house of representatives

I don’t know about y’all, but for my part it’s a good thing that work prevented me from doing articles for the past two days. I would have blown a gasket or something if I’d have had to comment on the wholesale inside-the-beltway sellout of the American people by both Democrats and Republicans.

Jeff Duncan, one of five S. Carolina Representatives to vote 'no'.

There are twenty two Republican members of the House of Representatives who stood firm in face of incredible pressure to fold. There is a story out there that maybe a couple of these were willing to vote ‘yes’, but were allowed by the leadership to vote ‘no’ once they had crossed the required vote threshold. But, for all practical purposes, it’s just these twenty two.

I’ve not felt this disgusted or betrayed since I realized, shortly after we elected George Bush, that we had a big government Republican on our hands, who would place no controls on his profligate Republican Congress. But I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised. Time after time, election after election, they’ve pulled this same stunt.

What we witnessed taking place in our nation’s capital was Beltway Tunnel Vision taken to the extreme. The so-called Boehner bill was DOA before it ever got voted on… we knew that going in. We were scammed from the beginning. So what it looks like to me is that the establishment Republican party, and the leadership that we elected, have decided to abrogate the promises that they swore to us that they would keep.

We have told them repeatedly… do the right thing and we’ll support you 100%. Break those promises and we’ll hound you out of office. I guess this is the establishment declaring war on the Tea-Party Patriots. It’s really too bad with all that’s at stake in 2012. But we have to make some serious changes in our leadership.

The establishment is strictly for and by the establishment. The party, the people and the country come last in their reckoning. RINO hunting will be one of the first items on our 2012 list… right up there with giving Barack Hussein Obama a well-deserved early retirement.

Semper Vigilans, Semper Fidelis

© Skip MacLure 2011

We’re just now starting to get some input from some of the western races. I don’t know if we won the Senate or not, but what is apparent is that the socialist domination of our Congress has come to an end.

Ron Johnson unseats four-term incumbent Senator Russ Feingold in Wisconsin. We were pleased to endorse Ron during the primaries. Congratulations, Ron!

For us Patriots, this event is the culmination of well over two years of painstaking grass roots organization and telling freedom’s story to the nation. Tonight is going to be a stunning victory, the pundits are claiming sixty plus House seats.

Dee just told me that she listened to John Boehner’s speech and found it full of strength, conviction and emotion. Dee’s a pretty sharp judge of personalities so I feel good about Boehner. He’s already laid out the task ahead and has embarked on the long road back to a free Constitutional Republic.

If any of you had it in mind to take a little vacation from this very real war we are fighting for the heart and soul of America, you can forget it. We have not only the remnants of Obama’s machine to deal with… there were enough DeMarxists who were spared the scourge of the voters’ lash to foster the evil schemes and dreams of their masters. This is another battle we’ll fight. We have to cauterize the infection of leftist socialism wherever and whenever it appears.

It’s unfortunate that the first real battle that will be fought will be the Patriot Movement in direct opposition of the Establishment Repubics, as Mark Levin would call them. We mentioned Karl Rove, then there’s Trent Lott who’s running around like somebody still thinks he’s relevant. Lindsey Grahamnesty is another one who’s toast come his next election cycle. There are others, but these people must be marginalized so that they can not influence party nominations.

It’s going to be comical watching the Republican establishment try to co-opt the movement. They’re going to find out that we don’t take orders very well. We have our own marching orders… and they are all about smaller, fiscally responsible government, responsible to those they serve. They are about the Constitution, the economy, jobs and our national security.

No, I’m afraid they’re not going to like the patriots at all. We didn’t come to Washington to compromise. We came to crush DeMarxists, not make nice with them. Tomorrow the real work starts. Enjoy the moment.

Semper Vigilans, Semper Fidelis

© Skip MacLure 2010

When Howard Dean implemented his "50 State Strategy" most, including some in his own party, considered his plan to be unworkable and more importantly "unwinnable". After the resounding sweep of the Democrats in 2006 and Obama in 2008, the RNC has only feebly attempted to replicate this strategy.

From Wikipedia:

"As chairman of the party, Dean created and employed the '50 State Strategy' that attempted to make Democrats competitive in normally conservative states often dismissed in the past as 'solid red.' The success of the strategy became apparent after the 2006 midterm elections, where Democrats took back the House and picked up seats in the Senate from normally Republican states such as Missouri and Montana. In the 2008 election, Barack Obama used 'The 50 state strategy' as the backbone of his candidacy."

As the November 2010 mid-term elections rapidly approaches it  is now even more important to focus on every race, every state, and every primary. Blogger Melissa Clouthier describes the problem in the Republican party:

"The Republicans conceding in between elections as well as races, themselves, has been a tremendous source of irritation. It is one thing to microtarget and write off a district because it’s 'unwinnable'. The problem is that too many areas were written off that could, in this election, be won. And now, with no foundation there, it makes the task of winning more difficult. Texas isn’t the only place this has happened. In fact, this is a problem nationwide for Republicans. With a lack of organization and get out the vote effort and the lack of relationship building, many potentially winnable races will be lost simply because there is no there, there. It’s been conceded."

Clouthier's article includes a review of a primary race in a solidly red state of Georgia. In Georgia's 12th Congressional district candidate Ray McKinney is running a tight primary race against former fire chief Carl Smith, Jr. McKinney, a former supporter of Smith, has run a solid campaign while Smith has been embroiled in a number of ethical situations reminiscent of Democrat candidates. This is where the problem lies, as the Tea Party activists have become more politically savvy, every candidate must be held to a higher standard. To ensure a government that is free of corruption, the people must be willing to expose those within their own party whose actions are not aligned with our values.

According to the Savannah Business Journal:

"On June 9, Thunderbolt Town Council terminated Smith’s $52,000 a year position as Thunderbolt’s Fire Chief. The reasons behind the termination have publicly varied – officially it's financial reasons, unofficially Smith took too much time off to campaign, and to Smith it’s all politically motivated..."

According to local reports, Smith was advised by former congressional candidate Wayne Mosley, members of the 12th District executive board, and Ray McKinney, that to avoid appearance of conflict of interest, he should resign as Fire Chief to run for Congress. Obviously Smith declined that advice and now there are allegations by concerned citizens in the district that not only was Smith an absentee fire chief but that he may have violated the Hatch Act.

Part of the 50 page watchdog report states:

" The Hatch Act of 1939 was introduced to prevent corruption in government and elections. Its main provision prevents federal employees from engaging in partisan political activity. However, it also applies to employees of state and local governments.....

Currently in Georgia’s 12th congressional district, a public official who has applied for and received federal funds in his capacity as chief of the Thunderbolt Fire Department is in violation of the Hatch Act."

The report alleges that Smith, in his role as Fire Chief, used his office, uniform, and vehicle to campaign for public office in violation of the Hatch Act. Evidence included screen shots of Smith's website which show him in various official uniforms on his campaign website and in fund raising letters like the ones below.

The report also includes information on the Federal funds that Smith had either applied or lobbied for in his capacity as Thunderbolt Fire Chief.

As the report points out, politicians in others states have been found in violation of the Hatch act for amounts less than shown above and in one instance, the state of Utah must either forfeit federal funds or force a state senator to resign.

Ray McKinney's camp is taking this primary seriously and according to the Savannah Business Journal, has raised $100,000 already. McKinney, who I met at the Southern Republican Leadership Conference in April, and again in DC over dinner, has been endorsed by local Tea Party groups and One Nation PAC,  has been praised by the NRA and has a plan to clean up the Gulf oil spill.

Character counts in selecting elected officials and Republicans must be willing to recognize the early signs of susceptibility to corruption within our ranks. When representatives go across the aisle on votes like Cap and Trade or Wall Street reform, voters are left wondering what happened. That's why every race counts. ACORN, the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now, operated under the idea that “all politics is local.” As seen in other districts like California's 37th Congressional district where Star Parker is running to unseat Representative Laura Richardson, a corrupt local politician can became a national problem with the outcome of one election.

If Republicans introduce their own problem candidate into the November 2010 election, they run the risk of handing that district over to a Democrat who will capitalize on Smith's current troubles.

Smith's ethical issues only highlight McKinney as the viable candidate and a costly run-off will distract from the main goal for putting the Democrat candidate on the defensive. If Republicans unite in GA-12, McKinney is the best choice for a sustainable conservative majority. To donate or find out more information about McKinney, go here. Every race, every state.

There are a lot of self-important and self-aggrandizing ‘power brokers’ in Washington that won’t be there come this time next year. It’s not just the tunnel-visioned hypocrites in the Senate that are in the cross-hairs either. The House of Representatives has MUCH to answer to the American voters for also.

Look for the DeMarxists to try to drive a wedge between the GOP and the TEA PARTY CONSERVATIVES. The facts are that the VAST majority of this country do identify themselves as conservative, for all the bleating of the lame stream socio-marxist media and the Maobamatons of the administration. The very people they have been crapping all over for years have been bulking up on the CONSTITUTION and the words of the FOUNDERS, the BILL OF RIGHTS and the DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE. They have remembered WHO and WHAT they are.

The Americans Are Coming!

All prognostications for next year’s elections are indicating grim prospects for politicians whom the American voter has determined are responsible for, and are in favor of, the OPPRESSIVE legislation now working its way through Congress. Whether by active or passive support, Americans are taking note and remembering. No matter if it was in favor of the massive pork ’stimulus’ funds the DeMarxists voted for themselves, or the fraudulent and UNCONSTITUTIONAL health care bill, to the economic disaster that is CAP and TAX, to the upcoming and soon to be introduced AMNESTY FOR ILLEGAL ALIENS – better known as the DeMarxist welfare constituent voter-for-life bill.

Americans have also figured out who and what was responsible for the economic collapse in the first place. The hysteria generation that worked so well that first time hasn’t done so well recently, have you noticed? The pandemic they worked so hard to gin up. When was the last time you heard about that? Notice the layers of lies they have piled on about the incipient environmental disasters we DON’T face, which are peeling away like the skins of an onion.

The CITIZENS AND TAXPAYERS OF AMERICA HAVE PLAINLY HAD IT. There is a new revolution out there and it’s growing in intensity daily. We will not be denied. It’s our America and we will preserve it.

Semper Vigilans, Semper Fidelis

© Skip MacLure 2009

You might think the Republicans in the House of Representatives would be itching to appoint a Whip successor who warned the party that it was losing its way, who challenged the party when it made error after discrediting error, someone who wasn’t helping to steer the GOP into the crushing defeats of 2006 and 2008.

But while Mike Pence is a fresh and positive face for the House Republican Conference, the Minority Leader and Whip positions are remaining status quo.  Republicans are right back where they were in 2006, when a Hill headline read, "GOP Keeps Team, Promises Changes".

While many people are questioning the wisdom of Boehner remaining in the Minority leadership, though, there's been less attention given to Eric Cantor's basically unopposed elevation to the Minority Whip position.  But why?

• Cantor has been Chief Deputy Whip since he was re-elected to his second term in 2002, one of the longest serving people in the disastrous House Republican leadership. 
• He initially opposed the pork-laden Highway Bill, but came around to support it, Bridge to Nowhere and all. 
• He boosted for the massive Medicare prescription drug expansion, against the protests of Jeff Flake, Mike Pence and other solid conservatives.  
• Cantor ridiculously blamed the failure of the first compromise bailout bill on Nancy Pelos giving a partisan speech, and voted for the nationalization of the American financial sector.
• Eric Cantor had numerous connections to Abramoff; Abramoff's Signatures restaurant even named a sandwich after Eric Cantor.

There are a few possibilities.

• Cantor was ineffective at stopping the damage that the House GOP was doing to itself.
• Cantor enabled the less savory elements of the House to continue dragging down the party brand.
• Cantor actively leading the House Republicans into their current state.

Many Republicans hold Eric Cantor in high esteem, and he does have some positive qualities.   But in what sense does Cantor represent "change"?

Rep. Cantor may have many fine qualities and he may be good on many (clearly not all) issues important to the Right—at least he opposed the Farm Bill. But despite all of that, he still managed to become a striking symbol of the status quo at a time when the GOP needs serious, thorough reform.

The deck chairs are being shuffled.  At least the Titanic went down after hitting only one iceberg.  Republicans seem determined to hit as many icebergs as possible on the way down.

In an unexpected move, the House has killed the bailout bill. Lawmakers on both sides are pointing fingers, and the narrow failure of 228 to 205 came as a shock to the stock market. As of this writing, the Dow is down more than 700 points, and the House is staying in session to desperately attempt to hammer out a new proposal. 

So what's next? The Democrats have the majorities needed to pass a bill, but they won't. They do not want to pass a bill without Republican support, in case the bill fails to rescue the system. This is because when the political backfire comes, they do not want to shoulder the blame all by themselves.

What is going to happen, is for the first time since the Republicans lost control of congress, they have the opportunity to set the agenda. The Republicans have an alternate proposal-the only alternate proposal-to rescue the economy. Their proposal, is to insure the companies, and provide them loans, not a bailout. 

Their theory is this will be able to protect the taxpayers, and will achieve the same result as the bailout. If the Democrats want a bi-partisan bill, then they have to go with the Republican alternative.

Republicans will deliver this alternative, and will most likely get the votes to pass it. Republicans will be able to get all the credit for the bill, and distance themselves from president Bush and his proposal all at the same time. 

The financial crisis could be an opportunity for the Republicans to get back on the good side of the American voter. All they need to do is present their plan, and explain to the taxpayer why they as Republicans, have their best interest in mind. 

Looked at some of the interesting primary results across California.  Here is one that stood out: 

This is for the 11th Congressional District in California.  Both candidates ran unopposed in their respective primaries so the result above is stunning.  If the election were held today, Dean Andal would have unseated incumbent Jerry McNerney.   Usually reliable Flashreport.org is mum on this one as the entire site is obssessed with McClintock's win in the 4th District.