US Public Lands

In the USA a third of all land, about 840 million acres, is publicly owned.  The government agencies that administer and manage federal public lands include the National Park Service (84 million acres), the Bureau of Land Management (248 million acres), the US Forest Service (193 million acres), the US Fish and Wildlife Service (95 million acres), and State and Local Government (199 Million acres) [1] 

That’s a lot of land.  Most of it is open to the public, and anyone can visit it.  However, it is generally underutilized.  About 75% of Americans never use public lands, [2] especially those lands located outside urban areas.  In states where there is more public land, accessing it is easier.  From where I live in Idaho, I can drive to land managed by the BLM in about 10 minutes. 

In some places, there are restrictions and user fees.  They help protect the land from damage caused by overuse and provide funds to help pay the cost of managing the land. 

Who owns American public lands?  This is where it gets muddy, (if you will pardon the play on words.)  Some sources indicate that the “Property Clause” (Article 4, Section 3, Clause 2) of the US Constitution gives Congress the power to buy, sell, and regulate the use of federal lands. [3] I am not a Constitutional Lawyer, but I don’t see anything there about ownership.  Other sources say that the public lands belong to the people. [4] According to the Public Lands Alliance, federal lands are owned by the people and managed by various government agencies. Their website provides an excellent visual description (map) of the location of US public lands, and an organizational chart that shows the various federal agencies responsible for managing federal public lands. [5] 

It is important to understand that public lands managed by our state and local governments are subject to different use and management rules and regulations. For instance, state trust lands are commonly leased to provide funds for schools and universities.  City parks may be subject to curfews for public safety, and county parks and recreation areas are often subject to user fees. 

The federal government tries to regulate the public lands for multiple uses; like agriculture, grazing, logging, mining, and recreation, to name a few.  Leases and fees are charged to help fund the management of federal public lands. 

This has led to accusations of mismanagement.  Many people believe that federal agencies negotiate “sweetheart deals” with private business interests and environmentalists that short-change the public, and that have led to environmental problems and restricted access by the average citizen.  It is apparent that many of these concerns have a basis in fact, but is my opinion that it would be better to fix the problems at the administrative level where they happen, rather than for the federal government to divest control to state and local governments that lack the infrastructure to manage these lands effectively.  I have experience in managing programs at the state and county level, and I can testify that these levels of government are even more susceptible to pressure from big business, special interest groups, and ill-informed local public opinion than the federal government is. 

Urbanization has served to separate our people from the outdoor experience provided by our public lands.  Most of our public land is located in remote, rural areas that lie to the West of North and South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma, and Texas.  Therefore, like many other political issues, the ownership and use of public lands impact the Mountain West more than urban areas.  For instance, in 2018: 

·    In Alaska, 222.7 million acres, or 60.9% of all land is publicly owned, whereas in Nevada 56.3 million acres, or 80.1% of all land is publicly owned.  Consequently, even though the number of acres is greater in Alaska, the proportion of all land that is publicly owned is greater in Nevada. 

·   In Idaho, 32.8 million acres, or 61.9% of all land is public. However,in New Jersey only 172 thousand acres, or 3.6% of all land is public. 

·   This also holds true when we compare Oregon’s 32.2 million acres of public land, or 52.3% of all lands with Indiana’s 384.7 thousand acres of public land, or 1.7% of all land.[6] 

Public land is managed in diverse ways.  One of the most important ways is lands that are designated as Wilderness Areas.  Enacted in 1964, the Wilderness Act established the Wilderness Protection System.  In 1968, Congress expanded the system. “As of July 6, 2022, there are 803 wilderness areas, totaling approximately 112 million acres, in 44 states and Puerto Rico.”  About 111,695,310 acres of US Public Land has been designated as wilderness.[7] 

Wilderness areas are managed to preserve some public lands in a wild and natural state.  No vehicular traffic is allowed.  Roads and structures are forbidden.  Access is limited to foot or on horseback.  In some Wilderness Areas exceptions are made to allow use by handicapped persons.  These places are kept pristine so that the public can have access to a wilderness experience now and in the future.  For a state by state listing of the acreage and proportion of lands designated as Wilderness Areas please see: https://wilderness.net/practitioners/wilderness-search-tools/summary-reports/acreage-by-state.php

These figures may change slightly every year depending on how much land is acquired or sold.  Please be careful when researching this subject on the Internet because some websites have been compromised. 

My apologies for boring you with so much data.  It was necessary to present the “big picture.” Here’s the point.  US Public lands are, in my opinion, the property of the American people, but held in trust by the government to be managed in the public interest. 

It is difficult to understand things that are not part of our personal experience.  Therefore, people who have not had the benefit of experiencing the outdoors may not understand why some of us want to make a fuss about the current movement to give the management of federal public lands over to the states.  It is difficult to explain, but maybe the poet Robert Service said it best: 

(excerpts from) The Spell of the Yukon

By Robert Service

No! There’s the land. (Have you seen it?)

It’s the cussedest land that I know,

From the big, dizzy mountains that screen it

To the deep, deathlike valleys below.

Some say God was tired when He made it;

Some say it’s a fine land to shun;

Maybe; but there’s some as would trade it

For no land on earth—and I’m one…

 

I’ve stood in some mighty-mouthed hollow

That’s plumb-full of hush to the brim;

I’ve watched the big, husky sun wallow

In crimson and gold, and grow dim,

Till the moon set the pearly peaks gleaming,

And the stars tumbled out, neck and crop;

And I’ve thought that I surely was dreaming,

With the peace o’ the world piled on top.

 

The summer—no sweeter was ever;

The sunshiny woods all athrill;

The grayling aleap in the river,

The bighorn asleep on the hill.

The strong life that never knows harness;

The wilds where the caribou call;

The freshness, the freedom, the farness—

O God! how I’m stuck on it all.

 

The winter! the brightness that blinds you,

The white land locked tight as a drum,

The cold fear that follows and finds you,

The silence that bludgeons you dumb.

The snows that are older than history,

The woods where the weird shadows slant;

The stillness, the moonlight, the mystery,

I’ve bade ’em good-by—but I can’t.

 

There’s a land where the mountains are nameless,

And the rivers all run God knows where;

There are lives that are erring and aimless,

And deaths that just hang by a hair;

There are hardships that nobody reckons;

There are valleys unpeopled and still;

There’s a land—oh, it beckons and beckons,

And I want to go back—and I will …

 

It’s the great, big, broad land ’way up yonder,

   It’s the forests where silence has lease;

It’s the beauty that thrills me with wonder,

   It’s the stillness that fills me with peace. [8]

Friends, please read between the lines.  Do you hear the love? 

Service was writing about the Yukon, but the sentiment is transferrable to the outdoor experience that is available to every American.  It is spiritual.  It refreshes the soul, renews the spirit, and clears the mind.  I feel closer to God when I am standing on the seashore or deep in the mountain fastness. 

Land Grab 

Some in the government think of our public lands as a bank account.  To them, it is a source of revenue that, if sold, can provide money to fund government operations.  They say they would like to cut the federal expenditures driven by the management of federal public lands. 

It is a lie.  They will waste it.  Haven’t they robbed our children’s piggy bank enough by creating an almost $40 trillion national debt?  Our children’s-children’s-children will be saddled with it.  Don’t they have any shame? Teddy Roosevelt must be turning over in his grave. Our public lands are our heritage.  They were passed down to us by those who have gone before.  It is our duty to pass them down intact to those who will follow after us. 

If the federal government gives the administration of federal lands to the states, they will be transferring the cost to the states.  The states do not have the human or financial resources to the handle it.  The states will also lose the revenue they get from the feds in lieu of property taxes.  They will have to lease or sell the land to big moneyed private interests to stay solvent.  In turn, these interests will exploit the natural resources that rightly belong to the people and lay waste to the environment.  How do I know … because they have done it in the past.  Repeatedly. 

Public access will be lost to the people.  How do I know … because that is what happens when public lands are leased today.  Whether the provisions of the lease provide for it or not, the lease holders treat the land as theirs, and they run our people off land that rightfully belongs to them to recreate on.  Don’t try to tell me that it doesn’t happen, because it has happened to me. 

This is not a “make or break” issue when choosing candidates to vote for, but it is a tipping point if all other things are equal.  Please be an advocate for the responsible management of our public lands; in the public interest.  Let your sitting elected officials know that you expect them to act in the best interests of the people.  Make the candidates for public office aware that you will be taking their position on this issue into consideration when you vote. 

Lastly, if you haven’t visited our public lands, give it a try.  You will be blessed when you experience God’s wonderful creation.

 

 

 

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[1] https://www.publiclands.com/blog/a/public-lands-in-the-united-states

[2] Ibid.

[3] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Public_lands_in_the_United_States

[4] https://www.americantrails.org/resources/what-are-public-lands

[5] https://www.publiclandsalliance.org/about/what-are-public-lands

[6] https://worldpopulationreview.com/state-rankings/public-land-by-state

[7] https://www.congress.gov/crs-product/RL31447

[8] https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/46643/the-spell-of-the-yukon

 

 

Don't Lose Heart - Never Give Up

“Therefore, since God in his mercy has given us this new way, we never give up.  We reject all shameful deeds and underhanded methods. We don’t try to trick anyone or distort the word of God. We tell the truth before God, and all who are honest know this. 

If the Good News we preach is hidden behind a veil, it is hidden only from people who are perishing.  Satan, who is the god of this world, has blinded the minds of those who don’t believe. They are unable to see the glorious light of the Good News. They don’t understand this message about the glory of Christ, who is the exact likeness of God … 

We are pressed on every side by troubles, but we are not crushed. We are perplexed, but not driven to despair.  We are hunted down, but never abandoned by God. We get knocked down, but we are not destroyed.  Through suffering, our bodies continue to share in the death of Jesus so that the life of Jesus may also be seen in our bodies … 

We know that God, who raised the Lord Jesus, will also raise us with Jesus and present us to himself together with you.  All of this is for your benefit. And as God’s grace reaches more and more people, there will be great thanksgiving, and God will receive more and more glory … 

That is why we never give up. Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being renewed every day.  For our present troubles are small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever!  So we don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever.” (2Corinthians 4:1-4, 8-10, 14-18 NLT) [1]

 

Sing praises to the Lord, O you his saints,

and give thanks to his holy name.

For his anger is but for a moment,

and his favor is for a lifetime.

Weeping may tarry for the night,

but joy comes with the morning.

(Psalm 30:4-5 ESV) [2] 

 

“All things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.  Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:27-30 ESV) [3]

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[1] https://biblehub.com/nlt/2_corinthians/4.htm

[2] https://biblehub.com/esv/psalms/1.htm

[3] https://biblehub.com/esv/matthew/11.htm

 

Redistribution of Wealth

What is wealth?  We often base our opinions on our observations and experience of life.  They can also be influenced by the sources we get our information from.  The older I get the more I realize that my opinions may be formed from incomplete information, and that they may not be fully correct as a result.  Nevertheless, I have a confidence level of about 98 percent that I am correct on the subject at hand.

Decisions are almost always made in uncertainty.  How much information is necessary to make good decisions?  Although it is not possible to gather all the information necessary to arrive at 100 percent certainty, we are still able to get enough needed information to make a decision. 

Expert opinions vary regarding what wealth is.  In very general terms, there are two types of wealth.  One is material wealth, which is usually based on the net worth of the money, goods and services held by an individual, corporation, or other legally recognized organization.  The other is intangible wealth, which considers the quality of life enjoyed by people. 

Material wealth and quality of life are interrelated.  Those with more material wealth have more opportunities to enjoy a good quality of life.  Often, however, if material wealth is misused, the result can be a diminished quality of the overall experience of life.  Obviously, people who live in poverty, or who are “just getting by,” may have fewer opportunities to enjoy “the good life.”  We should also remember that the difficulties we face in life can be overcome by a right relationship with God. (John 16:33) 

A common criticism of capitalism is that society becomes stratified – that the rich get richer and the poor get poorer.  On the other hand, it is argued that although socialism seeks to remove socioeconomic differences, it results in ruined economies that fail to produce enough affordable goods and services, which people need to for a decent standard of living. 

“The inherent vice of capitalism is the unequal sharing of blessings; the inherent virtue of socialism is the equal sharing of miseries.” (Winston Churchill) [1] 

“Socialism is a philosophy of failure, the creed of ignorance, and the gospel of envy, its inherent virtue is the equal sharing of misery.” (Winston Churchill) [2] 

The idea that in capitalism the rich get richer by exploiting the poor did not originate with the current radical socialists who seem to have taken over the Democratic Party.  Neither did the idea that socialism would correct this injustice by redistributing the wealth.    It is at least as old as the utopian movement in the 19^th century.  The term, “from each according to his ability to each according to his need,” may have originated with the French utopian  Étienne-Gabriel Morelly.  It was popularized by Karl Marx in his Critique of the Gotha Programme (1875). [3] 

The idea of redistributing wealth seems to be focused in improving the quality of life of the general population by taking from the rich and giving to the poor.  (My apologies to Robin Hood.)  In the Soviet Union, and the Eastern European countries it dominated, this included the confiscation of private property by the government.  As an example, the homes of prosperous persons were declared to be “underutilized,” and the government relegated the owners to a small portion of the home, while giving the rest of the home over to be used by one or more less fortunate families. 

That idea has not been lost on Democratic Socialists like Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (AOC) who once advocated for the confiscation and refurbishing of slum apartment houses to provide housing for the poor as a solution to urban blight.  That the history of public housing in the United States has been a miserable failure seems to have escaped AOC.  Housing projects were built and occupied, but the tenants’ style of living resulted in the rapid deterioration of the buildings.  Further, they became a hotbed for drug abuse and criminal activities. 

The Democratic Socialist wing of the Democratic Party is advocating that the rich be taxed to fund social programs that are intended for the poor.  The result is already being seen in Zohran Kwame Mamdani’s governance of New York City.  The rich and middle class people who are able to do so are relocating to places where the tax structure is more business friendly.  The same thing is happening in California. 

If tax the rich policies are extended to the national level, the same thing will happen.  We will once again find that America’s means of production will be exported to foreign locations.  Investment in American businesses that stay in the USA will dry up.  Investment and a portion of profits are necessary for businesses to acquire the capital needed for product development, growth, and expansion.  Without these, there is no growth in well paid private sector jobs.  No jobs, no wages, and no wages, no consumption.  Economic activity slows down, and without it tax revenue dissolves. 

With growth in government, the cost of government increases and so do taxes.  Job creation transferers from the private to the public sector.  This causes government spending to exceed revenue.  That drives deficit government spending.  The advocates of Modern Monetary Theory (aka Macroeconomic Theory) tell us that deficit spending is good because it puts more money into the economy than it takes out.  What they cavalierly ignore is that the result is inflationary.  Although “funny money” printed to bridge the gap between revenue and spending temporarily stimulates the economy by increasing the amount of money available for consumption, the value of money decreases – it buys less.  Consequently, it is inflationary, and it erodes the standard of living for the average person. 

Those who advocate for socialism point to the Social Democracies of Europe as an example of socialism’s success.  However, they fail to consider that the European Social Democracies have market driven, rather than socialist, centrally planned economies.  Private property rights are regulated, but they are not destroyed.  The European Social Democracies also heavily tax the middle class.  In 2026, the personal income tax rate in Denmark is 60.50 percent. [4]  In Sweden, socialist policies had to be modified because they were destroying small businesses and discouraging entrepreneurship. [5] 

As President Trump has pointed out many of our European NATO partners neglected to spend the amount on defense that they were obligated to under the treaty.  It is clear to even the casual observer that the Europeans helped to fund their socialist governments by skimping on defense spending. 

When we give Democrats the Presidency and majorities in the US Senate and House of Representatives, they do the same thing.  They always cut defense spending but spend like drunken sailors on social programs. 

Once again, we can see that there is “no such thing as a free lunch.”  When the Democratic Socialists and other big government advocates promise the public “free stuff” in the name of social justice (and to buy votes), somebody has to pay for it. Otherwise, the USA will eventually go broke, or become a nation in decline. 

“The problem with socialism is that you eventually run out of other peoples' money.” (Margaret Thatcher) [6] 

The answer is for federal, state, and local governments to adopt tax structures and spending policies that encourage the development and expansion of the private sector.  If the private sector prospers, they will need to expand the workforce.  If more jobs are available, the supply of skilled and motivated workers will get smaller.  The scarcity of labor will increase the amount that must be paid to attract good workers.  Jobs and wages will increase, which will encourage consumption.  More production, wages, and consumption will increase government revenues without the need to increase taxes. Increased revenue will reduce, and may eventually eliminate, the need for deficit spending. 

Friends, centrally managed socialist economies failed in Russia, China, North Korea, Vietnam, and Venezuela.  Social Democracies in Europe have increased taxes on average people, not just the rich.  Since the end of WWII, the capitalist, free market economies encouraged by the United States have raised the standard of living of millions of people around the world. 

In November, we will choose between capitalism’s overall record of success, or the false socialist promises of a society that will be made more just through the redistribution of wealth.  The midterm election will be decided by voter turnout (participation).  Please join me by voting for candidates who support the traditional American way of life, and against the socialist nonsense that is being offered by today’s Democratic Party.  

 

 

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[1] https://www.brainyquote.com/authors/winston-churchill-quotes

[2] Ibid.

[3] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/From_each_according_to_his_ability,_to_each_according_to_his_needs

[4] https://tradingeconomics.com/denmark/personal-income-tax-rate

[5] Documentary “Sweden: Lessons for America?” James and Maureen Trusty, Directors

[6] https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/margaret_thatcher_502392

 

How to be Faithful

“And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him.  Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.” (Romans 12:1-2) [1]

 

“And now this Good News has been announced to you by those who preached in the power of the Holy Spirit sent from heaven. It is all so wonderful that even the angels are eagerly watching these things happen. 

So prepare your minds for action and exercise self-control. Put all your hope in the gracious salvation that will come to you when Jesus Christ is revealed to the world.  So you must live as God’s obedient children. Don’t slip back into your old ways of living to satisfy your own desires. You didn’t know any better then.  But now you must be holy in everything you do, just as God who chose you is holy.  For the Scriptures say, “You must be holy because I am holy.” 

And remember that the heavenly Father to whom you pray has no favorites. He will judge or reward you according to what you do. So you must live in reverent fear of him during your time here as “temporary residents.”  For you know that God paid a ransom to save you from the empty life you inherited from your ancestors. And it was not paid with mere gold or silver, which lose their value.  It was the precious blood of Christ, the sinless, spotless Lamb of God.  God chose him as your ransom long before the world began, but now in these last days he has been revealed for your sake.” (1Peter 1:12-20 NLT) [2]

 

“With the Lord’s authority I say this: Live no longer as the Gentiles do, for they are hopelessly confused.  Their minds are full of darkness; they wander far from the life God gives because they have closed their minds and hardened their hearts against him.  They have no sense of shame. They live for lustful pleasure and eagerly practice every kind of impurity. 

But that isn’t what you learned about Christ.  Since you have heard about Jesus and have learned the truth that comes from him,  throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life, which is corrupted by lust and deception.  Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes.  Put on your new nature, created to be like God—truly righteous and holy.” (Ephesians 4:17-24 NLT) [3]

 

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[1] https://biblehub.com/nlt/romans/12.htm

[2] https://biblehub.com/nlt/1_peter/1.htm

[3] https://biblehub.com/nlt/ephesians/4.htm

 

Salvation and Protection

The God of the Holy Bible, of Abraham, Issiac, and Jacob, has promised to rescue, protect, honor and save His people; those who trust in Him.  Fellow Americans, God has promised to heal our land if we humbly pray, repent, and turn away from our wickedness. (2Chronicles 7:14) 

The LORD says, “I will rescue those who love me.
I will protect those who trust in my name.
When they call on me, I will answer;
I will be with them in trouble.
I will rescue and honor them.
I will reward them with a long life
and give them my salvation.”
(Psalm 91:14-16 NLT) [1]

One of the Hebrew names for God is Elohim Shomri.  It means God our Protector. He wants to extend His tender mercies to us. Please receive the salvation He has provided for us through the sacrifice of His one and only begotten Son – Christ Jesus our Lord.

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.  For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. 

“He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.  And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. (John 3:16-19 NKJV) [2]

 

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[1] https://biblehub.com/nlt/psalms/91.htm

[2] https://biblehub.com/nkjv/john/3.htm

 

Casualties

When I was a young US Army Lieutenant, I was privileged to be stationed in what was then West Germany.  During that time, I dated a German woman, and we visited a lot of historic places. 

One day, she took me to the war memorial at Hartmannsweilerkopf (German), or Vieil Armand (French), that is maintained by France and Germany in the Alsace country on their shared border near the Black Forest.  It honors the fallen on both sides in a battle that took place there in 1915.  The fighting was typical of WW I.  Each side gained ground in assaults, only to lose it to counteroffensives.  It devolved into trench warfare between the peak periods of fighting.  Reports vary, but it is safe to say that about 30,000 men died there in several major engagements, during 1915. [1] 

The battle of Hartmannsweilerkopf was fought for control of high ground that dominates access to the Alsace Plain, the Rhine River, and the Black Forrest. [2] Eventually, it became a stalemate between the entrenched German and French forces. 

The Alsace region is extraordinarily beautiful; so much so that it is hard to remember that it has been contested ground many times historically.  People in the surrounding area say jokingly that it has changed hands so many times that the people there speak both French and German because they can’t tell which one they are. 

As I remember it, some 53 years later, there is a war memorial, military cemetery, and small museum at Hartmannsweilerkopf, and about a mile of the trenches have been preserved to show what life was like for the soldiers who fought there.  When I saw it I was filled with a profound sense of sadness.  It did not escape me that so many lives were cut short, and that this is often the fate of the soldier. 

There are many war memorials in Europe.  The people there have a deep sense of reverence for their war dead.  In Austria, many small villages have markers with the names and pictures of the men from the village who were killed in action. 

Therefore, it came as a surprise to my girlfriend when my reaction was to mourn the senseless loss of life, rather than to be inspired by the sacrifice of the fallen.  She told me that she thought I would like visiting the battlefield because I was a soldier.  I couldn’t find the words to express to her how I felt. 

Pershing missile units were a “big red X” on the Soviet Union’s war map, but I never had anyone actually shoot at me during my tour of duty.  I am not speaking from combat experience.  However, if I had known of this quote from General Douglas MacArthur at the time, it might have helped me to tell my girlfriend how I felt that day at the war memorial.

“The soldier above all others prays for peace,

for it is the soldier who must suffer

and bear the deepest wounds and scars of war.” Douglas MacArthur [3]

Of course, I honor the fallen, and I am truly grateful for their sacrifice.  Better men than I have died for their country.  The mixed feelings come from an intense regret that it was necessary to call upon them to do so.  There are always new bad guys whose Satan-inspired evil deeds make it necessary for the good guys to fight them.  Jesus said: 

“And you will hear of wars and threats of wars, but don’t panic. Yes, these things must take place, but the end won’t follow immediately.  Nation will go to war against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in many parts of the world.  But all this is only the first of the birth pains, with more to come.” (Matthew 24:6-8 NLT) [4] 

The following is not intended to diminish in any way the pain that comes with the loss of American lives in Operation Epic Fury.  Their sacrifice, and that of their families, friends, and comrades in arms deserve our greatest respect and honor.  It is hoped that this information may help us to put things in perspective, because it is truly a miracle that we have been able to significantly reduce the ability of the outlaw regime in Iran to wage offensive war while suffering so few casualties. 

Estimates vary, but one source indicates that between 15 and 22 million military and civilian deaths occurred because of World War I. [5]  In World War II, there were about 28.6 million military personnel killed, and about 38 million civilian deaths have been attributed to military actions.  Another 22.9 million civilian WW II deaths have been attributed to the disease and famine that always accompany war. [6] (Revelation 6:1-8)

During the Korean War, it is believed that 33,652 Americans were killed in action and another 3,262 died of “non-battle” causes. [7]  In Vietnam, 58,202 lost their lives; 47,378 combat deaths and 10,800 “non-hostile” deaths.  Several of my high school classmates were killed in Vietnam.  It is reported that 9,087,000 Americans served in the military during the Vietnam war (including myself). [8]  When we came home we did not hear the words “Thank you for your service.” … although they did come much, much later. 

It is reported that the Russian Federation is estimated to have brought 450,000 combat deaths upon itself in the Russia/Ukraine war.  Their total casualties (killed and wounded) may number as many as 1.4 million.  Ukraine is estimated to have suffered between 125,000 to 150,000 killed in action and about 400,000 to 475,000 wounded. [9] 

The data indicate that war can come at a terrible cost in human lives.  We can see that casualties are an integral part of war – you can’t have one without the other. 

It is also apparent that the United States has become more casualty averse.  Our President is chief among those who hate the loss of life that comes through war.  We have increased the monetary cost of war by developing expensive weapons that limit civilian casualties and damage to civilian infrastructure.  Nevertheless, where there is war there will always be casualties. 

Adolph Hitler, Benito Mussolini, and Hideki Tojo were defeated, but they were replaced by Josef Stalin, Mao Zedong, and Kim Il Sung.  In turn, we are now dealing with Vladimir Putin, Xi Jinping, Kim Jong-Un, and the IRGC.  These people share common traits.  They are totalitarians who use threat, intimidation and force to compel other people to bend to their will.  They murder their own people and viciously suppress any and all opposition.  They seek to project power beyond their borders, and they do not respect those who oppose them with anything except force or the threat of force. 

Free people who want to stay free will always be forced by monsters like these to defend their freedom.  Our friends, family and fellow countrymen will get killed and wounded in the process.  President Ronald Reagan got it right: 

“Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn't pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same.”  Ronald Reagan [10] 

I hate war more than many of my fellow Conservatives.  In November, however, I urge you to join me by voting for candidates who understand that it will be necessary, when diplomacy fails, for Americans to defend our freedom and the freedom of other friendly nations. “Freedom isn’t free.” It will come at a cost in lives and treasure, but it must be done. 

 

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[1] https://military-history.fandom.com/wiki/Battle_of_Hartmannswillerkopf

[2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Hartmannswillerkopf 

[3] https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/douglas_macarthur_125212

[4] https://biblehub.com/nlt/matthew/24.htm

[5] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_War_I_casualties

[6] https://worldpopulationreview.com/country-rankings/world-war-two-casualties-by-country

[7] https://www.cbsnews.com/news/how-many-americans-died-in-korea/

[8] https://vietnamveteranproject.org/statistics-2/

[9] https://www.cnn.com/2026/07/02/world/russia-war-casualities-ukraine-2-million-intl 

[10] https://www.brainyquote.com/authors/ronald-reagan-quotes

 

The Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act

Noncitizens cannot vote in in Italy, France, Germany, Poland, Austria, Lithuania, Latvia, Romania, Bulgaria, Greece, and Croatia.  Any legal resident can vote in Ireland. In Denmark, Sweden, Finland, Estonia, Belgium, and the Netherlands the ability of foreigners to vote is governed by the length of legal residence. [1] In France, foreign residents who are citizens of European Union member states have the right to vote in municipal elections and hold municipal elected office. [2] 

Foreign citizens do not have the right to vote in Japan, however, 42 municipalities allow foreigners to vote in referendums but not general elections. [3]  Voting is allowed in Communist China, but the rules are complicated and restrictive.  Not all governmental positions are elective offices. Non-citizens are not allowed to vote in China.  In General, Chinese citizens who are at least 18 years old are allowed to vote in at least some of their elections. [4] 

Not all Americans are in favor of considering what other countries do when deciding how things should be done in the Unites States.  I agree.  It is sometimes helpful, however, to be aware of how others are dealing with the same issue. 

The attitude Americans have toward the right to vote varies.  Some are quite cavalier.  Others doubt that their vote matters.  Many want the right to vote to be manipulated in order that their candidates or causes will prevail in our elections.  Others believe that the integrity of the vote is foundational to democracy. 

In the United States the right to vote has always been subject to qualifications.  Its history is long and a little confusing.  The following is borrowed from the University of Northern Texas because of its clarity and completeness. However, some entries were left out for the sake of brevity out of respect to our reader’s time: 

This timeline shows milestones of voting laws in U.S. history. This timeline also offers information about the U.S. government denying and granting citizenship to groups of U.S. residents. Citizenship is a requirement of voting in the United States. 

1789: The U.S. constitution did not establish any specific voting rights, instead states were given the power to regulate voting laws. As a result, most states limited voting to white male landowners.

Representatives were elected by the people, Senators were selected by state legislatures, and the President was elected by state legislature appointed electors. 

… 1856: All white men can vote—the requirement for property ownership was eliminated. This was a state-by-state change. North Carolina was the last state to remove this requirement in 1856. 

1866: Civil Rights Act of 1866 granted citizenship to all persons born in the United States, regardless of color or previous enslavement. This act allowed all citizens of the U.S. equal protection under the law. This act excluded the rights of citizenship to indigenous people who did not pay taxes. 

1868: The 14th Amendment extends citizenship to “all persons born or naturalized in the United States.” The 14th Amendment enshrined the Civil Rights Act of 1866 as part of the Constitution, protecting it from being overturned by the Supreme Court. The 14th Amendment secured citizenship for freed slaves and black folks but did not include rights of political participation, including voting. 

1870: The 15th Amendment granted black men the right to vote -- “The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States of any State on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude.” Some Suffragists opposed the 15th Amendment because it did not extend voting rights to women. 

1876: The Supreme Court ruled Native Americans are not citizens as defined by the 14th Amendment, even those that are "tax paying." The decision was offered in Elk v. Wilkins. 

1882: Chinese Exclusion Act denies people of Chinese ancestry from naturalizing as American citizens. 

1887: The Dawes Act grants citizenship to Native Americans who disassociate from their Nations. 

1890: Indian Naturalization Act required some indigenous peoples to apply for U.S. citizenship. In spite of being granted citizenship, indigenous peoples were still denied the right to vote until 1924. 

1890: Wyoming becomes a state and the first allowing women the right to vote. Wyoming originally granted women the right to vote in 1873, when it was still a territory. Women's right to vote was not extended to federal elections, only state and local elections. Between 1890 and 1920, several other states extended suffrage to women. 

1913: The 17th Amendment gives the power of selecting Senators to the (male) people. Prior to the 17th Amendment Senators were selected by state legislatures. 

1920: The 19th Amendment gives women the right to vote. 

1922: Supreme Court rules that people of Japanese heritage are ineligible to become naturalized citizens. The same is ruled for Asian Indians in 1923.

1924: The Indian Citizenship Act, also known as the Snyder Act, grants indigenous peoples citizenship regardless of nation affiliation. Previously, indigenous peoples were expect to renounce their tribal affiliations to gain U.S. citizenship. 

1943: The Magnuson Act repeals the Chinese Exclusion Act, giving Chinese immigrants citizenship and the right to vote. 

1952: The Immigration and Nationality Act of 1952, or the McCarran-Walter Act, granted all Asian-Americans the right to citizenship and to vote. This act also granted citizenship to residents of U.S. territories though not the right to vote in federal elections. 

1961: The 23rd Amendment gives residents of the District of Columbia the right to vote for president, but not Congressional representation. 

1965: Voting Rights Act is passed. 

1971: The 26th Amendment made the minimum voting age 18, previously the minimum voting age was 21. 

1986: The Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act granted U.S. Military, Uniformed Services, Merchant Marines, and other U.S. citizens living abroad right to vote. 

1993: National Voter Registration Act passes, making registering to vote at DMVs and other public assistance centers easier. 

2002: The Help America Vote Act requires voter ID for all new voters in federal elections who registered by mail and who did not provide a driver's license number or the last four digits of a Social Security number that was matched against government records. Many states have voter ID requirements. The National Council of State Legislatures (NCSL) provides state by state voter ID laws and requirements. … [5]

 

The argument that the Save American Voter Eligibility Act, that is currently being vigorously debated in Congress, is without historical precedent, and is an effort to limit the right to vote is spurious.  It is clear that Americans have striven to improve the fundamental fairness of our elections.  It is also clear that suffrage has always been set aside for citizens. 

The provisions of the Save American Voter Eligibility Act include: 

The bill defines "documentary proof of United States citizenship". 

Valid documents for verifying citizenship, as stated by the bill, are one of the following: 

1.    A form of identification issued consistent with the requirements of the REAL ID law that indicates citizenship;

1.    A valid U.S. passport;

2.    An official US military identification card together with a service record indicating a place of birth in the United States;

3.    A valid government-issued photo ID card that lists a place of birth in the United States;

4.    Any other valid government-issued photo ID card together with evidence of birth as a US citizen or naturalization, such as a US-issued birth certificate, a naturalization certificate, or a Consular Report of Birth Abroad (CRBA). [6] 

Opponents argue that existing law prohibits non-citizens from voting.  They believe that the law acts to prevent some eligible Americans from voting. They believe that the Help America Vote Act (HAVA) already requires registrars to verify voter citizenship through databases maintained by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, the Social Security Administration, and the U.S. Postal Service. [7] They say that the Save America Act would increase the cost of elections. 

Concerns about non-citizens being allowed to vote have been elevated by the policies of the Biden Administration which allowed an estimated 15 million people to enter and remain in the United States illegally.  In some states like California attempts have been made to allow non-citizens to vote in state and local elections. 

Photo IDs are required for everything from buying beer to airline travel.  You can’t buy a gun without a picture ID.  Voting in both houses of Congress is limited to elected and approved members.  Voting is limited to members or shareholders in the governance of churches, corporations, private organizations, and many other groups.  Disadvantaged persons must show proof of identification and residence to obtain public assistance.  If they want to smoke cigarettes, they have to show a picture ID to by them.  If disadvantaged persons can obtain a picture ID for these and other activities, they can obtain the identification necessary to vote if they really want to. 

Conclusion 

I think that the integrity of our elections is fundamental to the preservation of democracy in our Constitutional Republic.  Unlike Parliamentary Democracies, Americans are stuck with the results of an election for from two, four, or six years until the next election cycle.  Free, fair, and legal elections are essential to maintaining the ability of American Citizens to have faith in their representative government.  Although recent voter turnout has been higher than in the past, it is clear that many Americans feel disenfranchised – that their vote does not count.  Although recent national elections have been very close, it is evident that a lot of our fellow citizens have lost faith in our elections - and whether their vote matters. 

Attempts by the Democrats to pay people to vote more than once, to manipulate voter turnout through absentee ballots, and to discourage others by intimidation by Black Panthers at the polling places have indicated a need for more stringent voting laws.  The Obama Administration weaponized the IRS to crush the Tea Party, in blatant violation of their First Amendment Rights. Voters have good cause to be cynical. 

Therefore, any legislation that strengthens the belief in the integrity of our elections is justified.  I urge you to telephone, email, and write your Senators and Congressional Representatives to vote for the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act immediately. Time is critical as a vote on the bill is imminent. 

Learn how your Senators and Congressional Representatives voted on this one.  Remember it when you “get out and vote” in November.  Thanks.  We need to win this time.

 

 

 

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[1] https://leavingamerica.substack.com/p/can-foreigners-residing-in-france 

[2] https://www.statista.com/statistics/1259635/support-voting-rights-local-elections-foreigners-living-france/ 

[3] https://japanlivinglife.com/articles/foreigners-voting-rights-japan-explained 

[4] https://www.chinajusticeobserver.com/a/how-do-elections-in-china-work 

[5] https://guides.library.unt.edu/voting/history-of-voting-America 

[6] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Safeguard_American_Voter_Eligibility_Act 

[7] Ibid.