Even in a time of piece we need to sustain a viable military force. For years our military has systematically been reduced and weakened. We would have a tough time mounting a force like the one used in the Gulf War. We cannot foresee the future but we should be prepared for it, the dangers are infinite. The "Bad Guys" are still out there and the weaker we appear the bolder they will become.

The "RULE OF LAW" states that everyone is equal under the law and that no law should grant privileges to a group or person nor should any law discriminate against a group or person.

There is a war, but it is not against drugs. It is a war against American Freedom. Making criminals out of people who choose to use drugs solves nothing it only creates problems.

When did Bosnia and Hercegovina, Serbia, Croatia, Kosovo, etc. become countries?

What is our Cuban policy? It appears to be directed towards one man and shrouded in false pride. We should normalize relations with Cuba. The people of Cuba should decide their own fate. When relations with Cuba are normalized there will be a long and bitter fight over who owns what. It will be chaotic before it is settled.

Debts owed to the U.S. should be collected, if possible. Foreign aid can and should be reduced where possible. The funding of the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund with our tax dollars should cease, it is nothing more than international welfare.

If foreign conflicts arise and the proposed solution is to send American men and women into harms way there had better be a convincing and meaningful reason. Note: Article 11, Section 2 of the U.S. Constitution states, "the President is the Commander in Chief of the Army and Navy of the United States…." Once the President has made a decision we should give our full support to the decision.

Our traditional allies; Israel, England, Germany, South Korea, Japan, Saudia Arabia, Tawain, etc. should be treated with the same dignity and respect that one would have for a friend. And as a friend we should lend assistance when and if requested.

GATT, GENERAL AGREEMENT ON TRADE AND TARIFFS, and NAFTA, NORTH AMERICAN FREE TRADE AGREEMENT, are interesting pieces of legislation. Raise your hand if you have read or know what is in them. The answer is still allusive after three years, no one seems to know. These documents contain information that affect each of us daily. The GATT document is 20,000 pages long. It went through the Congress on the "Fast Track" which means that you would have had to read and comprehend about 2,000 pages a day before you had to vote on its passage. Talk about speed reading.

What rules and regulations are in these two documents? There may be an item on one of the pages that gives the farm away. GATT and NAFTA need to be opened up and aired out. It appears that we signed contracts without reading them. Too much of our legislation gets passed with few knowing the contents, other than the title.

"Fast Track" legislation was passed by the Congress in 1974? It gives the President of the U.S. the power to negotiate a trade agreement and then allows the Congress 14 days to review and vote for or against it. The U.S. Constitution specifically states that it is the responsibility of the Congress to regulate commerce with Foreign Nations, trade agreements. It is not the responsibility of the Executive Branch.

The U.S. Congress is constantly trying to delegate its authority to others. Perhaps they don't like their job description.

If it takes three or four months or longer to read, digest, and analyze an agreement then take it. The world will not end. There are two "Fast Track" agreements that have passed in the past couple of years, NAFTA and GATT.

If allowing the Executive branch to negotiate trade agreements is beneficial to the U.S. then why do we have a trade deficit? The trade deficit has been growing each year since the "Fast Track" legislation passed. It should be obvious that the Executive branch does not do a very good job.

Is it desirable to have prayer in public schools? Yes. Is it legal to have prayer in public schools? No.

The U.S. Constitution says nothing about "Separation of Church and State". The First Amendment states that "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion..........", i.e. the government is forbidden from establishing a State religion and from favoring one religion over another. The U.S. Supreme Court ruled in 1962, Engel v. Vitale, and again in 1963, Abington School District v. Schempp, that prayer in public schools is prohibited. In addition, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in 1985, Wallace v. Jaffree, that some moments of silence are disapproved. These rulings have done much to alter moral behavior. How do we get around the rulings of the U.S. Supreme Court? Many have suggested an Amendment to the Constitution. This will require a 2/3 vote from both Houses of Congress and ratification by 3/4 of the States. Should we try to nullify the rulings of the U.S. Supreme Court and what are the consequences? Is prayer in public schools a political or a moral issue? Do the U.S. Supreme Court rulings violate the Tenth Amendment?

Questions? Questions? Who has the answers? Are we going to let the 535 men and women in our Congress decide? The best choice of action is to teach your children prayers to say prior to entering the school grounds.

"A true law should not name any particulars, so it should especially not single out any specific persons or group of persons.

The "Rule of Law" is applicable, see LAW. Almost all business transaction, contracts, and communications in this country are in English. Learn it! This may seem abrupt, but generally, if you want a good job and a future then you are going to have to be able to read, write, and speak English.

"LAWS" that establish a minimum wage only raise the bottom rung of the ladder. The minimum wage effects few heads of household. Those who are heads of households on minimum wage receive other benefits, AFDC, WIC, etc. Therefore, their real income is far above the minimum wage.

Raising the minimum wage causes unemployment to rise. Think about it, if a company could hire two entry level employees for $5.00 an hour each then what happens when the company has to pay a minimum of $6.00 an hour - someone has to go. Look around, why are most gas stations now self service? Is home delivery pizza the next to go? The market should determine the minimum wage.

The minimum wage benefits only those in groups that claim to be helping. With each raise in the minimum wage these groups cry, "Look what we have done for you". The reality is they have helped retain power for themselves and hurt those they claim to be helping.

President Clinton has stated that raising the minimum wage will not raise the standard of living for the poor. This is true.

The National Endowement for the Arts and the National Endowement for the Humanities fund and preserve much of our Culture and Art. They fund the National Gallery of Art and the Smithsonian. A Biblical quote goes well here, "Man does not live by bread alone."

Some of the political discussion about trade deficits does not make sense. Trade deficits should be calculated on a per capita basis not gross numbers. It seems obvious that a country with a small population will always have a gross trade surplus with a larger country, there are more people in the larger country to purchase goods. The corollary should also be true, the larger country will generally have a gross trade deficit with a smaller country, there are not as many people in the small country to purchase goods.

Notice the picture on the front page? I'm a white guy. I was born that way.

I do not have much of a clue of what it means to be Black, Female, Hispanic, Gay, etc. I do know what it means to feel love, to have hopes and dreams, and to feel emotional pain. I do know what it feels like to be shunned, ridiculed and harassed, and belittled, perhaps not with the intensity and hatred that some have felt.

We have these human characteristics in common. Every human being should be treated with dignity, respect, courtesy, fairness, and tolerance. No person should be subjugated or coerced or manipulated. This country is for all of us. The Constitution is for all of us, though sometimes you have to wonder given some of the court decisions.

If I would not like it happening to me then I figure no one does.