I was lucky enough to reach voting age just three months before a presidential election. Four years before, in a pretend election in school, it wasn't tough to figure out that Republicans made a lot more sense on the things I knew were important -- thanks to a lot of civics classes and the
Girl Scouts. (Thanks to my parents, too, who raised me with Republican ideals, standards, and the notion of self-sufficiency, even though they were both avowed, though misguided, Democrats.)

These days I find I'm much more Libertarian than Republican, but can't tolerate the Libertarian party's anti-war faction that doesn't comprehend the difference between imperialism and self-defense -- I pity anyone who has nothing whatsoever in their life worth fighting for. I also can't tolerate the anarchists that dwell within, who are -- yes, I have no problem saying it -- just downright un-American.

I believe our Constitution is a binding contract between the citizenry and the governments we establish, and we are reaping the results from foolishly failing to enforce it. I know that the Constitution plainly sets forth the means for amending it; and that does not include judges or justices just declaring it changed, nor their "reading between the lines," nor by laws or treaties that are made in contradiction of its provisions. All of my opinions are based first and foremost on how the issue is addressed in the Constitution. I find it plainly written and easily understood, and am confounded by how many citizens are completely ignorant of its genius.

I'm a steel magnolia, now-retired-military wife, whose heroes are my Dad, my husband, Ronald Reagan, and Margaret Thatcher -- all of whom helped do the impossible in bringing down the Iron Curtain.