Observing Earth Hour

Opps, I almost missed Earth Hour. I just went outside to turn on my porch light to protest silly symbolism. My porch light is one of those weird shaped environmentally friendly lights however, so I am not burning many watts.

I live in what must be one of the most liberal communities in Nashville. Our community is so liberal that we don't call our Crime Watch captains, "captains," because that sounds too militaristic. Our neighborhood organization has adopted a statement saying we welcome people of all sexual orientations and gender preferences. We are pretty liberal. I did not see any dark houses on my street. Everyone had their light on. Was Earth Hour really tonight?

Top Stories

The Leadership Institute: highly recommended.

Today, I attended an all-day campaign school put on by The Leadership Institute. It was great! I highly recommend this program should it come to your home town. The Leadership Institute has been around for over forty years training conservative youth and candidates and other activist. The event was from 8:30 AM until 6PM and was on the campus of Vanderbilt University in a comfortable lecture hall. Parking was free and we had a nice box lunch from Panera Bread. The total cost was only $25.

While this event was geared toward conservatives, the actual curriculum was basic nuts and bolts stuff. Here was the curriculum:

• Campaign Structure and Organization
• Voter ID and Targeting
• Developing a Persuasive Message
• Recruiting and Motivating Volunteers
• Precinct Organization
• Door-to-Door and Phones
• Using the Social Media
  
• Fundraising-Finance Plan and Budget
• Get-Out-The-Vote (GOTV)

Also, today there was a youth activism school which was a two-day event and also took place at Vandy. I don't know how many people attended the youth activism school, but about 125 people attended the campaign school.

To win elections and reverse the disastrous path which our country is on takes more than anger and enthusiasm; it takes skills and leadership. If you are a candidate, want to become a candidate, want to work in someone's campaign, simply want to become a more valuable activist, or want to get plugged in and network with other activist and this campaign school comes to your town, please don't miss it.

Top Stories

Are they really evil or simply wrong?

The battles are not over, but the march toward the government obtaining absolute control over every aspect of the American economy continues unabated. Following the government seizing the power to dictate the compensation of employees of banks, gaining a major ownership interest in General Motors, and effectively nationalizing the 1/6th of the economy which is health care, now the government has extended its authority to regulate virtually any company that engages in financial activity. Financial activity is so broadly defined that it includes almost every company in America. The "Restoring American Financial Stability Act of 2010" is the latest measure the Democrats have passed to seize power. To read more of how this act transfers unprecedented and virtually unlimited power from the private sector to the government read the story.

The government does not actually have to own the means of production to exercise control over the means of production. Looking over every producers shoulder and telling him what he may and may not do, will be a bureaucrat. The next major power grab, unless it can be stopped, will be passage of a cap and trade bill which will let the government pick winners and losers in virtually every industry that consumes or produces energy. The portion of the private sector that is really private is shrinking by the day.

I am not one to normally use alarmist language but I am alarmed. I do not normally engage in doom and gloom but I am feeling gloomy. I have always thought that there was an ebb and flow to politics. I have always thought that we could correct things come the next election. I have even been known to argue that America was a centrist nation and that despite our periods of partisanship that in reality change was a matter of degree and was seldom radical. I have thought that in reality there was not much difference between Democrats and Republicans and I did not think that that was a bad thing. I thought most elected officials of either party were for the most part pragmatic people seeking to solve problems. To use a football analogy, I have said we are all playing within the 45 yard lines. I have argued that while we may be partisan at times, we are not ideological. I have assumed that despite disagreement over specific issues, that there was general agreement that government should be limited, that a market economy was generally preferable to socialism and that personal responsibility, individual initiative, and an entrepreneurial spirit were virtues and shared values.

I am not so sure any more. The only thing that may have kept us from going off the deep end all along was a divided government and balance of power. Those with a different set of values may have been waiting for this opportunity to remake America all of their lives. I may have only thought there was a set of shared values in this land. For the first time in my lifetime, I fear for our country. I am afraid that with the government exercise of such enormous control over the economy, combined with our enormous national debt which is unsustainable, that our days as a free and prosperous and great nation may very well be numbered. I am afraid that the days of American exceptionalism are over. I fear we will become a nation so burdened by debt and bureaucracy that wealth creation will be virtually impossible and that the American people will become a people that continually look to government to redivide a constantly shrinking pie.

We have let the government gain such control that we will gradually surrender the last vestiges of our freedom without a whimper. We have traded our freedom for a bowl of porridge and a feel-good dose of hope.

Not only do I feel gloomy because I see our nation slipping away, but I feel the partisan divide is slipping into downright hostility and a deep division that may not heal. I have had occasion to feel the sting of anger and bitter righteous indignation from those who thinks that because I oppose the recently passed health care reform that I am selfish and hard-hearted and they wonder how I can be on the side that wants to deny health insurance to those without it. Those who passionately fought for and hoped for Obamacare, do not see those of us on this side as also wanting what is best for the individual and for our nation. They do not recognize that we think we have superior ideas for reforming health care; they simply see us as evil.

I feel saddened by this. Yet, the truth is that I feel much the same way toward them and I don't like it. I feel anger toward those who are supporting the destruction of our freedom and the qualities that have made America unique. I am angry that they are destroying our system of free enterprise and taking our liberties. I tell myself that they are not really evil but simply wrong. I have to keep telling myself that because sometimes I feel that what they are doing to this country that I love is pure evil.

Top Stories

Tennessee Health Freedom Act

Below is the analysis and summary of the Tennessee Health Freedom Act copied from web site of the Tennessee General Assembly. Democrats are trying to block passage of this bill. Conservative activist are lobbying hard for passage. A battle rages in Tennessee. What makes this bill more than a symbolic gesture is that under this act, the Attorney General is required to defend anyone who is prosecuted for exercising his or rights under this bill.

SB 3498 by *Beavers, Tracy, Black, Crowe, Norris, Johnson, Watson, Ramsey, Faulk. (*HB 3433 by *Bell, Weaver, Harwell, Carr, Williams, Dunn, McDaniel, Matheny.)

Health Care - As introduced, enacts "Tennessee Health Freedom Act." - Amends TCA Title 8; Title 56; Title 63; Title 68 and Title 71.

Fiscal Summary

Increase State Expenditures - Not Significant

Bill Summary

This bill provides that it is the public policy of this state that every person within this state is and will be free to choose or decline to choose any mode of securing health care services without penalty or threat of penalty, and this bill provides that with this bill the state is exercising its sovereign power to declare this public policy.

This bill provides the following in regard to this state public policy:

(1) The policy stated in this bill will not be applied to impair any right of contract related to the provision of health care services to any person or group;
(2) No public official, employee, or agent of this state or any of its political subdivisions may act to impose, collect, enforce, or effectuate any penalty in this state that violates the public policy set forth in this bill; and
(3) It is the duty of the attorney general and reporter to seek injunctive and any other appropriate relief as expeditiously as possible to preserve the rights and property of the residents of this state, and to defend as necessary this state, its officials, employees and agents in the event that any law or regulation violating the public policy set forth in this bill is enacted by any government, subdivision or agency thereof.

ON FEBRUARY 17, 2010, THE SENATE ADOPTED AMENDMENT #1 AND PASSED SENATE BILL 3498, AS AMENDED.

AMENDMENT #1 specifies that it will be the public policy of this state for Tennesseans to be able to choose their mode of securing health care services without penalty or threat of penalty by the federal government.

Top Stories

Resolution urging the State House to pass the Tennessee Health Freedom Act

Tonight the Davidson County Republican Party passed a resolution urging the State House to pass the Tennessee Health Freedom Act and urging the State Attorney General to file suit to challenge the constitutionality of the Health Care Reform Act. I drafted the resolution for the DCRP. House committee Democrats have The Tennessee Health Freedom Act bottled up in committee. Below is the text of the letter to the committee and the accompanying resolution.


March 23, 2010

TO: Members of the Commerce Committee/Industrial Impact

FROM: Kathleen Starnes, Chairman

RE: Passage of the Tennessee Health Freedom Act

At its regular monthly meeting on Tuesday, March 23, the Davidson County Republican Party unanimously passed a resolution urging the State House to pass the Tennessee Health Freedom Act and requesting the State Attorney General to file suit to challenge the constitutionality of the recently passed Health Care Reform Act (HR 3590 passed 3/21/10).

A copy of the DCRP’s resolution is included with this cover memo and is being
provided to every committee member.

We believe the ideas and concerns expressed in this resolution speak for a great majority of citizens and GOP leaders in Tennessee whose voices and opinions were ignored or rebuffed by members of our United States Congress.

We ask you, as the governing leaders of our State, to hear the voice of the people for rational health care reform that relies on market forces and empowers the individual.

Thank you.


A Resolution Urging Passage of the Tennessee Health Freedom Act and Requesting the Tennessee Attorney General to File Suit Challenging the Constitutionality of the Health Care Reform Act (HR 3590 passed 3/21/10)


WHEREAS the Davidson County Republican Party (DCRP) recognizes the need for health care reform that will expand health care coverage and control costs, we support rational reform, including tort reform and the lifting of the prohibition on purchasing insurance across state lines,

WHEREAS we believe that the most efficient and equitable policies for reforming health care are those that rely on market forces and empower the individual,

WHEREAS we oppose the recently passed Health Care Reform Act which will greatly expand government control over the health care sector which is 1/6th of the U.S. economy,

WHEREAS we oppose the Health Care Reform Act that was passed on a strictly partisan vote employing arm-twisting, corruption, and parliamentary procedures designed to thwart the will of the majority of the American people,

WHEREAS we support the Tennessee Health Freedom Act which protects the right of Tennesseans to participate or not in any health care system, and prohibits the government from imposing fines or penalties on those citizens’ decisions, and it also protects the right of individuals to purchase—and the right of doctors to provide—lawful medical services without government fine or penalty,

WHEREAS similar legislation has been filed in thirty states and the Tennessee Health Freedom Act has passed the state senate by a vote of 26-1, but remains bottled up in the State House,

WHEREAS we also question the constitutionality of the mandate in the Health Care Reform Act which would require individuals to purchase insurance, and we believe that the government lacks the authority to require an individual to purchase health care insurance or any other product,

WHEREAS at least 13 state attorneys general have filed suit against the federal government after President Barack Obama signed the bill,

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED:

The Davidson County Republican Party urges the State House to pass the Tennessee Health Freedom Act without delay.

The Davidson County Republican Party calls for the State Attorney General to file suit to challenge the constitutionality of the Health Care Reform Act (HR 3590).

Top Stories

Vote in the Nashville City Paper poll!

Please vote in the Nashville City Paper poll.
Click on the link above and it will take you to the City Paper homepage. The poll is in the right hand column at the top.

Do you support legislation to have Tennessee exempted from the new federal health care mandate?

Top Stories

Vote in the CNN poll: What is your reaction to the newly passed health care reform bill?

Quick vote

What is your reaction to the newly passed health care reform bill?

• For it
• Against it
• Not sure

Vote in the CNN poll. The poll is on the CNN home page, on the right side, just a bit down from the top. If you're against the Obama Health care plan, please vote in this poll and spread this around because those who are for it are winning. Pass this on.

Top Stories

A Turning Point In Dismantling Of America

By THOMAS SOWELL, Investor.com

With the passage of the legislation letting the federal government take control of the country's medical care system, a major turning point has been reached in the dismantling of America's values and institutions. (link)

Top Stories

Repeal the Health Care Bill !!!

To Members of Congress & Conservative Candidates for Office:

Congress is now pushing through an awful government-run healthcare plan that "We The People" oppose, pushes this nation further in its slide towards socialism, and that runs against the Constitutional limitations placed on the role of the federal government.

We are calling for a repeal of this legislation. Those who work to repeal it will enjoy our support in the tea party movement. Those who have either supported this legislation, or who do not work to repeal it, will hear from "We The People" in the upcoming November 2010 congressional elections. You've been put on notice, and you should not underestimate our power at the polls.

Signed,"We The People"

Follow the below link to sign the petition:

Repeal the Health Care Bill !!!

Top Stories

Rod Williams comes out: He's GOP

March 20, 8:47 PM, Nashville Political Buzz Examiner, Mike Morrow

It probably takes a longtime Nashvillian to appreciate the point former Metro Council member Rod Williams made to a conservative group today in a meeting at a Murfreesboro Road restaurant. Nashville is not just a Democratic town. In fact, Williams said only nowadays is he willing to say publicly he is a Republican. (link)

The above was reposted in Post Politics:

Out The Closet By Kleinheider Posted on March 21, 2010 at 9:51 am

Top Stories