Archive for the ‘tea parties’ Category

One busy night from Gunn to Reading

Posted: September 8, 2010 by datechguy in congress, elections, politics, tea parties
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Started the evening in Townsend Mass. Where Bill Gunn was holding a town hall after his return from Washington

Standing out for Bill Gunn (r) Ma-01 in Townsend

His fans were already out in force holding signs large and small:

The big sign at the Corner

Some of the younger guys not only took signs but as the event started went back to parade them for motorists returning home via Route 119

All the cool kids are supporting the guy who rides a motercycle

And Bill took the time to meet with some of the voters before things got started:

I once cast a ballot this big

Bill gave me a few minutes telling me a bit about the Beck Rally (he attended), approving of any pro-business moves the administration makes (while stating bluntly they are trying to buy votes at the last minute), He told me his plans for September 11th (Event at Fitchburg State University) and broke some news telling me that John Olver has challenged him to three debates and he has accepted. (I was under the impression that 20 year incumbents generally don’t see the need to have multiple debates with new challengers. Better get Olver off the triage list STAT!)

From there my next stop was the Reading Tea Party where 4 other candidates for Congress spoke:

Keith Lepor ma-09

Keith Lepor never told me he was a combat reporter in Afghanistan who is only alive to challenge Stephen Lynch because his body armor stopped a short that hit him square in the heart:

The difference between a dead combat reporter and a live republican candidate

When I asked him why he never mentioned it during my interview with him last week he answered “You never asked.”

I met two candidates for the republican nomination to face John Tierney in the Mass 6th District first Rob McCarthy

Rob McCarthy (r) 6th district

And secondly Bill Hudak who I first met and Scott Brown’s victory party and who gets a lot of credit for announcing early way before the republican tide started to sweep the land:

Bill Hudak republican candidate ma-06

Either would be a better alternative that Tierney we also met Gerry Dembrowski one of two republicans seeking to retire Ed Markey in the 7th district:

Gerry Dembrowski (r) for ma-7

He emphasized that the current economic woes can be traced to longtime congressmen like Markey who let things get this far. We also had state rep candidate for the 9th Essex district airline pilot Ray Igou:

Ray Igou (r) 9th Essex District


I found him very impressive, we need more like him on the state level.

The Axis of Fedora strikes again!

Of course the big news of the night was the expansion of the axis of fedora.

I’ll get the video up later, big day ahead tomorrow.

A conversation with Kamal Jain (r) Candidate for Auditor

Posted: September 4, 2010 by datechguy in elections, opinion/news, politics, short films/interviews, tea parties
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I talked to Candidate for Auditor Kamal Jain about his campaign and vision for the office:

Q: How has your campaign been received.

A: People love my message. They get the idea of using technology to create transparency it appeals to them.

Q: Why the appeal?

A: They appreciate that I respect their intelligence. Government might write bigger checks and buy other things but if you can balance your checkbook and unit price shop you have the basics at looking at government spending

Q: How do you think Government went wrong?

A: Government got larger and less local, as it became a profession it meant that we lost the ability to see what is going on.

Q: And how is this solved?

A: The internet is more of a game changer than the printing press. By using the internet as a vehicle to make a new relationship with the people. The idea is to allow the people to audit government themselves.

Q: So big government is the problem?

A It is easy to forget that there are hardworking people in government but you also have to remember that Government by nature is not efficient. It consists of people spending money that isn’t theirs on a different group of people. With 537 agencies each functioning as fiefdom protecting themselves you need a more objective eye to see what is happening.

Q: Surely this information is already public?

A: True but its release is not only slow but expensive if you try to obtain it. That is government trying to protect itself, but 13 states already have public checkbooks. There is a massive appetite for this.

Q: I first saw you at the twin city tea party, how long have you been involved in the movement?

A: I’ve been involved in the tea party movement since 2007 long before it became a national phenom. In 2008 when people were saying “Yes we can” we were asking “Yes we can what? I would serve no more than 2 terms, accept no pension and take a 10% cut in pay if elected. I’ve also been endorsed by Tea Party Favorite Ron Paul.

Here is a quick video of him at the twin city tea party in March:

Lindsey Graham proves the power of the Tea Party

Posted: September 4, 2010 by datechguy in congress, elections, tea parties
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This story from the Hill (via Glenn) is more significant that you might think:

Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) is playing defense against conservatives in his state angry with his record.

Nothing odd about that, lots of people are trying to shore up their bonafides these days

The Tea Party appearance was paired with appearances on conservative radio in the state, where Graham faced tough questions about whether he was adequately conservative.

Nothing strange there either, tea party groups and radio are great places to court conservatives. What is interesting is this:

Graham won’t be up for reelection until 2014, but conservative activists’ anger toward him suggests he’ll face a primary challenge in four years. He said that he’ll keep pressing forward toward consensus.emphasis mine

Think about that for a moment! Graham will not be facing the voters for 48 months and yet he is not only talking to conservative radio, but to the TEA PARTY groups to defend himself.

Anyone who studies politics knows that everything can change in a few months, just look at the difference two years has made for the one. Whatever one might think of Graham he is acutely aware of this fact, yet he is investing time and effort in meeting tea party groups. Why? Because in 4 years he believes he will need said groups for his political survival.

That tells you all you need about the tea party groups. Graham believes that they will still be a force through at least two more election cycles. Other republicans had better take note of this and get their conservative houses in order. Democrats had better do so too, this is a center-right country, even if our media is left-radical. I suggest that if you have to please either the voters or the media, please the voters, you can always find someone else to have a drink with at parties.

Lindsey Graham has read the tea leaves and seen the future, will the rest of the establishment GOP do the same?

Examiner Article: Signs of the times in Massachusetts: GOP and Tea Parties on the rise

Posted: September 3, 2010 by datechguy in examiner columns, politics, tea parties
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My latest for the Examiner touches on a sure sign of the resurgence of the GOP in the Bay state:

If you look at the tea parties the signs are they are healthy. Glenn Beck drew 300k plus to Washington, Candidates republican and democrat are attending Tea Party events and candidates they support are winning national races over sitting incumbents (Joe Miller).

These are the signs of a movement that is strong and relevant. Just as importantly the Mass. GOP is also showing such signs.

There was a time when calling the GOP strong and relevant in Massachusetts would have produced laughs and guffaws… no longer!

Is it any wonder that some continue to tpaint the tea party as extreme while in Michigan democrats and unions go so far as to run fake tea party candidates of their own to rescue endangered liberals?

As always you can find the rest of my examiner articles here.

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