header image

[Sign Up Now] to Receive Our FREE Daily SCVTV-SCVNews Digest by E-Mail

Inside
Weather


 
Calendar
Today in
S.C.V. History
July 2
1869 - Sanford Lyon (as in Lyons Avenue) appointed postmaster of Petroliopolis (today's Eternal Valley Cemetery area) [story]
Sanford Lyon


The Real Side | Commentary by Joe Messina
| Tuesday, Nov 1, 2016

joemessinamugThe problem is not our candidates. The problem is us. Americans. We are little more than a week away from one of the most important and divisive elections in our history.

Now, if you are doing everything you can to get informed before you vote, then this isn’t for you. But if you’re a party drone or a “gender” voter or a “lesser than two evils” voter or a “mine is not theirs” voter … you’re the problem.

Let me start with my Christian friends. I’ll get to you heathens in a minute. God states in Proverbs 29:2: “When the godly are in authority, the people rejoice. But when the wicked are in power, they groan.”

Another translation says, “When the righteous increase, the people rejoice, but when the wicked rule, the people groan.”

In Exodus 18:21, God says, “But select capable men from all the people – men who fear God, trustworthy men who hate dishonest gain – and appoint them as officials over thousands, hundreds, fifties and tens.”

There are many more. But quite simply, to my “Christian” friends, God wants you to choose “godly” people to rule you, because when you do, the people in the area rejoice. You know. The “citizens.” The “inhabitants.” When dishonest and wicked people are in power, the community groans. Lots of people are groaning today.

From a biblical perspective, a righteous person is one who has accepted Christ. Are you biblically righteous? Are you, as a Christian, following God’s word to make your choices?

A question for my Christian friends. Would you join a club that told you as part of acceptance as a member that were not allowed to display or speak about any form of your religion? That you couldn’t speak about God in a positive way, or even at all? That you couldn’t discuss your love for God or godly principles? Or why you believed in God? And that God, His word, and His values were simply not welcome at the club? Would you join? (The higher IQ readers will get that.)

I am not saying just because a club accepts God or people say they believe in God, that they do or will act with godly love and action. What I am saying is that Christians should line up the candidate’s platform with biblical principle and vote based on biblical principle – not on party principle. That would be putting party before God, and that would be problematic.

Now, to my non-Christian friends. I don’t know how you base your decisions.

You have a man by the name of Trump. A lot of people don’t like him. He’s arrogant. He has had issues in the way he treats women and speaks about minorities. He doesn’t have the “demeanor” of a president, whatever that is. He has a New York get-it-done, I’m-not-interested-in-all-the-fluff-garbage-around-the-issue kind of demeanor. It’s a “what’s going to be best for the country” kind of attitude.

For some reason, that makes people uncomfortable. The “alpha male” always makes people uncomfortable. They think he is arrogant and, well, I could go on for pages and pages.

Ultimately, you reading this right now have no clue what he is going to do. You know what he says he will do. You know, if you have done your own homework and not just listened to mainstream media, what he is capable of doing (in a good way).

Funny how he was Al Sharpton and Jessie Jackson’s best friend and a friend to the black community until he announced his candidacy for president. He has done a great deal for women and minorities in this country. But many of you will only go hunt for what he has done wrong or appeared to have done wrong. It’s what we have been conditioned to do. “There has to be something wrong with (fill in the blank).”

Not one of you reading this has been perfect. Not one. Actually, many of you will comment as you have in the past and make fun of me and speak of the ills that I have done, never looking for the good things I’ve done for people.

Then you have Hillary. We do have a clue what she has done. We know what she is capable of doing. We know she has 30-plus years in government. We know she has been fired, lost her license, caught in lies, caught in more lies, and caught in even more lies. She has berated and belittled staff at the White House, in her senate office and other places, documented and written about by that same staff. Yup. Women, Hispanics, white guys and even African Americans.

People around her have to stand continually on the Fifth Amendment when brought in to testify against Clinton’s actions or their own.

For clarity, the Fifth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution provides: “No person shall be held to answer for a capital, or otherwise infamous crime, unless on a presentment or indictment of a grand jury, … nor shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself, nor be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation.”

Key phrase here is “witness against himself.” You see, you can’t tell on yourself. What you did to break the law, what you did to cover for someone who broke the law and then you lied to the feds to cover for them, which is against the law, and that would incriminate you – you can refuse to answer, leaving the American public with no answers to the criminal issues at hand.

So, if Hillary Clinton is trying to be transparent and wants the truth to come out, then why would everyone who has worked with her stood on the Fifth Amendment when called to testify? Even Attorney General Loretta Lynch is pleading the fifth to avoid answering what she did to stop or sway the investigation. In the immortal words of Yul Brenner, “It’s a puzzlement.”

You are not Democrats, Republicans, Green Party, decline to state, blah, blah, blah. You are Americans first. You don’t do right by the party. You do right by these United States. You line up your values with the candidates and vote for the one who will get this country back on track.

Nearly 80 percent of Americans agree it’s going in the wrong direction.

We have who we have because you haven’t made sure that we vote for grooms and encourages good people to run.

Don’t vote for a Mafioso dynasty. Vote for a renewed America.

 

Joe Messina is host of The Real Side (TheRealSide.com), a nationally syndicated talk show that runs on AM-1220 KHTS radio and SCVTV [here]. He is also an elected member of the Hart School Board. His commentary publishes Mondays.

 

 

Comment On This Story
COMMENT POLICY: We welcome comments from individuals and businesses. All comments are moderated. Comments are subject to rejection if they are vulgar, combative, or in poor taste.
REAL NAMES ONLY: All posters must use their real individual or business name. This applies equally to Twitter account holders who use a nickname.

11 Comments

  1. Frank says:

    Wow. What an ass.

  2. Rene Ornelas says:

    Why is this waste of human space… not even worth continuing

  3. One last anti-Trump article to desperately try to manipulate the truth. Nice try, SJW and beta males, Trump is the next President, deal with it.

  4. mellie says:

    You forgot one, Joe. hitlary is a baby murdering communist who can’t wait to jump down our Christian throats and finish ruining our country. God help us.

  5. Sounds like Joe is doing the ol’ 2 Step. Not quite brave enough to embrace his candidate, but only flirts with him from across the room when no one is looking. Grab ’em by the Joe.

  6. Can we get Marco Rubio back in the race? He’d be wiping the floor with Hillary right now

  7. Don Teller says:

    How about vote for the most qualified what a concept

    Hillary’s Resume

    Hillary Diane Rodham Clinton:

    Gave the first student commencement address at Wellesley College in 1969 after being chosen by her peers and was Senior Class President
    President of the Wellesley Young Republicans
    Intern at the House Republican Conference
    After listening to Martin Luther King Jr. speak when she was younger and meeting him, she became inspired to live a life of service. She later became a Democrat in 1968 knowing that was her best path forward for a life of serving others.
    Volunteered for Democrat Eugene McCarthy’s presidential campaign at the age of 21 when the Civil Rights movement as well as anti-war movements were tempestuous
    Graduate of Yale Law School with honors
    Editorial board of the Yale Review of Law and Social Action
    Worked on Senator Walter Mondale’s Subcommittee researching migrant labor
    Helped found Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families, a group dedicated to the betterment of children’s lives by advocating for their health, well-being, and education.
    Attorney at the Children’s Defense Fund leveling the playing field for children
    Professor at the University of Arkansas School of Law
    Director of Legal Aid Clinic at the University of Arkansas School of Law
    First female chair of the Legal Services Corporation which helps ensure everyone has equal access to justice under the law, despite whether you can afford it
    First female partner at Rose Law Firm
    Former civil litigation attorney
    Listed as one of the hundred most influential lawyers in America by The National Law Journal
    Former First Lady of Arkansas
    Arkansas Woman of the Year in 1983
    First Chair of the American Bar Association’s Commission on Women in the Profession
    Created Arkansas’s Home Instruction Program for Preschool Youth because she saw a need for educating young children. Bringing HIPPY to Arkansas enabled parents to be their child’s first teacher and prepare them for a life of learning.
    Appointed leader of task force that reformed Arkansas’s education system
    As the wife of the Governor of Arkansas, and with her background in law, she sat on the Board of Directors of Wal-Mart for six years as it was one of the largest employers in the state and central to the state’s economy
    Instrumental in making sure the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP now CHIP) was passed and implemented so that all children have access to healthcare no matter the income level.
    Promoted nationwide immunization against childhood illnesses
    “Played a leading role in creation of the Adoption and Safe Families Act and the Foster Care Independence Act”
    Successfully sought to increase research funding for prostate cancer and childhood asthma at the National Institutes of Health
    Helped investigate the affects of Gulf War Syndrome of the Veterans afflicted
    Helped initiate the Office on Violence Against Women at the Department of Justice
    Initiated and helped guide the Adoption and Safe Families Act helping in children in foster care move faster in to permanent homes
    First FLOTUS in the United States to hold a postgraduate degree
    Declared to the United Nations that “women’s rights are human rights” which at the time she said it, was a very big deal
    Helped lead the charge in expanding healthcare access for the military, including an expansion to the Family and Medical Leave Act which was necessary for those wounded in service
    Traveled to over 70 countries during time as First Lady
    Helped establish, alongside former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, Vital Voices, whose mission is “to identify, invest in and bring visibility to extraordinary women around the world by unleashing their leadership potential to transform lives and accelerate peace and prosperity in their communities”
    United States Senator from the state of New York for nearly two terms
    First former FLOTUS to be elected as a United States Senator (twice)
    Served on five Senate committees:
    – Committee on Budget (2001–2002)
    – Committee on Armed Services (2003–2009)
    – Committee on Environment and Public Works (2001–2009)
    – Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (2001–2009)
    – Special Committee on Aging
    Commissioner on the Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe
    “Instrumental in securing $21 billion in funding for the World Trade Center site’s redevelopment alongside fellow New York Senator Chuck Schumer (D)
    Had leading role in investigating the health issues that 9/11 first responders were facing
    United States Secretary of State serving under President Obama
    Brokered a ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas.
    Lobbied for the first-ever U.N. Human Rights Council resolution on human rights declaring “gay rights are human rights”
    Part of the the advisory team that led to President Obama’s decision to kill Osama bin Laden
    Was a leading voice that helped open the door to the historic Iran Nuclear Deal
    Most traveled Secretary of State during tenure as top U.S. diplomat

  8. Sib Ventress says:

    How does one quote Exodus, touting “trustworthy men who hate dishonest gain”, then endorse a man who faces a major fraud charge in four weeks? What a joke.

Leave a Comment


Opinion Section Policy
All opinions and ideas are welcome. Factually inaccurate, libelous, defamatory, profane or hateful statements are not. Your words must be your own. All commentary is subject to editing for legibility. There is no length limit, but the shorter, the better the odds of people reading it. "Local" SCV-related topics are preferred. Send commentary to: LETTERS (at) SCVNEWS.COM. Author's full name, community name, phone number and e-mail address are required. Phone numbers and e-mail addresses are not published except at author's request. Acknowledgment of submission does not guarantee publication.
Read More From...
RECENT COMMENTARY
Monday, Jul 1, 2024
By day, the sounds of music and laughter fill the streets as we celebrate Independence Day in true Santa Clarita fashion with the annual Fourth of July Parade.
Thursday, Jun 27, 2024
“Everybody needs beauty as well as bread, places to play in and pray in, where nature may heal and cheer and give strength to body and soul.”
Monday, Jun 24, 2024
The 2023-2024 school year has come to a close and along with it a very successful year of high school athletics.
Monday, Jun 24, 2024
I know I speak for everyone when I say the passing of firefighter Andrew Pontious in the line of duty just one week ago was heartbreaking.
Monday, Jun 24, 2024
As a city manager, father and community member — the safety of Santa Clarita residents will always be my top priority - especially on the roads.
Thursday, Jun 20, 2024
Every summer, Santa Clarita’s very own Central Park, located at 27150 Bouquet Canyon Road, transforms into a premiere venue for live musical performances where friends, families and neighbors come together to sing and dance the night away.

Latest Additions to SCVNews.com
With an excessive heat warning in effect this week, the city of Santa Clarita strongly urges residents to prioritize heat safety and preparedness during the Fourth of July Parade and the holiday weekend.
Stay Cool, Safe During the Fourth of July Holiday
California State Sen. Scott Wilk (R-Santa Clarita) hs announced his bill to make wildfire settlement payments tax-free cleared its first hurdle in the Assembly, passing out of the Committee on Revenue and Taxation.
Wilk’s Bill to Make Wildfire Settlements Tax-free Clears First Assembly Committee
Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) recently presented deputies from the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department with the highly esteemed MADD Award. This award recognizes their unwavering commitment to road safety and dedication to preventing the devastating consequences of drunk driving.
MADD Awards Presented to Pair of SCV Sheriff’s Station Deputies
The First Presbyterian Church of Newhall is hosting an eight-week grief and loss recovery group, scheduled to run 2-3:30 p.m. on eight consecutive Sundays, Sept. 15 through Nov. 3.
Sept. 15: Presbyterian Church Hosts Grief, Loss Recovery Group
The California Department of Motor Vehicles has introduced a new online case management system that provides faster response times. The modern digital system provides drivers, as well as their attorneys, with a more convenient way to interact with the Driver Safety office at the DMV.
DMV’s Driver Safety Team Provides New Online Access
The city of Santa Clarita has issued a traffic alert for residents traveling to Central Park, 27150 Bouquet Canyon Road, Santa Clarita, CA 91350.
Main Entrance to Central Park Closed for Parking Lot Paving
As an excessive heat warning descends upon portions of North County this week, including the Santa Clarita Valley, Los Angeles County officials remind SCV residents of county resources that bring free or low-cost heat relief.
County Offers Cooling Centers, Summer Pool Program
The Santa Clarita Valley opera company, Mission Opera opens its seventh Season Oct. 26-27 with "Cold Sassy Tree" by Carlisle Floyd, an American opera in English, based on the 1989 historical American novel by Olive Ann Burns.
Oct. 26-27: Mission Opera Presents ‘Cold Sassy Tree
Thanks to the cooperation and diligence of Santa Clarita Valley area residents and local agricultural officials, the California Department of Food and Agriculture, working in coordination with the United States Department of Agriculture and the Los Angeles County Agricultural Commissioner, has declared an end to the Tau fruit fly quarantine following the eradication of the invasive pest.
Tau Fruit Fly Quarantine Lifted in SCV
The Hello Auto Group has announced its third annual Back-to-School Backpack Drive. This year, the Hello Auto Group will partner with three Santa Clarita Valley school districts, Sulphur Springs Union School District, Newhall School District and Castaic Union School District, to support students preparing for the upcoming school year.
Hello Auto Group Launches Annual Back-to-School Backpack Drive
The Regal Summer Movie Express is underway offering family movies for $1 a ticket now through Aug. 7.
Family Movies $1 During Regal Summer Movie Express
The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Missing Persons Unit investigators are asking for the public’s help locating At Risk Missing Person Tim Paul Hood.
LASD Seeks Public’s Help Locating Man Missing from Canyon Country
1869 - Sanford Lyon (as in Lyons Avenue) appointed postmaster of Petroliopolis (today's Eternal Valley Cemetery area) [story]
Sanford Lyon
As a high schooler, Angelina Zuniga Kramer accompanied her stepfather to construction sites where he worked, and it inspired her to dream big.
CSUN Students Find Stable Living Situations Through CREA Scholarship
The Los Angeles County Health Officer has issued an excessive heat warning for the Santa Clarita Valley Wednesday through Monday, July 8 as high temperatures have been forecast.
Triple Digit Heat Coming to SCV
Six Flags Entertainment Corporation, the largest and most diverse amusement park operator in North America, announced Monday the successful completion of the merger of equals between Cedar Fair, L.P. and former Six Flags Entertainment Corporation, effective July 1, 2024.
Merger Between Six Flags, Cedar Fair Complete
Organizers for the Santa Clarita Shakespeare Festival summer camp were so blown away by the performances from its young actors in the Comedy of Errors, that the camp has decided to lower the age range of its next camp, which begins July 8.
Shakespeare Festival Summer Camp Lowers Age for Next Session
Mark your calendars for Agatha’s Murder Mystery Dinner Party, as it comes to The MAIN in Old Town Newhall Aug. 9, 10, 11 and Aug. 16, 17, 18.
‘Agatha’s Murder Mystery Dinner Party’ Coming to The MAIN in August
In preparation for the Independence Day holiday, the California Highway Patrol is launching a statewide enforcement effort aimed at keeping the public safe on our roads.
CHP Maximum Enforcement Period Launches Wednesday
Santa Clarita-based Lief Labs, a premier formulation and product development innovator and manufacturer of dietary supplements, welcomes Randy Rosinski as Chief Commercial Officer (CCO), leading Lief’s Sales and Marketing departments and joining the Executive Leadership team.
SCV-Based Lief Labs Names Randy Rosinski CCO
Saugus High School Instrumental Music Booster Club is inviting the community to help those in need with its Clothes for Cash campaign beginning Saturday, July 6, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Saugus High Music Club Clothes for Cash Campaign Begins July 6
The city of Santa Clarita’s Film Office has released the list of six productions currently filming in the Santa Clarita Valley for the week of Monday, July 1 - Sunday, July 7.
Six Productions Filming in Santa Clarita
By day, the sounds of music and laughter fill the streets as we celebrate Independence Day in true Santa Clarita fashion with the annual Fourth of July Parade.
Ken Striplin | Enjoy Fourth of July Responsibly
1988 - Dr. Dianne G. Van Hook's first day at the helm of College of the Canyons (now California's longest serving community college CEO) [story]
Dianne G. Van Hook
SCVNews.com