CRAIGforCONGRESS
Missouri's 7th District, U.S. House of Representatives

 

 

 

Bringing LIBERTY to Capitol Hill -- 2008
OZARKS VIRTUAL TOWN HALL
Saturday Morning, January 5, 2008, 10:30am

A Discussion of The President's Saturday Morning Radio Address

Click here to listen to a replay of the January 5, 2008 Ozarks Virtual Town Hall

Notes and Summary of the President's Address -- Bush Visits Middle East

THE PRESIDENT: Good morning. On Tuesday, I will board Air Force One and depart for a trip to the Middle East. This is a region of great strategic importance to the United States, and I'm looking forward to my visit.

How the President Differs from the American vision of "Liberty Under God":

  1. The purpose of Government is to promote Christianity. We are to be a "city upon a hill."
  2. Violence is not the instrument by which this objective is attained:
    As Noah Webster said, "The ecclesiastical establishments of Europe which serve to support tyrannical governments are not the Christian religion but abuses and corruptions of it."
    Daniel Webster similarly explained: "Christianity to which the sword and the fagot [burning stake or hot branding iron] are unknown -- general tolerant Christianity is the law of the land!"
  3. Government promotes Christianity by protecting the rights of Christians to do so.
  4. Foreign Policy: This means missionaries and businessmen are America's frontline of "diplomats"
    The great rule of conduct for us, in regard to foreign nations is in extending our commercial relations to have with them as little political connection as possible."
             — Washington, Farewell Address (1796) [Washington’s emphasis]
    I deem [one of] the essential principles of our government, and consequently [one] which ought to shape its administration,…peace, commerce, and honest friendship with all nations, entangling alliances with none.
             — Jefferson, First Inaugural Address (1801) 
  5. Bush is violating this most fundamental precept of American foreign policy.
  6. The U.S. federal government is not a force for peace in the Middle East
  7. Bush claims that his foreign policy is going to keep us safe and keep gas prices down. It's part of his overall plan to give Americans everything they could possibly want, if they continue to vote Republican.
  8. The Government promises to be our Savior, and Taxes are our offerings to a false god.
    1. America is, on the one hand, a nation "under God."
    2. America is, on the other hand, a nation that ignores God and commits idolatry.
    3. Idolatry is when we fail to trust God (our national motto is "In God We Trust") and trust the Government to bring us "salvation."
  9. Americans must think about these issues, not just in terms of the Constitution, but in terms of the values enshrined in the Declaration of Independence -- the philosophy of "Liberty Under God."
President's Radio Address Liberty Under God
THE PRESIDENT: Good morning. On Tuesday, I will board Air Force One and depart for a trip to the Middle East. This is a region of great strategic importance to the United States, and I'm looking forward to my visit. The region is of "strategic importance" to oil companies and other special interests, not to the "United States" in general, and the people of the United States. Bush should heed the advice of America's Founding Fathers.
My first stops will be in the Holy Land, where I'll meet with Israeli Prime Minister Olmert and Palestinian President Abbas. I will encourage both leaders to move forward with the peace negotiations they began last November in Annapolis. This is difficult work. It will require tough decisions on complex questions. But I am optimistic about the prospects. And I will make clear that America is deeply committed to helping both parties realize the historic vision we share: two democratic states, Israel and Palestine, living side by side in peace and security. Governments always represent the most powerful special interests. What interest will the government of a Palestinian State represent? Why should this interest be propped up by the U.S. federal government and your taxes? What is the interest of the government of Israel? Why should your paycheck be hacked to support this interest?
Why a "two-state solution" in Palestine is absurd
During the second part of my trip, I will visit five of America's key allies in the Arab world: Kuwait, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt. I will thank the leaders of these countries for their friendship. I will urge them to strongly support negotiations between the Israelis and Palestinians. I will discuss the importance of countering the aggressive ambitions of Iran. And I will assure them that America's commitment to the security of our friends in the region is strong and enduring. The first gulf war under the first George Bush was for the benefit of Kuwait. Learn about Kuwait.

Why should the federal government reach into your pocket for the benefit of Bahrain? Wouldn't your money be better spent giving it to Christian missionary organizations who work among the people of these countries, rather than having your money given to the governments of corrupt dictators?
I know it is not always obvious why events in the nations of the Middle East should matter to the American people. But in the 21st century, developments there have a direct impact on our lives here. As we saw on September the 11th, 2001, dangers that arise on the other side of the world can bring death and destruction to our own streets. Since then, extremists have assassinated democratic leaders from Afghanistan to Lebanon to Pakistan. They have murdered innocent people from Saudi Arabia to Jordan and Iraq. They are seeking new weapons and new operatives, so they can attack America again, overthrow governments in the Middle East, and impose their hateful vision on millions. September 11 was a result of U.S. military intervention in the middle east, not the lack of sufficient intervention.

 

 

 

What is the best way to counter a hateful vision? According to the Bible, "the weapons of our warfare are not" made by Boeing.
On my trip, I will consult closely with our partners in the war against these extremists. I will reaffirm our pledge to use every necessary tool of intelligence, law enforcement, diplomacy, finance, and military power to bring our common enemies to justice. The terrorists and extremists will not let down their guard, and we must not let down ours. These necessary "tools" include torture by agents of the U.S. federal government.
At its core, the battle unfolding in the Middle East is more than a clash of arms. It is an ideological struggle. On one side are the forces of terror and death. On the other are tens of millions of ordinary people who want a free and peaceful life for their children. The future of the Middle East depends on the outcome of this struggle, and so does the security of the United States. We know that societies growing in tolerance and hope are less likely to become sources of radicalism and violence. So America will stay engaged in the region. We will support democrats and reformers from Beirut and Baghdad to Damascus and Tehran. We will stand with all those working to build a future of liberty and justice and peace.  

 

 

the "America" that will be engaged is the federal government, not those America's founding Fathers envisioned being active there.
Prevailing in this struggle will not be easy, but we know from history that it can be done. After World War II, many said that advancing freedom in Europe and East Asia would be impossible. Yet America invested the time and resources to help nations make the transition from dictatorship to democracy. There were trying moments along the way, and progress did not arrive overnight. But with patience and resolve, we have seen an extraordinary return on our investment -- vital regions of the world that live in stability and prosperity and peace with America.  
I believe a similar transformation can take place in the Middle East. At this decisive moment in their history, the people of the Middle East can have confidence in the power of liberty to overcome tyranny and terror. And all who step forward in freedom's cause can count on a friend in the United States. I look forward to sharing this message in the region.  
Thank you for listening.  

John Adams once wrote that the American Revolution began in 1761, when Massachusetts attorney James Otis began legal challenges to the Writs of Assistance. He lost the case, but "American independence," Adams wrote, "was then and there born." Now do the math. That means it took 15 years to convince the rest of America to declare Independence (1776). Then another seven years of war was required before a Peace Treaty was signed (1783), and then six years before the Constitution was finally ratified (1789). That's almost 30 years. (And Jefferson said we shouldn't go 20 years without another rebellion!) How can we hope to convince Americans to fight for principles they were never taught in government schools? We need to be in this battle for the long term. "Eternal Vigilance is the Price of Liberty."

Additional Resources:

Kevin Craig's platform:

Communicating with Government and Media

  • Contact Congress -- this is from the JBS website, powered by "CapWiz," from Capitol Advantage. Lots of organizations use capwiz. If you don't want to go through the JBS, search for capwiz on Google and find another organization that uses it.
    Notice that you can also contact media through this webpage.
  • Action E-List
    Sign up for the JBS Action E-List and be notified when you can make a critical difference on important issues.

The Democrat Party Radio Address:

Chairman of the Democratic National Committee Howard Dean delivered the Democratic Radio Address.

His basic message: "Vote for Democrats."

Click here for a replay of this edition of the Ozarks Virtual Town Hall