Hugh Hewitt - talk show host - speaking at AFP

Several things where Hugh Hewitt gave his opinions.

1. "Wait not till November of 2010, but November 2009." That was a point that needed to be made. That is a reference to New Jersey and Virginia elections. On the same note, here in Michigan, we have a big race of our own for the state senate.

2. Health Care. We need to reduce the damages from Obama administration there.

3. Educate people on broken legal system. Hugh is an attorney as well and still spoke out about frivolous lawsuits against businesses and medical providers. We're paying the costs. Plaintiff lawyers bankroll the democrats.

4. Expose and mock the left in the same way it is done to us (Saul Alinsky's rules). When we have the chance to nail ACORN, like Breitbart did. We have to tell everyone about biggovernment.com. Do not be silent with apolitical friends.

5. Credential young people. They need to learn from us and given responsibility they can handle.

6. Israel will have to take action soon. The US must stand with Israel. There will be a course of hate from the legacy media against them when that happens.

AFP: Opening Speaker - Newt Gingrich

Our first speaker is Newt Gingrich. Remember when we had a balanced budget? Thanks, Newt.

Gingrich made the point. With Obama's election, this was "their moment." "Their moment" was Henry Waxman (elected in 1972) and Nancy Pelosi. The dems are moving heavily to the left. The Stimulus is the 1st warning. It had to be passed immediately so that we would not read it. Socialism - the left - has been defeated - in Europe. Italy, Germany, and even France. The socialist wing of the party will lead the dems to defeat.

In 1977, real change as happened. Carter was wildly popular, more than Obama. Then inflation, unemployment, gas shortgage created by government, Soviet invasion of Afghanastan.

An example of the poor policy was the gas shortage was the rule on who could fill up the gas tank based on license plate. A father gave his 13 year old son a screwdriver to swap license plates to the car that needs to be filled up. A conservative would repeal the program. The liberal would hire license plate police.

Newt has a few points.

1. Have to have candidates every level to new solutions and apply principles. All elections. From city to president. Recruit someone new. In the end, real power comes from ballot box. Non partisan. Primary and general.

2. Learn to campaign effective. Better than left in organizing. Don't write off neighborhood. Don't write off people. 365 days a year. Not last 60 days.

3. Win the argument. Thatcher - win argument and then vote. 1993 and 1997 - President make argument so starkly that people say that's wrong. Obama needs to be on all talk shows....to help us.

Newt says that good advertising kills bad products faster. Great orator with wrong philosophy teaches faster that the policy is wrong. (Increase energy costs? with 9.8% unemployment) The Feds can't organize flu vaccine but want to take over health care?

Newt on Obama in Copenhagen - Danger of admin. "I remember when Atlanta got olympics. Andy Young worked for months. Atlanta team worked for years. If Obama had steady consistant plan, Chicago might have won. You can't lead by spur of the moment. Smiling and oratory not substitute for work and preperation." Eisenhower first to go to summitt. Firm rule. Months of preperation. Reagan prepped for months. Dangerous to provide leadership out of hip pocket. Serious challenge.

When 9.8% and part timers and lookers. The real number combinging them may be 20% in California. There needs to be economic plan that works and is not a burden like stimulus. Real stimulus - Premise - in world market competing with China and India.

Newt's bold ideas and real solution.

1. 2 year - 50% in FICA including employer match.
2. Compete with China. Match capital gains tax of China. Zero.
3. American companies compete in market. No taking away secret ballot or stregthening trial lawyers. Irish tax rate 12 1/2%
4. Abolish death tax.

In addition to taxes, there needs to be an American energy policy using American energy. Bowing to Saudi King not energy policy. If we had 300 billion in energy in US - revenue and economic results would be a step to most economic and prosperous country.

Newt said that we can balance the budget. As speaker for 4 years, the budget was balanced, with a liberal democrat in WH. During those four years, smallest federal growth since Coolidge.

Overall, these are good ideas, and should all be considered.

Pence Speaks at AFP conference

As I posted in my half asleep post last night, Mike Pence was one of the two keynote speakers at the AFP conference last night. Politico covered the speech.

Rep. Mike Pence (R-Ind.) exhorted Republicans Friday to rally against fiscal excess, promising a conservative crowd that the country is “on the verge of a great American awakening.”


Pence, the House GOP conference chairman, said the simmering unrest that led to tea parties since the spring and the march in Washington last month reflected a country angry about the expansion of government.


“It’s authentic and it’s real and it’s powerful and it’s American,” Pence told about 2,000 conservatives at the annual conference of Americans for Prosperity, a free-market group.


The five-term Hoosier said of the movement: “The politicians aren’t leading this. They shouldn’t be leading it. They’re the ones that created this mess.”

How did Mike Pence pull off this speech so well? Consistency. Pence can say what many others in DC can not say, because of hypocracy. Pence does not have to worry about it. When President Bush and Congressional leaders spent like druken sailors in 2006, Pence and the Republican Study Committee walked the walk and offered a balanced budget. This was when fiscal conservatism was not cool in either party.

Pence delivered fire at both parties, mostly the democrats, but the Republicans can not be left off the hook for the 2002-2008 years. Pence can. He voted against them all, and most importantly, the bailouts.

Pence's quotes on the bailout and deal when he voted against it.

""Ask yourselves why you came here and vote with courage and integrity to those principles. If, like me, you came here because you believe in limited government and the freedom of the American marketplace, I urge you vote in accordance with your convictions. Stand up for limited government and economic freedom. Stand up for the American taxpayer. Reject this bailout and vote no on the emergency economic stabilization act,"

"“"The last time I heard that, I was on a used car lot. The truth is, every time somebody tells you that you've got to do the deal right now, it usually means they're going to get the better part of the deal."

This wasn't just in 2008 when Pence railed against this. In 2006, the same thing happened.

Mike Pence in 2006, after the dems took over Congress.

After 1994, we were a Majority committed to a balanced federal budget, entitlement reform and the principles of a limited federal government. We delivered on balanced federal budgets, welfare reform and responded to a national emergency with defense spending, homeland security and tax cuts that put our economy back on its feet.

However, in recent years, to the chagrin of millions of Republicans, our Majority also voted to expand the federal government's role in education by nearly 100% and created the largest new entitlement in 40 years. We also pursued domestic spending policies that created record deficits, national debt and earmark spending that has embarrassed us and caused many Americans to question our commitment to fiscal responsibility.

Right now, the people are skeptical of the government, including Mr. Obama. They are downright distrustful of Ms. Pelosi and Mr. Reid. We've had in the first year of Mr. Obama's reign government bailouts, an auto industry takeover, government stimulus that does nothing positive for the economy, jobs killing cap and trade in the name of so called global warming (it's already been cold enough to snow in parts of Michigan before it became October), and now, we have an attempt to take over the health care industry. This is big government on steroids.

The biggest thing the Republicans must do is gain back trust of the people. That starts with a giant rejection of "big government lite" that President Bush gave us. What is needed is a return of limited government, which gave us 1994. Pence gave our party a model to follow. It's time for the GOP to live up to those principles, both at the state and federal level. If that gets done, we'll take back Congress and Michigan in 2010.

Update from Americans for Prosperity Conference

I'll post more on this tomorrow since I got zip, zilch, zero sleep last night.

There is 2000 people attending the conference. That's a good turnout for a DC area conference.

There was a rally at the Capitol earlier. I have some pics there, albeit cell phone pics. The message there was simple. Less government, more freedom. Americans are tired of big government spending too much and dictating over our lives. A big NYET to big government taking over health care and the abysmal Baucus bill which fines people who do not purchase health insurance. He needs to be drilled out of office for that bill.

At the dinner, there were two major speakers. Conservative talk show Laura Ingraham and Congressman Mike Pence. Normally, politicians do not speak as well as a talk show host. Laura Ingraham was an excellent speaker. Pence did even better. Part of that is because Pence is consistent and is not afraid to critique his own party when it is being fiscally irresponsible.

I'll get more into this tomorrow, but I'll just say if the GOP listened to Pence in 2006, we'd still be in control of congress. If they listen to him now, we might take it back in 2010. (House more likely than the senate)

Live from Arlington, it's the Americans for Prosperity Conference

We're here from "Defending the American Dream" in Arlington, VA. This is from the Americans for Prosperity conference. This conference is a group of fiscal conservatives coming together to bring back (or just bring) fiscal conservatism back to Washington.

We'll be posting updates tonight and especially tomorrow when the conference meetings take place.