Tea Party of Lonoke County

Will we, or won't we...

2010-05-16T06:37:00.000-07:00

...make a difference in the 2010 elections? We, the people who make up the numerous Tea Party organizations in Arkansas, that is.

That's a question that will be answered Tuesday, May 18, when Arkansas holds its primary election.

Some would have you believe the opportunity to make a difference will come not on Tuesday, but in November, when we can replace enough Democrats in Washington with Republicans. Others think the way to make a difference is to shun both major parties, selecting 3rd party or independent voters when possible. Neither of these theories hold water.

It's simply not enough to replace the current crop of Democrats with just any Republican, and history proves protest votes for third party or independent candidates strip votes from the most ideologically similar major party and help the other cruise to victory.

But ours is not a generic Republican movement. We haven't spent so much of our time, treasure, and energy only to play the role of spoiler that will not only guarantee a continuation of Obama's offensive policies, but will embolden him and intimidate those Republicans who do manage to squeak out victories.

Our movement seemed to spontaneously spring to life when it became clear President Obama's policies would hasten the bankruptcy of the United States, and send the US Constitution to the trash heap. But the conflagration that became impossible to ignore on April 15, 2009, began smoldering long before most of us ever heard of Barack Hussein Obama.

Republicans held control of both houses of Congress from 1994-2006--12 years. Many of those Republicans are running for office now, claiming they will change things in DC. From 2001-2006, a Republican sat in the White House while these same supposedly conservative Republicans controlled the Congress. Let's compare what they did with what they claim to stand for.

Here are the bullet points from the 2008 Republican Party Platform:

Defending Our Nation, Supporting Our Heroes, Securing the Peace
Reforming Government to Serve the People
Expanding Opportunity to Promote Prosperity
Energy Independence and Security
Environmental Protection
Health Care Reform: Putting Patients First
Education Means a More Competitive America
Protecting Our Families
Preserving Our Values

This exhaustive list sounds like the Republican Party would be the hands-down choice of conservative voters everywhere. And it likely would have if the establishment Republicans in office and other positions of power in DC would have honored these principles when they had control!

But, with Republicans in control of the Executive and Legislative branches of our government, Americans were disillusioned when our political leaders brought our brave soldiers and Marines home in chains to face charges for killing the enemy. We, the people, were horrified when our Marines and soldiers were forced to wait and watch the enemy dig into firing positions and open fire before our defenders of freedom were permitted to engage the murderous enemy bastards!

Virtually everyone currently running for office is proclaiming that Washington is broken, but what some are not telling you is they helped create the problem! Democrats like Blanche Lincoln and Republicans like John Boozman all voted FOR the $700 billion Wall Street bailout in October 2008. Though TARP was opposed by a majority of the American electorate, these political elite rulers obviously thought themselves omniscient and took American taxpayers' dollars to save the careers of countless Wall Street fat cats.

Democrats AND Republicans in the political establishment, who now have the gall to promote themselves as conservatives created the tragic situation in which we find ourselves as a nation today.

There's no doubt since Barack Hussein Obama has occupied the Oval Office the pace to destroy American values and traditions has picked up. And there's no doubt that if Democrats retain control of the Senate and the House this fall, President Obama, Nancy Pelosi, and Harry Reid will be reignite the engine that will power us to a new era of a Socialist America. And they'll do so with a renewed sense of empowerment, believing once again they will have received a mandate from the American people to convert the United States to something akin to Chairman Mao's China, or Comrade Lenin's Soviet Union.

So we must not allow Democrats to retain control!

But neither can we revert to control by the same Republicans who charted the course that placed Obama, Pelosi, and Reid in power!

Tuesday will determine the effectiveness of the Tea Party movement in Arkansas. And it matters not who wins the Democrat primary. Whether we, the formerly silent majority, have an impact will be decided by whom we select as nominees on the Republican ticket.

The Washington Republican establishment has interjected itself into several races in Arkansas, hoping to determine whom conservatives will have the opportunity to vote for in November. Tim Griffin in Arkansas' 2nd District sees nothing wrong with the strong support he's received from Washington insiders. He said months ago on Dave Elswick's show he's glad his race is attracting nationwide attention, and that he was garnering the support of national Republicans.

State Senator Gilbert Baker was chosen by the DC Republican establishment to run for US Senate, though he delayed his decision to enter the race until Fred Ramey, Curtis Coleman, Colonel Conrad Reynolds, and others had already significantly weakened Senator Lincoln in the polls. And the Senate candidate most tied to the Washington establishment, US Congressman John Boozman, only announced his intent to run for the seat after Jim Holt entered the race and polled better than Baker.

When the Tea Party movement leaped into protest mode, those of us on the ground were as mad at the Republican Party as we were at the Democrat Party. Many of us still are. Democrats made no secret of their intentions and desires for the future of this country, but the Republican party betrayed conservative Americans by failing to implement substantive change when it had the opportunity.

The political environment that gave us Obama, Pelosi, and Reid at the helm of our ship of state was made possible by some of the very Republican candidates, or their DC backers, who are now claiming to be agents of the very change they resisted or opposed when they had the opportunity.

Will we, or won't we, make a difference in the 2010 elections?

That depends on which candidates win the Republican primary on Tuesday.

If the most conservative, non-establishment candidates win, we will have made a giant leap toward righting the course of our nation. If those who've betrayed us in the past, or those selected by such betrayers, win on Tuesday, our time, monies, and energy will have been all but wasted.

So Tea Party activists, members, and sympathizers, go to the polls on Tuesday and choose THE MOST conservative candidate for every race. Do that and we'll be moving once again in the right direction.

Do that, and we'll have made a real difference.

...make a difference in the 2010 elections? We, the people who make up the numerous Tea Party organizations in Arkansas, that is.

That's a question that will be answered Tuesday, May 18, when Arkansas holds its primary election.

Some would have you believe the opportunity to make a difference will come not on Tuesday, but in November, when we can replace enough Democrats in Washington with Republicans. Others think the way to make a difference is to shun both major parties, selecting 3rd party or independent voters when possible. Neither of these theories hold water.

It's simply not enough to replace the current crop of Democrats with just any Republican, and history proves protest votes for third party or independent candidates strip votes from the most ideologically similar major party and help the other cruise to victory.

But ours is not a generic Republican movement. We haven't spent so much of our time, treasure, and energy only to play the role of spoiler that will not only guarantee a continuation of Obama's offensive policies, but will embolden him and intimidate those Republicans who do manage to squeak out victories.

Our movement seemed to spontaneously spring to life when it became clear President Obama's policies would hasten the bankruptcy of the United States, and send the US Constitution to the trash heap. But the conflagration that became impossible to ignore on April 15, 2009, began smoldering long before most of us ever heard of Barack Hussein Obama.

Republicans held control of both houses of Congress from 1994-2006--12 years. Many of those Republicans are running for office now, claiming they will change things in DC. From 2001-2006, a Republican sat in the White House while these same supposedly conservative Republicans controlled the Congress. Let's compare what they did with what they claim to stand for.

Here are the bullet points from the 2008 Republican Party Platform:

Defending Our Nation, Supporting Our Heroes, Securing the Peace
Reforming Government to Serve the People
Expanding Opportunity to Promote Prosperity
Energy Independence and Security
Environmental Protection
Health Care Reform: Putting Patients First
Education Means a More Competitive America
Protecting Our Families
Preserving Our Values

Tags: Election 2010, Primary, Democrat, Republican, Arkansas, US Senate, US Congress, TEA Party, Conservatives, Conservatism

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Hat Tip: America, You Asked For It!

Early Voting Starts Today!

2010-05-03T04:17:00.000-07:00

Though the Tea Party of Lonoke County is a non-partisan organization, in this election we encourage all to vote in the Republican Primary. We believe it's imperative to remove Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid from their respective perches atop the ranks of Congressmen and Senators.

To do that, we must help our brothers and sisters across the nation elect a Republican majority in both houses of Congress. But not just any Republican will do.

That's why we need everyone who believes in the Tea Party ideals, real conservative ideals, to vote in the GOP primary between now and May 18. We must become informed and knowledgeable about all the candidates so that we nominate the MOST CONSERVATIVE Republican running in each race.

No more RINOs or liberal Democrat-lites!

Following are the locations for early voting in the Republican primary in Lonoke County:

Cabot dates are 5/3-5/8 2010
Monday-Friday: 10am-6pm
Saturday: 10am-4pm
Location: City Annex on North First Street

Lonoke dates are 5/3-5/17 2010
Monday-Friday: 8am-6pm
Saturday: 8am-5pm
Monday, May 17, 2010: 8am-530pm
Location: County Election Office, 220 Depot Street, Lonoke

Tags: Early Voting, Polling Places, Polls, Lonoke County, Republican, GOP, Primary Election, Arkansas, Election 2010

Hat Tip: Tea Party of Lonoke County

Crawford, Smith square off against Democrat rivals in Lonoke

2010-04-25T17:31:00.001-07:00

On Thursday, April 22, all eight congressional candidates seeking to replace retiring Marion Berry in Arkansas' 1st District took the stage at a forum in Lonoke. The six Democrats and two Republican candidates were each given one minute to respond to questions posed by moderator Roby Brock.

The Lonoke County Republican Committee blog posted the following two videos of the GOP candidates' responses at the forum. Though the Tea Party of Lonoke County is non-partisan, we're reposting these videos so that voters can get to know these candidates.

Though we're not endorsing a candidate before the primary, the Tea Party of Lonoke County does plan to support the eventual Republican nominee in this congressional race for several reasons. First and foremost is the headlong plunge toward Socialism our country finds itself in since the 2008 election.

With heavy majorities in both houses of Congress and occupying the White House, Democrats have abandoned Obama's campaign pledges to govern from the center and steered a course to the hard left. His radical agenda can only be funded and implemented with complete control of both the Executive and Legislative branches. Therefore, we MUST do everything in our power to eliminate the Democrat majority in at least one house of Congress.

That means, in the 2010 elections, we must elect Republicans who will vote against Nancy Pelosi for Speaker of the House. Remove her, and we remove the Socialist threat that will otherwise doom our nation.

We need ALL Tea Party members to vote in their Republican primaries. This is critical because we want to be certain to nominate someone sympathetic to our cause. We MUST vote in the GOP primary because we don't only need a Republican to win in November, we need a Tea Party Republican to win in November!

That will ONLY happen if we band together and MAKE it happen!

So choose the best of these two candidates, vote in your Republican primary on May 18, and let's take our country back!

Part I	Part II

Tags: Rick Crawford, Princella Smith, Lonoke County Leadership, Lonoke County, Republican, GOP, Primary Election, Arkansas, Election 2010

Hat Tip: Lonoke County Republican Committee

Congressional Debate in Lonoke Tomorrow

2010-04-21T04:40:00.000-07:00

The Lonoke County Leadership Council is hosting a debate between all congressional candidates in Arkansas' 1st District. Tomorrow at 7:00 pm the two Republicans and three Democrats vying for the seat will square off at the Lonoke Community Center, 1355 West Front Street in Lonoke. The debate is open to the public and there is no charge to attend.

Everyone is encouraged to arrive early and visit the candidate hall where local candidates will be on hand to speak with constituents.

TAGS: Lonoke County Leadership, Lonoke, Arkansas, 1st District, Crawford, Princella Smith, Tim Wooldridge, Chad Causey, Steve Bryles

Little Rock Tea Party

2010-04-19T17:17:00.001-07:00

On Thursday, more than 3,000 people gathered at the Arkansas State Capitol to make their voices heard and demand a return to Constitutional governance.

Arkansas Tea Party, Secure Arkansas, and Americans for Prosperity joined forces and put on a rally that only mainstream media outlets could ignore. Giving credit where credit is due, Arkansas' only statewide newspaper did run a story on the massive protest complete with the following caption on a photo.

"A crowd of a few thousand gathered on the steps of the Arkansas State Capitol for a Tea Party rally on Thursday evening."

But the four central Arkansas television stations affiliated with ABC, NBC, CBS, and FOX practically ignored the statewide protests. The local NBC affiliate ran a 20 second story on the nationwide protests but didn't even bother to include footage of the event in Little Rock, only a few blocks from their studio. Local CBS and FOX affiliates have no video of the downtown protest posted on their websites. And the local ABC station report grossly underestimated the crowd at a measly 400 in their coverage of the event.

Thanks to the internet and new media, you can still get the story the supposed professional journalists won't tell. The following video shows the crowd far surpassed the misleading ABC report that 400 attended.

Americans for Prosperity brought Dick Morris in as the keynote speaker. Morris told the crowd "I used to be a conservative Democrat, but there's no such thing anymore." Other speakers included local talk radio host Dave Elswick, Teresa Oelke with Americans for Prosperity, and Secure Arkansas' Jeannie Burlsworth and Todd Sharp.

Secure Arkansas conducted a straw poll at the rally and has posted the results on their website. Over 1000 submitted ballots that included all candidates who have filed to run for US Senate, US Congress, and all state constitutional offices. Participants were asked to rate candidates who will run unopposed by marking either approve or disapprove.

I only saw three counter protesters hoisting signs that made them clearly stand out among the mostly conservative crowd. These three moved through the crowd without being molested by the 3,000 strong throng of what liberal Democrats and the mainstream media would have you believe are a bunch of bigoted, blood-thirsty, violent hatemongers.

Neither was there present any evidence of racism in the crowd. No signs with the "N" word, no one spitting on minorities present, or hurling racial slurs. And yes, there were minorities present. Not a huge number but more than I noted at last year's event.

As hard as the media and liberal Democrats have tried to demonize and discredit this grassroots uprising, it lives. And it continues to grow.

We still want our country back, and we're standing up to take it back!

Tags: TEA Party, Little Rock, Arkansas, Secure Arkansas, Dick Morris, Americans for Prosperity

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Hat Tip: America, You Asked For It!

Register to Vote Now!

2010-04-16T20:20:00.001-07:00

To vote in the May 18 primary election, you must register to vote by April 19. To make it easier for any who haven't already done so, we have partnered with Rock the Vote to create this online registration tool. Click the image below to get started.

After you've completed the web forms, you'll be able to download, print, and sign a completed voter registration form. Then you'll need to mail in the form to address provided. Once you complete these simple steps, you're registered to vote!

You can also sign up for text messages reminding you when and where to vote.

Please encourage all your friends and family to make sure they're registered so they can help us take this country back!

Click on the image below to register now!

Tags: Voter Registration, Rock the Vote, Primary Election, Arkansas, Election 2010

Hat Tip: America, You Asked For It!

Happy Easter!

2010-04-04T08:29:00.001-07:00

Almost 2000 years ago, the only innocent man to ever walk the Earth arose from the grave after being betrayed by one of his closest friends, humiliated by the public, brutally beaten and executed by the Roman authorities. Now he serves as the intercessor between us and God the Father.

He died for my sins, and yours. All he asks in return is that we believe in him.

We give thanks for his sacrifice for all of us. And here are a few songs that celebrate his escape from the grave, and our salvation!

This is Love

Amazing Grace

On the Darkest Day

He Lives/He's Alive

Tags: Easter, Amazing Grace, He Lives/He's Alive, On the Darkest Day, This is Love, Easter Songs, Jesus Christ, Faith, Christianity

Hat Tip: America, You Asked For It!

Central Arkansas, are you ready to TEA Party?

2010-03-28T20:36:00.001-07:00

It's hard to believe it's already been a year since conservative Americans started standing up to the liberal Socialists selling our country into the bonds of a collectivist slavery. But April 15 will be the anniversary of our first Tax Day TEA Party!

To build momentum and support for the upcoming annivesary Tax Day TEA Party, Tea Party Express III has embarked on its "Just Vote Them Out!" tour. Yesterday, thousands (we've seen estimates from 10-20,000) of disenchanted voters descended on the tiny town of Searchlight, NV to kick off the tour in Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid's hometown.

The map above shows all the stops along the way, from yesterday's in Searchlight to the final stop on April 15 in Washington, DC. The tour will stop in Little Rock on Saturday, April 3 at 10 AM. We need everyone who can make it to turn out and help us send a message that our elected representatives still don't seem to get.

We're mad as Hell and we're not going to take it anymore!

Let your friends who don't live in our area know about the tour also. They can check the times and dates of the stops nearest them by clicking here: http://www.teapartyexpress.org/tour-schedule-3/

We hope you'll be in Little Rock to show your support Tea Party Express III's "Just Vote Them Out!" tour!

As important as this rally is, remember it's also serving to get the protest juices flowing once again for the upcoming nationwide demonstrations on April 15. If you can't make it on the 3rd, please make plans to attend our anniversary Tax Day TEA Party on the 15th at the steps of the state Capitol from 5 to 7 PM.

Our goal is to make this the largest demonstration yet in Little Rock. Dick Morris, former Clinton adviser turned conservative author and commentator, will be the keynote speaker at this event. This year, there will be no politicians speaking at the podium. Our goal is to make them hear our voices at this protest!

An interesting twist at the rally this year (and another great reason to attend) will be a straw poll conducted by Arkansas Tea Party, Inc. and Secure Arkansas. Though details are still being hammered out, we're told the poll will include the US Senate race and others. Everyone who votes in the straw poll will be required to dip a finger in a bottle of indelible ink to ensure each person may vote only once.

The mark is intended to remind voters of the first free Iraqi elections after dictator Saddam Hussein was deposed. Though Al Qaeda terrorists threatened to target any who participated in those elections, free Iraqis voted and left the polling places brandishing their ink stained fingers in front of cameras that broadcast the images around the globe. The images of a people finally free and taking such risks to have a voice in their government were powerful, and similar images of Tea Party protesters defying a government Hell-bent on trampling our freedoms will hopefully send a message to our elected officials just how serious we are about stopping this train to Socialism.

Even if attendance at the rally is the same as last year, this will be the largest straw poll taken in the state. But we're hoping for a larger crowd. In either case, this straw poll will send a clear message to the political establishment and to the media that the Tea Party movement is a force to be reckoned with.

Please join us on April 3 and April 15 to make your voice heard.

It's up to us to let the politicians in Little Rock and DC know we won't lie down and let them destroy our country!

PS: Here's a little video from last year's Tax Day TEA Party to get you in the mood! Enjoy.

Tags: Obama, Tea Party, Tea Party Express, Tour, Anniversary, Nancy Pelosi, Harry Reid, Socialism, USSA, Election 2010, Little Rock, Arkansas, Straw Poll, US Senate, Tax Day Tea Party, April 15, Taxes, Spending, Limited Government

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Hat Tip: Tea Party of Lonoke County

Now they passed it, and we still hate it

2010-03-28T15:45:00.001-07:00

from America, You Asked For It!

The Obama-Pelosi-Reid branch of the Chicago mob now operating in Washington, DC bribed, cajoled, promised, and threatened their weak-kneed Democrat allies in the US House and Senate to convince a razor-thin majority of jackasses to ignore the will of the American electorate and put the locomotive in motion that will carry us on the 10-year journey to a US health care system completely controlled by Uncle Sam.

They celebrated their unpopular victory as conquerors...conquerors of subjects they rule rather than citizens they represent.

From the time the House of Representatives made their first plan public in July of last year, public approval has trended downward as the electorate read the bill and realized just how expansive and intrusive the plan was. Though approval spiked upward from time to time (especially during the President's promotional tours fawned over by the mainstream media), Americans were never fooled for long.

President Obama and his Democrat henchmen (and henchwomen) continued to negotiate behind closed doors, ignore any GOP attempts to influence the negotiations, and campaign for the passage of the bill most American voters found abhorrent. Earlier this month, the President couldn't even answer a reporter's question about what was in the bill and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said, "We have to pass the bill so you can...uh...find out what is in it."

Well, they did pass it and now we're finding out what's in it.

Obama got the expected bounce in the polls that comes with any nearly any political victory, but the bounce was temporary. Today, Rasmussen's Presidential Approval Index is back at the same level as before the Sunday night vote...

For the dimwitted Democrats who believed the Obama-Pelosi-Reid-MSM tripe that we would love the bill once they crammed it down our throats, you were wrong (again)!

We still hate it!!!!!!!!

Tags: Obamacare, Rasmussen, Presidential Approval Index, Polls, Approval, Health Care, Nancy Pelosi, Harry Reid, Socialism, USSA

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Hat Tip: America, You Asked For It!

For Pelosi's B-day, Donate to Dennis!

2010-03-26T06:16:00.001-07:00

from America, You Asked For It

I just sent a small birthday gift--$10--for Nancy Pelosi c/o her Republican opponent John Dennis. Today is Nancy's birthday and Dennis is trying to raise $100,000 in her honor. It's quick, easy, and a small step toward saving our country from the Queen of the tyrants seeking to destroy our country with Socialism!

Will you help be sending a birthday gift--whatever you can afford, $1, $5, $10, or more--for our Socialist Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi c/o her Republican opponent John Dennis today?

Click here to donate and wish the Socialist Speaker of the House a very unhappy birthday!

Tags: Election 2010, San Francisco, Liberals, Democrats, Nancy Pelosi, Health Care, John Dennis, USSA, Socialism, John Dennis, Birthday, Obamacare, Donate
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Hat Tip: America, You Asked For It!

Secure Arkansas/Tea Party Health Care Protest In Little Rock

2010-03-24T14:08:00.000-07:00

by John Allison III, Tea Party of Lonoke County

Today, outside of Arkansas Attorney General Dustin McDaniel's office, Secure Arkansas held a rally/protest calling on the AG to; 1) join the many other states in filing lawsuits to challenge the constitutionality of the recently passed federal health care legislation; and 2) immediately approve Secure Arkansas' ballot measure concerning Freedom of Choice in Health Care for Arkansans.

Secure Arkansas director Jeannie Burlsworth told the crowd the recently passed health care bill is unconstitutional and a step toward a Socialist America. Now that President Obama has signed the bill into law, our next step must be through the judicial system. McDaniel said Arkansas will not join the dozen or so Attorneys General from other states who filed suit to stop the unconstitutional law. The Arkansas AG says any such suit would be frivolous and has "more to do with politics than the law."

Burlsworth then offered her microphone to any protester who wished to address the crowd. And, as those of us who've been involved in the Tea Parties all along would expect, not one racial slur or derogatory comment toward any minority group was uttered. Though the mainstream media would have you believe these protesters are rabid racists and hate-mongering homophobes, the protest was completely peaceful.

A young Iraq War veteran took the mic and explained to the crowd that he didn't fight "for Socialism, or Communism." Several mothers stood in front of the crowd and said they only want their children to grow up free as they did. A woman who said she was a doctor's wife said her husband wanted to be at the rally, but was busy treating patients in his clinic. She relayed his messages for the crowd via text message, explaining Obamacare would drive patients to government insurance options, raise costs, lower reimbursement rates, and eventually drive doctors from the field, leaving fewer providers to treat more patients. A recipe for disaster.

Several political hopefuls were present as well. Both Republican candidates for Arkansas' 2nd Congressional district seat, Scott Wallace and Tim Griffin, showed up to announce their support for the Secure Arkansas and Tea Party initiatives, as did Republican US Senate candidate Jim Holt. All three spent quite a bit of time visiting with rally-goers, explaining what they would do to relieve protesters' fears for the future of their country.

Scott Wallace greets voters	Tim Griffin and K. Ryan James

Jim Holt addresses protesters

Lonoke County's own Jack McNally, aspiring to replace double-dipping Tax Assessor Jerry Adams in November, also made the trip to Little Rock. Describing himself as a Tax Assessor who hates taxes, McNally worked the crowd and said he was surprised at the number of Lonoke County voters he met there.

Jack McNally (left front) speaks with voters	McNally (center) holding protest sign

Attendees from Lonoke, Carlisle, Cabot, Conway, Russellville, Benton, and McRae were all present. And of course, there were many from Pulaski County also. All in all, it was a pretty good crowd for the middle of a workday in downtown Little Rock.

Now that I'm through the report, I would like to thank the local media for covering this event.

What a difference a year (and a government takeover of the US health care system) makes!

I've been working with multiple conservative groups since April of last year. Comparable to the national trend, our several events last year were mostly ignored by the local media. Events at the state Capitol, Senator Lincoln's office, Riverfront Ampitheater, and Marion Berry's office here in Cabot went virtually unnoticed last year by all 4 central Arkansas television stations and the only newspaper with statewide circulation. Even the numerous tense interchanges between constituents and legislators at town hall forums last fall were resigned to social networking sites such as Facebook and YouTube instead of traditional media.

But today everybody came. All the press I mean.

All four Little Rock television stations showed up. KARK, KATV, KTHV, and KLRT were there. The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette and the Associated Press were there.

We held rallies with hundreds and even thousands sometimes last year and could manage little more than a line or two in the local media. Today we had somewhere around 80-100 show up and received all this attention.

In the past, the few reporters who showed up snapped a few photos and maybe asked a question or two. But today they actually stuck around, and did real interviews with protesters.

Suddenly, we're newsworthy, and it's about time.

Candidates Attend AFP's Regulation Reality Tour in Cabot

2010-03-23T18:40:00.000-07:00

On Tuesday, Americans for Prosperity stopped in Cabot along their Regulation Reality Tour. AFP is using the tour to educate voters to the danger of President Obama's Environmental Protection Agency's attempt to impose job killing taxes on American citizens through new regulations. Several candidates, for local and federal offices, were present.

Arkansas Director of AFP, Teresa Oelke introduces AFP President Tim Phillips

This new regulatory scheme was developed when Obama's infamous Cap & Trade stalled in the US Senate after scandals revealed the dishonesty and flaws in the arguments of scientists who earned their living researching Global Warming. As the alarmists evidence was shattered, the President's legislation ran out of gas in the US Senate.

Now our Socialist President who just effectively nationalized the US health care industry, and previously nationalized large portions of the US financial and auto industries, seeks to impose the same job-killing, tax-raising components of Cap & Trade through regulation instead of legislation.

The turn out was great for the middle of a work day in Cabot. Approximately 50-75 protesters came out to stand against this latest unconstitutional scam. Several running for office showed up to participate, protest, and promote their candidacies as well.

Two US Senate campaigns were represented. Republican Senate candidate Colonel Conrad Reynolds was there and one of his Republican primary challengers, Curtis Coleman was represented by his Scheduling and Press Contact Alex Reed. Reynolds is following the Regulation Reality Tour and visiting with voters at every stop. The retired US Army Colonel said he's making the rounds with AFP because "this is just another way the people of Arkansas are waking up to a government that is overreaching its bounds." Reed said Coleman wanted his campaign represented at the tour's stops because, as a small businessman, he'd "fought the EPA for seven years and spent $27 million navigating their duplicate bureaucracies and turf wars when all he wanted to do was make the world's food supply safe."

Colonel Conrad Reynolds (left) speaks with John Allison of the Tea Party of Lonoke County	Alex Reed (left) with Curtis Coleman's campaign speaks with Trent Eilts, candidate for Lonoke County JP, District 6

Several local Republican candidates were also present. Jack McNally, candidate for Lonoke County Tax Assessor, brought an American flag and worked the crowd telling voters what he hoped to accomplish when he replaces the incumbent double-dipping Democrat Jerry Adams. Chuck Graham, candidate for Lonoke County Prosecuting Attorney was also there listening to voters' concerns. (We thought we had a better picture of Chuck, but it looks like a rally-goer's arm was in the way when we snapped the picture. Sorry Chuck!)

Jack McNally (left),candidate for Lonoke County Tax Assessor visits with Col. Reynolds and another Lonoke County voter	Chuck Graham (center left), candidate for Lonoke County Prosecuting Attorney listens to voters' concerns

And both Republican candidates for Justice of the Peace District 6 were present. Incumbent District 6 JP Alexis Malham arrived with her sign, ready to protest. She also carried with her The Communist Manifest by Karl Marx, and pointed voters to sections in the book that show Obama and his Democrat henchmen are carrying us down the road mapped by Marx. Her Republican challenger, Trent Eilts was also present and spent his time hearing voters' concerns. http://hphotos-snc3.fbcdn.net/hs458.snc3/26193_379598049658_246614274658_3616714_5574610_n.jpg

JP District 6, Alexis Malham (left) with her protest sign	Trent Eilts (right) speaks with Alex Reed

The Regulation Reality Tour continues tomorrow en route to hit 14 Arkansas cities in two and a half days.

Rallies Tuesday against Obama/EPA power grab in Lonoke, Cabot, Beebe

2010-03-22T20:06:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow, Americans for Prosperity will be making three stops in our area to inform voters of the dangers posed by the Obama administrations latest attempt to enslave the American people. Because the President has been unable to move Cap & Trade legislation in the US Senate, he's moving now to have his Environmental Protection Agency implement these job-killing, tax-increasing policies through regulation.

Our President showed no respect for the US Constitution when he strong-armed members of Congress to support his Socialist takeover of the US health care system, and now he's bypassing it and the Legislative Branch by regulating what he can't pass through legislation.

Checks and balances be damned! Obama is acting more like a dictator than an American President!

So join us to get informed and help us put the brakes on Obama's Socialist train!

UPDATE: GOP Senate candidate Colonel Conrad Reynolds has issued a press release stating he will be attending every one of these events. Kill two birds with one stone: 1) Get informed and 2) Get to know one of your US Senate candidates.

Tuesday, March 22

When	City	Address
12:30pm-1:00pm	Lonoke	Remington Gun Club 2592 Arkansas Hwy 15 N
2:00pm-2:30pm	Cabot	Knight's Grocery 906 S. Pine Street
3:30pm-4:00pm	Beebe	Knight's Grocery 1701 W. Dewitt

LET'S RUMBLE PATRIOTS!!!

2010-03-22T19:45:00.000-07:00

ACTION ALERT!!!!!!!!

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 24, 2010

11:00 AM - 1:00 pm
Office of the Attorney General
323 Center Street, Suite 200
Little Rock, Arkansas 72201

WE NEED STATEWIDE PARTICIPATION,
THIS IS LIKE CUSTER'S LAST STAND

Dustin McDaniel needs to feel the pressure from all of you demanding that he join the many other states in filing lawsuits to challenge the constitutionality of this legislation. He is running for re-election unopposed, which is a shame! Governor Beebe needs to feel the pressure to pass legislation that opts out of the federal health care bill. Governor Beebe does have the power to call a special session to deal with this. I have put contact information for the attorney general and the governor at the bottom of this e-mail. Of course, your state representatives and state senators need to hear from you about proposing legislation to nullify the federal bill.

FREEDOM OF CHOICE IN HEALTH CARE AMENDMENT
This amendment guarantees that things will be as they have always been.
This amendment preserves state sovereignty.
This amendment protects Arkansans freedom of choice.
This amendment prohibits Arkansans from being forced to participate in government run health-care.
This amendment prohibits Arkansas employers from being forced to participate in government run health-care.
This amendment prohibits Arkansas health-care providers from being forced to participate in government run health-care.
This amendment guarantees that Arkansans can pay their doctors directly for the treatment they receive.
This amendment guarantees that private insurance companies can continue to operate business as usual.
This is amendment is about preserving Choice.
This amendment preserves the free-market principles of competition in health care.
This amendment is Arkansan centered or patient-centered health care.
This amendment leaves patients and doctors in control.
This amendment prohibits putting government in charge of the doctors you can see and the types of treatment you can receive.
This amendment does not affect Arkansas workers’ compensation laws.
This amendment does not affect those on ARKids First; Arkansans may still choose to participate in ARKids First.
This amendment does not affect the Arkansas “any willing provider law.”

Contact Governor Mike Beebe
Phone: (501) 682-2345
Fax: (501) 682-3597

Attorney General Dustin McDaniel
Phone: (501) 682-2007
Fax: (501) 682-8084

Send Free Faxes Now!

2010-03-19T08:53:00.000-07:00

From America, You Asked For It!

Note: As of March 18, David Dayen at FireDogLake has the vote count currently at 191 Yeas, 206 Nays on Obamacare. With leaners, it goes to 203 Yeas, 210 Nays.

Keep up the pressure, emails, phone calls, and faxes! They're working.

Citizens in Action always offers everyone the opportunity to send free faxes to their legislators, but now you can send their "Vote NO!" fax to 30 undecided members of Congress to help convince them we the American people don't want the Obamacare tragedy visited upon us.

Click here to visit the CIA fax center.
Complete the required info and check "Vote NO!" in the fax list.
Click the "Request Fax" button at bottom of form.

And, voila! You just sent the following fax to 30 undecided Congressmen.

TO Representatives Harry Mitchell; Gabrielle Giffords; Ann Kirkpatrick; Jerry McNerney; John Salazar; Jim Hines; Alan Grayson; Bill Foster; Baron Hill; Mark Schauer; Gary Peters; Dina Titus; Carol Shea-Porter; Tim Bishop; John Hall;Bill Owens; Mike Arcuri; Dan Maffei; Earl Pomneroy; Steven Driehaus; Mary Jo Kilroy; Zach Space; Kathy Dahlkemper; Patrick Murphy; Christopher Carney; Paul Kanjorski; John Spratt; Tom Perriello; Alan Mollohan; Nick Rahall; Steve Kagen:

For the past year and a half, we, the American people, have repeatedly told our elected officials that we do not want Healthcare Reform legislation in its present form. For the past year and a half, our pleas have fallen on deaf ears.

PLEASE LISTEN TO THE AMERICAN PEOPLE!

Please vote NO on HR 3962!

How you vote on HR 3962 will determine how we, the American people, will vote in November 2010!

VOTE NO ON HR 3962!

VOTE AGAINST HEALTHCARE REFORM!

Thanks and please help spread the word!

Iraq Veterans for Congress Endorse Crawford and Reynolds

2010-03-18T07:14:00.000-07:00

Hat Tip: ARRA News Service

Iraq Veterans for Congress PAC is a political action committee dedicated to increasing the number of veterans in Congress. IVC's mission is to "Recruit, Fund and Elect to Congress conservative Republican Veterans."

The organization is backing two candidates of concern to Lonoke County voters.

Rick Crawford is IVC's choice for Arkansas' 1st Congressional District.

Rick is a US Army veteran who now owns and operates a small business based in Jonesboro. He was the first conservative Republican to throw his hat in the ring to run for the seat now being vacated by Democrat Marion Berry. Some have said Rick "ran Berry out of the race."

Conrad Reynolds is the organization's pick for Arkansas' 2010 US Senate race.

Colonel Reynolds retired from the US Army in January 2009 and entered this race long before anyone considered Lincoln vulnerable. His army career as an intelligence officer spanned 29 years. He's served in the Iraq and Afghanistan theaters. Reynolds is the only US Senate candidate currently endorsed by IVC.

Candidates Speak to Lonoke County Republicans

2010-03-10T20:50:00.000-08:00

On Monday, 3-8-2010, both candidates for Congress in Arkansas' 1st Congressional District addressed the Lonoke County Republican Committee in Cabot. Here are videos of their speeches and Q & A sessions with members and guests of LCRC. Meet Rick Crawford and Princella Smith.

Speeches

Q & A

1st District GOP Candidates to Speak in Cabot Monday

2010-03-06T05:59:00.001-08:00

The Lonoke County Republican Committee has announced both GOP candidates for Arkansas' 1st Congressional District will speak at the committee's regular monthly meeting on Monday. Rick Crawford and Princella Smith will address the committee and take questions.

Though the Tea Party of Lonoke County is non-partisan, the course charted by the Democrats who now run our country makes this election cycle unique. The first vote new members make will be to elect the Speaker of the House. In 2010, sending any Democrat to Washington to represent the 1st District will be equivalent to voting for Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) for Speaker.

We simply cannot afford another two years suffering under this left-wing zealot who has been a rubber stamp for every part of President Obama's Socialist agenda.

For that reason, the 2010 Republican primary is crucial. Conservatives in Arkansas MUST participate in the May elections to decide the GOP nominee so we send the very best candidate to the general election in November. We need a GOP candidate who represents Arkansas' conservative values and understands the concerns of Arkansas' conservative majority.

We need as many as possible to attend these events to get to know the candidates. For years, we have allowed state GOP party loyalists and even the national infrastructure of the Republican party to choose the nominee who would oppose the Democrats who have failed to represent us in DC. In 2004, only 8484 of the 54000 who participated in the GOP Senate primary were 1st District voters.

We MUST motivate more 1st District voters to participate in the Republican primary this year if we hope to deliver a conservative candidate who will be palatable to a majority of those who vote in November. One way to do that is by getting to know these candidates. Meet them, speak with them, listen to them, and then choose who you think will best represent us in Washington. Then tell your friends. Spread the word. Let people know you're excited about this candidate, or that one and tell them why!

If we can accomplish that mission, we can choose a conservative candidate who can win in November. It will be an historic accomplishment because the last time the 1st District was represented by a Republican was in 1875.

But we need an historic election to undo the historic damage to our country inflicted by the Obama administration.

Crawford entered the race and has been campaigning since last April, long before anyone suspected Marion Berry would choose not to run. In fact, many believe Crawford's long-running campaign may have dealt the death blow to Berry's chances to win re-election. The veteran from Jonesboro embraced the Tea Party early in his campaign and promises to support its platform of 1) Limited Government, 2) Fiscal Responsibility, and 3) Accountable Elected Officials. Before Smith announced she would challenge him in the GOP primary, Crawford committed to make himself available to Lonoke County voters at the upcoming Meet & Greet in Cabot later this week.

A Google search for any relationship between Princella Smith and the Tea Party movement turns up empty. In fact, it's difficult to even find an article that mentions both her and the protest movement that swept the nation last year and turned the 2010 election cycle into a boiling cauldron for many Democrats across the country.

Smith touts her knowledge of "how things work" on Capitol Hill as one of her qualifications to represent Arkansas' 1st District, but that may not play well with Tea Party activists who are generally disenchanted with Republicans and Democrats in Washington. On the issues, she and Crawford apparently agree with and support the planks in the national GOP platform.

Her youth may become an issue as well. Most of the four years since she graduated college have been spent in DC working with establishment Republicans like former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich, and most recently with Congressman Anh "Joseph" Cao (R-LA) who was the only GOP House member to vote for Obama's government takeover of health care.

So both candidates espouse conservative ideals. But the most important thing in this election cycle will be to nominate candidates who can capitalize on the energy of the Tea Party movement, a person who will be a friend to the movement even after he or she has an office in DC.

Here's the opportunity to meet your next Congressman Lonoke County!

One of these two will replace Marion Berry next year, if we get involved and work to choose the best one in May.

Blanche Lincoln files for re-election amid Tea Party protesters

2010-03-01T17:45:00.000-08:00

Hat Tip: The Tolbert Report

The Pulaski County Tea Party organized a protest to correspond with Blanche Lincoln's filing for reelection at the State Capitol today. As Lincoln filed, protesters chanted "Bye, bye Blanche!" and "Hey, hey, ho, ho Blanche Lincoln's got to go!"

The Senator seemed to be living in a dream world when she told reporters at the Capitol she's not worried, and in fact feels "really good about this race."

Beebe--Lincoln needs to "educate" Arkansans to win

2010-02-22T22:04:00.000-08:00

The folks at Politico caught up with Arkansas' Governor Mike Beebe on Monday and peppered him with questions on health care and Senator Blanche Lincoln. The popular governor ducked and bobbed on several questions, but when asked if he thinks the embattled Lincoln's seat is still winnable he replied, "Yes, I think it’s winnable and yes, I think she can win."

Lincoln's pitiful polling of late recently led conservative columnist Charles Krauthammer to remark, "Poor Blanche Lincoln couldn't even compete with Mussolini" on Fox News' The O'Reilly Factor. The last several polls by Rasmussen have shown Lincoln trailing at least four potential Republican opponents, and the latest had all four ahead by at least 8 points.

Beebe believes Lincoln's campaign cash will be enough to overcome her lack of popularity in Arkansas by November. "She’s got a lot of money, she needs to spend it wisely to educate," said the governor.

But we would argue the electorate is educated on Lincoln, and her money won't be enough to "reeducate" us.

The Senator's popularity has consistently collapsed with virtually every vote she cast in support of President Barack Obama's Socialist platform. On TARP, the auto industry bailout, budgets that created record deficits, increasing the federal debt limit, and Obamacare, Lincoln has stood with Obama and against the will of a large majority of Arkansas voters. Each time her "Yea" was heard by Arkansans, her poll numbers plummeted.

Lincoln's willingness to abandon the clear will of the Arkansas electorate and walk arm-in-arm with Obama and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid to support their proposed government takeover of the US health care system was likely the proverbial straw that broke the camel's back.

Because passage in the Senate required 60 votes to overcome a Republican filibuster, Reid and Obama needed every single Democrat. Lincoln's status as one of the final two holdouts indicates she understood the tightrope she was walking. She understood the people of Arkansas were strongly opposed to Obamacare, but she succumbed to the pressure of Reid and Obama.

She could have chosen to represent the clear will of Arkansas voters, and cast the vote that would have killed Obama's dream of socialized medicine in America. But instead she chose to stand with her liberal buddies from Chicago and Las Vegas, against her constituents in Arkansas.

Governor Beebe and Blanche Lincoln may think voters in Arkansas can be "educated", but we've been educating ourselves on Lincoln ever since she began marching in lockstep with Reid and Obama.

Krauthammer was right, and Arkansas voters are already educated on the upcoming Senate race.

Senator Lincoln should start packing.

Stop Obamacare w/ Free Faxes to Legislators

2010-02-21T10:38:00.000-08:00

Grassroots protests, town hall meetings, and even a Republican victory in one of the most Democrat Senate seats in the country have all failed to finish off today's great threat to the America we know and love. But the good folks at Citizens in Action are arming American voters for the next battle in this all out war for our way of life!

Though President Barack Hussein Obama has promised to listen to and incorporate opposition ideas with his planned government takeover of the US health care system, it's now becoming obvious his promises were nothing more than a feint intended to lull the US electorate into believing We the People had stopped him and his latest planned intrusion into our lives.

Obamacare is still very much alive, and moving.

Congressional Democrats and their unscrupulous Chicago gangster who leads them are once again promising to ram their Obamacare bill down our throats. Tomorrow, President Obama has promised to reveal his "compromise" plan which he says "will include the best parts" of the two different bills previously passed by the US House and Senate. Harry Reid promised yesterday he will pass this bill within 60 days using a parliamentary maneuver reserved for budget bills that will enable him to bypass a Republican filibuster.

The jackass party is abandoning one of the most essential ideals that led our founding fathers to break with England and form these United States. They are completely ignoring the unequivocal statement in the preamble of our Declaration of Independece that "Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed..." Instead, Democrats are giving the American electorate the middle finger and telling voters, "We don’t give a damn what you want!”

Our last hope to stop this train wreck is to communicate to our elected Senators and Representatives they WILL lose in November if they stand with Obama and his henchmen against the American people! Citizens in Action has made it easy for everyone to do just that.

The organization has a free Fax Center (they do accept donations) that allows you to send up to three faxes on different matters to all your elected officials with a few simple clicks! Their latest fax (text below) demands our legislators refuse to go on ignoring OUR will, and refuse to vote with Harry Reid, Nancy Pelosi, and President Obama to destroy our health care system.

Please click here to send your fax(es) today!

The text of the FREE health care fax CIA will send in your name can be read below:

TO: [Representatives’ names go here]

“All may be quiet on the Healthcare front”—making it appear that Obama’s Healthcare Reform legislation is stalled or even dead, but the American people are not fooled! We are well aware that the silence surrounding the reconciliation of the House and Senate versions of the Healthcare Reform bills and the talk of “bi-partisanship” is nothing more than a smoke screen designed to fool us into thinking our representatives are actually listening to us.

As for the healthcare “summit,” it is merely a propaganda tool and has nothing to do with creating a bipartisan solution. Furthermore, a “bipartisan solution” is meaningless unless both parties are listening to the citizenry. Currently, the representatives of both parties are doing a very poor job of listening to their constituents.

Perhaps you remember Speaker Pelosi’s comments that Healthcare legislation would be passed—even if it means, as she stated, “pole-vaulting in…” Senator Reid is busy “twisting arms” and making sweet “back-room” deals in order to change the minds of any would-be no votes. And now, as the Democrats have lost control of the 60th Senate vote, they are, once again, talking about employing the “Nuclear Option,” which would require only 52 votes to get Healthcare Reform passed. And you want us to believe you are actually listening to the American people?

As OUR elected representatives, we demand that you listen to us! WE elected you to office—NOT Obama, Pelosi, and Reid!

We do NOT want any part of the Healthcare Reform legislation currently being considered for reconciliation! We want the whole mess thrown out and started over from scratch!

You see—we are not stupid! We recognize the need for some type of Healthcare Reform…BUT, we want any Healthcare legislation to actually concern Health and Care…not PORK! We do not want the unconstitutional, government-controlled, mandatory Healthcare that is being considered. We DO want Healthcare Reform to address TORT Reform and the ability to buy insurance across state lines. We do NOT want our tax dollars used for abortion funding and we certainly do not want to provide coverage for illegal immigrants! These are just a few of the many issues we would like addressed when considering Healthcare Reform. We’ve been voicing our opinions concerning these issues and others for over a year now.

Except for the sneaky, manipulative moves of Obama, Pelosi, and Reid, Healthcare legislation, as currently written, doesn’t appear to be going anywhere—so….

Isn’t it time to try something different and actually LISTEN TO THE AMERICAN PEOPLE? Don’t patronize Obama, Pelosi, and Reid “just because…” They WON”T be there for you when you need them in November—do the right thing and vote against Healthcare Reform reconciliation—and the American people WILL be there for you!

Thanks! And keep up the good fight!

Rick Crawford Meet & Greet in Lonoke County

2010-02-17T18:08:00.000-08:00

The Tea Party of Lonoke County is proud to sponsor a meet & greet so voters can get to know a conservative candidate who stood up and announced his candidacy for Arkansas' 1st District Congressional seat BEFORE Marion Berry chose not to run again this year. Rick has been a true friend and ally of the Tea Party movement. He's participated in and spoken at Tea Party events across the 1st District since last spring.

Join us in Cabot to meet and visit with conservative Republican candidate for Congress Rick Crawford in Arkansas' 1st Congressional District.

We'll be serving hot dogs and hamburgers at 6:00 pm on Thursday, March 11 at the following address:

903 Southhaven Ave.
Cabot, AR 72023

Please RSVP at our event page on Facebook if you plan to attend because this location will only accommodate 30 or so people. If more wish to attend, we'll find another location large enough to accommodate everyone.

*The Lonoke County Tea Party has not endorsed any candidate for the 2010 election cycle. This is posted by the editor for informational purposes only and should not be construed as an endorsement of any candidate.

To win in 2010, GOP needs statewide participation

2010-02-12T04:39:00.000-08:00

The election year is now upon us, and polls undeniably show a strong majority of Arkansans are mad as Hell about what’s been happening in Washington.

Democrats in our Congressional delegation have overwhelmingly voted to support nearly every plank in President Obama’s platform that failed to stimulate the economy, failed to create jobs, and failed to take a strong stand against our terrorist enemies around the globe.

Two of those Democrats, Vic Snyder and Marion Berry, realized they’d followed President Obama too far down his Socialist path and have already chosen not to run for reelection. But Blanche Lincoln and Mike Ross believe they can use their millions in out-of-state cash to convince voters to ignore their votes for Obama’s Socialist agenda.

Other Democrats are stepping into the voids left by the Snyder and Berry announcements. These will claim to be different than those they hope to replace, but we’ve seen how effectively Obama, Nancy Pelosi, and Harry Reid bend Democrats to their will.

We need clear alternatives, candidates who will go to Washington and represent us. Candidates who will challenge the establishment and stand up for what’s right.

The problem is that Washington, DC establishment Republicans also failed to uphold Arkansas’ conservative values when they had the opportunity.

That’s why we need real change in 2010; ordinary men and women who will go Washington and take the extraordinary step of challenging the status quo, men and women who understand their job is to uphold the US Constitution and make the country a better place for our sons, daughters, and grandchildren.

Since both parties have dropped the ball recently, some are tempted to support independent or third party candidates. But history shows us these candidates have almost no chance to win. This year, they are more likely to split the conservative vote and guarantee at least two more years of the Obama Hell that we’ve suffered these past months.

Fortunately, we have an opportunity to accomplish our goals. But it will take a concerted effort on the part of conservative voters across the state.

Historically, participation in Arkansas’ Republican primary has been extremely light.

In 2004, only 54,000 of Arkansas’ 3 million residents voted in the GOP primary. More importantly, fully 41% of those reside in three counties. Eight of Arkansas’ 75 counties supplied over 67% of voters in the 2004 GOP Senate primary. This resulted in voters from a handful of counties actually selecting the GOP nominee.

If the same pattern holds this year, voters in 67 Arkansas counties will have virtually no say in who will run on the Republican ticket. If we hope to nominate a conservative candidate who can win statewide, we need that candidate to be chosen by voters statewide.

If we again allow only 8 counties to choose the GOP nominee, Arkansas will likely send another crop of Obama-Pelosi-Reid lap dogs back to Washington to continue on the path of destroying our country.

The Republican Party is counting on the Tea Party energy and emotion to deliver in the fall for whatever candidate wins the GOP nomination in May. But they may well be counting their chickens before they hatch.

Most Tea Party activists aren’t looking for Republican candidates to support, they’re looking for conservatives. And not just Republican candidates who say they’re conservative during the campaign. These disgruntled voters have had enough of experienced politicians who say one thing on the campaign trail but go to DC and play the game.

2010 could be an historic year for the Republican Party of Arkansas. There are more candidates running as Republicans than we’ve ever seen. The US Senate race alone has 9 declared candidates even though the GOP couldn’t field an opponent to run against Mark Pryor in 2008.

But not all of these candidates will satisfy the Tea Party activists’ hunger for honesty, integrity, and responsibility in their candidate of choice this year. In races across the state; veterans, small business owners, and other non-politicians stood up last spring and said “I’ll stand up for limited government, fiscal responsibility, and accountability against the Obama-Pelosi-Reid lap dogs” --before establishment Republicans realized Berry, Snyder, and Lincoln were vulnerable.

Over the last few weeks we’ve had several professional politicians and other Washington insiders jumping in these races, attending out-of-state fundraisers and claiming they’re the best candidates because they’re “electable.” Our question to them is, “Where were you when Tea Partiers and Town Hall attendees were challenging these once powerful politicians last year?” These are the candidates who will turn off Tea Party voters.

If we hope to elect “real people” who will represent Tea Party activists at the state and federal level, we need voters statewide to participate in the GOP primary. We need GOP nominees who voters in every county can support and we’ll only achieve that if voters in every county take part in their nomination.

If you agree with the 60% of Arkansans who want to stop the Obama-Pelosi-Reid train to Socialize the American economy, encourage your friends and family to vote in the GOP primary on May 18.

Help us nominate real conservatives who will represent Arkansas values in all levels of government.

Rick Crawford Campaign HQ Open House Saturday

2010-02-11T16:17:00.000-08:00

The following invitation was distributed by the Crawford for Congress Campaign.

Greetings!

You Are Invited!

The Crawford for Congress Campaign would like to cordially invite you to attend the grand opening of the Crawford for Congress Campaign Headquarters this Saturday starting at 10am!

This grand opening is yet another chapter in the Crawford for Congress Campaign to take traditional American values back to Washington in a candidate that has the experience, insight, and ability to make a difference in Washington! Rick Crawford is the Statesman that we need to make a difference for the people of the First District!

WHEN: Saturday, February 13th

WHERE: 1920 South Church Street, Jonesboro

WHAT TIME: Begins at 10am, Press Conference by Rick at 1030am, and will go until Noon.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION: Parking will be available in the adjacent parking lot in front of Gracy's Cafe & Wells-Fargo Mortgage. Parking will also be available next door at NAPA Auto Parts.

DIRECTIONS: The Crawford for Congress H.Q. is located directly across Church Street from Walgreens on Highland and Union and is also across Highland Avenue from McDonalds in Jonesboro.

We look forward to you coming out on Saturday to visit with Rick about his campaign! We will also have free campaign materials that you can take with you including new Crawford for Congress bumper stickers.

This will be a great opportunity for you to visit with other campaign supporters as together we work to send an experienced leader to Washington who will be a trusted voice for his constituents!

For more information or directions please call the campaign headquarters at 870-203-0540.

Our children are going to pay

2010-02-01T20:06:00.000-08:00

by Curtis Coleman, conservative GOP candidate for US Senate

Sen. Blanche Lincoln (D-AR) voted to borrow another $1.9 TRILLION this past week…and our children are going to pay. What kind of immorality is this that we are recklessly throwing away our children’s future? What happened to us that we care more about our comfort than their freedom?

Of course, Sen. Lincoln had little choice since she and her cohorts in Congress have been consistently spending more than is coming in. It’s called deficit spending. If it continues, it inevitably leads to bankruptcy. Which is where the U.S. is headed on a high-speed train.

There is a very important distinction between a deficit and the debt. Deficit spending means we’re spending more than we’re taking in. Debt is what results from deficit spending. The deficit is how much we are borrowing. The debt is how much we have already borrowed from lenders like China.

So, as a country we have already borrowed $12,400,000,000,000 to finance our deficit spending. That’s our debt. President Obama is now asking us to spend $1,700,000,000,000 more in 2010 than the federal government’s projected income. That amount will be our deficit this year. The result? We’ll have a new total debt of $14,100,000,000,000 at the end of year. Let me bring this closer to home. This debt is not the money somebody else owes. This is the money you owe. The only money the government has is your money.

Your portion is $45,000. Pay up, please! Don’t have it? Well, then we’ll have to borrow it from somebody (probably the Chinese if they’ll still lend it to us). So our children will have to pay it back – plus interest.

Is this really okay with you?

The POLR (Pelosi/Obama/Lincoln/Reid) Administration is now talking about reducing the deficit starting next year. (That’s kind of like me starting a diet- tomorrow.) All that means is that we’ll slow how fast we’re still borrowing money! We must stop deficit spending, but we must also attack the debt. Our country’s debt is a clear and present danger, an urgent matter of national security, and it must be attacked as our worst enemy.

What is the solution?

Well, let’s start with the profoundly obvious: Spend less than we have. When our outgo exceeds our income, our overhead will be our downfall. So, we can either increase our income or decrease our outgo. Or do both!

First, how do we increase our income? The liberals believe we do that by increasing taxes. That approach seems to make sense – but it doesn’t. Our economic history has consistently shown that when we increase taxes, we suppress growth in our economy and discourage initiative and achievement in our people. The government ends up taking a bigger piece of a shrinking pie. This process is a death spiral – and one the U.S. is on today.

What we must do is allow U.S. businesses and individuals to generate more income by (1) reducing taxes and (2) getting a stifling, smothering, anti-business bureaucracy out of our faces, out of our offices, and out of our pocketbooks. Our economic history has consistently shown that reducing taxes creates economic growth. The result is government can take a smaller piece of a much bigger pie and still increase its income. When Americans discover that they get to keep more of the income they generate, they’ll generate a lot more income – and the pie gets even bigger! But government’s intrusion into every aspect of our economy creates huge inefficiencies as businesses and individuals must deal with the demands placed upon them.

Increasing income is only ½ of the solution. We must also decrease our outgo. How do we do that?

The cost of government has gotten too big because the size of government has gotten too big. We reduce the cost of government by reducing the size of government. Easier said than done? You bet!

So where do we start? Well, you can poke the federal government just about anywhere and hit fat, so our choices are almost endless. Let’s start with eliminating some of these bloated, competitive, and duplicative bureaucracies. (I’ve been in the food safety business for the last decade. I’ve been told that there are as many as 17 different federal agencies that regulate food safety. That over-regulation could explain why we don’t have safer food – and a budget deficit!)

We must rein in some terribly out-of-bounds if not out-of-control federal agencies such as the EPA, which has become something like a 21st century American Gestapo. It recently told Congress that it will do by regulation what Congress refuses to do by legislation. When a federal agency blackmails Congress, it is time for that bureaucracy to have its wings clipped and its chain dramatically shortened.

But more fundamentally and much more importantly, we must make a multi-generational commitment to return and reshape the federal government to the original prescription of the Constitution.

The biggest challenge to reducing the size of the federal government is the inevitable battle over what we will be cut and what will be kept. Those decisions – though painful – are not as difficult as they are made to seem. We already have an adopted blueprint for the role of the federal government. It’s called the Constitution of the United States of America. It clearly defines what the federal government is supposed to do, and perhaps more importantly, what the federal government is not supposed to do.

We are far adrift from its prescription. If we’re going to survive this seemingly insoluble situation, we must make the commitment – an indisputable, multi-generational and solemn commitment – to reshape and restore the federal government according to the Constitution’s prescription.

This is the fundamental battle we must fight and win in Congress. We start now and we must not waver nor be deterred. We must put – not just politicians – but leaders in Congress; bulldogs instead of blue dogs; warriors who understand that nothing less than liberty and freedom for our children and their children are at stake.

Thank you for standing with me in this fight for freedom!

January Quorum Court Meeting Report

2010-02-01T19:52:00.000-08:00

The Quorum Court meeting on Thursday, 1/21/2010, proved to be quite the show. All of the contentious issues on the agenda were discussed and debated in front of a large crowd of Lonoke County voters. None of these issues--the alleged "sweetheart land deal", the missing money in the Sheriff's office, and the "double-dipping" of two county elected officials--were actually resolved, but voters were at least allowed to hear from those involved.

The most heated discussion centered around the issue of the proposed ordinance to allow Lonoke County Judge Charlie Troutman to purchase a small tract of land from District 3 Justice of the Peace Larry Odom. As previously reported, Judge Troutman and JP Odom had agreed upon a price and the judge was seeking the required permission of the Court to purchase the property for Lonoke County.

Before any motion to bring the ordinance to the floor, Judge Troutman gave an impassioned defense of his, and Odom's, actions in the matter at hand. Expressing disbelief that the issue had drawn such bad publicity, Troutman explained the land purchase was nothing more than an improvement project that would benefit citizens of the county and make the intersection of Highways 67/167 and 5 much safer. He referred to Arkansas Highway Department documents and county records of sales of similar property to refute any claims that his offer to Odom was out of line. Wrapping up his remarks on the issue, he addressed District 13 JP Mark Edwards who sent the email that drew the public's attention to the proposed deal. Troutman asked, "Where the Hell do you get the right to call me corrupt?"

Odom offered to abstain when Troutman asked for a motion to bring the ordinance to the floor. The Judge requested Odom not abstain and Edwards made the motion. It was seconded and the fireworks started again when Odom opened the debate with a long statement defending his actions in the deal.

Odom informed the Court he'd served this county for 20 years, and had never been called corrupt. He stated that he'd purchased the property involved for his stepchildren and didn't want to sell. Odom said his wife didn't want to sell the property either, but that he'd talked her into it for the good of the county. After the deal became public and the uproar ensued, he said he and his wife were angered. Stating he would no longer consider Troutman's offer of $60,000 for the property, but would take the appraised value--if it came in more or less, he would sell the land for the appraised value. Odom said he was offended because he had "tried to help, and got kicked in the damn mouth."

After Odom's address, Edwards acknowledged that something does need to be done at the intersection and that things may have been better handled had he confronted Troutman and Odom with his concerns before sending the email. Edwards then turned to a line of questioning regarding his concerns that Amendment 55, Act 742 of 1977 had not been properly followed in this instance.

In particular, section 14-14-1202 "Ethics for county government officers and employees" states:

(3) The officer or employee may not use his or her office, the influence created by his or her official position, or information gained by virtue of his or her position to advance his or her individual personal economic interest or that of an immediate member of his or her family or an associate, other than advancing strictly incidental benefits as may accrue to any of them from the enactment or administration of law affecting the public generally.

In this same section of the amendment, county officers are defined to include "all elected county and township officers." And a few paragraphs following this definition we see the following paragraph:

(c)(1) Rules of Conduct. No officer or employee of county government shall: (A)(i) Be interested, either directly or indirectly, in any contract or transaction made, authorized, or entered into on behalf of the county or an entity created by the county, or accept or receive any property, money, or other valuable thing for his or her use or benefit on account of, connected with, or growing out of any contract or transaction of a county.

Though the preceding paragraphs seem to imply such a deal as that previously reached by Troutman and Odom violate Amendment 55, an exception can be made as we see a little further into section 14-14-1202:

(2)(A)(i) If the quorum court determines that it is in the best interest of the county, the quorum court may by ordinance permit the county to purchase goods or services directly or indirectly from quorum court members, county officers, or county employees due to unusual circumstances.
(ii) The ordinance permitting the purchases must specifically define the unusual circumstances under which the purchases are allowed and the limitations of the authority.

And this appears to be where the difference of opinion originated that led to the fireworks involving this deal. This deal had been in the works for months, and Edwards believed the Quorum Court should have been made aware of it, and had the opportunity to deliberate the pros and cons long before. Troutman and Odom believed placing the ordinance on the agenda a month in advance was sufficient notice.

The second most contentious item on the agenda was the "double dipping" of two county elected officials that recently made the news. Lonoke County Treasurer Karol Depreist and Assessor Jerry Adams are now drawing their full salary along with their retirement. Though a recent Attorney General's opinion indicates the practice may violate state law, the two county officials continued to perform their duties without drawing pay for a period of 90 days.

An attorney general’s opinion on drawing retirement while in office raises the possibility of charges of abuse of office, abuse of public trust, theft of public benefits, falsifying a business record, and tampering with a public record. --Cabot Star Herald

Edwards and District 6 Justice of the Peace Alexis Malham grilled Depriest's and Adams' attorney on the matter. The attorney, Denise Hoggard, also represents other "double-dippers" across the state. Hoggard insisted the two had complied with the letter of the law. But Edwards and Malham referenced the APERS application for retirement benefits and Amendment 55 to insist vacancies had existed in the Treasurer's and Assessor's offices. If true, state law requires the Quorum Court be notified, declare a vacancy, and appoint an interim official to fill the vacancy.

Section 14-14-1308 "Vacancy in Office"

A county, county quorum court district, or township office shall be considered vacant if any one (1) of the following conditions exists:
...
(4) The incumbent resigns;
...

Though Hoggard disagreed, the APERS application and the AG opinion seem to indicate resignation is a precondition of retirement. Therefore, the Court should have been notified, a vacancy declared, and replacements appointed for the two retiring officials.

14-14-1309 "Declaration of Vacancy"

The quorum court of each county shall declare a county, county quorum court district, or township office vacant where conditions of vacancy exist as demonstrated in the following manner:
...
(2) Upon determination by a quorum court that a condition of vacancy exists in all other causes not governed by failure to be commissioned or finding of judicial
proceedings. Such determination by a quorum court shall be conducted through the process of resolution as prescribed by law if the resolution shall have been published prior to the meeting date in which the resolution is to be considered by the court.
...

14-14-1310 "Filling vacancies in elective offices"

(a)(1)
COUNTY ELECTIVE OFFICES. Vacancies in all county elective offices shall be filled by the county quorum court through the process of resolution as prescribed by law.

Though Edwards and Malham continued to press the issue, District 7 JP Adam Sims suggested the Court await an investigation by the Legislative Audit Division to make a determination on the matter. Edwards made a motion to declare a vacancy for the Treasurer's office and Malham seconded. However, no vote was taken and the Court moved on to other business.

Curtis Coleman: Money Bomb Saturday--1/30/2010

2010-01-29T19:52:00.000-08:00

from America, You Asked For It!

Earlier this month, we helped stop the Obama-Pelosi-Reid fast train to a government takeover of the US health care system. The battle that ground the Democrat engine to a halt took place in Massachusetts, but patriots from across America sacrificed their valuable time and hard-earned money to help make the victory possible. We can now expect more candidates to try to tap the cooperation and corroboration of Americans from coast-to-coast that helped MA Republican Scott Brown win the seat Democrats never thought they could lose.

One of Brown’s most successful tactics came in the form of an online “Money Bomb” that raised over $1.3 million in just one day! Thousands of individuals donated as little as $5 to help Brown become the Senator-elect who will soon take the seat so long occupied by the iconic liberal Democrat Ted Kennedy. Now, Arkansas Republican candidate for US Senate Curtis Coleman hopes to boost his campaign coffers utilizing the Brown model.

Coleman is one of four GOP candidates Rasmussen shows leading Senator Blanche Lincoln in this year’s race to represent Arkansas in the US Senate. But the conservative business owner lags behind the GOP establishment favorite in raising campaign cash for the race, and has announced he will be holding his own “Money Bomb” tomorrow.

Calling his event “10 for ‘10“, Coleman has set a goal of 1,000 Facebook friends contributing $10 each to raise $10,000 on Saturday. His slogan, “Change America for $10“, implies that anyone (everyone?) in America can do a little to accomplish dramatic, real change for these United States.

Coleman was one of the first to commit to challenge the incumbent Lincoln, and he’s been working hard to establish an impressive grassroots network of supporters across the state. He’s been present at numerous Tea Party events across the state, working the crowd when he wasn’t addressing them. He’s used social networking sites like Twitter and Facebook to a much greater extent than his competition. We’ve heard supporters state this extraordinary level of interaction during the campaign and his promise to continue to engage his constituents once elected are the reasons they’ve chosen to support Coleman.

Tomorrow we’ll find out just how effective his efforts have been. If his Money Bomb proves successful, Coleman’s grassroots efforts and extensive use of the internet and social networking may prove to be the tactic that turns the establishment GOP on its head. Members of the Republican hierarchy that call on Coleman and others to drop out and let their candidate run unopposed just might be silenced. And a real Republican primary, where the people of Arkansas choose their nominee, just might occur.

AR GOP Senate candidates hit the airwaves

2010-01-22T21:46:00.000-08:00

Two of the GOP candidates for Arkansas' Senate seat this year have launched the first TV ads of the campaign. Col. Conrad Reynolds and Curtis Coleman both claim to be the first of the nine announced candidates to take their message to the television.

Reynold's ad announces his upcoming campaign tour featuring Sam Wurzelbacher, aka Joe the Plumber, later this month. Coleman's ad is titled "Conservative Comment" and takes on wasteful government spending. Both candidates keep their message positive without mentioning their Republican Challengers or Sen. Blanche Lincoln. (D-AR)

Here are the two 30 second ads followed by a poll where you can select which candidate's ad is more effective.

You decide: Which ad is the most effective?

Which GOP candidate's ad is the most effective?(online surveys)

Action Alert: Lonoke County Quorum Court--1/21/2010

2010-01-19T21:06:00.000-08:00

One premise of the Tea Party is that accountability of elected officials must exist at all levels--federal, state, and local.

Now is the time for all concerned citizens of Lonoke County to stand up and hold their elected officials accountable! District 13 Justice of the Peace Mark Edwards has informed the Lonoke County Republican Committee of a troublesome item on the agenda for this month's Quorum Court meeting.

It appears the County Judge and JP Larry Odom may have held private meetings to negotiate a deal for Lonoke County to purchase land owned by Odom. The Court plans to vote on an ordinance to allow this at this week's meeting!

Apparently, the ordinance will authorize the county to pay ~$40,000 per acre for land adjacent to a tract that recently sold for $25,000 per acre. Also, the Arkansas Highway Department may have plans to build a cloverleaf at the exit in the future. If so, AHD will be required to purchase the land at that time. If this deal goes through, the taxpayers of Lonoke County may be throwing their money away to line the pockets of a local politician.

Two other important issues on the agenda are $67,000 of money missing from the Sheriff's office and the recently reported "double-dipping" by elected officials in Lonoke County. Edwards says, "There are sweetheart deals being made in the county and what appears to be outright corruption going on by both Democrats in large part from our County Judge down as well as Larry Odom in our own party."

Ladies and gentlemen, the Tea Party exists to stop exactly this sort of thing! Please join us at the Quorum Court meeting to let your voice be heard.

Date: 1/21/2010
Time: 6:30 pm
Place: Courthouse Annex

Let's get this ball rolling!

2010-01-17T05:57:00.000-08:00

I hope everyone had a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Whether you participated in the Tea Parties that shook the political landscape up last year, or whether you're just now becoming so fed up that you feel the need to get involved, I'm glad you've showed an interest in the Tea Party of Lonoke County!

Early on the Tea Party organizers decided not to create a centralized national organization, but chose instead to let small, local organizations lead at the grassroots level. Mainstream media reports that protests you've seen were organized and orchestrated by caviar eating elites in distant penthouses are completely false. However, from time-to-time a local Tea Party organizer will come up with an idea for a protest that will become popular across the country.

Such was the case last August with the protest we organized in Cabot outside Rep. Marion Berry's office. Eric Odom of Chicago threw out the idea for a Recess Rally, named so because it was intended to take place during Congress' annual August recess. Without any advertising, or reports in local media, we managed to get about 100 protesters on the street to let our elected officials know we're tired of them representing Barack Obama, Nancy Pelosi, and Harry Reid instead of Arkansas voters.

Since then, we have participated in other events across the state with other local Tea Parties, but haven't moved forward to organize the Tea Party of Lonoke County.

Now that the election year has arrived, our time has come. I and others believe this year's election is a pivotal point in our nation's history. WIll we vote to turn back to the constitutional principles that made the United States the greatest country in the world? Or will we vote to continue down the path to ruin via Socialism that we're currently traveling?

Our mission is simple. We intend to seek, support, promote, and endorse candidates who will fight for a return of

Limited Government
Fiscal Responsibility
Accountable Elected Officials

We believe our current representatives in Washington have taken us in the wrong direction. From the takeover of private industry, to the infamous bailouts, to our own elected officials calling us un-American for practicing our constitutional rights, they have proven they have little understanding of the Constitution or the people of Arkansas.

It's up to us to change that. We can (must) find candidates who will go to Washington and represent us!

I hope you'll join us and get involved. Until now, the extent of my political activism has been to vote in November, and sometimes in the May primary. Since these Socialists gained power in 2008, that has changed dramatically. I realized that I could no longer stand on the sidelines and let others determine the course of our nation.

It's up to each one of us to make sure our elected officials never forget who they represent, and that they work for us. So please join us and help make that happen!

Join Us!

2010-01-01T19:02:00.000-08:00

If you are fed up with politics as usual, if you are looking for a place where you can make a difference, if you want to help stop the mad dash to becoming the United Socialist States of America, then sign up to join the Tea Party of Lonoke County.

Complete the form below and you'll receive email updates on events, candidates, and threats to our values by politicians at the local, state, and federal level. You can also let us know to what level you'll be able to assist in our efforts.

We appreciate your interest and participation and look forward to working with you!

Gift Shop

2010-01-01T01:21:00.000-08:00

We have no paid advertising, and don’t solicit readers for donations. So, we’ve decided to use the web to try and develop products our readers may be interested in purchasing. You can purchase these items as gifts or to make your own political statements, and you’ll be helping us keep the lights on at the same time!

The product line will grow as we find time to develop new stuff, and we welcome any suggestions you may have for products you’d like to see added.

To make a purchase, simply click the title or image of the item you want to buy.

Thanks in advance for helping us keep you informed!

November is Coming 2010

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Stop the Madness 2010

Mousepad	Coffee Mug	Ball Cap

$10.95	$13.95	$14.95