August 29-30 - Lead By Example! Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Watch: Procession for a fallen soldier

This weekend on the Glen Meakem Program, I interview a hero, Staff Sergeant Chris Bane (U.S. Army-Ret).  Chris tells the inspiring story of how he was severely wounded in Iraq in April 2004 while protecting the 15 soldiers under his command from enemy mortar fire.  Chris makes the important point that effective leaders “lead by example.”  Chris protected his men in a deadly combat situation, and then they were able to save his life, first by eliminating the insurgents who launched the mortar attack, and then by providing the immediate medical attention that Chris required on the battle field.  Chris’s injuries were so extensive that he spent three years recovering at Walter Reed Army Medical Center.  Yes, you read that correctly, Chris spent THREE YEARS recovering.

Chris has some permanent injuries to his hands, arms and back, but you don’t notice these handicaps right away because of the positive energy and joy that Chris emanates.  Chris now supports the Wounded Warrior Project and is running for U.S. Congress (10^th Congressional district of Pennsylvania).  He recently participated in the 2009 “PA Hero Walk” in order to raise money for veterans wounded in Afghanistan and Iraq.  Along with other wounded warriors, family members and supporters, Chris walked the 342 miles between Philadelphia and Pittsburgh.

I also interview Caitlin Flanagan — author of numerous books and essays discussing domestic life in the United States.  Caitlin and I discuss her recent article, “Why Marriage Matters,” which appeared in the July issue of Time magazine.  Based on her research, which includes numerous and diverse studies (ranging from Harvard University to the Heritage Foundation), Caitlin argues that “no other single force is causing as much measurable hardship in this country as the collapse of marriage.”  Children who grow up in broken homes are significantly more likely to abuse drugs, drop out of school, become pregnant or father a child as a teenager, or engage in criminal behavior.  Regardless of race or economic background, children who are raised in households with both of their biological parents present have a much better chance at both short-term and long-term success.  As a result, Caitlin encourages parents to work through the difficulties in their marriages and stay married.  Although this may require significant sacrifice from the husband, the wife, or both, our children and the next generation of Americans in general will be better off for it.

I conclude the hour with an update on the healthcare debate currently raging across the United States.  It is still not clear whether or not the Democrats will rally enough support to pass President Obama’s Healthcare plan.  But what is abundantly clear is that the majority of Americans are against any healthcare agenda that empowers government bureaucrats.  It is also increasingly clear that many Americans have become disgusted with their legislators in Washington.  According to a recent Rasmussen poll, most Americans now believe they know more about H.R. 3200 than their elected Representatives.  Yet in spite of this growing and evident opposition, many Liberal Democrats continue to demand that a “public option” be included in the final healthcare bill.  If moderate and conservative Democrats capitulate to the left and pass this bill, it will cost them at the polls.

We can defeat this ill-conceived government take over of health care, but we must continue to make our voices heard and let our congress people and Senators know that we will retire them early at the polls if they vote for ObamaCare.