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westcoastpatriette’s disappearance from RedState…and a rebuttal to Martin Knight’s Perry post-mortem

By: westcoastpatriette (Diary)  |  February 3rd, 2012 at 10:18 PM  | 

RESIZE: AAA

Has it been three weeks?  Is that how long ago Perry withdrew from the race?  You’ll have to forgive me as I have lost track of time while mourning the loss of the first politician I have ever wept for.  Not to mention the temporary (although, initially, I didn’t know if I would ever post here again) loss of my RedState comrades.

As some of you know from the second diary I wrote here, I am one of the Tea Party-type newbies to the political scene and started reading and commenting at RedState last June.  If what our country is going through were not so serious and wrought with peril at every turn, I would be able to look at my experience here as just a hobby of sorts and perhaps I would not have been so profoundly affected by Perry’s (premature, IMO) withdrawal from the race.  But, instead, in all of my humble naivete, I was completely caught off guard when Perry dropped out.   And just one day after I had decided I would no longer stay involved at RS because Erick joined in with the other pros who insisted that if Perry had any future left, he should do the right thing, be a hero and drop out of the race.

So stunned, angry, disappointed and despondent was I that I ran back to my familiar surroundings — something closer to a pew or an altar where I could safely weep before the Lord.  Prior to my jump into the nuts and bolts of politics, I was deeply involved (we’re talking twenty-two years) inside the church which entailed, among other things,  much study of scripture and many years of allowing the Lord to do a deep work in my life as He, of necessity, must do with all of His children.

My devotion and love for Him eventually led me to discover that He delights in seeing his broken, weak followers give their all to Him and for me that meant my musical talent.  So, I was equally delighted when He allowed me to honor Him as a singer/songwriter and dancer/choreographer by writing songs to Him and dancing dances that might somehow convey my adoration for the best friend I ever met.

So, that is where I have been the last few weeks.  Safely hidden inside the love of my Savior allowing the music and dance to enable me to grieve, regain my composure and get back in the battle.  Not saying I am done yet but I just had to stop by, say hello, let you know I am okay and that I will be back some time soon.  I miss you all terribly and am equally stunned at the depth of affection I have for so many friends I feel like I made here.

I forgive you, Martin Knight, for your somewhat harsh post-mortem of Perry.  Remember the five stages of grief?  Denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance?  Maybe your diary reflected a man in the second stage — anger — and for you, lashing out at the missteps Perry made is your way of dancing and singing before the Lord.

COMMENTS

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  • pttx333

    were. I’m so very thankful to see you here again, my sweet friend.

    I’ve also been going through the depths of grief but am on the verge of coming to terms with it. My huge problem has been my stupid hands hurting all the time, swollen and stiff with little flexibility. Added to that issue is that I’ve been hunting for an apartment to move around the first of March. Found one today (still in Houston area, different town 25 mi. away from here) and am elated. My 11-month house sitting gig for my former boss is coming to an end (thank God above!) and will now be free to have my own little hidey-hole in which to dwell. So things have been in an uproar for me also, but I’m a survivor and always bounce back.

    Isn’t it amazing how close the Perry Posse has become? That doesn’t go away, you know. I have missed everyone so very much and wish to never lose contact. And every single one of you knows who you are! ;-) My special friends …

    I’m so happy for you WCP that you’ve come to a place of comfort. It just takes time. Do not ever think you are alone, because you are NOT! In fact, I just now created an email account for my buddies so we can converse. It is pttx333@gmail.com. Just make certain that you identify yourself with your moniker in the Re: line, otherwise I won’t open it.

    All is well, WCP, and I’ve come to understand that all things happen for a reason. We do not know how things will turn out, but it will certainly be interesting.

    Hope to hear from you, sweetie!

    • lizzie

      new bff :) email exchange.

      pttx333: just read your emails – maybe I should answer using your new email address?

      as for California? well, you are at least getting some progress in congressional and state level redistricting, from the little I have read.
      I am still registered to vote in New York, and they STILL have not come up with a new map because NY is still enthralled with vicious partisan mapmaking.

      as for Martin Knight’s post-mortem? I found it very therapeutic because of my deep shock when Perry suspended his campaign, but also because I had been questioning his strategy at key times, realizing that what we saw was not so easily seen by most.

      and I figure maybe Gov. Perry is reading that thread as he re-tools for his political resurrection.

      acat is correct (as always!) the Senate contests will be far more important than the presidency in 2012 if Romney succeeds in buying his nomination.
      Obama has negative coattails.
      Romney has zero coattails.

      Statewide contests for US Senate will drive turnout.

      But, I decided if it is Romney (or Paul) v Obama, I am going with my “Consent of the Governed” tactic. NO vote for president, and careful voting for all down ballot contests. If enough voters do that, it will send a message to the two parties that they do NOT have the Consent of the Governed (paragraph 2 of the Declaration of Independence) in the way they choose presidential nominees.

      But, I still have a glimmer of hope that Gov. Perry DID make his tactical retreat at the right moment, and this is not over.

      It has always been Perry and Gingrich versus Romney and Paul.

      • pttx333

        one is simply sort of a stop-gap measure since I don’t mind if it is public knowledge – the old (original) one I have is the one that I protect.

        Later, my friend …

      • cheetah2

        If not how do I join? This is a part of losing Perry that I hate. We all met regularly on the Perry threads. I am thinking about starting a new one just to keep in touch! The sad thing is some won’t see it because they left. I check twitter but miss all the Perry tweets I used to see :(

        • pttx333

          to do to be in contact with us is to email me at an address I created specifically for that purpose – pttx333@gmail.com – but be sure to put in the Re: line who you are since I delete someone I cannot identify. How ’bout that?

          If you are a Perry supporter, and you certainly are, that is the only requirement – we don’t want to lose each other. Not that we’re stirring up anything, it is just nice to keep in touch with our special friends from RS – and I know all of you.

          So good to see you, sweetie, and hope to hear from you soonest.

          • nancysabet

            This is a FB of many (so far 175) of hard core Perry activists. we apprecitae coming there and give us support.

        • votemout2012

          IS everyone who loves the Gov and wishes everyday he would jump back in. When I look at the remaining 4 it makes me sad all over again. I miss all the Perry tweets as well. Tweet is just not as much fun Now that the Gov is out.

    • romansdaughter

      I take it your arthritis is doing a little better?? Did you ever get into the doctor? Yep, it has been downright boring on RS with out you, WCP, Cheetah and many others. So I have taken up twittering with LouPats encouragement. I am not very good at it but am learning. You need to check out LouPats Formidable Courage blog and also Bzip’s Tea and Fed Up blog. DDR is good also. They are fantastic!

      • pttx333

        Courage and with LouPat, but I don’t want to tweet. Didn’t know about bzip’s blog … where is it? I read DDR sometimes, and I read here sometimes.

        The hands are come and “almost go” … some days I can barely move the fingers and other days they loosen up a little. Either way, it is slow going to type – and painful if I do much of it.

        I don’t want to lose touch with a single friend from RS so am hoping others will see my newly-created email address and contact me.

        Later, dear friend …

    • gagirl74

      Hi, pttx333!
      I’m a huge supporter of Gov. Perry. He would have made an AWESOME President!! If you don’t mind, I’ll send you an email to keep up with what’s going on with the good Governor. I don’t blog much because I’m so busy with work and family and church, but I do read as much as possible about all of the political events going on now and do a lot of work on the ground. It’s so vitally important for our country!

      Keep on fightin’ the good fight!
      gagirl74

      • nancysabet

        This is a FB of many (so far 175) of hard core Perry activists.

  • redmymind

    Missed this diary completely. Need to eat more carrots, I guess. Anyway, SO-O-O-O-O-O-O glad to have you back! Thank you for sharing your inspiring, spiritual journey with us. Folks like myself learn from it, believe me! The art of discerning God’s presence in our lives and what he wishes for each of us is one of the greatest challenges, as well as the sweetest and the most rewarding of experiences. My prayers are with you and with all of us here!

    • westcoastpatriette

      Can spend a lifetime getting to know His will for our lives.

      I write diaries like this so others can get a glimpse into the lives of those who, contrary to what so many on the left would like to see, live their whole lives for God…politics and all. It is impossible to compartmentalize where He may or may not be allowed in and that is a good thing.

  • dereich

    I am glad you Perry supporters are back! Like many of you I dropped out with Gov. Perry and have found it difficult to be enthusiastic about anyone else. I believe Rick Perry would have made one hell of a United States President and the disillutionment I experienced from the “right wing media” and the stalwarts of the GOP really hit me hard. Watching the FOX/Wallstreet/NRO/Talk radio pundits rant about big government just rings hollow now. It is all fake-when they had an opportunity to really get behind a conservative candidate that would have taken a shot at disarming the Washington Mess they folded like cheap suits. I hate their hypocracy.I will vote for Newt in my Primary and then register as an Independent going forward.

    I do believe God has big plans for our governor…I will just trust and see.

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  • vangoghssister

    We don’t know each other well, but I’ve been wondering where you’ve been and missing your posts. I’m looking forward to seeing you around here again as I always enjoyed reading your thoughts. God bless you in all your efforts!

  • acat

    Glad to hear you’re doing okay.

    Question – does your State have any Senators up this year? If so, research on the potential GOP candidates would be useful to Red State …

    Mew

  • cheetah2

    I ducked out of here myself for a week or so. I probably will just stop by now and then for a while. It takes time to get through the mourning over a lost dream. I miss my Perry friends here. Just met you all and then it was over so fast.

  • conservnca

    So glad to hear you are in the shadow of HIS wings. There is no place better.
    A sister in Christ

  • pttx333

    to find out what is going on with me and some contact info! So glad to see you, hon!

  • Scope

    I’ve missed you. I’m glad you found a place where you can find some solace and peace. Looking forward to seeing you back here. If you are interested, Cat’s suggestion to look into one of your state Senate or Congressional races is going to be very needed indeed.

  • westcoastpatriette

    to focus on my state and local issues. That is another super depressing scene as the Dems are licking their chops hoping to win a veto proof majority up in Sacramento. Their rabid socialist policies and natural stupidity is making California the laughing stock of the nation and it seems like the Republicans and Tea Party are suffering from apathy or disorientation or something. Can’t quite put my finger on what is wrong here and why we can’t mobilize to make changes. The only thing I can come up with is that the pols have made the state so difficult to do business in that they have chased away so many conservatives out of the state (six thousand businesses have fled the state in the last decade) that all we have left is the people that don’t mind living off the government and being told how to live from morning until night. Sure hope some good new leadership emerges as that is what I think is needed here.

    Really, California has many areas of the state that are and always have been very red. (My county is one of them and they are trying with all their might to turn it blue.) Maybe Gov. Moonbeam will shoot himself in the foot soon and so infuriate voters that they decide to fight back and throw all the bums out. Wouldn’t that be nice?

  • westcoastpatriette

    Had to take a breather after Perry withdrew. Took all the wind out of my sails. And I didn’t want to say something about Erick to get me banned — I was really angry with him for pressuring Perry to get out. But it is time to move on now and I missed everyone here so I am glad to be back. (But don’t ask me who I am supporting because I could not care less at this point. Six of one, half dozen of the other as far as I am concerned.) I will be a dutiful Republican and vote straight party ticket but feel no inkling of enthusiasm to actually fight for any of them. It is what it is and I cannot manufacture passion that just is not there. Know what I mean?

  • acat

    Take a look at this map … (for some reason the colour code is backwards – blue is GOP, red is Dem – and the Dem won the election…)

    I know what you mean.

    Mew

  • Ausonius

    Keep in mind that “utopia” means “nowhere.” (Coined by Thomas More)

    And nowhere is where you will end up, if you insist on creating a utopia.

    My brother lives in southern Orange County, and has regaled me with the idiocies of California politics: it all boils down to people voting out of envy, liberal guilt, fantasies of utopian fairness, and desires for sexuality with no consequences or responsibilities, the latter leading to demands for “free” abortions, “free” birth control, etc.

    Only when California collapses into bankruptcy will – maybe – people see that their beliefs are invalid.

  • westcoastpatriette

    Looks like Cook County calls the shots there. As long as the Dems can control that one county, to hell with everyone else, huh? Infuriating for everyone I am sure.

  • The_Gadfly

    Until Ronald Reagan, Republicans were true Blue and Democrats were Red. If you can find an actual map from his first election it’s mostly blue. For his next election they flipped the colors and it was a sea of red.

  • Scope

    and I am sitting the exact same boat as you are. About those Senate and House races? Are there any races going on in CA that you can inform us about?

  • romansdaughter

    I think a lot of us were angry with EE and let me tell you that EE got a little angry with some of us as well. But I do want to say that I too, found solace and comfort in the Lord at this time. I feel strongly that the Lord is still going to use Gov. Perry mightily. I am reminded of the story of Joseph and how his brothers sold him into slavery and then from no fault of his own he was thrown in prison and God allowed him to stay there for a few years. Well sometimes we don’t understand how God is working but just remember as a child of God (which Gov Perry is) that He has the best plans for our future. Jer. 29:11

  • cheetah2

    I tried to move on and I half heartedly supported Gingrich, I still like him more that Romney. It’s hard when we had the best. I would much rather overlook a few verbal gaffes than a lifetime of sleazy actions. And to go from someone I would trust with my country and my life to someone I can’t trust at all because he hasn’t proven himself to be reliable.

    I am almost to the point where I don’t care. Just praying for God’s will. Maybe that is best anyway.

    I don’t mean to sound pessimistic because I really am not. I am just still for Perry because no one else measures up.

  • westcoastpatriette

    and I will get back to you with a full report. This state is so huge that it is hard to keep abreast of all of the action and my overemphasis on the presidential primary caused me to lessen paying close attention to what is going on elsewhere. I know that the Calif. Supremes just upheld the redistricting map that was challenged by the Repubs. It was created for the first time by (per a ballot initiative) an independent panel of voters and not everyone was happy with it. My county grew enough, though, that we got a new district for the House — District 31. So, I will be watching it as it is where I live. More later…

  • http://908StraightSt.wordpress.com/ mbecker908

    because he was right. I liked “the idea” of Rick Perry a lot. He’s got a great record as governor and I think he’d have made a great President.

    That said, he ran one of the three worst campaigns on record, see Fred & Rudy in 08. The guy started off at the top of the heap and could have had the nomination in the bag if he’d simply performed. The guy has been a professional, high-level, hard-ball politician since the 80s and I couldn’t find a single thing he did right until he’d dug himself so far in a hole it didn’t matter.

    He had surgery about the time he entered the race and was taking pain meds. Given that he knew he was going to extremely mobile, and that he had debates coming up, that was a terrible decision. He also had to know that he’d be called to account for Gardasil and his in-state tuition yet when he was hit with them, it was like he’d never thought about the issues. Frankly, he should have been out in front on both of those and beat his opponents to the punch.

    I’m sorry that Perry was such a terrible candidate, and I’m sorry for the nation because I do think he would have been a good President. So would Fred or Rudy.

    Welcome to politics. This game is played with the people who demonstrate they are players. Fred wasn’t, Rudy wasn’t and Rick Perry certainly wasn’t. I see lots of “shoulda, woulda, coulda” in the comments. Politics, like war, doesn’t leave time for that and it just saps energy and destroys focus. Time now to get over it – actually that time was three weeks ago – and move on. If mourning is required, do it in December when all of the arm chair quarterbacks come out to play. There’s work to be done now.

  • romansdaughter

    I understand as I have been hanging out at other blogs more and also started twittering which was very alien to me. I am still trying to get the hang of it. Aren’t you on twitter? I have been enjoying hearing lots of positive things about TX and Gov. Perry etc, there.

  • circlegranch

    The Daily Caller is reporting that GA Republican, Rep Paul Broun has put forth a bill, “Budget or Bust Act” that would dock the pay of Congress until a budget is passed. Perry talked about this and withholding pay until they balance the budget.

    Gov. Perry brought alot of important conversation to this campaign season and it was about helping to take back America and never about him as an individual. His humbleness and core convictions will hopefully continue to inspire and motivate lawmakers.

  • Ausonius

    Out of the 5 websites I haunt, this is the absolute worst when it comes to linking people with any ease: no instant messaging system, no internal messaging, no list of members with e-mail, etc.

    Such things cannot be that expensive, since I know that the classical music website which I visit – operated by one man in Australia – has all those things and more.

    It almost seems that RedState just wants to frustrate us in this area.

    This is why I list an e-mail address in the signature for people to contact me:

    Cato@rock.com

    “Cato” by the way, is not reference to Bruce Lee, but to the ancient Roman senator who warned constantly about the threat posed by Carthage, and to his descendant, also named Cato, who unsuccessfully opposed the dictatorship of Caesar.

  • http://www.nighttwister.com NightTwister

    Door’s over there if you don’t like it here.

  • Bill S

    “The classical music site that you visit” probably doesn’t get upwards of 200K page views a day and > 1M unique visitors per month. Please don’t speak of what you don’t understand.

    It’s a blog. It’s not a chat room. If you want to chat, go to AOL. If you want to expose your email address to spammers, malware, and the potential for hostile contact from those who disagree with you, feel free to share your email address as you have. Most don’t care for that type of “exposure”, which is why we don’t make that information freely available. There are Twitter names available in the user profile, so you can use that to communicate if you like.

  • Ausonius

    The other sites are exactly parallel with RedState, except they have the features I describe above.

    Twitter of course is limited by design.

    And why would I leave? My complaint about this is simply a hope for the RedState powers to consider these ideas for the future.

    :) A few complaints should not lead to a divorce! :) You learn to live with the things you do not like!

  • bzip

    Thanks WCP for the nice diary. I too am going through some grief as are many Perry supporters are.

    I started reading RedState a few years back though I never posted but only read Redstate off and on during those years. Once Perry got into the race I was very inspired, so inspired I promoted and defended Perry as many others have here. Perry just inspired the heck out of me and he still does.

    I will most likely go back to just reading RedState off and on again, besides I am very upset and taken aback by Erick

  • http://www.nighttwister.com NightTwister

    **no*text**

  • westcoastpatriette

    at some point in time this will all make sense to those of us who were so inspired by Perry. And I miss the comaraderie and all of your wonderful posts promoting the best man in the race.

    I will check out your blog. Don’t know that I am ready to dream again that there is any chance Perry will get back in the race, but if it did happen by some miracle I would be thrilled.

  • kowalski

    In addition to it being concerned with the most important things to each of us, politics is also to a large extent a game. It’s a game of money and support, and in many cases it’s a personality contest. It’s shallow in that sense.

    People make up their minds about who should lead them based on the most ridiculous criteria and no two people think the same way. They put one priority ahead of another and that determines their entire outlook on things, and for single-issue voters that’s the only criteria that matters. We live in a Democracy where people vote – as deluded as some of them are, as uninformed as most of them are, most of the time.

    The fact that you’ve read Redstate and commented on Redstate automatically disqualifies you in some sense from being a member of the regular population. Most people pay very little specific attention to politics until it gets within 10 days of voting in their voting place. That’s one of the reasons why the outcomes are often so different from, and abhorrent to! – the people who had been involved and invested from the beginning of any particular candidate.

    All the candidates, regardless of party, pay fealty to their base but with very carefully tested polling and the advice of highly-paid consultants they hone their messages in the last days of any campaign to appeal most broadly to the group of people who will get them ELECTED. It doesn’t matter if they have to contradict what they’ve said heretofore – all of them do it.

    They have to. It’s because, let’s face it, most people do not pay attention to politics on the level you have. It can also be very frustrating.

    Perry was my first choice but he just ran out of gas. He ran out of gas because the funding apparently wasn’t there to keep him driving on all 8 cylinders.

    That doesn’t mean you lose your interest in politics: what it means is that you accept the way our system works and you work harder – particularly at the local and state levels – to help individual candidates there. You can make so much more of a difference there.

  • bzip

    I keep thinking that in the end, it will make sense and that there is a reason for this but it sure is hard to see right now. I too miss the camaraderie among all of us Perry supporters, it’s that kind of inspiration that is so hard to come by these days.

    I am not ready for dreaming or getting my hopes up (I have faced the reality but feel it isn’t yet over yet).

    Kind of going at this as one day step at a time. We all must deal with it some way. I’ll keep my prayers for all of you and for Perry. Keep the faith.

  • avagreen

    http://www.dogwork.com/prybrme8/

    You can’t help but be touched and find it amusing at the same time.

    Amen.

  • westcoastpatriette

    no doggies.

  • pttx333

    baby dogs. Oh, I know, they aren’t really babies, but all dogs are baby dogs to me! This was so much fun to watch!

    Amen.

  • westcoastpatriette

    a little story relating to you being in a house without water. I had a roommate bail on me once and she had leased this house and had all the utilities in her name. I subleased from her and my portion of rent included my share of utilities which, it turns out, she wasn’t paying so I was stuck in a house where one by one each utility was shut off. It was miserable and none of the utilities would let me put the utilities in my name unless I paid her outstanding bills — which I refused to do. The whole mess lasted about four months before I was able to rent a cabin (I was in the mountains) and get out of there. So, I feel for ya, sister.

  • pttx333

    about the entire thing. Having to go to granddaughter’s little apt. to bathe (while carting back and forth clean/dirty clothes, toiletries, etc.), going to the laundromat, trying to cart in enough jugs of water, etc. is almost a full-time job! And I’m limited on what and how much I can carry back and forth!

    Hon, for the life of me I don’t know how you lasted 4 months! Maybe youth handles it far better than this old gal … I’m sure that is one element. We never know how dependent we are on running water until there is none!

  • westcoastpatriette

    let me hook up to their electricity and the gas company did finally relent and let me turn the gas back on in my name. But the water…it was a nightmare. Had a friend that lived a couple blocks away and she let me take showers there. And I would go to laundromats and refill all my water bottles and flush the toilet once a day! Glad that is all in the past.

  • avagreen

    Only more reason for the elites to make sure he never gets into office.

    But, HIS IDEAS are being taken up by other candidates.

    What else can the critics say about his being “dumb” or whateverelse smear they can dredge up.

    This man struck fear in the hearts of the comfortable elite…….he had to be destroyed. Absolutely destroyed, mashed into the mud, ground up and stomped on. LOL! What has it gained them?

    But, the Phoenix rose from the ashes, as will Perry.

  • avagreen

    That tenacity seems to be a common trait among strong, conservative, God-fearing women……..and guess who our candidate is? ;)

    Isn’t that strange?

  • pttx333

    tough in our own ways. But dangitall, ya do what ya gotta do. Trust me, I do not believe for one minute that a single one of those folks on their roofs after Katrina yelling “HE’P ME, OH, HE’P ME” was a conservative, male or female!

    I went through a flood in ’79 – Tropical Storm Claudette dumped 44″ of rain right over where I lived south of Houston and still is the record rainfall for the Northern Hemisphere. There was no FEMA, there was no one to help other than neighbors – lived in a small subdivision about 7 mi. out of town. My kids and I swam/trudged through water that was sometimes chest deep on me, and if we had been swept away, no one would ever have found us since the water was emptying into a bayou that went directly into the Gulf. Was the goobermint there to assist in any way? NO. But the Salvation Army, Seven Day Adventists, Baptists and Red Cross (to a lesser extent) were there to help where we were evacuated to a shelter for 3 days. The story is very long and very convoluted so won’t go there, but, bottom line, WE gutted our own home, did all of the necessary rebuilding, etc., and without a nickel of goobermint’s sweat OR money! And THAT is why I have damned little pity for those who won’t help themselves. Today I couldn’t do it due to my age, but then I was young enough to work my fanny off to bring back some semblance of normalcy after a few months of slaving away.

    Yep, Miss ava’ – “Isn’t that strange?” And ain’t it amazing just who we chose as our candidate! Hmmmmmm?

  • kowalski

    Since I’m not running for office, I’m allowed to blame the voters. The truth is that these multimillion (or multi-hundred-million) dollar campaigns are not determinative until the last 14 days of the campaign. It’s all about who is going to have that money in the last two weeks.

    Most people don’t pay attention until then. They just don’t! They have other things to do and they assume that their duty begins and ends with pulling the lever. And about half of the people in this country at any given time are disgusted with politics and just don’t care who wins.

  • kowalski

    After something like 5 years here at Redstate I can say one thing more unequivocally than anything else:

    If you’re concerned about national politics, be particularly involved at the local level. It isn’t a contradiction in terms: the people who run for town elections are often people that 95% of the residents of a town *do not even know*. At the state level, there’s a tremendous amount of work to be done, as MoveOn and their acolytes found in Minnesota in the last election cycle. Secretary of State, races like that. Judges. Local offices.

    I’ve witnessed two elections now in my locality where the people who were currently seated simply *forgot to put their names* on the ballot and were replaced by someone that absolutely nobody knew. American democracy a lot of times just doesn’t even function at the local level. Nobody is involved, they think it all runs on Autopilot.

    That’s one of the reasons the Federal Government has been able to grab so much power.

  • kowalski

    The fact that more people would vote for a Quarterback of an NFL team for President than anyone can reliably determine would vote for their candidate regardless of political party right now tells you that it’s all up in the air.

    All the work, all the words, everything is a tremendous amount of effort that we each sacrifice so that our canidate can get to the last two weeks of the campaign where people start paying attention.

  • demsaresatanic

    they have no reason to vote, people who do vote care who wins, they don’t pull the lever randomly. Don’t buy the lib media “both parties are bad, everybody hates them both” bs, that is an attempt to deflect blame away from Obama and the Dems. Joe and Jane Doe hear that crap from the media every day, they are apt to repeat it without reflection, but if they vote, they make choices.

  • kowalski

    I really don’t. I think the entire system basically revolves around the fact that nobody cares until the last two weeks in national elections except the really committed people who *get* the race to the last two weeks. It’s a small fraction.

    I will *guarantee* you that if I took a survey tomorrow morning of people in my town and asked them to name all the Republican Presidential potential nominees from the beginning of the race before anyone dropped out, only a handful could do it.

    In fact I think only a handful could do it right now and name their home states. I don’t think most of the people I know even realize Newt Gingrich was the Speaker of the House, and most of them couldn’t tell me what years he was Speaker. They certainly couldn’t tell me the title of the last book he wrote. Similarly, nobody could tell me Romney’s record on the 2nd Amendment in Massachusetts.

    It’s all stuff that just goes right down the memory hole and is forgotten. Pieces of it are brought back by consultants and used as ammunition. Whoever has the most money to do that, wins.

  • westcoastpatriette

    last minute decider/voters. And I felt I was doing my duty because, dontcha know, I have life to live and at least I was always registered and voted.

    But just as you said, I could no longer go on that way as I realized that our nation is in the mess it is in because we have not paid attention, done our due diligence and assumed all was well and on auto-pilot. Politicians stealing us blind and enslaving our children’s children for the rest of their lives not to mention foisting ungodliness and family destruction on the culture that will surely erode the foundation of the country more than an atomic bomb. So, I am trying to make amends and do my part. I just hope it is not too late.

  • Scope

    and some I can agree with totally. Ever see any of those that do random questioning of people on the street? Most can’t tell you who the VP is, who the SC justices are, or anything about who is in the current president’s cabinet.

    That should put everyone’s focus back on the early R races with having Iowa go first, and set the wheels of what is considered momentum in motion. I saw some polling data at Ace’s site, and of the so-called swing states, Iowa has a pretty significant advantage at this time for the Democrats. Most here know that ethanol subsidies, as well as farm subsidies as a whole drive the Iowa voters. Why do our Republican candidates keep doing Iowa’s bidding? election cycle after election cycle, when in the end the state votes overwhelmingly Democrat? Rick Perry blew much of his money in Iowa, only to do very poorly there. Look at the money Bachmann spent there, as well as time, only to come in last. Are the Iowans so locked into one or two people in Iowa, such as Vander Platts to tell them how to vote? No insult to the Iowa people here, but it looks to me that some have nose rings in, and are willing to be lead by those attaching a leash to those rings.

    I’m looking right now at the NV caucuses. They are showing a caucus that encompasses only 35 people. Another caucus across the room seems to have even less people. That is who is giving us our nominee?

    As an aside, watch the Romney safety net answer to Soledad O’Brien again by Romney. Never trust anyone who talks out of the side of his mouth, and that is exactly what Romney is doing in that interview.

  • demsaresatanic

    minute to decide and many people are ill-informed. My point is that when they vote they make choices based upon some concept of self-interest. You don’t give up on those people, their vote counts the same as yours. You reach them the same way Dems do, through emotion, Dems use greed and sloth, Republicans must counter that with fear, fear of an economic collapse, fear of losing everything you have worked for, fear of crime, etc . It isn’t pretty, but it is reality.

  • Ausonius

    As a classicist (Ancient Greek and Latin, along with History) I am aware of the parallels between us, the Athenian Democracy, both the Roman Republic and Empire, and other now deceased or drastically transformed states. I am also aware of the very many things which make us different from those other states now extinct or transformed for the worse.

    What is most troubling is the one great parallel which could counterbalance other – possibly saving – differences.

    Human nature.

    The tendency to believe pleasant myths, to be lazy and envious, and to “think” with feelings overwhelming common logical sense.

    We can only hope that a majority of Americans really wake up: another 4 years of Democrat damage – political, economic, cultural, and now especially militarily – will be more dangerous and crippling to us than the Civil War was.

  • kowalski

    These offices that people forgot to make themselves candidates for were not trivial offices, it wasn’t Dog Catcher, so to speak: they were important offices in the town, like the Chair of the Board of Health, who issue permits and conduct inspections of restaurants and approve septic system plans and other things for new developements.

    Important offices, in other words. And the voters of the town simply didn’t even know who they were marking the ballot to elect. The last time this happened, someone who knew approximately 3 people in the town and had moved here only a year prior was elected Chairman of the Board of Health. He stayed in that job for about 8 months and then abruptly **DISAPPEARED**. Left town, the last I heard, for Florida and Parts Elsewhere. The Board of Health is a body that exerts considerable power over residents and businesses particularly. They can shut restaurants and businesses down instantly. They can stop a development in its tracks by refusing to certify their septic system plans, among other things.

    People ignore those postcards and letters and cable TV channel shows and missives at the town hall informing them of upcoming town meetings and caucuses at their peril. We all know why they ignore them – they don’t want to get involved, they think it’s benign neglect, they’re lazy, they have three kids and a job and it’s too much trouble to go to the town hall for the meetings at 7:30 a couple times a year. However, it’s anything but benign neglect when the outcome is to elect someone who has no business being the Chairman of the Board of Health.

  • westcoastpatriette

    I am sure I have many more friends to make here at RedState…and it sounds like you may be one of them.

  • westcoastpatriette

    That’s another reason I dropped out for a while. I don’t know it it’s because I’m a woman or what, but I just can’t switch devotion to a new favorite in order to stay in the game like so many others seem able to do. Makes me feel like a huge unfaithful whore or something. But part of it is that there is something special about Perry that you don’t see in very many politicians — I really like him as a person. This whole primary is weird enough without having to make up reasons to support the four yucks who are left in the race. So, I am just going to focus on my state and local races — something ColdWarrior has been trying to tell us all along.

  • gagirl74

    I have done exactly the same thing myself. Romney just doesn’t have what I’m looking for. Newt isn’t perfect. Santorum is only half of what I’m looking for and Paul is not an option. Gov. Perry was the one for me. He had it all. I feel your pain, cheetah222

  • pj2012

    I lost so much enthusiasm when Perry dropped out. I haven’t comment here in weeks. I still check in now and then and read a bit. But… it’s still hard for me and I can’t seem to get behind anyone else. I guess Perry was it for me this year. I secretly hope Perry will run again in four years… no so secret now.. lol., because I don’t think we have a winner this year. Hopefully we can win the Senate and keep the Congress.

  • westcoastpatriette

    First, I did not apologize to Martin. I told him I forgave him for his harsh criticism of Perry.

    Second, I know you are a “shape up or ship out” type of guy and most of the time, I really like straight shooters but this is not one of them.

    And your last paragraph “Politics, like war, doesn’t leave time for that and it just saps energy and destroys focus. Time now to get over it — actually that time was three weeks ago — and move on,” I totally reject. Such harsh, insensitive comments are why so many soldiers come home with severe PTSD and commit suicide when they are unable to find anyone who understands their emotional suffering.

    I am a human being with emotions and I like it that way. Maybe you would do well — since you boast of being a member of the clergy — if you tried on a little compassion for the suffering of others from time to time.

    Other than that, I agree with much of what you said in your comment.

  • westcoastpatriette

    Appreciate it.

  • gagirl74

    Hi, westcoastpatriette! Glad you are back. I don’t write much, but I always enjoyed reading your posts. I was disheartened when Perry left, too. Trying to hang on here in GA. They are now saying a previously solid red state of GA is now purple to blue. Sad. We fight on, however, and are trying to find a true conservative to run against Saxby Chambliss (we not so affectionately call him Taxby). His “gang” activity has alienated all conservatives in this state and I think my dog could beat him, but we want a real conservative in the Senate for a change. Isaakson is a great fence sitter. Usually votes with us, though. Keep on fightin’ my friend!

  • westcoastpatriette

    And we all have our work cut out for us in the states, don’t we. You should stop by more often and keep us abreast of what’s going on out in Georgia. We need all the info we can get and you will prosper from the support of your fellow warriors. Good luck to you.

  • westcoastpatriette

    http://www.kvue.com/news/Governor-Perry-stumps-against-Obama-in-first-speech-since-exiting-race-138824919.html

  • westcoastpatriette

    only to find his popularity destroyed. He has taken his loss in stride and with humility…more signs of a great leader.

  • acat

    I’ve noticed that, unlike anti-Pawlenty posters, the anti-Perry crowd has not dropped to zero since he dropped out….

    Normally when someone drops out, there’s no reason to kick the corpse .. but Perry seems to still be drawing boots. Guess he *really* got under some folks’ skins…

    Mew

  • avagreen

    to prove a wrong point.

    Of course, they are all lies. The people that elected Perry 8 times for various offices in the past (the last 3 times as Governor) will continue to support him.

    Pity the poor fools that have to twist the facts to win…….
    They’ve lost already.

  • ffc99

    anyone saying that Perry’s popularity in Texas had been “destroyed”, but I do know that a number of folks have correctly pointed out his approval ratings have taken a fairly substantial hit back home. See the article below for results of a poll which show that Perry’s approval rating in Texas is at a 10 year low (roughly equal to that of Obama) and that a majority of Texas voters do not want him to seek a 4th term.

    http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2012/01/26/perrys-texas-ratings-down-after-failed-run-poll-says/

  • westcoastpatriette

    Your link is the perfect example of a biased poll designed to paint Perry in a negative light. Did you bother to notice the liberal rags who conducted the poll? And the fact that is was a poll of registered voters? (No mention which party they were polling.) Or the small amount of people polled? Sorry, not buying it.

  • avagreen

    (the lies) (the slanted polls) (the ignorant who believe the lies and the slanted polls)

  • ffc99

    kicking Perry while he’s down, I just prefer dealing in the world of facts, not emotion. I also tire of posters like you who continue to repeatedly post about Rick Perry in an almost cult like fashion, weeks after he’s left the race.

  • westcoastpatriette

    Thought I just proved to you that your so-called facts are nothing of the sort. And my admiration for Perry has nothing to do with a cult. He may have left the race, but he has not left the battle.

    Why does it bother you so much that there are people who admire Perry? Jealousy maybe? Or are you just spiteful for the fun of it?

  • ffc99

    for a pretty run of the mill politician to be rather creepy (and cult like). And as for your comments on the poll I cited, you simply demonstrated the kind of ignorance you and your ilk are known for here.

  • jakeofalltrades

    These are the same types of people who lock people in cages for having different, harmless lifestyle choices.

  • lapert

    Yep nothing proves that those evil polls are wrong more than a standing ovation at a dinner for selected fans – I’m telling you his crowds are huge he will easily win Iowa….

  • westcoastpatriette

    If don’t like the “ilk” here, why don’t get the he** out of here? And get off of my diary, you rude moron.

  • westcoastpatriette

    Don’t you have something better to do?

  • lapert

    But thanks for checking in.

  • westcoastpatriette

    .
    .

  • lapert

    I’m sure their is a Perry fan club meeting you could attend (wouldn’t make much difference if it were Luke or Rick, same bunch of teenage girls either way)

  • Scope

    If you still like and admire Gov. Perry, and have the audacity to write that, you are a little girl just stamping your feet, belong to a cult, have a low IQ, and you probably have a shrine built to Perry in your bedroom.

    Look at it this way, they wish that the candidate they support had the same intense respect that Gov. Perry was able to achieve with many. They wish their candidate had the same record of conservative accomplishments that Gov. Perry has securely under his belt. They wish that their candidate, whoever is left on the stage, didn’t have the onerous amount of baggage to lug around with them. And mostly, they wish that they can send the Perry admirers off to the back of the bus, or shove them under the bus. It’s liberal ridicule and mocking at it’s finest, and so laughable in it’s brashness, rudeness, and obvious fear that Perry can ever rise out of the ashes again, even in future elections. If they believed that Perry was such a loser, they wouldn’t give him, or us the time of day. Also, some people hate, just for the sake of hating.

    There really is little to no reason for anyone to still keep the anti-Perry posts still alive, the still continuous negative critiquing of his campaign, and the quest to insure that Perry is forever seen as just another dumb Texan. We have all been reduced, in their eyes, to the same low IQ level as Gov. Perry, simply because we continue to admire someone who inspired us, even though he is no longer in the race. It is not a sin to admire and keep up with what a great conservative will continue to do. Even if we simply just utter his name, and acknowledge what work he is continuing to do, outside of the presidential race, the black helicopters are circling, we’ve forgotten to take our meds, and we have some kind of voodoo rituals every night in the name of Rick Perry. I am a proud member of the group who continues to follow Gov. Perry in whatever successes he continues to have in Texas, and he will.

    WCP, the best option at this point is to keep your powder dry, continue to work for conservative candidates, in all races, and to more than ignore the pointy sticks of those that have no other goal other than to poke with pointy sticks. I’ve mistakenly fallen into the trap of wanting to tell some of these people to go to hades, and then some. Step back, and don’t allow them the first emotion from you. That is all they are after.

    Now I’ll step back and watch the emotional tirades begin, because it isn’t the emotional Perry supporters that are the problem, it is the Perry detractors that are far more emotional than us. Hate is an emotion.

  • avagreen

    who can’t lose their hatred of Perry while accusing you of some kind of cult behavior.
    I can understand why people support their candidates, especially when they support a resurgence of that person in the future.

    What I can’t understand is the constant carping by enemies of a candidate after the candidate has dropped out .

    Which is “cult” behavior?
    Obsessive, especially faddish, devotion to or veneration for a person, principle, or thing.

  • westcoastpatriette

    Wish I were a mod sometimes. I’d blam ‘em Moe Lane style.

  • lapert

    Pretty much describes you bunch.

    And the fact that your cult can’t differentiate between hating a politicians and ridiculing an irrational set of groupies of said politician must, well be blinded by their cult.

  • avagreen

    LOL!

  • lapert

    Only a member of a cult laughs in the face of their constantly being shown irrational in their following of chosen leader.

  • Tbone

    Cripes, now you have stooped to picking on the “girls”. I’ve always assumed that you sit down when you pee so you really shouldn’t pick on those who do.

  • westcoastpatriette

    their madness but once again, I was shocked at their audacity and reacted before I could think. Did you see the article that I linked to about Perry upthread, though? It is so awesome.

    I don’t care what anyone says about us. I believe Perry is one of the most amazing politicians to come along in a very long time and will continue to post interesting stories about him here whenever I find them.

  • pttx333

    b

  • jakeofalltrades

    HAND.

    (google them).

  • Scope

    If you don’t feed the rats, they crawl their way back into the dank dark basements. Holy crap, this one is a female? I’m betting she wears studded leather, still plays Helen Reddy on vinyl, all while bowing at her alter to Jane Fonda.

  • lapert

    Its so cute that you act so tough on the internet. It is kind of amusing. So what if I am a woman, is that a problem for you? Mr. Tbone – the pit bull.

    I’m not picking on them for their sex, I have no idea what sex they are nor do I care. They simply are acting like the stereotypical teenage girl groupies and yeah, it amuses me to call them out for it.

  • westcoastpatriette

    Google HAND? Help!!

  • jakeofalltrades

    YHBT – You Have Been Trolled

    HAND – Have A Nice Day

    And the stalking from lapert is getting a little creepy. It’s been going on for weeks.

  • lapert

    Nothing creepier than someone on an internet forum who keeps calling out your counter-productive sillyness – that is exactly the depth of perspective you would expect from, well cultish groupies.

  • westcoastpatriette

    no trolls allowed

  • jakeofalltrades

    And also devoid of any sense of dramatic irony.

  • lapert

    Are you sure you know what dramatic irony is? I mean confusing disrespect for hatred doesn’t really raise the constant wailing that people hate you to a level of dramatic irony.

  • jakeofalltrades

    and getting taunted with inane comments from mindless twerps with a neurotic axe to grind.

  • lapert

    In the same way that every 14 year old who Madden winner knows how it feels to be Eli Manning today.

  • izoneguy

    Sounds like Ron Paul supporters

  • jakeofalltrades

    They’re the Hitler Youth of tomorrow for all we know.

  • lapert

    That is one scary look into your fantasies

  • jakeofalltrades

    :twisted:

  • izoneguy

    Scope – it sounds like you described the new lead TV show for the 2012 NBC fall line-up.