It is hard to believe that we are having to fight to define marriage as between a man and a woman, but we are.  The consequences of failure are immense. The following link does a fabulous job of showing just how important this fight is.  By seeing just how out of control things have gotten in Massachusetts since same-sex marriage has been legalized one can fairly easily predict the not-so-distant future for the schoolchildren in California (or anywhere else same-sex marriage becomes accepted).  I highly recommend this video for anyone who cares about parental rights or preserving the family.  http://link.brightcove.com/services/link/bcpid1815820715/bctid1822459319. 

Well, I have to admit that after Mitt Romney withdrew from the presidential race I lost my zeal for blogging.  Call it hurt pride, annoyance, frustration, or whatever, but I haven't been as excited about the race since that date.  Well, now we're less than four weeks away and I can't keep quiet any longer.  I'll admit upfront that I'm not a McCain fan.  He's definitely not my candidate of choice for more reasons than I want to articulate right now.  I'm also not the biggest Sarah Palin fan in the world (and yes, I hear the gasps).  However, I am even less of an Obama/Biden fan and view the potential of them in the Executive Branch as an extremely frightening proposition.  Everything from taxes, foreign policy, economics, judicial choices, and everything else possible is too horrific to imagine during an Obama term.  So, during the next three weeks and six days I will be writing about the issues that are at stake with this election.  Besides the presidential race I will also be talking about an issue that is equally important to families throughout the nation - Proposition 8.  This measure that is on the ballot here in California would return marriage in the state back to where it belongs - between a man and a woman.  That measure has such far-reaching implications that people throughout the country should be closely following it and praying for its success.

Today the man I have ardently supported withdrew from the race for the presidency.  In an atmosphere of politicians seeming to put self-aggrandizement and selfish interests ahead of the national good it as refreshing to hear one be willing to stand aside because he felt it was for the betterment of the country.  It was truly a moving moment.  He will be missed from the race as I feel he was the only candidate who had innovative ideas and could help move our country forward.  I must confess that a senator mired in the culture of DC (while a "maverick" from his own party, he is anything but a maverick when it comes to the ol' boy network of the Senate) does not seem able to utilize creativity to solve the tremendous problems facing this country.  I also have little faith in a populist preacher who actively dislikes individual religious groups and those people who have worked hard to attain a higher-than-average standard of living.

It will be interesting to see how this political season plays out.  I personally do not believe John McCain could defeat Barack Obama.  Whether he could win in a race against Hillary is also unknown.  Whether McCain wins or not, the country is in for a difficult time in the next four years.  I hope that we spend that tme preparing for a more better future.

Mitt Romney clearly lost yesterday.  I hate having to say that.  There are so many complex issues that I think led to this, however.   I think some of this is what I call the big law firm syndrome.  Companies often say they want to keep their legal costs down in order to keep prices down.  BUT, when faced with major litigation they go to the big law firms.  The problem is, big law firms are less efficient and more expensive than smaller, lesser-known firms.  I have experience with watching partners call unnecessary meetings, change ideas on a whim, practice golf during phone meetings, etc., all showing just how non-cost conscious they are.  Small firms (the outsiders) are more willing to prove themselves and have more incentive to keep costs down while doing a top-notch job.  After all, many of the attorneys at these smaller firms came from the big firms.  But when faced with fear of losing the companie will turn to the known names, the ones they're told will be most able to win for them.  The cost of chosing the better-known firm is immense and is passed on to unwitting consumers.  I think many voters chose to go with McCain yesterday because he is better known and therefore assumed, because they have been told this, to be more electable.
 
I also think, of course, that a century of the demonization of the Mormon church by other Christian religions played a role in yesterday's defeat.  For a while some evangelicals were willing to forget how "evil" Mormons were (or they rationalized that his faith wasn't going to affect Romney's performance as president), but then came the deluge of anti-Mormon robocalls on election day to play on their spiritual insecurites.  (Ironically, today - after all those tornadoes in the South - there will be a large number of Mormons who will show up to help clean up and provide help to those affected by the storms.)    Once Huckabee seemed viable again by winning West Virginia (which he couldn't have won without he collusion with McCain) these evangelical-leaning voters decided they no longer had to take the risk with a Mormon.
 
I also think the demonization of northerners in the South played a role.  Northeast sophisticate equates in many Southerners' minds to Kerry.  Although both of the other candidates had as many serious flips or flops as Romney, that fact that Romney (the polished northeasterner) had flip-flops instinctively recalled their subconscious minds to John Kerry. 
 
I also think that Romney LOOKED too successful, too rich, too polished.  That makes people see just how ordinary most of us are and they didn't like it - even though Romney did nothing to purposely give that message.  It is the envy of the rich kid on the playground mentality. 

I attended two Romney rallies in Southern Californa.  The man is dynamic.  His ideas are fresh and he is full of hope for America.  Of all the rallies I have attended over the years, these rallies were most Reaganesque in their energy and optimism.  He is a man who has chosen to use his hard-earned wealth to try to make the country a better place.  Some complain that this is an attempt to "buy the election."  I, on the other hand, found it refreshing to see a candidate willing put his own money where his mouth is and pay his own way along the political trail. 

Romney was our best chance to win in November and the only one of our candidates who coud have stood up against the youthful, energetic and optimistic Barack Obama.  Unfortunately, though, short of a miracle we are stuck with a non-conservative as our candidate.  And not just any non-conservative, but a pessimistic, bitter and grumpy old man non-conservative.  He will be destroyed in the election if Obama is the Democrat's choice.  Against Hillary he has a slightly better chance of survival, although he will find it hard going with the ostracized conservatives refusing to give money to his campaign and refusing to actively campaign for him in a grassroots movement. 

Historians will have to judge what truly went wrong with this primary election.  Only with historical hindsight will it be seen how these decisions made in January and February affected America's political history for the long-term.