Happy Christmas To All

'Twas the night before Christmas and all through D.C.,
not a pundit was stirring (at least not on TV).

All deadlines were met as the office did clear,
their latest opinions flung hither and near.

The editors all trudged to their favorite pubsite,
where eggnog and whiskey were poured through the night.

With Michelle in her Snuggie and Bam in his briefs,
they both hunkered down for a night without chiefs.

When up on the laptop arose such a clatter,
Sarah Palin had tweeted a new subject matter!

Away to the laptop Bam flew in a dash,
her new post would surely appear a flash!

As the screensaver crawled with The President's Seal,
Bam swiped the touchpad to see what he'd reveal.

When what to his horrified eyes should appear,
but a new Facebook post Sarah's fans would hold dear.

"Praise be to God on this wonderful day,
when He gave us His son to help light our way.

Though tucked in a manger with swaddling clothes
He'd grow to inspire with all that He knows.

As all Christians among us, The Founders would dwell,
on the strength and the wisdom His message did tell.

The message is clear to all who will hear it
our country is strong when we live in His spirit."

Aghast and bewildered, Bam fell back to bed
with visions of Sarah still spinning his head.

"What could this all mean?" Bam muttered in shock,
"I've given them hope but my re-election's no lock!"

"What message could ever be stronger than mine?
What hope can be offered for a free-market decline?"

To all that can listen, the message is clear,
we don't want Marxism, it's God we want near.

His message enlightens us all in our dreams,
The Founders knew more than political schemes.

They prayed to the heavens and asked for insight
to help stop a future destruction or plight.

It's all there for anyone willing to see,
founding docs and their history is all that need be.

They're anchored in praise to the God we all trust,
they're honest and simple and follow we must.

Forget the last Congress and for all that it stood,
we must say again, no Marxists for good!

For all of life's choices that bring good or ill,
it's the freedom of choice that gives liberty still.

I'd much rather choose between what's right or not,
than let D.C. do it for the pain that is wrought.

My holiday wish is to end all the mystery
that Bam and his cronies would do to our history.

We've struggled before and we've managed to mend,
we'll make sure that liberty does not ever end.

So be strong in convictions that guide us tonight
and every day hence as we further the fight.

I leave you to ponder the truth of His might,
Happy Christmas to all and to all a good night.

It's time to stop START

We should be negotiating from the position of strength, not from a position of appeasement or political correctness. Our enemies are preying on the weak leadership we have in Washington.

It's time to stop START.

Sarah, Go!

We have come such a long way since Governor Palin was named the VP candidate for John McCain. There were many videos after the election that championed a Presidential bid for Sarah. This is one of them. It is far more relevant today the when it originally hit the Internet, which was a few day before I got a hold of it.



There are many more. Just look for them. They are more inspiring today than ever.

Go Bristol, Go!

I am thrilled that the "vast, right-wing conspiracy" is capable of rigging a television show. Hillary Clinton should be proud!

Arthur Laffer agrees with Sarah Palin

Sarah Palin provided some excellent advice to the incoming members of the House of Representative. You can read about it here. As support for her position, Arthur Laffer wrote an excellent piece in the WSJ. Excerpts follow:

The problem is that the government has driven a massive wedge between the wages paid by firms and the wages received by workers. To make work and employment attractive again, this government wedge has to shrink. This can happen over the next two years, even with a Democratic majority in the Senate and President Obama in the White House, through the following measures:

1) The full extension of the Bush tax cuts. The Republican-controlled House of Representatives can write legislation extending all the tax cuts in perpetuity. Of particular importance for employment is keeping the highest personal income tax rate at 35%, the capital gains tax rate at 15% and the dividend tax rate at 15%, while eliminating the estate tax permanently. If the Senate blocks this legislation or Mr. Obama refuses to sign it, House Republicans should hold firm and let voters decide in 2012. (My guess is that he'll sign it or have his veto overridden.)

2) The full repeal of ObamaCare, which allows individuals to pay only five cents for each dollar of health care. Who do you think pays the other 95 cents? As former Sen. Phil Gramm notes, if he had to pay only five cents for each dollar of groceries he bought, he would eat really well—and so would his dog. No single bill is more antithetical to growth than ObamaCare.

Repeal could take the form of Michele Bachmann's Legislative Repeal Act, and if it is blocked in the Senate or by a veto Republicans should continue bringing it up every six months. Come 2012 the public will have a clear view of what congressional candidates stand for. The end game for U.S. prosperity is the election in 2012.

3) The cancellation of all spending that punishes those who produce and rewards those who don't. This is really the distinction between demand-side economics and supply-side economics. Stimulus spending and quantitative easing don't make it more rewarding to work an extra hour. If the government pays people not to work and taxes people who do work, is it really so difficult to see why employment is so low?

So the government should sell its stakes in public companies acquired via TARP, sell government-run enterprises that lose money (e.g., Amtrak and the Postal Service), end farm subsidies that pay people not to farm, cancel the rest of the stimulus and return all spending programs to their pre-stimulus levels. Congress should also continually examine spending in Afghanistan and Iraq. And it should return the duration of unemployment benefits to the standard 26 weeks, from the current 99 weeks.

4) The enactment of stalled free trade agreements with South Korea, Colombia and Panama.

These changes would spur recovery, but they are just the start. Elected officials should offer longer-term measures that voters can judge in 2012, when 33 senators—including 21 Democrats, two independents who caucus with the Democrats, and 10 Republicans—as well as the entire House and President Obama are up for re-election.

Sarah Palin is wise to follow Arthur Laffer's lead. He helped usher in the Reagan eighties and is even more relevant today.

Obama Battling Severe Depression?

I have no way to determine the veracity of this article, but it seems to go a long way toward offering some explanation toward Obama's recent behavior.

White House Insider: Obama Battling Severe Depression
Published by Ulsterman on September 27, 2010 in World Politics

So you state that President Obama is depressed? How did you come by this information? From a direct source still working within the White House on a daily basis. As I had stated previously, tensions at the White House have reached a critical stage. The infighting among staff is off the charts. More recently, the president has increasingly withdrawn emotionally from the day to day demands of his job – he has become what was described to me as “empty”.

Do you mean to say the president is not doing his job? Not exactly. He is there, he is getting briefed throughout the day, but President Obama appears to have emotionally shut down, not entirely mind you, but a great deal. It has worsened since I was last there. His natural detachment has become almost chronic to the point of being disconcerting to staff around him. It appears President Obama is suffering from severe depression.

And why do you think this is happening? Well for one, he was completely unprepared for the job of being President of the United States. The demands on one’s time, the emotional and physical toll, are considerable. Second, the failure of the administration to effectively communicate to the American people. You have to understand that Obama believed that his ability to orate would be enough – that is proving to have been a considerable mistake on Obama’s part, and he is not dealing particularly well with that reality.

Wayne Madsen is also following this line in his reporting. What makes me suspect the above interview is the part I highlighted in the last paragraph. I truly believe he was effective in his communication to the American people. They just didn't like what he was saying.

Marco Rubio's response to the 2010 elections

This man is so impressive, I had to share his speech.

My message to John Cornyn

I sent a message tonight, after listening to this.

Senator Cornyn,

I am one of your constituents. I am pleased that you are the head of the NRSC. I am, however, disappointed by your lack of support for Joe Miller in Alaska. Joe Miller won the Republican primary in Alaska. He was and is our candidate there. Why have you not marshaled the resources of the NRSC to support him in the aftermath of this election? Lisa Murkowski is not the Republican candidate!

As a Texan concerned about the direction of this country, I am dismayed. I do not see you supporting Republican candidates throughout the United States in their election bids. You wrongfully supported Charlie Crist in the Florida primary, which was not your place to do. You have not come to the support of Joe Miller in Alaska, while he battles a defeated candidate from the Republican primary.

If you do not support Joe Miller in his election efforts, I will not support you in any re-election effort in Texas. It's really that simple.

This was NOT a GOP victory

I'm really getting sick and tired reading about how the GOP "nationalized" the mid-terms. This is almost as bad as Barack Obama saying the Democrats got a "shellacking" in the mid-terms and then turning around to tell MoveOn.org that he would continue to fight for his agenda.

Neither position talks to the clear results of the elections: the American voter wants smaller government, less spending and a return to fiscal sanity. Oops, I just reiterated the position of the Tea Party. Silly me!

What Obama, the Democrats and the Republican elites don't get is that we are sick and tired of financing their lifestyles in Washington. I fully expect Obama and the Democrats to push back against any Republican effort to curtail or reverse Obama's agenda. I will not tolerate, however, any effort on the Republican caucus to do anything less than rebuke, reject and repeal.

If that doesn't happen and happen soon, then all bets are off. The 2012 elections will make 2010 look like a picnic. If the GOP thinks the Tea Party is going away, they are sadly mistaken. The Tea Parties are only getting started!

Morning in America

What say you Delaware?

We the People of the First State from Friends of Christine O'Donnell on Vimeo.

The Forgotten Man

That's Texas!

Hat Tip: Gary P. Jackson

The Fretted Fate of our Founding Fathers

"And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm Reliance on the Protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes, and our sacred Honor."

So ended The Declaration of Independence, signed by 56 patriots, all willing to die for the cause of freedom. These men were not mere soldiers heading off to battle. They were a cross-section of men that represented the larger population of freedom-loving Americans. They were people willing to put their lives and fortunes on the line for an ideal, with absolutely no guarantee of success.

Our history has celebrated their fortitude in the face of perceived insurmountable odds. They believed that God was on their side and that He would see them through to the end, whatever it may be. More than anything, they exhibited an absolute faith in their convictions, trusting that they would be much better off in death than to live a life of supplication to a distant tyranny.

They remained undeterred by the events of armed conflict and continued to act as if failure was not an option. They toiled mightily to construct a form of government that they all could support. Out of their efforts was born the Constitution of the United States of America. They knew that winning the battle was only one aspect of freedom. They had to be ready to replace the existing form of governance to have any chance of retaining their hard-fought freedom. They began by defining the values under which their form of government would operate:

"We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America."

Once designed, they augmented their form of government with certain amendments deemedt the Bill of Rights, voted on by their prescribed form of government. It is not by accident that the very first article of this Bill of Rights said the following:

"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press, or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances."

The Founders went on to specify nine other articles to further limit the scope of the government's powers for fear of what fate might befall their country if they did not so limit it. The cornerstone and insurance that protected everything they designed was the mandate for free and regular elections. To this end, they defined those elections, beginning with Article I, Section 2 of the Constitution of the United States of America:

"The House of Representatives shall be composed of Members chosen every second Year by the People of several States, and the Electors in each State shall have the Qualifications requisite for Electors of the most numerous Branch of the State Legislature."

Our Founders' fears for the fate of the government begins and dies with free elections. On November 2nd, we have the opportunity to put those fears aside and validate the Founders' intent. To that end, I remind you of what our forefathers pledged in their drive for independence:

"And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm Reliance on the Protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes, and our sacred Honor."

We begin again....

The Final Act.....is just the beginning!

Remember November: The Final Act from Republican Governors Association on Vimeo.

Quote of the weekend....

Per Michelle Malkin:

"Not one more red cent of public money should go to NPR, PBS and CPB. Let the speech-squelching progressives and jihadi-whitewashing apologists pay for their own propaganda. Free the taxpayers!"

 I couldn't agree more.

Steny Hoyer Must Go!

Charles Lollar is an absolute gem and should be entrusted with a Congressional seat that replaces a 29-year incumbent that has made our problems worse during his tenure in Congress.  But that's just my opinion.

Where's Muhammad?

Can anyone help me here, or are you afraid?

BTW, Juan Williams is playing cards with Jesus in the parking lot at Fox News.

Rush: A Teanami is coming!

Rush just coined a new word today.

We need a surge. We need a surge even above and beyond what we already think is going to happen. We need to make November 2nd Obama's Katrina. November 2nd needs to be a Teanami. And with stuff like this Soros business and everything that's going to happen, all these dirty tricks that are going to happen between now and Election Day, it's not going to suppress turnout. It is going to ratchet it up. Obama's Katrina: the Teanami on November 2nd.

I agree. I really don't think Obama's Democrats and the lamestream media have a clue as to what's about to happen on November 2nd.

Pssst! I like your shirt!

Do you remember when, after 9/11, everyone had flags pasted on their cars and flying from their antennas? I had this really nice magnetic flag on the back of my truck. Unfortunately, it disappeared a few years after 2001 after I went through a car wash. I didn't notice that it was missing for a few days and by then, well, it was long gone from the car wash.

When I attempted to replace it, I couldn't find anything like it ANYWHERE! It was like a passing fad that was oh, so not now. I was so ticked off! I finally decided to hit the car stores and finally found a nice American flag sticker that replaced the magnetic one. It took me going to about 3 different auto stores before I found what I wanted.

It got me thinking. What happened to all that unbridled patriotism that resonated all over the country in the weeks following 9/11? Was it just a fad?

Last year, I attended a Tea Party event in Denton, TX on April 15th. I purchased a T-shirt that reads "Nope", featuring a take-off from Obama's hope logo. It's been in my closet for the last year and a half, until today.

I decided to wear the T-shirt this morning while meeting some family members that were visiting for the weekend, just before they left for the airport. As I was sitting at the Hampton Inn for breakfast with my visiting family, a stranger walked up to me, tapped me on the shoulder and whispered "I like your shirt".

After explaining to my family (mother, sister and two nieces) what he said and why, I was struck by the fact that someone acknowledged the sentiments of my T-Shirt, albeit rather submissively. Why?

Why did the patriotism exhibited in the weeks after 9/11 suddenly wane? Why do people still whisper their agreement toward a T-Shirt's message? What is it about conservatism that people are so timid about, yet so committed to?

Now is not the time to be timid. Now is not the time to hide your patriotism. Now is the time to fly the Gadsden flag and break out all your patriotic paraphernalia. After all, November 2nd is right around the corner.

I think I just figured out what T-shirt to wear when I vote. I'm hoping that when I do so, I'll hear "Pssst! I like your shirt!"

Barney's favorite rubble-rouser

Dan Riehl's blog alerted me to this video of Barney Frank's BF heckling Sean Bielat after a debate. Absolutely hilarious!

The Stakes Are High!

Hat tip: Bryan Gilbert

We Must Never Forget Our Heroes

Trailer: Fire From The Heartland

Hope and Consequences

I was raised with the notion that "God helps those who help themselves". The message was simple: help yourself, don't wait for anyone (or anything) to do it for you. God will help you as you help yourself. Simple.

Secondly, I remember the phrase "hope springs eternal". It was a reminder that hope is easy, but it doesn't guarantee anything.

Between these two maxims (if I can call them that), there is a very simple lesson. You can hope for everything, but what you are willing to do to attain anything?

I work in business as a consultant. My success is based on my clients' success. Whether I talk a good game or not, it doesn't matter. What matters is whether or not my client succeeds. If they succeed, I succeed. Simple.

Why does the same standard not apply to a politician? Why do "sound bites" matter? Why does a politician's intentions mean anything? I care about results. That's what determines MY success. Politicians seem to care only about telling us what they intend to do. How bizarre is that?

I don't care if a politician is articulate, I care about what he (or she) is willing to do and then actually does. I care about the consequences of their intentions and the resultant actions.

In this election cycle, I'm not particularly impressed with ANY incumbent's actions. I'm hopeful that by having paid attention and then voting my conscience, I will cause consequences. I'm only following a few maxims to do so.

The Elitists' Conservative Opinion (aka, the Frum crowd)

There is something amazing going on within the "conservative" punditry of Washington. The thinking is that Republicans are making a comeback because of the over-reaching of Democrats, but that the conservative "Tea Party" candidates won't know how to govern once they're swept into office. The answer, of course, is for the elitist set of the Republican Party to ride in and offer solutions.

David Weigel, the former WAPO journalist that was ensnared by the "JournoList" scandal, offers an interesting insight:

"I think the way a lot of Republicans are campaigning now—as resolute foes of big government who are also going to save Medicare from the Democrats—suggests that they understand the point of Grand New Party pretty well," says Douthat. They're just taking our insight, that even many conservative voters like the welfare state, and running with it in a cynical rather than a constructive direction."

It's an ingenious argument: We're not wrong. We're just not yet right. After the election, says Frum, after the GOP has recovered in record time, either it's going to have to move away from its campaign rhetoric or it's going to be unable to govern. "What happens in January," Frum says, "when the GOP majority arrives and the Bush tax cuts expire, the U.S. economy has deflationary shock, we don't have a program for pulling the economy out of inflation, and we don't have permission from party supporters or permission from voters to compromise? You have people arriving in office with highly apocalyptic vision of a president but programs they don't know how to execute on their own. It's a formula for crisis."

My question is: crisis for whom?

Tea Party candidates elected to office are going there for one reason: shrink the size of government by eliminating waste, rolling back excessive regulation, and cutting taxes, thereby putting free-market capitalism front and center in our economic recovery. Will there be roadblocks? Absolutely! The power of the presidential veto will be at the forefront for the next two years.

And what happens then?

Well, there's another election coming up. In the 2012 election, the Tea Party will be assert itself in the Republican nomination process for President of the United States. I don't believe the elitists will be able to reconcile themselves with the results.

The elitists' conservative opinion will be one of horror and shock as they realize how irrelevant their opinions really were to the American electorate. Can you say "Madam President"?

Tear Jerker Alert....

In all the ways that we find stuff to do on the Internet, I found this and was mesmerized.



and this, because I want to remember this link:



last but not least, my very favorite song:

Only because.....

just because...

Knocking on doors

We're fast approaching the last 30 days before the mid-term elections. If you're reading this post, you might be asking yourself "What can I do?"

I live in a very conservative Congressional district. I have no doubt that our incumbent Republican Representative will win re-election. I have no doubt that our conservative, Republican Governor will win re-election. I am limited in who I can vote for, but I'm not limited in who I can influence to vote.

This election is all about turn-out. We have to make our voice heard. I don't know that I can influence a local election, but I CAN make sure that everyone else on my street knows the importance of this election. I can saunter down through the cul-de-sac and knock on doors. Not to influence their vote, necessarily, but to encourage them to vote.

I might make new friends and I might make my neighbors think about what is happening in our country. I might just make a difference in someone's opinion about whether or not to vote.

Starting on Sunday, I fly a new flag. I've been waiting for October to unfurl my new U.S. flag and the flag that will fly under it: the Gadsden flag. That is going to be my [everyday] contribution to the neighborhood. I have no doubt that the Gadsden flag will be a great conversation-starter as I walk the neighborhood and knock on doors.

What are your plans?

Cocktail Republicans

Let me ask you a question. Do you identify with the Tea Party, or is your inclination toward the "Cocktail" Party? I put it in quotes, because it seems to be in competition with the TEA Party, no quotes needed.

Sarah Palin addressed this last night with Greta Van Susteren.



What Sarah was searching for, and couldn't quite come up with, was the phrase "Cocktail Party".

To whit: The word Governor Palin needed on Greta tonight was "Cocktail Party"

This is a perfect analysis of what the Tea Party is railing against in the Republican Party. The elites of the "Cocktail Party" seem to think that we won't notice, but they are mistaken. It's already out there.

Big time hat tip: Conservatives4Palin

Tea Party Overview, from Tennessee

I've attended Tea Party events since April 15, 2009. There is a common theme amongst participants: big government is bad, smaller government is tolerable. Unfortunately, the liberals have done such a good job at creating institutional dependencies, it's very hard to maintain your belief in limited government when it means that you might have to give up a fat teacher's pension or forgo Medicare enhancements.

We have become a country that is a mere glimmer of what our Founders envisioned for us. Institutional dependencies are rampant within our society. It needs to be rooted out and, yes, we might have to wean ourselves from the public dole for the good of our children.

Very Powerful Video: "The Last Best Hope"

Hat Tip: Gary P Jackson

Abstinence...........

This dialogue is hilarious.

California Nutcakes

California voters have a major job ahead of them this year. Rasmussen has a poll out that shows Barbara Boxer with a 47-43 lead over Carly Fiorina. What's really interesting are the percentage of supporters that plan to vote for their candidate. 82% of Boxer supporters say they already know how they will vote in November, compared to 79% of Fiorina supporters.

What that tells me is that there is only a 3% difference in supporters of either candidate who know how they will vote in November. The remainder of supporters that haven't made up their minds is well beyond the margin of error and that's not even counting independents who are still on the fence.

I predict that the California Senate race will end up with Fiorina getting 54% of the vote and Boxer 43%. The difference will be all those nutcakes that vote for Jerry Brown, thinking he's running for the Senate.

When Fiorina is sworn in as Senator, Boxer's supporters will only be able to mutter "bummer, dude!"

An ode for all Obama supporters

Hat Tip: The Other McCain

Larry King interviews Jimmy Carter

Jimmy Carter is promoting his new book, "White House Diary", and appeared on Larry King's show a few nights ago. The transcript of the interview was posted on RealClearPolitics here.

I scanned the transcript of the interview and was underwhelmed. What struck me was the very last thing that Larry King said:

KING: President Jimmy Carter. The book "White House Diary." This is going to be a major best seller.

This book has no chance in hell of being a best seller. Jimmy Carter is not relevant to the current political landscape, although he did have some good things to say about Sarah Palin:

CARTER: I think she's a vivid political person that has made a major impact on the consciousness of the America, both whether you like her or don't like her. I think she's extremely eloquent. She knows how to appeal to whatever audience is in front of her. And she has tremendous influence, as she demonstrated for instance just recently in Delaware, where she went in and endorsed an unknown woman who then prevailed in the Republican primary.

He went on to blather about the fact that he didn't think she could be elected President of United States.

We can only hope that he makes enough money to cover the publisher's expenses.

Tea Party video courtesy of SarahPAC

Sarah is ready to knock on doors in Delaware

As if Charles Krauthammer was ever doubting what Sarah would do in Delaware comes this, after Sarah's speech to the Ronald Reagan Day Dinner in Iowa City:

"I want to get back to Delaware and knock on doors..."

I watched the C-Span coverage of Sarah's speech, which was excellent, by the way. It was that quote after the speech that really got my attention. She said it unequivocally and honestly.

I'll guarantee you that her comment will be all over the Internet and ignored by the LSM. Just you wait!

C'est la vie

Working a regular job is a pain when you want to engage in a conversation for the ages. Unfortunately, you have to set certain priorities with what limited resources and time that you have.

I would love to have the time to spend posting to this and other blogs every day, on multiple occasions. I'm excited about the Tea Party, Sarah Palin and all things conservative. I'm not into political correctness, RINO's, or being forced to adhere to a common thread, no matter what it is. That's the walk that I've chosen.

This blog is about trying to appeal to the impulse for liberty. I brought up the tail-end of the baby-boomers, born in '54. I followed a path into accounting and finance, because it seemed to be my best bet and one that kept me motivated during college. My father was a funeral director and my mom yearned for me to take over the "family business" after graduation, but my heart wasn't in it. He died at a young age, when I was only 16, working his ass off for the family's business. I have much to thank him for, none the least of which is giving me the opportunity to pursue a different path than his.

My father graduated with a degree in finance from Indiana University, but his opportunities were limited after his stint with the Army during WWII, although being discharged at the rank of Captain. His best (and immediate) bet was the family business and, to my knowledge, he never resented it or looked back. Although it didn't draw an immediate parallel to his degree, he was good at it and the business flourished in recognition of his attention to a grieving family's needs. I was always impressed with the empathy he showed those grieving families and they were always very thankful for his devoted attention.

Although I could not follow my dad's path, perhaps mine is not that far off from his. I'm still trying to make a difference with those that grieve for the "good old days". I'm concerned about the days that I remember as a kid and the fact that those days seem to be waning. I truly believe that it doesn't have to be that way.

Can I inspire someone else to pursue the path that I've chosen? Or is it a pipe-dream within the same context of my father's life? If he has stayed alive, he might have given me some insight. But for now and always, I just have to trust his judgment and celebrate the sacrifices he made for me to pursue MY dream, which is to make sure that MY son has the same opportunities that I've had.

Through all our trials, we must ultimately endure setbacks. We have to accept them and learn accordingly. Perhaps our contribution to another one's dream was not enough. Perhaps our vision was not one that stood hand-in-hand with theirs. Perhaps parting a relationship is just the thing to spur us onward toward achieving our goals. It certainly worked for Sarah Palin after her tortured relationship with the McCain campaign. Perhaps, in a smaller way, it will work for me.

Hat Tip to Texas for Sarah Palin. Thanks Josh! I do appreciate the opportunity you gave me.

A wonderful interview with Bristol Palin

Adrienne Ross has posted a fabulous interview with Bristol Palin on her blog. It is well worth your time to read it. An excerpt follows, courtesy of Conservatives4Palin:

Bristol Palin is her own person. She may be known to the world as Governor Palin's daughter, which is a distinction of which she is quite proud; however, there is much more to Bristol, who is now forging her own way in the world.

In an interview with Ms. Palin, I discovered just how independent and free-thinking she actually is. I took note of her ability to simultaneously handle questions, relate her personal story, and tend to her son--who was pursuing the acquisition of another popsicle. I got the sense that Bristol Palin definitely knows who she is and what she believes. I remember the first time I watched Bristol being interviewed. This was not that girl. This was a woman with her own convictions and the voice to articulate them. This was a mother whose worldview is clearly shaped by her child and concern for his future. One cannot deny that being Sarah Palin's daughter has helped form who she is, and she talked about that. But make no mistake about it. This is her story.

In surprisingly transparent fashion, Bristol opened up about "Dancing With the Stars," her abstinence advocacy, her mother's political career, and her own future. When discussing the 2008 campaign, she shared her greatest highs and even the lowest low.

[...]

Now, I wanted to find out about Bristol Palin. I wanted to hear her story. And I wanted to share it with the world. But I certainly would have been remiss--and a fool--if I did not take the opportunity to ask some questions about her mother. Bristol spoke honestly about growing up being "the mayor's daughter" and "the governor's daughter," which helped prepare her for the attention her mother drew during, and has drawn since, the 2008 campaign. Bristol shared that she is very proud of her mother, and she expressed tangible disgust for the lies about her and the obscene signs protesters carried--a practice which continues to this day. Not holding anything back, Bristol declared, "Those people make me want to puke."

Looking back to 2008, however, the lowest low for her was the day she sat on her mother's bed and, while watching television, saw her pregnancy revealed to the world. Governor Palin has talked about this moment and how painful it was for Bristol. The pain became more palpable, however, when Bristol shared the story herself. "I just wanted to hide under a rock. This was the lowest low I've ever had."

There were incredible highs for Bristol, as well. She recalled the long road trips and the huge rallies out in the middle of nowhere, where people gathered to cheer on the vice-presidential nominee. These are times not soon forgotten, no doubt, and my take on things is that Bristol would not have exchanged those experiences for anything. None of the negativity endured along the way could take from the pride of seeing her mother work hard to help her country and witnessing the overwhelming gratitude of multitudes of Americans.

2008 is behind us now, but 2012 is certainly on the minds of many in this country, so I asked the question. I did not ask Bristol if her mom would run for President of the United States, but I did ask her if she would like to see her mother run. Without hesitation, she said that she is definitely in favor of a Palin run for the presidency. Bristol knows that her mother would be good for our country, and discussed the qualities the Governor possesses that would make her an effective leader. Bristol cited intelligence, the ability--as a mom--to multi-task, and common sense. "I know she can lead our country in the right direction." Governor Palin, of course, is bold and unafraid, refusing to sit down and shut up. In the state of Alaska, she was known as the anti-corruption politician, and isn't that what we need throughout the entire nation? Bristol said yes. "She has a track record of taking on the big boys. She's a bull dog!" I like to call her a pit bull with lipstick or Mama Grizzly, as they say.

I was curious what Bristol wanted the Governor's most ardent critics to know, and again she spoke vehemently against those who have smeared and misrepresented her, questioned her abilities, and hated her for no sound reason. "I wish people would realize how intelligent she really is, how on-point she is." Those who are paying attention do, in fact, realize the truth about Governor Palin--and that number is increasing. The lies are being exposed, and people are embracing the common sense message Governor Palin brings, despite the agenda of the lamestream media.

I ended the interview by asking Bristol about her own future. Quoting her mother, she agreed, "The world is my oyster." There are many things she wants Tripp to experience, many things she wants to accomplish. But Bristol Palin is not just focused on the many opportunties that await her and hers. She possesses a unique, mature awareness of the opportunity she has to impact the lives of others. Bristol's focus, one not often held by a young woman of 19, was summed up in this question she voiced: "What can we do to help others?" And isn't that what life is really all about? The problem is most of us don't have this epiphany until we're much older. The awareness doesn't come by accident, either. It comes as a result of believing in something larger than self, and recognizing a responsibility to take the blessing you've been given and bless others with it. It comes from moms and dads who had the choice to retreat or persevere, who counted the cost, and chose perseverance because they deemed the task worth the risk. And it comes from looking around for someone with a story to tell, the courage to tell it, and a platform to use--and then realizing that person is you.

I'm in awe of Adrienne's accomplishment.

Internicine War in the Republican Party?

I have to side with McConnell on this one. Extending the Bush tax cuts to everyone is the only way to signal to investors what they should do in 2011. Anything less will just delay a recovery, as investment will continue to sit on the sidelines hoping for a better-defined path to growth.

Per the Washington Monthly:

MCCONNELL BREAKS WITH BOEHNER, WILL FIGHT MIDDLE-CLASS TAX BREAKS.... House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio) is reluctantly willing to go along with President Obama's tax-cut policy yesterday. Might the Senate GOP leadership go along? Not so much.

Senate Republicans will oppose any effort to renew soon-to-expire Bush administration tax cuts if upper income taxpayers are excluded from the reductions.

A spokesman for Senate GOP Leader Mitch McConnell said Monday that every Senate Republican has pledged to oppose President Barack Obama's tax-cutting plan. [...]

McConnell has said a bill extending the tax cuts for only low- and middle-income earners cannot pass the Senate. Forty-one senators can block a bill with a filibuster, but McConnell spokesman Don Stewart declined to say whether all 41 Republicans would support a filibuster.

Is Charles Krauthammer choking?

The use of the word "capricious" is absurd. This is a battle for the soul of the GOP and both Jim DeMint and Sarah Palin know it. Charles needs to be wheeled out into the fresh air of Alaska. The beltway smog must be starting to get to him.

Sarah Palin was WAY ahead of the curve!

Looking back, I wonder how much the McCain camp cringed during her speech.

Eking out an online presence

I've only been blogging for about a year and a half, but sometimes it seems an eternity. I've learned that a blog presence is only noteworthy if you continue to punch out meaningful postings. Not being a writer by trade, I'm often faced with a cruel lack of original content. After all, how many ways can you re-hash an opinion on the Ground Zero Mosque or on Sarah Palin's latest speech when those topics are covered over and over by a large contingent in the blogosphere?

The biggest challenge is in determining what I want my presence to be about. I've covered a very wide range of topics over the last year and a half, but haven't really hit on a unique theme. Although there are countless examples to emulate, I still search for a unique train of thought that can encompass all my postings. Perhaps I'm over-thinking things and only need to post from the heart, as I've often been advised to do.

Although I do contribute to a number of other blogs on occasion, I'm still trying to define myself through my own material. There are a number of bloggers that I've followed for years that I look to for inspiration. They include Glenn Reynolds, Ed Morrissey, Michelle Malkin and Erick Erickson. Since joining the Twitterverse a few years ago, I've also added a whole host of other bloggers that leverage Twitter with their blogs, including Stacy McCain (rsmccain), Melissa Clouthier (MelissaTweets) and Tabitha Hale (pinkelephantpun).

So what do these bloggers suggest about my own presence online? Quite simply, they all say "be there and be there often". Gulp, that's something that runs counter to my normal state of affairs: going to my job, maintaining my domain (I'm about to fire my 16 year-old son for skipping his mowing job for the last two weeks), and catching up on all the news online, in the hopes that I'll find something that inspires me to write. Unfortunately, we have now crossed into football season, so my Friday nights are spent watching my son's high school football team, watching my wife's college team on Saturday (University of Texas), and participating in an NFL pool on Sundays.

I've only missed a handful of my son's football games since he started playing when he was an 8 year-old and I've been a college football fan since, well, college, and a NFL fan since before I can remember. I've been a political-news junkie since I started listening to Rush Limbaugh in the eighties and I'm now engaged in learning all about the political debate of the day. I'm also an ardent follower of all things Sarah Palin and haven't been moved by any national political figure since Ronald Reagan.

So, how do I find time to post anything on my blog? I'm often reminded of the Nike commercial from several years ago: Just Do It!

Paving the way toward the elections

I remember when I was a bit younger and living in Fort Wayne, Indiana. You could always tell, my parents said, when an election was coming up. The mayor would spend money to repave the roads into town and then use that as evidence that improvements were the result of his candidacy.

I guess nothing has changed, but it's now become a national occurrence. President Obama is proposing to spend another $50 billion he doesn't have to pave over roads in the hopes that the electorate will see improvements as the result of his governance.

I call bullshit now as I called it way back when. $50 billion is a drop in the bucket in the entire scheme of things. It will do no more to kick-start our economy than a few paved roads did in Fort Wayne, 36 years ago.

If ever there was a time to make a statement, this year is it. To hell with the federal government thinking that they can spur our economy into growth by paving roads. That is asinine. It didn't help the mayor of Fort Wayne either. He was defeated and replaced with a Republican. Four years later, the roads were paved again, before the next election. Call me a cynic, but I also worry about what happens AFTER November.

In the immortal words of Forest Gump, stupid is as stupid does.

Dirty Laundry

I'm having a moment of peace in my man-cave...okay, it's only my back patio, but it's mine!

Nonetheless, I've been concerned about all the BS in the press. In particular, I'm concerned about the attacks on Christine O'Donnell. What has she done to deserve it? In my mind, nothing!

As the November elections grow closer and closer, the long-knives are brought forth from their sheaths. Time to put on your vest of mail, ye who do battle with the lamestream media. You'll need it often, so keep it handy!

What, you say, does any of this have to do with dirty laundry? Nothing, really, or everything. My wife has dirty laundry strewn all over the living room, sorting and queueing it for the washing machine. If but we could launder all the spiteful, vitriolic postings that demean our principles...and those of Christine O'Donnell.

Hitler weighs in on Ground Zero Mosque

Ground Zero Mosque Downfall - watch more funny videos

Hat Tip: The Other McCain

Special note: the YouTube version is laced with profanity. I would NOT recommend it.

A shot of Tequila, an intelligent dog, some inspiring music...go figure!

What I find amazing is that the dog never stops wagging its tail!

Remember our storms of conflict

It's so dismaying to see the dismal level of American history being taught within our government-supported education system. I remember my teenage daughter telling me that her 8th grade teacher told her that Lincoln was a hypocrite because his family members were slaveholders. When I challenged her, she only relented by suggesting that maybe she misunderstood him. In my mind, the lesson was clear. How could a teacher ever impart such an impression on a child that they would repeat it 3 years later?

With such a rich history of independence and liberty, what shall become of our present when its history is written? Our country's defining moments are usually cast within the storms of conflict that we have ample examples to share: The American Revolution, The Constitutional Convention, The Civil War, etc. Notice my use of a capitalized "The". It introduces a moment in history that is significant in its relevance to mankind. There are others that are noteworthy: The Magna Carta, The Napoleonic Wars, The Age of Enlightenment.

Indeed, what shall become of our present? How will it be remembered in history? Will it be remembered at all, or will it merely become a footnote in history, not commanding a place among "The"? If we had to define today's emergence of conservatism and the tea parties, how would we do it? Would it be "a political movement", "a short-lived protest" or "The Awakening of Americanism"? Will we define its leaders as "right-wing talk-show hosts", "fringe elements of the Republican Party", or "The Sarah Palin Phenomenon"?

After all is said and done, will this period of time command a place in history as a defining moment and qualify as a "The"?

Only time will tell us how history will treat this moment. The beginning of the story could be November 2, 2010. How would you define this moment? History just might remember your characterization.

Keep a close eye on eBay

Jake Tapper reports that Barack Obama has undertaken an extreme makeover of the Oval Office, blaming George W. Bush, no doubt. No details yet, but my guess is that we should begin monitoring eBay, just in case. Being that Obama saw it fit to return a bust of Winston Churchill to England, it seems unlikely that he'll want to keep anything that his predecessor my have done in the way of decorating.

Movie Trailer: I Want Your Money

Hat Tip: Cheri Vaughan

Socialistic Spiritualism

I was recently feted with a family video of both me and my sister's First Communion in the Catholic Church. Outside of seeing the visual of us as 8 year-olds and my mother as a beaming 40 year-old, I was struck by something else. I watched as our parish priest talked with the principal of our school, while smoking a cigarette. It immediately brought back memories of being an altar boy and smelling the tobacco on his breath during mass. It also fueled thoughts of today.

How surreal would it be to see a priest yukking it up with a nun at a grade school while smoking a cigarette? It would be like watching an episode of "Mad Men", albeit set in a seminary. Nonetheless, our pastor, Father Ed, was a very pious and honorable man who commanded untold respect amongst my school-mates, as did the principal, who's name escapes me. They taught us the ways of the Catholic Church and, in so doing, taught us about life in our journey to Heaven.

A year after my first communion, John Kennedy was assassinated. I remember the principal getting on the PA and announcing the grim fact that our President had been shot. She implored all of us to pray for his recovery, not knowing that the attack had proved to be fatal.

Such was my experience, however influenced by my religious educators. What of Sasha and Malia, the children of our current President? How might their experiences differ from mine? What did they learn in Sunday School, assuming they went? Did Jeremiah Wright hand out apples and oranges on Three Kings Day, commemorating the end of Epiphany, the twelfth day of Christmas? Or did he provide mentoring on other remembrances, such as the emancipation of blacks?

I don't ever recall paying homage to an event of the last 500 years, outside of my experience with President Kennedy's death. My mentoring was rooted in The Bible and its relevance to the Catholic Church, not an event that occurred during our country's collective history. The lessons were bigger and targeted the human experience. We learned how to be better Christians within the context of our lives, praying for a better future.

How does one reconcile the beliefs of Christianity with a Jeremiah Wright or a Jim Wallis? How do we discern the difference between a charlatan and a true man of God? How do we decipher The Bible, when we're taught by those that would subjugate its meaning for political gain? What do we make of anyone that would put politics before the Word of God?

Religion should be a call to the providence of one's soul, not a call to arms. It should not require us to right a collective wrong, but to redirect our personal path to God and to our own salvation. In so doing, the errors of humanism are diminished and the demands of human intervention on life are relegated to a mere asterisk in history. God calls us to His midst, not to further a human cause.

Hat Tip: American Thinker

New Krista Branch video

I love this gal. She's a rising star....and a conservative one at that!

How a real CIC acts

The bull knows no bounds

Must have smelled the cotton candy.....



Spain: 30 injured as bull leaps out of ring

Why Won't the Left Fight for America?

I'm taking a break from my vacation to pose a question that came up over dinner tonight: why won't the left fight for America?

A question came up after a family friend's assertion during dinner tonight that the American society was in decline. I let him speak his mind, but disagreed. American society is NOT in decline. Is it not, instead, undergoing a rebirth?

My observation was this: the American military is a volunteer force and, as such, is overwhelming conservative, a reflection of the background of our soldiers. Conservatives, I said, fight for their beliefs. Liberals do not.

Our country is currently under threat from BOTH without and within. The current efforts in the war on terror have seen the rise of the greatest volunteer armed forces in the history of the world. Why?

Our freedom was and continues to be threatened by the dark forces of radical Islam. Those "country boys" and "hicks" saw all they needed to see on 9/11. They flooded the recruiting stations of the various branches of our armed forces and helped turn back Al-Qaida in Iraq and, now focused, are doing the same to the Taliban in Afghanistan. Given the ability to do so, I have confidence that they will succeed. But what about those battles within?

I have no doubt that we'll see the same phenomenon WITHIN our country if the domestic political environment continues to deteriorate. If the 2010 elections do not forestall the growth of government and reign in spending, we'll only have one more election to effect a difference. Although a lot of change [and damage] can occur to our country during the period between this year's election and 2012, I believe we will see a further mobilization of conservative Americans not seen since our Revolution.

We are seeing a rebirth of the elements that created our country in the first place. I don't think those elements will be denied their desire to return to the foundations enumerated in our Declaration of Independence or in our Constitution. I pray that we will never come to armed conflict within our society, but I do know this: conservatives will fight and die for our freedoms.

Will the left do the same, or will they line up lawyers and legislators to defend their lines? We can only hope so.

Hat tip: Phil Thieme

The Cuddle Factor

Much has been written about Sarah Palin's looks, both in a derisive sense and an envious one. Conservative women are, after all, the girls next door. They are the ones that raise children, attend PTA meetings and focus their lives on their family. They are, in a word, familiar.

Leftist women seem to have a harder edge, born out of their struggle to gain recognition for something other than their feminine or motherly qualities. They rail against men for the perceived domination of women in the workplace and elsewhere. They champion alternative lifestyles in the hope that such efforts will validate their own existence. They've long forgotten the joy of being a woman within the context of Judeo-Christian society. To most Americans they are only acquaintances.

When I first saw the cover of Sarah Palin's new book, I was struck by its warmth.

Her long hair flows down over her shoulders and frames her face in a way that highlights her smile as one of enduring kindness. It is a smile reserved for family and friends, one that's familiar and welcoming, both genuine and natural. It is a mother's smile that welcomes a child's approach to be held and nurtured. It is a smile that says she can be trusted to shelter and protect. It is an honest look into her heart, a caring and understanding one.

We live in troubling times. We long for leaders that steadfastly support our ideals, not those who seek to divide us by political calculation. For most of us, we remember those times in childhood when we received the warm embrace and the reassurance of closeness. Sadly, not all of us can claim the same experience, which is why Sarah Palin is so easily misunderstood by the left. She embodies the memories of the majority of Americans who grew up in a loving and caring family. She has that cuddle factor like no other politician in memory. And, make no mistake about it, she is the "mama grizzly" that evokes the protective instinct in all of us. It is a commitment to protect our foundational roots in liberty, something worth fighting and dying for.

How do you stop a blow-torch that's named Sarah?

I don't know how the title came to mind, but it's reminiscent of this.

At any rate, consider this:

Obama appears before the AFL-CIO and we get this Facebook post, skewering Obama for his hypocrisy. Did the media take notice? You betcha!

Obama continues to pursue his lawsuit against Arizona, trying to stop the state from enforcing federal immigration law. Sarah Palin responds here and the lamestream media has a conniption fit over it, ignoring its own leftist's comments.

An ill-considered plan has been put forth to build a mosque in the shadow of the World Trade Center, ground zero on 9-11. Sarah responds and ignites an national debate, here, here and here.

In many ways, Sarah is responding to national events with a voice that echoes mine. Every new Facebook post elicits a fist-pump and a resounding "YES"!

I don't remember anyone in my lifetime that was so willing to speak out against things that rubbed them wrong and ended up speaking my opinion. I certainly hope she continues to act as an outspoken, verbal blow-torch that voices my opinion on a whole host of national issues.

Missouri plays the first Obamacare card

In a resounding display of displeasure with the passage of Obamacare, voters in Missouri have spoken:

Proposition C:
Precincts Reporting 3354 of 3354

Yes 667,680 71.1%
No 271,102 28.9%

Total Votes 938,782

Et tu, Brute?

About those 'cojones'.....

Courtesy of Chicks on the Right

EPA Set to Regulate Farm Dust

I refer you to a piece I did several months ago.

Trailer: Grinding America Down

AGENDA: Grinding America Down (Trailer) from Curtis Bowers on Vimeo.

Unite....and Conquer

I've been thinking a lot about how to get the federal government under control. So much bureaucracy is not going to be easy to unwind, but I have a few ideas.

First off, what should the Executive branch look like? What departments are truly necessary for the things that a national government should concern itself with? What about:

1. Defense - It used to be called the Department of War. That's a good [re-] start. Homeland Security should be part of it's purview, not a bunch of bureaucrats that manage our transportation system and their supporting unions.

2. Commerce - There needs to be a return to PROMOTING commerce as opposed to regulating it, which is all the Commerce Department does nowadays. I could spend a few months in the Commerce Department and streamline their reporting mandates in a way that PROMOTED commerce. The existing efforts stifle it. It's a pet peeve of mine.

3. Treasury - The Treasury Department needs to manage the finances of our national government and not anything else. How in the hell did we get to a point where the Treasury Department is managing our entire economy? This has to stop! I could go on and on about all the ridiculous federal bureaucracies that fall under this department (FNMA and FHMC come to mind) and need to go.

4. Foreign Affairs - I think that the State Department needs to go in its present form. What we really need is a department to manage our foreign affairs. It should operate within the dictates of our national interests, not as a cabal of bureaucrats that patronize left-wing dictatorships. If a foreign country is all-in for capitalism, we should be all-in for supporting them. Why waste time and resources on a country that doesn't support our national interests in a market-based economy?

Anyway, I hope you get my drift. Re-establish priorities and put them in place. Once you've done that, staff the departments in a way to further the goals of that department.

Unions are not welcome. They should be abolished from any form of government. There should be absolutely no negotiating on this point. Working for any level of government is a service to your country, your state or your local jurisdiction. Unions do not have a place in this service. They are anathema to our Constitution.

Once you've established the proper departments of the Executive branch and staffed them to the level needed to perform their functions (within their established budgets), cut the rest free. This may displace thousands of governments workers, but they really need to be in the private sector anyway.

Freeze all government pensions that are not part of the surviving structure. They get what they get, as of their termination date. Why should they be treated any differently than private sector employees?

Now, you'll notice that I have not talked about entitlements. There's a reason for that. As of [name your date], they cease to continue. Notice that I didn't say "cease to exist". There are far too many citizens of this great country that accepted the "New Deal" and planned accordingly. They should NOT be penalized. Anyone over the age of 65 years old needs to be "grand-fathered". Anyone younger than that needs to have their contributions to Social Security transferred to an account that THEY control.

Going forward, there is no Medicare or Social Security, as we know it. What is in its place is a actuary-based system that weans people off the government dole and places them in a privatized system. I have the utmost confidence that our free enterprise system will find a way to assist them, albeit at a price.

So, who is positioned to lead this charge?

I can only think of one, and her name is Sarah Palin.

Who is the one that espouses all that is the free market? Who is the one to focus our attention on the roots of our society? Who is the one that "gets it" and opposes the ruling elite? Who is the one that speaks to our values and stands opposed to a mosque at Ground Zero? Who is the one to stand up for our Christian beliefs? Who is the one that stands willing to battle a progressive ideology? Who is the only one committed to unite us in conquering our socialist foes?

Who amongst us hails from Alaska, the last bastion of rugged individualism?

Meeting Friends

Have you ever thought about how you met your friends? Do you continue to meet people and wonder if they could also be friends? Do you pursue a friendship, or do you cast it aside as a chance meeting?

I was having drinks with some buddies at our local sports bar tonight. I don't get out that often, choosing to come home after work to be with my wife and kids. Sometimes, however, you just need to get out with your buddies and shoot the shit about sports, music and other things. That was what I did tonight.

While we were talking, one of my buddies drew my attention to a pretty girl sitting by herself, watching the dart league that was going on. I usually recognize people in this bar, but I'd never seen her before. In my gazing about, our eyes met. I smiled and quickly returned to the discussion with my buddies.

After a few minutes, my buddy nudged me and said "she's sitting right down there", two bar stools down to my left. I wasn't paying attention, but he was.

I turned, smiled at her and said something to acknowledge her presence. She responded and we proceeded to engage in conversation. Over the next hour, I was treated to someone that talked to me as a friend, although we'd only just met. I thought to myself that my wife would love her and our friends would be equally enchanted with her.

We spoke of children and teenagers, a common ground. We spoke of the influence we bring to bear on our children, in hopes that it would serve them well when they're on their own. We spoke of choices, made by us and our kids, hoping that their choices would not saddle them in life, but allow them to live free.

My buddies were pissed, having no chance to talk with her, sitting beyond me at the bar. My feeling was "screw you", if you wanted to engage in a conversation with her, you had your chance and blew it.

For me, I just feel fortunate to have met someone that I could have a conversation with and walk away with the feeling that I may have met a new friend.

Hypocrisy in Motion

In a sad testimonial to the state of journalism, I've followed two incidents that occurred (and continue to unfold) within the media over the last week or so. As I followed them both, I was shocked to see the rampant bias in each story.

First, the Shirley Sherrod kerfuffle. It takes center stage because of Obama's alleged involvement.

Andrew Breitbart posts a video to call out the NAACP on its hypocrisy in calling the Tea Party "racist", while they practiced a similar brand of racism in their own midst. The Obama administration reacts [stupidly] and has the "racist" perpetrator fired, poor little Shirley Sherrod. Problem was, her comments were edited in the video that Breitbart posted. After viewing the entire video, Obama and company were forced to backtrack, pinning blame on Breitbart and Fox News (the usual suspect) for subverting the context of Sherrod's remarks.

Now, I've seen the edited video and read Breibart's piece that accompanied it. In my mind, it was pretty straight-forward. Breitbart was only calling attention to race-related commentary on the part of Sherrod, received energetically by the NAACP audience. The story continues, as we now learn that Shirley Sherrod's husband is also prone to racist commentary as recently as January of THIS YEAR.

Next item of interest is the JournoList obsession with Sarah Palin's baby after her RNC speech. 15 pages of emails were captured and posted online by The Daily Caller, exposing a lurid and tawdry discussion about whether Sarah or her daughter Bristol was the mother of Trig, a down syndrome baby. Sarah Palin even weighed in on the subject with an emotional posting on her Facebook page titled "Journey into the Media's Heart of Darkness".

So what do I make of all this? Hypocrisy in its truest form. To underscore that fact, I only had to look at a Washington Post editorial by E. J. Dionne, Jr., written as a response to the Sherrod kerfuffle. In his editorial, he states:

The mainstream media and the Obama administration must stop cowering before a right wing that has persistently forced its propaganda to be accepted as news by convincing traditional journalists that "fairness" requires treating extremist rants as "one side of the story." And there can be no more shilly-shallying about the fact that racial backlash politics is becoming an important component of the campaign against President Obama and against progressives in this year's election.

Dionne finishes his piece by saying:

The Sherrod case should be the end of the line. If Obama hates the current media climate, he should stop overreacting to it. And the mainstream media should stop being afraid of insisting on the difference between news and propaganda.

Sounds like a good point, right?

Not if you consider his willful omission of the JournoList revelations. After all, the publishing of the email exchanges between like-minded, liberal journalists and commentators from established mainstream media outlets is not much of a story unless those email exchanges actually contributed to a unified narrative on the part of multiple media outlets, which they did. Doesn't it beg balance to address the "right-wing propaganda" angle while also mentioning the left-wing smear machine that was the JournoList?

Apparently the answer is no, if you're the Washington Post, a publishing dinosaur for the ages, its hypocrisy in motion.

E. J. Dionne, Jr. - The Intellect of a Dust Mite

In an opinion piece today for the Washington Post titled "Enough right-wing propaganda," the esteemed intellect of E. J. Dionne, Jr. comes up with this gem:

The mainstream media and the Obama administration must stop cowering before a right wing that has persistently forced its propaganda to be accepted as news by convincing traditional journalists that "fairness" requires treating extremist rants as "one side of the story." And there can be no more shilly-shallying about the fact that racial backlash politics is becoming an important component of the campaign against President Obama and against progressives in this year's election.

What planet does this guy live on? Does he not have the slightest idea about the existence of the JournoList expose, where liberal media members conspired to destroy Sarah Palin with innuendo and falsehoods, like here, here and here?

To have a discussion about right-wing "propaganda" without also providing the context of the damning revelations from the JournoList emails smacks of partisan hackery to the highest degree. Why this guy has a job in ANY news organization speaks volumes as to the state of the lamestream media.

It is no longer in question that the Washington Post and the rest of the LSM are in its death throes. As Sarah said in a Facebook post today, it's a "journey into the media's heart of darkness."

Sarah Palin Unplugged

This is such a wonderful exchange. Sarah Palin gets to talk with her old buddies from the Anchorage morning show, Bob & Mark on KWHL, 106.5 FM.



Hat Tip: Texas for Sarah Palin

Wherein Lies Leadership?

I am aghast at the events that are unfolding before our eyes:

Ground Zero Mosque

JournoList collusion in the news

The return of the "Death Tax"

Obamacare mandates are now a tax

Expiration of the Bush tax cuts

Cap and Trade

Where do we find the leadership to confront these issues? I'm not the only one concerned. As an example, only 20% favor the Ground Zero Mosque. In addition, it now seems like the timing of your death means everything. Is there now an incentive to pull the plug on Granny before December 31st? What kind of government creates that kind of incentive?

Fortunately, there IS someone leading the charge against many of these issues.

"An Intolerable Mistake on Hallowed Ground"

JournoList fallout

Energy independence and Cap and Tax

And there is still much, much more to focus on. One idea that's being floated is "Nullification". We just need someone to lead the effort. Sarah Palin has clearly shown that she is willing to speak up for the American spirit on a whole host of issues. While Washington politicians tremble at the thought of repeal and nullification, they will follow a leader.

Can you think of anyone at this juncture that can even begin to do what needs to be done besides Sarah Palin? If so, I need names AND evidence, because I'm not convinced that there is anyone else that even comes close.