Chuck Norris and Black Belt Patriotism

Actor Chuck Norris, star of Walker, Texas Ranger, martial arts pro, and spokesman for Total Gym infomercials, appears to be moving deeper into politics. Long a fixture in GOP circles, he was Republican presidential candidate Mike Huckabee's wingman during the primaries. And now he's releasing his first political book, Black Belt Patriotism, an eight-point plan to get the nation back on track based on the teachings of the Founding Fathers. So, is he the next Jesse Ventura or Ronald Reagan? "I couldn't be a politician," he laughs during an interview. And not just because of the media. "Even if I was in Congress or the Senate, I'm one of 100 or 435. How can you get anything done?" His solution: cut House members to one or two per state so there is greater accountability. And start a populist party. His book cites major problems that need the Walker treatment. The biggest: American debt. Next: greed in government. He has hope, though, in kids. "They are more concerned about social issues than trying to make a buck."