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Category: Executive

Joel Kaplan is confused about Conservatism

Posted by Kevin Smith – 12/11/08

I just listened to Joel Kaplan, White House Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy, on the Hugh Hewitt Show try to say that this auto bailout should make conservatives happy. Why? Because the money will help forestall Detroit’s experiencing of market forces while at the same time appointing a car czar with the kind of leverage to force the car companies to properly restructure. Yes, propped up industries taking orders from the government is very Conservative. I can’t see anywhere this plan could possibly go awry.

Sigh… and this is the White House we’ve been dealing with for 8 years. Seriously libs, please don’t go thinking this President was Conservative by any stretch of the imagination.

For future reference: Obama's Platform

Posted by Kevin Smith – 11/9/08

I’m reposting something I read on Facebook because 1) Facebook is a closed-network, and 2) things posted to Facebook have a way of going down the memory hole. The following is from a friend of a friend, Leslie Taylor. – Kev

Now that we know Obama is going to be president, I wanted to write down some of the things he stood for during this campaign. I want to do this because I want for us to hold him (as well as all our elected officials) accountable. I want everyone to know where he says he stood when he wanted your vote, and to make sure you see where he goes once he gets it. For too long we have forgotten too soon what our candidates have promised and supposedly stood for, so I hope that this will serve as a reminder. I hope to at least look back at this list every year, to review what has been done during that year. I am not going to hit every single subject – but I’m going to try to focus on the main ones. I am also going to try to be totally fair. My goal is simply to plainly state the facts of what he supports. If you feel I have missed something, please let me know, with sources to support your claim, so that I can repair any misinformation I present here. For this to work, it needs to be accurate – so if I am not, please let me know, *with sources*. So now, onto the list of his claims. PLEASE NOTE that all of these are taken directly from his website, unless otherwise stated.  More…

Redistribution of Wealth: Not just a slip, folks (with self-hosted video)

Posted by Kevin Smith – 10/27/08

You’ve no doubt been hearing the argument that Obama’s Redistribution of Wealth comment to Joe the Plumber was just a slip. (Even so, a Freudian slip is still quite revealing.) But now, new startling evidence is surfacing that it wasn’t a slip. Rather, it was revealing of an ideology that has been reasoned out by Obama. After the fold, hear the 2001 interview with Obama concerning not if Redistribution of Wealth is right or wrong but how our activist might best achieve it. It’s a foregone conclusion for Obama that it must be done.

More…

Supporting Obama / Voting for McCain

Posted by Kevin Smith – 10/20/08

Here’s someone discussing the most salient issues, and has come to the logical conclusion that a McCain Administration would be better for America than an Obama Administration.

My favorite is his succinct version of their plans for a prosperous America. Obama’s includes a Robin Hood economic policy driven by emotional class warfare. McCain’s includes creating environment where we everyone can pursue happiness — you know, like those old guys talked about in the Declaration of Independence — but does not guarantee prosperity for anyone.

‘Course he’s probably just a racist shill of the Republican Party.

Camp Obama

Posted by Kevin Smith – 10/5/08

Keep telling yourself this man isn’t a socialist agitator. At Investors’ Business Daily, this column details an invitation thousands across the country are now finding in their email inbox.

The unsolicited pitch goes like this: “Camp Obama attendees will receive real world organizing experience that will have a direct impact on this election. Graduates of Camp Obama will go on to become Deputy Field Organizers who will lead this campaign to victory in crucial battleground states around the country.”

The letter continues, “By participating in Camp Obama you’ll get the kind of experience that Barack got as a community organizer on the South Side of Chicago, where he learned that real change happens from the bottom up.”

While the letter neglects to identify the source of that “experience,” a slide on a camp blog linked to the Obama Web site offers a clue. Underneath a “Welcome to Camp Obama” banner, a trainer at Obama headquarters in Chicago is seen speaking next to a wipe board with the words “Saul Alinsky” scrawled across it.

More…

Prediction on First Debate

Posted by Kevin Smith – 9/26/08

My prediction for tonight’s first presidential debate: Obama comes off looking childish and ignorant. Why? Because he’s taken 3 days to study up on foreign policy — you know, so he doesn’t make any more powerful declarations like the one concerning the US not having enough Arabic translators in Afghanistan. Because of the recent economic turmoil, the topics of the debate will shift dramatically to issues of economics rather than foreign policy, and Obama doesn’t have his trusty teleprompter tonight.

On a somewhat related issue, apparently the meeting at the White House yesterday saw McCain showing quiet support for John Boehner and the House Republicans’ plan to have Wall Street bail itself out rather than force Main Street to foot the bill. But here’s what’s ridiculous: The Dems agree with Bush on this bailout, and they’ve got a majority to pass this bill. Hear me: there is no need to have Republican support for this bailout, they’ve got the votes to pass it. So why do the Dems act as if it’s necessary? Because they know it’s a bad idea that’s being rushed through to make Congress look effective, and in a year or so when history proves it, the Dems don’t want to have gone down in flames all by themselves. They’re setting it up so they can rewrite history on this bailout just like they rewrote history on the failed policies that caused this problem in the first place.

Victory?!

Posted by Kevin Smith – 9/23/08

Democrats have decided to allow a quarter-century ban on drilling for oil off the Atlantic and Pacific coasts to expire next week, conceding defeat in a months-long battle with the White House and Republicans set off by $4 a gallon gasoline prices this summer.

I think so. Finally! Some reasonable thinking. More.

Is this McCain thing real?

Posted by Kevin Smith – 2/7/08

First off, this is hilarious:

When people speak of McCain, it’s like they’re talking about cold, coagulated and unsalted mashed potatoes with no gravy; he even looks like that sometimes.

- TERBOcongress

And that’s from a Republican running for Congress. He points out some good stuff in his blog though. He’s not sure exactly how McCain won it. Everywhere, all you hear is people talking about how they don’t like McCain. No one seems to be a fan of him. I’ve seen ONE house with McCain stuff out in front here in Tennessee (specifically Nashville). Sure, I’m a Ron Paul supporter, but I think I’ve actually seen more support for Tancredo than McCain.

So here we are, wondering just how this could’ve happened. Sure, we can hope for the best, praying at least Obama gets the nod instead of Hillary. But let’s stop kidding ourselves. Most likely, this November Americans will have their choice between Hillary–who is easily already as hated as Bush–and McCain–an angry war vet that seems to think his being a POW gives him keys to the White House. The guy brings it up as much as Giuliani did with 9/11. Ask him about any of his terrible legislation. He’ll tell you it’s irrelevant.

What does this mean for the American political landscape. I think that if there ever was a time for the formation of a viable third party, that time is now.

And I don’t say that as a crazy RP supporter with dreams of him winning. I know he won’t. It’s cool. The incredible side effect of him running a spirited campaign is that the message got out. And people just like me, who had always watched politics with a cynic’s eye, may actually now get involved in the process. Imagine the effect of 20 or 30 congressmen or senators who actually uphold the oath they take to protect the Constitution. Suddenly it’s not a fringe group of crazies that love the gold standard. Suddenly people will actually look at the signed document and say, “Oh… look at that. It actually does say ‘gold and silver.’ I guess if we don’t like it, we should go by this part right here that says we can amend it instead of ignoring it.”

No, my dreams predictions of a third party are merely stemming from the overwhelming bad taste Americans have in their mouths for the potential options in the General election. Only one Democrat I know likes Hillary. (And actually, I’ve only heard stories about this person. Fables, really.)

“I’m not voting for that guy,” continues to come from the mouths of Republicans concerning McCain. The man can barely hold back his disdain for his counterparts on the platform. Look pal, I thank you for your service to the country. But you have terrible ideas; there’s a reason so many liberals and illegals love you.

When we all prayed for unity in politics, I don’t think this is what we had in mind. I guess we’ll wait and see what happens with it. I know if there is anyone worth voting for third-party instead of this joke we’ll have with McCain/Hillary… I’ll vote third-party.

What would you do with $500 from a White Supremacist?

Posted by Kevin Smith – 12/21/07

Ron Paul’s campaign would keep the money. Why? According to Jesse Benton, spokesman for the campaign, “Dr. Paul stands for freedom, peace, prosperity and inalienable rights. If someone with small ideologies happens to contribute money to Ron, thinking he can influence Ron in any way, he’s wasted his money.”

I agree. I don’t criticize any candidate for the individuals who send them donations. That’s getting ridiculous, and it’s a sign of desperation from the opposition. A person can only donate $2,300 each, and I doubt such a generous donation from one person could have the power to sway the ideals of even Hillary. Settle down everyone.

When this is the best attack against the Ron Paul campaign, it shows just how few skeletons there are in his closet. I’m not saying he’s perfect. But it wouldn’t matter, anyway. He’s shown consistency between his ideals and his voting, and I agree with his ideals. That’s what we need in the White House, and I think that’s what voters are really looking for. Get ready for an upset.

First they ignore you, then they ridicule you, then they fight you, then you win. 

- Mahatma Gandhi

 

Looks like we’re well into the third stage, folks.

Ron Paul breaks another fundraising record

Posted by Kevin Smith – 12/17/07

Ron Paul Revolution

First it was on Guy Fawkes day. The most ever donated to a candidate online in one 24-hour period: $4.3 million. Today it broke that record, and John Kerry’s one-day donation record of $5.7 million with over $6 million. And all with a grassroots effort from TeaParty07.com. That’s just within the 24-hour block, but donating continued even after midnight EST, leveling off at about $6.2 million.

Never heard of him? I’m not surprised, the media’s definitely snubbing him. I don’t know why, it’s excellent news. Competely Internet-driven grassroots effort continuously raises millions in one-day moneybomb events.

And people are getting excited about him merely because his message just makes sense. He’s not a flashy candidate. He doesn’t promise different groups of American people that he’ll “work for them,” like your run-of-the-mill options. Honestly, I think this guy’s sign is a sentiment for a lot of Americans. I have completely non-political friends getting excited about Ron Paul.

Ron Paul Cured My Apathy

It’s a different kind of support than you’ve ever seen on the campaign trail. It’s not about hating the other candidates. I won’t be voting for Ron Paul because he’s the lesser of two evils. I love his message, and this will be the beginning of a big change for this country. Finally, Washington will see what happens when people have an honest candidate they can get excited about.

He has never voted to raise taxes.
He has never voted for an unbalanced budget.
He has never voted for a federal restriction on gun ownership.
He has never voted to raise congressional pay.
He has never taken a government-paid junket.
He has never voted to increase the power of the executive branch.

He voted against the Patriot Act.
He voted against regulating the Internet.
He voted against the Iraq war.

He does not participate in the lucrative congressional pension program.
He returns a portion of his annual congressional office budget to the U.S. treasury every year.

Awesome. But I can’t possible tell you everything you need to know about Dr. Paul. Except that I donated today, and I definitely don’t even have the expendable income to be doing that. But I believe in his message, and when he speaks, I don’t feel like I’m being fed a line by someone with googly eyes pointed at the White House.

Speaking of Google, find out more, and follow the grassroots advice: “Google Ron Paul“