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I vigorously oppose the speed at which this administration is moving America down the progressive road to total government control.

They still aren’t listening to us.

They still aren’t getting the message.

It seems as if they’ve forgotten the April Tea Parties.  Frankly, the movement seems to be losing momentum… at least it is here in my state of Kentucky.

1.  The Tea Party Movement seems pretty darn disorganized.

It’s nearly impossible to get any kind of information about what’s going on in the different states or even at a national level.  Websites have conflicting information and unconnected points of contact.  Some of the Tea Party websites are only out to make a buck… I hate that!

In addition, some of the best websites haven’t even taken the time to put up a real website.  Most go with the freebie version at best.  That doesn’t add much credence to the movement in general.  (If you’re trying to set something up for your local Tea Parties and don’t know how to do it, I’d be willing to give you a page of this website for your Tea Party for free)

2.  There’s no central leadership.

I’ve heard through several sources that there have been power struggle type problems within the original leadership and the direction that the movement should take.

In addition, a couple of different groups (other types of movements that were already in existence prior to the Tea Parties) tried to take over the Tea Parties and add them to their own movements.

Yes, politics is getting into the Tea Parties too and some have seen it as a way to put forward their own agenda.  It’s a shame.

In my opinion, there still needs to be someone out there willing to catalog and organize the Tea Parties on a national level without inserting their own agenda.  Maybe it could work something like this:

• Get some kind of council together where the organizer of each separate Tea Party has a voice and a vote as to how the national movement would represent itself.  If individual organizers choose to join the national movement, everyone could teleconference or hold web conferences on a monthly basis.  In addition, there could be a regular email newsletter sent out to all members to keep everyone up to date on the happenings in each state and nationally, as well as policies that our movement should be aware of.  I’ve run these kinds of newsletters for years online… it’s really easy to set up!

• Each of the Tea Party Organizers would still have their own local issues and would be absolutely free to pursue them.  They would just have the added support of the national organization.

• The movement would need to make a list of specific grievances so as to make it clear to all those who mock and dismiss us that we have our act together.  There would be no more confusion about this being just about “taxes” and others who agree with our cause would be more likely to join if they knew what they were getting themselves into.

• Organizing into some kind of a national movement would make it easier for individual organizers to network and share ideas.  Plus a newsletter would keep everyone informed.

• Although the Tea Parties must be willing to talk to government officials who believe in the movement, we have to be careful not to let them actually become key officials in the movement either locally or nationally.  They’ll take it over and it will stop being about the American people and become a political platform for those officials.  I personally don’t think they should be allowed to speak at rallies or insert themselves into the movement as government officials.  They could obviously join as Americans, however, without any special privileges.

Lastly, I think it’s high time to step things up a bit with the Tea Parties.

There are a lot of tea parties planned for July 4th all over the country and in Washington D.C.,   I think those should go forward as planned.

After July 4th, I think we need to move from having rallies where there are speakers, music, and a lot of talking.  I think we need to start having Tea Party Marches all over the country on a monthly or weekly basis.

Here’s what I mean by Tea Party March:

1.  Choose a day of the week/month and a time to start and let everyone know when it will be.

2.  Choose a prominent place within each community.

3.  Grab your signs and walk down the street proudly carrying your sign so that passerby’s can see it.

I envision a mile long parade of quiet, respectful protestors marching down the sidewalk of a busy street during rush hour.

Think that might get some attention… especially if it were happening at the same time in hundreds of other locations all over the country?

My point in all this is that the time for rallies is over.  We all know what we’re fighting for… the American way of life.  We don’t need to sit around and talk about outrageous policies and lament over where this country is going wrong.

It’s time to put those words into action and start fighting for what we believe in.

I’m tired of feeling so frustrated and feeling like I want to do something, but there just doesn’t seem like anything to do.  I need to feel like I’m doing something. How about you?

I’m proud of my country.

I believe in the American Dream and I want to start really fighting for it.

That’s why I like the Tea Party March idea.

What do you think?

Is it a good idea?  Do you have a better idea?

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According to Jim Angle from Fox News,

“President Obama  insists that any new health care plan will be paid for and will not add to the deficit.  But Republicans are suspicious, in part because Obama has been working only with Democrats, even meeting with them exclusively just before he left on his overseas trip.”

If they’ve got a good plan, why not just come out with it and tell us all about.  If he’s got an answer, I’m all ears… but I don’t think they have a viable solution and that’s what’s got me worried.

It seems to me that POTUS is going off half-cocked like he did with closing GITMO, throwing money at the banks, CIA memos, and bailing out GM just to force them into bankrupcy anyway.

In my line of work we would call that Ready, Fire, Aim.

Although in Obama’s case, I would probably call it Aim, Fire, Ready because once he get’s something in his sights he seems to consistently start “fixing” it before he has a viable solution on how to reasonably fix it.

I’m really worried that the Aim, Fire, Ready strategy will, in fact, be applied to health care.  If that does happen, then we’re all going to end up paying a lot for an even more defunct system than we have now.

1.  Doctors won’t make enough money to pay their own insurance, let alone support their families, because Uncle Sam will control how much they are paid for their services.

2.  Drug companies will stop researching new drugs and treatments because they will never be able to recoup their research expenses in a government controlled system.  The same is true for new medical equipment.

3.  Waiting lists for the most basic treatment may be months because

• There will be fewer doctors and health care staff (The best and brightest will find better professions.)
• There will be fewer facilities because the government has to build and maintain them.
• When people aren’t paying for their own care, they will seek health care when it’s unnecessary.

4.  Every procedure or test that your doctor thinks you need in order to diagnose you condition will undergo a cost-benefit analysis be a third party bureaucrat.  That means your doctor doesn’t decide your care — some geek in an office cubicle does.  The geek’s job is to save Uncle Sam money whenever possible, not to make sure you get the tests and treatments you need.

I’ve been exposed to the national health care systems in other countries and it stinks.

I lived many years without any health care when I was a young adult and it just wasn’t that big of a deal.  When I needed more extensive care and I couldn’t pay for it, which has happened to me twice in my life, kind doctors took my case pro bono and I still got the care I needed.  That’s called charity, and I never forgot that I got a hand up when I needed it.

In fact, I would say that it made me more motivated to stand on my own two feet so that I wouldn’t have to rely on the charity of others again.

But state mandated charity is wrong.

I venture to guess that the best health care system that America could adopt would be to completely sever the relationship between the government and the health care industry.

Let the market regulate health care.

Then take it a step further and create various charity organizations to help pay for patients who need help.  You see this kind of thing all the time for catastrophic illnesses in charities such as St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital or Kosair Children’s Hospital.  These charities know what they’re doing and they manage their system very well without Uncle Sam getting involved.

And just think about how much money it would save Americans if we didn’t have to pay for any type of health care!

But, back to the fishy part of the story…

Why would President Obama be in such a hurry to reform health care, especially when they don’t have a plan yet, if it were the right thing for the country?

Doesn’t he think we, the people, would recognize a good thing if we saw it?

I think he’s trying to pull a fast one before we realize what’s happened.

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How It’s Supposed To Work

Our government is set up to have checks and balances in it… thus the three branches.  No one branch of government, including the Executive Branch, has more power than any other branch.  Because the branches have authority over different matters, it creates checks and balances in the system.

Even the power to appoint government officials to positions of authority is something that requires approval of Congress.  The case of President Obama’s Supreme Court pick is a perfect example of this process in action.

The Constitution lays the process out very clearly in order to prevent fraud and corruption in the American government, and to maintain balance of power.

Why Appointing Czars Is Bad For America

Appointing Czars to run major parts of the American government is bad for America.  Let me tell you why:

1.  Czars are appointed by President Obama without any type of confirmation process.

President Obama can appoint anyone he wants to be a Czar, regardless of their partisanship, education, job experience, etc.  When it comes to Czars, qualifications don’t seem to matter.

The Auto Czar is a perfect example of just how wrong this can go.   This is what Wiki says about Car Czar Steven Rattner:

“…is an American financier and private equity investor… A graduate of Brown University, Rattner started his career as a reporter with The New York Times, first at the Washington bureau, where he became close friends with Times’ ownership-family member Arthur Sulzberger, who also was at the time working as a reporter; and then at the London bureau. Subsequently, Rattner quit journalism and joined Morgan Stanley… “

The Deputy Car Czar, Brian Deese, is a 31 year old who seens to have only worked on political campaigns (First Hillary Clinton, then Barack Obama).  The New York Times described his rise to power this way:

“It is not every 31-year-old who, in a first government job, finds himself dismantling General Motors and rewriting the rules of American capitalism.”

These people are being trusted with Billions of Dollars and a major part of our economy — the automotive industry.

Without the confirmation process, The President can appoint anyone he chooses to be a Czar and put them in a position of authority in America.   The American people didn’t vote for these Czars.  The representatives that the American people did vote for were not allowed to have any influence or approval over the Czars.  The Czars are running major parts of the country even though they haven’t been elected or approved by those who were elected.

That’s just plain wrong.

2.  Czars answer directly to President Obama and aren’t part of any other agency.

The Czars that are appointed by President Obama answer directly to the president.  They aren’t part of any other government agency and therefore aren’t subject to the checks or balances of our government.  More importantly, he can appoint people that will take their marching orders directly from him, without question, and remake America in any fashion The President chooses.

3.  Czars have too much power.

The Czars have been described by people in the White House as “super-staffers” that are merely aides to the President and his team.  If this is true, then appointing Czars is well within the President’s constitutional right.

Even so, the Czars have far too much power in Washington.

Here’s an example… Gov. Kathleen Sebelius of Kansas, was tapped (and eventually confirmed) to be Health and Human Services secretary.  At her confirmation hearings, senators were able to probe her views on health policy and demand detailed documentation of her credentials.

But while all that was going on, Nancy-Ann DeParle, who was named health czar and began work right away pushing the President’s health care agenda.  There was no outside review of her abilities or opinions.   While lawmakers can ask Sebelius for testimony in the future and control her budget, DeParle remains largely outside of Congress oversight.

That’s too much power in the hands of the Czars… and ultimately too much power in the hands of the President.

4.  Czars inhibit government transparency and accountability.

In February, Sen. Robert C. Byrd (D-W.Va.)  sent a letter to President Obama outlining his concerns about the infiltration of Czars in this administration.  Byrd said:

“As presidential assistants and advisers, these White House staffers are not accountable for their actions to the Congress, to cabinet officials, and to virtually anyone but the president.  They rarely testify before congressional committees, and often shield the information and decision-making process behind the assertion of executive privilege.  In too many instances, White House staff have been allowed to inhibit openness and transparency, and reduce accountability.”

Although I normally wouldn’t openly agree with Sen. Byrd… this time I think he’s right on point.

If Czars can assert the right of “executive privilege” while implementing the Obama agenda, then America is in grave danger.

Candidate Obama promised transparency and accountability, but clearly President Obama has no intention of living in a glass house.

5.  Czars have been put in a position of authority above all other government agencies.

Although I had some inklings that Czars were being given a lot more authority than their agency counterparts, it really didn’t sink in until the White House said they would appoint a Pay Czar.  This new Czar will supposedly focus on pay restrictions related to companies receiving TARP funds as well as helping firms to interpret the rules and ensure that they are being followed.

According to the Wall Street Journal, the administration is expected to name Kenneth Feinberg as the new Pay Czar.  But here’s what els they reported:

“Mr. Feinberg will report to Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner, but he is expected to have wide discretion on how the rules should be interpreted. Firms likely won’t be able to appeal decisions that Mr. Feinberg makes to Mr. Geithner, according to people familiar with the matter.”

Firms won’t be able to appeal decisions???

Yup, that one got my attention too.  Here’s what Ed Morrissey from Hotair.com said about that:

“No right to appeal?  Pick any other area of law enforcement where defendants have no right to appeal, let alone get a fair hearing of their grievances.  The IRS allows appeals, for instance.  Hell, even the detainees at Guantanamo Bay have the right to appeal decisions by military tribunals to the federal appellate court. The appointment of czars means an unconstitutional application of power almost by definition, as the positions deliberately bypass Congressional oversight, and now apparently the judiciary as well.

This demonstrates why I’ve been warning about the czar culture at the White House. It puts power into the hands of one man, Barack Obama, and eliminates any accountability for his actions.  In order for Congress to stop the actions of any czar, they would have to impeach Obama first, a highly unlikely scenario while Democrats control Congress, and hope that Joe Biden would get the message.  Otherwise, the branch that represents the people have no control over the law-enforcement actions of their government, and the courts would have no clear entry point to check executive power.”

I couldn’t have said it any more clearly myself.

Clearly, the appointment of Czars is a power grab.

It’s a blatant attempt to subvert the authority of Congress and undermine the Constitution.  It must be stopped before this administration completely erodes the Constitution and turns America into a dictatorship.

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It’s obvious that either Leon Panetta, Obama’s head of the CIA, or Nancy Pelosi, his party’s Speaker of the House, has to go. No administration can tolerate a permanent, public civil war between two such high-ranking officials.

Especially when their disagreement stems not from issues of policy but from matters of veracity and credibility, the battle must end in one of their resignations. You cannot have the head of the nation’s first line of defense against terrorism calling the Speaker of the House a liar and being attacked by her in turn.

Read the rest of this column at DickMorris.com

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I don’t get it. If Nancy Pelosi had just come clean in the beginning and said that she initially agreed with enhanced torture because the briefing was fresh on the heels of 9/11. We would have all understood that.

Then she could have come out and said that she’d had a change of heart and no longer thought it was appropriate.

I would have disagreed, but respected her opinion on the matter.

Instead, she chose to lie about the whole thing and create a big mess for herself.

It just goes to show that politicizing everything is as easy as breathing to some people on The Hill.

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Did you hear about the new shampoo and condition inspired by Blagojevich?

No, this isn’t a joke.

You couldn’t even pay Me to use this stuff…

I wonder how long before Blago sues to try to get a piece of the action.

Read More…

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Obama administration is expected to expand its mortgage aid program on Thursday, announcing new measures that would help homeowners avoid a blemished credit record.

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If you bought more house than you could afford, don’t you deserve a blemished credit record?

What’s going to keep people like me, who are paying a mortgage on a house that isn’t worth as much as it was before, from walking away… especially if it isn’t going to hurt my credit?

The Government needs to get it’s hands out of the housing market and let the painful correction happen so we can all get back to normal.

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At a weekly news conference Thursday, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi repeated her assertion that she was only briefed once on the interrogation methods seven years ago and accused the CIA of misleading Congress.

Read More…

I think she’s got a lot of nerve!

She obviously knew about it and thought it was okay at the time.  If she’s since had a change of heart, she should have just come out and said that in the first place.

Enhanced interrogations where fine until she got caught supporting them and they became unpopular on the left.

Who does she think she’s fooling?

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