Voters For Republican Values

A 4% Operating Budget Cut = Closing A Penn State Campus?

2011-03-10T14:32:00.005-05:00

Excellent observations from Bob Howard:

What about Governor Corbett’s budget message?
I had the opportunity to attend Governor Corbett’s budget address during a joint session of the PA General Assembly in Harrisburg yesterday.

Summary:
Corbett followed through on his campaign promise to balance the budget without tax increases.

Summary Comments:
"Unlike the past eight years that earned a fiscal grade of F, this budget puts the taxpayers first and deserves a solid B for not increasing taxes, reducing expenditures, and putting the taxpayers' interests first," said Commonwealth Foundation President and CEO Matthew J. Brouillette. "But much more can be done to limit state government to its core functions and begin reducing Pennsylvania's ranking as the 10th highest tax burden in the nation."

What does it take to get an A+ from the Commonwealth Foundation? To earn an A+, the Commonwealth Foundation recommends the complete elimination of "corporate welfare" programs; a more fiscally conservative revenue projection; reducing welfare fraud and abuse; and better financial planning for the coming pension, retiree health care, and Medicaid funding crises.

If you are one of the Pennsylvania voters who voted for a balanced budget without a tax increase now it is your turn to support the cuts. Here is what you are up against.

Penn State President Spanier declared that “Abraham Lincoln is weeping today” and he whined another 55 minutes about how a $182 million cut would result in cutting programs, freezing salaries, laying off staff, and perhaps even closing one of its 24 campuses.

This might be a 50% cut in state funding but this cut represents about only 4% of Penn State’s $4 billion plus operating budget. I bet a lot of Pennsylvanians will feel differently when they realize we are only talking about 4% of Penn States operating budget.

I talked to one newly elected representative who responded that it appears Penn State has some decisions to make. Voters are tired of sending money to Penn State year after year while tuition climbs faster than inflation and the University adds studies that parents find offensive and don’t result in real world jobs. Private worker’s salaries have been stagnant while University salaries and spending have continued to climb. It is time for Penn State to join the real world.

Pitt Chancellor Mark Nordenberg called the proposed cuts devastating, vowed to take his fight to Harrisburg and signaled a willingness to promote student advocacy efforts with lawmakers. NOTE: PITT IS THREATENING TO SEND STUDENTS TO HARRISBURG! ARE YOU PLANNING TO REACT AND SUPPORT WHAT YOU TOLD CORBETT YOU WANTED?

By the way I am a Penn State grad. Every time I get a call from Penn State I inform them that I gave by force when I paid my taxes. If they persist I tell them to call me back after an independent investigation of Mann’s environmental fraud at Penn State. If they persist again I donate to Grove City College to honor Grove City College’s commitment to education not compromised by Federal or State funding.

Bob Howard

Pima County sheriff should remember duty

2011-01-11T11:16:00.002-05:00

From the Arizona Republic. Somewhat lengthy, but a must read:

On Saturday afternoon, with his friend Gabby Giffords in surgery fighting for her life, Pima County Sheriff Clarence Dupnik railed against the tense partisan politics - "the anger, the hatred, the bigotry" - that prompted the mass murders outside Tucson, in his view.

And, jarring as such claims may be, we understood. Or tried to understand, despite the spectacle of a lawman - an official whose very job it is to dispassionately gather facts and to maintain order and calm - tying the attack on Rep. Giffords and others to political speech in Arizona, which he considers prejudiced and bigoted. There is no evidence that the state's politics in any way contributed to this atrocity.

Was Dupnik unnecessarily inflammatory? It seemed so. But it came mere hours following a horrific, bloody mass murder. If you weren't on edge, you weren't being human. But then, on Sunday, the venting continued anew. And a horrified nation began paying closer attention to the Pima County sheriff.

The world's eyes, once again, focused on Arizona for the worst of reasons. And Dupnik stood before the cameras interpreting the shootings as politically motivated, despite an increasing weight of evidence depicting the shooting suspect, Jared Loughner, as a mentally ill young man who rambled incoherently about pervasive bad grammar and other apolitical obsessions. Even Dupnik has observed that Loughner had made death threats against others and that they had been investigated by police.

Still, Dupnik used the opportunities to blame Arizona's lax, new gun laws and, again, the angry "rhetoric" of talk radio. The shootings were spurred, he suggested, by "the rhetoric about hatred, about mistrust of government, about paranoia of how government operates."

Dupnik took up his cause again on Monday. And, in response, we have to say at last . . . enough. Enough attacks, sheriff. Enough vitriol. It is well past time for the sheriff of Pima County to get a grip on his emotions and remember his duty.

With each passing hour, we learn more about the 22-year-old suspect. And everything we learn adds to the profile of a deeply troubled young man detached from reality. There is nothing to date that suggests any partisan motivation for his crimes, whether right-wing or left.

Dupnik needs to recall that he is elected to be a lawman. With each additional comment, the Democratic sheriff of Pima County is revealing his agenda as partisan, and, as such, every bit as recklessly antagonistic as the talk-show hosts and politicians he chooses to decry.

From: http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/opinions/articles/2011/01/11/20110111tue1-11.html

GM Spinning the Facts....

2010-11-19T08:22:00.001-05:00

From Gary Bauer of American Values:

The spin is not right. Where to begin…

For starters, GM bondholders, including many retirees, were wiped out. Under the usual rules, bondholders are supposed to be first in line in any bankruptcy. But Obama wiped them out in order to bailout the United Auto Workers union, which is a major source of support for Obama.

Second, according to one report, the government is taking a $9 billion loss on this sale of new GM stock. GM still owes taxpayers roughly $40 billion, and one analysis suggests that the stock will have to increase roughly 60% just for the government to break even.

Additionally, think about this situation from the standpoint of Ford. It was responsible in its borrowing and it thrived without taxpayer money. GM was reckless and got into huge problems. Taxpayer money was used to bail it out and now "Government Motors" is emerging with a debt-free balance sheet. How many future car sales will Ford lose because the Obama administration treated GM more favorably for its bad business practices?

This is a lot like the mortgage fiasco. Two guys buy into the same neighborhood. One does so only after years of savings and careful planning, while the other gets in over his head with a no-money down loan. The second guy gets a bailout or mortgage modification, while the responsible man looks out his window and sees his neighbor with new patio furniture thanks to the money he has just saved.

GM should have been held to the same standard and played by the same rules that apply to you and to me and to every other business. Bankruptcies take place all the time. There are laws and procedures designed to handle such cases. Instead, the unions called up the White House, and Obama put up $50 billion of your money.

By the way, the same administration that accused Republican candidates of sending jobs overseas rigged this IPO so that the Chinese and Saudi investors got major stakes in the new Government Motors. So much for this administration's "America first" investment policies.

Jim DeMint writes "Welcome Senate Conservatives"

2010-11-04T07:50:00.002-04:00

From the Wall Street Journal. As usual, Jim DeMint nails it:

Congratulations to all the tea party-backed candidates who overcame a determined, partisan opposition to win their elections. The next campaign begins today. Because you must now overcome determined party insiders if this nation is going to be spared from fiscal disaster.

Many of the people who will be welcoming the new class of Senate conservatives to Washington never wanted you here in the first place. The establishment is much more likely to try to buy off your votes than to buy into your limited-government philosophy. Consider what former GOP senator-turned-lobbyist Trent Lott told the Washington Post earlier this year: "As soon as they get here, we need to co-opt them."

Don't let them. Co-option is coercion. Washington operates on a favor-based economy and for every earmark, committee assignment or fancy title that's given, payback is expected in return. The chits come due when the roll call votes begin. This is how big-spending bills that everyone always decries in public always manage to pass with just enough votes.

But someone can't be bribed if they aren't for sale. Here is some humble advice on how to recognize and refuse such offers.

First, don't request earmarks. If you do, you'll vote for legislation based on what's in it for your state, not what's best for the country. You will lose the ability to criticize wasteful spending. And, if you dare to oppose other pork-barrel projects, the earmarkers will retaliate against you.

In 2005, Sen. Tom Coburn (R., Okla.) offered a measure to kill funding for the infamous "Bridge to Nowhere." Before the vote, Sen. Patty Murray (D., Wash.), an appropriator, issued a warning on the Senate floor.

"If we start cutting funding for individual projects, your project may be next," she said. "When Members come down to the floor to vote on this amendment, they need to know if they support stripping out this project, Senator Bond [a Republican appropriator] and I are likely to be taking a long, serious look at their projects to determine whether they should be preserved during our upcoming conference negotiations."

The threat worked. Hardly anyone wanted to risk losing earmarks. The Senate voted 82-15 to protect funding for the Bridge to Nowhere.

Second, hire conservative staff. The old saying "personnel is policy" is true. You don't need Beltway strategists and consultants running your office. Find people who share your values and believe in advancing the same policy reforms. Staff who are driven by conservative instincts can protect you from unwanted, outside influences when the pressure is on.

Third, beware of committees. Committee assignments can be used as bait to make senators compromise on other matters. Rookie senators are often told they must be a member of a particular committee to advance a certain piece of legislation. This may be true in the House, but a senator can legislate on any matter from the Senate floor.

Fourth, don't seek titles. The word "Senator" before your name carries plenty of clout. All senators have the power to object to bad legislation, speak on the floor and offer amendments, regardless of how they are ranked in party hierarchy.

Lastly, don't let your re-election become more important than your job. You've campaigned long and hard for the opportunity to go to Washington and restore freedom in America. People will try to convince you to moderate conservative positions and break campaign promises, all in the name of winning the next race. Resist the temptation to do so. There are worse things than losing an election—like breaking your word to voters.

At your swearing-in ceremony, you will, as all senators do, take an oath to "support and defend the Constitution." Most will fail to keep their oath. Doing these five things will help you maintain a focus on national priorities and be one who does.

Congress will never fix entitlements, simplify the tax code or balance the budget as long as members are more concerned with their own narrow, parochial interests. Time spent securing earmarks and serving personal ambitions is time that should be spent working on big-picture reforms.

When you are in Washington, remember what the voters back home want—less government and more freedom. Millions of people are out of work, the government is going bankrupt and the country is trillions in debt. Americans have watched in disgust as billions of their tax dollars have been wasted on failed jobs plans, bailouts and takeovers. It's up to us to stop the spending spree and make sure we have a government that benefits America instead of being a burden to it.

Tea party Republicans were elected to go to Washington and save the country—not be co-opted by the club. So put on your boxing gloves. The fight begins today.

"Senator Boxer" - Too Funny

2010-10-25T16:07:00.001-04:00

Call Me Senator from RightChange on Vimeo.

Can Anyone Tell Me Why Nina Totenberg Is Still At NPR?

2010-10-22T11:25:00.002-04:00

Republican Establishment - Still No Principles

2010-09-15T15:45:00.003-04:00

From Tony Perkins at the FRC:

The Republican establishment is in shock this morning after FRC Action PAC-endorsed candidate Christine O'Donnell defeated liberal Republican Rep. Mike Castle (R-Del.) in the Delaware Senate primary. Immediately she was denounced, not congratulated, by Rep. Castle, as well as former President Bush advisor Karl Rove -- who seems to have a personal vendetta against the candidate.

The Republican establishment has lectured us about being loyal to "the cause" (by which they mean their questionable leadership). Whether it's Arlen Specter, Dede Scozzafava, Charlie Crist, Jim Jeffords, Mike Castle, Lincoln Chafee, etc., these establishment-backed candidates have repeatedly shown to be disloyal to the Republican Party that has spent so much time and money on them, despite their opposition to the stated ideals of the Party's own platform. This is not new for the Republican Party. The party leadership has done this for many years, something I've witnessed first hand. The difference is that conservative voters have had enough!

According to this same establishment, WE are the problem. No, the problem is with self-described "moderate" Republicans who don't stand FOR anything -- so we shouldn't be surprised when they don't stand BY anything.

Conservative icon William F. Buckley had a rule that he always supported the most conservative candidate who was electable. In the Delaware race, there was only one conservative in the primary, and she won.

The irony is that it is not FRC Action PAC's job to only elect Republican candidates, but continuously the candidates we support from both the Democratic and Republican parties are more loyal to the principles in the Republican Party platform than the Republican establishment backed candidates are. I am proud to stand by people loyal to principles like Senator Jim DeMint (R-S.C.), and others. FRC Action PAC will continue to work to help conservative candidates in both primaries and general elections -- no matter what the establishment whines about.

Condescending Congressional Ignorance

2010-06-30T16:19:00.005-04:00

CA Congressman Pete Stark is in typical form:

Suing Arizona

2010-06-22T09:28:00.000-04:00

From Gary Bauer: America’s top foreign policy official, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, broke some big news earlier this month that was just picked up by American media last week.

During a June 8th interview with a news station in Ecuador, Hillary was asked about Arizona’s new anti-illegal immigration law. The reporter had done her homework and knew polling found strong support among the American people for the law. As we reported last week, an ABC/Washington Post found 58% of Americans support it.

Undaunted, Hillary responded: “President Obama has spoken out against the law because he thinks that the federal government should be determining immigration policy. And the Justice Department, under his direction, will be bringing a lawsuit against the act.”

That was news to Arizona Governor Jan Brewer and most of the media. Gov. Brewer had met with President Obama at the White House just five days before Hillary’s interview to discuss the law. Obama reportedly “brushed over” her concerns about a lawsuit from the Justice Department.

A “stunned and angered” Gov. Brewer responded, “This is no way to treat the people of Arizona. To learn of this lawsuit through an Ecuadorean interview with the Secretary of State is just outrageous. If our own government intends to sue our state to prevent illegal immigration enforcement, the least it can do is inform us before it informs the citizens of another nation.”

A new Rasmussen poll finds that the American public is still on the side of Arizona. Not only do 58% of Americans support the law, but Rasmussen found that only 26% of likely voters support the federal lawsuit against Arizona, while 56% think Arizona should not be sued, including 59% of Independent voters and even 34% of Democrats.

GOP Chairman Gleason Defends PA GOP Endorsed Lt. Governor Candidate

2010-04-21T10:05:00.005-04:00

In a move just dripping in irony, PA GOP Chairman Robert Gleason sent an email to Republican State Committee members defending the State Committee-endorsed Lt. Governor candidate. The Letter.

Does this mean:

A. The unaccountable endorsement process, where individual State Committee member votes are not released to the public, makes the endorsement process tainted and worthless?

B. The State Committee endorsed an incredibly weak candidate for Lt. Governor who cannot even defend himself?

C. The State Committee once again went with the “moderate” because the Republican Party leadership loathes true conservatives?

D. The State Committee endorsed a Republican Candidate that can't even find support within the Republican Party?

E. The State Committee will go nuclear by sending negative mailers against non-endorsed Republican candidates, as they did with Mike Folmer and John Eichelberger? (both of which won their races anyway!)

E. All of the above?

Grass-roots conservatives target Republican establishment

2010-03-29T15:49:00.002-04:00

The party endorsement is a liability:

From the story: For more than a year, grass-roots conservatives have been a thorn in the side to the national Democratic Party. Now, it may be the Republican establishment, at least at the state and local levels, who feel their wrath.

Perhaps exemplified by people like Simon Campbell. The Lower Makefield man is seeking positions on both the county state committee and as a state committeeman. A conservative activist, he lambastes what he calls "the RINO Bucks County establishment."

RINO, or Republican In Name Only, refers to a Republican perceived as not sufficiently conservative enough by others in the party.

"I believe in open and free markets. That's what Republicans are supposed to stand for," said Campbell, a self-described constitutional Republican. "How can you have endorsements, which go against the free market and are gained by doing favors for party bosses, and be a Republican? Folks want to see an open, competitive primary where folks are given a real choice."

Campbell became a naturalized citizen of the U.S. from England in January 2009, and began a successful run for Pennsbury school board one month later, winning all 12 precincts by campaigning to freeze teacher salaries.

"People want to get back to limited, constitutional government," he said, "and the Republican Party has too often deserted these principles. Now you've got folks trying to hold the Republican Party accountable."

He takes exception to the endorsement process and cites the state committee, which endorses candidates, as an example.

"The concept of becoming an endorsed endorser is a joke," he said. Read more....

Florida GOP Senate: Rubio 49%, Crist 37%

2010-02-02T08:37:00.002-05:00

Another sign that Republican Leadership hast lost touch by endorsing "moderates" over conservatives. From Rasmussan:

Former state House Speaker Marco Rubio has now jumped to a 12-point lead over Governor Charlie Crist in Florida’s Republican Primary race for the U.S. Senate.

A new Rasmussen Reports telephone survey of likely GOP Primary voters in the state finds Rubio leading Crist 49% to 37%. Three percent (3%) prefer another candidate, and 11% are undecided.

The new numbers mark a stunning turnaround. Crist was the strong favorite when he first announced for the Senate seat, and Rubio was viewed as a long-shot challenger.

But Crist’s support fell from 53% in August to 49% in October. By December, the two men were tied at 43% apiece.

Rubio leads Crist by 17 points among men and by seven among women. He also carries 52% of the conservative GOP vote, while moderates prefer Crist.

Open Letter to Our Pennsylvania Senators

2009-12-23T16:11:00.002-05:00

Dear Senator Specter and Senator Casey,

On page 1020 of the proposed Health Care Bill, there is a provision that attempts to make it impossible for a FUTURE Congress to repeal the Independent Medicare Advisory Board – the entity that will ration our healthcare.

WHERE IS THE CONSTITUTIONAL AUTHORITY FOR THIS ACTION?

Even the Articles of the Constitution can be repealed, as there is a well documented ratification process! What makes the U.S. Senate think that they can supersede the Constitution by declaring a law can not be repealed into perpetuity?

This is not ancient Rome, where Caesar can declare decrees that cannot be repealed. Lest anyone forget, we are governed by our own consent.

The perils of the Reid bill are made evident in a recent Congressional Budget Office (CBO) report that focused on the bill's rebate program, which holds that once an insurance company spends more than 10% of its revenues on administrative expenses, its customers are entitled to an indefinite statutory rebate determined by state regulatory authorities subject to oversight by the Secretary of Health and Human Services.

WHERE IS THE CONSTITUTIONAL AUTHORITY FOR THIS ACTION?

Are you willing to extend this same rule to the Trial Lawyers, to the NEA, to ACORN, and other groups and industries? If not, why not?

Senator Specter and Senator Casey, surely you both recognize that these actions are entirely unconstitutional. I call upon you to honor your Oath of Office and oppose this bill.

Rubio Pulls Even With Crist In Florida Senate Race

2009-12-16T14:25:00.002-05:00

Wait!! How can this be!!

As reported earlier on this blog: While NRSC Chairman Senator John Cornyn has aligned the Republican establishment behind the endorsement of "moderate" Florida Governor Charlie Crist for the upcoming U.S. Senate primary, Senator Jim DeMint has endorsed conservative Marco Rubio.

How long will it take for Republican leadership to realize that conservatives win elections. Too many have bought the lie that we must "moderate" in order to win elections.

From the story: A new poll has found that Florida Governor Charlie Crist's campaign for the U.S. Senate is currently in deep trouble. The new Rasmussen poll of likely GOP voters found Crist and his Republican opponent, Marco Rubio, are tied with 43 percent of the vote. This is a huge swing from just a few months ago when most experts believed Crist would win in a landslide. Read more...

Dem Senator Warns Obama on Copenhagen

2009-12-07T15:23:00.003-05:00

You know that it is bad when a Democrat Senator must remind his President of the Constitutional limits of Presidential Power. As of 12/07/09, the Obama Administration has not responded:

Dear Mr. President:

I would like to express my concern regarding reports that the Administration may believe it has the unilateral power to commit the government of the United States to certain standards that may be agreed upon at the upcoming United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change Conference of Parties 15 in Copenhagen, Denmark. The phrase “politically binding” has been used.

Although details have not been made available, recent statements by Special Envoy on Climate Change Todd Stern indicate that negotiators may be intending to commit the United States to a nationwide emission reduction program. As you well know from your time in the Senate, only specific legislation agreed upon in the Congress, or a treaty ratified by the Senate, could actually create such a commitment on behalf of our country.

I would very much appreciate having this matter clarified in advance of the Copenhagen meetings.

Sincerely,

Jim Webb
United States Senator

Penn State Owes PA Taxpayers a Refund

2009-11-24T13:53:00.002-05:00

It would seem to me that at a minimum, Penn State should return the salary paid to Professor Michael E. Mann to the Pennsylvania Tax Payers.

From the Washington Times:

Scientific progress depends on accurate and complete data. It also relies on replication. The past couple of days have uncovered some shocking revelations about the baloney practices that pass as sound science about climate change.

It was announced Thursday afternoon that computer hackers had obtained 160 megabytes of e-mails from the Climate Research Unit (CRU) at the University of East Anglia (UEA) in England. Those e-mails involved communication among many scientific researchers and policy advocates with similar ideological positions all across the world. Those purported authorities were brazenly discussing the destruction and hiding of data that did not support global-warming claims.

Professor Phil Jones, the head of the Climate Research Unit, and professor Michael E. Mann at Pennsylvania State University, who has been an important scientist in the climate debate, have come under particular scrutiny. Among his e-mails, Mr. Jones talked to Mr. Mann about the "trick of adding in the real temps to each series ... to hide the decline [in temperature]."

Mr. Mann admitted that he was party to this conversation and lamely explained to the New York Times that "scientists often used the word 'trick' to refer to a good way to solve a problem 'and not something secret.' " Though the liberal New York newspaper apparently buys this explanation, we have seen no benign explanation that justifies efforts by researchers to skew data on so-called global-warming "to hide the decline." Given the controversies over the accuracy of Mr. Mann's past research, it is surprising his current explanations are accepted so readily.

Clueless Attorney General

2009-11-18T19:11:00.001-05:00

Looks like our U.S. Attorney General needs to re-enroll in law school to gain an understanding of the basics...

When Asked Where the Constitution Authorizes Congress to Order Americans To Buy Health Insurance, Pelosi Says: 'Are You Serious?'

2009-10-26T08:12:00.002-04:00

(CNSNews.com) – When CNSNews.com asked House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) on Thursday where the Constitution authorized Congress to order Americans to buy health insurance--a mandate included in both the House and Senate versions of the health care bill--Pelosi dismissed the question by saying: “Are you serious? Are you serious?”

Pelosi then shook her head before taking a question from another reporter. Her press spokesman, Nadeam Elshami, then told CNSNews.com that asking the speaker of the House where the Constitution authorized Congress to mandated that individual Americans buy health insurance as not a "serious question." Read more...

Fox News

2009-10-20T16:23:00.006-04:00

Ironic to watch - House Speaker Nancy Pelosi feigns ignorance regarding the Senate vote to defund ACORN, on ABC news, the president claims that he's not following the ACORN story, and Charlie Gibson feigns ignorance when asked about the ACORN scandal.

So what to do when this story, the Van Jones story or others stories that are supposed to be ignored get traction anyway? Demonize Fox News for reporting it:

Liz Cheney Nails It

2009-10-12T17:30:00.001-04:00

From Gary Bauer: Over the weekend, political pundits in Washington discussed Barack Obama’s Nobel Peace Prize. Many agreed that he has not done enough to earn such a prestigious award. But, one of the most interesting commentaries came from Liz Cheney, daughter of former Vice President Dick Cheney. On Fox News Sunday, Cheney offered her view on what Barack Obama should do. Here’s what she suggested:

“I do think that he could send a real signal here. I think what he ought to do frankly is send the mother of a fallen American soldier, to accept the prize on behalf of the U.S. military and frankly to send a message to remind the Nobel committee that each one of them sleeps soundly at night because the U.S. armed forces, because the U.S. military is the greatest peacekeeping force in the world today.”

40 Democrats For Life

2009-10-07T09:09:00.001-04:00

From Tony Perkins: Across the nation, there's a pro-life undercurrent that seems to be carrying away everyone but Congress. Instead of adapting to this new anti-abortion climate, what does the congressional majority do? Try harder to fund it. As we speak, members of the House are working on a second abortion "compromise" in the health care bill- led by one of the most militant pro-choicers in the chamber. This week, Rep. Henry Waxman (D-Calif.) has been tasked with peeling support away from Rep. Bart Stupak (D-Mich.), who announced last week that he had commitments from 40 Democrats to vote against any health care bill that doesn't include an outright ban on taxpayer-funded abortion. To win back some of his party, Waxman is putting together a second abortion "compromise" to follow up on the controversial Capps amendment.

As the Denver Post pointed out, Democrats will probably try to tighten the Capps language without including the blanket restrictions that Stupak wants. Although House liberals said the original amendment would only allow private funds to pay for abortion, even the New York Times called it a fraud. (Editor - or perhaps a "lie"!) According to the paper, "In practice, the public and private money would all go into the same pot, and the source of money for any single procedure is largely a technicality." That's not good enough for Rep. Stupak and House Republicans. "The Capps Amendment says at least one plan [participating in a federal health insurance exchange] must provide abortion coverage and must have one that doesn't have it," he told U.S. News and World Report. "For the first time ever, federal policy is saying that abortion is a covered service." In other words, what happens on life in the next few days is crucial. If the negotiations fall apart, so too may any possibility for real reform.

Read The Bill Congressman!

2009-09-29T09:16:00.004-04:00

Efforts in the U.S. House of Representatives to force a 72-hour waiting period after a bill has been released to the public before debate can begin is gathering momentum.

As expected, this common sense bill has been stuck in committee since June. A discharge resolution is underway to force the bill out of committee and to a vote on the House floor. Thus far, 178 of the required 218 representatives have signed the discharge.

Typical of those opposing this effort at good government is Congressman John Conyers. Check out this unbelievable statement:

Report From the March on Washington That The MSM Will Never Report

2009-09-16T17:20:00.002-04:00

From a new friend who was there: No charismatic leader was needed to bring “tens-of-thousands” or as many as two million people to Washington on Saturday. The two million number came from a “media report.” I actually have no idea how many people attended but I do know that every place I turned there were more people.

For you professional protest marchers, can you imagine that during eight hours of protest I didn’t hear anyone using the f – word? I actually saw people saying hello to the police. I actually saw people stacking their garbage beside overloaded garbage cans. After eight hours I could still walk on the grass without stepping on trash. What a comparison to the last “earth day” event I attended or the campus anti-war protest that I survived by putting my ROTC uniform in storage.

What was the experience like?

First there was exercise ---- miles of walking.

Second there was intellectual stimulation. The speakers actually did more that spout slogans and bash Bush. The speakers actually quoted the Declaration of Independence, Constitution, Federalist Papers, Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, and Ronald Reagan. Speakers actually quoted proposed legislation by section and line.

Third there was sign reading. While the signs included a number of subjects I think the common tread could be summarized as “Liberty to pursue happiness.”

Fourth there was lots of conversation about saving what I call “American exceptionalism” from the statist in Washington. I heard no whining or personal stories of hardships requiring a government response. The veteran with his cane sitting on the grass beside me because his leg injuries made it difficult to stand was present because of his concern for Liberty and not his personal situation. I couldn’t even get a good conversation going about football so you have to know that these people were “off their couches” and ready to “save the country”.

In summary, I keep asking myself, “was this a march or is this a movement”? Only time will tell but, it certainly felt like a movement on Saturday. Actually you can answer that question by keeping your Congressman and Senators’ email address and phone numbers handy.

CBS News: Democratic Health Care Bill Divulges IRS Tax Data

2009-08-27T08:48:00.003-04:00

I suppose that the White House will now say that CBS News is lying regarding ObamaCare:

From CBS News: Section 431(a) of the bill says that the IRS must divulge taxpayer identity information, including the filing status, the modified adjusted gross income, the number of dependents, and "other information as is prescribed by" regulation. That information will be provided to the new Health Choices Commissioner and state health programs and used to determine who qualifies for "affordability credits."

Section 245(b)(2)(A) says the IRS must divulge tax return details -- there's no specified limit on what's available or unavailable -- to the Health Choices Commissioner. The purpose, again, is to verify "affordability credits."

Section 1801(a) says that the Social Security Administration can obtain tax return data on anyone who may be eligible for a "low-income prescription drug subsidy" but has not applied for it. Read more...

New Day, Same Lies

2009-08-10T16:01:00.003-04:00

From the story: U.S. Rep. John Dingell was greeted with jeers and cheers Thursday as he tried to explain why changing the nation’s health care system — as he has advocated for more than a half century in Congress — makes sense. Despite what some protesters said, “there will be no payment of taxpayer funds for abortion,” Dingell, 83, told the crowd. Read more...

As repeated so many times in this debate, members of congress try to claim one thing, when the bill and amendment process have clearly shown otherwise. People are tired of being lied to by members of Congress who have not read the bill. Abortion coverage IS INCLUDED Congressman Dingell!

This is from the FRC, where they list the many proof positives that abortion is included:

1. The House bill specifically includes it. The Capps amendment explicitly allows abortion coverage in the public health plan and subsidizes health plans that cover abortion. (Passed 30-28 in the House Energy and Commerce Committee, July 30)

2. Senate Democrats admit it. "[The health care bill] would include, uh, it would include, uh, Planned, uh, Parenthood clinics." (Sen. Barbara Mikulski, July 9, Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions-HELP-Committee meeting-Planned Parenthood is the No. 1 U.S. abortion chain.)

3. Senate Democrats refused to ban it.
Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah): "Madam Chairman, would you be willing to put some language in [about] not including abortion services? Then I think you would have more support."
Sen. Barbara Mikulski (D-Md.): "...No, I would not, uh, be willing to do that at this time." (July 9, Senate HELP Committee meeting)

4. The mainstream media confirms it. ("Government insurance would allow coverage for abortion," Associated Press, August 5, 2009).

5. The Obama administration includes it in its definition of reproductive health care.
"Reproductive health care includes access to abortion." (Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, July 19)

6. Every amendment to exclude it from health care legislation was defeated by the liberal sponsors. The following is a list of pro-life amendments that would have prevented abortion funding or prohibited abortion mandates for covered services. (For vote tallies and details, see our complete list at www.frc.org.)

Rep. Sam Johnson Amendment in the Ways and Means Committee (July 16)
Rep. Eric Cantor Amendment in the Ways and Means Committee (July 16)
Rep. Mark Souder Amendment in the Education and Labor Committee (July 17)
Rep. Joe Pitts Amendment in the Energy and Commerce Committee (July 30)
Reps. Bart Stupak and Pitts Amendment in Energy and Commerce Committee (July 31)
Sen. Orrin Hatch Amendment #227 in the Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee (July 13)
Sen. Mike Enzi Amendment #277 in the Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee (July 13)

Pennsylvania 2009 Budget Hall of Shame

2009-07-30T12:49:00.001-04:00

The following players are in the 2009 Pennsylvania Budget Hall of Shame:

Governor Ed Rendell on why unpaid state workers are wrong to be upset:

"Most of those state workers - I've arranged for them to get a $15,000 loan with no interest, so if they are paying off $6,000 worth of credit debt at 14 percent, they should put a statue of me on their mantel place."

State Representative Phyllis Mundy, Democrat - Luzerne County:

"I am extremely frustrated that, based on the letters and emails that I am receiving, nobody in the general public seems to recognize the extreme nature of the disaster that we are facing with this state budget. The people just don't get it."

Democrat Policy Chairman Representative Mike Sturla:

"I don't care if we stand people on their heads and shake pennies from their pockets." (from 2007)

GOP Congressman - "Cap and Traitor"

2009-07-20T17:00:00.002-04:00

Congressman Mike Castle (R-DE) gets his head handed to him at a community meeting over his vote for Cap and Trade.

I hope that the PA GOP is paying attention.

Campaign Asks Congress to ‘Pledge to Read’ Bills Before Voting on Them

2009-07-06T09:17:00.001-04:00

Another reason Senator DeMint should chair the NRSC:

(CNSNews.com) – Members of Congress are being asked to pledge that they will read the bills that come before them before voting to enact them into law.

“We think the American public expects their legislators to know what’s in a bill before they support it and we’re urging legislators to sign a pledge to that effect,” Colin Hanna, president of Let Freedom Ring, told CNSNews.com.

When asked by CNSNews.com who had signed the pledge so far, Hanna responded with the following:

“The first two were two whose paths I happened to cross last week. And they were Sen. (Jim) DeMint (R-S.C.) and Sen. (James) Inhofe (R-Okla.). Read more...

Cornyn Booed at Tea Party

2009-07-06T08:49:00.002-04:00

Another reason Senator Cornyn should not be NRSC Chairman. From the story:

U.S. Sen. John Cornyn drew boos from a crowd outside the Texas Capitol this afternoon as he spoke at a “tea party” rally organized by the Texas office of Americans for Prosperity.

Cornyn was booed at the start and close of his remarks, which assailed actions in Washington; there were no boos while he awarded a Purple Heart to a Copperas Cove resident injured in Iraq in 2006.

“You’re the problem,” a crowd member hollered. Read more....

Public Funds Used To "Sell" Increasing PA Taxes

2009-06-24T11:58:00.006-04:00

From: Christopher Dodds:

Education Secretary Gerald Zahorchak traveled to 14 school districts on a five-day bus tour that also featured Rendell and U.S. Senator Bob Casey. The mantra was that taxes have to be raised “for the children,” some of whom were pulled out of class and used as political props.

At each stop the secretary repeated the lie that the Senate's budget proposal (SB 850) would drastically cut education funding, leaving school districts with no choice but to increase property taxes. As the secretary knows, however, SB 850 would increase each district's funding support to its highest level in history (an 11.7 percent increase, on average).

Zahorchak said SB 850 would leave a “canyon in education funding” after the federal stimulus monies (on which the legislation draws heavily for school districts) discontinue in two years. However, Rendell is insistent that not only will the economy soon rebound, but that tax revenue collections will increase by 10 percent—to levels capable of filling the gap. If Rendell is wrong and the economy doesn't rebound, his spending plan will leave Pennsylvania in a bigger canyon than SB 850 would, and with yet another painful tax increase as the only tool for climbing out. Read more...

How is it that the governor can use tax dollars to travel around the state in order to promote his “Tax Me More” tour? How is it that children can be pulled out of class to lobby for more taxes?

Governor, if you want to do political lobbying, use your own campaign $$$$!

DeMint Endorses the Conservative

2009-06-17T11:19:00.003-04:00

While Senator Cornyn has aligned the Republican establishment behind the endorsement of "moderate" Florida Governor Charlie Crist for the upcoming U.S. Senate primary, Senator Jim DeMint has endorsed conservative Marco Rubio. If only DeMint were the chairman of the National Republican Senatoral Committee!!

A statement from Senator Jim DeMint:

"For months now, Republicans have been looking around, asking everyone they meet who our next leaders will be. And somehow, inexplicably, many of us have grown blind to the diamonds all around us," DeMint wrote. "There are already many young, conservative leaders ready to fight for freedom in Washington and in state capitals all around the country. But we'll never find them if we only look for well-known politicians or choose our party's direction based on the latest polls instead of timeless principles.”

Unholy Alliances

2009-05-28T09:02:00.006-04:00

When government gets involved mandating business decisions for businesses, the results are never good.

Now that the government has ordered the shutdown of 25% of all Chrysler dealerships, it appears that the selection of dealerships to be shut down was not based on typical business variables such as profitability, location and demographics.

The determination appears to be based heavily on the political contributions of the dealership owners. This from World Net Daily:

As part of its Chapter 11 bankruptcy , Chrysler is terminating one-fourth of its franchises – but some say its catalog of doomed dealerships looks more like a hit list that specifically seeks to put Republican donors out of business.

WND reviewed the list of 789 closing franchises and databases of political donors and found that of dealership majority owners making contributions in the November 2008 election, less than 10 percent gifted to Democrats while 90 percent gave substantial sums to Republican candidates.

The first dealership on Chrysler's list of facilities marked for termination by June 9 is located in Venice, Fla., and belongs to Republican Rep. Vernon G. Buchanan. The dealership's operating partner, Shelby Curtsinger, said he was astonished by Chrysler's decision because the location has been profitable – selling more than twice the stock of an average Chrysler dealership every year. Read more…

Unbelievably, 34 Republican senators voted for the auto bailout, while 15 Republican Senators voted against it. How is it that more than 2/3 of the Republicans serving in the U.S. Senate do not understand the proper role of government?

Pro-Life Majority

2009-05-16T11:52:00.002-04:00

From Gallop: A new Gallup Poll, conducted May 7-10, finds 51% of Americans calling themselves "pro-life" on the issue of abortion and 42% "pro-choice." This is the first time a majority of U.S. adults have identified themselves as pro-life since Gallup began asking this question in 1995.

PA-GOP: With a majority of Americans identifying themselves as pro-life, can we finally support pro-life conservatives without being told that we must "moderate" our views?

Dumb Is as Dumb Does

2009-05-09T10:08:00.003-04:00

From Chris Stirewalt of the Washington Examiner: It took Democrats far less time to learn what Republicans needed decades to understand, namely, that Specter’s allegiances are situational.

Take a moment and let the above statement sink in.

The Democrats learned in less than a week that Specter can’t be trusted. What does that say about our party and those who constantly lectured us about supporting Specter to “keep the seat”?

Those of us who did not support Specter were accused of not having political acumen to see the obvious. No, we did see the obvious, Specter has always been about Specter.

Over the last 10 days, Pat Toomey effectively knocked off Specter, and “moderate” Tom Ridge in short order.

Yet as I type this, Republican Party leadership is still scrambling to yet find some so-called moderate to challenge Pat Toomey. Based on the Republican Party leadership’s lack of faith in conservative principles, perhaps they should join Specter.

Specter the Spectacle

2009-04-29T17:51:00.002-04:00

I suspect that those Republicans who supported Specter in 2004 and were gearing up to support Specter in 2010 are now heading for the high grass. You know the ones – those Republicans who lectured us for supporting Pat Toomey, those Republicans who chucked all principles and beliefs in order to supposedly “keep the seat”.

As mentioned in an earlier post below, Butler County State Republican members apparently supported Specter over Toomey in their PA GOP endorsement vote in February of 2004. This is ironic in light of the fact that Butler County went 60 – 40 for Toomey in the primary.

By refusing to state who voted for whom, these PA GOP State Committee members were already running for the high grass after the 2004 primary. I suspect that they will soon have company.

Criminalizing Beliefs - Part II

2009-04-24T07:49:00.003-04:00

From Gary Bauer:

Janet Napolitano needs to go. The former governor of Arizona was reportedly selected by President Obama to be Secretary of Homeland Security for her first-hand knowledge of border issues. Instead, she appears to be just another leftwing ideologue who doesn’t bother with the facts.

First she labeled people who are pro-life and support smaller government as extremists and potential domestic terrorists. She also insulted our veterans by suggesting that men and women who voluntarily risk their lives for our country might be extremists.

Now she has insulted our friends in Canada by saying the 9/11 hijackers got into this country by crossing our northern border. She made that statement during an interview with the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation when asked to explain another recent comment she made comparing the Canadian border with the Mexican border.

In addition to being wrong about 9/11, she said on CNN recently that “crossing the border is not a crime per se.” Our friends at the Heritage Foundation were quick to remind the Secretary of Homeland Security what the law actually says: “Section 8, Title 1325 of the U.S. code clearly states that those who enter the U.S. illegally are committing a crime,” which is punishable by a fine and six months in prison on the first offense and up to two years for subsequent offenses.

Shouldn’t basic knowledge of our immigration laws be a requirement for confirmation? Then again, we have a tax cheat at Treasury running the IRS! And what does that say about our “brilliant” president and his team? In Napolitano, they have once again made an appointment, based on ideology, and it is coming back to haunt them and damage our country. Secretary Napolitano should resign now.

Is the PA-GOP Lining Up Behind Specter?

2009-04-20T09:55:00.001-04:00

The Pittsburgh Tribune Review reports that PA GOP Chairman Gleason attended a Specter fundraising event hosted by Elsie Hillman. Also in attendance was former State Senator and former State Committee member Tim Shaffer from Butler County.

Yes, this is the same Elsie Hillman that stated that pro-choice Democrats should not be targeted for defeat. The Trib claims that there were more Democrats in attendance at Specter’s fundraising event than Republicans.

When Tim Shaffer served on the Republican State Committee in 2004, there was more than a little consternation over exactly who the county’s State Committee members endorsed in the Specter – Toomey race for senate. One county State Committee member claimed that the Butler County State Committee members voted 5 – 1 to endorse Specter, while another Butler County State Committee member claimed in the local paper that no Specter endorsement vote even occurred at State Committee.

Since Butler County went 60 – 40 for Toomey in 2004, and since individual State Committee votes and attendance are not released to the public, our Butler County State Committee members were not overly anxious to reveal their votes.

Given the fact that not one Butler County State Committee member was willing to either reveal their vote or reveal their fellow county State Committee members' vote in the Earrl – Shogan endorsement for Superior Court in 2007, it appears that we can expect more of the same for 2010.

The comfortable culture of anonymity at Republican State Committee meetings may again aid Specter in obtaining the state’s GOP endorsement.

Criminalizing Beliefs

2009-04-16T13:48:00.009-04:00

From Michelle Malkin:

What and who exactly are President Obama's homeland security officials afraid of these days? If you are a member of an active conservative group that opposes abortion, favors strict immigration enforcement, lobbies to protect Second Amendment rights, protests big government, advocates federalism or represents veterans who believe in any of the above, the answer is: You!

To read the report, click here

GOP’s Gang of Three re-discover fiscal conservatism too late

2009-04-09T10:16:00.004-04:00

From Noel Sheppard, Newsbusters:

Maine’s two Republican senators, Susan Collins and Olympia Snowe, and Sen. Arlen Specter, R-PA, joined their GOP colleagues last week in voting unanimously against President Obama’s $3.6 trillion budget proposal.

This Republican-In-Name-Only (RINO) Gang of Three is the same trio that only a few weeks ago provided the crucial votes to gain passage of Obama’s $787 “porkulus” economic recovery package.

As for Specter, he explained his opposition to the Obama budget by claiming it had “too much money in it and too much borrowing.”

Honestly, what in the world got into these three? After all:

They voted for last October’s $700 billion Troubled Assets Relief Program (TARP).

They voted for Obama’s $787 billion economic recovery stimulus package in February.

Two of them voted for March’s $410 billion Omnibus Appropriations Act; only Collins opposed it.

Add it all up, and since last October, Snowe and Specter have approved almost $1.9 trillion in spending; Collins has backed almost $1.5 trillion.

As such, the three have each approved far greater spending this fiscal year than they just rejected for 2010. And now they’re starting to worry about exploding deficits, borrowing, and debt?

Read more...

Pennsylvania R.I.N.O.

2009-02-11T10:13:00.006-05:00

This is enough to make your blood boil. Senator Specter jumped ship and voted with the Democrats for closure on debate of this massive stimulus bill. But now he states that more time is needed to debate the bill since some very bad parts of this bill were brought to his attention. Too late senator, you opened the barn door and all of the animals have left the building!

Pause and Reflect....

2009-01-23T16:16:00.000-05:00

Metcalfe Challenges McCall for PA House Speaker

2009-01-02T10:40:00.000-05:00

From the Press Release: Massive budget deficits created by excessive state spending; out of touch state government salary increases and bonuses; billions of dollars in increased taxation and debt, both past and currently looming over the 2009-2010 state budget process, have all motivated Representative Daryl Metcalfe (R-Butler) to announce his candidacy for Speaker of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives with the following statement:

“The recent history-making headlines of financial institution bailouts, automobile manufacturer bailouts to the governor’s Boscov’s department store bailout scheme have left Pennsylvania taxpayers legitimately perplexed and dismayed at the reality disconnect of their government.

“It would be beyond naïve to expect any degree of fiscal responsibility from the Democrat candidate for Speaker who represents and continues to support all the most reprehensible elements of past legislatures, including his votes for the:

• Rendell administration’s welfare state expanding, deficit-creating budgets.

• Rendell administration’s 2003 Personal Income Tax increase.

• July 2005 unconstitutional state government pay raise.

“Collectively, his actions expose him as part of the problem, not the solution. In sharp, crystal clear contrast, I have consistently voted against the excessive spending, appropriated not only by the legislature during the Rendell administration, but also during the Ridge administration. During my ten years in office I have never voted for a tax increase and I voted against, and led the fight in the state House to repeal the 2005 state government pay raise in its entirety. Read more....

House Republicans Tell Bush: No Bailout for Detroit

2008-12-19T08:24:00.003-05:00

(click image to enlarge.)

The fact that these few House Republicans have to remind the president, and by extension, the news media and public, that it is not the job of government to ensure the success of every business in the U.S., speaks volumes for the need of a remedial class in Constitutional Government.

Dragon Slayer

2008-12-09T13:53:00.005-05:00

What do you call a diminutive 5’ 2” Vietnamese refugee who runs for congress as a Republican in New Orleans’ heavily black, heavily Democratic urban 2nd congressional district that has not elected a Republican candidate since 1890?

You call him Anh Cao, Dragon Slayer!

Despite the problems of scandal-ridden Democrat House incumbent William Jefferson, Jefferson was supposed to be a shoe-in for re-election. Speaking of New Orleans voters, Charles E. Cook, a Louisiana native who is the publisher of The Cook Political Report, stated, “They don’t generally turn out candidates with ethics problems.”

Attention PA GOP: Cao did not moderate his pro-life stands in order to win in a district where Republicans are heavily outnumbered by Democrats. I understand that at a recent high-level state GOP meeting, there were concerns voiced that Republicans need to “moderate” their message in order to win minorities. Note that Louisiana’s 2nd Congressional District is 64% black.

When asked about his priorities, Cao said, "The only thing I am certain of is that I am anti-abortion." Hear hear!

Republican Governors Refuse to Rule Out Seeking Federal Bailouts for States

2008-12-08T08:41:00.001-05:00

More proof of a leadership vacuum in the Republican Party….

From the story: Republican Govs. Rick Perry of Texas and Mark Sanford of South Carolina will not pledge to refuse federal bailout money, their spokesmen told CNSNews.com Friday – just three days after the two governors denounced federal bailouts in The Wall Street Journal.

“We’re crossing the Rubicon with regard to debt,” Sanford and Perry wrote in Tuesday’s Journal, a reference to Julius Caesar’s crossing of the Rubicon river in 49 B.C. – meaning that a point of no return has been reached.

By Friday, however, the governors had crossed back again. When CNSNews.com asked their offices – “Will you pledge not to take a federal bailout (for your state)?”—the responses were surprising. Read more….

Bailout Debt

2008-12-02T09:35:00.002-05:00

Let’s count the number of Republicans who are onboard in supporting this insurmountable amount of debt!

(Townhall) Bianco Research crunched the adjusted for inflation numbers for previous conflicts and federal programs to compare it to the cost of the financial bailout. If you count the Citi bailout, our total Wall Street welfare costs are more than $4.6 trillion. This is more than all the programs below combined. It will also cost more than the entire cost of World War II which, adjusted for inflation, cost Americans $3.6 trillion in today's dollars.

• Marshall Plan: Cost: $12.7 billion, Inflation Adjusted Cost: $115.3 billion
• Louisiana Purchase: Cost: $15 million, Inflation Adjusted Cost: $217 billion
• Race to the Moon: Cost: $36.4 billion, Inflation Adjusted Cost: $237 billion
• S&L Crisis: Cost: $153 billion, Inflation Adjusted Cost: $256 billion
• Korean War: Cost: $54 billion, Inflation Adjusted Cost: $454 billion
• The New Deal: Cost: $32 billion (Est), Inflation Adjusted Cost: $500 billion (Est)
• Invasion of Iraq: Cost: $551billion, Inflation Adjusted Cost: $597 billion
• Vietnam War: Cost: $111 billion, Inflation Adjusted Cost: $698 billion
• NASA: Cost: $416.7 billion, Inflation Adjusted Cost: $851.2 billion
TOTAL: $3.92 trillion

Jeb Bush to GOP: Don't Become 'Democrat-Light'

2008-12-01T11:45:00.001-05:00

From Newsmax.com: Bush urged Republicans not to abandon their core conservative principles in favor of a "Democratic-lite" agenda. Still, he says the GOP does need to do some real soul-searching.

“If you take the [last] two election cycles, there’s real cause for concern, no question about it,” he said

“You’ve got to do the hard work. That means grassroots organization. It means listening to the base of the party. It means voter registration. It means turn-out operations. It means recruiting candidates that look like the population we’re trying to attract to our cause. Those things seem to have waned in the last couple years.”

The party must hold fast to its convictions. “We can’t be Democrat-lite. We can’t just ‘get along.’”

Sarah Palin to stump with Sen. Saxby Chambliss

2008-11-26T10:52:00.004-05:00

(Townhall.com) Georgia Sen. Saxby Chambliss is calling in a closer: Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin will join him for four rallies across the state on the eve of his hotly contested Dec. 2 runoff.

It will mark her return to the campaign trail after her bid as John McCain's vice presidential candidate and a chance to show off some political muscle in a state that backed her GOP ticket with 52 percent of the vote.

Chambliss is running off against Democrat Jim Martin in a race that could help determine whether Democrats have enough votes to block Republican filibusters in the U.S. Senate. The Palin announcement electrified state Republicans in the closing days of the race. Read more…

How can this be? All of the expert pundits claim that Governor Palin was a drag on the ticket, that her unabashed conservative values hurt John McCain’s chances for the presidency. With the veto-proof 60 seat Senate hanging in the balance, why not send in a moderate to electrify the electorate? Where is Arlen??? (sarcasm off)

Time To Follow Reagan’s Example

2008-11-25T08:03:00.000-05:00

From Phyllis Schlafly: After Republicans lost in 1976, Ronald Reagan spent four years working the grass roots, speaking at dinners, answering audience questions, traveling the country by car and train (he refused to fly), making radio broadcasts and learning from average Americans. By 1980, Reagan had sharpened his conservative philosophy in sync with what Americans want from their leaders.

In the period from 1976 to 1980, grass-roots conservatives and Ronald Reagan learned from each other. That's the model conservatives should follow now and educate new leaders.

When the economy and foreign policy fell apart under the liberal presidency of Jimmy Carter, conservatives were positioned to defeat him in 1980. Candidates, consultants and activists today should move outside of Washington, D.C., and discover what the remaining 99 percent of the country wants. Read more….

GOP Congressman: 'It is not your money'

2008-11-20T12:15:00.002-05:00

Honest view or Freudian slip? This one goes into the R.I.N.O. column.

From WND: A Republican congressman seeking a $25 billion bailout of the troubled U.S. auto industry made a stunning statement about taxpayer funds to benefit Detroit, claiming, "It is not your money."

Rep. Joe Knollenberg, R-Mich., made the remark during a discussion with Fox News anchor Neil Cavuto [on 11-19-08] as the pair debated sending billions of federal dollars to prop up the Big Three carmakers.

The GOP's Social Insecurity

2008-11-18T07:46:00.002-05:00

From Tony Perkins: "To listen to some Republicans... you would think that traditional conservatives, the defenders of the unborn and the integrity of marriage... were responsible for two wars gone sour, over-spending at a level to embarrass Lyndon Johnson, the largest expansion of entitlement spending since the Great Society, numerous cases of GOP corruption, betrayal of the public trust... and the miserable results in the presidential and congressional elections..."

Like us, Tracy Mehan of the American Spectator is fed up with the Republicans' post-election finger-pointing. In his op-ed "Social Conservative as Scapegoats," he lashes out at the GOP's centrists for blaming November 4 on "the solid and most loyal" wing of the Reaganite coalition. To those of us in the pro-family movement, the Establishment's diatribe is a familiar one. When the GOP succeeds because of social conservatives, our importance is ignored. When the party fails for overlooking us, values voters are somehow to blame. Read more....

The Death of Moderates

2008-11-17T14:32:00.003-05:00

With the Congressional Elections of 2006 and 2008, the Democrats have discovered that they can run marginally pro-life and pro-gun Democrats and take out “moderate” Republicans with increasing ease. Should this really be all that surprising?

Republican leadership has bought the lie – that conservatives must “moderate” their stances in order to win elections, and the results have been catastrophic. Not counting judicial elections in Pennsylvania, Republicans have won only one state-wide election in the last two years.

Now, instead of taking an honest assessment of Pennsylvania’s increasing hue of blue, some party insiders, including McCain’s own staff, are blaming Governor Palin for their loss. But according to a Rasmussen national telephone survey, Republicans overwhelming do not agree. In fact, 64% of Republicans, included in the Rasmussen survey, think Palin should lead the ticket in 2012. Click RasmussenReports.com for the survey.

How can party leaders be so out of sync with Republican voters? Check out the post below from almost a year ago. Four “conservative Pro-Life” State Representatives from Western Pennsylvania endorsed Mr. Giuliani for president. I think that it would be fair to state that at least a few of these representatives were hoping to take leadership positions in the PA House, based on riding Mr. Giuliani’s coattails. Would any of these four representatives even mention their endorsement now?

Would any of these four representatives proudly proclaim the “moderate” moniker now?

Republicans Respecting Pro-Life?

2007-12-03T13:38:00.000-05:00

Is the Republican Party treating its Pro-Life constituency as the ugly stepsisters?

With disturbing frequency, PA House members and other party leaders that claim to be Pro-Life, but are lining up to do public endorsements of pro-abortion candidates. Just last week, 4 western Pennsylvania “Pro-Life” House members endorsed Mr. Giuliani for president. Remember that this is still the primary, and that there are more than a few Pro-Life candidates for president to choose from.

In a repeat of the Arlen Specter - Pat Toomey primary senate race in Pennsylvania in 2004, supposed Pro-Life office holders are doing primary endorsements of pro-abortion candidates over Pro-Life candidates.

The irony is that despite the damage they have done to the Pro-Life cause, these same elected House members and party leaders will clamor for the Pro-Life endorsement from the Pro-Life groups come election time. Despite the fact that these folks have used their elected position to publicly endorse pro-abortion candidates over pro-life candidates, they still feel that the Pro-Life groups owe them an endorsement!

Can anyone think of any other constituency that is treated this badly within the Republican Party? Just as the ugly stepsisters are called upon do the work, but be hidden from public view, the Pro-Life constituency is called upon to deliver election victories, but shunned and abused during the endorsement process.

Specter: Register Republican, If Only For A Day

2007-10-11T08:19:00.000-04:00

While addressing a group of about 150 college students at the North Side campus of the Community College of Allegheny County on Tuesday, Oct. 9th, Senator Specter made an odd request. Noting that he barely survived the Republican primary in 2004, Mr. Specter encouraged the audience to register Republican, if only for the day of the primary, to help him hold his seat in 2010.

"The people who vote predominately in a Republican primary are on the far right,'' Mr. Specter said, pointing to a wing of his party that has never shown much support for him. (Post Gazette)

Evidently, “Far Right” means that you support a pro-life position and believe in the Constitutional role of government.

Republican State Committee Chooses Pro-Life Candidate For PA Superior Court

2007-09-11T12:56:00.000-04:00

Twenty-four hours before the vote, political pundits were claiming that the Pennsylvania State Republican Committee’s nomination for Superior Judge would go to State Senator Jane Earll. Republican Party leadership was lobbying hard for her, claiming that as a “moderate” pro-choice woman with high name recognition, she would be more “electable” than pro-life candidate Jackie Shogan.

Never mind the fact that the Republican State Committee’s Statement of Principles contains a pro-life plank. Never let principles get in the way of winning an election!

In an encouraging vote that went against the Republican Party leadership, on Saturday, the 250+ members of the Republican State Committee elected Jackie Shogan to appear on this fall’s ballot.

While this is a refreshing victory, reform is badly needed. There is still a “comfortable culture on anonymity” at State Committee meetings. At the Republican State Committee, individual votes are not published. Attendance is not published. We had state committee members who missed half of all state committee meetings. At election time, we had state committee members seeking re-election passing out campaign material claiming to be pro-life when in fact, they voted to endorse pro-choice candidates over pro-life candidates.

Short of driving out to Harrisburg and observing the votes, it is difficult for the average voter to know if their state committee members represented their values, much less if they even bothered to show up.

Specter Denies Conservative Wing Of GOP

2007-08-20T07:57:00.000-04:00

Post Gazette: Mr. Specter disputed the suggestion that Pennsylvania's GOP voters, who nearly deprived him of renomination in the 2004 primary, had become dominated by the party's more conservative wing.

"The Republican Party in Pennsylvania is still more the party of [the late Sen.] John Heinz than it is the party of the right wing,'' he said. "We've got a pretty long tradition of [former Gov.] Bill Scranton and [the late former Sen.] Hugh Scott, [former Gov. and Attorney Gen. Dick] Thornburgh and Heinz and [former Sen.] Dick Schweiker, myself and so on. I think our party has not pulled hard to the right. The difficulty of a primary is that so few people vote.''

Perhaps tellingly, however, with the exception of himself, none of the figures he cited as examples of the Republican mainstream has posted a victory since Mr. Heinz' last re-election in 1988.

Newsflash to Senator Specter – Without the President’s and Senator Santorum’s efforts in working against conservatives by campaigning on your behalf in 2004, you would have lost the primary.

Welcome!

2007-08-19T21:10:00.000-04:00

Welcome to the Voters For Republican Values Blog!