Well damn...that hurt. Just got an accusatory e-mail from the L-Train down in Vegas so here I am trying to right some perceived wrong. Of course a lot has happened around the ol' world since last we spent some time together. First off I don't suppose anyone would be terribly surprised to know that I am ecstatic over the Papal Conclave selection as our new Holy Father. OK there was just a hint of dissappointment when the white smoke rose from the Sistine Chapel and I waited in vain for the call. If it couldn't have been me though the Cardinals certainly picked a good man. I pray he begins soon the monumental task of sweeping away the "filth" that he spoke out against recently and which infests the Church. Next I hope he succeeds in standing fast against the tides of moral relativism. Those of you so inclined please take a moment to pray for our new Pope and his health.

In other news the libs are salivating over the prospect of prodding Republicans into retracting new ethics rules the libs think are being used to protect Majority Leader DeLay of Texas. There's no there, there. Of course the liberal media will play this one no end because there is no Republican the media hates more than Tom DeLay. Let's conveniently forget that most Congressmen and Senators routinely use PAC money to pay their families and that you need look no further than Senator Barbara Boxer to see evidence of the practice. It must be nice to engage in hypocritical debate on a consistent basis with no repercussions. Of course when the Fourth Estate is your facilitator you can even drive cars containing interns off of bridges and swim away, abandoning the intern to their death with nary a word being written about it. Of course that's only a hypothetical situation. I don't think any of us could actually name a sitting member of the House or Senate who had actually engaged in such scandalous behavior....(cough...cough...ahem...)

Sorry folks, had a scratch in my throat. Lemme pour some ice cold Miller down to ....ah that's better now. Speaking of cold beer, I still haven't had any guesses from my former confederates in the Honky Tonk Heroes Alcohol of Fame. One more week and I'll have to keep the George Dickel to myself. Once again, name the anniversary that this summer represents...C'mon L-Train, Spider, Chop or Mick...one of you has to have a few functioning memory cells left.

Speaking of roadtrips, I'll be on hiatus from May 9-16 while in Washington D.C. attending Police Week services and a Legislative Seminar and also meeting with Nevada's congressional delegation. Boy, I am sure going to miss my satelite radio that week so I better remember to take the iPod with me. It sure is nice not having to put up with crummy songs anymore. On that topic, while doing some recent research on classic country music, I made a great discovery. Some of you may have heard of this ol' boy named Justin Trevino. Hot damn this boy can sing some classic country and best of all his idol is Johnny Bush. If you haven't heard of Justin Trevino he is a remarkable talent, a heavyset Mexican-American boy (gee that sounds eerily familiar) of 29 who was born blind. Doesn't make a difference, he can flat out do some honors to a shuffle or two step. If you have heard of Justin Trevino, then why in hell didn't one of you clue me into him sooner....

Smilin' Paul Villa U.S. Senate 2010
cyber-Congressman, R-Reno
Proud Member of the Vast Right Wing Conspiracy and 2 SUV Family

Well I sure have been taking some heat for my absence of late but it's not like I've been loafing or anything. In fact, a whole hell of a lot has been going on and I'll try to catch y'all up as best I can. First off I had the very great pleasure of attending the Nevada Republican Central Committee meeting two weeks ago and meeting with some of our state legislators. I was pleasantly surprised with a couple of them with whom I actually got to spend some time discussing issues important to the grass roots of the party. Now don't get me wrong here, I haven't spent the last two weeks swooning since. Seems I also had a birthday and the lovely and talented Mrs. Smilin' Paul really outdid herself this year. I got a couple of gifts that are just slick and about the neatest thing since sliced cheese.

First off I was given an iPod. For those of you in Sun Valley, an iPod is a tiny, not much larger than a business card, product which can hold about 1500 songs on it. I've already loaded about 300 classic country tunes and some old pop standards by Frankie and Deano and the Andrews Sisters and still I haven't dented the total capacity of this thing. That has naturally eaten up much of my computing time. Now that ain't the only excuse though. My bride also purchased me an XM Satelite radio. I never really gave satelite radio much thought before but now my thought is: "How in hell did I live without it?" Not 1 but 2 Classic Country stations, playing great classics 24/7 commercial free. Fourteen Country Music Stations in all and a channel dedicated to pop standards from the 40s. How about 8 sports channels with 2 dedicated to Major League Baseball, both Conservative and Commie talk radio and even the BBC. I used to do my schoolwork right here at the computer which of course gave me ample opportunity to cheat a little and steal some time to play on the box. Now I find myself camped out in my truck, reading my homework while listening to XM Radio Channel 13, Hank's Place.

Speaking of important events, I also threw my name in for consideration by the Papal Conclave so I've been busy working on lists of potential nuncios and whatnot. After all, I do meet the basic qualifications: baptised, practicing Catholic male. Thinking on it, I'd rather be Pope than a U.S. Senator, let's face it the food has got to be better and you are the head of a State. Of course that Swiss Army is a little small so that would have to be beefed up but if I get the call, get ready to hail Pope Urban IX. Seriously though I am praying for another steady hand at the tiller and a conservative leader who will stand against moral relativism and the calls for liberation theology.

Now L-Train down in Vegas and Chop and Spiderman if you read this. I bet all you bastiges forgot what anniversary this year represents so you better get busy on your recall. There will be a quiz. A bottle of George Dickel Whiskey to the first one of you who gets back to me with the correct guess as to what this aging band of honky tonk heroes should be celebrating this year.

Smilin' Paul Villa U.S. Senate 2010
cyber-Congressman, R-Reno
Proud Member of the Vast Right Wing Conspiracy and 2 SUV Family

What can I say here that others have not already said? Our Heavenly Father has called home two titans of the 20th Century in less than a year. We are all better off for their existence on this earth. John Paul II and Ronald Reagan were unlikely allies at first glance but it was their continued commitment to ending Communism that resulted in the fall of the Soviet Empire. An Empire that I had never known not to exist. Not only did these two advance the cause of freedom they did so in the haughty face of the Internationalist Left who decried their efforts and openly called Ronald Reagan a simpleton and John Paul II a reactionary.

Now we will see history venerate both of them. Ronald Reagan will go down as one of the 5 greatest United States Presidents. John Paul II is easily the greatest Pope of the 20th Century and is already being mentioned as a candidate for sainthood. Watching today the ceremony and tradition unfold as the late Pope was moved to lie in state at St. Peter's Basilica it brought forth memories of that sad June day last year. Watching the pomp and ceremony attending the death of the greatest President I had known and I was similarly moved today. Last year I was never more proud to be an American and today I was never more proud to be a Catholic.

I am saddened for so many who have given up their faith. It is my belief that the rise of secularism has signaled the fall of prominence of old Europe. With less than 10% of french Catholics attending mass weekly, churches in England empty and German places of worship more accurately resembling middle eastern Mosques, we are witness to the fall of the Europe we were all taught about. Today the hope for a continued prominence for Europe lies ironically with those European nations which have maintained some semblance of faith. Italy, Poland and Spain as well as those nations strong in the Eastern Orthodox such as Ukraine.

Our Founding Fathers were all pious men. They did not believe that the church and government were necessarily exclusive of each other. They penned a Bill of Rights guaranteeing freedom OF religion, not freedom from it. The left would have you believe otherwise. Religiosity has long played a role in greatness both at the personal and the national level. The once great powers of Europe are yesterday's news because they must relearn that there is a power greater than their own and they must recognize that. To think of the state as the ultimate arbiter is as ill fated a theory today as it was when Nero determined to persecute the fledgling Christian movement. Today, Nero is a historical laughingstock and fully 1/3 of the world's population is Christian.

May God enjoy the presence of these two giants and may we all one day get the opportunity to meet them as well...


Smilin' Paul Villa U.S. Senate 2010
cyber-Congressman, R-Reno
Proud Member of the Vast Right Wing Conspiracy and 2 SUV Family