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>Village Council Elections : Like it or not, in our Village the school and budgets are separate from the Municipal one.

>Like it or not, in our Village the school and budgets are separate from the Municipal one. Different groups of people work out each of them (in theory anyway). The only check-and-balance in the process is after the voters disapprove.

The school budget is clearly the target if we want to get the total tax bill down. One of the things that frustrated me the most this year was a coffee I attended with the BOE members. I really did not get the feeling that they were as interested as the spectators were in taking on the Union and being aggressive in there approach to cost savings. According to the people who spoke, they have already outsourced what can be outsourced, cut operational costs where they can, etc, etc. So the next cuts really will have to be in places that were not done before. Dr. Fishbein actually said that voting down the budget would not send a message to anyone. I wonder what the message will be next year when there is again no State aid, and again a 4.5% raise for the teachers.

 I really think it is a unique point in time in New Jersey and municipalities who step up and push back on the Unions will get support from the State and be able to get somewhere. One Superintendent will be first – why not ours? I am a big believer in merit pay, tenure only for people that deserve it, and benefits reform. It has to happen or nobody will be able to afford living here.

As for the open space issues, I think I am going to drift away from the crowd on this one. I don’t think they should be sold. Open space is a finite thing. Once it’s gone you never get it back. Maybe we don’t have a good use for those properties now but we will in the future, it would be a shame to see them cut up into townhouses. That being said…we should find SOMETHING to do with them.

Oliver Train
[email protected]

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>Christie to propose major changes to NJ employee pensions, health benefits

>Christie to propose major changes to NJ employee pensions, health benefits

TRENTON — Gov. Chris Christie today will propose cuts in pension payments for state and local government workers and teachers, along with dramatically higher employee health benefit payments, according to two administration sources. The proposed reforms will also end annual cost-of-living pension increases for all state and local retirees, the sources said. (Method, Asbury Park Press)

https://www.app.com/article/20100914/NEWS03/100913116/Christie-to-propose-major-changes-to-NJ-employee-pensions-health-benefits

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Village Council Elections : Oliver Train In short

>Village Council Elections : Oliver Train In short

I am putting documentation and website together now. It will up by the end of the week.

In short though:

Valley Hospital – I am against changing the master plan to the extent that Vally wants. The Hospital does need to modernize (and probably expand somewhat), but what they are asking for is not appropriate for the neighborhood.

The Hospital also needs to address the additional burden their expansion will place on taxpayers – expanded use of services, traffic, property values, COAH, it’s endless…

Turf Fields- Certainly nice to have, but we should not have spent the money to do it now. Steven’s field is particularly concerning to me. It has survived a rainstorm or two…how many more can it take?

NJ Transit – putting aside my positive bias towards all things train for a second – I think we need to wait and see on this one. The shuttle bus is certainly a problem for the taxi guy, but I think it will be a positive for many businesses – parking free foot traffic is a good thing. Who pays for it when the grant expires is the question though.

One concern I do have is the possibility of increased crime. I’ve heard that towns with Midtown direct, or other “enhanced” services tend to be easier to escape from, which makes them targets.

Graydon – I am against making changes to Gradyon. I do think that there has to be a filtration solution and we should investigate that, and I do think that the actual boundaries within the swimming area could be changed to make it easier to monitor.

Building a new pool is fine, as long as it does not end up placing an additional tax burden on residents. The Y or the Tennis club should be encouraged to step up here.

Oliver Train
[email protected]

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>Kathleen Donovan Won’t Play in Desperate Democrats’ Show Trial

>Kathleen Donovan Won’t Play in Desperate Democrats’ Show Trial

September 8, 2010

James Carroll, Chairman
Bergen County Board of Chosen Freeholders
One Bergen County Plaza
Hackensack, NJ 07601

Dear Chairman Carroll,

I have been made aware of your “invitation” to appear at today’s Freeholder work session. Please be advised that I do not accept your invitation nor will I be appearing at what amounts to a “show” for the remainder of this campaign.

Your invitation is unique and without merit. I have been County Clerk for 21+ years and, until I filed to run for Bergen County Executive this year, I was never “invited” to Freeholder meetings. Your purpose is clearly political and reflects the lowest form of political abuse. It’s a pattern that has been followed since I announced my candidacy for County Executive. It is a prime example of why voters are turned off by corrupt government officials. Yes, this is an example of corruption in the truest sense.

Did you “invite” County Executive McNerney to “visit” after numerous instances of corruption and questionable practices at a number of County agencies under his control including the Bergen Academies and Bergen County Improvement Authority?

Have you made any effort whatsoever to address hundreds if not tens of millions of cost overruns identified by the Record in the construction of Overpeck Park?

The answer to these and other egregious politically inspired activities is a resounding “no”.

I understand that you have also invited Acting County Police Chief Malakas to presumably conduct or should I say once again attempt to re-ignite the witch hunt which was in fact the County’s failure to conclude audits of the County Clerk’s office for a number of years. You and the McNerney administration have attempted to paint your failures as mine. Your clumsy effort was a feeble attempt to denigrate the hardworking employees of the Clerk’s office which has earned its reputation for efficiency and customer friendliness.

Here are the facts that would never be presented during your political set-up. First, the County Clerk’s office is so well managed that we have been able to save each Bergen County family roughly $300.00 — the amount of revenue over expense that your office has taken in under my leadership. Much of those savings is turned over to you for County uses. Has that money been identified through audit?

During the past two years I have reduced my workforce and lowered by budget. Can the same be said for the County and its questionable patronage hiring practices?

To set the record straight, a police escort comes every day to our office to accompany our staff person making the daily deposits. Without an escort the deposit does not go. I do not allow my staff to go to the bank unless they go with the police. This has been the policy in place for at least twenty years, which I implemented. The Sheriff’s Officers escorted my staff when we were in the Court House, as they were in charge of security there, and the BCPD has provided escorts for my office ever since we moved into the new administration building some ten years ago.

Acting Chief Malakas received a letter from my office last Friday, requesting a meeting with him to work out a schedule. I was not in the office when he called on Tuesday. I expect we will be meeting shortly.

So there it is. There will not be a “Show Trial” in the tradition of Mao’s China or Stalin’s Soviet Union. Instead of trying to sully my record and the record of the Clerk’s office, you will have to run on your own – as will County Executive McNerney.

You will have to explain your stewardship of our of control agencies like the BCIA where the debt alone has escalated from $10 million to $450 million under your control. That’s more that $500 for every man, woman and child in Bergen County! You will have to explain why county debt and spending have grown out of control under your watch with last year’s spending increased by $85 million or $100 for every county resident.

You will have to explain why, while attempting to smear me, you blatantly appropriated some $70,000 so that the County Executive could attempt to paint over the scandal of Overpeck Park using taxpayer money to pay for what amounts to pure, inaccurate political campaign TV commercials.

You will have to explain a lot to the voters between now and November 2nd. And I can promise you that the questions that you fail to answer now will be asked again in a more formal manner next January.

Very truly yours

Kathleen A. Donovan

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>Obamacare: Health Insurers’ Tie Proposed Rate Hikes to Health Care Reform

> Obamacare: Health Insurers’ Tie Proposed Rate Hikes to Health Care Reform

Health Insurers’ Tie Proposed Rate Hikes to Health Care Reform
Posted by Stephanie Condon

https://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162-20015859-503544.html

Health insurers across the country are planning to raise premiums for some of their customers in the coming weeks, the Wall Street Journal reports, and they are in part blaming President Obama’s health care reform package for the rate hikes.

On the surface, at least, the news boosts Republicans’ arguments against the Democrats’ reforms ahead of this year’s midterm elections. But the White House and other supporters of the reform package say they are skeptical of the health insurance companies’ rationale.

Aetna Inc., some BlueCross BlueShield plans and other smaller carriers have asked regulators to approve premium increases of between one percent and nine percent to pay for the bill’s early benefits, the Journal reports. The rate increases would largely apply to individual plans (9 percent of Americans have individual plans) and those offered for small businesses (about 20 percent of Americans get coverage from small employers).

The early benefits cited by insurers for the rate increase include allowing children up to 26 years old to stay on their parents’ health care plans, eliminating co-payments for preventive care and prohibiting insurers from denying coverage to children with pre-existing conditions. These benefits apply to all plans, not just individual and small business policies.

The insurers are also reportedly asking for further rate increases they are not tying to the health care overhaul that they say are needed to cover rising medical costs. Some customers could see their premiums increase by more than 20 percent.

yes there is more:
https://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162-20015859-503544.html

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>Gov. Christie pushes reform agenda for N.J. ethics rules, pension and health benefits

>Gov. Christie pushes reform agenda for N.J. ethics rules, pension and health benefits

As lawmakers in Trenton held a hearing at the Statehouse on his administration’s mistake that cost New Jersey $400 million in federal “Race to the Top” education aid, Gov. Chris Christie Tuesday stood before a more friendly crowd 67 miles away to push for changes in state ethics laws, pension and health benefits, education and New Jersey’s business climate. (Friedman, The Star Ledger)

https://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2010/09/gov_christie_pushes_reform_age.html

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>RGGI : What Does New Jersey’s Cap & Trade Program Mean for You?

>What Does New Jersey’s Cap & Trade Program Mean for You?

https://nonjcapandtrade.com/?p=19

For the past year and a half the left has been moving relentlessly to pass a Cap & Trade bill on the federal level. And the Obama administration has continued its push by circumventing the legislative process and imposing heavy-handed regulations through the EPA, led by former head of the DEP in New Jersey Lisa Jackson.

The President, not wanting to let a “good crisis go to waste,” has used the tragic accident in the Gulf of Mexico to push for a moratorium on drilling and lay the groundwork for passing cap-and-trade legislation.

Yet, right under our noses in New Jersey, Cap & Trade has already become law and is in full effect. The Cap & Trade program is called the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI), a cooperative among ten northeastern states.

RGGI became law in 2008 under then Governor Corzine. To date, seven auctions of carbon allowances have subsequently taken place. Over $662M has been generated by these auctions – cost that energy producers will pass along to consumers in the way of higher energy costs.

While RGGI couches itself in free market rhetoric, the reality is it will distort the market and result in significant harm to the economy of New Jersey and the nation.

What are those costs?

According to The Heritage Foundation, legislation being pushed in Congress – the Kerry-Lieberman bill in the Senate and the Waxman-Markey bill in the House — would have the following disastrous consequences for our economy:

* Trillions of dollars more government debt (after adjusting for inflation, Kerry–Boxer would add $2.7 trillion to the national debt by 2035—putting a family of four on the hook for an additional $27,000)
* Fewer jobs (employment under Kerry–Boxer would track 1.4 million jobs below business as usual, on average, for the years 2012–2035, and peak job losses would exceed 2.5 million)
* Higher energy prices (by 2035 Kerry–Boxer would add 45 percent to gasoline prices and 72 percent to electricity prices)
* Lower income (Kerry–Boxer would chop $9.9 trillion from GDP between 2012 and 2035—an average loss of over $4,500 per year per family of four).

Read the Americans for Prosperity fact sheet on Kerry-Lieberman here.

In New Jersey, the Waxman-Markey bill would mean an estimated 65,000 lost jobs. By 2020, New Jerseyans could expect gas prices to spike an astounding 58% and electricity rates to increase a staggering 90%.

That means if you fill up your car for $30 today, it would be over $47 in 2020. And if your utility bill currently averages $150 a month, in 2020 it would be $285 a month — or another $1620 a year!

That is money that could be saved for a new car, or a down payment on a new home, or on your child’s education.

All of this economic ruin while doing next to nothing to global temperatures.

https://nonjcapandtrade.com/?p=19

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>For labor Day ,"The Communist Internationale"

>For labor Day ,”The Communist Internationale”

The Communist Internationale (Original, with English Lyrics)

“The Socialist Party held a similar celebration of the working class on May 1. This date eventually became known as May Day, and was celebrated by Socialists and Communists in commemoration of the working man. “

Since so many of you seem to exposing these types of socialistic beliefs and sympathise with them we thought we would give you something to warm your heart on this labor day “The Communist Internationale” and remind what the effect of these beliefs led too.


Happy Labor Day for the staff of the Ridgewood blog

The Russian butchers
Just like the national socialist butchers, the international socialist butchers killed millions of innocents, men, women and little children. It is incredible that anyone still defends these monsters.

https://markhumphrys.com/soviet.html

The leaders
Leaders of the Soviet Union (also here)

Lenin (also here), 1917-24.
Lenin killed 4 million people – men, women and little children. He is the 5th greatest murderer of the 20th century (after Stalin, Mao, Hitler and Chiang Kai-shek).

The hate-filled mass murderer Lenin, with his rage against everyone decent in society, his drive to kill and destroy everything that generations of tolerant and hard-working people had built, and his staggering barbarism, set the tone for every communist regime that followed in the world.
Even today, unbelievably, there are people who openly call themselves Marxist-Leninist and openly admire Lenin.

Trotsky (also here), 1917-24.
As leader of the Red Army in Lenin’s war on the peasants, Trotsky was a mass murderer. He was Lenin’s prime henchman in the killing of 4 million innocent people – men, women and children.

Trotsky supported the killing of all political opponents of the regime – including campaigners for liberal western democracy. Trotsky supported the extermination of the bourgeoisie.

There is some justice in the fact that he was executed by Stalin in Mexico in 1940, but not much. He should have been put on trial first, and then executed.

Even today, unbelievably, there are people who openly follow this disgusting mass murderer, and see him as some kind of “alternative” to Stalin.

The Trotsky Museum in Mexico – the equivalent of a museum to Hess or Eichmann.

Stalin (also here), 1924-53.
Stalin is perhaps the most evil human being that ever lived.
Stalin killed 42 million people – men, women and little children. In all of history, only Mao could possibly have killed more.

Khrushchev (also here), 1953-64.
As head of the Communist Party in the Ukraine under Stalin, Khrushchev was a mass murderer. Indeed, he was called The Butcher of the Ukraine.

As premier, Khrushchev killed around 4 million people (see below).
He was also the Butcher of The Hungarian Revolution 1956.

Brezhnev (also here), 1964-82.
Brezhnev killed around 2 million people (see below).
He was also the imperialist Butcher of Moldova 1950-52, and the Butcher of The Prague Spring 1968.

Rudolph J. Rummel estimates 7 million dead after Stalin, mostly through camps. His estimates for the camps alone break down as:
950,000 dead 1954-5 (Khrushchev)
3.1 million dead 1956-60 (Khrushchev)
1.6 million dead 1961-70 (Khrushchev, Brezhnev)
780,000 dead 1970-82 (Brezhnev)
200,000 dead 1983-7 (Andropov, Chernenko, Gorbachev)

https://markhumphrys.com/soviet.html

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>Labor Day : A Short History

>Labor Day : A Short History

Labor Day is a national legal holiday that is over 100 years old. Over the years, it has evolved from a purely labor union celebration into a general “last fling of summer” festival.

https://wilstar.com/holidays/laborday.htm

It grew out of a celebration and parade in honor of the working class by the Knights of Labor in 1882 in New York. In 1884, the Knights held a large parade in New York City celebrating the working class. The parade was held on the first Monday in September. The Knights passed a resolution to hold all future parades on the same day, designated by them as Labor Day.

The Socialist Party held a similar celebration of the working class on May 1. This date eventually became known as May Day, and was celebrated by Socialists and Communists in commemoration of the working man. In the U.S., the first Monday in September was selected to reject any identification with Communism.

In the late 1880’s, labor organizations began to lobby various state legislatures for recognition of Labor Day as an official state holiday. The first states to declare it a state holiday in, 1887, were Oregon, Colorado, New York, Massachusetts, and New Jersey. Then in 1894, Congress passed a law recognizing Labor Day as an official national holiday.

Today, Labor Day is observed not only in the U.S. but also in Canada, and in other industrialized nations. While it is a general holiday in the United States, its roots in the working class remain clearer in European countries.

It has come to be recognized in the U.S. not only as a celebration of the working class, but even more so as the unofficial end of the summer season. In the northern half of the U.S. at least, the summer vacation season begins with Memorial Day and ends with Labor Day.

more
https://wilstar.com/holidays/laborday.htm

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>Less then 120 Days to Go Until the Largest Tax Hikes in History

>
Less then 120 Days to Go Until the Largest Tax Hikes in History

120 Days to Go Until the Largest Tax Hikes in History
From Ryan Ellis on Friday, September 3, 2010 11:10 AM

https://www.atr.org/index.php

In just 120 days, the largest tax hikes in the history of America will take effect. They will hit families and small businesses in three great waves on January 1, 2011:

First Wave: Expiration of 2001 and 2003 Tax Relief

In 2001 and 2003, the GOP Congress enacted several tax cuts for investors, small business owners, and families. These will all expire on January 1, 2011:

Personal income tax rates will rise. The top income tax rate will rise from 35 to 39.6 percent (this is also the rate at which two-thirds of small business profits are taxed). The lowest rate will rise from 10 to 15 percent. All the rates in between will also rise. Itemized deductions and personal exemptions will again phase out, which has the same mathematical effect as higher marginal tax rates. The full list of marginal rate hikes is below:

– The 10% bracket rises to an expanded 15%

– The 25% bracket rises to 28%

– The 28% bracket rises to 31%

– The 33% bracket rises to 36%

– The 35% bracket rises to 39.6%

Higher taxes on marriage and family. The “marriage penalty” (narrower tax brackets for married couples) will return from the first dollar of income. The child tax credit will be cut in half from $1000 to $500 per child. The standard deduction will no longer be doubled for married couples relative to the single level. The dependent care tax credit will be cut.

The return of the Death Tax. This year, there is no death tax. For those dying on or after January 1 2011, there is a 55 percent top death tax rate on estates over $1 million. A person leaving behind two homes and a retirement account could easily pass along a death tax bill to their loved ones.

Higher tax rates on savers and investors. The top capital gains tax will rise from 15 percent this year to 20 percent in 2011. The top dividends tax rate will rise from 15 percent this year to 39.6 percent in 2011. These rates will rise another 3.8 percent in 2013.

yes there is alot more tax increases
Read more: https://www.atr.org/index.php#ixzz0yftAtGvp

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>America faces a crisis of leadership

>America faces a crisis of leadership

From Danial Loeb…

“…America faces not only a crisis of confidence among consumers unwilling to spend and businesspeople unwilling to invest, but also a crisis of leadership. So long as our leaders tell us that we must trust them to regulate and
redistribute our way back to prosperity, we will not break out of this economic quagmire.
One can hope only that this Administration, composed of brilliant academics that have had
experience in creating the very regulation and overseeing the very institutions that have
failed, has learned from its mistakes and will set us down the right path. Perhaps our
leaders will awaken to the fact that free market capitalism is the best system to allocate
resources and create innovation, growth and jobs. Perhaps they will see the folly of
generating greater deficits by “investing” in programs that lead to corruption and
distortions of the system. Perhaps too, a cloven-hoofed, bristly haired mammal will
become airborne and the rosette-like marking of a certain breed of ferocious feline will
become altered. In other words, we are not holding our breath and are focused instead on
navigating these murky waters for the benefit of our funds.”

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Blackman Plumbing Supply buys Ridgewood Corp

Aug 26, 2010 10:15 AM

https://contractormag.com/news/blackman_buys_ridgewood/

BAYPORT, N.Y. — Blackman Plumbing Supply, a leading distributor of plumbing, heating and cooling supplies since 1921, has acquired Ridgewood Corp., a supplier of similar products, based in Ridgewood, N.J.

“The acquisition of Ridgewood will allow Blackman to effectively expand our operations throughout New Jersey, from the suburbs of Philadelphia to the lower Hudson Valley in New York State,” said Robert Mannheimer, Blackman’s president and CEO. “We’re very excited to offer trade professionals and consumers in these areas the same level of excellence in plumbing product inventory, service and sales support as we’ve been providing throughout the Metropolitan New York City area for 90 years.”

read more:

Plumbing Supply buys Ridgewood Corp
https://contractormag.com/news/blackman_buys_ridgewood/

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>Congressman Scott Garrett :Greater and greater control of our educational system is being wrested from our local school boards and placed into the hands of faceless bureaucrats in Washington, D.C.

>Congressman Scott Garrett :Greater and greater control of our educational system is being wrested from our local school boards and placed into the hands of faceless bureaucrats in Washington, D.C.

Garrett: Race to the Top gaffe is a teachable moment

By Rep. Scott Garrett
August 29, 2010

On Tuesday, the U.S. Department of Education announced the 10 finalists for the “Race to the Top” initiative. Enacted shortly after President Obama took office, this program allows states to apply for federal education funding after they implement educational reforms in line with the goals of the Obama Administration.

As most are aware of by now, New Jersey was not a recipient of the funding.

While my congressional colleagues and I will do what we can to ensure that New Jersey’s application was — and will continue to be — treated fairly, it’s my hope that no matter what happens, we can take a step back and use this experience as a teachable moment.

After all, it is illustrative of a broader problem we face: Greater and greater control of our educational system is being wrested from our local school boards and placed into the hands of faceless bureaucrats in Washington, D.C.

https://www.northjersey.com/news/opinions/garrett_082910.html

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>The Ridgewood blog Special Series: Restoring Honor in Washington, Part III

>The Ridgewood blog Special Series: Restoring Honor in Washington, Part III

Restoring Honor in Washington, DC.

by Jason A. Vigorito

Part III

Barry and I have never attended a rally before. We are two of those Conservative/Libertarian-minded individuals among the masses who cannot regularly attend rallies because we’re busy, hard-working guys. And most rallies occur in the middle of a weekday. The Restoring Honor Rally for both of us, and according to many others who attended, is considered one of the most important experiences of our lives. And the rally’s climax at 1pm was one of the most important moments.

The 240-member “Black Robe Regiment”—a multi-faith group of religious leaders—came on stage at the end for a final prayer session. To see these men and women of diverse religious backgrounds come together shoulder-to-shoulder, singing and praying locked arm-in-arm, was mind-blowing. The scene beautifully illustrated our country’s potential.

Hearkening back to MLK’s eloquent “I Have A Dream” speech, the scene and common thread throughout the rally contributed to King’s statement to not look at skin color but at character. The idea of unity through breaking barriers is inherent in returning our national identity back to God. Racial barriers, ideological barriers, religious barriers, can all be overcome!

A truly inspirational moment, and a truly inspirational message.

Jo Dee Messina, John Rich, and other singers brought a fun end to this historic event. Barry and I spent some time at the Lincoln and other memorials, mingling with the crowd, savoring the moment. We ate some Sabrett hotdogs with some fellow ralliers and hit the road at 5pm. It was a long drive back home to Nutley and Lyndhurst, and on that drive Barry and I realized the event was a national epiphany—how to come together again as Americans. Spirituality and reliance on self-governance were stressed at the rally, only echoing what others—Jefferson, Washington, Whitfield, de Tocqueville, Churchill, King—have said to be America’s successful exceptionalism.

If you are pro-faith, pro-military, pro-individualism, etc., and you feel isolated in your beliefs…don’t. I conclude with Sarah Palin’s reassuring words, “Look around you, you are not alone. You are Americans!”

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>The Ridgewood blog Special Series: Restoring Honor in Washington, Part II

>The Ridgewood blog Special Series: Restoring Honor in Washington, Part II

by Jason A. Vigorito

Part II

Sarah Palin—speaking as a soldier’s mother—best stated Barry’s, mine, and every other rallier’s reason for attending the Restoring Honor Rally: we don’t want to fundamentally transform America, we want to RESTORE America. So how do we do that, we all wanted to know.

First, by returning our focus on God. Glenn Beck, Sarah Palin, Dr. Alveda King (MLK’s niece), Tony La Russa (the St. Louis Cardinals’ manager), and the other many speakers and presenters all spoke on how God is necessary to strengthen our country. Direct descendants of the Pilgrims and Plymouth’s Indians stood arm-in-arm illustrating that this country’s origins lay in humbleness to God.

Second, that we can all be heroes in our own ways. So many touching veterans’ stories from several wars were illustrated, bringing most in the crowd to tears several times. Three men were presented with Badges of Merit to continue George Washington’s tradition of honoring America’s citizenry: Pastor C.L. Jackson for Faith, Albert Pujous for Hope, and Jon Huntsman, Sr., for Charity (giving $2 billion to charity!). Glenn stated, “Heroes are those who stand and do the right things, even at their own peril.” And the crowd was moved by the many examples on stage.

The thrust of the rally was to support the Special Operations Warrior Foundation. Over $5.5 million dollars was raised through the rally! A staggering number that SWOF’s president, John Kearny, tearfully thanked the crowd for. And many in the crowd joyfully replied, “Your welcome!”

Have you ever cheered alongside 300,000+ people? Have you ever sung with 300,000+ people?? Have you ever prayed with 300,000+ people??? Have you ever even been in a crowd that large?! To hear that many people say the Pledge of Allegiance, led by a Boy Scout, together; to sing the National Anthem in unison; to hold hands with strangers and sing “Amazing Grace” to bagpipes. You’re struck with awe. Wonderment! Looking at the vast sea of folks who were there with the same purpose, the same convictions, the same patriotism for your country…Barry and I were overwhelmed with emotions. And so was everyone else. Everyone cried.

It all coalesced at the end with 240 religious leaders taking the stage—pastors, reverends, rabbis, priests, and, yes, even imams. Glenn called them “The Black Robe Regiment.” And what they did was truly inspirational!

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