"The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing." - Edmond Burke
"Moving Out"
You should never argue with a crazy mind
You oughta know by now
You can pay Uncle Sam with the overtime
Is that all you get for your money?
It seems such a waste of time
If that's what it's all about
Good luck movin' up cause I'm movin' out.
Moving out - or rather renoucing his US citizenship - is exactly what Saverin is doing. Saverin has been getting grief about circumventing the US tax code but I'll stand up and defend him.
First, he helped found a company that has taken off to Microsoft or Apple powerhouse status. As a result, Saverin, Zuckerberg and others have made a whole bunch of money. Isn't that why people start businesses in the first place? To make as much money as possible while seeing your company expand? Did I mention that unlike Microsoft and Apple, Facebook doesn't charge you money to use their service?
Second, Saverin is emblematic in my mind of other individuals and companies moving to escape oppressive tax regimes. Take the election of socialist Francois Hollande as the new President of France as an example. The rich are already looking across the English Channel because Hollande has stated he rejects austerity measures in France and is looking to raise taxes on the wealthy to pay for the unsustainable government programs and pensions.
California now has a budget deficit of $16 billion, part of which is an estimated $2 billion in missed revenue from California's income tax. This shortage of income tax revenue comes from one or two ways - either people are earning a great deal less because of the economy and/or the rich have moved to more favorable tax climates. California's solution? Raise taxes again.
We see the "moving out" in other states whether it's New York City losing its rich because of high taxes or businesses moving out of Illinois because of high taxes. People and businesses - that have the means to do so - are moving to Texas, Tennessee or Florida where there is no state income tax, are Right to Work states and/or less regulatory. On a national level, we have seen companies "move out" their company or their investments to other countries with more favorable tax structures - hence GE paying no US corporate taxes on their profits the last two years.
A government cannot tax an economy into prosperity. A government cannot spend itself into prosperity either. However, states like California, Illinois and New York seem to think otherwise. As a result, we see continued budget shortfalls and calls for higher taxes rather than the opposite.
From a business standpoint, if your competitor is offering similar services at a better price, you don't raise your prices in hopes of getting more revenue. Instead, you will do your best to match your competitor's prices in hopes of luring customers to your company's product rather than risk losing current and potential customers to your competitor.
Likewise, states - especially Illinois - need to operate on the same level. If Indiana is more favorable to business - and thereby the wealthy who own most businesses - then Illinois needs to become more competitive to keep what business Illinois has and to allure more business to start or move to Illinois.
Saverin renoucing his US citizenship on the surface seems like a greedy move but when you get below the surface, you see a problem with redistributive taxes and an overregulated economy. We shouldn't curse Saverin and businesses for doing what they have done. Instead, we should be cursing those that have promised unsustainable pensions, created massive government programs/agencies and have created a hostile business environment.
Those that we should be cursing - Democrats in power in Springfield as an example - remind me of a debate I had with a student during Law Day a short while ago. The student was stating that he believed the 2nd amendment should be out of the Constitution because "guns are dangerous and kill people" and "it would help stop the wars we are in now". I was quick to remind him that a loaded gun sitting on a table is not dangerous and won't kill anyone until the gun is picked up and fired by a person. I also stated that if you don't like US foreign policy, don't blame the guns, blame the people we elected that decide and carry out our foreign policy.
It works the same way with Saverin, et al. Don't blame them for moving out. Blame those that have caused them to move out.
More Anti-business, Pro-union Fun From Springfield
Last year, the Illinois General Assembly passed a bill, signed into law by Gov. Quinn, that required the use of project labor agreements (PLAs) in most of the economic development zones in Illinois. To be short, PLAs basically require that companies that do business with a government entity play by union rules and/or pay. The result of which is usually an increase of 15-40% cost to do construction within these zones. One of President Obama's first executive orders - consistently reinforced by Rep. John Shimkus - was to require PLAs to bid on federal projects.
As stated above, Gov. Quinn quickly followed suit with a more than sympathetic Democrat majority in the IL General Assembly.
Now, there is a new bill - HB5657 - which would mandate that any municipality, county or township that refuses PLAs by rule, initiative or ordinance will not receive state funding/aid for projects.
As a city official, I cannot explain to you enough how difficult it is to recruit new business our city with Illinois being as anti-business as it is. The tax increase on personal income and on businesses was a punch in the gut. One advantage we used to have was our economic development zones, but Gov. Quinn and his allies pulled that rug out from underneath us. Now, if HB 5657 ever finds Gov. Quinn's desk, he and his lock-step followers in the IL GA will be essentially kicking us while we are down.
The cost of government is hard enough to control without Springfield handing down mandates that placate their union lobbyist friends. While Wisconsin and Gov. Scott Walker are taking steps to curtail union control which is resulting in more jobs and less taxes, Illinois is doing the exact opposite. Wonder why the Wisconsin Democrats from Madison took refuge in IL last year? HB5657 is an example of why they thought Illinois would be so hospitable to their flight.
The importance of this next election cannot be overstated. We MUST take back at least one house in Springfield to stop this madness. Call your State Reps and State Sens to ask them to stop the madness that is HB5657!
Effingham Unit 40 Is Wrong, Plain and Simple - UPDATE 1x
UPDATE 1x: I recieved this email today from Jane, a long time Tea Partier, about my post below. It reads:
We went to SIU-E graduation Saturday, and several of the graduating guys wore their uniforms INSTEAD of the black cap and gowns! I saw and I’m sure others saw nothing wrong with it. Same should apply to high school.
Jane is absolutely right.
END UPDATE 1x
I have never served in the military. My father did and both my grandfathers did. My future stepson is currently serving and has done several tours in both Afghanistan and Iraq. My cousin is currently in Afghanistan. I know several others that have served in our military including a classmate - Chris Donaldson - who lost his life in the field. Other soldiers in our area have also lost thier life in combat during the last decade of warfare.
Recently, 2nd Lt Charles Moritz's remains were returned to Effingham. Mortiz was KIA during WWII in England.
What do all these men and women who have served in our miltary have in common? They have all volunteered to defend our republic, defend our freedoms and have put their lives on the line on our behalf.
So when I read about Effingham Unit 40 denying US Army recruit and EHS Senior Josh Daughtery's request to wear his US Army rope and tassel at graduation May 20th, I got a bit upset.
What really got me upset was Asst. Principal Lewis' remarks on why he denied Daugherty's request:
Lewis today said that the school has 844 students that have a variety of pursuits, like Boy Scouts, church activities and others, but those aren't recognized at graduation, only school-related accomplishments. He said the one exception is when a member of the graduating class died, and each graduate wore a patch in memory of the student.
Lewis said he understood the family's disappointment in the decision, and said that's not the intent. He said the district's interpretation of school law is that if any outside activities are recognized, they must recognize all of them, and some could be undesirable.
There's a huge difference between volunteering to serve in the military and other organizations. But I guess this is just liberal educational logic at work.The school system, yes, even here in conservative Effingham, wants to make everyone uniform with no room for deviation from the system. Liberal logic rules supreme in education.
Why read names at graduation Mr. Lewis? Some people get more cheers than others when they walk the platform to get their diploma. According to liberal education logic, that is unfair and un-uniform. Why seat the kids in alphabetical order? It's unfair to those kids who throughout life have had to wait because their last name falls between S through Z. Just let them all get their diplomas enmasse. Why have a Valedictorian? Isn't it unfair to honor the top student because other kids may not be good test takers? Liberal logic would dictate you would stop that practice.
Lastly, the continued degradation of our military personnel and those that choose to serve by liberal logic is now being put on display at Effingham Unit 40. We know the left despises the military because it is an organization that promotes uniformity yet is largely conservative. Go further on the left - think Occupy Wall Street goons - and the military is seen as the oppressive arm of our government forcing its will upon other nations while killing innocent people.
I personally think Asst. Principal Lewis should reconsider his denial of Josh Daughtery's request. Daughtery is proud that he enlisted and Effingham Unit 40 should be proud that Daughtery has chosen to defend our rights and Constitution - which he learned about in his American Government class -- where else? At Effingham High School.
Your Chance To Help Effingham CASA On April 14th!
CASA stands for Court Appointed Special Advocate - for children.
CASA exists to help protect at-risk children by being their guardian in the court system. The state has DCFS which handles abuse/neglect cases regarding children. CASA fills in the gaps between the courts and DCFS by being an impartial and neutral party representing the children as they progress through the state and court systems.
CASA volunteers go through 30 hours of training where they learn to notice signs of abuse, understand children's behavior, how to handle different situations surrounding the children they watch over and how to detect possible problems in their case's home.
CASA volunteers are the children's Guardian Angels of sorts. They make sure that everything is good in the home and speak up on behalf of the children in court - always representing the best interest of the child/children while keeping a strict confidentiality about the children and the cases they are assigned.
With the average case load for DCFS workers in Illinois at about 45 cases per 1 DCFS worker, CASA helps ensure that these at-risk children do not fall through the cracks of an over burdened system.
My girlfriend Stephanie Rieman is a CASA advocate. With hearts the size of Texas, Stephanie and a handful of volunteers devote a portion of their lives to defend others than cannot defend themselves. Children are some of the most vulnerable people in our society and CASA's volunteers strive for the highest to protect those children.
Why am I tell you about this? First, it's a great program that is always seeking new volunteers. Second, because those that help the children need your help too! Since CASA is a volunteer program, they operate largely from donations from people in our community.
On April 14th, CASA will be hosting their "1st Annual Tips for CASA Celebrity Bartender Challenge" fundraiser. Stephanie will be slinging some drinks for a good cause from 11-12pm (I double dog dare anyone to make a better Long Island Ice Tea than her!). Below is the flier for CASA's event. I hope you all can make it out to CASA's fundraiser! With YOUR help, CASA's volunteers can continue helping at-risk children and ensure the program has a long beneficial future!
Giving Conservatism & Republican Bad Names
What you read below has to be one of the least conservative, least Republican posts I've read in a long time on a Republican site. In fact, the anonymous contributor by the end of his post stops just short of implementing a Fascist/Hitler-like ghettoization of poor. Posts like below give fuel to people like President Obama's class warfare argument. It reeks of Social Darwinist elitism and reinforces the stereotype of the blue-blooded country club Republican. Conservatives don't think like this. Republicans don't think like this. This helps prove my point I have often said that people quickly forget where they came from when they run into money, or those who were born with silver spoons in their mouths have no idea how the real world works.
Let's go through this and where the anonymous tipster went wrong:
Bob,
I
agree with you as I have often said that those who prefer to “live” on
“Link” cards should not have the same shopping experiences as those of
us who are “supporting” their habits. Let me be clear on the following
recommendations. I am setting forth examples for those people who are
fully “Wards of the State” but who are capable of acquiring an education
or trade in order to be a contributing member to society. I am NOT
referring to those who suffer debilitating mental or physical health.
(No, being STUPID is not debilitating, just a continual aggravation to
society.)
Therefore, I decree that the government should take over the “empty” Wal-Mart buildings, K-Mart, Kroger buildings etc and have the newly acquired “State Run Food Stores” stocked with basic staple foods that a family needs to sustain a healthy life. (Fruit juices, off-brand
Soft drinks (no energy drinks – these people are not exerting themselves in any fashion) appropriate cuts of meats (not t-bones, filets) no “sugary” children’s cereal, no frozen dinners, (they have all day to prepare a healthy meal).
However, I do have to agree that certain purchases should be limited to exclude certain unhealthy items or at the very least limit the number of those items that can be purchased. As Bob has detailed on his site previously, there is no reason why somebody should be buying 10 cases of soda with a Link card. But my agreement ends there. The reasoning the anonymous contributor states for these limitations are cruel, nothing more as in "these people are not exerting themselves in any fashion". So now the poor are not only stupid, but also lazy. What are "appropriate cuts of meat"? Is it Spam, 70/30 hamburger, or others? Finally, I have no problem with "frozen dinners". If mom or dad can't be home to cook dinner, are the kids supposed to not eat? When I was growing up, there were kids we used to call "Latch Key Kids" because the kids basically had to fend for themselves until Mom and/or Dad got home from work.
Oh, and by the way, there will be basic cake mixes where
a family can bake their “own” birthday cakes instead of ordering a $50
birthday cake from the bakery !! - (Can’t you see the family sharing
quality time baking their “own” birthday cakes.?)
Wow. Let's cancel Christmas while we are at it. How dare the lazy, stupid poor give their kids gifts if they are on the public dole. Cancel Halloween too. Candy just makes the lazy, stupid poor into fat, toothless, lazy, stupid poor.
This State Store will not have a liquor sales department but will have a hair analysis drug testing center. If the hair analysis shows evidence of drug use, the State issued Link card will be confiscated. The Link card will be reinstated once the “drug addict” can
Be retested and deemed free of drugs. (Should the drug addict eventually become baldheaded during the ongoing process, other testing means will be provided.) (No, the State Store will not have a cell phone department, remember, they all have one of those already.)
I don't have a problem with drug testing. We have to take drug tests when we get jobs, why not for public aid? In fact, I believe that politicians should also undergo drug testing. The cell phone comment though was a cheap shot. The general trend in the public is landlines are disappearing while cell phones are increasing which makes for funding 911 an issue that communities and states are going to have to face sooner rather than later.
This State Store will also be voluntarily manned by Link recipients. They will be responsible for the following:
Unloading the delivery trucks (Yes that could possibly mean an “early” morning trip to the store – we’ll furnish them with an alarm clock)
Stocking the shelves
Cleaning the store
Preparing fruits, vegetables etc. for display
Basic tracking of inventory
Policing the attempted shoplifters
Filling grocery bags
Assisting the disabled to their vehicle
Etc., Etc.
Their
“wages” would be the equivalent to their acquisition of needed
household food. “What do I do with my four children, (three different
dads) while it is my turn to volunteer at the State Run store??”
You find another Link recipient and share in the babysitting needs.
Something tells me you know of other people in your predicament who
could help you !!
The babysitting comment is a joke as well. "Four children, three different dads". So know the poor are promiscuous, lazy, and stupid. I am beginning to get a picture of our anonymous contributor here. He or she seems to be a person that has never known hardship in their life and has had no contact with the social classes outside his or her own. All he or she knows of the poor is what he or she has read, seen on TV or have had others tell them. Sad really.
Conservatism and being Republican is about helping the poor achieve what others have, not forcing them into forced volunteerism, aka slavery. Slavery? Yes, slavery. What is a slave but a forced volunteer working for nothing else but for the master (state) who provides for food/shelter? The Republican party is the party that freed the slaves, why in God's name would a Republican, let alone a conservative, promote a return to such a system?!
Also, a body scan will be taken on your first trip
to “The Store.” The Store will document tattoos and piercings. Any
person who obtains another tattoo or piercing while “on tax-payer’s
assistance” will most likely have their Link card confiscated.
Plus, did he or she just ask for government intrusion via body scan? Isn't it conservatives and Republicans leading the charge against the intrusive TSA body scans at airports? It's the left that trades in double standards, not the right.
Besides, what if somebody saved up for their tattoo or piercing? Sure, it's not like saving for a car but it's still saving for a purchase. Just because somebody buys a product or service does not mean they are abusing the system. In our anonymous contributor's mind, the poor should not have anything else than food, shelter and clothing. Outside those staples, it seems it's abuse or fraud of the system.
The Link Card also has an expiration date. Should the recipient prove (with a payroll check stub) that they are duly employed OR in an educational/ work training program, the taxpayers will be more than happy to assist them while they are struggling with their household budget. However, if the recipient is NOT working, nor actively seeking employment or educating/training for re-introduction into the workforce, the taxpayers can request that 18 months is sufficient in their subsidizing this individual’s lifestyle, and have the Link card terminated. You ask, “what will happen to this poor individual, he must eat ??” We can only assume
that “HE”LL FIND A JOB and FEED HIMSELF !!!”
The anonymous contributor actually hits on something here because the way the system is set up now, it is hard for somebody who is working to receive aid because if you earn just $1 more than the cut off line, your benefits are terminated. Hence there are people that are stuck in the nexus that is being the working poor with no assistance and wanting to work more but can't because of this cut off line. So basically, you are damned if you do, damned if you don't.
However, the "[h]e'll find a job and feed himself" line is a bunch of hooey. If a person does not have a higher education, their earning potential is less. If that same person does not have a high school education, their earning potential is significantly less. Basically, a person with no higher education has to take a job at minimum wage or in unskilled labor. A minimum wage job does not pay the bills period. So a job = feeding himself does not equal out in reality. It's pretty clear to me now that the anonymous contributor has never studied sociology 101 or they have forgotten some of the concepts taught in that course. I'm not talking about the Marxist crap they teach either; I'm talking about the actual demographics that make up the "poor" in America.
Just
my thoughts on the subject. I too, shop at (DELETED) (when I must) and
the other day a female truck driver in front of me, after seeing a
young couple with two very small children, no wedding rings, but
tattoos, piercings and a Link card, check out their cart with frozen
dinners, Oreos, Coke, Gatorade, etc. turns to me and says, “you would
think that these young people could at least crawl out of their pajamas
to shop for the food that WE are paying for.” She has a point !
I have met plenty of rich people in our area that dress sloppy when at the store. I have met plenty of rich people who allow their kids to wear baggy pants, or "pajamas" at the store. I know of a successful business owner that is tattooed, has long hair and who I have never seen wear anything that could be considered "business casual". My neighbor is tattooed, unmarried living with his girlfriend and her kids and they just had a child of their own. This guy fits nearly all the stereotypes our anonymous contributor hit on....only my neighbor is gainfully employed by a nationally known business here in Effingham. Stereotypes are easy ways for people to dismiss people that are different from them. Stereotypes allow people to feel better about themselves and attempt to create a class of citizenship that is present only in their minds.
One last thing about my neighbor. He is a nice guy who by all definitions presented by our anonymous poster stereotypes should be "poor" and reading between the lines, not a family man. In fact, he and his girlfriend and their children sit down every evening and eat dinner together or often work on their house or yard together as a family. So much for stereotypes.
Conservatives and Republicans care not for labels or identity politics. Those type of things are the realm of the progressives and the Democrats. Identity politics and labels are nothing more than tools to divide and conquer the voting populace. Conservatives and Republicans do not see color. They do not see differences. We only see people who have the power to enhance their lives if they use the most of their potential - all done with minimal government assistance. We care about the individual, not what ethnicity that individual claims. We believe the individual, through capitalism, can rise above one's circumstances or at the very least have the ability to help their children live a better life than they had and/or increase the probability that their children's socioeconomic status changes for the better - and that their children will do the same for their children.
Below are Bob's comments regarding the anonymous poster:
It's
worth a try. Ever notice how Democrats are ADAMANTLY opposed to any
type of experiment like this. Even Charter Schools and School choice
are HORRORS, even if tested on a limited basis. Frankly, it's that form
of experimentation that leads to some great innovations. It's
always important to remember, that the automobile was invented more than
500 miles from our Nation's capitol. As one member of congress told
me, "If the federal government had been responsible for creating the
automobile, we would have had a mechanical horse!"
The problem with an "experiment" like the one Bob's anonymous poster writes about is that it isn't Republican, and it certainly isn't conservative. Government is not the answer, but a draconian system as stated above is not the answer either. Jonah Goldberg in "Liberal Fascism" stated that libertarianism would be a perfect political ideology if it had the answer to the poor and foreign affairs. Since libertarianism doesn't have those answers and progressivism doesn't either, conservatism hold the only hope for the poor and rich alike.
Democrats
support innovation, but only if it emanates from DC. And yet, there in
nothing in our history to suggest that they deliver.
My final thoughts:
I generally do not like criticizing a fellow conservative Republican and/or his/her posts on their sites but I felt I had to say something about this particular anonymous contributor's post.
The anonymous poster's article that I have spent the better part of two hours writing about has nothing to do with conservatism or being Republican. In fact, it gives both conservatism and being Republican a bad name. It's those types of "experiments" that keep the Marxist, "fair share", class warfare promoters in business. It keeps progressives relevant because 1 post like this can undo years of hard work by conservatives and Republicans who are trying to change an image portrayed of them by Democrats, progressives, and their allies/associates in the mainstream media. We should all strive to uphold the principles that are Republican and conservative, not try to use progressive ideas to further our just cause.
Finally, on a personal note, as a Christian, as a conservative, as a Republican, as the Effingham Tea Party Co-Founder, as an elected official, and finally as a human being, I am thoroughly disgusted that such thought as stated in the anonymous post even still exists in America today. Such gross and blatant disregard for our common man has no place in society or modern political discourse. Go back and look at the events surrounding the French Revolution and see how the "First Estate" viewed the "Third Estate".
Obama Is Keeping You Poor
To me, President Obama could care less whether we pay high gas prices. High gas prices fit in perfectly in his continual attempt at class warfare. High gas prices keep the poor poorer and allows President Obama to point out that the rich can afford the gas prices and that's not doing their fair share.
Also, the working poor who may or may not be getting government assistance are beaten down as they try to make ends meet or better themselves by an administration who has already depressed the economy and actually needs the working poor to stay poor or get poorer.
It's really a sick and twisted world liberals live in where they claim they fight for the poor, but do everything in their power to make people poorer and ensure that the poor stay on the government dole.
Take someone working minimum wage in Illinois. Let's say they are lucky enough to find a job working a full 40 hour work week. Let's examine how high gas prices hurt the working poor.
8 hrs @ $8.25 = $66.00 per shift
Now take the average vehicle's fuel tank at 17 gallons
17 gallons @ $3.89/gal (which it was in Effingham this past weekend) = $66.13
So the working poor just lost an entire shift's worth of wages and coupled with taxes taken out, actually lost money. Couple this with all the other bills, tax increases and other wonderful stuff our federal and state governments have thrown at us and it's amazing that anyone can afford to survive.
The problem is deeper though. I used the working poor as an example to get a reaction. So let's use another example. Those that work a second job as extra income to help pay the bills or put a kid through college. How many people do you know where the wife or the husband works a second job on the side full time or part time.
And it's not just gas prices. Because of QE1 and QE2, ethonal and higher fuel prices, inflation at the grocery has also gone up. Milk is approaching $5.00 a gallon as fast as gas is approaching $5.00 a gallon.
To those liberal reading this, no, you cannot just raise minimum wage and the problem will solve itself. Prices will then increase due to the increase in money available, cost of business, etc.
To solve these problems, we must start drilling in the US instead of relying on foreign oil. Simple. We have oil if the liberals would just let us get at it. In addition, our government must stop spending ourselves to oblivion. Printing money to pay off more loans from China causes a pain in our wallet as the dollar collapses and prices increase because of inflation (and in the case of oil, lack of supply vs high demand).
I'm getting sick and tired of watching people around me trying to make it in life only to have any rug they find to stand on ripped out from under them. There is nobody left to blame but one. Not Bush. Not Katrina. Not Iraq. Not China. Just one. President Obama.
I Want A Brokered Convention
In our jobs, we are trained to defuse situations either as a manager or when we deal with customers. Don't escalate the situation because you will only make things worse.
Finally, in politics, we are told we must compromise. We are told that we must go with whoever is the most "electable". We have to pick whoever "appeals to the independents". Hard line stances on policy issues are taboo and labeled as divisive or being closed-minded. We see it happen every election in Illinois. Pick the guy or gal that the Chicago liberals want.
What's the result of all this conflict resolution and compromise?
We are left with a society that stands for nothing - hence the high level of "independents". God forbid we take a side in an issue or a party for that matter! We have been brow beaten into believing that any conflict is bad whether it's in our personal lives or an international conflict.
We, as Americans, have become a nation that goes with the flow. Whatever works as long as it doesn't effect me. We don't ruffle feathers because somebody's sensibilities might get hurt. We worry about saying the wrong thing in case somebody might get offended. We would rather go with the status quo than upend the apple cart. Risk is frowned upon, safe choices praised.
As a result, we get outcome based education in our schools, games like Duck, Duck, Goose and Musical Chairs are banned because kids might feel left out, football/baseball/basketball games with no scores so "everyone wins", businessmen not donating or getting involved because they worry about backlash to their business, politically correct language, refusing to publicly take a stand because friends or neighbors might get offended, etc. It used to be said that you don't talk politics or religion in a bar. Now, that same adage applies in our daily lives as people are scared to talk politics or religion in open society.
What happens when you compromise time and time again? We (conservatives and a nation) move just a bit more to the left. You see, it's not hard for the left to compromise because they basically get what they want knowing that the next time, they will get closer to their eventual goals. Conservatives on the other hand, cannot go back the next time because we already gave up ground to the left. There lies the problem.
If a teacher gives up a bit of control in the classroom to placate students, that teacher will never get that control back. Likewise, conservatives give up a little more each time, and we never get it back - ie center-right Supreme Court judges, moderate candidates, Romneycare, etc.
What does this have to do with a brokered convention? Everything.
Conservatives are being told right now that Mitt Romney is the most electable. Conservatives are being told that a conservative candidate cannot win against Barack Obama. Conservatives are being told that if the others in the GOP race don't get out, then we are hurting Mitt's chances and are only helping President Obama's re-election chances. Even in DC, a GOP led US House compromised with the President to raise the debt ceiling in exchange for the Keystone XL pipeline - and we all know how that has worked out. But we are supposed to keep compromising?
If everything was hunky-dory within the GOP and "independents" (God, I hate that term), then there would have been no Tea Party. If everything was fine in the GOP, then there would be less conservative candidates at this point of the game vying for the GOP nomination. If there was no problem within the GOP, then Tea Party candidates would not have beat GOP incumbents in primaries in 2010. If there wasn't a problem with the progressives, then those same GOP conservative candidates should have lost their elections.
For the longest time, conservatives have been told by the Beltway Boys, the Left Coast, and in Illinois the Collar County Crew that conservatives can't win. On the flip side, when their guy loses and the Democrat wins, it's also the conservatives' fault because we refused to compromise and support the moderate/liberal GOP candidate 100%. Time and time again, conservatives are treated like the step-child of the GOP. Even friends of conservatives who have made their money and reputations from expounding conservative ideas - like Ann Coulter - have drank the Mitt Romney kool-aid.
So I want to have that fight on the floor of the GOP convention in Tampa. I want a knock-down, drag out, cage match, last man standing war for the heart and soul of the Republican party. The establishment doesn't want that fight because of how it might look to the American public. The MSM media will go heads over heels in delight when it happens, but who cares about them?! A brokered convention isn't about them anyway. It's about the future of the GOP and the future of our country.
When we had a Presidential candidate in 2008 who was a squishy "walk across the aisle" type guy and the GOP now wants a candidate that is nothing more than Obama-Lite, what are conservatives to do other than pray for a brokered convention?
If the convention is brokered, the GOP could pick a candidate who is more conservative and someone that either wasn't on the ballot or someone who was on the ballot who dropped out. Remember, depending on the poll, roughly 70% of the GOP voters prefer someone other than Romney. That is why a brokered convention scares the GOP establishment. A brokered convention scares them more than what the MSM would say about it; it scares them more than what the independents would say about it. To lose control of the convention, the nominee, and ultimately the GOP itself scares the establishment GOP more than anything in this world. This nomination was supposed to be a cake walk for Mitt, and instead has turned into a gauntlet.
I want a brokered convention. Let's have the fight. Let's take the GOP back from the liberals and squishy moderates once and for all. Isn't that one of the goals of the Tea Parties anyway - to fight off progressivism and to reclaim the one party that - on paper - shares Tea Party ideals? Here's to a brokered convention.
Something Important About The Illinois Primary
One of the general criticisms of the Tea Parties is that they are very disconnected from each other and have generally failed to rally around a particular candidate or have split their support among a field of candidates. Hence the rise of Mitt Romney as the front runner and the others in the field splitting the other 75% of support.
Another criticism of the Tea Parties is their unwillingness to be absorbed into the Republican party or any party for that matter. They are staunchly conservative, but independent. This point has been both their benefit and their defeat. Staying independent has allowed the Tea Parties to largely operate outside of the normal political world while affecting elections to their liking in 2010. At the same time, the Tea Parties have failed to affect the Republican party leadership despite being instrumental in the takeover of the US House and other races.
There is a growing number of conservatives and Tea Partiers though that have recognized this problem of not affecting the Republican Party leadership at both the local and state level. As a result, these people have collected signatures on petitions within their respective voting precincts in order to be placed on the ballot on March 20th for a two year term as a Precinct Committeeman. An overwhelming majority - if not all - of those conservatives/Tea Partier Precinct Committeeman candidates you will find on the Republican ballot.
These people understand that in order to effectively affect change within the Republican Party, you must become a voting member within that party. Once a voting member of the Republican Party, these same conservatives/Tea Partiers can then help affect change at the leadership level.
Of course change won't happen overnight, but getting involved as a Precinct Committeeman is one of the important things you can do within the political world and voting for a Precinct Committeeman is one of the most important things you can do this upcoming Illinois Primary.
Unfortunately, the deadline for petitions to be on the March 20th ballot as a Precinct Committeeman has passed. But there is still hope for you! 28 days fter the Primary, your county Republican Party will meet for their County Convention to elect the new party leadership and only elected Precinct Committeemen can vote during this convention. After the County Convention, you can still step forward and ask to be appointed to any precinct that does not have a Precinct Committeeman elected to it. In this way, you can still affect the party through other ways since during the next 2 years, all Precinct Committeemen - both elected and appointed - can vote on party business at the county level. As a result, even though you missed the deadline to file, you still have an opportunity to make changes at the county level.
When March 20th comes around and you are in polling place casting a vote, make sure to check to see if there is a Precinct Committeeman running in your precinct. If there is someone running, then make sure you vote for him or her. If there isn't, then contact your county's Republican Chairman or another Precinct Committeeman (list available at your county clerk's office) to get involved.
If you are a Tea Partier, you must get involved in party politics, especially if you want the movement to survive longer than previous political movements before it. The machine that is party politics will leave the Tea Parties in the dust if the Tea Parties do not join in and attempt to take over the party machine. This Illinois Primary is your first chance to do just that. The next opportunity won't happen until 2014 - and pray it won't be too late by then. If the Tea Partiers don't get involved now, then they risk being nothing more than a blip on the map of political history like Soccer Moms, Reagan Democrats, etc.
To quote one of my favorite movies, "get busy livin' or get busy dyin'.".
The Scam of Higher (Lower) Education
Mind you, I'm not taking issue so much with what is learned (though I have serious reservations about cherry picking information or skewing that knowledge taught from a liberal point of view). The courses you decide to take to achieve a degree within a chosen major are needed and the intro-major courses provide a scaffolding system for the student as the student advances through his or her major courses into more intense and narrower scoped classes within their major.
The scam of higher education begins with the "prerequisite" courses a student must take before that student can pursue their chosen major. For instance, the "general education" requirements at Eastern Illinois University include:
Humanities and Fine Arts |
9 hours |
| Language | 9 hours |
| Mathematics | 3 hours |
| Scientific Awareness | 7 hours |
| Social and Behavioral Sciences | 9 hours |
| Senior Seminar | 3 hours |
| TOTAL | 40 hours |
Of course the power that be that decided the "general education" requirements justify it as creating a well rounded, worldly minded student. Bunk. It's all about the money.
According to the EIU Financial Aid site it would costs a student, who lives on campus, $22,736.00 to attend one year at EIU @ 15 hours with a 12 meal plan in the dorms. If you live off campus, it will cost a student $14,194.00 per year (actually higher if you are a commuting student) less the costs of 12 meal plan/campus housing. For our purposes, let's just use the student living off campus as an example. The costs to a student just to get through 40 hours of "general education" @ $269.00 + fees per credit hour = $17,705.00 +/-.
One question I have is why are we being double taxed or triple taxed to pay for "general education" that should have been learned while a student was in high school? How are we double or triple taxed? Look at your property taxes - you pay a portion to your local school district and then you pay a portion to EIU and Lakeland. Then you are taxed on your state income which helps pay for higher education. Then your income is taxed at the federal level which some of it filters back to the universities or colleges. In addition, once enrolled at a university there are also activity fees, parking fees, book rental (at EIU students rent books instead of buying them), health services fee, etc. More money, more problems.
It's not my fault or your fault that a student is not prepared for college. It should not be our responsibility to reteach students what they need in order to do well in their major courses. It lessens the value of a college degree when students are taught, retaught, and then pursue their career chosen college classes. If a student can't write a paper when they get to college, they either need to learn how on their own real quick or maybe, **gasp**, they shouldn't be there in the first place? It's not our fault that a student's high school did not educate them correctly or the student didn't pay attention in class. If anyone can basically get a degree because they have been coddled and tutored the first 2 years of school (at considerable costs to the student and taxpayer) so they can make it in their chosen major classes, then what's the value of a Bachelor's degree? The value sure doesn't go up, but the cost of college always does.
I'm not that old, but I do remember a time when a college degree was something special. Your degree gave you an advantage over someone that didn't have a degree, and double that sentiment if you had a Master's degree. What happens to the value of a product or service when scarcity is no longer an issue? The value of that product or service goes down. Likewise, that principle transfers to a college degree but yet the costs associated with obtaining a less-valuable degree has gone up considerably. This is also a problem I have with "online universities", but that's a post for another day...
Furthermore, universities crank out degrees like Bill Maher cranks out stupid. If a certain major is a dying field or the job market is saturated, then universities should either limit how many they allow to major in that field or shut down the program altogether. But again, it's all about the money. Just because a student wants to major in something, doesn't mean the university should provide them the avenue to pursue such folly. As an example from a fantastic movie starring Jeremy Piven, Jon Favreau and David Spade called PCU:
Tom: What's he doin?Some might argue that it's a free country and if my kid wants to get a worthless degree in underwater basket weaving, then that's his or her right. I guess you can study, or do anything you want, but that doesn't mean the tax payers have to pay for it or provide a vehicle for your kid to be eventually unemployed (thereby costing tax payers more money).
Droz: He's finishing his senior thesis. Pigman is trying to prove the Caine-Hackman theory. No matter what time it is, 24 hours a day, you can find a Michael Caine or Gene Hackman movie playing on TV.
Tom: That's his thesis?
Droz: Yes! That's the beauty of college these days, Tommy! You can major in Game Boy if you know how to bullshit.
It is beyond belief that it takes 4 or more years to get a degree because it should take only 2 at the most 3 to achieve a degree. When a student attends a university, the student should be placed directly in their chosen major courses. If they make it, great! If they sink, perhaps a university isn't for them - there is junior college though.
Junior colleges offer a 2 year degree where students do take general education courses and either graduate with an associates degree or then continue on to a 4 year university. Why are universities offering the same courses as junior colleges? Better yet, if universities and junior colleges are going offer the same courses, WHY DON'T ALL COURSES TRANSFER?!?!
That's right. Let's say you attend Lakeland, don't get an associates degree but decide after 2 years at Lakeland you want to go directly to EIU. Some of your courses will not transfer, and you will be forced to retake the same courses at EIU. Furthermore, if I attend EIU and decide after 3 years that I want to finish up my degree at SIUC or any other 4 year university, guess what....not all of your classes will transfer, if any do at all. Once arriving at your new university, you will have to retake courses you already took at EIU. So the scam for more money continues.
To continue, if I take courses at EIU but I can't fit one class or another into my schedule but Lakeland teaches the classes and is actually a class that transfers, one would think I could dual enroll, transfer my credit from Lakeland up to EIU to speed up the process towards graduation. Wrong. I used to be able to dual enroll, but universities have gotten wise and now if they find you have dual enrolled, the credit taken at the other institution will not transfer regardless if it would have transferred if you were only enrolled at the junior college. Money.
But it gets better! In order to graduate from EIU, a student has to take a senior seminar - that'll basically cost an extra $1000. If you transfer to EIU, a student has to reach "institutional residency" which means a student has to take a minimum of 30 hours at EIU to graduate.
Every step of the way, the student and the tax payer gets bled just a little more.
By allowing QUALIFIED students to attend universities and achieve their degree in less time also ensures they will have less student loan debt (not getting into that argument here) when they graduate. If a student has less debt, then they have more money to spend. If the graduate has more money to spend, then the economy benefits. And so on and so on.
As a result, we are left with archaic institutions of learning that are more concerned with ensuring our students are classically
Our politicians are so concerned about reforming public education at the high school level they have completely ignored universities. I'm sure the heavily unionization of universities has nothing to do with the lack of reform in any way shape or form...
Our university system must be reformed. Dropping "general education" requirements and allowing transfer of credits from institution to institution without penalty would be a great places to start.
The Battle For The Republican Party
On one side - the liberal or Massachusetts Moderate - we have Mitt Romney. On the other side, we have the rest trying to pit themselves as the poster child for conservatism (and the word "conservative" seems to be open to debate and interpretation this year as well).
I think this GOP primary is shaping up to be something more though, something that the Democratic Party had to go through in 2008 - Old Guard vs New Guard or better yet Old Establishment vs New Establishment.
Let me define "establishment" in these terms for our purposes here as those that are in a position of power within the party structure.
This thought first came to me awhile ago, but I was reminded about it and made more of a connection when John McCain endorsed Mitt Romney. This endorsement was really no surprise and in fact, I wrote a piece detailing that Mittens was actually McCain Version 2012.
McCain's endorsement coupled with the endorsement of former President George HW Bush and the less than tacit snubbing of TX Gov. Rick Perry there is a power struggle within the GOP (carried out almost daily on Fox News anytime Karl Rove opens his mouth). In effect, it's the Bush wing vs. all challengers to the Bush legacy.
We saw the same thing playing out in 2008 and since - the Clintons vs all challengers to the Clinton legacy.
As former Presidents, both Clinton and the Bushes, had the opportunity to place their supporters and loyalists in positions within their respective parties. Both the Clintons and the Bushes continued to shape their parties until someone came along to knock them off the proverbial hill. In the Clintons' case, it was Barack Obama's hostile takeover of the Democratic Party and when President Obama leaves office, his loyalists will control the Democratic Party until someone unseats the Obamaites' chosen successor(s). Right now, Obamaites have already fanned out across the country to lay the ground work to stay in power within the Democratic Party. Mayor Tiny Dancer in Chicago is a prime example of this, much like how Clintonites Bill Richardson ran for governor, Hilary ran for Senate, etc.
Likewise, we see this same situation taking place during the GOP primary. The Bushes, with their preferred candidate John McCain of 2008, have tried to crown their successor through Mitt Romney. Mittens will of course promote his people into positions of power, but those people will be aligned with the Bush wing.
Hence, we see one of the roots of the conservative vs moderate/liberal problem within the GOP just like we saw the battle between the center-left vs far left in the 2008 Democratic primary. The non-Mitt candidates represent varying different variations of conservatism different than George W Bush "conservatism". We have Reagan Republicans, Libertarian Republicans, and Clinton Era Republicans vs Bush Republicans.
I know I am working in grand generalizations here, but it's a working thesis. I would ask you to pay attention to who the pundits and commentators are talking up or down. Right now, it seems Mittens is largely getting pass from the conservative intelligentsia while these same critics are pointing out how Candidate X or Candidate Y doesn't have the money, doesn't appeal enough to independents, didn't make the correct speech, etc.
We are left with a power struggle for the GOP that could ultimately result in Obama's re-election.
