FYI - From Dave Nalle and the RLC.




-ADY "A Regular Guy On The Issues"

Rand Paul Wins RLC Straw Poll  

NASHUA, NH - Rand Paul was the most preferred presidential candidate of the Republican contenders as voted by nearly 800 activists attending the Republican Liberty Caucus National Convention, held in New Hampshire, home of the first in the nation presidential primary.

The straw poll was conducted using an alternative voting method called “approval voting,” which allows voters to approve of one or more of the current Republican presidential candidates. This method of voting allows voters to indicate the candidate or candidates that they would support if the election were held today. As a preference poll this may produce results where more than one candidate receives over 50% approval.

Rand Paul was the preference of 57.1% of the convention’s attendees. Ted Cruz came in second with a 51.2% preferred rating. No other candidate received more than 17.9%.

While this does not represent the RLC’s final endorsement, it does indicate a strong preference of the attendees for these candidates. The RLC’s official endorsement process requires two-thirds of its state chapters to approve a candidate. The RLC officially endorsed Ron Paul for President in 2012.

“The large turnout for this event and the enthusiastic participation of attendees in this poll shows the rising tide of Liberty in the Republican Party,” said Matt Nye, National Chairman of the Republican Liberty Caucus. “Liberty Republicans have clearly identified these two candidates as the best in a crowded field. They are an inspiration to Republicans around the country and we look forward to a great crop of candidates at every level, ready to go to Washington and restore limited government and a respect for individual liberty.”

National frontrunner Donald Trump received 6.9% approval in the poll. Ben Carson received 17.9% and Carly Fiorina received 10.1%.

“New Hampshire is the jumping off point for the nomination campaign and with this choice the people have clearly chosen liberty,” said Aaron Day, Chairman of the Republican Liberty Caucus of New Hampshire. “We look forward to seeing a lot more of both Rand Paul and Ted Cruz in the next few months and I’m confident that our state candidates will do well with one of them at the top of the ticket.”

The full results of the poll are:

Candidate Votes Percent

Rand Paul 445 57.1%
Ted Cruz 399 51.2%
Ben Carson 139 17.9%
Carly Fiorina 79 10.1%
Marco Rubio 75 9.6%
Donald Trump 54 6.9%
Bobby Jindal 51 6.6%
Rick Santorum 27 3.5%
Mike Huckabee 25 3.2%
John Kasich 17 2.2%
Chris Christie 14 1.8%
Gil Fulbright 12 1.5%
Jeb Bush 9 1.2%
George Pataki 6 0.8%
Lindsey Graham 4 0.5%
Vermin Supreme 3 0.4%
Jim Gilmore 3 0.4%
Mark Everson 2 0.3%

Andrew Jennings of the Center for Election Science, a non-profit group which conducted the poll, observed that “Approval voting is a better way to run elections because it doesn’t force voters to abandon their ideal candidate to vote for a compromise—they can vote for both. In a general election it would prevent spoilers and let all candidates see their true level of support. In crowded elections like the current Republican primary, it would stop the vote splitting which is distorting the race and would allow us to see how the voters really feel about each candidate.”

Unlike a “first past the post” traditional straw poll where participants vote for only ONE candidate, using an alternative “approval voting” system we allowed activists to more clearly express the preference and favorites for the Republican nomination.

Both the Paul and Cruz camps actively encouraged local supporters to participate in the straw poll. This gave them an opportunity to both test and show their organizational strength and level of committed activist willing to come out and vote.

FYI - From the Matt Nye and the RLC.


-ADY "A Regular Guy On The Issues"

Republican Liberty Caucus Announces Wayne Allyn Root as Chairman of National Campaign Committee and Advisory Board

        

The National Board of the Republican Liberty Caucus (RLC) has voted to name Wayne Allyn Root as Chairman of its National Campaign Committee, as well as Chairman of the RLC Advisory Board. Root, now back to his lifelong Republican roots, was the Libertarian Vice Presidential nominee in 2008, as well as an elected Board member of the Libertarian National Committee, and Chairman of the Libertarian National Campaign Committee.

One of America’s most vocal critics of the Obama administration, Root is a frequent radio and TV guest, political commentator, syndicated political columnist, and the author of the national bestselling books, “The Ultimate Obama Survival Guide” and “The Murder of the Middle Class.”

"We are very excited to have Wayne on board," said Matt Nye, RLC National Chairman. "Wayne is an extremely talented, charismatic and dynamic media personality; he's an outspoken advocate for liberty, but he is particularly fierce on economic freedom and the U.S. Constitution."

At the time Root joined the Libertarian Presidential ticket in 2008, the Bob Barr-Wayne Root presidential ticket was the 2nd most successful vote-getter in the party's history. Root says that experience showed him just how heavily the scales are tilted in favor of the two-party system.

"As the Libertarian Party’s vice presidential nominee, I called myself a 'REAGAN libertarian,' in honor of my heroes Ronald Reagan and his mentor Barry Goldwater," Root said. "I will forever be a libertarian leaning Republican-conservative, and I am grateful for my start in national politics with the Libertarian Party."

Root says the grassroots uprising in 2010 and 2014 has given him hope the Republican Party can be returned to its roots.

"Given the popularity of the Tea Party message it makes sense to work within the Republican Party to return the GOP to the ideology of Ronald Reagan, Barry Goldwater and Jack Kemp," Root said. "That is exactly the mission of the Republican Liberty Caucus, and I’m here to inject a dose of world-class energy and enthusiasm!"

RLC Chairman Matt Nye agrees, but says the Republicans apparently didn’t get the memo. He hopes high profile individuals like Root joining with grassroots organizations like the RLC will help them see the light.

"In spite of the clear message the grassroots sent with massive, record-setting landslides in both the 2010 and 2014 elections, GOP party leadership doesn't appear to have gotten the message," Nye said. "Republicans were given a clear mandate to stop Obama's agenda, but they've done nothing of substance to do so."

Root agrees. "We're stuck with leadership in both houses that is either spineless, incompetent or sympathetic to the president's big government agenda; that, or the GOP’s leaders have simply been bought off by lawyers, lobbyists, big corporate donations and the famous DC culture of corruption," Root said. "This is simply unacceptable. We are watching the greatest country, and the greatest middle class, in world history being systematically destroyed, and that is something I cannot stand by idly and watch."

In his best-selling books Root blames the partnership of big government, big media and big corporations.

"Republicans must stand firm, cut spending and debt, balance the budget, repeal Obamacare, audit and reform the Fed, re-establish the Gold Standard and roll back out-of control federal agencies like the EPA, IRS, and the NSA program spying on US citizens," Root said. "Most of all, Republican leaders must stand up and fight for capitalism and American Exceptionalism.”

Root says Republicans must offer a clear alternative.

"The GOP controls Congress, and Congress controls spending," Root said. "It's time the GOP withdraws from this president's agenda that is destroying capitalism, small business and America. If they can’t do that, then Americans have no reason to vote Republican."

Nye concurs.

"With Wayne's help, we at the RLC intend to hold their feet to the fire,” he said.

Root’s web site is www.ROOTforAmerica.com. His new business book, entitled “The Power of RELENTLESS!”  will be out August 10th. You can follow Wayne on Twitter here. 

    

About Matt Nye

Matt Nye is an innovative entrepreneur and political activist with 24 years of diversified experience in technology, telecommunications, finance, marketing and communications. Nye currently works as Regional Director for Verteks Consulting, a leading provider of voice and data networks for enterprise and government clients in Florida. In addition to his work at Verteks Consulting, Nye has taken on a number of leadership roles in local and national political organizations. He is the Founder and Immediate Past Chair of the Republican Liberty Caucus of Central East Florida (RLC), the Organizer of the Brevard Tea Parties and the National Chairman of the Republican Liberty Caucus. As the Organizer of the Brevard Tea Party Nye is a frequently sought expert for local media on subjects like taxes, regulation, waste, fraud, abuse and transparency. In his capacity as National Chairman of the RLC he is frequently interviewed on issues pertaining to national party politics and the role the liberty movement plays in today's political landscape.

Ron Paul On The ISIS Threat.

FYI - From Dr. Ron Paul and The Ron Paul Channel/Voices of Liberty.




#LibertyRepublican




#LiveFree




-ADY"A Regular Guy On The Issues"

Go Rock The Vote Tennessee! (and who I voted for.)

Today is local general election and state and federal primary election day in Tennessee.  Again, I want to thank everyone who put their trust in me, allowing me to win my primary.  I am still very, very humbled.  Because I don't have a general election opponent, I will need just one vote to officially win my race today. 


Some of you may recall that I promised transparency, and because of that, you will find who I voted for in today's elections (I utilized early voting) below.


-District 3A County Commissioner:  Aaron Yeargan (R)
 
-District 3B County Commissioner: Ronald Hudson (R)


-County Mayor: Gregg Ridley (R)


-County Road Supervisor: Marvin Smith (R)


-District Judge: Justin Angel (R)


-Sheriff: Doug Roberson (D)


***State/Federal Republican Primary***


-State Representative: Ron Travis


-State Senator:  Matt Swallows


-Governor: Bill Haslam


-U.S. Congressman District 4:  Dr. Scott DesJarlais


-U.S. Senator: Joe Carr


Feel free to contact me with any questions or comments, and remember, GO VOTE! #LiveFree


-ADY "A Regular Guy On The Issues"

The Results Are In - Thank You District 3!

From very bottom of my heart - THANK YOU District 3!  I will say, with approximately 1,200 registered voters in our district, I thought turnout would be higher due to the County Mayor and Sheriff's race, but I couldn't be happier!  I promise to work hard everyday to help our district, our county, and our state with integrity and transparency.


To those of you who went door to door and made phone calls - I will be forever grateful!  I won't let you down!


As a former Marine, from this day forward, my motto will be Honor, Courage, and Commitment.


Honor - I am humbled, and it is an Honor to serve you!


Courage - I will perform the duties of my office with Courage - doing what is right by my constituents in the face of any special interests that may arise.


Commitment - I am Committed to making our county better for all.


Thank you,
Aaron Yeargan


#LiveFree




-ADY "A Regular Guy On The Issues"

PRIMARY ELECTION RESULTS

Ridley, Morris, Yeargan and Cartwright advance to August election REPUBLICANS •County Mayor - Gregg Ridley, 971; Rodney Warran, 377 •Sheriff - Incumbent JimmyMorris, 860; Gary Johnson, 576 •County Commissioner 3rd District Part A - Aaron Yeargan, 181; Nathan Riddle, 49 •County Commissioner 1st District Part A - Incumbent Ronnie Sapp, 162 votes •County Commissioner 1st District Part C - Incumbent Shayne Bickford, 162 votes •County Commissioner 2nd District Part A - Jim Swafford, 176 votes •County Commissioner 3rd District Part B - Incumbent Ronald Hudson, 180 votes •County Commissioner 4th District Part A - Christina K. Sharp, 109 votes •County Commissioner 5th District Part A - Incumbent Roger L. Simmons, 209 votes •County Commissioner 5th District Part B - Incumbent Junior Lee Hankins, 215 votes •County Trustee - Matt Fields, 1080 votes •Circuit Court Clerk - Incumbent Michael Walker, 1191 votes •County Clerk - Incumbent Carolyn Mills Terry, 1280 votes •Register of Deeds - Incumbent Emma Boynton, 1271 votes •Road Superintendent, Incumbent Marvin E. Smith, 1148 votes •Circuit Court Judge 12th Judicial District Part III - Justin Angel, 1114 votes

A Conversation with Jon Huntsman - a REAL public servant

FYI - A GREAT conversation with former Governor and Ambassador, Jon Huntsman, Jr. - a REAL public servant, not a politician. 

This really is a must watch with some very good food for thought.

#LiveFree


-ADY "A Regular Guy On The Issues"

Sen. Jim Demint: Government Shouldn't Tilt The Field For Anyone.

FYI - From the Office of Senator DeMint (R-SC).

-ADY "A Regular Guy On The Issues"

Government Shouldn't Tilt the Field for Anyone

Greenville News

by Jim DeMint

When people ask me if I’m pro-business or pro-labor, I say I’m neither: I’m pro-freedom.

Freedom is the only political principle that cannot be bent to serve special interests. Remember how 7-Up used to call itself the un-cola? Well, freedom is the un-special interest.

Freedom, protected by the Constitution and the rule of law, works for everyone. It allows everyone -- left or right, young or old, rich or poor -- to make their own choices according to their own values.

Government’s job shouldn’t be to tilt the field for one team or another, but to guarantee a level playing for everyone.

That’s why I’m against forcing workers to join unions, congressional earmarks for favored groups, government bailouts of Wall Street, and energy subsidies -- both for oil companies and for green energy.

Now, look at recent events surrounding the Boeing Company, one of South Carolina’s most important employers. As a South Carolinian, as an American, and just as a guy who likes cool planes, I love Boeing.

When Boeing’s home state labor union ganged up with President Barack Obama’s National Labor Relations Board to try to sue Boeing for building a new factory in North Charleston, I strongly supported Boeing’s freedom to build factories wherever they pleased.

More recently dust has been kicked over the extension of the Export-Import Bank, a federal program that subsidizes American businesses’ exports. Because Boeing receives Ex-Im subsidies, and because I favor winding down the Ex-Im Bank instead of increasing its budget, some ask if I went from being pro-Boeing to anti-Boeing.

Neither. All I’ve ever been is pro-freedom.

In both cases, my guiding principle is the same: liberty.

Freedom isn’t perfect, but it is fair. And any time government hands out favors, they’ll be unfair to someone.

When Washington picks winners and losers, in the end taxpayers always lose, and Ex-Im is no exception.

Ex-Im started out decades ago with a lending cap of $5 million to help American companies sell into a "global economy" that barely existed. Today, the cap has ballooned to $100 billion, in a booming global economy. And what have the American people gotten for their money?

Ten-million dollars in loans benefitting the now-bankrupt Solyndra. Millions in loans to another solar company to sell solar panels to itself; $600 million in loans to Enron projects before Ken Lay went to prison. All this after Ex-Im has already sought its own $3 billion taxpayer bailout.

This isn’t a criticism of an agency, or an administration, but of government subsidies in the first place.

When government stays out of markets, businesses focus on their customers. Quality improves, prices fall, and everyone wins.

When government steps in, businesses turn their attention from their customers to their congressman and hire influence peddlers instead of innovators. Competition sags, the pace of innovation slows, prices rise, and product quality suffers.

Defenders say Ex-Im is needed because Europe subsidizes their exporters. But Europe says the same thing about Ex-Im! We’re in a bidding war with other countries for the biggest subsidies.

Still, exporters say the cost of doing business in America is too high to compete.

I agree! We have the highest corporate tax rate in the world, so let’s cut taxes. Let’s reform our insane, $1.75 trillion-per-year regulatory state. Let’s reform education to liberate kids from failing schools and create a better-prepared workforce for the future. Let’s repeal the government takeover of health care, and put an end to predatory lawsuits filed against innocent businesses.

In short, let’s fix the rules of our game to make all our exports competitive rather than rigging them for one company or product at a time.

Our policies should make the United States the best place in the world to buy, sell, farm, manufacture, patent, invent, invest, innovate and educate -- for everyone in every industry.

Look at what today’s ad-hoc economic policymaking has done to America -- where a collection of narrow special interests vie for the favoritism of discredited politicians while we mount unsustainable debt onto the backs our children and grandchildren.

That is what I’m against. What I’m for is a level playing field, a clear set of rules that guarantee the freedom of entrepreneurs to make and sell what they want and the freedom of consumers to buy what they want.

I’m not for big business or big labor. I’m for big freedom, for everyone.

To All of the Ron Paul supporters, independent voters, and disenfranchised Dems and Reps: LIVE FREE & VOTE GARY JOHNSON 2012!

Learn more and please donate, if you can, at GaryJohnson2012.com.

-ADY "A Regular Guy On The Issues"

From GaryJohnson2012: News Conference Next Wednesday, December 28, at 10:00 a.m. MST.

FYI - From GaryJohnson2012.com

-ADY "A Regular Guy On The Issues"

Friends, As you may have heard or read in the past couple of days, much is happening with our campaign – and it is very much OUR campaign. You have heard me say many times that I am absolutely committed to our shared goal of taking the message of liberty, economic freedom and smaller government to the voters of America. Never has it been more clear that millions of our fellow Americans are looking for real leadership – the kind of principled leadership that will get government out of our lives and free us all from the burdens of unimaginable debt. Next Wednesday, December 28, at 10:00 a.m. MST, I will be holding a news conference at the State Capitol in Santa Fe, New Mexico. At that news conference, I will be making an extremely significant announcement regarding the direction of our campaign – a direction that will allow us to insure that our message is heard and that America will have a real choice in the presidential election. I would be both pleased and proud to have you join me next Wednesday for this announcement. If you can make your way to Santa Fe, that would be great. If not, my news conference will be streamed live on both our website, Show your support by going to: Gary Johnson 2012.com. Whether in person or via the Internet, I hope you can be with us. Again, it is 10:00 a.m. MST at the State Capitol in Santa Fe, New Mexico. If you can join us in Santa Fe, we have arranged for discounted accommodations at the Courtyard Marriott, 3347 Cerrillos Rd., Santa Fe, New Mexico 87507. Also, following the news conference at the Capitol, you are invited to join us from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. for an informal gathering at the Eldorado Hotel, 309 West San Francisco, Santa Fe, New Mexico 87501. There are big things happening in the Johnson campaign, and your continued support is very important to me. I hope you can join us, either in person or “virtually”, next Wednesday. Thank you! Gary P.S. Please remember to send your donation to the campaign as soon as possible. We need your help to promote the message of liberty.

Join us on Facebook       Follow us on Twitter       Make A Contribution

From GaryJohnson2012: Dissatisfied Republicans? Really?

FYI -  From GaryJohnson2012.com

-ADY "A Regular Guy On The Issues"

Dissatisfied Republicans? Really? “Republicans are growing significantly less satisfied with the field of candidates to challenge President Barack Obama next year….” Does that statement, published just last week, in the article by RealClearPolitics surprise anyone? Thanks to the national news media and a process rigged to protect the status quo, too many Americans have been convinced that their only choices in 2012 will be reelecting President Obama or electing a Republican who will offer just a slightly different version of the same business-as-usual that has brought us to the brink of financial disaster. The resulting polls, such as the one RealClearPolitics wrote about, are showing a full 40% of Republican voters are NOT satisfied with the Republican field – or what the media has told them the Republican field is. That is far more Republicans than are supporting any of the so-called "leading" candidates. Of course, those same voters don’t know that one of their choices is a successful two-term governor who vetoed 750 bills because they either cost too much or would expand government too much. They don’t know that one of their choices actually believes government should protect liberty and individual freedom – not dictate and regulate everything we do. And they don’t know that there is a candidate who won’t get us into wars we can’t afford and shouldn’t fight. They don’t know those things because they don’t know about me, Gary Johnson. Show your support by going to: Gary Johnson 2012.com. But what about the voters who DO know me? Public Policy Polling just did a survey that has the Internet buzzing. Why? Because it shows that, in New Mexico, I would be a significant factor in the presidential race next year – remarkably drawing support from not only Republicans, but the Democrats and Independents who elected Barack Obama. In the past two weeks, I have spoken to and met with Republican organizations, Tea Party groups, libertarian gatherings, and yes, ‘liberals’, and they are ALL looking for a leader they are not finding in the White House nor on Face the Nation. I am more convinced than ever that I can be that leader – with your help. Show your support by going to: Gary Johnson 2012.com.Today. I know the Holidays are upon us, and we are all busy. As it should be, our attention is on our families and friends. However, the business of the nation doesn’t stop, and neither does the task of getting our message to every American we can reach. Watch your inbox in the next few days for very important news about our campaign and the dramatic steps we will be taking to make absolutely certain America has a real choice in 2012. This fight has just begun, and with your continued support, millions of Americans who don’t yet know Gary Johnson will soon have a chance to see that politics-as-usual doesn’t have to continue. We can do this. Please take a moment to put good government and liberty on your Holiday list by making a much-needed contribution and allowing us to give America the choice it so desperately wants. Show your support by going to: Gary Johnson 2012.com. Thanks for your friendship and your support – and don’t forget to watch your inbox for important campaign news in days to come. Thank you! Gary

Join us on Facebook       Follow us on Twitter       Make A Contribution

Poll shows Johnson could impact electoral votes with party switch.

FYI -

-ADY "A Regular Guy On The Issues"

Poll shows Johnson could impact electoral votes with party switch

Former Gov. Gary Johnson could be a big factor in the race for New Mexico's five electoral votes if he runs for president on the Libertarian ticket, according to the results of the latest Public Policy Poll of New Mexico voters, released Friday.

Johnson, in a Friday interview at the state Capitol, said he hasn't completely made up his mind about seeking the Libertarian nod. But he sounded like that's the direction he's heading in. He said he'd probably make an announcement of his plans in New Mexico in the near future.

According to the poll, in a race between Johnson, President Barack Obama and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, Obama would get 44 percent, Romney would get 27 percent and Johnson would get 23 percent.

If the current front-runner, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, is the GOP candidate, Obama would get 45 percent, Gingrich 28 percent and Johnson would get 20 percent.

"As a third-party candidate, Johnson would draw 26-30 percent of the Republican votes, 12-16 percent of Democrats, and actually win independents with 31-33 percent," the PPP polling memo said.

Johnson was happy about the poll results, noting that if he actually won the state, he'd be the first Libertarian to win any electoral votes in New Mexico.

Johnson, who served two terms as governor between 1995 and 2003, has been running for the Republican nomination. But he wasn't invited to most of the Republican debates and most national polls have quit listing him as a candidate. Last month he told The New Mexican he is seriously considering a run with the Libertarian Party, which already is on nearly all state ballots.

To Read More:
http://www.santafenewmexican.com/Local%20News/Poll-shows-Johnson-could-impact-electoral-votes-with-party-swit

Repeal and Replace: The New Health Care Choice Act.

FYI - The new Health Care Choice Act introduced by Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN07)

Repeal and Replace: The New Health Care Choice Act.


-ADY "A Regular Guy On The Issues"

U.S. jobless claims hit 2-year low.

I am truly happy that our economy is starting to recover and more and more Americans are finding work. As this continues to happen, less and less tax payer money will have to be used for unemployment and social benefit programs. With that being said, federal spending (of our tax dollars) is still out of control. Democrats and Republicans both must work hard to cut spending, reduce our deficit, and balance the budget. A way to do this is to urge your Senators and Representative to support Senator-elect Rand Paul's projected Balanced Budget Constitutional Amendment during this upcoming Congress.

U.S. jobless claims hit 2-year low | Barack Obama For President - 2012


Dr. Rand Paul: Constitutional Amendment Needed To Balance The Budget  (part 1)

Dr. Rand Paul: Constitutional Amendment Needed To Balance The Budget  (part 2)

-ADY"A Regular Guy On The Issues"

Republican Support For The START Treaty

FYI - Republican support for the START Treaty

Tennessee Senator, Alexander Praises START Treaty!


-ADY "A Regular Guy On The Issues"

THE LATEST AND GREATEST! - The DoD Needs To Step Up To The Plate Concerning Mental Health, And Is It Going To Be Politics As Usual When It Comes To Tax Cuts, Don't Ask Don't Tell, And Health Care Benefits For 9/11 First Responders? Also, A Democrat Supports A Bush Center Project!

Hello All,

It's been a while since my last post, and a lot has been going on in the world, so here goes...

Politics As Usual while the Public Suffers:

The Daily Show's John Stewart hit the nail on the head when he said this is a prime case of "Bro's Before Hero's!"  Even as a Democrat, I will be the first to admit, that many in my party have been f*@king up!...i.e., The DREAM Act, The Health Care Mandate, but they have been trying to pass some solid, beneficial legislation the past couple months as their control in the House winds down, only to have it blocked by some Republicans looking for quid pro quo.  NATIONAL DEFENSE AND BENEFITS FOR VETERANS AND FIRST RESPONDERS IS NOT THE PLACE TO PLAY POLITICS!!!  Many Republicans are notorious for invoking 9/11 to stir patriotism, and serve their agenda, but recently when Democrats tried to pass legislation that would pay for the health care of ailing 9/11 First Responders (many are suffering from cancers traced to the Ground Zero clean-up), they voted against it because they wanted more compromise on a tax bill.  In addition to that, while in the midst of two wars, they delayed the vote on this coming year's Defense Authorization and Budget Bill because it contained provisions concerning the repeal of the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" Policy!  

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart	Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c
Lame-as-F@#k Congress
www.thedailyshow.com
Daily Show Full Episodes Political Humor & Satire Blog The Daily Show on Facebook

Luckily, some Republican Congressman put politics aside, and with their help, the 9/11 First Responders Health Care Bill and the Defense Budget was passed.  "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" has also been repealed.  

Concerning repealing "Don't Ask, Don't Tell," this is something that I whole heartedly supported, and personally, worked hard to accomplish.  I have received alot of praise and alot of hate mail from friends, family, and others, both civilian and military.  As a libertarian minded Democrat, I believe that D.A.D.T. is 100% discriminatory!  75% of military personal surveyed by the DoD (myself included), could care less what someone does outside of work or at home, as long as they could do their jobs!  From my time in the Marine Corps, I served with numerous gay and lesbian Marines and Sailors, and news flash...the majority of us knew it, and didn't give a shit because they were good people, good, professional service members, and what they did after 16:30 was none of our business!  It's not illegal to be gay. In the 1970's, the American Medical Association stated that being gay wasn't a medical or mental illness.  Therefore, why would you punish someone for being who they are?  Frankly, if you set your personal or religious beliefs aside, and think about it from a totally legal and Constitutional standpoint, the policy was discriminatory and, therefore, rightly repealed.

Now, to call out my fellow Democrats...when it comes to tax cuts, the majority of you are f*@king up too!  What it boiled down to concerning the renewal of the Bush era tax cuts, the Republicans wanted to extend the tax cuts to the wealthy, and the Democrats wanted to extend them to the middle class and poor.  Again, as a Libertarian Democrat, I think an awesome compromise was reached - the right one! Vice President Biden was a staunch supporter of the new plan, and he and other Dems who supported it have come under fire from the far left hard-liners.  The new plan extends the Bush era tax cuts to everyone - the rich, the middle class, and the poor.  While giving tax cuts to the middle class and poor is something that should always be fought for, so they can keep more of what they've earned, cutting taxes on the rich and business owners helps create private sector jobs and stimulate the economy.  Also, people need to realize that there will always be greedy, law breaking, sleazy people in the world who get rich by not following the rules, but why punish the rest of the honest, hard-working, law abiding, successful people in this country for the misdeeds of a few?  A fellow Democrat, John F. Kennedy, realized the importance of across the board tax cuts.  If Democrats want to be successful, they need to remind themselves of this.

The DoD and Mental Health Care Access:
Monday, I spent a few hours in Atlanta at the Carter Center discussing the need for better access to care for veterans with mental health issues.  This topic is near and dear to Mrs. Carter, who has been a stanch supporter of mental health reform since her husband was Governor of Georgia.  The resounding message at our meeting was that the Dept. of Defense needs to be more involved, open, and receptive on the subject.  They can't keep ignoring the problem, hoping that it will simply go away.  Our service members, our veterans, and their families deserve better.  We all agreed that the VA's current system is overloaded and broken, but they are trying.  At the very least, they admit that there is a problem.  Last month the Carter Center hosted a conference on mental health, and a portion of the conference was dedicated to PTSD and returning combat veterans.  Representatives from the private sector as well as numerous government agencies attended, including the VA.  An invitation was also extended to the DoD, but they did not attend.  One thing that we discussed in our meetings was how to alleviate the back log of requests for services.  One suggestion was to provide veterans with vouchers to see civilian mental health care providers instead of having to wait weeks or months for an appointment with the VA and any services provided by civilian providers would be paid for by the VA or DoD.  This brought up the point that civilian health care providers would need better training in dealing with military and combat related behavioral health issues.  Getting fellow veterans involved in the mental health field could help alleviate this issue.  The Carter Center mental health conference can be viewed by visiting the following link:

http://www.cartercenter.org/health/mental_health/symposium2010-archives1.html


A Democrat Showing Support For A Bush Foundation Project:
One thing that I thought about while at the Carter Center was all of the good work that the Center does, and there are still those that will not donate to it or support its work because of the politics of President Carter while he was in office or because of his party affiliation.  It's ridiculous, but it happens!

In addition to being a supporter of the Carter Center, I am also a supporter of  the President George W. Bush  Center and Institute's Human Freedom and Cyber Dissidents Project.  There was a lot about President Bush's actions while in office that I liked, and there was a lot that a didn't like.  Regardless, credit is due when it is deserved.  The Human Freedom and Cyber Dissidents Project deserves such credit and support.

It is the documentation of the struggle for freedom in our era. The Freedom Collection presents the personal stories of struggle and achievement told by the men and women who led freedom movements from the last century through present day.  The material developed will be located in the Library of the George W. Bush Presidential Center and presented online as a resource and testimony to the world. It will consist of video history, as well as physical documents from democratic activists at all levels and from many nations. Interviews have already been gathered from Vaclav Havel, former president of the Czech Republic and Chol-hwan Kang, who spent ten years in the North Korean gulag and recorded the experience in his memoir. This project guarantees that no matter what happens to these individuals who stand up for freedom, their message and writings will always be preserved and available to others. This project can be very useful to people seeking freedom and democracy in places like Iran, North Korea, and China. You can learn more about the project by visiting the following link:



http://www.georgewbushcenter.com/the-building-design/human-freedom


-ADY
"A Regular Guy On The Issues"

The FCC Pushes To End Internet Freedom. - TAKE ACTION!!!

FYI - Our Personal Freedoms and Civil Liberties are eroding more and more everyday.  People, we have a duty to stand up and speak out because, if not and before we know it, we'll all wake up without any rights!   

Do you know which other countries regulate their internet?...Iran, Saudi Arabia, China, and so did the Taliban when they were in power in Afghanistan. I don't know about you, but I don't think this is the kind of company we want to keep. Just saying...

 Call, write, or e-mail your Senators and Representative.  Ask that they NEVER support such a measure.  If not for yourself, remember the less fortunate, remember your children, remember your grand-children.  Because.....


"The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing."
-Edmund Burke




-ADY "A Regular Guy On The Issues"
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*From The Washington Times:

FCC crosses the Rubicon into online regulation

By THE WASHINGTON TIMES

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The Washington Times

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is poised to add the Internet to its portfolio of regulated industries. The agency's chairman,Julius Genachowski, announced Wednesday that he circulated draft rules he says will "preserve the freedom and openness of the Internet." No statement could better reflect the gulf between the rhetoric and the reality of Obama administration policies.

With a straight face, Mr. Genachowski suggested that government red tape will increase the "freedom" of online services that have flourished because bureaucratic busybodies have been blocked from tinkering with the Web. Ordinarily, it would be appropriate at this point to supply an example from the proposed regulations illustrating the problem. Mr. Genachowski's draft document has over 550 footnotes and is stamped "non-public, for internal use only" to ensure nobody outside the agency sees it until the rules are approved in a scheduled Dec. 21 vote. So much for "openness."

The issue of "net neutrality" is nothing new, but the increasing popularity of online movie streaming services like Netflix have highlighted an area of potential concern. When someone watches a film over the Internet, especially in high definition, the maximum available capacity of the user's connection is used. Think, for example, of the problems that would arise at the water works if everyone decided to turn on their faucets and take a shower simultaneously. Internet providers are beginning to see the same strain on their networks.

In some cases, heavy use of this sort slows the Web experience for everyone sharing the same lines. That has prompted some cable Internet providers to consider either charging the heavy users more or limiting access to the "problematic" services. Of course, if cinema buffs find themselves cut off from their favorite service, they're going to be mad. If companies don't act, they're just as likely to find irate customers who don't want their experience bogged down by others.

It's not clear why the FCC thinks it needs to intervene in a situation with obvious market solutions. Companies that impose draconian tolls or block services will lose customers. Existing laws already offer a number of protections against anti-competitive behavior, but it's not clear under what law Mr. Genachowski thinks he can stick his nose into the businesses that comprise the Internet. The FCC regulates broadcast television and radio because the government granted each station exclusive access to a slice of the airwaves. Likewise when Ma Bell accepted a monopoly deal from Uncle Sam, it came with regulatory strings attached.

No such rationale applies online, especially because bipartisan majorities in Congress have insisted on maintaining a hands-off policy. A federal appeals court confirmed this in April by striking down the FCC's last attempt in this arena. "That was sort of like the quarterback being sacked for a 20-yard loss," FCC Commissioner Robert M. McDowell told The Washington Times. "And now the team is about to run the exact same play. ... In order for the FCC to do this, it needs for Congress to give it explicit statutory authority to do so."

Freedom and openness should continue to be the governing principles of the Internet. That's why Mr. Genachowski's proposal should be rejected and Congress should make it even more clear that the FCCshould stop trying to expand its regulatory empire.