Our nation’s framers believed freedom was impossible without virtue and that mankind did not possess virtue by themselves. They also understood, in the words of John Adams, “Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate for the government of any other.” So how does a society provide the much-needed virtue to its citizens?

The United States of America is the nation of freedom, liberty, and equality. It is a land like no other where man and woman, young and old, black and white, and those of all types of religions can come together for the good of the nation.

To paraphrase Founding Father George Washington, religion and morality are essential pillars to American freedom, and you cannot be a Patriot if you work against either of these. It is our duty to uphold them. And I agree.

The United States Code refers to the Declaration of Independence as the “organic law” of the United States. And the Declaration clearly claims that there is an Almighty Creator God, that our rights come from Him, and that the purpose of civil government is to protect and defend the God-given rights of the people. The Declaration makes reference to the Bible, God’s Word, as the source of earthly, legal authority.

While I expected that if Donald Trump got elected and really did follow through on his promise to end the Johnson Amendment he would use the bully pulpit to motivate congress to repeal it, if reports of a leaked executive order draft are correct, President Trump has instead chosen to issue an executive order which instructs the executive branch to ignore this law.

What was most important on inauguration day? A mere 30 seconds, those critically important moments when Donald Trump took his oath of office to become the 45th President of these United States.

During a discussion on a constitutional carry bill in the South Dakota legislature today during the legislative crackerbarrel meeting in Rapid City, newly elected South Dakota Rep. David Johnson took issue with the concept of God-given rights. He was educated before the meeting was over.

In their effort to make a point, those who discuss law and government and politics for a living often miss the most crucial – the most critical point of all. So, as we celebrate Christmas, this is a good time to take a deep breath and revisit first principles.

Statistically speaking, American Millennials’ (ages 18-34) worst subject is history. Many know very little about our European ancestors, the Pilgrims, to whom the first Thanksgiving is attributed. These were the first Christian families to settle on the east coast of America. Contrary to modern-day teaching, the main purpose the Pilgrims came to America was NOT religious freedom.

There was no pretense, no hint in this election, about the ideal of America aspiring to be a “shining city on a hill,” the phrase of Christian pilgrim John Winthrop, often referred to by President Reagan. If the discourse of this election reflects what is happening in our nation, we have lost touch with our principles and ideals.