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Lana Fore-Warkocz, Publisher It’s hard to believe that we are on our eleventh issue of The Constitutionalist Today and Christmastime is approaching fast. My gratitude to the readers who have followed us, our advertisers who have supported us and to our staff of liberty-loving-freedom-fighting-patriots who will stop at nothing to see America stand for what our forefathers intended. We are blessed beyond words to announce that we are expanding into the Denver Metro area which will cover Douglas, Arapahoe and Elbert counties. The current edition of TCT will expand to serve more of the Southern Colorado area.

Please stay tuned for further details in our January issue. If you are interested in being a part of this great endeavor, please contact us at 719-260-7776, or email me at lana@theconstitutionalisttoday.com. May 2011 bring us all prosperity and joy. We pray that God continues to bless our United States of America. Merry Christmas to you and yours! A military wife of 21 years and the daughter of a WWII veteran, Lana Fore-Warkocz is completely devoted to those who have served our country. She has been involved in the broadcasting and publishing industries for nearly 20 years.

The Constitutionalist Today provides a voice for freedom-loving Americans and urges them to action. Our aim is to educate citizens about our nation’s founding documents and to analyze current events based on their principles. At the present, we do not offer investigative, in-depth hard news reporting. While lovers of liberty share many common values, our opinions sometimes differ. This paper’s staff and writers possess a range of worldviews from religious to secular and from conservative to libertarian. A diverse group, our Founding Fathers also had their differences. However, those who established the greatest free nation on earth were united in their love of liberty and resistance to tyranny. Today, we are likewise united in our love for those founding ideals. That said, the opinions expressed herein are not necessarily those of the staff of The Constitutionalist Today.

Are We Done Yet? Alfred C. Maurer, Assistant Editor Done? Far from it. Recess is over, back to work. And we do have our work cut out for us! I am reminded of Winston Churchill’s words after the great Allied victory at El Alamein in November 1942: “Now this is not the end. It is not even the beginning of the end. But it is, perhaps, the end of the beginning.” First, we need to make sense of the election. Obama surely had it wrong: it was not the messaging, it was the message. He could have had a point if the Democrats had actually run on their platform or the record of their accomplishments; they didn’t. Most were even afraid to tell voters who they were—that they were members of the new Circle-D party. They knew what was coming. The bad news for us is that they went ahead with their agenda anyway. We also must understand the battle we’re fighting. It’s a three-pronged attack on our constitutional republic and our very way of life. The first prong is the policy agenda which we have seen and have rejected. The second is the attempt to transform our very form of government from within; to make our Constitution not a living document, but a dead letter. Third, is the attempt by the Democrats to institutionalize all this by making themselves a perpetual majority party. I don’t

see that working, but I don’t see them giving up either. It’s like going to a football game. The opposing side has the referees in their pocket so the calls go against the home team; they can’t win. Then the referees start changing the rules of the game. Before you know it, we’ve still got 11 men on the field but we’re playing soccer. You see, they told us we were going to a football game but what they didn’t tell us is that they had a different definition of the word football.

Stopping the advance of the agenda was only the first step. We still have a lot of work to do in order to restore the Constitution to its rightful place as the centerpiece of our governmental system. We are going to need energy and determination for the long war. We’re not even close to done. Al Maurer is a former military officer and political science professor called once again to serve the cause of liberty. Read his blog at reclaimtheblue.us.

Merry Christmas from the Editors!

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Merry Christmas to all our readers! Thank you for your continued support and dedication to The Constitutionalist Today and the Liberty Movement. www.TheConstitutionalistToday.com | A3

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The Voice of We the People Spoiled Brats! I absolutely agree with the letter that Brian Sutton wrote, entitled “Conservatives, Don’t be Fooled!” [October issue] The people spoke, but because they disagreed with the establishment they were ignored. I wonder if us old folks in an effort to protect our children as they were growing up, did not create a bunch of spoiled selfish brats. I agree, there seems to be a prevalent thought that, “If I can’t have, it neither will you.” Wow! What an idea!!! Please keep up the great work! -Bob Manery, Guffey, CO

Thanks, Good Ol’ Boys’ (and Girls’) Club Without leadership and loyalty any organization is doomed to failure. Case in point—the Colorado Republican Party and the ridiculous losses they led us to in this election. Thank you, Mr. Tancredo, Colorado Republican Party hierarchy and the long list of turncoat, disloyal RINO present and former political office holders who advocated against the duly elected Republican candidates on the ballot. You relegated Coloradans to continued growing unemployment and continued decline of our property values, setting us up to retain our status as California East. Most of all thank you for planting the seeds for six more years of President Barack Obama. You sure showed those non-members of your Good Old Boys’ (and Girls’) Club what happens when they try to impose them-

selves into the system without your certification. The whole bunch of you should resign instead of getting on the radio talk shows and telling people the debacle happened because Dan Maes wouldn’t step aside and let a member of your Good Ol’ Boys’ club oppose the Democrat. Look at the numbers. Your disingenuousness resulted in the Democrat having more votes than the other two candidates’ combined votes. I’m firmly convinced that it also led to the downfall of our U.S. Senate candidate. Thank you for finally convincing me that, even though I’ve been a registered Republican since I turned 21 in 1954, I’m really not a Republican any more. One of my favorite human beings once said of the Democrats, “I didn’t leave them, they left me.” I’m not leaving the Republicans, they’ve left me. Think about it! Then resign! You’ve proven that you are incapable of either loyalty or leadership! Get out of our way or we silent, disenchanted ones will spend every effort to take you out over the next two years and we won’t do it silently anymore. -Gerald Kachel, Colorado Springs

A Letter to Congressman Boehner Dear Congressman Boehner, I am conservative and voted Republican for almost every position on the ballot I received. However, this does not mean I like the Republican Party. In fact I am nearly as dissatisfied with Republicans in government as I am with Democrats. You have mostly all succumbed to the entice-

Impacting Political Parties Andy Merritt, Guest Writer With the elections over, you may be wondering what’s next and how can I impact the process moving forward before the next election? How can I remain involved and make a difference? For those of you who have affiliated with a political party, the answer lies in influencing what happens inside the party first. That means the selection of the next leadership team here in El Paso County, the 5th Congressional District (CD), and at the state party level. I will focus on the Republican Party, but the process is similar in any major party. The process will begin in early February 2011 with the selection of leadership for the county party (chair, vice-chair, and secretary) and each of the state House and Senate districts fully located in El Paso County. Only the two precinct leaders from each precinct (who were chosen at the caucuses earlier this year), along with a small number of others, such as elected Republican officials, are eligible to vote in those races. In addition to the leadership elections I mentioned earlier, we will also be choosing bonus members. The number of bonus members to be chosen is based upon a formula of two bonus members per 10,000 votes cast for the gubernatorial nominee. Since El Paso County cast over 30,000 votes for Dan Maes, we will be able to choose six bonus members (three men and three women). A bonus member serves on the county party executive and central committee, the 5th CD central committee, and the state party central committee, so the position is important. Further, a bonus member commits to serving at least 20 hours a month for the party in the crucial months leading up to the election, as well as during important periods like the El Paso County Republican Assembly in 2012.

Following the county party reorganizational meeting, the three elected county party officers and the bonus members will attend the 5th CD and state party reorganizational meetings, which are usually held on the same day and location for ease of multiple county attendees. Those meetings are likely to be held sometime in March 2011. At the 5th CD meeting, we choose the leadership for the district central committee (chair, vice chair and secretary) as well as choosing a 5th CD representative for the state party executive committee, who is a voting member of the state executive committee. Understand that the state executive committee is separate and smaller

ments of power and most of you truly fit the characterization of what Dick Morris called the “Imperial Congress.” Republicans are truly on trial in this Congress and forsaking the principles you claim to support will result in your removal from office just as it did for the Democrats who lost in this election. You will be under immense pressure to compromise yourselves and betray the trust you have been conditionally granted. You will have to demonstrate wisdom and courage to avoid this and to thwart the efforts of Obama and the Senate leadership to continue with remaking America under the false and failed ideology of statism. Do not betray those who gave you this chance. Do not betray the nation. Do not betray the future of freedom and prosperity that should be the birthright of true American citizens. -Marc L. Sabin, Colorado Springs

Send Letters to the Editor to:

Editor, The Constitutionalist Today P.O. Box 25155 Colorado Springs, CO 80936 or letters@theconstitutionalisttoday.com Letters must be 300 words or less and must include first and last names, and city. Letters from readers do not necessarily reflect the opinions of TCT.

This past political season demonstrated that many trusted Republicans are not “their word” and that oaths and bylaws aren’t worth the paper they’re written on. In many Colorado counties elected Republican local and state officials, as well those holding or running for federal offices under the Republican banner, chose to violate their county and State GOP bylaws by openly endorsing a rival candidate from anther political party. Colorado County and State Republican Party bylaws include the following; “The primary purpose of this organization shall be to

identify, promote, and elect Republican candidates to office.” In Elbert County, the outgoing sheriff chose to knowingly violate the bylaws of the Elbert County GOP by endorsing his “good friend, Tom Tancredo” at a recent Elbert County Tea Party meeting. As a result of his actions a written complaint was filed against Sheriff Frangis and presented to the Elbert County GOP Executive Committee. The committee ultimately accepted the complaint and unanimously voted to censure the sheriff for his disregard of the party’s bylaws. Many other counties, as well as the Colorado GOP, are facing similar moral and ethical leadership challenges. Will these organizations choose to take a stand against rogue individuals who by their actions tried to sway voters away from the Republican candidate for governor or will they choose to simply sweep these deliberate and wanton acts under the carpet and carry-on with business as usual? Only time will tell but let it be known that we are watching and We the People will prevail! –Kurt Schlegel, Parker, CO

than the state central committee. Only the state central committee can change the state party bylaws. At the state meeting, we choose the new state party leadership; chair, vice chair, and secretary. To help you decide how, or if, you can get involved refer to these questions: • Are you a precinct leader? If not, then skip to question #2. If you are, make sure you attend the reorganization meeting. While the date is not set yet, it will be in early February, so watch for the notice or call the county GOP office if you haven’t been notified by mid-January. • Are you a registered Republican? Then you can run for a leadership position if you choose to. The bylaws do not require you to be a precinct leader to hold a leadership position within the party, but you do have to be registered with the party and be a resident of the area you are run-

ning for leadership. I was not a precinct leader, though I had been in the past, when I ran for county chairman. Now understand, if you have had no involvement at all with the party in the past, it may be more difficult to convince the eligible voters to vote for you, but nothing prevents it. • Are you registered but not interested in running for a leadership position yourself? Then you can help someone else who is running for a leadership position. While it is not a full blown general election type campaign, leadership candidates will often do phone calls, make signs, print an information sheet to be handed out, etc. You can also communicate with your precinct leaders about your preferences. As you have probably seen first-hand in this year’s election, who leads a party does matter.

Do Bylaws Matter?

CRC Central Committee

2010

2008

Officer Votes to State Central Committee Bonus members Total Elected in February Reorganization

192 14 206

Elected Congressman Elected State‐wide Elected State House Elected State Senate Elected Regents and BOA District Attorneys Chair of Dist Central Committee Committee Man and Woman Estimated number of members on State Central

4 3 34 16 10 14 7 2 296

2006

Change from 2008

192 178 370

192 92 284

0 ‐164 ‐164

2 1 28 13 10 14 7 2 447

2 1 28 13 10 14 7 2 361

2 2 6 3 0 0 0 0 ‐151

Counties: 64

Makeup by Constituency County Officer and Bonus Members Denver Metro Other Urban

30 20 50

10% 7% 17%

132 72 204

30% 16% 46%

84 44 128

23% 12% 35%

‐102 ‐52 ‐154

‐77% ‐72% ‐75%

Rural Total

156 206

53% 70%

166 370

37% 83%

156 284

43% 79%

‐10 ‐164

‐6% ‐44%

Elected Officials Total CRC

90 296

30% 100%

77 447

17% 100%

77 361

21%

13 ‐151

17% 100%

* The above are believed to be generally acccuate but may have minor inconcistanceis as the data was drawn from many sources.

www.facebook.com/TheConstitutionalistToday | A5

We the People | Grassroots Perspective

Get Involved in a Local Liberty Group Now! Compiled by Joan Eich

Can I make a difference? How can I get involved? Which organization fits me best? These are the questions we hear most often from our readers, so we want to make sure it’s clearly answered online and in every issue. What follows is an alphabetical list of liberty-loving groups and organizations in our area. Also visit wwwlibertyevents.org for a calendar of upcoming events. Sign up, step up, speak up! 9-12 Pikes Peak Patriots www.freeandunited.com • donrodgers@hotmail.com • dwan.rager@yahoo.com An organization for like-minded Americans who believe in 9 principles and 12 values as they apply to our government and in our own lives. We provide members with the platform and resources to pursue any project or cause of their choosing: from education and discussion to community activities or action. The American Café theamericancafe.blogspot.com • homeinspections@pcisys.net • 719.573.2193 This group gathers each week for Constitutional studies, political action and prayer. Please contact us for information on how to get involved. American Majority www.americanmajority.org • facebook.com/AmericanMajority • 719.573.2193 Attending a rally is no longer enough; from organizational structure to advanced new media, our Activist Training prepares you to make substantial changes in your community. Americans for Prosperity, Colorado Chapter www.americansforprosperity.org • infoco@afphq.org • 719.494.0797 Americans for Prosperity, Teller County Chapter AFPTeller@gmail.com • 719.684.2180 An organization of grassroots leaders committed to educating, engaging and mobilizing citizens in the name of limited government and free markets on the local state and federal levels. Clear the Bench Colorado www.clearthebenchcolorado.org • info@clearthebenchcolorado.org A grassroots movement to hold Colorado’s Supreme Court justices accountable to the Colorado Constitution and to the people of Colorado. Coalition for a Conservative Majority www.ccm-cos.com • info@ccm-cos.com • 719.351.6075 We unapologetically espouse the nation-shaping values embodied in the Constitution and detailed by the philosophies of our Founding Fathers. Colorado Springs Republican Women amymit@quixnet.net • 719.260.0283 This group wants to educate and inform all Americans about the principles and values which make the Republican Party what it is. El Paso County Tea Party www.epcteaparty.com • amy.mitchell@epcteaparty.com A local movement of American Patriots from all walks of life dedicated to uphold and defend the United States and Colorado Constitutions. Our goal is to give voice to the people and hold government officials accountable for their oaths to uphold those constitutions. El Paso Republican Headquarters www.gopelpaso.com • info@gopelpaso.com • 719.578.0022 The party of the open door; the party of liberty; the party of equality of opportunity for all and favoritism for none; the more socially conservative and economically libertarian of the two major parties, generally supporting lower taxes, limited government and more economic freedom. Elbert County Tea Party/9-12 Group www.elbertteaparty.com • 303.601.7608 We work to restore constitutional government, control government spending, and to vet candidates to insure their goals and values match. Equal Justice Foundation ejfi.org • facebook.com/ejfi.org • ccorry@ejfi.org • 719.520.1089 We are a non-profit 501(c) 3) public charity supported entirely by members and contributions. Our areas of interest and activism are the courts, civil liberties, prohibition, and open, fair and honest elections. For What Is Right www.forwhatisright.org • dlewis@forwhatisright.org • dkelly@forwhatisright.org An online community whose purpose is to educate the American citizen in matters of civic and political knowledge. Our intention is to have a well informed electorate who will keep and preserve the rights guaranteed us by the U.S. Constitution and by our Creator. Get Out Of Our House (GOOOH) www.goooh.com • goooh.co.05@gmail.com • 719.321.5123 A bottom-up organization without a platform; NOT a political party. A system allowing you and your neighbors to choose a true citizen representative, an independent candidate to represent their district. Green Dragon Tavern http://RonPaul.meetup.com/310 • admin@GreenDragonTavern.com • 719.330.1358 Our Founding Fathers met at the Green Dragon Tavern in Boston, MA to plan the Boston Tea Party. We work to re-establish the Founders’ vision of political and economic principles inherent in nature’s right by fostering understanding and respect for the Declaration of Independence and state and Federal Constitutions. Guffey Tea Party guffeyteaparty@gmail.com • http://sites.google.com/site/guffeygroupteaparty We are a local movement of non-partisan American Patriots who uphold and defend the Constitution of The United States of America. Our core values include limited government, fiscal responsibility, and free market economy.

A6 | The Constitutionalist Today, December 2010

Liberty on the Rocks, Colorado Springs Chapter www.libertyontherocks.org • david@libertyontherocks.org • 719.237.4598 A grassroots organization whose goal is to provide a social environment to unite libertyminded individuals with one another and with freedom-based organizations in their local communities. Tavern-style politics in the tradition of our Founding Fathers! Limited Government Forum www.limitedgovforum.org • sean@limitedgovforum.org • 719.576.9055 Works closely with UCCS Center for the Study of Government and the Individual and Cheyenne Mountain Civic Solutions to promote the ideas of individual responsibility and freedom. Local Liberty Online www.locallibertyonline.org • sean@LocalLibertyOnline.org • 719.576.9055 An online community that focuses on local issues to expand freedom, opportunity and prosperity close to home. Our goal is to educate rather than indoctrinate, while conducting ourselves in the spirit of civility and good humor. Pikes Peak Economics Club www.pikespeakeconomicsclub.com We promote economic and civic literacy. It is our contention that you cannot have a controlled economy and maintain a free society. Pikes Peak Firearms Coalition www.ppfc.org • info@ppfc.org • 719.596.3921 A well regulated Militia being necessary to the security of a Free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms shall not be infringed. —Amendment II, U.S. Constitution Pikes Peak Young Professional Republicans Eli.bremer@gmail.com • 719.213.3428 Network with other young professionals, ages 20-40, who share the same goals and aspirations. Please come and join us! Politics on the Rocks www.politicsontherocks.com • nina@pinnaclepros.com • 719.533.0571 We link like-minded professionals together in a monthly power networking mixer where they can network, socialize and hear directly from prominent politicians and successful business leaders on matters of social, economic and public importance. Royal Gorge Republican Women (Fremont County) www.RoyalGorgeRepublicanWomen.org The purpose of our organization is to increase the effectiveness of women in the cause of good government through political involvement; to encourage women to run for political office; to promote an informed membership and electorate through political education and activity; and to work together for the election of Republican candidates. Southern Colorado Tea Party www.socoteaparty.com Committed to restoring our state and our federal Constitutions to our Founders’ original intent. Diligent in our restoration and preservation of freedom. We hold our elected officials accountable to their oath of office. Sunrise Republican Women www.coloradosrw.com • lindarshannon@gmail.com • 719.598.1305 We promote an informed public through political education and activity, and increase the effectiveness of women for the causes of good government. All ages are welcome! Teller Tea Party www.tellerteaparty.com • tellerteaparty@gmail.com A local movement of non-partisan American patriots who uphold and defend the Constitution of the United States of America. We are dedicated to protecting freedom for all, promoting truth, limiting taxes and government, and preserving our inalienable rights UCCS College Republicans • 719.251.7765 Vote Trackers (Fremont County) www.votetrackers.com • penknife101@yahoo.com A nationwide group, providing free 1-page charts for each of the 50 states, showing how that state’s U.S. senators and representatives voted on the Banker Bailout Bill, The Stimulus Bill, Cash for Clunkers, Cap and Trade, and the Health Care Bill. No fluff. Just facts. These charts can be printed out and taken into the voting booth, lest we forget. We Are Change Colorado Springs wearechangecoloradosprings.org • chris@wearechangecoloradosprings.org • 719.209.3118 A grassroots organization, neither left or right, dedicated to informing the public on matters of government corruption, malfeasance, misfeasance and nonfeasance.

The Constitution Made Easy

Interstate Commerce Mike Holler, Featured Writer

I own myself the friend to a very free system of commerce, and hold it as a truth, that commercial shackles are generally unjust, oppressive and impolitic… –James Madison

Of the “Big Three” loopholes that Congress has worked on to expand its powers, the “Commerce Clause” has become the favorite. This is not because it actually confers the kind of power Congress wants; but because the courts have gradually opened this door until it invites nearly any legislation that can be imagined. The latest is the “Health Care Reform” legislation. Now this clause is being put to the ultimate test. If the Commerce Clause empowers Congress to force American citizens to purchase something, under any pretext, the coup is complete. There will no longer be anything that our imperial Congress cannot force us to do or not do according to its caprice, the whole of the Constitution notwithstanding. The concepts of limited federal government, enumerated powers, state sovereignty and individual liberty will finally all be finished. The state will be supreme and we will owe our very existence to its caprice. It may furnish health care, or refuse it. Life and death will be in the hands of a new bureaucracy, created and controlled by Congress. Absolute control is the ultimate object of our federal government, as it has been the goal of every other government that

has ever sat, and the Constitution will no longer stand in the way. Maybe it is inevitable, but we ought to look at how badly the Commerce Clause has been tortured to set up this end game. Does this phrase grant anything like the power now being asserted? It does so only if history can be stood on its head, and the English language turned inside out. The exact wording of Article 1, Section

the welfare of the citizens directly. Under the heading of “General Welfare,” Congress is granted 10 specific powers, each of which were designed to provide benefit to the states. The context for delegating this specific power to Congress was the confederation period when states were free to levy duties on products imported from other states. The purpose for granting the power of regulating trade that went between the states was to ensure that trade flowed freely. In case the meaning was not clear enough, additional language was added in Article 1, Section 10, Clauses 5 and 6 where states are specifically prohibited from taxing imports or exports without permission from Congress. For the first 100 years of our existence as a union that was exactly how it was understood and applied. There was hardly ever a thought that “regulate” could mean “restrict.” The first significant effort to limit interstate economic activity was not until 1887. The “Interstate Commerce Act” was an “Anti-Dog-Eat-Dog” law that was designed to stop railroads from what was perceived as price-gouging and other practices that Congress deemed unfair. The history of Congressional action and court decisions since that time is voluminous. What becomes evident as one examines the time line, is that Congress desired more power over trade (and later over manufacturing and farming), and that they were often limited or thwarted by

If the Commerce Clause empowers Congress to force American citizens to purchase something, under any pretext, the coup is complete. 8, Clause 3 (1.8.3) is that Congress shall have power “To regulate Commerce with foreign Nations, and among the several States, and with the Indian Tribes.” At the time, the definition of “commerce” was “trade,” and the definition of “regulate” was to “make regular.” The word “trade” can be substituted for “commerce” anywhere it is used in the Constitution, the Federalist Papers, the Constitutional Convention and the state ratifying conventions without changing the meaning. In an 1828 letter, James Madison made direct reference to the commerce clause and actually used the word “trade” in place of “commerce.” As discussed in last month’s column, Congress may only exercise powers that provide for the defense or the welfare of the states. It has no power to provide for

Supreme Court decisions. Over time, the court began to yield, until the present time when “regulate commerce” has come to mean “write any kind of law that requires anyone to do, or stop doing, anything if the thing they are doing, or not doing, might affect themselves or anyone else.” Interstate trade (or commerce) is the poster child for the founders’ fears that the government they called the “general government” would grow beyond its intended design. Experience hath shown, that even under the best forms of government those entrusted with power have, in time, and by slow operations, perverted it into tyranny. -Thomas Jefferson

The so-called “balance of powers” failed us for many reasons. One is that the balance was left between three branches of the same government. All they had to do was agree on how to divide the spoils that were once state sovereignty and individual liberty. Recently however, attorney generals on behalf of 20 states filed suit to hold the line against the new “Nationalized Medicine” program. If they succeed, the forces of tyranny will still be in our red zone but kept, for now at least, from our end zone. Mike Holler writes and speaks about freedom and the United States Constitution, is a frequent guest on talk radio, and travels with the Tea Party Express. Contact Mike or view his recent book at: TheConstitutionMadeEasy.com.

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Rego: Ask yourself, “Two or four years from now when we get another crack at the governorship, is this the feeling I want to have again?” Do we want to sit there on election night or, like in the case of Ken Buck, wake up the next morning and have that feeling? Our focus should be winning. Here is why the Democrats are so successful: all they care about is winning. I was talking to somebody in the days after the election and they said, “You know Harry Reid beat Sharron Angle. How did that happen?” What happened in that race is that Angle won her primary through a lot of support from Tea Party volunteers. When some political consultants came to Angle saying, “Congratulations Sharron, now we have to face Reid. He’s been here for 30 years. He’s a tough animal and we have been observing him. Here’s some advice on how we need to beat Reid,” Angle decided, like a lot of Tea Party folks did around the country, “I got this far with my volunteers and I don’t want to annoy them or offend them, so thanks for the offer of your help. I’m going to go with what’s brought me this far.” I understand wanting to stick with those who have brought you this far and not wanting to turn them away or make them think you have become a part of the machine. I think that’s the mentality of new people and volunteers to the process. However, I truly believe that people who are professional in it are not out to make you feel dumb or say you don’t know what you’re doing. Because the reality is that if you are a political consultant and you come to Angle, it’s because you want her to win. Why? Because you’d get a bonus. Because it looks good on your resume. Then when you move on to the next campaign you can say, “Look I helped on a campaign that unseated Harry Reid.” All parties involved want to win. I think that many of the grassroots type people need to not be so leery of professional people who are consultants and do have a track record with races. I talk about winning. When the purpose is winning and that’s what you care about, then maybe you are not as focused

on, “This person has got to be ideologically x, y, z and line up with that or else I can’t support them.” I think that we did it a certain way in a lot of places in this country this time around. I would like to see these common mistakes and tactics by some of the Tea Party campaigns not repeated because they didn’t really work. TCT: Why do you think the people in Nevada still voted for Reid considering unemployment was 14.4% (highest in the nation)? Rego: The thing that is hard for you and I and the readers to comprehend is that 8085% of the electorate that is going to vote do not engage in or really pay attention to a campaign until the last 14 days before the election. The Reid people probably thought, “Well Angle won and it’s August, the election is the first week in November. Angle is going to say what she’s going to say because there is no person with experience running c o m mu n i c a t i o n s and messaging. So Reid’s going to keep it low-key until two weeks from the election and he will say how he will help Nevada. He’ll ask the people if they want some crazy person (Angle) in office.” It’s the same type of thing that Hickenlooper did. All the while Reid is laying low, the Democrat 527’s are putting out negative ad after negative ad. I know people say they don’t like negative ads, but they work. It’s because people don’t do a lot of research. They believe what they see. The Democrats are totally aware of, and they prey upon, the ignorance of people. The mistake that the grassroots Tea Party folks cannot repeat in 2012 is shutting out the professionals. We’ll have the Mark Udall Senate seat to fight. Incumbency is an enormously powerful thing. The national parties are almost always interested in keeping incumbents. They’ll have money from prior campaigns and name recognition. If the sky hasn’t fallen during their time they’ll get re-elected. It takes a lot for the average Joe who votes to vote against the status quo in state politics. The Richard Randall Show airs weekdays in Colorado Springs from 8:30am to 10am and on Saturdays from 6am to 8am on KVOR radio, 740 AM. The Jarred Rego Show airs weeknights from 10pm to 11pm on KVOR radio, 740 AM.

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We the People | Grassroots Perspective

Liberty Lady Amy Mitchell Cindy Lyons, Senior Staff Writer TCT: When and why did you get involved with the Liberty (Tea Party) Movement? Mitchell: I got involved in politics before the election when I researched presidential candidates and learned that we didn’t have a good choice in the Republican Party and the Democratic choice Barack Obama was absolutely scary to our country. I got involved with the Tea Party movement when I saw that our only other option was McCain. This showed me we were not making any ground in finding candidates that were going to serve the Constitution well.

I am a small business owner and I looked at the reality and uncertainty of Obama’s redistributing wealth, on taxes, and as a business owner in not knowing how to calculate a fully loaded employee cost. The future looked very uncertain for us small business owners to calculate our overhead. How are you going to make a business plan to grow your business when you can’t look out three years into the future and know what your overhead cost is going to be? TCT: What is your role in the Liberty Movement? Where and how do you volunteer?

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Mitchell: I am the owner of El Paso County Tea Party, LLC, the business entity, the website domain and the website itself which is still under construction at elpasocoteaparty.com. A group of us are working on how and what the purpose of the Tea Party is and how we are going to move the movement forward to help keep elected officials accountable and find elected officials that need to be put into positions and focus on the issues. I am also the first vicepresident (volunteer) for Colorado Springs Republican Women. I am in charge of setting all the speakers for our monthly meetings. I got involved with them because I wanted to understand the Republican Party better, understand its strengths and weaknesses and how, by becoming involved, I can make a difference in what it is they are doing. Our system is a two party system. When you look at a third party being put into the process, it’s about structure and money. With the Get Out The Vote (GOTV) structure throughout the country, third parties never have that same structure or funding to be able to effectively compete. I think it is better to get the Republican Party back to the Reagan philosophy of smaller government, personal accountability and responsibility by trying to reform from within. The problem with our country is that people are power hungry. They don’t want to relinquish power to the people. They are serving themselves and not the people! That’s not what our Founding Fathers intended. TCT: What is your goal for volunteering your time? What do you hope to achieve? Mitchell: I would like to build a structure where everyone is doing a little and not a couple of people are doing a lot. We have to look at incremental wins. We have a big long battle and every battle is another step forward. TCT: What is your perspective of the Liberty Movement? Amy: The Tea Party movement is the will of the people. We are Americans who have love for our country, love for our founding, and an appreciation of the sacrifice by our Founding Fathers and

Amy Mitchell

by the men and women who created this country, which I believe was by divine intervention. I think it is as it should be that when we see something is not right that we common citizens step in and by joining together we have a loud voice. We conservatives are more independent minded because we believe in free enterprise and self-determination, and in developing our own path to success. So the goal is to point us in the same direction the freedoms and structure the Constitution affords us. TCT: How do you think we can have an effect on our local, state and federal government? Mitchell: We need to hold our elected officials accountable to their promises they make during the election. We need to pay attention to the issues and voice our opinions. And if we can to it in a collective voice through the Liberty Movement that will add power. In 2012 we need to put in candidates that are going to work for the will of the people. We need to go after citizen candidates because we want them to have our perspective in politics. We don’t want them to have the inside politics perspective because that is not what is going to fix the problems that we’ve got. If the citizen candidate has any weaknesses they need to hire people around them that will fill that void both during the campaign and after they are elected. While Cindy Lyons would rather be writing novels or short stories, she despises being lied to by the sharply expanding federal government; as such, she has become a citizen blogger, self-trained out of deep concern for her nation and in passionate opposition to the current progressive onslaught.

Where Do We Go From Here? The Road to 2012

Jacek Popiel, Contributing Writer We have all had our perfect moments—an evening with friends, a hike, a vacation—when everything worked out just right. When these moments occur, the most common reaction is to try the same thing again, to recapture the magic. Most times it does not work. This election is no exception. It has been, from the conservative viewpoint, nearly perfect. Voters stepped up, connected, got energized and went to work. The result was outstanding, in terms of both enthusiasm and actual number of seats won. The reaction, after the victory parties, is to try a repeat in 2012. Is that realistic? Maybe, but first let us pause and look at the situation.

sponding to their needs and interests. They are not looking for ideological statements or electoral promises. What they want are solutions: practical and credible programs and policies that they can identify with and participate in, and concrete, measurable results stemming from their vote and participation. How does one respond to these demands? A statement of principles, however laudable, is not enough. What is needed is a broadly acceptable platform: a list of credible and realistic policies addressing the national issues of most concern to the voters. Whereas a party always needs a platform, a winning platform can be created outside of an established party framework. It does not need to be a topdown project. In fact the most successful platform in American history was conceived in 1854 by a group of unaffiliated political amateurs. It became the foundation of the Republican Party and began the transformation of the United States from an agricultural country to a world-class industrial power. A similar grass-roots effort is entirely possible today, due to the wide potential made available for networking and communication. It could be implemented within the framework of the Tea Party base and/or other similar movements, which are bound to arise as long as the nation’s concerns are not addressed. The platform must contain workable policies dealing with the major issues we face: economic progress, trade and currency, budget, national security, entitlements and health care. The expertise needed is widely available from politically engaged professionals, veterans, business people and citizens in general. Due to the newly awakened interest in constitutional issues, there is good reason to believe that such an effort will produce results compatible with the foundational law of the land. Let us then get to work.

Without taking away from the merit of those who worked hard for the 2010 success, a good part of it was due to circumstance. Without taking away from the merit of those who worked hard for the 2010 success, a good part of it was due to circumstance. First of all, the economic downturn proved far deeper and lasting than originally thought. Recovery is questionable for the millions who lost jobs or homes and are still struggling. The resulting discontent has been directed at the party in power. Second, the Democratic leadership both overreached and misread the national mood. They are unlikely to repeat that error. Third, the independent voters, decisive in both 2008 and 2010, have not been brought home for good. How they will break in 2012 is wide open. That is where the new direction should be. The conservative base is energized, but it does not by itself provide a majority. For this, the still uncommitted center is needed. The recent growth of the unaffiliated voter group has worked a major change in the American political landscape. Traditionally this fraction represented some 10 percent of the electorate, but the last decade has seen a huge expansion. Several recent polls show independents rising to a third or more of the voting public, possibly ahead of either established party. What lies behind this growth, and what do these voters want? The uncommitted center has, in fact, been the greatest beneficiary of the rift between the people and the political class. Unaffiliated voters do not see the conventional right or left policies as re-

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Jacek Popiel was born in Poland. He became a U.S. citizen in 1989. He worked as a teacher in the newly independent Republic of the Congo before joining the Belgian armed forces. He also worked as a U.S. Army consultant and spent two years in the U.S. working in strategic analysis and planning. He is the author of Viable Energy Now and is currently developing a national interest platform, a centrist, nonideological platform for candidates in the coming elections.

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We the People | Grassroots Perspective

You Voted Well, America, But Don’t Stop There Pat Francomano, Contributing Writer Just three days after becoming president, Barack Hussein Obama met with Congressional leaders, at which time he stated to House Minority Whip Eric Cantor, R-VA: “On some of these issues we›re just going to have ideological differences. ” He added, “Elections have consequences, and at the end of the day, I won. So I think on that one, I trump you.” That was an ominous example of Obama’s views on compromise and his means of working with the other side of the aisle. While the results of the midterm elections are magnificent for conservatives and Tea Party participants, this must not be a one election victory, or else it will have been for naught. Rather, this must be only the beginning. To this end, Americans must maintain a long attention span and keep in mind the people we are dealing with; people who do not believe in limited government. Obama claims that the “shellacking” the Democrats took in the elections was not the result of his policies. Rather, it was because he didn’t communicate effectively to the electorate. He’s wrong. The shellacking was exactly because of his policies—even Democrats up for reelection ran against them. Speaker Nancy Pelosi said, “We didn’t lose [the elections] because of me.” She is

just Speaker of the House, who expressed disbelief that someone should dare question the constitutionality of the health care bill. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid has blamed the Republicans for the “financial meltdown” in his home state of Nevada. This from the man who once claimed that the income tax is voluntary! Such denial is hard to fathom, unless of course it comes from the mouths of narcissists. Indeed, that is precisely the source of these claims: from the ideological narcissist, Obama, and the political narcissists, Pelosi and Reid. Then there are the Republican moderates. Among them are the Cap-andTrade advocates, senators Lindsey Graham and John McCain. And let’s not forget Senator John Cornyn of Texas, Chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, who endorsed Charlie Crist for Senate in Florida. He also would welcome Senator Joe Lieberman to the Republican Party, even though Lieberman is not a conservative and supports Cap-and-Trade. Clearly, liberal Democrats and moderate Republicans are not likely allies in the battle to reduce the size of government.

So the new crop of Republicans in Congress needs to be encouraged to adhere to the goals of limited government, free markets, individual liberty and individual responsibility. It is important to keep in mind that

Obama claims that the “shellacking” the Democrats took in the elections was not the result of his policies, but because he didn’t communicate effectively to the electorate. while the Tea Party movement grew out of the sheer arrogance of politicians and the explosion of the size and scope of big government under the current administration, America has been on an incremental creep toward progressive-corporate-elitism for some time. If we hope to restore any semblance of constitutionally limited government, we must engage for the long haul. What must be done is not rocket science. Here are a couple of ideas: Keep doing what we’ve been doing. It’s working. Stay informed, write letters, send emails, make phone calls, vote, run for office, get involved in local schools and churches, make our voices heard.

Keep up the pressure on elected officials. This is more important now than ever. Politicians must not be given even the slightest hint that we’ve gone away. Encourage your congressperson to join Congresswoman Michelle Bachmann’s new Constitutional Conservative Caucus which is to convene in the next Congress. Its purpose is to promote constitutional awareness and mutual encouragement. Bachmann wants to reach the newly-elected representatives who “have the pulse of the American people” before they are “co-opted into the Washington system.” She believes that even a small group of 20 or 25 members can be effective in stopping future unconstitutional bills, like a stimulus or a government takeover of health care. Now that’s encouraging. Obama is right about one thing: elections do have consequences, and we won this time. A wise man once said, “Nobody cares like the owner.” We the People own America, and we are responsible to protect her. Now is not the time to compromise. Now is the time to keep up the pressure. Pat Francomano is a freelance writer in Colorado Springs. His focus is on political and social issues as they relate to individual liberty.

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“Do not be afraid, I bring you good news

been born to you: He is Christ the Lord.” —Luke 2:10

of great joy; that will be for all the people.

A Christmas Prayer by Robert Louis Stevenson

“Loving Father, Help us remember the birth of Jesus, that we may share in the song of angels, the gladness of the shepherds, and the worship of the wise men. Close the door of hate and open the door of love all over the world. Let kindness come with every gift and good desires with every greeting. Deliver us from evil by the blessing which Christ brings, and teach us to be merry with clean hearts. May the Christmas morning make us happy to be Thy children, and the Christmas evening bring us to our beds with grateful thoughts, forgiving and forgiven, for Jesus’ sake, Amen!”

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www.TheConstitutionalistToday.com | A13

American Minute Kids | Ready to Defend the Constitution in a Minute! Date: December 25 1776 General Washington and the brave soldiers who served under him are in need of a victory

against the British Army. Will a daring night crossing of the ice covered Delaware River be the victory they need?

Can you find the 10 differences between the left and right pictures of Washington crossing the Delaware River?

Washington Crosses the Delaware. The colonies sign the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776. In the following months, the British Army has brought a large army to fight the newly formed American Revolutionary forces. Up and down the eastern coast, and around all of the colonies, British Regulars (Redcoats), Hessian Mercenaries (German soldiers for hire), Loyalists (colonists loyal to Britain), and Native Americans, are winning battles. There are almost 50,000 men in the British army, and 460 ships in Britain’s navy. The small rag-tag group of Colonial Militias (untrained civilians who fought battles near their homes, and served for short periods of time) and Continentals (trained colonial soldiers) are faced with terrible odds. They are losing battle after battle since the war began, and the men are cold and hungry. Winter is setting in and the Americans have not yet seen victory. General George Washington is leading a group of 2,400 men. He knows that he must win a battle soon or the men will stop fighting, and

America will lose the war for independence. From his camp in Pennsylvania, Gen. Washington has been looking for a way to win a battle. If he can win, push the British back toward the south, then he will have enough time to recruit and train a proper army. But what to do? Across the Delaware River in Trenton, New Jersey he sees the answer. Washington will cross the river under the cover of night on Christmas. There are 1,400 Hessian soldiers garrisoned at Trenton, and they will be celebrating Christmas. There is a good chance that they can be caught by surprise and defeated. Inside the garrison are supplies and food that Gen. Washington and his men desperately need. On Christmas night, boats filled with Americans crossed the dangerous river. A sleet storm rages and howls, as the patriots work their way across the ice covered river. Then they move quietly into the Hessian camp. The Hessian troops, sleepy from too much food and wine, are sleeping soundly in their beds. At daybreak Washington’s men attack. Unprepared and drowsy, the Hessians are defeated by 9:30 in the morning! Not one American is killed, very few are injured, and more than 900 enemy troops are taken captive! Newly armed with supplies, guns, ammunition, and food, the patriot soldiers rest for a few days. British General Cornwallis is on his way with re-enforcements for the Hessians at Trenton. He does not know that the Hessians have been defeated and most have been taken captive. Cornwallis leaves some men at Princeton, New Jersey, and goes to Trenton himself. His scouts tell him that the garrison has been taken by the Americans, so he decides to allow his troops to rest until the next day. He plans to attack the Americans in the morning. Washington knows that he cannot win against Cornwallis so he decides to retreat. Again, by the dark of night, the Americans make a bold move. They leave their watch fires lit, and sneak away past Cornwallis’ forces. The Americans are so quiet as they left that the British never suspected a thing! As the Americans arrive in Trenton, they face the troops left by Cornwallis at Princeton. Another general, Hugh Mercer, who is with Washington, led

A14 | The Constitutionalist Today, December 2010

the first wave of attack on the British. After exchanging a few rounds of fire, the British charged the Americans with bayonets (knives on the ends of their muskets.) With great courage, Washington leads the Americans into the battle. He rides his troops to within 30 yards of the British Army before he gives the order to fire! Faced with such American bravery, the British quickly surrender. Back at Trenton, Cornwallis has discovered that the garrison he was attacking was completely deserted by his enemies! Cornwallis is furious. So furious in fact that he orders his men to Princeton to catch the Americans there. Small groups of American militia hound him and his men all the way to Princeton. They burn bridges, and harass the enemy with sniper fire. When Cornwallis finally arrives at Princeton, he is furious! Again, the Americans have slipped through his fingers! Washington and his patriots are victorious! With a harsh winter coming the Americans camp at Morristown, New Jersey. Humiliated by two defeats, the British take most of their troops out of New Jersey and wait for better weather for serious fighting.

Christmas in the United States is very unique. We have many traditions that

come from all over the world, and we combine them to make one big holiday!

A long time ago, the famous American author, Washington Irving, wrote what he thought an English Christmas might feel like. You might know Washington Irving for his scary stories, The Headless Horsemen, and The Devil and Tom Walker. This excerpt was taken from Irving’s Old Christmas: “When I awoke the next morning, it seemed as if all the events of the preceding evening had been a dream, and nothing but the identity of the ancient chamber convinced me of their reality. While I lay musing on my pillow, I heard the sound of little feet pattering outside of the door, and a whispering consultation. Presently a choir of small voices chanted forth an old Christmas carol, the burden of which was, ‘Rejoice,

our Saviour he was born; On Christmas Day in the morning.’ I rose softly, slipped on my clothes, opened the door suddenly, and beheld one of the most beautiful little fairy groups that a painter could imagine. It consisted of a boy and two girls, the eldest not more than six, and lovely as seraphs. They were going the rounds of the house, and singing at every chamber-door; but my sudden appearance frightened them into mute bashfulness. They remained for a moment playing on their lips with their fingers, and now and then stealing a shy glance, from under their eyebrows, until, as if by one impulse, they scampered away, and as they turned an angle of the gallery, I heard them laughing in triumph at their escape.”

“Christmas is the season for kindling

the fire of hospitality in the hall, the genial flame of charity in the heart.” Washington Irving said this about

But did you know that Christmas was not an official national holiday until 1870? That is almost 100 years after the Constitution was written. At the founding of the nation there were more Protestants (people who did not believe the same as the Roman Catholic Church) than Catholics living in the colonies, and Protestants did not celebrate Christmas. Even Congress worked on Christmas Day years after the revolution ended. That does not mean that no one celebrated Christmas until 1870. It means that until 1870 Christmas was only celebrated as a religious observance, or if your culture had a Christmas tradition. What does religious observance mean? Well, it means that Christmas was a day that only people who went to church re-

Christmas, and I couldn’t agree more!

membered and marked in a special way according to their beliefs about Christmas. While the holiday took awhile to be officially recognized by the government, all over the country people were celebrating each in their own way, and all together. Many of our traditions that we think are all American, really did come from a lot of different places. Santa Claus came from Turkey to the Europeans, then Northern Europeans brought it to America. The Germans brought the tradition of the Christmas tree and decorating the house with evergreen boughs. Italians brought the tradition of firecrackers as a way to celebrate. The French brought the tradition of the Yule Log. There are so many more, can you think of any?

I’m starving, Let’s eat!

Christmas Dinner Scramble Help your family set the table for the Christmas feast! Unscramble these American favorite Christmas foods… better be quick before it gets cold!

rktuye

msya

tffigsun

dmaesh speotaot

yagvr

sllro

regen saben

pnumipk epi

dgaienrgber

tho ecthaolco

Angel Craft

Reindeer Craft

You will need 3 basket coffee filters, 1 cotton ball, 1 pipe cleaner, and anything else, like glitter, you could use to make your angel extra special. Place the cotton ball in the center of 2 stacked coffee filters. Gather the coffee filter under the cotton ball forming the head. Using one end of your pipe cleaner twist-tie the neck of your angel. Bend the pipe cleaner strait up behind the head. Then, use the remaining end to form a halo above the head. Fold your third coffee filter in half and glue to the back of your angel like wings. Decorate however you want, draw a face, glue on some yarn hair, or dip the skirt edges in glitter.

You will need brown construction paper, glue, and something to make a face like googly eyes and puff balls, or even just a marker. On brown construction paper outline both of your hands and one of you feet. Cut them out. Glue the hands to the heal of the foot, glue at an angle to make it look like antlers. Glue on a puff ball for a nose and some googly eyes, or draw a face on your reindeer. Punch a hole in the top, thread some yarn through it, hang on your tree and enjoy!

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American Minute Kids | Ready to Defend the Constitution in a Minute!

Rose

Lars

Washington

Washington: So are you children ready for the Christmas holiday? Rose: Oh Yes! We don’t have school and we get to have family and friends over to do all kinds of things! Washington: Fun things? Kids: Yes! Yes! Yes! Washington: Now don’t talk over each other or I will not be able to understand you. Isabella: My Grandma and Grandpa are coming! Washington: Where are the…. Lars: My uncle and aunt are coming with their new baby! Rose: My family is going to a cabin in the snowy woods and we are going to ski! Washington: That sounds…. Henry: I’m going to play video games for the whole week! Washington: Well, well, well. It sounds like all of you have very exciting days ahead of you. But I would like to point out that with all of you speaking together I could not understand all of you. Is this how you are going to act when all of those special people are with you for Christmas? Kids: Um… well… I… Washington: So I think that the lesson for today should be about manners. Kids: Oh man, MANNERS?! Washington: Yes, young man. When I was your age, things were quite different. Good manners were expected from every young gentleman and young lady. Rose: Why do you have to have good manners? Washington: Good manners show the people around us that we like them, we respect them, and that we care enough about them to treat them kindly, and put their comfort ahead of our own. Lars: But we’re just kids, we shouldn’t be expected to do that! Washington: Nonsense, if you are old enough to dress yourself, and not sit in a highchair when you eat, then you are old enough to start using and practicing good manners. I once wrote 110 rules for good behavior and manners. Since you all are going to be around lots of people that you love and care for during the holiday, I think I will share some of my personal rules with you now. Then you can practice with your family and friends during Christmas. Let’s start with just a few things you should not do.

Henry

Isabella

Don’t hum when people are around, or bang your fingers on the table. Don’t make a lot of noise when you cough, sneeze, or yawn; don’t talk while you yawn, and cover your mouth with a tissue when you sneeze. Don’t wiggle around when people are talking to you, and don’t bite your nails. Don’t make weird faces at people, and when you get excited, make sure you’re not spitting on anyone. Don’t turn your back when someone is talking to you; don’t jiggle the table; and don’t lean on other people. Isabella: But Mr. Washington, that’s a lot of things not to do. Washington: Yes, it can be, but when you try to do them you will find that they become what you do all the time without thinking at all. All of those rules are about what you should not do with your body in company. Here are a few rules about how you should or should not treat people. These are easier to remember. They are the way we would want other people to treat us too. Children, can you think of some examples to share as I tell you these rules? Don’t tease people who don’t like to be teased. Lars: My uncle teases me and I like it, but my sister hates it. I have teased her before, maybe I shouldn’t? Washington: You’re right, this happens a lot in families, and most people enjoy some good teasing, but some people have delicate feelings. Teasing them is hurtful and can make them think that you do not like them at all. Don’t be mean to people about how they look, don’t call attention to other people’s problems, and if someone’s not as lucky as you, don’t rub it in. Isabella: My cousin is has to use a wheel chair, I know she hates it when people make a big deal about it all the time. She just wants us to treat her normal. Washington: Your cousin is right. Her feelings are very important, and you should try to treat her the way she wants to be treated. People cannot help how they look, or change things that they were born with. It is very rude to draw attention to things like that, or to say that you are better than they are because you are not like them. It’s polite to let others go ahead of you. Even if your Christmas feast looks really yummy, let others go first. This shows them you are thinking of them and not yourself. When someone tries his best and doesn’t succeed, don’t blame him for trying. Henry: If me and my brother are playing a game of basketball and my brother is trying really hard to make a basket, I shouldn’t laugh at him for missing. It’s just a game, and he is trying. Washington: Exactly! You all are so smart. These are just some of the ways we can show kindness, respect, and love for our family and friends. So go and try some of these new manners. Pretty soon you will see that others will be kinder to you in return. These rules were re-written in today’s language from Washington’s original rules found in his book 110 Rules for Civility and Decent Behavior.

ANSWERS Page 1—Christmas Carol Mix Up It came upon a midnight clear, that glorious song of old! The first Noel, the angel did say, was to certain poor shepherds in fields as they lay. Hark! The herald angels sing, “Glory to the new born King!” Angels we have heard on high, sweetly singing o’er the plains.

What child is this, who, laid to rest, on Mary’s lap is sleeping? O little town of Bethlehem, how still we see thee lie! O come, all ye faithful, joyful and triumphant! Joy to the world, the Lord is come! Go, tell it on the mountain, over the hills and everywhere!

A16 | The Constitutionalist Today, December 2010

Page 2—Washington Crossing the Delaware Washington’s hat, One Star on the Flag, Oar on #2 Man, Rock in Foreground, Extra ray of Sun over Washington, Hat Placed on 7th Man, Rocks removed from LH background, Extra water wave added to foreground, Extra Cloud Added, Washington’s Sword removed Page 3—Christmas Dinner Mix Up

Turkey, stuffing, gravy, green beans, gingerbread, yams, mashed potatoes, rolls, pumpkin pie, hot chocolate

We the People | Grassroots Perspective

Step-by-Step Guide to Hold Your Legislators Accountable Dusty Foster, Contributing Writer What does hold our politicians accountable really mean? A major part of that process is to know what individual bills say and who voted for and against them. Once you’re sure of these facts, you can contact your representatives and senators with confidence, letting them know exactly what you expect of them. If you don’t know the number of a bill you want to investigate but you have a vague description of what it’s about, call the capitol’s switchboard at 303-8664011. The receptionist will direct your call to the person who can track down the bill number for you. If you’re not sure who your state representatives and senators are, ask the receptionist, who will request your zip code and give you the names you need. If you want to bypass the receptionist, you can seek out this information yourself by going to the Colorado General Assembly’s homepage at www.leg.state.co.us. A short way down that page you’ll see “House-Current Regular Session” and “Senate-Current Regular Session.” Under each of these headings, there is a link called “Bills.” This link will take you to a page that lists all the bill numbers and titles. By clicking on the PDF link immediately under a bill number, you can read the entire bill. Some are surprisingly short. By familiarizing yourself with the exact wording of a bill before talking to your legislator, you can tell if he or she actually read the bill before voting on it.

If you then click on the “History” link associated with the bill in question, you can see just where this bill is at in its journey. Now you’re ready to see who voted for or against the bill so far. Return to the “Current Regular Session” page. To the far right of the bill

By clicking on either of these links, you’ll find all the contact information you’ll need—name, district, county, party, phone and email. Whether you’re pleased or not by the way your legislators voted on the bill, give them a call and let them know you are paying close attention. Make a plug for the Constitution, explaining that this is the standard by which you measure their job performance. Remember, you are their employer. You have the right and the duty to examine their work. Keep track of what you learned. At the next T.E.A. (Taxed Enough Already) party and when emailing your friends, share this information. Just before election time, share it again. Tracking all of your legislators’ voting records is a daunting task. You may want to adopt just one representative or senator and track him or her like a hound. Pick the one who concerns you the most, but be sure he or she represents your district. Otherwise, your opinion won’t matter since there’s nothing you can do to vote him in or out of office. If you’re a Republican, consider tracking a Democrat. You will gain valuable insight into what is going on with the op-

Tracking all of your legislators’ voting records would be a daunting task. Consider adopting just one representative or senator and tracking him or her like a hound. number, you’ll see “H” and a date and “S” with a date. By clicking on either of these, you’ll be presented with a document showing how our representatives and senators voted. There may be many bills listed in the document, so be sure to have the exact bill number in front of you when searching for the voting record. Now, armed with all the information you can stand, you’re ready to contact your representative or senator to voice your educated opinion. To find their contact information, go back to the home page at www.leg.state.co.us. A short way down this page you’ll see “Legislative Directory (Pink Book).” Immediately under this heading you’ll see two links: “House-Directory, Legislator Home Pages” and “Senate-Directory, Legislator Home Pages.”

posing party. And, you will undoubtedly get more opportunities to voice your opposing views. Cut out this article and keep it by your computer for reference. Make copies and recruit other concerned citizens to adopt a different legislator. Then make a point of sharing your findings with each other on a regular basis. Make mention of your guy’s voting record in letters to the editor. Thorough investigation is what it means to keep your elected public employees accountable. In the past, we have behaved like absentee landlords who have allowed our constitutional house to go to shambles. The days of elect-them-andforget-them must be behind us if we’re going to restore the constitutional freedoms we have lost. Good hunting! Dusty Foster lives in rural Fremont County and is the founder of the nationwide project Vote Trackers, at www.VoteTrackers.com. If you’re willing to adopt a state legislator and share what you discover with others, contact her at penknife101@yahoo.com with the words State Trackers in the subject line.

The Constitution is not an instrument for the government to restrain the people, it is an instrument for the people to restrain the government— lest it come to dominate our lives and interests. —Patrick Henry

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To advertise your restaurant here please call: 719-260-7776. THE AIRPLANE RESTAURANT Our centerpiece is a Boeing KC-97 where passengers can eat. Our menu features burgers, pastas, salads, fresh fish and steaks. We also have a full bar. Located near the intersection of Fountain Blvd. and Powers Blvd. Just look for the plane! 570-7656

KRESSA’S KITCHEN Family style restaurant with good ole home cooking. Hours: Monday 9:00 am– 2:00 pm, Tuesday–Friday 6:00 am–2:00 pm, Saturday 7:00 am–2:00 pm, Friday and Saturday dinner 5:00–9:00 pm. Located at 660 Peterson Road (just off E. Platte between Marksheffel and N. Powers). 719-550-0324.

ALTITUDE SWEETS BAKERY Pastries, breads, award winning cinnamon rolls, specialty personalized cakes, and the only place in the Springs to get real kolaches! Baked fresh daily with no preservatives, using ingredients from Colorado. Corner of Tutt and N. Carefree. www.altitudesweets.com 573-8217

L&L HAWAIIAN BARBECUE Authentic Hawaiian style favorites known as “local” food in the Islands. Best of The Springs 2009 and 2010. E komo Mai and enjoy the real taste of aloha. Catering for all occasions. At Powers, across from Costco. 570-1888 Monday–Saturday 10:00 am–9:00 pm, Sunday 11am–8pm www.hawaiianbarbecue.com

AUNT NELLIE’S Aunt Nellie’s uses the finest ingredients to create delicious products. We use real butter, pure vanilla, quality chocolate and natural ingredients like nuts and dried fruit. 5901 Delmonico Dr., 531-5170, www.auntnellie.com.

LANNA THAI All dishes prepared with the fresh ingredients. Try the famous Pad Thai or Panang curry. Best Thai beer selection in town. Located at 8810 N. Union in the Albertson’s Shopping Center in Briargate. Open Monday–Saturday. Call for hours, 282-0474.

BAMBINO’S ITALIAN EATERY & CATERING CO. Family owned and operated for 32 years. Italian buffet offered daily for lunch and Wednesday & Sunday evenings. Kids eat free on Monday & Tuesday. Homemade pizza, pasta & sandwiches. Sports bar, banquet room. Military appreciation Monday. SE Corner of Platte & Circle, 630-8121. BILLY’S PIZZA Billy’s takes pride in the fact that everything is handmade, on site, from scratch in order to provide you with the freshest dining experience possible. Located at 308 S. 8th St. Dine-in or carryout. Catering available. Hours: Tuesday–Saturday 11:00 am–10:00 pm, closed Sunday and Monday, 719-630-3400.

LOUIE’S PIZZA Subs, Salads and More. Same great taste and quality we’ve been serving Colorado Springs for 25 years. Try our new Take-N-Bake Pizza! Five locations in Colorado Springs. Monday–Thursday 11:00 am–11:00 pm, Friday & Saturday 11:00 am–12:00 am, Sunday 11:00 am–11:00 pm.

R E S TA U R A N T A N D P U B

BLACK BEAR DINER Our founders’ concept sprang from a desire to bring home-style cooking and personal service back to the dining experience. Our entire menu is available to go, 314-3616. Located on the SE corner of Academy and Galley, 975-A N. Academy Blvd.

THE MASON JAR American comfort food served in a casual Colorado lodge atmosphere with full service bar. Two locations: 2925 West Colorado Ave, 632-4820; 5905 Corporate Dr. and I-25 (Exit 148). Call for hours, 260-6555. MCCABE’S TAVERN Traditional Irish pub with some of the best Irish fare in town. We broadcast soccer games from the MLS to the English Premier League on our big screen TVs, 520 South Tejon. Call for hours, 633-3300.

BLACK FOREST BISON Direct from the ranch sales. All natural/organic, 100% grass fed bison meat, “Gourmet to Go” heat and eat bison dinners, award winning bison jerky, farm fresh eggs & local raw honey. 1234 E. Woodmen Rd., 488-3898, www.BlackForestBison.com

MEADOW MUFFINS We are famous for our hamburgers and chicken wings. The atmosphere is decorated with old movie artifacts with many items from Gone with the Wind, Superman, fans from Casablanca and many more. 2432 West Colorado Ave., 633-0583

BUFFALO WILD WINGS Award-winning wings, 14 signature sauces, full bar, 39 HDTVs to watch your favorite sports, free wi-fi. Hours: Monday–Thursday, 11:00 am–1:00 am; Friday & Saturday, 11:00 am– 2:00 am; Sunday 11:00 am– 12:00 am, 7425 N. Academy Blvd., 594-WING

MY SISTER’S KITCHEN Since 1989. Jacque & Jill will give you 10% OFF when you mention this ad. Open for breakfast and lunch Monday–Saturday 6:00 am–2:00 pm. Located at 2416 East Boulder St., 719-475-2621.

CAPTAIN D’S Come in and enjoy our delicious seasoned tilapia, flaky wild Alaskan salmon and classic 2-piece fish dinner. Sit down quality food at a price that won’t break the bank. Five locations in Southern Colorado. (See our ad this issue.)

NOCON’S GELATORIA Italian Gelato is a healthy treat! Our fruit flavors are gluten and lactose free and our cream based flavors are gluten free. Located at 8816 N. Union Blvd, 2823135. Open Monday–Saturday, 12:00 pm–8:00 pm.

CASPIAN CAFÉ Step through the entrance of Caspian Café and be transported to an exotic land where a variety of beautifully prepared and incredibly delicious culinary creations tantalize your senses. East of I-25, south of Garden of the Gods Rd., 4375 Sinton Rd., 528-1155.

NORTH END DINER Colorado Spring’s Old-Fashioned American Diner Since 1958. Dine-In, Takeout, Local Delivery, Catering, Call Ahead. Hours: Monday 6:00 am–4:00 pm, Tuesday–Saturday 6:00 am–10:00 pm, Sunday 7:00 am–4:00 pm. Located at 3005 N Hancock. 719-442-1833.

COFFEE AND TEA ZONE The best in coffee, bubble tea, zone berry frozen yogurt, smoothies, ice cream, free wi-fi. Internet Café with 4-hi tech computers. Four locations: Rockrimmon/ Delmonico (599-8841), Voyager Pkwy (488-8893), downtown on Tejon (6323887), and our new location at off Powers near the IMAX Theater (550-1243).

OLIVER’S DELICATESSEN This cozy neighborhood deli located in the Rockrimmon area is the place to be anytime Monday through Saturday for breakfast and lunch. 6602-A Delmonico Dr., Hours: Monday–Friday 6:00 am–4:00 pm, Saturday 8:00 am–2:00 pm, 5999411

COPPER CREEK COFFEE Your conservative coffee shop with free Wi-Fi! Home of the “Palin Mocha” and the “Butter Rumsfeld.” We serve baked muffins, smoothies, pastries, and breakfast “Breggos.” 3315 W. Carefree Cir. Hours: Monday–Friday 7:00 am–6:00 pm, Saturday 7:00 am–2:00 pm, 597-4189

PATSY’S CANDIES We believe the best confections start with the best ingredients: real butter, pure chocolate, real cream, no additives, or preservatives. Most candied popcorn is made with burnt sugar. Patsy’s is made with pure butterscotch. 1540 S 21st Street, 633-7215

DAT’S ITALIAN! Family recipe cuisine that’s been passed down four generations. You’ll enjoy delicious affordable meals with a warm and friendly atmosphere. Located at 2514 West Colorado Avenue, Old Colorado City. Call for hours, 632-3287.

RITA’S MEXICAN KITCHEN We serve a great variety of traditional Mexican dishes, all prepared with only fresh ingredients for a delicious home made taste unlike any other. Dine in or carry out. Breakfast, lunch and dinner. Located on the corner of Union and Boulder, 719-667-7268.

ERIC’S MONUMENT GRILLE Our casual American menu offers flavorful food cooked to order in a timely manner at a reasonable price. Enjoy murals of Colorado while you eat. We offer an extensive kids’ menu. 1455 Cipriani Loop, Monument, 594-4300

ROCCO’S ITALIAN RESTAURANT Italian restaurant with fresh pastas, home-made lasagna, mouth-watering charbroiled steaks and seafood. Full bar and banquet room. Located at 3878 Maizeland. Call for hours: 574-1426.

EXTREME PIZZA Handmade the way it should be: fresh cut vegetables—not canned, dough made in our store—not frozen. We deliver honestly good tasting pizza loaded with toppings. Delivery, pickup, or dine in. 7340 N. Academy Blvd. For more info: www.extremepizza.com, 522-1515

ROCKY MOUNTAIN DOGS ‘N FAT BOYS Vienna Beef Chicago style dogs and huge Fat Boy sandwiches. Located at Nevada and Fillmore, 2907 N. Nevada. Open 7 days a week, 11:00 am–4:00 pm. Come hungry and come today! 719-473-2502

FAIRWAY GRILL & PUB Menu includes burgers and guilt-free fries, stacks, wraps, soups, salads, pizza and more! Our food is always fresh, never fried. Open 7 days a week. Sand Creek Golf Course, 6865 Galley Road. Call for hours: 597-5489.

SCHNITZEL FRITZ Serving the largest traditional variety of Schnitzel’s, Bratwurst in Colorado Springs. Check out our daily specials. Homemade German potato salad, sauerkraut, red cabbage, authentic cakes. “Bringing the BEST of Germany to Colorado”. Located at 4037 Tutt Boulevard. 719-573-2000.

FIX-A-FEAST We prepare quality “Take & Bake” Meals. Just call ahead and we will have them ready for you. all natural meats, fish & poultry, amazing deli and catering for all your office/private party needs. 5901 Delmonico Drive, 531-5170. FLYING W WESTERN STEAKHOUSE Chuckwagon Suppers and an Original Western Music Show. Open Friday and Staurday nights at 5pm and 8pm. Reservations Necessary at 719-598-4000. www.flyingw.com

MAGGIE MAE’S RESTAURANT AND PUB Homemade from scratch! Biscuits and gravy, mouth-watering soups, handcut steaks and prime rib, hand-formed burgers, hot beef sandwiches, awesome French dips, and the best green chili this side of heaven. 2405 Pikes Peak Ave., Call for hours: 475-1623

South Jersey Subs

SOUTH JERSEY SUBS Want a real sub with only the finest deli meats, cheeses and toppings? Our subs are loaded with goodness in every bite. Your mouth will be watering and you’ll come back for more! Located at 1726 Brookwood. Call for hours, 531-5100.

FRANKIE’S SPORTS BAR & GRILL This casual neighborhood sports tavern and grill offers delicious food, good service, big screens & pool tables. Two locations: Powers & Galley in Colorado Springs, 574-4881; Woodman & Meridian in Falcon 495-8707, www.FrankiesBarGrill.com

SOPA’S RESTAURANT Soups, salads, sandwiches, pastas and roasted chicken. Smoothies and milk shakes made with real fruit. Open daily from 7:00 am–8:00 pm. Breakfast served until 11:00 am. Located in the Cheyenne Mountain Shopping Center at South Academy and Hwy 115. 719-538-7672.

FRONT RANGE BBQ Southern-style slow smoked BBQ & home cooked meals from scratch. Two locations: 2330 W. Colorado, 632-2596; 4935 Templeton Gap Rd., 598-8895. Visit our website for menus, catering, live music & events schedule: www.frbbq.com

THUNDER AND BUTTONS Gourmet pub fare featuring elk chili, buffalo burgers, and more. Serving Colorado beers on tap. Entertainment nightly, karaoke, live bands, comedy and more! 2415 W. Colorado Ave. For hours and entertainment info: 447-9888, www.thunderandbuttons.com

JAKE AND TELLY’S We offer an array of traditional and family recipes such as lamb dishes, casseroles and mezzedakias (appetizers) and world-class wines. Located in Old Colorado City, in 26th block of Colorado Ave. Hours: 11:00 am to 10:00 pm, 7 days a week. JOEY’S PIZZA From pizza by the slice, specialty pizzas, calzones, stromboli, subs, salads and more, there will be a taste of New York in every bite. 1829 Briargate Blvd (across from Chapel Hills Mall), 265-6922

VIETNAMESE GARDEN We serve authentic Vietnamese cuisine made from scratch, no MSG, gluten free meals and take out available. Military discount. 3043 W. Pikes Peak Avenue. Hours are 11am–8pm Tuesday–Sunday, closed Mondays. 520-9299, www.vietnamesegarden.net

The Centennial State | Colorado Issues

68th Colorado General Assembly What Lies Ahead

D DRINK LOCALLY” N A T A E “

Senator-Elect Kent Lambert, Featured Writer Tea Parties, grassroots, the establishment, Republican disarray, minor parties, Clear the Bench, Obamacare, massive spending, debt, unemployment, nasty ads, congressional victories, “Broke.” Those are just a few of our memories and nightmares from 2010. Across the country, Republicans made huge gains in Congress, picked up important U.S. Senate seats, won governorships in double-digits, and elected 675 new state legislators. Colorado Republicans were not able to fully surf the wave of the national tsunami that rocked the rest of the country, but we picked up some important victories. The state House of Representatives will be a huge factor in stopping Democrat overspending and over-regulation. While we

Second, there is no money from economic growth. As long as the job market, private and commercial real estate, small businesses, and the credit markets are depressed, we should not expect higher state revenues. Although one of the fundamental principles of the Taxpayers’ Bill of Rights (TABOR)—a deliberate ratchetdown of taxes during economic downturns to stimulate recovery—has been effectively opposed by Democrats and some Republicans, we can see another sort of auto-correction. Despite zero or negative interest rates, businesses are still choosing not to invest due to government manipulation and economic uncertainty. Planned or not, when the government tries to over-control markets and interfere with business, investors will react by reducing their spending and jobs, thereby reducing government revenue. I call this a “free-market ratchet down,” a natural reaction to too much government control. Fortunately, revenue might eventually increase if the state lifts unnecessary burdens that restrict business, especially affordable energy production. Watch this closely! Third, there is no more federal money. The Ritter “Colorado Promise” seemed to continue state spending using one-time federal bailout money, with no structural changes to reduce future spending. Colorado now has about $1.5 billion in structural debt that must be addressed this year, while the federal bailouts will certainly end. In addition, the new Congress will probably make massive cuts to federal programs going to the states. Currently, several programs mandate increases, or at least constant levels, in unfunded state spending. If Congress cuts federal funding for the states, they should also eliminate mandates for higher state spending levels. These three factors suggest that very deep cuts will need to be made to shrink state government and programs. With the drag of extreme federal debt and restrictions on the economy, cuts in government services are inevitable at some point, and it appears that time is now. Some people may suffer from the loss of those services. The public misery from the intentional inflation of the money supply, the rapidly increasing costs of food and necessities, and continued job losses will affect far more people. Conservatives should not rest on their laurels just because we won a number of elections across the country. The road to economic recovery and prosperity will be a long and hard fight. Grassroots groups need to study and follow these critical issues, stay engaged to support elected leaders who advance fiscal reforms, and oppose those who don’t.

Colorado Republicans were not able to fully surf the wave of the national tsunami that rocked the rest of the country, but we picked up some important victories. narrowly missed the opportunity to take back the Senate, the Republican Senate caucus is now highly conservative. It is significant that every elected caucus leader is a member of the conservative Republican Study Committee of Colorado and received 100% voting scores from the Colorado Union of Taxpayers last year. Without the governorship and a Senate majority, it is unlikely that conservatives will have the power to make a lot of fundamental changes, but in the stalemate of a split government neither will the liberals. It is too soon to anticipate whether the tenor of the new session will be cooperative or combative, but there will certainly be vigorous and contentious debate. Initial public statements by Governor-Elect John Hickenlooper proclaiming a pro-business agenda are encouraging, but rhetoric alone will not be enough to produce a balanced budget or encourage jobs in a depressed economy. So what can we expect following the first phase of the voters’ historic rejection of Obama socialism, specifically on budget issues that affect Colorado? Although total state year-to-year spending in Colorado has never decreased, that trend is likely to stop this year. One big question will be where we might find money to sustain the state budget. First, there is no state money. The Ritter spending legacy left us without reserves, depleted cash funds, over-regulated industries, and shrinking revenues. It appears the legislature will have to cut about $1.5 billion during the four-month session starting in January. A lot of the “low hanging fruit” has already been plucked—the one-time cuts that don’t seriously change the status quo. Now the state will need to make significant longterm cuts to major programs and departments. It is unlikely Republicans will opt for higher taxes.

Kent Lambert is a graduate of the Air Force Academy and is currently a Colorado State Representative.

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The Centennial State | Colorado Issues

How Ken Bucked Winning Wave Joy Overbeck, Contributing Writer Ken Buck’s surprise defeat by 1 percentage point, falling to insipid whippersnapper Michael Bennet, proves again the old adage that you never bring a squirt gun to a knife fight. Buck’s fatal error was failure to take seriously the firepower of the Democratic lie machine, plus over-confidence in early voting exit polls. The Republican behaved like he was being pelted with cupcakes when he actually had a cornered wolverine on his hands. While the Democrats can be relied upon in any election to wheel out their creaky siege apparatus and lob such old chestnuts as: Republicans will snatch hot lunches from the mouths of starving schoolchildren, steal Social Security checks from seniors’ mailboxes, etc., an election which portends imminent wipeout inspires ever more desperate whoppers. Such was the case in these mid-terms, when in Tennessee, Rand Paul’s opponent accused him of worshipping something called Aqua Buddha, and the Republican candidate in Delaware was burned at the stake as a witch. Some conservative candidates lost due to these outlandish assaults. We in Colorado didn’t think it could happen here. When the crazy accusations started, they were just too…crazy. Take the incessant radio spot warning that Buck would ban birth control, levy a 23% tax on goods and services, end student loans, decimate Social Security. Who would believe any of it? They were all preposterous lies, shamefully funded by the National Education Association. Incredibly, our own

hard-earned property tax dollars that funnel to the NEA through donations from our 40,000 teachers in the Colorado Teachers Association financed them. Another ad starred a dad accusing cold-hearted Ken Buck of not caring about his rape victim daughter. Never mind that the woman was accusing her former boyfriend and both Boulder and Weld County prosecutors agreed with Buck’s regretful assessment that the case could not be won. In another ad, a sensible-looking woman explained that Ken Buck would “force us” to have babies even in the case of rape or incest. Women viewers reacted negatively to this, even though senators don’t decide abortion’s legality. But Buck’s silence on these issues damaged him. I knew the Wednesday before the election that he was in trouble, though Buck was polling at a 4-point lead over The Invisible Senator. That afternoon I was calling Republican voters from the campaign headquarters in Highlands Ranch, urging them to mail their ballots. Several women told me they had made all Republican choices except Senate and were seriously conflicted over voting for Buck. They couldn’t understand. If the terrible things the ads said about him weren’t true, why he wasn’t out there fighting back. One told me, “I’m waiting to see him on TV, denying it.” I asked these women to read Buck’s defense on his Website. But it’s a funny thing about Colorado Republican women voters. They expect a

candidate who is being loudly and publicly dismembered to have enough manly pride to defend himself. They wonder how he can stand tough for them in Washington, if he can’t even stand tough for himself here. That’s pretty much what I told a Buck county campaign chair that Wednesday afternoon. He said it wouldn’t be good for the candidate to look angry,

Buck’s fatal error was failure to take seriously the firepower of the Democratic lie machine, plus overconfidence in early voting exit polls. plus they didn’t have money to combat the ads even though this was among the most lavishly funded campaigns in the nation. I suggested that Buck use free media: call a press conference and indignantly denounce the poisonous ads. The next day, I got in touch with Perry Buck, the candidate’s wife, and recounted what I was hearing from Republican women. She said she agreed that something should be done, but indicated she had little clout with the campaign; Ken’s experienced team, led by political pro Walt Klein, were in charge. My next call was to campaign headquarters, where I told my story to a senior operative, again suggesting Ken call a press conference and refute the lies. He didn’t really think the situation required such urgency. And then, off the record, he told me why: the campaign’s early voter exit polling and their computer modeling showed Buck winning by double digits.

Did these people not recall that the Bush-Kerry exit polling predicted a Kerry victory, prompting the media punditocracy to scream fraud when Bush won the actual vote? Did the Buck campaign experts fail to read The Blueprint, which describes the slime-and-slash strategy the Democrats have used since 2004 to turn Colorado from red to blue, the same malignant strategy they used against Buck? In the end, Bennet led Buck among women by over 15 points, in a year when independents and women went overwhelmingly Republican. Yet Walt Klein on the very eve of his candidate’s defeat assured stalwarts at the “victory party” that predictive voting models still favored Buck. Democrats know by now that the slashing sword of lying ads is far more effective than any poll reveals. Republicans must holster the squirt gun and lash back with a lethal counteroffensive instead of running cutesy ads in which their daughters endorse them. That, or expect more gag-worthy scenes like Michael Bennet basking in victory’s sunshine, squeaking, “This is not about the latest poll or attack ad…it’s about you…” Hear the repressed snicker? Joy Overbeck is an award-winning journalist and author of three books. Her articles have appeared in such magazines as Redbook, Parents, TV Guide, Woman’s Day, Cosmopolitan, Readers Digest, LUXE, 5280 Denver Magazine, and others. Visit her website at www.joyoverbeck.com to read more of her work.

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Post Mortem Findings of the Colorado Gubernatorial Election Dr. Michael Jon Schneider, Organizer, Vail Valley 9-12 Project These are the times that try men’s souls. -Thomas Paine, The Crisis, 1776

It’s unlikely that the 2010 Colorado gubernatorial election was the sort of thing Thomas Paine was alluding to in 1776 when he wrote The Crisis, but they are certainly appropriate in describing the current political goings on here in the Rocky Mountain state. The process has failed! Republican or Democrat, liberal or conservative, we should all be appalled at how good ol’ boy politics manipulated the process here in the gubernatorial race. Haley Barber and the Republican Governor’s Association, along with Dick Wadhams and the Colorado GOP, turned their backs on Dan Maes, the duly-elected Republican candidate running for governor. The RGA was ready to hand over $9 million to Scott McInnis had he won, but gave not one cent to Maes. Why did this happen? Was it because Maes had no strings attached and, therefore, could not be manipulated if elected? Could it be that the politicians who now run the show think that we are children and that they know what is best for us? Quite possibly, it may just be that Maes is simply one of us, warts and all, and that we are a dangerous threat to the status quo political system. There was little debate about the issues that matter; only disdain and vitriol directed at Maes, who was forced to spend too much time defending and explaining the accusations against him. Instead, we should have been hearing the candidates’ visions for our state. We wanted to hear how they would address unemployment, immigration, the economy and healthcare. Instead, much time was spent de-

picting Maes as an unelectable candidate. This came in the form of lack of support from the hierarchy of the Colorado state GOP and from the newly-crowned pariah of the conservative movement in Colorado, Thomas Tancredo. (Note that Tancredo never gave a valid reason as to why he declared Maes, the winner of the GOP primary, “unelectable.”) If Tancredo did not know that he would destroy any chance of putting a conservative in the governor’s office by entering the race as a third party candidate, then I do believe his declaration that he still has bouts of mental illness. Tancredo singlehandedly set the conservative movement back in Colorado, and at a time when it was critical to put a Republican in the governor’s office due to reapportionment. Tom, you have manipulated and dumped on the process in which we all believed. You were incorrect when you told Aaron Harbor that this election would not affect your life one way or another. You split the vote with a campaign of character assassination on a good man, and your political career is surely over. We have some work to do to rebuild the grassroots conservative movement in the state of Colorado that you so selfishly destroyed. Originally from New York, Michael Schneider has lived in Vail, CO for the past 22 years where he is a podiatrist. He organized the Vail Valley 9-12 Project in September 2009 in the hopes of being part of the force to return our government to the principles of our founders.

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The Centennial State | Colorado Issues

Colorado GOP—Not a Meritocracy Col Jimmie H. Butler, USAF Ret, Contributing Writer As the conservative wave swept across America November 2, why did Coloradoans get stuck again with a liberal governor and the appointed liberal senator who represented Colorado poorly in his first two years? Two answers come to mind immediately: a long-standing candidate selection process that is a sham aimed at having Colorado conservatives think they are making the choices, and incompetent Republican leadership. Both problems need to be fixed. If not, conservatives have no reason to continue supporting the Colorado GOP. The Colorado GOP’s system of caucuses and assemblies seems to incorporate citizen involvement in selecting candidates. That’s something newly engaged grassroots voters, who showed up at the GOP state assembly in record numbers as delegates, would applaud. Democracy in action! Well, not exactly, because that’s not really how GOP candidates are selected in Colorado. For example, recently a grassroots activist talked about running in 2012 to represent the house district where she’s lived for many years. She was quickly informed it was not her turn. It’s another local politician’s turn to be the GOP candidate for that office. No discussion of which candidate might be a better representative. The candidate for that race apparently has been selected more than a year before Colorado’s citizens gather for their 2012 caucuses.

Do we see the same thing in critical statewide races for governor and U.S. senator? Apparently so. In mid-2009, Scott McInnis decided to run for governor in 2010. Contributions in his first quarter were more than $500,000, with nearly $400,000 coming from about 400 donors. Coincidentally, Jane Norton entered the race for U.S. senator during that same quarter and raised $510,000 in about a month. Is it a coincidence that these two candidates got off to such a great start a year before the primary? While supporting Marc Holtzman’s outsider attempt to get on the 2006 primary ballot for governor, I was told that in the summer of 2005 a half dozen GOP money-men selected Bob Beauprez to be the GOP gubernatorial candidate for 2006. Explain to me again how such selections are made in the caucus and primary system many months later. Technically, maybe Colorado Republicans do choose their candidates at the state assembly followed by the primary. With all the upfront cash, the choices of the king makers are almost a shoo-in to be on the November ballot. Almost. In 2010 the infusion of grassroots voters had Norton choosing in March to bypass the assembly because her campaign was faltering so badly. McInnis’s money advantage of about 10 to 1 over Dan Maes

wasn’t enough to keep Maes from a win at the assembly. Even worse for the GOP king-makers, Ken Buck won the August primary in spite of being outspent 4 to 1, and Maes won against McInnis’s big cash advantage. GOP leadership—official and backroom—should have gotten the message. Voters wanted new candidates instead of professional politicians. Instead GOP insiders spent the first month after the pri-

Real leadership would have united the GOP behind the full slate of candidates instead of causing deep divides within the party. mary shamefully trying to disenfranchise the nearly 200,000 voters who had picked Maes. The millions of dollars the Republican Governors Association was ready to donate to a triumphant McInnis was withheld, even though Maes was polling within about five points of the Democratic candidate. Obviously, the state GOP elite made no demands for Colorado to get that money to elect a Republican governor. The elites who had financed the McInnis and Norton campaigns starved the Maes campaign, as well. Some likely financed the attack ads of the Tancredo campaign, as well, which spent more air time trying to obliterate Maes than focusing on the ultraliberal Democratic contender. After watching

Maes closely from March through November, I believe an unbiased investigation would show that most attacks against Maes were distortions of the truth, and he was the best gubernatorial candidate. However, for several elections the GOP elite hasn’t been concerned about offering the best candidates. The establishment extended its string of picking losers while the caucuses, assemblies, and primaries are months away. Real leadership would have united the GOP behind the full slate of candidates instead of causing deep divides within the party. A united party likely would have elected Buck as senator and probably have gotten newcomer Owen Hill the other 341 votes needed to unseat democrat John Morse to gain another state Senate seat. If Colorado Republicans want a responsive state GOP, we must elect county officers in early 2011 who will elect responsive state leaders of the GOP. If so, maybe we can take the candidate-selection process back from the king makers and return it to the hands of grassroots Republican voters. If not, the Colorado GOP will really become the minor party it almost made itself in 2010. And, I bet grassroots voters can elect that candidate even if it isn’t her turn. Jimmie H Butler is a retired USAF veteran who flew 240 combat missions in Cessnas, mostly over the Ho Chi Minh Trail through Laos. He is the author of A Certain Brotherhood and two technothrillers.

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El Paso Commissioners Should Do the Right Thing Jeff Crank, Featured Writer As I’ve watched and participated in the debate over the term limits extensions in El Paso County, one thing has become increasingly clear: the debate isn’t about term limits, it’s about trust in government. Four of the five current El Paso County commissioners voted to place the following language on the November ballot: Shall persons elected to the office of County Commissioner be limited to serving three (3) consecutive terms, a modification of the current limits permitted by Article XVIII, Section 11 of the Colorado Constitution? What the language left for the voter to figure out is that there are currently two-term limits on county commissioners and that a Yes vote to “limit” terms actually extended them

ing is more distasteful than bloated, good-for-nothing elected officials who make the argument that, “voters just should have known better.” Commissioners-elect Darryl Glenn and Peggy Littleton have joined Commissioner Amy Lathen in pledging to me that they will place less confusing, unambiguous language on future ballots. It is my hope that commissioners Dennis Hisey and Sallie Clark do the same. Hisey has been clear in stating that he will listen to citizens and act accordingly. He plans several town hall meetings and will gauge public sentiment. I have great hope that he will do the right thing as well. Clark has been more combative on the issue of a new ballot question. Clark maintains that the ballot language was not written in a way to ensure passage, despite an email from county attorney Bill Louis stating, “The 2006 questions were not successful. Accordingly, my office considered examples from other counties that had been successful and we incorporated those into the 2010 question. I can’t think of any reason to write a referred measure unless you want it to be successful. Otherwise it is just taking up space on a ballot.” Appearing on my radio show on Saturday, November 13, Clark was unrepentant for the language and how it appeared. When I suggested that the language seemed to be drafted in a way that made sure the ballot question passed, Clark replied, “You are absolutely wrong on that.” I know one thing: if I were a county commissioner and I felt that my integrity was unfairly under attack, nothing would be more important to me than restoring my integrity and standing in the eyes of voters. If I was being unjustly attacked, nothing would be as important as maintaining my good name—not my colleagues, not my pride, nor how many terms I could potentially serve. The only way to remove that concern is to place another ballot question, clearly worded, and give the voters a simple choice. Maintaining voter confidence and trust trumps everything else.

Nothing is more distasteful than bloated, good-for-nothing elected officials who make the argument that, “voters just should have known better.” by four years. It’s reminiscent of John Kerry’s claim that, “I actually did vote for the $87 billion before I voted against it.” In a historic election where Democrats lost 63 U.S. House seats, Republicans regained control of the state House and hundreds of incumbents around the country lost their jobs, miraculously, term limits were extended by a 60 percent to 40 percent margin in conservative El Paso County. It appears that many voters thought that by voting “yes” they were doing what the language said—limiting the terms of commissioners. All of the El Paso County commissioners are friends of mine. Most have served as solid, staunch conservatives throughout their time in public service. While many in our community question their motives, it isn’t for me to judge. I can only take them at their word. And I do. But these commissioners, and the two new commissioners to be sworn in soon, must recognize that something much more important than term limits is at stake—the confidence citizens of El Paso County have in their elected officials. It is, frankly, disgraceful to hear some attack voters as “stupid” and “ill-informed.” Well-informed or ill-informed, voters are the boss in our Republic. Noth-

Jeff Crank is the Colorado Director of Americans for Prosperity and host of The Jeff Crank Show on KVOR 740 AM.

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The Centennial State | El Paso County

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Ever stop to wonder how votes play out in the real world? When the city says things like, “We’ll have to make deep cuts if you don’t vote in a higher tax.” do you know whose career gets thrown under the bus? Let’s go way back, because in politics years are counted like dog years, to 2009 when Referendum 2C (the property tax hike) was on the ballot. City employees and departments had already been warned that layoffs were coming to offset the fiscal damage done by the Olympic Training Center mess. With 2C there was a chance that voters would give up and pay through the nose to pull the city’s collective butts out of the fiscal fire. At the Department of City Engineers Roadway Department, the tension of personnel cutbacks was offset by the belief that the Pikes Peak Rural Transportation Authority (PPRTA) would absorb the roadway team employees, and get them through the next fiscal year. Fortunately, and unfortunately, 2C didn’t pass and the PPRTA did not pick up any employees from the roadway department. Personnel cuts had to be made. Right now you’re thinking, “Don’t tell me that you think 2C should have passed?” No, 2C should not have passed. The city should be held accountable for their mismanagement of funds, and cutbacks had to be made. But here is where the political bus revs its engine and starts cruising for careers to squash. What do managers do when faced with fiscal realities? They start by cutting team members. Then, when they find out there is no tax increase, they find two more folks who need to go. None of whom were upper-management. Larry Dickerson, an inspector for the roadway department, was one of those standing in the middle of the political street when the bus rounded the corner. Believing his job would be safe, he returned from Christmas vacation on Dec. 28, 2009 to the news that he was being let go. December 31, 2009 was his final day with the city. Dickerson had more than 10 years with the city and his job included excavation permits, primary inspector on city projects, watching over utilities cuts, asphalt overlays, concrete inspections, training employees on the excavation permit process, backfilling for other inspector’s areas when needed, addressing citizen concerns on public right-of-

way issues, and various office duties. For around $56,000 a year, Dickerson and other city roadway inspectors fulfilled a vital role in our community. When Dickerson asked if his seniority would make any impact on the decision to let him go, he was told, “No.” Now it is time to do some math. The roadway department started off with 17 employees. Seven were let go. All seven were making around $56,000. Of the remaining 10 employees, five were, and still are, managers. With less than 10 years combined time with the city, three managers made $66,634 each per year. One manager made $89,082. The last manager made $100,302. None of these salary figures contain benefit packages, and as the years pass these managers will receive 6% to 9% wage increases each year. These salaries were found on the City of Colorado Springs web pages. All regular employees would only have a 4% to 5% wage increase yearly. While the books for the year look

…as we see, at least one city department did not cut positions that would make public services run more smoothly, or save money. like deep cuts were made, higher salaried, employees with less experience were kept on. That’s how the political bus rolls. To add insult to injury, managers would not write letters of recommendation. All employees were told that no one would receive letters, even though none were let go for anything other than fiscal cutbacks. Dickerson wrote letters to the mayor, The Gazette, and his former employers asking for explanations. He has not received any answers. Taxpayers did their job and kept the city accountable for the money they take in in taxes. What the tax payers expected was a city that would find ways to run more efficiently. But, that political bus rolled through and, as we see, at least one city department did not cut positions that would make public services run more smoothly, or save money. They kept high paid managers, cut people who actually did the work, and then refused to help them find another job. As the years pass we will see worse public services, and higher price tags…don’t you love that political bus? Leah is a native of Colorado, wife, mother of 3, and loves individual liberty and freedom.

City Council Elections Get Involved!

Say “GOOD BYE” to your C-PAP

Joshua Westerlund, Contributing Writer Have you spent any time this last year complaining about how this city is run or talking about how you could make things better? Do you think you have what it takes to balance out our cities budget woes? Well, it’s time to put your money where your mouth is. City elections are coming April 5. City council elections are the perfect opportunity for concerned citizens to become involved in our city government. With the passage of Issue 300 on the November ballot, the configuration of the city council has changed slightly, but it is still the main representative Colorado Springs residents. According to the city clerk’s website, there are currently only two candidates who have filed their declaration of candidacy forms and are entering the race for city council in April. Brandy Williams, who was involved in advancing the strong mayor issue, is running for atlarge council member. Angela Dougan, a local wife and mother who worked on Darryl Glenn’s last reelection campaign as his campaign manager, is running for the District 2 seat. All together there are seven seats up for grabs this April 5th. The seats of Mayor and Vice Mayor, as well as Districts 2 and

The Discomfort

3, and three ‘At-Large’ seats. District 2 is soon to be a vacant seat as Councilman Darryl Glenn was elected to a position as County Commissioner and is resigning his council seat. The District 3 seat is currently filled by Sean Paige who was appointed in 2009 and will need to be reelected in order to serve a full term. Two of the At-Large seats currently occupied are term-limited and will have no incumbent, and Jan Martin in the third seat is not term limited but is up for reelection. On top of all that, we have the mayoral elections which will fill the executive roles on the council. If you would like to run for the council you must be at least 25 years old and a resident of Colorado Springs for at least a year. For more details you can contact the City Clerk’s office or visit the city government website at springsgov.com.

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City Council Needs Clean Sweep Douglas Bruce, Featured Writer

In November 2009, Colorado Springs voters rejected issue 2-C, council’s demand for a 234% increase in the city property tax rate. City Hall then overtly retaliated by stopping basic services. It removed park trash cans rather than emptying them. It no longer cut weeds on its property. It turned off streetlights in an inefficient manner. Offices cut public service hours. Potholes were even more neglected. City council has forgotten who works for whom. Their punitive actions aimed to “teach us a lesson.” Fortunately, seven of nine council seats are up for election this April. Five members are term-limited so we will have a new majority. We need a complete turnover to reject these arrogant, vicious, and incompetent actions. A new team should clean up City Hall. Council pay is $6,250 per year. Voters had rejected paying council eight times, preferring volunteer part-timers over professional politicians. The council wore down voter resistance by badgering us a ninth time. They got their foot in the door with a token amount then asked to double their pay (triple for the mayor). Voters rejected that demand. The pay sounds stingy, but the council regularly meets five afternoons a month, about four hours each time. That’s about 240 hours a year, about six weeks of fulltime work. It’s $26 per hour. To increase efficiency, verbose city documents should be edited. Meaningless, symbolic resolutions and entertainment also waste time. A mayor paid $96,000, plus a chief of staff, will replace a city manager paid $210,000. We can reform city council into a pro-taxpayer group operating in a businesslike way. No more submission to blackmail, like the $50+ million bribe paid to the Olympics Committee to stay here. No more debt without voter approval. No more tax hikes labeled “fees.” No more war on fiscal limits, petitioners, or city reformers. City Hall should reduce its take from citizens and do less with less. We have many useless bureaucrats. The new council must have the courage and fresh thinking to downsize government and serve taxpayers. They must have a goal and vocabulary larger than one word—”More!” They must stop meddling in private business. Let’s focus on core functions of city government—pub-

lic safety and roads—and not economic development (about which they know zero), vacant land, bonuses, recreation, transit, and new buildings (called an “edifice complex.”) Example: Using an “emergency” ordinance they pawned City Hall 10 years ago to acquire quick cash to renovate council offices. They put us into debt without voter approval, in violation of the Constitution and charter. We still don’t own City Hall, having pawned it to a dummy corporation run by city bureaucrats. That interest cost alone was $5 million. Disgusting. Getting good government requires your attention. Stop grousing about what “they” should do for you, and ask what you should do to help clean up City Hall. Many egotists will seek the title and salary of mayor. Most policy reforms are from city council. We need seven members to cut spending, and cut taxes to curb spending. Top staff is overpaid and underworked. The Gazette survey in 2009 showed the average cost of one city employee with benefits was $89,000, about twice that of the citizens, their employers! Over 125 people made more than Governor Ritter. How did they get away with these scandals? Voter apathy. Many citizens either don’t pay attention or don’t care. City Hall will be at a financial crossroads next April. If we don’t change direction, our beloved city will continue going down the toilet. If you don’t care, turn the page. If you do care, make the sacrifice to run for city council, or recruit others who will devote that service. Let’s steer City Hall away from the cliffs of financial disaster. Let’s defuse the twin time bombs of skyrocketing, taxpayer-funded health care costs and future pension liabilities. It costs nothing to file as a council candidate. Call 385-5901 to learn how. A well-spent $5-10,000 can fund a credible race. There are five at-large seats, so voters may cast five votes. You need only one of those five votes. Run as a cost-cutting conservative. Reject the past profligacy of inane incumbents barred from running again. Do not run to rule; petty tyrants are the bane of government. Run to serve, and to save the city we love! Douglas Bruce is a former state legislator and county commissioner and author of TABOR. He may be reached at taxcutter@msn.com or 550-0010.

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The Republic as it Stands | National Issues

Dethroning the Imperial Court After Midterms Richard Eleuterio, Contributing Writer The reaction of the president and his sycophants to the shellacking they received on November 2 is amazing to behold and yet as expected. His response to the desire by most of the electorate for the repeal of the nationalized healthcare manifesto is to consider tweaking some of the 2,600 page bill’s finer details. It is hard to appreciate the personally invasive nature of a completely bureaucratically controlled healthcare system. It is likely that the complex, unique and sometimes wrenching life and death decisions that free individuals make regarding their own lives and those of their families will now be made by remote death panels and their drone staffs. A nation of free people will now be told what to eat, how much and how often. The course of medical treatment that is most appropriate for you or a family member will be measured against a points system

which factors in the cost and the years of “useful” life available. There are, of course, those special people whose lives are without such limitations. These include political and bureaucratic elites, their families and staffs, favored union members and select others without the taint of ordinariness. They are essentially sheltered from the deleterious effects of the healthcare juggernaut. As one of the characters in George Orwell’s Animal Farm said: “All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others.” The leader’s reaction to the rejection by most Americans of the Cap and Trade bill is that much of it can be handled administratively by decrees from the EPA. His answer to unprecedented debt and spending increases is to appoint a blue ribbon commission on deficit reduction. To the faceless government apparatchiks who have been granted the power to micromanage our lives, our businesses, and

personal affairs by legislation, executive orders and judicial edicts handed down by Washington and our state capitols our answer must be “No, a thousand times no!” We must continue in the spirit of our founders rejecting these obscene affronts to our personal liberties. It is complicated to formulate effective tactics, but I believe it is imperative that we now actually intensify our efforts for, as Winston Churchill said after their first major World War II victory: “Now is not the end. It is not even the beginning of the end. But it is perhaps, the end of the beginning.” I suggest some specific targets we must focus our attention on; these are very general and strategic targets: 1. Locally, we must work to get more liberty committed precinct captains and delegates elected to party positions. 2. We must run ourselves or support liberty activists for local offices such as school boards, county offices, city council, etc. 3. We must continue to be better informed about the candidates for these offices and work for their election, making certain they keep their pledges and promises. 4. Liberty-minded Coloradoans must continue to seek leadership positions within the Republican Party. While there will be resistance to this by the old guard, we can learn from each other and improve the quality of party candidates. 5. We must continue to educate ourselves and our allies about our national heritage.

6. We should, by mail or fax, congratulate the liberty activist winners at all levels of government then remind them we will be holding them accountable. Much of this is already being done. 7. On a national level, we must convince our new congressional winners that our federal government is far too large and much of it must be dismantled. We Americans are still stalwart masters of our lives, our liberties and pursuers of our own happiness. We liberty activists are ringing liberty’s bell so that all may hear. We and our natural allies—entrepreneurs, farmers, ranchers, contractors and small business operators—must refuse to become clients of the state and insist that our usurped freedoms be restored. The very arrogance and self-righteous nature of the ruling elite’s belief system along with their blind faith in their invincibility makes them vulnerable. As it says in Proverbs 16:18: “Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.” To win this monumental victory we must continue to reintroduce and uphold our constitutional governmental principles with a zeal no less than our founders who pledged lives, fortunes and sacred honor. We must not let the fires of individual freedom be extinguished, nor the thirst for liberty slaked, nor the hunger for justice satiated during this, the time of our nation’s greatest peril! A child of Portuguese immigrants, Richard Eleuterio gained a deep and abiding love of this country and its incomparable opportunities. He has been intensely interested in politics and economics for many years, finding the current state of affairs cause for concern.

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Lies, Lies and More Lies Chuck Graybill, Featured Writer Progressives preach fairness and wealth redistribution from their neo-aristocratic, self-proclaimed thrones. But for what purpose? What happens when our selfanointed government Robin Hoods steal all the wealth from the achievers in our society and give it to hard-working but lower achieving Americans, to underachievers, then ultimately to the slackers who never have and never will work for a living as long as there is a government handout to be had? What happens when wealth redistribution is so successful there are no wealthy left to rob except the government royalty? What happens when the bar has been lowered so far there are no more rungs left on the ladder of success? Wealth redistribution is about more than just spreading the money from the haves to the have-nots. It is about altering, and ultimately destroying, your mindset and breaking your spirit! Have you ever watched an eagle soar or seen a stallion run? Both are pure expressions of freedom, strength and power. Both personify the indomitable American spirit; a spirit being systematically broken, tamed and reshaped into a timid, controlled and homogeneous mass. A big pile of nothingness going nowhere fast. Progressives do not only target rich conservatives. They are most successful in exploiting the very people they profess to be helping by continually coercing and tricking the poor or under-privileged into entitlement slavery. These are people

who look up to government and the Progressives as their saviors, only to realize too late that they are the Progressives’ sacrificial lambs. This country was founded with a pioneering spirit and sense of community. Raging rivers and seemingly insurmountable terrain could not stop American pioneers from following the directive to “Go West, young man.” But, as America grew, so did the need for law and order, government and regulations. As frontiers

Americans set-up, for today’s Progressive invasion and takeover. Several of our restaurant guests asked me to simplify and summarize some of the national issues and legislation pending, passed or in the offing, so here goes: Who or what will suffer most from the expiration of Bush tax cuts? Small businesses, middle and lower income wage earners and heirs. Who or what will suffer most from Obamacare? Small businesses, middle and lower income wage earners and senior citizens. Who or what will suffer most from passage of any cap and trade legislation? Small businesses, middle and lower income wage earners, fixed income senior citizens. Who or what will suffer most from the passage of any card check (universal unions) legislation? Small businesses, middle and lower income wage earners and American jobs. Do you see a pattern here? I believe there is a systematic and calculated attack by this administration and Progressives on small businesses in America. Mergers, consolidations and combinations have been rampant and unchecked for years in our country, with the resultant decrease of competition and increase in job cuts. It is much easier for the government

Who will suffer most from Obamacare? …cap and trade? … card check? There is a systematic and calculated attack by this administration and progressives on small businesses in America. were tamed, politics, corruption, influence peddling and cronyism became more prevalent, and money became the American dream and measuring stick. Corrupt politicians became as commonplace as tumbling tumbleweed, lies as every day and expected as each day’s new dawn. The news media, once a noble profession and guardian of American freedom, slowly became totally commercialized and compromised, fearing losing advertisers more than losing integrity and readers. Thus the stage was set, and

to wield power and control of a smaller number of large corporations than an army of small businesses. Whether you recognize it or not, we stand on the precipice of another Great Depression. Our government is destroying the value of our dollar and, as a result, our lifetime savings. There is no economic recovery and the recession did not end June of 2009. The GDP numbers are a lie; guesses, and not even very ones, at our economic activity. These guesses provide good sound bites and fodder to encourage you to spend as in the past and part with your hard earned dollars. You know this because you are paying for runaway cost increases for food and gasoline (which are excluded from inflation calculation— why?). Unemployment is really at about 23%, cost increases at my restaurant were 25% in the last two months and senior citizens struggling to survive on the Social Security insurance they funded will not get any cost of living increase for the second year in a row. Do not believe anything this administration is telling you! If their lips are moving, they are lying! When are you going to get involved? Next year may be too late. Chuck Graybill is the owner of Maggie Maes Restaurant, a former financial executive with BP, and author of Cannibals of Capitalism.

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Stratton was involved in all the invasions of New Guinea, Leyte, Luzon and Okinawa. After the war, he was discharged a second time as a gunnersmate, second class. Some would say that was enough time at sea and enough danger for a lifetime, but Stratton went to work on offshore drilling barges as an able-seaman and as a barge master. He later worked with deepsea divers as a diver-tender, on pipelines, and erecting offshore drilling platforms. His work took him to Alaska, Columbia, Chile, Kuwait and Nicaragua and other locations in the United States. After retiring in 1986, Stratton and his wife of 60 years, Velma, lived in Arizona and California before moving to Colorado Springs to be near a son and grandchildren. Stratton has returned to Pearl Harbor several times for reunions of the survivors. A few years ago, some former Japanese airmen and sailors attended, but he refused to shake their hands, believing that to do so would disrespect the 1,177 fellow sailors who died on the USS Arizona. When asked what he thinks of our country’s current situation, Stratton said

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Arizona was moored alongside the USS Vestal, a repair ship. A sailor from the Vestal threw a heaving line to the crew of the Arizona, then a heavier line which Stratton and his crew tied to the sky-control platform. Although badly burned, Stratton and five others proceeded hand over hand along the line, crossing 45 feet above fire and water to the Vestal. They were later taken to the Naval Hospital in Pearl Harbor where they stayed for several days. Stratton arrived at Mare Island Naval Hospital near San Francisco on Christmas Day 1941, and was later transferred to Corona, California for convalescence. He was burned over 50% to 60% of his body. After numerous skin grafts, he was medically discharged in September 1942. Stratton says he will always have a soft spot in his heart for all the doctors, nurses, and corpsmen of the Navy. Back in his hometown of Red Cloud, Nebraska, he worked different jobs, but decided to rejoin the Navy. He had to go back through boot camp, and in 1944 went aboard the destroyer USS Stack. The ship proceeded to the south Pacific, where

High above the deck of the USS Arizona, the port side gun director station was engulfed in flames and smoke. Inside, Donald Stratton and his fellow crew members felt the searing heat and realized they were trapped with no way out. An 1,800 pound bomb from a Japanese bomber had smashed through the forward deck of the ship and ignited the ammunition magazines. Nearly 1 million pounds of explosives plus thousands of gallons of aviation gasoline and fuel oil created a massive explosion that blew apart the forward 110 feet of the ship, and sent a fireball several hundred feet into the air. Stratton had just finished breakfast on the morning of December 7, 1941 in Pearl Harbor, Oahu when he came out on deck to the sight of sailors shouting and pointing at Japanese planes bombing nearby Ford Island. He immediately climbed to his battle station above the captain’s bridge where he was the sight setter in the antiaircraft director unit. The Arizona and other ships in the harbor were being divebombed, strafed, and hit by high-altitude bombers. Stratton and his mates fired the anti-aircraft guns until the ship was hit. Stratton credits his survival to being in the director station above the deck. The

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Free Markets | Eye on Entitlements

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Dr. Erik Van Os is a gastroenterologist who owns a private practice in Colorado Springs. Jackie Driscoll is the Chief Development Officer of Centura Health in Colorado Springs.

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TCT: What will be the effects of instantly adding 30+ million insured patients to the healthcare system? Dr. Van Os: The addition will strain an already strained system. Ms. Driscoll: Covering 30 million people does not guarantee their access to physicians. We already have a significant physician shortage that some programs are attempting to counteract. Some are paying for physician extenders (nurse practitioners, physician assistants, etc.) to provide care on behalf of primary care physicians, while others, like the Regional Care Coordination Organization in Colorado, plan to supplement Medicaid reimbursements in order to expand access.

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mand for senior care rises with a growing senior population, Medicare costs will only increase. TCT: As someone who deals with Medicare, what do you think of the $500 billion Medicare cut? Ms. Driscoll: Medicare does not pay physicians and hospitals enough to cover the actual cost of the services rendered; the insured are actually covering this shortfall. Cutting the Medicare budget in the short term will force physicians and hospitals to shift more costs to the insurance companies, driving up premiums. In the long term, however, we may be able to reverse this problem by adopting healthier lifestyles and better coordination of care.

The American Medical Association doesn’t speak for a majority of physicians.

TCT: It’s been said that doctors, nurses, and patients had the least influence on the crafting of this legislation. Do you agree? Ms. Driscoll: I am not sure I agree. The American Medical Association and the American Hospital Association were front and center in the process of negotiating health care reform, and each of us, as Americans, had the right and responsibility to be informed of the issues and elected the Democratic majority. Dr. Van Os: Decisions made by economists and politicians are often out of touch with medical realities. This bill was thrust on the American people by an administration with its own agenda that is out of touch with the majority of Americans. I can say with certainty that the American Medical Association does not speak for all physicians, or even a majority of them.

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TCT: In what ways will Health Care Reform affect your practice? Dr. Van Os: Negatively. From a business perspective we will be affected through increased personal taxes, business taxes and the increased cost of covering employees. This will impact our ability to care for all patients, and especially seniors. TCT: The very controversial “individual mandate” forces every American to purchase health insurance or pay a penalty. What are your thoughts on this mandate? Ms. Driscoll: Unless all are required to purchase health insurance, many will not purchase it until they have an expensive health condition. This drives the the price of policies even higher, making them more difficult for people to buy until absolutely necessary; it’s a vicious circle. While being forced to buy insurance is controversial, the health care reform bill establishes very low penalties for non compliance. The price of the yearly ‘penalty’ is comparable to the cost of a single month’s premium; more of a “nudge” than a penalty. TCT: Health Care Reform will cut $500 billion from Medicare. As a doctor who routinely treats seniors, how do you think this will affect them? Dr. Van Os: Any provider or senior will tell you we already have a Medicare crisis and that this proposed cut in Medicare is completely unrealistic. Medicare payments are already too low, a strain felt by providers and hospitals alike. As the de-

TCT: Obama famously had a “virtual” colonoscopy and last November the federal government discouraged mammograms for women under 50. Are these actions at all indicative of how Health Care Reform will affect preventative medicine? Dr. Van Os: Virtual colonoscopies are more expensive than traditional colonoscopies in terms of cost per year of life saved, and Obama missed an opportunity to demonstrate the preferred method of colon cancer prevention to Americans. The mammogram example points to how resources will have to be rationed in order to save money. I don’t trust the federal government to decide how those resources are rationed. TCT: Nancy Pelosi infamously said, “we have to pass the bill so you can find out what is in it.” What do you believe will be the biggest surprise to the American people? Ms. Driscoll: That healthcare reform will not fix healthcare problems overnight. People expect a silver bullet, but the change won’t be evident for 10 to 12 years. TCT: Would you advocate the repeal of Health Care Reform? If so, what steps would you take to improve the healthcare system? Dr. Van Os: Yes. The first step should be Tort Reform; the toxic malpractice climate in this country encourages unnecessary spending. Second, a more thoughtful, transparent dialogue between Americans and their government needs to take place; a majority of Americans believe this legislation was thrust upon us. Third, we must advocate for local healthcare solutions. A majority of my colleagues understand that it is our responsibility to take care of our community and care for those in need, and I see them do it every day. Our hospitals are likewise committed. An issue of the heart, this work is most effective on a volunteer basis. Ms. Driscoll: Regardless of how the midterm elections will affect the Patient Protection and Affordability Act, we need to use our American ingenuity to address the underlying lifestyle issues that cause preventable disease and to find ways to more efficiently deliver care. If we don’t, our industries will not be able to compete in a global economy, and our grandchildren will live shorter and less productive lives than we do. Jenny Otero is an RN living and working in Colorado Springs.

ObamaCare Sets the Stage for its Own Repeal Michelle Morin, Featured Writer Officially known as the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, America is quickly learning that ObamaCare is nothing its title touts it to be. It is effectually setting its own stage for repeal. ObamaCare is the most controversial and least popular piece of legislation ever passed in America’s history. It is 2,000 pages of law that even Congress didn’t read before cramming and jamming it into the formerly free-flowing conduit that was the greatest health care market available in the world. America spoke at the voting booth. Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi told us she must pass the bill so we could read it. Not only are we reading the bill, but we’re feeling it as well. Which is why the American people clearly “shellacked” both the president and Speaker Pelosi’s powers on election day 2010. Here we are eight months after its passage, and national polling clearly indicates

efits. McDonald’s stated that to continue offering its mini-med insurance plan would be “economically prohibitive.” In October, major health insurance provider Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield in Connecticut raised rates as much as 22% to comply with new and broader ObamaCare requirements, specifically for insurance in the individual market (versus employer-sponsored group plans). This is only the first rate hike of its kind; it’s a short matter of time before we see it spread to other states. In November, President Obama himself spoke against the burdensome 1099 business tax reporting requirement within ObamaCare. It requires that businesses file 1099s on any transaction over $600. The requirement is unrelated to health care, but is designed to fund increasing health care costs for the uninsured. The president says now that the 1099 revision “appears to be too burdensome for small businesses.” It is clear from the few examples cited here that ObamaCare is already dismantling the greatest health care market in the world. Its effects are increasing health and insurance costs to consumers and business. Ironically, and I believe intentionally, it is positioning thousands to be uninsured which paves the way for a single-payer, 100% government-controlled system. Worst of all, it is denying Americans the best health care and treatment ever available in human history. In its fullest form, ObamaCare denies individual Americans life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. ObamaCare must be repealed. ObamaCare must be repealed, but how? Until the 2012 elections, a sitting president holds the veto pen, and the U.S. Senate is still controlled by Democrats. However, the people just handed conservatives an historical U.S. House majority takeover. If that majority will harness its power wisely for the next two years, funding can be blocked for the 16,000 new IRS agents and nearly 160 arms of bureaucratic government required to enforce it, and ObamaCare can be temporarily stalled. Consider that even three weeks after the election, Rasmussen polls reveal that a whopping 58% of Americans still favor repealing ObamaCare. As more of its freedom-choking realities are exposed and experienced, freedom is actually poised to make more gains in future elections. If the new House can stand firm and defund ObamaCare, and if the current Liberty Movement we’re experiencing will stay engaged, we have a very real opportunity to retain the House, regain the Senate, and take back the executive in 2012. If those opportunities are seized and realized, the stage will be set and the door will be opened for full repeal in 2013.

ObamaCare is the most controversial and least popular legislation ever passed… It’s clear that ObamaCare is already dismantling the greatest health care market in the world. that ObamaCare drove freedom-loving Americans to the voting booth to oust an astonishing 64 Democratic House congressional seats in favor of Republicans. Is this affordably protecting patients? As written, ObamaCare incrementally takes effect and isn’t completely in place until 2018. Yet, even now it’s defying its title: “Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.” In contrast, it is neither protecting patients, nor is it affordable for America. Here are just a handful of ObamaCare side effects, to date: This summer, the Food and Drug Administration advisory panel voted 12-1 to recommend rescinding approval of the world’s best-selling cancer drug Avastin for use on women with advanced breast cancer. Once rescinded, insurance companies are likely to stop paying for the drug. The FDA panel cited “effectiveness,” in its decision, in spite of the drug’s proven track record in extending breast cancer patients’ quality of life. However, off record, it has been claimed that the real reason was “cost effectiveness” in the face of ObamaCare reforms requiring insurance coverage for all. In September, major health insurance companies Wellpoint and Coventry One announced they will no longer offer child-only insurance plans in four states, including Colorado. Why? Because ObamaCare requires these same plans to start accepting children with pre-existing conditions, resulting in exploding costs and rendering the coverage unprofitable. This ends up forcing parents to cover children under higher-priced family plans. Also in September, McDonalds announced that it may no longer offer mini-med health insurance to 30,000 employees. ObamaCare requires that a minimum percentage of premiums be spent on all employee health care ben-

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Free Markets | Eye on Entitlements

Refuse to Come Full Circle? David L. Kelly, Featured Writer

As our economy collapsed and news reporters began to compare the current financial duress to the Great Depression, I thought of all the people living today who had already endured those worst of times. I thought of the irony and injustice found in the fact that they are now faced with the same uncertainty that they struggled with when they were just beginning their lives. It is as if they have come full circle in life’s journey. Although many things have changed, some remain the same. For one, our government is still selling us the same old bag of rotten goods full of promises of a better future at our expense. President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s New Deal caused quite a stir and a multitude of legal issues that questioned the constitutionality of his programs. One program we are all familiar with is the Social Security Act which passed in 1935. This act built the framework for various pensions as well as welfare. Roosevelt insisted that the program be funded by payroll taxes and not the general fund, saying, “We put those payroll contributions there so as to give the contributors a legal, moral, and political right to collect their pensions and unemployment benefits. With those taxes in there, no damn politician can ever scrap my social security program.” The original payroll tax was 1% of a worker’s gross income. Roosevelt pledged

the tax would never exceed 3%. Today, Social Security withholding is at 6.2%; and 12.4% for self-employed workers. That’s one-sixth of a worker’s lifetime earnings when Medicare is factored in. If you’re not lucky enough to reach retirement age to collect your promised ben-

Our government wants us to believe that they are being good stewards of our monies and that they know what is best for us and our nation. I say, “hogwash!” efits, your estate is not entitled to a dime. I know this quite well as my father passed away at the young age of 52, after having paid into Social Security his entire working life. Not one penny or even a sympathy card came our way from the Social Security Administration. I went to my local Social Security Administration office and spent a few moments seeking answers as to why it was that the government could essentially steal my father’s forced contributions. I was told, “I’m sorry for your loss, but the law is clear. See these people in this office, waiting to be helped? That’s where your father’s money is going. I’m sorry, I can’t help you.” My dad was a wise man. He told me to never trust your government and to always question authority. He hit that nail on the head. It wasn’t until 1943 that the payroll tax was paid through withholding taxes. Before then, you paid the payroll tax

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when you filed your income tax return. The withholding tax on wages is a practice that many of us accept as business as usual, and as our part in being good Americans. Our government wants us to believe that they’re being good stewards of our monies and that they know what’s best for us and our nation. I say hogwash! I respectfully ask that you all contact your congressional representatives and ask them to pass new legislation that abolishes the withholding tax laws on our earnings. It is time for us to be responsible citizens in our contract with our government. We need to truly see how much our government takes from us and what we get in return. It may be painful when you write that check in April to the IRS for that tax year’s payroll contributions, but it will open your eyes as to how much money the Feds suck out of us like a parasite. With your eyes open, I guarantee that you will be watching your elected officials and letting them know that it is our money that they’re spending. Our relationship with our government

should be one of mutual agreement, not one fulfilled with false promises and hope for a better tomorrow built on our backs and the backs of our future descendants. If we could only learn from the past and hold our government accountable, then we will have made progress for a better future and not come full circle. David L. Kelly advocates for liberty, freedom, limited government and free markets. He leads the Liberty on the Rocks—Colorado Springs Chapter, delivering “Tavern Style Politics in the Tradition of our Founding Fathers” (www. libertyontherocks.org ). David is also the co-founder of For What is Right (www. forwhatisright.org), bringing Constitutional educational opportunities to all, young and old. David L. Kelly advocates for liberty, freedom, limited government and free markets. He leads Liberty on the Rocks’ Colorado Springs Chapter (www.liberty ontherocks.org) and cofounded For What is Right (www.forwhatisright.org).

Bill of Rights | Second Amendment

Resolutions to Defend Our 2nd Amendment Rights Josh Westerlund, Contributing Writer To preserve liberty, it is essential that the whole body of people always possess arms, and be taught alike especially when young, how to use them. -Richard Henry Lee

There has been endless debate in our media, our court rooms, and our halls of government over the last 100 years or so regarding the role of firearms in American life. Are they simply for preserving the American hunting culture? Do individuals have the right to defend themselves with a firearm in their homes or while about their business? Why would any normal American need a semi-automatic assault rifle? Why do people need firearms at all when we have an armed police force? These debates were, as far as I can tell, non-existent at the time our Constitution was ratified. The idea of self-defense with a firearm was pure common sense. Our founders had just fought a war against a tyrannical government that sought, among other things, to disarm the populace of the colonies. The Second Amendment was included for one reason, and one reason alone: to ensure that neither invader nor ambitious and unprincipled men with no regard to the rights of the American people were ever able to impose tyranny upon the citizens of the United States. Over the last 234 years of our nation’s existence, this idea has slowly eroded away, especially in the last century. We went from a nation of well-armed people who lived in uncertain and unsecure times, on farms or remote homesteads, to a nation with little to no threat of invasion by foreigners and protected in our suburban sprawl by well-armed police forces. The government has been our seemingly benevolent protector, providing every

safety we need in our daily lives, and many have given up the thought of ever being armed. The American people have been largely lulled to sleep by this false sense of safety. People rest in the misconceptions that life will be the same tomorrow as it is today. Paychecks will keep coming. Police officers will protect. Politicians will be annoying, but they wouldn’t ever change our nation into any sort of dictatorship or oligarchy. Just wait four years and someone you like better will be elected. If anything goes wrong, the government will be there to save you! If the American people were knowledgeable of their rights and defended them as they should, the National Guardsmen and law enforcement officials going door to door in New Orleans to confiscate legally owned firearms would have been met by an armed neighborhood watch group, politely asking them to return from whence they came. If those who would strip our rights were reminded often that We the People are the ones meant to be in charge of this nation, infringements would not be nearly

The Second Amendment was included for one reason: to ensure that neither invader nor ambitious and unprincipled men were able to impose tyranny. as common. We do not need the outright second revolution for which some have called. We need the body of the people to understand and defend their rights protected under the Constitution. The biggest way they are targeting our Second Amendment rights is through our children. Our young are bombarded day and night with the downright backwards thought that only soldiers, criminals, and RESOLUTIONS on page B5

Eternal Vigilance | The Fight Against Tyranny

Coming Alinsky Attractions Tenth in a Series on Saul Alinsky’s Rules for Radicals An American Patriot, Contributing Writer

On November 2, American voters delivagainst the unions, they will be in violaered another strong message to Washtion of the Constitution. ington, D.C. Yet Alinsky-ite liberals reHaving squandered the Democrats’ main cloaked in a make-believe world, huge legislative majorities, Obama knows pretending that simply saying somethat starting in January he can no lonthing is true makes it so. They want ger get more of his ultra-radical agenda voters to believe the election wasn’t a through Congress. The oppressive new referendum on Obama or the liberal energy taxes under cap and trade won’t policies he’d forced upon America. be legislated. We, and the Republican People weren’t voting against health House, must stand ready to thwart upcare. Pelosi is one of the best Speakers coming attempts to bypass Congress with in the history of the Congress. If only executive orders calling for such things as Obama had explained things better, votempowering the Environmental Protecers would have understood. So after the tion Agency to cripple American indusbeating in November, they move into try through their job-killing regulations. 2011 continuing to rely on the AlinskyObama’s Alinsky-ite foreign policy ite big lie with the hope they can tell it continues to be a danger to America’s inoften enough to fool most Americans. terests abroad. To pacify his far-left base, Whether lying or just incredibly ignohe announced the beginning of a military rant, Alinsky-ites are not worthy leaders withdrawal from Afghanistan next sumof this great nation. mer. That announcement is undercutting But 2012 is coming. A 50-seat Republiour military efforts. Afghans understand can majority in the House can limit conthat the murderous Taliban will soon retinued liberal damage, and the American take many areas. The results of Obama’s people must keep the pressure on. political decision threaten to undo much We must push for the repeal of health of the progress gained through the sacricare, throwing out the 2,000 pages of fice of American lives since 9-11. leftist control In this lame over our health duck congrescare and our sional session, freedoms. In Obama is pushObamacare, ing for the Senthe Democratic ate ratification Congress gave of his arms—reover considerduction treaty able legislative with the Soviet power to the Union. With secretary of his Alinsky-ite Health and Huslant that faman Services. vors America’s Bureaucrats enemies, he’s Saul Alinsky will choose shown no comwinners and losers. Already we’re seepetence in anything involving foreign ing union health-coverage plans getting relations. He negotiated this treaty from waivers from the oppressive requirea position of weakness, so its ratificaments of Obamacare. While the Constition shouldn’t be rushed by his leadertution doesn’t directly force the Federal ship based on his all-politics, all-the-time government to give citizens equal protecagenda. tion under the law, it forbids states from His administration shows continued enforcing unequal laws. The Fourteenth incompetence, as well, in the war against Amendment states that, “No State shall Islamic radical terrorism. Attorney Genmake or enforce any law which shall eral Eric Holder’s political decision to abridge the privileges or immunities of hold show trials for terrorists in Americitizens of the United States; . . . nor deny can civilian courts is a demonstrated to any person within its jurisdiction the failure. His attorneys weren’t able to get equal protection of the laws.” If states even one murder conviction against the enforce Obamacare against us but not terrorist involved in blowing up Ameri-

RESOLUTIONS continued from page B4 police should have a gun. They are taught that a firearm is something to be feared rather than respected. Parents need to step up to the plate and start educating their children rather than entrusting them to the care of others to be educated in schools. Constitutional teaching and firearms instruction should be among the most important things you do with your children. If you take the awe factor away from the firearm, it will be much easier to keep them on the right track as they grow into adults. Following in the steps of our Founding Fathers in respect to teaching our children is the first step out of the mess we have found ourselves in nowadays. So this New Years, instead of making a resolution to quit smoking, or get to the gym more often, make a resolution to educate yourself and your family regarding firearms, their proper use, and the constitutional importance of them. As Thomas Jefferson said, “A strong body makes the mind strong. As to the species of exer-

cises, I advise the gun. While this gives moderate exercise to the body, it gives boldness, enterprise and independence to the mind. Games played with the ball, and others of that nature, are too violent for the body and stamp no character on the mind. Let your gun therefore be your constant companion of your walks.” Josh Westerlund has been a resident of Colorado Springs for 17 years. A married father of three, he works for a national telecommunications company and is a constitutional activist during his free time. He is a die-hard Natural Law advocate, firearms enthusiast and a red-blooded American patriot. Josh Westerlund has been a resident of Colorado Springs for 17 years. A married father of three, he works for a national telecommunications company and is a Constitutional activist during his free time. He is a die-hard Natural Law advocate, firearms enthusiast and a red-blooded American patriot.

can embassies in Kenya and Tanzania in 1998. No justice for the more than 200 murdered that day. He’s continued to delay justice for those killed by Islamic terrorists on 9-11.

critical problems will not be solved by substituting another long-time Alinsky disciple for the current president. Also, two new books will further undercut Obama’s image as the infallible savior for America. Former President George Bush’s Decision Points documents that he was not the man the Alinsky-ite propaganda continually said he was. More and more, Americans are missing Bush and his leadership. Governor Bobby Jindal’s book, Leadership and Crisis, reveals who demonstrated leadership in the Gulf oil-spill crisis—and who didn’t. Quoted exchanges between Obama and Jindal reveal the lack of presidential leadership and the Alinsky-ite fervor to keep Obama’s false image intact. Alinsky-ites should be increasingly on the defensive in 2011, and we must keep the pressure on our leaders to keep the pressure on the Democrats.

Whether lying—or incredibly ignorant—Alinsky-ites are not worthy leaders of this great nation. Recent changes to the airport screening processes have become another public relations nightmare for this administration. Clearly violating the Fourth Amendment’s guarantees against unreasonable searches, the administration continues to resist methods that would use profiling based on intelligence data and interviews to focus on more likely terrorists instead of innocent American citizens. As the Obama façade of perfection crumbles, enjoy the upcoming battles within the Democratic party as they look toward 2012. I expect a resurgence of the Clintons, although America’s

Experience hath shewn, that even under the best forms of government those entrusted with power have, in time, and by slow operations, perverted it into tyranny. —Thomas Jefferson

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Eternal Vigilance | The Fight Against Tyranny

November Come and Gone, Liberals Still Stuck in 1968 Jay Cadillac, Contributing Writer

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I have long tried, mostly in vain, to penetrate the modern liberal brain. It seems as if I should have a special insight into this operation since I spent more than 10 years of my youth as a proud warrior of the left. But the older I get, the harder I find it to view many of my adversaries in blue America as men and women of honor and character, let alone of wisdom. Sure, I understand that their vision of what they want their country to be is different from mine, and that citizens can hold legitimately conflicting views on such issues as the proper size and role of government. But in recent decades, I’ve seen the mainstreaming, in the left, of wackiness. The left has come a long way, baby, since my lifelong Democratic grandfather pulled the lever for John “Ask not what your country can do for you” Kennedy. JFK shirked-not from his turn at commanding the Free World’s armed forces during some of the scariest Cold War years. Kennedy was a flawed man and leader, but he was a patriot, as were most other prominent liberals of his and earlier eras. Something happened, though, beginning in the 1960s. The left took an increasingly ugly turn then, and even though the great silent majority of decent Americans kept them somewhat in check (witness the 1972 shellacking of far-left George McGovern), it continued to devolve. America was no longer, to them, a shining city on a hill to which millions of refugees flee, but a land wallowing in racism, hypocrisy, imperialism, and dog-eat-dog capitalism. America’s sins (and indeed it had sinned) metastasized in the liberal’s mind to become the whole of America. Slavery, Jim Crow, injustices against Native and Japanese Americans—all of these became nightmare monsters which the country could never vanquish no matter how hard it might try. While I suppose many of the “New Leftists” of the 1960s grew up and became at least Reagan Democrats, not all of them did. Indeed, I fear the Reagan years hardened them. They skulked and slinked and lay low for awhile, but all the time they were consolidating their already considerable hold on the key cultural institutions of academia, media, and popular entertainment. Reporters, editors, professors, teachers, actors, directors, and historians all began to think alike. They reinforced each other’s prejudices and soon ceased any interactions at all with the “unwashed” middle Americans. These elites might always be a minority in numbers, but they flawlessly figured out how to create masses of Americans dependent on them and, since they controlled school curricula (Heather Has Two Mommies, etc.), university faculties (Ward Churchill), television (All in the Family), and Hollywood (Easy Rider)

they could subtly indoctrinate new generations with their politically correct values. Refreshingly, though, last month’s elections showed that the indoctrination didn’t succeed as well as many had figured. True, the continuing lousy economy was a big factor in the re-redding of most of America (California, I fear, is hopeless), but I believe my countrymen, a large chunk of them, saw enough of the ugliness and the wackiness of the modern left to be repulsed. Thanks to the Internet and the new media, enough word trickled out about the appalling arrogance of the governing liberal class: House Speaker Nancy Pelosi: “Let’s pass the bill so we can see what’s in it.” Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid: “This war is lost.” Barack Obama: “Let’s spread the wealth around; the people get bitter and cling to their guns and religion.” Michelle Obama: “For the first time in my adult life I’m proud of my country.” Novelist and good friend of President Obama, Jonathan Franzen: “America has emerged as a rogue state.”

America’s sins metastasized in the liberal’s mind to become the whole of America, nightmare monsters which the country could never vanquish…

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Franzen, a longtime writer and leftwing activist who despises this country, also said in a recent interview that America has “a mixed up childish notion of freedom.” We want only the freedom “to drive our SUVs.” He blames “all the malcontents” of Europe [those emigrants who fled the poverty and persecution of the Old World long ago] for many of our present shortcomings. What sends a chill up my spine (and probably a thrill up Chris Matthew’s leg) is that President Obama invited Jonathan Franzen into the White House the week after the election. They had a “delightful” chat, it was reported. While I continue to be sad that mainstream liberals seem to remain alienated from the most enduring and most amazing experiment in republican democracy in world history, November heartened me greatly. Yes, November finally did come and millions of “malcontents with childish notions of freedom” fired a warning shot heard around the world. The 1773 Tea Partiers of Boston Harbor would surely be pleased. Jay Cadillac is a former newspaperman and currently a freelance writer. Contact him at jaycaddy@yahoo.com

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the erosion of our rights. Remove God from the picture, and all that remains are competing human philosophies. So when times are good, the left tramples the Constitution with near impunity. When times are bad, the prevailing political slogan is “It’s the economy, stupid.” With God out of the equation, politicians must appeal to voters’ wants, passions, and fears. Sadly, in such cases it’s the best liar who all too often prevails, as Colorado just painfully experienced. If our nation is to survive, the argument must be “It’s the Constitution, America,” thereby bringing us back to our Creator. For without God, a constitutional republic has no moral foundation, which

If being “endowed by their Creator” is just some quaint platitude from a bygone era, we have no other argument against the erosion of our rights. ultimately dooms it to death by corruption and government oppression. America’s founders understood that virtue and morality are critical to selfgovernment. As John Adams observed, “Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.” Without virtue, people don’t keep their contractual obligations or respect the property rights of others. Without virtue, people elect officials who steal from others and give to them. Without virtue, people glorify deviancy, denigrate marriage, and devalue human life. Without virtue, Americans will march headlong into tyranny. As Benjamin Franklin rightly noted, “Only a virtuous people are capable of freedom. As nations become corrupt and vicious, they have more need of masters.” So let Bethlehem’s message of hope ring forth this Christmas season. God works in human affairs, and He cares about us. That’s why He sent His Son to be born in humble circumstances, to minister in loving compassion, and to die so that we might live forever with Him. Though not a Christmas carol, the Battle Hymn of the Republic wonderfully captures the great hope of Bethlehem: “In beauty of the lilies Christ was born across the sea, with a glory in His bosom that transfigures you and me. As He died to make men holy, let us live to make men free, while God is marching on.” Dave Skiver, a retired Air Force officer, is now a pastor, professor of communications for a major Christian university, and freelance writer/editor.

Valley Forge: The Crucible

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have this consolation with us, that the harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph. What we obtain too cheap, we esteem too lightly: ’Tis dearness only that gives everything its value. Heaven knows how to put a proper price upon its goods, and it would be strange, indeed, if so celestial an article as freedom should not be highly rated.

The second “great and capital change” came in the form of a short, round Prussian drill sergeant, Baron Friedrich von Steuben, who was appointed immediately by Washington as Inspector General of the Continental Army. Throughout the long and dreadful spring of 1778, Steuben slowly turned that army into a disciplined and capable fighting force. The third “great and capital change” was the British themselves. Ensconced comfortably in nearby Philadelphia, Howe’s army enjoyed all the finer things of life: warm beds, good food, and the support of American Tories. As noted in “Valley Forge,” those soldiers who stayed in Washington’s army “were deeply committed to the cause and were determined to learn

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how to defeat the British. The arrogance of the British in living well and holding parties and dances in Philadelphia did not demoralize these Americans as much as it infuriated them.” [emphasis added] The similarities to the battle for freedom being fought here by a tiny army of disorganized but infuriated patriots who are also enjoying their own “great and capital changes” do not go unnoticed. As author Angelo Codevilla put it so well in his book The Ruling Class: “The Ruling Class has lost the American people’s respect…having responded by insulting the American people, the Ruling Class has denied itself the possibility of ever regaining it. Hence, doing away with the Ruling Class’ power is [necessary] for saving America’s prosperity, civility, and morality.” Another “great and capital change” is the internet which is increasingly being called the American people’s “weapon of mass instruction.” The Daily Bell considers the birth, growth and maturity of the Internet as the single greatest weapon for freedom since the Gutenberg press. The third great advantage patriots have today in fighting tyranny is that they have already tasted freedom, and are increasingly reluctant to give it up. The crucible of Valley Forge turned patriots into soldiers and victors. That is happening once again. Bob Adelmann writes regularly for The New American magazine and the NewAmerican.com online. He and his wife live in Colorado Springs.

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Rex Louth, Guest Writer In those times, there American War for Independence proclaimed the actions of Britain as violations of God-given rights. Known as the Black Robe Regiment and credited with an elemental role in the War for Independence, mRather, Continental Congress procured funding for Christian ministers to serve as chaplains in each regiment In those times there was no call for separation of church and state“The blessing and protection of Heaven are at all times necessary but especially so in times of public distress and danger—The General hopes and trusts, that evRather, Continental Congress procured funding for Christian ministers to serve as chaplains in each Regiment, as indicated in General George Washington’s General Orders. Washington urged all in the army to “attend carefully upon religious exercises.” He further gave reason for such an order, and instruction for proper conduct, stating, “The blessing and protection of Heaven are at all times necessary but especially so in times of public distress and danger—The General hopes and trusts, that every officer, and man, will endeavour so to live, and act, as becomes a Christian Soldier defending the dearest Rights and Liberties of his country.” Is it mere coincidence that this effort began on the same day wecommanderin-chief who, after several bitter defeats and facing an army ravaged by desertion, is known to have gone to prayer for di Is it mere coincidence that this effort began on the day we celebrate the birth of Jesus? On that day 2,000 years ago, the birth of the Savior brought hope that would ultimately lead to triumph over sin and death. Perhaps it is coincidence, but I would like to believe otherwise. In the midst of this, where are the champions of Christianity to take the lead as their predecessors eaten our Godgiven liberties. And in the midst of this, where are the champions of Christianity to take the lead as their predecessors did so many years ago? Where is the Black Robe Regi-

ment of our day? Who will work to proclaim the truth in reclamation of the foundational principles of religious freedom granted to Americans in the formation of this nation? I recently attended the Freedom Congress held at the World Arena in Colorado Springs. At the conclusion a call was issued for all pastors in attendance to come down front for a brief meeting on what one could do to engage in restoring religious liberty. Just one military chaplain and one pastor came forward. Unfortunately, many of today’s clergy have come to accept the notion of separation

Unfortunately, many of today’s clergy have come to accept the notion of separation of church and state. of church and state. Both the United States Senate and the House of Representatives issued statements in 1853 and 1854, respectively, which proclaimed the United States as a Christian nation. The Senate Judiciary Committee said, “We are Christians, not because the law demands it, not to gain exclusive benefits or to avoid legal disabilities, but from choice and education; and in a land thus universally Christian, what is to be expected, what desired, but that we shall pay a due regard to Christianity?” The House of Representatives Judiciary Committee report stated, “Had the people, during the Revolution, had a suspicion of any attempt to war against Christianity, that Revolution would have been strangled in its cradle.” It is time for those who have a heart for our nation and a Christian faith to step forward and be counted. You do not need to be a member of the clergy to be counted in today’s Black Robe Regiment. You merely need to be willing to speak out for your God-given freedom. Rex Louth is the pastor of Peakview Church of God in Colorado Springs and is active in the conservative movement to restore America to its original Constitutional roots. He has presented the intricate place of Christianity in the founding of the United States for many years, and is presently involved in the formation of a new book publishing group related to the topic.

Pursuit of Happiness | Humor

In Their Words: Why Colorado Women Voted Democrat in Droves Helen Sabin, Contributing Writer I interviewed over 100 women as to why they voted how they did on November 2. Overwhelmingly, they went for Democrats. Why? Their reasons varied. Some were so outrageous, emotional, or illogical as to be scarcely believable. For example, one Colorado University junior replied, “Duh! I voted Democratic because Michelle (Obama) told me to!” Most of the women interviewed watched TV to get their news: The Colbert Report, CNN, MSNBC, The Huffington Post, Fox News. Many quoted Chris Matthews and Keith Olberman. A few said their friends or churches influenced them. Two women said they attended rallies when Obama came to Denver and that’s why they voted Democrat. The following were among the most interesting reasons women gave me for voting Democrat: Sue L: “I didn’t like Ken Buck. He was going to up my taxes 23%. I saw it on TV.” Mary A: “Ken Buck was going to destroy my Social Security checks by making me invest in the stock market. I heard this in a debate.” Grady L: “Karen Cullen doesn’t like children. She was going to take away money from my kid’s education to give to Wall Street.” Lakisha M: “Hickenlooper owns the restaurant where my husband works and he said I have to vote for him.” Margery J: “Let me tell you about medical marijuana and Tom Tancredo: It’s dangerous. Kids as young as 6 [years old] can go into a store and buy any amount they want. A guy who lives three doors away smokes it. How do I know? I can smell it. I don’t want that here in my area—they can keep it in the Springs! I am voting for Hickenlooper as Tancredo wants marijuana everywhere.”

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Yeah, Buck is cute, too, but he wears cowboy boots.” Melinda H: “I studied the issues really hard and chose Bennett because he has two kids and won’t do anything to harm them.” Jerri M: “I am illegal and Obama will allow us to get health care and Social Security so I voted Democratic. I don’t like that Ken Buck guy—he is too mean.” Margot B: “I was going to vote for Dan Maes until I heard he is against abortion, so I chose Hickenlooper instead. I have had three abortions and want access to them. That Tom guy, he’s weird.” Averie R: “I won’t vote for a woman. Women need to be home, raising their kids. They have no right to be in parliament trying to run things. They aren’t as smart as men are…I only vote for a man. I wish I lived in Florida. I would have voted for that Rubio. Now there’s a smart man! Yeah he’s Mexican and a Democrat! Their governor, the white haired guy, is a Republican. I don’t like Republicans. Why? They don’t let women have abortions, or pay for their mortgages like Democrats do. And Obama is a Kensian. No, I don’t know what that means, but if he does it, then it’s OK. He’s smart.” Gloria M: “I want my government to take care of me. I have to work real hard to keep my head above water. If the GOP peoples gets in, my taxes will go up. No the Democrats ain’t going to raise taxes in January. That’s a lie. That’s Bush’s fault.” Jamie P: “I am a student and need my college loans. When Michelle [Obama] came and said that Republicans will take students loans away and put them in the free market, I decided I couldn’t afford to go to school, so I want the government to pay me to do so instead.”

Jody K: “I need health care. I have three kids and their daddy is in prison. Ken Buck said he doesn’t believe in women getting abortions. If I got pregnant again, I couldn’t afford to have the kid—I would have to go to a clinic or something to have it delivered.” (When I asked Jody K how she could get pregnant with her husband in prison she replied, “Well you know I get lonely at times and sometimes I just don’t use my head or a condom.”)

Chris F: “As a woman, it matters to me whether candidates want to impose their values on my body. I want to leave my son a healthy planet and vibrant democracy.”

Marilyn L: “I like Obama and all he stands for. If he gets his way, he will give us all jobs that we can do and money for doing them. That’s why I voted Democratic. I can quit my lousy waitressing job and get a real job from Obama.”

Helen Sabin is a retired college professor and former administrator who see blatant subversion of America’s principles, values and ideals in educational curricula today and encourages parents to get more involved in their children’s education.

Suzy S: “I voted a bit both ways. I don’t vote strictly one party or another. I vote based on how much of an idiot the candidate is.” Believe it, or not!

Norisha F: “I liked Bennett—he is cute! That’s how I pick them—from their looks.

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Pursuit of Happiness | Book Reviews

Viable Energy Now When Energy

The Ruling Class How they Corrupted America

Reviewed by Joanna Popiel, Guest Writer

Reviewed by Bob Adelmann, Featured Writer

Viable Energy Now is a short, readable book that essentially anticipates the political uprising against the established political order. Starting with the momentous change brought to our culture by the widespread use of fossil fuels, the author analyzes the impact of this development on our political life and on the creation of the principal ideologies of the right and left. From there the book moves to the current situation, where a shortage of our main fuel—oil—is gradually developing. It highlights the impact of our increasing dependence on imported energy and the inadequacy of the current alternatives, and proposes a national effort toward energy self-sufficiency and the long-term sustainability of our energy supply. Such an effort is proposed as the core of an American economic renaissance. It cannot, however, occur in a vacuum. Success requires change in our current trade situation, a financial shift from speculation to investment, and re-ordering of public finances. New approaches are suggested for all of these. National securities issues, including the situation in the Middle East and the fight against terrorism, are reviewed as well. The book ends with an appeal for the rise of a new political formation, free from ideological constraints, and dedicated to the resolution of our major national issues. People who have read this book agree that it presents a clear and understandable

When Professor Codevilla’s 23-page article, “The Ruling Class—And the Perils of Revolution,” was published in American Spectator last July, its impact was immediate and profound. Reviews of his work appeared almost instantly on websites ranging from LewRockwell.com and GaryNorth.com to TheNewAmerican.com and RenewAmerica.com. But that was just a teaser for the book itself, which was published in September. It made such an impression on Rush Limbaugh that he took an entire radio show to read it to his audience. What Codevilla does is answer two important questions: Who is this Ruling Class? and What can we do about them? Along the way, he also answers other questions such as, Why are Tea Partiers so angry and frustrated? and Why doesn’t the Obama administration and its minions in Congress get it? He shows why the Ruling Class is haughty, overbearing and insulting. He takes us into their culture of elitism to show why they know that only they have all the answers, and why anyone who questions either their motives or their programs is an extremist, racist, or a dangerous fruitcake. In a single paragraph in his introduction, he nails it precisely: …the more that an idea or scheme— whether global warming or governmentguaranteed medical care—is dear to the Ruling Class, the more the Country Class has turned its back on it. In doing so,

Economics and Politics Converge, by Jacek Popiel

picture of the current political and economic situation, as voiced in the following reader comments: Viable Energy Now gives the layman an overview of the history of our world energy situation. It also describes the political and economic viability of each source of energy available now and in the future. It is imperative that every American read this book to get a better understanding of our source or supply of energy and the demands we will have in the future. We must act today to assure future generations of Americans as well as other peoples around the world of an energy supply for at least basic needs of living. -Bob Fay, CLU Jacek’s wisdom reveals a common sense workable plan for building economies that work for all people. -Mike Callicrate, Ranch Food Direct Jacek has his fingers on the pulse of America’s economic ills. His solutions are tested by history and within the sovereign rights of the U.S. This book is a must read to understand the only path to energy independence. His proscriptions for the economy and trade policy will restore prosperity for our nation. -Frank Shannon, Finishes Ltd.

and What We Can Do About It, by Angelo Codevilla

the Country Class is rejecting the ideas’ patrons just as much as their substance. In short, the Ruling Class has lost the American people’s respect. And having responded [to the Country Class’ expressions of anger and frustration] by insulting [them], the Ruling Class has denied itself the possibility of ever regaining it. Hence, doing away with the Ruling Class’ power and perquisites is the prerequisite for saving America’s prosperity, civility, and morality. He discusses the essential and deep divide that separates the classes, and explains that the Ruling Class has successfully alienated itself from the rest of us. …few speak well of the Ruling Class. Not only has it burgeoned in size and pretense, but it also has undertaken wars it has not won, presided over a declining economy and a ballooning debt, made life more expensive, raised taxes, and talked down to the American people. In concluding his profound, insightful and crystalline analysis, Codevilla offers hope. The journey back to freedom, he predicts, is going to be long and painful, but in the end, it will be worth it. As Limbaugh wrote in his introduction: “The Ruling Class has a fear. They know that they are a minority, and they know that their time is coming. They know that their Ruling Class status can’t be sustained…[this book] is a brilliant piece, and it’s important.” I couldn’t agree more.

The Young Guns A New Generation of Conservative Leaders, by Eric Cantor, Paul Ryan and Kevin McCarthy Reviewed by Al Maurer, Assistant Editor Most political books have a timely message and this one is no exception. This short (224-page) but important book is one every patriot should read this month. These three Republican “backbenchers” are about to come into their own as leaders in the new House of Representatives we elected in November. If you are not familiar with them now, you soon will be. This book is a great introduction to who they are and what they stand for. Anyone who is a member of or whose values align with the Liberty Movement will not be disappointed. The book begins with a roundtable discussion between the three friends, as indeed they are. They embody the same limited government and fiscally responsible attitude that the Tea Party has. They do not go easy on the Republican caucus. They clearly believe that the current fiscal crisis is a result of the big government, big spending policies of both parties. For example, Paul Ryan writes, “We had people who really believed in ideas and principles. Then slowly but surely as the conference matured, they started to recruit career politicians as opposed to citizen legislators.”

Each plays a complementary role in their team: Cantor is called the leader, Ryan the thinker, and McCarthy the strategist. They come from different parts of the country: Cantor from Virginia, Ryan from Wisconsin, and McCarthy from California. Together they make up a team they call the Young Guns. As the subtitle of the book says, they seek to be a new generation of conservative leaders. They work together because they are like-minded; part of their mission is to recruit more new Republicans like themselves. The bulk of the book is divided into sections by each of the three authors and within each section there are three chapters. Here we learn something about the beliefs of each as well as something about their personal and career lives. There are discussions about general directions and about specific reforms. You may have already heard about Ryan’s plan to reform Social Security; he has a plan to balance the budget which has been scored by the Congressional

B12 | The Constitutionalist Today, December 2010

Budget Office and found to be sound. It is found in Chapter 6. Not mentioned in the book is Eric Cantor’s “You Cut” program, where every week he proposes, via the Internet, four or five wasteful government programs to the American public to see which one most deserves to be cut. Then, each week, a different member of the Republican caucus proposes it on the floor of the House where it is promptly voted down by the Democrat majority. That’s about to change. The current administration and Congress comes in for its share of criticism. Paul Ryan writes: “They said, ‘This is finally our opportunity to bring about the completion of the progressive agenda.’ One of them said this was the ‘third wave of progressivism. There was the New Deal, the Great Society, and now we are completing the vision of transforming America into what it needs to be.’ And what that means is turning the Constitution on its head, forgetting about the idea of equal opportunity.”

These were floor speeches you might have heard on C-SPAN, but were not reported in the compliant media. Cantor, Ryan and McCarthy were there to hear them given by people they describe as “liberal dinosaurs.” Fitting. The name “Young Guns” was first applied to them by Fred Barnes of The Weekly Standard. The name stuck and Kevin McCarthy, it seems, has been the driving force behind a program to recruit and mentor House Republicans. The Young Guns contains such regionallyfamiliar names as Mike Coffman (RCO), Jason Chaffetz (R-UT), and Cynthia Lummis (R-WY). The vision the Young Guns have for America is familiar to Tea Party members. Yet the three are not new to the Congress—Ryan is a 6-term congressman, Cantor five, McCarthy two. In January, they will be part of the Republican leadership in the House. At this writing it looks as though Cantor will be the Majority Leader, McCarthy the party Whip; and Ryan may chair the powerful Ways and Means Committee. With these three providing the leadership for the Republican caucus and the new 60-plus freshmen we elected, the revolution is in good hands.

Pursuit of Happiness | Humor

What Bumpers are Saying Stickers Seen on the Street

If guns kill people, do pencils misspell words?

When injustice becomes law, resistance becomes duty.

I didn’t vote for this OBAMANATION!

Army Wife: Don’t confuse your rank with my authority.

Don’t call it your country if you won’t fight for it!

If you’re not outraged, you’re not paying attention!

Taxation with representation isn’t all that hot, either!

Obama: Tough on Capitalism, Soft on Terrorism.

Right wing extremists founded this nation.

If ignorance is bliss, you must be one happy liberal.

If you must burn our flag please wrap yourself in it first.

Political dissent is NOT racism!

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