And now we check in again in the office of “Our Democrat Congressman” to see how he and his staff are trying to spin this disastrous Obama economy…
Obama Tax Hikes: What’s Their Excuse? from Heritage Action for America on Vimeo.
Another great video from the Heritage Foundation staring Clint Howard as “Our Democrat Congressman.”
Bill Whittle has a great, great video here helping to explain our conservative views in an intelligent, even soft-spoken, style. This is part one of two, the second to come soon.
Progressive ideas have always failed and our ideas are successful every time they are tried.
Bill Whittle is the host of PJTVs Afterburner.
Governor Daniels also offered an op ed to go with his video…
We’ve been through a global recession. Now we’re fighting through a stalled recovery. Revenues are the lowest they’ve been in half a century. Their finances a wreck, many states have effectively sunk into bankruptcy.
Indiana is still afloat. In fact, we’ve fared better than most. We continue to meet our obligations without raising taxes, and the reserves we carefully built and protected will get us through the downturn.
Continue reading “
Video: Ind. Gov. Mitch Daniels Says Obamacare Has Devastating Consequences”
-By Warner Todd Huston
The State Journal-Register in the state’s capitol reports that “Joe the Plumber” Wurzelbacher is planning to speak in three town in and around Springfield, IL this month.
Wurzelbacher will be appearing at Take Back Illinois 9/12 rallies in Pittsfield on Aug. 17 and Jacksonville Aug. 18, and an Aug. 19 event in Springfield.
You’ll recall that “Joe the Plumber” became famous when he asked then candidate Barack Obama about his tax policy ideas to which, in good socialist fashion, the president-to-be replied that he wanted to “spread the wealth.”
Continue reading “
‘Joe The Plumber’ Coming to Central Illinois”
-By Warner Todd Huston
Politico’s Kenneth Vogel has an interesting piece on a book that Tea Party activists are starting to glom onto as an administrative guidebook of sorts. The book, “The Starfish and the Spider: The Unstoppable Power of Leaderless Organizations,” is a book that explains how leaderless organizations work and can be effective. Of late tea partiers have accepted the tome as a way to explain the success of their movement as well as a way to legitimize their hold on a certain amount of power into the future.
The book, written by two lefty Stanford MBAs, has become what Vogel calls an “unlikely” guidebook for a conservative movement.
The principle of the book is in its title. The spider of the title is the typical top-down organization. Cut the spider’s head off and you have a dead spider and presumably, in the analogy, a dead organization. However, a starfish can regenerate itself if it loses an arm. Further that severed arm can also become a starfish that lives on because there is no “head” per se in a starfish. Cut up a starfish and you have many smaller starfish, not a dead one.
The thought is that the tea party movement is like a starfish. No head, no hierarchy, no way to “kill” it in the traditional sense.
Now, I must say one thing about Vogel’s piece. It will certainly destroy the left’s contention that the tea party movement is an “astroturf” effort. For the entire first year of its existence the left has tried to claim, falsely, that the tea party movement was invented by Fox News, or is a top-down creation by folks like Dick Army, former Congressman and top man for FreedomWorks.
Continue reading “
Is The Tea Party Like A Starfish, Like the Apache… Like al Qaeda?”
Jamal Greene took to his video camera to tell us why he is a conservative. His effort is a serious and worthy explication of conservatism and his words should be listened to.
Jamal Greene: “In this video I speak about the ideas and beliefs that hold true. As a young educated black male I wanted to show the other face of the Conservative Movement: Me. There are many of us out here. Thanks to Glenn Beck for having them on his show. As a young educated black I constantly face down the stereotype that all blacks are Liberal and vote democrat. I am a member of the Tea Party, so the liberal media lies about the tea party being racist are completely untrue. This video dedicated to freedom, life, and liberty of the American Spirit. The Best is still yet to come for America.” As seen on Mr. Greene’s FaceBook.
-By The Heritage Foundation
Happy Birthday America! America is 234 years old. She was born on July 4, 1776, with the passage of the Declaration of Independence. Since then, America has grown from thirteen colonies on the east coast to fill a vast continent. Her economic and military power is envied around the world. And the American people are hardworking, churchgoing, affluent, and generous.
Independence Day is an opportunity each year to remember the root of our success — our founding principles as set forth in the Declaration of Independence.
The Declaration of Independence serves as a philosophical statement of America’s first principles. As Matthew Spalding describes, the Declaration affirms that all men are created equal. By nature, men have a right to liberty that is inalienable, meaning it cannot be given up or taken away. And because individuals equally possess such inalienable rights, governments derive their just powers from the consent of those governed. The purpose of government is to secure these fundamental rights, and the people retain the right to alter or abolish a government that fails to do so.
These principles have made America the great nation it is today. But, since the early 20th century, these principles have been under attack in the academy, the media, and popular culture. So-called progressives have rejected the existence of self-evident truths in the Declaration of Independence and elsewhere. Instead, they embrace the notion of “Progress”that is constant change towards an unspecified end. From these faulty principles, it follows that, all men are not created equal; some people are further along in the historical process than others. There are not permanent rights with which man is endowed. Government creates rights, and these rights evolve according to the demands of the time. There is no need for consent of the governed, just experts who will tell us how to live and how to progress.
This is a serious attack on our principles, but not an insurmountable one.
Continue reading “
Reclaiming Our Founding Principles”
-By Warner Todd Huston
Leftists love to purposefully misconstrue what sort of government conservatives want. Certainly whenever some new big government boondoggle erupts in the typical corruption and waste that is government, conservatives rail against the misappropriation of powers that such boondoggles invariably mean. But when government isn’t doing something they want it to do and conservatives kvetch with equal vitriol, the first attack left-wingers charge them with is hypocrisy. The left’s taunt, however, is a willful misread of what it is that conservatives are saying in their critique of government.
Unfortunately, many conservatives make this taunt all the easier to level because it seems that they are a bit hazy themselves on just what they should think about the role of government.
Conservatives come by this problem honestly, though. What conservative worth his salt is unaware of Ronald Reagan’s famous small government quote: “In this present crisis, government is not the solution to our problem; government is the problem.” (Reagan’s first inaugural address)
Continue reading “
Despite Misconception, We Conservatives DO Want Some Government”
The Heritage Foundation is undertaking a new effort to spread the conservative word through grassroots organizing with its new Action for America.
I know that Heritage has some 600,000 members world wide these days and it is good to see them trying to take the next step toward the promulgation of conservatism.
From the website:
For nearly four decades, The Heritage Foundation has provided conservative leadership for America. What began as a visionary startup policy shop has blossomed into the most influential think tank in the nation. Along the way, Heritage adapted to market pressures to maintain its position as the world’s most cutting-edge and influential research institution.
Continue reading “
Heritage Foundation Launches New Grassroots Effort”
-By Warner Todd Huston
The liberal media’s newest meme is to claim that the tea party movement is made up exclusively of John Birchers, militia types, racists, and “birthers.” Politico, for instance, had an extensive story about how legitimate conservatives are coming to realize that they’ll have to conduct a Buckley styled purge of the extremists if they expect the tea party groups to be taken seriously. Of course, the left has had its extremists for decades, unlike the right has never conducted any such purges, and has also benefited from a news media that has never highlighted the left’s worst nuts.
The whole idea that conservatives have to purge their wackier, more fringe members is something that at one level is obvious but at another is proof that the left and the Old Media are nothing but hypocrites. At still a third level there is part of the attitude exhibited by some of these far right elements that is a root motivation of the tea party movement, fringe or no.
As clownish left-wing commentators such as Keith Olbermann, Rachel Maddow, John Stewart or Stephen Colbert point fingers and guffaw at the fringes of the right and as the New York Times and Politico stroke their chins and look down their noses at the unruly tea party movement, it must be noted that none of these folks ever uttered a cross word against the Code Pink wackos, the communist infiltrators, anti-war hippies, Stalinist apologists, pro-abortion extremists, Euro-trash half-wits, eco-terrorists, and outright anarchists that have filled the left’s ranks since the birth of the new left after WWII.
At every lefty protest representatives of these hatemongering groups abound. They can be found on the campus of every American college and university, as well. But are these dangerous extremists ever discussed in our Old Media outlets when they highlight lefty movements? Never. The left’s extremists are simply never mentioned. It is as if every left-wing group in America is filled with conscientious old grandmothers and idealistic young folks innocently avowing their rights as citizens of the world. Never are the violence prone, the hateful nutcases, or the drugged out losers that fills the American left ever highlighted.
Continue reading “
Tea Party ‘Extremists’ Take Center Stage”
-By Warner Todd Huston
A group made up of some of the biggest names in contemporary conservatism got together a few days ago and crafted what they are calling the “Mount Vernon Statement,” a manifesto of sorts meant to give direction to today’s conservative movement. Put succinctly, it fails to fill the bill.
Taken as a whole this statement is fine as a short history lesson. It explains pretty clearly what the founders had wrought when their basic work was done with the adoption of the U.S. Constitution. But as a statement of principles that might guide today’s discussion I do not think the letter works.
Don’t get me wrong, I am not saying that this effort is harmful. In fact, I think every young person should read it for its explication of our historically conservative American principles. The problem is that this thing doesn’t seem to speak directly to what we are facing today like a statement that perhaps aims to become boilerplate should.
Continue reading “
The Mount Vernon Statement, A Poor Man’s Manifesto… VERY Poor”
-By Warner Todd Huston
The NYT had a nice write up on Chicago’s own American Liberty Alliance and its leader Eric Odom. This piece also discusses several other conservative efforts in and around Chicago. Groups like Hartland Institute, the Sam Adams Alliance, and Ed Lasky’s American Thinker also based out of Chicago.
It is interesting to note that some very strong conservative ideas are coming out of this bluest of blue states where politics is rough and disassociated from any control by voters. Odom makes that point, too, when discussing his move here from Nevada.
“You come from Nevada, where you have the entire Legislature on your cellphone,” Mr. Odom said. “It is a small government compared to here, where it is all union-run and it is a huge bureaucracy, and there is no way you’re going to get meetings with anybody.”
But there is hope, folks. With people like Ed Laskey, Odom and groups like the ALA, Sam Adams Alliance, Illinois Policy Institute, Illinois Alliance for Growth, and The Heartland Institute, as well as the local chapter of Americans for Growth we do have a fighting chance.
Continue reading “
NYT Article: Tea Partying in Chicago”
-By Warner Todd Huston
Pia Varma, an American of Indian background… not not a redskin, an actual Indian… wants you to send her to Congress, Pennsylvania. And so she has announced her run for Pennsylvania’s First District Congressional seat (Philadelphia).
She tells us that her grandfathers were fighters in the Indian Independence movement of the 1960s, though she was born here from parents that immigrated from England. Pia proudly calls herself an American.
From what I can see, she has the right idea about what this “United States of America” thingie is all about…
Now THIS is the sort of ideals we want to see making its way to Congress. It seems to me Pia’s principles are those that have been absent from Washington D.C. since, oh, since around 1933.
Well, I like her! VOTE PIA for Pennsylvania!
Continue reading “
Pia for Pennsylvania’s First District”
-By Warner Todd Huston
It’s the end of 2009, the “aughts” are over, and we are about to embark on a new year — and what else are they but the “aughts”? Well, besides mostly a horrible and thankfully passed decade. In any case, we are at the end of the year and that means two things: lists about this year and predictions for the next. I’ve chosen the prognosticator’s art for this piece with the subject of what will likely be our biggest failure or mistake in 2010: the Tea Party movement.
We all know that just saying the words “Tea Party” is enough to raise American’s blood pressure. Some will become suspicious or even enraged by imagining I am about to attack the Tea Partiers, some on the left will be filled with disgust even thinking about the Tea Partiers at all, and still others will get their blood up thinking about why the Tea Party movement started in the first place. For 2009 “Tea” and “Party” were two words that raised American’s passions in a myriad of ways, for sure. That won’t change in 2010.
But with the Tea Party movement we are likely headed for a huge mistake in 2010, one that I fear will stretch into 2011 and one that has the potential to hurt us all, right, left and center — but especially right.
Continue reading “
Tea Parties: The Biggest Mistake We’ll Make in 2010″
-By Warner Todd Huston
The reasons that I could never get elected to any government position is the same reason why conservatives have a tough time getting elected and, if they end up elected, can’t govern in this era of the ill-educated voter. First I’ll lay out my main principles…
Leave me alone
Stop taxing me
Shove your regulations
That’s about it. Though there are complexities and nuance contained in them, these are the main tenets of modern conservatism simply put. And therein lies the problem. How can one get elected when his basic tenets are that government should do less, stay out of our lives, and mostly go unnoticed and unseen? In essence a conservative is saying: “Elect me and I’ll do nothing for you.” It’s a tough message to sell in a day when people have lost touch with the American principles that are contained in those very tenets.
Continue reading “
Why Conservatives Have Trouble Getting Elected”
-By Warner Todd Huston
The Cypress Times of Cypress, Texas has started a little effort to help conservatives show that they are proud to be American and proud to be conservatives. Times Publisher John G. Winder decided it’s time to show the world that “I Am Conservative America” by having conservatives of all stripes from all across the country send in their photo holding a little sign that proclaims their self pride.
I know, I know. if you are a conservative and are reading this posting, I’ll bet your first thought is to roll your eyes. I do know how you feel because I did the same thing. After all, isn’t it the “feels-good idiots” on the left that indulge in these sorts of empty gestures? These are the sorts of fluffy, pointless things that leftist goofballs do, right? We are serious, ya know? I mean, posting our photos on some webpage ain’t a’gonna change anything, we all know.
Proud to be a Conservative? Well, Show It!”
-By Warner Todd Huston
Of course we are all roaming around trying to figure out what will work, what hasn’t worked and whose fault it all is. Powell blasts Limbaugh, Limbaugh replies, voters blast McCain, the moderate Republican illiterati try to blame it all on Palin and the social conservatives, the conservatives say the country club set has destroyed us, and EVERYONE knows that the GOP acted like drunken sailors on the spending side… there is enough finger pointing all around, for sure.
But, how are we going to get it all back? How are we going to win at the ballot box? That is the question, naturally. There is a model of how to achieve that victory, though, if we have the good sense to utilize it.
David Frum appeared on the Hugh Hewitt show on December 16 and said that, in his opinion, the “base” of the GOP is no longer enough to get a president elected. He defined the base as comprising white males that make over $30,000 a year and are not college graduates. He said that the more college a voter has the more likely that they will vote Democrat.
Now, Frum is 100% wrong on a lot of things — like Sarah Palin, for instance — but he is dead on with his assessment about what a college “education” does to an American. A college education turns an American into a Democrat for the simple reason that there isn’t anything truly American taught in the largest number of our colleges and universities. They are taught to be Euro-like, non-traditional Americans and the main outlet for that ideology is the Democratic Party.
Continue reading “The GOP Cannot Win Until…”
-By Warner Todd Huston & Patrick Ruffini
I highly endorse what is presented here from Patrick Ruffini in regards to the Rightroots movement on-line. We have failed to rival the nutroots in effectiveness, but I think a lot of it is inherent in our own mental makeup. Conservatives do not do “join” well. It’s just a fact.
However, we must intellectually over come that reticence to “join” if we expect our cause to win and flourish.
But, I have to say we are all, even this new Rightroots effort, forgetting the single reason why we are not as successful as the nutrooters. There is ONE reason we cannot get traction. It isn’t lack of money, it isn’t lack of drive, focus or philosophy.
One reason we are failing. There is just one.
Continue reading “What It Will Take to Build a Rightroots Movement”
-By Warner Todd Huston
The segment of the Republican Party that I call the “conservo-lite” wing is mad at Sarah Palin. Maybe not so much mad as supremely contemptuous. These folks have been pretty upset over the pick of Governor Sarah Palin as McCain’s VP nominee, some of them even going to far as asking her to step down — despite the damage that such a move would cause the Party. Kathleen Parker, David Brooks, George Will, David Frum and others have announced their opposition to Palin and, consequently, their utter disdain for most of the members of their own Party.
And now comes D.R. Tucker to tell us in his posting at Human Events that supporters of Palin are “causing a rift” that if not healed will “destroy” the conservative movement. He says that the pro-Palin and anti-Palin sides of the GOP must heal this rift or it’s all over. Tucker thinks that Ronald Reagan “must turn his head in disgrace” as he witnesses the party self-destructing over Palin.
But, I don’t think Mr. Tucker realizes what it is he’s really seeing. We are not witnessing the destruction of the GOP but merely a stark highlighting of the factions that existed before Palin came upon the national scene. It’s a split that has been there since Ronald Reagan made his first bid against Ford in 1976. Palin is not the cause of the rift, she is merely a light exposing the fault lines.
Continue reading “Con-Lite Crowd Whines That Party of Reagan Torn in Two Over Palin”