Beck Perspective

Glenn - you rocked the house last night!!


As a regular Beck watcher, I am sometimes challenged to see where he is going because we actually don't think alike on everything. As a teacher, what amazes me is that he can hold an audience for almost a full hour without a teleprompter, without bashing Obama, without saying the GOP is fabulous and still bring resounding applause. I respect him because I DON"T agree with him on everything, but I applaud his effort to see behind the soundbites and business as usual in DC. And I applauded many times from my living room last night.


I applaud his effort at self-education (seems like Lincoln did the same thing) and his effort at bringing his life around to responsibility. Effort, and responsibility being the key words that liberals cannot stand. Nothing has been handed to him. He was not born rich or poor. His success is not guaranteed and he is not depending on the govt to solve ANYTHING for him. And yet, in spite of the fact that the tide could turn against his success at any moment - and he doesn't know what is on the opposite shore - he just keeps swimming. He just keeps speaking what he understands as the truth on this day.  


That's what middle class Americans (of many colors and ethnicities) who just get up and go to work every day to take care of themselves and their families love about him. He is an American from German immigrant small business entrepeneurial stock who takes his true God-given rights seriously and does not expect anything else to be handed to him. He will rise or fall on his own merits and effort.  


Liberals/progressives - when will your big tent and tolerance allow admission to those who differ with you?

Its making me crazy!!

Is there anything that happens in this country that can escape being labeled or put in some known box so people can be comfortable??

I cannot believe that pundits (some of whom I like) have such a difficulty understanding that the TEA PARTY is a great MOVEMENT of extremely disillusioned CITIZENS of this country who feel their elected government has failed them. They feel that the vast majority of politicians in DC (and also at state and local levels) have completely lost contact with who they serve and the identity and foundations of this country.

The TEA PARTY is not a political party and has no desire to be. It is a growing army of discontent formed of people from every political persuasion, skin color, ethnicity, faith,socio-economic level and educational background.

The ship of state has run aground and we seek to set her sailing smoothly toward a brighter tomorrow.

O Ship of State

by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

First published in The Seaside and the Fireside (1850)

Thou, too, sail on, O Ship of State!

Sail on, O Union, strong and great!

Humanity with all its fears,

Is hanging breathless on thy fate!

We know what Master laid thy keel,

What Workmen wrought thy ribs of steel,

Who made each mast, and sail, and rope,

What anvils rang, what hammers beat,

In what a forge and what a heat

Were shaped the anchors of thy hope!

Fear not each sudden sound and shock,

‘Tis of the wave and not the rock;

‘Tis but the flapping of the sail,

And not a rent made by the gale!

In spite of rock and tempest’s roar,

In spite of false lights on the shore,

Sail on, nor fear to breast the sea!

Our hearts, our hopes, are all with thee.

Our hears, our hopes, our prayers, our tears,

Our faith triumphant o’er our fears,

Are all with thee – are all with thee.

Sarah's Speech Soars!

So, once again last night - as in rare moments in the past two years - I sat in my living room and listened to an amazingly charismatic speaker who made me proud to be a conservative and proud to be an American.  Yes I know, no one  can "make" me those things that I already am.  But it is so refreshing to have my thoughts and beliefs reinforced now and then.

Sarah Palin is everything that accomplished women should applaud - she is smart, savvy, attractive and determined.  Does she have some colloquialisms in her speech that drive me a little crazy as a lover of words - sure - but if that is her worst fault....

I believe she is one of those gifted few that God sends in times of great peril.  If you want to laugh at that concept, feel free. However - if you look at how the concept of Freedom has managed to survive over centuries of despotism all over the world - you will see times in history when great minds, fearless personalities, great military leaders, etc. have come together to protect and promote the idea of Freedom- our founders were some of those.  It is time for a new generation of heroes and I believe Sarah Palin is one of them.  She understands what the founders intended when they created the structure of this  nation which I believe was a true gift of God's wisdom.   She is determined to fight for what she understands.   Whatever Sarah decides to do I applaud her convictions, strength and unbelievable energy.

Some commentary - Some of my favorite points were actually from the closing questions - we are looking for candidates "who allow America's spirit to rise again".  And "candidates who are not afraid to seek Divine intervention for the future of our country".

GOP are you listening?  Sarah is what a charismatic leader looks and sounds like - not Newt or Huck or any of those other names - though I find good things about both of those men.  GOP when are you going to have the guts just to tell it like it is in a FORCEFUL, UNAPOLOGETIC manner the way Sarah did last night?   If you will take a small step to the right you will discover a large part of America waiting for you to take a stand and back true fiscal/security conservatives - we are not coming to you!

To my friends on the left - We don't care about eloquence - we care about substance - your leader is made of straw - ours is made of iron.   Ms. Maddow - you should be ashamed of your remarks here - but since shame does not seem to be in the vocabulary of your network - you probably won't be - http://bit.ly/blOHih . Perhaps you should consider a rainbow colored hood since you are determined to believe that everyone who does not agree with you is a racist?  You absolutely cannot fathom how a straight, community college educated, happily married woman with 5 children who is also attractive and a believer in a God who is not distant - you just cannot fathom how she could capture a nation's heart.  It is so simple it is beyond your elitest mindset.  She is one of us.  That's all.

 (my apologies to he left for my 132 IQ, bachelor's degree and two technical degrees here - I am supposed to be a mindless follower - I forgot for just a minute :o)

Great comments on Sarah's speech here (along with a few trolls) http://bit.ly/9YmxbR

Last for now - great irony in the last line of this New York Times column - "Palin is doing everything wrong - unless the game has changed" http://bit.ly/cUVkP0  .  BINGO!!  The game has changed!  All the usual rules for political races and activism are so yesterday!  Get ready - the revolution HAS begun!

For those that were not able to view the speech:

Tasty Tidbits - Stuff you need to know!

TAMPA — Tampa is once again a finalist for the Republican National Convention, competing for the honor this time against Salt Lake City and Phoenix.

"We're in the game. And we're practiced enough that now we're ready to take it to the big time — our Super Bowl — and win it,'' said Tampa developer Al Austin, who saw Tampa picked as a GOP convention finalist for 2008 and 2004, only to fall short.  (read more..)

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John Dennis is a great candidate running vs House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D) for Califonia's 8th Congressional District.  Successful businessman and grassroots campaigner, conservative husband and father of one daughter.  Please check him out on my new "Conservative Promise 2010" blog!

Speaking of "Princess Pelosi".  We all know she uses military flights to fly to and from DC/San Francisco BUT -   What hasn’t been revealed so far is that military aircraft are being used to shuttle Pelosi’s kids and grandkids between DC and San Francisco without any Congressional representatives even onboard!  (read more at Common Sense and Wonder)

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Florida conservative voters are thrilled at a new Rasmussen Poll that shows former Speaker of the House Marco Rubio with a 12 point lead (49-37) over current moderate Gov. Charlie Crist in the race for the GOP nomination for US Senate to fill the seat vacated by retiring Senator Mel Martinez(R)! 

Voters have lost faith in Crist who has campaigned poorly, refuses to debate Rubio, and has flip- flopped repeatedly on issues important to the voters.  Rubio gains followers everywhere he goes.  He has come from being a "virtual unknown" on the national stage to being regularly featured, particularly on Fox News.  Rubio is a TRUE conservative who has had my support since he first announced last March, and especially since I met him last summer.

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 Debra Medina  made a great showing in her debate with Gov Rick Perry and Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison.  Debra is "EVERYWOMAN" and needs our FULL support as she battles for the GOP nomination for Governor in Texas.  She is also one heck of a hard working campaigner - just check out her current schedule!   ALSO - please contribute what you can to here campaign!   Every seat we win whether state or Federal begins to return balance to this country!

Faith and Elections -Is there a "Right Mix"?

It is always interesting to talk to people of all political persuasions about what is important to them in a candidate, especially at the federal level. The responses of course vary from “someone who looks out for the little guys” to “someone who will let me keep my gun” to “a strong christian who will stop abortion” to “someone who will get all those right-wing-nut radicals off our backs and let us live”.

As we approach the 2010 mid-terms, the question of our “must haves” becomes hugely important as we choose who to back. In some ways I think making this list is harder for people of faith BECAUSE of our belief in absolutes. (Just as a disclaimer, I am a strong person of faith and have worshipped in many denominations in the course of my life, from Greek Orthodox to Pentecostal)

Looking for the right candidate is just about as difficult as looking for the right date, which will hopefully lead to some sort of long-term commitment. Since my spouse/soul-mate is deceased, I occasionally am in that looking-for-a-date mode. Anyway, in that instance, they must be a Christian because if they are not, there will be too much conflict about some day to day things. Like why do I have to be gone on Sunday and Wednesday. Why do I need that time alone in the morning? Why do I continue to spend time with my mother even though she drives me crazy and always upsets me?

However, when I look at a candidate - I know this will upset some folks - their faith is not the most important issue, because I am not choosing them for my day to day companion. For many people faith is very private and they may not want to share what they believe. For many Christians however, the candidate being a Christian is their be-all and end-all qualification.

I know many military people who I would love to see run for office because they know how to get things done, and their basic philosophy about our country, our rights, work ethic, our constitution, etc. agrees with what I think is best of for the overall good. I don’t know a thing about their faith. Most of them probably have some degree of faith experience - but generally are quite private about it.

Back to the dating thing - I am usually attracted to certain types, and those certain types have that strong internal compass of fairness, strength and love of country. As it turns out, when I find those things, it often turns out that the person has an inner moral code that comes from some faith background, whether from their parents or from their own experience. The same is often true of candidates.

Informal survey time - What are the 3-5 most important qualifications in YOUR must have list for President/Senator/Congressional Representative?

Here are mine:

1. Promise to abide by the constitution and evidence that they have done so in the past.
2. Proven executive experience in trimming the excess/waste from the operations of a corporation, state, or city - and proven ability to demand and move toward a balanced budget
3. The determination, expertise and courage to protect our country against all enemies foreign and domestic.
4. The belief that THIS country is the best country on earth and that we are able to govern ourselves with no interference from “the international community” or its laws.
5. A person who has not been in politics from cradle to present - who has had some real world experience outside of academia and government.

–Gordon–
(notice I did not list abortion - because for me - while I am totally pro-life - it came in at number 6 on my list for federal level candidates)