Goodbye 2009!!!

As you read this, I am preparing for our annual New Year's Eve party for those who would otherwise sit at home on New Year's Eve. If you recall from last year, this is our annual geriatric party with several widows and widowers present, octogenarians abound, and this year, I believe the age range will be 18 months to 88 years!

We will eat, sit and talk, and I am sure that there will be discussions of the economy, health care, Medicare changes and the direction of the country. While I am not advocating that our party become a political free for all, I am sure that this year, unlike years before, there will be discussions of this kind.

There has been a change in the tenor of the country and the willingness of ordinary people to be engaged in political discussions and actions. This year, my husband and I stopped for lunch at a Hardee's while we were Christmas shopping. There were only about 5 people there when we arrived and took our seat to eat our meal. There were two men next to us who engaged us (total strangers) in a discussion of the wrong track that our country is taking. This happened without our saying anything to these gentlemen and without my husband and I having any conversation in that vein that would have sent them a clue that we were of a like mind. Last year at this time, I am pretty sure that this would not have happened. Or at least before engaging a perfect stranger in conversation about the government, there would at least have been an overture to let them know that the topic was "safe."

But then, last year I would not have been standing on a street corner holding up signs on Sunday afternoons. I would not have been emceeing a health care reform protest rally, and I would not have even heard of a Tea Party. 2009 has indeed been a year that finds many of us in roles and situations that seemed impossible only a year ago. I have to say that I am not sorry to see 2009 close and the possibilities of 2010 are very appealing. Those of us who have found ourselves more politically active than we could ever have imagined can relish the prospect of a chance to change the direction that the current administration has taken our country and perhaps right the ship of state, or at least block the legislative tsunami that has swept over our country.

So here's to a better and brighter 2010, or at least a New Year that begins to show us the promise of a return to the values and principles on which our country was founded.

Birth of a Blog

I would like to invite all of you to visit a new conservative blog put together by a number of very interesting ladies (Mothahs) who look at the conservative landscape from a variety of viewpoints. Mother of all Conservatives is a compendium of conservative writings from these women and invited bloggers with strong views and great writing styles.

Most of these authors who are contributing to Mother of All Conservatives are contributors to their own or other blogs as well. You are missing one of the newest and freshest conservative opinion sites if you don't bookmark them and visit frequently.

NOMOBAMA? Come to A Tea Party

Thanks to Bill Hennessy, who organized the St. Louis Tea Party held under the Arch on Friday, February 27, 2009. They must have hit a nerve, because the St. Louis Post Disgrace fired back with an editorial aimed at those who were a part of the Tea Party.

Bill Hennessy has promptly responded with this letter to the editor that may or may not ever see the light of day in the Post Disgrace, so I am posting it here so that it may get some press.

March 4, 2009

The Editor
St. Louis Post-Dispatch

FOR PUBLICATION AS LETTER TO THE EDITOR OR GUEST EDITORIAL

Tea Party Was About People and Participation

I am not sure which Tea Party the P-D editorial is writing about in its editorial of March 4. The one I attended – and helped organize – drew people from all over the region and all over the political spectrum to express their concern and yes, sometimes, anger over the recent “stimulus” bill, the proposed housing bailout, the $410 billion earmark extravaganza, President Obama's laughable budget, and the Wall Street bailout of last year. The attendees generally worry that these bills are too large, too unfocused, and, in the case of the stimulus bill, too hurriedly passed by the Congress.

Why We Gathered

We gathered precisely because we fear what our government is doing AND has done. We worry about all of the wasteful spending – by the Obama administration, by the Congress, and yes, by the Bush Administration. Why Mr. Roth would insult us for wanting to voice our concerns is beyond me.

We object, however, to the Congress and President Obama calling a hugely expensive stimulus bill “service to those in need” when the lion's share of the bill is for pet projects in the out years. Have you told your readers that only about 20 percent of the spending will occur during President Obama's schedule for the recession?

Even more insulting about the stimulus was the irresponsible hast and secrecy in which it was passed. Members of Congress like St. Louis Congressman Russ Carnahan admit that they did not allow even 48 hours to pass for Americans to review it. Carnahan told KMOX radio that he had no idea what was in the bill that he voted on. We are objecting to a stimulus – and extended spending spree – that we believe will lead to our children and grandchildren paying for our spending spree.

Adding Insult to Injury

The focus of the editorial is about service to those in need. We honor philanthropic and charitable activity among individuals and companies. We support community organizations and even local government agencies. Many of us volunteer through our churches and community groups. And we donate generously to many, varied causes.

In the comments on-line after the editorial was posted, one Editorial Board member, Ed Roth, goes so far as to insult the attendees of the Tea Party by insinuating that our chants were about “me, me, me, me.” I would be surprised if Mr. Roth was in attendance at the Tea Party because I have no idea what that means … except that it seems pretty insulting.

A large percentage of the protesters were small business owners. According to the Chronicle of Philanthropy, small business owners are among the most generous group in America, On average entrepreneurs give almost 7 percent of their income to charity. More than 75 percent of all small businesses give.

The average entrepreneur with revenues of $250,000--the principal target of Mr. Obama's War on Productivity--gives $15,000 a year to charity. Compare that to Mr. Obama's charity which totaled a Scrooge-like $27,500 for 2005 and 2006 combined (New York Times, March 26, 2008). That's only 1.04 percent of Mr. Obama's $2,638,932 income in those two year.

When will the Post-Dispatch and Mr. Roth criticize Obama's stinginess?

No One Left To Give

The markets have spoken on this current and continuing wave of government spending. Since the election last November, the Dow Jones Industrial Average has lost 30 percent of its value. Each time the president, his Secretary of the Treasury, or the Chairman of the Federal Reserve speaks, people leave the market. They are hearing the steady rhythm of big government. Some might say, a government big enough to take everything we have.

We believe that the United States Congress, the President, and misguided people like Mr. Roth are leading this nation into a morass of stagnation, stultifying taxation, and, eventually, rampant inflation. At the same time, Mr. Obama and others are working to destroy the incentive to earn by punishing the most productive people in our economy. Moreover, Mr. Obama proposes discouraging charitable giving by capping the detectability of such donations.

If these trends continue--if the people who gathered at the Arch fail in our mission--there will soon be no one left to give.

The Tea Party Is a Ten-Round Fight

Haste makes waste, and today’s editorial is an insult in which the editorial writers rushed to judgment. I invite Mr. Roth and his fellow writers to attend our next Tea Party on April 15^th when we will protest that our taxes are too high because our elected officials pass so much wasteful “pork” in their legislation.

Sincerely,

Bill Hennessy
Co-Project Servant-Leader
St.Louis Tea Party

Conservatives tend to be a "Silent Majority". Since many conservatives tend to also be libertarian in thought, the tendency is to "live and let live." Unfortunately, the Obama Administration has shown us that the policies of this new administration are a serious threat to the very roots of the freedoms on which our country was founded. An outcome of the February 27 St. Louis Tea Party (and those all over the country) is that conservatives in attendance saw that there are lots of like minded people in their own communities. It gave many people a chance to meet and stay in touch with people that they would, otherwise, never have met. It fomented the formation of small groups who have continued to network in living rooms and chat rooms, reinforced by shared emotions and passions.

And now there is another Tea Party coming. April 15, which should be just another day in your life instead of a day to see your hard earned money being dumped down a socialist rat hole, will be "celebrated" with nationwide Tea Parties to protest the tax burdens that are being planned for small businesses, those who make more than $250K, and all of the rest of us who will see any tax advantage that we might have become nullified by the proposed increased energy costs, gasoline taxes, toll roads, mileage fees, lack of detectability for home mortgage interests and charitable giving, etc., etc., etc..... Those of you who are fed up with the whirlwind spending spree that has escalated by Robama Hood and his merry band of Chicago Thugs, grab your voice and find the Tea Party in your area. At the moment, there is a Tea Party in every one of the 50 states. If there is not one in your area, you can organize your own and there is assistance available if you feel that you need it! Get educated, connected and organized...Silent majority no more!

I Expect You to Obey

For several days, I have come home to find calls on my Caller ID from Wash DC (area code 202). Since I am sure that my Senators and Representatives are not calling me to ask my opinion about the Budget, Stimulus plans or the like, I have made a mental note and refreshed the Caller ID. They do not leave a message, so I am sure that if it was something important like Representative Clay asking me what I think about his Pro-Life voting record or Senator McCaskill wanting to know how she should vote on the next great bailout, that they would leave a message for me to get right back to them. So while I was curious, I was not THAT curious.

This morning, while I was getting ready to run some typical Saturday errands, the phone rang with another call from Wash DC and I decided to take it. It was from the Republican National Congressional Committee. A bright, polite and engaging young man proceeded to ask me what I wanted from them in the next Congressional election......I don't know if he was ready for what came next. OK, if you want my wish list of the perfect legislator, let me count the ways....
1. A REAL conservative---not a squishy RINO.
2. Someone who will restore the tenets of conservative policy.
3. Someone who wants tax cuts for all people and businesses.
4. Someone who favors smaller government.
5. Someone who favors lower government spending.
6. Someone who will fight against nationalized health care and the spread of entitlements.
7. Someone who will follow the precepts of the Constitution and not modify them to suit their needs.
8. Someone who will unflinchingly defend my Second Amendment Rights.
9. Someone who will close our borders and deal definitively with illegal immigration.
.....and as I drew a breath so that I could continue, he jumped right in and agreed with everything that I said and told me that was what the Republicans are going to do this election cycle. They were going to find and support real conservatives who would restore the trust of conservative Americans everywhere!

Since in the past I had given money to this cause, and because the need is dire right now, the young man wondered if I would like to increase my level of giving by a full $50-$100 over what I had done in the past? My response.... "Well, I'd love to do that, but since the Republicans frittered away a golden opportunity and the trust of their base, and started the ball rolling down this debt mountain that is now increasing at a mind numbing rate, I just don't have that kind of money anymore. In fact, I can't even begin to match the amount that I gave you in the past. How about this, I'll give you $25 and if you PROVE that you will do what the conservative base demands, then I'll give you more??? My contributions will be based on performance. I will keep my eye on who you get, what they have in their platforms and how the rest of the guys in Washington act in the coming days and months and you will get money on that basis. What do you think?"

Well, he agreed that we are all in this together, that my $25 contribution was welcome (was better than nothing at all) and that the RNC would have to earn back the trust of their constituents. He thanked me and sent me to the supervisor who would confirm my address and information.

The supervisor was another bright, polished and intelligent young man who politely confirmed my information and then asked if I wanted to make my contribution on a debit or credit card. He also had to bear the brunt of my irritation, because I let him know that I had spent the past three years on a self imposed debt reduction program and, having succeeded in ridding myself of all of my consumer debt except my mortgage and one car loan that is a 0% loan, I would not be using either of these methods. If they would send me a statement, I would be pleased to write a check and if not, they weren't getting my money. I then told him that this was what I expected from the future candidates who would be selected and supported and it was what I expected from the current representatives and senators who are presently in Washington. This is how I am supposed to conduct my personal finances and our government should do no less. My parting salvo was to share with the supervisor that I felt that my contributions to the NRA got me more results than my prior contributions to the RNC and its PAC's.

This weekend there were tea parties all over the country protesting the unbridled spending of the taxpayer's money. In St. Louis, the tea party attracted a large (800-1000 strong) gathering of participants of all ages and colors. Elderly people on fixed incomes mingled with young suburbanites, families of home schoolers and conservatives of color. The undercurrent of resistance is becoming more and more apparent and it is time that those who are representing us know that we expect them to fish or cut bait. They are on probation right now and their job is hanging in the balance.

So when the political fundraising organizations call, answer the phone! Don't dodge them. They want something so give them a piece of your mind and whether or not you give them money is totally up to you!!

We Want a Divorce!

We have a little local conservative group that was founded via talk radio and we have found our selves on the internet. It is fledgling at best and is just starting to hit its stride with exchange of information and ideas among people who have never met each other! That said, I wish to credit Margaret, one of the members of our group for this little internet exchange that was sent to all of the group. While it is sent in fun, there is a kernel of truth present and so I share it.

Dear American liberals, leftists, social progressives, socialists, Marxists,Obama supporters, et al:

We have stuck together since the late 1950s, but the whole of this latest election process has made me realize that I want a divorce. I know we tolerated each other for many years for the sake of future generations, but sadly, this relationship has run its course. Our two ideological sides of America cannot and will not ever agree on what is right, so let's just end it on friendly terms. We can smile, chalk it up to irreconcilable differences, and go our own ways.

Here is a model dissolution agreement:

Our two groups can equitably divide up the country by land mass each taking a portion. That will be the difficult part, but we must come to a friendly agreement. After that it should be relatively easy! Our respective representatives can effortlessly divide other assets since both sides have such distinct and disparate tastes. We don't like re-distributive taxes so you can keep them. You will take all liberal judges and the ACLU.

Since you hate guns and war, we'll take our firearms, the cops, the NRA, and the military. You can keep Oprah, Michael Moore, and Rosie O'Donnell (you are, however, responsible for finding a bio-diesel vehicle big enough to move them). We'll keep the capitalism, greedy corporations, pharmaceutical companies, Wal-Mart, and Wall Street. You can have your beloved homeless, homeboys, hippies, and illegal aliens. We'll keep the hot Alaskan Hockey Moms, greedy CEOs, and Rednecks. We'll keep the Bibles and give you NBC and Hollywood.

You can make nice with Iran , Palestine , and France , and we'll retain the right to invade and hammer places that threaten us. You can have the peaceniks and war protesters. When our allies or way of life are under assault, we'll provide them job security.

We'll keep our Judeo-Christian Values. You are welcome to Islam, Scientology,Humanism, and Shirley McClain. You can have the U.N. but we will no longer be paying the bill. We'll keep the SUVs, pickup trucks, and oversized luxury cars. You can take every Saturn, Prius & Subaru Station Wagon you can find. You can give everyone healthcare, if you can find any practicing doctors (that is practicing, Howard Dean) who will follow to your turf. We'll continue to believe health care is a luxury and not a right.

We'll keep The Battle Hymn of the Republic and The National Anthem. I'm sure you'll be happy to substitute Imagine, I'd Like to Teach The World To Sing, Kum Ba Ya, Give Peace a Chance or We Are the World.

We'll practice trickle down economics, and you can give trickle up poverty its best shot. Since it often so offends you. we'll keep our History, our Name, and our Flag.

Would you agree to this? In the spirit of friendly parting, I'll bet you ANWAR on who will need whose help in 15 years.

Sincerely,

P.S. Please take Barbara Streisand

Kill Bill ---Time to drop the F-Bomb

Gird your loins---it is time to Kill the Bill with the F-bomb. It is time for the ordinary Joe and Jane to step up to the plate and become more vocal than ever in contacting all of the Senators and asking them to STOP the Spend-U-Lose bill in any form it morphs into. The fate of the Spend-U-Lose package rests with that august legislative body of our country known as the Senate. With the $820 Billion (really $1 Trillion plus if you count the interest on this "loan" from you and me) House version being touted as "simply a bad bill," but passed against the votes of 11 dissenting Democrat representatives as well as ALL of the Republicans, the Senate has the responsibility to "make it work," or fix it so that the legislature can go home for a President's day holiday (they work so hard!!!). So, rising to the occasion, the past few days have resulted in a laundry list of amendments to the house version of the bill, each pompously "debated" by senators on both sides of the aisle and then voted up when they are sponsored by Democrats and down when they are offered by the Republicans (not unexpectedly).

If you have never watched your legislature in action brought you you by the cameras of C-span, it is something you should do. You will see the pomposity, arrogance and stupidity of the people YOU have sent to Washington to represent you and spend your money. From committee hearings to floor debate it will both amaze and apall you! Since our legislature usually works banker's hours and makes sure that they never miss meals, I rarely get a chance to watch this circus played out...(I have a job that makes sure that I am in early, out late and I usually eat at my desk while I work)...but when I do, it never fails to amaze and reinforce the fact that the majority of our elected officials are worthless uses of skin.

The latest Rasmussen poll done this week reported that ONLY 37% of the population supports this messy, bloated Spend-U-Lose package. The more we the people see about this bill, the more it stinks to high heaven. Even the Democrats know that this thing stinks, because they have resorted to the used car salesman hard sell rhetoric..."This will only last for the next 2 hours, or if you don't buy this cream puff (read lemon) now, it probably won't be here tomorrow.." and if we fall for it, we do not have a buyer's remorse clause in the contract. The Dems have even have put out a call for poor Ted Kennedy, who was last seen having a seizure on Inauguration Day, to come back to cast a vote for this piece of crap.

So last night with the prediction of a Compromise bill coming down the pike and a Senate forced to "work" through the evening, I curled up to watch an episode of "Your Dollars At Work" brought to you by Harry Reid and the cast of 100! Just moments after I tuned in, the announcement was made by Sir Harry, with ruffles and flourishes, that a wonderful compromise had been crafted by a bipartisan group of sincere and gracious Senators with only the most lofty intentions in mind. This group of Heroes with supernatural powers had risen above the flotsam and jetsam of the legislative pollution to bring you this compromise bill that is $7 BILLION DOLLARS BIGGER THAN THE ORIGINAL HOUSE VERSION!!!! These wonderful ladies and gentlemen were:

• Susan Collins (R) Maine
  
• Arlen Specter (R) Pennsylvania
• Ben Nelson (D) Nebraska
• Joe Lieberman (I) Connecticut
  

Olympia Snowe (R) Maine is also expected to go along with the Compromise bill.

While the details of this bill were not there for discussion last evening, each of the crafters got some time to talk about their part in and support of this bill, and it didn't sound very different from the stinky bill that we already have come to know and hate. Details may be forthcoming over the weekend because the Senators will have to work today (WAHHHHH, WAHHH, WAHHH) and "debate" this some more.

Rebuttals against the compromise were given by selected loyal opposition with the lead off coming from Mitch McConnell (R) Kentucky as the Minority Leader. John McCain (R) Arizona gave an empassioned speech that, had he given in October and also stood against the first TARP bill, might have given him the election. John Thune (R) South Dakota gave a thoughtful and reasoned speech that fleshed out some of the points that McCain made. The most striking of the points made by these speakers is that this was NOT a Bipartisan effort when only 2 (maybe 3) turncoat Republicans will support the compromise.

Then the Senate went back to work and added a bunch of amendments to the original Spend-U-Lose package and voted against some very good amendments that would remove parts of the bill and relegate them to appropriations procedures in the future. The most laughable of these was an amendment sponsored by Senator David Vitter (R) Louisiana which would remove the $40 Billion in this package that would go to ACORN. Senator Vitter cited the role of ACORN in the sub-prime mortgage debacle that started this ball rolling and the role of ACORN in election fraud through the years. Senator Richard Durbin (D) Illinois rose and delivered the most pompous, arrogant and transparent response. He turned toward Senator Vitter and ceremoniously railed against this amendment calling on the old chestnut of Hurricane Katrina and making it seem that ACORN had single handedly saved New Orleans. How anyone can stand there and say such stupid things is WAY beyond my ability to comprehend. Then the amendment was voted down, so ACORN is still alive and well in the SPEND-U-LOSE bill.

While all of this was being played out in Washington, Joe Biden, the gaffe machine, was at a Democrat retreat where he told the attendees that there is a 30% chance that this Spend-U-Lose package WILL NOT WORK. He also warned that if it doesn't work, those who support it will be nailed as responsible in the next round of national elections. So, if this is a huge gamble for the political futures of the Democrats and squishy Republicans (not to mention WE THE PEOPLE), what's the rush? Why not step back and work this out in a way that will be best for those who provide ONGOING jobs as opposed to one time jobs that, when done, disappear? Why not strip ALL of the fat from this bill and look at the presentation of SIGNIFICANT tax cuts for small business and ordinary people who are the ones that create jobs and are being hurt by the current economic climate. Why not think about something very novel that will put money into the hands of working men and women instead of the arts, ACORN and STD testing? This is a high stakes game that is being played with unprecedented amounts of OUR money and to hear this should make EVERYONE say WHOA!!! Is this the "gird your loins" challenge that he warned of???????

So back to the task at hand. A grassroots plan has been proposed that would infuse tons of money into the hands of taxpayers right away. You want responsible, targeted, timely and transparent, this grassroots plan is exactly that. EVERY resonsible moderate Democrat and EVERY Republican should stand against the current and compromise crappy plans that are lumbering through the legislature. It is time for the F-bomb...stop this Spend-U-Lose bill with a filibuster. Voters are watching their every move and will not forget who put us in this uncomfortable position. There is still time to bombard the Senate phone lines, emails and Fax lines to let them know that Biden was right...We WILL hold them ALL responsible for CONTINUED irresponsible spending and use of our tax dollars at the voting booth in 2010 and beyond. And when they get this wrong, Biden and Obama will be at the top of the S***list as the leaders of the pack.

Debate on the Compromise will start at noon EST and you can watch it live on C-Span or stream it live on http://www.c-span.com. Then, when your head is about to explode and blood is shooting out of your eyes (should take less than 30 minutes), pick up your phone, Fax, email or pitchfork and storm the Senate with your outrage and indignation!! If you behaved as irresponsibly at YOUR job, you would get fired. Well, ladies and gentlemen, in case you forgot, WE ARE THEIR BOSS!!

If I have to spoon feed you, Senate Contact information can be found here:
http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm

Makin' a List and Checkin' it Twice

Conservatives are not letting it go unnoticed when Republicans cave in to Obama and his merry band of thugs.

Yesterday Tim Geithner, the tax evading Treasury secretary, was passed by the Senate by a vote of 60-34. In the 60 votes approving him were 10 Republicans. These Senators should be put on notice that this is an unacceptable vote.

Is your Senator on this list??? If so, call them and let them know in no uncertain terms that their vote was an unacceptable capitulation. Common folks like you and I will NEVER be rewarded for tax evasion.
1. Corker (R-TN)
2. Cornyn (R-TX)
3. Crapo (R-ID)
4. Ensign (R-NV)
5. Graham (R-SC)
6. Gregg (R-NH)
7. Hatch (R-UT)
8. Shelby (R-AL)
9. Snowe (R-ME)
10. Voinovich (R-OH)

Then keep the heat on them as another scoundrel in the person of Eric Holder (pardon the terrorists) will be coming up for vote for Attorney General in the next few days.

Mom's eMail Strikes Again

As those of you who follow my blog already know, my 87 year old mother is a never ending source of interesting emails, some of which I have shared with you. Today, she struck again with the following open letter to America's entitlement population from a common worker.

Joe, the average worker says

Like a lot of folks in this state, I have a job. I work, they pay me. I pay my taxes and the government distributes my taxes as it sees fit. In order to get that paycheck, I am required to pass a random urine test with which I have no problem. What I do have a problem with is the distribution of my taxes to people who don't have to pass a urine test.

Shouldn't one have to pass a urine test to get a welfare check because I have to pass one to earn it for them? Please understand, I have no problem with helping people get back on their feet. I do, on the other hand, have a problem with helping someone sitting on their lazy butts, doing drugs, while I work. . . .

Can you imagine how much money the state would save if people had to pass a urine test to get a public assistance check? Something has to change in this country -- and soon!!!!!

Guess we could title that program - Urine or you're out

The Republican Lesson from Horton the Elephant

Dr. Seuss created Horton the Elephant, one of his memorable cast of zany characters that populated his children's books. In 1940, he wrote "Horton Hatches the Egg." In his story, Horton agrees to sit on the nest of a bird who leaves for what turns out to be a loooong time. Horton has various misadventures while he steadfastly keeps his word and stays on the nest. From that story, comes a famous (to those of us who were children of the 50's and 60's) quote,

"I meant what I said, and I said what I meant, an elephant's faithful 100 percent."

The Republican party should take a page from Horton's playbook in its rebuilding process. We need to CLEARLY state what our values and principles are (something we have failed to do). We need to, then, STAND UP for these values and principles WITHOUT COMPROMISE (something that we have also failed to do in a spirit of politically correctness). We need conservative leaders who will, like Horton, say what they mean and mean what they say and never waver from their position.

The New "New Deal"

With only days remaining until BHO, becomes the Supreme Leader of the "Free" world, he has unveiled his own version of a stimulus package designed to spend our way out of trouble. In a major economic speech at George Mason University on Thursday, he made it clear government is the only white knight out there to save the day.

But at this particular moment, only government can provide the short-term boost necessary to lift us from a recession this deep and severe. Only government can break the cycle that is crippling our economy...

The more than $775 Billion package will be loaded with options including tax cuts to appease the Republicans, green jobs that would have 75% of federal buildings and 2 million American homes (where will John Q public get the money to bring his home into compliance????) magically retrofitted or rebuilt to be environmentally friendly (remember ETHANOL?) , and "shovel ready" infrastructure projects that have mayors and governors getting in line with their hands out for money for museums, water parks and sporting venues (PORK).

This stimulus package will likely only be the FIRST of the Democratic Bailouts, and the cost that has been touted publicly is at the lower end of the estimate to allow it to G--R--O--W as it passes through the legislative process (or leave room for future salvos "if at first you don't suceed...."). This is drawing flack from Obama's own party. Tom Harken has voiced the need for more spending and less tax cuts. Harry Reid has said that he "doesn't work for Barack Obama" (RIIIIIGHT!) Outcries have also been heard from the likes of Barney Frank (king of the subprime mortgages), Carl Levin (socialist) and John Kerry (self-aggrandizing snob who has to weigh in on everything lest he lapse into deserved obscurity). Don't be fooled, however, this flack is needed to give the public perception of disharmony so that when a package is finally formulated, it will be looked at as a truly bipartisan package in a true Kumbaya moment with all credit to the Messiah.

The more important flack issue, to me, is the lack of flack from the Republican legislators. The likes of Leader Boehner ("I am excited to see the tax cuts" OMG you are falling for it from the outset!), Mitch McConnell and Tom Coburn (Obama has been "straight up" with them). I recall a Department Chairman that I once worked under who was notorious for having consensus building meetings with his faculty, allowing everyone to vent their feelings. He listened intently and then did whatever he wanted to do in the first place. When called to account for what he did, he always said, "You can't say that I didn't ask you." I fear that this is how Obama will govern....Beware the smooth wordsmithing and cool demeanor.

From February 2008 until February 2009 when Obama hopes to have crafted his own Bailout package we have been throwing money at the economy with reckless abandon and blame that falls on both sides of the aisle. Since February, 2008 we have spent $168B on the Bush stimulus package, $200B on the Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae bailout, $122.8 B for AIG (poor babies), $700B for the TARP mortgage and banking bailout (with $17.4B carved out for the auto industry and by extension the autoworkers union) and not to be undone, the biggest effort to date......>$775B in the yet to be drafted Obama plan for a GRAND TOTAL of >$1.9TRILLION (sorry there are too many zeroes to reckon with!) that will have been spent on bailing out varied and sundry things. With more pigs lining up at the trough in hope of catching some of the money to be thrown around.

Nancy Pelosi has proposed a deadline of President's day in February for getting this package crafted, drafted and sent to the new President for signature and enactment. She has also boldly stated that if there is no package by this time there will be NO RECESS!! I guess she has no Spring book tour this year....or did she learn her lesson from the #dontgo whipping she took in August 2008?????

Today on Meet the Depressed, David Gregory had a relatively one-sided round table discussion on the bailout. There were some very telling comments coming from former House Majority Whip Rep. David Bonoir who is a member of the Obama economic transition team. When asked about how to deal with the Bush tax cuts, he totally avoided that question. He did, however, say that we

"have to get hold of this inequality in wages and economy." He went on to say that in the past 20 years the top 10% of the wage earners took 90% of the income gains and this is "skewed the wrong way."

When asked where we need to end up, Bonoir indicated that we

"need to give people the opportunity to bargain collectively at the table. At 7% unionization in this country, you are not going to get the dispersion you need." He added, "We were successful in this country after the Second World War. The most profitable time for this country were the three decades after World War II because unionization was at 35%......The Employee Freedom of Choice Act ( think Card Check) is an important part of legislation supported by President-Elect Obama and Biden, Congress and 60% of the American people...This will help to share in the benefits and bounties of the country."

Later in the show, Bonoir predicted that the Stimulus package will pass and it would probably pass even without Republican support.

Come on Republicans, grow a pair and stand up for what WE believe in. Get vocal and EXPLAIN why the government can't fix this.

I close with a quote that many of you will agree with, but the source may be surprising.

We live in a time of transition, an uneasy era which is likely to endure.....During the period we may be tempted to abandon some of the time-honored principles and commitments which have been proven during the difficult times of past generations. We must never yield to this temptation. Our American values are not luxuries, but necessities - not the salt in our bread, but the bread itself.

Jimmy Carter, in his farewell address.

The Conservative Way to Spread the Wealth Around

The media is full of stories about increasing unemployment statistics, the failing stock market, range wars over financial bailouts for banks, industries, states and cities and all manner of terrifying news for the common man. It is no wonder that people are holding onto their wallets and being very conservative at this time of gift-giving. I talked to some friends earlier today who had been doing Christmas shopping at the several of the local malls. They commented that the malls were not very busy given the time of the year. If we don't spend, businesses aren't profitable and they can't afford to keep employees or expand services, so more people are placed under financial hardship and now there are more people who cannot spend and a vicious cycle is created. There are more people this year who might be looking at a less than happy Christmas season than in previous years.

So what might we do this year to mitigate the hard times that are upon us?

Support the little mom and pop enterprises in your community..whether it is the hardware store or the local eatery, keep it local if you can.

If you have a bit of extra money, may I suggest that you use it for a charitable cause that will aid those in need. Making this a family project will teach children that it is more blessed to give than to receive and help us to focus on the true meaning of Christmas. Some suggestions that are easy to do are:

Give to the US Marines Toys for Tots drive.
Adopt a family or an individual through your local church or hospital and use your resources to give someone else a memorable Christmas. The whole family can get into the spirit by shopping for the adopted family together and planning on the best gifts to give.
Contribute to an orphanage or child welfare group so that children without family ties are not forgotten at this time of year.
Support the Salvation Army by putting any money, even your spare change in the bell ringer's kettles. Even the widow's mite can be put to use. Challenge your children to save money that can be contributed to help others.
Rather than giving gifts that will be returned on December 26 or never used, donate to a charity in the name of the recipient rather than giving a gift. Many charities are seeing their donations fall alarmingly this year and are in great need in order to continue to provide their services.

If you are strapped for finances you can still give the gift of time by volunteering or giving of yourself.
You can clean a house for someone who is physically unable to do some housekeeping tasks.
You can help at a food pantry, soup kitchen or homeless shelter.
You can help to wrap presents to be distributed by any number of agencies.
You can read to someone who is visually impaired.
You can volunteer to help elementary school children in literacy programs.
You can drive an invalid to treatments, doctor appointments or therapy.
You can make meals for an elderly neighbor who cannot get out easily.
You can take a shut-in to the grocery store.
You can offer to baby sit for someone who needs to look for a job.
You can invite someone who will be alone for the holidays to join your Christmas celebration.

Getting away from the mercenary message and back to the true meaning of Christmas is something that we need and these trying times can be the impetus to return to a simpler, purer Christmas. My husband and I have chosen not to exchange gifts this year and instead have participated in several activities with the money that we would have spent on each other. In so doing, we have been blessed. We have chosen our projects together. We have set aside Saturdays to shop together for our adopted families, and other projects. We have spent entire weekends together working on the projects we have chosen and have truly enjoyed each other's company. We have more Christmas spirit than we have had in several years.

Come join us and spread the wealth around!!

Thank you Sarah Palin!

There is no doubt that Sarah Palin has left her mark on the 2008 Presidential election. Now that she is back in Alaska, she is still the target of the MSM in an attempt to neutralize her. The measure of her mark, however can be found at Team Sarah where members are still joining and the membership is just shy of 60,000 members today!

The grassroots effort to unify the conservative voice to be fully prepared for the 2010 election is gaining momentum through a variety of alternative media sites such as Smart Girl Politics, Team Sarah, #dontgo movement, Grizzly Groundswell and the conservative voices on Blogtalk Radio to name just a few.

As we have just finished celebrating a national day of Thanksgiving, it is worthy to reflect on the things that we have to be thankful and for the things that have made this nation great. Sarah Palin is representative of these ideas and ideals and for this we should ask why she represents such a threat to the left in this country? This should explain it:

Restructuring the Conservative Movement

No sooner than the President-elect was announced than pundits everywhere were talking about the tatters of the Republican party and the need for some serious regrouping in order for the party to survive. Over the past week, I have also heard a growing number of voices that have been lobbying for the idea of a real third party. I have even read a thought or two about a secessionist movement. It is obvious that many people are thinking about what to do and brainstorming about all sorts of possibilities, some realistic and some....not so much.

Yesterday's Saturday political talk shows were filled with mention of a resurgence of the young fresh conservative faces such as Bobby Jindal, Sarah Palin, Tim Pawlenty, Eric Cantor and Mike Pence to name just a few. Today, Eric Cantor and Mike Pence graced Fox News Sunday with Chris Wallace and were quite impressive in laying out some preliminary guidelines for needed action.

Even as the election returns were still coming in, some pundits were making a case for the Republican party to move toward the squishy center and this has been promoted by any number of people in the past few post-election days. This is, however, not the way to make the Republican party or the conservative movement viable. To reimagine the Republican party into a conservative democratic party is not tenable. This is part of the reason why John McCain lost. Before he added Sarah Palin to the ticket his support was luke warm, but after adding her to the ticket, there was a rush of support that went in the direction of McCain. In fact, it is likely that many Republicans cast a vote for Sarah Palin rather than a vote for John McCain. If he had added someone else to the ticket, I feel that his loss would have been even more dramatic. As my husband proclaimed this summer as he winced at the thought of voting for John McCain, "If I wanted to vote for a Democrat, I would have voted for the Democrat." It is time, now, to rid the party of all of the old RINO's that pollute the Republican party and this includes some of the old and venerable names in Republicandom--Lindsey Graham, Richard Lugar, Chuck Hagel to name just a few....in fact some of these individuals may find themselves in positions in the Obama presidency. These men and women are not truly conservative and have shown it time and time again by pandering to the other side of the aisle and giving up ground to them in the name of bipartisanship. We saw it in the wake of judicial nominees in the Gang of 14 and even this summer during the rogue Republican congress when the old RINO's got on the bandwagon at the the last minute and formed a moderate coalition to work with the vacationing Democrats. It is time to sweep out the old and replace them with new fresh faces who embody true conservative principles.

Getting young conservatives out in the front lines will energize the Republican base. These are the internet and social media savvy conservatives that we need. During the Rogue Republican congress this August, the #dontgo movement was mounted by the social media and Twitter became the home for communication from the darkened House floor to the people around the country. During the entire August recess, John Boehner, Eric Cantor, Mike Pence and a number of other Republicans held forth in the darkened House chambers to make their case for drilling offshore and throughout the country where oil reserves were thought to exist as a bridge solution for $4-$5 per gallon gasoline and diesel fuel, exorbitantly expensive aviation fuel and heating oil. While Nancy Pelosi was on her book tour, and her fellow Democrats were on vacation, the Rogue Republicans stayed behind to make the case that something had to be done to gain energy independence from foreign oil. Daily briefings were made public via Twitter, conservative bloggers, cell phone cameras and internet audio and video media who staunchly stayed on top of the situation and spread the word even though the TV cameras, air conditioning and MSM coverage were turned off during this time.

The #dontgo movement caught on and was picked up by some of the conservative radio talkers and a groundswell of ordinary citizens began flooding the offices of the vacationing Democrats and some of the moderate Republicans who had gone home with phone calls, letters and email ordering them to return and get something done about the high cost of fuel. The same sort of conservative groundswell resulted with the response to legislation for amnesty for illegal immigrants and it was squelched in favor of better and tighter enforcement of laws already on the books and tightening of our borders. Conservative groundswell also had a role in the recall of Harriet Miers' nomination for Supreme Court Justice by the Bush Administration. We know that our voices, when mounted together can be heard.

Team Sarah which was a coalition of women from all walks of life who supported Sarah Palin entered the election with about 44,000 committed members and since then as added another 10,000 members since the defeat of the McCain ticket. The One Million woman townhall internet teleconference that was held by Team Sarah on November 1 was awesome. Next week, the #dontgo movement will be reborn into a new conservative rebuilding effort with emphasis on sweeping out the stale Republican leadership and tying all of the loose ends together into a conservative answer to moveon.org.

Conservatives need to be cohesive and organized. We need to be disciplined and principled. We need to tie all of the splinter groups together and make use of the social media. We need to appeal to young people in a stronger way. We need to be sure that we stay aligned with the ideas that we should have espoused all along--smaller government, personal responsibility, lower taxes, fiscal responsibility, etc. While the black vote went overwhelmingly for Obama, we know from YouTube and the blogosphere that there were some very outspoken black Republican voters. We need to reach out to those conservative Latino and black voters where we have common ground and be sure that they realize that our tent is big enough for conservatives of any bent.

I am looking forward to seeing the new Republican party rising out of the ashes of the 2008 election defeat as a stronger, more vibrant, more cohesive and more vocal party that can stand up successfully in the 2010 mid-term election and stave off further Congressional losses and put themselves into a strong position for the 2012 Presidential election! If we all band together and work for the next two years to educate and energize potential voters, this could happen.

My Daughter Made Me Proud

My daughter works in marketing and like many young adults, she has been a relatively detached voter in the two prior Bush elections. She digests things quietly and many times during her formative years, my husband and I seriously wondered what actually got through to her. As a young adult she is conservative both socially and fiscally. As a young professional woman she is successful. Yet she has always held that a single vote is meaningless and has not had much use for politics overall. My husband and I have tried to dispel this idea, but she never seemed to buy into it. So I was a bit surprised when she admitted that she and her boyfriend had been engaged in such a spirited political discussion that they missed the exit on the interstate when they were traveling to join us for lunch on Sunday. (This in spite of the fact that they both voted for McCain/Palin!) Then yesterday, she called me in the afternoon to tell me, sarcastically, that I could sleep well knowing that she had just finished voting for McCain/Palin! She also made some snide comment about how silly I was to place so much emphasis on voting.

And yet, yesterday evening, she called while she was on the way home from a meeting to see if there was any news about the election yet!

This morning, I received an email from her with the following message: Are you sad.....?

My response was that while I was a bit sad, the election provided true conservatives with some very important challenges for the future.

I seriously thought that would be the end of the discussion, as it usually is. But I received a response email with one of the most astounding and cogent responses from her:

What was done right = MARKETING.

What was done wrong = MARKETING.

I believe that this election was won by the best marketer.

I do have to say that I'm more interested in politics now because of this election. People seem to be so energized by him that I'd really like to watch and track the actual change that takes place vs. what he said he would do (even though he didn't say much other than "change").

So thanks to this election my conservative daughter is now energized with respect to politics. She gets it now, and knows that her profession played a profound role in this election. She also recognizes that words alone don't produce change. If she ever decides to switch jobs, I think that she could find a place in the conservative political arena.

The Morning After

Last night I watched Jesse Jackson with tears streaming down his face (were they happy, was he thinking of his castration comments, or was he thinking that he was now a victim, too) ate comfort food, and ruminated on the fate of the world. The I went to bed, prayed for our nation and without the aid of anything at all, I slept a peaceful and sound sleep. Today, the sun is bright, the leaves are beautiful and the world is still there. Nothing CHANGED overnight except that there is one less bull and one more national holiday in Kenya and President-Elect Obama has already put in his bid for his second term during his acceptance speech.

The road ahead will be long. Our climb will be steep. We may not get there in one year or even in one term.

Being pragmatic, realistic and having the benefit of years of past experience, I know that our country will survive and that there are 55 million voters who did not vote for the winner in this election. I lived through the awful presidency of Jimmy Carter and know about gas lines and extremely high taxes and interest rates that were just short of usery. Abuse us for 4 years and we will unseat you just like we did President Carter. President-elect Obama, you have just placed yourself in the same position. We will be watching everything that you do and holding you accountable for the things that you screw up. I can put on a sweater and keep my tires inflated. I can use those dim lightbulbs that require a hazmat team to clean up if you break one. I can retreat into a position of economic inactivity if I need to and stop my personal spending... God knows that I really don't NEED any more stuff. I can outlast you and there are a lot of people that are of like mind, not to mention a lot of people that will be very disappointed if you can't deliver the CHANGE that they thought they would be getting.




As President-elect Obama so eloquently stated in this acceptance speech last night, the CHANGE might not really happen.

There will be setbacks and false starts. There are many who won't agree with every decision or policy I make as president. And we know the government can't solve every problem.

This victory alone is not the change we seek. It is only the chance for us to make that change. And that cannot happen if we go back to the way things were. It can't happen without you, without a new spirit of service, a new spirit of sacrifice. So let us summon a new spirit of patriotism, of responsibility, where each of us resolves to pitch in and work harder and look after not only ourselves but each other.

Sorry Peggy, guess you'll have to keep writing those checks and filling your tank yourself.

All of those 55 million voices that did not vote for the winner in this election need to sit down and look at the reasons that this election ended as it did.
1. We need to do some serious soul-searching.
2. We also need to welcome and forgive any disillusioned conservatives who strayed from the fold yesterday.
3. We need to learn from what did happen right and where we fell away from our guiding principles and went wrong.
4. We need to look at the strong conservatives who did triumph in the face of adversity last night, such as Mitch McConnell and Michelle Bachman and take a page from their playbook.
5. We need to remember that Sarah Palin (if she would ever have us again) and Bobby Jindal and other fresh faces are still there on the horizon as they garner more experience and build their conservative resumes.
6. We also need to look at the Senate and Congressional seats that are at risk in 2010 and either start to rally around strong conservatives so that they keep their seats or else look for strong conservative faces to unseat moderates in the primaries and take back what we believe in.
7. We need to fight battles on principled arguments without name calling or vilification.

As Vice President-elect Joe Biden has urged all of us, we will need to gird our loins and get ready for the struggle. In the bright light of a new day, the challenges are clearer and our determination should be even greater.

Another Message from Zo, A Black Conservative

I have become addicted to the YouTube videos put out by Macho Sauce Productions. The black conservative voice is out there and Zo is a kind of Everyman. Here is the latest and probably last video before the election, aptly entitled "1 More B4 11 04."




Thank you for telling it like it is with candor and humor.

She Shoots....She Scores!!!

I am sure that Sarah Palin never got to read my "Open Letter to Sarah Palin" posted earlier this week, but in spite of this, she did many of the things that I thought she should do in the debate last night. As a result she stopped the bleeding wounds from her traumatic interviews with Charlie Gibson and Katie Couric. Going into the debate last night, frankly the bar was low for her and many of us were hoping that she would not implode before our eyes.

Thankfully last night "Sarah Plain and Tall" that we have come to love was present and she successfully polished up her image and in true Hockey Mom fashion, scored a hat trick.

1. Sarah talked knowledgeably and masterfully about energy and energy independence.

2. She gave a good exposition of her experience as a Governor as a microcosm of the national government.

3. She defended McCain's withdrawal in Iraq position well and contrasted it with the Obama strategy that would have been tantamount to "waving the white flag of surrender."

4. She was reassuring that there is an Iraq withdrawal strategy in a McCain presidency.

5. She talked past the MSM and directly to the people in the heartland of America who desperately needed to hear from her.

6. She was brutally honest that she is a "Washington Outsider" who has not made promises that she cannot keep.

7. She made it clear that as Vice President she would use her personal strengths in the areas of energy and disabilities to better the country.

8. She made good defenses of McCain's positions on tax cuts and business stimulation.

9. She portrayed a woman who could compete on a national dias with poise and confidence.

I can just see Sarah Palin, Angela Merkel and Tzipi Livni fixing the world over lunch at the kitchen table!

An Open Letter to Sarah Palin

Dear Sarah,
In the past two days, I have heard several pundits raise the mantra "Free Sarah Palin". I am certain that you are prepping for the Vice Presidential debate on Thursday and your constituents are looking forward to it. But I would like to offer you some debate prep straight from the fly over states.

First, and foremost, stop everything and watch the classic movie Mr. Smith Goes to Washington. No....watch it a couple of times. This is your story on so many levels. Individual from small town America goes to Washington to represent the common folk. Big and corrupt government tries its best to sabotage his mission with massive red tape and underhanded smears to destroy his credibility. His mainstream supporters and a couple of insiders who become sympathetic to his cause provide him what he needs to triumph in the face of extreme adversity. You have a broad base of conservative supporters who will rally behind you. We share your views. We know that you are more like us than you are like THEM. When you debate on Thursday, speak from your heart. That is what we want to hear. You are a diamond in the rough, untainted by the Washington machine and that is what you need to be.

Break free of the micromanagers for the campaign. Spread your wings and show us more of what we saw in your acceptance speech at the convention. You are a bright and talented woman who has succeeded in state politics and knows what it takes to get things done at the state government level. A state is a microcosm of the nation. Bring that common sense to Washington where they need a huge dose of it.

Since you and Senator McCain are running on a maverick reformer platform, tell us what should be changed in Washington. It doesn't even matter to me if what you think should be done is not in lock step with your running mate. If questioned, tell them that you and Senator McCain are your own individuals, he is at the top of the ticket, but that no two people are ever in total agreement on all issues...Period. If you are faced with a Gotcha question--and I am sure that there will be many--ask for clarification and if you don't know, tell them that...Your base will understand. Then follow with something that lets the audience know that you will be giving your all to learning everything that there is to know about the subject so that you will be able to represent them well--and remember, you are not running for President---yet. You are great in one on one situations and small groups---well Thursday you are going one on one with the little people of America. Forget the audience, forget the media, forget all of the trappings and the hype and just SPILL YOUR GUTS. The moderator is just another guy with a question. Biden is just another guy with a different point of view. Deal with them just like you would in the mayoral chambers or the governor's office.

While the Obama campaign is showing Senator Biden as a scrappy Scranton small town guy, I can guarantee that he has long since stopped shopping at Sam's or Costco. Let us see that you are still like us and know what happens at the check out line. Let us see that you know what life is like in Small Town America where people get up, go to work and come home to wrestle with the real issues of the day. Where honorable young men and women volunteer to serve in the military to keep us safe, where people are trying to stretch a dollar and pinch pennies hard, where parents home school their children because they want to provide them with a quality education that mirrors their values, where junior athletics still requires that one team WIN, where good people wrestle with the job of parenting and sometimes fall short and where people run small businesses that move the economy.

Lastly, get the campaign to let you do interviews on conservative media. They have huge audiences and are a powerful voice in your corner. There is no real need to lay yourself at the altar of MSNBC and the MSM where your words will be twisted and the entire interview will be hostile. You don't deserve the treatment that they have afforded you. You need not apologize for your personal feelings and morals. We understand! So throw us some red meat and get out there where we can hear from you in friendly turf so that you can flesh out your own positions and ideas.

You are the embodiment of what conservative voters have been longing for, so take off the gloves and show us the real contrast that you and Senator McCain bring to this election. Be a sweet shark and don't give an inch to anyone. WILL THE REAL SARAH PALIN PLEASE STAND UP!!

Sincerely,
One of your supporters in the Heartland