Republican Convention on Stand by

This has been a most amazing day for me. I am blogging from St. Paul Minnesota where I will be attending the Republican National Convention as the guest of Washington State delegate Luanne VanWerven.

On our flight out of Seattle was buzzing with excitement over McCain's selection of Gov. Sarah Palin as his VP candidate. This was a brilliant move on McCains part and I applaud him for a most principled and strategic move. She adds everything he needs to the ticket and will solidify and energize the base, which is exactly what is needed.

I have just posted two great article about Gov. Palin on the Washington Eagle Forum web site under Hot Topics. Check them out.

Arriving in St. Paul we got word that the convention will be significantly altered as a result of Hurricane Gustav hitting the US Southern coast tomorrow.

We first heard Louisiana Gov Bobby Jindal would not be coming to speak. While completely understandable, this was a huge personal disappointment to me as he was one of the speakers I was most excited to hear from.

Then we got word that the President, Vice President, and Laura Bush were all cancelled. This is amazing, but really shows the gravity of the situation as well as the character of leadership under pressure.

Sen. McCain very graciously stated "This is a time when we have to do away with our party politics, and we have to act as Americans. We’re going to suspend most of our convention activities tomorrow.”

Yet here in St. Paul Republican delegates were arriving from all over the US. The cities of Minneapolis/St Paul have gone out of their way to welcome us upon arrival. Even at the airport there were Republican welcome booths everywhere assisting us with information, directions and even gifts.

There was very obvious security in place. We saw officers and several canine units just on our walk to baggage claim. Oh, and we walked there with Ron Reagan, son of Pres. Ronald Reagan. He will be covering the convention for Air America.

After being credentialed we made our way to the Excel Convention Center and participated in the screening of a new movie "An American Carol", a political spoof on the classic "A Christmas Carol". A bit too hokey and irreverent for me, but the crowd enjoyed the satire at the expense of liberals and their mantra.

Jon Voight appears in the movie as the ghost of General Patton. He and several other actors screened it with us and appeared onstage afterward.

After the screening we attended a welcome reception there at the convention center which was amazing. We walked an incredible red carpet into the Civic Fest celebration. It took our breath away to see all the wonderful displays - from information on the state of Minnesota to wonderful historical and patriotic American displays.

There was live music, delicious food, and we spent the next two hours enjoying it all.

There is a transit system in place to take us to and from the convention center. We used it to get back to our hotel.

Both of us will be blogging from the convention and you will want to check out a more detailed recap of our day on her blog: Luanne VanWerven.

Palin - "The Best Possible Choice"

Keeping the secret until the very end, Sen. John McCain on Friday picked Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin as his running mate, vaulting the 44-year-old former beauty queen to the national stage and setting up a historic race that will end either with the first black president or first female vice president.

Cutting into Sen. Barack Obama's momentum less than 12 hours after the Democrat delivered a rousing speech before 75,000 cheering supporters, Mr. McCain's choice placated anxious conservatives, who had neared open revolt as the Republican maverick toyed with the idea of choosing pro-choice candidates, former Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Ridge or Sen. Joe Lieberman.

"She is the best possible choice," Eagle Forum President Phyllis Schlafly, the grande dame of the social conservative movement, told The Washington Times. "She's right on all the important ideas. She is good and true for every argument the Democrats can make."

You can read the rest of this Washington Times article here.

The Obama Bounce

It will be very interesting to see what kind of bounce the Obama-Biden ticket receives from Denver. The average convention bounce is around 8-9%.

There is some concern in the Obama camp that the bounce will not be as significant as they had hoped.

With speculation swirling about the pending announcement (Friday) of McCain's VP choice coinciding with their final convention extravaganza there is fear the announcement will detract some of the attention they had hoped would be focused on them.

Then, immediately following the Democratic Convention, the four-day Republican Convention begins.

This is the first time the two conventions have been scheduled back-to-back. Usually there is a week or two separating them which allows the first convention to build and sustain momentum.

Life: No Compromise

The Republican Party has always been the pro-life Party.

In response to Roe vs Wade, the 1976 Republican National Convention adopted a resolution in support of efforts to secure a human life amendment to the Constitution.

Then in 1990 an aggressive effort surfaced to remove that pro-life plank from the Republican platform.

In response, Phyllis Schlafly founded The Republican National Coalition for Life to protect and defend the Republican Party's principled commitment to legal protection for all innocent human beings, from conception until natural death.

Once again RNC-Life has successfully preserved a pro-life platform for Republicans.

"The platform committee was unwilling to compromise on its abortion plank to accommodate McCain's views on the issue.

As a senator and presidential candidate, the Arizona Republican has said he opposes abortion except in cases of rape, incest and threats to the life of the mother. For more than two decades the Republican Party has taken a harder line that would ban abortion with no exceptions.

Today, the subcommittee that addresses abortion voted unanimously to strip language in the draft that would soften its stance by calling on Republicans to work with Democrats to reduce abortions."
Bloomberg.com 8.26.08

Accountability Trumps Change

An interesting memo surfaced overnite from pollster Frank Lutz who conducted a poll Sunday giving respondents 30 different candidate attributes to rate in importance.

Guess what, not only did 'accountability' come in first, but it outranked 'change' to all but one of the poll participants.

“We hear about 'change,' 'change,' 'change,' Well, there's one attribute more important than change," stated Luntz. Accountability trumps change. The candidate who can capture the audience's perceptions of accountability will win. Period.”

A Mile High And An Inch Deep

Now that's an interesting tagline for the Democrat convention...courtesy of the RNC via Michelle Malkin.

Congress at Work - NOT!

The 110th Congress's term will end in January. And just how have they been serving the American people? Have we seen any help with soaring energy prices? No. But Congress has used its powers to celebrate watermelons and to decree the origins of the word "baseball."

Media Bias? Say It Isn't So!

A study released by the Media Research Center shows that the media gave Obama the margin of victory in the primaries. Obama was featured, for the seventh time, on the cover of Time Magazine. McCain has been featured twice.

Democrat Convention Credentials

Credentials for the Democratic National Convention appear to feature their Barack Obama’s image superimposed over an upside-down American flag.

The credential shows the stars of the America flag in the lower right hand corner of the pass as if it were upside down, an official sign of distress.

Natalie Wyeth, a spokeswoman for the Democratic National Committee said it was an artistic rendition of the American flag, not an actual American flag. "The DNCC community credentials incorporate patriotic design elements,” she said in a statement to media questions “They do not depict an actual American flag. The DNCC has full and complete respect for the flag and all rules of display."

Obama Introduces "Next President"

...."so let me introduce to you, the next president — the next vice president — of the United States of America, Joe Biden”

~ Barak Obama

Stick to Singing Buddy!

Ok, this quote is just too funny to pass up posting.

Toby Keith re: Obama

"I think he's the best Democratic candidate we've had since Bill Clinton."

May I suggest you keep your day job.

Deceive, Deceive, Deceive

And here they go....

"Now anti-energy Democrats are trying to maneuver to a new position: They want to pretend to be for drilling just enough to win the election but not do anything to actually produce more oil and gas.

Senator Obama was the first to break. He began saying maybe he could accept some drilling in a comprehensive energy bill which would also include a lot of other things. He was sort of for nuclear power as long as it was not any time soon. He was for studying this and analyzing that.

Then Congressman Mark Udall announced that he was for a little bit of drilling in a few places as long as it was in a bill with a big tax increase. Finally, on Saturday, in their weekly radio address, Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced the Democrats would have drilling in a new energy bill.

Their New Anti-Energy Strategy: Deceive, Deceive, Deceive

But when you read beyond the headline of Speaker Pelosi's statement and get to the details, it is clear she is trying to maneuver to block the Republicans from having a straight up or down vote on a powerful energy bill. Since the original anti-energy Democratic strategy of "no, no, no" has collapsed they have moved to a new strategy of "deceive, deceive, deceive."

Their goal is to sound pro-energy just long enough to avoid defeat in the November elections while making sure that any legislation is hopelessly weak and has tax increases Republicans will oppose."

~ Newt Gingrich

Leaders and Losers

If I lived anywhere near DC I would be on my way to join the revolt for the people by House Republicans. I'm so pleased momentum continues to grow. So far 115 members have returned from vacation to join the protest - that's over half of the Republican caucus! Their battle cry: man up...come back do your job. Vote up or down on the energy bill - HR 6566.

So what will Pelosi's posse of D's do? Will they continue to vacation? Likely...and to their determent. The people they refuse to serve will see the stark contrast between leaders and losers, and while they watch they will be educated for the drama to come.

What will that be? ...the typical bait and switch you get from unprincipled politicians. Rep. Hoekstra nailed it today when he said “It’s going to be some sort of a figurehead vote that they can spin and say look, we’re allowing for more exploration or more drilling, but, in reality, it will not... It will be just enough to allow them to say 'look, I voted for a package', and then go home, and hopefully, from Speaker Pelosi’s point, to slide through November and make sure that nothing happens.”

Faith & Politics

“We believe in the separation of church and state, but we do not believe in the separation of faith and politics, because faith is just a world view, and everybody has some kind of world view. It's important to know what they are.”

~ Pastor Rick Warren

Not Another Gang

I don’t like gangs. I don't even like the word "gang". I don't like what I think of when I hear the word "gang".

And I especially don't like the "gang" of five renegade Republicans Senators who have both betrayed and deserted the cause of the people, and the efforts of their far more courageous colleagues in the US House of Representatives.

And for what? …a headline? …media attention? …their name on a bill of federal subsidies and handouts?

We don't need any more disloyal Republican antics. We don’t need this pathetic compromise. We don’t need these pathetic politicians.

God's Law is Freedom

I read this today and think it is very provocative. See what you think.

Part of our problem in America is that we are a generation of self-indulgent spoiled brats. We want everything easy and even our churches have conformed to modern thinking. We don't want any law and have convinced ourselves that even God, in this age of grace, has abandoned law. Nothing could be further from the truth. God's law still stands (Mat 5:17-19).

The plain truth, is we have rebelled from God's laws, all one thousand pages of them (depending on the print size of your Bible), or which actually number between six and eight hundred laws, including the religious laws fulfilled by Christ. In their place we have substituted millions and millions of pages of federal codes and statutes and federal, State and local regulations. Our taxation laws, alone, are more than a hundred times the length of the Scriptures-and we say we are the land of the free!!

Isaiah warned that when we leave the laws of God, our bureaucrats and lawmakers will overwhelm us with rule upon rule, law upon law, until we return to the ways of the Lord or become destroyed for our arrogance (Isa 28).

Who's laws are the greatest burden anyway, God's or mans'? Consider the regulations set against our business, our property, our family inheritance, our travel, our wages, our associations, the administration of our churches, the things we say. . .

Consider that God said to honor Him and do not take His name in vain, make no idols, remember the Sabbath, honor our parents, do not murder, steal, lie, covet or commit adultery (Exo 20:3-17). Which of the two is the law that gives freedom?

Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke [law or obligation] upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light. [Mat 11:28-30] Only God's law gives freedom (Jam 1:25; 2:12).

- D Isaacson

America at the Crossroads

"I don't believe we understand how critical this election year is." - Kay Arthur

Our country has changed—now, are we headed for revival or judgment? You could be part of God’s sovereign plan for the United States of America.

Join Kay Arthur and thousands of believers across our nation who are taking up the spiritual battle by getting active:

Active in repentance.

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Learn how you can get involved.

www.precept.org

The Tragic Truth of Feminism

I find this article extremely sad and tragic. Rebecca Walker, daughter of radical feminist Alice Walker, has written a book titled "Baby Love: Choosing Motherhood After a Lifetime of Ambivalence" where she writes very candidly of her childhood and how it shaped her views on feminism, marriage and motherhood.

Her book speaks truth to feminists lies. The following is excerpted from her writing.

"The other day I was vacuuming when my son came bounding into the room. 'Mommy, Mommy, let me help,' he cried. His little hands were grabbing me around the knees and his huge brown eyes were looking up at me. I was overwhelmed by a huge surge of happiness.

I love the way his head nestles in the crook of my neck. I love the way his face falls into a mask of eager concentration when I help him learn the alphabet. But most of all, I simply love hearing his little voice calling: 'Mommy, Mommy.'

It reminds me of just how blessed I am. The truth is that I very nearly missed out on becoming a mother - thanks to being brought up by a rabid feminist who thought motherhood was about the worst thing that could happen to a woman.

You see, my mom taught me that children enslave women. I grew up believing that children are millstones around your neck, and the idea that motherhood can make you blissfully happy is a complete fairytale.

In fact, having a child has been the most rewarding experience of my life. Far from 'enslaving' me, three-and-a-half-year-old Tenzin has opened my world. My only regret is that I discovered the joys of motherhood so late - I have been trying for a second child for two years, but so far with no luck.

I was raised to believe that women need men like a fish needs a bicycle. But I strongly feel children need two parents and the thought of raising Tenzin without my partner, Glen, 52, would be terrifying.

As the child of divorced parents, I know only too well the painful consequences of being brought up in those circumstances. Feminism has much to answer for denigrating men and encouraging women to seek independence whatever the cost to their families.

My mother's feminist principles colored every aspect of my life. As a little girl, I wasn't even allowed to play with dolls or stuffed toys in case they brought out a maternal instinct.

It was drummed into me that being a mother, raising children and running a home were a form of slavery. Having a career, travelling the world and being independent were what really mattered according to her.

I love my mother very much, but I haven't seen her or spoken to her since I became pregnant. She has never seen my son - her only grandchild. My crime? Daring to question her ideology.

Well, so be it. My mother may be revered by women around the world - goodness knows, many even have shrines to her. But I honestly believe it's time to puncture the myth and to reveal what life was really like to grow up as a child of the feminist revolution. "

After sharing tragic details of her childhood Rebecca's article concludes

"What about the children?

The ease with which people can get divorced these days doesn't take into account the toll on children. That's all part of the unfinished business of feminism.

Then there is the issue of not having children. Even now, I meet women in their 30s who are ambivalent about having a family. They say things like: 'I'd like a child. If it happens, it happens.' I tell them: 'Go home and get on with it because your window of opportunity is very small.' As I know only too well.

Then I meet women in their 40s who are devastated because they spent two decades working on a PhD or becoming a partner in a law firm, and they missed out on having a family. Thanks to the feminist movement, they discounted their biological clocks. They've missed the opportunity and they're bereft.

Feminism has betrayed an entire generation of women into childlessness. It is devastating.

But far from taking responsibility for any of this, the leaders of the women's movement close ranks against anyone who dares to question them - as I have learned to my cost. I don't want to hurt my mother, but I cannot stay silent. I believe feminism is an experiment, and all experiments need to be assessed on their results. Then, when you see huge mistakes have been paid, you need to make alterations.

I hope that my mother and I will be reconciled one day. Tenzin deserves to have a grandmother. But I am just so relieved that my viewpoint is no longer so utterly colored by my mother's.

I am my own woman and I have discovered what really matters - a happy family."

Rebecca Walker