If ye love wealth greater than liberty, the tranquility of servitude
greater than the animating contest for freedom, go home from us
in peace. We seek not your counsel, nor your arms. Crouch down
and lick the hand that feeds you; May your chains set lightly upon
you, and may posterity forget that ye were our countrymen.
I just read an interesting article on the Campaign for Liberty Website
Which I will post below. But before that I will expound on my views.
It does not matter what I think of the 10 point issue list,
It does not matter if I support all 10, oppose all 10 or chose 1 from column A and 2 from column B I object to Purity Tests period.
In my opinion, the Party and it's Officials should be strictly neutral during the Primary and fiercely partisan during the General Election.
And who emerges from the Primaries is the decision of the VOTERS, and NOT someone far off who thinks they know better than we do and should therefore withhold funds from a candidate that the ignorant unwashed masses elected.
I don't know about anyone else but I am sorely tired of other people deciding that THEY have the right and obligation for making my (our) decisions for us.
There are different reads on the results recently of the NY District 23 Election.
Mine is that Conservative Voters soundly rejected the candidate that Republican Leaders chose for them.
It is really bizarre to have a Democrat running a campaign based on the Republican's record of raising taxes, supporting government growth and intrusion into our private lives,
It was on Economic, Fiscal Responsibility, Government Growth and Intrusion issues that Owens won, issues that the Republican Candidate fell flat on.
Now that the Democratic Congressman upheld his stand on those issues which won the election for a whole hour before reneging on the major 4, I feel sure that the only Candidate that was truly Conservative will win next year in the General Election, but the VOTERS will determine that and it is sadly obvious that the Republican Party officials fell flat on their faces.
And now we have those who are on the other side of the Political Spectrum deciding that they can do the same thing.
That is decide for us who should represent us, rather than leaving that decision to US.
Posted by GoSlash27 on 11/28/09 10:16 AM Last updated 11/28/09 10:18 AM
It might seem at first glance that the Democrats are in serious jeopardy of losing their hold on Washington. President Obama's approval ratings are tanking. People are out in the streets protesting against out-of-control spending, government takeovers of health care, the auto industry, and the banking industry.
With all the public fervor being displayed at the town hall meetings, TEA party rallies, anti-amnesty protests, and the massive groundswell of grassroots support for uniquely conservative policies, the Democrats should be understandably nervous about their prospects next year.
But they have a powerful ally in the Republican party's unique ability to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory. Their mind-boggling ability to alienate their own base, as well as the vast majority of independents remains unchallenged.The moment they get the Democrats in their sights, they take a deep breath, slowly exhale, turn the gun around so it's pointed at their own face, and squeeze....
We have seen an example of this phenomenon right here in the Cedar Rapids District 33 debacle; a race that the Iowa Republican party seemed determined to lose (and succeeded spectacularly), but the truly telling example of Republican political self-immolation is documented at the Republic of Dave blog.
In the wake of their loss in the NY-23 special election (in which they hand-picked the liberal candidate over the conservative one and split the base, thus ensuring their own defeat), the official response from the national RNC Vice Chairman is to subject all future candidates to a 10 point litmus test.
The 10 points:
We support smaller government, smaller national debt, lower deficits and lower taxes by opposing bills like Obama's "stimulus" bill;
We support market-based health care reform and oppose Obama-style government run health care;
We support market-based energy reforms by opposing cap and trade legislation;
We support workers' right to secret ballot by opposing card check;
We support legal immigration and assimilation into American society by opposing amnesty for illegal immigrants;
We support victory in Iraq and Afghanistan by supporting military-recommended troop surges;
We support containment of Iran and North Korea, particularly effective action to eliminate their nuclear weapons threat;
We support retention of the Defense of Marriage Act;
We support protecting the lives of vulnerable persons by opposing health care rationing and denial of health care and government funding of abortion; and
We support the right to keep and bear arms by opposing government restrictions on gun ownership.
Any potential candidate who disagrees with 3 or more of these points would not receive support or funding from the Republican party.
Now... setting aside the fact that this list is outrageously specific and undermines philosophy in favor of policy positions, let's begin by focusing on what kind of candidates it would exclude.
Aside from myself, (not sure about #4, adamantly opposed to #6 and #7, and personally offended by #8), this handy new definition would disqualify a few other well-known figures that the Republican party has always feigned admiration for, such as Thomas Jefferson, Barry Goldwater, and Ronald Reagan. Locally, it would almost certainly exclude every candidate that could ever hope to harness grassroots support.
What the Republican Party has failed to grasp at every level is the simple fact that Conservatism is a philosophy, not a list. The philosophy is popular, but their list is not. The philosophy would demand a litmus test composed of exactly one item:
#1: I swear (or affirm) to faithfully execute my desired office and will preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States and the State of Iowa.
This (essentially the oath of office that every elected representative takes) *is* what conservatism is all about, and anybody seeking office under the Republican label should be absolutely passionate about it. Senator Barry Goldwater defined the role of a truly conservative public servant when he said:
"I have little interest in streamlining government or in making it more efficient, for I mean to reduce its size. I do not undertake to promote welfare, for I propose to extend freedom. My aim is not to pass laws, but to repeal them. It is not to inaugurate new programs, but to cancel old ones that do violence to the Constitution ... or have failed their purpose ... or that impose on the people an unwarranted financial burden. I will not attempt to discover whether legislation is 'needed' before I have first determined whether it is constitutionally permissible. And if I should be attacked for neglecting my constituents' 'interests,' I shall reply that I was informed that their main interest is liberty, and in that cause I am doing the very best I can."
This is what the American people are desperately seeking, and (not coincidentally) is exactly what the Republican party is supposed to be representing. Until such time as they begin promoting candidates and philosophies that reflect this sentiment, they will be doomed to the only role they've shown any aptitude for; helping Democrats win elections they should be losing.
I recall the night before the First Gulf War, when we saw on TV, Saddam Hussein being broadcast with a small American boy.
As he placed his hand on the child's sholder, you could see the boy shivering in terror.
I looked over at my mother and my aunts who were there that night and their faces were like images carved out of stone.
And I knew that this Nation was going to War.
When, after the attack on Pearl Harbor Isoroku Yamamoto said, ""I fear all we have done is to awaken a sleeping giant and fill him with a terrible resolve"
He was speaking of a pygmy compared to the righteous rage that you waken when you convince the mothers and grandmothers of this country that you threaten their children.
Folks recent events and Politics as Usual have wakened that rage.
And this Nation is going to War.
I present to you a website that I do not qualify to join, but I reccomend.
A Network of principled mothers, grandmothers, daughters, & guardians of our nation's children dedicated to the 9 Principles & 12 Values
9 12 Project
The Nine Principles
1. America is good.
2. I believe in God and He is the Center of my Life.
3. I must always try to be a more honest person than I was yesterday.
4. The family is sacred. My spouse and I are the ultimate authority, not the government.
5. If you break the law you pay the penalty. Justice is blind and no one is above it.
6. I have a right to life, liberty and pursuit of happiness, but there is no guarantee of equal results.
7. I work hard for what I have and I will share it with who I want to. Government cannot force me to be charitable.
8. It is not un-American for me to disagree with authority or to share my personal opinion.
9. The government works for me. I do not answer to them, they answer to me.
All the confusion about who should or should not have been voting this year, brings to my mind a Soviet Era Joke on Elections.
Dimitri had just picked up his ballot and was on his way to the box to put it in when the Political Commissar noticed him starting to open it.
"Dimitri!" The Political Commissar shouted out, "Just WHAT do you think you are DOING!"
"I was curious about who I was voting for." Dimitri replied.
"Dimitri you fool." growled the Political Commissar, "Don't you know this is SECRET ballot?"
This an old story and not limited to the Former Soviet Union.
Recently the now deposed President of Honduras, not only had ballots printed up, but it seems that he also had on file in his computer system the RESULTS of the not yet cast votes in the coming Election.
Here in the US that is also an old story, it is said that the Bosses of Tammany Hall in New York City used to wait until the upstate election votes were in and then filled in their tallies to compensate.
These individuals who have in the past decided who should and should not win elections have certain characteristics in common.
Despite my obvious conclusion that their actions were Evil, they in fact often believed that what they undertook was for the "Greater Good" and were acting out of a "Higher Morality"
Beware those who feel compelled to make your decisions for you.
Such sincerity, in my opinion is vastly overrated.
But without vigilance this syndrome will continue to rear it's ugly head.
I despise the actions of those who play "Politics" without a leavening of "Democracy"
I expect my opponents to be vigorous partisans of their ideals, as I myself am.
But when some feel compelled to disenfranchise the voters?
That activity must be crushed.
We are told that all of this will go away after the next Caucuses.
Were it so simple, we would not be in the dilemma we now face.
We must all become involved so as to ensure there are no repetitions.
For Evil to Triumph it is only necessary for Good People to remain Silent.
If we stand idly by, or leave in disgust, we will abandon the field to those who have a need to decide who is "supposed" to win,
In that case what purpose ballots?
We might as well dispense of them and allow ourselves to be told what the results are.
That would at least save some trees and do some good for the environment.
Today, Tuesday, November 24, 2009, it is with a heavy heart that we declare this election over. We will formally end this election and not ask for a recount. This was a difficult choice to make because so many people have put their faith, hope and aspirations into our campaign.
Yes, there seem to have been many vote counting problems, missed vote counts and, as was recently reported by the Gouvernour Times, software problems in the computerized voting machines. Despite these incidents, I do not believe the voters of NY-23, or New Yorkers in general, would be well-served by a disruptive and costly recount that would most likely not change the election outcome.
I know many are disappointed and even angry. To those I say now is not the time to look back, but to focus on the future and ensure that next year we win back this district decidedly. Know this decision was not an easy one. I did not want to let down those who worked so hard, donated so much and shared their enthusiasm for retaking our country with common-sense conservative values.
And rest assured, our energies are now directed toward 2010. This election, in which a third party candidate narrowly lost, showed that principles do matter. Special interests do have an Achilles’ heel, the American people. Main-street conservatism’s voice is now echoing through the government chambers and boardrooms that shape America. By most measures, this campaign was a success and I have you all to thank for this. And all of us have to thank the Conservative Party of New York State for nominating a candidacy like ours.
We take away lessons from this year’s campaign that will make us stronger and more competitive in the future. Next time we will be better prepared. Many people forget that our campaign only began in earnest three months ago. Most campaigns of this stature take at least a year to prepare. In three months, we almost toppled an entrenched political system and successfully defied the conventional thinking of the elite political punditry. Citizen government is making a comeback in America.
I thank everyone who participated in this campaign and urge each one of you to stand with me in the future. We have a calling that we must answer. My opponent in this race quickly abandoned the promises he made to his voters. Within the first hour of being sworn in by Nancy Pelosi, Bill Owens broke 4 campaign promises … so much for change in Washington. We must resoundingly defeat him next year and, with your help, I promise to help restore our nation’s faith in elected officials when we win.
But there is more to do than just win back NY-23 in 2010. We must work to help other like-minded citizen candidates win across the country. We need to make time to help other candidates who are working for the principles we hold dear… other fiscal, common-sense conservatives. Together we can successfully take back our great nation, one legislator and one member at a time. We need more than one common-sense conservative voice in the echo chamber of liberal, spend thrift cacophony if we are to redirect our great country.
I would also like to commend those election commission officials who worked tirelessly and may have taken offense to an unfortunate and poorly worded fundraising email that was sent out toward the end of our campaign. As we tried to make sense of the false vote counts and stories of so/ftware viruses in the voting machines, we never intended to imply the election commissioners had somehow acted improperly. This was never our intention and, on the contrary, the election commissioners went above and beyond to uphold their duty to ensure a fair election took place. I owe them a debt of gratitude for all they have done.
So where to now? Full speed ahead to 2010. This gives us time to carefully articulate and communicate thoughtful positions on issues that impact the great people of our district and ensure that our campaign promises are NOT broken. Best of all, it allows me to work hand-in-hand with the many supporters who shared their ideas, their concerns and their dreams with me.
We need to continue to stand united because we cannot spend our way out of recession or tax our way to prosperity. We must continue to fight to protect our liberties and protect those who are yet to be born. We must protect our country against terrorists and protect the sanctity of marriage. We must fix our corrupt tax code, our immigration policy and our educational system. Most of all we must defend the free enterprise system that made America the greatest and most prosperous country in the world. Although I’m conceding an election today, I do it with the certainty that we will win back this seat a year from now. I am certain of this because our mission is too big, the country’s problems too dire and the American people are too smart.
Thank you for all you have done and will continue to do. “We the people” are retaking America.
It is wise not to simply take someone's word for something but to verify for yourself.
That is why I have supplied here an audio file of the Novemeber 17, 2009
session of the GOP Linn County Central Committee meeting
When a claim is made as to what the duties are of the Executive Board Secretary per the County Constitution and ByLaws you can also verify that for yourself.
As Regards the membership lists? The precincts in the recent District 33 Special Election Nominating Convention are 1 through 11.
You may wish to look at the November 13 Membership List and the List of Committee members in those Precincts who were sent a notification of the Nominating Convention to see if they are the same.
The above links are to PDF files, if you do not have a PDF viewer a simple Freeware PDF viewer can be obtained HERE
I put the meeting audio file into a streaming player, because it is rather lengthy, about 70 megs, but in responce to requests I will put a download link HERE
Some of us remember being told the Linn County Central Committee was going to be taken into the 21st Century. We were going to start using INTERNET based networking. There would be computer access during our meetings.
That subject was brought up during the recent Central Committee Meeting.
We were informed that in the location we having been using, INTERNET connectivity would cost an additional fee, I recall $25 was mentioned, but I could be mistaken.
Considering that our previous meeting location, included such access this information was taken with a certain amount of surprise.
But we were also informed that special rates HAD been negotiated and we were therefore able to use the rooms that at a considerable savings over the regular charge for them.
Which, I myself find confusing. Has the definition of SAVINGS changed while I was not paying attention?
Because our present location lacks an INTERNET option that we previously enjoyed while it's cost is in fact about a 500% INCREASE in expenses over what we were paying in the past.
Or is this an alternate reality where words mean what someone chooses them to mean?
And we are fortunate that we are lead by those who are masters of such matters?
Call me a stick in the mud ,but I would prefer they were masters of fiscal responsibility.
The Linn County Central Committee sat on the Wall
The Linn County Central Committee has had a Great Fall
Six Impossible Things Before Breakfast. I'm seven and a half, exactly.'
`You needn't say "exactly",' the Queen remarked. `I can believe it without that. Now I'll give you something to believe. I'm just one hundred and one, five months and a day.'
`I ca'n't believe that!' said Alice.
`Ca'n't you?' the Queen said in a pitying tone. `Try again: draw a long breath, and shut your eyes.'
Alice laughed. `There's no use trying,' she said `one ca'n't believe impossible things.'
`I daresay you haven't had much practice,' said the Queen. `When I was your age, I always did it for half-an-hour a day. Why, sometimes I've believed as many as six impossible things before breakfast.
The other night some of us took a trip down the Rabbit Hole, attended a Linn County GOP County Central Committee Meeting
A Good Time was had by all and we were able to experience the head of our present Executive Board practice his expertise at rejecting the reality of others and substituting his own.
Now why you may ask do I make that statement?
Ah there in lies the Tale.
Some may recall the total chaos and confusion concerning the membership list just prior, during and after this Spring's Officer Elections.
Some may also recall that the newly elected Executive Board just after their installation pledged to correct all the errors and confusion and present the Body with their results.
Well it has been now 8 months and the other day I was given possession of the new current membership roster and
IT IS AN ABOMINATION
I don't know what they started with. I do know that the present list is deeply flawed. I also know that it is NOT the same list that we had as of two or three months ago.
No I did not see that list then, but I do recall one person being rather upset and having a confrontation with the Secretary because they were not allowed to vote at that meeting.
The reason was because both Elected Committee Members were at that meeting and they only had voting rights as an Associate Member if one of those two were absent
Somehow during the time between that night and when the current list was released one of the Elected Members was dropped from the rolls and they replaced them.
I would imagine right now some of you may be thinking, "Dan you are over reacting, mistakes like that can happen."
Were it limited to one, you would be correct, but instead everywhere I look I see the same pattern.
In Precinct CR-7 one of the Elected Members was dropped and replaced by the Caucus Chair.
In my Precinct CR-38 one of the Elected Members was dropped and replaced by the Caucus Secretary
In Precinct CR-41 one of the Elected Members was dropped and replaced by the Caucus Secretary.
Those are 3 Precinct where I know the persons involved and have seen them attending meetings regularly over the last year or so, with the understanding that they were representing the voters who elected them.
Or they did so, until an important election came up. Two of the above were denied voting rights during the Officers Election.
It has been presented to me that the Ad Hoc Subcommittee acted in "Good Faith"
My reply is "Good Faith" instills in one NO Legal Authority to violate the State Election Code.
During the debate the other night, Mary Bowman stated that one of the elected Members from her Precinct CR-30 had been removed.
I have gone through the Current List and compared it to the Form As which are the LEGAL record of the tally and vote of the various Caucuses and there still remains on the Current list a total of 34 Central Committee Members who were elected by the Voters of their Precinct out of a total of 164.
Now it is quite possible that a lot of the discrepancy is due to elected members dropping out and being replaced by Associate Members who would be raised to full voting status to fill the vacancy,. Our By Laws do provide for that.
But there are far too many elected members who have been attending regularly and have been dropped.
Jim Toom from CR-25, who I would say is one of the most respected members of the Central Committee appears on the Form A of his Precinct Caucus as an Elected Committee Member and does not appear on the current list of members.
During the Debate a motion was made to form a Sub-Committee to correct any errors in the member roster
.
The Chair rejected that as out of order and claimed that the County Constitution and By Laws gave the Secretary that sole power and we could not take such an action which would violate our By Laws and Constitution.
That statement can only be true in some other universe other than the one in which I exist, possibly a universe on the Other Side of the Looking Glass?
In MY Universe the Duties of the officers on the Executive Board are:
A. Duties
1. The Chair shall be the Executive Officer and conduct all meetings of the Central Committee and assist in the formulation of policies for the conduct of the affairs of the Republican Party and such other matters as may be assigned.
2. The Vice-Chair shall conduct all meetings in the absence of the Chair and assist in formulating policies matters as may be assigned.
3. The duties of the Secretary are to keep the minutes of the meetings and read them at the following meeting, unless waived.
4. The duties of the Treasurer are to keep records of all receipts and disbursements. All checks shall be signed b the Treasurer and countersigned by the Chair or Co-Chair. Checks in excess of $500.00 and not previously budgeted shall have the approval of the County Central Committee. The Treasurer shall prepare a two-year budget for approval of the County Central Committee and the same shall be presented at the first meeting of the non-elective calendar year.
Why does all this matter?
It is true that the next Caucuses will be in about 2 months.
But you see this problem has not only affected the Officer's Election last spring, but has also affected in a very severe manner the recent Nominating Convention.
Which has passed and as the Special Election is a few days off there is nothing that can be done about that.
But this still does not alter the fact that in one Precinct. CR-7, one of the legally Elected Committee Members was prevented from voting and in CR-11 NONE of the Elected Members were sent notifications of the Nominating Convention, while two persons who were NOT elected did receive them and voted.
Now I have made some claims, during the meeting the Chair made some claims,
Both can not be true in the same reality, Since it is my belief that an informed public is the Foundation of Democracy, I will do now what was not done during the meeting.
I will give you the opportunity to look at the Form As in question the wording of the County Constition and By Laws the Current Membership List and the Mailing List for the Nominationg Convention, so you can determine for yourselves what the truth is in this matter,
OR
You can, Hold your Breath, Shut your Eyes and Practice until you can believe
Six Impossible Things Before Breakfast.
These links will take you to the information on 2008 Precinct Caucus Form As
Tomorrow (now today) is the last day to get the message out, I am asking each one of you to donate a little bit of time, and join me in stuffing doors in CR District 1, to encourage a Vote for Tim Pugh.
An hour or two of your time can help to reach 100-200 homes and can really help to sway the vote in our direction, to bring responsibility, accountability, transparency, and common sense to Cedar Rapids City Hall.
Please consider donating some time to help ensure our victory Tuesday November 3. Call me at 319-721-5222 if you want to help with the flyer drops, I have about 1500 left to drop.
A Blinding Flash of Light on the Road to Des Moines
There have been a few of us online discussing the issues of the impending Nominating Conference of District 33 County Committees Members and the Special Election to follow.
My opinions differ from one of my friends, but that is understandable as our world views differ greatly
My friend is a very likable person, moderate in his manner. He wishes everyone to get along and shuns controversy and dislikes confrontation.
My mode is often different than his, Real knowledge is Experiential and my past experiences may vary widely from his.
I know the truth of Churchill's claim that nothing can focus a man's attention quite as much as having a gun pointed at his face.
I know what it is like to be told someone is looking for you with a gun because they have come to the conclusion that their Universe would be much better if you were not in it.
That was because due in large measure to some efforts by me, they were facing the almost certainty of being the guest of the Commonwealth of Kentucky for a period of not less than 20 years.
They were very displeased with me, I sometimes have that effect on others.
So it may be understandable that when it comes to issues of Trust and the Inherent Benevolence of Human Nature, our World Views can and do diverge.
One aspect that my friend felt I might be taking to extremes was the topic of one of the persons standing for the District 33 Republican Nomination being a Democrat in the not too distant past.
I think this is an important topic.
Has he had an Epiphany?
Did the person experience a Blinding Flash of Light on the Road to Des Moines, and Renouncing his former Tax and Spend Debauchery Arise from whence he had been Stricken Reborn and Goes Forth Now to Sin No More?
That is to say was his Revelation Qualitative, rather than Quantitative?
If he is of an age with me he would have been a Democrat during the years of LBJ, Nixon, Carter, Reagan, Bush I, Clinton, Bush II and yes until just recently Obama.
Have his Core Values Changed?
Or is his dispute only a matter of the Excess to which the Far Left Leadership have taken his Former Party ?
Is he now a Republican in other aspects than Registration
or could he be a
DIABLO (Democrat In All But Label Only)
Can we determine this in the FIVE MINUTE Speech we will be given?
Go Ye Hence to the Meeting as Wilson Middle School (On the corner of J and Wilson) Thursday Night and Inquire
As he neared Des Moines on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him,
"Why do you persecute me?"
"Who are you, ?" He asked.
"I am the TAXPAYER, whom you are persecuting," he replied. "Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do."
I'm seven and a half, exactly.' 
