Rush to Judgment…

Rush Limbaugh had a bad week last week. I was away on my first cruise totally disconnected from the political world and I come back to find a big controversy buzzing around Rush. Well, there is always a left wing vulture circling the most effective conservative commentator in history because when you are as powerful and influential as Rush you are the big kill. You are the next “Watergate” to be taken down. You are the feather in the cap if successfully neutralized. As I watched the coverage on the way home I realized this was a bit more than usual.

What the left fails to understand is that attacking Rush for a poor choice of words may seem like blood in the water, but it is actually a battle cry for conservatives. Conservatives that support Rush would go to the front line of battle at the first request made by Rush. As a General in the conservative army he would command enough troops to take down this handful of pencil neck lefties in a heartbeat. Actually as we speak, there are 8 former advertisers in board rooms across America re-thinking their decision to abandon Rush. You see, when you abandon Rush you have abandoned 20 million consumers that would go to war with this man.

Rush has been at the front lines of the battle against liberals determined to take away our freedoms and constitutional rights. He has always been “controversial” to the left but he has always spoken clearly for the conservative American. He is representative of the majority of Americans that make this country great. We take an assault on Rush seriously. As every one of these advertisers will see, they have made a tactical error. Conservatives don’t scream from the rooftops, they act. Just like most conservatives will never buy a GM or Chrysler product again, these sponsors will see conservatives act with their market principles. We will stop considering their products and services just as many did with GM and Chrysler. We will not go around and sign petitions. We will just stop using the products.

The real answer to limiting the power of people you disagree with is to stop listening. I don’t listen to liberals because they are not very smart. I don’t boycott advertisers that advertise on the View, Bill Maher, Shultz, Maddow, etc… I just don’t listen. I don’t care where a sponsor chooses to advertise because in a free market both liberals and conservatives spend money. It is when a sponsor decides to make a political statement about a topic, show, or radio personality that gets them in trouble. By bowing to liberals and leaving the Rush Limbaugh show, they have made a political statement. Very bad move. They should have stayed neutral and released a statement that made clear they do not get involved in political debates and advertise on shows that cover every political spectrum because their customers are part of every political spectrum. Issue solved.

But now I will never buy a bouquet of flowers from 1-800 Flowers or use Carbonite back up services. The other sponsors will get the same treatment. They made a decision and I have made a decision. Rush is a good man in a cesspool of political debate every day. Dealing with liberals on the left is a test of a person’s character to stay calm cool and collected. We are all human and sometimes we get angry and use language we wish we could take back. I have done it more than once in my life.

The bigger issue is we are at war with people that want to destroy our country. Our current President is their leader. Rush points out the areas in which we are under attack and it is our responsibility as conservatives to react and change things where we can. Rush educates those that will listen on the effects of policy and regulation so we can make sound assessments for the next course of action. To allow these people to neutralize Rush is to wave a white flag and surrender our country and constitution. The left will find that that is something the conservative warrior will never do. We know our history and our rights. We have a beacon of truth leading the way. He will not be stopped by the enemy. That I can guarantee…

The Cost of Ignorance…

No matter what they say - ignorance is not bliss. In fact it is dangerous and imperils our freedoms. Our founders understood human nature because they were students of history. The founders had a love of learning and believed that education was a personal obligation to becoming a good citizen. Knowing history is like having a crystal ball to the future. By studying the civilizations of the past, our founders created the foundational principles of the Constitution.

Limiting the capacity of government to be able to control individuals was the principle goal of the Constitution. The main argument for a central government was to create the ability to provide a common defense for the states. They didn’t want to have to beg the states to support the defense of the country as they did during the revolution where George Washington had to make due with very limited resources. The Constitution was designed to contain the tendencies of governments to overstep and control the lives of the governed as was the case throughout history. They believed by putting us in charge of us, and limiting what a central government could do, they could improve the lives of everyone that lived within the constitutional republic. The Constitution was the written culmination of lessons learned that would set a foundation for a brand new form of government. One created by the people for the people. No ruling class or group of people would have power without the consent of the governed. It was a revolutionary concept but could only survive with an engaged citizenry. The founders feared if the citizens ignored the government it could quickly deteriorate into dictatorship so they provided as many safeguards in the Constitution as they could. But ultimately they knew it would come down to a willingness of the people to defend the Constitution. Without the people’s attention they knew the past would repeat itself.

They feared many things when designing the new republic including an all-powerful president. They did not want one man to have too much power or any group of people in the government to have too much power so they used the concept of “balance of powers” between the executive, judicial, and legislative branches of government. It was the job of each branch to keep the other in check. So no one branch could determine the direction of the federal government without the consent of each branch. It was a design nothing short of a miracle.

As we consider the actions of the Federal Government today and this President, it is apparent that the American education system has failed. The outrageous conduct of the appointments made by this president without the constitutionally mandated consent of the senate yesterday should have received a greater reaction than it did. The limited reaction to these appointments shows how our education system has systematically limited the citizen’s knowledge of their form of government. These radical and unlawful acts should be stirring up a beehive of legal action against this administration. Yet we go on and act as if this is just a game being played by a President intent on creating a rift between him and the congress to be used in his re-election campaign strategy. It is a dangerous and illegal game that deserves the attention of our congressional members and the judiciary.

This President has said he will go around the congress to do the “people’s work” which is exactly what every dictator in history uses as an excuse to implement their own tyranny on the governed. I know most people don’t realize how dangerous this is but they should. No matter what rhetoric is used to justify his actions, in a constitutional republic the law is king not the president. And the law says he can’t appoint people to positions of power within the government without the consent of the Senate. The Senate is officially in session and therefore the excuse of recess appointments is irrelevant.

Following the process of government is like watching paint dry for most citizens but if we expect to live in a country that respects freedom and the rule of law we must pay attention and react when necessary. The congress should threaten impeachment immediately and defund the departments affected by these appointments. This is not business as usual. This is a crime.

The country is worth watching over. It may be boring but it is our responsibility to protect future generations from the ambitions of leaders that would rather dictate than follow the law of the land.

Newt Just Blew It!

If you are a pro capitalist constitutionalist that is proud to be American and believes we need to defeat Obama, Mitt must be the choice. I know Mitt isn’t perfect but none of us are. We need competence and an instinct for free market principles in our next President.

The latest exchange between Mitt and Newt has turned me 100% against Newt. I can’t forgive him for something I know came from his inner core and showed his true colors. Newt’s “business” with Freddie and Fannie cannot be compared to Mitt’s experience with Bain Capital. Newt was peddling his influence as a former speaker and access to politicians because he can lobby on the House floor as a former politician (post for another day). I don’t begrudge him for making a living but he was sucking more taxpayer supported dollars out of an organization that needs to be eliminated. It is ripe with corruption and incompetence. Newt should have been working to close the place down.

Romney was a “turn-around” specialist in the private sector. His company took ailing and failing businesses and revived them to health. Most times they did sometimes they didn’t. But in the private sector there is no cushion of taxpayer funds to be “compassionate” with other people’s money.  Romney had to make the most difficult decisions people in the private sector have to make when saving or building businesses.

Bankruptcy is exactly what GM and Chrysler should have been forced to do. They would be better companies today and we as taxpayers would be a little less in debt. But our President illegally invested our money into private companies to save the unions that support his election. Yes illegal because nowhere in the constitution does it authorize the federal government to use taxpayer dollars to prop up private companies. The financial industry would have survived under the bankruptcy process as well if they were allowed to fail. The doom and gloom scenarios are all speculative BS. The private sector always recovers when the rules are clear and everyone plays by the same rules.

Newt through his comment “is Romney going to apologize to the companies he bankrupted and the laid off workers…” (close enough but a common liberal mantra against capitalism) has shown that his instinct is to prop up the private sector with tax dollars. A mortal sin for a free market economy. Mitt has proven he knows how to save, build, and allow for failure in the private sector which I have to assume he will do as President no matter how much pressure the public puts on him.

This election is about our future. Our future is bleak with the current President. He is destroying our fundamental fabric that creates the wealth and prosperity we enjoy. I know there are many conservatives looking for Reagan but we are going to have to trust Romney on this one. Newt will be demonized and portrayed as a mean spirited old white guy. He is not going to win over the uninformed middle. We will need the uninformed middle to get rid of Obama. They will need to feel good about voting against Obama because they vote based on feelings. Newt will not make them feel good about voting against Obama. That is a fact and I know it doesn’t make sense for us as conservatives but we must be strategic here.

Newt is done. Stick a fork in him and let’s move on to Romney. Newt has done some good things in the past but his instincts are tied to government solutions. The government is not the solution it is the problem as our hero Reagan knew all too well…

Check out this great post by my Brother on why we need Mitt. He is a staunch conservative…

If Looks Could Kill a Campaign…

The reality is for too many people choose their president as if he is a celebrity. I say he because to date we have had only males. I would love to see that change with a Michelle Bachman but that’s a thought for another post.


There has been a lot of buzz around Mitch Daniels, Governor of Indiana but I can tell you he has the look that kills a campaign. I know it should be about ideas but the reality is that people in the middle that he seems to be so worried about offending with conservatism will vote for Obama over him on looks alone. The only way to persuade people of the conservative argument is to sell it proudly and to look good doing it.

President Obama is vulnerable on so many fronts but looks is not one of them. Obama is a big government spending machine and freedom crushing liberal who is aloof on most important issues to Americans like the price of gas and jobs but Daniels is not the guy that will beat him.

Ron Paul can’t win, Gingrich can’t win, and they have great policy ideas. But they suffer from the same un-likability factor Daniels has. It may seem petty to those of us that follow and debate politics on ideas but we have to face reality. Just look at the last few presidents and tell me which one of them didn’t take a great profile picture?

I struggle with the idea that Americans are that fickle on such an important issue. When you think about presidential politics what should come to mind is “Jay Walking”. You know the segment on the Jay Leno Late Night show where he asks the person on the street to name the speaker of the house, Vice President, or what the capital of California is? That is the presidential election in a nutshell. The only comforting news is they often forget to show up on Election Day.

So before Mitch Daniels gets in he should ask himself whether or not he has the look…

Decision Points…

I have just finished reading Decision Points by George W Bush and as a history buff; I enjoyed reading the President’s perspective of events that are fresh in my mind. It does give you a perspective that is quite different from the vantage point of citizen. I still have major issue with many of his decisions because he continues to suggest he is a conservative that respects the constitution but a lot of his actions over his eight were neither.


There were a few key points I took away that helped me to understand why I am a constitutionalist. The constitution limits the power of the federal government, and if one thing is extremely clear in the book is that Washington DC sees itself as too important and too powerful. The constitution is an afterthought in much of the decision making process with the exception of when the president weighed into unchartered territory like the war on terror, foreign policy, and the financial crisis.

The other area that stood out like a sore thumb was the President’s confidence in people to manage a government that was totally out of control, and his determination to work with liberals in congress. His judgment of liberal democrats seemed flawed and at best wishful thinking, at worst naïve. To think that Ted Kennedy was working with him on education reform for the benefit of the kids is almost laughable. Ted Kennedy was in it for his own legacy and unions; period. Working with Kennedy on No Child Left Behind showed how little conservatism entered into his though process.

Don’t get me wrong, I think George Bush was a good man but a really flawed conservative. I would love to have the opportunity to hang out with him and debate the issues, but to argue that he was anything resembling a conservative is not realistic. He has a very liberal leaning propensity that showed in his willingness to inject government solutions into problems that are best left to the private sector and local communities like education, healthcare, and poverty. Although I think his support of Faith Based Initiatives was on the right path, it didn’t go far enough.

The final chapter titled Financial Crisis really brought home the sense that the federal government and Washington DC is mired in a mindset that the country would have melted if not for the federal bailout. There was a panic that they were trying to manage by taking action that continued the panic. We may never know, but the markets were manipulated by regulation and the results harvested bad behavior by the private sector, government, and individual citizens. The ability of the market to rebound would have been swift and real compared to what we have now. We are mired in government intrusion because George Bush opened the door to additional government intrusion. The correction would have hurt more but I am not convinced it would have been worse if the companies that made bad decisions were made to go through the bankruptcy process.

We will never know because we didn’t let the market work. Washington DC and George Bush thought they were smarter than the markets. I disagree that the markets were the reason for the meltdown, I believe it was a crippling of the markets through bad regulation, but we will never know and are left to speculate and clean up the mess his actions created.

I like GW as a family man and person. I think he was a better alternative than Al Gore or John Kerry but he was no Reagan. I enjoyed his book and feel like I have a better understanding of his decisions as president but I still disagree. The soldiers and their families had a good Commander in Chief, and I have a lot of respect for the respect he showed our troops and their families. He took his responsibility with great care. He is truly a man of faith and I loved that he shared his personal struggles with alcohol.

The book was a good read but for conservatives there are lessons to be learned about compromise and government largesse. The lesson is we need to work harder to educate people on the power of conservative principles and the constitution. Jefferson style not Bush style…

“Climate of Hate” Built on Lies…

Conservatives are angry with the way their government has ignored their call for fiscal responsibility. Conservatives are angry with the way their government ignores the constitution. Conservatives are angry with the assault on their freedom and the intrusion of government into their private lives. Conservatives are active and engaged in the process we call democracy. Conservatives are not prone to violence against their government. Conservatives use the political process at the ballot box to make the changes they see necessary when reforming government. That is what happened this past November.


Paul Krugman’s article “Climate of Hate” is a pack of lies. Conservatives do not have a propensity toward violence; it is the left that leans on violence to get their way. Every violent disturbance this country and the world witnesses are funded and flamed by unions, community organizers, college students, and environmentalists. They call it “social justice” and they rarely use the legitimate political process like elections because their agenda is usually rejected by the citizenry. You see the dirty little secret is the majority of people live their lives as conservatives. Conservatives take responsibility for their lives, pay their mortgages, work hard and save, and simply don’t have the time to burn flags, piss on crosses, apologize for American success, and undermine the moral fabric that holds this nation together.

The idea that Fox or talk radio or conservatives are bad for America is preposterous. The idea that conservative talkers promote violence is an absolute lie. What Krugman has done in this article is to flame the fires of lies that have no standing in fact. This latest assault on innocent victims was conducted by a mentally unstable individual that leans left not right. There is no connection between the good conservative Americans and this violent tragedy in Arizona. These families are being prayed for in every conservative home in America while the left wing continues to expel religion from our society. The compassionate soul of this country is collectively coming together around the victims of this tragedy while the left uses this as a political tool to promote their agenda. Krugman should be ashamed of this article. And the NYT’s should be ashamed that they printed it.

Is Krugman suggesting we limit free speech? Or just conservative speech? Is Krugman accusing someone specific on the right for this tragedy? Is Krugman using the NYT’s to promote a dialogue to discuss our political differences? What exactly is Krugman doing with his article? Who did the fact checks on this article? Who believes this tripe?

Limiting disagreement about our government is unconstitutional so what is the answer? Let’s start by telling the truth…

A Constitutional Showdown in 2011…

President Obama has promised to govern through regulation instead of legislation since the voter “funded” Republican takeover in November 2010 took away the one party rule advantage he abused to govern for the past two years. He ignored the people while he jammed unpopular legislation through an incompetent congress, and is showing that same lack of penitence with the voters and their obvious wishes to change direction in 2011. The 2010 election was an obvious rebuttal to this president’s agenda but allowing the voters to have their say is not something this president will let stand in the way of his radical unconstitutional agenda. He has basically said to the American people; the Constitution be damned.


Well the Constitution is the law of the land and will be enforced in the 112th congress and beyond. The Tea Party activists will ensure the compliance or in 2012 they will again send candidates with constitutional principles to replace the representatives that fail to legislate based on constitutional principles.

The best way to stop the Obama agenda is to defund the bureaucracy. Defund the EPA, FCC, and every other agency Obama intends to use to implement his agenda against the American people. The House has the purse strings and it is time to battle. It is not time to compromise on constitutional principles.

The Obama administration is also “warning” Tea Party republicans they must vote to raise the debt limit or the consequences could be devastating. They will be devastating but not because the country will default but rather the federal programs that are funded via debt obligations will be targets of reduction and elimination. Every federal program should be targeted for a 50% reduction with the exception of Social Security, the military, and Medicare which should be frozen until a more comprehensive solution can be determined.

The federal government is the only body that has not had to cut back. They are like an alcoholic being told they can’t drink. It won’t be easy to stop the drinking but in order to save itself from destruction it is the only solution that will work… It is time to help the country learn to be “dry” when it comes to growth and spending…

A Simple Man…

I consider myself a simple man that sees the world from a very practical perspective. I don’t believe things ever have to be as hard as they seem. It is probably why I am a conservative that leans libertarian. It makes simple sense to me that when we respect the individual’s right to be free, everything else makes total sense.

I think the founders were simple men. They were simple which is what made them brilliant. By looking at the world through the eyes of the individual they were able to see the future clearly. They also had a profound interest and curiosity for history and invention. They spent much of their time creating things to advance the industry of the day. Whether it was a better way to run the farm or creating the first tool to copy written documents, the polygraph, it was their passion as individuals to help other individuals improve their lives. They had little interest in running the lives of others. They had been there done that and decided there was a better way.

As we look at the state of our country today it is clear we have lost the simple notion that we are better off when we allow each individual to learn how to fish rather than feed them the same. The evidence is clear and simple to understand. As we have gravitated away from protecting the individual liberty of our citizens and replaced it with a collective wisdom that we know what is best for others, we see the destruction that is left in the path of collectivism.

The Black community has been devastated by the collective notion that these individuals are incapable of helping themselves. It is simply discrimination in another form. We are robbing this community of their ability to find their own happiness and success in life. For the past 50 years we have been told that we are not doing enough for this community but the simple fact is we are doing too much. By undermining the individual spirit our founders treasured, we have begun a transformation back to a time where Kings and royalty decided what was best for the kingdom. We are headed back to the future to steal a popular movie series title.

The current efforts to regulate what our kids eat, who gets access to the internet, stealing the wealth of hard working individuals and giving it to others under the guise of fairness, we continue to destroy our foundational principle. It is not cold hearted to want people to succeed on their own; it is compassionate to do so. It is not selfish to want to keep what we earn for ourselves or future generations of our family; it is the source of compassion. When individuals are able to create excess wealth they tend to share that wealth with others that are less fortunate. Not through force but out of a compassionate heart for their neighbor. Taking by force through taxation causes resentment and the result is less compassion and giving. It is a simple truth if you just take a moment to think about it.

The end of what is happening in our country is simple to see if we just follow through to the logical conclusion. We have seen it before in our own history. Oppressive taxation and regulation, meddling in individuals private affairs, and ignoring the will of the people were the impetus to our first revolution. It is not a threat but simply a fact. At some point individuals will take back their rights as individuals to keep their wealth, freedom, and happiness from an over reaching government bureaucracy. We as Americans live by a simple creed which is live free or die. It is actually the state motto of New Hampshire but it resides in every American heart. From our military to our kitchen tables we will not allow the government to determine our fate without a fight.

The Tea Party of today has been awakened by the same emotions that were stirred in 1773. History is repeating itself right before our eyes if we simply think about the circumstances of today and at our founding. The pundits and media can’t see it because they are part of the collective wisdom that they know better than us what’s good for our country. They shutter at the word revolution but for individuals that care about our constitution and country the word gives them hope for a better future. It is not about violence. It is about a simple principle, we as Americans will never concede our right to be free to pursue happiness. It may be offensive to some that we wish for a simpler form of federal government but we don’t care about offending the elite. We relish in it.

The American Revolution was simple in concept. “When in the course of human events it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another…” Our Declaration of Independence that embodied our spirit as individuals and a nation is as relevant today as it was in 1776.

It seems simple to me that we are at a point in our history where the Tea Party will spark another revolution that will again revive the spirit our founders so engrained through their simple wisdom and understanding of human nature. I do not know what it will look like this time around but there is no doubt in my mind that the country is ready to tell its government: “we simply can’t comply”…

A Winning Message and Protecting Our Constitution…

As a constitutional conservative it is frustrating to watch the important arguments win on merit but lose in messaging. The GOP has to find a better message consultant and messenger. My choice for messenger would be Marco Rubio. He knows how to proudly speak for the ideals that have made this country great. He understands that the government is not the answer and is most often the problem. And he asks the important question that so many politicians ignore; does this (insert program or idea) belong at the federal level based on the constitution?

I am starting to wonder why politicians swear to uphold the constitution. Many of these same politicians support or promote programs that are unconstitutional. We are no longer running this republic under the guidelines of the constitution. Since 1932 or so, we have had an onslaught of politicians and judges ignoring the constitution or using tortured arguments to get unconstitutional arguments and legislation past the voters and into law.

I recently watched a Republican Congressman argue we need a constitutional amendment to allow states to opt out of federal programs. Excuse me; it’s called the Tenth Amendment! There is precedent for Nullification of federally mandated laws that states believe are unconstitutional. It is all right in front of us and them if we understand our history. We currently have anarchy when it comes to interpreting our history. Politicians and pundits are continually pontificating about how their idea is constitutional based on some hair brained argument. The public sits there and listens and believes them without doing any homework on the constitutional validity of their argument. Simply put, we have become lazy in thought and that allows these people to perpetuate false arguments and ideas.

If you listen closely to the current battles going on in Washington, Obama is winning. Every opportunity he gets he hammers home the idea of class warfare. Republicans and conservatives are against the middle class and for the rich and wealthy. The republicans want to take away the unemployment benefits of the working class for the sake of the richest and wealthiest Americans. The perception (messaging) is that republicans and conservatives don’t care about the “working” man. As if the rich and wealthy don’t work? They work more, that is why they are wealthy and rich.

The message must be rejected and reversed on Obama. The argument should be that Obama is a job killing president because he punishes the businesses that hire Americans. We do not have a revenue problem at the federal level of government - the democrats and the president have a spending addiction that is stealing our children’s American dream. America has been exceptional because we value the private entrepreneurs and job creators that have fueled economic growth. The businesses that create jobs that pay employees actually fuel the government. The government produces nothing. Every government job is the courtesy of small, medium, and large employers. We believe class warfare ended at the inception of America. We fought for our freedom so every individual had an opportunity to prosper. This administration is trying to bring back the caste system that keeps people in the classes they were born into through dependence on government programs. And the message goes on and on… You get the idea.

The message must be repeated constantly just like the left and liberals do. They say we are for the rich, we say we are for the employers who create the jobs and the people that want to work. They say we want tax cuts for the rich, we say we want tax cuts for every working American regardless of how much they earn, it’s their money. They say we want to increase deficits, we say we want spending caps and a balanced budget amendment. They say we want to cut programs, we say we want constitutional government. They say we don’t want to extend unemployment for working Americans, we say we want to end unemployment…

The media is biased and we must say it more often and louder than the left. But we need a message that resonates every time the left lies about our intent. We need a messenger that believes in our constitution and our exceptionalism. We need to know our history and we need to take the fight to the left and their sympathizers every hour of everyday at every opportunity…

Time to Move Past GOP…

We just handed a historical crushing electoral win to the Republican Party in November that came with a mandate to reduce and control the federal government. It was not because the republicans earned our votes; it just happens they are the only alternative to the insanity on the left. In the voting booth, many held their noses, many were proud to send Tea Party candidates, but all voters were putting politicians on notice that if you drift we will punish. I know Republicans don’t have the internal constitution to do what America needs; reduced constitutional government but what alternative did we have?

Yesterday the Republicans were touting how they have “compromised” a deal to extend the Bush tax rates for everyone. Extending the tax rates for everyone is good but if they didn’t get a deal done in the lame duck it would have happened in the new Congress. The “compromise” was extending unemployment that is now going on two years and the “Death” tax (estate tax). My question is why compromise anything?

Politics is in the state it is because of compromise. I and many others hired these people to stand on principle. Principles are not to be compromised. The death tax is immoral and all of the assets that are passed down in an estate have already been taxed or are being taxed. This class warfare against working Americans is a disgrace and those that participate in perpetuating the myth that these successful Americans have somehow received a special break is ignorance, and usually an argument used to benefit left leaning democrats for their left leaning constituency.

Why compromise the principles that hard work needs to be rewarded? Why extend unemployment benefits because of government incompetence? Unemployment insurance after the first extension is welfare. Those that are turning down work because it pays less than unemployment are choosing to be welfare recipients. Many two income families are taking any benefit that is given but have also reduced their efforts to find work as long as not working continues to pay. Are there people that need help? You bet. But unemployment benefits are not the mechanism. I have known a dozen people that have been laid off, and I know a dozen people that have found work. Not always the work they want, but work to keep paying the bills for now.

That is the American spirit and principle. These are the people that need to be rewarded by reducing government and increasing certainty so the private sector will invest and therefore create jobs.

The republican’s focus should not be unemployment extensions. The focus should be on why the job creation engine is not starting. And the answer is simple; too much government interference. The voters know it and it is why they sent a new congress to Washington. Instead of compromising on unemployment extensions the Republicans need to do what they were hire to do; reduce government.

So it begins. The Republicans have already prepared us for 2012. We need to find a new home for our hopes and dreams for America’s future. We need politicians grounded in constitutional government. We need to strengthen the Tea Party movement to prepare for the inevitable disappointment we are going to get from the Republican Party. They don’t get it. They are willing to compromise at a time when they have the country with them like no other time in history.

If the GOP will not stand on principle now; they will never do it…

Without the “Rich” Who Pays?

This endless assault on the rich is pure ignorance. The rich aren’t selfish or greedy or taking anything from you; most rich are paying their share and more. Most of the people that complain about the rich are frustrated under-achievers that think the world would be better off if we all suffered the same together in poverty.

Most rich people get that way because of a brilliant idea, the willingness to risk, and a lot of sweat and tears. Rich people create the jobs most Americans usually work at. Name me a person that has created a job by sitting around and complaining about the rich? Bill gates created tens of thousands of jobs as well as countless millionaires that toiled in the beginning in humble surroundings for very little pay. Sam Walton created tens of thousands of jobs and countless millionaires by changing the way retail works. And despite the BS you hear about Wal-Mart putting small business out of work, the evidence is exactly the opposite. Wal-Mart puts lousy monopolistic businesses out of business that only survived because there was no competition. Today thousands of businesses flock to shopping centers where Wal-Mart is the anchor.

The money that pays for the government programs comes from the very people under assault. Maybe we should be thanking the rich instead? What a novel concept; gratitude! The definition of rich for the loudest complainers is “anyone making more than THEY think should be ENOUGH to live on”. I have news for them; it’s their money to keep, not the governments. If you want more go and work more. Come up with an idea people are willing to pay for. Risk everything to start your own business and then decide if you are rich after you have invested the time, energy, and resources to succeed.

Gimme, gimme, gimme; instead maybe it’s time to return to the concept of earning your own keep. Maybe the critics can find an idea rather than criticizing the people that make their lives more comfortable. Maybe it’s time to return to the principles outlined in our constitution; life, liberty, and the freedom to PURSUE happiness…

McInnis can ignore the issue and we can ignore him at the polls…

I wonder how many people that vote based on principle are going to enthusiastically support or even support Scott McInnis if he for some strange reason gets the Republican primary nod. I can’t imagine any republican that knows of the plagiarism will vote for Scott in the primary. But stranger things have happened in politics.

But this is Colorado where there is still some semblance of values, and too many people that refuse to hold their noses and vote for an unelectable candidate in the general election. Talk about dowsing the enthusiasm of the conservative voter in Colorado by making McInnis the candidate. He may think he can just dismiss this as a mistake and move on but principled people don’t move on so easily.

We have a conundrum and it keeps getting worse. Those boots are definitely made for walking, but they ain’t walking over the good people of Colorado. I hope we’re better than that!

A Rant - Looking For Political Answers in All the Wrong Places…

Scott McInnis and Dan Maes have rattled the cages of conservatives concerned with the direction of the federal government. Some of us were hoping to stop an out of control federal government by electing a strong conservative Governor that would use his power to take back the responsibilities outlined for the state in our U.S. Constitution. What are we going to do in Colorado?

Colorado is in trouble, and conservatives in particular are going to be left with a choice that is handed to us by the leaders of the Republican Party. The same party that has helped drive our federal government into our board rooms, our living rooms, and lunch rooms. These “limited government” advocates want a government limited to what they want and be damned the constitution. The same party that spends lavishly on expenses for party leaders while purporting to support the small business community they are robbing blind with taxation. The same party that has made it nearly impossible to see the line between them and the democrats with the exception of abortion and the Supreme Court. The party that knows no end to what the federal government can “help” us accomplish.

We are supposed to believe they are going to choose a candidate that will have the interest of the common business man, common citizen, and the future of our children at the forefront of their efforts. As John Stossel is famous for saying, “Give me a break!”

The choice for Governor on the democratic side is an enemy of the people. He is an elitist that believes and is supported by people that believe in global governance, global warming, universal taking of rights through healthcare, and every other utopian scheme that is bound to assist in our destruction as a state and nation.

This is what we get to choose from in Colorado? What are we Oshkosh (sorry Oshkosh!)? Who are we as a people to be left with this despicable set of circumstances with all of our eggs in the basket of a handful of incompetent party leaders? What have we done to deserve this predicament we are in? We have ignored the political process for too long and we must organize around something other than the Republican’s choice for a candidate.

As Colorado citizens we should reject both parties and organize around an individual willing to fight the federal takeover of our economy, liberty, and future. Damn it - we can do better than this…

What Happens if Dan Maes Drops Out?

I do not know enough about Dan’s financial situation to comment about whether or not he will be permanently damaged by it, but I am concerned for the future of Colorado. Having just dropped out of the race for Governor due to a lack of support and time, I know how complex the financial disclosure rules are and the maze it is to navigate through. But what happens if Dan drops out?

I am a constitutionalist, conservative in the Jefferson school, and Scott McInnis is not a constitutionalist. He has spent too much time in the federal government in my opinion and honestly, I don’t trust him at this point. I definitely don’t want to see Hickenlooper because we all know where he will take us, so again, where is a conservative to turn?

Are the Tea Party folks going to turn to the Libertarian or Constitutionalist candidates? Not likely since so many have at some time been in the Republican Party or are Independents who lean conservative. This dilemma that Dan has put us in is disappointing and concerns me because we are going to need a Governor that stands up to the federal government just like Arizona has but is Scott McInnis that guy?

In my opinion we are at a critical point in our country’s survival as we constitutionalists know it, and we need to support Governor’s that not only understand the constitution but are willing to fight the federal government to take back our rightful place in the structure of the republic.

Again, what is a conservative to do?

Is winning a principle or the result of following your principles?

The republican choir keeps getting louder on the subject of “winning” in November. The fear of third party candidates, independent candidates, and rival republican candidates are getting the inside pundits nervous. Well, they should be. But what they don’t understand is that people are looking for principled candidate’s period. They have seen what happens even when republicans win; many abandon their principles.

That is the reason we are in this mess. The people “in charge” of producing candidates, have become corrupted in the pursuit of winning. So what is winning? In the Republican Party’s eyes it is having one more republican than democrat in congress so they can control the committees, and therefore the agenda. Based on Obama’s lightning bolt efforts to ruin this country that is not all bad. But if the people in Arizona elect John McCain, the man currently pretending to share conservative and limited government values, will we get a candidate for limited government? No way, he is the typical republican candidate willing to “compromise” to get legislation passed and frustrating the rest of us who want principled constitutional government.

The two parties are spending lavishly on themselves while the expansion of government continues. Eighty percent of Americans don’t trust the federal government and I would suggest that number is not far from what people think about the two parties. So what do we do?

Do we continue to vote for the lesser of two evils or do we purge the evil? We need to change the foundation of the way we elect candidates and it starts with principles. We need to find principled candidates and help them win. The culture in political parties is corrupt and we know it. We watch people giving large sums of money for access, and we watch party insiders spending that money on getting more money from big donors that have one principle in mind; their own interest. The money is poisonous, the backroom deals are criminal, and we are focused on winning. We are helping to elect people that are willing to compromise our principles for the good of a party.

Again I ask; is winning a principle or is it the result of following our principles? We can follow our principles but as our founders stated in the Declaration of Independence “we must mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes, and our Sacred Honor”… Our founders knew what principle was worth but do we?

Sean Hannity; “Conservative Victory”; is wrong about the “Party”…

Our nation was founded on the principle of individual self rule, supported by common Christian values. We were the first and only government to believe in the individual over government and class structure, and it has made this country the greatest most respected nation in the world. No matter what the anti-American minority say; we are envied by the rest of the world because of this simple principle. People instinctually know a government of the people is better than a government over the people.

Over the years, many of us have taken for granted that it would always be that way and ignored the political process. There have been turbulent times but never the feeling that we were losing the principle of individual self rule and our moral foundation, until now. The voters and people have awakened. This is good for our country and good for our future. But being awake is not enough, we need to do our homework and fix not only the people we put into office, but the way we do it.

We have been watching a ping pong match between the Republicans and Democrats, each promising to be better than the other, but each party has continued to trample our individual spirit and freedom. Both parties have systematically taken the government from one of limited role to a “starring” role. That must change. Government needs to take a back seat to the individual, free market, and ingenuity of the American people. We do that by restoring the constitutional role of our federal government and auditing our state governments to determine what we want the role of government to be at the local level.

We don’t need a third party to win back our government. We don’t need any party; we need people paying attention to the issues and candidates. I am not a third party candidate; I am an alternative candidate to the party candidates. Sean Hannity is out there promoting “Conservative Victory” but he is trying to convince people that the Republican Party is where you need to place your bet. I say you will be throwing your money down the drain again if you are truly looking for a change in the way government interacts with the people. Until we stop paying attention to the divisive tactics the parties use to garner votes and money, we will not be engaging in the real fight. The fight is about our principles as a nation. Not defeating the other party but defeating the ideas that big government is better than individual freedom.

I admit the party apparatus has two advantages; it is a fundraising machine, and the candidates have ballot access. Beyond that the two parties have all of the tendencies big government has; self perpetuation. Not for the individual but the party. As Barak Obama campaigned in 2008 on “fundamentally changing the government”, we must elect people that are willing to fundamentally return our government to the people, and respect our constitution. We have seen where we are going and we are scared, angry, and ready to fight. We need to be all in to defeat the people that have given us this mess. Both parties have brought us to this point.

It will take our individual ingenuity to get us out of this mess…

Can we reset our federal government and start over?

I am talking about more than just healthcare when I say we need a “reset”. I am thinking more in the vein of; if we had to start from scratch, what government services would we need to support liberty and the free market system? We have the founding documents, and I would suggest as a country we read and debate what the enumerated powers of the federal government are, and implement them accordingly. The congress, the courts, and the executive would all get the go ahead. The Federal Reserve would be a debate we would need to have again because we have seen what happens when too much power is with too few people, trying to regulate and manipulate a free market. We would quickly come to the conclusion the military was an enumerated power, and from there most other issues become debatable.

The states would become the power players in this debate because after reviewing the constitution, I believe the biggest ah! Ha! moment to come out of a review of the constitution by the people would be the intention and power of the Tenth Amendment. People would again realize why so many of us support the Tenth Amendment, and why it keeps the federal government in check when adhered to by the state’s legislatures and governors.

Would we recreate a welfare state as implemented by FDR? Would we recreate a department of agriculture, education, commerce, and health and human services? Would we rehire the two million federal employees? Would we be able to conduct our lives without the USDA, FCC, FDA, AMTRACK, FHA, FCIC, FDIC, FERC, FICE, FLRA, FMC, FMS, FSIS, FAS, FS, DHS, BEA, BIA, BLM, BPD, BTS, CDC, CISB, USCERT, CBO, CPSC, CPB, and could we consolidate some of the DOD agencies like, DARPA, DCAA, DTRA, DSS, and the, DOE, DED, HHS, HUD, DOL, DOT, DNI, DEPO, EPA, EEOC, FAA, FEMA, GSA, USGS, GAO, GPO, IRS, IBB, ITA,NIST, NIH, OSHA, OMB, ONDCP, OSTI, OC, PWBA, PDR, PDPA, RFERL, RSA, RISC, SSA, SEC, SBA, USPS, VOA, to name just a few of the agencies “managed” by the current federal government. Basically would we reduce the current federal jobs program?

The light bulbs will go off in so many American’s heads when they start considering what they’re paying for and what they’re receiving. With a realization that the Tenth Amendment places the accountability and responsibility with the states, people will not be willing to recreate this bureaucracy all over again. By adhering to the Tenth Amendment and add in a Twenty Eighth Amendment to read; all federal legislation must be justified by referencing the enumerated power in the constitution that gives the federal government the right to create it. If the State’s are not satisfied with the reference, nullification of federal law would be the remedy to force a challenge of the law.

The closer government is to the people the more control the people have, the better our states and nation will be. The debate would be healthy if we rallied around our constitution as Americans. We need a rallying cry because we are being divided by the activities of both political parties. Right now in the healthcare debate the republicans are standing tall because the proposal is so radical. But don’t be fooled, if this was a more “moderate” proposal the republicans would be negotiating away our constitutional rights. There is no power in the constitution that can be referenced to have federal bureaucrats anywhere near our healthcare.

Let’s make the rallying cry a reset of our principles to the founding documents that have made this country so great; The Declaration of Independence and The U.S. Constitution…

A question for those that plan to support the GOP candidates in 2010…

I became an unaffiliated candidate because like many of the tea party and 9/12 activists, I am frustrated with what seems to me to be a lack of common sense governance and the abandonment of principles of our elected officials. After more than 15 years in the GOP I became convinced that the party was more interested in elections, not the constitution. I had to ask myself; what is so hard to understand about the US Constitution, and not spending more than you make? Even under republican control, the federal government kept growing and I kept wondering; what is the GOP’s idea of limited constitutional government? I came to the conclusion they believe in big government, just not as big as the democrats. I don’t believe the Republican Party is the same as the Democratic Party, I only believe that they are not capable of fixing a system that works quite well for them. When the democrats screw up or go overboard as they are right now, they are there to “save” the day. But looking at where we continue to go, no matter which party controls power, is a direction further and further from our constitution and founding principles. They talk a great game and there are some very eloquent candidates but I look at results. And the results are clear which is why people are paying such close attention.

There are only two parties responsible for the mess we are in; the Democratic and Republican Parties. No other parties or candidates have even been given a chance. Maybe this time it will be different. Maybe this time instead of hoping for a different result we try someone not in the party. The principles seem simple but seem to have been forgotten by the parties.

Here are some easy to understand principles I believe in but the GOP seems to have forgotten:

• The United States federal government was created by the states to manage a few limited tasks that were better suited to be centralized like defense and foreign affairs, not the other way around. The federal government gets its authority from we the people as so eloquently stated in the Tenth Amendment “The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.”, not the other way around.

• When we send representatives to Washington, just because one party has one more member than the other party, they should not control every agenda item to be debated in congress. The parties have created those rules, the parties can change them. The congress is supposed to be made up of American representatives not Republicans and Democrats fighting amongst themselves for power.

• Almost every state in the union has a provision in their constitution that requires a balanced budget every year. That is good fiscal policy. The states need to demand the same of the federal government or they will not support the federal government. The states can constitutionally stop their support of an out of control and unresponsive federal government. Just read and learn your constitution.

• Giving hard earned tax dollars to unions or big business is bad policy. If the GOP is a party of limited government, how come the government keeps growing leaps and bounds under their leadership?

What are the principles of government? To give special groups special favors because they vote? Take tax dollars from producers and give it to party supporters? Control people’s lives so they don’t have to make decisions? I know these are not our founding principles but they seem to be our current principles.

What is the goal of the GOP? We know the democrats want a cradle to grave government but I thought the GOP wanted limited government. But I have to ask; limited in what context? Compared to the democrats limited means they still want a huge bureaucracy running your life; it will be better because their people will be republican appointees. Does the GOP believe in our founding principles so clearly laid out in the constitution? Do we trust them?

I believe that big government destroys individual opportunity just like our founders believed. I believe that a return to the original intent of the constitution, although difficult, is what we must do, and every state governor must do everything in their constitutional powers to stop the federal government from destroying our children’s future. I believe that the Declaration of Independence is as valid today as it was when Thomas Jefferson penned it. I believe government today has become a business that is competing with the same industries it is supposed to serve. I believe we owe our children a future without the debt caused by our government’s selfish and greedy behavior. It is not a sacrifice to stop taking money from some to give to others; it is our moral and constitutional obligation.

The GOP is focused on winning the election in 2010. Why?

Governor Ritter and the left slapped down by Amazon; A fight for the American soul…

There seems to be a constant assault against individual accountability for the collective. Every story has an underlying premise that the government has a role in everything we do. Whether it is taking care of our health, the food we eat, the cars we drive, the stores we shop in, the way we speak, government has something to say about it. And in many cases they are passing laws to influence our personal behavior. It is unhealthy and un-American.

The president attacks profit as if profits are immoral. I have news for the president, if there are no profits there are no jobs. That is how our system works, and if he thinks we are all going to go to work for the good of the “collective” he is wrong. All you have to do is look inside your soul or read your history books. The world is littered with collective experiments that have failed.

Governor Bill Ritter issued a statement that he was disappointed in Amazon’s decision to stop doing business with associate partners in Colorado after he imposed a tax on doing business in our state. Amazon wrote:

“There is a right way for Colorado to pursue its revenue goals, but this new law is a wrong way. As we repeatedly communicated to Colorado legislators, including those who sponsored and supported the new law, we are not opposed to collecting sales tax within a constitutionally-permissible system applied even-handedly. The US Supreme Court has defined what would be constitutional, and if Colorado would repeal the current law or follow the constitutional approach to collection, we would welcome the opportunity to reinstate Colorado-based Associates."

This is not a surprise for those of us in the business world. This is how it works. Amazon is not in business to balance the budget of Colorado, they are in it for the profits of their shareholders. Many of the shareholders are people with 401K’s that have invested for the profits to fund their retirements. If there is a better and cheaper way to do business, business will pursue it. By trying to take money from business at every corner we are losing the soul of American entrepreneurship.

We need to remember why we are the wealthiest, most compassionate nation in the world; because we have created wealth by nurturing the soul of individuals. When we succeed as individuals through hard work we are more likely to share our wealth with others. We hate and despise when people take from us without our permission. Most of us believe that is stealing. The government has an insatiable appetite for our individual wealth and there is no end in sight. When will enough be enough?

For Governor Ritter and the left, there can never be enough because they are convinced that the collective is more worthy than the individual. They are wrong and that is why in 2010 there will be a reset of principles in this state and the nation. The American people paying the bills want their labor to be protected from an out of control feeding frenzy from all levels of government. And they will get that by choosing the right candidates.

Candidates with an American soul…

Conservatives are the “Progressives”…

There seems to be this unchallenged premise in the media and society in general, that conservative people are unwilling to change, or embrace new movements. This couldn’t be further from the truth. It’s strange to me how some perceptions are so wrong and rarely challenged like Hitler was a “right wing conservative” nut job. He was definitely a nut job but he was a socialist big government authoritarian which is completely counter to a conservative philosophy. He utilized a hatred for Jews because the Jewish people were extremely capable capitalists. It was easy for Hitler to demonize Jews because it is easy to demonize capitalism. But why?

Why is capitalism easy to demonize? Because capitalism rewards individual success and is completely devoid of emotional considerations. Emotional arguments take less thought and are easily understood. Capitalism doesn’t care if someone is white, black, red, green, male, female, minority, majority, capitalism is blind. Capitalism decides based on performance that someone wins and someone loses, it rewards excellence, ingenuity, hard work, sound principles and judgment. These incentives are seen as cold and uncaring but it is exactly that principle that makes it so effective. Capitalism doesn’t change the rules to accommodate emotional feelings or personal attributes. So how does this all tie into conservatives being more “progressive”?

If you think of the things that enable a society to be progressive, they are built on conservative principles and capitalism. By enabling individuals to succeed and create great wealth for themselves and others, benevolence increases due to this accumulated wealth, and a society thrives and has the ability to provide for the poor, educate the masses, and support the many “progressive” programs that people of liberal persuasion are always claiming to support. It is conservative not liberal principles that allow for a country to be “progressive”.

If we were to abandon capitalism and conservatism for a liberal socialist agenda, the incentive to create wealth will be destroyed because the rewards are distributed based on emotion and the authority of government. People will labor for themselves but they will only labor for others if forced to by an authoritarian government. So the question now is; is authoritarian government “progressive”? I would argue authoritarian governments destroy the ability to provide for the people and history backs me up here. So people that want all kinds of programs from government are not progressive they are authoritarians.

As a society we must stand on principles and that is what conservatives believe is best for a progressive society. Principles are universal and can be found in the Ten Commandments, the U.S. Constitution, Natural law, etc… Conservatives are principled in nature and understand that prosperity is found through strong principled societies. It is why the Founders believed we would only survive as long as we were a moral nation believing in a divine power. It is conservatives who are trying to maintain these principles, therefore maintaining our ability as a nation to be progressive.

The people trying to undermine our principles are the people that will destroy our abilities as a nation to continue to be the hope of the world. If we allow the people who today call themselves “progressives” to continue down this current path of expanded government and limited capitalism and faith, they will become the authoritarians; just like Hitler…