Turning the Tide...: 2015

Wednesday, December 23, 2015

Straight No Chaser Christmas Can Can

This is so funny. Enjoy.

Saturday, December 12, 2015

Text Marketing v. Email Marketing and/or Social Media

So I just read this book: Make a Killing on Kindle. This guy learned the hard way that sending out email blasts ends in only about 10%, and I'm being generous, open/read rate. Of course, as I read through the book I did pick up a couple of things, but there is just nothing like text marketing.

It doesn't matter if you are an author, charitable foundation, musician, business, politician or political candidate, building a texting community of fans, customers or supporters is the best way to reach them quickly and efficiently. Building a texting community is the best was to support your cause, your business, your fans or your supporters. Once a solid community is built then your message being received is only seconds away, right into their cellphone.

Email is a thing of the past unless you are simply communicating with friends, co-workers or loved ones. However, building a texting community is a marketing strategy that has a completely different set of stats:

98% open/read rate,
70.6% click through rate.
90% of all text messages are read within 3 minutes of their delivery
Over 86% of Americans own a mobile phone
91% of all US mobile users keep their phone within arm’s reach
Over 68 million people are frequent text users
70% of smartphone users text.

You can't beat that anywhere at any time. Check out www.venidro.com ... it is, by far, the best out there for building your texting community.

Maximize your marketing with Venidro’s powerful suite of text and web based services. Texting is quite simply the most powerful way to reach your target audience. With Venidro, texting isn’t just about messages, though. Use our polling tools to dig deep and find out what your customers really want, then sell it to them right through their phones. With tools ranging from contests to donations to virtual line management, Venidro has what you need to empower your customers and your business. Don’t just talk to your audience, communicate with them. With Venidro, you can go beyond the unread email and the unseen print ad. There is no more efficient way to reach your customers than through the device they have with them every waking hour of the day. ‪

#‎Authors‬ ‪#‎Musicians‬ ‪#‎Business‬ ‪#‎Politicians‬ ‪#‎Candidates‬ #Foundations

Friday, December 11, 2015

Merry Christmas, America

Muslims take it upon themselves to dictate to the world what they think we should believe. But that is not the way things work in America. For America is still a Christian nation, regardless of what our ridiculous president may say.

Christmas is a time when the world stops, takes a breath and looks at itself and remembers the wonder and joy of the season. Although peace is gone from the earth until the return of Jesus Christ, we can still find that peace within our hearts and souls. We've only to turn to Jesus Christ to find that much needed peace.

First, and foremost, Christmas is all about Jesus Christ. Our Lord, Savior and Redeemer. It is about His birth at the meridian of time. He descended from His throne on high to come save all of God's children. He redeemed us in the Garden of Gethsemane and broke the bands of death when He rose three days later.

This is a simple version of the Christmas Story told by a little girl. The simplicity of it, as well as the message, is truly something to remember. For in the eyes of a child we often find pure truth.

Purchase your tickets now to the Convention of Statesmen held on May 20-21, 2016. It will be two days of unbelievable speeches and discussion panels to remember! Learn more at www.conventionofstatesmen.com.

Sunday, November 22, 2015

Wildest Dreams performed by Kai Lundell

Kaitlyn Lundell is an amazing singer. This is her cover of Taylor Swift's Wildest Dreams. Kai is a member of American Leadership Academy's Evolution Show Choir. Rock on, Kai. You are amazing.

Published on Nov 20, 2015 Wildest Dreams/Summertime Sadness Mashup performed by Kai Lundell

This video and mashup was created with the help of, the amazingly talented people, Becky Willard and Cameron Gade. Special thanks to Kaden for being a killer beat boxer and to my mom for blowing wind in my face with a leaf blower for a cool shot. :') And most of all, a special thanks to my dad for being the most amazing dad and sponsor EVER! :)

Thursday, November 19, 2015

Senator Ted Cruz's Immigration Plan

It's official. This is now my favorite immigration plan, bar none. Ted Cruz rocks, what more can I say? What a novel idea, putting Americans first. An American president who would put Americans first. I like it ... no, I love it!

From Townhall.com

Sen. Cruz wisely divided his plan into three categories. All of which are essential in restoring our immigration system, Judeo-Christian heritage, healthy job wages and national sovereignty. The plan entails how he would secure the border, restore the rule of law, and reform legal immigration to protect Americans. Within each category Sen. Cruz offered specific and in depth objectives to implement his plan, along with a "promise" to see it through. I've listed them all below in bold face lettering, along with my own brief commentary (not in bold face) as to why each is essential for a border plan going forward:

1.) Secure the border

A.) Build a wall that works. After passing legislation in 2006 to complete a 700 mile fence across our southern border and having it signed by then President George W. Bush, Congress managed to build a menial 36 miles worth of fence. Ted Cruz promised to "complete" the remaining 664 miles worth of concrete enforced fencing.

B. Triple the number of border patrol agents. The federal government is obligated to enforce our border laws. Having more man power will help in that effort and let the countries south of our border know we mean business.

C. Increase vital aerial surveillance and other technology along the border. Although I'm skeptical of the effectiveness of this particular aspect of securing our border security, Sen. Cruz argues that "eyes in the sky and other equipment are necessary to find and detain all illegal entrants." (Sheriff Paul Babeu would agree with Senator Cruz.)

D.) Finish the biometric tracking system at our nation's ports of entry. Approximately 60 percent of illegal foreigners that enter our country legally on temporary visa programs never leave. A tracking system is crucial to curtail that.

2.) Restore the rule of law.

A.) End President Obama's illegal amnesty. Sen. Cruz promises to rescind each of Obama's 20 executive orders that has fomented illegal immigration his first day in office. Having argued before the Supreme Court nine times, I tend to believe he knows what he's doing.

B.) Increase deportations and end catch-and-release. Deportations and returns have to be taken seriously. Ted Cruz has promised to rededicate the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to "fully enforcing the law."

C.) End sanctuary policies. Sanctuary cities are a spit in the face to those who immigrated to our country legally. They undermine any incentive for illegal foreigners to assimilate. This must be stopped! Three hundred-forty jurisdictions in the U.S. refuse to enforce our immigration laws. Cruz has promised to sign "Kate's law, and deport criminal immigrants."

D.) Prohibit illegal immigrants from receiving financial benefits and strengthen E-Verify. People who broke our border laws don't deserve welfare from U.S. citizens. Additionally, American jobs should go to Americans. This policy will help accomplish that objective.

3.) Reform legal immigration to protect Americans.

A.) Suspend the issuance of all H-1B visas for 180 days to complete a comprehensive investigation and audit of pervasive allegations of abuse of the program. Ted Cruz also promised to "initiate an immediate 90-day investigation and audit" of the H-1B visa program to protect American jobs. I would like more details on this.

B.) Halt any increases in immigration so long as American unemployment remains unacceptably high. Until American workers are near full employment it makes no sense to saturate the low skilled labor market and drive down wages.

C.) Enforce the public-charge doctrine. I love this! If you come to this country it is incumbent upon you and no one else to take care of yourself! Let's restore the "American Dream" not the "Great society."

D.) End birthright citizenship. As a black American it is offensive how our 14th Amendment is being used to justify lawless acts by illegal foreigners when it was written to protect freedmen! Sen. Cruz promises to "take steps to pass legislation or a constitutional amendment to end it."

America is the only industrialized nation in the modern world with weak border policy. Other candidates are "campaigning" about what they'd do to secure the border, but knowing what we know about Sen. Cruz, he's just speaking truth.

Tuesday, November 17, 2015

Horror in Paris

It has been a tragic last week for France, and for the world. On November 13th a series of coordinated terrorist attacks occurred in France. Anywhere from 128 to 150 (the reports have varied) were murdered and over 350 wounded.

France responded by declaring a state of emergency and closing their borders. But Europe should have closed it's borders long ago before Muslims started pouring into their countries. Oh, call it what you will, but every attack was orchestrated by ISIS as was the downing of the Russian airliner, as are the brutal attacks on anyone not Muslim, or not of the particular faction of Islam that is ISIS (I can never remember whether they are Sunni or Shia.) I just don't care. What I do care about are the crucifixions, the gang rapes, the sexual slavery, the burning alive, and the beheadings. That I do care about. ISIS cares not if they are babies, toddlers, children, teenagers or adults, they are craven in their behavior and approach the level of demons in what they do.

Barack Obama and his ilk are adamant about not calling radical Islam what it is ... murderous and brutal. They won't even call these heathens Muslim. But they are all Muslim and bent on utterly destroying the world in order to establish their caliphate. They will convert you by the sword or kill you. There is no in between and there are no good neighbors planned.

I've heard plenty about Islam being a religion of peace. I've read your Quran, there is nothing peaceful about it. Not in the way Muslims treat women, and not in the way they treat their neighbors. America was established on the principles of freedom of religion, the press, and right to assemble. These are encompassed in the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. Islam would destroy all that and rob us of our eternal rights of freedom and liberty. Islam cannot, nor will it ever, coincide peacefully with other nations and religions.

Bringing Syrian refugees into America is tantamount to committing treason. Barack Obama and John Kerry, not to mention Hillary Clinton, are all for importing tens of thousands of Syrians into America. They are 95% young, healthy men who have no intention of becoming Americans, and have every intention of attacking America as soon as they get things organized. One Syrian already went missing from Louisiana and was found in another state. Trust me when I say, this is an invasion, not in any way shape or form are they refugees.

Bill Hemmer of Fox News is in France reporting on the G20 gathering.

"America’s Newsroom co-anchor Bill Hemmer was uncharacteristically opinionated and aggressive after President Barack Obama‘s remarks Monday morning at the G20 Summit over Friday’s French terror attacks. Hemmer — who hosts the late-morning news block on Fox News daily alongside Martha MacCallum — is in Paris, France with continuing coverage of the events, and was the first Fox personality to appear following Obama’s address. Although the coverage was most likely intended for Hemmer to summarize the speech and then toss to Fox’s Bret Baier for his analysis of the President’s news conference, Hemmer clearly editorialized his own views on the address, saying, “If you were waiting to hear a US President say, ‘I feel your pain’ or if you were waiting to hear a US President say, ‘It’s them or us,’ that is not what you just heard."

Here is the video of what he said:

My heart goes out to the people of France, no question. But their government's open border policies brought this on them, and we will see like attacks across Europe, and now in the United States. With refugees pouring into western nations we have nothing but war ahead of us.

ISIS has threatened Washington, D.C. as well as the capitols of other nations. Somehow they think this will stop the opposition to their reign of madness. We don't understand them and they don't understand us. The western world has pulled together twice before, and twice before America had to lend their weight to win the war. In fact, I would say there was no chance of winning until America entered the fray in both World Wars. The western world will unite once more to put the mad dogs down in the Middle East.

Just don't plan on Barack Obama leading out, he is a craven coward.

Monday, November 2, 2015

The Simple Flat Tax Plan by Senator Ted Cruz

"Imagine 4.9 million new jobs. Instead of Obama’s income stagnation, imagine average wages rising 12.2 percent over the next decade. Capital investment rising 43.9 percent. And every income-level seeing double-digit increases in after-tax income. Imagine exports and manufacturing jobs booming. Our trade deficit falling as the tax bias against American made goods is eliminated. Imagine a 10 percent income tax, with every American filling out his or her taxes on a postcard or iPhone app. And abolishing the IRS as we know it.” – Ted Cruz

Summary

It’s time for the next American revolution; it’s time to reignite growth in our economy. And the best way to do that is through fundamental tax reform. Cruz’s Simple Flat Tax abolishes the IRS and replaces the byzantine tax code with a simple, fair tax. America’s economic strength has been smothered by years of Obama’s broken promises, and stifling mandates and taxes, such as those under Obamacare. A great stagnation has led to a lost workforce: Millions of Americans have given up trying to find work and acquire skills to improve their well-being. America needs a bold stroke of pro-growth tax policy to reignite the mighty U.S. economic engine. The Simple Flat Tax is a critical first step to restoring the promise of growth and prosperity in America.

Under the Simple Flat Tax, the current seven rates of personal income tax will collapse into a single low rate of 10 percent. For a family of four, the first $36,000 will be tax-free. The Child Tax Credit will remain in place, and the Simple Flat Tax Plan expands and modernizes the Earned Income Tax Credit with greater anti-fraud and pro-marriage reforms. As a result, the Simple Flat Tax will ensure that low- and middle-income Americans have greater opportunities – not only through minimal taxes, but also through better, high-paying jobs that the Simple Flat Tax will generate. Under the plan, deductions for charitable contributions and mortgage interest payments are preserved.

The IRS will cease to exist as we know it, there will be zero targeting of individuals based on their faith or political beliefs, and there will be no way for thousands of agents to manipulate the system.

For businesses, the corporate income tax will be eliminated. It will be replaced by a simple Business Flat Tax at a single 16 percent rate. The current payroll tax system will be abolished, while maintaining full funding for Social Security and Medicare.

The convoluted tax code will be replaced with new rules of the game – so simple, in fact, that individuals and families could file their taxes on a postcard or phone app. The Death Tax will be eliminated. The Alternative Minimum Tax will be eliminated. The tax on profits earned abroad will be eliminated. And of course, the Obamacare taxes will be eliminated. Also gone will be the unending loopholes in the current code, the stacks of depreciation schedules for businesses, and the multi-tiered rates on income and investments. Under the Simple Flat Tax, the Internet remains free from taxes.

The results will be truly dramatic. According to the well-respected Tax Foundation, the Simple Flat Tax will deliver an economic boost of tremendous magnitude. In the first decade, the Simple Flat Tax will:

Boost Gross Domestic Product by 13.9 percent above what is currently projected.
Increase wages by 12.2 percent.
Create 4,861,000 additional jobs.

In the tax-cutting spirit of Presidents Ronald Reagan and John F. Kennedy, the Simple Flat Tax will lift Americans out of the current economic stagnation and into an historic boom.

The Obama Economy

America needs an economic revolution. From 2008 to the present, the economy has grown an average of 1.2 percent per year, with the weakest post-recession recovery in 75 years. The labor force participation rate has fallen to a 38-year low. Millions will never acquire the work skills that would empower them to climb the economic ladder and inspire their children to reach even higher. They are the permanent casualties of the ObamaBust, truly a lost workforce. The sluggish Obama economy is crushing opportunity for Americans who want to work. From exempting Congress from his signature healthcare law, to bailing out big banks, the Obama Administration has made the rich and well-connected more powerful, at the expense of ordinary Americans. Nowhere is this more apparent than in the misfortune befalling small businesses. Recent years have seen a dramatic decline in the rate of business formation. Business deaths now outpace business births. This is a national tragedy. But it’s not too late to turn things around. We can once again capture the unparalleled ingenuity that is the American way.

Current Tax Code

Each year, Americans spend 6.1 billion hours on tax compliance. Billion. That’s roughly the equivalent of every American taxpayer devoting 45 hours to filing their taxes every year. Or, alternatively, the equivalent of 59,580 Americans working every day with no days off from the age of 18 until retirement.

Americans spend massive amounts of time and money on their taxes, giving rise to a cottage industry of tax preparers, lawyers and accountants – all dedicated to coping with the tax code’s unproductive complexity. The convoluted code especially harms small businesses that can’t afford to hire expensive accountants or pay additional fees. Their tax compliance costs are 67 percent higher than those of big businesses.

The current tax code is an artifact of the Washington Cartel – lobbyists and special interests colluding with government to benefit themselves at the expense of taxpayers. Complexity is the Cartel’s greatest ally because it masks backroom favors. Our current labyrinth of a tax system has been a tool for Washington to amass power. Americans are rightfully suspicious of any government code that outruns the length of the Bible.

“Every year we spend about $500 billion on tax compliance – which is dead weight loss and it doesn’t produce even a single truck or tortilla. A flat tax would produce economic growth and create jobs.” – Ted Cruz

What’s needed is a fresh start. A simple code that eases compliance will refocus America’s energies; instead of Americans working to pay the government, the government will be working for the American people, and unleashing jobs and opportunity.

End the IRS’ Partisanship Corruption

“If the IRS has become a partisan arm of the Democratic National Committee, there can be no stronger argument for ending the IRS as we know it, so that no Administration, Democrat or Republican, can use the IRS to target its political opponents. If a Republican president did this, as Richard Nixon tried, I can assure you I would be every bit as loud and clear that it is an abuse of power. And for a Democratic Administration to do this and to find Democratic defenders of this abuse of power is profoundly dangerous to the liberty that is the basis for the incredible miracle we call the United States of America.” – Ted Cruz

Of the 84,000 IRS employees roughly half (48 percent) work on “Examinations and Collections”; roughly another quarter (23 percent) work on “Filing and Account Services.” Under the Simple Flat Tax, with Americans filing taxes on a postcard, we will need vastly fewer examiners, collectors, filers and account servicers. Some resources – like those devoted to Obamacare’s taxes, or the Death Tax, or the code’s countless loopholes – can be totally eliminated. In other words, we will be able to redirect the energies of the 1200 full-time IRS employees currently devoted to Obamacare, and save the $386 million that the IRS spent last year on Obamacare alone.

The IRS cannot simply be downsized; it must be abolished and replaced – not only because it spawns an over-complicated tax code that burdens taxpayers, but also because of the institutional corruption and political self-dealing that abuses taxpayers. These two defects are interrelated. The system is corrupt in part because it is complicated. Its tangle of laws allows the IRS to conceal political corruption.

The IRS has become a political weapon. Its leadership has targeted Americans because of their religious beliefs, or conservative values, or pro-life stances, or pro-Israel positions. An outrageous sequence of scandal and cover-up by the Obama Administration, abetted by Democrats in Congress, has shredded its last remains of credibility. We need a fresh start with a simple and fair, single-rate tax system, clear enough to be closed to Washington’s cronyism.

A Fair & Simple Flat Tax Solution:

The Simple Flat Tax spurs robust economic growth and job creation, while raising after-tax income for all Americans. It dramatically simplifies tax filing so all working people can file their taxes with a postcard or phone app. And it shrinks the Washington Cartel by getting rid of the tax code’s rat’s nest of requirements, credits, and loopholes.

A low-rate flat tax will spark an economic boom, creating jobs and opportunity for all, resulting in a permanent increase in the size of the U.S. economy. Initial analysis from the respected Tax Foundation in Washington, D.C. shows that the Simple Flat Tax will create an explosion in economic growth explosion of historic dimensions. In the first decade, the Simple Flat Tax will:

Boost Gross Domestic Product by 13.9 percent above what is currently projected.
Increase wages by 12.2 percent.
Create 4,861,000 additional jobs.

The Cruz Simple Flat Tax Postcard

Benefits for Families and Enterprise:

There are many other benefits that will unleash growth for families and enterprise.

Imagine a tax plan that:

Ends the IRS and the Washington Cartel:
Abolishes the IRS as we know it, and ends the use of the tax code as a political weapon, with a simple tax code that is transparent and resistant to corruption. Eliminates the complexity that invites government mischief, corporate welfare, and cronyism so that public faith in the tax system’s fairness can be restored. Reduces tax evasion and makes sure all businesses pay their fair share at one flat rate.
Defeats the army of lobbyists allied with politicians – the Washington Cartel – that now sneaks benefits into the tax laws for friends and punishments for foes. Instead of the government choosing winners and losers, individuals and businesses will be free to prosper on their own merit.
Ends the injustice of cronyism and the hidden costs associated with it, which currently damage the nation’s competitiveness and stifle the wages of ordinary Americans. By breaking the Cartel, these costs will end too, and businesses will be free to thrive, hire, and grow. And,
Establishes a simple rate for individuals and businesses that is highly visible, which deflects the tendency of politicians to raise tax rates.

Ignites Growth:

Repeals the corporate income tax, with the highest top rate among developed nations, and stops driving jobs and business overseas. By replacing the corporate income tax with a Business Flat Tax, jobs and growth will return to American soil, and a chronic source of temptation to tinker with the tax code through corporate loopholes will be eliminated. Allows for full and immediate expensing of business equipment, which will remove the burdens imposed by the current system on heavy industry, mining, energy, farming, ranching, and manufacturing. • Removes the current tax penalty on American businesses that earn profits abroad, encouraging those businesses to bring profits home. Businesses will flock to America rather than keep money abroad or move overseas to escape high tax rates – and jobs and growth will come home with them. Under the Simple Flat Tax, U.S. businesses could return their overseas profits to American soil for a one-time 10 percent repatriation fee. Eliminates a current competitive disadvantage for American products through border adjustability: foreign imports will be subject to the Business Flat Tax and American exports will have the tax removed, giving U.S. businesses a level playing field.

Provides Opportunity for Everyone:

Spares citizens from hundreds of wasted hours and expenses in tax compliance – Americans will instead be able to file their taxes on a postcard or a phone app.

Ensures that low- and middle-income Americans have the opportunity to build their wealth and prosper by exempting the first $36,000 of income for a family of four.

Allows for automation of compliance. Instead of having individuals report every detail about dividend or interest income, for example, banks, brokers, and financial institutions would simply withhold the tax. Eliminates the injustice and burdens of the Death Tax, the Alternative Minimum Tax, and the Obamacare taxes. Family farms and businesses can stay in the family.

Enables Americans to save up to $25,000 annually tax-deferred in the Universal Savings Accounts (USA), allowing them to begin a nest-egg and secure their future and that of their children.

The Cruz Simple Flat Tax Features

The Simple Flat Tax eliminates the old convoluted system, creates one low rate for all individuals, and imposes a single, fair rate on businesses. Through its simplicity, the Simple Flat Tax ignites powerful economic growth, and promises an historic boom that will reduce the power of Washington and return prosperity to the people.

Personal Income Tax: 10 Percent The current seven-tiered income-tax rates for individuals will collapse into a single, low rate: 10 percent. The standard deduction will be $10,000. The personal exemption will be $4,000. For a family of four, the first $36,000 will be tax-free. The Child Tax Credit will remain in place, as will the Earned Income Tax Credit. Existing deductions for charitable contributions and mortgage interest payments are preserved.

Payroll Tax: Eliminated

The Simple Flat Tax will eliminate the payroll tax, boosting jobs and wages for working Americans, while guaranteeing funding for Social Security and Medicare. The vast majority of Americans pay more in payroll taxes than in income taxes. Eliminating the payroll tax altogether will create an enormous incentive for job growth. The Simple Flat Tax is estimated to create an additional 4.86 million new jobs over 10 years, with wages rising by 12.2 percent over the same period – stunning numbers that evidence the growth-producing power of these reforms.

Corporate Income Tax: Eliminated; Business Flat Tax: 16 Percent

The corporate income tax – the source of endless waste and fraud in our tax system – will be eliminated. No longer will American businesses face the highest top tax rate, 35 percent, in the developed world. The trend of American companies and jobs moving off-shore will stop. Instead, all companies will pay a simple, low rate Business Flat Tax of 16 percent. The tax will be based on revenues minus expenses such as equipment, computers, and other business investments.

Universal Savings Accounts (USA)

Universal Savings Accounts will create a new tool for Americans to achieve personal prosperity: $25,000 annually can be saved on a tax-deferred basis, and can be used for any purpose, allowing families to save and build for their future.

Death Tax: Eliminated

This unjust tax will be totally eliminated. Time and money wasted on an industry of lawyers and accountants to minimize taxes will be diverted to productive uses. Small family businesses and farms that would have been sold in order to pay the Death Tax will be spared and family businesses will stay in the family.

Catalysts for Growth

The Cruz Simple Flat Tax is a critical step for reigniting growth, but in addition to fundamental tax reform, the Cruz opportunity agenda will unleash growth through the following:

Health Care: Repeal every word of Obamacare and restore patient-centered health care with greater choice provided by a free market.

Regulatory Relief: Eliminate regulations such as the Waters of the U.S. Rule that impose tremendous costs and stifle economic recovery.

Spending Control: Tighten Washington’s belt, balance the budget, and pay down the deficit.

Restoring Constitutional Government: Prevent the lawless behavior that we have seen in the current Administration.

Trade: Open markets to provide greater opportunity for businesses and more affordable goods and services for Americans.

Monetary Policy: Return to a sound and stable dollar, a bulwark for economic stability.

Energy: Unleash the American Energy Renaissance for a new age of affordable and abundant domestic supplies of energy.

Conclusion

My number one priority in the Senate since day one has been economic growth, and the reason is simple. Economic growth is foundational to every other challenge we have, whether it is turning around unemployment or raising the stagnant median wages, whether it is finally tackling and turning around our debt and deficit so that we are no longer bankrupting our kids and grandkids, whether it is rebuilding our military to address the reality that the world has gotten to be a much more dangerous place, or whether it is reforming Social Security and Medicare to strengthen and preserve those vital bulwarks of our society. With growth, we can do all of that. Without growth, we can’t do anything.

If we’re going to turn this country around, we’ve got to get back to historic levels of growth 3-4-5-percent growth. Suddenly, the federal budget transforms, and it’s worth noting why there’s a double whammy with growth. When you have booming growth, millions of people go off unemployment, go off disability, go off food stamps, so expenditures go down. But at the same time, those same millions of people that get jobs – they begin paying in taxes. Revenues go up as they are providing for their own families. Their work is contributing not only to their wellbeing and self-sufficiency, but also to the good of society.

Growth doesn’t come from government. It comes from individuals and enterprise. It comes from entrepreneurs risking capital to meet a need. Government is very effective at obstructing that creative process. If you look historically, every time we pursue out-of-control spending and taxes and regulations, the results have been stagnation and misery and malaise. And every time we pursue tax reform and regulatory reform, the result has been incredible economic growth.

That was true in the 1920s under Calvin Coolidge. It was true in the 1960s under JFK. And it was true in the 1980s under Ronald Reagan. We need fundamental tax reform, and ideally we need to pass a simple flat tax, where every American can fill out his or her taxes on postcard.

–Ted Cruz (From Ted Cruz's website.)

Thursday, October 22, 2015

Transcript of Trey Gowdy's Opening Statement in the Questioning of Hillary Clinton

Rep. Trey Gowdy's opening statement for The Select Committee on Benghazi, as prepared for delivery:

Chris Stevens, Sean Smith, Glen Doherty and Tyrone Woods served our country with courage and with honor. They were killed under circumstances most of us could never imagine. Under cover of darkness, terrorists poured through the front gate of our facility and attacked our people and our property with machine guns, mortars and fire.

It is important we remember how these four men died. It is equally important we remember how and why they lived. They were more than four images on a television screen. They were husbands, fathers, sons, brothers, family and friends. They were Americans who believed in service and sacrifice. Many people speak wistfully of a better world, but do little about it. These four men went out and tried to make it better. And it cost them their lives.

We know what they gave us. What do we owe them? Justice for those who killed them. We owe their families our everlasting respect and gratitude. We owe them - and each other - the truth.

The truth about why we were in Libya.

The truth about what we were doing in Libya.

The truth about the escalating violence in Libya before we were attacked and these four men lost their lives.

The truth about requests for additional security.

The truth about requests for more personnel.

The truth about requests for more equipment.

The truth about where and why our military was positioned as it was on the anniversary of 9-11.

The truth about what was happening and being discussed in Washington while our people were under attack.

The truth about what led to the attacks.

The truth about what our government told the American people after the attacks.

Why were there so many requests for more security personnel and equipment, and why were those requests denied in Washington?

Why did the State Department compound in Benghazi not even come close to meeting proper security specifications?

What policies were we pursuing in Libya that required a physical presence in spite of the escalating violence?

Who in Washington was aware of the escalating violence in Libya?

What special precautions, if any, were taken on the anniversary of 9-11?

What happened in Washington after the first attack and what was the response to that attack?

What did the military do or not do?

What did our leaders in Washington do or not do and when?

Why was the American public given such divergent accounts of what caused these attacks?

And why is it so hard to get information from the very government these four men were representing and serving and sacrificing for?

Even after an Accountability Review Board and half a dozen congressional investigations, these and other questions still lingered. These questions lingered because those previous investigations were not thorough. These questions lingered because those previous investigations were narrow in scope and either incapable or unwilling to access the facts and evidence necessary to answer all relevant questions.

So the House of Representatives, including some Democrats, asked this Committee to write the final, definitive accounting of what happened in Benghazi.

This committee is the first committee to review more than fifty thousand pages of documents because we insisted they be produced.

This committee is the first committee to demand access to more eyewitnesses, because serious investigations talk to as many eyewitnesses as possible.

This committee is the first committee to thoroughly and individually interview scores of other witnesses, many of them for the first time.

This committee is the first committee to review thousands of pages of documents from top State Department personnel.

This committee is the first committee to demand access to relevant documents from the CIA, the FBI, the Department of Defense, the State Department, and even the White House.

This committee is the first committee to demand access to the emails to and from Ambassador Chris Stevens. How could an investigation possibly be considered credible without reviewing the emails of the person most knowledgeable about Libya?

This committee is the first committee, the only committee, to uncover the fact that Secretary Clinton exclusively used personal email on her own personal server for official business and kept the public record – including emails about Benghazi and Libya – in her own custody and control for almost two years after she left office. And it was Secretary Clinton's lawyers who determined what would be returned and what would not be returned.

You will hear a lot about the Accountability Review Board today. Secretary Clinton mentioned the ARB more than 70 times in her previous testimony before Congress. But when you hear about the ARB you should also know State Department leadership handpicked members of the ARB, the ARB never interviewed Secretary Clinton, the ARB never reviewed her emails and Secretary Clinton's top advisor was allowed to review and suggest changes to the ARB report before the public ever saw it. There is no transcript of ARB interviews, so it is impossible to know whether all relevant questions were asked and answered. And because there is no transcript it is impossible to cite ARB interviews with any particularity at all. That is not independent. That is not accountability. That is not a serious investigation.

You will hear there were previous congressional investigations into Benghazi. That is true. It should make you wonder why those previous investigations failed to interview so many witnesses and failed to access so many documents. If those previous congressional investigations really were serious and thorough, how did they miss Ambassador Stevens' emails? If those investigations were serious and thorough, how did they miss Secretary Clinton's emails? If those previous congressional investigations were serious and thorough, why did they fail to interview dozens of key State Department witnesses including agents on the ground, who experienced the terrorist attacks firsthand?

Just last month, three years after Benghazi, top aides finally returned documents to the State Department. A month ago, this Committee received 1500 new pages of Secretary Clinton's emails related to Libya and Benghazi. 3 years after the attacks. A little over two weeks ago, this Committee received roughly 1400 pages of Ambassador Stevens' emails. 3 years after the attacks.

It is impossible to conduct a serious, fact-centric investigation without access to the documents from the former Secretary of State, the Ambassador who knew more about Libya than anyone else, and testimony from witnesses who survived the attacks.

Madame Secretary, I understand some people - frankly in both parties -have suggested this investigation is about you. Let me assure you it is not. And let me assure you why it is not. This work is about something much more important than any single person. It is about four U.S. government workers, including our Ambassador, murdered by terrorists on foreign soil. It is about what happened before, during, and after the attacks that killed these four men. It is about what this country owes those who risk their lives to serve it. It is about the fundamental obligation of our government to tell the truth - always - to the American people. Not a single member of this Committee signed up for an investigation into you or your email system. We signed up because we wanted to honor the service and sacrifice of 4 people sent to a foreign land to represent us - who were killed - and do everything we can to prevent it from happening to others.

Our Committee has interviewed half a hundred witnesses, not a single one of them has been named Clinton until today. You were the Secretary of State for this country when our facility was attacked. So, of course this Committee is going to talk to you. You are an important witness, but you are just one important witness, among half a hundred important witnesses.

I understand you wanted to come sooner than today so let me be clear why that did not happen. You had an unusual email arrangement with yourself, which meant the State Department could not produce your emails to us.

You made exclusive use of personal email and a personal server. When you left the State Department you kept those public records to yourself for almost two years. You and your attorneys decided what to return and what to delete. Those decisions were your decisions, not ours. It was only in March of this year we learned of this email arrangement. Since we learned of your email arrangement we have interviewed dozens of witnesses, only one of whom was about your email arrangement, and that was a very short interview because he invoked his Fifth Amendment privilege against self-incrimination.

Making sure the public record is complete is what serious investigations do. So, it was important to gain access to Ambassador Stevens’ emails, the emails of other Sr. leaders and witnesses, and it was important to gain access to your emails. Your emails are no more or less important than anyone else’s. It just took longer to get them and garnered more attention in the process.

I want you to take note during this hearing how many times congressional Democrats call on this administration to make long awaited documents available. They won't. Take note of how many witnesses congressional Democrats ask us to schedule for interview. They won't. We would be much closer to finishing this investigation and writing a final report if our Democrat colleagues decided to help us pursue the facts. If the Democrats on this committee had their way, dozens of witnesses never would have been interviewed, tens of thousands of documents never would have been reviewed, your public record would still be private, and we would never have accessed the emails of our Ambassador. All of that may be smart politics, but it is not the way to run a serious investigation.

There are certain characteristics that make our country unique in the annals of history. We are the greatest experiment in self-governance the world has ever known. And part of that self-governance includes self-scrutiny - even of the highest officials. Our country is strong enough to handle the truth. And our fellow citizens expect us to pursue the truth, wherever the facts take us.

So this committee is going to do what we pledged to do, and what should have been done long ago, which is interview the witnesses, examine the relevant evidence, and access the documents. We are going to pursue the truth in a manner worthy of the memory of the four men who lost their lives and worthy of the respect of our fellow citizens.

We are going to write that final, definitive accounting of what happened in Benghazi. We would like to do it with your help, but we are going to do it nonetheless. Because understanding what happened in Benghazi goes to the heart of who we are as a country and the promises we make to those we send into harm's way. They deserve the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth. The people we work for deserve the truth. The family and friends of those killed representing this country deserve the truth. There is no statute of limitations on that truth.

Tuesday, October 20, 2015

Lee Battles Big Egg In Defense of Little Mayo

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Tuesday, October 20, 2015

From the Officer of Senator Mike Lee

Lee Battles Big Egg In Defense of Little Mayo

WASHINGTON – Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT), chairman of the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Antitrust, Competition Policy, and Consumer Rights, sent a letter to Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today calling for an investigation into the America Egg Board and their alleged anti-competitive campaign against Hampton Creek’s “Just Mayo” vegan mayonnaise.

“Recent news reports have brought to light a series of emails, obtained under the Freedom of Information Act, that contain compelling evidence that [American Egg Board] leadership, including the Egg Board’s President and CEO, may have violated the federal laws and administrative regulations governing checkoff programs,” the letter reads.

The 600 pages of correspondence suggest that members of the AEB staff, USDA officials, and top executives from the egg industry engaged in a strategic, multifaceted campaign to use the power and resources of the federal government to undermine the economic prospects of Hampton Creek, based on their fear that the food start-up’s product, Just Mayo, represented a “crisis” and a “major threat” to the egg industry,” the letter continues.

In addition to calling for a thorough investigation into the AEB, Lee also presses Secretary Vilsack to justify the existence of the AEB. “If these Great Depression era institutions have outlived their purpose, and if evidence suggests they behave like state-sponsored cartels that intimidate and handicap their competition, should Congress continue to authorize them,” the letter asks.

While Sen. Lee has never had the pleasure of trying “Just Mayo,” he is a huge fan of mayonnaise and is committed to preventing Big Egg from threatening what should otherwise be a dynamic and competitive mayonnaise market.

Thursday, October 15, 2015

The Obscenity of the Self-Entitled

The title for this post is indicative of what America is facing. The self-entitled of this nation literally believe everything is owed to them and they do not need to work for it. This is a foreign thought process to those of us who were raised to be responsible. Any good American realizes that rights, privileges and responsibilities that come with living in a free land.

Yes, Barack Obama is doing his damnedest to rob us of freedom and liberty. Christianity is under attack from the government, from the LGBT community and the atheists. Our First and Second Amendment rights are being attacked from the liberal left, with any reasonable thinking Democrat jumping off the cliff with them. The Fourth Amendment is a thing of the past because of the Patriot Act, FISA Courts and federal agencies who feel the law doesn't apply to them.

On top of that, a self-avowed socialist who loves communism is our president. Another self-avowed socialist, Bernie Sanders, is drawing far too much attention in the 2016 president race. He is drawing massive crowds of people who have no desire to work for a living, but want everything given to them.

The Democrat Debate the other night was a race to see who would promise the most free stuff. Free healthcare, but it's never free and the cost of Obamacare is escalating. Free college. That means the community colleges cannot draw good professors and the students will be robbed of a decent education. Where competitive free enterprise ceases to exist, quality bottoms out. Democratic candidates promise illegals free run of America and free education and healthcare. Not one word about our veterans who sacrificed everything to fight for this great nation. Not one word about their care or even the desire to help them.

Liberals make promises and people who haven't done their research believe them. But we all know that candidates lie, it's just what they do. There are a few good candidates on the Republican side, (Ted Cruz, Marco Rubio, Ben Carson, and Bobby Jindal) but on the Democrat side there is only one decent person and that's Jim Webb. But he's polling so low he probably won't survive much longer. Democrats prefer cowards, criminals and thugs over good people. I don't know why, it's part of that self-entitled attitude apparently. Whomever promises the most free stuff will bring a huge amount of votes.

But there are those of us who believe in working for what we get. Who work day and night just to make enough money to survive. There is an old saying that is as relevant today as it was when it was penned the first time: An honest day's work for an honest day's pay. The self-entitled of this nation will not long survive after the Obamas leave the White House, and how I look forward to that day. I have to believe America has gained enough wisdom to never choose this path again. It is a path of the willfully ignorant.

Yes, I am unemployed. But believe me when I say that I am applying everywhere, working on freelance writing jobs, and doing all I can to start taking care of myself. Yes, I have had to have some help. But it kills me every single month I need it. I want, even need, to be the one helping others, not the one receiving help. Yes, I know I need to work on gaining some humility. But I was raised with an overpowering need to take care of myself and I am doing all I can to change my situation.

That being said, America must learn to stand on her own. We always have the poor and the widowed, but the more the government gets out of the way the more we will see prosperity begin to reign in America once again. Once more we will Reagan's shining city on a hill when freedom and liberty are once again the bywords. This will only happen if America stands tall and strong again. This will never happen under Democrat rule. In fact, we need a serious change in Republican leadership too.

May God bless this great nation and grant those of us who know the privileges of being American as well as the responsibilities bless us as well. We have a hard fight ahead of us and I ask God to bless us as we find our strength again.

Saturday, October 10, 2015

Studio C: Sam Sloane Tongue Twister

So funny, I had to share!

Friday, October 9, 2015

Senator Mike Lee Responds to Suspension of Syrian Rebels Training Program

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Friday, October 9, 2015

WASHINGTON—Senator Mike Lee (R-UT) issued the following statement concerning the Pentagon's decision to end its Syrian rebel-training program:

“Many of my colleagues and I warned at the time of this program’s inception that implementation would be very risky and the goals were impractical given the fluid nature of the Syrian conflict. Unfortunately, Senate leaders shoved authorization of this program into a must-pass continuing resolution last year instead of allowing it to be fully debated. Now we are seeing the consequences of such rash actions. This program should be ended entirely, and the president must work with Congress in a transparent fashion to refocus our efforts on the issues that really matter to our national security.”

Last week, Senators Lee, Manchin (D-WV), Murphy (D-CT), and Udall (D-NM) sent a letter to U.S. Department of Defense Secretary Ash Carter, U.S. Department of State Secretary John Kerry, and Central Intelligence Agency Director John Brennan urging them to end the unsuccessful and dangerous program. Full text of the letter is available here.

Lee, a member of the Senate Armed Serviced Committee (SASC), has been critical of this program since its inception and has closely monitored its implementation and results over the past year. He spoke out on the Senate floor in 2014 against then-Majority Leader Harry Reid’s inclusion of the program’s funding in a must-pass Continuing Resolution, calling the Senate’s failure to fully and openly debate this measure "a gross dereliction of duty."

Tuesday, October 6, 2015

Medicaid Expansion in Utah

Today I testified on Utah's Capitol Hill against Medicaid Expansion. Yes, ironically, I fall within the gap that would be covered by Medicaid expansion, but I am opposed to the expansion itself. Let me explain in a little more detail.

Utah simply can't afford it. Utah has been voted the Best Run State for several years running. We always balance our budget and have largely been fiscally conservative. I can't believe that Medicaid Expansion is even on the table. It's a further step toward socialized medicine and Barack Obama's fondest dream of a single payer system. This expansion further entrenches Obamacare in the state. Utah shouldn't be doing anything Barack Obama wants as he is the antithesis of anything that is good for America or any state, let alone Utah.

Only nineteen states have exercised the right given them by the United States Supreme Court, hereinafter called SCOTUS. SCOTUS ruled that the federal government could not force the states to expand Medicaid. You would think the Health Reform Task Force comprised of both senators and representatives would know that. But today all I heard is that Obamacare or the Affordable Patient Care Act is the law and we have to do this. No, we don't. SCOTUS ruled that we don't.

To begin with, it isn't fiscally responsible. The State of Utah Medicaid Expansion Assessment (2014-2023 & Mercatus Study Long) stated that Medicaid Expansion could cost Utah taxpayers an additional $328 million above the original price tag of $343 million. Studies have further shown that Medicaid Expansion will rob from other priorities, such as education, as Medicaid spending increases.

Senators and Representatives on the Health Reform Task Force kept throwing around the number of 63,000. That's the number of expected enrollees if Medicaid expands in Utah. Evidence from other states proves that it will easily double, and they aren't even trying to plan for that. I heard a woman speaking for 35,000 refugees in Utah. They are also demanding Medicaid.

With 70 million Americans on Medicaid, it turns out Medicaid is largely driving our $18+ trillion national debt, and sadly, is expected to double in the next ten years. However, today the Health Reform Task Force in Utah proposed taxing healthcare professionals: hospitals, doctors, chiropractors, etc. in order to pay for the expansion, but we all know they will just pass that on to the patients. I can't believe the senators and representatives on that committee don't know this, so they are willingly levying a tax against sick people to fund Medicaid Expansion.

According to a Forbes article written by Sally Pipes on July 27th of this year Kentucky, Ohio, Michigan, and Illinois all ended up with their projected Medicaid signups more than doubled. Just as it will undoubtedly do in Utah. In Illinois, it was found that:

"Things haven’t worked out that way. A Moody’s report shows that nonprofit hospitals in states that expanded Medicaid didn’t fare any better financially than those in states that rejected expansion. Southern Illinois Healthcare, for example, saw its unpaid bills drop by $9 million. Yet because of the surge in Medicaid costs, the hospital still lost $5 million." Here's Why States Must Resist the Temptation to Expand Medicaid by Sally Pipes

Back to where I began. Yes, I am unemployed and do fall within that Medicaid Expansion gap. However, I am applying for jobs everywhere I can find them. Yes, I need to bring in a minimum of $2,500 a month that excludes quite a few jobs. However, I am trying every day to find a job. I don't intend to fall within that gap for long.

Channel 4 News interviewed me, as did the Deseret News. They simply couldn't believe I was against the expansion. But it boils down to this. I want my state to be fiscally sound, and Medicaid Expansion is not fiscally sound. Socialized medicine is never the answer. Ever. Socialized medicine means really sick people don't get healthcare and often die before they can get to a doctor. Socialized medicines means visits to a doctor are premium and most people end up in the emergency room, which costs a fortune.

My husband and I often ended up in the emergency room late at night. He had kidney failure and would often move to the front of the line. The place is lousy with illegals all through the night. So when I ended up in the emergency room, I didn't move to the front of the line and after three hours we left and went to Walgreens. We talked to the pharmacist to see what over the counter medicines I could take that would get me through the night until I could see the doctor in the morning. I was coughing so hard I was passing out and it was scaring my husband.

If you think this is going to get better with Medicaid Expansion you are sorely mistaken. Doctors can't take more than 20% of their patients who are on Medicaid or Medicare because neither pay the doctors well enough for their time. Forty nine cents on the dollar. That's it. If the doctors take more Medicaid or Medicare patients than that they'll go bankrupt. That means the emergency rooms will be flooded with sniffles, flus and coughs, just as they are now, but they are planning on doubling, if not tripling it, if Utah approves Medicaid Expansion.

"Just ask doctors. Thanks largely to low reimbursement rates, only half of doctors are scheduling appointments with new Medicaid patients, according to a recent study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association. By adding more than 11 million people to Medicaid, Obamacare is making it even harder for beneficiaries to get a doctor’s appointment. Here's Why States Must Resist the Temptation to Expand Medicaid" by Sally Pipes

So it boils down to this, anyone who approves Medicaid Expansion in Utah has voted to force you to pay higher healthcare premiums and services.

Here are the members on the Health Reform Task Force. I suggest contacting them and letting them know you oppose Medicare Expansion in Utah. We truly cannot afford it.

Sen. Allen Christensen achristensen@le.utah.gov Home Phone: 801-782-5600
Rep. James Dunnigan jdunnigan@le.utah.gov Work hone: 801-840-1800
Sen. J. Stuart Adams jsadams@le.utah.gov Home Phone 801-593-1776
Sen. Gene Davis gdavis@le.utah.gov Cell Phone: 801-647-8924
Sen. Peter Knudsen pknudson@le.utah.gov Cell Phone: 435-730-2026
Sen. Rebecca Chavez-Houck rchouck@le.utah.gov Cell Phone: 801-891-9292
Rep. Francis Gibson fgibson@le.utah.gov Cell Phone: 801-491-3763
Rep. Mike Kennedy mikekennedy@le.utah.gov Cell Phone: 801-358-2362
Rep. Marie Poulson mariepoulson@le.utah.gov Home Phone: 801-942-5390
Rep. Edward Redd eredd@le.utah.gov Cell Phone: 435-760-3177
Rep. Dan Sanpei dsanpei@le.utah.gov Cell Phone: 801-979-5711

Tuesday, September 1, 2015

Tickets on Sale for Convention of Statesmen

The time has FINALLY arrived. The tickets for the Convention of Statesmen are on sale! Whether you intend to attend the convention in person, which I highly recommend, or you wish to watch it via streaming, we have you covered.

Rhetoric. It seems like these days everyone is willing to talk about a problem, but no one’s willing to go out and solve them. In the political arena it’s worse than that. Government problems provide never ending pipelines for graft, kingdom building, vote buying, and a list of insider favors as far as the eye can see. Political operators have no desire to fix these problems, they’ve spent years and sometimes decades building careers on them and lining their own pockets with the spoils.

Aren’t you tired of this? Aren’t you tired of the same old, worn out, unworkable solutions from the same old, worn out, insider politicians? Aren’t you tired of the same blathering, status quo, talking heads on every news program from MSNBC to FOX? Don’t you just want someone to tell the truth for once, and then roll up their sleeves and try to actually solve a problem? Just once?

So do we.

The Time is Now

It’s time for a gathering. Not a gathering of talking heads who all preach the same gospel, think the same way, and pat each other on the back once it’s done.

It’s time for a gathering of Statesmen. A place where the myriad of problems facing America can be taken head on and addressed, without the unstated goal of destroying the Constitution lurking in the background. A gathering where solutions aren’t just proposed, but backed and supported. A gathering where the attendees go away from it plugged in and ready to implement those solutions and, perhaps most important of all, ready and able to hold their political leaders accountable for those solutions.

Announcing the Convention of Statesmen, where truth is acknowledged, harsh realities are faced, ideas flourish, solutions are championed, and accountability is king. Buy your tickets now and reserve your seat. You do not want to miss this amazing convention.

More speakers are being added in the upcoming months.

Tuesday, August 25, 2015

Peggy Hubbard Speaks From the Heart

"Their job is to serve and protect, not serve and die." Peggy Hubbard is talking about the police. The language is rough, but oh how this woman speaks to my heart. She is 100% right on every single point. Please God, keep her safe. Watch over her. We need more women like her who will speak the truth.

If every single American doesn't start fighting for family, start fighting for their neighborhoods, we are lost. For All Lives Matter, every single one of them. (It takes a second for the video to load, it's pulling from Facebook.)

From my heart!
Posted by Peggy Hubbard on Thursday, August 20, 2015

Friday, August 7, 2015

RMI Nationals

RMI Nationals was born in the innovative mind of Evolution director, Rick Lunt. In its inception, RMI Nationals is dedicated to celebrating the excellence of show choirs across America. We hope to celebrate the best and most innovative talents and artistic achievements; to offer an environment where students may learn techniques, share information, and showcase their unique, creative styles; and to enjoy the respect and camaraderie of their peers in the performing arts.

Our RMI Nationals promises to be a unique experience on many levels. We’ll have an Hollywood production crew filming in order to produce a state-of-the-art DVD and streaming experience for our viewers. We offer a judges’ panel of recognized talents and authorities in their fields of expertise; and a variety of awards, including Grand Champion, Judge’s Choice, Lifetime Achievement, Spirit, and People’s Choice of “Best” Awards. As we strive to recognize extraordinary talents, the Expo will offer solo competition as well as mixed show choir competition.

We hope to foster friendships amongst the show choirs by offering not only an opportunity to participate in a relaxed atmosphere of a dance, but also hosting an exciting riff-off; where each competing show choir may participate and challenge each other in a fun, innovative manner.

Our mission is to produce a top-level, annual show choir invitational that will eventually franchise across the United States in order to reach gifted, talented high school students around the country and expand the exciting world of show choir! Learn more at RMI Nationals.

Thursday, August 6, 2015

Convention of Statesmen

Convention of Statesmen was born in the fertile minds of Candace E. Salima, W. Daniel Willis and Clark Madsen. Created to not only recognize excellence in the political spectrum, but to also aid in the education of America as to the greatness of the American Dream, and the Republic upon which it was born. This convention will be two days of information, education, interaction as well as fun, and you will walk away armed with the necessary knowledge to help educate your community. And yes, will we show you how to do that too.

May 20-21, 2016 will be the first Convention of Statesmen in Utah. Utah was chosen as the place to house this convention because one of this caliber and category was desperately needed in the West. We will be using the communication suite at CommuniTXT to run the entire convention. You will participate in contests, polls, and become an interactive part of the convention. It was created for the American public.

In fact, aren’t you tired of this? Aren’t you tired of the same old, worn out, unworkable solutions from the same old, worn out, insider politicians? Aren’t you tired of the same blathering, status quo, talking heads on every news program from MSNBC to FOX? Don’t you just want someone to tell the truth for once, and then roll up their sleeves and try to actually solve a problem? Just once?

So do we. And that is precisely why Convention of Statesmen was created. Learn more at Convention of Statesmen. Tickets go on sale 1 September 2015.

Wednesday, August 5, 2015

Uniting America Under a Common Cause

I have fought this battle for America for well over a decade now. My battle has been fought with the written and spoken word. I have done all I can to educate America and to awaken her citizens to the awfulness that awaits this path we are currently on.

Imagine, if you can, that you have a debt of $20.00. Recognize that you only make $3.18 and that leaves you a deficit of $16.82. Let us stop to consider America now. Our nation is $18 trillion in debt, but in 2015, total federal revenues in fiscal year 2015 are expected to be $3.18 trillion.

These revenues come from three major sources:

Income taxes paid by individuals: $1.48 trillion, or 47% of all tax revenues.
Payroll taxes paid jointly by workers and employers: $1.07 trillion, 34% of all tax revenues.
Corporate income taxes paid by businesses: $341.7 billion, or 11% of all tax revenues.

That's it. $3.18 trillion will be brought into America's coffers, but we are $18 trillion in national debt.

There are solutions to this ridiculous amount of overspending we do every year. If you hope to have a future for your children and grandchildren, I ask you to join my political network by texting SALIMA-P to (801) 335-9131. Together we can make a difference and we can pull America back from the brink of financial and constitutional disaster.

You will receive no more than 5 to 7 text messages a month from me, and will be able to opt out by texting the word STOP. I will pass on articles I write, as well as information that I believe is pertinent to the educating of America.

It is time we stop the liberals and start learning from our history.