07/26/11

In Loving Memory of Ralph Hamilton

My father-in-law, Ralph Hamilton, passed away today in his sleep. My husband Garry will be writing something to post for his Dad later. Ralph’s health declined precipitously in the last couple of days. He went quietly earlier today in the easiest way you can. For that we are grateful. Ralph was 91. Lucid and brilliant to the end. I will miss my friend.

Years ago, we worked together briefly and he was a joy to be around. Very, very smart and he had a sharp sense of humor that I loved.

He is survived by 3 sons and a daughter. His wife Starr went long before him and I am sure is welcoming him home. I hear it’s getting crowded where our loved ones are. We’ll see them again. Ralph lived and died on his own terms.

For now, goodbye Ralph. We all loved you so very much my friend. Our loss is heaven’s gain.

07/26/11

Reid’s Gimmicks Unmasked: Record $3T Debt Increase Tied To Just $1T In Cuts

Uploaded by BudgetGOP on Jul 26, 2011

JULY 26, WASHINGTON–After the Budget Committee’s Republican analysts conducted a careful review of Majority Leader Reid’s debt limit proposal, Sen. Sessions shared his findings on the Senate floor.

The truth: Reid’s proposal cuts only $1 trillion in spending for a nearly $3 trillion increase in the debt limit, and is based on an outdated spending baseline. This faulty baseline permitted Reid to temporarily disguise his irresponsible spending increases.

07/26/11

Conservatives: Need to Change Perception NOW

By: Deanna M. Murray
Tea Party Tribune

“Wait a second, you’re a singer. You’re a journalist AND you’re a conservative,” he said, rather surprised.

“Yeah … is that wrong?” I said.

“No, it’s just unexpected … and rare,” he responded.

I’ve been meeting a lot of new people lately. This is a blessing and a curse in Washington DC, as sooner or later politics WILL come up. It’s just how things are around here. And as a singer in a band, I encounter a ton of people who gravitate towards the band’s sound, my voice or something I’ve said on stage and conversations start.

Sometimes, these conversations are uncomfortable and the person I am talking to kinda backs away slowly when I mention conservatism or anything seen as ‘right-wing’ .. And other times, intense conversation takes place.

What I find though, is we as conservatives are bound to stereotypes so entrenched in the mind of the general population it’s hard for anyone to see us as who we really are. It’s like the minute I voice my political views and they’re of differing opinion, I am no longer the cool person who just caught their attention singing ‘Kiss Me’ or some other fun-loving song on stage. I’m now, just a conservative. Not a person. Not a pretty voice. Just a conservative, as defined by the media.

I know it all goes back to getting rid of labels and we can preach until we turn blue about how we want the left to see us for who we are and not the fanatics within our faction or the way the media paints us. But that’s a passive way of getting other people to take responsibility for the change we need to insight. Our preaching at, or to each other doesn’t get the job done. It just passes the buck, so to speak. We need to live the change we want to see and work towards it.

When I am in conversation with liberals I work with or perform with (I am the only conservative in my band), I often find myself saying “there are extremes on every side. So, I’ll stop dumping all you libs into one bucket if you’ll stop doing the same to us conservatives.” … And while in theory it’s a great thing to say, I’ve realized once again my saying it has thrown first draw on the liberals … and as long as they don’t change, I’ve not obligated myself to change either.

In very plain English, I am sick and tired of being seen as something I am not. As in pretty much every group, there are degrees, levels and diversity in membership and ideas.

This is how great thought and debate happens. This is how we redefine positions, make change and also grow as a thoughtful people. We all share, strategize and sometimes, see things through the eyes of people who’ve experienced their patriotism in different ways.

What ever happened to us not judging people for one aspect of their lives, but as their whole? Actions of many are louder than the actions of one if we simply don’t allow those fanatical actions to overshadow us.

Case in point: Do we condemn airlines as a whole because one plane crashes? Do we demonize the entire industry and stop flying? No. We know the odds. We know airtravel is safe and the accident rate is low. So why aren’t we as forgiving with actual people when it comes to the fanatical factions within them?

Conservatives are doctors, lawyers, TV directors, actors, journalists, singers, seamstresses, Wall Street tycoons and a ton of other things. Some are church goers, some aren’t. Some believe in God, some don’t. But for some reason, all that is forgotten when we actually tell people where we stand. We just become ‘that conservative over there …’ or …‘that right-wing fanatic.’ All of our coolness disappears and we’re nothing but a label, defined by other people … people we don’t agree with.

The passion and emotion political views insight on either side fuel the negative opinion this world has of us. It makes it to where we sometimes are only comfortable talking about our views in our own circles. Or we are afraid to tell others who we are because we don’t want to be judged for one aspect of our lives.

But it really does need to be our mission to change perception. Every single person knows perception is reality … and the perception the media puts out there – that our President puts out about a group of his own citizens – is tainted, disrespectful and flat out wrong. We need to defiantly say we’re not going to take it any more and we are going to show this country who we are.

Does being a conservative mean we’re not a group of kick-ass fun-loving people? Damn, I don’t think I got that memo … at least I hadn’t when I was out at the roller derby last weekend (first time ever …and it was a good time) hollering it up with a bunch of my girlfriends (maybe they passed that memo out at the last Glenn Beck rally, which apparently all conservatives attend …) …Or maybe it was said from the pulpit during that Sunday service I missed a few weeks back (because the roller derby was REALLY fun) …

If we want to take back our country we have got to show the brainwashed who we really are. That we have high standards, but are as human as they are. That we have a vision and a reason for believing what we do – and we still know how to live. This may seem superficial, but we’ve been painted into a grey-suited box, complete with pocket protector and fire and brimstone Bible …

So are we going to do something about it? Or are we cool with letting the ‘I’m rubber, you’re glue’ mentality we’ve let run ruin our conservative reputations and perception for … oh, let’s say … FOREVER …keep us boxed in?

If you agree with what you just read, take action — send this article to 5 friends or acquaintances who need to get a new opinion about conservatives … it all starts with 1 step.

Let’s mobilize. Let’s show who we are – the real us … and let this world know we can debate AND party with the best of em and we’re not ashamed to be called Conservative … but it’s on OUR terms. Not theirs.

07/26/11

Brazil – China, Build Relationship

By: Trevor Loudon
New Zeal

From the Communist Party of China, International Department website:

A senior official of the Communist Party of China (CPC) said on Thursday the CPC is ready to enhance exchanges with parties of Brazil’s 10-party ruling coalition and to jointly advance relations between the two countries.

Wang Lequan, a member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and deputy secretary of the Political Science and Law Committee of the CPC Central Committee, made the remarks while meeting with a visiting study group from Brazil’s ruling coalition.

The 10-strong delegation consists of party members from Brazil’s Workers Party, the Brazilian Socialist Party, the Democratic Labor Party and the Communist Party of Brazil.

Wang, who visited Brazil in June, spoke highly of Sino-Brazilian ties and the role played by Brazil in international and regional affairs.

He said the CPC was ready to deepen exchanges with Brazil’s ruling coalition in state governance and push forward the bilateral ties.

The delegates, which started the 12-day tour on Wednesday, expressed their hopes to bolster friendship with the CPC, saying they will make efforts to contribute to bilateral cooperation in all areas.

They also congratulated the CPC on its 90th founding anniversary.

There are still policy makers in Washington who regard Brazil’s Marxist government as a friend of the US. Why?

07/26/11

China, Iran Cosy Up

By: Trevor Loudon
New Zeal

From the Communist Party of China International Department website:

China and Iran on Saturday signed several agreements on infrastructure and trade cooperation, a fact further testifying to the already strong political and economic ties between the two countries.

He Guoqiang, a senior official of the Communist Party of China (CPC) who is currently on a three-day official visit to Iran, and Iranian Vice President Mohammad-Javad Mohammadizadeh witnessed the signing ceremony.

Under the agreements, Chinese companies will invest heavily in some major infrastructure projects in Iran, including a water diversion project and a dam. Chinese companies will also import large quantities of chrome ore and celestine from Iran.

China and Iran established diplomatic relations in 1971 and bilateral relations have developed steadily in recent years.

In 2010, bilateral trade reached a record 29.3 billion U.S. dollars, increasing by 38.5 percent over the previous year. China has also given financial and technological support to some major infrastructure projects in Iran.

Surely not! China is our friend!