To Rise from the Ashes...

It's 1979 all over again.  I can't recall how many times I've seen or heard that phrase over the past week.  My memories of 1979 are fuzzy, as I was not even of an age to vote at the time, but I remember my parents complaining about high interest rates and inflation, I remember gas prices were high...and I remember the "students" taking over our embassy in Tehran and holding our people FOR OVER A YEAR while an inept president meandered aimlessly around the  People's House.  I remember the failed operation to save them.  And  I remember them being released before Reagan was inaugurated.

Today the Middle East is in flames again and our ambassador to Libya and three other men have been murdered - and the main stream media wants us to believe a YouTube video is at fault, rather than the barbaric savages who actually committed the crime.  Our embassies and consulates throughout the Middle East and North Africa are under attack, and our President jets off to a fundraiser in Las Vegas, plans an appearance on Letterman, does an interview with Pimp with a Limp - and snubs our ally Israel and it's Prime Minister Netanyahu, who has requested a meeting to strategize over Iran's upcoming development of nuclear weapons.

Our credit rating has been downgraded twice under this president, for the first time in history.  The official unemployment rate hovers over 8 percent, while the actual unemployment rate is closer to 15 percent if you include all of those people who have just given up looking for work.  Even Jay Leno is making jokes about it!  This president can't even get one vote for his proposed budget from his fellow party members.  And although the government claims inflation is stable all you have to do is gas up your car or go to the grocery store to see how awful it is.  The Fed continues to print money like there is no tomorrow, which the stock market seems to love, but will end up causing hyper-inflation as the markets try to compensate.  And why are governmental agencies stocking up on ammunition?

Our country is burning, figuratively at home and literally overseas.  Many people feel hopeless for the future as the press is in the tank for the Democrats, and as Evan Thompson himself famously said Democrats are guaranteed a 7 point increase just because of favorable press coverage.  If the press would just do their job and report the facts rather than to try to "tell the story" and "set the narrative" we would be facing a much different and brighter future.  Some of our current issues would not exist if the press were to be honest.  I fully believe that they have their White House issued knee-pads on, and it is disgraceful.

But.  But...there is Hope.

The world around us is burning and we are approaching a fiscal cliff unlike any other in history, but there is still time to correct our course.  When Pandora opened the box and released all the evils into the world only Hope was left.  When the Phoenix, elderly and frail, burns to ashes a more glorious and golden bird emerges. 

We are a country unlike any other the world has ever known.  We are a people who defeated a world power to win our independence and establish a country where differences are celebrated and people from all races, religions, and traditions can live together in harmony.  We respect the rights of our fellow citizens and try to leave the country and the world better than we found it.  We are a generous and caring people who give more to charity than any other people. 

Our country has faced challenges in the past.  We came through a bloody civil war where brother fought against brother, and were stronger for it.  Our country survived a debilitating depression then bounced back with one of the strongest economic recoveries ever.  We have fought in two World Wars, our young men have died, yet we persevered, won, and became an even more dynamic nation, all the while helping rebuild our former enemies.  We are in hard times, perilous times...yet this, too, shall pass.

My parents were staunch democrats and voted for Carter.  I could never understand that, as I've been a conservative libertarian since I was twelve years old.  The words of Reagan rang very true for me from a young age, "The most frightening words in the world are 'I'm from the government, and I'm here to help you'".  I was thrilled when Reagan won and disappointed that I was too young to vote.  Shortly after his election Iran returned our people to us, we were more respected throughout the world, and prosperity returned to our country.

I've lived through the Reagan recovery and Bush 1 with his "no new taxes" pledge, which cost him the presidency when he broke it.  Clinton, when he was president, was the best conservative on the Hill, as he was the one actually paying attention to the polls and has such a powerful need to be loved that he actually did what the people wanted.  Did I like him or vote for him?  No.  But because he was forced into the middle by the Democrat losses during his first midterm election he became a good president.  Bush II was the perfect president for his time, handling the 9/11 tragedy with grace.  I did not agree with his financial planning, as I'm a fiscal conservative, but he did the best he could with the hand he was dealt.

I really don't like "The Won", didn't vote for him last time and won't vote for him this time.  In fact, I am one of those people who will crawl across broken glass the first day that the polls are open for early voting, just so I can vote against him.  He has been the most destructive president of my time.  It is my opinion that he is actively trying to bring America to its knees, to "level the playing field", so to speak, between America and the Third World.  I don't care that his father was black.  I would vote for Allen West or Herman Cain in a heartbeat, so don't tell me I'm a racist just because I am a fiscal conservative.

I believe we can pull out of this.  I believe that our country can be great again.  I don't think it will be easy, but it can be done.  With the right leadership, with people at the helm who believe in us, who believe in our country, we can be that "shining city on the hill".  We can be the Hope in Pandora's box.  We can be the great Phoenix, rising again from the ashes of our destruction. We, the People of the United States of America, can be a light in the darkness once again.  It is not going to be easy, but nothing worthwhile ever is.

We are going to have some very hard times ahead of us.  We are going to have to be vigilant, to protect our God-given rights, and work to change the present order.  Hyper-inflation is imminent, as is world unrest.  I do not know what the future holds, but I have faith in God and in my fellow Americans.  We can do this.  We can be Great once again.