The Conservative Statesman's ELECTION CENTRAL

LACK OF POSTS

2010-11-03T10:50:00.000-07:00

I do apologize for a lack of posts last night. Although I intended to post regularly through the evening, I was a part of election night, as I had the great experience of spending it at the victory party of our new congressman-elect, Diane Black. She is the first Republican to represent Tennessee's Sixth District in known history!

I now intend to get some posts coming out today and in the following days as the dust settles on the history made last night. One important post to come here is a recap of the state legislative races. I have been looking at the numbers from the states, and I am stunned the national media isn't giving the fallout on these races more attention. In many states, a once closely partisan body has now broken strongly to the GOP. The fallout of the great gains in the state legislative races and in the governor's mansions holds great implications for the Presidential campaign of 2012 and in redistricting which affects the next decade or more. I will be working on this in the next day or so.

INDIANA - U.S. HOUSE

2010-11-02T16:31:00.000-07:00

With between 10 to 25 percent of precincts in for the three U.S. House seats in the state of Indiana that have been considered competitive, the GOP is on track to sweep them all. In Kentucky, the GOP is competitive in the two closely watch House races there.

DELAWARE - Coons Camp Suggests Concerns.

2010-11-02T13:35:00.000-07:00

Here is a story from the Wall Street Journal's Washington Wire indicating maybe a closer-than-expected race for the U.S. Senate in Delaware. The camp of Chris Coons, the Democratic nominee, is expressing concern about the turnout there, which would likely bode well for his Republican challenger, Christine O'Donnell. I still expect Coons to win, maybe close to double digits, but this is an interesting development. Maybe there is something after all to the President's and Vice President Biden's recent visits to the usual solid Democratic state.

WELCOME TO OUR NEW FORMAT

2010-11-01T11:03:00.000-07:00

Readers of this blog will see a new change to the format and the name. The decision was made to focus this blog on the 2010 midterm elections, their impact on the 2012 campaigns, and the importance these elections hold for the direction our nation goes from here. No one who is following these developments doubts the importance these elections hold for our culture, our pocketbooks, our security, our way of life.

Because of this, I am pledging to attempt in my busy life to make an attempt here to report and document on the events in the coming days. I will not be able to post on all the big races, for I am active in this election myself in several ways, but I will make a good effort to post as much as possible.

I encourage you to come back often throughout the next few days as I share what I learn from this day and I share with you the facts I find and my own take on the events as they happen. Have a great Decision Eve and Decision Day!

Conway Wins Dem Nod In Kentucky, Lincoln in a Runoff, Boozman Avoids One

2010-05-18T22:02:00.000-07:00

12 AM ET Wednesday, May 19

In our last update of the night, we will wrap up the races of substance that we didn't yet cover.

Jack Conway was finally projected the winner in tonight's Democratic primary for the U.S. Senate seat from the Commonwealth of Kentucky. With nearly all precincts in, Conway has 44 percent of the vote to Mongiardo's 43 percent. This is another crushing loss for the Commonwealth's Lt. Governor, as he attempted to go for this seat in 2004 when he challenged outgoing U.S. Senator Jim Bunning.

Of course the two big stories of the night, Rand Paul won in a cakewalk tonight in the GOP primary for this seat, while 30-year veteran U.S. Senator Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania saw his career likely come to an end tonight as he ended in defeat to two-term congressman challenger Joe Sestak.

In Arkansas, another incumbent senator worked to fend off a surging challenge from her state's Lt. Governor. Blanche Lincoln will find herself in a runoff, as she will claim about 45 percent of the vote tonight to Bill Halter's 43 percent. The Republican that either one of them will face in November, Congressman John Boozman, waltzed to a big victory with nearly 53 percent of the vote, thus avoiding the runoff. He can focus on the general election, whil Lincoln and Halter have each other to worry about for three more weeks.

In Oregon, Ron Wyden won the Democrats nomination for another term, while Huffman won the GOP nomination easily. Wyden will be favored to hold that seat in the fall. In the race for governor, John Kitzhaber, the former governor, won the Democrats' nomination in a landslide. Former NBA player Clint Dudley, a wealth strategist, won the GOP nomination by a closer margin, but still comfortable.

Critz Wins Pennsylvania 12

2010-05-18T20:09:00.000-07:00

10:00 PM CT

Republican businessman Tim Burns has reportedly called Democrat Mark Critz to concede in the special election for the seat John Murtha long held in the 12th Congressional District of Pennsylvania. This means that Democrats will hold on to a seat they have long held. Democrats are taking this as a bit of a breather and trying to spin it so that it appears that Republicans won't get the wave that appears to be building. However, Critz pitched himself as a conservative Dem. It will be interesting to see how this district responds in November.

BREAKING NEWS FROM THE KEYSTONE STATE

2010-05-18T19:15:00.000-07:00

AP CALLS IT FOR SESTAK!
Pennsylvania's Democratic voters throw out 30-year veteran Specter.

9:15 PM CT

The Associated Press is calling the Democratic race for the U.S. Senate for Congressman Joe Sestak. Currently, with 71 percent of precincts in, Sestak leads incumbent Arlen Specter 53 percent to 47 percent.

This means that five-term veteran Specter will not be returning to the U.S. Senate next year.

Specter switched from the GOP to the Democratic Party because he believed it would give him a better chance at being re-elected. That turns out not to be the case.

PENNSYLVANIA: Toomey, Corbett to Represent GOP in November, Specter in Trouble, Democrat Leads in 12th District Race

2010-05-18T18:54:00.000-07:00

Things are now shaping up in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania's primary elections tonight. As expected, former Congressman Pat Toomey quickly wrapped up the GOP nomination for the U.S. Senate and Attorney General Tom Corbett also won the party's nod for Governor.

In the Democratic primary for U.S. Senate, things are looking very hairy for incumbent Senator Arlen Specter. Although leading early, he now trails Congressman Joe Sestak 53% to 47% with 53% of precincts in. Specter is seeking his sixth term, but his first as a Democrat after his big party switch over a year ago.

In the Democratic governor's race, Allegheny County Executive Dan Onorato was recently projected the winner. He recently had 46% of the vote with 47% of precincts reporting in a four-way race.

The nation's political eyes are on the special election to fill the seat in the Pennsylvania's 12th House District. This race is to fill the seat of longtime Congressman John Murtha, who passed away earlier this year. With 30 percent of precincts in, Democratic candidate Mark Critz leads Republican businessman Tim Burns 56% to 42%. That being said, it is reported that most of the precincts in are Democratic leaning.

Stay tuned...

Kentucky Democratic Race Tightens

2010-05-18T18:32:00.001-07:00

8:35 PM CT

The Democratic primary for the U.S. Senate in Kentucky has quickly tightened, with Conway now leading Mongiardo by only a 45%-43% count with nearly 90 percent of precincts in. Things are getting interesting in the Bluegrass State. Rand Paul romped to victory earlier. More to come...

DEMOCRAT U.S. SENATE UPDATE: Kentucky Gap Narrows, First Results Trickle In From Pennsylvania, Arkansas

2010-05-18T17:34:00.000-07:00

7:45 PM CT

In the Commonwealth of Kentucky, it is only the Democratic primary that is really now being watched, as Rand Paul won by a huge margin earlier. Conway still leads, but by the narrower margin of 47.5% to 40.4% with nearly 64 percent of precincts in. Paul now leads 59% to 36%, but was projected the winner nearly an hour ago.

In the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, barely any precincts are coming in, just 1 percent, but we are looking at any numbers we can get today. Incumbent Arlen Specter leads Congressman Joe Sestak 64% to 35%. That margin will close as more results come in. We are waiting for one of the biggest races of the night, that is the special House election in the Pennsylvania 12th District. More will come on that as the results come in.

In Arkansas, polls have closed just a short while ago, and we are awaiting the bulk of the results there to see if incumbent Blanche Lincoln survives a primary challenge from Lt. Governor Bill Halter. We are also waiting to see what shapes up in the GOP primary, as Congressman John Boozman is expected to win that race.

Stay tuned...

BREAKING NEWS: Paul Declared Winner In Kentucky's GOP Primary For The U.S. Senate, Conway still dominates

2010-05-18T16:51:00.000-07:00

CNN has just declared Rand Paul the winner in today's GOP primary for the U.S. Senate from Kentucky. With 37 percent of precincts in, the latest numbers are Paul with 59 percent of the vote, Secretary of State Trey Grayson with nearly 37 percent. In the Democratic primary, Attorney General Jack Conway has really opened up a lead, now claiming over 50 percent of the vote to the nearly 38 percent for Lt. Governor Dan Mongiardo with nearly 38 percent of precincts in.

UPDATE - 7:03 PM CT: The Associated Press has also called the race for Paul.

KENTUCKY UPDATE: Paul Dominating Early, Conway Pulling Ahead

2010-05-18T16:20:00.000-07:00

With now over 14 percent of precincts reporting in Kentucky's close-watched U.S. Senate race, signs of the frontrunning candidate for each party is developing. For the Republicans, Rand Paul leads Secretary of State Trey Grayson 51.5 percent to 33.9 percent. On the Democratic side, Attorney General Jack Conway has pulled open a gap over Lt. Governor Dan Mongiardo. Conway holds 46.5 percent to Mongiardo's 40.5 percent. More updates upcoming...

PREDICTIONS

2010-05-18T15:31:00.001-07:00

Predictions from The Conservative Statesman on tonight's elections

PENNSYLVANIA
Governor
D - Allegheny County Executive Dan Onorato
R - State Attorney General Tom Corbett
U.S. Senate
D - Incumbent Arlen Specter
R - Former Congressman Pat Toomey
12th U.S. House District Special Election
Republican Businessman Tim Burns
4th U.S. House
R - U.S. Attorney Mary Beth Buchanan
6th U.S. House
D - Former Philadelphia Inquirer Writer Doug Pike
R - Incumbent Jim Gerlach
8th U.S. House
R - Former Congressman Mike Fitzpatrick
10th U.S. House
R - Tom Marino
11th U.S. House
D - Incumbent Paul Kanjorski
17th U.S. House
D - Incumbent Tim Holden
R - State Senator Dave Argall

KENTUCKY
U.S. Senate
D - State Attorney General Jack Conway
R - Ophthalmologist Rand Paul

ARKANSAS
U.S. Senate
D - Incumbent Blanche Lincoln
R - Congressman John Boozman

OREGON
Governor
D - Former Governor John Kitzhaber
R - Wealth Strategist and Former Portland Trailblazer Chris Dudley

TURBULENT TUESDAY LIVEBLOG

2010-05-18T15:19:00.000-07:00

Today, as you likely well know, is one of the biggest days of the year in American politics. There are several major primary election races, a special election for the U.S. House in the Keystone State and on top of that, two scandals have erupted today.

Many of the night's big races are shaping to be close, so it should be an exciting night to watch. Two U.S. Senators, one being a three-decade veteran, are in danger of going down to primary challengers in their own party, and a win by the Republican Tim Burns in the traditionally-Democratic Pennsylvania 12th House seat race stands to send shockwaves throughout the nation and would be seen as a referendum on the Obama administration.

Keep up with the action here as The Conservative Statesman liveblogs tonight's developments in the elections, the latest on the scandal around Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal's scandal regarding his statements on his service during Vietnam, and any other breaking political news of interest or merit.

Stay with us tonight on this very interesting evening.

MAJOR SEVERE WEATHER OUTBREAK IN PROGRESS IN THE SOUTH

2010-04-24T10:16:00.000-07:00

A violent series of storms is currently firing up across the Deep South and creating a dangerous situation for people across Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama.

Numerous reports of serious damage have already been reported and storms are expected to continue firing up and spread north and eastward. The threat area will continue to stay in the Deep South for the time being, but is expected to soon spread to the Mid South, affecting the states of Tennessee and Kentucky. Georgia, Ohio, Indiana and other neighboring states throughout the afternoon and evening.

This is a very dangerous situation for the affected areas. It would be wise to currently overview all safety information pertaining to severe weather, even if you are not yet under a warning.

I intend to post a liveblog here, with information coming in from The Weather Channel, local emergency officials and local media in the affected areas as it pertains to warnings and damage information.

LIVE BLOG (in Central Time)

12:25 PM: Major damage reports have been coming in for the last couple of hours from La., Miss. and Ala. Reports of 30 houses flattened in Eagle Bend, Miss. A church suffered structural damage in Meehan, Miss. Houses in Meridian, Miss. reported to have structural damage. Within the last half-hour, a large powerful tornado has been marching towards Yazoo City, Miss. with a history of damage. This same stormcell damaged a chemical plant in Omega, La. with reports of people trapped and injured.

12:45: Reports now just coming out of Yazoo City, Miss. are painting an ominous picture. It seems that there has been a likely catastrophic tornado assult on the community with numerous buildings leveled. More to come...

1:40: First warnings out for Middle Tennessee. Severe thunderstorm warning out for Williamson, Rutherford, Davidson and Wilson counties for the next few minutes.

1:45: News just coming out in the last few minutes reports that the tornadic supercell that moved through Yazoo City moved on to produce serious damage in Durant, Miss. "Major damage" along Interstate 55 with cars blown off the road and trees and signs down.

3:00: Damaging storms have continued their march across Mississippi and Alabama causing serious destruction. Reports of chemical hazards at the damaged chemical complex in Omega, La. with 12 tank cars overturned and ground storage tanks damaged. Long-track tornado marched through Yazoo City creating substantial damage. The same supercell moved through Starkville, near the Mississippi State University campus and towards Columbus Air Force Base. Reports of damage are now coming in from near Columbus AFB.

5:15: Severe threat seems to have moved out of Mississippi and has moved into Alabama and into Tennessee. Three clusters of weather warnings now exist in the South and in the Mississippi River valley. The northernmost cluster holds severe warnings in Missouri, including a tornado warning near St. Louis. The southern most cluster area features a line of warnings from extreme eastern Mississippi through Alabama to the Tenn. line. The middle cluster seems to be the most volatile at the present time and holds warnings, particularly tornadic warnings, from West Tennessee up through Kentucky to the Indiana line.

5:20: Wind damage is being reported in Decatur County, Tenn.

WINNERS AND LOSERS IN MASSACHUSETTS STUNNER

2010-01-19T21:09:00.000-08:00

12:13 AM CT, Wednesday, January 20th

Even though the dust still clouds the air after one of the greatest political earthquakes in a generation, some of the major factors and consequences of the Republican win in the special U.S. Senate election in Massachusetts are peeking through the shadows. The environment is toxic for Democrats and the leftist agenda as they are over-reaching in their policies. No Democrat is safe in these conditions, even in a leftist bastion like the Bay State. The tea party movement is very capable of supporting even moderately conservative Republicans rather than tearing the party apart. Leftist proposals on healthcare, cap-and-trade, and even immigration reform are now on life-support. These are just several of the things we know coming out of this stunner.

Now is also a good time to look and see who has won and lost in the aftermath of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts's decision to send Republican Scott Brown to the U.S. Senate.

WINNERS

U.S. SENATOR-ELECT SCOTT BROWN
Obviously, the candidate who won the race is the big winner of the night, although his victory is also a major victory for other parties involved.

THE CONSERVATIVE MOVEMENT
Just a year ago, as Barack Obama was sworn in as President, pundits and the media were declaring conservatism dead as the Democrats won both chambers of Congress and the White House in a big way in 2008. Now, as a new election cycle is well under way, the political direction of the nation has done a full 180-turn and is looking in a conservative direction. It seems that the times most similar to ours today is the elections of 1980 and 1994, a time of weak leftist direction that disenfranchised the American people. This is sure to be an historic and exciting year for America.

THE TEA PARTY MOVEMENT
Activists in the freedom rallies were taken for granted as just a small minority less than a year ago when the movement began to gain steam. They were even the subjects of terrible name calling and offensive labels by some in the media and Democratic Party, as some still do today. Tuesday's results put in exclamation point on just how high the movement has risen as a major force in American politics. The results also prove that the tea parties are ready to work with the Republican Party this year, even slightly conservative ones, which goes contrary to the belief the media has been trying to portray.

THE NRSC
The National Republican Senatorial Committee took a big position in this race, as it was reported today that they recently forwarded $500,000 to the campaign. The chief campaign arm for Republican candidates for the U.S. Senate has already had a series of huge successes in recruiting and fundraising. This victory justifies their use of the money sent to the Bay State, and it also will likely lead to increased fundraising and recruiting.

MITT ROMNEY
It is no secret that the former Massachusetts governor is looking at another bid for President in 2012. He is also widely considered to be the Republican frontrunner if he runs. His support for the winning Brown campaign will shine for him should he give the run a go.

LOSERS

MASSACHUSETTS ATTORNEY GENERAL MARTHA COAKLEY
Of course, as the candidate who was beaten in this campaign, she stands to lose tremendously. Her loss signals a major turn in direction for the country and produces a large list of losers.

THE LEFTIST POLICY IN WASHINGTON
Now that the GOP has 41 senators, it can now again filibuster harmful Democratic legislation. Leftist proposals on healthcare, cap-and-trade and other issues are now either in doubt or temporarily on hold.

BARACK OBAMA
The President is now 0-for-3 in major campaign stumps in recent months. First, he lost Criegh Deeds in Virginia and Jon Corzine in New Jersey in races for governor in November. Now, he loses as even more important campaign in his agenda. With each failed campaign, he loses more political capital. Almost everyone said it was risky for him to go to Boston for Coakley over the weekend, and the risk fell short. This does not help and surely hurts the White House for the rest of the 2010 campaign. Attacking Brown's truck also didn't seem above the frey, either. That furthers his image of getting off track and being out of touch.

THE DSCC
The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee poured over $2 million into a losing bid in Massachusetts. They are already at a cash disadvantage to Republicans. This loss widens the gap after risking big in a campaign that will further make leftists apathetic. That is a threefer of a loss.

SENATOR JOHN KERRY
The senator's personal attacks on his now-colleague Brown and his truck struck as very tacky and out of touch. Kerry's political capital has plummeted dramatically since his failed Presidential bid in 2004, and this would seem to accelerate it.

BREAKING NEWS - Filibuster Proof Majority For Dems Broken As Bay State Elects First GOP Senator Since 1972

2010-01-19T19:16:00.001-08:00

WHAT CAN BROWN DO FOR YOU...

REPUBLICAN SCOTT BROWN DEFEATS DEMOCRAT MARTHA COAKLEY FOR U.S. SENATE SEAT IN MASSACHUSETTS HELD BY TED KENNEDY!

9:15 PM CT
With 94 percent of precincts in, Republican state senator leads state attorney general Martha Coakley 52 percent to 47 percent. Coakley has just conceded, meaning that Brown is now the U.S. Senator elect from the Bay State. He is the first Republican to be elected to the U.S. Senate from the state since 1972.

A MASSACHUSETTS MIRACLE?

2010-01-18T20:38:00.000-08:00

BROWN-COAKLEY RACE IN THE BAY STATE COMING DOWN TO THE LAST HOURS AND LOOKS TO BE THE FIRST MAJOR POLITICAL EARTHQUAKE OF 2010.

by Jordan M. Iwanyszyn

Over recent weeks, a once little-followed campaign for the U.S. Senate in the leftist bastion of New England has taken the nation by storm.

The race is for the U.S. Senate seat in Massachusetts that was held by Ted Kennedy for over four decades, and has seen Republican state senator Scott Brown surge into a tie or the lead in the campaign against Democratic state attorney general Martha Coakley.

Why am I saying all this for? Just about everyone it seems have already heard all this.

What cannot be stressed enough is the fact that this looks more and more likely to be the first major political tremor to shake the nation in this new year.

This race started to grab attention just about as the calendar turned from 2009 to '10. Polls coming out in late December into early January showed the margin of the lead by Coakley (as late as November at 31 percent) to quickly narrow and even evaporate. The first major poll that really started turning heads came from the Democratic-leaning firm Public Policy Polling on January 9th that showed Brown up by one, and with a solid lead for independents. Every poll since that time has now showed either a very narrow Coakley lead withing the margin of error, a tie, or a Brown lead. Four of the five polls to be released over the weekend show Brown with a fairly or strong lead, most as high as seven to ten points. Now, even Democratic congressmen from the Bay State and Democrats in the White House are now criticizing Coakley and blaming her for running a lackluster campaign.

The truth is that Coakley has done just that. While Brown is running a smart, hard campaign with the energy of national conservative and tea party groups behind him, Coakley has run a lousy campaign. Democrats have signaled that they feel entitled to this seat, and Coakley really did not seriously campaign for the general election until January started.

At the same time, Brown has made some memorable and really good statements, while Coakley has committed some serious gaffes. In a recent debate, Brown had said that the seat he is running for is "...not the Kennedy seat, it is not the Democrat's seat. It is the peoples' seat." Brown has also been on-message and on-target in focusing on the socialist health care proposal currently in Washington and on national security issues, therefore, taking out positions that are appealing across party lines.

Meanwhile, Coakley criticized Brown for 'campaigning in the cold' at a recent Boston Bruins-Philadelphia Flyers hockey game at Boston's legendary Fenway Park. She has also criticized Brown for driving around in a red truck and claimed that famed former Boston Red Sox pitcher Curt Schilling is a New York Yankees fan. Schilling is a vocal Brown supporter. She also made the claim that catholics should maybe give a second look at working in the emergency rooms at hospitals and not work there if they oppose abortion. These are just a few of the examples of Coakley getting off message and making pointless attacks.

The combination of the smart Brown campaign and a terrible Coakley campaign has resulted in independents and even Democrats turning out the lights on Coakley. Recent polling suggests that almost 60 percent of independents, and even as many as 30-35 percent of Democrats are backing Brown.

Now, many people watching this race, including numerous Democrats, are expecting a major Republican victory with Brown winning the seat. I am one of those expecting a Brown victory, and I will even pinpoint a specific winning margin. I think Brown will be the victor by four points.

A Brown victory will likely signal the death of this current government-run healthcare proposal as he is opposed to it, and the Democrats only have the upper hand by one vote. Also, it makes cap-and-trade much harder. It also signals that Democrats have a much harder time on their hands during this mid-term election year than we even thought a few weeks ago. For a Republican to be leading in a state that hasn't elected a senator from the GOP in nearly four decades sends a massive message that an enormous political earthquake is ready to shake the leftists in power this year.

This race also sends the message that the conservative tea party activists are not there to shake apart the GOP, like the media and leftist organizations are trying to portray. Brown is not a line-following conservative. He supports civil unions, supports Roe v. Wade as 'the law of the land', and takes some other positions that conservatives object to. However, tea party activists are in Massachusetts helping Brown, and conservative radio talk show hosts are excited about a Brown victory. Those that expect tea party supporters to 'tear the GOP apart' do not really understand what the tea party message is all about.

Lastly, Barack Obama was in Massachusetts over the weekend to rally for Coakley, and in the meanwhile spent time criticizing Brown and his pickup. He also campaigned for outgoing New Jersey Governor Jon Corzine and for Creigh Deeds, the candidate for governor in Virginia last year. Both of those races went the other way to Republicans Chris Christie and Bob McDonnell respectively. He continues to hurt his standing with every campaign he gets involved with and losing. If Brown wins tomorrow, he won't improve his standing.

It's about to get exciting!

Wikipedia article handicapping the race, including polls

Coakley calling Schilling a 'Yankees fan'

Boston Herald article on energy surrounding Brown's campaign

CNBC's Jim Cramer says stock market rally will come with Brown victory

Coakley attempts to tie Brown to Wall Street.....but uses a photo of the World Trade Center to do so.

The WTC ad is found appaling by former NYC Mayor Giuliani

TEN NOTABLE CONSERATIVES IN 2009

2010-01-01T00:18:00.000-08:00

Although this is a bit later than I wanted to release it, here are the 10 conservatives I want to honor that I believe have made a difference in 2009. As I before have stated in an earlier posting on this blog, this is not a list intended to be the top 10 conservatives. I am not looking to compare one conservative to another. This is just my way of pointing out and honoring 10 well-known individuals who have really made a difference this year, along with five honorable mentions. Happy New Year everyone! To the list!

CITIZENS

CARRIE PREJEAN - Miss California 2009
Prejean's name was only known around the modeling circuit when the year began, but by the time the year was half over, she became known as a strong voice for principle who stood up to numerous personal attacks.

Prejean had just turned the young age of 22 by June when the Miss USA 2009 pageant was held. It was here that she was asked by known homosexual Perez Hilton about whether she believed that every state should legalize those kinds of relationships. Her response that she believes marriage is between a man and woman drew large amounts of media attention and really steamed Hilton. He later called her an expletive, which drew more attention. Following this, she became a noted spokeswoman for conservative family causes, especially traditional marriage, and appeared as a guest on FOX News programming.

Prejean makes this list because of her strong defense of the conservative principles she believes in, even at the risk of forsaking her dreams. She took a strong public stance on the right position of a major issue and showed further strength by defending her position. Even more remarkable is that she showed this strength at such a young age and against such continuing criticism. She is poised to continue to be a vocal defender of traditional values in the years to come.

SARAH PALIN - Former public officeholder, author
The story of Palin is a modern-day American success story. Born to blue-collar parents, she rose through the political ranks from mayor to chairman of Alaska's energy oversight commission to becoming the governor of the nation's 49th state, to being the only the second woman in history to be the vice presidential running-mate on a major U.S. political party Presidential ticket.

The year 2009 brought Palin a roller-coaster ride. To start out the year, this list would have placed her in the governor's category to soon follow. However, due to a rise in lawsuits against her office at home, mostly frivolous, and a rise in unwarranted attacks and criticism from leftists and the media, she decided to do her state and family a service by stepping down as Governor of Alaska in July and returning to life outside of public office.

However, although the first half of the year gave Palin a rough ride, the last half saw her resurgence. She became even more of a spokeswoman for the conservative movement, and has become even more of a political rock star than she was when she burst onto the national scene during the 2008 elections. She completed her autobiography in November and attracted large crowds on the book-signing tour. Talk of her as a frontrunner for the 2012 Republican Presidential campaign surged. Her approval polls found a bottom, and they are now showing signs of rising. There is little doubt that "Sarah Barracuda" will be a strong voice for America's principles for years to come.

Palin is on this list of notable conservatives because of her strong voice for our nation's founding principles and because of the way she has served so successfully as a conservative in numerous public offices. It will be exciting to watch her career progress in upcoming years.

HONORABLE MENTION
DICK CHENEY - Former Vice President
Cheney is our honorable mention, because he did not retire to the rocking chair after his life of public service had completed. He continued to let his voice for conservative principles be heard, especially on matters of foreign policy. Soon after Obama took the office as President, he articulately blasted the administration's and the Congress's leftist views on matters of policy. This showed a legitimate concern for matters facing the country, rather than just using his office years as only watching for his political fortune.

GOVERNORS

HALEY BARBOUR - Mississippi
Barbour appears on this list, not necessarily for his office as governor of Mississippi, but because of his work as the leader of the Republican Governors Association. After the resignation of disgraced South Carolina executive Mark Sanford from the office of RGA Chairman, Barbour came into the post in June and led the organization to two exciting victories in November. Through his effective leadership, the RGA gave a huge helping hand to governors-elect Bob McDonnell in Virginia and Chris Christie in New Jersey. The two wins are viewed as political earthquakes because of the size of the nearly 20-point rout in Virginia, and because a conservative Republican was elected in an upset in the Democratic stronghold of New Jersey. These big victories are being considered by some to be a sign of things to come in the 2010 elections for the Republican Party, as 37 states hold elections for governor. With the work of Barbour and the RGA, we can expect to see a huge success for Republicans becoming executives of states all across the country.

We also need to mention Barbour's leadership in Mississippi's recovery after Hurricane Katrina in 2005. Mississippi was very hard hit by the disaster, but the state has dramatically recovered in the time since because of free-market conservative principles, which have been encouraged by Barbour.

RICK PERRY - Texas
Perry has become a favorite of the tea party ralliers and supporters as he has publicly blasted the Obama administration and the leftists in Congress over their policies of runaway government spending and control, among other issues. As he is locked in a contested Republican primary for the office with current U.S. Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison, Perry's solid conservative stances look to win over much of the conservative base in the conservative bastion of Texas.

Outside of his vocal support for conservative policies and his criticism of the leftist direction of Washington, Perry also needs to be recognized for his leadership of a state that is holding its own in a tough economy. Texas is a great example to the rest of America on how to succeed and even prosper in a tough global economy. Perry is leading and assisting the state to hold to conservative free enterprise and lower-tax policies which are leading the state to a considerable amount of success during a recession.

Because of his accomplishments in the Lone Star State, watch for Perry to be a formidable candidate for the Presidency should he seek it in 2012.

HONORABLE MENTION
TIM PAWLENTY - Minnesota
Pawlenty is our honorable mention because he is a conservative governor in a leftist, Democratic bastion. His success in winning elections to the office twice, and his governance under conservative principles are something worth talking about. Watch for him to be a strong potential frontrunner for the Republican nomination for the Presidency in 2012.

SENATORS

JIM DeMINT - South Carolina
DeMint has become a staunch critic of the leftist policies that are now dominant in Washington. He has been a firm, unwavering voice for traditional conservative principles, and is now a highly respected U.S. Senator in the view of many conservatives across the country. As we go into 2010, DeMint looks to continue to be a steadfast leader on principle as value-minded candidates and senators look to bring the Republican Party closer to power in this branch of congress.

MITCH McCONNELL - Kentucky
The Republican leader in the U.S. Senate has done a pretty good job in holding to his principles in a position that you would expect to bring more moderation and "bi-partisanship". He has shown disgust and frustration with the majority party's policy proposals, especially on healthcare. McConnell looks to continue to be an effective leader of the currently-minority party in the Senate as we roll into 2010.

HONORABLE MENTION
JOHN CORNYN - Texas
Cornyn is the leader of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, and has seen tremendous success in recruiting qualified and talented candidates to run for the Senate that have great shots at joining that body, including those candidates in traditionally Democratic strongholds. Because of strong recruiting, and the struggles of the incumbents, Republicans have legitimate chances at dethroning Democrats in Connecticut, Illinois, Delaware and perhaps California, along with a great shot at bringing down the majority leader in his state of Nevada. Cornyn's effective leadership promises to assist that organization in being a driving force to make a huge difference in the U.S. Senate in just 13 short months from now.

CONGRESSMEN

MICHELLE BACHMANN - Minnesota
In early November, Bachmann listened to the idea of a constituent to hold a rally at the steps of the U.S. Capitol to oppose the healthcare bill, which was about to come to the floor of the House for a vote. That was at the beginning of the first week of the month of November. By that Saturday, the rally was held with virtually all Republican House members in attendance along with radio talk host Mark Levin and a couple of conservative movie actors. Tens-of-thousands from coast-to-coast were in attendance at the rally which had the feel of a tea party freedom rally and the atmosphere was very energetic.

It is because of this leadership in getting the rally organized and because of her articulate defense of America's founding values that Bachmann is placed on this list. She looks to continue as a leading voice for the conservative movement in the upcoming years.

PAUL RYAN - Wisconsin
As the Republican leader of the House Budget Committee, Ryan is a leading voice for fiscal conservatism. He graduated from college with an economics degree, and has private sector experience as president of his own small business - a consulting firm. Because of this, he knows the importance of the conservative view on the economy. Ryan can be expected to be a leading spokesman for the conservative movement, and will likely be a candidate for higher office in future years. He is no doubt a rising conservative and Republican star.

HONORABLE MENTION
MIKE PENCE - Indiana
Pence is the chairman of the House Republican Conference, which makes him the third-ranking Republican in the House. Pence has been a leading articulate voice for principle over his 4 1/2 terms in the House. That is why he is named as this list's honorable mention.

MEDIA

GLENN BECK - FOX News Host, Radio Talk Show Host
Beck has become a leading voice for conservative principles over the airwaves, and a staunch supporter and leader in the tea party rally movement. His television on FOX News is now the highest rated in its time slot, and one of the highest in TV news. His articulate style which shows honest concern over the direction of the country connects with millions of people, many of which consider him a role model. Beck was a leading reporter on the major issues of corruption, ACORN and runaway government control in 2009. As we enter 2010, which promises to be an exciting and historic political year, Beck will continue to be a leading voice.

RUSH LIMBAUGH - Radio Talk Show Host
Limbaugh has been a leader in the conservative movement since debuting his nationally-syndicated radio talk show in 1988. He delivered a rousing speech at the Conservative Political Action Conference in March of 2009, which highlighted his activities through the year. Limbaugh made a name as a leading critic during the Clinton Administration, and all throughout the first year of the Obama Administration, he has brought his articulate criticism to millions of listeners six days a week. Limbaugh can be expected to continue as a leading conservative voice in 2010 just as he has been every year for over two decades.

HONORABLE MENTION
SEAN HANNITY - FOX News Host, Radio Talk Show Host
Hannity was among the first to bring the issue to light over Obama's bizarre and dark influences and associates. As many of those connections have now come to light and been confirmed, Hannity's bold reporting on this issue has been legitimately justified. Now, as we come into 2010, Hannity is becoming a leading organizer for a conservative takeback of Washington. He is rallying conservative Americans to get involved in the elections to come in November, and he is giving solid insight of the issues of our time. Through his radio show and his website, he is bringing his listeners the organization of the 2010 mid-term elections, and informing them of how to get involved in voting out leftist and "moderate" congressmen. In doing so, Hannity strongly deserves this honorable mention spot as a leading conservative voice in 2009, and promises to remain a leader on the scene in 2010.

TEN NOTABLE CONSERVATIVES OF 2009 TO BE RECOGNIZED HERE.

2009-12-20T22:32:00.000-08:00

Over the last couple of weeks of 2009, I will post up on this blog 10 outstanding individuals who have made a name for themselves this year by contributing to the conservative movement. I will categorize them by recognizing two individuals in 5 different categories:
1.) Citizens
2.) Governors
3.) Congressmen
4.) Senators
5.) Media

This will be in no way any ranking of the priority conservatives, or even a category listing that exhausts all possible categories. This is my way of honoring 10 distinguished patriots who have made a mark in 2009. The first two will fall under the citizen category, and I plan to post them during the day Monday.

ELECTION 2009: ONGOING RESULTS

2009-11-03T19:22:00.000-08:00

DEMOCRAT LEADS IN SPECIAL N.Y. CONGRESSIONAL RACE BY ONLY CLOSE MARGIN.

In New York's 23rd Congressional district, the results for the special election currently show Democratic attorney Bill Owens leading Conservative businessman and CPA Doug Hoffman by a small 50-45 percent margin with 39 percent of precincts in. That amounts to about a 3,000 vote margin. Stay tuned as results continue to come in...

ELECTION 2009 - LATEST RESULTS IN ONGOING RACES

2009-11-03T19:16:00.000-08:00

BREAKING NEWS.....

FOX NEWS JUST NOW CALLS N.J. GOVERNOR'S RACE FOR CHRISTIE

10:18 PM ET
FOX News just now has called the race for governor in the state of New Jersey for the Republican Chris Christie, who has appearently toppled the incumbent Democratic Governor John Corzine. The current margin with 87 percent of precincts in is 49-44, with 5 percent of the vote going to Independent Chris Daggett. Stay tuned.

ELECTIONS 2009 - ONGOING COVERAGE

2009-11-03T18:47:00.000-08:00

VIRGINIA SWEEP! The GOP pulls a three-fer in the Commonwealth.

McDonnell, Bolling, Cuccinelli win in large, landslide victories.

10:15 PM ET
Republicans slammed the Democrats in The Old Dominion Tuesday as all three statewide races have gone to GOP candidates by wide margins.

Former state attorney general Bob McDonnell led the drive as voters swept him into the governor's mansion by a nearly 60-40 percent vote. He defeated the Democrat, state senator Creigh Deeds, who he only defeated by a 360 vote margin for the attorney general's office in 2005.

Lt. Governor Bill Bolling was re-elected by about a 57-43 percent margin. His re-election signals that voter frustration is not directed towards all incumbents, but that the anger wave currently sweeping the nation is focused on those incumbents pushing leftist views.

The new attorney general in the Commonwealth of Virginia is Republican state senator Ken Cuccinelli, who swamped Democratic state delegate Steve Shannon by about a 58-42 percent margin.

We are still awaiting results from the elections to the Virginia House of Delegates.

Stay tuned...

ELECTIONS 2009 - PREDICTIONS

2009-11-03T16:06:00.000-08:00

PREDICTIONS FROM YOUR BLOGMASTER, DR. J....

Tonight's elections are being followed by many for their potential message on what to expect next year and maybe in 2012. I predict that they will send a solid message that conservatives can expect to gain big next year.

Virginia - I predict that Bob McDonnell will win the governor's mansion by a wide margin - 15 t0 20 percent - and also that Bill Bolling will be re-elected to the Lt. Governor's post by a large margin of close to 15 points. This will send the message that this is not just an anti-incumbent feeling among Americans. It is only anti-incumbent when you sponsor leftist policies. Also look for Ken Cuccinelli to win the attorney general's post by a 15 point margin. Expect to see Republicans pick up 6-10 seats in the Virginia House of Delegates.

New Jersey - Republican Chris Christie should win by a margin between 1-3 percent. Also expect to see Republicans pick up 1-3 seats in the lower house of the state legislature.

New York - Conservative Party candidate Doug Hoffman will win the special election for Congress in the 23rd District with a final margin of about 5 percent.

California - In the special election for Congress in the 10th District, expect to see Democrat John Garamendi win, but only by single digits over the Republican, David Harmer. That would be a surprise to many, and should Harmer win, that would send a political earthquake rippling across the nation.

Political earthquakes would also be strongly felt in wins by Hoffman and Christie.

Stay tuned for updates through the night...

ELECTIONS 2009 - SCOZZAFAVA WITHDRAWALS IN N.Y. 23 BRAWL

2009-11-03T15:08:00.000-08:00

Leftist RINO Scozzafava withdrawals in special congressional race.

-Shows true colors when endorsing Democratic candidate soon after suspending race.
-RINO's departure a huge victory for the conservative movement.
-Events in the race signal that the GOP establishment still needs to recognize the massive influence conservatives hold in the nation's political structure.

In a stunning development Saturday, the special election for congress in New York's 23rd district took a major turn when the Republican nominee, state assemblywoman Dede Scozzafava, announced the suspension of her bid for the seat. The leftist Republican-In-Name-Only recognized that her chances of winning the election had collapsed, and she shocked followers of the race by withdrawing.

The race has become a rallying point for traditional American conservatives and limited government supporters. Scozzafava is practically a Democrat in her positions. She supports abortions and homosexual rights. She has supported tax hikes in the New York state legislature during her ongoing term as an assemblywoman. She also supported the Obama administration's "stimulus" package earlier this year. She beat small businessman and CPA Doug Hoffman in the Republican caucus, and Hoffman soon afterward got the Conservative Party nomination to run. Attorney Bill Owens won the right to be the Democratic nominee for the seat.

The early support in the race went to Scozzafava in this traditionally Republican district. In fact, the race is to replace Republican John McHugh, who Obama chose to be Secretary of the U.S. Army. However, as the campaign went on, conservatives took special notice to this race and to the leftistism of the Republican nominee. Tea party activists started the wave behind Hoffman, and the very influential Club for Growth and big name conservative Republicans soon followed, especially former Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum, former Tennessee Senator and Presidential candidate Fred Thompson and former Alaska Governor and VP candidate Sarah Palin. Hoffman went in the space of a month from practically a no-name candidate polling a somewhat distant third place to rocket into a close lead. This, along with the inability of Scozzafava to raise the necessary funds, led to her demise.

Early this week, Scozzafava displayed her true colors by endorsing the Democrat, Bill Owens. Even though she even claimed to be a loyal Republican even when dropping out, she decided to take the course of doing battle with the GOP with her endorsement of the candidate that more closely aligns with her politics.

For the GOP, this race should send a message. Washington establishment Republicans stood behind Scozzafava after she won the nomination, even after it became obvious that Scozzafava did not stand with the conservative principles that the GOP communicates and many in the base stand on. The GOP needs to learn that we need to have the party recruit, endorse and assist only true conservatives that articulate the message of the heartland and suburban Americans for the various public offices. Republicans need to support candidates in the mold of Reagan. If the GOP fails to understand this message, they can expect to stay in the minority in national power for decades to come.

ELECTORAL SIGNS POINT TO A REPUBLICAN WAVE BUILDING.

2009-10-19T17:55:00.000-07:00

While most off-year political watchers are focusing on the 2009 races for governor in Virginia and New Jersey as a barometer on next year's midterms, there are other signs from special and local elections are showing a huge swing in the mood of the electorate from last year. A swing to Republican candidates because of a desire to return to conservative values and policies.

Notable as of late have been the wins in New Mexico, North Carolina, Tennessee and Oklahoma. Earlier this month in Albuquerque, New Mexico, Republican State Representative Richard Berry was elected the city's mayor, the first GOP mayor in a quarter-century for the city. Granted, he was helped by the fact that two Democrats split the vote, but for a Republican to win enough votes in a city such as this, the largest in New Mexico, to win outright victory is still a stunner. For those who are unfamiliar with the state's politics, it has been trending strongly Democratic in recent election years. Now, there is even talk that Berry will become a leading voice for the state and a potential congressional or statewide candidate in future years.

On October 6th in Raleigh, North Carolina, four Wake County School Board seats were up for re-election, and Republicans swept all four of them. Also, the GOP picked up a seat in the Raleigh City Council.

The election news in New Mexico and North Carolina came to me by way of SaveTheGOP.com.

More recently, last week in Tennessee and Oklahoma, Republicans made big state legislative wins. In the Volunteer State, Republican Pat Marsh won a long-time Democratically-held State House District 62. The trucking firm owner beat Democrat Ty Cobb, the brother of the former state legislator who retired the seat, by a 56-41 percent margin. The seat had never been held by a Republican previously. The event has even been described by one Nashville news source as a "Democrat disaster". The most important coming out of the win is that it dramatically changes the make-up of the closely divided state house. Coming into last Tuesday's election, the state house was deadlocked 49-49 with one Independent caucusing with the GOP. Now it is a 50-48 Republican body with the one Independent.

As the state continues to quickly become more Republican, and shake out its former solidly Democratic past, this becomes vital as redistricting is performed after next year's mid-terms. Now the GOP holds quite a bit of influence in Tennessee, including 2 U.S. Senators, a 19-14 majority in the state senate and now the state house. GOP power was gained in the state senate in 2006 for the first time in decades and in the state house last year. The Dems hold the governor's mansion and a 5-4 lead in the U.S. Congressional delegation. Going into next year, those are also found to be in jeopardy, and especially in redistricting to come.

In the race for Tennessee State House District 62, especially interesting is the fact that the Democratic nominee, Cobb, and the state Democratic establishment decided to campaign like a Republican, with a focus on conservative principles. Cobb got the endorsement from the Tennessee Right To Life and put out these mailings. He failed miserably as the voters from the area, which includes Shelbyville, saw through the mask. However, it shows the point that the Democrats know that they can't win majorities without attempting a conservative message.

In Oklahoma, which along with Tennessee has quickly transformed into one of the strongest GOP states in the union, Democratically-held State House District 55 went Republican for the first time in nearly 45 years.

Businessman Todd Russ, also a Cordell City Councilman, defeated Democratic Educator Larry Peck with about 55.9 percent of the vote. The last time a Republican held that seat, the year was 1965. Democrats hold a nearly 2-to-1 voting majority in District 55. The GOP has been making strong and steady gains in the Oklahoma house, going from a 57-44 majority in 2004 to now holding 62 seats in the body of 101.

Other special election victories for the GOP this year can be found here, courtesy of the RSLC.

Are these signs of the mood of the nation, or just outlying victories for the GOP. Well, I say that the events speak for themselves.

CORZINE FINDS WEIGHT TO BE A MAJOR ISSUE!

2009-10-18T18:23:00.000-07:00

In the midst of some of the most challenging times New Jersey has ever seen, and in the thick of a tight-as-a-rubber-glove race for the Governor's Mansion in the Garden State, what does incumbent Democratic Governor John Corzine drum up as an issue worth making an ad about?

Weight.

That's right, he is apparently finding time to criticize his main opponent, Republican former attorney Chris Christie, about his stature and weight, while his state is suffering from a strongly depressed economy, major crime issues, and unpopular high property taxes, he seems to find an opponent's physical appearance worth taking out his time on.

Talk about negative campaigning at its worst!

Things aren't much better in the realm of campaigning from the Democrat in the race for Governor of Virginia. There, the nominee is state senator Criegh Deeds, and he is not gaining any traction in the race. That even though he has been preceded by two Democrats in the Governors Mansion, and his state has two Democratic U.S. Senators and the state voted for Obama by a solid margin. However, Deeds is not coming up with concise plans on the state's big issues, particularly the transportation situation, jobs, taxes and other economic issues.

Rather, he is running ads on a regular basis on a particular issue that should be a non-issue. He is focusing on his opponent, former Republican State Attoney General Bob McDonnell's thesis from graduate school that apparently holds some controversial views. Rather than focusing on the crucial issues at hand, like McDonnell is, he is so insecure about his chances that he would rather look back at the past and keep that his focal point.

No wonder why our nation can't move forward. The candidates from the party who wields all the power still has to go below the belt in its campaigns.

A FREEDOM RALLY ON STEROIDS IN D.C.!

2009-09-16T21:54:00.000-07:00

Photo courtesy of "Gill Report"

CONSERVATIVES AND PATRIOTS OF EVERY STRIPE MARCH EN-MASS ON WASHINGTON!

Are ya still skeptical about the power behind the conservative and patriotic resistence to the current administration and Congress and their damaging policies? Well, you probably shouldn't be after the D.C. Tea Party, which was held on Saturday, September 12th. The attendance was obviously too high to number, but the actual estimates peg the crowd at over 1 million. News outlets here at home have decided to make up their own story and say the number was far below that, but foreign news sources have reported the actual numbers much higher. Reportedly, they were told those numbers by authorities in Washington. It is reported that the crowd was about equal to the number that showed up for Obama's inauguration in January at the very least. No more words are needed, the following pictures and the links provided tell the story. Patriotism and conservatism are alive and well!

The crowd along Pennsylvania Avenue, looking towards the U.S. Capitol. (Photo courtesy of "Gill Report")

Some patriots who are dressed in clothes to mark the day and displaying a banner that hits it right on the head! We are honoring God, defending our freedom, families and real peace. (Photo courtesy of examiner.com)

The view from a traffic cam further down Pennsylvania Avenue, showing Union Station and other landmarks. The flag at half-mast in the foreground was cause for some controversy, as people thought this picture may have been taken at a different time. However, they forgot one thing - the flag was at half-mast to show respect to the victims of September 11th, 2001, which occured eight years and a day before the protest. Perhaps the left that didn't understand the reason the flag was at half-mast has already forgotten the dreadful acts of that day. Well, I know that the families of the victims have not forgotten, and I sure have not either! (Photo courtesy of Michelle Malkin)

A much wider shot of the scene shows that it was not just "tens-of-thousands", like the Washington Post would have you believe. This was truly a crowd of real patriots! (Photo courtesy of freerepublic.com)

BREAKING NEWS BULLETIN

2009-08-25T22:43:00.000-07:00

Massachusetts Senator Edward Kennedy Passes At Age 77.

Massachusetts Senator Edward M. Kennedy, a Democratic Party leader and one of the longest serving members of the U.S. Senate has passed away after a battle with brain cancer. The legislator, probably most known as the last living brother of the generation that produced President John F. Kennedy and Presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy, passed at his home in Hyannis Port, Massachusetts at age 77.

Known as "Ted", he was born on February 22, 1932 in Boston. He was raised Catholic, and attended Catholic schools. For his higher education, he attended Harvard College and the University of Virginia School of Law. He served in the United States Army from 1951-53. In 1958, he managed his brother John's re-election bid to the U.S. Senate. His work on that campaign boosted John to a large victory which brought credibility to his Presidential aspirations in 1960. Afterward, Ted graduated from law school in 1959. In 1960, John made his bid for the White House, and Ted managed the campaign in the Western states. John went on to win his bid, and Ted became interested in seeking the Senate seat John had vacated.

In 1962, a special election was held to serve out the remainder of the Senate seat. Ted ran in the Democratic primary against the state attorney general, Edward J McCormack, Jr. Ted went on to win that race by a 2-1 margin, then won the seat by beating Republican George C. Lodge. Kennedy had 55 percent of the vote. He continued to win re-election every term following.

He was often mentioned as a Presidential contender in numerous elections from 1968 on. In 1980, he finally made a bid for the office, in an effort against incumbent Democratic President Jimmy Carter. This was viewed as unusual, as it was a rare, strong bid against a President from one's own party. However, several issues regarding Kennedy dominated his run. Issues such as the 1969 Chappaquiddick Incident regarding Kennedy's auto crash which took the life of passenger Mary Jo Kopechne stalled the earlier strength he had prior to his announcement. Also, a rambling interview to CBS News on why he wanted to be President hampered his efforts. Not helping was a disorganized staff. Kennedy struggled in the primaries and limped to the Democratic National Convention, where he withdrew.

Kennedy continued to serve in the Senate, and was a leading leftist voice there. He became known for leading the defeat of Supreme Court nominee Robert Bork, and pressed now-Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas particularly hard. Two issues he took up strongly throughout much of his career, and especially into the 1990s were the minimum wage and health care reform. He faced the closest margin of election of his career when he went up against Republican Mitt Romney in 1994. Kennedy went on to win that race 58 percent to 41 percent, and continued on as a leftist leader through the 1990s and 2000s. In 2008, he received much attention for his endorsement of Barack Obama for the Presidency, as Kennedy's support was one of the most valuable a Democrat could expect to get. On May 20, 2009, Kennedy was diagnosed with brain cancer, three days after suffering a pair of seizures. He continued to struggle with illness and seizures throughout the following 15 months. He would appear for Senate business at various times, but was not able to attend Senate sessions during his final five months.

At the time of passing, Kennedy was the second-longest serving U.S. Senator after Democrat Robert Byrd of West Virginia. He is also the third-longest in history, after Byrd and Strom Thurmond of South Carolina.

He leaves behind sister Jean Kennedy Smith as the last remaining Kennedy from their generation. He also leaves wife Victoria, daughter Kara, and sons Edward, Jr. and Patrick, the latter of whom is currently a Democratic congressman from Rhode Island.

THIS "MOBSTER" IS THRILLED TO SEE AMERICA SPEAK OUT!

2009-08-12T20:59:00.000-07:00

For the first time in a while, I genuinely feel good about the likelihood that the God-fearing patriotic people of this great country in taking their country back. For too long, those citizens who believe in the ideals and principles this nation was founded, the ones we call conservatives, have stayed silent.

Now, the silent majority is once again standing up. Common citizens, tired of government breathing down their backs more...and more.....and MORE, are finally standing, and making their voices known.

In return, the Democrats have resorted to name calling. Not just any name calling, but viscous personal attacks. Their words for the opponents to this bloating of government and choosing who lives and who dies are terms like "Nazis", "brown-shirts", "political terrorists", and the like. Hmm...interesting that the party that supposedly stands for the little guy is now bashing working class American citizens as un-American. I don't know about you, but I find that pretty doggone hypocritical.

I am standing with the millions of Americans, whether they are in rallies or unable to attend because of busy lives, who are speaking out and standing for our great nation's founding principles. These are the true Americans, and some of our greatest true patriots today!

And now to honor the voices of these fine people, I will compile a collection of some of the town hall meetings and put up a place where some more of these voices can be heard!

Here are some videos, courtesy of YouTube.

Sen. Arlen Specter's (D-PA) Town Hall Meeting in Lebanon, Pa. Aug. 11, 2009

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Atlanta, Ga. Protest August 15, 2009

Rep. Barney Frank's (D-MA) Insults On Constituents In Dartmouth, Mass.
August 19, 2009

Sen. Specter with Health & Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius in Philadelphia
August 2, 2009. Specter makes mistake by urging action on the bill to be done quickly.
Town hall crowd erupts in anger.

Rep. Russ Carnahan (D-MO) heckled at town hall in July 2009.

Rep. Alan Grayson (D-FL) meeting in Orlando, Fla. August 17, 2009

Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL) refused to hold a town hall. Protesters responded at his
Springfield, Ill. office on August 14, 2009

Walter Cronkite 1916-2009

2009-07-17T22:49:00.000-07:00

Walter Cronkite at the CBS News desk, covering the 1980 election, which was his last as the network's news anchor.

America's News Broadcasting Pioneer Passes Away

Former CBS Evening News Anchor Walter Cronkite dead at 92.

Not many still walk the Earth that can rightly hold a claim to the prestigious title of being a television pioneer, let alone a television news pioneer. Tonight, the world loses one more of that class.

Walter Cronkite passed on Friday evening at his home in New York City. He succumbed in battling a long illness, believed to be cerebral vascular disease. After 92 years in life, and a long colorful career, he reached the sunset of his days on Earth.

Cronkite was well known as "the most trusted man in America", especially after a poll taken in the 1970s showed this to be so. He was born in Saint Joseph, Missouri on November 4, 1916. His middle-America roots are likely a key to his ability to connect well with the American people. He moved with his family to Houston at age 10. He showed an interest in journalism from a young age, as he edited his school paper while in high school.

For college, he chose the University of Texas-Austin, and worked on the Daily Texan newspaper. However, he did not graduate. Cronkite started several reporting jobs for newspapers, covering both general news and sports. Because of this, he dropped out in his junior year, which was in 1935. He went on to dabble in broadcasting some. He went into radio for WKY in Oklahoma City and became the sports announcer at KCMO-AM in Kansas City. By 1937, he joined United Press in Kansas City. This led him to become a noted World War II reporter. Cronkite covered numerous battles in Europe and North Africa.

This led to the new world of television. After the war, noted CBS Newsman Edward R. Murrow encouraged Cronkite to join CBS in its new television department, and he accepted. Murrow had tried to encourage him to CBS during the war, but those earlier attempts failed. Cronkite started at CBS affiliate WTOP in Washington.

The term "anchor" as it applies to newsmen is often thought to have gotten its start in 1952, and refers to Cronkite's work in the Republican and Democratic conventions that year. This was the first time a major political convention was shown on television.

He first became the anchorman for the CBS Evening News on April 16, 1962, when Douglas Edwards stepped away. This role cemented his position as the leading face of television journalism in his time, and made him an American icon. In September 1963, the program expanded from 15 to 30 minutes, and became America's first half-hour nightly news program. He would go on to be the anchor in some major life-changing events, from being the first to report the breaking news of President John F. Kennedy's assassination on November 22, 1963 to the Apollo 11 mission to the moon to coverage of the war in Vietnam. He would end each broadcast with his trademark phrase, "...And that's the way it is", followed by the day's date. Another one of his famous lines came during the 1968 Democratic National Convention in Chicago. Now well-known protests were erupting outside of the convention hall, and colleague Dan Rather was beaten to the ground by security staff on camera. Upon seeing this, Cronkite said on camera, "I think we've got a bunch of thugs here, Dan." Cronkite was also known for his editorial on the war in Vietnam. After Cronkite gave his opinion that the war could not be won, President Lyndon B. Johnson stated,"If I've lost Cronkite, I've lost Middle America."

Cronkite retired from the program on March 6, 1981, and was replaced by CBS's face throughout the rest of the 20th Century and the early years of the 21st, Dan Rather. Cronkite would go on to live another 28 years, in which he still stayed active with voice-overs for various programs and attractions, appearances and interviews. His name was also put on the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism at Arizona State University.

As one who has a strong interest in journalism, I myself will miss his incredible talent for broadcasting and for connecting with the American people. We have lost another broadcasting news pioneer.

HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY!

2009-07-04T08:42:00.000-07:00

Happy Independence Day from your Conservative Statesman! I hope all of you have a safe and great time today, but please DO NOT FORGET what this day really represents and celebrates. The cookouts and the parades and the ballgames and the fireworks all all exciting, and we have a great time with our families. All of that is great, but let's not forget that this day is set apart because it represents liberty, and the founding of our great nation. We remember all of the patriots, in the armed forces and everyday citizens, who have given blood, sweat and tears to ensure the success of this nation and to the cause of freedom.

I want to personally thank God, the Lord of Abraham, Issac, and Jacob, for this great country and all the blessings and opportunities He has given me through her. May He continue to bless this great nation, and our crucial work to preserve her and the work for liberty.

HAPPY 233rd BIRTHDAY AMERICA!

Alaska Governor Shows Statesman-Like Quality In Announcement

2009-07-03T20:47:00.000-07:00

Written by Jordan M. Iwanyszyn

The announcement today that Alaska Governor Sarah Palin not only will not seek re-election in 2010, but that she will also resign effective July 26th, stunned the nation and sent shockwaves through the American political world Friday. My take on it is that the nation has witnessed the best evidence yet that Palin is a true modern statesman, or woman if you prefer.

While leftist opponents and critics are already positioning their firepower against her, which is nothing new, by stating that she "continues a pattern of bizarre behavior", I say that she decided to put others first, rather than herself.

In a time where most politicians try hard to hold on to political office as long as they can until they can take the next step for more power (think Senators Byrd and Kennedy and former Senator Stevens, who also hails from Alaska), Palin took the step of not only declining reelection, but also resigning. She has not yet brought forth the reason why, but I would speculate that the reason is because she wanted to get her family out of the mainstream media for the time being, where the leftists have made it their mission to destroy them. I also believe that she wanted to spare her state, and her family, the continuing costs of the pointless ethics accusations and investigations. I believe these are the top reasons, and should that be the case, that is why I say that this announcement today is the latest and greatest confirmation that Palin is truly a modern-day statesman. She is someone who has attained a position of great influence. Her decision to resign shows, I believe, a strong priority focus from the Alaska Governor. She is putting her family, her principles, and her state first. Why can't we have more of that from our leaders and office holders today?

It also would not surprise me that she made this move to prepare for a White House run in 2012. Race 4 2008 puts it well in this blogpost where it states that she would have had a hard time of it should she have stayed on as governor in 2010, while still making the rounds and supporting candidates in the races of the upcoming year.

If it is true that she is intending to seek the Presidency, her move to resign is also a very thoughtful one for the reason that her Lieutenant Governor, Sean Parnell, is now in position to govern Alaskans in a similar way that this Palin-Parnell team has been doing so since taking office in 2007. Parnell has already stated that he intends to run for a full term in 2010. Because she chose not to serve out her full term, Parnell will be able to get a jump start on the race next year, and become the early front-runner to keep the office. From a conservative's perspective, that is called looking out for your state.

On a sidenote, Parnell also confirmed my view that Palin's decision is a statesman-like one. "Rare, indeed, are such selfless acts seen in the public arena," said Parnell regarding Palin's decision in his statement after Palin's announcement today.

I will repeat myself. I believe this kind of selfless decision is what is needed more in our government today. I sure hope we can get more of this kind of character soon.

God bless you Governor Palin, and please keep up your fight for America's founding principles!

One Of America's Late 20th-Century's Great Conservative Leaders Passes On - Jack Kemp (1935-2009)

2009-06-14T23:39:00.000-07:00

One of the leading footsoldiers of the conservative movement during the Reagan era passed away last month. Jack Kemp, former NFL star, congressman, and Vice Presidential candidate on the Republican ticket in 1996, passed away May 2nd after a battle with cancer at the age of 73.

Kemp contributed in a number of areas. He was a notable football player at Occidental College in Los Angeles, his native town, where he played at several positions. He took his football skills to the pros, where he was drafted by the Detroit Lions in 1957, then cut, and picked up by the Pittsburgh Steelers. He would play for a number of teams, both in the NFL and the then-operating AFL as a strong quarterback. His most successful play came under the Buffalo Bills, where he led the team to two-consecutive AFL titles, before the organization's merger with the NFL.

Kemp settled in Buffalo, and already had an active hand in politics through the 1960s. During his days in California, he was a volunteer for Barry Goldwater's 1964 bid for President, and Ronald Reagan's 1966 victorious campaign for governor there. He also worked on Governor Reagan's staff in 1967, and a special assistant to Republican National Committee Chairman Ray C. Bliss in 1969.

In 1970, Kemp was elected to a Democratic-leading district in Buffalo to be seated in the U.S. Congress, where he served until 1989. He became a leading conservative spokesman, particularly on economic issues. He was a "supply-sider", believing that economic growth is caused by providing incentives. He was also generally conservative on most issues, and quickly became a Republican leader. In 1974, Time Magazine nominated Kemp as one of their "Faces For The Future". He was mentioned as a possible challenger to beat Jimmy Carter for the Presidency in 1980, and was a Vice-Presidential front-runner that year, in which George H.W. Bush got the nomination. In 1981, he was chosen by the Republicans in Congress to be chairman of the House Republican Conference, and served in that position for seven years. Kemp was an author of the 1981 Kemp-Roth tax cut, also known as the Economic Recovery Tax Act of 1981. This was a keystone to the economic legacy of the Reagan years that lifted America out of the stagflation of the 1970s and paved the way for the roaring prosperity of the 1990s.

In 1988, Kemp decided not to return to the Congress, but to run for the Republican nomination for President of the United States. Here he joined Kansas Senator Bob Dole, Teleevangelist Pat Robertson, Former Delaware Governor Pierre du Pont, Former Secretary of State Alexander Haig, and Former Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld, among others, to challenge Vice President George H.W. Bush for the nomination. He struggled to gain traction, and withdrew after the Super Tuesday primaries. However, his knowledge and experience on matters of poverty led Bush to nominate Kemp to be Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, in which he served through most of the Bush Administration.

Kemp was highly respected in the party for his role in the 1992 GOP convention. Just after the election that year, he was considered again a front-runner for the Presidency, this time for the 1996 campaign. However, he decided not to run, as he believed some of his views would not go over well with the Republican electorate. The other candidates sought after his endorsement highly. Steve Forbes got it just as eventual nominee Bob Dole was nearing the nomination. Former Secretary of Education Bill Bennett was asked by Dole to be his running-mate. Bennett said no, but reportedly suggested the name of Kemp. He was chosen by the GOP convention over other names that were discussed, including Ohio Governor George Voinovich, Michigan Governor John Engler, Florida Senator Connie Mack, Arizona Senator (and future GOP Presidential nominee) John McCain, and Texas Governor (and future President) George W. Bush. The Dole-Kemp ticket, however, went down to a solid defeat in the election that year.

One of his greatest legacies was the Roth-Kemp tax cut in 1981. This was the foundation for the supply-side economic theory now widely known as "Reaganomics". His loss is also a loss of one of the leading conservatives to reach out to minorities, people from urban areas, and those in poverty. These are issues that the Republican Party absolutely need to get a grasp on.

Wikipedia - Jack Kemp

TWO LEGENDARY VOICES SILENCED - Harold N. Kalas (1936-2009) & Paul Harvey (1918-2009)

2009-06-10T20:50:00.000-07:00

Not every sports team can claim a voice that is so legendary, that he is well known outside of his team or sport. Harry Kalas was one of those voices. Not only was Kalas calling the games for MLB's Philadelphia Phillies for nearly four decades, but he was also the voice for numerous NFL games, and for ads for companies as various as General Motors and Campbell Soup.

Kalas, or known by Philadelphia fans as "Harry The K", was a native of Naperville, Illinois, where he was born on March 26, 1936. After a short stint calling minor league baseball games in Hawaii in 1962, he went to the majors with the Houston Astros in 1963, who were then known as the Colt .45s. In 1971, the Phils hired on Kalas, who was the master of ceremonies at the opening of Veterans Stadium that same year. He soon became the broadcasting partner of another legend, Richie Ashburn. Kalas and Ashburn worked together for 27 years, until Ashburn too suddenly passed away in New York after a Phils/Mets game on the evening of September 9, 1997.

Kalas began using his trademark "outta here" call for home runs in the mid-1970s, and is now known for pioneering the famous call. He was also well-known for his affinity for Frank Sinatra's classic song High Hopes, which he sung often, especially at rally events.

Kalas passed away suddenly on the job in Washington, where he was in the broadcast booth just a few hours before he was scheduled to call the Nationals' home opener against the Phils on April 13th. The Phils' president, David Montgomery, simply said, "we lost our voice." Especially for yours truly, the Conservative Statesman, this is a sad loss. Kalas has long been a role model of mine, especially since I have taken a liking into baseball and radio broadcasting in recent years.

Kalas may be outta here, but his legacy lives on.

Another legendary voice passed from this life just a few months ago. Paul Harvey was the voice of America. Millions of people, especially from working-class roots, grew up listening to him and trusting him as a source for news and storytelling. His audience in his later career is reported to have estimated 22 million.

Harvey, whose full name was Paul Harvey Aurandt, was born on September 4, 1918, and was raised in Tulsa, Oklahoma, right in the heartland, and amongst hard-working, rural folk. That is probably why he could so easily connect with Americans of industrious quality and roots in traditional, heartland values. A teacher noticed his voice in school, and encouraged him to go into radio, which is what he, of course, did. He started working for KVOO in Tulsa at the young age of 14.

Harvey eventually moved from station to station. He even went to Hawaii to cover the U.S. Navy during World War II. Finally, he found himself in Chicago in 1944, where he went to work at WENR, an ABC affiliate. The Rest of the Story was started here in 1946 as a tagline, and became a series in 1976. ABC Radio started Paul Harvey News And Comment for syndication on their network on April 1, 1951. The shows grew in popularity through the following decades, and Harvey became one of the most known and trusted voices in American history. He signed a 10-year, $100 million contract with ABC Radio in 2000. His health began to falter in recent years. His vocal cords were damaged in 2000, but he was back on the air in August 2001. He had many notable people fill in on the program in recent years, including Fred Thompson, Mitt Romney, Mike Huckabee, Gil Gross, Tony Snow, and Scott Shannon. His son, Paul Harvey, Jr., often would fill in as well, training his voice to mimick his father's.

Harvey is another loss for me personally. I remeber traveling into town with my dad to go to college my first year at Tennessee Tech. I would listen to Paul Harvey on a regular basis on either the talk station in Nashville, 99.7 WWTN-FM, or in Cookeville, Tennessee, 780 WPTN-AM. I had also listened to him numerous times before then. I always enjoyed listening to him bring forth the news and the stories every day that I could listen. I always enjoyed a national radio personality who was mainstream, yet conservative.

The losses of these two men make the world sound a whole lot more empty.

Harry Kalas - Wikipedia
Paul Harvey - Wikipedia

A SLEW OF POSTINGS TO COME!

2009-06-04T13:45:00.000-07:00

Hey all! I know I have been MIA as of the last few months. However, the spring semester is out, and I have a host of postings to place on here in the coming days. It may seem like old news by now, but there are several events that I find important and want to comment on. Also, several influential people have passed on that I want to pay tribute to.

It may seem odd for me to go back to events a couple of months old, but I want to get them represented on this blog, and put my two-cents in on them. So, keep your eyes peeled to the "Conservative Statesman" as I post these observations in the next few days.

TAX DAY TEA PARTY IN COOKEVILLE, TENNESSEE

2009-04-16T22:35:00.000-07:00

AS TEA PARTY PROTESTS SWEEP FROM COAST TO COAST, A COLLEGE TOWN IN MIDDLE TENNESSEE IS NOT EXCLUDED.

Cookeville, Tenn., home to Tennessee Tech University, plays host to one of the approx. 2,000 events nationwide.

Story by Jordan M. Iwanyszyn

The Putnam County Republican Party lead the way to plan and host the tea party here in the "Hub City" of Tennessee's Upper Cumberland region. Like virtually all of the protests across America, it took a conservative organization to get the ball rolling on the patriotic protests, despite the eager presence of independents and even fiscally-conservative Democrats at many rallies.

The Cookeville event began on schedule at 4 PM with an invocation. Yours truly was the Master of Ceremonies through the hour of events. Delnora Acuff beautifully sang our nation's anthem. She also provided some pre-rally acapella music.

The first speaker was Major General Dave Evans. He is the 2010 Republican candidate for the U.S. Congress in the Sixth District of Tennessee, where he will oppose Rep. Bart Gordon, a supporter of President Obama's power-grabbing policies. Evans introduced himself to the crowd, estimated by a sheriff's deputy to be about 600, and drove the point home on how dangerous Obama's economic policies are. He fired up the crowd, who frequently broke into applause and shouts.

Speaking second was Cookeville businessman Jonathan Williams. His point was similar to all of the four speakers in talking about the risks to our Republic as we tread down the road of socialism. He mentioned that this is not about Republicans, or independents, or Democrats. It's not about black or white. These protests are about Americans taking their country back. Williams is the owner of Veterans Barber Shop in Cookeville.

The third speaker was Ronda Rader, the Republican State Executive Committeewoman for the Tennessee 15th State Senatorial District. She mentioned about her son entering active military duty, and how the current government in Washington is putting our military in jeopardy with its foreign policies and willingness to cut the defense budget.

Rader was followed by the final speaker of the day, retired Army Colonel Ron Cyrus. He talked about similar issues that Evans and Williams mentioned in the radical tax-and-spend policies of today's elected officials in Washington.

Even though an estimate has the attendance at 600, several estimated the attendance as high as nearly 1,000. Local attorney Howie Acuff even calculated that, per-capita, Cookeville had the highest turnout of any of the protests across the country, higher than even Lansing, Mich., Atlanta and San Antonio.

The Putnam County Republican Party first gathered a committee to organize the event in March at the monthly general meeting. As CNBC's Rick Santelli sparked the first wave of tea parties nearly two months ago, some attending that March general meeting suggested Cookeville needed a tea party of its own. Chairman Don Caldwell placed yours truly as the committee chair, and with the strong assistance of several individuals, including Caldwell and his wife Glenda, Terry Herrin, Terri Sadler, and others far too numerous to mention, the Putnam County event was a fantastic success.

Plans are in the works for another event in the summer. Stay tuned!

Following in this post, and the next four, are photos from the event:

ALL PHOTOS ARE COURTESY OF JORDAN M. IWANYSZYN

Preparations go final at the Putnam County Republican headquarters on Broad Street, just off the square.

Yours truly with some modern day patriots whose costumes pay homage to the colonial patriots who started it all.

The scene on the square about an hour out from the event.

I wonder if this is what his supporters were thinking when they mindlessly chanted "yes we can". For some probably not, but for others, I still wonder.

TAX DAY TEA PARTY IN COOKEVILLE, TENNESSEE (Post 2)

2009-04-16T22:10:00.001-07:00

Fred Caldwell holds up a replica of one of the great patriotic flags of the early days of our Republic.

People assemble about a half-hour before the 4 PM start time.

There is few things more dangerous to our national image than a President who will apologize for who we are. We are the country who God has led to create a better standard of life for the planet. Why our President is apologizing is beyond me.

Scores ready for the protest even twenty minutes out. This photo looks toward the tent near the corner of Washington and Spring.

Even the flags are still. Perhaps they are anticipating the feel of what very well looks to be an historic day in the nation's history.

Even the generation that the tax-and-spend policies will end up hurting worse understand the gravity of the policies that hundreds-of-thousands protested Wednesday.

Those with only spare change to their name tell Washington to keep it. Americans want the freedom to do better than just make spare change.

TAX DAY TEA PARTY IN COOKEVILLE, TENNESSEE (Post 3)

2009-04-16T21:48:00.000-07:00

Hey Washington, listen to the generation that you're stealing this money from!

I hope you're listening Geithner, Daschle, and Sebelius.

Do these people look like they are rich "fat cats"? As I scan photos of the crowd, I don't see many wealthy, selfish people in the crowd, like the titles the media and the liberals pin on conservatives and Republicans. The crowd looks more like hard-working, middle class teachers, electricians, custodians and military vets to me. Hmmm...could those liberals be pinning dishonesty and slander against those of conservative persuasion? No, they wouldn't do that....would they?

Here are some of the noble patriots standing beside Spring Street with the Putnam County Courthouse as the backdrop.

For those of you who still do not know why these protests are popping up all over the place, you get your answer from this sign.

TAX DAY TEA PARTY IN COOKEVILLE, TENNESSEE (Post 4)

2009-04-16T21:26:00.001-07:00

The Conservative Statesman couldn't agree more!

The leading speaker of the rally was Major General Dave Evans, Republican candidate for the U.S. Congress from Tennessee's Sixth District. Hey Bart Gordon, watch your back, cause we're sending you home and replacing you with Evans!

A glimpse of just a few of the crowd of an estimated 600 on the Putnam County Courthouse grounds. This is looking towards Spring Street.

This sign captures the thought of the day across America.

TAX DAY TEA PARTY IN COOKEVILLE, TENNESSEE (Post 5)

2009-04-16T21:07:00.000-07:00

Here is a young girl who is not happy about the burden of deficits and tax hikes being pushed onto her and her generation.

This sign declares what is still truth, although today's society and elitists want you to think otherwise.

The fourth speaker of the afternoon, Mr. Ron Cyrus. He is a retired Army Colonel and was a 2006 Republican candidate for County Mayor in Overton County, Tennessee.

Cookeville businessman Jonathan Williams, owner of Veterans Barber Shop, was the third speaker.

Putnam County Republican Party Chairman Don Caldwell embraces Delnora Acuff before she ends the rally with great patroitic music.

Acuff while singing a beautiful rendition of "God Bless America". She also sang a fantastic-sounding "Star Spangled Banner" to kick off the hour-long protest.

Uncle Sam wants YOU to join us in actively opposing arrogant and bloated government. You would be wise to pay attention and heed his call.

The Conservative Statesman agrees!

2009-04-15T20:13:00.000-07:00

Brothers take part in the Washington, D.C. protest. Photo from AFP.

TEA PARTIES SWEEP AMERICA!

HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS FLOCK TO AN ESTIMATED 2,000 EVENTS NATIONWIDE!

Americans, particularly of the conservative persuasion, flocked in droves to Tax Day tea party protests in communities large and small Wednesday to show opposition to a rapidly bloating government and outrageously high taxes. It is yet unclear just how many in total turned out across the country, or what the full impact will be. However, Democrats still are underestimating just how angry Americans are over the overgrown size of Washington and its tentacles. Wednesday very likely was a history-making day for our great country.

HOWEVER, IT MUST NOT END TODAY. WE NEED TO CONTINUE THESE TEA PARTIES TO KEEP THE MESSAGE AND OPPOSITION TO OVERGROWN GOVERNMENT FRESH. THIS MUST NOT BE A ONE-DAY EVENT ONLY JUST TO BLOW OFF STEAM! LET'S KEEP THE TRAIN MOVING!

HERE ARE THE ESTIMATED TURNOUTS IN SOME SELECTED CITIES:

Atlanta - 15,000 - 20,000

Nashville, Tenn. - 10,000

Madison, Wisc. - 8,000

Lansing, Mich. - 7,000

Birmingham, Ala. - 5,000

Sacramento, Calif. - 5,000

San Antonio, Tex. - 5,000

Oklahoma City - 5,000

Olympia, Wash. - 5,000

Chicago - 4,000

Cincinnati, Ohio - 4,000

Hartford, Conn. - 3,000

Boise, Idaho - 2,500

Charleston, S.C. - 2,500

Indianapolis - 2,500

Jacksonville, Fla. - 2,000 (Wagons of tea were poured into the St. John's River)

Tucson, Ariz - 2,000

Knoxville, Tenn. - 1,700

Austin, Tex. - 1,500

Washington, D.C. - 1,000 (across from the White House)

Gainesville, Fla. - 1,000

Des Moines, Iowa - 1,000

Providence, R. I. - 1,000

Pittsburgh, Pa. - 1,000

Rochester, N. Y. - 1,000

Salt Lake City - 1,000

Cookeville, Tenn. (my hometown) - 600

Dayton, Ohio - "several thousand"

Rome, Ga. - "hundreds"

Story From WorldNetDaily

Story from FOXNews

CNBC's Rick Santelli, an inspiration for the new tea parties, reacts

Coverage of the Gainesville, Fla. rally

Images from the tea party in Stuart, Fla.

Photos of the national protests from The Sacramento Bee

Story on the Knoxville, Tenn. protest

Obama ignores tea party protests, still doesn't get it

Texas Governor Perry says state can leave the Union if it chooses

South Carolina Governor Sanford draws big ovation

KEEP YOUR EYE TUNED TO THE "CONSERVATIVE STATESMAN", AS WE WILL SOON POST PHOTOS FROM THE TEA PARTY PROTEST IN COOKEVILLE, TENN.

BREAKING NEWS: Storms Roll Through Middle Tennessee, Murfreesboro Heavily Affected

2009-04-10T13:23:00.000-07:00

Devastating storms have rolled through Middle Tennessee this afternoon, creating major damage in a widespread area. Especially hard hit was Murfreesboro, a city of over 100,000 and home to Middle Tennessee State University. The university was spared, but major damage is being reported in the Blackman area, as well as numerous other areas around the city from the touchdown that occurred between 12:30 and 1 PM CT. Reports are coming in of at least two deaths, but those are not confirmed. Reports are just now coming in (3:50 PM CT) that at least 13 people are being treated for injuries in Rutherford County (Murfreesboro).

Damage is also being reported in the Nashville/Davidson County area in the form of power lines and trees. Houses were damaged in Robertson County in the Cottontown community. The same line of storms also caused damage in Dickson County and areas adjacent to that community.

An earlier line of storms caused damage in Maury County, and several other areas in the form of straight-line winds.

The storms have now pushed through Middle Tennessee and the Cumberland Pleateau. I watched coverage in my hometown of Cookeville from the shelter of the Cookeville Regional Medical Center, which was under a "Code Gray".

The storms are now prompting tornado warnings in counties of East Tennessee, particularly in the southeast corner of our state. Reports came in within the last half hour about a funnel cloud sighting near Crossville, in Cumberland County. That has not yet been confirmed.

Updates From The Nashville Tennessean newspaper

GM - GOVERNMENT MOTORS?

2009-03-30T18:25:00.000-07:00

by Jordan M. Iwanyszyn

That is the headline I saw on CNN just a few minutes ago (8:15 PM CST). Granted, I don't watch the Commie News Network much except for Lou Dobbs, but I was passing through. It was a reminder of an announcement I first heard this morning that should scare all Americans.

On Sunday, Rick Wagoner, Chairman and CEO at General Motors, stepped down at the request of the White House. In other words, the Obama Administration forced out the head of one of America's largest corporations. That is something that would have been unthinkable just a few months ago. Tell me what gives the President the right to dismiss the head of a business in America. We were founded under a free enterprise business system. If someone has an idea, by George, they are supposed to go after it and create a business venture around their idea. That is something that has always interested me. John Wanamaker, Andrew Carnegie, John D. Rockefeller, Frank Woolworth, Walt Disney, Ray Kroc and Sam Walton. All are examples of those who had a business idea, went after it, and made a success for themselves. The government couldn't come in there and hire and fire people, because the American people wouldn't have it. That is a huge reason why our Founding Fathers and ancestors left Europe. Why would we repeat it!

My how things have changed in just a couple of months time. Granted, under the last couple of months of the Bush Administration we were doing bailouts and such, but we have taken a radical turn for the worst! Under Bush the national debt was over a trillion dollars, but now we are headed for a debt of over three trillion under the Obama Economy!

I heard Stuart Varney, an economic journalist, on the Sean Hannity radio show earlier today, and he was utterly amazed by how much we have fallen in our economic moral system in recent weeks. He mentioned how even German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Nicholas Sarkozy are in opposition to Obama's bailouts and plans for the economy. That should send shivers down America's spine when Europe's leaders have to give us a lecture in socialism.

It seems to me that Europe is learning from their failed experiment in socialism. That is why the Germans and French have decided to choose leaders that are of the more conservative in their countries, and why Britain is poised to do the same. Now, remember that conservative in Europe is not quite what it is in America, but definitely not even close to as far left as their competing major parties.

I hope America will look at the European example. If we don't, it will soon be too late for our great country!

TEA PARTIES SWEEPING THE NATION!

2009-03-23T21:44:00.000-07:00

This is a scene from a recent tea party in Orlando which drew 3,000 people. These grassroots events against the explosion of growth in government have been sweeping the nation in recent months.

Cookeville, Tennessee has one upcoming! On April 15th, we will hold one of our own at 4 PM. If interested, respond to this post for more info, or keep an eye here for more updates.

AMERICA IS NOT HAPPY WITH OUR NATION'S RETREAT FROM OUR FOUNDING PRINCIPLES!

UPDATE - March 30th - I have since heard that the Orlando Tea Party (pictured above) may have drawn as many as 5,000 people.

YOURS TRULY WITH THE NEXT GOVERNOR OF TENNESSEE!

2009-02-08T19:15:00.000-08:00

This is a photo of me with Congressman Zach Wamp, a Republican - is there anybody else :) - from Tennessee's Third District. This was taken at a fundraiser for now-State Rep. Terri Lynn Weaver in Gordonsville, Tenn. in August 2008. This was also the second time I met Wamp. I had previously met him at the nation's first Fred Thompson 2008 rally in my hometown of Cookeville on April 30th, 2007, an event I previously wrote about.

Wamp is now a candidate for Governor of Tennessee in 2010. When this photo was taken, I expected that likelihood, and I even told him that I was planning on supporting him in such a run. I also met his son Weston there. Weston is a great guy, as well.

For you Tennesseans looking at this post, I highly urge you to support Rep. Wamp in this effort. He is the right guy for this job, in more ways than one (if you know what I mean).

LOG ON TO ZACHWAMP.COM TO LEARN MORE AND TO HELP OUT!
WANT TO KNOW MORE ON HIS RECORD? Just log on to On The Issues, and read up on his past actions on various issues.

PELOSI: "500 Million Americans Lose Their Jobs"

2009-02-08T01:30:00.000-08:00

PELOSI ON THE STIMULUS:

NASHVILLE RADIO-HOST STEVE GILL ON PELOSI'S ABSURD COMMENT:

WHY CAN'T HOLLYWOOD AND THE SPORTS WORLD JUMP IN?

2009-02-08T01:15:00.000-08:00

Joe Biden thinks that it's time for Americans to be "more patriotic" by paying more in taxes, especially those that actually contribute the most by investing and providing jobs (over $200,000 in earnings). I think entertainers and wealthy pro athletes should be more patriotic, but I don't think the government should be wrenching it from them through taxes.

Liberals always claim to be so benevolent, so caring. Hollywood (mostly made up of big-time libs) is sure not communicating that well today when they are more than eager to continue accepting big pay and throw lavish parties, while more and more from the lower and middle classes get ejected from their homes and can barely put food on the table.

As I said, I don't believe government should be prying more out of anybody's hand. What I am saying is why can't the liberal movie stars, singers and athletes volunteer massive pay cuts or donate most of their wealth to charities that take care of those suffering right now. Some already do, but while still having tens or hundreds-of-millions in their bank accounts. Why can't the ever-so-generous Biden, John Kerry, Herb Kohl and Chuck Schumer offer personal help to many that could use it. Why not give up a ritzy vacation to feed several families.

Can anyone sense a dose of hypocrisy?

WHAT IS STIMULATING ABOUT THIS STIMULUS?

2009-02-07T23:15:00.000-08:00

Article by Jordan M. Iwanyszyn, with some info from an e-mail by Alan Rader

As many of us know, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (otherwise known in the U.S. House of Representatives as H.R. 1) passed the House by a 244-188 vote. It is now being debated in the Senate, and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada wants to get a bill to Obama by Presidents Day.

This bill is otherwise known to most as the "Economic Stimulus" package. Many don't know just what is in this proposal, but it is now starting to get around, thanks to the New Media in the Internet and on talk radio. Following is a sampling of what was originally in the bill before the Senate cut about $100 billion in pork, to cut the bill down to a $827 billion piglet. It had gotten as high as a $920 billion bill. Here were some of the numbers before the cuts were made (the notes in parentheses were little pointers from a friend of mine, Alan Rader):

$160 million- paid volunteers for national community service program (what is a paid volunteer?!)
$1.7 million- for national parks
$7.6 billion for rural community advancement
$850 million for Amtrak
$87 million for a polar ice breaking ship (I thought the polar ice caps melted already!)
$500 million for the endowment for the arts
$600 billion for university building projects (I sincerely hope I wrote that one down wrong!)
$1.2 billion youth summer jobs for people 24 years old & younger
$4.2 billion for neighborhood building projects
$650 million for digital television upgrades
$34 million for department of commerce building renovation (the building must’ve burned down!)
$44 million for department of agriculture building renovation (did that one burn, too?)
$88 million for the department of health services to move to another location (quick, buy stock in moving companies!)
$600 million to convert federal cars to hybrids (how long will it take for that to pay off in fuel savings? I need a calculator!)
$2 billion for renewable energy research
$6.2 billion for weatherization assistance (that’s a lot of duct tape & plastic)
$3.5 billion for energy efficiency block grants
$300 million for energy efficiency appliance rebates
$1.5 billion in green energy loan guarantees
$79 billion for state fiscal recovery fund (state bail-outs)

A lot of these are good things, but where in the U.S. Constitution does it provide for these expenditures from the federal treasury, and tell me how we get 3 million jobs out of this bill (that is what this is supposedly geared towards). And why on Earth is our federal government bailing out individual states? Our founding fathers set up a system of federalism for a reason. THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS NOT SUPPOSED TO BAIL OUT STATES! More of these items can be found in the link on the bottom of the page.

The Feds want to buy a polar ice-breaking ship. They want to throw money at Amtrak and weatherization assistance. How do these proposals create long-term meaningful jobs? AND HOW ON EARTH IS PROVIDING $500M FOR THE ENDOWMENT FOR THE ARTS STIMULATING FOR THE ECONOMY!?!?! Holy smokes! I guess I'm just arts-impaired. I believe the arts are a great thing to take in. They help to make a well-rounded individual, but for pete's sake, how on Earth is throwing taxpayer dollars at them during a strong recession going to get us back on track and get suffering people back into a growing economy?

Some in Washington and elsewhere complained about how much had to be cut from the bill. Well, what I say is...CUT MORE! This bill is nothing but pork! You could make a breakfast with all the pork for the whole community! All that is missing is the eggs and hash-browns. Scrap this thing and start from scratch! I don't want to see a little scalpel pick away at the proposal...GET A DOGGONE CHAINSAW!

Some in Washington say we don't have a choice but to pass this bill, or our economy will collapse. Obama says our economy "may never recover". House Speaker Nancy Pelosi made a huge gaffe recently by saying the U.S. economy loses 500 million workers a month (there are only just over 300M people living in the U.S.) YES WE DO HAVE A CHOICE! Let's shred this proposal and actually put through something that CREATES JOBS! If we are going to drive ourselves nearly $1 TRILLION further into the deficit, I would rather see it in cuts for the corporate income, dividend and personal income tax rates, along with any other tax cuts that would put more money back into the pockets of the people who earned it. This would foster investment, innovation and entrepreneurship. THIS IS WHAT OUR ECONOMY NEEDS NOW! THIS WOULD PROVIDE JOBS, AND WOULD HELP PULL US OUT OF THIS ECONOMIC DOWNTURN! This would create a more permanent stimulus, and actually stimulate the economy.

FULL TEXT OF THE BILL FROM OPENCONGRESS.ORG
More on the "stimulus" from OpenCongress

"BATTLE OF THE BIRDS" SET FOR SUNDAY

2009-01-17T23:54:00.000-08:00

by Jordan M. Iwanyszyn

Sunday brings another NFC Championship Game, and another for my team, the Philadelphia Eagles. This is their fifth of this young century.

They will meet another team that deserves to be where they are, the suddenly-hot Arizona Cardinals.

The story of this NFC title game is primarily about the teams who are there, more specifically, the fact that these two teams did not dominate through much of the regular season.

Philadelphia floundered through the first half of the season, with the low points coming with a tie to the lowly Cincinnati Bengals, and a blowout loss to the Baltimore Ravens, who are playing the Pittsburgh Steelers in tomorrow's AFC title game. Suddenly, after the benching of quarterback Donovan McNabb, the Eagles went on to win six of their last seven as it currently stands. The lone loss in that time nearly cost the season.

Just before Christmas, the Eagles had a chance to control their playoff destiny with a win over the mediocre Washington Redskins. All the Birds could muster was a field goal in a 20-3 loss, leading many "experts" to declare their season over. The Eagles would still be in the hunt, but they would have to beat Dallas the following week, along with help needed by Oakland, who would have to beat Tampa Bay, and Houston, who would have to beat Chicago. Tampa Bay losing would be highly unlikely, thought many, including yours truly.

However, it all happened. Oakland beat Tampa Bay by seven. Houston beat Chicago by that much, as well. All that was left was for Philly to beat the hated rivals from Dallas. Not only did the Birds beat the Cowboys, they drubbed them 44-6! That clinched an unlikely playoff spot for Philly as a wild card seeded at No. 6 in the NFC spectrum of the playoffs.

Philly went on the road to defeat the NFC North Champion Minnesota Vikings 26-14, which set up a Divisional Round play-off game against the despised rival New York Giants. The Giants came into the game as the NFC East champs, and the No. 1 seed for the NFC. Games the previous day gave the Eagles and their fans hope, though, as the AFC's No. 1 Tennessee lost to wild-card team Baltimore, and NFC No. 2 Carolina lost to Arizona in a blow-out. The Eagles came to East Rutherford, New Jersey with confidence against New York, and Giants' QB Eli Manning had a long day as the Birds defense led the way to a 23-11 win. The offense for Philly also performed well enough to grind out more points than the opposition.

That set up a NFC title match with the Arizona Cardinals, which followed a different path through the regular season.

After a 7-3 start which put them in position to run away with the lackluster NFC West, The Cards lost four of their last six in the regular season, including a 48-20 drubbing to the Eagles in Philadelphia on Thanksgiving day. However, Arizona ended with a 9-7 record, enough to clinch the West and grab the NFC's fourth seed, the least for a divisional winner.

The Cards found their swagger again in the playoffs. After holding off Atlanta in a 30-24 win in the wild-card round, Arizona had to go on the road to Charlotte to play the Carolina Panthers. Until this time, the Cards had not won a single game in the East this season. That changed as Arizona slammed the NFC's No. 2 seed 33-13 after forcing six turnovers.

So now, that sets up a BATTLE OF THE BIRDS in the Arizona desert tomorrow afternoon. A solid Philly defense will meet a hot Arizona offense. A strong Eagle rushing attack will try to give the Cards fits through the afternoon. It promises to be a good matchup. It starts at 3 PM ET on Fox.

I pick the Eagles by three, but this one could go either way...

"MIRACLE ON THE HUDSON"

2009-01-16T07:58:00.001-08:00

Story by Jordan M. Iwanyszyn

That is what Drudge Report called a heroic rescue after US Airways Flight 1549 was landed in New York's Hudson River Thursday afternoon after reportedly sustaining a bird strike.

It truly was a miracle in the fact that all 155 people aboard had survived, despite temperatures in New York of the single-digit variety, and ice forming on the shores of the Hudson.

The pilot, Chesley B. Sullenberger III, is a modern-day hero. A former U.S. Air Force captain, he has now been flying commercially for 28 years. He first flew for Pacific Southwest Airlines, and then for US Airways when it acquired PSA. He has reportedly put in 19,000 hours of flight, and it showed. His skills and leadership were crucial in the survival of all aboard.

The Airbus A320 had left LaGuardia International Airport in New York and reached an altitude of 3,200 feet in the space of a minute-and-a-half, when it had hit what appears to have been some geese, which caused thrust in both engines to be lost. It what could have been a catastrophe, especially if the plane crashed somewhere in Manhattan, Sullenberger was able to engineer a calculated water landing, thus averting serious loss of life and property. It is truly amazing!

The good hearts of Americans shined through in this event, as well. Within moments, numerous watertaxis and ferryboats that saw the whole thing unfold descended onto the scene, and scooped out the passengers of the downed plane. Their quick response ensured that no one suffered severe injury due to the cold. It also ensured that no one would go down with the plane in the event that it would have started to sink, which didn't happen, thank God.

This is truly a remarkable and heart-warming story in this day-in-age when we hear so much negative about disasters and the crooks in life. Through the potential for serious harm, it was averted and the heroism of our fellow countrymen shined through. Just like the response after 9/11 from Americans, and many all over the world, people put others before their own self-interest. Because of that, not a single person lost their life!

This truly was a miracle, and an example of the good hearts of the vast majority of the people of America!

Former Senate Majority Leader Frist Pulls Himself Out Of 2010 Contest For Tennessee Governor, Wamp And Gibbons In On GOP Side, No One Yet For Dems.

2009-01-05T23:21:00.001-08:00

by Jordan M. Iwanyszyn

Former U.S. Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, a Republican from Tennessee, decided against running for governor of his state in 2010 on Sunday. The departure of his name from the race sets up a likely crowded field for both Republicans and Democrats.

Two Republicans eager to jump into the race if Frist didn't made their intentions clear quickly. Shelby County District Attorney Bill Gibbons jumped in Sunday, and was followed by Rep. Zach Wamp of Chattanooga with an announcement Monday.

That likely won't be the whole field. Knoxville Mayor Bill Haslam, a wealthy former oil executive whose family founded Pilot Corp., is reportedly about to embark on a cross-state tour to announce a bid. Lt. Governor Ron Ramsey, a state senator from northeast Tennessee, is considering it, but says financial and fundraising support will be crucial in his decision. Rep. Marsha Blackburn, a solid conservative from the wealthy southern Nashville suburbs in Williamson County, reportedly made it known through her press secretary that she is also considering a bid. Other GOP candidates may also make a bid.

On the Democratic side, the biggest name that often comes up is that of Rep. Lincoln Davis, who represents a mostly rural district in eastern Middle Tennessee. He has not committed to a race yet, however. Former State House Majority Leader Kim McMillan from Clarksville has already formed an exploratory committee to allow her to raise funds for a race. Freshman State Senator Andy Berke of Chattanooga is "exploring the possibility". State Senator Roy Herron and Knoxville developer Doug Horne may also make bids.

Should the above make up the field, count on Haslam, Wamp, and Blackburn to lead the GOP, and Davis to be the frontrunner for the Dems.

We'll watch this one....

Candidates lining up for run at governor's office in 2010
Wamp declares gubernatorial candidacy
Tennessee: Race to succeed Wamp could get crowded (on who will replace Wamp in the U.S. House)
Wamp Announces Run for Tennessee Governor - CQPolitics
Frist Says No Bid For Governor In 2010

YOU DON'T NEED PRIMETIME TV - JUST WATCH THE ACTION AROUND THE SENATE APPOINTMENTS

2008-12-11T18:51:00.001-08:00

There sure has been a lot of drama surrounding the appointments that are being made to replace two recently vacated U.S. Senate seats, the one in Illinois that Barack Obama has left, and the one in New York that Hillary Rodham Clinton is likely to be leaving to become Secretary of State.

By far, the biggest news about an appointment surrounds the scandal on Democratic Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich. The already scandal-tainted governor has decided that a responsibility to fill a vacant seat has instead become an opportunity. That is, an opportunity to either make some money out of it by putting it up for sale for favors, or appointing himself to the seat and positioning himself for a run for the U.S. Presidency in 2016.

This an an appalling and disgusting reflection on why many Americans have become tired of the political process. Instead of viewing government for what it is supposed to be - a limited body trying to help society move along smoothly - some officials see it as an opportunity to benefit themselves. Truly disgusting! Even though I find political watching a hobby, and I am a political science major at Tennessee Tech, even I get tired of the mess and find a lot of the elected officials truly revolting.

In New York, it isn't scandals that are the theme. It is rock star status that is looking to find its way into the Senate seat Clinton will probably vacate.

News first surfaced a couple of weeks ago that Caroline Kennedy, daughter of the late President John F. Kennedy, is interested in positioning herself to be appointed by Democratic Governor David Paterson. She has not yet said for sure, however, that she wants the post.

Someone else who has surfaced as being even more interested is former Nanny star Fran Drescher, who has been vocal about her ambition to be appointed.

If either one is appointed, it would show that star power prevails over actual service, as New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo actually is more qualified with his history of service.

Don't worry about turning on the TV set for primetime shows. The drama, and even the comedy, around the appointments to fill one, and likely soon two, vacant Senate seats is very much better than anything you'll find on NBC or CBS.

Stay tuned...

Americans Need To Pay Attention To The Cowardly Acts In Mumbai

2008-11-28T20:19:00.001-08:00

Anyone who has been keeping up with current events in the last few days knows that a series of disgusting, cowardly acts has grabbed hold of the city of Mumbai, India over the last 61 hours.

In a well-coordinated siege, at least ten sites in the city formerly known as Bombay were terrorized in a nightmare of bullets, fire, blood, and hostage-taking. Over 160 are dead, and nearly 33o injured at the last count. Of that dead, five Americans and 1 Briton are among that count. Other Americans and British are among the injured.

The radical cowards took hostage two landmark five-star hotels, the Taj and the Oberoi, and the Nariman House, which is a Jewish outreach center. They also blasted the landmark Leopold Cafe with gunfire, where at least ten people were hit by the bullets. Ten people were killed at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus, which is one of the busiest railway stations in India, after gunfire was sprayed there, and grenades were lobbed. Two other attacked sites were that of Mumbai Police Headquarters, where at least three high-level officers were killed by gunfire, and the Cama Hospital, where women and children are cared for.

A previously unknown group calling itself Deccan Mujahideen has reportedly claimed responsibility. However, terrorism experts are cautioning that it is still unknown whether this group exists, as it could just be a front group to that actual organization to blame. It is widely believed, however, that militants in Pakistan are responsible, regardless of what organization they are with.

It is now midnight on the East Coast of the United States by the time of this writing, and late morning in India. It now appears that the final standoff at the Taj Hotel is over. Just within the last couple of hours the hotel was caught in a major fire that blazed through its lower floors. The fire is now under control, and one more gunman is reportedly dead and another captured. Indian media are mostly reporting the situation seems to be under control.

America needs to watch this situation closely. This could very well be a precursor attack to another act of violence in a Western democracy. It is only a matter of time before our extremist enemies attempt an act of evil on our shores again.

We need to remain vigilant, now more than ever.

THE SEASON GOES ON! Tennessee Tech Volleyball Takes The 2008 Ohio Valley Conference Crown

2008-11-22T21:18:00.000-08:00

Story from TTUSports.com
Herald-Citizen
UC Daily News, Cookeville, Tenn.

COOKEVILLE, Tenn. - "Success is dependent on effort."

It seems the Tennessee Tech volleyball team knows this proverb first hand.

In a hard fought match Saturday, the Golden Eagles put out a huge effort, and now have the 2008 Ohio Valley Conference crown to prove it. The 3-2 victory over the Murray State Racers now vaults Tech into the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 1997.

Tournament MVP Kappy Lang led the way with 62 assists, 13 digs, four kills, and two service aces. Four in purple-and-white reached double-figures in the kills stat box. Amanda Lindgren had 20 herself. She was followed by OVC Player of the Year Leah Meffert, who had 16. Marie Peddicord totaled 15 kills, and Jessica Asplund followed her with 13.

By the end of the first set, it was clear that the fight for the 2008 OVC tourney championship was going to be a tightly-contested matter. The Racers jumped out to win the first set of the match by a 25-23 score. Tech rallied back to take sets two and three by the scores of 25-15 and 25-20 respectively. Murray State came back to win set four by a final score of 26-24. It then all came down to the grudge-match in set five, where Murray kept it tied on several occasions up to an 11-11 score. The Golden Eagles then found an opportunity to open the score up in their favor.

Asplund and Caitlin Bullock hit back-to-back kills to make the score go to 13-11 in Tech's favor. Murray's Logan Sue then scored a point on a kill to run the score to 13-12. Racer Becca Lamb committed an error to put the score at 14-12.

That set up the deciding score of the match.

Teresa Craig served to restart action, and after a short time of bouncing on either side of the net, Lang got assist number 62 on the night, and got the ball to Lindgren. She proceeded to crush the ball onto the Racer side of the court for her 20th kill, and the championship-clincher.

OVC Defensive Player of the Year Katie Kenline was another achiever in the match for Tech with 21 digs.

Leading the way for Murray State were Sara Hayden with 17 kills, Jade Guo with 45 assists, and Kayleah Sauer with 24 digs.

The victory represents the first conference championship for OVC Coach of the Year John Blair and Assistant Coach Jessica Lane. It follows a sweeping of the Austin Peay Lady Govs in the OVC Semifinals Friday. Tech won that match by the scores of 25-12, 25-22, and 25-21.

The tournament victories follow a 17-11 regular season for the Golden Eagles, in which they went 14-4 in conference play. That was good enough for OVC regular season co-championship honors, a first-round bye through the tournament, and the right to host the event at the Eblen Center in Cookeville.

Next on the schedule for the NCAA Tourney-bound Golden Eagles is a pre-tourney event in Louisville against the Cardinals. That match is set to be played on Saturday at 1 PM. The NCAAs are scheduled to begin on Thursday, December 4th, but place and time are still unknown. Those will be determined in the selection this Sunday.

GO TECH!

ENOUGH WITH THE BAILOUTS ALREADY!!!

2008-11-18T17:46:00.000-08:00

What on Earth is going on with the picture I am seeing from Washington regarding the economy. It seems they think that throwing endless streams of money at the economic problems we are facing are the answer. The fix to these guys isn't getting these failing companies to bring in new management, it is to give them taxpayers' dollars. Money that the hardworking people of America have sweated to make, and still barely get to ends' meat.

So we give at least $105 billion to AIG. What do they do just before receiving the taxpayer money? They take new recruits to a California resort to train them. If you are that financially strapped, go to a state park or some farmer's barn, if he will have you, to bring in new associates. For Pete's sake, you don't go to a Ritz-Carlton in California if you are on the brink of bankruptcy. We bail out Wall Street firms. We have financially strapped cities and states waiting to line up. There is even talk that Starbucks may even apply for a bailout. Since when is Starbucks providing a necessary service or good? Don't get me wrong, I like my coffee as much as the next guy, but Starbucks isn't the only firm, and our economy doesn't use them as a bedrock to prop up the system. ENOUGH ALREADY!!! We are swimming out on uncharted, dark waters with this strategy. There is no constitutional jurisdiction I can find for this runaway madness. There is no precedent for it in our history. The government became involved on a strong level following the Crash of 1929 and the Depression that followed, but that even pales in comparison to the road our government is blazing today.

I was a strong opponent to the idea of bailing out the Big Three automakers, until I read this column from the great scholar Pat Buchanan. However, I still remain skeptical about it, although I do realize that we can't let Detroit fold.

I do not believe government money will even come close to solving the problem. We are putting Scotch tape on a breaking dyke. The problem is greed, lack of morality, and poor management. Throwing dollars the TAXPAYERS earned at the problem is like pouring buckets of water INTO a sinking ship. It is a terribly misguided policy.

I guess we could leave it to the poor management in Washington to try to come up with these kinds of ideas to "help" the poor management in corners of the corporate world of our country. Meanwhile, who will be footing the bill? Who else, but those of us in my generation who are in our twenties, and our children, and future grandchildren. At the same time, many of those passing these ideas through legislation will have long passed from this life.

God, please help us!

HAPPY VETERANS DAY!

2008-11-11T21:34:00.000-08:00

You didn't think I was going to let Veterans Day pass without a recognition of our great veterans, did you?

Thank God for all of our fantastic men and women willing to give up blood, sweat and tears for our great country, the best God has given man. It is because of the sacrifice of these men and women that I have the blessing of going to Tennessee Tech, the opportunity to better myself financially, to be able to run this blog without persecution from the Feds, and, most importantly, the great freedom to be able to worship the Creator without being imprisoned by officials.

These men and women go through tremendous stress to see to it that their countrymen have what our Founding Fathers set forth well over 200 years ago. Under even more stress and heartache are the families of the servicemen. Because of this, and because they are willing to put all on the line for YOU, be sure to thank a serviceman when you see him or her on the street, in your favorite restaurant, in the grocery store, and in anyplace you are. Let them know you appreciate what they are doing. Let the families know you appreciate their sacrifice, and that you are keeping the families in prayer. It means more to them than you will know!

God bless the armed forces of the United States! We are blessed to have such patriots among us every day!

LOOKING FORWARD - To 2010, And 2012

2008-11-09T23:26:00.000-08:00

It is not too early to start thinking about a conservative Republican renaissance in 2010, and another one in 2012. Therefore, I figured I'd put up a post to quickly handicap the field.

First of all, 2010 is just two short years away. There will be 36 Gubernatorial races, 35 U.S. Senate seats up for election, and all 435 seats in the U.S. House. Also, there will be numerous races in the states. This is a crucial first election for conservatives to start regaining power.

GOVERNORS - VIEW THE RACE AT WIKIPEDIA
There will be 10 Democratic governors retiring in 2010, and if the GOP recruits the right candidates, they can all be winnable, except for probably Oregon and Maine. Kansas, Michigan, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee and Wyoming could all be good shots at a pickup. Michigan could be won if rumored candidate Ted Nugent, the popular conservative rocker, makes a run. Likewise, Pennsylvania could have a chance at a GOP governor if state Attorney General Tom Corbett makes a run. In Tennessee, there are signs pointing to a run by former U.S. Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, who would be the early frontrunner for the seat.

U.S. SENATE - VIEW THE RACE AT WIKIPEDIA
Only one GOP senator is planning to retire, and that is Kansas Senator Sam Brownback, who might make a run at the Governor's Mansion in that state. We have to defend 19 seats, while the Dems have to defend 16. Therefore, it is highly unlikely we will get the majority back in the Senate, but we can cut into it. So far, it is hard to find any pickup opportunities in the Senate, but no Dems have announced plans to retire, and we don't know how favorable the public's view of Obama will be in two years, so seats might start coming open. On the down side, the reverse could be true, as well. For a more in-depth look, visit the Wikipedia link posted here.

U.S. HOUSE - VIEW THE RACE AT WIKIPEDIA
A more likely shot at a re-gain of power would probably be the House, as all seats will be open in two years. Although a change in power right now doesn't look likely, two years is an eternity in politics. I believe the Dems' run at picking up GOP seats has finally come to an end, and a reversal in fortunes is about to begin.

In 2012, the House seats will again be up for election, as will 33 Senate seats. Of course, the big election for the Presidency is also in that year.

It is almost impossible to handicap the House races for '12 until the '10 races are sorted out. However, we have an idea of what seats are up in the Senate. The field shines bright for Republicans at this time. Why? Because the Dems have to defend 23 seats, while the GOP only needs to hold onto nine. Talk about a good opportunity to go on offense!
WIKIPEDIA ARTICLE ON THE SENATE RACE IN 2012 HERE

Of course, the big race in 2012 will be for the Presidency. After four years of governing, Barack Hussein Obama will almost certainly be looking for a second term. Meanwhile, a likely rejuvenated Republican Party will be seeking to gain the White House again.

Currently, there are four major names often spoken about being GOP candidates for the Presidency in 2012:
-Former Arkansas Governor and 2008 candidate Mike Huckabee
-Lousiana Governor Bobby Jindal
-Alaska Governor Sarah Palin
-Former Massachusetts Governor and 2008 candidate Mitt Romney

However, other names are also being spoken of. Not surprisingly, most of them are leaders in the modern day conservative movement. It would be a shocker if the GOP decides to go with another moderate like McCain in 2012. Here are some other names:
-Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour
-Florida Governor Charlie Crist
-Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels
-South Carolina Senator Jim DeMint
-Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich
-Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty
-CENTCOM Commander General David Petraeus
-South Carolina Governor Mark Sanford
-South Dakota Senator John Thune

In short, opportunities are coming for what I am sure will be a renewed and revived Republican Party in the next four years, especially come 2012.

One Bright Spot For Conservatives In 2008: TENNESSEE

2008-11-05T09:59:00.001-08:00

While we got hit nationally with some tough blows, the Volunteer State was one of the few bright spots. In a sign that Tennessee will become a leading state for the GOP, if not one already, the party showed an impressive sign of power.

The state went overwhelmingly to the Presidential ticket of McCain-Palin by a 57-41 percent margin. That is only topped by Nixon's re-election showing in 1972, Reagan's re-election showing in 1984, and George H.W. Bush's election in 1988. Also, Republican U.S. Senator Lamar Alexander won re-election, by a huge 65-32 percent margin over challenger Bob Tuke, one of the best showings for a GOP U.S. Senate candidate in the state's history.

The state legislature in Nashville received a GOP mandate. Coming into last night, Republicans and Democrats each held 16 senators with one Independent. After winning three seats the GOP now hold power in the Senate by a 19-14 margin. In the State House, Dems held the power 53-46. Last night, however, the GOP picked up five seats and lost one for the total of four they needed to take the House. Now the GOP hold a slim lead in House power by the margin of 50-49. However, that is the first time Republicans have gained control of the House since Reconstruction.

Kentucky, Mississippi, and Texas can all be considered among some of the few bright spots, as those three states were crucial in electing Republican senators to keep the filibuster-proof majority the Dems were looking for a myth.

CONGRATS TO THE GOP VICTORS IN THE TENNESSEE STATE LEGISLATURE!

The following are the big difference in switching the power, as they took seats from Democrats or Independents:

In The Senate:
District 4 - Mike Faulk, with 50.2% of the vote. (Beat Incumbent Independent)
District 12 - Ken Yager, with 51.2 % of the vote. (Open Seat-D)
District 26 - Dolores Gresham, with 53.7 % of the vote. (Open Seat, formerly John Wilder's)

In The House:
District 2 - Tony Shipley, with 50.6% of the vote. (Beat incumbent Dem)
District 40 - Terri Lynn Weaver, with 54.7% of the vote (Open Seat-D)
District 48 - Joe Carr, with 51.5% of the vote. (Open Seat-D)
District 66 - Joshua Evans, with 52.4% of the vote (Beat Incumbent Dem)
District 71 - Vance Dennis, with 53% of the vote (Open Seat-D)

This Is What We As Conservatives Need To Do Over The Next Four Years!

2008-11-05T09:50:00.000-08:00

BATTEN DOWN THE HATCHES!

2008-11-05T09:19:00.000-08:00

The conservative movement took some big blows last night, and we are now set back a bit. Our country needs God more than ever, and we really need to pray harder than ever.

Now is a time for the conservative movement to do a serious gutcheck. We need to search ourselves, and know for sure what it really means to be a conservative. We need to find a way to address issues that people are concerned about, such as the environment, poverty, the handicapped, and like issues, but from a conservative perspective. Former Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum was working on that before he became an early casualty of the Democratic gains two years ago. Former Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist of Tennessee is working on health and poverty issues across the globe. We need to address infrastructure, the economy, and other issues often, and we need to let people know why the conservative solutions are the right ones. Our recruiters of candidates for public office need to attract good, Christian conservative men and women to run for office, and will be leaders of the conservative movement of the future.

It is shaping up to be a tough two, maybe even four years. I think the GOP comes back in the Congress in 2010. I think we take some crucial governorships, and state legislatures.

It is time for a rejuvenated conservative movement to come back, erase the damage done so far to our great republic, and the damage these liberal nutjobs are sure to try to impose! Thank God we have stopped a filibuster-proof U.S. Senate. That is where a crucial battleline has been drawn.

WE'LL BE BACK!

WHY I ENDORSE SENATOR JOHN McCAIN AND GOVERNOR SARAH PALIN

2008-11-03T20:34:00.000-08:00

I actually endorsed Senator McCain and Governor Palin back in June. Well, at least Senator McCain's ticket, which included Governor Palin in August. I could have written a formal endorsement then, but I have decided to do it now, even though I have been working to get this year's GOP ticket elected for the last few months. Why support McCain and Palin? I'll tell you.

We all know we face serious and defining threats in these days, from both our homeland, and from abroad. Our great nation is at a crossroads. Economies go through cycles. Our financial system has decided it is that time again to take a downswing. Actually, most of the world's economies are lagging right now. Iran is threatening free nations. China is booming into a world superpower, led by a form of communism. Russia is becoming imperialist again, threatening sovereign nations around it, especially Georgia and Ukraine. The injustice known as abortion has snuffed out the lives of nearly 50 million unborn Americans. Illegal immigration continues to be an ongoing struggle in this country, and a drag on our environment, healthcare system, education system, and job market in this country. It is also a problem for the reason that the illegal immigrants are not assimilating into our culture well, which hurts our national identity. We need to get a grip on our energy policy. We are sending $700 billion a year overseas for our oil. We need to get those oil sources from home, and work towards a solid alternative energy policy. These are just a few of the obstacles we face as a country.

That brings us to our next leader. In the words of Democratic VP choice Joe Biden, "Now is not the time for on-the-job training when it comes to the Presidency" (he was actually criticizing Senator Obama when he said these words. They were spoken back in the primaries, when Biden and Obama were both seeking the Presidency). John McCain doesn't have much to prove when it comes to showing his patriotism. Most of us know about the terrible torture he went through in his nearly six years as prisoner of war in Vietnam. His time in the U.S. Navy gave him incredible experience in matters of the military. He knows exactly what our brave patriots are going through in Iraq and Afghanistan. He is not sending them there for his own personal gain. He first ran for Congress in 1982, and he has been in the Congress since, so he really knows how Washington works.

To balance out the experience, he chose Alaska Governor Sarah Palin, who gives the ticket a good breath of fresh air. She is a great outsider. She has fought corruption in the oil business in Alaska. She fought a "good ole' boys" system that ran the the state's Republican Party, the state itself, and her town of Wasilla. She stands on principles and values she grew up with. Values of community, value of life, freedom, hard work, and opportunity. She is a terrific speaker, and has the presence of a Ronald Reagan. Something we haven't had since Reagan himself. She lacks in foreign policy experience, but so did Ronald Reagan and Bill Clinton. Besides, John has more than enough of that to go around. Give Sarah a little time watching John, and she'll gain foreign policy experience over time. She is also a solid voice on energy independence, a pressing issue facing our country.

On the other hand, I believe voting for Senator Obama is about the same as rolling the dice on our next leader. As I have said above, now is certainly not the time to do that. He lacks tremendously in experience. He is also a socialist at heart. He believes in "spreading the wealth". America has been opposed to this since our founding. Our country was founded on a limited government, and the citizens were free to keep what they worked hard to earn. It was a novel concept at the time, and one that has worked great for us for years. Our economy could once again bounce out of this downtime we are experiencing if the government can keep its hands off. It shows the arrogance of government when they don't trust their citizens to be benevolent with their own money. They think it's their responsibility to redistribute the wealth. This is an idea that is completely unconstitutional. However, Senator Obama supports these policies. He supports the idea of "Fourth Trimester Abortion". Under this, it is OK to kill a baby born alive after a botched abortion attempt. He supports the idea of prematurely pulling our troops out of Iraq without them winning with honor. This would trow Iraq into a vacuum of chaos, and strengthen our enemies. We don't want that. In addition, he has decided to align himself with individuals with a dark past, and even present. Folks like Tony Rezko, Jeremiah Wright, Bill Ayers, and others. Wright has called for G-D America after 9-11. Ayers attempted to bomb the Pentagon, NYC Police Headquarters, and the Capitol in the 1970s. In 2001, he said he wished he would have bombed more. To bring up these connections is not just some political fodder. Bringing up these connections goes a long way in trying to discover Obama's character, a crucial factor in electing a leader.

I believe I have made a solid case for supporting the McCain-Palin ticket tomorrow. To do otherwise would just be throwing the dice. Electing a leader is not a trip to Vegas to play blackjack.

McCain-Palin Rally In Cookeville A Great Success!

2008-09-22T22:02:00.000-07:00

An estimated 125 attend event at Tennessee Tech to boost GOP ticket.

A successful rally for the GOP Presidential ticket was held Monday night on the campus of Tennessee Tech University. A good-sized crowd showed up to show their support for Senator John McCain and Governor Sarah Palin, and to hear several guest speakers talk about their enthusiasm for the ticket, and for the candidates running in the Volunteer State.

The event was held in the Roaden University Center on TTU's campus, which is located in Cookeville, about midway between the cities of Nashville, Knoxville, and Chattanooga, and on Interstate 40. The TTU College Republicans, the Tennessee Women For McCain, and the Putnam County Republican Party were the chief sponsors of the event.

Yours truly, who also is blest to be leading the College Republicans chapter at TTU, decided to take a head-count, which I estimated to be near 125. The crowd was definitely excited to be there, and listened to several guest speakers, which included Beth Campbell, Randy Stamps, and Jonathan Bryant. Mike Callahan, a Executive Committee member from the 15th State Senatorial District, was the Master of Ceremonies.

Yours truly, Jordan Iwanyszyn, opened the event in leading the Pledge of Allegiance, which was followed by an opening prayer. Then, I came back up and offered words of welcome, brought notice to the sponsoring groups, and included a statement on why I back the GOP ticket. I then introduced Callahan, who was responsible for introducing the guest speakers. Campbell was the first of the three to speak. She is the president of the Tennessee Women For McCain, and she spoke on why women should back the ticket. She was followed by Stamps, who is the Executive Director of the Tennessee Republican Party. He also spoke to women, and mentioned how the Democrats seem to dislike women in power, using the examples of the disrespect shown to Hillary Clinton from Senator Barack Obama's campaign, and closing the door on Tennessee State Senator Rosalind Kurita's re-election effort.

Kurita represents a district centered around Clarksville, near Fort Campbell, and angered many state Democrats when she decided to cast a vote in favor of now Lt. Governor Ron Ramsey for that position. Ramsey is the first Republican Lt. Governor since Reconstruction, and Kurita's was a deciding vote in that choice. Kurita faced a tough re-election in a primary against challenger Tim Barnes, and won the primary by 19 votes. However, Tennessee Democratic Party officials met just over a week ago, and decided to give the primary victory to Barnes. Kurita will challenge in a write-in campaign.

Stamps mentioned those two examples as proof that the Democrats are not as favorable to women as they preach, and he said that Governor Palin, and Tennessee State Representative Candidate Terri Lynn Weaver are two women that prove the Republicans are the party favorable to women. Stamps also talked about the state of the battle for the Tennessee State Legislature, in which the GOP currently has the same number of seats as the Dems in the Senate, with one independent. In the state house, the GOP needs four seats to retake the majority for only the second time since Reconstruction. Stamps tried to rally the attendees into supporting local candidates for the state legislature.

Following Stamps was Bryant, who is a former Chairman of the Tennessee College Republicans, and is now working for the Lamar Alexander for U.S. Senate campaign. He spoke on his excitement of being a Republican, and of the ticket that represents the party this election cycle. He also mentioned younger Republican voters, and themed his address towards them.

The attendance was made up of people of all kinds. Young children to aged men, upper middle class to poorer class, and numerous men and women. Other notables in attendance other than the speakers were Noble Cody, a former mayor of Cookeville and a member of the Tennessee Tech Sports Hall of Fame for his basketball days there; Steve Moore, a former trainer at TTU and another member of the TTU Sports Hall of Fame; Phil Wilbourn, a former TTU baseball player; and Howie Acuff, a local attorney and 2006 candidate for the Tennessee House of Representatives.

Following are photos from the exciting night:

People begin to gather before the event begins.

The growing crowd takes to their seats minutes before the event gets under way.

Attendees make their way into the room past the sign-in table.

The scene after the event has begun, and after I had said a few words.

The crowd of 125 listens as Beth Campbell of Tennessee Women For McCain speaks.

Randy Stamps of the Tennessee Republican Party gives his take.

Former Tennessee College Republican President Jonathan Bryant addresses the audience.

A gathering of the evening's speakers. From left to right: Jordan M. Iwanyszyn (yours truly), President, Tennessee Tech University College Republicans; Randy Stamps, Executive Director, Tennessee Republican Party; Beth Campbell, Chairman, Tennessee Women For McCain; Mike Callahan, Tennessee Republican Party Executive Committee Member, 15th Senatorial District; and Jonathan Bryant, Field Representative, Lamar Alexander For U.S. Senate campaign.

PALIN STARPOWER! Alaska Governor Draws At Least 60,000 To Florida Rally!

2008-09-21T22:01:00.000-07:00

This photo from CNN shows some of the crowd that turned out for Alaska Governor Sarah Palin at The Villages, a very large retirement community about an hour north of Orlando, Florida. Some estimates have put the number as high as 70,000, but no official count was ever taken. The 60,000 figure comes from the fire chief. According to FOX News, some waited as long as five hours in 92-degree heat to hear the Republican Vice Presidential Candidate speak for 23 minutes. Some people waited 90 minutes to park their cars.

The contrast to the Democratic Veep Candidate, Delaware Senator Joe Biden, is already being looked at. Biden drew only 2,000 to a visit earlier this month. Meanwhile, Democratic Presidential Candidate, Illinois Senator Barack Obama, drew 20,000 voters to a outdoor rally in North Carolina earlier today, a number that pales in comparison to Governor Palin's.

Governor Palin will also beef up her foreign policy credentials this Wednesday as she holds separate meetings with the presidents of Iraq, Georgia, Ukraine and Pakistan, and with the Prime Minister of India.

The governor is rolling along, and has become a craze among the voters of our great Republic. We are now within 50 days of the election, and exciting developments are happening every day. The Dems' greatest hopes are slipping away. Now, this is not the time to take all for granted, and think the GOP is going to roll away with this. History points to a strong Democratic year. However, the "Palin Effect" just may keep the White House in our hands, and limit the losses in the Congress, and in the state races. Every day is staying exciting!

BREAKING NEWS

2008-09-14T20:06:00.000-07:00

MAJOR U.S. FINANCIAL FIRMS END FRANTIC WEEKEND, JEOPARDIZE U.S. FINANCIAL HEALTH.

Two of the best known, and oldest names on Wall Street are virtually unrecognizable tonight as new signs emerge that the major errors in judgement that the nation's major financial firms have made are jeopardizing the nation's financial health. Also, a leading insurance provider is nearing crisis mode tonight.

Lehman Brothers, a venerable Wall Street name dating back to 1850, is teetering very close to the verge of bankruptcy, and maybe even liquidation tonight, as several attempts at a buyout are, so far, unsuccessful. The leading contender to buy out Lehman was the major British bank Barclays PLC, but discussions for a deal have fallen flat. Rumors have fired up that bankruptcy discussions are ongoing tonight. Lehman's problems stem from the sub-prime mortgage crisis, and a global credit crunch that has surfaced in recent months.

One of the largest Wall Street names, Merrill Lynch & Company, now will have a new parent company. It was announced tonight that Bank Of America Corp. will purchase Merrill for $44 billion, or $29 per share. The move was pushed by the Federal Reserve, and was reached after 48 hours of frantic negotiations.

Another financial behemoth is facing serious trouble tonight. Insurance giant American International Group Inc., is rushing to sell some assets and overhaul the business, on the threat from Standard & Poors that it might cut its debt rating. CNBC even reports that AIG has gone to the Federal Reserve to ask for a loan. AIG has also been seriously affected by the sub-prime mortgage crisis.

Asian markets are tumbling in Monday trading, and the Dow Industrials look to close down by at least 300 points when trading opens in about 10 hours.

Major Wall Street firms have reportedly loaned out $40 for every $1 in capital they have had. It is faulty to put the Bush Administration, and the federal government at fault for the foolish choices that Wall Street has made. The major financial firms have mostly treated their balance sheets like casinos, and the rest of the country, and even the globe has to suffer for it. Now, the burden looks to shift to the taxpayers, as the government has had to prop up Freddie Mac and Fannie May, and may have to help finance stability of Wall Street.

The actions of the Wall Street firms involved are downright irresponsible, and I will be blunt in calling these choices by them over recent years downright insane. The economy is not to be treated as a casino. I am naturally optimistic, so I know we will get through this. We will have to suffer a little bit before we get out of it, though, I believe.

Here's A Really Good Reason On Why Libs Just Tick Me Off!

2008-09-01T21:18:00.000-07:00

It appears a few liberal-types are praising God for potential catastrophes now, as if that is any surprise. In the first following video, former Democratic National Committee Chairman Don Fowler was secretly recorded by the person sitting beside him as they were flying from Denver to Charlotte. He is recorded talking to Democratic U.S. Representative John Spratt from South Carolina.

What he says during the clip is downright appalling. Fowler chuckles and says to Spratt that the "hurricane is going to hit New Orleans about the time they start", referring to the Republican National Convention in St. Paul. He follows that up with saying the most sickening thing describing a disaster that I have heard in a while, "That just demonstrates God is on our side."

What do you think his response was after this started its way around the Internet. "One doesn't anticipate that one's private conversation will be surreptitiously taped by some right-wing nutcase. But that's the nature of what we're dealing with," is the way he found to excuse is comments on the plane.

The link to the YouTube video can be found here.

In the second video, the whacked out filmmaker Michael Moore finds a way to spew out more unbelievable trash out of his mouth on Keith Olbermann's show on the MSNBC network. Moore is no stranger to truly unbelievable, uncompassionate words, but his words on this show, probably filmed Friday, are downright sickening. He greets everyone on the show by saying the hurricane is "proof that there is a God in Heaven", because it is coming the same time that the RNC was to start. Then, both Moore and his hack host Olbermann chuckle at the thought.

Find the YouTube video here.

What kind of decent human beings are first contemplating the political effects on their opponents by a potential catastrophe. Here is the possibility of great loss of life, and great destruction, but here we have a few guys who apparently find the idea of catastrophe funny if the political results are in their favor. What kind of decent human beings would do this, well I guess we have to remember who we are talking about. They are not really decent, are they?

Absolutely stunning!

NOT AGAIN!

2008-08-30T22:17:00.000-07:00

It seems that Hurricane Gustav, now Category 4 strength with winds of about 140 miles per hour, is eyeing the U.S. mainland, probably Louisiana. Landfall could come sometime Monday morning. Parishes in Louisiana have been falling under mandatory evacuations throughout the day, and now the city of New Orleans is finding itself in one. Others have been fleeing voluntarily. Over a million people have been reportedly fleeing the Gulf. Republican leaders, led by the governors of Texas, Louisiana, and Mississippi will not be attending the GOP Convention in St. Paul, Minnesota, choosing to lead the crisis management work back home. Over 80 people are dead in the Caribbean, mostly in Haiti, after this storm rolled through that area.

We most certainly need to keep the people of the Gulf, and all others affected, in our thoughts and prayers during this seriously concerning time.

McCain Slams A Home Run With Veep Choice

2008-08-30T20:51:00.000-07:00

Republican Presidential Candidate John McCain made history Friday by choosing Alaska Governor Sarah Palin as his running-mate in his campaign to the White House. Palin is now the first woman to be chosen by the GOP to make a bid as Vice President of the United States.

If you couldn't already tell, you can probably see that I am thrilled by this choice. I believe that if McCain already has a slight advantage now, this pick will help to strengthen it to an extent. Let's remember that history tells us the VP pick doesn't usually win the election for the man who appointed him (or her). However, I believe Palin helps McCain, because she strengthens the base tremendously. News is already out that evangelicals are excited, something that has been hard to come by this election season. Even James Dobson, the well-known founder of Focus on the Family, said he would vote for the McCain-Palin ticket. He struggled with the idea of voting for McCain over the last year or more, but he is now warming to the idea. There is even the idea that Palin on the ticket may cause a number of socially conservative Democrats to turn to the GOP this year. Along with that, she just may turn a number of defected supporters of New York Senator Hillary Clinton to the GOP, after Democratic Presidential Nominee Barack Obama beat her in a tight primary race earlier this year, and didn't really include her in their party's drive to the White House.

Palin is an unknown to may people. That is her possible downside. She is not well-known, and not believed by some to be well-experienced. However, that first downside can be overcome by November. I don't believe the second downside is so bad. Palin is running for the Vice Presidency, not for Commander-In-Chief just yet. She may be President later on, but I believe she is ready for that if the time comes. The Democrats have nominated a U.S. senator who has only been in office for less than four years. Before that, he was a state senator, and a "community organizer", whatever on Earth that is. Palin was a city council member for four years (1992-1996), mayor of the town of Wasilla, Alaska for six years (1996-2002), and was elected governor of the 49th state in 2006. While mayor, she was chosen to be president of the Alaska Conference of Mayors. I'll take someone with her executive experience over someone (like Obama) who doesn't, regardless of how small the setting, and she isn't even running for a job that high.

Palin will not only strengthen the ticket, she will help McCain govern on principles, values, and patriotism. As I have been telling everyone who asks me what I think of this choice, she is a solid conservative, not only in words, but in action. She not only talks pro-life, she decided to allow her young son, Trig, to live, even though he was found to have Down syndrome. She had the opportunity to get an abortion, but she followed her principles instead. She is a lifetime member of the National Rifle Association, and solid on support for the Second Amendment right to bear arms. She stands for American energy independence, and knows that issue firsthand, being governor of a state where that issue is key. She is a non-denominational Christian, who worships at the Church on the Rock in Wasilla. She is a reformer, who has worked to cut taxes, and the size of government in Alaska. She has a history of fighting corruption, and battles wrong, whether it is outside her party or not. She has appointed Democrats and Independents to her administration in Alaska. Her son, Track, is heading off to fight in Iraq on September 11th. McCain's son has also gone off to fight for our country, which proves that potential Presidents and Vice Presidents do watch their children go off to war.

Another strength of Palin is her common-man's, blue-collar background. Her dad was a teacher, and her mom a secretary in a school. She worked as a sports reporter and a commercial fisherman with her husband, Todd, before she entered elected politics. She was a union member, and her husband continues to be. He now works for the large oil company BP, where he works in a non-managerial position. She is a self-described "hockey mom", and plays the sport, as well as supporting it. She hunts and fishes. It is reported that she would get up at three in the morning to go caribou hunting.

She also seems to have a strong spirit to her. If she was nervous at all during her acceptance speech yesterday, it was not readily visible. She has a strong charisma about her, and shows skills of a great public speaker.

I want to give credit to Mr. McCain on such a solid pick, and credit to him and his campaign for keeping such history under wraps until just before the announcement. I have noticed a re-tooled McCain campaign that is sharp, crisp, and speaking principles and values clearly. I really believe the reason the McCain campaign is back on track is because they've gone to the business of standing for conservative values in the mode of Reagan. They have been putting out great ads, cut back on gaffes, shown enthusiasm for values, and have been speaking on them clearly. At the same time, the Obama campaign has found itself on a slippery slope, and committing various gaffes. They are finding themselves in one now, as their campaign attacked Palin for a lack of experience. Obama later tried to cover it by congratulating her, but it is just the latest move by the Obama campaign showing that he is really just a regular politician, and not the candidate of change he wants people to believe he is.

For the first time since the primaries, I am energized. For the first time in a long while, many of my fellow principled conservatives are, as well.

BREAKING NEWS

2008-08-29T07:59:00.000-07:00

McCAIN CHOOSES PALIN!

A top campaign official for Republican Presidential Candidate John McCain has reportedly confirmed that the senator has chosen Alaska Governor Sarah Palin as his VP running-mate. McCain will appear at a rally in Dayton, Ohio, where he will officially introduce her as his choice. That rally is scheduled to kick off in about an hour. More to come!

BREAKING NEWS

2008-08-22T22:12:00.000-07:00

IT'S BIDEN

12:25 AM, Saturday, August 23, 2008

Multiple Democratic sources have reported that Delaware Senator Joe Biden is Democratic Presidential Candidate Barack Obama's choice for Vice President on that party's ticket. The major news networks are also confirming this report.

It appears the candidate of change is trading in that mantle for a senator with more experience who has been in Washington for over 35 years. Biden was first elected to the Senate in 1972, and therefore knows his way around the politics of the city.

However, Biden also appears to some to be arrogant, and is known to shoot from the lip fairly often. Will that hurt Obama, especially during the VP Debate in October.

Also, will this encourage Republican Presidential Candidate John McCain to choose a woman to balance his ticket when he announces his running-mate next Friday. Since Obama did not choose New York Senator, and former Presidential candidate, Hillary Rodham Clinton, a number of her supporters might now be willing to jump the party's ship and head over to McCain, especially if he chooses a woman like Texas Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison or Alaska Governor Sarah Palin. I still believe McCain needs to choose Former Massachusetts Governor, and former Presidential candidate, Mitt Romney, but now we need to watch and see who McCain decides to choose.

Veep Announcements Coming Soon

2008-08-18T23:41:00.000-07:00

Democratic Presidential candidate Barack Obama is expected to announce his running mate within the next few days. Speculation says Tuesday morning, some has said Wednesday, but the announcement is expected to come by Friday. The most speculation right now is settling on Delaware Senator, and former Presidential candidate, Joe Biden. The other speculation is now coming on Indiana Senator Evan Bayh, First-term Virginia Governor Tim Kaine, and recently again on Kansas Governor Kathleen Sebelius. My take is that Biden would be the strongest for the Illinois Senator. I understand Bayh is not a strong fighter, which could hurt him in the veeps' debate later. Kaine's experience is about as low as Obama's. He was a city councilman, and later a mayor, in the medium-sized city of Richmond. He also later served as Lt. Governor. However, none of that will help greatly with foreign policy experience, which Obama seriously lacks. If Sebelius is chosen, the Clinton machine will throw a huge fit, which would hurt Obama. It is a tough call for me to predict, but I say Obama goes with Kaine.

The breaking news tonight is that Republican sources have reportedly said that Republican candidate John McCain will choose his veep on Friday, August 29th at an event in Dayton, Ohio. This will come the day after Obama officially accepts the Democratic nomination, and just two days before the GOP convention kicks into gear. The prime contenders are believed to be Former Massachusetts Governor, and former Presidential candidate, Mitt Romney, and Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty. McCain is also believed to be considering Former Pennsylvania Governor Tom Ridge and Connecticut Senator Joe Lieberman, but that speculation has died down after McCain floated that idea last week to much criticism. McCain's people are expecting 10,000 on hand at the event and the Arizona Senator is scheduled to travel to a large event in Pennsylvania right afterward.

I believe McCain knows the dangers of choosing a supporter of abortion, such as Ridge, or a domestic-issue liberal, like Lieberman. I think Pawlenty will stick in McCain's mind, but I think he ultimately goes with Romney, who I also would prefer.

Keep watch over the next few weeks. The coming days will be exciting with the conventions and the veep selections.

Politico reports that Obama is likely to pick veep this week.

The Russia-Georgia Conflict

2008-08-18T22:37:00.000-07:00

By now, most of us know that Russia has decided to bully its way into the neighboring, sovereign state (country, not the U.S. state) of Georgia in recent weeks. Moscow's decision is disgusting, troubling, and the way they have executed it has been barbaric. Even going into Tuesday, August 19th, Russia claims to be withdrawing forces, but evidence proves that their forces are still within Georgia boundaries. Actually, some reports have said that Russia continues to push into Georgia. Also, the Georgia city of Gori is still reportedly occupied by Moscow's forces.

Phil Valentine, a Nashville-based syndicated radio talk-show host, has suggested that this was actually a possible trial run. He has made the case on his show that Russia has decided to enter Georgia to put out feelers and see how the rest of the world would react. He has stated that Russia may be looking back to imperialism, maybe not to bring communism back, but to return to its territorial "glory". He also made the case that China is likely watching to see if it has an open door to take Taiwan.

I believe that the point Valentine has brought up is likely correct. I think Russia is once again looking to an imperialist foreign policy, and has set off a chain of events that could very well raise tensions in the Balkans and the Caucasus region, if they haven't already. I believe Moscow is looking to grow its economy by restoring its former territory, and looking to once again become a superpower. Oil is also an issue involved. Russia's economy is influenced heavily by oil, and many of the surrounding former Soviet states have oil or pipelines running through them. Georgia is one such country with a pipeline, the major one in the region that does not flow through either Russia or Iran. If Russia is looking to the imperial route again, the former Soviet states in Asia and Eastern Europe better keep close tabs on the situation. Ukraine had better especially keep a close watch. The Heritage Foundation held a discussion on the events which included our Georgia's ambassador to the U.S., and a professor from U.S. Army College. The professor indicated that, if Ukraine is allowed into NATO and the European Union, that Russia will move to get them dismembered immediately. Russia is looking to influence Ukraine to move from its largely pro-West and pro-America position now to an anti-West position. Ukraine has become a loud voice opposing Russia, and one of the most vocal supporters of continued independence for the old Soviet states. Ukraine is also one of the stronger of the old Soviet states. Russia will work hard to pressure Ukraine, and if they are looking to go imperialist, will set their sights squarely on the Ukys. I take this pretty personally because my grandfather emigrated to America after World War II. I am partially of Ukrainian heritage. Therefore, I watch Moscow with unease.

Even if Moscow withdrawals their forces from Georgia, I don't think we have heard the last of Russia's imperialist intentions.

Philadelphia's Spectrum To Be Closed, Demolished After 2008-09 Season

2008-07-17T11:25:00.000-07:00

The Wachovia Spectrum, home to a number of championships for professional Philadelphia sports is scheduled to close next spring, and be demolished, according to Comcast-Spectacor, the arena's owners.

The site will become a portion of the new Philly Live! development of retail, dining, and entertainment establishments.

The arena is still the home for the Phantoms of the American Hockey League, and the Kixx indoor soccer team.

The arena housed the NHL Flyers' only two Stanley Cup championships in 1974 and '75, and the NBA 76ers' championship of 1983. It was known to be a rowdy place, reflective of its fans. The Flyers and Sixers moved to the new Wachovia Center in 1996.

It is not known whether the Spectrum will be brought down by implosion, or by other means.

Story from Comcast SportsNet
RememberTheSpectrum.com

VW Picks Chattanooga For New U.S. Plant Site

2008-07-17T11:05:00.000-07:00

Volkswagen AG, the German automaker, picked a site for its new U.S. plant on Tuesday. The site picked was in Chattanooga, Tenn. This is great news for those who are wanting to see more U.S. jobs, and it is great news for the Volunteer State.

The plant is a $1 billion investment by VW, and it is the first U.S. plant for the automaker since it closed its last U.S. plant near Pittsburgh in 1988. The plant will produce a "new midsize sedan designed specifically for the North American consumer."

Chattanooga beat out sites in Alabama and Michigan for the plant, which will provide at least 2,000 jobs directly to the tri-state area of Tennessee, Georgia, and Alabama. It is to be located on a 1,350-acre site at the Enterprise South Industrial Park, near Interstates 75 and 24.

Chattanooga has been trying to attract an automaker for some time. It missed out on the plant Toyota Motor Corp. is building for $1.3 billion in Tupelo, Miss., and the $1.2 billion plant that Kia Motors Corp. is building in West Point, Georgia.

VW only has a 2 percent stake in the U.S. auto market, but it wants to drastically expand that. The company wants to increase U.S. sales by triple to 1 million by 2018. It is also building factories in Russia and India in a bid to become the world's second largest automaker.

Congrats to Tennessee on attracting this big of a jobmaker!

AP Story

VW Announcement Eases Past Snubs

TONY SNOW: Another One Of The Good Guys In Washington Passes Away

2008-07-17T10:20:00.000-07:00

Washington has lost another one of it's good guys.

Former Press Secretary Tony Snow passed away last Saturday from colon cancer that had spread to his liver. He was 53.

Snow was also known for his role as TV host on several shows on the Fox News Channel, particularly FOX News Sunday, of which he was the first host, and Weekend Live. He was also a radio talk-show host. He had his own show, The Tony Snow Show, and he regularly filled in for Rush Limbaugh from about the mid-1990s on. In his early career, he was a newspaper man, having written for The Greensboro Record in North Carolina, and The Virginian-Pilot in Norfolk, Virginia. He was also a chief speechwriter for President George H.W. Bush.

In April 2006, President George W. Bush tapped Snow to serve in the office of press secretary, replacing Scott McClellan. In my opinion, he was the most competent of the press secretaries chosen by President Bush up until that time. He did his job well, and he did it with humor. Snow decided to leave his position in August 2007. Dana Perino would go on to succeed Snow in this role.

Snow, a native of Berea, Kentucky, was also an avid musician.

He will be missed, and his passing is a loss for those looking for good men and women in Washington. His family needs to be in our thoughts and prayers.

The CONSERVATIVE STATESMAN On Change

2008-07-05T19:59:00.000-07:00

The 'bumper-sticker' word of this election cycle is change. Actually, that seems to be the catch word during every election cycle from the candidates that aren't the incumbent.

Here's how I look at change. We all want change. I want change, too. I want the kind of change that rests in my pocket. The Democrats won't bring that kind of change. Their party wants that kind of change in their own pockets.

THE MICHIGAN LESSON

2008-07-05T09:02:00.000-07:00

Massive job loss, an eighteen-month statewide recession, a reeling auto industry, a corrupt city council in a major city, massive relocation of citizens, and an increasing takeover of a culture that is anti-Western Civilization. Where is all of this happening, you ask? It is happening in the Wolverine State, Michigan.

All the above is only the more visible signs of a quickly-deteriorating state. People are moving out of Michigan by the tens-of-thousands, only to be replaced by a growing, and more influential, Muslim population, which is a culture that is anti-West.

So, now comes the next question - Who is supposedly steering the ship through all of this. A more proper thought, who is steering the ship away from progress and prosperity? Why, who would have thought, the Democratic Party.

Detroit, as we all know, has been controlled by Democrats for decades. On top of that, Governor Jennifer Granholm is a Democrat, and in both chambers of the state legislature, Democrats have the power.

What has their solution been for the state? If you guessed higher taxes, you are correct. It appears that Gov. Granholm likes her tax hikes. What does she fault with the Michigan Situation? Everyone else, as usual. She blames the national sub-prime mortgage situation, and higher energy prices for what is going on in her state, instead of looking at the sheer ineptitude of her's, and her party's, policies. Meanwhile, another downright troubling situation is building. As the exodus continues of Michigan's traditional residents, thousands of Muslims are settling in. One city that has been radically transformed by this is Dearborn, or Dearbornistan, as some are calling it. Regardless of what the politically-correct crowd would have you believe, this kind of mass change from one culture to another is never good for a society, no matter how peaceful the newcomers are. That being said, many Muslims are not a peaceful people, and you can be sure that the unpeaceful ones are hiding in the shadows in Dearbornistan.

What does all of this mean for the rest of us? Well, if we allow Democrats to take full control of our federal government and our state governments, we are in some serious trouble. The socialist liberal philosophy of bigger government, higher taxes, and radical multiculturalism tolerance, while letting traditional American values subside, would create a vast, destructive cesspool to descend upon our great country.

On a political note, what does all this mean in future public office races. On the 2008 Presidential level, Michigan could be ripe for a Republican takeover. As thousands of traditional residents flee from Detroit and her suburbs, the more conservative western and northern parts of Michigan become more influential in a state that is usually a toss-up. In 2010, Governor Granholm will be term-limited, leaving the state's governor's mansion of for grabs. Popular rocker Ted Nugent is among the Republicans looking at a run, and regardless of who the GOP picks, they could have a solid shot. If conservatives are able to take back Michigan, the lesson then become one of seeing how the conservative philosophy best leads a society.

Stay tuned!

MORE ARTICLES AND BLOG-POSTINGS ON THE MICHIGAN SITUATION:

-Detroit News column by Daniel Howes, "Has Michigan passed its tipping point?"

-FreeMoneyFinance article on how taxes are killing Michigan

-Blog posting on 'Michigan's Troubled Economy'

-Islamization Watch - this blog shows the concerns of America transforming into a Muslim society. Dearborn, Michigan, is at the forefront of this

-Dearbornistan Wal-Mart panders to the local Muslim crowd

-KFC does, too!

Happy Independence Day!

2008-07-04T12:05:00.000-07:00

The Conservative Statesman wishes each of you a happy Independence Day! While we are out grilling, watching fireworks, and attending parades, let us not forget the true meaning of today.

We live in "the best country God has given man", in the true words of talk-show host Sean Hannity. Too many people wrongly criticize America for all the wrongs in the world. Actually, quite the opposite is true. We have contributed far more to this planet than we have taken away.

I was just speaking with a man by the name of Carlos the other day. Carlos is originally from Angola, but has been living in Tennessee for seven years. Carlos told me that this country is still the best place for freedom and opportunity in the world. When I told him of the sentiment from some that this country is "too-far-gone", or that we are a great contributor of evil in the world, his response was, "Oh, they should not say that".

My grandfather emigrated here from the Ukraine after World War II. I can look back and see the kind of progress in his life, and in the lives of all of his offspring. His achievements, and those of his descendants, could not have been accomplished in another country as greatly as they have been done here.

Let's take some time today to remember how blessed we are to live in this land. We truly live in "the best country God has given man"!

Jesse Helms, Great Statesman From North Carolina, Passes Away

2008-07-04T10:50:00.000-07:00

Former North Carolina Senator Jesse Helms passed away this morning from natural causes at the age of 86.

He was a well-known battler of Communists, liberals, and even an occasional Republican. When it comes to political parties, he had sat on both sides of the fence. He started off as a Democrat, but switched parties before his run for the U.S. Senate in 1972. Regardless of what party he was in, he remained a steadfast conservative on most issues, and was well-known for his strong opposition to homosexuality. Also, he was very supportive of America's Christian heritage.

Helms was born on October 18, 1921 in Monroe, North Carolina. He attended Wingate University and Wake Forest University, but did not graduate from either institution. Afterward, his first full-time job was sports reporter with the Raleigh, North Carolina News & Observer. During World War II, he was a recruiter in the U.S. Navy. After the war, he continued with journalism, but also took up politics with the Democratic Party. He helped several conservative Democrats over the years in various campaigns for office. He also worked in television and radio broadcasting at a later time.

In 1972, Helms ran in the Republican primary for U.S. Senate from North Carolina. He won 60.1 percent of the vote, and went on to defeat Democratic U.S. Congressman Nick Galifianakis of Durham in the general election by a 54 percent to 46 percent margin, becoming the first Republican senator elected in North Carolina in the 20th century. He won every successive election until he chose not to run again in 2002.

Helms is also believed to have been a crucial factor in keeping Ronald Reagan from falling out of the political spectrum. His backing of Reagan in the Presidential campaign of 1976 was crucial in his North Carolina primary. This victory set off a chain reaction of primary victories for Reagan in following crucial states. Until the North Carolina primary, Reagan had not won a single primary, and was $2 million in debt. It is believed that, had Reagan not won North Carolina or the following states, he would have retired to his ranch, and not given it another shot in 1980. The results of that would have been far-reaching, and a serious blow to the conservative movement. Even more importantly, the fall of the Soviet Union, and the economic rise during the late 1980s, and boom of the '90s, would likely not have happened.

"It's just incredible that he would die on July 4, the same day of the Declaration of Independence and the same day that Thomas Jefferson and John Adams died, and he certainly is a patriot in the mold of those great men," said former GOP Congressman Bill Cobey today.

Helms was a great statesman for North Carolina, and was a great contributor to the conservative movement. God rest his soul. We need to keep his family in prayer.

Story from the AP

"Compromise, hell! ... If freedom is right and tyranny is wrong, why should those who believe in freedom treat it as if it were a roll of bologna to be bartered a slice at a time?" - Helms, in a 1959 editorial.

"I reject that criticism because this is indeed another kind of holocaust, by another name. At last count, more than 40 million unborn children have been deliberately, intentionally destroyed. What word adequately defines the scope of such slaughter? [After 9/11] the American people responded with shock, sadness and a deep and righteous anger — and rightly so. Yet let us not forget that every passing day in our country, more than three thousand innocent Americans are killed [through abortion]." - Helms on abortion in his 2005 book, Here's Where I Stand.

"Homosexuals are weak, morally sick wretches." - Helms

"He's a nice guy. He's very pleasant. But ... (as) Ronald Reagan used to say about another politician, `Deep down, he's shallow.'" - Helms on President Bill Clinton

TIM RUSSERT, 1950-2008: A Great Journalist And Man Of Character Passes Away

2008-06-17T09:20:00.000-07:00

This last Friday, a great journalist and public example for love of family passed away. Tim Russert, chief of NBC News' Washington Bureau and host of that network's popular Meet The Press television show, was stricken by a heart attack and passed at the young age of 58.

Russert was an intelligent and fair journalist, regardless of his own political leanings. He had a love for what he did, and he did it well. Just a look into his face proves that he had a zeal for life. Outside of his career, his strong faith and love for family was a centerpiece for his life, and shown in a level uncommon in TV journalism today.

Personally, I will miss his excellent coverage of elections. NBC News has been the regular network I watch on election nights, and Russert has been a huge factor in the reason for that. I really liked his white erase board and how plain and simple he kept coverage. On his roots, I really like how he stayed humble through all his experiences. Even though he met many leaders and news shakers, he never forgot that his Irish, blue-collar roots in South Buffalo. That, also, is uncommon in TV journalism today.

God rest your soul, Tim Russert. Your family and friends are in our prayers and thoughts.

My Take On Minnesota Senate Candidate Al Franken.

2008-05-11T21:53:00.000-07:00

The current leading Democratic U.S. Senate candidate in Minnesota, Al Franken, has been trying to avoid at least $70,000 in income taxes in 17 states back to 2003. Not surprisingly, this is not sitting well with the people of Minnesota. Franken appeared close in his race with Incumbent Republican Norm Coleman just a few months ago, but is now trailing by double-digits in the head-to-head matchups.

The mainstream media has not been talking about this issue all that much.

My take on this is, if this was a Republican doing these very same things, say Coleman, even the mainstream press in Washington state would be abuzz about it, let alone the alphabet soup networks. It would kill his political career and scar his family. However, Franken does it and not much is reported on it.

And it is said that there is no liberal bias in the mainstream press.

William F. Buckley, Jr. - A Pioneer Of Modern American Conservatism

2008-05-11T20:48:00.000-07:00

1925-2008

This obituary is coming a little late, but I couldn't leave my blog without a remembrance of the life of a great pioneer of modern conservative thought.

William Frank Buckley, Jr. was born in New York City on November 24, 1925. His father was an oil baron from Irish descent, and his mom was from the American South, and from Swiss-German descent. From a young age, he became interested in music, horses, sailing, hunting, skiing, and story-telling. From 1945-50, he was enrolled at Yale University, where he graduated with honors.

In the early 1950s is when Buckley would begin probably his best-known career, writing. He co-wrote McCarthy and His Enemies with L. Brent Bozell Jr., in which the two men mostly supported Former Wisconsin Senator Joseph McCarthy in his fight against communism. Buckley worked as an editor for The American Mercury magazine from 1951-52.

In 1955, he founded National Review, which became the standard-bearer of the conservative movement. The magazine still is a crucial leader in American conservative thought today. Buckley became a strong opponent of communism at a time when conservatism as we know it was just getting off its feet.

He founded Young Americans For Freedom in 1960. This is an organization of youth rallying for the conservative cause. The organization was founded on Buckley's estate in Sharon, Connecticut in the September of that year. YAF's guiding document is called the Sharon Statement, which are said to be Buckley's principles. The document is named after the town in Connecticut where it was drafted. At this time, the Republican Party was split into two factions, the liberal wing led by New York Governor Nelson Rockefeller, and the conservative wing led which was being led by Arizona Senator Barry Goldwater. The GOP was mostly led by the liberal wing in those days. Buckley strongly supported the Presidential candidacy of Goldwater in 1964, and used National Review as a forum for gathering support for the Arizona Senator.

In 1965, Buckley ran for Mayor of New York as the candidate of the Conservative Party because of his disapproval of the incumbent candidate, liberal Republican John V. Lindsay. Buckley lost the race and carried only 13.4 percent of the vote.

Over the last decades of the 20th Century, he became a strong influence on conservatives holding office, especially Presidents Ronald Reagan and George W. Bush, as well as Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich.

Buckley passed away on February 27th, but his influence and his legacy will not be forgotten. His influence in helping to pioneer American conservatism and fighting communism is a great contribution that will last generations. We still need to keep his family in prayer. May God rest the soul of William Buckley, Jr.

A Busy Weekend Is Approaching For Tennessee Tech University

2008-04-28T14:51:00.000-07:00

Derryberry Hall, administrative building for Tennessee Technological University, Cookeville, Tennessee. http://www.tntech.edu/univadv/support/images/Derryberry.jpg

Tennessee Tech University, a well-accredited university settled in Cookeville, Tennessee, will be a busy place this coming weekend as it hosts four different events.

The action starts Thursday as the campus will be the host to the 2008 SAE Baja East race, which is a competition featuring small off-road cars built by engineering students by participating universities. I understand that there will be nearly 100 teams from eight countries participating in the TTU race. With that, 1,000 people are expected to participate, excluding countless spectators. The competition will last through Saturday.

On Friday, Tennessee Governor Phil Bredesen, Tennessee Congressmen Bart Gordon of Murfreesboro and Lincoln Davis of Pall Mall, as well as other dignitaries, students, faculty and local residents are all expected to be a part of the groundbreaking of Ray Morris Hall, home to Tennessee Tech's new proposed Millard Oakley STEM Center. This will be the hub of the university's science, technology, engineering, and mathematics departments for the future. The groundbreaking is scheduled for 3 PM at Seventh Street and Stadium Drive.

Saturday is scheduled to be the largest commencement in university history. Nearly 1,200 students are to receive their degrees in a ceremony scheduled for 10 AM. Tech is to host another dignitary at this time, U.S. Senator Lamar Alexander from Tennessee, who is the third-highest ranking Republican in the U.S. Senate. He is to address the spring graduates of the university. This is to take place at the Eblen Center.

Also on Saturday, the Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles baseball team is scheduled to host the Murray State Racers for a doubleheader. The action on the diamond has a planned starting time of 2 PM.

On Saturday alone, three events will be taking place. As such, parking is expected to be a major concern to tackle. A shuttle bus will run from needed areas to help calm the parking issues.

You can expect this writer to be a part of the action, as he is an active part of the university as a student, an extra-curricular organization leader, and a worker with the school's sports information department.

Article on this weekend's action from the Tennessee Tech Public Affairs Department.

BREAKING NEWS: Actor and Former NRA President Charlton Heston Has Passed Away

2008-04-05T21:18:00.000-07:00

11:33 PM CST

Popular actor and former NRA President Charlton Heston has reportedly passed away, according to family members. He was 84. The news broke about a half-hour ago.

He was well-known for his roles in the popular movies Ben-Hur, The Ten Commandments, Earthquake, and Planet of the Apes, among others.

He also served as the President of the National Rifle Association from 1998 to 2003.

In August 2002, he reported that he had similar symptoms to Alzheimer's Disease.

On political matters, he started off as a liberal Democrat, but took more conservative positions on issues, including affirmative action, abortion matters and gun rights, by the 1980s. He changed his political affiliation to Republican, and campaigned for Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush, and George W. Bush.

His soul, his family, and his friends need to be in our prayers at this time.

BREAKING NEWS ALERT FROM AP
WIKIPEDIA ARTICLE ON MR. HESTON'S LIFE

Vodka Maker Harkens Back To A "More Ideal" Time For Our Neighbor To The South, Not So Ideal For Americans

2008-04-05T20:10:00.000-07:00

Absolut, a well-known vodka maker, created a stir in the United States when one of their recent ads drew up an 1830s-era map of North America, showing United States territory under Mexico jurisdiction.

The ad comes at a time when the United States is facing a serious debate over illegal immigration, and whose people are wanting to see the borders secured. Meanwhile, a majority of Mexicans believe the Southwest U.S. still is rightfully theirs.

Absolut has since apologized for the ad, which ran only in Mexico, and have since ended them. The company said the ad wasn't reflective of any immigration or foreign policy issues.

The ad created a bit of an outcry by angry Americans who saw the ad as encouraging a radical mindset that many Mexicans hold that the border states are still rightful territory of Mexico. Conservative columnist Michelle Malkin received a number of e-mails and blog postings reflecting anger over the ad.

I do not support consumption of any alcohol, but if I did, I would still be supporting a full boycott of Absolut. I am in opposition to all groups who support the return of our Southwestern states to Mexico, and this ad only fuels their fire.

NO NAU!

2008-03-28T09:40:00.000-07:00

Now is a good time to be reinformed about the despicable plan to create a North American Union, which would unite the United States, Canada, and Mexico into one political and economic union, similar to the European Union across the pond. It would end the United States as we know it, and run over the sovereignty of our great country like a runaway express train. Here are some videos, posted on YouTube regarding this extremely important issue. YouTube at recent has at least 2,390 videos on the subject, so I will post some from time-to-time on this subject. I would encourage all of you to inform yourself on this issue as much as possible. It will be a crucial, leading, and defining issue for our country for the foreseeable future. The first step in doing anything about it is informing yourself, then you can take whatever actions possible. Your future, and the future of the generations after you, are at stake in the last great hope for man - America.

By the way, Republicans should be disappointed that they preferred John McCain over Mitt Romney. In the third video, Romney says right out that a union of the three countries is not the right way to prosperity for America. Those who preferred McCain need to know that threats to America halfway across the world are still threats, but ones closer to home are even more serious right now. At this time, I am not certain to how McCain stands on the NAU issue, but signs may point to him being in favor of it. When I know more on how McCain stands on this issue, I will post it here.

DEVELOPING STORY

2008-03-15T04:19:00.000-07:00

TORNADO STRIKES DOWNTOWN ATLANTA; AT LEAST TWO DEAD AND 20 INJURED, PEOPLE MAY BE MISSING.

The facade of the Philips Arena, where the NBA's
Atlanta Hawks nest, was shredded in places.

The view outside CNN Center last night.

Fans at the SEC Tournament in the Georgia Dome
are warned about the severe weather Friday night.

Windows at the Omni hotel at the CNN Center are
blown out.

Water pipes broke at the Georgia World Congress
Center, making a waterfall out of these stairs.

This sign near the Georgia Dome was toppled.

One of the holes that broke the canvas roof at the
Georgia Dome.

All that remains of some of the entrances and windows
at the Georgia World Congress Center is shards.

Photos courtesy of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution and CNN.

An apparent tornado struck downtown Atlanta Friday night, hitting the South's biggest city at a very busy time. The SEC and ACC basketball tournaments were being held in the Georgia Dome as the winds howled outside. Catwalks and scoreboards inside the dome were actually swaying from the wind, scaring thousands of fans to shelter.

Hotels and skyscrapers saw many windows blown out, and debris coated the streets. The CNN Center was hit with roof and window damage. Tarps covered computers in the network's newsroom. The Omni hotel adjacent to the CNN Center had major window damage, and furniture from upper floors was sucked out of the building. At Centennial Olympic Park, torch-resembling towers were blown over. The city's distinctive high-rise, the 73-story Westin Peachtree Plaza hotel, was marked with scores of destroyed windows. The Georgia Dome's canvas roof was pierced in some spots. The Philips Arena was also hit hard, with pieces of metal from its facade torn off, and blown onto the street in front of the CNN Center.

Just east of downtown, twenty houses were demolished in the Georgia capital's historic Cabbagetown district. The storm demolished the top floor of the Fulton Cotton Mill Lofts, a 104-year-old textile factory complex turned into apartments. Some were believed to be missing there, but search attempts proved that false.

Two people were killed by the storms in areas north of Atlanta.

KEEP ABREAST:
CNN
MSNBC
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
WXIA-NBC TV, Atlanta
WGCL-CBS TV, Atlanta
WSB-ABC TV, Atlanta
WAGA-FOX TV, Atlanta

McCAIN HAS GOP NOMINATION OFFICIALLY WRAPPED UP, ATTENTION MOVES TO RUNNING-MATE SELECTION. Who do you prefer as McCain's No. 2? Vote on it here.

2008-03-05T22:57:00.000-08:00

Arizona Senator John McCain locked up the Republican nomination Tuesday night when he swept the contests in Ohio, Texas, Rhode Island, and Vermont being held that day. With that, he has now grabbed the number of delegates he needs for the nomination, and the focus now shifts to who McCain will choose to be his vice-presidential running-mate in a decision that will probably be announced in the early summer.

At least 25 or so individuals are being thrown around as speculated choices. His eventual choice will likely have to appear much younger than him, appeal more to the conservative base, and will have to be believed to be able to step in the President's role if necessary. On the left, I have posted the 20 names most put up as likely candidates, while at the same time more serious candidates than some that are being published. I would encourage you to vote who you would prefer to see McCain pick. Out of those 20, chances are very high that one of them will be the Senator's choice to fill the number-two spot on the GOP ticket this election cycle.

A listing of McCain's top-24 potential picks
Associated Content: Possible choices

Phils' Clubhouse Prank Turns into Overnight YouTube Sensation!

2008-02-20T21:53:00.000-08:00

It looks like the 2007 National League East Champs (and my team) are ready for 2008!

Philadelphia Phillies' veteran pitcher Brett Myers managed to get the whole clubhouse, managers, and the Philadelphia press into duping second-year Phils' pitcher Kyle Kendrick into believing he was traded to a Japanese team.

The elaborate practical joke only started in the clubhouse, but became an overnight internet sensation.

It looks like my team is ready to go for '08! Ready to defend the NL East crown, and take it even further!

Philadelphia ComcastSportsNet
Philadelphia Inquirer
Cleveland Dealer
FOXNews
MSNBC
Article giving kudos to Phils on prank as good for the sport during a time when steroid scandals are hurting it.

TRAGEDY IN THE SOUTH

2008-02-06T21:34:00.000-08:00

SUPER TUESDAY CATASTROPHE!

Death Toll Continues To Rise In Deadliest U.S. Tornado Outbreak In 23 Years. Homes, Universities, Shopping Malls, Natural Gas Pumping Stations Among The Devastated Buildings. President Bush To Visit Damaged Areas Friday.

Tuesday was supposed to be a day dominated by the results of the Super Tuesday primaries, news of how the U.S. Presidential race is shaping up.

However, something much more darker and deadly quickly grabbed its place in the minds of America.

The deadliest severe weather outbreak in 23 years slammed America's Southern and Midwest states, killing at least 55 and injuring over 300. The storms destroyed houses, retirement homes, post offices, a shopping mall, and a natural gas pumping station, among other places.

The hardest hit areas were: Aiken, Arkansas; Memphis, Jackson, Hardin County, Williamson County, Sumner County, and Macon County, all in Tennessee; and communities in northern Alabama and south-central Kentucky.

Probably the most blessed area of the night was metro Nashville, Tennessee. A deadly tornado struck in an area to the southwest, around Fairview in Williamson County. The storm's funnel pulled back up as it approached the city of Nashville. The supercell continued to cross over the city, and dropped its funnel again after passing over Nashville's Davidson County. That funnel stayed on the ground for 51 miles, passing through Sumner, Macon, and Trousdale counties in Tennessee, and continuing on through Allen County, Kentucky. That tornado alone killed at least 27 people.

Below is a photo essay of the disaster. For stories and videos, click the links below. May God be with all who suffered great loss in these areas. They are certainly in America's thoughts and prayers! For those in these regions, I just want to encourage you all to keep the faith! You will bounce back, swiftly and better than before, because you have faith in the Almighty above, and a strong Puritian work-ethic based on your faith. We stand with you as you try your hardest to recover.

Outbreak death toll
State
Total
County
Countytotal

Alabama 6
Jackson 2
Lawrence 4

Arkansas 13
Baxter 1
Conway 2
Izard 2
Pope 4
Stone 1
Van Buren 3

Kentucky 7
Allen 4
Muhlenberg 3

Tennessee 33
Fayette 1
Hardin 3
Macon 14
Madison 2
Shelby 3
Sumner 7
Trousdale 3

Totals
59
All confirmed deaths are tornado-related

Tolls are from Wikipedia

Tennessee's death tolls by county as of Wednesday night, Feb. 6, 2008.

SUMNER COUNTY, TENNESSEE

The historic Wynnewood site in Castilian Springs, a hard-hit area.

The remains of the Castilian Springs post office were blown across the street from where it once stood.

Postal workers try to recover items from the demolished Castilian Springs post office.

Debris shrewn across a Castilian Springs highway.

A house stands near Castilian Springs, while neighboring houses in the back are gone.

TROUSDALE COUNTY, TENNESSEE

The glow could be seen in all surrounding counties, and for miles when the Columbia Gulf natural gas pumping station caught fire after taking a direct hit from the tornado. The flames shot as much as 500 feet in the air in the fire.

The remains of the Columbia Gulf facility, near Hartsville, after the tornado and fire caused severe damage.

MACON COUNTY, TENNESSEE

Houses near Lafayette, Tennessee, lie in ruin after a direct hit by the tornado, measured at 3/4 of a mile wide. The tornado stayed on the ground for 51 miles after passing Nashville.

The remains of the F&M Furniture Manufacturing Company in Lafayette.

An overview of the F&M destruction.

Yet another image of F&M.

A house in Macon County after Tuesday night's tornado.

MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE

The Sears at the Hickory Hill Mall in Memphis suffered serious damage. The mall itself was closed because of substantial damage.

This Caterpillar plant in Memphis sustained severe damage.

The remains of a warehouse in Memphis.

JACKSON, TENNESSEE

This Walgreens near Union University shows signs of heavy damage.

A BancorpSouth branch and an Arby's restaurant with Union University in the background.

Another view of the BancorpSouth branch.

A Jackson church sustained haevy damage.

A view of the destroyed dorms at Union.

Another view of the devastated dorms.

Yet another view of the dorms.

And yet another view.

Cars were strewn around the campus.

One of Union's largest buildings sustained heavy roof damage.

Images are courtesy of the Tennessean, Commercial Appeal, and the Jackson Sun.

REFERENCE LINKS

Wikipedia article on the "2008 Super Tuesday Tornado Outbreak"

ARTICLES

Associated Press
CNN
MSNBC
Memphis, Tenn., Commercial Appeal
Commercial Appeal Special Section
Nashville, Tenn., Tennessean
Tennessean Special Section
WTVF-TV, Nashville, Tenn., Special Section
WSMV-TV, Nashville, Tenn., Special Section
WMC-TV, Memphis, Tenn., Special Section
Jackson, Tenn., Sun - Special Section
Gallatin, Tenn., News-Examiner (Courtesy of The Tennessean)
Clarksville, Tenn., Leaf-Chronicle
Little Rock, Ark., Democrat-Gazette
Birmingham, Ala., News
Bowling Green, Ky., Daily News

VIDEO

MSNBC- Supercell took region by suprise
CNN Video Coverage
Tennessean Video Coverage
WSMV-TV, Nashville, Tenn., Video

PHOTO GALLERIES

Tennessean Audio Photo Gallery
Tennessean Audio Photo Gallery with scenes from across the "Volunteer State".
Macon County, Tenn.
Sumner County, Tenn.
Fairview, Williamson County, Tenn. (The supercell thunderstorm dropped a tornado here, then it fizzled as the storm crossed Nashville. The supercell then dropped the deadly funnel after leaving Nashville, and went on its rampage through Sumner, Trousdale, and Macon Counties, before causing choas in a section of south-central Kentucky.)
Jackson, Tenn.
Columbia Gulf Natural Gas pumping station fire, Trousdale County, Tenn.
Union University tornado photos
Commercial Appeal slide show
Commercial Appeal slide show II
Clean-up photos from the Little Rock, Ark. Democrat-Gazette
Jackson, Tenn. Sun's special coverage of the storms, including photo galleries

DEVELOPING WEATHER STORY

2008-02-05T23:15:00.000-08:00

FEBRUARY SEVERE WEATHER BLASTS THROUGH MIDWEST, MIDSOUTH; AT LEAST 23 REPORTED DEAD, OVER 100 INJURED.

Springlike severe thunderstorms, many including tornadoes, blew through a large swath of the Midsouth Tuesday night, and is continuing to threaten portions of the region.

At least 23 are confirmed dead at this time, and over 100 are injured across Arkansas, Tennessee, Kentucky, and other neighboring states in a storm system bizarre for this time of year.

Seven of those deaths are in northern Arkansas, and at least six others died across the state. Widespread damage is reported across that state.

Tennessee is another very hard-hit state. A tornadic thunderstorm blew through the metropolitian Memphis area during the early evening. It destroyed a warehouse building, damaged a Caterpillar plant, and caused serious damage to the Hickory Ridge Mall, where a wall and the roof of a Sears store were heavily damaged. At least one fatility has been reported at Hickory Ridge. A hangar at Memphis International Airport that was occupied by the National Guard had its roof torn off. FedEx Corp. reported damage to some of its facilities at the airport in its hometown.

From there the storm followed Interstate 40 to Jackson, Tenn., where widespread damage was reported. Dorm buildings at Union University were reduced to rubble, trapping at least nine and injuring others. Classes at Union will reportedly be cancelled for two weeks to deal with the damage. At least 50 people were trapped in the damaged Jackson Oaks retirement home. Other damage was reported, as well, across West Tennessee, where at least four fatalities occured. Three other deaths were reported elsewhere in the Volunteer State.

The storms paraded across West and Middle Tennessee, and wreaked havoc in the areas around Nashville during the early night hours. The Columbia Natural Gas facility in Hartsville, Trousdale County, was slammed by a reported tornado, setting it on fire and throwing flames up to 500 feet into the air. The light from the fire was seen in all surrounding counties.

In Kentucky, three were reportedly killed when storms blasted a mobile home park in Muhlenberg County.

The storms interfered with Super Tuesday voting, as Arkansas, Missouri, Illinois and Tennessee were all holding their Presidential primaries. Presidential candidates Mike Huckabee, a former governor of Arkansas, and Hillary Clinton, a previous Arkansas First Lady, all expressed condolances to those who have been affected by Tuesday's serious weather condition.

This is a developing story, as tornadic thunderstorms are still pushing through a stretch of the country from Ohio, through Middle Tennessee, and into Mississippi.

Memphis Commercial Appeal
Nashville Tennessean
Jackson, Tenn., Sun
Little Rock, Ark., Democrat-Gazette
CNN
Jackson, Tenn., photos
Middle Tennessee photos
Account of the fire at the Hartsville, Tenn., natural gas facility