Monday, September 27, 2010

Criticize the Govt, Get an FBI raid?

RT America reports: The people are being acclimated to government raids on government dissenters. Today, illegal raids are being conducted against anti-war protesters for suspect of providing material support for terrorism. That is right, protest the 'war on terror' or the US Govt, and be targeted for providing material aid to terrorism.

Interesting perspective from a Reagan Official:




"They came first for the Communists,
and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a Communist.

Then they came for the trade unionists,
and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a trade unionist.

Then they came for the Jews,
and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a Jew.

Then they came for me
and by that time no one was left to speak up."

- Pastor Martin Niemöller

There is no doubt in my mind that we are living in a police state. Constant serveillance, constant fear of government threat, the constant unknown related to the unpredictable nature of our federal government. These are but a few crimes against the people of these states.

Thursday, September 23, 2010

Republican Pledge Not Enough

Sixteen years after the ‘Contract with America’, the Republican House Minority provided a renewed ‘Pledge to America’, a throwback promise ahead of an expected majority change in the House of Representatives in November. The Pledge, though addressing some real issues, does not do enough to establish the level of trust and comfort that the Minority leadership was hoping to convey. Instead, the Pledge pays homage to the constitution and the Tea Party overtone without affecting enough change to assure the people that a Republican Majority would act any differently from those majorities of years past.

The Pros:
In the opening pledge, the new governing agenda set forth reads like a collaboration of the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and a smattering of founding documents. The most promising aspect of this opening statement was the direct focus on the long forgotten tenth amendment – promising that all powers not specifically delegated to the United States by the Constitution will be reserved for the states and the people. This last amendment in the Bill of Rights is the single most important statement in our founding contract – that the power of this government lay with the people. Remembering this is what the 2010 election cycle has become about.

The Pledge goes on to detail a series of plans outlining the new GOP agenda. Their series of plans include the standard Republican talking points of cutting taxes, reining in spending, and shrinking government. The highlights in these plans include a new rule requiring a “citation of constitutional authority” for every bill presented on the floor of the House. It baffles my mind that such a rule is necessary, but in the bloated government environment in which we find ourselves, it is a much needed relief. Further parts of the Pledge echo the promises made in the ’94 Contract, ensuring transparency and openness in government proceedings.

The Cons:
The Pledge fell short of any real agenda changing qualities, often treating the current political symptom while ignoring the underlying ailment. One great example is the heralded spending reduction which promises a savings of a few hundred billion by returning to Bush era spending practices. I say we need to go further back. I say we need to cut more. Why not aim to cut the federal spending by half, proposing true fiscal restraint. In fact, a federal budget of $2 Trillion is more than sufficient when spending, pork, and subsidies are cut back extremely.

The Pledge addressed unfunded liabilities of Social Security, but stopped short of any proposal to restore and fully fund the Social Security account while restricting ANY government access to the account for general or emergency funding.

The Pledge proposed small business tax incentives without any mention of a plan to remove ALL tax loopholes by implementing a fair and uniform Flat Tax system.

The Pledge promises federal enforcement of border and immigration issues, but fails to target US corporations recruiting for workers in Mexico and hiring foreigners without work visas.

There is much good to be read in the 21 pages of the Republican Pledge to America. It sets a tone for discussion and emphasizes that the GOP is in the game, and more than a party of ‘No’. The Pledge is not enough, though, to do what it was intended to do. It is not enough to set a new agenda. It is not enough to distance the GOP from the spending Republicans of the past. It is not enough to make me believe that the GOP is serious about turning the power of the country back over to the people and the states of this union.

Tuesday, September 21, 2010

Election Polls, National Pulse

With five and a half weeks remaining before the Constitutional Resurgence, speculation and polling is as active for an off year as I have ever seen - perhaps because defeat after defeat have been dealt to the Democratic White House in a wave of special elections and Primary upheavals. If the Clinton victory in '92 forced the establishments to re-write the book, and the 2000 presidential election caused them to tear a few pages from it, then the 2010 political season is sure to have political scientists wondering how they could have been so wrong on so many levels. How is it, they will wonder, that a country who gave a blank check to a clearly and openly socialist establishment suddenly finds itself so diametrically opposed to the media announced mandate of 2008?

Let's look to the people for answers.

Obama is polling at ~45% with a solid 50% disapproval rating (45% of those, according to Rasmussen "Strongly Disapprove" - compared to 26% who "strongly approve"). The great emancipator from the evils of the Bush and Clinton empires has proven to be what opponents recognized him as during the primary and general elections in 2008. He has proven that he does not and cannot associate or empathize with the American People. He is an ideologue, so blinded by his agenda that he refuses to associate with the people - tending, instead, to lecture and talk at the people. He no longer inspires Hope, but for a small minority... and even for them, hope has begun to fade. The people are beginning to awaken... it seems he is bringing change to America - change toward a constitutional class of leaders, and an educated and active constitutional electorate.

The Tea Party has already mounted their attack against the GOP and sufficiently dealt them a death blow, forcing the leadership to hearken back to the days of '94, when the party promised change in a Contract with America. That contract was breached as soon as the GOP had control, and a new age of pork spending, corruption, and continued abuse of the constitution once again became the norm in DC for both parties. However, the Congress will have a strong delegation of Tea Party officials. The Senate will have an unusually high representation of Tea Party officials. A few constitutionalists will even preside over state houses for the next four years. This places the GOP in a bind. They fought hard for establishment candidates, and come out denouncing Tea Party victors, only to have to lick their wounds publicly the following morning. The GOP could forever be crippled in 2010 if there is a Tea Party fissure, and the conservative block caucuses as a legitimately strong third party - especially because current leadership would abandon ship for a fresh caucus with no excess baggage. If the GOP does not respond correctly, the Republican Party may find themselves an annotation in the pages of history, alongside the Whigs and the Bull Moose parties.

And finally, who will hold the seats of power for the United States come November? Polling tells us that state after state is moving into the 'toss up' region for the US Senate. Long time incumbents, like Russ Feingold (D - WI), are now trailing conservative candidates. Feingold is currently expected to lose his state, polling double digits behind the GOP. Real Clear Politics' election map indicates a 52-48 Democrat margin on November 3rd. I remain skeptical that Boxer (D) in California, Maj. Ldr Reid (D) of Nevada, and Patty Murray (D) of WA can hold on to their narrow margins. At best, the senate will remain in Democrat control by way ONLY of the Biden vote. I predict a 50-50 senate, with as many as eight NEW Tea Party senators, making way for a strong 20-25% party control by hardcore constitutionalist senators. That is enough fresh leadership to make a plan, not for a new contract with America, but to restore America's ORIGINAL contract - the Constitution... and pledge to hold the Congress and the Executive within the bounds set forth by the People.

Tuesday, September 14, 2010

It's a Tea Party Year!

Delaware is the latest stomping ground for the Tea Party, where establishment candidate Rep. Castle was handily beaten by Tea Party favorite and political newcomer, O'Donnell. This, as the GOP establishment says, puts the state of Delaware in jeopardy for a very secure senate seat - however, now that the GOP has been proven wrong at the polls, the people of Delaware are going to respond to O'Donnell positively... and the GOP establishment is going to have plenty of crow to eat! RCP has moved Delaware into the "likely Dem" category from "likely GOP" based on old polling, but rest assured that O'Donnell's stock is going to rise tomorrow, and those numbers are going to change!

Across the nation, from Alaska to Delaware, we are seeing establishment candidates fall to the no-name citizen army candidates. We, the people, have mounted a fierce battle, and come November we are going to see a solid core group of Conservative Senators that WILL move the Senate back in line with the constitution.

Joe Miller, Alaska
Ken Buck, Colorado
Sharon Angle, Nevada
Rand Paul, Kentucky
Marco Rubio, Florida
Mike Lee, Utah
Christine O'Donnell, Delaware

This is not a regional flux. The left can not blame this on the rednecks clinging to their guns and bibles in the south. They cannot blame this on the isolated and out of touch separatists in the frozen hills of Alaska. This is a national movement - state by state, election by election, incumbents were felled by their constitutionalist rivals. Called extremists by their foes for drawing a line in the sand and saying, "On behalf of the American People, NO MORE", they have become the generals in the people's army... Not Glenn Beck or Sarah Palin... Nay... those whose necks are on the line, and who are in a position to win, win big, and change the debate in the US Senate.

Even in New Hampshire, as I write this, are we witnessing a HUGE night for the Tea Party, where a Palin-backed candidate is losing to the will of the Tea Party movement, indicating that, in fact, it is not her party (as I stated above), rather the party of the people.

Add the name Ovide Lamontagne from NH to the list above, and with the right campaigning across the board we can add 8 staunch constitutional conservatives to the US Senate, where a few constitutionalists eek out an existence, and you have got a solid 10% of the entire US senate as a hardcore constitutionalist voting block... My eyes are getting moist just thinking about it - it really is beautiful - in my lifetime! (imagine the irony of an American being happy that 10% of the senate is going to follow the constitution!)

With that said, there are a few hard races:
1. Angle (who is now tied with Reid in NV) must win to knock out the Majority Leader of the Senate. She is holding her own this early out, which is a very bad sign for Reid, who's own son has stopped using his last name in his campaign for governor of NV due to bad name recognition. (I love it!)
2. Rubio has a good lead on Independent Charlie Crist in Florida, but Crist is an old dog at the political game. Fortunately for the TP movement, Crist's numbers are beginning to nosedive, and he may have peaked too early for this three man race.
3. Miller in Alaska is plagued by a raging case of the "incumbents" - like syphilis which is supposed to go away with penicillin, the incumbent is supposed to go away after losing the primary. However, his mild rash, Murkowski, is floating every possibility to attempt to get on the ballot and give this race to the Dems.
4. O'Donnell in Delaware was a major victory, a major upset, and a major challenge moving forward into November. Donate $20, now, to her campaign. Call the Delaware GOP and tell them to immediately support and endorse her. She needs the bump to keep the state, and she is the kind of leader the GOP needs in the Tea Party wing.

It's a tea Party night, and it will be a tea Party year. The GOP and America have much to celebrate. The pendulum is swinging toward our constitution!

Thursday, September 9, 2010

On the Ropes

Obama and the Democrats are in trouble, whether they admit it or not. Polling in Washington State now indicates that Republican (moderate) Rossi is going to win in November over liberal Democrat incumbent, Patty Murray. Murray cannot poll over 45%, and is showing horribly in the democratic strong-hold of Seattle's King County. Washington state was supposed to be a safe democrat seat, was moved to a toss-up seat, and is looking more and more like a seat that is leaning republican.

Barbara Boxer is also in trouble. The latest debate between incumbent California Democrat Boxer and Republican challenger Fiorina was nothing more than a Boxer mud-slinging fest, trying to defame the successful HP former executive. Boxer's numbers dropped following the debate putting Fiorina ahead for the first time in that race.

Across the nation, not only are Liberal Democrats losing to moderate Republicans, they are losing in droves to Conservative Libertarian Republicans (Liberty Republicans), such as Joe Miller in Alaska, Marco Rubio in Florida, and Rand Paul in Kentucky. Democrats are losing Governorships to staunch Libertarian Conservatives - and Oregon, the longest consecutive held Democratic Governorship in the US, is bearing witness to a massive GOP win in the polls, and an expected GOP win in Nov.

Recent polling also indicates that the GOP will take over the House of Representatives, removing the giant gavel from Pelosi, and replacing many ultra liberals with some very staunch libertarian conservatives.

The Democrats are on the ropes, taking body punch after body punch. They are bloody, bruised, and about to hit the mat.

Let us hope that with the GOP comes Liberty. Let us hope that with that liberty we fix our borders, free our states from the fed, audit the Federal Reserve, and end corporate strangleholds and government monopolies over food processing, banking, industry, and housing. My prayer is that the GOP of 2010 is one of founding principles, small government, and libertarian principles - Goldwater Republicanism. Even more, my hope is that we do a great job as a majority party so that we can continue the libertarian march through 2012 and fix this mess we are in!