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"This battle was not fought for the sake of gaining positions or so many square miles of desert territory. They fought it with one single idea. they meant to destroy the armed force of the enemy and to destroy it at the place where the disaster would be most far-reaching and irrecoverable.... Now this is not the end. It is not even the beginning of the end. but it is, perhaps, the end of the beginning..." Sir Winston Churchill - 1942 As we head into the new year within the next few hours in America, are we on the heels...

I thought it would be appropriate to revisit the tinderspark for what became an extraordinary, American political movement. Video at link. Happy New Year FReepers!

Will we see a repeat of 1994—or 1964? My apologies to Buffalo Springfield. But what’s happening with the Tea Party movement, and where it’s going, ain’t exactly clear.  All we know at this point is that the villagers have pitchforks and torches, and are marching up the hill. But will they burn the castle of the Al Franken monster in Congress, or will they join Sarah Palin and her populist following and simply go RINO (Republican In Name Only) hunting? The point is that we could be heading toward 1994 all over again. Or toward 1964. The tea leaves are...

The tea-party participant – the individual who is frustrated America's leaders don't seem to want to "preserve and protect" the republic and gives up his or her own time, talents and money to warn elected leaders to choose the straight and narrow – has been selected by WorldNetDaily editors as WND's 2009 "Person of the Year." On the WND Forums pages where readers were asked to contribute their suggestions and comments, "Warsong" noted the impressive quality of nominees ranging from the hackers who uncovered what apparently was a scheme to cook global warming evidence to longtime conservative stalwart Rush Limbaugh...

From radical advisers in the Obama White House to hacked e-mails showing questionable work by climate scientists, 2009 has seen its share of scandals. But if you only followed the mainstream media, you might have missed some of the biggest stories of the year. Here's a list of the top nine stories the mainstream media ignored in the past year. (Slideshow at link)

Not long ago I received an email from a person named Marie. She told me the following story. I think the story is so very cool, I want to share it with everyone. A Little Story from MarieThis is a story about four people named, Everybody, Somebody, Anybody, and Nobody. There was an important job to be done and Everybody was sure that Somebody would do it. Anybody could have done it, but Nobody did it. Somebody got angry about that because it was Everybody's job. Everybody thought Anybody could do it, but Nobody realized that Everybody wouldn't do it....

Vanity

OK, what’s this book about? It’s about what happened to the American government after "conservatives" gained control of Congress in the 1990s and the White House in 2000. It’s about the disastrous decisions that government made, which have created the enormous problems we face now. It’s about the corruption that rotted the Congress. It’s about how traditional conservatism has nearly been destroyed by authoritarianism. It’s about how the “Religious Right� teamed up with amoral authoritarian leaders to push its un-democratic agenda onto the country.

It appears that some state and county Tea Party groups are trying to cleanse their ranks of libertarians. That's a shame since the movement started with Ron Paul and his libertarian followers, and was then co-opted by mainstream GOP Sean Hannity types. Lawrence Samuels, editor of Facets of Liberty: A Libertarian Primer and participant in the Monterey County Tea Party, is witnessing the purge firsthand: [A]fter a successful 4th of July Tea Party parade and Freedom Rally in Monterey, the cracks in the alliance split wide open. I was accused of belonging to too many leftist organizations. In fact, I...

Oh Yes, The Tea Party Movement is growing.Have you joined your local Tea Party organization?Click here to find a Tea Party Group in your State.

psburton blogging from Phoenix —Despite having won both the presidency and a Nobel peace prize, it was the woman who lost her vice presidential bid by the largest margin in history and then quit her job as Governor who emerged as the biggest personal, political and cultural winner of 2009. I was and remain a steadfast supporter of President Barack Obama and I am confident 2010 will be a year when he breaks out and starts scoring some political home runs. But the big winners in 2009 were Sarah Palin and the corporate fat cats behind the tea party movement....

While much of the national media was focused on a Christmas Eve Senate vote to pass health care reform legislation, the Obama administration's Treasury Department was tending to other business that will have serious implications for the U.S. economy. But did anyone notice? As Zachary Goldfarb reported for The Washington Post on Christmas Day, the Obama Treasury said it would lift the limits on what the federal government could provide in "emergency aid" to Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac - without seeking permission from Congress. That led CNBC CME Group floor reporter Rick Santelli to ask if anyone noticed and/or...

Let's face it: if you're conservative, you're not going to get your proper due from the mainstream media for your accomplishments. Case in point: Barbara Walters named Michelle Obama the most fascinating person of 2009. Really? Based on what? Her big arms? Her terrible fashion sense? The fact that she's married to the worst President in American history? I mean, you could understand if Walters named Michelle's husband the most fascinating person of 2009. He is at least the President and it is fascinating to wonder if there's anything going on in his head beyond clichés about hope and "must...

Efforts could shake up 2010 electionsIt could be the birth of a party.Fueled by anger at politicians and distrust of the government, the rapidly growing tea party movement could upend the political establishment in the 2010 elections – ultimately becoming a permanent, game-changing force in American politics.Or, it could fizzle.Even supporters aren't sure. Joyce Kaufman, a talk show host on WFTL-AM 850, believes the answer will come in the November elections. "If nothing happens in 2010, it falls apart."But she doesn't see that happening."It's going to be a huge dynamic. I don't think it's going to be easily defused. I...

Lib Reporter Says Protesters Were Asking For It When the Media Labeled Them “Teabaggers” Monday, December 28, 2009 Jim Hoft The corruption of the state-run media continues… Liberal Chicago Tribune reporter Clarence Page says old ladies carrying protest signs are “asking for it” when they are called “teabaggers“: NewsBusters reported: The bitterness toward the tea party movement continues to go on and on. Case in point – Chicago Tribune columnist Clarence Page, who on the Dec. 27 broadcast of “The McLaughlin Group,” deemed it “The Most Defining Political Moment” of 2009, but refused to call it the “tea party.” Instead,...

Clarence Page: "Now they regret it."

Less than 48 hours before Christmas, Keith Gladney was fired from his job as a St. Louis County (Mo.) Animal Control Officer, according to a BigGovernment.com article published the same day. Why is his firing important? Because, as you'll see in reviewing the points noted below, integrity of government is at stake:

The bitterness toward the tea party movement continues to go on and on. Case in point - Chicago Tribune columnist Clarence Page, who on the Dec. 27 broadcast of "The McLaughlin Group," deemed it "The Most Defining Political Moment" of 2009, but refused to call it the "tea party." Instead, he granted the movement the preferred name by the left-leaning cable network MSNBC, the "teabaggers" and somehow devised the notion that the movement "asked for" the derogatory name. "The backlash movement known as the ‘teabaggers,' who kind of asked for that name and now they regret it," Page said. ...more...

It's the end of 2009, the "aughts" are over, and we are about to embark on a new year -- and what else are they but the "aughts"? Well, besides mostly a horrible and thankfully passed decade. In any case, we are at the end of the year and that means two things: lists about this year and predictions for the next. I've chosen the prognosticator's art for this piece with the subject of what will likely be our biggest failure or mistake in 2010: the Tea Party movement. We all know that just saying the words "Tea Party" is...

Philadelphia hosted its first Tea Party way back in December 27th, 1773. 226 years later, the organizers of the Independence Hall Tea Party Association hosted a re-enactment of the event. Big Talker 1210 radio personality Dom Giordano represented Dr. Benjamin Rush, leader of the Philadelphia Tea Party, as he read the original resolutions adopted by Philadelphia and Boston. [VIDEO AT SITE] (Excerpt) Read more at floppingaces.net ...

Sussex County Tea Party Committee Announces Campaign to Recall Senator Robert Menendez A “Committee to Recall U.S. Senator Robert Menendez,” sponsored by the Sussex County Tea Party has announced plans to launch an effort to recall Senator Robert Menendez from his position in office. Helping to lead the charge is New Jersey Tea Parties United, the state's grass-roots coalition of county and regional Tea Party groups representing several thousand members in support of fiscal responsibility, individual liberty and limited government. The Committee filed a formal Notice of Intention to Recall with the Secretary of State's office on September 25,...

Join thousands of patriots in Olympia on Thursday January 14 at 12:00 noon. The Tea Party and 912 Spokane have coordinated resources and reserved charter buses for $60.00 per seat on January 14, 2010. Loading begins at 4:00 AM, departure at 5:00 AM, same day round trip to Olympia. We will announce the departure area later. A minimum of 38 passengers are required to pay for the bus. You will receive a full refund if we do not have enough. Please have your reservations in and paid for by January 5. 2010. If you can car pool, email at theresa.theteapartyofspokane@gmail.com....

Michele Bachmann Is Welcome At Tea Parties The Republican congresswoman from Minnesota has become a rare elected official to be embraced by the vocal small-government activists. And the GOP is taking note. Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.) has been criticized by both parties for hyperbole, but has developed a rapport with anti-establishment conservative groups. Kathleen Hennessey December 27, 2009 Reporting from Washington - When Michele Bachmann took the podium at a rally against health legislation this month, she dutifully hit the highlights of the Republican argument against the bill: It's too expensive, it will depress wages, it punishes the middle class....

See video at source

Sharpening my pitchfork and oiling my torch!Getting ready for the day of reckoning.Merry Christmas and may God be with us and our nation in it's time of need.

In keeping with the tradition of the holidays - the minds at MSNBC, the place for politics if you're of the lefty persuasion, decided rate the top 10 political stories of the decade. And leading this gang of masters of political journalism universe was "Hardball" host Chris Matthews, who on the broadcast of his Dec. 24 program, announced that conservative activism, mainly the tea party movement was the eighth biggest story of the decade - but labeled "angry white voters" (emphasis added). "Welcome back to 'Hardball' - our number eight political story of the decade, angry whites at town hall...

“This fight [is] about people, real people.”Harry Reid unwittingly elucidated a perfect right-wing war cry for the New Year, as he basked in the Democratic glory of his health care win in the Senate.Right back at ya, buddy. In securing the Christmas Eve win, the Democrats compared the Senate Majority Leader’s strength and perseverance to that of several biblical figures, and even Babe Ruth.“Harry Reid has the patience of Job, the wisdom of Solomon and the endurance of Samson,” declared Iowa Democrat Tom Harkin. “He has hung in there day after day, has put this together, and he is about...

Pelosi promised to deliver the health care bill in final form for the SOTU address in January. Is this not the perfect opportunity to hold a mass demonstration outside for all the world to see? Millions of patriots rallying outside could be the real story of the evening. (Yes I know the MSM would not cover it accurately).

The True ‘Person of the Year’: the American Activist Posted by Tim Phillips (Profile) Wednesday, December 23rd at 12:20PM EST 28 Comments Note from Erick: Tim Phillips is president of Americans for Prosperity, one of the organizations I think actually does a good and effective job of harnessing grassroots energy for free markets and free people. It’s more than clear who the real Person of the Year is: the grassroots American activist. Just listen to the pervasive phrases in the country’s lexicon for 2009 – from “tea party” to “Hands off my health care” and “Listen to me.” Without a...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PiC7S12cwhE "TV AD: HARRY REID FAILED!" Video - Description - quote: OurCountryPAC December 20, 2009 More info: http://www.TeaPartyExpress.org Senator Harry Reid has shown contempt for the American people and the people of Nevada. Now, "We The People" are fighting back, and the Tea Party Express (and its principal sponsor, the Our Country Deserves Better Committee) fights back with this TV ad campaign against failed Democrat Senator, Harry Reid. Category: News & Politics Tags: harry reid failed our country deserves better tea party express tv ad sharron angle sue lowden danny tarkanian

For Democrats like Harry Reid, who called them "evil-mongers," and Nancy Pelosi, who called them "un-American," the NBC News poll must have hit like a sucker punch at a Georgetown wine-and-cheese. The Tea Party movement, those folks rallying against spending last spring and Obamacare in the summer town halls, are viewed more favorably than the Democratic Party. Forty-one percent of Americans have a favorable opinion of the Tea Party movement, to 35 percent for Obama's party. Only 24 percent view Tea Party activists unfavorably, while 45 percent hold a negative view of the Democrats. While Tea Party types played a...

The struggles of the Democrats and the Republicans are making news. The Democrats are learning that it is far easier to make campaign promises than it is to govern. As for Republicans, the party that loses the Presidential election often spends the off-year attempting to refine its message if not find a new message and new messengers. In the watchful eye of 24/7 cable news channels and the Internet, however, such political soul searching can appear rather untidy. As the calendar turns, the process remains unresolved for Republicans to say the least. Worse than mere overexposure, according to Rasmussen polling,...

Tucson Water insists it hasn't been adding anything to the water. But Tucson, long known as a solid blue island in a largely red state, has all of a sudden birthed a number of anti-establishment, rabble-rousing groups, often leaning right of center. Just this month, the Arizona Policy Institute, a Southern Arizona version of the Goldwater Institute, was launched. While it won't have the research function of the Phoenix-based conservative think tank, it does intend to follow Goldwater's model of suing government when it determines regulations have excessively curtailed personal freedoms and private-property rights. It has determined the city of...

We've discussed the modern day phenomena known as the Tea Party movement and the events which sparked the disgust towards those representatives in Washington supposedly accountable to we the people. Why the grassroots Tea Party took off so rapidly, and has made such a difference in slowing down the socialist takeover of America, is clear.But, just who are those people or groups that participate in a Tea Party?What are they like?What are their values and vision for America?Is the Tea Party movement part of a grand political machinery, well financed and dripping with elitism and power?Those on the Left like...

If we adopt the compassion of time rather than that of cash, we are not trying to do the same thing as liberals, only a bit more cheaply. Instead, we must ask of every idea that calls itself compassionate, "Does it make great demands on men (and women) to give themselves to their brethren?" Are we offering not coerced silver, but our lives? If we talk of crisis pregnancies, are we actually willing to provide a home to a pregnant young woman? If we talk of abandoned children, are we actually willing to adopt a child? We need to ask...

In honor of the made-up holiday Festivus today, here is my airing of grievances. As a conservative and reluctant Republican, I find the tea party movement a much-needed pressure valve for the frustrations over our federal government's unconstitutional acts and potential treason. It's empowering to have a voice and a vehicle for action during a time when so many Americans feel helpless and hoodwinked. Equally frustrating is that the Republican Party doesn't want to show support for a peaceful, massive opposition movement like the tea parties -- especially when it is based on Republican principles. The time is approaching...

On Dec. 22, when Rep. Parker Griffith of Alabama announced he would be switching from the Democratic Party to the Republican Party, it was to be expected MSNBC, the so-called "Place for Politics" would spin it in anyway imaginable. But Rachel Maddow decided to use the left's favorite boogeyman, the tea party movement, to denigrate conservatives and distract from what could be real problems for House Democrats. During the Dec. 22 broadcast of "The Rachel Maddow Show," Maddow interpreted a joint conference call with Republican National Committee chairman Michael Steele and FreedomWorks chairman Dick Armey to mean that the grassroots...

All details and information, including info on buses and hotels, will be found on the primary planning hub at http://www.TaxDayTeaParty.com

Justin Raimondo detects yet another death of neoconservatism and yet another resurgence of non-interventionism on the right. As usual, he takes isolated examples, misinterprets them and then grossly exaggerates their importance. It is great news that many Tea Party protesters support something like a non-interventionist foreign policy. As many of them were originally Ron Paul supporters, just as I was, it makes sense that quite a few of them do support this. It would be even better news if there were any reason to believe that most of the Republican Party and conservative movement shared their foreign policy views. The...

The Tea Party movement appears to have some staying power. It's a political movement fueled by people who are turned off by politics. Tea parties were sparked by voters angry about the Democrats' health care overhaul. Now, as the Congressional debate over health care hits its crescendo, the Tea Party appears to be picking up steam in parts of the Northwest.

O.K., before I take fire from all sides, please understand my criteria: the person I choose has to move forward the cause of intellectualism and conservatism in America, and be a stalwart protector of freedom and defender of the Constitution. So my criteria is narrow. And of course, at least I have criteria, unlike the Nobel Committee selecting a President who has done nothing, or Time magazine for selecting a man that was as responsible for last year's economic crisis as anyone on the face of the planet. That said, using these criteria, I frankly could not think of anyone...

Senator Casey's Wife Exclaims: "He [Senator Casey] has prayed about it, and has already made up his mind, and is not going to change it!" Diana Roccograndi asks: "What spirit is Mr. Casey listening to that would tell him to vote for a bill that would ensure the death of millions of babies?" SCRANTON, Pa., Dec. 19 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- outside Senator Casey's home -- The following was released today by Randall Terry, Insurrecta Nex. -- Contact: Diana Roccograndi. To interview Diana Roccograndi, Andrew Beacham, or Ron Brock, call 904-687-9804 Also Below: See video of first night at their home. The...

From General McChrystal to Hillary Clinton to Chelsea Handler, Meghan McCain names the men and women who made a difference this year—the good, the bad, and the nutty. This year has been full of people who let us down—from politics to entertainment to sports. (Is it too late for Tiger Woods, Mark Sanford, and David Letterman to rent a ski condo for the holidays?) But not everyone has been a disappointment. There are plenty of folks who made the world a lot better, more interesting, and just plain fun in 2009 Here are people who made my year. (snip) Hillary...

With 2010 now just days away(!), every political analyst and junkie in the country is looking for the signs of whether a wave either directed at Democrats or incumbents more generally is building in the country A new analysis from of every midterm election since 1978 -- conducted by the Democratic polling firm Bennett, Petts & Normington -- suggests the critical factor in whether 2010 will be a wave election in which large numbers of House seats change parties or simply a typical midterm election where the President's party suffers losses consistent with historical norms is, in a word, turnout....

Tea Party groups in Dallas, Austin and Houston are rallying today at the offices of Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison to protest her breaking ranks with a GOP filibuster aimed at stalling the Democrats’ health care bill. "We want to let her know that we are not happy," said Dallas Tea Party leader Phillip Dennis. "If we can’t trust her to fulfill her promises as a senator, how can we trust her as governor?" Last week, Republican Senate leaders organized a filibuster of a defense spending bill, though that was not the real target. Hutchison said she supported the tactic, but...

A group called Americans for Prosperity in Nebraska gathered a crowd for a rally in Omaha to press Sen. Nelson on the reform bill. Anger over senator Ben Nelson's support of health care reform. Nearly 2,000 people rally in Omaha, hoping he's listening. The group's message is two fold -- reconsider your vote Senator Nelson and remember your decision when elections roll around. With their signs in hand, Nebraskans filled Omaha's Music Hall, rallying against the senate health care bill and Sen. Nelson's support for it. "I think that's why we're all here. To get him to listen to us,"...

Subject: DO NOT GIVE UP! Senate Watch TONIGHT with NATIONWIDE Virtual Vigil Greetings Patriots,It is five days before Christmas and it looks as if the Scrooges in DC aren't packing it up and going home.  Instead, they have decided to call Ba-humbug and pass this legislation that 61% of Americans do not support.  This past week, even Howard Dean came out and said it was not good for this country because it is a bailout for big insurance companies.  On Thursday, MoveOn.org sent a message to their members that they do not want the legislation passed either and that...

This is a great video. It should be played where the politicians can hear it, loud and continuously. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dc_-L4fyLUo

Former Republican presidential candidate Mike Huckabee is headed to Nebraska. Huckabee, the former Arkansas governor, will headline an Omaha rally Sunday afternoon to try to persuade U.S. Sen. Ben Nelson to change his mind on health care reform. The rally will be at 3 p.m. at the Civic Auditorium Music Hall, 17th Street and Capitol Avenue. Doors will open at 2 p.m. The rally was put together quickly Saturday after Nelson, a Nebraska Democrat, said he would support a health-care reform bill in the Senate. Republican U.S. Rep. Lee Terry of Omaha is expected to attend, as well as state...

llinois' Tea Party movement has not decided upon one candidate for U.S. Senate, as Illinois Review mistakenly implied Friday in the first sentence of the post "Will Co. Tea Party Alliance plans to "Stop Mark Kirk","  state Tea Party contact Denise Cattoni pointed out Saturday. "Each individual group can endorse a candidate if they so choose; however, there are almost 40 groups in the state of Illinois.  Patrick Hughes is the Will County's choice for Senate seat; however, other groups may not, or haven't made a decision yet," Cattoni wrote via email.  "As a grassroots movement, each group is entitled to make an...