According 2 Dana

Is the GOP the party of conservative principles?

2010-05-25T21:11:00.001-07:00

By now it should be no surprise that many of those driving the Tea Party movement are conservatives who've fled the Republican party in response to the party's abandonment of conservative values and principles.

Prior to this "great awakening," conservatives assumed that the Grand Old Party (GOP) was championing the tenants of smaller government, lower taxes, and greater personal freedom. In truth, the GOP was more concerned about winning elections than holding strong to its founding principles--so much so that they often elected candidates whose beliefs were more in line with the Democratic party than their own.

It's been well over a year since the first Tea Party signs started popping up all across the country; and of course, the GOP now says it too favors smaller government, lower taxes, and greater personal freedom. But does it really?

In California, our first opportunity to answer this question will be during the Republican primary election for US Senate as it is the only high profile race that offers a real choice between a constitutional conservative, Chuck DeVore, and two so-called moderates, Tom Campbell and Carly Fiorina.

If the GOP plans to continue mimicking the Democratic party in hopes of drawing in more liberal voters, they will be well served by electing either Campbell or Fiorina. Both candidates have expressed their approval of the Wall Street Bailout, Cap-n-Trade, and the nomination of Supreme Court Justice Sonya Sotomayor. Campbell is for gay marriage, abortion rights, and stricter gun control laws. Fiorina is for the stimulus package, taxation of the Internet, and limiting free speech. In many cases, Campbell and Fiorina's views are so in line with the incumbent Democratic candidate Barbara Boxer that at times it is difficult to tell the three of them apart.

If, on the other hand, the GOP has learned from its past mistakes in electing Republicans in name only (a.k.a. RINOs), they will be much better served nominating Chuck DeVore as their candidate for US Senate. DeVore's political views are in stark contrast to not only his opponents in the primary on the aforementioned issues but to Boxer as well. DeVore is the perfect candidate for those voters who know that the Republican primary election isn't about unseating Boxer or even the Democratic party so much as it's about unseating the political ideology that is drowning our country in massive debt, entitlements, and regulations.

The choice is clear. Come Tuesday, June 8th, we will know exactly where the priorities lie for Republican voters in California. So, don't forget to vote.

2010 Tax Day Tea Party Speech

2010-04-17T10:53:00.000-07:00

The following speech was given on April 15, 2010 at a Tax Day Tea Party Rally in Oceanside.

Hello everyone!

My name is Dana Matas and I am the Marketing and Internet Outreach Director for Stop Taxing Us. I am also a mom to three young children and am very concerned about their future freedoms.

America has always been known as the "Land of the Free and Home of the Brave." But since when are free people forced by their government to buy services they may not want or need, such as healthcare insurance? And since when do brave people expect their government to bail them out or take care of them? I know that without the freedom to fail, my children will no longer have the freedom or motivation to succeed!

In fact, despite what the media would have you believe, the entire Tea Party Movement is made up of concerned parents just like me and people just like you, who for the first time are getting involved in politics because we know the direction our country is completely unsustainable. Corruption is ramped in Washington. Spending is out of control. And government is intruding into our lives well beyond what our founders had intended.

And I don't just blame the Democratic Party because they happen to be in power, I blame the Republican Party as well. Both parties have not only abandoned their centrist platforms, they've completely abandoned our country's founding principles in exchange for their own self-serving pursuits!

But if we really want to be honest about how our country got to where we are today, we need to look in the mirror--we need to look at ourselves. The American electorate has applied the "outsource, drive-thru" mentality to its political responsibilities. Let's face it; the vast majority of us rely on sound bites and party affiliation when it comes to determining how to vote--and that's only IF we vote.

If I've learned anything over the past year, it's that there is no shortcut to protecting our freedom because those who are supposed to be watching out for us inevitably become consumed with looking out for themselves.

Even with the momentum of the Tea Party movement, I know our work has only just begun. When all the handmade signs are put away, the events are over, and we've overturned Congress, there will be no going back to the complacency from which we just awoke. We cannot continue to pack our schedule so tight with everything else, from work to kids' soccer games, that there is no room to serve our county.

As Tomas Paine said, "Those who expect to reap the blessings of freedom must undergo the fatigues of supporting it."

We need to get informed and stay informed. We need to examine candidates and hold our elected officials accountable. And, yes, we need to consider running for public office ourselves, even when it is burdensome on our time or financially undesirable.

Eternal vigilance over our freedoms is the price we pay for living in the greatest country on earth. I just hope history shows that it is a price Americans are willing to pay.

Thank you and God Bless America!

Got Freedom?

2010-03-30T10:04:00.000-07:00

In 1773, our ancestors stood up against the autocratic British government at the Boston Tea Party, declaring their independence and inciting the American Revolution. 237 years later, we find our country drifting towards an oppression similar to what our founding fathers fled; except this time the threat of tyranny isn't from some distant land but from our very own government.

On April 15th, millions of Americans will attend Tax Day "Tea Parties" all across the county, declaring their independence from a Washington establishment that increasingly forces its will on the American people. I ask you to stand against this assault on our freedom at the Oceanside amphitheater from 4:30pm to 7pm. Let those in Washington know that you are fed up with their endless spending, corruption, and waste. Tell them to stop dismantling the American Dream with socialistic legislation, like universal healthcare, that shackles you, your children, and your grandchildren with debt.

As Thomas Paine once said, "Those who expect to reap the blessings of freedom, must,...undergo the fatigues of supporting it." The time to support the blessings of freedom is now. For once freedom is gone, it is virtually impossible to restore.

Get up. Get out. And go!

**NOTE: Click here to see the published letter to the editor in the North County Times.

Tea Party organizers must think beyond Palin and the GOP

2010-02-12T13:00:00.000-08:00

Allow me to get a few things off my chest about Governor Palin, the GOP, and the future of the Tea Party Movement.

First of all, Governor Sarah Palin was asked to speak at a Tea Party Convention in Nashville on February 6--not the Tea Party Convention. She nor Tea Party Nation, the group that organized the event, speak for the millions of individuals and thousands of groups working to take back our country from a corrupt Washington establishment fostered by both political parties. And while I commend Tea Party Nation for trying to harness the passions of Tea Party-goers so that we can better organize, placing too much importance on any one person, group, or event will only serve to provide a target for our critics to attack in hopes of defusing our momentum. We must remain as we are, much bigger than that.

Secondly, Palin's invitation to the Tea Party Nation event was largely based on the political fortitude she displayed in taking on her own political party when running for Governor of Alaska against Republican incumbent Frank Murkowski. As much as Palin's run for Governor embodied the spirit of the Tea Party Movement, it does not make her its leader or spokes person. Rather, Palin is one of many role models within the Tea Party movement. Whether you are someone who loves Palin or loves to hate her, it must be understood that Palin's individual career ambitions and political views are just that--hers, not ours.

Finally, Tea Party organizers need to recognize the responsibility they bear in orchestrating widely-publicized events that attract national attention. Spotlighting uber-Republicans, like Palin, alienate the growing number of Independent and Democratic voters who've joined our cause. It also feeds into the stereotype that Tea Party-goers are a bunch of "angry, anti-Obama Republicans." With Palin taking jabs at President Obama for relying on a teleprompter and White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs jabbing back with more jokes about Palin, Palin's appearance in Nashville fueled the vicious cycle of juvenile attacks between Republicans and Democrats, turning a national debate about issues into a circus. This silly feuding, albeit an unintended consequence, is a divisive distraction that only further empowers those who've taken our country so off course. As Tea Party organizers, we should do whatever we can to avoid these situations, including foregoing the hype a headliner like Palin attracts, to do what is best for the movement as a whole.

Unless Tea Party organizers start thinking beyond Palin and the GOP, we will be our own worst obstacle in taking back our country. Tea Party-goers, while largely Conservative, are specifically concerned with protecting the US Constitution; re-establishing fiscal responsibility in the name of individual liberty and national security; and draining the swamp of corrupt politicians. The GOP does not have a strangle-hold on these issues; in fact, they've been just as reckless as the Democrats in the name of "Progressivism." By blindly toeing the Republican party line, we open the door for the GOP to hijack the momentum of a movement based on principles Republicans are suppose to embrace but have abandoned over the years. So let's put down the "Palin 2012" signs and start thinking about how we can influence all three political parties--Republicans, Democrats, and Independents--to ensure our country's founding principles are upheld, not only in the next election cycle, but from this day forward.

If you agree, I will see you from 4pm to 6pm at the Oceanside Amphitheater on April 15, 2010, for North County's next Tax Day Tea Party.

**NOTE: This post was published in the North County Times on Sunday, February 21. Click here to view this article online.

Alternative site for Carlsbad power plant flawed

2010-01-10T14:18:00.000-08:00

Today I received in the mail a "Power Plant Update" from the City of Carlsbad regarding its opposition to the proposed NRG Energy Power Plant along the Carlsbad coast and highway 5. In the mailer, the City highlights the multiple reasons why it opposes this project, which include safety, air pollution, and reduced home values among other things. Yet given these concerns, the City is still "willing to locate a new plant in its industrial area east of El Camino Real and North of Palomar Airport Road."

Those of us who live near the proposed alternative site know that this industrial area is tightly surrounded by residential property--arguably, it is surrounded by more homes than the existing site. Not to mention, should the alternative site prevail, the power plant would seemingly be in the direct line of flight traffic from nearby Palomar Airport--the busiest single-runway airport in the country that that has experienced several plan crash incidents in the last couple of years.

NRG Energy themselves has stated that the environmental and energy experts who conducted a comprehensive analysis of the alternative sites "concluded that an alternative site will not work due to significant adverse environmental and community impacts [as well as]...insufficient electrical transmission capacity" (click for link).

So how does the proposed alternative power plant location make it any better or safer for Carlsbad residents? And why is the City of Carlsbad using our tax dollars to promote the interests of homeowners near the coast over those inland? Hopefully we can get answers to these questions by emailing the California Energy Commission at PAO@energy.state.ca.us or calling 1-800-822-6228. As well, it would be wise to attend the Public Hearings at the Hilton Garden Inn scheduled for Feb 1 and 2.

In the meantime, please take the time to review the other side to this issue. According to one North County Times article, the NRG Energy Power Plant as proposed is a net plus for Carlsbad (click for link). I will continue to research this issue as it develops and encourage my fellow Carlsbadians to do so as well.

**NOTE: This blog posting was reprinted in the North County Times. Click here to view the article online.

What's with all the secrecy and back door deals on healthcare?

2009-12-26T10:59:00.000-08:00

I have to ask...

If the healthcare legislation currently being voted on is so great and so wanted by the American public, then why would the most important votes be taken during the cover of night at 1am on a Monday morning and during Christmas Eve? Wouldn't you want everyone to see what a wonderful thing you are doing for the country...if it truly is wonderful?

If this legislation is so great, then why would it not take effect until after the next presidential election, and why in the world would Congress be exempt from it? Wouldn't you pass it right before an election to win all those votes from people who wanted it?

And most importantly, why would you need $100s of millions in Pork projects to buy the votes you need only to pass the bill by a hair? Wouldn't great legislation pass on its own merits?

I'm not sure I want answers to any of these questions as none of it can be good.

Tea Party E Pluribus Unum!

2009-12-26T10:56:00.000-08:00

(Re-post from October 2009)

Since the very first handmade protest signs surfaced back in February, many have been wondering, "Who is leading the Tea Party Movement?" Is it the Republicans or the Independents? Is it Sarah Palin or Ron Paul? Is it this group or that group?

What even the most active of Tea Party enthusiast may not realize is you need not look any further than your own bathroom mirror to see that the real leader of the Tea Party movement is you. In other words, it is every taxpayer who waves a "Don't Tread on Me" flag or who helps to organize a Tea Party. It is the mom who picks up the phone to call her Representative demanding her family be represented. And it is every individual speaking out for the first time, not just about their dissatisfaction with the other party, but their own party as well.

The Tea Party Movement is of the People, by the People and for the People. It is the individual's declaration of independence from the politicians and the special interest groups who've sold out the American people in exchange for their own self-serving pursuits. Our collective quest to restore and strengthen our freedoms and the values that founded this country are what keep us moving in lock-step with one another--not any one group or dynamic mouth piece. Thus, any politician or group proclaiming to be "the" leader of the Tea Party Movement either: a.) doesn't get it; or b.) is looking to exploit our frustrations.

Don't be fooled. There is no entity that is going to swoop in and save the day. There is no one bill we can defeat in Congress that will make everything better so we can go back to the complacency from which we just awoke. And there is no amount of turnover within elected office that will wipe clean the corruption that plagues our government. The success of the Tea Party Movement doesn't rest with any one accomplishment, group or person, but rather the continued effort of the individual to hold government accountable as only he or she can.

"Stop Spending Our Future" Winning Contest Submission

2009-12-26T10:52:00.000-08:00

(Re-post from June 2009)

Below is my winning contest submission to Stop Spending Our Future. I was supposed to write a letter to my child about the state of our country if we do not stop spending money we do not have that he would read 30 years from now. You can see all the winning entries at http://www.stopspendingourfuture.org/. The version of my letter on the website is hard to read, so I am posting it here for anyone interested in reading it.
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Dear Merick,

When I was growing up, my parents taught me that if you worked hard and played by the rules, you would someday enjoy the fruits of your labor as you saw fit to do. We called it “the American Dream.” For some people, the American Dream meant providing financial security for his or her family. For others it meant buying the most outrageously expensive car. And still for others, the American Dream meant giving every last penny you’ve earned to charity. See back then, the American Dream wasn’t about equal outcome; it was about equal opportunity and having the freedom to live your dreams as you saw fit.

It breaks my heart to know that during your lifetime, the “American Dream” has truly become just that—a dream. I can still remember the day that I realized you would be born into a country that no longer resembled the America I grew up believing in, an America that rewarded hard work and dedication. And all I can say is, “I’m sorry.”

My generation had it easy. The American Dream was handed to us on a silver platter. And because of this, we didn’t appreciate the freedoms that generations before us had worked so hard to secure. Worse, we felt entitled to more. We mortgaged away the American Dreams of our children so that we could buy homes we could not afford and live lifestyles we did not earn. We racked up credit and bet against the equity of our homes and even the equity of our country. In short, we stopped working for the American Dream and started demanding that we got it for free.

What we didn’t realize then was the price we would pay for being so irresponsible—the price you would pay. Those in positions of power and influence, who were supposed to protect our country from such poor decision-making, actually encourage such decision-making in an effort to increase their own power and influence. As we continued to take, our politicians continued to give, eventually making us so dependent on our government that it became our keeper and ruler. In taking the short cut to the American Dream we lost the dream completely.

I’m sorry we were so selfish. I’m sorry not enough of us fought harder to keep the American Dream alive. I can only hope that an opportunity will emerge when your generation has the opportunity to take this country back and learn from our mistakes.

Love,
Mom