This morning has been more reflective than productive here in my office.  I have a lot to do, but my Internet connection hasn’t been too cooperative.  When the connection did come back for a while, I decided to take a little time to watch some YouTube videos of one of my all-time heroes, President Ronald W. Reagan.

To me, American has never had a greater president and it is very likely that we never will.  Reagan was honorable and he had courage.  In 1980, when no one would sponsor a debate that he thought was important, he paid for it himself.  He always thought the best about America - which he referred to as a “shining city on a hill.”

I was only 13 years old when he was elected president the first time, but I was a big supporter.  The day he was shot, I cried and I prayed.

I have voted in every presidential election since I have been old enough.  Unfortunately, I never had the opportunity to vote for President Reagan. When he was elected for the second time, my 18th birthday was still more than six months away.  

The economic recovery that took place under Reagan’s administration was the last “real” economic boom this country has had.  The one under Clinton was caused by unwise and undue enthusiasm into e-commerce (the dotcom bubble) and the one under George W. Bush was caused by unwise and crazy speculation into the housing market.

I really wish that today’s politicians had the guts, the grace and the class that Ronald Reagan had.  They don’t.  Bill Clinton was never worthy to sit in the office that Reagan occupied.  George W. Bush (as much as I respect him) is nothing more that a poor, flawed facsimile.  It may be unfair at this point, but I have to say that Barack Obama is nowhere near the caliber of leader that Reagan was.  The cheap shot that Obama took at President Reagan’s widow, Nancy, just proves that he lacks the class that Ronald Reagan exemplified so well.  In fact, I don’t think the three men I just mentioned could carry Ronald Reagan’s briefcase on their very best days.

For me, June 5, 2004, will forever be a day of mourning.  That is the day that Ronald Reagan passed from this world to meet his maker.  America lost a great president that day.

Howdy, folks.  Well, here we are on Thursday, November 6.  I don’t have a long blog for you.  Instead, here are several “mini-blogettes”, if you will.

Donating Blood  - Today, I proudly donated a unit of whole blood, as I do every eight weeks like clockwork.  There are very few things in this life that make me feel as good as rolling up my sleeve to help out a neighbor.  No, I don’t like needles, but it’s a small price for me to pay in order to possibly save the life of three different people.  Yep, you read it right.  One whole blood donation can have a positive effect on three people (not to mention those who love them).  It’s really quite awesome to think about it.

Today’s donation, however, wasn’t the easiest one I’ve ever done.  The donor tech tried to draw out of my right arm, but it just wasn’t working.  After a few minutes of trying, they pulled the setup down and prepared a new one and “took a stab” at my left arm (pun intended).  Now, as I type this, I have bandages on both arms.  Yes, my right arm is a little sore, but, you know what, that little pain does not diminish the good feeling I have.  It also won’t stop me from being in that donor chair again in two months. 

If you’ve never donated blood, I strongly urge you to do so.  It is one of the most worthwhile things you can ever do.

Interesting Numbers - Did you see the Illinois Lottery evening “Pick 3″ numbers for November 5.  Well, hold on tight.  The numbers drawn were 6-6-6.  Now, what famous president-elect hails from Illinois?  Hmmmm.  Could this be an omen?  I’ll let you decide.

Stock Market Blues - Normally, after a presidential election, you look at the stock market to get a feel for the market’s confidence in the newly elected leader.  Normally, it jumps a percent or two.  Sometimes it jumps four or five percentage points.  Other times, it dips a bit.  For example, in 2000, when there was broad uncertainty regarding the election and no one knew who the next president would be, the DJIA dipped about 4/10 of 1%.  By contrast, the Dow has dropped 10% in the two days since this most recent election.  It lost over 5% yesterday alone.  Never before, in the history of the United States (even during the Great Depression) has the Dow dropped more immediately following a presidential election. 

The markets are nervous folks and that ain’t a good sign.  This economic mess is going to be with us for a long time and, if the incoming administration doesn’t handle it correctly, we really could see the emergence of a second great depression.

Say It Ain’t So. . . - Today, the news hawks have been all over Governor Sarah Palin.  Many are blaming her for John McCain’s defeat.  Hogwash!  Sarah Palin is, in fact, the reason that John McCain did as well as he did.  As much as I respect Senator McCain (and he is a hero of mine), he did not run a particularly focused or disciplined campaign - in the primaries or in the general election.  A lot of life-long conservatives (myself included) were not charged up about his campaign until Governor Palin came on board.

Here we have a young, articulate, intelligent and ambitious woman who balances a career and a family.  She understands family values and the core conservative values too.  Senator McCain said it correctly when he referred to her as a fresh new voice in the RNC.  I agree.  With a little seasoning, she could be the female version of Ronald Reagan.  Anyone who knows me can tell you how much respect I have always had for Ronald Reagan and I would never make that comparison lightly.  Ronald Reagan was, quite simply the greatest president of my lifetime and one of the best of the 20th. century.

These attacks from some “unnamed sources” in the McCain camp are nothing more than an attempt to find a scapegoat.  Now, I don’t believe for a second that John McCain has anything to do with this.  He has way too much class for that.  I do believe that some of his staffers know that there will be a shakeup in the GOP leadership and that they have to do something to save the jobs that they think are rightfully theirs.  Governor Palin’s popularity threatens that.

Now, one thing that I don’t understand is why the press would even cover a story if the source didn’t have the guts to give their name.  It could be that the source doesn’t even really exist or that the “reporter” has a personal agenda to push.  You see, I have a great distrust of the mainstream media.  Most newspaper and TV reporters are liberal elitists who think that they know a lot more than they actually do - certainly, they think they know more than the average American.

When I was growing up, I believed that men like Walter Cronkite and David Brinkley were fair and impartial reporters of the news.  Perhaps they were, but that’s not the case anymore.  All you had to do during this last election was look at NBC, ABC, CBS, CNN, MSNBC, The New York Times, The Washington Post and other media outlets to see that they were totally in the tank for the Obama campaign.  There was no unbiased reporting there - just wall-to-wall editorials.

Ok, so I got sidetracked.  Now, back to my main point.  I am very impressed by Sarah Palin and I hope that we see a lot more of her on the national stage.   The Republican party needs her  and so does the United States of America.

By the way, does anyone know where I can get a “Palin 2012″ t-shirt made up?

Dear Friends,

I know that the title of this message must look strange to some of you. I’ll explain it.

No, I haven’t changed my opinion of Barack Obama and no, I didn’t vote for him. As a born-again Christian, I still contend that there is no way that I could have supported him considering his view infanticide (or abortion if you prefer). Nonetheless, I am very proud of what transpired tonight.

You see, I’m proud because the system worked. We had a new president-elect by 9:00 p.m. Arizona time. The election was decided by the people and not by the courts. There does not appear to have been any rampant fraud and we have facilitated a change of power without the shedding of blood. That is a most remarkable achievement.

Barack Obama has pledged to be a force for unity in our nation. I support that goal. He has pledged to reach across the aisle and work with both parties to get things done. I hope that he meant that pledge. The American people have said, “we should give him a chance.” I can agree with that. Let’s see what he can do.

Another thing that excites me is what his election may mean to race relations in the country. For too long, there has been a wedge between the races in this nation. Perhaps this historic election will help to heal that divide and make us a truly united nation. I pray that it will.

Don’t get me wrong. I am not giving up my core values. I’m still every bit as conservative as I was a day ago. Rest assured that I will be sure to keep an eye on the new president and the new congress and I’ll speak out loudly when I see them running afoul of America’s best interests. That can wait until another day. For tonight, however, I ask that we all shake off the labels of Democrat and Republican, liberal and conservative. For tonight, let us bask in the glow of simply being Americans.

I know that Mr. Obama will never see this message, but if he ever would have the chance to read it, this is what I would like to say to him:

Dear Mr. President-Elect,

Congratulations on your victory. Although I did not support you in the election, I will proudly support you during your term in office. I will support you as my president and I will faithfully pray for you daily. I wish you all the best and pray that you will always strive to do what is right, even when it is not what is popular.

Likewise, if I could write to Senator McCain, my words would be as follows:

Dear Senator McCain,

Thank you for your service to our great nation. You are truly an honorable man and I am so very proud to be a resident of the state you represent in the Senate. You ran a great race and, while I must admit that I’m a bit disappointed by the final vote tally, I am grateful for the elegance and class that you showed in the campaign and in concession. You are a true credit to our nation and I salute you.

May God bless us all and may God continue to bless our great nation.

This video goes right along with my blog about Senator Obama and abortion.  I believe every American should see this video.  It will touch you to your very core.

Barack Obama is for abortion on demand, without restriction.  If you can watch this video and agree that this careless man would make a good president, you have no heart.

If you watch the news or listen to the Democratic party, you would have to conclude that Senator Obama led the world in warning everyone about brewing trouble at Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.  Of course, that conclusion would be totally wrong. 

Here is a letter that was sent to the (then) Majority Leader of the United States Senate as well as the Chairman of the Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee.  Please note that Senator John McCain is one of the first signers on the letter.  Please also note that the letter was not signed by Senator Obama nor any other Democrat.

Now, you have a choice, you can either go forward and deal with the truth or you can choose to believe the lies and slick marketing.  It’s up to you.

Here’s a fun video I found on YouTube.  It shows what happens when a group of John McCain supporters dared to hold a peaceful march through New York City.  You just have to see how they were welcomed by the tolerant, peace-loving liberals.

Here is a video that, if true, could immediately end Senator Barack Obama’s bid for the presidency. 

What’s interesting is that the person bringing these charges against Obama is NOT a Republican.  He is a life-long Democrat.

Here’s another video along the same theme.

Ok.  Here we go.  I am about to start the blog post that will surely make some folks angry, but that’s OK.  I would rather openly take a stand that is right and lose friends than cower in a corner and be popular.

Recently, I engaged in a debate with an old high school buddy.  He is a nice fellow and I’m sure he means well.  He sent me a photo of his little boy standing by an Obama campaign sign and included a message urging support for the senator from Illinois.

I wrote to my friend and told him that I respect him, but I cannot follow him on this political path.  I cannot support Senator Obama.  Despite what some race-baiters may think, it has nothing to do with the color of his skin.  I couldn’t care less about that. 

It also has little to do with the fact that he has no real experience or qualifications to be president.  He can surround himself with advisors to get over that one.

It has little to do with the unsavory characters he associates with.  We all have friends that others may not approve of.

No, the reason that I cannot support Barack Obama has to do with the content of his character.  Barack Obama supports the on-demand, wholesale slaughter of unborn children.  As a Bible-preaching, born-again Christian, I cannot support that position.

To be a Christian means more than to believe in Jesus Christ or the Bible.  Scripture tells us that the devils believe and they tremble (James 2:19).  No, to be a real Christian means that you have accepted Jesus Christ as your savior and as Lord of your life.   You cannot claim to be a Christian and then take a view that is 180 degrees opposed to Biblical teaching.

The Bible makes it clear that life begins at conception.  The Bible tells us that God knows us before we are born (Isaiah 49:1,3 and Psalms 139:13).  Whenever Jesus spoke of children, it was with gladness and reverence.  Children are gifts, not punishments as Barack Obama has said.

What’s worse is that Senator Obama has voted several times against legislation to provide medical care for babies who somehow survive this horrible attempted homicide.

When Jesus restated the commandments in Luke 18:20, he is quoted as saying “Do not kill.”  The word translated into English as “kill” is the Greek word “phoneuo” which would more accurately be translated as “do not murder” or “do not take the life of an innocent.”  Tell me, what life is more innocent than that of an unborn baby?

I have many friends who have taken the politically correct “pro-choice” position and who also claim to be Christian.  They do not see that they have placed themselves on the opposite side of God when it comes to this issue and, having done so, have fallen into rebellion.  Allow me to make this one point crystal clear:

A “Pro Choice” Christian is not a Christian at all!

People who claim otherwise are simply delusional and trying to create God in their own image.  That’s not the way it works.  We are created in God’s image.  We must not EVER forget that.  That little baby who is ripped from his mother’s womb was created in the image of almighty God. 

Whenever I present this case, I often hear the following rebuttals:

1.  “You’re preaching hate.”  No, I am not.  I am preaching righteousness.  It is not hate when I condemn irresponsible and dangerous behavior.  As a parent, it is not hate when I lecture my son because he does something foolish.  It is being a good steward.

2.  “You’re anti-choice.”  No, actually I am not.  I just believe that the choice was made before the clothes came off.

3.  “What about the cases of rape or incest?”  Tell me, why is it that “pro-choice” advocates always fall back on this one.  They would rather argue 3-5% of the cases than the other 95%, but OK, since you asked, here we go.  Incest and rape are horrible, horrible things that is for sure.  I wouldn’t wish those events on anyone, but the unborn baby didn’t do the horrible act.  When the police capture the rapist, (if all goes right) he will go to prison.  In this country, we do not execute the guilty rapist.  Why then, it is permissible to execute the innocent child?  No one would be so cruel as to expect a woman to raise a child conceived under such circumstances, that is what adoption agencies are for.  In this country, there are long waiting lists of people who cannot have children who would jump at the chance to have a baby.

4.  “It’s not really a baby.  It’s just a bunch of cells.”  WRONG!!  WRONG!! WRONG!!  If you stand on that lie, you are directly in contradiction with the Bible and with modern science.  Ever since the theory of “spontaneous generation” was debunked it has been accepted that life only comes from life.  You can get things that are dead from those which are alive, but you cannot get something alive from something that is dead!  Either that baby is alive from conception, or it is never alive.  You cannot have it both ways. 

By the time the average “surgical termination” occurs, the unborn baby has developed to 10-11 weeks.  By that time, they have human features, their own unique DNA, their own heartbeat and their own measurable brain waves.  In short, they meet EVERY single medical test of being a living human being, separate and distinct from their mother.

You can argue with me all you want about a “woman’s right to choose.”  I will counter that with a “baby’s right to live.” 

Senator Obama just doesn’t get it.

This evening, I was very honored to be a guest on “Evan Ginzburg’s Legends” - an Internet radio program that is described as an “eclectic mix of pro wrestling and the arts.”

The show is hosted by my good friend Evan Ginzburg and Dr. Mike Lano.  It’s very interesting, I must say.

Evan is a good guy and probably one of the best wrestling historians out there.  He is the publisher of the long-running newsletter “Wrestling Then & Now.”  In addition, he is a publicist and talent agent.

He has also written a book called “Apartment 4B, Like in Brooklyn”.  I received  my copy this weekend and, from what I’ve read so far, it is very interesting.  The book is made up of autobiographical short stories from Evan’s childhood in Brooklyn. 

For someone like me, who grew up in a small town in Virginia, the thought of growing up in Brooklyn is about as foreign as a concept can get, but Evan’s book has some nostalgic stories that I believe anyone can relate to.  I can’t wait to finish reading it and I urge you to check it out too.

LINKS

To hear the radio interview, go here.

To learn more about “Wrestling Then and Now,” go to www.wrestlingthenandnow.com

For Evan’s official website, go to www.evanginzburg.com

If you’re like me and like to surf the web from your Internet-enabled cell phone or PDA, I have good news for you.  We have just completed upgrades to our website that will allow you to access it from your favorite handheld device.  Simply go to http://www.timhicks.com from your device to access.  There is no special URL or code.  I hope that you enjoy this added feature.