Today I begin my 58th year; our country, it's 226th. I wonder how many more years we will have? Will I out live my country?

I suppose there will always be a United States of America; but will it be THE United States of America? As I write this I look over at my three year old daughter and I fear for her future and the future of our Republic.

There are forces of evil afoot in our land. They masquerade as environmentalists, educators and politicians. They call themselves Progressives. A term denoting their adherence to a way of life that is much different than the founding fathers of this nation envisioned.

The environmentalists would have us believe that the planet is on its last legs. That the protection of the sucker fish is more important to us than the farms and farmers of Oregon. That global warming is immediate and that unless we do away with fossil fuels the earth is doomed to a watery grave as the icecaps melt away. They turn and twist the language until good is bad, up is down. Their message, humans are destroying the earth and we must all worship at the alter of "Mother Earth" if we are to survive.

More insidious, the environmentalists have infiltrated the education system. They and their counterparts in education have conspired to teach their junk science and false facts to our children. To scare them into "correct" political thought.

These Progressives have, over the course of the last four or five decades, been able to remove both patriotism and God from the classroom. The curriculum is no longer centered on academics. It has become indoctrination. Multiculturalism, environmentalism, homosexuality, the First Amendment replaced by Politically Correct speech. The Pledge of Allegiance banned from the classroom even as a state representative and progressive activists attempt to demonize not only the Pledge but also the Flag in their never ending effort to destroy America.

Through apathy, inaction or perhaps just plain laziness we have allowed the government, you know... the one of the people, by the people and for the people, to become a collection of elitist rulers. And everyday they move, not to promote the general welfare, but to solidify their own position of power. The Campaign Finance Reform bill, the gutting of the Education bill and the Health Care bill are just recent examples of their pandering to the left while they improve their ability to stay in office.

But to really see them for what they are think about this. We send 33 Trillion Dollars to Washington, they return 1.35 Trillion (over 10 years) of our money to us and then expect us to pat them on the back for their good work. Worse though is that once they have passed this tax cut they turn around and bust the budget that supports it by adding trillions of dollars of nonessential "pork."

Thus I fear for our Nation. The Progressives, who are nothing more than Neo-Socialists, who want to redistribute wealth... to each according to their need from those according to their ability. A scheme that would end with all living in misery as the producers are stripped of their ability to provide an economy that benefits all. And a ruling class of politicians that support that scheme as a means of maintaining their positions of power and affluence. All wrapped up in a Godless society with no morals, values or standards. That is not "progress" in my book.