AMERICAN CONSERVATISM IN 2008 AND BEYOND

I think that primary elections in Florida are not until late August. Crist v. Rubio in the Republican primary sounds interesting but a lot can happen between now and August. Are Tea Party conservatives expressing any preference?

:"The tea party is about the anger over Washington's excesses that began under a Republican administration and Congress. Republicans have been guilty of expanding government," Mr. Rubio told The Washington Times in an interview. "But in the last 12 months, government has expanded at an even more alarming pace.

"And that expansion is what propels the massive pushback, which has become known as the tea party movement," said Mr. Rubio, who will give the keynote address Thursday at the annual Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC), a three-day event at which the tea party phenomenon will be a primary topic.
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2010/feb/18/rubio-takes-tea-but-says-its-no-party/

I wonder why you think it's inappropriate for the government to warn people that Toyotas have been accelerating without control and killing people; maybe you think they should just keep their mouths shut about it, so that no right-wingers such as yourself could intimate that there is corruption going on in order to sell Chevys?

Given the present Administration’s efforts against (non-government owned) Toyota why not investigate Al Gore's cottage industry of AGW? Oh, that's right...

The EPA isn't doing anything by 'fiat.' The SC - a Conservative-dominated SC - ruled that they are within their rights to regulate our economy based on emissions of CO2. Or perhaps you forgot that ruling?

I am not sure Marco Rubio wants to be identified as a "Teaparty" guy. He is intriguing as young, emerging conservative voice.

I might ask: Exactly where in my statement did I say (or even imply) that it is inappropriate for government to warn people of dangerous situations and issue valid and responsible statements towards their safety? Is this another thinly veiled progressive standard Alinskian invective to portray conservatives as "selfish and uncaring?

All I want is the truth in our public political discourse
(Steve Blow, The Dallas Morning News, February 28, 2010)

Max in Richardson probably wishes he had never e-mailed me. I had the gall to ask a question.

A few days ago Max forwarded me and 39 others an item about how President Barack Obama was irked with U.S. military veterans.

It said Obama wanted veterans to carry private health insurance to cover service-related injuries, but that opposition forced him to scrap the idea.

The e-mail said:
The President admitted that he was puzzled by the magnitude of the opposition to his proposal. "Look, it's an all-volunteer force," Obama complained. "Nobody made these guys go to war. They had to have known and accepted the risks. Now they whine about bearing the costs of their choice? It doesn't compute. ... "I thought these were people who were proud to sacrifice for their country," Obama continued. "I guess I underestimated the selfishness of some of my fellow Americans."

The e-mail cites the quotes as proof that Obama is "the worst president in American history" and urges readers to "pass this on to everyone."

I wrote back to Max and asked for the source of the quotes.

"I wish I could," he replied. "This was an e-mail that came to me, and I forwarded it. I have heard or read these comments before, but I don't know the source."

A few minutes later he e-mailed me again. "My memory is not infallible," he wrote, "but I seem to remember hearing these quotes on Channel 8 or Channel 4 news."

No, he didn't.

It took me about 60 seconds on the Internet to discover that the president never said those outrageous things.

Of course not.

The made-up quotes come from a satirical column written to ridicule the president.

But now they get passed around as fact. And I sigh once again over our low regard for truth these days.

A few days before Max's e-mail, I got a similar one. Seems like this guy's name was Pete.

He forwarded a popular e-mail making the rounds and asked why the media never reports such things.

That was easy.

"Because it's not true," I replied.

This one had to do with Michelle Obama supposedly ordering Champagne and caviar from room service at the Waldorf-Astoria. It even includes a copy of the signed bill.

But it's all bogus. Ms. Obama wasn't even in New York at the time.

I attached a link to a Web site with more information about the hoax. Pete wrote back: "No, not that. The other."

I scrolled further down his original e-mail and found the one about Ms. Obama supposedly having a far larger staff than any previous first lady.

Not true either. Her staff may be slightly larger, but it's right in line with that of Laura Bush and other predecessors.

The Internet is a wonderful thing. It spreads information like never before. But it spreads lies just as quickly.

Do we care? Or do we care more about smearing our political enemies?

Neither Pete nor Max showed any hint of regret about spreading false information.

This isn't partisan concern. I'd say the same if this was circulating about a Republican in the White House. And, no, the jabs at former President George W. Bush never reached this level.

It's so easy to determine if a circulating e-mail is true or false. Go to www.snopes.com or www.factcheck.org. Or just type a few key words into Google. Please resolve to do that before forwarding anything. If you can't confirm it, don't send it.

Our editorial pages embarked on a campaign last week to bring more civility into public discourse.

That's nice. But right now I'd settle for more truth.

Conservatives are selfish and uncaring. It's a fundamental part of Conservatism.

Sen. Jim Bunning is taking a beating today.

He is being lambasted, mocked and ridiculed as a crazy old man
who has lost his bearings.

Why? Because Bunning is insisting that Congress pay for its
lastest spending spree -- $10 billion in an emergency
Transportation and unemployment funding measure that
Congress has not funded.

Bunning doesn't oppose the bill -- just the fact that Congress
once again is spending money without funding the spending.
They are just adding another $10 billion to the deficit!

Plus, as Bunning points out, just a few weeks ago Congress
passed the "PayGo" law that requires Congress to fully
fund any new discretionary spending! Bunning is simply
holding their feet to the fire.

And for this, Bunning is the bad guy! He's being blamed
for causing 2,000 Transportation workers to be furloughed...
for the suffering of thousands of unemployed who will miss
their unemployment checks...

CNN went so far as to put on its broadcast, "Thousands hurt
by one Senator." G.O.P. strategists are worried that
Bunning's stand will give the Democrats the advantage.

I say, hogwash! It seems Bunning may be the last man standing
in the Senate.

Someone... somewhere... must draw a line and say NO to
the endless spending spree that is pushing our nation
to the brink of bankruptcy!

http://www.ncpa.org/sub/dpd/index.php?Article_ID=19051&utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=DPD
ECONOMIC FREEDOM, DEMOCRACY AND THE QUALITY OF LIFE
A capitalistic, or economically free, society is one in which institutions are characterized by personal choice, voluntary exchange, freedom to compete, and protection of person and property. It requires public policies that promote open markets, limited government, stable monetary growth, free trade and a strong rule of law, says Michael D. Stroup, a professor of economics and interim dean of the Nelson Rusche College of Business at Stephen F. Austin State University.

The Fraser Institute's Economic Freedom Index (EFI) evaluates these public institutions and policies for more than 120 countries from 1975 to the present, based on objective, measurable data, says Stroup.

In countries with relatively low levels of both economic and political freedom, adopting greater economic freedom is more likely to enhance society's well-being than increasing political rights through expanded democracy, says Stroup. Consider:

A one-unit increase in a country's EFI score is associated with a 1.3 year rise in life expectancy at birth and reduces child mortality by 16 deaths per 1,000.

However, a one-unit increase in a country's PRI [Political Rights Index] score reduces life expectancy at birth by three months and reduces child mortality rates by only one-fourth as much (four deaths per 1,000) as a similar increase in the EFI score.
Furthermore, a one-unit increase in the EFI score is associated with a 10.3 percent increase of two-year-olds with adequate vaccinations (diphtheria, pertussis and tetanus), whereas a one-point increase in PRI produces less than a 0.1 percent increase in vaccinations.
Among countries with relatively high levels of both types of freedom, enhanced political rights improve the well-being of society less than economic freedom, says Stroup. Indeed:

A one-unit increase in EFI increases life expectancy by one-and-a-half years and reduces child mortality by 14.6 deaths per 1,000.
However, a one-unit increase in PRI decreases life expectancy by four months and reduces child mortality rates by only 1.6 deaths per 1,000.
Moreover, a one-unit increase in EFI is associated with a nine-point rise in the percentage of two-year-olds with adequate vaccinations, while a one-unit increase in PRI has no significant effect.
Source: Michael D. Stroup, "Economic Freedom, Democracy and the Quality of Life," National Center for Policy Analysis, Brief Analysis No. 695, March 2, 2010.

You forgot to report that Bunning voted against the PAYGO legislation! And that he has never had a problem adding to the debt in the past, at all.

In other words, he's a complete ******* hypocrite who is posturing for political reasons. And he's going to continue taking a beating. Not a single goddamn Republican gave a **** about the debt until the Dems were in charge. Not once did any Republican holler about 'paygo' when they were passing massive tax cuts. In fact, I'm pretty sure Bunning voted to REPEAL the old Paygo laws back in 2002!

There have been many emails circulating about resolutions that individuals would like you to consider. [These] Resolutions are potential additions or changes to the Texas Republican party platform in this case. [These resolutions are being provided] so that if you agree with any of the resolutions below you can ... use them as a starter for any resolution that you would like to write yourself.

It would be an enormous relief if the recent attacks on the science of global warming actually indicated that we do not face an unimaginable calamity requiring large-scale, preventive measures to protect human civilization as we know it.

1. The Institute is concerned that, unless the disclosed e-mails are proved to be forgeries or adaptations, worrying implications arise for the integrity of scientific research in this field and for the credibility of the scientific method as practised in this context.

2. The CRU e-mails as published on the internet provide prima facie evidence of determined and co-ordinated refusals to comply with honourable scientific traditions and freedom of information law. The principle that scientists should be willing to expose their ideas and results to independent testing and replication by others, which requires the open exchange of data, procedures and materials, is vital. The lack of compliance has been confirmed by the findings of the Information Commissioner. This extends well beyond the CRU itself - most of the e-mails were exchanged with researchers in a number of other international institutions who are also involved in the formulation of the IPCC's conclusions on climate change.

1. Sherriff - 10th Amendment -
https://docs.google.com/Doc?docid=0AaIxZzppMuwLZGZ0NXZ4Z2hfMTkyZzR2M2N3aHA&hl=en
James Madison, the’ Father of the Constitution’ wrote:

“The powers delegated by the proposed Constitution to the federal government are few and defined. Those which are to remain in the State governments are numerous and indefinite. The [federal powers] will be exercised principally on external objects, as war, peace, negotiation, and foreign commerce… The powers reserved to the several States will extend to all the objects which, in the ordinary course of affairs, concern the lives, liberties, and properties of the people, and the internal order, improvement, and prosperity of the State.”

In support of the 10th Amendment

WHEREAS, Article 1, Section 8 of the Constitution of the United States specifically enumerates limited authority of the federal government in the wealth, Natural Rights, and affairs of America’s citizenry,

WHEREAS, the Governor of Texas, Rick Perry, has recently indicated that the Tenth Amendment must be protected and defended from destructive federal actions,

WHEREAS, the Constitution of the United States specifically instructs the States to oversee all areas of governance inside state lines, except for the limited, enumerated powers of the Federal government,

WHEREAS, it is the sole prerogative of the States to grant un-enumerated governing privileges to the Federal government, outside the limited, enumerated powers granted in the Constitution,

WHEREAS, even though past unconstitutional Federal legislative actions or court rulings have transpired, it is the sole prerogative of the citizenry of each State to choose to reverse that course and begin to restore genuine Constitutional governance,

WHEREAS, as a truly free people, it is the sworn duty and responsibility of the State’s elected and appointed officials, and citizenry of each State, to reject and refuse compliance with unconstitutional federal assertions and/or federal court rulings, as each State sees fit,

WHEREAS, a wide diversity of State governing practices which reflect the unique morals, values, and beliefs of each State’s citizenry, provides the best defense for a nation at peace, and the best opportunity to maintain national sovereignty,

WHEREAS, in order to restore our Constitutional Republic, Texas must be the national leader and require the special interests in Washington D.C. to physically come to Texas in order to petition the Texas Legislature for all un-enumerated taxes and favors. If every state legislature adopted this requirement, governing authority would soon be returned to each state, and citizens’ wealth and freedom would be protected, and our Constitutional Republic genuinely restored.

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: that the state Republican Party of Texas will support a state constitutional amendment that will require the Texas state legislature to approve by a 2/3rd majority all un-enumerated federal laws and regulations, wherein “enumerated” is strictly defined by Article 1, Section 8 of the U.S. Constitution. If said laws and regulations are not addressed, the federal law and/or regulations will not be complied with by the State of Texas.

Approved this __________ day of _________, 2010, at the Precinct Convention of

Precinct #__________ of the ______________ County, Republican Party of Texas.


Audit the Fed

WHEREAS, just as the Texas Declaration of Independence was written, literally, overnight, as Dictator Santa Anna boldly advanced across Texas to quell freedom and liberty, so also today Texas citizens, once again, feel compelled to act under similar, urgent circumstances,

WHEREAS, it has become self-evident that the government ‘of the people, by the people, for the people’ in Washington D.C., has deteriorated into an unquestionable, unredeemable, and hopeless condition of corruption and thievery, whose intent is discernable to even the simplest of minds; that is to confiscate citizen wealth and deprive the citizenry of their private property rights, and the most basic tenants of their Natural Rights,

WHEREAS, a Den of Corruption has been carved out in that distant city that has designed, constructed and empowered the grandest money-laundering scheme known thus far to mankind - that being the devices of the U.S. Tax Code and the Federal Reserve. So embolden have the Washington elected representatives become, that vote-buying and corruption is no longer hidden, and in fact, is thrust upon us with the expectation that it is our civic duty to support and appreciate the fraud and lawlessness that emanates from that city,

WHEREAS, the Washington D.C. elected representatives have skewered and perverted the honorable concept of ‘Taxation by Representation’. They have destroyed and disfigured it into an ugly, greedy, scandalous and shameless process, wherein the stolen wealth of our children and grandchildren is bartered out to the highest bidder,

WHEREAS, the Governor of Texas, Rick Perry, has recently indicated that the Tenth Amendment must be protected and defended from destructive federal actions,

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: that in order to establish the legitimacy of enumerated federal spending, the state Republican Party of Texas will proposed and support a state constitutional amendment that requires the State of Texas to conduct a transparent, complete and comprehensive annual financial audit of the Federal Government, including the Federal Reserve, in order to clearly demonstrate to the citizens of Texas that their taxes are being Constitutionally procured and spent. Should the Federal Government (including Federal Courts) and Federal Reserve refuse to fully cooperate, it is the sole prerogative of the State of Texas to deny payments, in full or in part, to the Federal Government until satisfaction has been achieved.

Approved this __________ day of _________, 2010, at the Precinct Convention of

Precinct #__________ of the ______________ County, Republican Party of Texas.


Sherriff Resolution

Whereas, Founding Father, Thomas Jefferson stated, “When all government shall be drawn to Washington as the center of all power, it will render powerless the checks provided and will become as venal and oppressive as the government from which we separated.”,

Whereas, in the U.S. Supreme Court case ruling, Mack/Printz vs U.S. (1997), the majority stated at least three times that, “state legislatures are not subject to federal direction”,

Whereas, it is a requirement for each state to “erect barriers” to federal over-reach and intrusion in order to preserve the Constitutional “check and balance” of powers,

Whereas, the “checks and balances” have been in a state of deterioration over the past several decades, and this trend must be reversed,

Whereas, the Governor of Texas, Rick Perry, has recently indicated that the Tenth Amendment must be protected and defended from destructive federal actions,

now, therefore, be it:

Resolved, that in order to begin to restore our Constitutional Republic, and hence, restore a meaningful and reliable system of “checks and balances”, the state Republican Party of Texas will propose and support “Sheriff’s First” legislation. This legislation is an act regulating arrests, searches, and seizures, and seizures by federal employees; providing that federal employees shall obtain the county sheriff’s permission to arrest, search, and seize, providing for prosecution of federal employees violating this act; rejecting federal laws purporting to give federal employees the authority of a county sheriff in this state, and providing an immediate effective date.

[see attached example legislative wording circulating in other states. The State of Wyoming has passed this as law.]

Approved this __________ day of _________, 2010, at the Precinct Convention of

Precinct #__________ of the ______________ County, Republican Party of Texas.


[Sheriff’s First Sample Legislation]

HOUSE BILL NO.

INTRODUCED BY _______________________________________________________________________________

A BILL FOR AN ACT ENTITLED: "AN ACT REGULATING ARRESTS, SEARCHES, AND SEIZURES BY FEDERAL EMPLOYEES; PROVIDING THAT FEDERAL EMPLOYEES SHALL OBTAIN THE COUNTY SHERIFF'S PERMISSION TO ARREST, SEARCH, AND SEIZE; PROVIDING FOR PROSECUTION OF FEDERAL EMPLOYEES VIOLATING THIS ACT; REJECTING FEDERAL LAWS PURPORTING TO GIVE FEDERAL EMPLOYEES THE AUTHORITY OF A COUNTY SHERIFF IN THIS STATE; AND PROVIDING AN IMMEDIATE EFFECTIVE DATE."


BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF Texas:

1. Purpose. It is the intent of the legislature to ensure maximum cooperation between federal employees and local law enforcement authorities; to ensure that federal employees who carry out arrests, searches, and seizures in this state receive the best local knowledge and expertise available; and to prevent misadventure affecting Texas’ citizens and their rights that results from lack of cooperation or communication between federal employees operating in Montana and properly constituted local law enforcement authorities.

2. Declaration. The elected sheriff of each county is the senior law enforcement officer of that county and is the most authoritative law enforcement official in the county. The primary duties of the sheriff are to keep the peace in the county and to secure and protect the liberties and security of the residents of the county.

3. County sheriff's permission for federal arrests, searches, and seizures -- exceptions. (1) A federal employee who is not designated by Texas law as a Texas peace officer may not make an arrest, search, or seizure in this state without the written permission of the sheriff or designee of the sheriff of the county in which the arrest, search, or seizure will occur unless:

(a) the arrest, search, or seizure will take place on a federal enclave for which jurisdiction has been actively ceded to the United States of America by a Texas statute;

(b) the federal employee witnesses the commission of a crime the nature of which requires an immediate arrest;

(c) the arrest, search, or seizure is under the provisions of 46-6-411 (close pursuit) or 46-6-412 (customs and immigration);

(d) the intended subject of the arrest, search, or seizure is an employee of the sheriff's office or is an elected county or state officer; or

(e) the federal employee has probable cause to believe that the subject of the arrest, search, or seizure has close connections with the sheriff, which connections are likely to result in the subject being informed of the impending arrest, search, or seizure.

(2) The county sheriff or designee of the sheriff may refuse permission for any reason that the sheriff or designee considers sufficient.

(3) A federal employee who desires to exercise a subsection (1)(d) exception shall obtain the written permission of the Texas attorney general for the arrest, search, or seizure unless the resulting delay in obtaining the permission would probably cause serious harm to one or more individuals or to a community or would probably cause flight of the subject of the arrest, search, or seizure in order to avoid prosecution. The attorney general may refuse the permission for any reason that the attorney general considers sufficient.

(4) A federal employee who desires to exercise a subsection (1)(e) exception shall obtain the written permission of the Texas attorney general. The request for permission must include a written statement, under oath, describing the federal employee's probable cause. The attorney general may refuse the request for any reason that the attorney general considers sufficient.

(5) (a) A permission request to the county sheriff or Texas attorney general must contain:

(i) the name of the subject of the arrest, search, or seizure;

(ii) a clear statement of probable cause for the arrest, search, or seizure or a federal arrest, search, or seizure warrant that contains a clear statement of probable cause;

(iii) a description of specific assets, if any, to be searched for or seized;

(iv) a statement of the date and time that the arrest, search, or seizure is to occur; and

(v) the address or location where the intended arrest, search, or seizure will be attempted.

(b) The request may be in letter form, either typed or handwritten, but must be countersigned with the original signature of the county sheriff or designee of the sheriff or by the Texas attorney general, to constitute valid permission. The permission is valid for 48 hours after it is signed. The sheriff or attorney general shall keep a copy of the permission request on file.

4. Remedies. (1) An arrest, search, or seizure or attempted arrest, search, or seizure in violation of [section 2] is unlawful, and individuals involved must be prosecuted by the county attorney for kidnapping if an arrest or attempted arrest occurred, for trespass if a search or attempted search occurred, for theft if a seizure or attempted seizure occurred, and for any applicable homicide offense if loss of life occurred. The individuals involved must also be charged with any other applicable criminal offenses in Title 45.

(2) To the extent possible, the victims' rights provisions of Title 46 must be extended to the victim or victims by the justice system persons and entities involved in the prosecution.

(3) The county attorney has no discretion not to prosecute once a claim of violation of [section 2] has been made by the county sheriff or designee of the sheriff, and failure to abide by this mandate subjects the county attorney to recall by the voters and to prosecution by the attorney general for official misconduct.

5. Invalid federal laws. Pursuant to the 10th amendment to the United States constitution and this state's compact with the other states, the legislature declares that any federal law purporting to give federal employees the authority of a county sheriff in this state is not recognized by and is specifically rejected by this state and is declared to be invalid in this state.

6. Effective date. [This act] is effective on passage and approval.

7. Severability. If a part of [this act] is invalid, all valid parts that are severable from the invalid part remain in effect. If a part of [this act] is invalid in one or more of its applications, the part remains in effect in all valid applications that are severable from the invalid applications.

-END-

2. Cap and Trade -
https://docs.google.com/Doc?docid=0AaIxZzppMuwLZGZ0NXZ4Z2hfMTkza3h6OXA2M3o&hl=en
CAP AND TRADE

WHEREAS, the “cap-and-trade” bill, which passed the House in June and is currently in the Senate, whose purpose is reducing greenhouse gas emissions and global warming by creating a system of pollution permits that energy companies must buy before releasing carbon dioxide into the atmosphere; and

WHEREAS, the whole reason for existence of the expensive cap and trade scheme in H.R. 2454 is based on the junk science theory of the global warming myth that man’s activities are producing significant temperature increases, rather than natural weather and solar cycles; and

WHEREAS, this bill would establish a whole new unconstitutional activity of the federal government and give it yet another regulatory tool for increasing the cost of doing business, which would translate into higher costs for taxpayers in an already unstable economy; and

WHEREAS, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has announced that they will enforce the same activities that the bill proposes under their current congressional authority without further congressional approval;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, we urge the Senate to defeat this unconstitutional grab for power, that Congress block the EPA enforcement of “green house gas” emissions and open up America’s vast natural resources for energy independence and economic growth, thereby eliminating the dependence on China, Russia, Saudi Arabia, and other foreign countries for our energy needs.

Approved this __________ day of _________, 2010, at the Precinct Convention of


Precinct #__________ of the ______________ County, Republican Party of Texas.

6. Health Care Reform -
https://docs.google.com/Doc?docid=0AaIxZzppMuwLZGZ0NXZ4Z2hfMTk3cHFtemZmZ3M&hl=en

HEALTH CARE REFORM

WHEREAS, the healthcare bill put forth by President Barack Obama and the Democrat members of Congress is unconstitutional and will create a complicated bureaucracy of government offices and programs that come between patients and healthcare providers; and,

WHEREAS, the bill would lead to a government-controlled healthcare system similar to the ones found in England and Canada, where patients must wait months for care that currently is routine in the United States; and

WHEREAS most citizens agree that the U.S. healthcare system is the best in the world,

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that we, the people, oppose any legislation that imposes any government control over our health care, government mandates of any kind or price controls, new government programs or the expansion of existing programs; we also urge passage of healthcare reform which results in more affordable healthcare through a competitive, open across state lines, and transparent health care system including TORT reform where America’s families choose their own doctor and health care plans.

Be it further resolved that a copy of this resolution be sent to the ERATH County Convention Resolutions Committee from Precinct #34 of the ERATH County Republican Party, with the recommendation that it be passed and sent to the State Convention Platform Committee of the Republican Party of Texas.

You forgot to report that Bunning voted against the PAYGO legislation! And that he has never had a problem adding to the debt in the past, at all.

In other words, he's a complete ******* hypocrite who is posturing for political reasons. And he's going to continue taking a beating. Not a single goddamn Republican gave a **** about the debt until the Dems were in charge. Not once did any Republican holler about 'paygo' when they were passing massive tax cuts. In fact, I'm pretty sure Bunning voted to REPEAL the old Paygo laws back in 2002!

Really, it's a favor for the Democrats.