Is it time?

What a disappointment this primary season has been. The end result is going to be two main presidential candidates who both hold very liberal positions. Conservatives have essentially been shut out.

Is it time to consider a new political party? The Republican party, nationally, seems to prefer being "Democrats Lite" with a strong leftward shift on policy issues from federal spending to abortion. Conservative voters have been marginalized in the primary process, and many cannot and will not vote for McCain as a matter of conscience.

I've started looking into the American Conservative Party. If things don't change in the Republican party, perhaps a strong conservative coalition will bring balance to this out of balance political situation.

With Gratitude to our Troops

Thank you to all the men and women in the Armed Services and the United States Merchant Marines who support our troops. Our love and appreciation for you is undying.

In remembrance of our brave fallen soldiers, here is one of our favorite songs, Mansions of the Lord.





Here's another video of the same song:



God bless our Troops and God Bless America!

I am my own best customer!

Ugh! I check the site meter daily, and find that my IP address is the one that visits this site the most. I know why, too. I've been so involved with these last weeks of teaching that I've barely had the time or energy to contribute what Bill O'Reilly would call 'pithy' comments for general web consumption.

Oh Well! School will be out in less than Three Weeks! My students will perform this Friday, and after that we will try some musical games so I can see what will work and what will not. It ought to be fun. One class wants to revisit old songs. Another I think I will teach how to crochet. Maybe we will do a Plastic Canvas mobile of musical symbols to hang in the room with another class. Thankfully I have freedom to create plans as long as they stay within the guidelines of my standards and benchmarks.

Another MAHS Site

Here is another website for Alumni of Munich American High School. This site seems a little more active than the forum I posted, but the combination of web resources can keep you in touch with old friends.

I was happy to find some people I knew on the site, and may go to the reunion in Dallas next June 2009. Shocking! That will be my 30 year high school reunion!

For Chris: If you remember, I wanted to be an opera singer - that was my career goal at the time. Life got in the way and I did not sing any opera roles until the Spring of 07, where I sang the role of the mother in Hansel and Gretel with the Dona Ana Lyric Opera. I did reach my goal of becoming a professional musician, and have a Master's degree in Choral Conducting. Yes I did sing with George Morrison up to the spring semester of 79. Mr. Morrison and I had a falling out and I did work study teaching elementary music in the afternoons.

Ruth Seiler, formerly Ruth Mills

Munich American High School

I went to one of those Department of Defense schools that now belongs to the Germans since the US closed so many bases in the 80s and 90s.

Munich American High School is no longer an American School, but its alumni are scattered to the four winds. Fortunately, there are ways to seek and find old classmates. Today I found an old, but still functional Forum for Munich American High School students. I'm a member of the class of 1979, by the way!

Computer Repairs, Gardening and Much Needed Rest

This week was spent doing many things so very different from my usual routine. It was spring break in this part of the country, and I had a week off from teaching. It was also a week of limited access to the internet community - our primary computer was being repaired. I've missed blogging, but the blogging life is not the center of my existence either.

I spent a lot of time in my little organic garden. Vegetable growing is one of my hobbies. The southern New Mexico climate (zone 9) permits the planting of summer crops earlier than most region. My readers from the cooler climes will be surprised to know that my tomatoes and peppers are planted and thriving. (Early Girl, Beefsteak, Heatwave, California Wonder and Big Jim chile peppers!) Today, if all goes well, I'll be planting green beans, yellow summer squash and zucchini.

I planted my spring crops in January - several varieties of lettuce, spinach, radishes, peas, potatoes (red potatoes from the store that had sprouted) and turnips. We are harvesting the lettuce now. The radishes should start bulbing out soon. The peas are not blooming yet and the turnips look healthy. I forgot to mention my red onions. They did not get planted until about a week ago, but I could not find good onion sets until then. (I still have some yellow onion sets to plant today as well!)

My little herb garden contains rosemary, spearmint (good thing it's in a contained raised bed), basil and coriander.

As my garden is fairly small, I use a modified version of Square Foot Gardening to maximize yield. Vegetable prices are high nowadays, and whatever I can do to help keep our food costs down and provide healthy food for my family is a bonus!

The biggest expense of gardening in the desert southwest is the cost of water. I like to use a lot of mulch to retain moisture in the garden, and I spot water my plants and use a soaker hose to target watering. How I wish we had a grey water system to recycle laundry, sink and bath/shower water! Such a system is high on my wish list if we were to move from here.

Interested in organic gardening? My favorite resources are the "Mother Earth News" and "Organic Gardening" magazines. Yes, yes, I'm a political conservative who reads "Mother Earth News"! I believe in responsible stewardship of our natural resources, and have NEVER believed the "Progressives" and "Liberals" have had a corner on the market of environmental responsibility!

There are two days left of this blessed spring break, and then I go back to the very busy life of teaching choir at one of our local schools. Large group festival is looming, as well as our spring concert and other opportunities for my honor choir to sing.

Taste of India

My dear husband and I wanted to eat something different after our very busy work week. I convinced him to try the Taste of India. We were not disappointed!

Taste of India has a wide variety of dishes, both vegetarian and non-vegetarian. All their meats are kosher, and they have a tandoori oven in the kitchen.

My husband tried the Tandoori Combination Platter, and I enjoyed the Non-vegetarian platter (carnivores are we!) Our waiter gave us the choice of mild, medium or hot for our dishes. My dear husband choose the very hot as he has a cast iron stomach (or at least claims to) while I chose medium. The combinations platters included chicken and lamb. The curries were delicious and creamy and a homemade cheese was part of the dish. We enjoyed a condiment made up of home grown mint, jalapeno and, we think, cucumber.

If you come at lunch, there is a rich buffet prepared, and you can choose whatever you want to eat.

If you are in Las Cruces and want to try something different than the ubiquitous Mexican fare, try A Taste of India. Here is the address and phone number:

Taste of India
1001 E University
Ste F3
Las Cruces, NM 88012

(505) 532-1700

The Engine Behind Change

Mike Huckabee is no longer officially running for President (although if McCain were to have some problem with his health or other issues and needed to drop out, the convention would be brokered and all candidates would be back on the table.)

Despite the withdrawal of Huckabee from the presidential race, the energy behind his supporters has not waned - merely been redirected. HucksArmy is still a viable force on the political scene. This time, though, their energy will be turned toward supporting those candidates who share Huckabee's values. A new group has formed as well - the F3 Coalition - an action site based on Huckabee's slogan FAITH, FAMILY, FREEDOM.

These forums are worth looking at, and , if you want to get involved, please sign up. A change needs to be made in the Republican party as it continues to drift away from its base. Conservatives are about ready to say, like Reagan said of the Democrats - "I didn't leave the party, the party left me."

Another Option Besides the Expected

The Republican Presidential Primary is far from over. McCain does not have the delegates needed to clinch the nomination yet. He also has FEC problems and there is a question if his birth in Panama makes him ineligible for the presidency.

Regardless of McCain's problems, people ought to check out Huckabee. He has the most experience governing of any candidate. Besides, having a brokered convention would be such a good thing for the Republican party.

Here is an editorial written by some Huckabee supporters. It is concise and well written (or I would not put it on this humble blog), and lays out why so many people support Mike Huckabee.

Check out Huckabee

Many people are willing to disenfranchise thousands of voters in Ohio by clamoring for Gov. Mike Huckabee to exit the presidential race. Senator McCain has not clinched the nomination by winning 1,192 delegates. With Gov. Huckabee, voters have a choice between a Governor, with 10 and one-half years of proven experience in running a state, and an experienced legislator.

In the predominantly democrat state of Arkansas, Republican Governor Huckabee tackled issues like welfare reform, joblessness, health care, education, and a crumbling infrastructure. He pushed through the first major, broad-based tax cuts in state history. He took office with a $200 million deficit; he left office with an $850 million surplus. He was recognized by Time Magazine as one of the five best Governors in America.

Gov. Huckabee is an effective communicator; a tested leader. He'll reduce the size of government, fight for a fair tax, seal our borders, and end illegal immigration. He staunchly defends the second amendment, and is passionate about ending our dependence on foreign oil. He believes a strong defense is the best offense, so will restore our military to its former strength. He understands the war we are fighting is like no other; that we must leave a stable Iraq. He passionately defends the right-to-life and traditional marriage. He never gives up. He will fight tirelessly for his vision of a better America.
Please check Gov. Huckabee's record at http://www.mikehuckabee.com. Vote for the genuine conservative on March 4. Ohio, we have a choice!

Bob and Reta Tharp
Heath

Let's Be Honest Here!

With McCain's decidedly liberal positions on the pro-life issue and immigration, taxes and free speech, I think this little sketch is appropriate.




If McCain is the nominee, I'm facing the possibility that the Republican Party is leaving it's faithful. Grandpa John is like Dole - just more liberal, angrier, and more coarse and mean. Although an American hero based on his service in the past (like Kerry), he's certainly not the best candidate.

The Best Democrat in the Race

It should be obvious!



This is the face of the sharp left turn of the Republican Party. Pity!

No Retreat - No Surrender

Call us hardcore if you wish. Many conservatives will not vote for John McCain this fall, even if he is on the ballot. We don't see why we have to merely accept the RINO that the Republican establishment wants to throw at us. They presume we will vote for their 'presumptive nominee', but we cannot and will not compromise our values. Romney asked us to look at his record - and he was found to be a hardcore liberal underneath his facade. Now we should do the same to John McCain and have his treachery and liberal choices exposed as well.

Mike Huckabee is in the race to the end, and conservatives are with him. We will not retreat and we will not surrender. He still has a chance at the nomination.

Good Money After Bad

So, Romney is planning to stay in a race where he is increasingly unpopular. He has not been able to purchase the hearts of voters with his multitudinous millions, but his ambition to be president, seemingly based on his mistaken opinion that he truly deserves the nomination - despite his vacillating positions on key issues, is a lust that cannot be satisfied. Romney now bitterly lashes against those who disagree with him, and with each offended word a little more of his plastic facade flakes from his "perfect" exterior to reveal a spoiled rich man who is used to getting his own way by purchasing what he wants.

Here is an article demonstrating Romney beginning his angry fight of blame for his lack of success. First he blamed Huckabee; now he snubs President Bush. Who is next? Maybe FOX news for acknowledging Huckabee's success on Super Tuesday, and the Media for ending the Huckabee Blackout.

Romney Vows to Fight to Convention, Makes Swipe at Bush

Tuesday, February 5, 2008 10:48 PM

Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney spoke late Tuesday night to supporters in Boston, saying it's time to send the politicians home from Washington and put the people back in charge. With results showing Sen. John McCain sweeping Northeastern states with the exception of Massachusetts, Romney said results in the West had not come in fully. But he made clear that whatever the final results of Tuesday's elections, he planned to fight for the nomination all the way to the GOP convention. Romney said he was fighting to keep America great in the image of great presidents citing Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush and Teddy Roosevelt. He omitted President George W. Bush. According to press reports, President Bush has expressed displeasure privately over Romney's positions on Iraq and immigration. © 2008 Newsmax. All rights reserved.

Mike Huckabee - Going the Distance

Wonderful video!

My Sentiments Exactly!

There is a fine article The Catholic Online site that echoes what I'm feeling and adds to my prior posting about feeling disenfranchised.

The Shaking of the Republican Party

This election is shaking the Republican Party and forcing it to reexamine its first principles. It may mark the beginning of a new coalition for life, family, freedom and solidarity.

Feeling Disenfranchised

I will not pretend to be able to read into the future and tell you which of the presidential candidates will be left standing to proceed toward the nomination of their parties or if there will be brokered conventions. I am only expressing my personal opinion in this article.

People talk a lot about Reagan's "three legged stool" and how they represent the different sectors of conservative voters - the fiscal conservatives, the security conservatives and the social conservatives. They rave about how Reagan brought those three groups together, and he did well at that because he was able to effectively communicate with all conservatives and with those called the "Reagan Democrats". It was what the Republican Party needed at the time.

The Republican party is again fractured and somehow needs to be brought together. George W. Bush has not left us with an 'heir-apparent", and the fractured sections of the conservative base have again become evident. This makes for an exciting, if frustrating, selection process as we try to determine the Republican nominee. Our current choices are a very socially liberal candidate who is strong on national security, a one-term governor and business man who seems to be buying the election and is only recently 'conservative', a successful multi-term conservative governor who communicates well, but is branded as a liberal because of his compassion for the poor and because he had to raise some taxes to benefit the people of his state, and an anti-war Libertarian who should have run as a Libertarian, but decided he had a better chance running as a Republican.

Additionally, those in the media whom we deemed trustworthy are fully supporting Republican candidates who either hold firmly to liberal positions or who are recent converts to conservatism with no evidence to back up their new positions. One candidate, whose companies own part of a popular "fair and balanced" television station, is being foisted on us by that station. The one candidate who is most conservative is sidelined and ignored in the mainstream media. The most liberal of the Republican candidates, the one who has done the most to denigrate his Republican credentials, is seen as the 'front runner."

The irony in our current scenario is that the current 'front runner' does not adhere to the Republican party platform, led a revolt of Senators against the President, collaborated with the Democrats to limit our free speech and give amnesty to illegal immigrants, and was even courted by Democrats to be a vice presidential candidate. The one pushed by the 'fair and balanced' media outlet promised to be even more liberal than his democratic opponent when he ran as governor, and made gay marriage and legalized abortion (only $50) available during his term as governor.

All of these candidates need the large block of social conservatives to successfully gain the Republican nomination. This block, branded as the "evangelicals" consist of social conservatives who believe in traditional values. Republican candidates try to court this large group of voters and are often successful because of promises made to them - promises that usually do not come to fruition.

This leads me to the point of this rambling article. As a social conservative, I feel disenfranchised by my own political party. The party has certain political platforms that are supposed to define and unify those who agree with them, but the majority of candidates being foisted upon us do not adhere to the platform (probably out of fear of losing elections). This causes the Republican party to appear as if it does not have significant differences from the opposing party, and demonstrates a lack of integrity. As mentioned before, these candidates aggressively court the 'evangelical' vote, only to disappoint those very voters by supporting issues that they consider socially liberal. Could it be that evangelicals are being used by the Republican Party the same way Blacks and Hispanics are used by the Democratic Party? It's something to think about! And maybe it's time to determinedly pursue an alternative to the current two party system, and organize a third party.


Feb. 3, 2008
Quick update: To those on the Ron Paul Information site - I am not LouDobbs!!!
Radiant Times is a humble music teacher in New Mexico.

Romney's Record

Romney invites us to look at his record to prove his conservatism. I accept the challenge and find him to be rather liberal. It seems his 'conversion' to conservatism is an act of political expediency.

Here is an article presenting the research done by MassResistance. It documents the positions Romney has taken before and during his governance of Massachusetts.

Will voters, especially those who consider themselves reasonably conservative please do some comparison shopping of the candidates? Mike Huckabee is really the only true conservative out there.

Huckisms

What a beautiful inspiring slide show!

Well chosen pictures with meaningful quotes by Mike Huckabee. I hope you enjoy them.

Huckisms

Thompson in the bag for McCain?

Does Thompson have ANY chance of being a President? No.

A Vice President or cabinet officer of high rank? Yes, with McCain's help. Thompson is the sort of lackluster person who will not outshine McCain. Face it, people go to sleep listening to him talk. Thompson makes Gerald Ford look exciting!

Thompson can be a hero to McCain if he can take enough financial and electoral support from Huckabee to put Huckabee in second place all the time.

Fred Thomson the "Fix" is on! Why did he, all of a sudden, get energized in South Carolina? He had no chance of getting the 1st, 2nd or 3rd slot, but was able to peel off enough votes that McCain, one of the many liberals on the Republican side, was able to barely beat Huckabee (who is a true conservative, by the way).

The question I have for McCain is this: Do you intend to offer Fred Thompson a job should you become the party's nominee? No other explaination is plausible. Now that Thompson has flown home to Mother, maybe he can sit back and wait for his reward should McCain become the nominee.

Is Huckabee like Carter? NO WAY!

I get so frustrated when Mike Huckabee is portrayed as some kind of 'liberal'. In truth, Huckabee is truly conservative and is exactly the type of leader the Republican Party is looking for.

Here are links to some great articles which talk about Huckabee's conservative positions:

Mike Huckabee Is A "Real" Conservative

Huckabee: Another Carter? How Stupid Can It Get!


Now, if only the electorate would look at facts instead of being spoonfed by the media.......