Leadership Assessment: Ted Cruz

By:  Dale Weckbacher

Proverbs 28:2

2 When there is moral rot within a nation, its government topples easily. But with wise and knowledgeable leaders, there is stability.

NLT

As we continue our search for someone to lead our nation back to its position of greatness, the above proverb serves as a warning to us.  Many believe that moral issues and morality are not critical in selecting a leader but this proverb reminds us of the importance of morality within a nation.  When a nation has immoral leaders, the result is the minimization of morality within the nation and the nation begins to rot from within. 

We do not have to look far in our nation today to see examples of moral rot.  All we have to do is turn on the TV, look at advertisements, and observe the obsession our leaders have with issues like gay marriage, abortion, and contraception.  While they obsess on these issues, they ignore the fact that many in our nation have given up looking for work, and that we are now the laughing stock of the world. 

In a very short period of time, Ted Cruz has emerged on the scene as a potential leader to lead our nation out of its current situation.  He has remained steadfast in his determination to carry out the agenda the people of Texas elected him to do.  He has also demonstrated great courage in standing up to the establishment of his political party.

Ted Cruz was born Rafael Cruz in Canada to his Cuban father and Irish-American mother.  Cruz’s parents had moved from Texas to Canada during the 1960’s oil boom.  As a teenager, Cruz’s father fought for Fidel Castro against Fulgencio Batista.  He was unaware that Castro was a Communist and fought for Castro because Batista was a cruel and oppressive dictator.  After being imprisoned and tortured by the Batista regime, the elder Cruz came to America on a student visa.  Cruz’s mother was a working-class Delaware native who studied math at Rice University.(1)

Some have claimed that since Ted Cruz was born in Canada he is not qualified to run for President since he is not a natural born citizen.  However, there is no clear definition of the term natural born citizen in the Constitution and the U.S. Supreme Court has not made any ruling that clearly defines the term.  Typically, our nation grants citizenship to persons born in another country as long as they are born to U.S. citizen parents.  However, there is no clear requirement that both parents be U.S. citizens.  Therefore, since Cruz’s mother is a citizen born in Delaware, he is qualified as a natural born citizen through his mother according to legal president.  (2)  However, in order to stave off any potential legal challenges to his eligibility, Cruz did renounce his Canadian Citizenship.  (3)

Using our metric of vision, courage, integrity, and a servant’s heart, let us assess Ted Cruz’s leadership qualifications. 

1)      Vision – Ted Cruz kicked off the 2014 CPAC Convention with a sweeping conservative vision.  He favors repeal of Obamacare, which as he stated during his 21-hour filibuster would fail, which it has.  (4) (5)  He also favors not increasing the nation’s debt ceiling and instead favors balancing the nation's budget.  He believes balancing the budget eliminates the need to continually raise the debt ceiling to cover endless deficits.  His vision for conservative victory is the strategy used in the 2010 election, the only election Republicans have won in the last eight years, because republicans “stood unequivocally for principle.”  (6)

2)      Courage – Standing firm on principle and his vision for repeal of Obamacare and a balanced budget, Ted Cruz conducted a speaking filibuster in the U.S. Senate on September 24, 2013.  (4) Along with standing on principle, Ted Cruz was going against the GOP leadership in the Senate that favored the funding of Obamacare and then allowing it to collapse when it failed after implementation.  (7)  Everything Ted Cruz said would happen with the implementation of Obamacare has occurred and it has clearly failed, however, it is still the law of the land and the Administration continues to delay the most destructive parts of the law until after the elections.  Even though Obamacare is failing, the Administration keeps propping it up and it just does not go away. 

3)      Integrity – Cruz voted according to his principles by voting against a temporary debt limit increase on February 12, 2014.  He voted against extending unemployment on January 14, 2014 instead favoring policies that would increase employment such as drilling for oil in our country.  He voted for completing the fence along the U.S. Mexico border.  (8)

4)      Servants Heart – During the recent government shutdown, Senators continued to receive their salaries.  However, Ted Cruz donated his salary to charity during the shutdown.  (9) Ted Cruz, a Southern Baptist, does not believe in using his religion as some convenient political garb and instead asks voters to judge him by his actions.  (10)

Academically and professionally, Ted Cruz is a Harvard Law Graduate and served as a clerk for the late Chief Justice William Rehnquist.  His academic accomplishments and service as a clerk in the Supreme Court mean he knows a thing or two about the United States Constitution.  (10)  He is a strict constitutionalist who believes in interpreting the constitution as written. 

I give Ted Cruz an A on his leadership assessment.  However, whether he would be the best person to become our nation’s 45^th president depends upon how he stacks up against other potential candidates.  Next week we will assess Sarah Palin’s leadership qualities.

1. Weiner, Rachel. Who is Ted Cruz? www.washingtonpost.com. [Online] The Washington Post, August 1, 2012. [Cited: March 28, 2014.] http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-fix/post/who-is-ted-cruz/2012/08/01/gJQAqql8OX_blog.html.

2. Feran, Ted. Is Ted Cruz eligible under the Constitution to become president? www.politifact.com. [Online] The Plain Dealer Politifact Ohio, May 9, 2013. [Cited: March 28, 2014.] http://www.politifact.com/ohio/article/2013/may/09/ted-cruz-eligible-under-constitution-become-presid/.

3. Reilly, Molie. Ted Cruz Taking Steps To Renounce Canadian Citizenship. www.huffingtonpost.com. [Online] The Huffington Post, January 25, 2014. [Cited: March 28, 2014.] http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/12/29/ted-cruz-canadian_n_4515506.html.

4. Dan Friedman, James Warren. Ted Cruz ‘filibuster’: After 21 hours of anti-Obamacare talk mixed with Dr. Seuss and Star Wars, Texas senator votes to consider House bill. www.nydailynews.com. [Online] Daily News, September 25, 2013. [Cited: March 28, 2014.] http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/ted-cruz-filibuster-talks-21-hours-votes-house-bill-article-1.1467344.

5. The Washington Post. TRANSCRIPT: Sen. Ted Cruz’s marathon speech against Obamacare on Sept. 24. www.washingtonpost.com. [Online] September 24, 2013. [Cited: March 28, 2014.] http://www.washingtonpost.com/sf/national/2013/09/25/transcript-sen-ted-cruzs-filibuster-against-obamacare/.

6. Sherfinski, David. Cruz lays out sweeping conservative vision to kick off CPAC 2014. www.washingtontimes.com. [Online] The Washington Times, March 6, 2014. [Cited: March 28, 2014.] http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2014/mar/6/cruz-lays-out-sweeping-conservative-vision-kick-cp/.

7. Morrissey, Ed. New GOP strategy on ObamaCare: Let it burn. hotair.com. [Online] Hot Air, November 21, 2013. [Cited: March 28, 2014.] http://hotair.com/archives/2013/11/21/new-gop-strategy-on-obamacare-let-it-burn/.

8. Project Vote Smart. Ted Cruz's Voting Records. https://votesmart.org. [Online] Project Vote Smart. [Cited: March 28, 2014.] https://votesmart.org/candidate/key-votes/135705/ted-cruz#.UzY7MvlSbko.

9. McLaughlin, Seth. Sen. Ted Cruz plans to donate salary to charity each day of government shutdown. www.washingtontimes.com. [Online] The Washington Times, October 1, 2013. [Cited: March 28, 2014.] http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2013/oct/1/sen-ted-cruz-plans-donate-salary-charity-each-day-/.

10. III, Nicholas G. Hahn. You Shall Know Cruz By His Deeds. www.realclearreligion.org. [Online] Real Clear Religion, February 29, 2012. [Cited: March 28, 2014.] http://www.realclearreligion.org/articles/2012/02/29/you_shall_know_cruz_by_his_deeds.html.

Christians, Conservatives, and Citizens Under Attack: A Strategy to Restore our Nation

By:  Dale Weckbacher

John 8:36-37

 36 So if the Son sets you free, you will indeed be free.

NLT

John 14:6

6 Jesus told him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.

NLT

As a Christian following Jesus Christ, I know that the only path to real freedom and liberty is through the blood of Jesus Christ.  This belief is found throughout our nation’s founding documents and is what our founders meant when they spoke of inalienable rights. 

Government is not the purveyor of rights for that comes from God and is guaranteed through the sacrifice of Jesus, the Son of God, on the cross.  All God the Father asks us to do is believe (John 3:16).  This is why our first reaction when in need should not be to turn to government but God.  Government’s role is to protect, not grant, the inalienable rights of its citizens.  Unfortunately, liberal and progressives in our government over the last 100 years have caused government to view itself as the purveyor of rights and have conditioned many citizens to look to government as their provider instead of turning to God.  Because of this philosophical shift, liberals, progressives, and moderates in the political establishment of both parties find no problem with attacking those that disagree with them and even have resorted to unconstitutionally spying on them something many citizens have come to accept as just the way things are meant to be.  

‘

For example, we have Republican Representative Renee Ellmers who at a constituent meeting suggested that those opposing amnesty legislation are racist and do not have, in her words, “any damn facts.”  (1)  Poll after poll shows that majorities of people, many of whom are Representative Ellmer's constituents, oppose amnesty for people who have illegally come to our country.  In fact, the current push by the GOP establishment constitutes electoral suicide according to conservative columnist Ann Coulter.  (2)  It seems those in the GOP establishment and consultants like Karl Rove believe the path to victory for the GOP is to go after the Hispanic vote by passing some form of amnesty legislation.  Of course they always ignore the numbers that are being alienated in their base and that any increase in numbers due to catering to Hispanics are being more than off-set by the base not showing up to vote.  All we have to do is look at the 6 million people that stayed home in the last election.  (3)  If there is not someone running against this woman in a primary, someone needs to or I fear the GOP risks losing this seat because of voter apathy.

As a Christian and conservative, I have suspected that there was some sort of blacklist in Hollywood against Christian actors.  According to Kevin Sorbo, star of the recent film “God’s Not Dead,” there is such a political blacklist and he believes he is on it.  (4)  Mr. Sorbo believes he is on the list because he is independent and does not vote along party lines.  In spite of being on the list, Mr. Sorgo does work regularly, perhaps because he is an experienced actor and in demand.  However, the same would not be true of a new actor trying to break into the business. 

The ironic thing is that Hollywood, which has had many films flop at the box office recently, should wake up to the fact that faith based films such as ‘Son of God’ and ‘God’s Not Dead’ actually do well at the box office.  This past weekend ‘God’s Not Dead opened on only 780 screens nationwide and yet grossed $7.6 million, a huge $9525 per screen.  (4)  The movie even beat out the much-promoted Muppet movie.  (5)  Maybe Hollywood should rethink its political blacklist and focus on making movies people, including Christians, want to see.

I have also previously written about the unelected administrative fourth branch of government, which threatens the individual liberties of ordinary citizens.  As proof that it is not just some conspiratorial belief to stir up conservatives, I cite the case of a Wyoming families encounter with the EPA.  This family faces a $75,000 per day fine, not for dumping toxic waste on their land.  Nor are they being fined for polluting the air with toxic chemicals, although you would think so with a fine that high.  No, they are being fined for the creation of a pond on their own land, which they stock with fish.  The pond has even become a favorite habitat for ducks and geese.  However, according to the EPA, the creation of a body of water on one’s own property is a violation of Federal Law.  (6)  Oh, did I mention that the way the EPA discovered the pond was with drones that they use to look for any new standing water that has been created.  Orwell’s 1984 appears to be coming true, only 30 years late in 2014.

These cases demonstrate that not only is Washington DC and the media broken, but also the establishment in both political parties.  This means that just winning elections is insufficient to fix the problem and means we need a new strategy.  So exactly what do I believe we need to do? 

1)       Pray – I believe in the power of prayer for the Bible says that if two or more of us gather together in prayer, God is there among us (Matthew 18:20).  The root of our nation’s problems lies in its unmooring itself from its Judeo Christian foundations.  We need prayer and the power of the Holy Spirit to change the hearts of people.

2)      Article five of the Constitution – It is obvious that neither Washington DC nor the establishment of either political party can or even wants to restore our nation back to its constitutional roots.  Big government is empowering to them and they are not about to do anything to lose that power.  Our founders envisioned that such a day might come, and added article five to the Constitution.  This article outlined two ways to amend the constitution.  One using the Congress and another that bypasses the Congress through a convention of the states. 

Christians, conservatives, and citizens of our nation may be under attack, but we are not defeated.  With prayer and article five of the Constitution, we have a strategy to restore the Judeo Christian and Constitutional foundation our nation was founded upon.  All that is needed is for God’s people to pray and contact their state representatives and senators about becoming part of a convention of the states to amend the constitution and stop the out of control government in Washington DC. 

1. Lee, Tony. ELLMERS BERATES CONSTITUENTS FOR OPPOSING AMNESTY: 'YOU DON'T HAVE ANY DAMN FACTS!'. www.breitbart.com. [Online] Breitbart News, March 22, 2014. [Cited: March 25, 2014.] http://www.breitbart.com/Big-Government/2014/03/22/Ellmers-Berates-Constituents-for-Opposing-Amnesty.

2. Coulter, Ann. Column: GOP's Push for Amnesty Is Electoral Suicide: Illegals Favor Big Govt., ObamaCare. newsbusters.com. [Online] Newsbusters, January 30, 2014. [Cited: March 25, 2014.] http://newsbusters.org/blogs/ann-coulter/2014/01/30/column-gops-push-amnesty-electoral-suicide-illegals-favor-big-govt-obam.

3. Trende, Sean. The Case of the Missing White Voters. www.realcleapolitics.com. [Online] Real Clear Politics, November 8, 2012. [Cited: July 5, 2013.] http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2012/11/08/the_case_of_the_missing_white_voters_116106-2.html.

4. Nolte, John. 'GOD'S NOT DEAD' STAR SORBO: THERE'S A HOLLYWOOD BLACKLIST. www.breitbart.com. [Online] Breitbart News, March 22, 2014. [Cited: March 25, 2014.] http://www.breitbart.com/Big-Hollywood/2014/03/22/gods-not-dead-star-sorbo-theres-a-blacklist.

5. Kay, Jeremy. Divergent goes top, as the Muppets leave Disney scratching their heads. www.theguardian.com. [Online] the Guardian, March 24, 2014. [Cited: March 25, 2014.]

6. Wilde, Robert. CHARLES HURT: EPA USING SATELLITES, DRONES TO FINE, BANKRUPT CITIZENS. www.breitbart.com. [Online] Breitbart News, March 22, 2014. [Cited: March 25, 2014.] http://www.breitbart.com/Big-Journalism/2014/03/22/NucleOptions-Charles-Hurt-Says-EPA-Using-Satellites-and-Drones.

Leadership Assessment: Rand Paul

By:  Dale Weckbacher

Proverbs 29:2

2 When the godly are in authority, the people rejoice. But when the wicked are in power, they groan.

NLT

I know very few people that are rejoicing about the leadership currently leading our nation.  In fact many are groaning over losing their jobs and being unable to find one or worse yet having to settle for a part time job paying a fraction of what they previously made.  Many, especially the youth, who voted for President Obama, are unable to find a good paying job and then are now required to spend money for health insurance they cannot afford. 

This groaning and lack of rejoicing is exactly why I decided to write about the current lack of quality leadership in our nation.  In this posting we will begin assessing some of the potential leaders in our country and see how they stack up against our metric of courage, vision, integrity, and a servants heart.  We will begin by assessing Senator Rand Paul (R-KY).

Rand Paul is currently serving in the U.S. Senate as Kentucky’s junior senator.  His first involvement in politics occurred when he founded Kentucky Taxpayers United, a watchdog group that tracked taxation and spending in Kentucky.  The organization disbanded in 2000.  (1) His next entry into politics came when he sought the Republican Nomination for President in 2008.  Even though he was unsuccessful in his bid for the GOP nomination, he attracted a passionate following in Kentucky that enabled him to win election to the Senate as part of the Tea Party wave in 2010.  (1)

After graduation from Duke University Medical School in 1988, Paul began his general surgery internship at the Georgia Baptist Medical Center in Atlanta Georgia.  It was there that Paul met his future wife Kelley Ashby.  The couple married in 1991 and after finishing his internship, the Paul family moved to Bowling Green Kentucky where Paul started his medical practice.  (1)

On the issues, Senator Paul leans conservative and libertarian.  For example, he does not believe in the promotion of Marijuana but also does not favor the jailing of non-violent drug offenders.  He supports school choice and homeschooling.  He does not support federalizing same sex marriage and believes it should be up to the states to decide the definition of marriage within their states.  (2)

On energy, Senator Paul does not believe the unelected EPA should regulate greenhouse emissions.  Even though Paul supports renewable energy tax credits, he also believes we should explore our nations proven energy reserves in order to keep energy affordable.  Senator Paul also believes the government needs to exercise fiscal responsibility by balancing the budget and supports the penny plan.  (2)  However, my research did not indicate if he favors tax cuts. 

Senator Paul is pro-Israel, pro-Constitution, and anti-terror.  He is pro-second amendment and as a physician knows, and is familiar with, Obamacare from a doctor’s perspective.  (2)  Perhaps the only issue where Paul strays from the views of many in the Tea Party involves his stance on military spending. 

In a meeting with former Vice President Cheney and a group of Republican senators in 2012, Senator Paul was seen exiting the meeting.  Reporters asked him what had occurred in the meeting to which Paul stated it was a private meeting.  Later, however, Senator Paul did make the following comment, “Most people in our conference are on the side [that thinks] that they need to do anything now to avoid the military sequester.  I think there is a little bit of irony in that most of them voted for the military sequester.  I didn’t vote for it.  They all voted to raise the debt ceiling with a military sequester, and now they’re all basically caterwauling about it.”  (3)

Although some may interpret this statement to mean that Paul does not favor a strong military, I believe he was simply pointing out the hypocrisy of some of his colleagues who voted for sequester and then object to the defense spending cuts in the sequester.  What Senator Paul does favor is increased efficiency across all of the government, including the military.  (3)  However, even though technological advances may make it possible for the military to defend the country with fewer people, we must be careful not to become overly dependent on technology for our defense and must insure we are prepared to act swiftly should our nation come under attack as we did on 911? 

Senator Paul demonstrated courage when he stood for 13 hours to filibuster the nomination for CIA chief John Brennan.  At issue was Brennen’s support of policies that included the killing of U.S. Citizens on U.S. soil using drones.  Spoken filibusters are rare and Rand Paul’s spoken filibuster was the first one in the Senate since 2010.  (4) The great courage involved was that many in the Senate, both Democrats and Republicans, fear standing up in opposition to President Obama’s appointees out of fear of being considered racist.  Rand Paul demonstrated his desire to preserve the constitutional rights of U.S. citizens on U.S. soil, even if at the political risk of being considered a racist by liberals and moderates in the Senate.

Senator Paul’s vision for the nation involves restoring the constitutional principles upon which our nation was founded.  This involves a smaller fiscally responsible government that serves citizens and not the other way around.  His vision is a government that preserves and protects the rights of citizens instead of passing laws like Obamacare which removes health care choices by cutting hundreds of health insurance choices down to four (2) and numerous regulations that among other things have banned certain incandescent light bulbs. 

As a demonstration of his integrity, Rand Paul has sponsored pieces of legislation that are consistent with his vision for the country such as,

1)      S.82 : Separation of Powers Restoration and Second Amendment Protection Act of 2013

2)       S.201 : A bill to prohibit the sale, lease, transfer, retransfer, or delivery of F-16 aircraft, M1 tanks, or certain other defense articles or services to the Government of Egypt.

3)      S.530 : A bill to make participation in the American Community Survey voluntary, except with respect to certain basic questions, and for other purposes.

4)      S.583 : A bill to implement equal protection under the 14th article of amendment to the Constitution for the right to life of each born and preborn human person.

5)       S.1016 : Preserving Freedom from Unwarranted Surveillance Act of 2013

6)      S.1037 : Fourth Amendment Preservation and Protection Act of 2013  (5)

Senator Paul has also demonstrated a servant’s heart for as a longtime member of the service organization Lions Club International, Rand Paul founded the Southern Kentucky Lions Eye Clinic.  This clinic offered free eye care to patients in need.  He also performed free eye surgeries for impoverished children in developing countries through the Children of the Americas program.  (1)

There is little doubt that Senator Paul demonstrates the leadership qualities of courage, vision, integrity, and a servant’s heart.  However, as we look at other potential leaders we will undoubtedly see that they too demonstrate these qualities.  We therefore must look at these other leaders and select the man or woman that we believe will be best able to lead our nation out of its current crisis and rally our support behind that person. 

Next Saturday we will look at the leadership qualities of Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX). 

1. Biography.com. Rand Paul Biography. www.biography.com. [Online] [Cited: March 21, 2014.] http://www.biography.com/people/rand-paul-588472.

2. On the Issues. Kentucky Senator Rand Paul on the Issues. www.ontheissues.org. [Online] [Cited: March 21, 2014.] http://www.ontheissues.org/senate/Rand_Paul.htm.

3. Weigel, David. “Jettison Some of the Crap”. www.slate.com. [Online] Slate, July 23, 2012. [Cited: March 21, 2014.] http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/politics/2012/07/rand_paul_on_defense_spending_the_senator_does_not_believe_that_republicans_or_democrats_are_serious_about_cutting_.html.

4. Blake, Ed O'Keefe and Aaron. Paul’s filibuster in opposition to Brennan, drone policy ends after nearly 13 hours. www.washingtonpost.com. [Online] The Washington Post, March 6, 2013. [Cited: March 21, 2014.] http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/rand-paul-conducts-filibuster-in-opposition-to-john-brennan-obamas-drone-policy/2013/03/06/1367b1b4-868c-11e2-9d71-f0feafdd1394_story.html.

5. Rand Paul United States Senator. Sponsored Legislation. www.paul.senate.gov. [Online] [Cited: March 21, 2014.] http://www.paul.senate.gov/?p=sponsored_legislation.

The Path to Health for our Nation

By Dale Weckbacher

Exodus 13:17-18

17 When Pharaoh finally let the people go, God did not lead them on the road that runs through Philistine territory, even though that was the shortest way from Egypt to the Promised Land. God said, "If the people are faced with a battle, they might change their minds and return to Egypt." 18 So God led them along a route through the wilderness toward the Red Sea, and the Israelites left Egypt like a marching army.

NLT

Most of us seek the easiest way to get something done.  We own microwaves because it allows us to cook our food faster and with less of a mess.  We try to find the quickest path to drive from point A to point B.  However, God does not always choose the easiest path for us in order to teach us and cause us to grow stronger (James 1:2-4).  He also, as he did with the Nation of Israel, steers us away from what may seem to us to be an easier way because it is dangerous and leads to discouragement.

The easier path for our nation politically would be if we could just simply wave a magic wand, making people suddenly realize our nation is on a path of destruction.  We face deficits and debt that threaten the financial security of future generations.  Out of control regulations with side effects that are far worse than the illness the regulation was designed to fix.  Obamacare, which threatens the very liberty of people, placing them in jeopardy by giving government bureaucrats control over the health care decisions of all citizens and forcing them to buy something, they cannot afford, need, or want.  However, God has chosen to lead our nation down this path in order to teach us to depend upon Him and to value our freedoms and liberties and not take them for granted.

Election year is upon us and we all know what that means, more lies deception, and political posturing in an effort to get our vote.  For those in office whose policies and programs have failed, there will also be attempts to deceive us and deflect our attention away from the true state of the nation.  Therefore, let us take a moment to look at the state of the health of our nation and provide a prescription that cures the root cause of what is ailing our nation.

If we were to examine our nation much like a doctor examines a patient we would have to conclude that even though the patient is alive, the patient has some serious health issues that could be fatal if left untreated.  The symptoms the patient is exhibiting are

1)       High deficits – These high deficits are similar to a patient coming to the doctor with a high fever.  The fever is not the problem but is symptomatic of some infection in the patient’s body.  In the case of our country, the high deficits are due to the infection of out of control spending, a growing entitlement mentality, and a broken budget process.

2)      High debt – This is similar to a patient that comes to the doctor and is obese.  Even though a patient comes to the doctor and is obese, they may be relatively healthy.  However, their obesity is like a ticking time bomb that could go off someday.  At the moment, our nation’s debt is manageable but if it continues to grow, especially at the pace it has been growing over the last five years, just servicing the debt will become the largest expenditure in the nation’s budget.  When this day occurs, the nation will have to make some tough decisions.  Do we severely cut defense and thus jeopardize the nation’s safety at a time when the world is becoming increasingly dangerous.  On the other hand, we could begin dismantling the entitlement system that many have grown to depend upon for basic needs like healthcare, food, housing, etc.  This is what they tried to do in Greece and Spain, resulting in riots, as people did not know what to do without the assistance of some government program due to their becoming overly dependent upon government entitlement programs.  (1) (2)  Of course, we could always just raise taxes on the rich, which will result in rich business owners laying people off to remain in business or even relocating their businesses to another country with lower taxes thus eliminating almost all of their jobs in the United States. 

3)      Out of control regulations – For several years I have, like many of you reading this, been taking medication to treat high blood pressure.  As my body has built up a resistance to many of the medications the doctor has prescribed, he has had to change my medication.  In one instance, the doctor placed me on a medication that did lower my blood pressure but in the process also lowered my heart rate.  After taking this medication for a while, I got up one morning and almost passed out as I stood up.  It appeared that what the doctor had given me to lower my blood pressure had lowered my heart rate to a point where I could not even stand up.  Many of the regulations our government imposes upon us may have been implemented with the intention of correcting some wrong but as is the case with most government regulations, have grown to the point where they are stifling our economy and economic growth.  (3)  These excessive regulations are also killing innovation (4) at a time when we desperately need innovation and growth to get America back to work again. 

4)      Obamacare – Arthritis is a very debilitating disease affecting thousands of people across our nation.  Initially the disease causes pain and stiffness in the joints and is uncomfortable but manageable for the sufferer with some pain medication.  However, as the disease progresses, the sufferer may become incapacitated and even confined to a wheelchair.  Obamacare, like arthritis, starts out as some pain or stiffness that can be managed.  For example, the first year the fine for not having health insurance is only $95 or 1% of a person’s income, whichever is larger.  This is causing many to choose to pay the fine, even though it is uncomfortable, in lieu of paying hundreds of dollars a month for a health insurance policy they may never use because they are young and healthy.  However, each year the fines are set to increase until it will no longer make financial sense to opt for paying the fine.  At this point, much as arthritis debilitates an individual physically, these individuals are debilitated financially as they will need to budget hundreds of dollars a month to pay health insurance premiums.     

The treatment for these symptoms is simple but as is often the case with health treatments, painful.  Treating the deficit symptoms requires cutting spending and achieving a balanced budget.  We must also end baseline budgeting and implement a zero based budgeting process for the federal government.  (5)  This is the same budgetary process private business use and will allow us to balance the Federal Budget by forcing government agencies to begin each fiscal year at zero and force them to justify the amount of money they will require each year for their operations.  This may lead to the reduction or even elimination of some government programs but this will only be because they were unable to justify their need any longer. 

Of course once the patient’s fever of deficits is broken it will no longer be necessary for the patient to continue putting on the weight of more debt.  In fact, the patient may even be able to begin losing weight by paying off some of its debt.  This will eliminate potential future fiscal health disasters for the nation and eliminate the need of strapping future generations with excessive debt caused by past generations irresponsible spending. 

Our nation is overmedicated on regulations and needs to be taken off many of them.  I am not calling for the total elimination of all regulations but in the process of the zero based budgeting process, each of these regulatory agencies is required to justify its existence.  If during the examination it is determined that they are no longer addressing the problem they were created to address and instead are causing undesirable side effects elsewhere, they will be eliminated. 

Finally, we must not allow Obamacare to become an arthritis that debilitates the nation by forcing people to spend hundreds of dollars they work hard for and currently spend on other things.  Granted, health insurance is beneficial when one gets sick and needs it but forcing people to spend money on something they do not want is not freedom but tyranny.  In addition, the money these people spend on health insurance comes out of other parts of their budgets.  This means less spending on vacations, entertainment, or maybe even cause some to be unable to make mortgage payments leading to the loss of their homes. 

My prescription for restoring the nation’s health is therefore simple.  We must go on a spending diet.  Sadly, this may require a twelve-step program as our nation’s government seems to be addicted to the spending of taxpayer’s hard-earned money.  We also must wean the nation off the useless regulatory medications it is currently on so we can eliminate the many undesirable side effects, such as the anemic economic growth our nation is currently experiencing.  In addition, we must repeal the arthritis causing Obamacare before it totally debilitates the nation.

Our nation is sick but not dead and I believe we still have time to restore it back to health but we must begin now before it is too late. 

1. Gregory, Paul Roderick. Note to Krugman: Greece proves Keynesian economics wrong. www.forbes.com. [Online] Forbes, March 18, 2012. [Cited: June 7, 2012.] http://www.forbes.com/sites/paulroderickgregory/2012/03/18/note-to-krugman-greece-proves-keynesian-economics-wrong/.

2. Huff, Ethan A. Panic cash withdrawals in Spain drain banks; Greece-style economic implosion now imminent. www.naturalnews.com. [Online] NaturalNews, September 24, 2012. [Cited: September 24, 2013.] http://www.naturalnews.com/037298_spain_bank_runs_economic_collapse.html#ixzz27o53hac2.

3. Allison, John. Red Tape Is Strangling the Recovery. www.usnews.com. [Online] U.S. News and World Report, October 19, 2012. [Cited: March 18, 2014.] http://www.usnews.com/opinion/blogs/economic-intelligence/2012/10/19/lift-the-regulatory-burden-on-small-businesses.

4. Stewart, Luke A. The Impact of Regulation on Innovation in the United States: A Cross-Industry Literature Review*. www.iom.edu. [Online] Information Technology & Innovation Foundation, June 2010. [Cited: March 28, 2014.] http://www.iom.edu/~/media/Files/Report%20Files/2011/Health-IT/Commissioned-paper-Impact-of-Regulation-on-Innovation.pdf.

5. Americans for Prosperity. Baseline Budgeting vs. Zero-based. americansforprosperity.com. [Online] Americans for Prosperity, August 2012. [Cited: March 18, 2014.] http://americansforprosperityfoundation.com/files/NtK_55_Baseline_Budgeting.pdf.

Qualities of Great Leaders (part 4): A Servants Heart

By:  Dale Weckbacher

Mark 9:35-36

"If anyone desires to be first, he shall be last of all and servant of all."

NKJV

Jesus is an example of the greatest leader that has ever walked the face of the earth.  Of course, as a Christian I have a biased opinion for I also believe Jesus is the Son of God.  However, anyone that studies leadership would have to agree that anyone who could take a rag tag group of fishermen from Galilee, considered outcasts by the elite of both Rome and Jerusalem, and start a movement that continues to this day is a great leader. 

In Mark 9:35-36 Jesus is teaching his disciples, the men that would continue his work after he returned to heaven to be with his father, the importance of leaders serving those they lead.  Viewed in the context of the time Jesus made this statement, this would have been considered a radical concept for the people at that time were living under the dictatorial rule of the Roman Empire as well as the religious laws and traditions of their religious leaders.  The question we will look at in this posting is whether servant leadership is applicable in our current business and political climate.

In the previous three postings of this series we looked at the importance of leaders possessing courage, vision, and integrity.  Even though these qualities are important, the quality of a servant’s heart acts as the glue holding everything together.  This is because a leader must have followers that share in his vision, something a leader seen as someone who cares about his or her followers will find easier to accomplish. 

Edward Hess spent years studying high performing companies to find what leadership qualities were prevalent in these companies.  With the prevailing belief being that great leaders were people with charisma, a commanding presence, and vision, he expected to see a common thread of these qualities in the companies he studied.  Interestingly, however, what he discovered is that, “Almost all of the leaders of the high-performing companies that I studied had none of those traits.  Instead, they are what I call servant leaders.”  (1) 

According to Robert Greenleaf, author of ‘Servant Leadership:  A Journey into the Nature of Legitimate Power and Greatness’ a servant leader possesses the following 10 qualities:

1)      Listening

2)      Empathy

3)      Healing

4)      Awareness

5)      Persuasion

6)      Conceptualization

7)      Foresight

8)      Stewardship

9)      Commitment to the Growth of People

10)   Building Community  (2)

These are all great qualities of leaders and, as Edward Hess discovered, qualities that contribute to greater performance within organizations.  Therefore, we must ask why these qualities are not more prevalent within these organizations.  Perhaps we can find insight by looking at an event, which occurred in the 1990,’s at a ServiceMaster board meeting.  

Prior to the meeting CEO William Pollard spilled a cup of coffee.  Of course as CEO, it would have been easy for him to summon one of his employees to come over and clean up the mess.  However, Mr. Pollard did not take this easy approach and instead had a colleague get him some cleaning compound and a cloth, items sold by the company, and proceeded to clean up the mess himself.  Interestingly, hardly anyone at the meeting noticed what Mr. Pollard did because what he did was a common occurrence within the organization.  (3)

Servant leadership is not easy for it involves the leader being willing to roll up his or her sleeves and do some dirty work, such as cleaning up coffee he or she has spilled.  However, a leader’s willingness to take responsibility for their own actions instills trust in the leader and makes it easier for followers to buy into the leader’s vision for the organization.  If we were to dig deeper into ServiceMaster under the leadership of Mr. Pollard, we would probably find the people in the organization were also willing to follow Mr. Pollard’s vision for the organization with little opposition. 

Becoming a servant leader means being willing to join with people in the organization as they work to make the organization successful.  It means getting out of the boardroom, the oval office, or golf course, and seeing the challenges followers face in their daily lives.  This week President Obama told people claiming that they cannot afford Obamacare to get rid of their cable and cellphones.  (4)

This is not an example of servant leadership but is instead an example of a leader asking people to make sacrifices, sacrifices he is unwilling to make, in the interest of advancing his vision for the nation.  If President Obama were a true servant leader, he would be finding ways to make health insurance more affordable and optional so people could afford it and still have a choice on whether to buy it or not. 

Therefore, in these upcoming elections it is important that we find leaders with courage, vision, and integrity.  However, we must not forget the important quality of a servants heart.  Next Saturday we will begin looking at some of the potential leaders in our country and see how they stack up against our standards of courage, vision, integrity, and a servant’s heart. 

1. Hess, Edward D. Servant leadership: A path to high performance. www.washingtonpost.com. [Online] The Washington Post, April 28, 2013. [Cited: March 15, 2014.] http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/capitalbusiness/servant-leadership-a-path-to-high-performance/2013/04/26/435e58b2-a7b8-11e2-8302-3c7e0ea97057_story.html.

2. Greenleaf, Robert. Ten Principles of Servant Leadership. www.butler.edu. [Online] Butler University. [Cited: March 15, 2014.] https://www.butler.edu/volunteer/resources/principles-of-servant-leadership/.

3. Heskett, James. Why Isn't Servant Leadership More Prevalent? www.forbes.com. [Online] Forbes, May 1, 2013. [Cited: March 15, 2014.] http://www.forbes.com/sites/hbsworkingknowledge/2013/05/01/why-isnt-servant-leadership-more-prevalent/.

4. Cain, Herman. VIDEO: Obama tells man who can’t afford ObamaCare to get rid of cable, cell phone. canadafreepress.com. [Online] Canada Free Press, March 13, 2014. [Cited: March 15, 2014.] http://canadafreepress.com/index.php/article/61748.

The Ukrainian Energy Connection

By:  Dale Weckbacher

Exodus 13:11-14

11 "And it shall be, when the LORD brings you into the land of the Canaanites, as He swore to you and your fathers, and gives it to you, 12 that you shall set apart to the LORD all that open the womb, that is, every firstborn that comes from an animal which you have; the males shall be the LORD's. 13 But every firstborn of a donkey you shall redeem with a lamb; and if you will not redeem it, then you shall break its neck. And all the firstborn of man among your sons you shall redeem. 14 So it shall be, when your son asks you in time to come, saying, 'What is this?' that you shall say to him,'By strength of hand the LORD brought us out of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.

NKJV

The purpose of history is to teach us.  This is why in the above passage, God told the people of Israel to dedicate all their first-born animals and sons.  This tradition would give them an opportunity in the future to tell their children how the Lord miraculously delivered His people from Egyptian bondage. 

Examples from history teach us what we should do by pointing out the great accomplishments of people from the past.  For example, the great accomplishment of landing a man on the moon taught us what we as a nation can accomplish when a leader with a bold vision leads us.  However, we also learn what not to do from mistakes of the past.  During the Cold War, Eastern Europe lived under the oppression of the Soviet Union while the rest of the world lived under the threat of a nuclear apocalypse.    

One would think that the lessons learned from the Cold War would have caused the world to raise a major red flag when Russia recently invaded the Ukraine.  However, many nations, especially those in Eastern Europe and the European Union (EU) seem to have a lassie faire attitude concerning this event.  This leads us to ask the question, are they just oblivious to history or is there something else going on. 

The United States and many countries in Europe have implemented policies restricting the extraction of fossil fuels in their countries.  I find it interesting that they want to restrict the extraction of fossil fuels within their borders in the interest of saving the planet but offer little resistance to the purchase of these fossil fuels from other countries.  We must question their logic for if the extraction of fossil fuels damages the planet, does it not damage the planet in the country from which they are purchasing the fossil fuels?

This warped environmental logic explains why the nations in the European Union and even some in our own nation have such a lassie faire attitude about the events in the Ukraine.  The truth is that Europe has a dependence on Russian energy and fear Putin may shut off the pipeline that supplies much of their energy.  (1)  Once again, history provides us an example of how failure to institute policies promoting energy independence can place a nation’s national security at risk.  This is the same lesson our nation should have learned during the oil embargo in the 1970’s.  (2)  However, just as Europe has not learned lessons from the Cold War and risks its national security due to its lack of energy independence, our nation too did not learn from the oil embargo and risks its national security with its continued dependence on Middle Eastern oil. 

The situation in the Ukraine does however present an opportunity for the United States to bolster its economy by lifting the ban on U.S. oil exports as a counterbalance to Russia’s petro-influence.  (3)  The lifting of this ban would not only cause Russia to lose its iron grip on the EU but would be a genuine stimulus to our stagnant economy.  All one has to do is look at the current oil boom we are experiencing in North Dakota and Texas and imagine what would occur if this boom were experienced in much of the rest of our nation.  (4) (5)  In fact, five other states are set to have their own oil boom (6) something the lifting of the current ban on oil exportation no doubt would accelerate.    

History seems to repeatedly be attempting to teach us that dependence on foreign oil, especially from nations that either used to be, or currently are our enemies is unwise and places the national security of our nation at risk.  It also stifles potential economic growth for our nation at a time when there are record numbers of people on foodstamps, (7) people that have given up looking for work evidenced by a shrinking labor participation rate, (8) and people going on disability just to survive after exhausting all of their unemployment.  (9)   

It is time that our nation learned the lessons history is repeatedly attempting to teach us and end our dependence on foreign oil, which threatens our national and economic security.  It is time that our nation transformed from the world’s greatest oil importer into a leading exporter of fossil fuels.  Then stand back, watch, and enjoy the economic boom and increased national security that will result. 

1. Kennedy, Bruce. Ukraine crisis highlights Europe's dependence on Russian energy. www.cbsnews.com. [Online] CBS Money Watch, March 4, 2014. [Cited: March 11, 2014.] http://www.cbsnews.com/news/does-russian-oil-trump-possible-european-sanctions/.

2. Trumbore, Brian. The Arab Oil Embargo of 1973-74. www.buyandhold.com. [Online] Freedom Investments. [Cited: March 11, 2014.] http://www.buyandhold.com/bh/en/education/history/2002/arab.html.

3. Helman, Christopher. The Ukraine Crisis Is Bolstering America's Oil And Gas Boom. www.forbes.com. [Online] Forbes, March 10, 2014. [Cited: March 11, 2014.] http://www.forbes.com/sites/christopherhelman/2014/03/10/the-ukraine-crisis-is-bolstering-americas-oil-and-gas-boom/.

4. Brody, David. Oil Boom! North Dakota Sees 'Black Gold' Rush. www.cbn.com. [Online] CBN News, January 31, 2014. [Cited: March 11, 2014.] https://www.cbn.com/cbnnews/us/2014/January/Oil-Boom-North-Dakota-Sees-Black-Gold-Rush/.

5. Kashi, David. Texas Is Having Another Oil Boom And Its Production Could Outpace Iraq, Iran and Kuwait In A Few Years. www.ibtimes.com. [Online] International Business Times, September 13, 2013. [Cited: March 11, 2014.] http://www.ibtimes.com/texas-having-another-oil-boom-its-production-could-outpace-iraq-iran-kuwait-few-years-1405348.

6. Briodt, Blaire. The Next North Dakota: 5 States About to Go Oil Boom. www.thefiscaltimes.com. [Online] The Fiscal Times, December 2, 2013. [Cited: March 11, 2014.] http://www.thefiscaltimes.com/Articles/2013/12/02/Next-North-Dakota-5-States-About-Go-Oil-Boom.

7. Meyer, Ali. Record 20% of Households on Food Stamps in 2013. cnsnews.com. [Online] CNS News, January 21, 2014. [Cited: March 11, 2014.] http://cnsnews.com/news/article/ali-meyer/record-20-households-food-stamps-2013.

8. Economic Policy Institute. Shrinking labor force explains drop in unemployment. www.epi.org. [Online] [Cited: March 11, 2014.] http://www.epi.org/news/shrinking-labor-force-explains-drop-unemployment/.

9. Gongloff, Mark. Rise In Disability Rolls Helps Explain An Unemployment Mystery. huffingtonpost.com. [Online] Huff Post Business, May 8, 2012. [Cited: July 18, 2012.] http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/05/03/social-security-disability_n_1474621.html.

Qualities of Great Leaders (part 3): Integrity

By:  Dale Weckbacher

1 Sam 12:3-4

3 Here I am. Witness against me before the LORD and before His anointed: Whose ox have I taken, or whose donkey have I taken, or whom have I cheated? Whom have I oppressed, or from whose hand have I received any bribe with which to blind my eyes? I will restore it to you."

4 And they said,"You have not cheated us or oppressed us, nor have you taken anything from any man's hand."

NKJV

Samuel was the last of the judges of Israel.  He was dedicated to the Lord by his mother at his birth and served the Lord his entire life.  In the above passage, we also see that Samuel was a man of impeccable integrity and as such had the respect of the entire nation.  Is it any wonder that when the people of Israel wanted a king, they went to Samuel to have him appoint a king for them. 

In the first two parts of this series we explored the importance of leaders possessing courage and strength as well as vision.  However, all the courage, strength, and vision are useless unless a leader can get people to follow him and followers have difficulty following someone they cannot trust.  This is why I believe integrity is the most important quality a leader must possess.

It has been said that integrity is doing the right thing when no one is watching.  Colonel Eric Kail has been quoted as saying, “Integrity is doing the right thing when no one is watching.  That definition relies too much on habit.  I can be without integrity, yet trained to behave predictably in a certain manner.  Of course, discipline is valuable; but I want to know that my hands are disciplined as a result of the integrity of my soul, not my ability to follow rules without thinking about them.”  (1)  I believe that the point Colonel Kail is making is that integrity is not about doing, it is about being.  Samuel was a man of integrity not because of what he did, or did not do but because the desire of his heart from birth was serving the Lord and the people of Israel. 

Leaders of courage and strength with vision must also have their followers buy into their vision in order for the vision to go from a dream, or pipe dream, into reality.  However, buy in will be difficult if not impossible if a leader cannot be depended on to tell the truth or do what they say.  Leadership expert John Maxwell wrote a book entitled 'There’s No Such Thing as Business Ethics.'  The title shocked many but Mr. Maxwell explained the title by saying there is simply ethics.  (2)  In other words, one is either ethical in all aspects of his or her life or not. 

Integrity is not what a leader says, but what he or she does and is in all aspects of their lives.  Samuel went so far as to invite people to point out any lack of integrity in his life and nobody came forward to present anything.  Of course sceptics will say that they spoke out of fear of reprisal from Samuel.  However, the followers of Samuel believed he spoke for God and also believed that if they were to lie, God would know.  They therefore would not have feared pointing out inequities in Samuel’s life, believing that failing to point them out before God would invite judgment from God. 

President Obama has demonstrated a total lack of integrity in his presidency.  He promised that Obamacare would allow people to keep their health care plan if they liked it.  (3)  He uses the IRS to intimidate those that disagree with his policies.  (4)  He turns his back on the people under attack in our embassy in Benghazi.  (5)  He is definitely not a leader with integrity like Samuel. 

So how do we find leaders with integrity?  Since integrity is about actions not just words, we cannot simply rely on what a leader says or promises to do.  This is especially true about people running for political office.  They are seeking a job and will say almost anything to get votes.  We therefore must look at potential leaders past accomplishments and associations in order to determine if they possess the quality of integrity. 

With Obama, people that dared bring up his past associations or lack of accomplishments were deemed racist and their findings ignored.  This failure to look at Obama’s past is why we as a nation now are enduring the leadership of someone lacking integrity.  We must insure we learn from this mistake and do not make it again. 

During the next weeks and months, hundreds of men and women will be seeking election to the House of Representatives and Senate.  They will all promise to improve the lives of their constituents but it is important for voters to check into their accomplishments and associations in order to determine if they are leaders with integrity.  Soon after the 2014 elections, we will then have several men and women seeking to be our nation’s next president.  These men and women will also promise to solve all our nation’s problems.  It is also imperative for voters to check into their accomplishments and associations in order to determine if they possess the important quality of integrity. 

Next week we will look at the importance of a leader possessing a servant’s heart. 

1. Kail, Colonel Eric. Leadership character: The role of integrity. www.washingtonpost.com. [Online] The Washington Post, July 8, 2011. [Cited: March 7, 2014.] http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/guest-insights/post/leadership-character-the-role-of-integrity/2011/04/04/gIQArZL03H_blog.html.

2. Diversity MBA Magazine. Why Leaders Need Vision, Integrity & Compassion to Succeed. diversitymbamagazine.com. [Online] March 31, 2010. [Cited: March 7, 2014.] http://diversitymbamagazine.com/why-leaders-need-vision-integrity-compassion-to-succeed.

3. Ellerson, Lindsey. President Obama Continues Questionable “You Can Keep Your Health Care” Promise. abcnews.go.com. [Online] ABC News, July 16, 2009. [Cited: October 25, 2013.] http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/politics/2009/07/president-obama-continues-questionable-you-can-keep-your-health-care-promise/.

4. Campbell, Greg. Obama Attempting to Make IRS Targeting Tea Party Legal. www.tpnn.com. [Online] Tea Party News Network, December 13, 2013. [Cited: December 27, 2013.] http://www.tpnn.com/2013/12/13/obama-attempting-to-make-targeting-tea-party-legal/.

5. Treacher, Jim. Benghazi: CIA operators made three separate requests for help, were turned down. dailycaller.com. [Online] The Daily Caller, October 26, 2012. [Cited: June 18, 2013.] http://dailycaller.com/2012/10/26/benghazi-cia-made-three-separate-requests-for-help-were-turned-down/.