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Tax Day Tea Parties and the Republican Party Establishment
Political Cartoon from Ed Gamble
Well, not so much.- Mitt Romney, a top contender for the 2012 nomination who has been cautious in his criticism of President Obama, will not attend a tea party, said his spokesman.
- John Boehner, the House minority leader, will attend a tea party in Bakersfield, Calif., with Rep. Kevin McCarthy.
- Mitch McConnell, the Senate minority leader, is on official business overseas and won’t be participating.
- Eric Cantor, the House minority whip, is in his Virginia congressional district with no public events today, said a spokesman.
- Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman, who will likely consider a 2012 run, is out of town and not participating, according to a spokesperson.
- Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, last year’s GOP VP nominee and a potential 2012 contender, won’t be attending any tea parties “that I’m aware of,” said a spokesperson.
The Tea Party movement is not about the GOP, in any case. But, the GOP better get the message.
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National Tax Day Becomes Protest Day – Will Tea Parties Change American Politics?
And, the funny thing is that the Tea Party protests are not so much about TAXES but how the Obama Administration and the Congress are spending the tax money.Today American taxpayers in more than 300 locations in all 50 states will hold rallies — dubbed “tea parties” — to protest higher taxes and out-of-control government spending. There is no political party behind these rallies, no grand right-wing conspiracy, not even a 501(c) group like MoveOn.org.
What’s most striking about the tea-party movement is that most of the organizers haven’t ever organized, or even participated, in a protest rally before. General disgust has drawn a lot of people off the sidelines and into the political arena, and they are already planning for political action after today.
Cincinnati organizer Mike Wilson, a novice organizer who drew 5,000 people to a rally on March 15, is now planning to create a political action committee and a permanent political organization to press for lower taxes and reduced spending. Tucson tea party organizer Robert Mayer told me that his organization will focus on city council elections in the fall as its next priority. And there’s lots of Internet chatter about ways of taking things further after today’s protests.
This influx of new energy and new talent is likely to inject new life into small-government politics around the nation. The mainstream Republican Party still seems limp and disorganized. This grassroots effort may revitalize it. Or the tea-party movement may lead to a new third party that may replace the GOP, just as the GOP replaced the fractured and hapless Whigs.
Michelle has more on the history of the Tea Party Movement.
So, will this movement survive past tax day?
Yes, fiscal conservatives have found the power of the internet and social networking genrerated grass roots organizing. The tax and spend mantra of the Tea Parties will united like minded individuals in a call to action that will translate into local political action and beyond.
Stay tuned…….
Technorati Tags: Tea Party
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April 15: Nationwide Tax Day Tea Party – Ventura County, California Tea Party Information
Flap has not really pushed the Tax Day Tea Party movement here because there are references to it all over Twitter and other sites. But, when the FAR LEFT Journolist starts memes against the movement it gives me great pause.And, so why the Tea Party protest?
But, Glenn has an extensive list of links that expands upon the GRASS ROOTS Tea Party movement.
And, Flap’s local Tea Party in Ventura County, California.Ventura
When: April 15, 12:00 PM – 2:00 PM
Where: Sidewalks adjacent to Ventura County Government Center
Map: Click Here
Contact: EMAIL (Carla Bonney) 805-652-0667
Contact: EMAIL (Dale DeHart) 805-312-2800
Website: www.teapartyteams.com
Facebook Group: Ventura County TEA Party
Facebook Event: Tax Day RallySee you there.
Technorati Tags: Tea Party
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Tea Parties Forever and the GOP
Flap always wonders why the FAR LEFT like Paul Krugman are SO concerned with the state of the Republican Party?
So what’s the implication of the fact that Republicans are refusing to grow up, the fact that they are still behaving the same way they did when history seemed to be on their side? I’d say that it’s good for Democrats, at least in the short run — but it’s bad for the country.
Uh Huh…….
Ok, Paul, where’s the REAL beef?
Afraid of a tax revolt?
Update:
Now, Flap understands: Krugman is part of the Journolist cabal and it is their meme of the week.JournoList-approved Meme of the Week! But it’s just a coincidence that Krugman’s reading from the same script as Jane Hamsher, Steve Benen and Oliver Willis. Their smear campaign against the Tea Party movement isn’t “orchestrated” or anything.
Technorati Tags: Paul Krugman, Tea Party, Tax Revolt
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California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger Will NOT Run for United States Senate in 2010
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger holds up a bowl of strawberries on display by the California Strawberry Commission while touring Ag Day 2009 in Sacramento, Calif., Tuesday, March 24, 2009. Schwarzenegger was escorted through the event by California Department of Food and Agriculture Secretary A.G. Kawamura, left, where they visited booths that highlighted California’s agriculture industry
Looks like Arnold is out for 2010.Kill the Arnold Schwarzenegger-for-U.S. Senate rumors – for now.
The Republican governor said Wednesday in his clearest language yet that he is not running for Senate, Congress or dogcatcher.
Schwarzenegger, appearing at a Cal Expo news conference with Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson, explained that he has more freedom to make policy decisions (including tax increases, a break from past campaign promises) precisely because he doesn’t have to run for another office.
He said he may be more at ease on issues than lawmakers who face re-election.
“The point was that I am not running for anything, so no one could threaten me, because I’m not running for Senate, I’m not running for Congress, I’m not running for another term as governor,” Schwarzenegger said.
The governor is termed out in January 2011, and he has never said what he will do once he leaves his Sacramento office.
As Flap has said before, Arnold would have a difficult time winning a Republican primary election in June 2010. So, there is no guarantee that he would be the GOP nominee against incumbent Senator Barbara Boxer.
The Schwarzenegger Governorship has been a disaster and his poll approval rate hovers in the mid-30’s and for the first time 54 per cent of Republicans disapprove of his performance as Governor.
Arnold ain’t going to run because he could not win.
Related:
Technorati Tags: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Barbara Boxer
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Poll Watch: 66 Per Cent Say Obama Likely to Raise Taxes on Those Earning Less Thank $250K a Year
Two-thirds of U.S. voters (66%) think President Obama is likely to raise taxes on people who less than $250,000 per year. That figure includes 47% who say he is Very Likely to do so.
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey found that just 18% doubt that will happen.
You have to follow the money.
There are simply not sufficient numbers of people making over $250,000 a year to fund the increased spending that President Obama and the Democrats in Congress propose.
However, there are plenty of taxpayers that make less and WILL find their taxes increased, especially if and when Obama’s current budget is passed and becomes law.
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The Obligatory Will Arnold Schwarzenegger Run for the U.S. Senate in 2010? Post
U.S. President Barack Obama (L) meets with California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger at the White House in Washington, March 20, 2009
The stories are out again suggesting that the Governator will run against incumbent United States Senator Barabara Boxer in 2010.The Chronicle points out that the Terminator turned governor has been tactful in his political allegiances. He campaigned for Sen. John McCain during the 2008 campaign and showed up last week with President Obama at a White House meeting on infrastructure.
The article points out his ambitious campaigning across the state for his new budget plan and notes that lately the governor has softened his tone on a political future.
“I have my hands full with all the stuff I’m doing now,” Schwarzenegger said earlier this month. “I’m concentrating on that and not what I’m going to do next,” he told the Chronicle reporter.
“You know,” he apparently added, “I’m not a politician. I’m a public servant.”
He and wife Maria Shriver are not strangers to Washington’s power circles.
Saturday night, Schwarzenegger brought down the house during his Republican “response†at Washington Gridiron Dinner. He laughed at the journalists’ apparent dumping by the president, who declined the invitationt to attend.
“You did such lovely work for [Obama],” the governor told Washington’s media elite. “You put your lives on hold to put him in the White House. Now you get all dressed up, the champagne’s on ice, and you find out he’s just not that into you,†he joked, according to the Washington Post.
But, Arnold is warring with the California GOP, has poor approval ratings as Governor in the latest polls and would have to run against a long-time incumbent U.S. Senator Barbara Boxer, who has plenty of campaign cash.
Don’t look for Arnold to involve himself with a partisan primary election in which he will face another self-funded millionaire, Carly Fiorina and/or California Assemblyman Chuck DeVore who has gained the endorsements of most all of the elected members of the California GOP. More likely, Arnold will be appointed to some Obama Administration position or simply go back to Hollywood and make some movies.
Previous:
RINO California Governor Schwarzenegger Snubs California GOP Convention in Sacramento This Weekend
Chuck DeVore Preempts Arnold Schwarzenegger By Announcing California GOP Endorsements
Technorati Tags: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Barbara Boxer, Carly Fiorina, Chuck DeVore
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Shocker: California Economy Worsens – Unemployment Soars to 10.5 Per Cent
Despite the “Hope and Change” tour of President Obama, the California economy continues to sink.
California’s unemployment rate increased to 10.5 percent in February from 10.1 percent in January as the most populous state’s economy worsened, official data showed on Friday.
California’s February jobless rate far exceeded both the state’s 6.2 percent rate a year earlier and the national unemployment average for February of 8.1 percent, according to the report by the state’s Employment Development Department.
California lost 116,000 non-farm payroll jobs in February from January and 605,900 non-farm jobs from a year earlier, marking a 4.0 percent decrease in nonfarm payrolls, the report said.
The U.S. financial crisis has battered California’s economy, the world’s eighth largest, which already had been slowed by a prolonged housing downturn.
The report noted that only one industry category tracked by state labor market analysts expanded payrolls in February from January — 7,900 new information industry jobs.
Ten industry categories posted job losses between the months, led by construction, which shed 30,900 jobs.
And, the California State Budget even with federal economic stimulus dollars continues with massive $ Billion deficits.
No wonder the Govinator Ahnold is hugging the President.
Help!
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California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger Warns of “Valley of Doom”
California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger congratulates Iris Kyle after she won the Miss International body building competition during the Arnold Sports Festival Friday, March 6, 2009, in Columbus, Ohio
The California State budge is a mess and Arnold Schwarzenegger has accomplished nothing in his six plus years in office to reform the process. The economy is in a meltdown with high levels of unemployment. In the meantime, post-partisan Arnold has participated in massive spending and tax increases for CaliforniansArnold has NO credibility left and his special election (May 19, 2009) tax measures will FAIL – despite speech hyperbole – “Valley of Doom,” indeed.
Technorati Tags: Arnold Schwarzenegger
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California Supreme Court, Carol Corrigan, Gay Marriage, Joyce Kennard, Kenneth Starr, Marvin Baxter, Ronald George
California Supreme Court Appears to Be Ready to Uphold Constitutionality of Proposition 8
Shannon Minter, standing, speaks to the California Supreme Court in San Francisco, Thursday, March 5, 2009 on the constitutionality of the state’s voter-approved Proposition 8 that bans gay unions. The court will decide whether to uphold the same-sex marriage ban and whether same-sex couple marriages will remain valid
Flap watched the oral arguments before the California Supreme Court on the challenge to California Proposition 8 which was approved by California voters last November. Proposition 8 restored the traditional definition of marriage (one man and one woman) in the California Constitution.It is my sense (and others too) that the California Supremes will acquiese to the vote of the people on making traditional marriage (one man and one woman) the law of California since the election. However, the validity of prevous gay marriages (allowed by last year’s California Supreme Court ruling on Proposition 22) may be upheld in some way.
The California Supreme Court appeared ready today to vote to uphold Proposition 8, the November ballot measure that banned gay marriage, but also seemed ready to decide unanimously to recognize existing same-sex marriages.
During a three-hour televised hearing in San Francisco, only two of the court’s seven justices indicated a possible readiness to overturn the initiative. Chief Justice Ronald M. George noted that the court was following a different Constitution when it approved gay marriage last May.
“Today we have a different state Constitution,” he said.
Justice Joyce L. Kennard, who usually votes in favor of gay rights, voted against accepting the revision challenge to Proposition 8 but said she would hear arguments over the validity of existing same-sex marriages.
Kennard said during the hearing that “Prop. 8 did not take away the whole bundle of rights that this court articulated in the marriage case.”
She said that “a very important holding” – giving sexual orientation the same constitutional status as race or gender – was not changed.
“Is it still your view that the sky has fallen and gays and lesbians are left with nothing?” she asked gay rights lawyers?Kennard told them they also had the right to return to voters with their own initiative.
So, how will the vote break down in the court?
Justices supporting the overturn of the original gay marriage ban (May 2008) are:
- Chief Justice Ronald George
- Justice Kathryn Mickle Werdegar
- Justice Joyce L. Kennard
- Justice Carlos R. Moreno
Chief Justice George and Justice Moreno stand for reconfirmation to another twelve year term of office in November 2010.
Justices dissenting from the original decision to end the gay marriage ban are:
- Justice Marvin Baxter
- Justice Carol Corrigan
- Justice Ming Chin
Flap will stay with his previous opinion:
Flap can count as well. Three California Supreme Court Justices that opposed gay marriage plus Justice Kennard (who refused to sign the order and voted to deny the petitions) equals four votes upholding the Proposition and the traditional definition of marriage.
Flap bets the final vote will be 6-1 with Moreno dissenting to uphold Proposition 8 simply because a MORON would have to rule this is a revision of the Constitution and not an amendment.
The decision by the California supreme court is due within 90 days. Want to bet the Court releases its opinion on Friday prior to the Memorial Day weekend?
Technorati Tags: California Supreme Court, Gay Marriage, California Proposition 8
