AMERICAN CONSERVATISM IN 2008 AND BEYOND

Article V
The Congress, whenever two thirds of both houses shall deem it necessary, shall propose amendments to this Constitution, or, on the application of the legislatures of two thirds of the several states, shall call a convention for proposing amendments, which, in either case, shall be valid to all intents and purposes, as part of this Constitution, when ratified by the legislatures of three fourths of the several states, or by conventions in three fourths thereof, as the one or the other mode of ratification may be proposed by the Congress; provided that no amendment which may be made prior to the year one thousand eight hundred and eight shall in any manner affect the first and fourth clauses in the ninth section of the first article; and that no state, without its consent, shall be deprived of its equal suffrage in the Senate.

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http://home.att.net/~rdavis2
http://home.att.net/~rdavis2/empterm.html
CHANGE IN POPULATION, LABOR FORCE, AND EMPLOYMENT BY PRESIDENTIAL TERM (in thousands)

Monthly Average Change (in thousands)
-------------------------------------------- Unemploy-
Popu- Labor Househld Nonfarm Private No. of ment
President Mo Year lation Force Survey Employed Employed Months Rate
----------- --- ---- -------- -------- -------- -------- -------- -------- ---------
Roosevelt Jan 1941 154.6 117.4 48
Truman Jan 1945 57.8 65.3 48
" Jan 1949 63.9 55.6 71.4 114.0 95.2 48 4.3
Eisenhower Jan 1953 104.8 62.3 42.3 57.1 39.9 48 2.9
" Jan 1957 136.0 83.7 44.7 16.6 -3.1 48 4.2
Kennedy Jan 1961 156.1 65.0 87.9 122.9 94.3 48 6.6
Johnson Jan 1965 159.9 124.0 141.8 205.3 158.0 48 4.9
Nixon Jan 1969 258.3 165.9 132.4 128.8 97.9 48 3.4
Nixon/Ford Jan 1973 249.3 202.5 141.0 105.7 77.2 48 4.9
Carter Jan 1977 237.8 225.4 208.9 215.4 188.2 48 7.5
Reagan Jan 1981 172.5 139.6 132.2 110.9 111.4 48 7.5
" Jan 1985 172.1 180.5 216.8 224.6 194.6 48 7.3
G.H. Bush Jan 1989 173.3 104.4 49.3 54.0 30.5 48 5.4
Clinton Jan 1993 173.4 147.0 192.1 239.7 225.3 48 7.3
" Jan 1997 241.7 173.8 197.5 234.1 208.3 48 5.3
G.W. Bush Jan 2001 228.1 87.6 51.4 0.6 -18.6 48 4.2
" Jan 2005 206.3 119.0 38.6 43.4 27.1 48 5.2
Jan 2009 7.6

Washington Lobbying Grew to $3.2 Billion Last Year, Despite Economy
Published by Communications on January 29, 2009 2:09 PM | Permalink

Interest groups spent $17.4 million for every day Congress was in session. Lobbying growth for finance sector and auto industry is smaller in tough times.

WASHINGTON--While companies across the board were losing record amounts of money and laying off employees last year, at least one industry seemed to weather the recession: lobbying. Special interests paid Washington lobbyists $3.2 billion in 2008, more than any other year on record and a 13.7 percent increase from 2007, the nonpartisan Center for Responsive Politics has found.

Analyzing 4th Quarter disclosure reports filed Jan. 20, the Center calculated that interest groups spent $17.4 million on lobbying for every day Congress was in session in 2008, or $32,523 per legislator per day.

WAKE UP CALL: TEXAS GOV. BACK RESOLUTION AFFIRMING SOVEREIGNTY
Tue Apr 14 2009 08:44:54 ET

AUSTIN " Gov. Rick Perry joined state Rep. Brandon Creighton and sponsors of House Concurrent Resolution (HCR) 50 in support of states’ rights under the 10th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.

“I believe that our federal government has become oppressive in its size, its intrusion into the lives of our citizens, and its interference with the affairs of our state,” Gov. Perry said. “That is why I am here today to express my unwavering support for efforts all across our country to reaffirm the states’ rights affirmed by the Tenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. I believe that returning to the letter and spirit of the U.S. Constitution and its essential 10th Amendment will free our state from undue regulations, and ultimately strengthen our Union.”

Perry continued: "Millions of Texans are tired of Washington, DC trying to come down here to tell us how to run Texas."

A number of recent federal proposals are not within the scope of the federal government’s constitutionally designated powers and impede the states’ right to govern themselves. HCR 50 affirms that Texas claims sovereignty under the 10th Amendment over all powers not otherwise granted to the federal government.

It also designates that all compulsory federal legislation that requires states to comply under threat of civil or criminal penalties, or that requires states to pass legislation or lose federal funding, be prohibited or repealed.

Developing...
http://www.drudgereport.com/flashtx.htm

Maybe nothing. Maybe a beginning. I wonder which?

Quote:

WAKE UP CALL: TEXAS GOV. BACK RESOLUTION AFFIRMING SOVEREIGNTY
Tue Apr 14 2009 08:44:54 ET

AUSTIN " Gov. Rick Perry joined state Rep. Brandon Creighton and sponsors of House Concurrent Resolution (HCR) 50 in support of states’ rights under the 10th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.

“I believe that our federal government has become oppressive in its size, its intrusion into the lives of our citizens, and its interference with the affairs of our state,” Gov. Perry said. “That is why I am here today to express my unwavering support for efforts all across our country to reaffirm the states’ rights affirmed by the Tenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. I believe that returning to the letter and spirit of the U.S. Constitution and its essential 10th Amendment will free our state from undue regulations, and ultimately strengthen our Union.”

Perry continued: "Millions of Texans are tired of Washington, DC trying to come down here to tell us how to run Texas."

A number of recent federal proposals are not within the scope of the federal government’s constitutionally designated powers and impede the states’ right to govern themselves. HCR 50 affirms that Texas claims sovereignty under the 10th Amendment over all powers not otherwise granted to the federal government.

It also designates that all compulsory federal legislation that requires states to comply under threat of civil or criminal penalties, or that requires states to pass legislation or lose federal funding, be prohibited or repealed.

Developing...
http://www.drudgereport.com/flashtx.htm

The protests began with bloggers in Seattle, Wash., who organized a demonstration on Feb. 16. As word of this spread, rallies in Denver and Mesa, Ariz., were quickly organized for the next day. Then came CNBC talker Rick Santelli's Feb. 19 "rant heard round the world" in which he called for a "Chicago tea party" on July Fourth. The tea-party moniker stuck, but angry taxpayers weren't willing to wait until July. Soon, tea-party protests were appearing in one city after another, drawing at first hundreds, and then thousands, to marches in cities from Orlando to Kansas City to Cincinnati.

As word spread, people got interested in picking a common date for nationwide protests, and decided on today, Tax Day, as the date. As I write this, various Web sites tracking tea parties are predicting anywhere between 300 and 500 protests at cities around the world. A Google Map tracking planned events, maintained at the FreedomWorks.org Web site, shows the United States covered by red circles, with new events being added every day.

The movement grew so fast that some bloggers at the Playboy Web site -- apparently unaware that we've entered the 21st century -- suggested that some secret organization must be behind all of this. But, in fact, today's technology means you don't need an organization, secret or otherwise, to get organized. After considerable ridicule, the claim was withdrawn, but that hasn't stopped other media outlets from echoing it.

There's good news and bad news in this phenomenon for establishment politicians. The good news for Republicans is that, while the Republican Party flounders in its response to the Obama presidency and its programs, millions of Americans are getting organized on their own. The bad news is that those Americans, despite their opposition to President Obama's policies, aren't especially friendly to the GOP. When Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele asked to speak at the Chicago tea party, his request was politely refused by the organizers: "With regards to stage time, we respectfully must inform Chairman Steele that RNC officials are welcome to participate in the rally itself, but we prefer to limit stage time to those who are not elected officials, both in Government as well as political parties. This is an opportunity for Americans to speak, and elected officials to listen, not the other way around."
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123975867505519363.html

http://teapartynexus.com/sites/default/files/images/TEA%2010.preview.JPG

The Rally line will extend on both sides of Montgomery, starting at Independence Grill ( on Montgomery, one block west of Louisiana MAP )

Stop at Independence Grill first to sign in, pick up a sign ( if you don’t have one ) and get your copy of the Peaceful Demonstration Rights and Responsibilities hand out. You can also click the following link to download your copy of Peaceful Demonstration Rights and Responsibilities.

Bring a Friend - Bring a sign - Bring a non-perishable can of “PORK” and beans or an un-opened box of “RED or GREEN Tea”

No Vulgarity on signs " This is a Peaceful, Non-Partisan Rally
All non-perishable food items collected will be donated to a local food bank.
http://www.albuquerqueteaparty.com/

Nothing like watching a bunch of middle- and upper-class white folks gathering to complain about their raw deal in life

I would take this whole thing much more seriously if people would admit that it was an idea ginned up by Dick Armey's outfit and Newt Gingrich. It's really cute! Republicans are new to the world of protesting, it's like seeing a kid take his first few steps.

I wonder how they will react when today comes and goes, and nothing changes at all? The left got used to that, but I predict some tough times ahead for the Right, who has not gotten used to this yet.

Cycloptichorn

They aren't new to it at all. Such transformations have occurred repeatedly in previous years - after the Truman, Carter, and Johnson Administrations , for example. Similar transitions such as the recent Democrat victory have occurred repeatedly as well - none were permanent. You are merely illustrating your rather rtestricted view of the political struggle.

Do you really believe that none of this is spontaneous, while all of the political activism on the left is truly authentic??

WAKE UP CALL: TEXAS GOV. BACK RESOLUTION AFFIRMING
SOVEREIGNTY

Please respond to what I write, George, instead of attempting to put words into my mouth.

Cycloptichorn

Leave Texas Alone -- Well, Sort Of. . . .
(Dave McNeely, Commentary, The Kingwood Tribune, April 15, 2009)

One risks whiplash watching Gov. Perry rain on the federal government.

On Thursday, Perry stood outside his capitol office flanked by 30 House members " all of them fellow Republicans except Democrat Ryan Guillen of Rio Grande City " to call for re-emphasizing the 10th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which calls for states’ rights.

“I believe that our federal government has become oppressive in its size, its intrusion into the lives of our citizens, and its interference with the affairs of our state,” said Perry, who is expecting a re-election challenge from Republican U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison.

That was Thursday. On Friday, Perry’s office put out a press release saying he was reiterating his request that the Federal Emergency Management Agency provide federal money and fire-fighting resources to help the state battle ongoing wildfires.

Perry had requested such a declaration on Feb. 24, it was denied March 17, and appealed on March 20.

Looks like Texas needs some help from those oppressive old feds after all.

Cycloptichorn wrote:

Please respond to what I write, George, instead of attempting to put words into my mouth.

Cycloptichorn

Why should I? You presume yourself to be able to speak for the "vast majority" of those who are politically active today" and to even be intimately aware of the degree of their understsanding of history - assuming, as you evidently do, that everyone else is subject to the same limited understanding and awareness of history as yourself.

The current political era that you so childishly assert "we had better get used to" will undoubtedly prove to be no more permanent than all those that have proceeded it. To assert otherwise is to mark yourself as a person of limited understanding and imagination.

While you didn't explicitly assert that political activism on the left was spontaneous and authentic

you were quite clear in your expressed belief that the current activism on the right is inauthentic, externally organized and conducted by robots. My conclusion - and the criticism that followed - were entirely reasonable.