McCain Blogger Resources

Moderates Overlooked Yet Impactful

2010-11-23T13:18:00.001-08:00

Post election analysis often reveals itself as partisan spin. However, a WSJ/NBC poll shows the shift in voting from 2008 to 2010 came from moderate Democrats and Independents...

From the WSJ Democrats Try to Crack Mystery of the Missing Voters

A popular theory of this year's midterm election holds that Democrats took a shellacking in part because big chunks of the party's core liberal base, discouraged at the path of the Obama administration, stayed home rather than show up to vote as they did in 2008.

It's an interesting narrative. It also doesn't appear to be entirely accurate.

While it's correct that some key parts of the Democratic coalition—young voters and African-Americans among them—didn't perform as they did in 2008, evidence emerging as the dust settles from this month's election suggests the bigger hole in the side of the Democratic ship came from moderates in the political center who didn't show up. (Those absences were in addition to the wave of independent swing voters also from the center who, exit polls showed, turned out but switched their votes to the Republicans.)

The case of the missing voters is important because how it is resolved will go a long way toward determining how Democrats respond to their midterm woes. If they conclude, as some argue, that the problem was an undermotivated liberal base, then the logical reaction would be a turn to the left and a staunch resistance to compromises with the Republicans who now control the House and hold expanded power in the Senate.

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McCain's Victory Speech

2010-11-21T12:17:00.000-08:00

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Ben Bernake Challenged by Two Cartoons

2010-11-19T10:46:00.000-08:00

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Goverment Beaurocracy Deflates Weatherization Site

2010-11-18T07:27:00.000-08:00

Excerpt from The Government’s Weatherization Site – Should We Laugh or Cry?

I’ve frequently griped about the way government spends money, and about some of the wasteful policies and programs it has established. However, there is one program (at least) that I believe in. Government funded home weatherization for people/families with low incomes. It makes sense on several levels. The home improvements are costly for someone living paycheck to paycheck, yet the energy savings from winterizing a home can be substantial. No one with a heart wants to see people in cold climates without heat. Also, the reduction in energy for that home is good for the individual, for the community, and even for the earth. Simply put it’s a practical useful government expenditure.

So what’s the complaint? The Weatherization & Intergovernmental Program website. First off, the name itself alludes to the problem with the site. I’m not sure I’ve ever heard a person use the word ‘intergovernmental’ in a sentence before, and it is the unintelligible nature of the website that is the problem. This is the opening paragraph of the website…
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Weatherization and Intergovernmental Program provides grants, technical assistance, and information tools to states, local governments, community action agencies, utilities, Indian tribes, and overseas U.S. territories for their energy programs. These programs coordinate with national goals to reduce petroleum consumption and increase the energy efficiency of the U.S. economy. They aim at market transformation to reduce market barriers to the cost effective adoption of renewable energy and energy efficiency technologies.

Well, I’m glad to hear that, “They aim at market transformation to reduce market barriers to the cost effective adoption of renewable energy and energy efficiency technologies.” Seriously, they can’t say something like – we’d like more people of modest means to be able to weatherize their home?

Finish reading - The Government’s Weatherization Site – Should We Laugh or Cry?

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Debt Commission Releases Report

2010-11-17T09:26:00.000-08:00

Pete V. Domenici and Alice M. Rivlin the head of the 'Bipartisan Policy Center's Debt Reduction Task Force' take a serious look a debt defiit reduction. As they note, they are likely to receice criticism for parts of their plan from bith sides, just as President Obama's fiscal commission recently did. However, it is good to see ideas come forward, and the natioanal finances taken seriously. Below is an excerpt of their summary published in the Washington Post. The entire article is certainly worth a read - Payroll tax holiday and other measures to reduce the debt

To ensure a more robust recovery, we propose a one-year "payroll tax holiday" for 2011, suspending Social Security payroll taxes for employers and employees. We also would phase in the steps to reduce deficits and debt gradually beginning in 2012, so the economy will be strong enough to absorb them.

We would stabilize the debt held by the public at less than 60 percent of gross domestic product, an internationally recognized standard; reduce annual deficits to manageable levels; and balance the "primary" budget (everything other than interest payments) by 2014.

We would dramatically simplify the tax system, establishing individual tax rates of 15 and 27 percent (from the current high of 35), cutting the corporate tax rate to 27 percent (from 35 today), ending most deductions and credits while simplifying the rest, and ensuring that nearly 90 million households no longer have to file returns. To reduce the debt, we would supplement our spending cuts with a 6.5 percent "debt-reduction sales tax."

We would strengthen Social Security so it can pay benefits for the next 75 years by gradually raising the amount of wages subject to payroll taxes; slightly reducing the growth in benefits for the top 25 percent of beneficiaries; raising the minimum benefit for long-term, low-wage workers; indexing benefits to life expectancy; and changing the calculation of cost-of-living adjustments to better reflect inflation. We would not raise the age at which senior citizens can begin receiving benefits.

We would control health-care costs - the biggest driver of long-term deficits - by reforming Medicare and Medicaid while, starting in 2018, capping and then phasing out the tax exclusion for employer-provided health care. We would reform medical malpractice laws and help address the health costs tied to rising obesity by imposing a tax on high-calorie sodas.

We would freeze domestic discretionary spending for four years and defense spending for five, both at 2011 levels, and then limit their future growth to the rate of growth in the economy.

Finally, we would cap domestic and defense discretionary spending (with tight exceptions for true emergencies) and trigger across-the-board cuts if the caps are breached; enact a strict pay-as-you-go statutory rule for tax cuts or expansions of entitlements; and enact long-term budgets for major entitlements while creating a Fiscal Accountability Commission that would recommend policy changes every five years if entitlements are exceeding their budgets.

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Stocks Lose in Early Trading

2010-11-16T07:47:00.001-08:00

Stocks open lower today...

From Yahoo/AP

NEW YORK (AP) -- Stocks retreated Tuesday following new worries about rising inflation in Asia and the possibility Ireland might need a bailout.

The Dow Jones industrial average fell 73 points in morning trading. The losses piled up even as shares of two components of the index, Home Depot Inc. and Wal-Mart Stores Inc., rose more than 2 percent following improved earnings.

Asian markets fell overnight after South Korea's central bank raised interest rates to curb growing inflation. There has been speculation in recent days that China will have to take similar steps soon.

A report in the U.S. showed inflation at the wholesale level was smaller than predicted. The producer price index rose 0.4 percent last month, half of what economists' expected. The rise was due to a sharp increase in food and energy costs. Stripping out those volatile costs, prices fell 0.6 percent. The report backs up the Federal Reserve's view that inflation remains low because of sluggish growth.

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Aung San Suu Kyi

2010-11-15T09:14:00.001-08:00

Aung San Suu Kyi was freed this weekend after years of house arrest in Myanmar/Burma. This staunch advocate for democracy in Burma was asked by CNN about a way forward...

from Suu Kyi calls for dialogue with Myanmar government

"We have to work together," she said. "That is the main message. Those inside the country have to work together and also those supporters outside."

Suu Kyi had much the same message for her supporters Sunday, telling them in a speech, "I'm not going to be able to do it alone. You've got to do it with me. One person alone can't do anything as important as bringing change and democracy to a country."

"We would like to form a network of people working for democracy," she told CNN Monday, and said she would like to open a dialogue with "those who are in a position to do something, to change the situation in Burma for the better."

She said she has had no contact with Gen. Than Shwe, Myanmar's top military leader and head of state. Asked what she would say to him, she said, "I think what we are looking for is dialogue, so I'm not just thinking about what I have to say to him. I think what we have to think about is what we have to say to each other."

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Online Charities

2010-11-14T11:17:00.000-08:00

Below are a handful of quality charities worth looking into. These provide either a practical application for charitable work, or provide a different look on how charities can be viewed.Hire a Veteran
CGI
Online Charity
International Charity
US Education

Other Links: Voter Info State Sites Blue Collar

Schools Built in Central Asia

2010-11-13T08:59:00.001-08:00

The Central Asia Intitute is a remarkable organization providing education, and specifically focusing on girls education in Pakistan and Afghanistan. On their website they list the following as just a part of what they have accomplished so far...

Education Projects

Education
145 schools fully or partially supported
1200+ fully or partially supported teachers
School library projects
824 graduates from Porter Training Program
Teacher Training Workshops
64,000 students educated, including 52,000 girls

The books written by Greg Mortenson - 'Three Cups of Tea' and 'From Stones to Schools' follow the establishment and activities of the CAI. They wonderful books that will make you feel good about the generous spirit of so many people in Asia and America alike.

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McCain Challenger's Instantly Controversial

2010-02-18T17:22:00.000-08:00

McCain primary opponent JD Hayworth got his campaign off to an odd an controversial start as he made statements questioning why President Obama hadn't produced his birth certificate. As those statements drew fire, he tried to clarify by stating that the need for President Obama to provide a birth certificate was due to the possiblity of identity theft. The conservative Red Sate blog went as far as saying that Hayworth is an Idiot if he sticks to this. ABC news also reported that J.D. Hayworth comments illicited the response, "Identity theft? I mean, come on," from a CNN reporter. Others are also noting that this challenge to McCain not only looks like a long shot, but is quickly looking very foolish.

McCain Opponent a Birther with a Twist
J.D. Hayworth is an opportunist, not a conservative

McCain Opponent Off to a Rocky Start

Betty White Wanted for SNL

2010-02-17T19:28:00.001-08:00

Betty White to Host SNL (please?)! is a fast growing grass roots campaign to get Saturday Night Live to ask Betty White to host. Betty White has stated that she would host if asked. What the people are finding out through this campaign that everyone loves Betty White. Odds are excellent that you like Betty White, that your dog likes Betty White, and fast approaching 400,000 people on Facebook also adore Betty White.

If you too are a Betty White fan and on Facebook here's where to go to join the Betty White to Host SNL (please?)! movement.

Mashable also addressed this phenomenon in the article 340,000 Facebook Fans Want Betty White to Host SNL

Facebook Movement for Betty White to Host SNL

Free Iran Recap - Freedom Via Internet

2009-06-26T09:10:00.000-07:00

Since the election in Iran on the 12th of June, information about the protests and brutal government crackdowns has flowed in via the internet, particularly social media sites, and specifically Twitter. Twitter was the first place to provide information about the protests as the media largely missed the story in the beginning. Now the flow of information out of Iran has slowed due to massive arrests and violent government oppression. Along with the slowing of information, the main stream media's attention has been diverted. Yet this remains a topic that deserves continued public attention. People are fighting for their freedom under unimaginable conditions.

Here is a recap of some of the videos, stories, and information that has come out of Iran along with the role technology has played...

Total Oppression Versus Open Communication in Iran

In an early show of force students were beaten in their dorm rooms, and their rooms were trashed, computers and the like destroyed. Angered by the brutal beat downs, many professors at Tehran University protested by resigning. Hospital workers who treated the students, also disgusted by the government’s brutality, went on strike the following day to protest the students’ treatment.

Foreign media was banned, journalists have been jailed. Due to the crackdown, citizen journalism virtually the only way the story is getting to the rest of the world.

Iranian government claims that death of Neda was staged by the opposition. They prevent any form of public mourning for both Neda and the many others killed in the protests.

Soccer Team Members who wore green armbands during a game are permanently banned from the sport.

British representatives expelled from the country.

Special courts established for trying arrested protesters.

Mass show of force and violent suppression of peaceful protests continue.

Videos: The first video shows the death of Neda a young Iranian woman who has come to symbolize the Free Iran movement. She was shot while simply watching the protests, and reportedly died by her father's side. Be warned that the first two videos are very graphic and disturbing. The third video, while somewhat less graphic, but is also quite disturbing.

*VERY GRAPHIC* Young Lady Dies on Streets of Iran

*Very Graphic* Video of Iran Protests and Man Badly Beaten

Shooting of Iranian Students Caught on Camera

Massive Show of Force on Streets of Iran

Video of voter fraud in Iranian Election

June 20 Iran Protesters Face Off with Police

Crowds During June 20th Protests

Riot Police Attack Protesters in Iran

Video Showing Scope of Iranian Protests

This Week's Articles:

This week a violent beat down of protesters was under reported as the flow of information slows. CNN and the AP both had reports on this brutality...

AP Reports Iran Security Forces Again Beat Down the Opposition Protesters

Distraught woman describes the brutality to CNN, Reports of Brutal Crackdown In Iran

Article's Prior to the June 20th Protests

Concern About Khamenei’s Statements

Arrests and Protests Continue in Iran

American’s Practical Support of A Free Iran

Articles About the Role of the Internet in post-Election Iran

Twitter Changing the Playing Field In Iran and For Totalitarianism

One of my first thoughts on seeing Twitter being used by Iranians following their elections was, ‘Imagine if they had Twitter during Tienanmen Square.’ Totalitarian regimes historically thrive, in large measure, by controlling the media and modes of communication. Would be protesters become isolated. Government propaganda simply spins any protest or event into something that reflects well on the regime in power.

Following Iran Elections on Twitter – A Lesson in Freedom and Technology

Google Farsi - English Traslator: Google launches Farsi - English translator Thursday night/Friday morning. A hugely helpful tool that aids communication, and understanding of news directly from Iran.

Cable and Network News relying on Twitter: Saturday the 20th, with a government imposed blackout of foreign media CNN and others have to rely on citizen journalists along with Twitter and other social media sites to gather news. Protests are scheduled even though Ayatola Khamenei has made statements that suggest a possibly violent crackdown on protesters. Reports of tear gas used and armed police barricades used to disperse crowds.

Students Shot on Camera: A tweet linked to this video of Iranian students being shot

A graphic YouTube video of a woman's death (Neda) becomes a symbol of the movement. Trending topic on Twitter is #Neda as references to the video, and her life show how moved people were by her tragic death.

Mousavi Facebook post: Through a post on Facebook it has been reported that Mir-Hossein Mousavi has stated that he is "ready for martyrdom."

Embassies Take Wounded Iranians: Word spreads quickly on June 20th that many European embassies are taking care of wounded Iranians. These embassies along with their address/directions were also diseminated through Twitter. The safety of the hospitals is in question, and the Canadian embassy is pressured (via use of Twitter) to open its embassy too, yet embassy remained closed on Saturday.

Iran Elections and the Internet

An interesting subplot to the Iranian elections is that the internet is providing people more information than major news networks...Dear CNN, Please Check Twitter for News About Iran

Since writing about the Twitter Effect in Iran, and the role of the Internet as a whole, I have also been interviewed on radio and TV. For more info on appearances, please visit the Broad Side of the Barn.

Twitter, Iran, and Cracking the Totalitarian Model

2009-06-17T20:55:00.001-07:00

One of my first thoughts on seeing Twitter being used by Iranians following their elections was, 'Imagine if they had Twitter during Tienanmen Square.' Totalitarian regimes historically thrive, in large measure, by controlling the media and modes of communication. Would be protesters become isolated. Government propaganda simply spins any protest or event into something that reflects well on the regime in power.

Yet now there is Twitter, other social networks, and the internet at large. It's wise for Tweeters and others to understand that the deck is still stacked against those protesting the election. The Iranian government still controls the media, and in a textbook totalitarian move they have banned foreign press. While members of the Twitter community have set up proxy servers for people in Iran to use, the government has shut down known internet connections, which means that in all likelihood a large majority of Iranians are only hearing the official government version of events.

Yet protests continue and news spreads in large part due to Twitter and the internet. This is not something past totalitarian regimes have had to deal with. There are enough Iranians using Twitter (or other forms of communication) to organize that protests continue. The government has not been able to implement complete control. Hopefully those watching, participating, and following #iranelection on Twitter recognize that there is a definite possibility that this ends very badly as totalitarian regimes are also brutal. The reality is that what results from this is wholly a guess, but it changes the playing field and gives voice to those who previously had none. Person to person communication tools change the dynamic shifting, at least some of the power to the people, and puts a crack in structure of totalitarianism.

Twitter Changing the Playing Field In Iran and For Totalitarianism

Free Us Now Radio Featured Guest, Author Katherine Morrison

2009-05-03T19:54:00.001-07:00

Featured Radio Presentation

Monday Night May 4th soROARity
Katherine J. Morrison
"Author of An Independent Call"

Free Us Now guest, Katherine Morrison wrote a book about the 2008 presidential election. The book entitled An Independent Call, chronicles the journey of an Independent New Hampshirite from wary observer of town hall meetings to eventual McCain supporter and volunteer. It is an amusing look at the events of a campaign. From meeting candidates from both sides of the aisle, to becoming a blogger for McCain, to being chewed out on campaign phone calls, to receiving press credentials for the Republican National Convention, this account relates the experience of being a participant at the lowest level politics from an outsider's perspective. A mix of good humor and political opinion from the middle.

Rockingham NH County Commissioner, Maureen Barrows, recommends An Independent Call stating that it is- "A must read for anyone interested in the day to day life of a volunteer in a political campaign-attention to detail is brilliant."

No radio needed The Free Us Now Radio show is online - If your computer is down no problem call on the phone and hear the entire show right on the phone- Please come! Monday 10 PM eastern/ Bring your questions.
Call-in 347 539-5420.

Event: Free Us Now Radio Show
Host: BettyJean Kling
Start Time: Monday, at 10:00pm
End Time: Monday, at 11:30pm
Where: http://www.Blogtalkradio.com/NO-WE-WONT
Call-in: 347 539-5420

Simple Twitter Tips/Tools for Beginners

2009-05-03T12:48:00.001-07:00

These tips are written by someone who was at first reluctant to use twitter. From my view if you were someone intersted in tweets about my need to go to the post office, then I probably didn't want you following me anyway. Yet what I was missing was how useful a tool and resource twitter can be. First following people with like interests creates a stream of tweets that often contains useful info. Twitter also provides a quick and easy way to get your own info out people with like interests. If you have 'followers' and are 'following' others simply asking a question or mentionaing a task can result in someone responding to that tweet with helpful information. Hash tags, words preceded by the # sign, provide an easy way to follow particular topics, and are used by some for a more advanced twitter applications.

So the first step is to build a following with people of like interests. This is easiest if you're interested in tech topics as you are certainly not alone, yet it can be done can be done for most any topic. Monitter allows you to type in three keyword and follow tweets in real time. Tweets of interest can lead you to a person's profile page where you can choose to follow that person if so interested. Probably the simplest way to find others with similar interests is to use Twitter search as it is better at finding people by topics than the 'find people' page. Also, there are plenty of lists online of people using twitter. These lists can be found easily via standard search engine. Some lists focus on a topic, others tell you who is likely to 'follow you back.' These lists are numerous and helpful in creaing a relevant following. A quick look at twitter vocabulary will also help newbies get up to speed. Finally, be useful, be relevant, be polite, and you may end up liking twitter more than you ever thought possible.

Also check out 10 Ways to be useful on Twitter

Neilson Ratings Raise Questions About the Future of Twitter But Misses Key Points

2009-04-30T16:32:00.000-07:00

Internet News article Is Twitter a Fad? Nielsen Says It Just Might Be discusses whether Neilson stats that show a low retention rate indicate a bleak future for Twitter.

Twitter certainly has all the trapping of an Internet fad. Exorbitant media coverage. Celebrity endorsement. Ballooning traffic numbers. And, according to a new analysis from Nielsen Online, a weak retention rate.

By Nielsen's reckoning, more than 60 percent of Twitter users in a given month don't return to the site the following month.

Given the outsize hype surrounding the microblogging service, it's easy to imagine uninitiated Internet users setting up a Twitter account to see what all the fuss is about, sending off a tweet or two, and then, their curiosity satisfied, moving on to other, less diversionary online activities.

It isn't stated if reported drop in retention rate takes into consideration that many people use Twitter without visiting the site. Applications like Tweet Deck and others are used by many to post their tweets. Second, the article focuses on the celebrity element of Twitter. The logic that the following of celebrities via Twitter may drop off is strong. How many people will really retain interest in whether their favorite celebrity is about to eat a ham sandwich? Yet this misses what is compelling about Twitter. Twitter in is rather simplistic and open. This allows people to create twitter application, or use twitter applications for numerous purposes. Twitter can be used for both organization and as an alert system. It can be fun with freinds or used for personal promotion. There likely will be those whose participation drops off as they tire of either celebrity posts or tweeting about their daily chores, yet for people who are plugged in (and some no so plugged in) it is not only a handy tool, but watching what develops from Twitter in the future will be interesting to see.

Search Strategy and Self Promotion

2009-04-26T05:55:00.000-07:00

This post is a combination of helpful search strategy combine with a bit of blatant self promotion. I've been promoting my book by increasing my sites/links visibility. One of the main ways of raising ones position in the search engines is by increasing links to ones blogs/sites. Similarly if there is news online that one believes important providing links to that news page is the best way for that article to receive traffic, both from direct sources, and through search engines.

One of the things that has become clear, is that last election McCain got crushed in terms of linking and search. Conservatives are now doing well in Twitter, but if there isn't more linking and more use of apps that help increase links, next election cycle conservatives will again be at a disadvantage. Search is critical to anyone who wants to win people over on a topic, and anyone who wants to win over undecideds.

The following is a list of my pages on several of these (for a lack of a better word) 'link enhancing' sites. This is sort of a mix of infomation and personal promotion. I'm definitely looking to network more and have the articles on the listed pages promoted/voted on, but I also think it would be very helpful for bloggers, or any active web user, to sign up for these sites.

I'd suggest people add a page to their blogs like this one - On the Web that lets others find their pages. Almost all have a 'share' element and it is good for people to connect with each other within these online communities. Some are probably a given, but some may be to new to many..

kmorrison - Twitter

kmorrison - Digg

Kmorrison - Reddit

kmorrison - MySpace

kmorrison55 - delicious

kmorrison - Friend Feed

kmorrison - Mister Wong

kmorrison - Mixx

kmorrison - BlinkList

kmorrison - BlogCatalog

kmorrison - Yahoo Buzz Up

kmorrison - Faves

kmorrison55 - Stumble Upon

kmorrison33 - Propeller

Bipartisanship Grade

2009-04-24T18:21:00.000-07:00

The AP article 'Obama Bipartisanship Push Has Mixed Success' does a decent job at summarizing the attempts at bipartisanship in the first 100 days of the Obama presidency. This was a hallmark of the Obama campaign a deserves scutiny as it was a large part of what supporters claimed made, then candidate Obama, such an agent of change.

So as an unrepentant McCain supporter, in my view there are three categories to focus on - foreign policy, economic policy, and practicle politics.

In foreign policy, right off the bat he wins big points for keeping Robert Gates on as Secretary of Defense. Robert Gates has proven that he is a pro, and while he doesn't appear to be someone who seeks accolades, he is someone who deserves them. Also a positive, his policy on Iraq and Afghanistan seem quite reasonable. Overall he's appointed competent and not wildly political representatives to foreign policy positions, and one has to respect that. On the negative side, meeting with Hugo Chavez along with that goofy book exchange was not impressive. The rhetoric in Europe about America being arrogant could be problematic and appeared rather partisan. Yet he did win the election, and neither event is a real departure from what he campaigned on.

A hot topic right now is how to handle the 'enhanced interogation/torture' issue. While the Obama administration has fumbled this issue a bit, in the end they score big points in taking a forward looking stance. This is said as someone who believes that the U.S. should not torture, and should hold the Geneva Convention's definition of torture as the standard. The problems with investigations, along with the threat of prosecutions, are numerous. A huge one is that this has the potential to damage the CIA and its operatives. This is a vital institution, and its members do an important and often thankless job. Degrading their capabilities and membership in what is likely to be a highly partisan, endless series of hearings is not good for the CIA or the country. If the Obama adminstration chose to go after the Bush administration on this issue they would have betrayed their campaign manta of 'change.' It appears they are standing up to the left, and therefor their grade for for foreign policy bipartisanship is A-.

Economic Policy: Unfortunately, there has been virtually no attempt to be bipartisan on economic issues. Granted the Obama adminstration was likely handicapped by the leadership of their own party like Nancy Pelosi, who said about the stimulus bill, "We won the election, we wrote the bill." Comments from Harry Reid that he doesn't work for President Obama likely have made attempts at bipartisanship more difficult. Yet one particularly disappointing moment from President Obama was when he gave a highly partisan speech to Democrats about the stimulus bill. If President Obama had made more of an effort to be bipartisan on fiscal matters the Tea Party protests would likely have not been nearly as successful as they were. There is a growing concern from regular Americans that there is simply too much government spending, and too much government involvement in business an economic matters. The Obama adminstrations best defense to this is that President Bush started many of these policies. That's true but the buck stops at Obama now, and his spending is eclipsing the previous administration (who didn't do much to champion fiscal conservatism) by a long shot. The Obama administrations economic bipartisanship grade, D.

Finally, how well is the Obama administration doing in general at being bipartisan? One positive, they didn't hang Senator Lieberman out to dry for supporting Senator McCain as some feared might happen. A negative, as mentioned in the AP article, in a very partisan move they stirred the pot by announcing that Rush Limbaugh was the head of the Republican party. They appeared to enjoy the turmoil it created amonst prominent Republicans and kept the Limbaugh banter going for quite some time. They may have scored political points off of this, but they also revealed themselves players of what was often reviled in the campaign as 'old school politics.' President Obama has kept bipartisanship on the table as a goal, but the actions don't quite fit the rhetoric and he hasn't shown leadership in this area. Yet again noting that he is likely receiving pressure from members of his own party to be more partisan there is still hope for a more bipartisan tact in the White House and in Washington. His grade for general bipartisanship C.

There is room for improvement, but he should be given credit for not being either wrecklessly partisan, particularly on foreign policy, or succuming to the desires of some in his party to become angry and backward looking. There is quite some concern about how far left economic policies will go, and that Republicans have been excluded from the process. Yet all hope is not lost. President Obama is very popular, and if he choses, he still has the opportunity to be a bipartisan president. The ball is in his court.

Conservative or Radical?

2009-04-17T11:45:00.000-07:00

Tea Party protesters won a victory today as the mainstream media could not ignore their protests like they have in the past. As expected some of the media described the protesters as radicals (ever-classy and most-trusted Anderson Cooper of CNN used an obscene joke to describe the attendees) despite the pictures showing peaceful gatherings of people of all ages in attendance. Yet media logic dictates if you don't love Obama, you must be crazy.

Yet it's not just the media searching for crazy. A report was leaked by DHS on "Rightwing Extremism." To quote the report,

Rightwing extremist chatter on the Internet continues to focus on the economy, the perceived loss of U.S. jobs in the manufacturing and construction sectors, and home foreclosures.

Dang it, I'm a radical. There were signs, once in high school I got a detention for a overdue library book; even back then I was bad. My internet chatter about obscene government spending has all been a clever ploy to manipulate my readers to take radical action like, 'vote the bums out,' or 'tell your representatives what you think.' I tell you I'm bad, and if I didn't have a job or a cold I would have been one of those crazy tea party animals too. You need further proof that I'm a radical? How about this...

Rightwing extremist views bemoan the decline of U.S. stature and have recently focused on themes such as the loss of U.S. manufacturing capability to China and India, Russia’s control of energy resources and use of these to pressure other countries, and China’s investment in U.S. real estate and corporations as a part of subversion strategy.

Well there you have it. I'm concerned that China owns us, and all our debt, I must be a radical. Granted, I'm a centrist on guns and immigration, and lean a bit left on the social issues discussed in the report, but imagine my surprise to find out that I've been cavorting with other radicals over the past 2 years by volunteering for the McCain campaign. Pro-life, pro-second amendment, high concentration of veterans, don't let the good humor, sarcastic wit, family values, and helpful manner fool you - we were all a big bunch of radicals, just ask MSNBC.

Now I know there is a serious side to this report. Every group in every country has its nutballs, and its the governments main job to protect its citizens from radicals of all sorts. Yet this seems like a veiled attempt to blur the line between staunch conservatives and radical Klan-like groups, when in reality that is a very clear and distict line. Veterans in particular are owed an apology for their less than flattering portrayal in this report. As for me, I'm going to keep chattering about the economy, and take pride in the fact that someone out there thinks I'm radical.

You May Be A Radical Too...

NH Independent and McCain Veteran

2009-04-15T12:29:00.001-07:00

Excerpt from An Independent Call the story a New Hampshire Independent McCain Supporter

Finally, on a more upbeat note, one trait that Senator McCain shares with a good number of his fellow veterans is a wicked sense of humor. While I’d like to say that my rationale for voting McCain was all high minded, I have to admit his sense of humor roped me in in the beginning. It’s probably part of the reason I enjoyed so many of the events with veterans; I’m sure there are veterans out there that lack a sense of humor, but overall I found them quite fun to be around.

During the general election I headed out to canvas a neighborhood with a veteran named Wes. He drove; I hopped out and knocked on the doors. We were canvassing Hampton Beach, a sort of unfortunate task in late Fall to early Winter, since not a lot of people stay at their beach house when the temperature drops. The sheets given to guide us to the appropriate address were accompanied by a brief survey asking whether the occupant was home and whom they were supporting for the different elected offices. The numbering of houses and condos on these sheets could be hard to follow, as locations were not necessarily listed in numerical order. Condo complexes could be particularly difficult to figure out. For instance, 5 Ocean Boulevard unit 16 could be a different page from 5 Ocean Boulevard unit 14, and unit 15 would simply not be on the list at all. The other problem was that you often had to be allowed or buzzed into many of these condo complexes. This basically meant looking for condos, routinely unoccupied due to the season that, even if occupied, could not be accessed. Consequently, we’d just drop a stack of literature on their doorstep, which will likely be picked up sometime this coming June.

So in the process of trying to locate a particular address on Ocean Boulevard, Wes backed his car up right into a pole. Looking down, arranging literature at the time, I was startled at the hit and said, ‘Ooo!’ and looked over at Wes. Thinking, this can’t be good we both hopped out of the car and took a look at his bumper. There was a new yellow stripe down the back side of his car and he said, “Ah, it’s just paint.” Relieved that it wasn’t too serious and that the damage didn’t trouble Wes, we hopped back into the car, and started trying to figure out where our next stop was. As we headed forward we spotted the house number of the next stop; Wes hit the brakes and his coffee flew off the dashboard, hitting me in the arm and soaking my left side. This time Wes looked stunned as I sat there looking at my sweater covered in coffee. “Well, it’s not hot,” I said. He handed me towels and clearly felt badly that I was wearing his drink. I had a t-shirt on under the sweater, so I hopped out of the car again, rung out the sweater and dried it off as best I could with some towels, put it back on, and hopped back into the car. While I smelled of coffee all day, the sweater was dark so it didn’t really matter.

We got through the rest of the doors without much incident, but had trouble finding one particular side street. Finally, we found the tiny narrow street in question; we headed down to the end where we eventually spotted the number of the home on a trashcan outside of a sliding glass door. I got out, knocked on the door, and a young guy, who apparently had just woken up, and was wearing a pair of old boxers and a t-shirt opened the door, saying nothing.

‘Hi, I’m a volunteer with the McCain campaign, and…’

‘No,’ he said and he shut the door and went back to bed.

I got back in the car and said, “Obama.”

As we started to head out of the narrow street I looked back, and Wes said, “Don’t worry, I won’t hit anything… …I saw you watching.”

“Well, I wasn’t going to say anything.”

On the way back to the office he said, “You did a good job.”

“Thanks. You too…”

“Except for the pole.”

“Well that and the coffee, but other than that you did a good job.”

Veteran's Good Humor

In The Beginning It was Curiosity

2009-04-12T18:02:00.001-07:00

Excerpt from An Independent Call the amusing story of a New Hampshire McCain supporter.

In the beginning I just thought I’d go see the different candidates at the campaign events in New Hampshire. Four years prior, not long after I moved to New Hampshire from Massachusetts, my sister was volunteering for Senator Kerry’s campaign. She’s a loyal and active Democrat; our parents are Republicans. We talked on the phone after the Iowa caucuses when Howard Dean screamed during his concession speech. She hadn’t heard it called the ‘I have a Scream Speech’ yet, and I said that I felt for him. I figured if I were in politics that would be the sort of thing that would take me out. It wouldn’t be scandal or corruption; I’d simply do something so embarrassing that no one would take me seriously again.

My sister told of a news clip she had just seen of a woman who had met Senator Kerry, then fainted. The video looked like a shot from the Wizard of Oz with Senator Kerry standing over a pair of feet. I was starting to realize that I had missed quite a show by not attending Primary events, so I simply thought this time it would be interesting to see. I certainly had no plans of picking a candidate early, and no interest in joining a campaign. I thought it might give me something to write about on my website, but basically I was just curious.

Here's Something

2009-04-10T14:29:00.000-07:00

A few good articles and a few good sites, a bit of random information...

A McCain supporter has recently released a book about the 2008 election. It includes stories of McCain veterans and provides a perspective on Independent NH.

Maine Tool Room in Scarborough, Maine is featuring a line of double reed 'gouger' products. These include,
Hunt / Van Hoesen and Pfeiffer Bassoon Blades and Hunt / Van Hoesen Bassoon Profilers.

John Masiz is the founder of BioChemics, VasoActive and DoctorDog.com

Credible Journalism

2009-04-06T18:30:00.001-07:00

Since much of today's media has such a blatant school-girl crush on President Obama, it is important to not only point out the shmoes who can't resist telling America that President Obama gives them a, 'thrill up their leg;' it is also important to point out those few journalists who are credible. National Review did this in their article Jake Tapper Isn't Letting Go. The article not only points out that ABC's Jake Tapper was virtually the only network journalist willing to write an article critical of then candidate Obama, but also that he is now pretty much the only one willing to ask Press Secretary Gibbs a tough question during White House briefings. For many Tapper was the first to show Robert Gibbs as a sub-par press secretary when Gibbs refused to take Tapper's questions about transparency seriously, as shown in the clip below. National Review did all of us who are fed up with the over-the-top media bias a service by not only highlighting Tapper as a solid competent member of the media, but also by reminding us that one can't just complain about those who do a poor job, and that it may be even more important that we applaud and encourage those who are competent than it is to gripe about those whose bias is so obsurd and obvious.

Recognizing a Professional Journalist - Katherine Morrison

Obama Owns the Budget and the Economy

2009-04-02T19:44:00.000-07:00

With an Obama stimulus package, and an Obama omnibus spending bill already passed, and now the a huge Obama budget working its way through the Congress, Politico notes that President Obama owns this budget, and hence the economy. Fierce fights may follow budget victory.

The House and Senate face a flurry of final budget votes Thursday, with Republicans pushed to the margins and having come forward only in the past 24 hours with a detailed alternative of their own.

But the victory for President Barack Obama could prove hollow, especially in the Senate, and Republicans are betting that the president’s very activism will work against him as he takes ownership of more and more difficult economic issues.

“This is a defining moment, and there is overwhelming empathy with folks who are scared to death about the direction this country is going,” Sen. Saxby Chambliss (R-Ga.) told POLITICO. “All of a sudden, you have the president taking over General Motors, the president taking over the financial industry and now the health care industry? I think there will be even a larger outcry coming from our constituents at the ballot box next time.”

Some of this nervousness already seemed evident Wednesday night in a Senate fight over how to proceed on Obama’s climate change legislation. On two successive votes, one as large as 67-31, a solid bipartisan coalition blocked efforts by liberal environmental interests wanting to use expedited budget procedures to circumvent Senate filibuster rules on cap-and-trade revenue provisions.

The defeat raises the stakes further for health care reform as the big remaining prize for the White House in the budget debate. And to a remarkable degree, Obama has been willing to blur the lines between himself and fellow Democrats to help move the process forward with this goal in mind.

Obama Owning the Budget and the Economy

Obama Budget Doubles Deficit in 5 Years Triples it in 10

2009-03-30T20:20:00.001-07:00

Senator Lindsey Graham talked with bloggers today about President Obama’s budget plan. In short, spending is going way up in all areas except for military and defense spending, which will be cut. For President Obama’s budget to add up he has to take an extremely rosy view of the future. His administration is betting that unemployment will peak this year at a little over eight percent, and they are predicting a substantial economic recovery for next year. His view of the current world situation is also extremely optimistic, as he sees little need for spending on military and defense. Unfortunately, there are logistical problems in taking this perspective since, as Senator Graham put it, “We are flying the wings off our airplanes.” Finally, President Obama has included in his budget a plan for cap and trade that Senator Graham explained is far more costly than the McCain - Lieberman - Warner versions of cap and trade that have been introduced and debated in the past. Senator Graham stated that this is old fashion big government liberalism. He went on to say that in 2007 Senator Obama was ranked the most liberal Senator, and that his policies reflect that, that he simply took a year off from liberalism to run for President.

The problem with all this government spending is three fold. We can’t afford it. The likelihood of massive inflation is extremely high. We are burdening tax payers for generations to come with a huge debt that will almost certainly lead to higher taxes. (The fact China owns a huge amount of our debt is not comforting either.) This isn’t as much about partisanship, or liberalism as it is about bad math. Debts have to be paid, and the numbers are being manipulated to try to pretend that this plan adds up when it does not.

Obama Budget Doubles Deficit in 5 Years Triples it in 10

New Release from New Hampshire McCain Volunteer

2009-03-24T10:33:00.000-07:00

An Independent Call chronicles the journey of an Independent New Hampshirite from wary observer of town hall meetings to eventual McCain convert and volunteer. It is an amusing look at the events of a campaign. From meeting candidates from both sides of the aisle, to becoming a blogger for McCain, to being chewed out on campaign phone calls, to receiving press credentials for the Republican National Convention, this account relates the experience of being a participant at the lowest level politics from an outsider's perspective. A mix of good humor and political opinion from the middle.

More details at Broad Side of the Barn.

Pro-Growth is Most Fair Option

2009-03-04T17:59:00.000-08:00

Unfortunately, many in America are losing track of the logistics of the economy and are getting caught up in emotion. People are angry about bailouts and white collar crooks running ponzi schemes and are becoming resentful towards big business and the wealthy. Yet we risk losing site of the real goal of turning the economy around when emotion and arguments about fairness start start trumping logic and math. The reason not to raise taxes on the rich, businesses, and capital gains is not because one loves, hates, or feels indifferently about wealthy people. The reason not to raise taxes on those of means is because they are the ones able to create jobs, and invest in the businesses that are so desperately needed right now. The argument that the rich should pay more because that is what is fair ignores the fact that, particularly in a struggling economy, increasing taxes slows growth. Consequently economic recovery slows, and that is fair to no one. In reality when the economy slumps those just getting by pay check to pay check suffer the most. The rich may not be as rich as before, but they're still rich. Those being laid off and struggling to pay their bills are hurt the most in a prolonged recession, and implementing policies that hinder growth is not fair to anyone.

Also, small business owners are being grouped into the 'rich' category in an unfair manner. If a small business owner makes $250,000 a year that becomes a rather average income if he or she has to pay two to three employees salaries with that income. Also if they are trying to grow their business, it is likely a chunk of that income is being put right back into their business. That isn't the life of the highly privileged wealthy class. We'd be well served by taking the emotion and morality judgments out of economic policy, and simply look for policies that are pro-growth.

Larry Kudlow and Donald Luskin voice their frustration about the current policies that are anti-growth. Certainly, not unemotional in their criticism, they point out why a pro-growth strategy is simply the most fair economic strategy for all Americans.

Pro Growth is What is Truly Fair

McCain Upset About Earmark Broken Promise

2009-03-03T17:54:00.001-08:00

Presidet Obama's Address

2009-02-25T16:32:00.000-08:00

There’s no denying that President Obama is one of the most eloquent politicians to come along in a long time. That was on display last night in his address to the joint session of Congress. The President put forth ideas that certainly show a shift in direction from the previous administration. It was nice to see energy and the environment move up the ladder of national priorities. The president also did a nice job in using his popularity with young people to tell them that he expects that they not only graduate high school, but further their education beyond high school, and he framed it well in terms of being a responsibility of citizenship.

What didn’t add up about the President’s speech was the math. President Obama laid out a number of ambitious goals one of which was cutting the national deficit in half by the year 2013. However, instituting programs such as national health care, making college accessible to all citizens, and instituting a cap and trade initiative on carbon emission is beyond ambitious when also trying to cut the deficit. With a huge stimulus package that just passed, a large appropriations bill about to come up for debate, and the possibly of more money needed for bailout plans, it seems highly unlikely that the national debt will do anything other than balloon even further. This isn’t just an issue of a theoretical debt that will some day have to be paid by the tax payer. This is a basic math problem that could negatively impact the economy for years to come. Government services take on an added appeal if the price tag is ignored, and a better explanation needs to be given of the cost to taxpayers before these programs are rubber stamped.

President Obama’s Address

Rewarding Bad Behavior

2009-02-20T11:11:00.001-08:00

With the recent unveiling of the Obama administration's housing plan there is a growing concern that the government is promoting policies that reward bad behavior and punish good behavior. The housing plan is the latest policy where the government gives money to those who are in over there head. This is a somewhat more palatable policy than preceding bailouts as it focusses on helping the individual with mortgage problems. However, it is following a string of policies that that basically says 'if you screw up, the government is here to give you money.' Businesses and individuals that pay their bills and taxes on time are subsidizing those who don't. The housing plan isn't completely without merit, but this trend of government bailouts big and small is wearing on many as can be seen in this CNBC clip of Rick Santelli becoming fed up with the government rewards for bad behavior on the floor of the Chicago Stock Exchange...

Punishing Good Behavior

Graham - Don't Tell Me This is Change That I Can Believe In

2009-02-08T08:07:00.001-08:00

$1,000,000,000,000.00 Government Bill

2009-02-05T19:49:00.001-08:00

With the Economic Stimulus approaching the $1 trillion mark, lets look at what $1,000,000,000,000.00 equates to…

$1,597,444 check for all of the 626,000 people that have filed unemployment claims this month.

$227,272 check for all 4.4 million people collecting unemployment benefits.

$333.33 check for every American man, woman, and child.

It would take a worker making $50,000 a year 20 million years to earn $1 trillion.

If ever ticket of every home Red Sox home game at Fenway Park for the 2009 season was sold for $308,642.00 each that would equal $1 trillion.

The GDP of Mexico is just over $1 trillion.

The GDP of India is also just over $1 trillion.

The combine GDP of the following countries is approximately $1 trillion…

Uruguay, Lebanon, Yemen, Uzbekistan, North Korea, Cyprus, Estonia, Ethiopia, Cameroon, Trinidad and Tobago, Ivory Coast, Panama, El Salvador, Tanzania, Equatorial Guinea, Iceland, Bahrain, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Macau, Jordan, Bolivia, Ghana, Brunei, Paraguay, Gabon, Zambia, Uganda, Senegal, Botswana, Honduras, Burma, Albania, Jamaica, Republic of the Congo, Georgia, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Afghanistan, Nepal, Armenia, Cambodia, Mozambique, Madagascar, Republic of Macedonia, Chad, Mali, Malta, Burkina Faso, Mauritius, Namibia, Haiti, Benin, The Bahamas, West Bank and Gaza, Nicaragua, Papua New Guinea, Moldova, Niger, Laos, Jersey, Kyrgyzstan, Liechtenstein, Mongolia, Tajikistan, Aruba, Zimbabwe, Montenegro, Guinea, Malawi, Rwanda, French Polynesia, Fiji, Barbados, Mauritania, New Caledonia, Kosovo, Togo, Suriname, Swaziland, Guam, Guernsey, Isle of Man, Somalia, Central African Republic, Sierra Leone, Cape Verde, Faroe Islands, Greenland, Lesotho, Eritrea, Belize, Bhutan, Maldives, Guyana, Antigua and Barbuda, Gibraltar, San Marino, Saint Lucia, Djibouti, Liberia, Burundi, British Virgin Islands, The Gambia, Seychelles, Grenada, Northern Mariana Islands, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Vanuatu, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Comoros, Samoa, East Timor, Solomon Islands, Guinea-Bissau, Dominica, American Samoa, Tonga, Micronesia, Cook Islands, Palau, São Tomé and Príncipe, Marshall Islands, Anguilla, Kiribati, Tuvalu

If you'd like your political representatives to now what $1 trillion equates to, their contact info can be found at...

Senators - http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm

Representatives - https://writerep.house.gov/writerep/welcome.shtml

Stimulating Math

Stimulus Money for Beekeeper Insurance

2009-02-04T18:42:00.001-08:00

Republican Challenges to Wasteful Stimulus Plan

2009-02-04T12:15:00.000-08:00

Republican Senators put together an alternative stimulus package that has a much lower price tag than the current version of the stimulus bill, as the AP reports that the current plan tops $900 billion. The Republican alternative allows home owners to refinance their home mortgages at a low interest rate that will help the home owner and help stabilize home prices in general. This plan also provides more money for infrastructure projects than the current bill and cuts the payroll tax and the corporate tax to encourage economic growth and job creation. Also, it requires spending cuts once the economy has rebounded helping to limit the amount of future government debt. CNN reports not only that their is a this second bill, but moderates are also working on the current bill trimming the excess pork...

Some Republicans want to take it a step farther than their party's leaders. Ten Republican senators, including Sen. John McCain, want more funds -- almost $90 billion -- for infrastructure. They are shopping around a plan with a price tag of just under $500 billion.

"We can either fight the Democrat proposals, which would increase the deficit incredibly and mortgage our children's futures and not beneficially stimulate our economy, which we will do, in many respects. But we have to have a proposal of our own," said McCain, R-Arizona.

That version of the stimulus measure, put together by Florida Sen. Mel Martinez, is broader than the one proposed by GOP leadership, but narrower than the Democratic bill.

The group of Republicans met Tuesday to discuss their plan because they don't believe their leadership's approach, focusing exclusively on the housing crisis and tax cuts, is enough to jump-start the economy.

Another alternative that's getting a lot of attention is a bipartisan plan from Nebraska Democrat Ben Nelson and Maine Republican Susan Collins. The two moderate senators are looking at the current economic stimulus package and trying to scrub it of all spending that they say will not stimulate the economy.

One attempt to trim pork from the current bill was successful. An amendment passed sponsored by Tom Coburn that eliminated a $246 million dollar tax break for Hollywood movie companies.

Senator McCain has sponsored a petition protesting the current version of the stimulus bill...

Sign Vote No On The Stimulus Package Petition

Republican Senators Put Together Alternative Stimulus Package

John McCain Sponsors Petition Protesting Bloated Stimulus Plan

2009-02-03T10:21:00.000-08:00

Senator McCain sent an email to supporters explaining his opposition to the current emergency economic stimulus package stating that...

Yesterday, the Senate began debate on an economic stimulus package that is intended to get our economy back on track and help Americans who are suffering through these difficult times. Unfortunately, the proposal on the table is big on the giveaways for the special interests and corporate high rollers, yet short on help for ordinary working Americans. I cannot and do not support the package on the table from the Democrats and the Obama Administration. Our country does not need just another spending bill, particularly not one that will load future generations with the burden of massive debt. We need a short term stimulus bill that will directly help people, create jobs, and provide a jolt to our economy.

He further explains the myriad of problems with this bloated stimulus package and asks for people to sign a petition to voice their disapproval of this bill.

Sign Vote No On The Stimulus Package Petition

John McCain Sponsors Petition Protesting Bloated Stimulus Plan

Americans Will Pay the Bill for Overloaded Stimulus Package

2009-01-30T06:53:00.001-08:00

Rasmusen reports that support for the Emergency Stimulus plan is slipping. This is not surprising since the stimulus has been packed with pork, which by anyone's definition seriously stretches the meaning of emergency. Regular Americans know better than many politicians the basic fact that bills have to be paid, and this proposal leaves Americans holding the tab for a pile of pork. President Obama and House Republicans have shown some willingness to compromise, but the House bill that passed yesterday had not one Republican vote for it and 11 Democrats also oppose it for good reason. Just take a look at a few of the items in this bill that have been stuffed into this bill...

• $20 million “for the removal of small- to medium-sized fish passage barriers.”
• $400 million for STD prevention
• $25 million to rehabilitate off-roading (ATV) trails
• $34 million to remodel the Department of Commerce HQ
• $70 million to “Support Supercomputing Activities” for climate research
• $150 million for honey bee insurance

Cited from Earmarks In House Bill

Americans Will Pay the Bill for Overloaded Stimulus Package

Against the Bailout Part 2

2008-12-09T17:54:00.001-08:00

Yesterday's article Oppose the Auto Bailout was not intended to be anti-union or anti-auto company, it's simply the opinion of an old fashion cheapskate. If the government is going to spend taxpayer dollars they need to ensure that those funds are not being wasted. There has been little effort to explain why pumping money into failed businesses will fix that failed business model. Voters should contact their lawmakers and let them know they will hold them responsible if they give automakers billions of taxpayer dollars only to see those business collapse in the future.

Contact Your Senator

Contact Your Congressman

Similar sentiments we're expressed by Senator Mitch McConnell (R - KY).

U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell made the following remarks on the Senate floor Tuesday regarding proposed auto legislation:

“The auto industry is vitally important to our nation’s economy and it is vitally important to my home state of Kentucky. This is not in dispute. The question before us is how to reverse the decline of some of these auto manufacturers after decades of complicity between management and labor.

“I understand congressional Democrats sent a revised proposal to the White House late last night. We will reserve our judgment until we see the latest text. But the proposal we saw yesterday afternoon fails to achieve our goal of securing the long-term viability of ailing auto companies.

“I want to support a bill that revives this industry. But I will not support a bill that revives the patient with taxpayer dollars yet doesn’t secure a commitment that the patient will change its ways so future help isn’t needed.

“To do so would be a betrayal of the millions of hardworking taxpayers who are not at fault for the troubles in the auto industry. And it would be unfair to the millions of Americans who depend on these companies.

No Auto Bailout Part 2

Blogging

2008-12-09T17:33:00.001-08:00

I started blogging this election cycle as a way to support Senator McCain for President. Now that race has ended, I'm interested in blogging at different sites for different purposes. I will continue my original site Broad Side of the Barn as a light hearted site with some useful resources, however, it is in serious need of updating. Blog topics typically will fall under the heading of internet or politics, but other topics will be addressed as well. Some of these sites are derivatives of ones set up during the election, many of them still need significant work. Here are the blogs I plan on posting to and developing at this time. Thank you for visiting.

Experimental Blogging	Trial and Error Site
States	Local Theme
Surround the Web	Random
Purple People Vote	The old version Purple People Vote
Divied Up	Random
Cracked Back	Random
Linked the Web	Random
Web Driven	Web Topics
U.S. Independent	Politics - Independent
Circle the Web	Random
Blog Gobbers	Fun / Random
Practical 1 Politics	Politics
More Pols	Politics
Independent Voters	Politics
Local Republican Races	Politics...only if contributors want it to continue
Indie-Site	Politics / Independent
McCain Blogger Resources	Internet? - Form? - Maybe?
Battleground States 08	Politics
Web Inquiry	Internet
Independent Voters	Politics / Independent
Who Do I Vote For?	Politics
Round Four	Random
Broad Side of the Barn Store	Internet / Sales - Affiliate Programs
Change Candidates	Politics
Scienceless	Tech and Science Interest
Fiscally Conservative Socially Moderate Independents	Politics / Independent
BroadSideoftheBa...	Humor Random
The Online Volunteer	Philanthropy
Blue Collar Voters	Politics
Independent Voter Resource	Politics / Independent
Rambling Web	Philanthropy
In New Hampshire	NH Local

Here are a variety of other sites of interest. The Maine Tool Room, Dr. Dog Health Care, Blogs for Victory, USA.gov, Network for Good, The Red Cross, The Smithsonian, Zannel, AARA News Service, Real Clear Politics, Joe Lieberman, Righty Blogs

McCain Kudlow Interview - Keep Taxes Low Help the Economy

2008-10-31T13:30:00.000-07:00

Excerpt from An Interview with Senator McCain by Larry Kudlow

McCain: Well, I try to talk about them more often. A lot of the people that come, frankly, are people that are having trouble staying in their homes, keeping their jobs, etcetera. But I think it goes back to all this business of Sen. Obama’s view of “fairness.” When Charlie Gibson said, why would you want to raise capital-gains taxes when you know it will decrease revenue? And he said in “fairness.” And he told Joe the Plumber — Joe the Plumber got the message through better, what we’ve been trying to do this whole campaign. [Obama] wants to “spread the wealth around.” That takes from the investor class. That takes money from one group of Americans and gives it to another.

Now that signal has been very clear. And I think people ought to pay attention to it, because it’s been tried before in other countries, and policies of other left-liberal administrations. It doesn’t work, and it’s bad for America. We want to encourage the investor class, and that means capital-gains and dividend taxes are low.

Kudlow: You’ve just unveiled a new tax cut on capital gains. Can you tell us about that? Because in some sense, that’s probably the most important investor class tax.

McCain: It’s the most important in many respects, Larry, and we want it low and we want it lowered. Every time — there’s one tax that there’s no argument about, that every time it’s been lowered since Jack Kennedy, we have seen an increase in revenues. Now, why anybody would argue, as Sen. Obama does, that we need to raise it, even if it’s — of course, the amount needed to raise it is varied with whatever poll he’s taken — but the point is that we want to lower it and keep it low and encourage investment, especially now in America in these difficult times.

Kudlow: But senator, what is — the current law rate is 15 percent.

McCain: Yeah, yeah.

Kudlow: You’re taking the cap-gains rate down to what?

McCain: First down to 10 percent, I would like to see it, and gradually even make it lower. Look, why should we tax people’s gains twice? Why should we tax them twice, okay? They make an investment, they should be able to get their returns on their investment. And capital gains is obviously — low capital-gains tax is probably the greatest incentive for investment that we have in America today. And so, look, I’ll be glad to listen to smart people like you, Larry, but the worst thing we can do is tell people we’re going to raise it, and that, obviously, would chill investment in America, right?

Media's Bias At Unprecedented Levels

2008-10-31T13:13:00.000-07:00

Diane West of Townhall.com writes in her article Media's O-Colored Glasses Blank Out Leftist Truth about a very disturbing element of this election cycle. The media has abandoned its responsibility to vet candidates, and have instead ignored a myriad of radical associates of Senator Obama's and dubbed them 'off limits' or 'dirty tricks'. The reality is that if an average person had the associations that Senator Obama has they would be classified as a security threat, and likely wouldn't even be able to attend events like the Democratic convention. It has been noted elsewhere that Senator Obama couldn't even be cleared to be his own Secret Service agent because of these associations. However, the media doesn't care, they are campaigning for their favorite candidate and these issues are dubbed off limits by the most biased media coverage in modern US history.

At the beginning of Obama's life, for example, there was "Frank," Obama's boyhood mentor who appears in his 1995 memoir "Dreams from My Father." Accuracy In Media's Cliff Kincaid has identified "Frank" as Frank Marshall Davis, a known Stalinist in a Soviet-sponsored communist network in Hawaii. But Obama obscures Frank's identity in his book, even, as Sean Hannity has reported, going so far as to drop passages about "Frank" from the more recent, recorded version of the book. Why? The media never asked.

Later in Obama's life there was Mike Klonsky, an unreconstructed Marxist and erstwhile leader of an honest-to-goodness Maoist splinter group in the United States. Klonsky, like his buddy, ex-Weatherman William Ayers, spreads Marxism through education "reform." As the National Review Online's Andrew C. McCarthy reported, Obama directed nearly 2 million foundation dollars to fund Klonsky's ideas in the 1990s. More recently, Klonsky wrote a "social justice education" blog on the official Obama campaign Web site -- at least until a blog named Global Labor and Politics pointed this fact out. Klonsky's musings were summarily scrubbed from the campaign Web site in June. Why? The media never asked.

And so it goes. The assorted radicals -- from ACORN to Ayers, from anti-white Jeremiah Wright to Saudi-adviser Khalid al-Mansour to former PLO associate Rashid Khalidi -- who have peopled Obama's ideological passage from rising leftist to post-ideological cipher, have been lost in the blur to a media focused solely on their own prize: Obama in the White House.

Such focus has created a drastically blinkered journalism, particularly in these final weeks. Take the fact that the supposedly "post-racial" Obama once funded Afrocentric, race-focused education programs supported by Jeremiah "G -- - D -- - America" Wright. That was a juicy blend of hypocrisy and extremism (dug up by Stanley Kurtz), but the media just averted their eyes.

Or how about good, ol' William "America Makes Me Want to Puke" Ayers, whose own relationship with Klonsky (the Maoist mentioned above) goes back to the days of the SDS (Students for a Democratic Society)? Obama worked closely with Ayers to fund radical programs (such as Klonsky's) in Chicago, endorsed Ayers' work, and launched his political career in Ayers' home. This is the ideological and literal bomb-thrower Obama brushed off as just "a guy in my neighborhood." But the media saw nothing to it -- not even a piece of Obama's questionable pattern of collaboration with a series of people best described as unregenerate leftists.

Media's Bias At Unprecedented Levels

Volunteer for McCain Palin

2008-10-01T19:04:00.000-07:00

It's coming down to the last weeks of the election. The best way to help the McCain/Palin ticket is to volunteer. Contact your local McCain Victory Office or make calls to battleground states from your home with the Online Phone Bank. This is the time that matters most. For Senator McCain to win the White House his campaign needs volunteers making phone calls and knocking on doors. Please take the time to make even just a few phone calls a day. From home or from a Victory Office please volunteer, and be a part of history.

Speak Out Against Media Bias

2008-09-24T09:06:00.000-07:00

The McCain Palin 2008 blog is sponsoring a petition protesting media bias with the support of groups/sites across the political spectrum. While many have witnessed a decisive pro-Obama slant in this news reporting during this election, this bias became glaringly apparent when Governor Palin was selected as the vice-presidential nominee. Whether it is an organization like the New York Times having to retract stories about Governor Palin because they printed rumor and not fact; networks investigating the children of the Governor; or network pundits questioning the Governor's 'mothering' skills, this over-the-top behavior and blatant bias is unacceptable. With over 1200 people having already signed we urge all readers to speak out against an irresponsible media by signing the following petition.

Petition - Speak Out Against Media Unfairness and Sexism

Petition Founder - McCain Palin 2008 Blog

Co-Sponsors -
Grizzly Groundswell
Free Me Now
Hillary Clinton Forum
Lets Get This Right
McCain Now
Nobama
Palin for America
Puma Truth is Gold
Purple People Vote

Volunteer/Make Phone Calls for McCain/Palin

2008-09-19T16:29:00.000-07:00

Make phone calls from home for the McCain/Palin ticket, or volunteer locally.

If available click on 'Victory Offices' link to local volunteer centers.

Alabama
Alaska
Arizona
Arkansas
California
Colorado
Connecticut
Delaware
Florida
Georgia
Hawaii
Idaho
Illinois
Indiana
Iowa
Kansas
Kentucky
Louisiana
Maine
Maryland
Massachusetts
Michigan
Minnesota
Mississippi
Missouri
Montana
Nebraska
Nevada
New Hampshire
New Jersey
New Mexico
New York
North Carolina
North Dakota
Ohio
Oklahoma
Oregon
Pennsylvania
Rhode island
South Carolina
South Dakota
Tennessee
Texas
Utah
Vermont
Virginia
Washington
West Virginia
Wisconsin
Wyoming

Make CNN Retract

2008-09-17T09:56:00.000-07:00

In last nights CNN broadcast Cambell Brown, Jeffery Toobin, and others called the McCain campaign’s ad about Senator Obama’s support for a bill for ‘comprehensive sex education for kindergarteners’ a lie. One problem, they’re wrong. The text of the bill states,

"Each class or course in comprehensive sex education in any of grades K through 12 shall include instruction on the prevention of sexually transmitted infections, including the prevention, transmission and spread of HIV."

They repeated the Obama campaign’s explanation that the bill was about ‘inappropriate touching’. Second problem, there is no reference to ‘inappropriate touching’ in the bill. Byron York of National Review researched this bill and provides and an explantion along with the text of the bill in his article On Sex-Ed Ad, McCain is Right. However, when this article was brought up during last night’s CNN broadcast it was dismissed.

CNN didn’t do their homework and they should appologize and retract their statement that the McCain campaign lied.

Contact CNN and demand a retraction.

Cambell Brown/Election Center Feedback Form

Report an error/Headline News feedback form

Make CNN Retract

John McCain Download Center

2008-07-20T16:45:00.000-07:00

Pick up some new sharp looking graphics at the John McCain Download Center

Bloggers / Surfers - Obama Iraq Video Update

2008-07-20T07:39:00.000-07:00

Since the McCain campaign's YouTube Video 'The Obama Iraq Documentary: Whatever the Politics Demand' was released Thursday afternoon it has been viewed 95,000 times. Not bad since the McCain campaign has its own non-YouTube version running on its website. As noted in the last post, this still remains an excellent opportunity for bloggers, commenters, and web surfers alike to promote this video, and make sure people realize the numerous positions Senator Obama has taken to the Iraq war. Bloggers posting this video helps, but also linking to this video, discussing it on bulletin boards, putting it into comment posts, including in MySpace or Facebook pages, or simply emailing it to a friend is very useful. This is a complete circular group effort, more people join in the spreading this video, the more people see it, the more people will be willing spread the word even farther. Hope you'll consider linking, commenting, or emailing this video.

Here's a simple copy and paste link to the video...

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VHEIi4XKRmM">Obama Iraq</a>

Obama Iraq for Bloggers

2008-07-17T17:28:00.001-07:00

Obama Iraq

*This is an excellent chance for bloggers to collectively have an impact. Post the Obama Iraq Documentary, and link to the video using the link <a href="http://youtube.com/watch?v=VHEIi4XKRmM">Obama Iraq</a>. Link to this video anywhere your can, comment sections, Digg, Del.icio.us, etc. This will not only push viewership of the video, a group effort could make in appear in the top spot of the search engines increasing viewership even more. Here's the code...

Best to get video code directly from YouTube so there are no copy and paste formatting errors

From Not-Obama.blogspot.com Bloggers Opportunity to Tag Obama on Iraq

The No Unity Report Launched

2008-07-03T08:30:00.000-07:00

The No Unity Report has launched. It will keep track of the 'No Unity' movement within the Democratic party from an outside perspective. The No Unity Report provides main stream media reports on this movement, including clips of 'No Unity' or 'Puma' members stating their case on the news. Readers are encouraged to submit news stories.

McCain’s Growing Net Roots and Donations

2008-06-29T18:38:00.000-07:00

The network of McCain supporter sites is going through a growth spurt, right, left, and center. On July 1st, the anniversary of John McCain’s promotion to Commander of Attack Squadron 174 in 1976, the founders of John McCain 2008 Social Network and McCain Now are launching LetsGetThisRight.com. They have worked tirelessly to launch a site that focuses on supporting Senator McCain and local Republicans across the country. They are looking to raise money for a series of candidates in important races.

On the other side of the spectrum, let me welcome Clinton supporters who now support Senator McCain to the club. The establishment and networking of Clinton supporters not willing to support Senator Obama, has been impressive to say the least. Over 125 sites and blogs have emerged within a few weeks. A list of all (or most) is available at Just Say No Deal. Here are a few that have already established a significant following. Clintons 4 McCain, Savage Politics, Puma Party (which includes the Puma Party forum), Done Dems, Hillary Clinton Forum, and Dems 4 McCain. Certainly, not all who have decided not to vote Obama have committed to voting McCain. However, there is mounting evidence that many Clinton supporters will vote McCain.

Some Hillary supporters have even decided to donate to Senator McCain’s campaign on July 4th. As a show of support, many long time McCain supporters have also agreed to contribute on that day. The request is that Hillary supporters make donations in amounts like $5.44, $25.44, or $125.44 and others donate in whole dollar amounts so Clinton supporters can be differentiated and counted.

Other new Pro-McCain sites include...
Battleground States ‘08 is a contributor based blog giving a state to state perspective on the presidential race.
Local Republicans similarly is a contributor based blog focused on down ticket candidates and state and local Republican candidates.
Grand Old Partisan is an excellent site for those interested in history. It remembers that the GOP is the party of Abraham Lincoln and Teddy Roosevelt.
also...
Jews for McCain
Conservative Mom in a Liberal World
Its All Dicta
McCain Brigade
McCain Independent
McCain Supporters
Local Republicans
Obama Independent or McCain Independent?
Red Arizona
Right Score
Stop Obama Vote McCain
Democrats and Independents for McCain Social Network

Citizens For McCain

2008-06-26T17:21:00.000-07:00

Highly Recommended Recruit Graphic

2008-06-25T14:48:00.000-07:00

JohnMcCain.com has a new feature that allows people to sign up friends or upload their address book to bring on new volunteers. Email addresses are highly valuable to political campaigns please consider including the following graphic link on your site.

Obama Iraq Widget

2008-06-07T13:00:00.000-07:00

JohnMcCain.com Graphic Links

2008-06-05T20:26:00.000-07:00

General Election Widget

2008-06-04T12:03:00.000-07:00

This is a pretty cool widget...

To put this on your site either click on 'Get This Widget' or visit this Schmap link

Blogger Links

2008-06-04T08:04:00.000-07:00

New sites supporting Senator McCain are appearing regularly. Here are a few that are worth a look.

McCain Independents
Bush McCain
Battleground States 08
Wiki Obama
Local Republicans
Obama Independents
Who Do I Vote For?
McCain Online Volunteer
Rabid Blue Dog Democrat
New Hampshire 4 McCain
McCain Democrats
Iraqi 4 McCain
Politico Mafioso - McCain Arizona
Red State Blue
McCain Jewish Vote
Vietnam Veterans for McCain

Slatecard Candidate Support

2008-06-04T06:18:00.000-07:00

One way of help turn out for Senator McCain is to support local or down-ticket candidates. One easy way to do this online is to support candidates through Slatecard.com. You register, pick out candidates to support, then add as simple copy and paste to your blog which will allow people to contribute to those candidates online. It will look something like this...

*After selecting candidates click on 'My Slatecard' in the upper right hand corner, then click 'Grab widget code'.

News Feeds

2008-06-02T17:23:00.000-07:00

Your site's feed (RSS or Atoms usually a link at the bottom of your blog) can be made into a stand alone news feed. A site that make this easy is SpringWidgets.com. Your feed's address can simply be entered at the following page and they will lead you through the set-up, which will result in a simple copy and paste code that can be put on most any web page to show off your blog headlines.

Express Feed at Spring Widgets

McCain Blogger Goodies

2008-05-28T17:06:00.000-07:00

In case you haven't been by yet the John McCain web site has been updated and redesigned. McCain graphics and icons are available. Please drop a note if you know the location of the campaign's newer graphics. Saw some new graphics recently, but can't find them now. - Thanks.

Be Nice to Clinton Supporters

2008-05-23T08:50:00.000-07:00

First off, my apologies to most of you who don't need a manners lesson. However, there is an odd dynamic that is particularly apparent online of Obama supporters being excedingly nasty to Clinton supporter. Obviously primaries create tension between candidates and supporters, yet the Obama/Clinton competition is making the McCain/Romney competition look like a tea party. Many Obama bloggers in particular have made exceeding nasty and crass about Clinton and her supporters creating a resentment that may or may not heal before the general election. McCain and McCain supporters have the potential to win over some votes simply based on decency and respect. Senator McCain's bipartisan work in the Senate and his long held stance against dirty campaigning, (such as being the only Republican to condemn the Swift Boat attacks against Senator Kerry) give him an opportunity with moderates, independents, and former Clinton supports. Certainly, I'm not suggesting that conservatives should suddenly become more liberal, simply be aware who is out in cyberspace.

*One comment I've seen on several blogs is that the implication by the media that Clinton supporters are uneducated or low-class is wearing very thin for many Clinton supporters.

Focus on a Target Group

2008-05-18T13:11:00.000-07:00

Targetting a specific audience is often suggested when marketting a website or blog. This holds true for political blogs as well. If there is particular group that you belong to or viewpoint that you take, make it part of your blog. Whether it is a focus on your particular state, it is the viewpoint of a veteran, or a mother, or an independent voter that brings that unique quality to your site, it allows others in that group to relate to you better. Starting a social networking group and linking to it from your site can be a good way to create an additional feature for your readers. Facebook, MySpace, McCainNow, and John McCain 2008 all allow for users to start their own groups.

For some it may make sense to start a sister blog that focusses more specifically on that group that you belong to. Material can be shared between the two blogs or be targetted to the two different audiences. Campaigns similarly target voters in this way seeking to win 'the women's vote', 'the conservative vote', or 'the hispanic vote'. Bloggers focussing on these groups can help extend the reach of the campaign to these target key demographics.

Adsense for McCain Bloggers

2008-05-11T13:36:00.000-07:00

Adsense is a simple advertising service for publishers that allows sites to host ads, and get paid when viewers click on them. This is not a get rich quick scheme, but Adsense can help defray hosting or other incidental costs. This is most effective for sites that have consistent traffic and are well networked, as there is a minimum payout level. These ads can be formatted to be as subtle or as loud as desired. There is a row of ads below this post and a box of ads on the right side menu about half way down. Google gives a number of format and style options. While clicking on ones own ads isn't kosher, clicking on the ads of a freind's site or another site is sort like giving the site/host a tip. If you use blogger.com then you already have a Google account and setting up an Adsense account is a fairly simple step that allows you to integrated ads right into your posts. For Word Press and other bloggers Adsense is also available. Creating an account though at Adsense is a fairly simple process that they lead you through.

Give A Friend A Link

2008-05-11T04:09:00.000-07:00

The importance of linking is not only the traffic generated through that link, but links are a key element of how search engines determine the importance and ranking of a site. With a group of like the McCain/MV08 bloggers, it is simply beneficial to all involved to give another site in the network, your buddy, a friendly, or well-liked site a link. Here are some ways people like to link...

The Quote: "The House of Representatives faces a historic choice next week when it votes on whether or not to pass the New GI Bill. This vote decides whether our nation will honor its newest generation of veterans and invest in the future of the men and women who have been serving in harm's way. We need your help." from Mad Irish Man's Conservative Consortium

The Plug: Here a couple new blogs worth checking out...

McCain Independents focuses on Snator McCain's support among Independent voters.

Now Hampshire - New Hampshire news and politics.

The Story: John McCain shows support from a wide range of groups including Blue Dog Democrats, Independent Voters, Jewish Voters, McCain Moms, Libertarian Voters, Rudy Supporters, Veteran Voters, and Asian American Voters making up a broad coalition of voters.

*Also and example of keyword links.

Keyword Links: In it's simplest form these links use relevant keywords to link to sites or particular pages within a site. This can help a site/page win over particular keywords. They can be within the context of an article or simply as a random group of words as follows...

Bassoon Profiler Bassoon Reed Profiler Bassoon Reed Carver Oboe Gouge Machine Oboe Gouger Oboe Reed Gouger Dog Lawn Dog Lawn Spots Natural Flea Collar Dog Insect Collar Cat Glucosamine Purple States

Blog Entry Titles

2008-05-01T09:12:00.000-07:00

The title of your blog posts can be an important factor in whether people find you through search engines. Remember to include search engine keywords in the titles of your posts. Whether your post dicusses health care, the economy, or foreign policy, posting with a short descriptive title can bring traffic your way. There is plenty of competition for keywords and search engine traffic so if your title is both unique and descriptive your chances at winning visitors increases. Think about what people may be looking for both now and in the future. For example, if you establish a link that targets the Novemer elections today that may bring you more traffic as November approaches than it will today, but it is still valuable traffic coming to your site.

Increase in McCain Blogs and Websites

2008-04-24T08:09:00.000-07:00

While the McCain online presence has lagged behind the Democrats, there has been a recent increase in supporter run pages. A key element of connecting and promoting the average McCain blogger or site owner has been the McCain Victory 08 Blog Roll. This lists many of the active pro-McCain sites on the web. Some of these sites are strictly dedicated to supporting Senator McCain for President, while others focus on other topics yet also are signed on as McCain supporters. For example this post was originally published at Broad Side of the Barn, a site with a broad focus yet often used to host McCain related pages like the McCain Traffic page. An affiliate of that site is Purple People Vote, a site for Independents and Moderates that is focused on the presidential race. Yet recently there has been the addition of sites like McCain Google Groups, which focuses on state based volunteering and resouces. A couple new and promising social network sites have emerged, McCain Now and John McCain 2008. These site include a variety of features such as individual blogs, and topic discussions. They add a new wrinkle to McCain SocNets; though MySpace and Facebook still have active McCain groups too. A couple of the major McCain contributor based blogs include Blogs 4 McCain and Blogs for McCain Victory. There is always a need to increase the reach of the McCain online presence. For those who would like to become bloggers, or would like blogging tips there is McCain Blogger Resources. It includes a simple how to article for McCain supporters to set up there own blog. As more sites go online an join the growing McCain blogger/online volunteer community the message and reach of the McCain campaign is given a better opportunity to grow. Bloggers, site owners, network managers all welcome newcomers and hope you will consider volunteering online and off.

Welcome MV08 Bloggers and Bloggers To Be

2008-04-17T16:16:00.000-07:00

Welcome MV08 Bloggers and Bloggers To Be. The McCain Blogger Resource Site has been set up to provide you with easy to use tools and widgets for your sites. Also we feature a number of 'how to articles', and suggestions for promoting and running your blog. If you are new to blogging or the internet don't be discouraged, blogs were created to be used by people who have little to no technical experience. You can view our article, 'How to Create A Pro-McCain Blog', or your blog can be set up for you by contacting Michael Shuyler at michael@schuyler.com. We hope everyone will consider joining our MV08 blog roll. It helps bring traffic to your site, allows you to network with other pro-McCain bloggers, and provides periodic email updates on relevant blogger issues (if so desired). Please don't hesitate to leave comments and/or questions as we want help in any way we can.

Join the McCain Bulletin Network

2008-04-08T16:46:00.000-07:00

The McCain Bulletin Network has been created to quickly broadcast breaking McCain news or action items. Bloggers only have to include the word "Bulletin" in the title of their post and their article will be displayed in the 'McCain Bulletin Network'. Simply post your blog or feed in the comment section of this site (or email me) to be added to the network. If you'd like to post bulletins, but either don't have a blog or don't want to post them to your blog that can be arranged; just leave a comment or send me an email.

Visit/Subscribe or Bookmark 'Bulletins'
http://pipes.yahoo.com/pipes/pipe.info?_id=qHb7N78F3RGPpdrcMlrX_Q

RSS 'Bulletin' Feed
http://pipes.yahoo.com/pipes/pipe.run?_id=qHb7N78F3RGPpdrcMlrX_Q&_render=rss

Add 'Bulletins' to your site/blog with simple copy and paste code...


<script language=javascript src="http://www.rss2javascript.com/rss2javascript.php?url=http%3A%2F%2Fpipes.yahoo.com%2Fpipes%2Fpipe.run%3F_id%3DqHb7N78F3RGPpdrcMlrX_Q%26_render%3Drss&width=200 &columns=1&bgcolor=FFFFFF&fontsize=12 &textcolor=000000&bordercolor=000000 &desc=0&new_win=1&num=0&font=Arial">
</script>

A Late Comer to Facebook and Social Networking

2008-04-07T08:10:00.000-07:00

I've come to Facebook and social networking kicking and screaming. The idea of telling a bunch of people I don't know about myself, and what I'm doing every minute of the day has held no appeal for me. However, I'm starting to understand the draw, and the utility for a blogger and site owner. You are able to connect with others better and convey information in a more fun and appealing way than is often available through blogs. Finding people with like interests is not only a way to promote yourself, but it's also a way to learn from others. As for the privacy element, you choose to share what you want with whom you want. While I am far from being able to give any sort of expert advice, I can say it is worth a try for bloggers and non-bloggers alike.

EZ Blog Promotion 123

2008-03-25T12:21:00.000-07:00

1. Comment on other people's blogs

2. Trade links

3. Submit blogs to pingers, search and blog services like technorati.com, dmoz.org, and pingomatic.com

Blogger Tip

2008-03-20T20:56:00.001-07:00

Post Frequently! It can be brief. It can feature a quote, or exerpt from someone else (make sure you give them credit and a link), YouTube can help in a pinch, or it can simply be a brief update. As a blogger that prefers to wait to post until I have something intelligent to say, I've found out that can make for long waits between posts and that doesn't help increase traffic. Try posting articles daily for a 3 weeks and see if traffic increases, if it doesn't then you can go back to a casual poster.

Useful McCain Links...
Mad Irishman Conservative Consortium
Blogs for Victory
NH4McCain
McCain Blogger Resources
John McCain 2008 Network
Vets for McCain
McCain Google Groups
Blogs 4 McCain

McCarnival Article/Site Promotion

2008-03-19T09:03:00.001-07:00

Visit Blog Carnival to submit an article to McCarnival a weekly round up of McCain related articles. A good way to promote an article and establish links.

Thanks to McCainBlogs.com

Buttons and Links for McCain

2008-03-14T08:18:00.000-07:00

Still looking for buttons and graphic links to pro-McCain sites. Here are a few examples...

If you'd like a graphic created for you contact Sherican at madirishmaninc at comcast.net

McCain Online Volunteer

2008-03-10T12:45:00.000-07:00

As a partner site to McCain Blogger Resources there is now McCain Online Volunteer

If you'd like to pick up a graphic link for your site Click here

Carnival Round Up for McCain

2008-03-09T13:00:00.000-07:00

The first McCarnival for McCain ….. from McCainBlogs

Some people are saying they need a reason to vote for McCain. Well, if you are looking for a reason you can find several at Sanity102. Malia writes Give me a reason to vote for McCain, how’s this? She then cites several excellent reasons including his stance on entitlement programs, earmark and pork barrel spending and what I consider the most important reasons, our troops and the Global War on Terror.

If you need an enthusiastic reminder of why you are excited that John McCain will, in all likelihood, be our next Commander in Chief, then you might want to check out Colecurtis The McCain Monitor’s post titled: This Video Clip Never Ceases To Amaze But Inspire Me…He Is Still Here For A Reason. Vicki plays a video that most of us have seen before, but its good to see it again. She reminds us that sometimes we lose sight of the man when we get wrapped up in the politics and oration connected with a campaign. She gives us a reminder of who John McCain, the man, is. ‘Then from out of the crowd you hear a soft but confident voice …. ‘. Go read the rest.
Matt has The ad that is going to win the election. posted at McCainiac. He reminds us of the resistance that Churchill faces when he stood his ground against the Nazis. Its a good reminder of why we need to stand our ground against radical Islamic extremism.

The Marathon Pundit takes a hard look at Obama’s legislative record while he was an Illinois State Senator. In his post Obama’s state legislative record–he got a lot of help provides information on Obama’s starmaker, Emil Jones.

Fausta’s blog has a rather frightening comparison of the man Obama and the man McCain in The Great Non Sequitur. Do you really know who Obama is? What does Obama really offer us as opposed to what he says he offers us? Fausta has some thoughts and facts on that. Its pretty sobering.

The Median Sib gives a passionate and personal argument for why she hopes John McCain is the one who answers that now famous 3 a.m. phone call. In her post Clinton, McCain, Obama: Who do you want for president? she explains why she feels McCain has the integrity, experience, wisdom and courage to deal with whatever is on the other end of that phone call.

Pat at . . . With Both Hands writes a screenplay based on the tete-a-tete between John McCain and a New York Times reporter who apparently was trying to get an angry reaction from McCain. You remember the incident that was played repeatedly as McCain losing his temper. It was a non-starter. Pat plays it out as John McCain Beat the Press or A Man for All Snakes on a Plane

New York for McCain share the McCain profile on 60 Minutes…. Its really is a great profile and well worth watching and sharing with others.

You can find The First 5 of the Top 10 Reasons to be Leary of Barack Obama at the McCain Jewish Coalition of Illinois blog. This article is written from the perspective of why the Jewish community should be leary of Obama. Of course I can think of reasons for most communities to be leery of Obama. The reasons cited by Alan Weisz in this post are certainly applicable to all of us who are Jewish and Christian. Just as Neville Chamberlain believed he could talk to and work with the Nazis, Obama believes he can talk to, reason with and work with the Islamofascists. That naiveté is dangerous for us in the West in particular and for the world as a whole.

Lee Vogler offers us a very passionate and personal post in which he explains What John McCain Means to Me. Lee is a twenty-year-old who describes himself as a political guru (among other things). He uses his blog, Lee Vogler’s Political Points to give us ‘a campaign view from a college eye’. I found his post inspiring. I hope you will go read it.

Christopher Hedges wonders Could McCain Democrats Make The Difference? He relates to us that many Clinton supporters have said they will vote for McCain if Hillary isn’t the democratic nominee and compares them to Reagan democrats.

Still Stacy has a Lolobama for us to enjoy! She’s Still Stacy–Smarter Than The Average Blonde and calls her Lolobama OBAMAVELATION. If you frequent I Can Has Cheezburger? you’ll like this.

Over at 84rules, criticism of the 2005 “Gang of 14″ deal is under the microscope with The Base Is Wrong About The Gang Of 14, with the on-point reminder that if we Republicans lose the White House and don’t get back the Senate, the “nuclear” option will be used against us. (Remember the Coalition of the Chillin’? I was a charter member!)

Army wife (aka “Hooah Wife“) and real-life pal of mine Greta breaks out some video with Reason 7 gazillion to vote for John McCain, which she also posted at Louisiana Conservative. The video is funny, but it’s more realistic than I think the creators intended.

Another good friend, Shannon Nicki (she’s gonna kill me) from The Birthplace of the Process of Illogical Logic, mulls over the “Hussein” question with What’s in a name?, and decides that it’s probably better to just stick with referring to him as the more appropriate B.O. Bonus: Photoshoppy goodness!

Jefferson Poole at Blue Grass, Red State takes a thoughtful look at the Man in the Arena and is struck by its message, saying “the strength exhibited by extraordinary leaders of the past is demonstrated to be a necessity of the present for the health of the future.” He sees a bold and courageous leader as we’ve seen in years past with Teddy Roosevelt and Winston Churchill. That leader is Senator John McCain, and he is the right man for our time.

Economy and health care are two critical issues in this election, says Haydee Florez at America’s Best Choice. We Republicans may not talk about those issues as much as they do on the Left, but we should, as our candidate has the right solutions, which she outlines in her post.

Indiana University student J Will at The Wi11is says John McCain needs an internet video girl for guys like him, like Obama Girl and the others that he showcases in Annihilation Tuesday–a, shall we say, unconventional look at the online campaigns.

Over at Right Wing Nation, Rightwingprof speaks to my inner political wonk with some excellent analysis of polling data in Americans First, Americans Last, Americans Always. If he’s right (and I think he is), we’ll be in good shape in November.

MV08 blogroll-keeper Michael Schuyler of Reality Bytes deconstructs the opposition’s arguments with The Real Deal on the Tanker Deal, an issue that few really understand, while the opposition demagogues it to death. I’m glad he’s explained it, because all I’ve seen is left-wing attacks on McCain thus far. Knowledge is power!

James Carder, who writes at ELECTION 2008: Do We Need Change for the Sake of Change?, left the Republican Party in 2003 but he’s come home for John McCain, as I’m certain others will. James says Don’t Fault John McCain on Iraq - Just Be Thankful That He’s Still Around!, a piece that should appeal strongly to others who are disaffected with the Iraq war. Even though he’s opposed to the war, he understands that since we’re there, we need to finish the job the right way. James, as an independent, has the vote that all the candidates want–and he has chosen John McCain.

Right Wing Squadron’s Boomer asks about The New York Times - Why did they endorse John McCain when they had alleged “dirt” on him? I think that’s a question to which we probably know the real answer, but it’d be nice if there would ever be some honesty from the New York Times. If there were ever doubt that they’re all in for the Democrats, they’ve erased it.

The Old Grey Lady just keeps on trying to find something they can pin on McCain to ruin him. Our good friend, William Teach at The Pirate’s Cove uses a sports analogy to keep score on how the New York Times is doing in their quest to bring McCain down. First they were ‘just wondering’ if McCain had an affair. Then they got to wondering if McCain might not be eligible to run for President since he’d been born out of the country while his parents were serving in the military. Now the Grey Lady Is Just “Wondering” About McCain Getting Cancer Again. The Old Grey Lady keeps playing the same game and keeps losing.

Beth of MY Vast Right Wing Conspiracy is looking for a new church and is wondering if it matters what they believe and preach there. She says, I’ve found a church! and even though they preach against every thing she believes in that’s okay because she’s not responsible for what they believe. Sounds like twisted logic doesn’t it? Why, yes it does! She goes on to debunk the arguments of the many apologists of the hate-cult church that Barack Obama has chosen to attend for the past twenty years. You know … if it quacks like a duck ….. Go read her post. Its enlightening.

Beth at Blue Star Chronicles says that Obama Could Put an End to Destructive Racial Politics if He Had the Courage. She wonders why he doesn’t show the leadership and courage to speak openly and with conviction to his followers about their insistence that Obama should not be submitted to the same scrutiny as every other politician. That’s not the behavior of a leader. Its certainly not the behavior we expect to see in someone who aspires to be President of the United States.

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More useful links...
Broad Side of the Barn
Purple People Vote
NH 4 McCain
Broad Side of the Barn Blog
Broad Store
McCain States
McCain Victory
Blogs 4 McCain
Web Inquiry
McCain Blogger Resources
Blogs for Victory
McCain Online Volunteer
SC for McCain
IA for McCain
Circle the Web
Rambling Web
Linked the Web

How to Create a Pro-McCain Blog

2008-03-08T06:45:00.000-08:00

If you are a McCain supporter, you can also be a McCain blogger. Blogs are specifically designed so that users can publish online with out any technical expertise. Blogs help candidates get their message out and increase their buzz in cyberspace. If you like to write this is an ideal way to help Senator McCain. In reality one doesn't even need to be a writer to manage a blog as posts from other bloggers can be used. As long as you link to the original article this practice is welcome as it helps promote the writers article and blog. If you are new to blogs I recommend using Blogger.com to set up your blog. It's free and it's easy, and there's no commitment, which makes it worthwhile to least give blogging a try. All you need is an email address...

1. Go to Blogger.com and create an account. This simply consists of entering an email address and picking a password. You'll be sent a confirmation email, then you're set to go.

2. Pick a name and address for your blog. Blogger.com will let you know what names/addresses are available.

3. Choose a template. You'll be given several options for what your blog can look like. This can be modified or changed at any time.

4. Post a message. A simple welcome message will work.

That's it you have a functional blog that you can post to routinely. You can go under the layout tab and change and change page elements, or colors. You can provide more details about yourself under 'edit profile'. While there are a number of ways one can customize their blog that's completely optional. Simple blogs can be just as engaging and effective as highly customized blogs.

*Two suggestions: Join the McCain Blog Roll . This is done by selecting 'Add a Page Element' under the template/layout tab, choosing the HTML/JavaScript option, and copying and pasting a piece of code into the given box. Second go to technorati.com sign up for an account then 'Claim Your Blog'. This will help people find your blog, and will help the other blogs that you choose to link to.

**If looking for material to publish you may also want to look at McCain Blogger Resources for articles to use in your blog, or use the sites listed in the McCain Blog Roll to find articles.

Join a Blog Roll

2008-03-07T09:14:00.000-08:00

Increase traffic by joining blog rolls. Here are few that might be appropriate to join...

ARRA News Service
Arkansas Republican Assembly

RightyBlogs.com » Mccainblogs » Join
RightyBlogs
RightBlogs.com

I Vote The Elephant
Republican Blogroll

Blue Star Blogroll by Blue Star Chronicles
Support the Troops/Family Members Serving

Sammenhold - Solidarity Blogroll by Blue Star Chronicles
Free Speech/Free Press

Pro Life Blog Roll

New Graphics Links

2008-03-02T17:59:00.000-08:00

Adding these two graphic links to your blog/site would be greatly appreciated. The top link promotes this site so that McCain bloggers have access to the latest graphics/links and promotional tools. The second link is a new graphics for the old MV08 email sign-up. It's fine to use either this graphic or the original blue box sign-up link, which ever fits your site better. Click here for the copy and paste code for these two graphic links.

Digg and Del.icio.us

2008-02-27T11:03:00.000-08:00

Here are a couple excellent sites for bloggers and surfers. First, digg.com allows users to sumbit and vote for articles. This increases viewership of these articles, and allows one to find others with similar interests. Second is del.icio.us. This site has created a unique way of bookmarking that not only allows you to share your bookmarks and favorite articles, but it has unique ways of adding releveant materials to ones own blog through the use of widgets. Again, like digg, this allows a blogger to reach a new audience and find others with similar interests. If McCain bloggers take advantage of these tools it can help increase exposure to ones own site as well bring more attention to pro-McCain articles and groups.

There is easy registration at both sites just click on the following links...

http://digg.com/register/

https://secure.del.icio.us/register?noredir

More deatiled 'how to' articles to come.

Thanks to bamapachyderm.com for the heads up and overview of digg and del.icio.us.

Adding Meta Tags to a Blog

2008-02-23T13:37:00.000-08:00

Meta tags are one of the things
search engines use to classify your blog. The way you fill out your tags
helps determine how your site appears
in search engines like Google and Yahoo. Here's what title and meta tags
look like...

Click for more info and examples of title and meta tags including a copy and paste version.

'How To' Articles

2008-02-20T17:39:00.000-08:00

Thanks to http://www.agkyra.com/ and http://michaelschuyler.blogspot.com/ the new 'How To' Articles include a description of how to create a McCain FeedFlare and also a Feed List. Please let me know if you would either like to submit or request a 'How To' article.

MV08 Blogger Request

2008-02-18T07:46:00.000-08:00

In order to expand the rolls of the McCainVictory08.com group we hope bloggers will consider adding the email sign up box to their site. The blue box and link to the copy and paste code are available in the right-hand margin.

Also, campaigns obviously need money and it would certainly be appreciated if bloggers would provide a link to the McCain campaign's donation form. Copy and paste codes are below in the previous post (and also available through the side links).

Space is often a premium on blogs, so thank you for your willingness to add these pro-McCain items to your site.

Donation Graphics

2008-02-17T14:52:00.000-08:00

Hopefully Pro-McCain bloggers will be willing to add a donation graphic/link to their site to help with fundraising efforts. Just copy and paste the code below the graphic for these graphic links to appear on your site. The graphics can be resized. If you need help in fitting them into your blog please leave a comment asking for help.

<a href="https://www.johnmccain.com/CONTRIBUTE/ContributeB.aspx?guid=cb5fbe36-f396-4517-9ba0-b7204e4d6825" target="_blank"><img
src="http://i257.photobucket.com/albums/hh219/nlcmv08/donate-1.jpg" border="0" alt="McCain
Victory 2008"></a>

<a href="https://www.johnmccain.com/CONTRIBUTE/ContributeB.aspx?guid=cb5fbe36-f396-4517-9ba0-b7204e4d6825" target="_blank"><img
src="http://i257.photobucket.com/albums/hh219/nlcmv08/donate.jpg" border="0" alt="Photo
Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket"></a>

<a href="https://www.johnmccain.com/CONTRIBUTE/ContributeB.aspx?guid=cb5fbe36-f396-4517-9ba0-b7204e4d6825" target="_blank"><img
src="http://i257.photobucket.com/albums/hh219/nlcmv08/mcdonor.jpg" border="0" alt="Photo
Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket"></a>

Donate to John McCain for President

<a href="https://www.johnmccain.com/CONTRIBUTE/ContributeB.aspx?guid=cb5fbe36-f396-4517-9ba0-b7204e4d6825" target="_blank">Donate
to John McCain for President</a>

McCain Blogger Resources

2008-02-16T17:15:00.000-08:00

This blog exists as a repository for McCain Blogger Resources. A collection of graphics, links, widgets, and feeds to make it easy for pro-McCain bloggers. There will also be guides and 'how to' articles to help out first time or new bloggers. Please let us know if you'd like a blog, but aren't comfortable with the technical aspects. We have people who are willing to create blogs so that all the owner has to do is write and/or post articles, i.e. no set up necessary.