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Why the 2020 Census Was a Sham

President Trump has just directed the Department of Commerce to plan for a new census that would exclude illegal immigrants. Whether that is possible is questionable, but the record high number and percentage of illegal immigrants currently in America and counted in the census is a travesty. Most of these “criminals” reside in blue states adding to the states’ population which determines their number of congressional seats.

After four years of the Biden administration’s open invitation for illegal immigrants to invade America, the consensus is that we now have an estimated 18.6 million illegals inside our borders. This is after a major surge of illegal border crossings in 2024. Other estimates are 20 to 30 million. That amounts to about six percent of our population living here illegally. With a largely disproportionate amount of these illegals in blue states where they are treated with all kinds of protection and entitlements, Democratic congressional seats are obviously benefited. Congressional seats are based on state population as reported by the Census Bureau, which counts everyone, legal or illegal. Is there any doubt why Democrats champion illegal immigration?

The Census Bureau has historically counted every nose in the country regardless of status. But who would have ever thought we would someday have 20 million unauthorized immigrants that would be counted. And they shouldn’t be counted. They are here only because we can’t find them and deport them fast enough. Yet, they are a political advantage to their state of residence in that they count toward the state’s population which determines how many congressmen the state has. How unfair is that?

Although Texas and Florida have a large number of illegal immigrants simply because they are states with the most illegals entering, California has the highest number with almost three million. Also, at the top of the list are blue states New Jersey, Illinois, and New York estimated at around a half-million each. Each U.S. representative represents an average of 780,000 constituents. If the 20 million illegal immigrants, concentrated in the blue states, were no longer part of that number, many districts in those states would shift to Republican majorities. Most research estimates that excluding illegals from the calculation of congressional seats would result in over 20 additional Republican seats. The Republicans’ present House majority of only seven votes means they can only lose three votes to prevail in any floor vote. An extra 20 Republican votes would be huge. The narrow Republican House majority is because of the 20 million illegal immigrants who have invaded our country. They could lead to the Republican loss of the majority in 2026. Remember, theoretically, the illegals don’t vote, but they control the party numbers in Congress simply by their inclusion in the census.

We hear a lot about Democratic efforts to grant citizenship to illegal immigrants or otherwise giving them the right to vote. Of course, they would vote for the party that brought them into the country and gave them free entitlements. But most important to the Democrats are the congressional seats the illegals bring to their blue states just by their settling there. It is no wonder Democrats want wide-open borders, create sanctuary cities and states, and fight against ICE captures and deportations with a vengeance.

But will President Trump be able to correct this unjust circumstance with a new census that excludes illegal immigrants? Probably not. Certainly not before the 2026 mid-term elections. He attempted to fix this inequity in 2020, but a federal court rejected the effort. Subsequently, the Supreme Court declined to hear the case on a technicality. The 14th Amendment of the Constitution calls for a census every ten years to determine congressional seats by state. It also specifies that everyone be counted regardless of citizenship. However, the Amendment excluded most Indians. Over time, Indians became a part of the count, except for a small number who still have strong tribal connections. Whether Congress could legislate a similar exclusion of illegal immigrants is much debated and would end up back in the Supreme Court.

I applaud President Trump’s challenging the nearly two-and-a-half century precedent of including illegal immigrants in the census. The vast number of illegals in our country today is unprecedented and requires a relook at how we count our people and fill our congressional seats. I invite your thoughts.

7

What No Tax on Social Security Really Means

Did all of my fellow Social Security recipients do a victory dance (at least figuratively) when the One Big Beautiful Bill, or OBBB, passed including the No Tax on Social Security provision? Well, we did get the biggest-in-history tax break for seniors. But, sorry, almost all of us will still be taxed on Social Security. Let’s see what’s really in the Bill.

The OBBB was a long-shot from its beginning considering the slim Republican margins in both the House and Senate. Thus, the legislation was crafted by the President’s Administration as a reconciliation bill, a partisan procedure used sometimes to avoid a Senate filibuster. A filibuster would require a 60% vote to stop it and pass the bill in the Senate with at least a 51% vote. However, reconciliation also limits what laws can be changed including Social Security. So, Trump’s insistence on eliminating federal taxes on Social Security had to be done by other means.

Reconciliation procedures do allow for the inclusion of new or revised tax deductions beginning with the 2025 tax year. Therefore, the bill provided a temporary tax deduction for most seniors. I say temporary, because the deduction expires in 2028. Hopefully, it will be reinstated at that time. Impact assessments are that 88% of Social Security recipients 65 and older may deduct an additional $6,000 per person with incomes below $75,000 per year, or $12,000 per couple with earnings below $150,000. These deductions phase out for incomes above the the maximums indicated. Government calculations are that, for almost 90% of seniors, this extra deduction will more than offset the federal taxes that will still be levied on Social Security. Most states don’t tax Social Security.

Although, most seniors are grateful for the additional tax deduction, it is disingenuous to hype the Bill as ensuring “no tax on Social Security.” Those above the income cap will lose some or all the deduction and still pay the tax. Some at low income levels, who do not pay any taxes, will not receive the deduction. And, in everyone’s case, it only lasts four years if not extended. I would prefer the Administration and Congress call it what it is rather than playing name games. The Bill really has nothing to do with Social Security. If you choose to receive Social Security at age 62, you don’t get the deduction until you’re 65, but, if you choose to wait until you’re beyond the collection age, you still get the deduction on reaching 65.

I believe the better way to handle Social Security tax is to eliminate income tax altogether. All things considered, in my opinion, federal government operations should be funded with some kind of consumption tax. Why do Americans have a disincentive to earn and save along with an incentive to buy? The value-added tax (VAT) or other forms of consumption tax are often criticized for being regressive for lower income people. That can be rather easily offset by vouchers, exemptions, or other means to level the playing field. While we’re at it, let’s get rid of local real estate and property taxes which punish home owners and vehicle buyers with never-ending taxes.

The best legislation for Social Security is to reform the entire program, making it self-sustaining instead of going broke after 2034. Several very good plans for saving Social Security have been proposed including raising the minimum age for recipients, including investments in a hybrid contribution plan, means testing for different levels of payout, etc. Something has to be done, but Congress has not grown the backbone to tackle the controversial issue. We need to keep the pressure on Washington, or Social Security is not going to work for anyone in less than a decade.

So, my fellow chronologically advanced friends and loved ones, let’s celebrate the OBBB, but don’t lose sight of what it really does and does not do for us regarding Social Security.

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1

Trump’s Toughest Decision of His Presidency

As I post this, President Trump is facing the toughest decision of his presidency. Israel’s Prime Minister Netanyahu has asked the U.S. to enter the fray of the Israel-Iran war. Trump is reluctantly considering a single-objective mission that is probably necessary to ensure the successful denial of Iran ever having nuclear weapons. All that Israel is accomplishing will fall short of the final blow that this U.S. mission would have on Iran’s nuclear weapons pursuit. The world’s deadliest terrorist sponsor must be stopped. Let’s look at what is at stake.

Israel’s attacks on Iran were inevitable. Iran has been blatant about wiping Israel off the map since it became an Islam theocracy in 1979. The rogue state is also bent on “death to America.” There is little doubt that Iran’s leader, Ayatollah Khamenei, plans to use his military’s almost attained nuclear capability to annihilate Israel. He is also developing ballistic missiles that could reach the U.S. with nuclear warheads.

Israel has amazingly destroyed much of Iran’s nuclear centrifuges, nuclear enrichment support, other military infrastructure, ballistic missile launchers, and most of their air forces. This massive show of force will continue until everything within Israel’s capability to neutralize the Iranian threat has been accomplished. However, one critical facility is essentially out of Israel’s reach.

The Fordow underground uranium enrichment facility is the linchpin to Iran’s nuclear development program. It is an extremely hardened site hundreds of feet under ground. There is only one weapon in the world that could destroy this structure. It is called the Massive Ordnance Penetrator (MOP), a precision-guided 30,000-pound bomb nick-named the “bunker buster.” And it is part of the U.S. Air Force arsenal. It could not be deployed by Israel even if they had it, because the USAF B-2 stealth bomber is the only delivery system in the world that can do the job. This aircraft and bomb is what Netanyahu is asking of the U.S.

Trump has stated repeatedly that the U.S. would not become involved in the war as long as Iran did not attack any U.S. forces. However, the war is now at a crucial point. Israel could continue to set Iran back years in its race to nuclear capability. But the Fordow facility would be untouched and provide Iran a foundation from which to reinitiate the effort. Destroying Fordow would virtually ensure the end of Iran’s pursuit of nuclear weapons and probably the end of the Khamenei regime. This one-and-done U.S. mission would be the beginning of the end of the war, much like the atomic bombing of Japan in 1945, except the MOP would cause few, if any, fatalities. It would almost assuredly drive Iran to surrender and ultimately save perhaps thousands of lives.

Israel has stated they have a number of contingencies that could deal with Fordow, but it would involve extremely dangerious and complex special forces ground operations with success not guaranteed.

The B-2 bunker buster mission would be in America’s best interest. It would take out the most dangerous threat to all of the Middle East, not just Israel. It would drive a stake into the heart of the the world’s leading terriorist sponsor. And it would potentially bring regime change to Iran’s people who have been under the oppressive control of a brutal, fanatical religious leader for almost a half-century.

I believe that, at this point, only an unconditional surrender by Iran, as Trump has demanded, would stop the President and his cabinet from giving the nod to Netanyahu’s request. Yes, it would come with some risks to America from international and domestic terrorism. And the Democrats would have a conniption. But, in my opinion, the results would be worth the risks. Watch the news!

2

So, How Is America Really Doing?

Quandaries over riots in major cities, gender and LGBTQ+, chaos, tariffs, inflation, antisemitism, Israel, Iran nukes, Ukraine, China–wait, didn’t we vote in November to fix all this and Make America Great Again? Yet, the evening mainstream news has never been more depressing. But how is America really doing? I believe the short answer is, pretty well, actually. It takes time to undo the damage foisted on our nation from the Obama and Biden administrations. Sandwiched in between them, Trump made some sweeping corrections in his first term. But he was constantly beaten down by hateful Democratic attacks and conspiracies including two senseless impeachments. Now, early in the present administration, many positive things are happening that are being suppressed by the mainstream media. Let’s take a look at what the Trump team is pulling out of that red cap.

Democrats are screaming that Trump caused the present violent riots by illegally abducting and deporting innocent immigrants. They say his calling up the military to help quell the “peaceful” rioting is unconstitutional. Almost all the media are supporting the Democratic disinformation and lies just as they did in the George Floyd riots. Except, this time, Trump is clamping down on the insurrectionists before they spiral completely out of control. Federal law and order action is finally prevailing.

Democrats are decrying the arrest and deportation of illegal immigrants, many of whom are hardened criminals, and demanding the courts stop military involvement. Deportation of illegal immigrants is not only a legal obligation of the federal government, it was a mandate of the overwhelming majority of voters in the last presidential election. Use of the military in this national emergency situation is undeniably warrented and constitutional as an appeals court just declared. The Insurrection Act of 1807 authorizes the use of the military in domestic emergencies as determined by the president. The Posse Comitatus Act of 1878 allows such military involvement only in support of law enforcement through crowd management, equipment, technology, and surveillance. Posse Comitatus is Latin for “Power of the County,” meaning emergency assistance authorized by a government agency. Under these Acts, the military cannot arrest citizens or provide offensive support. The military assists and defends local law enforcement. Therefore, the truth is that the federal government has acted constitutionally in their rightful role and responsibility to protect Americans. And they are doing it swiftly before rioting causes more injury and destruction. That is the positive truth you won’t hear from the Democrats and the media.

The Democrats seem to consider the support and promotion of transgender and LBGTQ+ lifestyles as essential to the survival of the universe. This immoral, unbiblical, and reprehensible behavior is lauded by the Left and supported by “in your face” reporting 24/7 by the mainstream media. Thankfully, this burgeoning trend of support appears to have sharply reversed course after the January 20 inauguration. A Supreme Court finding recently banned transgenders from the military, the NCAA has disallowed biological men to compete in women’s college sports, and Trump’s executive order prevents participation of transgender athletes in all women’s sports. The Trump administration will not be acknowledging June Pride Month in any way, and many corporations are withdrawing their promotions of LGBTQ+ products and services. In short, America’s support for transgender and LGBTQ+ issues is being deemphasized. That is a positive you won’t hear from the Democrats and the media.

Trump’s use of tariffs as an international trade incentive to level the world trade field is aggressively opposed by Democrats as devastating to our economy. They say prices and inflation will skyrocket. Yet, just days after the tariffs were imposed, dozens of national leaders came calling on Trump to negotiate fairer trade conditions. Furthermore, we are now over four months into the Trump tariff increases, and inflation is 2.4%, which is almost at the record low of 2.33%. Consumer prices of just about everything have declined since the tariffs were imposed. But you won’t hear Democrats or the media touting any of these newsworthy stats.

The antisemitism riots all over America and the killing and persecution of Jews have been rampant for months. The Biden and Obama administrations were soft and timid toward Israel’s arch enemy, Iran. Democrats vehemently condemned Trumps rejection of the flawed nuclear negotiations during his first term. Shortly after his last inauguration, Trump gave Iran an ultimation to negotiate a good-faith agreement which they declined. On June 11th, a 60-day deadline for Iran to negotiate the termination of nuclear weapons development expired. On June 12th, Israel attacked Iran’s nuclear development facilities and killed several top Iranian military leaders. The Democrats immediately blamed Trump for potentially causing an all-out regional war and putting Americans at risk. The news media followed the Democrats’ lead. Of course, the Left will never acknowledge the truth that the attack prevented Iran’s annihilation of Israel in a nuclear holocaust and possibly destruction of American forces. All Americans are much safer today with an impotent Iranian government.

The Ukraine and Russia crisis is a world dilemma. How do you deal with a thug dictator like Putin? We know that kowtowing to the Kremlin has never gotten us anywhere in this war. But the Biden administration, which allowed it to happen in the first place, has given into Putin’s schemes since the land-grab war began. It is obvious that only peace through strength will work here. Thankfully, we now have a president who is respected and feared by Putin. It will only be a matter of time until a negotiated settlement will be struck, although preceded by a lot of fireworks. The Democrats will continue to play Chicken Little, convincing many Americans that Trump is starting World War Three. Watch for the Democratic counter punches all over social media and the news media. We must resist the gaslighting while supporting the credible strategy of the Trump administration on this one, too.

As for China, President Xi will continue to rattle his sabre publicly, but privately, he realizes that, on January 20th, the playing field changed. He was no longer dealing with a weak American president. The Democrats, supported by the media, will cry wolf constantly, scaring Americans into thinking China is overtaking the U.S. in everything. It is important that Americans maintain a patriotic confidence in our great nation in these times. We must support our president and our military. Trump and Xi have a mutual respect for each other that creates a unique connection. China will stand at the red line and beat its chest, but it won’t cross that line as long as Trump is in office, and we don’t blink.

So, how is America really doing? Before last November, our future was dismal. Woke, meek, and leaderless, we were destined for irrelevance unless provedentially rescued. The election and the first six months of the Trump administration has been God’s intervention of grace and mercy to give our nation another chance to get it right. Although it may look depressingly dark, when you seek truth and look past the Democrats and the news media, your day will brighten. After years of decline, it appears we are doing better despite the naysayers.

2

The Goodness of DOGE Manpower Cuts

Defense Secretary Hegseth has just announced the elimination of 20% of the military’s four-star generals and admirals plus deep cuts in other senior military officer ranks. While many Americans decry what they call the gutting of our military leadership, I joyfully celebrate the move. At the peak of my 24-year Air Force career, I would have likely been a target of such cuts. Nevertheless, the action is long overdue. Let’s look into the bloated top leadership of the Department of Defense and other government bureaucracies that is finally being pared down.

There are 38 four-star officers in the active duty military. So, a 20% cut affecting only seven or eight officers is not a lot of compensation savings, but it has the news media spun up. The SECDEF has further directed the trimming of all other general and admiral positions by 10% and has extended similar cuts to the National Guard. All these reductions are only a tiny fraction of the other massive DOGE cuts in the federal government. But, if the positions are not necessary, they simply need to be gone. The military is not exempt.

World War II, the biggest military operation in U.S. history, had 12 million troops engaged at its most intense period with only 17 four- and five-star generals and admirals at the top. Today, we have just over two million in the military with 38 four-stars at the top–more than double the generals overseeing one-sixth of the combatants.

Indulge me in a personal example of military over-manning. Many of the senior officer jobs in the military involve serving as a superior’s backup. The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff has a vice chairman. The chiefs of staff for all branches of the military have vice chiefs of staff. Just below the star ranks are colonels and Navy and Coast Guard captains who command Army brigades, Navy ships, Air Force wings, Marine regiments, and Coast Guard vessels. All of these have second-in-command officers of the same rank with various titles. I was an Air Force vice wing commander rising later to wing commander who had a vice wing commander. My honest assessment is that the vice wing commander positions throughout the Air Force (and there are many) are not necessary. Across the military, in my opinion, positions labeled deputy, vice, assistant, and executive are seldom necessary. Their duties could be assumed by the commanders or other subordinates. Eliminating these backup military officer positions alone would save taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars each year without any degradation in military capability. Numerous other non-essential positions that have little to do with combat readiness should disappear.

Our current national unemployment rate is 4.2%. That is a perfect rate. A healthy unemployment rate is 4% to 6%. Some unemployment is necessary to accommodate new entries and career changes. It is interesting that all the DOGE manpower cuts are having little effect on overall employment. Government workers must be finding employment where there is legitimate need. The federal government presently employees over three million civilian people, and there are over two million military personnel. I’m sure DOGE still has lots of fat to trim from over five million people. A lot of inefficiency still has to be found to gain ground in the arduous process of stopping the ever-growing $37 trillion dollar national debt.

The deep cuts into our inflated federal government bureaucracy by the DOGE teams are necessary if we are to survive as a nation. Positions similar to the Pentagon’s manpower reductions are being slashed in all federal government departments and agencies where excess workforce numbers are found. The Chicken Little cry from the Democrats and even some Republicans that critical services are being cut and people are going to die is shameful. No one is terminating employees essential to life and productivity. President Trump through his cabinet secretaries and DOGE is just chipping away the excess in government that has caused skyrocketing debt and absurd tax levels for decades. I applaud President Trump, Secretary Hegspeth, and all other cabinet secretaries who are finding the courage to do the right thing for Americans that their predecessors failed to do. Let us embrace the axing of the unfruitful branches of the tree, even though it may carry with it some temporary pain and chaos.

2

Understanding Tariff Issues in Five Minutes

When I was an economics professor with John Brown University, the subject of tariffs was just a part of one class session. I never thought I would see the impact it is currently having on the world economy and trade. Everyone should have a general understanding of how increased tariffs will affect their lives and should pay special attention to the present turbulence in international markets. Let’s take a five-minute quick course on tariff issues.

Tariffs are taxes governments place on products and services imported from other countries. They are a percentage of the prices of the imports, just like a sales tax. But the tariff is paid by the supplier, not the buyer. For a realistic example, if a Volkswagen is imported from Germany with the original price tag of $40,000, and the U.S. government places a 2.5% tariff on it, the manufacturer will charge the wholesale consumer $41,000 for the vehicle to make up for the $1,000 tariff charge. Conversely, if a Ford is exported to Germany with the original price tag of $40,000, and Germany places a 10% tariff on it, the manufacturer will charge the German wholesaler $44,000 for the vehicle to make up for the $4,000 tariff charge.

Proceeds from these tariffs go to the government which imposes the tariffs. So, the $1,000 U.S. tariff on the Volkswagen is paid by the car’s German manufacturer to the U.S. treasury. The $4,000 Germany tariff on the Ford is paid by the car’s U.S. manufacturer to the German treasury. No one in the sales transactions gets any of the tariff money. Tariffs are supplements to the treasuries of both governments. In fact, tariffs were the primary source for funding the U.S. government prior to the introduction of income taxes in 1913.

Tariffs are an immediate financial burden for both the supplier and the consumer. The manufacturer and service provider’s export customers have to pay a higher price for their products and services than the consumers of domestic products and services pay. This is true of both countries involved. Therefore, it is more difficult for these manufacturers and service providers to compete with their foreign competitors whose same products and services are lower in price. On the other hand, the consumers in each country have to pay a higher price for desired imports from the other country.

In the example above, the Ford maker is disadvantaged in the German market, since Fords are $4,000 higher priced than Volkswagens. Similarly, the Volkswagen maker is disadvantaged in the U.S. market, since Volkswagens are $1,000 higher priced than Fords. The U.S. consumers will probably buy more Fords than Volkswagens, because the Fords are $1,000 lower priced. The German consumers will probably buy more Volkswagens than Fords, because the Volkswagens are $4,000 lower priced.

The offsetting advanatage to each automaker is that the tariffs tend to protect the domestic market. Ford will sell more Fords in the U.S., and Volkswagen will sell more Volkswagens in Germany, since the exports are higher in price. Often, this advantage of tariffs is more profitable than having a more equatible international market.

Note that the example demonstrates a greater advantage for Germany than for the U.S. The 10% German tariff on U.S. cars is stardard throughout the European Union nations. This uneven playing field for international trade is mostly what is driving President Trump to raise tariffs rather dramatically. For decades of world trade, tariffs in other countries have been greater than U.S. tariffs. This is one of the reasons the U.S. has a substantial trade deficit with the majority of other nations, meaning the other nations export more to the U.S. than the U.S. exports to them. With the uneven tariffs in the example, many more Volkswagens are purchased in the U.S. than Fords in Germany. This is true of products and services traded with most countries.

China is an outlier in this world-wide tariff standoff, refusing to negotiate and slapping unprecedented tariffs on the U.S. in retaliation. Although all tariff tensions have a political dynamic, China’s President Xi is taking it to a whole new level with a 125% tariff on U.S. imports. President Trump has responded with a 145% tariff on China imports. This essentially shuts down most trade between the two nations and can’t possibly remain in effect very long.

After years of this tariff and trade imbalance uncorrected by previous administrations, President Trump is invoking unusually high tariffs to shock the world trade markets into lowering their tariffs. Many nations are panicking and running to the U.S. negotiating table. Until this economic instability settles, American consumers will pay higher prices on imported products and services, and manufacturers and service providers will have fewer sales abroad. Of course, this instability results in nervous investors and a volatile stock market. I believe, eventually, we will find a more equivocal balance of trade with fewer tariffs or more reciprocal tariffs–each nation matching the tariff percentage of its trading partner. When we will reach that international trade utopia is anyone’s guess. But we had to do something, and the president is doing it.

2

The Great American Reset

I am ecstatic about the great American reset spreading across our nation. For several years, I had been in borderline depression and despair over the moral, economic, spiritual, and social death spiral of our culture. Our insane government had been fostering senseless laws, policies, and positions that had been destroying the very fabric of our society. But, apparently, the silent majority has awakened and is slamming on the brakes just before we plunge over a cliff.

In just the last two months, America has made the most dramatic cultural shift in its history. We have virtually stopped the invasion of our homeland by foreign criminals who were welcomed, protected, and funded by Democtratic politicians. Now, illegal immigration through our open borders is being replaced by aggresive deportation. We are shutting down the antics of the irrational “woke” crowd and returning to common sense. The gender dysphoria myth is being debunked by recognition that we are, of all things, either male or female as determined at birth. Hundreds of billions of waste, fraud, and abuse in government spending is being exposed and cut. Hundreds of thousands of government workers who have been absent from their work stations since COVID are being ordered to come to work or be fired. The abysmal condition of our education system is being transformed after a half-century of neglect. Our weakened military, fraught with social experimentation, is being revitalized for fighting wars. Speaking of wars, we are moving from unending international entanglements to great potential for peace around the world through a strong America. Conservatism, long being relegated to those over 50, is being embraced by young adults weary of failed liberalism.

From a spiritual perspective, we appear to be seeing the years of darkness dissipate with the dawn of rekindled faith. The last Administration seldom recognized the hand of God on this nation, and filthy, hateful public language was the norm rather than the exception. Government corruption was rampant. We are now seeing the name of God invoked freely throughout government-related activities and events. The entertainment world has been replete with unwholesome, anti-family content. But the recent trend of Christian-based films is growing exponentially to Hollywood’s chagrin. Public prayer is popular again. We may be on the threshold of another nationwide Great Awakening.

Meanwhile, the Democrats are whatching their absurd charades being rejected in favor of sensible and prudent strategies. They are in a constant state of panic and chaos. Let’s just pray and hope the liberal factions that have held a tight grip on our society will become enlightened and join the ranks of the rational. The future of our nation depends on it.

Most Americans agree that the catalyst of this rapid transformation is President Trump. Like him or hate him, I don’t see how anyone with an open mind can deny that America is headed in a better direction with him in the White House. As I have said in these posts before, I don’t always like the personality and character of our president. But I am convinced that he is the right person for leading us out of the cultural orbit we were in to a new and superior trajectory. Is he going about it like a bull in a china shop? Yes. But, a familiar saying applies here: “Desperate times call for desperate measures.” Jesus was perfect, and there was a time when He had to crack a whip and turn over some tables.

I’m more optimistic now about our country than I have been in years. I confess I had given up on ever seeing what I am seeing now. I believe God has heard the prayers of His people crying out for the strong, prosperous, and godly nation they once knew. He just may be giving us one more chance.

3

Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) What Is It and How Does It Work?

Arguably the biggest kerfuffle in America today is over President Trump’s determination to cut the fraud, waste, and abuse out of the federal government. His establishment of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), headed by Elon Musk, is moving at rocket speed in attacking spending that is wasting taxpayer dollars. Let’s take a look at how this mysterious mechanism works and why the Democrats are so radically opposed to it.

On his first day in office, the president signed an executive order creating DOGE to “maximize governmental efficiency and productivity.” He announced it would be headed by Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy. Ramaswamy later resigned to run for governor of Ohio. Trump said the agency would help “dismantle government bureaucracy, slash excess regulations, cut wasteful expenditures, and restructure federal agencies. Musk, in his typical flamboyant style, claimed he would cut $2 trillion from the federal budget. The current federal budget is $6.8 trillion. So, can DOGE really expect to cut the budget by almost 30%? Probably not, but I am very pleased to see the Administration launch a “shock and awe” attack on every agency in Washington that spends my money.

So, how does DOGE work? Musk, in addition to being a genius, is a phenomenal organizer for problem solving. He has created several teams made up of the smartest people in the country. Each team is small, usually comprising a team leader, an engineer, a human resources specialist, and an attorney. The teams are going into federal government department offices looking for how employees are structured, how technology is being used, how funds are being spent, and compliance with the president’s strategy. There will eventually be one DOGE team for each government department and agency. The House Committee on Oversight and Accountability has a subcommittee called the Subcommittee on Delivering on Government Efficiency (also DOGE) which takes recommendations from Musk and his staff and considers them for legislative action as necessary. Musk and DOGE have no authority to change or terminate anything, although the Dems are screaming like Chicken Little that the teams are defunding and firing the federal government into ruins.

All Trump has assigned DOGE to do is to look deeply into all aspects of government and shine a light on frivilous spending, bloated manpower, and any other hinderances to efficiency. They are just to illuminate the darkness. With the obvious corruption and sluggishness in Washington, Musk would find his job easy and rewarding if it weren’t for the firewalls the bureaucracies have built to protect their turf. From security over-classification to privacy laws to employment safeguards, the DOGE teams are being pushed back at every turn. Plus, liberal federal judges are throwing the penalty flag at almost every move toward doing more with less.

Democrats and career government officials (essentially redundant terms) make up most of the Washington establishment, or “swamp.” Altough many of them are dedicated servants of the people, many serve themselves by orchestrating schemes of exchanges of favors, kickbacks, and political advantages. Some are simply incompetent. Meticulous scrutiny of their jobs would not bode well for their future. So, they fight DOGE like a wild predator backed into a corner.

Liberals are decrying that Musk is an unelected person with no authority or accountability who is acting counter to the Constitution in his inspection of government operations. Actually, his constitutional authority lies in being rightly appointed by the elected president who has a mandate from the voters to do his assigned duties. The bureaucrats who are giving him the most flack are also unelected.

What President Trump is doing through Elon Musk and DOGE is exhilerating to me and most other conservatives. I have never seen such a war on big government, overspending, and Washington corruption in my lifetime. It is long overdue. I can accept an occasional misstep or constitutional infringement in this effort. That is to be expected with this level of tactical assault on colossal mismanagement. Any war has some setbacks. But as long as it is one step back and 100 steps forward, we are assured of victory. So, stand up a cheer, America! The tax payments we file this year will perhaps be less wasted than ever before.

3

Is There a Message in the Fires?

California has suffered massive numbers of wildfires every year for decades, typically between 7,000 and 9,000 per year. However, the latest inferno, still smoldering, is the first to destroy thousands of extravagant estates in affluent, urban communities. The media hub of Los Angeles has long been a crucible for the moral corruption of America. Moguls of the entertainment industry have been enriching themselves by producing pornography and promoting a decadent culture for years. California’s state and local governments have punished good and rewarded evil. Are the fires a random coincidence or a predictable consequence?

I anticipate this post will result in some harsh criticism, but I am convinced it will more importantly express what many are thinking. God’s love and grace is beyond comprehension as is His patience. But He is perfect in judgment. Goodness will be ultimately rewarded, and evil will be ultimately punished. The innocent will sometimes suffer from their proximity to those receiving just retribution. My heart goes out to victims of the raging wildfire, and I pray for their lives and their recovery. The humanity in all of us aches at the sight of human misery. But some agony is a part of all life in a fallen world, some is brought on by our own mistakes, some is to test and strengthen us, and some is from providential judgment. Early in the scriptures, God, who showers us with love and mercy, said, “My Spirit will not contend with man forever.” Numerous times throughout history, even in my lifetime, God’s judgment of man’s persistent evil has been obvious.

In my last post, I shared that I believe America is on the leading edge of a transformation toward a more moral and stable culture. Good people are realizing the hopelessness of our death spiral of debauchery. Our recent election and subsequent events show signs of better times. I also believe God is answering prayers of many people of faith and is changing hearts supernaturally. What He spoke to the prophet Ezekiel pertaining to His people 2500 years ago, applies to us today: “I will give them an undivided heart and put a new spirit in them; I will remove from them their heart of stone and give them a heart of flesh. Then, they will follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws. They will be my people, and I will be their God.” I sense He is doing among us what we have not been able to do ourselves–making us realize the futility of our ways.

I believe evidence indicates God is beginning to guide America, and hopefully our world, back to His desired trajectory for us. He is restoring minds and hearts to Himself and purifying (judging) people and places that attempt to counter that movement. Look for evidence that this is happening. I think you will be surprised.

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Back on the Rails in 2025

Most of America watched in horror and dismay while our great nation left the rails over the past four years. As the radical left abandoned biblical principles, moral absolutes, fiscal responsibilities, and even constitutional articles, too many sane patriots passively grumbled but failed to act in opposition. Thank God the 2024 election was a watershed when the silent majority finally proclaimed, “Enough!”

The last two months have seen our nation begin to upright the national train wreck and start the heavy task of lifting it back on to the rails. For several decades American culture has been on a slippery slope into a dark place of confused values. Influential segments of our society were calling right, wrong and wrong, right. This misguided movement was led by the entertainment industry, mainstream news media, educational institutions, liberal business leaders, and leftist polilticians. This phenomena is not new. It has recurred throughout human history. The prophet, Isaiah, wrote almost three millennia ago, “Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter (Isaiah 5:20).” From generation to generation, morally upright societies have cowardly acquiesced to their internal evil practitioners who dragged them down to corruption and debauchery. This as good people remained silent and tolerant. Such has been gradually occuring in America, but it reached a boiling point over the past four years.

Since 2021, our federal, state, and local governments, along with other major institutions, have fostered a societal transformation that has been destroying the very fabric of our society. The failure of godly citizens to object has encouraged the invasion of millions of unauthorized immigtrants–many of whom are hardened criminals. Radicals have taken away the moral innocence of our children by corrupting their understanding of natural gender and sexual attraction. They have perverted the definition of marriage and family. They have put tax-payers enormously further in debt for unnecessary and politically expedient projects and services. They have diluted the justice system as criminals are labeled victims and victims are neglected. Our foreign policies have allowed our enemies to advance as our weakened military has been underfunded and hung up on “woke” objectives.

But America just made a hard right turn. When poet, Alexander Pope, wrote, “Hope springs eternal in every human breast,” he described how our nation’s patriots have awakened. Pent-up frustrations of the majority of citizens have exploded. Last November’s turning-point election was a gauntlet thrown down by right-thinking Americans using the voting booth to scream,”We’re not going to take it anymore!”

Frankly, I held little anticipation that it would happen. I shamedly admit that I had largely lost hope in my country. I was convinced that we as a people were going to continue the death spiral that has been the destiny of so many other nations throughout history. My spirit mourned for my children and grandchildren who wouldn’t enjoy the life I had been blessed with. But, praise God, I now have a renewed faith in where this great country is headed. For me, the election revealed that the silent majority was no longer going to remain silent. Millions who feared being labeled insensitive if they didn’t tolerate the the radical socialists finally rebelled. It restored my hope for my country. Of course, I realize it may be just a short reprieve. I may live to see us go off the rails again. But the course correction we are presently experiencing is to be celebrated. It should cause all conservatives to recommit to seizing this new year as an opportunity to Make America Great Again!

You may be thinking my rose-colored glasses have put me over the top in my newly acquired view of the world. Well, maybe. But I do have a much better outlook for the America I love and serve than I did a couple of months ago. Let’s take a moment to thank the Lord for not giving up on this nation and for putting us back on the rails. Pray that 2025 will be a year America will someday look back on as the time of national recovery and rehabilitation. We may not have the opportunity to survive another train wreck. God said, “My Spirit shall not always strive with man (Genesis 6:3).” Let us call on His help as we move this train forward in a better journey ahead. A journey that will not fall prey to the radical left again.

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