12-23-2025. Landing in Panama, AmericaFest in Phoenix 2025

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By Steven Maikoski, Author: “The Real Constitution and its Real Enemies”
constitutionist@protonmail.com 

 12-23-2025

First, a personal note, and then some remarks about the Turning Point AmericaFest in Phoenix.  I’ll discuss politics after Christmas.

On December 23, 1957, our family (4 children, Mom & Dad) finished its two-week voyage on the USNS Henry Gibbins, landing in Colon, Canal Zone, Panama.  

That trip started in New York City, then to Norfolk, VA, then to Guantanamo, Cuba, Puerto Rico, and then to Colon, on the Atlantic side of Panama.  

After gathering our luggage, our family divided into two cars to drive across the isthmus, traveling from the Atlantic side to the Pacific side in an hour and a half. Sometimes the road followed the canal, sometimes it went deep into the jungle. That can be done only in Panama. 

We unloaded at Albrook Air Force Base, which would be our home for almost four years. It was filled with adventure for kids of all ages.  We camped in the wild jungles and were only twenty minutes from some of the best saltwater fishing imaginable.  It was a remarkable time.

Getting back to the United States after such a long time in another country gave us the realization of what a great country the US is.  Let us keep it that way. 

This last weekend, I attended Turning Point’s AmericaFest conference in Phoenix, Arizona.  This was my third time at the event, their first after their founder, Charlie Kirk, was murdered.  Attendance was higher than in the last two years, and the hosts and all the vendors jacked up their prices; some more than others.

Last year, a VIP ticket was (if I remember correctly -IIRC) was $400.  This year it was $1,000.  Nearby parking jumped from $25 to $40.  Attendance went from $50 to $100; luckily, I purchased it before the hike.  

Fox news brought some big names to the event.  Kayleigh McEnany ventured into the low-rent district at the event, talking to people who were not VIP’s, as did Congresswoman Anna Paulina Luna.  I never saw Greg Gutfeld.  

To my eyes, there was a big increase in Bible-affiliated vendors, consisting of news groups, educators, special-interest groups and internet personalities.  I was interviewed by a young, possibly ten year-old media host who focused on politics and the bible.  When he asked me for my favorite quote from the Bible, I answered the Commandments, adding that they are commandments, not suggestions.  

Since their big theological pitch is forgiveness, he didn’t know how to handle that.

And we had the protesters; check out their signs.  They were chanting idiotic phrases and booing.  One took a picture of me (I was in my patriot outfit); I wonder where that will end up.

If you look at these signs, they are obviously fools.  A leftist, trans-pervert sniper murdered Charlie, and Turning Point’s people are the terrorists? The Nazi stuff is unfounded; that title belongs to the democrats with their Obamacare venture.  

One man held a sign noting that we conservatives are not following the Constitution.  Hey, that’s my area!  I started to walk across the street to question him, but a security guy asked me not to.  He had a point, since their signage showed that truth does not matter to them.

As in the two years before, there were not enough chairs in the vendor areas, and, despite there being many exhibitors, there was not enough focus on our Constitution.  Last year, an exhibitor’s table cost over $1,000; I hate to think what it was this last weekend.  

The best element in this event was the people who paid to get in; all were friendly, and all were having a good time.  Most of the people who were attending were under 25 years-old; so there’s a promise for our future.

Have a Wonderful Christmas!

I’ll be back in newsletter feed next week!

Steve