach County GOP Chairman Sid Dinerstein has labeled the bill the "Send The Seniors Home To Die Bill.”

This is partly because Florida’s economy relies heavily on our seniors and on continued migration to the State. For these conditions to continue, access to the quality health care that stems from a competitive system is a must. But it’s also because Floridians recognize the inherent inhumanity of any system that harms the elderly and the frail first and foremost. And we refuse to tolerate it.

Solutions:

I understand that we must make health care affordable. But we don’t have to throw the proverbial fish out with the tub or resort to governmental micromanagement of our healthcare system to get it right.

A large part of the massive cost of health care, and the main reason that our system is failing, is because government health programs like Medicare are caving over due to the size of their bureaucracy. We can streamline costs and augment care by simply doing away with much of the red tape. That’s not a solution, but it’s an important ingredient in any viable plan to fix the system.

Republicans and Democrats agree that the current health care system has become too complex, too bureaucratic and woefully inefficient. Like the tax code, no matter what side of the political aisle you are on, all agree on the need for simplification and for less bureaucracy.

Cutting unneeded red tape and focusing on necessary and effective oversight should be a prime goal of fixing the health care system. If government would simply concentrate on being effective rather than being large, it would be amazing what we could accomplish in all areas of society.

Governors throughout the nation are shocked by the trillion dollar costs of the proposed federal bill, much of which is being passed on to the states. Governors like Bill Richardson, who is certainly no political foe of Barack Obama, have expressed shock at the amount that the latest healthcare bill would cost, especially its cost to the states.

As we look for solutions, let this much be clear: Government run healthcare is government rationed healthcare.... and it helps no one!

Socialized medicine is as failed a doctrine as is socialism itself. It needs to be fought and I am committed to leading the fight on our local level, right here in our district.

Most of all, we will look to keep competitive options available to seniors and families regardless of what the federal government does. Good health care, complete with competitive market based options that force providers to offer the best care available, is worth protecting. The future of America’s health and economy depend on it.

On all issues, we will provide real common sense conservative solutions that bring true improvements to society, not another socialized bureaucratic mess or a fiscal nightmare that all taxpayers are forced to bear the brunt of.

*Endorsed Candidate*: Fighter Pilot Tom Garcia Announces Challenge To Suzanne Kosmas

Former Navy Fighter Pilot Tom Garcia has announced that he is running for Florida’s 24th congressional district against Democrat Suzanne Kosmas. Garcia, a member of numerous Republican groups and coalitions throughout the State of Florida, is the former recipient of the Presidential Meritorious Service Medal for his work at the Naval Safety Center in reducing error and saving lives. During his tenure at the center, Garcia saved the Navy an estimated $147 million by reducing the mishap rate of Navy and Marine aviation units.

Garcia is a bright candidate who has been described as bringing a keen sense of certainty to the issues. At a recent speech at the South East Volusia Republican Club, he started off by explaining to the audience that as an American patriot of Hispanic heritage who is fiercely against amnesty for illegal immigration, he has the potential to be “the Democrats’ worst nightmare” on the issue of amnesty.

Garcia also brings business sense to the table. After analyzing various proposals, he has developed a plan to increase the quality of healthcare by keeping the system competitive while eliminating unnecessary bureaucratic hurdles. His proposed model is similar to Dr Dejerome’s “The Cure For The American Healthcare Malady” with added input from local physicians and health care administrators. His approach to education is to cut the amount of government testing and to stipulate that the majority of federal aid be spent directly in the classroom. On all issues, his proposals combine key business sense with compassion and a resolve to get to the root of the problem.

Tom Garcia’s vision of government is one that involves the active participation of his constituents. “When I was a Navy Commander, I didn’t just lead my troops. I worked with them. I listened to them and made sure that their concerns were taken into account and that their needs were met,” says Garcia. “Similarly, I’m not running for a seat in some House of Lords. I’m running for the House of Representatives and my job will be to represent the needs of my constituents and to uphold the trust of those who will have voted for me and bring tangible results to my district.”