Blog Archives - North Florida Writer

SENATOR JEFF SESSIONS: IMMIGRATION IS THE ISSUE OF OUR TIME

2/29/2016

I've always admired Senator Jeff Sessions of Alabama. He has been the wisest elected official on the issue of immigration since entering the Senate and has never lessened his opposition to open borders and amnesty and all lawless actions that our government has taken in it's effort to end the American culture. Make no mistake, the issue of unbridled access by illegals to this country is the largest threat to our sovereignty in a lifetime and that's why the good Senator has been so strong. And he truly want to bring America back to sanity and a direction which will keep us strong, safe and secure while following the rule of law.

Yesterday Senator Sessions took a position requiring moral courage and leadership. He announced that he is throwing his support behind Donald Trump for the Republican presidential nomination. I know it was a tough decision because he is also very fond of Senator Ted Cruz, another good man who also has his heart and mind in the right place on the issue. But Sessions chose Trump and I think it's because he feels that the New York businessman will be the most forceful candidate in insuring that the border issue is controlled and our national sovereignty survives. After all, a nation without borders is clearly no longer a nation. America is the most compassionate nation in the world, but she is not required to allow anyone and everyone entry into this country just because they want to be here. Both Trump and Sessions know this and I truly believe that was the driving force in his decision.

And as for Senator Sessions' future after taking this stand, well, the Senate has not been very kind to him anyway. They have often disregarded his views with nary a comment and have even kept him from a plum position, yet the Senator has always been gracious and has never created chaos. No, he has only stood by his positions and politely refused to bend to expediency and he is one of the few long time Republican Senators who have stood their ground on the big issues that count. But then again, I would expect that from this good Christian man and a fellow Methodist who tries to find the good in all things.

So I thank you, Senator Sessions, for taking a big step toward changing the direction of the immigration debate through the election of Donald Trump. This is, at least in my opinion, the issue of our time. God bless you, Sir.

Can You Only Be A Christian if..........? Sunday Morning Coming Down

2/27/2016

nThe picture shown is of Scott Walker. Scott who? Well, since in politics we forget so fast, Scott Walker is the successful Governor of Wisconsin who many thought would be a strong candidate for President, only to see his efforts crumble and fall very fast, so fast that the campaign really never got started.

After listening to the most recent debate by the Republicans and the lack of honesty in the Democratic primary process, this weekend is a good time to discuss what we Christians should do when it comes to politics. Sadly, we are failing miserably and we are treating each other shabbily just because we don't all agree on who is best for the White House. In fact we are judging one another and casting all kinds of disparity at fellow Christians when we surely must know that God is disgusted by our actions.

We're going to talk about this on this weekend's Sunday Morning Coming Down. Are we going to allow our tongue to do some of the worst things that it can do as only the Book of James can call so accurately? And are we going to use our speech in that manner just because someone else, a friend or associate, disagrees with us on our political candidate preference? Take a look at social media, like Twitter and Facebook, and the venom and animosity is astounding. Have we lost our collective Christian minds over a political campaign when God expects us to love one another" We'll talk about this very subject on this weekend's devotional, accompanied by scripture from James, some good Christian music, and prayer.

The show will be broadcast live late Saturday morning, then be available on demand 24/7. Here's the link:

tobtr.com/s/8329945

Hope you'll join us either live or on demand and have a great weekend. God bless.

Trump is Right About China

2/25/2016

State-of-he-art Chinese aircraft carrier

It's amazing how gullible our American leaders are. We borrow money from China, buy their cheap and/or technologically stolen products, send them some of our best resources, sell huge tracts of land to them here in America and tout how valuable to us their trade partnership it. At the same time, the Chinese are rapidly ramping up their military power while we fritter ours away and brag about the coming better trade relationship which the long awaited Panama Canal widening is promised to bring us, all the while ignoring the heavy influence China has on the administration and management of the project and the threat that position has to our national security.

Make no mistake, my friends, China is seizing opportunities at all critical trade control points in the world, whether they be in Africa, Asia, Europe and even here in the Western Hemisphere. Stronger relationships have been made with the Russians, they are building relationships in both Iran and Iraq as well as with Cuba and even Mexico. At the same time their new technologically advanced military base developing on a man made island in the South China Sea poses a major threat to our allies in that area, especially Taiwan, South Korea and Japan and we are rapidly losing our ability to help them.

And on top of all of that, our trade balance is in a huge negative position with them as they put heavy tariffs and taxes on American products while we give them highly favorable trading status while they steal our technology and hack our financial and highly classified computer systems with nary a strong response. Since the only thing they understand is power and we present a very weak front, there is likely no end to our continued demise as a world power unless we make some huge changes.

Donald Trump is the only candidate who has pointed these things out, bluntly and honestly stating that America needs to learn how to negotiate. Lately we have negotiated nothing, merely giving the advantage away time and time again. And Trump, the businessman, despite his braggadocio and sometimes over the top casual remarks, understands the importance of playing hardball when the stakes are high. Today the stakes have never been higher and our policy for dealing with China, or lack thereof, is just another reason why Trump holds the advantage that he has. America must change course and fast unless we want to be a permanently subservient nation to the likes of China in the years ahead. Let's do what we must to make America great again.

We Focus on Politics, But Real Life and Struggle Goes On

2/24/2016

Louisiana Tornado, 2/23/16

While Americans were focused on the political spectrum again last night, another disaster struck small town USA late yesterday afternoon and continued into the night. Tornadoes, spawned from the clash between warm and cold air, grew quickly and created havoc in Louisiana, damaging homes and destroying an RV park, throwing vehicles around like toothpicks and even killing a few and injuring many more. And while the money is thrown around constantly in political campaigns to the tune of hundreds of millions of dollars, people of limited means find their lives destroyed in a flash and with no way to quickly restore their lives to where it was moments earlier.

Why do I site this factor on this day? Well, in a nation that gets hyped up by political campaigns while not particularly knowledgeable about their candidates, everyday life continues on with the reality that what's really important is found in something so much greater. Think about it, we humans marvel at what we can do and we get into squabbles with one another over politics and so many other aspects of social interaction in a constitutional republic, yet we often forget the real meaning of life. That can truly only come through our belief in a living God, a God who created us in His image to live for Him.

Do we need to change the way we do things? Absolutely, for candidates and elections come and go, yet life goes on in its endless cycle. Sure politics is important and trying to live better is worthwhile, but if we do so without realizing what our true purpose is and where it will lead us if we listen to the Lord, we will continue to be befuddled and foolish with the bad choices that so many make. Only by putting our trust back in God, not in mortal man and his frailties, will we be able to handle the pressure of life and use it in the right way. And sometimes, just sometimes, a quick and horrific thing like the tornado yesterday in Preyville, Louisiana might be His way of sending the message that we need to hear. His power is awesome and we are clearly at His mercy.

Pay attention, folks, and pray over your joys and concerns and ask Him for guidance. If we all do that, we will find ourselves on a much brighter path. God bless you all.

The South Carolina GOP Aftermath

2/22/2016

Trump and Cruz is my ticket

So South Carolina's GOP primary is now complete and Donald Trump won by double digits and drew a surprisingly high number of evangelicals. And while Marco Rubio slipped into second place by a whisker, Ted Cruz is still in the mix despite what must have been a disappointment to him. Finally Jeb Bush has faced the reality of the situation by suspending his campaign, while John Kasich still has illusions of grandeur and Ben Carson, well, poor Ben still thinks he can somehow continue despite dismal showings of late.

The foray will quickly move to Nevada where tomorrow her citizens will pick their nominee and then the pace really quickens with what is being dubbed the "SEC Primary" right behind. All indications are right now that Trump will do very well in this next round of voting and if he does, he could very well by on his way to the nomination. And while the deluded Establishment thinks that Rubio, if he can take out Cruz can beat Trump, I think the Washington operatives forget that they said Trump didn't have staying power in the first place.

Here's what I'd like to see. Ted Cruz should hang in there and be positive and continue his campaign until we find out whether or not he can gain the voter support he needs, all the while checking Rubio from going any further. Ted is a good man with great ideas and if he were to give up now, he's going to give Rubio the opportunity to charm his way with young voters who can't remember what Rubio has, and hasn't done. Rubio is slick, is not above anything if he thinks it will help him, and is clearly the worst option of the three still in position. From his early support of amnesty after telling Floridians when they put him in the Senate that he was adamantly opposed, he is the one candidate left who is malleable to the Establishment in their quest to maintain the status quo. He needs to be done with quickly and thereby end the last bastion of Establishment hope.

Trump clearly has the momentum and it doesn't appear to be going away. And as for those saying he can't beat Hillary, he has already destroyed the odds that were stacked against him from the outset. While he may not be a rock-ribbed conservative, I do believe he loves his country and is willing to take quick action to undo the damage that President Obama inflicted with his "pen and a phone". And you also have to remember that Trump, the gut fighter, is driven by the desire to win and I think that accounts for some of the so-called antics that he pulls from time to time. Deep down I believe he likes Ted Cruz and would certainly want to have him in a key position, maybe even Vice President. So if the going gets tougher, Cruz needs to decide if this year is his make or break year in Presidential politics, or could he if the need arises settle for something less and continue to build his resume for his future. After all, he is very young by Presidential political standards.

I don't think Trump is evil. I do think he would be a man of action and, finally, I think his motto to make America great again is what he wants to do. And for all who condemn him, even those who say under no condition will they vote for him, if they do that we'll have four more years of Obama, only this time in a pantsuit and on steroids and the tarnish of Benghazi sitting in the White House. America right now can't survive four more years of the Democratic Establishment which has been captured by the left's most extreme elements.

I started this election cycle saying that America needed an outsider or we will continue to mire in the corruption and the destruction of America by the political class. Either Trump or Cruz would work to change that equation and the question is which one can gain the most public support. And while I wish Trump were more conservative than he is, he clearly shows the energy to make things happen that we so desperately need, like stopping the amnesty madness, building a border that is secure and ridding the nation of the growing scourge which is radical Islamic terror. In that regard I'd like to see a ticket of Trump-Cruz, a combination of business acumen and constitutional expertise. And that's my story and I'm sticking to it. God bless you all.

The Palmetto State Rumbling is Done, Now the Voting Has Begun

2/20/2016

After charges and counter charges and yes, lying and some profanity, South Carolina Republicans finally are voting today to select the candidate they want to represent them in the Presidential sweepstakes next November. Everyone expresses shock and outrage at what has taken place, yet this same situation exists every election cycle in the Palmetto State as passions run high; whether you like it or not, it's a normal event in South Carolina.

The final polls show Donald Trump with a commanding lead although there are a few polls indicating that Ted Cruz is making inroads. Are those polls outliers or the "real deal"? No one will know until the votes come in at the end of the day. And as for Marco Rubio? Some say he is coming up fast and could beat Cruz for second and again, we'll just have to be patient and let the voters decide.

As for me being a Floridian and not able to participate except as an interested spectator, I could support either Trump or Cruz, men of much different temperament yet both men who offer something that this nation needs: a leader who loves his country and wants to turn the disastrous actions of recent years around. Both have promised to void Obama's outlandish and unconstitutional executive orders immediately upon assuming office. And while Trump is quite brash and Cruz less so yet displaying a piousness that can drive some people away, the two men show that all of us have traits which sometimes we'd be better off not display in front of a somewhat fickle electorate. Trump has probably gone to far in his statements and Cruz has run some ads posing in ways the remind me of the Obama halo effect. And while I am a devout Christian, I don't think we need to wear it quite so strongly on our sleeve in campaigning but, rather, mention it once and then let our actions carry our message forth. But, then again, that's my humble opinion about the political arena.

And then there's Rubio, the new darling of the Establishment because they know that he will be pliable to their needs. After all, he does one thing and says the other on immigration and amnesty routinely and I think the public has clearly picked up on it. And even today the President of the ICE union, Chris Crane, released news to Breitbart how Rubio sold them out during the amnesty battle engaged by the Senate's Gang of Eight of which Rubio was an active participant.

So I hope Rubio falls off the pace, and while I probably give the personal edge to Donald Trump due to my belief that he will act quickly if elected, I am quite comfortable with Ted Cruz and his love of the Constitution. I think we'll be in much better shape with either of these two and I only hope the more rabid supporters don't take an all or nothing approach on this. We need an outsider, not the same old corrupt Establishment that we've dealt with for generations. If not, I truly believe America will be no more.

God bless you all.

She Was Seeking the Light

2/19/2016

Again Jesus spoke to them saying, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life."
- John 8:12 (ESV)

One evening recently I came home after dark from a meeting that went overtime. I fed my horses before leaving to attend and left them in the barn, figuring I would only be gone for about an hour and would return to put them out to pasture before twilight. Not only that, but weather was expected to be good, with no rain in the forecast.

The horses were wearing their waterproof sheets because there was a bit of a chill in the air and they were antsy in the barn. Unless the weather is severe, they prefer it out in the pasture where they can run and engage in horseplay which is preferable to standing or lying down in a stall which over time gets quite messy due to the call of nature.

In addition to the dark upon my return, a heavy mist was falling making it very gloomy indeed. And the horses were anxious in their stalls, as they always were when I return and they are inside, anxious to return to the pasture.

Our beautiful pony, Charm, pictured on this page is always the one to go out to pasture first. She runs around with her freedom while she awaits the others to join her. But 0n this night it was different. As we approached the gate and opened it, she didn't run out; she just stood motionless and looked over at me with a strange look in her eyes. I tried several times to walk her out, but she wouldn't budge, looking out into the darkness and then looking back. And then it became obvious why she was reluctant. She was afraid to go out in the pasture which obviously looked menacing indeed. And looking back at the well lit barn, the contrast was stark, from bright glowing light to a dark void. I thought to myself that if I were in her position I wouldn't want to go out either, at least not alone.

Seldom do I put the horses out at dark and when it is still light out, Miss Charm sees me go back to the barn several times and return with her pasture mates who then join her. But on this occasion, she didn't understand what was happening because she was consumed by the nothingness of the dark. So I took her back to her stall, took the boss mare out first, followed with the others and retrieved Charm last. And then when the gate was opened, she ran out with glee, realizing that her friends were with her. It was being alone in the darkness, that's what bothered her and it should have been noticed earlier.

And it reminds me of the scripture passage at the top of this post. Jesus Christ offers us light and eternal life while the Fallen One offers nothing but darkness and despair both during and when this life is done. And even a cute and alert pony can remind us of that. It was just another example of how His message so often can be clearly displayed in our everyday life if we pay attention to God's nature around us. God bless you all and stay in the bright light always.

This and some beautiful Christian and patriotic music and a prayer will be this weekend's Sunday Morning Coming Down topic. Join us at the following link:

tobtr.com/s/8315063

The show goes live Friday night at 7:30 and then will be available on demand, 24/7. God bless you all.

Round Two Tonight: Goliath versus David, the Plum Creek Story

2/18/2016

The crowd returns to Gainesville's Eastside High School at 5 pm this evening as the Alachua County Commission holds the second night of public hearings on Plum Creek's overreaching objective of creating a City in the Swamp of up to 30,000 on pristine, wetlands and floodplains, a critical ecosystem support area in the eastern portion of the county. Nearly fifty citizens had the opportunity to speak at the first night of hearings on Tuesday night and another one hundred or so are waiting in the wings on the sign up list for tonight.

Yesterday the Gainesville Chamber of Commerce put out an all out alert to the membership to attend the hearings tonight and add their names to the speaker's list. They even announced that the average citizen just didn't understand what was happening and needs to be educated. Educated by whom? The Chamber of Commerce, the organization that on a national level supports open borders, amnesty and all of things that most Americans despise? An organization which supports big business which should make profit based upon risk but never takes the risk themselves, instead labeling it a private-public partnership.

Tonight's meeting is once again an opportunity for local Alachua County residents to speak out against the Establishment which thinks it knows best for all of us and works tirelessly to force their views on America. The anti-Establishment fervor is not directed only at Washington, D.C. including both the Democratic and Republican parties. No, it's even in places like Alachua County and is a reaction to the "same old, same old" activities which we have been subjected to for generations and which now have been ramped up to the point where the people really aren't considered; they are here to be manipulated.

So tonight's Gainesville meeting is just another example of where people are tired of supposed leaders making decisions for which they are never held accountable while the average Janes and Joes pay for their actions and take all the risks. Just say NO, Alachua County and let's take our county back.

It's Amazing When the People Truly Become Engaged

2/17/2016

The City in the Swamp

Those of you who read my blog have certainly noticed that am actively involved in a local effort to save some of beautiful Florida in its more natural state. Here in North Florida, eastern Alachua County is one of the bastions of maintaining some Old Florida heritage but of late the area is under assault by a large corporation's desire to turn its vast timber holdings into sellable property by rezoning a huge tract from agricultural zoning to multi-us. After all this has been going on for over a century in Florida, where out-of-state entities seek to create cities out of swamps and other wet areas and that is no exception here.

Last night the final public hearing went underway before the Alachua County Commission decides on whether or not to transmit the proposal to the State of Florida where approval is almost a certainty. Following a presentation by both the county staff which recommended not forwarding it, the applicant, Plum Creek Timber, a tree farming company and real estate trust, also presented their final proposal. This issue has been gaining attention and has been under varying degrees of evaluation since 2013 and the battle lines are drawn. The business community, particularly the large business and the Chamber of Commerce, the University of Florida, charities that have benefited from Plum Creek donations and other larger scale interests have sided with the company in this fight.

On the other side of the argument are the majority of the average Joes, sprinkled with rural dwellers, city dwellers, retired folks, even many small business professionals who realize that one of the most attractive things about Alachua County is its mix of urban, suburban and rural in one jurisdictional area. And just a few years ago the county developed a Comprehensive Plan which was drawn up by a group of leaders and citizens from all segments who came to a negotiated position of support. Now the county is expected to give that up to a corporation simply because it wants to convert its land to another use for its own benefit. They are not a developer but a landowner, clearly wanting to capitalize on its large landholding regardless of its impact on the area. Following is a rundown on how the meeting went last night. I offer it as an example of how when the public gets involved it can make a difference. And while we certainly don't know what the outcome will be, it certainly won't be for lack of interest by local residents. The following was also posted on Facebook this morning.
_____________________________________________________________

It was clearly a David and Goliath night at Eastside High last night. Plum Creek is a superb PR machine and Tim Jackson of course has a gift for public speaking. But the problem is the argument they make, when you look at it honestly, has holes resembling a large chunk of Swiss cheese. The company as a real estate investment trust is first and foremost a land speculator. They bought the cheapest, lowest and wettest land in the county and turned a beautiful forested area into a tree farm which no longer resembles anything of Florida's nature, but that was all legal. But what they really wanted was something different. Knowing that they really wanted to move the real estate at some point, they worked hard with the PR machine to convince people that should have known better that this low, wet, floodplain land bought on the cheap could be turned into a City in the Swamp and make them millions. It's their right to do that as well, even if it is a bad decision. And they banked on wearing down the County Commission over time by refusing to negotiate, turning the community components against each other while all the time calling themselves a good neighbor. But now we find that the general public has clearly caught on and the natural allies of Plum Creek, principally big business, big education, and lots of lawyers and real estate types, find themselves in the minority in our community.

Look, we get it and yes, there are some areas in the zone that could be developed reasonably, particularly over on the 301 corridor where the rail and highway network is sound. Even then it needs to be on a scale that will not destroy our natural ambiance and beauty, but instead should clearly blend in with good buffers and protection for those abutting the property that have no say in anything, but just want to live peacefully. And as you head westward from 301, watch the lay of the land get lower and wetter as you move toward Windsor. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to realize that this doesn't make sense. So what needs to be done is just what Dr. Denslow said in his remarks for Plum Creek: negotiations, because there have been none.

Instead of pulling their application last year when the tea leaves were looking bad for PC and actually changing the plan to something palatable, they opted for political actions while also using Hawthorne as a pawn. I agree there are things that can be done adjacent to Hawthorne, but when the abutting neighbors will bear the brunt of the problems, which always come, it needs to be sensitive to them as well, not just jammed down their throat, and that's the reason why the county should have challenged them at that time.

And in the case of the other land that they shouldn't develop? Perhaps Commissioner Hutchinson's plan could solve it, but PC needs to be willing to make a valid commitment to work with him before, not after, a vote is taken on any of this overreach. And the county should not approve and forward anything now when all it will do is take away the "ace in the hole" which they still hold today. Once that's given up, we are at their mercy and we expect county officials to stand up for what they helped create, the Comprehensive Plan. And we still have no idea what the coming merger between Plum Creek and Weyerhaueser will mean to our future.

One last comment and this one is dicey. For attorney David Coffey to bring up the racism term was, in this writer's opinion, an insult to all who decided to live in the Windsor area because they were informed that it was a protected area when it was bought. These are all good people, people who have worked hard all their life and paid their taxes and many are now either retired or approaching that state of life. While Mr. Coffey worries about those in poverty, he needs to add to that those who are either on fixed income or closing in on it with the possibility that now the very home they worked hard for will be priced out from under them by new property tax rates, fancy fees and other factors which could have been avoided with proper planning. Gee, isn't that what the comprehensive plan was all about when it was reached with a broad consensus?

You wonder why so many Americans today are so fed up with government and the crony-capitalist connection? You wonder why American politics are so topsy-turvy this year? This, my friends, is just one example of the reason. Pay attention, Commissioners and do the right thing. And thanks to Commissioners Byerly and Cornell for standing strong all along. And, lastly, thanks to Commissioners Chestnut and Hutchinson for taking time to meet with me personally last week and to all the the Commissioners for receiving my cost concerns as well, including Commissioner Pinkoson for responding to my comments. God bless you all, Gentlemen, and we'll see you again on Thursday night, Good Lord willing and if the creek doesn't rise. I guess the Saga of the City in the Swamp will continue for awhile.
_____________________________________________________________

The picture below shows the high school auditorium at the start of the hearing. This in a county where government meetings usually draw fairly small audiences. This is a generational issue in Alachua County. If you live nearby and have concerns, be there on Thursday evening beginning at 5 when those who requested to speak on Tuesday continue on the floor. Power to the people, my friends.

Plum Creek hearing audience, 2/16/16 courtesy of Robert Hutchinson's smartphone

DO YOU HAVE A PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD?

2/15/2016

Due to technical production difficulties, this weekend's Sunday Morning Coming Down devotional didn't air until last night. I thought it important to run it even at that late hour since I find a good listening audience finds the show helpful as we all struggle with doing what we know God expects of us. As sinners we falter, but by focusing on God more fervently we can overcome our human frailty. And that's exactly why developing and maintaining a personal relatioship with God is so important. God loves us, requires that we love Him and He wants us to experience the joy of finding the real key to happiness and peace through Him.

Pictured on this page is the great former NFL coach and current football commentator, Tony Dungy, a man who has had great success in his career while at the same time maintaining that important relationship with God. He is the main focus of this week's program because he offers great insight which will be valuable to all of us. And he hasn't had an easy road of it; he lost a teenage son to suicide in 2005 while he was actively coaching and he now has a teenage boy with a congenital condition that keeps him from feeling pain. Now on the surface that sounds great, but just think of the situation when have hurt yourself and you don't even realize it. The added damage caused by going on as normal can certainly make the situation so much worse, and Dungy's son Jordan lives with that constant fear daily.

Dungy was honored by being asked to address the 50th anniversary Super Bowl breakfast recently and he used the occasion to talk about the importance to him of that special relationship with God. He used his son's condition as an example from which to explain the importance of God in our life, for with Him we put ourselves on the right path as He desires of us and onward to the ultimate bright future. Shun him and your life will lead to downfall though you may not realize it until it is too late. Football heroics, business success, and not anything else on earth can change your fate. Only putting God in your heart and putting Him first can do that.

We talked about God's requirements for us and how the story of Tony Dungy is exemplary in this regard on last night's show. We hope you will tune in; it's on demand 24/7. Here's the link:

tobtr.com/s/8302255