The Right of Religion, Speech, Press, and Lying

The Statesman knows there's never a positive right to do the wrong thing. Recently the Ninth Circuit said that laws forbidding lying about one's Medal of Honor status are unconstitutional, inferring that there is a "right to lie" in the Constitution. Apparently, a recipient can turn a medal of honor into a "medal of dishonor."

Court Says Lying About Medal of Honor No Crime

He Being Dead, Yet Speaketh

Sometimes the words of the dead are more powerful than the clamour around us. Listen to a dead man giving us guidance from the grave.

Daniel Webster--Florida's Statesman

Perhaps you heard about the great statesman, Daniel Webster, of the nineteenth century. But wait, there's another one. We have our own Daniel Webster from the great state of Florida who is running for a U.S. House seat this November. A true statesman who is desperately needed today...

The Education of a Statesman

Ronald Reagan

How important is education in the life of a leader? In his book Greatness, historian Steven Hayward compares the educations of President Ronald Reagan and Winston Churchill. Hayward's conclusion is that we should focus on their education outside the classroom, their "informal education" as opposed to their formal training if we want to better grasp what made these leaders special. I have written an Hubpages article, The Education of a Statesman, that gives an overview of the topic.

The Retreat on the Southern Border

In a free society, the first duty of a statesman is to uphold his oath and protect the people of his land. The Obama Administration has abdicated that role. They not only refuse to protect our nation's borders, they threaten to punish those that would defend them.


And now, it's been awhile since I've heard of a greater national disgrace than I heard this morning. Apparently, our Border Patrol is fleeing certain areas of the southern border because it's too dangerous.
"Border Patrol Has Retreated from Parts of the Border Because It's 'Too Dangerous'"

The Easy Answer v. the Simple Answer

They say the world has become too complex for simple answers. They are wrong.  There are no easy answers, but there are simple answers.  We must have the courage to do what we know is morally right. ~ Ronald Reagan

What Makes a Great Leader "Great"?

What makes a great leader, great? Steven Hayward addresses this issue in his book Greatness. I have summarized some of his ideas in this essay.

Hawks and Doves

I'm not a hawk. I'm a dove--a heavily-armed dove.--Jack Kemp

The Hollow Leader

Too many politicians think that the road to success lies in being "open." Too often that is simply another word for "hollow." I believe leaders must have principles, and must stand up for them. Jesse Helms

The Socialization of America

"1. Karl Marx died on March 14, 1883, and was buried in the Highgate Cemetery in London, England. The assumption that Communism died with him was logical since only six people attended his funeral. But the truth is that it had not yet begun its murderous journey through the 20th century.
2. John Maynard Keynes was born on June 5, 1883, in Cambridge, England. His political, economic, and moral influence continues to affect every American.
3. The Fabian Socialist Society was an offshoot of The Fellowship of the New Life, which was born in October 1883 in London, England.
Socialist George Bernard Shaw added: 'You would be forcibly fed, clothed, lodged, taught, and employed whether you like it or not. If it were discovered that you had not character and industry enough to be worth all this trouble, you might possible be executed in a kindly manner.'
That's probably why Margaret Thatcher added that the 'problem with socialism is that you eventually run out of other people's money.' "(emphasis mine)

Noebel, David A. The Socialization of America May 2009 (The Schwarz Report).

Human Nature

At the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia, someone had proposed that the government limit the army to 5,000 men. George Washington, the President of the Convention, is said to have remarked that he was OK with this enactment so long as we also stipulate to the enemy invaders that they can't send in any more than 3,000 troops.

The Siren Song of Socialism

The appeal of socialism is to human weakness--the desire to avoid responsibility and the craving for material gain. It offers security as a substitute for opportunity, and the price is freedom.--Anonymous (possibly Charles B. Shuman)

Honesty

He's honest, but you have to watch him... -- Chico Marx

Priority

I answer first to my Creator, then to my conscience. If that brought conflict or created some pressure, that was the price of doing business the way I thought was right. -- Jesse Helms, Here's Where I Stand

The Politician v. The Statesman

"We need to revive, if only for the purposes of evaluation, the traditional distinction between the politician and the statesman. The statesman differs from the ordinary politician, in that he is able to envisage and inspire support for policies that are in the ultimate, best interest of the most people, and, however rare he may be, we think of him rightly as the politician par excellence. To the extent that the ordinary politician's vision is limited to that which is immediately expedient, to the extent that he is motivated by narrow, sectional, group, or personal interests, we think of him as a failure; and the more narrow his vision and selfish his aim, the greater the failure. The statesman is concerned with inspiring right action, and the test of his statesmanship is his ability to lead public opinion rather than slavishly to follow it. To lead public opinion does not mean to coerce or to beguile the individuals who make up the public but to persuade them by means of argument." John Hallowell, The Moral Foundations of Democracy

A Military Statesman

This fight cost me everything. My career is over, my family is now homeless, we’ve lost a million dollar pension, but Congress agreed with me and rescinded the Navy policy, so chaplains are free again to pray in Jesus’ name. My sacrifice purchased their freedom. My conscience is clear, the fight was worth it, and I’d do it all again.--Navy Chaplain Gordon Klingenschmitt, remarking on his being drummed out of the Navy for insisting that Navy chaplains not be censored for praying in Jesus' name.

Are Statesmen Just Dead Politicians?

Is it true that a statesman is only a dead politician? It’s kind of like getting your picture on U.S. currency: the honor is reserved for the dead. Well, let’s consider that LBJ is a dead politician and was no statesman, and many believe that living politicians such as Roy Moore, Rick Santorum, and Henry Hyde are statesmen. Moore had much to lose, and yet he was willing to risk both reputation and career to hold high the principle that God is the source of law. In taking that risk he lost both career and reputation. Moore (and others like him) outshines his peers and deserves the accolade of “statesman” in the land of the living.

The Contrast

Politicians do not mind campaigning as Sunday school teachers, deacons, and choir directors. But once elected, they often deny the sovereignty of God and feel embarrassed by anyone who acknowledges God. I openly acknowledged God and suffered the consequences: false accusations, charges, public embarrassment, and financial loss.--Roy Moore, So Help Me God

Rulers of the Superstate

Atheism and socialism – or liberalism, which tends in the same direction – are inseparable entities. When you have men who no longer believe that God is in charge of human affairs, you have men attempting to take the place of God by means of the superstate.–Jesse Helms, Former U.S. Senator

A Special Nation

The United States was a special nation founded on the laws of God, and not just any God. We were not founded on the faith of Buddha, or the Hindu faith or the faith of Islam, but on the faith of Jesus Christ.--Roy Moore, So Help Me God