Dr. Rob Marsh … Delta Force soldier finds peace as country doctor

An unassuming man walked to the middle of the stage in front of a room of 300 military veterans and their guests who stood and applauded the Desert Storm veteran, now in his mid-50s. He paused and seemed to take in the faces before him, humbled at the reception. As guests sat down, Dr. Rob Marsh began his story by noting that he doesn’t often speak but, when he does, his priority is with military groups, veterans groups, and medical gatherings that may offer new medical and surgical techniques that can help our soldiers at war.

Then he paused, kind of bowed his head, and quietly said that he would talk with groups if he felt his message could honor the Lord. He went on to add.... (continue reading here)

Kay Coles James for RPV chairman: A visionary for the future of the party

The announcement by Pat Mullins last week that he will step down as State Chairman of the Republican Party of Virginia (RPV) on January 31, 2015, has begun the usual flurry of telephone calls and email messages that range from “Who will run for RPV Chairman?” to outright requests for support for one candidate or another.

Before the RPV State Central Committee rushes to promote from within, Virginia Republicans should step back and ... (continue reading here)

Is Jeb right? Putting his 'act of love' immigration comments in context

Many are quoting Jeb Bush and criticizing his "act of love" comments concerning immigration. Perhaps it would help if they put the comment in context:

"The way I look at this is someone who comes to our country because they couldn’t come legally, they come to our country because their families -- the dad who loved their children -- was worried that their children didn’t have food on the table. And they wanted to make sure their family was intact, and they crossed the border because they had no other means to work to be able to provide for their family.

"Yes, they broke the law, but it’s not a felony. It’s an act of love. It’s an act of commitment to your family. I honestly think that that is a different kind of crime that there should be a price paid, but it shouldn’t rile people up that people are actually coming to this country to provide for their families."

His is a humanitarian look at a huge issue in America, and it's increasingly becoming a wedge between political friends. Rightly or wrongly, the GOP has become known as the party of no. The outrage over Jeb's comments and his willingness to look at comprehensive immigration reform only feeds that image. However, the former Florida governor is willing to sit at the table and discuss an issue that some have summarily dismissed without looking for solutions.

The Wall Street Journal editorialized on Tuesday that Jeb "makes more sense than his critics" and commented on the GOP:

For a party that has lost the popular vote in five of the last six presidential elections, the GOP sure seems eager to banish people from its potential candidate ranks. First Senator Marco Rubio was expelled from impolite conservative company, then Rep. Paul Ryan came in for abuse, and now former Florida Governor Jeb Bush is being whipped for breaking from the anti-immigration orthodoxy on the right.

Ouch.

Will all the estimated 10 million illegal immigrants be shipped back home, or are we willing to look for solutions? Jeb Bush has some suggestions:

Mr. Bush urged everyone to drop "the harsh political rhetoric" and recognize that immigrants "can make a contribution to our country if we organize ourselves in a better way." Assimilation is essential to that effort, he said, and should include teaching civics in public school and requiring English.

Twenty-five years ago President Ronald Reagan faced the same issue. "I believe in the idea of amnesty for those who have put down roots and lived here, even though sometime back they may have entered illegally," he said at the time. He granted amnesty. The WSJ compared that to today's less tolerant atmosphere and concluded:

Not too long ago that would have been called Reagan orthodoxy. Mr. Bush says he'll decide on whether to run for President by the end of the year, but if he does run he's already got a better immigration message than the self-defeating "self-deportation" crowd that cost the GOP so dearly in 2012.

The decision in 2016 will be whether to go with a hard-liner, or with someone who is willing to take the more difficult path in today's political atmosphere to find solutions. When someone is willing to give up political dreams to do what's right, that may be the leader America needs.

NY Times Jill Abramson: 'This is the most secretive White House I've ever dealt with'

Jill Abramson, executive editor of the New York Times, noted in an interview that the Obama White House was the most secretive she had ever dealt with:

"I would say it is the most secretive White House that I have ever been involved in covering, and that includes — I spent 22 years of my career in Washington and covered presidents from President Reagan on up through now, and I was Washington bureau chief of the Times during George W. Bush's first term," Abramson told Al Jazeera America in an interview that will air on Sunday.

"I dealt directly with the Bush White House when they had concerns that stories we were about to run put the national security under threat. But, you know, they were not pursuing criminal leak investigations," she continued. "The Obama administration has had seven criminal leak investigations. That is more than twice the number of any previous administration in our history. It's on a scale never seen before. This is the most secretive White House that, at least as a journalist, I have ever dealt with."

The comments were made to Al Jazeera America in an interview that will air Sunday.

Politico noted:

James Risen, a Times reporter, is currently fighting to avoid having to testify against a former CIA official accused of being his source. According to Robert Gates's new memoir, Obama hadn't been in office more than a month before saying he wanted a criminal investigation into disclosures on Iran policy that had been published the Times.

In the wake of the revelations about the Justice Department's monitoring of Fox News reporter James Rosen, whom the DOJ labeled a “co-conspirator," the Times editorial board wrote that "the Obama administration has moved beyond protecting government secrets to threatening fundamental freedoms of the press to gather news."

The far-reaching interview touched on the Iraq War, the Snowden debacle, and the future of print newspapers as well as secrecy of the Obama White House.

Today: Susan Allen book signing at Chestefield Barnes & Noble

Ronald Reagan was a remarkable man, and one person who would know that is Virginia's former First Lady Susan Allen whose husband George began his political career leading the Young Republicans for Reagan in 1976. Now Mrs. Allen has lovingly written about this man admired by many.

The Remarkable Ronald Reagan: Cowboy and Commander-in-Chief is a children's book but I am eager to read it for two reasons: 1) it's about Ronald Reagan; 2) its author is Susan Allen. They are both people I greatly admire.

Mrs. Allen and her book will be at the Chesterfield Town Center's Barnes & Noble bookstore this Saturday, July 13, 2013, at 1:00 p.m. For those in the Richmond area, it's a wonderful opportunity to visit with Susan for story time and to have her sign your copy of the book.

The Barnes & Noble website offered an overview of the book:

Ronald Reagan was a natural leader, well-remembered not just for his political leadership, but also for his warmth, kindness, dignity, and optimism. There’s a lot kids can learn from Reagan, about our country and about being good leaders and good people.

The Remarkable Ronald Reagan: Cowboy and Commander in Chief is a fun, colorful look at his life, from his humble beginnings as the son of a shoe salesman, to his years as a Hollywood actor, his service in WWII, his life as a rancher, and finally the culmination of his political career in the Oval Office. Ronald Reagan is an ideal role model, not only as a leader and former president, but also as a shining example of self-sacrifice and determination. The Remarkable Ronald Reagan is a treat for the entire family.

TLC Book Tours offered more in its assessment of the book:

The Remarkable Ronald Reagan is a wonderful new children's book about our great president and his big dreams in life and his great accomplishments as our Nation's leader....Written for elementary students, adults will also enjoy the walk down memory lane with Reagan -- and everyone will learn something new about this remarkable man! Look forward to seeing you there!

If you miss the Chesterfield stop on Mrs. Allen's book tour, she will be at the Charlottesville Barracks Road Shopping Center Barnes & Noble on Saturday, July 20, 2013, at 11:00 a.m.

Mrs. Allen talked with the folks at the DC Fox News affiliate in an interview about her book. Also, be sure to check out her Facebook page for photos of various locations along the tour and updates about upcoming dates.

About Susan Allen
Susan Allen served as First Lady of Virginia when her husband, George Allen, was elected as the Commonwealth’s 67thGovernor. In that role, she worked on many initiatives including tourism, breast cancer awareness, and children’s issues.

Accompanying her father-in-law, famed NFL head coach and Chairman of The President’s Council on Physical Fitness, Susan met Ronald Reagan in 1987 in the Oval Office. Reagan was an Allen family friend and the one who inspired her husband to run for office. George led Young Virginians for Reagan in 1976 and currently serves on the Board for Governors for the Reagan Ranch.

Susan Allen resides in Mt. Vernon, VA, with her husband and is an avid fan of reading, history, and the outdoors. The Allens have two daughters, Tyler and Brooke, and one son, Forrest.

Saturday in Chesterfield: Susan Allen and 'The Remarkable Ronald Reagan'

Ronald Reagan was a remarkable man, and one person who would know that is Virginia's former First Lady Susan Allen whose husband George began his political career leading the Young Republicans for Reagan in 1976. Now Mrs. Allen has lovingly written about this man admired by many.

The Remarkable Ronald Reagan: Cowboy and Commander-in-Chief is a children's book but I am eager to read it for two reasons: 1) it's about Ronald Reagan; 2) its author is Susan Allen. They are both people I greatly admire.

Mrs. Allen and her book will be at the Chesterfield Town Center's Barnes & Noble bookstore this Saturday, July 13, 2013, at 1:00 p.m. For those in the Richmond area, it's a wonderful opportunity to visit with Susan for story time and to have her sign your copy of the book.

The Barnes & Noble website offered an overview of the book:

Ronald Reagan was a natural leader, well-remembered not just for his political leadership, but also for his warmth, kindness, dignity, and optimism. There’s a lot kids can learn from Reagan, about our country and about being good leaders and good people.

The Remarkable Ronald Reagan: Cowboy and Commander in Chief is a fun, colorful look at his life, from his humble beginnings as the son of a shoe salesman, to his years as a Hollywood actor, his service in WWII, his life as a rancher, and finally the culmination of his political career in the Oval Office. Ronald Reagan is an ideal role model, not only as a leader and former president, but also as a shining example of self-sacrifice and determination. The Remarkable Ronald Reagan is a treat for the entire family.

TLC Book Tours offered more in its assessment of the book:

The Remarkable Ronald Reagan is a wonderful new children's book about our great president and his big dreams in life and his great accomplishments as our Nation's leader....Written for elementary students, adults will also enjoy the walk down memory lane with Reagan -- and everyone will learn something new about this remarkable man! Look forward to seeing you there!

If you miss the Chesterfield stop on Mrs. Allen's book tour, she will be at the Charlottesville Barracks Road Shopping Center Barnes & Noble on Saturday, July 20, 2013, at 11:00 a.m.

Mrs. Allen talked with the folks at the DC Fox News affiliate in an interview about her book. Also, be sure to check out her Facebook page for photos of various locations along the tour and updates about upcoming dates.

About Susan Allen
Susan Allen served as First Lady of Virginia when her husband, George Allen, was elected as the Commonwealth’s 67thGovernor. In that role, she worked on many initiatives including tourism, breast cancer awareness, and children’s issues.

Accompanying her father-in-law, famed NFL head coach and Chairman of The President’s Council on Physical Fitness, Susan met Ronald Reagan in 1987 in the Oval Office. Reagan was an Allen family friend and the one who inspired her husband to run for office. George led Young Virginians for Reagan in 1976 and currently serves on the Board for Governors for the Reagan Ranch.

Susan Allen resides in Mt. Vernon, VA, with her husband and is an avid fan of reading, history, and the outdoors. The Allens have two daughters, Tyler and Brooke, and one son, Forrest.

[And an unofficial added note from me: Susan Allen is an all-around classy lady.]

How the GOP lost the youth vote

Politico reports the College Republican National Committee will release a dismal report on Monday detailing why the GOP has lost the youth vote. Among the reasons listed:

Gay marriage: “On the ‘open-minded’ issue … [w]e will face serious difficulty so long as the issue of gay marriage remains on the table.”

Hispanics: “Latino voters … tend to think the GOP couldn’t care less about them.”

Perception of the party’s economic stance: “We’ve become the party that will pat you on your back when you make it, but won’t offer you a hand to help you get there.”

Big reason for the image problem: The “outrageous statements made by errant Republican voices.”

Words that up-for-grabs voters associate with the GOP: “The responses were brutal: closed-minded, racist, rigid, old-fashioned.”

President George W. Bush received rave reviews for attracting the youth vote as well as President Ronald Reagan. Politico noted:

“[The] Republican Party has won the youth vote before and can absolutely win it again,” the report says, pointing to presidents Ronald Reagan and George W. Bush who were competitive with that demographic. “But this will not occur without significant work to repair the damage done to the Republican brand among this age group over the last decade.”

The entire article can be read here.

Friday: Central Virginia 2013 Lincoln-Reagan Dinner

Chesterfield Republicans will welcome special guest speaker James F. Kuhn, executive assistant to President Ronald Reagan, to their 2013 Lincoln-Reagan Dinner this Friday, May 3.

Held at the Holiday Inn Kroger Center near Chesterfield Town Center, this annual event sponsored by the Chesterfield County Republican Committee will feature a silent auction, live music, straw poll, happy hour, and VIP reception. It will also present a fantastic opportunity to rub elbows with some of Virginia's most influential Republican leaders.

More about the Guest Speaker:
With over 20 years of Washington experience, James F. Kuhn has served at the highest levels of government in addition to working closely with select corporations, national associations and organizations in developing and recommending positions on key policy issues. Mr. Kuhn's Washington experience has its roots in the White House, where he served eight years under President Ronald Reagan. During the second term of the Reagan Administration, Mr. Kuhn served as the President's executive assistant, as well as worked closely with the President and White House senior staff.

Event Schedule:
Reception - 5:30 pm with live music
Silent Auction
Straw Poll
Hors D'oeuvres & cash bar
Dinner - 7:00 pm
Business/Formal Attire

Dinner Choices:
Oven Roasted 36-Herb & Spices Half Chicken served w/ Citron Chablis Sauce
~ or ~
Roast Prime Rib of Beef, served with Sage Demi-Glace

Location:
Holiday Inn Kroger Center, Chesterfield
1021 Kroger Center Blvd, Richmond, Va

Ticket information:
Check out the 2013 Lincoln-Reagan Dinner website

George W. Bush and Tony Blair could reunite at Margaret Thatcher's funeral

Margaret Thatcher's funeral in London on Wednesday could present the opportunity for former allies George W. Bush and Tony Blair to reunite. All former U.S. presidents were invited to the funeral.

Mrs. Thatcher's death last week prompted President Bush to praise the former Prime Minister as an inspiration leader who "stood on principle and guided er nation with confidence and clarity."

The war on terrorism brought President Bush and Prime Minister Blair together as they formed an alliance and friendship:

Blair and Bush formed a strong alliance over their decision to launch the invasion of Iraq ten years ago, much to the dismay of many on the left in Britain given the Republican president's conservative views.

On Monday, a pre-dawn rehearsal for the Wednesday funeral was held in the streets of London.

See previous post: Margaret Thatcher, 1925-2013: Ronald Reagan's ally and America's friend.

Margaret Thatcher, 1925-2013 ... Ronald Reagan's friend and America's ally

 Margaret Thatcher said goodbye in 2004 to her dear friend Ronald Reagan.

Margaret Thatcher died today. She was 87. It is the passing of an era ... Great Britain has lost a great leader, and the world has lost another of its guardians.

I can just imagine it now, in heaven, the reuniting of three powerful leaders who fought to keep the world safe from harm: Margaret Thatcher, Winston Churchill, and Ronald Reagan.

In my mind is the image of the former British Prime Minister in 2004 at the Capitol of the United States of America after President Ronald Reagan passed away. His flag-draped casket was on view in the rotunda as thousands of citizens filed by to pay their respects. Then Lady Thatcher, not in good health herself, arrived to honor her old friend with these words:

"We have lost a great president, a great American, and a great man. And I have lost a dear friend."

It was a special relationship between the leader of America and the leader of Great Britain whose terms overlapped in the 1980s -- her leadership lasting from 1979-90 and his from 1981-89.

They have been called kindred spirits, political soul mates, the dynamic duo. Together they fought the "Cold War," a different kind of terrorism largely unknown to many of today's younger generation, as they stood shoulder-to-shoulder against the Soviet Union. Her leadership and tough demeanor were an inspiration to many young women who later carried those characteristics into politics and the business world.

If her life could be summed up in a nutshell, this is close:

Thatcher was the first — and still only — female prime minister in Britain's history. But she often found feminists tiresome and was not above using her handbag as a prop to underline her swagger and power. A grocer's daughter, she rose to the top of Britain's snobbish hierarchy the hard way, and envisioned a classless society that rewarded hard work and determination.

The Iron Lady, as she was nicknamed, will be honored with a state funeral at St. Paul's Cathedral where she will lie in state in Westminister Hall. It will be the time since former Prime Minister Winston Churchill, who was her hero, died in 1965 and was honored as hundreds of thousands filed past his casket.

If Ronald Reagan was still alive, he would probably eulogize his dear friend and ally with words very similar to the ones that closed Lady Thatcher's tribute and remembrance of him when he died:

For the final years of his life, Ronnie's mind was clouded by illness. That cloud has now lifted. He is himself again - more himself than at any time on this earth. For we may be sure that the Big Fella Upstairs never forgets those who remember Him. And as the last journey of this faithful pilgrim took him beyond the sunset, and as heaven's morning broke, I like to think - in the words of Bunyan - that `all the trumpets sounded on the other side'.

We here still move in twilight. But we have one beacon to guide us that Ronald Reagan never had. We have his example. Let us give thanks today for a life that achieved so much for all of God's children."

Rest in peace, Lady Thatcher ... and thank you.

Ronald Reagan's "there's a bear in the woods" tv ad

I'm old enough to remember Ronald Reagan's television ads during his presidential campaigns. The two that stand out most to me are the "there's a bear in the woods" ad and the "morning in America" ad ... and Fishersville Mike has the "bear in the woods" video posted....

Ronald Wilson Reagan ... 1911-2004

"Let us be sure that those who come after will say of us in our time, that in our time we did everything that could be done. We finished the race; we kept them free; we kept the faith."

--Ronald Reagan
40th President of the United States
Died June 5, 2004

Family leadership

"Our leaders must remember that education doesn't begin with some isolated bureaucrat in Washington. It doesn't even begin with state or local officials. Education begins in the home, where it is a parental right and responsibility."

Ronald Reagan, 1982

"All great change in America begins at the dinner table."

Ronald Reagan, 1989

Ronald Reagan on why he was in politics....

Ronald Reagan, when asked why he was in politics, responded:

"... I ultimately went into politics because I wanted to protect something precious ... I went into politics in part to put up my hand and say, 'Stop.' I was a citizen politician, and it seemed the right thing for a citizen to do."

Ronald Reagan's 11th Commandment ... the entire text

Many Republicans like to bring up Ronald Reagan's "11th Commandment" of not speaking ill of another Republican. But they forget that Reagan ran against a sitting Republican president in 1976!

The actual quote is:

When the chips are down and the decisions are made as to who the candidates will be, then the 11th commandment prevails and everybody goes to work, and that is: Thou shalt not speak ill of another Republican.

He clearly was talking about after the GOP had decided its nominee.

Reagan's conservative leadership....

Check out John Maxfield's post.

"Defending the American Dream"

Americans for Properity Foundation's "Defending the American Dream" Summit is taking place at the Mayflower Hotel in Washington, DC, today and tomorrow. This is an all-star event with participants coming from 35 states to hear speakers such as:

John Stossel, Co-Anchor of 20/20
Fred Thompson, 2008 Presidential Candidate
Mitt Romney, 2008 Presidential Candidate
Rudy Giuliani, 2008 Presidential Candidate
Sen. Sam Brownback, 2008 Presidential Candidate
Sen. John McCain, 2008 Presidential Candidate
Sen. Tom Coburn (OK-R)
Sen. Jim DeMint (SC-R)
Congressman Jeff Flake (AZ-R)
Michael Steele, former MD Lt. Governor
Dinesh D'Souza, author of Ronald Reagan

The two-day event will present an opportunity for citizen leaders to learn more about how they can protect the principles of freedom that President Ronald Reagan espoused.

Those citizen leaders will help send a message that American taxpayers have had enough of out-of-control spending and taxation -- that there exists a national grassroots movement committed to protecting our economic freedom.

Leading grassroots experts will conduct seminars to offer tools to help recruit, motivate, and develop even more grassroots leaders to carry on this important fight.

National experts will tell how to more effectively make citizen voices heard on Capitol Hill or in the state legislature, how to recruit additional grassroots activists at the local level, and how to organize local grassroots Summits in each state.

The event will close Friday evening with a Ronald Reagan Dinner offering a tribute to that great conservative leader.

Virginia has the largest state delegation attending with a special lunch tomorrow featuring Attorney General Bob McDonnell and other guests.

I hope to blog from the Summit although it promises to be a whirlwind two days. Townhall.com will have a bloggers gathering and, all in all, it should be an informative, interesting time in DC.

"You can't put a price tag on the American Dream. That Dream is the heart and soul of America; it's the promise that keeps our nation forever good and generous, a model and hope to the world." -- President Ronald Reagan

Ronald Reagan, the statesman....

Leslie Carbone is a fellow ODBA member, a respected writer and lecturer living in the D.C. area, and a fellow conservative who was one of the Bloggers 4 Sayre.

Leslie posted a remembrance of how Ronald Reagan handled defeat during the Republican Convention in 1976 when he lost the nomination by only 70 votes to the more moderate Gerald Ford.

In Spirit of 76, she recounts how Gerald Ford invited Ronald Reagan to address the delegates at the Republican Convention. If we use history as our guide we often find a template to follow and words of wisdom to help us weather the storms.

To what could have been a divided Party, Governor Reagan concluded his remarks with:

"We must go forth from here united, determined that what a great general said a few years ago is true: There is no substitute for victory, Mr. President."

Those who wish to split the Republican Party are mistaken if they think they're going to accomplish that through the Sayre supporters. A Republican victory in November is the goal for the 24th District.

Ronald Reagan met with his supporters before heading back to California. Disappointed at their loss, he reminded them:

"The cause goes on. It's just one battle in a long war and it will go on as long as we all live."

Quoting St. Barton's Ode, he added:

I will lay me down and bleed a while. Though I am wounded, I am not slain. I shall rise and fight again.

His final words to his disappointed campaign volunteers were the following:

"Don't get cynical ... look at yourselves and what you were willing to do, and recognize that there are millions and millions of Americans out there that want what you want, that want it to be as we do, who want it to be a shining city on a hill."

Almost half the voters in Tuesday's Republican Primary voted for Scott Sayre. Now is the time for both sides to work together for the betterment of the Party.