I was born and raised in a small town in West Virginia called Nitro. Yes, this was a boom town during World War I where high explosive gunpowder was manufactured. Nitro remained my families home base throughout my father’s career in the Marine Corps and like many others we moved from military base to military base but always landed back in Nitro.

One of my most memorable moments during this time was playing Marine with my best friend Donnie Mosely. Also, I remember having to enroll in 3 different elementary schools in one day during one of my father’s relocations.

I was an average kid growing up in an average town doing what every other kid did at that time. Many days as a teenager was spent playing street football or pickup basketball with all the neighborhood guys. I started working at the age of 14 by mowing lawns. You were doing great if you got $5 per lawn. During the summer I mowed at least one yard per day and two on Saturdays. My first real job was cleaning the floors at a local Valley Bell dairy store. The pay wasn’t that great, but I got a banana split when I finished cleaning for the day.

During high school I was a straight “A” student and ran cross country track. But most of all during my senior year I remember the days of riding around with my buddy Denny Null in my Chevy Nova blaring Grand Funk Railroad on the 8-track stereo. Those were the fun times. Also, during my senior year, in the evenings I worked as a boilermaker building the third unit to the John Amos power plant. Now that job paid really good, and I received a lot of good training.

After graduating from high school, I received a full Marine Corps scholarship to attend The Ohio State University. Enrolling there was a traumatic experience for me. Coming from a small town to a large campus was truly culture shock for me. My dorm was a 23-story tower that housed over 1,900 students. The other part that got my attention was the floors alternated men and women, so I had a woman’s floor below and above me. There was always something going on in the tower that was very distracting to schoolwork.

Nearly flunking out my freshman year, I managed to buckle down, change my major a few times and then graduate with a Bachelor of Science degree in Industrial Technology Education. I was officially a schoolteacher but would end up never formally teaching a day in my life. Also, at the same time, I was commissioned a Second Lieutenant in the United States Marine Corps and was ordered to The Basic School at Quantico, Virginia.

My Marine Corps career lasted 8 years. I was trained as a Combat Engineer where we learned how to build things and then blow them up. I spent years at the Engineer School not only as a student but later as the Commanding Officer of the Utilities Instruction Company where we trained electricians, plumbers, refrigeration mechanics, and generator operators. I was afforded the opportunity to travel to Japan, the Philippines, and Hong Kong. I would never have been able to do this if it weren’t for the Marine Corps.

During this time, I also met my first wife. Yes, the first of four. We had two wonderful kids, a boy, Troy, and a girl LaDonna. So, after 8 years and obtaining the rank of Captain, I decided to move on to civilian life. I began this new career as the Assistant General Manager for a Holiday Inn hotel under construction. I was mainly responsible for getting the construction completed and then in charge of maintenance and housekeeping. From there I moved on to a metal manufacturing company in Florida. I knew nothing about metal but applied myself and became the general manager of one of the production plants. Next, I moved back to West Virginia to be in the family accounting business. The idea was for me to help my mother grow the business and then sell it for her retirement. Well, we did that, but she never really retired.

During this time back in West Virginia I learned that I really enjoyed fishing especially bass fishing. I joined a bass club and competed in numerous tournaments. I eventually became the president of the bass club for a number of years.

Soon after my mother’s “retirement”, I began my journey in the financial field for higher education. At first, I was just an outside contractor helping in various areas of accounting and then I was offered a full-time position as the controller of a private 4-year institution.

For over 15 years I worked on the business side of higher education. I truly enjoyed what I was doing, and I had a sense of real accomplishment. I worked my way up to be a vice president of finance and administrative services as well as the chief financial officer of a community college. It seems like a lot of people think that if you work at a college you must teach. I have to explain that I ran the business side of the college and do not teach. Areas that were in my purview were payroll, accounts payable and receivable, security, grants, and information technology.

I retired in 2021 and moved to Georgia to be closer to my two children and four grandchildren. I love working outside in the yard growing flowers and doing a little gardening as well as various projects enhancing the yard. I also have built a home target shooting range so that I am able to pursue another one of my passions of target shooting. Last but not least, I have my faithful companion Luna, a yellow lab, that follows and goes with me everywhere.

Here are also two fun projects I finally finished for this website:

• Master Code
• Allows you to create a secret message with your own code word.
•  
• Morse Code
• Changes a message into morse code.

• Loyalty
• Integrity
• Dependability
• Credibility
• Stability
• Dignity
• Ethical

Love for one's ancestry, culture or homeland is the root meaning of patriotism. Derived from the Greek kputrios ("of one's fathers") or patris (one's fatherland") the Oxford English Dictionary defines a patriot as "one who disinterestedly or self-sacrificingly exerts himself to promote the well-being of his country." A patriot is "one who maintains and defends his country's freedom or rights."

While we tend to think of a patriot as a person who puts his country first in opposition to another country, originally the term meant one who supported the rights of "country" or "land" against the King and his court. In other words, a patriot stood for the rights of local self-government and was opposed to tyrannical rule-even by his own king. Thus, true patriotism is the impulse to defend one's land, country or way of life against unjust governmental oppression.

Patriotism is not blind trust in anything our leaders tell us or do.

Patriotism is not simply showing up to vote.

Patriotism is not just waving the flag.

The essence of patriotism requires that one loves his country with a fervor that supersedes his or her personal well-being and when the forces of evil attack our Constitution and Bill of Rights, those individuals become outraged and gather their friends, relatives, and neighbors to rally against the injustices against our precious form of democracy.

To be truly patriotic, you MUST get involved. Government must be limited to protecting the peace and preserving our liberties, and doing so through the consent of the governed. You cannot idly sit by and let others dictate to you what is best for our country and yourself.

NOTE: A pdf version of this document is available by clicking here !

"No disrespect should be shown to the flag of the United States of America."
_{-Section 8, U.S. Flag Code}

"The flag represents a living country and is itself considered a living thing."
_{-Section 8j, U.S. Flag Code}

• Declaration of Independence
• Constitution of the United States
• Bill of Rights
• Amendments 11 - 27 to the Constitution

Should we be concerned of possibly another pandemic? Yes. Should we be concerned with possible terrorist groups? Yes. But what we are MORE concerned of is what is eroding our country from within. We have become too complacent and have allowed a number in the government to run amuck with our lives. It’s a matter of convenience for most (I just don’t have the time). Pandemics and terrorists are nuisances to us but not the true and real threat to National security as those in Washington D.C. would have you believe. They are a distraction at best. We have too many people who just sit back and take whatever is thrown to them and hope that they will be better off in the long run. Our Constitution is slowly but surely being eroded away as well as our basic rights and freedoms. We will, except for the elite few, sink even further in despair.

America is at a crossroad, and I am concerned that we are going down the wrong road. We have become an ignorant American populace! You just don’t see what they, our government, are doing to us. Yes, both sides; the left and the right.

We advocate no guns but at the same time condemn those that are sworn to protect us. So, who do you think will come to your aid when the “shit” happens to you (the legal gun owner you condemn, the police officer you condemn, no we think it will be the criminal that will come to your aid and end up taking more).

Big companies claim to do right and then are being subsidized by the taxpayers. More graft, kickbacks, and downright theft of tax dollars than ever before. Where doing something illegal is now acceptable and condoned.

Politicians getting on their soap box declaring that they are working for us when, in reality, they are seeing how much they can get from us. Transparency in government when every time you turn around it is getting more secretive and so complex you don’t know which end is up. Laws that pertain to the average citizen somehow do not apply to the politicians or wealthy or the ones with influence.

We allow our homeless to go without eating, our elderly to go without needed medications, our military to go without proper equipment, and our veterans to go without their promised benefits all the while sending billions to foreign nations that in part do not support a democratic society and we allow multitudes of illegal immigrants into our country to “help our economy” when they can’t even help their own.

Doesn’t make much sense, does it?

Plus look at all the waste and abuse of OUR Money and nobody really cares (cost of doing business).

No one is willing to think for themselves or use some basic common sense and logic. They expect others to do for them or look after their best interests. And when that doesn’t happen there are all kinds of excuses thrown out and no one is held accountable. They take for granted from either side whatever is said is the gospel and whoever yells the loudest must be the one speaking the truth.

Just think about the rhetoric being thrown around out there. NONE of it with the full truth.

ARE WE BEING CONQUERED and who do we blame? The only answer to this is yes, we are being conquered and the blame lies squarely on the average citizen.

I blame the average citizen that just sits there and does nothing. Yes they might get on Facebook and complain but that’s as far as it goes. They do not demand the full truth or that those responsible be held accountable. They just let the same things go on and on and on. And those that are destroying us for their own benefit are continuing to do it because they have gotten away with it for so long. We are so wrapped up in ourselves and supporting our political party “at all costs” we forget our values and ethics.

We, as a Nation, are in terrible shape. Our government has gotten way too big, are involved in things that they shouldn’t be but in the name of helping us, spend at least three times more money than they need to.

Who’s to blame? WE ARE! WE THE PEOPLE have allowed this to happen and until WE THE PEOPLE wake up and take control of our own lives, we will continue to be a conquered.

Our Constitution has been twisted, misinterpreted, and ignored by government leadership to serve and preserve their agenda and control over the people. Government leadership has distorted the term “patriotism” by encouraging and rewarding the quest for power and control through the use of deceit and deception. All you have to do is look at the debacle of the Department of Veterans Affairs, the scandal at the IRS, senseless wars with distorted objectives, our open southern border or exodus from Afghanistan to confirm that leadership has gone awry. Our constitution was predicated on the concept of a limited federal government and that it would not be the solution to everyone’s problems or concerns.

Our political leaders have lost their integrity and ethics and replaced them with their own greedy needs. Our government is working on what is right for politics but not for what is right for us and the country. Politicians are more worried about their next election and the political fallout of their decisions than they are for what is right. Instead of taking the right action and standing up for it, they bow down to the politics. These thoughtless politicians need to be voted out of office and replaced with those who really care and are considerate about the citizenry and are not just full of fancy talk.

In framing our Constitution, our founders wrote in the Declaration of Independence “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” Pursuit of happiness and not the right of happiness. We should enable our citizens that want to take advantage of it, the avenues to pursue their happiness and not just hand it to them. If it is handed out then no one would be satisfied with it, and they will continue to want more given to them.

We have sunk to our lowest level. High deficit, millions of people out of work, our economy in the “tank” at best, gas and grocery prices soaring, and no end in sight. We have degraded our nation to a bunch of irresponsible crybabies. We no longer take responsibility for our actions and blame others for our downfall. We have sunk into a moral decay. We have allowed others to rule us instead of us ruling ourselves. Washington D.C. is not working.

It’s time to get mad and get back to the basics. A strong and united Nation that the World envies and globally people crave to have. The basics that made our country the greatest this world has ever seen and the country that so many want to be a part of. The basics are built on the foundation of pride in our country, compassion, integrity, accountability, responsibility, and the rule of law.

Our Nation has become too complex, and we are trying to be everything for everyone. We cannot continue on this path. We cannot survive as the greatest Nation on Earth with this mindset. For us to survive as a Nation our government must get back to the basics

We have been sold down the river and nothing will change until “WE the People” change it. It is time to wake up and take responsibility for our own lives and not let government dictate to us. Complacency is not an option anymore.

Blacks vs Whites vs Hispanics; Christians vs Muslims vs Jews; Democrats vs Republicans vs Independents; Poor vs Middle Class vs the Rich; veterans, gay, lesbian, black, white, or Hispanic; it doesn’t matter. We are all Americans; we are all red, white, and blue. There should not be any special rules for anyone. If you need to feel special, go out and do something special.

I don’t expect anyone to have all of the same beliefs, ideas, or positions that I have on the issues. But I do expect the majority of Americans to have the same basic principle in governing this Nation. We are a free people with some basic rights and liberties, and it is up to our federal government to protect our “basic” rights and freedoms. And it is up to us to make sure the federal government does their job.

If I had the powers to be, I would propose a special meeting with the top leaders of each political party from both houses of Congress and the President. In this meeting I would reiterate that we work for the common good of the Country and our great people. I would challenge them to throw politics aside and to share ideas and solutions on the problems facing Americans without the needless rhetoric of blame, accusations, and name calling. I would remind them that they are United States citizens here to do a job for the American people. They should all strive to represent all our constituents and work towards compromised solutions for the greater good of our Country We are all Americans first.

I would introduce the following:

• In selecting cabinet positions and appointees, I would suggest not to use political affiliation as one of the criteria for selection. The most qualified individual for a position no matter what their politics needs to be selected. Yes they won’t always agree but by doing this they will have the most intellectual and honest debate about any topic of concern. I would propose that both the House and Senate leaders submit to the President a list of the top three people they think the President should have on staff.

• The federal government needs to get back to the basics of governing national issues. They need to relegate back to the States those issues that are State and relegate back to private individuals those issues that are best served by the private sector. The federal government must no longer be the answer to all problems or concerns.

• The federal government will also need to get out of the business of being in business. Those services or products that are best suited for the private sector need to go back to the private sector. Health care needs to go back to the health industry and insurance companies. The federal government needs to get back to doing only the Nation’s business.

Private industry must stand on its own. No industry should be subsidized by the federal government nor receive any other special treatments such as tax breaks. All industries need to play by the same basic rules. There should no longer be special rules protecting some industries from fair competition from others. Small businesses will still enjoy the benefits of not being monopolized by a giant corporation.

• We have so much fraud, waste, and abuse in this country that I would propose an immediate 10% cut in federal spending across the board. This can be achieved by eliminating the fraud and waste and returning each department back to its core mission. I would further recommend a 10% cut each year thereafter for two more years. This additional two years does not necessarily have to be a straight-across-the-board cut. Some departments can be cut deeper or be eliminated while others will not be cut to the full 30% or they may even have an increase. Each department is analyzed, and a plan of action would be implemented to streamline it to become more efficient. The overall goal would amount to an overall 30% cut in government spending. I believe this would not adversely affect the services needed by Americans.

To help achieve this reduction in spending, I would freeze all travel except for that which is necessary to accomplish the core mission or that is paid for directly by an entity outside the federal government. Travel to conferences, speaking engagements and the like would be suspended with no exceptions until the 30% reduction was achieved. Additionally, all hiring would be suspended until the reduction is accomplished. All departments would be asked to identify any overlapping programs and initiatives and directed to combine them to save not only money but to become more effective in helping Americans, thus helping in the overall reduction of the federal government. And finally, I would recommend that no new programs or initiatives can be implemented until the reduction is achieved unless those initiatives reduce the cost of government.

• This brings me to the federal budget. How long has it been since Congress passed a budget for our government to operate within? I would highly recommend Congress get back to the Country’s business and pass a balanced budget. I would recommend that the President refuse to sign any omnibus bills extending government spending and should only sign a budget if it is balanced. Having this upfront and out in the open and all persons involved knowing, there should not be any debates, accusations, or finger-pointing if the government isn’t funded because someone didn’t do their job.

• The Federal Register indicates there are over 430 departments, agencies, and sub-agencies in the federal government but there is no authoritative list of government agencies. That's right no official list. These agencies range from the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service to the Bureau of Customs and Border Protection. Together, these agencies enforce more than 200,000 pages of rules and regulations, up from about 180,000 in 2017, with purposes and impacts as varied as the agencies themselves. Regulations tell Americans how to get benefits, how to meet safety standards, and how to pay their taxes. Many of these regulations provide needed benefits and most Americans would agree on the need for them, although the extent and scope of those rules and regulations may be subject to debate.

Many of these regulations provide needed benefits. Most Americans would agree on the need for security regulations to protect citizens from terrorist attacks, although the extent and scope of those rules may be subject to debate.

Each regulation comes at a cost -- a "regulatory tax" imposed on all Americans. Of course, Americans do not file regulatory tax forms on April 15; the price paid for regulation is largely hidden. It is nevertheless enormous: It is estimated that it costs the average American household at least $14,000 in hidden regulatory costs every year.

I would also propose a cut of 30% in federal regulations. We are way over regulated and do not have the resources to enforce them anyway. This would help in streamlining the government and would help in the reduction of the bloated government budget.

In addition, this would free Americans to do what they know best; to be productive and create jobs.

• I would propose a basic flat tax to replace our current income tax system. All adults, 18 and older and all income earners would report their income from any source and then pay a flat tax on that amount. No special deductions. All taxpayers would have the same standard deduction for the number of people in the household and would pay the same percentage rate no matter how rich or how poor.

In addition, there will be a low minimum tax placed on all. This minimum will be a set dollar amount that cannot be eliminated. This minimum could be as low as $25.

Of course, there will be many objections to this flat tax. Churches and non-profits would object saying there is no incentive for anyone to contribute to their cause. Our response is if the cause is that good and great than the people are generous enough to contribute.

The low income would object to the minimum tax, but I believe all should contribute to this Nation; all should help build this country. It creates a sense of investment in the direction of the country and a sense of belonging to the general good.

• No more subsidies or loans for any business or industry. For them to make it into a free society they need to stand on their own. The government should not be picking winners or losers using subsidies for any class of people or organization.

• Let’s try this one on for size. I propose the immediately suspension of all payments either directly or indirectly (like those made through back doors by the CIA) to any and all foreign governments until our National debt and yearly deficit are at zero. Only after this has been accomplished would payments begin again under certain conditions. 1- One year after an excess has been created can that money be used for foreign government payments, 2 – The payments would be apportioned to only those countries that openly support our ideals and, 3 – The payments can only be made as loans and must be repaid with interest.

So, I hope I have given you some “food for thought.” Whether you agree or not, you could have some additional ideas, thoughts, or solutions.

Always be ready to have a passionate and intelligent debate on any of the issues so that we can come to a reasonable, sensible, and basic solution that is best for the country as a whole. Don’t come at me with derogatory remarks and demeaning language. That gets you nowhere.

Above are some of the basic principles to get to the basics. Next are other issues or details of some of the talking points above. They are in alphabetical order and not necessarily in order of importance or priority.

America! What a great place to live.

Thanks,   Semper Fi,   and   Stay Safe !