Wild Fires Devastate Gatlinbug, TN

  Wild fires burn Gatlinburg, TN

There is no looting, no assaults, no crime in the burned out city of Gatlinburg and there is hardly any national coverage of this terrible tragedy either.

Meanwhile they are having trouble finding space to store the necessities until they can be distributed to the victims of this disaster.

Tennesseans are a different breed, they take care of their own and they are busy doing just that, but you can help.
Contact: The American Red Cross at
Redcross.org

May GOD BLESS TENNESSEE!!!!!

...make it a point to spend a few days there when this is over and let's keep those donations coming, life is gonna be hard enough for those folks in the weeks to come.

AND ENJOY THIS BLESSED RAIN.

Please show your heart for the Tennessee folks by sharing this article.

Click this link -local video of the fire:
https://m.youtube.com/watch?feature=youtu.be&v=o9wdvZP5YYE

Gatlinburg photos-Watch:
https://youtu.be/Esw1Js8SN-c

Smokey Mountain wild fires
watch:
https://youtu.be/QYe4-ut-JYM

Why Is Gingrich Staying Out Of The Trump Administration?

Why Is Gingrich Staying Out Of The Trump Administration? $75,000/Speech

Politico: Former Speaker Newt Gingrich is cashing in on Donald Trump's popularity.
Gingrich's speaking agency, Worldwide Speakers Group, sent out a notice Thursday afternoon with the subject line "Newt Gingrich Fee Increase."
"Few people in the world have as much insight into President-elect Trump's philosophies, principles and objectives as Newt Gingrich. As the senior voice in the Republican Party and advisor to the new Administration, Gingrich has been at the forefront of the Republican strategy for the last two years," the email read.
If you want to book the former House speaker west of Chicago he's asking $75,000 plus first class travel for two."
No wonder he wanted to stay out of the administration! Gingrich had "no comment," he said in an email.
If you want him to speak in DC, it is a bargain. Gingrich will charge only $25,000, which is an increase of $15,000. The other good news is the Bill and Hillary Clinton speaking fees have been slashed.

I Want Romney And What I Would Like to Tell Kellyanne Conway

I Want Romney And What I Would Like To Tell Kellyanne Conway

President-elect Trump has nominated
Rep. Tom Price (R-GA) as the new Secretary of Health and Human Services. It is another good choice.

I wish Congressman Price would speak to Kellyanne Conway about GOP unity and the election.

Conway is a pollster and should know better, but she claims Trump does not need Romney, and is far more popular than Romney.

Trump did win one percent victories in PA, WI and MI, and he ran well in rural areas of the Midwest.

Conway says Trump won Michigan and Romney lost it by 9%. What she doesn't say is that Romney did far better in other areas, and especially in the traditionally Republican suburbs.

For example, Romney did 7% better than Trump in Texas. Price could tell Conway about his own suburban Atlanta district that was always safely red until this year.

Romney carried the district 61-37, but Trump took it by just 48-47. It is the type of well-educated suburban seat where Trump was a poor fit.

Price himself was easily re-elected 62-38, and there are many similar examples.

I am glad Trump's approval rating has increased since the election, and once again, he is making some wise appointments. He deserves credit for bringing in new voters.

However, he also lost voters, and I would like to regain them. Romney would be a great step toward GOP unity, and of more importance, he would be outstanding Secretary of State.

This image is from an Obama ad attacking Romney, but Romney was correct.

If we had listened to Romney there would not be 500,000 dead in Syria, ISIS in Iraq's second largest city, and 12 million refugees. 

Romney was right.

Loyalty to the Trump Presidency will be a MUST

I rarely praise Obama but one thing I admire about him is that he ran a White House with no leaking.

The inside tips during the Obama years were planted leaks that the President wanted to be in the news. Leaking was prevalent throughout the Carter and Bush administrations where rival factions took their battles to the media to score points.

I don't know if Kellyanne's comments were authorized. If they were, then there is no problem.
If she is expressing her personal views in opposition to Trump, that is a major mistake and I am surprised she would do it.

I don't know what will happen, but like Obama, I hope Trump will have a loyal staff that will promote his agenda, instead of themselves.

The article is right that Trump shifted the electoral map and we won one percent victories in PA, MI and WI, but the Republican vote also declined in the southwest and is down 7% in Texas.

Romney would be a smart choice and his 2012 foreign policy predictions came true.  

Trump is reaching out to all Republicans with appointments such as Priebus, Haley, DeVos and McFarland. I do not share Kellyanne's admiration of Steve Bannon, and I hope Laura Ingraham will not be the White House press secretary.

 http://www.politico.com/story/2016/11/conway-unloads-on-romney-231855

Will The GOP Change After The 2016 Election? Unlike 2012, Will We Learn Any Lessons?

Will The GOP Change After The Election? Unlike 2012, Will We Learn Any Lessons?

The above image was posted by former Rep. Allen West (R-FL) and years ago I was a big fan. I want more minorities in the GOP and I was hoping he would win higher office.

West served one term and was defeated in 2012 by a 29 year old nobody. West raised $19 million but defeated himself by making controversial and inappropriate comments.

They were popular on Fox News but not in his swing district. He has since left Ft. Lauderdale for Dallas, where he is a better fit. West has over 2.5 million followers and this image (above) was "liked" by 96,000 people.

It is a photo of Indians who live in Bangladesh, and West's comments were reprinted by Indian publications. Many Indian Americans are highly successful professional legal immigrants, but some in the GOP want to bash all immigrants.

There is an excellent case for stopping illegal immigration and sanctuary cities, but we too often appear to be denouncing all Hispanics.

We will soon know the verdict in FL, CO and NV. Col. West had an admirable military career and is knowledgeable about defense and foreign policy issues, but similar to some other GOP commentators, he goes too far.

It is fine to denounce radical Islamic terrorists and we should be focusing on the Islamic State, al-Qaeda and their allies. The problem is that West all too often blames every Muslim and Arab, despite the fact that many of them are our allies in the war on terror.

It is very popular with the Alt-Right, but we need to stop the hate rhetoric. America has changed and there is little we can do about it. Romney received 59% of the white vote. He would have won in 2012 if whites still equaled their 1980 percentage, but those days are not coming back.

There will be soul searching and a divisive civil war after the election. I don't want the GOP to be the populist party, but the nationalists are very strong.

We need to hold the Romney, McCain, Bush GOP base and the white working class. At the same time we have to improve our support with minorities.

I hope it is possible but the answer is not the harsh rhetoric of Ann Coulter, Laura Ingraham and Allen West.

The 2012 GOP autopsy said we should reach out to minorities, single women, and young people. We ridiculed and rejected it, and I don't know if anyone will listen in the weeks ahead.

Republicans Must Unite....And Now

Rep Mulvaney asking for compromise on Battle Flag Issue

Congressman Mulvaney is asking the SC Legislature to take the time and effort to fashion a compromise that removes the Battle flag in a way that all South Carolinians can rally around with pride and respect. Please read his statement as posted on his facebook page on June 23, 2015 

SC Congressman Mick Mulvaney

I would like to start by saying that I am disappointed that the conversation in South Carolina -- largely driven by those outside our state -- has been focused on a flag, rather than the victims of a heinous crime and their courageous and forgiving families. While I always welcome debate on a divisive issue, I prefer that debate not come on the heels of a tragedy before the victims have even been laid to rest.

In part because of those concerns, I will admit that I have not been as quick to call for the removal of the Confederate Flag from the State House grounds as some others. I remember that the flag is where it is as the result of something that is becoming all too rare in politics: compromise. Indeed, moving the flag from the dome to the grounds in 2000 — and the concomitant establishment of the African-American monument — could be considered as a high point in South Carolina politics: a time when people got together and worked through their differences in a way that all could accept with pride.

South Carolina Heritage Act of 2000

SC African-American monument

And my initial reaction to calls to summarily remove the flag was that such an action would be tantamount to admitting what is not true for many South Carolinians: that the flag is a symbol of hate. Yes, it was for Dylann Roof. In fact, for him it was something even more evil than just hate. But we typically do not allow such people to define what our symbols mean.

But in speaking with many people over the course of the last few days, it has become clear that the flag does, in fact, mean different things to different people in our state. And I blame myself for not listening closely enough to people who see the flag differently than I do. It is a poor reflection on me that it took the violent death of my former desk mate in the SC Senate, and eight others of the best the Charleston community had to offer, to open my eyes to that. And because of those very different — and very valid — impressions of what the flag represented, I admit that the flag has become a distraction: something that prevents us from talking about all that is good about South Carolina. It strikes me as particularly disappointing, for example, that we have spent more time talking about the flag for the last few days than we have talking about the extraordinary display of faith, love, and forgiveness shown by the families of the victims of the shooting in Charleston. If the flag has become an excuse for people to ignore things like that, then perhaps time has come for a change.

I hope that the Legislature can do the same thing now that they did 15 years ago: take the time and effort to fashion a compromise that removes the flag in a way that all South Carolinians can rally around with pride and respect — and with the sense of community that has been on display for the world to see in Charleston in the aftermath of last Wednesday evening. By doing that we will once again have the opportunity to show everyone what is special about our state. Maybe with the flag removed, people will listen.

Finally, I will say this: there is no Confederate flag flying at the state capitol in Missouri, yet Ferguson had race riots; there is no Confederate flag flying at the state capitol in Maryland, yet Baltimore had race riots. There is a Confederate flag flying on the grounds of the state capitol in South Carolina, yet Charleston set an example for the world to marvel at in its response to this atrocity. And of that, I am extraordinarily proud. Perhaps those who are now trying to focus attention on the flag are spending their time on the wrong things.

Mick Mulvaney, US Congressman 5th District South Carolina 

June 23, 2015

I left the funeral for my friend, Clem Pinckney, about an hour or so ago. The service was really powerful and worthy of the man. I thought several speakers were more political than I would expect at a funeral, but I understand there is a strong connection within the AME church for political activism. President Obama gave a good speech, but the best line came from one of the pastors who spoke. In talking about Dylann Roof, the young man charged with the murders, he said, "that man came to Charleston, to Mother Emanuel Church, to Clementa Pinckney's bible study...to try to start a race war. But he came to exactly the wrong place." In fact, "wrong church, wrong people, wrong day."

The people of Charleston continue to put on a display of faith and forgiveness that is an example for the world.   Rep.Mick Mulvaney, June 26, 2015

https://www.facebook.com/MulvaneySC5

Republican or Democrat? Is there a difference?

Some say there is no difference between the two major political parties. 

Some on the far right even call Republican elected officials "RINO", meaning they are Republican In Name Only. They say things like everyone needs to go home or we must defeat the GOP before we begin to fight the Democrats. They name call everyone who does not meet their purity standard.

Tell me what in the world determines if  a person is a "REAL" Republican? If winning the Republican primary to become the party's nominee does not make you Republican, what does?  

There are also folks who believe so strongly in their own thoughts and beliefs that they consider themselves above having a political party affiliation.  These people declare themselves independents.
They are not speaking of the independent political party, folks, but  rather declaring to be an independent agent voting for the "MAN" or should I say, candidate? As though they have some secret intelligent way to determine how a person will perform when elected to a body. 

Do they think a single person elected to any governmental body can make a decision alone in the work of that body? Do they actually think this person will work independently of their party affiliation?

In both these cases, it is apparent that perceived intentions are much more important than actual behavior. 

Should the party affiliation of a candidate tell you anything about the person? Yes, it should. When choosing a political party, each candidate is choosing a platform to stand on. 

Let's take a look at one issue, abortion. Yes, I realize abortion is legal and has been since January 22, 1973. We have been taking the lives of  innocent human babies for over 40 years. Our two major parties have very different opinions on this issue.

Potential candidates are aligning themselves with this plank in one of the two platforms.

---------- 

The Republican Party Supports a human life amendment; oppose abortion funding

Faithful to the "self-evident" truths enshrined in the Declaration of Independence, we assert the sanctity of human life and affirm that the unborn child has a fundamental individual right to life which cannot be infringed.

We support a human life amendment to the Constitution and endorse legislation to make clear that the Fourteenth Amendment's protections apply to unborn children.

We oppose using public revenues to promote or perform abortion or fund organizations which perform or advocate it and will not fund or subsidize health care which includes abortion coverage.

We support the appointment of judges who respect traditional family values and the sanctity of innocent human life.

We oppose the non-consensual withholding or withdrawal of care or treatment, including food and water, from people with disabilities, including newborns, as well as the elderly and infirm, just as we oppose active and passive euthanasia and assisted suicide.

Source: 2012 Republican Party Platform

----------

The Democrat party Strongly and unequivocally supports Roe v. Wade

The Democratic Party strongly and unequivocally supports Roe v. Wade and a woman's right to make decisions regarding her pregnancy, including a safe and legal abortion, regardless of ability to pay. 

We oppose any and all efforts to weaken or undermine that right. 

Abortion is an intensely personal decision between a woman, her family, her doctor, and her clergy; there is no place for politicians or government to get in the way. 

We also recognize that health care and education help reduce the number of unintended pregnancies and thereby also reduce the need for abortions. 

We strongly and unequivocally support a woman's decision to have a child by providing affordable health care and ensuring the availability of and access to programs that help women during pregnancy and after the birth of a child, including caring adoption programs.

Source: 2012 Democratic Party Platform

It's not about you! - Comparing 2015 commencement speeches of Michelle Obama and Denzel Washington

It's not about You!

America, you are at a crossroads in this country. Do we go down the "Oh poor me" road or do we choose the road less traveled, the one with responsibilities and gratitude?

Michelle Obama gave the commencement speech Saturday, May 9, 2015 at Tuskegee University in Alabama. She focused on being the first African-American first lady of the United States and how she believes she was held to a different standard than others because of her race.

She spoke of the July 21, 2008 cover of The New Yorker Magazine, saying,

"Then there was the first time I was on a magazine cover. It was a cartoon drawing of me with a huge afro and a machine gun. Now, yeah, it was satire, but if I'm really being honest, it knocked me back a bit. It made me wonder, Just how are people seeing me?" 

She ended her speech with this call to action.

 "We can take on those deep-rooted problems, and together, together we can overcome anything!"

July 21, 2008 cover of The New Yorker Magazine

More info here on the first lady's speech,
www.cnn.com/2015/05/09/politics/michelle-obama-commencement-tuskegee-university/

---

Then there was Denzel Washington's commencement speech at Dillard University in New Orleans on the same day - May 9, 2015. When he took the podium, he imparted four goals for graduating seniors:

"Congratulations to all of you...
First: Put God first.
Second: Fail big ... a dream without goals is just a dream,
Third: You will never see a U-Haul behind a hearse.
Four: Say thank-you in advance for what is already yours."

He concluded with,

"Don't inspire to make a living, inspire to make a difference."

For more info and great photos check these links:
http://www.nola.com/society/index.ssf/2015/05/denzel_washington_gives_dillar.html

More photos:
http://theadvocate.com/news/neworleans/neworleansnews/12327046-123/photos-denzel-washington-gives-commencement

Local politics is the foundation of our American political system

William R. Hawkins of the American Thinker (Nov.7, 2014 ~ GOP Overcomes Libertarian Plot) writes,  " The GOP is expected to offer national leadership, and the party will be judged on the success of its policies.  Whether it's economic recovery, national security or traditional values, the party must be active, not passive."


And he is so right we expect leadership!

We must first acknowledge that local politics is the foundation of our American political system, as U.S. Speaker of the House Tip O’Neill, said “all politics is local.”

The vast majority of today’s elected officials began their political careers from a lower office, perhaps a very small, local office, and worked their way up.  Today’s senators and governors were yesterday’s party precinct chairs, HOA presidents, PTA presidents, zoning committee members, school board trustees, and city council members, all very important to a successful vibrate community.

The key to future success of our party and communities will be identifying and organizing thousands of individuals who are willing to help improve our communities through direct political action, by getting involved.

We as Republicans must seek out and support local republican candidates, they are the future of our party and the only hope for implementing our principles in all levels of government, now and in the future.

If you want to conquer your fear of the path our country is taking, do not sit home watching FOX News and cheering Carson, Cruz or Rand.  Go out and get busy.  Get very busy, and start on the local level. Get involved in your local Republican party.

Here is a link to all the state Republican Party Organizations:
http://www.dyedinthewoolrepublican.com/2013/11/state-republican-party-gop-web-links.html

Please reach out to them for the contact information of your local Republican party Chairman.

Ask your local Republican party chairman to get you in touch with the Republican officers of your precinct.  These are like-minded members of your very own community.

Start today...the 2016 election is on its way.


"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it's the only thing that ever has." ~ Margaret Mead

Pastor Dietrich Bonhoeffer Was Hanged 70 Years Ago - April 8, 1945

He was hanged 70 years ago, and Martin Luther King made him a hero during the civil rights movement. Pastor Bonhoeffer's message is still relevant today as we battle the Islamic State.

There were moral monsters who wanted to look the other way during the Nazi and civil rights era.
During the nightmare years of the 1930's, many people remained silent about what was happening in Germany. They said it was sad, but it was not our problem. That attitude has not disappeared. They are a minority, but the GOP has an isolationist wing. In 2012, Ron Paul won half the youth vote in all the early GOP primaries.


April 29, 2015
By Greg Hilton

Pastor Dietrich Bonhoeffer, 39, was hanged 70 years ago this month in a Nazi concentration camp. The last words recorded before his execution were "This is the end – for me the beginning of life."

He was arrested in April 1943 and executed shortly before Hitler's suicide. He believed "We are guilty of what we do wrong, as well as what we don't do right!"

Bonhoeffer's life as a theologian of great intellect—and his martyrdom in opposition to Nazism—exerted great influence. He was frequently quoted by Martin Luther King, Jr. and others in the Civil Rights movement, and the anti-Apartheid movement in South Africa.

In 1996, Pat Buchanan defeated Senate Majority Leader Bob Dole (R-KS) in the New Hampshire primary and went on to win Alaska, Missouri and Louisiana. He finished only slightly behind Dole in the Iowa caucus.

Former Rep. Ron Paul (R-TX) believes the Holocaust was an internal German problem, and we should not have done anything about it. He also says we should do nothing if Israel is attacked and continues to oppose the 1964 Civil Rights Act.

At that time, segregation was legal in the south, and businesses were allowed to withhold services from blacks. Dr. Paul says it is a question of states rights, and the federal government should not have intervened to stop segregation or slavery.

Pat Buchanan's book "Churchill, Hitler, and the Unnecessary War" (2008) blames the war on Britain and Poland for not negotiating with the Nazis. The author believes coexistence with Nazism was preferable to war. He writes "Though derided as isolationists, the America First patriots kept the United States out of the war."

Today the House Liberty Caucus continues to advocate isolationism and they believe there can be coexistence with the Islamic State. They know about the persecution of Christians, the beheadings, Sharia Law, the 11 million refugees and displaced persons, as well as the over 250,000 who have died.

Hitler believed in a master race and the Islamic State wants a master religion. They will not negotiate and there will be no compromise. We should not have ignored the Nazis for so long, and we need a serious strategy to defeat the Islamic State.

Pastor Bonhoeffer's message was important in WW II, and it is just as vital today.

"Silence in the face of evil is itself evil: God will not hold us guiltless. Not to speak is to speak. Not to act is to act."

― Dietrich Bonhoeffer

No politician or political party can save America

There's no politician or political party that can save America. Christian, times have changed, but Jesus does not.

Please, do not place your confidence in any politician or any political party. You were bought with a price and you belong to God.

We Christians must take a stand, and I'm not talking about standing for Catholic, Baptists or Mormon. And I'm certainly not talking about standing for Republican, Conservative or the Tea Party.

The only hope we have is for men and women of God to stand up for right. We must take a stand against secular humanism.

Christ offers the answer. Christ is the Way, the Truth, and the Life.  Christ is the Word. We need to study His Word and get involved in our world.  Becoming the ambassadors for Christ that all those who have received His atonement should be. You know you should vote, it is your civic duty, but you should also get involved in the political system. Christians are to be in the world but not "of" the world. We should be the salt in the political system, preaching a sermon with our life.


If the stars fall down from heaven...do right!___Bob Jones Sr.

"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it's the only thing that ever has." ___Margaret Mead ( Best example: The Twelve Disciples)

"If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land."___2 Chronicles 7:14 (KJV)


Christian, I urge you to get involved today, we must be doers of the word.

I Knew Reagan Would Win In 1980, And Why I Am Concerned Now

Gregg Hilton

How I Knew Reagan Would Win In 1980, And Why I Am Concerned Now

I watched the 1980 presidential debate with a dozen friends, and I will not name them because many were moderate low information voters. I was surprised they were still undecided, but they were not alone.

Close to 15 percent were undecided that October. Three weeks before the election, Time magazine, CBS, and The New York Times all said the race was dead even. Carter’s economic problems were well known, and according to Army Chief of Staff Edward Meyer, we also had a “hollow military”.

He said many Army units existed only on paper and were not prepared, manned, or equipped to defend the nation.

The Soviets were pursuing a massive buildup that would include an estimated 13,500 tanks, 6,300 aircraft, 900 ballistic missiles and 1200 intercontinental missiles.

Reagan faced a hostile media and U.S. News says he was frequently described as a “Dangerous cowboy. B-movie actor. Intellectual lightweight. Heartless right-winger.” Reagan made progress in erasing that image during the debate with third party candidate John Anderson  while Carter refused to participate.

Still, Gallup's final pre-debate poll showed Carter up by 3 percent. Of course, I thought Reagan won the debate, and he clearly articulated a vision of where he wanted to take the nation. I didn’t think there was any knockout punch, but the reaction of my undecided friends was surprising. Practically all of them said Reagan had won.

I don’t remember their exact words but the theme was 1) Reagan was more presidential, 2) The media image of him was wrong, and 3) He had a plan. 

After the debate, Gallup gave Reagan a 3 percent lead and it kept growing. By the weekend, AP and Harris/ABC had Reagan ahead by 5 percent. 

Reagan won 51 to 41 and it was a huge landslide. He carried the electoral college 489 to 49, and Carter won only six states. The GOP gained 13 Senate seats, and 33 House seats.

Several polls gave Reagan a lead at the end of the campaign, but no survey detected the GOP landslide before it actually happened. Reagan’s approval rating increased steadily from the GOP convention, and the surprise was that the undecided voters broke heavily for him. 

It is a wonderful memory, but why am I concerned now? In 1980, Reagan won white voters 56 percent to 36 percent, with third party candidate John Anderson taking 8 percent. 

n 2012, Romney won white voters by the same 20-point margin, 59 percent to 39 percent. But a big difference is that in 1980, whites were 88 percent of the electorate, whereas, in 2012, they were just 73 percent.

Romney said his big mistake was not doing more to reach minority voters, and we have to do better with them in 2016.

Republican agenda is not evil, and I am not going to rely on the late Jerry Garcia for political advice

by Gregg Hilton

"Constantly choosing the lesser
 of two evils is still choosing evil." - Jerry Garcia

"Constantly choosing the lesser of two evils is still choosing evil." - Jerry Garcia

This quote has been shared by almost 9,000 people and I believe it is directed at Mitt Romney and many other conservative Republicans.

In 2012, Matt Kibbe, the President of FreedomWorks, said Romney was the lesser of two evils, and his organization refused to support the GOP nominee in the general election.

In 2014, FreedomWorks hosted a rally in Louisville that was addressed by Glenn Beck. The theme was that Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell was "too liberal for too long."

Based on 30 years of service, McConnell has a lifetime rating of 90% from the American Conservative Union. He supported all of the war on terror policies FreedomWorks opposes, and as of today, they are still attacking McConnell because Obama has vetoed legislation.

It makes no sense. FreedomWorks claims numerous conservatives are evil because they voted for the Ryan and Price Plans to cut $5.5 trillion in spending and balance the budget in nine years.
They want it accomplished in five years. They are not going to settle for a budget that is the lesser of two evils. Only four senators advocate the budget timeline they want.

I wish it was possible to balance the budget earlier, but Obama has a veto for the next two years, and the GOP lacks a Senate super-majority to override a veto. The Republican reform agenda is not evil, and I am not going to rely on the late Jerry Garcia for political advice.

Gregg Hilton is a contributing writer to Dyed in the Wool Republican.

FreeDumb Works, Follow the money

Many people opposed Mitt Romney during the Presidential primaries of 2012, but none went as far as Freedomworks who actively waged a campaign against Romney's candidacy and tried to have him excluded from speaking at events.

In the general election, Romney had the backing of the American Conservative Union, Tea Party Express, and Tea Party Nation.  FreedomWorks however not only refused to back Romney, but they were very proud and loud  that they did not support him for president.

FreedomWorks President Matt Kibbe was annoyed that his then Chairman, Dick Armey, was supporting former Governor Tommy Thompson as the Republican nominee for the United States Senate in Wisconsin. The Republicans were hoping to replace retiring Democrat Herb Kohlin in the general election and gain that Senate seat.  Thompson won the Republican nomination, but he was defeated by ultra-liberal Sen.Tammy Baldwin. She was the first woman elected to represent Wisconsin in the Senate and the first openly gay U.S. Senator in history. As of 2012, Baldwin's voting record makes her one of the most liberal members of Congress.

Matt Kibbe thought Tommy Thompson was too liberal to back, so thank you Free dumb works, Wisconsin now has a REAL liberal for US Senator.

Many people believe Freedom Works is a conservative group, but they are clearly a libertarian organization.  However, they always use the word conservative to distract folks from their true Libertarian goals.

In our daily lives, we judge people by their deeds, when someone's words doesn't match up with their deeds we usually deem them untrustworthy.  We may appreciate good intentions, but we expect results.  Without a good result, principled words become just empty meaningless words. Ask yourself what possible good could come from withholding support of the Republican nominee for President.
I say follow the money folks. Matt Kibbe is keeping it in the family, as his wife, Terry, is a paid fundraiser for Freedom Works.


We at Dyed in the Wool  really like the name "FreeDumb Works" and  hope it sticks.

Former SC Governor Jim Edwards Remembered

James B. Edwards, South Carolina's first Republican governor since Reconstruction and later energy secretary in the Reagan administration, has died. He was 87.

His son-in-law Ken Wingate confirmed that Edwards died Friday, December 26,2014.

Dr Edwards was an oral surgeon who served in the South Carolina state Senate and worked to build the modern Republican Party in South Carolina, serving as Charleston County Republican Party chairman, before becoming governor in 1974.

Edwards was limited to one term under state law at the time. After leaving the governor's mansion, he headed to Washington as President Ronald Reagan's energy secretary.

Edwards returned to his home state to become president of the Medical University of South Carolina. He held that position for 17 years before retiring. During his tenure, more than 10,000 health professionals graduated from the University.

12/26/2014 - Funeral arrangements are not complete.

Governor James Edwards

Obituary:

James Burrows Edwards, DMD, 87, of Mount Pleasant, South Carolina, died Friday, December 26, 2014.

Jim was born June 24, 1927, in Hawthorne, Florida to the late O.M. and Bertie Ray Edwards. Both parents were school teachers, careers which led them to St. Andrews, South Carolina, in 1935 and Mt. Pleasant in 1937.

As a boy in Mt. Pleasant, Jim spent his spare time at Ft. Moultrie, home of the 263rd Coast Artillery, and acquired a lifelong love of the military and life at sea. Jim graduated from Moultrie High School in June 1944 and took a job with the Army Transportation Corps as a deck hand on an L-78 tug boat. Though only 17 years old, he joined the Merchant Marines in December 1944. Jim was assigned to the Dogwood, a Liberty Ship converted to a hospital ship transporting wounded servicemen home from Europe. Eventually, he also served on the U.S.A.T. Bridgeport, the George Washington, and the Larkspur. Jim worked his way through the ranks from ordinary seaman to an officer by age 19, licensed to pilot ships transporting "any tonnage on any water in the world."

In 1947, Jim began studies at the College of Charleston while also working as a night officer on ships as a member of the Master, Mates and Pilots Association. During summers, he remained active in seafaring trade, delivering coal to France and England, granite for the Santee Cooper Dam, and general cargo to ports throughout the Caribbean and South America.

Jim graduated from the College of Charleston in 1951, married Ann Darlington, his childhood sweetheart, and entered dental school at the University of Louisville. Upon graduation, he served two years on active duty with the U.S. Navy in Chincoteague, Virginia, as a general dentist. He would remain active in the United States Naval Reserve until 1967, retiring as a lieutenant commander.

After completing graduate medical training at the University of Pennsylvania in 1958 and a residency at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit, Michigan, in 1959, Jim pursued his dream to return to Charleston, establishing his practice in Oral and Maxillofacial surgery in 1960.

While building a thriving practice, Jim entered the political arena, serving six years as the Charleston County Republican Party chairman. An unsuccessful bid for the United States Congress in 1971 was soon followed by his election to the South Carolina State Senate in 1972. Two years later, Jim was elected Governor of South Carolina - the state's first Republican Governor since reconstruction.

Jim served as governor from 1975 to 1979, returning briefly to his oral surgery practice in Charleston. In 1981, President Ronald Reagan appointed Jim as Secretary of the United States Department of Energy, a position he held until November 1982, when he was called as president of the Medical University of South Carolina. Jim served as president of MUSC for 17 years, retiring in 2000. As president emeritus, Jim actively continued fundraising for the MUSC Health Sciences Foundation until 2014.

Among numerous civic and academic honors, Jim was granted the Order of the Palmetto for his public service to the State of South Carolina and is an inductee into the South Carolina Hall of Fame. He served on the Board of Directors of the Harry Frank Guggenheim Foundation, the Gaylord and Dorothy Donnelly Foundation, SCANA, South Carolina National Bank, Encyclopedia Brittanica, Waste Management, Chemical Waste Management, J. P. Stevens, Brendles, IMO Delaval, Inc., Philips Petroleum, National Data Corporation, Burris Chemical Co., the W. M. Benton Foundation, the MUSC Health Sciences Foundation, and the Communications Satellite Corporation (COMSAT).

Jim is survived by his beloved wife of 63 years, Ann; his son, James B. Edwards, Jr. and his wife, Jenny, of Columbia; his daughter, Catharine E. Wingate, and her husband, Ken, of Columbia; grandchildren, Miriam Wingate Ashworth, K. Bryan Wingate, Jr., Ansley Darlington Edwards, James B. Edwards, III., Catharine Paxson Wingate, and Hellen Tucker Edwards; one great-grandchild, Eliza Ann Wingate, and numerous nephews and nieces. In addition to his parents, Jim was preceded in death by his sister, Josephine E. Pinckney, his brother, Dr. Morton Thomas Edwards, his sisters, Ada Frances E. Melchers and Jane Ann E. Varn.

Visitation will be from 5:30 until 7:30 pm on Sunday, December 28, 2014 at St. Luke's Chapel, on the Campus of the Medical University of South Carolina.

The funeral service will be conducted at St. Philip's Church at 1:00 pm on Monday, December 29, 2014 by The Rt. Rev'd. Dr. C. FitzSimons Allison. Interment will follow in the churchyard of Christ Church, Mt. Pleasant, after which the family will receive visitors in the parish hall of Christ Church.

The family requests in lieu of flowers that memorials be made to the MUSC Foundation for the College of Nursing or for the College of Dental Medicine. (MUSC Foundation, 18 Bee Street, Charleston, SC 29425) 

Arrangements by J. HENRY STUHR, INC., 1494 Mathis Ferry Road, MOUNT PLEASANT CHAPEL.

SC Governor James Edwards (110th)

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James Burrows "Jim" Edwards

Birth: Jun. 24, 1927, Hawthorne. Alachua County, Florida, USA

Death: Dec. 26, 2014, Mount Pleasant, Charleston County, South Carolina, USA

US Presidential Cabinet Secretary, South Carolina Governor. He served as the 3rd United States Secretary of the Department of Energy under President Ronald Reagan from 1981 until 1982. A member of the Republican Party, he served as the 110th Governor of the State of South Carolina (1975 until 1979). During World War II, he served with the United States Maritime Service and later the United States Naval Reserves. He attained his Bachelor of Science from the College of Charleston and received his D.MD from the University of Louisville School of Dentistry, before his post-graduate work at the University of Pennsylvania. He went on to practice oral surgery in 

the Charleston-area, prior to entering the political arena, as a member of the South Carolina State Senate. During his tenure as governor, Edwards made history by becoming the first Republican elected following Reconstruction. He reinstated the death penalty and provided funding which was designated to assist the state's impoverished school districts.

Parents:
  Ordie Morton Edwards (1888 - 1978)
  Bertie Rae Hieronymus Edwards (1893 - 1981)

Burial:
Christ Church, Mount Pleasant, Charleston County, South Carolina, USA
2304 Highway 17 North, Mt Pleasant, SC 29466
843.884.9090
http://www.christch.org

Post and courier Photos  from the funeral

Post and Courier Tribute to Gov Edwards

Paul Ryan Wants to chair the powerful House Ways and Means Committee

Republican house leaders on Tuesday, Nov. 18, selected Paul Ryan to chair the powerful House Ways and Means Committee for the next two years. The Ways and Means Committee is the main tax-writing committee in Congress. The committee has jurisdiction in a number of key areas, such as trade agreements, taxes, health care, Social Security and social programs. He can serve as long as six years, but no more, due to term limits.

Wisconsin 1st district congressman, Paul Ryan,  previously served as the Budget Committee chairman.

"It’s been my aspiration for a long time because it’s the most important committee in Congress dealing with economic issues,” Ryan said in an interview Wednesday with The Journal Times.

You cannot expect a political party to become more responsive

A very long twitter rant by Jim Geraghty about the purity voters sent this Republican to the computer to make a meme.

Are you planning to stay home on "Election Day" rather than vote for a candidate who, in your mind, is only right 80% of the time?

Jim had some advice for you.

"You cannot expect a political party to become more responsive to your views by becoming less active in it."  ~Jim Geraghty

https://twitter.com/jimgeraghty

You can not expect a political party to be more responsive__Jim Geraghty

REPUBLICANS MUST WIN the SENATE In 2014

Change!

Change happens. When it comes to government, it mostly happens slowly, but it still happens.

We elected a man President of these United States that campaigned on fundamentally changing our country. He is doing his best to keep good on his campaign promise.

George Bush was elected with an agenda that was forever changed by the events of 9/11. Change came to him with a violent unimaginable attack.

Change is inevitable. It is happening before our eyes.It is messy and it is stressful. But it is not stoppable, so we better figure out how to handle it.

The Republican Party is struggling with the best way to deal with the changes. The stalwarts of the party have allowed a steady drip, drip, drip of compromise over a period of several years or at a minimum they lost some major direction in determining battles.

For whatever reason, the direction of the country gave rise to vocal, energetic grass root movements. 

There isn't a Republican on the planet that likes the change promised and in the process of being affected by Barack Obama.

What do we do about it?

Change comes. It comes slow and steady. Or it comes with an earth shattering bang.

As George Will recently said  "...improving 1 percent of the Senate is less important than taking 100 percent of Senate control from Harry Reid"

First we need to "WIN".  Then we can move in a direction to fix the country.

REPUBLICANS MUST WIN the SENATE...

Cyndi Sieger Frump, Guest writer

Conservative and Liberal Words Mean Things.

Concerning political words.  What does Conservative and Liberal mean?  Words mean things, so it all depends on what is being conserved or what liberty is being hindered.

We can not  let anyone hijack our political words. Deceivers have infiltrated both political parties. They are working hard to split up those who identify as Republicans and those who just normally vote Republican by using "Orwellian" speak.

RINOs, NeoCons, Conservative, Progressive, Liberal, Liberty, Libertarian, Constitution....All these words have been twisted and hijacked by both sides of the Left, the Neo-Nazis/Fascists and the Socialists/Communists.

We must not be manipulated one bit by their evil assault on the English language. And please do not call Commies, Socialists, and Liberals... "Progressives" they are not.

Some folks have put away their sheets, robes, hoods, brownshirts, swastikas and now dress like normal people.  They've learned to sound like conservatives and libertarians, they have infiltrated the Tea Party and the Republican Party, just like the Communists have infiltrated and control the Democratic Party.

We need to reject folks who attempt to manipulate us by simply calling themselves conservatives, libertarians or Republicans. Shucks, even Adolph Hitler sounded conservative at times. And conservative minded folks not knowing better voted Hitler into office.

There is no "I'm more conservative than you" litmus test in the Republican party. Issues are too varied. Republican and conservative are synonymous.  Republicans are the Conservatives. There is no other choice we must redeem the word Republican and reject the "I'm a conservative stance."that screams to all the world  "Republican and Democrat are the same". . .  they are NOT!!! 

I am a Republican which means politically I am a conservative. I identify as REPUBLICAN. That also means I'm conservative, but REPUBLICAN is what  I am voting. Consider the repercussions on election day if those two labels are not joined at the hip.

If Republicans erroneously allow the labeling of Tru-Cons, Paulbots, and Tea Partiers as conservatives, then they collectively will ruin the Republican party chances of victory every November.

Many brainwashed folks are going to vote for any minor "third" party candidate on the ballot that has "Conservative" or "Libertarian" attached to their name, they will throw their vote away on a purely "perceived" principle giving the victory to the democrats..

Ron and Rand Paul and their inner core minions are pseudo-libertarians in 3 piece suits deliberately disguised as Republicans to get elected. We must watch carefully the words coming out of our mouths and keyboards.  We must own the English language. Do not let left wing radicals install their Orwellian Newspeak in your minds.

Stop the hijacking. Do not surrender our political words. We are soldiers to an extent. Words are our weapons. Do not surrender your words, use them to defeat the left-wing radicals whether they are Tru-Cons, Paulbots or Obamaites.

If you surrender one word to them, you are giving them control over your life.

As to the Tru-Cons, Tea Partiers and pseudo-Libertarians, call them what they are. They say they are "NOT" Republicans, they boast that they are Conservatives.  Well, we Republicans agree.  They are not Republicans, they are the "RINOS".

Contributed by New Chapters