Thanksgiving traditionally begins the Christmas season. Each year I share this article because I know that even those who have read it before may see it in a new light this year.
You may discover that this year, the message is more real than ever because for the first time, you experience that empty chair.
Christmas is supposed to be a time of great joy and happiness. This year is different for many. You probably know some for whom it is different. You may not realize it, or maybe it just slips past you in all the hustle and bustle of the year. It is quite possible that you are one of those for whom Christmas is different.
There is a special chair in someone’s home that is empty this year. It may be the straight back chair at the dinner table, the office chair at the desk in the study, the lazy boy in the den, or some other special spot. It was a favorite for him or her.
You may have seen it on a daily basis. It may be in a place on the other side of the country. It may be a memory from years ago.
Last Thanksgiving or some past Christmas, there was someone sitting in that special chair. This year it sits empty.
It is that empty chair that consumes your mind. Everyone else is buying presents and talking about celebrating the season with family and friends.
All of that joy and celebration only intensifies the absence of the one who should be in that empty chair. You may feel guilty and hypocritical because you do not feel very merry at all.
King Solomon said that for everything there is a time; “a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;” (Ecclesiastes 3:4 ESV)
If you have an empty chair this Christmas, it is okay to take some time in the midst of the celebration to also weep and mourn. If you do not have an empty chair this Christmas, pause for a moment and think of someone who does. Your most meaningful gift this year could be to let someone know that you also notice the empty chair.
Imagine the national champion Georgia Bulldogs taking the field and kicking off to start the SEC Championship against LSU. After the kickoff LSU lines up to start their first offensive drive.
Inexplicably, the starting lineup for Georgia and the coaching staff leave the field and go back to the locker room. Meanwhile LSU has play after play after play running over the 3rd and 4th string lineup and running up the score.
Reporters scramble back to the locker room to see what is going on. Coach Smart explains that he believes the most exciting part of the game is the 4th quarter. He has a 4th quarter playbook that is absolutely unbeatable with a proven record.
He insists that no one ever outscores Georgia in the 4th quarter. He says that he believes that fans ought to learn to stay for the whole game and watch what happens in the 4th quarter.
A football game is played in four quarters, not just the fourth quarter. No matter how flawlessly a 4th quarter strategy is executed, if it has three quarters of the opposing team having free reign and rolling up the score, it is a tough hill to climb.
The scenario above is ludicrous. Yet, the Republican party plays a 4th quarter strategy while leaving the Democrats on the field practically unopposed for 3 quarters.
Early voting will begin either on Saturday, November 26th or Monday, November 28 for the runoff election on December 6. The kickoff for this game is not on December 6 – that’s the 4th quarter.
The kickoff is either Saturday, November 26 or Monday, November 28. The date is in litigation as I write this commentary.
Whether it is the 26th or the 28th, is not my point. The fact is that it is clearly not December 6.
I know that many Republicans do not like early voting. I do not like it either.
There ought to be a national holiday on election day with absentee voting allowed by excuse only. That would eliminate nearly all opportunity for fraud.
There is a vast difference between what I think ought to be and what is. The rules of the game say there are four quarters, not just the fourth quarter.
I can choose to play by the rules that I think ought to be and have a tremendously heavy lift created by my own actions. On the other hand, I can choose to play by the rules that are, and aggressively compete in all four quarters.
I encourage, exhort, beg, plead, you to make the opportunity to vote early for this runoff and vote for Herschel Walker as our next Senator. Republicans will win if we play the whole game and not wait till the 4th quarter.
There are good and practical reasons to vote early. The first reason is that we are not promised tomorrow.
You do not know what may happen. It could be a flat tire on the way to vote. I know that you do not plan to have a flat tire or some other emergency – no one does.
In this race, the choice is clear and you know what you will do at the ballot box. So, go ahead and take care of what you know you will do. Vote early.
A second reason to vote early is that it helps our side. The more people who vote early, the fewer people we have to call and remind to go vote on election day.
It is kind of like the safety instructions on the airlines about the mask. Put yours on first, then help someone else. When you vote early, your vote is in the bank and you can help someone else.
So, when the polls open next Monday, show up to vote early and vote Herschel.
You are the red wave. We have been hearing a great deal of talk about a red wave or red tsunami.
If traditional voting day Republicans show up Tuesday then the predictions will come true. If too many presume victory and let Tuesday slip by without voting, then we will experience the depths of despair.
Early voting turnout has been unprecedented. Many voted early for the first time. This election was so important that they broke a lifetime habit of election day voting to cast their vote during the three week early voting period.
There are still large numbers of Republicans who hold to the tradition of election day voting. It is vital that we have an overwhelming Republican turnout on election day.
The job for every conservative between now and 7:00 pm Tuesday is to ask those we know if they already voted. If not, then ask again on election day.
At this point, the goal is not to convince people to vote Republican. The goal is to make sure that those who will vote Republican go vote.
The talk of a red wave cannot be taken for granted. If you have not voted, then let nothing stop you on Tuesday.
The red wave has not developed yet. Make sure we have one. Vote Tuesday. You are the red wave.
Don’t eat the rat poison. As we draw closer to election day, we hear more talk of a huge red wave. Before you pop the champagne cork, let me warn you, early voting numbers are not showing the red wave everywhere.
I want to talk primarily with my friends in the 2nd Congressional District. Sanford Bishop and Democrats in Congress are scared. They are pouring in money to the 2nd District and they are getting their voters to the polls.
Republican Chris West can and will win this fight if conservatives show up. Herschel Walker will win statewide if conservatives show up. Brian Kemp has a lead for governor, but conservatives must show up or that lead will evaporate.
We love to hear predictions and the analysis of what could be a red wave on November 8. But this kind of thinking can lead to a tragic let-down. Nick Saban calls it rat poison.
It looks so good. It seems so easy. It will be a slam dunk. Let that thinking go to your head and the next thing you know, you are writhing on the floor in agony.
Have you voted? The bottom line is that YOU are the red wave. It is your vote that counts. The moment you assume that all the other conservatives are going to show up and run over the Democrats is the moment that we get out-flanked and out-voted.
They are doing it to us now in the 2nd District. We have to come out in the 2nd half all the way through the end of the game to get the win. It is in our hands, we just have to focus on running the plays and not get distracted by the deadly rat poison.
When you hear the pundits talk about the red wave, let that be a reminder to go vote. If you have already voted, then call a friend and ask them to go vote. Offer to give them a ride.
The races are going to be close and every vote counts. You are the one to make the difference. Don’t eat the rat poison. Be the red wave. Go vote today!
Republicans were nervous going into the debate last Friday between Herschel Walker and Raphael Warnock. Would Walker stumble and fumble the ball? At best the general consensus was a hope that Walker would not hurt himself.
Walker did not fumble. He scored time and time again. He spoke plainly and honestly. He addressed the people of Georgia.
He took questions like taking the football and ran hard with them. I could almost hear the ghost of Larry Munson shouting, “There goes Herschel! There goes Herschel!
When it was over, it was the Democrats who were nervous. It was supposed to be a walk in the park for Warnock but instead it was Herschel running over Warnock.
The debate clearly showed the distinction between a smooth talking politician, trying to soft touch every constituency and a plain spoken Georgian taking a bold courageous stand asking his fellow Georgians to follow.
Perhaps the most played clip of the debate dealt with abortion. Warnock used the abortion talking point that the doctor’s exam room is not large enough for a woman, her doctor, and the federal government.
Walker brought the house down when he said, “Did he not mention that there’s a baby in that room as well? But also did he not mention that he’s asking the taxpayer to pay for it? So he’s bringing the government back into the room.”
The moderator asked Warnock about a story saying that some apartments owned by his mega church were evicting disadvantaged residents. Some residents with eviction notices reportedly owed less than $35.00.
Warnock’s non answer response was more winding than a road through the North Georgia mountains to Brass Town Bald. He began with feigned indignation that this story was an effort by his opponent to “sully the name of Martin Luther King Jr’s church and John Lewis’ church” made by a “desperate candidate.”
Walker smiled and said that he didn’t write the story and noted how the Senator did not answer the question. Walker also offered to pay the back rent to help the folks avoid eviction.
One of Walker’s most impressive moves in the debate was when he talked about the challenges of mental illness. He intentionally looked directly into the camera and spoke directly to the viewer about the hope and availability of help.
From the viewer’s perspective, Walker was sitting across the breakfast table showing empathy and connecting at a deeply personal level. The focus shifted from the negative stories about Walker to the viewer, especially one of the millions who deal with some kind of emotional issue, feeling that Walker understood and could identify with their needs.
Herschel Walker delivered. He was genuine, straight forward, and transparent. He brought complex issues down to a simple level that the average person could understand.
Anyone who had honest questions about Walker before the debate have replaced those questions with confidence. Herschel Walker is a great candidate to take on an incumbent Senator.
Give Herschel the ball with your vote and listen for that familiar voice from the past. “There goes Herschel! There goes Herschel!
Early Voting starts today – go vote! We are not promised tomorrow, get your vote in.
Say it ain’t so, Billy. With a shocked and dismayed heart, I have to say that Billy must say it is so.
I first heard about it yesterday morning. I could not believe it.
Not Billy! He would never do anything like this. Yes, he did.
Crisp County Republican Sheriff, Billy Hancock, made an advertisement for Sanford Bishop. Billy gave Sanford his strong endorsement with an ending line, “I trust Congressman Bishop with my life.”
Why, Billy? Tell me. Was some grant or promise really worth it? Did you sell your soul in the past and now the devil came to collect his due?
This is a kick in the gut for conservatives who worked for you. We worked for you because we support the rock solid policies, values, and candidates who will stand up against the erosion of what Joe Biden, Nancy Pelosi, yes, and Sanford Bishop are doing to our country.
I understand the need to work with politicians across the aisle, especially when there are millions of dollars in various grants that could come our way. Elected officials have to go to the dance to get the funding.
I know how the dance goes. Go to the dance with Sanford if you need to, but you don’t have to give him the key to your hotel room.
Billy Hancock probably has more political capital amassed than any elected official in Georgia. He has enough to weather the reaction from people like me.
Honestly though, is it worth it? You sell out for a few dollars in grant money while Bishop (with whom you trust your life) is using that capital you just gave him to support the horrific policies of Joe Biden, Nancy Pelosi, AOC, George Soros, and a host of others who are are diametrically opposed to the values in that capital you just squandered.
I got a call from Tim Pinson, a friend of mine from Mitchell County, last night asking about this ad. He said that his one redeeming thought was that at least Crisp County is in the 8th District now and Billy Hancock can’t vote for Sanford.
That is true, but Billy, did you think ahead to how this could affect Crisp county when your congressman Austin Scott, goes to 2nd District Congressman Chris West to get help for Crisp County? You are not making our jobs any easier playing these political games.
I am so disappointed and disheartened over this ad. Before anyone asks me for a link, I’m not giving it because I will not play into the hands of making it easy to distribute it to an even larger audience.
Tim Pinson raised a question. Billy, you don’t have to answer it because I don’t know if I want the answer or not. He wondered out loud if you even voted for me in 2020.
You don’t know how badly I wanted you to say it ain’t so. But it is so. Please do not do anything like this again.
On this 4th of July, allow me to take a moment of personal privilege to congratulate my parents, Robert and Earline Cole on their 74th wedding anniversary. Both in their 10th decade of life still love each other till death do us part. Congratulations.
On its last day in session, the US Supreme Court handed down a ruling in the case of West Virginia v EPA that, without making specific mention, brought to light an overlooked line in the Declaration of Independence. One of the specific grievances against King George was a single sentence of just 23 words.
The grievance reads: “He has erected a multitude of New Offices, and sent hither swarms of Officers to harass our people and eat out their substance.”
It almost appears as if the founding fathers peered into the crystal ball to see the state of our nation two centuries down the road. We brought upon ourselves the thing we hated – the administrative state.
The administrative state is not mentioned in the Constitution. Although it resides in the Executive branch, it is not one of the branches of government. While the Constitution makes no mention of it, the administrative state has grown to enact more rules having the force of law and issues even more guidance documents. A guidance document may not have the force of law but for all practical purposes it carries the weight of law through implication and sometimes intimidation.
Justice Neil Gorsuch wrote a concurring opinion which pointed to the rapid growth of the federal government. In one of his footnotes, Gorsuch noted that between 1970 and 1990 the Code of Federal Regulations grew from 44,000 pages to 106,000. While Congress passes 200 to 400 laws each year, the administrative agencies issue 3,000 to 5,000 final rules. (Footnote 2 in Gorsuch concurring opinion page 7)
Quoting from the Federalist papers, Gorsuch wrote, “the framers believed that a republic— a thing of the people—would be more likely to enact just laws than a regime administered by a ruling class of largely unaccountable “ministers.”
So, as you celebrate another year of America’s Declaration of Independence, keep in mind that it takes more than a mighty military to maintain our freedom. Like erosion slowly moves the earth underneath one grain at a time, our freedom is in danger of being taken over one regulation at a time by “a multitude of New Offices” and “swarms of Officers to harass our people and eat out their substance.”
Have a great Independence Day and resolve to stay free.
When the Supreme Court handed down its 6-3 decision overturning Roe v Wade yesterday, I was interested to see the response of Congressman Sanford Bishop and Senator Rafael Warnock. The responses were predictable based on party line.
Democrats focused on a woman’s right to kill her unborn child implying that killing the child would make the pregnancy as if it never happened. Republicans focused on the protecting the rights of the unborn child.
The truth is that when pregnancy occurs, a significant event takes place in the life of the mother, and father for that matter. Killing the unborn child does not “reset” the clock, it only adds another event in the lives of the mother and father, especially the mother.
That event is an irreversible act leaving physical and emotional consequences for the mother. Then there is the child and there is no such thing as a safe abortion for the unborn child.
We as a people, must be willing to recognize the biological, emotional, and spiritual values of conception and abortion. These values reveal the political, cultural, and spiritual impacts on our society from the reversal of Roe v Wade.
Political Impact
The Supreme Court’s reversal of Roe v Wade will have wide-ranging political impacts. State legislators, especially Democrats, will no longer have the safe haven of the Supreme Court to hide behind.
Now it is up to the legislators in each state to establish the policies and regulations of abortion. Republican legislators who quickly claimed pro-life, but said they could do nothing about the Supreme Court no longer have Roe v Wade to allow them to avoid making a decision. Now we will see just how strong their position on right to life really is.
Democrats, especially in strong church communities, will have a more daunting challenge – if the church community will honestly connect the dots between their belief and policy and stand for the truth. The question is not about a woman’s right. The question is whether or not the public official is for or against killing a child in the womb.
Pro-life advocates must adopt a strategy of focus on the life of the unborn child and challenge those who they influence to keep the reality of the baby at the forefront. In plain language, abortion is killing an innocent, unborn baby, snuffing out the possibility of hopes, dreams, accomplishment, and value to our world.
Cultural Impact
The Supreme Court’s ruling on Roe v Wade will have a cultural impact as well. No longer will the right to an abortion be one of those subjects that cannot be changed. Some states, such as Georgia, will restrict abortions which will create a necessity for more crisis pregnancy centers.
In the long run, the best possible cultural change would be a strengthening emphasis on fatherhood. Family is the basic institution of society and strong, stable, fathers, are the pillars of family units.
Spiritual Impact
CNN and even Fox news will not likely speak of the spiritual impact of the Supreme Court decision. The spiritual impact is as real as the words you are reading.
In the Old Testament book of Isaiah, God spoke through the prophet to the people of Israel. In chapter 5, verses 1-7, God describes how He planted the nation of Israel with an expectation that was unmet.
Verse 7 says, “he looked for justice, but behold, bloodshed, for righteousness, but behold an outcry!” (Isaiah 5:7b ESV) It is a dangerous tightrope for public officials to walk when they ignore eternal truths and establish policy as if there is no accountability to God.
George Washington, in his first inaugural address outlined the providential care of God in the founding and establishment of our independent nation. He said, “We ought to be no less persuaded that the propitious smiles of heaven cannot be expected on a nation that disregards the eternal rules of order and right which heaven itself has ordained.”
For half a century, Roe v Wade blatantly disregarded the eternal rules of order and right which heaven itself has ordained. Now our nation began a correction, one state at a time, regarding the life of the innocent.
In a 6-3 decision, the Supreme Court revisited Roe v Wade and concluded that it is unconstitutional. We have seen the impact on our nation over the past 50 years. Now what kind of impact will we have because of this decision? I pray that as a nation, we will make good on this gift we have been given by the Supreme Court.
The primary runoff election day is tomorrow, June 21. The main race in the Southwest corner of the state is for the Republican nomination for Congress in the 2nd District to face Sanford Bishop in November.
Jeremy Hunt and Chris West were the top two in a crowded field of six in the May primary. I support Chris West.
Many have made a decision and even cast an early vote. Some may still be undecided. If you want to read my reasons to vote for Chris West, you can read my primary review and endorsement of Chris here.
Last Thursday Jeremy Hunt and Chris West both appeared at the Bibb County GOP meeting. Prior to the meeting, Jeremy Hunt was quietly served in the parking lot with a lawsuit filed by former candidate, Wayne Johnson.
No one knew about the lawsuit at the time until Jeremy Hunt told the audience about being served. Hunt charged Chris West for his involvement, but West was as much in the dark as the rest of the audience.
Wayne Johnson stood up and took responsibility for the lawsuit. He acknowledges that some will say it is merely sour grapes for not making the primary, but he insists that this is about the integrity of the election process.
In summary, the suit charges Fox News, Brian Kilmeade of Fox News, Jeremy Hunt and the Jeremy Hunt campaign for colluding to provide Hunt free air time on national Fox News television for the purpose of promoting his campaign and raising money. The complaint identified at least 15 appearances.
Johnson first addressed this issue in February with a letter to Fox News demanding equal time. Fox immediately called him and asked him to appear one time.
Fox also contacted Chris West and scheduled him to be on one show but later cancelled. When West called to reschedule, Fox ignored and would not return his calls.
While courts will determine the matter of law in this case, even the most casual observer would see that the lopsided coverage by Fox News is unfair. There is no way to justify the repeated appearances on Fox News, promoting his candidacy and asking for money after other candidates in the same race requested equal time and were rebuffed by Fox.
The complaint points out that there were concerns when President Gerald Ford appeared in a United Way Commercial (with no reference to his Presidential campaign). Networks were even concerned about showing movies with Ronald Reagan during his Presidency.
The complaint states that Hunt signed a lease for an apartment in Columbus after he announced his candidacy and that he still maintains a residence in Connecticut. Hunt is also a rising third year student at Yale Law School.
One question that I have which has not been mentioned is how Hunt manages to pay his personal bills. I know that I had to dig into savings to pay personal bills when I ran.
Jeremy apparently has two residences now, one in Columbus and one in Connecticut plus he is paying for Yale Law School and has a wife and child to support. I am not alleging anything nefarious taking place.
I do think that it is a reasonable question to ask in the primary, especially with hundreds of thousands supporting a campaign from sources in Washington, DC. Be assured, that if it is not answered now, Democrats will provide their own answers to the voters in November.
Let me restate that this lawsuit comes from a former candidate. Chris West had no knowledge of or involvement in Wayne Johnson deciding to file this lawsuit.
Jeremy Hunt says that the lawsuit will be “dismissed as quickly as Wayne Johnson was dismissed by the voters of the 2nd District.” Hunt called the suit a dirty trick similar to those, “often played by the radical left against true conservative candidates.”
I do not believe that the lawsuit will change the minds of any voters. Those supporting Jeremy will stand with Jeremy calling this a dirty trick. Those supporting Chris will continue to stand with Chris based on his conservative values, lifetime investment in the district and will note that he is not involved in this lawsuit.
Undecideds will swing one way or the other based on the issues of importance to them and the opinions of trusted friends. Ultimately we will know tomorrow.
Primary runoff elections, especially in the middle of summer, have notoriously low turnout. Make your statement with your vote.
Ultimately, the voters in the 2nd District will decide tomorrow whether or not the issues raised in this lawsuit are of importance in determining who should be the nominee. I believe that Chris West is the candidate the carry the Republican banner in November and ask 2nd District Republicans to vote for Chris.
After tomorrow’s results, the primary phase of this campaign will be over. The Republicans will have a nominee. I will be standing strong with our nominee. I encourage all Republicans to make the decision now, no matter how the vote goes, to stand with our nominee to win the 2nd District in November.
I will keep this one short and to the point. If you have a primary runoff election in your area, go vote.
Early voting starts today in runoff elections. I encourage everyone to go vote as early as you can.
Turnout for runoff elections is notoriously low. There are not as many races on the ballot so there is far less campaign activity.
People are generally thinking more about vacation, baseball, cookouts, and cutting grass than voting. Some estimate that the turnout for this runoff could be 1/3 of the turnout in the primary.
In effect, when you go vote, your vote will be 3 times as powerful in a runoff than it was in the earlier election.
If you are in the 2nd Congressional District, I ask you to vote for Chris West for Congress in the Republican runoff. In my last email I laid out my reasoning for support for Chris. Read it here.
Your vote counts unless you never cast it. Go vote today and make it count.
by 
