When a “friend” says that you are not needed in their life because of your world views on liberty and life... listen to them and move on. Don’t stop loving them. You may even grieve their loss but do not allow their choices power over yours. Each of us will be held to account for our choices. In this world, tyranny of thought and idea divides, excludes, and destroys. The liberty way is the only way to include.

I’ve lost many friends recently and I grieve their loss but principles are more important than principals.

“Of all tyrannies, a tyranny sincerely exercised for the good of its victims may be the most oppressive. It would be better to live under robber barons than under omnipotent moral busybodies. The robber baron’s cruelty may sometimes sleep, his cupidity may at some point be satiated; but those who torment us for our own good will torment us without end for they do so with the approval of their own conscience.” —C. S. Lewis, God in the Dock: Essays on Theology and Ethics (1970)

Healing a relationship and asking another to heel are not the same thing. Ask yourself which one you seek when you have power. Consider what outcome your choices require when you do not have power.

Rigging, manipulation, and influence are not the same thing as a global illegal conspiracy. It seems to me that we the people have bowed in fear and outsourced our intellectual and physical freedom. It is indeed time to circle up and plan legal protests with local civil disobedience coupled with disciplined planning for the next elections. The media and big tech will NOT play fair. 72 million Americans is a strong start. We, conservatives, must align and look to the future.

I’m disappointed that my fellow Americans have embraced this systemic threat to individualism and liberty in favor of corporate communism back by force and fire of government. Cest la vie. When these policies fail in coming years, I and many like me will be far less tolerant, likely less civil, and follow the protest playbook we have seen as a roadmap. Times ahead could be pretty vicious. It seems we are at war for the souls of our states and thus our republic.

Biden’s DARK WINTER is indeed coming and will extend well into 2021 and beyond. Consequences will be far reaching beyond just surviving Covid. We have >99.8% chance of surviving that threat. The societal threats could be far more deadly as families churches and businesses are literally blown up. The blame game is done. We must look to the future. Let’s roll.

There are some big wins in this election cycle/debacle.
Americans are learning how important their state governments are. The elections for Secretary of State and Attorney General matter immensely.
We better understand the differing roles of states and federal govt.
Many of We the people are reading and studying the constitution, Declaration of Independence and even federalist papers.
This knowledge is a proven foundation for hopeful future. States matters matter.

We must have the freedom to say anything and the personal wisdom and discretion to not say everything.
You don’t choose for me and I don’t choose for you. That said, each of us MUST choose carefully what we say and to whom because the consequences are real immediate and local.

A Biden Harris 2020 win could be disappointing but it should not be devastating.  There is a path no matter the outcome in coming hours/days. 

1. The GOP held the US Senate. This is the key.
2. Conservatives have a solid majority on SCOTUS to ensure constitutional compliance. 
3. The razor thin margin win is a repudiation of radical principles on either side. Most importantly, the concept of restructuring a GreenGreat2020+ socialism driven society is not going to happen en masse ANY time soon. 
4. Biden really is an incompetent bumbling elderly puppet.  Harris and the squad’s will not win nationally due to the previous point so her candidacy for future is likely dead. 
5. Republican bench of policy driven, populists with more moderate communications skills is deep. 
6. The Trump loss will allow the NeverTrump Rs to come back to the right where they should have always been.  
7. The GOP can hold the Senate in next election and very possibly take the house as the Biden Harris administration will be doing almost nothing effectively.  
8. The massive tax increases promised will go nowhere. 
9. The media and entertainment industry must come to grips with the fact that the United States is solidly split and partisan.  Continuing to demonize and demagogue conservatives as evil, misogynistic, racist bygones will fall on deaf ears.  A new message must emerge. 
10. The GOP will be emboldened and empowered to fight right more aggressively following the Trump models, but staying more tempered in message. 
11. The CovidCrisis will end, and every day Americans will see that Biden did nothing significantly differently from Trump in practical application. 
12. State and Local races will be much more impactful for average voters going forward. From school board meetings, to economic development/zoning, to funding and support for police, the people will be motivated to engage and make changes local local locally.
13. Free speech will remain free… and violent protests/actions against conservatives will be repudiated.  This might be a stretch, but I am hopeful. 
14. The liberty minded conservatives across this nation will be bolder. As Dem policies are tested for scale and duration, they will fail and the DNC will not be able to run and hide. 

1A 2A ProLIFE Pro school choice ProStatesRights ProPolice ProMilitary AntiWar AntiRaiseTaxes... Principles that matter.

Biden is elderly with the esteem and credentials of a big government statesman. He IS the archetype for establishment politician.
Trump is a brash undisciplined populist lightning rod with unparalleled policy results hindered by an overt exploitation of partisan division.
Principals that matter?

Draining the swamp smells at first. It still must be done.

Friend asked about black churches, democrats, and D vs R “theology” this am. I responded this way. 
Political party affiliation really has nothing to do with Christianity. Period. Worldview and politics are best rendered and focused to Caesar. I love attending “black” churches and all Great commission focused churches. There are plenty, look to left, look to right... and then focus UP. Philippians 4 addresses it perfectly.  
For record: All have sinned and fall short of glory. We are saved by Christ... not by govt or politics... or Caesar. 
Unity of purpose in great commission does not require uniformity of action. Period. It is a hard reality for all sides. I do not need to understand actions and choices of others if I’m focused on God and my assigned mission. Where I am. As I am. Be. Love. Serve. Repeat.

I saw this cartoon in local paper this am and it made me think. Pelosi and her cronies are expecting Biden/Harris to win the election. She knows that the 25th amendment is useless to her right now. Instead, I think that the Dem leadership is planning to remove Biden from office and effectively complete a coup for the radical left that the moderates can do nothing about.

solution: Vote Republican. We need to plan ahead.

The deciding part of Election 2020 is over. I don't believe that there are any significant undecided voters out there. Only questions and issues that remain are .. WILL YOU ACTUALLY VOTE? and will your vote be counted? Those are only real questions... all the rest is media hype...  
We can all be UNITED over the concept of Free, Fair, Elections... and the need to VOTE as part of our civic duty as citizens of the greatest nation in the history of the world.  
VOTE... Be the hope and change that you want to see. This is how we stand together. WE VOTE. and then move on... 
-->also... If you are asking, I think you should vote Republican straight down the ticket. That is how I'll be voting.

Debate is between two visions. This is how two party elections work.

Harris/Biden TOP 10 Desires.
(regular stuff from Dems)
1. Higher taxes - redistribution of wealth by force
2. Open Borders
3. Socialized medicine - National healthcare for world
4. Abolish fossil fuels
5. Use taxpayer funds to support abortion.
6. Take guns - abolish 2nd amendment
2020 new stuff from Dems
7. Restructure the Supreme Court
8. National mask mandate
9. Use racism and segregation to “fight” racism.
10. Class warfare urban wealthy academic coastal elites vs rural working class

Let me be clear. Voting for Biden/Harris is not a vote for change. That man has been actively leading in the federal government for almost half a century. He is the epitome of establishment, system centered, big government, tax and spend, hunker in the bunker mentality. It is stunning to consider that the progressive coalition on the left thinks that somehow Biden will somehow miraculously become an agent of change... focused on the future... As they protest the "system" and call for change... they are simultaneously voting for the candidate most devoted to maintaining the SYSTEM... The reality of this is stunning to consider.

Many conservatives don't like Donald Trump's tone, character flaws, and mannerisms. We don't like the way that the country is so divided, but we believe that this division began long ago and that it is rooted in the leftist, globalist, collectivist ideology and lack of personal responsibility at every level. We believe that the Trump/Pence ticket is the best path forward because we trust in the citizens of the USA to stand up and take ownership of their towns, states, and regions... culturally, morally, financially, and yes in government. The governing ideologies rooted in change is ironically best achieved through the conservative platform, allowing federalism to work and the people to choose exactly how they want to live locally and in their states. We do not need a one size fits all approach and it has never worked in the history of the world, and never will.

This Virginian wishes that President Trump would talk less, and smile more... and simply lead. Sadly, that doesn't seem possible because the attack narratives must be countered and embraced. That is where we are.

We all want things to change for the better. We disagree on how to do that. The mechanism for unity is voting for principles... not principals and we must remember that God is in charge of all of it. ALL of it. ​

NOONE with a mask or without a mask is responsible for you and your behavior. This idea that a person who is living is now responsible for you is worthy of ridicule. I don’t get to judge what you eat, where you go, what you touch, who you socialize with, or why you do those things.

If you want to stay safe, protect yourself. We must Stop assigning deadly intent to choices. It is foolish and destructive. I decide for me, not for you.

​I was in attendance at the school board meeting last night and I witnessed the consequences of fear on fine people.  It is devastating.  I could see the pain in  faces of friends and leaders and so many others. I am sorry for that.  I believe that our superintendent and staffing leadership is exemplary.  Our School Board members are listening and leading.  The efficacy of their decision will be told in results over the next year.  Success is not certain with any of our existing paths.

That said... Finding a path forward rooted in principles and priorities is the only way.  What we have now is NOT working.  Maintaining a focus on the children is paramount in every sense and I’m proud to them leading our school system. I challenge them to their experience even in the face of the withering emotional toll from the fearful. Our culture is in a bad place currently. Poor behaviors and choices are infecting us all but leadership and bold thoughtful steps is the path forward. 

We must ALL Think outside the box. We MUST Get those kids back into rooms with teachers and trust in the skills and passions of the teachers to find a way.  I believe that we cannot continue to allow families and children to burn 🔥 with the farce that is virtual learning 2020.  Attendance, equity, special needs, arts, coaching, sports... The public services in these areas are failing daily.   Burning is the correct analogy in every sense as families, schools, churches, workplaces and society is coming apart quite literally.  Our future is in those children.  Our present is with those parents and teachers.  We do not have the choice to continue on

We will must work together and help.  Hard decisions are required.  Leaders must lead. We the people must follow and then adjust in the future.  This is the only way. 

How can we as business and community leaders change things in our capitalist system to be more equitable across demographic segments including race, nationality, education, and geography?

Access to capital and customers is the life blood of trade and progress. As trade increases, context is provided for relationships, and community is a natural outcome. Trade is the natural opposition to violence and conflict.

Local businesses, owned by local people, buying and selling to local diversity is key. If you want to make a change, provide capital and customers to minority owned and operated businesses. We must STOP waiting for the government to use force to impose equality. Force requires using division to enforce a bureaucratic equity that is too rigid to evolve and succeed. It always fails. People working with people is how things get done and how change occurs.

LOCAL LOCAL LOCAL x1000. Capital $ and Customers ;-) ​

We live in a country where far too many are addicted to anxiety, fear, dependency, and victimization. Faith and choices focused on God and service to others is a proven therapeutic and it vaccinates and empowers US in community. We must choose to love and serve others above self. That will change everything. Peacefully.

Leading includes managing panic and optics and tone actively. Drawing a causal connection to more deaths because of Trump’s decisions and actions is ridiculous politics.
It is deplorable and naive to state that “Trump lied and people died.” The panic and fear kill and the ramifications of the humanitarian crisis are just beginning. Since we are now doing counterfactuals... in retrospect... if Hilary had been in charge things would have been very different and radically worse... such is the way of liars and losers and cowards. Trump is none of those things. With Biden it would have been far far worse. No closed borders in Feb and March is just as a start to how bad things could have been.

And to be clear, there is much we could have done better. But hindsight is 2020. Always has been... Actual leaders know this.

from Dave Foreman on FB
“so Donald Trump made some comments to Bob Woodward in March/April and now everyone is going nuts. Right.

I was doing a LOT of analysis back then on who said what when. The CDC, WHO, and government and private groups were desperately trying to make sense of things. EVERYONE was overreacting on too little factual information out of an abundance of caution. What was said one day was contradicted a week or a month later.

The president said in a short conversation that the virus was more deadly than the flu and also said he was downplaying it because he did not want to create a panic. THAT IS HIS JOB. Presidents are responsible for managing the mood of the country as the facts unfold.

Anyone who tries to act like they 'knew' what was happening is exaggerating. When you are shutting down air travel to other countries, contemplating the death of 2 million of your citizens, and don't really understand the disease yet because your medical team doesn't you say things to calm and sometimes manipulate the public. Remember that the people that want universal masks now were saying we didn't need then then - BECAUSE WE DIDN'T HAVE ENOUGH PPE AND WANTED MEDICAL PEOPLE TO HAVE THE INVENTORY. We have tens of thousands of ventilators now that may never be used because we thought we needed them.

I get that if you want to defeat Trump in November or you can't stand the man ANYTHING will be a great reason to further your position. That does not, however, make it true. Various governors and Senators and Mayors said a lot of contradictory things around the same time. That is what panic does.“
​

Weakness incites violence. Strength does not. Violence takes many forms. Physical, economic, semantics.

Politics and our system of government provides a peaceful way to manage the people and the diverse ideas while respecting their strength.

The idea that we would no longer have blue states and red states was idyllic and perhaps even utopian, but clearly unrealistic anytime soon if ever.

Unity does not require uniformity when strength and honor reign.

At sporting events. Passions and tempers flare, and the people get excited. It is expected. Political conventions and rallies are the same. These days the energy and excitement is expressed on social media. If we grant sincerity and look through the energy to the substance, policy, and record we are afforded a better view of reality. That said, conventions and energy are fun. It is awesome to stand up and be proud of a position, an idea, a team, and even a protest. The rub, is that it all needs to remain peaceful. When the games becomes too violent in words or actions then everyone loses.

Most people I know are virtuous hard working people.  They seek wisdom,  exhibit courage, revere honor, and are generally measured and respectful in their words and judgement.   Empathy and caring is a tricky thing to show authentically at scale. Some choose to virtue signal and tell you want they intend, how much they care while focusing on how much better it would be if they had more control.   I tend towards a different model. I care deeply, but I believe that my actions and choices, in spending of precious resources like time and money, must deliver results in support of my principles.    To be nice is nice. To actually help others is nicer. 
My concern, shared by most, is that leaders also set an example of morality and character. This is unavoidable and critical.  How I perceive words and actions can be completely disconnected from reality when leaders play the spin game. All leaders do it. All leaders must do it.  Competency in this game is about using character and record of results to find the right balance. Inspiring the masses is an extraordinary ability and responsibility.  Until Trump came into the picture it was almost always about walking the lukewarm middle to avoid a radical appearance.  He trumped this norm and embraced a model of in your face, out loud thinking, and counterpunching that broke the mold and hit the reset button. 
Donald Trump is not a nice measured communicator.  He does get the job done in my view. In his next term, I’d like to see him adopt a more measured persona. Alas that want is not effective in national elections and the current environment. Trump’s drain the swamp approach reset the playing field. He bears responsibility for ushering in and condoning a “key signature” that is harsh and mean spirited.  A decision is starkly presented for US. Do we prioritize result over rhetoric. Nice, well mannered elderly intentions over snap decisions and sometimes harsh decisions.  I like what Biden said last night. Character is on the ballot. America’s character is not built on flashy rhetoric and Marxist progressivism in my book. My choice is clear.  To keep America great, we must get results and then manage the optics. 
Managing optics up front with controlling and autocratic decisions in the back rooms is toxic.  The central committee begins then to set the moral standards and uses rule of law and force of government to destroy the rights granted by God.  When coupled with a victimization, cancel culture that rejects rule of law in favor of mob movements, the rights of the people to speak and live freely are damaged and maybe even destroyed. A deep feeling of resentment and disgust spreads like a virus as omnipotent morality reigns in place of one on one decisions. 
My solution,  vote your conscience and search your heart. Go to church and put God back in charge because of your own interpretations.  Talk less, smile more. Above all, decide if you prioritize image over results. To evaluate the results you MUST get past the image and find real numbers and metrics that matter. Look ahead, but don’t ignore the past.  With politicians and leaders, past results are a predictor of future decisions. 
My view of politicians is that most are not virtuous hard working people.  They ignore wisdom, rarely do anything courageous, are willing to sacrifice honor for poll results and votes, and in recent years are not measured and respectful.  That last one, I’d really like to get back to measured and respectful, but when push comes to shove, progress will provide jobs, and security both physically and financially. I can overlook the bad behavior if the results continue to pile up.  If I see decisions ultimately bearing fruit over time and at scale.  That is the bar.  Progress is not about who is nicer, it is about what decisions best enable life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. On that front, we have come so far, but we have so far to go. Choose wisely when you vote. 

“Of all tyrannies, a tyranny sincerely exercised for the good of its victims may be the most oppressive. It would be better to live under robber barons than under omnipotent moral busybodies. The robber baron’s cruelty may sometimes sleep, his cupidity may at some point be satiated; but those who torment us for our own good will torment us without end for they do so with the approval of their own conscience.”  —C. S. Lewis, God in the Dock: Essays on Theology and Ethics (1970)

"Patriotism means to stand by the country. It does not mean to stand by the president or any other public official, save exactly to the degree in which he himself stands by the country. It is patriotic to support him insofar as he efficiently serves the country. It is unpatriotic not to oppose him to the exact extent that by inefficiency or otherwise he fails in his duty to stand by the country. In either event, it is unpatriotic not to tell the truth, whether about the president or anyone else.” 
― Theodore Roosevelt

Breaking News!! Very little in the real “local” world is actually about President Trump.

He doesn’t represent conservative right Christian principles any more than Biden represents the progressive left. Ultimately we vote on ideas, not people. This is why identity politics and the emerging cancel culture born of a victimization systemic oppression mindset is useless.

We cannot live on past success and failure any longer. We can live and love into a future based in service ams choice in place of control and dependency. In community and society based on liberty, we can choose to help.

I do think that President Trump is the best choice available for now but I dream of a brighter future.

​Every group, family, and relationship has cracks.  Here is the thing.  When that foundation stone is under intense pressure, it is NOT possible to repair the cracks.  If nothing is done, then cracks will widen and eventually the foundations will crumble completely leaving a disaster zone for everything, and everyone connected.   The problem to manage is repair, without driving wedges into the cracks and making the problem worse.  

In our world today, our families, our churches, our institutions are under immense pressure.  Cracks which have been present forever, are being stressed and widened.  Many of these “institutions” will suffer catastrophic failures.  As a leader in my family, in my church,  it is my job to care for the entire system.  I seek to repair the cracks, or at least fill them.  HOW? 

First, I use time to remove pressure and then I find the strong pieces, and use them to carry the load for the weaker sections as we add strength.  
The mortar is love, but the solution requires more than simply loving and accepting.  It is a balancing act of stress and relief, communication and care and accountability for change.  Understanding the true pillars of the foundation is a required step.  For me, that is faith and commitment to God.   

As a family comes apart, there are flex points.. fulcrums and pressure points.  The process is the same for bring one together.   We must accept the cracks, and seek to fill them so that we can lift one another and shore up the foundation.  

Disagreements must not be allowed to move to contempt.  
Actions and decisions affecting the “whole” must take into account the needs of the individuals.   
People are equal.  Ideas and solutions are not.  Decisions and actions separate but they also unite when connected to a shared purpose.  Unity of purpose does not require uniformity of action, but it does require a shared understanding and direction.  

FAMILY.  FAITH.  These are flawed and cracked…  but the foundations rooted in stone, rather than sand will stand the pressure… and by working together, we can find a way to avoid collapse.  IF… we choose to do so.  
For me, it is unacceptable to see the coming failure and do nothing, but doing something must not spread divide and weaken the whole.  We must agree on the definition of the whole.