Michael Gallops

 

Michael Gallops

 

"A political party cannot be all things to all people. It must represent certain fundamental beliefs, which must not be compromised to political expediency, or simply to swell numbers..... And if there are those that cannot subscribe to these principles, then let them go their way." Ronald Reagan.

 

Posted with the permission of the author - Jack Ripley. If you would like to contact Mr. Ripley please contact me.

All,

I really believe this coming election is going to be one of the most important in our nation’s history, certainly perhaps the most important in my 70 + years.

It is my opinion that our greatest danger is not The War on Terror, world economics, our failing education systems, supposed or actual concerns with health care, the environment or whatever.  As important as some of these are, I believe our nations most important issue is our turning away from God.  Whether we are looking at the many times in history when Israel turned away from following God, or in more recent times when nations such as Germany, Russia, China, etc. adopted policies that drove God’s People underground and God responded by removing his hand of protection from above their land.  The result in all cases was severe hardship for all of the people and millions of innocent men, women, and children were slaughtered.

It seems that most of the leaders in the Democrat Party have decided, for the time being, to go along to get along with the terrorists.  They want to “Talk” with them.  I have never seen a bully who was talked into changing their ways.  No matter where you meet them, I believe what I was told by an Uncle more than 50 years ago.  

I was being harassed by a bully at school who was almost a foot taller and probably 50 pounds heavier than I was.  I was certainly afraid of him, which was exactly what he wanted.  I thought he was going to pick the “Just right” time and really clean my clock.  I believed that if I tried to discuss it with Dad, he would have said, “Knock some sense into his head.”  With our size, and weight difference, I had no confidence in accomplishing that.  After listening to my worries, my Uncle told me the following:  “There has never been a bully who isn’t at heart a coward.  There has never been a coward who didn’t stop being a bully when he saw his own blood.  The littlest girl in your class can bloody the nose of the biggest guy in the class by hitting him really hard in the nose.”  I was still really scared, but when he decided the “Just right” time had come, I learned that my Uncle’s advice was absolutely correct.  This is what President Reagan knew when he lobbed a couple of missiles into Kadafy’s back yard.  If you remember, it stopped him from blowing up airplanes and little girls in airports for as long as President Reagan was President.

I am convinced we need to maintain a strong and steady stance against terrorism. However, even if we had a leader who was weak in this area, they would probably wake up and react before we were totally destroyed.  However, if we continue our policy of the last 50 years of turning against our God given heritage as a nation to the extent that God lifts his hand of protection from above America, then anyone could defeat us.  Read the history of God’s People, Israel and the battle of Ai.  Joshua chapters 7 & 8.

Congressman Duncan Hunter is a Candidate for President on the Republican Ticket, and he was here in Houston yesterday.  One of his forum’s was at the VFW Hall on Foley Street last night from 7 – 9 PM.  I had liked what I knew about him, but I didn’t know much.  The media doesn’t seem willing to give him much if any time.  I went, and was very impressed.  He certainly seemed knowledgeable.  During the Q&A session after his opening remarks, he answered every question that was asked.  He was direct, specific and clearly understood.
He is an ex-Vietnam era Army Ranger.  His son a is U.S. Marine on his third tour of duty in our War on Terrorism, two in Iraq and one in Afghanistan.  His son had filed to run for Congress two days before his last call up.  His Daughter-in-Law is running the campaign while he completes his tour of duty.

Duncan is uniquely responsible for the 59.25 miles of Border Fence in So. Calif. that has resulted in an almost 90% drop in Illegal Immigration across California’s Southern Border, and a lowering of the Illegal Immigrant crime rate in San Diego by 53%.  He was also the primary Author of our present Border Fence Bill.  He has pledged to complete construction of the fence in the 1st 6 months of his Presidency.  At present we have completed only half of it for only 17 miles.  It is supposed to be a double fence with a road for our Border Patrols in the middle.

Some of the things he pledged to do:

·          Turn America’s policy around to maintain and return our Industrial Manufacturing Base. He detailed that much of this outflow is the result of other nations violation of their GATT (General Agreement on Tariffs & Trades) by submitting back to their manufactures their taxes for export shipments to the U.S., and by their charging American manufacturers import duties for products imported into their countries.  He said he would impose a “Mirror” policy, which would deal with any nation importing into the U.S. exactly how they deal with our products importing into their nation.  This is something I have supported for over 30 years.
·          Establish a “Fair Tax” system to eliminate the IRS.
·          Stop the efforts to establish a “North American Union.”
·          Support Israel’s Missile Defense efforts.
·          Oppose un-licensed, un-inspected, and un-documented NAFTA Trucking from Mexico.
·          Refuse to allow Iran to become a Nuclear Power.
·          Establish an Energy Policy using domestic crude oil, coal, geo-thermal, wind, solar, etc. that will result in our becoming independent of foreign oil.

There were lots of other things discussed, but I am not a very good scribe.

In conclusion, I was very impressed with Duncan. I intend to support him is his run for the Republican Nomination for President.  I would encourage you to give him a very good look at. You can go to his web site www.gohunter08.com <http://www.gohunter08.com/>  .

Thanks for your time.  God Bless America and God give us Godly Leaders with the courage to lead.

Jack Ripley

Wow! It’s been an incredible couple of weeks.  I’ve had the privilege of spending most of the last 2 weeks (and will continue that privilege next week) with the one candidate who is the most qualified to be the next President of the United States – Duncan Hunter!  It’s been busier than I ever imagined – he never seems to run out of energy, always has as smile and a handshake for anyone and everyone, and takes the time to answer every question from the audience.

As we traveled across Texas I watched Duncan Hunter, always the optimist, field questions from people who obviously agreed with him and from people who it was apparent were trying to trip him up.  He never stumbled, never missed a beat and always had a well thought out response for every question.

This is a man who is determined to win the Presidency of the United States.  He finishes nearly every speech with the words “I’m running for President of the United States and I hope you’ll join me.”  In nearly two weeks he has never expressed any doubt, never spoken anything out loud that would indicate he has any plans except to be president.

Many in this country are looking for the “Second Coming” of Reagan.  They can quit looking.  I’ve found him.  That man is Duncan Hunter.  He even told me that after one of the debates he got a phone call from Mike Reagan who told him that he answered questions just like his (Mike’s) dad would!

When asked about how we can stop the spread of radical Islam Duncan Hunter responded, “Follow what has worked, Peace through Strength.”  That concept worked in the 80’s when Reagan brought down the Soviet Union and the Berlin Wall. And it will work in this new millennium to stop this great threat to our very existence.  If we back down we will lose.  Duncan Hunter will not back down.

Duncan Hunter wants to rebuild our military and our intelligence.  He believes we can win against radical Islam if we have a man in the room when an attack is being planned.  President (to be) Hunter stated that we need a massive strong robust intelligence with an emphasis on human intelligence.  At one point he said to me (and I paraphrase this), “Imagine what it would be like if the enemy planners got together to plan an attack and part of their leadership was missing.”  That’s the kind of intelligence and special ops capability he wants us to have.

He wants to increase our deep strike capability and increase our missile defense systems.  Imagine a system that takes out the enemy rockets while they are still in boost phase – when they are the slowest and most vulnerable.  He also wants to increase our UAV (unmanned aerial vehicle) technology and use to protect lives.

This man is real.  He laughs, he jokes, and when the time comes he is very serious.  I’ve heard him make jokes about the way we drive in Texas (and he was right), the traffic, and my favorite, “The only President who hasn’t blamed his problems on the previous administration was Washington.”  I’ve also heard him become very serious when asked a serious question.  When queried by one person (probably a supporter of another candidate) about whether he would pull the troops out of Iraq he replied, “Of course, as soon as we win.”

His hopes for a better America?  He says he wants a presidency where the American people are more independent of government when he leaves than when he came in. That to him would be a successful presidency.  He also said, “We need to inspire our kids, have someone come in and show them the stars, and tell them how to get there.”  Duncan Hunter has vision.  He believes America can be strong again.  And with him as President, I’m confident that he is right.

I recently received an email from Jim Weidmann of Promise Keepers.  In his email he told this story:

          "I played football at the Air Force Academy. In 1976, we played Notre Dame.  No one
          thought we could compete with a football powerhouse like them.  But with only 10
          minutes left in the game, we had Notre Dame down 30-10! Unfortunately for us, they
          brought in their second string quarterback off the bench, a guy named Joe Montana!!!
          He scored twenty-one points in ten minutes and we lost 31-30.  The rest, they say,
          is history (you already know what a great football career Joe went on to have)."

Duncan Hunter has been behind before.  He wasn’t expected to win in 1980.  And he isn’t expected to win now. Well folks, Joe Montana (figuratively speaking of course) is in the game. There may be only minutes left in the game but he will come from behind. I’ve seen him score already on his Texas tour.  Next week we’ll see a couple of touchdowns when he wins the Texas Straw Poll.  And when the final vote is in, you can score this one a victory for Duncan Hunter and a victory for America.

Finally, we asked if we could record a short message for you, Duncan Hunter’s online supporters.  Here’s that message:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=Tr0jIqD3aWA

(I tried to embed the video but the youtube embed code doesn't work on here).

 

08/08/2007 Hunter sees U.S. progress in Iraq TIM JOHNSON , Staff Writer Staff photo/Jon Leu - Republican presidential hopeful Duncan Hunter talks about the war in Iraq. Duncan Hunter thinks national security is the most important issue in the 2008 presidential election. Hunter, a 27-year congressman from California, is seeking the Republican nomination for president. He has been a member of the House Armed Services Committee for 26 years and served as chairman from 2002-06. Hunter thinks the Iraqi army's 129 battalions are enough to take over the country's security responsibilities; but the forces need more combat experience, he said in an interview with The Daily Nonpareil Tuesday. Iraqi military units need to rotate through three- to four-month combat tours to gain the battlefield and operational skills they need. A few units have done this in Baghdad, he said. "The training ground is the battlefield," he said. Iraqi soldiers have helped quell violence in Fallujah and elsewhere in the Al Anbar Province, Hunter said. "That's a major success," he said. It is unrealistic to say the United States shouldn't have disbanded Saddam Hussein's army, Hunter said. "His army had 11,000 Sunni generals in it," he said. That wouldn't have gone over well in a country in which Shiite Muslims make up the majority of the population, he said. Hunter is optimistic about the survival of a democratic Iraq. "I think the Iraqi government will hold on, and I think the army will hold on," he said. Still, Hunter thinks the United States should have realistic expectations. "These milestones that we're establishing as benchmarks probably will not happen," he said. "A success for us is to have an Iraq that is a friend, not an enemy, to the United States, does not sponsor terrorism and that has basic freedoms." Expectations for peace, too, must be tempered, Hunter said. "There will always be bombs going off in Iraq - just as there are always bombs going off in Israel," he said. And Iran will continue to have influence in Iraq. On another front, Hunter said there is no need for the United States to invade Pakistan. "Pakistan has moved 100,000 troops to the border area," he said. "They understand that Al Qaeda and the Taliban are not going to be good for their future." Hunter's son has served two tours of duty in Iraq and is currently serving in Afghanistan. On trade, Hunter said the United States must demand fairness from its trading partners - especially China. "China has devalued its currency by 40 percent," he said. "This has resulted in a huge trade deficit to China, which they are using to arm." The Communist nation now produces more than 100 missiles a year, along with other military equipment, Hunter said. "The tragedy is, they're doing that with American money," he said. "That dynamic is undercutting our products around the world. We're pushing our industry offshore." The problem is not only an economic issue but a national security issue, Hunter said. U.S. manufacturers of key military equipment and components are dwindling. "The Chinese are targeting key industries," he said. "It's in our interest to have a manufacturing base in this country." A value-added tax allowed in a post-World War II trade agreement is part of the problem, he said. The United States must insist on "mirror trade" and charge the same fees as its trading partners.

©SW Iowa News 2007

I don't normally post again this soon after posting but I thought everyone should read this awesome short story about the great man Duncan Hunter!

I've been in touch with someone who is volunteering some time to help on the Duncan Hunter for President campaign and in a recent email he wrote:

"Incidentally, I met Duncan Hunter in the Members Dining Room in the House about a year ago. I was having lunch with Rep. Hunter's old friend and former Michigan congressman Mark Siljander, and the three of us stood there in the middle of the dining room, along with two of Duncan's San Diego constitutents (one active military and one disabled in Iraq and recently relieved from active duty) and we all held hands and prayed together while other diners gave us curious glances. At that moment I knew that Duncan Hunter was the right man for the White House, and I doubt if he'd seriously considered running for president at that point. A man with the courage of his convictions; what a great asset for a leader."

I know I was moved by this story and reassured that Duncan Hunter is the right man for the Presidency! If we pull together we can help make this great man our next president!

This interview is about 3 weeks old but well woth reposting!

Exclusive: Interview with Presidential Candidate: Congressman Duncan Hunter
Tom McLaughlin

Author: Tom McLaughlin
Source: The Family Security Foundation, Inc.
Date: July 17, 2007

Today we begin FSM’s presidential candidate interviews with Republican Congressman Duncan Hunter, one of the strongest candidates on national security and immigration issues. FSM’s interviewer, Political Editor Tom McLaughlin, learned that this congressman knows what he thinks and states it clearly.

Interview with Presidential Candidate: Congressman Duncan Hunter

Telephone interview recorded on Friday, July 13, 2007 at 2:30 pm EST by Tom McLaughlin for Family Security Matters.

Hello. This is Duncan Hunter.

Thank you for calling, Congressmen. I’ll be recording this conversation. Is that all right with you?

It is.

Okay. Let’s get started. I have twelve basic questions for all the presidential candidates, but I have one especially for you given your background. You served your country as a soldier in Vietnam. You must be having some thoughts about what happened in 1975 when the Democrats were in the majority in the United States Congress, and what is being threatened today for Iraq now that Democrats have taken control of Congress again.

Well, I think we’re going to prevail in Iraq, and I think the government of Iraq is going to hold and that the army will hold. There are a hundred and twenty battalions that make up the Iraqi Army. They’re being trained and equipped right now and a lot of them are getting quite a bit of combat operational experience.

Um-hmm.

In my estimation, Iraq will move along. It’s an inept government as most new governments are, but I think it will mature over a period of time. I’m reminded that in Vietnam, Congress totally cut off aid to South Vietnam - which was a left-wing reaction to the Democrat, left-dominated Congress. It really, to a large degree, was a function of Watergate.

Um-hmm. Yes it was. Do you have as much confidence in our Democrat-controlled Congress as you do that the Iraqi government will hold?

Yes. There are much smaller margins and a less left-leaning Congress now than we had right after 1974. Nixon was paralyzed by Watergate in 1974.

Yes. Well, I hope you’re right. Have you seen the rest of my questions? I sent them ahead of time to Mr. Tyler.

No. I haven’t seen them.

Well, I’m going to them now. First of all: When and why did you decide to run for president?

Well, I’ve always been focused on national security issues during my entire career in congress - twenty-six years - the last four years as chairman of the Armed Services Committee. I think the next five to seven years are going to be years in which national security is a major focus for our country, and I believe that I have particular credentials, strong credentials, to commander-in-chief. I’ve served the country. My son has served two tours in Iraq, and I’ve been a member of the Armed Services Committee for twenty-six years and a chairman of the committee for four. That means I can look the American people in the eye in a military crisis and say, “We’re all in this together.” I think that’s an important element, or dimension, to bring to national leadership. I also think the country needs a rebirth of its economic base, and particularly its industrial base. Right now we’re suffering under what I consider to be very bad trade policies, in which our trading competitors benefit from an uneven playing field, in which our manufacturing industry is double-taxed when it exports, and in which our competitors pay no taxes. We’re allowing China to cheat on trade right now and that unbalanced or uneven playing field is accruing to our detriment. It’s caused massive trade imbalances - massive trade losses for the US and the resultant losses of jobs and business. I want to change that as president.

Okay, that’s the why of it . . .

I’ll stop the Chinese from cheating on trade.

Okay. When did you make the decision to run?

I thought about it over the last several years and it was a decision I made about four or five months before I announced.

All right.

So, I don’t have a particular, ah, moment, but it was decision that was a long time in the making.

Okay. What do you see as our biggest domestic problem?

I think, ah, high-paying jobs and a strong economy for this next generation, so they can have the opportunity they deserve and the educational opportunity they deserve. That’s going to require a strong industrial base. That’s why it’s so important that we renew America’s manufacturing base. I think that is, in fact, our biggest problem because the manufacturing base is important to Americans for two reasons: One, it supports high-paying jobs that will allow this next generation to support an aging generation which will be dependent upon them. But secondly, a strong industrial base is important to national security. As the industrial base erodes and moves off-shore, that’s going to make it very difficult for the United States over a period of time to be able to continue to have the support that it needs in the industrial base to be able to maintain all of the weapons systems and the weapons development that we need.

Um-hmm.

Basically, America’s industrial base - what FDR called the “arsenal of democracy” - won World War I, World War II and the Cold War for this country. That industrial base is being fractured and moved off-shore right now. We need to stem that hemorrhage of industrial capability and bring some of it back to the United States. I think we should take down manufacturing taxes to zero in this country. We need to stop the Chinese from cheating on trade. That means passing the Hunter/Ryan bill which stops currency devaluation on the part of China - they’re devaluing their currency by forty percent right now - and that will provide some stability to the manufacturing base in this country.

So, you are not against what is commonly referred to as “free trade.” You would like to re-negotiate the position of the United States in that realm. Would that be a safe way to sum it up?

Yes, but in two areas: One is that China is cheating on the trade rules as they stand right now. When you devalue your currency by forty percent, that’s a species of state subsidy and that allows Chinese products to undercut the costs of American products across the board. The other one is that the trade deal we signed after World War II, when most of the world was burned out, was very uneven. It gave other nations the ability to subsidize their industries by rebating their taxes to them - allowing that to take place for every nation except the United States. The United State is the only one of the top ten trading countries that cannot rebate its taxes to its manufacturers.

And that’s because of some policy made domestically and not because of some international agreements?

No, that’s an international deal that we made. We agreed under the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade that we would be treated unequally from all the other trading countries of the world. It was almost foreign aid. We did that after World War II when the rest of the world was in pretty bad shape. Today the countries that were burned out now have robust manufacturing capability.

Indeed. Well, what do you see as our biggest foreign policy problem?

I think that, obviously, the development of nuclear weapons in Iran - the pursuit of nuclear weapons in Iran, the fact that North Korea has some now and is racing to develop the means for delivery, and the emergence of China as a new superpower stepping into the shoes of the former Soviet Union.

Um-hmm. Okay. In our struggle against Radical Islam, how important is the propaganda war?

Here’s what I would say: with the emergence of mass media since [World War II], the emergence of things like the internet, the proliferation of television stations and radio stations around the world, has minimized the ability of any one entity to shape the news. Now I would say that what I call the “American example,” that is, just the basic decency and goodness of the American people that is manifested in lots and lots of activities, like the fact that we undertook - in the tsunami - we undertook an airlift that was bigger than any airlift since the Berlin Airlift.

Hmm. I didn’t realize that.

Yes, and we responded, with the American fleet, to the requirements - to the humanitarian requirements - in a way that was totally unprecedented. I think the world takes note of that. I also think that in Iraq, al Qaeda for example, in driving these bomb-laden trucks into crowds of women and children, has damaged its image in the Muslim world. I think that’s been evidenced by the new move by the Sunni population in Anbar Province against al Qaeda leadership.

Um-hmm.

And the turnaround that we’ve seen in cities like Fallujah and Hamadi.

So, as president you would use the bully pulpit to call more attention to actions like that.

Yes, I’d say to what I call the American example, the example of spreading freedom and supporting humanitarian operations around the world - all the good things that are manifest in America.

All right. How will you deal with our legal and illegal immigration problems?

You know, I wrote the bill that mandates a border fence that was signed into law by the president. That’s the 850 miles of border fence that is now mandated to be constructed across Arizona and New Mexico and Texas. I wrote that bill. They’ve only built thirteen miles of that fence so far. Putting up a fence across the southern border - it’s a double fence with a border patrol road in between - I built the fence in San Diego which has reduced the smuggling out there of people and narcotics by more than ninety percent. The 854-mile fence is mandated to be constructed across the major smuggler’s corridors in those three states that I mentioned - Arizona, New Mexico and Texas. That will go a long way toward enforcement of the border, which is key not only to the immigration issue, but also to the security issue. So enforcement of the border is something I would put a lot of emphasis on. But number one - I’d just simply carry out the very law that I wrote as a congressman and that’s the Border Fence Act.

Okay. How do you understand the first part of our Fourteenth Amendment, and I quote: “All persons born or naturalized in the United States and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the state wherein they reside”?

(The Congressman’s car was passing through a suspension bridge and there was interference as I read the question) I haven’t had a legal analysis of that amendment lately but I know Bilbray’s legislation, Congressman Bilbray’s legislation, contemplates that there’s not an absolute right to have citizenship as a result of having been born in the United States, and I think that’s a substantive argument which appears to have some merit.

So as president you would, say, use the Attorney General to challenge the way that’s interpreted?

Yeah, well, I don’t think you want a president that makes decisions on fairly complicated legal rulings as he’s driving in a car through a bridge. I would say this - what I’ve seen of that analysis of the Constitutional amendment [in the proposed bill] appears to have merit and I’d look very carefully at that. I don’t think it makes good sense that people can simply be smuggled into the United States and having done that, acquiring citizenship for their child.

I live in a sanctuary state - right on the border between Maine and New Hampshire on the Maine side - would you require states and cities to restrict federally-subsidized social services to citizens only?

I think, generally speaking, one thing about Americans is that we don’t step over people who are dying on the basis that they are not citizens. We handle emergency calls for all.

Um-hmm.

But I would say that of course you would continue emergency medical care - life-saving medical care would not be denied people - but I think I think that it’s absolutely appropriate that taxpayers’ benefits not go to people who are here illegally.

Okay. You’ve already answered some of these questions . . .

Do you remember Proposition 87 we had in California?

Yes.

I supported Prop 87.

Okay. Victory in Iraq: what would it look like? You pretty much described that in answer to the first question.

I would say a country that is a friend, not an enemy of the United States - a country that has a modicum of freedom and which will not be a state sponsor of terrorism.

Hmm. How important do you think democracy is in the Middle East?

Having a modicum of representative government, which I think Iraq has right now, is an important element of the seed that we’ve planted in that part of the Middle East. It is, I think, an important thing, and hopefully something that will - as difficult and as tough as this is - will lead to stable governments that will have a benign relationship with our nation. That should accrue to the long-term benefit of the United States and our interests in that region.

Do you think it would be . . .

It’s not something that comes easy, but I think it’s something that’s worth working for. I think we do that - I think we pursue a modicum of democracy - understanding that it’s being done in a culture that’s been trained to accommodate dictators, and that the change is not easily delivered.

Hmm. Hopefully it will be contagious.

Yeah. Well, we saw little ripples in Lebanon and in Egypt after we, after the elections in Iraq.

We did. We did. How would you deal with Iran? You already partially answered that question as well, but . . .

Yeah. I think Iran cannot be allowed to have nuclear devices.

Um-hmm.

And in my administration they would not be allowed.

All methods of persuasion on the table . . .

Yeah.

Okay. What do you think of the old quote: “That government is best that governs least”?

I like that.

Attributed to Thomas Jefferson, but I guess he didn’t say it. I guess it was Henry David Thoreau of all people, but . . .

Is that right?

Yeah.

I think that’s generally a good statement. Of course all those statements are subject to exceptions. There are certain times when you need strong national leadership, especially in time of war, and there are times, for example when you need to enforce your borders and you need to have strong federal action.

Would you shrink our federal bureaucracy, other than the military?

I think we can bring the bureaucracy down markedly. We can even bring down some of the bureaucracy in the military.

All right. How would you interpret our Second Amendment?

Well, the right to keep and bear arms - I think that’s a very important part of homeland security. The ability of a person to own and maintain a firearm and to protect his house and his community and his country is an important part of our national security.

Okay. Last question . . .

I’m also a big hunter but I think hunting is not the reason you’ve got a right to keep and bear arms.

Hunting is not the reason? More personal security.

Personal security and the security of our community and our country.

Um-hmm.

You know, especially when we’ve been invaded recently with the attack on 9-11, if there had been a ground attack that had accompanied the aerial attack in a city like New York where all the good people had been disarmed, it would have been devastating.

Certainly. Last question: How would you handle efforts as president to resurrect the Fairness Doctrine?

Well, I think the attempt to muzzle talk radio under the so-called Fairness Doctrine is a reflection of the fact that liberals don’t like that most Americans are conservative. Talk radio is generally conservative because it reflects the views of the American people. The idea that you have to inject liberal views on talk radio [broadcast] to a community that is not liberal is, I think, an invalid concept. I think we’re going to have to protect the free speech of talk radio from the objects of its criticism, and that is - liberal politicians.

Um, if I could ask one more - I saw on your web site that you would increase the size of our military. You were specific about Marines.

Yeah, about ten extra battalions for the US Marine Corps. We made this recommendation when I was chairman of the Armed Services Committee. You’d have to go back and look at the paperwork, but I believe it was ten battalions for the Marines and something like about eight additional Army brigade combat teams.

How big is a brigade?

A battalion is actually about 800 folks, so a brigade is maybe, ah, 3000 folks.

And you made that recommendation about four years ago?

We made it a recommendation two years ago to increase the size of the Army and the Marine Corps over the objection of the Pentagon which said they didn’t [need them] - and I actually increased the size of the Marines over the last couple of years to 180,000 people.

You wrote a bill that was passed that would do so?

The Administration came back this year with a proposal that’s in agreement with that. They do recommend now increasing the size of the Marine Corps and the Army. As a matter of fact, over the last couple of years we’ve increased the in-strength of the Army by 30,000 persons and we’ve increased the size of the Marine Corps to 180,000. I did that by putting in provisions for additional in-strength in the Marine Corps over the last several years.

Well Congressman, I really thank you for your time and Family Security Matters thanks you as well.

You’re very welcome.

And best of luck with your campaign.

Thank you.

Remember that letter I wrote and sent to our "leaders" In Washington DC and Austin? I sent it to nearly every US Senator, US Congressman, Texas State Senators and Congressman, the President, VP, and even our Governor as well as several other prominent Republicans and leaders. Since writing that letter I have looked long and hard for someone who could meet what I consider my list of requirements to be a candidate I will support. Well, I have found just that person - Duncan Hunter!

Why Duncan Hunter you ask? Let me go through the long list of reasons he is the most qualified candidate currently running for the Republican nomination and eventually the presidency. I'll star with a few statistics and then compare what I've found about Mr. Hunter with what I wrote in my original letter.

The following tables are from votematch.org - you can go there, answer questions and find out for yourself who you are most like on the issues.

Comparing Social Answers between You and Duncan Hunter

Comparing Economic Answers between You and Duncan Hunter

As you can see from the answers above the only thing that keeps me from having a 100% matching score with Mr. Hunter is the differences on a couple of issues between support/strongly support and oppose/strongly oppose. These are but minor differences in my opinion.

So, let's go through some excerpt from my letter. I'll bold and indent what I wrote in the original letter.

The Republican Party needs a change of direction and a refocusing on its core values. Find new leadership for the Republican Party. ... We need leadership that is decidedly conservative...

I can find no other candidate with conservative credentials as solid as Mr. Hunters. The American Conservative Union gives Mr. Hunter a lifetime rating of 92 – and that’s over 26 years of service!

We can only move forward with a renewed commitment to our core values and principles. Republicans did not just lose the majority - we lost our way - we walked away from the limited government principles that highlighted the Republican Congress. We walked away from those principles in letting those among us violate the rules of ethics, common sense morals and God given laws.

A friend of Mr. Hunters (who has known him for almost 30 years) that I met just last week made an interesting comment to me that proved once again what I had already believed to be true about Mr. Hunter. She said, “Duncan has no skeletons in his closet”. That was wonderful news – albeit rare in these days. How many of us can make that statement about ourselves? Certainly not me….. It will be refreshing to have a candidate – and a President – who doesn’t have to explain past mistakes! The Family Research Council gives Mr. Hunter a 100% rating, indicating a very strong record of family values that include protecting marriage, the unborn, religious freedoms for Christians (not just non-Christians), and protecting the Pledge of Allegiance. The Eagle Forum gives Mr. Hunter a 92 rating and The Christian Coalition rates him at 100%.

We must remain dedicated to a balanced federal budget, entitlement reform and limited federal government. Balance the federal budget but not by increasing spending and raising taxes. Cut spending and reduce government. These are core Republican principles, and we must return to them.

From Mr. Hunters website he says “I support a balanced federal budget, with additional revenue provided by economic growth, not increased taxes” and “A balanced federal budget is a priority for our national economic health and long-term prosperity.”

We must work to overhaul the tax code.

Mr. Hunter says, “The current tax code unfairly imposes a penalty on married couples and I believe legislative action is needed immediately.” “I firmly support reform of the Alternative Minimum Tax (AMT) and believe it is the most pressing individual income tax issue facing Americans today.” “I believe our current tax code is full of antiquated policies that were installed for a specific reason and for a specific time, but never removed.” “Clearly, major tax reform is necessary. I have consistently supported efforts to reform the tax code, making it simpler, fairer, and more growth oriented. By replacing our current convoluted and fraud-ridden system with more simplified tax requirements, I believe we will be able to meet the dual goals of providing core government services and returning much needed income back to our families.” According to On the Issues website Mr. Hunter voted YES on all of the following: retaining reduced taxes on capital gains & dividends, providing tax relief and simplification, making permanent an increase in the child tax credit, permanently eliminating the marriage penalty, making the Bush tax cuts permanent, eliminating the Estate Tax ("death tax"), $46 billion in tax cuts for small business. Americans for Tax Reform give Mr. Hunter a lifetime rating of 88.5 and he has signed the Taxpayer Protection Pledge . The National Tax Limitation Committee gave him an ‘A’ for the 109^th Congress (05-06) and he even gains a ‘B’ from the National Taxpayers Union..

We must fix Social Security. The way things are right now there will likely not be funding to support me, my children and definitely not my grandchildren. Privatizing Social Security may be the solution; raising social security tax is not.

Mr. Hunter’s record indicates he believes we need to find ways to strengthen the Social Security program. He voted yes on raising 401(k) limits & making pension plans more portable, on reducing tax payments on Social Security benefits and has stated that taxes on Social Security earnings should be reduced.

Determine a real direction for Iraq. Decide on a specific goal, make that happen and get our troops out. I fully support our troops and what we are doing in Iraq but at some point Iraq needs to step up and take responsibility for themselves. We aren’t going to solve all of their ethnic problems – they will need guidance and help – but they must learn to do that. While we are there we need to do everything in our power to better protect the lives of our troops first and foremost.

From the Core Principles section of his website Mr. Hunter states “The greatest protection of human rights in this decade has been the overthrow of the Taliban in Afghanistan and the overthrow of Saddam Hussein in Iraq. Religious freedom is part and parcel of any free society the U.S. stands up. I also strongly support U.S. efforts to establish free societies in Iraq and Afghanistan.”

Real immigration reform must take place and our borders have to be made secure. We must fix the problem of illegal immigration without amnesty. Those who are here illegally are criminals and must not be rewarded.

Mr. Hunter voted yes on building a fence along the Mexican border, on preventing tipping off Mexicans about Minuteman Project, on reporting illegal aliens who receive hospital treatment and has been rated 100% by FAIR, indicating a voting record restricting immigration. He states on his website “Protecting our homeland begins at our nation’s borders and it is imperative that our border enforcement agencies be provided with the necessary resources to ensure that we know both who and what are entering the country. I believe in providing Border Patrol and Immigration and Customs Enforcement corps with sufficient strength to secure our borders and providing for interior enforcement throughout the country because it is imperative in our fight to protect Americans. … Building fences in strategic locations along our international borders is a proven method of keeping America safe and, despite recent attempts to undo the Congressional mandated funding provided for this effort, I am committed to this effort and confident the fence will be built.”

We must do everything within our power to confirm conservative judges – judges who will strictly interpret the Constitution and laws and not legislate from the bench.

Mr. Hunter’s view on judges? He says “I support people with good judgment, proven values, a belief in God, and a heart for the least of us, including the unborn. I believe it is important that those sitting on the bench understand that they have a responsibility to strictly interpret our nation’s laws and not legislate from the bench with their own political or social agenda.”

We must do everything in our power to protect the sanctity of innocent life. Protect the unborn at all stages – from embryo to delivery.

Mr. Hunter introduced the Right to Life Act which legally defines “personhood” at the moment of conception and which would grant all constitutional rights to the unborn. He opposes human cloning, embryonic stem-cell research, and federal funding of abortions. Mr. Hunter was also given (and this is my favorite rating) a 0% rating by NARAL, indicating a pro-life voting record and a 100% rating from the National Right to Life. He stated in May 2007 that it will be a “Good day for America when Roe v. Wade is repealed.”

We must remain committed to the sanctity of marriage as an institution between a man and a woman.

Mr. Hunter cosponsored and voted for H.J. Resolution 88 which proposes an amendment to the U.S. Constitution declaring that marriage in the United States shall consist solely of the union of a man and a woman. He has stated “I firmly believe that children need the unique influence offered by both a father and a mother.”

We must remain strong in our belief in Second Amendment rights, if those rights are stripped from us we lose as a people and as a nation.

Mr. Hunter believes that the 2^nd Amendment is an individual right and that “It is about the right of you and me to be secure in our homes. We must vigorously defend against all attempts to chip away at the Second Amendment.” He has received an A+ rating from the NRA.

In addition to the issues I’ve highlighted above Mr. Hunter displays a great dedication to conservative principles on several other issues. You can find more information about how he has voted and how he will lead us as the next President of the United States at his website http://www.gohunter08.com.

Sources for the quotes and ratings in addition to the campaign website include the primary websites for the organizations named (urls are easily found on any search engine), http://www.ontheissues.org and http://www.speakout.com.

Ok, after a lot of research (that is research, not just search) I have decided who I am going to support for the Republican nomination for the Presidential candidate!!!

Drum roll please.............

Duncan Hunter is the man!

I'll post more as time goes by, including links to where you can go to get more information and to support him yourself, but for now let me just say that he is, far and away, the most conservative candidate currently in the running.  I will only mention three of the other candidates by name at this point - Rudy, Mitt, and John (McCain) - and only to say that the media seems to focus on these three rather intently - but they are the least conservative (Rudy and John are pure RINO) and Mitt, while having some very good credentials seems to flip flop on the issues just a little too conveniently to make himself look conservative.  There are other dangerous candidates in the running but there are also some other very good conservative candidates besides Duncan.  I've chosen Duncan though because he is the candidate I am most in tune with (politically, economically, morally, and socially) and I found one or two things about the other candidates that led me back towards Duncan everytime.  I'll cover those in a later blog.

Duncan Hunter has proven to be a leader, both in the military and in Congress!

For now, check out the following sites for more info.  Pretty soon I will have a site on Duncan's main site as an e-leader and will let you know about that as soon as I have it!

http://www.gohunter08.com

http://www.townhall.com/content/20e0eeb2-4a99-4b49-b02b-7b09ca5a9fe4

http://robertsteely.townhall.com/Default.aspx?mode=post&g=a2f3c443-6d34-4f02-84ea-675dbf8c8093

http://rubberduck.townhall.com/Default.aspx?mode=post&g=444d342a-9cac-4853-8112-0d1ac528f179

Also, in a later post I'll show the rankings of the various candidates that are done by different conservative groups to show you how they have scored on the issues those groups focus on.

So, for your own good, the good of your children and grandchildren, the country, and yes, even the world - please support Duncan Hunter!

Here is a copy of a letter that I emailed and faxed to our Republican leadership after we got slaughtered in the election.
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