Labels

Hello all,

First of all Merry Christmas, Happy Hanuka, Happy New Year and Happy Festivus.

It has been awhile since I blogged and that has been because I have been spending a majority of my time with my wife and kids. Everything I do, all of the political activism, my job, etc. is to help my family live the life that we want to live. With that said, I believe it is good for the body, mind and soul to occasionally take a step away and just relax. So, that is what I have been and will probably continue to do for awhile.

As always, with that said, there is something that I want to get off my chest that has been weighing heavily on me. I am probably going to get flamed for this, but so be it.

Maybe it is just me, but I have been noticing that people and the media are really looking to be labeled lately. It harkens back to high school and everyone wanting to choose what group you are/want to belong to. We have people saying they are Conservatives, Republicans, Tea Partiers, Moderates, Liberals, Fiscal Conservatives, Democrats, Blue Dogs, etc. Why do we feel the need for these labels? I understand that as we know it today there is a two party system and that the rule of government is broken up based upon party lines. That I can deal with, but now we are dealing with people who want to continue to fractionalize those groups. Lindsey Grahm is a RINO, Jim DeMint is a Conservative, Michelle Backman is a Tea Partier, Ben Nelson is a Blue Dog Democrat and on and on and on. Why?

Does it really matter?

There are fellow bloggers that will call out Lindsey Grahm for taking a moderate position and say he is a RINO, he is not a true conservative. There are Democrats who are calling out Claire McCaskill for wanting to ban earmarks as not a true Democrat. Whatever.

Let's face it people, there is no true conservative. There is no litmus test for being a Republican or Democrat. We need to get over the labels and the name calling. Period.

If you are fiscally conservative, but believe in gay marriage and allowing abortion in some cases, you can still be a Republican.
If you are progressive in your social beliefs but believe in a strong military and defense, you can still be a Democrat.

Both parties and its members want to say they are big tent parties. We welcome all sides and will listen to all points of view. It seems to be that way until you join, when you are told to sit down, shut up and follow our party positions.

As bloggers and as politically active members of our society, we need to each get beyond these labels and talk about the root of the matter. Say what you believe in and what you expect of your representatives. Understand that other representatives may make different decisions or have different opinions based upon the people they represent. Remember, this is a BIG country and not everyone thinks like a North County Blue Collar Republican, a South County White Collar Democrat, a St. Charles Catholic Conservative or a Ladue Jewish Progressive (Don't you just love the labels). Because of the desires of others around the country, our Congressman/women and Senators have to negotiate to get things done. Pure and simple. We cannot start calling people names and labels because they do not conform to what we think they should be.

That said, there are times when people have had enough. That is where the Tea Party came in. The Tea Party was a name for a group of people that were tired of government as is. They were a group of people that are against something. They are the party of NO. Because the Tea Party is not a true party, but a label of people that are sick of the standard government. The Tea Party should stay that way but instead it is being converted and twisted into a part of the Republican party. It is becoming and being twisted into some sort of alternate ego for fiscal and in some cases social conservatives. Those that say they run the Tea Party should be wary of allowing this. The Tea Party label, if we must have one, should continue to be independent of Conservatives, Progressives, Republicans and Democrats. It should be no different than the NRA or any other advocacy group. The Tea Party should be the label for the people who are saying NO to big government. No more, no less.

So, after saying this, let me tell you who I am. Not in a label that can be summarized, but in words.

• I am someone who usually votes Republican but has voted Democrat.
• I am someone who votes based upon the issues and the stances taken by the candidates.
• I am someone who believes in a small and limited government.
• I am someone who believes that the best offense is a good defense (and if we are talking sports a good QB or Albert Pujols helps).
• I am someone that wants you and everyone else to stay out of my and everyone else's bedroom.
• I do not think the government should be able to license marriage. Marriage is a religious act. I personally believe that the government can license civil union contracts between a man & woman, a man & man, and a woman & woman. Let the churches decide how they want to or do not want to define marriage.
• I think the best way to have equality is to get rid of any and all social programs that push one race, gender, religion or sexual preference over another
• I think America is one of the most perfect places to live because of our liberties.

So, are you just a label or are you more?

So Lacy Wants To Talk About Hypocrisy

So Lacy came out today and chided the Republicans for not wanting to extend jobless benefits. He believes that it is hypocrisy on the part of the Republicans for wanting to a way to pay for this extension. This is, of course, the new strategy from Obama, Pelosi and such. We sawe Clair McCaskill saying the same thing last week. All I can say is, oh Lacy and company; how little you seem to understand the problem.

Let me explain it to you and I will try and use basic terms so you can understand it. I would not want to talk over your head.

1. You are upset that the Republicans voted for two “unauthorized wars” as well as the Bush tax cuts. - There are a couple of problems with this statement.
• Congress authorized the President to go forward in both Afghanistan and Iraq. Just because you voted against it does not mean it was unauthorized.
• The Bush tax cuts were not to blame for the fiscal problems; it was Congress spending above the budgeted baseline. Additionally, the original Bush tax cuts helped bring the economy back after the 2001 economic downturn.
2. You also stated, "The people objecting to the extension of unemployment benefits because they're not paid for never talked about that when they passed two tax breaks for the rich.” - The reality is the tax cut actually benefited the lower income brackets more than it did the rich. In 2007, according to CBO and Joint Committee on Taxation data, the increased child tax credit, marriage penalty relief, 10 percent bracket, and AMT were to have a combined budgetary effect of $114 billion. By comparison, capital gains, dividends, and estate tax cuts were projected to reduce 2007 revenues by just $36 billion. Based upon that alone, you can see that tactic of pitting the Republicans as pro rich does not really apply.
3. You stated “I know that there are thousands of Missourians who need their unemployment benefits”. – I have no doubt that there are many people who are in need of some form of wages. That said, these benefits have been extended several times. We CANNOT continue to extend these benefits without end. Let’s face it. Many of these jobs were eliminated. They are no coming back. As long as the government continues to dole out money for free, there is no reason for these people to go and find another job. And don’t you dare say there are no jobs because that is an outright lie. There are plenty of jobs available, unfortunately too many people are not willing to take an entry level position with a company or they are not willing to take the money they have been given to get job training.

Lacy, the American people are tired of government reckless spending. This is not just a Republican thing, this is across the board. There is a reason that Republican and Democrat incumbents are being booted from office. The government is not living within its means.

Think of it this way. My family and I have a budget. We use it to pay our bills, donate to charity and do fun things like rent movies, etc. When we want to make a purchase, we have to save money to do so. If we have to make a purchase, like our furnace goes out, etc., we will either put it on the credit card or work out financing terms. When we work out financing terms, we know that we will have to pay it off within a time limit. Now, if we have too many things on credit, we cannot get credit anymore and have to either do without or get rid of one set of payments to deal with making another set.

The American people are demanding that our government do the same. We are tired of all of Congress running reckless with our hard earned money.

So yes Lacy, is there a bit of hypocrisy among some Republicans. Yes. But they are at least learning their lesson. The American public will not stand for it.

Oh and by the way. I do not know if your mother ever told you this, but two wrongs do not make a right.

No More Town Hall Meetings?

This is coming from FoxNews.com. Per their website, they are showing that none of the Democrats in MO are holding any more town hall meetings in St. Louis. Right now the only ones that are planned in Missouri are Claire McCaskill's on 8/10/09. Those are:

• Three Rivers Community College, 2080 Three Rivers Boulevard, Poplar Bluff, MO at 02:30 PM
• Southeast Missouri State University, 1230 First Street, Kennett, MO at 09:00 AM

That's it, nothing from Lacy Clay, nothing from Russ Carnahan. If these guys are holding them, they are not publicizing them. I have calls into Lacy Clay's office asking if he is having any. I was told that a representative would call me back. Let's see if he will actually do it.

Updated 8/11/09

Lacy Clay has yet to call or email me back. I called his office again and was given the run around asking if I was a constituent. I am beginning to think that maybe he is not going to have any public forums. Unfortunately it does not look like anyone is going to run against him, so maybe he figures he has no need to.

We need someone to run against this man and expose him for the fraud that he is. Much like Russ Carnahan, Lacy Clay is running on his father's name and the fact that his district was re-districted so that those in the North County are lumped in with North City and get stuck with someone who does not care to represent all of the area he serves.

The Hypocracy of Liberals

Liberals are the biggest hypocrites around. For anyone reading or following this blog, that is no surprise to you. These are the people that in 2008 told their followers to get in the face of Republicans, these are the people that would organize and bus in protesters and these are the people that will call you a racist, fascist, etc. the second you start destroying their arguments with a little thing called logic.

I have been asked by some people why I do not post my real name and pictures. I have already had one person say that I am a coward that his hiding behind the Internet. To a degree, that person is right. I do not use my real name nor post pictures of me because I am a father who is the sole bread winner for my family. My wife and I chose for her to stay home so my kids do not have to go to a babysitter at 6 or 7 in the morning and picked up at 5 or 6 in the evening. So my kids can have the parental interaction that neither of us had. This was a decision that we made long before we had our kids. We agreed that whomever was making the most money and had the job with the most potential would continue to work and the other would stay at home with the children.

Liberals do not play fair. They are hypocrites who cry foul if anyone other than them plays dirty. I do not give details on myself or my family for their protection. I work for one of many big corporations in the St. Louis area and I like being employed and having the position I have. I do not want to jeopardize that. I choose to participate in the background. I will still attend Tea Parties and sign petitions, but I am not ready to come into the public eye.

I am angry with the way our country is being handled. I hate the way our representatives treat us. I am going to do the best I can to make sure that Lacy Clay, Russ Carnahan, Clair McCaskill and Barack Obama do not continue to hold office. With that said, I have to do what is right to protect my family and our way of life.

I am making some very good strides in my effort to hit them where it hurts and I will continue to work on that and any other effort I can behind the scenes. Laugh me off or discount me if you must, but I am not going away.

Hit Them Where It Hurts - Updated

I have been stewing on this for a couple of days now and want to throw it out there. Right now, all of us are writing to our representatives, asking them not to vote on things like cap and trade and socialist healthcare. For the most part, they are not listening. They continue to vote as they please, not listening to a majority of their constituents. They think, because the country got drunk and had a one night stand at the polls, they have a mandate to slap us around and do as they please. I say we hit them where it hurts. I say it is time to fight back.


I propose that we all work together to not just inundate our representatives with calls, letters and protests, but we also let those businesses and business owners who support our representatives what we think. I say we speak with our pocket book and we do so even if it is not convenient to us. If a business receives enough press and pushing from the public, they will back off their support in favor of profit most any day of the week. I have begun searching for the public records of all the companies that have contributed to Claire McCaskill, Russ Carnahan and Lacy Clay. Once I have that information I will post it on my blog along with a form letter that each of you can download, fill out and email or snail mail to the company stating that as long as they support this/these representatives via campaign contributions, they will no longer get your business.

This will require a lot of work, but I think the time has come to take these kind of steps. These companies and PAC's can apply a lot of pressure and get the type of access that we cannot.

Any assistance would be greatly appreciated.

So, what do you think? Are you with me?

UPDATED - 8/2/09
I have already begun pulling some data on the various corporate PAC's that have donated to the likes of Clay and Carnahan. I am and am not surprised by some of the companies that I am finding. I hope to soon have a list of the companies to post and will then start working on the template letters.

If you know of any other House reps I should begin looking up, please let me know via the comment section or email.