Christmas 2010
“Among the natural rights of the colonists are these: First a right to life, secondly to liberty, and thirdly to property; together with the right to defend them in the best manner they can.” –Samuel Adams
“That’s what Christmas is all about Charlie Brown.” –Linus Van Pelt
Reflection & Preparation
In reviewing my Capitol Report I prepared on Christmas Eve of 2009, I was bemused to find that although 2010 was a tumultuous, historical year with more highs and lows and peaks and valleys than I can recount here (or that you want to spend time reading!), many of the issues and topics of a year ago remain the same.
For instance, even though our Nation continues to be challenged by one of the most difficult economic periods in our history, the 111th U.S. Congress, now in full “lame duck” mode, continues to wreak its havoc upon our country as it limps towards its eventual end. A great many of these folks will simply return home and will not be making the round trip to Washington, D.C. in January because the American people told them so in November. Those same American people made a historic change at the ballot box and ordered that an entire new field of true public servants take the reins of what will be the 112th Congress. Records were set from coast to coast and from state to state as we witnessed the largest Republican comeback since the 1930s. And this theme was true not only on the federal level but also in our State Legislatures and Governor’s Mansions. The people spoke loudly and clearly, rejecting the destructive policies of Washington, D.C. and choosing the common sense, limited government driven principles of freedom and liberty such as we have chosen to follow here in our Missouri State government over the past eight plus years.
Instead of focusing on the serious issues of jobs and the economy, the lame duck 111th instead chose to waste time trying to pass yet another pork laden stimulus bill (was that Porkulus III or IV, I have lost count) courtesy of Senator Reid (which failed), debating a destructive illegal immigration policy bill (which failed), and reversing course on a military policy that President Clinton himself championed not two decades prior (without debating the substance of DADT, are there not more pressing, more important issues that Congress should be focused on right now with unemployment remaining near 10%, with two wars in foreign lands and should we not have had a much longer debate on a major new treaty with Mother Russia?). Although this Congress did wisely provide at least some security to our nation’s families and small businesses by extending the tax policy we have been ruled under for the past nearly eight years, they also decided, in typical DC fashion, to load up a wise bill with a great deal of unwise spending increases, earmarks and yet another extension of unemployment benefits so we can further encourage people to stay at home and not search for jobs. Finally, our Senate decided to, for the very first time in our nation’s history; pass a monumental new major treaty with Russia over the objections of many learned brilliant political, military and historical minds during a lame duck session. Being an English & Russian Studies double major back in my university days (my choice I guess was to either become an editor at Rossetta Stone or go to law school…the rest is history!), I like to think I know a thing or two about the Big Bear in the East and as I continue to study this massive and impressive former superpower who continues to be a powerful and potentially dangerous force in our world. To quote Dick Morris, “having suppressed democracy, wiped out free speech, taken over the media, nationalized their oil and energy industry, invaded Georgia, enabled the Iranian nuclear program, and tried to establish a natural gas monopoly in Europe, what else does Putin need to do before [Congress] realizes that appeasement will not work?”
Russia remains a force to be reckoned with and Russian leaders continue to be very ambitious, nationalistic, dictatorial and unilateral in their approach with the West. The 111th Congress has bowed before the Bear and placed our national security at grave risk.
But enough of that! As we prepare for a New Year, I want to propose that there is a coming sunrise over the next hill as the 112th Congress begins to make its charge upon Washington and as our largest Republican majority ever returns to your State House and Senate in Jefferson City. Over the past many years here in Missouri, we have made wise use of your tax dollars and passed common sense legislation that has given Missouri small businesses the help and tools they need to grow and hire, that has improved our healthcare industry on the state level (the opposite of ObamaCare), that has balanced our State’s budget for eight years without any tax increases, that has protected life and your Second Amendment freedoms and that has sought to shield our State’s sovereignty from an out of control, out of touch, nearly bankrupt federal government.
My promise to you, as your incoming Missouri House Majority Leader, is to continue to promote and advance solid, common sense, principled public policy that promotes a limited government that remains accountable to the people, that carefully guards and wisely spends every single tax dollar that you pay, that continues to stand guard before the sovereignty of our State, that seeks to protect all of your freedoms and liberties and the lives of all citizens, the elderly and the unborn, and that once and for all is dedicated to reforming our troubled education system so that every child, no matter where they live, has the opportunity to a proper public education, which has become the civil rights battle of our generation.
I leave you with words of encouragement borne out of a vision for a greater tomorrow. We are a nation of industrious, hard working individuals and strong families who know how to confront crisis and conquer challenges. Through all our wars, economic strife and social unrest, we have endured and been made the stronger for it. And our Nation will continue not only to survive but to prosper. So during this very special time, as we celebrate Christmas, Hanukah, the New Year and the other high holy days and holidays that these months bring, enjoy them and celebrate them with your family and loved ones like never before. Hug your children, rejoice with your parents and grandparents like never before, worship in your Churches, Synagogues and other holy places with renewed spirit and prepare your body, heart, mind and soul for what is assuredly to be a very interesting and exciting 2011. In the meantime, I wish you and yours a very Merry Christmas and a safe, prosperous and Happy New Year!
Personal News & Notes
Daughter Katie continues to impress and make her Mom and Dad extremely proud. This week, while at the local craft store, Katie saw a little kit with which she could make her own wooden ornaments. Katie asked Suzanne if she could buy the little kit and make ornaments for some of her little friends. After crafting these little treasures, Katie wanted to personally deliver them, which she did, walking determinedly up to each door, ringing the bell and with a huge smile on her face and merry glint in her eyes, presenting her gifts to each of her friends in turn. If a five year old can learn and then live the “reason for the season” then surely all of us can! I cannot tell you how proud Suzanne and I are of our charitable little girl. How tremendous, how wondrous! We expect that Abby will follow suit and these two little girls have truly made the world a better place…
Two Simple Stories that Remind Us of the Reason for the Season
Many of you are very familiar with two of my favorite Christmas Season literary pieces so without further ado, I share them with you as my gift and present to you and yours!
From Linus to Charlie Brown
“And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace and goodwill towards men.” (Luke 2: 8-14)"......That's what Christmas is all about, Charlie Brown."
And from the Editor of the New York Sun (1897) to Virginia
"DEAR EDITOR: I am 8 years old."Some of my little friends say there is no Santa Claus.
"Papa says, 'If you see it in THE SUN it's so.'
"Please tell me the truth; is there a Santa Claus?
"VIRGINIA O'HANLON.
"115 WEST NINETY-FIFTH STREET."
VIRGINIA, your little friends are wrong. They have been affected by the skepticism of a skeptical age. They do not believe except [what] they see. They think that nothing can be which is not comprehensible by their little minds. All minds, Virginia, whether they be men's or children's, are little. In this great universe of ours man is a mere insect, an ant, in his intellect, as compared with the boundless world about him, as measured by the intelligence capable of grasping the whole of truth and knowledge.
Yes, VIRGINIA, there is a Santa Claus. He exists as certainly as love and generosity and devotion exist, and you know that they abound and give to your life its highest beauty and joy. Alas! how dreary would be the world if there were no Santa Claus. It would be as dreary as if there were no VIRGINIAS. There would be no childlike faith then, no poetry, no romance to make tolerable this existence. We should have no enjoyment, except in sense and sight. The eternal light with which childhood fills the world would be extinguished.
Not believe in Santa Claus! You might as well not believe in fairies! You might get your papa to hire men to watch in all the chimneys on Christmas Eve to catch Santa Claus, but even if they did not see Santa Claus coming down, what would that prove? Nobody sees Santa Claus, but that is no sign that there is no Santa Claus. The most real things in the world are those that neither children nor men can see. Did you ever see fairies dancing on the lawn? Of course not, but that's no proof that they are not there. Nobody can conceive or imagine all the wonders there are unseen and unseeable in the world.
You may tear apart the baby's rattle and see what makes the noise inside, but there is a veil covering the unseen world which not the strongest man, nor even the united strength of all the strongest men that ever lived, could tear apart. Only faith, fancy, poetry, love, romance, can push aside that curtain and view and picture the supernal beauty and glory beyond. Is it all real? Ah, VIRGINIA, in all this world there is nothing else real and abiding.
No Santa Claus! Thank God! he lives, and he lives forever. A thousand years from now, Virginia, nay, ten times ten thousand years from now, he will continue to make glad the heart of childhood.
Until our next update, I am, and remain, in your service,
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