Choices
My sister-in-law was a highly paid hospital administrator when she decided that it was more important to be at home with her 3 kids. 10 years later, when she sent out her resume, she received not a single reply. The fact that employers, eager to hire young healthy workers at a lower salary, discriminate against moms this way should come as no surprise. My sister-in-law, an expert in hospital systems and the business of health care now teaches math at the local high school.
Teaching is a valuable and honorable work. But for middle-aged women who love business, and find themselves locked out of jobs that could benefit from their expertise in sales, finance, management and dealing with clients, working outside their field can be disappointing.
I found myself in the same position a few years ago. Leaving a successful small business was not a sacrifice; it was a joyful choice to be with my children and to create a home for my family. But always, in the back of my mind was the dream that I would someday return to the business world again. Throughout my child-rearing years, I kept up on trends, and honed my skills at sales, communication and management. I volunteered, I organized, and even founded a successful 501 (c) organization.
When my youngest turned 18, I decided to make the leap, but discovered that employers just weren't interested. I was fortunate enough to create a part-time consulting business that keeps me busy, but I've recently encountered some very interesting alternatives for women who want to avoid the grind of going back to school or wasting years trying to find a suitable job. One of the best opportunities is to obtain a license to become a consultant for Valcor, a business advocacy firm that provides alternative financing and help for struggling businesses through its network of angel investors.
For stay-at-home moms or anyone with experience in business finance and good communication skills, it can be a great fit, especially if you can set aside an office space and at least a few hours each day. You hit the ground running after an intensive weekend training with the founders, who have been operating Valcor since 1993. You pay a one time licensing fee, which is equivalent to what you'd probably pay to your local community college to get a degree as a medical technician (and a lot less than what they're now charging for beauty school). The company's rep told me that graduates of the program go home with proprietary leads on businesses that are waiting for help, and Valcor provides on call training and support for a year.
Valcor's founder, David H. Sussman told me that his current 100+ licensees come from a variety of business fields, and accepted licensees are often people who took substantial time off from the rat race to focus on families. "In this field," said Sussman, "we value an understanding of finance and how small businesses work. Life experience is a big plus." read more...
Teaching is a valuable and honorable work. But for middle-aged women who love business, and find themselves locked out of jobs that could benefit from their expertise in sales, finance, management and dealing with clients, working outside their field can be disappointing.
I found myself in the same position a few years ago. Leaving a successful small business was not a sacrifice; it was a joyful choice to be with my children and to create a home for my family. But always, in the back of my mind was the dream that I would someday return to the business world again. Throughout my child-rearing years, I kept up on trends, and honed my skills at sales, communication and management. I volunteered, I organized, and even founded a successful 501 (c) organization.
When my youngest turned 18, I decided to make the leap, but discovered that employers just weren't interested. I was fortunate enough to create a part-time consulting business that keeps me busy, but I've recently encountered some very interesting alternatives for women who want to avoid the grind of going back to school or wasting years trying to find a suitable job. One of the best opportunities is to obtain a license to become a consultant for Valcor, a business advocacy firm that provides alternative financing and help for struggling businesses through its network of angel investors.
For stay-at-home moms or anyone with experience in business finance and good communication skills, it can be a great fit, especially if you can set aside an office space and at least a few hours each day. You hit the ground running after an intensive weekend training with the founders, who have been operating Valcor since 1993. You pay a one time licensing fee, which is equivalent to what you'd probably pay to your local community college to get a degree as a medical technician (and a lot less than what they're now charging for beauty school). The company's rep told me that graduates of the program go home with proprietary leads on businesses that are waiting for help, and Valcor provides on call training and support for a year.
Valcor's founder, David H. Sussman told me that his current 100+ licensees come from a variety of business fields, and accepted licensees are often people who took substantial time off from the rat race to focus on families. "In this field," said Sussman, "we value an understanding of finance and how small businesses work. Life experience is a big plus." read more...
FreedomFest 2017
30 seconds: Somehow the rumor got started at FreedomFest this week in Las Vegas that Kid Rock was attending, so I furiously tracked down his publicist for an interview. Then I bumped into Jo Ann Skousen, co-founder of the event, and got straightened out. “But,” she whispered to me, “I think Penn Gillette is coming later today”. I made a mental note to keep a sharp eye out for him, but the batteries were running low on the video cameras and I needed to find out what happened to Nick Gillespie, who was 10 minutes late to the scheduled interview with Dave Sussman, aka Whiskey Politics. See all the interviews at WhiskeyPolitics.net and Ricochet.com
Here are shots of "Nice Grizzly" (Thompson Clicks) with the D’Souzas, and me with Dave and Jay after their boisterous interview.
Here are shots of "Nice Grizzly" (Thompson Clicks) with the D’Souzas, and me with Dave and Jay after their boisterous interview.
For anyone who cares, what I “do” is comprised of many more 30 second chunks of time that add up to one exhausted woman, who just got out of bed….this afternoon.
As publicist, marketing manager and producer for Dave Sussman’s fantastic interview podcast and video series, Whiskey Politics, I rendezvoused with Dave and our team in Las Vegas this past weekend. Doc Jay arrived on Wednesday night, followed by the smart, sassy and gorgeous Nice Grizzly (Thompson Clicks Photos) who took all the best pictures, and adroitly handled everything I threw at her, including charming Michael Medved into an interview.
In the end, Dave interviewed Dinesh D’Souza, James O’Keefe, Larry Elder, Steve Forbes, John Fund, Nick Gillespie, Andy Puzder, Jim Rogers and many more.
As publicist, marketing manager and producer for Dave Sussman’s fantastic interview podcast and video series, Whiskey Politics, I rendezvoused with Dave and our team in Las Vegas this past weekend. Doc Jay arrived on Wednesday night, followed by the smart, sassy and gorgeous Nice Grizzly (Thompson Clicks Photos) who took all the best pictures, and adroitly handled everything I threw at her, including charming Michael Medved into an interview.
In the end, Dave interviewed Dinesh D’Souza, James O’Keefe, Larry Elder, Steve Forbes, John Fund, Nick Gillespie, Andy Puzder, Jim Rogers and many more.
With Dave Sussman of Whiskey Politics and Dinesh D'Souza
With Dave and the irresistibly funny Nick Gillespie, of Reason.com
The great Steve Forbes!
Easy on the eyes and the ears, virtuoso pianist Hyperion Knight wowed with his musical stylings.
We even caught up with the guy whose been giving the DNC headaches and nightmares lately, James O'Keefe.
It was all good, exhausting work, and it is such an honor to be associated with the labors of Dave, Jay and Nice Grizz.
When I first interviewed women and men at a local tea party held April 15, 2009, every single one of them said a version of “I feel like this is partially my fault; I haven’t been involved in protecting liberty, so I’m here today to see if I can help.”
This year is the 10th anniversary of FreedomFest, and a good demonstration of what happens when a free-born people get pushed too far and decide to devote their lives to help put the country right again. You can access videos of most of the program at FreedomFest.com, and expect to see more interviews soon @Whiskeypolitics with Dave Sussman.
It was all good, exhausting work, and it is such an honor to be associated with the labors of Dave, Jay and Nice Grizz.
When I first interviewed women and men at a local tea party held April 15, 2009, every single one of them said a version of “I feel like this is partially my fault; I haven’t been involved in protecting liberty, so I’m here today to see if I can help.”
This year is the 10th anniversary of FreedomFest, and a good demonstration of what happens when a free-born people get pushed too far and decide to devote their lives to help put the country right again. You can access videos of most of the program at FreedomFest.com, and expect to see more interviews soon @Whiskeypolitics with Dave Sussman.
It's a Woman's Issue
Karl Marx stands in a Maternity Dress printed with hammers and sickles in Michael P. Ramirez cartoon that says, "Happy Labor Day"
As Dave Sussman points out in his accompanying blog post over at Michaelpramirez.com, women are in charge of finances in most households. Obamacare steals money from carefully balanced accounts, and denies women the right to choose what's best for their families.
Hot Pants Hillary
Click HERE to see my post and the conversation on Ricochet.com. What are your thoughts on Hillary's lies? Join Ricochet or write to melissa@michaelpramirez.com
Firefighters inspect a large pair of pants with the legs burned off in the aftermath of a forest fire. One says, "We've determined what started the massive fires...." The other says, "Hillary clinton's pants." The pants ask, "What emails?" in this cartoon by Michael P. Ramirez
Kicking Around the Clintons
July 10, 2016 - Few things in life will be as emotionally satisfying as witnessing the final comeuppance of the Clintons. Hillary and the Democrat Party laugh at the Law, but the Court of Public Opinion is always in session, with the latest exhibit, Hillary’s America, a new film by Dinesh D’Souza, is premiering Monday, June 11, in Los Angeles, and opening on June 22. It would be awesome if friends and groups across the country met at theaters to share the schadenfreude. Watch the trailer:
LAtitude: Meeting Millennials on The Right in LA
Street Art, Pop Culture and The Rise of Ted Cruz
From Ricochet.com:
6foot2inhighheels
November 24, 2015
17 COMMENTS 7UNFOLLOW
Conservatives like to talk big about taking back the culture, but generally they suck at selling freedom. Having ruled pop culture for years, liberals tell their story by infusing everything from movies to visual art and music with their propaganda. Then, this happened:
Created in 2012 by the Republican street artist, Sabo, the “Ted Cruz with Tattoos” poster became culturally iconic for its frank and sexy message, and the fact that the liberal media tripped all over itself to promote it before they figured out that conservatives actually loved the image.
Shortly after, a secret confederacy of right-of-center marketing professionals in Los Angeles began producing their own political art. At first, the posters and paint jobs were confined to LA, but independent activists in other states began to use the posters locally, and one of the latest designs features Ted Cruz’s name with the Mockingjay style symbol made famous by the Hunger Games series. The posters have made headlines from LA to Boulder, and most recently, Michigan State University students plastered 60 all over campus on the same day Mockingjay opened in theaters, inviting a direct comparison between the fictional Panem capitol and Washington D.C.:
So what’s going on here? An unabashed admirer of Cruz, Sabo creates many artworks to celebrate his favorite candidate, regardless of whether they will sell or not, and the “Mockingjay movement” operates outside of the structure of the Cruz political campaign. In other words, Cruz seems to be leading by example and inspiring something new to conservatism; rebellious fans and campaign volunteers are stepping outside the traditional norms, self-funding creative communications, telling their story and (with Cruz surging in Iowa) selling freedom very well indeed.
6foot2inhighheels
November 24, 2015
17 COMMENTS 7UNFOLLOW
Conservatives like to talk big about taking back the culture, but generally they suck at selling freedom. Having ruled pop culture for years, liberals tell their story by infusing everything from movies to visual art and music with their propaganda. Then, this happened:
Created in 2012 by the Republican street artist, Sabo, the “Ted Cruz with Tattoos” poster became culturally iconic for its frank and sexy message, and the fact that the liberal media tripped all over itself to promote it before they figured out that conservatives actually loved the image.
Shortly after, a secret confederacy of right-of-center marketing professionals in Los Angeles began producing their own political art. At first, the posters and paint jobs were confined to LA, but independent activists in other states began to use the posters locally, and one of the latest designs features Ted Cruz’s name with the Mockingjay style symbol made famous by the Hunger Games series. The posters have made headlines from LA to Boulder, and most recently, Michigan State University students plastered 60 all over campus on the same day Mockingjay opened in theaters, inviting a direct comparison between the fictional Panem capitol and Washington D.C.:
So what’s going on here? An unabashed admirer of Cruz, Sabo creates many artworks to celebrate his favorite candidate, regardless of whether they will sell or not, and the “Mockingjay movement” operates outside of the structure of the Cruz political campaign. In other words, Cruz seems to be leading by example and inspiring something new to conservatism; rebellious fans and campaign volunteers are stepping outside the traditional norms, self-funding creative communications, telling their story and (with Cruz surging in Iowa) selling freedom very well indeed.
|
|
|
How to Do Street Art
Extended Interview With Conservative Artist Roman Genn
Check Out Politics Podcasts at Blog Talk Radio with Doreen Finkle on BlogTalkRadio
|
|
Nov. 20, 2014
L.A. comedian and Kindergarten of Eden author Evan Sayet has announced a speaking tour of the Southern states as he prepares for his appearance at CPAC 2015 in late February. Organizations interested in taking advantage of his plans to drive across the country are encouraged to contact him at contactevansayet@gmail.com to enjoy a world class speaker at substantially reduced speaking fees. Learn more about him at www.evansayet.com
Writing on his Facebook page, Sayet said, "Looking to go on the road soon. Starting right after the New Year and just getting in the car and driving east on a southern route and then north to DC by the end of February. If you're anywhere along the way from LA to AZ to NM to Texas, then LA, northern Florida, GA, SC, NC, VA or on the way back to LA, let me know if you'd like me to speak to your group. It just has to make sense logistically (and I'm pretty flexible given I'm taking two months to go where I can drive in five days or fly in five hours) and I'm there!"
"Just need to drive, meet people and see the country again."
"If you have a group and you think your meetings or events might fit into my schedule, please email me at contactevansayet@gmail.com. Really, it doesn't have to be big -- although big, of course is better. And your group doesn't have to have a LOT of money....it just has to make sense!!!"
L.A. comedian and Kindergarten of Eden author Evan Sayet has announced a speaking tour of the Southern states as he prepares for his appearance at CPAC 2015 in late February. Organizations interested in taking advantage of his plans to drive across the country are encouraged to contact him at contactevansayet@gmail.com to enjoy a world class speaker at substantially reduced speaking fees. Learn more about him at www.evansayet.com
Writing on his Facebook page, Sayet said, "Looking to go on the road soon. Starting right after the New Year and just getting in the car and driving east on a southern route and then north to DC by the end of February. If you're anywhere along the way from LA to AZ to NM to Texas, then LA, northern Florida, GA, SC, NC, VA or on the way back to LA, let me know if you'd like me to speak to your group. It just has to make sense logistically (and I'm pretty flexible given I'm taking two months to go where I can drive in five days or fly in five hours) and I'm there!"
"Just need to drive, meet people and see the country again."
"If you have a group and you think your meetings or events might fit into my schedule, please email me at contactevansayet@gmail.com. Really, it doesn't have to be big -- although big, of course is better. And your group doesn't have to have a LOT of money....it just has to make sense!!!"
Edgy LA Style Guerrilla Art Lands in Lansing, Detroit
Activists in Michigan say Gary Peters has a toxic relationship with Obamacare. They voiced their opinion with guerrilla art on Detroit streets early today near Wayne State University, where Obama is expected to speak tonight.
Highlighting the “Obama Zombie” theme, the art first appeared in the city of Lansing earlier this week, but has now spread to the Eastern side of the state, appearing on electrical boxes and busy bus stops.
No group has taken credit for the prank, but an anonymous source said, ”It was a very small band of conservatives outside of the GOP who decided to take action”. Peters has struggled to overcome his association with Obamacare, and the source said that the plucky activists want to remind voters of that uncomfortable fact.
This type of street art was first seen in Los Angeles, but the phenomenon appears to be spreading as individual conservatives become bolder.
Highlighting the “Obama Zombie” theme, the art first appeared in the city of Lansing earlier this week, but has now spread to the Eastern side of the state, appearing on electrical boxes and busy bus stops.
No group has taken credit for the prank, but an anonymous source said, ”It was a very small band of conservatives outside of the GOP who decided to take action”. Peters has struggled to overcome his association with Obamacare, and the source said that the plucky activists want to remind voters of that uncomfortable fact.
This type of street art was first seen in Los Angeles, but the phenomenon appears to be spreading as individual conservatives become bolder.
See Roman Genn's Newest Release at RomanGenn.com
Tune in with Roman Genn and Doreen Finkle 9-11 at 9PM EST
Radio Host Doreen Finkle will interview Roman Genn on what it was like to grow up in the old USSR, getting jailed for free speech as a teen, and his views on where America is heading today.
Link is HERE Fast Food Workers
|
Arrested 11 times in Moscow for his rebellious drawings, all before his 19th birthday, young artistic genius Roman Genn arrived in America in 1991, and his deliciously wicked style of illustration has become the visual signature of National Review Magazine. For the first time, Roman is making his art available in the form of high quality signed and numbered prints. To find out more, please go to www.romangenn.com
|
Along with automated credit card kiosks, fast food is about to change, and probably for the better, as the technology promises higher quality, more food choices and a lower price that what you would have to pay human workers. It's always worthwhile to assess the short run benefits, which accrue to lobbyists and investors of McDonald's and other fast food giants, who have already invested and tested these devices and are prepared to replace their troublesome and unpredictable workforce.
In the long run, we may all benefit, as this Business Insider story explains: "The issue of machines and job displacement has been around for centuries and economists generally accept that technology like ours actually causes an increase in employment. The three factors that contribute to this are 1. the company that makes the robots must hire new employees, 2. the restaurant that uses our robots can expand their frontiers of production which requires hiring more people, and 3. the general public saves money on the reduced cost of our burgers. This saved money can then be spent on the rest of the economy."
In the short run, there will be adjustments as these fast food workers find themselves scrambling for employment. Unfortunately, if a minimum wage hike is enforced beyond the fast food industry, there will be precious few jobs left for these unskilled entry level employees, making it a very long term problem for them.
In the long run, we may all benefit, as this Business Insider story explains: "The issue of machines and job displacement has been around for centuries and economists generally accept that technology like ours actually causes an increase in employment. The three factors that contribute to this are 1. the company that makes the robots must hire new employees, 2. the restaurant that uses our robots can expand their frontiers of production which requires hiring more people, and 3. the general public saves money on the reduced cost of our burgers. This saved money can then be spent on the rest of the economy."
In the short run, there will be adjustments as these fast food workers find themselves scrambling for employment. Unfortunately, if a minimum wage hike is enforced beyond the fast food industry, there will be precious few jobs left for these unskilled entry level employees, making it a very long term problem for them.
A Tale of Two Wendys
Published at Ricochet.com February 17, 2014
With pretty faces, bright smiles and youthful blond locks, Texas Democrat Wendy Davis, and Michigan Republican State House candidate Wendy Day certainly look alike. Their names are very similar. Both are mothers and politicians with a gift for persuasion and a flair for getting attention. Their differences, however, could not be more stark.
To begin with, there is a little known story about how the pro-abortion Wendy Davis camp obtained the url, StandWithWendy.com. After Davis became associated with shoes, her supporters were forced to bargain with Day, who had the foresight to purchase the web address for her own campaign months before.
Day reasoned that the url was useless to her as long as the Davis camp made it her brand, so she sold it to the Daily Kos ... then spent the cash to fund a pro-life campaign in Michigan. “It was a practical use of the money,” said Day, “And a little mischievous too, as I always enjoy the opportunity to level the playing field.”
As founder of the watchdog group Common Sense in Government,and an early organizerof Tea Party supporters in Michigan, Day publicized government waste and won plauditsfrom people like Ned Ryun, founder of American Majority, as she taught activists how to make politicians accountable. Known for her creative and effective efforts to protest tax hikes and hold politician’s feet to the fire, she also helped stop the illegal unionization of home health care workers and fought for Right-to-Work, which became law in December of 2013.
“I think that Ms. Davis just looks at things from a different perspective than I do,” said Day, who is running in the 47th district. Day balances the demands of politics and family with the support of her husband Kevin, a decorated veteran who served two tours of duty in Iraq and Kuwait, and their four children, aged 6 to 17. "Being honest, practical and having a good sense of humor is essential to family life, as well as political life.” says Day.
Lack of honesty tripped up the campaign of Wendy Davis, whose signature pink sneakers couldn’t help her run away from recent revelations about her personal life, as well as anethics complaint that centered on her failure to disclose ties to lobbyists and a complete list of her sources of income.
A former school board member, Day works for Families of the Fallen, where she counsels the families of soldiers who have died in the line of duty. Once a liberal, she credits friends who were willing to love her for who she was while she discovered conservative values. "For many, Conservatism is the result of a long personal journey, and we often fail in our duty to be good friends along the way." said Day. “My friends met me at the threshold with open arms, and helped me find my true home in the conservative movement."
“We all have challenges, because life isn’t always easy, and I’m certainly not perfect,” laughs Day, “But I think I have my priorities straight, I’m optimistic about the future, and I always try to do the right thing. I’d like to be remembered for those traits, not for some silly branding scheme."
With pretty faces, bright smiles and youthful blond locks, Texas Democrat Wendy Davis, and Michigan Republican State House candidate Wendy Day certainly look alike. Their names are very similar. Both are mothers and politicians with a gift for persuasion and a flair for getting attention. Their differences, however, could not be more stark.
To begin with, there is a little known story about how the pro-abortion Wendy Davis camp obtained the url, StandWithWendy.com. After Davis became associated with shoes, her supporters were forced to bargain with Day, who had the foresight to purchase the web address for her own campaign months before.
Day reasoned that the url was useless to her as long as the Davis camp made it her brand, so she sold it to the Daily Kos ... then spent the cash to fund a pro-life campaign in Michigan. “It was a practical use of the money,” said Day, “And a little mischievous too, as I always enjoy the opportunity to level the playing field.”
As founder of the watchdog group Common Sense in Government,and an early organizerof Tea Party supporters in Michigan, Day publicized government waste and won plauditsfrom people like Ned Ryun, founder of American Majority, as she taught activists how to make politicians accountable. Known for her creative and effective efforts to protest tax hikes and hold politician’s feet to the fire, she also helped stop the illegal unionization of home health care workers and fought for Right-to-Work, which became law in December of 2013.
“I think that Ms. Davis just looks at things from a different perspective than I do,” said Day, who is running in the 47th district. Day balances the demands of politics and family with the support of her husband Kevin, a decorated veteran who served two tours of duty in Iraq and Kuwait, and their four children, aged 6 to 17. "Being honest, practical and having a good sense of humor is essential to family life, as well as political life.” says Day.
Lack of honesty tripped up the campaign of Wendy Davis, whose signature pink sneakers couldn’t help her run away from recent revelations about her personal life, as well as anethics complaint that centered on her failure to disclose ties to lobbyists and a complete list of her sources of income.
A former school board member, Day works for Families of the Fallen, where she counsels the families of soldiers who have died in the line of duty. Once a liberal, she credits friends who were willing to love her for who she was while she discovered conservative values. "For many, Conservatism is the result of a long personal journey, and we often fail in our duty to be good friends along the way." said Day. “My friends met me at the threshold with open arms, and helped me find my true home in the conservative movement."
“We all have challenges, because life isn’t always easy, and I’m certainly not perfect,” laughs Day, “But I think I have my priorities straight, I’m optimistic about the future, and I always try to do the right thing. I’d like to be remembered for those traits, not for some silly branding scheme."
Peter Robinson, Rob Long and James Lileks are joined by Troy Senik, Jon Gabriel, and D.C. McAllister for a lively and humorous discussion about the unique community within the Ricochet universe of pundits, editors and member writers. Well worth the time to hear!
Your Philosophical Family Reunion
www.ricochetmeetup.com
November 29, 2013
We all grow up in families not of our choosing. We may love and cherish our relations, but nature dictates that we don’t always agree on matters involving our personal philosophy. At any family gathering on Thanksgiving, you’ll likely see the thoughtful listeners, the overly talkative gossips, the nurturing souls, the boisterous jokers, and the practical helpers discussing children, jobs, and dreams of the future.
We all love to catch up on family business, but for some of us, the overwhelming concern of our lives today is the nature of culture and politics, and we rarely find our opinions welcome at holiday gatherings. Political views can diverge sharply within families, and disagreement can be interpreted as a personal affront, but more often it is simply because we are considered crashing bores. Most people don’t have the time or energy to devote to the subject of elections or cultural issues.
For those with extended social outlets and connections to the world of punditry, the appetite for conversation and fine tuning ideas could be satisfied, but until the internet became widely available, this option was open only to a few. Today, the online world provides opportunities to converse with those who share a passion for cultural and political ideas, but online “friends” are still just strangers, and the web is fraught with time-wasting rumor and nasty invective.
Ricochet is the philosophical family you can choose to spend time with when your family or friends need a break from listening to you complain about creeping statism, and you’re tired of hanging out in online forums that are short on facts and long on litmus tests and trolls.
The members of Ricochet include the sort of people that make our families great; the warm nurturers, the stoic listeners, the jokesters that keep us in stitches. But when you choose to visit the Ricochet family, you can talk about anything you like in a civil atmosphere that welcomes well developed thoughts from a right-of-center perspective.
Ricochet’s member feed has been described as a sort of Reddit for adults. You read others’ work, and post your thoughts in 200 words or less, and see how it goes. Other members can comment, and you can discuss your thoughts with them in detail. The most popular posts are highlighted, and a few each day are chosen by the editors to be “elevated” to the main feed, which is public on the web. There are opportunities for better writers to become permanent contributors to the main feed page, and even to be published in the main stream press. There is a huge opportunity here for aspiring writers to hone their skills and get noticed, as well as crowd source their ideas.
What really sets Ricochet apart is the flexible nature of the growing site which responds to the members’ needs, and the spontaneous member generated “meetups” that occur all over the country. Social accountability and personal connections change Ricochet from a bunch of strangers into a powerful and organized group of personally connected real life friends.
In 2014, the first large scale, long term planned national meet up will occur on Mackinac Island, in Michigan. For three days, members will mingle with pundits, editors and each other in a convivial social setting. Like a big family reunion, everyone’s personal style will be accommodated, from optional planned activities to a wide choice of individual pursuits all day and at night. The weekend will be topped with an optional banquet featuring a special buffet created just for the group.
We don’t choose the family we grew up with, but we can grow with a philosophical family composed of historians and housewives, truck drivers and professors, computer geeks and salesmen, vegans and meat eaters, all who share a passion for right-of-center thinking that unites us in friendship, purpose and loyalty. Find out more about the national meet up here, and Ricochet here. Register for updates and tickets in the form below.
November 29, 2013
We all grow up in families not of our choosing. We may love and cherish our relations, but nature dictates that we don’t always agree on matters involving our personal philosophy. At any family gathering on Thanksgiving, you’ll likely see the thoughtful listeners, the overly talkative gossips, the nurturing souls, the boisterous jokers, and the practical helpers discussing children, jobs, and dreams of the future.
We all love to catch up on family business, but for some of us, the overwhelming concern of our lives today is the nature of culture and politics, and we rarely find our opinions welcome at holiday gatherings. Political views can diverge sharply within families, and disagreement can be interpreted as a personal affront, but more often it is simply because we are considered crashing bores. Most people don’t have the time or energy to devote to the subject of elections or cultural issues.
For those with extended social outlets and connections to the world of punditry, the appetite for conversation and fine tuning ideas could be satisfied, but until the internet became widely available, this option was open only to a few. Today, the online world provides opportunities to converse with those who share a passion for cultural and political ideas, but online “friends” are still just strangers, and the web is fraught with time-wasting rumor and nasty invective.
Ricochet is the philosophical family you can choose to spend time with when your family or friends need a break from listening to you complain about creeping statism, and you’re tired of hanging out in online forums that are short on facts and long on litmus tests and trolls.
The members of Ricochet include the sort of people that make our families great; the warm nurturers, the stoic listeners, the jokesters that keep us in stitches. But when you choose to visit the Ricochet family, you can talk about anything you like in a civil atmosphere that welcomes well developed thoughts from a right-of-center perspective.
Ricochet’s member feed has been described as a sort of Reddit for adults. You read others’ work, and post your thoughts in 200 words or less, and see how it goes. Other members can comment, and you can discuss your thoughts with them in detail. The most popular posts are highlighted, and a few each day are chosen by the editors to be “elevated” to the main feed, which is public on the web. There are opportunities for better writers to become permanent contributors to the main feed page, and even to be published in the main stream press. There is a huge opportunity here for aspiring writers to hone their skills and get noticed, as well as crowd source their ideas.
What really sets Ricochet apart is the flexible nature of the growing site which responds to the members’ needs, and the spontaneous member generated “meetups” that occur all over the country. Social accountability and personal connections change Ricochet from a bunch of strangers into a powerful and organized group of personally connected real life friends.
In 2014, the first large scale, long term planned national meet up will occur on Mackinac Island, in Michigan. For three days, members will mingle with pundits, editors and each other in a convivial social setting. Like a big family reunion, everyone’s personal style will be accommodated, from optional planned activities to a wide choice of individual pursuits all day and at night. The weekend will be topped with an optional banquet featuring a special buffet created just for the group.
We don’t choose the family we grew up with, but we can grow with a philosophical family composed of historians and housewives, truck drivers and professors, computer geeks and salesmen, vegans and meat eaters, all who share a passion for right-of-center thinking that unites us in friendship, purpose and loyalty. Find out more about the national meet up here, and Ricochet here. Register for updates and tickets in the form below.
Ricochet Member Meet Up June 26-29 Mackinac Island, Mi
After discovering the remarkable website Ricochet.com, I was a bit overwhelmed. The right-of-center opinion site has a free public feed and a private members' feed, available for a nominal yearly fee. Professional writers and pundits post throughout the day and members comment and interact. The day's most popular posts are listed, and editors pick member posts to run on the public feed. A friend described it as a sort of Reddit for adults.
No topic appears to be off limits, and the conversations range from culture and politics to Saturday night bar conversation. There is a wealth here, of brains, character and personality. And there are live meet ups. If the culture drives politics, (and it does), then personal relationships and connections drive culture. Isolation is the enemy of change, and what the liberals have long understood is when people feel like they are part of Something Important, you can make them socially accountable to each other. Conversely, the left has worked to fragment and isolate Tea Partiers, Christians, Libertarians, Republicans and Reagan Democrats, in order to magnify our differences and obscure our common goal to secure a future for the free.
Ricochet's member meet ups provide a vehicle for cultural change by giving members a chance to break out of the impersonal web environment and form real friendships across the nation. An intellectual culture club, based on rational goals is made more powerful by personal ties which reinforce our beliefs and fortify us personally. Join Ricochet here, and then share a weekend of fellowship and fun on beautiful Mackinac Island during the National Meet Up on June 26-29. You make your own travel and overnight arrangements. Estimated cost of Ricochet Awards Banquet is $59. To receive important updates and valuable discounts at our preferred resort, please register now at Eventbrite:
No topic appears to be off limits, and the conversations range from culture and politics to Saturday night bar conversation. There is a wealth here, of brains, character and personality. And there are live meet ups. If the culture drives politics, (and it does), then personal relationships and connections drive culture. Isolation is the enemy of change, and what the liberals have long understood is when people feel like they are part of Something Important, you can make them socially accountable to each other. Conversely, the left has worked to fragment and isolate Tea Partiers, Christians, Libertarians, Republicans and Reagan Democrats, in order to magnify our differences and obscure our common goal to secure a future for the free.
Ricochet's member meet ups provide a vehicle for cultural change by giving members a chance to break out of the impersonal web environment and form real friendships across the nation. An intellectual culture club, based on rational goals is made more powerful by personal ties which reinforce our beliefs and fortify us personally. Join Ricochet here, and then share a weekend of fellowship and fun on beautiful Mackinac Island during the National Meet Up on June 26-29. You make your own travel and overnight arrangements. Estimated cost of Ricochet Awards Banquet is $59. To receive important updates and valuable discounts at our preferred resort, please register now at Eventbrite:
Freedom on the Sea-An Update
August 2, 2013
Andrew Breitbart inspired thousands of activists to creatively and boldly reclaim the truth, and it was a lucky conversation with him that inspired me to create Freedom on the Sea. In Texas, during the early summer of 2011, Mr. Breitbart spoke of how we might react if the other side were to recognize the lie of leftist policies. Would we mock them for their foolishness, or offer our hand in common cause? It's an important question in an America where everything has become intensely and personally political. Our challenge is to resist the temptation to scream "I told you so!" at the top of our lungs, and instead persuade effectively to tip the cultural and political scales in our favor. Freedom on the Sea was an opportunity to learn from expert communicators in the best atmosphere for connecting anywhere; a luxury ship at sea for a relaxing week. As happens so often in these unpredictable times however, the trip had to be postponed for reasons beyond our control. As we chart a new course, I will post great content from our good friends JOHN FUND, DEROY MURDOCK, CATHERINE ENGELBRECHT AND ANITA MONCRIEF OF TRUE THE VOTE, MICHAEL WALSH, ERIC GOLUB, JAMES O'KEEFE, STEVEN CROWDER, as well as artwork from ROMAN GENN. Stay tuned!
Andrew Breitbart inspired thousands of activists to creatively and boldly reclaim the truth, and it was a lucky conversation with him that inspired me to create Freedom on the Sea. In Texas, during the early summer of 2011, Mr. Breitbart spoke of how we might react if the other side were to recognize the lie of leftist policies. Would we mock them for their foolishness, or offer our hand in common cause? It's an important question in an America where everything has become intensely and personally political. Our challenge is to resist the temptation to scream "I told you so!" at the top of our lungs, and instead persuade effectively to tip the cultural and political scales in our favor. Freedom on the Sea was an opportunity to learn from expert communicators in the best atmosphere for connecting anywhere; a luxury ship at sea for a relaxing week. As happens so often in these unpredictable times however, the trip had to be postponed for reasons beyond our control. As we chart a new course, I will post great content from our good friends JOHN FUND, DEROY MURDOCK, CATHERINE ENGELBRECHT AND ANITA MONCRIEF OF TRUE THE VOTE, MICHAEL WALSH, ERIC GOLUB, JAMES O'KEEFE, STEVEN CROWDER, as well as artwork from ROMAN GENN. Stay tuned!
Click to set custom HTML
A Message From Deroy Murdock
----- Forwarded Message -----
From: Deroy Murdock
To: recipients
Sent: Thursday, July 11, 2013 4:39 PM
Subject: You are invited: Freedom on the Seas Caribbean cruise this November
Good afternoon!
Please join me this fall (Sunday, November 17 to Sunday, November 24) aboard Holland America's MS Nieuw Amsterdam. I will sail the Caribbean as one of several speakers on the Freedom on the Sea Cruise. This will be an excellent opportunity for pro-market activists and supporters to discuss challenges to individual liberty and learn new techniques for advancing the causes of human freedom and limited government.
We also will have plenty of time to enjoy the tropical sunshine, sip cool cocktails, and enjoy life aboard a modern and very comfortable luxury liner.
Details are here:
http://ourfreedomonthesea.com
Space is limited. Please sign up today.
Also, please feel forward this to anyone who might find this excursion interesting.
Best wishes,
Deroy Murdock
New York City
From: Deroy Murdock
To: recipients
Sent: Thursday, July 11, 2013 4:39 PM
Subject: You are invited: Freedom on the Seas Caribbean cruise this November
Good afternoon!
Please join me this fall (Sunday, November 17 to Sunday, November 24) aboard Holland America's MS Nieuw Amsterdam. I will sail the Caribbean as one of several speakers on the Freedom on the Sea Cruise. This will be an excellent opportunity for pro-market activists and supporters to discuss challenges to individual liberty and learn new techniques for advancing the causes of human freedom and limited government.
We also will have plenty of time to enjoy the tropical sunshine, sip cool cocktails, and enjoy life aboard a modern and very comfortable luxury liner.
Details are here:
http://ourfreedomonthesea.com
Space is limited. Please sign up today.
Also, please feel forward this to anyone who might find this excursion interesting.
Best wishes,
Deroy Murdock
New York City
MI Mom Sells URL to Daily Kos- Uses Money to Fund Pro-Life Work
June 28, 2013 http://vimeo.com/69309736
Michigan Mom, Wendy Day, sold the URL standwithwendy.com to the Daily Kos and is using the money to fund pro-life activities in her home state. She was asked to sell it after Texas Senator Wendy Davis pulled off a 12-hour filibuster last week in support of abortion. “As a pro-life advocate, I have been watching the events in Texas unfold,” says Wendy Day, “Wednesday I started getting emails asking if I would donate or sell the URL.” After a bit of research Day determined that “stand with wendy” was going to be linked with the pro-choice Senator and of little use to her. She decided it was an opportunity to earn some money to help fund her pro-life platform in Michigan. “I am glad that the money will go to spread the pro-life message,” says Day, “The pro-abortion lobby may stand with Wendy Davis; but I am choosing to stand with life. The money they paid me will be put to good use in that endeavor.” For more information, visit her website at http://www.electwendyday.com Wendy Day - Candidate 47th District Michigan House of Representatives www.electwendyday.com |
Awesome! Herman Cain Joins Our Cruise for a Day of Inspiration & Convivial Conversation @Freedomonthesea |
Wow! Just in Time, Research is Released to Bolster the Claim That Tea Party Protests Work
Here is the link to the American Enterprise Institute research. Enjoy!
Freedom on the Sea for Activist Training and Super Networking
March 23, 2013
Melissa Dawdy
Conservative Activist & Executive Director,
Freedom on the Sea Cruise
www.freedomonthesea.com
Conservative activism has been our focus for four very long years. Following the 2012 election, it has become clear that we need to step up our game and do something completely different. We must learn how to be more innovative, creative, and daring in our approach, as well as more skilled in our communication with those who will actively support liberty if they can be awakened to it.
We also deserve a break from multiple conference room speeches and workshops that go too fast, and efforts that often go unappreciated. Exhaustion is palpable among the hard working activists across the country who still want to fight, but are questioning how to do it more effectively. Interacting with, learning from, and relaxing with top conservative film makers, pundits, writers, thinkers and troublemakers for a whole week is exactly what we need. Freedom on the Sea is a Caribbean cruise designed with this in mind.
HERMAN CAIN will join us for an intensive day of personal and exclusive interaction on Nov. 23, while we dock in Key West, Florida. During the rest of the week, our group will enjoy the company of nationally renowned author and columnist JOHN FUND, ACORN whistleblower ANITA MONCRIEF, FOX News contributor STEVEN CROWDER, undercover journalist JAMES O'KEEFE, Hollywood writer and best selling author MICHAEL WALSH, syndicated columnist DEROY MURDOCK, and many more.
Prices for the Nov.17-24 cruise start around $200 per person, per night, and cover all training sessions, workshops, panels, private social events, cabin, meals, taxes, port fees, even room tips. Also included are two exclusive cocktail parties, and a private "night owl" comedy show with Steven Crowder. Reservations and credentials are obtained through official cruise escort, the Cruise Authority, or by calling Mila, our personal manager, at 1-800-326-4971. "Like" us on Facebook for $100 off with code #Melissa until March 30.
Freedom on the Sea is actually a members only event that takes place during a regular cruise, so you and your travel companions can choose from among many delights the cruise ship offers as well as enjoy the company of your peers in a private club setting.
**********************
ANDREW BREITBART deeply influenced the creators of the cruise as well as the superstars who are joining us. He is irreplaceable, but his ideas live on in our hearts and deeds. It is in this spirit that we pursue the success of this event, even though we've taken some hits from liberal trolls, and endured backlash from those who seek to sow disunity among conservatives. We appreciate your support, and will be making an announcement in the near future concerning an onboard documentary project that is in the works. Stay tuned!
Melissa Dawdy
Conservative Activist & Executive Director,
Freedom on the Sea Cruise
www.freedomonthesea.com
Conservative activism has been our focus for four very long years. Following the 2012 election, it has become clear that we need to step up our game and do something completely different. We must learn how to be more innovative, creative, and daring in our approach, as well as more skilled in our communication with those who will actively support liberty if they can be awakened to it.
We also deserve a break from multiple conference room speeches and workshops that go too fast, and efforts that often go unappreciated. Exhaustion is palpable among the hard working activists across the country who still want to fight, but are questioning how to do it more effectively. Interacting with, learning from, and relaxing with top conservative film makers, pundits, writers, thinkers and troublemakers for a whole week is exactly what we need. Freedom on the Sea is a Caribbean cruise designed with this in mind.
HERMAN CAIN will join us for an intensive day of personal and exclusive interaction on Nov. 23, while we dock in Key West, Florida. During the rest of the week, our group will enjoy the company of nationally renowned author and columnist JOHN FUND, ACORN whistleblower ANITA MONCRIEF, FOX News contributor STEVEN CROWDER, undercover journalist JAMES O'KEEFE, Hollywood writer and best selling author MICHAEL WALSH, syndicated columnist DEROY MURDOCK, and many more.
Prices for the Nov.17-24 cruise start around $200 per person, per night, and cover all training sessions, workshops, panels, private social events, cabin, meals, taxes, port fees, even room tips. Also included are two exclusive cocktail parties, and a private "night owl" comedy show with Steven Crowder. Reservations and credentials are obtained through official cruise escort, the Cruise Authority, or by calling Mila, our personal manager, at 1-800-326-4971. "Like" us on Facebook for $100 off with code #Melissa until March 30.
Freedom on the Sea is actually a members only event that takes place during a regular cruise, so you and your travel companions can choose from among many delights the cruise ship offers as well as enjoy the company of your peers in a private club setting.
**********************
ANDREW BREITBART deeply influenced the creators of the cruise as well as the superstars who are joining us. He is irreplaceable, but his ideas live on in our hearts and deeds. It is in this spirit that we pursue the success of this event, even though we've taken some hits from liberal trolls, and endured backlash from those who seek to sow disunity among conservatives. We appreciate your support, and will be making an announcement in the near future concerning an onboard documentary project that is in the works. Stay tuned!
Call the Cruise Authority at 770-952-8300 or 800-326-4971
for More Information About Freedom On The Sea,
or go to www.FreedomOnTheSea.com
Meet Gena, One of the Organizers!
Melissa, Executive Director, Freedom on the Sea
Principles, Common Ground & Andrew Breitbart
March 1, 2013
Conservative and libertarian purists -you know the type. Every time you talk about a big tent, they object because they’ll never cave on “principles”. When asked about acceptable principles, they list one or more requirements; Support the constitution, the rule of law, small government & fiscal responsibility......most also include in no particular order, their views on religion, war, drugs, marriage, sexuality, abortion, education, and a host of other dearly held requirements that qualify a person to claim the title of conservative/libertarian (For the sake of simplicity in this article, both will be called "conservative").
In fact, many conservatives have a very long list of principles that define conservatism, and find wanting anyone who doesn’t match their particular vision, as either candidates or voters. That rationale in choosing candidates makes sense in a representative republic; you tend to support those who most closely match your preferences.
In general, this works out pretty well, except in cases when the primary field is overcrowded with similar candidates with devoted followings. During the race for Michigan’s governor in 2010, Snyder was able to garner about 30% of the primary vote to capture the Republican nomination specifically because about 60% of the principled conservative vote was divided between several very good candidates.
Snyder billed himself as ‘the nerd” who would balance the budget, period. the other candidates were all conservatives with subtle differences. We’ll never know if a principled conservative could have beaten a Democrat in 2010, because we couldn’t agree early on.
How similar Michigan’s experience was to the crowded 2012 Presidential primary is debatable, but it’s undeniable that a Romney presidency was sunk by the protest of certain conservatives who purposefully denied him their vote based on their principles.
Is it sensible to rally against a presidential candidate because you believe his loss might gain more in the long run? Perhaps, if there is good reason to believe the current holder of the presidency and the administration will implode, and your ideology will naturally fill the void. As this president’s second term unfolds, there may be great opportunities for conservatives to make their case for sensible government.
But, if Conservatives apply a purity test to voters, we risk further Balkanization of the conservative movement. The problem lies with those who cannot accept a limited view of broad principles in order to construct a political strategy. We should certainly discuss marriage, abortion, inner city violence, drug use, gay rights, and a host of other issues on the cultural front, but in the political arena we should take a hint from Governor Snyder, who understood early that an message unmuddied by perceived cultural controversy was key to a winning strategy.
Andrew Breitbart, whose untimely passing we mark today, understood that there would be a tipping point in our war with the left, and then it would be important to allow folks on the other side to save face, and invite our foes to stand on common ground. That common ground will likely be the field of liberty and fiscal sanity, two distinct issues upon which the left can erect no defense of their actions, but for which must fight, together.
Conservative and libertarian purists -you know the type. Every time you talk about a big tent, they object because they’ll never cave on “principles”. When asked about acceptable principles, they list one or more requirements; Support the constitution, the rule of law, small government & fiscal responsibility......most also include in no particular order, their views on religion, war, drugs, marriage, sexuality, abortion, education, and a host of other dearly held requirements that qualify a person to claim the title of conservative/libertarian (For the sake of simplicity in this article, both will be called "conservative").
In fact, many conservatives have a very long list of principles that define conservatism, and find wanting anyone who doesn’t match their particular vision, as either candidates or voters. That rationale in choosing candidates makes sense in a representative republic; you tend to support those who most closely match your preferences.
In general, this works out pretty well, except in cases when the primary field is overcrowded with similar candidates with devoted followings. During the race for Michigan’s governor in 2010, Snyder was able to garner about 30% of the primary vote to capture the Republican nomination specifically because about 60% of the principled conservative vote was divided between several very good candidates.
Snyder billed himself as ‘the nerd” who would balance the budget, period. the other candidates were all conservatives with subtle differences. We’ll never know if a principled conservative could have beaten a Democrat in 2010, because we couldn’t agree early on.
How similar Michigan’s experience was to the crowded 2012 Presidential primary is debatable, but it’s undeniable that a Romney presidency was sunk by the protest of certain conservatives who purposefully denied him their vote based on their principles.
Is it sensible to rally against a presidential candidate because you believe his loss might gain more in the long run? Perhaps, if there is good reason to believe the current holder of the presidency and the administration will implode, and your ideology will naturally fill the void. As this president’s second term unfolds, there may be great opportunities for conservatives to make their case for sensible government.
But, if Conservatives apply a purity test to voters, we risk further Balkanization of the conservative movement. The problem lies with those who cannot accept a limited view of broad principles in order to construct a political strategy. We should certainly discuss marriage, abortion, inner city violence, drug use, gay rights, and a host of other issues on the cultural front, but in the political arena we should take a hint from Governor Snyder, who understood early that an message unmuddied by perceived cultural controversy was key to a winning strategy.
Andrew Breitbart, whose untimely passing we mark today, understood that there would be a tipping point in our war with the left, and then it would be important to allow folks on the other side to save face, and invite our foes to stand on common ground. That common ground will likely be the field of liberty and fiscal sanity, two distinct issues upon which the left can erect no defense of their actions, but for which must fight, together.
Cruise Speaker Murdock Nails it
February 26, 2013
In today's Corner, Freedom on the Sea speaker Deroy Murdock slaps around the Liar-in-Chief for his outrageous denial of the origin of Sequestration. Read it all here, and catch Scott Johnson's take on Powerline here.
In today's Corner, Freedom on the Sea speaker Deroy Murdock slaps around the Liar-in-Chief for his outrageous denial of the origin of Sequestration. Read it all here, and catch Scott Johnson's take on Powerline here.
Cruise to Offer Exciting Opportunities for Activists
February 26, 2013
After four long years of fighting hard won battles in the political arena, consider the value of a Caribbean cruise with some of the best known activists, writers and speakers from the conservative sphere. Relax and chat with new conservative friends. Discuss strategies that work, and discover new ideas to recharge your efforts. With private interactive panels and workshops, exclusive parties and nightly dinner together, get to know some of the brightest and best writers, speakers, journalists, and activists in America today, and draw inspiration from their efforts. For a surprisingly affordable price, enjoy the beautiful scenery and warmth of the Caribbean while immersing yourself in a choice selection of panel sessions and advanced workshops ranging from philosophical discussions on the nature of the movement, to advanced camera techniques for both videographers and those being interviewed.
For many activists, this is the perfect event to polish their skills in an unhurried environment and encourage personal connections for future initiatives, as well as a chance to explore new opportunities. If you wondered what to do next after the 2012 elections, join us on Freedom on the Sea aboard the upscale Nieuw Amsterdam. A deposit of $500 holds your reservation, but book soon, as early bird rates end on March 1. Friend us on Facebook for up-to-date news, including a surprise celebrity keynote speaker to be announced soon.
Our trusted event manager is the Cruise Authority, and all reservations must be made through them to take part in the event. You will receive identifying credentials upon arrival which will be your ticket to all private events. Speaker biographies and more are available at the Cruise Authority website.
After four long years of fighting hard won battles in the political arena, consider the value of a Caribbean cruise with some of the best known activists, writers and speakers from the conservative sphere. Relax and chat with new conservative friends. Discuss strategies that work, and discover new ideas to recharge your efforts. With private interactive panels and workshops, exclusive parties and nightly dinner together, get to know some of the brightest and best writers, speakers, journalists, and activists in America today, and draw inspiration from their efforts. For a surprisingly affordable price, enjoy the beautiful scenery and warmth of the Caribbean while immersing yourself in a choice selection of panel sessions and advanced workshops ranging from philosophical discussions on the nature of the movement, to advanced camera techniques for both videographers and those being interviewed.
For many activists, this is the perfect event to polish their skills in an unhurried environment and encourage personal connections for future initiatives, as well as a chance to explore new opportunities. If you wondered what to do next after the 2012 elections, join us on Freedom on the Sea aboard the upscale Nieuw Amsterdam. A deposit of $500 holds your reservation, but book soon, as early bird rates end on March 1. Friend us on Facebook for up-to-date news, including a surprise celebrity keynote speaker to be announced soon.
Our trusted event manager is the Cruise Authority, and all reservations must be made through them to take part in the event. You will receive identifying credentials upon arrival which will be your ticket to all private events. Speaker biographies and more are available at the Cruise Authority website.
What's All This About a Grassroots Cruise?
Better to Lead than Lose
February 24, 2013
When the idea for this 7-day conference first began to stir among a small group of independent organizers, the first suggestion was to convene at a resort somewhere, like CPAC does. But a little research quickly revealed that an upscale Caribbean cruise was actually more economical, and probably more fun. With three volunteers, and plans for a social media campaign to get the word out, Freedom on the Sea was born.
Since 2009, activists have grabbed training any way they can to improve their ability to effect change in the political arena. The Leadership Institute, Franklin Center, American Majority and Americans for Prosperity are just a few of the groups that offer fine training and networking opportunities through classes and online interactions, but none last a whole week.
For many, it can be hard to digest a lot of information in just an afternoon or weekend.
Freedom on the Sea offers innovative ideas, advanced training, and extensive contact with celebrities who are eager for interactive sessions and opportunities to talk one-on-one with participants. After the disappointments of 2012, sensible conservatives realize that the movement has to reconnect and revitalize in order to chart a course for victory.
Is it possible to pull together all the Tea Party groups with their different agendas, and find common ground with conservatives, libertarians, independents, and republicans? Can we learn how to tell the story of a conservative future, and communicate the left's attempt to recycle their past failures? Are we just waiting for a great leader, or will we challenge ourselves to lead?
One of the disappointments in promoting this event was the appearance of a hitherto unknown OWS branch of the Tea Party family tree. We've had Facebook comments that bely class warfare; Why don't you plan an event we can ALL afford, it shouldn't just be for the rich! Calls for further division; It's not a conservative cruise unless it's Christian-based! And just plain paranoid; Seems like a cruise ship full of conservatives would be a good target for government bombs-just sayin'!
Leaders don't undercut honest efforts to improve circumstances, but losers are perfectly happy to kick each other down. Yes, cruises cost money, but it is by far the cheapest conservative cruise out there. Freedom on the Sea was created for intelligent activists who recognize failure, and are willing to shift strategy and tackle challenges in order to win. It's designed for leaders, not losers.
When the idea for this 7-day conference first began to stir among a small group of independent organizers, the first suggestion was to convene at a resort somewhere, like CPAC does. But a little research quickly revealed that an upscale Caribbean cruise was actually more economical, and probably more fun. With three volunteers, and plans for a social media campaign to get the word out, Freedom on the Sea was born.
Since 2009, activists have grabbed training any way they can to improve their ability to effect change in the political arena. The Leadership Institute, Franklin Center, American Majority and Americans for Prosperity are just a few of the groups that offer fine training and networking opportunities through classes and online interactions, but none last a whole week.
For many, it can be hard to digest a lot of information in just an afternoon or weekend.
Freedom on the Sea offers innovative ideas, advanced training, and extensive contact with celebrities who are eager for interactive sessions and opportunities to talk one-on-one with participants. After the disappointments of 2012, sensible conservatives realize that the movement has to reconnect and revitalize in order to chart a course for victory.
Is it possible to pull together all the Tea Party groups with their different agendas, and find common ground with conservatives, libertarians, independents, and republicans? Can we learn how to tell the story of a conservative future, and communicate the left's attempt to recycle their past failures? Are we just waiting for a great leader, or will we challenge ourselves to lead?
One of the disappointments in promoting this event was the appearance of a hitherto unknown OWS branch of the Tea Party family tree. We've had Facebook comments that bely class warfare; Why don't you plan an event we can ALL afford, it shouldn't just be for the rich! Calls for further division; It's not a conservative cruise unless it's Christian-based! And just plain paranoid; Seems like a cruise ship full of conservatives would be a good target for government bombs-just sayin'!
Leaders don't undercut honest efforts to improve circumstances, but losers are perfectly happy to kick each other down. Yes, cruises cost money, but it is by far the cheapest conservative cruise out there. Freedom on the Sea was created for intelligent activists who recognize failure, and are willing to shift strategy and tackle challenges in order to win. It's designed for leaders, not losers.
|
Conservative Cruising
|
Caught up in Violence, Michigan Style
12-12-12 I joined a handful of people who supported Right to Work Legislation in Lansing yesterday. While the union goons circled the AFP tent like a pack of hyenas all morning, I ventured out with my friend Wendy, and videotaped the crowds as they swelled from a few hundred at 8 AM to at least 15,000 by 11:30AM. We also spent considerable time observing the planned events that culminated in a near riot.
Between 8 and 9, the union leadership directed the protestors to kick Michigan Americans for Prosperity people off the Capitol's front steps, which the AFP had reserved, and destroy their banner. Jimmy "the hit man" Hoffa revved up the crowds midmorning by congratulating them for that thuggery, then shouted, "This is OUR state, we OWN Michigan!" I believe it was about then that one of the AFP tents was pulled down.
Goonish agitators began to gather at the entrance of the remaining AFP tent, and the crowd pressed forward into the few AFP men and union "captains" who were trying to maintain the peace. Then Steven Crowder arrived. As soon as he attempted to talk to the protestors, the captains formed a wall between him and those he was trying to engage. They loudly announced he was a youtube provocateur, and warned the crowd to not talk to him, while leaning back into him. Most of the mob stared blankly in non-recognition, and generally ignored Crowder for the next hour or so.
About 20 minutes before the tent was ripped down, the sizable crowd facing the entrance and surrounding the tent began to take on the characteristics of mob like behavior. Beating plastic buckets with wooden spoons they chanted, "Fuck this tent!" , "Pull it down!", "Snyder is a dick!", plain old "Bull-shit!" and something along the line of, "This is what democracy looks like!"
In reviewing the videotape, I noticed something weird; the rhythmic bucket beating quickened it's pace as the mob got more restless. My son, a videographer, was standing in front of this mess of humanity when an AFP volunteer got tired of being hit with a sign, and grabbed it in his hand. Suddenly, the mob surged forward amidst a staccato bucket drumming, and a fight broke out, shoving my son into the tent where he attempted to film union members who had breached the walls and were busy tipping over tables. He noticed a man wearing an "anonymous" mask.
At that point, I was outside filming, but trying to get in to rendezvous with my son. The union men sneeringly let me through. People were not completely panicked, but it was clear we had to get out of the tent. As we exited out the back, my son filming all the way, protestors were dismantling it. They laughed and jeered as we walked to a safe spot beyond the perimeter.
I immediately phoned 911 and begged them to send officers. As a few people stood up beneath the shroud of the tent, struggling to escape, the mob surged again, and laughed uproariously. AFP's Scott Hagerstrom stood on some wreckage and shouted for order. He was grabbed from behind and nearly lost his footing. Shortly afterward, mounted police arrived to leisurely make their way across the collapsed tent. I don't believe anyone was arrested.
It was my general observation that the vast majority of the protestors spread around the Capitol were satisfied with chanting and treating the demonstration like a festival, and were possibly not aware, at the time, of the wonton destruction and fear caused by their brethren. The thought that 15,000 human beings wouldn't care if someone was trampled as long as their union could own the state, is too repulsive for me to contemplate.
One guy accused me of being an "empty tenter", and claimed that I would try to make the unions look bad by selectively editing my video. In a short space I've done my best to write a clear and honest account of my experience yesterday, and quite a bit of video is available on my twitter feed, @6foot2inhiheels. Endless creative editing could not possibly make the actions of these people look worse, and it certainly would be hard to make them appear better, which would explain the news blackout. Money shots start after 6:00 in the above video.
Happy Thanksgiving, 2012
November 21, 2012
Trudging aboard National Review’s appointed cruise ship on November 11, I fully expected the venture to be a dismal sort of voyage of the damned, a ship full of losers sadly shellshocked and blindsided by circumstances beyond their control. Like being hit by a Hurricane. Then, something happened. It wasn’t exactly like the phoenix rising, but it was good enough for faithful supporters who desperately needed some cheering up.
Among the 600 or so cruisers were couples sharing a common interest, and singles whose passion for the political kept long suffering spouses and significant others home. Many came with the expectation of reconnecting with friends, making new connections and gaining face time with their favorite pundits. Although these desires were certainly well met, the questions, “What the hell happened?”, (which I heard a lot) and “What do we do now?”, remained on the forefront all week.
Throughout the panel sessions, competing opinions about what went wrong held the audience’s interest, but it wasn’t until conversation turned to figuring out what to do next that cruisers’ mood lifted. For in the end, we Conservatives are happy warriors, fighting to keep the lamp of Liberty lit for even the most ungrateful. We lost some big battles, but the Tea Party didn’t rampage through the streets, looting and breaking windows. The Left’s minions had promised they would, a fact which isn’t lost on a big chunk of the population. We will see who prevails in the coming culture war.
Many of the first timers on the cruise were experienced activists and organizers looking to revamp their approach, and fine tune their skills. One night, while sitting with an entirely new set of dinner companions, I raised my hand and said who’s with the Tea Party? Five hands flew up, and we spent an hour comparing notes.
So, is going on a National Review cruise worthwhile? Definitely! Especially if you are an activist or an armchair political philosopher, the intellectual atmosphere is invigorating. Also, the writers and many of the cruisers themselves are inclined to discuss strategy and tactics with their fellow Conservatives, sometimes well into the night. The opportunities for connecting with like-minded folks is almost limitless.
As a bonus, it’s a Caribbean Cruise, with all the delights of shipboard travel, and just enough time between panel sessions to decompress on a beach, or in my case, shake off the blues by bobsledding Jamaican style, and swimming with the dolphins in Roatan, Honduras.
A few interesting factoids and memories: Andrew Stuttaford says we overtake Russia in natural gas production by 2015. Bing West says to get out of Afghanistan and let the medieval tribes fight forever. Daniel Hannan: “People are wiser than their leaders, and the job of Conservatives is to reassure them in their prejudices”. John Fund, champion of vote integrity, says there was less fraud in 2012. Deroy Murdock talked with me about why we should use the Left’s language to effectively make our point; why don’t we say, “I defend the right of a woman to choose to work outside a union”? ( Unfortunately, he didn’t have time to include that in his public remarks.) Midge Decter says that, “Women are in the position to discover that they have screwed themselves.” and from the panel on terrorism and the Middle East came agreement that Muslim countries are losing their importance.
All in all, to the intrepid freedom fighters of the West, the prospect for challenging work ahead looms large. We are grateful.
P.S. Everyone missed you, Andrew.
Trudging aboard National Review’s appointed cruise ship on November 11, I fully expected the venture to be a dismal sort of voyage of the damned, a ship full of losers sadly shellshocked and blindsided by circumstances beyond their control. Like being hit by a Hurricane. Then, something happened. It wasn’t exactly like the phoenix rising, but it was good enough for faithful supporters who desperately needed some cheering up.
Among the 600 or so cruisers were couples sharing a common interest, and singles whose passion for the political kept long suffering spouses and significant others home. Many came with the expectation of reconnecting with friends, making new connections and gaining face time with their favorite pundits. Although these desires were certainly well met, the questions, “What the hell happened?”, (which I heard a lot) and “What do we do now?”, remained on the forefront all week.
Throughout the panel sessions, competing opinions about what went wrong held the audience’s interest, but it wasn’t until conversation turned to figuring out what to do next that cruisers’ mood lifted. For in the end, we Conservatives are happy warriors, fighting to keep the lamp of Liberty lit for even the most ungrateful. We lost some big battles, but the Tea Party didn’t rampage through the streets, looting and breaking windows. The Left’s minions had promised they would, a fact which isn’t lost on a big chunk of the population. We will see who prevails in the coming culture war.
Many of the first timers on the cruise were experienced activists and organizers looking to revamp their approach, and fine tune their skills. One night, while sitting with an entirely new set of dinner companions, I raised my hand and said who’s with the Tea Party? Five hands flew up, and we spent an hour comparing notes.
So, is going on a National Review cruise worthwhile? Definitely! Especially if you are an activist or an armchair political philosopher, the intellectual atmosphere is invigorating. Also, the writers and many of the cruisers themselves are inclined to discuss strategy and tactics with their fellow Conservatives, sometimes well into the night. The opportunities for connecting with like-minded folks is almost limitless.
As a bonus, it’s a Caribbean Cruise, with all the delights of shipboard travel, and just enough time between panel sessions to decompress on a beach, or in my case, shake off the blues by bobsledding Jamaican style, and swimming with the dolphins in Roatan, Honduras.
A few interesting factoids and memories: Andrew Stuttaford says we overtake Russia in natural gas production by 2015. Bing West says to get out of Afghanistan and let the medieval tribes fight forever. Daniel Hannan: “People are wiser than their leaders, and the job of Conservatives is to reassure them in their prejudices”. John Fund, champion of vote integrity, says there was less fraud in 2012. Deroy Murdock talked with me about why we should use the Left’s language to effectively make our point; why don’t we say, “I defend the right of a woman to choose to work outside a union”? ( Unfortunately, he didn’t have time to include that in his public remarks.) Midge Decter says that, “Women are in the position to discover that they have screwed themselves.” and from the panel on terrorism and the Middle East came agreement that Muslim countries are losing their importance.
All in all, to the intrepid freedom fighters of the West, the prospect for challenging work ahead looms large. We are grateful.
P.S. Everyone missed you, Andrew.
Team Obama Rips Off Creepy Kid Movie
The 2008 film, The Children was bad enough. Now Team Obama has brought us The Future Children, which appears to be a musical remake.
|
|
The Politics of Nice
Oct. 23, 2012
Observing two men in a debate is a wonderful way to judge character. It’s hard to hide elemental tendencies to be condescending, churlish or snide. It’s equally difficult to be rude outside a person's nature. On a conscious level, viewers of last night’s Presidential debate will discuss the zingers and the behaviors of each man, grading the performance and declaring a winner. But a more subtle, perhaps unconscious impression is beginning to form as well.
Pretend you are in a room with Mitt Romney, and you nervously ask him a question that you instantly regret because it seems a little dumb. After viewing last night’s debate you can assume that Romney would first politely agree with your concern, then present the necessary information to back up his opinion. You can be reasonably certain that he would cite data that would withstand scrutiny by fact checkers. He probably would smile, but never smirk.
Now, imagine asking Obama a similar question.
One lasting impression from last night’s debate is that Mitt thinks Americans are smart enough to understand the information he respectfully delivers. Obama’s performance reflected his churlish and condescending nature, as demonstrated by his interruptions, peevish tone, mocking words, and of course, the faux facts he pulled out of the air.
There was something creepy about Obama’s stare, his nervous grinning, and his insistence that someone fact-check his pathetically incorrect statements. For a newly alert voting population coming to grips with the conflicting statements regarding Benghazi, Obama’s overtly aggressive performance reinforced the growing perception that he is a bit of a jerk.
In retrospect, spending most of the Republican Convention reinforcing the narrative of Mitt Romney as the Steady Nice Dependable Leader doesn’t seem like a waste. After last night, an awful lot of people are thinking that they would rather talk to Romney than be sneered at by Obama. In addition, many empathized with the nice Mr. Romney, and felt the sting of Obama talking down to them too, especially at the debate's low point, when Obama mocked the nation's military.
All elections end this way. The folks who are teetering on the fence, or who haven’t been paying any attention for four years generally vote for the more likable candidate, and for good reason; electing a decent person for president is important. This year, undecideds seem to care about vision and competence as well, which can definitely play a role in likability when the economy is off the rails.
Obama, unfamiliar with the politics of running a competitive business, has never been forced to face unhappy investors, pitch an idea to a room full of skeptics, or apparently, even get along well with others. Like everyone on the Left, his astonishing sense of superiority and entitlement cripples him. In January, he will begin his long Carteresque retirement, bitterly contemplating the failure of the American people to adore him, and blaming everyone but himself for missteps rooted in a lamentably flawed character.
Observing two men in a debate is a wonderful way to judge character. It’s hard to hide elemental tendencies to be condescending, churlish or snide. It’s equally difficult to be rude outside a person's nature. On a conscious level, viewers of last night’s Presidential debate will discuss the zingers and the behaviors of each man, grading the performance and declaring a winner. But a more subtle, perhaps unconscious impression is beginning to form as well.
Pretend you are in a room with Mitt Romney, and you nervously ask him a question that you instantly regret because it seems a little dumb. After viewing last night’s debate you can assume that Romney would first politely agree with your concern, then present the necessary information to back up his opinion. You can be reasonably certain that he would cite data that would withstand scrutiny by fact checkers. He probably would smile, but never smirk.
Now, imagine asking Obama a similar question.
One lasting impression from last night’s debate is that Mitt thinks Americans are smart enough to understand the information he respectfully delivers. Obama’s performance reflected his churlish and condescending nature, as demonstrated by his interruptions, peevish tone, mocking words, and of course, the faux facts he pulled out of the air.
There was something creepy about Obama’s stare, his nervous grinning, and his insistence that someone fact-check his pathetically incorrect statements. For a newly alert voting population coming to grips with the conflicting statements regarding Benghazi, Obama’s overtly aggressive performance reinforced the growing perception that he is a bit of a jerk.
In retrospect, spending most of the Republican Convention reinforcing the narrative of Mitt Romney as the Steady Nice Dependable Leader doesn’t seem like a waste. After last night, an awful lot of people are thinking that they would rather talk to Romney than be sneered at by Obama. In addition, many empathized with the nice Mr. Romney, and felt the sting of Obama talking down to them too, especially at the debate's low point, when Obama mocked the nation's military.
All elections end this way. The folks who are teetering on the fence, or who haven’t been paying any attention for four years generally vote for the more likable candidate, and for good reason; electing a decent person for president is important. This year, undecideds seem to care about vision and competence as well, which can definitely play a role in likability when the economy is off the rails.
Obama, unfamiliar with the politics of running a competitive business, has never been forced to face unhappy investors, pitch an idea to a room full of skeptics, or apparently, even get along well with others. Like everyone on the Left, his astonishing sense of superiority and entitlement cripples him. In January, he will begin his long Carteresque retirement, bitterly contemplating the failure of the American people to adore him, and blaming everyone but himself for missteps rooted in a lamentably flawed character.
Media Pundits & Joe Schmo, Busy American
Oct. 17, 2012
So Obama came out swinging last night, accusing Mitt Romney of being a lying, anti-woman corporate monster, who was, nevertheless, a good man. He also smirked a lot, and didn't fall asleep in his chair.
Romney was nearly as good as he was in the first debate, hammering Obama on his failures in the area of energy production, employment, immigration, Obamacare, the federal deficit, fuel prices, jobs, and taxes. He was even able to talk about the Fast and Furious scandal.
Perhaps the most important exchange followed the question regarding the Benghazi attack, "Who was it that denied enhanced security and why? The President first claimed how much he cares about diplomats, then said that as the compound was being overrun, he was on the phone with his national security team to tell them to 1, beef up security, 2, investigate what happened, and 3, find someone to blame for the mess. He accused Romney of using the situation for political reasons. Romney struggled a bit with his answer, perhaps because of the sheer volume of what he wanted to say about what has been revealed in the last few weeks concerning the administration's role in spinning the Benghazi attack.
"Moderator" Candy Crowley then answered the original question by pointing out that Hillary was responsible, so that Obama could complete the circle and formally announce that as President, he was symbolically responsible for all his underlings' stupid mistakes.
Unfortunately for him, he took an extra step, declaring that,
"The day after the attack, governor, I stood in the Rose Garden and I told the American people in the world that we are going to find out exactly what happened. That this was an act of terror and I also said that we're going to hunt down those who committed this crime." He followed up with an assertion that any suggestion that anyone on his team would play politics or mislead on this...is "offensive".
Both Romney and Crowley had difficulty sorting through this incredible statement, and the confusion that followed ensured lots of attention. Benghazi will not be quickly buried, and Obama has created yet more intriguing questions about his handling of the Libyan situation. To claim that he clearly labeled it a terrorist attack during the Rose Garden speech will ensure an unwelcome scrutiny in the coming days.
Most Americans reserve the last few weeks of an election cycle to get up to speed on the candidates and the issues that concern them. Actually, they catch up pretty quickly. It is clear that Obama and Clinton insisted for weeks that the attack resulted from an over-exerburant film protest. It is also clear that the administration knew all along that this was a terrorist attack, and sought to downplay it for political reasons.
The Achilles heel of all politicians, but especially Statists, is that they believe the majority of Americans are clueless dimwits who can easily be propagandized. Indeed, one of the first flatteries of political boot camp is the leader's assurance that attendees are in the upper percentile of political awareness, responsible for using the tricks of the political trade to persuade the regularly unengaged.
Unfortunately for Obama, the suspicion that he lied to the American people to protect his chances of re-election may rivet the attention of even the most busy Average Joe, and the media, by its nature the ultimate attention whore, will in the end always follow the story. It kinda makes you wonder what else CNN reporters found in the building that yielded Chris Stevens' personal journal.
So Obama came out swinging last night, accusing Mitt Romney of being a lying, anti-woman corporate monster, who was, nevertheless, a good man. He also smirked a lot, and didn't fall asleep in his chair.
Romney was nearly as good as he was in the first debate, hammering Obama on his failures in the area of energy production, employment, immigration, Obamacare, the federal deficit, fuel prices, jobs, and taxes. He was even able to talk about the Fast and Furious scandal.
Perhaps the most important exchange followed the question regarding the Benghazi attack, "Who was it that denied enhanced security and why? The President first claimed how much he cares about diplomats, then said that as the compound was being overrun, he was on the phone with his national security team to tell them to 1, beef up security, 2, investigate what happened, and 3, find someone to blame for the mess. He accused Romney of using the situation for political reasons. Romney struggled a bit with his answer, perhaps because of the sheer volume of what he wanted to say about what has been revealed in the last few weeks concerning the administration's role in spinning the Benghazi attack.
"Moderator" Candy Crowley then answered the original question by pointing out that Hillary was responsible, so that Obama could complete the circle and formally announce that as President, he was symbolically responsible for all his underlings' stupid mistakes.
Unfortunately for him, he took an extra step, declaring that,
"The day after the attack, governor, I stood in the Rose Garden and I told the American people in the world that we are going to find out exactly what happened. That this was an act of terror and I also said that we're going to hunt down those who committed this crime." He followed up with an assertion that any suggestion that anyone on his team would play politics or mislead on this...is "offensive".
Both Romney and Crowley had difficulty sorting through this incredible statement, and the confusion that followed ensured lots of attention. Benghazi will not be quickly buried, and Obama has created yet more intriguing questions about his handling of the Libyan situation. To claim that he clearly labeled it a terrorist attack during the Rose Garden speech will ensure an unwelcome scrutiny in the coming days.
Most Americans reserve the last few weeks of an election cycle to get up to speed on the candidates and the issues that concern them. Actually, they catch up pretty quickly. It is clear that Obama and Clinton insisted for weeks that the attack resulted from an over-exerburant film protest. It is also clear that the administration knew all along that this was a terrorist attack, and sought to downplay it for political reasons.
The Achilles heel of all politicians, but especially Statists, is that they believe the majority of Americans are clueless dimwits who can easily be propagandized. Indeed, one of the first flatteries of political boot camp is the leader's assurance that attendees are in the upper percentile of political awareness, responsible for using the tricks of the political trade to persuade the regularly unengaged.
Unfortunately for Obama, the suspicion that he lied to the American people to protect his chances of re-election may rivet the attention of even the most busy Average Joe, and the media, by its nature the ultimate attention whore, will in the end always follow the story. It kinda makes you wonder what else CNN reporters found in the building that yielded Chris Stevens' personal journal.
Best Reality Show Ever
October 15, 2012
Like many Conservatives, I’ve been watching the debates with the interest of a reality TV junkie. The Romney Show stars Romney and Ryan as competent executives, Obama and Biden as goofy slackers, and a weekly guest host whose main purpose is to hobble any rational discourse that might accidentally occur.
In the first episode, we meet Romney, the statesman, for the first time and are reacquainted with Obama reprising his lifelong role as a petulant, overindulged brat. The second episode involved the understudies, Ryan and Biden.
Regarding Biden's bizarro behavior, you have to ask why a grown man would rudely interrupt, laugh and snort his way through an important encounter with a political opponent in public after the Obaman-caused disaster of the week before.
It was not, as most pundits claim, to make Ryan look foolish and inexperienced. Just prior to the debate, the ever reliable media ran stories about the "testy" Paul Ryan, suggesting specifically that he was "thin skinned", which was supposed to assure the audience that he would crack under pressure.
Biden acted like a jerk primarily because he believed that his derisive and dismissive smirks, laughs, guffaws and chortles would make Ryan angry. A frown, a scowl, a sharp rebuke from Ryan would have earned him endless newspaper reports detailing his psychological instability.
This technique was applied repeatedly, though unsuccessfully, to the Tea Party.
As the debate rolled along, some pundits were disappointed that Ryan wasn't more aggressive; they wanted him to express the outrage they felt by telling Biden to shut up, then run over him like a tank. The people I watched the debate with were livid, but I'm beginning to wonder of the Republicans have a friend close to the Obama team.
It's as if Ryan knew exactly what Biden was up to, and was prepared to behave like a gentleman even if Biden spit at him. His gentle reminder that words don't always come out the way we mean them was a stroke of genius, throwing the startled Biden off his taunting elder schtick into an ill-conceived rejoinder that he always means what he says. Always.
Naturally, both shows provided enough material for internet commentators and comedians to unleash a storm of hilarious-but-true video that skewered the administration’s top stars.
Avoiding the late night talk show gristmill and Youtube mashups should be the goal of the Obama/Biden team, but the President insists to his fans that he will be “less polite” to Romney in the next show.
Golly, I sure hope so.
UPDATE: According to Bob Costa, Ryan did get a heads up, and was indeed prepared for Biden's malarkey, although it was a little more intense than they had expected.
Like many Conservatives, I’ve been watching the debates with the interest of a reality TV junkie. The Romney Show stars Romney and Ryan as competent executives, Obama and Biden as goofy slackers, and a weekly guest host whose main purpose is to hobble any rational discourse that might accidentally occur.
In the first episode, we meet Romney, the statesman, for the first time and are reacquainted with Obama reprising his lifelong role as a petulant, overindulged brat. The second episode involved the understudies, Ryan and Biden.
Regarding Biden's bizarro behavior, you have to ask why a grown man would rudely interrupt, laugh and snort his way through an important encounter with a political opponent in public after the Obaman-caused disaster of the week before.
It was not, as most pundits claim, to make Ryan look foolish and inexperienced. Just prior to the debate, the ever reliable media ran stories about the "testy" Paul Ryan, suggesting specifically that he was "thin skinned", which was supposed to assure the audience that he would crack under pressure.
Biden acted like a jerk primarily because he believed that his derisive and dismissive smirks, laughs, guffaws and chortles would make Ryan angry. A frown, a scowl, a sharp rebuke from Ryan would have earned him endless newspaper reports detailing his psychological instability.
This technique was applied repeatedly, though unsuccessfully, to the Tea Party.
As the debate rolled along, some pundits were disappointed that Ryan wasn't more aggressive; they wanted him to express the outrage they felt by telling Biden to shut up, then run over him like a tank. The people I watched the debate with were livid, but I'm beginning to wonder of the Republicans have a friend close to the Obama team.
It's as if Ryan knew exactly what Biden was up to, and was prepared to behave like a gentleman even if Biden spit at him. His gentle reminder that words don't always come out the way we mean them was a stroke of genius, throwing the startled Biden off his taunting elder schtick into an ill-conceived rejoinder that he always means what he says. Always.
Naturally, both shows provided enough material for internet commentators and comedians to unleash a storm of hilarious-but-true video that skewered the administration’s top stars.
Avoiding the late night talk show gristmill and Youtube mashups should be the goal of the Obama/Biden team, but the President insists to his fans that he will be “less polite” to Romney in the next show.
Golly, I sure hope so.
UPDATE: According to Bob Costa, Ryan did get a heads up, and was indeed prepared for Biden's malarkey, although it was a little more intense than they had expected.
The Cronies Are The Future!
Over at the Crony Chronicles, we learn that kids really are paying attention to what goes on in D.C.
Is Mitt Romney Batman?
The Morning Jolt is a fantastic newsletter I get from the good folks at National Review. Here's a sample from today, and you can subscribe at http://www.nationalreview.com/newsletters
1. Mitt Romney's Need for a Heroic Narrative
A quick point on why the Morning Jolt strays into cultural, particularly pop-culture territory: Our political culture is shaped by the culture at large. Movies, television shows, music, novels -- almost all of them work on some level with Joseph Campbell's The Hero With a Thousand Faces stuff. And these images, themes, and stories permeate our culture at a thousand levels, and affect the real world -- take a look at Stephen Bannon's film about Sarah Palin, The Undefeated, or Mark Edward Taylor's Branding Obamessiah. When a political figure or his or her fans want to portray themselves as heroic, they go to our common cultural touchstones of what is heroic -- and the flip side, they portray their opponents as villains.
Our heroes are underdogs. Our heroes often come from circumstances full of adversity, or full of challenges that make them seem unlikely to rise to a position of leadership. Over at the often-not-safe-for-work site Cracked.com, David Wong observes a common thread among six of the most prominent heroes of pop culture:
- Batman
- Spider-Man
- Superman
- Luke Skywalker
- Frodo from The Lord of the Rings
- Harry Potter
Oftentimes our heroes have a mentor -- a person who is a repository of ancient or forgotten wisdom, a figure who is often mocked or ignored or disregarded by the authorities of the day. Often alone, our hero recognizes the value of what that mentor has to teach.
At some point in the story, the villain must have all of the advantages: Darth Vader has his armies, Voldemort has his agents and spies everywhere, Sauron is rapidly taking over the land, and so on. The villain often has wealth (Lex Luthor, Norman Osborne) and, surprisingly often, "public opinion" on his side. On the above list, all of them except Superman are perceived by the public as villains at one point or another, or are outlaws. (Frodo isn't quite an outlaw, but there certainly are humans who see him and his fellowship as troublemakers.) Of course, the public usually comes around and recognizes that the protagonist's cause was just all along.
Also key is that the hero faces a moment of testing, some lowest point, some point where they lose their allies and special talismans, where the mentor is gone, where the odds are toughest and most people would give up in despair . . . and then they dig down deep, remember what they've been taught, and they triumph. If nothing else, this mono-myth, this universal tale of all of our popular culture stories tells the viewer or reader: When all seems darkest for you, if you do not give up, you can persevere and triumph.
In fact, perhaps one of the reasons Mitt Romney has had difficulties in his national campaigns so far is that he doesn't make a natural underdog. Because the public barely knows his personal biography, Romney is not perceived as a man who overcame adversity, who has taken on powerful opponents, who has been unjustly demonized for fighting for a just cause, and who triumphed because he fought on when everyone else would have given up. He needs that, I would argue.
Just thinking about the stories in this blog post from a few weeks ago, one can picture that heroic narrative taking shape something like this . . .
We meet young Mitt Romney, of the Michigan Romneys: A picture-perfect childhood in a lot of ways . . . but his road to adulthood would bring its share of challenges, stumbles, and dark hours.
George Romney, whom young Mitt idolizes, is being mentioned as a potential president: A successful auto executive and two-term governor who supports the divil-rights movement, marching with the NAACP in the streets of Detroit.
And then, when Romney is 20, his father makes a comment about why he's growing more skeptical about the wisdom of American soldiers fighting in Vietnam: "When I came back from Vietnam, I just had the greatest brainwashing that anybody could get -- not only by the generals, but by the diplomatic corps over there. They do a very thorough job."
It's an ordinary metaphor about one-sided assessment from U.S. personnel, but the Nixon crowd demonizes the elder Romney over it, casting him as a dangerous lunatic. Romney sees his father ridiculed, mocked, derided, and painted as a madman -- an early lesson about the power of lies and the fickleness of public opinion.
About this time, he travels to France, on missionary work. There he has doors slammed in his face, and realizes that something that seemed so normal and intrinsically good and noble to him -- his faith -- is considered strange and alien and worthy of scorn elsewhere. He sees little difference between his fellow Mormons and the French Catholics around him -- but some see him as an outsider, a freak, an alien.
Then one night, he sees the danger of prejudice and demonizing those who are different up close:
Romney was in his apartment when a woman burst in to say some Frenchmen were beating up one of his fellow Mormons down the street. The barefoot Romney joined his roommates in rushing into the snowy night. They found a team of rugby players, drowning their sorrows after a lost match, hassling two female missionaries . . . The male missionary who leaped to their defense had been punched out. Romney ended up with a badly bruised jaw.
There's a lot of anger in young Romney, figuring out his way in an unjust world.
He turns to his studies, enrolling in a joint J.D./MBA program coordinated between Harvard Law School and Harvard Business School. In the early 70s, other students are experimenting with radical politics; the focused, driven Romney, already married to Ann and with a young son, graduates cum laude.
A few years later, ready to begin his career, Romney hears the whispers: George Romney's kid. Silver spoon in his mouth. Cruising on his family name.
So no jumping into the auto industry for him -- he goes to Bain & Company, a consulting firm specializing in the tougher cases of business: turning around failing industries. After demonstrating he can generate great results, founder Bill Bain picks him to head up a new venture: Bain Capital. Despite the prestigious name, it's an endeavor that must overcome great skepticism -- ten employees, a bare-bones office. The new firm struggles along until it comes across a company that thinks there's big business in office supplies: Staples. Romney's only convinced of the market for their products when he starts checking the receipts of companies to see how much they spend on the products. Diligence, attention to detail, focus -- all the traits his peers mocked suddenly become the strengths of an increasingly successful man.
So successful, in fact, that when George Romney dies, Mitt gives away his inheritance to Brigham Young University. Picture adult Mitt writing the check to some BYU official, and saying, "Dad gave me everything I really needed a long time ago."
As Romney grows into full adulthood, he finds his anger over injustice focused and directed towards action, and getting results.
When the Salt Lake City games are on the verge of disaster, he starts cutting everything that isn't needed -- $6 million in unneeded decorations, free meals for the organizing committee, wetlands restoration, a youth camp. Picture him saying, "There's need to have, and nice to have. If we had all the money we needed, none of this would be cut. But we don't. So it's time to focus on what matters most."
When a Massachusetts state official skips a meeting meant to deal with a fatal accident at a massive tunnel project, Romney finds him and a flash of that anger returns: "You're too big for the governor?" he asks in a public confrontation. The state legislature agrees to toss that official.
And still a bit of that man of action -- one dark night in 2003, Romney and his sons encounter a sinking boat on a New Hampshire lake, a family treading water. The 50-something Mitt heaves two women onto his jetski and ferrying them to shore, and comes back for the rest of the family -- and their dog, too.
Many years and many miles after that idyllic childhood, with the father who might have been president, but for a nefarious smear . . . Mitt Romney stands on the precipice of his greatest challenge yet. The turnaround artist aims for one final turnaround as the capstone of his career, to the country that has given him so much, and needs it so badly today.
Think of it as The Man from Hope crossed with the first 40 minutes of Batman Begins.
Stacy Swimp, Unhyphenated
April 30, 2012 Stacy Swimp is an American six generations removed from his enslaved ancestors in South Carolina, and he refuses to call himself an "African American". He speaks nationwide on in the issue of being "unhyphenated". A courageous Christian Conservative who happens to be black.
Rock Stars Make Lousy Presidents
As Obama attempts to revive his branding as American Savior, evoking religious imagery and words, American Crossroads asks the question, "Is Your Life Any Better?" There is always the danger that the Truth will catch up with a poseur, and fans don't like to learn they have been taken in by lies.
Dragging Romney Across the Finish Line
March 10, 2012
In 2009, when I began my high altitude trek through the mucky swamp that is Politics as Usual, I imagined that the newly minted tea party would stir things up, and maybe even field a candidate capable of ending the current administration. It can safely be said that "Mittens" Romney was not the first choice of about 60% Republicans or Conservatives, but now that he is standing unopposed by Rick Santorum, it appears we have our candidate. There will be for a time, much anguish in the Conservative community; denouncements of the RINO Republicans, calls for a third party, etc., but in the end, Conservatives will support Romney with varying degrees of enthusiasm. They'll suck it up, hide their disappointment, campaign for him, even donate their hard-earned money. If he wins, it will be because those who currently despise him are willing to drag his carcass across the finish line.
With similar (about 40%) support in the crowded primary, Rick Snyder, a.k.a. "The Nerd", won the governorship of Michigan due to Conservative support in the general election. Exhausted by the cheerfully destructive Jennifer Granholm, Michigan was ready for any alternative to liberalism, and the pragmatic Tea Party decided to support the "Moderate" even though he was not a perfect reflection of their values. Snyder has been in the hot seat ever since, and Conservatives have chalked up victories like expanded school choice and ending the business tax. Next up is "Right-to-Work" legislation, slated for 2013. Pushed diligently by activists, the bill would end forced unionization, but is not favored by Snyder. Fortunately, the long game is something Michigan Conservatives have begun to learn, and the pressure is on.
A Mitt Romney win is only the beginning of a very long game indeed, and the ruling class may be surprised by the tenacity and resourceful nature of those Conservatives who choose to stick it out for the next 30 years and beyond.
In 2009, when I began my high altitude trek through the mucky swamp that is Politics as Usual, I imagined that the newly minted tea party would stir things up, and maybe even field a candidate capable of ending the current administration. It can safely be said that "Mittens" Romney was not the first choice of about 60% Republicans or Conservatives, but now that he is standing unopposed by Rick Santorum, it appears we have our candidate. There will be for a time, much anguish in the Conservative community; denouncements of the RINO Republicans, calls for a third party, etc., but in the end, Conservatives will support Romney with varying degrees of enthusiasm. They'll suck it up, hide their disappointment, campaign for him, even donate their hard-earned money. If he wins, it will be because those who currently despise him are willing to drag his carcass across the finish line.
With similar (about 40%) support in the crowded primary, Rick Snyder, a.k.a. "The Nerd", won the governorship of Michigan due to Conservative support in the general election. Exhausted by the cheerfully destructive Jennifer Granholm, Michigan was ready for any alternative to liberalism, and the pragmatic Tea Party decided to support the "Moderate" even though he was not a perfect reflection of their values. Snyder has been in the hot seat ever since, and Conservatives have chalked up victories like expanded school choice and ending the business tax. Next up is "Right-to-Work" legislation, slated for 2013. Pushed diligently by activists, the bill would end forced unionization, but is not favored by Snyder. Fortunately, the long game is something Michigan Conservatives have begun to learn, and the pressure is on.
A Mitt Romney win is only the beginning of a very long game indeed, and the ruling class may be surprised by the tenacity and resourceful nature of those Conservatives who choose to stick it out for the next 30 years and beyond.
Heart of a Lion
CPAC 2011
March 4, 2012
It's an obvious fact that celebrities are just people who happen to be famous because of luck or talent, and as such, they tend to remain pathetically flawed creatures. In my experience with the famous, I have seen vice, vanity, and pathetic insecurity, as well as honor, strength, and valor. Only once have I met a man with the heart of a lion.
Andrew Breitbart was a ferocious and fearless defender of Truth, and he attacked anyone and everything that threatened it. As far as I know, he was a stranger to the fibs, lies, and prevarications that afflict so many under the guise of the end justifying the means. He was completely authentic, and clearly recognized his duty. His intelligent fury, unleashed against liars, was unmatched, and the stuff of legends.
Such a man is a wonder to behold. Andrew gladly offered himself up as a "punching bag" and "rodeo clown" to those fledgling innovators whose innocence made them easy targets of those whose agenda remains the destruction of the United States.
No matter how many times I talked to him, I was completely awestruck by his presence, and when I awoke to the news Wednesday morning, I wept like a child for his loss. This past weekend, in Troy, Michigan, I had planned to film a video interview with him after his speech, but had to leave early. We figured we'd just catch up to him later; Andrew always made a huge effort to be available to anyone who wanted to talk to him.
The Left's ugly and despicable response to his passing was predictable. Knowing that Andrew would have laughed at it, then turned it on the offenders, offers not solace, but a choice; you can vigorously defend what is right, even when it makes you uncomfortable, or face your children someday and explain why you didn't.
It's an obvious fact that celebrities are just people who happen to be famous because of luck or talent, and as such, they tend to remain pathetically flawed creatures. In my experience with the famous, I have seen vice, vanity, and pathetic insecurity, as well as honor, strength, and valor. Only once have I met a man with the heart of a lion.
Andrew Breitbart was a ferocious and fearless defender of Truth, and he attacked anyone and everything that threatened it. As far as I know, he was a stranger to the fibs, lies, and prevarications that afflict so many under the guise of the end justifying the means. He was completely authentic, and clearly recognized his duty. His intelligent fury, unleashed against liars, was unmatched, and the stuff of legends.
Such a man is a wonder to behold. Andrew gladly offered himself up as a "punching bag" and "rodeo clown" to those fledgling innovators whose innocence made them easy targets of those whose agenda remains the destruction of the United States.
No matter how many times I talked to him, I was completely awestruck by his presence, and when I awoke to the news Wednesday morning, I wept like a child for his loss. This past weekend, in Troy, Michigan, I had planned to film a video interview with him after his speech, but had to leave early. We figured we'd just catch up to him later; Andrew always made a huge effort to be available to anyone who wanted to talk to him.
The Left's ugly and despicable response to his passing was predictable. Knowing that Andrew would have laughed at it, then turned it on the offenders, offers not solace, but a choice; you can vigorously defend what is right, even when it makes you uncomfortable, or face your children someday and explain why you didn't.
The Lost Art of Raking up Profits
February 8, 2012
Although a brief encounter with Newt Gingrich left me inexplicably cold, its hard to fault his strong words for youth employment. For nearly 15 years, my neighborhood hosted a slew of school children sent out by high-minded teachers and doggedly compliant parents, to panhandle door-to-door.
It's not surprising that the young cherubs who initially had a sales pitch for the junk they carried in a wagon gave way to empty-handed teens who unceremoniously announced they were "collecting money". The same teens showed up on Halloween every year in menacing pajama bottoms, silently brandishing pillowcases.
I decided long ago to end the shameful practice of begging on my property. First, I never allowed my own kids to raise funds this way. Second, every time a tot or teenager arrived on my doorstep, he was given a choice.
My pitch was simple; I'd say, "Look, I don't need or want what you are selling. But I understand that your teacher wants you to raise money for your class project/field trip/whatever, and I'd like to help. There's a rake in my garage, and I'll pay you ten dollars in cash if you work in my yard for one hour. You can give the money to your school, or you can keep it for yourself.
Only one ever took me up on my offer. He was a strong little boy, traveling with a couple of other kids who left him on my doorstep while he pondered the possibilities. "I can spend the money on anything I want?" he asked. The little entrepreneur worked for me for months, and became my go-to guy for yanking out and shrubs and raking leaves. As far as I know, he spent his hard earned money on a new bike.
Word got around that the mean lady at my address only offered jobs, and little beggars began to avoid my door. Meanwhile, an entire generation of children was taught that demanding money from strangers is perfectly acceptable. As we devolve into a society divided between those who produce, those who don't, and those who forcibly redistribute, consider how it might have been if my lone crusade hadn't been so lonely.
Although a brief encounter with Newt Gingrich left me inexplicably cold, its hard to fault his strong words for youth employment. For nearly 15 years, my neighborhood hosted a slew of school children sent out by high-minded teachers and doggedly compliant parents, to panhandle door-to-door.
It's not surprising that the young cherubs who initially had a sales pitch for the junk they carried in a wagon gave way to empty-handed teens who unceremoniously announced they were "collecting money". The same teens showed up on Halloween every year in menacing pajama bottoms, silently brandishing pillowcases.
I decided long ago to end the shameful practice of begging on my property. First, I never allowed my own kids to raise funds this way. Second, every time a tot or teenager arrived on my doorstep, he was given a choice.
My pitch was simple; I'd say, "Look, I don't need or want what you are selling. But I understand that your teacher wants you to raise money for your class project/field trip/whatever, and I'd like to help. There's a rake in my garage, and I'll pay you ten dollars in cash if you work in my yard for one hour. You can give the money to your school, or you can keep it for yourself.
Only one ever took me up on my offer. He was a strong little boy, traveling with a couple of other kids who left him on my doorstep while he pondered the possibilities. "I can spend the money on anything I want?" he asked. The little entrepreneur worked for me for months, and became my go-to guy for yanking out and shrubs and raking leaves. As far as I know, he spent his hard earned money on a new bike.
Word got around that the mean lady at my address only offered jobs, and little beggars began to avoid my door. Meanwhile, an entire generation of children was taught that demanding money from strangers is perfectly acceptable. As we devolve into a society divided between those who produce, those who don't, and those who forcibly redistribute, consider how it might have been if my lone crusade hadn't been so lonely.
Enforcing Human Niceness
January 7, 2012
Citing his own difficulties with bullies, Governor Rick Snyder recently signed Public Act 241, making Michigan the 48th state to pass an anti-bullying law. The legislation enjoyed bipartisan support, but a few stubborn facts about the value of legislating childhood behavior were ignored in the midst of feel-good across-the-aisle back slapping and congratulatory news articles.
Usually framed by arguments for child safety and the tragedy of teen suicide, anti-bullying laws have been around for about a decade and vary from state to state. Michigan's law is relatively mild; school districts are expected to implement their own policies to prohibit bullying, as well as prepare procedures and protocols to report to authorities, notify parents, deal with victims and perpetrators, and create a paper trail of all communications proving compliance.
Arguably, if even one child's life is saved, the tremendous amount of time and trouble spent implementing a program like this is worth it, but only if it is actually effective. Unfortunately, there does not appear to be much empirical evidence that anti-bullying laws work, and some studies show that a state-mandated process can make things worse.
The Criminal Justice Review published a meta-analytic review of school-based anti-bullying programs, which concluded that the programs "...are not practically effective in reducing bullying or violent behaviors in the schools." More frightening, some psychologists say that publicly connecting suicide to bullying creates a "normalizing" effect in the minds of unstable kids, and can actually increase suicides. Psychology Today reports "with the passage of these laws, they are apparently having a reverse effect. Bullying is escalating...many schools are finding themselves defendants in anti-bully lawsuits."
Consider that only 12% of a child's time is spent with teachers who must divide their attention between as many as 30 kids throughout the day. Educators are forced to depend on complaints, anonymous tips and personal sleuthing skills, as well as decipher and apply vague terms like "substantial emotional distress". What precisely constitutes bullying behavior, and which situations require intervention? What happens when a child is traumatized by a false accusation, or a sensitive child's pain is ignored because it does not rise to some subjective standard of harm? Asking teachers to judge with the wisdom of Solomon is unfair, unrealistic, and extremely unproductive.
Costs are another concern. Will Michigan schools receive extra funding to design and implement the programs? No one knows how much taxpayers will be on the hook for in Michigan, but New Jersey recently passed an extensive new anti-bullying law that so far, has cost an additional $250,000 just for training materials. A thriving nation-wide compliance industry has blossomed in the wake of anti-bullying legislation and cashed in on schools' efforts to shield teachers and school districts from the inevitable lawsuits.
Since modern lawmakers' first impulse is to regulate all human behavior, Michigan now follows the path of most states in criminalizing childhood, forcing teachers and administrators to try to solve an intractable characteristic of human nature. In reality, the best option for families is often the most simple: find a school that suits the child. Until now, the only choices were the limited spaces in charter and cyber (online) schools, or homeschooling. In response to the overwhelming popularity of such programs, Michigan has lifted the enrollment cap on charter schools, and is considering doing the same for cyber schools.
In their zeal to manage social problems, lawmakers should restrain their natural urge to regulate and control, and fight instead for the right of parents to find solutions for their families; now that the cap is off charter schools, it's time to do the same with cyber schools.
Perhaps if Governor Snyder had enjoyed more educational choices while growing up, his experience might have been more positive. No child should be afraid of going to school, and no parent should be without choice in the matter.
***Full Disclosure: I grew up in an unenlightened era when children were expected to develop thick skins and defensive right hooks. The last childhood bully I dealt with was the improbably named Candy, from 8th grade. The only thing more repulsive than a bully is a citizenry caught in the soft, seductive web of victimhood.
Citing his own difficulties with bullies, Governor Rick Snyder recently signed Public Act 241, making Michigan the 48th state to pass an anti-bullying law. The legislation enjoyed bipartisan support, but a few stubborn facts about the value of legislating childhood behavior were ignored in the midst of feel-good across-the-aisle back slapping and congratulatory news articles.
Usually framed by arguments for child safety and the tragedy of teen suicide, anti-bullying laws have been around for about a decade and vary from state to state. Michigan's law is relatively mild; school districts are expected to implement their own policies to prohibit bullying, as well as prepare procedures and protocols to report to authorities, notify parents, deal with victims and perpetrators, and create a paper trail of all communications proving compliance.
Arguably, if even one child's life is saved, the tremendous amount of time and trouble spent implementing a program like this is worth it, but only if it is actually effective. Unfortunately, there does not appear to be much empirical evidence that anti-bullying laws work, and some studies show that a state-mandated process can make things worse.
The Criminal Justice Review published a meta-analytic review of school-based anti-bullying programs, which concluded that the programs "...are not practically effective in reducing bullying or violent behaviors in the schools." More frightening, some psychologists say that publicly connecting suicide to bullying creates a "normalizing" effect in the minds of unstable kids, and can actually increase suicides. Psychology Today reports "with the passage of these laws, they are apparently having a reverse effect. Bullying is escalating...many schools are finding themselves defendants in anti-bully lawsuits."
Consider that only 12% of a child's time is spent with teachers who must divide their attention between as many as 30 kids throughout the day. Educators are forced to depend on complaints, anonymous tips and personal sleuthing skills, as well as decipher and apply vague terms like "substantial emotional distress". What precisely constitutes bullying behavior, and which situations require intervention? What happens when a child is traumatized by a false accusation, or a sensitive child's pain is ignored because it does not rise to some subjective standard of harm? Asking teachers to judge with the wisdom of Solomon is unfair, unrealistic, and extremely unproductive.
Costs are another concern. Will Michigan schools receive extra funding to design and implement the programs? No one knows how much taxpayers will be on the hook for in Michigan, but New Jersey recently passed an extensive new anti-bullying law that so far, has cost an additional $250,000 just for training materials. A thriving nation-wide compliance industry has blossomed in the wake of anti-bullying legislation and cashed in on schools' efforts to shield teachers and school districts from the inevitable lawsuits.
Since modern lawmakers' first impulse is to regulate all human behavior, Michigan now follows the path of most states in criminalizing childhood, forcing teachers and administrators to try to solve an intractable characteristic of human nature. In reality, the best option for families is often the most simple: find a school that suits the child. Until now, the only choices were the limited spaces in charter and cyber (online) schools, or homeschooling. In response to the overwhelming popularity of such programs, Michigan has lifted the enrollment cap on charter schools, and is considering doing the same for cyber schools.
In their zeal to manage social problems, lawmakers should restrain their natural urge to regulate and control, and fight instead for the right of parents to find solutions for their families; now that the cap is off charter schools, it's time to do the same with cyber schools.
Perhaps if Governor Snyder had enjoyed more educational choices while growing up, his experience might have been more positive. No child should be afraid of going to school, and no parent should be without choice in the matter.
***Full Disclosure: I grew up in an unenlightened era when children were expected to develop thick skins and defensive right hooks. The last childhood bully I dealt with was the improbably named Candy, from 8th grade. The only thing more repulsive than a bully is a citizenry caught in the soft, seductive web of victimhood.
Will Cain Call it Quits?
Whether he has been unfairly maligned by David Axelrod's minions, or is
truly a pervert, there will be celebrations tomorrow if Herman Cain
steps down. Team Obama will benefit the most from the elimination of
the one candidate that could have fragmented two vital coalitions
necessary to re-elect the POTUS, and Republicans may have missed their
best shot at the White House.
Leaving aside the arguments of how Conservative or capable Cain is, and considering only the strategic viability of a black Republican candidate, Cain may have stripped Obama of at least 20% of his support from the black community, and perhaps more from the "guilty white" crowd that voted for Obama for emotional and racial reasons. Although the numbers seem pretty minor, the difference going into the general election would be huge, and here's why: In the primary, the only people voting are those who already hold strong opinions on the candidates, but they will generally support whoever wins their primary. The 40% or so who make up the Rasmussen "strongly disapprove" rating have decided to support the Republican in 2012, and because it's an incumbent year, the 40% or so who at least "somewhat approve" will probably stick with Obama. That leaves approximately 20% of likely voters who don't know enough yet to have a strong opinion. They are not likely to vote in the primary, but they are the deciding factor in the general. So, next fall, with Obama competing against any white Republican, both sides will go in with about 40% support. The rest of the election is going to be about grabbing the majority of the undecideds. Expect a very dirty fight, without any of the black coalition or the "guilty white" vote switching sides at the last minute. The math changes with a black Republican candidate. If Cain wins the primary, it's reasonable to expect that many would see him as the guilt-free alternative; Cain is an authentic black man who is the polar opposite of Obama. Every campaign manager works hard to break the other guy's hard won coalitions. 14% of those who voted for Obama were black, and if 25% defected to Cain, he could add 3% to his base. Assuming that "guilty whites" might similarly jump ship for a black pro-business jobs maker, he might add another 3%. So Cain could conceivably enter the general election with solid support of 46%. Since the extra 6% is stolen from the base of Obama, the President would start the general with only 34% approval rating. It would be nearly impossible to gain the support of 17 out of every 20 undecideds. By contrast, no white Republican in 2012 can break racially motivated coalitions. Obama is already arguing that he needs more time, and that racist Republicans stand in the way of reform. He desperately needs to run against a pasty-faced rich establishment guy who can be portrayed as an enemy of the middle class, and Romney, Gingrich or Perry fit the bill nicely. Obama isn't concerned about the 40% who "strongly disapprove" in Rasmussen's poll numbers, because he knows his team is very good at appealing to those in the 20% undecided category. Part of that appeal will be the accusation that Republicans can't stand the idea of a black man running for President even on their own team. Where Small Towns Get the Cash
October 20, 2011 Publicly funded parks can be a precious component of life in the cities and suburbs of our country. For those not able to afford country escapes, these open spaces and verdant landscapes offer a welcome respite to noise, traffic and congested quarters. This "pedestrian park" located in my decidedly middle class suburb, is located betwixt the busiest streets in town, and surrounded by a strip mall parking lot and its driveways. Apparently designed by someone who never lived near the 45th parallel, and openly mocked as the stupid useless arches with the ugly garbage sculpture, the entire silly little thing cost over half a million dollars. Your federal tax dollars at work. |
People I Like
 Mark Steyn  Ayaan Hirsi Ali  Sultan Knish  Today's Politics by Freedomlover   Michelle Malkin |
Welcome Back
Thanks for stopping by! After a long painful fling with Google Sites, I'm test driving a new host service and will be posting soon. Until then, here is an essay from March of this year:
My Apocalyptic Evening With Mark Steyn
Driving through foreboding fogginess Wednesday, I was struck with a creeping sense of lurking doom, which naturally put me in the perfect humor to hear Mark Steyn’s speech at Hillsdale College that evening. Luckily, he was in an “apocalyptic mood” and delivered on a promise to give listeners something to think on, or at least drink on, depending on individual preference. Introducing his topic, he said, “If you’re planning on drinking to forget, I’ll try to give you plenty you’ll want to forget.”
Steyn disclosed the brutal truth of America in decline; the insatiable appetites of activist bureaucracy, moronic budgetary philosophy, an insouciant attitude toward debt and credit, the divorce of social conservatism from fiscal conservatism, and the unpalatable fact that we choose this reality freely. He also revealed a brief glimpse of that most rare of public Steynian moods, optimism.
Reanimating the “death panel” provision of Obamacare framed Steyn’s discussion of the monstrous growth of bureaucracy, and the onerous rules pertaining to every facet of our lives. Kathleen Sebelius, he said, “didn’t consult anyone” when she put the provision for end of life counseling back into Obamacare after it had been stripped out. With hundreds of references in the law handing her the power to make rules, “..the Secretary may and shall determine pretty much anything she wants, plucked at random from the Obamacare law.” Steyn said. Bureaucratic rule making is supplanting the people’s law making process in the legislature.
“It starts with the money, it always does.” Using examples like The Cowboy Poetry Festival, The Great lakes Restoration Initiative, and NPR, Steyn mocked the spending impulses of the government, with the attendant debt burden, and warned, “America is sending a consistent and very dangerous message to the world;... its governing mechanisms and political culture do not allow for meaningful course correction. And without meaningful course correction, America is doomed.”
Fiscal conservatives often don’t understand that easy credit and irresponsible debt burdens are not just accounting issues, said Steyn, “There’s nothing virtuous about caring, compassionate progressives demonstrating how caring and compassionate they are by spending money yet to be earned by generations yet to be born.” It’s a moral issue revolving around the relationship of trust and responsibility.
Steyn notes that the effect of shoveling money at people without burdening them with responsibility for their actions yields a culture devoid of self-reliance and liberty. He insisted that the issues of fiscal conservatism and morality cannot be separated, “Entire new categories of crime have arisen in the wake of familial collapse. Millions and millions of American children are raised in transient households and moral vacuums that make just not social mobility, but even elemental character formation all but impossible.”
Decline is not a foregone conclusion, he said, even when the political class and too many people have chosen it; when everyone in Europe was rioting and demanding more government money and government programs as, “insulation from the realities of life, this was the only country in the developed world where millions and millions of people took to the streets to say, ‘No! We could do just fine, if you, the government, would get out of our pockets, get out of our lives...and stay out!’ That’s the America that has a fighting chance.”
After the speech, I scampered to the reception, where Mark was entertaining a constantly rotating knot of fans. He graciously took the time to sign books, pose for photos and expand upon his earlier remarks, as well as answer all kinds of questions. Chatting with him, I’m always struck by his generous good humor and kindness toward others. Burdened with the tasks of a cultural Cassandra, he keeps us alert to the disaster we’d rather ignore. Thank you for all that, Mr. Steyn, and I’ll see you next year.
Steyn disclosed the brutal truth of America in decline; the insatiable appetites of activist bureaucracy, moronic budgetary philosophy, an insouciant attitude toward debt and credit, the divorce of social conservatism from fiscal conservatism, and the unpalatable fact that we choose this reality freely. He also revealed a brief glimpse of that most rare of public Steynian moods, optimism.
Reanimating the “death panel” provision of Obamacare framed Steyn’s discussion of the monstrous growth of bureaucracy, and the onerous rules pertaining to every facet of our lives. Kathleen Sebelius, he said, “didn’t consult anyone” when she put the provision for end of life counseling back into Obamacare after it had been stripped out. With hundreds of references in the law handing her the power to make rules, “..the Secretary may and shall determine pretty much anything she wants, plucked at random from the Obamacare law.” Steyn said. Bureaucratic rule making is supplanting the people’s law making process in the legislature.
“It starts with the money, it always does.” Using examples like The Cowboy Poetry Festival, The Great lakes Restoration Initiative, and NPR, Steyn mocked the spending impulses of the government, with the attendant debt burden, and warned, “America is sending a consistent and very dangerous message to the world;... its governing mechanisms and political culture do not allow for meaningful course correction. And without meaningful course correction, America is doomed.”
Fiscal conservatives often don’t understand that easy credit and irresponsible debt burdens are not just accounting issues, said Steyn, “There’s nothing virtuous about caring, compassionate progressives demonstrating how caring and compassionate they are by spending money yet to be earned by generations yet to be born.” It’s a moral issue revolving around the relationship of trust and responsibility.
Steyn notes that the effect of shoveling money at people without burdening them with responsibility for their actions yields a culture devoid of self-reliance and liberty. He insisted that the issues of fiscal conservatism and morality cannot be separated, “Entire new categories of crime have arisen in the wake of familial collapse. Millions and millions of American children are raised in transient households and moral vacuums that make just not social mobility, but even elemental character formation all but impossible.”
Decline is not a foregone conclusion, he said, even when the political class and too many people have chosen it; when everyone in Europe was rioting and demanding more government money and government programs as, “insulation from the realities of life, this was the only country in the developed world where millions and millions of people took to the streets to say, ‘No! We could do just fine, if you, the government, would get out of our pockets, get out of our lives...and stay out!’ That’s the America that has a fighting chance.”
After the speech, I scampered to the reception, where Mark was entertaining a constantly rotating knot of fans. He graciously took the time to sign books, pose for photos and expand upon his earlier remarks, as well as answer all kinds of questions. Chatting with him, I’m always struck by his generous good humor and kindness toward others. Burdened with the tasks of a cultural Cassandra, he keeps us alert to the disaster we’d rather ignore. Thank you for all that, Mr. Steyn, and I’ll see you next year.