The National Center for Policy Analysis has brought to my attention the work of two organizations that are working together to try and persuade Congress to stop writing criminal laws in such a manner that leaves innocent people vulnerable to unjust prosecution. One is the Heritage Foundation, which is one of the nation’s premier conservative think tanks and the other is the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers. Together they prove true the adage that “politics makes strange bedfellows,” since the latter organization is better known for its affiliation with liberal groups and causes.

According to a recent report they produced:

· Over twenty federal laws that went into effect in 2005 and 2006, to combat nonviolent crime, lack an adequate provision that one accused of breaking the laws must have had a “guilty mind,” or criminal intent. Good law has always required such provisions. It is imperative that the government prove “both a guilty act and a guilty mind.” Without such, bad judgment and even mistakes could become criminal.

· On that rare occasion when the Congress makes a new law that includes a provision for a “guilty mind,” it is “often so weak that it does not protect defendants from punishment for making honest mistakes, or committing minor transgressions.”

For centuries the legal code of most Western countries have required “criminal intent” as a part of all laws designed to fight crime. This was intended to make sure laws were created to protect the public good and not be used for political agendas, such as punishing political enemies rather than true threats to the general population.

Currently, the more conservative wing of the Supreme Court is beginning to question the legality of many of these laws and has expressed concern on how they can be used. They are focusing on three laws in particular. Justice Antonin Scalia sees these type of laws as a great tool for “headline-grabbing prosecutors” who want to shut down unpopular and maybe even unethical behaviors, but not necessarily criminal ones. These type of laws make populations fearful, prosecutors powerful, and people less free. Scalia has noted that the law is so vague that it could be used against a mayor for using his political influence to get a better table at a restaurant or against a salaried employee who calls in sick, but goes to a beach. These, of course are the kind of laws that are selectively applied and are begging for abuse.

It is interesting that, after centuries of writing laws that protect the rights of individuals and require proof of intent, that the Congress has forgotten this simple, but important, practice. It is time for the Congress to develop specific tests to make sure these laws comply with the letter and the spirit of the law.

As a result of such spending, government is mass producing money to pay its bills. The government loves this approach to solving its problems for several reasons. First of all, since the government prints the money and release it first, it enjoys this “funny money” at its highest value. It is only after it circulates through the economy that it loses its spending power and reduces the value of all other dollars in the market. Inflation is defined as “too much money chasing too few goods.” High prices is only one of the many symptoms of such a policy. In addition, inflation plays on the ignorance of a population who has no idea that these increases in prices are caused by the mass production of devalued dollars. Most voters will blame businesses for their “greed” and price raising, not the politicians who make such a phenomenon necessary. Simply put, every new dollar pumped into the economy takes away the value of all the dollars in the market, unless there is a comparable increase in productivity.

In one day in 2009, the United States took a chapter out of Zimbabwe’s playbook by pumping $1.2 trillion into the money supply in an attempt to pay off its bills. Many Americans have (rightly) been alarmed by the more than $1.5 trillion we have seen in bailouts. According to the Washington Post, these inflationary efforts have the potential of being much more far reaching, noting that “combined with the billions already deployed by the Fed, the new money dwarfs even the biggest government bailouts of financial companies.”

Historically, this type of monetary policy leads to the kind of inflation that we have seen in history books, where it is cheaper to use money for wallpaper than to buy it or it requiring a barrel of money to buy a loaf of bread. Printing worthless money will not make our problems away, but make issues we never imagined.

The purpose of this inflation is to serve as a tax by taking away the value (rather than the actual dollars) of all the money we hold. This is, however, one tax we can fight against, according to Albert Lu of Woodlands Bullion, a leading authority on precious metals and a contributor to the Price of Business radio show. Lu has stated many times that Americans can reduce their “monetary tax” burden with every precious metal purchase they make. Gold, silver, and other precious metals are at an all time high because of the inflation we have suffered over the last two years. It is only expected to get worse. Precious metals are a tool for shoring up the value of money. As the money supply is inflated, those with gold or other precious metals will see their wealth enjoy a greater level of protection and their “monetary tax” burden greatly reduced. Those who do not move towards precious metals either do not fully appreciate our current economic crisis or are as apathetic as the millions of Americans who still sit on the sidelines rather than participate in the most important political battles of the day. People need to make a difference in the national economy through elections and their personal economies through precious metals.

Americans are still looking for hope and change, except now it’s not from the government but of the government.  Greg Knapp from Big Journalism posted a promising report from The Pew Research Center that shows Americans are seeking less government after realizing what big government really is:

By almost every conceivable measure Americans are less positive and more critical of government these days…

Just 22% say they can trust the government in Washington almost always or most of the time, among the lowest measures in half a century…

Rather than an activist government to deal with the nation’s top problems, the public now wants government reformed and growing numbers want its power curtailed. With the exception of greater regulation of major financial institutions, there is less of an appetite for government solutions to the nation’s problems — including more government control over the economy — than there was when Barack Obama first took office…

This increased desire for smaller government is without question in reaction to the radical government oversteps by the Obama Administration:

A desire for smaller government is particularly evident since Barack Obama took office. In four surveys over the past year, about half have consistently said they would rather have a smaller government with fewer services, while about 40% have consistently preferred a bigger government providing more services…

With this revitalized sentiment in America, Republicans are poised to win big in the November elections.  Democrats who have safely held Congressional seats for years now find themselves in a political fight to keep their jobs.   Republican Rep. Pete Sessions of Texas stated that anything short of taking back the House would be a failure.  RealClearPolitics does a great job breaking down the November election battlegrounds for House, Senate and Governor races.

A person with common sense looking at this situation would likely wonder why Democrats continue to support the unpopular policies that got them in this mess and push for more unwanted policies such as Cap and Tax and a VAT.  They are either committing political suicide for the socialist “greater good” or they are just that out of touch with their constituents.  Either way, the Democrats who have not already bolted for the exits like Chris Dodd, Evan Bayh, and Bart Stupak, are digging their heels in, counting on Obama’s effort to reconnect with “young people, Latinos, African-Americans, and women” to allow them to slide in a victory.

The November elections are fast approaching and many contested races will definitely be interesting, even if just to watch Democrats try and weasel their way around the political landmines they are personally responsible for.  Democrats will no doubt put up a good fight and the media will do everything within their power to help them win another battle.  Yet, unlike the 2008 elections, Americans this time are putting their desire for hope and change in the hands of conservatives.

This is a great opportunity for Republicans.   If Republicans are smart, they will remember that Americans are giving them power to do the job Democrats are unwilling to do:  get the government back in line with the Constitution by reducing the size of government, drastically cutting spending, lowering taxes, and ending the too-big-to-fail mentality.  It’s our job to make sure they do not forget that.

We clearly have our work cut out for us, but if we work together to educate and empower, we can put this country back on the foundation built by our Founders – a foundation that made us the greatest nation in history of the world.

He has written this plus more in The Capitalist Welfare State.

The following excerpt is from reason.tv:

Bergh says that despite popular mythology, Sweden is not a socialist success story but instead owes its economic growth to the lowered tax rates and deregulation of the early 1990s, which allowed innovation and investment to flourish. Bergh also discusses how Sweden’s national voucher program revitalized the country’s educational system and warns that Americans who are hoping to emulate Swedish success by growing the public sector are learning the wrong lessons from Sweden.

_._

(Hat tip:  Donald R. McClarey of The American Catholic)

Starting at Annunciation Catholic church, they walked to the hotel and lines the streets of the four corners of the intersection right by the hotel. Pictures don’t do the turnout justice. I was just able to get the portions I could see from where I was.

Recent “rallies,” or more accurately protests, regarding the assertive legislation enacted by Arizona, have demonstrated exactly what the public servants and MSM chortlers said the patriots would do.  Protests in Santa Cruz, California (a bastion of liberal lefties and old pot-smoking professors) the participants turned riotous resulting in 18 businesses damaged and the cost of repairs estimated to be between $50,000 to $100,000.  In Arizona, protesters were caught on video being vulgar and violent toward police, with multiple arrests and fines.

The two movements have reached a thought-provoking culmination. With the absurd allegations at the Tea Partiers that no one believes coupled with  The Pro-illegals not being covered accurately if at all by the MSM, there has been a major shift in truth perception.  And, the Pro-illegals crossed a very sacred line. They pushed their movement into professional sports. Advantage: America.

Here in Houston, anti-Arizona law protestors called for a boycott against attending Astros games when they played the Diamondbacks, requesting that season-ticket holders tear up their tickets and join the boycott.  In the NBA playoffs, the Pheonix Suns wore uniforms that displayed “Los Suns.”  Surely there are some fans at these events who really just want to enjoy a game and get away from the pressures of the freedom fight.  Even better, politically clueless sports fans are in attendance and truly wonder what the fuss is about.  Both groups are somewhat forced to look at the issues when professional sports is made political.  Most American sports fans don’t like it.

Thankfully, the issue has now been forced in the face of  sports fans. This means more people have been awakened to what’s going on.  Giving the benefit of the doubt to most sports fans, especially season-ticket holders, they may have to move the radio dial down to get some information about the point in question, thus awakening them even more to what is happening in this country. At the risk of presumption, sports fans may be part of the FOX News audience or may even read blogs on line, and the MSM canard is further exposed.  Here it is: blowback.

More  Americans are awake because of the line that was crossed. Welcome to the game, sports fans.  Great to have you on the team.



Fox News recently asked “How much money does it take for the governments of sovereign nations to do their job?” Those that are socialist or social democratic suffer from huge budgets and looming deficits as they strive to provide “cradle-to-grave” spending programs. Most Americans assume that countries like Sweden and France have massive governments compared to the US. They also think France, Finland, and the UK are much larger in their spending per person. This is not the case anymore, according to economist and author, John Lott. Those who oppose European style socialism do not have to wait for that system to arrive in the US. Lott warns that type of government has already arrived.

Most Americans are probably not surprised that US spending is higher than other countries, but when you factor in cost of living and total population, our budgets “are much lower” than other countries, it is often perceived. In reality, government spending accounts for more real resources per capita than “95 percent of the countries in the world,” according to Lott. In fact, only “166 out of 175″ countries have smaller real budgets than the US, according to Lott.

The numbers, when it comes to government spending, are frightening. The US government spends 276 percent more than is spent by the average government of another country around the world. This type of spending amounts to about $17,400 per person living in the United States or $70,000 for a family of four.

The one country that is most famous for its “welfare state” is Sweden, yet it only spends about 8.6 percent more per capita than the US. This figure is far less than most Americans would likely assume. How about France? Americans seem to enjoy making fun of France’s fame for government dependency. The bad news for Americans is that France spends virtually the same amount as the United States. The difference between the US and France is a mere 1.6 percent when it comes to spending.

It gets worse from here. Finland actually spends 6 percent less than the US and countries such as Germany, Italy, and the United Kingdom do not even compare. Meanwhile, Canada spends 14 percent less than the US per capita and Japan’s spending is a fraction of the United State, standing at 32 percent less. What is interesting is that this current fiscal state is before the costs of President’s Obama’s trillion dollar health care bill was signed into law. After the impact of that law is fully felt, the US could easily find itself close to number one in the “cradle-to-grave” socialism department, compared to its European friends.

The US government has more control of its nation’s resources, per capita, than virtually all the other countries in the world This government determines an entire nation’s financial future and controls from whom money comes from, who gets that money, and, ultimately, how that money is spent. Lott also points out that “Of course, the money also pays for the enforcement of all the regulations and laws that tell us what to do.” The old saying that “the government is out of control” may no longer hold true. Government is in total control of virtually every aspect of our lives and economic freedom is held in very low regard.

The Tea Party movement began when a small group of conservatives organized protests on Twitter against the stimulus bill in 22 American cities on February 27, 2009. The majority of us had never attended a protest and had to take a vacation day to attend.

From these few hundred people, a national movement demanding fiscal conservatism, national sovereignty and the rule of law landed on America’s political front lawn.

Neither Democrats nor Republicans fully understand the Tea Party’s inner workings or how to manipulate or co-opt it — and they won’t be able to. The modern-day Tea Party movement is managed by political newcomers whose primary motivation is love of country and a desire for a better future for their children.

Like anything else that grows into a national phenomenon, the Tea Party has seen some enter the scene with ulterior motives. Generally, the motives center around money. Some have slapped the Tea Party name on their tired political action committees. Others are organizations with political interests and agendas, but foremost are the money-gathering operations.

Others are big-name politicians or media personalities such as Sarah Palin, who charge up to $100,000 a speech before packing up and taking their show to another city. They leave little lasting substance, and their words are quickly forgotten.

I don’t fault anyone for making money, even on the Tea Party name. Like Don Barzini said in “The Godfather,” “After all, we are not communists.”

However, these individuals and organizations are what I call “tea turf” groups, echoing Nancy Pelosi’s early labeling of the Tea Party movement as an “astro turf” grassroots movement controlled by the Republican Party.

Technically, these tea turf groups and personalities are a part of the movement but most likely would not be if big dollars were not involved.

I regard the “pure in heart” Tea Party leaders as the real center and strength of the movement. These are the people who work full-time jobs, have family responsibilities and make time to manage and grow their own group.

The Dallas Tea Party has subdivided the Dallas-Fort Worth metro region into ZIP codes and voting districts. Each zone has one or more neighborhood coordinators charged with recruiting members, organizing meetings, getting out the vote and spreading the Tea Party message of fiscal responsibility, the rule of law and national sovereignty to their friends and neighbors.

Nearly every night of the week, dozens of meetings are taking place throughout the metro region, taking on school board, city council, state government legislation and other issues.

The goal is to get middle-class taxpayers engaged in local politics and into the primary and general election voting booths as never before. Each of these neighborhood coordinators and the people they lead are volunteers.

The time they devote to the Tea Party movement comes at the expense of something else in their busy lives. These people don’t get huge speaking fees. They don’t appear on national news shows. They don’t sell books or merchandise. They do what they do because of their devotion to Tea Party principles. These people are the true heroes of the Tea Party movement.

The Tea Party will continue to grow in numbers and power as our leaders in Washington continue to govern irresponsibly. There will be many who try to take ownership of the movement. Certainly, the mainstream media would like nothing more than a single target to attack.

Yet, the Tea Party will succeed. If one leader in a sea of thousands falls, another will replace him or her just as a starfish grows another arm if one is cut off. The Tea Party movement is not about individuals but ideals.

The ideals found in the Constitution set the course for the United States becoming the most powerful and wealthy nation in history. The true leaders of the Tea Party are doing that because of love of country and a belief in constitutional principles.

That’s something no tea turf PAC can buy — not even for $100,000 a speech.

Hi folks,

It was a very interesting couple of days in court. David Allen faced the State of Texas bravely and was able to articulate to the jurors and multiple Planned Parenthood employees that God loved them. Due to the uniqueness of the trial the room was filled with District Attorneys who also heard that God loved them.

David was even allowed to blow his shofar in the courtroom — something I would never have predicted.

It turns out that Judge Fields is also an ordained minister. At the end of the trial he said, “David you’re the nicest guy I’ve ever met. I’m not sure what to do with you?”

The jury found David guilty of criminal trespass. However, the punishment was left in the hands of Judge Fields who chose not to issue any fines and took the unprecedented step of being David’s probation officer. In the end, David ended up with a better result than what the the DA’s office was offering if he didn’t go to trial.

David can still blow his shofar outside of the Planned Parenthood so long as he stays 15 feet away from the entrance and in a couple months he will have no restrictions.

Several members of the District Attorneys office told us that this was a difficult trial for them since they’re pro life. The chief investigator for the District Attorney’s office, officer Jimmy Jones, is also pro life and has 10 children. He was wearing a pro life pin and bracelet throughout the trial.

Prior to the trial there was a law firm who offered to represent David and he accepted their offer. However, days before the trial they withdrew their offer and David was forced to represent himself. When we entered the courtroom we were surprised to see standing by David’s side attorney Brian E. Storts, a managing partner of RAB Law Firm. He had come into court one day before the trial on unrelated business and Judge Fields said to him, “I have a case where you won’t get paid and you’ll have no time prepare… what do you think?”

After hearing the details of the defendant (David Allen) Mr. Storts agreed to stand beside David and be co-counsel. Mr. Storts did a fantastic job under incredibly difficult circumstances. Ironically we spent a lot of time trying to find an attorney for David, but God had already appointed one. I suspect that Mr. Storts willingness to show up to the battlefield despite incredible odds will be greatly rewarded.

We also met another attorney who offered his services despite limited exposure to criminal court, Brent Haynes. He was present throughout the trial and attended the pro life rally outside of the Corinthian. We were inspired to see the courage of these two attorneys.

Thank you for all of your prayers and support, David is still smiling and serving God.

-Steve

“For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.” 2 Timothy 1:7

Here’s a video of David explaining himself http://blip.tv/file/3578988

The Wall Street Journal and other surveys rank Reagan as high as number 6 on the list of great Presidents; the only people that beat him in the surveys are individuals who died many years before those polled were even born. This would be people like George Washington and Teddy Roosevelt. It is hard to beat “legends.” Even professional historians in academia rank Reagan as high as ten in surveys, according to MSNBC.

Reagan’s greatness is measured by the “copy cat factor” seen in politicians today. The old saying that “imitation is the sincerest form of flattery” could not be truer then what we see in regards to Reagan. Politicians of all stripes — conservatives, liberals, and many who are in between — have described their policies as being “Reganesque.” I think that Reagan would find many of the comparisons quite shocking, if he were with us today.

So what does it mean to have an approach to governing like Reagan? I actually believe the Reagan model is easy to understand, but quite difficult to practice. Reagan was really simple in his view of the world. There was “good” and “bad,” “right” and “wrong,” he left the grey areas to the pragmatists or those who lacked the backbone or principle to take a definitive stand. His strong positions made him an attractive leader to a people who had been washed “back and forth” by the liberal policies that came before. He is hard to copy because his approach to governing required integrity in word and deed.

A sample of that simplicity and one of the hallmarks of Reagan’s policies was his “three legged stool.” Reagan’s policies were built on three ideas; free enterprise, limited government, and pro-family social policies. He chose these three because they, of course, reflected his own values, but he also realized that each of these ideas have enormous appeal on their own. I was attracted to the conservative philosophy as a young Christian and noticed that Reagan’s philosophy was very strong when it came to traditional family values. Over the last few decades, economics have become my passion and expertise, but it started with a concern in culture (and this remains important to me).

The approach is simple, yet profound. Reagan believed that there are huge sectors of the population that would be attracted to a strong message of free market economics, regardless of where one stood on other issues. The other issues (defense or culture) were not nearly as important to this block, but these voters would not be deterred by the other areas as long as a candidate was very strong on economic policies. Reagan rightly believed that this would be the case when it comes to other legs of the stool, as long as he was very strong and clear on his positions. While “big tent” Republicans argued that Reagan should have “lightened up” when it came to the strong positions he took, voters came to him in larger numbers as he took stronger stands on the issues of the day.

“Reagan conservatives” are the complete package. They recognize that consistency and strength are hallmarks in leadership. They understand that a stool stands on three legs and falls with fewer than that. The less shy conservatives are when it comes to policy issues, the more success they will likely enjoy.

How does #SLGT have a positive impact on Houston? According to #SLGT Board Member Brian Truax, “#SLGT is going to be a directory for local businesses and local events. Go to a local spot, do go to local event, and hire local.” This is what helps boost our local economy and help small businesses grow. The money stays within our community. Part of this awareness is to break the stigma that local means expensive. I know this is not to be true. “It creates sustainability and creativity. With that you have no loss.”, J.R. Cohen says. Which is definitely true.

So instead of going to a Starbucks, try Coffee Groundz on Bagby at McGowen in Midtown. Rather than go to an Ikea Furniture Store, check out Color and Tailor on Montrose between Lovett and Westheimer next to the Smoothie King. When you’re in the mood for pizza, try Ponzo’s Italian Kitchen (same plaza as Coffee Groundz) or Luigi’s Pizzeria on Almeda and Winbern behind HCC rather than calling Dominoes Pizza or Pizza Hut. Looking for a photographer? Google a local one instead of going to a Olan Mills studio. Just some examples (and my personal suggestions) of local spots that fall under #SLGT. That’s contributing to our local economy and supporting our community, which drives our local economy.

#SLGT always has a social event where people network and/or make new friends. To keep up on what’s going on in the #SLGT Movement, check out the Facebook Fan Page here- http://www.facebook.com/WeSLGT?ref=ts and check out the website www.WeSLGT.comSLGT, Houston, Economy. Also become a Facebook fan of #SLGT. If you are a local business owner, artist, musician, charity, restaurant, or if just believe in doing local, this is the movement you need to get involved with. I highly recommend it. If you are a Twitter user and you go to a local business or local event, use #SLGT as the hashtag. It raises the awareness and helps that local spot instantly. I have done it myself many times.

Lets Support Local Grow Together Houston!

Steve Susman signs the Contract

Ryan Hecker addresses the ceremony

Friday, April 30th, an event was organized through the Greater Houston Tea local coalition for the signing of the “Contract from America“. The contract is the brainchild of Houston Tea Party Society‘s Ryan Hecker and developed in a bottom-up process from the input of almost a half million americans. It is an attempt to tell congress exactly what initiatives they want to see accomplished.

Congressman John Culberson (TX 7) was the first Texas member of Congress to sign the Contract, and the only one in person on Friday. Congressmen Michael McCaul (TX 10) and Pete Olson (TX 22) who were unable to attend, sent signed copies of the Contract to Greater Houston Tea. All of the other members of the Houston area delegation have been invited to sign, but have not yet done so.

Candidates who gave up their morning and attended, signed, and took questions from those in attendance were: David Smith – CD 2, Bruce West – CD 8, Steve Mueller – CD 9, John Faulk – CD18 and Steve Susman – CD 22.

Culberson and Mueller mingle with the crowd

Only issue that came up was John Culberson objected to some of the language on #9, placing a moratorium on all earmarks. He argued that a moratorium on earmarks would leave directing funds to unelected administration bureaucrats, and gave a good argument why that may be a bad idea.

David Smith and Steve Susman, Libertarian candidates

Wikipedia actually has a good entry on earmarks to help people better understand. Developers of the contract have told me they will be looking into the language of that specific line based on further research and feedback. Ryan also explained to the signers and audience that these are simply promises that they will bring these initiatives up for a vote shortly after a majority of signers are elected into congress.

It was not the only feedback that was recieved either. Bruce West and Steve Susman said the contract went along with their campaigns, and brought a list of things they said were additions to their their promises in signing the contract.

Past that, I’m very hopeful about the future of the contract and what effects it will have on politics this year and in the future.

John Faulk and Steve Mueller

Photos by Eddie Gallegos, full facebook gallery is found here

Throughout the day we watched our congressmen debate the bill. At any given time there was only one-third to one-half of the congressmen present. Few sat through the whole debate. Most present throughout the day were Michele Bachmann and Paul Ryan. The thought crossed my mind, if what I had heard this bill contained was true (and I suspected these guys knew better than me), wouldn’t my butt be glued to the seat – all day? Our country was going down under the heavy provisions of this law. But then I remembered. The “yes” votes on this bill had been bought and paid for well in advance of any floor debate. So, I watched as many Democrats and
Republicans reached across the aisle shaking hands, patting each other on the backs, some grinning ear-to-ear (Pelosi and Stupak), most of them showing up when it was their time to debate.

That day, I witnessed our guys in action on one of the most important issues in America’s history. Their body language, the interactions, the disrespect, the lies, the celebration told me more than I ever wanted to know. It was very obvious; they are caught up in the power. It seems there are only a handful of them we can trust – all others need to be voted out of office!

Of course, there have been many votes since that fateful day.

Have you noticed that there seems to be no rhyme or reason as to how these people vote? Did you see the vote on H.R. 2499? 39 Republicans voted for the bill, 40 Democrats voted against it. Hello? This is a bill that will not allow a fair vote for the Puerto Ricans! Three times PR has been asked to vote on U. S. statehood. Three times they have voted against it. H. R. 2499 takes away the option of remaining status quo. Now why would some of our congressmen be so hell-bent on passing this bill to grant Puerto Rico statehood, when their people don’t want it? (Thank heavens our Congressman – Lamar Smith – told us about the bill. Otherwise, we like most Americans who rely on news services to stay informed, would have been blissfully ignorant of the bill.) Puerto Rican statehood will allow the Democrats to gain 2 Senate seats, and 7 House seats! But why would 39 Republicans vote to give the Democrats more power? And why would 40 Democrats vote against gaining more power for their party?

There is another bill that was introduced by John McCain and Scott Brown on March 4, 2010, S. 3081: Enemy Belligerent Interrogation, Detention, and Prosecution Act of 2010. Did you hear about it? This is a bill that affects you and me. You need to review this bill. It can be found at the following link:

http://www.govtrack.us/congress/billtext.xpd?bill=s111-3081

When you have finished reading the bill, please watch this report from Rachel Maddow last May, 2009:

http://www.bing.com/videos/watch/video/prolonged-detention/6uh9kw8

We need to know who is on our side, and who is not on our side. We need to research everything that is being voted on in the House and Senate. We need to study these bills and tell our representatives how we would like for them to vote and why, and then we need to see how they cast their votes. We will know if they are listening to us. It’s not just HOW they vote (because this is a republic and not a democracy and, therefore, each member of Congress must vote his or her informed conscience) but how they inform us of WHY they are voting the way they do.

This November is our first opportunity to start voting out those members of Congress and those members of the State House and Senate who are not taking care of the American and Texas citizenry. This November election is HUGE, but it’s only a start! If we lose this election, some are saying we will not have another opportunity to take our country back for another 60 years (due to the possibility of large numbers of new Democrat voters that may be brought in following amnesty and due to continued likely voter fraud). This nation was built by the people, and for the people. We have the power. We need to put it to work for us!

From CNS News:

The April 30 event is being billed as a “historic event” to celebrate the opening of the 78,000 square-foot facility and the 75th anniversary of the Texas Planned Parenthood operation. Tickets for the fundraiser range from $25,000 for a table of 10 to $350 for individual seating.

The event will also honor Melanie Gray and Mark Wawro: husband and wife, successful attorneys, and significant financial supporters of Planned Parenthood. Gray served on the board of directors of Planned Parenthood of Houston and Southeast Texas and chaired its $15 million capital campaign.

Coalition for Life has a prayer vigil planned for this evening outside the Corinthian Hotel during the gala.  Details to participate can be found on their website.  The vigil and march begins at 5:30 pm and participants are asked to wear RED.

The new location for PPH, dubbed Prevention Park, claims on it’s FAQ page that it is not the largest abortion clinic  in the United States, however other reports state to the contrary regarding the 78,000 square foot building. Though Planned Parenthood offers a variety of services, including abortion.  Though the procedure is downplayed in the media, according to the Planned Parenthood International (PPI)website,  ”Abortions are very common. In fact, more than 1 out of 3 women in the U.S. have an abortion by the time they are 45 years old.”

PP Houson will offer abortions to women (referred to as “emergency contraception“), according to their website, at 20 weeks gestation in their pregnancy.  Other Planned Parenthood websites claim that abortions can be performed as late as 25 weeks or more.  Internationally,  abortions are performed even later depending on the law of the county.  For example in Canada there is  no time limit on abortions.  PPH claims they do not perform “late term abortions” but the firm makes the point that “late-term abortion” is not a medical term:

Late-term abortion is not a medical term. It isn’t recognized as identifying a particular procedure or applying to a particular time in a pregnancy. It is a term created and used by anti-abortion groups. Most commonly the term refers to abortions performed in the third trimester.

Planned Parenthood states that abortions are not paid for by tax dollars, however, Medicaid is accepted as a form of payment. Organizations such as National Pro-Life Alliance also dispute this.  President Obama also released the restriction on tax-payer funded abortions internationally shortly after his inauguration.

PPH will be opening for service on Tuesday, May 11 at 9 AM  in a neighborhood where 85 percent of the population is minority.

The building  formerly belonged to a bank and is shaped like a cash register.

Witness the video below as an army of riot police in full riot gear and snipers on rooftops wield their weapons to intimidate the Tea Party protesters.

Apparently 80 year-old grandmothers have unnerved our dear leader that he felt the need to bring in extra protection.

At least the peaceful protesters against the new Arizona immigration law are shining examples of democracy on display!

_._

(Hat tip: Jim Hoft of Big Government)

(Cross-posted at The American Catholic)

The first is The Houston Tea Party Society and the Greater Houston Tea regional alliance hosting a signing with elected officials and candidates with the Contract From America.

http://houstontps.org/?p=1296

The Contract from America is a grassroots-generated, crowd-sourced, bottom-up call for real economic conservative and good governance reform in Congress.

The initiative was developed within the decentralized tea party and 912 movements. Ryan Hecker, a Houston Tea Party Society activist, developed the concept of creating a grassroots-generated call for reform prior to the April 15, 2009 Tax Day Tea Party rallies.

Following their participation in the nationwide launch of the initiative, Greater Houston Tea is proud to host  a public signing by Congress members and Congressional candidates of the Contract From America:

Date:                     Friday, April 30

Time:                    10:00 a.m.

Place:                    Crowne Plaza Reliant

8686 Kirby Dr.

Houston TX 77054

The event is RSVP-only, and space is limited, so please e-mail info@houstontps.org to reserve seats with the names and numbers attending.

So far John Culberson and John Faulk are committed to sign with more entries coming soon.

The next is a Prayer Vigil for Life outside of a Planned Parenthood Gala

http://www.houstoncoalition.com/index.cfm?load=event&event=127

March & Prayer Vigil at Planned Parenthood’s Grand Opening Gala
Location: March from Annunciation Church to the Corinthian.
Date: Friday, April 30, 2010
Time: 5:30 PM – 7:30 PM
Planned Parenthood’s move into their new facility appears imminent!

Planned Parenthood of Houston & Southeast Texas is now saying that they will move into their new late-termabortion facility later next week.

This new abortion facility will provide abortions through 25 weeks of pregnancy . . . that’s six months!

Unborn children have been born at this stage and survived!

Join us this Friday for a peaceful and legal procession and prayer vigil outside the hotel where their gala will take place.

We will march in prayer from Annunciation Catholic Church to the Corinthian Hotel.

We must stand up and unite in prayer outside of this disgraceful grand opening celebration for a late-term abortion facility.

Date: Friday April 30th, 2010.
Time: 5:30PM Gather in the parking lot of Annunciation Catholic Church at 1618 Texas St.
We will also be parking in the LAM parking lot at 1624 Capitol across from Incarnate Word Academy.
6:00PM Ecumenical prayer procession will begin to the Corinthian Hotel at 202 Fannin (a walk of one-half mile).
7:30PM Return in prayer to Annunciation Catholic Church.

Please make an effort to attend this most important prayer vigil and please wear RED.

Because young children will be in attendance, please do not bring graphic signs. Signs will be provided, but please keep in mind ourprayers are the most important aspect of this march.

We must let Houston and the rest of the country know that abortion is not accepted by the majority of the people and that we will stand up and speak out in defense of the unborn and their mothers.

Also, please RSVP by e-mailing Staff@HoustonCoalition.com so that we have an idea as to the number of people who will be attending.

If possible, please try to attend both and be counted!

What, exactly, is an “earmark?” The simplest and most concise definition I have seen on the subject comes from FactCheck.org, which describes earmarks as “government funds that are allocated by a legislator for a particular pet project, often without proper review.” Spending bills are often full of politically unpopular items and in order to get them passed, they include nasty little pet projects that are designed to make the larger bill more palpable to individual members of Congress in both Houses and parties. According to CAGW, slightly more than 15 percent of earmarks went to Republican members, the remainder went to the Democrats. Considering that the GOP pretends to be the only party with a moral high ground on this issue, this number is still too high.

Rhetorically, things are changing in government today. According to CAGW President Tom Schatz, “Recent actions in the House to stop funding for-profit earmarks and the House Republican Caucus’ decision to not request earmarks, indicates that politicians from both parties recognize that taxpayers are enraged about the broken spending process in Washington. They have noticed that it is popular to posture as an anti-earmarker. Unfortunately, the 2010 Congressional Pig Book illustrates that most members of Congress still aren’t willing to eliminate the practice and why meaningful reform is necessary.”

I’m sure members of both parties are going to cite progress. According to CAGW’s press release, “The number of projects declined by 10.2 percent, from 10,160 in fiscal year 2009 to 9,129 in fiscal year 2010, while the total tax dollars spent to fund them decreased by 15.5 percent, from $19.6 billion to $16.5 billion.” This is partially attributed to the fact that reforms have been passed that make it mandatory for members of Congress to identify earmarks they requested and those who will benefit from them. In spite of these reforms, Congress still finds itself breaking its own rules in regards to being transparent. CAGW “uncovered 91 earmarks worth $6.5 billion that were funded” outside of the required rules. This was particularly noticeable in the 2010 Defense Appropriations Act, which included 35 anonymous earmarks worth $6 billion, which made up a breath taking 59 percent of the earmarked tax dollars.

The Pig Book Summary review some of the most outrageous examples, breaks down pork per capita by state, and presents the annual “Oinker Awards.” All 9,129 projects are listed in a searchable database on CAGW’s website www.cagw.org. Examples of pork in the 2010 Pig Book include:

• $465,000,000 for the alternate engine for the Joint Strike Fighter;
• $5,000,000 for the Presidio Heritage Center in California;
• $1,000,000 for Portsmouth Music Hall in New Hampshire;
• $400,000 for the USA Swimming Foundation in New Jersey;
• $300,000 for Carnegie Hall in New York City;
• $250,000 for the Monroe County Farmer’s Market in Kentucky;
• $200,000 for the Washington National Opera in the District of Columbia; and
• $206,000 for wool research in Montana, Texas, and Wyoming.

CNN notes that the CAGW also provided several awards for members, based on their spending behavior.

The “Dunder-head Mifflin Award” (from the popular TV show, “The Office”) — Sen. Arlen Specter, D-Pennsylvania, and Rep. Paul Kanjorski, D-Pennsylvania, for “$200,000 for design and construction of a small business incubator and multipurpose center in Scranton, Pennsylvania.”

There is also the “Thad the Impaler Award” — Sen. Thad Cochran, R-Mississippi, “for $490 million in pork, including $200,000 for the Washington National Opera for set design, installation and performing arts at libraries and schools, and $500,000 for the University of Southern Mississippi for cannabis eradication.”

Then there is the “Hal Bent on Earmarking Award” — Rep. Harold “Hal” Rogers, R-Kentucky, “for $10 million for the National Institute for Hometown Security.”

Other awards included the “Little Engine That Couldn’t Award,” the “Narcissist Award,” the “Steak Through the Heart of Taxpayers Award,” and the “Sapping the Taxpayers Award.” My personal favorite is the “Jekyll and Hyde Award” — Rep. Leonard Lance, R-New Jersey, received it for being a moving target on earmarks. “He first signed a no-earmark pledge, then received $21 million in earmarks, then supported the Republican earmark moratorium.” I believe there are probably many other members that walk one thing and talk something entirely different. Review the list of other awards and find out if your member of Congress is a “winner” and how bad of a loser you are in the type of representation you have in Washington, DC.

Josh,

The Clear Lake Tea Party is hosting a golf tournament fundraiser called “Hitting the Links for Liberty.” The purpose of this fundraiser is to raise operating capital for the CLTP in order to rent venues; buy flyers, bumper stickers, T-shirts, etc.; and purchase public advertising.

I think that this may be the type of local event the Houston Grind may be interested in reporting on. We are trying to move past just calling for donations but are looking to move into more sophisticated fundraising to sponsor tea party activities. We are getting stronger but need to raise funds to be able to get our message out and make a difference.

I have attached a flyer to this email that you can post. If you have any questions regarding this just give me a call.

Dale

Flyer

What, exactly, is the Tea Party? It started as a simple protest movement when an angry reporter said that the American people should be disgusted over the corporate bailouts and they should fight back with a Tea Party movement. In no time, that became a reality. Its membership, however, is very interesting and raises many questions about unity. Forty percent of those who call themselves Tea Party “members” are also self described Democrats and independents. A loud, if not significant, minority are of the libertarian variety. There are also those who describe themselves as “Truthers” (believe the US was behind September 11th), which seems to be largely ignored by the vast majority in the movement. The single largest group ranges from traditional conservatives to those who call themselves “Constitutionalists.” It is difficult to call this a “united movement.” However, there could be enough “critical mass” to make a difference.

Are the members of the Tea Party too worried about “being used” to be useful in the cause of liberty? There is no doubt that the members of the Tea Parties have every right to be offended over the abuses in government that exist today. However, most of these abuses accumulated while the “giant,” now called the Tea Party, slept. Yes, shame on government for going on autopilot, but shame on the American people for not keeping them in line. Virtually everyone in the Democratic Party has open disdain for the Constitution and most of Republicans are filled with hypocrisy. That leaves few options for a group of Americans that have felt disenfranchised. A mere “throw the bums out” strategy is filled with problems and America cannot afford to wait for a viable third party. It will be a truly wasted opportunity if this movement fails to accomplish anything of lasting value.

I think it is imperative for those who are interested in having an immediate impact on the political process, but do not want to be taken advantage of by the political parties, to take a strategic approach when it comes to their activities. Conservatives should aggressively support the best (AKA constitutionally sound) candidates in primaries. They should go door to door, make phone calls, and give money to these type of candidates. If they do not exist in your district, work in a nearby district that has a candidate that shares your values. You can also help these candidates outside of your district, if the candidate you supported does not get the party’s nod. Don’t waste time, energy, and resources on candidates who do not share your values…that is, America’s value. If such principles are applied consistently, you will naturally have better candidates over time. I would argue, in a very short time.

So what happens when you get to November and your choices are various degrees of “bad?” My view is one that is both pragmatic, but lends to the wisdom of the Founding Fathers. The United States is one of the only governments in the world that can have a head of government that is different from the legislative branch of government. For example, the Prime Minister of England is a mere member of Parliament, whose party enjoys a majority. Our Founders did not believe that a government that could create policy with ease was necessarily a good government. In our current state and with a President pushing this nation towards a socialist wasteland, I can comfortably vote for obstruction. To vote for a Republican — any Republican — for Congress in the general election is a vote against Nancy Pelosi or Harry Reid as leaders (depending on the House). At this point, it is unconscionable to vote for a third party or to not vote at all in the current political environment. With the fast track towards socialism we are moving on today, I can comfortably support obstruction all day long.

The Houston Property Rights Association hosted Randal O’Toole last Friday at the Courtyard Restaurant in the Galleria Area. There was a very large turnout and a lunch was provided to the guest with the price of admission. The crowd included those who were known local conservative activists, but also included people who wore “Green Party” pins.

Barry Klein opened the meeting and touched on a few subjects. The recent denial of funds to Houston Metro Rail due to false reporting was the biggest subject. After all this, the the featured speaker, Mr. Randal O’Toole of the Cato Institute, was introduced.

O’Toole has done much research into rail transportation and his message is that it’s simply obsolete and does little to actually increase mobility of citizens despite the high cost of implementing it. O’Toole’s presentation showed that high costs, low ridership, and failures of commercial and residential development meant to compliment the rail.

It was hardly dry at all, O’Toole actually made it quite entertaining. He made it seem like rail in this day and age was a ridiculous idea, which was hard not to laugh at. Best line was when he pointed out the silliness of the Obama Administration wanting to put in a rail line from Cheyenne, Wyoming, to El Paso.

O’Toole’s solution to transportation woes was the message that cars were becoming more and more fuel efficient and able to drive themselves. This would lead to less traffic congestion and actual better mobility in cities and highways. It was hard to beleive at first, but then Randal went through slides of actual examples of the technology actually being used and developed.

It was a great presentation, and with the fallout of Metro Rail’s woes being in the headline, probably needs to be given more exposure to the citizens of Houston.