ledeagenda.com

From Rasmussen:

Running under the Tea Party brand may be better in congressional races than being a Republican.

In a three-way Generic Ballot test, the latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds Democrats attracting 36% of the vote. The Tea Party candidate picks up 23%, and Republicans finish third at 18%. Another 22% are undecided.

Among voters not affiliated with either major party, the Tea Party comes out on top. Thirty-three percent (33%) prefer the Tea Party candidate, and 30% are undecided. Twenty-five percent (25%) would vote for a Democrat, and just 12% prefer the GOP.

Among Republican voters, 39% say they’d vote for the GOP candidate, but 33% favor the Tea Party option.

…

Seventy percent (70%) of Republican voters have a favorable opinion of the Tea Party movement while only seven percent (7%) offer an unfavorable view. Interestingly, 49% of Democrats have no opinion one way or the other.

Forty-one percent (41%) of all voters nationwide say Republicans and Democrats are so much alike that a new party is needed to represent the American people. Republicans are evenly divided on this question, while Democrats overwhelmingly disagree. However, among those not affiliated with either major party, 60% agree that a new party is needed, and only 25% disagree. Men are far more likely than women to believe a new party is needed.

Perhaps the most telling statistic:

Among the Political Class, not a single respondent picked the Tea Party candidate.

Enough said, I believe.

For the next month I am going to be taking an assessment of the Liberty movement as a political force in American political life. I am going to attempt to gage the prospects for the 2010 and the 2012 elections as well as vet and sort out the level and sophistication of political organization. We will take a look at supporters, polling and financing, as well as attempt to reach out to the candidates themselves. A daunting task, but just in time to gage the depth, crystallization and meaningfulness of the Ron Paul rEVOLution.

“Let it not be said that we did nothing.”- Dr. Ron Paul

 In the meantime, enjoy this punk classic from Bad Religion (a atheist-socialist band, I know :P).

I think main-stream institutions are having a hard time understanding exactly what is going on it voters heads these days. Rep. Joe Wilson is just another example in how far faith in congress has fallen, and how deep the undertones of hostility are to this brave new world.

From the Washington Post:

As President Obama addressed a joint session of Congress on Wednesday night, the nation’s rapidly deteriorating discourse hit yet another low.

It happened at 8:40 pm, just after the president vowed to lawmakers that his health-care reform proposals would not provide benefits to illegal immigrants. As millions of Americans watched from home, Rep. Joe Wilson (R-S.C.) shouted at the president from his fifth-row seat: “You lie!”

Murmurs of “ooh” filled the stunned chamber. Nancy Pelosi’s chin dropped. Obama moved on to the next sentence in his speech, about how no federal money would be used to fund abortion. “Not true!” came another shout.

We have reached that moment of desperation. The moment of desperation where all protocol, manners and civility are thrown out and nothing, no matter the sacristy or grandeur, stand in the way.

Rep. Joe Wilson was absolutely right to call Obama out- such forceful displays of contempt and patriotism are needed in an era were muttering opposition to socialism makes you a racist because of the race of our President. Why is the administration and representatives holding speeches, townhalls, and congressional address’s if they cannot face the voters? Why the fuss over these comments if the national health plan plan is as good as you say it is?

Probably because they know critics of  HR.3200 are at least partially right- this bill does appear to force taxpayer funded abortions and will take away free-market choices (IE only “plan approved” policies). Yes, there is language in the bill to restrict services to illegal immigrants, but given the current enforcement level of our immigration laws this provision might as well be entirely and wholly removed from the bill as it will, in time, disappear down the memory hole.

“You Lie”, “Not True”.

These are words for our times.

Today’s Daily Presidential Tracking Poll from Rasmussen:

The Rasmussen Reports daily Presidential Tracking Poll for Monday shows that 28% of the nation’s voters Strongly Approve of the way that Barack Obama is performing his role as President. Forty-one percent (41%) Strongly Disapprove giving Obama a Presidential Approval Index rating of -13.

This is reflective of national trends. Voters who strongly approve of the President are falling, while voters who are lining up in opposition are growing. Of course, we would have to ask if any of those ’strongly approve’ voters were ever actually there, given Obama’s ties to the voter-fraud group, ACORN.

Obama is starting to get desperate. Will he use the Swine Flu to force Nationalized Eugenics Health Care on the unaccepting American public? Or will Obama use some other tactics to prop up his support? Let us hope that these voters against Obama are more robust in their resolve than the infancy of their awareness.

From KTVB:

Sen. Dean Cameron, R-Rupert and chairman of the Joint Finance-Appropriations budget committee, told the Times-News that July tax revenue that was about $27 million shy of the same period in 2008 could force the 2010 Legislature into difficult choices.

Cameron says, “Now it’s going to force us to discuss what programs are necessary…and maybe even eliminate agencies.”

Cameron declined to name what agencies might be dumped.

Finally! It appears that the polls have finally caught up our representatives.

Consider this from Rasmussen:

Seventy percent (70%) of likely voters now favor a government that offers fewer services and imposes lower taxes over one that provides more services with higher taxes, according to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey.

That’s up five points over the past month and is the highest level measured in nearly three years.

Given the alarming rate of state power consolidation under the Presidency of Barack Obama, it’s no surprise to see 70% of the public saying no to increased government intrusion into our lives. The ’silent majority’, a large demographic represented by a limited government philosophy, has been shaken awake by the radical vision of President Barack Obama.

What is even more encouraging is that these voters will not be satisfied with simply cutting taxes, they want a legitimate and real rollback to the power of the state. For example, consider the polls- forty-nine percent of people say workers should be able to opt out of Social Security, fifty percent of people oppose health care reform, and forty-six percent of people are deeply worried about the Stimulus money being wasted.

Another encouraging sign- most voters seem aware of the scope of the battle that we are facing. Sixty-eight percent of voters expect to see their federal income taxes rise under President Obama. The general consensus finds that fifty one percent of Americans are deeply distrustful of our financial (Federal Reserve) system and seventy-five percent favor auditing the Fed.

Ludwig von Mises wrote in 1929, “Government is the negation of liberty”. In the wake of the economic collapse, the bailouts, the radical expansion of government power and nationalization of our economy it appears that a majority of American’s are wanting government to be replaced with personal responsibility. This will involve shrinking government by eliminating programs and reducing regulatory reach. Taxation, if we are successful in also stopping Cap and Trade, Obamacare and increased government spending, should also plunge a result.

Note the shift: cutting taxes is a result of our action, not our main purpose.

We can claim legitimacy to our case by advocating a strict return to the enumerated powers of the Constitution, rolling back the Federal government to its proper size, scope and role. This requires outreach, education and organization. If you haven’t already done so, may I suggest networking with the Campaign For Liberty, the We The People Foundation or the American Liberty Alliance?

Something to watch- if the motivation to cut government lies only in pure fiscal/budgetary reasons, our representatives may well find themselves with even further dissatisfaction among their supporters.

This presents a real danger to the Republican party as it’s political base has essentially organized themselves separate from the Party itself (i.e. “Im a conservative first, Republican second“). Viewing the Tea Parties, et all as a groundswell of support for their cause is a very big miscalculation of the politcal winds. This has all the markings of an idealogical shift- one that will leave the party playing catch-up with the political direction of it’s base.

In a huge win for the, ‘domestic terrorists’ that are out there, the White House adbruptly ended it’s snitch email address designed to collect ‘misinformation’ circulating about the national health care bill currently being considered by Congress.

Politico reports:

Following a furor over how the data would be used, the White House has shut down an electronic tip box — flag@whitehouse.gov — that was set up to receive information on “fishy” claims about President Barack Obama’s health plan.

E-mails

to that address now bounce back with the message: “The e-mail address you just sent a message to is no longer in service. We are now accepting your feedback about health insurance reform via http://www.whitehouse.gov/realitycheck.”

 A small win, sure. But given the President’s plummeting approval ratings one has to wonder, is shutting down the Public Option on health care next? Opps, yes, yes it is.

Reality has finally caught up to the White House, it’s time to watch socialism retreat.

From The Idaho Statesman:

Say what? Club for Growth, which spent $1.1 million to get Republican Bill Sali elected to Congress in 2006, now says the man who beat him in 2008 - Democrat Walt Minnick - is a pork-barrel killer.

RePORK card: Minnick is one of 22 members in the 435-member House, and the only Democrat, with a perfect score on 68 votes against earmarks this year. The average Democrat scored 3 percent.

Minnick crows: Some Democrats are steaming at Minnick for having the least partisan voting record in Congress. But Minnick put out a press release on Club for Growth’s study, saying he’d voted against $4 trillion in “government waste” since January.

What about GOP Rep. Mike Simpson? From his spot on Appropriations, Simpson delivers millions to Idaho in specially designated spending. He backed cutting one of the 68 earmarks, scoring below the average Democrat. Simpson was unavailable for comment Friday. Read more about Club For Growth’s Report at IdahoStatesman.com.

He voted against the Stimulus plan. He co-sponsored HR1207. He has opposed the banker/auto bailouts. He opposed Cap and Trade. And now….

 From KTVB:

Idaho’s two U.S. House members are joining the opposition forming against legislation designed to reform the nation’s health care system.

Rep. Mike Simpson, a Republican, is vowing to vote against the bill supported by President Obama and many congressional Democrats.

While Simpson agrees changes to the health care system are needed, he says the bill awaiting debate would raise taxes, cost too much and not do enough to fix the problems.

Democratic Rep. Walt Minnick says the bill is flawed, fails to guarantee affordable health insurance for all Americans and calls for too big of a role for government.

Still, Minnick says he is hopeful that he can support a final version of the bill that is more fiscally sound and has broader, bipartisan support.

I will withhold my firm judgement in hopes that the “more fiscally sound, broader and bipartisan” health care bill” never emergres from the cespool of Congress.