Flap's Blog – FullosseousFlap's Dental Blog

So, you ask, what is the big deal?

Guess who’s holding a super secret, ill-intentioned meeting this weekend in Palm Springs, California? The nefarious Koch brothers – nefarious because they donate to conservative causes, of course.

Already, leftist groups are beginning to fulminate (against what, it’s not quite clear), insisting that there’s something inherently corrupt in the free assembly of the Koch brothers and their cohorts.

Take today’s conference call on the subject, conducted by Common Cause, featuring such liberal luminaries as former Clinton Labor secretary Robert Reich, disgraced former Obama official and Center for American Progress scholar Van Jones and his colleague Lee Fang, and DeAnn McKewan, co-president of California Nurses Association (yeah, I hadn’t heard of her either).

Reich sounded the Koch alarm: “their ongoing biannual meetings epitomize the problems that our democracy are facing right now,” he told the participants on the conference call. These meetings, he said, are a “perfect storm for democracy,” because the Koch brothers are rich and can participate in politics, “and we have secrecy – it’s all in secret.”

So, the Koch brothers hold private assemblies, participate in politics, and are, therefore, a threat to our democracy. Got it?

OK, I get it. The Koch brothers have a lot of money, donate to conservative causes, think tanks and candidates (all within the law) and the FAR LEFT and BIG LABOR don’t like it.

Listen to the entire audio above and smile as to how stupid and ridiculous the LEFT can be. They REALLY are.

This weekend conference is NO different than countless others that are held every weekend and with folks who meet to represent their industry or political ideology within the American political process. I have been to plenty through my career for organized dentistry, for example.

If you even listen hard enough to the audio above, you will hear two of the speakers try to answer the question as to why this conference is any different than any other?

The answer: The Kochs have more money.

Wow!

It is not any different, yet organized Labor will send its minions into the streets with idiotic signs to make asses out of themselves, protesting people in suits, listening to speakers talking about limited government. Real dangerous stuff here.

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Who is Sponsoring the “Uncloaking the Kochs” Protest?

The LEFT ala Saul Alinsky Protest Koch Brothers Conference

Young America’s Foundation announced today that Governor Sarah Palin will give the keynote address on February 4 at its Reagan 100 Opening Banquet at the Reagan Ranch Center in Santa Barbara, California, for the 100th anniversary celebration of President Reagan’s birthday. Governor Palin was Alaska’s youngest and first woman governor and the first female Vice Presidential candidate in the history of the GOP.

“I am very excited to have been selected to address Young America’s Foundation’s Reagan 100 dinner,” Governor Palin said. “Young America’s Foundation has been sharing the values of President Reagan with young people for more than 40 years, and there is no organization more committed to preserving freedom’s future.”

To commemorate the 100th anniversary of Ronald Reagan’s birth, Governor Palin will reflect on the seminal speech by President Reagan, “Time for Choosing,” that discussed the risks and rewards before an America at a crossroads in the early 1960’s. Governor Palin will draw parallels to today while calling for young people to continue the Reagan revolution into the future.

Vice President Dick Cheney will also headline the celebration weekend and deliver the keynote address at the closing Reagan 100 Dinner Banquet on Saturday, February 5 at the Reagan Ranch Center.

I wonder if Sarah will come down to the Reagan Presidential Library on Saturday night or the official centennial on Sunday?

News that South Carolina Sen. Jim DeMint will travel to Iowa on March 26 to address a conservative forum organized by Rep. Steve King is sparking another round of chatter that DeMint might launch a dark horse bid for the White House in 2012.

The Republican gadfly has been adamant in denying such intentions for more than a year – just Wednesday, he gave CNN’s Wolf Blitzer a flat “No” when asked if he plans to seek his party’s presidential nomination.

But the ground may be shifting in DeMint-world, and several of his closest advisers and political confidantes are now telling CNN that he is at least open to a presidential bid if a suitably conservative candidate fails to emerge from the early and wide-open GOP field.

“I think that you can read into it that he sees he has a role in the process and he hasn’t completely shut the door,” said one DeMint adviser asked about the Iowa foray.

DeMint currently sees his role in the 2012 process, the adviser said, as “setting the bar high” for the presidential contenders when it comes to advocating for a small government agenda.

“He hasn’t completely shut the door on running, and if there is a massive void in the group of candidates, who knows what could happen?,” said the adviser, who was quick to caution that there is only a five percent chance the senator will run.

So, what game is Jim DeMint playing here? Kingmaker?

Perhaps

He would certainly be able to garner votes in the early South Carolina Presidential primary as a “favorite son.” Which would then drive the race for the GOP nomination to later in the primary season – past Florida and Super Tuesday.

Of course, this is all dependent upon whether Mike Huckabee, Mike Pence and/or Sarah Palin run.

It is a fun day today – first, John Huntsman and then DeMint.

Looks like Mitt Romney is getting NO respect.

U.S. Ambassador to China Jon Huntsman (R) appears to be leaning toward a run for president in 2012 and a team of political operatives and fundraisers have begun informal talks and outreach to ensure he could rapidly ramp up if he decides to run.

Talk of a Huntsman presidential bid has been all the rage of late — ever since a Newsweek article earlier this month made clear he was seriously considering the possibility.

During Chinese President Hu Jintao’s official state visit last week, President Obama was even asked by reporters about the prospect of Huntsman, a former Utah governor, challenging him in 2012.

“I couldn’t be happier with the ambassador’s service, and I’m sure he will be very successful in whatever endeavors he chooses in the future,” said Obama. “And I’m sure that him having worked so well for me will be a great asset in any Republican primary.”

Huntsman, for his part, has been mum about the possibility of a national bid but the breadth of the team that has formed to prepare for just such an eventuality suggests he is quite serious.

But, Chris Cizzilla goes on to name Huntsman’s inner circle of advisors or kitchen cabinet, so to speak.

If John Huntsman wants in the GOP Presidential race, the water is fine.

But, he better get a move on to increase his name identification and determine how he will beat another fellow Mormon Mitt Romney.