Conservatives in LA: Not Welcome

A Conservative In Los Angeles
Nancy Morgan
RightBias.com





Conservatives are not allowed in Los Angeles. At least not in what is termed 'polite society." I found this out the hard way.

I spent 33 years calling Los Angeles home. Most of those years were spent blindly accepting the assumptions portrayed by the spare headline or sound bite on the nightly news: Christians are bad, government is good, and America is the cause of all the world's woes.

Advocating the spending of tax dollars for any and all social problems was the mark of a good and moral person. Professing concern for those less well off was mandatory for financially successful people and it was de rigueur to have a least one 'best friend' of color. Wearing an AIDS awareness ribbon, at that time, signaled your inclusion in the community of man.

In return for inclusion in this community, members had a free pass to substitute intentions for actions. One was free to indulge in hedonistic behavior under the guise of empowerment. Discovering one's 'inner self' validated what used to be termed sexual promiscuity. Labels were confining so members had license to create their own. Who wouldn't prefer being labeled a free spirit instead of a selfish tramp? And in LA, labels, not substance, determined the social pecking order.

Any opinion at variance with the herd was considered judgmental, which was a definite no-no. Debate was redefined as argument, which was also a no-no. These rules were made clear to me only in the breach.

At age 39, six words spoken on TV changed my life forever. In 1992, I chanced to see H. Ross Perot on TV one night. He was holding up a toilet seat as he said, "The military paid $700.00 for this." OK. Then he said the words that would change my life forever. "And this is all public knowledge."

Public knowledge?

Not where I lived. For some reason, this motivated me, for the first time in my life, to investigate and question all the 'public knowledge' I had absorbed over the years. The results shocked and angered me. The good news, however, was that my days as a 'useful idiot' came to a screeching halt.

Somehow, I found National Review, then Human Events, then the Washington Times. Their message was new to me. I was amazed that I had managed to live my whole without any glimmer that there was another, more valid, point of view out there. The conservative point of view.

I assumed that my friends, family and co-workers would be just as outraged as I to find they had only been exposed to one side of most issues. That was my first mistake. My second mistake was believing that facts counted.

I lost business and friends before I realized I had to keep my mouth shut and my opinions to myself. I remember having dinner one night with Eric and Brenda in their beautiful Bel Air mansion. This couple had the best our country has to offer. I'll never forget Brenda exclaiming over her shrimp cocktail, "America? 150 years of slavery!" By challenging her, and others like her, I slowly lost my membership in the LA community of man.

After a few years, the only place I could be myself in public was while attending conservative functions held by the few conservative organizations that were based in Los Angeles.

Meanwhile, my (one and only) husband of three years left me, due in large part to my inability to stifle my opinions. (He owed his living to the very liberal trial lawyers and his friends made clear to him my views were not welcome) I also found it increasingly hard to attend family functions, as the barely concealed tolerant patronizing of my out-of-bounds views started to grate.

The final straw was an ordinary news article. Our government schools, under the guise of 'safe sex' and 'tolerance' hosted a "Leather Fest" in San Francisco. Attended by seventh graders, some of the exhibits actually taught these kids how to fist. I won't go into details, except to explain that it is a homosexual practice...having nothing to do with tolerance or safe sex. And my tax dollars were paying for it.

Enough. After 33 years, I decided to leave Los Angeles. In 2002, I sold my business, my home, everything. I set off to find a place in the world where I could be myself without ticking everyone off. I found it in a small fishing village, Murrells Inlet, South Carolina. It was the best decision I ever made. The few times I've looked back, I feel only regret that I spent so many years of my life allowing others to define me.

by Nancy Morgan

Right Bias.com
Nancy Morgan is a columnist and news editor for RightBias.com
She lives in South Carolina.

Article may be reprinted, with attribution.

William F. Buckley Jr: Ten Quotes To Remember Him By

"The best defense against usurpatory government is an assertive citizenry."
William F. Buckley Jr.

William F. Buckley Jr. passed away today at age 82.

Buckley was the quintessential intellectual conservative, a modern day philosopher who lived life to the fullest. A novelist, debater, talk show host of TV's Firing Line, transoceanic sailor, founder the National Review, master skewerer, CIA Agent, and this is a short-list of Mr. Buckley's talents and professions.

We've compiled a few of Buckley's quotes on Liberals, Conservatives, Islam, Hillary Clinton, President Bush, Barack Obama, John Edwards, the CIA, the Federal Budget, and God.

Enjoy.

Liberals (from 1955, the first issue of National Review)

There never was an age of conformity quite like this one, or a camaraderie quite like the Liberals'. Drop a little itching powder in Jimmy Wechsler's bath and before he has scratched himself for the third time, Arthur Schlesinger will have denounced you in a dozen books and speeches, Archibald MacLeish will have written ten heroic cantos about our age of terror, Harper's will have published them, and everyone in sight will have been nominated for a Freedom Award. Conservatives in this country — at least those who have not made their peace with the New Deal, and there is a serious question of whether there are others — are non-licensed nonconformists; and this is a dangerous business in a Liberal world, as every editor of this magazine can readily show by pointing to his scars. Source - National Review

The Federal Budget

Fifty years ago, Sen. Paul Douglas of Illinois appeared in the Senate chamber lugging a huge manuscript. He plopped it on the rostrum and -- wept. Yes, he actually cried. Tears ran down his face. When he recovered, he addressed his colleagues.

"That," he said, pointing to the mass of paper, "is the budget. I have spent the past three days studying it. I am a professional economist. I can tell you that there are only two people in the United States who know what is in this budget: the director of the budget, and I. And I weep because notwithstanding that I was a college professor, I am incapable of telling you what is in that budget." Source - Townhall - Chewing the Figures

Barack Obama

The big winner was an affront to the common wisdom that looks matter most in the age of television. The dissenters were bound to support a homely man, and they found him on the Democratic side, giving Barack Obama 37.6% of the vote. Mr. Obama could think of himself as in the category of Abraham Lincoln. But he does Abe Lincoln one better by having a name that sounds as if he was on the playbill as the man who will bind the beautiful lady to the rails on which the great express will ride. Source - NYSun

President Bush

"I think Mr. Bush faces a singular problem best defined, I think, as the absence of effective conservative ideology — with the result that he ended up being very extravagant in domestic spending, extremely tolerant of excesses by Congress," Buckley says. "And in respect of foreign policy, incapable of bringing together such forces as apparently were necessary to conclude the Iraq challenge." Source - CBSNews

The CIA (Buckley was recruited right out of Yale)

In the passage of time one can indulge in idle talk on spook life. In 1980 I found myself seated next to the former president of Mexico at a ski-area restaurant. What, he asked amiably, had I done when I lived in Mexico? "I tried to undermine your regime, Mr. President." He thought this amusing, and that is all that it was, under the aspect of the heavens”. Source - How The NeoCons Stole Freedom

Islam

It is thought to be a sign of toleration to defer to Islam as simply another religion.It isn't that. It is a form of condescension. Carefully selected, there are Koranic preachments that are consistent with civilized life. But on September 11th we were looked in the face by a deed done by Muslims who understood themselves to be acting out Muslim ideals. It is all very well for individual Muslim spokesmen to assert the misjudgment of the terrorist, but the Islamic world is substantially made up of countries that ignore, or countenance, or support terrorist activity. Source - National Review - So You Want A Holy War

Conservatives and Marijuana

Conservatives pride themselves on resisting change, which is as it should be. But intelligent deference to tradition and stability can evolve into intellectual sloth and moral fanaticism, as when conservatives simply decline to look up from dogma because the effort to raise their heads and reconsider is too great. Source - The November Coalition

John Edwards

Is my friend's hostility to Edwards entirely ideological? No. It is also, like mine, personal. I just don't like his cultivated appeal to the bleachers, combined with the carefully trimmed hairdo. And maybe, most of all, the carefully maintained Southern accent, which you can hear him practicing before his lucrative appearances before the juries who listened to him and believed that they were listening to a brother, a good old Southerner, with all the right instincts for justice. Source - Real Clear Politics

Hillary Clinton (Running for President)

This edginess over Hillary requires that we probe the question: Why is it?

Well, one reason has to be that she married Bill Clinton. That should not be thought of as suicidally self-destructive. Somebody had to marry Bill Clinton. But she not only married him, she stood by him athwart scandal after scandal. This is taken as fidelity of a singular sort, and it is exactly that. But does such fidelity imply a surrender to relativism? The adage is: I am for Harry through thick and thin. But being a faithful Mrs. Harry is a feat of personal durability not always admirable. If Bill had been caught traducing not Monica, but the local bank, would Hillary have been expected to stand by him? Source - The National Review - Hillarymania

God

Granted, that to look up at the stars comes close to compelling disbelief -- how can such a chance arrangement be other than an elaboration -- near infinite -- of natural impulses? Yes, on the other hand, who is to say that the arrangement of the stars is more easily traceable to nature, than to nature's molder? What is the greater miracle: the raising of the dead man in Lazarus, or the mere existence of the man who died and of the witnesses who swore to his revival? Source - NPR - How Is It Possible to Believe in God

By LBG
Image - Time Inc.
Source - Thinkexist
Source - Yahoo News



DBKP.com - Bigger, Better!.
Death by 1000 Papercuts Front Page.

Top 10 Reasons Conservatives Oppose John McCain

It Has Nothing to Do with "Pouting"
Libertarians aren't too Keen, Either



The Republican establishment and the Mainstream Media speaking as if with one voice?

Conservative talk show hosts are getting heat from the liberal media.

That's nothing new.

The same commentators are under fire from the Republican establishment?

That's nothing new, either. Just replay last summer's Senate immigration bill tussle.

But about which Republican nominee they support?

Or, rather, don't support?

Rush Limbaugh, Ann Coulter, Sean Hannity, Glenn Beck and others of the conservative persuasion have been under fire from the Republican "Get on Board" establishment and the Mainstream Media commentators for their disdain of Senator John McCain's conservative credentials.

Our take: McCain is a Republican; he's no conservative.

We came across this story about why conservatives have a problem with McCain. They have to do with the substance of McCain, not his style. We decided to add some information we had already researched on McCain to it--just to "flesh it out".

Here are Ten Reasons conservatives oppose McCain--and "pouting" isn't on the list.

The Top 10 Reasons Conservatives Oppose John McCain

1 Campaign Finance Reform

McCain tried to limit the role of money in politics with measures like McCain-Feingold that, critics say, stomp on the constitutional right to free speech.

It may be that McCain is overzealous at squashing other people's political voice because he knows what can happen if a politician is tempted, ala "The Keating Five".

Though he was not convicted of anything, McCain intervened on behalf of Charles Keating after Keating gave McCain at least $112,00 in contributions. In the mid-1980s, McCain made at least 9 trips on Keating's airplanes, and 3 of those were to Keating's luxurious retreat in the Bahamas. McCain's wife and father-in-law also were the largest investors (at $350,000) in a Keating shopping center; the Phoenix New Times called it a "sweetheart deal."

It was after the "Keating Five" scandal (of which McCain is the only Senator involved still in politics) that McCain acquired such zeal for extra-constitutional measures, i.e., campaign finance reform.

2. Immigration

McCain has been a vocal supporter of a path to citizenship for illegal immigrants, although he now says he understands the border between the U.S. and Mexico must be sealed first.

Conservatives also remember the same senator who begs for their support today, called them "racists" and "stupid" for opposing the McCain-Kennedy Immigration Reform bill last summer.

3. Tax cuts

McCain twice voted against President Bush's tax cuts, saying in 2001 they helped the wealthy at the expense of the middle class and in 2003 that there should be no tax relief until the cost of the Iraq war was known.

But he now wants to extend the tax cuts.

4. Gay Marriage

McCain refuses to support a constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage.

McCain has previously called social conservatives "stupid" and anyone paying attention to the issues important to families "pandering".

5. Stem cell research

McCain would relax restrictions on federal dollars for embryonic stem cell research, which critics consider tantamount to abortion.

One reason many Pro-Life groups refuse to consider McCain.

6. Global warming

Among the loudest voices in Congress for aggressive action against global warming and a frequent critic of the Bush administration on the issue.

A "conservative" wants to solve problems by taxing and regulating a large portion of the economy? No, it's not Hillary Clinton's health care, it's John McCain's solution to the non-problem of "man-made climate change".

"Climate change is real & is taking place. We have now a confluence of two national security requirements. One is to address the issue of climate change, and nuclear power is a very big part of that."
--John McCain

Never missing a photo op for "bipartisanism", McCain could appoint Al Gore to a new federal department.

Maybe "Department of Weather".

7. "Gang of 14" member

One of seven Republicans and seven Democrats who averted a Senate showdown over whether filibusters could be used against Bush judicial nominees.

Showdowns are what happen when two groups espousing a different set of principles confront each other. McCain was a natural Gang of 14 member.

8. Kerry veep

McCain was approached by the Democratic presidential nominee in 2004, Massachusetts Sen. John Kerry, about being his running mate. McCain talked with Kerry but rejected the offer.

"I believe my party has gone astray. I think the Democratic Party is a fine party, and I have no problems with it, in their views and their philosophy."

--April 2, 2004

Spoken like the conservative he is.

9. Works with Democrats.

The problem... is that most members of Congress don't pay attention to what's going on.

He's hoping most voters don't pay attention, either.

So far, so good.

10. Belligerence

McCain can be acerbic toward his critics, such as when he labeled televangelists Jerry Falwell and Pat Robertson "agents of intolerance." He reconciled with Falwell in 2006. Conservative James Dobson, founder of Focus on the Family, said in a statement on the morning of the Super Tuesday primaries that he would not vote for McCain, citing among other things his "legendary temper" and that he "often uses foul and obscene language."

So all the complaints about conservatives not warming up to a McCain nomination have their basis in solid, philosophical, practical reasons.

Conservatives aren't "crying" or "pouting"; nor, do they need to "grow up".

They are simply explaining two things.

ONE: That John McCain is no conservative and has a long history of antagonism toward conservatives and conservative principles.

TWO: That those who attempt to label McCain as "conservative"--whether in the Mainstream Media or the Republican Party establishment--are ignorant of his record, deceptive or self-serving.

Pointing out the disconnect between John McCain's long history of working against most of their causes and his desperate longing to be "a conservative" has brought conservatives no love from either the MSM or the GOP-first types.

And, once more, that's nothing new.

by Mondoreb
Sources:
* Main Reasons Conservatives Oppose John McCain
* John McCain
* John McCain Quotes

Other DBKP articles on John McCain: * John McCain Spoofs and Parodies * John McCain's Double Talk Tango * Mix-and-Match McCain's Ever-Shifting Stands on the Issues --don't like McCain's stand on an issue? Give it a few minutes: it's bound to change. * John McCain Astrology: Is the Presidency Written in the Stars? * Reactions to John McCain Heat Up * David Brooks, MSM: Why Liberals Cry for John McCain * Has Poor Cap'n. Ed Jumped the Shark? * Chuck Norris, 67, Says McCain is Over the Hill * Super Tuesday: Damn those Voters Having their Say! * McCain Tries Spiking NY Times Story on Lobbyists

Death by 1000 Papercuts Front Page.

Liberals and Conservatives

A Little History

"We will not waver; we will not tire; we will not falter; and we will not fail! Peace and freedom will prevail!"

--President George W. Bush 2001


For those that don't know about history, here is a condensed version.

Humans originally existed as members of small bands of nomadic hunters/gatherers They lived on deer in the mountains during the summer and would go to the coast and live on fish and lobster in the winter. The two most important events in all of history were: 1. The invention of beer, and 2. The invention of the wheel. The wheel was invented to get man to the beer. These were the foundation of modern civilization and together were the catalyst for the splitting of humanity into two distinct subgroups: 1. Liberals 2. Conservatives. Once beer was discovered, it required grain and that was the beginning of agriculture. Neither the glass bottle nor aluminum can were invented yet, so while our early humans were sitting around waiting for them to be invented, they just stayed close to the brewery. That's how villages were formed. Some men spent their days tracking and killing animals to Bar-B-Q at night while they were drinking beer. This was the beginning of what is known as the Conservative movement. Other men who were weaker and less skilled at hunting learned to live off the conservatives by showing up for the nightly BBQ's and doing the sewing, fetching, and hair dressing. This was the beginning of the Liberal movement. Some of these liberal men eventually evolved into women. The rest became known as girlie-men. Some noteworthy liberal achievements include the domestication of cats, the invention of group therapy, group hugs, and the concept of Democratic voting to decide how to divide the meat and beer that conservatives provided. Over the years Conservatives came to be symbolized by the largest, most powerful land animal on earth, the elephant. Liberals are symbolized by the jackass. Modern liberals like imported beer (with lime added), but most prefer white wine or imported bottled water. They eat raw fish but like their beef well done. Sushi,tofu, and French food are standard liberal fare. Another interesting evolutionary side note: most of their women have higher testosterone levels than their men. Most social workers, personal injury attorneys, journalists, dreamers in Hollywood and group therapists are liberals. Liberals invented the designated hitter rule because it wasn't fair to make the pitcher also bat. Conservatives drink domestic beer. They eat red meat and still provide for their women. Conservatives are big-game hunters, rodeo cowboys, lumberjacks, construction workers, firemen, medical doctors, police officers, corporate executives, athletes, Marines, and generally anyone who works productively. Conservatives who own companies hire other conservatives who want to work for a living. Liberals produce little or nothing. They like to govern the producers and decide what to do with the production. Liberals believe Europeans are more enlightened than Americans. That is why most of the liberals remained in Europe when conservatives were coming to America . They crept in after the Wild West was tamed and created a business of trying to get more for nothing. Here ends today's lesson in world history...

It should be noted that a Liberal may have a momentary urge to angrily respond to the above before forwarding it.

A Conservative will simply laugh and be so convinced of the absolute truth of this history that it will be forwarded immediately to other true believers and to more liberals just to tick them off...

by RidesAPaleHorse
[images: npr; dkimages]





Death by 1000 Papercuts Front Page.

Fred Thompson: Iowa Conservatives Shift To Thompson

Key Undecided Iowa Conservatives Look To Thompson

Fred Thompson Receives the Endorsement of Iowa State Rep. Gary Worthan

Conservative State Leader Supporting Thompson

A late movement by Iowa conservatives toward the Fred Thompson campaign was spotlighted by today's announcement that noted Iowa conservative leader, State Representative Gary Worthan, had endorsed the former Senator from Tennessee.

Many Iowa conservatives have been undecided and Worthan's endorsement was an important one for the Thompson campaign, which got a late start in the 2008 election process.

"Gary Worthan was one of the key Iowa conservatives that had been undecided." stated Bob Haus, Iowa Executive Director for the Thompson campaign. "Gary's endorsement is one we were hoping to pick up in these days leading up to the Iowa Caucuses. We're humbled to get it."

Haus stated that the campaign expects to pick up more endorsements from Iowa conservatives. Conservative support has been encouraging and "the movement on the ground here seems to be toward Fred Thompson."

"Events overseas the last few days have helped highlight Senator Thompson's foreign policy experience. While some of the other candidates, including the front-runners, seem a little perplexed, Senator Thompson's steadiness in his statements and steel in his spine has helped swing some key support to our campaign."

" We'll have some more announcements a little later on. We expect more undecided Iowa conservatives to gravitate our way over the next week."

"We're hearing more voters say they think that Senator Thompson is the best candidate to keep American strong and keep America safe."

More about the Gary Worthan Endorsement:

Today Iowa State Representative Gary Worthan announced his support of Fred Thompson for President of the United States. Representative Worthan joins a strong Thompson organization in Iowa already in place and headed by Iowa State Chair Congressman Steve King and Co-Chairs Representative Kraig Paulsen and Representative Sandy Greiner.

"I've been impressed with Fred's ability to boil the issues down to the essential items, without a lot of hyperbole," stated Representative Worthan. "He just plain tells the truth. We're in a long hard struggle and there are no easy answers like some of the other candidates are coming with."

Gary Worthan represents the conservative 52nd District, serving Buena Vista and Sac Counties. He has served in the Iowa House of Representatives since 2007, when he won a special election to replace the deceased Mary Lou Freeman. Worthan currently serves on several committees in the Iowa House - Agriculture, Public Safety, Transportation and Veterans Affairs. He also serves on the Administration and Regulation Appropriations Subcommittee. Representative Worthan has three sons. His oldest son Ryan is a Major in the Army and earned a Silver Star for serving in Afghanistan and two Bronze Stars for serving in Afghanistan and Iraq. Shannon is a Captain in the Army and earned a Bronze Star in Iraq.

"I am pleased to have the support of Representative Gary Worthan," said Senator Thompson. "I admire his leadership in the Iowa General Assembly and his commitment to conservative principles. Representative Worthan understands the increasing challenges we are facing as a nation both domestically and internationally and the need for strong consistent conservative leadership."

Fred Thompson's Iowa Statewide Legislative Leadership team includes:

U.S. Congressman Steve King, State Chair
State Representative Kraig Paulsen, Co-Chair
State Representative Sandy Greiner, Co-Chair
State Representative Clel Baudler
Former State Senator Bob Brunkhorst
State Representative Royd Chambers
State Representative Jeff Kaufmann
State Representative Jamie Van Fossen
State Representative Gary Worthan

Fred Thompson's campaign has released a steady stream of endorsements in the last several weeks from conservative grassroots groups and organizations.

Gary Worthan's endorsement is a key one for the Thompson campaign in the days leading up to the Iowa Caucuses.

by Mondoreb
[image:fredhead]
Sources:
* Fred Thompson Receives Endorsement by Iowa Rep. Gary Worthan
* Phone Interview with Bob Haus, Iowa Executive Director



Death by 1000 Papercuts Front Page.