When I was in basic training, a cocky squadron leader, we called them "ropes" for the red, yellow and blue ropes they wore around their shoulder, was sternly and arrogantly lecturing us over something. I cannot remember what it was, but I thought he was a bit cheeky. But, he said something I shall never forget. He held up an ink pen and said, "This is the most powerful weapon in the world." I don't remember another word he said, but I was struck by lightning with that statement about the ink pen. It is with the spirit of that statement that I picked up my pen and intend to use it, not so much as the most powerful weapon on earth, but a powerful device of inspiration and thought. I intend to provoke all who read this. What it provokes you to do is going to be different for all who read this, but you will be provoked.

Over a period of time, the political process has become so contentious that "good, high quality government" cannot exist. Ours is a continuous social experiment that is legendary for all who have witnessed or studied it. Our power of reinvention cannot be duplicated. The latest fad over the past twenty years has been the neo-conservative movement. As with any line of thought, there are certain points, which deserve some merit and careful thought. The same could be said for any liberal line of thought. As you can see now, neither form works in its extreme. With all the pending indictments over some very serious issues, massive failures at governance, and dereliction to honesty and truth, it's plainly obvious that conservatism has become completely corrupt.

The finely tuned political machine of the Republican Party is starting to get loose as its leadership is proving itself to be cowardly and corrupt. Like a finely tuned racing motor, as a few key components break down the motor starts blowing smoke and making funny noises. Soon, it will scramble.

This nation, as a whole, has been deceived and tricked by some very influential people. Some of the corporate elite, neo-conservative Republican elite, and the Christian elite have joined forces in an alliance which has somewhat successfully duped a lot of people with a war and programs that are obviously illogical, unethical, and so objective driven. One of the objectives they have is essentially the complete ruin of "The New Deal" and a return to the gilded age. By doing so, the rich get richer and the poor get poorer. Neo-conservative Christians obtain your loyal, faithful, and tax free conversion to their dogma and laws of the land. Our founding fathers were afraid of religious intervention into the affairs of state. European history was the source of these fears. Therefore, they prepared the Constitution and the Bill of Rights accordingly. As for the corporate elite, they are always after more money, and money has a way of rewarding profitable performance. Even if that performance is based on oil theft. Some major corporations have left many citizens in our country in a bad way. Corporations are there to serve us and are allowed to profit from this service. Therefore, they are not above the law. Those who have served outside the spirit of this service will be held financially and legally accountable for their transgressions. Take heed of the "social contract".

This alliance has bred corruption. Can you imagine that? A quick power and money grab has meant great power and wealth for a few. The rest of us were led to believe that this massive transfer of wealth would be economically good for us. As the old jobs went away, newer, better, and more rewarding jobs would appear. This appears to have failed. The neo-conservative Christians condemn the approval of so called sins by our government and have made great inroads into having their interpretation of morals read right into our laws. They get "Faith Based Tax dollars", too. Now, conservative dogma is becoming everyone's dogma. Stem cell research comes to mind. Ignorance is bred into our society. Fact is replaced by superstitions, faith, and beliefs. Now, the promises made by the corrupt conservative elite are proving to be nothing less than a misguided disaster for our country.

And now, the failure of their corrupt neo-conservative machine allows us all a moment to reflect on what is going wrong with the direction of our country. More importantly, what can we all do to fix it?

One of the first logical things we can do is to admit we are facing failure. It is so easy, and getting easier, to squarely blame corrupt conservatives for their arrogance and lies, their waste and greed, their lust for power and money, and their dreadful mismanagement of domestic and world affairs. As time goes by, their failures will be highlighted with more spin and more lies, more smoke, and more funny noises. Those of you of good, honest heart who have supported these corrupt political and religious leaders need to reflect on your continued support of these leaders and their fanatical ideals. Those of you of good, honest heart who do not support the current conservative movement or its leaders, need to reflect on why you have been so weak and why you allowed this political failure to happen.

Know this. The most important thing we must do is concentrate on "reasoning".

Those of you with good, honest heart need to move to the political center and think. We have all let our guard down and have allowed ourselves to be overpowered by a corrupt right-wing movement. We can only be overpowered if we allow ourselves to be overpowered. The powers of "reasoning" which leads to enlightenment is what is called for now. So, despite our stands on various wedge issues, we must think and reason our way through the maze of ignorance and propaganda we are being fed by the corrupt conservative machine. All of their media and religious propaganda cannot stop you from using your brain to think and reason! No matter your stand on the little things, we have some real issues with the truth of the big picture. Call it "the direction of our nation".

We can go on and on about the failures of the corrupt conservative machine, but that will accomplish nothing more than comical entertainment. While comedy certainly helps, what are you going to do? That's the big question to consider. Just exactly what are you going to do? Will you maintain your loyalties, even though your heroes are blatantly corrupt, or will you admit your mistake? Will you re-examine your priorities and contrast and compare them with my priorities, or the priorities of everybody else? Will you just sit there and bitch about everything without coming up with your personal contribution to solutions? Will you pick up a pen? Will you take the time to reflect on what is the right thing to do? Can you handle it if the right thing to do conflicts with your beliefs? And can you stand up to the machine with your fist held high in protest, yet jump right in and fix it?

I have three recommendations for you to consider and study. Regardless of where you're coming from, left, right, or middle, what religion you are or are not, what party you're in, or what your pet issue is, and no matter what you do for a living. These three recommendations are philosophies and systems that will assist in your reasoning and provide the best way to manage your new enlightenment. They are secular and scientific. There is a lot of research behind these lines of study and some are so old as to have started when man first picked up a pen to ponder the human condition. Study and know the following:

1. Ethics - Read its definitions in the dictionary. Study its philosophers. Know what the academics know about ethics. It's quite obvious that ethics is important and that the neo-conservative leadership of this country is proving itself to need a good lesson in it. Reflect on your own ethics. Chances are that those of you with a good, honest heart will be quite ethical and many of us who study ethics will be humbled by some of the unethical mistakes we have made. Know this: If you are ethical, you will be thought well of, and your personal contributions to society will be good. If you are unethical, society will condemn you, no matter who your family is.

2. Logic - The foundation of reasoning is logic. Chess games, puzzles, and computer programming are our basic introduction logic. But there is a philosophical science to it. One doesn't have to see much news to realize that some of the current issues of the world are born of chaos, not logic. Read the definitions of logic and study what the philosophers say of logic. Play chess and do puzzles. Be logical in your affairs. Know this: If you proceed in life with a logical mind, the chances of your personal success will be greater. If you proceed with a chaotic, emotional, and illogical mind, your actions will create chaos for those around you. Check your emotional response to the issues of society with logical and reasoned thought.

3. Quality Management Systems - This is one of the hardest things for anyone to grasp and understand. It's a superior system of management, which is statistically proven to provide the highest level of consistent quality to any project or manufactured object that it is applied to. Dr. W. Edward Deming is considered the foremost authority on Quality. He is famous for his 14 Points and 7 Deadly Sins. The highest award for quality in Japan is the Deming Prize. The Quality Management System stresses continuous process improvement. One can continuously improve his lot in life if one improves the processes by which one operates. Know this: When any program is initiated, or product is manufactured using the quality management techniques, the quality management system will provide a superior quality program or product. Know this also: Despite all of the accomplishments of an objective driven management system, a quality management system will always provide better results. Period.

At the moment, I wield the most powerful weapon in the world. I may be wrong or arrogant when I say these lines of thought are irrefutable, but I don't think so. History, philosophy, and science have already laid the foundations of our national continuous re-invention and political evolution. There is no great need to completely reinvent the wheel. It just seems to me that I feel better being an ethical person and I prefer to be in the company of ethical people. It just seems logical to me that the effects of logic are better than the effects of chaos. It just makes sense to me to employ the most effective management system in the management of any affair. Reasoning at its best.

Our history is amazing in the way we evolve. After all, it wasn't that long ago that my family owned someone else's family, or that we relied on the horse for our existence. Proper reasoning prompted so much of our political evolution. This evolution is unavoidable. Evolution is occurring now. We are a Republic. Our leaders are elected to be of service to us all. I would expect them to be ethical in their service to us. I would expect them to be logical in their assessment and administration of our affairs of state. That's what they're hired to do. I'm quite sure that you and I can agree on the benefits of having "high quality" in all of our possessions and representations. Quality brings us the better things of life. However, quality doesn't just happen. It must be worked on. Our quality of life will always face degeneration from the forces of chaos and entropy. But a certain quality of life is what we expect and what we elect our leaders to produce for us. Ask yourself; is the current Republican administration being ethical in our affairs? Are the initiatives of the neo-conservatives logical? Compare and contrast your current quality of life to what could be an ideal quality of life. Are we getting the quality we want? I'm quite sure the answer to these questions are "no". Now, shall we start reasoning together?

We all must know and accept the fact that we are best ruled by the superiority of God's laws of nature and the just laws of man. The dogmas of all of the world's different religions are best served by those who wish to live by, and abide by those dogmas, but the dogmas of these religions are inferior to the just laws of man and the superior laws of God's nature. Therefore, there is logic to our national separation of church and state. Nonetheless, as a citizen of this country, I am obliged to defend your right to practice your religion, whatever religion it is or isn't. Go to God however you want. I'll go to God however I want. Nonetheless, much of the "troubles" we face now are nothing less than a "full blown" religious war. How unethical. Shame on those of you in this world who draw blood for God! You must understand that it isn't God that you draw blood for, but the political aspirations of a religion. This is the proof that the laws of all the different religions are inferior to the just laws of man and the superior laws of God's nature. When your religious history and contemporary religious aspirations continue to serve so much grief in the political arena, I cannot help but to marvel at the concept of the separation of church and state. Our founding fathers knew it so well. Chances are, when your religion joins forces with your corporation, or your state, disastrous elements of history will be repeated. It is an inexcusable attempt to gain political status, wealth, and lands at the expense and pain of others. History does not deal well with your ilk, regardless of your profit. It renders you worth less than the ink in your constitution, holy books, and on your corporate charter. Villains, all! Fie on those of you who choose this course.

It's a mighty big universe out there and we are all on one precious little planet. We as a people are largely ethical in our intercourses, we are largely logical in our affairs, and we have a largely advanced concept of quality of life. I certainly hope that whatever religion you are, or are not, you can find God. She has a mighty big universe and as small as you are, you are still part of it. What you say and do can make such a difference. I would like to think that sometime in our future, historians will look back at what we have done, and we will be seen as the generation and society that turned away from greed, superstition, and ignorance into a new age of wealth, reason, and enlightenment.

So, in closing, I will again emphasize that we are facing some tough issues with a management team that is failing us. I will reemphasize that this is a government of the people and by the people, and that we are ethical, logical, and quality people. The time for lip service and spin is done. It's time to go to work and reason things out. What is your contribution to society going to be? Can you imagine what the greater good is or what the ideal condition of humanity is? Do you know how to achieve it? Before you cast the first stone at the corrupt conservatives or at a well meaning liberal, you might want to make sure your own reasoning process is correct. This is the way to win.

Don Smith II