3 – Beyond a Shroud of Evidence

The basic foundation of American politics is faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. This is where our rights and liberties come from for He is the Creator. To attempt to develop another foundation for politics is to pursue self-destruction.

I know that God and the Lord Jesus Christ really exist apart from any physical evidence, yet I have been fascinated by the Shroud of Turin, which is physical proofof the existence of God, Jesus Christ.

INTRODUCTION

Today we have recorded on the Shroud of Turin a record of the sign of the Son of Man for the entire world to see and to consider. The image on the Shroud of Turin is three dimensional, which means that the Shroud was lying on the body of Jesus.1

THE SHROUD OF TURIN, THE WITNESS OF JESUS

The Jews asked Jesus for a sign that they might believe that Jesus was the promised messiah. Jesus said no sign would be given except the sign of the prophet Jonah. As Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of a whale, so shall the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.2

The account of the burial is found in each Gospel.3 Matthew reads, “Joseph took the body, wrapped it in a clean linen cloth,4 this describes the Shroud of Turin accurately. “A clean linen cloth, “mans one linen cloth not cut into strips. Wrapped means, to wind or fold (a covering around something).5 The Shroud covered the body from the feet under the body to the head going over the head and extending back to the feet on top of the body.

In the context of this passage we read that evening was approaching. There was not a lot of time to ask Pilate for the body, remove the body from the cross, and get it buried.6 Many teach that the strips of linen were found wound around the arms, legs and body of Jesus. This concept is found in John 19:40 as translated in the New International Version (NIV) as: “Taking Jesus’ body, the two of them wrapped it, with the spices, in strips of linen. This was in accordance with Jewish burial custom.” The Greek Text can, alternately, be translated “strips of linen”; while it is not mandatory. There are other ways other ways of translating the Greek text and still being true to the Greek.

We find the above mentioned passage translated as “linen cloths”7 in other translations of the Bible. This form would allow for the one large shroud and the smaller cloth over the face on top of the shroud. Thus, the biblical text in John does not rule out the Shroud of Turin as a fake, but accommodates it well. In the New King James Version (NKJV) the term “wrapped” is translated “wound”, which is the past tense of wind which can mean “a single turn of something wound.”8

While this study of these passages of scripture does not prove the Shroud of Turin is genuine, it does show that it is not ruled out by Scripture.

The Shroud of Turin is accurate in every detail concerning the crucifixion of Jesus. A male flogged with the flagrum, crucified, crowned with thorns, pierced in the wrists and side. In addition, pollen from 58 species of plants is on the Shroud, 28 of which are found only in the Jerusalem area. The back of the Shroud is covered with limestone residue of a type found only in the Jerusalem area.2 The Shroud is unique and impossible to be duplicated by anyone.

There is no known way to explain scientifically how the images came to appear on the Shroud. They seem to have been made by radiation coming from the dead body.2

The promise of God is that His Holy One (Jesus Christ, His Son) would not see corruption.9 The apostle Pete points out that this did not refer to King David of Israel, but to Jesus Christ10 and Peter further states “nor did His body see decay”.11

The blood type on the Shroud is AB and is fresh. In other words, the blood has never decayed after two thousand years.2 This is proof that the Shroud of Turin is indeed genuine.

The significance of the Shroud is that when Jesus was ministering the Jews asked or a sign to enable them to believe. Miracles were being done by Jesus all the time, yet the Jews (religious leaders especially) refused to believe and asked for some kind sign. Jesus told them that a wicked generation seeks after a sign, but no sign will be given it, except the sign of the prophet Jonah. As Jonah was in the belly of the fish (whale) three days and three nights, so the Son of man must be in the earth three days and three nights.12

The Shroud is what is left of the sign given to an evil generation. It is an archaeological supernatural artifact left as a witness to the flogging, crucifixion, death, and resurrection of Jesus. The Shroud exists for the benefit of unbelievers and will be a witness against them at the time of judgment. The judgmentis a coming event when each human being, who has ever lived, stands in the Court that Counts before the Supreme Judge, Himself, to answer for what we did with our lives, the choices that we made, and what we did with the gift of Salvation that was offered to us.

Remember, Jesus was not a victim. He was a willing participant in His crucifixion and death. He knew that He would have to be crucified13 and die even before He spoke creation into existence.14 After all, Jesus is the Creator of all of creation and He upholds the universe by the word of His power.15 Before Jesus was arrested by the soldiers in the Garden they asked Him if He was Jesus of Nazareth, His sheer power in and of His answer, “I am He” physically forced them back and caused them to fall to the ground before Him.16 Jesus, indeed is the creator of all things.17

The Shroud of Turin is proof of what God did to redeem mankind. So great is His individual and personal love for each one of us.

There are now less than 3 days until Ohio Voters can make A Good Choice on Tuesday, May 2nd in the Democratic Primary Election!

References:
1. National Geographic Magazine, “Jesus and the Shroud of Turin” Documentary ISBN 1-56855-394-3, Questar, Inc., P.O. Box 11745, Chicago, Il 60611-0345, Customer Service, 1-800-544-8822
2. Matthew 12:38-42
3. Matthew 27:57-60; Mark 15:42-47; Luke 23:50-56; and John 19:38-42
4. Mathew 27:59 NIV
5. Webster’s New World Dictionary.
6. Matthew 27:57
7. Bible translations: KJV (King James Version); NKJ (New King James); NIV (New International Version); and TEV (Today’s English Version)
8. Webster’s New Word College Dictionary, p. 1639, 1651
9. Psalms 16:10 (NKJ)
10. Acts 2:28-31
11. Acts 2:31 (NIV)
12. Matthew 12:38-41, 16:4; Luke 11:16, 29-32
13. 1 Peter 1:20
14. Genesis 1:2; Colossians 1:16, 17; John 1:1-3
15. Hebrews 1:3
16. John 18:6
17. Colossians 1:16

4 – Right from the Start

This week we have taken great pains to lay out the positions of the two Ohio Democratic candidates for U.S. Senate from Ohio. In the 2006 Democratic Primary, the two U.S. senatorial candidates, Sherrod Brown and “Sam” Keiser are diametrically opposed on most issues including:

· . . . God’s Place in Government, Education and Society

· . . . Matters of Life and Death such as Abortion, Euthanasia, Cloning, and the Death Penalty (as a measure of justice and as a deterrent to crime)

· . . . National Security to include a strong military, enforcement of our borders and illegal aliens, Develop our energy independence by permitting drilling for oil and building oil refineries and nuclear plants, by aggressively pursuing alternative fuels using the buying power and example of government to lead the way, and by rejecting any and all international organizations or treaties that weaken our national sovereignty

· . . . Financial Accountability including Dealing with the Deficit, Balancing Spending with Available Revenue, making the Social Security System Solvent for the Long-Term, Replacing the Income Tax with some kind of Consumption or Sales Tax

· . . . Social Issues, such as the role and importance of families and the need to provide support to this most important of societal units. Other social issues include: allowing and funding parental choice in how and where they educate their children, requiring an emphasis on preventive health care outlook on the part of providers and personal responsibility on the part of health care consumers. Another social issue which we need to address involves rejecting the sanction of any form of immorality. Nor shuld we offer any special protection of anti-discrimination laws in the name of tolerance for immoral conduct.

Please carefully review the previous week's postings. They will shed light on the positions of each candidate, then vote. . . make A Good Choice.

There are now only 4 days until Ohio Voters can make A Good Choice on Tuesday, May 2nd in the Democratic Primary Election!

5 – Sherrod Brown or Sam Keiser? ‘06 Ohio Democratic U.S. Senate Race, Part 5 of 5 – The Social Issues

Today, is the fifth and final part of a five part series, which is intended to outline the key issues facing the Ohio U.S. Senator beginning in January 2007 and beyond. Today we look at the social issues facing our nation.

The following table compares and contrasts how the two 2006 Ohio Democratic opponents for U.S. Senate differ in their basic beliefs about issues dealing with social issues:


THE ISSUE: …………… CANDIDATE BROWN: ….… CANDIDATE KEISER:


EDUCATION
Allowing parental
choice in vouchers
for private and
parochial schools: ……….. NO………………………………… YES …………

Would candidate
support the teaching
of Creationism or
Intelligent Design
with Evolution?: …………… NOT LIKELY…………………. ABSOLUTELY…


WELFARE
Promote work &
marriage among
TANF recipients: …………. NO………………………………… YES ………………


FAMILY
Reduce the
“Marriage tax”
or penalty: …………….……. NO………………………………….YES……………..

Allow abortion,
Euthanasia,
continued funding of
Planned Parenthood,
funding of human
embryonic stem cell
& cloning research: …….. YES…………………………….…… NO ……………

Restricting interstate
transport of minors
to get an abortion: …….... NO…………………………….…… YES……………


HEALTHCARE
Is it a right or a
Privilege?: ……………..… RIGHT …………………….……… PRIVILEGE ..…

Allow tax-exempt
Health savings
Accounts (HSAs)? :……… NO …………………….……..…… YES ……………


HOMOSEXUALITY
Did you support or
oppose Ohio’s ban on
same sex marriage?: …… OPPOSE…………………………… SUPPORT……

Should homosexuals
be a protected class
like race, age, etc?: ….… YES ………………………………… NO …………….

More funding &
stricter sentencing
for hate crimes?: ……..… YES …………………….…………… NO…………….


GUN CONTROL
More gun control ?: …… YES ……………………..….……… NO …..………



FAMILY

One of the platforms of the Democratic Party is “We believe in a society that strengthens Ohio’s families and protects our children.” God has ordained the one-man, one-woman marriage as the bedrock of society. Actually, the family is the most important institution on earth.

After reviewing the above table consisting of my opponents voting record and likely positions, it is obvious which candidate is pro-family and which candidate respects the sacredness of human life. By the way, how does abortion protect children and Ohio families?

EDUCATION

Our schools, our God-less schools, are a failure. No amount of money or good intentions will make them truly successful. Only returning God to the schools and the teaching of absolutes of right and wrong, not moral relativism, but morality, not only content, but character will schools ever again have any hope of being successful. Remember, the fear of God is the beginning of wisdom.

HEALTHCARE

Healthcare is a privilege. For most Americans, we must work for it. We must all work together to provide opportunities for everyone to have some basic healthcare for all Americans. But we must require some payment for the privilege, some responsibility on the part of each of us. Military service is an option that earns a person some basic VA benefits. Welfare recipients need to work for their subsidies.

The government should promote preventive healthcare in schools, and have it as a key component of any of its welfare programs.

Insurance companies should be allowed to offer persons practicing preventive care and good health practices premium reductions. Consistent abuse of ones body should at some point preclude that individual from receiving any or minimal healthcare. We must again make personal responsibility a required part of any government funded program. In some cases comfort care might be all that an individual may have “earned” because they have chosen a particular hurtful lifestyle. A bad choice is your choice, but don’t expect society to have to pay for it.

GUNS

Every American has a constitutional right to bear arms.

ILLEGAL ALIENS

The laws regarding persons entering the United States illegally along with any employer, who knowingly hires an illegal alien, should be enforced and prosecuted. Money saved by controlling illegal aliens has the potential to enable the government to increase its ability to properly fund services to legal citizens. Illegal aliens cost our society more than they benefit society. Not enforcing laws is an affront to Americans and to those who legally enter our country and who are more likely to make a positive contribution to society as a whole.

Honoring and supporting the family as the key unit of society, expecting a significant measure of personal responsibility for ones health, and treating healthcare as a privilege, and allowing parents more say into what school their children attend are all key principles we must use in dealing with society’s social issues. At the same time, we must establish priorities, and make some tough decisions based on those priorities, we can’t do everything. As legislators we must be accountable to the taxpayers by showing a good return on their tax dollar.

There are now only 5 days until Ohio Voters and Taxpayers can make A Good Choice on Tuesday, May 2nd in the Democratic Primary Election!

6 – Sherrod Brown or Sam Keiser? ‘06 Ohio Democratic U.S. Senate Race, Part 4 of 5 – Fiscal Accountability

Today, is the fourth of a five part series, which is intended to outline the key issues facing the Ohio U.S. Senator beginning in January 2007 and beyond. Today we look at issues related to finances.

The following table compares and contrasts how the two 2006 Ohio Democratic opponents for U.S. Senate differ in their basic beliefs about issues dealing with fiscal accountability:


THE ISSUE: ………… CANDIDATE BROWN: ….… CANDIDATE KEISER:


TAXES
Making the Bush tax
cuts permanent: ………..…. NO………………………………… YES ………………

Eliminating the
estate tax: ……….……..….… NO …………………………….…. YES ……………..…

Reduce the
“Marriage tax”: ……………. NO…………………………………..YES……………..…

Tax cuts for
small business: ……………. OPPOSES ………………………… FAVORS …….…

End offshore tax
havens and promote
small businesses: ……..…...NO…………………………….…… YES……………

SPENDING
Reforming the UN by
restricting US funding: ….. NO …………………….…………. YES ……………

Banning family planning
funding in US & abroad: .. NO …………………….…………. YES ……………

BARRIERS TO ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT &
REVENUE GENERATION
Capping damages and
settling time in
medical lawsuits: …..…….. NO ………………………………… YES……………

Not allowing product
misuse legal actions
against gun makers: ……... NO ………………………………… YES ……………

Limiting attorney fees
in class action lawsuits: … NO…………………………………… YES………………

Restricting frivolous
lawsuits: ………………………… NO…………………………………... YES………………


John F. Kennedy said that to stimulate the economy and to increase revenue, we must reduce taxes, not increase them. According to Mr. Brown's voting record my opponent does not agree.

The deficit is indecent. We must do all we can to stimulate economic growth and to control our spending. We must be willing to make deep cuts in programs and projects that do not work. For example, why fund the United Nations when it works against us and our interests? Why do we keep pouring money into education and continually get poor results? We must carefully evaluate everything that government does.

Agency bureaucrats must have good justification for their budget requests. In fact, it would be a good idea to introduce zero-based budgeting into the budgeting process. A national goal might be to cut spending across the board by 3-5 % until the deficit is eliminated. To produce a national budget that insures an annual surplus. This surplus revenue then must be used to pay down our national debt.

As a nation we should look seriously at abolishing the IRS. We must implement a better system such as taxing consumption (national sales tax) instead of income. This may encourage Americans to save more.

We must stop putting Social Security Funds into our general fund and thereore spending these funds for short-term purposes. Let's make and keep Social Security solvent. If we don’t have money to operate all our programs then we must prioritize those that are needed the most and eliminate what we cannot afford.

We must more aggressively pursue identification and elimination of waste, fraud and abuse and severely punish those who do so.

Besides lowering taxes and making tax cuts permanent, we should remove other roadblocks to economic development such as legislated environmental extremism which only increases the cost of doing business without actually benefiting the environment. Unreasonable and unbridled monetary damage awards are ruining whole industries and are increasing cost to the consumer. One example is healthcare, where medical professionals operate in constant fear of lawsuits. Another example is product liability legal actions. Is this driving some of our manufacturing businesses out of business or causing them to move out of the country?

If we citizens are expected to live within our means, then our government must live within its means. Congress must not spend more than what is brought into the treasury, and they must even insure a surplus to be used for deficit reduction. Legislators are needed who will bring old fashion common sense and frugality to Washington.

There are now only 6 more days until Ohio Voters can make A Good Choice on Tuesday, May 2nd in the Democratic Primary Election!

7 - Sherrod Brown or Sam Keiser? '06 Ohio Democratic U.S. Senate Race, Part 3 of 5 - National Security Issues

Today, is the third of a five part series, which is intended to outline the key issues facing the Ohio U.S. Senator beginning in January 2007 and beyond. Today we look at issues related to National Security.

The following table compares and contrasts how the two 2006 Ohio Democratic opponents for U.S. Senate differ in their basic beliefs about National Security:


THE ISSUE: …………… CANDIDATE BROWN: …... CANDIDATE KEISER:


WAR ON TERROR
Authorizing use of
military force in Iraq: ……. NO…………………………………… YES ……………

ILLEGAL ALIENS
Federalizing rules for
driving licenses to
hinder terrorists: ………….. NO …………………….………….… YES ……………

Reporting illegal
aliens who receive
hospital treatment: ……… NO …………………………….….…… YES …………….

Extending immigrant
residency rules: ……………. NO………………………………….... YES………………

SECURE BORDERS
Use military border
partrols to battle
drugs & terrorism: ………… NO…………………………….…….. YES………………

NATIONAL DEFENSE
Continuing military
recruitment on
college campuses: …….…. NO …………………………………….. YES ……………

Deploying SDI: ………….…… NO…………………………………..... YES……………

ENERGY
Authorizing
construction of
new oil refineries: ……….. NO …………………………………….. YES ……………

Prohibiting oil
drilling & develop-
ment in ANWR: ……………. YES ……………………………………... NO ……………

INTERNATIONAL
TREATIES
Starting imple-
Mentation of
Kyoto Protocol: ……………. YES …………………………………….. NO ………………

The defense of our nation is fundamental to our sovereignty. It must consist of a foreign front and a homeland front. Congressman Brown’s voting record indicates that he would not be consistently supportive of a strong military. He appears to lack the commitment to win the War on Terror as shown by his voting record.

At home we must decrease our dependence on foreign oil by permitting new oil refineries, new nuclear plants, and fund alternative sources of fuel with government leading the way. We must wisely drill for oil in Alaska, in the sea and on the mainland seeking to become energy self-sufficient.

We must also systematically enforce our laws and punish employers, who hire known illegal aliens, as well as apprehending, prosecuting and deporting illegal aliens. We must permit the immigration of persons who can help build our nation such as engineering and high tech workers to supplement our shortages until our schools can produce sufficient number to meet our needs.

We must avoid or carefully scrutinize any international treaties such as the Kyoto Protocol because they weaken our sovereignty and move us closer to a One-World Government. Our military must be prepared to respond internationally and domestically.

There are now only 7 more days until Ohio Voters can make A Good Choice on Tuesday, May 2nd in the Democratic Primary Election!

8 – Sherrod Brown or Sam Keiser? ‘06 Ohio Democratic U.S. Senate Race, Part 2 of 5 - Issues of Life

Today, is the second of a five part series, which is intended to outline the key issues facing the Ohio U.S. Senator beginning in January 2007 and beyond. Today we look at the life and death issues, literally.

The following table compares and contrasts how the two 2006 Ohio Democratic opponents for U.S. Senate differ in their basic beliefs about life and death:


THE ISSUE: ………CANDIDATE BROWN:….… CANDIDATE KEISER:


Abortion: ………………… STRONGLY FAVORS…… STRONGLY OPPOSES

Banning partial
birth abortions: ……… STRONGLY OPPOSES … STRONGLY FAVORS

Make it a federal
crime to harm a
fetus while
committing a crime: … NO………………………… YES ………………

Deny funding for
for health providers
who do not provide
abortion info: ………… YES …………………….……… NO …………………

Allowing human
embryonic stem
cell research: ………… YES……………………………… NO …………………

Replacing the death
penalty with
life imprisonment: … YES ……………………………. NO …………………

Make federal
appeals of death
penalty harder: …….. NO……………………………….. YES………………..

Use military border
partrols to battle
drugs & terrorism: …. NO……………………………. YES………………..


All human life is sacred. Through his voting record my opponent condones the taking of the life of innocent babies, but not convicted death row murderers. Drugs are sold in our streets and are killing or destroying our kids, but my opponent refuses to let us use our military to bust the drug runners at our borders?

Congressman Brown’s voting record indicates that he would continue to advocate all abortion without exceptions! Abortion is sacrificing our babies to the god of pleasure and convenience. My opponent has voted to permit human embryos, human beings made in the image of God, to be used in research and experimentation. My opponent’s voting record also shows that he may continue to thwart the justice due criminals. Where is the deterrent to prevent future crimes? Why would my opponent vote against making it more difficult to appeal death penalty sentences?

God’s law is very clear about abortion, the death penalty and corrupting children. Our country is so far out of tune with God’s ways that I am surprised that He has not dealt more severely with us up to this point. I am thankful He is a merciful and patient God.

As Senator I would fight for justice and for the life and the rights of all Ohio and all American citizens. Please carefully look once more at the table at the beginning of today’s posting and decide to choose life over death, justice over toleration, and good over evil.

There are now only 8 more days until Ohio Voters can make A Good Choice on Tuesday, May 2nd in the Democratic Primary Election!

9 – Sherrod Brown or Sam Keiser? '06 Ohio Democratic U.S. Senate Race, Part 1 of 5 - The Issue of God

Today, is the first of a five part series, which is intended to outline the key issues facing the Ohio U.S. Senator beginning in January 2007 and beyond.

The following table compares and contrasts how the two Ohio Democratic opponents for U.S. Senate differ in their basic political philosophy, and what their positions are relating to God. We begin with a summary table below:


THE ISSUE: ………… CANDIDATE BROWN: ….. CANDIDATE KEISER:


The candidate’s core
political philosophy: ……… VERY LIBERAL … VERY CONSERVATIVE

Permitting prayer
in the school: …………....… OPPOSES…………… STRONGLY FAVORS

Allowing school
prayer during the
War on Terror: ………… STRONGLY OPPOSES… STRONGLY FAVORS

Treating religious
organizations
equally for
tax purpose: .…………… STRONGLY OPPOSES… STRONGLY FAVORS


Our judiciary has been moving the nation the past 50 years on a path toward ever-increasing godlessness, socialism and secularism. In addition to the decision removing prayer from public schools, consider the following rulings:

· ...Legalizing the murder of innocent, unborn babies.
· ...Removing symbols, both literal and figurative, like the Ten Commandments from public display in government offices and courthouses. Even removing Alabama Supreme Court Chief Justice Roy Moore form the bench for his courageous stand resisting the removal of the Ten Commandment monument.
· ...Ordering the killing of Terry Shivo in Florida by removing nutrition and hydration
· ...Declaring Evolution to be factual, when at best it is only a theory and at worst, a lie. Not permitting teaching of Creationism, which is true.
· ...Misapplying the concept of “eminent domain” allowing the transfer of private property form one individual to another.

This is why my number one priority would be to do all I can to insure only godly judges are appointed to the federal bench. God, Himself, has declared that the wicked will be “turned into hell and all nations (as well) who forget God.” Can you see America turning into hell? Yes, I can. Good and godly Senators are needed in order to insure the appointment of good judges and to begin to reverse the 50 year march to our sure destruction.

It appears that Congressman Brown supports the separation of Church and God from the state and not the separation of the church and state. This is not what our forefathers intended. They did not want their new nation to be like England, where the Church of England and the state were one. Almost to a man the early forefathers honored and respected God and created the constitution based on His law and principles.

There has been a movement underfoot in our nation to rid this nation of everything Christian, including Judeo-Christian symbols such as the Ten Commandments. Liberal judges and liberal organizations have worked successfully in weakening the Judeo-Christian values and principles on which this nation was founded. Congressman Brown by his votes declares his opposition to the things of God. Beware of more radical, activist judges being approved if Senator Brown has anything to do with it.

Congressman Brown seems to adhere to the religion of secular humanism, or at a minimum, supports it. He and fellow liberals seek to replace the God of the Bible, the Creator of the universe, with the god of Reason. Man, they believe is the ultimate authority in matters of life and death. That is why the Theory of Evolution is such a pillar on the liberal agenda. That is why they can murder the innocents. God has no part in either creation or in the affairs of man here and now.

It is time to remove the secular humanism way of thinking from our schools and government and to re-establish God and Jesus Christ in their proper place in society and government. Let’s bring God back into our schools and into our nation. He has been patiently waiting for us to do so. Haven’t we gone too far when innocent children can be taught about Islam, the homosexual lifestyle, condoms, and STDs but can’t pray to their Creator? Teachers and children are required to refer to Christmas as “Winter Holiday” and Easter as “Spring Holiday.” Absolute foolishness! But this is what happens when you let man do his own thing. As Michael Savage, popular conservative radio talk show host and author, likes to say “liberalism is a mental disorder.”

ChristianAnswers.Net defines secular humanism as:

First, Secular Humanism is a worldview.
That is, it is a set of beliefs through
which one interprets all of reality -
something like a pair of glasses.

Second, Secular Humanism is a
religious worldview. . . Do not let
the word "secular" mislead you.
The Humanists themselves would
agree that they adhere to a
religious worldview. According to
the Humanist Manifestos I & II:
Humanism is "a philosophical,
religious, and moral point of view.''

Secular humanism is every bit as much a false religion as any other false religions in the world today. It is time that we recognized it as such and at least give God equal time, if not His rightful position as the God of the entire Universe . . . We need to again worship the Creator and not the creation! The godless decisions made by the Supreme Court and others need to be corrected. As Senator I will work toward righting those wrongs.

There are now only 9 more days until Ohio Voters can make A Good Choice on Tuesday, May 2nd in the Democratic Primary Election.

10 – Sherrod Brown or Sam Keiser? '06 Ohio Democratic U.S. Senate Race - Introduction

Tomorrow begins a five-part series that will compare my positions with that of my Democratic Primary Election opponent, Sherrod Brown. Too often, many politicians hide what they really believe.

My opponent has been a career politician with a track record to scrutinize. He appears to be a proud, dedicated liberal and is working very hard to advance his cause. I firmly believe, however, that he is wrong on most of the issues. In fact, he and his liberal friends inside and outside of congress have done everything they can, either intentionally or unintentionally, to tear down our country. In either case, the results, a national liberal slide to leftist ideals and away from tradition values, especially these past 50 years has been dangerous and disastrous for the moral health of this nation.

On the other hand, I am unashamedly a conservative, who wants to honor God and along with likeminded people of Ohio and America, to restore the national virtues on which this country was founded.

I want to give the people, who call themselves Democrats or Independents a voice. I want to give Democrats someone to vote for who has moral values.

Each day during the next week the posting will address one of the following five broad categories of related issues:

(Part 1) God (Monday)
(Part 2) Life (Tuesday)
(Part 3) Security (Wednesday)
(Part 4) Fiscal (Thursday)
(Part 5) Social (Friday)

These five topics will be presented in the order of my priorities.

Educate yourself; verify what you find on my web log this week. Then make a choice on who you will want to lead your state, and who you want to represent you and your interests in Washington. This is a life and death choice, make A Good Choice, choose life.

There are now only 10 more days until Ohio Voters can make A Good Choice on Tuesday, May 2nd in the Democratic Primary Election!

11 – Assisting Our Elders and the Poor

The following two questions were asked of me by the League of Woman Voters earlier in my campaign.

What measures will you support to cope with rising costs of Medicare and Medicaid?

I support all measures and initiatives that will eliminate fraud, abuse and waste throughout our health care delivery system, especially in our health insurance for the elderly and disabled and welfare programs or the poor and the elderly. More than 25% of all healthcare cost is waste and fraud.

Furthermore, I will support Health Savings Accounts to provide incentives for Americans to assume some responsibility for their own healthcare.

I will support and encourage all efforts to put more of our resources into preventive healthcare.

I support encouraging private and public insurers to provide incentives for reducing cost of premiums for those persons who practice good health habits and penalize those who do not.


Would any of these measures involve shifting additional costs to the states?

Shifting the cost of Medicare and Medicaid form the Federal government to the states does not solve the problems of rising healthcare costs. The contracts of poorly performing or fraudulent healthcare providers would be terminated.

Incentives can be offered rewarding excellent performance in health care, in fact, there a move underway establishing Pay-for-Performance incentives by insurers in the healthcare industry.

There are now only 11 more days until Ohio Voters can make A Good Choice on Tuesday, May 2nd in the Democratic Primary Election!

12 - A Case Against Communism

Solomon wrote that if sinners entice you by saying, “let us pillage and burn, rob from people, have one purse and fill our houses with spoil”, then, he warns us not to go with them and to stay away from their lifestyle.

The early Christians in Jerusalem sold their possessions and had a common purse and people were provided for from that single treasury. However, once the treasury ran out the people became poor having sold off their capital goods, and thereby, their ability to produce as well. Economically, it (a communal lifestyle) did not seem to work for the early Christians.

When the pilgrims first arrived at Plymouth in what is now Massachusetts, they had everything in common. All their work went to a single account and everyone was provided for as they had need. That settlement floundered. It wasn’t until each individual was given his and her own property to do as they each chose.

When God gave the land of Canaan to Israel, each person was given a piece of land, which was to remain in that family’s line of descendents for as long as Israel was a nation. The nation of Israel prospered as long as she obeyed God.

When Jesus returns to rule the earth from Jerusalem, each individual will have their own property, their own home and will work from their private property.

We learn from this that God’s way is private ownership of property. We also see that God’s way also involves personal responsibility for one’s property. Gaining a profit and satisfaction from one’s labor is also God’s way.

Protecting private property and encouraging free enterprise is always A Good Choice.

There are now only 12 more days until Ohio Voters can make A Good Choice on Tuesday, May 2nd in the Democratic Primary Election!

13 - Capital Punishment, Condone or Condemn?

The following entry was written partially in response to Elizabeth who commented on my entry, Keiser on Life and Politics:


Elizabeth said...
Taken from your website:"Capital punishment - Because humans are created in the image of God, He has declared that those who take a life should also lose their lives."

This I understand. Eye for an Eye. That would change the crime rate, I'm sure.

Where my confusion sets in are the posts I'm reading all over the internet that state that you actually said all homosexuals should be put to death. How can you claim that you are a man of faith, quote the Bible and then in the very next sentance say you want all homosexuals to die? "Thou shalt not kill." Death without justice is murder.

If you want to kill all homosexuals that would make you a muderer and subject you to the same law that murders should be put to death, does it not?


Dear Elizabeth:

ANCIENT EXAMPLE

There was once a time when men lived nearly 1,000 years. Adam lived 930 years; Noah lived 950 years, as did other early men. During this time the earth was originally surrounded by a canopy of water out in space, which filtered out the ultraviolet rays of the sun.

Morally, all of mankind got to the place where every thought they had was only evil continually, except for one person, Noah. At that time God said that 120 years was all that mankind would have. This can be viewed in two ways: (1) 120 years from now God will destroy all life, or (2) 120 years is all the longer that God will allow man to live. I believe that both are possibly correct.

God said that the earth was filled with violence. . . Noah and his sons built an Ark, . . . and God brought a worldwide flood. From creation to the flood was a little over 1,600 years. After Noah was again back on dry land following the receding of the flood waters, God told Noah: “Whoever sheds man's blood, his blood will be shed by man, for God made man in His image.” (HCSB) This is not an “eye for an eye” and a “tooth for a tooth”. It is because human life is sacred, having been made in the image of God. It stops violence.

Abraham was called by God to go the land of Canaan. God made an agreement with Abraham in which He promised that Abraham’s descendents would be greatly troubled in a foreign land for four hundred years and then would be released. The reason that God gave for this captivity is because the “iniquity of the Amorites was not yet full”. A nation, through its evil actions, stores up the “wrath of God”. The wrath of God refers to His fury, vengeance or violent anger. This means that God waited for repentance until what the scriptures describes as the “cup of wrath” was full or complete. The full cup is the point at which God will act. God brought Israel out of Egypt when the “cup of wrath” was full or complete. He then instructed Israel to kill every man, woman, and child and in some cases all the livestock of the peoples of Canaan.

Consider for a moment what some of the things that these nations did which offened and upset God the most:

· Having a sexual relationship with a woman and her daughter [sounds like promiscuity]
· Adultery with one’s neighbor’s wife. [sounds like prime time TV]
· Sacrificing you children to idols [sounds like abortion]
· Homosexuality [sounds like the “gay” agenda]
· Bestiality [sounds like anything goes]

God instructs Israel not to corrupt herself by allowing any of the above behaviors, because in doing so and/or in condoning these things a nation is defiled. As a result He destroyed the nations because of their sin and replaced them with Israel. The land was defiled therefore God brought punishment in proportion to their sin. The land itself vomited out its inhabitants.

God said that He expected Israel to obey His laws and judgments. He called all of the above mentioned misbehaviors abominations. God did not want Israel, or any visitors to the land, or any immigrants staying in Israel to practice any of these unacceptable behaviors..

WARNING & PRESCRIPTION

When evil among a people increases over time, there reaches a point at which the people in the nation are destroyed. To prevent this from happening to Israel, God prescribed capital punishment for various crimes. Capital punishment is to be applied to whoever among the children of Israel, or even among visitors or immigrants in the land of Israel, who practice fornication, adultery, etc. God’s remedy is that guilty should be put to death. Stoning was used as a method of execution. Everyone that curses his father or his mother was also to be executed. So were those involved in adulterous, incestuous, homosexual relationships or lifestyles.

APPLICATION FOR AMERICA TODAY

Does that mean that today we execute people for committing what now is almost universally accepted as normal behavior? I’m afraid if we do, there would not be many people remaining in America or the world. However, what application does the above have for America today? At a minimum we should strengthen our laws to prohibit, stop their promotion and begin penalizing all such abominable behavior outlined above. Unrepentant persons should face the hard hand of the law if they disobey the law. I would not be opposed to doing away with no-fault divorce, I would increase penalties for adultery, demand that the moral standards be raised in our schools, etc.

As I stated in one of my previous postings, Just Judges, our judicial system, especially our judges have helped to send our country down the path to destruction. Their ungodly, immoral rulings have not constrained evil, but have intentionally or existentially, fostered or encouraged it. Judges should carry out the law and not legislate from the bench, which is happening much to often. That is why good Senators are needed to restrain evil and to insure federal judges are appointed who will do the same.

The bottom line is that we as a nation have two courses of action from which to choose to take: (1) turn from our ever-growing evil ways and turn to Jesus. To encourage the preaching of the gospel as a means of reviving our nation, or (2) to legislate laws that will restrict behavior for those who do not want to repent from their evil ways: murderers, rapists, adulterers, etc. I guess we do have a third option and that is do nothing and continue down the path we are currently on and that, of course, will surely lead to our ultimate destruction as it did for nations in the past.

Capital punishment may be extreme to some, but used properly it can be an effective deterrent to crime and to criminals-to-be. In many cases capital punishment is A Good Choice.

There are now only 13 more days until Ohio Voters can make A Good Choice on Tuesday, May 2nd in the Democratic Primary Election!

14 - America’s Fatal Compromise

“Come, and let us cut them off from being a nation; that the name of Israel may be no more in remembrance.”

Do these words sound familiar? Just a few short months ago Hamas was voted into leadership in Palestine. Did one of Hamas’ leaders say that about Israel? Or does it sound like something said by some Imam in Iran, Syria, or the Saudi Arabia, or some other representative of Islam somewhere in today’s news?

The above quote actually comes from Psalm 83 in the Bible, written by Asaph. He adds, “They have consulted together with one consent, they are confederate against Thee.” “Thee,” here is God, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. The “they” refers to the people who lived around Israel in the Middle East including Edomites, Ishmaelites, Moabites, Ammonites and the Philistines.

The writer continues, “Fill their faces with shame, that they may seek Thy name, O Lord. Let them be confounded and troubled forever; yea let them be put to shame, and perish: that men may know that Thou, whose name alone is Jehovah art the Most High over all the earth.” Those who seek the destruction of Israel are really the enemies of God.

As America helps Israel, we side with God. However “land for peace” is not a good idea for America to support. God says through His prophet Zechariah that those nations, who divide God’s land among the heathen, will be destroyed.

Strongly supporting Israel is always A Good Choice.

There are now only 14 more days until Ohio Voters can make A Good Choice on Tuesday, May 2nd in the Democratic Primary Election!

15 - Exposing Environmentalist Error

The earth’s weather is produced largely by three natural phenomena.

The first phenomenon is the sun, which warms the air and soil, causing the air to rise and evaporate water from on the earth. The sun also causes leaves to transpire water vapor from within the leaf itself. As the air rises it moves toward the North Pole in the north and the South Pole in the south. The air cools as it rises and sinks about the thirtieth latitude. Air at the thirtieth latitude rises due to the warming of the surface and moves to the sixtieth latitude where it moves to the north and south poles and moves back down on the earth.

Second, the earth also rotates, which causes air in the northern hemisphere to have a westerly flow and to mix at the zero, thirty, and sixty degree latitudes. In the southern hemisphere there is an easterly flow with air mixing at the zero, minus thirty (-30), and minus sixty (-60) degree latitudes.

Third, the earth is tilted on its axis, which further causes a mixing of air currents and peek warming at various latitudes as the earth races around the sun. This is what causes the weather and industrialization has little affect, if any on the energy output of the sun, rotation of the earth or the till\t of the earth.

There are some other considerations. Carbon dioxide (CO2) gas is heavier than air and moves with the air currents. It is not capable of forming a canopy to reflect heat back to earth.

All the greenhouses that I know of use auxiliary heat to keep the greenhouse warm in the winter. Greenhouses allow the heat to escape out into the atmosphere and do not allow the heat to be reflected back by either the glass or the plastic. It is the condensation of water vapor on the inside of the glass that reflects any heat back into the greenhouse. Likewise, cloud cover will reflect heat back to earth keeping the earth warmer at night that it would be otherwise without a cloud cover.

An increase in CO2 would increase oxygen production by plants which each one of us breathes. Therefore, there is no global warming due to CO2 gas. If there is global warming it is because the sun is putting out more radiant energy and has been observed to vary in intensity over time. The melting of ice in the northern and southern extremities of the earth could be accomplished by a redistribution of earth’s heat by air current from the equator to these areas.

Rejecting many of the environmentalists’ agenda and overturning many of the inane environmental laws would be A Good Choice . . . for Ohio and for America. As U.S. Senator I would work to overturn such foolish laws and to de-fund many of the associated bureaucracies, which deal with the enviroment.

There are now only 15 more days until Ohio Voters can make A Good Choice on Tuesday, May 2nd in the Democratic Primary Election!

Tax Time for Reflection

Doesn't that say it all???

16 - Keiser on Life and Politics

As did our forefathers, I believe it is self-evident that God created the universe in which we live. God is triune: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. There are three distinct individual persons. They are of one essence. Just as humanity consists of one blood, one flesh, and one essence, yet many individual persons. Husband and wife consist of two individual persons, still they are one flesh. God observed mankind building the Tower of Babel and commented, “Behold, the people (are) one . . .” Thus, many individuals but one people.

Like our forefathers I believe that God is the Creator and Giver of all life. Man, above all other life forms, was uniquely made in the image and likeness of God. God said so Himself. Therefore, the very character of God serves as the foundation for human moral conduct. This information is provided by the Creator innately to each individual and is in actuality what we call conscience.

Man, although made in God’s very image is fallen in his nature [Adam and Eve is not merely a story – but absolute fact] and therefore must be personally and individually redeemed. It is only by the blood of the ultimate sacrifice – the God, the man - Jesus Christ. That is the bottom line issue for me and everyone else who chooses to deal with the ultimate reality of sin and separation from God.

That being said, good and evil are, in fact, a living reality! Scriptures [the Judeo-Christian Bible] outline all the essential principles that we need to live by. Scripture also describes God’s plan for men and women, and for society. God’s plan includes: an on-going acknowledgment and dependence on Him [school prayer; national sovereignty – and logically a strong national defense and military; war on terror – forces out to destroy freedom and good; strict constructionist judges who will interpret and not make laws;; abolishment of the United Nations; teaching creationism, inelligent design equally with other teachings about the origin of life; freedom to pray anytime, anywhere; freedom of religion (practical living of one’s personal faith anywhere and everywhere) and not freedom from religion], family established and nurtured only under a heterosexual marriage relationship [parental choice in education], sanctity of life from conception to natural death [pro-life at all stages of life; pro-adult stem cell only research], being debt-free [deficit elimination measures; wise government spending; lowering taxes; fair tax initiative], and dealing with the person and provision God provided to each human being – Jesus Christ [a personal salvation experience]. The issues for which I stand are italicized. Here is the foundation of my beliefs. It is God, and He alone, who is the only judge to whom I am accountable for my life and actions. It is Him I must please.

It is absolutely insidious how far we have strayed and allowed this great nation to move from the rock-solid core founding beliefs of the founding fathers. We are all partially at fault and true believers much more so, since we have been asleep at the proverbial wheel of life, apathetic in applying and protecting our rights and blessings which God provided. We have seen many of the rights and blessings gradually disappear in our ease and comfortable stupor! We must wake up, and strengthen the things that remain. As Bob Dylan once sang, “you gotta serve somebody – God or the devil.” That is the living reality we face today, that is the choice that we face.

More than anywhere else, in America the voter is king and the elected officials serve at the voters’ pleasure. Americans can choose to live godly, God-fearing and moral lifestyles and elect likeminded representatives. These representatives will, in turn, enact wholesome, just and holy laws and thereby bring God’s favor on society. On the other hand, Americans can also choose to live immoral or ungodly lifestyles and consequently elect representatives which are much like themselves, who most likely will enact unjust, unholy immoral laws and cause God’s disfavor on society.

God sums it up in His own unprecedented bestseller, The Bible, “Know therefore this day, and consider it in your heart, that the Lord He is God in heaven above, and upon the earth beneath: there is none else. You shall keep therefore His statutes and His commandments, which He commands you this day, that it may go well with you, and with your children after you and you may prolong your days upon the earth which the Lord your God gives you.”

We need to consider very deliberately how we live today and everyday as well as who we elect to represent us. In Ohio on May 2nd we can take a step forward by moving back onto the difficult, narrow road to past greatness, or we can continue on the broad, easy, comfortable road to self-destruction. The choice today is that clear! Truth is always A Good Choice.

There are now only 16 more days until Ohio Voters can make A Good Choice on Tuesday, May 2nd in the Democratic Primary Election!

17 - Just Judges

The most important issue facing Ohio and the rest of America, for that matter, is the selection of judges. Renegade judges, misused the concept of eminent domain thereby weakening property rights for all, by permitting private property to be taken from one private party and transferred to another.

Over the last decades other rulings have moved the nation toward godlessness: banning prayer in schools, permitting wholesale abortions, protecting perverts and removing God and His law from courtrooms. Prior to banning prayer, no one was ever murdered in a school. As Senator I would insist godly, strict constructionist judges are appointed to the federal judiciary including the Supreme Court.

“The wicked will be turned into hell and also all the nations that forget God.”

The judiciary in the United States has been systematically turning America away from God. There have been some notable cases which the courts rely on the “rule of law” for much of their ungodly rulings. The Ten Commandments, on the other hand, represent the rule of God. The law, as in the “rule of law” has, in essence, become an idol, a god unto itself. A piece of paper with words printed on it does not rule anything. People rule.

Judges, who are supposed to interpret the law, rule by decree. Attorneys serve the judges, and the law enforcement officials back up their orders. This results in a perfect dictatorship with no one really being accountable for their actions. In reality the wicked work mischief through the law. Under the “rule of law”, who is really in charge? God has no part in “rule of law”. It is Satan who is behind it! America has a choice: it can either serve God or it can serve Satan. We cannot serve both. Evil men do not understand judgment.

What kind of judges do we need if we choose to serve God? The first two qualifications that persons who preside over man must have are: they need to be just (to be fair and impartial) and they must possess a deep respect for God. Respecting or fearing God includes hating evil and avoiding accepting bribes. How can a man or woman who desires to judge not believe that there is a God, not have that moral absolute. It is God’s declaration that those who do not fear God are corrupt. “By justice the King establishes the land . . .” A sentence not quickly executed encourages others to also act wickedly. This is one of the faults with our present judicial system, which I will work to correct if I am elected Senator. I will introduce and support legislation that will make it make it difficult to file frivolous lawsuits, which tie up the courts, deter victims, as well as the accused, causing a delay in the carrying out of swift justice.

The Greeks had a concept that there was a person in whom dwelt the Law and his conduct was consistently in keeping with the Law. This person was called the Word (logos in Greek). The apostle John captured this concept when he writes in the Bible: “In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God.” The Word took on flesh and dwelt among men. Jesus is He to whom John was referring.

God does not acquit the sinner. The soul that sins shall surely die. Every soul is the property of God, yours as well as mine. The Word, Jesus, lived a sinless life. “All of us like sheep have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way, but the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of all to fall on Him.” Thus God bought the right to forgive us of our sins because Jesus took God’s wrath for you and for me. Jesus then becomes the end of the law for all who believe in Him having accepted Him into their lives as the only true means to having a relationship with God.

Jesus bore our sins and died; He arose the first Easter; is presently interceding for His born-again saints; and now waits in heaven for His eventual return to earth to judge the nations and to rule and reign. Right now on this Sunday celebrating the Risen Savior, if you believe that Jesus died for you personally, that He rose again from the dead, that you desire to have a personal relationship with God, and want to experience His forgiveness for your sin, which is all that has and is separating you from God, then why not say this prayer with all seriousness and conviction: "Lord Jesus Christ, forgive me of my evil and come into my life."

If you made the decision in the past, or if you made it just now it was A Good Choice.

There are now only 17 more days until Ohio Voters can make A Good Choice on Tuesday, May 2nd in the Democratic Primary Election!

18 - The Indecent Deficit

“The rich rules over the poor, and the borrower becomes the lender’s slave.”

For the federal government to spend more than then it takes in is poor judgment and poor policy as well. America must spend less, not more, than it receives in revenue. It is foolish for congress to think that a reduction in the rate of spending is a cut in spending. Is Congress deceiving itself, and likewise the taxpayer, or is Congress intentionally trying to destroy America through bad fiscal policy? In either case the results are the same.


We need to wake up and smell the fresh spending cuts. Nothing should be safe to the knife of the budget cutter. In the Senate I would work to butcher the budget for the sake of the long-term economic security of our country.

We need negative growth in spending. We need to spend less, period. This is anathema to the well padded bureaucracy and their special-interest cousins! Spend, spend, spend. Tax, tax, tax. Either broad avenues or approaches must be closed. Living within our means, why is that so foreign of an idea? Let’s try balancing the federal government’s checkbook. What a unique solution.

America needs leaders, senators and congressmen who will cut spending and what they do spend they must spend more wisely. I would work toward incremental reductions of 1-3% or more across all spending areas every year until the deficit is gone.

I am not in favor of increasing taxes. I believe, as John F. Kennedy said, that lower taxes will stimulate economic growth and increase the government’s revenue. Lower taxes must be coupled with lowering expenditures significantly. Let us look at waste, fraud and $500 hammers for the Pentagon and the foolish funding of wicked vile so-called art, etc. etc. etc. as a way to reduce spending and thereby reducing the deficit

I believe that the root cause of the indecent deficit is a spiritual one. Deficit spending and a large debt are symptoms of a bigger and much deeper problem. As a nation we have turned away from following God and His principles.

Let us heed God’s warning before it is too late: “For riches are not forever, nor does a crown endure to all generations.” In other words, let us examine our actions as a government and as a people and realize that if we continue in our spend-more-than-we make mode we will not only hurt ourselves, but the generations that follow us, our children, grand children, and great grand children, etc. That is a terrible price to pay for a fleeting fix of propped up prosperity.

Developing and implementating a plan and a process that puts a lid on spending, lowers taxes, and incrementally and deliberately reduces the current federal deficit, beginning right now, would be A Good Choice for America.

There are now only 18 more days until Ohio Voters can make A Good Choice on Tuesday, May 2nd in the Democratic Primary Election!

19 - Balanced Trade is Better Business

Free Trade seems to be unfair or unilateral trade giving the U.S. the short-end of the stick. We need a policy that strictly allows free trade only where both sides do not permit any restrictions or unfair government subsidies.

We need to severely restrict or curtail the manipulation by global corporations, which seek greed over the sovereign interests of the United States. We need to penalize such Global Corporations even if they are U.S.-based.

Our goal must be to get to a balance trade position as quickly as possible. This will entail renegotiating trade agreements when they become due and truly seeking to balance exports with imports. This must be a national policy. All treaties and agreements would be subject to careful review to see if they are either supporting or are hindering a balance of trade.

Balanced trade would definitely be A Good Choice in comparison with free trade, which sends American jobs out of the country, and therefore is definitely not in our best interests.

There are now only 19 days remaining until Ohio Voters can make A Good Choice on Tuesday, May 2nd in the Democratic Primary Election!

20 - The Matter of a Secure Nation

"Unless the Lord guards the city the watchmen watches in vain."

Benjamin Franklin referred to this in June 28, 1787, when he said: " All of us who were engaged in the struggle [in the war for independence] must have observed frequent instances of a superintending Providence in our favor to that kind Providence we owe this happy opportunity of consulting in peace on the means of establishing our future national felicity. And have we now forgotten that powerful Friend? Or do we imagine we no longer need His assistance? I have lived a long time, and the longer I live, the more convincing proofs I see of this truth - that God governs in the affairs of men. And if a sparrow cannot fall to the ground without His notice, is it probable that an empire can rise without His aid? We have been assured, sir, in the Sacred Writings, that except the Lord build the house, they labor in vain that build it.' I firmly believe this; and I also believe that without His concurring aid we shall succeed in this political building no better than the builders of Babel.” (America's Christian Heritage, page 83) These words are as timely and as relevant as if they were spoken today.

When the American military goes to war I not only want them to be well trained, superbly equipped, and confident, I want God to be fighting with them and not against them. This comes about by honoring the Lord Jesus Christ. This is the real foundation of a strong national defense.

I say on my website that in order to maintain peace with other nations, we must not tempt them to attack us by being weak militarily or by being unwilling to use military force when necessary.

Besides supporting a strong military, we must insure that the Defense Department uses wisely the money that it is allocated, not to waste or mis-spend it. We must get the most for our tax dollar. We must build in measures that make people accountable. The zero-based budgeting principle should be applied to the Department of Defense and throughout the federal government.

We need to secure the borders of the United States. We must aggressively pursue the enemy (terrorists) in Iraq and Afghanistan and wherever else he is found. Our existing immigration laws need to be enforced. Passing more laws is not “enforcement.” Why make more laws pretending they will do any good, when we do not enforce the laws already on the books. What a sham!

We need to stop giving up our sovereignty, bit by bit, as a nation to our enemies. Why is China sitting in a former military base across from Los Angeles? What benefit is the Law of the Seas Treaty or the Kyoto Agreement to us? Why do we fund and even participate in the corrupt United Nations? We should never place U.S. troops under United Nation or foreign command.

We make A Good Choice when we do everything we can to preserve our sovereignty as a nation, when we recognize God in the affairs of the nation, when we maintain a strong military, by protecting our borders, by dealing wisely with our enemies, and by actively resisting pressures to move toward a one-world government.

There are now less than three weeks, only 20 days, remaining until Ohio Voters can make A Good Choice on Tuesday, May 2nd in the Democratic Primary Election!

21 - Insuring Social Security System Solvency

We must immediately begin to insure that the Social Security System remains solvent into the foreseeable future. We must stop playing games by allowing Congress to drain the Social Security Account with transfers to the Government’s General Fund.

We as a nation must adopt a “living within a budget” mentality. It begins with removing, by legislation, any temptation to transfer or borrow funds from the Social Security System. The Social Security Trust Fund must be kept separate from the General Fund.

The government should begin to operate under some type of zero-based budgeting in preparing the overall national budget. Looking fresh each year as to what the government/congress can really afford to appropriate and what it cannot fund. Hard decisions will need to be faced and subsequently made, if we mandate a stoppage the drain of the Social Security Trust Funds for annual operation of government. Isn’t this is what most households must do in order to remain solvent? Why should government be any different than the average household? Live with within our means, is that too much to expect?

I would be in favor of bringing about a steady but significant incremental (perhaps over a 10 or 20 year period) restoration of this financial viability to Social Security Trust Fund. Let’s just right the ship for the proper course. In addition, some of the Social Security Trust Fund could be wisely invested in low-risk mutual funds and other investments to insure higher yields than we are presently receiving.

Those high income retirees who do not “need” Social Security could also have their benefits significantly reduced, taxed or eliminated. For example, some graduated system could be developed that would require persons earning $60,000 or more to be ineligible for Social Security. Perhaps these folks would be eligible for some partial lump sum payment by waiving a portion of benefits to which they otherwise would be entitled.

Other reforms would be a complete review of the disability qualifications, such as increasing the waiting period for disability to 36 months instead of two years. This may also include phasing in disability and building incentives to encourage and reward eventual removal from disability, when a person is able to resume work and/or is vocationally retrained, etc.

Permit a partial privatization of young persons’ social security contribution into some type of private program, with the person choosing his or her investment portfolio. Funds would not be eligible for withdrawal until such time as a person is eligible for Social Security.

Taking immediate steps to begin to financially strengthen Social Security through protecting its funds would make for A Good Choice.

There are only 21 days remaining until Ohio Voters can make A Good Choice on Tuesday, May 2nd in the Democratic Primary Election!

22 - Sanctity of Life, Infinity & Infants

Modern science would have us to believe that long ago there occurred an explosion by spontaneous combustion in a void and presto - the entire universe appears. This is affectionately called the “Big Bang”. After many years of expansion non-living matter gave rise to life. This life went through many life forms and presto - humans eventually evolved. Under such thinking it is easy to see than the individual has no intrinsic value whatsoever. Under this godless worldview human life has no sanctity.

Researchers at the Bell Laboratories discovered background radiation coming from all directions of the universe and at the same wave length. By calculating the present state of the universe, they calculated backwards to the beginning and found that there was an explosion. The equation to explain this explosion is infinity times (multiplied by) zero. The scientific community has been keeping this hidden from the people at large. "Infinity" itself is a hard concept for skeptics to come to terms with, and the mathematical equation," infinity times zero", is also hard for those same skeptics to acknowledge or grasp. After all, he implication is that there is a God!

Many years ago there was a man who spoke directly with God and he wrote what was revealed to him: “and darkness was upon the face of the deep and the earth was without form and void and God said 'Let there be light' and there was light.” Thus, scripture gives the answer to "infinity times zero".

God said: "Let us make man in our image and after our likeness. So He made man. He made them male and female. Being made in the image of God establishes intrinsic value and worth in each person, who is conceived. The value of something is the price for which someone will pay to purchase the thing valued. God was willing to purchase each one of us by the death, separation, and resurrection (Happy Easter! everyone) of Jesus. God loves each one of us as much as He loves His only begotten Son. This is sanctity of life.

I am unashamedly Pro-Life from the very conception of life through natural, unassisted death. That is why I support adult stem cell research and that is also why I oppose Euthanasia, cloning and embryonic steam cell research. All human life is precious at every stage. Life is given and was redeemed by God Himself and that is why the protection and preservation of all human life is always A Good Choice.

Please visit my website or contact me via e-mail.

There are only 22 days remaining until Ohio Voters can make A Good Choice on Tuesday, May 2nd in the Democratic Primary Election!

23 - Healthcare Today and Tomorrow

Healthcare is in a crisis. We need to encourage and provide incentives to those individuals who are already in the healthcare field, especially physicians and nurses to stay in the field and to prosper in it. Various educational assistance programs should be established for both basic professional training as well as throughout a health care professional’s career. This could be done with some requirement to work in the field, especially in some underserved areas, with all or significant portions of the tuition or training forgiven.

We must make it much more difficult for the legal profession to file frivolous lawsuits against all medical practitioners. I would be supportive of legislation that would cap monetary awards or settlements. Persons right now are afraid to practice their profession for fear of lawsuits.

Our overall healthcare system needs to be more open and willing to deal with waste and inefficiency. Quality Improvement initiatives such as pay-for-performance should reward providers of excellent services, including nurses. We should reward health care practitioners at all levels for excellent performance and quality improvement efforts.

Healthcare is not a right as are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. However, government needs to do all it can to insure that options are available for all. Using all the various components of our present system along with private initiative we would have a range of options that can begin to address the uninsured and the underinsured. Healthcare is a massive concern to many people and it is straining our system. However, we individually must also take responsibility for our own health. Insurance providers should be further encouraged to tier their offerings and reduce premiums for those individuals who follow good nutritional and exercise practices and do not partake in risky behaviors or lifestyles such as drugs, alcohol, sexual promiscuity, etc. True faith-based organizations should be encouraged to assume the role they once had in providing all kinds of compassionate care. What better way to express concern for and ministry to our neighbors!

We have the potential of having an even better healthcare system. However, the system must coordinated and integrated and new initiatives must be added that will fill in the gaps in service to all the citizens. Illegal immigration must be contained, current and new laws must be enforced. illegal immigrants, like it or not, put additional stress and burden on the healthcare, educational and social service programs and providers all at the expense of those who need healthcare most among our legal citizens.

Refining our healthcare system, looking at every component and creating a blended system that integrates both private, faith-based, community-based and government into a system that offers something to everyone, but at the same time demands personal responsibility would be what I would advocate and legislate.

Building a healthcare system on the best aspects of our current system, including integrating and incorporating: a preventive medicine component, fostering personal responsibility with reduced premiums incentives, using the buying power of government programs to demand dramatic improvement in elimination of waste, fraud, duplication and inefficiency. This "new and improved" healthcare system is A Good Choice.

There are only 23 days remaining until Ohio Voters can make A Good Choice on Tuesday, May 2nd Democratic Primary!

24 - How to Make A Good Choice

Each one of us is made in the image of God. Everyone is born having a conscience with the basic knowledge of good and evil. If one follows what his conscience is instructing them to do, then that person will develop a habit of doing what is correct. If one does not follow what the conscience is instructing them to do, then his conscience will become weak and unable to give the person reliable guidance for good conduct.

Scripture is given by God and will not change with time. Reading it will strengthen the conscience to provide good reliable guidance for proper behavior. As good individual decisions are made over time, making good choices will become habitual. Thinking about God’s Word continuously will keep your conscience in tune with what is good and will enhance your ability to make the best decisions.

Making God's Word, the Bible, a key part of one's thoughts and one's life always is A Good Choice.

There are only 24 days remaining until Ohio Voters can make A Good Choice on Tuesday, May 2nd in the Democratic Primary Election!

25 - A Good Choice in Education

Yesterday I meet with a group of students at a faith-based (Christian) school. The students asked me very insightful and challenging questions. The school has a Lion as its symbol. The Lion represents Jesus Christ, who is described in the Bible as being the “Lion of the tribe of Judah."

Jesus said: "Leave the children alone, and don't try to keep them from coming to Me, because the kingdom of heaven is made up of people like this." (HCSB) The Bible also states that the fear (reverence) of God is the beginning of wisdom. The students at the school I visited Friday are being exposed to and learning about the things of God. Everyone needs a personal relationship with Jesus, and the students in this school are being given the opportunity to learn this. I state on my website (www.keiserforussenate.com) that this choice, which each person must make, is the bottom-line issue of life. It is wonderful to see children having a God-friendly environment in which to learn.

Regrettably, our failed public school system no longer teaches the true priorities of life as it once did. The public school system does a poor job of teaching our children anything. It is my personal belief and desire to do away with the Federal Department of Education, which to me is to be blamed for much of the failures in public education of our nation across the country. Private schools and home-schooled children receive a better education despite the roadblocks and opposition of the National Teachers Union (NEA), the Ohio Board of Education and the Federal Department of Education. These overgrown and outdated bureaucracies must go, we must abolish them now.

Parents should be given a stronger voice in their children’s education through a fully funded voucher system. Under my voucher plan every parent determines which school or learning situation (home-schooling, etc.) they desire for their child. This would improve the education system and reduce costs and increase efficiency greatly over time.

Private schools, a faith-filled environment, home-schooling and fully funded universal voucher system allowing parental choice in the education of their children would be A Good Choice.

There are only 25 days remaining until Ohio Voters can make A Good Choice on Tuesday, May 2nd in the Democratic Primary Election!