Many of the ethnic and other parochial tensions that have tended to create insecurity and outright conflict, time and time again, are largely as a result of failure to deliberately undertake nation-building efforts.

Here in Nigeria, what makes the news is conflict between the executive and the legislature.

I understand the law of sowing and reaping. It is a spiritual law that has tremendous physical implications. Every time that we delay or frustrate what we can do today, leaving it till tomorrow, we hold back the future. We, too, must reap what we have sown by experiencing delays.

Economic growth is not sustainable without nation-building and, even of greater importance, state building.

Do we want more of the same regulatory mission creep that has helped to harm America's poor and middle class? Do we want more of the policies that have stifled growth? Or do we want something else, something different, something that focuses on the need to reevaluate the size, the scope, the cost, the reach of the federal government?

There is a human capital crisis in the federal government. Not only are we losing the decades of talent as civil servants retire, we are not doing enough to develop and nurture the next generation of public servants.

Faith is the very first thing you should pack in a hope chest.

My favorite movie of all time is probably 'The Thing Called Love.' It's a formulaic film but it's got River Phoenix, who is like a god to me. I could watch that once a week.