Friday, July 31, 2009

Mind Control?

I will let you decide, but this doesn't sound like something that I want to embrace: This is an amendment that has been added to a technology and energy bill by Brian Baird (D-WA).


The fourth bill approved by the Subcommittee, H.R. 3247, would establish a social and behavioral sciences research program at the DOE to identify and understand factors that influence both energy consumption, and acceptance and adoption of new technologies. The research could then be used to improve the design, development, demonstration and application of energy technologies.

“Technology development and investment are only part of the solution to our energy problem,” said Baird, the bill’s author. “The decisions each of us make every day have a significant impact on energy production and consumption. It is important that we understand why some technologies are more readily embraced than others. And it is important that we know how to communicate effectively about the nature of our energy challenges and know how to empower individual citizens to participate in overcoming them.”

There was an article in Time Magazine in April regarding how the Obama administration not only embraces behavioral psychology, he has put people in his administration that have very intensive backgrounds in it. Sadly, this article was written very matter-of-fact and the author was not at all disturbed by it. I have a degree in marketing, so I understand the concepts and accept that they are a valuable tool to sell things. My question is should our government be employing these tactics?

This will create yet another czar. At least this one will be done by congressional oversight, but I think this may be creating precedent that we can do without.

Wednesday, July 29, 2009

Smart Girls Activisim - Please Join Us for the Month of August


Smart Girls everywhere have been busy fighting against the current health care legislation being proposed. We are now coming down to a critical time in the fight with back door deals being made by more moderate Republicans.

It is critical that we take the fight now to those dealers. Over the next 48 hours, we are asking all members to contact the Senate Finance Committe members listed below.
We must reinforce to them that the majority of Americans are against this legislation.Please email, call, fax, and tweet these six Senators.
Senator Baucus 202-224-2651 Fax 202-224-9412
Snowe 202-224-5344 Fax 202-224-1046
Conrad 202-224-2043 Fax 202-224-7776
Bingaman 202-224-5521
Enzi 202-224-3424 Fax 202-228-0359
Grassley 202-224-3744 Fax 202-224-6020


Our hope is that both houses of Congress leave for August recess and listen to the will of their constituents. You will find events planned for the month of August below. This one month will be key to the future of our country and preventing another failed government program. One that promises to be the most destructive in our country's history.
There are a few key components to this initiaitive:
1. Holding rallies at the district offices of the Blue Dogs during the August recess. Together with American Liberty Alliance (and others), we will be participating in "recess rallies" to be held August 22nd (more information forthcoming at Recess Rally).
ALA is targeting House blue dogs at these rallies, but we may want to get groups together to rally at Senate offices too.
2. Our ally in the fight against the Democrat plan, Patients United, is taking their case against socialized health care on the road with bus tours through targeted states; more information at Join Patients First Bus Tour. SGP has been offered space on the buses.

3. In addition to attending the August 22nd rallies, we will be encouraging all of our members to take part in "5 minute activism." This involves making phone calls, sending faxes and emails, and generally bombarding targeted Congressional offices with our opinion.

If you can't make it to the rallies on the 22nd, we will be waging a "5 minute activism" campaign to run concurrently to the rallies, the purpose of which is to overload the blue dog offices while rallies take place outside. A lot of information will be going up on the Ning site in the coming days and weeks. We will start a special "Collar a Blue Dog" group for coordinating our activist efforts. Please check out the information and get involved! It is especially important for those in states where blue dogs reside to take the lead.
If you are not already a member of Smart Girls Politics, Please join. It is free and open to all. You will have access to updated information on activism campaigns and meet some very nice Smart Girls (and Guys, too).

Tuesday, July 28, 2009

Hey Joe

Vice President Biden today was defending the stimulus plan. Addressing the critics to the stimulus plan he asked what would they do.

Well, since you asked Joe:

I would not spend millions to replace toilets.

Instead of giving GM money, why didn’t we just send a $20,000 voucher to every American family that makes under $75,000 for an American made car? It would have helped the car industry, the car industry vendors and the American people all at the same time and I am sure it would have been cheaper. If GM couldn’t make the company work after that, they go into bankruptcy. Oh wait, they already did that.

Instead of writing into the bailout legislation for AIG that bonuses would be paid out, I would have given that money instead to the agency that gives loans to small businesses. They are on the brink of insolvency. Where is their bailout Joe? The majority of jobs are created by small business.

I would not spend money funding an eco-passage for turtles in Florida.

My question to you Mr. Vice President is why did say that people who were opposed to the stimulus package wanted to do nothing? Why is it all or nothing with you and President Obama?

Instead of understanding the concerns of the American people to the far-left pork buffet, you ask if we would prefer that broken bridges don’t get fixed or police officers get laid off. Why does the government always take away money from education and the like instead of foregoing the spending on skateboard parks? Or even better Joe, what about the money that is going to a field mouse in Speaker Pelosi’s district? We could have done without that spending.

What I would have done Joe? I would have insisted that every member of Congress understand what they were voting on. I also would suggest that the President understand it as well. I would also think that taking your time to do it correctly was more important than doing it quickly. Hey maybe you can use that logic with the healthcare debate.

I would not be spending money on putting farmer’s markets in lower income areas. Buying fruit and vegetables from a Farmer’s market is very expensive. People in lower income areas cannot afford the prices. I would spend the money instead on helping urban areas attract big chain supermarkets. That will drive the prices down in those neighborhoods which will allow them to afford healthier foods.

Joe, I would also admit that spending money on walking and biking trails, while a laudable goal, will do nothing to stimulate the economy.

But that is just me.

Another Unusual Tactic for your Activism Caps

Target these Representatives on Healthcare

Here is a list of House Members who live in districts who voted for McCain. This is another "unusual" tactic that we should try.

Posted by Erick Erickson (Profile)
Tuesday, July 28th at 6:30AM EDT

We know that most of the Blue Dogs are going to oppose healthcare. But what about the non-Blue Dog Democrats who live in districts McCain won? They seem to be good targets in addition to the Blue Dogs.

So here’s the list of targets for today. As the week progresses, we’re going to update, add to, and subtract from it. Start calling. And if your Congressman is not on the list, go here and find your Congressman. Start calling now.

Ann Kirkpatrick (AZ-1) http://kirkpatrick.house.gov/ (202) 225-2315

Vic Snyder (AR-2) http://www.house.gov/snyder/ 202-225-2506

Betsy Markey (CO-4) http://betsymarkey.house.gov/ 202-225-4676

Suzanne Kosmas (FL-24) http://www.kosmas.house.gov/ 202-225-2706

Ike Skelton (MO-4) http://www.house.gov/skelton/ 202-225-2876

Harry Teague (NM-2) http://teague.house.gov/ 202-225-2365

Michael McMahon (NY-13) http://mcmahon.house.gov/ 202-225-3371

Eric Massa (NY-29) http://massa.house.gov/ 202-225-3161

John Boccieri (OH-16) http://boccieri.house.gov/ 202-225-3876

John M. Spratt Jr. (SC-5) http://www.house.gov/spratt/ 202-225-5501

Chet Edwards (TX-17) http://edwards.house.gov/ 202-225-6105

Tom Perriello (VA-5) http://perriello.house.gov/ 202-225-4711

Rick Boucher (VA-9) http://www.boucher.house.gov/ 202-225-3861

Alan B. Mollohan (WV-1) http://mollohan.house.gov/ 202-225-4172

Nick J. Rahall Jr. (WV-3) http://www.rahall.house.gov/ 202-225-3452

Activism Caps Needed

This Week's To Do List


Dear Fellow Patriot,

The calls and emails you have made are having an impact. Now it is the time to continue the pressure. Read below for a brief update on the status of the bills and what to do next. The House Bill is still delayed in the House Energy and Commerce Committee. While it is unclear whether the Energy and Commerce Committee will have the votes to pass the bill out of committee, Speaker Pelosi plans to bring the bill to the House Floor this week regardless of what the committee does. To our knowledge, the Senate Finance Committee has yet to present a bill.

There have been many rumors about bipartisan compromises in the Senate Finance Committee. These compromises will still result in government take over of our health care.

Tuesday, July 28, 2009

Call the members of the House Energy and Finance Committee.

Email 10 (or more) of your friends to let them know what is in the Health Care Bill and how it will affect their lives.

Wednesday, July 29th, 2009

Call the Senate Finance Committee.

Ask your 10 friends who you emailed yesterday to call their Senators to ask them to vote against government take over of health care.

Thursday, July 30th, 2009

(The activities on Thursday are vitally important! We do not want Speaker Pelosi to line up the votes and pass this bill before the August recess on Friday.)

Call the Blue Dog Democrats at their DC Offices.

Email the Blue Dog Chiefs of Staff in your state and/or district.

Ask the 10 friends you emailed Monday to call their Congressman to ask him or her to vote against the bill.

Friday, July 31, 2009

Call the Blue Dog Democrats again.

Call the Local Offices and the DC Offices of your own Congressman and Senators.


Please keep in mind that coordinated efforts will have an effect.

Monday, July 27, 2009

Sunday, July 26, 2009

Dear Mr. Thrush - Politico

Dear Mr. Thrush:

I am writing to you in regards to your post calling American’s speaking up about their views on healthcare as "spam". Dissent and dialogue with our representatives should not be characterized in this manner. It seems that you have fallen into the manner of the left by saying we are anti-reform. This could not be further than the truth.

This seems it is being characterized as an all or nothing thing. If you don’t agree with their plan, you want the status quo. We want real reform. Reform that will lower costs while keeping the ability to maintain private relationships with our doctors and gives choices to all Americans. Top line tax deductions for premiums, tort reform to lower malpractice insurance rates for doctors and hospitals, allowing small businesses to join co-ops to lower costs, allow consumers to purchase policies across state lines. If a New Yorker can purchase insurance less expensively from a company in Arkansas, then they should be allowed to do that. The New York companies will be forced to lower the costs in order to stay competitive. Fixing Medicare needs to be put in the front of the line. Medicare pays below cost for treatment, then that loss is then passed onto the consumer. The government is causing part of the problem.

You and I had an email dialogue a few days ago regarding this topic. You told me that targeting the Chiefs of Staff is unusual tactic. I will give you that it may be unusual, but these are unusual times. Conservatives have allowed themselves to be painted by a broad brush over the past eight years. The far left painted President Bush as one of the most evil men that ever lived. They were loud and persistent with this message. We became discouraged and lost our way.

The speed of which the far left is pushing legislation through that will forever change the fabric of this country has been our wake-up call. We have taken some pages straight out of the left’s handbook. We are protesting, we are speaking out, and we are contacting our representatives. This is not “spam”; it is conservatives and independents standing up for the America that they want to pass onto their children. The media needs to get used to the idea that we will publically stand up and say what needs to be said; President Obama is pushing this country to European-style socialism. We will not go quietly. Unusual tactics are necessary.


Best Regards,



Just a Conservative Girl

Thursday, July 23, 2009

Thanks for helping with the emails

Apparently people have not only been reading my blog, but have been taking some of the info to heart and acting on it. Here is an article on Politico about my little blog.

Pattie - Thanks so much for pointing this article out to me.

WE CAN'T STOP NOW - KEEP THEM COMING, WE ARE MAKING AN IMPACT


July 23, 2009Categories: Health Care

Spam tsunami hits Dem chiefs of staff

An anti-health care reform Web site has published the names of moderate Democratic chiefs of staff in the House -- spawning a Spam tsunami inundating inboxes with more than 500 emails since Wednesday, according to aides.

Energized by Nancy Pelosi's claim she had the votes to pass health care reform,blogger "just a conservative girl" penned a "Dear Fellow Patriot" letter to readers asking them if they could "please [be] joining us in emailing the Chiefs of Staff of the following moderate to conservative Democrats?"

She then published the names and emails of 55.

"I've been dealing with these since yesterday... it's clogging my inbox," said one chief of staff, less peeved than amused.

The emails range from ALLCAPS:

PLEASE DO NOT VOTE FOR THIS DISASTROUS "HEALTHCARE REFORM" BILL. PLEASE DO NOT DESTROY THE VERY FABRIC OF THIS COUNTRY.PLEASE DO NOT BE MANIPULATED INTO SELLING ITS CITIZENS OUT FOR A SOCIALIST AGENDA.PLEASE DO NOT FORCE AMERICANS TO BECOME ENSLAVED AND IMPOVERISHEDPLEASE- PLEASE PLEASELISTEN TO THE CITIZENS WHO WORK TO PAY YOUR SALARY. NOT THE ONES WHO REFUSE TO WORK.

To the partisan:

PS - Ask your congressperson to remind the President that the financial problems we have are not just those of the former President. I seem to recall that for the 2 years prior to the current President, we had a democratic majority in both house of congress.
To the politely persistent:

Being the Chief of Staff for a Congressional Representative is a thankless job. In this position, you clearly have the ability to lean on your Representative to vote in-line with what the American people need and want.

Things that make you say hmm

The healthcare bill in the senate contains an Office of Civil Rights.


ACORN may be getting as much as $5M in the senate healthcare bill.


The Senate healthcare bill contains money to train medical personnel. This money will have strings attached. Schools must have a ratio of minorities. Without the correct ratio, schools will lose funding. I thought this bill was about healthcare?

A democratic aide has told Politico that Barbara Boxer personality is abrasive and it is her way or no way. Ya think?

The New York Times called President Obama out on his claim last night about saving more than $2 trillion. He included funds for keeping troops at the 2008 levels in Iraq for the next 10 years. President Bush signed an agreement to have the troops removed before leaving office. The money would not have been spent anyway. Another words, he lied.


6 Million of the people that President uses in his number of uninsured are eligible for Medicare, but never signed up. 10 Million Of these people are in the country illegally.


The CIA had a secret plan (that was talked about in The NY Times) to kill top Al Qaeda members. THE HORROR!! Apparently this came as a surprise to congress.


In the latest Fox News Opinion Dynamics Poll 40% of people believe that taxes will not go up to pay for healthcare reform. Who are these people and what is wrong with them?

Senator Obama's Voting Record on Healthcare Reform

Here is some interesting information on then Senator Obama's votes regarding healthcare reform.


Throughout his years in the U.S. Senate, Barack Obama joined Democrats to defeat meaningful health care reform proposals that would have helped to solve many of the problems he now says can only be addressed by a $2-trillion government takeover.

A sampling of Sen. Obama’s greatest NAY’s below:

NO on Allowing Americans to Deduct Their Health Care Costs. S. Con. Res. 70 (110th Congress, 2nd Session, Roll Call 82).
The Senate rejected an effort to allow for an above-the-line federal income tax deduction for individuals who do not receive health insurance through their employers. The amendment offered by Sen. DeMint (R-SC) failed on March 13, 2008 by a vote of 45-51.

NO on Allowing Americans the Freedom to Purchase Health Insurance Across State Lines. H.R. 976 (110th Congress, 1st Session, Roll Call 305). The Senate rejected an effort to allow Americans to purchase individual health insurance across state lines. The amendment offered by Sen. DeMint (R-SC) failed on August 2, 2007 by a vote of 37-62.

NO on Allowing Americans to Use Their OWN HSA Funds to Cover Health Insurance Premiums. H.R. 2 (110th Congress, 1st Session, Roll Call 26). The Senate rejected an effort to allow Americans to use their tax-free Health Savings Account funds to purchase health insurance. The amendment offered by Sen. Ensign (R-NV) failed on January 25, 2007 by a vote of 47-48.

NO on Preventing the Erosion of Private Health Coverage. S.Amdt. 2537 to S.Amdt. 2530 to H.R. 976 (110th Congress, Session 1, Roll Call 299)The Senate rejected an effort to minimize the erosion of private health coverage. The amendment offered by Sen. Kyl (R-AZ) failed on August 2, 2007 by a vote of 37-62.

NO on Expanding Access to Small Business Health Plans. On Motion to Invoke Cloture on the Committee Amendment (110th Congress, Session 2, Roll Call 119). The Senate rejected an effort to allow for the expansion of health care access and reduced costs through the creation of small business health plans and through modernization of the health insurance marketplace on May 11, 2006 by a vote of 55-32.

NO on Preserving Employer-Sponsored Coverage. S.Amdt. 2596 to S.Amdt. 2530 to H.R. 976 (110th Congress, Session 1, Roll Call 301)The Senate rejected an effort that would require individuals who are eligible for SCHIP and employer-sponsored coverage to use the employer-sponsored coverage instead of SCHIP. The amendment offered by Sen. Vitter (R-LA) failed on August 2, 2007 by a vote of 35-64.

NO on Requiring Health Insurance for Illegal Immigrants. S. 1348 (110th Congress, 1st Session, Roll Call 188). The Senate rejected an effort to require illegal immigrants seeking “Z Visas” to maintain a minimum level of health coverage. The amendment offered by Sen. DeMint (R-SC) failed on June 6, 2007 by a vote of 43-55.

Blogpost from Sen. DeMint on 7/21/09

Conservative Girl Adventures

Mr. Rubio spoke with everyone and was very willing to have his picture taken. This is woman who is from Russia and is worried about the direction this country is taking.
We had a great view of the Capitol. It was a humid evening, but it was nice to stand out of the balcony and look over at the Capitol Dome and the park.




I was very impressed with Marco Rubio. We need this man in the senate. I hope that Floridians realize what a good man this is.

Wednesday, July 22, 2009

Activism Hats Please - Nancy Pelosi Says the Votes are there for Healthcare

We Have to Work Extra Hard

Dear Fellow Patriot,

The calls you have been making this week are having an impact. Unfortunately, it seems that our voices are simply not quite loud enough. Speaker Pelosi has said that she has the votes to move the Health Care bill. So, we have to step it up a little bit more. Will you please joining us in emailing the Chiefs of Staff of the following moderate to conservative Democrats? It is best if you email the Congressional members that are in your state and/or in your specific district. In the email ask the Chief of Staff to certify that their Member will NOT vote for the Health Care bill. You can your state the reasons why this bill is not a good bill for Americans. Be sure to let the Chief of Staff know who you are in your community whether you are a stay at home mom, a small business owner, or a community leader and the impact of the government take over of our health care to your organization (loss of jobs, increased taxes, etc.).

Thank you so much for helping us further the causes of fiscal responsibility, limited government, and free markets.

Tier 1:

Conservative to Moderate Democrats who are on Energy and Commerce in the House
If Energy and Commerce does not vote the bill out of Committee, then it will force Speaker Pelosi to bring the bill to the floor of the House without the Committee's approval. Politically, this does not look good for Speaker Pelosi because she will be ignoring the will of her committees.Please remember to record the number of emails, faxes, and calls you are making.

Rep. Boucher of VA Chief of Staff: Becky Coleman email: rebecca.coleman@mail.house.gov

Rep. Sutton of OH Chief of Staff: Nichole Reynolds email: nichole.reynold@mail.house.gov or nichole.reynolds@mail.house.gov

Rep. Stupak of MI Chief of Staff: Scott Schloegel email: scott.schloegel@mail.house.gov

Rep. Braley of Iowa Chief of Staff: Sarah Benzing email: sarah.benzing@mail.house.gov

Rep. Mike Ross of AR Chief of Staff: Drew Goesl email: drew.goesl@mail.house.gov

Rep. Baron Hill of IN Chief of Staff: John Zody email: john.zody@mail.house.gov

Rep. John Barrow of GA Chief of Staff: Ashley Jones email: ashley.jones@mail.house.gov

Rep. Charlie Melancon of LA Chief of Staff: Joe Bonfiglio email: joe.bonfiglio@mail.house.gov

Rep. Bart Gordon of TN Chief of Staff: Donna Pignatelli email: donna.pignatelli@mail.house.gov

Rep. Jim Matheson of UT Chief of Staff: Stacey Alexander email: stacey.alexander@mail.house.gov

Rep. Zack Space of OH Chief of Staff: Stuart Chapman email: stuart.chapman@mail.house.gov

Tier 2:

Conservative to Moderate Democrats in House not on Energy and Commerce
Please remember to record the number of emails, faxes, and calls you are making.

Rep. Frank Kratovil of MD Chief of Staff: Tim McCann email: tim.mccann@mail.house.gov

Rep. Bobby Bright of AL Chief of Staff: Meg Joseph email: meg.joseph@mail.house.gov

Rep. Walt Minnick of ID Chief of Staff: Kare Haas email: kate.haas@mail.house.gov

Rep. Parker Griffith of AL Chief of Staff: Sharon Wheeler email: sharon.wheeler@mail.house.gov

Rep. Mike Arcuri of NY Chief of Staff: Sam Marchio email: sam.marchio@mail.house.gov

Rep. Glenn Nye of VA Chief of Staff: Angela Kouters email: angela.kouters@mail.house.gov

Rep. Travis Childers of MS Chief of Staff: Brad Morris email: brad.morris@mail.house.gov

Rep. Gabrielle Giffords of AZ Chief of Staff: Pia Carusone email: pia.carusone@mail.house.gov

Rep. Leonard Boswell of IA Chief of Staff: Susan McAvoy email: susan.mcavoy@mail.house.gov

Rep. Dennis Moore of KS Chief of Staff: Howard Bauleke email: howard.bauleke@mail.house.gov

Rep. Jason Altmire of PA Chief of Staff: Matt Walker email: matt.walker@mail.house.gov

Rep. Christoper Carney of PA Chief of Staff: April Metwalli email: april.metwali@mail.house.gov

Rep. Patrick Murphy of PA Chief of Staff: Scott Fairchild email: scott.fairchild@mail.house.gov

Rep. Jim Marshall of GA Chief of Staff: John Kirincich
Rep. Lincoln Davis of TN Chief of Staff: Beecher Fraiser email: beecher.frasier@mail.house.gov

Rep. Melissa Bean of IL Chief of Staff: Elizabeth Hart email: elizabeth.hart@mail.house.gov

Rep. John Salazar of CO Chief of Staff: Ronnie Carleton email: ron.carleton@mail.house.gov

Rep. Allen Boyd of FL Chief of Staff: Melanie Morris email: melanie.morris@mail.house.gov

Rep. Heath Shuler of NC Chief of Staff: Hayden Rogers email: hayden.rogers@mail.house.gov

Rep. Earl Pomeroy of ND Chief of Staff: Bob Siggins email: bob.siggins@mail.house.gov

Rep. Charlie Wilson of OH Chief of Staff: Candace Abbey email: candace.abbey@mail.house.gov

Rep. Tim Holden of PA Chief of Staff: Trish Reilly email: trish.reilly@mail.house.gov

Rep. Brad Ellsworth of IN Chief of Staff: Cori Smith email: cori.smith@mail.house.gov

Rep. Ben Chandler of KY Chief of Staff: Denis Fleming email: denis.fleming@mail.house.gov

Rep. Jim Cooper of TN Chief of Staff: Lisa Quigley email: lisa.quigley@mail.house.gov

Rep. Joe Donnelly of IN Chief of Staff: Joel Elliot email: joel.elliot@mail.house.gov

Rep. Mike Michaud of ME Chief of Staff: Pete Chandler email: peter.chandler@mail.house.gov

Rep. Mike Thompson of CA Chief of Staff: Charles Jefferson email: charles.jefferson@mail.house.gov

Rep. Stephanie Herseth Sandlin of SD Chief of Staff: Tessa Gould email: tessa.gould@mail.house.gov

Rep. Adam Schiff of CA Chief of Staff: Timothy Bergreen email: timothy.bergreen@mail.house.gov

Rep. Jane Harman of CA Chief of Staff: John Hess email: john.hess@mail.house.gov

Rep. Joe Baca of CA Chief of Staff: Linda Macias email: linda.macias@mail.house.gov

Rep. Sanford Bishop of GA Chief of Staff: Phyllis Hallmon email: phyllis.hallmon@mail.house.gov

Rep. Mike McIntyre of NC Chief of Staff: Dean Mitchell email: dean.mitchell@mail.house.gov

Rep. Henry Cuellar of TX Chief of Staff: Terry Stinson email: terry.stinson@mail.house.gov

Rep. Loretta Sanchez of CA Chief of Staff: Adrienne Elrod email: adrienne.elrod@mail.house.gov

Rep. Dan Boren of OK Chief of Staff: Jason Buckner email: jason.buckner@mail.house.gov

Rep. Collin Peterson of MN Chief of Staff: Mark Brownell email: mark.brownell@mail.house.gov

Rep. Jim Costa of CA Chief of Staff: Scott Nishioki email: scott.nishioki@mail.house.gov

Rep. Gene Taylor of MS Chief of Staff: Stephen Peranich email: stephen.peranich@mail.house.gov

Rep. Dennis Cardoza of CA Chief of Staff: Jennifer Walsh email: jennifer.walsh@mail.house.gov

Rep. John Tanner of TN Chief of Staff: Vickie Walling email: vickie.walling@mail.house.gov

Rep. Marion Berry of AR Chief of Staff: Chad Causey email: chad.causey@mail.house.gov

Want to Go the Extra Mile?

Forward this to at least 5 people you know and ask them to make the same calls. Better yet, forward it 10 - 20 people you know and ask them to make the same calls.

Thank You!

You are the heart and soul of the Tea Party Movement.

Thank you for promoting the causes of fiscal responsibility, constitutionally limited government, and free markets with us!

Your Tea Party Patriots National Coordinator Team,
Amy Kremer (amy@teapartypatriots.org, 678-495-8271)

Jenny Beth Martin (jennybeth@teapartypatriots.org, 404-326-0936)

Mark Meckler (mark@teapartypatriots.org)

Rob Neppell (rob@teapartypatriots.org)

An Apology Made. A Lesson Learned? Maybe not

Claire McCaskill apologizes for her staffers calling the police on tea party protesters on July 17th.


“I still regret the way we handled the protest, and hope that all those that want to express themselves feel free to protest peacefully at our office anytime. We will make every effort to meet with your representatives and hear your concerns. While we did talk to 7 folks on Friday, I wish we could have greeted everyone at the beginning and brought part of the group in for a meeting right away. I think we learned from Friday and will do better in the future. In return I hope those that are protesting refrain from banging on the windows and doors continuously. Thanks so much.”


Hey Claire, if your staff didn't lock the doors, draw the blinds, and refuse to talk to them they wouldn't have been knocking on the doors!! There is a little something in this country called the Constitution, we have the right to protest. It is not so much to ask that our representatives actually listen to our concerns, we do pay your staff's salary. Hey, we pay yours too!!

You work for me. It may be a good idea to remember that.

Monday, July 20, 2009

Summer in the City. A fundraiser to Elect Conservatives to the US Senate

Summer in the City is a fundraiser for conservative senators.
I will be attending this event on Wednesday night. Here is the list of who will be there:
U.S. Sen. Tom Coburn (R-OK)
U.S. Sen. Jim DeMint (R-SC)
U.S. Sen. Mike Enzi (R-WY)
U.S. Sen. Jon Kyl (R-AZ)
U.S. Sen. Jim Inhofe (R-OK)
U.S. Sen. David Vitter (R-LA)
U.S. Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-MN)
U.S. Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN)
U.S. Rep. Eric Cantor (R-VA)
U.S. Rep. Jeb Hensarling (R-TX)
U.S. Rep. Tom McClintock (R-CA)
U.S. Rep. Patrick McHenry (R-NC)
U.S. Rep. Mike Pence (R-IN)
U.S. Rep. Tom Price (R-GA)
Marco Rubio (R-FL)
Erick Erickson - Editor of RedState.com

I have not attended this in the past, so I am not sure how much access you get with these people. I am hoping to have some time to ask some questions. I would appreciate any suggestions that you may have. Please keep them civil, or least funny. I have heard some good things about Marco Rubio. If anyone knows more about him I would appreciate it.

I am SOOOOOOOO excited about meeting Michele Bachman.

Czars are Everywhere

A little humor for a Monday morning


Our new President has adopted the idea of having Czars to deal with special issues of importance. He has named about three dozen Czars dealing to address significant matters like global warming and executive compensation. Their appointments have become very controversial, as there have been complaints about them circumventing the congressional approval and oversight processes.

I say damn these naysayers. I have come to embrace this idea despite the fact of being Jewish and having an aversion to Czars, due to a history of pogroms against my ancestors. And I just feel that we need a few more to round out Obama’s efforts.

Yard Sale Czar – Since the government has put out a handbook to guide us about how to be in compliance with product safety laws when having a yard sale, it would be most important to appoint a Czar to assure proper enforcement of these rules. Along with that, the Czar should consider standards for signs advertising the sales. I see some pretty dreadful ones. Also, used underwear and socks should be restricted from sales as this is a definite product safety issue.

Apology Czar – To many of us watching news reports of his most recent trips abroad, President Obama seemed to be on an “apology tour” for perceived misbehaviors of America in the past. I think he has just begun to scratch the surface on this and needs to appoint a Czar to root out all past inappropriate behavior of the American government and people. I can think of many he has not yet touched on. For example, he needs to apologize to Spain for the Spanish-American War, to Mexico for accepting Texas into the Union, to France for underpaying for the Louisiana Purchase and to the rest of the world for our basketball team’s performance at the 2004 Olympics. I am sure there is enough work here to carry through at least four years of his presidency. Just the 70’s with Afros, bell-bottom pants and tie-dyed clothing could cover a couple of years’ work.

Twinkie Czar – Dan White blamed this iconic food as the reason why he murdered Harvey Milk and George Moscone. Since that time, Twinkies have never recovered and our country has never been the same. This Czar could help to reestablish the importance of this unjustifiably maligned source of unique nutritional value. As part of the Czar’s role Hostess Cupcakes, Ding-Dongs and Snowballs can be brought back to their former glory as well. Given enough time, ice cream specialties such as Push-Ups could also be saved.

BCS Czar – You may have noticed that despite rising unemployment, two wars and a battle over health care, our Congress has taken up the mantle of the BCS rating system for college football and establishment of a national playoff system. While President Obama has spoken out on this issue, he still needs to appoint a Czar to bring this sad chapter in the history of the Republic to a compassionate ending. Nothing stresses the average American more than not knowing whether their alma mater will have a fair shot at bringing home the national championship trophy.

Saved Jobs Czar – Since President Obama has introduced this new concept of saved jobs, most Americans have been left in the cosmic dust. As the country loses jobs at a clip of about 450,000 per month, it is clear he has not done a good job of communicating about these “saved” jobs. A new Czar to specialize in this area would work wonders in helping Americans understand this new concept. Photo ops with plumbers, office workers and engineers who have had their jobs saved by the Anointed One would help our collective psyche. I suggest he not appoint that drab economist who he keeps rolling out for congressional hearings. He would only remind us all of the jobs lost.

And, finally:

Latke Czar – This may not affect the average American, but to Jewish Americans this is of utmost importance. Since the President has done everything possible to antagonize Jews over Israel, I thought he might go for this one. For those of you who do not know, latkes are a potato pancake-like delicacy that is an intricate part of the Hanukkah celebration. Unfortunately, there are some pretty bad latkes out there. Since we wait all year to savor these delectable items, being faced with bad latkes during Hanukkah can ruin the entire holiday season and carry over into the New Year. While attending our first White House Hanukkah Party, my wife thought at first glance their latkes to be puffy crab cakes which demonstrates that even the accomplished White House chefs can mutilate this food. If President Obama appoints a Czar now, he can save many Jews a lot of anguish during the upcoming holiday season and possibly lock up the Jewish vote for generations.

I am confident that each of you can pinpoint other Czars that could help solve the festering problems of our nation. We need to advise our President on these so he can incorporate them into his administration. And the bonus here is that if he appoints enough Czars he can solve at least one important problem – unemployment.

Bruce Bialosky

Saturday, July 18, 2009

Dancing with the Czars

Here is the very long list of Czars. No one is sure if this is all of them. None of these people have been approved by the Senate. We do not know if they have been investigated by the FBI. Some of these people may be hearding classified information, how did they get security clearances so quickly? Did the President just give them clearance? This is unconstitutional. This is increasing the power of the presidency in a way that the framers never intended. There is no oversight. They answer directly to the President. Where are the budgets for these people coming from? We need to ask our senators to investigate this and demand that checks and balances of our government are properly administered.

Richard Holbrooke
Afghanistan Czar
Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan

Jeffrey Crowley
AIDS Czar
Director of the Office of National AIDS Policy


Alan Bersin
Border Czar
Assistant Secretary for International Affairs and Special Representative for Border Affairs


David Hayes
CA Water Czar
Deputy Interior Secretary

Todd Stern
Climate Czar
Special Envoy for Climate Change

Lynn Rosenthal
Domestic Violence Czar
Adviser on violence against women

Gil Kerlikowske
Drug Czar
Director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy

Paul Volcker
Economic Czar
Chairman of the Economic Recovery Advisory Board

Carol Browner
Energy Czar
Assistant to the President for Energy and Climate Change

Joshua DuBois
Faith-based Czar
Director of the Office of Faith Based and Neighborhood Partnerships

Cameron Davis
Great Lakes Czar
Special advisor to the U.S. EPA overseeing its Great Lakes restoration plan

Van Jones
Green Jobs Czar
Special Adviser for Green Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation at the White House Council on Environmental Quality

Danny Fried
Guantanamo Closure Czar
Special envoy to oversee the closure of the detention center at Guantanamo Bay

Nancy-Ann DeParle
Health Czar
Director of the White House Office of Health Reform

Vivek Kundra
Information Czar
Federal Chief Information Officer

Dennis Blair
Intelligence Czar
Director of National Intelligence

George Mitchell
Mideast Peace Czar
Special Envoy to the Middle East

Dennis Ross
Mideast Policy Czar
Special Adviser for the Persian Gulf and Southwest Asia - Different, unnamed position now

Kenneth Feinberg
Pay Czar
Special Master on executive pay

Cass Sunstein
Regulatory Czar
Director of the White House Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs

John Holdren
Science Czar
Assistant to the President for Science and Technology, Director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, and Co-Chair of the President’s Council of Advisers on Science and Technology

Earl Devaney
Stimulus Accountability Czar
Chair of the Recovery Act Transparency and Accountability Board

J. Scott Gration
Sudan Czar
Special Envoy to Sudan

Herb Allison
TARP Czar
Assistant Secretary of the Treasury for Financial Stability

Elizabeth Warren
TARP Oversight Czar
Chair of the Congressional Oversight Panel for the $700B Bailout Fund

Aneesh Chopra
Technology Czar
Chief Technology Officer

John Brennan
Terrorism Czar
Deputy National Security Adviser for Homeland Security

Adolfo Carrion, Jr
Urban Affairs Czar
Director of the White House Office of Urban Affairs

Ashton Carter
Weapons Czar
Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology, and Logistics

Gary Samore
WMD/Terrorism Czar
Coordinator for the Prevention of WMD Proliferation and Terrorism


Ron Bloom
Car Czar
Director of Recovery for Auto Communities and Workers

Friday, July 17, 2009

Health Care Blue Dog Dems - Activism Caps Needed

Without the votes of these 7, healthcare can't make it out of committee


Don't want government run health care?
Call 202-225-3121 and tell the 7 Blue Dogs on Energy and Commerce to vote NO.

Reps. John Barrow (D-Ga.) Bart Gordon (D-Tenn.) Baron Hill (D-Ind.) Jim Matheson (D-Utah)Charlie Melancon (D-La.) Mike Ross (D-Ark) Zack Space (D-Ohio)

Farewell, President Bush

This is re-posting of something I did several months ago. Today on my facebook page I saw another conservative bloggers statement hit with insults about President Bush. She was discussing the healthcare flow chart. WHAT IN HEAVENS NAME DOES PRESIDENT BUSH HAVE TO DO WITH THAT? Note to the left: Let it go.



I, for one, would like to say farewell to President Bush, at least the constant references to him. I feel that it is high-time we focus on the present and look ahead to the future. Everyone in this country is well aware of how the left feels about him personally as well as his Presidency.

During the majority of his time in office this was made crystal-clear. It started with the Florida recount and just escalated from there. The only real exception was the aftermath of 9/11. We, as a nation, rallied behind our leaders. But, that lasted very briefly and all the divisiveness returned with additional vigor.We get it; the left hates him and everything he stands for. You may be surprised to hear there are many things during his eight years in office that upset conservatives like me. The nomination of Harriet Meyers to the Supreme Court, the out-of-control spending, the 1st bailout package to name a few. What we need to stop at this point are the very personal attacks. Disagreeing with policy is the American way, but attacking him as a person is totally another.

There is very little that I agree with President Obama on, but I hope that if you have read my posts you will see that my disagreements have been with the policy positions he takes and not him as a fellow human being. Sure, there are loud voices on the right that do attack him personally. There is no denying that. But I have found that they are not as many nor are they wishing him a painful death. I have not heard anyone wishing neither President Obama nor Vice President Biden cancer.

Please keep in mind; it is now President Obama’s war in Afghanistan. This President’s budget, this President’s spending spree, this President’s foreign policy. The time has come for this President and his followers to take responsibility for the choices that are being made. They are his and his alone.Former President Bush has stayed out of the public eye and has kept his mouth shut. He has publically said that President Obama deserves his silence, so maybe it is time that President Obama returns the favor.

Target List for Healthcare

Below is the list of the House Energy and Commerce Committee. The healthcare bill cannot get to the floor for a vote without them. These are the people that need to be targeted.

The following Members have been selected to serve on the Energy and Commerce Committee in the 111th Congress:

The bolded names below are democrats no votes. Dems have a 13 person majority. All we need is 7 dems to vote no, and the bill will not make it to the floor. I am getting the list together, but there are 7 bluedogs on this committee. I will update names once I get them.

Henry A. Waxman, CA, Chair

Joe Barton, TX, Ranking Member
John D. Dingell, MI, Chair Emeritus

Ralph M. Hall, TX
Edward J. Markey, MA

Fred Upton, MI
Rick Boucher, VA

Cliff Stearns, FL
Frank Pallone, Jr., NJ

Nathan Deal, GA
Bart Gordon, TN

Ed Whitfield, KY
Bobby L. Rush, IL

John Shimkus, IL
Anna G. Eshoo, CA

John B. Shadegg, AZ
Bart Stupak, MI

Roy Blunt, MO
Eliot L. Engel, NY

Steve Buyer, IN
Gene Green, TX

George Radanovich, CA
Diana DeGette, CO

Joseph R. Pitts, PA
Lois Capps, CA

Mary Bono Mack, CA
Mike Doyle, PA

Greg Walden, OR
Jane Harman, CA

Lee Terry, NE
Jan Schakowsky, IL

Mike Rogers, MI
Charles A. Gonzalez, TX

Sue Wilkins Myrick, NC
Jay Inslee, WA

John Sullivan, OK
Tammy Baldwin, WI

Tim Murphy, PA
Mike Ross, AR

Michael C. Burgess, TX
Anthony D. Weiner, NY

Marsha Blackburn, TN
Jim Matheson, UT

Phil Gingrey, GA
G.K. Butterfield, NC

Steve Scalise, LA
Charlie Melancon, LA


John Barrow, GA
Baron P. Hill, IN


Doris O. Matsui, CA
Donna M. Christensen, VI


Kathy Castor, FL
John P. Sarbanes, MD


Christopher S. Murphy, CT
Zachary T. Space, OH


Jerry McNerney, CA
Betty Sutton, OH


Bruce L. Braley, IA

Thursday, July 16, 2009

Times They May Be A Changin'

Readers of my blog know that I live in Virginia. This is an election year for us. Our state legislator and governorship is up for grabs. This is an election that will be watched across the country as it is touted to being a measuring stick of the Obama policies. Virginia electoral votes went to President Obama, this was the first time since before I was born that it went to the democratic candidate; President Johnson was the last democrat to win. Virginia has been known as being a conservative southern state that is turning bluer as years go by, in political circles it is considered purple. Both Senators and our Governor all true blue liberal democrats. You may have heard about one of our Senators; Jim Webb. He has a son who served in Iraq. While at the White House he told President Bush that how his son was doing was none of his business. I am so blessed to represented by such a polite man. Although the suburbs outside of DC are very liberal, and are a highly populated area of the commonwealth, I think times may be a changin’. We may be seeing a resurgence of conservatives’ policies here in Virginia. I would like to introduce some of the candidates running in Virginia from time to time. Here is a little information on two such candidates:

Bob McDonnell and Creigh Deeds are running for governor. Bob McDonnell is a staunch conservative that recently stepped down as attorney general to concentrate on his election bid. Creigh Deeds is a more conservative type of democrat from a rural area of the state. He is against gay marriage (although he has said that his views are “evolving”), supports the 2nd amendment and is tough against crime. These two faced off four years ago in the attorney general race. Bob McDonnell is ahead in all the polls, and it looks like he will defeat Mr. Deeds again. But the interesting part of this race is how conservative the democratic candidate is, I guess he would be described as a blue dog. Creigh Deeds beat out two candidates for the nomination, one of which is a liberal that would make President Obama proud.

We have a very interesting candidate running for a delegate seat. Her name is Sasha Gong. She is running in the Virginia 46th district. She was born in China, taught herself English, and her family was forced from their in home in the city to a rural farming area. She became a writer who had the audacity to question the government on human rights issues, which got her a year in a Chinese prison. She has lived in a totalitarian regime and understands what happens if the government becomes too powerful. Her life story is very compelling. She made her way to the US to study for her PhD at Harvard. Lucky for us, she has been able to stay in this country and has decided to run for office. She is a tough lady that will bring some common sense back to government and is all too aware of how dangerous and oppressive big government can be. Check out her blog on http://www.sashagong.com/blog you can read an incredible letter written to republican women. Sadly, I don't live in her district, but I am doing what I can to support her candidacy.

Cap & Tax Update - Something You Can Do - Please Join Us

We are setting up local "tea parties" across the country. These are designed to show the senators our displeasure with the cap and tax legislation. Please go to your Senator's local office on Friday at noon to have your voice heard.


* When: The protest will take place on July 17th at 12:00 noon.
* Where: Simultaneous protests will take place at Senatorial offices around the country Calling all patriots!
The Senate will be voting on "Cap and Trade" and nationalized health care in the coming weeks. We need to try harder than ever before to stop these oppressive policies from being signed into law! Get out there and remind your elected officials that the government works for you and if they stop working for you, then you will “Vote Them Out”! Less Spending. More Freedom. Let’s show our elected officials that we are NOT in support of passing legislation that would result in the largest tax increases in our history. Not only will these policies steal our hard earned money, they will also take away something more precious…our freedom.

Wednesday, July 15, 2009

Hey Maureen, can we be friends? Probably not.

Wow, I don't think she would like me very much. What Sarah Palin has to do with this I'm not sure.

White Man's Last Stand

Maureen Dowd New York Times July 15, 2009


You can’t judge a judge by her cover.

Despite the best efforts of Republicans to root out any sign that Sonia Sotomayor has emotions that color her views on the law, the Bronx Bomber kept a robotic mask in place.

A wise Latina woman with the richness of her experiences would more often than not know that a gaggle of white Republican men afraid of extinction are out to trip her up.

After all, these guys have never needed to speak inspirational words to others like them, as Sotomayor has done. They’ve had codes, handshakes and clubs to do that.

So when Republican Senator Jon Kyl, without so much as a howdy-do, went at Sotomayor, and soon was asking her if she agreed with Barack Obama’s contention, when he voted against John Roberts, that a judge’s heart is important, the would-be justice was as adroit as her idol Nancy Drew.

“No, sir,” she said, indicating that the only bleeding-heart thing about her was the color of her jacket. She added that “it’s not the heart that compels conclusions in cases. It’s the law.”

President Obama wants Sotomayor, naturally, to bring a fresh perspective to the court. It was a disgrace that W. appointed two white men to a court stocked with white men. And Sotomayor made it clear that she provides some spicy seasoning to a bench when she said in a speech: “I simply do not know exactly what the difference will be in my judging, but I accept there will be some based on gender and my Latina heritage.”

The judge’s full retreat from the notion that a different life experience is valuable was more than necessary and somewhat disappointing. But, as any clever job applicant knows, you must obscure as well as reveal, so she sidestepped the dreaded empathy questions — even though that’s why the president wants her.

“We apply law to facts,” she told Kyl. “We don’t apply feelings to facts.”

She even used a flat tone when talking about the “horrific tragedy” of 9/11, when she was living near the World Trade Center. And she was mechanical in explaining to a grumpy Senator Orrin Hatch that banning nunchaku sticks did not dent the Second Amendment because the martial-arts weapons’ swing “can bust someone’s skull.”

Democratic Senator Chuck Schumer gamely tried to make the judge seem even more coldhearted. Recalling the sad plight of poor families from the Bronx who sued T.W.A. after a jet crashed off Long Island in 1996, he quoted the Bronx jurist’s dispassionate dissent: “The appropriate remedial scheme for deaths occurring off the United States coast is clearly a legislative policy choice, which should not be made by the courts.”

Schumer also cited the case of an African-American woman who filed suit after being denied a home-equity loan, even after the loan application was conditionally approved based on her credit report.

Sonia Legree ruled that the woman’s claim was filed too late, the same argument that the Supremes used on Lilly Ledbetter when she belatedly learned that her male coworkers were much better paid. President Obama has cited the Ledbetter decision as a reason the court needs a more “common touch.”

“The law requires some finality,” Sotomayor explained about her case, with an iciness that must have sent a chill up the conservative leg of Alabama’s Jefferson Beauregard Sessions III, even as it left Obama hanging out on an empathy limb.

Republican Lindsey Graham read Sotomayor some anonymous comments made by lawyers about her, complaining that she was “temperamental,” “nasty,” “a bit of a bully.” Then he patronizingly lectured her about how this was the moment for “self-reflection.” Maybe Graham thinks Nino Scalia has those traits covered.

But the barbed adjectives didn’t match the muted performance on display before the Judiciary Committee. Like the president who picked her, Sotomayor has been a model of professorial rationality. Besides, it’s delicious watching Republicans go after Democrats for being too emotional and irrational given the G.O.P. shame spiral.

W. and Dick Cheney made all their bad decisions about Iraq, W.M.D.’s, domestic surveillance, torture, rendition and secret hit squads from the gut, based on false intuitions, fear, paranoia and revenge.

Sarah Palin is the definition of irrational, a volatile and scattered country-music queen without the music. Her Republican fans defend her lack of application and intellect, happy to settle for her emotional electricity.

Senator Graham said Sotomayor would be confirmed unless she had “a meltdown” — a word applied mostly to women and toddlers until Mark Sanford proudly took ownership of it when he was judged about the wisdom of his Latina woman.

And then there’s the Supreme Court, of course, which gave up its claim to rational neutrality when the justices appointed by Republican presidents — including Bush Sr. — ignored what was fair to make a sentimental choice and throw the 2000 election to W.

Faced with that warped case of supreme empathy, no wonder Sotomayor is so eager to follow the law.

Can't Wait


Does this make sense to you?
click image to enlarge.

Tuesday, July 14, 2009

Punt, Pass and Term Limits

Currently we have people in government that are more interested in protecting their job security than they are in making the tough choices. Having people serving thirty or more years may help congressmen bring in the bacon to their own districts, but it certainly doesn’t do the country on a whole any good.

Let’s just imagine what it would be like if our elected officials actually made the hard choices. Social Security and Medicare wouldn’t be on the verge of insolvency, we would have laws in place in regards to enemy combatants, and our borders would be more strongly protected.

Social security has been in trouble for decades. Yet, the problem goes unsolved. It has been described as the third rail of politics. No one will touch it for fear of a political death. We need to make the tough choices of raising the retirement age or lowering the payments that people will receive. Neither of these is popular so they are left undone.

Medicare is just as broken. On the verge of going broke it is another third rail. We keep hearing from the administration this is one reason our country needs socialized medicine. One of the reasons that medical costs keep skyrocketing is the fraud in the Medicare systems. Another problem with Medicare is the payment systems that promote medical professionals to do more tests. They get paid by the tests they perform instead of the health and wellness of a particular patient. But the tough choices are not being made. They want to overhaul the entire system before fixing this one.

Another unpopular topic is enemy combatants. This is especially true on the left side of the spectrum. Conservatives and republicans tend to believe in a strong national defense so they are more willing to address this contentious issue. The democrats have a much harder sell with the far left of their party. Many of the fringes of the far left would be happy to read them Miranda rights and try them in open court and let the intelligence breaches be dammed. We are almost 10 years out since 9/11. It is malpractice against the American people that we do not have clear laws stating what is to be done with terrorists picked up on the battlefields of Iraq and Afghanistan. It is just easier to keep blaming the Bush administration. The mistakes made by the Bush administration are no excuse for not doing anything.

The protection of our borders is another highly contentious topic. Again, almost 10 years has passed since 9/11 and our borders are barely more protected than they were on 9/10. The leaders in our government are more worried about being called racists than they are at fixing the problem. Our borders could be protected, if we had leaders that had the political will to do so.

If we had term limits on all elected positions many of these problems would actually get solved. Making the hard choices would not be a one way ticket to the unemployment line. It may actually help keep that particular seat within the same party. Right now, we have career politicians that will say and do anything to stay in power. President Obama still sometimes sounds like he is on the campaign trail. He seems already geared up for the re-election process that is more than three years away. Once a second term for a President begins they actually start worrying about legacy issues.

The American people need to stand up and demand that we get term limits. It won’t be easy to get it done, but it will be worth it in the end. We finally will get something done rather than punting, passing and kicking the ball down the field. Wouldn’t that be a refreshing change?

A Letter from the President

I am not exactly sure how I got on the President's email list, but I get "letters" and videos from the White House from time to time. This one I have decided to share, because it made me laugh. Does he actually believe this? "have been made not to serve the interests of any one litigant, but always to serve the larger interest of impartial justice." She gives speeches that are fundmentally race baiting. That is impartial justice?

Good Morning,
Yesterday, Judge Sonia Sotomayor made her opening statement to the Senate Judiciary Committee and moved another step closer to taking a seat on the United States Supreme Court. In case you missed it, watch the video of her opening statement here:

As President, there are few responsibilities more serious or consequential than the naming of a Supreme Court Justice, so I want to take this opportunity to tell you about the qualifications and character that informed my decision to nominate Judge Sotomayor.

Judge Sotomayor's brilliant legal mind is complemented by the practical lessons that can only be learned by applying the law to real world situations.

In the coming days, the hearings will cover an incredible body of work from a judge who has more experience on the federal bench than any incoming Supreme Court Justice in the last 100 years. Judge Sotomayor's professional background spans our judicial system — from her time as a big-city prosecutor and a corporate litigator, to her work as a federal trial judge on the U.S. District Court, and an appellate judge on the Second Circuit Court of Appeals.

And then there is Judge Sotomayor's incredible personal story. She grew up in a housing project in the South Bronx — her parents coming to New York from Puerto Rico during the Second World War. At the age of nine, she lost her father, and her mother worked six days a week just to put food on the table. It takes a certain resilience and determination to rise up out of such circumstances, focus, work hard and achieve the American dream.

This character shined through in yesterday's opening statement: Watch the video.

In Judge Sotomayor, our nation will have a Justice who will never forget her humble beginnings, will always apply the rule of law, and will be a protector of the Constitution that made her American dream and the dreams of millions of others possible. As she said so clearly yesterday, Judge Sotomayor's decisions on the bench "have been made not to serve the interests of any one litigant, but always to serve the larger interest of impartial justice."

In anticipation of today's first round of questioning, I hope you'll share this email widely, because Judge Sotomayor's confirmation is something that affects every American. It's important for these hearings to be about Judge Sotomayor's own record and her capacity for the job — not any political back and forth that some in Washington may use to distract you. What members of the Judiciary Committee, and the American people, will see today is a sharp and fearless jurist who does not let powerful interests bully her into breaking from the rule of law.

Thank you,

Barack Obama

Sarah is Stepping Out and Speaking Out

It is a shame that the campaign didn't let her make more speeches on energy last year. Maybe she would not have been type-casted as stupid.

By Governor Sarah Palin (R-AK)There is no shortage of threats to our economy. America's unemployment rate recently hit its highest mark in more than 25 years and is expected to continue climbing. Worries are widespread that even when the economy finally rebounds, the recovery won't bring jobs. Our nation's debt is unsustainable, and the federal government's reach into the private sector is unprecedented.

Unfortunately, many in the national media would rather focus on the personality-driven political gossip of the day than on the gravity of these challenges. So, at risk of disappointing the chattering class, let me make clear what is foremost on my mind and where my focus will be:

I am deeply concerned about President Obama's cap-and-trade energy plan, and I believe it is an enormous threat to our economy. It would undermine our recovery over the short term and would inflict permanent damage.

American prosperity has always been driven by the steady supply of abundant, affordable energy.Particularly in Alaska, we understand the inherent link between energy and prosperity, energy and opportunity, and energy and security. Consequently, many of us in this huge, energy-rich state recognize that the president's cap-and-trade energy tax would adversely affect every aspect of the U.S. economy.

There is no denying that as the world becomes more industrialized, we need to reform our energy policy and become less dependent on foreign energy sources. But the answer doesn't lie in making energy scarcer and more expensive! Those who understand the issue know we can meet our energy needs and environmental challenges without destroying America's economy.

Job losses are so certain under this new cap-and-tax plan that it includes a provision accommodating newly unemployed workers from the resulting dried-up energy sector, to the tune of $4.2 billion over eight years. So much for creating jobs.

In addition to immediately increasing unemployment in the energy sector, even more American jobs will be threatened by the rising cost of doing business under the cap-and-tax plan. For example, the cost of farming will certainly increase, driving down farm incomes while driving up grocery prices. The costs of manufacturing, warehousing and transportation will also increase.

The ironic beauty in this plan? Soon, even the most ardent liberal will understand supply-side economics.

The Americans hit hardest will be those already struggling to make ends meet. As the president eloquently puts it, their electricity bills will "necessarily skyrocket." So much for not raising taxes on anyone making less than $250,000 a year.

Even Warren Buffett, an ardent Obama supporter, admitted that under the cap-and-tax scheme, "poor people are going to pay a lot more for electricity.

"We must move in a new direction. We are ripe for economic growth and energy independence if we responsibly tap the resources that God created right underfoot on American soil. Just as important, we have more desire and ability to protect the environment than any foreign nation from which we purchase energy today.

In Alaska, we are progressing on the largest private-sector energy project in history. Our 3,000-mile natural gas pipeline will transport hundreds of trillions of cubic feet of our clean natural gas to hungry markets across America. We can safely drill for U.S. oil offshore and in a tiny, 2,000-acre corner of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge if ever given the go-ahead by Washington bureaucrats.

Of course, Alaska is not the sole source of American energy. Many states have abundant coal, whose technology is continuously making it into a cleaner energy source. Westerners literally sit on mountains of oil and gas, and every state can consider the possibility of nuclear energy.

We have an important choice to make. Do we want to control our energy supply and its environmental impact? Or, do we want to outsource it to China, Russia and Saudi Arabia? Make no mistake: President Obama's plan will result in the latter.

For so many reasons, we can't afford to kill responsible domestic energy production or clobber every American consumer with higher prices.Can America produce more of its own energy through strategic investments that protect the environment, revive our economy and secure our nation? Yes, we can. Just not with Barack Obama's energy cap-and-tax plan.


URL: http://tinyurl.com/ludeob

Sunday, July 12, 2009

New York Small Business Owner

Here is a scenario for you:

A man with a family of four lives in Westchester County New York. He is self-employed with an office in Manhattan. He has a masters degree. His education took 7 years and cost $200,000.

His yearly income from his business is $450,000
Federal Income Tax $177,750
Social Security Taxes $15,000 (since he is self-employed he pays full 15%)
New York State tax $65,120 (New York is considering raising this rate for 2009)
New York City tax $18,000

Total Income after taxes $174,130

Property taxes in Westchester NY are expensive, so you need to figure about $10,000 for those; that will bring income down to $164,000 per year.


He is keeping 36% of his income. Is he really rich? He now has to pay for food, clothing, transportation, utilities, student loans, and other necessities. Yes, he still makes a decent living, but he is not "rich".

The health care plan that is in the house right now will take an additional 3% of his income. Would you want to work for .30 on the dollar? It would behoove this man to take several months off during the year to lower his yearly income. He will actually have more money for working less.

***These are raw numbers. Tax rates are based on 2009 federal rate and 2008 NY rates.

Friday, July 10, 2009

Cap & Tax 8 Update.

Illinois Rep. Mark Kirk (R) will not run for the open seat of Sen. Roland Burris (D) in 2010, a stunning reversal from just 48 hours ago when Kirk signaled to National Republican Senatorial Committee Chairman John Cornyn (Texas) that he would make the race.
Kirk’s decision, a blow to Senate Republicans’ chances in Illinois, came in the wake of Burris’ formal retirement this afternoon.
It also followed a meeting of the Illinois Republican congressional delegation on Thursday in which his colleagues refused to back Kirk in a primary against Illinois Republican Party Chairman Andy McKenna due, in large part, to his vote in favor of President Barack Obama’s climate change bill.

See Ya - We don't Need Ya

From Michelle Malkin

NEA General Counsel: Union Dues, Not Education, Are Our Top Priority

And people wonder why I don't trust unions. Card Check - I think not.



NEA General Counsel: Union Dues, Not Education, Are Our Top Priority » The Foundry

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The Man in the Mirror

Michael Jackson died at the age of 50, a relatively young man. I really did not join in the fracas that has occurred since his death. The non-stop coverage is overwhelming. Michael Jackson had God-given talent. He created a soundtrack for a generation. He smashed records, broke down barriers and everyone my age has memories of his music and videos. No one can take any of that away from him.

As he aged he became what could only be described as bizarre. The surgeries that by the end of his life left him looking barely human, the attempted purchase of the elephant man, the unhealthy attachment to young boys, and a very strange marriage to Lisa Marie Presley. The list just goes on.

His memorial service was a star-studded affair that had some poignant moments. I did not watch, but did see some of the coverage on the news. I was really hoping that on Wednesday when I woke up the over-blown coverage would be over. Alas, that has not happened.

My mind keeps going back to the comments made by Attorney General Holder regarding race relations, how we are cowards. That may very well be true, but this story gives a good reason of why that may be. A lawmaker made a comment earlier this week about the never-ending round the clock coverage of the story and questioned why a child molester was getting all this attention. This brought out Al Sharpton and the NAACP. Rev. Sharpton did not call him a racist, but did go after the statements. The NAACP called him a racist. Many people across this country feel that he wrongly acquitted and he is indeed a child molester. At the very least, he had an unhealthy relationship with other people’s young sons. Only the people involved know what the truth is. The only thing that I know for sure is that he would never be with any young boy in my family. Sleeping with other people’s children is wrong.

Jamie Fox made an odd statement about how the black community shared Michael with the rest of us. The black community doesn’t share people with us anymore than we share white people with them. Entertainers are entertainers and the public will decide for themselves who and what they choose to listen to. This has become a racially charged topic for no reason.

The topics that we should be discussing are as follows: Where were all these people when he was being tried for child molestation? People dropped him like a bad habit. If these people loved and cared about him like they have been saying why were they not trying to help him overcome his obvious drug addiction? Shouldn’t we be talking about the downfalls of fame?

Michael Jackson apparently had it all. Wealth, three healthy beautiful children, and an incredibly successful career, and yet none of this seemed to fill him. He has been described as being a man-child and suffering from arrested development. He named his ranch Neverland, a tribute to Peter Pan. This is more than just irony; it was designed to be that way. Michael had been quoted as saying he was Peter Pan. He would never grow up.

Mr. Jackson was a very troubled man. The information coming out now about his very serious drug problems should not be lost in a discussion about race that just doesn’t exist. Young kids across this country dream about success and fame. This is a story for parents who push their children too hard to achieve stardom. The stories of how his father pushed the children and reportedly beat them have been well documented.

His death is very tragic. Watching his young daughter cry for her daddy was heartbreaking. Three children are essentially orphans since they have no relationships with their mothers. Losing a parent at such a young age is a horrible thing; and this is doubled for them since they were being raised by a single father. As tragic as this story is, it isn’t about race. It is about addiction. Addiction to fame, addiction to the adulation, and addiction to drugs and how an early death is the end result of these addictions is the story. It is a shame for his kids that Michael wasn’t able to look at drug addicted man in the mirror, maybe if he had Paris would still have her beloved daddy.

Thursday, July 9, 2009

Things that make you say hmm

No firm number is known, but it appears that the Obama administration has 18 “czars”. This number is larger than the Romanov Dynasty in Russia, and almost as many as the 300 year history of Russian Czars. This is dangerous. These people answer to no one. There are no checks and balances.

In California, farms are being driven out of business due to severe water shortages. The water shortage is due to a fish on the endangered species list.


During the election cycle I heard Michelle Obama being interviewed saying that “Barack just gets it.” During her time in Russia, she was taken on a walking tour of some forests. She carried a purse that cost almost $6000. Does she get it? People are unemployed and losing their homes. It isn’t a very good idea to flaunt your personal wealth at this time of economic crisis.


$1.6 Billion is in the house version of the health care bill aimed at such things as walking paths, lighting of parks, and farmer’s markets. The senate version has no cap on amount spent. This is to lower obesity rates in this country. Farmers Markets will not decrease obesity among the poor; they can’t afford to shop at them. The poor rates of obesity are higher than the rates of the rest of the country, because they can’t afford healthier foods.

“Frankly I had thought that at the time Roe was decided, there was concern about population growth and particularly growth in populations that we don’t want to have too many of.” Justice Ruth Bader-Ginsburg. What populations is she referring to; minorities, the poor, or maybe the disabled? This is a truly scary statement.


Speaking of Justice Bader-Ginsburg, she has endorsed Judge Sotomayor in an article to appear in Sunday’s New York Times. Her endorsements are largely targeted at her Wise Latina comments.

European Countries, such as Sweden and Germany are lowering the amount of government spending to GDP ratios. The US is increasing.



If GM is now partially owned by American tax-payers, do I get an employee discount?



Counties that voted for John McCain are getting less than 50% of federal dollars compared to counties that voted for President Obama.



During the election process, the Obama campaign called the economy the worst since the Great Depression. VP Biden recently stated that they underestimated how bad it was. What kind of sense does this make?



Boston Crème Donuts which is based in Delaware is changing the corporate articles to be based in Canada by the end of this year. US tax rates for corporations will be rising; Canadian tax rates will continue to drop over the next three years. How may do you think will be following that lead?

Monday, July 6, 2009

What if He Were?

On the 4th of July thousands of people across the country interrupted their celebrations and plans and set out to protest the out-of-control spending. One such gathering took place in the nation’s capital. With the Capitol building looming in the background thousands did such crazy things as pledge allegiance to flag, sang the national anthem, and read from the declaration of independence. CNN estimated that 2,000 people attended, but at the protest the park police said the number was closer to 5,000. People drove several hours to attend this protest, and then spent the day enjoying the many activities and one of the nation’s best fireworks displays.

One of the nicest things about this particular group of tea parties is that the mainstream media could not blame Fox News. These were organic, grown out of frustration of an out-of-control spending spree by our federal government. These protests are organized on a very local level and paid for mainly out of donations and people lending their own equipment and time. The protests are growing in numbers and they are becoming more diverse. They are also happening in cities that come as a surprise; such as Seattle. A heavily liberal city if there ever was one, they even have a statue of Lenin in one of the suburbs.

This morning I was looking at some pictures taken by the wife of one of the speakers. I enjoy looking at the ingenuity of the signs and the t-shirts that people wear. “All tyranny needs to gain a foothold is for people of good conscience to remain silent” Thomas Jefferson. Yeah, I cling to my guns and God too, Tiny minds pass unread bills, No tax $$$ for criminals (an ACORN reference), Atlas has Shrugged, Martin Luther King was a Republican, and Read the Bill next time. Then there was one that read Impeach Owebama and the camel he road in on. This is what I feel we need to take issue with.

This is an overt reference to the President’s faith, a claim that he is really a Muslim. The question I have what if he were? Would it matter? I really don’t care. My problem with the President is his policies and his views of the world. I will admit that I have taken issue with the church he attended in Chicago. I don’t understand how the Obama’s can look anyone in the eye with a straight face and say they didn’t know that Rev. Wright is a racist.

I used to work part-time at Macy’s after my illness to pay off my debt. During that time I got to know people of the Muslim faith. Many of the people who worked at this particular store were immigrants; mainly from Africa and the Middle East. A majority of them were Muslims. Some of which were very devout. They believed in family, doing the right thing and taking personal responsibility. These are all values that as a conservative I hold near and dear to my heart and try to live by. If you look around the conservative blogosphere lately, you will hear much about the treatment of Sarah Palin. How conservative women feel that we are somehow dismissed by icon’s of the women’s movement because of our views. Isn’t this the same type of behavior? We as a nation need to find a way to look past someone’s faith, color, or gender and judge based on issues and character. The whole content of character thing talked about by Dr. King.

The tea party movement is an important one. People are standing up and voicing opposition to politics as usual, government intrusion into our lives, over-regulation, and unsustainable debt. We are fighting an uphill battle with a government that is becoming more powerful and less likely to listen to us “little folk”. The constitution is being ignored by both parties and we feel powerless to stop it. By injecting racism into the mix we are only hurting the cause.

Are we saying that a Muslim cannot be a good citizen of the US? Can they not serve this country as loyally as someone from a Judeo-Christian background? Because I don’t believe for one second that to be the case. Yes there are elements within Islam that are at war with us, but it certainly is not all of Islam. Extremism exists in all faiths and all walks of life. Two recent high profile murders were committed by men who considered themselves “good Christians”. I can guarantee you the families of those victims will disagree with that. Painting with a broad brush is always a dangerous thing. It reeks of close-mindedness and shows ignorance.

We need to be aware of the dangers of extremism that exists in the world and we need to fight against it at all times. We also need to be aware that good people come from all faiths and all different walks of life. By bringing these types of signs to the tea parties, we are just playing into the hands of Janeane Garafolo and Keith Oberman. We open ourselves up to the charges of racism and risk putting the entire movement in jeopardy.

Saturday, July 4, 2009

Sarah Say it Ain't So

Sarah Palin has announced her resignation as Governor of Alaska. Her explanation was more than a little ambiguous. One thing that was clear is that her family seems happy to have this part of their life behind them. Some of Sarah’s five children have been put through the ringer of public notoriety. Her youngest, having Down’s syndrome, has been one of the biggest targets. Questions of who his biological mother is and some very unseemly cartoons. Her eldest daughter being an unwed mother has been equally targeted. One of the many things that were misunderstood about Sarah Palin’s views is her stance on birth control. She is staunchly anti-abortion, but she is not against birth control; at least for others. Her politic future has been put up for the great debate today after her announcement.

Has she ruined her chances for a Presidential bid in 2012? That answer may very well be yes. Quitting is never a good sign. It gives a perception of weakness. But is she weak? A very good argument can be made that it is really the opposite. Mrs. Palin may very well be showing a strength that is sorely missing in politics today.

Sarah has been ridiculed, called stupid, and investigated to death. Sarah Palin is only 45 years old. She has served on the city council, Mayor of Wasilla, chaired the Oil and Gas Conservation board, and beat an incumbent Governor of her own party. That is quite a lot to accomplish in 45 years. Especially if you consider she is not wealthy, does not come from a politically connected family and is raising a family of five children. I think it is obvious to anyone who is open-minded that she is a savvy politician. Disagree with her views, but calling her stupid is only showing your own ignorance.

Over the past 10 months she has had many ethics violations brought against her, 16 to be exact. Every one of them has been dropped. And they have not been dropped as publically as they have been brought. This has caused her family to accrue $500,000 in debt and legal bills. Her children have been attacked, and her level of intelligence has been questioned. Walking away from her job as governor now will allow her to spend some quality time with her children; she is working on a book and has a created SarahPac. The book deal will help her family settle the debts she accrued and give her some time to figure out her next moves.

Mrs. Palin made a speech several months ago at a pro-life dinner. Her welcome was quite astonishing. She is a rising star in social conservative circles. Her appearance at a Republican Party Dinner in Washington DC was also a huge hit. She didn’t speak at this appearance, but she still stole the show. Sarah will be a big draw to any candidate that she chooses to make appearances for. She will bring in the bucks for these candidates. This will allow her to build relationships that have previously been unavailable to her. She also can start to give speeches on energy and special needs children issues; two topics that she is very well versed in. This will give her the opportunity to allow the public see a different side to her. Sarah is putting her financial world in order and prioritizing her children. That is not a weakness. That is a women who understands what is important and what is not so important.

Friday, July 3, 2009

4th of July Greetings from Glen Beck

July 3, 2009

Hello America,

Here it is, another Fourth of July. Traditionally, this is a day to gather with friends, maybe fire up the barbeque and play with kids until the sun sets and the fireworks start. But in thinking back on the meaning behind this day, we must never forget that our nation was baptized in the blaze of a very different kind of "fireworks." Yes, this is a day of rest and relaxation, as well it should be, but this year…I'd like to ask you a favor. At some point during the day, I hope you'll take time to think and reflect on what it is we're truly celebrating on the 4th of July -- our Independence Day. Of course the Declaration of Independence was signed on July 4th, 1776 but it's so much more than that. On this day, 233 short years ago, a small group of men dedicated themselves to a higher purpose, an ideal they believed in so greatly, they signed their name to its expression and in doing so put their very lives at risk.

Never has a simple act of signing one's name carried such weight, such a profound commitment. By signing the Declaration of Independence, 56 men stood in direct defiance of the British government. They became marked men, and willingly so. As I was doing some research on the significance of July 4th, I came across some interesting facts about these men. Today as we all enjoy the freedom our forefathers guaranteed us, join me in honoring the extraordinary sacrifice of 56 extraordinary Americans.

Of the 56 men who signed the Declaration of Independence:

Five were captured by the British as traitors, and tortured before they died. Twelve had their homes burned to the ground. Two lost sons serving in the Revolutionary Army, and two more had sons captured. Nine fought and died in the Revolutionary War.

If you ever feel like your lone voice can never be heard, that the political system isn't set up for "regular" Americans to change the course of history, remember: The signers were flesh and blood, mortal men with a divinely-inspired aim.

Twenty-four were lawyers and jurists, eleven were merchants, and nine were farmers and large plantation owners. They were well educated, smart enough to know that by signing the Declaration of Independence, they were signing their own death warrants. They did it anyway, and God bless them for it.

As we enjoy our liberty on this 4th of July, or any day of any month, we must never take that liberty for granted. Too many have given too much. In the words of the Signers themselves, "For the support of this declaration, with firm reliance on the protection of the divine providence, we mutually pledge to each other, our lives, our fortunes, and our sacred honor."

Their lives, their fortunes, and their sacred honor -- I think that's a price paid worth a few minutes of reflection, don't you? But let's not be solemn in that reflection. I say rejoice and share this information with your friends and family, especially your kids. The Signers asked for nothing in return for their pledge, but I say that we show our thanks with a pledge of our own:

To remember, to be grateful, and to carry on in their spirit. America is the greatest country this world has ever and will ever know, and it will stay that way so long as "we the people" remember that just like in 1776.

It's US that surrounds them, and we'll never back down. Happy Independence Day, and God bless America.

Glenn
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