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As we remember "the Gipper" today on the anniversary of his birth, lets not just recall one of the most successful presidents in the history of our country but the man, a man of ideas, principals and faith. And then carry on with those principals, ideas and faith for only then we will be successful in saving our country from the current regime.
Our party must be based on the kind of leadership that grows and takes its strength from the people. Any organization is in actuality only the lengthened shadow of its members. A political party is a mechanical structure created to further a cause.
The cause, not the mechanism, brings and holds the members together. And our cause must be to rediscover, reassert and reapply America’s spiritual heritage to our national affairs.
Then with God’s help we shall indeed be as a city upon a hill with the eyes of all people upon us.
Ronald Reagan, 1977 40th President of the United States
The most egregious action was before I could whip out my trusty Flip camera. However, the pudgy man, Erin Fox, in the extreme close up (sorry) is a usual suspect, “community organizer” and MoveOn.org operative
I have encountered him at other actions and his modus operanti is always the same, trying to get in your face to disturb and/or name calling. Although his physical intimidation is getting more aggressive as he realizes that his “religion” the Health Care bill is in big trouble.
The young man with the dark hair that I point out as another “usual suspect” is either a MoveOn.org operative or works for the Democrat party. I recently had another “close encounter” with him at the Sanctity of Life Rally January 22 at our state Capitol, where he was counter-protesting life in favor of abortion.
We had formed a line in front of the counter-protesters and so our backs were turned to them, (not really a good idea when dealing with progressives). His tactic was to come from behind and lean in as close as possible without actually touching to yell things like, “Keep your rosary off my body” (odd coming from a man?) and “pro-family, pro-life”. He can be seen carrying the sign “Keep Abortion Legal” while clutching his upscale brand coffee I am sure Biggy’s is grateful for the pro-abortion “advertising”
See video below of Sanctity of Life counter-protest by these usual suspects
What is really disturbing about this is how militant against life these people are at such a young age. Hearts hardened and conscience seared. However when we realize that these young people have known nothing but legalized abortion in this country, the acceptance of what is “legalized murder” is sadly understandable. Seeing and knowing this, we must consider giving greater time and energy to the pro-life movement. Its a historical facts history that when any civilization no matter how great loses its moral underpinnings then that civilization falls.
The upshot of all of this is that if progressives do not respect life, how can they be expected to respect free speech? Obviously answer, they can’t and they don’t
Governor’s Final State of the State Address Includes Eight Proposed Government Expansions, Three Limitations Mackinac Center Michael D. LaFaive Fiscal Policy Director
MIDLAND — Gov. Jennifer Granholm’s 2010 State of the State address included eight proposed expansions of government and three limitations, according to Mackinac Center Fiscal Policy Director Michael D. LaFaive, who has tallied and categorized annual State of the State addresses dating back to 1969.
“This speech demonstrated the obtuse nature of the political class,” said LaFaive. “Michiganders watched seemingly serious adults leap to their feet to applaud symbolism, ghost jobs and free-trade bogeymen when evidence suggests they have nothing to cheer. Any observer of the last few State of the State speeches would know that this was the same old song and ‘dance with government’ routine.”
The last third of the governor’s address was a summary of economic development deals, many of which involved the Michigan Economic Growth Authority, the state’s premiere tax incentive program. The Mackinac Center has twice proven empirically that MEGA has failed to create jobs in net terms and has shown it may actually destroy them.
“This speech offered little hope to Michigan’s unemployed,” said Michael Jahr, senior director of communications. “It’s remarkable that the governor would claim ‘2009 made clear that the way forward for Michigan is precisely the path we have been forging’ when you consider the massive job losses, precipitous decline in personal income, outbound migration, bankruptcies and foreclosures.”
Proposed 2010 Expansions
1. First, we must invest in Pure Michigan tourism advertising. 2. The federal government will give us $2 billion over the next four years if we can come up with a 20 percent match in state funds… You can continue to ignore this problem, or you can follow the bipartisan transportation funding task force recommendations on how to fix it. 3. Tonight, I am announcing that my budget for the year ahead will restore the Michigan Promise Scholarship. 4. And I’ll urge the federal government to help fund Project Phoenix — our effort to help abandoned auto factories rise from the ashes as new centers of economic activity and job-creation. 5. We'll continue to seek more funding to connect every region of the state — urban and rural — to high-speed internet service. 6. Tonight, I will also ask you to create more opportunities for entrepreneurs by creating a new tax credit for investors who make venture capital available to the Michigan businesses that need it to expand and create new jobs. 7. And this year we’re going to take “No Worker Left Behind” to the next level by opening ten learning labs in Detroit to give new opportunity to workers who need basic education skills in order to succeed in college or technical training. 8. In the year ahead, we are going to focus our economic development efforts on the wind-energy industry to give Michigan the competitive advantage that is today helping us to create jobs in vehicle batteries and solar energy.
Limitations
1. One of those reforms contains incentives to encourage retirement for 46,000 state and public school employees. On average, we’ll replace only two of every three state employees who retire … 2. … and the new hires will come in under a health care benefit plan that will cost 21 percent less. 3. Allowing lifetime health care benefits for lawmakers would only confirm our citizens’ worst fears about government — that it is comprised of those who put themselves first and the public last. I ask you to complete the job.
“In fairness to the governor, her boldest and best proposals were actually detailed last week and included reining in the outrageous cost of government employee compensation,” said LaFaive.
Blood Money “Make no mistake, abortion-on-demand is not a right granted by the Constitution. No serious scholar, including one disposed to agree with the Court's result, has argued that the framers of the Constitution intended to create such a right. Shortly after the Roe v. Wade decision, Professor John Hart Ely, now Dean of Stanford Law School, wrote that the opinion "is not constitutional law and gives almost no sense of an obligation to try to be." Nowhere do the plain words of the Constitution even hint at a "right" so sweeping as to permit abortion up to the time the child is ready to be born. Yet that is what the Court ruled.
As an act of "raw judicial power" (to use Justice White's biting phrase), the decision by the seven-man majority in Roe v. Wade has so far been made to stick. But the Court's decision has by no means settled the debate. Instead, Roe v. Wade has become a continuing prod to the conscience of the nation.
Abortion concerns not just the unborn child, it concerns every one of us. The English poet, John Donne, wrote: ". . . any man's death diminishes me, because I am involved in mankind; and therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls; it tolls for thee.” We cannot diminish the value of one category of human life — the unborn — without diminishing the value of all human life. …..Ronald Reagan
2009 was a momentous year because We the People went to war. Not just with those outside our country but from within.We are at war with those who have methodically worked to dismantle our Constitution, torn apart our representative Republic, and who wish to put another form of government in its place.
We have made progress in the “court of public opinion” with President Obama’s popularity plummeting at the polls as we have held tea parties, town halls, protested, called, faxed and e-mailed. The liberals/ socialist /fascists are on the run and we will continue to keep the pressure up...the winning of governors’ races in New Jersey, Virginia, and most recently, the election of Scott Brown to Ted Kennedy’s US Senate seat prove that people are fed up…Wehave the momentum NOW!
The 2010 elections are one of the most important in our life time.
For 2010 we must turn our attention to home, to our beloved Michigan. As Michiganders we have seen the results of the same liberal’s policies that the Obama regime is now trying to implement. After 8 years of liberal “leadership” Michigan is in shambles. Unemployment is at almost 15%, the Car Capitol of the World has seen a government take over of GM, jobs evaporate, foreclosures rise and families leave.
Michiganders, 2010 is the year that we must and will TAKE MICHIGAN BACK!
If we are honest with ourselves we must take responsibility for not being educated and active in the polices that have shaped our lives and hurt Michigan. We need to change that, for our state, our families, and our future. We must muster all soldiers in the Constitutional Conservative army.
But how do we accomplish that?
WE MUST:
üIdentify Constitutional Conservative Candidates with character, in all offices, local, county, state, school boards, and court system, who believe that holding office is a civic duty and that the government is the problem not the answer!
All Michigan House and Senate seats are up for re-election - we have a tremendous opportunity in 2010!
üWe at Grassroots in Michigan are working on a site that will be “one stop shopping” for information on candidates, races and issues in Michigan as well as tools toresearch candidates, voting records and ballot initiatives.
üWe also ask Michiganders to send us information about what is going on in your District to grassrootsinMI@gmail. You may have a sneak preview bygoing here: http://micc.grassrootsmichigan.com/
Campaigns need two things: People and Money
üWe must support these candidates with time and/or money. It doesn’t matter if you have 1 hour of 40 hours to give, $5 or $5,000. What matters is that you become engaged. Any campaign will plug you in, in an area that you are comfortable with. Literature drops, phone, banks, admin, door-to door etc are opportunities.
Part Two:
Take over your Party
Like it or not, we have a two party system, despite the talk of a 3rd party. Third parties historically have either disappeared or simply can not win. And to TAKE BACK MICHIGAN we must win.
So how do we, as Constitutional Conservatives take over a party?
You want to change the direction? Then find other people who think like you do and get organized “within” the party. Focus on the next set of Republican precinct organizational meetings and county conventions where local party officials are elected, as well as delegates to district and state conventions. Identify the dates and locations and share them with your friends
The little secret among party insiders (of either party) is that the number of people that participate in the actual organizational meetings where leadership is elected is incredibly low. Far lower even than the small percentage that participates in primary elections
Most precinct delegates require little to no campaigning and some are elected with just one vote! Deadline for filing to run in Michigan is no later than 4:00pm May, 11, 2010 at your county, city, or township clerk office.
üIdentify those who currently have jobs within your county party and where they stand on our core conservative principles. Then either support them or replace them. It’s as simple as that.
üContinue to go to your county party meetings, form a coalition with other constitutional conservatives there, vote, go to the state convention, get on the executive committee, run for vice county chair, and then county chair, then you will be helping to pick the candidates on your party ticket!
When you change who is driving, you’ll change where the vehicle is headed. And in the process you’ll build critical infrastructure for the party, which will make it more likely to be successful for the issues you care about – and help build the conservative movement at the same time!
Elections have consequences, as they say, and that applies not just to public office but also to party office. If you’re really committed to conservative principles, then don’t make it any easier for liberals to win - GET INVOLVED!
If you want real change, then focus on the real problem. Change the personnel.
In a nutshell precinct delegates:
What is a Precinct Delegate? The role of Precinct Delegate is extremely important and is as "grassroots" as you can get. Precinct Delegates are elected by that precinct's voters to serve as a liaison between voters and the Democrat or Republican Party in your neighborhood.
What is a Precinct? The precinct is the smallest political unit in the country and it is where elections are won or lost. All voters in a precinct vote at one location. It is your neighborhood, where you know the people and the issues most important to them.
What do Precinct Delegates do? As a grassroots leader for your party in your precinct, a Precinct Delegate might:
1. Help people get registered to vote; take information on issues and candidates to voters
2. Identify and recruit others interested in your party
3. Help turn out your party's vote in your neighborhood on Election Day; or inform party leaders about the issues that concern voters.
From "Tea Party Folks Are your neighbors" by Phil Kadner, Southtown Star Sun-Times Media 1/7/10
"We're here to protect the Constitution," Homer Glen resident Mary Lou Benakovich informed me. "We're pro-gun, anti-abortion, anti-tax and oppose RINOs running for office."
This was billed by some as an anti-Kirk rally. Literature distributed at the rally labeled Kirk "pro homosexual," "pro abortion," "a gun grabber" and "tax and spender."
"He's worse than Obama because Obama's a Democrat," Benakovich said. "Kirk claims he's a Republican, but he's a traitor to everything the party is supposed to stand for."
Claris Van Kuiken, 55, of New Lenox, said she joined the movement because she fears politicians are not only attempting to undermine the country but Christian institutions as well, with a vision of a one-world government and occultism.
Stephen J. Balich, the Homer Township clerk and a leader of the Will County Tea Party Alliance, said the group's members are neither Democrats nor Republicans - just voters trying to take their country back.
Every person I spoke with was so bursting with enthusiasm for the cause that I had trouble taking notes.
One man told me he's tired of writing letters to politicians in Washington only to get form letters back saying, "Thank you for writing. Now I'm going to vote the way I want to."
A recent article in the New York Times covered the growth of state-level resistance to a future national health care plan. For example, in 2010, voters in Arizona will have a chance to approve a state constitutional amendment that would effectively ban national health care in that state. Legislators in Florida and Michigan have already introduced similar legislation, and potentially, 15 other states will do so in the 2010 legislative session.
But heres something fundamentally important that NYT writer Monica Davey claims in her article:
The Constitutions supremacy clause ordinarily allows federal law to, in essence, trump a state law that conflicts with it
A best, this is a highly-misleading statement.
There are two main points to make here:
1. The supremacy clause does not allow federal law to trump state law in all situations, or even ordinarily as Davey claims. It only does so when both laws are in pursuance of a power that has been delegated to the federal government by We the People. in the Constitution.
2. We know that this is the case because Monicas version of the supremacy clause was actually proposed by leading founders and rejected. When the Constitution was being drafted, James Madison and others proposed what came to be known as the Virginia Plan. A major part of this plan was to give the congress a veto over state laws. It was defeated. That means, in plain English, the founders considered this idea, and said no. And Davey is irrefutably wrong in her claim.
So we know from this short lesson that the supremacy clause did not authorize the power that Davey is claiming. In reality, things are pretty much the other way around. The biggest Constitutional problems that actually exist in this country are those times when the federal government exercises powers not delegated to it by We the People. And that happens far more often than not.
Unfortunately, though, not enough people know this important history of the Virginia Plan, and this basic premise of the Constitution, so theyre easily swayed by patently false statements by people like Davey and the New York
Nullification is a constitutional theory that gives an individual state the right to declare null and void any law passed by the United States Congress which the state deems unacceptable and unconstitutional. The concept is most well-known in the context of the sectionalist crisis that plagued the Union in the 40 years preceding the Civil War.
The origins of nullification are found in the Federalist-Republican debate of the late 1700s. James Madison and Thomas Jefferson in the Virginia and Kentucky Resolutions (1798) declared that the states had the right to nullify laws by which the federal government overstepped its limits of jurisprudence.
I'm dreamin' tonight of a place I love
Even more then I usually do
And although I know it's a long road back
I promise you
I'll be home for Christmas….
Christmas Eve will find me
Where the love light beams
I'll be home for Christmas
If only in my dreams…
………they were aliens and strangers on earth. Hebrews 11:13
But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, the home of righteousness. 2 Peter 3:13
And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. Revelation 21:4
My brother Jeff 55, passed away Wednesday December 23.
He was a gentle, sentimental “teddy bear” of a man. Perhaps that’s why his favorite animals were bears and in fact he had a love of all animals and the great outdoors. He was a passionate and devoted fan of his beloved MSU Spartans and proudly wore his “green and white.” My brother inherited a love of the Christmas season from our dad. Every Christmas Eve he delighted in quoting the traditional saying passed from our dad, “Tonight’s the Night!”
He possessed an sharp, inquisitive mind,before he became so burdened by an awful disease( Schizophrenia ) loved a good story and was a prankster at heart.
My brother loved to reminisce about the 1950’s, a time of his youth, of innocence, a time when our dad was alive, a time of hope when anything seemed possible.And because of his amazing recollection was able to draw out warm and funny memories of those times for me and my family. My brother also loved kids, being a big kid himself and was a very beloved uncle to his nieces and nephews.
My brother lived with mom all his life because of his special needs. After my dad died, he became the “man in her life” so to speak, although he really in many ways stayed her baby.
She needed him... and he needed her.
My mom passed away this June, at almost 93 years “young.” Although she was of what we consider an advanced age she was still was a vital woman, taking care of her household, cleaning and cooking for my brother.
My brother simply could not tolerate her loss.
They had created their own world together and my mom had created a sanctuary for him, a shelter in most ways from the world. So I believe that the Lord in His great mercy gave my brother Jeff his greatest Christmas gift ever, He took him home. Home for Christmas.....with my mom, my dad and the most glorious magnificent Christmas celebration my brother has ever experienced, joyous for one who loved Christmas so much
In years to come, at Christmas I will choose not to think of that one sad act but of him, whole, healed, free and truly “Home for Christmas”.
"All tyranny needs to gain a foothold is for people of good conscience to remain silent." - Thomas Jefferson
I spoke with JB Williams this past Friday and expressed this very same sentiment based out of my frustration...if I was in any way a "muse" for his article then I am damned (excuse the language) proud of it!
In a post on my blog on 10/11/09 I ask the same,.. I want to see some courageous forget-about-my-career action from The Hill!
Lets’ face it what do they have to lose?
Republicans/Conservatives have been shut out, disregarded and disrespected 37 ways to Sunday by this administration, especially by Pelosi and Reid. Remember Pelosi hissed, “We Won” and then proceeded (excuse my language) to bitch slap the Republicans/Conservatives around.
We have had tea parties, calls/faxes e-mails, taken to the streets, counter-protested, gave and went to Town Halls, blogged, YouTubed, we have went toe-to toe and sometimes face-to-face with the opposition. And worked over time because we know it takes ACTION!
I want to see some courageous forget-about-my-career action from The Hill!
Where is our William Wallace?
Instead of focusing on the opposition entirely, perhaps we need to focus and demand that those on our side have a tea party of their own!!
The very future of our country is at stake…TEA PARTY ON THE HILL!
Can we sign and send the JB Williams post below as a FAX to every Republican Leader on the Hill?
It’s official folks, with the Democrats steamrolling over the GOP filibuster intended to stop another TRILLION in wasteful spending yesterday, Republicans in congress have been handed their hat once again.
Do you Republicans not know that you are completely irrelevant? Or do you just not have the spine to take a real stand? Democrats are making asses out of all of you!
This is NOT a game! The future of freedom and liberty hang in the balance and most Americans know it! How did you miss it?
Republican congressional votes have NO meaning today. So what, if you are “on-record” voting against the global socialist leap off the leftist cliff? Unless you find a way to derail that speeding locomotive, you will soon burn in a Marxist hell with the rest of us.
When American freedom and liberty are gone and every American is forced into a financial corner where socialism looks better than starvation, it won’t matter who voted against it!
With the loss of the filibuster, Congressional Republicans have only ONE play left to stop the coming train wreck, when Obamunism runs head-on into millions of increasingly angry American patriots in the streets.
Only Congressional Republicans can stop that clash!
Congressional Republicans MUST WALK OUT immediately!
You must pack your bags, close your offices, refuse to enter the congressional chambers for one more pretend vote in which the Democrats will hand you your hat once again.
If Republicans want to harness the power of the Tea Party – 912 – and Town Hall patriots across this land, you can do it in three simple steps…
· Shut down congress by walking out and refusing to return. Can Democrats even call something to a floor vote without a single republican in the chamber? Would they even dare try it?
· Return home and spend time listening to angry patriots in as many town hall meetings as you can schedule. You will earn your pay at a town hall, whereas attending another congressional vote is worse than a waste of time. It’s counter-productive. Go home and listen, don’t talk!
· Grow the backbone to walk away from all of your past mistakes, and line up behind the ONLY people who can put you back in power, the American patriots who stand for a constitutional government and against the current steamroller to socialism.
You have only one other option… to keep doing what you’re doing, which amounts to being a big part of the problem, instead of a part of the solution.
WALK OUT TODAY!
GO HOME! - And set up as many town hall meetings in your home districts as you can fit into your schedule. Earn your paycheck by meeting with the people, so that you can once again begin to represent the will of the people. Don’t talk – LISTEN!
Tell Democrats that if they are determined to lead this country into the toilet, they will have to do it all alone without a single republican in the chamber when they do it, one lousy piece of anti-American legislation after another. Republicans have a very clear choice to make and you had better make it fast! The nation doesn’t need two parties full of leftist losers. Republicans willing to stay in session should be seen not as “RINOs,” but as Democrats… and they will be.
You can take a stand with the 70% of Americans who DO NOT want any form of Cap & Trade, Global Socialized Medicine, a One World Government, the Copenhagen Climate Scam, Amnesty for Illegal’s, or trillion dollar payoffs to leftist organizations and labor unions which only enrich the leftist juggernaut now running roughshod over the nation. Only 25% “strongly approve” of Obamunism as of today… It’s time for you to strike!
Severe situations demand severe action!
We are out of time for any other option. The Tea Party – 912 and Town Hall people will not – I repeat – WILL NOT line up behind Republicans too spineless to put a stop to the hourly destruction of this nation.
Republicans have ONLY one way to regain any form of power, and that is to toss out the politically correct nonsense of the past and line up behind the millions of patriots begging for action across this country!
Republicans either line-up behind the American right in a hurry, or their party is finished, as is this nation.
WALK OUT IMMEDIATELY! – And DO NOT RETURN until you have control of congress next November!
I call upon EVERY Washington DC Republican to walk out NOW!
This is NOT an issue item! This is NOT a circus stunt sideshow. WALK OUT and STAY OUT! Refuse to participate in the rape of this great nation!
If you continue to sit in that chamber and watch the gang rape of this nation, you are NO BETTER than the rapists! GET OUT of that chamber NOW! Let the American people see the rapists clearly!
God help us all if YOU lack the courage to do what must be done to save this nation!
"A wise and frugal government, which shall leave men free to regulate their own pursuits of industry and improvement, and shall not take from the mouth of labor the bread it has earned - this is the sum of good government." - Jefferson
Gifts for a Conservative Nation...Some shameless promotion here…I have a few shops on CafePress that may provide my readers with the perfect gift for conservative family and friends. Designs are original done by myself.
CafePress sets the “wholesale” price and the shop keeper (me) then adds to that for profit. I have keep prices as low as possible because my intent is to provide a quality design at the lowest price so the citizens of the Conservative Nation can wear “Right”
Join the Sisterhood: Say it loud and proud, "I AM A CONSERVATIVE WOMAN"
Products for a Conservative Nation Shop Right!
I will make a donation with proceeds from sales of Sisterhood of Sarah items to the National Association of Down Syndrome in honor of Governor Palin's youngest son, Trig.
Our party must be based on the kind of leadership that grows and takes its strength from the people. Any organization is in actuality only the lengthened shadow of its members. A political party is a mechanical structure created to further a cause.
The cause, not the mechanism, brings and holds the members together. And our cause must be to rediscover, reassert and reapply America’s spiritual heritage to our national affairs. Then with God’s help we shall indeed be as a city upon a hill with the eyes of all people upon us.
Ronald Reagan, 1977 40th President of the United States
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