How is Peggy Joseph doing?

Ever wonder what happened to Peggy Joseph? You remember her, don't you? She was the woman who pulled her kids out of school to go see Barack Obama and found herself in front of a television camera where she breathlessly exclaimed, "It was the most memorable time of my life, I...it was a touching moment because I never thought this day would ever happen. I won't have to work out how to put gas in my car, I won't have work out how to pay my mortgage. If I help him, he's gonna help me."

Well, Peggy, how's that working out for you? Putting gas in your car regularly? Making that ol' mortgage payment? Getting those checks from your savior like clockwork?

Me? I lived through all the hype of the last presidential election, getting called a racist because I didn't support someone whose politics I find abhorrent, voting for someone whom I considered marginal because he was the only choice we had. I was forced to retire from one job because I still believed in customer service instead of minimizing the cost to the stock holders, to move into another career. So now I get two retirement checks and a regular paycheck in a growth industry with all the overtime I can handle. I'm putting gas in my truck and making my mortgage payments without any help from Barack Obama.

How about the rest of you?

ECS

President Obama wants my help

I just got this from our President.

Elm Creek --

I just finished laying out my plan for health reform at a joint session of Congress. Now, I'm writing directly to you because what happens next is critical -- and I need your help.

Change this big will not happen because I ask for it. It can only come when the nation demands it. Congress knows where I stand. Now they need to hear from you.

Add your voice: Ask your representatives to support my plan for real health reform in 2009.

The heart of my plan is simple: bring stability and security to Americans who already have health insurance, guarantee affordable coverage for those who don't, and rein in the cost of health care.

Tonight, I offered a specific plan for how to make it happen. I incorporated the best ideas from Democrats and Republicans to create a plan that's bold, practical, and represents the broad consensus of the American people.

We've come closer to real health reform in the last few months than we have in the last 60 years. But those who profit from the status quo -- and those who put partisan advantage above all else -- will fight us every inch of the way.

We do not seek that fight, but we will not shrink from it. The stakes are too high to let scare tactics cloud the debate, or to allow partisan bickering to block the path. Your voice, right now, is essential.

See my full plan and call on your representatives to support it:

http://my.barackobama.com/SupportReform

Ours is not the first generation to understand the dire need for health reform. And I am not the first president to take up this cause, but I am determined to be the last.

Thank you,

President Barack Obama

I guess I'm who he's talking about with the reference to "scare tactics" and "partisan bickering." You see, I don't believe that he can fund his plan without increasing the deficit or raising taxes, and I have people who understand that the numbers don't add up.

I also don't have any faith that any government-run plan can be "self-sustaining" given the mess that Social Security and Medicare are. The United States Postal Service can't even deliver the mail without constantly asking for rate increases AND cutting services.

The President asks me to contact my representatives to urge them to support his "plan" which is short on details. I'm going to contact them, all right, but it won't be with the message President Obama wants me to send.

ECS

Ted's Dead

My personal feeling on the subject is, "Good." Maybe now the Kopechne family will have some little peace.

However, not everyone is as unforgiving or maybe they just don't care that the Democratic Party took to it's heart someone who should have been charged with multiple crimes in the death of Mary Jo Kopechne. For example, I just got this from the President:

Elm Creek -- Michelle and I were heartbroken to learn this morning of the death of our dear friend, Senator Ted Kennedy. For nearly five decades, virtually every major piece of legislation to advance the civil rights, health and economic well-being of the American people bore his name and resulted from his efforts. His ideas and ideals are stamped on scores of laws and reflected in millions of lives -- in seniors who know new dignity; in families that know new opportunity; in children who know education's promise; and in all who can pursue their dream in an America that is more equal and more just, including me. In the United States Senate, I can think of no one who engendered greater respect or affection from members of both sides of the aisle. His seriousness of purpose was perpetually matched by humility, warmth and good cheer. He battled passionately on the Senate floor for the causes that he held dear, and yet still maintained warm friendships across party lines. And that's one reason he became not only one of the greatest senators of our time, but one of the most accomplished Americans ever to serve our democracy. I personally valued his wise counsel in the Senate, where, regardless of the swirl of events, he always had time for a new colleague. I cherished his confidence and momentous support in my race for the Presidency. And even as he waged a valiant struggle with a mortal illness, I've benefited as President from his encouragement and wisdom. His fight gave us the opportunity we were denied when his brothers John and Robert were taken from us: the blessing of time to say thank you and goodbye. The outpouring of love, gratitude and fond memories to which we've all borne witness is a testament to the way this singular figure in American history touched so many lives. For America, he was a defender of a dream. For his family, he was a guardian. Our hearts and prayers go out to them today -- to his wonderful wife, Vicki, his children Ted Jr., Patrick and Kara, his grandchildren and his extended family. Today, our country mourns. We say goodbye to a friend and a true leader who challenged us all to live out our noblest values. And we give thanks for his memory, which inspires us still. Sincerely, President Barack Obama


Paid for by Organizing for America, a project of the Democratic National Committee -- 430 South Capitol Street SE, Washington, D.C. 20003. This communication is not authorized by any candidate or candidate's committee.

Sorry, Mister President, but Teddy was the loser son of a Nazi-sympathizing rum-runner who was thrust into an imaginary leadership role by the untimely deaths of his smarter, better brothers. He helped the Congress abrogate our treaty responsibilities to South Vietnam. He conspired against his political enemies and our national leaders with the KGB for political gain. He was never an inspiration, example, or a defender for me and mine.

I also don't think we have to worry about Mary Jo Kopechne running into ol' Ted inside the Pearly Gates. Somehow, I don't think Saint Peter will open those Gates for him. Kennedy money won't mean much up there.

ECS

Tom Coburn doesn't hide from his constituents

Tom Coburn's town hall in Muskogee, OK, had to be moved from an auditorium to a lobby where Senator Coburn climbed to a landing overlooking the room to be seen and heard by the crowd. He thoroughly debunked the Obamacare plan and the idea that the Canadian plan was better than what we had.

This is quite a change from what the media calls "mobs" who ask the hard questions of Democrats who run and hide in union offices or don't show up at all.

Senator Coburn is a practicing doctor.

ECS

Stop the bailout, stop the stimulus.

Our new President insisted that he had to have the second half of the $700,000,000,000.00 TARP bailout released without strings, and now we have a tax evading Secretary of the Treasury. No accountability, no ethics, no big deal to the Democrats in Congress or apparently most of the Republicans.

Now we're in the middle of a fight over the "stimulus" package that our new President is insisting needs to be done without delay , or apparently any scrutiny. Nancy Pelosi pushed the package through the House of Representatives without a single Republican vote and had the gall to talk about "bipartisanship." Of course the only "bipartisanship" was the few Democrats who voted with the Republicans. In the Senate, the "stimulus" bill has ballooned to over $900,000,000,000.00, and Senator Harry Reid and his cohorts are trying to "pull a Pelosi." The Democratic Senate leadership is also talking about "bipartisanship" because at least two RINOs have signed on while negotiations are on-going. With any luck, the negotiations will cause some of the more hardcore leftists to abandon ship like Senator Di Feinstein who is upset about tax cuts of all things.

One good thing about all this is that it reveals our new President as an empty suit devoid of any understanding about how to get things done. "We won the election! You're supposed to do what we say!"

ECS

Welcome to the radicalization of a Conservative.

The Republican National Committee gave away the country this evening. Don't get me wrong, they aren't the only ones to blame for the debacle that was election night, because it's hard to beat the Democrats and the "main stream" media. It's also hard to win in the face of wide-spread voter fraud aided and abetted by Democratic state office holders (think Ohio's Secretary of State) and Senator Obama's own campaign. Senator McCain, trying to run a "nice" campaign without offending anyone, failed to mount a cohesive attack on Senator Obama and his questionable associations and failed to mount effective counter-attacks when the Obama campaign or the media attacked him or his running mate. It didn't help when members of Senator McCain's own staff made snide comments to the media about his running mate.

The only bright spot in this whole pitiful political season was Governor Sarah Palin and her wonderful family. Neither she nor her family deserved the relentless attacks visited on her by Democrats, their unhinged supporters, and the news media (at the risk of being redundant).

So, the RNC, without a radical revamping, has seen it's last dime from me. I will only support conservative candidates from here on out. Every time my representatives in the state legislature or Congress vote for something I oppose, I will let them know the effect of their actions on my continued support. I will actively campaign against anyone who supports legislation that I consider detrimental to this country.

I once swore an oath to this country and it's Constitution. I won't support anyone who speaks or votes in a manner contrary to the oath that they swore. I will not obey any law that abrogates the Second Amendment to the Constitution of the United States of America.

I oppose bailouts, of corporations, states, or stupid people who borrowed more than they could pay back. (In the cases of older people who were deliberately misled by unscrupulous lenders, the onus is on the lender.)

I oppose tax increases to pay for increased government, including letting past tax cuts expire.

I oppose more government involvment in healthcare because it doesn't work well and increases costs. If you don't believe that, you probably think that Medicare and Medicaid have made healthcare better.

I support our current troop deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan. If the Army would have let me return to active duty post-retirement, I would have gladly and proudly gone myself, so those who call me a "chicken hawk" do so at their own peril.

I support the continued development and deployment of advanced weapons systems to all branches of the military.

I support cutting unnecessary government spending by slashing pork, programs, offices, departments, staff, and other minions.

I support restricting Congress to voting on single-issue bills without unrelated amendments attached to them and preventing conference committees from adding crap when working out the differences between the House and the Senate.

The resistance is here. The resistance is now.

ECS

McCain/Palin 2008

I'm as happy as a mosquito in a nudist colony! I think Senator John McCain hit a home run in naming Governor (AK) Sarah Palin as his Vice-Presidential pick. It sure took the wind out of the DNC's coronation of Senator Obama and makes the selection of Senator Biden as the Democratic Party's VP candidate look pitiful.

That said, I'm also disgusted by the reaction of Obama's proxies in the media and in the DK crowd. The attacks on Governor Palin's daughter and baby boy are inexcusable. I'm waiting for the good Senators to disavow any connection with those attacks and those who make them. I'm not holding my breath.

ECS

Bad news for the Democratic Party or the American people.

Presumptive Democratic Party Presidential nominee Senator Barack Obama named Senator Joe Biden as his Vice-Presidential pick. Given the anti-gun history of both these gentlemen, the Republican Party and every gun rights organization in the nation should make a big deal of this to the American people. Even with Senator John McCain's luke-warm support of the Second Amendment and the First Amendment (remember campaign finance reform?), the presumptive Democratic ticket's record is ripe for exploitation. If we can create enough noise about this to get the attention of the MSM, it can be bad news for the Democratic Party.

The flip side is that if the Obama/Biden ticket wins, given their anti-gun rights records, the American people and their individual right to keep and bear arms (as guranteed, not granted, by the Second Amendment) will face a minimum of four years of increasing pressure. Remember what Senator Dianne Feinstein said: if she'd had the votes she'd have had "Mr. and Mrs. America" turn in their guns.

ECS