Dear Friends:  It seems President Obama has targeted another industry of take-over: The Tobacco Industry.

When the Tea Party movement got started, it was proposed that tea bags be sent to Obama as a form of protest.  With the above news story in mind, I now propose something different.

Barak Obama’s birthday is Aug. 4th: I say that we send him a pack of his favorite cigarettes as a gift. It has the beauty of being a two-fer: We can support an overly-maligned industry that is not politically correct AND we send a message of tender regard for our dear leader. I think we are showing Obama about the same level of respect he is showing our Constitution.

Dear Friends: This is both a save-the-date request, as well as a clarion call to action. Many of you have been following Henry Waxman’s actions to push-forth a free enterprise-endangering, liberty-impeding monstrosity nicknamed “Cap-and-Trade”. The details are provided HERE.

Our little group of agitators, the Southern California Tax Revolt Coalition, is calling for a nationwide protest of this bill, perhaps inspiring some wobbly Republicans and blue-Dog Democrats to vote against it (especially in the US Senate). It doesn’t have to be a grand rally with big speeches — just citizens with signs, a couple of bullhorns, and spirit.

Our merry band of taxpayer advocates will be providing a detailed US House policy brief that has specifics that really threaten the American economic citizen, our way of life, and the quality of our children’s future. This measures including excluding nuclear power from the list of “carbon neutral” technologies. The bill also specifies that no new coal plants can be opened, unless they meet Carbon-Capture-and-Sequestration (CCS) technologies that are about 15 years away in development (bottom line – no new coal plants, which is a nice bonus for those Pennsylvanian union miners who voted for Obama). Interestingly, the sequestration technologies have the potential for endangering more human life as carbon dioxide does have potential life-threatening effects at high concentrations (instead of the exceedingly diluted emissions from our current fossil fuel technologies).

What! Unintended consequences from ill-considered legislation. That’s just not possible!

Here is a tidbit – more chilling information will follow later.

* Compared to no cap and trade, real GDP losses increase are $9.6 trillion.
* Compared to no cap and trade, average unemployment increases to 1,105,000 lost jobs.
* An average family of four will spend $4800/year to comply.
* Electricity rates go up 90%.
* Gasoline prices up by 74%.
* Residential natural gas prices go up by 55%.

Update: A chilling congressional analysis detailing the economic toxicity of this bill is available HERE.

Considering that 78% of the people polled indicated that a 50$/month increase in utility bills would be a hardship and 58% polled said they are unwilling to pay more to “combat climate change” (especially since, in my opinion, global warming is not a sound scientific reality), I have to believe most Americans would like to stop this bill cold.

So, please save this date and time for the Southern California Tax Revolt Coalition No-to-Cap-and-Trade Rally in San Diego:

Day: Friday, May 29.
Time: 3:00 pm – 7:00 pm
Location: Miramar Road, just off I-15 (details to be provided).

Please spread the word, and if there are other like-minded Americans, please get them involved nationwide. The more visibility we have, the more likely we can kill this beast of a bill.

(Just as an added bonus, Obama’s Adminstration is intending to speed-track the “healthcare reform”. This attempt to socialize medicine warrants its own special revolt. As Obama-lionizing “Healthcare Reform for America Now” appears to be having a series of rallies at the end of May through early June, I think it behooves taxpayers have a say, too. The Southern California Tax Revolt Coalition has tentatively slated a rally by the Star of India for June 3. More details will follow.)

IF YOU NEED TO COORDINATE YOUR REVOLT WITH DAWN, PLEASE EMAIL HER AT: dawn.wildman@socaltaxrevoltcoalition.org

Hi! Michelle Malkin has a round-up of Tea Party events. She cautions everyone to be aware of leftist smear and sabotage tactics (as initially chronicled in this site).

Let’s recap the basic information:

SAN DIEGO TEA PARTY
Date: Saturday, April 11th
Time: 11 am – 12 noon (build in time to find parking)
Location: Spanish Landing Park

TEA PARTY AT PELOSI’S OFFICE
Date: Wednesday, April 15th.
Time: 11 am – when the tea is done.
Location: Meet at Civic Center Park in front of city hall. March will start at San Francisco City Hall and go to federal building where House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s office is located.

Check out the PJTV Tea Party show HERE.

From my home site, The Shrine of Flaming Capitalism.

I just received this letter from a participant and organizer from the “tender revolution” in Communist Bulgaria, 1989-1990. It is an inspirational and important message of concern from a newly minted American citizen who has experienced “socialist utopias”  (Check Michelle Malkin’s site for Russia’s new Utopia-loving  comrade).

Almost twenty years ago when we went on the streets on the nation’s capital to peacefully demonstrate our dissent with the Communist government we didn’t call it a party, although later some of the all-night stands in protest had a lot of the elements of a good party in the later hours:)

First, there were just a couple of dozens prominent intellectuals, some of them celebrities on a national scale that gathered signatures for a petition against the government plan that would destroy the ecology of two of our beautiful mountains. They got beaten by the communist police. I was not there but learned from the airwaves and the first dissident newspaper that appeared on the streets a few days later.

The main source for information and helping to organize the demonstrations was a radio station called “Free Europe” (our “talk radio” that for obvious reasons we could only listen). A week after the police beating, about 400-500 peoples gathered to officially hand out a petition with over 35, 000 signatures to the National Assembly against the ecologically disastrous government project. I was there. Yes, we too had impostors trying to provoke violence and disturbance, so the police could find the excuse and attack again. Calm speakers already known to be among the first two dozens above helped to overcome the seduction to escalate the protest. There was a tiny cordon of probably youngsters from the first grade in the police academy on our way to the Communist Party House. There were many angry voices in the crowd urging us to break through the police chain and continue the demonstration in front of this “sacred” CP headquarters. Later we learned that the back yards of the nearby apartment blocks were full with well trained and equipped hordes of police forces, waiting for us to just touch the kids from the academy. We didn’t and all ended peacefully this time thanks to some sober voices that redirected the march to listen the prominent dissident instead.

Just a week later, the Polit Bureau of the CP replaced the party leader that ruled the country for 36 years with someone new, promising to start reforms. Again by a call mostly from “Free Europe” (since no outlet of the communist mass media would report anything) we were thousands on the streets demanding freedom, break of the single party rule and democratic elections with allowed true opposition to the CP.

In the communism textbooks that we had to learn there was a saying “Revolutions happen when the vast majority of the population doesn’t like to live the old way and the government is incapable to respond to this need and change the way” Maybe this is correct, is this coming to this great country?

See, I’ll be at Spanish Landing on 11 and at Midway on 15 but don’t see a reason not to call them peaceful demonstration in protest to the “tax and spend” policy of the current administration. The strength is in numbers and numbers will come with persistence, diligent grassroots work, and education about the true nature of this “Obamonics’. Don’t be discouraged is there are not enough patriots to show up at the beginning. Inevitably the suffering will lead to larger crowds and when the silent majority is no longer silent then miracles may happen. I’ll be proud to be along the way in this revolt.

I have lived and worked for years in East European, West European, and Canadian socialism and it never worked or will ever work. I know this not only from what I have seen on my long way to become American Citizen. Unlike most of the leftist in the academia and elsewhere, I have many courses of formal education in all aspects of the communist/socialist doctrine behind and know precisely what is wrong with all those ideas. So, for me the only question is what will be the price this great country will have to pay for this social/economic experiment before returns to its roots. Time comes for every true patriot to do something outside his/her zone of comfort and save this great country for all coming after us.

Many yeas ago we made our protests at night with candles hidden from the wind (and for safety) in small plastic or paper cups with some water at the bottom. Maybe this is idea for April 15?

I still believe in the free American Spirit, I believe your cause as part of taking our country back will win.

May God bless your initiative and help us!

Dear Friends: I wanted to update everyone on some news related to the California Tax Week Tea Parties. According to the Tax Day Tea Party group, California leading the nation with 36 Tax Day Tea Parties on the schedule for April 15th. We wanted to remind everyone that information about those in Southern California can be located HERE!

I wanted to mention to our friends that San Fransisco could use an assist for a Tea Party being planned at House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s office. I am hearing this story second hand, but it seems the liberal activist up that way setup dummy events, which confused many people about the time/date/location. Subsequently, despite the fact the Tea Party host expected 500 people to show, only 20 did (much to the joy of the mocking media). I will post more information about the REAL time/place/location as I get it. However, there are stories of website site hacks and event hijacks the Tea Party movement grows. Forewarned is forearmed!

In terms of San Diego’s April 11th event, 11 am-12 noon at Spanish Landing, we will have pinatas of our favorite Tax Revolt targets, a “Sound Off” booth, and a well known radio talk show host there. For further details on these and other goodies, please check the Shrine.

In other news of the day:

It seems some Republicans think that socialism-lite is a good idea, as they vote in support of limiting the salaries of fellow citizens.

Apparently the Obama is administration is as transparent as my cream-filled cup of Mystic Monk coffee! (Full disclosure: I owe my blog-mother a belated analysis of the biochemical benefits of caffeine; go to her site for wisdom, and in Flaming Capitalist spirit, order some Mystic Monk coffee through the right-side link — it is the BEST coffee I have ever tasted, bar none).

It seems that some of our federal representatives are a little scared in light of the Tea Party Movement that their voting records inspired. Be afraid — be very afraid!

Dear Friends: I have rarely been so concerned, or have seen so many of my friends and family agitated and fearful. I think we are dangerously close to a precipice, where hard-working capitalists and small-government-supporting politicians are wrongly demonized and become targets of a mob mentality. Such actions are surely the first step towards extreme government control in our lives.

I have been following a number of theme in the news today, and was planning to post Monday. However, situations are arising so quickly, I wanted to take a few moments to share them with you today.

The Drudge Report indicates that Obama is planning to regulate “executive pay at all banks, Wall Street firms and possibly other companies’ as part of sweeping plan to ‘overhaul financial regulation.” This is totalitarianism, and I want to part of this! Professor Athena, who is a key member of a large financial institution, will be commenting next week.

Furthermore, fellow Americans are being harrassed for merely being paid the money owed them per a contractual arrangement supposedly approved by the Obama-led administration. American Digest suggests that we freedom minded citizens go onto the Facebook page of Connecticut Working Families and note who THEY are. The money quote:

If you wish, make a list of the names of those members involved, along with their home towns. Organize your own tour of their cribs. It is, it seems, the New American Way.

Meanwhile, Barney Frank and other Democrat political leaders target the executives of institutions that were, prior to the Novemeber election, deemed essential to the success of the American economy. To add insult to injury, California and New York big-government-high-tax Democratic Congressman, claim Maryland as their primary residence to avoid taxes! I guess the believe taxes only be for those of us who are not politically connected.

In other news, Sarah Palin is being called a “hypocrite” for rejecting a stimulus package while berating Obama’s inane “Special Olympics gaffe — some of which had funding for special needs program. The trouble is that this funding runs out after 2 years, and if the state doesn’t have the cash in the first place, the programs dependent on in stop (or taxpayers get taxed more).

I could rant some more, but I plan to save some of that energy for my next Tea Party! Apparently, I am not the only American upset — there are 3000 at the Orlando, Florida rally today and several hundred in North Carolina. Amusingly, Christopher Dodd (the Countrywide Mortgage-bribed Democratic Senator key in the current mortgage debacle) is the target of several hundred protesters at a Kentucky Tea Party, which is being live-blogged.

Cross Posted at American Freedom Network

Some exciting news!!! Our local band of tax protesters has scheduled the next demonstration: 11 am – noon, April 11, 2009 (Saturday) at Spanish Landing Park (by the harbor, next to the airport).

We encourage all Californian’s who detest the tax-and-spend attitudes of federal, state and local representatives to bring their signs, tea-bag-covered apparel, and energy to agitate against the irresponsible use of hard-earned taxpayer money. Don’t forget to wear your formal protest apparel, as we hope to catch the eye of local and national media.

A few programming notes:

1) We have semi-organized our protest group as the Southern California Tax Revolt Coalition, SoCal-TRC for short. You can get timely updates and share member information with others by joining the Facebook group (click HERE).

2) We are planning Tax-Day protests on during the evening hours on April 15, focused on the three main post offices. Permits and arrangements are being finalized, so be sure to check the Shrine of Flaming Capitalism or the SoCal-TRC Facebook page for further details.

3) A webpage is under development for the SoCal-TRC, which will help Californians coordinate their efforts with fellow citizens and other Americans across the country. The site will contain contact information for our federal, state and local representatives, as well as the most pertinent information on upcoming tax proposals or budget-busting pork-barrel expenditures. Check back here for information on the status of the new webpage.

A few hat tips:

Bydesign001 for the great photo!
Anchoress, for her wonderful send-up of Obama’s Saturday Night Live Presidency!
And a great website, Accuracy in Media, asks the timely question: If a revolution happens, and no reporters cover it, will it make a sound?
A great review of the large-scale John and Ken Fullerton Tea Party (attended by 15,000) is from the Shrine’s designated artist: Lipstick Underground

I think forces are being aligned — even as I write — that ensure we WILL survive the Obama administration’s attempt to socialize our system. We may actually come out stronger on the other side.

There is a wonderful article today in the Washington Post, Battle Lines Quickly Set Over Planned Policy Shifts. It seems not everybody is keen to “spread the wealth” of hard-working Americans to create government dependency.

The cost of the administration’s budget vision is the center of the battle. The White House budget increases federal spending by at least $500 billion over the next decade — a shocking number, especially as it excludes the cost of Obama’s touted health-care reform. Obama states that he would pay for it all by raising taxes on high earners and corporations as well as cutting federal health spending (even while cutting taxes for middle-income citizens). Sadly, when real economists look at this, it seems his budget would not generate enough cash to finance the additional spending he seeks for routine government programs.

There is so much tea to brew with the Obama budget, I hardly know where to begin.

Firstly, Vice President Biden’s campaign statements that the tax increases would hit people with incomes of $250,000 ..then $200,000…then $125,000! Therefore, I suspect that eventually most of will be marked as “wealthy” — just as I was duing Clinton’s middle class income tax “cut” that took more out of my pocket when I was earning less that $40,000/year.

In fact, the Washington Post reports the following:

“If you think with this kind of incredible growth in government that they’re going to only tax wealthy people, then I have some old lottery tickets I want to sell you,” said Rep. Paul D. Ryan (R-Wis.), the senior Republican on the House Budget Committee.

Agreed! For a real practical review of how the Obama budget hits the pocket book, look at a spreadsheet that shows how the practical marginal tax rate of a hard working American goes fro 42.5% to 51.4%. Having half of this persons earnings confiscated and given to someone else just doesn’t seem fair!

Secondly, Obama claims he has located a lot of “waste” that he is removing, so that this money will pay for his “vision”. However, it seems that much of the trimming will be at the expense of our effective military — and that the offsets are more then made up by the special interest pay-outs. Again, from the Washington Post:

The claim of $2 trillion in savings is “easily blown apart,” said Robert Bixby, executive director of the nonpartisan Concord Coalition, a deficit watchdog group, and one of several deficit hawks briefed on the plan by White House budget director Peter R. Orszag.

For example, in the Agriculture Department, Obama proposes to cut $15 billion in subsidies to big farms and crop insurance. But he would spend an extra $10 billion on child nutrition. In the Education Department, Obama would slash $54 billion from student loan programs, in large part by cutting private banks out of the system. But he would spend an extra $120 billion expanding the Pell Grant college aid program and creating a new “college access and completion fund.”

Thirdly, that threat of removing tax breaks for mortgages and charitable giving — no matter what income level the tax-payer achieves — will force people to change HOW they handle their finances. Many Blue State Democrats are very unhappy with the administration’s proposals, because without those tax breaks, their constituents will have less discretionary income for things like campaign contributions AND more reason to complain. With a greater tax burden, the achievers/employers in this country will have no choice but to cut-back on employing people in lower tax brackets: gardeners, personal trainers, housekeepers, and others. Ultimately, lower income people who work for dynamic, creative and profitable capitalists punished under Obama’s budgets will also be punished. I am certain this is NOT the change they were hoping for.

The Washington Post notes the following Democrat complaint:

Sen. Kent Conrad (Democrat-N.D.), a deficit hawk who chairs the Senate Budget Committee, said he is “very uncomfortable with the buildup of debt” and urged Obama to make good on his promise to overhaul federal retirement and health-care programs. Also, Conrad said, “More discipline on the spending side is also going to be required.”

Here is a summary of battle conditions today:

* The Dow Jones continues its Obama-election decline.
* Obama’s approval numbers are corroding!
* Americans — even some surprising ones — are getting angry!
* A popular radio show — John and Ken — are hosting another Tea Party on March 7th in Fullerton California.
* More Tea Parties are being planned.
* President Obama parties while the rest of us figure out how to protect or investments, income, and the fruits of our free, fair, and creative enterprise.

Cross Posted: American Fredom Network

I have to tip my Flaming Capitalist Crown to President Obama — he IS one DAMN FINE community organizer. He is managed, in less than 100 days as POTUS, to organize average Americans, business owners, and other freedom-minded citizens in ways I would have never dreamed imaginable.

I have lived through Democrat Presidents, with whom I disagreed, and it never, ever occurred to me to brew rebellion! Now, it is true that Republican President George Bush was the focus of many vitriolic rallies. However the Bush-hate rallies were filled with agitators who essentially protested for a living. These rallies were generally one-quarter to one-half the size of the Tea Party Revolts held nationwide yesterday. I have to think our dear President is none too pleased with this style of activism!

I was struck by two things following my speech yesterday, when other Tea Party rebels came up to chat with me:

1) People were excited about the flaming capitalist message I presented. They were clamoring for more focus on this than activism on social topics.

2) Many admired my kind remarks about fiscally responsible Democrats. I think many Americans are getting tired of vitriol tossed at fellow citizens — even if they disagree on some topics.

For more links and videos, go to American Freedom Network.

For a photo album, including one with pretty patriots, go to the Shrine of Flaming Capitalism.

For full report on the San Diego Tea Party, see the Tea Party Report.

Dear Friends: I have specific details on the San Diego Tea Party. It is slated for 9:00 am, Friday, Feb. 27, 2009 — just north of the Star of India at San Diego’s Harbor. Full information can be found at the Shrine of Flaming Capitalism, as well as some updates on other Tea Parties and directions on how to order some fabulous protest wear!

Today, I am wearing black, and will do so for 40 days of mourning. It will be my silent statement about what I think about the legacy media’s coronation of a quasi-communist who was backed by vote-fraud-generating ACORN supporters and who attended one of the most racist churches in the USA.

Barry will not be my President, ever. My one goal over the next four years will be to avoid being exposed to him in any fashion — print, TV news, magazines, etc. I will be obtaining my news through my blogs and preferred alternative news sites. I will also be buying stock in satellite radio just in case the Fairness Doctrine is re-instated.

To those supporters who want to gloat, I have this to say — I am looking forward to my tax cuts, free college for my son, free health care, low energy prices from alternative fuels, and a world that is terrorist free in which the USA is cherished. I can see by this mornings news that Hamas lobbed 35 missiles into Israel to celebrate Barry’s victory. Good start! Trust me, I for one plan to hold Barry’s feet to the fire to live up to all is campaign promises.

That is enough venting for now. I will be back soon for more.

Today, I am wearing black, and will do so for 40 days of mourning. It will be my silent statement about what I think about the legacy media’s coronation of a quasi-communist who was backed by vote-fraud-generating ACORN supporters and who attended one of the most racist churches in the USA.

Barry will not be my President, ever. My one goal over the next four years will be to avoid being exposed to him in any fashion — print, TV news, magazines, etc. I will be obtaining my news through my blogs and preferred alternative news sites. I will also be buying stock in satellite radio just in case the Fairness Doctrine is re-instated.

To those supporters who want to gloat, I have this to say — I am looking forward to my tax cuts, free college for my son, free health care, low energy prices from alternative fuels, and a world that is terrorist free in which the USA is cherished. I can see by this mornings news that Hamas lobbed 35 missiles into Israel to celebrate Barry’s victory. Good start! Trust me, I for one plan to hold Barry’s feet to the fire to live up to all is campaign promises.

That is enough venting for now. I will be back soon for more.

Dear Friends:

I realize most of us didn’t watch the inanity of insanity last night, but someone summarized the TV special as All Sham, No Wow — and I laughed so hard I spilled my coffee!

Here is the summary:

Two leading infomercial stars agree: Barack Obama’s half-hour self-promotion last night was a flop.

“I don’t see enough smiling. Doom and gloom totally,” said Anthony Sullivan, one of the biggest names in infomercial history.

“I feel depressed right now,” added Sullivan, an Englishman famous for his infomercials touting the Swivel Sweeper and Smart Chopper. The only thing saving Obama, Sullivan said, was when the candidate appeared live at the end speaking at a rally in Florida.

“I think it needed it. I was about to throw myself through a window because it was depressing,” Sullivan said.

He and AJ Khubani, who has produced infomercials for 25 years, said Obama also fell short of offering solutions to the dire problems he laid out.

“I didn’t see a payoff. Classic infomercial is you show the before and you show the after. I didn’t see the music or the crashing waves of the Pacific,” Sullivan said.

He joked the producer “needs a spanking” for lacking optimism.

Khubani said: “Every infomercial lays out common problems, whether it’s a flabby belly or acne, and then it gives a solution. In this case the solution is Obama.”

But Obama didn’t pitch the product – himself – convincingly enough, he argued.
“We always spend much more time on the solution than the problem and he did the opposite,” Khubani added.

http://www.nypost.com/seven/10302008/news/politics/tvstopadstarspanbam135962.htm

I really feel that the silent majority of Americans — Democrat, Republicans, Libertarians, and all other brands, are beginning to tire of Obama and his merry band of O-bots yelling “racist” when people’s opinions or events don’t fall in line with the automatic anointment of The One to the position of POTUS.

As a result, the over-use of this word is leading people to being less afraid of it, as in the case of Rosetta.

Read More →

Just before August’s Democratic convention, my journalistic instincts told me that the legacy media would be suppressing the level of dissent of Hillary Clinton supporters. Reading the news blogs avidly, I was vaguely aware of PUMA (“Party Unity My Ass”; Hillary-supporters unhappy with Obama), and suspected that there might be a blog or forum on the Internet that would help me gage the actual level of support for Obama during the nominating process.

In my quest, I found the Hillary Clinton Forum. The members there are mainly Democrats, but are generally fair-minded people who do not want a socialist, race-baiting, Chicago thug as President of the United States. I subsequently embedded myself in the group, in order to ascertain how much support Obama was actually able to count on from former Hillary voters.

During the convention, I read a blow-by-blow account of how Clinton supports were insulted by O-bots (the term the PUMAs used to describe rude, aggressive, “in-your-face” supporters of Obama. Clinton-supporters were isolated, and either forced to support Obama or have their long-held party positions endangered. If you take a look at the clips, you can see how quickly Nancy Pelosi shut-down the proceedings after the “nomination by acclimation” process was complete. You will note, if you review what happened during the convetion that the delegate count from California was passed; likely, this was due to the very vocal support of Senator Clinton by Gloria Allred, the prominent attorney and Clinton delegate. Basically, she stated her voters selected Clinton, and so would she. This was the stance taken by many Puma-delegates.

Read More →