Tea Party

“Go west! Dems did, now fight to retain their gains
May 25
By KRISTEN WYATT
Associated Press Writer


For Democrats, the newly minted crossover voters who helped elect Barack Obama president in 2008 are displaying a rugged individualist streak and echoing tea party-type distrust of all things Washington. This is haunting the party as it struggles to keep control of Congress.

Consider the perspective of Kevin Ladd.

Hundreds of Democrats crowded the stage recently in this northern Colorado town to see Vice President Joe Biden promote a factory expansion. But not Ladd, who sat on the back bumper of an electric vehicle outside the auditorium.

Ladd invested in the company that helped make the car and came to celebrate the expansion, financed in part by a federal stimulus grant. But the 47-year-old homebuilder says his business is down, and after abandoning his lifelong Republican affiliation to vote for Obama two years ago, Ladd isn't sure about Democrats this year.

"I think a lot of swing voters are questioning their decision," Ladd said. "President Obama promised change. I wish we saw more change."

Democrats in the West are struggling to keep these new voters who helped the party turn Colorado, Nevada and New Mexico from Republican to Democratic in the presidential election just months after the party's national convention in Denver. Westerners who also helped elect a raft of Democrats to the House and Senate now appear to be wavering.

They're worried about federal spending. They're anxious about a new health care law in a region where a doctor can be several hours' drive away. They're afraid that Democrats' climate-change proposals will kill jobs in oil and gas fields. Illegal immigration dominates the debate, and opponents of Arizona's new immigration law don't see a salient alternative coming from Democrats.

Vulnerable Democrats can be found in every Western state:

_Senate leader Harry Reid of Nevada is trailing in polls in his bid for a fifth term. The state's home foreclosure rate is the highest, and the unemployment rate of 13.7 percent in April is above the national average—scary numbers for any incumbent.

_Democrats hold both of Colorado's Senate seats for the first time since the 1970s. Sen. Michael Bennet, who was appointed to office to replace Interior Secretary Ken Salazar, was outpolled by challenger Andrew Romanoff at a state Democratic assembly last weekend, a result that party officials said they anticipated. The two will meet in a primary Aug. 10. The winner will probably face former Lt. Gov. Jane Norton.

_Colorado Rep. Betsy Markey, who joined Biden on the factory visit, ousted a three-term Republican in 2008, but the GOP still holds a registration advantage in her sprawling district. Markey's votes in favor of the health care overhaul and a cap-and-trade climate plan could cost her in November.

_In southern New Mexico, Rep. Harry Teague voted against the health care overhaul but has been dogged by criticism over health insurance. As Congress was debating the plan, Teague dropped employer-based health coverage for 250 of his employees at Cavaloz Energy. Now Teague faces Republican former Rep. Steve Pearce, who gave up the seat that spans southern New Mexico to run for the Senate in 2008.

_Republicans think they can regain an Idaho district they narrowly lost in 2008. Democratic Rep. Walt Minnick has won an endorsement from the right-leaning Tea Party Express, the lone Democrat getting the group's backing. But Minnick is the first Democrat Idahoans have sent to Congress since 1992. The GOP chooses a challenger Tuesday.

_Arizona Reps. Harry Mitchell, Ann Kirkpatrick and Gabrielle Giffords are all in their first or second terms and represent districts that chose Republicans John McCain and George W. Bush in the last two presidential contests.

The outlook has even left-leaning activists worried that the Democrats may be in for some tough losses this fall.

"We're not really Democrat, we're not really Republican. We're independent, and we want results," said Bobby Clark, head of the Denver-based ProgressNow Colorado group, a liberal group that played a role in turning out voters for Obama two years ago.

Clark says it's "absolutely possible" for Democrats to hold onto Western gains this campaign season. But he concedes that Democrats have their work cut out for them to keep Westerners engaged after two years of partisan wrangling in Congress.

"We've all had a front-row seat to the sausage-making in D.C., and that's frustrating for people out here. They worked hard, they helped elect a Democratic majority and they want to see change," Clark said.

Republicans insist that Westerners are so turned off by Democratic rule in Washington that they'll swing hard to the right this fall. Joanna Burgos, a spokeswoman for the National Republican Congressional Committee whose district includes the interior West, said Republicans here are finding swing voters alarmed with the Democrats they've helped elect.

"The momentum in the West is different," said Burgos. "People in the West are a little more independent, and they're not as open to the government getting involved in their lives, from health care to energy. They're seeing government intrusion, and they don't like it."

In her pitch to voters, Markey talks about her real-world experience.

At a Denver fundraiser with Biden after the factory visit, Markey highlighted her background as owner of a coffee-and-ice-cream shop and said voters here are more interested in thoughtful lawmakers, not partisan ones.

"I think that when people try to see the world through the tinged glasses of Democrat or Republican, that becomes an excuse to throw away critical thinking," she said.”

“Updated May 25, 2010
Unions -- The OTHER Democratic National Committee

By Bradley Blakeman


Unions have made no secret that they plan to spend $100 million dollars to keep Democratic incumbents in office in 2010.


Unions have made no bones about their upcoming involvement in the midterm elections of 2010.

In short, unions are scared to death that they will lose their grip on their control of the House and the Senate unless they spend tens of millions of dollars and force their members to campaign for Democratic incumbents.

Unions have been able to run the table when it comes to getting what they want from the White House, Majority Leader Harry Reid and Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi.

This is what President Obama recently said to a gathering of big labor, "I do not view the labor movement as part of the problem," he adds. "To me, and to my administration, labor unions are a big part of the solution."

The president and the leadership of the Democratic Party has heaped great praise on unions for helping pass the over 700 billion dollar stimulus bill, the auto industry bailouts and most recently health care. Democrats believe that they could not have "accomplished" these efforts without the help of unions.

Now unions are fearful that their "gravy train' could be derailed by the midterms and they are gearing up to influence elections nationwide in a way that may eclipse the efforts of individual candidates or even the Democratic National Committee.

Unions have made no secret that they plan to spend $100 million dollars to keep Democratic incumbents in office in 2010. In addition, they plan to use hundreds of thousands of man-hours with their members "campaigning " and "organizing" in key election districts all across America.

Here is what the president of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) said with regard to the midterm elections, "We have got to protect the incumbency in the House. We have got to protect the incumbency in the Senate...It is going to be hard. Those tea-baggers are out there. There is an anti-incumbency mood out there." As far as I'm concerned, this sounds more like a statement from a party chairman than a union president.

Here is what communications director Steve Smith of the California labor Federation said with regard to their upcoming election efforts, "We are going to devote more resources to the 2010 campaign than we have ever done in any prior campaign."

Unions have been emboldened to act as a shadow political party. They have used the law to act brazenly and shadowy when it comes to their support of candidates. Unions today can coordinate with the DNC and candidates to strategize and place resources without restrictions.

The Federal Election Commission promised new rules in light of the Supreme Court's decision in the Citizen's United Case to insure candidates and parties do not lose control over campaign messaging and spending.

The fear is that in the aftermath of Citizen's United, unions would not only be permitted to spend without limits but they will also no longer have time restriction on when monies can be spent and restriction on direct coordination with campaigns and parties.

Without new rules set by the FEC, unions and corporations will be able to spend freely without disclosure to the FEC, shareholders or the SEC. In addition, without new rules corporations and unions who greatly benefited directly from legislation would be able to "reward" their friends and punish their enemies without disclosure.

Unless new rules are put in place to govern union and corporate coordination and disclosure, political parties will be eclipsed by non-political entities that are selfishly motivated.

The American people should demand that the FEC act now before the 2010-midterm elections.

The people not powerful unions and corporations should decide elections.”

“Two more Census workers blow the whistle
May 25, 2010


You know the old saying: "Everyone loves a charade." Well, it seems that the Census Bureau may be playing games.

Last week, one of the millions of workers hired by Census 2010 to parade around the country counting Americans blew the whistle on some statistical tricks.

The worker, Naomi Cohn, told The Post that she was hired and fired a number of times by Census. Each time she was hired back, it seems, Census was able to report the creation of a new job to the Labor Department.

Below, I have a couple more readers who worked for Census 2010 and have tales to tell.

But first, this much we know.

Each month Census gives Labor a figure on the number of workers it has hired. That figure goes into the closely followed monthly employment report Labor provides. For the past two months the hiring by Census has made up a good portion of the new jobs.

Labor doesn't check the Census hiring figure or whether the jobs are actually new or recycled. It considers a new job to have been created if someone is hired to work at least one hour a month.

One hour! A month! So, if a worker is terminated after only one hour and another is hired in her place, then a second new job can apparently be reported to Labor . (I've been unable to get Census to explain this to me.)

Here's a note from a Census worker -- this one from Manhattan:

"John: I am on my fourth rehire with the 2010 Census.

"I have been hired, trained for a week, given a few hours of work, then laid off. So my unemployed self now counts for four new jobs.

"I have been paid more to train all four times than I have been paid to actually produce results. These are my tax dollars and your tax dollars at work.

"A few months ago I was trained for three days and offered five hours of work counting the homeless. Now, I am knocking (on) doors trying to find the people that have not returned their Census forms. I worked the 2000 Census. It was a far more organized venture.

"Have to run and meet my crew leader, even though with this rain I did not work today. So I can put in a pay sheet for the hour or hour and a half this meeting will take. Sincerely, C.M."

And here's another:

"John: I worked for (Census) and I was paid $18.75 (an hour) just like Ms. Naomi Cohn from your article.

"I worked for about six weeks or so and I picked the hours I wanted to work. I was checking the work of others. While I was classifying addresses, another junior supervisor was checking my work.

"In short, we had a "checkers checking checkers" quality control. I was eventually let go and was told all the work was finished when, in fact, other people were being trained for the same assignment(s).

"I was re-hired about eight months later and was informed that I would have to go through one week of additional training.

"On the third day of training, I got sick and visited my doctor. I called my supervisor and asked how I can make up the class. She informed me that I was 'terminated.' She elaborated that she had to terminate three other people for being five minutes late to class.

"I did get two days' pay and I am sure the 'late people' got paid also. I think you would concur that this is an expensive way to attempt to control sickness plus lateness. I am totally convinced that the Census work could be very easily done by the US Postal Service.

"When I was trying to look for an address or had a question about a building, I would ask the postman on the beat. They knew the history of the route and can expand in detail who moved in or out etc. I have found it interesting that if someone works one hour, they are included in the labor statistics as a new job being full.

"I am not surprised that you can't get any answers from Census staff; I found there were very few people who knew the big picture. M.G."

When I received my Census form in the mail, I filled it out. Nobody had to knock on my door.

I answered truthfully about the number of people living in my household. But I could have just as easily dou bled the number. Why not? Didn't Census ad vertisements imply that my community would get more federal money if the popula tion were larger?

I'm glad people are finding work with the Census. For some it's the only work they have had this year and the chump change they are making for a few hours' work is a godsend.

But wasting taxpayers' money on busywork isn't going to do much for the econom”

“I think I can speak for everyone when I say....keep your little fantasies to yourself”

““How can limited government and fiscal restraint be equated with lack of compassion for the poor? How can a tax break that puts a little more money in the weekly paychecks of working people be seen as an attack on the needy? Since when do we in America believe that our society is made up of two diametrically opposed classes—one rich, one poor—both in a permanent state of conflict and neither able to get ahead except at the expense of the other? Since when do we in America accept this alien and discredited theory of social and class warfare? Since when do we in America endorse the politics of envy and division?”
Ronald Reagan”

“Wow, breaking the law by posting copyrighted photos of your fantasy dream boy....”

“I'm trying to figure out who snicker is. What trailtalker do we know that's a liberal and is gay?”

“probably several....not that there's anything wrong with that

LOL!”

“olo
last edited: 5/28/10 11:21:24 AM”

“waaaaaaaaaait a second here ...

I thought the tea party was just a couple a crazies ... nothing to be worried about ...



http://newsbusters.org/blogs/lachlan-markay/2010/05/28/matthews-special-rise-new-right-pretty-much-what-youd-expect”

“They all come down out of the Tree Party?”

“
see more ”

“lol.”

“The cat says, 'The bag was tough, but the contents tasty'.”

“Has the 'Tea Potty' saved us enough yet?”

“We have all heard about the case where a Democrat group put up a billboard with some rather unflattering and downright negative stuff about a Conservative...and how other Democrat groups (including the national party) condemned it RIGHT?

OH WAIT...sorry http://www.cnsnews.com/news/article/69343

It was the North Iowa Tea Party that put up a Bill board in Mason City comparing Obama to Hitler and Lenin. And it was the NATIONAL Tea Party that condemned it.

LOL...Never have happened if it was a liberal group.

And lets not forget Iowa (Idiots out Wandering Aimlessly)”

“

I hate crackers!”

“Milli Vanilli?”

“Did we ever get a real answer from pedx about violin and Rev getting points?”

“They both get them.”

“

Fear and Loathing in America”

“I can see November from my house! LOL”

“Tea Party racism video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m_wwhXWqdUQ&feature=player_embedded”

“Great Research there Nigal..except the national Tea Party denounced it and the sign was taken down.

It was Iowa after all...JEEZE

I am certain Crash can recount all the times his liberal buddies were called for making a poor decision in a statement or advertisement. ....”

“Political correctness is a doctrine, fostered by a delusional, illogical minority, and rabidly promoted by an unscrupulous mainstream media, which holds forth the proposition that it is entirely possible to pick up a turd by the clean end....”

“At least some of that is false flag. There are racists everywhere, though.


One thing for sure is that bigotry against nationality or religion is only "racist" if the Race Card is being used (as if there's any doubt). "Bigoted" is a plenty damning word in its own right.”

“unlike violin, I've been to Tea Party rallies and the ONLY racist signs/comments were coming from false flags. I know this because I approached them. Everybody else verbally denounced what they were doing. What these videos don't show you is the whole picture. These false flag guys show up and think it's cutsie what they're doing. I'm serious. I have photos of these guys smirking. CNN doesn't show you that side of it.”

“Really? You've NEVER had a real racist show up uninvited and loudly smear minorities? White supremacists, white separatists - many of them hate the Federal government and I could seem some finding the tea part message appealing on that level.”

“Never. I'm not saying they never show up to any, but not in these parts. Even if they did, judging by how the false flags were handled, I'm certain they would not be accepted by the crowd as "tea partyers". It's not only not the tea-party message, but the rallies I've been to they've specifically publicly denounced such things (hate).”

“Political correctness is a doctrine, fostered by a delusional, illogical minority, and rabidly promoted by an unscrupulous mainstream media, which holds forth the proposition that it is entirely possible to pick up a turd by the clean end....”

Is that turd the one I've used to describe the two party system, walk around it and the left is the left and the right the rite, so both ends are the same no matter which is left or rite from any view.

Our problem is an american problem the parties have little to do with with it.

Are the false flags being waived on who's watch, isn't that the american way of viewing things. I mean the same religious hatred and anti religious hatred, commie /anti commie, spend/don't spend are always our own little ugly traits that form that not to hard to find 'Ugly American'.”

“I love it I love it I love it...Sale (being OH so MODERATE) is doing the pee pee dance of "moderation" but Manages to misspell Right...LOL..NAH nope no bias there...

Good Job there Grampy...now get your nap and when you wake up Murder She Wrote will be on.”

“And drink your prune juice!”

“It's not only not the tea-party message, but the rallies I've been to they've specifically publicly denounced such things (hate).

Well there you have it, violin. Your race card just got trumped LOL”

“The 'rite' is the right of the right of the moderateconservativeliberal YAH~YAH! Murder she wrote has been replaced by ' Abortion Doctor Murderer'., YAH~YAH! moderateliberalconservative YAH!YAH!”

“Have you been to any Mutt?”

“Nope, that's why I was asking you if you've seen any racists around.”

“Why didn't that sign have AMERICAN MILITARY SOCIALISM on it ? That's big with the CAPITALIST ON THIS BOARD and boy does it take a lot of $change$ YAH!YAH! YAH!YAH!conservativemoderateliberal YAH!YAH!”

“You should. You probably won't see Ron Paul there, so it's safe.”

“We know they meant to say teabaggers.... but were distracted by a monster truck or something.

They also forget that The Boston Tea Party occurred in TAX-a-CHUSETTS,

oh... the horror....

� ROF �

”

“WOW..tilty you were able to Google the History of the Boston Tea Party and FIGURED out all on your own that it occured in Massaland?


OKAY here is the question...WHY was it done?”

“All poor t*lty has are homosexual slurs.

*reported*”

“NO I think he has a couple of hamsters at his house as pets too.”