About Rod D. Martin
Praise for Rod D. Martin
Book Rod to Speak
Politics & Economics
Technology & Markets
Faith & Cultureby Charles Gordon
July 14, 2007
From spending to immigration, many conservatives are disappointed in President Bush, with some labeling his presidency a disaster for conservative values and principles.
Are they right?
On spending, yes. Clearly, domestic spending has risen at a faster clip than under Bill Clinton, George H.W. Bush, and Ronald Reagan. Some have argued that the rate of increases rivals that of Lyndon B. Johnson, the architect of the failed Great Society and War on Poverty.
On immigration, it was galling for conservatives to see the President and his allies working with none other than Ted Kennedy on a reform bill while a border fence had yet to be built.
Nonetheless, compared to conservative icon Ronald Reagan, President Bush is Pat Buchanan when it comes to border enforcement. Reagan’s response to the problem was to obliterate by word and deed the distinction between legal and illegal immigration. His 1986 immigration reform bill was flat-out amnesty, no ifs, ands or buts. And there is zero evidence that the Gipper ever expressed any regret for it.
On gun rights, the Bush administration’s Justice Department has been the strongest of any in modern times.
On sanctity of life issues, the President has consistently appointed constructionist, pro-life judges, notably Justices Alito and Robert to the Supreme Court. Tellingly, his first veto ever was of a bill that would have expanded research on embryonic stem cells. Recently, he vetoed the bill again.
On missile defense, what Ronald Reagan proposed, George W. Bush imposed. Thanks to the President, we have in place the beginnings of a real defense, just in time, given the threats we may face in the future from rogue nations such as Iran.
On taxes, President Bush was the first president since Reagan to institute true supply-side tax cuts, reductions which probably saved our country from terrible economic dislocations following 9/11.
On Social Security, the President came out strongly for the kind of conservative reform that would give people their own accounts and an opportunity to create far more wealth than the government could ever do. It was Congress that chickened out and doomed the proposal.
In response to 9/11, President Bush ended the liberal policy of treating terrorism as the actions of isolated criminals and put us on a war footing so we could knock out Al Qaida’s Afghan base and hosts, kill or capture terrorists on every habitable continent, deploy intelligence assets around the globe, and secure our country at home. He has since stood firm against appeasement of Iran, Syria, and other terror-sponsoring tyrannies and has resisted pressure to surrender in Iraq.
By any reasonable measure, the President deserves more credit than he’s getting from conservatives. With the exception of domestic spending, his record compares favorably to that of Ronald Reagan. It’s time to give some credit where credit is due.
Rod is one of our nation’s leading minds. He’s smart, original, and very committed—a combination that one rarely finds.
Rod Martin and [former Howard Dean campaign manager] Joe Trippi are America’s two foremost experts on online politics.
Rod Martin is a Reaganite-Thatcherite conservative…[and] a man who has spent much of his life ministering to and working for the benefit of others. I know Rod as an advocate for freedom, a leader who understands the real changes we need in Washington, and who has the drive and ability to make those changes happen.
Rod Martin is the kind of dynamic leader who has the knowledge, ability and experience to lead us successfully into the 21st Century. His vision for America is compelling.
Rod Martin literally wrote the book on excellence. Humble yet brilliant, a man of love and compassion, with penetrating clarity he illuminates the world around us, and we are both stirred and enlightened.
Rod Martin is a born leader and an outstanding political mind. Anyone who takes him on is going to have a serious fight on their hands.
Rod Martin is a man of uncommon vision and character. Ever since I first worked alongside Rod in the early days of PayPal, I’ve been struck by his powerful vision for the future. Rod understands the intersection of technology, politics and culture in a way that few others do.
Rod Martin wears with uncommon grace an uncanny ability to link his vigorous faith to the practical challenges of both the business world and the political arena. Yet the respect he shows for others carries a warmth and modesty that are both too rare among those who are strong advocates of feisty positions.
America badly needs more leaders who really get the future. We need more Rod Martins.
Rod Martin is a modern day philosopher-statesman. He is a capitalist intellectual, a conservative iconoclast, a gentle adversary and a kind prophet. He inspires us towards a fresh national vision built upon the original founding principles.
Rod Martin is not only effective and efficient, but he is also perceptive, wise and gracious. He gets things done. He is a great friend and a great ally.
Rod is one of the sharpest, most gracious men I know, and one of the most gifted political thinkers today. His ability to analyze issues and communicate thoughtful insights on them have earned him the respect of people across the political spectrum.
I am proud to have been Rod Martin’s friend for a quarter century, and I can tell you that he is one of the finest men and most outstanding leaders in our church and in our country today. He has a knack for turning everything he touches to success.
Rod Martin is a cornucopian entrepreneur and eutropic thinker whose influence radiates through an array of companies, institutions, movements and churches. A renaissance American, he is also a prolific friend of freedom and faith around the globe.
If Rod Martin represents the next generation of leaders, America has nothing to worry about.
A leader and a servant, in public life and in private, Rod Martin strides at the top of his profession, and has nowhere to go but up. He is in the truest sense of the word ‘outstanding’.
Rod Martin is undoubtedly one of the most accomplished thought leaders today. He is a wonderful mentor, a humble role model, and a deep inspiration for the next generation of scientific innovators and entrepreneurs.
Rod’s achievements pale beside his character and his brilliance. He sees what others can’t. He leads when others won’t.
Rod Martin is one of America’s finest young minds.