Degree of Madness

I am an Anti-government Gunslinger

Oh Dear.

My Conservative Identity:

You are an Anti-government Gunslinger, also known as a libertarian conservative. You believe in smaller government, states’ rights, gun rights, and that, as Reagan once said, “The nine most terrifying words in the English language are, ‘I’m from the government and I’m here to help.’”

Take the quiz at www.FightLiberals.com

Maybe I'd better take it again. I was going for the sweet, angelic Anti-government gunslinger.

You can say that again

Future hostess for The View.

So you want to be a Czar?

There may be a spot for you in the Obama administration:

Name a top issue and President Barack Obama has probably got a "czar" responsible for tackling it.

A bank bailout czar? Herb Allison. Energy czar? Carol Browner.

There's a drug czar, a U.S. border czar, an urban czar, a regulatory czar, a stimulus accountability czar, an Iran czar, a Middle East czar, and a czar for both Afghanistan and Pakistan, which in Washington-speak has been lumped together into a policy area called Af-Pak.

Stimulus accountability czar?  Now there's a knee-slapper.  That Obama is one funny guy. 

Some lawmakers believe President Obama's multitude of czars is a power grab.  I'd say that's a pretty safe bet.  Next up, Cyber Czar:

"It's now clear this cyber threat is one of the most serious economic and national security challenges we face as a nation," Obama said, adding, "We're not as prepared as we should be, as a government or as a country."

He said he will soon pick the person he wants to head a new White House office of cyber security, and that person will report to the National Security Council and the National Economic Council — a nod to his contention that the country's economic prosperity depends on cybersecurity.

...

As many as a half dozen candidates — from the public and private sector — are being considered for the job, according to officials familiar with the discussions.

Michelle Malkin:  Let’s hope it’s not the same person who ran the Obama campaign’s grossly insecure online credit card donation operations.

I think Obama has put ACORN in charge of the search committee.  He's very impressed by their innovation and hard work.  Hopefully they'll share their "best practices" with the new Czar.  (On second thought, maybe we can get that campaign credit card guy after all).

Here's another Czar opening.   I nominate Robert Gibbs.

Wake up America. We have a problem.

Yesterday's blog post concerned the need - or not - for a leader of the Tea Party movement.  My conclusion was no.  The Tax Day Tea Parties were a phenomenal success by any measure.  They succeeded without a national leader, although many well known politicians and pundits participated.  That success proves we don't need a national figurehead, we just need to stick with the plan and keep going.  What is the plan?  Maybe that's where we need a little work.

The overriding theme for the Tea Parties was, appropriately, TEA, Taxed Enough Already.  I believe this will remain the number one priority for most of us.  Significant, permanent tax cuts.  But there is so much more that needs to be done.  Tax cuts aren't enough.  The tax code must be overhauled (FAIR TAX IS THE ANSWER HERE).  Additionally, the hundreds of other federal taxes we are charged every time we make a phone call, turn on the AC, buy a pack of cigarettes, turn on the TV, die, retire, sell stock, fill-up the car, must be brought under control.  (Coming soon, tax on Coke.  The one you drink).  These are pretty much hidden taxes that we all pay without batting an eyelash.  Where does the federal government get the authority to charge all these taxes?  From We the People.  We sit by, some of us complain, but by and large we just accept it and continue to vote for the same self-interested folks who are taxing us to death - at which time we will have to pay more tax.

And that's just for starters.  I believe we must take this opportunity to totally overhaul not just the tax code but the federal government itself.  Return it to its proper place according to the United States Constitution.  That too often ignored document that made the United States of America the greatest country in the history of the world, the beacon for millions of people who longed for the liberty promised and assured by its words.  We don't need a leader for this, we do need a plan.  How about A Bold Step Back?

Even a crack addict needs to recognize the problem before they can make a move to recover.  WAKE UP AMERICA !!!   We have a problem!

Today is Memorial Day.  The day we remember those who paid the ultimate price for our freedom.  What price are we willing to pay to keep it?   Can't we at least sacrifice a little time?  It is a very small price, after all. 

Freedom Is Not Free. Our Heroes Have Paid For It. Remember Them Always.

All is well, safely rest, God is nigh.

via: Michelle Malkin

Memorial Day. A day of Remembrance.

This Memorial Day:

Tomorrow, Americans across this great country will join together in remembering those American warriors—throughout our storied history—who gave their lives in defense of freedom. From the blood-soaked beaches of France to the bombed-out back-alleys of Fallujah, the American G.I. has fought—and died—opposing that which is evil and oppressive, and defending all things good and free.

Memorial Day is about one thing: remembering the fallen on the battlefield and passing their collective story to the next generation. These stories, and the men who bear them, are the backbone of this American experiment and must never be forgotten. As John Stuart Mill once said, “War is an ugly thing, but not the ugliest of things; the decayed and degraded state of moral and patriotic feeling which thinks nothing worth a war, is worse.” The minute, excuse me—the second—we believe our freedoms "inevitable and/or immutable," we cease to live in history, and have soured the soldier's sacrifice. He died in the field, so we can enjoy this beautiful day (and weekend). Our freedoms—purchased on the battlefield—are indeed “worthy of war.”

Time will never dim the glory of their deeds:

Memorial Day is about those who gave up their tomorrows for our today. They’re the men and women who forever gave up the chance to see and hold the child born while they were at war. The chance to again caress their husband or wife and tell them they love them. The chance to hold their mother's hand and bask in her sweet smile one last time. Or to stare in pure awe at their first grandchild.

They gave it all in the service of their country, and it is our job as citizens of this great land to remember them and their sacrifice. So the next time you are near a national cemetery, take some time and stop in with your family and spend a moment with the heroes who are buried there.

They are all someone you should know.

Twitter, Facebook, Blogs and Tea Parties

The end of blogging?  Are Facebook and Twitter making the blog obsolete?  I suppose I can speak to that since I haven't blogged at all since April 19, however I have been twittering away.  When your computer starts crashing every 15 minutes or so, twittering at 140 words or less is much easier - and much less frustrating - than attempting a coherent blog post.  I had decided to get a new computer rather than trying to figure out the problem but for some very strange unknowable reason my computer stopped crashing a few days ago.

What prompted me to get back in the blogging game today was this column by Andrew Malcolm.  What's coming up for future "tea party" protests.  Malcolm concludes the tea party movement needs a leader, or as he calls it a "decider":

It will be interesting to see if someone emerges as organizers roll out plans for the next round of protests. If it is to be effective in the long term, it seems the movement will need a decider: not just a public figurehead, but someone who can focus and modulate the multifarious blob of themes and emotions that seem to drive this fascinating middle-class revolt.

Someone, in short, who can tap both the thoughtfulness and anger behind the movement, the patriotism and Americans’ natural skepticism of government power … plus the anti-Obamaism, the call for a fair tax, the fear of new controls on carbon emissions. All that and more.

We managed to get the movement off the ground without a "decider" so I don't believe we necessarily need one now.  We organized via the new media, Facebook, Twitter, and the not yet obsolete blogs.  Along the way we attracted the attention of politicians, pundits, and Fox News.  The above article by Andrew Malcolm was posted at Lucianne.com.  Many commenters are arguing against the involvement of politicians and to a point I agree.  The Tea Parties were conceived, promoted, and successfully carried out by We the People.  Critics, most notably the Speaker of the House, tried to downplay the success of the Tea Parties by claiming they were organized and subsidized by the wealthiest people in America.  Nancy Pelosi's blatant, intentional mischaracterization  of the Tea Parties proves the power of a true grassroots movement:

Pelosi said the movement "is funded by the high end - we call call it astroturf, it's not really a grassroots movement. It's astroturf by some of the wealthiest people in America to keep the focus on tax cuts for the rich instead of for the great middle class."

Pelosi, of course, provided no names, no evidence of such involvement by the wealthiest people in America, she was flat-out lying. Now there's a shocker.  

In order to build on the success of April 15th we need to remain a true grassroots movement but I don't think that necessarily means we should shun the involvement of like-minded politicians and pundits.  We have many true conservatives serving in government at all levels and we need them as much as they need us.  Why shut out those who agree and are willing to fight with and for us?  No, we don't need them to lead but we need their voices.  They are already in the arena, our movement can help them by discovering new talent to join them in Washington and in state and local governments.  We are in perilous times right now and need all hands on deck.  

Next up for the Tea Party Movement is Independence Day.  Let's celebrate our Independence by reclaiming it.  Loud and clear.  Twitter it, Facebook it, and Blog it.