If you've ever toured Monticello, then you know that Thomas Jefferson had very strong opinions about what his legacy should be. 

He wanted to be remembered as the man who wrote the Declaration of Independence and as the "father" of the University of Virginia. 

Both are inscribed on his tombstone, along with his second proudest achievement--authoring the Virginia Statute on Religious Freedom.

That might surprise Americans today, who wrongly believe that our third President wanted to divorce the government of all religious expression. On the contrary, what Jefferson wrote in Fredericksburg some 230 years ago was such a groundbreaking defense of freedom that the men who drafted our Constitution relied on it for the framework of the First Amendment. 

"No nation," the third President said years later, "has ever existed or been governed without religion. Nor can be." Thomas Jefferson understood then, as we do now, that religious freedom is fundamental to every other freedom on earth. Maybe that's why, despite all of his other accomplishments, Jefferson considered the statute one of his greatest legislative feats.

For 20 years, Americans have set aside this day to honor the tradition of liberty that sets our nation apart. In a world where three out of every four people live in regions hostile to faith, America is still one of the brightest lights on freedom's shore. 

But for how long, no one knows. Under this administration, Jefferson would barely recognize his country. The government, once the guardian of liberty, is now the aggressor. It tramples our consciences with health care mandates, silences our chaplains with radical marriage policy, and expels our pastors from public ceremonies. 

In four years, we have become a people afraid to pray, teach, practice medicine, or even manage a business without fear of government backlash. When President Obama recognizes Religious Freedom Day, as he did this morning, he is doing so as the leader of the most oppressive administration in American history.             Read more:  The Statute of Liberty

 
February 6th is President Reagan's birthday and this week we are remembering and celebrating his life and legacy.  

Today we have a 10 minute video, "Tribute to Ronald Reagan," that was produced for the Ronald Reagan Award Gala in 2006.

Looking for a clear explanation of how presidential elections work in the United States?  Here are a couple.  
One is a simple explanation for adults, the other is a 2008 Disney version for kids.  Below the videos is a link to an excellent article about why the electoral process is important in our Constitutional republic.

It takes courage to be a conservative in today's world.  

Conservative values are attacked in campuses across America, in movies and other forms of entertainment, in the news, and maybe even in your neighborhood.

Have you thought about the principles and values that form the foundation of your political beliefs?  

Could you explain them clearly if you were given the opportunity?   

In this video, S.E. Cupp explains why she chooses to be conservative.  As you watch, you might want to consider what you would say if you were asked to share why you are conservative.  

If you are like me, you may not have expressed your patriotic philosophy and feelings as well as you could, or as recently as would be good, even to your own children.  

This might be a good time to prepare to express our core political beliefs as eloquently as possible to the patriots and leaders of the next generation -- especially if they happen to be our children.


  

Why would a wealthy conservative champion back a "long shot" for president?  

In this video, Foster Friess explains why he is a big financial backer of Senator Rick Santorum, and why he believes Rick is a great candidate for President of the United States. 

As you probably know, Rick Santorum won the Iowa Caucus.  Having limited resources, he decided to spend almost all his time and money in Iowa.  He rightly surmised that a win in the first official vote of the 2012 election would give him a big boost in the race.  

Since his Iowa victory, Rick is getting much-needed funding.  But money is only one piece of the puzzle.  Running a successful nation-wide campaign will require vision, leadership, and skill.  The winner will need to create effective campaign organizations in states across the country.  Only a powerful and organized effort can compete with President Obama's sophisticated political machine. 

Whether or not Senator Santorum wins the nomination this time, I like Mr. Friess' approach.  

Rick is relatively young and has time to get more experience.  If he's as healthy as his 94 year-old mother (who was a star at the recent Florida debate), he could be an effective leader for a long time. 

We need to invest in preparing young leaders who know and love the Constitution so they are ready to make a difference for America!

As Patriotic Moms, our most important investment begins with our families, and in our homes.  
In the words of President Ronald Reagan, "All great change in America begins at the dinner table." No other work is more important than loving our families, teaching our children the things that matter most, and helping them develop the attitudes, habits, and skills that will prepare them to fulfill their unique mission in life.

America is in the middle of a war of words, with two very different visions competing for the future of our children. 

The argument against freedom and against the free enterprise system is promoted vigorously in the news media, in the entertainment industry, and in our children’s classrooms.  

And it is advocated by President Obama, most recently in his State of the Union Address.  

Senator Marco Rubio spoke to Americans today.  His remarks offer a very different perspective, and stand in powerful contrast to the Obama agenda. 

Senator Rubio’s address lasts less than 5 minutes and is worth listening to, and discussing with our children.  Never has it been more important for all people, young and old, to understand and defend the principles of liberty.

Text of Senator Rubios Remarks:  "As you know, earlier this week, President Obama delivered his fourth annual address to Congress. It was an opportunity for the President to talk about his accomplishments over the last three years and to lay out his plans for the year ahead. 

"And he missed on both counts.

"You didn't hear much talk about the success of his Administration—and that's because there isn't much.

"Yes, this President inherited a significant national debt, but over the last three years he's made it worse. Our national debt has grown by nearly 50 percent since he took over, and now, for the first time since World War II, our national debt is larger than our country's economy.

"Yes, this President inherited an economy where unemployment was too high, but over the last three years he's made it worse. Today our unemployment rate is higher than the day he took office. In fact, since he took over, it's been stuck over 8 percent every single month.

"This President didn't talk about his record for one simple reason; he doesn't want you to know about it. But you do know about it, because you feel the failure of his leadership every single day of your life.

"The bottom line is this President inherited a country with serious problems. He asked the Congress to give him the stimulus and Obamacare to fix it. The Democrats in Congress gave it to him. And not only did it not work, it made everything worse.

President Reagan delivered the following remarks on Jan. 31, 1986 at a memorial service  for the Challenger  astronauts.

We come together today to mourn the loss of seven brave Americans, to share the grief we all feel and, perhaps in that sharing, to find the strength to bear our sorrow and the courage to look for the seeds of hope.

Our nation’s loss is first a profound personal loss to the family and the friends and loved ones of our shuttle astronauts. To those they have left behind - the mothers, the fathers, the husbands and wives, brothers, sisters, and yes, especially the children - all of America stands beside you in your time of sorrow.

What we say today is only an inadequate expression of what we carry in our hearts. Words pale in the shadow of grief; they seem insufficient even to measure the brave sacrifice of those you loved and we so admired. Their truest testimony will not be in the words we speak, but in the way they led their lives and in the way they lost those lives - with dedication, honor and an unquenchable desire to explore this mysterious and beautiful universe.

The best we can do is remember our seven astronauts - our ChallengerSeven - remember them as they lived, bringing life and love and joy to those who knew them and pride to a nation.

They came from all parts of this great country - from South Carolina to Washington State; Ohio to Mohawk, New York; Hawaii to North Carolina to Concord, New Hampshire. They were so different, yet in their mission, their quest, they held so much in common.

We remember Dick Scobee, the commander who spoke the last words we heard from the space shuttle Challenger. He served as a fighter pilot in Vietnam, earning many medals for bravery, and later as a test pilot of advanced aircraft before joining the space program. Danger was a familiar companion to Commander Scobee.

We remember Michael Smith, who earned enough medals as a combat pilot to cover his chest, including the Navy Distinguished Flying Cross, three Air Medals - and the Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry with Silver Star, in gratitude from a nation that he fought to keep free.

We remember Judith Resnik, known as J.R. to her friends, always smiling, always eager to make a contribution, finding beauty in the music she played on her piano in her off-hours.

We remember Ellison Onizuka, who, as a child running barefoot through the coffee fields and macadamia groves of Hawaii, dreamed of someday traveling to the Moon. Being an Eagle Scout, he said, had helped him soar to the impressive achievement of his career.

We remember Ronald McNair, who said that he learned perseverance in the cotton fields of South Carolina. His dream was to live aboard the space station, performing experiments and playing his saxophone in the weightlessness of space; Ron, we will miss your saxophone and we will build your space station.

We remember Gregory Jarvis. On that ill-fated flight he was carrying with him a flag of his university in Buffalo, New York - a small token he said, to the people who unlocked his future.

We remember Christa McAuliffe, who captured the imagination of the entire nation, inspiring us with her pluck, her restless spirit of discovery; a teacher, not just to her students, but to an entire people, instilling us all with the excitement of this journey we ride into the future.

We will always remember them, these skilled professionals, scientists and adventurers, these artists and teachers and family men and women, and we will cherish each of their stories - stories of triumph and bravery, stories of true American heroes.

On the day of the disaster, our nation held a vigil by our television sets. In one cruel moment, our exhilaration turned to horror; we waited and watched and tried to make sense of what we had seen. That night, I listened to a call-in program on the radio: people of every age spoke of their sadness and the pride they felt in `our astronauts.’ Across America, we are reaching out, holding hands, finding comfort in one another.

The sacrifice of your loved ones has stirred the soul of our nation and, through the pain, our hearts have been opened to a profound truth - the future is not free, the story of all human progress is one of a struggle against all odds. We learned again that this America, which Abraham Lincoln called the last best hope of man on Earth, was built on heroism and noble sacrifice. It was built by men and women like our seven star voyagers, who answered a call beyond duty, who gave more than was expected or required, and who gave it with little thought to worldly reward.

We think back to the pioneers of an earlier century, and the sturdy souls who took their families and the belongings and set out into the frontier of the American West. Often, they met with terrible hardship. Along the Oregon Trail you can still see the grave markers of those who fell on the way. But grief only steeled them to the journey ahead.

Today, the frontier is space and the boundaries of human knowledge. Sometimes, when we reach for the stars, we fall short. But we must pick ourselves up again and press on despite the pain. Our nation is indeed fortunate that we can still draw on immense reservoirs of courage, character and fortitude - that we are still blessed with heroes like those of the space shuttle Challenger.

Dick Scobee knew that every launching of a space shuttle is a technological miracle. And he said, if something ever does go wrong, I hope that doesn’t mean the end to the space shuttle program. Every family member I talked to asked specifically that we continue the program, that that is what their departed loved one would want above all else. We will not disappoint them.

Today, we promise Dick Scobee and his crew that their dream lives on; that the future they worked so hard to build will become reality. The dedicated men and women of NASA have lost seven members of their family. Still, they too, must forge ahead, with a space program that is effective, safe and efficient, but bold and committed.

Man will continue his conquest of space. To reach out for new goals and ever greater achievements - that is the way we shall commemorate our seven Challenger heroes.

Dick, Mike, Judy, El, Ron, Greg and Christa - your families and your country mourn your passing. We bid you goodbye. We will never forget you. For those who knew you well and loved you, the pain will be deep and enduring. A nation, too, will long feel the loss of her seven sons and daughters, her seven good friends. We can find consolation only in faith, for we know in our hearts that you who flew so high and so proud now make your home beyond the stars, safe in God’s promise of eternal life.

May God bless you all and give you comfort in this difficult time.

Mitt Romney, Newt Gingrich, Rick Santorum, and Ron Paul faced each other for the last time before Floridians vote on Tuesday in the primary election.

Each candidate was effective, and even eloquent.  No matter who your favorite is, you could make a good case he was a winner.

Tuesday we will find out who the people of Florida prefer. 


  

For years, a unionized bureaucracy has controlled our schools.  The quality of education has declined and kids have suffered.  We can do better for our children.  Charter schools, vouchers, home school and other options are now giving families a choice. 


   

Are you skeptical of school choice programs? Do words like private schools, charter schools, vouchers, and tax credits make you uneasy? 

In this video, Professor Angela Dills shares four things every parent should know about school choice, and why it may be a good option for you.

People who support school choice usually believe:
 
1) Parents care most, and are best prepared, to make important decisions regarding the care and education of their children. 

2) Parents have a fundamental right to make education choices for their children. 

3) Best educational solutions will be found in a system where schools compete to meet the needs of American children.


Learn More about School Choice

School Choice Has Many Advantages

Why the "One Size Fits All" Approach to Education Doesn't Work 

Why Spending More Money Has Not Improved Education

Education is Essential for Liberty: Quotations on Education