Wednesday, February 17, 2016

Why gun rights advocates should support Ted Cruz

From Paul Valone of Grass Roots North Carolina----

Paul Valone, 22-Year Gun Rights Leader,
Endorses Ted Cruz For President
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Why gun rights advocates should support Ted Cruz

Perhaps jaded by twenty-two years as a gun rights leader, I’ve never thought much of presidential politics. We’re usually instructed to endure the “lesser of two evils” by centrists who don’t want you to consider that the lesser of two evils is still evil.

So I didn’t hold high hopes, last year, when a fellow conservative activist told me the Ted Cruz people wanted to meet me. I expected to meet a candidate who would “speechify” for thirty minutes, wave to his adoring fans, and leave.

Photo with Ted Cruz.jpgInstead, Senator Cruz sat down at a table of perhaps two dozen activists and said, “Okay, what should I be doing?” What followed was nearly two hours of give-and-take which convinced me that Ted Cruz had the potential to be the next Ronald Reagan – convinced me so effectively, in fact, that I agreed to be a state campaign co-chair.

What most impressed me was his point that we should never listen to what politicians say, but rather pay attention to what they have done. For example, Donald Trump makes all the right noises about supporting the right to keep and bear arms. His website contains the following verbiage: “The Second Amendment to our Constitution is clear. The right of the people to keep and bear Arms shall not be infringed upon [sic]. Period.”

That sounds great until you consider what Trump said a few years ago: “…I support the ban on assault weapons and I support a slightly longer waiting period to purchase a gun.”1

In truth, Donald Trump’s beliefs are most accurately summarized in one of his more recent statements: “I’m very capable of changing to anything I want to change to.” Therein lies the real Donald Trump – a snake oil salesman with enough smarts to know what you want to hear.

When I studied the voting histories of Sen. Cruz and Sen. Marco Rubio, at first blush they appear quite similar. But where was Rubio in 2013, after Sandy Hook, when Barack Obama attacked the Second Amendment with a massive gun control scheme parading under the misnomer “universal background checks”?

It was Sen. Cruz, along with Sens. Mike Lee and Rand Paul, who solicited a letter from Senate Republicans vowing to filibuster S.649. It was these three statesmen who forced Democrats to get sixty votes for cloture on S. 649 – and the long list of horrific amendments proposed to the bill, including semi-auto and magazine bans – instead of simple majorities.

But for the efforts of Sen. Cruz, today we would be living under a massive gun registration scheme disguising itself as “universal background checks.” Just today, after the death of Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia, Cruz promised to filibuster whichever nightmare Supreme Court nomination Obama sends to the Senate.

Beyond Cruz’s perfect 100% pro-gun voting record, he is, to date, the only presidential candidate to return Grass Roots North Carolina’s presidential survey – scoring a perfect 100% and securing Grass Roots North Carolina’s highest four-star (****) evaluation.

Some US senators, such as Richard Burr and Lindsey Graham, reportedly hate Ted Cruz. But they hate him because he has held their feet to the fire over issues as diverse as Obamacare, the budget, and gun-control. In fact, Cruz practices exactly the same type of confrontational politics to which Grass Roots North Carolina attributes its twenty-two years of success.

Grass Roots North Carolina does not endorse political candidates. But for these reasons, among others, I personally endorse Sen. Ted Cruz for President of the United States. Anyone who supports not only the Second Amendment, but the American ideal of individual liberty should join me in electing a president who has not only memorized the Constitution, but who lives it each day.

Armatissimi e liberissimi,
signature scan-cropped2.jpg
F. Paul Valone
President, Grass Roots North Carolina
Executive Director, Rights Watch International

Sunday, January 31, 2016

The Hawkeye Cauci*

I am forever amazed at the number of people the media interview who don't make up their minds until the last minute.

If you are one of those, the first thing you must do if you are going to cast an intelligent vote is to examine your own core beliefs.

  1. Do you believe that life begins at conception?  YES  or  NO. If your answer is yes, then that will help eliminate some candidates.
  2. Do you believe that we are a constitutional republic, and that the Constitution is the supreme law of the land; including the Bill or Rights?  YES  or  NO. If your answer is yes, then that will eliminate some candidates, too.
  3. Do you believe that the Bill of Rights is a package deal, and not a smorgasbord to pick and choose from?  YES  or NO.  Again, the process of elimination.

Now, of those that are left, which candidate's actions and statements align most closely with your core beliefs?

Tuesday, January 12, 2016

Why give that man enough money to burn a wet dog?

The Knoxville News-Sentinel reports that embattled Knox County School Superintendent Jim McIntyre will be receiving
a lump sum of $227,256 in February, if his separation agreement is approved by the school board.

School Board, from its web site, in the public domain
That makes it sound like the Super is asking the Knox County taxpayers to bribe beg him to stay until July.

If you agree with me that it is ridiculous to give him such an exorbitant amount, call these School Board members today, and if you can make it, attend the called meeting on January 19, at 5 pm. to voice your concern.

Karen Carson 865-675-0236
Lynn Fugate 865-566-7414
Gloria Deathridge 865-329-9949

Go ahead today Big Mac. I won't be greedy. I will fill in for you until July 1 for half that much.

Tuesday, December 22, 2015

Ted Cruz standing room only crowd in Knoxville



The Take Off with Ted Tour started today at Farragut High School. WBIR reported over 1500 people in attendance. I think they estimated low.

Here is a long line waiting outside Farragut High School.



Here is a panoramic view of the crowd awaiting Ted.




Here is a shot of Ted  shortly after he arrived at FHS.




Here is Cruz's speech, beginning to end, uncut. You won't find this in the soundbites from the media.



 Ted is a Constitutional Conservative, and is gaining in the polls. I think he has a good chance of winning.

He is worth your support.

Friday, December 18, 2015

The Triad and the Donald

I spent many hours riding around from one missile site to another back in the seventies. I was in the USAF, stationed at F. E. Warren AFB, WY. Our goal was to keep as many missiles in the green, or ready to launch, as possible.

We were part of the triad, a three pronged nuclear spear: