Make America Good Again

One of my favorite pictures that hangs in our bedroom.

We hear the wonderful platitude of how one candidate is going to #MakeAmericaGreatAgain. What does that mean? What makes America great? From what I hear from people voting for him he's going to make America great by building what sounds like a 310 foot wall if you count how many times he's said it just got 10 ft. taller. They also say America will be great again, because we stop all illegal immigration and we will all have jobs. Is that what makes America great though? I'm really not arguing the policies right now, but let's really think if this is the key to making America great. There are many countries that have close to 0 unemployment, but are they great. There are many countries who have great walls & have had great big YUGE walls, but are they great? There are many countries who have no illegal immigration & are they great?

Any country can have walls, no illegal immigration, & jobs but is that what makes them great. I really think our country is great because it is good. I had my children say a blessing before they ate when they were young, "God is great, God is good, let us thank Him for our food". The Bible talks about that God is both great and good. How can America be great if we aren't good? What is the difference? Great means of ability, quality, or eminence considerably above the normal or average. (From Bing) Good means possessing or displaying moral virtue, that which is morally right or righteous. (From Bing) One of the fruits of the spirit is goodness, and means the quality of being good (Galatians 5:22). The Bible tells us to think of things that are of good repute/report (Philippians 4:8).

What is it then that has made America good?

A French philosopher who visited our shores when America was a new young nation left a similar warning. Alexis De Tocqueville said he came to the United States to learn what magic quality enabled a handful of people to defeat the might British Empire twice in 35 years. He looked for the greatness of America in her harbors and rivers, her fertile fields and boundless forests, mines and other natural resources. He studied America's schools, her Congress, and her matchless Constitution without comprehending America's power. Not, until he went into the churches of America and heard pulpits "aflame with righteousness" did he understand the secret of her genius and strength. De Tocqueville returned to France and wrote: 'America is great because America is good, and if America ever ceases to be good, America will cease to be great.' John Stormer, Death of a Nation, 1968

This blog never started out to be political, but I have to profess that I've had a passion for it since I was a teenager. I'm not a Republican by identity, but necessity. It most closely aligns with my values regarding the party platform. I identify as a true Reagan constitutional conservative. I became a Reagan constitutional conservative at the age of 16 when I saw what the Carter administration did as a young girl. I remember the feelings of fear having a weak President, and anyone who thinks kids don't feel that and understand that don't understand the heart of children who can feel what is going on even when they don't understand really what's causing it. I remember the long lines at gas stations waiting for hours to get gas with hot chocolate & blankets to keep warm in the car. I remember the fears of my Mom wondering if we would have enough gas to get to work until the next time we could get back in line to wait. I remember the anxiety of inflation when we went to the grocery store, and how it was hurting everyone. Being raised by a single Mom in a small industrial town was where I could really feel all those anxieties even though I didn't understand everything about it.

Then came Reagan into office, and I can remember all those anxieties seemed to turn to hope for a better future. It did become a better future as the hostages were freed the same day that he was inaugurated. I can clearly remember the day my Mom bought herself a new car, a Plymouth Reliant K. We had usually borrowed my grandparents old car, and finally she had something of her own. That was a great day for us, and the freedom that we felt to have a car of our own. On January 28, 1986 there was so much excitement in the air at our school as the Space Shuttle Challenger was launched into the air with a school teacher Sharon Christa McAuliffe on board. It was televised live by satellite at my High School where I watched it in my social studies class.  It was promoted to schools by NASA because of the teacher on board, and to inspire children & teenagers in exploration of space. Live before our eyes we watched in horror as the shuttle disintegrated. It was something I will never forget. I remember that evening when Reagan addressed the Nation. He really encompassed the grief that we all felt, but also helped us to see the hope that NASA exploration would go on to do even greater things. This sums up the of goodness our country in that we dream big dreams, we accept the risk, but we forge through with hope when disasters come. One of Reagan's greatest accomplishments was putting one of the greatest defenders of life, liberty, and freedoms on the Supreme Court of the United States, Justice Antonin Scalia. Putting another strict Constitutionalist like Justice Scalia on the court is one of the single most important issues of this election. We can only trust that to a true Constitutional Conservative that memorized it, debated it, defended it at the SCOTUS 9 times on important religious liberty cases, states right cases, and Second Amendment case.

It was in my youth when Reagan became President that these feelings of hope for the future, and gratefulness for a free Nation caused me to be interested in politics. It grew over the years into what my husband would call an obsession to some degree. I'm obsessed about educating my children and others about being involved in the political process. I do have a love/hate relationship with politics where many just have a hate or a love for it. My son told me he hates politics because of all the arguing that goes on. I tell people that say they hate politics that it's like hot dogs or sausage. Do you like them? Well, I'm sure you don't want to hear or know the process but it's the process that creates what you like, and you wouldn't have what you like without the process. Politics is the same way. Do you like freedom & your rights given to us by the Constitution? It's the ugly process that gives us what we want, need, and like as Americans. The difference is that "We the People" are the only way we keep what we like by being a part of the ugly process. What I love about politics is what makes America good not great. Politics in America starts with the first Amendment where we fight out in an arena of ideas what America has been and will be for future generations. That has to be passed down to each generation, and then find the candidate who will fight for those ideas not with grand platitudes but substantive bold vision for the future of this Nation!

Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn't pass it on to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same, or one day we will spend our sunset years telling our children and our children's children what it was once like in the United States where men were free.            -Ronald Reagan, 1961

The deliberations of the Constitutional Convention of 1787 were held in strict secrecy. Consequently, anxious citizens gathered outside Independence Hall when the proceedings ended in order to learn what had been produced behind closed doors. The answer was proved immediately. A Mrs. Powell of Philadelphia asked Benjamin Franklin, 'Well, Doctor, what have we got, a republic or a monarchy?' With no hesitation whatsoever, Franklin responded, 'A republic, if we can keep it.'

We often hear about the American Dream, but what does it mean really? Wikipedia defines it as:

The American Dream is a national ethos of the United States, the set of ideals (Democracy, Rights, Liberty, Opportunity, and Equality) in which freedom includes the opportunity for prosperity and success, and an upward social mobility for the family and children, achieved through hard work in a society with few barriers. 

There is a movie that demonstrates this best entitled "The Pursuit of Happyness". This is a movie based off of a true story about a man named Chris Gardner who is struggling to provide for his family. His story is amazing with no education he runs into a stock broker on the street getting into a fancy car, and asked him what he does for a living. He asked him if he had gone to college and he said no just 6 month internship & you have to know numbers. He had worked hard as a salesman to sell his bone density scanners he invested in, but had a lot of struggles and obstacles to that. His wife left because of their financial situation, he lost his home, and had to scrape for everything to provide for him and his son. He didn't live in the projects and wasn't on food stamps. He worked for a better life for himself and his son. He did the internship by working harder and smarter than the others which landed him the job. There are two great quotes from the movie that demonstrate the greatness of America.

Chris Gardner: Hey. Don't ever let somebody tell you... You can't do something. Not even me. All right?
Christopher (his son): All right.
Chris Gardner: You got a dream... You gotta protect it. People can't do somethin' themselves, they wanna tell you you can't do it. If you want somethin', go get it. Period. 

It was right then that I started thinking about Thomas Jefferson on the Declaration of Independence and the part about our right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. And I remember thinking how did he know to put the pursuit part in there? That maybe happiness is something that we can only pursue and maybe we can actually never have it. No matter what. How did he know that? -Chris Gardner, The Pursuit of Happyness.

One of the best lines in the whole movie is when Chris shows up for the interview to do the internship as a broker. He comes in with his sleeveless undershirt with paint all over him because he just ran to interview from staying in jail over night for parking tickets. He had paint on because when he was arrested he had been painting his apartment, because he promised the landlord he'd paint it if he gave him one more week. Here's what the manager in the interview asked him and his answer:

Martin Frohm: What would you say if a man walked in here with no shirt, and I hired him? What would you say?
Chris Gardner: He must have had on some really nice pants.

This movie is so inspirational to me that through hard work and perseverance you can achieve anything in the greatest country in the World! There is a great scene in the movie that illustrates why America is good. The scene is when Chris Gardner and his son go to the homeless shelter and they attend church and Chris is embracing his son while the song "Lord don't move that mountain", but before the song came on Reverend Williams says:

The important thing about that freedom train, is it's got to climb mountains. We all have to climb mountains, you know. Mountains that go way up high and mountains that go deep and low. Yes, we know what those mountains are here at Glide. We sing about them. 

In another scene Chris' son Christopher begins to tell him a story.

Hey dad, you wanna hear something funny? There was a man who was drowning, and a boat came, and the man on the boat said 'Do you need help?' and the man said 'God will save me'. Then another boat came and he tried to help him, but he said 'God will save me', then he drowned and went to Heaven. Then the man told God, 'God, why didn't you save me?' and God said 'I sent you two boats, you dummy!'

These are all things to me that express what makes our country great because we are good! It was seeking a better life for himself and his son through the very hard struggles that made Chris achieve the American Dream. It was also that hope for a better future and never giving up on it! It's not having everything handed to you on a silver platter that makes someone successful, great, or good!

I saw a video of a guy that said he wants a job and not a hand out. I love that guy, but the problem is that guy thinks that Trump is the answer when he isn't the answer. Cruz said it best at the end of one of the debates why Trump can't build the American Dream, because he doesn't understand it. Trump was fed with a silver spoon and has no concept of those who have scraped by and worked hard to build a business from NOTHING! Not only has Trump not built his business from the ground up he's been the problem for the last 45 years and now wants to say he can fix it because he knows from experience the problem giving to politicians for favors! That's like asking the fox to guard the henhouse. That's not how it works at all!

We need someone who understands the heart of the American Dream and the banner of Freedom. Who understands that better than Ted Cruz. He is the son of an immigrant Father who escaped from communist Cuba right after the rise of Cuban dictator Castro. Rafael Cruz had been in a Cuban prison, and escaped the prison and Cuba to come to America. Rafael began as a dishwasher and worked hard to achieve the American Dream for himself and his family. Battled issues in his life like alcohol and discovered a better way of life through his relationship with Jesus Christ. He then taught his son the Bible along with the Constitution at the dinner table every evening. The ethics of freedom and hard work were drilled into Ted Cruz at a very young age.

Ted Cruz went on to go to Princeton and Harvard. He helped to put himself through college and his parents worked hard to help him to get a great education to fulfill his dream of fighting for the Constitution. Instead of writing out his whole resume I'll just put it here for you.

Donald Trump disparaged Ted Cruz's faith by saying "not many evangelicals come out of Cuba". Yet Ted Cruz has said many times he won't disparage Donald Trump's faith despite the fact that Trump said "no one is a better person that he is", he shows his lack of understanding of scripture or following God's truth in any aspect of his life, and he says he never has asked for forgiveness or has a need to ask. Ted Cruz has never disparaged Donald Trump's wives or children despite the fact that Donald Trump tweeted a horrible picture of Heidi Cruz and saying he would "spill the beans" about his wife. Ted Cruz has only said that Trump's wife is "lovely" and a "good mother". When Ted Cruz talks about his wife he says "she amazes me everyday", "she's my best friend", "she's the love of my life" and "I love her very much". While Trump has only talked about his wife's looks, and it leaves me to wonder when he will leave her for a younger model like he did with his last 2 wives.

I read a story recently about how the eagle was chosen as our national bird and eventually the national symbol. Benjamin Franklin is said to have wanted the Turkey as the national bird.

For my own part I wish the eagle had not been chosen the representative of our country. He is a bird of bad moral character. -Ben Franklin

The American bald eagle was adopted as the national bird symbol of the United States of America in 1782 as suggested by many of the Founding Fathers. The bald eagle was chosen for it's majestic beauty, great strength, long life, and because it's native to North America. I have to disagree with Ben Franklin that the eagle is of bad moral character. If a bird can have moral character than I would think it is the eagle that has great moral character verses the Turkey that has bad moral character. The turkey does not mate for life, does not have good vision, and can't fly or soar. The male turkey fans its feather to attract females, ruffles all its feathers and gives the appearance its bigger than it actually is. It is weak and was originally called the turkey fowl. Does that remind you of any candidate? The bald eagle on the other hand has great vision and mates for life. They are known to make huge nest in the highest trees to guard over their young. Bald eagles are majestic and is talked about in many verses in the Bible because of its strength to carry up to 15 lbs.

Though youths grow weary and tired, and vigorous young men stumble badly, yet those who wait for the Lord will gain new strength; they will mount up with wings like eagles, they will run and not get tired, they will walk and not become weary. Isaiah 40:30-31

One day I was in Montana spending some time in prayer and reading the Bible. I looked to the mountains that were snow capped at the time and saw an eagle soaring across the mountain. I thought of this verse and how long & wide those eagles wings are with some of the longest wing span of any bird. I thought of how easy they soar without growing tired or weary. What hope that gave me in a difficult time I was going through where I felt extremely weak and weary! That kind of strength can only come from waiting on the Lord, as we do what He instructs us to do.

I believe we once again have a choice to make whether we will choose the turkey or the American bald eagle. We know that with Ted Cruz we will have a strong protector of our young in the womb and a strong protector of our freedom as he's fought in the Supreme Court 9 times. Ben Franklin might have been wrong about the turkey but he was right that we've been given a Republic if we can keep it, but we must carefully protect what has been given to us. Our rights come from our Creator and not from man or our government. We must choose the one candidate who understands the same God that created the eagle to set it's nest up high and gave men wisdom to create the greatest document ever written has been the greatest part of making our country great because we have sought to worship the God that makes us good!

Is it at your command that the eagle mounts up and makes his nest on high? Job 39:27

There is not any candidate that can make our country great if they don't understand what makes it good. We can only be good if we follow the One that commands the eagle to make it's huge protective nest on high. Let's once again choose the Great American Bald Eagle and not the Turkey!

FYI, even an Eagle knows a Turkey when he sees one!