Wednesday, July 31, 2013

End of Day 2 at PA

Here are some pictures I took today.  I will edit this post to add explanations later.  Who can tell me a common object in the majority of the photos below?  Please leave a comment stating what the object is and why you think it's there. 

NOTE:  I have added some more descriptions the photos in my last post. 

Tuesday, July 30, 2013

Day 2: Morning session

This is the  beautiful TX Capitol building.  And since it holds the title "Texas", it is huge!  And super easy to get lost in.  
We are required to walk to session in committee groups.  They match you up into different committees by similar passions, purposes, and plans that they perceived you had from the extensive application process.  I was assigned to the William Wilberforce Committee!  I've got to say, our committee chair is incredible along with all of my fellow committee members!  They keep things running so professionally and keep the great debates going!
Here is a picture from the house floor, where we have our mock sessions.  What an incredibly realistic learning oppurtunity it has been!  My appreciation for my elected official does nothing but grow!
Well, I am in session at the moment. Listening to a debate on fireworks taxes. 

End of Day 1 of PA

Monday, July 29, 2013

Only in Texas!

You see that?  It's a cowboy hat! 

Sorry the picture is so blurry. 

P.S.  -- Here's a better one I just took

Zero Days to Patriot Academy!!!!!!


I am now in Texas. I can tell because it is HOT outside and everything is huge!  Yeah. Everything. They just gave me a snack bag at check-in and it was the size of a tote bag!  

I've met a couple of my roommates . . . One of them being cousin, Olivia!  And, yeah, the rooms are huge too.

Currently, I am experiencing the pleasure of observing the Texas House of Representatives in session. 

Oh! Yeah!  And I got this really cool name tag!

Sunday, July 28, 2013

Patriot Academy starts tomorrow!!!

Wow!  I am so excited!  At 5:30 tomorrow morning I will be on my way to the air port!  What I've been working towards for the last three months is finally here. Every book I've read, every radio program I've listened to, every essay I've written, has all been in preparation for this one week.  What an amazing learning experience it all has been so far!

Today, I am just relaxing outside on this beautiful Sunday afternoon, reading over the rules and procedures for PA.
Thank you all so much for all your prayers and support!  It means so much to me!

Blessings be upon you all!

-- Destiny

Saturday, July 27, 2013

2 Days to Go!

Hey Everyone!

I'm sorry I didn't get anything posted the last two days and in doing so completely messing up the countdown I had going.  You wouldn't believe how crazy the last couple of days have been!

The video below is off the PA required viewing list.  I watched while I was packing and was very inspired by all of the stories of heroes that were around my age or younger!  Check it out if you have a few minutes!  It's definitely worth watching!



Here is the update from Thursday:
 
So, today, I embarked on a mission. . . . maybe more like a quest . . . . one nigh impossible and prone to failure. . . .Today I went business clothes shopping to wear at Patriot Academy.  You probably think I'm being dramatic, but if you were 5'9 1/2" with a 27" waist, you'd understand just how difficult this task would be.  Usually they think if you're that tall, you are big boned or fat or something.  

I don't particularly care for the current professional fads.  Let's face it!  Large triangular holes in the back of a dress shirt, dresses the length of a shirt, and pants that are so tight that they could qualify for leggings shouldn't be fashionable. . . but they are in today's society.  Moving on.  So, I went to Goodwill, where, IF you search hard enough, you can find the classic professional wear for amazing prices!
In just that one store, I found all that I needed, and I couldn't have been happier!  It might have taken me FIVE hours, but it was worth it to find stuff like size 4 Long black dress slacks for $5!  
So, that was my day!  Happy Thursday, Everyone!
-- Destiny 
Here is the update from Friday:

I love Homeschool conventions, and today I got to go to one for campaigning purposes!  So, I pretty much got to combine two lovable activities into one!  I thoroughly enjoy meeting new people and sharing with them about  a candidate that I whole-heartedly support! 
 Today I finished reading "How to Be a Statesman" off of the Patriot Academy's required reading list.  It was a quick read, but packed full of great information on what it's all about to be a dedicated servant to your constituents.  Simply put, it summed up the importance of making protecting the people's rights the top priority and to never let the power of being in political office go to your head.
I can't believe that PA is just around the corner!  I better get packing!
Have a wonderfully blessed weekend!
-- Destiny
I will TRY to post on this blog as often as possible while I am at Patriot Academy.  So, keep a look-out for pictures and updates all throughout next week!  If you want, you can subscribe by email.  There should be a section on the right to sign up to follow by email.

-- Destiny

 

Wednesday, July 24, 2013

"I Have a Destiny" Trailer

Rick Green sent out this video from last year's Patriot Academy yesterday, and I just thought I'd share it.  Not only is it an inspiring video, but . . . I kind of love the title!  ;)  Here's the link:  I Have a Destiny



Five days to Patriot Academy!  I can't believe it!

-- Destiny

My Bill for Patriot Academy

So, Patriot Academy is only six days away, and I just finished a live webinar with Rick Green!  Which was  was pretty awesome!   Not only was it very informative, but it just built up excitement even more for next week!

Here is a copy of my bill as promised along with some thoughts: 

I love how I haven't even gotten to Texas yet, and I'm already experiencing the hard core training they promised!

Remember when I said on my "Donate" page,
"The Patriot Academy is essentially a simulated legislative session along with other training classes, and when you get there you serve in the role of a representative.  You're not just learning about the legislative process, you are literally immersed in it!" 
 Well, that includes going through the process of writing your own piece of legislation from start to finish.  Call me weird, but I enjoy this kind of stuff!  I got to see a need, research the idea, formulate a solution, learn a bit on legal lingo, and then submit my bill to the legal council.  What a great learning experience!

So here's what I came up with ( I apologize if the format comes out funny) :



By:  Palmer, D.                                                                                                                      H.B. No.71 

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to state traffic regulations.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 
SECTION 1. Sec. 707 of the Transportation Code is to be repealed.
SECTION 2. All photographic traffic signal enforcement systems are hereby prohibited. All photographic traffic signal enforcement systems shall be removed by January 1, 2014.
SECTION 3. To compensate for the reduction of motor vehicle accidents at intersections provided by photographic traffic signal enforcement systems, the duration of all yellow light signals are to be extended by one second.
SECTION 4. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected by each house, as provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this Act takes effect October 25, 2013.




I will add more on why I chose this topic for my bill later this week!



Thank you all so much for your support! 

-- Destiny
P.S. -- I just found this official copy of my bill.  https://www.dropbox.com/s/olh5y8wyqjrfnjy/HB71%20Palmer%2C%20Destiny.pdf

Monday, July 22, 2013

This week is going to go by quickly! 7 days til PA!!!

So, I'm on my third . . . maybe fourth cup of coffee today . . . yeah, probably not good for me, but a girl's got to do what a girl's got to do! Actually . . . more like unfortunately caffeine doesn't even give me a boost, I just love coffee, unadulterated black coffee. I leave for Patriot Academy in exactly a week!  Correction: a week from today I leave, but it's 6:29pm, so technically speaking I'll be half way through my first day at Patriot Academy this time next week . . . possibly eating supper . . . but that's beside the point.

The most pressing thing on my mind right now is how much there is to do to get ready for Patriot Academy and how fast the time to do it in is dwindling!

Sorry I haven't posted in a while!  I've either been juggling four jobs the last few weeks which didn't leave me with much time for posting updates . . . or out of town . . . both were a blessing!  I got to spend a week with my cousin, who is also going to Patriot Academy, this last week at my grandmother's house in Tennessee.  So, we got to help each other prepare a little bit.

By the way, I never let you all know what my bill topic was.  Red light cameras are a hot issue right now in the state of Texas, so my bill will be repealing them.  I'll post the actual bill later on this week in case you're interested.  I heard from my P.A. mentor that I may be in for some good debate!  Either way I'm going to be prepared, but I'll post more on that later.

I've been working my way through the required reading and listening, and I haven't stumbled across a dull thing yet!  I listened to a lecture by Pastor Michael Youssef today on "Who Takes Care of the Poor?"  It really tackles the issue of the welfare system.  It's definitely worth checking out.  Here's the link Click Here

Sorry this post is such a hodge podge!  I guess I just wanted to give you all a quick update!  

I'm on the home stretch now, so I'll be posting as often as possible for the next two weeks!

Happy Monday!

Destiny 

Monday, July 1, 2013

An Essay on: The Defense of Marriage Act

Here is the final of three essays I wrote for Patriot Academy, and for me, it was the hardest to write.  For, this is was only one that had to be a secular argument.  No Bible, no religion, no God allowed.  You see, I had the blessing of being born into a Christian family, and when I was two or three, accepting Jesus for myself.  Plus, I had the privilege of being homeschooled from pre-school through high school, so all of my studies were covered from a Christian worldview and not from the watered-down, politically correct, altered historically version taught in the public schools. I've always believed that God holds the answer to every question, knows the solution to every problem, and has advice for every circumstance.  So to leave him out of this one was quite the challenge, but like everything else I've had to do for Patriot Academy, it was a wonderful training opportunity.  It gave me a reason to formulate an argument that hopefully even an atheist would find feasible.

On the day I was going to hand in my registration, I found a loop hole in my argument.  One small loop hole that made my whole essay blow apart!  So, at the last minute I completely reformulated my argument and rewrote the entire essay.  It's far from my best writing, but at least I tried.

Destiny Palmer
5/11/13

Give a secular argument in favor of the “Defense of Marriage Act” – the bill that defines marriage as the union of one man and one woman. You may not quote or reference the Bible in this particular essay.

For thousands of years . . . in every culture . . . it has always taken a man and a woman to produce a child. This is simply a biological fact that can be recognized by law . . . called marriage. Marriage is a union, defined by both nature's law and positive law, of a man and a woman. From that union they create a larger unit called a family. The “Defense of Marriage Act” preserves the model of the American family.

Not only does it take a man and a woman to produce a child, but according to social science research, it is also the best possible environment for rearing a child. Children, girls and boys alike, need both male and female influences in their lives, as both genders of parents help them in different ways. It is important for boys to have a father to show him how to be masculine, but they also need their mother to teach them gentleness, manners, and to call out their masculinity. In the same fashion, girls need a mother to demonstrate the role she is to fill one day, and they need fathers to give them security, love, and to call out their femininity. This family model has been proven from the beginning of time to be the best.

The definition of marriage has been the same for thousand of years, just as the family model has always involved both a mother and a father from the beginning of time. You see, the “Defense of Marriage Act” is needed to preserve both. It doesn't just preserve the definition of marriage but it preserves the definition of family as well. The “Defense of Marriage Act”. . . . . Do it for the children!

This may seem silly, but I struggled with this one . . . a LOT!  I had to give a secular argument on an issue I'd always felt was, above all, a moral issue.  To me, marriage should be between a man and a woman because that is how God created it to be from the beginning of time and anything other than that was seen as an obomination to the Lord.  I mean, think about it, He distroyed a whole city for this complete and total sin and perversion.