Thank you to all the veterans of the armed services. Also thank you to the many restaurants who give a free meal to veterans today. These free meals are not government sponsored, taxpayer funded programs.

The cost of these meals come off the bottom line of these restaurants. Show them your appreciation for saying thank you to veterans by dining with them throughout the year.

Tomorrow newly elected members of the US Senate and US House of Representatives go to Washington, DC for orientation. I have already started collecting bottled water for David Perdue. I also asked him to introduce a bill to require all locations with water fountains in DC post large signs warning that drinking the water could cause loss of common sense.

The events over the next few days in DC are to help the newly elected Senators get their feet on the ground in preparation for January when they take office. This year, Republicans have many new Senators coming in to office. Several of these Senators defeated Democrat incumbents.

It would be very wise for the sitting Republican Senators to set aside some time to allow these newly elected Senators provide some orientation to them about the real message from the American people. For the past 18 months these newly elected Senators have been in all corners of their respective states.

They have been intimately involved with the average American. They know the feelings and fears of their constituents about what is happening in Washington and how it is impacting generations to come. They did not need focus groups and pollsters to tell them. Americans told them as they shook hands and looked them square in the eye.

Two days after the election, I received an e-mail from Tom Aldridge, a small business owner in Albany, Georgia. He summed up the feelings that have been repeated time and time again across the nation:

I and most of my family voted a Republican ticket and we did that out of the need and desire for a change in the direction our country … I wanted to express to you my concern with the Republican party and its willingness and determination to make necessary changes in our government. Will they make changes – you have the support of the people so let’s see it happen…. There are many issues that we must “FIGHT FOR” involving the principles and character that has made this country so great. This is a Christian country founded on Christian principles and those principles are not for subrogation by man or politics just to suit our convenience. I want to encourage you to pass on the Republican party that the country wants results and bills placed on the President desk even if they are vetoed – but make that veto happen. Don’t talk about what we cannot do but do what has been talked about. Keep our values and enact our laws to reflect the desires of the people. Stand up to the left-wing agenda and fight for what is right. Keep “political correctness” at bay and do not let it govern what you do and say….

Do not talk with political ambiguity and act out of self-serving benefit. Speak the truth and do what is right. We want integrity and honesty out of all our leaders and we are now “demanding ” it…..

Working together does not mean we cannot fight and stand for what is right. I have already heard statements from the Republican party showing they will not stand and fight – Mitch McConnell said there would not be a government shut down – so that implies we are already positioning a retreat ?

I would like you to share this where you can. I feel it is representative of most of my friends.

This is the message that was delivered to David Perdue from corner to corner of our great state. It is the same message that our newly elected Republican Senators heard from corner to corner in their states.

Senator Mitch McConnell faced challenges in his re-election campaign that he should never have faced. A sitting US Senator holding the highest position that his party could hold, in a rural state like Kentucky should have been a cakewalk.

He should never have had to face a primary challenge. Democrats should have been looking for a sacrificial lamb to put on the ballot rather than pouring millions into what they perceived as a chance for victory.

Senator McConnell and the other sitting US Senators need to look beyond the euphoria of a nationwide sweep and honestly ask themselves, “Why?” If they want to know the answer, they only need to ask the newly elected Senators.

David Perdue should invite Mitch McConnell to come down and visit the Okefenokee swamp to meet the great possum philosopher, Pogo. He could give the answer, “We have met the enemy and it is us.”

Orientation starts tomorrow. While the sitting Senators are showing the newly elected Senators how to find their way to the Senate cafeteria, I pray that the sitting Senators will listen and find their way back to the average American.

I appreciate you taking the time to read my thoughts. Please forward these to your friends and share on Facebook. Also, let me hear from you. I always enjoy hearing back from you and I try to respond when you take the time to write me.

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