NY-23 Is the "Tipping Point"

DCProtestWarrior:NY-23 Is the "Tipping Point"

Doug Hoffman is the beginning of the conservative movement's efforts to take Congress back to the original intent of the Founding Fathers. The "Republican" leadership in the House will be measured by how well they adapt to the new/old ideas of governing.
Its time for the conservatives in Congress to put a stop to the socialist ideas being pushed down the throats of American citizens. Its time to recognize that the Constitution tells Congress what they can and cannot do.

The Constitution is the Law.
Everything else is a regulation.

Updates on the 23rd Via DCExaminer

UPDATE: Right reactions claim victory

Craig Shirley, conservative PR guru and author of "Rendezvous with Destiny: Ronald Reagan and the campaign that changed America," who sees Scozzafava withdrawal as "a huge, huge black eye for the national Republican Party establishment and the first tangible sign that Reaganism is reasserting itself."

Chip Hanlon, RedCounty.com calls it "a very big win for principle and a loss for political expediency and cronyism."

Ed Morrissey at Hot Air:

"I had neglected to review the poll in much detail, but I suspect that Scozzafava’s withdrawal (or suspension, more accurately, since her name will stay on the ballot) hurts Bob Owens tremendously. According to the poll, Hoffman had attracted 50% of the Republican vote, while Owens had 2/3rds of the Democrats. Hoffman leads Owens among independents, 40%-35%, and the remaining 15% supporting Scozzafava will almost certainly break more towards Hoffman than Owens.

"Owens will likely get more of Scozzafava’s Democratic supporters, but she only had 11%, while 14% have already gone to Hoffman. Hoffman and Owens had a near-even split of the opposition in Scozzafava’s regional stronghold of Jefferson/Lewis/St. Lawrence counties, but I’d be surprised if Hoffman didn’t pick up more in those areas of disaffected Scozzafava voters, too."

Erick Erickson, RedState.com: "On this our hill to die on, we made the other poor schmucks die on it!"

Michelle Malkin: "Hey GOP elites, can you hear conservatives now?"

Adam Britely, New Media activist: "This is a big day for the tea party movement. Not only did the tea party and conservative activists in New York and across the country take down the GOP establishment, they are changing the status quo of all elections to come. Now, we will have the upper hand when it comes to dealing with the inside politics of the GOP."

Dan Riehl,Riehl World View: "I don't know how Dede Scozzafava ends up in all this. But I don't mind going on record to say I don't begrudge her anything at all. She looks to have been recruited for this slot, then gotten caught up in a maelstrom. She's still a human being. But with the Albany Times Union pointing out that the NRCC slashed it's funding a week ago. And reports on the ground now confirming a pull-out. Well, it is what it is. Politics is hardball. And there are fast ones flying everywhere in this one."

Marjorie Dannenfelser, Susan B. Anthony List: “Dede Scozzafava’s courage and strength allowed her to make the choice to let the strongest candidate in her party move forward, and to serve the voters of the 23rd District.“Dede Scozzafava has worked extremely hard to achieve the goal of becoming the next Congressman from New York's 23rd District. This must have been an incredibly difficult decision -- she did not get into the race to lose. It takes courage and strength to step back and make the best choice for her party, and for the voters of the 23rd District. Now it's time for the GOP to step up.”“On behalf of conservative voters, activists, and volunteers across the district, I call on the national GOP to finally throw its full support and resources behind Doug Hoffman for Congress. A Hoffman victory is within sight.”

UPDATE II: Hoffman issues statement

“This morning’s events prove what we have said for the last week; this campaign is a horserace between me and Nancy Pelosi’s handpicked candidate, Bill Owens. At this moment, the Democratic Party, the Working Families Party, ACORN, Big Labor and pro-abortion groups are flooding the district with troops and they are flooding the airwaves with a million dollars worth of negative ads. They are throwing mud; they are trying to stop me.

“It’s time for us to send a message to Washington—we’re sick and tired of big-spending, high-taxing, career politicians and by voting for me on Tuesday you will send that message loud and clear.”

UPDATE III: Palin backer cautions

Conservatives4Palin's Doug Brady offers a cautionary note for conservatives celebrating Scozzafava withdrawal, with reminder that there is still an election this coming Tuesday that could be won by liberal Democrat Bill Owens: "This is all great news, but it's not over yet folks. Scozzafava's name will still be on the ballot and the Democrat Party is pouring money into this race. Go to Doug Hoffman's website, open up those wallets, and dig deep if you can."

UPDATE IV: More background on Scozzafava decision

A knowledgable political consultant who prefers anonymity offers this assessment of why Scozzafava called it quits: Lack of volunteers all the way thru this. Never generated the enthusiasm needed to win. Never worked very hard.

UPDATE V: Are you listening, Washington GOP Establishment?

Erick Erickson points to the basic political lesson in Scozzafava debacle for the GOP "pros" in Washington, particularly those with the National Republican Congressional Committee and the National Republican Senatorial Committee:

"The Republican Establishment in Washington, D.C. spent over $900,000.00 to elect Dede Scozzafava, who today abandons the race. How much more impact could that money have had if the GOP had listened to its base?

"Relationships between the Republican establishment in Washington and the conservative movement are in rubble. Thanks to Pete Sessions, Chairman of the National Republican Congressional Committee, NOT Doug Hoffman, there is new inspiration for a third party movement to challenge the GOP - a movement that will only help the Democrats.

"Good men in the GOP are now going to be challenged in primaries because of the ill-will the NRCC has generated in New York's 23rd Congressional District.

"Make no mistake about it, the NRCC and the RNC must shoulder the blame for this fiasco. As has now been reported and confirmed, it was the Beltway Elite who pressured the New York GOP to choose Scozzafava.

"I have said all along that victory for the GOP base in NY-23 was a Scozzafava defeat. We should, however, rally to Doug Hoffman and help him win. Notwithstanding that, the time is now to be magnanimous in victory, but we must demand accountability.

"Someone, more than one person, must be fired for the Republican botching of NY-23. Heads must roll lest this happen again.

"And John Cornyn and the National Republican Senatorial Committee better be paying attention, see e.g. Charlie Crist v. Marco Rubio in Florida."

Attention Aspiring Writers

My good friend Susan Katz Keating has something you need to see.

Friday, October 30, 2009

Announcement Forthcoming: A Call to Pen (& Keyboard)

Do you like to write? (doesn't everyone?) Okay, let me rephrase that. Will you write for a good cause? How about a mix of good causes involving wounded troops, veteran/soldier morale, and personal reward? If so: Have I got a deal for you! Stay tuned for a forthcoming announcement on GC3 (Good Causes x 3), and how YOU, O Reader, can participate. Meanwhile, put yourself into writer mode; think GC3; and check back soon for full details.

The RINO Has Given Up

The grassroots in New York has spoken.
Now will the NRCC and the Minority Whip endorse the candidate of choice? Will they acknowledge that consevative values and principles are more important than party affiliation?
I'm not holding my breath.

From Drudge:

BREAKING: Scozzafava suspends NY 23 campaign

Republican Dede Scozzafava has suspended her bid in next Tuesday’s NY 23 special election, a huge development that dramatically shakes up the race. She did not endorse either of her two opponents -- Conservative party candidate Doug Hoffman or Democrat Bill Owens. The decision to suspend her campaign is a boost for Hoffman, who already had the support of 50 percent of GOP voters, according to a newly-released Siena poll, and is now well-positioned to win over the 25 percent of Republicans who had been sticking with Scozzafava.
Scozzafava has “probably made her last campaign appearance between now and Election Day,” spokesman Matt Burns told POLITICO.
“She’s releasing her support to the two other candidates." "I had a discussion with her last night, and we made the decision after I spoke with her.
We talked about it, what this came down to was spending. It came down to the ability to defend herself from the get-go. And that’s the reality. She was unable to define herself where the people didn’t know her." POLITICO has the full story on Scozzafava's surprise decision here.

Happy Hallow'een

May your Halloween be a safe one.




Now, go out and trick or treat!









BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

Daily Kossack Un-endorses Scozzafava

Just got that tidbit off Twitter a few minutes ago.
Moulitsas' plan backfired on the little kossack. SO sad.

Looks like a two-man race in New York 23
By: Michael Barone
Senior Political Analyst
10/29/09 5:52 PM EDT

The special election in the 23rd congressional district of New York increasingly looks like a two-man race, with the woman candidate, Republican nominee Dede Scozzafava, skittering into third place. Yesterday I referenced Mark Blumenthal’s analysis of two polls, both commissioned by supporters of Conservative nominee Doug Hoffman, showing Hoffman ahead of Democratic nominee Bill Owens, with Scozzafava well behind. I agreed with Blumenthal’s conclusion that there was nothing indicating the polls were bogus, though polls in any special election, especially one with three candidates, need to be viewed with caution.

Now comes a third poll which tends to confirm those two, and this one was commissioned not by Hoffman supporters but by the pro-Democratic website Daily Kos; moreover, Kos himself endorsed Scozzafava. This one shows Owens leading Hoffman, but by the statistically insignificant margin of 33%-32%, with only 21% for Scozzafava. Averaging the three polls together, we get Hoffman 33%, Owens 30% and Scozzafava 18%. It sure looks like a two-man race to me. Maybe Scozzafava's husband shouldn't have called the cops on the Weekly Standard's John McCormack when he asked the Republican nominee some civil questions.

D.C Wildfire Firefighting fund?

This is what happens when corrupt idiots are allowed to print their own money and bureaucrats are told to spend it.

D.C. wildfire funds rebuked, then restored. Over 2.7 MILLION dollars wasted. On creating a DC green jobs corps, instead. Instead of, you know, burning it. At least that we would generate heat....

Who knew that there was a threat of wild fire in the D.C. forests?

Why aren't people being arrested for fraud?

And yes, I mean Congress.....

FreedomWorks in Richmond With Dick Armey and John Taylor

The first official FreedomWorks Virginia event went off without a hitch tonight down at Europa Italian Cafe on E. Cary St. I highly recommend this resturant. Its easy to get to, plenty of parking less than half a block from the door. Go spend money and tell 'em FreedomWorks sent ya'.

We had about 100 folks in attendance, and some of those folks drove from as far as Rockbridge and Shennandoah County to hear Dick Armey, John Taylor, Nan Swift, and Tabitha Hale (SmartGirlPolitics) speak on issues near and dear to the hearts of Virginians. FreedomWorks is very lucky to have such talented, intelligent, motivated individuals

Doc was under the weather, but one of the best stand-ins ever filled in for him. Scott Lee from The Lee Brothers did the Emcee duties and he was, well, he was Scott Lee.

There may be a new segment on the Lee Brothers radio show on Saturday mornings. Seems Scott is a huge fan of good BBQ sauce, and since I happen to know where to get some primo, Scott came up with an idea. I'll let him develop it as he sees fit, but stay tuned. This may get sticky. ;)

Be sure to listen to Doc on Friday. He's going to have a film crew from the BBC in the studio with him. I met them tonight. A lot of Britons are going to get introduced to some real Americans when this documentary on Cap and Trade gets broadcast in England on BBC2.

Once the Virginia election is over, and we have a conservative majority back in charge, the real work begins. The mission is the re-affirmation of the sovereignty of the several states and the rights of those states to conduct business without unneccessary government regulations.

We need to stop cap and trade in its tracks. We need to drive a stake through the heart of domestic energy production restrictions. We need to push hard for the GA and the VA Senate to recognize that the federal government does not have the final word on the welfare of the citizens. The states have the right and obligation to defend the rights of its citizens.

It starts here. It starts now. In Virginia. Where it began the first time.

The Constitution of the United States is the Law.
Everything else is just a regulation.

We Surround Them - Richmond Meeting 10/23/09

Americans have a long history of political involvement. Our country was founded upon it. Sadly that custom among the average citizen has fallen into disuse.

We Surround Them - Richmond is reviving that custom.

Over seventy people gathered together on October 23rd to listen to candidates and confront them. Endorsing neither candidate or party, WST invited politicians that seemed to either follow or, at leastsupport, the values of the 9/12 Project of smaller government, greater freedom, and a return to the principles expressed in the Constitution.

Following a recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance and an invocation, the floor was opened to the attending candidates.

Mr. Ken Cuccinelli, Republican candidate for Attorney General of the Commonwealth of Virginia, spoke first. In summary of the first part of his statement, Mr. Cuccinelli illustrated the how he and his opponent, Mr. Shannon differ. And he recalled the recent comments at a debate in which his Democratic opponent linked Mr. Cuccinelli's support of the 10 Amendment to horrendous acts, such as sterilization, segregation, etc, that were previously tolerated in Virginia. Ken then went on to say that, apparently Mr. Shannon had forgotten that all of these acts took place under DEMOCRATIC governments. Mr. Shannon tried to link Mr. Cuccinelli to support of slavery and racism because of his support of Constitutional principles. "Now remember, this is a man that has had dinner in MY house......that won't be happening again.", quipped Mr. Cuccinelli.

His goal is to protect the Commonwealth of Virginia as written in the Constitution: 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, and is willing to sue the Federal government when necessary.

One of his key principles is his support of property rights, and reminded us of the amendment that further supported private property rights that he wanted to add to the Virginia Constitution; one which Creigh Deeds voted against.

He is proud of his record of supporting basic principles, even ones deemed controversial. Controversial, of course, to those that seek to restrict rights. He will fight the federal gevernment when they over-reach. He is a loud and proud supporter of the 2nd Amendment. He will support the Marriage Amendment and likes to contrast his 0% AFL-CIO voting record with his opponents 100% AFL-CIO voting record.

Complimenting Mr. McDonnell's campaign as a jobs governor, Mr. Cuccinelli's background in the energy development field will help the Commonwealth be the leader in the development the energy industry on the East coast. He believes that ALL domestic energy sources should be developed.

Finally, Mr. Cuccinelli said something that endeared him to many at the meeting: "I am willing to fight with my own party over basic principles. I feel no obligation to stick with someone that is wrong." To paraphrase: Republicans are only valuable as a party only as they are willing to defend the principles that they espouse.


Next to present his candidacy was Ernest Sampson of the 69th District, the 2nd most Democratic district in the state.

Mr. Sampson touts his non-traditional campaign and his hard work for his success. His campaign has knocked on over 16,000 doors, 70% of them personally. He says that his future constituents are surprised when he presents himself. He is an African-American Republican. Or as he most emphatically puts it: He is an AMERICAN and a Republican that happens to be black.

He majored in economics at VMI and earned an MBA at VCU. His goal is to improve the educational situation and bring more jobs to his district. As a businessman, a financial adviser, he say that he knows what is need to help the 69th. He supports tax credits for starting businesses or hiring employees. He wants to improve public safety and the public schools, thereby making his district a good place for business.

When asked if the citizenry can trust him to keep to his espoused principles when in office, he looked at his VMI ring and stated that he had learned a valuable lesson at VMI: Honor Above Self. "If I don't uphold my principles to your standards, kick me out of office."


The next candidate to speak was "Mannoli" Loupassi of the 68th District.
"If government does everything of the citizen, we create invalids. The more the government does, the less WE are." Mr. Loupassi spoke of the United States as we all, well most of us, see it: as a land of opportunity and hard work. It is that work ethic that he sees Americans losing. Everyone seems to want everything provided to them by the government. Since that is impossible, in addition to being wrong, he wants to restrict spending to the rate of population growth + inflation by amending the State Constitution. "We must PRIORITIZE and cut programs."


From the 74th District, came Michael Gage, a small business owner. His opponent is Fightin' Joe Morrisey. As an active member in his community, he sees how overreaching government at all levels can restrict freedoms and business. While supporting commonsense rules and safety regulations, he feels that business is over-regulated and that local and state governments make laws without regard to the local citizenry. He sees how the Democratic politicians will say one thing and do another. What you see is NOT what you get when you see his opponent. Mr. Gage feels that it is the job of the government, at whatever level, to protect the citizen as they go about the business of being who they aspire to be.


Dr. John O'Bannon III of the 73rd District brought back the fact that even local campaigns have a national effect. Virginia is being watched and this is the opportunity to send a message to the country that "we don't want Card Check, Cap & Trade, or Socialized Health Care. Virginia is ground zero." When asked, "What is the role of government?" His answer was "Whose money IS IT?" While public safety, education, roads, etc., should be the role of government, we can't solve everyone's problems.

In answer to a question on the health care debate, he answered that we have to get people engaged in their own health care needs. We need to get the insurance companies working for the consumer. More competition will help people and hospitals understand costs. Right now, no one knows what a medical procedure actually costs, including hospitals.


Lastly, a spokesman for Mr. Sam Nixon of the 27th District spoke, as Mr. Nixon was forced to cancel his appearance due to a family emergency.
Thought Mr. Nixon is running unopposed, he is still campaigning so that his constituents know that he does not take their vote for granted. He supports more energy development in the Commonwealth. He wants more responsible budgeting and more prioritizing, not more taxes. Related to that, he supports identifying lobbyists and what they are supporting/paying for in greater detail by tying individual bills to the lobbyist involved.


The evening was a great success, especially as a first event. I fully support their efforts. All citizens, Republican, Democrat, Independent, Libertarian, or any other "flavor", should join the WST-Richmond organization. They are a non-partisan group dedicated to holding OUR representatives accountable for their actions and the ideas they support.

Governor Timmeh is a credit to Virginia....

Governor Timmeh is the DNC Chairman. HIS employees determined that the above piece was worthy of being a "finalist" in their contest.

HE is one of the judges. Will he make a comment about the flag desecration?

From Politico:

According to the Organizing for American Web site, the 20 finalists in the “Health Reform Video Challenge” were chosen by a panel of “qualified” Democratic National Committee “employee judges.”

According to the OFA Web site, the 20 finalists will be judged by the public and a panel of experts that includes DNC Chairman Tim Kaine, Obama campaign chief David Plouffe, Rep. Patrick Murphy (D-Pa.), singer will.i.am and Hollywood stars Rosario Dawson and Dule Hill.

Patriot Post

In every successive Congress since 1995, conservative Arizona Republican Rep. John Shadegg has sponsored the Enumerated Powers Act (HR 1359), which requires that "Each Act of Congress shall contain a concise and definite statement of the constitutional authority relied upon for the enactment of each portion of that Act."

The measure continues to fail, however, because of a dirty little secret: There is no legitimate constitutional authority for almost 70 percent of current federal government programs, and, thus, no authority for the collection of taxes to fund such activities.

Though Obama swore to "preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States," and every member of Congress has pledged "to support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic," and "bear true faith and allegiance to the same," Democrats, and too many Republicans, have forsaken their sacred oaths. In doing so, they have inflicted grievous injury upon our Constitution, thereby placing our Essential Liberty in eminent peril.

In May 1775, at the onset of the hostilities that gave rise to our Declaration of Independence and Constitution, the Second Continental Congress adopted a resolution calling on the states to prepare for rebellion. In its preamble, John Adams advised his countrymen to sever all oaths of allegiance to the Crown.

Since that time, generations of American Patriots have honored their oaths, shed their blood, given their lives -- but not to the crown of any man or a partisan sect. Instead, these sacrifices have been made to support and defend our Constitution and the Rule of Law it established.

Put simply, there is no authority for a "constitutional rewrite" by Barack Hussein Obama, nor Nancy Pelosi, nor Steny Hoyer, nor any like-minded revisionists. Such contempt for our Constitution, such willful violation of their sacred oaths is a disgrace to the selfless dignity of generations of Patriots before them.

At present, we have a gang of outlaws at the helms of the executive and legislative branches. Under such despots, we are being unlawfully taxed without lawful representation. Sound familiar?

Semper Vigilo, Fortis, Paratus et Fidelis!
Mark Alexander

Grassoots In New York 23

When the daily kossack and an ACORN group endorses the same candidate as the Republican "leadership" you know there's a problem.

New York race exposes the big tent GOP myth UPDATED!
By: Mark Tapscott
Editorial Page Editor
October 28, 2009

Conservatives owe Dede Scozzafava a big thank you because her candidacy in New York's special congressional election has exposed the utter bankruptcy of the "Big Tent" school of faux Republicanism.

Scozzafava has been a New York Assemblywoman since 1998 and is now running for New York's 23rd congressional district seat vacated earlier this year by incumbent Rep. John McHugh's acceptance of President Obama's appointment as Secretary of the Army.

'She is opposed by Democrat Bill Owens and Conservative Party of New York nominee Doug Hoffman. Surveys show the race is tightening, with Owens and Hoffman battling for the lead and Scozzafava fading in third place.

Scozzafava was selected by local GOP leaders to succeed McHugh. She is also heavily backed by the Washington GOP establishment, led by the National Republican Congressional Committee's chairman, Rep. Pete Sessions of Texas, and Michael Steel's Republican National Committee. Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich also backs Scozzafava.

Hoffman accepted the Conservative Party nomination after being rejected by the local GOP poo-bahs. A successful accountant and entrepreneur, he is backed nationally by a rebellious coalition of insurgent conservative activist groups led by the Club for Growth.

He's also picked up high profile endorsements from former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, Sen. Jim DeMint, R-SC, former senators Fred Thompson and Rick Santorum, and former NRCC chairman Rep. Tom Cole, R-OK. Hoffman is a Reagan conservative who favors limited government, lower taxes, less regulation, and a strong national defense. He's the classic citizen-politician, having never previously sought public office and wouldn't be now except for his worry about the country's direction under Barack Obama, Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid.

Scozzafava epitomizes the Republican-In-Name-Only (RINO) phenomena. She supports abortion on demand and special rights based on sexual preference. She's voted repeatedly in the New York legislature for higher taxes and more government spending. Even ACORN's Working Families Party has endorsed her, as has far-left blogger Marcos Moulitsas of Daily Kos.

The campaign' pivotal moment came last Sunday evening when Scozzafava's campaign manager - her husband, a local labor leader - called the cops on reporter John McCormack of The Weekly Standard after he persisted in questioning her about her views. The next morning, her press flak accused McCormack of screaming at Scozzafava, then changed his story when the reporter played a tape recording of the encounter for AP.

Washington Establishment GOPers claim Scozzafava is the best the party can do in a moderately liberal Northeast district like NY-23, and at least she will caucus with Republicans in Congress. But if that's the case, why is she running third? And what difference would it make if she votes against Pelosi for Speaker but then votes for everything Pelosi favors?

Therein lies the fallacy of the Big Tent: When feckless GOPers embrace RINOs such as Scozzafava, the only winners are liberal Democrats like Pelosi who can then claim "bipartisan" support for higher taxes, more regulation, bigger government and less individual freedom. Conservatives like Hoffman end up isolated and shivering in the cold outside the so-called Big Tent, unfairly branded as party poopers.

Hoffman may well win next Tuesday, but even if he finishes second, ahead of Scozzafava, it will advance the cause of genuinely competitive politics by sending a powerful message to Steel, Sessions and the rest of the Washington GOP Establishment that their Democrat-Lite game is a loser.

Mark Tapscott is editorial page editor of The Washington Examiner and proprietor of Tapscott's Copy Desk blog on Mark Tapscott is editorial page editor of The Washington Examiner and proprietor of Tapscott's Copy Desk blog on washingtonexaminer.com.

UPDATE: Riehl-world View has NRCC scoop Dan Riehl lays out a sequence of events and characters in which Washington GOP Establishment-types do what they so often do - undermine the party's chances of a principled pickup and make money for insiders in the process.

UPDATE II: And here is the bitter fruit of RINOism

For the first time since Barack Obama was sworn in as president, a majority of the respondents in the Wall Street Journal/NBC News survey say the country is on the wrong track. But gues what? The GOP, which as the out party traditionally would be expected to see increasing support, is instead in continuing decline:

"But a dark national view of how everybody in Washington is conducting the public's business appears to be preventing Republicans from benefitting from concerns about the direction of the country, or the Democrat-led government's handling of the economy," the Journal said.

"In fact, disapproval of the Republican Party actually has ticked upward, along with the public's general pessimism. Asked which political party should control Congress after next year's midterm elections, Democrats now hold a clear edge over the GOP, 46 percent to 38 percent, a month after the Republicans were nearly as popular. In September, the Democratic edge was 43 percent of 40 percent."

This is yet more evidence for why I say the single most important qualification for congressional candidates in 2010 may well be having absolutely no connection to the existing power structures in the nation's capital. It may also help explain why Doug Hoffman has done so well in the NY-23 special election campaign to date.

Warrior Legacy Foundation Southeast Region and Military Ballots

About 30 dedicated Virginia patriots showed up tonight to tell the VA State Board of Elections we don't appreciate the dissing of Warriors.

Without knowing it, these hearty souls were upholding the first tenet of Warrior Legacy Foundation:

Defend the Defenders

DC Protest Warrior: Heritage Foundation and Prince Harry's Healthcare

Heritage Foundation and Prince Harry's Healthcare

DC Protest Warrior: Drill Drill Drill

DC Protest Warrior: Drill Drill Drill

Virginia stands to be a leader in the development and use of domestic energy, if the soon to be newly elected Republican majority in the General Assembly, the Senate and the Governor's Mansion have the cajones to stand up to the EPA and government regulations and reaffirm State Sovereignty. Its about states' rights. Its called the 10th Amendment.

How Creigh Deeds can win

If Deeds wants to win this election; if he wants to cause the greatest upset since David vs Goliath; all he needs to do in one thing.....

Produce a massively exposed TV spot with McDonnell robocalls and state:

"Tired of all those robocalls at dinner time? Tired of those robocalls calling every FREAKING HOUR? Then Vote for me. I'll put in legislation to outlaw the robocall."


It'll work. I'D VOTE FOR HIM! HEY MCDONNELL! ENOUGH WITH THE ROBOCALLS! SIX CALLS LAST NIGHT BETWEEN 5 AND 8 PM AND TWO BEFORE 10 AM? YOU WOKE ME UP TWICE!

SHUT UP ALREADY!

Either coordinate the calls where known supporters aren't called or expect frustrated people to stay home.

Put a live person on the phone so we can express support and opt out.

Blackfive and Uncle Jimbo

Its like a traffic accident; you know you're gonna look.

The last two sentences are important and I wholeheartedly agree with every word.

Posted By Uncle Jimbo at Blackfive.net

It is imperative that President Obama delay any decision on Afghanistan until after an upcoming runoff between current President Hamid Karzai and his oppponent Abdullah2 because A2 has very diffferent views about US presence in his country and will likely call for a withdrawal of our forces.....Oh wait.

Afghanistan's opposition candidate backed Gen. Stanley McChrystal's recommendations for more troops Sunday, saying "the future of the country is at risk" without a "dramatic increase" in troop levels.......

Abdullah reiterated on CNN that he shared the assessment of McChrystal, who has reportedly recommended a surge of 40,000 troops, that the situation is deteriorating and that more international troops are needed “at this stage.”

Abdullah also said that it is also important to consider a “road map” of drawing down U.S. and other international troops.

President Obama has been aware of just exactly what was and is going on and at stake in Afghanistan for almost a year now. He has seen three separate assessments, Lute, Seidel and now McChrystal that say go big or go home. Now we have 14 troops die in helicopter crashes and 8 more in IEDs in two days.

He has shown no leadership and plenty of weakness to our enemies and our allies. More meetings and more coffee sipping isn't going to change a damn thing on the ground except to watch it deteriorate. If anyone wonders why I hate politics and politicians this is a perfect example. There is no legitimate way to frame this as a decision made on strategic national security concerns.

Get off the dime sir, better men and women than you are dying.

Reinforce them and try to win or bring them home now!

Fred Does Video For Hoffman

Take note party line Republicans. The grassroots are running this show, not you. The Republican Party machine is slowly grinding to a halt from all the BS accumulating in the gears, but don't worry, most of us are very adept at cleaning and re-building machinery.

H/T FreeRepublic
Fred Thompson: 'Send Washington A Message' By Voting Hoffman
NY Daily News ^ 10/27/2009 Elizabeth Benjamin

Former US senator, 2008 presidential contender and "Law & Order" star Fred Thompson stars in a new TV ad for NY-23 candidate Doug Hoffman in which he urges voters to "send a message to Washington" by voting for the Conservative nominee.

Thompson, who was among the first national pols to endorse Hoffman, has a history with the New York Conservative Party.

In January 2008, state Conservative Party Chairman Mike Long called Thompson his "favorite candidate" and hinted at an early endorsement. This was a snub to the hometown GOP contender, Rudy Giuliani, which isn't so surprising, since Long and the former mayor have never had a great relationship.

Thompson was the guest of honor at the party's annual fall reception last year, too.

In this ad, which is paid for by Hoffman's campaign as opposed to the Club for Growth or NRCC, Thompson calls the candidate "a principled conservative" (he's an enrolled Republican who decided to run after losing out on the nomination from the 11 local county chairs to Assemblywoman Dede Scozzafava).

(Excerpt) Read more at nydailynews.com ...

Reminder: Dick Armey and FreedomWorks in Richmond

Reminder: Armey Event in Richmond Thursday

This is a quick reminder about the FreedomWorks Virginia event in Richmond on Thursday, October 29th at the Europa Cafe (1409 E Cary St.) at 6pm.

FreedomWorks Chairman Dick Armey will be discussing the Tea Party movement, healthcare, cap and tax, among other relevant issues. The event will also feature Doc Thompson of WRVA-Richmond and John Taylor of The Virginia Institute and Tertium Quids. John Taylor will focus on issues central to Virginia - a critical state in the upcoming election.

This will be a great chance to meet other area activists and talk strategy on the big state and federal issues we're facing.

In the meantime, make sure you've seen the latest in our Health Care Online War Room and a new tool we launched last week to stop Cap and Trade, the next big government bailout.

While there is no charge for this event, we appreciate any help with expenses.

I hope to see you there!

Huey Landing At National Museum of Americans in Wartime

Family Foundation of Virginia Gala Last Night

This blog supports every item reiterated by Mrs Victoria Cobb last night in her opening remarks:

• We expect that the first budget introduced by the next Governor of Virginia will ban taxpayer funding for Planned Parenthood.
• We expect that the first budget introduced by the next Governor of Virginia will fund roads, not the destruction of innocent human life.
• We expect that the next Governor of Virginia will restore right of state police chaplains to pray in the name of Jesus.
• We expect that the next Governor of Virginia will not stop at Charter Schools, but will open the locked doors of a quality education for all children in Virginia by providing real school choice.
• We expect the next Governor of Virginia to reduce, not increase, the tax burden on Virginia’s businesses and families.
• We expect the next Governor of Virginia to care more about the culture of Virginia than the road to the White House.

This blog also expects the administration to demand a full accounting of the Literary Fund, a re-affirmation of the sovereignty of the Commomwealth by encouraging the passage of HR-61, and a immediate action to expand the use of all the energy resources within the borders of the Commonwealth, with special emphasis placed on offshore drilling, new refining capability, and up-fit of existing refining facilities.

All crude extracted and refined within the Commomwealth will remain inside the Commonwealth and all surplus petroleum will be sold on the spot market at market rates.

If we pump it here, we burn it here.

NY-23 Not A Third-Party Race

Why NY-23 is Not a Third-Party Race
This is a special election. There was no GOP primary. Third parties are sure losers, but this is different:

Hoffman is the true Republican in the race and he's leading.

(Rush 24/7 Members: Listen)
» Gallup: Conservatives Maintain Edge as Top Ideological Group
» Real Clear Politics: NY-23 Poll: Hoffman +5
» PoliticsDaily: Gingrich Takes Heat from Right

Update on Squidette

I'm home for a few hours. Kid is doing fine. She's a trooper.

Btw, I won something! Woohooo!

Go to Cowboy Blob's Saloon and Shootin Gallery and see my genius.


And his.

Sen Jim DeMint Supports Doug Hoffman

Sen Jim DeMint Supports Doug Hoffman

Scozzafava, ACORN and Doug Hoffman

Congressman Cantor, its not too late to step up and let Virginia know you stand for true conservative principles. Get behind Doug Hoffman. You're going to need every conservative you can get in the House to stop this headlong rush into socialism.

H/T Michelle Malkin:

The NYPost editorial board endorses conservative Doug Hoffman for Congress:

No, Republicans needn’t toe the conservative line without any deviation.

Moderate GOPers like Rudy Giuliani have managed to stray on some issues without wholly betraying their party.

But a Republican should adhere to certain minimum GOP principles. Scozzafava is just too far to the left too often.

And not only on social matters, like same-sex marriage and abortion. In Albany, Scozzafava has been such a profligate tax-and-spender, she can almost make Speaker Sheldon Silver blush.

With the backing of the ACORN-allied Working Families Party, she supports Big Labor’s favorite organizing bill — card-check — as well as the federal stimulus, opposed by every House Republican.

Hoffman, by contrast, understands the dangers of unchecked spending, monster deficits and ever-higher taxes — i.e., concerns of average working Americans.

ACORN Group Skirts Election Laws

The Working Families Party, an ACORN front group whose ballot line Newt Gingrich-endorsed radical leftist Dede Scozzafava has embraced on multiple occasions, is up to no good again.

The NYPost reports:
The labor-backed Working Families Party has engaged in “an audacious scheme to violate the law” to help the party’s favored political candidates get elected, a sweeping new lawsuit charges.

The first-of-its-kind suit says the WFP created a political outfit, Data and Field Services, that it is using to “circumvent state election and local campaign finance laws.”

The way the scheme works, according the suit, is that the WFP gets involved in local races, backing its favored candidates, who in turn hire DFS for vital campaign services, such as phone banking, polling and get-out-the-vote efforts.

But under the plan, the WFP-endorsed candidates pay only “a nominal sum, well below fair market value,” for those services — giving those candidates a major, unfair advantage over their opponents, whose spending is limited by law.

“This is a case about an audacious scheme to violate the law by using corporate subterfuge to hijack our local election process,” says the suit, which was filed in Staten Island.

“It goes to the very heart of our local democracy and undermines the fairness and integrity of our local elections.”

The suit, filed on behalf of five aggrieved Staten Island voters, highlights the relationship between the City Council campaign of Debi Rose, a WFP-backed candidate, and DFS.

The court papers provide a case study for how the WFP, which has been increasing its influence, operates.

With friends like these…

Doug Hoffman Leads In Poll; Where's Cantor?

When will our 7th District Congressman, the House Minority Whip, Eric Cantor, finally back the ony true conservative candidate in the NY-23 Special Election?

When the Republican machine tells him to? You waiting for Newt to give you marching orders?

Or when the citizens have made their choice and elected a true conservative to New York's 23rd Congressional District? Its easy to be a rebel among rebels. Not so easy to be the first one, it would seem.

Congressman Cantor, as a constitiuent of the 7th District, I call upon you to buck the party machine and endorse Doug Hoffman; just as former House Majority Leader Dick Armey and former Alaska Governor Sara Palin have done.

Its time for you to decide if you represent the people or the party.

VoteVets, Soros, and Moveon.ogre

PA State Legislator Attacked By Soros/MoveOn.Org-Connected VoteVets.Org

Operation Free exposed as front group working to subvert America’s Constitution and sovereignty through climate control, energy cap-and-tax agenda

Pennsylvania State Representative Daryl Metcalfe (R-Butler County) officially responded today to an attack ad now running on KDKA radio and several other local stations urging listeners to contact his district office and demand that he resign.

“The sponsors of this ad are attacking me because my comments have exposed that Operation Free’s radical leftist agenda has absolutely nothing to do with America’s national security, energy independence or protecting our environment, but is a direct attack on our Constitution,” said Metcalfe, a U.S. Army veteran whose honorable service record between1980-84 includes defending the West German border during the height of the Cold War.

Operation Free is a front group for a vast “non-profit” coalition that includes the Truman National Security Project, the National Security Network and the sponsor of the ad campaign VoteVets.org. VoteVets.org supports a far-left group of state and national politicians, including U.S. Congressman John Murtha. All of these groups are affiliated and receive funding from billionaire George Soros and his even more controversial political organization MoveOn.org.

“I stand by my original comments,” said Metcalfe. “Any veteran lending their name to promote the leftist propaganda of global warming and climate change, in an effort to control more of the wealth created in the U.S. economy, through cap-and-tax type policies, is a traitor to the oath he or she took to defend the Constitution of our great nation. If someone is advocating for our government to make statutory or regulatory changes in policy or enter into treaties that violate our Constitution, and they have taken an oath to uphold and protect that same document, then they are traitors to that oath.

“Operation Free and VoteVets.org stand with the likes of Congressman John Murtha, who accused our marines of killing ‘innocent civilians in cold blood.’ I stand with the vast super majority of my fellow veterans in defense of the U.S. Constitution,” concluded Metcalfe.

There's An Idea At the Bottom, After You Read Boehner's Statement

Boehner Statement on Sen. Harry Reid's "Opt-Out" Plan

GOP Leader: “Will Democrats allow states to opt out of the job-killing tax increases, unfunded mandates, and Medicare cuts for American seniors?”
WASHINGTON, D.C. – House Republican Leader John Boehner (R-OH) made the following statement today in response to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid’s announced “opt- out” plan for a government takeover of health care:
“Whether you call it a public option, an opt-out, a trigger, or a co-op, the fact is all of these proposals put us on the path to government-run health care. Forcing Americans off of their current health coverage and onto a government-run plan isn’t the answer, but that’s exactly what the Democrats’ plan would do.
"This 'public option' is only one of the problems with this legislation. Will Democrats allow states to opt out of the job-killing tax increases, unfunded mandates, and Medicare cuts for American seniors? We don’t need to give states the option of skipping one portion of this big-government scheme, we need to scrap it and start over on bipartisan reform that lowers cost and expands access at a price we can afford – that’s what the American people want, and what they deserve.”

I guess the question should be, will Senators sign up for the same plan they are cramming down our throats? Will Congress "opt-out" of this monstrous restriction of basic American rights?

Proposed: An Amendment to the Constitution of the United States:
"Congress shall make no law that applies to any citizen of the United States that does not apply equally to all US Senators and Representatives and Congress shall make no law that applies to any US Senator or Representative that does not apply equally to all citizens of the United States . All existing laws and regulations that do not meet these criteria shall be declared null and void!"

Written By Someone Who Lived The Hungarian Revolution

SOCIALISM!!!! Seems a perfect, equal system for all, a Shangri-La if you will, not realizing it is nothing but a bridge to Communism, which is total government control!

Socialism at its best is corrupt, rotten to the core, a government without overseers! The idea of Socialism is not new in the United States , but it is not openly identified as such in the places it exists. If you live near by, drove through, or happen to live in the projects, you have seen and experienced Socialism in America ! Government housing, government healthcare, government schools, government food stamps, and what you see there is as good as it gets, when the government decides what is good for the people, takes the power out of the hands of the people, and they spread the wealth.

Our government imposed full blown Socialism on our inner cities, and in over fifty years hasn’t been able to raise the living standard of those who live there! And look how happy and motivated are those, living in the projects with all that the government is providing for them.

Is that the best we can dream for our children and grandchildren? Is that the America we want to see? I certainly hope not, but that is exactly what the government means when they tell you they want to spread the wealth. They will make us all poor by breaking down our economy, forcing on us taxation on a level never seen before, and if we don’t like it and cause too much difficulty for them, at that point they will have the power to no longer tax us at all, simply take over completely, shut down the borders and impose full blown Communism.

Not in America you might say! Think again, look around and see how much we lost just in the last year!

We are citizens of this country first, and private citizens second! This citizenship comes with responsibilities! Keeping the Constitution intact, the freedoms in it, is our foremost responsibility. Citizenship is our birthright, but freedom is not, we have to be diligent in making sure it is not snatched from us in the midst of indifference, ignorance, or under the assumption that it is being properly looked after by our representatives in Washington.

Our greatest enemies are not always those on the outside of our borders, sometimes, as today, they walk among us, pretend to serve, and represent us. Both parties have betrayed us, they both not only strayed from the Constitution, but trying to destroy it. We the people have sat in indifference too long, allowed our children to be indoctrinated by the left, making them believe their ancestors were terrible people committing terrible acts, placing doubt into young minds…questioning their parents’ intent, rather than the government’s!

We turned a blind eye to corruption of government, our courts, and through political correctness they shamed us into shutting up, so no one will ever question or oppose, and feeling alone quietly stand watching the government enslave the people! We need to demand Constitutional correctness from our representatives!

We are the mothers and fathers of this great land! As we would with our children in danger, we viciously, with our blood if needs to be, have to protect this soil we stand on from those who are limiting our rights and carelessly selling our country to foreigners. To those countries who are not our friends, nor supporters,they are in many cases our enemies, who are only worried about how they will get the return on their investment. The fall of this great country would cause them no emotional hardship at all, perhaps a gleeful grin of satisfaction over the idea that it was a job well done. The arrogant Americans got what they deserve.

But we are not the arrogant Americans! Our corrupt politicians are! The most precious thing we have is our country, without it we have no home! Our founders swore to protect it from enemies outside our borders, and from the enemies within! Times may have changed, but human nature has not, money and power is still a lure for men of weak convictions. We need to recruit those who through the political evolution from George Washington to today managed to keep their spines in tact, and are still able to stand upright with dignity, and willing to preserve the last bastion of freedom in the world.

We need to judge all politicians guilty, until they prove to us they are PATRIOTS! These days we may be softer in our comforts then the early Americans were, but I can say with certainty, we do not love our country any less today, and I feel confident if we are called, now that we are called, we will not be less of a patriot than those who fought back then. Our commitment cannot be less than to offer our life if necessary. We have to have commitment on that level, even though we may not want to.

Freedom is that important, ask anyone who knows what it’s like not to have it! Most recently, look at the people of Iran !

This is the most dangerous time in our country’s history, since the founding fathers fought for freedom, and laid the cornerstone for what is today the greatest country on earth! Our liberties have never been more on the brink of extinction than today. It is time for all eyes to be wide open, and believe what used to be unbelievable! The changes we see today have been coming for decades, but today they are meant to change our country’s DNA, and cannot be allowed to continue.

As a nation of diversity we have faced great challenges in our history, and we always overcame, remained strong, but today, NOW our country is in grave danger! It is time we take the loss of our freedoms, and the corruption in our government, and courts seriously, and finally stand together as the Americans we are, all citizens, all the races, all nationalities united, under the one flag of the United States of America , for the most important single cause of our lives…..our freedom.

Krauthammer On Domestic Energy

Weekly Standard via DCExaminer

There are, of course, major threats to the American economy. But there is nothing inevitable and inexorable about them. Take, for example, the threat to the dollar (as the world's reserve currency) that comes from our massive trade deficits. Here again, the China threat is vastly exaggerated.

In fact, fully two-thirds of our trade imbalance comes from imported oil. This is not a fixed fact of life. We have a choice. We have it in our power, for example, to reverse
the absurd de facto 30-year ban on new nuclear power plants. We have it in our power to release huge domestic petroleum reserves by dropping the ban on offshore and Arctic drilling. We have it in our power to institute a serious gasoline tax (refunded immediately through a payroll tax reduction) to curb consumption and induce conservation.

Nothing is written. Nothing is predetermined. We can reverse the slide, we can undo dependence if we will it.

There are things to be done. Resist retreat as a matter of strategy and principle. And provide the means to continue our dominant role in the world by keeping our economic house in order. And finally, we can follow the advice of Demosthenes when asked what was to be done about the decline of Athens. His reply? "I will give what I believe is the fairest and truest answer: Don't do what you are doing now."

This article - condensed from The Weekly Standard - is based on syndicated columnist Charles Krauthammer's 2009 Wriston Lecture delivered for the Manhattan Institute for Policy Research in New York on October 5.

Daily Grind From The Hammer

The Daily Grind

A president who's more sports-obsessed, a bigger work-out fanatic, and more addicted to golf than Bush. But the media's not complaining. Odd.

Ouch: "Congressman Kennedy continues to be a disappointment to the Catholic Church and to the citizens of the state of Rhode Island."

Samuelson: "In reality, the public plan, also known as the public option, is mostly an exercise in political avoidance: It pretends to control costs and improve access to quality care when it doesn't."

On mandates: "The paradox is this: Reform advocates start with anecdotes about the underprivileged who are uninsured, then turn around and propose something that would hurt at least some members of that group."

Dems look to move up health-care reform benefits to 2010 to grab some votes.

Lou Holtz coming to Virginia for McDonnell today. Holtz, despite being a former Notre Dame and South Carolina coach, stole this SEC gal's heart on Saturday with a rant about how Congress should read bills and stop worrying about the BCS, all while waving a copy of the Constitution. Sigh.

New Jersey is such an electoral tease.

Throughout the era of Republican rule in Washington, we scored GOP lawmakers for their overspending and earmarks—and so did Nancy Pelosi and other Congressional Democrats. So how do their records compare? From 2001-2008 the average annual increase in appropriations bills came in at 6.4%—or about double the rate of inflation. In this Congress spending is now growing six times faster than inflation."

Unhinged Tea Partier asks Newt about his support for Scozzafava. It's almost as if she's a reasonable human being with rational thoughts, but do not be fooled by this clever lunatic masquerading as a normal, concerned citizen with manners.

She is dangerous!

Will be out of contact for a few days

Have to put Squidette into the hospital to fix a problem. She DOES NOT have the flu nor is this a life-threatening disease, etc.

Sorry its late, but will post on the recent 9/12 Project WST Richmond meeting with Mr. Cuccinelli and others at a later date.

Thanks for any prayers.

Marines Leading The Way

Marines continue to lead the way in Helmand Province.


OpFor has the details.

You Can Support the Constitution or Democrat Healthcare

BUT NOT BOTH

Government

"At the heart of the American idea is the deep distrust and suspicion the founders of our nation had for government, distrust and suspicion not shared as much by today's Americans. Some of the founders' distrust is seen in our Constitution's language such as Congress shall not: abridge, infringe, deny, disparage, violate and deny. If the founders did not believe Congress would abuse our God-given rights, they would not have provided those protections.

After all, one would not expect to find a Bill of Rights in Heaven; it would be an affront to God. Other founder distrust for government is found in the Constitution's separation of powers, checks and balances and the several anti-majoritarian provisions such as the Electoral College and the requirement that three-quarters of state legislatures ratify changes in the Constitution.

The three branches of our federal government are no longer bound by the Constitution as the framers envisioned and what is worse is American ignorance and acceptance of such rogue behavior. Look at the current debate over government involvement in health, business bailouts and stimulus packages.

The debate centers around questions as whether such involvement is a good idea or a bad idea and whether one program is more costly than another. Those questions are entirely irrelevant to what should be debated, namely: Is such government involvement in our lives permissible under the U.S. Constitution?

That question is not part of the debate. The American people, along with our elected representatives, whether they're Republicans or Democrats, care less about what is and what is not permissible under our Constitution. They think Congress has the right to do anything upon which they can secure a majority vote, whether they have the constitutional or moral authority to do so or not."

George Mason economics professor Walter E. Williams

Heritage Morning Bell - Wacky/Marxist Bill

The Transparent Costs of Cap and Trade

On June 26th of this year, the House of Representatives narrowly passed H.R. 2454, the American Clean Energy and Security Act. More commonly known as the Waxman-Markey bill (named after bill sponsors Reps. Henry Waxman (D-CA) and Ed Markey (D-MA), the 1,427-page bill tries to control global temperatures by creating a “cap” on greenhouse gas emissions, and then hoping that greenhouse emitters would “trade” emissions permits meet the cap. Under the scheme, the government would issue fewer allowances each year, causing the cost of the permits to rise. The cost of these allowances is a tax, and under Waxman-Markey, the tax would rise each year. As with any tax, it will ultimately be passed on to consumers in the form of higher energy and product prices.

On August 6th, the Heritage Foundation’s Center for Data Analysis released a report detailing the economic costs of the Waxman-Markey. Since energy is the lifeblood of the American economy, 85 percent of which comes from CO2-emitting fossil fuels, the Waxman-Markey bill’s arbitrary and severe restrictions on the current energy supply and infrastructure will not only have direct impact on consumers’ budgets through higher electric bills and gasoline prices, but also cause unnecessary inefficiencies at virtually every stage of production. CDA estimates that Waxman-Markey legislation would cost the average family-of-four almost $3,000 per year, cause 2.5 million net job losses by 2035, and a produce a cumulative gross domestic product (GDP) loss of $9.4 trillion between 2012 and 2035.

Surely our study did not produce the results Waxman and Markey expected. Earlier this month Reps. Waxman and Markey sent us, and a number of other institutions, a letter asking us to answer 33 methodological questions about the analytical techniques used in our study. We were delighted by Waxman and Markey’s letter since it is just the kind of thoughtful investigative work our lawmakers should do more often. For example, they asked if our model took into account an increase in private sector investments in research and development that would be sparked by the legislation and a new carbon market. Answer: It did. Our model incorporates both short and long-run responses to higher energy prices.

Waxman also asked if our model quantified any benefits of avoided climate change. Answer: It didn’t. Because according to estimates based on IPCC data, the Waxman-Markey bill would only impact global temperatures by .044 degrees C (about .09 degrees F) by 2050. There simply are no economic benefits from such a minuscule impact.

Waxman-Markey did not send their questions to some notable organizations that have conducted analysis of their bill like the Congressional Budget Office and the Brooking Institution. After we requested they do so, we have since received word that Waxman and Markey sent the same letter to the CBO. They had previously included the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Energy Information Administration (EIA), Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), CRA International, the American Council for Capital Formation (ACCF), and the Natural Resource Defense Council (NRDC).

In the interests of an honest and transparent debate about the costs of cap and trade the Heritage Foundation has devoted a space on our website, www.heritage.org, where we have posted our answers in their entirety. We have formally invited the other organizations who were asked these questions to allow us to post their responses as well, in the interest of full transparency.

Let’s hope the Waxman-Markey questionnaire signals that a serious debate can now take place. American families deserve to be kept fully apprised of how Congress intends to act, and how those actions will most likely affect their pocketbooks, their jobs, and their lives.

Open Letter To The President From A Soldier

DC Protest Warrior: Open Letter To The President From A Soldier

"We fight to win, or we don't fight at all."

Gunny Explains the Flamethrower

This is the type of history you can learn by spending a day at The National Museum of Americans in Wartime



and then we have a live fire demonstration:

I Am A Warrior and This Is My Song

H/T Mike in Tidewater

Why We Must Win In Afghanistan

Because men like Josh Brennan made the ultimate sacrifice and to not honor their memory with victory would be unacceptable.

Featured Video: "Remembering SGT Joshua Brennan
KIA 26 October 2007
Korengal Valley, Afghanistan

Great Way To Start The Day

My Sunday morning helicopter ride at NMAW. Thank you SKK. She's tricky, that one.

From A Marine Family

A brief interlude from the fun and frivolity to remember we still have men and women in harms way and we still have a President? who can't make a decision on how to proceed.

H/T Blackfive and Uncle Jimbo
Powerful words from the homefront
Posted: 24 Oct 2009 10:11 AM PDT

The brother and father of a Marine fighting the war in Afghanistan have some solid advice for our politically-challenged Commander in Chief.

As family members of a Marine deployed in Afghanistan, we know the importance of
timely decisions in the heat of battle--indecision in the field puts troops at risk and leads to casualties. Likewise, the president's indecision about the next steps in Afghanistan is placing the overall mission and the troops on the ground at risk.

Announcing his counter-insurgency strategy for Afghanistan this past March, President Obama said, "If the Afghan government falls to the Taliban or allows al-Qaeda to go unchallenged, that country will again be a base for terrorists who want to kill as many of our people as they possibly can."

This commitment was clearly re-affirmed by the president in an August speech before the Veterans of Foreign Wars. Yet, the president and his advisers are now engaged in a prolonged process of re-thinking America's Afghanistan strategy.

What has changed?

According to the White House, it would be irresponsible to act until a credible resolution to the presidential elections in Afghanistan emerges. But we fear, as many have reported, that the real reason for delay is anxiety amongst civilian White House aides that an escalation in Afghanistan will derail the president's domestic agenda. On the latter, let us be clear--considerations of political expediency have no place in the president's war room.
Man up Sir.

Still Time To Make It

You still have time to get up here and enjoy the beautiful day and the history. North on 95 to Exit 150. Go west on Joplin Rd (watch the curves and the hills, reminds me of The Grizzly), til you get to a stop sign. Turn left and go about 3.5 miles. Watch for the activity on the left, and some of Prince Williams finest are directing traffic.

A fifty dollar donation to the NMAW will get you a ride in a helicopter.

Its a beautiful day to get out. Whatchawaitinon?

Day Two From National Museum of Americans In Wartime

How does a Marine say helicopter?

He points to the sky and says "Uh Uh uh!!!"

We have helicopters in the air and on the ground, and your humble blogger just stepped out of the cockpit jumpseat after a turn around the grounds. No auto-rotate this time, and no one made me exit the aircraft before we landed. Strange.

Video From National Museum of Americans In Wartime

Last One Today From NMAW Until I Get the Videos Uploaded

Can you guess what the orange X is for?

The rain that was threatening all day finally arrived at 1430. It lasted about 20 minutes and now its cool and folks are starting to drive the vehicles. This is cool stuff, people. Why are you all sitting there reading this when you could be up here, experiencing it first hand?

NMAW is the only place I know of where ordinary folks can get an opportunity to drive authentic military vehicles.

One more day, tomorrow, to experience this. I'll be back and getting more pictures and video to upload.

Oh and tomorrow, they'll have 10,000 parts flying in close formation.

(Thats helicopters for all you non-military types) Thus the orange X on the ground.

More From NMAW

German infantry re-enactors

I'll have some video later this evening of a Russian battle tank.

Dave from Thunder Run was here earlier, and Army Girl (be still my heart) was here with her little sister, who is also a veteran and just as beautiful as her big sister, and a young man who was deployed to the Hindu Kush at COP Michigan with Battle Co Second-503 173rd Airborne.

Meanwhile, some more pictures are coming, if I can get VZWireless to cooperate.

Tomorrow will be a beautful day. You should come out and enjoy the weather and maybe get a chance to drive an APC.

More Pictures

Marine Corps ROTC Unit Presents the Colors

Live Blogging From NMAW

Enviro-Wackos Whining About Bats

FACES of Coal

Environmentalists are trying to have it both ways in West Virginia – no coal mining and no wind farms. West Virginians wonder whether or not they will have electricity if the environmentalists win both the coal and wind fights.
Environmentalists divided over wind turbines, endangered bats - washingtonpost.com
Source: www.washingtonpost.com
GREENBRIER COUNTY,
W.VA. -- Workers atop mountain ridges are putting together 389-foot windmills with massive blades that will turn Appalachian breezes into energy. Retiree David Cowan is fighting to stop them.

Scozzafava a fan of Abramoff - When will the GOP ask for their money back?

Mr. Cantor, please ask the RNC, the NRCC, and yourself, if you want to continue supporting this crook.

How much of a clue do you need?

Scozzafava follows old GOP tradition: The Abramoff tradition.

I Was Right

I do enjoy it when someone infinitely smarter than I am explains why I'm right about something.
You notice from the responses by the dhimmis, that they think we're arrogant for questioning their auhority to bypass Constitutional limitations.

IMAO, its the dhimmis who are the arrogant ones, for questioning why we question them.

Royalty-monarchs-serfs-peasants
rail-tar-feathers

From the Patriot Post/Federalist Digest
God Bless Mark Alexander

Government & Politics
A Serious Question

We have known for many years that Democrats view the Constitution as an obstacle to their goals, not as something to be revered or upheld -- despite their repeated oaths to do just that.

And as Mark Alexander warned last week, our Constitution is on life support.

More evidence of the trauma inflicted by our elected "representatives" surfaced this week when CNSNews.com asked the only truly relevant question in the health care debate: Where in the Constitution is the authority to mandate that Americans buy health insurance?

Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-VT) was befuddled and deflected:
CNSNews.com: Where, in your opinion, does the Constitution give specific authority for Congress to give an individual mandate for health insurance?
Leahy: We have plenty of authority. Are you saying there is no authority?
CNSNews.com: I'm asking-
Leahy: Why would you say there is no authority? I mean, there's no question there's authority, nobody questions that.

While Leahy's answer is both defensive and outrageously arrogant, in a sense, he's right: Not enough voters question the constitutional authority for anything Congress does. Even Republicans too often simply declare, "Me too, only a little less," instead of abiding by the Constitution.

The interviewer persisted, however, and again asked the question. Leahy dodged, saying, "Where do we have the authority to set speed limits on an interstate highway? The federal government does that on federal highways." He then walked away.

So to get this straight, Leahy defended Congress' unconstitutional attempt to take over one sixth of the U.S. economy by citing another unconstitutional law that was justly repealed 14 years ago.

House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-MD) answered the question by saying, "Well, in promoting the general welfare the Constitution obviously gives broad authority to Congress to effect [a mandate that individuals must buy health insurance]. The end that we're trying to effect is to make health care affordable, so I think clearly this is within our constitutional responsibility."

On the contrary, in 1994, the Congressional Budget Office reported that a mandate forcing Americans to buy insurance would be an "unprecedented form of federal action. The government has never required people to buy any good or service as a condition of lawful residence in the United States."

According to Hoyer and his accomplices, however, the General Welfare Clause in the Constitution empowers Congress not only to "promote the general Welfare," but to provide it, demand it and enforce it.

But House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) was the worst offender. "Madam Speaker," CNSNews.com asked, "where specifically does the Constitution grant Congress the authority to enact an individual health insurance mandate?" Her brief reply spoke volumes about the Left's contempt for the Constitution and the Rule of Law: "Are you serious? Are you serious?" She then ignored the question and moved on to the next one. Her spokesman later added, "You can put this on the record: That is not a serious question. That is not a serious question."

Even in light of the current recession, we live in a day of unprecedented prosperity and, as a result, we have become complacent. Unfortunately, the likes of Leahy, Hoyer and Pelosi, who mock the Constitution instead of keeping their oaths, have almost completely robbed us of the "Blessings of Liberty" which our Founding Fathers pledged "our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor" to defend.

Though questions concerning constitutional authority are finally being asked inside the Beltway, they have been asked with ever-louder voices across the nation since Ronald Reagan reinvigorated that debate. Of course, since the last election, the national debate chorus has become much more unified.

For example, in The Patriot's home state of Tennessee (which Al Gore claims as "home" but which gave its electoral votes to Bush, twice, and then to McCain), there is a 10th Amendment battle underway, and not a minute too soon.

State Republicans are organizing a state sovereignty campaign in opposition to the federal government's abuse of states' rights. This week, a legislative committee approved a motion to invite representatives from the legislatures of the other 49 states to join a "working group ... to enumerate the abuses of authority by the federal government and to seek repeal of its assumption of powers."

Can you say, "Constitutional Convention"?

Predictably, Obama's state cadre of Democrat sycophants are huffing and puffing. State Democrat Chairman Chip Forrester says, "It's unfortunate that Republican members of the state Legislature have jumped on this crazy train. This is nothing short of lunacy. The Tea Party organizers and their ultra-right wing cronies began this ridiculous issue to disrupt civil debate about how to move this state and nation forward. I hope they are not suggesting we fight another Civil War."

No, we should give the Convention a chance before taking up arms. And if it comes to the latter, I suggest Mr. Forrester say goodbye to the sun and slither down a very deep hole..

More From NY-23

The last paragraph says it all. We are not Republican, we are conservative Americans and we will not accept the status quo or the good ole boy BS any longer.

From Politico:
NY-23 race first test of tea party power
By: Alex Isenstadt
October 22, 2009 08:31 PM EST

Tea party activists from across the nation are rallying around the House special
election in upstate New York, viewing it as the first electoral test of the nascent conservative movement’s political muscle. Organizers up and down the East Coast report that activists are making their way into the campaign offices of Conservative Party nominee Doug Hoffman, with the volunteers focusing their efforts in Oswego, Madison and Jefferson counties. While tea party organizers say the election is a unique opportunity to hold the Democratic and Republican parties to account, much of their energy is being directed against Dede Scozzafava, the GOP establishment-backed nominee whom they view as a squishy moderate who represents all that is wrong with the Republican Party.

“I went here from Washington, D.C., saying, ‘Now what?’” said Jennifer Bernstone, an organizer for Central New York 912, a Syracuse-based tea party group that so far has about 300 members getting out the vote for Hoffman. “Well, here’s the ‘Now what.’”

Numerous anti-Scozzafava websites have emerged across the blogosphere.

Dana Loesch, a St. Louis-based activist, has launched “Dump Dede,” a site that tracks nationwide conservative opposition to Scozzafava and urges viewers to “throw your support behind conservatism, ladies and gents; the clock starts now.”

Michael Patrick Leahy, a Nashville, Tenn.-area tea party activist, has turned his Drudge Report-like TCOT Report into a constantly updated bulletin board of news and rumors slamming Scozzafava.

“Breitbart’s BigGovernment.com, Washington Times, National Review, RedState Join Growing Avalanche of Other Conservatives Calling for Scozzafava to Withdraw from Race in NY 23rd,” blared the site’s headline Thursday afternoon. “They’re all making a concerted effort for Doug Hoffman, and they are making New York 23 a last stand,” said Erick Erickson, who has been urging tea party activists for months to ramp up electoral efforts against the Republican Party on his influential conservative blog RedState. “New York should be a hill to die on for conservative activists.”

Scozzafava faces Democrat Bill Owens and Hoffman in the Nov. 3 contest to fill the vacancy left by the resignation of Rep. John McHugh (R-N.Y.). In New York, tea party activists have emerged as the ground troops for the small, grass-roots-oriented Hoffman campaign.

Bernstone, the CNY912 activist who in her day job works as an acting coach, said she now participates in nightly 9:30 p.m. conference calls with Hoffman campaign aides. “We are helping his organization get out the vote for what we believe is the better of the two candidates,” said William Lamar Wells, who heads up CNY912. “This is rapidly elevating.”

“We’re seeing a lot of tea party people coming into the office,” said Rob Ryan, a Hoffman spokesman. “In a very competitive election, they’re providing a lot of manpower to put Doug Hoffman over the top.”

For the tea party activists, the special election represents the next big event for the loosely confederated movement, which began earlier this year with local Tax Day “tea parties,” followed by town hall protests and a Sept. 12 March on Washington. “I think, nationally, the tea party movement to a person is supporting Hoffman,” said Leahy.

On Thursday, former House Majority Leader Dick Armey (R-Texas), chairman of FreedomWorks, an organization that has played a role in coordinating tea party activities, personally endorsed Hoffman and implored his conservative followers to get on board.

“You’re sitting right in the eye of the storm. This country is at a crossroads,” Armey told supporters, according to an account in the Syracuse Post-Standard. “We have a special election. This is the game-changer. We’ve struggled with a Republican Party ... that has lost its way. They don’t remember about [President Ronald] Reagan. ... They don’t remember about small government. They let their thinking be controlled by self-serving political objects. And frankly, they made a lot of fools out of themselves.” FreedomWorks is now set to launch an aggressive effort to educate voters on what it says are the differences between Hoffman and Scozzafava.

Adam Brandon, a FreedomWorks spokesman, said the organization would have hundreds of members on the ground in the closing days of the contest and will distribute call lists to members across the country who can’t make it to upstate New York.

Armey himself is set to embark on a whistle-stop and media tour with Hoffman and will headline a fundraiser for the Conservative Party nominee. On Wednesday, Armey huddled with tea party activists who are playing a role in the race. According to an Oct. 15 Siena Research Institute poll, Owens has the support of 33 percent of likely voters, followed by Scozzafava at 29 percent and Hoffman at 23 percent. But Hoffman’s numbers were up 7 points during a two-week period, and Democratic and Republican insiders told POLITICO that Hoffman has now moved into second place ahead of Scozzafava, according to internal polls.

Asked to assess how much credit the Hoffman campaign would give to tea party activists in the event the Conservative Party candidate wins, Ryan said, “We would owe them a great deal of credit.”

For Scozzafava, the ramped-up tea party opposition has coincided with a rough campaign stretch. On Monday evening, she came under fire after reports circulated that her husband had called police after a Weekly Standard writer peppered her with a series of questions. Two days later, on Wednesday, Scozzafava, appearing exhausted, staged an awkward photo op in front of Hoffman’s campaign headquarters — surrounded by a sea of Hoffman supporters waving Hoffman campaign signs behind her.

“I think, whether it’s tea party folks or any other group, they have a right to support who they feel best represents them,” said Matt Burns, a Scozzafava spokesman. “I think it’s a healthy thing when there is political involvement from people at any level.”

Tea party activists, who maintain they are independent of either major party, say their involvement in the special election is proof they aren’t aligned with the Republican Party. “We’re not a part of the Republican Party, and I think that’s beginning to show to people,” said Wells.

Asked how his conservative-oriented organization felt about taking on the Republican Party, Brandon, the FreedomWorks spokesman, responded without missing a beat, “I feel as pure as can be. I have a smile on my face.”

“For those who criticize us as an arm of the GOP, I hope those folks are watching,” added Brandon.