The first tax fix bill has been submitted in the new Congress. Below is the outline of the bill. You can clearly see that the bill addresses the key issues that many in the Tea Party see as important.
Michele Bachmann (R-MN) representative, by filing first, is hoping to frame the key issues that the broader congressional members must began to debate as a vote on the new Obama budget approaches the March deadline.
By getting these tax ideas in a form that can be easily seen and understood Representative Bachmann is giving us time to think about what makes sense to us and what changes in the tax code we want to change. This has to happen rather quickly. So we need to read, think, discuss, and communicate to our Congress as quickly as possible. As the vote date get closer they will get busier and busier making it harder to get their ear.
Regardless of the details in her proposed bill or what might or might not come from, her effort The Oxford Tea Party is grateful to Michele Bachmann. She is the lady who organized the Tea Party caucus in the House and I believe she has some thoughts of running for higher office come 2012.
H.R.86 -- End Tax Uncertainty Act of 2011 (Introduced in House - IH)
HR 86 IH
112th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 86
To prevent pending tax increases, permanently repeal estate and gift taxes, and permanently repeal the alternative minimum tax on individuals, and for other purposes.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
January 5, 2011
Representative Bachmann (for herself and representatives Mr. King and Mr. SCHILLING) introduced the following bill which was referred to the Committee on Ways and Means
The BILL
To prevent pending tax increases, permanently repeal estate and gift taxes, and permanently repeal the alternative minimum tax on individuals, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the `End Tax Uncertainty Act of 2011'.
SEC. 2. EGTRRA AND JGTRRA TAX RELIEF MADE PERMANENT.
(a) Economic Growth and Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2001- Title IX of the Economic Growth and Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2001 is hereby repealed.
(b) Income Tax Rates on Dividends and Net Capital Gain- Section 303 of the Jobs and Growth Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2003 is hereby repealed.
(c) Effective Date- The amendments made by this section shall take effect on the date of the enactment of this Act.
SEC. 3. ESTATE AND GIFT TAX PERMANENTLY REPEALED.
Effective for estates of decedents dying, gifts made, or generation skipping transfers, after December 31, 2010, subtitle B of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 is repealed.
SEC. 4. REPEAL OF ALTERNATIVE MINIMUM TAX ON INDIVIDUALS.
(a) In General- Subsection (a) of section 55 (relating to alternative minimum tax imposed) is amended by adding at the end the following new flush sentence:
`Except in the case of a corporation, no tax shall be imposed by this section for any taxable year beginning after December 31, 2007, and the tentative minimum tax of any taxpayer other than a corporation for any such taxable year shall be zero for purposes of this title.'.
(b) Effective Date- The amendment made by this section shall apply to taxable years beginning after December 31, 2010.
SEC. 5. MAXIMUM CORPORATE INCOME TAX RATE REDUCED TO 25 PERCENT.
(a) In General- Paragraph (1) of section 11(b) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 is amended by striking `but does not exceed $75,000' and all that follows and inserting a period.
(b) Personal Service Corporations- Paragraph (2) of section 11(b) of such Code is amended by striking `35 percent' and inserting `25 percent'.
(c) Conforming Amendments-
(1) Subsection (a) of section 1201 of such Code is amended by striking `35 percent' each place it appears and inserting `25 percent'.
(2) Paragraphs (1) and (2) of section 1445(e) of such Code are each amended by striking `35 percent' and inserting `25 percent'.
(d) Effective Date- The amendment made by this section shall apply to taxable years beginning after December 31, 2010.
(New Speaker John Boehner, leader of the Republicans says he wants to cut spending and put it in the pledge to America. When he was sworn in last week, he declared: "Our spending has caught up with us. ... No longer can we kick the can down the road." But when NBC anchorman Brian Williams asked him to name a program "we could do without," he said, "I don't think I have one off the top of my head." The Republicans promised they would start the new congress by cutting $100 billion out of the budget. Let's put that in perspective. The budget is close to $4 trillion. So $100 billion is just 2.5 percent and already they are trying to step back from the 2.5. )
If I were to cut 2.5 percent out of our home budget we wouldn't even see a difference. I wonder what the Canadian Parliament would charge us to come down and run our Country for a few years?
To close on a different note. Lebanon's government collapsed today. I know this has nothing to do with what this tax article is about but there is a lesson in the collapse that we need to learn from. Lebanon took in large numbers of Hezbollah refugees over the years and allowed them some form of citizenship. Members of this group ran for office and won seats in their Parliament. There were enough of them and their supporters in Parliament that when they walked out in mass today the government collapsed. If we look around the world at all the countries who have had, more or less open border policies, have paid enormous prices for their good intentions.
( I refer you back to a book entitled 'The Bell Curve" by Murray. A book all the liberal press considers politically incorrect and I am sure this Sheriff in Arizona does also. )
Ron
Docnick37@gmail.com
http://theoxfordteaparty.blogspot.com/
Friday, January 14, 2011
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
The Time is Nigh
Believe the GOP has lost it's direction? Believe the GOP is failing in its mission as the conservative party? Want the GOP to be the conservative party again? Want to have a say? Want to make a difference? Willing to step up to the plate? Willing to invest time?
These are just a few of the questions we need to be asking ourselves. In the last few articles we have been looking at our state and wondering out loud what impact could we have locally and just what we would need to do in order to achieve this goal.
How the National Parties function is a mystery to most. So we at The Oxford Tea Party have been delving into those mysteries. It's not what we might call convoluted or exciting findings. Pretty straight forward stuff really.
Below is a outline of how the Arizona Republicans GOP works. This is more or less how Mississippi's Republican GOP works and for that matter all of the other states. If you would like to read various articles he has written just click on ColdWarrior and that will take you to the RedState site. He is a conservative writer and this is a response to comments he was making in a discussion on a blog site. This picks up in the middle of a discussion.
Conservative? Want to change the outcome of the RNC Chairman election?
ColdWarrior Monday, January 10th at 10:16AM EST RedState
Well, to do that, you had to know who actually votes for the RNC candidates. That means you have to “read the directions.” The Rules of the Republican Party (linked below).
Are you qualified to cast a vote for who becomes the next RNC Chairman? Have you read “the directions?” The Rules of the Republican Party? Your state Republican Party rules/bylaws? Think of what our forbears went through to secure our liberties. The Revolution. The Civil War. WW I. WW II. Etc. Have you even read the RNC Rules? It’s not like they’re hard to find. We have the internet.
“When all else fails, read the directions.”
Wanna have a vote on who takes Michael Steele’s spot? Then you have to become - you guessed it - a precinct committeeman — at least if you live in AZ
Do you want to replace Michael Steele at the next regularly scheduled vote for the RNC chair? Want to have a vote in that process? Then you’ve got to become a precinct committeemen in your state.
“When all else fails, read the directions.”
Let’s start with the Rules of the Republican National Committee. Ever read them?
Per Rule 1 (a), the members of the RNC consist of the national committeemen and committeewomen, one of each from each state Republican Party, and the chair of the state Republican Party of each state.
Who is eligible to be a member of the RNC? For that we must look at Rule 5 (a) (1): “A chairman and a co-chairman of the opposite sex . . . shall be elected by the members of the Republican National Committee.” So, if ya wanna vote to replace Michael Steele, you have to become a member of the RNC. (It gets better — bear with me.)
How does one become a member of the RNC? Well, as already explained, you have to either be the chair of a state Republican Party or one of the national committeemen or committeewomen. You have to look at Rule 2, which basically says each state Republican Party can set its own rules for electing the national committeeman and committeewoman and if they don’t have such rules, other rules kick in. And, as already explained, the state Republican Party chairman of each state automatically serves as a member of the RNC.
“When all else fails, read the directions.”
Gee, wouldn’t it be great if the RNC explained all this? You know, sort of a “how to become a precinct committeeman and why that’s important and how it can actually have an impact on who gets elected to the leadership positions within the Republican Party” online guide? I’ve looked for one on the net. Can’t find one. Can’t even find a layman’s explanation of all this on the http://www.gop.com site.
But I don’t blame THEM. The “powers that be” are protecting their political turf. I’m nothing special. I’m no rocket scientist. If I can figure out how to access this information, anyone can.
I blame YOU. Every conservative who claims to be a “political activist” who’s never even read the bylaws or rules of their county or state Republican Party committees. On Saturday, at our Maricopa County Republican Party Committee Statutory Organizational Meeting, where the elected precinct committeemen elected conservatives to the officer slots by an over 2 to 1 majority, I met a wise man who told me, “You’re not a real political activist unless you’re collecting signatures for some political cause.” In Arizona, to become eligible to become and elected precinct committeeman, you have to collect a few signatures on a nomination form. No more than ten. Any conservative can do that. (You can read about what happened on Saturday in Maricopa County here:
http://seeingredaz.wordpress.com/2011/01/08/re-bout-haney-counter-punches-establishment-candidate-into-the-ropes-1281-575/.)
I live in Arizona. Where do I go to find out the eligibility criteria for becoming either the Arizona Republican Party chairman or a national committeeman?
Hmmm.
Maybe the bylaws of the Arizona Republican Party would be a good place to look.
I looked.
Those bylaws tell me that if I want to get elected chair of the Arizona Republican Party, or as the national committeeman, so I can be a member of the RNC, I first have to be an elected precinct committeeman and then get elected to be a state committeeman.
If I’ve managed to be elected the chairman of a Republican county committee, then I’m automatically a state committee member. Otherwise, each county committee is allotted one state committeeman position for every three elected precinct committeemen.
So, I’m going to have to make sure I get elected to serve as a state committeeman so I can attend the annual state meeting at which the state chairman is elected. (I’ve done that.) That election takes place every two years after the even-number year general elections. If I can manage to get elected as a state committeeman, then I’ll be in a position to run for Arizona Republican Party chairman at that meeting, assuming I can manage to get a majority of state committeemen to vote for me.
“When all else fails, read the directions.”
Elections of the national committeeman and woman take place when the Arizona Republican Party holds its state convention, which takes place when the national committee issues the call for a national convention. Then the Arizona state chairman issues a “call” for a state convention to be published as provided by the rules adopted by the national committee and the Arizona state bylaws. Precinct committeemen, and only precinct committeemen, elect the delegates to the convention, and only precinct committeemen are eligible to be elected as delegates. Those delegates, at the convention, elect the national committeeman and committeewoman.
So, assuming I can get myself elected state chairman, or elected as a delegate to the next state convention, I’ll be in a position to directly for whom I want to be the next RNC chairman. Because I’ll be in a position to attend the RNC meeting at which the RNC members elect the next RNC chairman. And that meeting, per RNC Rule 5 (b), takes place in January of each odd-numbered year. Which means Michael Steele’s position as RNC Chairman will be up for “change we can believe in.” But it is too late for me to become the Arizona national committeeman, as that election won’t happen again until the next Arizona convention.
Did you know any of this for your state?
“When all else fails, read the directions.”
Now here’s the really good part. Did you know that you DON’T have to be a member of the RNC to be elected the RNC chair or co-chair? Yep, Rule 5 (a) (1) also states, “The chairman or co-chairman need not be a member of the Republican National Committee.” In other words, ANYBODY can be elected RNC chairman or co-chairman. I guess I like that flexibility. In case I can’t make it to Arizona Republican Party chairman, I can still throw my hat in the ring!
Hmmmm.
Maybe I should.
RNC Chairman ColdWarrior. I like the sound of that. But, it does not matter if it’s me. What matters is that it’s a real conservative. And for that to happen, real conservatives need to gain a majority within the RNC committee.
Which begs the question: What are YOU going to DO about it?
Thank you.
ColdWarrior
P.S. I said above I’d provide the link to Rules of the Republican Party. Here’s the link to the page at the gop.com site where the Rules appear: http://www.gop.com/index.php/rnc_counsel/.
Well, there are the steps that need to be taken to have a voice in the Mississippi State Republican Party and to have a vote on the candidates they choose to support.
The Tea Parties exist because the national party lost its way. The nation needs a conservative voice and a powerful party who speaks with that voice. I think what happened in November has in some ways lessened their fears of who we are and what we represent. Bite my lip, but we may have pointed a way for them to become relevant once again.
Ron
docnick37@gmail.com
http:/theoxfordteaparty.blogspot.com/
These are just a few of the questions we need to be asking ourselves. In the last few articles we have been looking at our state and wondering out loud what impact could we have locally and just what we would need to do in order to achieve this goal.
How the National Parties function is a mystery to most. So we at The Oxford Tea Party have been delving into those mysteries. It's not what we might call convoluted or exciting findings. Pretty straight forward stuff really.
Below is a outline of how the Arizona Republicans GOP works. This is more or less how Mississippi's Republican GOP works and for that matter all of the other states. If you would like to read various articles he has written just click on ColdWarrior and that will take you to the RedState site. He is a conservative writer and this is a response to comments he was making in a discussion on a blog site. This picks up in the middle of a discussion.
Conservative? Want to change the outcome of the RNC Chairman election?
ColdWarrior Monday, January 10th at 10:16AM EST RedState
Well, to do that, you had to know who actually votes for the RNC candidates. That means you have to “read the directions.” The Rules of the Republican Party (linked below).
Are you qualified to cast a vote for who becomes the next RNC Chairman? Have you read “the directions?” The Rules of the Republican Party? Your state Republican Party rules/bylaws? Think of what our forbears went through to secure our liberties. The Revolution. The Civil War. WW I. WW II. Etc. Have you even read the RNC Rules? It’s not like they’re hard to find. We have the internet.
“When all else fails, read the directions.”
Wanna have a vote on who takes Michael Steele’s spot? Then you have to become - you guessed it - a precinct committeeman — at least if you live in AZ
Do you want to replace Michael Steele at the next regularly scheduled vote for the RNC chair? Want to have a vote in that process? Then you’ve got to become a precinct committeemen in your state.
“When all else fails, read the directions.”
Let’s start with the Rules of the Republican National Committee. Ever read them?
Per Rule 1 (a), the members of the RNC consist of the national committeemen and committeewomen, one of each from each state Republican Party, and the chair of the state Republican Party of each state.
Who is eligible to be a member of the RNC? For that we must look at Rule 5 (a) (1): “A chairman and a co-chairman of the opposite sex . . . shall be elected by the members of the Republican National Committee.” So, if ya wanna vote to replace Michael Steele, you have to become a member of the RNC. (It gets better — bear with me.)
How does one become a member of the RNC? Well, as already explained, you have to either be the chair of a state Republican Party or one of the national committeemen or committeewomen. You have to look at Rule 2, which basically says each state Republican Party can set its own rules for electing the national committeeman and committeewoman and if they don’t have such rules, other rules kick in. And, as already explained, the state Republican Party chairman of each state automatically serves as a member of the RNC.
“When all else fails, read the directions.”
Gee, wouldn’t it be great if the RNC explained all this? You know, sort of a “how to become a precinct committeeman and why that’s important and how it can actually have an impact on who gets elected to the leadership positions within the Republican Party” online guide? I’ve looked for one on the net. Can’t find one. Can’t even find a layman’s explanation of all this on the http://www.gop.com site.
But I don’t blame THEM. The “powers that be” are protecting their political turf. I’m nothing special. I’m no rocket scientist. If I can figure out how to access this information, anyone can.
I blame YOU. Every conservative who claims to be a “political activist” who’s never even read the bylaws or rules of their county or state Republican Party committees. On Saturday, at our Maricopa County Republican Party Committee Statutory Organizational Meeting, where the elected precinct committeemen elected conservatives to the officer slots by an over 2 to 1 majority, I met a wise man who told me, “You’re not a real political activist unless you’re collecting signatures for some political cause.” In Arizona, to become eligible to become and elected precinct committeeman, you have to collect a few signatures on a nomination form. No more than ten. Any conservative can do that. (You can read about what happened on Saturday in Maricopa County here:
http://seeingredaz.wordpress.com/2011/01/08/re-bout-haney-counter-punches-establishment-candidate-into-the-ropes-1281-575/.)
I live in Arizona. Where do I go to find out the eligibility criteria for becoming either the Arizona Republican Party chairman or a national committeeman?
Hmmm.
Maybe the bylaws of the Arizona Republican Party would be a good place to look.
I looked.
Those bylaws tell me that if I want to get elected chair of the Arizona Republican Party, or as the national committeeman, so I can be a member of the RNC, I first have to be an elected precinct committeeman and then get elected to be a state committeeman.
If I’ve managed to be elected the chairman of a Republican county committee, then I’m automatically a state committee member. Otherwise, each county committee is allotted one state committeeman position for every three elected precinct committeemen.
So, I’m going to have to make sure I get elected to serve as a state committeeman so I can attend the annual state meeting at which the state chairman is elected. (I’ve done that.) That election takes place every two years after the even-number year general elections. If I can manage to get elected as a state committeeman, then I’ll be in a position to run for Arizona Republican Party chairman at that meeting, assuming I can manage to get a majority of state committeemen to vote for me.
“When all else fails, read the directions.”
Elections of the national committeeman and woman take place when the Arizona Republican Party holds its state convention, which takes place when the national committee issues the call for a national convention. Then the Arizona state chairman issues a “call” for a state convention to be published as provided by the rules adopted by the national committee and the Arizona state bylaws. Precinct committeemen, and only precinct committeemen, elect the delegates to the convention, and only precinct committeemen are eligible to be elected as delegates. Those delegates, at the convention, elect the national committeeman and committeewoman.
So, assuming I can get myself elected state chairman, or elected as a delegate to the next state convention, I’ll be in a position to directly for whom I want to be the next RNC chairman. Because I’ll be in a position to attend the RNC meeting at which the RNC members elect the next RNC chairman. And that meeting, per RNC Rule 5 (b), takes place in January of each odd-numbered year. Which means Michael Steele’s position as RNC Chairman will be up for “change we can believe in.” But it is too late for me to become the Arizona national committeeman, as that election won’t happen again until the next Arizona convention.
Did you know any of this for your state?
“When all else fails, read the directions.”
Now here’s the really good part. Did you know that you DON’T have to be a member of the RNC to be elected the RNC chair or co-chair? Yep, Rule 5 (a) (1) also states, “The chairman or co-chairman need not be a member of the Republican National Committee.” In other words, ANYBODY can be elected RNC chairman or co-chairman. I guess I like that flexibility. In case I can’t make it to Arizona Republican Party chairman, I can still throw my hat in the ring!
Hmmmm.
Maybe I should.
RNC Chairman ColdWarrior. I like the sound of that. But, it does not matter if it’s me. What matters is that it’s a real conservative. And for that to happen, real conservatives need to gain a majority within the RNC committee.
Which begs the question: What are YOU going to DO about it?
Thank you.
ColdWarrior
P.S. I said above I’d provide the link to Rules of the Republican Party. Here’s the link to the page at the gop.com site where the Rules appear: http://www.gop.com/index.php/rnc_counsel/.
Well, there are the steps that need to be taken to have a voice in the Mississippi State Republican Party and to have a vote on the candidates they choose to support.
The Tea Parties exist because the national party lost its way. The nation needs a conservative voice and a powerful party who speaks with that voice. I think what happened in November has in some ways lessened their fears of who we are and what we represent. Bite my lip, but we may have pointed a way for them to become relevant once again.
Ron
docnick37@gmail.com
http:/theoxfordteaparty.blogspot.com/
Thursday, January 6, 2011
America Is Not An Accident
AND neither is this 112 Congress….. We just watched the swearing in of the new Congress…. It is we, the Tea Party along with other patriots who have reconfigured this congress. We know it. Now they know it…
Each of us has some vision of our shining city. Floating above all the daily fray. A symbol of the people and the nation. A nation of freedom and liberties for all it citizens. Our forefather's mission and our Tea Party mission was/is to build a foundation that supports these awesome ideals. In November 2010 the work crew showed up and the footing got poured. More is needed and more will be done.
At first the Tea Party dreams seemed impossible,,, after a little time they seemed if not impossible at least improbable,,,, from somewhere, not by accident, deep in the hearts and minds of many citizens a realization took place. To lose the shining city was a loss of everything we know, believe in, and value.
The liberals sat through 2010 along with middle ground DEMS, Republicans, and national media, in total denial of the Tea Party so they never had a clue of what was about to happen. Even with us shouting loudly they couldn't hear but other voters began to hear. They joined with us but even our combined voices were not heard. Arrogance of these entrenched group deafened them.
Misleading stopped working, outright lying stopped working, the liberal media was simply preaching to the choirs. Even with the shellacking what happened is the DEMS came right back and started blatantly lying with Nancy once again taking the lead saying the DEMS mantra was reduced spending, lowering the deficit, and job creation and the national press sang her song on the nightly news.
I have no idea what rocks we need to look under or what kind of survey we need to take but 2012 is not in some distant future. Most of the usual suspects are beginning to 'toe the water'. These are the same folks that were beaten early in the last primaries by the candidate who lost the presidential election. I can well understand why the DEMS would want to see these folks run again.
One poor contender, Romney, still is saying his effort to get a State Health Program was a good thing and he would do it again. The reality that is known is Massachusetts is one of the top ten states near bankruptcy and guess what is the state's major burden coming right behind the states workers pensions programs?(Note: Senator Brown (R) voted for the Massachusetts Health Bill and says he would do it again.) What is also known is that almost all of Romney's key staffers and campaign managers are abandoning his ship. They are not showing any confidence in Romney nor do we at The Oxford Tea Party have any confidence in him or Huckabee. The press is being encouraging and accommodating, to each man, with their visions of sugarplums dancing in their heads.
If each runs this will be divisive. To fall back on an old adage, "The more things change the more they stay the same."
It's possible the Tea Party has a coat tail bigger and longer than we might imagine. Rep. Charlie Rangel talking about the new GOP Congress on Hardball with Chris Matthews: "The teabaggers set the standard as to what we are going to fund and not fund” in this Congress. There is lots to say about Charlie but for sure we know he knows which way the wind has just blown and it looks as if he is just one of the few. Nancy doesn't seem to know and her followers hopefully will 'do lunch' with Charlie and get some clues…..
Starting today our new congress folks will start walking their talk. Let us send them e-mails letting them know we are going to watch their backs. We are their supports. We will get them what they need to hold the course and if they do we will see that they are reelected. Washington politics is not a game for wimps. Courage, values, beliefs are what is important to us and we will never buy the rational that you have to go along to get along in Congress. That is not why we sent you there….BUT you must show us some true grit... Tell them they must not lose sight of the mission cause, out here in the hinterlands, usins still have our vote.
Lets learn how better to win…. 2012 will be much harder that 2010.
Note: Ideas garnered from RedState
Its time for the Tea Party to take a close look at the GOP. A national party that has lost it way and failed in it's mission. The Party is in debt and individuals fighting over the leadership position seem to lack leadership skills. I'm not sure why that comes as a surprise. Whoever wins this leadership position, we will be stuck with them for a good while. Given RNC's performance I'm hard pressed to see why anyone would send them money. We at The Oxford Tea Party did not and will not. Jim DeMint we felt was a option.
The national GOP is needed but its strength lies way down the food chain at the local precinct. The time for us to invest will never be better than now. Over the next few months, the GOP will begin selecting new officers at the municipal, county, and state levels. Those people will then pick new committeemen for the RNC, etc. The basics are straightforward. Get involved. Call your local or state Republican Party and find out where your precinct meetings will be. They should be later this month or in February.
It is time to participate in your precincts. (Smaller counties may not have precincts. Maybe only a County group.) You show up at your precinct meeting and, more often or not, you will be the only one there. Guess what? In most states that makes you the precinct captain for the GOP. You will then move on to your county party with a vote.
If enough of your Tea Party activist friends do the same thing, guess what? You now have a voice in your local party. And if the Tea Party members from enough other counties have done the same, you will have a larger voice in the state party.
In 2010 the Tea Party movement led from outside of the GOP. This year the Tea Party may be able to help shape the GOP as well. It isn't very easy. The local old guards are pretty entrenched. This won't be a cake walk.
All you need to do is pick up the phone, find out where your precinct meeting will be, and show up with your friends. That begins the process.
A new Rasmussen Survey:
Increased government spending and higher taxes hurt the economy, and right now the voter concerned about the economy is at its highest level in over two years. (82%) expect to be disappointed in congressional Democrats, still in control of the Senate, by the time the next national elections come around. As for taxes, 49% of voters believe they will go up over the next two years. Sixty-four percent (64%) say the federal deficit will go up over the next two years.
Ralph Nader's pronouncement predicts the new 'tea' congressmen will meld into the political system very quickly and all the hoopla will come to an end.
Starting January 1, 2011 one baby boomer will retire every 8 seconds and each will enroll Social Security and Medicare. This is a huge number and ObamaCare, if not overturned, will add another forty million on top of the new boomers.
November 2012 elections are only 667 days, 22 hours, and 22 minutes away. If each of us could add one soldier to the Tea Party mission each week those election would be enough to build all the pilings under the shining city with lots of guards on the gates.
Notes to our new Congress:
1) Mind your own business: 2) Keep you hands out of our pockets: 3) Leave our business alone: 4) Stay home and mind our hearth.
Ron
Docnick37@gmail.com
http://theoxfordteaparty.blogspot.com/
Each of us has some vision of our shining city. Floating above all the daily fray. A symbol of the people and the nation. A nation of freedom and liberties for all it citizens. Our forefather's mission and our Tea Party mission was/is to build a foundation that supports these awesome ideals. In November 2010 the work crew showed up and the footing got poured. More is needed and more will be done.
At first the Tea Party dreams seemed impossible,,, after a little time they seemed if not impossible at least improbable,,,, from somewhere, not by accident, deep in the hearts and minds of many citizens a realization took place. To lose the shining city was a loss of everything we know, believe in, and value.
The liberals sat through 2010 along with middle ground DEMS, Republicans, and national media, in total denial of the Tea Party so they never had a clue of what was about to happen. Even with us shouting loudly they couldn't hear but other voters began to hear. They joined with us but even our combined voices were not heard. Arrogance of these entrenched group deafened them.
Misleading stopped working, outright lying stopped working, the liberal media was simply preaching to the choirs. Even with the shellacking what happened is the DEMS came right back and started blatantly lying with Nancy once again taking the lead saying the DEMS mantra was reduced spending, lowering the deficit, and job creation and the national press sang her song on the nightly news.
I have no idea what rocks we need to look under or what kind of survey we need to take but 2012 is not in some distant future. Most of the usual suspects are beginning to 'toe the water'. These are the same folks that were beaten early in the last primaries by the candidate who lost the presidential election. I can well understand why the DEMS would want to see these folks run again.
One poor contender, Romney, still is saying his effort to get a State Health Program was a good thing and he would do it again. The reality that is known is Massachusetts is one of the top ten states near bankruptcy and guess what is the state's major burden coming right behind the states workers pensions programs?(Note: Senator Brown (R) voted for the Massachusetts Health Bill and says he would do it again.) What is also known is that almost all of Romney's key staffers and campaign managers are abandoning his ship. They are not showing any confidence in Romney nor do we at The Oxford Tea Party have any confidence in him or Huckabee. The press is being encouraging and accommodating, to each man, with their visions of sugarplums dancing in their heads.
If each runs this will be divisive. To fall back on an old adage, "The more things change the more they stay the same."
It's possible the Tea Party has a coat tail bigger and longer than we might imagine. Rep. Charlie Rangel talking about the new GOP Congress on Hardball with Chris Matthews: "The teabaggers set the standard as to what we are going to fund and not fund” in this Congress. There is lots to say about Charlie but for sure we know he knows which way the wind has just blown and it looks as if he is just one of the few. Nancy doesn't seem to know and her followers hopefully will 'do lunch' with Charlie and get some clues…..
Starting today our new congress folks will start walking their talk. Let us send them e-mails letting them know we are going to watch their backs. We are their supports. We will get them what they need to hold the course and if they do we will see that they are reelected. Washington politics is not a game for wimps. Courage, values, beliefs are what is important to us and we will never buy the rational that you have to go along to get along in Congress. That is not why we sent you there….BUT you must show us some true grit... Tell them they must not lose sight of the mission cause, out here in the hinterlands, usins still have our vote.
Lets learn how better to win…. 2012 will be much harder that 2010.
Note: Ideas garnered from RedState
Its time for the Tea Party to take a close look at the GOP. A national party that has lost it way and failed in it's mission. The Party is in debt and individuals fighting over the leadership position seem to lack leadership skills. I'm not sure why that comes as a surprise. Whoever wins this leadership position, we will be stuck with them for a good while. Given RNC's performance I'm hard pressed to see why anyone would send them money. We at The Oxford Tea Party did not and will not. Jim DeMint we felt was a option.
The national GOP is needed but its strength lies way down the food chain at the local precinct. The time for us to invest will never be better than now. Over the next few months, the GOP will begin selecting new officers at the municipal, county, and state levels. Those people will then pick new committeemen for the RNC, etc. The basics are straightforward. Get involved. Call your local or state Republican Party and find out where your precinct meetings will be. They should be later this month or in February.
It is time to participate in your precincts. (Smaller counties may not have precincts. Maybe only a County group.) You show up at your precinct meeting and, more often or not, you will be the only one there. Guess what? In most states that makes you the precinct captain for the GOP. You will then move on to your county party with a vote.
If enough of your Tea Party activist friends do the same thing, guess what? You now have a voice in your local party. And if the Tea Party members from enough other counties have done the same, you will have a larger voice in the state party.
In 2010 the Tea Party movement led from outside of the GOP. This year the Tea Party may be able to help shape the GOP as well. It isn't very easy. The local old guards are pretty entrenched. This won't be a cake walk.
All you need to do is pick up the phone, find out where your precinct meeting will be, and show up with your friends. That begins the process.
A new Rasmussen Survey:
Increased government spending and higher taxes hurt the economy, and right now the voter concerned about the economy is at its highest level in over two years. (82%) expect to be disappointed in congressional Democrats, still in control of the Senate, by the time the next national elections come around. As for taxes, 49% of voters believe they will go up over the next two years. Sixty-four percent (64%) say the federal deficit will go up over the next two years.
Ralph Nader's pronouncement predicts the new 'tea' congressmen will meld into the political system very quickly and all the hoopla will come to an end.
Starting January 1, 2011 one baby boomer will retire every 8 seconds and each will enroll Social Security and Medicare. This is a huge number and ObamaCare, if not overturned, will add another forty million on top of the new boomers.
November 2012 elections are only 667 days, 22 hours, and 22 minutes away. If each of us could add one soldier to the Tea Party mission each week those election would be enough to build all the pilings under the shining city with lots of guards on the gates.
Notes to our new Congress:
1) Mind your own business: 2) Keep you hands out of our pockets: 3) Leave our business alone: 4) Stay home and mind our hearth.
Ron
Docnick37@gmail.com
http://theoxfordteaparty.blogspot.com/
Saturday, January 1, 2011
Today - Yesterday - Tomorrow?
Tomorrow will not be like today. Today is not like yesterday. Change is happening faster than at any point in our history. Faster than most can grasp. The question asked daily is what direction is this profound change taking us. It seems it can't be slowed and seems to have taken on a life of it's own.
This reminds me of a line in an old poem: "Thunder on the mountain, snake in the grass, Satan is a abiding, Lord let him pass." (I would give credit but I can't remember who wrote this poem.)
I am HAPPY to see the end of 2010….Surely this year will be remembered as one of the most stressful in many decades. I hope next year will not be anything like it. (I vaguely remember saying the same thing any number of times as the kids were growing up.) Winning a little here and there in 2010, which we did, helps consoles and as time clouds memories, maybe we will, at some point, look back to the past year as a turning point
We are in a battle with the tradition of power. Mostly power and the people that achieved power are thought of badly. History does not confirm this bias. Not that long ago the strongest guy in the tribe became its leader. He protected the tribe and the tribe survived. As time went forward and the tribe grew they realized they needed a leader who was both strong and smart. Sure enough the tribes did better and survived longer with stronger and smarter leaders. The ground work was laid and the tradition rooted.
This stronger/smarter is the page all retained history has been written on and results were societies and nations grew. However, sooner or later these transitional nations failed and the failure kept repeating itself. What they had in common was their reliance on one key guy. 'The main man' died and the nation/society collapsed often very quickly.
It isn't clear just how or why, but some city states came up with the idea that the people living in those cities should have a say, as a group, in their own leadership and protecting themselves. Some of these city/states went so far as to require every citizen to serve in a leadership council. Bam...Another kind of power tradition got rooted in the idea of citizens ruling themselves.
Over time various forms of this 'citizens rule thing' got tried in different parts of the world. Usually failing in some form of catastrophic disaster, sometimes they lost a war, sometimes they let some charismatic person takeover, but more often than not they simply collapsed because of internal conflicts. (Greed, arrogance, hubris, and complacency.)
Here we, one more citizen form of government, on the first day of 2011 find ourselves with leaders that are unresponsive to the people they were elected to serve. A government that has depleted it coffers, burdened it citizens with debt, centralizing power unto itself, waging wars where the outcome is questionable, destroying our businesses through taxes and regulations, and creating personal wealth for its members. The elected to guard of our nation, our liberty, and our citizens.
We find we are, in so many ways, a mirror of republic's past.
Senator Colburn: The problem that faces our country today, is the fact for the last 30 years we have lived off the future and the bill has come due. The history of republics is they average 200 years of life. And they all fail over fiscal matters. They rot from within before they collapse or are attacked: There has been a lot of speculation this week about why the GOP rolled over in the Senate on virtually every issue. From Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell repeal to START, etc.
The Senate GOP is decidedly mushy on many fronts and unwilling for really tough fights except in odd circumstances. The Senate GOP understands that Mike Lee, Rand Paul, Ron Johnson, Pat Toomey, and Marco Rubio are headed to the Senate as reinforcements for Jim DeMint. They are deeply worried because of it.
Why should they worry? Because the Senate GOP wants to cut deals with the Senate Democrats and they know that just Rand Paul, Mike Lee, and Jim DeMint will be able to force deals much more conservative than the Senate GOP as a whole might want. So Senate Republicans decided to roll over on big issues now knowing that next year they will be forced further right than they might be comfortable.
Senator Graham gives away the political game: He says, “I can understand the Democrats being afraid of the new Republicans; I can understand Republicans being afraid of the new Republicans. The 2010 election was about moving the Senate GOP to the right, not moving the Senate to the GOP. The GOP voting this past week makes my case for me."
Representative John Shadegg (R- Ariz.) (Note: I want to share some of his thoughts and answers to questions in a recent interview.)
SHADEGG: If the Tea Party movement concludes that Election Day was the end, then this is over. The new class will turn and Washington will remain Washington. If the Tea Party movement and conservatives across America understand that election day was day one. Now the election is over, now is when the pressure has to be greater than ever. They have to watch every vote. They have to greet the freshman Congressmen when they’re getting on the plane to go back to Washington and greet them when they’re getting off the plane coming home. And say to them, “Hey, remember us…”
The other thing that happens is it takes a lot of money to get re-elected, and so all the young freshmen say, “I want the speaker to come to my fundraiser,” or, “I want my committee chairman to come to my fundraiser,” or, “I want this committee seat.” So now they’re put into a position where they’re beg and barter. Well, the more they have to ask, the more supplicant they become.
If the Tea Party movement were creating a support mechanism back home, saying, “We’ll help you raise money. We’ll do the grassroots work. We help get you elected. If you keep your promises, we’ll do our part to get you re-elected.”
The freshmen don’t know what pressures they’re up against and in that sense, neither does the Tea Party. So there’s the issue. If the Tea Part doesn't see or know what is about to happen to their freshmen, then they don’t know how they can help them.
Colburn, Graham, and Shadegg have each given us some very good advice in a very clear simple way in their brief political lessons on Washington.. We don't want to lose this new crop of leaders like we did in 94. Does everyone remember how quickly the 94 group succumbed to the old guard leadership?
We might want to start watching, listening to, and talking to representative Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.) Looks like he may have the 'right stuff.'
Fire up the computers, get your check books out, it seems we may be in for a bumpy ride in 2011.
Quis custodiet ipsos custodes ?
Only we can grard the guards.
Ron
Docnick37@gmail.com
http://theoxfordteaparty.blogspot.com/
This reminds me of a line in an old poem: "Thunder on the mountain, snake in the grass, Satan is a abiding, Lord let him pass." (I would give credit but I can't remember who wrote this poem.)
I am HAPPY to see the end of 2010….Surely this year will be remembered as one of the most stressful in many decades. I hope next year will not be anything like it. (I vaguely remember saying the same thing any number of times as the kids were growing up.) Winning a little here and there in 2010, which we did, helps consoles and as time clouds memories, maybe we will, at some point, look back to the past year as a turning point
We are in a battle with the tradition of power. Mostly power and the people that achieved power are thought of badly. History does not confirm this bias. Not that long ago the strongest guy in the tribe became its leader. He protected the tribe and the tribe survived. As time went forward and the tribe grew they realized they needed a leader who was both strong and smart. Sure enough the tribes did better and survived longer with stronger and smarter leaders. The ground work was laid and the tradition rooted.
This stronger/smarter is the page all retained history has been written on and results were societies and nations grew. However, sooner or later these transitional nations failed and the failure kept repeating itself. What they had in common was their reliance on one key guy. 'The main man' died and the nation/society collapsed often very quickly.
It isn't clear just how or why, but some city states came up with the idea that the people living in those cities should have a say, as a group, in their own leadership and protecting themselves. Some of these city/states went so far as to require every citizen to serve in a leadership council. Bam...Another kind of power tradition got rooted in the idea of citizens ruling themselves.
Over time various forms of this 'citizens rule thing' got tried in different parts of the world. Usually failing in some form of catastrophic disaster, sometimes they lost a war, sometimes they let some charismatic person takeover, but more often than not they simply collapsed because of internal conflicts. (Greed, arrogance, hubris, and complacency.)
Here we, one more citizen form of government, on the first day of 2011 find ourselves with leaders that are unresponsive to the people they were elected to serve. A government that has depleted it coffers, burdened it citizens with debt, centralizing power unto itself, waging wars where the outcome is questionable, destroying our businesses through taxes and regulations, and creating personal wealth for its members. The elected to guard of our nation, our liberty, and our citizens.
We find we are, in so many ways, a mirror of republic's past.
Senator Colburn: The problem that faces our country today, is the fact for the last 30 years we have lived off the future and the bill has come due. The history of republics is they average 200 years of life. And they all fail over fiscal matters. They rot from within before they collapse or are attacked: There has been a lot of speculation this week about why the GOP rolled over in the Senate on virtually every issue. From Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell repeal to START, etc.
The Senate GOP is decidedly mushy on many fronts and unwilling for really tough fights except in odd circumstances. The Senate GOP understands that Mike Lee, Rand Paul, Ron Johnson, Pat Toomey, and Marco Rubio are headed to the Senate as reinforcements for Jim DeMint. They are deeply worried because of it.
Why should they worry? Because the Senate GOP wants to cut deals with the Senate Democrats and they know that just Rand Paul, Mike Lee, and Jim DeMint will be able to force deals much more conservative than the Senate GOP as a whole might want. So Senate Republicans decided to roll over on big issues now knowing that next year they will be forced further right than they might be comfortable.
Senator Graham gives away the political game: He says, “I can understand the Democrats being afraid of the new Republicans; I can understand Republicans being afraid of the new Republicans. The 2010 election was about moving the Senate GOP to the right, not moving the Senate to the GOP. The GOP voting this past week makes my case for me."
Representative John Shadegg (R- Ariz.) (Note: I want to share some of his thoughts and answers to questions in a recent interview.)
SHADEGG: If the Tea Party movement concludes that Election Day was the end, then this is over. The new class will turn and Washington will remain Washington. If the Tea Party movement and conservatives across America understand that election day was day one. Now the election is over, now is when the pressure has to be greater than ever. They have to watch every vote. They have to greet the freshman Congressmen when they’re getting on the plane to go back to Washington and greet them when they’re getting off the plane coming home. And say to them, “Hey, remember us…”
The other thing that happens is it takes a lot of money to get re-elected, and so all the young freshmen say, “I want the speaker to come to my fundraiser,” or, “I want my committee chairman to come to my fundraiser,” or, “I want this committee seat.” So now they’re put into a position where they’re beg and barter. Well, the more they have to ask, the more supplicant they become.
If the Tea Party movement were creating a support mechanism back home, saying, “We’ll help you raise money. We’ll do the grassroots work. We help get you elected. If you keep your promises, we’ll do our part to get you re-elected.”
The freshmen don’t know what pressures they’re up against and in that sense, neither does the Tea Party. So there’s the issue. If the Tea Part doesn't see or know what is about to happen to their freshmen, then they don’t know how they can help them.
Colburn, Graham, and Shadegg have each given us some very good advice in a very clear simple way in their brief political lessons on Washington.. We don't want to lose this new crop of leaders like we did in 94. Does everyone remember how quickly the 94 group succumbed to the old guard leadership?
We might want to start watching, listening to, and talking to representative Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.) Looks like he may have the 'right stuff.'
Fire up the computers, get your check books out, it seems we may be in for a bumpy ride in 2011.
Quis custodiet ipsos custodes ?
Only we can grard the guards.
Ron
Docnick37@gmail.com
http://theoxfordteaparty.blogspot.com/
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)