THYME Magazine Election Edition

Citizen Journalism with a Better Flavor


Volume IV, Issue XLVI

The 'other' weekly news magazine presents a special report: The Choice [click to read]. We at THYME are flattered that they chose to copy our shaded cover border, but feel compelled to stress that this election is not so much a choice between two men, but a choice between two visions.

Today two competing ideologies are vying for the hearts and minds of the American people. Red America is based on the values of Faith and Freedom that are familiar to most of us. Blue America has a very different vision... one that most of us would not recognize. Here are some thoughts to help us recognize the two divergent visions.

We Must Strive for Civil Debate, but Not Compromise

"There are now two Americas. Not a rich one and a poor one; economic status plays little role in this division. There is a red one and a blue one." --Dennis Prager

Politicians of all persuasions express a desire to bring Americans together bound by a common vision for the common good. Dennis Prager Points Out the Fallicy of this Reasoning [click to read] in Jewish World Review. Really, it's time to admit that there are two different ideologies out there and they are in fierce competition for the heart and soul of the Nation. Without this basic understanding of the conflict it is impossible to understand why it must be debated. Indeed the political manifestation of this conflict is merely the tip of a cultural rift caused by very different world views.

Our founders looked to the order of Judeo-Christian principles as they framed a government based on a balance of tensions that would reign in human tendencies in order to create an orderly society. Individual liberties and individual responsibilities played a large part and government was purposely limited to avoid tyranny. Certain Truths were held to be self-evident. Man was seen as a special creation who bore the mark of his Creator, yet was fallen in nature--often acting along the lines of these baser inclinations. Thus government sought at once to reign the base and give liberty and expression to the higher aspirations of mankind.The secular humanism that has come to replace a sense of Divine order has given rise to a new paradigm where government, individual liberties and individual responsibilities are re-prioritized. Thus we no longer see the Divine stamp, Imagio Deo, on humanity. On one hand we have created arguments that if man is all there is [no G-d], then man's self-actualization is the main thing. A sense of greater purpose such as that that drove the American Revolution is impossible but we can grab for the highest experiences to justify ourselves. On the other hand, if man is the end of things, then what's so special. The extinction of some rare snail can be elevated above the plight of starving children in Africa. Indeed some radical environmental groups are making that exact argument.

The American left is actually a coalition of many of these often contradictory conclusions and yet they are strongly united in the desire to cast off the "old" constricting beliefs of our forefathers. That is why you will see those who promote the value of free speech in most areas suddenly veer into an irrational supression of religious speech in the public square. The state is now asked to take an even greater role in promoting the well-being of its citizens. The answer must for them be secular, not spiritual. If there is no higher authority it is left to us to pragmatically define and enforce 'virtue.' How else can you explain the fact that after Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac failed from reasons stemming from corruption in government oversight, the answer can only be more government oversight

The Left and Right See 'Freedoms' Differently

The ACLU was founded ninety years ago by Roger Baldwin. He was a socialist thinker who said things like: "America must follow the example of Stalin's Soviet Union where greater freedoms exist than anywhere else in the world". Wow, I never would have known from the history I read! Knowing America would never follow the path to 'social u[dys]topia because of her Judeo-Christian foundations, Baldwin set out to diminish the influence of Christianity in America.

For 80 years the ACLU has twisted the Constitution to exclude Christianity from the public square and the public discourse. That sense of mission is what drives the endless stream of lawsuits against prayer and Christian expression. That is why your kid's 'religious' message is excluded from the poster contest. That's why the school 'Winter Holiday' assembly is devoid of sacred traditional music. Thankfully there is the Alliance Defense Fund [click to read] which was founded to counter this destructive movement.

The Left and Right See Different Americas Altogether

First you have President Obama saying: "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 from Senator Mark Warner: "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 over state 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."

What does Senator Warner mean: "threatening to what it means to be an American?" Dennis Prager [click to read] writes in his columns that there are two visions for America in competition. One is the vision passed down to us by our WWII parents, the other: a diminished America and an increased role of government, (in a secularized society), we might take a lesson from Nehemiah, chapter 4:

“But it came to pass, that when Sanballat heard that we builded the wall, he was wroth, and took great indignation, and mocked the Jews. And he spake before his brethren and the army of Samaria, and said, What do these feeble Jews? will they fortify themselves? will they sacrifice? will they make an end in a day? will they revive the stones out of the heaps of the rubbish which are burned?

Now Tobiah the Ammonite was by him, and he said, Even that which they build, if a fox go up, he shall even break down their stone wall. Hear, O our God; for we are despised: and turn their reproach upon their own head, and give them for a prey in the land of captivity: And cover not their iniquity, and let not their sin be blotted out from before thee: for they have provoked thee to anger before the builders.

So built we the wall; and all the wall was joined together unto the half thereof: for the people had a mind to work. But it came to pass, that when Sanballat, and Tobiah, and the Arabians, and the Ammonites, and the Ashdodites, heard that the walls of Jerusalem were made up, and that the breaches began to be stopped, then they were very wroth, And conspired all of them together to come and to fight against Jerusalem, and to hinder it.

Nevertheless we made our prayer unto our God, and set a watch against them day and night, because of them. And Judah said, The strength of the bearers of burdens is decayed, and there is much rubbish; so that we are not able to build the wall. And our adversaries said, They shall not know, neither see, till we come in the midst among them, and slay them, and cause the work to cease. And it came to pass, that when the Jews which dwelt by them came, they said unto us ten times, From all places whence ye shall return unto us they will be upon you. Therefore set I in the lower places behind the wall, and on the higher places, I even set the people after their families with their swords, their spears, and their bows. And I looked, and rose up, and said unto the nobles, and to the rulers, and to the rest of the people, Be not ye afraid of them: remember the Lord, which is great and terrible, and fight for your brethren, your sons, and your daughters, your wives, and your houses.

And it came to pass, when our enemies heard that it was known unto us, and God had brought their counsel to nought, that we returned all of us to the wall, every one unto his work.”

Indeed, those of us who are involving ourselves in this great work must not be distracted. The rebuilding needs to begin with prayer and revival. Our greatest woes are not economic. Yet that does not free us from the task of rebuilding our section.

That should not preclude civil debate, but there are times when, like Nehemiah, we must say to those who oppose us: “I am doing a great work, so that I cannot come down: why should the work cease, whilst I leave it, and come down to you?” — Nehemiah 6:3.





2016, Obama's America
The Movie You Must See Before You Vote


Denesh D'Souza, shown here interviewing the President's brother George Obama, presents a scholarly explanation of who our President really is and who influences his policies.



The  Full-length Version [click to view] of the film may now be viewed on Netflix. You may view it with a Netflix account or at a theatre near you if at all possible. It is well worth the money and the artists who made it are deserving of our support. One viewer writes:

"I expected a movie that would be a "rant" about Obama. But, instead, it was a well-researched documentary from a man with a similar background who sees the world from a broader perspective than most Americans--much as Obama probably sees it having lived in Indonesia and have an African father.The movie explains the philosophical influence of Obama's father through interviews with friends of his father. It also delves into the mentors that Obama has in his youth. No doubt, the influence Obama has had on the U.S. reflects this view of a European country, which is essentially what America is, and how we interact with the rest of the world. The premise of the film is how America will change by 2016 during a second obama term based on the decisions he has made and his underlying philosophy that has become more apparent as he is in office. In effect, the military cuts, heavy indebtedness, philosophy outlined in speeches in foreign countries, dislike of Israel, etc. are considered from the world view of Obama's father and his mentors who were largely communist, socialist, far left ideologues or generally anti-American and anti-white. The film is well-researched and, while much of the information is available, has not been provided to the voters in America. Without a doubt, any voter should see this movie before the next presidential election before deciding how to case a ballot."

Taking The True Measure of a Man

Americans are Meeting the Real Mitt Romney...


Mitt Romney meets the crowd in Ashland Virginia.

...and They Find Him a Very Likeable Person

An observer of the last Presidential debate, a man much more observant of these things than I am, said he couldn't figure out what was happening there at first. The President seemed eager for a fight, indeed, many said he seemed quite petulant at times. He gave Romney ample opportunities to dig into Benghazi and a host of other issues.

But Mitt Romney was paying no attention to the little man in the corner. He took full advantage of the opportunity to have a chat with the undecided voters who had tuned in. Mitt was unruffled and spoke directly to those who needed to know the man who was asking them to support his bid for the Presidency.

Some say he lost the debate on style, but Romney was more concerned that Ms. Undecided Voter got to meet the 'Real Romney,' the man who had showed up at all three debates. The President's campaign has spent a lot of advertising money to paint Mitt Romney as a cold-hearted corporate villian, but that was not the man who actually showed up.

Deroy Murdock writes in Jewish World Review: Romney's Ignored Mitt-zvahs [click to read], a recounting of acual stories of the man. In it you learn of a man who you would love to have for a neighbor. Romney and his family lived out their Faith in helping those around them. It was a way of living for them.

Mitt might have driven a nice car, but he didn't think twice about packing it with firewood so he and his boys could deliver it to a single Mother who's heat had been turned off. The stories Murdock recounts sound a lot like those I heard about my Grandfather, who loaned money to people and then turned the loan into a gift.

When a neighbor's house caught fire, the Romneys, led by Mitt, rushed in to rescue the family's possessions. They carried out whatever they could save before the firefighters arrived. Murdock concludes with this story:

"The Romneys were vacationing in New Hampshire in 2003 when screams shook the Independence Day air. Some 900 feet from them, New Jersey’s Morrisey family and their leaky boat were sinking into Lake Winnipesaukee.

Romney’s sons Craig and Josh sped into the lake on a Jet Ski. “We tore out of there, and my dad hopped on the other Jet Ski and came out right after us,” Josh Romney told the Boston Herald. They found three men and three women bobbing in the water in barely buckled life vests. Massachusetts’s then-governor pulled the two younger women onto his three-seat Jet Ski, while his sons assisted their mother. They then whisked these women safely to shore, along with McKenzie, their Scottish Terrier. Meanwhile, the three men treaded water under the sons’ watchful eyes until Mitt made two more trips to rush them to dry land. Previously, while spearheading the 2002 Olympics, Romney and his sons used a boat to rescue several kayakers as high winds slammed them onto rocks.

Why is the real Romney totally unlike the terrifying caricature that has haunted this campaign? Team Obama’s distortions and lies have conspired with Mitt Romney’s modesty to mask his good deeds. Instead, Romney fans should make these secrets famous."

Running Against the Last Four Years

Some Thoughts on the Second Presidential Debate


Hill's Auto Parts. Photo by H. Peterson.

Resembling a boxing match, more than a town hall meeting at times, the second Presidential debate was a lively exchange. THYME has these thoughts:

First of all, both men appeared to be running against the actual record of the last four years. Mitt Romney again emphasized his plan for energy independence and tax simplification. The President chimed in with a "Me too" statement, but left himself open to criticism as his administration has actually stifled domestic energy production. Energy Secretary Steven Cho's statement that: “Somehow we have to figure out how to boost the price of gasoline to the levels in Europe,” though later retracted, is telling, nonetheless. Romney clearly wants to go after proven traditional resources while advancing market-ready renewables. The President's actual record does not support claims to be advancing energy independence. His 90 billion dollar 'investment' in green energy has not produced results.

Exploration for new resources off the coast of Virginia are on hold, blocked by the Administration, as is the full construction of the Keystone Pipeline. Romney correctly asserted that actual energy production gains have occurred on private land, such as in the case of the Bakken formation. Indeed, the Administration has reduced permits while encouraging South and Central American nations to go for resources in the Gulf of Mexico.

Obamacare continues to make employers wary of new hiring, and rather than reduce costs as promised, it adds a new layer of penalties and mandates to an already stressed system. Indeed, the middle-class has suffered most from employer uncertainty, with average net income for those who are still working down. Unemployment stubbornly hovers above eight per-cent, even when you remove from the count those people no longer actively looking for work. Add these individuals and the underemployed and you are looking at a much worse scenario.

The President talked about legislating pay equity for women, but Romney pointed out that more women are simply unemployed. Romney's 'solutionist' discussion of workplace flexibility actually adressed the structural reality of women simply not staying in the workplace long enough to break the 'glass ceiling.'

Romney could have stressed more emphatically that tax reform and simplification, with lower rates, would actually increase revenues (both JFK and Reagan actually did this). Focusing on taxing the rich more will only send them (and their creative investments) offshore.

The answer to the country's economic problems would be to restore healthy growth along with fiscal responsibility. Romney could point to examples from his prior experiences. The President, hoping to sway undecided voters, actually had to argue that in the future he would govern more like Romney.

On foreign policy, the President seemed to want to adopt the policies of George Bush. He "got" Bin-Laden and though moderator Candy Crowley asserted that the President had said Benghazi was an act of terrorism in a Rose Garden speech, she was later forced to retract it. Indeed, the notion that those events were a spontanious riot had been perpetuated by UN Ambassador Susan Rice days after that speech.

THYME's analysis of the debate is thus: The real Mitt Romney showed up again, the President showed up to agressively argue that he wasn't who his record suggests he is. It did make for an interesting conversation.

THYME Magazine

Citizen Journalism with a Better Flavor


Volume IV, Issue XLI

The Real 'Fact Wars' and Why They Matter

This week the 'other' weekly news magazine looks at 'Fact Wars' [click to read]. They ask: "Who is telling the truth?" THYME asks: "What is truth?" Here are some of the cold hard facts, as we see them.

America is at a crossroads. Her greatness is challenged. Many of her citizens are despondent, having lost jobs or seen paychecks diminished. Businesses are failing. Unemployment is over 8% and probably closer to something over 11% if you take into account people who have just stopped looking. I don't even show up in these statistics though, working a couple of other jobs to support my small business.

Government stands in the way of America exploiting her natural resources. We are 'outsourcing' our energy production. Build the Keystone Pipeline and some new refineries and, guess what, American workers will make good money creating our own energy. Offshore Virginia there lie exploitable resources that could bring steady royalty revenue into state coffers. The current administration has stopped exploration.

The 'Promise of America' has been replaced by promises from the President, funded by the bank of China! Every citizen now owns about $50,000 in Federal debt, and an ever growing portion is not 'money owed to us,' but rather, money owed to foreign lenders. The administration promises money for college loans, forgetting that crushing debt and increased taxes to pay for it will continue to kill jobs. They promise everyone access to contraceptives while quietly taking $700 billion from Medicare to pay for Obamacare. (That's money paid in from paycheck deductions, with a promise of medical care).

In such a climate, it is reasonable to ask if paying for a Federal program is worth the debt. Public broadcasting already depends on private underwriters, and will not go away if it cannot receive public funds. Big Bird licensed merchandise could probably fund the entire program. Have you visited Toys R Us lately? The notion that something is not available if government doesn't provide it is simply false.

For years, the National Endowment for the Arts has funded a variety of projects; everything from great orchestras to crucifixes submerged in urine. What many do not realize is that their funding is noteably absent in the case of realist painters, many of whom work in the Southwest. Private patrons will not allow great art to cease, but some avant-garde artists may have to learn some economics. The question: "Is this worth saddling my Grandchildren with foreign debt?" is a necessary one.

The truth is that we have a choice this November. We can continue doing what we are doing, or choose candidates who have actually worked with budgets and institutions. Paul Ryan earned the respect of both Democrats and Republicans for his financial expertise. Bill Clinton has been caught on video admitting as much. Mitt Romney worked with a Democrat legislature to strengthen Massachussetts. Those who long for a truely bipartisan Washington would do well to change horses right now.

Candidates Visit Fishersville, Virginia with Trace Adkins

Lynn Has Photos [click to read] of the visit to the Valley by Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan. Wayne LaPierre was there to endorse them. 10,000+ people were there to welcome them. I don't think the pollsters have talked to many of those who were in the crowd. Exit 91 on Interstate 64 was crowded to a standstill and some people only arrived in time to hear the last ten minutes of the program.

Mr. Romney Takes Charge in First Debate

What a Man Who's "Inherited a Mess" Should Say

Last night many people watched the Presidential debate and got their first direct look at Mitt Romney. One of my relatives even commented that this didn't seem like the Romney she'd been seeing in the news. "He sounds different."

Indeed it was clear from the beginning that Mr. Romney took charge of the discussion. He was clear, confident and presented a concise vision for restoring America. Romney, unedited by a less than adoring media, was a man with a vision for reigning in record deficits, unleashing domestic energy production and restructuring tax code and institutions to deliver government's essential responsibilities efficiently and responsibly.

He made eye contact with the President and the people. There was confidence in his demeanor... attitude that reflected leadership. He was polite, but like a firm adult, he ruled the room. Jim Lehrer was not in charge, Mr. Romney was. Romney showed up ready to govern.


Sky over the Capitol Building.

The President, at one point, drilled his opponent for 'specifics.' What he got was a civics lesson from a man who had significant experience working with a legislature made up largely from the other party. The man who had promised to bring unity in purpose to Washington was forced to listen to the man who had actually done so in Massachussetts.

Last night, even Bill Maher thought the President needed a teleprompter. The President looked down a lot and seemed to lack his signature passion and charisma. At one point the President asked Mr. Lehrer to move on to another question.

Mitt Romney moves on from the debates having established himself as a man who can stand shoulder to shoulder with leaders like Binyamin Netanyahu. Today he will speak in Fishersville, Virginia at 6:00pm.

THYME Magazine

Citizen Journalism with a Better Flavor


Volume IV, Issue XXXV

The Mind of Mitt...

When Mitt Romney chose running mate Paul Ryan he sent a clear message that he was going to roll up his sleeves and work on real solutions using real numbers. Ryan, who earned the respect of many on both sides of the aisle, including Clinton advisor Erskine Bowles, who opines: "Have any of you all met Paul Ryan? I'm telling you this guy is amazing. He is honest; he is straightforward; he is sincere; and the budget he came forward with is just like Paul Ryan. It is a sensible, straightforward, honest, serious budget." [1]. Clinton himself is overheard consulting with Ryan on Medicare reform (1:50 minutes into the tape footnoted here) [2].

Ryan's Blueprint for American Renewal [3] is precisely the kind of document a real CEO, intent on real solutions, would ask for. The man who saved the Salt Lake City Olympics and grew companies while working at Bain Capital clearly wants to show up in January ready to govern.

Despite efforts to paint him as an elitist and 'out of touch' with the average American, Romney is more like the businessman next door than the media makes him out to be. The 'other' weekly news magazine this week presents: "The Mind of Mitt." We think that is a mind worth knowing. Consider his opinion of the people he will lead:

"... The American people are the greatest people in the world. What makes America the greatest nation in the world is the heart of the American people: hardworking, innovative, risk-taking, God-loving, family-oriented American people." -- Mitt Romney

The Son of Michigan Governor George Romney, Mitt saw his Father fight for civil rights and was introduced early to public life. In 1984 he started Bain Capital with ten employees on a shoestring budget, originally focusing on venture capital. It wasn't until 1986 that their big investment to turn Staples into a super-sized company happened. Romney knew what it was like to make a car last longer, make a payroll and stretch a budget. Those who long to see sound business principles applied to government will be pleased.

His Latter Day Saints upbringing taught him to see the Faith Community as essential to meeting the needs of the community and he's no 'Jack-Mormon' when it comes to tithing... the much sought-after tax returns show a healthy percentage of charitable giving and show that he is living off of the results of some good investments (13% would be a reasonable rate for income from investments... the base having been earned under a rate closer to 40%, perhaps). Romney understands the need to protect Religious liberty and individual initiative in the mission to revitalize America.


Television trucks stretch their masts heavenward in Ashland, Virginia.

The Mind of Barack Hussein Obama

"We know very little about him" was the oft-repeated phrase in the MSM about our current President. That is lazy research in the minds of those of us on THYME's highly overrated staff. Dreams from My Father was available for them to read! Had they looked into it they would have seen a man who's roots and upbringing would have been quite unfamiliar to most of us [4].

From his Indonesian school years to his apprenticeship to Frank Marshall Davis, from his friendship with Bill Ayers to his sitting under the Reverend Jeremiah Wright, it is clear that Obama's vision for America is far different from that most of us cherish. In Fact, his upbringing has some unusual moments [5]. Consider the time when his Stepfather Lolo introduces him to the towering statue of "Hanuman, the undefeated demon fighting monkey god." It is clear that young Barack, in the words of Glenn Beck: "didn't go to many Fourth of July picnics... didn't hear a lot of John Phillips Sousa music." Here's Mr. Beck [click to listen] playing the quote from Dreams from My Father. Militant Anticolonialsm, Black Liberation Theology and Marxist thought are all too evident. James Cone (promoter of Black Liberation Theology, Marxism couched in Christian terminology) has undoubtedly had a greater infuence than James Madison in the worldview formation of our current President.

Dinesh D’Souza [click to read] has provided a lot of good research into the background and mind of the President. His 2010 work: The Roots of Obama's Rage is the basis for the film: 2016: Obama's America. Born in Mumbai, India, D’Souza came to the U.S. as an exchange student and graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Dartmouth College in 1983. From there he went on to work in the Reagan White House as a policy analyst. Today he is President of King's College in New York.

Mitt Romney introduces Paul Ryan in Ashland, Virginia on August 11.

THYME Magazine

Citizen Journalism with a Better Flavor


Volume IV, Issue XXIIIa Special Edition

At the 'Center of the Universe' with Romney and Ryan

Ashland, Virginia proudly bills itself as the 'Center of the Universe.' Former mayor Dick Gillis came up with the slogan in the 1980s:  "...supposedly because it was close to the mountains, the beach, Richmond, and D.C. It is right along the railroad line and it is a college town: home to Randolph-Macon University." Travel writer Peter Greenberg took issue with the claim and advised his readers not to go there. Enjoying a fine dinner with my lovely wife at Ashland's Trackside Grill, I have to conclude that this is Mr. Greenberg's loss! Ashland is a lovely place!


Mitt Romney meets the crowd in Ashland...


...along with Vice Presidential candidate, Paul Ryan.


Ann Romney warmly greets supporters.

Presidential candidates, fortunately, ignore Greenberg's advice and this made for a great trip for my lovely wife and myself. In fact, SHE even suggested it when she saw the campaign stop mentioned in the Times-Dispatch. When we signed up we did not imagine how historic the day would be! True, Sarah Palin had made a campaign stop four years ago at Homemades by Suzanne, another Ashland eatery, but we had little reason to suspect history would repeat itself.

Driving along Interstate 64 that morning, we turned on the news and learned that Paul Ryan of Wisconsin had indeed joined the ticket... being introduced at the USS Wisconsin in Norfolk! In a packed auditorium at Randolph Macon, the mood was electric! Ryan's straightforward effort to tackle the Federal Budget [click to read] uniquely qualifies him for the work that lies ahead. Ryan and his family joined the Romneys in Ashland, making the day one to remember!

"Probably the Most Important Speech"

Dennis Prager on Romney's Commencement Address


"Moral certainty, clear standards, and a commitment to spiritual ideals will set you apart in a world that searches for meaning." -- Mitt Romney

Here is the Speech [click to read] that Dennis Prager considers perhaps the most important in this campaign:

"Harvard historian David Landes devoted his lifelong study to understanding why some civilizations rise, and why others falter. His conclusion: Culture makes all the difference. Not natural resources, not geography, but what people believe and value..."
-- Dennis Prager

THYME Magazine

Citizen Journalism with a Better Flavor


Volume IV, Special 'Super Tuesday' Issue

One Man's Journey, A Lesson

Time for a pop quiz: Who was the only U.S. President who was also a union president? If you guessed Ronald Reagan, President of the Screen Actors Guild, a labor union for movie actors and part of the AFL, you would be correct. Up until the 1950s Reagan was an avid liberal Democrat. He supported the New Deal and was even mentioned as a possible president for the AFL!

His Father, Jack Reagan, was a working class Irish Catholic and held a minor position in the WPA during the New Deal. Young Ronald attended Eureka College, where he became known as a "jack of all trades," excelling in athletics, campus politics and theatre. He was elected student body president and led a student revolt against the college president. Yes, you heard me right. The then liberal Reagan was a campus protester! He earned a degree in Economics in 1932.

After college, Reagan was a sports announcer, then an actor.He remained a Democrat well into the 1950's. As president of the Screen Actors Guild though, he fought against Communist infiltration and testified before the House Un-American Activities Committee. Peggy Noonan says of him: "Even in his zeal to purge the Communist influence from Hollywood, he fought those who engaged in witch hunts and defended those who had been falsely accused of involvement."

Actively supporting Richard Nixon's Presidential aspirations in 1960, Reagan parted ways with the party that he said had "left him." In 1962 he officially became a Republican, having rejected what he called the "tax-and-spend liberalism" of the modern Democrat Party. In 1964 Reagan might have created the first "Money Bomb" when he raised eight million dollars for Presidential Hopeful Barry Goldwater. Though Goldwater lost, Reagan's "Time for Choosing" speech won him a place in the rising Conservative movement. His thoughtful statement of policy won over many an old-time liberal and served him well as California's Governor and President of the United States.

Why Reagan Loves Romney

Although Romney once did not support Reagan, history supports the notion that Reagan would truely identify with Mitt's pilgrimage. In fact, one who has participated in the large-state model may be most uniquely qualified to speak to its weaknesses. Reagan Understood well the policies he criticized as well as the policies he crafted. Might the depth of his understanding be the quality that is at the heart of his being the "Great Communicator?"

The U.S. Can Be an Energy Superpower

Tapping Our Resources Wisely for Tomorrow


While Mr. Obama 'tilts at windmills,' it is time to take this message to the voters.

By Mitt Romney, From His Blog [click to read]

The goal of my energy policy is straightforward: guarantee America the most affordable and reliable supply in the world. Ohio is seeing firsthand the potential of this approach in the Marcellus Shale. The natural-gas revolution is creating direct jobs in construction and drilling, and producing a resurgence in American manufacturing. In the next couple of years, billions of dollars will be invested in the state in pursuit of these opportunities.

President Barack Obama has a different goal: higher prices, lower production and a government-led “green” industry. Ohio is seeing the effects of this approach, as well. The average family’s energy bill has jumped by thousands of dollars during his presidency. Gasoline-price increases, alone, have cost the middle class as much as would doubling the income-tax rate.

While the president now professes a combination of innocence and helplessness in the face of rising prices, the truth is that expensive energy was his plan all along. He said his proposals would cause electricity prices to “skyrocket.” He suggested we “bankrupt” the coal industry. His secretary of Energy wanted to “figure out how to boost the price of gasoline.” His secretary of the Interior declared he would oppose drilling even if gasoline reached $10 per gallon.

His administration has focused relentlessly on achieving his goal. His Environmental Protection Agency pushed through the costliest regulations in our history. He rejected the Keystone XL pipeline as “not in the national interest,” telling Canada to send its oil to China instead. He illegally blocked drilling in the Gulf of Mexico, prompting a federal judge to hold his administration in contempt. He has proposed a special energy-tax increase, and has 10 federal agencies focusing their attention on natural gas.

The statistics demonstrate his “success”: He has slashed the rate of federal land leasing by half. Where leases are established, his administration is issuing permits one-third slower than the previous rate. Oil and natural-gas production on federal land is declining.

In place of real energy, Obama has focused on an imaginary world where government-subsidized windmills and solar panels could power the economy. This vision has failed. His promise of 5 million green jobs vanished as fast as the $500 million he gave to his campaign donors at now-bankrupt Solyndra. His goal of 1 million electric cars went up in flames alongside the Chevy Volt batteries that prompted a recall of all 8,000 sold so far.


The Chevy Volt.

The costs of this anti-growth agenda are plain. Our economy just had its worst non-recession year since World War II, and families are feeling the pain directly as gasoline prices surge to record highs.

America is an energy-rich nation, and it is time we stopped living like an energy-poor one. As president, I will unleash American innovation and productivity to make full use of our natural resources.

First, I will pursue dramatic regulatory reform to accelerate the exploration and development of oil and gas, to facilitate construction of vital infrastructure and to preserve and expand crucial electricity capacity. I will streamline permitting processes and create fixed timelines. Businesses can live with “yes” or “no,” but government must stop saying “maybe” or “wait.”

I will modernize our outdated environmental laws to take cost into account, and stop the EPA’s practice of using imaginary benefits to justify onerous burdens. In my administration, coal will not be a four-letter word. Instead, we will applaud the industry’s success in consistently expanding electricity output while reducing pollution. And I will respect states’ proven ability to regulate fracking, rather than sending federal bureaucrats to take control.

Second, I will increase production. This begins with a comprehensive seismic survey both on- and off-shore. President Obama complains that we have only 2 percent of the world’s oil reserves, but in truth we never have fully looked. For instance, some believe that new discoveries in North Dakota alone could double our nation’s proven reserves.

I will permit access to our resources in the Gulf of Mexico, the Outer Continental Shelf, western lands and the Alaska National Wildlife Refuge. I also will partner closely with our neighbors. Canada and Mexico have extraordinary resources of their own that can provide secure, reliable supplies for our economy. This starts with my approval of the Keystone XL pipeline on Day One.

Third, I will invest in new energy technologies. We must not allow President Obama’s irresponsible and unethical funding of companies such as Solyndra to undermine the Department of Energy’s critical mission of basic research. We can position America to lead on energy in the future without picking winners or stifling the energy sources of today.

This pro-jobs, pro-market, pro-American energy policy will bring energy prices down today, secure an affordable supply of energy for tomorrow, send fewer dollars overseas and create millions of jobs. America can be the world’s next energy superpower, if we give ourselves the chance.

THYME Magazine

Citizen Journalism with a Better Flavor


Volume IV, Issue II

"So You Like Me Now?"

The 'other' weekly news magazine asks this, referring to Mitt Romney on their cover this week. Romney won Iowa by a mere eight votes (not eight percent, mind you eight VOTES)! We at THYME think the real story is the rise of Rick Santorum, featured on OUR cover with the same question.

The 'other' weekly news magazine also presents "The Meaning of Tim Tebow." I humbly suggest that the meaning of Tim Tebow and Rick Santorum are one and the same. TIME introduces Tebow like this:

"And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;" -- Ephesians 4:11 ...and some to be quarterbacks!

You could apply that to leaders of state as well. In a time of moral vacuum, when Theodore Dalrymple reports that one can scarcely tell the difference between the sound of a mob of British youths partying... or beating the life out of someone, there are many who long to hear that difference.

Moral leadership is still a treasured commodity by many voters. Even the Left appeals to a sense of corporate morality (stop "global warming," etc.), but let's face it, people are looking for leadership that reaches into the way we live our individual lives. Let me be very careful here, they are NOT looking for meddlesome prudery, but rather those rare leaders who would show us that life indeed aspires to a higher purpose.

Santorum believes in an America that can aspire to its own exceptionalism, one that is worth defending from clearly identified threats. As the present occupant of the White House apologizes for America at almost every opportunity, it is a breath of fresh air to hear someone like Santorum celebrate her virtues.

Here we might note that those who oppose Tebow are often the very same people to whom Santorum is also a threat. Mainstream journalists are often out of touch with the Faith that moves the average person in our land. Statistics show that few of them are actively involved in Religious institutions. It is not surprising that they often miss the story.
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A Girl's Legacy: 'Angel' of Tucson's Dream for America [click to read]
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Revelry and Mayhem [click to read] by Theodore Dalrymple in City Journal.

"Is that British youths enjoying themselves—or killing someone?" -- Theodore Dalrymple

Tebow Critics Put Own Bigotry on Display [click to read] by Linda Chavez in Jewish World Review.

"Tim Tebow is not the problem. The real problem is our willingness to be bullied into thinking that prejudice masked as tolerance is acceptable." -- Linda Chavez