THYME Magazine: Building Bridges

Citizen Journalism with a Better Flavor


Volume XI, Issue XXVII

Building Bridges

One of my favorite scenes in the movie: 'Remember the Titans' is the one where Gerry Bertier and Julius Campbell realize that they are indeed brothers. Though they are of different cultures in segregated Virginia, they come together as teammates and develop bonds that are far deeper. The film is one we should perhaps dust off in these difficult days and pause as well at the scene where the team runs at dawn to the battlefields of Gettysburg.Coach Herman Boone speaks:

Anybody know what this place is? This is Gettysburg. This is where they fought the Battle of Gettysburg. Fifty thousand men died right here on this field, fightin' the same fight that we're still fightin' amongst ourselves today.

This green field right here was painted red, bubblin' with the blood of young boys, smoke and hot lead pourin' right through their bodies. Listen to their souls, men:

I killed my brother with malice in my heart. Hatred destroyed my family.'

You listen. And you take a lesson from the dead. If we don't come together, right now, on this hallowed ground, we too will be destroyed -- just like they were. I don't care if you like each other or not. But you will respect each other. And maybe -- I don't know -- maybe we'll learn to play this game like men."

Indeed, upon learning of the death of the Reverend Honorable Clementa C. Pinckney and eight of his congregation, I read his biography on the church website. I grieved a brother. The man and I held dear the same things. He died loving the people of G-d and building the Unseen Kingdom. Reverend Pinckney and his little circle were co-laborers in my most cherished work.

Surely that would be a brief thought, only to be lost in the onslaught of politicized news to come in the days to follow.

But I had made a fatal miscalculation. I underestimated the G-d that Reverend Pinckney and I serve (the present tense in intentional, for I believe he stands in the Presence of our shared Master today). To know the true greatness of a man, look at his pupils! As the members of the congregation who had just lost loved ones at the hands of a depraved gunman stepped forward to extend forgiveness to him, I recognized the hand of the Divine in their lives.

As thousands lined the Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge, arms and hands joined,to remember and pray; the Divine was at work! Dr. Henry Blackaby tells us to look for G-d at work and join him in that work. That call is clear today.


Magic Garden Morning.

Once, I looked up and I saw Heaven, a world above me brightly shining. My heart cried for wings. I looked around me and saw pain and suffering. The world was grey. I looked down and I saw a child with tear stained cheeks I reached out and grabbed his hand he looked at me and smiled. I saw a flower bloom red and full of life. The child picked the red flower and turned to his mother. She stood alone sad and cold. The child gave the red flower to his mother and her hard face softened I looked and saw a blue rippling stream. The mother saw an old crippled man, who could not move his legs to get a drink. She carried the man to the stream and gave him water to drink. He cried tears of joy. I saw a yellow bird sing. The old crippled man learned the yellow bird’s song and shared it with all he could see and everyone who heard it would feel happy. I saw rainbows shoot across the sky. I went on my way reaching out, feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, caring for the sick, seeing for the blind, hearing for the deaf, befriending the friendless, singing to bring happiness, and loving the loveless. Then one day I looked back and realized I had wings all along. My wings had been the love reached out to heal others who were broken. My heart burst with joy.

-- Kristina Elaine Greer


Rainbows Over the Magic Garden.

Builders and Blessed Peacemakers

There is much news in these days. Not all of it is good, yet I firmly believe that beyond all the distractions there is great reason for hope. We have faced dark and troubling times before, yet we have seen the hand of the Divine work through ordinary people... and history was changed by it. So please join me in praying for the hand of the Divine to "give us wings," as my friend Kristina says, to do His bidding. We can, inspired by the Spirit of G-d, build His Kingdom! Here are some stories to spur us on.

Making a Country Great
[click to read]

In the early 1860’s there were two Americas. There were the Eastern states who would all too soon divide into Union and Confederacy, but then there was California. Although America stretched from “sea to shining sea,” California was isolated from the East by what many considered miles of uninhabitable desert. To get to California, one often took passage on a ship to Panama, made a short trip overland and then boarded another ship for San Francisco. California, in time, could have easily become another country. (Read More)

The Gift Horse
[click to read]

If there was anything that bothered Rupert Zimmerman it was 'impossibility' created solely by bureaucratic convolutions. When the family packed in the car during his youth to visit the extended family in Michigan, they were inevitably faced with the Breezewood Interchange on Interstate Seventy. On Summer road trips the mighty highway's brief diversion to the old Lincoln highway resulted in gargantuan traffic jams, boiling radiators and often as many boiling tempers. Zimmerman's father REFUSED to stop at the roadside businesses who's continual lobbying fended off many a reasonable attempt to build the connection. (Read More)

I am taking several weeks off from publishing THYME as I prepare for some major projects. I am leaving you with this SPECIAL ISSUE which is roughly three times the content of a regular issue.

THYME Magazine: The 2014 Election

Citizen Journalism with a Better Flavor


Volume VIII, Issue XIXa

The 2014 Election, What It Means

What follows, to be honest, is an open letter to all in public office, and the media as well. The people have indeed spoken. At first glance it may be noted that Republicans now hold the majority in both the Senate and the House. On further examination it becomes clear that Conservative energy has come into play and indeed there has been a sound repudiation of the policies of Barack Hussein Obama. Now that real Americans have seen what is in the bill that according to Nancy Pelosi, "We have to pass to see what's in it," they are rightly concerned. Real people are seeing premiums for health insurance going up and losing their coverage due to the "Affordable Care Act," and they went to the polls.

In Virginia, the race was close. Without a Libertarian candidate who took 53,000 votes, we likely would be celebrating the installation of Senator Gillespie. The Washington Post writes: "Exit polls provide powerful evidence he attracted enough Republican protest votes to swing the election for Democratic Sen. Mark Warner. The Libertarian’s 53,000 voters mostly came from younger voters, particularly white males, unhappy with President Obama’s leadership. They generally leaned independent. Very few (almost none, in fact) were Democrats. But a good chunk did label themselves Republicans." [1.] 

Here there should be powerful evidence that the third party protest vote inevitably becomes a vote for the Democrat Party. Here we must marvel at a party that can hold the vote of both young Gender Feminists and Multiculturalists promoting Shariah Law! (a REAL War on Women). A party who claims to represent the middle class because they are strongly supported by the unions, yet blocks projects like the Keystone Pipeline and offshore energy exploration in Virginia... projects that would create REAL middle class prosperity. Aided by a fawning media, they successfully spin their stories of the so-called "War on Women," while their economic policies actually create more poverty for REAL working single women! With an honest media it is likely that there would be a Democrat protest vote to cancel out the Republican one.

Media, YOU are the big losers in this election. Americans are getting information from other places and more and more of them are concerned with REAL issues, not the made-up ones. Americans want fiscal responsibility and limited government. They want REAL solutions to the rising cost of medical care, but not concentration of power at the Federal level. They want REAL economic prosperity and the opportunity of our country for their children. Americans may prefer to mingle with people of their own background but they LOVE the truth of E PLURIBUS UNUM... Out of Many, One! Thus more and more of them are rejecting the tired old race politics of Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson. America has long provided opportunity for the minority and the newly-arrived legal immigrant.

We value our Religious Freedom. We value are freedom to speak our mind and we value the essential message of the Second Amendment: Government is NOT the ultimate power, but is only given power by the consent of the people. I wonder how many sixties activists have actually given thought to how the Founders were there first when it came to the thought: "Power to the People?" We do NOT "hate" our gay neighbors, but see no need to be compelled to perform wedding ceremonies for them or bake their wedding cakes if it indeed violates our conscience. Many of us are concerned about the killing of millions of unborn babies by abortion. We are not "Anti-woman" for supporting the right of unborn women to live! For many of us, "In G-d We Trust" is more than a motto, it is the way we live. We resent the marginalization of Faith because someone "might be offended." We think it is actually quite silly to go around trying to remove references to the Divine, especially if you are convinced He doesn't exist!

We humbly ask you in political office and in the media to simply do your job, and honestly represent us!


Mia Love, the first black Republican woman in Congress. Here's what Mia Love said in her victory speech: "President Obama's version of America is a divided one -- pitting us against each other based on our income level, gender, and social status. His policies have failed!"


Tim Scott, the first elected black senator from the South since reconstruction.


Promoting HEALING: Clergy United in Ferguson, Missouri.

THYME Magazine: Special Senate Race Edition

Citizen Journalism with a Better Flavor


Volume VIII, Issue XVIII

Time to Awaken a Sleeping Giant

Looking at the percentage of eligible voters who actually vote, and even the percentage of REGISTERED voters who actually vote, one thing stands clear; I believe that if we could motivate substantial participation in the Great Valley of Virginia, we could overcome rampant voter fraud and the "Northern Virginia" blue vote. In the last few elections, we watched the results come in and saw a fairly representative victory for more Conservative candidates... until Northern Virginia precincts reported. They always came in last and suddenly skewed the results to the left. Most Virginians were left without representation!

Another thing to remember is that even though some of us really want to see more candidates like Shak Hill and Jamie Radtke, we dare not sit out any election at this point. We dare not remain unrepresented in the times we cannot support our 'ideal' candidates. The Left knows our tendency to 'sit out' elections and have advanced their agenda through our apathy! Yes, we have every reason to be frustrated at the treatment given a candidate like Mike Farris in the past by the party establishment. Here Jamie Radtke Talks About Cantor's Defeat [click to view]. Now is NOT the time to step back from the process. Now is the time to honestly address the business of representing the people! We can achieve that goal!

Restoring Senate Representation

We must elect Ed Gillespie to the United States Senate; here's why. Most Virginians are NOT represented by the two Senators presently in office. Though many of us trekked to his office and made phone calls, pleas to Senator Mark Warner to vote against OBAMACARE fell on deaf ears. I went there with a large group opposed to this terribly bungled legislation. We were herded into a conference room and lectured by staffers on why we "had to pass it." We can ill-afford the effects of this poorly crafted legislation in our current fragile economy. We need leadership, not men who blindly follow the President. Please consider the following statements by Mr. Gillespie himself. I'm sure you will find him a welcome alternative to the present one-party representation in our Senate. Mark Warner [click to read] has been the subject of previous THYME pieces, so we will not discuss his positions at length here. Mr Gillespie helped to craft the Contract with America in 1994, which was instrumental in the election of a Republican majority to Congress for the first time in forty years.

Ed Gillespie Has a Plan for Jobs and the Economy

"By moving us away from our Constitutional principles of limited government and personal liberty, President Obama, Harry Reid and Mark Warner have enacted policies that have killed jobs, reduced take-home pay, and increased health care and energy costs. We can do better.

Conservative, pro-growth policies promoting lower taxes, less government spending, and ending excessive regulation create jobs, raise take-home pay, and reduce health care and energy costs by unleashing private investment and allowing working Americans rather than political appointees in Washington to make decisions about the best way to allocate their resources. Americans want and deserve intelligent policies to promote job creation, expand opportunities for recent high school and college graduates, and make career advancement a reality again for the many Virginians who have found themselves trapped in a weak economy.

The Obama-Reid-Warner economic policies are not only destroying jobs; they are undermining the American work ethic. There is not just economic value in labor, there is human dignity in work. We must enable more people to have that dignity. If elected I will promote a pro-growth economic agenda to create good-paying jobs for families, foster upward mobility, help those currently employed to keep more of what they earn, and enable people to lift themselves out of poverty.

Too many Virginians are living paycheck-to-paycheck—if they’re fortunate enough to have a paycheck. The U.S. labor force participation rate is at its lowest level in more than three decades, hovering somewhere around 63%. The Congressional Budget Office reported in February that the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) will mean millions fewer in the fulltime workforce. More people will be working only part-time and we will see the equivalent of 2.3 million fewer jobs over the next decade (nearly 64,000 in Virginia alone).

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 92 million people are out of the labor force entirely, and 7 million Americans are working two or more jobs to make ends meet. That’s wrong, and policymakers must make a top priority of solving this problem, which I would do as our senator."

Priorities for All Levels of Education

"K-12

Every child deserves a high quality education, and I believe parents should be empowered to make the educational choices that are in their children’s best interests. Opportunity is enhanced by competition and choice, which is why I support public schools, charter schools, private and parochial schools, magnet schools, and home schooling. All Virginia children should have an opportunity to receive a world-class education, and no child should be forced to remain in a failing or unsafe school by the constraints of his or her zip code. That is why I support school choice programs that help ensure that all families have access to meaningful and accountable educational options.

Education policies and curriculum are state and local prerogatives. Virginia is rightly among a handful of states that have not adopted Common Core standards. We know that a one-size-fits-all approach will not work, and I will always support efforts to empower students, families and teachers, not political appointees at the Department of Education, to make these important educational decisions.

Higher Education

A. Virginia boasts some of the best public colleges and universities in the nation, and a strong system of community colleges, but for many Virginians, college tuition remains out of reach. There is work to do in making higher education more accessible and affordable. Higher education is an economic engine for the Commonwealth. The business community has documented the value of higher education through the “Grow By Degrees” effort, estimating that one dollar of investment produces over seventeen dollars in increased GDP and returns more than a dollar in new tax revenue to the Commonwealth.

I support the empowerment of higher education students by increasing transparency of higher education programs with information on earnings of graduates, by institution and degree, to be readily available to all potential students as they make choices to pursue their studies. Working Virginians require the resources to tailor their skills to the changes of a dynamic economy. That is why I applaud Virginia’s efforts to turn our community colleges into engines of workforce development, and why I will support intelligent workforce investment policies in the Senate, like those embodied in the SKILLS Act. There is no better program of social welfare than a good-paying job, so I will advance policies to help Virginians, and all Americans, develop the skills and expertise they need to compete in a global economy."

Supporting Basic Tenets of the Bill of Rights

"As Virginia’s senator, I will oppose efforts to infringe upon our Constitutional right to keep and bear arms, which is an individual right. I would not vote in favor of treaties that would cede firearm regulation to international bodies like the United Nations, in violation of the U.S. Constitution.

Senator Warner voted against the Senate rejection of the U.N. Arms Trade Treaty, which could undermine our Second Amendment rights and infringe on U.S. sovereignty. I would have voted for the amendment."

Repeal and Replacement of OBAMACARE, a Priority

"Virginians are concerned about having access to quality, affordable health care—and they know that Obamacare is making things worse. Everywhere I go, I hear from Virginians who face skyrocketing insurance premiums and stand to lose the coverage they like and the doctors they trust. We understand that Obamacare is not the solution, and that the problem with it is a lot more than just “a failed website launch.” It is harmful legislation that must be replaced with policies that make insurance more affordable, let us keep our doctors and insurance, and allows businesses to grow and hire.

Virginians know that a quality health care system empowers doctors and patients, not politicians and political appointees. We know that the way to reform health care isn’t to kill jobs, reduce wages, deny us our choice of doctors and cancel health care plans that Virginians like, cut $700 billion from Medicare, impose new taxes, and increase our deficit.

Sadly, Obamacare would not be the law today if Senator Warner had voted in the interests of Virginians instead of with his party line. As Virginia’s Senator, I would vote to replace Obamacare with policies that put patients first, provide more affordable options, and do not include a mandate. We need health care reform that works—and that means repealing Obamacare and replacing it with market-based reforms that take health care decisions out of the hands of political appointees.

We also need to focus on ways to keep Virginians healthy, not just treat them when they are sick. As Senator I will focus on medical innovations and finding cures for diseases, reforms that will produce more jobs, and keep America first in health care research. In the course of our campaign, I’ll outline policies in line with these principles."

A Plan to Spur Domestic Energy Production

"With the right policies, Virginia can be the East Coast’s energy leader, creating high-paying jobs here in the Commonwealth, bringing down costs for home heating in the Winter and prices at the gas pump in the Summer, and helping to move our nation closer to energy independence. We need a Senator who shares that vision and will support the growth of a vibrant, responsible energy sector.

Virginia’s energy sector directly employs more than 30,000 workers and indirectly supports as many as 200,000 jobs, making it a crucial component of our economy. With our natural resources, geographic location, and port access, Virginia can and should be a more integral part of America’s energy supply. From clean coal to wind energy to offshore oil and natural gas, Virginia is blessed with abundant natural resources, but efforts to develop these resources are often thwarted by an overreaching Federal Government.

I believe in an energy approach that embraces both traditional and alternative energy resources. I support oil and natural gas production—including responsible deep sea drilling off our coast—because we can protect our environment while ensuring access to the domestic energy resources we need to create new jobs, lower prices at the pump, and keep utility bills affordable.

As Senator, I’ll fight to protect coal jobs, because I understand how important coal is both to our economy right here in Virginia and to our nation’s energy independence, and I’ll stand up to the EPA’s failed policies that are driving up energy costs and imposing unnecessary regulatory burdens on our homes and businesses. Protecting public health and safety does not require duplicative regulations, needlessly complex and costly compliance requirements, or bureaucratic inefficiency. We need to make use of our abundant natural resources to create jobs and lower energy costs for Virginians. I will work to give Virginia the opportunity to lead on American energy independence.

Unfortunately, Mark Warner has voted in lockstep with the Obama Administration’s war on coal. He stood with Barbara Boxer and John Kerry when they released the Senate version of Cap and Trade in 2009, and has said, “The most significant thing we can do is send the market signal that either directly through a carbon tax or indirectly through cap and trade, we are going to put a price on carbon.”

Last year, Mark Warner voted against creating a 60-vote point of order against any budget resolution that includes a tax or fee on carbon emissions. According to the National Association of Manufacturers, a carbon tax could cost up to 21,000 jobs in Virginia. Five Senate Democrats broke ranks to protect their constituents from these job-killing policies—but Mark Warner toed the party line.

Mark Warner voted against an amendment that would have moved the Keystone pipeline project forward over President Obama’s opposition, and the amendment was defeated. He later backed a “non-binding resolution” supporting the construction of the Keystone XL pipeline in an effort to cover his tracks on the binding amendment. When it mattered, he voted against the Keystone pipeline, and when it didn’t matter he voted for it. That’s political posturing, not real leadership. I will work to get the Keystone XL pipeline approved.

As Senator, I’ll not just focus on developing energy resources, I’ll also work to remove the federal red-tape that slows down the development of energy infrastructure and limits the development of our energy sector and the creation of jobs. Energy projects, like building new pipelines and refineries, are a critical link between production and lower prices for consumers. Unfortunately, Senator Warner and President Obama, have shown no leadership in removing the barriers to job-creating, cost-reducing, energy infrastructure projects."

A Pro-Life Voice for Virginia's Citizens

"I am pro-life, and believe we should foster a culture that respects human life. This means that as a civil society, we must respect and protect the most vulnerable among us, including the unborn, the sick, those with disabilities, and the elderly.

I would oppose taxpayer funding of abortion, and believe it was a mistake to abandon the explicit prohibition in federal law against it, as Mark Warner voted to do with Obamacare.

I understand that women facing an unplanned pregnancy need compassion and support, not judgment or condemnation. I support education and health care to help women avoid unplanned pregnancies, and believe we must offer life-affirming alternatives to women facing difficult decisions, ensuring that they have the opportunity to choose life. I support adoption and believe that government should help both women and children by making it easier, more affordable, and more accessible for both newborns and those in foster care."

A Firm Supporter of a Balanced Budget Amendment

"Mark Warner once endorsed a Balanced Budget Amendment, but when he had a chance to vote for one in the Senate, he voted against it. As your Senator, I will not only support a Balanced Budget Amendment, I will introduce one. I will make it a priority to reduce wasteful, inefficient, and duplicative federal government spending.

At a time when millions of Americans have been forced to make due with less, it is an outrage that government continues to spend taxpayer dollars in such a reckless manner—particularly when profligate government spending is at the root of our economic problems. Deficit spending on the part of government sucks money out of the productive sector, impedes growth, and is a drag on our economy.

Raising taxes on American families and businesses that are already too high would only impede economic growth and make the problem worse. We do not have deficits because taxes aren’t high enough, we have deficits because Federal spending is out of control and our economy is not creating enough jobs. I promise my fellow Virginians I will fight and vote against any efforts to increase marginal income tax rates on individuals and businesses, and oppose any net reduction or elimination of tax deductions and credits unless they are matched by equal reductions in tax rates. Growing our economy and getting spending under control are the keys to resolving our burgeoning federal debt, not further adding to the tax burden on American families and businesses.

Mark Warner has voted to increase taxes by nearly $1 Trillion, and to increase our debt by $7 Trillion. An $18 trillion debt is simply unacceptable, and we cannot afford the consequences of continued inaction. We’re saddling our children with debt to pay for promises made in the past, and new promises President Obama and Mark Warner made in Obamacare.

It’s time we stop spending money we just don’t have."

Secure the Borders, Reform Our Visa System

"I am proud to be the son of an immigrant. My father came to this country through Ellis Island from Ireland as a boy, because his father found work as a janitor. I appreciate the opportunities provided to my father — and by extension to me and my children — by the greatest country ever to grace the face of the earth.

When it comes to immigration reform, I believe we have not only a right but a responsibility to secure our borders. We must also enforce our existing laws. The steps we take to secure our borders would not only enable us to keep out those we don’t want coming into our country illegally, but to allow in legally those we want to welcome here.

An estimated 40% of those in our country illegally now have overstayed their visas, so we clearly need to reform our visa system. If this were a private sector problem, it would have been fixed by now, and our Federal Government needs to fix it. I also believe we can improve the E-Verify program to help employers be sure that anyone they hire is a citizen or a legal resident.

While steps like these would help stop illegal immigration going forward, they do not address the 10-12 million people here illegally now. I do not support amnesty, and oppose granting citizenship to them, which would be unfair to those who have come here legally and played by the rules. And I don’t believe we should give one of the greatest privileges in the world—American citizenship—to those who are here by virtue of having broken our laws.

At the same time, I do not believe that our nation will implement the mass deportation of 10-12 million people, so we need to come to terms with those who are here illegally now. It would be in the interest of both American citizens and those here illegally to be able to come forward and, after a series of processes (i.e., criminal background checks, payment of back taxes, assimilation, demonstration of self sufficiency), be issued new visas to be here legally." [1.]


Jimmy Stewart's classic film: Mr.Smith Goes to Washington.

Everyone Should See This Film

This Classic Tale [click to watch] of a man of integrity who finds himself in the United States Senate, and who ultimately has to fight for that integrity, is one that we would do well to heed today!

“Capra was able to make this film so good because he both believed in the American ideal, and understood how easily it could be co-opted and undermined by the unscrupulous and the greedy. America, he's telling us, should be celebrated because it’s the kind of country that can produce a Jefferson Smith; but at the same time, we must always be on our guard, because it’s also capable of destroying one.” -- Gina Dalfonzo [2.]


Jimmy Stewart as Senator Smith visiting the Lincoln Memorial.

A Clear Choice for Virginia's Future

Your Vote Today is a Vote that Matters


Ken Cuccinelli, E.W. Jackson, and Mark Obenshain are a clear choice for integrity in Virginia's government.

As Attorney General, Ken Cuccinelli mounted the first challenge of the unworkable "Affordable Care Act," which has indeed proved to be... UNWORKABLE! He's also a champion of real women's health, fighting for regulations to ensure safety in abortion providers' facilities. Kermit Gosnell shows us that that is quite reasonable. Indeed, it is the experience of the candidates that matters. Ken Cuccinelli, E.W. Jackson, and Mark Obenshain all have practical experience in leadership.

Contrast that with a man who's primary experience is FUNDRAISING, who's stellar business successes include Greentech Automotive, who's Mississippi plant has yet to produce an actual car [1.] Didn't Preston Tucker get indicted for running a factory that supposedly didn't make cars?; (Tucker actually hand-built fifty). Meanwhile, Greentech's new factory actually appeared in ORDOS, a town in CHINA. A beautiful rendering [2.] (produced by a CHINESE renderer) shows the actual production facility which creates NO American jobs. Another McAuliffe project, a pellet plant in Franklin, Virginia, has a similar abysmal record.

Today Virginians have a choice. We can vote for proven leaders who will represent our interests, or those who are beholden to big money interests that do not have our Commonwealth's best interests at heart. Vote today for Ken Cuccinelli, E.W. Jackson, and Mark Obenshain.

Visualizing America's Future Greatness

It is Time for Optimism Based on Reality...




Susan Allen and Jason Bibeau.

Susan Allen joined residents for lunch at Wright's Dairy Rite in Staunton to talk about her husband's campaign for U.S. Senate. George Allen, who has served Virginians as Governor and U.S.Senator, has a Blueprint for America's Comeback that is a pro-growth plan of action to get our country back on course by focusing on jobs, competitiveness, freedom, and opportunity.

George Allen's Blueprint for America's Comeback includes:

Part 1:
Making America Competitive for Job Creators (America is Open for Business!) [click to read]

If America is going to make a comeback, we must reinvigorate our economy so that it is growing and creating jobs again. Yet, more than two years – and nearly a trillion dollars – after passage of Washington’s jobless stimulus bill, the American economy is stuck in idle. GDP grew at an anemic 1.8 percent rate during the second quarter of 2011. Unemployment continues to hover around 9 percent, with more than 14 million Americans looking for jobs while millions of others have simply given up.

Part 2:
Unleashing America’s Plentiful Energy Resources and Creativity (American Energy Freedom Act) [click to read]

The good news is that America has the most plentiful energy resources of any country in the world. U.S. reserves plus technically recoverable oil, gas, and coal amount to 1,320 billion barrels of oil equivalent (BOE) – ahead of Russia, Saudi Arabia, and China. And American ingenuity has traditionally led the way for new and expanded global energy resources.

Part 3:
Reining in the Over-Reaching, Over-Spending Federal Government [click to read]

With the national debt at $14 trillion and growing at an alarming rate, America urgently needs to take control of our financial destiny. By restoring American competitiveness and unleashing our energy resources, the Blueprint for America’s Comeback will help by bringing in new revenues, but runaway spending must also be brought under control.


A future based on using America's abundant natural gas resourses could put us at the front of the new global economy. Graphic byBob Kirchman.


The dream of a bridge between the Americas and Asia has been a staple of publications like Popular Science for years. Will the next generation make it a reality?

Our parents lived through the Great Depression. Then they saw a war that practically destroyed the Continent of Europe. Our Country had barely survived its birthing and was almost destroyed by Civil War in the Nineteenth Century. Now rising powers across great oceans threatened our continued existence. Still, in the midst of the Depression, the 1939 World's Fair showed us the world of the Twentieth Century.

A few years later the National Socialists in Germany were busy creating Hell on Earth. Surely to a person of faith at that time, the World was ending. For over six million people it did. The attempt to install a new order and a Master Race almost destroyed Western Civilization.

Faith gives us hope in the midst of such dark terror. Certainly the hope expressed in Isaiah 60 and Revelation 21 is necessary to anchor us in such desparate times. One day the Divine will establish His Kingdom. A kingdom that is without end.

Mankind has moved through ages of deep depravity and times that we have come to know as Golden Ages as well. What will we do with the time that is ours?

The great irony is that Heavenly minded men and women, far from being "no Earthly good," have often been the catalysts for building a better life for their fellows. Alvin Schmidt documents this in his book "Under the Influence." Many advances in compassion and society are the result of people like England's William Wilberforce, who championed the abolition of slavery for years, and Charles Dickens, who changed the way society responded to the needy among them.

With our eyes set firmly on the "hope of things to come," will we bring the touch of G-d to our age?, or will we surrender to our dark demons?

Now is not the time for quitting.


The Bering Straight Crossing might have cable stayed sections to allow ships to pass...


...and miles of floating piers.


Is the human ability to dream big dreams a gift from the Divine? I believe it is.

The Most Important Level of Government...

Bumper Stickers Seen on Greenville Avenue


David Karaffa bumper stickers remind you to vote on November 8th. Be sure to check if your local polling place has changed due to redistricting.

Fiscal Health and Local Government

Visible Debate by Visible Lawmakers... A Healthy Sign


The Augusta County Government Center.

Nichole Gelinas in City Journal writes about the indicators of health in local and state finances. Her article: Hidden in Plain Sight [click to read] says that disclosure requirements are a step in the right direction, but they alone will not fix the situation.

Think of our own local government and the recent property assessment battle. The historical pattern had always been one where assessments were performed in a rather casual way to follow the then predictable rise in real estate values. Governments planned expenditures based on this pattern and boards of supervisors rubber stamped the whole process.

In a steadily growing economy there was no need for questioning reality, after all. The can kicked down the road was highly unlikely to roll back on you.

After 2006, reality changed. The appraisal and budget process that followed underscored the need for lively and open debate. Tracy Pyles, supervisor from the Pastures District, took the bold and necessary step of addressing flaws in the process that would eventually come back to bite us. The assessors were using values derived from a real estate bubble that had already burst. There was no reality in letting tax rates be driven by these numbers. Furthermore, the inflated numbers created a false report to state revenue agencies, resulting in reduced payments to the county from state taxes collected.

The inability of other local elected officials to throw themselves into this debate is telling. In low-crime Mayberry, Barney Fife can keep his service revolver empty and his bullet in his pocket. If revenues can be counted on to rise 'safely,' we can afford to let the supervisors kick the can down the road, or so it might seem. Actually the need for open and honest debate is even more important when we might plan honestly for a range of contingiencies. The best reforms happen quietly and in a timely manner. They may never show up in print.

The 2011 campaign for supervisor's seats in Augusta County should create no less than a mandate for the kind of debate that will monitor county vital signs BEFORE a fiscal disaster occurs.

Note: The Author of this post actively serves in the campaign of David Karaffa for Supervisor.


Taking a different path. Governor McDonnell in support of Governor Walker.

"They" Say "No One's Out There" for 2012

"They" Need to Listen to these Clips!


Herman Cain at CPAC.

Here is Mitch Daniels [click to watch] on C-Span. Watch out for the 'media templates' that keep repeating the myth that the 'party of NO' has no message... and nobody will emerge as a clear voice in 2012. Here are just a couple of people 'they' ignore at their own peril. ht/Joy.

American Thinker [click to read] offers ten reasons you should look closely at Herman Cain.

"Even those conservatives who will not vote for Herman Cain to win the Republican nomination should hope that he does run -- and that his candidacy lasts a long time during the nomination process, perhaps even succeeding.

Not the least of reasons is that a Cain candidacy would be a hoot. And I do not mean that in a derisive or condescending way at all. I mean that it would be the kind of doggone honest and refreshing campaign the country needs. It would be the opposite of the stale McCain run. Cain does not speak Washington drivel, and he's not afraid to take a strong position." -- C. Edmund Wright


View from Betsy Bell Mountain in Staunton.

THYME Magazine Election Issue

Citizen Journalism with a Better Flavor


Volume II, Issue XLVI

We've Crossed the Delaware, Trenton Awaits

In the Winter of 1776 it seemed like the Revolution was lost. After a series of defeats the Continental Army was barely hanging on in their camp in Pennsylvania. Then George Washington risked everything and crossed the icy Delaware.

It was December 26, and the Hessian soldiers were snoozing after some heavy Christmas feasting when Washington's men surprised them. The Continental Army captured over 800 Hessians and rekindled the moral of the troops and the people.

It is helpful to remember that only a third of the people actually supported the Revolution. Another third were Tories and the rest were undecided. Still, after the brave attack on Trenton, new recruits and renewed support fueled the Continental Army as it pressed on.

Yesterday's election saw the Democrat monopoly in Congress broken. The House saw a return to a Republican majority while important seats were picked up in the Senate. But here's the real story:

After the Democrats gained contol of all elected bodies, they began to fundamentally change the strucure of our nation. Those who favored smaller government and more personal freedom [and responsibility] found themselves disenfranchised. Then they found their voice. The Tea Party movement grew, not around any cult of personality, but around principles. These principles had been neglected by leaders of both parties and that had lead to many people looking to anyone promising 'hope and change.' The problem was that the 'hope and change' that was forthcoming was really just and expansion of government [and debt] that threatened to permenantly diminish the status of our nation.

Determined to derail the destruction of America, Tea Party organizers rallied large numbers of citizens to come to Washington. Though the media tried to dismiss them, the movement was too visible to ignore and maintain credibility.

Citizens who had left government to the experts all their lives rolled up their sleeves and got involved in the business of government. A record number of regular citizens ran for office in this election. People like Rand Paul, who's background is medicine, not law and a host of others made the cut. Some like Christine Odonnell and Joe Miller won their primaries only to find their worst opposition residing in their own party!

Still, the citizens took back the House of Representatives and gained significant seats in the Senate. When people stepped forward the system worked. The Democrat monopoly has been toppled.

But the fight has just begun. Return to the status quo is not an option. Elected officials should have learned that an increasingly informed electorate will be holding their feet to the fire.

Already, the MSM is casting the Tea Party as a 'new problem' for Republicans. Yes, the people who brought the party back to life will now demand that Republicans fight for the principles that define us. Eric Cantor has already said as much this morning, saying voters have given the party 'another chance.' In Alaska and Delaware, the old guard has proven itself to be part of the problem. They must not be allowed to water down the enthusiasm that exists to return this Nation to her roots. If they are allowed to do so we risk repeating the mistakes of 2006 where many voters did not see them as a viable option.

The battle awaits. Government overreach and overspending must be reigned in. Trust must be restored and communication with the people reaffirmed. The American people need a good dose of Ronald Reagan's message that their greatness does not come from government... it comes from within each one of us. There is much to be done. The war is far from over, but today we are ready to face the foe head on.

Men and women of Faith and Honor are needed more than ever as citizen leaders, not in government but in our communities. The seeds of our greatness are not to be found in government, but rather in free people exercising their G-d-given gifts unrestrained by repressive government.


The Battle of Trenton.

Extra THYME:
An Interview with George Washington


From Rightside Virginia: "Came along this video of J.R. Manship who portrays General George Washington and I have had the opportunity to meet and speak with him several times while at conservative events. Here he is interviewed by Dean Welty and Suzanne Curran who are also strong conservatives here in the Shenandoah Valley." ht/Rightside Virginia

About the Three Constitutional Amendments

Words Mean Things... Tom White Translates

This Analysis from Virginia Right [click to read] will help you understand the proposed amendments. I voted "NO" on all three this morning.

Question 1:

Shall Section 6 of Article X of the Constitution of Virginia be amended to authorize legislation that will permit localities to establish their own income or financial worth limitations for purposes of granting property tax relief for homeowners not less than 65 years of age or permanently and totally disabled?

Question 2:

Shall the Constitution be amended to require the General Assembly to provide a real property tax exemption for the principal residence of a veteran, or his or her surviving spouse, if the veteran has a 100 percent service-connected, permanent, and total disability?

Tom writes: "These amendments are simply shifting the approval of these tax breaks from the Virginia Legislature to the local Board of Supervisors in each locality. If these measures shifted powers from federal to state or local level, they would be a good thing.

But all they are actually doing is allowing local Boards to bypass the oversight the Virginia Constitution put in place. Localities can still do these things now if they so decide, but they must seek approval from the state legislators. This is a wise check and balance and should not be changed.

Most agree that taxes should be both fair and equal. If a locality decides that some people deserve inequitable tax treatment, oversight is a good idea. While removing or reducing taxes based on age or ability is a noble thing, it must be balanced with fact that you are simply shifting the tax burden to others."

Question 3:

Shall Section 8 of Article X of the Constitution of Virginia be amended to increase the permissible size of the Revenue Stabilization Fund (also known as the “rainy day fund”) from 10 percent to 15 percent of the Commonwealth’s average annual tax revenues derived from income and retail sales taxes for the preceding three fiscal years?

Sounds really fiscally responsible, Right? Tom points out that this is simply allowing the government to overtax us and not account for it. Remembering how VDOT suddenly found it had saved all that money after all, let's just say I'm skeptical at this point.

As Virginia Goes, So Goes the Nation?

Some Thoughts from Lynn at the Washington Examiner


Arriving at the Lincoln Memorial for the Restoring Honor Rally. These people know there's nothing funny about the destruction of the greatest country on earth.

Lynn writes These Thoughts [click to read] on the midterm elections. Read Lynn's article, read the predictions in Virginia Virtucon and then turn off the media. Time to get busy and start rebuilding this great nation.

Virginia Virtucon Predictions [click to read].

Key Block of Voters Flocks to the GOP [click to read] from the Wall Street Journal.

'Civility' in Discourse, circa 1800


A look at the campaign of 1800 in the candidates' own words [caution: 'rough' men using 'rough' language].

Is Socialism Cool in Charlottesville?

Meet Some of Tom Perriello's Supporters Who Think it is


November is coming.

Americans for Prosperity made a creative point in a creative way yesterday in Charlottesville.

"Yesterday, Barack Obama came to Charlottesville to campaign for his liberal sidekick, Tom Perriello. AFP decided to greet his supporters waiting in line by offering them free "Socialism Isn't Cool" bumper stickers. The response we got told us a lot about who is secretly supporting Tom Perriello. Watch this video...and see for yourself!" -- Ben Marchi, AFP

Americans for Prosperity held a rally of their own in Lee Park. They were visited by This 'Tolerant' Individual [click to watch]. Rightside Virginia provided the video [caution: 'rough' man using 'rough' language]

Yes She Can!

If GOP Fails Her, Time for a Money Bomb!


People want real change in Washington. Christine O'Donnell offers that hope.

Lining Up to 'Stop Him from Stealing'

Seven in Primary for Right to Challenge Perriello

It's fun driving around Charlottesville these days. Tuesday's Republican Primary [click to read] features seven candidates, all running for the chance to take on Tom Perriello. [1.] The advertisements on the radio are interesting. The race should be interesting as well.

Here's the lineup: Robert Hurt of Chatham, Laurence Verga of Albemarle County, Ken Boyd of Albemarle County, Michael McPadden of Albemarle County, Feda Morton of Fluvanna County, Jim McKelvey of Franklin County and Ron Ferrin of Campbell County.

It is heartening to see non-lawyers in the race like Feda Morton [click to read]. Ms. Morton is a teacher and a Mother of five. Feda’s broad experience includes roles in public education, administration, coaching state championship high school teams, local government, civic organizations, Christian education, home schooling, successful campaigns for elected office, and political organizing. She also co-founded and managed a successful construction company and is a member of Fluvanna Baptist Church where she teaches a four and five year old Sunday School class.

Feda began her political career in the early 1990s with Russ Moulton’s campaign for State Senate and as the Fluvanna County Coordinator for the Lieutenant Governor campaign of Mike Farris, President of the Home School Legal Defense Association. Feda was then elected as the Chairman of the Fluvanna Republican Committee and turned a very small organization into one of the strongest in the state for voter turnout for conservative Republican candidates for the next decade under her leadership. Feda also served on the 5th District Republican Committee and was elected from there to serve on the Republican State Central Committee.

Today, Feda is seeking the Republican nomination for Congress in Virginia’s Fifth Congressional District for the 2010 election. It is her vision to restore our nation to the original intent of our Founders by reducing government to its Constitutional size, scope, and role. Feda hopes to be a catalyst in reinvigorating the American spirit of independence, individualism, and capitalism – the very principles that are her guiding light as she defends freedom and the Constitution with the same energy and commitment she has applied throughout her life.


Feda Morton.

Meet the 2011 Freshman Congress

A Congress that Looks [and Thinks] More Like America


Star Parker (photo: Center for Urban Renewal and Education)

Remember when Bill Clinton promised to assemble an administration that '"looked more like America?' Well, they all looked a lot like Janet Reno if you stared for a while. Barack Hussein Obama promised an 'inclusive' administration as well. You don't have to look to hard to see that they all look like his old law professors [or 'guys from his neighborhood]. OK, you get the picture.

But now we have the 2010 elections before us. Just Look at these Exciting Candidates [click to read] that those nasty racist tea-partyers are talking about!

Star Parker

Meet the former welfare Mother from Los Angeles who went back to school and founded a Christian magazine for urbanites. She's the author of three books: "Pimps, Whores & Welfare Brats," "Uncle Sam's Plantation" and "White Ghetto: How Middle Class America Reflects Inner City Decay." She speaks at universities now and testifies regularly before Congress as a social-policy consultant.

"Government now takes almost half of our national income, yet poverty does not change, Poor kids don't get educated. We're piling up debt that our kids will never be able to pay. And we're becoming less rather than more competitive in the international marketplace. We're becoming weaker, not stronger."

"So the question today before us: Are we going to be a free nation under G-d? Or are we going to be a welfare state?" -- Star Parker.

Ms. Parker is running for California's 37th Congressional District.

The 'Other' Weekly Newsmagazine [click to read] seems to be in serious denial.

A Political 'Perfect Storm' in 2010?

Already a New Wind is Blowing...

An Upheaval to Remember [click to read] Fred Siegel in City Journal.

Today is the Poll That Counts!

A New Day Dawns in Virginia...


A swirl of activity as Bob McDonnell enters Shenandoah Valley Airport for a brief stop on Sunday.


Bill Bolling takes time to sign an autograph.


Ken Cuccinelli is ready with his broom. Richmond needs a good 'sweep!'


Dickie Bell, with his wife Anne, ready to represent the 20th!


The crowd in the general aviation terminal.

Sarah Palin and Doug Hoffman

Didn't the Media Dismiss Both of Them...

Jack Kelly in Jewish World Review [click to read] has some thoughts on the Revolution that just won't die [even though the MSM want's it to so badly].

Fishersville Mike has This [click to read].

How the Media Will 'Spin' a Win...

If the Republicans Capture Governor, Lieutenant Governor and Attorney General They'll Be Ready with an 'Explaination'

Remember the 'angry white male' from the 1994 elections when Congress was taken from one-party domination? That was the 'explaination' given for the upset. No doubt, he'll be back as an explaination of any new surge for Consevatives in election results.

Public Servants who lose touch with their constituents probably won't get a mention. There is a REASON the voters are upset with elected representatives.

I grew up with Davy Crockett as a hero. I still remember the part where he rode through the night to defeat the Indian Bill, a bad piece of legislation that cost him his congressional career for opposing it. Davy Crockett was one of us! There was no question. Saying: "you can go to hell, I'll go to Texas!," Crockett was probably the first angry white male! he, unlike many politicians today, refused to leave his roots and join the 'elite.'

Fast forward to 2008 and you have two 'public servants' who let their hair down with their elite buddies and say things like: "You go into some of these small towns in Pennsylvania, and like a lot of small towns in the Midwest, the jobs have been gone now for 25 years and nothing’s replaced them. … And it’s not surprising then they get bitter, they cling to guns or religion or antipathy to people who aren’t like them or anti-immigrant sentiment or anti-trade sentiment as a way to explain their frustrations."

Or consider this quote: "One of the things you are going to see is a coalition that is just about completely taken over the Republican Party in this state and if they have their way it’s going to take overstate government. It is made up of the Christian Coalition, but not just them. It is made up of the right-to-lifers, but not just them. It’s made up of the NRA, but not just them. It is made up of the Home-schoolers but not just them. It’s made up of a whole coalition of people that have all sorts of differing views that I think most of us in this room would find threatening to what it means to be an American." [1.]

Scary stuff! The man responsible for the second quote is a Senator from the State of Virginia. If you are a person of faith, believe in G-d, understand the Second Amendment, hold unborn human life sacred or educate your children at home you are 'threatening to what it means to be an American' to the ruling 'elite.'

But they disrespect the American people and their long-held values at their own peril. The first remark above cost Barack Obama the Pennsylvania primary. The second cost Mark Warner his credibility as a representative of Virginia's people. Even a fawning press can only protect you so much when you lose touch with the people you are elected to serve.

The 2009 Governor's race has seen a steady stream of negative advertising aimed at making you think Bob McDonnell is 'threatening to what it means to be an American.' He's been excoriated for his pro-life stance [which many of us share with him]. He's been painted as 'anti-woman' [though I know a lot of intelligent women who support him]. He's been painted as the 'tax and spend' candidate in advertisements delivered in a 'folksy voice' so we'll believe he's one of us. The ad goes on to tell us McDonnel supported the Bush tax cuts 'for the rich' and that his plan for transportation is to raid money from education. Wow, all that in one ad! Problem is the ad assumes we the voters aren't all that smart. If he's going to raise all those taxes and power company rates he's creating whole new revenue streams. Why would he have to "steal" money from education? -- except it sounds vlllainous in a sound byte. Even as the press debunked the ad's points pretty thouroughly it continued to play on the Christian Radio station I listen to. The ad had actually very little to say about political matters and a lot to say about how intelligent the Deeds Campaign thought the voters were. They just didn't seem to think we were all that smart.
***
The polls would tell you otherwise though. Just like in 1994 there is a message of limited government and respect for the people's instincts in a free market. That is key. That is coupled with a respect for the values that have long been the bedrock of our way of life. That will be the real reason for a strong showing on Tuesday. Success is NOT guaranteed, by the way. It is time for all of us to step up to the plate. Tuesday's election must be the 'shot heard around the world' for Conservative principles in government.

But don't expect the media pundits to get it right the first time. We'll need to remind them again in 2010.

Eternal Vigilance Department

A Lot Hangs in the Balance in This Election...

"Those who expect to reap the blessings of freedom must, like men, undergo the fatigue of supporting it." -- Thomas Paine

There is a lot of importance to your vote this time. All eyes are on Virginia as in a few days we will elect our Governor, Attorney General and Lieutenant Governor. What we say by our support of those candidates who hold to our values as Americans will resonate across the country. This must be our finest hour. We cannot let our country down.

The polls, while reassurring, only speak of the passion that must yet be channelled into the struggle to preserve our Nation. The Virginia election results must be the next "shot heard around the world" in our fight.

The election in New Jersey is also very important. Now the emergence of Doug Hoffman, Conservative Party candidate as a serious contender in the New York special election give us the opportunity to begin turning the tide. Now is the time to make ourselves heard... LOUDLY!

"Let each citizen remember at the moment he is offering his vote . . . that he is executing on of the most solemn trusts in human society for which he is accountable to God and his country." -- Samuel Adams