What a delight! Our 50th Anniversary celebration exceeded everyone’s expectations. The wonderful members of the headquarters staff deserve a big round of applause from all JBS members, not only those who attended the event but also all who will soon be viewing portions of the proceedings via recordings.

I wasn’t able to attend most of the talks. I barely made it to those I delivered! But reports I heard from all, including several I received from Mrs. McManus, were universally ecstatic. My personal thanks goes to all the speakers who participated in “wowing” the many hundreds who came to Wisconsin.

Special appreciation is also due to Dr. Ron Paul and Dr. Chuck Baldwin. Congressman Paul had just spent a week in Washington trying to drive some sense into colleagues about the horrendous bailout measure. After expressing deep admiration for the work of The John Birch Society over the decades, he stated, “Just think, the House voted against the $700 billion bailout a few days ago and then turned around and passed an $800 billion replacement measure.” With all the pressures he has been facing in recent months, he still came to Appleton to be with us and to deliver his customarily sound assessment of where the nation is and what must be done to save our country.

Chuck Baldwin interrupted his campaign for the presidency to deliver his extremely sound perspective about what our nation’s needs are — like adhering to constitutional limitations and cutting the size and cost of government. I had the pleasure of showing him around our headquarters, and he told me over and over again how impressed he was. He left Wisconsin after his excellent Friday night speech on a 5:30 AM flight the next morning to travel to campaign stops in the Southwest and elsewhere. His respect for JBS was clearly evident during his excellent address and throughout his brief stay in the Badger State.

It was a marvelous and wondrous few days. Now all of us have to get back to work to restore sanity to a nation that is being led by a lesson from Washington in stupidity, ignorance, and treachery. Onward and upward all you JBS members! Keep at your work and the victory we all seek will be accomplished.