Iowa Defense Alliance

“Mark Twain said, “We should be careful to get out of an experience all the wisdom that is in it- not like the cat that sits down on a hot stove lid. She will never sit down on a hot stove lid again- and that is well; but also she will never sit down on a cold one anymore.” An experience becomes valuable when it informs or equips us to meet new experiences. Reflecting thinking helps to do that.”

“Thinking For A Change” is a great book about the importance of reflective thinking, which I am about to do here. I share my ‘wisdom’ from the caucus to present day.

When I attended the Iowa Republican Caucus on that cold January night, shoved into a crowded room, I thought I had scoped out 9 Huckabee supporters- when the votes were counted there were 49. After the heart and soul I had given to supporting and promoting Huckabee, I was so excited! And naive. Not only did the following states not see the wisdom in giving victory to Mike Huckabee, but the news media continued their steady drum beat of negative Huckabee news and Christian leaders shunned him for candidates with far less character and moral values. On a sad, sad day for me and surely for others, Mike Huckabee dropped out of the campaign for the Republican nomination for President of the United States.

So, not wanting to be the “cat” that Mark Twain describes, I have done a lot of reflective thinking- and along with that, some focused thinking as well.

It is my choice to search out other grass roots type people (this term never meant anything to me pre-Huckabee), to be informed on a variety of candidates, both local and state-wide, care about the issues that are important to me, pay less attention to the national media, and to the polls. And now, after my first Iowa Republican Convention experience, be even more comitted than ever to let the fighting, name calling, so called ‘leaders’ of my party go about their merry way with more bashing, fighting, and being off track.

I am only one average person. I have bills to pay (but thankfully I can and will work), a family to love and one that loves me, AND now I am nurturing a new interest in politics. I am learning from the experiences I have had, delighting in the networking that is so valuable, and becoming an informed American voter.

To anyone who happens upon the words from my heart that are shared here: step up, be informed, join us in the Iowa Brigade. One by one we are making a difference. While I can’t do much of anything about bias in the media, leaders who let their own agendas dictate who they support, and all the Iowans who “blog” and make mean-spirited comments everywhere they can, WE can shed a bright light on great candidates and quietly but diligently work for the good of Iowans and for America.

More from Mr. Maxwell: “Reflective thinking is like the crock-pot of the mind. It encourages your thoughts to simmer until they’re done.”

Reflect.. think…simmer… and when you are ready, join with us for some ACTION!