Lieberman: Denied By Stuart Smalley

Does it seem strange that this Health Care monstrosity is being pushed to some artificial deadline (Christmas) for no good reason?  I’m not one for doing things because “that’s the way it has always been done,” but it does seem curious that Al Franken denied an extra minute of time to former Democrat (and current Independent) Joe Lieberman on the floor of the Senate. 

 

I really don’t care about the procedural crap that goes on in Congress and every other political body in the United States.  I think we are way too formal with our government and need to speak in common language that more than just the lawyers in DC can understand.  So…the question is…why is the procedure being changed in this instance if it has not been that way, in recent history?  Why the rush? 

Earlier in the week, while debating defense spending, Senator Tom Coburn demanded a reading of a spending resolution from Senator Bernie Sanders.  My illustrious Senator, Dick Durbin, stated ”How in the world can we in good conscience do this at this time of year?”  How can we in good conscience not bring relevent issues to the floor?  If these yahoos read the bills, amendments and resolutions aloud in the chamber for all to hear, they might make better decisions rather than rush to judgement and vote for items they have not properly read and vetted.  Why is this so hard to fathom?

Senator Menendez added:

“It’s become very clear to me, as it should be clear to just about everyone, that everything they’re doing has nothing to do, nothing to do, with helping Americans get affordable healthcare or get jobs, but everything to do, everything to do, with winning the next election,” Menendez said. “The Republicans have decided their road to electoral victory in 2010 and to poise themselves 2012 is for this president and this Congress to fail.”

Health Care?  I thought they were voting on defense spending?  Just trying to get things straight.  As far as having Congress fail, I for one am of the opinion that the less that Congress does, the better.  The only seem to screw up things that are put into their hands.

Maybe the rub is just with Republican and Independent politicians.  Maybe Al Franken is so inexperienced that he needs a lesson on procedure.  Maybe the party in power wants to stifle debate on this vastly important issue (Health Care).  Who really knows.  It is interesting, though. 

Back to the Health Care monstrosity, I hope the bill is read aloud for all to hear like was threatened before Thanksgiving.  We’ll see if they (Congress) have the chutzpah to actually do that.  I won’t hold my breath.

Of course, this is just my opinion.

Rob’s Rant

For Christmas, I Want Balanced Coverage of Corrupt Democrats

Below is an article from STLToday.com written by one of my favorite radio hosts, Jamie Allman.  It makes a lot of sense, although I doubt Republicans will get the suggestions.  One can only hope.

By Jamie Allman

JALLMAN@STLEMMIS.COM

As common-sense conservatives get ready to plow head first into the coming year with visions of bad poll numbers for President Barack Obama dancing in their heads, it would be wise to remember the Rev. Jeremiah Wright.

No, not because he will be useful as a campaign target again. Because going after him was the worst mistake conservatives made in the run up to the last election.

Chasing monsters only will kill conservative chances again.

Make no mistake: Rev. Wright spoke terribly about America and had all the trappings of a land mine for candidate Obama. The guilt-by-association thing seemed like a tactical winner.

But to move on and win in the future, conservatives must ask themselves: How’s that Rev. Wright thing working out?

The fact is that there is only one man who wants to take control of your health care, who plans a business- and job-killing carbon tax, who has an eye on grabbing more of your tax dollars and who is pushing for a green economy that in all likelihood won’t include you.

There’s only one man who is sending housewives, retirees and average Joes into the St. Louis streets in fury.

There’s only one man who is considered to have it out for the republic as we know it.

And that man is not Rev. Jeremiah Wright.

I remember the cry among some of my pundit colleagues: “President Obama must distance himself from Rev. Wright!”

Why would he do that?

Rev. Wright provided the perfect screen, the perfect distraction for candidate Obama to blast past the goal line. If I didn’t know any better, I’d imagine Rev. Wright was a creation of a Democratic Karl Rove.

As long as conservative media leaders were barking about Rev. Wright, they weren’t paying attention to, oh, say, candidate Obama’s website, which contained in plain view the blueprint for everything President Obama is attempting to do now. As long as candidate Obama was giving “major” speeches about race and his toxic pastor, he was able to shield his plan to pursue a lot of what many Americans are really upset about now.

It’s quite a genius strategy: When you want the dog to stop growling and barking, you throw him some red meat. Boy did many of us dig in!

Big mistake.

In the future, we need to never forget that Americans, as a rule, like their meat thoroughly cooked. If you have an issue with someone, the issue better be about that someone and not someone else nearby. Nefarious associations, while telling, never are enough to convict in the minds of most Americans — who seem to have a built-in aversion to guilt by association.

Guilt-by-association tactics almost always backfire because the target of the association almost always becomes a victim in the eyes of Americans, even conservative Americans. It’s always an indication that the other side simply doesn’t seem to have enough to convict the real culprit.

Common-sense conservatives have a perfect opportunity now because they have the ears of even some conservative Democrats who are rethinking their votes. These Democrats were blinded, too, by artificial distractions. And if you told most folks a year ago that normal average everyday not-so-politically active people would be hitting the streets to protest legislation of all things, you would have been written off as crazy.

Given all that, conservatives would be crazy not to focus on what’s in front of them. They should not be tempted ever again to create amateur horror films about a meaningless crony.

Those who spent months and months huffing and puffing about Rev. Wright and his terrible sermons need only to ask one critical question: How much is Rev. Wright affecting your life now?

http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/news/stories.nsf/editorialcommentary/story/D0BBD288B151F5FB8625768D00833D71?OpenDocument

I would agree. Good points.

Of course, this is just my opinion.

Rob’s Rant

Poet Al Gore Gets Creepy on The Early Show

This is just a tad creepy.  I think there is a little man-love going on here.

Try to contain yourself Harry Smith.

Of course, this is just my opinion.

Rob’s Rant

Reid: If You Oppose Health Care Legislation You’re A Racist

I always knew I was a racist.  First it was the Tea Parties with all of the white faces in the crowd (thank you Keith Olbermann and Chris Matthews.)  Yesterday, Harry Reid expounded on the floor of the Senate, that if you are opposed to the Health Care legislation then you are just like all of those people who opposed abolishing slavery.  I seem to remember it was a Republican president who pushed the issue that plunged us into a bloody Civil War.  Whoops!

If my memory serves me right, the Civil Rights act was passed because of massive support from Republicans, not Democrats.  So Mr. Reid, am I to believe you are advocating that those opposing your huge grab for power should not speak out on their concerns?  Sounds like the desperate act of a desperate man who has run out of support for his bill.

I hope all of you in Nevada are listening to this guy and remember his idiocy at the next election.  He is an embarrassment to Nevada and the United States Senate. 

Of course, this is just my opinion.

Rob’s Rant

THE LAW IS THE LAW

The following piece was forwarded to me by my former college roommate and one of the first fans to the Rant.  It has been making the rounds on the email circuit.

So “if” the   US government determines that it is against the law for the words “under God” to be on our money, then, so be it. 

And “if” that same government decides that the “Ten Commandments” are not to be used in or on a government installation, then, so be it.  

I say, “so be it,” because I would like to be a law-abiding US citizen.  

I say, “so be it,” because I would like to think that smarter people than I are in positions to make good decisions.  

I would like to think that those people have the American public’s best interests at heart.

BUT, YOU KNOW WHAT ELSE I’D LIKE?

Since we can’t pray to God, can’t Trust in God and cannot post His Commandments in Government buildings, I don’t believe the Government and its employees should participate in the Easter and Christmas celebrations  which honor the God that  our government is eliminating from many facets of American life.  

I’d like my   mail delivered on Christmas, Good Friday, Thanksgiving & Easter.   After all, it’s just another day.  

I’d like the “US Supreme Court to be in session on Christmas, Good Friday, Thanksgiving & Easter as well as Sundays.”   After all, it’s just another day.  

I’d like the Senate and the House of Representatives to not have to worry about getting home for the “Christmas Break.”   After all it’s just another day.  

I’m thinking that a lot of my taxpayer dollars could be saved, if all government offices & services would work on Christmas, Good Friday & Easter.   It shouldn’t cost any overtime since those would be just like any other day of the week  to a government that is trying to be “politically correct.”

In fact….

I think that our government should work on Sundays (initially set aside for worshipping God…) because, after all,  our government says that it should be just another day….

What do you all think????

If this idea gets to enough people,  maybe our elected officials will stop giving in to the “minority opinions” and begin, once again,   to represent the “majority” of ALL of the American people.

SO BE IT………..

Please Dear Lord,  

Give us the help needed to keep you in our country!

‘Amen’ and ‘Amen’  

 I agree. 

Of course, this is just my opinion.

Rob’s Rant

Olbermann and Teabagging: A Great Partnership

Over the last 10 months I have been involved with attending and tracking various Tea Party Protest events.  I have attended two events here in St. Louis and really had a good time at each one.  I took my kids to the first one in February in the shadow of the Gateway Arch.  I wanted them to be present at an event I saw as very pivotal to our Republic.  It was truly the beginning of a much larger movement that quickly spread throughout the country without the help of Republicans or any other high level party official.  The buzz term of the moment is that it was truly organic in nature.

When this movement started to gain steam and be noticed by the main stream media, those on the left decided to associate this movement with a sexual term called “Teabagging.”  For those of you who are not familiar with the true origins of this term, I’m not going to describe the act here on this blog or provide a link – google it if you choose.

Mr. Olbermann was one of the first to coin this term and it actually caught on (I assume it is because of the outrage from the Tea Party Protesters (the preferred term) rather than the paltry viewers he receives each night.)  Now it seems that the this term has been chosen by the Oxford University Press selecting it  as second most popular “word of the year.”  Although Keith was instrumental in creating the buzz on this one, he is now deflecting the blame, if you will, to those in the protest movement.  If he actually cared to do a little study on the origins of the group name it had to do with the parallels to the Boston Tea Party and the taxes that were imposed on the citizens by a governmental power.   Evidently he had to wait until the Oxford University Press defined it for him.  This is what happens when we have a fundamental disregard or blatant ignorance of history.

Keith, you are a blithering idiot of colossal proportions.  You are the one that had these perverted thoughts of “teabagging” and I for one would like to hear you actually own up to it instead of alluding that you simply had some hand it exposing the term.  The fact that it has caught on with the public and some are using the term to describe themselves has more to do with the evolution of the word by your doing.  

My only bone to pick with this movement is why it took so long to get started.

Of course, this is just my opinion.

Rob’s Rant

 

A Conservatarian Manifesto

The Coherent Ramblings
of a Disillusioned Former Republican

“If everyone is thinking alike, then someone isn’t thinking.
General George S. Patton, Jr.

As I reflect on my short life, I often have the chance to ponder on where my belief system began.  It has been an interesting journey from an uninformed teenager to a semi-apathetic college student, to today. I am now an informed adult quickly hurtling toward middle-age, although I refuse to act it.

The Early Journey

Most of my ideas, thoughts, and belief system (political, religious and otherwise), started with my parents. I am a Christian and an Eagle Scout. I feel that these experiences have molded and shaped my work ethic and way of thinking. One of my greatest heroes is my dad, who has had a profound influence on my life.  We often talk of political issues and agree most of the time.  Even though I am a little more radical in my way of thinking, we do agree most of the time.

Going through life I feel I have made the right choices, most of the time, in regards to life and education. I went through my undergraduate work in five years gaining two bachelor’s degrees. I later attended graduate school achieving a master’s degree. It was at this time that I discovered that the “real” education begins outside of the classroom!

I give this basic information only as a background on my life experiences and as a basis for my belief system.

The Political Journey

In 1988 I voted in my first Presidential election, or any election for that matter. My vote went to George H.W. Bush. I don’t remember the reason I voted for him, but it seemed like a better choice than his competitor, Michael Dukakis.  Not much thinking on my part.

Throughout the next four years I concentrated on my collegiate work and having a good time (friends, parties, etc.). I was by no means a lush – I just liked enjoying myself and the college life. I did not follow many domestic or world affairs during these years.

In 1992 I was a little older and hopefully a little wiser. I was working on a second degree at my university and becoming more informed on domestic and world affairs.

It was that summer I started to listen to (and watch) Rush Limbaugh. He said all kinds of things that I agreed with, and I felt like I had found a kindred spirit in the media. He had many of the same thoughts and desires that I had.  At that time he was the lone voice of conservative political issues.  Finally, someone was speaking my language on the national stage! I was by no means some kind of mind-numbed robot that agreed with every word Rush spoke, but he merely expounded on my thoughts and values already in place.

Throughout the 90’s, my life changed drastically. I got married, started my first job, and continued to move up the proverbial corporate ladder. In 1996 I voted for Bob Dole. He was the Republican and was, in my mind, a better choice than another four years of Bill Clinton. I soon realized that he was given this opportunity, not necessarily to win the Presidency, but as political payback for years of service to the GOP.  I knew, (and suspected that many others did too), that he would never have beaten the popular Bill Clinton…so begins my education in the political realm.

The new Millennium ushered the end of the Clinton era and the beginning of the George W. Bush era. I actually loved the idea of the younger Bush carrying the conservative banner. I saw him as a much more conservative candidate than his father and hoped for big things.

“I started to listen to Rush Limbaugh.  He said all
kinds of things that I agreed with, and I felt like
I had found a kindred spirit in the media.”

I truly believe that George W. Bush started off very well after all the election snafus in Florida. He seemed to be settling into office and dealing with a downturn in the economy after the “dot-com bubble” burst. Then 9-11 hit. I couldn’t have imagined Al Gore dealing with this situation with as much poise and honor.

As the 2004 election came around, I was still in the Bush camp and enthusiastically voted for him a second time. As the election ended and reality set in, Mr. Bush started to play the center, and some times left, in his positions. I watched him cave into the left on issues like prescription drugs and illegal immigration. It seemed like he had lost his way and just wanted to secure some type of legacy beyond the Iraq War and 9-11.  I learned what compassionate conservatism really meant: the abandonment of conservative values.

“The Republicans have failed the country by being lukewarm
on important issues, like spending restraint and domestic
security.  The Democrats have failed us due to their
proclivity to push the country to the left, and develop
a more collective (socialistic) society.”

When the election season of 2007-2008 came around, I was totally disillusioned with the whole political process.  I certainly didn’t identify myself with the Republicans and had nothing in common with the Democrats. To put it quite frankly, I was a man without a party. I started to look elsewhere for a candidate that would make a difference. Sadly, the only candidates I really liked didn’t make it out of the primaries.

In the beginning of 2008, shortly after the birth of my second child, I started a little blog site called Rob’s Rant.  This seemed an appropriate title for my writings and I was not concerned if anyone actually read them. They were meant for my own therapy. I started this forum out of my frustration with the caliber of politicians and the Bush administration. I felt that my voice was not being heard. I had a couple of readers that consisted of some friends from high school and college. Of course, they mostly agreed with my positions on issues. I posted when I was interested.

We witnessed the highly contentious election of 2008 between John McCain and Barack Obama. Being from Illinois I knew that Mr. Obama was not the right person for the job. The more I read about John McCain the less I really liked his outlook for America. I didn’t see much difference between the two presidential candidates.  I reluctantly voted for the lesser of two evils, John McCain.  It was the first time in my life I voted for an individual I had no confidence in to turn the country around. I liked the prospect of an Obama presidency even less.

To be honest, Senator McCain only received my vote because I didn’t want Barack Obama in the oval office.  I also liked that he chose Sarah Palin as his running mate.  I cared very little about her political inexperience and problems with the media. Mr. Obama had less experience running anything, and he now calls the White House home. Fortunately for her, she is distancing herself from the GOP and really attempting to chart her own course.  We’ll see where that leads.

“I am tired of the two party system
with their inherent dishonesty
and disingenuousness.”

Before the 2008 election, I was starting to lean Libertarian in my views, but I didn’t really identify with their whole belief structure. I still consider myself a Conservative but with marked Libertarian tendencies. I don’t believe I am alone in my views and think there are many people who fall into this group.

The Realization

After the election of Barack Obama to the highest office in the land, I decided to see what was happening with the local GOP group.  I was looking for some glimmer of hope for the Republicans. I had been invited by an acquaintance to get involved with the local group so I decided to give them a shot.  I attended my first, and only, meeting in December 2008. I soon realized that although they called themselves the “NEW” Republican Party, the same old people were involved in the same old way doing the same old things. It was the longest two hours of my life and I couldn’t wait to leave.  I know I only gave them one meeting but I just couldn’t torture myself like that again.

The Republicans have failed the country by being lukewarm on important issues such as spending restraint and domestic security issues. The Democrats have failed us for their proclivity to push the country to the left and develop a more collective (socialistic) society. I am tired of the two party system with their inherent dishonesty and disingenuousness.  Do I believe that all Republicans and Democrats are evil? Of course not. I do believe there must be a better way to run the country.

“I consider myself an Glenn Beck conservative.
He is a lot like me.  He rants and raves passionately
about issues that interest him.  Sometimes he swerves
off the rails into perceived lunacy.  I’ll admit it, I like that.”

Since the beginning of 2009, we have witnessed seemingly average citizens, like myself, take time out of their lives to attend loosely organized, as well as extremely coordinated events, protesting hot button issues like taxes and health care. We, as citizens, have been misaligned as radicals and out of touch with society. I believe it is just the opposite.  Having attended a couple of these events, I felt very comfortable in the presence of these groups. I think this is the start of a real awakening of common sense conservatives in America.

As of today, I consider myself a Glenn Beck conservative.  He is the current whipping boy of the left-leaning (and some right-leaning) commentators and main stream media types.  I really don’t care. He is a lot like me.  He rants and raves passionately about issues that interest him, is usually correct on the facts, but like a typical human does make mistakes from time to time and sometimes swerves off the rails into perceived lunacy. I’ll admit it, I like that. If that makes me an unhinged loon, then so be it.

The Future

I have no idea how I will vote in the 2012 election.  I will not whore myself out any longer for a party that seemingly has no interest in preserving conservative values. We need a TRUE conservative to right the ship and reduce the massive amounts of people on the public dole. Other tasks should include a plan to distribute the tax burden more evenly among all of the income levels. Stop punishing the ‘”rich” for their success! Also, stop spending like a drunken sailor on shore leave (sorry, Navy guys, I liked the analogy.)

“When we complain about some group receiving
several million dollars, we are told,
‘That’s just a drop in the bucket to the government.’
Well, in my estimation, that is part of the problem.”

Why are these concepts so hard for the average politician to swallow? I think many, not all, of our politicians have lost touch with their constituents and forgotten they are spending the people’s money. When we complain about some group receiving several million dollars, we are told,

“That’s just a drop in the bucket to the government.” Well, in my estimation, that is part of the problem. When you start adding up all those “drops,” you start to fill up the bucket and then overflow this proverbial bucket. True reform starts with that one drop. Real change comes when we fill up the bucket. Revolutionary change comes when we throw out the collected drops and start over.

Do I think it is too late for the Republican Party to rebound and become a truly conservative party? Unfortunately, I do.  I believe that too many wishy-washy Republicans have infiltrated the GOP ranks for true reform to happen. I hope I am wrong. Until then, I will vote my conscience and not a party.

I will continue to rant and complain about issues I am interested in and hope to strike a chord with someone. I’m not always factually correct and tend to fly off the handle on some issues, but I do have an opinion that I can express for all to hear. Until I’m carted away by a goon squad or silenced by the fairness doctrine or some form of localism, I’ll continue to express my heartfelt thoughts.

Download a pdf copy of this article here.

Of course, this is just my opinion.

Rob’s Rant

 

Conservatarian Values: Common Sense for America

As we are a country of many views and thoughts, not many people fall simply within Republican or Democrat camps.  A small portion of the electorate adhere to a hybrid version that I and others dub as conservatarian.  This is a combination of conservative and libertarian viewpoints.

Abortion – Abortion is the taking of a life.  Human rights should apply to everyone, even the unborn. 

Crime and Justice – Protect citizens through effective law enforcement.  Penalize those individuals who do not follow the rule of law with common sense sentencing and limited parole.

Self-Defense – The ability to defend yourself, your property, and your family.

Environmental Issues – The environment should be protected and preserved but not at the expense of basic human liberties. 

Taxes – Replace the federal income and payroll taxes with a fair tax.  Stop the over taxation of the producers and under taxation of non-producers.

Energy and Resources – The United States should explore its own natural resources free from over reaching environmental agencies and left-wing environmental groups.

Financial Markets – The government should get out of the way of the financial markets and allow them to function properly.  Oversight should be utilized but without a full-on intrusion from the Fed.

Compulsory Retirement System – The forced bankrupt governmental retirement system (Social Security) should be abolished in favor of a voluntary method of individual contributions.

Health Care – Health care should not be run by the government in any realm.   

National Defense – The military should be available to first protect citizens against domestic threats and then against international threats.

Domestic Security – The United States should first protect her citizens and then the rest of the world.  Threats to domestic security should be handled swiftly and with minimal bureaucracy.

Illegal Immigration – Illegal immigrants should be deported out of the United States.  Businesses that employ illegal immigrants should suffer steep and progressive fines.

Legal Immigration – Individuals should have the opportunity to continue to become citizens of the United States without exorbitant red tape and expense.

Discrimination Issues – Discrimination in any form is anti-American.  Everyone should be equally protected regardless of sex, wealth, race, color, creed, age, national origin, or sexual orientation, but no individual group should have more protection than another.

Many of these ideals have come through years of thoughtful study with assistance from various groups and organizations.

Download a pdf file of this post here.

Of course, this is just my opinion.

Rob’s Rant

Obama Has Difficultly Addressing Ft. Hood Shooting

It’s always good to see that our President comes right out and talks about a horrific tragedy.  It took 1:41 to actually get to the point of commenting on the Fort Hood shooting.

One of our great commentators here in St. Louis, Jamie Allman, opined that it was good for him (President Obama) that he was not reading books to school children.  It might have really hit the fan then!

Of course, this is just my opinion.

Rob’s Rant

 

Isn’t All Crime a Hate Crime?

Today, President Obama signed into law the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act.  This bill was buried in the Defense Appropriations bill. 

A logical American, or any breathing human being for that matter, would wonder why this was not pushed forward on its own merits.  Why was this buried in a $680 billion defense appropriations bill?   I’ll tell you why, it would have never passed otherwise.

From the USA Today:  

The new law basically expands existing hate-crime protections to outlaw attacks based on sexual orientation or gender, in addition to race, color, religion or national origin. 

In a later ceremony devoted to the new law, Obama told supporters, “No one in America should ever be afraid to walk down the street holding the hand of the person they love.” He cited statistics that in these past 10 years, there have been more than 12,000 hate crimes based on sexual orientation.

“We will never know how many incidents were never reported at all,” Obama said.

Opponents called the hate-crimes bill unnecessary, noting that Shepard’s and Byrd’s attackers were convicted in state criminal courts. Some critics objected to the inclusion of hate-crimes legislation in a defense budget bill.

“The president has used his position as commander-in-chief to advance a radical social agenda, when he should have used it to advance legislation that would unequivocally support our troops,” said U.S. Rep. Mike Pence, R-Ind., chairman of the House Republican Conference. 

Pence also argued that the law could be used to curb free speech rights, such as with religions that consider homosexuality a sin.    

According to an AP story, “The hate crimes measure came as part of legislation (defense appropriation bill) that Obama also touted for other reasons: a crackdown on careless military spending.”   How about just cutting down on that spending the normal way and not including unnecessary legislation unrelated to a bill meant to fund the military efforts?  I realize this is the way things are done in Washington, but isn’t that part of the problem?

The last time I checked hate was hate no matter what the person looks like or his sexual orientation.  A crime is a crime and tagging it with some arbitrary title is not only unnecessary but subject to interpretation by the legal system.  In other words, “I’m going to read your mind and determine if you are a racist homophobic loser.”  Ridiculous.

Scenarios: What if a Muslim kills a Christian because he is not Muslim?  What if a black man kills a white man just for being white?  What if a homosexual kills a heterosexual for not being gay?  Far fetched and idiotic maybe, but have we thought of these scenarios or just the obvious ones?  If a hate crime can be attached to the cases expressed in the various news stories why not my examples? 

No good can come from this and is a travesty to the justice system. 

Of course, this is just my opinion.

Rob’s Rant

Conservatives Don’t Need a Leader

As always, AlfonZo Rachel get’s it right. 

I agree exactly with Zo.  Republicans need to become more conservative instead of Democrat lite.

Of course, this is just my opinion.

Rob’s Rant

 

Taos Hotel Owner Tells Whiney Employees to Push a Rope

I found this story interesting.  It highlights a new hotel owner in Taos, NM.  He bought a distressed hotel and decided to run it his way (since it was his money.)

I applaud Larry Whitten.  I like the fact that he is not backing down.  He explained in the interview that he fires everyone and they have to reapply for their jobs. Also, having someone use an easy to recognize name is common practice in customer service arenas – try and contact a call center and log what name they use. I’ll bet it is something simple.

Evidently CNN’s Rick Sanchez has changed his name to be more accepted by the American audience as illustrated by this clip. Sanchez also agreed with the hotel owner and his policy for those people answering the phone and dealing directly with customers.

The bottom line is that this is Mr. Whitten’s hotel – he paid for it and is responsible for making it profitable. He understands business. If he is successful, more local people will have jobs and that is real job security.

Of course, this is just my opinion.

Rob’s Rant

Anita Dunn Punks the Press

I believe Anita Dunn, White House Communications Director, is an incredibly smart woman.  Either that or she has very smart people around her.

It was no secret that the Obama campaign utilized technology better than any other Presidential candidate (or any candidate for that matter) ever has in modern history.  The video below describes their strategy of how they really shaped the way the media reported things about Obama during the 2008 campaign. 

From WorldNetDaily:

President Obama’s presidential campaign focused on “making” the news media cover certain issues while rarely communicating anything to the press unless it was “controlled,” White House Communications Director Anita Dunn disclosed to the Dominican government at a videotaped conference .

“Very rarely did we communicate through the press anything that we didn’t absolutely control,” said Dunn.

“One of the reasons we did so many of the David Plouffe videos was not just for our supporters, but also because it was a way for us to get our message out without having to actually talk to reporters,” said Dunn, referring to Plouffe, who was Obama’s chief campaign manager.

“We just put that out there and made them write what Plouffe had said as opposed to Plouffe doing an interview with a reporter. So it was very much we controlled it as opposed to the press controlled it,” Dunn said.

Continued Dunn: “Whether it was a David Plouffe video or an Obama speech, a huge part of our press strategy was focused on making the media cover what Obama was actually saying as opposed to why the campaign was saying it, what the tactic was. … Making the press cover what we were saying.”

 

What a brilliant strategy.  If the present day press can be led along on a string so easily, why is the other side not doing this?  Is it really that easy?

Really, this is not a new strategy.  In sales you always want to be driving the car moving your prospect from point A to point B.  You may veer off the path during the trip but you really want to be the one in charge.  The same goes here: the democrats are much much better at framing the argument and sticking to their guns no matter what comes along.  If you think back during the 2008 campaign it was the McCain camp that was generally reactive to situations and the Obama campaign was proactive.  This video lays that out perfectly.

Now I’m not an operative for the GOP, and don’t want to be one, but if the conservative side is going to combat this they are going to have to wake up and embrace technology.  The bloggers have already done this, but the majority of the American public do not read blogs.  The Republicans are much more likely to have varied opinions about the direction of the country (within the party) and a strategy like Ms. Dunn’s would probably not work the same way, but you have to start somewhere. 

Attn: Michael Steele – take notes from Anita Dunn and the Obama campaign.  This is the only way you will have to take back any seats next year. 

Of course, this is just my opinion.

Rob’s Rant

John Stewart Skewers CNN Fact Checking SNL Skit

I just thought this was funny.

Juan Williams Defends Rush Limbaugh

I usually don’t agree with the opinion of Juan Williams.  My wife and I call him Whiny Juan because of his proclivity to Whine about issues.  Nothing personal on our part, that’s just what we seem to hear.

Mr. Williams was a guest on The O’Reilly Factor last night as the discussion about Rush Limbaugh’s bid to become a minority owner of the Rams fell flat.  He debated Warren Ballentine if it was valid to tag Rush as a racist. 

1970?  That’s a little weak.  If that is it, ok, that’s not a great thing but I’m not sure that rises to the level of racism.  Bad taste and insensitive, maybe.

Of course, that is just my opinion.

Rob’s Rant