The Ten Most Important Words in Our Nation’s Founding

Posted on July 4, 2019 by Donald Cole

They gathered in Philadelphia. They had requested, appealed, and beseeched the King and Parliament for fair treatment. Like Pharaoh dealing with Hebrews in Egypt, Great Britain only doubled down.

Among themselves, they debated fiercely about whether or not to do what they were about to do. No one had ever succeeded. What made them think that they would be different?

They knew the risks were great. How would others react? How would their own fellow colonists react? How would they protect themselves in the challenges they would face in the future?

It was evident that they stood at a crossroads in human history. They would either live without liberty as subjects of the King or they would take action that some would call treason.

Patrick Henry summed it up the year before in an address to the Virginia Convention. His closing words are a reminder today of the magnitude of what took place in Philadelphia a year later.

Our chains are forged! Their clanking may be heard on the plains of Boston! The war is inevitable and let it come! I repeat it, sir, let it come. It is in vain, sir, to extenuate the matter. Gentlemen may cry, Peace, Peace but there is no peace. The war is actually begun! The next gale that sweeps from the north will bring to our ears the clash of resounding arms! Our brethren are already in the field! Why stand we here idle?

What is it that gentlemen wish? What would they have? Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God! I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty or give me death! (Patrick Henry, Second Virginia Convention March 23, 1775)

They came to a conclusion. The time for asking for relief from the King was over. Now, they were going to declare their freedom and independence.

Their right to stand as a free and independent nation came not as alms from a beneficent King. The right to freedom and liberty was a right from God, the Creator and Supreme Ruler of the universe. They claimed that right and set forth for the world and posterity to see their reasoning and their stand on the matter.

No one had ever stood against the King and succeeded. The signers of the document knew that they had to put forth sound reasoning, but they also knew that they could not count on reason alone.

The Colonies had abundant natural resources, but they knew that they could not count on natural resources alone. There was hope that other nations, like France, would support the Colonies, but they knew that they could not count on the support of other nations alone.

The signers of the Declaration were committed to the cause, but they knew that they could not count on their commitment alone. The signers knew that all other sources of reliance are like sinking sand. There was only one source on which they could firmly rely. They recorded that truth for the world and posterity to see.

Perhaps the best known phrases from the Declaration are, “all men are created equal” and “life liberty and the pursuit of happiness.”

The closing words of the Declaration are not as popularly known but they contain a phrase of ten words that is the bedrock, foundation, and most important words of our nation’s founding.

And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes, and our sacred Honor.

Almost two and a half centuries later, the United States of America is a powerhouse in the world. The United States rescued England from Germany in two World Wars. The United States stood strong in the Cold War and caused the Soviet Union with its Communists puppet nations to fall.

The USA built railroads across the continent, connected the Atlantic and Pacific with the Panama Canal, and put men on the moon. The United States is the first to respond around the world when disasters strike. The United States is once again the energy powerhouse of the world.

In all of these strengths and greatness, those ten words, “with a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence,” still constitute the bedrock of the greatness and exceptionalism of America.

Happy Independence Day. May God continue to richly bless you and may God bless America.

We Had Better Show Up to Vote

Posted on June 30, 2019 by Donald Cole

Twenty Democrat candidates for President gathered in Miami, Florida to introduce themselves to the American people. For four hours over two nights we heard promises that revealed their underlying foundation of belief about America and the American people.

There were no significant differences in their philosophies and views of governing in America. There were significant differences between the overall philosophies that we heard during those four hours and philosophies that we did not hear.

What we heard from each of the twenty candidates was a constant stream of victimization, class envy, despair, dependence, divisiveness, and denial of individual responsibility. In short, the socialistic theme of the Democrats was, “In government we trust.”

What we never heard were the uniquely American themes of aspiration, freedom, patriotism, liberty, faith, family, prosperity, and acceptance of personal responsibility. The theme of, “In God We Trust” was as absent as light in the depths of Carlsbad Caverns.

The candidates promised that there would be no deportation for those entering the US illegally and, as icing on the cake, free health care. They also wanted to cancel student loans and give free college. With all of these goodies, there was not a single mention of the growing national debt and fiscal responsibility.

Economy – “there’s plenty of money in this country. It’s just in the wrong hands. Democrats have to fix that.” (Bill De Blasio)

On night one, the moderator, Savannah Guthrie opened the questioning on the economy with the observation that, “71 percent of Americans say the economy is doing well, including 60 percent of Democrats.” I found it interesting that she did not make the same observation on night two. The reason likely had to do with the way the candidates answered.

Not a single candidate acknowledged that the economy was doing better for everyone. Elizabeth Warren said that the economy was doing well for a “thinner and thinner slice at the top.” Kamala Harris said, “this economy is not working for working people.” Corey Booker said, “this is actually an economy that’s hurting small businesses.” I suppose that means that 70% of Americans and 60% of Democrats are out of touch with the reality that the candidates obviously knew.

The line that caught my attention was that of New York Mayor Bill De Blasio who proudly displayed his socialist philosophy. In an indirect way, he acknowledged that the Trump economy is booming when he said that “there’s plenty of money in this country.”

As a good socialist Democrat, De Blasio stepped up to the plate to fix the serious problem of individual wealth building in America. He is committed to get the money out of your hands as a free American and into the wise hands of the government where it needs to be.

Immigration – Come on In. We’ll Leave the Light on For You.

On the issue of illegal immigration, every candidate made it a “day one” priority to abolish all efforts of the Trump administration to secure the borders. They advocated a pathway to citizenship for all undocumented people in the United States. Illegal border crossing would be treated as a civil case rather than a criminal case. Deportation is off the table. Instead of deportation, there will be free health care and a pathway to citizenship.

It was pretty clear that to these candidates, the laws of the United States must only apply to US citizens. It raises a question of just exactly what the Border Patrol should be doing. These candidates may as well suggest that they disarm the Border Patrol and issue them summons books and US Government ball point pens. While they are at it, they may as well issue voter registration cards and let them cast pre-marked ballots.

Democrats did have some ideas about how to reduce the number of illegal (no, wait, that’s undocumented) border crossings. Julian Castro said, “we need a Marshall Plan for Honduras and Guatemala and El Salvador so that people can find safety and opportunity at home instead of coming to the United States to seek it.” These governments will, no doubt, graciously accept any handout from the United States while rounding up their most undesirable residents to send our way.

Health Care – “Under our plan people go to go to any doctor they want, any hospital they want.” (Bernie Sanders)

As the great philosopher, Yogi Berra, said, “It’s like déjà vu all over again.” Obama promised Americans that they could keep their health plan but Bernie Sanders is only promising that you can go to any doctor or any hospital you want.

Sanders wants to abolish the private health insurance market and put in a nationwide Medicare to take its place. Sanders is even up front on taxing the middle class, saying, “they will pay more in taxes, but less in health care for what they get.”

Every Democrat candidate promised some kind of universal, government run, health care system. Every Democrat candidate promised free health care for illegal (undocumented) immigrants.

Sanders was the only one openly advocating abolishing private health insurance. When a private system attempts to compete with a government run system, who will win? Private health insurance will be relegated to elective procedures like plastic surgery. Patients with the money will be able to by-pass lengthy waiting lines to go to concierge private hospitals.

Gun Rights – “that’s not confiscation. You could give them the offer to buy back their gun.” (Amy Klobuchar)

Every Democrat went after assault rifles. They all generously offered some kind of buy-back program. The candidates did not get into any direct statements on the 2nd Amendment. Elizabeth Warren made note of a significant difference between “guns in the hands of a collector who’s had them for decades, who’s never fired them” and “guns that are sold and turned over quickly.”

Ironically, Kirsten Gillibrand complained that President Trump had diverted funds away from cross-border gun trafficking. It sounds as if she was in favor of Obama’s Fast and Furious debacle that cost the life of a US Border Patrol agent.

Climate Change – “It’s a climate crisis. It represents an existential threat to us as a species.” (Kamala Harris)

Climate change was the top priority for several candidates and in the top few for the others. All committed to re-entering the Paris Climate Accord after President Trump pulled out in June, 2017.

This is notable because a report in July 2018 by the American Enterprise Institute (AEI) released a report showing that the United States achieved the largest reduction in carbon emissions. Meanwhile China led the world with the largest increase in carbon emissions.

No one opposed the Green New Deal. Joe Biden wants to go all electric by 2030 and build 500,000 recharging stations.

Conclusion – We had better show up to vote.

In 2020, the American people will have a clear choice between the socialist agenda of the Democrats and the American dream agenda of the Republicans. The choice has never been clearer and we had better show up to vote for conservative Republicans. Choose wisely.

Trump Holsters Missile Strikes on Iranians

Posted on June 22, 2019 by Donald Cole

He had them in his sights. All he had to do was say, “Go.”

His generals estimated that within 30 minutes 150 Iranians would not go home alive. As hard as the military tried to avoid it, there may have been civilians killed in the strike.

They refer to that as “collateral damage.” That does not make it sound so bad. After all, this is war.

In the United States, there is one Commander in Chief who makes the decision. President Trump figuratively had the target(s) in his sights and his finger on the trigger. He made a final decision to lower his weapon and re-holster it – for now.

In an interview with NBC’s Chuck Todd for Meet the Press, President Trump explained his decision. For the average American watching, his explanation was very clear, logical, and simple. There was no Washington-speak.

He made it clear that nothing was final up until the point that he made the final decision. “Nothing is green-lighted until the very end because things change.”

I took a double-dose of Alka-Seltzer and forced myself to read and watch media clips on CNN, MSNBC, Washington Post, and New York Times. I wanted to see what kind of spin they would put on President Trump’s decision.

As I expected, I saw headlines that included phrases like, “dangerous confusion”, “reversal”, “ordered attack, but called it off”, “sloppy handling”, Trump’s tale strains credulity.” The mainstream media, who just days before were clamoring that the President was bringing us to the brink of Armageddon, were now saying that he was indecisive.

It takes time to prepare for a strike, but a strike is not ordered until it is ordered. The mainstream media is intentionally misrepresenting what President Trump himself clearly explained. “Nothing is green-lighted.”

President Trump went on to explain to Chuck Todd that he weighed the response. “They shot down an unmanned drone, …. and here we are sitting with a 150 dead people that would have taken place probably within a half an hour after I said go ahead. And I didn’t like it, I didn’t think, I didn’t think it was proportionate.”

The mainstream media obviously cannot, or refuse to, understand plain language. The President prepared to respond and he easily could have responded. He made the decision that only he could make.

It was a wise decision. The leaders of Iran need to understand what happened and be thankful that the President did not pull the trigger. He was fully justified if he had launched a retaliatory strike.

In this case, he took another course of action. Iran knows what could have happened.

Some say that now Iran will be more emboldened to act. I do not believe that is the case at all. Whether they ever publicly acknowledge it or not, Iran knows that they dodged a bullet and they have no one but President Trump to thank.

Now, if Iran is wise, they will cease their mischievous behavior. This time, President Trump holstered missile strikes. They are foolish if they expect him to do it again.

Trump Wins Again – Mexico Acts Positively

Posted on June 8, 2019 by Donald Cole

Have you ever been in the grocery store and seen a parent, let’s say a mother, with a small child, let’s say a 3 year old boy. The little boy spots a bright shiny package of candy. The mother says, “you can’t have that, you need to put it back.” You know that this will go one of two ways and what happens next will reveal it all.

One path could be that the little boy says, “yes ma’am” and puts it back as they continue to shop. End of story.

Well, I try to keep my commentary short, but this is a little too short. Nowadays, unless the boy is shopping with his retired Marine Drill Sergeant uncle, that ending is a rarity.

Here is the path this story more likely takes. After hearing, “you need to put it back,” the boy tightens his grip on the shiny package of candy, pulls it close to his chest and turns away from his mother. The mother says, “you know that candy is not good for you, so let’s put it back.”Little boy, “No.”

The mother, while still pushing the buggy down the aisle farther away from the candy, says, “well, you know that will give you a tummy ache and you won’t be able to sleep.” She extends her open hand toward the little boy to receive the package of candy. The little boy turns even farther away from his mother, pulling the candy even closer to his chest. He answers, even a little louder this time, “No!”

Still pushing the buggy down the aisle and rounding the corner to the next aisle, the mother says, “Now, I’m not going to tell you again, we’ll have to put the candy back. I’ll tell you what, I’ll get a nice little toy for you. Won’t you give me the candy?” The little boy now shouts as other customers in the store turn and look. “No! I want this!”

Fortunately for the mother, she was finished loading her cart so she continues the conversation with her little boy as she strolls to the checkout line. “You are making me sad and your father will be disappointed in you. Please give me the box of candy.” The little boy holds the candy even closer and twists farther away from his mother with another louder shout, “No! I want this!”

Just before going through the line, the mother stops the buggy and walks to face the little boy as he has twisted far away from her. Now things are really serious. “Give that package to me now. I’m going to count to three. ………. One ………. Two ……….

Moments later, you see the mother pushing the buggy with everything checked and paid for heading out the door. The little boy is happily eating the candy and holding on to the new toy that his mother bought for him.

This describes negotiations with other countries by the United States in recent history. China has cheated the world in trade deals and everyone knew it. It might be unfair to China to call it cheating since they were just going as far as they could go.

Iran and North Korea defiantly developed nuclear weapons. The Obama administration made a deal with Iran that was so bad, it makes the mother in the story above look like a stern disciplinarian.

Mexico, opened their doors for a pipeline of illegal immigration to the United States. Democrats in Congress refuse to support our Border Patrol to protect our citizens. President Trump declared an emergency and is building the wall in spite of the Democrat opposition.

Then, Trump played another card to stop the flow of illegals through Mexico to the US. He told Mexico to change their behavior and act in a positive, responsible fashion. In other words, “put the candy back.”

For decades, Mexico and all of these countries acted like the little boy in the grocery store. During those decades, Democrats and Republicans took turns playing the role of the mother. Predictably, every drama ended with the little boy happily eating his candy and playing with his new toy as they left the store.

This time, Donald Trump is pushing the buggy. This time he set forth expectations and clear consequences that would take effect on June 10.

The mainstream media exploded with doom and gloom. Democrats and Republicans reacted saying that his move was a blunder. Like the 10 spies that Moses sent to the Promised Land, they were saying , “we became like grasshoppers in our own sight.” (Numbers 13:33 NASB)

Mexico, on the other hand, knew that Donald Trump would do what he said he would do. It would hurt them worse than it hurt the United States.

Mexico deployed 6,000 troops to their Southern border with Guatemala. They took steps to stop the wide-open pipeline. They agreed to do more in a speedy fashion.

Once again, Donald Trump put America first. The swamp denizens were shouting the equivalent of passages from the 1950’s child rearing advice of Dr. Benjamin Spock. Trump just looked Mexico in the eye and said the equivalent of, “you need to put the candy back.”

After over two years with President Trump, Mexico knew what was about to happen. They chose to behave in a positive fashion. They put the candy back. Trump wins again!

President Roosevelt Leads the Nation in Prayer as Troops Land on D-Day 75 Years Ago

Posted on June 5, 2019 by Donald Cole

On June 6, 2019 the entire world will remember the 75^th anniversary of the largest military operation in history. It was an epic conflict of good vs evil.

Thousands of young Americans who just months before were securely living in homes on farms and in cities across our nation crowded into landing craft.

The vast armada chugged toward the beaches of Normandy like a cloud of gnats on a South Georgia farm. As these brave young men stormed the beaches, they were charging into the gates of hell itself.

While the invasion was underway, President Franklin Roosevelt, in a nationwide radio address, led the nation in prayer for this undertaking. Take 5 minutes to listen. Share this with your friends and especially young students who are learning about our nation’s history.

Text of President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s Address and Prayer on D-Day – June 6, 1944

My fellow Americans: Last night, when I spoke with you about the fall of Rome, I knew at that moment that troops of the United States and our allies were crossing the Channel in another and greater operation. It has come to pass with success thus far.

And so, in this poignant hour, I ask you to join with me in prayer:

Almighty God: Our sons, pride of our Nation, this day have set upon a mighty endeavor, a struggle to preserve our Republic, our religion, and our civilization, and to set free a suffering humanity.

Lead them straight and true; give strength to their arms, stoutness to their hearts, steadfastness in their faith.

They will need Thy blessings. Their road will be long and hard. For the enemy is strong. He may hurl back our forces. Success may not come with rushing speed, but we shall return again and again; and we know that by Thy grace, and by the righteousness of our cause, our sons will triumph.

They will be sore tried, by night and by day, without rest-until the victory is won. The darkness will be rent by noise and flame. Men’s souls will be shaken with the violences of war.

For these men are lately drawn from the ways of peace. They fight not for the lust of conquest. They fight to end conquest. They fight to liberate. They fight to let justice arise, and tolerance and good will among all Thy people. They yearn but for the end of battle, for their return to the haven of home.

Some will never return. Embrace these, Father, and receive them, Thy heroic servants, into Thy kingdom.

And for us at home — fathers, mothers, children, wives, sisters, and brothers of brave men overseas — whose thoughts and prayers are ever with them–help us, Almighty God, to rededicate ourselves in renewed faith in Thee in this hour of great sacrifice.

Many people have urged that I call the Nation into a single day of special prayer. But because the road is long and the desire is great, I ask that our people devote themselves in a continuance of prayer. As we rise to each new day, and again when each day is spent, let words of prayer be on our lips, invoking Thy help to our efforts.

Give us strength, too — strength in our daily tasks, to redouble the contributions we make in the physical and the material support of our armed forces.

And let our hearts be stout, to wait out the long travail, to bear sorrows that may come, to impart our courage unto our sons wheresoever they may be.

And, O Lord, give us Faith. Give us Faith in Thee; Faith in our sons; Faith in each other; Faith in our united crusade. Let not the keenness of our spirit ever be dulled. Let not the impacts of temporary events, of temporal matters of but fleeting moment let not these deter us in our unconquerable purpose.

With Thy blessing, we shall prevail over the unholy forces of our enemy. Help us to conquer the apostles of greed and racial arrogancies. Lead us to the saving of our country, and with our sister Nations into a world unity that will spell a sure peace a peace invulnerable to the schemings of unworthy men. And a peace that will let all of men live in freedom, reaping the just rewards of their honest toil.

Thy will be done, Almighty God. Amen.
President Franklin D. Roosevelt – June 6, 1944

Wall at Normandy Cemetery - American Battle Monuments Commission — Wall at Normandy Cemetery – American Battle Monuments Commission

Mueller’s Hail Mary and Barr’s Interception

Posted on June 1, 2019 by Donald Cole

I watched Robert Mueller’s press conference. For over two years, I held on to a glimmer of hope that Mueller was trying to do a thorough investigation to find and report the facts. His press conference confirmed solidly in my mind that his entire investigation was not to find the truth but to find that President Trump committed a crime.

He could not find that President Trump committed a crime so he turned the foundational principles of justice on its head. With glaring hypocrisy, Mueller applied the principle of justice to indicted Russians when he said that he would not comment on their innocence or guilt because, “Every defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.”

In President Trump’s case, however, instead of reporting the facts that there was no evidence to charge the President with a crime, he turned the burden of proof upside down. While he extended the presumption of innocence to Russians, for President Trump he said, “if we had had confidence that the President clearly did not commit a crime, we would have said so.”

This sounds more like the famous swimming test of a witch trial than American justice. In the swimming test, the accused would be bound with ropes and thrown into a lake. If she somehow managed to get to the surface for air, it was clearly through means of witchcraft. If she sank, then she must not have been a witch.

In the Russian collusion investigation, Mueller also attempted to plant a seed of guilt where there was none. He said, “there was insufficient evidence to charge a broader conspiracy.” Note the modifier, “broader.” He clearly intended to leave the impression that there could have been a conspiracy. It was just that if there was one, it was a county road conspiracy, not an I-75 conspiracy.

Mueller went on to say that he did not come to any conclusion because department policy prohibited charging a sitting President. He said, “we concluded that we would not reach a determination one way or the other about whether the president committed a crime.” Notice the careful use of words when he said that “we would not” not “we could not.”

Mueller’s argument on DOJ policy immediately raises a glaring question. If he was not going to come to a conclusion, then why did he waste millions of dollars over two years to write a 400 page gossip column?

Newt Gingrich quickly knocked down Mueller’s DOJ policy argument. He pointed out that Kenneth Starr’s report on the investigation of President Bill Clinton used the word, “guilty” eleven times with five of those being for obstruction of justice.

In an interview with Jan Crawford, Attorney General Bill Barr said that Mueller could have reached a conclusion. He and Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein were both surprised when Mueller did not.

Barr went even farther by pointing out that Mueller’s statement saying that he could not exonerate the President was not DOJ policy either. Barr said that Mueller’s standard of exoneration, “of course is not the standard we use at the department. We have to determine whether there is clear violation of the law.” There was no violation of the law. There was no narrow violation. There was no broad violation. There was no violation.

Mueller also said that the DOJ policy held that the Constitution puts the responsibility on Congress to formally accuse a sitting President. Barr said that he was not sure what Mueller was suggesting but that “the Department of Justice doesn’t use our powers of investigating crimes as an adjunct to Congress. …we are not an extension of Congress’s investigative powers.”

Mueller concluded his press conference by saying that he would not take questions. He went on to say that he had no plans to testify further. Referring to his report, he said, “We chose those words carefully, and the work speaks for itself. And the report is my testimony.”

This raises another glaring question. If the report speaks for itself and is his testimony, then why hold a press conference?

There is a simple answer. Mueller was seeking to find that President Trump committed a crime. He could not because there was nothing to find. Bill Barr released the Mueller report six weeks ago. It was gaining no traction.

Mueller’s press conference was simply a Hail Mary pass. Bill Barr intercepted it in the end zone.

Sonny Hits 50 States

Posted on May 23, 2019 by Donald Cole

Sonny Perdue in Soybean Field — US Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue

While news coverage focuses on investigations, hearings, subpoenas, and other madness in Washington, DC, one member of the President’s cabinet has been steadily and persistently doing the job to which he has been called.

This week, Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue visited his 50th state. In two years and a few weeks, he traveled to all 50 states plus Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and multiple foreign countries.

He made several RV tours, appropriately named, “Back to Our Roots.” Rolling down the back roads of rural America across multiple states he went to do something spectacular for which Washington, DC is not known. He went to listen.

His travels covered over 100,000 miles. He visited over 100 farms and held nearly 200 townhall meetings.

The people came to meet him. They gathered in barns, school gymnasiums, college campuses, churches, fields, town squares, cafeterias, processing plants, and the list goes on. Governors, members of Congress, State Legislators, County Commissioners, Mayors, farmers, ranchers, teachers, students, pastors, small business owners, homemakers, and small children came to meet Secretary Sonny.

Immediately after Sonny Perdue took the oath of office, President Trump directed him to head up a Task Force on Agriculture and Rural Prosperity. Ninety days later he completed the report with specific recommendations and action plans.

The top recommendation was to make broadband accessible to rural America. He compared it to the national investments in the 1930’s to provide electricity and telephone service to rural areas through the Rural Electrification Act and the Telecommunications Act.

Less than a week after he was sworn in, Sonny went to an elementary school in Virginia and announced that he was rolling back the onerous school lunch regulations of the Obama administration. School nutritionists, also known as the “lunchroom ladies” as he fondly recalled from his childhood, were spending more time trying to comply with rules than feed their students.

Even worse, they were helplessly watching as kids dumped their Obama Approved lunches in the trash. It didn’t take him long to trash the regulations and make school lunches great again.

He restructured the mission areas of USDA to focus on the customer. He slashed regulations. His top priority was opening markets for U.S. agricultural products. He told farmers, “if you grow it, we’ll help you sell it.”

Knowing that agriculture would be the prime target for retaliation by other nations against the President’s trade policy, he diligently worked with President Trump to provide some mitigation. No one likes what the Chinese and other nations are doing to U.S. agriculture but he stands with the President in addressing issues that have been swept under the rug for decades. Farmers, although hurt, are standing with the President.

Sonny took another step that is unheard of in Washington, D.C. He reached out to other agencies to coordinate efforts in overlapping responsibilities.

He was perhaps the most outspoken cabinet member calling on the EPA to get rid of the burdensome and intrusive Waters of the US (WOTUS) Rules. He worked closely with the Department of Labor to help farmers navigate the cumbersome H2A Visa process.

Where the Food and Drug Administration had legal responsibility for some areas of food safety, he worked with them to align USDA regulations. When it came to the farmers, he was like a protective mother bear. He bluntly made it clear that he did not want to have FDA inspectors, who knew nothing about farming, to be treating farms like a pharmacy inspection.

He made sure that USDA had a seat at the table to help shape rules in other agencies so agriculture’s voice was heard. HUD, Department of Energy, Homeland Security, Department of Interior, and more have the fingerprints of Sonny Perdue.

Sonny Perdue’s vision for USDA is that it is the most effective, most efficient, most customer focused agency in the federal government. Just as he did when he was Georgia’s Governor, that vision will come about.

He adopted a motto for USDA, “Do Right and Feed Everyone.” When these trade disputes are resolved and America’s farm products can start flowing in free and open markets, America will be sending food to all corners of the globe to help make that motto a reality.

Fifty states visited in two years. That is doing right.

Congratulations on that Mount Everest of a milestone. America is blessed to have you serve and Georgians are proud of you.

The Deception of the Equality Act

Posted on May 19, 2019 by Donald Cole

Last Friday, the Democrat controlled US House of Representatives passed H.R. 5, the Equality Act. That sounds like a noble title. We are a nation of laws and they should be applied in an equal manner.

As with many laws passed in Congress, the name is deceptive. It purports to provide protection against discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. The truth is that it is an assault on religious freedom and it directly attacks the Religious Freedom Restoration Act.

If you live in Southwest Georgia, you may wonder how your Congressman voted. Sanford Bishop not only voted for it, he was a proud co-sponsor.

The Equality Act amends the 1964 Civil Rights Act to elevate sexual orientation and gender identify to the same status as “race, color, religion, or national origin”. It would now read, “race, color, religion, sex (including sexual orientation and gender identity), or national origin.” There are other significant changes to the Civil Rights Act.

The Civil Rights Act has a lengthy list of establishments where discrimination is prohibited. The Equality Act adds:

“stadium or other place of or establishment that provides exhibition, entertainment, recreation, exercise, amusement, public gathering, or public display.”
“any establishment that provides a good, service, or program, including a store, shopping center, online retailer or service provider, salon, bank, gas station, food bank, service or care center, shelter, travel agency, or funeral parlor, or establishment that provides health care, accounting, or legal services.”

It goes further to re-define the word establishment to include, “an individual whose operations affect commerce and who is a provider of a good, service, or program; and (2) shall not be construed to be limited to a physical facility or place.”

It expands the list of establishments and goods and services so that just about anything anywhere is caught in its net. A church or private school that has a gym or family life center would be included. Even broader is “public gathering or public display.”

Under the services it also expands the list by slipping in new ones. Among them are service centers, care centers, shelters, travel agency, and health care.

In Anchorage, Alaska in January 2018, Timothy “Samantha” Coyle, who identifies himself as a female, attempted to enter the Downtown Hope Center. It is a Christian shelter for homeless and battered women. They sleep on mats on the floor and take them up during the day to have room for other programs.

Coyle was drunk and injured from a fight. The Hope Center staff obtained transportation to the hospital for him. The next day he again showed up outside of the hours for overnight admission. Two days later he filed a complaint with the city’s Equal Rights Commission claiming that Hope Center, as a “public accommodation,” discriminated against him because of gender identity.

The Equality Act re-defines the term, “establishment” to include individuals. This is clearly targeting cases such as the cake baker, Jack Phillips, in Colorado. He designs custom cakes and declined to design a cake for a same-sex wedding. The state of Colorado charged him with discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation. The Supreme Court ruled in his favor.

The day after the Supreme Court ruling, a transgender lawyer came to Phillips requesting that he design a cake to celebrate a gender transition. When Phillips refused, the state of Colorado again charged him with discrimination.

This time it was on the basis of gender identity. Phillips responded with a lawsuit against the state for harassment. Eventually the case was dropped.

Section 1107 targets the 1993 Religious Freedom Restoration Act by name. It says that act “shall not provide a claim concerning, or a defense to a claim.”

This law has nothing to do with equality. We can already see the consequences of this law based on what has happened with similar municipal ordinances and state laws, such as Colorado’s.

Americans do not care to know about a person’s sexual orientation. They definitely have no interest in making a biological determination of someone’s gender. Neither do they wish to allow someone decide that they will “identify” as the opposite sex and invade the privacy of others.

The bill now goes to the Senate. I trust that Majority Leader Mitch McConnell will exile the bill to the island of misfit law where it belongs.

Biden Opening Floodgates for Illegals

Posted on May 11, 2019 by Donald Cole

Democrat Presidential Candidate, Joe Biden joined his Socialistic counterparts this week with a shocking plan to provide free healthcare to illegal aliens. He said that American taxpayers are obligated to give healthcare.

“I think that anyone who is in a situation where they’re in need of healthcare, regardless of whether they are documented or undocumented, we have an obligation to see that they are cared for. That’s why I think we need more clinics around the country.”

The key phrase is “anyone who is in a situation where they’re in need.” The problem with this is who determines whether or not someone is “in need.”

It will be the person who shows up demanding the care. That is why hospital emergency rooms are visited by individuals with a runny nose.

In April, the Border Patrol stopped over 100,000 illegal aliens attempting to cross the border. That was 6% higher than March and the highest since 2007.

Democrats refuse to protect our borders. They put every conceivable roadblock in the President’s path to stop him from doing so. Democrats in Congress continue to insist that we do not need a wall while those who are risk their lives are stretched to the breaking point.

Confronting Democrats with their own words from several years ago when they were advocating support for border security, even for a wall, do not crack their consciences. Their hypocrisy has devoured any semblance of honesty like a blue whale consuming plankton.

It is evident that their hollow words for border security in the past were blatant lies. They had no intention of doing anything about border security then and neither do they today.

Democrats are encouraging this invasion of illegals. The organizers of these illegal border crossings know that our laws have loopholes that force the United States to release them. They organizers also know that if the Democrats win the Whitehouse in 2020, there will be some kind of amnesty.

It comes down to a matter of risk and reward. By refusing to support border security, Democrats send a message that the risk is low for illegal entry. Now, Joe Biden’s offer of free care for anyone who is “in need” maximizes the reward and opens the floodgates.

Supporting David Shafer for Georgia GOP Chair

Posted on May 9, 2019 by Donald Cole

I am voting for David Shafer for Georgia GOP Chairman. I made the decision after the candidate forum in Albany.

David called me a few weeks ago and asked for my vote and support. I made no promises at the time because I know David well and also Scott Johnson. I have worked with both in some capacity and think highly of both of them.

A couple of weeks later, Scott called me and we had a great conversation. I made no promises to Scott either.

At the forum we saw three great candidates. Each candidate has unique strengths that would be of value to the party. We can only choose one.

One factor that led me to select David over the others was the phone call from him. I asked him why he was running. He shared similar answers that we hear from all the other candidates.

He added one thing. He said that he wanted to invest his time in the GOP and that he believed that he could make the biggest impact serving as Party Chair.

It was not so much the exact words that he said that impressed me. Every candidate for Party Chair wants to invest time for the GOP.

It was his sincere and humble sense of calling to run for Party Chair. He talked about investing his time in the context of how he has served in the State Senate and his desire to pour the same passion into the GOP.

Another reason that I decided on David is that he has a broad background in state politics. He pointed out the vital need to connect with both the big financial donors and big donors of time who do the work. From grassroots organizing to leadership under the gold dome, he knows how the process works and how to get things done.

At the forum, I felt that David presented himself best in his plan and his passion for the job. I believe that he is the one who is the best fit for a very challenging volunteer job that will require practically a full time investment.

David offered himself as a candidate for Lt. Governor. He narrowly missed a clear win in the primary. In the runoff he was hit with an endless barrage of negative ads and he lost by a razor thin margin. It was so close that there could have been a recount.

David conceded the race because he knew that Democrats were coming after every candidate in the general election. He felt that a recount would be a distraction from the higher goal of keeping a conservative Republican in the Lt. Governor’s office.

Every candidate for this kind of race in a party or primary usually makes a commitment to support the winner. In that painful and disappointing loss he practiced what he preached about his commitment to the Republican party.

He could have just as easily retired from the scene. He could have become bitter. He did neither. He invested his time, experience, and skills in helping Republican candidates.

Now he offers to invest his time in the place where he felt he can be most effective. I believe that is as Georgia GOP Party Chair.

If you are a delegate to the Georgia GOP convention, I recommend and endorse David Shafer. If you know someone who is a delegate, please pass on my recommendation to vote for David Shafer for Georgia GOP Chair.

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