Colorado Amendment 46--Gov. Ritter Campaigns Against Colorado Civil Rights Initiative, Taxpayer Funds Used

Ben has the background on the use of taxpayer resources to combat Amendment 46, the Colorado Civil Rights Initiative.

My colleagues at Peoples Press Collective have photos and video of Gov. Ritter's anti-Amendment 46 rally at the state Capitol.

We Won the Bailout Battle—But the War Continues

We Won the Bailout Battle—But the War Continues

By Julian Dunraven, J.D., M.P.A.

Dear friends,

In my last column, “Stop the Bailout!” I said that we all needed to contact our Congress people and demand that they vote against the $700 billion bailout plan. Thanks to all of you, and millions of other people who did just that, we were successful in pushing Congress to kill that ghastly legislation. Congratulations! Nonetheless, we must remain vigilant.

The bailout bill was dreadful. My last column already referred to some of its problems, such as massively increasing our national debt, starting us on the road to hyperinflation, swiftly devaluing the dollar to the point of collapse, and entangling the Federal government in our economy to an extent never before seen. The final version Congress put out, though, also contained no meaningful restrictions on the spending or the price. It contained several arguably unconstitutional provisions, and fretted endlessly about executive compensation packages, which are almost irrelevant given the enormous scope of this bailout. In demanding that the companies involved repay the government in five years, it also failed to remove these bad debts from the market and created unrealistic expectations which serve to discourage outside investment and virtually guarantees that we will be saddled with these ailing companies for many years to come. Everyone agrees that it was a bad bill. Everyone also agrees that it was the only bill Secretary Paulson would approve. Fortunately, the secretary does not run this country. Nonetheless, though we won the battle, the war has only just begun.

Even now, the leadership in Congress is preparing to resubmit the bailout plan. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi seems to think she can get the votes she needs if the new package includes language that would ease bankruptcy laws to allow debtors to keep more of their assets, thus making it much easier to file for bankruptcy. Making it easier for people to default on their debts is not a cure for our economy. This would not make the bill better; it would make it far worse.

Unfortunately, our esteemed presidential candidates are not helping matters either. Those of you who watched the first presidential debate saw the deer-in-the-headlights looks they gave, and heard their obfuscating answers when they were asked about the economic issues we are facing. Neither of them has a good understanding of what is happening in our economy. The fact that they both supported the bailout is proof enough of that. They both have made the mistake of listening to Bernanke and Paulson, and maintain that Congress simply MUST do something or the consequences will be dire.

Not so. Though the market will undoubtedly go through some painful readjustments as it purges itself of these poisoned assets and failed companies, its recovery, if left alone, has the potential to provide good, strong investment opportunities. With low stock prices and increased savings, Money Morning predicts that U.S. domestic capital will actually increase, reducing outsourcing and improving our deficit of payments—a good thing. This will leave us in a much stronger economic position to face the real threats coming quickly at us, such as Peak Oil and the liquid fuels crisis. However, this may not be possible if Congress and our presidential candidates keep trying to drive us into a depression with their hasty and ill conceived plans. Thus, it remains incumbent upon us to show them what they need to be doing. Here is what you can do right now to help:

1. Educate yourself. If you have not done so already, find reliable people who have been predicting these problems for a long time (that rules out Benanke and Paulson). Listen to what they have to say about what caused the problems and what we have to do to solve them. For a start, I strongly recommend Financial Sense. It has many useful articles and the Financial Sense Newshour (3rd Hour with Jim Puplava and John Loeffler) is a wonderful weekly broadcast that will keep you abreast of everything you need to know in terms that are easily understood to laypeople.

2. Keep pressure on Congress. Keep writing and calling your Congress members—and maybe even the leadership. Tell them not to pass this bailout—in any form. If they never get any support from the people, they won’t act, and they won’t ruin our country. If we slack off, though, they are likely to pass some new horror that will be even worse than the last one. A dismantling of our bankruptcy laws would be just that.

3. If you want to tell Congress what it should be doing, you might suggest that they repeal some of the bad government programs that got us here in the first place such as the Community Reinvestment Act, which actually encouraged giving loans to high risk borrowers as a social engineering project. After that, they should think about reining in the Federal Reserve and its fast and loose monetary policy which has left us with terrible inflation, forced business into high risk investments just to get a decent rate of return given our piteously low interest rates, and left the dollar on the verge of collapse. After that, they need to think about eliminating certain corporate and capital gains taxes to encourage investment.

4. Protect yourself and your family. I am not a financial advisor, so I cannot tell you what would be best for you and your family. I can say, however, that there are plenty of opportunities to be had if you are paying attention. Gold, silver, and other precious metals are very good security again failure of the currency. In an economy where energy is increasingly becoming an issue, oil and other energy investments look good. Do not have too much faith in government, its programs, or its bonds, however. We are all seeing, right now, the dangerous actions our government has been willing to take with regard to our financial systems. We were able to stop the bailout, but there is no guarantee we will stop future idiocy. If the government’s foolishness manages to utterly debase the currency, you do not want to be depending on that same government for your financial security.

Barack Obama To Return To Colorado On Monday; Update--Details Released; Update 2--Tickets Gone

**Update 2--tickets gone

**Update--some of Monday's details released:

Sen. Barack Obama will campaign Monday morning at Mountain Range High School in Westminster.

Doors open to the public at 9:30 a.m., and tickets are required. Free tickets will be available starting at 9 a.m. Sunday at two Obama campaign offices: 550 Thornton Parkway in Thornton and 710 Golden Ridge Rd, Suite 108 in Golden. Tickets will be distributed on a first-come, first-served pasis.

The campaign has not announced what time Obama will be speaking.

---

As the debate rages this evening:

No details yet . . . developing . . .

Stop The Bailout! It Is Time To Demand Inaction

By Julian Dunraven, J.D., M.P.A.

Dear friends,

We are facing economic calamity. We stand upon the very brink of destruction yet, even now, we have the capacity to save ourselves from utter ruin and escape to heal our wounds. We must act quickly though, for the U.S. Congress, in its unerring stupidity, is poised to push us into the gaping maw of doom in a matter of days. It is now incumbent upon every citizen to defend this country by contacting their congress people and begging them NOT to pass this ghastly bailout.

Our choice is simple. We can choose not to pass this bailout, in which case the market will stumble a bit before correcting itself. Some companies will fail, jobs will be lost, and times will be hard. Then the good companies, who have managed to run themselves well, will begin to fill in the gaps left by the failures. Other, dynamic businesses will also grow into the market space, and we will recover.

The other option is to pass this bailout. Thus, we spend more than $700 billion we do not have for a result that is not guaranteed. In doing so, we prop up failed enterprises and create an unending dependence on the government that may require many billions of dollars more to sustain. We have none of this money. To do this, we either need to borrow more money and virtually double our national debt or print more money. Either way, inflation will skyrocket and the value of the dollar will be obliterated. What was a bad economic situation will become full economic ruin. In this case, the whole of the world's economy will face depression and we will not recover for a very long time.

Thus, we can restrain ourselves now, suffer through our hardships and recover as quickly as we can, or congress can pass this bailout and we can suffer terribly for a very long time in full economic ruin.

That is our choice. Congress does not see it because they are too busy looking at elections and think they must be seen to do something--something they do not understand. They are more afraid of losing an election than losing the country. In this case, though, they must do nothing. Only if they refrain from acting will we be saved. We all must write to our congress people immediately, before it is too late, and demand that they do not do this thing--that they do not sacrifice this nation to their ambitions-- and that they do not pass this bailout! Time is running out.

P.S. Ron Paul has issued a similar call.

CatholicVote's Pro-Life Ad Argues For Life, Family, And Faith

"As Catholics (and Christians) we have an obligation to form our consciences in the light of the truth the Church teaches"--Archbishop Charles Chaput of Denver

Powerful, moving ad in favor of life, family, and faith from CatholicVote (via Hot Air):

Silly Season: Political Vandals Hit Obama, McCain Supporters

Equal opportunity vandalism and destruction of private property.

Grow up folks . . . just because you disagree with someone else's politics doesn't mean you have any right to destroy another's property.

Good lord.

No Love For Sarah Palin At State Capitol

Drunkablog has the photos--no love from the local feminists/Code Pinkers.

60,000 Floridians might have to disagree . . .

Anti-Obama Shirt Leads To Suspension For Aurora, CO Fifth Grader

**Update 2--Student admits it was father's slogan on t-shirt, but stands by the shirt and his first amendment rights to wear it to school

**Update--One legal perspective: "This case clearly seems to be an illegal curtailment of this student’s rights”


The offending home-made shirt.

For being "distracting" to the educational process:

An Aurora 11-year-old says his first amendment rights are being trampled after he was suspended for wearing a homemade shirt that reads "Obama is a terrorist's best friend."

The fifth grader wore it on a day when students were asked to wear red, white and blue to show their patriotism.

The boy's father Dann Dalton describes himself as a "proud conservtive" who has taken part in some controversial anti-abortion protests. Dalton says the school made a major mistake by suspending his son for wearing the shirt.

"It's the public school system," Dalton says, "let's be honest, it's full of liberal loons."

The school district told Daxx Dalton that he had the choice of changing his shirt, turing his shirt inside out or being suspended.

Daxx chose suspension.

Kid's got stones. (video)

And the Aurora School District?

"They're taking away my right of freedom of speech," he says. "If I have the right to wwear this shirt I'm going to use it. And if the only way to use it is get suspended, then I'm going to get suspended."

Daxx's dad agrees with him and is encouraging his son to sstand his ground. "The facts are his rights were violated. Period."

Aurora public schools could not talk about the case but said they "Respect a student's right to free speech, such as the right tto wear specific clothing" but they said they review any situation that interrupts the learning environment.

Besides the fact that MyFoxColorado needs a spell-check for all the double letters, the shirt itself makes no reference to Barack Obama being a terrorist, but that terrorists would most likely find an Obama administration much less stressful than a McCain administration. No doubt a decline in offensive actions outside of the United States in targeting terrorism and a return to the terrorism-as-criminal policy adopted under Clinton would ease the terrorists' minds.

And offensive? I'm sure that Aurora's schools have never permitted anti-Bush/Republican/Conservative shirts. As long as the kid's shirt doesn't feature pornography or profanity it might be hard to find any reason for forcing him to accept suspension rather than preserving his freedom of expression as seen on the shirt.

And if the other kids don't like it or don't agree, then they have just learned a great lesson in dissent, plurality of viewpoints, and freedom of speech. They need to be disabused of the "right not to be offended" meme that characterizes left-wing activism early, and often.

Jon Caldara Offers To Withdraw Amendment 49 If Gov. Ritter Repeals Executive Order

Rumors were swirling this morning, but this is from a press release from the Ethical Standards campaign:

Amendment 49's leading proponent has formally offered to remove the initiative from the ballot if Colorado's governor will work to stop the unionization of state government.

Jon Caldara today submitted a letter to Gov. Bill Ritter offering to pull Amendment 49 from the ballot, "contingent upon your repeal of Executive Order D 028 07 and your word to oppose any effort to bring it forward via legislation." The proposal is made in hopes of restoring "a measure of peace to Colorado's political landscape."

Gov. Ritter issued the executive order to introduce collective bargaining to state government in November 2007. The Denver Post published a rare, front-page editorial chiding the governor as "a bag man for unions and special interests."

"The governor wants everyone to 'holster their weapons,'" Caldara said. "Let's be clear: with his executive order, Governor Ritter was the first to draw his weapon."

What is Amendment 49, and who is supporting it?

Amendment 49 is designed to prohibit governments from bundling money from public employees' paychecks and delivering the funds to special interest groups. These special interests use the money to lobby the same politicians who just delivered the cash to them. Local governments across Colorado have set the pattern for the Ethical Standards Initiative. Twelve counties representing more than half the state's population (including Arapahoe, Douglas, El Paso, Jefferson, Larimer, Mesa, and Weld) have implemented this reform since 2007.

Amendment 49 additionally has been endorsed by former Gov. Bill Owens and former U.S. Senator Hank Brown; major newspapers, including the Rocky Mountain News, Pueblo Chieftain, and Grand Junction Daily Sentinel; and numerous business and civic organizations, including the Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce, National Federation of Independent Business, Colorado Contractors Association, Colorado Health Care Association, Colorado Homebuilders Association, Colorado Farm Bureau, Colorado Realtors Association Issue Committee, Southeast Business Partnership, Association of Builders and Contractors, and the Colorado Springs Chamber of Commerce.

BDS-Suffering Metro State Instructor Andrew Hallam Assigns Essay Criticising Sarah Palin

**Update 2--shocker: Metro State instructor staying silent

**Update--Metro students discuss the Palin-basing assignment with talk radio show host Mike Rosen

"Bush-bashing is one of my favorite things to do"--Metro State instructor Andrew Hallam

2000-2008: Bush Derangement Syndrome.
August 2008-?: Palin Derangement Syndrome.

Another lefty professor from the Ward Churchill school of biased teaching has earned the coveted media attention desired by so many on the left in their quest for self-promotion and "raising awareness" of their political philosophies (video):

Metro State College is investigating a professor who asked students to write an essay critical of Republican vice presidential candidate Gov. Sarah Palin. One student said the instructor singled out Republican students in the class and allowed others to ridicule them.

"I was shocked, I was holy cow, this is just an open door for him to discuss politics with us," said Jana Barber, a student in the class.

Barber shared the first class assignment with CBS4. Instructor Andrew Hallam asked students to write an essay to contradict what he called the 'fairy tale image of Palin' presented at the Republican National Convention.

"What the faculty's responsibility is to provide opportunity for critical thinking and civic engagement so bringing something of relevancy into the classroom was the faculty's goal," said Cathy Lucas, spokeswoman for Metro State. "Should he have broadened it and included all the political figures, yes."

Metro State officials are investigating claims of bias, harassment and bullying.

Hallam declined an interview with CBS4. He has revised the assignment.

Students may now write about any of the candidates.

The Daily Blogster has the earlier known details of the story, that detail the explicit bias of the class atmosphere promoted by the instructor, including the implicit approval of harassment of self-identified conservative/Republican students in the class by their fellow students:

Matt Barber told WND his sister is one of five students who have been belittled by the teacher, and "bullied and harassed" by other students "because they support McCain-Palin."

The students had documented a series of incidents in which Hallam reportedly told his class, "Bush-bashing is one of my favorite things to do."

In another class, the students report, Hallam said he loved swearing and the f-word was his favorite word.

"He used the f-word a few more times that day," they reported.

When Hallam handed out the Palin writing assignment, the students reported "he said he would give the Republicans a chance to speak about it and asked who in the class was a Republican. Five of us raised our hands. When we did, [one other student] … said 'F*** you!' Mr. Hallam did nothing about this. At the end of the class period, after a lot of the Republicans had voiced their side of the issue, another kid said, 'They're full of s***, but we let them talk anyway.'"

The students are in the process of filing the necessary complaints.

Drunkablog makes the necessary and inevitable comparison to another local teacher with a bias problem--Jay Bennish.

DNC Carbon Offset Scheme Raises Tons Of Cash $18.34

Epic. Fail.

Attendees at the "greenest convention ever" obviously couldn't be bothered to raise some real green--money--to offset their carbon footprints:

Results of a program using Aspen’s Canary Initiative to sell carbon offset credits to Democratic National Convention attendees are a little underwhelming.

The program, set up by the DNC Host Committee through the Denver Convention and Visitors Bureau and rolled out about a week before the convention started, raised a total of $18.34 worth of Canary Tags, offsetting 0.9 tons of carbon emissions.

The offsets were aimed at DNC-goers other than the official delegates, who had a separate carbon offset program through Vermont-based Native Energy. That program, set up in January through the Democratic National Convention Committee, was utilized by 65 percent of the DNC’s 4,440 delegates.
. . .
Peterson was hoping funds raised through the host committee for the DNC could be used for a signature project. But that will not be possible, as less than $20 was raised.

“Here’s three (compact fluorescent) light bulbs for the office,” Peterson said.

This story, not unsurprisingly, hasn't appeared in the local Denver MSM yet.

Targeted at thousands of DNC-goers other than official delegates, some of whom are presumably at least vaguely sympathetic to the Democrats and their causes (like the media), they still couldn't muster a crisp $20, let alone a few Benjamins? Money that would make evident the imperative to tackle global warming/climate change, and dispel accusations that the "green" effort of the DNC and the policies of the limousine-liberals in the Democrat party are nothing more than lip service to one of their signature issues?

Of course not. The delegates themselves managed a measly 65% participation rate. Either even dyed-in-the-wool rank-and-file Dems don't believe the global warming hoax, or it just hasn't been raised to a level of crisis high enough for action.

Or more likely, Democrats believe that any crisis is best solved by throwing more government money at it--but certainly not their own.

Democrats--putting your money where their mouth is for decades.

Colorado Rockstar: Sarah Palin JeffCo Rally Photos And Recap

Standing room only--scores of supporters donning their hockey
jerseys--the Westernaires Arena filled with an enthusiastic crowd.

Photos to follow . . .

(Crossposted at PeoplesPressCollective)

The Daily Blogster was also there this morning, with pics and a recap of the Palin speech.

Gateway Pundit has an MSM roundup, including words from the opposition.

All in all, a solid post-convention stump speech, delayed for a few minutes while President Bush addressed the financial crisis on Wall Street.

It is clear that Palin's draw isn't the policy positions staked out in the speech itself, though they are not throw-away lines either. Palin discussed the need for reform and oversight in the financial sector, the inseparability of energy independence from our foreign policy and the imperative to produce our own energy here, and the "walking the walk" of actually doing the hard work. About her running mate Sen. John McCain, Palin spoke effusively about the only man in the race who "actually fought for you."

But in the end the rally really exhibited the incredible magnetism of the candidate herself, who struck a chord in the center-right/GOP, especially right-leaning women, in a way unmatched by any recent Republican candidate, and overshadowed only by Barack Obama's similar adulation, though in less-than-messianic terms. Palin is a Mom--like the many Moms in the crowd--and the "hockey mom"/lipstick/small business owner experience was indeed a change from the career politician/lawyer/haughty elitism that permeates the Democrat ticket.

Palin is a political rockstar seeking the support of voters in an effort to turn the tide on liberal-creep that has put Jefferson County not only in the national spotlight as the county that could decide Colorado and ultimately the entire national race, but reclaim some of the faltering GOP brand in the suburbs of areas like Denver that were once GOP strongholds and rebuild the grassroots ground game that has been damaged (rightly or wrongly) by the Bush administration since 2004.

Judging by her reception at JeffCo Fairgrounds, the enthusiasm necessary for proper volunteer recruitment and voter engagement has hit a fever pitch in Colorado, something unthinkable just three weeks ago during the Democratic National Convention. Palin's selection the day following Obama's coronation at Invesco Field changed the dynamic of the ground game here in Colorado, and will make this swing-state an even more sought-after prize.


It was really, really early.


The line snaked around the parking lot, with hundreds outside the Westernaire Arena before the doors opened at 7am.


Buttons, get your buttons!


Security was tight, though certainly nothing like the DNC (Secret Service? Yes. Riot gear? No.)


The teleprompters were covered in anticipation of Sarah Palin's speech.


A continued theme of the McCain-Palin campaign--"Country First."


Talk radio show host Dan Caplis kept the crowd going while Sarah Palin made her way to the JeffCo Fairgrounds.


The enthusiasm was palpable.


Easily the best sign of the day.


Women held their lipstick up and waved it like lighters at a rock concert--Palin was a rockstar for the eager crowd.


Former Governor Bill Owens gave a brief introduction, nearly inaudible due to the roar of the crowd.


A pitbull with lipstick!


"Real change."


Not a "Washington insider."


Palin was clearly caught up with raucous reception--"thanks Colorado!"


Palin greets the crowd after her speech.


"First Dude" Todd Palin.


The MSM photographers couldn't get enough of Palin-mania either.

Tickets Go Fast For Sarah Palin's Monday Rally At Jefferson County Fairgrounds

Only 5000 or so Palin fans will be in attendance, as initial estimates for the pancake breakfast of 1000 were easily exceeded by rampant demand at the John McCain campaign office in Centennial, forcing a change in plans and venue at the Jefferson County Fairgrounds.

SP scored some valuable ticketage and will be there with coverage.

The campaign appears to clamping down on ticket sales (they were free) just as the Obama campaign did for Invesco Field tickets, but at least one posting on Craigslist has 4 tickets up for $70.

Colorado Palin-mania: Sarah Palin Event Tickets Flying Like Hotcakes!

So much so that the planned pancake breakfast has been scrapped so that the campaign could accommodate all the extra supporters:

No more pancakes.

Because of the high volume of requests for tickets to see Vice Presidential pick Sarah Palin at the Jefferson County Fairgrounds Monday morning, the campaign has canceled the pancake breakfast.

Instead, it will be an event for about 5,000 people and Palin will deliver remarks.

"To accommodate more people, we had to take away the table and chairs to fit everyone in," Campaign spokesman Tom Kise said.

Kise said all day the line at their office snaked outside into the parking lot and it became clear that there wasn't a way to accommodate everyone and serve up flapjacks as well.

Barack Obama will also head to Colorado next week, with stops in Grand Junction, Pueblo, and Jefferson County (no final details).

With support for Obama flagging in the polls and the Palin appearance bursting at the seams, we'll get a comparative glimpse of two campaigns heading in the opposite directions.

And we'll also get a glimpse of how Palin stacks up (yes, pun intended) on her own, rallying voters in a county (Jefferson) that could determine the election in Colorado, and possibly nationally.

9/11 7th Anniversary

Seven years.

Seven.

My 9/11 tribute to Dennis Cross as part of The 2996 Project from 2006.

Last year, I made a photo essay of Broomfield's touching 9/11 memorial.

Michelle Malkin returns to the events of 9/11 (multiple posts) and Gateway Pundit has a roundup of 9/11 links.

Never. Forget.

RNC Dispatch--Day 3 Photos

More pictures from the Republican National Convention, as Sen. John McCain's Vice Presidential nominee Gov. Sarah Palin gave her acceptance speech and a wonderful succession of GOP speakers--Michael Steele, Mitt Romney, Mike Huckabee, Linda Lingle, and finally Rudy Giuliani--helped build the adequate emotional charge with speeches that were quite powerful, and included great rhetorical gems like Steele's "Drill, baby, drill!" that were repeated throughout the night.


Security was tight, but once past the innermost line of defense against the uncredentialed and unhinged protesters, the mood was fairly relaxed.


Feeding frenzy at the RNC shop.


Michigan delegates sport hockey jerseys in support of Sarah Palin's veep speech Wednesday night.


Ushers were very adamant about this rule.


Even before Palin delivered her acceptance speech, "Palin Nuts" were going crazy for John McCain's pick.


Rudy Giuliani fired up the crowd and joined the audience in a bit of laughter at the Democrats' expense.


Colorado delegates wore matching shirts and occupied prime real estate in front of the center teleprompter.


"Hockey Moms for Palin" from Michigan.


The enthusiasm was palpable, even from the nosebleeds.


My (remote) view--Palin supporters nearly blew the roof off the Xcel Center.


The best look at Palin came from the large side screens behind the podium--this was my view of the convention.


As loud as the crowd was Wednesday night, it probably did little good to have the booth enclosed.

RNC--Quick Reflections; More To Come

Tons of pictures (celebrities, hardcore GOP supporters, etc.) to sort through and video to load--as well as recaps and reflections on other aspects of the RNC.

Wanna know why the usual SP coverage wasn't, shall we say, the same as usual?

The convention had a steep learning curve--in terms of expectations and ability to cover the event. Apparently I'm not alone, as Ben DeGrow points out in a link to Rick Moran. Hard to "blog" and get the type of material I would like, or make the networking connections and tap into a larger sense of community when bloggers are banished to the extreme nosebleed seats behind the stage, with no view of the speakers, and then asked to navigate the labyrinth of the Xcel Center to the press filing room where the only "free" Internet is located. And without even a temporary, revolving access to the floor to meet the state's delegates or get a sense of the convention's pulse, it is not difficult to say whether or not it might have been easier to "blog" the convention from my hotel room. Other than the "just happy to be here" feeling that quickly eroded once the reality of the arrangement set in, the convention organization and blogger accommodations made frustration the order of the day.

Oh well, there's always 2012!

Stay tuned . . . I'll blog from the road as I make my way back to Denver.

RNC Day 4: Reflections On John McCain's Solemn Acceptance

John McCain--genuine humility, a record of service to his country, solemn and understated.

Barack Obama--his ego writes checks his record can't cash.

The stark contrast between the two acceptance speeches by the respective candidates can't be stated in any easier terms or demonstrated in a simpler manner than to compare how McCain reached out to Obama in a gesture of respect, while only a week earlier Obama's hostile criticism appeared to reveal a bitterness that did little to represent "hope and change." Obama's cynicism was exceeded only by the sense of true optimism and real hope and change that a McCain administration would bring.

McCain's message and that of the RNC the entire week--freedom and responsibility, service and sacrifice.

Obama and the DNC? Government, government, government. Not "you're on your own" but "we own you."

The land of opportunity vs. crisis and criticism.

Policy specifics are overrated. It is the comparative vision of each party and each candidate that creates the path that each candidate will follow on the campaign trail and after the election. The destination matters, but so does the route by which the destination is reached.

Liberty and open-mindedness vs. dogged reliance on outdated philosophies that have been recycled again and again by a party that relies on a sense of victimization rather than an admiration for the ability to achieve and to go one's own way.

Washington insiders, government handouts, and pork barrel spending.

Mavericks, tax cuts, fiscal responsibility.

McCain envisions a future for America. Obama chooses to wallow in the past.

Of the two candidates, only one offers real hope and change.

And I just watched his acceptance speech tonight in St. Paul, Minnesota.

RNC Day 3--Protester Updates; Sarah Palinpalooza!

Gateway Pundit has kept a close eye on the plans of leftist/anarchist protesters for the RNC, including kidnapping delegates, and CodePink became so offensive that the mellow Jim Hoft of Gateway Pundit came a bit unhinged--but in a good way!

More on the way . . .

Guestblogging: Sarah Palin And Change

Sarah Palin: A Change More Profound than Giving Speeches
By Julian Dunraven

If this election is really all about change, then November will offer voters a choice between candidates who like to talk about change, and candidates who live for change.

On the left, we have Sen. Barak Obama who, in his extremely short tenure in the U.S. Senate, has never once broken with his party's agenda to champion needed reforms. For his running mate, he has chosen Sen. Joe Biden, a bastion of the liberal establishment for the last 35 years.

On the right, we have Sen. John McCain, who has made a career of going against anyone he thought was wrong--even if that occasionally includes members of his own party. As his running mate, he has chosen Gov. Sarah Palin, who has already proven that she is a consummate and principled reformer. She took on some of the most powerful members of her own party--including Sen. Ted Stevens--to fight corruption and bring ethics and accountability back to government. She slashed budgets, cut taxes and even sold the governor's private jet on E-Bay to bring fiscal responsibility back to government. And unlike so many modern politicians who like to talk about values but rarely live by them, Gov. Palin doesn't just say she is pro life and pro-family--she chose to have her youngest baby even though she knew he would have Down Syndrome, and she has been incredibly supportive of her daughter, who is also choosing to have her baby--despite the difficulties of young motherhood.

Gov. Sarah Palin is a remarkable woman who somehow manages to impress both fiscal and social conservatives at the same time. I can't remember the last time Dr. James Dobson and I agreed on anything but the quality of the weather, yet we are both excited about Gov. Palin and I think the reasons for that are clear: she represents what the Republican Party, at its best, used to be, what it should be, and what it will be again.

Change is coming, but not with Obamamania. Long after that fever breaks and passes, the true reformers, John McCain and Sarah Palin, will be hard at work restoring the glory of this country which Congress and Bush have so badly tarnished.

Dispatches From The RNC-A Subdued Day One Inside The Xcel Center; Crazed Leftists Attack Delegates

Xcel Energy Center primed for Republican National Convention.


A view from the upper level--a much simpler design.

Gateway Pundit has extensive coverage of the serious and dangerous attacks on delegates and other guests of the RNC, including bags of cement tossed off bridges at passing buses, water/bleach spraying of delegates, tire slashings, etc., not to mention urine bombs, molotov cocktails and other devices seized over the weekend.

Brad Jones of Face the State is also in Minneapolis-St. Paul for the convention and has extensive coverage of the events in and around the Xcel Center, including blogger credentialing (there are 200 credentialed blogs at the RNC), proximity of protesters to the venue, and an important question for both parties--where are the young people at national political events?

On to the photos:


At least 80 feet separated the enclosed protesters from the inner perimeter of the Xcel Center in this area.


Stop the War!


"Brains not Bombs!" "McCain = Bush"


The socialists were out as well.


Closing the gate on protesters.


The security checkpoint was evenly distributed and quite efficient, and the buses just a short distance away.


Protesters had been confined to the narrow passage in the center, and funneled away from the Xcel Center off to the right.

Celebrity sightings:


Actor and on-screen tough guy Robert Davi chatted with guests on the 2nd floor of the Xcel Center.


Kevin Farley and Robert Davi posed for photos while discussing their new comedy, "An American Carol" due out October 3 (trailer), directed by David Zucker of "Airplane" and "Naked Gun" fame.

The effects of Hurricane Gustav:


A steady crowd monitored the reports on Hurricane Gustav.


Red Cross operations set up information tables and called for donations and other relief efforts.


First Lady Laura Bush and Sen. John McCain's wife Cindy McCain urge delegates and RNC guests to join the relief effort in any way they can.

Blogger and press digs:


Two words: Free.  Internet.


Working hard or hardly working?