This is part 3 in a series of posts about foreign policy.

• Wrong Assumption #1 Giving Foreign Aid Promotes US Regional Interests
• Wrong Assumption #2 Limited Number of Terrorists

Many conservatives have religions motivations behind their foreign policy. They look at the violence advocated in the Koran and realize that, when interpreted literally, Islam is a violent religion. They then propose as a solution that we kill the Islamic Extremists before they can kill us. This kind of thinking is amplified by those who think we should “just nuke the whole desert and be done with the danger.”

This thinking lowers us to their level. It is also based on wrong assumptions, since bullets don’t stop ideas or religions.

The only way to stop ideas is with other ideas.

History teaches us that when you persecute something you legitimize and promote it. The tighter we squeeze the middle east, the more countries will slip through our fingers. If it didn’t work for Darth Vader it won’t work for us.

We would have done much better to send an army of missionaries to share the hope of the Gospel than to send an army of troops to shoot at their ideas. We will content to struggle to have moral legitimacy to share the Gospel of Peace when we are shooting at our mission field.

Trying to stop a religion with bullets is like trying to put out a fire out with gasoline. I didn’t work for Caesar, it won’t work for us.

Related posts:

1. Wrong Assumption #2 – Limited Number of Terrorists I think President Bush believed that there are a fixed...
2. Why Those Who Oppose Ron Paul’s Foreign Policy are Wrong Lately I have been listening to people raise various objections...

Predicting the future is based on three things: cycles, trends and anomalies.  I have no crystal ball to anticipate anomalies. But I do watch cycles and trends. Here are 11 things I see happening in 2011.

Previous Predictions:

• 2010 Predictions (Score 7.5 out of 10)
• 2009 Predictions (Score 4 out of 9)

Prediction 1: New iPad With Camera

I predict that apple will come out with a new iPad in the first half of 2011. It will have a front facing camera. But even then video calls won’t catch on. Why? Because half the population is women and women feel uncomfortable being on camera without being dressed up. Also people don’t want others to know when they are not paying attention.

Prediction 2: Real Estate Market to Crash in Austin

Historically Austin tends to trail the rest of the country by about three years when it comes to downturns. Austin real estate has been overpriced for years and is ready for a big drop. With a solid republican majority in the Texas Legislature look for some significant budget cuts which may mean government layoffs.

I predict a 15% drop by the end of 2011.

Prediction 3: Voter ID Bill Will Pass This Year

Republicans in Texas have been trying to pass this bill for a decade and have been thwarted every session. Now they have enough votes to push it through.

Prediction 4: iPhone will come out on Verizon.

I think Steve Jobs has heard the customer outcry against AT&T. The AT&T iPhone will also come out and support 4G. For bonus points I predict that the next iPhone will have a chip that lets it go on any network.

Prediction 5: Sarah Palin will announce a bid for presidency.

Palin is surrounded by too many worshipers to not run. For bonus points I predict that she will continue to get tons of media publicity but will fail to win the primary in 2012 because the main body of republicans won’t think she can win the general election.

Prediction 6: Global Famine

Global Weather patters are changing and they have already led to crop failures in Russia, Florida and Australia. Food prices have already started to soar. In China there  food riots are breaking out in the streets. I see this trend continuing into 2011.

Famine may be a bit too strong of a word. Thankfully we have a free market and global distribution so I predict the impact to be a global rise of about 10%  in food prices which will hurt the poor. Start saving to help feed our brothers in poor nations.

Prediction 7: UT Make it to a Bowl Game

I think UT’s bad season was an anomaly. With a new coaching staff and an older, heaver offensive line I think Gilbert will lead the horns to victory this year. For bonus points I think the horns will either loose a BCS bowl or win a non BCS bowl.

Prediction 8: US Inflation to Rise to 5% or above

The Federal Reserve’s quantitative easing has flooded the world with dollars. Not only that but crop failures around the world are leading to higher food prices. This double pressure will lead to inflation.

Prediction 9: An Umstattd Book will be published.

There are three Umstattd books in the works this year and I predict that between the three of them one will get published.

Prediction 10: Unemployment to Remain High

I feel that our jobless recovery has been do the catastrophic rise in the minimum wage. The minimum wage jumped by 30% between 2007 and 2009. Do those dates look familiar? Those are the same dates as the recession. The likely cure for this minimum wage is inflation which won’t be enough to fix it this year. Right now unemployment is around 9.2%.

At the lowest I predict the rate will fall to 8.5% but I would not be surprised to see double digit unemployment by the end of 2011.

Prediction 11: 5,000 Saved Through 40 Days for Life

So far 3,599 babies have been saved through the efforts of folks just like you praying in front of abortion clinics. 40 Days for Life is growing and improving its sidewalk counseling approach.  For bonus points I predict that the number of workers who have quit will pass 50 and the number of facilities closed will pass 12.

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Power confuses and concerns me.

Here is the paradox:

• It is hard to do good without it.
• The more power a man attains, the more evil he commits.

In politics we often think: “If only we could get more power we could do more good.” But is this the case?

Three Stories -> One Questions

Can you fix a broken system by taking power from bad men and giving it to good men?

Here are three stories to explore this question.

Lelouch Vi Britannia

Lelouch saw his mother killed and his sister blinded and crippled. He dedicated his life to making the world a just and kind place. He denied himself earthly pleasures and refused to drink the perks of leadership. He received the power to bend others to his will. He went out to destroy evil.

But evil is not a person you can kill. It is an infection that infects even its attackers. Despite his selfless motives, his desire to do good brought a harvest of evil.

The more Lelush fought evil the more evil he became. His goal of justice allowed him to justify unjust acts. The more power he attained the more destruction came to those around him. He is redeemed only through his death.

What can save such a man?

Boromir son of Denethor

Boromir grew up fighting evil. He could see it out his window. He could hear it in his sleep. He was a powerful man, but not strong enough to save his people. He knew they would die unless someone acted.

If not him then who?
If not now then when?

Then he had the opportunity for true power. The One Ring was within his grasp.

The ring used his good intentions to do evil. He lost his relationships with those close to him. As he reached for ultimate power, it destroyed him.

His redemption came only through death.

Absalom son of David

Absalom had everything it took to be a good leader. He had favor, good looks and brilliance. When someone tried to bow to him he would pick them up and give them a hug. But unlike his father, he did not know God.

His father David walked a path of brokenness and suffering that instilled godly character. Absalom walked the easy path of a wealthy prince. He lacked the character needed to temper his ambition.

His lust for power destroyed his relationships and everyone around him. Ultimately he lost his life unredeemed.

The fruit of ambition.

In each of these three stories ambition led to betrayal.

Here is the progression:

1. Longing to do good for others leads to ambition.
2. Ambition leads to a lust for power.
3. Lust for power leads to a love of power.
4. Love for power grows to surpass love for others.
5. Others are betrayed to gain more power.
6. Betrayal breaks relationships.
7. Death

Ambition hurts those closest to you. Can you name a powerful man who’s family is healthy? The difficulty of finding such a man breaks my heart.

The cost of avoiding power.

So should we forsake ambition? What happens when just men avoid power? According to Socrates, they are punished. They are ruled by men lest just than themselves.

Or put another way, evil flourishes when good men avoid power.

The villains of history wanted to make the world a better place.

• Oliver Cromwell wanted to make the world more peaceful & holy by removing Catholicism from Ireland.
  • Millions died through starvation and war.
• Margarete Sanger wanted to create a world where every child was healthy and wanted.
  • Millions died through abortion.
• Adolph Hitler wanted to remove war and disease by eliminating “imperfect” races.
  • Millions died through holocaust and war.
• Joseph Stalin wanted a Utopian paradise by eliminating the class and wealth.
  • Millions died frozen to death in Siberia.
• Pol Pot wanted to create an agrarian paradise where everyone worked the collective land in peace.
  • Millions died from starvation and murder.

A Paradox

• Peace is the justification for war.
• Saving life is the justification to take life.
• Pleasure is the justification for rape.
• Safety is the justification of slavery.
• Equality is the justification of theft.

America has killed perhaps more foreign civilians than any other nation. Our excuse? Saving lives. Why is it right when we do it but wrong when Japan does it?

Does good justify evil before God? Does He judge our actions or our intentions?

Power does not corrupt.

In the book Whist by David Umstattd, Whist asks his mentor Skylock if power corrupts. “Heavens no” Skylock responds “Power only reveals your inner corruption.”

Perhaps Skylock has it right. What if power only magnifies corruption. One of the oldest sayings in the world says, “From evil people come evil deeds.”

Power x Corruption = Evil Committed

An evil man with no power often does less evil than a good man with power.

The only cure for evil.

When God rebooted the world after the flood he only changed one thing: how long people lived. God limited man’s life to 120 years to limit the amount of wickedness man could perform. This heavenly term limit kept the world from going bad as quickly the second time.

We are born innocent, with only the seeds of evil in our hearts. As we grow older these seeds bring forth greater wickedness. Our knowledge, experience and reputation give us power to do evil which makes us evil.

Few ever see this process reverse. Old age may take away our ability to do bad, but who becomes more just? History shows us that even Christian leaders fail to finish well. Is the same is true for us? Do we just lack the spotlight of power to reveal our inner corruption? There will come a day when the light will shine on the strong and weak alike.

I am convinced that this is why people die. Only death can purge us from sin.

“He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed.” 1 Peter 2:24

One Last Story

In the movie Blind Side, Leigh Anne Tuohy has power to bend people to her will. But something is different about her, instead of doing evil, she does good.

The difference?

• Motivation: Her motivation is love.
• Safe Power: Her power is inferential. Instead of forcing people to comply she convinces them to choose themselves. I think this is an important difference.

Instead of trying to get more power she does what she can with what she has.

What do you think?

• Do you agree with my analysis?
• Do you think that power corrupts or reveals corruption?
• What should our response be to the problem of power?

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Election day is here! Every cycle I am surprised how many people don’t know they can legally vote twice on election day.

3 Steps to Become a Voting Ninja

Step #1 – Vote in the Primary Election

Democrat or Republican. You can vote early or on Election Day. But you must vote in the primary to be eligible to attend your precinct convention. This is your opportunity to support pro-life candidates!

Step #2 – Attend your Precinct Convention

Your precinct convention is usually at your neighborhood polling place. You can pass pro-life resolutions and get yourself elected as a delegate to your party’s county/district convention.

Step #3 – Vote on resolutions and delegates.

It’s fun!

Wait… What?

What is a Precinct Convention?

It’s a small meeting of voters from your neighborhood. If you voted in either party’s Primary, you can attend.

Voters at the convention will do two things:

1. Choose delegates to go to your party’s county/district convention on Saturday, March 20. This is extremely important; that’s where county platforms are passed and delegates are elected to the state conventions in June.
2. Pass “resolutions” stating what your party (Democrat or Republican) should stand for.

When & Where is it held?

The Precinct Convention will be held on March 2 at 8:00 p.m. (usually) at your neighborhood polling location. For the precise place and time, look for a sign when you vote or ask the election judge.

Who comes to precinct conventions?

Regular people just like you who want to make a difference. You don’t have to be experienced to attend.

Why attend a precinct convention?

It is the only way we keep the Republican Party pro-life.

Every two years the parties re-decide where they stand on the issues. If you ever want to see change it starts in your life and in your neighborhood.

Precinct Convention resources:

• Texas Alliance for Life Precinct Convention Guide (resourced for this post)
• Texas Home School Coalition Precinct Convention Guide
• Overview of the process from the Dallas Morning News
• Video of a sample precinct convention.

Recommended Resolutions

These are good resolutions to present if you are just getting started. You can also modify them for an issue you are passionate about. Make sure to bring 5 copies.

• Parental Rights Act (Pro-Homeschooling)
• Daytime Curfew (Pro-Homeschooling)
• Cut tax funding from Planned Parenthood (Pro-Life)
• Texas Sovereignty (Pro-Liberty)
• Ending Taxpayer-Funded Lobbying (Pro-Liberty)

If you don’t know who to vote for feel free to check out my voter’s guide.

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For those of you who live outside Texas please forgive this post. We are having an important election and I feel it is important we vote in the right folks.

Five Voting Tips

Here are some general principles use:

1. Don’t vote because you recognize the name. If you recognize their name, they were probably a hooligan caught in some scandal. Or they are the richest candidate. Or the press likes them the most. All bad reasons.
   • If you don’t know anything about either candidate don’t vote for either one.
   • Don’t water down the votes of the informed voters.
2. Print out a sample ballot before you go to the polls. You don’t want to be surprised by a race you don’t recognize. To find your sample ballot just google “YourCountyName County Sample Ballot.” Here are two you may find helpful:
   • Travis County Sample Ballot
   • Williamson County Sample Ballot
3. Vote early. Chances are something will happen on election day and you won’t get around to voting. Make sure you vote by voting early.
4. The challenger is generally safer than the incumbent. Elected officials tend to compromise the longer they stay in office. The challenger who has yet to compromise and is often the safer bet.
5. Bring someone with you to the polls. Most Christians only vote once every two years for president. They don’t realize that was the least important election of the year. Your friends probably don’t know about the election. Bring a friend and double your vote.

My Voting Philosophy

I vote pro-life first, if the race effects life and most do.

Then, I tend to pick:

• Candidates with integrity (when I can tell which is hard).
• Candidates who want to promote liberty and personal responsibility.
• Challengers over incumbents.
• Tea Party folks over Old Guard Republicans.
• Candidates who see the Church as the answer instead of the government.

Statewide Races

Here are my picks:

• Governor: Rick Perry & Debra Medina (I will be personally voting for Debra Medina)
• Supreme Court Place 3: Rick Green
• Supreme Court Place 9: Eva Guzman
• Railroad Commissioner: Victor Carrillo
• Full Voters Guide

Full Voter’s Guide

I put together a one page voters guide you can take with you into the voting booth. It has local races as well as state wide races. If it doesn’t have all your candidates see the resources below.

• Download the Thomas Umstattd Voters Guide (PDF)
• You are welcome to share this guide with your friends.
• It is legal to take this Voters Guide into the voting booth with you.

Helpful Voting Resources

These are some of the resources I used to put together my voting guide.

• Texas Early Voting Locations (March 2010)
• Texas Alliance for Life Voter’s Guide (March 2010)
• Free Market Foundation Voter’s Guide (March 2010)
• Texas Right to Life Voter’s Guide (March 2010)
• Texas Homeschool Coalition Endorsements (March 2010)
• Christian Voter’s Guide

What Do You Think?

• Do you agree with my picks?
• Why?
• Have you voted yet?

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For those of you who follow this blog you know that I endorsed Rick Perry back in September. So why would I now vote for Medina?

Enough people have asked me this question that I have decided to answer it here.

The strategic reason to back Medina.

In the political world there are two types of people: pragmatists and idealists.

Idealists are true believers.

Idealists have a political philosophy and their first loyalty is to that philosophy. They don’t compromise often and you can find them on the far ends of the isle. Public opinion does not sway them. Writing them does little good for their minds are made up.

Pragmatists want to get things done.

Pragmatists are drawn to power like a fat man to a Chinese buffet. They generally pick whatever party has the majority. If the party in power switches look for them to change parties as well.

You can get a pragmatist to make good policy but you generally have to pressure him first. He has to know enacting good policy will increase his power.

Right now Kay Bailey Hutchinson is one of the last of the Pro-Roe v Wade Republicans. Her existence makes pragmatic republicans feel safe waffling on abortion just like Kay does. The dance is always the same: Talk pro-life in the primary… avoid the issue after that.

If Medina gets more votes than Hutchinson it marks the end of Pro-Roe republicans in Texas. Kay Bailey Hutchinson is one of the best known Texas politicians ever. Medina is a no name from a small Texas town no one has heard of. A big reason Kay is falling behind is because she is Pro-Roe.

This has happened before.

When William Wilberforce’s bill to abolish the slave trade finally passed, it was by a 283 to 16 landslide. Why after 20 years of failure would the bill pass by so much? Wilberforce, the idealists finally got enough weight on his side. The pragmatist politicians realized they would get more power by voting for abolition. They all flopped over to his side all at once.

What will happen if Medina makes the run off? The pragmatists will see they can get more power when they are pro-life. They will flop over to the life side of the teeter totter. This may give us the weight we need to see real change.

We are talking state and nation wide implications here.

What I like about Medina.

I like how:

• Medina is a true believer in life, liberty & property.
• Medina has breathed new life into the Republican Party.
• Medina answered the questions in the debates.
• Medina is well studied. People criticize her lack of experience but never her lack of knowledge. She knows her stuff.
• Medina is an idealist.

I still like Perry.

While the cronyism and forcing STD vaccinations on 12 year old girls makes me squeamish, I generally like Rick Perry.

Every year however cold or empty he always speaks at the Texas Rally for Life. Perry is a true believer in life, regardless of his other shortcomings. Rick is also a family friend and a great guy. I fully intend to vote for him in November, assuming he wins the primary which I expect he will.

What do you think?

• Who do you plan to vote for?
• Why?
• Do you think a Medina/Perry run off will tip the balance of power pro-life?

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Lets break with tradition shall we? Lets look back through history and see what we can learn about what is about to happen in the future.

As King Solomon said,

“History merely repeats itself. It has all been done before. Nothing under the sun is truly new. Sometimes people say, “Here is something new!” But actually it is old; nothing is ever truly new. We don’t remember what happened in the past, and in future generations, no one will remember what we are doing now.”

The Whig Party

America has always been a two party country. The system favors two parties so this may persist. However, the two parties we started with are not the two parties we have now. Back in the day the two major parties where the Federalist Party (Whig Party) and the Anti Federalist Party.

The Whig Party failed when it started compromising on fundamental issues. Those issues revolved around slavery specifically Kansas-Nebraska Act and the Missouri Compromise. The Whigs were over confident about their power and alienated their base.

Compromise led to division. Division led to greater compromise.

The Whigs were an anti slavery party or at least they talked like they were. But thier records failed to match their rhetoric. Northern Whigs got more and more disenchanted until finally they broke off and started their own party. They called themselves Republicans.

Within 15 years of supporting the Kansas-Nabraska Act, the Whigs were nothing but a memory. The Republicans completely replaced them. That moment for the Republicans may have been when they passed the Prescription Drug Benefit Program in 2006. History will tell us if that was the beginning of the end for the GOP.

Conclusion: The Republicans started as a Pro-Abolition coalition of Whigs.

Popular & Inexperienced Candidates

One former Whig gained favor with the people despite coming from an empty state on the frontier. He lacked experience and had generally failed at politics. But he had one thing for him: he was uncompromising Pro-Abolition. The people flocked to him and voted him into office.

His name was Abraham Lincoln and though a lifelong Whig he was elected as the first Republican president.

The transition from Whig to Republican was not overnight. It took between 10 and 15 years. All that is needed for history to repeat itself is for a handful of popular elected officials to switch from the old party to the new party.

The Tea Party is not going anywhere.

In just two years Ron Paul’s 4% has turned into Debora Medina‘s 24%. Win or loose in March the Tea Party is not through. If Scott Brown showed us anything, it is that you can’t take anything for granted.

Most of the passionate political activists right now are Tea Baggers. Other movements have passion but not like the Tea Party. Passion tends to spread and if it does it is only a matter of time before something will have to budge.

We will either see a change in GOP leadership or some new party.

Abortion is the kicker

The Republican Party was founded on one issue: Ending slavery. It slowly developed a more complete platform.

The Tea Party has one primary issue right now: less government.

We may see this shift. If pro-lifers like Debora Medina, Sarah Palin and Ron Paul keep leading we may see a big shift towards a more complete life affirming platform.

If the Republican Party keeps putting forth pro-choice candidates like Kay Baily Hutchinson and dead weights like John McCain then the shift may be faster than anyone expects.

The correct GOP response:

If the Republican Party wants to avoid the path of the Whig Party then it must do the following things:

• Share information and funding with TP activists. Keep them in the tent.
• Stop protecting compromised incumbents
• Be patient with folks new to the process
• Support term limits

Predicted GOP Response

• Withhold info and funding from TP activists. Exclude them from the tent.
• Protect compromised incumbents.
• Be mean to folks new to the system (treat them like they treated the Ron Paul People)
• Resist term limits

The democratic party has proved itself to be good at absorbing new movements. We will see if the republicans are able to do the same.

What do you think?

• Am I off my rocker?
• Do you think Tea Party candidates like Deborah Medina have a chance in the cycle?
• What do you think about the Tea Party?
• Is the tea party bad for America?

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Someone recently asked me what the point was to all these pro-life marches. We have marched a lot in recent weeks so the question is valid. I would like to submit the following 5 reasons why we should march and rumble for life.

Marching Encourages our Leaders

One of the challenges of leadership is that the higher you rise the more out of touch you become. Leaders rely on the media to clue them in on what the people think. The media makes it look like no one cares about life but a handful of cooks.

When we march we remind our leaders we stand behind them when they stand for life. We give them the courage to push for change.

Marching Changes Hearts

You should have seen the faces of those who watch pro-life marches and rumbles. 40 Days for Life has seen hearts changed and lives saved all over the world through marches and vigils.

Marching Inspires Prayer

There is something powerful that happens to your heart when you put life tape on. Somehow it makes prayer easier and it breaks your heart. I am a big advocate for praying out loud but sometimes silent prayer is powerful too.

The more we march, the more we will pray.

Marching Inspires Action

Inviting friends to a march is a great way to move them from apathy to action. From doing nothing to to doing something. Without a march it would be harder to get people to care enough about life to do something other than harden their hearts.

Marching Earns Attention

The media loves to cover events like marches and rumbles. The more we focus the attention of the nation on this atrocity the more they will be forced to take action. Martin Luther King Jr. knew this.

We must march if we want to see a change. You can’t change the world from your couch.

What do you think?

• Do you come to Pro-life marches? Why or why not?
• What would need to happen to get you to show up?
• Are you afraid to take a stand for life?
• What have the pro-life events that you have attended been like? Would they encourage you to come again?

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Every election cycle people ask me who I support for for various positions. I haven’t decidided on many of the offices yet but one Gov has one clear choice: Rick Perry. I have met him several times and while we don’t agree on everything one thing is for sure: he is Pro-Life and Pro Homeschooling and Pro Technology. Unlike the pretend republicans (cough Key Bailout Hutchison cough) running against him.

Perry is one of the few conservatives who “gets” Twitter. He doesn’t just outsource it to young staffers. He uses it well and other technologies too. If we want to continue to thrive as a state we need leaders who are forward thinking without compromising their principles. I am thankful to have a governor with such a rare and special mix.

Perry is not a perfect candidate but he is by far the best pick. The perfect candidate does not exist so if you hold off for perfection you will never accomplish anything.

Kay Bailout Hutchison

Kay Bailout is a Pro-Choice and Big Government Rino (Republican in Name Only).

• She talks like she’s fiscally conservative but she’s not.
• She talks like she’s pro life, but she’s not.
• She brings home as much bacon for Texas as she can. Which might seem nice for Texas but it is bad for America. Pork for us is still pork and pork is bad. I am glad she is running for Governor but only because it will bring her home from Washington.

Debra Medina is another conservative running but she lacks the experience to do a good job. You must be faithful in little before you can be given more and she has yet to serve even as a State Representative. Perry has the experience and is clearly the best person for the job.

I would like to ask you to support Perry. I’m not just asking for your vote. I’m asking you for $5. Below is a form where you can contribute to his campaign. If I raise the most money I get to have lunch with him which would be cool. But raising money for him is a win for Texas even if I don’t win this competition.

Most of you have probably never contributed to a campaign before. This is a great time to start. $5 is not a lot of money but it can add up when we all pitch in.

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At Patriot Academy this year I gave a talk about how technology has changed the world. While everything has changed, nothing is new under the sun. Everything that is has been before. By studying the past we can predict the future even when it comes to social media. Here are the slides for the talk. I’m sorry if they don’t make much sense if you missed the talk.

Slides

Twitter Tips

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The Problem with the Constitution Party

I agree with the Constitution Parties stance on just about everything.

However, I feel that the CP misses the essence of the constitution. They forget how it was formed in the first place – through compromise. The CP is unwilling to reach out to large percentage of the population because they refuse to build any sort of broad based consensus.  They say, “support all our views or find a different party.” 

If every single true conservative joined the CP it would only have maybe 20% of the total population… not enough to win any major elections. And I think that is a generous figure. We can’t even get 20% of the population to go to church every week much less be active politically on the right side of the issues.

Right now the CP primarily consists two groups:

• Conservative Home Schooled Families
• Conspiracy Theorists

What has made the Republican Party so strong is its ability to build a consensus between three primary population groups.

• Country Clubers (the wealthy)
• The Religious Right (Think Jerry Falwell and the Moral Majority)
• Moderates (They are too conservative to be a democrat but are easily swayed by good rhetoric. Vote for the “coolest” candidate.)

When these three groups come together they are able to put conservative candidates into office. But it is only through a system of compromise. For example the Religious right supports the country clubber’s tax cuts in order to limit abortion.

President Reagan is a perfect example of a candidate that was able to get all three of these groups behind him.

• His pro business views won over the Country Clubber’s
• His pro life-views won over the Religious Right and
• His eloquence won over the Moderates.

He did all this without having to compromise with the left.

If you read the Republican Party Platform or the Texas GOP Platform it is right on with just about every issue. Instead of abandoning the party we should focus on supporting Republican candidates that actually support the platform.

The Democrat Party has an alliance between three primary groups as well:

• Labor Unions
• The Religious Left (Feminists, Environmentalists & Homosexuals)
• Minorities

These groups don’t have much in common (in fact the labor unions and environmentalists are often at odds) but they know they are much more powerful together than they are separately.

I admire the motivation behind the Constitution Party but I am concerned that they will siphon off conservatives away from the GOP causing it to slant more to the right thus causing even bigger problems as we are faced with two liberal parties (a shift that is already happening).

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Problem
Bush is wrong. His $700 Billion bailout is not taxpayer money. It is more debt. The federal government already has a deficit. So there is no “tax payer money” laying around unused. We spent it all in Iraq and on Medicaid. If we want $700B more we are going to need to borrow it from China .

If we borrow our way out of this hole we may be just moving the crisis from Wall Street to Washington. If you have not read my post on the Chinese Paper Nuke you should give it a look. We will only make the problem worse if we try to borrow our way out of our debt.

Old Solution
During the great depression the goal of the Big Chiefs was to preserve the value of the dollar at the cost of liquidity and credit. The result was a credit crisis while the dollar gained in value during the depression. At the end of the recession and following war we had one of the strongest currencies in the world. This lead to some of the most prosperous years in our nation’s history.

New Solution
Now our goal is to preserve our need for liquidity even at the cost of the dollar. The result? Inflation. We can inflate our way out of this hole if we don’t care about our currency.

My Solution
Maybe we should focus on trying to pay off our debt. By that I mean you as an individual paying off your mortgage ahead of time. I mean corporations paying off their loans and the government paying off its bonds. Maybe getting out of debt is a better solution to a debt problem than more debt.  But that’s just me.

Blame
Ron Paul has seen this problem coming for a while. The democrats have denied it all along and the republicans can’t find a solution because they are unwilling to cut spending or allow a painful market correction. The media blames the free market and lack of regulation. yuck. As if regulated economies don’t have more problems.

Cause
The cause? A mix of over regulation and under regulation. The government penalized banks for not lending to sub prime borrowers. Then it required them to mark their assets to the market daily. This caused several banks to become insolvent on paper over night when they could not sell their mortgage backed securities.

Take Away
The economy is too complex for a handful of policy makers and central bankers to effectively manage. These sorts of mistakes are only to be expected. More regulation will not fix the problem. Getting out of unnecessary debt can.

House of Cards: Clinton’s Fault

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=1RZVw3no2A4

What do you think?
I would love to hear what you think about our troubles. I talked with Michael Clark at length about this and he had some interesting insights. He feels a market correction is too painful and that the bailout is not that dangerous.

I also talked with Dr. Larry Woodward the Wizard of UMHB. Woodward saw this problem coming and didn’t lose any money on the market slide. He is still very bearish and thinks we are far from the market’s bottom. He thinks we need to modify our current regulations and cut taxes and spending.

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People like the Public Figure . She is attractive, eloquent and convincing. She looks good on camera and people like to listen to her even when they disagree. The agitator on the other hand is that person people love to hate but can’t ignore.

Let me explain before you pass judgment.

The default state for most people is apathy. They need to feel uncomfortable before they will act. Agitators make people uncomfortable. They incite action. Effective movements know how to offend people into action. The Sons of Liberty did this when they dumped tea into Boston Harbor. They offended all of England and it worked.

Strangely, people like getting offended. Rap music is popular partly because it is so offensive. Why else would Howard Stern be so popular if he were not so offensive? Offensive people make the news because they are interesting. Offending people can be effective but it can also be disastrous. The pro-life movement must learn to harness this powerful tool without misusing it.

The key to effective agitation is to manage and focus the offense on the injustice, not the campaign to alleviate the injustice. This is an art we have yet to learn.

Our Founding Fathers used a one-two punch agitation tactic. Benjamin Franklin, a Public Figure and a later Floor Champion, condemned the Boston Tea Party and said that the tea should be repaid. This sort of talk redirected the agitation away from patriotism and towards the British. The Boston Tea Party forced the British hand and ultimately solidified the revolutionary cause among the colonies.

Another key with public agitation is to agitate the right people. The Boston Tea Party caused the British to blockade Boston Harbor, which magnified and exemplified British oppression. This agitated the other colonies who had to give up their food to keep Boston from starving.

In the movie Amazing Grace, William Wilberforce didn’t take his opponents to go smell the slave ships. He took his supporters. If we want the pro-life base to act we must make them uncomfortable.  Instead of showing bloody fetus pictures to pro-choice people, we should show those pictures at church. The goal of the agitator is simple: keep the base from apathy.

We are talking about pastors who put an aborted fetus in a glass jar on the pulpit and then preach a sermon about what it really means to be pro-life.

Agitators must communicate with the Architect so that their actions fit within the overall strategy. Otherwise, their actions could cause more harm than good. And most of all he must listen to the Heavenly Architect. God is the ultimate strategist.

I don’t think it would be a good idea for the Public Agitator and the Public Figure to be officially associated. In fact, a certain amount of animosity may be helpful, though it wouldn’t be necessary. Our bodies work together even though if you were to put a brain cell in your stomach the stomach would destroy it. There is a difference between getting along and working together.

What do you think?

If you have any questions or comments, we would love to hear from you. Leave me a comment or send me an email. If you would like to comment on any post in particular here they are:

• Introduction
• Public Figure
• Floor Champion
• Hill Agitator
• Public Agitator
• Financial Backer
• Denominational Coordinator
• The Architect & Baby Steps
• Minutemen
• Conclusion
• Full PDF

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The Left has some significant financial backers. Ted Turner gives millions if not billions to progressive causes and he leverages his multi billion-dollar media empire to advance a liberal worldview via movies, news, TV and the internet. But we are not unfunded. Our Leader owns the cattle on a thousand hills and He speaks to millions of people in His heavenly empire.

As a pro-life movement, we need people who are willing to acquire and leverage fast fortunes to advance the pro-life cause. Like the other positions, this takes true devotion.

We need elderly people to will their fortunes to protect the next generation. We need churches to contribute to pregnancy care centers. We need people to buy or build media empires that can offer free publicity to pro-life organizations.  We need to use the financial resources that God has given us to advance His purposes. The pro-life movement always seems to be hurting for money and this should not be. God has blessed us with great wealth. We need to put it to good use.

Denominational Coordinator

Almost every denomination, with the exception of the Quakers, and the Church of England, backed the war for independence. Pastors preached on liberty and the whole nation fasted and prayed that God would bring victory.

The Denominational Coordinator works within a system of churches to get the members of those churches motivated around the pro-life cause. Lou Engle does that for some charismatic churches.

We pray that God will raise up Baptist, Methodist, Lutheran and Nondenominational versions of him. We need people from every denomination to spearhead prayer and action. If we want to win this battle we must win it in the heavenlies first. Denominational Liaisons need to work together. This would take an act of God and is be a good point for prayer.

What do you think?

If you have any questions or comments, we would love to hear from you. Leave me a comment or send me an email. If you would like to comment on any post in particular here they are:

• Introduction
• Public Figure
• Floor Champion
• Hill Agitator
• Public Agitator
• Financial Backer
• Denominational Coordinator
• The Architect & Baby Steps
• Minutemen
• Conclusion
• Full PDF

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2. Conclusion & Full Abolition of Abortion PDF Download the PDF If all of these characters have one...
3. Public Agitator (Abolition of Abortion) The Hill Agitator is agitating on Capital Hill, influencing elected...

At SciFi conventions people dress up like emotionless visitors from another world with amazing abilities and power. At GOP conventions people dress up like  amazing visitors from the grass roots with amazing abilities and power. 

The hippies shave their beards and come their hair in the classic political swoosh. In both conventions most people pretend to be something they are not.  Sometimes the dress up to make a point.

George Washington

A Ferangi.

A hat wearing patriot.

Most people tried to dress like this guy. You can usually pick out a politician. he has that swoosh hair, an expensive suit, a nice tie and a splenda smile.

#2 Obscure Celebrates

Chances are if you saw your state representative at the grocery store you wouldn’t recognize him. But at a political convention he gets a VIP badge and everyone wants to shake his hand.

Jacque Otto sporting her VIP badge

#3 African Americans are Rare and Popular

The republican party and the SciFi community seem to be dominated by anglos. The few African americans willing to brave the sea of white faces often rise to prominence. Michael Dorn is hugely popular among Star Trek fans as is Michael Williams among republicans.

Michael Dorn also known as Warf.

Michael Williams a bow tie wearing railroad commissioner.

#4 Insane Passion Over Obscure Things

There was a huge fight over credentialing candidates at the Texas GOP convention. The fight was so bad that old friends stop talking. SciFi Conventions have protests over the cancellation of obscure TV shows and small changes in classic movies.

#5 Identical Factions at War

There are very similar factions at this GOP convention who hated each other. I saw candidates give identical speeches and then bash each other.  Star Trek and Star Wars people have never gotten along well. The most sure fire way to get cussed out at a Star Trek Convention is to dress like Luke Skywalker.

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What would the pro-life movement look life if William Wilberforce were still alive? History tells of times when radical and sudden political reform rocked the world. If we study world changers we can learn to imitate them.  This is their story. We hope it will be our story too. Several Patriot Academy alumni have worked with me on this strategy including Sarah Coburn, Hannah Hill, Jennifer Lackey and 
Jacque Otto. Download the Full PDF of the Strategy .

This is a character based strategy that answers the question “who do we need where?” instead of the question “what do we need to do when?” If you are interested in the pro-life cause you will like this strategy.

Introduction

“There is nothing more difficult to take in hand, more perilous to conduct, or more uncertain in its success, then to take the lead in the introduction of a new order of things. Because the innovator has for enemies all those who have done well under the old conditions, and lukewarm defenders in those who may do well under the new.”

Nicolò Machiavelli The Prince

Everyone wants to be the Knight who slays the dragon. Only a few want to be the archers who back him up. You can not single out one man who brought us independence. You can not isolate one person who abolished slavery. We may cut out the archers from history but their contribution made the difference. They changed the world.

If we want to slay the dragon of abortion we need a host of archers. We need to work together. Working together does not mean doing the same thing. In the past God has used different people differently. By His hand these people worked together even though they sometimes disagreed.

This pamphlet will introduce you to the different types of people that God has used in the past to enact change. They are the Public Figure , Floor Champion , Hill Agitator , Public Agitator , Financial Backer , Denominational Coordinator , Architect and Minutemen .

What do you think?

If you have any questions or comments, we would love to hear from you. Leave me a comment or send me an email. If you would like to comment on any post in particular here they are:

• Introduction
• Public Figure
• Floor Champion
• Hill Agitator
• Public Agitator
• Financial Backer
• Denominational Coordinator
• The Architect & Baby Steps
• Minutemen
• Conclusion
• Full PDF

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1. Public Agitator (Abolition of Abortion) The Hill Agitator is agitating on Capital Hill, influencing elected...
2. Public Figure (Abolition of Abortion) Successful movements often have a Public Figure who represents the...
3. Conclusion & Full Abolition of Abortion PDF Download the PDF If all of these characters have one...

If you look closely you can see me in that video.

Patriot Academy will give you three things:

• Learn about the legislative process from the inside. Write bills, get them through committee and then debate them on the actual House of Texas floor.
• Learn how to analyze issues from a biblical and historical founding fathers perspective.
• Learn the skills you need to work in the political process either as an elected official or behind the scenes
  • How to give a great speech
  • How to communicate with the media.
  • How to handle a negative attack
  • Keys to maintaining integrity in the political arena.

As a fourth bonus you will connect with the future movers and shakers in the political process. There are Patriots working in Washington, at the Texas Capital, Governor’s Office and the Texas Republican Party.

Going to Patriot Academy will open doors for you to work in the political arena. You will get access to the special Patriot Alumni group where job opportunities often posted. I have a friend who worked as a Chief of Staff for a State Representative with no experience other than Patriot Academy. He had not even started college yet.

If you have any interest at all that you check out PatriotAcademy.com .

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Am I proud of our nation? The fact is there are a lot of things about this nation I am not proud of. I don’t like how we have one of the most permissive abortion laws in the world. Even European nations place limitations on second and third term abortions.We are not a perfect nation, we never have been. But, the past centuries have seen their own evils just as vile as the ones we face today.

I have done little to make our nation better. I have no right to be proud nor should I be even if I had contributed even in some small way. The apostle Paul once asked the Corinthians this question, “who makes you different from anyone else? What do you have that you did not receive? And if you did receive it, why do you boast as though you did not?” (1 Corinthians 4:7) I think we Americans can ask ourselves that same question.

Everything we do have has been given to us be God. When I saw that sign I realized that my American pride was a sin. I was robbing God of something that belonged to Him alone. Pride is not a virtue but a sin - a sin that oozes the slime of hatred for God. We need to repent of our American pride and how we look down on those born abroad .

But what about the feelings I have towards this country?

I do feel something. I get goose bumps when I hear Rick Green and David Barton talk about our founding fathers and our godly heritage. I like how free we are (no thanks to the Bush administration or John McCain though). I enjoy our freedom of religion and I savor the fading mist of our freedom of speech even as it fades into memory.

What I feel about this nation and the state of Texas is not pride, not any more. What I feel is thankfulness. What I have as an American I have been given. God endowed us with certain inalienable rights and He rose up men who understood that the just powers of government are not derived through the sword but through the consent of the governed. I thank God for His sovereign intervention to allow our nation to survive these last many years.

I am also thankful to the millions of men who have given their lives to protect our constitution and our lives from enemies abroad. I am thankful for the statesmen who have stood on principle throughout the years to preserve our constitution from her domestic foes. I thank God for sending periodic revivals and great awakenings to keep us following Him. God has blessed us. We have nothing that we have not been given.

No I can’t be proud that I am an American and neither should you. But I thank God that he placed me in this place at this time. I wouldn’t want to be from anywhere else.

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The Philosophy of Liberty video is one the best presentations of any set of political principles I have ever seen. This video communicates more in 8 minutes than most 200 page books.

If you plan to vote in the next election or compete in speech and debate I strongly recommend you watch this 8 minute video .

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Ron Paul has raised over 8 million dollars and today we are bombing his campaign with money. So far we have raised over 1.5 million TODAY ALONE. For current results visit Ron Paul Graphs.If you are a student I ask you to donate $25 to Ron Paul’s campaign. If you are employed I ask that you would donate $100. We can do this with your help.

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