Have your children, or grandchildren, ever celebrated the 100th day of school for the school year? You know, they have the kids bring in a 100 of something--marshmallows, M & M's, stickers, etc. and then they share them with one another. They play games based around "100" and celebrate that they have made it that far in the school year.
This past week our government passed the 1,000th day without having a budget. One thousand days. No budget. Amazing. Much of the blame rests with the Senate. But it really doesn't matter--the fact is the same, our government has operated without a budget for 2.7 years.
Have you ever served on the board at your church, or maybe your local youth softball league or a Boy Scout Troop? I have. And you have a budget--and you have to follow the budget. If you purchase a bottle of glue, it has a category that it is itemized under. And you had better make sure it is accounted for and tracked. That is how it works. Your budget is subject to review by other members of the organization too.
But somehow our government is operating without a budget--without any accountability.
So I have a proposal. Let's help them celebrate this occasion. Maybe we could send them 1,000 copies of the United States Constitution for starters. Or how about 1,000 quotes from our Founding Fathers reminding them of the need for fiscal responsibility in our government? Oh, and here's an idea. We could require them to cut 1,000 things from their office budgets. Something like no commercial airline flights back and forth between their home district and D.C. might be good. They could all buy Chevy Volts and drive back and forth--or maybe try Greyhound bus transportation. Or here is one--1,000 days without meeting with a lobbyist to make up for the 1,000 days without showing some fiscal responsibility. That would serve a duel purpose: save us some money for pet projects and hold them in check for a while.
Maybe 1,000 phone calls from their constituents would be a good idea too. The U.S. Capitol Switchboard number is 202-224-3121 just in case you are wondering...
Thursday, January 26, 2012
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
What is "Growing Conservatives"?
Just what does "growing conservatives" mean? Well, that depends on who you are and what you are trying to do in life! We all can work on doing a little growing, and we can probably all learn a little bit more about being conservative.
From my angle as a mom of three kids, I am looking at literally "growing some conservatives"! I am trying to raise my kids to understand what it means to be conservative--in many different realms. I would classify us as "conservatives" when it comes to religion. We are conservative in our approach to what is allowed as appropriate viewing on TV and movies, music selection, and video games. My daughter has to dress modestly (conservative) and the boys can't do things like run around with their jeans showing their boxer shorts underneath. (Could somebody please tell me whoever decided it was cool to show off your undergarments?) My husband and I are trying to teach our kids about conservative principles like leaving some money in your bank instead of spending every last dime on the Wii game you want and that taking the time to find an item on sale is worth the delay in getting it when you save a few dollars. And of course there are political philosophies we are trying to instill. Sometimes I think we are getting there in all of these realms, and other times I see we are missing the boat by a mile! But the ultimate goal is to have three kids that grow up to be conservative in all of these realms. Those values and principles do not come over night--the seed isn't planted one day and the flower produced the next. The seeds are sown, and the children grow and develop with time, letting these ideas and values shape them, becoming interwoven in their lives and thoughts and actions.
But kids are not the only ones that need to do some growing. The last presidential election showed us that. People were enamored by the idea of "hope" and "change" and someone that looked a little hipper and seemed a little more modern than what they may have envisioned as President in the past. They ignored experience, qualifications, personal history and the like and voted based on what had less to do with traditional reasons and sound political ideals and more that had to do with superficial qualifications and pop culture. The population at large misunderstood what "fundamentally" changing America meant, because the vast majority of the population didn't have a firm grasp of what the fundamental principles are that America was founded on and what makes it the greatest country on earth still today. Those principles have to be taught. People have to be made aware of valid historical truth--not the historical fiction being taught in many schools and propagated in much of our media. So adults need to be cultivated into conservatives as well. Those of us that are already conservatives need to work to grow conservatives from our ranks. Family, friends, neighbors, co-workers--anyplace we have the chance, we need to be planting those same seeds of conservatism that are planted with growing children. In order to turn around the direction of our country and ensure that we have an election cycle in 2012 that produces political conservatives, we all have work to do to influence those around us on being conservative.
And of course, when we talk about influencing others and teaching them, we would all do well to think of the Biblical principle of "getting the log out of our eye before getting the speck of dust out of another". I certainly thought I was pretty up on my US history and understood political conservatism a few years ago. Then I got involved with the Tea Party. I began to realize that there was so much I wasn't aware of. I was exposed to the thoughts and experiences of others. Wiser people than myself began to interact and dialogue with me personally and in broader realms. I began to realize that I needed to define my own ideas and ideals about what conservatism is really about. I need to go back and look at history and some of the great writings of our Founding Fathers and their intentions when establishing this country. Great books like The 5,000 Year Leap (and so many others) and re-reading the Constitution of The United States have educated and reminded me about things essential to understanding our country's foundations and history. Simple things like reading quotes from our Forefathers have enlightened me and helped me to better understand why certain principles and actions are so important to adhere to and promote. Some principles just never become modernized or outgrown. So, those of us that are conservatives probably have some growing to do as well.
So, join me on the journey! We have dirt to cultivate, seeds to sow, and a whole lot of tending and weeding to do along the way. Just as growing a garden takes patience, persistence, prayer, a bit of varmint chasing, and a lot of attention before the harvest is reaped, so does the process of growing conservatives. But by working together and each doing our own part, I am confident we can reap a harvest that will feed and sustain current and future generations. The first phase of the harvest is the November 2012 election. So, come on, get on your gardening gear, get your tools together, and lets get planting! By November we can have a whole new crop of conservatives and that is what it is going to take to preserve and protect our great country--The United States of America!
From my angle as a mom of three kids, I am looking at literally "growing some conservatives"! I am trying to raise my kids to understand what it means to be conservative--in many different realms. I would classify us as "conservatives" when it comes to religion. We are conservative in our approach to what is allowed as appropriate viewing on TV and movies, music selection, and video games. My daughter has to dress modestly (conservative) and the boys can't do things like run around with their jeans showing their boxer shorts underneath. (Could somebody please tell me whoever decided it was cool to show off your undergarments?) My husband and I are trying to teach our kids about conservative principles like leaving some money in your bank instead of spending every last dime on the Wii game you want and that taking the time to find an item on sale is worth the delay in getting it when you save a few dollars. And of course there are political philosophies we are trying to instill. Sometimes I think we are getting there in all of these realms, and other times I see we are missing the boat by a mile! But the ultimate goal is to have three kids that grow up to be conservative in all of these realms. Those values and principles do not come over night--the seed isn't planted one day and the flower produced the next. The seeds are sown, and the children grow and develop with time, letting these ideas and values shape them, becoming interwoven in their lives and thoughts and actions.
But kids are not the only ones that need to do some growing. The last presidential election showed us that. People were enamored by the idea of "hope" and "change" and someone that looked a little hipper and seemed a little more modern than what they may have envisioned as President in the past. They ignored experience, qualifications, personal history and the like and voted based on what had less to do with traditional reasons and sound political ideals and more that had to do with superficial qualifications and pop culture. The population at large misunderstood what "fundamentally" changing America meant, because the vast majority of the population didn't have a firm grasp of what the fundamental principles are that America was founded on and what makes it the greatest country on earth still today. Those principles have to be taught. People have to be made aware of valid historical truth--not the historical fiction being taught in many schools and propagated in much of our media. So adults need to be cultivated into conservatives as well. Those of us that are already conservatives need to work to grow conservatives from our ranks. Family, friends, neighbors, co-workers--anyplace we have the chance, we need to be planting those same seeds of conservatism that are planted with growing children. In order to turn around the direction of our country and ensure that we have an election cycle in 2012 that produces political conservatives, we all have work to do to influence those around us on being conservative.
And of course, when we talk about influencing others and teaching them, we would all do well to think of the Biblical principle of "getting the log out of our eye before getting the speck of dust out of another". I certainly thought I was pretty up on my US history and understood political conservatism a few years ago. Then I got involved with the Tea Party. I began to realize that there was so much I wasn't aware of. I was exposed to the thoughts and experiences of others. Wiser people than myself began to interact and dialogue with me personally and in broader realms. I began to realize that I needed to define my own ideas and ideals about what conservatism is really about. I need to go back and look at history and some of the great writings of our Founding Fathers and their intentions when establishing this country. Great books like The 5,000 Year Leap (and so many others) and re-reading the Constitution of The United States have educated and reminded me about things essential to understanding our country's foundations and history. Simple things like reading quotes from our Forefathers have enlightened me and helped me to better understand why certain principles and actions are so important to adhere to and promote. Some principles just never become modernized or outgrown. So, those of us that are conservatives probably have some growing to do as well.
So, join me on the journey! We have dirt to cultivate, seeds to sow, and a whole lot of tending and weeding to do along the way. Just as growing a garden takes patience, persistence, prayer, a bit of varmint chasing, and a lot of attention before the harvest is reaped, so does the process of growing conservatives. But by working together and each doing our own part, I am confident we can reap a harvest that will feed and sustain current and future generations. The first phase of the harvest is the November 2012 election. So, come on, get on your gardening gear, get your tools together, and lets get planting! By November we can have a whole new crop of conservatives and that is what it is going to take to preserve and protect our great country--The United States of America!
Monday, January 23, 2012
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