A Vertical View - For a Change

Mike Huckabee on Bill Maher's show

2010-11-13T19:40:00.000-08:00

Huckabee is the best candidate for the Republican party for 2012. There's no one else on the landscape who could have this kind of reasonable discussion.

Never forget

2009-09-11T06:57:00.001-07:00

Days of shock. A skyline of smoke. Cars at the train station, covered with flowers. Story after story. Prayer. Tears. Hope that some would survive. Resolve. Flags everywhere - every house, every car...Praying today for those left behind, for those who serve, for those who remember, for those who lead. Grateful for the heroes of that day. And so, so proud to be an American. Never, ever forget....

Talking to America's Schoolchildren

2009-09-06T05:29:00.000-07:00

The President of the United States will address the students of the nation, live, this Tuesday, September 8th.

According to the White House website, “The President will talk directly to students across the country on the importance of taking responsibility for their education, challenging them to set goals and do everything they can to succeed.”

The reaction is – well, mixed.

To a technology-savvy younger generation, and to his supporters (now, based on the polls, a rapidly shrinking number), it’s a very cool idea. To his detractors, it smacks of brainwashing. To a large number of people in the middle, the reaction goes from “I guess it’s OK, he’s the president after all,” to “It’s a little creepy.”

I’ve thought about it a lot the past few days.

I’ve tried to imagine it without the technology. Imagine if the president were going to visit a school in my town. It would be exciting: the youngest students might wonder if he’s bringing his dog, the average student might rejoice to be getting out of a boring class, the connected student might see if they can ask the president a question or two.

But if he were to come for a visit, I doubt he’d send lesson plans ahead of time.

And that’s where a great deal of the concern arises. (That, and, well – the technology. And the idea of him speaking to the students of the entire nation. Cool. Creepy.)

I’ve gone to the White House website and looked the plans over. (Well, they have changed, in response to criticism. That seems to be a pattern with this administration. But I digress.) Gone is the part about writing a letter to yourself (is that not a bit odd? “Dear Self…”) about ‘how I can support the president.’

In the lesson plans, there are words like ‘concept web,’ ‘listening with purpose,’ ‘think/pair/share,’ and ‘cluster web.’ Students are encouraged to make posters, poems, and songs. But two things they are not encouraged to do:

Challenge, and Disagree.

I do have to wonder. The lesson plans come from the Department of Education. Does that department think its own teachers can’t come up with context for this speech? Don’t they trust their own teachers? But again, I digress. The idea of the executive branch of government determining lesson content for local schools – well, there’s no question about that on the lesson plan menu. Go figure.

There is the timing of speech. On the logical side, it’s the day many children (just so we know we’re talking about children here, not voters) go back to school. Maakes sense.

On the concerned side, it’s right in the midst of a hotly debated health care/health insurance reform debate. One wonders if such a speech by the president would be welcome, say, a month before a presidential election. Timing does matter.

But perhaps, in the end, it’s a good thing. He is the president, he’s an inspiring figure, and his topic (stay in school, make personal goals) is worthy. He’s not saying “Tell your parents to support my policies. And you high schoolers, be sure to campaign – and vote - for me in the 2012 election.”

So – given the whole checks and balances in government thing, will Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi get the opportunity to speak to the children next month? Will Chief Justice John Roberts be given this opportunity in November? Just wondering. Fair’s fair. (But there I go, Challenging, and Questioning. I need to think/pair/share instead, maybe.)

As a homeschool parent and teacher, I choose my children’s curriculum. I read over each word, each concept web, each cluster web (OK, I read it all, but I have no clue what a cluster web is. Sorry. ) In our homeschool, we’re open to a range of ideas, and we discuss – and challenge – those ideas. Bring it on, Mr. President. We’re happy to hear what you have to say. And then, in the context of my parental oversight, we’ll discuss it.

Freedom of speech, and all that.

The biggest issue to me in all of this, though, is about that very freedom of speech.

I don’t remember a whole lot about kindergarten. I remember once Mrs. Coleman getting flustered because there were ants in the box of cookies. (Given my aversion to ants, I think now she handled it pretty smoothly.) She was nice. Honestly, that’s about all I remember of that basement public school classroom. Except for one other thing.

When I was in kindergarten (I’m about to date myself), my teacher prayed with us. And read the Bible. Out loud.

We can’t do that now. Tolerance, the establishment clause, and just, well, because we don’t anymore. More than that, we stifle much in our public school system that has to do with the teaching of Jesus Christ (He really lived, after all), and the incredible influence of His teaching on the founding of our nation.

So I’m wondering. What if the president led the children in prayer? Or what if he quoted a verse of Scripture? Just sort of went off the teleprompter and recited the 23rd Psalm, or the Beatitudes. I'm just saying...

Is Jesus welcome in the classrooms of America? For a visit, for a speech, for a discussion or cluster web of His ideas?

He's welcome in our classroom.

Looking forward to what you have to say, Mr. President.

Some thoughts on the Fourth of July

2009-07-03T10:32:00.000-07:00

Some have determined to oppose our new president, Barack Obama, in everything from the way he walks to how he speaks to what he names his dog. Yet in a day in which political leaders publicly trash their own marriages, rendering their conservative positions hypocritical, President Obama is a good example of a loving husband and father, for instance.

Some focus so much on financial matters that they make them the over-riding priority. Others dwell on what the president has said in the past and wring their hands over what they imagine he will do in the future, rather than dealing with the present. And some simply refuse to obey the simplest Biblical command, to pray for those in authority (as though America's situation allows them that license, more than in the time it was written: when the political leader was the insane and Christian-persecuting Nero.)

But there are substantive concerns for Christians these days, during this Obama
administration.

Three days after his inauguration, President Obama rescinded the Mexico City policy. The policy was first put in place by President Ronald Reagan. It prohibits U.S. taxpayer money from being used to fund abortions and abortion referral/counseling overseas, for international aid groups. (President Clinton cancelled it after his election; President George Bush - 43 - put it back in place.) This was despite campaign promises to reduce the number of abortions, to say nothing of its occurrence during a time of serious economic pressure in the United States (do we have extra money to fund abortions in other nations?). Obama rescinded the Mexico City policy one day after the anniversary of the landmark Supreme Court decision, Roe v. Wade.

President Obama has taken steps to reverse another Bush policy: the conscience rule. The rule allows for physicians and nurses to refuse to provide abortion services, based on their own consciences. Though the president recently spoke at Notre Dame about 'finding common ground' on the abortion issue, and on the need for a 'sensible conscience rule', his administration is working toward removing this vital option for medical personnel.

Although the "Fourth of July" celebrates the Declaration of Independence, which states that we are 'endowed by our Creator with certain inalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness,' 50 million babies have been aborted in this country since the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision. That's the equivalent of a 9/11 catastrophe happening every day for 50 years.

Late-term abortion provider George Tiller, whose murder was a terrible crime and has been denounced by all pro-life groups, performed 60,000 abortions, particularly late and so-called partial birth abortions. At his funeral, he was heralded as a hero.

There are serious concerns that with the balance of the Congress as it is, that the Freedom of Choice Act could become a reality - thereby overturning any and all pro-life incremental regulations that now exist.

In terms of the sanctity of marriage, the current administration's views stand in sharp contrast to the laws of God. While God's Word is plain that God's love extends equally to all, and that all are equally sinners, it is also plain that God has a plan for heterosexual marriage, and that certain behavior outside of marriage (homosexual and non-marital heterosexual) is sinful.

However, this past month the White House proclaimed June 2009 as "Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Pride Month."

Same sex marriage is legal in several states of the United States, with efforts underway to continue, state by state. Civil unions are legal in our own state of New Jersey, and there is currently a battle on both sides regarding actual same-sex marriage. Gender neutral marriage has been recommended by some in Trenton, and the current governor says he would sign it. The New Jersey Family Research Council is working hard to gain support for a constitutional amendment in this state, which would protect traditional marriage.

Bioethics has taken America to new, horrifying levels, allowing for the forming and termination of life.

The cult of celebrity has placed in positions of honor those who abuse their 'significant other' in domestic violence, those who live together without marriage, those who take drugs - both performance-enhancing, prescription, and illegal, those who rail against authority, and those who denounce our country. And often all this is in songs sung by the youth of our nation.

On the financial front, more and more debt is being accumulated so that Senator John McCain has called it "generational theft." Times Square's National Debt Clock is running out of spaces, and recently had to replace the dollar sign with another digit. Each American - from newborn baby to centenarians - owes approximately $36,000 on an ever-increasing national debt.

The current administration is proposing increased taxation to remedy climate concerns and the health insurance situation. Throughout the country, citizens are staging "Tea Party" re-enactments, to protest runaway taxation, while the mainstream media mocks their efforts.

And in the meantime, the maniacal regime of North Korea has positioned missiles in the direction of Hawaii and the West Coast of the United States, with very little being done by this country to strong-arm them into backing down.

Iran is in turmoil, there has been a clamor for more freedom, and the Obama administration delayed in expressing support - yet spoke out immediately to condemn the ouster of a Chavez-like ruler in Honduras. America's two strongest allies - Israel and Great Britain - have been snubbed time and time again, while the administration seeks out Arabic countries for friendship.

Illegal immigration has turned border cities upside down, and has caused conflict throughout the nation. At the same time, those here illegally are in grave danger - particularly women and children - from those who control them and harm them, and they themselves fear getting help from authorities.

Church attendance is in decline, and Biblical literacy (despite a plethora of Bibles, Christian bookstores, radio and television programming, and an endless number of internet sites) is at an all-time low, as materialism becomes the current god of many who claim to be Bible-believing Christians. For the first time in nearly two decades, no White House representative attended National Day of Prayer events. Yet criticizing Christians have absented themselves from local church prayer meetings, so that many are no longer held.

And all the while, the country is more concerned with the details of the massive memorial service for the King of Pop than it is about human trafficking and abandoned or abused children, or that no-longer-mentioned (even by the administration) matter of global terrorism and jihad against the United States.

Soldiers still defend our freedom, and still die, in Afghanistan and Iraq, and other places around the world.

And instead of determining to redeem the time because the days are evil, too many Christians use all this as an excuse to throw up their hands in despair and do nothing. While the case can be made that the imminent return of Christ is nearer than ever before, 'what manner of persons ought ye to be' should compel us - in the light of that - to worship more, study more, witness more, give more, completely upend our lives more, and take advantage of every single minute - rather than the collective shaking of the head, the longing for a romanticized past, and the group version of 'tsk, tsk.'

We can do much better.

National Day of Prayer

2009-05-07T07:39:00.000-07:00

This saddens me considerably.

The president is not, nor could he/she ever be, my pastor. I don't look to him for my theology, my doctrine, my church policy. But I do expect my president to be an example.

It's not about whether or not the president prays daily. (A form of that argument is often used in the school prayer situation: 'We're not saying you can't pray, kids pray for tests all the time,' blah, blah, blah.) I am glad to hear that the president does pray daily.

But this is not about that. This is about calling the nation to prayer.

Now, I believe that the prayer that God hears is the prayer of those who have come to Him in faith, believing that He sent Jesus His Son to die for their sins. So - why would I think it's important for the leader of this nation to call the nation to prayer?

Because it's a public acknowledgement that the people of this land recognize their need of God.

I wish they all knew the God of the Bible. That's 'my' job, though - my church's job, and the job of all Christians, to share that joy, that truth. But it is a good thing for this nation - led by its leader (in the White House, publicly, not just by a quiet, last minute proclamation) - to join together and say, 'We need prayer.'

I disagree with President Obama on so many things. But - he's still my president. I wanted to believe we would have a day - at least a day - of joining together to acknowledge that this nation needs prayer. It reminds me of the day after the attack on September 11th that the Congress stood on the steps in the nation's capital and sang "God bless America." It didn't change everyone's political views. But for that one moment -

well, it was memorable, a proud time to be an American.

I'm not a supporter of the president's policies - but I thought, I hoped, that for one day, we'd unite in prayer for the nation. Instead, I feel slighted, or worse - that I (an evangelical Christian) am sort of a second-class citizen, someone he would like to ignore or push aside. I wanted to feel as though I was on his side, and he was on mine, even if ever so briefly.

As I said, it makes me sad...Sad, but not bitter. I will be praying for the president today, on the National Day of Prayer, in my town at noon, in my church, and in my home.

That promise of faithful prayer, in this year of change, is something that will not change.

Pictures added after over 30 people from my town gathered to confess sin, to offer thanks, to ask for mercy, and to pray for our leaders - including the President - by name.

Why I volunteer for Huckabee, and for Team Huck

2009-04-28T17:32:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow is National Volunteer Day at Team Huck (aka Huckpac).

It's a day to celebrate the growing band of volunteers for Team Huck, some who are experienced political coordinators, and some who are, like me, well....new at this.

Until this past year, I had never spent hours making phone calls for a candidate before (I had never made a single call before this year). I had never sent e-mails to people, encouraging them to vote a particular way. I had never given of my money to a political leader before (well, taxes don't count...).

It's not that I hadn't cared. I had.

It's not that I wasn't informed. I was.

It's not that I didn't vote. I always did.

But this time, I got inspired. Gov. Mike Huckabee has inspired me.

He's not running for anything right now. But he is seeking to get people involved in getting a new generation of leaders elected: leaders who stand for what he stands for, who think the way he thinks, and who will fight for what he knows matters -

The right to life for all Americans - no matter their stage of development on the human being timeline. The guardianship of the time-tested tradition of marriage as a foundation of the family. The link between the second amendment - and the first. A revolutionary new idea that combines giving government its due and letting the people keep theirs: the Fair Tax. And a defense of the nation that acknowledges the evil in the world - but doesn't ascribe it where it doesn't belong. And much more...

Gov. Huckabee showed me how my values can be upheld without bashing someone else's, that I can articulate strong positions - and still smile while I do it, that Vertical Politics looks to an individual as a fellow American - and potential friend first, not as an automatic enemy.

Are you like me? I'm a 51-year-old happily married wife (of 28 great years!) and mother (three fabulous children, and one son-in-law!), I'm overwhelmed to know Jesus Christ as my Savior (He is my everything), I'm a homeschooling teacher (since 1990) and a member of my church's ministry staff....I have passions about sharing my faith, stopping human trafficking, raising my kids, and being all God wants me to be...

...but along the way, I've come to realize I can make a difference in my country, too. Team Huck is how I can do it. Everything I do there - give, call, blog, network, support - gets multiplied, because other like-minded people do it with me.

Why not join me? Get inspired, sign on, and let's make a difference!

Photo from Saturday night's Defenders of the Family Banquet in New Jersey

Salt and Light

2009-03-27T06:44:00.000-07:00

My cousin is on staff at Palm Beach Atlantic University, and she got a front row seat at Governor Mike Huckabee's appearance this week. She said students are still talking about it.

Here is the link to the article on PBA's website: http://www.pba.edu/media/news-releases/huckabee-chapel-speaker.cfm

Letter to the President

2009-01-19T21:37:00.000-08:00

My letter to President Barack Obama.

Sanctity of Human Life Day: Last One For Awhile?

2009-01-15T20:22:00.000-08:00

President Ronald Reagan instituted National Sanctity of Human Life Day in 1984. Since then, it has been held every year and by every president - except the years when William Clinton was president.

Today, in one of his last official acts, President George Bush signed the proclamation, declaring this Sunday, January 18th, as National Sanctity of Human Life Day.

National Sanctity of Human Life Day, 2009
A Proclamation by the President of the United States of America

All human life is a gift from our Creator that is sacred, unique, and worthy of protection. On National Sanctity of Human Life Day, our country recognizes that each person, including every person waiting to be born, has a special place and purpose in this world. We also underscore our dedication to heeding this message of conscience by speaking up for the weak and voiceless among us.

The most basic duty of government is to protect the life of the innocent. My Administration has been committed to building a culture of life by vigorously promoting adoption and parental notification laws, opposing Federal funding for abortions overseas, encouraging teen abstinence, and funding crisis pregnancy programs. In 2002, I was honored to sign into law the Born-Alive Infants Protection Act, which extends legal protection to children who survive an abortion attempt. I signed legislation in 2003 to ban the cruel practice of partial-birth abortion, and that law represents our commitment to building a culture of life in America. Also, I was proud to sign the Unborn Victims of Violence Act of 2004, which allows authorities to charge a person who causes death or injury to a child in the womb with a separate offense in addition to any charges relating to the mother.

America is a caring Nation, and our values should guide us as we harness the gifts of science. In our zeal for new treatments and cures, we must never abandon our fundamental morals. We can achieve the great breakthroughs we all seek with reverence for the gift of life.

The sanctity of life is written in the hearts of all men and women. On this day and throughout the year, we aspire to build a society in which every child is welcome in life and protected in law. We also encourage more of our fellow Americans to join our just and noble cause. History tells us that with a cause rooted in our deepest principles and appealing to the best instincts of our citizens, we will prevail.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, GEORGE W. BUSH, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim January 18, 2009, as National Sanctity of Human Life Day. I call upon all Americans to recognize this day with appropriate ceremonies and to underscore our commitment to respecting and protecting the life and dignity of every human being.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this fifteenth day of January, in the year of our Lord two thousand nine, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-third.

GEORGE W. BUSH

Praying for the most vulnerable among us (babies and mothers), for those who still grieve over a loss they now regret, and for the future decisions made by a nation and her people.

What Really Matters

2008-12-22T05:40:00.000-08:00

"Hell," No?

2008-12-18T06:48:00.000-08:00

Words matter.

I was reading Drudge, and saw the headline about the interview with President Bush, in which he is quoted as saying "I didn't compromise my soul to be a popular guy."

So I clicked on the link, which went to this:
http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=D954PB1G3&show_article=1

There was an article, picture, and some quotes. And one quote by the President is this:

What do you expect? We've got a major economic problem and I'm the president during the major economic problem. I mean, do people approve of the economy? No. I don't approve of the economy. ... I've been a wartime president. I've dealt with two economic recessions now. I've had, hell, a lot of serious challenges. What matters to me is I didn't compromise my soul to be a popular guy.

The word 'hell' stood out to me. It sounded careless, like a president who has let down his guard, who has lost his edge, who no longer maintains the air of dignity he has kept publicly (with few exceptions) throughout his presidency.

A little while later, I was at Fox News, and saw that this interview is headlined there, since it was their own Bret Baier who conducted it. They had a transcript linked -
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2008/12/17/raw-data-bret-baier-interviews-president-bush/
which had the same quote as above. But they also had a video link.

I clicked on the video link, and watched it.

There is no 'hell.'

Watch it - it comes at about the 3 minute mark. The camera is on his face. He clearly did not say that.

The President says 'you know,' not 'hell.'

One wonders why such a word would be inserted into a highly publicized transcript that is then quoted in other well-publicized articles, when it wasn't there in the first place.

You know?

Rick Warren To Give Inauguration Invocation

2008-12-17T11:44:00.000-08:00

Pastor Rick Warren, whose Saddleback Forum was the best 'debate' of the campaign, will give the invocation at the inauguration of Barack Obama.

Pastor Rick Warren is pro-life. Many will criticize him for giving this invocation, due to that fact alone. I share Pastor Warren's passion for the born and the unborn, and I commend him for accepting the invitation to pray. If all of us who name the Name of Jesus - whether we voted for Barack Obama or not - followed in that example and prayed for the new administration and for the nation, change would happen: the kind of change once referred to as 'revival.'

David Brody reports:

Pro-life pastor Rick Warren will give the invocation at President-Elect Barack Obama’s inauguration. It makes a whole lot of sense. Even though Warren and Obama disagree on the life issue, they do see eye to eye on many social justice issues. This move is also classic Obama because it is a signal to religious conservatives that he’s willing to bring in both sides to the faith discussion in this country. Obama has never shied away from that.

The benediction will be led by Reverend Dr. Joseph E. Lowery. The Civil Rights leader seems to be the perfect pick on such an historic day in this nation’s history.

Read the rest of the article here.

Sarah Palin speaks about the fire at her church

2008-12-15T21:25:00.000-08:00

A Book Worth Waiting For

2008-11-22T08:57:00.000-08:00

No, I didn't wait in a line 800-deep, like these people did in a Sam's Club in Arkansas. But then, I didn't get mine autographed, either.

I'll blog about the book soon. Meantime -

Check this out:

My candidate speaks of my president

2008-11-10T08:39:00.000-08:00

In what are perhaps Gov. Mike Huckabee's finest words, he describes exactly how I feel right now - and why I am proud to be a supporter of Gov. Huckabee. It's two and a half minutes long - and worth every second.

Here is the transcript, in article form by Mike Huckabee:

It's no secret that I personally supported John McCain for president. I agreed with him on core issues and he and I are in the same party, but I also truly believe he's an extraordinary and honorable American hero.

I campaigned hard for him — to the point of losing my voice in fact. But Americans elected Barack Obama and it's time to put the election behind us and the country in front of us.

Barack Obama wasn't my choice, but come January 20, he will be my president. I will pray for him and his family. I want him to be successful in leading our country.

I will not seek to see all of his faults and none of his qualities.

Some of President Bush's harsh critics went beyond loyal opposition and engaged in angry, vile and mean-spirited hate.

Those of us who found that kind of attitude and behavior despicable can hardly engage in similar conduct toward a President Obama.

We can show our true patriotism conducting ourselves in the way that we wanted people to have treated President Bush.

In my lifetime, I saw the revolting and repulsive indignities of racism manifested in people of color being subjected to separate schools, waiting rooms, seating areas in theaters and water fountains.

It's an embarrassing part of our nation's history that we can never ignore. The evil, selfish — yes, sinful — treatment of other Americans because of color cannot be erased. But we can all celebrate that on this Election Day, a man was elected to live in the White House who 50 years ago would have at best been able to serve coffee there.

It means that when mothers put their children to bed, they will be able to tell them that there are no limits to their opportunities in America and young black children will be able to know that their pathway to the top is not necessarily limited to sports or entertainment, but might be through education, hard work and public service.

Surely, even the most partisan Republican can appreciate that.

If Barack Obama pushes tax increases, indifference to the sanctity of life or same sex marriages, I'll strongly and loudly disagree. But I will still show him the respect that he has earned having been elected president of the United States.

Yes, my president.

That's my view. I would love to have yours. E-mail your comments to: huckmail@foxnews.com

Time to Pray

2008-11-05T20:52:00.000-08:00

Throughout this campaign, I've had an exciting sense of duty toward my candidate, whether it was former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee, or Senator John McCain and Alaska Governor Sarah Palin. I felt as though my involvement mattered, that it would make a difference.

And while I made it a point to pray for all the candidates by name during the primary and general election (and to learn the names of their spouses and children), I now have a new intensity in my praying. I have a responsibility - given by God - to pray for my leaders, and that now includes the 44th president of the United States, Barack Obama (to which I will add his wife, Michelle, and daughters Sasha and Malia).

I've found a wonderful reminder and help in that prayer focus. It's the "77 Days of Prayer For Our New President" (the 77 days between election and inauguration). It's here, and you can leave a comment or prayer there if you wish as well.

Join me in prayer - because it matters!

Eyewitness

2008-11-05T20:35:00.000-08:00

My brother Chuck and nephew Eric were at the Obama Election Night Rally in Grant Park in Chicago. Chuck's description of the night is stirring and encouraging. Take a moment and read it here.

This Night

2008-11-04T21:07:00.001-08:00

Praying for our new president-elect. No matter my vote, I celebrate the incredible history of this moment. I write about it here.

God bless America.

Voting for Trig

2008-11-03T13:47:00.000-08:00

We were sitting at the kitchen table over breakfast, talking about the election. Spread out across plates of pancakes and syrup was the large, unfolded “Official General Election Sample Ballot.” Two of them, in fact.

My kids were more interested than I had hoped they’d be. But their fascination extended past the first two familiar columns, onto names they had never heard.

“Who are all these people running for president?,” they asked, with some amazement.

We tried to read the tiny print delineating party associations, smaller than anything my reading glasses could decipher. And then they noticed the write-in section.

“You can just type in anybody’s name?” And then they reminded me of a time when I’d threatened to do just that, especially when my first choice finally lost his bid to get the Republican nomination.

It’s a big election we’re having. And I’ve followed it for so long, it’s hard to imagine it’s almost over. I’ve followed issues, learned about policies, read websites, watched news clips, pored over interviews, compared plans, and prayed much. I’ve gotten involved to a deeper level than I ever had before. And now it’s here.

It’s historic, to be sure. The first African-American president – or the first woman vice president. And beyond that – values and ideas and programs and futures.

The economy. Bailouts. Supreme Court Justices. War. Taxes. Polls, polls, and more polls.

It all gets a little dizzying after awhile, even for a political junkie.

I thought of friends and family members, homeschool friends, other Christians, neighbors, and people whose signs declare their intentions. Like the old-time joke about placing an order in a Chinese restaurant, some want Column 1, some want Column 2, some want Column 4 or 5, some want Column 10, and a few even want that mysterious “Write-In Column.” I’ve heard or read their rationale, their arguments, their positions. I respect their decisions, even the ones with which I strongly disagree.

After reading more of the sample ballot, we prayed as a family over this election – for John McCain, Barack Obama, Sarah Palin, and Joe Biden. We prayed for their spouses – Cindy, Michelle, Todd, and Jill. We prayed for their children, too, for as many of the names as I know. And after our “Amen,” I realized with the last bit of certainty just who would receive my vote tomorrow.

Trig.

His name is not on the ballot – not directly. He is the little baby boy of Republican Vice Presidential candidate Sarah Palin. And he has Down syndrome.

I want Trig to win this election.

More than my views on the economy, more than my stand on the war, more than my concern about the next nominees for the Supreme Court, more than anything else, I realize that there is one issue that rises above and beyond all the others. It’s the one that the framers placed first in that string of inalienable rights worth risking everything for:

Life.

Thanks to increasing medical technology and decreasing values of the preciousness of each human being, there are fewer and fewer Trig Palins in this country. I want Trig Palin to be seen by this nation – learning to walk, starting to talk, living out a normal little-kid life…as normal as any world leader’s child’s can be.

Governor Sarah Palin knew this little boy would have Down syndrome. The usual pro-life philosophy calls tests like amniocentesis ‘search and destroy.’ But then, Sarah is not anyone’s definition of usual. She chose the testing – and then chose life.

I wonder what those first few nights were like when she tried to get to sleep, wondering what to do about this daunting piece of news. She has said she was sad, and a little confused at first. I’m sure she prayed.

She said in an interview that she didn’t blink when Senator John McCain asked her to be his running mate. In the end, she didn’t blink when God asked her to mother Trig Palin.

Trig’s name means ‘strength.’ I think John McCain showed strength, and courage, when he served our country for five and a half years as a Prisoner Of War. Sarah Palin showed strength when she determined that Trig would have a normal life, protected from the culture of death, and built up by the confidence that he is perfect, blessed, and created by a loving Heavenly Father.

Because John McCain chose Sarah, because Sarah chose Trig, I choose them.

Tomorrow, I will vote – proudly, and prayerfully – for the name not seen but profoundly represented on my ballot:

Trig Palin.

The Lighter Side!

2008-11-02T14:33:00.000-08:00

Life....

2008-10-28T20:01:00.000-07:00

The Washington Times' editorial reads, "McCain for President." It begins,

Few doubt Barack Obama's considerable abilities. For many, he represents a final, healing chapter in the nation's long battle for civil rights. And he epitomizes the dreams of many African Americans who identify with him as Catholics did with John F. Kennedy - add to that his confident speeches, his charisma and his charm.

We would urge our readers to step back from the polls and press coverage, and soberly weigh the experiences and stands of Mr.Obama and John McCain.

The article then does just that - it carefully goes through issues like experience, taxes, spending, the Supreme Court, the War on Terror, Iraq, Israel and Iran, gun rights, union elections, and at the very end, the issue that, for me, comes first (as in "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness'), abortion.

"The first thing I would do as president," Mr. Obama said, "is sign the Freedom of Choice Act," which would sweep away all federal and state restrictions on abortion (including parental consent for minors and the partial-birth abortion ban). It is no wonder that Princeton professor Robert George, a member of the President's Council on Bio-Ethics, concludes that "Barack Obama is the most extreme pro-abortion candidate ever to seek the office of President of the United States." By contrast, Mr. McCain is strongly pro-life.

A good read. The rest is here.

Joe The Game-Changer?

2008-10-18T21:04:00.000-07:00

From the best new show on television, "Huckabee" on the Fox News Channel:

My thought? Whatever your view is of this election, it's not a proud moment when a man who dares to ask a question of a candidate ends up having his life scrutinized, ridiculed, and plastered all over the internet. Joe's question, Sen. Obama's answer, and the media's knee-jerk reaction each tell an important story right now.

Sarah's Heart for Special Needs

2008-10-17T05:37:00.000-07:00

This is a must-see video. I cannot recall a time in America's history when children who have been in the shadows of the national conscience are so heralded, acclaimed, and noticed for the precious souls they are. I want this woman a heartbeat away: she has the right kind of heart.

Class Acts

2008-10-16T21:53:00.000-07:00

Pastors and Politics

2008-10-13T08:51:00.001-07:00

"Huckabee" is a great show. It's creative and compelling - and while former governor and presidential candidate Mike Huckabee is a clarion voice for conservative values, he provides a place for opposing views.

This weekend (the show airs on Fox News Channel, Sat. and Sun. at 8 and 11 p.m., ET) he had on two pastors, one who supports John McCain and one who supports Barack Obama. The discussion was very interesting, and worthy of re-airing on this humble blog.

It was great to see the pastors join The Little Rockers (Mike's in-house Fox News band that plays at the end of each program) in performing "Mustang Sallie"!

"Huckabee" - The Show Goes On!

2008-10-05T13:53:00.000-07:00

Well, we made it this time.

Last Saturday, we contacted Fox News Channel and got information on being a part of the live audience for the premiere of Gov. Mike Huckabee's television show (aptly named "Huckabee"). It was to be on a first-come, first-served basis, so Bill and I got to the studio on time to stand in line, pass through security, and get almost into the first show.

But lots of Huckabee friends, campaign associates, and family came, too, and there are only so many seats, so add 'being in an audience' to the list of things in which "almost doesn't count". Before we knew it, we were back out on the rainy midtown Manhattan streets, carrying out little brown bags of bacon (I write about our bewilderment at this unusual consolation prize on "Liberty and Lily," my other blog, here - be sure to check out the gracious comment left there by Gov. Mike's daughter Sarah).

Our story needed a happier ending, so armed this time with e-mail and phone call promises of guaranteed seats, we dropped off our car at the local mall, took NJ Transit's 197, and headed into the city. We brought our oldest daughter, too (a Christian, 22, homeschooled all her life, married two years, manager of a bookstore/cafe, and a college student working on becoming a nurse...Yes, I'm a proud mama).

There's always a long and a short version of any story. Here, for those who are impatient, is the short version:

We got in, it's very cool, there wasn't time for Bill's and Bethany's questions, but she got asked one by Mike in a new segment, the show was great, we got to meet him again at the end and he actually remembered us from our first meeting in the spring (Bill wrote about that, complete with pictures, here)

The longer version has a few spoilers in it, for those reading this before 8 p.m. ET, when the show airs tonight (to be repeated at 11 p.m. Apparently, it will usually air both Saturday and Sunday nights at those times).

After the hallway refreshments (very good), chance to be considered for the Q & A time, audience etiquette reminders, and last opportunity to visit the rest rooms (those producer types think of everything), we went back upstairs and entered the studio.

It was quite impressive. Music was playing, lights were shining, people were busy. It was not large, and every space was utilized. Once we got our assigned seats (five rows on an incline) we could sit back for a few moments and scan our surroundings.

It seemed that every square inch of ceiling was covered with a phalanx of black circles of lenses and monitors. Twenty different people were milling about, some with large cameras on their shoulders or being pushed in front of them, some with clipboards, others with heads wired for communication with the unseen magicians that put this together, all with an air of something-is-about-to-happen-here.

In front of us was a stretch of wooden floor, then a carpeted platform area with two upholstered chairs - Mike's show set. Over to the right and below us was a curtained spot where the Little Rockers, Mike's 'in-house band' would play. And all around - music still playing, Fox people still busying, lights still gleaming - there were computerized logos announcing "Huckabee", the reason we were there.

The Comedy Club comic, the show director and producer, all prepared us for what was coming - and then in walked the governor, obviously glad to be there and enthused for the show.

"Huckabee" is a blend of monologue, audience questions and answers (he does not know ahead of time what the questions will be), guests (this week, it was "Fair Tax" author and radio host Neal Boortz, in a timely segment, and actor and political activist Jon Voigt; Jon was interviewed via remote, but for a pretty good reason - he was about to introduce Sarah Palin at a California McCain/Palin rally), audience focus (he talked to a quintet of actual uniformed "Hockey Moms" from New Hampshire about their views on Palin, and he asked two members of the audience a question - more on that in a second), barnyard humor (it's not every day you get to see two pigs on a TV set in New York City), and music (made up of people who work at Fox....I know that the drummer's parents came to see him play, they were behind us in line, and very proud; Lauren Green played keyboard - she is exceptional - and, it has to be said, drop-dead gorgeous) - where Gov. Huckabee gets the chance to take off his jacket and strap on the bass guitar.

For the new audience segment, Mike goes back to where we are. Just before the cue to start, he chatted with our daughter.

"You're Bethany? Like the town?"

"Yeah," she said. "You know, Mary, Martha, and Lazarus!"

"I've been there," he smiled.

The man knows his Holy Land geography and Gospel references...

He went to Bethany first.

"Bethany, what do you think of when you think of 'pork'?"

Now my daughter knows her political terms, but she decided to go for something a little more colorful.

"Taylor ham?"

The governor looked momentarily bewildered.

It was a split second of sadness. You see, if New Jersey wasn't such a blue state, GOP hopefuls would spend more time there. And in the process, they'd know that pork roll, aka Taylor Ham, is on the menu of every single diner and deli in the Garden State (and pretty much nowhere else in the country).

Stick around our area, Governor - maybe next time around, you'll be downing Taylor Ham and cheese all through a hopeful primary season.

But then he asked her the quiz - which of the three outrageously expensive (and insane) projects were government pork? Believe it or not, the answer had to do with water-less urinals. (Our tax dollars being flushed...well, you get the picture.)

Next he asked the man in front of us - whom I'd met earlier and learned was a pastor from North Carolina, visiting in the city for a music conference at Brooklyn Tabernacle. His answer to the pork question was more to the Governor's culinary region: "Barbecue!"

He got another set of three over-the-top projects - and after we all learned what our government was doing with our tax dollars, Bethany and the NC pastor each got a personally autographed piggy bank - to save what they could keep away from the IRS.

The hour went too fast - and when it was over and we were thanked profusely for our presence, we all stood in line to greet Mike Huckabee.

At our turn, I told him I was praying for him and that I'm from HucksArmy. That must have jogged his memory, and I told him where we'd seen him last. I mentioned the contact with his daughter Sarah, and alluded to last week's gift of bacon. And the mystery was solved...

Turns out the bacon was to be a part of the show, but some legal obstacle prohibited it at the last minute. We've enjoyed it this past week, nonethless; the man certainly knows his pork, whether off the taxpayers or off the pig (well, except for pork roll - but he's learning).

Soon it was back on the city streets, back on the bus, through the tunnel, and on our way home. But we'll be back. The "Huckabee" show is something worth watching, and worth going to see - especially when you get in.

If you're planning a visit to New York City, or live near and just want to go and see the show, contact "Huckabee" at 1-877-HUCK-TIX.

"In God We Trust"

2008-10-03T21:00:00.000-07:00

I have heard strong arguments about this economic bill - both by those who say it absolutely should not have been passed, and those who say it absolutely had to be.

My desire is for leaders who seek after God in their decisions. Watch this clip (from midday Friday), particularly at about 2:47 into it.

Does this mean John Boehner is right, in supporting the bill? I don't know. I am sure there are some who prayed before voting against it. I am just glad to hear the name of God mentioned in the Senate Chamber. May it be a beginning, and not a benediction.

As Minority Leader Boehner said, we certainly need His help.

Palin's Plain Talk Connects

2008-10-02T22:16:00.000-07:00

We just watched something amazing tonight.

Sarah Palin did what she had to do - and more.

We prayed in church tonight for the election, for the nation, for all the principals by name - and for their family members, and for this debate tonight. And God answered prayer....

The minute I saw Sarah walk out with such confidence and joy - and shake Joe Biden's hand and say (because her mic seemed to be permanently on, both before and after the debate) "It's so great to meet you! Can I call you Joe?" I knew we were going to be just fine, and that it was going to be a fun night.

Sarah Palin controlled the debate. Joe Biden was immaterial tonight. He is a known entity, America gets what he's about and what he's not about - and while he is a friendly personality and had his good moments, especially when he passionately articulated his views on foreign policy - it often didn't matter what he said or did. And that was not just because she was new and America was curious.

It was because from the start, she steered the debate. Early on, she said to Gwen Ifill, 'Do you mind if I answer my views on such-and-such,' and she went onto her own topic. She was saying "I'm not a part of this debate Washington machine, I want to say what needs to be said and say it straight to the American people, whether it's on the debate agenda or not." She got across the points that were so important to make both for her views (like saying she has done the most about climate change in Alaska but she will not say it's all manmade; that she has friends from diverse communities and supports adults making alliances as they wish, but she stands strong on marriage being defined as one man and one woman; like bringing up first the kitchen table concerns of the average American who worries about health insurance and high taxes) and against Obama and Biden's views (the 'white flag of surrender,' 'dangerous policies', 'redistribution of wealth', being 'for it before you were against it') and she made those points fearlessly. While she looked at Joe Biden 'without blinking', she mainly looked at the camera, at the American people, and she connected.

Her public speaking skill level is very high - and while Biden can give a good speech, he veers into SenateSpeak. After awhile, the steady stream of facts and figures lose impact. If John McCain is the proponent of Straight Talk, Sarah Palin is the master of Plain Talk. She reminded me often of Ronald Reagan - "Say it isn't so, Joe," "There you go again, focusing on the past," and speaking with pride of American exceptionalism and the shining city on a hill. She drew a picture of her experience in Alaska as someone unafraid to take on corruption wherever it's found, building bipartisan coalitions, and creating the largest infrastructure project in North America (the pipeline). She talked masterfully of the need for energy independence, both as an economic issue and a national security priority.

Sarah Palin talks like America. She thinks like America. She connects with America.

And while she talks, she emblematizes what we love about America: that it's a place of hope and responsibility and freedom. She is proud of America, and happy and grateful to be an American - and it shows. There is no citizen of the world here. She was enjoying this, she feels strongly about the McCain/Palin ticket, she was confident, she was Sarah.

We have a winner here.

Sarah Palin: Heart-changer

2008-09-20T07:59:00.000-07:00

Sarah Palin is, right now, the most 'dangerous' woman in America, because she is a walking, breathing example of a woman living out pro-life beliefs in two of the most difficult circumstances: knowing a child has an irreversible birth defect, and having a pregnant teenage daughter.

Last night I heard O'Reilly talking about the intense hatred some women have for Sarah, and he suggested it was about abortion. (OK, O'Reilly doesn't 'suggest' anything ; I mean he proposed it, so to speak.) He then touched on something that we must consider: that there are some women who hate her because they themselves have had abortions.

As a member of the 'pro-life community,' I know we often speak of the numbers of babies who have been aborted, and it is fitting to honor them.

However, it is just as important to think of an equal number (or slightly less, in cases of 'repeats') of women who have had the abortions. These women live among us, they work with us, they are our neighbors, they are in our churches and may be in our families. They don't wear pins that say "Abortion customers for Obama," or some similar title; they just wear the scar on their hearts - a scar they try to ignore and hope will go away.

This is where I believe Sarah Palin is doing something that even Mike Huckabee could not have done (and please know I say that with the utmost respect and support for Mike, and as someone who wanted dearly for him to be president). Men can talk about abortion and the pro-life cause every day, and not have the impact of a woman who is living it out.

Sarah does not have to say a word about the sanctity of human life - ever. She will be a permanent target for those who want abortion to be unbridled in America. Pro-choice supporters know that even if not a single law is changed - even if Roe v. Wade stays the law of the land - Sarah Palin's rise, and her potential position as Vice President a heartbeat away from the Presidency - does more to change the United States into a pro-life-thinking country than anything else since that 1973 Supreme Court decision.

Sarah has the potential to change hearts.

A teenage girl, fearing to tell her parents and feeling pressured by friends into aborting her unborn baby, may see Sarah's and her daughter's pictures on supermarket magazines or on the internet, and may hope for a better response from her parents and may start to hope for a good life for her baby. A career woman, surprised by a pregnancy she thought she'd avoided, may see this woman cradling her little one on that convention stage or on the cover of People, and may think - maybe, just maybe, I can work this out. And the woman who has just been trampled by the news that her child will be among that dwindling population who has that extra chromosome - and whose fate has been scheduled by a doctor who has said it's for the best - may look into the precious eyes of little Trig and think, "What a beautiful little boy."

To pro-choice advocates, therefore, she must be stopped. To the most rabid among them, those who have gone past saying 'it's my right to choose' and have gone over to the dark side, she must be stopped at any cost. And to those who, in fact, have an abortion in their resume, keeping Sarah out of the limelight keeps them from having to confront memories that haunt them.

Those of us who support Sarah Palin need to do so with this battle in our minds - and seek to support her intensely, with prayer, and with an abundant measure of love in our faces and voices that draws and does not repel hurting women.

Something huge is happening here.