Tag Archives: R. Alan Harrop

Saving America: Citizenship

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Author:  R. Alan Harrop, Ph.D. 

This year, the 250th anniversary of the founding of this great country, is not only an opportunity to celebrate what we have achieved, but a reminder of our obligation to future generations of Americans to examine where we are headed in this complex and changing world and what we must do to ensure America’s survival as conceived by the Founding Fathers. We owe this to all those who have sacrificed and worked to build, protect, and defend our country since its founding and especially to all those who fought and died on the battlefield. If history shows us anything, it demonstrates that successful countries cease to exist when they fail to maintain the principles and values that allowed them to succeed in the first place. We cannot allow Complacency and failure to recognize and resist the threats the world presents to destroy America as we have known it.

As I have noted in previous articles and which should be patently clear by now, uncontrolled immigration both legal and illegal presents the greatest threat. As President Lincoln correctly stated; “If destruction be our lot, we must ourselves be its author and finisher. As a nation of freemen, we must live through all time, or die by suicide”; and “ America will never be destroyed from the outside. If we falter and lose our freedoms, it will be because we destroyed ourselves.” I believe that the issue of who is granted citizenship and the privileges given exclusively to citizens are of the utmost importance to the survival of our country as we have known it for 250 years.

When this country was being founded, we were in need of immigrants to expand and develop the massive land that we had acquired. That is no longer the case. The most important thing now is to maintain the culture and traditions that allowed our country to excel and to provide the greatest standard of living ever known. This was not accomplished by accident, but rather by following principles and values reflective of the Judeo/Christian culture of western civilization. The vast majority of immigrants believed in these values–such as compliance with the law, hard work and independence, reliance on family not government handouts, and most of all freedom of action as long as the rights of others was not trampled upon.

As we have seen in the United Kingdom, the massive immigration from countries all over the world has led to the demise of their culture. The most common name of newborn male children in the UK is Muhammad. We are experiencing a similar and accelerating tribalization in our country by Muslims. This can be seen in various places like Minneapolis and now New York City, where over 38% of residents are foreign born and the announcement of the Muslim call to prayer is broadcast over loud speakers several times a day. This not the American I grew up in. This is not assimilation into our culture; quite the opposite, it is colonization.

Alright, so what do we do about it? First, end birthright citizenship, which should be restricted only to the children of citizens. Second, make the rules for becoming a naturalized citizen stricter. There are now over 26 million naturalized citizens in the U.S., and that number is increasing by over 800,000 per year. We must ensure that naturalized citizens are truly aligned with traditional American values. For example, they should be required to foreswear allegiance to things such as Sharia Law whose principles conflict with ours. Third, only citizens should be counted when forming congressional districts–not the overall census that now includes noncitizens. Fourth, only citizens should be allowed to vote in any election, federal or local. Fifth, only citizens should be eligible for any welfare program. Sixth, only native born citizens shall be eligible to hold public office. Seventh, service in the U.S. military should not automatically qualify a person for naturalized  citizenship.

Now, to some people these measures may seem extreme; however, the crisis facing America requires strong measures if we are to preserve our country.

Remove the Filibuster?

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Author:  R. Alan Harrop, Ph.D. 

There is a legitimate controversy brewing about the U.S. Senate so-called filibuster rule that requires legislation by the Senate to be approved by 60 out of the 100 senators. This is not the rule in the House of Representatives, where a majority of at least one vote is necessary. Some people argue that requiring 60 votes makes it very difficult to pass legislation since in most cases one political party does not have enough senators to meet the filibuster threshold of 60, and therefore the minority is able to block the majority.  Let’s take a look at the issues involved.

First of all, it should be noted that the U.S. Constitution does not require 60 votes out of 100 to pass legislation; it requires only a simple majority of one. The term filibuster refers to the process of a senator taking the floor to speak and continuing in order to block a vote on pending legislation by “talking the bill to death.” In 1841, then senator Henry Clay threatened to introduce a process by which debate could be ended and thereby, forcing a vote. He was not successful. It was not until 1917, that the Senate passed a “cloture “ rule that allowed the Senate to terminate debate with a three-fifths majority of 67. That rule was modified in 1975 to require only 60 votes for cloture. Filibusters over the years have been used to block legislation that most of the people in the country supported, for example, civil rights legislation in the 1950s and1960s. Now they do not even have to stand up and speak for hours; all they have to do is threaten to do it!

As noted above, the filibuster rule allows the minority to block action by the majority. A glaring example today is the “SAVE” Act that is being blocked in the Senate by Democrats. That bill would require all voters in federal elections to show a photo ID and verification of citizenship, which polls show is supported by over 80% of Americans regardless of party affiliation. Herein lies the essential problem where the will of the majority of people is being blocked by the minority political party thereby denying the right of the people to control their government. The recent extended shutdown of the entire federal government for over 40 days by the Democrats is another example. I believe it is fair to argue that a political party winning the Presidency, the majority in the House, and the Senate has demonstrated that the majority of citizens support their platform and should be able to implement the changes voted for by the people. This is what government of the people, for the people and by the people, looks like.

The Democrats have stated that if they win all the branches of government they would add the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico as States giving them four more senators; expand the Supreme Court to twelve allowing them to appoint three more socialists to the court; and grant citizenship to all illegal aliens. If this occurs, it will be next to impossible for the conservative majority of people in this country to reassert control over the federal government. Given this stated goal and the country’s fight against a Marxist takeover, it seems clear that we must ensure that the issues of the Republican Party to support this country, especially on its 250th anniversary, are implemented through legislation not just executive orders by President Trump. For example, removing the filibuster would allow the Congress to give President Trump the authority to implement tariffs that are essential to fair trade with other countries. The entire Trump agenda is in jeopardy if it is not confirmed by Congress. Otherwise, the next Democrat President can open the borders, reinstate climate change policies that are neither necessary or helpful, weaken the military, and increase taxes.

I do not believe that the majority of people in this country want this to happen. The filibuster rule must be eliminated; the sooner the better.

The Case Against Legalizing Marijuana

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Author:  R. Alan Harrop, Ph.D.   

The effort to legalize marijuana has been accelerating over the past several years. As of today, marijuana is available for medical use in 40 states and for recreational use in 24 states, although not in North Carolina for either. It should also be noted that Massachusetts, Maine, Arizona, Ohio, and Idaho have prominent campaigns to revoke recreational marijuana. Obviously, they are having problems. Here are some of the issues that need to be understood before North Carolina makes a mistake and legalizes marijuana.

The first consideration is the current research on the health impact of marijuana. A recent extensive research project involving more than 60,000 brain scans showed that brain deterioration is significantly accelerated by marijuana use. In fact, more than five times the negative impact of alcohol abuse. The accelerated aging puts marijuana user’s brain condition similar to people with mental illnesses like schizophrenia and bipolar disorders. Induced psychotic reactions are becoming more frequent, resulting in far more emergency room admissions for out-of-control behavior, including violence. Canada has just added new label warnings against marijuana, use especially for younger people. Over 20 million Americans have been diagnosed with marijuana-use disorder. Importantly, researchers at the American College of Cardiology reported a significant increase in heart attacks by marijuana users. In the past 20 years, marijuana use among teenagers has increased by 245%. As of 2022, daily use of marijuana has surpassed daily alcohol use.

Two additional problems have emerged. First, is the fact that the THC (mind altering chemical) in marijuana has increased dramatically over the years. For example, in 1970 THC levels were about 3%, in 1995 the levels were about 5%, and as of 2023 had reached up to 37%. Marijuana concentrates can now reach 60 to 90%! Part of this is the selective breeding of plants as well as the motivation by producers to have a stronger more addictive product. Unlike alcoholic beverages, that are required to specify  alcohol content, when smoking marijuana the user has no way of knowing the actual THC level. In addition, there is the very real possibility that the marijuana dealers have added drugs such as fentanyl, which of course is the leading cause of drug related deaths. The fact that marijuana is the primary gateway drug to more lethal and addictive drugs has always been and continues to be true.

The proponents of legalizing marijuana typically claim that if it is controlled and restricted, the black-market sale of unregulated marijuana will go down. That has not happened. According to Whitney Economics, which analyzes the marijuana industry, the illegal black marketers constitute about 75% of the $100 billion marijuana sold in the U.S. with two-thirds grown domestically. The black marketers can sell at a lower price and the sales cannot be traced. They do not have to pay taxes on sales, nor do they have to comply with environmental regulations when growing their product.

As usual, when illicit money is to be made and is detrimental to the U.S., we must look to the Chinese government. It is well known that they have been supporting criminal organizations that produce and smuggle drugs like meth and fentanyl into our country. What is less well known is how China-backed criminal organizations are now dominating the growing of illegal marijuana on U.S. agricultural land.

So, what should we do. First, North Carolina must continue to say No to legalizing  medical or recreational use of marijuana for the reasons stated above. While some may claim that medical marijuana should be allowed, it should not. There are alternative legal medications for medical problems, and importantly, most states that start off legalizing medical marijuana soon move to legalizing recreational marijuana. Some people will claim that we should treat it like alcohol. Not so. Alcohol is a historical cultural drink that while having negative effects on some people, can be controlled, at least as to potency, and is not a demonstrable gateway to more deadly drugs. We tried to stop alcohol sales during Prohibition which was a complete failure. Marijuana access can and must be stopped. Second, the General Assembly should institute laws that strictly forbid the purchasing of agricultural land by any entities that have traceable connections to China (as we are trying to do with land around military bases). We should not give China a foothold in the illicit marijuana business. We must stop this slide towards drug dependency which will ruin our society if it is allowed to expand. 

Ensuring Electricity Availability

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Author:  R. Alan Harrop, Ph.D.  

During the recent snow event, I received a notice from our electricity supplier, Tideland, to reduce our home use of electricity as much as possible. I have been through a lot of cold and hot weather periods in my life, but this is the first time I was requested to reduce my usage of essential electric power. Another concern was a notice received from Tidewater that they are now billing the amount you pay per kilo-watt hour depending on the time of the day, with the highest rates in the evening. This is alarming for a number of reasons, not the least of which is that this is what has been happening in the failed state of California for years. Not a good state to be following. Like them, we are relying on electricity generated in other states (like Florida) to supply our needs. North Carolina should have the capacity to meet our own needs, now and in the future.

A plentiful, relatively inexpensive supply of electricity is essential to every successful modern civilization. With the advent of Artificial Intelligence (AI), the demand for electricity is predicted to accelerate far beyond what would be expected with normal population growth. We are now experiencing another negative impact of the leftist Democrat’s forcing our country to address the unproven hoax of climate change being caused by CO2 emissions. In 2009, the Democrat controlled House passed the Clean Air Security Act which would have severely restricted any electricity generation from other than wind and solar. Fortunately, it did not pass the Republican Senate. As usual, the Obama administration had the Environmental Protection Agency implement the same rules and regulations, ignoring the will of the people. As a result, there have been no nuclear plants built since 2007, new coal plants were stopped, and excessive tax money was spent to pay for expensive solar, wind and battery storage. As a result, the U.S. increased electrical energy generating capacity by less than 6% from 2015 to 2024; whereas our closest competitor, Communist China, has increased their capacity in the same time frame by over 120%. The current generating capacity of the U.S. is 4,178 terawatt-hours compared to China’s 8,534. This is at a time when we need as much electricity capacity as possible to compete with China in AI, robotics, cyberspace, and military expansion. This is a recipe for disaster.

Like many other things, President Trump recently announced that he was revoking many of the climate change regulations that have been prevented the expansion of electricity generating capacity that we need, as well as placing high-cost emission standards on vehicles.  He wants more coal fired plants built because it can be done rapidly and cost effectively. China has been building at least on coal fired plant per month. It should be remembered that our coal plants are very clean burning and along with nuclear provide over 60% of our generating capacity. President Trump has also taken steps to stop the construction of windmills anywhere in the country. They are the most expensive form of electric generation and like solar require extensive battery capacity since they produce energy sporadically. For example, Duke Energy, the largest supplier of energy in N.C., has plans to build an 8-acre battery network 20 miles outside of Charlotte. The cost is estimated at over 50 million dollars, and you the tax payer will be responsible for 40%. The energy stored can provide electric power to 30,000 homes for only four hours! Who do we get the batteries from?  You know–China.

Here is what needs to be done. Since Duke Energy has essentially a monopoly on power generating in N.C., the General Assembly should appoint a special committee to conduct an assessment of current and projected future electricity needs and develop a plan that Duke will be required to follow. No more taxpayer funded solar or windmills. The economic future of this state requires our elected officials to make sure that sufficient cost-effective electrical energy is available at all times. It should not be left up to the whims of Duke or any other energy corporation. Without it our safety and security are at grave risk.

Capitalism and Freedom

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Author:  R. Alan Harrop, Ph.D.  

The inaugural speech by socialist/communist  Zohran Mamdani as the new mayor of New York City was revealing in at least two ways. First, swearing on the Koran instead of the Bible is verification that Islamists are out to change our culture, not to assimilate with American culture. Second, his comment that he wants to change New York City culture from “rugged individualism to the warmth of collectivism” is a direct retreat from successful free enterprise capitalism to failed cultural/economic communism. These should serve as a warning to all patriotic Americans.

The fact that he was elected as a known Marxist is disturbing, especially since New York City has been the focal point of our economic system for most of our existence as a free country. It indicates two things. First, the voters in New York City have no clear understanding about the historical failures of communism and the degree to which the free enterprise capitalistic system is essential to their freedom; and/or second, that there are so many of the voters already dependent on the government through various welfare programs that they see the government as their only salvation. A recent search on the internet showed that the exact numbers of people on government handout programs in New York City is unknown and not reported! It did report that the numbers have increased dramatically during the Biden administration. Over half of the recipients of these programs are black and over a quarter are Hispanic.   Government dependency is working for the leftist Democrats, not only in New York City but many other places in the country. The slide to socialism/communism is accelerating.

The connection between free market capitalism and personal freedom is generally not being taught in public schools and especially universities. A book by Milton Friedman (1962) Capitalism and Freedom should be required reading in all public supported schools/universities. He details the essential connection between individual personal freedom of choice and the economy. Freedom does not exist without freedom to make your own decisions. Socialism/communism replaces free choice with government mandates and limits on choice. The government picks and chooses what options you can select. The recent effort by the Biden administration to mandate electric vehicles is a perfect example as the Ford Motor company just found out. Under capitalism, a company that fails to satisfy its customer’s choices will soon go out of business. The free choice of the people is the deciding factor not a decision by some government agency.

Businesses succeed when they provide what the people want and go out of business when they do not. This is the essential power of the people to exercise their freedom of choice. It is a self-correcting process since the people decide who fails and who succeeds. This can lead to some disruptions as companies compete to produce new products that are attractive to their buyers. For example, the creation of the automobile totally disrupted the horse breeding and carriage industries, but the result was a dramatic improvement in freedom of travel.

Creativity and innovation are the cornerstones of the free enterprise system. The resulting advancement in standard of living is mindboggling. In the past one hundred years alone, everyone has:  indoor plumbing, electricity, telephones/cell phones, automobiles, computers, and the internet. In 1900 only 40% of the people lived above the poverty level, now it is over 90%. Free enterprise capitalism is responsible not socialism/communism. China is good at stealing our inventions, but what have they created other than COVID? We must mandate the teaching of the success of free enterprise capitalism into all public funded educational curriculum before it is too late. If not, we could all end up like New York City.

Envy: the Basis of Socialism

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Author:  R. Alan Harrop, Ph.D.

Early Christianity classified envy as one of the Seven Deadly Sins. When one looks at the origins of socialism and its manifestation today, envy of successful people and the desire to bring them down is essential to leftist ideology. We must recognize this reality if we are to defeat the left’s desire to destroy our free market system which is the basis of the success of this country.

Karl Marx, the founder of socialism was a failure economically. He did not succeed at any profession or career. He was like most unsuccessful people, envious of the success of others, and actually came to blame them for his own lack of success. Sound familiar? Instead of respecting and praising the hard work and success of others, the socialists want everyone to be equal, and that is what they now call “social justice”. Instead of recognizing the reality that some people are more gifted, motivated, persistent, and hardworking, and realizing that these are often the people who advance society the most, their envy places the blame on these people for all of society’s problems. This is the reason the Left hates rich people and is always talking about “taxing the rich.” Just look at the new mayor of New York City; taxing the rich was one of his main campaign themes as was free transportation, free childcare, rent controls, and other communist themes. He sounds just like Bernie Sanders, historically the longest serving active communist in the Senate, who is always attacking  billionaires while he has enriched himself as a senator.

It is an undeniable fact that no socialist/communist country has ever been successful at improving the standard of living of their people. What they have done is to make their party leaders rich by keeping their people poor and subservient to the government. Successful free market businessmen have enriched themselves by producing goods that advance the living standard of their customers by providing things they want and need. It is a successful mutual free exchange. When the government starts controlling and mandating, the system breaks down. Look what happened recently to the Ford Motor Company when they followed the Biden administration’s push to move to all electric trucks. They lost billions because the demand for these vehicles did not exist among the people at the level needed to sustain production. In socialist/communist countries, the rich people are the party leaders. Look at what has occurred with Minnesota Representative Ilhan Omar, who in the last two years has reportedly increased her wealth by an estimated 30 million dollars! Did she legally provide any products or services that raised the standard of living of her constituents? No, of course not. Illegally?   Hopefully the Department of Justice will investigate and find out.

Dependency on the government is the linchpin of socialism. Recent data indicates that about 127 million people in the United States are getting some form of welfare benefits, many, multiple benefits. This represents about 40% of Americans. Question: What is the likelihood that these people will vote for any official who wants to reduce dependence on the government? Answer: None. This is the reason our national debt is not only out of control but will never be paid off. New York City will be a test case to see whether or not our country has gone too far in the communist direction to be brought back. They will follow California, which has a current budget deficit of 18 billion dollars which is expected to grow to 35 billion by 2035. California also recently announced a ballot measure to impose a 5% wealth tax on all individuals and businesses that have assets worth one billion dollars. Several tech companies/owners have threatened to leave the state if the measure is passed in November 2026.

Reversing these trends can only be done by allowing these cities and states to fail. We should not allow the federal government to bail them out. Also, all social welfare programs should be time limited. They are like an untreated cancer that keeps growing. The idea of indefinite government dependence must be stopped. If we fail to address this, the slide to socialism/communism will not only continue, but will accelerate. We are raising generations of people who rely on the government instead of themselves. This amounts to theft from hard working people, since they are the taxpayers.

Affordability: The Next Scam

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Author:  R. Alan Harrop, PH.D.  

The leftist Democrats are always looking for some issue, real or not, that they hope will appeal to voter’s emotions and return them to political power so that they can continue the destruction of America. Apparently, “affordability” will be used in the 2026 election year. As is the case in all these political scams, the reality is much different than the picture they want to present.

Look at the recent mayoral race in New York City. Not only was affordability the key issue of the Mandani campaign, but he actually presented no solutions that any sensible economist would say that could solve the problem. Why? Because the communist ideas of price controls, government owned retail stores, and taxing the rich have never worked and will never do so. Free market capitalism is the only system that has ever been shown to improve wealth and standard of living of the people. The troubling issue is why so many gullible people continue to buy into the communist lies.

As in most instances of Leftist propaganda, the youth and those looking to the government for solutions to their problems are the people most easily duped. This is the reason the Leftists have always wanted to lower the voting age and import more immigrants–they can place them on welfare programs and make them wards of the state.

One of the few advantages of getting older is the historical perspective one gains from having lived through various economic conditions. Take for instance mortgage rates. The current mortgage rate around 6% is blamed, in part, for the housing affordability problem. Freddie Mack Mortgage Market survey started tracking the 30-year mortgage rate in 1971, which at that time was 7.3%. The rate went as high as 18.5% in 1981. The average rate from 1971 to the present is 7.8%.  The lowest rates ever recorded were in 2021 at 2.8%; which quickly jumped to 8% during the Biden administration. The abnormally low mortgage rates of 2021 were an aberration not likely to be seen again. These low rates drove up housing prices and expectations, making homes affordable that many people could not have afforded previously.        

There is another issue that needs to be recognized, and that is the idea of living within (preferable slightly below your means). That does not appear to be a value that most young people live by these days. It used to be an American value to live within your income and to save for the future. This was facilitated by the system of paying with cash and or writing checks that required a person to spend no more than was in their checking account. The current digital/credit card systems hide the reality of what a person is spending. That is the reason credit card debt in the U.S. recently reached an all-time record high of $1.23 trillion!

Another contributing factor to overspending is family size. The average number of children per household in the 1950’s was 5.6 children, now it is less than 2. The result is that the youth of our country are used to living at a higher standard than we older people experienced as children. For example, my family rarely if ever went to restaurants, never owned a new car, and did not purchase a home until my parents were in their 40’s. Not unusual. Now, the youth of this country are used to having things the older generation never experienced. Drive by a local high school parking lot and observe the number of new or nearly new cars provided to the students by their parents.

The solution to the affordability issue is encouraging the youth to live within their means, accept the responsibility for their own financial wellbeing, to work hard, reduce or eliminate debt, and save for the future. The Trump economy, if not derailed by the leftist Democrats, will provide more opportunities for the youth to benefit from free enterprise than the failed communist ideology that is being pushed on them could ever do. We must get this message across to our children and grandchildren if we are to continue the economic success of the past 250 years. The idea of voting back in office the Democrats who are responsible for the highest inflation since the 1970’s to solve the problem is total lunacy.

Restoring Discipline in Schools

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Author:  R. Alan Harrop, Ph.D.   

Let’s face the facts, the public school system in this country is getting worse–not better. We spend more money per child than any other country, and yet the academic achievement scores are lower now than they ever have been. Obviously, we are doing something wrong, which must be identified and corrected if we are going to turn things around. Another indicator of public-school failure is the large number of parents who are choosing private schools or homeschooling. Also at issue is high teacher turnover, indicating significant dissatisfaction with teaching as a satisfying career. Let’s examine some causes.

In any endeavor when things are getting worse, it is essential to look back and identify changes that were done in the past since not all changes are improvements. Let’s start with student discipline. Clearly, successful classroom instruction depends on the student’s paying attention, completing classroom assignments, not being disruptive to other students, and respecting the teacher. Discipline can only be effective when unacceptable behavior is immediately identified and teachers have the tools to correct the misbehavior. Human behavior is controlled by two things:  reward and punishment. It is just a fact of human nature. In this regard, fortunately, we also learn by observing what happens to others and do not have to experience the consequences directly ourselves.

The first thing that needs correction is doing away with the Obama administration mandate that the rate of disciplinary sanctions for students has to be the same for all races/ethnic groups regardless of differences in their behavior. Funding was threatened to be cut if this was not implemented. The data consistently shows that black students generally misbehave at a higher rate than Hispanics or whites. In one school district report, black students represented 15% of the student body but were 35% of the suspended students.

The Left believes in “soft” responses to crime (just like they have in cities and states they control) and this carries over to school discipline. Again, the Obama administration instituted a program called “Restorative Justice,” which was to be used when dealing with misbehaving students. Instead of administering punishments (like detention and suspension), the schools were required to have discussion meetings with the perpetrators and victims, where the personal and family issues of the perpetrators are discussed as well as how the victim could have acted differently. For example, in one case a student accidentally bumped into another student who reacted by punching him in the face. The victim and perpetrator had to attend a series of counseling sessions. In another example, a middle school student was not disciplined for groping girls because he was a special education student. Fortunately, the Trump administration has issued directives to curtail the restorative justice practice; however, many school systems continue this ridiculous practice. As a result of the Left’s policies, the FBI reports that crime in schools has tripled from 100,810 incidents if 2020 to almost 330,000 in 2024.

We need to go back to classrooms where all students face the teacher (which is not the case now), and give the teachers the authority they need to discipline students–including extra work, detention, and suspension. Also, we need to return to a strict grading process that actually reports the performance of each student instead of the inflated system now where most students get A’s or B’s. Failed students should be required to repeat the grade.

Some states have taken action to return to stricter discipline. More needs to be done. Students cannot learn and teachers cannot teach in a chaotic environment. It should also be remembered that children who do not learn to respect authority and learn self-control are much more likely to grow up and engage in criminal behavior. We are doing them a lifetime disservice by not disciplining them in school.

Interpreting the Constitution

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Author:  R. Alan Harrop, Ph.D.   

Even though the U.S. Constitution was written by the Founding Fathers to be a permanent and long-lasting guide to the governance of this country, it was also written to address issues pertinent at that time. The Supreme Court Justices should take this into account when applying the original constitution and subsequent amendments to issues currently facing our country. This does not mean, as some of the far Left believe, that the Constitution is a “living document” subject to all kinds of interpretations, but rather we must fully understand the conditions and context at the time it was written to ensure we are accurately interpreting the intention of the authors.

The U.S. Supreme Court has agreed to take a case brought by the Trump administration concerning so-called “Birth Right Citizenship,” which is the notion that allows anyone born in this country to be a citizen. This has been a problem for years and is becoming more so as more people move to this country. There are cases where women from other countries who are already pregnant, travel to this country in order to have their child born here. Illegal aliens give birth to children in this country to ensure that not only the child but its parents and relatives can stay in this country. These are obvious manipulations of the Constitution. It should also be noted that no other country allows this to happen in their country. The Fourteenth Amendment was written and approved right after the Civil War. The intent was to ensure that all persons previously held in slavery would be granted full U.S citizenship and that individual states could not abridge their rights. There is no mention of allowing the children born of persons who are here temporarily or illegally granted automatic citizenship. There is a clause that states: “…and subject to the jurisdiction of (the United States).” One can clearly argue that a person here temporarily or illegally is not under the jurisdiction of the United States since they are citizens of their country of origin. Hopefully, when the Supreme Court rules on this issue this spring, they will rule correctly and restrict birth right citizenship only to children born to American citizens.

Another issue is freedom of religion. Although not yet before the court, we are facing an issue with the growing population of legal and illegal immigrants who are Islamists. The First Amendment to the Constitution prohibits the federal government from establishing a state religion (i.e. like the Church of England) and interfering with the practice of any religion. In subsequent decisions, the Supreme Court ruled that the right to the free practice of religion must not interfere with public morals or an overriding government interest. For example, the Mormons were prohibited from legally practicing polygamy, which was a key element of their religion, and states are allowed to force inoculation of children to protect public health. It is pretty clear to me that Islamists advocating and practicing Sharia Law are interfering with public morals to the extent that Sharia Law conflicts with American law and morals. Surely when the Founding Fathers advocated for the ability to practice one’s religion, they had in mind religions that reflected Judeo/Christian principles and not any and all religions that existed in the world, or would be created in the future. The lslamist Quron (the basis for Sharia Law) states in several places that its followers can convert you or kill you. That concept is definitely in conflict with public morals. The mass demonstrations in some Islamist countries shouting “Death to America” as well as the brutal killing of Jews in October 2023 by Hamas shows the reality of the threat posed by Islamists.

The solution is to limit the number of immigrants from Islamist countries and require them to renounce their commitment to Sharia Law. If they are not willing to renounce Sharia Law, they should remain in their country of origin. Also, all Islamists here illegally should be deported along with all other illegal aliens. President Eisenhower did this in the 1950s and we must do it now. If we fail to take appropriate action, we will end up like many European countries which are losing their cultural identity. We only want immigrants who want to become Americans since it is the only way to preserve what has made this country great. Also, we should do all we can to encourage natural born American citizens to have more children in order to reverse the declining birthrate, so we do not have to rely on immigrants to maintain our labor force.

Dealing with Narco-Terrorists

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Author: R. Alan Harrop, Ph.D.

Not unexpectedly, the leftist Democrats are attacking the Trump administration for their military strikes on drug traffickers attempting to bring deadly drugs into our country. As usual, the Democrats side with the criminals and fail to protect American citizens–just like defunding the police and allowing criminals with up to 70 prior arrests to roam our streets. Fortunately, we have a President who is living up to his promise to protect American citizens. Democrats also continue to resist the efforts of ICE to remove illegal migrants, many of which have prior criminal histories, from our country. Remember that in the 1950s, President Eisenhower deported over 3 million illegals from our country with little or no resistance.

The latest fiasco is the Democrat’s efforts to label Secretary Pete Hegseth as a “War Criminal” based on inaccurate information about an attack on a narco-terrorist boat bringing drugs into our country. The common-sense question you need to ask is whether we have the right to defend our borders from the smuggling of deadly drugs into our country. The answer is obvious to me–especially in light of the thousands of our citizens who have died from these illegal drugs. If another country were using bombs or bullets to kill our citizens, we would know what to do. The fact that the cartels are using illegal and lethal drugs resulting in the same outcome should be considered an attack on our country.

Venezuela, run by Nicolas Maduro, is a communist country aligned with our adversaries Russia, China, and Cuba. Maduro was defeated in the last election, but defied the will of the people of Venezuela and continued in power. Over eight million people have fled from Venezuela during his regime, many of whom have entered our country illegally. Venezuela is one of the largest producers of illegal drugs smuggled into our country and is responsible for the death of thousands of Americans. Given these facts, it is clear to any rational person that Venezuela is a threat to our security. In retaliation, President Trump authorized attacks on these narco-terrorists in September. Narco-terrorists do not qualify for treatment as legitimate combat soldiers under the Geneva Convention during wartime, since they are not members of the legitimate military of a country with whom we are at war, but rather should be considered what they are: terrorists. In order to quality for treatment under the Geneva Convention a combatant must be in uniform and a member of an organized military unit.

By aligning himself with our communist adversaries, Maduro has turned Venezuela from a prosperous country reasonably aligned with our country to a threat in our hemisphere. They have immense oil reserves which should not continue to supply and support our adversaries. The Monroe Doctrine, in place since the early years of our country, clearly states that foreign countries that pose a threat to our security should not be allowed to infiltrate our hemisphere. The Biden administration, as usual, was oblivious to the threat and allowed the situation in Venezuela to deteriorate. President Trump is taking corrective action.

As far as attacking terrorists goes, it should be remembered that President Obama authorized drone strikes and other targeted attacks on known terrorists, killing over an estimated five hundred people some of whom were women and children. The Democrats and the liberal media were silent at the time. Now, since they see a chance to discredit President Trump and his administration, the Democrats and liberal media act shocked and are defending the very criminals who are bringing deadly drugs into our country. If the Democrats had a majority in Congress, they would undoubtedly be pursuing another impeachment of President Trump.

The situation with drugs in our country reminds me of the problem that China experienced in the early part of the last century when many of their citizens were addicted to and dying from opium abuse. They effectively dealt with the serious threat to their national security by implementing the death penalty for suppliers and dealers of opium. Harsh penalties for drug suppliers were effective and always are.
President Trump is once again fulfilling his promise to support and defend the citizens of the United States. He deserves our support.

Christians Targeted in Nigeria

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Author:  R. Alan Harrop, Ph.D.  

While the world has been focused on the Islamist Hamas attack on Israel, an even worse situation has been occurring in the African nation of Nigeria. In this case, Islamists have been attacking and killing Christians (who make up about half of the 227 million people in Nigeria). Not only is this important because of the barbarity and killing, but also because it reflects the reality of the threat that Islamist extremists represent all over the world, including our country. The numbers are staggering, with estimates that over 50,000 Christians have been killed since 2009 and over 7,000 killed this year alone.

According to a U.N. report, this all started with the rise of Boko Haram, a designated Islamist terrorist group, that kidnapped 270 Christian secondary school age girls in 2014 (91 are still missing or in captivity). Since then, other Islamist groups have joined with Boko Haram in attacking Christians and even destroying thousands of churches. Clearly their goal is to rid Nigeria of all Christians and create a unified Islamist state. While the government of Nigeria is opposing this takeover, it is clear they are not succeeding. The government claims they have “neutralized” over 13,000 terrorists and arrested over 17,000. They also claim that they have rescued over 9,000 Christian kidnapping victims. The continued killing not only shows the ineffectiveness of the Nigerian government security forces, but, importantly, reflects the large numbers of Islamists in Nigeria who are part of this terrorist movement. Nigeria is divided into separate “states” as in the U.S. and twelve of those states have declared that they are now committed to following Sharia Law. It should be remembered that Sharia Law permits, and in some cases encourages, the killing of non-Muslims and those who were once Muslims but changed to another religion. Recently, Senator Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and Rep. Riley Moore (R-W. Va.) have spoken out about this tragic situation. President Trump has indicated that he is concerned and that military intervention by the U.S. may be needed. We have not heard much, if anything at all, from the fake media or during the Biden administration.

We should note several things. First, the ineffectiveness, once again, of the United Nations in addressing these terrorist activities. Second, the fact that all of these terrorist activities targeting Christians and Jews are exclusively Islamist must be recognized. We do not hear of any terrorist Christian or Jewish groups attacking and wantonly killing Muslims or members of other faiths. That is no accident. Third, Governor Abbott of Texas has recently declared the Council on American Islamist Relations (CAIR) to be a terrorist group due to their close ties to Hamas. Texas is having an ongoing dispute with a group that wants to establish an Islamist enclave in Collin County. Fourth, Governor DeSantis of Florida recently addressed the issue of what he considers excessive legal immigration and the potential impact on the integrity and traditions of our country. He expressed his concern that our country cannot effectively assimilate the large numbers of immigrants, legal and illegal, that we have admitted over the past several decades.

I strongly agree with Governor DeSantis, as I have expressed clearly in a previous article. America for Americans, and only a limited number of those who want to identify as Americans. We finally have a political leader who has spoken out on this issue. We need to encourage others to do the same. The idea that we can accept millions of people from other countries and still maintain our 250 year old identity is a Leftist lie that will lead to the destruction of our country as we have known it. Look what recently happened in N.Y. City.

Dealing with the Islamic Threat Part II 

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Article:  Author:  R. Alan Harrop, Ph.D.  

In Part I of this article, I noted that there is an important distinction between nationalistic Islamists who want to change our government/culture and Muslims who want to practice their religion but are not dissatisfied with the secular aspects of America. Let’s examine the impact of Islamist immigrants in European countries, where their numbers are much greater (about 8% of their populations) compared to our country (about 2%).

Let’s start off with Sweden, which has been allowing Muslims refugees for several decades into their country which has historically had very little immigration.   Currently. There are about 60 enclaves/neighborhoods in Sweden that are occupied almost exclusively by Muslims. Most of these enclaves follow Sharia law and discourage non-Muslims from entering there or living there. In fact, many of them have erected physical and/or informational barriers to non-Muslims. Some of them have vehicle check points operated by Muslim gangs. They are known as “No-Go” zones where local police rarely if ever enter. One reason the police are reluctant to enter is that the authorities are reluctant to provoke demonstrations, which at times in the past have led to violence. Essentially, the Islamists have taken over these so-called enclaves and are functioning as if they were in a middle- eastern country. Non-Muslims who enter these areas are required to follow Sharia law or face a potential violent reaction. As a result, the crime rate against native Swedes has increased dramatically, especially sex crimes against native born women. In 1975, there were 421 reported rapes in Sweden, in 2024 that has risen to 10,167 which is an astonishing 2300% rise. Sixty three percent of the reported rapes were by immigrants. Immigrants are also 5 times more likely to commit robberies. Similar crime increases have occurred in France, Britain, Austria and Brussels. In Britain, a Muslim group known as “Muslims Against the Crusades,” have identified 12 cities that they plan to occupy and turn into independent micro-states that will operate outside British law. These European countries are being taken over piece by piece by Islamists. This is the opposite of assimilation, where immigrants accept, value, and practice the rules and traditions of their new country. This threatens the very existence of these countries as we have known them.

Is this happening in America? You bet. For example, in Patterson, NJ, which has a large percentage of Muslims, the city council, sheriff’s department, and the local schools are effectively controlled by Muslim immigrants. Recently, a mob tore down the American flag and replaced it with the Palestinian flag and declared Patterson to be the capitol of Palestine in America. This is happening in other cities as well, particularly in Michigan. The governor of Texas, Greg Abbot, and his administration are fighting against the establishment of a Muslim enclave in Collin County where a Muslim group is trying to establish a community on 400 newly purchased acres of land, called East Plano Islamic Center, funded by Community Capitol Partners. A promotional video shows the President of this group speaking against American law and openly advocating for Sharia law. They plan to establish seven other similar communities. To purchase a dwelling a person must agree to financially support the local Mosque and Islamic private school. According to Governor Abbott, he signed a law several years ago that prohibits replacing American law with Sharia law (as have a few other states). The effectiveness of these efforts has yet to be demonstrated. Texas Congressional Representative Chip Roy, has introduced a bill entitled “Preserving a Sharia-Free America Act,” and Senator Tommy Tuberville from Alabama has done likewise in the US Senate. Whether either bill will generate enough support, remains to be seen.

We need to learn from what Europe’s experience and take appropriate steps before it is too late. Part III of this article will address what needs to be done, assuming we have enough leaders who recognize the problem and have the courage to take appropriate action. We cannot allow what happened when New York City elected a Marxist Muslim mayor to spread to other areas of our country.  Stay tuned.

Dealing With the Islamic Threat to America: Part I

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Author: R. Alan Harrop, Ph.D.

In a previous article, I outlined the threat that unfettered immigration poses to America. Starting with this article, I want to provide more details and give examples of what we are facing and how to deal with that threat. First, let me state that I am not against the practice of any religion. I agree that America should allow the practice of any religion. However, an Islamist is someone who supports a political ideology that advocates for a society governed by Islamic law and values. The central goal of Islamism is the establishment of a state governed by Sharia law. A person can follow the Muslim religion and not be an Islamist. This distinction is critical to remember. I am opposed to any group that wants to fundamentally change America (as Barack Obama famously once said). Islamists are committed to using any and all means to create an Islamist state, including violence.

I would like to start off with an exploration of what Sharia law entails. The laws we follow in this country are derived from Western civilization sources such as the Roman Empire, Judeo/Christian beliefs like the Ten Commandments, and the historical British legal system. Sharia law derives solely from the writings of the prophet Muhammed. Also, our legal system focuses on the sphere of public interaction; Sharia law controls public interactions and also controls private behavior and beliefs. While an internet search will provide information about all of the elements of Sharia law, I am going to address some that are most concerning. Sharia law advocates drastic physical punishments for violators, as well as being especially restrictive to women. A few examples:  amputation of a person’s hand for theft; a woman who alleges she was raped must present four male witnesses in order to seek justice; a woman found guilty of adultery is punishable by death; Muslim men have sexual rights to any woman that does not wear a Hijab (covering of neck, head, ears, except face) in public; a man can have up to four wives, whereas a woman can only have one husband; a man can physically beat his wife for insubordination; a woman cannot speak alone to a man who is not her husband or relative; women and girls should be genitally mutilated; a Muslim who becomes a non-Muslim is punishable by  death; criticizing Muhammed, the Quran (i.e. their Bible), or Allah is punishable by death.

While these rules are obviously not the laws that Americans want to live by, the majority of people in many Muslim majority countries find them very acceptable. For example: 74% of Egyptians; 71% of Jordanians; 72% of Indonesians; 86% of Malaysians and 91% of Iraqis are in favor of living under Sharia law. Of course, that is their heritage, and they have a right to any legal system that they choose. The problem is that many of the immigrants from these and many other Muslim majority countries want to have Sharia in the country to which they immigrate. A good example of what can happen when large numbers of Islamists immigrate is the current situation in Europe. European countries have experienced higher numbers of Muslim immigrants over the past few decades than we have here in America (at least until Biden opened up our borders to all comers). As of 2024, 8.5% of the population of Sweden are Muslim immigrants; Britain at 6.9%, France 10.5%, Germany 7.2%, and Austria 8.6%. Estimates show that about 2%, or 5 million people in the United States are Muslims. One thing to note is that among Muslims, the birthrate is much higher than for native born Americans (which is now at 1.6 children per woman), so even if all immigration were stopped, the percentage of Muslims in America would continue to increase. As shown above, with a high percentage of Muslims committed to Sharia law coming to America, what is the likelihood that they will assimilate and become committed to America as we have known it? Very slim to say the least. Part II of this article will address the impact and what we should expect if the Islamic philosophy is permitted in this country. Stay tuned.

Problem Immigration

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Author:  R. Alan Harrop, Ph.D   

When this country was founded, not only were we a country of immigrants, but we needed immigrants to expand and populate the vast expanse of the continent. This is no longer the case. The recent election of a Marxist immigrant as mayor of New York City (NYC) would not have occurred without unrestricted immigration. No country can retain its cultural and political integrity when overwhelmed by excessive and nonselective immigration such as we have been experiencing. We could take the position that what happens in New York City is not our concern since we do not reside there, but this would be a serious mistake as I will show. Let’s start with some facts.

In 1970, 18% of the residents of NYC were not born in this country, today that figure is 38%. Zohran Mamdani received 70% of the votes of foreign-born residents in his election as mayor, compared to less than 40% of American born residents. He was born in Uganda and still holds citizenship there as well as being a naturalized U.S. citizen. He has refused to renounce his Ugandan citizenship. He is a practicing Muslim and an admitted Marxist who does not reflect the traditional values of this country. Another example of immigrants taking over and not assimilating is a city of 28,000 people, Hamtramck, Michigan. In 1970, 95% of the residents were American born; today it is less than 40%. Muslims account for 70% of the population. Their mayor was born in Yemen, and their police chief and all six city council members are Muslims. Likewise in California, a state that elected Ronald Reagan as governor for two terms, the demographics have shifted. In 1970, the foreign-born residents represented about 12% of their population; now it is 38% and is solid leftist.

This disturbing trend is no accident. In the mid-1920s, a Republican Congress and President implemented a law that severely reduced the number of legal immigrants over concern that we were admitting more than could be assimilated as patriotic Americans. The law established maximum quotas for foreign countries. This law was in place until a Democrat Congress and President in 1965 passed the Immigration and Nationality Act that essentially eliminated immigration quotas. In addition, President Reagan in 1985 agreed to an ill-advised amnesty agreement that permitted 3 million illegals to stay in this country. A strict closing of the border was supposed to be implemented (which never happened). More recently, the Biden administration essentially opened the borders to all comers, resulting in a flood of an estimated 20 million people in four years. Europe has already experienced the negative impact of too much immigration– a dramatic change in their cultures making them unrecognizable from what they have been historically.

So, what do we do to prevent losing our culture, traditions, and ultimately country? First, we accelerate and complete the deportation of all illegal aliens. No exceptions. Not just those with criminal backgrounds. Second, we reinstate a system of quotas for legal immigration to ensure that we select those who are committed to accepting our culture and values. Third, we significantly reduce or eliminate student and work visas, especially from non-Western countries. Fourth, we stop allowing immigrants to receive welfare payments and free medical care and go back to the old system where all immigrants were required to show that they had access to sufficient resources to support themselves and not be a burden on our country.

If we do not take significant action, what we have seen in NYC will spread throughout our country and destroy the very fabric of our culture and traditions. We need to elect officials who recognize and are will to make the hard decisions to deal with this oncoming crisis.

Pros and Cons of AI

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Author:  R. Alan Harrop, Ph.D.  

All changes have advantages and disadvantages. Artificial Intelligence (AI) is no exception. Because the impact of AI is going to affect all of us in some way or another, we should take a look at what is already happening and what is likely to happen. What’s more, the idea of creating an intelligence that rivals and may exceed human capabilities warrants special caution. Let’s start off with what we already know of the pros of AI.

The idea of creating artificial intelligence is not new; the possibility has been around ever since the invention of computers. AI has already been shown to be capable of data processing and linking at speeds and accuracy well beyond the human mind. Like automated machines used in manufacturing, the accuracy and precision of production is greater than humans. Machines do not get tired, do not need lunch breaks, sleep, or overtime pay. Same thing with AI, only more so. For example, students can now access AI to write reports on many topics. AI scans and collects the facts from the internet, and assembles the information in a manner that duplicates what a human can do. AI can also duplicate the human voice making it impossible to distinguish from the actual person. The autopen on steroids.

From a military perspective, AI will be used in advanced weapon systems that will enhance their potency and accuracy. Consider what is happening with the first “ war of the drones” now occurring between Russian and Ukraine. Fewer humans will be placed in harm’s way, as the combat role of humans is replaced by machines. Wars between robot armies are on the horizon. In medicine, not only is accurate diagnosis enhanced because AI will not fail to consider all the possible facts, but AI may produce more successful surgical outcomes because of greater accuracy and precise movements. This has already started with some surgical procedures that us robotic techniques and instrument control.

The development of AI and its application in all aspects of human activity is already occurring and is likely to accelerate. Countries will not be able to neglect AI if they hope to remain competitive and to be able to defend themselves from potential adversaries. Now, let’s examine some of the cons of AI. One immediate impact will be on the need for human workers. For example, high tech companies have been reducing their workforces as AI is developed. Over the past two years, the following layoffs have occurred:  Amazon: 30,000; Microsoft: 35,000; Google: 20,000; Meta: 23,000 and UPS: 14,000. Now not all of these layoffs are directly related to AI, but many of them are. Many of the jobs are high tech programming and code writing which AI is being created to do itself.   Who needs humans?

Another area of concern is energy consumption. For example, it takes 10 times the amount of electricity to conduct an AI search compared to a regular internet search. A recent report on Barclay.com indicated that the expanded use of AI data centers will increase the demand on the electric grid by 25% per year for the foreseeable future. Obviously, the existing electric grid cannot meet that demand without substantial expansion in generating power. Wind and solar will not help in the slightest. Expansion could be through more nuclear plants. However, the current restrictions and regulations can be prohibitive.  There has not been a new nuclear power plant built in North Carolina for over forty years. Some are suggesting the use of smaller nuclear reactors, about one-third of the reactors currently in place. Theoretically, these could be located near to the AI data centers reducing the demand for transmission wires. A troubling trend is being implemented by local power companies like Tidewater. Starting in January, electricity rates per KWH will depend on the time of the day the electricity is used. Not good. This plan reduces your freedom to use electricity when you decide and allows the company to dictate your access. Instead of manipulating demand, they should be increasing their generating capacity. China has been building coal fired plants for years and will be able to meet their demands. We have been handcuffed by the environmental extremists who fear monger about climate change. Through executive order 14241, President Trump has significantly reduced the restrictions on building coal fired plants, especially the additional restrictions placed by the Biden administration. There is no reason why electric companies should not immediately return to building coal fired plants, especially since coal is one of our greatest resources. Until recently, Bill Gates had believed that climate change caused by burning fossil fuels was an existential threat. He has done an about face, and now says that climate change is not a threat! That shows what a hoax the whole climate change scare has been.

Besides these practical problems, the potential impact on humans must be considered. Are we creating something with more brain power than we have? AI is not only capable of learning and thinking faster and more accurately than humans, it has the potential to learn how to control itself. A few months ago, there was a report in the Epoch Times newspaper about an AI system that would not allow itself to be shut down by its human creators! Will these systems take on a will of their own? Who knows, but it could happen. Also, as humans rely more and more on AI for such things as data gathering and analysis, what happens to the skill level of humans who are now performing these functions? Our intelligence is based on using our brains to solve complex problems and think for ourselves. With increased reliance on AI, will we get dumber? How about the impact on our self-esteem? Most people feel good when they accomplish a challenging task. With AI performing these tasks, what are humans good for? Not much I suppose. As we get dumber and less ambitious, AI takes over more and more of human activities. AI becomes the master and we become the slaves. As we become more dependent on AI and lose our skills and abilities, what happens if AI destructs? Power outage? Hacking into the system? Something to think about.

While it is true that AI development is rushing forward, we need to think about what we are creating and the pros and cons of how far we go. AI has the potential to be one of the most powerful and life altering inventions in the history of mankind.  Let’s make sure that it will enhance our lives, and not be our undoing as human beings.

Exploding Government Programs

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Author:  R. Alan Harrop, Ph.D. 

We Americans have been warned about the dangers of big central federal governments, not only by the Founding Fathers, but more recently by President Ronald Reagan among others. Apparently, the warnings have gone unheeded, especially by the Marxist Left in our country, many of whom would rather be called “progressives” even though they are following the Marxist playbook. According to Karl Marx, a strong central government is critical to his theory of getting people dependent on the government rather than on themselves. Most of these dependency programs are initially sold to the people by appealing to their willingness to assist people who are in need and cannot help themselves. The Marxists then continue to expand these programs to more and more people, most of whom are fully capable of supporting themselves.

Let’s take a look at a few examples. Medicaid was initiated by the Democrats in 1966. The program was intended to assist children without parental support, the elderly, and people with disabilities. Within a couple of years there were 2 million Americans receiving Medicaid. Flash forward to 2024, there are now 89 million recipients of Medicaid. The expansion has added adults regardless of age, raised the income level to qualify, and expanded the definition of eligibility. Since 2020, the number of recipients has grown by 47%. The annual cost of Medicaid in 1966 was $900 million. It is now over $900 billion! Food Stamps (now called SNAP) again was started by the Democrats and was supposed to help the very poor and disabled. The number of recipients of food stamps in 1967 was 2.1 million; now it is 42 million. The cost of the food stamp program in 1967 was less than $2 billion dollars; it is now it is over $100 billion. Another example is the so-called Section 8 (Housing Voucher Program) This program, originally intended for struggling poor families, now pays up to $1700 per month for recipients, many of whom have incomes above the federal poverty level. It should be noted that 61% of current recipients do not have children. Also, many illegal aliens are accessing these programs.

What we have here is the classic Marxist strategy of the transfer of wealth from hard working tax payers to those who choose not to rely on themselves, but become wards of the government. The people advocating these program expansions, such as Rep. Alexandria Cortez from New York, claim that healthcare is not a privilege but rather a right! –a right that others must pay for. Of course there is no such right mentioned in the Constitution, but that does not matter to the Marxists who use giving free stuff to their supporters to get votes. We see this dependency during this ridiculous Schumer government shutdown, where recipients of food stamps are threatening to go into food stores and take what they need without paying. So much for these programs helping make people self-sufficient.

Meanwhile, the national debt keeps growing. It has now reached $38 trillion, which amounts to $327,000 per taxpayer. The largest expenditure in the federal budget is Medicaid/Medicare at $1.7 trillion. Just the annual interest on the national debt is now almost a trillion dollars a year ($970 billion). If you have not done so, go on the website: The National Debt Clock. This will provide a clear picture of what we are facing.

The question becomes, “Is it too late to turn things around?” Our country cannot survive as we have known it, if the value of the dollar collapses. Schumer and his Marxist buddies want to undo the cuts made by the Trump administration and fellow Republicans, and add back $1.5 trillion to the budget. Also, the Marxist candidate for mayor of NY City is running on more free stuff for the voters. This is not good for our country.

It will take extreme political courage for our elected officials to turn this around.

Violence and Transgenderism

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Author:  R. Alan Harrop, Ph.D.   

Most clear-thinking people realize that trying to change one’s gender from what a person is at birth is extremely abnormal and against nature and God’s plan. Unfortunately, the Marxists in our country think this is just fine, and many actively support this destructive idea. The fact that some medical professionals who take the Hippocratic Oath to do no harm, provide prescriptions, and in some cases surgery, both of which have permanent effects, is difficult to believe, but is happening. There is evidence that people who undergo these transgender treatments commit acts of violence beyond what would be expected from such a small fringe group. Let’s examine why this is happening.

Transgender individuals represent less than one percent of the population (0.7%); yet recent data shows that they commit over 5% of the mass shootings. Here are a few examples: Anderson Lee Aldrich, a man who identifies as a “non-binary,” shot and killed five people in Colorado in 2022; Audrey Hale, a woman identifying as a man, killed three children and three adults in Nashville in 2023; Robert Westman, who changed his name to Robin, killed two children and wounded 21 others in Minneapolis in 2025 and left a message that he was ”tired of being trans”; Cameron Arnold and Bradford Morris, both transgenders, attempted to murder an ICE agent in Texas in 2025; the man arrested for trying to kill Supreme Court Justice Kavanaugh in 2022 identified as a woman; and most recently, Tyler Robinson, the alleged killer of Charlie Kirk had a transgender sex partner. These are some of the most prominent examples; there are others. President Trump has reported asking the FBI to look into this problem.

There are groups such as the Armed Queers of Salt Lake City, the Zizians, and the Trans Army which warrant further investigation. The Armed Queers, who describe themselves as a revolutionary LGBQ organization defending oppressed people, are led by a transgender activist whose parents were Iranian immigrants. There is evidence that this group is receiving funds from the Chinese Communist Party. We see in these organizations the traditional revolutionary effort by Marxists to divide our country into factions that have the intent of creating groups of the oppressed and the oppressors.

Looking at the psychological aspects of transgenderism, we see pathology that can certainly be directed towards violence. Gender dysphoria and the desire to change to the opposite sex used to be classified as a psychiatric disorder. However, the World Health Organization removed that designation in 2019 in an effort to normalize what is clearly abnormal. Transgenders have higher rates of depression, anxiety, and a suicide rate that is 20 times higher than the regular population. Once an individual has decided on suicide and also blames others for their problems, they are much more likely to kill others and then kill themselves, something that is frequently seen in mass violence incidents. Administering strong hormones can also be a destabilizing factor in their mental status. It should also be noted that the young people who are most easily persuaded to change their genders often have a history of social isolation and lack of interaction with mentally normal friends. By accepting transgenderism, they are welcomed into a close-knit group and vulnerable to other influences, some of which are antisocial.

Parents of children who start expressing gender dysphoria should seek out assistance to correct that way of thinking. If you live in Colorado, that may be difficult, since their legislature passed a law making it a crime for a medical professional to counsel a child against transitioning. The U.S. Supreme Court is considering a challenge to that law. Let’s hope they overturn it.

Saving the Traditional Family

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Author:  R. Alan Harrop,Ph.D.      

Charlie Kirk discussed many issues as he conducted his debates on college campuses during his famous “Prove Me Wrong!” tour. One of the most important issues that I want to address is his effort to save the traditional family. As a husband and father of two children, he was well acquainted with the reality of living within the traditional family. He loved it! Importantly, he realized that resisting a Marxist takeover of this country relies on the strength of the intact traditional family.

The traditional family structure has been the bedrock of Western Civilization for hundreds of years. In fact, no successful country has ever existed without the traditional family. However, Karl Marx and his partner Friedrich Engels realized that they could not destroy the essence of the free market system without first destroying the traditional family. Sadly, there are many signs that Marxism is being successful in its effort to do just that. The family structure that most of us grew up in is no longer what it was. Our parents would be shocked at many of the things that are occurring now that would have been totally unacceptable in their lifetimes. Why does Marxism want to destroy the traditional family? One reason is that they want people to be dependent on the government, not on each other. That is where their power lies. Another reason is their belief that sexual activity should have no restrictions. Marx and Engels wrote that people should be free to engage in sex with anyone and in any way they wanted, including homosexuality. Allowing homosexual marriage in this country during the Obama administration was a Marxist triumph. Further efforts to undermine parents are occurring in some states like California that have attempted to prevent parents from stopping their children from receiving gender altering medications and surgery. The Supreme Court recently heard a case where the state of Colorado passed a law that prevents medical personnel from counseling children and their parents against receiving these horrific treatments.

Charlie Kirk understood this threat to the traditional family and confronted the problem directly as he debated college students. He would clearly tell them that the importance and rewards of marriage with children far exceed any satisfaction and importance of a career, especially for women. He also made the point that marriage between a man and a woman is divinely inspired, as is having children. Here are some of the examples of how the traditional family is being destroyed, and then I will present some ideas about what we can do to reverse this trend.

In 1960, the average age at first marriage was 23 years for men and 20 years for women. Now, it is 32 years for men and 28 years for women; thus resulting in 40% fewer years for having children. The result has been a significant drop in the average number of children in this country from 4.5 per woman in 1960, to 1.6 per woman currently, which is insufficient to maintain the population. Prior to the 1960s, pre-marital sex was frowned upon and waiting till marriage was considered a virtue. Children are now being instructed in sexual practices in so-called sex education classes that encourage them to engage in sexual activity at a young age and before marriage. Living together before marriage used to be strongly discouraged and a mark of shame. Now, cohabiting before marriage appears to be the norm, frequently going on for years before marrying or breaking up. By the way, couples who live together before marriage are more likely to get divorced.

The traditional family was the provider of not only the continuation of American traditions, history,and values, but also importantly, moral conscience development through a religious framework. Children are not born knowing the difference between right and wrong; they must be taught. The failure to socialize children is glaringly obvious when noting that the percentage of children born out of wedlock in 1960 was 3% for white mothers and 24% for black mothers. Now the figures are 21% for whites; and 70% for blacks. We know that children raised without two parents are less likely to complete high school, are more likely to become addicted to drugs, and are significantly more likely to spend time in prison. No surprise here. Parents are the first teachers of their children and should serve as role models of what they should endeavor to be when they grow up. This does not happen except in the intact traditional family. Also, social media is having an extremely negative impact on children. Increased anxiety, depression, suicide and anti-social behavior have all increased with the use of smart phones by children. Australia, and now Denmark, are banning access to social media sites by children under 15. We should do the same. Our children should not be raised by the social media! The increased divorce rate since the advent of no-fault divorce has also harmed the traditional family. Married people not only report being happier, but they also live longer. This is especially true for couples with children.

How do we encourage a return to traditional families? First, we should do what Charlie Kirk did–speak out in support of marriage and having children, especially to our children and grandchildren. For example, I have two grandsons in their 20s both of whom have been dating their girlfriends for several years. I occasionally would ask them when they were getting engaged. Several months ago, one of them asked me what I thought he should get his girlfriend for her birthday. My reply was “an engagement ring.” Let them know where you stand. By the way they are both engaged now and have set marriage dates. Discourage them from living together before getting married. Encourage them to attend church, and do so yourself to model appropriate behavior. Talk about traditional values, don’t be reluctant. We have to counter the leftist indoctrination in our universities.

From an economic perspective, the Trump administration is developing proposals to provide tax incentives and relief for families with children. Do what you can to assist family members with children financially. Why wait to give them an inheritance when you can help them now when they may actually need it more. The NC General Assembly has recently increased funding for school choice. However, they still have not provided vouchers for homeschoolers. This needs to be done, as it has been done in other states.

Let us all make a commitment to follow Charlie Kirk’s example and support the traditional family which is essential to the survival of our country as we have known it. Otherwise, the Marxists win.

The Real Cost of Illegal Aliens

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Author:  R. Alan  Harrop, Ph.D.

The Marxists in our country love to point out that we are a nation of immigrants. Of course, they fail to acknowledge that until recently, we were a nation of legal immigrants. President Trump as usual is fulfilling his campaign promises, including stopping the flood of illegal aliens we witnessed during the Biden administration. Biden lied when he said we needed new legislation to deal with this problem. In reality all we needed was a new president who put the welfare of our country first. The result is that illegal immigration has essentially been stopped and is at the lowest levels in fifty years. However, the damage caused by the Biden administration open border policy is continuing.

Let’s first look at the financial impact. The Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR) estimates that the number of illegal aliens in the U.S. is close to 20 million. Many of these illegals access government services for free, for example housing, healthcare, education, food stamps, and other welfare programs. FAIR calculates that the cost to the American taxpayer in 2022 was 182 billion dollars. (This amount has only increased since then.) The cost for each illegal is about 9,000 dollars a year or an average of 1,200 dollars per each taxpayer. This includes federal, state, and local taxes. Note that the Democrats, who have chosen to shut down the federal government, want the taxpayers to shoulder an increasing tax burden by expanding funding for healthcare for illegals. It should be remembered that prior to the Democrats led by Ted Kennedy changing the immigration laws in the 1960s, all immigrants into this country had to provide proof that they or their relatives had sufficient resources and income to support themselves economically.

It should be noted, that Marxism has always advocated open borders and eliminating national governments in favor of global governance. The potential impact of open borders is the destruction of a countries traditions and values. Note how the left wants to tear down our statues for example. Many of the illegals let in by the Biden administration have no intention of giving up their own culture and adopting ours. Up until the 1960s immigration law change, most of the immigrants were from European countries who share our heritage of western civilization. That is no longer the case. Many of the groups currently coming here are unlikely to ever assimilate as immigrants have done in the past. Europe is about five years ahead of us with this problem. The cities of London, Paris, Brussels, etc., have been essentially taken over by immigrants. An example of this happening in our country is Dearborn Michigan, which is essentially a Muslim community, many of whom want to live under Sharia law. The situation is aggravated by the fact that some of these cities (like New York) are allowing illegals to vote in local elections even though federal law prohibits voting in national elections. The mayoral race in New York City should concern us all since the election of an avowed Marxist in one of our largest cities would mark an advancement of Marxism that could not have been imagined 30 years ago.

There was a time right after World War II, when most people in America were aware of and dreaded the possibility of a Marxist takeover in our country. That is obviously no longer the case. Massive immigration and the leftist takeover of many of our universities has set the stage for what we are seeing now. Abraham Lincoln once said that America would never be destroyed by a foreign power, but if we were to be destroyed, it would be from within. Open borders, the destruction of the traditional family, diminishing church attendance, homosexual marriage, reliance on the government for healthcare and other benefits are all symptoms of our slide to Marxism. Patriotic Americans must recognize this reality and stand up for traditional American values before it is too late. Fortunately, we have a president who is leading us back in the right direction. We all need to support him as much as possible and fight for our freedoms.

Solving the Crime Problem Part II

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Author: R. Alan Harrop, Ph.D. 

As I stated in Part I of this article, a society that fails to instill a law abiding conscience in its children will have to resort to extensive external controls to keep crime under control. Let’s take a look at what needs to be done given the reality that crime, especially violent crimes, are occurring at unacceptable levels, particularly in urban areas.

Socialization of children depends on, and is the responsibility of their parents. The high rate of children born out of wedlock (over 40%) and therefore lacking two effective parents needs to be reversed. Nowadays, adults living together before marriage has not only increased, but is seemingly totally acceptable. That was not always the case. In the 1950s and before, society reacted very unfavorable to cohabitation before marriage. This of course led to earlier marriage. The average age at first marriage has increased by almost ten years as has the number of people who never marry. One thing parents and grandparents can do is to encourage young people to marry instead of living together. Don’t be afraid to let them know what you believe. I remember one of my grandsons asking me what he should get for his girlfriend’s birthday. He had been dating her for several years. I suggested that he get her an engagement ring! Several months later they did get engaged. Encouraging going to church and setting an example by doing so yourself can also help return children to traditional values. Expounding on the benefits of marriage and having children is also something we can all do. This was one of the themes of Charlie Kirk’s message that he spoke about frequently in his talks with younger people, particularly young men. Relatedly, law makers can consider increasing tax benefits to families with children. We need to strengthen the traditional family.

As a psychologist who worked in the N.C. Department of Correction for thirty years, I had the opportunity to observe criminals first hand. Raising law-abiding citizens depends on a system of reward and punishment. Reward good behavior and you will get more of it; punish bad behavior and you will get less. That is the simple rule of all human and animal behavior. To be effective, the reward and/or punishment must be consistent and immediate. Our current criminal justice system as advocated by the Left does not punish criminal behavior as was once the case. Cashless bail, light sentences, and delayed prosecution send the wrong message. Most crimes are committed by repeat offenders. Sentences should escalate significantly for those committing repeat offences. There used to be a process called “Three strikes and you are out” which referred to the fact that someone who commits a third felony would receive the maximum sentence. Repeat offenders are clearly telling us that they have made crime their career and we should recognize that fact. I recently heard a leftist mayor of one of the high crime rate cities state that “You cannot arrest yourself out of a crime problem.” Actually, the opposite is the case–incarcerating career criminals is the most effective way to lower the crime rate.

Illegal drugs are a major driver of crime. Legalizing marijuana is the wrong approach since it is clearly a gateway drug. Not only is the level of the intoxicating chemicals in marijuana increasing but some drug cartels infuse it with fentanyl to increase its addictive properties. President Trump’s actions like closing the border, declaring drug cartels as terrorist groups, and attacking drug smuggling ships from other countries are all useful efforts. Drug dealers are killing our youth and should be treated with punishments that fit the crime. In some cases, drug treatment can be effective; however, when it fails, incarceration may actually protect the life of the addict. Allowing addicts to freely live on the streets must be stopped. Vagrancy laws need to be re-instated with incarceration used as needed.

Mental illness can also influence criminal behavior, especially if not treated properly. Fortunately, most diagnosed mental illnesses do not increase the proclivity to commit crimes. However, in cases where the mental illness is related to severe emotional disturbances and aggressive behavior, it must be treated as a significant factor in predicting future criminal behavior. It should be noted that many of those with serious mental disorders related to criminal behavior resist treatment. Involuntary commitment is usually not very effective since it is usually temporary. The General Assembly should reconsider establishing a facility for the criminally insane that could hold and treat convicted felons with serious mental disorders. Clearly the current approach is not working.

Solving the crime problem will require a comprehensive effort which ensures that there is a police presence sufficient to ensure public safety as President Trump recently showed in Washington, DC. The North Carolina General Assembly’s passing of the Iryna Crime Act in response to the brutal murder on the Charlotte commuter train is also a step in the right direction. We will see if Governor Stein vetoes the bill as I expect.   Democrats have consistently shown that the safety of the public is not their concern.

Solving the Crime Problem Part I

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Author R. Alan Harrop, Ph.D.  

Crime continues to be a major concern of the American people. This is understandable since one of the prime responsibilities of any government, local or federal, is to ensure that citizens are safe in their homes and in public. Recent horrific tragedies, like the knife killing of Iryna Zarutska on a commuter train in Charlotte and the assassination of freedom patriot Charlie Kirk,  show the urgency of the crime problem. When examining any issue, it is best to start off with the facts before addressing causes and potential solutions.

Below is a list of some of the basic facts about crime in this country. Violent crime rates are higher in urban than in rural areas. Democrat run cities have the highest crime rates. The cities with the highest crime rates include:  Memphis, Detroit, Baltimore, Chicago, and Milwaukee. All of these cities have had Democrat mayors for most of the past 30 years with few exceptions. Cities with the highest crime rates tend to have liberal district attorneys who favor no cash bail and other soft on crime policies. Most of the violent crimes are committed by a small proportion of the population. For example, over 60% of the violent crimes are committed by black males between the age of 18 and 45 which represent only 3% of the entire population. Most crimes are committed by repeat offenders who have multiple arrests and prior convictions. Longer incarceration terms for so-called career criminals keep the community safe by keeping criminals off the streets. Prison rehabilitation programs are not a reliable way of reducing recidivism rates since most repeat offenders return to a life of crime.

The causes of criminal activity need to be understood before corrective action can be taken. Human beings are not born with a conscience or any knowledge of right or wrong. A person with a properly developed conscience controls their own behavior by judging and directing their behavior according to the rules of their learned conscience. A society that does not teach strong moral standards to their citizens is forced to rely on external controls, such as police presence and fear of apprehension instead of internal control of one’s behavior. Historically, western civilization has relied upon parental instruction and religion to ensure that children develop a law-abiding conscience. If a child learns to believe that stealing is a sin, they will not steal. Since the 1960s, the traditional family has been significantly weakened in our society. In 1960, 72% of adults were married. By 2017 that number was down to less than 50%. The average age for first marriage in 1960 was 20 yrs. for women and 23 yrs. for men; it is now 28 yrs. for women and 30 yrs. for men. Consequently, the birthrate has declined significantly. The birthrate is now 1.6 births per woman, which is not sufficient to maintain the population. Since 1960, the divorce rate has more than doubled. In 1960, only 5% of all births occurred out of wedlock. That number has now risen to over 40%. The diminishing of the traditional family has negatively impacted the socialization of children into law abiding citizens. Combine this with the dramatic decrease in church attendance, particularly among younger people, and the problem of raising children without a prosocial conscience is obvious. The diminishing of the role of the family is exactly what the Marxists have hoped for and is one of their prime goals. They want people to be dependent on the government–not their family. Speaking of Marxist influences, Marxists divide society into the oppressed and the oppressors. In so doing, they provide for some people the justification for criminal behavior towards those they deem to be oppressing them. It is certain that some of the criminals believe they are entitled to prey on the rich because they have been unfairly oppressed. The final factor that I want to mention that influences crime is mental illness. While mental illness in general does not substantially increase the likelihood of committing crimes, certain disorders that impact on misinterpreting the motives of others, such as paranoia, and loss of emotional control can be related. For example, depression can influence a person’s decision making, leading to suicide or in some cases blaming others for their problems. Mass shooters are examples of misdirected anger and blaming of others resulting in murder/suicides.

Part II of this article will address what society can do to control crime.      

Charlie Kirk:  Death of a Freedom Warrior

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Author:  R. Alan Harrop, Ph.D. 

When asked what type of government was created by the Constitution, Benjamin Franklin replied “A republic, if you can keep it.” This well- known comment, could not be more relevant than it is today. While threats from other countries have occurred and are still occurring, the threat Franklin was referring to was from within. For our country to survive as founded, it must have people who not only recognize threats, but are willing to stand up and fight for freedom. Charlie Kirk, was one such prominent freedom warrior.

Marxism, since its founding in the 1800s, has been a continuing threat to all freedom loving people. Essentially, Marxism encourages people to group themselves into the oppressors and the oppressed and also, importantly, sanctions the use of whatever means necessary to overthrow the so-called oppressors. The fact that all Marxist countries are notorious for taking away individual freedoms and establishing oppressive regimes (e.g. Russia, China, North Korea, etc.) is ignored by those who follow Marxist principles. The largest mass killings of their own people were committed by Marxist governments such as Russia and China. After WWII, the people in this country recognized and resisted the threat of communism. Increasingly, many of the people in our country are leaning more to the left, as can be seen by the support for an avowed Marxists Zohran Mamdani in NYC, Congresswoman Cortez, and Bernie Sanders. Charlie Kirk recognized this threat and created Turning Point USA to defeat it. He appealed to the rational side of human nature–not the emotional side as the Marxists do. He was willing to debate all-comers and did so in a non-defensive manner. His slogan was “Prove me wrong!” Unfortunately, most of those on the left do not want rational debate which they cannot win, so they hurl insults and use hateful labels against their political opponents. Recent polling shows that left leaning people are much more likely to accept violence as a way of dealing with their opponents. This is especially troubling since it occurs on college campuses where one would hope that rational debate would be the ideal.

Charlie Kirk was also not afraid to state and defend his religious beliefs. In fact, he acknowledged that his Christian faith was the basis for his political stance and the motivation behind is effort to challenge destructive Marxist indoctrination. It must be remembered that Marxism is anti-religion in any form. In fact, Marxists endorse what is called nihilism, which essentially states that life has no meaning and that there are no absolute morals. Basically, one is free to do whatever one wants without guilt. It is impossible to imagine a law abiding, successful culture without any guidelines on behavior and no accepted right or wrong. One can see this thinking in those who believe in unrestricted abortion and especially in transgenderism where not even one’s sex is predetermined. This philosophy leads to hopelessness, depression, and lack of conscience, which we are seeing in the senseless killings, many of which are by transgenders and other disturbed individuals. Charlie Kirk fought against this destructive philosophy by including Christianity in his appeal to younger people.

Another traditional value that Charlie Kirk emphasized was the importance of the nuclear family and the raising of children. Marxism discourages the traditional family, since they want people to rely on the government not family. This enables them to more easily control people. Charlie challenged men to get married and assume the traditional role of a man as the breadwinner, leader and protector of wife and children. He realized that the declining birthrate in America would eventually be its undoing, as has happened to many earlier civilizations such as Rome. Marriage and raising a family are the natural order of things that is rejected by the Left, leading many people to live lonely, disconnected, and unfulfilled lives.  The Bible also supports the idea of being fruitful and multiplying.

The Left is always accusing the conservative right of being dangerous because of their affinity for guns and the Second Amendment. The truth is that the Leftists are the actual fomenters of violence. Not only with actual or attempted assassinations, but as one can see, by comparing the reactions to the death of George Floyd and Charlie Kirk. George Floyd was a multiple offender who refused to obey the legitimate command of law enforcement officers responding to the commission of a crime. The result was months of riots, burnings, robberies and taking over parts of cities. Many deaths and injuries, as well as billions of dollars in property damage, were the result. Charlie Kirk, a law-abiding father of two who was engaging in rational debate on a college campus, did nothing wrong except hold beliefs opposed to by the left. The reaction by conservatives has been vigils, prayer services, and memorials to a true patriot. Actually, this comparison is all one needs to know about the true threat to our republic. Over 50,000 media posts have celebrated the assassination of someone who did nothing but stand up for American principles and his religious faith. Things the Left cannot stand.

To respect the legacy of Charlie Kirk, we conservatives must show the same courage and convictions that he did. We cannot allow ourselves to be silenced. We must speak out as well as take action to rid ourselves of the Leftist ideology that is destroying our country. Getting involved and staying active in conservative organizations like the Coastal Carolina Taxpayers Association, supporting Turning Point USA, and attending school board meetings are some ways we can fight back against the Left. Because many of our universities are controlled by Leftist administrators and professors, I would like to see the Trump administration require all institutions receiving federal money, to balance the percentage of staff that are Left leaning with equal numbers of conservatives. Although extreme, it is going to take innovative action to reclaim the universities that are indoctrinating our children to hate America. Patriotism and love of country must be restored.

Dealing With Cybersecurity Threats from China

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Author:  R. Alan Harrop, Ph.D.   

The liberal policy of dealing with the threat from communist China by opening up free trade and granting most favored nation status, like most leftist policies, is clearly not working. The idea was that if we treated the Chinese communist government like friends, they would see the error of their ways and become allies. China instead has become more belligerent and adversarial, and is clearly intent on becoming the world’s superpower and replacing American democracy with communism. They continue to take steps to weaken our influence and that of other democratic countries while aligning themselves with Russia and North Korea. China’s continuing support of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is all the proof needed. Our economic policies have enabled China by to become the second largest economy in the world. The Chinese ever-expanding military is poised to exceed our military capability. We have been played for fools.

China believes in the concept of all-encompassing war, not just direct military action. For example, China continues to encourage and support the illegal flow of fentanyl into the U.S. which kills more people each year than died in the Korean and Vietnamese Wars combined. Another critical part of their plan is the war on cyber systems which are increasingly essential the operation of any modern society. Since Kevin Mandea, special cyber expert to the Air Force, several years ago detected and reported the Chinese cyber campaign that breached the security of 27 U.S. military bases with the aid of Chinese students at a west coast university, communist China continues to expand its hacking of essential cyber systems here in the U.S. While much of the hacking was initially directed towards private companies wanting to do business in China, the focus recently has been directed at critical infrastructure systems, such as transportation, oil pipelines, and the electrical grid. China’s goal is to develop the ability to shut down the internal systems essential to our country and thereby intimidate us into compliance with their objectives.

In 2015, when Xi Jinping assumed leadership in China, he pledged that China would become the superpower in cyber space. He has fulfilled that promise with expanded funding and training of enormous numbers of cyber experts far exceeding the number of such experts in the U.S. Paul Rosenzweig, a cyber expert and former assistant secretary in the Department of Homeland Security, recently told the Epoch Times newspaper that even though our cyber experts may have greater capability, we have 100,000 and they have a million.

In 2023, Microsoft dubbed the communist Chinese campaign as the Volt Typhoon. They reported that since 2021 they have been increasingly active against critical U.S. infrastructure. In 2024, FBI Director Christopher Wray testified before congress that Volt Typhoon was “pre-positioned for disruption.” It was also reported that China was using its manufactured consumer electronic devices, such as Wi-Fi routers, computer servers, and cameras, to create a network to carry out cyber espionage operations.

As we can see, the threat from China is abundantly clear. So, what do we do about it? Fortunately, we have in President Trump a leader who recognizes the threat. Shortly after his inauguration this year, he re-emphasized the need to “mitigate, deter and defeat foreign adversaries in cyber, including China.” He also made similar commitments during his first administration. Not responding to China (and Russia) will just encourage them to continue. For example, what was the response from the Biden administration when China sent a spy balloon across our country–silence. This is unacceptable. It just showed weakness.

So, we need to retaliate in kind. Let them know that we have a system to attack their cyber systems if we are attacked. This is called deterrence–a tactic that was used during the cold war with the Soviet Union. We also need to address the reality that China is using the over 300,000 Chinese students attending our universities as potential espionage agents. Do we seriously believe that communist China funds these students to attend our universities because they cannot obtain a quality education in China? Or, as the leftists would have us believe, that they want their students to learn how a free and democratic country operates? They are being, and will continue to be, used to obtain research and technical information that China can use against us.  They should all be sent back to China, which would also permit the admission of over 300,000 Americans to these universities which we as taxpayers are funding in large part. Expanding the number of Chinese students as President Trump has mentioned should not be done.

Our lawmakers must get serious about the reality of the threat posed by China not only in the cyber area, but in other areas of concern. For example, China owning agricultural land in our country must be stopped and reclaimed. Also, allowing China to own the largest pork producing company in the U.S., Smithfield, is totally absurd and should also be undone. It is past time that we stand up and defend our interests before it is too late.

Digital Currency:  Threat to Freedom?

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Author:  R. Alan Harrop, Ph.D 

 Like all things, the high-technology revolution we are experiencing has both positive and negative possible outcomes. Those who advocate the new high-tech systems only tell us the positive side since they are the ones most likely to benefit financially. I strongly recommend that you read or re-read George Orwell’s novel, 1984. In that story, the author shows some of the ways that modern technological advances can negatively impact our most basic freedoms.

The January 6th investigation showcased how easy it is for the federal government to monitor our whereabouts using our cell phone locations. Our movements can be traced not only in the present, but also in the past. Many people were subjected to criminal charges because their cell phone location data indicated they were on the Capitol grounds on January 6th. In his prophetic book, Orwell relates how two of the characters had to arrange meeting in a forest in order to avoid being filmed and monitored together in public. The extensive use of digital surveillance cameras throughout our country has established exactly that scenario in today’s society. While one could argue that surveillance cameras are useful to identify law breakers, which is true, the cameras provide the capability for the government to use this information for nefarious purposes if it so chooses. Ask the innocent people caught up in the January 6th dragnet.

A couple of more mundane examples are the attempted use of GPS tracking data on automobiles by a city in the United Kingdom to put limits on how many miles a resident could drive from that city. How about the proposal by some of the environmental extremists to limit how many miles a person is allowed to drive per year to reduce fossil fuel consumption and emissions? Farfetched? Look at the mandatory system currently in place that slows down a diesel-powered truck to 5 MPH if there is a defect in the emissions control system that has not been corrected within a certain predetermined mileage limit? The point is that high tech is providing mechanisms for the government to control our lives in ways that were never anticipated years ago.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is another rapidly advancing technology that has the potential for very positive changes that may enhance human existence, but at the same time could be used to interfere with our freedoms in significant ways.

Now we come to the issue of digital currency, which is in the process of being implemented in several other countries. The Biden administration sanctioned the development of a proposal or plan for digital currency here in the United States. While not yet implemented, we could see it in the near future. Digital currency is a government-controlled system that does away with cash transactions and replaces them with a system of electronic data for all monetary transactions. Your wealth exists only as an electronic record somewhere in the digital world. The software even has what is called a digital wallet which is where your assets are stored for use in purchasing and selling. Why would anyone want this phantom money system? The main advantage according to advocates is that the government would have increased ability to manage the economy by monitoring and controlling the use of money. Of course, this would also allow the government to monitor and record all your purchases and expenditures.

Unlike credit cards and bank accounts today that use electronic accounting for deposits and withdrawals, the digital currency system bypasses the local banks and is managed directly by the federal government. Now, what could possibly go wrong with that? Well, actually several things. We continually hear about foreign entities successfully hacking into supposedly secure private business and government computer systems. What if these hackers destroyed the entire digital system? How about an attack on our electrical system? The old saying, “Don’t put all your eggs in one basket” applies here. Another issue is that the government could monitor and actually control how you spend your money. They could easily see what you are spending your money on and redirect it to items they deem more appropriate. For example–buying too many juicy steaks instead of beans. Of course, no government would ever do such a thing; or would a government that mandates unproven vaccines do so?

The bottom line is that a digital currency system, while it may have some advantages, would give the government almost unlimited capability to monitor and control our economic freedom to spend our own money as we see fit. By the way, which country is strongly moving towards a complete digital currency system? You guessed it; communist China. We must monitor where our legislators are on this issue if we are to preserve our freedom.

Defeating China Economically

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Author:  R. Alan Harrop, Ph.D.   

It should be abundantly clear to every American by now that communist China is out to dominate the world and replace the United States as the most powerful nation. China is a threat not only to our country, but to western civilization as a whole. The breadth of their effort is mind boggling. They leave no stone unturned, in their effort to achieve world dominance. Sadly, many of our country’s leaders, until President Trump took office, have not only failed to recognize the threat, but in some cases have actually facilitated China’s efforts. To defeat an adversary, it is essential to recognize accurately the tactics they are employing.

The question facing us now is whether we can reassert our previous economic strength to ensure that China does not achieve economic dominance. Fortunately, President Trump not only recognizes the threat, but is determined to rebuild our economic prowess, particularly in manufacturing. For too long, our presidents have failed to take action to stop and reverse the transfer of our essential manufacturing capacity overseas. We have increasingly become a country of importers instead of producers, which not only makes us less wealthy and independent, but makes us militarily vulnerable.

The federal government has even contributed to the decline of manufacturing in this country by implementing unwise policies. One glaring example was the North Atlantic Fair-Trade Agreement (NAFTA) signed into law by President Clinton in 1994. This agreement resulted in many U.S. manufacturers moving to Mexico, and to a lesser extent Canada, particularly in the areas of food production, textiles, and automobile manufacturing. The result was the loss of over a million good paying jobs and the suppression of the wages of American workers. Also, our trade deficits with these two trading partners rose dramatically. Fortunately, President Trump in his first term was able to do away with NAFTA and negotiate a fair deal with Mexico and Canada. Another disastrous government action was the granting of permanent-most-favored-nation status to China in the year 2000. Permanent-most-favored-nation status had previously required annual approval by our president. As a result, many American companies rushed to take advantage of the much lower wages paid to Chinese workers as well as weaker environmental requirements and other factors by moving their manufacturing plants to China. As a result, our global trade deficit soared from $381 billion in 2000 to $945 billion in 2022.

Historically, we have rapidly declined from a manufacturing powerhouse to dependency on other countries. For example, it was largely the economic manufacturing capacity of America that resulted in the defeat of Nazi Germany and the Empire of Japan during World War II. We were rightly called the arsenal of democracy since we not only were able to produce enough military equipment to meet our needs, but supplied these items to our allies. Even the Soviet Union benefited, since we provided over 30% of the military equipment they used to help defeat Nazi Germany. Clearly, a strong manufacturing capacity is essential to national security.

Here are some ways that we can regain our manufacturing capacity and ensure we are able to stand up to China as needed. First, we must insist on a level, fair playing field in our dealings with China and other countries. For example, Communist China provides substantial government financial support to their steel manufacturing companies. This makes it next to impossible for American companies to compete, since the Chinese can sell steel at prices that are actually below the cost of production. Communist China also requires our companies to turn over their manufacturing patents and technology if they want to do business in China. Communist China has consistently violated fair trade agreements and has begun using other countries as sites for their manufacturing to avoid tariffs and other restrictions. Not only should President Trump continue his tariff policies to reign in China but their status as permanent-most-favored nation needs to be revoked. Second, we must refocus our educational system to ensure sufficient skilled workers for an expanding manufacturing system in our country. We must get away from the college for all idea and refocus on the trades, engineering, robotics, and vocational training. Many college graduates spend inordinate amounts of money on useless college degrees that do not prepare them for available jobs and careers. The federal government spends billions of our tax payer money supporting colleges and universities. Much of these funds should be redirected to practical job skill training including apprenticeships.

President Trump has done a great job in the short period of time he has been back in office to return manufacturing to this country. He has incentivized American and foreign companies to build new manufacturing plants in our country. Congress needs to step up and confront the reality that we must not allow communist China to grow their economy at our expense. Competition must be fair and equitable, which it will never be with communist China. Americans need to be encouraged to “Buy American.” Our survival in an increasingly risky world depends on having a strong economy. We did it once, and must do it again.