Bob Schaffer, LPR Chairman

With a remarkable election year behind us, the LPR family is proud of the many LPR graduates whose successful candidacies have them now preparing for their "swearing-in" ceremonies.

We're also proud of the many LPR grads that have managed campaigns and promoted causes, issues and ideas that have led more citizen voters in the direction of liberty. Now comes the hard work of maintaining fidelity to the freedom-based American principles accentuated through LPR.

These principles center on the power and importance of the individual, the family as the most central and essential unit of a free society, free markets and a vibrant private sector, freedom protected by strength, and the national moral imperatives defined by the Declaration of Independence - the promotion of unalienable human rights, Natural Law and self-evident truths.

In the face of these and all such challenges, fidelity is a handy virtue. It's a quality indicating focus, adherence to principle, steadfastness and loyalty.

The United States Marine Corps motto Semper Fidelis fixes on the Latin root word from which we derive fidelity. It's noteworthy that the most versatile warrior branch of the world's most accomplished and lethal military force rallies to the call of faithfulness and fidelity. No military motto is more recognized than the Marine's "Semper Fi" - Always Faithful.

Fidelity is a concept packed with meaning and deep import. Fidelity is often associated with obligation and commitment - perhaps to one's spouse and family, to an agreement, a contract, oaths and duties, to one's Church and faith.

Courage is commonly required in exercising fidelity. When adhering to the truth, for example, becomes a howling reproach, many find summoning the required veracity too difficult.

To be sure, it takes real commitment and sacrifice to demonstrate consistent fidelity. Indeed, being truly "always faithful" is a virtue of extraordinarily high order.

Fidelity is more than abstaining from bad behavior, as in avoiding infidelity. It is the sum of smaller daily actions we undertake deliberately and through conscientious consideration.

Such actions include our attentiveness in school, our thoroughness when dealing with clients, how we dress, being on time, taking exercise, expressing gratitude and all other similar examples. Fidelity in the smaller matters of our daily experiences informs our temperament for bigger responsibilities and virtuous leadership.

At LPR, we daily reinforce the notion that fidelity to American principles, human dignity and economic liberty in small matters leads to principled leadership on a larger scale. In this year's election, we proved it.