Ike's farewell address, revised 29 times!

Eisenhower Speech

Happy Thanksgiving

First Flag on Utah Beach D-Day

 

 

 

 

As you celebrate Thanksgiving 2010, remember that it is not always about turkey, family, football, or even politics.  Remember there are those who only had a few Thanksgivings in their lives before they were called upon to protect our right to be thankful.  When called, they went.  Not all flags are pretty, new and bought with credit cards on the discount rows in superstores, many are torn as the one above and bought with blood.

(picture from http://timpanogos.wordpress.com/category/history-images/)

Obama Presidential Library

Presidents build libraries, it's a fact.  Bush is currently building his, his dad built one, Clinton built one, and the story goes on of former presidents building libraries.  If Republicans continue the uphill drive already in place, and history holds the odds in our favor, then President Obama will have the groundbreaking for his library sometime in late 2013.  Remember, you have to help make this true!

Obama Presidential Library:

Groundbreaking 2013

BETH ANNE RANKIN TO BE GUEST ON FOX BUSINESS NEWS

MAGNOLIA, AR – Congressional candidate Beth Anne Rankin will be a guest on
"America's Nightly Scoreboard" Friday at 6 p.m. central time on the Fox Business Network cable channel.

Friday night, Rankin, the Republican nominee for Arkansas’ Fourth Congressional District, will be interviewed on the show by host by David Asman via satellite.

"It is an honor to be a guest on the Dave Asman Fox Business show. The segment is going to feature a discussion on the increasing regulation the federal government places around the neck of the small business owner. As the founder of my own business, Beth Anne Productions, Inc., I understand the challenges entrepreneurs face when trying to take a dream or an idea and transform that into a business,” Rankin said. “We are not asking the federal government to hold our hand. We are asking for it to get out of the way."

Thanks to Jim Harris for this press release and information

Larry Burgess, Unemployed Candidate for Miller County Judge

Burgess speaks as McNatt looks unhappy

Politics is a dirty game no matter how you look at it.  One side is going to say the other side is not qualified, or their platform is wrong, or any other dozens of political avenues for victory.  Texarkana politics recently echoed of a past when politicians gathered in the back room of the Cattleman’s on State Line to discuss the operation, plans, and their own agendas for the small southwest Arkansas town.  County Judge Roy McNatt fired Larry Burgess for what has been described as “absenteeism”.  Whether McNatt was justified for the firing or not is a decision best left to the court systems and unemployment commissions to debate and ultimately decide.  However, it does not help the dim outlook on McNatt that he has fired his political opponent, Larry Burgess.

Larry Burgess has seen the inside of the County Judge’s operations.  Burgess has seen the trucks that require constant work just to start, he has seen the roads that need repair and maintaining, he has seen the multiple areas of need in the county that simply are not being addressed.  Burgess’ platform is simple.  He wants to fix things, get Miller County back on track, and ensure that the county has the equipment needed to address routine maintenance or a major county emergency.  Burgess, having worked on the trucks the county owns, has seen first hand that it often takes up to two hours to start a truck.  This ultimately means that the county tax payers are not only maintaining equipment that needs to be replaced, but they are paying the bill for crews to sit around and wait while other crews are being paid to simply start up a truck.  While two hours may not seem like a long time for a road repair in the county somewhere, consider if the there was an emergency such as another ice storm to the area.  Those trucks may be needed to move trees off roads, assist in ensuring electrical repair trucks can get to their needed destinations or deliver salt to ensure safe travel.  With an emergency, two hours becomes a long time to wait for an emergency crew to arrive.  Larry has seen truck issue first hand, he has worked it, and he knows there is a better way. 

Larry tried to express that “better way” or at least offer suggestions to his former boss.  Larry wanted to ensure that taxpayer money was not being wasted.  McNatt, apparently content to run the county as he always has, disregarded Larry’s suggestions.  Out of this disregard for the opportunity to improve the county came Larry’s desire to run.  Unfortunately, it appears that Larry’s desire to serve his community caused him to be fired.  He has now lost the income to support his family and received what appears to be a clear message from McNatt.  Yes, politics as usual is alive and well in Texarkana, Arkansas.  Based on this observation alone, it would be very interesting for some outside people to view exactly what is going in Miller County with Miller County money that does not allow for the maintenance  or purchase of good county vehicles or the repairs needed around the county.  Maybe those two hours a day aren’t really all that bad.  After all, two hours a day is only ten hours a week or twenty hours for a two week period.  Miller County can continue to be content with paying county employees up to twenty hours for nothing or Miller County can elect Larry Burgess and get back on track.

Help Jim Keet Paint Arkansas Red!

Jim with Dick Morris

Is this putting Arkansas first?

The final stretch is within sight and Jim Keet’s sights are set on putting Arkansas’ interest first.  Jim wants to serve as Arkansas’ next governor and for once we have politician running who is not a career politician.  To make matters even better for Arkansas, Jim is not a Washington collaborator.  He is not willing to let those in Washington cram their ideals and agendas down the throat of every Arkansas resident.  Since the Obama Administration has taken over, our governor has done little to protect Arkansas' interest.  In fact, he has done nothing to protect Arkansas' interest when it comes to any of the new federal regulations, health care, or the excessive spending.  To be blunt, our governor is a dream for the Obama Administration!

Fortunately for Arkansas, Jim Keet is not a Washington insider.  Jim Keet is 100% for Arkansas and the interest of the people of our state.  To make matters better for Arkansas, Jim is a businessman.  He knows how to run a business and one of the things he has to do with a business is work within a budget.  Jim will not spend money he doesn’t have.  Jim will not allow state employees to waste your resources driving state cars for their own use, and only address the problem at election time.  Jim Keet will address Arkansas’ problems all year, each day, and each hour that he serves as governor.  He will put Arkansas first and make the priorities of Arkansans number one again.

Unfortunately, Jim cannot fight this fight alone.  Everyone knows it takes money to win an election.  The Democrats would have everyone believe that they are the party of no money and that Republicans have all the money.  That is simply not true.  The Democrats have a huge war chest to fight this election with and Republicans like Jim Keet are fighting with each dime they get in an uphill battle.  The bottom line is simple, Jim doesn’t have the money needed to fight this battle for you.  Jim needs all the citizens of Arkansas to stand with him now, so he can stand for them as governor.  Therefore, the “Paint Arkansas Red” campaign is underway.  If you are tired of everyone listening to Washington, using your money for their own agendas, and refusing to listen to you anytime other than election time, then you need to join Jim.  Click here Paint Arkansas Red.    Show the world that Arkansas will not be told what to do and that Arkansas citizens are going to take back their state.  Then, on November 2nd, vote Jim Keet for your next governor.  You no longer have to sit alone in front of your television and Internet connections and wonder what’s going to happen to Arkansas.  You can make sure your voice is heard and you are a part of what happens to Arkansas!

Rise of The Tea Party

In 1992, American saw the first real challenge to the Presidential domination by Republicans and Democrats since anyone could remember.  A Texas Billionaire threw his financial empire into the ring and propelled himself into debates, across television stations, and into the papers covering the race.  Ross Perot effectively became a viable third party candidate.  He positioned himself to win 19,743,821 votes, or 18.91% of the popular vote.  The battle that Perot fought forced states such as Maine, Montana, Nevada, and New Hampshire to be won by Presidential candidate Bill Clinton, barely.  It could be argued, looking at the map and voter turn out that had Perot not been in the race, and had those voters who supported Perot voted for then President Bush he would have won the popular vote with almost 60,000,000 votes.  This type of win would have likely turned key electoral votes away from Bill Clinton and toward George Bush.  Perot for all his intentions to run a viable third party had in effect taken the White House out of Republican hands and turned it over to the Democrats.  While Perot and his supporters won no electoral votes, they did contribute to changing the outcome of the election.  1992 Presidential Vote Results

In large, Americans have forgotten the race of 1992.  The world went on and eight years later the Gore v Bush battle would dominate the American media, debates, and even lawsuits at the turn of the century.  Ultimately, the United States would once again become “Bush Country”.  Then, eight years after “Bush Country,” American media would stumble across the great debates, lawsuits and arguments for and against Obama. 

Suddenly, enter The Tea Party.  Supported and encouraged by many Republicans, the party appeared to support Republican candidates at first.  Their message is clear, they want less government, fewer taxes, and support of the United States Constitution.  On the outside, they sound Republican, but something is gradually changing those lines.  While initially supporting certain Republican candidates, the Tea Party gradually started supporting their own candidates over Republican candidates.  As of this morning, headlines on Yahoo’s news feed scream “Tea party victory endangers GOP’s goal of retaking the Senate”Yahoo Link.  A Tea Party backed candidate who happens to also be a Republican in Delaware, Christine O’Donnell, defeated Representative Mike Castle, a Republican.  Not only was Mike Castle a Republican, but he was also a longtime Representative.   The Tea Party has effectively gone from a “party” or demonstration group to what could be considered a viable “third party” capable of swaying votes within the Republican lines severely. 

An old saying is “history repeats itself.”  If that saying is true, and it has been argued to be so on several occasions, then the American political landscape may well be on its way to a repeat of the 1992 Presidential elections.  Considering that Sarah Palin, current Republican, supports Tea Party candidates.  It is possible that if Mrs. Palin does not obtain a position on the Republican ticket for 2012 that she may option out to represent the Tea Party.  It would be an easy transition for her considering that she will have the rest of 2010, 2011 and early 2012 to support both Republican and Tea Party candidates.  She can basically walk the line until it is time to represent one group or the other.  To further propel the Tea Party, not only do they have the victories right now in 2010, but they also have all of 2011 and part of 2012 to build support, financial resources, and the momentum needed to push their third party candidate into the spotlight. 

If the Tea Party becomes the third party of the 2012 race, they will no doubt pull their support largely from Republican voters.  Once they pull voters from the Republican supported ticket, they will force the same outcome that Ross Perot forced in 1992.  States that Republicans should win will suddenly become won or lost by small percentage margins.  In the end, a split of Republican support between a Tea Party candidate and a Republican candidate will allow the Democratic party to carry the needed votes on both the popular level and the electoral level.  The end result will be four more years of Obama in the White House, and that is a result that neither Tea Party or the Republican Party supporters want to endure.

Beth Anne Rankin Turns Up The Heat on Ross

A statement from Jim Harris, Director of Communications for Beth Anne Rankin for Congress:

Career politician Mike Ross is starting to feel the heat for all the liberal votes he has cast while in Congress. That is why he sent out his “myth list” Monday. He hopes voters will not go to the record and see that he is not the conservative as he claims.

With the polls showing he has dropped to 49 percent, he is desperate to muddy the waters

Here are the truths to disprove the “myths” he released:


MYTH: Miss Rankin says Mike Ross has voted for Nancy Pelosi four times, but what she doesn’t say is that Nancy Pelosi was unopposed on the Democratic ballot.

TRUTH: The Speaker of the House sets the congressional agenda for the next two years. The question of who is elected Speaker determines if liberal or conservative legislation gets brought up for votes.

Mike Ross can try to run away from his four votes to make Nancy Pelosi Speaker of the House by saying there wasn’t another Democrat on the ballot. That does not change the fact that Ross voted for Pelosi. It does not change the fact that voting for Ross in November is giving Pelosi another vote for Speaker in January 2011. A vote for Mike Ross is a vote for Nancy Pelosi.

Look at the issues that are important to Arkansans:

Abortion: The National Right to Life Committee rating on Pelosi is zero. 

Gay rights: Pelosi opposes a constitutional amendment defining marriage as one-man-one-woman and votes 100 percent of the time with the Human Rights Campaign, the largest national gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender organization.

Illegal immigration:  Pelosi opposes building a fence along the border with Mexico and supports amnesty for illegal aliens.  

Gun control: Pelosi has an F grade from the National Rifle Association.

Pro-family: The Christian Coalition says Pelosi votes pro-family only 8 percent of the time.

Taxes: Pelosi doesn’t just want the Bush Tax Cuts to expire; she supports repeal of those tax cuts.

If re-elected, Ross will once again vote to put Pelosi in charge of setting the agenda for the House of Representatives. A vote for Ross is a vote for Pelosi.


MYTH: Miss Rankin says Mike Ross has voted with his party 96% of the time, but what she doesn’t say is these totals include procedural votes, such as quorum calls and motions to adjourn, recess or to approve the congressional record.

TRUTH: What Beth Anne really says – and Ross ought to know this since he has someone video tape each of her public appearances – is that from the start of the current Congress until the day she filed, Ross voted with Pelosi 94.6 percent of the time. That is a matter of public record. Ross says he is a conservative Democrat but votes that often with Pelosi. He talks the conservative talk, but doesn’t walk the conservative walk.

MYTH: Miss Rankin says Mike Ross is not a fiscal conservative, despite local, state and national headlines and a voting record to the contrary.

TRUTH: Does he mean votes like the one of April 29, 2009? Ross voted for the original Obama budget. Ross was one of 223 Democrats who voted to pass Senate Concurrent Resolution 13 and all the fiscal irresponsibility it contained.

Maybe he means the Jan. 28, 2009 vote for the stimulus bill where Democrats promised it would keep the national unemployment level under 8 percent. It has since gone above 10 percent and currently is 9.7 percent. The stimulus bill is a failure that ran up the federal debt. Ross voted for the stimulus bill. There are still millions of dollars provided in that bill that are unspent. Expect Ross and other Democrats to be handing that money out in the next seven weeks to try and buy votes with our own tax dollars.

The “Blue Dog” congressman should be guarding the federal budget, but he didn’t bark while the federal debt swelled to a record $13.3 trillion – the real source of our economic woes. You don’t keep a dog who doesn’t bark to alert you to danger. It is time for the voters to send Ross back to Prescott to live under the laws he has voted on the last 10 years.



MYTH: Miss Rankin says Mike Ross could have stopped the health care bill in committee, despite the fact that the bill that became law never even went through Mike’s committee.


TRUTH: Please check this link to the Washington Post story on Aug. 1, 2009. Ross clearly voted for Pelosi-backed health care bill in committee.

Washington Post


If Ross is so against that health care bill, why won’t he vote to repeal it? Beth Anne will vote to repeal it and replace it. If a Presidential veto blocks this, she will vote to defund it.

Ross claims to be a leader of the “Blue Dogs” and lead that group to vote against it. The record shows most of those “Blue Dogs” voted for it. So much for his claim of being a “leader.”

MYTH: Miss Rankin says Nancy Pelosi “let” Mike Ross vote no on health care reform because she had the votes to pass it without him, despite Mike publicly announcing his vote more than two months before the vote took place.

TRUTH: By the time Pelosi’s heath care bill came to a vote on the floor of the House, she didn’t need Ross’ vote. She needed his vote in the House Energy and Commerce Committee when it passed out of committee on a 31-28 vote. If Ross had voted against it and convinced one other Democrat on that committee to vote against, it would have failed. The fact is Ross gave her his vote when she needed it the most. The Fourth District does not need a congressman who picks party over principal.


MYTH:  Miss Rankin says Mike Ross voted for the Obama budget; however, Congress never votes on the President’s budget.

TRUTH: With almost 10 years in Congress one would think Ross would understand how the system works. The President submits a budget to Congress. There is a budget process, but it starts with the President’s budget. As pointed out above, Ross voted for it in Roll Call Vote 216. It is public record and Ross can’t run away from his many liberal votes. His claim that he has to vote certain ways because he is a Democrat is no defense. Fourth District voters have an opportunity to vote for Beth Anne, who is not and never will be Pelosi’s lap dog.

MYTH:   Miss Rankin has criticized Mike Ross on his vote for the stimulus package – the American Recovery & Reinvestment Act – arguing it’s done nothing for Arkansas.  Tell that to the 232,000 working families in our congressional district that received an $800 per year tax cut, and the state of Arkansas, which received billions in aid for schools, Medicaid, community colleges and universities, roads, bridges, police and fire departments and more.

TRUTH: The stimulus bill failed to do what they promised it would do. The Fourth District will always accept federal dollars, when flowing, for noble causes. But that does not change the face that the bill failed to accomplish the mission used to sell it to the American people. It is a bad bill. It is bad economics. It is bad governing. Ross and Pelosi were among those selling the bill to the American people on the premise it would hold unemployment below 8 percent. Look at the national unemployment figures. Why is Ross so proud of voting for this failure?


MYTH: Miss Rankin says Mike Ross doesn’t listen to his constituents, despite Mike Ross’ intense town hall schedule.

TRUTH: Just because Ross holds town hall meetings doesn’t mean he is listening. Beth Anne has also been holding a series of town hall meetings and people are telling her Ross doesn’t listen to them. When you look at Ross’s pro-Pelosi voting record, you understand they are right.

MYTH:  Miss Rankin says Mike Ross isn’t accurate about her position on Social Security, yet she has publicly stated that she would have “preferred” Social Security privatization and wants to either “raise the age limit” or “reduce its benefits.”  When asked specifically if she would rise the retirement age, she said “all options are on the table.” Mike Ross has consistently fought off Washington attempts to privatize Social Security and has actively opposed raising the Social Security retirement age or cutting the benefits Arkansas’s seniors have earned through a lifetime of hard work.


TRUTH: “Privatization of Social Security” is the 2010 Democrat scare tactic. Beth Anne has said often she does not support privatization. She said it yesterday (Sept. 13, 2010) at a town hall meeting in Hope. Both the Hope Star and Texarkana Gazette covered the town hall meeting. Check the stories in those newspapers.

Will We Forget 9/11?

For most Americans, September 11, 2001 started out as a day like any other.  People were going to work, people were getting off the late shift, people were starting their daily routines across America.  This day, however, would not turn out to be like any other.  The day would mark the start of changes across our nation and around the world.  Changes would be seen in simple things like what we are allowed to travel in airplanes with and what we are not allowed to travel with to larger things like the war.  It would also be one of the only day's in America's flight history when the sky would become silent.  Planes were grounded from the smallest single engine plane, to the largest airliner.  Only military planes would fly the rest of the day and government planes.  September 11, 2001 turned out to be anything but a day like any other.

 Another day that started normal for most Americans was December 7, 1941.  Again, people went about their daily lives, unconcerned about the war in Europe.  That day would also mark changes across the nation.  People would watch for Japanese ships off the coast, Japanese citizens would be rounded up and placed in camps, and Americans would use slang terms to define the Japanese people.  Before the war was over, retribution would be painful for all nations involved, including the United States, and Japan would see two large cities virtually wiped out by the atomic age.  December 7, 1941 turned out to be anything but a day like any other.

Today, we remember September 11th, but how many of us living will pause and reflect on December 7th?  The generation that lived the day of December 7th is literally passes away in front of us.  Even people who were young children at the time, are now growing older, reaching retirement and often not reflecting too much on December 7th.  On December 7th, there will be some services honoring the day and the lives lost.  Most likely those will center around the Arizona Memorial.  Sadly, December 7th will eventually be left to the historians to discuss, debate, and remember.  The fact is that there are only so many generations that will be affected by December 7th, and those generations are starting to end now.

Because we have seen such dates as December 7th fade into history almost as "just another day" we must find a way to ensure September 11th does not have the same fate.  There are several ways we can do this.  First, we must teach what really happened on that date and what the results were.  Second, we must push our government, including President Obama, to not simply look at this as a day of healing wounds.  Third, we must insist that the true history of the day is honored by the government and passed to each generation.

Obama and his friends in Washington have forgotten one thing about September 11th that we have not.  The war is not over.  The terrorist that organized and constructed the attacks on the United States are still out there and still planning.  The difference now between September 11th and December 7th should be clear.  We won the war that resulted from the attacks on December 7th and it became time to move on; however, we have not won the war that resulted from the attacks of September 11th.  If we do as Obama would like us to do and go on with our lives, then September 11th will quickly be left to the historians to debate and discuss.  We will find ourselves once again open to an attack from our yet unbeaten enemies of terrorist.  After all, we still know about December 7th because most of us know or knew someone from that generation, but how many remember April 12th?*


* oh, in case you're wondering, that's April 12, 1861 and the start of the American Civil War with the first shots fired at Fort Sumter, SC.  The end result was freedom for American slaves at a cost of over 620,000 lives.  

Beth Anne Rankin to Host Town Hall Meeting in Hope

HOPE, AR -- Congressional candidate Beth Anne Rankin of Magnolia will host a town hall meeting at 1 p.m. on Monday, September 13, in the Student Center of the University of Arkansas Community College at Hope.  

This is part of a series of town hall meetings Rankin has been holding in the 29 counties that make up the Fourth District of Arkansas.

Rankin will speak on her positions of the issues facing the state and the country and take questions from the audience.

"We once had a problem with voter apathy in this county, but we don't any more. Everywhere I go there are people telling me this country is moving in the wrong direction," Rankin said. "Please join me at the town hall meeting because I value your opinion on the important issues facing our country."

Rankin is a small business owner and seventh-generation south Arkansan who spent seven years working in the Governor's Office for Gov. Mike Huckabee.

As Huckabee's Policy Adviser for State-Federal Affairs, Rankin served as the liaison to the National Governors Association, the Southern Governors Association, Capitol Hill and the White House. Rankin coordinated the Governor's Summit on Economic Development, Play it Again Arkansas and chaired the state-wide initiative for the design of the Arkansas State Quarter, leading the nation in citizen participation.

While serving in the Governor's Office she also served as a Board Member on the Arkansas Martin Luther King, Jr. Commission. Born in El Dorado and raised on the Rankin Farm in Magnolia, she was an Honor Graduate of Magnolia High School, attended Southern Arkansas University and graduated Magna Cum Laude from Ouachita Baptist University with a double major in history and music. Beth Anne is a Nationally-Certified Teacher of Music (NCTM) and launched Beth Anne Productions in Magnolia, an independent music teaching studio.

(Another big thank you to Jim Harris for this vital information)

ARKANSAS RIGHT TO LIFE ENDORSES BETH ANNE RANKIN

  MAGNOLIA, AR – Congressional candidates Beth Anne Rankin has been endorsed by the Arkansas Right to Life Political Action Committee.

“Respect the sanctity of human life is not only one of the issues I’m running on, it is a strong personal belief. Have no doubt – I am pro-life and proud of it,” Rankin said. “I support the reversal of Roe vs. Wade and Doe vs. Bolton decisions. I think elected legislative bodies should be able protect unborn children by limiting or prohibiting abortion.”

She also supports renewing the current Hyde Amendment policy without allowing it to be weakened by amendments. The Hyde Amendment is a federal legislative provision barring the use of federal funds to pay for abortions.

The original Hyde Amendment was passed in 1976. It was the first pro-life victory after the 1973 Roe vs. Wade decision by the U.S. Supreme Court.

In a letter sent to Rankin by Wayne Mayes, president of Arkansas Right to Life, said:

“The Arkansas Right to Life Political Action Committee is pleased to endorse you for election to the United States House of Representatives Arkansas District 4 in the 2010 General Election.

“The endorsement reflects our appreciation for the strong stand you have taken on behalf of those members of our human family who are least able to protect themselves – unborn children and medically disabled or dependent persons whose lives are threatened by abortion or euthanasia.

“We appreciate the values by which you live, the inspiration you provide those in your community, and the courage with which you stand up for the principles in which you believe.

“The countless Arkansans who respect the sanctity of innocent human life appreciate the deep commitment you have for this important issue. 

“We wish you the very best in the upcoming election and look forward to working with you to change hearts and minds on the issue of abortion and in passing laws that protect and defend human life in our nation and world.”
The ARTL Federal PAC seeks to elect candidates to public office that respect the sanctity of human life. The ARTL PAC is nonpartisan, and its funds are separate from Arkansas Right to Life, Inc.

Thanks once again to Jim Harris for great input here at Texarkana GOP!

Wayne Smith: Running for Mayor of Texarkana, Arkansas

If you have not heard the news, then you might not be on Facebook.  Wayne Smith of Texarkana announced briefly today that he, after much consideration with his wife and in prayer, has decided to run for the office of Mayor for Texarkana, Arkansas.  Wayne said:

“After discussion with family and friends and many hours of prayer I have decided to initiate the process of placing my name on the November Ballot for Mayor Texarkana, Arkansas.

I am asking for each of you to remember Brenda and I in your prayers as we embark on another adventure/avenue in our journey through this life.”

 

Having known Wayne and his outstanding character, I immediately contacted him through a direct message and fired off some basic questions.  The man who has spent his life being prepared, serving his community, and in too many leadership roles to count, responded quickly.

 

Wayne immediately pointed out that he has already set an agenda in place for being the new Mayor of Texarkana, Arkansas.  He stated that he wants to see our “economic interest first and foremost in the region.”  This is good news for plants such as Cooper Tire.  He further noted that he feels strongly that outside interest groups have impeded Texarkana’s growth for too long.  He assures me that Texarkana, Arkansas will come first in all his dealings in and out of the area.

 

As for recent events in the news, Wayne feels strongly that the Texarkana Water Utilities must continue as a joint operation, managed by Texarkana, Arkansas and Texarkana, Texas.  During his discussion about the water company, Wayne used such words as “insist” and “demand”.  He feels strongly that both cities have a stake in the water utilities and that both cities must equally administer and regulate those interests.

 

Wayne is already formulating ideas for economic growth and strengthening Texarkana, Arkansas’ position for future industry.  As Mayor Shipp prepares to leave his post, Texarkana, Arkansas would be best served by a man prepared to take the leadership of the city to new levels and elevate Texarkana, Arkansas into a position of economic prosperity that has been unseen in our past.

 

THE “BLUE DOG” HOAX

Former Congressman Bethune, Jim Harris, and Arkansas Republican Nominee for Governor Jim Keet

Once again a thank you to Jim Harris, Director of Communications for Beth Anne Rankin's Campaign (Beth Anne Rankin for Congress), for providing Congressman Bethune's article below:



By Congressman Ed Bethune

A hoax is a deliberate attempt to deceive or trick an audience into believing or accepting that something is real, when the hoaxer knows it is false. Wikipedia
For more than 40 years Arkansas independents and conservative Democrats have been the victims of a political hoax.  The hoaxers were known as Boll Weevil Democrats during the Reagan years, but as voters caught on to what they were doing the Boll Weevils reinvented themselves as Blue Dog Democrats.  

The modus operandi of both groups: 1) get elected to national office in Arkansas by claiming to be a conservative Democrat. 2) In Washington, use the “go along to get along” strategy to appease the liberals who control the national Democrat party. 3) When running for re-election deny “going along to get along.”  Claim to be a conservative, not an enabler for the liberal agenda.

This year, thanks to the extreme agenda of President Obama, the Blue Dog hoax is revealed.  On the first day of this congress they voted for Nancy Pelosi, a San Francisco liberal, to be Speaker of the House.  Then, there were votes for the 3.9 trillion dollar Obama budget; the pork-laden, debt-producing “stimulus” bill; and the terribly flawed Pelosi Obama health care bill.  These votes stripped away the façade behind which the Blue Dogs have been hiding for years.  Their constituencies – spitting mad - saw what they were doing.  The hapless Blue Dogs were left with three choices.

Announce retirement.  Many have done just that. In Arkansas, Congressman Marion Berry (AR-1) started 2009 “going along to get along.” He voted for Pelosi to be speaker, and then he voted for the trifecta – the Obama budget, the “stimulus” bill, and Pelosi Obamacare.  His constituents were disappointed to learn that Marion is, and has been, an enabler for liberal Democrats.  Berry declared on January 25 that he would not run again.

The second thing an exposed Blue Dog can do is to switch parties.  Congressman Parker Griffith, an Alabama Blue Dog, moved to the Republican Party on December 22, 2009.  Griffith said he could “no longer align himself with a party that continues to pursue legislation that is bad for our country, hurts our economy and drives us further and further into debt.”

The final option for a frightened Blue Dog is to run for reelection on the hope that he, or she, can fool the electorate one more time. Consider the case of Congressman Mike Ross (AR-4).  Ross claims to be a conservative, but he voted for Pelosi to be speaker; for the Obama Budget in April 2009 which made room for cap and trade, health care reform, and continued funding for every liberal program.  The budget Ross supported would not stop, or slow down, a single Obama program.  In January, 2009, Ross voted for the “stimulus” bill which is now known as one of the greatest boondoggles in congressional history.  Obama was popular at the time and Ross gambled that he could get away with supporting Speaker Pelosi and the liberal Obama program.

By summer, in 2009, Ross realized it was getting harder to fool his constituents.  They were in no mood to support Obamacare, particularly the extreme bill that was working its way through his committee, the Energy & Commerce Committee.  Ross was in a spot.  He had put out his brags that he was the leader of the Blue Dog effort on Obamacare and that their goal was to make the bill better, more conservative.  
Obama, Pelosi, and Waxman, the very liberal chairman of the Energy & Commerce committee, wanted to pass the bill out of committee, merge it with bills from other committees, and send it to the full House before the August recess.  But, Waxman needed at least two votes from the seven Blue Dog Democrats on the Committee.  Ross cut a deal to deliver the two Blue Dog votes.  The chairman, in exchange, would help Ross make it look like he had done something important.  For his cover story, Ross would crow that he had made the bill better, and that he had delayed consideration by the full House until after the August recess.

On July 31, Ross and Congressman Bart Gordon (a Blue Dog Democrat from Tennessee who was planning to retire) voted for Waxman’s bill.  It passed, 31-28.  The way was now clear for Pelosi.  She jammed her Pelosi Obamacare bill through the full House on November 7, 2009.  

Ross, by then, was catching heat back home.  He needed more cover, so to round out his trickery, he voted against the bill when it came to the House floor claiming he had done all he could to stop it.  What he did not say to Arkansans is that Pelosi’s Obamacare bill would never have made it to a vote in the House if he, Ross, had not given Waxman his vote in committee.

Once he gave in to the liberals, Ross was no longer a factor in the health care debate, particularly with the Blue Dogs he claimed to be leading. Of the fifty-two member Blue Dog coalition, 28 voted “Yea” and 24 voted “Nay” on final passage of the very liberal Pelosi Obamacare.  Was Ross representing the 4th District, or was he an enabler for Obama’s liberal agenda?

Senators, aloof as they are, don’t use the Blue Dog title very much, but some of them play the hoax as well as House members.  Consider Senator Blanche Lincoln of Arkansas.  She voted for the senate Obamacare bill that Majority Leader Harry Reid cobbled together in a back room, even though her constituents were telling her to vote against it.  Reid, a few months before, had given her the Agriculture committee chairmanship and she was not about to stand up to him, no matter what was in the bill. 
She, like Berry and Ross, did her version of “go along to get along” and voted for the bill even though it was laden with pork.  Senator Mary Landrieu of Louisiana proudly announced that she had gotten $300 million for her vote. Senator Ben Nelson swapped his vote for one billion dollars to exempt his state of Nebraska from Medicaid costs that other states would have to pay.  These briberies, done in public view, didn’t stop Blanche.  Was she representing Arkansans or was she an enabler for the Obama liberal agenda?

The essential characteristic of a hoax is to convey information that is, although false, at least somewhat credible.  Such deceptions have helped Blue Dog Democrats win elections in conservative districts for more than 40 years, but will it work in 2010?  The voters in Arkansas will answer that question on November 2.

Historical Note:  Ed Bethune was elected to Congress from the 2d Congressional District of Arkansas in 1978.  He served until 1985.  He was born and raised a Democrat and became a Republican after he helped Governor Winthrop Rockefeller defeat the Faubus machine.

Dick Morris Endorses Beth Anne Rankin for Congress!

Another thank you to Jim Harris for keeping us up-to-date here at The Texarkana GOP!

Hot Springs Village, AR – Congressional candidate Beth Anne Rankin has been endorsed by political author and Fox News commentator Dick Morris. He also writes a weekly column for the New York Post.

Friday, Morris met privately with Rankin, who is running to represent the Fourth Congressional District, and told her he supports her election to the House of Representatives.

He said he sees her race as one of the 45 “swing” elections that could go either way. Morris said he plans to appeal to his 450,000 supporters who receive his political columns by e-mail to financially support Rankin’s campaign.

Before beginning his career as a writer and commentator, Morris worked as pollster and political campaign consultant for a wide range of candidates including Bill Clinton and Mike Huckabee.

Morris and former Democratic U.S. Senate candidate D.C. Morrison made a six-city tour of Arkansas this week on behalf of Americans For Prosperity. Other cities on the “November is Coming “tour included Texarkana, Mountain Home, Jonesboro, Searcy and Little Rock.

Neither Morris nor Morrison were allowed to endorse candidates during the Americans For Prosperity event, but both praised Rankin as a candidate.

Morris started his part of the program by walking down the center aisle of the Coronado Center with Rankin by his side. The center had a capacity crowd and an additional room was opened to allow people to watch the event on closed circuit television.

“The next aisle she walks down will be in the U.S. House of Representatives,” Morris said.

Morris was critical of the health care bill passed by Congress earlier this year. He disapproved of the way Rankin’s opponent, incumbent Mike Ross, voted on the government take-over of health care.

“Mike Ross was sneaky. When the committee vote was taken, the vote was seven to seven. He was the 15th vote that allowed it to pass out of committee,” Morris said.

Had Ross voted against the health care bill when it was in committee, it would never have gotten to the floor of the House of Representatives. Once it got to the floor of the House, Ross voted against it twice, Morris said.

When the Democrats needed him with the committee vote, he was there for them, Morris said. When the Democrats had enough votes to pass it without Ross’s help, he voted against it.

“He thought you would be too dumb to know what he did in committee,” Morris said. “You are smarter than that.”

Morris praised Rankin for supporting the repeal of the health care bill and then wanting real reform of health care.

The Miller County Patriots Arrive!

If you haven’t already seen the T-shirts around town, you likely will soon.  They are growing, becoming more known and attracting people from all walks of life.  Their symbol is a simple Arkansas Razorback Hog with an Uncle Sam hat on top his head.  They are The Miller County Patriots and their goal is nothing short of changing the current path this nation is going down.  They are looking to elect conservative Christians, to educate and recruit people and ultimately to start what they call a “revolution” in 2010.

My first impression of the group was that it was another Tea Party movement and if you’ve followed my Tweets, then you know that while I support the Tea Party, I also encourage them to stick with the Republican Party.  As I read over the information presented by the Patriots, I found the group was actually promoting Republican candidates for the most part, or those sharing common beliefs with Republicans.  I thought this was good since my fear is that we will splinter in 2010 and 2012 and end up with an election similar to the one in 1992.  The fact is, as good as Ross Perot’s intentions were, he still pulled needed votes from George Bush and allowed Clinton to carry some areas that he might not have won.  If the Tea Party, or even the Patriot Groups, put forth their own representative, it may be the very thing needed to pull votes away from a Republican candidate and allow Obama to remain as a two term President.  We cannot afford to have this happen.  However, as I indicated though, I found nothing showing that the Patriots were trying to undermine Republican candidates.

Fortunately, those forming the Miller County Patriots have not abandoned their roots at this time.  I sat next to two of the group leaders, Dwayne Hall and Richard Wagon just the other night at the Miller County Republican meeting.  Both listened very closely, to what Jim Keet had to say, and Hall even took pictures to be posted on the Miller County Patriots site.

The group boasts a great site ((click here for site) at and an expanding Facebook Page (click) .  If you haven’t checked either one out yet, I suggest you do so.  The group is growing and I suspect you’ll be seeing more Razorback Hogs with Uncle Sam hats on around Texarkana as we move closer to the historic “true change” needed in 2010 and 2012.

Jim Keet: Answering the Call

Jim Keet Website

 

Jim Keet felt compelled to run for Arkansas Governor due in part to what he sees as a spiraling rate of borrowing that is crippling the state and the nation.  The borrowing at Washington’s level and at Arkansas’ level cannot continue.

Monday night Jim met with the Miller County Republican Committee membership to present the need for a new governor, present his agenda and compliment Texarkana’s State Representative Elect Prissy Hickerson.  Jim made it clear that he is crossing the state to provide information and has already visited forty-seven counties.

Jim is quick to acknowledge that he has an uphill battle against Mike Beebe.  Jim notes that Beebe is currently “the most popular governor in the United States.”  The problem Jim has with Beebe is the inability that Beebe has shown to stand up against Obamacare and the fact that Beebe does not want to point out when the federal government is wrong.  Beebe did eventually state that he was against Obamacare; however, his stand came only after the legislation had passed.

Jim points out other problems with Arkansas at this time.  He is concerned that Arkansas currently is at a “Competitive Disadvantage” against other states due to excessive taxes, the red tape required to build business, and the lack of a literacy and work force training.  Consequently, Jim was speaking Monday to a crowd all to familiar with the disadvantages that Arkansas has against other states.  Texarkana currently has no new car dealerships, no hospital, no small college, and most of the major business and work opportunities is located on the Texas side of the line due to the very problems that Jim is pointing out.

Jim has also promised to do something that other candidates do not.  Jim wants to walk into office and immediately take a 20% cut in pay.  He feels strongly that he must set the example to shrink big government and fix the problems Arkansas has by starting at the top.

Five areas I found interesting that Jim wants to address deal exclusively with taxes in Arkansas.  The following areas were almost bullet pointed out by Jim as he gave his presentation:

·      Jim wants to exempt combat pay taxes for those from Arkansas and serving in combat situations for our military

·      He wants to ensure that Arkansas’ military men and women have their military pensions tax free

·      He wants to cut income taxes in Arkansas

·      He wants to address the changes needed in corporate tax rates in Arkansas

·      He wants to change the capital gains tax in Arkansas

As I sat listening to Jim, it occurred to me that he wants to make Arkansas not only the natural state, but also the natural state of choice for business, retirees, and a vibrant work force.  Mike Beebe has been governor since 2007.  Before that, he served as Arkansas’ attorney general.  Maybe it is time to put an Arkansas businessman at the helm of the state instead of an attorney who sits by and expresses his voice against Washington legislation only after it has already passed.

The Faltering of America

America is in trouble this evening as I write these words.  I realize that we are more challenged now than we ever have been before, and maybe more challenged than we ever will be in the future.  We are a faltering nation; one on the very coattails of what causes nations to collapse and the time to take action is now.  We can believe that in November we will make the change, or we can believe that we will make the change in 2012; nonetheless that change will not come without work, dedication, and courage that may not have been seen on this continent since the dedication of this nation to the war effort of World War Two.  I strongly fear that the generation that fought that war for world freedom may truly pass away into history as the last, greatest generation of America. 

We are crippled today by economic strife that causes dependence on foreign loans, social unrest, and educational gaps that threaten to take us to the level of a third world country.  People are standing in lines again for jobs while countries like China continue to add to the books the money we owe them, the safety of the home in our social world is collapsing, and the education system, once the envy of nations, is now taking a backseat to countries we once thought inferior.  America is faltering.  America has not failed, but if we continue down this road, we will become that third world country that envied us in years past and stand on the brink of certain failure.

To further this problem, our party, the backbone of the anti-slavery movement, the strength of a woman’s right to vote, the force behind the fight to end the Cold War, and the bell-ringer for Civil Rights and desegregation is faltering.  We have party members spending donor dollars for entertainment, we have county parties splitting, we have people leaving the party for other parties, and we have people sitting around searching for the next great Reagan.  Here’s the facts, we must gain control of our party spending, we must unite county party groups, we must bring those leaving the party back, and must accept that as great as Ronald Regan was, he cannot and never will be replaced.

President Regan left us a bold new frontier.  He left us with a fighting chance to turn the world around.  He left us better off than we had been, and he left us with the tools, the economic resources, and the growing educational institutions to go forward.  He said he saw a bright new dawn ahead for America.  I am glad he is not here to see what Americans have done with that new dawn.

The thoughts I want to convey tonight as I write this is that we can rebuild and build that future that Republican’s have so long fought to preserve.  Together we can take back our economy, we can take back our social lives, and we can propel our educational institutions into this new century.  We cannot do it, unless we start at the ground level.  Invite a friend to a Republican meeting, share the word on social networks, write your leaders, fly your flag, and if necessary be ready to step up, run for office, and defend this great country again from the city council meetings, to the Congressional meetings in Washington.  In the coming months and years, you will have the opportunity to do all this.  Together, we can rise up as a generation that the future will one day look back upon and declare, “They stood and because they did, we stand today.”

Glenn Gallas Endorsement of Beth Anne Rankin

HOT SPRINGS VILLAGE, AR -- Hot Springs businessman and TEA Party leader Glenn Gallas endorsed Beth Anne Rankin of Magnolia Tuesday in the race for Congress from the Fourth Congressional District.

Rankin and Gallas faced each other in the Republican primary election last month. Rankin won her party’s nomination and will face incumbent Mike Ross in the Nov. 2 General Election. Gallas made the endorsement of Rankin during a meeting for the Hot Springs Village Republican Committee.

Rankin said she appreciated Gallas’ efforts to bring conservative voters together by supporting her.

Gallas said he and Rankin never personally attacked each other during the primary. Instead, they presented their conservative ideas and let the voters decide.

“Now, I’m asking all of my supporters to support her,” Gallas said.

He said voters need to retire Ross from Congress and replace him with Rankin, who is a true conservative.

“The important thing is to get Mike Ross out of Congress,” Gallas said.
Rankin has been endorsed by former Gov. Mike Huckabee and former Fourth District Congressman Jay Dickey.
Rankin  is a 1989 Honor Graduate of Magnolia High School, attended Southern Arkansas University and graduated Magna Cum Laude from Ouachita Baptist University after being selected as the “Ouachitonian Outstanding Senior Woman.”
She served the state as Miss Arkansas 1994. Rankin performed in the fall, Christmas and New Year’s shows of America’s Piano Showman DINO in Branson, Missouri, before retuning to Arkansas to work for Gov. Huckabee.
While working in the governor’s office, Rankin served in several capacities including liaison and policy advisor to the National Governors’ Association, the Southern Governors’ Association, the Council of State Governments, Southern Growth Policies Board, Capitol Hill and the White House.
Under the direction of Gov. Huckabee, she coordinated the Governor’s Summit on Economic Development and launched and chaired the state-wide effort in selection of the winning design for the Arkansas quarter.
A small business owner, Rankin Anne founded Beth Anne Productions, Inc. in 1998.

Once again I would like to thank Jim Harris for this update.

Memorial Day 2010

It is not much; it is simply two small United States flags. The entire packet cost me less than a dollar at Target. I walked in on our trip, found them, set them in the basket and bought them along with some other items we desperately needed. Well, okay, I bought them with some other items we wanted. But Sunday afternoon, those two little flags will be important. I’m taking my children to visit their great-granddaddy’s grave and remind them of the others who have served our country.

Granddaddy (as I called him) served in World War Two and was part of “The Greatest Generation”. As the story goes, he went down and volunteered two times to serve and was rejected. After the second time he received a draft notice. He served throughout the war making teeth and working in the medical aspect of the army. My other Grandfather was somewhat more reluctant. He waited until the draft notice came and then joined without hesitation. His story became the thing of legends with five bronze stars, two purple hearts, and participation in Africa, D-day, the Battle of the Bulge and the taking of Germany. They served with honor to ensure that they Constitution, our way of life, and the little flags that will be placed on their graves will always stand apart in the world for freedom.

Since that time, my father served in the navy and all three of my brother-in-laws served in Iraq through the army, navy, and air force. I’m proud of them and thankful for their service to ensure yours and my right to freedom.

As I said before, our children will visit their great-granddaddy’s grave. They will each have the opportunity to place flags on the grave. I will tell them about the service of men and women not only in our family, but around the nation as well. They will basically get one more history lesson this Memorial Day weekend. It won’t all be about trips, days off, and cooking hamburgers. It will be about the people who served. It is my hope that my children will walk away with an appreciation for the freedoms they have and that someday they will teach their children about Memorial Day.

Sadly, as I do this, I have read newspaper reports concerning our President’s planned vacation to Chicago. He will not go to Arlington to honor those who have paid the ultimate sacrifice. According to all reports he will be going to the gym and taking some time off. It’s always nice to be able to take a vacation whenever you want to do so. In fact, the President is one of the few people who can take several vacations a year. But I have to wonder why the leader of our nation chose this weekend to take a vacation and ignore the honor and meaning of Memorial Day. I have to think that when a President does this, maybe he doesn’t value the freedoms, the Constitution, and the flag that these men and women have sacrificed for over the life of our great, free nation known as the United States of America. Hopefully, the gestures of American families all over this great nation will make up for the poor judgment of our President.
(Cartoon from Cox Forkum  Cox Forkum)

The Smoke Clears

Well, as the old saying goes, round one is over in Arkansas.  It’s now time to get on to round two of the battle.  We had a great group of candidates for Congress and the Senate.  Any one of these folks could have served the state well in Washington and against the Democrat’s agenda.

During the campaign season, I had the opportunity to meet several of those running for office.  The one thing I liked the most was that most of the campaigns were positive.  They did not spend a great amount of time bashing each other, but rather they simply focused on talking to voters.  Here in Miller County, several of them even came to committee meetings on the same night and presented their information straightforward.  I think everyone ran great, professional campaigns.

The above being said, it’s time to get busy.  Out of the election night, Beth Anne Rankin and John Boozman emerged as our primary candidates for the November primary.  It’s now time for all the former candidates, each county party, and tea party groups to join us as we back Rankin and Boozman.  We must send these two candidates to fight for us in Washington.

Beth Anne Rankin wins Republican primary

Beth Anne Rankin addresses a crowd of supporters in Magnolia after winning the Republican primary election Tuesday night.


MAGNOLIA, AR – Beth Anne Rankin of Magnolia won the Republican nomination for the Fourth Congressional District in Tuesday’s primary election.
Before a crowd of supporters Tuesday night , Rankin said she is ready to take on the career politician who now holds the office.

“I would rather be an underdog than a blue dog,” Rankin said.

Rankin said she credits her primary victory to her “Back to Basics” campaign resonating with the voters.

“I’m for limited government, lower taxes and individual liberty,” Rankin said. “These are fundamental principles upon which our Constitution is built. It is time that we the people send a strong message to Washington that the federal government must live within its means and respect the spirit of entrepreneurship and free-market principles”

Rankin has been endorsed by former Gov. Mike Huckabee and former Fourth District Congressman Jay Dickey.

Rankin is a 1989 Honor Graduate of Magnolia High School, attended Southern Arkansas University and graduated Magna Cum Laude from Ouachita Baptist University after being selected as the “Ouachitonian Outstanding Senior Woman.”

She served the state as Miss Arkansas 1994. Rankin performed in the fall, Christmas and New Year’s shows of America’s Piano Showman DINO in Branson, Missouri, before retuning to Arkansas to work for Gov. Huckabee.
While working in the governor’s office, Rankin served in several capacities including liaison and policy advisor to the National Governors’ Association, the Southern Governors’ Association, the Council of State Governments, Southern Growth Policies Board, Capitol Hill and the White House.

Under the direction of Gov. Huckabee, she coordinated the Governor’s Summit on Economic Development and launched and chaired the state-wide effort in selection of the winning design for the Arkansas quarter.
A small business owner, Rankin Anne founded Beth Anne Productions, Inc. in 1998.

Note: Once again a big thank you goes to Jim Harris for providing this press release to The Texarkana GOP!

BETH ANNE RANKIN RAISES MORE THAN HER OPPONENT

Once again, a big thank you to Jim Harris for providing this press release from Beth Anne Rankin to us.

MAGNOLIA – Beth Anne Rankin of Magnolia has raised more than twice the amount of campaign contributions than her opponent in the May 18 Republican primary election for the Fourth District seat in Congress, according to the latest campaign financial reports filed with the Federal Election Commission.

Rankin raised $80,093 as of the April 28 filing deadline. She has spent $36,610 and has cash on hand of $43,481. She has a campaign debt of $7,501.

Her Republican opponent has raised a total of $31,164 as of the deadline, according to the FED. He has spent $17,363 and has cash on hand of $13,800. He has a $1,372 campaign debt.

“The response to my campaign has been wonderful,” Rankin said. “The fourth District is not used to having a Republican congressional primary, and to have raised this much money in just a couple of months shows people are connecting to my ‘back to basics’ campaign.”

Rankin has been endorsed by former Gov. Mike Huckabee and former Fourth District Congresman Jay Dickey.

Rankin has is a 1989 Honor Graduate of Magnolia High School, attended Southern Arkansas University and graduated Magna Cum Laude from Ouachita Baptist University after being selected as the “Ouachitonian Outstanding Senior Woman.”

She served the state as Miss Arkansas 1994. Rankin performed in the fall, Christmas and New Year’s shows of America’s Piano Showman DINO in Branson, Missouri, before retuning to Arkansas to work for Gov. Huckabee.

While working in the governor’s office, Rankin served in several capacities including liaison and policy advisor to the National Governors’ Association, the Southern Governors’ Association, the Council of State Governments, Southern Growth Policies Board, Capitol Hill and the White House.

Under the direction of Gov. Huckabee, she coordinated the Governor’s Summit on Economic Development and launched and chaired the state-wide effort in selection of the winning design for the Arkansas quarter.

A small business owner, Rankin Anne founded Beth Anne Productions, Inc. in 1998.

Glenn Gallas: Getting Government Back On the Right Road

We have another guest writer today presenting some information about Glenn Gallas

Guest Writer: Caleb Kinley of Hot Springs is the Executive Director of
Pro Arkansans for Liberty (PAL) and the founder of Revolution Designs
(http://revolutiondesigns.us ), a small website design company located in
Hot Springs.  He is also the Bishop and General Overseer of the Apostolic
Council of Nazarene's.  He is blessed to be a father of two beautiful
children and a faithful husband to his wife Anita, who is a loving,
beautiful wife that is also his best friend. In March, Caleb and Anita
celebrated their 19th wedding anniversary.

There is no doubt in my mind that many politicians of our beloved nation
are traveling down the wrong road and have been doing so for many years at
great expense to taxpayers. At a time when our government needs to slow
down its own growth and reach, cut taxes, significantly reduce its
spending, they are instead, blatantly forging forward against the will of
the people in a way that could ultimately bring our once prosperous nation
down.  As is, the rugged course we are currently being forced to travel is
totally unsustainable and in the end, will probably fail unless we the
people can legally stop this most unfortunate monstrosity in 2010.  From
sea to shining sea, and as always when the government intervenes in the
private market, the American people will be the ones who get the short end
of the stick and suffer, just as we did with the bailouts and stimulus
plans that were supposed to "save" our economy.  When there's a fire, you
don't put it out by throwing gasoline on the flames, which is just what
bailouts and stimulus plans do.

In a nutshell, our nations frail, shaky, and failing economy is being
morphed into something far worse than it is now; a socialistic one, where
government consumes national industries in the pretense of taking care of
us from the organizations they deem to be "too big to fail."  Never mind
that socialism has never succeeded, not even once.  However, our
Constitutional Republic has been successful for two hundred years, at
least until the government started to really stray from our Country's
founding documents.  Our current representatives will not hear of our
economic warnings or listen to we the people when we warn them that they
are breaking the law and their oaths by violating the Constitution.
Therefore, to solve this pressing issue, we need someone to help bring our
nation back on the right road.  Enter Glenn Gallas.

Conservative Republican Glenn Gallas, one of two Republican candidates
vying for the seat currently held by the "Multi-TRILLION" dollar man,
incumbent Democrat Mike Ross (4th district), is [Gallas] the real deal and
brings much needed courage and conviction to the table. Unlike the
supposed 'blue dog' Mike Ross, Gallas is tough as nails and his personal
convictions will not permit him to bow down before Nancy Pelosi or Harry
Reid.  The courage of Glenn to stand against legislation that would be
harmful to Arkansans, and Americans in general, is unprecedented and
needed to help pull our nation back from the brink of economic implosion,
unlike the voting record of current Congressman Mike Ross. In fact, here
are a few of the voting records that tell the true tale of the
"Multi-TRILLION" dollar Congressman, Mike Ross.

*Cast deciding "YES" vote to let original Obamacare bill come out of
Committee
*Voted "YES" to $1.9 TRILLION INCREASE to limit on National Debt
*Voted "YES" to $192 BILLION additional Stimulus Spending
*Voted "YES" to $825 BILLION American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (H.R. 1)
*Voted "YES" to $60 BILLION Stimulus Package (H.R. 7110)

And as our luck would have it, the Heritage Foundation
(http://www.heritage.org/Research/Reports/2010/03/Top-10-Disasters-of-Obamacare)
just debunked the CBO's price tag on Obama Care by revealing that the
true, actual cost will be at least $2.5 TRILLION as opposed to the $940
BILLION initially expressed, which is almost three times the cost put
forth by the CBO. As you can clearly see in the "YES" vote sample, a very
small sample at that, there is nothing fiscally conservative or 'blue dog'
about Ross when you add up the fiscally irresponsible "YES" votes he has
accumulated.  Mike Ross is on the hook for over $5.4 TRILLION, just on the
few votes listed in the sample. Because of the votes of Ross, your
children and grandchildren are now straddled with and strangled by an
inextinguishable debt, meaning...a debt they can never repay or ever pay
off. Mike Ross simply does not understand that as government grows, its
growth deprives the private sector of its very life line and stunts its
growth, which is jobs. He also has failed to learn that as government
grows, the overall standard of living that we the people depend on is
lowered, and causes families to suffer needlessly. No, Mike Ross is not
part of the solution.  He's part of the problem. After all his years as a
U.S. Congressman, Ross has not yet learned that the bigger the government
becomes, the more of a burden it becomes upon individuals, especially his
constituents. Through massive taxation via bailouts, stimulus plans,
unconstitutional laws, the recently passed Health Care law, inflation
(coming soon-a hidden tax), new money (read tax) sucking programs, and not
reading the bills first, we the people are fed up with the status quo and
are fighting back in the droves against the entrenched establishment
destroying our country. And that's why he needs to go (Toss Ross!) and is
why we the people of Arkansas need to support and vote for Glenn Gallas.

Glenn will work hard to get our nation back on the right road.  He's a
proven leader, successful business owner, a fourteen year Army veteran who
faithfully served our country, he's a loving husband and caring father, a
community leader, a devout Christian and Sunday School teacher, the
founder of the Garland County TEA Party, a very strong supporter of our
second amendment rights, and a strong protector of our inalienable rights.
Glenn wants to work with we the people to bring our straying government
back to its constitutional roots. I can't think of a better person to hire
to serve we the people of Arkansas than Glenn Gallas. I truly believe that
Glenn will faithfully serve we the people of Arkansas with great respect,
strong courage, conviction, and with honor.

To learn more about Glenn, please visit his campaign site at
http://www.gallasforcongress.com

Follow Glenn on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/Gallas4Congress
Glenn on FaceBook-
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Glenn-Gallas-For-Congress/336916513481?ref=ts
Glenn on Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/user/Gallas4Congress
Glenn on MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/gallas4congress

Beth Anne Rankin's 'Back to Basics' Campaign

Being in the same room as Beth Anne Rankin is a little like being in the room with a celebrity. She is, in most Arkansan’s view, a celebrity. That celebrity status goes back to the days of reigning as Miss. Arkansas and touring the state in that capacity. It extends beyond the reign of a beauty queen and leaps into politics. It’s not just any politics, it’s Arkansas politics and with one of Arkansas’ favorite Republican sons, Mike Huckabee. She served on Mike’s staff during his time as Governor of Arkansas. In that position, she met and interacted with governors from all states. She coordinated meetings in and out of Arkansas around the nation. Often she was at the forefront of the delegation to extend an Arkansas greeting to anyone visiting the state on official business. In Arkansas, unless you’re in the movies, Beth Anne pretty much lived the celebrity status.

I must admit when I first heard that she was running for the U.S. Senate, I was not overly enthusiastic. Most of the popular press portrayed her as simply a “former Miss. Arkansas who worked for Mike Huckabee’s office”. To me she sounded like the “meet and greet” person for Arkansas. I could only imagine her walking up to people and saying “Hi! I’m Beth Anne Rankin. I’m from Arkansas and it’s a great state! Welcome!” I figured that one line just about summed up Beth Anne Rankin, or at least it did in my mind.

The first time I heard Beth Anne she followed on the heels of an opponent and was left little time to speak. She was straightforward, up-front, and as I anticipated she kind of sounded like I had envisioned she would in my mind. I figured that I would have at least another opportunity to hear her speak, so I dismissed the first meeting.

The Haaks held a small gathering for Beth Anne at their home this evening. I had the honor of attending and there heard several people voice positive things about Beth Anne. Then she took the microphone, to my surprise she said, “Hi! I’m Beth Anne Rankin! I’m from Arkansas…” I almost rolled my eyes and thought to myself, “okay here it comes.” What came next surprised me. Beth Anne, an honor graduate, has a plan. She has a plan that includes, in her own words, getting back to the basics. She wants our government to focus on the Constitution for a change, focus on people for a change, listen to people for a change, and put money back into people’s pockets for a change. She had my attention, and looking around the room she also had the attention of everyone there. There were some nodding in agreement, some saying, “Yes,” and one person even roaming around the room and nodding his approval. The more I listened, the more I realized that I had severely misjudged Beth Anne Rankin. There had been a recent article of praise posted here on Texarkana GOP, but a supporter and writer had submitted that. I had chalked that to the positive attributes of the well-written article to the writer and the supporter. I had been wrong.

As the gathering started to slowly wind down, I had an opportunity to have Beth Anne’s ear for a few moments. We talked and discussed politics and she listened to what I sometimes call my “Vader Moment”. If you have ever seen Star Wars, then you know there is that moment when Darth Vader leaves the dark side and becomes a Jedi again. That moment for me was when I left the Democratic Party and joined the Republican Party. That was my “Vader Moment”. Now I’m going to share a secret that will ruin my “Vader Moment” from here on out. I tell it as a test. It’s all true, but I tell it and watch the person’s eyes. Sorry, Beth Anne, but remember when I took my glasses off? That was the moment I watched to see your reaction and your sincerity when you listened to me. I figure if someone will listen to me tell about my “Vader Moment," then they have an ear to listen to any constitutes concerns. Beth Anne not only listened, but she commented and absorbed what I was saying. Now, believe me, I’ve told the story to many politicians and some of them walk away with a haze over their eyes. It generally indicates that they were not listening and in fact were more concerned about shaking the next potential voter’s hand. This was not the case with Beth Anne Rankin. At the end of our little chat, she commented positively about this website, and expressed how glad she was that I had become a Republican. We talked a moment more before she moved on to talk with others and I blended into the crowd to do that thing that all writers do, observe the scene.

At the end, I thanked the Haaks and spoke with them for a few moments. I think Debbie Haak summed up Beth Anne Rankin best when she said that Beth Ann is from Southwest Arkansas and that she will go to Washington, represent us, and come home. She will do all this while never forgetting the people of Southwest Arkansas and the people of the United States. Mrs. Haak was right, Beth Anne Rankin is something rare in politics these days. Beth Anne Rankin is a committed, concerned, and honest politician ready to fight for all of us in a battle that may well decide the future for not only Arkansas, but for the entire United States.

Beth Anne Rankin for Congress