The Republican Party has the greatest opportunity in a decade to change national, state and local government for the better this year. However, there are perilous obstacles along the way that could derail the opportunity and become disastrous for both the party and the nation. An objective look at recent history is beneficial to understand the current situation and plot a way forward.

A large influx of social and fiscal conservatives became involved in the political process during the 1980s through organizations such as the Moral Majority and Christian Coalition. The “Rockefeller” style, country club, establishment republicans distrusted these energetic newcomers, but eventually found a way to harness their energy and build a powerful political movement that eventually controlled the White House and both houses of Congress.

It’s election year. We have a radical in the White House, revolutionaries in control of the Congress and a large segment of the electorate is confused. That makes for a dangerous mixture for law-abiding citizens who don’t particularly care for excitement of the violent variety.

A large segment of my generation don’t even watch violent movies; we saw enough carnage in Korea and Vietnam to last a lifetime. We sympathize with the troops trying to fight a war when the civilian leaders are not interested in winning and don’t have the courage or the integrity to admit it. We detest a civilian population that is disinterested in national defense unless they have a son or brother whose life is on the line in Iraq, Afghanistan or elsewhere.

Christians who have attempted to grow in the faith and study their Holy Bible know the prophetic signs of the approach of the “last days.” They have been warned of the slick appealing words of false prophets that are wolves in sheep’s clothing and are capable of deceiving “the very elect.” Few “born again” Christians would deny that there are indications that we are living in those last days before the return of our Lord, although no man knows the day or the hour.

It is a catastrophic human tragedy that foreigners understand what is happening to the United States of America much better than a majority of the American people. Many home-grown and educated Americans are blinded to the essential facts of history because we have been brainwashed, manipulated and deceived by a small group of dedicated evil advocates of socialism that is totally contrary to the founding principles of our republic.

Faced with reduced strength resulting in reduced effectiveness in mission accomplishment from a large number of troop pregnancies, a commander in Iraq recently threatened any soldier in his command who became pregnant along with the male soldier who participated in the pregnancy with possible Courts Martial.

As could be expected, the feminists, such as Sen. Barbara Boxer, in the United States Senate, pitched a “hissie fit.” They began writing letters to the Secretary of Defense and general officers in the chain of command protesting the general’s threatened actions.

Are Americans safer now that George Bush is history and President Barack Obama is completing his first year of “change”?

We continue to have two wars. The primary difference between now and then is that Obama has given the enemy in Afghanistan notice that we plan to begin withdrawing troops by a certain date. That is a violation of the unchanging principles of warfare. You never tell an enemy that you are going to stop fighting before you achieve victory. This action will cost lives and make success less likely.