We're all still people right?

I've thought about something recently, maybe because I'm trudging through this history book and I am reminded that during the Civil War, we were anything BUT civil. Families and friends turned against each other almost overnight, killing each other over ideology (right?). Well, we're a very happening and sophisticated people now, looking at the wars in Africa as if we're above tribal wars and arguments over land, etc.

The difference is, we don't shoot each other, yet. And the war between the Democrats and the Republicans is definately brutal, as a conservative I'm thinking how Sarah Palin and family were trashed and George W. Bush got disrespected on policy (often rightly) but the way he spoke and other non-policy related things that were just rude and completely ignorant and unnecessary. I'm sure Democrats can think of their own champions and they way they see THEM portrayed unfairly (some would say Obama and I can agree on a FEW of the ways he's been portrayed).

Example, why comparing any American politician to Hilter is the cool thing for the not-in-power-party to do is BEYOND ME. If they've killed 18 million people, yes, get back to me. SHEESH.

So we hate each other really. Twitter conservatives and liberals bash each other back and forth, and I join in. And then I stop for a few days and don't miss it much. Then I log back in and get back into the swing of things. But in the end, it's fruitless, it's pointless. No one changes anyone's mind, we all get frustrated, and further dislike each other.

But if I passed a person trapped on the side of the road in a burning car/bleeding and I found out he/she was a liberal, would I NOT get help or help myself?! NEVER. Obviously. My co-workers, neighbors, people in my church, and my friends whom I love have been liberals and I love them dearly, enjoy their company, and would do a LOT for them (for most, I believe I'd give my life).

But it's easy to forget they are real people, with small children, the majority of whom probably DO want what's best for the U.S. even if we've all got very different ideas of what that is. It's easy to forget especially when we just hear their idiotic statements on TV or see the latest laws or scandals. It's too easy to forget. But we need to remember:

We're all still people right?

Thanks for the Free Advertising Mr President! - Fox News

Obama drives record Fox News ratings, bumps MSNBC by CNN
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/washington/2009/07/obama-fox-news-msnbc-cnn-.html

Bad move Mr. President. First, it doesn't look good that you, or White House cronies, continually think that bashing Fox News will prevent any of their viewers from watching it. In addition, you've bumped their ratings a whooping 34%. That means you're helping Fox to DOUBLE CNN's viewership and TRIPLE MSNBC (who both ironically, had mishaps this last week with their highly trained and professional, unbiased I'm sure, reporters basically lying about Rush Limbaugh.)

As a fan of FNC myself, I hope you continue Mr. President. Direct every American to one of the few sources of news and political commentary that actually challenges anything you do. We'll all be better for it.

- Conservative Minority

Facebook Political Quiz

This is what is says if you are determined to be a lefty (a friend of mine on Facebook got that apparently).

"Are you liberal or conservative?" and got the result: You are a solid left-winger!

You desire equality of results and believe that when somebody is knocked down by life, the government should step in and help them out.... Taxes do not concern you much as only the rich will be paying them and you believe they do not pay their fair share. You do not have a strong grasp of economics but believe that those in government do and should be trusted with running most things as long as those in power are not republicans. You distrust many things to do with the military and big business. You believe in personal freedoms but understand when certain ones (like the right to bear arms) need to be curtailed.

HOW SCARY IS THAT PARAGRAPH?!!? Hahaha, I can't get over it. I took it to see what I'd get...ooh the anticipation!
And here were my results:

Solid right-winger

You believe in the use of government's power for the common good such as national defense but are wary of government intrusion into your personal life. You believe individual liberties should not be curbed when possible and that America should have a strong defense. You believe that people should succeed and others fail based on their actions and not because government helped one group or another. You believe in equality of opportunity not results. If you do not already, you should vote republican in the next election.

Hey Peeps, it's called the Voter's Pamphlet!

I was talking to one of my female Conservative friends (few and far between) about the upcoming election (Nov 3 in our state) and how she should vote YES on I-1033. I said something to the extent of "Once I get my voter's guide, I'll know what other initiatives are up." And she said she'd already got hers! I frantically ran downstairs and dug through our previously received mail. NOTHING. Where is my guide? How am I supposed to know what is going on?

I just know some liberal higher power decided not to mail ME my guide because I'm conservative. Not that conservative votes are even counted in WA. They just recount until they get the outcome they like. (The last few sentances were in jest. Well, the first sentence was anyway.)

Fortunately, I found it online (that's nifty, saves paper!) here: http://www.co.pierce.wa.us/pc/abtus/ourorg/aud/elections/archives/gen09/vps.htm

I skipped through some of the initial information, like the "traditional sample ballot" they include to try and help the not-so-smart among us make sure their vote counts. We don't want hanging chads or anything. 5 Steps to make sure your vote count:

1. Bring identification when voting at a polling place. (Liberals don't care if other liberals don't bring identification...like the homeless people they shipped into the polls in Ohio)
2. Mark your ballot correctly. (Duh.)
3. Sign your ballot envelope when voting by mail.
4. Mail your ballot prior to election day. (Wait, you don't count the ones you receive 3 weeks later?)
5. Keep your registration up to date. (See my comment on #1)

Ok, my commentary on what's up to vote in WA:

• Vote NO on "Proposed Amendment Charter #1" - Reason? Why should we extend the term limits for WA politicians from 2 terms to 3? I say we shouldn't because given the state of WA politics, we need new people more often than not. Let people only screw up our state government and economy 2 times.
• Vote NO on "Proposed Amendment Charter #2" - It proposes moving certain elections to "off years". Both sides of the argument said "If you voted yes on #1, vote yes on this one too" or "If you voted no on #1, vote no for this too!" I think it's a dumb idea. Why do they need to move elections around? So we can be in a constant state of running for office?
• Vote NO on "Proposed Amendment Charter #3" to eliminate Run Off Voting - Run off voting means that voters can select their FIRST choice for an office and then two the lesser of the remaining evils for your second, third choices. I've liked that idea ever since I learned about it.
• Auditor: Jan Shabro (she's done a good job)
• Port of Tacoma Commissioner Position #1: Connie Bacon (the other guy wants to widen the Panama Canal...)
  
• Port of Tacoma Commissioner Position #2: Dick Marzano
  
• Port of Tacoma Commissioner Position #4: Don Meyer
• Lakewood Council Position #1: Darrel Shiley
• Lakewood " " #2: Connie Colman Lacadie
• Lakewood #3 : Jason Whalen

Dah, there is way more, but I don't even know who all we get to vote for in the area I live. I'll have to wait until I get my ballot in the mail.

Oh yes and:
WA Initiative 1033 – Limit growth of government revenue YES
WA Referendum Measure 71 – Don’t undermine Marriage REJECT

What Youth Can Do to be More Informed

• While the left constantly trashes the Fox News Network, they don't have a problem with where the majority of teenagers/young adults are getting their political know-how (or lack thereof): "Comedy Central" or MTV. If the people in the 18-29 age group actually subscribed to a variety of news (Yes, variety, including the Associated Press, where a lot of internet sources steal their news word-for-word anyway) and used all the different biases (it's impossible to write without the influence of one's personal opinion) to even it all out, maybe we'd be better off.
• Understand that the world isn't like highschool. Popularity doesn't mean a person is good, it doesn't mean a person is smart, it doesn't mean ANYTHING. Popularity in politics is about as long-lasting as SNL skit and usually far more entertaining to follow. Just because your neighbor believes something is true or is going to vote for a Presidential candidate is not good enough reason for another person to do it. Every choice should be evaluated personality, the logic of both sides of the argument evaluated, and the actual facts discovered.
• Resist the urge to name call or insult in other ways, those you disagree with. Try sticking to disagreeing on policy and avoid the personal attacks.
• Care about it to begin with. I've found my age-group in two MAIN categories. Those who don't care and those who don't have any clue. In the don't care group, that's almost more sad. At least I don't have to cancel out their votes, but if you can't care enough even to vote about things that WILL affect us in the future, what incentive do you have to know more about it. My own knowledge is woefully inadequate, but for many of my peers, their lack of interest in knowledge in our system is disheartening. If you think that issues like property rights don't matter to you now, picture when you own property! If you think foreign policy doesn't affect you, look at the nations that were destroyed within a generation by attempts at socialism and communism, dictatorships, and the restriction or complete destruction of speech, gun, and religious freedoms. It will all come to bear in our lives at some point...take an interest while you actually get a voice about it.
  

Is it any wonder no one takes our age group seriously in politics? They know getting our vote is as easy as a good marketing campaign with "catchy slogans", lofty oration, and a slick candidate. No substance or facts are needed to get the "youth vote". Inform them about whatever you want them to know, and they will do as they are told.

I don't know about the rest of you, but I'm ashamed that our peer-group is so easily manipulated by commercial whim and the not-to-wholesome desires of some of our political elite.

Rush interview with MSNBC

Kudos to MSNBC for a fairly evenhanded handling of their interview with Rush Limbaugh. If you hate the guy, you're the one who should read it. It might give you some actual perspective instead of just listening to left-winged rhetoric about him.

"Rush Limbaugh realizes you don’t become America’s most popular radio talk-show host without having the hide of an elephant. And he’s long subscribed to a theory: His 21 million listeners know him and love him, and the other 280 million Americans, well, they don’t pay the bills.

“My objective is to satisfy [my] audience so they come back the next day,” Limbaugh told TODAY national correspondent Jamie Gangel in a wide-ranging, three-hour interview, excerpts of which air on TODAY Monday and Tuesday.

“Most of my critics don’t even listen to me; they are clueless,” Limbaugh said. “They just go to Web sites that report what I say out of context. I’m amazed at the Democrats and the media who do not know what’s going on in my world. I know what’s going on in theirs. I study ’em. I watch ’em every day.”"

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/33244211/ns/today-today_people/

Just when you thought humanity couldn't get much more deprived...

Kathleen Parker wrote a great article about a businesswoman/blogger who had a miscarriage in her office meeting and chose to flippantly update her Twitter page on that regard.

The woman tweeted "I'm in a board meeting. Having a miscarriage. Thank goodness, because there's a (expletive) 3-week hoop-jump to have an abortion in Wisconsin."

Wow. Just when you thought people couldn't get more calloused about human life.

http://www.winonadailynews.com/news/opinion/article_e98ae874-b449-11de-9430-001cc4c002e0.html

One of my favorite points Kathleen Parker had: "Women certainly needn't feel shame for a miscarriage. Abortion, which is in an entirely different category, deserves a different conversation. It's worth noting for the sake of irony, that the principal argument for abortion was privacy."

It's good to be Conservative.

I hope I can get my feelings into something somewhat meaningful. I just had a rather inspirational time at the Evergreen Leadership Conference. It reminded me what I see in conservatives that makes me identify as one myself, even though that doesn't always make me popular among my facebook connections, friends/acquaintances, and/or schoolmates.

• First, I love this country. The history book I'm reading "A History of the American People" by Paul Johnson spans the period from the first boats on the sand of the new world to near the end of Clinton's presidency in 1997. I'm not far into it yet, but even at page 231 I can see that the United States was started differently than any other nation before or since. The men were going off of what they disliked about the Kings, Parliament, and European life in general and trying to make things DIFFERENT in the new world. Conservatives respect that the U.S. is different. They want to love and respect what this country is and the ideals it was founded on and stands for. They want to CONSERVE what our founding fathers wrote and what millions of men and woman have fought and died for.

• Next, I want us to be strong and respected in the world. We accomplish that not only by giving our aid when people are in need of medications, food, clean water, clothing, or refuge, but often by stepping in to stop oppression. This gets us called "the world's police" by those on the Left or by those who don't like being stopped from doing what they are doing...but ultimately, is it not the job of good people to preserve the human rights of others? Think playground and 1st grade...it's really being "the playground police" when a big strong teenager stops another teenager from beating up a 1st grader? Should we really just look away when injustices are happening around the world? Or does our involvement stop at being the world's doctors, food/water providers, and sending American relief workers into the mess to do their best to help? We are also strong and respected when we stand up for what is right and in our best interests, even if it means that other big nations aren't going to like it. It means we protect our people and our allies and don't let nations bully us and don't sit by as they threaten and lie. Respected doesn't mean LIKED/LOVED. Conservatives understand that better than the opposition, I believe.
  

• We should conduct our business, our personal lives, and our politics with morality and according to what is best for the country (not government). Perhaps this is where conservatives (or the Republican Party specifically) has lost its way. We've fallen into the same horrible business planning (over spending and waste), the moral depravity (sexual scandals or lying), and meaningless personal attacks as the opposition. We used to be a party that did not think religion was something to be feared and removed.

• We occasionally have clarity, good ideas, and progression instead of just opposition! We just need to get good plans and be able to share those openly with people. We need to go to the youth, minorities and just lay it out. We don't have to sugar coat it, we don't need to dumb it down. We just need strategy and a way to share it with people so they can think about it.

~ Conservative Minority

Attending the Evergreen Leadership Conference

The list of speakers is quite impressive and exciting. Some people I recognize, and some I don't but I'm equally impressed about. The keynote is Pat Toomey who is set to run against Arlen Specter for the PA Senate seat in 2010. (As much as I learn and keep informed with breaking news, and especially where Obama is concerned, but there is so much I have yet to learn!)

Three more speakers I'm excited for are:

Luncheon Keynote Speaker Steve Beren Candidate for Congress 7th Congressional District link

John Carlson Co-Host, KOMO Radio "The Commentators" Founder, Washington Policy Center link

Tim Eyman Voters Want More Choices Permanent-Offense.org link

Ok, I don't know many people in WA who wouldn't recognize Eyman, even if it's just by name! I had to look up Steve Beren, but was fascinated by what I learned! Anyone who goes from Democrat to Republican and atheist to Christian is someone I want to hear from. And John Carlson of course, for anyone who's listened to WA talk radio, we know John Carlson. I think I remember supporting him in his bid for governor of WA. I believe he lost to Locke.

That's the just the top of the list, there are many more interesting looking bloggers, directors of conservative websites or organizations, and former politicians who will be speaking tomorrow.

Here was my political background: I grew up home schooled in a Christian, Republican Conservative home. I know, liberals everywhere are already shrieking and holding up whatever they use for protection (since they can't use guns or crosses). I joke that I've been listening to Rush Limbaugh even the in the womb. Seriously, I don't know if my mom had the headphones on her stomach, but the political commentary from Rush, Michael Medved, Kirby Wilbur, and a host of other hosts were an expected and natural part of my everyday life. I don't really remember much that was said until I started getting older and actually following the news. I remember watching a debate before Clinton was elected and sensing my parents' dislike (and therefore disliking him myself) and later on, watching a Jennifer Dunn interview or debate for her election.

I think I really got a good taste for politics from my community college political classes (and every other class at community college really). Every teacher found a way to bring politics up in class, sometimes it applied. But my first political science class, as the only outspoken conservative against my teacher and 30+ students when I was 16-years-old was the first time I was completely outnumbered, often under-informed, and loved it. (My teacher was a pretty fair and nice guy.)

From there, my passion just grew and I hope is growing. I want to be more firmly grounded in the fundamentals of our government, our country's history, and our current political leaders. Tomorrow is just a step to meet people and learn from some of the greats.

Looks like Snowe.....

I didn't know exactly what to think about this woman, so I had to do some research. In fact, I should do research on every congress man and woman. Now that is the undertaking for someone who desires political prowess!

Her introduction on Wikipedia.org had this to say of her:
"Olympia Jean Snowe McKernan (born February 21, 1947), née Bouchles, is the senior U.S. Senator from Maine. She is a Republican and a leading moderate within the party.

Snowe has become widely known for her ability to influence the outcome of close votes and Senatorial filibusters.

In 2006, she was named one of America's Top Ten Senators by Time Magazine. Her political popularity in her home state is the highest of any current U.S. Senator; as of November 22, 2006, she enjoyed a 79 percent approval rating in her home state of Maine."

Being popular as a senator is a huge deal, I believe as a whole, congress has a 26.8% approval rating from an RCP poll on Foxnews.com (I know, if you are a liberal reading this, you may shudder that I just cited FoxNews).

Further information from Wikipedia (yes, the bastion of truth and knowledge, weren't you ever in college?) includes her going soft on Bill Clinton's lying under oath, and "breaks from the Bush Administration"

"Her occasional breaks with the Bush administration drew attacks from other conservative Republicans; the Club for Growth and Concerned Women for America label her as a 'Republican in Name Only' (RINO)."

She also appears dedicated to her work, the only one of 8 senators who haven't missed any votes! (What exactly are the rest of them doing? Jet-setting on private planes, sipping tax payer dollars?)

Democrats have been on her to be the only Republican "turn coat" on the bloated health care bill (that most of congress probably hasn't read). An article from The Washington Post said:

"After weeks of courtship of Snowe by the White House, Democracy Corps -- a Democratic-aligned polling operation -- released polling data this afternoon that argues that the Maine Senator's willingness to cooperate with the Administration on health care is directly tied to her re-election prospects in 2012

The survey, which was conducted by Greenberg Quinlan Rosner Research, argues that while Snowe is extremely popular at the moment -- 70 percent job approval, 60 percent saying they would vote for her again in 2012 -- those numbers "should not be mistaken for blind allegiance to her," according to a polling memo released with the data.

As evidence, the memo notes that when the same sample is asked to imagine Snowe voting against Obama's health care plan, her numbers drop precipitously -- with 44 percent saying they would definitely vote to re-elect her and 44 percent saying they would entertain the prospect of voting for someone else. That drop includes a 33-percent tumble among independents, a critically important part of Snowe's winning calculus in past elections....

This memo is rightly understood as a shot across Snowe's political bow, a not-so-subtle hint that she should support the President's health care plan or else...

Snowe has been through this sort of intense lobbying effort before and, for an incumbent whose lowest re-election percentage is 60 percent, the prospect of electoral peril is less intimidating than it might be for some Senators.

Given that, the full-court press being put on Snowe by Democratic interest groups has the real possibility of back-firing -- turning her against compromise to show that she will not be bullied into backing the legislation."

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/thefix/senate/democrats-ratchet-up-pressure.html?wprss=thefix

USA Today blurbed about her as well:

"Sen. Olympia Snowe, a critical Republican on the Senate Finance Committee, called today for slowing down the work on crafting a health care bill.

She spoke as the committee -- the only key panel that has not offered a health reform bill -- began work as a full committee on legislation proposed by chairman Max Baucus of Montana.

Snowe said it was critical to find a solution to health care issues, but called for putting "thoughtful deliberation ahead of an arbitrary deadline."

'We simply cannot address one-sixth of our economy on matters of such personal and financial significance to every American on a legislative fast-track,' she said.

Snowe said that 'significant work remains to be done that is critical to the outcome of this legislation.'"

http://blogs.usatoday.com/ondeadline/2009/09/sen-snowe-calls-for-slowing-down-work-on-health-care.html

My cynical side wants to shout "BE A REPUBLICAN" and vote party line on the issue. My intelligent side wants to know the line between voting against something because it's a stupid bill and voting as a representative of the people. That's actually the whole point of being a representative government, right? Doesn't it somewhat make sense that a congressman/woman would be swayed by the will of the people they represent? But at some point, a person has to say "Common sense tells me this is stupid. The other side is saying I should do it, maybe a few of the people that would have voted for me will no longer, but is that enough to outweigh my common sense?"

One thing is for sure, kudos Senator Snowe for asking that people actually slow down, read the bill, and try to get something that actually works and makes sense. Obama attempting to rush this is part of a political agenda and needing something under the belt for re-election and a rise in the polls, it's not about people or healthcare.

- Conservative Minority