MSNBC, the bastion for all things liberal announced a new "re-branding" ad campaign with the tag-line "Lean Forward". Hilarious. For starters, this is hardly re-branding. Anyone with sense who's ever suffered through thirty seconds of that network's innane "news coverage" has emerged force fed and bloated by its progressive agenda. Second, doesn't that ad look scary as hell? "Giving the story fewer place to hide eh? PUH-LEASE.There's one place the story always hides from MSNBC: AMERICA. Maddow, Olbermann and the rest wouldn't know where to find the story even if it was in our nation's capital and involved half a million people. They couldn't find a scoop even if it was a mass movement's referendum on the policies that are killing the American Dream. Oh, wait-- those things happened.We all know what goes on over there, American apology, defense of Sharia law proponents, Obama love and socialist rhetoric.
I'm not leaning anywhere but away from you, MSNBC.
Have you been watching former Clintonite, Solicitor General Elena Kagan's Supreme Court confirmation hearing? It's infuriating that these hearings have become nothing more than an exercise in saying nothing. Kagan herself has described the process as "vacuity and farce." Truer words have never been spake-- although, this cartoon captures this particular confirmation best:
I was incredulous to discover a recent poll which found that 42% of Americans had no opinion regarding Kagan's possible confirmation. This is shameful. Elena Kagan is a politician at best. She's got ZERO experience as a judge on the bench. The only thing that she should be asked during these hearings is to leave. The only reasons that the Obama Administration chose her are because:
1.) She's a woman and it makes them look progressive.
2) She supports the liberal agenda (anti-gun rights, pro-abortion, etc.) and has proclaimed that being an activist judge is "not necessarily wrong or invalid."
3) She's got no record of court decisions, which will make it harder for Republicans (or Dems with sense) to question her about her history.
But the biggest reason is that she supports extending Big Government. In a paper she wrote for the Harvard Law Review in 2001 titled "Presidential Administration" she argued the merits of supreme Executive Branch control over regulatory bodies and agencies in order for a President to achieve his or her aims. In Nobama's case that would be disastrous for America.What a nightmare this wolf in judge's clothing is!
The Constitution of the United States is not a "Choose Your Own Adventure" book! It laid down the laws for our country and the Supreme Court must be its enforcers. If we wanted them to make revisionist interpretations we'd ask them to sit down with some Sharpies and have at it. That's not the job, and only a few of them get it. I guess we could never have expected Nobama to replace the most liberal judge in history, Judge Stevens with a moderate, but we really can only speculate as to the leanings of Kagan based on her sparse record. But I suppose, despite what her softball pic indicates, that she bats Lefty.
Yes, I watch MSNBC's red-faced rant-machine Keith Blobermann so that you don't have to. Last night, when I paused from being awed by his capacious cranium (he's got a really big head), I heard something odd:
Former Republican House Majority Leader Dick Armey, one of the main national proponents of the Tea Party movement is advising members of the Republican Party to say that they're not members of the Tea Party because it will hurt them politically. If you ask me, instructing these elected officials to publicly renounce and conceal their Tea Party affiliation damages our cause.
I've cut a selection of the footage for your convenience (minimizing your exposure to Blobermann's bloviation):
Armey's claim that Rand Paul's biggest mistake was his publicized Tea Party affiliation is misguided. The Tea Party support that he received was instrumental to his Republican nomination for the Kentucky's Senate race-- and he was right to proclaim it, "a victory for the Tea Party".
Unfortunately, the sound bites that Paul gave the Left actually damaged the Tea Party, not the other way around. What we need is better messaging.
Hiding our political affiliations is not the answer-- especially not in America where we have the right to associate with any party that we choose.
It's ourresponsibility as Patriots to make sure that America is safe for all points of view, especially when it's a perspective that upholds the highest ideals of freedom, our Constitution, and our Founding Fathers. We've got to encourage our elected officials to proudly proclaim their belief in us and our ideals. When we take control of our message and our image we will reverse the negative press and sliding approval ratings, like I talked about in a previous post "Is The Tea Party Dead?"
I am going to keep fighting for the recognition and actualization of the goals of our cause. I may even run for office myself...
Sorry Dick. You're wrong on this one. If you think you can convince us to stay quiet, keep our heads down and pretend that we no longer exist in the public eye, then I have one question for you:
In an article for the Altlanta Journal-Constitution, Cynthia Tucker alleges that the Tea Party movement is dying, citing an ABC-Washington post poll reporting that "50 percent of Americans have an unfavorable view of the movement, compared with 39 percent in March."
She then goes on to quote a Washington post article stating that the movement's lack of organization is at fault for its failure to have real political clout at the polls. The cited article additionally accuses the Tea Party of being another fairy dust grassroots flare up with no staying power:
“No one owns the tea party brand, and that’s kind of the problem,” said Brendan Steinhauser, grass-roots director for FreedomWorks, which organizes tea party groups. “In Virginia — it breaks my heart. You’ve got six self-appointed tea party candidates and one establishment guy. You’re not going to beat the establishment guy in that situation” . . .
This wouldn’t be the first time an American political movement began to fade soon after an energetic, even sizzling, beginning. And other movements — think Ross Perot — had the advantage of a charismatic leader. To survive, the tea party movement has an even steeper hill to climb because there is no central, guiding force.
Tucker then asserts that the Tea Party was a weak brew to begin with-- a movement that doesn't reflect popular sentiment or draw wide support from the American electorate, that's more about histrionic, fringe shenanigans than substance:
But the truth is, the tea party was never a strong or widespread movement. Only 18 percent of voters identify themselves as tea party supporters. But its loud, publicity-oriented antics draw news media attention, giving it more an appearance of clout than actual influence.
If you are reading this blog then you likely have the same hope that I do: That ordinary citizens, empowered by the Constitution, can enact change through grassroots association, organization, and voting power-- the way that our Founding Fathers intended. For us, the Tea Party is the vehicle that will roll us into the future that we envision: the return of America to fiscal responsibility, limited government and personal freedom. Now, if the poll numbers above are accurate, then respondents with an unfavorable view of the Tea Party (although of an unknown sample set) may have increased in the last few months. HOWEVER, that still means that 50 percent-- half of the country does NOT hold an unfavorable view of the Tea Party. That is significant.
However, an increase in unfavorability is definitely due to bad press. Although there is little most of us can do about liberal media pundits like Chris Matthews and his upcoming fear mongering and skewed portrayal of our movement on the far-left media outlet MSNBC, we still have the power to shape our image.
At a Tea Party 365 volunteer meeting last night in midtown New York, the group's founder, David Webb, urged us to stick to communicating our core principles. He cited a few of what he called "teachable moments" during which members of the Party had done it a disservice by straying from those principles in their portayal of our movement, to the detriment of the Party as a whole. This is an important point. We must reemphasize what our Tea Party (not personal) principles are whether we are communicating with the media or merely friends, family and neighbors. Solidarity and unity of message are key to any successful grassroots movement.
That said, looking back at the recent primaries in Nevada and Virginia, it is necessary to ask some questions concerning our unity.
1) Is disorganization hurting our cause? 2) Should there be central leadership at the State level? 3) How can we advance our agenda of constitutionalism through viable candidates behind whom we throw mass support for their election?
The liberal media bias that we will inevitably face aside, it is up to us to spread our message and exercise our political power through the greatest political system on Earth. That will require getting people elected. Therefore, we need an agenda. It is imperative that we have discussions about what that agenda is, and how we can accomplish it-- before it is too late.
Do we want it to be 2012 with all the incumbents having won the midterms and Nobama Odrama back in the Blight House?
No.
Let's start a discussion. Leave comments! Sound off! Let's maximize our American potential!
I'll admit that I grew up a liberal. Coming where I come from it was natural to always vote democrat and to believe in a prescribed ideology. Even as a child something didn't feel right but I rolled with the hypocrisy wagon... for as long as I could. Ignorant of history and of socio-political reality, I lambasted Reagan out of habit with stock school yard quips, and even poked fun at Bush for his misstatements and poor optics during Katrina. But it was all halfhearted, and I didn't know why. Today I do.
As a child I believed in the promise of America. I knew that no matter who I wanted to be or what I wanted to do, my goals were attainable because of the flag that I flew and the anthem that I sang. Some people tried to tell me that, as a black boy from Harlem, I would need a handout (read: affirmative action) or social welfare to achieve a sustainable life. That's not what I'd learned from our founders or from my parents who worked at prestigious private schools so that I would be able to receive a world class private education. Although I held the ideals of a free America in my heart, I noticed that things began to change. Although our country was under attack, we stood divided on protecting our nation. Despite the fact that we grew further and further in debt to foreign powers, we continued to borrow beyond our means and become beholden to alien interests. Notwithstanding that our founders believed in limited government and personal freedom, our liberties have been eroded, and stolen, to feed a bloated, pork laden federal government that scoffs at States' Rights!
I believe in the constitution, and I don't need a disclaimer to tell me that I have the right to free speech, and to make sure that our government works for us!
In these times it will take strong leadership from the people to remake America into the land in which free men and women have the rights to personal and State Liberty, to choose their health care, to arm and defend themselves, to expect their government to keep its hands out of their pockets, and trust that it won't relinquish their childrens' future to a penurious, socialist existence, dominated by the Chinese.
That is why it is only conservatives who can take back America! And we have to do it by going to the polls, taking the fight to the streets,
and forming networks of like minded patriots who will truly "kick ass" (and not like Obama's weak rhetoric about BP)!
I am a conservative because our forefathers were. And even though they are liberal, my parents taught me to treasure the American dream. So I say to you now, the country is reflected in the state of our beloved gulf coast: mired in thick, heavy ooze that weighs us down, pollutes our ideals, and tries to obscure our natural beauty.
But unlike the government we have the tools to wrest ourselves from the sludge and purify our own waters or freedom and liberty, with our god-given bravery and courage!
Never give up the fight. I am with you. God bless you all. RISE UP!
Will you be following the 12 state congressional and gubernatorial primaries happening today? You should be. This is a pivotal time for American politics, and primaries like those in Nevada are proving how powerful grassroots organization can be against the establishment. However, the incumbents and establishment candidates are banking on the hope that tea party candidates will not have general election appeal. Don't make them right. Become a Flipper and check outhttp://www.flipthishouse2010.com. Make sure that our elected government is by the people and for the people.
Remember: ”Man is not free unless government is limited. As government expands, liberty contracts.” Ronald Reagan
