All kids should do chores and get jobs.  Whether it’s volunteering or for a paycheck, there are so many lessons and character development opportunities that only happen when meaningfully employed.

The fact that so many people support government mandates on how much employers pay their staff is a cause for concern.  It also shows how poorly most people understand economics.  Every time minimum wage goes up, it hurts the most marginalized employees, especially teenagers and costs  them opportunities.

An old expression is, “Money Talks —  It always says ‘goodbye’!”

The stock market is higher than ever and real estate prices are still going up.  There’s no question that Donald Trump’s economic agenda has allowed the economy to be more optimistic.

As a result, Donald Trump just had his first meeting with his full cabinet last week.   Here’s an example of the questioning nominees are getting from some members of the Senate.  It shows that some of the Democrats like the idea of a religious litmus test.  If a person is a Christian, he need not apply for anything.

The Philippines is considered the only Christian nation in Asia.  About 86% of the Philippines is Catholic and only 5% Muslim, yet the Philippines is suffering from frequent attacks on Christians and we’re hearing very little of it in the mainstream news.  Islam has shown the world a level of evil that’s beyond anything imaginable.

These are not isolated moments of savagery.  Nearly every day there are unthinkable atrocities that prove there are lower levels of Islamic horror and wickedness.  Today’s story is about 19 girls that were burned alive.   The Islamic sympathizers’ goal is to sabotage our way of life by dismantling our Constitutional protections.

We offer our deepest sympathies to those in London who have just been hit with another Muslim Jihadist attack.  While it wasn’t in our Country this time, we have been through this as well. We remember the biggest attack on 9/11, Fort Hood, Boston Marathon, San Bernardino, Chattanooga, the night club in Orlando and plenty more.

Is Islam a religion or a political movement?  If it’s a political movement, its goal is to destroy the Judeo-Christian way of life which is generally called “Western Civilization”.  For some quick comparisons, we don’t kill people or inflict terror for religious purposes.  We also believe in equality for women, respect for life and freedom of speech.  Islam doesn’t.  We’ve seen plenty of examples throughout the history of Islam of violence and brutality beyond anything a civilized society can imagine—and it’s been going on since Muhammad’s raids.

I like living in Missouri.  There are a lot more “Freedom-Loving” people here than in many other states.  However, what Missouri just did has lots of folks very confused!

By a landslide, the legislators sided with their donors and become blind to all other factors, like how higher electric rates hurt people on the lower end of the economic spectrum.  Principles seemed to fall to the wayside.

Our governor wants an aluminum smelting plant in Missouri so he called a special session to change existing laws to make a special deal possible.  The company, which is a secret, wants lower electric bills.  (Don’t we all?)   However, the package allows the electric company to raise the rates on other customers to allow the consistent gross profit levels for the company.

Ever since Donald Trump said he was going to drain the swamp, people have been wondering how that can be accomplished and waiting for it to happen.  This is a good study for everyone interested in observing swamp-draining techniques.

Here are some observations from my friends:

Why wait for a natural or man-made disaster?  Most of us remember what happened when our Country was attacked on 9/11.  People were seeking God, praying and buying American flags.  Our bookstore ran out of American Flags and my flag vendors couldn’t restock my store for months!

Churches sent invitations to elected officials asking them to attend services.  I remember because I was an elected official at the time and was so honored to be invited and recognized.

We should all pray!  On Thursday, the first Thursday in May, people all over the Country get together to pray for our Nation. 

How we treat our veterans says a lot about what we value as a Nation.  Regardless of political party or religious affiliation, no one can doubt that we love the blessings of liberty.  We live in the freest Country the world has ever known.

To continue enjoying our shared values, we must protect ourselves.  That is why having a well supported military capability is a core function of government.  I’m so glad I live in this Country where most people understand this.

On Saturday, I took my dad on an Honor Flight.  He’s a veteran of both World War II and the Korean War.  Thank you for all of you who sent him congratulatory letters.  Every act makes a difference!