The argument for putting in place solid Republican candidates has been made nationally and locally. The country has been moving in the wrong direction – particularly in the fiscal arena – and a reverse in course must happen.

I desire to see the country shift to the constitutional path that it started down over 200 years ago. Should the symbol next to the candidate be the thing that determines if that person will be the one to help the country get back on track?

Here in Marshall County, Alabama, we have the choice between Jeff McLaughlin and Wes Long for State Representative, Marshall County, Alabama, District 27. I know Jeff and have had the chance to meet Wes and they both seem like pretty good guys. Wes has the R next to his name and I am hearing that in order to get things moving in the right direction we need all of the R’s that we can get.

Jeff McLaughlin has been serving Marshall County and District 27 since 2001. He chooses not to accept contributions to his election to keep him from being in debt to any particular person or group. He serves from the heart and not the pocket book. Democrats and Republicans have complaints against Mr. McLaughlin because he does not tow any party line but votes his own conscience.

I am sure that I do not agree with all of the ideas that Jeff McLaughlin has in his head. I am equally sure that I do not agree with all of the ideas offered up by Wes Long. We are all unique individuals and the chance that I would ever agree with anyone on everything is almost impossible odds.

How do you decide?

Do you let the record of the candidate speak? Or do you throw out anyone that does not tow the party line?

It becomes increasingly important to find people that will stand upon principle and not upon a party.

What is your opinion about making the right choice in this upcoming election?

At some point, we decided that to be a leader in this nation you had to be a Politian. The media has shouted that requirement from the roof tops since Sarah Palin stepped on to the political stage and the media has only gotten louder as the mid-term election draws near.

“She does not have enough experience.”
“He will not be willing to negotiate.”
“They are not use to how things work in the government.”

Carl Rove said that he thought people did not understand because this election was about taking back congress for the conservatives and we needed to elect people in the primaries that could win in the November elections.

I also heard it said that you have to stand for something or you will fall for anything – and we the people have fallen for that line before.

Never again! Everyone – no matter which side of the “aisle” you might reside – should be looking for candidates that say what they mean and will do what they say. We need candidates that are looking to go in and do the job and then come back home to their lives.

When did “politician” become a job? People that are in it for a job will always be concerned about keeping that job. We must put people into office that want to work – for just a season – and are more concerned about convictions than re-elections!

My husband swears by some conspiracy theories. My positive outlook normally refuses to think that bad of people – but yesterday my doubter kicked in. After one hour watching Glenn Beck, I was ready to barricade the front yard and go off the grid.

The balance of freedom hinges on the leaders putting the needs of the country first and the country choosing to be educated about the path the leaders are taking. Listening to Glenn Beck, reading the blogs online (left, right and center) and listening to other talk show hosts (both local, regional and national) leaves me wondering what chance freedom has in this atmosphere.

Paranoia, fear, selfishness, greed, anger, resentment . . . that just begins the list of emotions I am hearing and feeling thrown out around me. I know that the hope and the encouragement exist because I have experienced them first hand, but I do not SEE those!

The election for new leaders draws closer each day. The leaders should be people ready to invest it all for a moment and not those looking to launch a career. The country needs to understand the motives and desires of those being sent to lead and not just look at the R or D beside the name.

Think about it – if things do not change then we are just going to prove Glenn Beck right, and no one wants that do they?

The climate changed somewhere along the way. Turning on the news, even Glenn Beck, became a hate fest. All of the negative thoughts and words began to drag me down. So I turned it all off. I even stopped opening the emails sent to me regularly and just trashed them when they popped up.

A few days ago, I posted and article about Obama bashing. The negative talk had reached my breaking point. Enough was enough.

To my surprise, I was not the only one that felt the negative had gotten out of hand. Glenn Beck announced yesterday that he was changing his tune.

See, I can want something different from you and that does not make either of us bad people. My words can counter your idea – or even prove it wrong – and that does nothing to lessen you the person.

People are fundamentally good. That may be the optimist in me, but it is a statement that I hold true. Ideas may be wrong, because of misdirection, misinformation, or misguidance, but people are at their core good, positive and uplifting.

I vote in elections. Sometimes I will even openly support a candidate. But when the dust settles, I have to choose to get behind the PERSON that is elected even if I do not agree with the ideas. That means I can push against the ideas and even offer up my own ideas, but I should never attack the person.

The political season has just begun. America will only survive the chaos if we quit fighting and look for the good, the positive and the uplifting that we can all agree makes this country such an amazing place.

1. We have the freedom to have different views.
2. We have the freedom (and opportunity) to express our views.

There are so many more things that make this country great! What are the good, positive and uplifting ideas that you see?

I am also a conservative – deep down, hard core conservative. It may surprise you when I say that I am tired of people talking negative about President Obama. It shocks me a little that I am even writing the words because I agree with very little of what President Obama has done, has said or wants to do.

I do not know President Obama, nor have I ever even seen him in person. But I believe that he is sincere in his convictions. I still think he is wrong, but I do feel like he believes that he is correct in his ideals. Bash his ideas all you want, but quit talking about him.

President Obama has pushed for the health care plan – now known as Obamacare. He thinks that it will benefit the country. Trash the plan, not the President.

President Obama wants to placate the terrorists and the countries that support terrorists. Trash the idea that these people can BE placated, but skip the negative talk about the President.

I do not agree with the things that I see coming out of the White House, but I refuse to judge the man that puts those ideas out. Even if I had the privilege of meeting and getting to know President Obama, I could never truly know his heart.

Glenn Beck may have been one of the ones lighting the flame originally, but the ordinary people (maybe even the ones living next door to you right now) like the Sisterhood of the Mommy Patriots, are the patriots that are spreading the word that this country is ours and we have to take responsibility for its directions.

Any time spent watching the news might cause depression or at least the feeling of loneliness. It seems that no one thinks like I do. Many people have spent the last several years hiding their personal beliefs in an attempt to make life a little easier for them and for their family.

The time for a smooth ride is over. Mommy Patriots, Daddy Patriots and Children Patriots are coming together to give notice that they will be quiet no more.

The Sisterhood of the Mommy Patriots is just one of the outcomes from all that Glenn Beck has been talking back. These are mommies that have felt alone but are beginning to recognize that there are other Mommy Patriots out there. These Mommy Patriots are connecting through the internet and even local Tea Parties to discover that they are not alone and there is strength and power in numbers.

Mommy Patriot Sites

As A Mom is the main Patriot Mommy site and it also supports the 9-12 Project that was first ignited by Glenn Beck. It is “Network of principled mothers, grandmothers, daughters, & guardians of our nation’s children dedicated to the 9 Principles & 12 Values.”

See what started the Mommy Patriot movement.

Mommy Patriots and the other patriots that are fueling the Tea Party movements, the 9-12 Project and other ideas are concerned about the direction of the country. It will be interesting to see if the politicians hear their concern and act on it or wait for the full force of the Mommy Patriots to move from sea to shining sea.

It can be easy to be worried about the future of the United States. The news shows bad news, panic and worry. But college football shows that hope is not lost.

Reasons Football Bring Hope to the United States

Tim Tebow – This quarter back already had a Heisman trophy and two National Championships under his belt. Many guys would be focused on their future in the NFL but Tebow came back to play with his team and for his team. He puts everything into the game with a sacrificial focus. He boasts only about his Faith, his God and his team and not about self.

Kody Burns – he left his family and home state of Arkansas to play football at Auburn. He played quarter back for two years before another team member won the position. He made an appeal to his team to support the decision and said he would do all that he could do to support the team. He showed leadership through high school and has carried those qualities over into college.

It may only be two examples so far, but there are more of them showing up every day – Kids that have character and values; Young men and women who have convictions and manners; People that are more concerned about the people around them and the future than they are self and the hear and now.

Times may be tough but hope is alive. Focus on the hope and the tough times WILL be overcome!

The actions of the government or the tales that have been told about blogs and internet in general pulled me back. The what ifs put a hold on my speech. I had enough on my plate without causing more stress through my opinions (and I have LOTS of them).

It has only been in the last few days that I have decided to not hold back any more. I can not tell my kids to do all that they can do and refuse to do that myself. It is time for me to stand up and speak my heart and mind and let the chips fall where they may.

3 Rants on Government that I have Held Back

1. President Obama thinks that children are not learning because they are not spending enough days in school. The truth is that teachers are being forced to teach for tests and not for education. Home school and private school children learn more in less time and for less money.

2. The government is getting too involved with my personal life. A mother, just helping out the neighbors, got in trouble for watching the neighborhood children until the school bus arrived to pick them up. This rant also includes neighbors who are too nosey for their own good because one of the neighbors had to have called and made a complaint.

3. There are so many issues when it comes to the government “fixing” the health care system that I’m not sure where to start. The truth is that most people have health care that they want and those who do not can find health care if they make choices to get that health care.

This is only the beginning. There are so many things that we need to talk about when it comes to our daily life. The government needs to hear what we have to say. I am still a bit nervous – I must confess – but I am stepping out.

Tips for Stepping Up

1. Become more involved. No matter where you are in your walk, your taxes pay for the schools, the running of the city and other items. Attend the public meetings so that you can be aware of what is going on around you. Make your voice heard. Then come out of those meetings and share your knowledge with all the people that you know.

2. Become more concerned. It may not seem like the issues coming up involve you but if you let them pass with out a blink then there will be no one standing with you when the issues do affect you. Take issues to heart and be willing to help your neighbor and not just self.

3. Become more responsible. Ultimately every issue does have something to do with your life because YOU are the government. Complaints have no room because the government is the people. When I am involved – intimately, personally and consistently – then I become responsible and aware.

It is easier to turn away from the issues than face them head on. The only thing that is accomplished by avoiding what is going on is that you give away your power. It is time to take back the power and stand up for the country. It is time to become a link in the chain that holds this country high.

There has been so much babbling about dwindling Republican Party (I’ve only heard Glenn Beck discuss the dwindling of BOTH the Republican and Democrat Parties). The truth is that is shouldn’t matter about the parties. The Legislative Branch answers to the state and to the people – NOT to the parties.

Something has to give. When people are no longer able to say what they understand based on facts of law (and not feelings or emotions) then there is a problem. People have been raising their voices to the sky with “Tea Parties” and other types of protest. Those in the ruling class (the press, the congress, the state governments) better start listening.

Bill O’Reilly is wrong. Those men and women that feel Sotomayor is a bad choice for the Supreme Court should reveal the facts. There may be no way to STOP the truck – as was mentioned several times on Bill O’Reilly’s “The O’Reilly Factor” – but it may be slowed down just enough that the truck doesn’t do as much damage.