The Audacity of Reality

Atlas Shrugged Movie Review

2011-04-27T14:14:00.000-07:00

‘Atlas Shrugged’ Movie Evokes More Than a Shrug

“Atlas Shrugged,” the new movie based on the 1957 novel written by Ayn Rand, is a political thriller fit for the whole family. Directed by Paul Johansson, “Atlas Shrugged” brings to the big screen a chilling imagining of a dystopian future for America—a scenario not so far removed from reality in the minds of many Americans. The film portrays an overreaching government—again, not a stretch in an era of government bailouts and takeovers of various industries—corrupt politicians and equally-corrupt businesses; in other words, crony capitalism.

Dagny Taggart, portrayed by Taylor Schilling, is the film’s protagonist— an executive of a giant railroad company founded by her grandfather. The film chronicles her attempt to save the family business from difficult economic times characterized by a crooked political machine in the form of collectivism and statism. During her struggle, Dagny Taggart crosses paths with Hank Rearden (Grant Bowler), a self-made steel magnate, and they unite to fight against the government’s attempt to enforce control over successful businesses.

“Atlas Shrugged” manages to pull you in from the moment you sit down. The question of “Who is John Galt?” permeates the film. Readers of Rand’s most well-known novel will recognize the question and what it means, but those who haven’t read the hefty best-seller will either have to read the tome or see the movie.

Like many films based on books, “Atlas Shrugged” has received mixed reviews. Even those who have not read Rand’s magnum opus, however, will find the film easy to follow. Despite a less than large budget—at least by Hollywood standards—the film is visually appealing and the largely unknown actors acquit themselves quite well.

For those burned out by the stream of leftist drivel that routinely flows out of Hollywood, this film is a breath of fresh air with its spirited defense of freedom and capitalism. “Atlas Shrugged” is a fine film for political junkies and mystery-lovers alike.

This is the first part of a planned three-part movie, with the second and third movies scheduled for release in spring 2012 and spring 2013, respectively.

Changing the Game

2011-04-21T15:41:00.001-07:00

"OLYMPIA, Wash. (AP) — The Legislature approved on Tuesday a bill to suspend Washington's 2012 presidential primary, a move that will save more than $10 million as lawmakers struggle to close the $5.1 billion budget deficit for the next two years. Instead of a primary, Washington will revert back to a caucus system, which involves neighborhood meetings where people sign in to choose a certain candidate. Caucuses historically have a much lower voter turnout than the primary system." Seattle PI

So how will this effect college students?

Well depending on when and where the caucuses are, Students might not even be able to attend. In other words you will only be able to vote on the general election. For most people this will not be too big of an issue. But in times like this when so much rides on the future leaders of out nation. I would hope the youth could get more involved in working to reform there nation. With changes like this however I for see once again the college age students getting the short end of the stick.

Obama and Facebook

2011-04-20T15:00:00.000-07:00

"Obama’s decision to trek to the hub of the social networking movement comes on the heels of a heavy youth presence in Obama’s web video announcing his plan to seek a second term that was released a few weeks ago...What’s clear is that the Obama political team views young voters a s a fundamental building block to him winning a second term in 2012. The harder question to answer is whether they can they re-create the political magic Obama demonstrated with young people in 2008" Washington Post

With the election season getting closer the politicians are starting to make their move. For obama his main area of focus of late has been the youth. With his announcement for reelection coming via face book it's not surprising he is trying to harness the unknown power that is the youth vote. Obama's trip to the internet capital of the world, further drives home his dedication to reconnecting with the youth for his upcoming election.

With students having to shell out as much has 16% more on education next year one has to wonder if Obama will be able to be the Star Studded Candidate he was in 2008. With only half the number of students voting in 2010 many wonder what the turnout will be like in 2012. Will the students be deterred from the political process once again? Or will Obama's calls for reform and change this time around be meet with cheer and applause once more? One thing is for certain the youth will have a chance to really make a stand and direct the discussion and debates of this election. But on what topic and what direction will they choose?

Union Rallies and Angry People

2011-04-14T10:56:00.003-07:00

"The State Patrol says four organized rallies against budget cuts at the state Capitol last week cost the agency about $50,000 in overtime for extra security staffing, and there is evidence police thought protests were escalating and close to getting out of hand. Last Thursday, state troopers arrested 17 people outside the governor’s office, mostly home care workers cited for disorderly conduct, and one man for an alleged felony assault on two officers. A larger rally drew 7,000 on Friday but had no incidents – although eight troopers lined up in front of the governor’s office lobby’s locked doors at one point in the afternoon." The Olympian

Last week i had the time to go to the Union rally in Olympia . It was quite the experience to say the least. With the state discovering that they are even further in debt the cuts are beginning to be even more drastic. With cuts in education, public health, and services, it is logical to look into government jobs as well. Union groups "combating" what many of the labor movement call "union busting" have been creating rallies like this all over the nation.

For some reason community organizers and union bosses think that the more angry people show up at the capital the better. But in actuality it has the opposite effect. The Olympian article above showed the real impact of the rally. One has to wonder do these demonstrations really have an impact on the legislature? The honest answer is no. Very few legislators' minds are changed my mass hysteria. But then again maybe its good for people to let off some political steam.

For you viewing pleasure picture from the rally are below.

Robbing the Youth

2011-04-13T16:40:00.003-07:00

"A quarter of teenagers were jobless in March, representing a surprising increase from February, even as the unemployment rate for the rest of the population decreased.....The unemployment rate for 16- to 19-year olds jumped back up to 24.5 percent in March, up from 23.9 percent the prior month, according to the latest jobs data from the Labor Department." CNBC's

Sadly during this time of economic recover, one group seems always left out..... the youth. The reality of life is that college degrees are counting for less and less. We are the most "education generation" in history and are still the most unemployed. Even minimum wages jobs are hard to come by. Students who worked through high school to save for college or just to pay for the gas in your car are not even finding the basic jobs they had when they were 16. With all the talk of economic growth and reform, its seems that the next generation is always left out. Don't cut medicare don't revise social security don't even think of cutting wasteful spending just undercut the next generation so that the current one is happy..... As these recent statics show the future is looking bleak for the people of my generation.

With college tuition on the rise and the unemployment rate increasing for the leaders of tomorrow we are starting to create a very explosive situation among the youth. When your college degree can't even get you a job at Starbucks it makes you wonder what will become of our future? For most of the recent graduates the biggest hurtle is the lack of experience. Most post college level jobs want 3-4 year plus of experience in a field. Robbing our generation of basic jobs and work opportunities just increase the gravity if the issue. So if we can't get experience and a fourth of us cant get a job what will become of the "entitlement generation".

One would hope that this will act as a catalyst for real change in America. As one of my favorite political writers said. "The pages of history are not written by the old, but by the youth, for they are the ones fighting in the trenches and protesting in the streets. The youth fight for the future while the old just fight to preserve the present" Eric Hoffer

Reality of High Ed : You can't afford it

2011-04-12T13:49:00.000-07:00

"Student loan debt topped credit card debt for the first time last year, and it's no wonder. College costs have skyrocketed over the last decade - rising an average of 6 percent each and every year. Today's college student can expect to still be paying down loans when THEIR kids go to college." Fox Business

The shocking reality of high education is that we can literally not pay our way throughout college. Unless our parents saved for your education you will have to get loans to pay for high education. If you worked 40hours every week at a minimum wage job (est $9 a hour) you would only make ruffly $14,000. The cost to go to most state schools is around 17,000-20,000 a year (tuition housing and food). With the reality of high education its no shocker that students loans are plaguing our generation.

With every graduating class there are less jobs and more unemployed college graduates. Sadly its quite common to see students that graduate with four years degrees working at Safeway or Starbucks, while they wait for there "dream job". With the economy in a slump and our government in denial of the size and scope of our debit, the future doesn't look to good for those seeking higher education. Will college still act as a gate keeper for "success" in life? Or will our culture start reshaping the views of the post high school life? One thing is for certain the future of high education will directly impact the future of our nation. The bigger the debt grows so will the cost of higher education.

"At the end of the day, students have to weigh their wishes and wants - all of them - against the cost of education. Because if you pay too much - you'll end up shortchanging your future in other ways, such as delaying marriage, buying a house and having kids." Fox Business

Crisis Averted

2011-04-12T11:29:00.001-07:00

I love it in American politics when someone actually does their job there is a celebrate proceeding it. The discussion of late was whether our federal government would be able to figure out a budget for our nation. After days of fear mongering, name calling and miss information, our legislators got together and did their job. As many of the national paper reported, there was great jubilation and celebrate with the completion of a budget. But one has to ask, Why are we calibrating the complete of a basic requirement of their job? Has our government gotten to the point that failure and party politics are a norm and doing you job is now seen as going above and beyond? That greatly concerns be. I already experienced celebrated mediocrity by going to public school, so its not to surprising they doing it in public service jobs. I just hope they save the champagne for once we balance the national budget.

The End is Nigh.....or Just a day off

2011-04-07T11:37:00.001-07:00

The issue on the minds of most legislatures is our massive debt on the state and federal level. Currently the federal government in teetering on the edge, and is looking as though it will have a government "shut down" very soon. What will the government shoot down look like is the topic of interest for many government employees. As the Washington Post and other news organization have reported the government shut down is not as apocalyptic as some of the Representatives try to paint it as. The Washington Post created a short video discussing the impact and events that let up to the potential shut down. (Link: Washington Post Video)

General speaking the only impact of the shut down will be the temporary shutdown of the "non-essential" aspects of government. So fire, police, military, and other such service will go unfazed from the "government shut down". You might not be able to go to the DOL or get audited by the IRS but over all life will go on as normal. The question in my mind is once this political stunt is over. Which side will come out "on top". Hopefully something constructive will come out of this. But in all reality a government shut down will just be another tool for the campaign session.

The Power of our Generation

2011-04-06T11:26:00.000-07:00

“IT BEGINS”, concludes the video launching Barack Obama’s re-election campaign, “with us.” That is, it begins with ordinary, hard-working, upstanding citizens getting together to speak out for what they believe in. And what is that, exactly? A woman in Arizona (Gladys, a caption helpfully informs us) talks vaguely about finding a job, owning a house and putting kids through college. Aside from these unobjectionable goals, however, there is no hint as to what Mr Obama stands for or how he intends to achieve it." (The Economist)

As many of you have already seen Obama has begun officially running for re-election. The interesting part is that his primary focus is on the young voter. With the over whelming majority of college students and young adults having voted for Obama last election it seems like a logical place for his campaign to start. This year however with the unpopularity of some of his actions as president, the margins will not be as high as last election. More people of my generation were left with a feeling of confusion in regards to his presidency. What has he changed for the better?

In a move to recapture his strongest demographic Obama will be hosting a Facebook town hall conference. Where people can post on the Facebook page questions for the president. But one has to wonder why is he putting so much time into the youth so early?

Some political researchers and analysts feel that if Obama doesn't win the youth he might not be able to win reelection. How is that for a interesting thought. Could the very fate of our nation fall on to the shoulder of our generation? With the amount of money and time spent trying to capture the youth vote it might just be true.

With that fact made clear, will our generation help shape our nation come 2012 or will they let the direction of our nation be decided without us?

UW Students visualize the debt.

2011-04-05T12:14:00.000-07:00

Last week the Young Americans for liberty chapter at the University of Washington engaged their fellow students on the important of debt reduction. The Student were generally meet with curiosity more then hostility, which is unusual for a libertarian club on any campus. Most onlookers stooped for a brief moment to look and the display. Others took photos and walked up to there booth to learn more about our national debit.

During the event a local school group of 4th grader visiting the campus stopped to learn more about our national debit. The president of the student group explained the danger of over spending and what their future might look like if we don't fix the national debt. A few of the 4th grades tried to pronounce the debit. After multiple failed attempts, the student frustrated proclaimed, "This number is way to high!".

The Visualize the debt event was part of a nation day of protest to try and engage people on the issues surrounding our national debt. The student group was interviewed my MSNBC and the local papers as well.

Its good to see this tough issue discussed so plainly with the community. One would hope that this discussion would not just stop on campuses but would start to be a major focuses for most of the conversation focusing on our future. If a 4th grader could get the message i hope the maybe our legislature would also come to the realization that "this number is way to high!"

Going Green and Going Broke

2011-03-30T13:40:00.002-07:00

"Electric vehicle owners might have to start paying a $100 registration fee every year under a bill that passed the state Senate on Tuesday...Senate Bill 5251 moved forward in a 36-11 vote, with supporters saying it would ensure that all drivers pay something to maintain state roads but opponents arguing a flat fee for all battery-powered cars was a simplistic approach" The Olympian

The Washington State Legislature is trying to find more revenue to make for their shortfall this session. One area of interest is electric cars and how they "miss out" on some of the gas tax. So if you have an electric or hybrid you might be dinged for not buying enough gas. I love how our government works....

In regards to electric cars and other" Go Green" vehicles. The federal government also gives tax break to those that buy them. So some people suggest that maybe instead of making up a Hybrid/electric tax just eliminate there tax ride off. That might be a better option in my opinion. I don't think the government should give tax incentives for private business but that's just me. What ever the out come, the go green crowd will be paying a little more of there own greens.

The Changing of the Guard

2011-03-29T15:57:00.003-07:00

There comes in the course of history a time were a small minority could forever change the very fate of our nation. Often people claim that those times are great areas of conflict or times of civil unrest, where the dedication of a few revolutionaries, can surpass the collective apathy of the masses. Very rarely are elections contributed with being true turning points in America history. As I have heard even political professors say, that in the end of the day elections don't really matter, movements matter.

So what, if you become a new yes or no vote in the electorate, unless your part of the majority or the deciding factor in a vote what real impact can you have, except making the lives of the other legislature more difficult? What can really changes the fate and direction of our nation is the social and cultural shifts. Often those shifts can be assisted by those we elect to higher office or the leader we prop up, but the momentum and the heart of any movement resides within the emotions of the people.

From my work in the political community for the past year, I have ridden shotgun to many of the political revolutions and issues of our time. I have seen the impact the media and our pop culture has on the direction of the people of my generation. More importantly I have seen the end result of all the madness and "reforms" that so many groups have been fighting for. The only results from their labor are a disenfranchised youth whose very future is being taxed by the growth of our nation.

This fact is being driven home by the rise in the cost of education and the continued reduction in entry level jobs for those soon to be out of school and/or out of work. For those raised on the promise of a good life after college are met with the cold reality of the stagnate waters that seem to be the future of our generation. With students being drunkenly awaken by Obama's last election found themselves quickly sobered by the increase attacks the their futures. What will become of the entitled youth when their comforts and future hopes are wagered against the preservation of a system they believe to have no stake in?

For those of you involved in the political realm, put your ears to the ground and listen to the rumble that's a coming. There is nothing more volatile then a large number of highly trained unemployed young people. As we have seen in the Middle East, the revolutions do not come from the old and the experienced, but from the youth whose dreams seem plausible with their perceived coming victory over the very culture that raised them. The larger the deficit grows, the more the entitlement generation will lose the dream that they where promise. To that end a great cultural revolution will come to America. A great cultural revolution that will forever change America and redefine the dream my generation fights for.

To what end do we strive? To whom do we find fellowship? To What send will the leader of tomorrow fight for today? One thing is for sure the changing of the guard is coming and the ranks will be filled with those that wish to fight to reclaim that which many of us feel was taken from us. The American Dream.

In Search of Innovation: SB 5442

2011-03-23T13:56:00.001-07:00

AN ACT Relating to an accelerated baccalaureate degree program....(SB5442)

This legislative session a lot of tough choices have had to been made. Ever now and then a the legislature comes up with a logical and cost effective change versus the number of increase growth and cost of government. In the first part of march i worked with a could school in Olympia to lobby and learn more about what is going on with higher education reform. One of the things I stressed is a push for innovation not just reduction or growth of a program. SB5442 would allow the university to create a fast track three year degree, such as a honors program or adjust what many student dread, the general education requirements. The idea of this bill is to allow students the choice to take a hard course load so they could graduate sooner. So those that have a specific goal or dream and get the education they need and get out into the world sooner.

This program would save students time and money and the state money, as the state subsidies a large amount of tuition for state schools. I hope to see more bills such as this come out of Olympia. As the saying going;

"If we want something we have never had, we have to do something we have never done"

I think finally our legislators are getting the idea. If you love or hate the bill let your legislature know so maybe we can have more innovation in our state and local governments.

Privatizing the liquor board......again?

2011-03-21T12:56:00.002-07:00

With our states economy a little worse for wear, the state legislatures are turning to some older ideas to save the state money and increase revenue.

"A new initiative to privatize state liquor sales has been filed with the Secretary of State's office. In November, Washington voters rejected two ballot initiatives to privatize liquor sales. But conservative blogger Stefan Sharkansky says his new proposal would maintain tax revenue and impose tighter control on private liquor sales. He helped craft last year's Initiative 1100. Sharkansky's initiative would only allow stores with a five-year record of no public safety violations to sell liquor, seeking to allay last year's fears of minors gaining easier access to alcohol.

Private retailers would collect liquor sales tax at the current level, so the state would still receive revenue to continue public service programs. Sharkansky says privatization would allow the state Liquor Control Board to focus on controlling liquor, rather than promoting it."(Seattle Times)

During the election season both initiatives that were on the ballet regarding this issue failed. But when the state is looking for any way to save a few bucks, legislation like this doesn't sound to far off any more. If you reduce regulation you thus increase sale and taxation of said goods..... Sounds good to me! With the controversy of the Four Loko debacle forgotten my most voters, it will be interesting to see how our state feels about the bill now. Though trial comes creativity and ingenuity. I hope to see more bills of this nature coming out of Olympia in the future. I think it is time for our state to look at innovative ways to change the structure of our government instead of looking for more people or goods they can squeeze for taxes.

Shocking Reality: We are $698 million more in debt

2011-03-18T14:14:00.001-07:00

"The state's chief economist, Arun Raha, on Thursday projected the state will collect nearly $700 million less in taxes over the next two years than previously forecast. That pushes the budget shortfall to around $5.1 billion or more, depending on how you count it, through fiscal year 2013. State fiscal years run from July 1 through the end of June." ( Seattle Times)

So if you haven't heard, we are even further in debt than before. So the cuts to higher education we were worried about will only get bigger with a 11% increase being the minimum that it might go up. Teacher unions and state workers unions that protested against reducing their state benefits, might have to reevaluate their strategy. With our state not being able to raise taxes with out a 2/3 majority, the only thing we have left to do is cut.

Get ready for some intense rallying and protesting at our capital because people and services are going to be getting cut. And with every dollar goes another voter. So with all eyes once again on our legislators what projects will they cut? Will they reduce the size and the power of regulator organizations? Will the state expand the gambling taxes and allow more off reservation gambling? Will we privatize the whole sale of liquor in our state? Will we finally allow charter schools in our state? What will out state do?

Out of every crises comes opportunities, and with our state having to cut back on costs, we will be able to in-act sweeping reform in our state the likes of which we have not seen in a long time. But the question beckons, what form will that change take?

Social Security : The Titanic of our Time

2011-03-17T12:54:00.001-07:00

"More than eight in 10 Americans now see the country’s Social Security system as headed for a crisis, and most think a major overhaul is in order, according to a new Washington Post-ABC News poll."(Washington Post)

One of the lesser talked about crises is that of social security. While we talk about reducing the deficit our officials don't like to talk about the growing deficit that is social security. Sense its creation it has been raided by one administration after the next. The funds have gone to paying for a large number of pet projects, many of which now are on the chopping block. So what will be come of the National Retirement plan? If our recession and deficit grow, will we limit or cut those on social security? If it comes down to funding our parents retirement of paying for infrastructure who will win?

To understand the true magnitude of the problem I will give a little back ground to the program. In a nut shell social security was created to get older people out of the work force to provide opening for new young employees to get there start in the work world. Social security is base off a ponzi scheme. Basically the workers pay into this program to pay for those that are retired, and once they retire the younger generation pays for there retirement and so forth.

This plan works only if there are more workers then retirees. However with people living longer and the population having a high percent of retirees, the percent of people working to retiring is becoming less. What this means is that we either have to increase the amount each worker pays into the system, to off set the difference, or give less benefits to those that have social security. However neither of these plans seem favorable to most people in the system. People don't want to lose benefit or want to pay more into the system. So in the end a deficit and inflation is the only option.

This topic will be a hot button issue during the 2012 campaign season, it will be interesting to see what candidates on both sides of the political world think about reform. For whatever reform we do in act someone is going to get the short end of the stick. I wonder which generation will in the end call the shots?

The Plight of Education

2011-03-14T14:50:00.003-07:00

Most days I read two to three newspapers to stay up to date on whats going on in the world. One of my favorite things to do is read some of the comment chains on popular articles and stories of controversial issues. Of late the more I read and research controversial issues, the more I come what is the biggest problem in American education, the inability to think critically.

I love to talk politics with people, especially if they don't agree with me. ( You learn more about the world by looking out a window then by looking in a mirror) Lately I have run into a large number on both sides of the political spectrum that don't think critically, they think emotionally. They are more likely to yell at you then talk with you.

My parents are both teacher and conversations like this come up all the time. How do we teach critical thinking? Mainstream education teaches you what to think, not how to think. What we need is to focus more on the latter. With "Education reform" making education look more like an assembly line then a school. The question beckons...What are we teaching our kids?

Being a higher education student myself, I have learned and refined the ability to regurgitate the equivalent of an education hairball in class, but true understanding is another situation entirely. So i would pose the question, should we be focusing on measurable criteria? Or on something more in depth when i comes to education reform?

The Art of Stupidy

2011-03-10T15:24:00.001-08:00

A short while again the New Hampshire Legislature tried to redefine how student vote. The sponsoring senators stated that students only voted on emotion not on fact.....and that is some how different then the rest of the voting populous?

"The measure gained national notice, thanks in part to a YouTube video of the state's new GOP House speaker declaring students "foolish" because they are "liberal" and "just vote their feelings." The sponsor of the measure went further in his denunciations of college students, declaring that they turn out in college towns on Election Day and cancel out other voters, motivated by a "dearth of experience and a plethora of the easy self-confidence that only ignorance and inexperience can produce. - Washington Post

Sometime the actions of our representatives deeply worry be not only is this a horrible political move, ( lets turn of an entire generation off to your party why don't ya....), it show how little our representative care about the voice of the youth. Instead of reaching out to learn what issues and concerns the youth of our nation has, lets just punish them for not voting in the way i wanted.... This if nothing else should give credence to getting involve now, before our future is planned with-out us. The legislature is already mortgaging our futures against the present (deficit spending), and now some people want to silence our voice.....

To get involved with a group that is fighting for your future today check out the Student Freedom Project.
And learn how to get involved in your community today.

Tiger Blood and Union Riots

2011-03-10T13:10:00.004-08:00

"I'm proud of what I've created. It was radical," he said. "I exposed people to magic. I exposed them to something they're never otherwise going to see in their boring, normal lives. And I gave that to them. I may forget about them tomorrow, but they'll live with that memory for the rest of their lives. And that's a gift, man."- Charlie Sheen

Sadly this magic doesn't seem to different from whats been going on in Wisconsin. Union busting or fighting for the tax payer? Sadly this fiasco has shown America the true depths of political maturity in America politics today. So you can win a debate by leaving the state and then complain that the Republicans are not "playing far"....really? how does that pan out, if Republicans left during the health care debate would the Democrats, simply say..."Well played sir"....Not likely. Way to much lately it seems that both parties are trying to use every trick in the book to discredit their adversary or try to label them as crazy as possible in order to prove there superiority. This tact seems about just as logical as a lot of the Charlie Sheen quotes plaguing the internet these days.

It seems like Wisconsin legislature is not bi-partisan their "Bi-Winnering", because after this fiasco both sides have them self convinced that they have discredited the other.

But in the end of the day what way real accomplished? The teacher protesters ran out of sick days, students in the public school system got an extra vacation and the senate dems got a mid session vacation.... but is the debit in their state any close to begin eradicated?.....didn't think so......

With the serous nature of the problems out nations faces i would hope that our officials from both sides would at least find a way to work together and fight for the preservation of our nation. Just like Charlie Sheen's Magic, the Wisconsin legislature showed the nation..... something they're never otherwise going to see in their boring, normal lives....the senators may forget about the people tomorrow but they'll live with that memory for the rest of their lives. And that's a gift, man!

A Sobering Look at the Budget

2011-03-01T16:12:00.000-08:00

Like a lot of things in the government transparency hard to come by. On the topic of "reform" you would be surprised by the diversity of numbers regarding the debt in our state. So the questions beckons;

What is out States Budget?

What is our states actual deficit?

According to the our governor our budget is;

"During the 2011-13 budget period, Washington state will spend about $75.5 billion to provide programs and services to citizens." (Governor Chris Gregoire)

A sad truth, (also a talking point for conservative legislatures) is that that number is actual a record profit for the state. So we are taking in more money then ever have before this cycle, but we don't have the funds to cover the short fall. But what is the short fall how much does out state actually owe?

"The state was projected to have a deficit of $4.6 billion in 2011–13"(Governor Chris Gregoire)

Overall the number doesn't seem to high but when we look at the overall cost of government its pretty bad. We could cut all the prisons (1.8 billion) all natural resource programs (1.6 billion) and half of the government employees and offices (2.15 billion) and we would just break even. (source: Governor Chris Gregoire)

Even tho our shortfall is only 18% of the over all income our state bring in, balancing the budget is going to be hard thing to do. As we have seen in Wisconsin, balancing the budget can be a very unpopular thing to do.

A Test of Leadership: Budget Cuts

2011-02-28T16:30:00.001-08:00

"As a general rule, politicians -- from the local level right up to the presidency -- hate uncertainty. When the public is as deeply divided (or confused) about such a major issue as the budget and the possibility of a government shutdown, politicians are left with no obvious course of action to move forward. In the face of such uncertainty, politicians typically punt -- pushing off the hardest decisions until there is more clarity in public opinion." (Washington Post)

With regard to the potential government "shut down" and the clashes with unions, at what point should our elected officials provide leadership instead of working for group consequences? We often times advocate for our legislature to listen to the will of the people, but when the governed is divided when should they press on? This is a tough question for any leader to answer. In my view however i feel that out leaders should do what they feel is best especially when the times are as dark as this. Inaction is as dangerous as any option out there, and i would hope that our officials would listen to the people and do what they feel is best for the whole of America.

Government Shut Down and Union Contracts

2011-02-23T10:36:00.002-08:00

"By March 4, lawmakers must pass a short-term resolution to continue funding the government, or President Obama and congressional leaders can strike a deal on how to fund government operations for the final seven months of fiscal 2011. Failing to do so would prompt at least a partial shutdown affecting various agencies and functions." (Washington Post)

With federal government facing a possible shut down, and union protests and riots popping up in America, one has to wonder how is our electorate letting this happen? For a democratic nation there really is not much compromise and democracy going on lately. As we can see in the Federal government and in Wisconsin with the union protests, is seems more of a my way or the highway, in regards to regulation and legislation. I remember during the health care debates a year ago that we had similar party politics and controversy, but our electorate at least played the game and voted no or yes and was at least involved in the fight for Americas future.

How sad is it that sense a year ago, we have gotten to the point where compromise is worse then complete failure. Instead of working to find the middle ground, we try to starve our political adversaries. The fact that state senators could just pack up and leave to stall a vote to me is just a slap in the face of America politics. As i see it, acts like this illustrate the servility of the times we are in. I only hope that when things start getting worse more people will start waking up. And maybe just maybe, we can start working to fix the problems of our nation, instead of trying to pin our failures on the backs of our opponents. But then again I'm a realist, so batten down the hatches and hold on time, these next few years are going to be a bumpy ride.

Union Debate

2011-02-17T15:24:00.001-08:00

Should government employees be allow to unionize? In Wisconsin that question is on the chopping block. But ironically to the dismay of the republican majority the Democrats took the chopping block out of state. ( i wonder what would happen if they did that for healthcare reform?)

"Debate in the State Senate over Wisconsin’s controversial bill to cut collective bargaining rights for public workers ended, at least temporarily, on Thursday morning before it began. As the session was due to begin, Democrats failed to appear in the chamber, leaving the body without a quorum and leading the Republicans to send capitol officials in search of the Democrats." (New York Times)

Despite the stunt by the Democrats in Wisconsin, the question beckons, should government employees be allow to unionize? The danger with having government employee unions is that they can lobby and effectively fight for the preservation of their jobs even if the regulation or the program that congress created no longer has a purpose. That can be very harmful especially when the government has to make drastic cuts to the budget. But with out unions the employees of the state would not have the collective bargaining abilities that they do now. So how else would they be able to voice their option or concern about regulation or issues relating to there employment? What ever your views his push from reform is a very telling sign of the hard times to come.

So once they find the Democrats what will happen to the governments unions and could this be the begin of national reform?

Stories From the Nanny State: Monopoly 2.0

2011-02-16T10:37:00.001-08:00

My heart sank after i read this article in the New York times. Hasbro has come out with Monopoly 2.0, but this time there is a computer watching your every move and insuring there is no funny business with the banking, or modifications of rules. It even watch how many space you move. ..

"Hasbro showed a preview of the new version, called Monopoly Live, at this week’s Toy Fair in New York. It is the classic Monopoly board on the outside, with the familiar railroads like the B.& O. and the development of property. But in the center, instead of dice and Chance and Community Chest cards, an infrared tower with a speaker issues instructions, keeps track of money and makes sure players adhere to the rules. The all-knowing tower even watches over advancing the proper number of spaces." (New York Times)

So big brother is even watching over the comical board game of free market enterprise. This truly is a sad day for Monopoly players everywhere. I remember as a child having to do the math in my head as to the cost/revenue figures of property owner ship. Or creating investment plans with my friends to get the highest yielding returns on my property investment. Now with the All Knowing Computer watching over the game the experiences will never be the same. All we need know is the bailout button and the game will be a direct representation of our current economy. I just hope they don't try to change anymore of my childhood board games. Apples to Apples the PC version? Risk the UN addition? The future of board games looks bleak indeed.

Higher Education: Cutting Spending

2011-02-15T11:33:00.003-08:00

"In the past two years alone, WSU's tuition has increased 30 percent as the university has attempted to plug the shortfall of millions of dollars in state funding, said Joan King, executive director of planning and budgeting. The amount of support WSU receives from the state has decreased by 30 percent - or $133 million - in the last 18 months."(Daily Evergreen)

Across the state programs are getting cut drastically because of our state's deficit. Higher education is not alone in feeling the brunt of the cuts, but as the question arises should higher education be cut as much as it is? With cuts as drastic as this the student across the state are starting to wake up the the reality of the state of our government.

Students are confused and angry at the increases in tuition costs for their education. The universities and education union often bus students to Olympia from across the state to lobby for increase spending on higher education, often my means of tax increases.

But propping up education at the expense of businesses provides our state with more college graduates but creates more post education unemployment. So the real question is what can the students of Washington state do to reduce the cuts in education, without damaging the working environment post education?

On my blog i try to advocate for realistic solution or to at least propose ideas to drive the conversation to something more productive then just political posturing and banter. If your interested in making a real impact i have posted info on higher education bills that are in the works, that you could get involved in. Check it out, contact your legislature and get off the bench and fight for your future.

(Link to Bill information )

Controversy in Washington

2011-02-04T11:07:00.001-08:00

House Bill 1715 could change Washington State forever. As the bill states; "The official designation is a desirable promotional tool that Washington businesses can use when sharing their product with customers through the world." (HB1715) What is the bill about, you ask? Only the most important cultural characteristic of Washington State. The amazing taste of coffee.

This bill designates coffee as our state drink, but the tough question is what kind? Is Washington State a black coffee state or a mocha latte or perhaps we are an americano type of state. The kind of coffee is very telling about a person and more so a state. What image do we as a state want to portray to the rest of the country?

Without your input key issues like this will be decided. Write or call your legislature today to get in the fight and stand up for your favorite morning pick me up. We can't fix health care or higher education reform this session but we can forever decide the fate of our state drink and the flavor of our future.

Healthcare and Gun Control: Ironic approach to Reform

2011-02-03T11:06:00.000-08:00

One of my friends sent this link to me and i couldn't help but laugh. In spirit of the health care mandate South Dakota as working on bill to provide an individual mandate for gun ownership.

"It's known as the "Act to provide for an individual mandate to adult citizens to provide for the self-defense of themselves and others." In political terms, it's a smackdown to the "Affordable Care Act." Republican Hal Wick from Sioux Falls is sponsoring the bill and concedes it is unlikely to pass, but he's using it to illustrate what many critics of the health care law believe -- that the requirement for individuals to buy health insurance is unconstitutional."(Political Daily)

I highly dough this bill will make it very far in there legislature but as comical as the idea is, it makes a good point. If the government can mandate you buy health insurance, what else could they force you to by. An good argument I heard in support of the mandate was that; "The health care mandate is akin to the law that require you to get auto insurance." That statement raised a good point, when you get in a car you could hurt someone else and thus you need insurance. But unlike a car with health care you don't chose to get sick, as you chose to drive. It will be interesting to see how the mandate issue pans out. If its seen as constitutional i wonder was else they will mandate.... gym memberships perhaps? As far as the gun mandate in South Dakota, i wonder if they will provide gun subsidies for low in come families. That could end poorly.

The War on Healthcare: The Battle Continues

2011-02-02T10:56:00.000-08:00

"The Senate’s Democratic leaders answered the Republican challenge by saying they would stage a vote on the repeal measure on Wednesday, when they were certain it would be defeated. The House, where Republicans won a majority in November’s elections, approved the repeal last month." ( New York Times )

A few days ago a Florida judge ruled that the health care bill was unconstitutional. With another judge ruling against the bill, the pressure is on for work to be done on the bill. But the Democratic senate has already stated, they will not make a vote to repeal the bill happen. With the bill following almost complete party lines the idea of even collaborating to fix the bill seems to be out of the question. But yet there is still some hope on the topic of health care reform. But it might just be more political posturing.

“For all those who supported the health care law, it’s an opportunity to re-evaluate your vote, to listen to your constituents,” Mr. McConnell said in a floor speech on Tuesday. He added, “You can say, perhaps: ‘This was a mistake. We can do this better.’ Or you can continue to dismiss the majority of people in this country as not knowing what they’re talking about.” ( New York Times )

Regardless of your views on the bill, the future of health care reform seems to be a partisan mined field. with neither side really gaining a footing at this point. But no matter the out come the tax payer will be fronting the bill.

The War on Healthcare

2011-01-31T12:42:00.001-08:00

The Florida state supreme court judge ruled that Health care bill is unconstitutional.

"Judge Roger Vinson said as a result of the unconstitutionality of the "individual mandate" that requires people to buy insurance, the entire law must be thrown out." (Fox News)

"I must reluctantly conclude that Congress exceeded the bounds of its authority in passing the Act with the individual mandate. That is not to say, of course, that Congress is without power to address the problems and inequities in our health care system. The health care market is more than one sixth of the national economy, and without doubt Congress has the power to reform and regulate this market. That has not been disputed in this case. The principal dispute has been about how Congress chose to exercise that power here," Vinson wrote. (Fox News)

This decision will help drive the bill to the supreme court. Realistic projection say that it will not happen for a year or more. Which means that this health care package or "Obamacare" as it has been coined, with be decided by the 2012 elections and those who are in office at that time.

Washington State is one of the 27 states that has signed onto the bill and has been involved in the fight to repeal the bill sense its creation. The Attorney General, Rob McKenna has gotten a lot of flack from those in our state government about his choices to sign on to the bill. If this bill is defeat in the supreme court, then it could acts as a nail in the coffin to the reelection of those officials that supported the unpopular bill.

As i say way to often change is coming to our nation and state, and pivotal bills and court ruling such as these are the key factors to that change. But the question arises, if this bill is shot down what else could republicans get on the chopping block? And how will out state legislature deal with increase attention on health care reform?

State of the Union : Optimism and Division

2011-01-27T10:53:00.000-08:00

For those that have seen it here are the links: State of the Union

The future was the focus, of Obama's State of the Union address. Can we better our schools? Can we fight to preserver the future of our nation? Obama compared our national issues and national mood to that of the cold war when the Russian sent Sputnik into space. Obama called us to action, to reform and to press forward on innovation and creation, what he said are the American ideals, and building block of our great nation. But can we accomplish these goals? With the method currently in place i say no.

GOP's response: Rep. Paul Ryan

The president asked us to champion innovation, but yet he can't hand failure. If we are in a race to create the jobs of tomorrow, we are going to have more failures then successes. As we have already seen the federal government will not let up on the regulation and taxation that stifles innovation and growth. So will the Bill Gates's of tomorrow be able to risk it all in pursuit of their dream? The odds are no.

The federal government and state governments has demonstrated a fear towards things in which they do not control. They believe that they have to create jobs and stimulate the economy but the truth is they can not. The government can not create jobs any better then a teacher can do their students homework. If the Obama administration really wants to spark the grown and innovation of American entrepreneurship all they have to do is step aside and let those with the dream be free to risk and created the jobs of tomorrow.

The national deficit can only be address if spending and entitlements are addressed. I only hope that with the federal government divided as it, that the grow of entitlements and wasteful spending are addressed. but then again I'm a realist and the only "innovation and job creation" i see coming our way from the federal government is more regulatory organizations, and staffers to running them.

For additional commentary on the address follow the link to the right: Rep. Eric Cantor

Healthcare Reform and Drinking Games

2011-01-20T13:28:00.000-08:00

“I want to advise people watching at home who are playing that now-popular drinking game — you take a shot whenever the Republicans say something that’s not true — please assign a designated driver,” he said. “This is going to be a long afternoon.”- New York Times

With the house passing the repeal of the health-care bill tempers in D.C. are flaring and the media outlets are buzzing. The call for chivalry seems to have been just another example of political posturing. Right out of the gates a Representative from Tennessee came out swing. He implied that republican are acting just like Goebbels, who was the propaganda director for the Nazi Regime during World War II. "On the House floor Tuesday, Cohen said: "They say it's a government takeover of health care, a big lie, just like Goebbels.You say it enough, you repeat the lie, you repeat the lie, and eventually, people believe it. Like blood libel. That's the same kind of thing."- Washington Post

With the events in Arizona, I like the majority of Americas hoped that this horrific event could be a catalyst to a new era of political chivalry. But like much in politics these days, their claims to reform their behavior was only a claim nothing more.

Throughout the health care debate the arguments from both sides of the isle where so polarized it came off as if they were arguing about two completely different bills. "Depending on your side of the aisle, it will either raise taxes, increase unemployment and sever the patient-doctor relationship or help heal the economy, reduce the deficit and save lives."- New York Times With that growing separation in American politics, and the continual attempt by both sides to demonize there adversary, I wonder IF and when the American electorate will be able to bridge the political divide.

I propose a new drinking game, every time the democrats and republicans agree about an issue take a drink. It will be a sobering experience.

The Decline in Education

2011-01-19T12:32:00.001-08:00

In an USA Today report, a study found some shocking data about the depth of education in higher education.

"Nearly half of the nation's undergraduates show almost no gains in learning in their first two years of college, in large part because colleges don't make academics a priority....After two years in college, 45% of students showed no significant gains in learning; after four years, 36% showed little change. Students also spent 50% less time studying compared with students a few decades ago, the research shows."- USA Today

If you've been to a college campus these days you sadly can see how this is very true. Education in general is being push to produced more higher education graduates. Like most government related products lowing standards are a lot easier then increase the difficulty. For when you lower the bar everyone a winner right?

Facts like this are not all that uncommon, studies have shown that students entering the workforce after college are increasingly unprofessional and unprepared for the tasks at hand. People are not raised with the idea that they are responsible for their work, and that the quality and timeliness of their work does effect the outcome. People expect their teachers to hold their hands throughout college, then have their bosses hold their hands throughout the work world. Whatever happened to individual independence, and personal motivation to succeed? I guess holding people accountable and forcing people to think instead of just repeating information is now "Un-America".

Like most things in life time has a habit of fixing our own mistakes. With more students at college graduating in to a world were jobs are fewer and far an between, maybe people will start waking to reality. If not there is always government jobs available.

Healthcare Repeal: Fact or Fiction

2011-01-06T12:21:00.001-08:00

With the 112th congress only two days old the fire works are already starting to fly. The Republican majority in the house are acting quickly to try and repeal the health care bill that was passed last year. It looks as though it will pass in the house but not in the senate. So many in the political establishments and the media ask this question; "What is the point?" Some people have argued that this sudden move is nothing more the an attempt to appease their base, and stay true to their election promises. With the health care bill being challenged in the courts and on the floor of the legislature, some form of change is coming in regards to the bill. What level of change is still up in the air.

With an issue this polarized it will be hard to get real data about the potential changes to the health care bill. Each media outlet, depending on the writers bend, gives a little different report of the data. Ever those in office argue about what the "real" facts are.

"I do not believe that repealing the job-killing health care law will increase the deficit," Boehner said at a Capitol press conference the day after the GOP formally regained the House majority."- (washingtonpost.com)

"The Congressional Budget office confirms that just one day after taking over the House, the Republican rhetoric on fiscal discipline doesn't meet the reality..... Sander Levin (D-Mich.) said in a statement Thursday."- (washingtonpost.com)

So is the repeal of health care real or just more political posturing? Will congress change the bill or destroy it entirely? Like a lot of things in life, only time will tell.

112th congress

2011-01-05T10:01:00.001-08:00

Change is coming to Washington this year, but is it change we can believe in? With the Republicans taking control of the house and more of Obama's cabinet members leavings, the ground is fertile for radical change. With the republicans sighting in on Obama Care and cutting the deficit, the Democrats are already on the defensive even before the session has started.

The new wave of freshman congressman have been sworn in and their education is underway. It will be interesting to see what comes about from the new officials. Will the more diverse group bring about a more middle of the road approach to American politics or will the next year be nothing more then a political quagmire?

Ones things for certain, the media will have an easy job making the new congress interesting. Internal fighting, health care lawsuits, corruption charges, Immigration reforms and much more! Get ready for 2011 here comes the chaos.

Making A Difference : Push Forward Conference

2011-01-03T10:33:00.001-08:00

Join us for a day of training and education about the Washington State Legislature. Our elected officials have admitted that they “have no plan” for fixing our state budget, so it’s up to us as citizens to provide them with the leadership and solutions our state needs to get back on track.

* Hear viable budget solutions from the Freedom Foundation’s top experts.
* Discover the secrets of the legislative process.
* Customize your learning experience! Pick from 3 learning tracks.

SeaTac DoubleTree Hotel - January 15, 2011

Get Your Tickets Now!

Vancouver Hilton - January 29, 2011

Get Your Tickets Now!

9:00 am - 4:00pm

Early Bird Special - $30.00

(Register before January 1, 2011)

The New Years Resolutions: More Consitution

2010-12-29T15:47:00.002-08:00

With the year coming to and end, people are in reflective moods and looking back on all 2010 had to offer. The American pass time that most mimics our government is right around the corner. New years resolutions are about as American as apple pie. Lots of optimism and lots of promises....the motivation for which diminishes in a month times or less.

Our federal government has a new house rule will come into effect with about as much live changing impact as a newly purchased gym membership. The House of Representative will read the constitution in full one day out of the month. This political move is a attempt to passivity the Tea Party crowd for next year. But formally is an attempt "get back to there roots". But you never know maybe reading the document will help the legislatures follow it. Now for my new years resolution....

Get Free TV: Wiki Leaks

2010-12-28T14:50:00.006-08:00

Stories from the Nanny State: Net Neutrality

2010-12-27T15:44:00.000-08:00

Like more comings and goings of the federal government Net Neutrality is a very sticky and confusing topic. After reading the regulatory statute and the dissenting opinions, the easiest way to understand cloak-and-dagger government actions like this is to hear from the horse's mouth. Below is an excerpt from one of the members of the FCC panel:

"What had been bottom-up, non-governmental and grassroots based Internet governance will become politicized. Today, the United States is abandoning the long-standing bipartisan and international consensus to insulate the Internet from state meddling in favor of a preference for top-down control by unelected political appointees, three of whom will decide what constitutes 'reasonable' behavior." -

COMMISSIONER ROBERT M. McDOWELL

From reading the full statement (way too many pages), McDowell's concerns are valid. He feels that this regulation will not make the Internet more free or available, but will instead be the gateway to more aggressive regulations. In the Net Neutrality Act or officially; "FCC Acts To Preserve Internet Freedom And Openness," the FCC is given the power to regulate "resolvable" blockage of programs, sites and/or services. In other words, it gives the FCC a free pass to meddle with any service providers it wants to slow or dismantle, providing that at least three commissioner approve. Below is a controversial passage from the official statement about "Net Neutrality"

Rule 3: No Unreasonable Discrimination

A person engaged in the provision of fixed broadband Internet access service, insofar as such person is so engaged, shall not unreasonably discriminate in transmitting lawful network traffic over a consumer’s broadband Internet access service. Reasonable network management shall not constitute unreasonable discrimination.

The argument the government uses is that "Net Neutrality" will stop the company from monopolizing the Internet in a similar fashion to how the railroads were controlled during the gilded age in American history. At on time the railroads were controlled by one organization, and thus had the power to control who used their rail for shipment of the goods. This allowed the railroads to be the gatekeeper for any business trying to grow. The FCC argues that is what is happening with Internet providers. A company like Comcast could control what services or programs got special treatment, similar to how the railroads controlled commerce. Net Neutrality, however, does a lot more then stop providers from blocking or "prioritizing programs"; it actually allow the government to control a lot of the "prioritizing" instead.

When the government is given control over the definition of words, you will be surprised by the sudden level of creativity used when enforcing these rules. As the dissenting members of the FCC stated, this is nothing more then a backdoor way to control and regulate the Internet.

Stories from the Nanny State: The Return of the lokos

2010-12-20T15:19:00.002-08:00

If you haven't heard or don't remember, Four Lokos was banned in a number of states because of an alcohol-related fiasco at Central Washington University (Four Loko Ban). Last week in a press release, the makers of Four Lokos announced they have a new recipe approved by the government and will be selling the beverage in stores next year.

From the press release issued by Phusion Project, the makers of Four Lokos:

"Our reformulated products (without caffeine, guarana and taurine) were approved by the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau, and we've received similar approvals from nearly all of the states in which we do business. We've begun shipping into the states in which we've received approvals for reformulated Four Loko."-(Phusion Projects)

So before you know it, we will have the sweet nectar of Four Lokos back in our lives—caffeine-free this time.. (Lets just hope people don't realize that you can simply buy a Red Bull and combine it with Four Lokos to get almost the exact same product as before.) The state ban on Four Lokos—like a number of actions by the government lately—really amounts to nothing more than political posturing. As soon as word got out about the ban, the sale of the product skyrocketed. A number of stores couldn’t keep the product on the shelves. In college towns, stores would only sell Four Lokos in packs of 24 or more.

The ban became an amazing marketing ploy for Four Lokos. Not only did sales increase dramatically, but the brand name is now forever enshrined in the hearts and minds of college students and alcoholics alike everywhere.

Four Loko's ONE - Nanny State ZERO

Stories From The Nanny State: Banning Fake Cigarettes

2010-12-16T14:33:00.039-08:00

"The King County Board of Health passed a controversial proposal Thursday that bans the public use of electronic cigarettes, despite protests that the battery-powered, nicotine-delivery sticks emit no second-hand smoke and are often used for harm reduction." The City of Seattle officials argued that it could lead to eroding "social norms." Social norms however do not fall under the authority of any government. Unless social engineering is now seen as a proper roll of government. Seattle Health officials went on to say;

"I would like to see us protect those public places and places of employment from the image of someone sitting at their desk with something that looks identical to a cigarette and puffing on it," she said."That is a very powerful subliminal message." (Seattle PI)

As the Article in the PI stated:

"One man, who drove from Vancouver, B.C. to testify, said e-cigarettes were the only product that had helped him quit a 40-year smoking habit. The man, who said his name was Gary Addleson, said e-cig users don't consider themselves as "smoking."

The goal of ban such as these are to limit people even "seeing" someone fake smoking. Which is in of itself is a fascist act, and attempt to control even your prospective of reality. To think that the government opening decided to ban these fake cigarettes in of itself is disturbing. For those of you that haven't seen them, there electronic cigarettes that give off steam to look as tho your are smoking, while the nicotine is administer through the device, not to indifferent from a nicotine gum or patch. Stories like this remind me a quote from C.S. Lewis.

"Of all tyrannies, a tyranny exercised for the good of its victims may be the most oppressive. It may be better to live under robber barons than under omnipotent moral busybodies. The robber baron's cruelty may sometimes sleep, his cupidity may at some point be satiated; but those who torment us for our own good will torment us without end, for they do so with the approval of their own conscience. – C. S. Lewis"

The Cost of Success: Tuition Increases

2010-12-16T11:15:00.001-08:00

Currently the Student Freedom Project is undergoing an in depth research and report of where your tuition money and students fee's are spent. As our governor said after the last election she has no idea how to fix the budget problem we have in our state. One place the law makers normally turn is higher education. The goal of the report is to give students a clear view of where their money is going and what their money really gets them in higher education.

"Desperation in the mother of all invention" and with our economy in the shape it is, it will fall upon our generation to find some of the solutions. We are focusing on the UW and WSU in our research to see what our biggest institutions are doing with the tax payers money and the students. Look for more up to date information on the research on our new higher education tab. If we want to lower our tuition costs we will have to find a creative solution for our states problem.

Losing touch: The Federal Government vs. The American People

2010-12-15T13:33:00.002-08:00

The results are in and federal government has the lowest approval rating in the history of America. In a recent Gallup poll only 14% of American approve of what the government is doing. According to the Rasmussen Reports Poll only 23% think the nation is going in the right direction. This doesn't bod well for our nation, when the highest offices in the land are disagreed with so heavily. Why did the government get so distanced from the American people? The Right wing and the Left wing are held in equal levels of contempt. It appears that neither side really acts in the benefit of the nation as a whole. The deficit that the right is support to be champing is only growing with votes for new spending projects like the tax package being voted on currently. Pork is being added to bills by those that claimed to be against it. Those that want to help the middle class just put our nation further into the red for a temporary bandage on the economy. It seems that those in office care more about there interest those that elected them. Unless the average Joe finds a way to get his voice heard i don't see this happening anything soon.

The Nanny State: Healthcare "Reform"

2010-12-13T11:02:00.003-08:00

Today a federal judge in Virgina ruled that the government can not tax inaction. The offical text from the judges decision follows.

"While this case raises a host of complex constitutional issues, all seem to distill to the single question of whether or not Congress has the power to regulate and tax a citizen's decision not to participate in interstate commerce. Neither the U.S. Supreme Court nor any circuit court of appeals has squarely addressed this issue. No reported case from any federal appellate court has extended the Commerce Clause or Tax Clause to include the regulation of a person's decision not to purchase a product, notwithstanding its effect on interstate commerce."- (Source)

The next step on the legal challenge of the health care reform bill will go before the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals or go straight to the Supreme Court. Currently there are 20 states sighed on to the bill, Washington State being one of those states. The individual mandate of the bill has been one of the most controversial sections of the bill. The individual mandate forces you to buy health care or get a massive fine.

The big controversy is whether the government should be allowed to regulate inaction or simply put forcing to you act, or in this case buy something. The lawyers in support for the mandate state that this ability is justified under the interstate commerce clause, but then again so is everything under the sun... This key issue being debated is should the government be aloud to force people to purchase a good? If so they could force us to buy G.M.C. cars, or even force us to buy less or more of good. This situation is what many people call a slippy slope as in; once something like this becomes law it makes a foot hold for more radical reform. For once the federal government acquires a power it rarely (actually...never) gives it up.

The Smartest Generation

2010-12-10T13:31:00.002-08:00

According to a recent study our generation is the most "educated" generation in American history. We have the highest amount of college graduates and high school graduates compared to all other times in our history. With all the brains and knowledge our generation has complied will we be able to discover the path to saving our nation for economic recession, and bridging the political gap? So far we are not off to a good start. with only one in four voting and even less actually involved in the political process. Along with the being the "smartest generation" we are also the most unemployed and most in debit generation.

There is nothing more explosive (politically and socially) then highly educated people without work. Throughout history all great discoveries and inventions good or bad come out of desperate times. The historic revolutions of our world, culturally or military have been are championed by those who are educated and unemployed, and our nation is full of both. As our current system shows the doors of colleges are opening up a lot fast then that of the working world. It will be interesting to see what our generation creates for itself. In time what will our revolution be for?

Priorities of Government

2010-12-10T13:14:00.001-08:00

From Getfree.TV

My Way or The High Way: New Tax Package

2010-12-09T10:50:00.002-08:00

As the new tax package moves foreword from the house to the senate, it has oddly been met with great hostility. Some of the Democratic leadership feels that a collaborated bill facilitated by the president is to "right wing" for them. Politically speaking the Democratic are trying to stop this bill to show there "true conviction" to taxing the rich, even if the bill would benefit the majority in the Americans.

"Rank-and-file Democrats passed a nonbinding resolution by voice vote that said the tax package should not come to the House floor for consideration." (Washington Post)

I seems within politics today compromise is a dirty word, which is never a good sign. The President is getting on board to try to find the middle ground to help move our nation out of a recession. I hope that the political parties can get on board. If not its going to be a long lame duck session in congress. In a political climate like this who ever wins we lose.

Berkley Champions Wiki Leaks

2010-12-08T11:43:00.000-08:00

Today a press release came out from Berkley in support the US soldier who helped the creator of wiki leaks obtain the information.

"If he did what he's accused of doing, he's a patriot and should get a medal," said Bob Meola, the Berkeley peace and justice commissioner who authored the resolution. "I think the war criminals should be the ones prosecuted, not the whistle-blowers." - Read More:

This coming from Berkley shouldn't surprise anyone but it highlights the disconnect between some of our higher education institutions with interested of the general people. For awhile now it seems that those in higher education have become very disconnect from how the worlds actual works. From my experiences i have had teachers directly attack America and capitalism and even going as far to say that our nation deserves the attacks against it from terrorists over seas.With state budgets getting tighter and people reevaluation the money spent on grants for education. It will be interesting to see how these radical institutions fair when budgets get cut. Will tax payer wand to keep supplementing these forms of education.

The Nanny State: The Art of Unemployment

2010-12-07T12:01:00.006-08:00

Obama lately helped moderate a tax cut/spending deal between Republicans and Democrat. The package included tax cuts for the rich and the middle income and extended unemployment benefits an additional 13months. Obama has been getting a lot of flack from the left for the tax cuts. The right however have been viewing this deal as a win.

One question i would like to be address is why are we allowing people to be on unemployment benefits longer then lets say a month or two? Before the additional 13 months you could be on unemployment for 99 week. So you could be on unemployment for 46 months before you have to get a job...that's a little extensive i would think. It is sad to think you could be on unemployment longer then you have been employed. Programs like this are good in the short run, they help people that were injured at work, and assist help others in the time between jobs. But having the benefits last this long creates a dependency on the system and in fact motivates people to stay on the system.

In Washington State you have to work at least 20hour as week on average to qualify for unemployment, if you work to many hours however you lose your benefits. So why try to get a better job or work harder? I know people that have worked at stores like Fred Meyer or Target and have told me some of their co-workers talk about this very topic. Then don't want to work more shifts because they could lose there unemployment....sound like the system needs work.

Wiki Leaks and Cyber Terrorism

2010-12-06T15:15:00.005-08:00

"The first serious info war is now engaged. The field of battle is Wiki-Leaks. You are the troops." - Founder Julian Assange

Wiki-Leaks is website created by Julian Assange an Austrian journalist and global activist. Wiki-leaks is a collection of classified Americans intel and military information that was obtained illegally. Some people have classified Julian as a "cyber terrorist" that is waging war on America. The United State has been working with Austria authorities to try and apprehend him. His lawyer recently released this comment when reached for more information.

"He recently announced through his lawyer that if he is arrested, he will unleash a "thermonuclear device" of completely unexpurgated government files. Think about that: Assange has threatened America with the cyber equivalent of thermonuclear war."- Washington Post.

Others have stood up to defend Julian Assange, and argued that he is just a journalist and the people should be aware of whats going on in the American government and American's involvement in Afghanistan and Iraq.

The long term impact of these leaks are still being research and debated. The U.S. military has banned service members from looking at the information for it might led to morale issues. Also because of some of the information leaked some people feel that this might create a "hit list" for terrorists and others wishing to do harm to American relations and personnel abroad. The Wiki Leaks have also once again brought unwanted attention to the State Department and Hillary Clinton in regards to the war. It has made a lot of people reviewing the technological defenses we have against such illegal seizure of information. At this point it will be hard to see the long term consequences of Wiki Leaks, beside making the American Government look bad, which shouldn't me a shocker to most of the world. If anything big does come we should hear more about in news real soon.

Video Games Violence

2010-12-03T11:35:00.000-08:00

A Diet Christmas

2010-12-02T12:25:00.000-08:00

With Christmas around the corner sales are everywhere and stores are trying everything they can to get you to take advantage of the holiday deals. With the economy the way it is and with the government already cutting back on services, how will this effect the shopping season and more so the economy for the year to come? With the holidays making your wallet lighter and you belts tighter people have been saving more then spending this holiday season. With people worried about the future the number of gifts under the tree are diminishing. Being a college student and knowing that another student tuition hike is coming next year, I'm cutting back on the holidays and definitely spending less.

On the national level the federal government voted against extending unemployment benefits and voted for extending the tax cuts. So those with unemployment will also be looking to cut back on there spending this season. For there will not be government money coming there way anytime soon. Laws were passed in regard to debit and toxic loans so people will not be as able to pay for Christmas on credit as easily this year.

This Christmas season will allude to our economy in the years to come. Will people being forced to live with in their means start developing a more sustainable life style? Will the government be able to cut back on government programs and other stimulus programs? One thing is for sure there will be some sweet sales closer to Christmas.

Stories from the Nanny State: TSA

2010-11-24T11:06:00.000-08:00

With the holiday season in full swing, many of us are going to have to go through the mythical full body scanners or experience the pat down that we have been hearing about lately. With stories of TSA agents cough masturbating to the picture of the passengers ( http://www.dailysquib.co.uk/ ) and TSA agents damaging medical apparatuses of people flying, (http://www.wmal.com/) its not surprising people are very concerned about the TSA new screening procedures.
This invasive intrusion into the lives of the American people doesn't help make us safer as some member of the media has pointed out. We increase our security on the people flying but not on the employees of the airline nor the baggage or shipping systems. So as it stands now we the TSA will feel up an old lady but not screen the workers that could easily place a bomb on a plane. The TSA is what some people have a call "Security Theater" as in its nothing more then a show. Its the "Illusion of Security" that should "scare away" terrorist or bad people from doing crime but as we have seen in reality, and illusion of security is just that.

It bothers me to think that so many people would be for this extremely invasive form of security. If we apply this logic to other aspects of our national security people would be up in arms. Should we allow law enforcement to be able to search our homes with out a warrant? Should the government be aloud to have access to all of our mail and emails to make sure there are no terrorist plot forming? Should we have security "techniques" such as these before every football game or major league sporting events? After all there are more people in a stadium then in a plane. At what point to we draw the line between safety and freedom?

The TSA is another example of a government program that abuses the people for the "betterment of the people". Its scary to think that some people think that big brother is the only one that can protect us from ourselves and terrorist abroad. Especially when every foiled terrorist attack was stopped by people on the plane or in the area, not by big brother or other organizations. On the war on terror the civilians are the front line, so its surprising that with every terrorist attack our freedoms are taken away....

Battle in Seattle Film Festival

2010-11-23T15:39:00.000-08:00

The first annual Battle in Seattle Documentary is coming to the University of Washington on December 1st.

The film included are:

Indoctrinate U- Indoctrinate U is a revolutionary new film about the repressive climate on our nation’s campuses. To make the film, director and star Evan Coyne Maloney traveled to campuses across the country, interviewing students, professors, and administrators to find out what life on campus is really like. The film reveals a national campus culture in which speech codes rule the day; in which free inquiry has been replaced with prescribed, politically correct values; and in which students are not taught how to think, but what to think

Do As I Say - a film that will forever change how we see America and its leaders, filmmakers Nicholas Tucker and Lucas Abel take us on an unforgettable journey through a political landscape filled with hypocrites and humbugs. Along the way, they reveal a disturbing national truth: that the two-faced mantra "do as I say, not as I do" has become the unwritten golden rule of modern liberalism.

Flunked- Complaining about the problem is easy, but it produces few productive results — especially when many schools nationwide are truly “getting it right.” Flunked is the story of these schools—their founders, leaders, and students—who are breaking the mediocre mold by attaining great results in terms of college preparation, high test scores, and graduating competent workers for tomorrow’s economy. Discovering that one size truly does not fit all, they are finding different ways to make it work in their area, with their students.

2081- A stunning adaptation of Kurt Vonnegut's short story “Harrison Bergeron,” 2081 is set in a dystopian future where everyone is “equal every which way,” a world in which a Handicapper General goes to enormous lengths to prevent competition and to eliminate innate human differences.

Each film will be followed by a period of short discussion about the film with a film maker and other students groups. Food will be provided for those that attend.

Stories From The Nanny State: Black Markets and Loko Smugglers

2010-11-18T11:13:00.000-08:00

Today the Four Loko ban came into effect. You can no longer buy Four lokos in Washington State. But for those that live in eastern Washington you can buy them in Idaho and for now Oregon.

This ban will hopefully serve as a lesson in free market economics.
Besides this ban being a great marketing tool for Four Lokos what else has it accomplished? Before the ban took effect a large number of people stocked up on Four lokos for resale and others for person consumption. What was worth under three dollars could now be sold for five dollars or more under the table. (Better Return then buying Government Bonds...). This ban also created incentives for people to go on Loko runs to Idaho or Oregon to supply college students with the sweet chemical fruity taste of Four Loko. Just with prohibition, this ban has created a underground market for the drinks.

A lesson in history: Not to long ago Idaho's drinking age was 18 which meant people could cross the boarder from Washington state and get a frosty brew three years before they could in Washington State. This effect caused law enforcement officers to spend a large part of their time enforcing underage drinking laws and not stopping more dangerous crimes. This led to a drain in their local budgets. In the end federal government withheld highway grants and funds from the state unless they changed there laws. Which they later did.

The ban on Four Loko will not stop people from abusing alcohol nor acquiring alcoholic energy drinks. This ban in fact created incentives to deal the drink illegally and tax free. Will law enforcement go on Loko busts? Will the government be able to stop the transportation of Lokos across state boarders? The obvious answer is no. They will have about as much luck in apprehending the trade of Four Lokos as they do at stopping underage drinking. I just hope this is a wake up call for the legislature to see how useless this bans really is.

Thank you Washington State Liquor Board you created a new market for Four Lokos, popularized the consumption of Four Lokos with underage drinkers and hardcore party animals. And forever proved you inability to understand human nature. By turning Four Lokos into the "forbidden fruit" you just drastically increased the value and sale of Four Lokos.

It's Not You It's Me: Obamas Political Revelations

2010-11-18T10:07:00.000-08:00

With the new elected officials settling into their new positions in congress, the media and political circles are waiting to see what the dynamic of federal government will be for the next two years. With their be bipartisanship? Will the Republicans and the Democrats work together for the betterment of American?

With drastic loses in congress Obama has been trying to draw attention away from the democratic failures and instead focus the blame on himself. The goal of this approach would seem to be an attempt my the President to glaze over the losses and thus more foreword with his agenda. If he can get the general public not to focus on why they lost, but on were his party is planing on going they might be able to regain the momentum they had before this election.

So far this is working with the Democrats but not Republicans. Lately at a number of the press conferences, the president has been attacking the republicans for there inability to "compromise" and has been losing any support from the right. Obama has attempted to make some friends by "trying" to put a end to earmarks, which the Republicans are avidly against. But will Obama be able to win some of the republicans over? So far its not looking good. Look at bills like the START arms treaty with Russia, Obama is having trouble building steam and forging allies on the right. (To learn more about the START arms treaty go to: Washington Post)

The question arises will Obama be able to regain the trust of congress and of the people. Will he be able to moderate the tough choices that will soon come to congress? Or will it be same story as usual.

Better Buy Me Dinner First: TSA patdowns

2010-11-17T10:10:00.000-08:00

Looking Towards the Future

2010-11-16T15:55:00.000-08:00

From the Evergreen Freedom Foundation

Stories From the Nanny State: Red Light Cameras

2010-11-15T10:32:00.000-08:00

In the name of safety the local city council in Bellingham is deciding to put up red light cameras to increase "safety". Sadly red light cameras have nothing to do with safety, in fact they create more problems then solve them. In cities where red light cameras have been added to intersections, the amount of car accidents in those areas actually increase. Why you might ask? On average where ever red light cameras are located the state has a habit of reducing the length of the yellow light in order to get more tickets thus increasing state revenue. Studies show that if you increase the length of the time of the yellow lights you actual have less collisions. So adding red light cameras actually causes more accidents. So why are some counties putting up cameras across the state? Its quite simple, they want more of your money.

In Bellingham, WA a local college group the Young Americans for Liberty, are fighting to have the community have a say in whether or not they add red light cameras to certain parts of there community. The group is lobbying to have a public hearing about the cameras they want to put in their city.

On Monday, November 22nd, the Bellingham City Council will decide whether to contract with American Traffic Solutions and install red light cameras in six intersections in Bellingham. Young Americans for Liberty have been working on this issue since September when the issue was first presented. On September 27th the Council voted unanimously to hold Public Hearing. Bellingham government sent an email to concerned citizen November 10th denying Public Hearing.

On November 2, Tim Eyman's Anti-Camera Proposition passed with 70 percent of the vote. Mukilteo voters overwhelmingly passed a measure that would require a public vote for any red light or speed zone camera in the city. After the election Bellingham City Council member Mike Lilliquist was quoted "I am willing to make that decision without going to the voters"

There should be a large turnout at the City Council Meeting on the Monday 22nd. "We would like the city council to respect the wishes of the people," states Johny Weaver, President of the Young Americans for Liberty Chapter at Whatcom Community College.

To learn more go to the links below

http://www.yaliberty.org/posts/seattles-king-5-news-interviews-yal-at-wcc-president

http://blog.seattlepi.com/seattlepolitics/archives/227021.asp

Four lokos: Facts Behind the Ban

2010-11-12T14:12:00.000-08:00

After doing some research on the subject, I discovered there is a process to fight the ban on Four Loko, the infamous alcohol-and-caffeine energy drink that’s been all over the news lately. I am not, however, supporting Four Loko or its parent company.
I do feel the situation involving their products at Central Washington University was mishandled. Sadly, the abuse of alcohol is not a new craze to hit college campuses. People have been making alcoholic energy drinks from vodka and Red Bull and other like products before Four Loko, and they will do so after.
The real problem that needs to be addressed is underage drinking, including educating minors on the subject. We should be focusing on education, not on government intervention. If the public views this ban as successful, that could open the door for other such bans in the name of public safety. It’s also worth noting a ban on alcoholic energy drinks has twice failed in the Legislature.

Having conducted some research on the topic, I have broken down the legal process to fight the ban and the overall impact of the band as well. See the links below for information—pro and con:
Governor’s press release on the subject
Gov. Gregoire joins Liquor Control Board chair to announce ban on alcoholic energy drinks
Liquor board "facts" sheet regarding the ban
WSLCB Q & A
Press release from Phusion Projects (Four Loko’s parent company)
Press Release
Phusion Projects response to the proposed ban
Phusion Statement in Response to Washington State Ban on Caffeinated Alcoholic Beverages
If you’re interested in fighting the ban, here are a few things you can do. Create and submit a petition. Contact your legislator. Write letters to the editor of your local newspaper to get your concern out to the general public.

As it stands now, this ban will go into effect in nine days. This ban, however, is not permanent and a law will have to follow to make the ban permanent. To learn more about how to fight the ban, click on the link below.

Petition for adoption, amendment, repeal — Agency action — Appeal.

And here is a time line for the ban.

Projected time line for the regular rule making

· Nov. 10: Board approves filing the pre-proposal statement of inquiry (CR 101)

· Dec. 1: Code Reviser publishes notice; WSLCB sends notice to rules distribution list

· Jan. 3: End of written comment period

· Jan. 12: Board is asked to approve filing the proposed rules (CR 102 filing)

· Feb. 2: Code Reviser publishes notice; WSLCB sends notice to rules distribution list

· Feb. 23: Public hearing held

· Feb. 23: End of written comment period

· March 2: Board asked to adopt rules

Thank You for Smoking

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

This just in FDA health panel discovers smoking can kill you. In order to drive this issue home the FDA has crafted new labels to include on cigarettes. Lucky the cost of printing billions of additional color labels will only help stimulated the economy. Thus helping smokers everywhere quit smoking and employ people in the printing business. (That last parts is a lie).

Honesty the FDA must be running out of idea for how to convince people and had to turned to Hollywood for inspiration. This idea was the underlining plot for the 2005 film Thank you for smoking. In the film after a comical and emotional debate between the lobbyist and the panel of senators. The idea is shot down after they discussed the including of warning signs on air plans and on fast food. But this whole idea of having to include the pictures on the cigarettes containers to further inform the public about the problem, is just an over extension of government influence. Like they said in the film, "if you can label cigarettes what would stop you from labeling anything and everything from cheddar cheese to air planes"?

This example of the nanny state, further shows the over zealous nature of the governments control. Instead of educating people and giving them the means to decide for themselves. They go after the companies and not the motivations behind the actions of the people.

"The most oppressive leaders are those that believe that only through them will salvation be found. For they're not after the money of the people but there hearts and minds and will not be content until they controls both."--Martin Luther

Stories From the Nanny State: Banning Four Lokos

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

If you haven't heard, the Washington State Liquor Control Board decided to ban Four Loko. After the events at Central Washington University, some people think Four Loko is too dangerous to have in stores. The stories of “blackout in a can” are all over the media.

Basic summary: Nine helpless CWU students were sickened after drinking too much of the lime and fruit punch flavored Four Loko after a rigorous Friday night of studying.

The whole Four Loko ban in and of itself is useless. So the state banned an energy drinks that contain alcohol...what’s going to stop people from buying energy drinks AND alcohol? Also, there are other alcoholic energy drinks on the market such as Sparks and Joose. Even Starbucks sells a coffee liquor to put in your super-powered lattes. So what’s the point of banning it? Underage drinking will still go on. People will still get “cocaine in a can,” as ABC News put it, but under different names, so what has the nanny state really accomplished?

The lesson to be taken away from this is the individuals in question should have known better. We should focus on educating people on the dangers of these drinks, not banning them. As previously stated, you can still make these drinks by combining energy drinks and alcoholic beverages, or simply buy other energy-alcohol drinks. The only way to stop or limit underage drinking is education in the home and enforcement of the laws on the streets. The best way to summarize this issue is a comment someone posted on The Seattle Times website in regards to this issue:

“Dear Washington State liquor Board.... I'm sorry to inform you that your application to be my mother has been denied.” – Unknown

FWI: You can still buy Four Loko in Idaho and Canada.

The Student Freedom Project

2010-11-10T14:04:00.000-08:00

“You must be the change you wish to see in the world.” - Gandhi

The Student Freedom Project is the newest project from the Evergreen Freedom Foundation. The project was created to give tools and educational services to college student and young voters. In order to have their voices heard in the local and national government. More often than not the youth are used and manipulated by the political parties for the “betterment of the whole” at the expense of the youth. The national debt is one such example when those in power are mortgaging our futures for the betterment of society.

The Student Freedom Projects aims to free college students from the over powering political parties and give students the ability to have their voices heard. The official mission is as follows.

The Student Freedom Project’s mission is to advance limited and accountable government, individual liberty, and free market enterprise by equipping and informing students on college campuses. Our goal is to enable college students to take an active role in shaping the future they will graduate into.

To learn more go to studentfreedomproject.blogspot.com

War of the Worlds: The Urban Rural Divide

2010-11-09T16:01:00.000-08:00

“The wills of the many outweigh the wills of the few.”

So some have said, but is this true of American politics? Should one class of people be able to decide the outcome for another? Should the voices of the majority silence the voices of the minority? Most Americans would say, “No!” After all, protecting the underrepresented is about as American as apple pie. Throughout our history we have debated about ways to protect against the tyranny from below. James Madison discussed this very issue 223 years ago in the Federalist Papers:

“Complaints are everywhere heard from our most considerate and virtuous citizens, equally the friends of public and private faith, and of public and personal liberty, that our governments are too unstable, that the public good is disregarded in the conflicts of rival parties, and that measures are too often decided, not according to the rules of justice and the rights of the minor party, but by the superior force of an interested and overbearing majority.”

This conflict seemed to rear its ugly head during the midterm election. The urban versus rural debate seemed to be an underlying theme to all aspects of the election, from job creation to economic recovery. With any tax-based system we weigh the needs of the few with the needs of the many. Do we increase taxes on the few to benefit the masses? Should we cut taxes for the majority, but remove the services that a minority of people rely on? The age-old question of economic priorities was what a lot of voter were paying attention to. They didn’t care who was in office as long as the politicians didn’t negatively affect their lifestyle. But what if one group’s lifestyles needs required the confiscation of another’s?

In Washington state this happens quite often. We have a habit of taxing people in Spokane for bridges in Seattle, and taxing farmers for social programs they will never use. In the last election—like most elections in this state—King County was the deciding factor. Ironically, the western side of the state is the also recipient of the majority of pork from the other Washington (D.C.). Government pork, as we know, is the government giving us part of our tax money back via directing it to a certain group or organization. King County is the most populous county in Washington state, so it’s justified in having the power it does right? When we compare the issues and lifestyles of the urban and rural populations, should one group have to pay for the lifestyle of the other? When it comes to the spending cuts that must be made, who will the government side with? Who will get priority when it comes to spending taxpayer money? In a war between social and class divisions, who will win?

Where the Axe falls: Reducing the Deficit

2010-11-08T11:50:00.000-08:00

With the new officials in office real change is coming to Washington. The biggest issue on the minds of Americans and congress is the deficit. With the economy propped up by borrowed money, cuts and reductions will have to be made. But to whom will the axe fall? What programs will our legislatures cut?

Much of the hard choices that will have to made in the next two years, will be influence by us. As voters we have a say in what happens in the future of our nation. Which is why more then ever, we will have to be willing to write and contact our senators and representatives to help them decide on what government programs to cut back on.

Reports of cuts to higher education funding is a very likely possibility. Along with reduction in number of staff for government agencies. But deciding which group will be hit the hardest relies realistically not on who needs it more, but to whom the congressmen value the most. So if your worried about losing you benefits or college funding, contact your legislature. Voting is only a part of getting our nation headed in the right direction. Only by being involved will your voice be heard.

What Really Works

2010-11-05T13:26:00.000-07:00

From Getfree.TV

A War of Attrition : Finding the Middle Ground

2010-11-05T11:32:00.000-07:00

Everyone in office can agree we need to compromise, but which side will have to comprimise? The sad fact of life is which ever side does find the middle ground will feel the pain come election season. So will anyone risk reelection for compromise? Not likely. In an article today, The Washington Post did an story about the Don't Ask Don't Tell policy, and how it could split the republicans. Those who are not going for reelection might vote for it to support GOPround ( the gay rights organization within the republican party). With compromise being the dirt crime of our decade, will there be any change possible in our future without one party completely taking over?

Very big problems are coming to America in 2011 and we will have to deal with them. With the republicans now controlling more of the legislature, they will have to work with Democratics to tackle the main issues below.

High unemployment
Reducing the deficit
Increase the pace of economic recovery
Cutting back in government services

Will the Democratics and Republicans be able to work together in time to fight the decline of our great nation? Or will inaction be the death stroke that sends American in a downwards spiral to our eventual demise as a world power?

Burning Bridges: The Next Two Years

2010-11-04T12:14:00.000-07:00

What will come of this "Red Wave" that we got this election cycle? Will the republicans in office be able to finally move our nation in a better direction or will party politics win out in the end. The easiest way to summarize the outcome of the election is a quote from one of my favorite political authors Eric Hoffer.

"The game of history is usually played by the best and the worst over the heads of the majority in the middle."-Eric Hoffer

This election brought about some major changes in our government. The Republicans now control the House, and had major gains all throughout the country. With the high voter discontent, and an unpopular presentational administration, its not surprising that change came. The actions of the Tea Party also greatly helped this transition along. But this election had unseen consequences some of which will greatly effect the climate of American politics to come.

The lefts reaction to the Tea Party demands drove the left farther left. The Tea Party candidates also drove the right more right. So we had DINO's ( Democrats in name only) and RINO's ( Republicans in name only) pushed out of office all across the board. Ironically in American politics great power comes in the ability to compromise. With the removal of the moderates there are very few bridges to unite the parties. So odds are we will have more party politics then compromise. I would be shocked to see any really change come from this electorate, 2011 will be a years of strong arm politics, and posturing for the 2012 election cycle. I wonder who the party of NO will be this time around?

On the state level our new elected officals in Washington state will start having to make cuts. All the tax initiatives failed, and cuts will have to be made. So the question arises to whom will the axe fall? Like most things in life only time will tell, and that times draws near.

Obama's Revelations

2010-11-03T12:55:00.000-07:00

"Yesterdays vote confirms what i have heard from across America. People are frustrated, deeply frustrated, with the pace of recovery and the opportunity for there children and grand children"- Obama

We Can't all be Winners : Election recap

2010-11-03T11:51:00.000-07:00

With a six pack siting next to me and a bowl of chips in hand, yesterday's election felt more like the Superbowl then an election. My family and I had out our laptops while watching the news, eagerly awaiting the results of this years elections. Whenever our candidate pulled ahead a cheer would erupt. When they fell behind another swig if my Samuel Adams Winter Ale was sure to follow. By the end of the night, most of the results were in, and just like on the Superbowl the post game began. For those that haven't heard the results here is what happened.

Income tax failed (1-1098)

Initiative 1100 concerns liquor (beer, wine and spirits)

is 2 points behind so it could change

Imitative1105 failed ( The Costco version for the beer, wine and spirits)

2010 US election results

Democrat

Republican

US House

185 seats

239 seats

US Senate

51 seats*

46 seats

WA US Senate

(62% reporting)

50% Murray

50% Rossi

For more information go to Washington State Election Result Page

The final results for some of the measures are still coming in and with Dinno and Murry most likely going to a recount. Nationally the Republicans retook the house, but not the senate. Overall there is a pretty balance spread of Republicans and Democrats nationally. Which will either bring about a fair and balance government (not likely) or a deeply divided government (realistic outcome).

When the night came to an end, the result gave me comfort that the our nation is headed in a better direction. It wasn't the radical change i had hoped for but it was progress. I cant wait for overtime! Lets get ready for a Washington State favorite past time, the recount....

Check my blog later tomorrow for a more in depth look at were our nation is going.

The Future is Nigh

2010-11-02T11:38:00.000-07:00

"... The Senate race in Washington,... could be the state that delivers a Republican majority to the upper chamber."-Washington Post

Tonight the election ends in Washington state. The mailed in ballots will be counted and a new leader and a new direction will decided. With a record turnout this midterm election, many people are tentatively waiting on the outcome of this election. If Dino Rossi wins the republicans could retake the senate, thus redirecting the path of our nation.
With issues like Cap & Trade and the Health Care bill still being fought over much will be decide by the make up of the senate. With deficits rising, and government programs coming up short on funding, programs will have to be cut. Those who we put into office this election cycle will decide which programs to cut, and to whom the tax payer's money will go. Regardless of the outcome of this election many worry about the future of our nation, and many questions have been raised about our future leaders.

With the election and government being a partisan as it is, the question arises if the democrats lose the senate and the house will they find a middle ground or will be thrown into a political grid lock?

With the internal purging of moderate republicans and moderate democratic this election system, will there be members of congress that can bridge the gap? Or will the democrats try to hold the republicans hostage with their no votes in the same way the republicans did after Obama's election?

Will our leaders be the guiding light to the future of the America? Or the catalysts for its slow demise?

The Reality of I-1100 and 1-1105 and Four Lokos

2010-10-29T10:06:00.000-07:00

Basic facts; "I-1100 privatizes the sale and distribution of liquor and eliminates the state’s “three tier” system of control, which segregates manufacturing, distribution and sales".

"I-1105 also privatizes the sale of liquor in the state of Washington. Rather than eliminating the distribution “tier” of the state’s control system as I-1100 does, I-1105 requires that all sales of alcoholic beverages pass through a middleman distributor from the producer to the retailer.

Source: Informed Voter Guide from Evergreen Freedom Foundation.

I'm not writing for or against Initiatives I-1100 and I-1105. In light of the Four Lokos party that happen at Central Washington University the topic of alcohol and minors acquiring it has been all over the news. It has been on the radio, in the paper, and on facebook. Every where I look I hear the same basic ideas, "If we privatizes the sale of liquor things like this will get worse!"....However that is very wrong. I have gone to a party school from most of my college experience. From my experience 90% of all alcohol supplied to minors comes from friends or family. So changing the location of distribution will not increase the number of minors drinking. If you have a State Run Liquor store next door to Safeway how is it any different from having Liquor available in Safeway? If someone is buying liquor for the minors how is changing the location going to change that fact? I get tired of people that are promoting for or against these initiatives using stories such as the party at Central to "prove" how horrible the privatizing the system would be. Lets stop kidding ourselves the rate of minors drinking is not going to sky rocket anymore then obesity did when Safeway started to sell fried chicken. Lets have a real discussion, what will the initiatives do for our economy?

The Liberal Immune System

2010-10-28T13:35:00.000-07:00

"America is now an uncharacteristically uncertain place. Abroad it seems unsure of who its friends and enemies are. At home there are too many imponderables: over how the health bill will play out in practice; over what might happen to energy prices if carbon-pricing is resurrected via executive action; most of all, over what Mr Obama can do about those yawning deficits. People do not like uncertainty; so if Americans are angry, it is hardly surprising." The Economicist

How do we change the problems our nation faces? Is it the fault of the Republicans or the Democrats? In all truth its a little of both. It would be fitting to see the solutions to our nations problems come from both sides of the political spectrum. However as it stands now compromise is not the method of American democracy. Having debated people from all side of the spectrum, it is fun to see how close minded the "open minded" people are. From my experiences in academia and on the campaign trail, the majority of the left will in no way entertain or even discuss the ideas of the other side. The majority of the liberal people i have talked with have an almost Immune like response to outside information. If you ever suggest anything counter to there values they reject the view almost instantaneously. In class if you challenge the teacher, your instantly crazy or a racist. If you talk about the founding fathers or less taxes, your instantly labeled a "Teabagger". I find it funny that the left preach open mindedness, but as soon as something counter to there beliefs come to their mind the Liberal immune system kicks in.

As the magazine The Economist stated we need change. As we enter uncharted waters of our future we have to be open to other ideas of how to best remedy the situation we are in. As it stands now the left will not compromise or consider the idea of free markets or less taxes that that are being promoted by the liberation and conservative movements. Instead the try to whip out any notion of opposition just like the body does to a virus.

The Everyday Voter

2010-10-28T11:40:00.000-07:00

Government Job Destruction

2010-10-26T15:52:00.001-07:00

Can the government create jobs? Can the government create wealth? If so what is the government "selling “or what does the government pay people to do that "makes wealth" in America?

This question surprising is not asked very often. What Do government jobs do for the nation? First we have to classify what are government jobs do. Except for the military, the government is a regulatory organization. In other words, their purpose is to regulate. So more recent jobs have gone away from this basic view of what government is responsible for. The government has programs that to this day are controversial, such as welfare and "economic stimulus programs". Those programs operate by taxing money from one group and putting it into an organization that distributes it to another. The irony with that system is that it’s not even a one-for-one, only a small percent of the overall funds actually go to the distribution program. For every dollar given, the majority of it is used for operational costs or hiring people to do the job.

For example, if you want to give money to the poor, do it through as few channels as possible, that way less of it is used up in operation cost. So if you really want to take care of the poor you can do it far more effectively then the government can, because when you give someone a dollar that is what they get. When the government does they get about a 10th of that dollar .

Along the same lines can government create jobs? The government can only create regulator jobs, or temporary labor for government jobs. The government can't create long term jobs without a permanent funding source, also known as more taxes. After all that is what funds our government, our money. So if the government is to "create" more jobs then they have to take more of your money. Real jobs and wealth can only come from the private sector, because when a private sector job is created so is a need, so it doesn't go away unless the need does. New private sector jobs are created and paid for with people’s money in the same way as a government job is created. However the job created is not the only benefit. With a provide sector job you also create wealth, or the item of value that that person created.

For example, if everyone in town loves cupcakes, someone might start up a bakery. All of those people that get hired as bakers now have jobs and create cupcakes! Yum. In comparison a government job that is created takes away money that could be spent on ...well...cupcakes...and instead is spent on the government workers. The government workers wealth or (cupcake) is regulated which in turn makes it harder to do business. Thus less people will be hired by that over regulated businesses. So the more government jobs are created, the less private sector jobs are created. So does the government spending make more or save jobs?…..Only if those jobs can continuously be paid for with taxes. With the current growth in government and deficient spending, we can no longer afford to pay for the government programs and workers we have today. The bigger the deficit gets the less money we will have in the future to create private sector jobs. So when the people talk about raising taxes to increase spending, remember that's one less dollar to spend on the things you enjoy and one less dollar to go towards someone’s salary or business.

Talk Back On Economics

2010-10-26T09:49:00.000-07:00

Check out more videos at Getfree.tv

We Cant' All Be Sheep: Obama Protest

2010-10-25T15:09:00.000-07:00

President Obama came to the University of Washington last Thursday to promote the campaign of the Democrat's senatorial candidate Patty Murry. People were camped out the day before in order to get as close to the president as possible for his speech. Some of my like minded political friends and I decided to come to the rally to express our view of the president's work so far in office. The three of us ended up representing a large cross-section of those in the middle and to the right of the political spectrum. Me being a more traditional right winger and the others being much more of the liberation bent provided contrast to what some would call the "radical" opposition.

Once we arrived at the rally we saw other protesters and were surprised, by the radical nature of the groups that were there. Most surprising were some of the radical leftest groups that were there protesting the unsuccessful implication of their leftest agenda. In a jest we decided to make a quick sign stating "I'm not crazy I just don't like Obama". This sign was meant to provide commentary on the radical nature of the other protesters. Overall our message was successful received. We were given the "bird" a few times and a few people yelled comical phrases such as "If it wasn't for Obama you would live in the streets"

. Our goal was to get people to think more realistically of the policies that Obama and the people in power are trying to implement. With the high level of unemployed among college graduates and young adults, you would think they would wonder what was causing this horrible economic climate. Even with only three of us, we were interviewed by the majority of the news organizations and was quoted in the Seattle Times, until the quote was removed later by the editor to make room for the Republican chairman comments. Before we were "edited out of the event" i got a copy of the online article. The online article stated:

‎"Alexander Smith, 21, from Olympia, heads the Student Freedom Project, a conservative student group. He came to Seattle from Washington State University and was standing outside Hec Ed with two UW students.

"We're here to have an academic debate. We're not crazy," said Smith, who carried a sign saying, "shortchanged by ...Obama." -Seattle times

We were also interviewed by Q-13 ,Fox, The Daily, Associated Press, and other local press. Surprisingly they were more interested to learn more about our views then the radicals only ten feet away. Over all our small protest made a bigger impact then we originally imagined and was a worth while event. I will be interested to see the college students reactions to the November election and how they will feel with the new people in office. Will they then see the problems our nation is going to face around the corner or will they turn another blind eye?

The Failure of Debate

2010-10-25T10:30:00.000-07:00

I attend a debate at the University of Washington this weekend. The Debate was the College Republicans vs. the Young Democrats. The issues in question were the Bush Tax Cuts and I-1098 ( the income tax). Going into it I was optimistic about the quality of the debate. Having been in debates at Washington State University looked foreword to the verbal jousting that is debate. The debates I participated in, in the past had a more diverse groups in attendance then this one. The Democrats lined the left side of the room and the Republicans on the right. There were no moderates to be seen. The debate ended up being more of a pep rally then a competition of ideals. One group would attack the other and their supporters in kind. "The Republicans hate the poor" yelled the Democrats, "The Democrats, hate small business" counter the Republicans. The debate over the issues was anything but a debate. It quickly turned into childish attacks and name calling. Ironically this debate was not to different from the campaign debates i have seen this election cycle. So it is not to shocking that the next generation of political minds acted the same way. It seemed with each point and counter point provided by the panelists, that the divide between the two groups grew and grew. By the end the audience was on the edge of their seats waiting for the moment when the other groups would be ridiculed and belittled thus proving their moral superiority.

This debate gave me a great deal to think about, not because of what they said but what they did. For a democracy to work you have to have compromise and mutual respect. It seems that those two values are all but lost by the majority of those that choose to represent us. But then the question arises; do we not choose the leaders to represent us? Are not the values and flaws that we see nothing more then our own? Is the great divide we see on C-SPAN and on the floor of the legislature, the creation of the electorate or perhaps an embodiment of something more to come. The time honored ritual of scholarly debate and compromise is something our leaders must once again learn to use. Our nation faces monumental problems that we can not just pass off to one group or the other. In order to fix the issues we have in our nation we must come together. But as it stands know, I worry that the middle ground is no longer obtainable.

"Seek the Welfare of the City" at Seattle Pacfic Univeristy

2010-10-19T13:54:00.000-07:00

Seek the Welfare of the City

EFFECTIVE RESPONSES TO POVERTY & HUMAN NEED

October 18 and 19, 2010, 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.

Upper Gwinn, Seattle Pacific University
Free and Open to the Public

Across America, many struggle in the face of financial hardship, broken families, and violent neighborhoods. What can we do in response to these needs? How can we effectively answer the call to “seek the welfare of the city”?

Loving our neighbors means taking the time to understand the problems they face and how best to address them. Good intentions aren’t enough.
Seek the Welfare of the City is a two-night college campus event that will equip participants to respond effectively to needs in their community and beyond.
Featured Speakers Include:

Monday, October 18: Discovery Institute’s Dr. Jay Richards
Jay W. Richards, Ph.D., is a Senior Fellow and Research Director at Discovery Institute, author of Money, Greed and God, and a visiting fellow at The Heritage Foundation.
Panel Discussion: What Do Effective Solutions Look Like?
Moderator: Jennifer Marshall, The Heritage Foundation
Capitalism: Dr. John West, Vice President of Public Policy & Legal Affairs of the Center for Science & Culture, Discovery Institute
City Zoning and Welfare Reform: Dr. Caleb Henry, Assistant Professor, Seattle Pacific University
Urban Renewal: Dr. Eric Jacobsen, Senior Pastor, First Presbyterian Church, Tacoma

Tuesday, October 19: President of the Center for Neighborhood Enterprise, Bob Woodson
Robert L. Woodson, Sr., is founder and president of the Center for Neighborhood Enterprise (CNE), a nonprofit organization that supports neighborhood-based initiatives to reduce crime, restore families, and create economic enterprise.

Panel Discussion: Who’s Responsible? Family, Church, and Community Overcoming Social Breakdown
Moderator: Jennifer Marshall, The Heritage Foundation
What Can the Church and Community Do? Trent England, Director of the Citizenship & Governance Center, Evergreen Freedom Foundation
What Can Marriage and Family Do? Jeff Kemp, Founder, Stronger Families

This event is free and open to the public.  For more information, contact Diane Mannina at Diane.Mannina@heritage.org.

Can Government Create Wealth?

2010-10-18T12:54:00.000-07:00

Check out more videos at Getfree.TV

Dori Monson : The Boomerang Generation

2010-10-18T10:57:00.000-07:00

Living back home with you parents? Working at a minimum wage job after Spending 30K+ on college. Thats Change i can believe in! If you think doesn't sound to good Obama's coming into town this Thursday to the University of Washington to inspire more people to support more "real change". Register at the link provided to attend the event (Link) Registration is available at the door.

The Success of Failure

2010-10-13T10:46:00.000-07:00

Failure is not an options they say. I have heard that in education, I've heard it in sports. "We have to win, failure is not a option". Sadly my team didn't win state, and i never got straight A's so failure was an option. Failure is not an option only when there is no other alternative or the outcome of failure is unthinkable. "We have to defeat Nazi German, failure is not an option", "I have to get this job to pay my rent, failure is not an option."" I have to save my child from a burning building, failure is not an option"...The list of examples can go on forever. In order for failure not to be a option you literally have to have your back to a cliff or have the prospect of failure being so horrible that it inspires you to greatness. With that truth made clear, in America is failure an option?

Is failure an option in High school? Most Definitely!! When the WASL ( Washington Assessment of Student Learning) became a graduation requirement over 30% didn't pass the required sections, so they lowered the standards to have more people pass. The power of failure! The same was true of our senior project, it was a "pass or fail", there was almost no way to failure even if you didn't do it they would find "alternative projects for the student to do" to "pass".

Sadly in American failure can be a better option then success. As many prospective and current college students know, the majority of scholarships go to really rich or poor individuals. If your middle class your not rich enough to have the income to be able to spend addition money on your son daughter for special classes or hobbies that can bring with them opportunities for college scholarships. If your poor there are a whole world of scholarships open for you, because of the choices of your parents. I'm not saying that you shouldn't have scholarships for the poor, but you shouldn't create incentives for people not to save or be reasonable with what they have. I came from a mid to upper low income bracket growing up. My parents are teachers, and for most of my life i had one stay at home parent. I wasn't rich or poor but because my parents saved to much i didn't qualify for scholarships but i still could really afford to go to college. I picked up jobs in college and during the summer to pay for my school because i had no other options.

For a lot of people in my generation government money and welfare programs pay for a lot of services and life styles of those who don't really need it. I have friends that are 19 that are on welfare, but they don't want to get a job because they could lose their welfare money. I know college students that spend all there money on beer and liquor but get food stamps. The power of failure!, Why save when others will front the bill!

Even TARP (Troubled Asset Relief Program) has provisions for debt forgiveness, so if you spent too much money and couldn't pay it back don't worry Obama has your back . Some of the biggest problems we face as a nation are because of this mind set, why transcend over adversity, if your guaranteed mediocrity?

Information Wars: Media Bias in America

2010-10-11T10:59:00.000-07:00

If you have ever been interviewed by the newspaper or been quoted for an article, what happened and what is reported can often be extremely different. The Washington Post came out with a article about the Bias in American mainstream media. ( Article) The article talks about how news programs like MSNBC & FOX have a very one sided form of news reporting and how there report to a very specific political group. With the media taking sides, its no surprise that the political candidates are also so polarized. Because of the political bias, candidates and officials have been using non-common modes of marketing to get their political agenda across. Obama went on the View, the Tonight Show, and on MTV to get his message across about health care reform. If the president is going to those channels for better exposure, what does that tell you about our news programs, If you have get on a talk show to get the news out.

With new media forms such as blogging and twitter, creditable news is hard to come by. When some people in the media see "fact" as malleable and relative, it surprises me that those people could be given the job of giving us the news. This sad true is easily seen on college campuses across the nation with the students newspapers. Through my travels i have yet to see a truly neutral student paper. It seems that the nations future journalist are following the journalist method that you have a story and you have to go find sources, instead of reporting on whats going on. Having run a political club on my campus i have only been approached by the student journalists only to be miss quoted or attached by the paper. If they can't miss quote me they don't quote me. This trend you can see on a national level with mainstream shows. They only bring an elected official on for an interview to support their views not to understand the person in question. With studies out that show that more people get there news from comedy shows then news shows, makes you wonder about the future of the American press.

Can't Buy Me Love or Can I?

2010-10-08T11:40:00.000-07:00

"Say you dont need no diamond ring and I'll be satisfied

Tell me that you want the things money just cant buy

I dont care much for money, money cant buy me love" Can't Buy Be Love-The Beatles

The Beatles had it right you can't buy love and you can't buy happiness. Ironically some people in the government believe that you can. Raising taxes, new regulations, and more government control over business....that's going to make life better right? With the election coming to a close in less then a month you will hear a lot of theories about how to best fix our nations problems and thus our lives problems. Tax and spend or cut back and save, are about the only options out there. So the question arises which is better? Which one will bring about a better end and a happier America? Well one group believes that if you take away our money then give less of it back to us we will be happier and the economy will be better. The other believe that if we have more and can spend more we will be happier and the economy will do better.

I have always felt that when i worked for my money and i got to keep more of it that i felt more content and was happier. The money didn't give me happiness, but the fact that i could keep more of the fruits of my labor made me happy. The current growth of government directly combats that idea. It seems with taxes such as the Income Tax, people think that if you take money away from one group and give it to another, then they will be happy. But that would only work if money could "buy" you happiness or as the Beatles said love. As we know it cant, so taxing one group to benefit the other doesn't work very well. So when it come times to vote in the weeks ahead give that a thought.

I hope the government doesn't find a way to tax the things money just cant buy....

State Income Tax: Getfree.tv

2010-10-07T10:19:00.000-07:00

A New Video From the Get Free Team. Learn more about the income tax that we will be able to vote on in Washington State come November. Check out their website at (getfree.tv) for a list of their other great videos.

The Role of Government

2010-10-06T15:46:00.000-07:00

What is the role of government? What is the governments primary purpose? What was it organized for? These questions are a very important ones. Our leaders have very competing views of what the governments role is in our lives should be. This question is also the root of the majority of political arguments you may read about in the opinion section of the paper, or on the comment chains that correspond with a number of online blogs and news posts. So what is the role of government? At what point do the elected officials over step there authority?

"If a nation were founded on this basis, it seems to me that order would prevail among the people, in thought as well as in deed. it seems to me that such a nation would have the most simple, easy to accept, economical, limited, non-oppressive, just, and enduring government imaginable-whatever its political form might be." Bastiat- The Law

The "basis" that Frederic Bastiat talks about in his book The Law, is the more common view of what government should be. Government should be a government of law, were all are equal before the law, not made equal by it. The government should moderately regulate trade not create or distribute wealth or try and directly control commerce. The governments laws should be applied equally to all, not differently for different people. There are other factors a just government should have but theses are the ones that i feel are most applicable to the issues that are being debated in our government today. Another way to think about these points is in the game of Monopoly.

In the board game of Monopoly from Hasbro, Hasbro makes the rules, then we play by them. It doesn't matter what piece you play with or with who you play with, the rules are always the same. This should be the same of the government. They create the rules they don't play the game.

Leadership Conference

2010-10-05T12:01:00.000-07:00

he 2010 West Coast Leadership Conference will be held November 12-13, 2010 at the Reagan Ranch Center in Santa Barbara, California. You are invited to send the Left a message by learning conservative ideas, networking with like-minded peers from across the country, and visiting the Reagan Ranch. The early-bird rate is only $75 if you apply by October 15 and $99 after. For more details, please email Roger Custer at rcuster@yaf.org or call (800) USA-1776.

This conference is held at the beautiful Reagan Ranch Center, includes the opportunity for all attendees to visit President Reagan’s beloved Rancho del Cielo, and gives you many opportunities to hear and meet top-notch conservative speakers. They will be listed here when confirmed. Past speakers include Mitt Romney, Tim Pawlenty, Dana Rohrabacher, Kate Obenshain, Lynn Vincent, Michael Reagan, Dennis Prager, Kiron Skinner, Peter Robinson, Joe Wilson, and many others.
At the conference, you will:

Learn conservative ideas
Interact with conservative heroes
Receive valuable activism resources
Improve your debate skills
Visit the Reagan Ranch
Become a young conservative leader

Creating the Nanny State: A Nation of Children

2010-10-04T16:04:00.000-07:00

I was listening to the radio on my way to work the other day. I was going through the stations looking for something to preoccupy myself with as i slowly cheeped foreword in traffic on the freeway. I finally arrived upon a 90's rock station. After about one song they went into a recent headline segment were the two hosts provided commentary on the comings and goings of the world at large. It was mildly funny but one of the thing they sad out of jest really hit home with me and it really made me think. There was a minor news report about a young adult playing a prank on some people, and how it backfired. The radio hosts commented on how they would have expect that from a 14 year old, not person in there adult years. This created of a rabbit trail of comments on the idea, are Americans becoming more immature? Are people become "adults" later on in life?

Once i got to the office i decided to do some research into the idea. After awhile i came to see the truth in that statement. The signs where everywhere, the crime statistics about young adults, the economic situation of young adults in their 20's, even laws that are being pushed through the legislature all led to the same conclusion. The conclusion that my generation is maturing slower and later on in life. Under Obama's health care plan young adults can stay on there parents plan till there 26 (New American Media) . The income of people age 55 and older is higher then those 21 to 28. Another fun fact, 77% of college graduates are moving back home with there parents. (Pittsburgh Post)

After realizing this fact the question came to mind, why is this happening? The answer is simple this trend is because of the creation of what some have call the "Nanny State". Then it donned on me, in order to have a nanny state you have to have children to take care of. The creation of adult children or institutionalized dependency is the legacy that my generation has been given, and the logical cause for the decline in rate of maturity among young adults. This conclusion explains why people want a bigger more controlling government, and more of the "Nanny State" that conservative Americas fighting against. But if indeed the youth are not mentally maturing or becoming "adults" in the same rate as before, what could that fact have on the culture of American, and the future of our nation?

The Tipping Point

2010-09-30T11:41:00.000-07:00

With November coming closer with each passing day, the divide between the republican and democrats narrows. Recent polling show on a 2% difference between the political candidates running in Washington state. Getting out and voting is going to be very important this election. The voter turn out rate is normal very low for none presidential elections years which mean every vote counts. Check out the candidates on their website or at one of the rallies. This election could go any direction, WE CAN DECIDE THE FATE come November. So get out there and Vote!

What Might Have Been (Video)

2010-09-27T15:01:00.000-07:00


GetFree.TV

Recapturing the American Dream

2010-09-27T10:33:00.001-07:00

Can we ever recapture the American dream? How do we fight the culture that we were raised to emanate? The answer as non-tangible as the American dream itself. In one of my college philosophy classes my professor asked us this question; " At what point does a castle cease to be a castle and instead become a pile of stones?" The simple answer is the castle is a castle as long as you believe to be one. In this truth as odd as it may sounds lies the path to the reviving the American dream.

Americans are not defined by an ethnic group, nor a religion or by geographic boundaries. Americans are defined by there beliefs and the view that the American dream can be realized. The American dream in our generation has been damaged, our view in it's truth has been shaken, and to a point destroyed. So how do we "rebuild", how do we recapture the American dream?

"At what point does a castle cease to be a castle and instead become a pile of stones? If the castle is "destroyed" is it still a castle? If all those that remembered it as it was, were killed, does it cease to be? Once people no-longer believe that it can be rebuilt, and restored, then it is destroyed. For no matter the stones shape or location, they will always be stone, but only in our mind can castles ever be created and destroyed."

The way we revive the America dream is simple yet in its own way challenging. To Recapture the American dream we once again must believe that the American dream can be possible again.

Learning the tools of the Trade

2010-09-22T16:01:00.000-07:00

Youth Leadership School- Provided by The Leadership Institute

2 days and nights, $30 (meals included)
The Leadership Institute’s flagship school, nicknamed “the boot camp of politics,” provides you with effective techniques to organize and lead mass based youth efforts for candidates and causes of your choice.

The Youth Leadership School has launched more successful political careers than any other Leadership Institute training program.

Topics covered include:

Building an effective student organization
Getting out the vote
Earned media (favorable publicity)
Developing a public relations strategy
Launching a successful career in politics

This school is held on college campuses across the country and at the Leadership Institute in Arlington, Virginia.

October 2-3 at The University of Washington

Register Here

The Death of the American Dream

2010-09-22T14:59:00.000-07:00

Has the American dream change? Are we still as free as we once were? Or perhaps our future is slipping away like so many of our leaders are leading us to believe. The majority of the fears and anxieties about our future stems from the Sub-prime mortgage crash, and the recession that followed. With high unemployment, and general fear of the economy, is the American dream still obtainable? You hear the Right proclaiming the need to cut back on taxation and regulation of our nations businesses and economic structure. The Left fight to further control the factors that led to this economic situation in order to, in there few, give the American dream to everyone. But who is right? Or is it already to late.

As one of my previous posts stated my generation feels that so much of our world is beyond our control and they feel that success is more of a roll of the dice then the reward of hard work and elbow grease. Why would we care about what its beyond our control? Why believe in the American dream if we are not masters of our own fate? In college and in high school I had the view that we are all victims constantly pounded into my head. You will never go to college unless you went to a rich school they said, you will only be successful if your born into the right family and right race. There once was the view that we we're all created equal, but know the common view is that we are all made equal, by the government or other organizations. If that is true then the American dream is indeed dead. For we are no longer captains of our fate. "A 30-year-old recent law school graduate said he had made use of student loans to go back to school in order to pursue a career in public service. Now he can't even pay the interest payment on those loans now." Washington Post
Can the American dream once again be realized? Will our generation one again recapture the hope and the pride that once was the American dream?

Defining the American Dream,

2010-09-22T11:44:00.000-07:00

What is the American Dream? Is it a high payed job? A three car garage? Is it three hots and cot, with a family in tow? People define what the American dream is with about as much consistency as how they define what an American is. The idea of "losing the America Dream" has been an underlying theme in the media of late. From the concerns towards the national debt, and to the campaign pledges from the left and the right, the preservation of the American dream seems to be the underline theme from all sides of the political spectrum.
But the question arises, what is the American Dream? C.N.B.C. had a town hall not to long ago with Obama and people from the public. A recent college graduated at the town hall asked the President a very serious question.

"Like a lot of people in my generation, I was really inspired by you and by your campaign and message that you brought, and that inspiration is dying away," he said. "It feels like the American dream is not attainable to a lot of us." Washington Post

But what is the American dream? From my education and research as a history major, the American Dream is : the idea that we control our fate and that no matter our start in life
we can define its outcome. The American dream is also about redemption and the idea that you can create yourself and redefine yourself as you so decide. Which is why America has been the immigration destination for the world sense its creation. This idea of redemption and creation of the self leads to the diversity in the definitions of what a "American" is. So the question arises are we as Americans no longer able to live out that dream? Are we no longer able to decide the outcome of our lives?

The Curse of a Generation

2010-09-21T10:45:00.000-07:00

"Why don't the youth vote?" people have asked me. "Don't they care about their future?"... The answers to those questions are much simpler than one would like to think. Apathy, hopelessness, and lack of drive contribute to the view that is readily believed by the people of my generation. The view that Our future is beyond our control, and thus useless to worry about.

I'm 21, a junior in college and fully employed. This odd situation has given me an unique view into my own life and the people around me. I work 40hours a week and study for my classes in my free time. I wasn't always this driven, i remember growing up when my only aspiration was to play PlayStation 2, and play soccer. I had lofty goals about my future from time to time. When people asked me what i wanted to be when i was older i said things like "I want to be a doctor or an engineer or a rock star." but in the end of the day i didn't know nor did i have any care to know. Later on in my life i was confronted with live changing situations that helped put my life in prospective and helped me establish a footing for where i wanted to go in life but everyone is not so lucky.

I grew up in the no kid left behind, everyone succeeds, education system. My motivation in class was to keep playing sports and pass the exams. But i never strove for some higher calling or purpose. Looking back to my high school experience three years ago i know see how poor and miss guided much of my education was. It was more of a grown up daycare than an education facility. So its no surprise when I read about higher dropout rates or decline in academic test scores. Why would the students care? Why don't people in my age bracket "care" about their future? Well it's quite simple, we were raised in padded rooms where our hands were tied and we were all made out to be the same. We were never given the opportunities to truly fail and find out what in life is truly important. Which goes to point out the biggest problem to our nation, the curse of my generation. The view that the world is beyond our control, that success is more of a roll of the dice then the reward of hard work and elbow grease. Why would we care about what its beyond our control....

Going Green For Freedom,

2010-09-16T09:30:00.000-07:00

Going green as in to the green.....All jokes aside the Student Freedom Project is taking part in the 1st Annual Freedom Classic. The Freedom Classic is a charity fundraiser supporting the Constitutional Law and Property Rights Centers from the Evergreen Freedom Foundation. Check the blog later today for photos from the events. If you missed out this year grab a club and start practicing for next year. More chances to win great prizes and donate to a great cause.

The Balance of Power

2010-09-15T14:53:00.000-07:00

Below is a link to a national campaign map. Check it out and see how the rest of the nations is faring.Campaign map

When It Rains it Pours

2010-09-14T16:55:00.000-07:00

Radical change is coming to America but what kind of change? In American politics, "When its rains it pours", and right now in the political area its a hurricane. If you haven't had time to keep up on the news, here is whats going on in a nut shell; the Republican Party is being forced more to the right by the Tea-Party movement (Washington Post) The heath-care lawsuit about the constitutionality of the bill, is heading to the federal courts with 20 states signed on. (Washington Post) The elections nationally are very close between Republicans and Democrats with the outcome being anyone guess. The results of which will have a long term effect on the path of the nation. Check out a newspaper online or an online journal like the Economist. To see all the changes that are happening in your state and your nation.

The outcomes of these controversial issues rely heavily on the November election. So who ever controls the house will be able to literally decide the fate of our nation for years to come. The long term consequence of bills, like the health-care bill, are still being researched. But one thing is for certain, those we put in office come November will decide the outcomes for us, and to steal a slogan from our current president, will it be a change you can believe in?

Creating the Divide, A Strategy for Defeat

2010-09-13T16:48:00.000-07:00

I was going through the news today looking for interesting articles to bring to your attention. But something else caught my eye. A underlining theme that is the true elephant in the room. The increasing social and political divide in America.

Me and some of my college buddies from time to time go down to the bars get a pint or two and talk politics to our hearts content. One of the re-appearing topics are those based on harsh black and white comparisons. Left vs the Right, Republican Vs Democratic, Liberal vs Conservative, and any other political identifying label you can think off. This idea really hit home for me when one of my hardcore right wing friends in the middle of rant stated ;"You know why hey label you? So they can break you down and smother your voice"
At the time this idea seemed a little out in left felt for me, but after i let it sink in i came to see truth in that statement. In the military they say "A force divided is a force easily destroy', that truth is no different in the political realm.

With the election in Washington state being as close of a race as it is, every vote counts and in groups, block votes hold much power. The youth vote or college vote is by far one of the most divided groups, and because of that fact the voices of the youth hold very little power. Which in turn explains why very few campaigning officials really take the concerns of college student into account during the election seasons. So if we really want change for our government, we have to learn to work with groups and people that are "different" then ourselves. We have to learn to work with people and candidates that we don't agree with 100%. We have to find ways to get pass the dividing factors that created so much of the voter apathy in our lives and on our campuses. The college vote could decide the fate of this election, and in turn our nation. All we have to do is to get enough of us together have our voice heard.

The Danger of Words

2010-09-09T14:56:00.000-07:00

A teacher in Spokane was suspended today for using the lyrics from a Blue Scholars song Commencement Day. The official report stated that some of the content and language used was inappropriate for the students. With book such as the Catcher and the Rye i don't really see what the problem is. Like most things in education if its new or edgy the administration likes to take control. Below are the some of the Lyrics from the song, let you be the judge.

"To the graduating class of two thousand whatever,
Congratulations past due, you deserve better,
Looking dapper in a cap and a gown,
You got fam snappin flicks, clappin loud in the back of the crowd.
Now the band playin Martin Circumstance got you amped feelin like a champ,
Class is out of session at last.
You’ve been patiently waiting,
12 years in the making,
Anybody who has doubted you is sadly mistaken,
With the paper with your name in old English for the taking,
So moms can bring it home and frame it and display it,
With the grade point average hanging over head,
Brother sister please don’t believe the bullshit they said.
Fuck the pledge of allegiance and arrogant teachers
But peace to the people who don’t ever preach in the front of a classroom
All day long, planting seeds of revolution,
We dedicate this song.

It goes one for the student who refuses to submit
And two for the teachers who are underpaid as shit
It’s the next generation of miseducated youth
Who demonstrate the truth and manage to make it through
It goes three for the strikes giving young bloods life
And four for the years you spent stifled inside
It’s the next generation of miseducated youth-next time ask em for proof." - Blue Scholars

Taking the Higher Road

2010-09-07T17:29:00.000-07:00

At bumbershoot last weekend. A representative from an another college group stopped by our booth and played a round of water pong with us. Through our conversation i learned that we had a similar mission, but a different method for the same outcomes. It reminded me of a something one of my political science teachers told me.

"Never think that your political opponent, hates or wants to destroy America. They love America , but just have a different view on what America is. Once you start believing you opponent is out to destroy America there can be no middle ground, or educated debate."

I try to keep that in mind with people i encounter along my travels. At bumbershoot i ran into radical leftest that verbally attacked us for our support of the "evil capitalism" and our views on economic reform. After embarrassing himself with his rants and raves the people around him came to our booth to learn more of what he was yelling about. In a way he ended up being a great tool to show the oppressive nature of the left and what the Student Freedom Project is fighting against. A great deal of politics today is done by race baiting and with smear campaigns, and having worked on campaigns and as an activist on college campuses i have been the target of some of this "strategic" verbal anger. As the organizer of the Student Freedom Project i try to rise above that and hold my volunteers and member to higher standards. If we want to change whats happening in politics we to have to change how the game is played.