Jeb Bush at Liberty University: Stand up for faith against 'small-minded, intolerant' federal authorities

Byron York: Jeb Bush at Liberty University: Stand up for faith against 'small-minded, intolerant' federal authorities http://t.co/9BIcnuyzkb

— Washington Examiner (@dcexaminer) May 9, 2015

Jeb Bush: 'Fed authorities are demanding obedience, in complete disregard of religious conscience. And in a free society, the answer is No.'

— Byron York (@ByronYork) May 9, 2015

Koch: I'm Fighting to Restore a Free Society

◼ Instead of welcoming free debate, collectivists engage in character assassination. - Charles G. Koch/Wall St. Journal

I have devoted most of my life to understanding the principles that enable people to improve their lives. It is those principles—the principles of a free society—that have shaped my life, my family, our company and America itself.

Unfortunately, the fundamental concepts of dignity, respect, equality before the law and personal freedom are under attack by the nation's own government. That's why, if we want to restore a free society and create greater well-being and opportunity for all Americans, we have no choice but to fight for those principles. I have been doing so for more than 50 years, primarily through educational efforts. It was only in the past decade that I realized the need to also engage in the political process.

A truly free society is based on a vision of respect for people and what they value. In a truly free society, any business that disrespects its customers will fail, and deserves to do so. The same should be true of any government that disrespects its citizens. The central belief and fatal conceit of the current administration is that you are incapable of running your own life, but those in power are capable of running it for you. This is the essence of big government and collectivism....

Instead of encouraging free and open debate, collectivists strive to discredit and intimidate opponents. They engage in character assassination. (I should know, as the almost daily target of their attacks.)...

Instead of fostering a system that enables people to help themselves, America is now saddled with a system that destroys value, raises costs, hinders innovation and relegates millions of citizens to a life of poverty, dependency and hopelessness. This is what happens when elected officials believe that people's lives are better run by politicians and regulators than by the people themselves. Those in power fail to see that more government means less liberty, and liberty is the essence of what it means to be American. Love of liberty is the American ideal.

If more businesses (and elected officials) were to embrace a vision of creating real value for people in a principled way, our nation would be far better off—not just today, but for generations to come. I'm dedicated to fighting for that vision. I'm convinced most Americans believe it's worth fighting for, too.

Our Brother's Keeper

Being our brother's keeper starts with the government obeying the law of not depriving people of their right to property and letting a brotha keep what he earned. You'd be surprised how much more generous people are with their time and money when they're not getting ripped off. - Alfonzo Rachel

CARSON: America is dragged down by Obama regulations

◼ When government grows too large, dependency replaces achievement - Ben S. Carson/Washington Times (image source)

...Both free enterprise and government want to grow. The free-enterprise system creates wealth and grows the economy, but it is hindered when it is constantly manipulated by government interference and, I dare say, predation. Government growth saps the lifeblood of an expanding economy; namely, money. It is like a spider sucking dry a fly caught in its web, getting ever bigger and requiring more victims to sustain its growth....

We have strayed far from the idea of independent life and personal responsibility for our populace. Many of our young people cannot even conceive of a world in which personal freedom reigns supreme. This does not mean that we should not try to recapture the spirit of freedom and courage that characterized our rapid ascent to the pinnacle of world power.

We the people must control the government before it attains the size and power that will preclude that possibility. It is time we begin discussing with friends, associates and neighbors our vision for our nation and how to realize it. This is not a Democratic or Republican issue. It is an issue of freedom in America for everyone and our progeny.
__________________Ben S. Carson is professor emeritus of neurosurgery at Johns Hopkins University.

Must-Watch Viral Video: Ashton Kutcher's Speech at Teen Choice Awards

◼ Hollywood actor Ashton Kutcher is the latest celebrity to have an extremely powerful and motivating message for young people: Opportunities look a lot like hard work. - Kyle Becker/IJ Review

Kutcher revealed that his real first name is “Chris,” and his middle name is Ashton, before giving an inspiring speech about persistence, hard work, and how the sexiest thing a person can do is be smart, thoughtful and generous.

“I believe that opportunity looks a lot like hard work,” Kutcher told the teen audience. “When I was 13, I had my first job with my dad carrying shingles up to the roof, and then I got a job washing dishes at a restaurant, and then I got a job in a grocery store deli, and then I got a job at a factory sweeping Cheerio dust off the ground.”

Kutcher proceeded to explain his attitude towards work. “And I’ve never had a job in my life that I was better than. I was always just lucky to have a job. And every job I had was a stepping stone to my next job, and I never quit my job until I had my next job. And so opportunities look a lot like work....”

This was bound to happen: the values of hard work and opportunity that made America great will eventually become cool again. That’s because they are part of a counter-culture message that resonates with people whose potential is being limited by the state.

Where does the GOP’s message fit in here? It doesn’t. It comes through in the real world when college grads have a job to work, taxes to pay, etc. – in other words, when fiscal policy becomes more relevant and in-your-face than ever. We lose the youth vote because we focus too much on politics, which flies over their heads, stresses them out, or bores them.

◼ THE YOUTH VOTE: MAKING THE GOP COOL AGAIN - ELENA LATHROP/Breitbart

Conservative blogger Bill Whittle compared this fight to the Korean War, when General MacArthur and his troops were essentially backed into a corner, outnumbered and ill-equipped. To win such a battle, we must get to places we’re not expected to be and show people things they’ve never seen before. Without getting into details on Whittle’s specific plan for doing this (and yes, he definitely has one), it involves creating parallel structures that show how much better private citizens are at getting things done than the government will ever be. We can do it faster, better, and cheaper without any of the government’s help. Show people what actually works in the real world through tangible results. Purify the conservative message and let the youth see that there is more to politics than gay marriage, abortion, free birth control, or whatever the cause du jour on campus may be at a given time. When those hot topics are swept aside, Left versus Right essentially becomes big versus small government, and the latter must become the hero of the story. Republicans have the ability to make individualism, self-reliance, and liberty, rather than identity politics, cool again, and they should try everything in their power to do so in hopes of ever capturing the youth vote.

Ted Cruz: “Big business does great with big government. Big business is very happy to climb in bed with big government. Republicans are and should be the party of small business and of entrepreneurs.”

◼ Liberals begin to realize Republicans are not the party of big business - Conn Carroll/Washington Examiner @conncarroll

The Republican that best articulates this new capitalist populism, and turns it into primary votes, will be the Republican nominee in 2016.

Prager University: The Bigger the Government...

Dennis Prager, nationally syndicated radio talk show host and best-selling author, asks a fascinating and important question: what happens to the citizens of a country when the government gets bigger and bigger?