Saturday, July 12, 2008

I Dream of a Campout.

Still hope for action.
-----link-----
http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=D91RO73O0&show_article=1
---------------
With the clout of the President and the previously mentioned momentum based on overwhelming public opinion, I still have hope that this “do nothing Congress” may yet surprise us. I’ve blogged about how a bottom up movement has kept growing and bubbled up through the system. Republican leaders got on board in the House and Senate, then McCain and Bush are finally joining too. If McCain could just gather all the threads, it would be a chance to prove his abilities and leadership. His experience with working with other leaders could be highlighted. We’ll see. We’ve always at the last moment been able to turn back the naysayer’s. Just maybe this can be the tie breaker. The President did say. “He said Congress must address this issue before it goes home.” Perhaps The President read John Boehner’s alert below.

Yesterday John Boehner sent out this alert on his web site.
-----link-----
http://republicanleader.house.gov/News/DocumentSingle.aspx?DocumentID=97030
--------------
I especially liked the fire in the belly as evidenced by the following quote from Mr. Boehner. ““I’m going to say it one more time, we need to do ‘all of the above’ if we’re serious. We can drill in an environmentally sound way, and that’s what we should be doing… We’re not going to leave here for the August recess until we get a vote on having more American-made energy.””.

Wouldn’t it not be something to see 150-200 members of Congress camped out in the House. The President and or McCain bringing food to them. People starting to gather around and bringing their own lunches. I’d organize a busload from Muskegon Michigan. Believe me I’m serious. If I see Boehner actually “camp out” in the House. I’ll get that busloaded. Can you see the signs?? “DRILL NOW, WHILE CONGRESS HIDES”.. “STICK THIS DRILL UP IRAN’S”.. “GO AHEAD WAKE UP THIS SLEEPING GIANT” “LET’S BANKRUPT OPEC” What a thing this could be. Plus meeting or seeing some of the people who started this out. Like Newt (he for sure would be there), and Dan Burton and Tim Walberg. Oh what larks that could be. Remember Bobby Jindal?? He called the Louisiana legislature back in session twice as a rookie governor. What does Bush have to lose. I don’t want just a bite out of that whole enchilada. Just IMAGINE.

I’m willing if Boehner gives us a sign. I’m sure others in the blogoshere would join with the organizing of a bottom up effort. The kind of decentralized type of thing to create our own mini Woodstock. A conservative Woodstock.Lol. Talk about what goes around comes around. We’ll hope, we’ll see.

Maybe the President read it I don’t know, hopefully McCain did. We the people are starting to. The news is getting out, now the bully pulpit of the Presidency is added. If nothing else the extra publicity will help. It is the job of our elected representatives to represent the will of their constituents. That PEW poll showed what that was without a doubt. Nice to see them doing that, standing up for us that is.

John Boehner is starting an “American Energy Tour”
-----link-----
http://republicanleader.house.gov/News/DocumentSingle.aspx?DocumentID=96880
--------------
Here are the 10 members going with him. We should be hearing more of this later. Maybe they could be the nucleus of campers. Maybe he could talk them into it.
-----list-----
NOTE: Boehner will be joined on the American Energy Tour by Reps. Michele Bachmann (R-MN), Gus Bilirakis (R-FL), Mary Fallin (R-OK), Dean Heller (R-NV), Jim Jordan (R-OH), Doug Lamborn (R-CO), Robert Latta (R-OH), Kevin McCarthy (R-CA), Steve Scalise (R-LA), and Adrian Smith (R-NE).
-------------
Whatever happens I salute their efforts. John Boehner has stepped up as the leader in this. Anyone else think this is possible?

If you think this a fantasy, It may be, but I’d rather live by a positive “can do” fantasy than the negative “can’t do anything” fantasy we’re surrounded by today.

Regards, Live Dangerously Be A Conservative

Friday, July 11, 2008

Pass It Now, Pass It As It Is, Compromise Later

Again I can’t help but like Tim Walberg’s leadership on the energy issue, below is from yesterday.
-----Tim’s Bolg------
http://walberg.house.gov/Blog/
---------------------
The no more excuses legislation was what I’ve called the first volley in the House battle over energy. There is a “discharge petition” in the House to force this energy bill out of committee and onto the House floor for an actual vote. Needs 218 votes, Tim has come up with 153 so far. This will probably not come about because the “Big Shots” are negotiating now. Harry Reid the head obstacle is even sounding like he is feeling the heat and may be open to compromise. Other Democrats are caving in by varying degrees.

Below is a link from Politico I lifted.
-----link------
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0708/11649.html
----------------
The Democrats are trying to stall as always, stick their heads in the sand, blame it on somebody else. It’s not their fault, they’re only the majority party in control of the House and Senate. What do the people expect them to do. --- Something??

Catskill (D-MO) and Majority Whip Richard J. Durbin (D-Ill) are harping back to the idea that the oil companies should drill on the land they already have leased that they can’t find oil on, before they consider other places. Like it really matters where it comes from.
I quote him from the article. “Beyond that, if there is a suggestion of some new area to go into, I’ll look at it.” Boy that is really big of him. Hope he can find the time in between fund raisers at Greenpeace and the Sierra Club. How condescending can you get. This sure is the party of Change. Well maybe Change any real Change into the same old same old.

Again I quote the article from a Greenpeace spokesman.
-----quote-----
“The bottom line is, politicians who are trying to sell offshore drilling as a quick fix are not looking at the core of the problem — years of failed energy policy,” said Greenpeace senior legislative coordinator Kate Smolski.
-----------------
He obviously fails to comprehend that the “years of failed energy policy” are the fault of groups like his in their self righteous closed mindedness to compromise. Their fanaticism. Well the people do and they are being forced to become a little fanatic in return and as they start stretching their muscles the public is remembering how nice that brand of freedom feels.

Now it is up to the Republican leaders in the House and Senate. If they could both come together and unite they would have the power needed. What I don’t want to see is this energy bill get watered down. A little here and a little there and we will no doubt fulfill the Democrat prophesy of little change at the pump. The country needs a complete energy effort as Tim Walberg alluded to. An all out effort like the Manhattan project or the Man on the Moon effort.

In my opinion the Republicans are in the right place at the right time to force an energy independence type of bill through. They have to hold their hand and not give in and keep putting the Democrats feet to the fire. It would be nice to see McCain really get behind this. But either way the voters are definitely behind it. All I can say to Boehner and McConnell is: Fight Like Your Country’s Life Depends On It. Because it does.

Regards, Live Dangerously Be A Conservative

Thursday, July 10, 2008

CAN DO AMERICANS

“CAN DO AMERICA”

The idea of a “Can Do America” vs. a “do nothing America” from a “do nothing Congress” to a “fix it now Congress” is starting to take hold. From a groundswell of the people, first brought to my attention by Newt Gingrich then some congressmen started seeing the same need to do something and struck out nearly alone. I’ve posted before in my “guerilla war” posts about these individuals. I don’t know them personally but I know the feeling that drives them. I’m picking it up by the handfuls where ever and whenever I find it, from The People. It’s that “Can Do” positive attitude. It’s the inspiration that let’s three congressmen stand alone on the House floor after hours and try to start a conversation about doing something about the rising fuel costs. They were Lynn Westmoreland, Tom Price and a conservative leader in the House, Dan Burton. Their struggle was then picked up by the Republican leadership in the House and Senate, namely John Boehner, and Mitch McConnell. The people have finally gotten through to Washington. It was a Republican message a Republican bottom up effort. Now I see the Democrats trying to make it look like they had wanted to drill all along. Somehow it was probably Bush’s fault and the minority party in Congress that stopped them. I think "The People" have had enough of that story. I think they are liking the new "common sense" story they are hearing from the Republicans better.

Our Leadership will be hard pressed to come up with a compromise solution that keeps the "common sense" approach yet still actually produce a bill that increases supply. That seems to be the core Conservative approach that shouldn’t be compromised. Increase production. I just saw Dan Burton’s latest statement on his site, I’ve linked it below. As one of the “guerilla” leaders initially he sums up the whole matter pretty succinctly. My “common sense leadership award” goes to him today.
-----link-----
http://www.danburtonblog.com/
---------------
Let me here restate my thanks to all the leadership for taking the lead so effectively. John Boehner the Leader of the House Republicans is charging full speed ahead. Everyday he is firing from the front lines. He walked out of the Country Club picked up a bayonet and is putting himself out there. He is building it I hope the rest of us will come. The least we can do is to watch his back. Look again at his web site. He is daily coming up with new ideas, keeping the Democrats off balance. He’s now is organizing a tour to help dramatize and publicize the fact that we really can do “all of the above” in regards to becoming energy independent. He is taking the lead showing that Conservative solutions work. The more support we can give him and Mitch McConnell in the Senate, the better compromise we will end up with.

For those of my brethren who complain that John McCain isn't following suit and isn't running a big ad campaign about this. Think of what "bottom up" means. First we had the people complaining about the rising cost of gas. Then a private citizen and a few members of the house and senate, now the leadership has joined. I too hope John McCain will follow, we can sure use his help and he sure could use ours: but this is too big a message to be stopped by one person.

Let’s not bitch later over what we didn’t get, but let us fight now for what we can get. That will also show those who have fought the long fight in the wilderness that it was not in vain. I don’t pretend to know all of the unsung heroes, I just will mention some I’ve found more in the public eye such a Newt Gingrich, Dan Burton, Tom Price, Lynn Westmoreland, and Tim Walberg.
I’ve emailed and talked with them. I want to let them know that they have a following that they have at least my support. Let’s face it I like a pat on the back. They’re human, I want to thank them for going the extra mile.

In my side bar under “Old Standby Links” I have links to all I’ve mentioned. I’ll list them here. All the sites have contact buttons. Push one. lol

John Boehner the House Republican Leader .
-----link-----
http://republicanleader.house.gov/
---------------
Dan Burton Conservative House
------link-----
http://www.danburtonblog.com/
----------------
Mitch McConnell Senate Republican Leader
-----link-----
http://mcconnell.senate.gov/
---------------
Tim Walberg House member
-----link-----
http://walberg.house.gov/
---------------

Regards, Live Dangerously Be A Conservative

Wednesday, July 9, 2008

I M A G I N E

Imagine

Imagine a newly elected Governor (who happens to be the youngest ever governor) from a state that is reeling from the effects of both Katrina and FEMA . Imagine that kid standing up and recalling the opposition controlled congress back into emergency session. The imagine that same governor pushing for and getting passed one of the strongest financial disclosure bills in the country. Last week there were mass resignations from state boards and commissions. Imagine the angst boiling under the surface at this young man. I Imagine I’m starting to like this guy.

Imagine, he has only been in office 6 months. He not only did the above but he did the below. He has cut taxes 6 times, personal taxes. He got rid of the department of Labor, in it’s place guaranteeing employers that the learning institutions will train them and if not they will be retrained for free.

Imagine then that he doubled the number of charter schools, also at the same time creating 10 million in scholarships for 1500 poor children to be able to have a choice in their school. I Imagine this young man fits into my “Can Do” “Make Do, Make it Now, Make It Work” ideas. I Imagine he is writing a whole chapter in that book. A better chapter. A better analogy would be he is building a new wing on the house a better wing; as this young man is more about “doing” than he is about writing (blogging) or talking about it.

Then in his free time he Imagined that by creating “The Health Care Consumers Right to Know Act”
That transparency would for the first time in Health Care be available to the residents of that state. Then what he Imagined he made come to be.

Oh I almost forgot he vetoed 9 million in Pork barrel stuff. Imagine what the financial world thinks of them apples. Well they’re buying. The Bond rating for the state has gone up 3 times. Imagine that.

Well you no longer have to imagine. The above governor is real his name is Bobby Jindal from Louisiana. He has been touted as a possible VP for John McCain. I have mixed opinions on that. I tend to think I would rather he stay doing what he’s doing and maybe run for President in 4 or 8 years. Just Imagine what he could do in a full term or 2 as governor. On the other hand I wish some of his ideas and energy could rub off on Senator McCain. Either way in any event, I imagine this young leader would flourish, and the people he served would be the better for it.

I admit that I lifted all of this except the last paragraph from a Newt Gingrich Newsletter. Not word for word, but pretty much all the thought and facts. I tried to post a link but can't because it is an email. I can't find it on Newt's site either. But my rendition of it is pretty close. If you want a copy I'll email you one. My email is glhotdogs@verizon.net
I also admit to really liking Bobby Jindal. I wrote a couple other blogs about him.
------blog-----
http://conservativeinmuskegon.blogspot.com/search/label/Jindal
----------------
In the above link I see I posted 4 times in the past, (Imagine that) if you scroll to the last post it will be in the order I wrote them and you’ll see my growing thought about Bobby Jindal.

My thanks go to Newt as always for being a beacon for those of us trying to find our way in these turbulent times.

Regards, Live Dangerously Be A Conservative

Tuesday, July 8, 2008

"The Grand New Party"

In my previous post I quoted the governor of Minnesota John Pawlenty about how he thought the Republicans need to merge the “Country Club with the Sam’s Club crowd.” I liked that phrase so much I googled it.

Below is a link to an article by David Brooks. One of my favorite writers.
-----link-----
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/27/opinion/27brooks.html?_r=1&oref=slogin
---------------
This guy is singing my tune. It’s nice to see I’m not alone in thinking that there is something wrong with the Republican Party. In the path it has chosen. I have previously blogged about him and the idea of a new path for The Republican party. In the article above Mr. Brooks highlights a collaborative effort by two younger writers who wrote the book “Grand New Party: How Republicans Can Win the Working Class and Save the American Dream.” The two young writers are Ross Douthat and Reihan Salam. David Brooks writes about the motivation for that book comes from the Pawlenty quote. The internet does indeed make the world smaller.
Below is a quote from David’s article that I couldn’t pass by.
-----quote-----
“What all these ideas, from the sober to the speculative, have in common is a vision of working-class independence — from bosses, from bureaucracy, from entrenched interests of all kinds,” Douthat and Salam write. This is not compassionate conservatism (which flattered the mind of the compassionate donor), it’s hard-work conservatism, which uses government to increase the odds that self-discipline and effort will pay off.
---------------
How cool is that. Using the government to “facilitate” the success of conservative principles like hard work self-discipline. The key that will make it work is found in the simple notion of Freedom. Douthat and Salam talked of freedom from bosses bureaucracy and entrenched interests of all kinds. I would include unions in that. As in my previous blog I talked of the enhanced freedom the internet is bringing to it’s users. That the internet can be the tool that allows people to become free of those bosses among others. We need not use the libertarian idea that government is bad. Tear it down. Let’s be more Reagan like. Let us introduce conservative solutions and let them work their magic. Let’s work with what we have (make do, make it now, make it work). Changes as to governments size and scope will be a natural reaction to our conservative ideas. The people will begin to demand those changes as they get a taste of that freedom. Much as I blogged about the youth taking for granted the new freedoms of the internet and how they would fight any changes to that freedom. That’s the kind of conservative working class ethic I’m pushing. The British Conservatives have done just that. Overcoming the inertia of the Country Club crowd will be the trick. This will have to be a revolution from the “bottom up” as a friend of mine says, a battle of David’s. The outcome will take time and hinge upon the number of David’s willing to come forward to lead.

The recent pew poll shows our dilemma. The number one issue we as Republicans have is the price of gasoline, our conservative common sense answer to that is to produce more oil as we push for alternatives. The poll showed the vast majority (over 80%) in favor of drilling vs. using a redistribution of wealth (taxes and regulation) to get out of the problem. While all the “guerilla” efforts by the Republican’s including Newt Gingrich’s “Drill Here” petition have changed the majority view about drilling the one group that actually showed declining support for drilling was the Republican. The groups that one thinks of as the Democrat base, (young, college, women) all increased their support of drilling by double digits, some in the 20’s. The Republicans actually showed a decline.

What is wrong here? Are we just too old to change our minds? Are our synapses too fried? Perhaps we think it’s a conspiracy by the left to trick us. We’ve been tricked in the past. Is it our distrust of the leadership and or of government in general. Maybe we just like being in the minority. It allows us to bitch without worrying about the consequences. What ever it is, it seems to be based in the negative. Our guerilla war is based in the positive. It is working. Ronald Reagan was based in the positive, his ideas worked. My simple conclusion is that our leaders need to become more positive more of a can do type of leadership, our party needs to be the vehicle of change for the better. I’ve also blogged in the past the idea that sometimes a person just has to strike out on their own, use God’s gifts and come up with their own ideas. I’ve been trying to do just that, build my own idea of what the party should be and see if anyone will agree. See if I can fit my ideas into what some others think. David Brooks and I hope the authors of “The Grand New Party” are forming a nucleus into which I can fit my ideas. That book is going on my reading list. Well I’m through for now, off to Amazon on line (Ain’t the internet cool?) then off to work. (Ain’t bosses a bitch) lol.

Regards, Live Dangerously Be A Conservative


================================

Link from John Boehner on upcoming battle starting today (Tuesday), over drilling.
-----link-----
http://republicanleader.house.gov/News/DocumentSingle.aspx?DocumentID=96485
---------------
Too much going on in my fantasy. Here is some more guerilla stuff.

Below is a link to what Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell put in a press release on the 7th. The Senate was on CSPAN yesterday. The Dems all of a sudden are all for drilling etc. Gee maybe they saw the pew poll above. Lol. Both our leaders in the House and Senate are on board with this “little” guerilla war. Now if we can keep to our conservative ideas and compromise only on the mechanics, we will have won a battle. Our first battle that we can build upon. Build a coalition on. Now if we can keep ourselves out of the way, we have a chance. Talk to your republican friends about getting behind this effort. The Democrats are more than willing to take this issue away too in their election day rush to the middle.
-----link-----
http://mcconnell.senate.gov/record.cfm?id=300175&start=1
---------------
Mitch wrote a great press release. He kept it to short slogans which captured the ideas better than long winded oratory.
-----quote-----
‘We need to take up and pass legislation that not only makes a statement, but which makes a difference’
-----------------
He repeated that again. Again and Again would have been fine with me. Lol
Another
-----link-----
“Find More, Use Less.’
---------------
The fireworks will soon be happening. John Boehner our leader in the House will be firing on all cylinders today as the House opens back up for business. Call your Congressmen. Email them talk to their wives. Well maybe not that. Lol. What the heck why not if you can.
Mitch McConnell in the Senate has already begun as the Senate was in session yesterday. I would also tune into CSPAN and see if we can boost their ratings which would send a message also. Again talk to your republican friends. I know a bunch that will be saying that this is too little too late, that this will not help. Remind them that Ron Reagan was known not for his pessimistic attitude. Point out the “can do” optimism in the above quotes. Show how the negativism of the Dems is front and center and should be attacked and exposed.

Again Regards, Live Dangerously Be A Conservative

Monday, July 7, 2008

The Internet and the Users Of It.

The Internet and the users of it. A lot of the youth would be included in this group. While I am not. (young that is. Lol.) So I’ll talk from my perspective about why I think the Internet can eventually be something that conservatives can and should use to their advantage.

For example, when I was little it was a big deal to get a long distance phone call from another city. The house would stop functioning, all noise would cease so nothing would interfere; as we would gather by the phone. If I was lucky I could say hello to Grandpa. What a marvel that seemed. An early taste of freedom. Second only to my bicycle.

I remember taking typing class in high school. What a misery it was. I could never get to the magic 40 words per minute. And oh the misery of mistakes. Take out the paper and start all over again, or have a Salvador Dahli like impression of a document splashed with White Out. For the next 30 years, I probably didn’t type over 5 pages. I totally lost the little ability that I had on a keyboard. Then came the internet. First I was astonished with the scope of the world wide web. I was able to research any topic I wanted from my home. When I got into the Tesla Museum in a far off little known country and was able to VIEW the exhibits and read some articles I was astounded. What a marvel it seemed. A larger taste of freedom. Second only to my car.

As the speeds went from megs to gigs etc. I found myself glued to the screen. I mean my first user name was 3 letters and my password was 4. AZO PAZO. That was awhile ago. Lol.
I was having a ball, I could search what ever caught my eye, go there then see what caught my eye and go there, kind of a free form search directed by some unseen power!! Towards what end I didn’t care. The journey was becoming the fun part. I was in my own heaven.

That seemed miraculous enough, but then came the interaction. First I was typing only in the search boxes. Then however, message boards came into play. Typing at a faster pace seemed to be a worthwhile thing. I started to re-teach myself. I’m glad that I remembered the basic position of the fingers. Now I type pretty fast without looking, and accurate too. The whole idea of asking a question from someone, whom I didn’t know, or where they lived. Well. What a marvel it seemed. What freedom it was.

The world soon was catching up with the Internet. Soon I was buying books and all sorts of things on the Web. I’d like to highlight a couple of those things here. Car insurance and stocks. I had previously bought Car insurance through a broker, a real person in town. I would make an appointment, drive over with my information, and listen to this guy’s sales pitch about a package he sold and all the benefits it offered. I was just happy to get out of there. It always seemed like only he had the magic knowledge and or solution to my problem. Let’s face it I was a captive audience. I really didn’t want to make another appointment, lose another half day, hear another speal to get basically the same thing. Then came GEICO and the whole game changed. They and others forced the industry to go internet. A middle man may have lost his job, but my guy is still there (not mine any longer). The good ones are still there, but they are all online. I can check out in minutes what would of taken me days. What a Marvel. What freedom. What transparency. I found the key to the “Magic knowledge”.

Second example. I had saved $500 a long time ago. I thought maybe I should invest it in stocks. I made an appointment and the fella did speak with me but it was obvious that he thought he and I were wasting my time and more importantly wasting his. The fees etc. would out weigh any gain I might make. Plus the fees were so small for him. He basically let me know that he had bigger fish to fry. From my previously mentioned use of the internet, I soon found online stock brokers. Do it yourself stock buying and selling with low enough entry points that I could qualify for. All that previously mysterious information jealously guarded by my previous broker was at my fingertips if I wanted to find it. From home at my leisure, 24/7!! What a Marvel, What Freedom, What Transparency.

What I was learning through the internet seemed great and glorious. I would savor each and every new little advance, each new little piece of freedom. The youth today, (as I see it in my children, now adults themselves) accept all this freedom as their right. While to a lot of people my age may tend to think they take it for granted, we might want to cut them some slack because the youth demand this new freedom as their right. Anyone or any party that for whatever reason threatens or appears to threaten to take away that freedom will face some fierce opposition if the internet users feel their new rights to the information and freedom are threatened.

Much as our forefathers once settled in this new country and away from restrictions on their freedoms, dediced to fight pretty hard to keep and enshrine those freedoms in our Constitutional Government. They too soon took those freedoms for granted so they could get on with their lives. But we saw what happened in WWII when those freedoms were threatened. We rose nearly as one and reminded the world that we remembered what Freedom was. What we had learned.

What does our freedom give us but the ability to make what ever choices WE decide? Not what the government or a certain religion decides is best for us. The internet allows the youth the tool they need to see just how bad the government in our names has done lately. How could any conservative who believes in Freedom of the individual be against the Internet and what the Youth is learning from it. Remember, the same internet that Obama used so well, now is starting to show that maybe he is not all he is cracked up to be. The Internet first wowed us then started to give us a tool to seek what we personally wanted, then set up whole new ways to get those things. In the free market, where we vote with our pocketbooks. Through our own decisions and actions we learn what actually works. Through trial and error sometimes. Our currency in the market place of politics is our vote. Trial and error will happen here also. That is not a bad thing, seeing how the internet is based on providing more information, we have a chance to use less trial and error. More trial and success.

If the youth is engaged in this election then I applaud them. If the Republican party, like the Insurance guy and the Stock guy above, keep trying to keep the knowledge cloistered with a few then we deserve to lose. Just as it may take the “youth” an election cycle or two to see and react to their decisions, it will probably take that long for the Republicans to act in a way that better reflects their slogans.

The end result will be good for the country. Can be good for the Republicans. Then we may all see What a Marvel, Transparency through the Internet can make of Freedom. What new heights of Freedom the Internet can allow us to attain.

I think Governor Pawlenty of Minnesota captured the essence of what the Republican problem is when he said and this may not be a direct quote. The Republicans have to start to merge the Country Club with the Sam’s Club or there will be trouble. Just as Obama is finding out with his elitist bordering on condescending manner. In my limited experience, we at the local level have to not only open up our membership, but open the way we function. Open up our minds.

Regards, Live Dangerously Be A Conservative

Sunday, July 6, 2008

SPLASH AND DASH

Splash and Dash.

Another concrete specific Republican proposal to do something about the Energy Problem. There is a problem, a loophole in the bio-diesel subsidy recently enacted. The catch phrase explaining it “Splash and Dash” I saw it last night on FOX. I found the link below this morning.
-----link-----
http://johnshadegg.house.gov/Multimedia/?MediaID=212
---------------
Another “common sense” piece of legislation put on the House floor by a Republican. Something concrete to fix a relatively small problem. The scam is obvious, the fix is simple if the Republicans back it 100% the Dems will look pretty “same old, same old” or dare I say anti-change. Maybe this will be the log jam breaker to start building a coalition with some of the Democrats for the good of the country. For common sense for the idea of Make Do, Make It Now, Make It Work. Or doing something constructive to lower the costs, while we wait for the democrats to invent the free energy machine. I call it good stewardship of the peoples money.

If you’ll remember John Shadegg (R Az) and Tom Colburn introduced an Enumerated Powers Act . A snippet I found explains that act,
-----snippet-----
Many in Congress have forgotten the words of Thomas Jefferson -- that "Congress has not unlimited powers to provide for the general welfare, but only those specifically enumerated." Rep. John Shadegg (R-Ariz.) and Sen. Tom Coburn (R-Okla.) haven’t forgotten, judging by their “Enumerated Powers Act.” Under it, all bills introduced would have to contain “a concise and definite statement” citing the specific provision in the constitution as authority for a bill. If there is no specific authority for a new “Bridge to Nowhere,” for an earmark to improve the shelf life of vegetables, or to federally fund Planned Parenthood, then a member of the House or Senate can raise a point of order against the legislation.
-----------------
I showed that snippet to show where Shadegg is coming from. He is one of the few Republicans who have been beating the drum for awhile now. Let’s get behind them on the Energy thing. John Shadegg has chosen not to run again this year. That is too bad. Hope we can find a good replacement. There are so many ways to fix the government. One piece at a time.

The whole concept of Transparency in government across the board as a major issue can be highlighted by specific solutions as advocated by Dan Burton in health care.

Maybe this scam is obnoxious enough that Republicans and Democrats both will stand up to the special interests on this one. It would be nice to see the Do nothing Congress become a Get it Done Congress. A Congress that gets things done with up and down votes in a transparent manner for all to see. Not with some earmark or amendment to an omnibus bill at the last minute. Younger voters are demanding as their unalienable right the ability to get the information they want when they want it. They will demand to know the facts before they make up their minds. They want truth and transparency. No more politics as usual. What they don’t want is the usual dance around the issues at election time. I think they are getting a glimpse of Bill Clinton, or George Bush in Barrack Obama’s new push to the center.

That recent Pew poll showed that the group with the largest change in favor of drilling was in the young voters. This group is fiscally conservative as far as what the government does with tax money. Republicans locally have a real chance here. In order to take advantage, I think the local parties have to start making changes that open themselves up to volunteers and new ideas, The Internet for one. Just plain friendliness for another, and lay off the condescension. Please.

Regards, Live Dangerously Be A Conservative