It has become quite cliché to say ”thank you” to our veterans; and for the last several decades, that’s all I’ve really wanted to hear, until I recently realized how shallow words can be when they aren’t followed up by actions.

Let me explain. When every politician begins their term and a military person commits their life to serve the United States they “… swear to defend the Constitution against enemies both foreign and domestic.” It is difficult to quantify a service member’s commitment in defending the Constitution, however, the constitutional voting record of every U.S. senator and representative is available, albeit quite hidden from the voters for numerous obfuscating reasons. Several other voting records are often available (as the country collapses) concerning the environment, wilderness, taxes, guns, welfare, minimum wage, education, energy, etc.

The majority of the last two generations in the U.S. don’t understand the original intent of the Founding Fathers in writing the Constitution to keep the states strong and the central government in D.C. limited in its role to defend the nation, settle interstate disputes through federal courts, enter into treaties with other nations, levy tariffs and a few other, less significant duties. The proof of the misunderstanding is in the citizens’ voting and their humanist worship as they pray, “Our father, who art in D.C.; FedGov be thy name…” as they vote for the next Santa Claus.

If you care to learn more about how to become “more constitutional” and please this veteran, go to http://www.TheNewAmerican/Freedom-index and check out the constitutional voting record of your representatives. The summary of all votes appears when the page is opened. Click on the 114-1 Freedom Index PDF tab to view the first six months of the 114th Congress ending on June 30, 2015. Sen. Bennet at 10 percent (F-) is far behind Sen. Gardner at 80 percent (C-), while Congressman Tipton is at 44 percent (F), trailing all the other Republicans in Colorado.

We have now been in Afghanistan five years and five months longer than Vietnam. And there’s no end in sight to the political insanity. Absolutely nothing has changed since I left 13 years ago. It’s almost as if both parties are controlled by the infamous Giant Military Industrial Complex and Wall Street. For the sake of our once-free nation’s future, please continue to tell our veterans, “Thank you” … and add, “I vote against all the un-Americans who have less than 70 percent (D-) constitutional voting records.”

I don’t expect perfection, but I do want my country back. The standard bearers are George Washington and his peers; not the D or R wimp who keeps meeting halfway on issues.