A Year Without China

I just read an article about a new book by Sara Bongiorni where she and her family lived a year without buying anything made in China. Interesting thought.

I would next like to read about a book where someone for a month could write that they bought everything they needed "Made in America". Of course they could not do it.

Lots of reasons why, but it would be fun to see if it could be done. For that matter I would like to see one day that everyone would only buy made in America. Just to show the world that we could do it.

Between myself and my three kids (24,22,20) there are no foreign cars in my driveway. There are many well made foreign cars, but I cannot buy them. Its a respect thing. My father was in WWII in the Pacific and for his entire life he did not own anything made in Japan. At the end of the war he spent time investigating Japanese war crimes for the tribunal. Out of respect for that there will never be Japanese cars in my driveway.

Now dont get me wrong, before you call me a bigot, I am married to a Korean-American and I would buy a Korean car someday, but for now, American is it.

One day, just one day. No toyota's, no honda's, no anything Japanese purchased in the US..... naw, too many people forget and dont care.

LivingtheDream
Turn the Key and Smile

Democracy Reigns!!!!

We cannot walk past the honorable senators who voted the will of the people, both Democrat and Republican, against the Immigration Amnesty Bill. Hugh Hewitt listed all the Republicans who voted against and has comments on who voted for (Republican). Michelle Malkin had the entire list (a little more balanced).

I dont know about you, but I personally sent over 100 faxes to Senators against amnesty. We have secure the borders first, then work out what we need to do with the illegal immigrants.

It is good to know that no matter which side of the aisle they sit on, those who are statesmen and women, those who believe in democracy heard the people and voted the people they represent.

Sometimes it is hard not to feel that democracy has been sold out, has been taken away and has been left for the few, but in this case it still works. The People's Voice has been heard.

Of course now we have the problem of actually getting something done. Build the fence! Enforce the law. 90% of Americans want this according to the polls, so DO IT!

LivingtheDream
Turn the Key and Smile

Team of Rivals...Republicans 2008

In her best selling book "Team of Rivals" by Doris Kearns Goodwin she chronicles the story of how Abraham Lincoln pulled together all of his competitors for the presidential nomination and managed them brilliantly as one of the most effective cabinets ever put together by a president.

If you have not read the book, I highly recommend it. In fact, it is a must read for anyone who wants to see another side of Lincoln or wants to see how to manage a group of rivals.

But what about today? The Republicans, the party of Lincoln in 2008, what a 'team of rivals' could be made from this group?:

President: Fred Thompson
Vice-President: Condoleezza Rice
Secretary of State: John McCain
Sec of Defense: Newt Gingrich
Sec Agriculture & Interior (combine): Sam Brownback
Sec Commerce/Transportation/Energy (combine): Scott Brinks
Sec HHS/HUD/Labor(combine): Tommy Thompson
Sec of Homeland Security: Tom Tancredo
Sec of Treasury: Mitt Romney
Sec of Veterans Affairs: Chuck Hagel
Attorney General (Justice Dept): Rudy Guiliani
Ambassador to UN: Susan Collins

And I think Fred Thompson could manage them into a powerful team.

LivingtheDream
Turn the Key and Smile

Could We Change Our Minds?

We conservatives are known for not being able to change, but in this pre-election time a change may be coming. Mitt Romney is still a very comfortable candidate for me but the more I think that the more Fred Thompson moves forward.

Now, this has nothing to do with religion, but everything to do with who better articulates the issues and who has the best probability of being elected. Senator Thompson is looking better on both fronts.

Newt Gingrich is acting like he would want to run, but I think he is not electable.

LivingtheDream
Turn the Key and Smile

The Worst President

Our Country's worst president has done it again, opening his mouth and spewing nonsense. If you were expecting George Bush to be named here, think again, there is much worse. Jimmy Carter says in the Arkansas Democrat Gazette that Bush foreign policy is "the worst in history".

Mr. Carter has a VERY convenient memory apparently overlooking his own foreign policy which gave away the Panama Canal as an apology. Mr. Carter is the president who gave us today's global terrorism when he denied support to the Shah of Iran and allowed the Islamic radicals to take over Iran. And for those of you who thought the Shah was bad, Khomeini's regime executed more people in its first year in power than the Shah's SAVAK had killed in the previous twenty-five years, but Mr. Carter thought that by doing nothing and hoping for the best all would be ok. Well, Mr. Carter, thanks for the terrorism. Without the support of Iran over the years there would be no global war on terror.

Carter gave opposition to Bush's Faith Based Initiatives while on a circuit to sell his own audio books of weekly Bible lessons. I am not sure how Mr. Carter interprets the Bible but I know it is not in any traditional sense as he himself has stated: "Religion is the search for truth about man's existence and relationship with God." Not that the Bible contains truth, or that the existence of man created by God is the truth, but Mr. Carter is still searching for truth is whatever he conveniently thinks it is.

In Steven F. Hayward's book, "The Real Jimmy Carter" it is outlined that Carter quoted Reinhold Neibuhr who said, "It may be necessary at times to sacrifice a degree of moral purity for political effectiveness." Throughout his political and after careers he has used terrible tactics including out and out lying to get what he wants. I am not sure where his Christianity fits into that.

Carter's own foreign policy responded to the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan by sending a squadron of F-15's into the region, but he sent them UNARMED.

Amber Wilson who is referred to the the Arkansas article said, "Apparently Sunday mornings in Plains for former President Carter includes hurling reckless accusations at your fellow man." Right along with your weekly Bible Study.

As the Democratic National Committee named him after he took over the chairmanship for a congressional election, he is the "Trojan Peanut"

For a real view of the Country's worst president, it is highly recommended that you look into Mr. Haywards book.

We have had enough of Mr. Carter, stay home with the peanuts and mind your own business, nobody wants to listen to Bible studies or any other item from a man who since his presidency many things he has done, his "work has taken him dangerously close to the neighborhood we used to call treason." (Steven Hayward)

LivingtheDream
Turn the Key and Smile

A Little Courtesy and Respect

In today's political and cultural malaise (the malaise is recollected from Mr. Jimmy Carter) with political correctness pressed to the extreme in some circumstances and the words of hate and violence without consequence in the other we have again become a nation divided.Of course, we as a Nation have always had divisions between us, but we were not so clearly divided but at one other time in our history.

Today in the blogosphere people can write out hate and violent insults upon others they disagree with, in music we can hear the words never thought to be heard in the history of mankind in the public square.

We throw God out of our public arena and fill it with name calling, smearing and the evil that inherently comes when the sense of a greater calling is lost in the land.Its the Al Sharpton's and Jessie Jackson's going to the mats on the Don Imus situation, and as unlikely as it may seem, I agree with them on this one, but they also were in front of the cameras to condemn the Duke LaCross players who have now been declared innocent. Al, Jessie, where are your apologies (and should they be unaccepted as Don Imus's was?)?

In looking back through our history, when thousands of our countrymen died on single days to keep this country alive and to remove the bondage of one man over another if our rhetoric had bullets many would die each day as they did then though then each felt they had a just cause.

And out of the words of one of those who lost in the war among us, come words that are needed to be heard today. From this man of valor who gave his all for a cause that could not stand we need to hear and live by the words he wrote in the 1890's thirty years after the war.

"What we need is the resumption of fraternity, the hearty restoration and cordial cultivation of neighborly and brotherly relations, faith in Jehovah and respect for each other.......the words of General James Longstreet who harbored no bitterness, but knew that together we can overcome all things as we can today.

Lets try a little faith in Jehovah and some respect for each other.......

livingthedream
turn the key and smile

Don't Be Afraid to Say So

In my previous post, I mentioned that I believe that Mitt Romney is not afraid to 'say so' and this country needs that. So, in order to 'live the dream' I think I have to say so too.... "Say what" you say? .... Say what I would like for the 2008 Election to be about.... so here is the list... not in order of priority but the list none the less:

Less Taxes
Less Spending (starting with less pork! give the President the line item veto)
Win in Iraq
Build the Border Fence (Canada needs one too!)
Marriage is a Man and a Woman
God is Life, and in Him is our Purpose
Move the United Nations out of New York, out of the USA
Let people control their Social Security (private investment) of portion thereof
Strengthen the Military (I was in Mr. Carter's Army, never like that again!)
Drive Biofuels (Sugar Cane in Southern States and Corn in Midwest)
Drill for Oil in Alaska
Drill for Oil off California
Allow Fish Farming off California, Oregon, Washington States
Support Mexican, Central and South American Development
Citizens need to speak English, the Nation's Language (a whole new business opportunity to give classes to those who don't, make them free of charge!)
Make a way for honest, hard working people & families (without criminal records) to immigrate to this country and become citizens (please see English above).
Do not let Jihadists come, stay or be comfortable here (If there are reformed Muslims that can live as we live under our laws they are welcome, they do exist, I have met many both in this country and abroad, as in Malaysia).
Simplify the Tax System (Flat Tax?)
Separation of Church and State does not mean there is no God in the State
Censure Mr. Carter, he does not speak for us and he needs to be told that.


I am sure I will have some more later... but for now....

livingthedream
turn the key and smile

2008 Election Politics - Mitt Romney

I have just finished reading "A Mormon in the White House" 10 Things Every American Should Know about Mitt Romney by Hugh Hewitt.First let me say that this is the third book by Hugh Hewitt that I have read.

On occassion I listen to his radio show and view his blog, but neither of those rise to the level of his books. He books are well researched, well written and I believe are clearly from the heart. He believes what he writes and lets you know in his writing what he does not believe.The first book of Mr. Hewitt I read was "In But Not Of", a book that every person with heart and a glimpse of faith should read, best before your thirty, good at any time (I gave copies to all of my early 20's kids). The second book I read was "Blog" which outlined the new media and its power in changing the location and the method of discussion of all issues in America.

Now comes "A Mormon in the White House". In a full disclosure environment I must note that at the sophisticated age of 12, I worked on the campaign of Governor George Romney in Flint, Michigan. I went door to door, gave out flyers, did paper work, and once, in a parade down South Saginaw I got a chance to meet the man and shake his hand, an experience I have not forgotten.

Much of Mr. Hewitt's book centers around the issue of Mitt Romney's Mormon faith. Even when I was 12, faith was an important part of my life. I was baptised, confirmed and raised a Missouri Synod Lutheran and that speaks for itself. In my teenage years, I went to various kinds of churches, I knew God was real, but was curious as to how different people approached God, and how God approached them. I admit that in those days I did not visit a Mormon church, mostly by chance not by choice.Since then I have attended full Gospel (Pentecostal) churches, I have been back in Lutheran Churches, been immersion baptised in Southern Baptist Churches and have been a long standing member in several of them including The Korean Church of Houston; New Hope Baptist in Fayetteville, GA; Applewood Baptist in Wheatridge, CO; and two large churches affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention, The Fellowship of Los Colinas, now called Fellowship Church in Grapevine, TX and our current church, Saddleback Church in Lake Forest, CA.

Thankfully, though the Mormon theme is in the book, Mr. Hewitt spends a great deal of time on the issues of the day that Mitt Romney stands for. Not just says but has acted upon in both his public and commercial life.Though I would not vote for the Mormon Church, the 2008 election is not about the Mormon Church, though I would not become a Mormon as I believe my faith is where Jesus Christ wants my faith to be, I can be who I am, an evangelical Christian with a strong Southern Baptist underpinning, I will vote for Mitt Romney and give my support to him.

Again, when I was young and working for the campaign, and I mean I spent many hours in the offices, on the streets, nothing, but nothing came of George Romney's Mormon faith. In fact, until I read the book being described I did not know George Romney was a Mormon. And even at 12 I was aware of such things, but it never came up. What came up were his stand for family and for limited government and taxes and for the people of Michigan and that was enough to get me motivated even at 12.

I am much older now, disabled from questionable medical care surrounding cancer, but in some way I am going to get involved. This man (Romney) is the real thing, believes what I believe, wants what I want and is not afraid to say so.

This country needs the 'not afraid to say so' so badly right now that even a disabled man, veteran, father, still working man will take what time, energy and finances and do what I can for Mitt Romney. His father was good for Michigan, He was good for Massachusetts and will be good for America.For those of you who are Christians like I am, we need to get past his faith, like it or not, and focus on what we have in common. Country, security, family and the list goes on.

Thats enough for me and it should be for you. Our religion should not drive our decision about him through his, we should find our common ground and move forward with it. (There is not another Republican contender who can come close to your beliefs in reality, though they give them speaking space, what have they done?)This is a good book, if you have any questions, read it. If it takes you farther away because of what you learn of Mormonism, then get past it as there is no room in this country for public office tests, except the Constitution alone.

livingthedream
turn the key and smile.