The Eagle's Nest Blog

Rochester - The Morning After!

After sleeping on my experience in Rochester yesterday one now has to question whether or how involved one want to be with a political party that openly attacks it's own and treats people with so little respect. The mean spirited behavior witnessed in Rochester was nothing short of appalling. The Minnesota Republican Party "establishment" has developed a bunker mentality that attacks anyone suspected of not towing the establishment party line and it is costing them dearly.

Senator Norm Coleman likes to say, "A leader without followers is just a man taking a walk in the park by himself." The treatment of fellow Republicans witnessed in Rochester is chased many from this party. If you don't believe me just look at the election results by BPOU in 2004 and 2006, where the MN GOP has been significantly defeated in state house and constitutional officer seats. I have heard the horror stories of dedicated Republican activists who have stopped volunteering, working and donating to the MN GOP after rude treatment including being called "non-Christian", "devil worshiper" or "cult fringe" for not supporting certain candidates. I witnessed this type of behavior yesterday in Rochester and it sickened me. This is no way to build a political party and is completely opposite of what Ronald Reagan meant when he encouraged a "Big Tent" approach for the GOP.

The shocking hypocritical quote in today's Star Tribune by the MN GOP Chair: "We want the Ron Paul people to be part of the party - they are part of the party," begs the question Mr. Chairmen, were you sleeping during the political training class on good leadership techniques? After openly attacking the Paul people for weeks as unworthy to participate in the process, by accusing them of not being true Republicans, by stacking the convention rules to exclude them from participating, and by refusing to allow them the opportunity to address the convention, you now expect them to rejoin the effort to elect GOP candidates this November? It reminds me of the scene in the movie Animal House where the fraternity pledge is getting paddled and after every smack to his bottom he says, "Thank you sir, can I have another."

Yes, this has been a sad weekend for Republicans in Rochester. Is there any doubt now why it is so difficult to recruit qualified individuals to run under the MN GOP banner? Perhaps when integrity, respect and civility is restored in the MN GOP things will change. Until then, you will see the MN GOP brand in the losing column and former MN GOP volunteers who are passionate, motivated and staunchly conservative seeking a more accepting venue somewhere else.

Oh what the hell! It was only one quarter (about 500) of the people who chose to take a day from work and attend the convention. Who needs them anyway?

You'll excuse me now, I have to return to Rochester for more classes on how to bury my head in the sand so I can be a good Minnesota Republican!

 

Minnesota GOP - Delusional in Rochester?

I awoke this morning knowing that my trip to the Minnesota State Republican Convention in Rochester was going to be a difficult one. I was held out hope that cooler minds would win the day and convince the inept leadership of the MN GOP that they were about to make a major public relations error and surrender the days news to the Ron Paul faction of the party. I hoped that they would do the smart thing and invite Ron Paul in to address the convention.

Alas that didn't happen. Ron Paul was forced to speak outside to some 500 on lookers. In doing so, the MN GOP made the entire story on all the television and radio stations about divisiveness in the party and the snubbing of the Paulites. So much for the old Republican "Big Tent" of political inclusiveness.

Later in the morning the battle changed to the inside of the convention when a major power grab by the MN GOP establishment led by it's Chairman Ron Carey took place. Full disclosure here: I ran last summer against Carey for the chair position. Regardless, an attempt was made to disenfranchise any Republican who was suspected of anything short of complete and total loyalty to the establishment. When I left the convention this afternoon, results of a vote to change the State GOP Constitution to give exorbitant power to the executive committee to replace any BPOU leadership within the state they felt were not following their directives was yet to be announced. From the jeers and boos from the convention goers, it may not pass. In truth, this change came about because two BPOU's announced they would not support the re-election of Senator Norm Coleman. We can't allow any independent thinkers in the new GOP.

In a day that made it difficult to be proud to be a Republican, the leadership successfully limited any attempt to nominate delegates or alternates from the convention floor. Having selectively required delegates or alternates (not all mind you) candidates to arrive in Rochester to be interviewed on Thursday to be judged whether they met the numerous and rigorous requirements to pass the nominating committee, which naturally was made up of mostly party establishment loyalists. What a way to motivate, energize and unite a terribly fractured party.

Perhaps one of the most puzzling actions by the MN GOP leadership, Carey announcement that the convention would close "by someone who can really fire them up," an address by Karl Rove. This year nearly every national Republican candidate, including John McCain is trying to distance themselves from the Bush White House. The only people in Minnesota, besides Carey and his executive committee, fired up and energized over Rove will be the Democrats. Instead of being smart and bringing in a conservative like: Newt Gingrich, Sean Hannity or Laura Ingrams to really fire up the convention crown, the "Minnesota Gang Who Can't Shoot Straight" gives the DFL at cause to crow about.

I'll return to Rochester tomorrow for the State Central meeting that will follow the convention. If this is the best decision making the MN GOP can do, any chance of winning anything this November has to be rated slim to none. No wonder one of the DFL blogs recently posted that this year the DFL has a secret weapon - Ron Carey!

Anarchists in Droves!

September 2008 is shaping up to be an exciting time for Minnesota. As a National Delegate to the Republican National Convention, I'm beginning to wonder if I need to break out the old body armor for my entry into the convention. I'm not sure Mayor's R. T. Rybak (Minneapolis) and Chris Coleman (St. Paul) understand the gravity of the situation. If they did, they would likely not be so willing to roll out the red carpet to these groups. Many rank and file police officers from both cities are quietly expressing concern for public safety. Here is an example I found on Minnesota Monitor (Out-of-state activists target the RNC) as to why!

A protest group calling itself Unconventional Michigan is organizing teach-ins in Lansing, MI for those interested in protesting the Republican National Convention in Minneapolis-St. Paul. Their mission statement was listed in an article titled, Unconventional Michigan plans to shut down RNC by: Eartha Jane Melzer. The following is from her article: "We believe that disrupting the convention offers a unique opportunity to take our opposition to the war, ecological destruction and other institutional forms of oppression to the next level," the group writes, "We remember the excitement that permeated the movement post-Seattle and believe that the conventions this summer could offer a similar opportunity. Moreover, we believe that talking about direct action and the political conventions could increase interest in and facilitate participation in existing radical projects across Michigan while also inspiring new projects."

These groups will have plenty of opportunity to disrupt the convention. Getting delegations that will be spread out some 30 to 40 miles from the St. Paul convention site will aford these groups a target rich road system that a very small group could shut down for hours. I doubt that any of these groups will be successful at penetrating the convention itself, but anything is possible when the main stream media is involved.

All this will make for high adventure for the good citizens of Minneapolis and St. Paul.

Ron Paul's People Not Welcome in MN GOP?

It is obvious that the MN GOP needs every possible worker, supporter and voter it can find if they expect to reverse the down hill slide of the last two elections. So does the MN GOP open the Big Reagan Tent of the 1980's and invite in those who do not march in lock step like lemmings? No, just the opposite, they attack them and clearly demonstrate that they are not welcome.

Drew Emmer, at Wright County Republican (here) has a well written piece about the "loonacy" that the MN GOP Party Leadership is engaged in just prior to the state Republican Party Convention in Rochester this Friday and Saturday. This Party leadership is quick to destroy anyone who they perceive as a threat to their power base, even if it means alienating dedicated Republicans and losing elections. They did it in 2006 against Sue Jeffer's bid for Governor and they are doing it again against the Ron Paul movement people. We all witnessed how many Republicans stayed home in 2006 and how dearly it cost our Party.

In todays mail came a letter from a before unknown group calling itself the Minnesota Conservative Delegate Team. The mailing address was from the former BPOU co-chair of the GOP Senate District 41 in Edina who is the current 3rd Congressional District Treasure. Attached is a slate of nominees for National Delegates and Alternates that they seeking support for. It includes the name of the other former BPOU co-chair from SD 41, and current co-chairman of the 3rd Congressional District as a delegate candidate.

I do know this, that we are a Party with far greater problems then the Ron Paul people. With the specter of continuous Federal Election Commission investigations into MN GOP financial practices and it's leaders making headlines on a monthly basis, one would think that the MN GOP would do anything possible to attract a group of highly motivated grassroots workers.

I in no way agree with the Ron Paul, but I will not deny a seat at the table for his people. We can only win if we unite this Party, not further divide it as the current leadership has been doing for the last three years. Issues like this will cost us the 2008 election. I'm not willing to stand and watch the train wreck that is coming.

We need Republicans to show courage not vindictiveness. It is time that we get back to our Reagan roots and open the door to that big tent again. Otherwise, we will be doomed to be a very small tent watching those loony lemmings plunge over the political cliff!

Memorial Day Star Tribune Letter to the Editor

MEMORIAL DAY

Make it every day

As a combat veteran I often hear people say: "Happy Memorial Day." Although the sentiment is very appreciated, for combat veterans, Memorial Day is every day. Not a single day goes past when we do not think of our fellow service members who sacrificed all their tomorrows in the line of duty to our country.

This day is set aside to honor them all. They paid the ultimate price for our liberty and freedom. They did so regardless of their politics, religion or ethnic persuasion. It is fitting that we honor them and their families on this sacred day. Bless them all.

JOE REPYA, EAGAN

Honor Memorial Day 2008

HONOR MEMORIAL DAY 2008

THANK YOU FOR YOUR WONDERFUL INTRODUCTION. GOOD AFTERNOON, IT IS AN HONOR FOR MY WIFE DEB AND ME TO JOIN YOU HERE TODAY. WE WHO HAVE SERVED IN OUR NATIONS MILITARY AND OUR FAMILIES MEMBERS OFTEN HEAR THIS DAY: “HAPPY MEMORIAL DAY.”

BUT FOR US, EVERY DAY IS MEMORIAL DAY. FOR IT IS IMPOSSIBLE FOR US TO FORGET THOSE WE SERVED WITH WHO PAID THE ULTIMATE PRICE FOR OUR LIBERTY. I READ ONCE THAT THERE IS A GRAVE IN THE PACIFIC THAT IS MARKED,

“TELL THEM BACK HOME THAT I GAVE UP ALL MY
LIFE TODAY, SO THEY CAN LIVE ALL THEIR
TOMORROWS IN FREEDOM.”

THIS SPECIAL DAY OF HONOR IS SET ASIDE EACH YEAR FOR FELLOW AMERICANS TO RECONNECT WITH OUR HISTORY AND CORE HUMAN VALUES BY SHOWING HONOR AND RESPECT TO THOSE WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES FOR THIS GREAT AND GLORIOUS NATION.

THE OBSERVANCE OF THIS DAY BEGAN DURING THE CIVIL WAR IN 1863 IN COLUMBUS, MISSISSIPPI. FAMILIES OF FALLEN CONFEDERATE SOLDIERS, CLEARED GRAVE SITES AND PLACED FLOWERS ON THEIR GRAVES. WHAT STARTED OUT OF COMPASSION AND EMPATHY WOULD BECOME KNOWN AS DECORATION DAY, THE DAY PEOPLE DECORATED THE GRAVES OF FALLEN SOLDIERS.

FOLLOWING THE END OF THE CIVIL WAR, A DRUGSTORE OWNER IN WATERLOO, NEW YORK, NAMED HENRY WELLES, CLOSED HIS STORE AND SUGGESTED THAT ALL OTHER SHOPS IN TOWN
CLOSE TO HONOR ALL THE SOLDIERS KILLED IN THE CIVIL WAR. SIXTEEN YEARS LATER IN 1881, OUR NATION OBSERVED ITS FIRST MEMORIAL DAY, A DAY SET ASIDE TO HONOR THE SACRIFICE OF THOSE WHO DIED IN ALL OUR NATION’S WARS.

OVER ONE MILLION AMERICANS HAVE DIED IN WARS AND CONFLICTS THIS NATION HAS FOUGHT SINCE OUR WAR FOR INDEPENDENCE IN 1775. ANOTHER 1 MILLION, 450 THOUSAND HAVE

BEEN WOUNDED IN ACTION AS WELL.OH, WE REMEMBER GREAT BATTLES LIKE BUNKER HILL, FREDERICKSBURG, GETTYSBURG, CHATEAU THIERRY, GUADALCANAL, OMAHA BEACH, THE BATTLE OF THE BULGE, IWO JIMA, INCHON, HUE, KHE SANH, KABUL, FALLUJAH, AND BAGHDAD.

BUT WHO REMEMBERS THE PHILIPPINE WAR FROM 1899 - 1902 WITH OVER 7,100 CASUALTIES? HOW MANY OF US KNOW WE LOST 1,034 ON THE KOREAN DMZ SINCE THAT WAR ENDED IN 1953? THEIR
DEATHS WERE JUST AS HONORABLE ONLY THE DATES AND FIELD OF BATTLE CHANGED. IN 1795 THE GREAT BRITISH ORATOR EDMUND BURKE SAID:

“THE ONLY THING NECESSARY FOR THE TRIUMPH
OF EVIL – IS FOR GOOD MEN TO DO NOTHING”

TODAY WE ARE AT WAR FIGHTING AN ENEMY MORE EVIL, DIABOLICAL AND FANATICAL THEN ANY WE HAVE FACED IN OUR PAST. HISTORIANS WILL SOME DAY JUDGE OUR MOTIVES AND
ACTIONS FAR BETTER THEN WE IN THE HEAT OF THIS BATTLE CAN TODAY. ON THIS DAY WE SHOULD NOT JUDGE THE CAUSE, BUT INSTEAD HONOR THOSE WHO FELL UNDER OUR NATIONS FLAG!FOR THOSE WHO HAVE SERVED IN UNIFORM, THE WORDS OF THOMAS PAINE ECHOED IN 1776 STILL RING TRUE TODAY:

“THESE ARE THE TIMES THAT TRY MEN’S SOULS.
THE SUMMER SOLDIER AND THE SUNSHINE PATRIOT
WILL, IN THIS CRISIS, SHRINK FROM THE SERVICE
OF HIS COUNTRY; BUT HE WHO STANDS IT NOW,
DESERVES THE LOVE AND THANKS OF MAN &
WOMAN."

MY FATHER, JOE (SENIOR), FOUGHT WITH THE 84TH INFANTRY DIVISION IN THE BATTLE OF THE BULGE IN 1944 AND IN GERMANY IN 1945. CRITICALLY WOUNDED, HE LIVED OUT HIS LIFE PARTIALLY
CRIPPLED, PASSING IN 1985. HE WAS MY HERO, AS IS MY FATHER-IN-LAW BUD SHURSON WHO FLEW IN 1944 AS A MACHINE GUNNER ON A B-17 FOR 50 MISSIONS IN WORLD WAR II OUT OF AN AIRFIELD IN ITALY. LIKE MANY OF YOU IN THIS CROWD, THEY WERE
OUR LAST CENTURY’S “GREATEST GENERATION.”

I HAVE SERVED THIS NATION IN THREE WARS. FIRST, AS A YOUNG INFANTRY LIEUTENANT IN VIETNAM WITH THE 101ST AIRBORNE’S FAMED 2 ND BATTALION 506 INFANTRY REGIMENT (THE BAND
OF BROTHERS). NEXT, A HELICOPTER PILOT WITH THE RANK OF MAJOR IN DESERT STORM SERVING WITH FAMOUS 1ST INFANTRY DIVISION (THE BIG RED ONE) IN MY MIDDLE AGE. FINALLY, AS A SEASONED CITIZEN, A LIEUTENANT COLONEL, FRESH FROM RETIREMENT AT 58 YEARS OF AGE IN OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM AGAIN WITH THE 101ST AIRBORNE. SOME FOLKS FROM MINNESOTA WILL DO ANYTHING TO AVOID SHOVELING SNOW!

I’M A SOLDIER, IT IS WHAT I KNOW BEST AND LIKE MANY OF YOU I AM ONE OF THE LUCKY ONES TO BE HERE TODAY. I HAVE LOST FRIENDS, CLOSE FRIENDS, IN EACH OF THOSE THREE WARS. MY LOVE FOR MY FAMILY, MY COUNTRY AND MY GOD HAS GIVEN ME THE STRENGTH TO DO WHAT I VIEWED WAS RIGHT.

FOR WE WHO HAVE SERVED IN BATTLE BELONG TO A SPECIAL SISTER AND BROTHERHOOD. PERHAPS WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE SAID IT BEST WHEN HE WROTE IN HENRY IV IN 1597:

“FROM THIS DAY UNTIL THE END OF DAYS, LET IT BE
KNOWN THAT WE FEW, WE HAPPY FEW, WE BAND OF
BROTHERS: FOR HE TODAY THAT SHEDS HIS BLOOD
WITH ME, SHALL BE MY BROTHER.”

RETURNING BACK TO FORT CAMPBELL KENTUCKY, FROM DUTY IN IRAQ LATE IN 2005, THE DEATH THAT HIT DEB AND ME THE MOST WAS IN MAY OF 2006. I TRAVELED TO DALLAS, TEXAS TO ATTEND THE FUNERAL OF A YOUNG FRIEND OF OURS, MAJOR MATTHEW WADE WORRELL. HIS GOOD FRIENDS AND FAMILY CALLED HIM “BUBBA” BUT HE DIDN’T FIT THAT STEREOTYPE. HE WAS YOUNG, VERY HANDSOME, AND A FIERCELY BRAVE WARRIOR. WE HAD KNOWN MATT SINCE 2002. MATT WAS 34 YEARS OLD, MARRIED TO CAMILLE, AND THE FATHER OF YOUNG JAKE (5) AND LUKE (3). ON MAY 14, 2006, MOTHERS DAY, MATT AND A FELLOW PILOT WERE SHOT DOWN AND KILLED BY ENEMY FIRE WHILE FLYING THEIR HELICOPTER GUNSHIP AS AIR COVER FOR GROUND TROOPS FIGHTING A GROUP OF AL - QUAIDA TERROISTS IN YUSUFIYAH, IRAQ.

CAMILLE AND THE BOYS HAVE VISITED US HERE IN MINNESOTA EACH SUMMER SINCE. MATT AND ALL OUR SOLDIERS FIGHTING TODAY ARE OUR REAL HEROES. IN MY HEART OF HEARTS, I BELIEVE THEY WILL BE THIS CENTURY’S “GREATEST
GENERATION.”

IT IS WRITTEN THAT OUR LORD SAID:

“GREATER LOVE HATH NO MAN THAN THIS, THAT A
MAN LAY DOWN HIS LIFE FOR HIS FRIENDS”

LET US TODAY, ON THIS SOLEMN DAY, PLEDGE OUR HONOR, RESPECT AND DEVOTION TO THOSE WHO GAVE THE ULTIMATE SACRIFICE FOR THEIR FRIENDS, THEIR FAMILIES AND THEIR COUNTRY.

IN CLOSING I RECALL THE WORDS TO THE MUSIC FROM THE 2002 MEL GIBSON MOVIE ABOUT AMERICAN SOLDIERS FIGHTING IN A DESPERATE BATTLE IN VIETNAM, “WE WERE SOLDIERS ONCE
AND YOUNG”. THE MUSIC WAS PLAYED AT THE FUNERAL OF OUR 40TH PRESIDENT RONALD REAGAN. TO ME IT SEEMS SO FITTING, IF NOT ALMOST WRITTEN TO HONOR OUR FALLEN WARRIORS ON
EVERY MEMORIAL DAY.

FOLLOWING THE PLAYING OF THE MUSIC BY A LONE TRUMPET, YOU WILL HEAR THE WEST POINT CHIOR SING THIS BEAUTIFUL TRIBUTE. I WOULD LIKE TO FIRST READ TO YOU THE WORDS FROM
“THE MANSIONS OF THE LORD:”

MANSIONS OF THE LORD

To fallen soldiers let us sing
Where no rockets fly nor bullets wing
Our broken brothers let us bring
To the mansions of the Lord

No more bleeding, no more fight
No prayers pleading through the night
Just divine embrace, eternal light
In the mansions of the Lord

Where no mothers cry and no children weep
We will stand and guard though the angels sleep
Through the ages safely keep
The mansions of the Lord

THE WORDS ARE PRINTED ON YOUR PROGRAM, PLEASE FEEL FREE TO SING ALONG. LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, THE STAFF OF WASHBURN MCREAVY, DEB AND I WANT TO THANK YOU
FOR BEING HERE AND SHARING THIS DAY OF TRIBUTE TO OUR FALLEN SERVICE MEMBERS.

MAY GOD BLESS YOU AND PROTECT YOU AND THOSE YOU LOVE, AND MAY GOD ETERNALLY EMBRACE ALL OUR FALLEN WARRIORS FOR THEIR SELFLESS SACRIFICE TO THIS GREAT NATION. WE, A GRATEFUL PEOPLE, WILL NEVER FORGET THEM!

LIEUTENANT COLONEL JOSEPH REPYA, US ARMY (RETIRED)
DELIVERED MEMORIAL DAY, MONDAY, MAY 26, 2008
MINNEAPOLIS, MN

This Post is Far Overdue!!!!!!!!!!

This morning's Star Tribune brings another story by reporter Pat Doyle (here) discussing the Federal Election Commission's problems with the reporting accuracy of the Minnesota State Republican Party. It appears that the MN GOP has amended 60 reports to the FEC in the last two weeks with 15 more coming next week. Some of the revised reports date back to 2002. Poor accounting or something worse?

Well as someone once said, "the chickens are coming home to roost!"

Last summer I ran for the MN GOP Chairman position and lost. I ran on a platform vowing to reform the Party operations and put our finances into order. I questioned how the former Party treasurer of 12 years, now Party Chairman for the last 3 years, could allow the financial situation to get so out of hand. I vowed to have immediate independent audits completed and to report to the State Central delegates the results, good or bad. I warned then, that if this reform and transparency of our finances wasn't accomplished, the MN DFL would accuse the MN GOP of corruption and would use it as a major election issue in 2008.

I'm fully aware that there will be calls attacking me as a "poor loser," but frankly, there are those of us in the MN GOP that are sick and tired of the shell games, delay tactics and lame excuses that we have been getting for the last year. It is time to stop trying to deflect the problem as an attempt by the Star Tribune to discredit Republicans. These are not imaginary problems. It appears from a leaked February 2007 internal memo (of which neither I nor my campaign had ever seen or were responsible for leaking) and numerous FEC reports that the Party has been successful in discrediting itself.

This Party stands on the verge of a political disaster equal to that of 2006, because of either the ineptitude by our leadership or worse, the dishonesty of personnel with fiduciary responsibility. It is time to determine what is wrong and who is responsible and correct the problem once and for all. It is time for complete accountability. We have had a year to correct these problems and obviously have not.

As I repeatedly said in 2007, "Leadership Matters." It does not appear that the MN GOP Executive Board has been willing to step forward and solve these problems. Nor are any of our GOP elected officials willing to tackle this issue. It is high time for someone at the State Central meeting next weekend in Rochester to demand a full accountability. If none is adequately provided, the State Central delegates should take steps to replace those who have failed to solve these issues.

We better act now instead of waiting for more irregularities to be exposed before the Republican National Convention or the fall 2008 election. The stakes are far too high to keep silenced anymore, and I for one will not bury my head in the sand any longer.

Run Jesse Run!

Last night Jesse Ventura was on CNN's Larry King Live and said once again that he was considering jumping in the Minnesota Senate race before the filing deadline of July 15. Ventura said if he does run, he would run on the Independence Party ticket. All I can say is "Run Jesse Run!"

Don't get me wrong, I really don't think Jesse would be able to win as he did in the 1998 Governors race in a three way split. But then I was wrong in 1998. Too many people who supported Jesse discovered he wasn't the politician they thought he would be. After all, it's really about Jesse and what the job can bring to his pocket book. Still, Jesse would make what is shaping up to be a sadly dull race interesting again.

Al Franken may have been fatally damaged by his tax problem's but the DFL will still endorse him anyway. The DFL lost it's best chance to win the seat when they turned their collective backs on Mike Ciresi. As I have warned here before, endorse Franken and the race will be about Franken, endorse Ciresi and the race will be about the record of Norm Coleman.

As far as Norm Coleman's chances for re-election, it is always very difficult to unseat an incumbent. In Coleman's case however, many Republicans have said they will hold their nose if he runs against Franken and vote for Norm, while others say they will not support Norm's run for a second term.

All this could be a moot point if Ciresi returns to the race or if Ventura enters the race. The Obama factor will have a strong impact on the DFL vote in Minnesota, but maybe not strong enough for the scales to tip in favor of Franken. So let's hope that Jesse runs just to give us some comic relief from a boring Senate election.

Sean Hannity's Top 10 Items for Victory

Sean Hannity has a list of conservative items that every Republican running for office should adopt if they want to win in 2008. Copy them and send them to your candidates.

Hannity's Top 10 Items for Victory

1) To be the Candidate of National security:
a) Victory in Iraq
b) Fully support NSA, Patriot act, tough interrogations, keeping Gitmo open
c) A Candidate that pledges to NOT demean our military while they are fighting for their Country. eg Harry Reid: "the surge has failed", "the war is lost"
d) Candidate that promises to ensure that our veterans can live out their lives in dignity.

2) The Candidate who pledges to oppose Appeasement:
a) The Candidate will oppose any and all efforts to negotiate with dictators of the world in places like Iran, Syria, N.Korea, Cuba, and Venezuela without "pre-conditions"

3) The Candidate Pledges to support Tax CUTS, and fiscal responsibility:
a) The American people are NOT under taxed, Government Spends too much
b) The Candidate who Pledges to ELIMINATE and VOTE AGAINST ALL Earmarks
c) The Candidate pledges to BALANCE the budget

4) The Candidate Pledges to be a supporter of "Energy Independence"
a) supports Immediate drilling in Anwar and the 48 states
b) Building new refineries
c) Begin building and using Nuclear Facilities
d) expand coal mining
e) realistic steward of the environment
While simultaneously working with private industry to develop the new energy technologies for the future, with the goal being that America becomes completely energy independent within the next 15 years.

5) The Candidate pledges to secure our borders completely within 12 months:
a) build all necessary fences
b) use all available technology to help and support agents at the border
c) train and hire agents as needed

6) Healthcare:
The Candidate will look for Free-Market solutions to the problems facing the Healthcare industry, and will vigorously oppose any efforts to "nationalize healthcare".
a) The Candidate will fight for Individual health savings accounts, that includes "catastrophic insurance" for every American, so people can control their own healthcare choices.

7) Education:
a) The Candidate pledges to "save" American children from the failing educational system
b) The Candidate will fight to break the unholy alliance of the Democratic party and teachers unions, which at best has institutionalized mediocrity, and has failed children across the country
c) fight for "CHOICE" in education and let parents decide
d) fight for vouchers for parents

8) Social Security and Medicare:
a) The Candidate will "save" social security and medicare from bankruptcy.
b) Options will include "private retirement" funds so people can "control" their own destiny.

9) Judges
a) The Candidate vows to support ONLY judges who recognize that their job is to interpret the Constitution, and NOT legislate from the bench.

10) American Dream:
The Candidate accepts as their duty and responsibility to educate, inform, and remind people that with the blessings of Freedom comes a Great responsibility. That Government's primary goal is to preserve, protect and defend our God given gift of freedom.

That Government's do not have the ability to solve all of our problems, and to take away all of our fears and concerns. We need their pledge that we will be the candidate that promotes Individual liberty, Capitalism, a strong national defense and will support policies that encourage such...

It is our fundamental belief that limited Government, and Greater individual responsibility will insure the continued prosperity and success for future generations.

We the people who believe in the words of Ronald Reagan, that we are "the best last hope for man on this earth," "a shining city on a hill," and that our best days are before us if our Government will simply trust the American people.

It's Just A Tiny Country............

It's just a tiny country.......... No threat to a super power!

It's just a tiny country.......... It's people are strange and different!

It's just a tiny country.......... We misunderstand their religion!

It's just a tiny country.......... It's little leader doesn't mean what he says!

It's just a tiny country.......... They really don't want to kill the Jews!

It's just a tiny country.......... They'll listen to reason if we just talk with them!

It's just a tiny country.......... Let them build their weapons and military!

It's just a tiny country.......... Their 70 million people don't threaten us!

It's just a tiny country.......... There is no proof that they will attack us!

It's just a tiny country.......... We are too busy in other areas to care!

It's just a tiny country.......... They want peace, just like us!

It's just a tiny country! Yes, you are right Mr. Obama, it is just a tiny country after all. But I wasn't writing about Iran, I was referencing 1939 Germany. People said all those things about Hitler back then. By not stopping him in 1939, he unleashed World War II on the world. Yes, a tiny 70 million population country, the size of Ohio, the population of Iran, started a bloody war that took the lives of over 60 million before it was over.

There are many occasions where history has repeated itself. We are quickly moving in that direction once again. Great nations and great leaders understand that appeasement will not work with those who's hate and lust for power exceeds the realm of reason.

Iran's quest for nuclear weapons, long range missiles and thirst for regional domination sends a clear signal to who ever wins the Presidency this year. Iran is a problem that grows each day and like a festering boil it will swell until it is lanced. Yes, it's just a tiny country indeed!