Spartanburg Tea Party

Dave Edwards (daveedwards4congress.com) is running in SC04 as the Constitution Party candidate and I’m happy to give him a guest blogger spot today as he explains his conviction about his candidacy, specifically addressing his run as a third party candidate.

You can also find this blog on Dave’s website here. Visit his site and read his blogs and FAQ for more details on his candidacy.

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We’re running third party, but we’re not naive. A two party system is a reality of American politics. There hasn’t been a successful third party since the Republicans ousted the Whigs in the mid 1800s and we don’t anticipate a third party tidal wave any time soon. Furthermore, we take very seriously a third party’s tendency to cannibalize Republican votes and swell the ranks of liberal Democrats. So, you might wonder, what’s our angle?
First, let’s address a legitimate concern that sometimes sounds like this: a vote for a third party candidate is a vote for a Democrat. Is this true? Sometimes. But not in South Carolina’s fourth district. We won’t swell the ranks of liberal Democrats because if you split the Republican vote in two, the Democrats take third place (based on the last midterm election). We are safe to challenge a Republican candidate who doesn’t champion conservative values as aggressively as the people he represents.
Secondly, a third party challenger can help our two party system be more effective. Traditionally, third parties knock one of the two main parties into alignment with the American people. The votes they receive are protest votes. In other words, third parties gain the most and the two parties lose the most when people are angry. In case you haven’t noticed, folks are mad. Contrary to the caricatures, the anger isn’t reckless. It’s focused on clear frustrations.
One: People are angry that conservative values are present to win elections and absent to govern the country.
Two: People are angry that both parties focus more on who’s right than what’s right.
Three: People are angry when Republicans lay a foundation for government spending and people are even angrier that Democrats build a skyscraper of debt on top of it.
Fourth: People are angry that their constitutional perspectives are underrepresented by their representatives.
Our campaign’s success will serve a notice to Washington and help bind the Republican party to the will of the people. We offer citizens in the fourth district a productive way to channel their frustrations and reform the Republican party. We also offer South Carolinians advocacy for a leaner more effective government. In short, this November we offer voters a choice.

We’ve mentioned Mick a few times here at STP … he’s ahead in the race right now to unseat John Spratt right across the county line in the fifth congressional district. Spratt … a Pelosi lapdog to the infinity degree … Spratt who while charged by law to present a budget by April 15 has yet to produce one … Spratt, a 28 year incumbent. If you have friends/family in the 5th district, or if you can volunteer some time to flip a seat from Democrat to Republican which will have a HUGE impact, please consider contacting www.mulvaneyforcongress.com and donating time and/or money. Here’s a clip of Mick speaking to supporters last week in Lancaster.

USC-Lancaster BBQ from Mick Mulvaney on Vimeo.

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Marc Theissen wrote a story in July in the Washington Post about the 2011 Transportation, Housing and Urban Development appropriations bill’s lack of GOP earmarks.

True to its name, the THUD act has traditionally been one of the most heavily earmarked bills in Congress, and this one was no exception, containing 459 individual earmarks. But there was one small difference from years past: Of those 459 earmarks, all but six were requested by Democrats. The House also passed the 2011 Military Construction and Veterans Affairs appropriations bill Thursday, which contains 523 earmarks, all but one requested by Democrats. So in total, the House approved some 982 earmarks this week, only seven of which were requested by Republicans.

Theissen continues by naming the errant GOPers: Reps. Henry Brown (S.C.), Ron Paul (Texas), Don Young (Ak.), and Jospeh Cao (La.) (Yep. Ron Paul, who speaks against earmarks, yet is one of the GOP biggest earmarkers.)

So there has been some progress… but not as much as it may appear. Theissen points to another article by Steve Reiss at Citizens Against Government Waste (CAGW) which explains how some House Republicans are not acting in good faith re: the earmark ban.

Some House Republicans have simply passed off earmarks to their Senate counterparts. In a July 2, 2010 article, the Louisville Courier-Journal reported that earmark requests from Kentucky Reps. Geoff Davis (R-Ky.), Brett Guthrie (R-Ky.), Hal Rogers (R-Ky.), and Ed Whitfield (R-Ky.), reappeared on Sen. Jim Bunning’s (R-Ky.) list. This convenient arrangement was possible because the Senate has not passed any sort of earmark ban.

Reiss’ article outlines some more disappointing, yet not surprising manipulations re: earmarks and ends thusly:

It would be uplifting to see members of Congress putting this sort of creative scheming and problem-solving power toward solving the budget crisis and fixing the economy. Until meaningful and permanent reforms are instituted for the full House and Senate, or members begin to abide by the language and spirit of the current bans on earmarks, taxpayers will remain skeptical that business as usual has been changed in Washington.

I have continuing hope (perhaps naively) that we can elect enough citizen patriots in 2010 and 2012 to bring the transparency and fiscal restraint necessary to crush this problem.

This is what folks are talking about if they mention The Big Board.

a pretty nifty way to find Republican congressional candidates/websites quickly in any state.

Use it wisely

US House 4 Libertarian Candidate Rick Mahler will be having an Informal Meet & Greet. Spread the word so that we can get the word out about a TRUE candidate running this election, below is from his Facegroup page.

( http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=34898517069&ref=ts )

August 7th 4-7 PM. Come on down for an informal meet & greet @ 208 N Main St in downtown Greer. This is a free event. All that we ask is that you RSVP to Rick@mahlerforcongress.com or the facebook event so that we can plan accordingly.

Thank You, and I hope to see you all.
Rick

…passed along by

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Jamie A Steele
Spartanburg County Chairman
South Carolina Libertarian Party

http://spartanburgcountylp.org

Moe Lane writes a MADDENING article about the LIES LIES LIES of this administration.

Salazar’s report to Obama said a panel of seven experts “peer reviewed” his recommendations, which included a six-month moratorium on permits for new wells being drilled using floating rigs and an immediate halt to drilling operations.

“None of us actually reviewed the memorandum as it is in the report,” oil expert Ken Arnold told Fox News.

Read the article. I’m quite at a loss for words to convey how shameful and dangerous this precedent is to America.

Man on the Street from David Thomas on Vimeo.