Archive for February, 2010

Frankly, your average TeaParty individual would rather muck out the back yard outhouse than have to hear one more elected official tell them that they want Health Care. What they want is a job…or, if they are working at a non-gubment job, enough money to hire someone who is out of work to come and muck out the family bathroom.

Much will be written and spoken about the Bipartisan Health Care Debacle televised on television today, February 25th.
In the run up to the event, an article dated February 25th published in the Washington Post on February 24th entitled  “On bipartisan health care, a foundation for agreement“  was published. Ed note: The punctuation and capitalization is that of the Washington Post…not mine. Jeez The byline for the piece goes to Kathleen Sebelius and Nancy-Ann DeParle. Therefore, we wonder who actually wrote the article.

In their own imperious words they said, “Today, Democrats and Republicans have a chance to come together, share their best ideas and unite behind reforms that will put families and small-business owners back in control of their health care… Since this debate began, media coverage has focused almost entirely on areas of disagreement between the two parties. But as two people who have spent much of the past year discussing health reform with President Obama and other Democrats, Republicans and independents, including many of the Republicans attending today’s meeting, we share the view of Rep. Charles Boustany (R-La.), who said last September: “We agree on about 80 percent of the issues right now. It’s just a matter of hashing out those few areas where we disagree…. That’s why we think Republicans should find a lot to like in the proposal President Obama released on Monday. We know Republicans will support the measures to prevent health-care fraud, such as new background checks for Medicare suppliers and real-time reviews of claims, because they’re the ones who wrote them.

The news tidbit delivered to us by the authorettes Sebelius and DeParle was just too easy….. From the website of Rep. Charles Boustany (R-La.), a snip published on February 24th….a whole day before the Sebilius/DeParle piece, which was dated February 25th, but published on February 24th by the award winning Washington Post said this…..

Boustany to Attend President’s Health Care Summit to Provide Republican Solutions to Lowering Health Costs Feb 24 2010……

“As a doctor, I saw firsthand the difficulties patients face in our health care system, and I continue to work with my colleagues to address the most pressing problem, which is lowering health care costs for all Americans,” said Boustany. “I am hopeful the President will listen to the bipartisan solutions we advocate. Health care is too important to simply rush through a glossy, 2,000 plus page bill. We need to scrap the current bills and start with commonsense solutions to lower health care costs.”

Now…. Why exactly are we not surprised to see a smidge of obfuscation and child-like propaganda from dames Sebilius and DeParle, and who exactly did write the article with their byline?Yes, friend Boustany may have said what he said back in September…but he since changed his mind a little.

In other breaking news, top Obama supporter Valerie Jarret recently had this to say about her favorite boss…. “President Obama hasn’t changed since I’ve known him. He hasn’t. He’s always been disciplined, empathetic, temperate, intellectual, inquisitive, compassionate, self-critical, and an excellent listener.” Jarrett continued to note that the President’s capacity to multitask effectively was incredible. “Going from one meeting on terrorism, to another on mortgage foreclosures, to another, and another … his focus and ability to pay attention, coupled with the energy to see conversations through without rushing to a decision, but rather bringing a discussion to its logical conclusion is remarkable.”

If you live in Alabama, you gotta love those rascally state legislators. We’ll be reminding you about this come voting time. I expect we could find upwards of 57 more examples just like this from the other states in the union.

Alabama Legislature Pay Raise – Never Forget <come voting time>
<Your Alabama Legislature At Work For You!>

Article from 2009 April 28 by Brian with flashpoint blog.

Back in March 2007 the Alabama legislature laid out a bold challenge to Alabama voters. It was the first year of their four year term. On the second day of the regular session the majority Democrats rammed through the very first piece of legislation of the session with a coordinated effort to get it through both houses on voice votes. The legislation (HJR 29) raised their pay by a whopping 62% effective at the beginning of the session. Governor Riley vetoed the pay raise, but on March 20th both houses voted to override his veto – on recorded votes – and put the pay raise into effect.

The circumstances surrounding the 62% pay raise made it clear that the legislators planned it specifically in a way to minimize the chance of voter retribution.

* Not one single legislator mentioned the pay raise only months before on the campaign trail. Not one.

* It was the very first item to pass that session. They tried to put as much time between the pay raise and the next elections as possible.

* The well orchestrated passage through both houses on voice votes was done to “sneak” it through before anyone would notice. They knew it was wrong and would be unpopular.

* Even after the veto and overwhelming groundswell of public opposition they voted to put the raise into effect anyway.

The bottom line is that they thought we would forget their self serving votes. Prove them wrong.

Here is how each and every legislator voted:

ALABAMA HOUSE:

Votes Tuesday as the Alabama House, on a 57-43 vote, overrode the governor’s veto of a legislative pay raise.

Voting yes were 7 Republicans and 50 Democrats.

Voting no were 34 Republicans and 7 Democrats.

Not voting were 2 Republicans and 2 Democrats.

Abstaining were 0 Republicans and 3 Democrats.

REPUBLICANS VOTING YES

Barton, J. (Mobile); Collier, S. (Bayou La Batre); Faust, J. (Fairhope); Galliher, B. (Rainbow City); Gipson, M. (Prattville); Hill, M. (Columbiana); McClendon, J. (Springville).

REPUBLICANS VOTING NO

Allen, G. (Cottondale); Baker, A. (Brewton); Ball, M. (Madison); Beck, W. (Geneva); Bentley, R. (Tuscaloosa); Bridges, D. (Valley); Canfield, G. (Vestavia Hills); Clouse, S. (Ozark); Davis, R. (Daphne); DeMarco, P. (Homewood); Drake, O. (Leeds); Fincher, C. (Semmes); Gaston, V. (Mobile); Greeson, T. (Ider); Grimes, D. (Montgomery); Hammon, M. (Decatur); Hubbard, M. (Auburn); Ison, J. (Mobile); Johnson, R. (Sylacauga); Lewis, B. (Dothan); Love, J. (Montgomery); Mask, B. (Wetumpka); McClurkin, M.S. (Pelham); McCutcheon, M. (Capshaw); McMillan, S. (Gulf Shores); Oden, J. (Vinemont); Sanderford, H. (Huntsville); Shiver, H. (Bay Minette); Thomas, E. (Oneonta); Treadaway, A. (Morris); Ward, C. (Alabaster), Williams, J. (Vestavia Hills); Wood, R. (Anniston); Wren, G. (Montgomery).

DEMOCRATS VOTING YES

Bandy, G. (Opelika); Beasley, B (Clayton); Black, M. (Tuscumbia); Boothe, A. (Troy); Boyd, B. (Anniston); Buskey, J. (Mobile); Coleman, M. (Midfield); Dukes, B. (Decatur); Dunn, P. (Bessemer); England, C (Tuscaloosa); Fite, L. (Jacksonville); Ford, C. (Gadsden); Gordon, J. (Saraland); Graham, B.C. (Alexander City); Grantland, R. (Hartselle); Guin, K. (Carbon Hill); Hall, L. (Huntsville); Hammett, S. (Andalusia); Hilliard, E. (Birmingham); Hinshaw, R. (Meridianville); Howard, R. (Greensboro); Hurst, S. (Munford); Jackson, T. (Thomasville); Keahey, M. (Grove Hill); Kennedy, Y. (Mobile); Knight, J. (Montgomery); Laird, R. (Roanoke); Lindsey, R. (Centre); Martin, J. (Clanton); McCampbell, A.J. (Linden); McClammy, T. (Montgomery); Millican, M. (Hamilton); Mitchell, J. (Mobile); Moore, M. (Birmingham); Morrow, J.M. (Red Bay); Newton, D. (Birmingham); Page, J. (Gadsden); Robinson, J. (Scottsboro); Robinson, O. (Birmingham); Rogers, J. (Birmingham); Salaam, Y. (Selma); Schmitz, S. (Toney); Scott, R. (Fairfield); Sherer, T. (Jasper); Spicer, T. (Elba); Taylor, B (New Hope); Thomas, J. (Selma); Vance, L. (Phenix City); Warren, P. (Tuskegee); White, H. (Athens).

DEMOCRATS VOTING NO

Baker, L. (Abbeville); Harper, A. (Aliceville); Letson, J. (Hillsboro); Morrison, N. (Cullman); Newton, C. (Greenville); Thigpen, W. (Fayette); Todd, P. (Birmingham).

REPUBLICANS NOT VOTING

Moore, P. (Pleasant Grove)*; Payne, A. (Trussville).

DEMOCRATS NOT VOTING

Holmes, A. (Montgomery)*; McDaniel, F. (Albertville).

REPUBLICANS ABSTAINING

None.

DEMOCRATS ABSTAINING

Curtis, M. (Florence); Irons, T. (Florence); McLaughlin, J. (Guntersville).

*Holmes and Moore both said they attempted to vote, but their voting machines jammed and their votes were not registered. Holmes said he voted “yes” and Moore said she voted “no.”

ALABAMA SENATE:

Votes Tuesday as the Alabama Senate, on a 20-15 vote, overrode the governor’s veto of a legislative pay raise.

Voting yes were 2 Republicans and 18 Democrats.

Voting no were 10 Republicans and 5 Democrats.

Not voting were 0 Republicans and 0 Democrats.

Abstaining were 0 Republicans and 0 Democrats.

REPUBLICANS VOTING YES

Beason, S (Gardendale); Glover, R. (Semmes).

REPUBLICANS VOTING NO

Bishop, C. (Jasper); Brooks, B. (Mobile); Byrne, B. (Montrose); Dixon, L. (Montgomery); Erwin, H. (Montevallo); French, S. (Birmingham); Marsh, D. (Anniston); Orr, A. (Decatur); Smith, H.A. (Slocomb); Waggoner, J. (Vestavia Hills).

DEMOCRATS VOTING YES

Barron, L. (Fyffe); Bedford, R. (Russellville); Coleman, L. (Birmingham); Denton, B. (Muscle Shoals); Figures, V. (Mobile); Griffith, P. (Huntsville); Lindsey, P. (Butler); Little, T. (Auburn); Little, Z. (Cullman); McClain, E.B. (Midfield); Mitchell, W. (Luverne); Mitchem, H. (Union Grove); Penn, M. (Union Springs); Preuitt, J. (Talladega); Ross, Q. (Montgomery); Sanders, H. (Selma); Singleton, B. (Greensboro); Smitherman, R. (Birmingham).

DEMOCRATS VOTING NO

Benefield, K (Woodland); Butler, T. (Madison); Holley, J. (Elba); Means, L. (Attalla); Poole, P. (Moundville).

Your AlabamaTeaParty.org website is moving to a new format to consolidate the blog with the website. (The name and url remain the same!!!)  The move will take a couple of days to complete and then we’ll be just as good as the big dogs like Michelle Malkin, Barack Obama, Phil Donahue, Glenn Beck, and countless other famous conservative bloggists.
The only difference is that unlike them, we already have an AWESOME presence in the search engines. When you search for the MOST CONSERVATIVE Blog or MOST CONSERVATIVE Website now, we’re at or near the top anyway. It will get even better.

First, we’re having all the fun promoting the most conservative agenda with unique and thought provoking articles.
But second….although we are probably getting several million views daily now, well, after the move is completed, it will most likely go to several billion…and that my friends, presents commercial possibilities. No doubt, even a major motion picture contract, a recurring guest spot on Hannity, or perhaps the chance to have our name on the next new cell phone. The AlabamaTeaParty.org Cell Phone. Now that has a ring to it!

I confess that even though I considered myself something of a wizard with making web pages findable, until recently I had never paid any attention to what they call social bookmarking. I’m coming late to it, but I’m coming with a vengeance! If you know what it is, then why haven’t you been doing it? If you don’t, just a short note of explanation…

Social Bookmarking has been around several years. When you hover your cursor over the share button above or the buttons on the left hand side of the site over there you will be presented with up to 224 social bookmarking sites. You sign up for one or many (so that you can actually bookmark there) and then, whenever you are here and you like something you see, then you click on your social bookmarking site under the SHARE BUTTON and bookmark it.
Most sites are totally painless, and many have everything already filled out for you when you click. All you gotta do is save the information.
What happens next is that you have an online place for all your bookmarks…and everyone who is signed up can see it too. You can also see and search everyone else’s bookmarks also. It’s a good way to see what others think is important and another source of information.

Mainly, when you bookmark your AlabamaTeaParty blog, the search engines like Google go to the bookmarking site and see your bookmark and then elevate my site in the search engine standings because they know you know what you’re talking about! It’s a great way for you to recommend our ATP site to the whole dang world!!! Try it. It’s fun!!!! For your great work I will issue you one El Woofo! (Spanish bark.)

The video below is something I’m about 99% sure you haven’t seen, and something I can’t wholeheartedly recommend. I wouldn’t have seen it myself, except I just happened to be channel surfing and caught the word “tea party” which stopped me long enough to catch the last half of this really important opinion piece.
It was delivered by none other than the noted MSNBC journalist, Keith Olberman.
To him, I say, “So what’s your point?” I honestly don’t get what you were trying to impart to us Tea Party types. Really. No kidding. I just don’t get it.
So, I went in search of his imperious comments and surely enough found it on the MSNBC website. I retrieved the code so you could, if you really have nothing better to do, view it as I did.
Among other things, Olberman asks us to look around at our next TeaParty rally and count the number of people who aren’t white.
To Olberman, I say, it is an inarguable fact that skin colors besides caucasian aren’t overly represented at TeaParty rallies. In this you are correct. But then I say, whose fault is this? Certainly not the fault of the people who are obviously white. The invitation to join with a TeaParty event is, the last time I checked, color blind.
There is no ethnic correctness test. There is no color guard at the door. Color, gayness, ethnicity, creed, or use of the Spanish language is NOT a factor in the belief systems of  TeaParty folks or a bar to the door of freedom.
All that matters is that when you choose to come, you come to advocate for conservative principles. All who come of like mind will be welcomed with open arms and glad embrace. More, even the merely curious are likewise welcomed and encouraged in the hope that they will find common cause.
I truly don’t get your point, Keith Olberman. The more I think about it, the more static I incur. Obviously what you said was heartfelt…
Unfortunately however, at the best, it came across as a lame attempt to fill time with high sounding, yet hollow philosophy. In actuality, it was disjointed prattle, laced with age old decayed cliche, silky insult, and race bombs. TeaParty folks don’t play that game.