FreeRepublicans.com

Reasons Why: Part One

From now till the election, I will bring you "Reasons Why" Kent Conrad and/or Earl Pomeroy do not represent North Dakotans, American Ideals, or Freedom in general.

We begin our series by focusing on HR 1606, “The Online Freedom of Speech Act.”

This bill, sponsored by Rep. Jeb Hensarling [R-TX], dealt with the FEC’s interpretations of the term “public communications” within the McCain-Feingold law. Congress identified a large number of mass media that, as “public communications,” would be subject to McCain-Feingold’s many restrictions – including broadcast, cable and satellite communications, newspapers, magazines, mass mailings, telephone banks – even “outdoor advertising facilities” are mentioned. The bottom line is that virtually every type of mass media in America was identified by Congress in the statute, except for one: the Internet.

Matt Mechtel, Republican candidate for the U.S. House of Representatives from North Dakota, told me via email: “The restrictions put in place by McCain Feingold have been disastrous for challenger races of either party. The bill has effectively locked the average citizen out of the political process, allowing only Millionaires to run for office against incumbents.”

Earl Pomeroy voted against this measure; as did 76% of Democrats; with 82% of Republicans voting in favor. Even though Rep. Frederick Boucher [D-VA], Rep. John Conyers [D-MI], and Rep. Timothy Ryan [D-OH] were full co-sponsors; Congressman Pomeroy still decided to tow the party line.

Regarding Pomeroy’s vote, Mechtel had this to say: “The fact that my opposition wants to tighten the stranglehold on free speech with these regulations shows his inability to distinguish what is truly the best interest of the people of this state. It seems curious that congress has no problem controlling what their challengers might say or print about them.”

Opposition to the bill was based in a belief contention that the bill, if passed, would open the floodgates to unlimited corporate and union money being spent on Internet activities to benefit federal candidates and in coordination with federal candidates. One specific charge is that the Hensarling bill, if passed, would allow federal candidates to coordinate with corporations and unions to spend soft money funds to purchase Internet banner and video ads on behalf of candidates.

The full text of the bill can be found here, but the simple fact of the matter is that Earl Pomeroy does not respect the 1st Amendment of the Constitution:

“Congress shall make no law… abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances."

The McCain-Feingold law was a regulation on the 1st Amendment, but even it left out the internet as being regulated. Representatives like Pomeroy had to go farther in regulating our liberties.

Reason #1 Why Earl Pomeroy doesn’t represent North Dakotans – he supports limitations on Constitutional Protected rights. Even worse, he supports using his power as a sitting Congressman to prop himself up as an incumbent.

See it at FreeRepublicans.com

The Republican Party has been hijacked. Hijacked by power hungry elitists who have ultra-conservative ideologies that disguise their real agenda; a new form of leftist thinking. This may seem like a strange statement, but if one compares the Machiavellian manner in which the Neo-Cons have taken control, the idea’s that the promote, and the crowd that they surround themselves, one will see the similarities.

Like all elitist takeovers, it is a small majority who have supplanted themselves in the hierarchy of the party. Even if it does not go all the way to the top, surely that goal cannot be far off as well.

What has made this coup de taut possible? Good, honest, idealistic individuals looking to make thing better motivated by a sense of public service and personal advancement. Some seek out making a name for themselves within the party, often with the best of intentions. But as they say about good intentions, so too it is true here.

Many times, when these individuals do make it to positions of influence within the party, the corrupting influence of our nation’s capital takes over and good people turn into greedy, power hungry people. Absolute power corrupts absolutely and zero accountability makes that corruption even worse.

From a historical stand point the Republican Party platform has stood upon the pillar of conservatism – balanced fiscal policy and where possible balanced budgets, leeriness of foreign wars and alliances, a non-interventionist stance to armed conflict, and a support of traditional values at home. The last bastion of the Reagan Revolution within the mainstream party resides within its tax policy, and even that has become yet another tool of social engineering. As Pat Buchanan has succinctly stated, the current state of the party could be summed up as follows -

“To hell with principle;

        what matters is power,

                and that we have it,

                        and that they don’t.”

Ronald Reagan said “government isn’t the solution, government is the problem.” George W. Bush says “Too often, my party has confused the need for limited government with a disdain for government itself.”

How should we measure how our leaders are protecting us?
Some would say that it’s based on the amount of money we spend.
Or is it based on how many armed troops or police they put on the streets?

I would contend that they should be judged by the legislation they draw up and support.

Such a case is currently reaching massive attention the Congress this week.

Some
officials in the government have deemed it proper to allow the control
of US Ports be sold to an investment group backed by the United Arab
Emirates.

The Committee on Foreign Investment in the United
States, a U.S. inter-agency panel that reviews security implications of
foreign takeovers of strategic assets, already reviewed the transaction
and did not object.

It is not often that I commend Democrats
from putting out a roadblock; much less say that Hillary Clinton in
right. “"I will be working [with Senator Menendez] to introduce
legislation that will prohibit the sale of ports to foreign
governments,*" Hillary said at some point, Bill wasn’t available for
comment, he was “busy”.

Dubai Ports World, a UAE
quasi-corporation, is set to take control of operations in ports in the
United States including the ports of New Orleans, Miami, Baltimore,
Philadelphia, New York, and New Jersey.

Some members of the
media have pointed this out; most notably, Lou Dobbs at CNN, who has
always advocated protectionism at various levels. While he is generally
more to the liberal side of things, he is one of the only commentators
that are still watch able on cable TV. (FoxNews is all but unwatchable
at this point.)

Any politician, regardless of party, who support foreign countries and corporations, should be defeated at election time.

"We
wouldn’t turn the border patrol or the customs service over to a
foreign government, and we can’t afford to turn our ports over to one
either*," Sen. Robert Menendez of New Jersey said in a statement.

Robert
Menendez of New Jersey and Hillary Clinton of New York said they would
offer a measure to ban companies owned or controlled by foreign
governments from acquiring U.S. port operations.

Despite that
review, some Republicans and Democrats in the U.S. Congress urged the
Bush administration to conduct a more rigorous review. They expressed
fears that the UAE was used as a conduit for parts used for nuclear
proliferation and that the local banking system had been abused by
financiers with possible links to terrorist organizations.
The
President has come out against those who wish to secure our borders by
calling members of the Minuteman Project “vigilantes.”

The President has supported amnesty, or work visas, for people who BREAK THE LAW.

I
will even go so far as to say that if the President Bush supports this
sale and works against a bill to block the sale, impeachment
proceedings could legitimately occur.

P&O, the company
Dubai Ports World plans to buy for $6.8 billion, is already
foreign-owned, by the British, but the concern is that the purchaser is
backed by the United Arab Emirates government*.

This case has the appearance that the Security of the Homeland is secondary to profits, in this case.

*Reuters

Profit Sharing.

Just like in sports.

I don’t know how it would work exactly, but if it works for the private sector, it can work for schools.

More affluent districts forgo things like new gyms and football fields so that the state school system as a whole thrives.

Then we get rid of Mayville State University, Lake Region College, and Williston State College to start with. Use the savings at the other universities to help keep down tuition increases.

Then we make it law that no tax money and no student tuition can go to funding sports. Make that private booster donations only.

At least its a start. At least its a plan.

Do you or someone you know want a career in politics?

If so and you are 25 years of age or older (for House)
Or 30 years old (for Senate)

Apply now for the Republican Nomination

Even if you are not a Republican, Apply now while Interest Rates are low!

Apply now, and we’ll explain how you can run for Congress Today!

What is Perception?

Perception is more important than Reality.

The perception of the Republican Party has become stagnant.
All too often the Party is viewed as that of old, rich, white males.
We know this is not the reality, it can not be denied that this is the perception.

Just as the recent lobbyist scandals have prompted called for calls for changes in leadership; this faulty perception calls for new blood from the grassroots to take hold within the party.

Future of the Republican Party is in hands of the Youth Movement.

Many of these young activists believe that in order to make a difference they must impress someone.

Often times, these young activists do not fit the mold and image of a Republican.

However, from an intellectual standpoint they exemplify Greater Conservative Thought better than the mainstream.

Politics should not be relegated only to those with established financial means.

To change the perception of the party, we must change the makeup of the party.

It is fully possible to sell the Republican Party as the Party of Youth, as the Party of Intellect, and the Party of Forward Thinking.

To do this, how we perceive ourselves must change.

The convention has been put on hold.

The current idea is to get a "Blogger’s Row" going at the convention in Minot.

Right now, it is tentatively scheduled for March 31st in Bismarck.

Signed up So Far

Northern Conservative @K@ JMiller

Say Anything @K@ Rob

Open thread for ideas. Suggestions. Etc.

The Progressive
Conservatism Movement follows the tradition of Jeffersonian liberalism
and Teddy Roosevelt style Progressivism, without sacrificing
Conservative principles for comprimise.

We believe every human
being is endowed by nature with inherent rights to life, liberty and
property that are properly secured by law. We support a strict
construction of the Bill of Rights as a defense against tyranny; the
expansion of those rights to all voluntary consensual conduct under the
Ninth and Tenth Amendments; and the requirements of equal protection
and due process under the Fourteenth Amendment.

We oppose all
restrictions on free and honest expression, most critically those that
infringe on political discourse. We oppose public financing of
campaigns and any law that allows organizations to collect campaign
donations against the wishes of the organization’s individual members.

*This is the summary statement I wrote when I launched NPL2.org

If your involved and say, under 35, submit yourself. I will filter later.