Greece-ing the Skids Toward Dependency

On my drive from work, I was listening to a snippet of NPR where they were discussing the current economic apocalypse in Greece that Glenn Beck warned in his CPAC speech would occur here.  There have been riots in the streets as the Greek government desperately seeks to find ways of ameliorating their budgetary boondoggle.  They are of course frustrated by a plethora of failings and attempted fixes as reported by The Globe and Mail:

Greece will need to cut spending – by 10 per cent of GDP over 10 years – while raising revenue and cracking down on its untaxed black-market economy, which counts for as much as a third of all financial activity in the country. This combination could provoke further unrest, and may foretell similar tensions in Italy and Portugal.

If Greece’s crisis and accompanying political unrest were an isolated case, it might be more manageable, but this week the turmoil seemed to spread across the belly of Europe.

On Tuesday, Spain’s cities were shut down by unionized workers protesting its left-wing government’s plan to raise the retirement age to 67 and cut spending in order to deal with its own serious fiscal situation.

Spain has debt of 54 per cent of GDP and a deficit of more than 11 per cent, plus unemployment levels that approach 20 per cent and a housing-market collapse.

 

What struck me during the NPR report was their emphasis on the retirement age being raised while benefits are to head in the opposite direction in Greece; and at the same time, the story according to The Globe and Mail is that Greece is going to be taking similar steps.  

Riots are occurring in the streets because the government is controlling the retirement benefits of the citizenry.  Scary.

I was listening to the February 23^rd edition of Mark Levin (I do the free podcast a day later while I run, God bless him for making his show free and available) where he talked about being at the mercy of the government.  As these people in Europe see themselves: at the mercy of their government.  “Please sir, can I have some more?”  Where is the dignity and the honor?  I work in a place where I see the day to day sufferings of people who find themselves dependent on a government that only knows of their existence based on a number in a database.  Is this what we want?  To have to go to the government, to Social Security, to your Congress-persons’ offices, to Medicare, and beg for money to exist? 

Tocqueville once lamented about the coming age of rational control.  We look at a leviathan to take away the “pain of thinking” and the “agony of living” as Dr. Mansfield once recounted.  What needs to be explained to people, is that a dependency on government does nothing of the sort!  The people dependent on government might have purged the “pain of thinking” from their lives, but they continue to live in agony as their life is no longer at the will of him or her self or even Providence, but of boards, panels and case workers… How long after Health Care gets passed (should we be so unfortunate) before we are rioting in the streets because we have found ourselves in government bondage? 

-rj

What Can Brown Do For You?

It hurts, I know.  For the countless Conservatives and Tea Partiers who helped Scott Brown’s campaign make history, those who donated money from all around these United States (like the $348,000 spent by the Tea Party Express in California for a Scott Brown TV ad), those Republican operatives who boarded the buses here in DC and trekked northward into enemy territory to knock on doors: I cannot offer you and yours much comfort in my words.  Actions speak louder than words, and Conservatives, Libertarians and Tea Partiers seem to be uniting for the first time this year due to Senator Brown’s recent actions. 

It sucks; and nobody wanted to think this was going to be the case because as Glenn Beck said during his closing speech at CPAC, “it’s not enough for Republicans to just suck less than the other side.” 

What led us to this unfortunate quandary was the Senator’s recent vote against the filibuster for Senator Harry Reid’s Jobs Bill.  This will allow the Bill to reach a final vote in the Senate Wednesday.  His actions earned him praise from Maryland Democrat and Representative Steny Hoyer, which is the equivalent of Dallas Cowboys picking up L.T. and having Dan Snyder applaud the move as “great.”  It has also earned him some malicious scorn on his Facebook page and office phone lines; and a bit of criticism here at thelobbyist as well.   

Sen. Brown was probably pacing back and forth with his home state sticking to his shoes before returning to DC for votes this week.  He was probably taking a lot of information in about the problems facing Massachusetts, particularly unemployment which increased from 8.7% to 9.4% (November – December 2009), a considerable increase especially when compared to the rest of the United States.  All the while, Massachusetts’ Unemployment Insurance benefits have dipped $41.9 million into the red. 

I am not endorsing Senator Brown’s actions, nor am I even excusing them.  It is imperative that the Republican Party experience an eureka moment where they do not treat people who are for limited domestic influence by federal government as the fringe.  Can’t there be someone who can moderately explain why limited government involvement on the federal level is a good idea for the entire country?  Isn’t this where Reagan reigned supreme?  At the same time, can’t Tea Partiers, Conservatives and some Libertarians also come to accept that a Republican in Massachusetts will not be an exact replica of a Texas Republican, or a Carolina Republican? 

I am just asking for everyone to hold tight I guess.  I know we made Scott Brown into this last best hope, and I do not think that his voting in favor of this particular jobs bill shows us anything we really should not have already expected: Scott Brown is a Republican.  Not a Tea Partier, not particularly Conservative, and certainly not a libertarian.  Does this make him a RINO?  No… he is still a Republican and can still help us keep the $1 Trillion government slow-roll take-over of healthcare.  That means a lot more to me right now than the $14-40 Billion jobs bill.  Let’s not burn our bridge just yet, and keep our eyes on the prize.

-rj

George Will Gives Great CPAC Speech

Thanks to AllahPundit for this three-part speech.

Rep. Pence @ CPAC

Representative Mike Pence came to the blogger’s lounge at CPAC for an impromptu interview session.  Key points:

1.  Representative Pence says he WILL NOT run for the Presidency in 2012, he is focusing his efforts on being a Representative and serving his constituents.  While we are aware that a lot of people state they will not run for the Oval Office matter-of-factly; Dustin pointed out during our encounter with the Representative that he is making his way to the Speaker’s Office…

2. Representative Pence spoke briefly about Representative Ryan’s “Road map” and referred to it as “his (Paul Ryan’s) Road map” as opposed to any sort of collective Republican road map.  He admits there are some things that he would do differently.

3.  Representative Pence gave his prediction for 2010… What are our chances of gaining the House this year?  Representative Pence says 100%

-rj

Today At CPAC

I got to CPAC late today- so far, I haven’t done much, but I’m into the third round of the sumo suit competition. (I am a shade under 5’8 and weigh 168 pounds. I just beat a guy who is over 6′ tall and weighs 298 pounds.)

I also met Ed Morrissey of Hot Air and gave him my business card.

Update: They called the first time I won a draw (the other guy went out, but they thought I did until I appealed, so instead of giving me a victory they called it a draw). Next time, the guy outmaneuvered me, so I pulled on his head to drag him out of bounds, but they said that was illegal. (I mean, come on- what is head gear for?) The last time, he got me with the same move about the second time. So…I lost. Darn.

At CPAC

I’m at CPAC, everyone- check in to see my updates throughout the day.

The Best Of Both Worlds

Hey, CPAC organizers, here’s an idea- let’s stick to our principles and get good public relations at the same time! Let’s start with not allowing the John Birch Society to co-sponsor the 2010 CPAC. Then, let’s fully support the inclusion of GOProud as a c0-sponsor.

Here’s what this will do:

1. It will show that the largest, most popular gathering of American conservatives does not support the kind of extremism our movement has been accused of over the past several years and particularly in the last year.

2. It will show that the largest, most popular gathering of American conservatives?is inclusive towards?organizations that share stances on tax policy; a belief in?limited government and free markets; and?standing up against those foreign enemies that commit atrocious human rights violations. Since GOProud is a conservative gay organization, it will also show that the conservative movement values what Ed Morrissey so aptly said we should: “…a governing coalition based on fundamental conservative principles or a mission of absolute purity on the Right.”

Morrissey concluded his analysis better than I can, so I’ll steal what he wrote: “If we want to win control of the House in 2010, we need to focus on key principles that address the nation?s crises and the main points of disillusion with Democrats.

That should set our focus on those points on which Democrats overreached ? namely, spending, government intrusion, spiraling deficits, and fiscal insanity.? We need to show that we can, if trusted with power again, govern properly and responsibly, and even more that we understand that the priorities are the fiscal issues and not the social issues that divide more than they unite.

GOProud?s priorities are fundamentally in line with that effort.? We should not allow a purity campaign to push away natural allies on the fiscal crisis that grips our country, and the opportunity we have to correct it in 2010.”

John Ziegler You’re Just Wrong

You may not immediately recognize the name John Ziegler.? But you probably recognize the the documentary title Media Malpractice.? Media Malpractice was a documentary that Ziegler put together exposing the corruption and vitriol within the media toward Palin during the 2008 Presidential election.

So now Ziegler has decided to go after people that he has determined are counter productive to appropriate leadership in the conservative movement.? Part of the decision to do this is because he is under the impression that donations and sponsorships are earning speaking positions at the annual Conservative Political Action Conference.

Yet he cavalierly and ironically admits that he has been given speaking slots and panel positions at both CPAC and WCPAC (the conference on the West coast) because of his documentary being a sponsor of the event.

Double standard much?

This past Sunday, Zieglar posted the afore-linked to post on Mediaite.com tearing into CPAC Chairman David Keene.? Zieglar issued three main complaints as to why Keene wasn’t fit for leadership, and postulated that he wasn’t even a Conservative.? Actual evidence withstanding…

Here is Sherlock Zieglar’s list of dastardly Keene deeds:

1) Keene believes Sarah Palin’s decision to step down was a mistake, that she “bailed out” on her duties and that it would hurt her candidacy for the presidency.? –? Is this really a big deal?? I mean our own RJ Caster essentially said the same thing back in June.? People have a right to their opinion.? And furthermore, I would actually argue that it’s bad for the conservative movement for everyone to always be in total agreement, or to jump on an “Obama-esque” idolization bandwagon.

2) Keene gave Arlen Specter $2,000 in 2008.? Arlen is a long time friend, supposedly.? –? You know, a lot of dyed in the wool conservatives gave Specter a lot of money in 2008.? And a lot of them were ham hogged! (my word)? I’d be willing to bet Keene gave a lot of Republicans with conservative values across the range money in 2008.? The guy isn’t a psychic.

3) Ziegler alleges that the American Conservative Union, whom Keene is Chairman of, offered to give FedEx Keene’s Op-Ed support on a legislative issue if they paid ACU a $2 million.? — First of all, shouldn’t Ziegler be in favor of the free market?? If that is the cost of Op-Ed support, and you have the name recognition to get published to help a client, then what’s the problem?? If you do feel that is unethical, that’s fine too.? That would also be a valid opinion.

Turns out, it wasn’t the case at all.? As Keene explains in this video Ziegler made of a interview he asked if he could have with Keene at WCPAC.? Which turns out to actually be a setup where Ziegler unethically and maliciously corners Keene with his ridiculous assumptions.

Hearing Thunder at CPAC

I was there. Leaning against the side wall about seven rows from the stage, I witnessed Rush Limbaugh deliver his “first address to the nation” at CPAC on Saturday afternoon.

The ground was shaking, the walls were vibrating, the hall was rumbling.?Several thousand people entered a room in one mood, and left in another. The speaker perfectly channeled his audience’s anger, unease, confusion, frustration, and defensiveness with a?hot yet handled command beneath a healthy, vibrant superiority complex on full display for the entire?world. And I enjoyed every minute of it.

But I also remained deeply contemplative. During Rush’s entire speech, I couldn’t help but feel like I was given a sort of introduction or prologue to it about a full week beforehand. And then I remembered Matthew Continetti’s latest column in the newest issue of The Weekly Standard, titled “The Age of Irresponsibility.”

He tells, overall, of the degeneracy of our society–?although not?as?having come, as?usually suspected,?from the ground up (just the opposite). In other words, the powers that be have failed us morally, spiritually, and behaviorally, and as a result America has almost run out of heroes.?At that point in a society, very bad things always follow.?I will further analyze Continetti’s words in my next column, but until then, I’ll?leave a quote from the piece’s conclusion:

“Things can get a whole lot worse. A failure of accountability not only erodes the foundations of our culture. It also puts our country on unstable fiscal ground. A storm of moral and financial insolvency has been brewing for some time. The populist reaction is only the beginning. We’re hearing the thunder. Get ready for the deluge.”‘

(Hint: He’s not only talking about economics.)

- TQ

A Rush To Judgement…

After having watched the Sunday morning Squawking… Anyone may have come away thinking that Rush Limbaugh, during his speech to CPAC this past weekend, committed treason against our country.? Why is it so hard for the pragmatic left, the middle left, and the media to understand our fury? (I did not touch upon the malicious left, like Maddow and Olbermann because they are angry even when they have someone in power doing everything they wanted, so they should be very aware of anger).

There have always been several “parties” that make up the Conservative movement.? What our dear mentor, William F. Buckley did was create a broad philosophy that was inclusive of all these passions and beliefs.? Now we are splitting not so much by the fault lines between these smaller groups, but between our more passionate libertarian wing, and those who are a bit more mellow and pragmatic.? Every Conservative has felt the tug of both sides: especially when you are younger.? You want to fight for your beliefs, but as true Conservatives, we understand that there lies a difference between Reactionaries and Conservatives.

Rush touched a nerve because we want to fight for our beliefs, and apparently feeling passionately about your country makes you a rabid reactionary according to the media that I watch at least.? But unlike our President, we are not a “blank canvas” that people can paint whatever they want to see on.? Rush’s speech is worth a look through because he passionately says what we feel.? And until we start ‘tar and feathering’ people, I think we are within the parameters of civility, no matter what the media says… or Rahm Immanuel.

Video Here

Speech Text Here

-rj

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