The Associated Press (AP) is reporting that Rick Santorum is staying home in Philadelphia to be with this hospitalized daughter and is canceling campaign stops in Florida.
Santorum’s campaign says the former senator will stay in Pennsylvania with 3-year-old Bella, who has a genetic condition known as Trisomy 18. The condition typically proves fatal and Santorum often says his daughter wasn’t expected to live past 12 months.
Spokesman Hogan Gidley says Santorum hopes to return to a campaign schedule soon.
Santorum canceled his appearance on NBC’s “Meet the Press” and a stop at a Miami church.
This is “family values” to me, no hyperbole, no bombastic speeches, just a devoted daddy staying with his little girl; thoughts and prayers for the Santorum’s and for little Bella.
With all the problems facing the United States today it was such a comfort to turn on the CNN debate last night and to see Wolf Blitzer was the moderator, and what’s more to see him ask such valid, timely and thought provoking questions. My particular favorite was the question which came right after Rick Santorum complained about the nonsense questions being asked. And what was this question? Wolf wanted to know why the candidate’s wives would make a good first lady.
Riveting Wolf, riveting … did you fall out of the stupid tree and hit every branch on the way to the ground? A young woman who was unemployed with no health insurance had just minutes before asked the so-called candidates what they would do for her – of course none of them answered her question; I’ll bet she was waiting on pins and needles to find out the answer to that truly valid question.
I suddenly found myself wistfully wishing Michele Bachmann was still in the race.
Of course we got to hear all the wonderful qualifications of the candidate’s wives, how they’d raised hundreds of children while still finding time to establish world class music schools, baking cookies for orphans and working down at the USO Stage Door Canteen; and of all the husbands no one was more gushing over with praise than Newt for his current spouse (number 3), and former paramour, Callista.
All I could think was, “First Mistress anyone?”
I’m sorry, but Newt’s former concubine turned wife as First Lady?
I know, perhaps they could hire Heidi Fleiss to be her social secretary?
Enough of Newt pretending his concern about “family values” and how much he’s a devoted husband, and how his past indiscretions should be forgotten because he’s found religion and is now a good boy – at least as long as Callista stays healthy.
This isn’t only about Newt’s infidelity it’s also about a former staffer (Callista) being the Speaker’s mistress before he “made a proper woman out of her”. Both of their morals leave a great deal to be desired, and women who sleep their way to the top – sort of speak – are not called “First Lady,” a term which implies, well, first and foremost, that they’re a lady.
This isn’t “Pretty Woman” where the young call girl is turning tricks to survive and can be forgiven as she is introduced to the finer things in life and over time becomes a lady; this is about a Congressional staffer who graduated cum laude from college knowing exactly what she was doing when she became the modern day Madame de Pompadour to the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the person second in line in succession to the President.
Yes sir, Newt and Callista, quite the poster couple for fidelity and family values.
One last thought on this happy couple; why is it Republicans have no issue with a former Speaker who was having not just one, but multiple affairs – in the capitol – with staffers, while serving in office as a “family values” conservative, but they pilloried – and continue to pillory – President Clinton for having an affair in the Oval Office, with a staffer? “It’s not about his affair, it’s that he lied about it” is what conservatives say when asked. Bunk; it’s about the double standard of the conservative Christian right, the “family values” party. I have a problem with someone who is, or who has been, an adulterer holding any public office because they’re untrustworthy; it’s as simple as that; wedding vows are an oath, a covenant every bit as binding as an oath of office. If a man can’t keep one oath why should he be trusted to keep the other?
Hypocrisy thy name is the Republican Tea Party; Newt was a dreadful Speaker he would make an equally horrendous President.
The Huffington Post’s reporting Republican Tea Party (GOTP) presidential tag along Ricky “the Ric” Santorum’s attacking President Obama, feebly attempting to turn the killing of Osama Bin Laden into a national security failure?
At a forum sponsored by the Republican Jewish Coalition, Ricky reportedly said the President made a huge mistake when he announced the news of Bin Laden’s death too soon, and if he knew anything about Iran’s nuclear ambitions or an explosion at an Iranian missile base last month, he wouldn’t be able to keep it to himself.
“I would like to think that we had something to do that with that missile site but given the president’s record on — with Osama Bin Laden and not being able to keep a secret of everything good that he did for an even more than 24 hours, I suspect we’d know if we had anything to do with that explosion,” he said, according to Talking Points Memo.
“When Osama Bin Laden was killed a lot of the intelligence community was hoping that the President would keep that close so they could exploit the information that they gained from the computer files they picked up at that residence,” he elaborated later. “But the president just couldn’t help himself, he just had to go out and take credit for it and I think as a result of that we didn’t maximize the cache of information that we gained during that mission.”
OK, first of all Ricky, the death of Bin Laden was something America had been waiting to hear since the morning of 11 Sep 01; it wasn’t something to be kept “close so they could exploit information”; second, until you have something to show for your efforts as a so-called “presidential candidate” perhaps you should just shut your pie hole concerning foreign policy decisions by the President; unless of course you’re carrying water for one of the front runners, hoping to be the VP pick?
Ricky also criticized the President for being soft on Islamic extremism.
“This president, for every thug and hooligan, for every radical Islamist, he has had nothing but appeasement,” he said. “Ladies and gentlemen, learn from history.”
Nothing but appeasement Ricky? So, sending in Navy Seals and taking Bin Laden out was appeasement? Killing Anwar al-Awlaki with a drone strike was appeasement? Supporting the rebel forces in Libya leading to the overthrow and death of Gadhafi was appeasement? Ricky is – in the words of Shakespeare – an ass (as in jack-ass for the literary disinclined).
Santorum’s clearly trying to position himself as a VP pick for whomever eventually comes out on top of the Mittens/Newter fight; he’s made a lot of statements in the past week, flaying wildly and hoping to get press and air time; his campaign’s never had traction and it’s highly unlikely it ever will; fact is it’ll never get traction because Santorum’s an ass who repeatedly makes these kinds of ridiculous charges. Claiming the President’s been soft on Islamic extremism might play well in Tea Party Land but it’s lying, and it’s incredibly obtuse; clearly the President’s record on prosecuting the War on Terror has been sterling, and outside of FOX PAC groupies and Ditto-heads no one else is going to buy what Ricky’s selling.
While record numbers of Americans are out of work Republican Tea Partista (GOTP) presidential candidates are selling campaign merchandise made outside of the United States, according to ABC News.
ABC News reportedly investigated all eight Republican candidates as well as the president’s re-election campaign and discovered that campaign T-shirts for Newt Gingrich, Rick Santorum, Ron Paul and Herman Cain were all made outside the United States.
According to ABC News, at a Gingrich campaign stop one of its producers was given a T-shirt made in El Salvador. When Gingrich was shown the shirt and asked for an explanation, he deflected responsibility.
“I didn’t order it. I didn’t do it,” he said. “I have to ask the folks that ordered this.”
Later, a spokesman for Gingrich’s campaign told ABC News that the shirts were a rush order mistake and that it’s the campaign’s preference to buy American.
Yeah it’s the campaign’s preference, meaning it buys from the lowest bidder; like buying t-shirts probably made by child labor in some squalid sweat shop in El Salvador. No doubt it was Newter’s “love for America” which drove him to buy foreign made over American made; just like it was his “love for America” which drove him into having multiple extra-marital affairs.
Hermann (Pizza Man) Cain was also questioned by ABC News when it was discovered his campaign t-shirts were also made overseas, but the Pizza Man, like the Newt, claimed ignorance.
“No, I wasn’t aware it was made in Honduras,” Cain said. “I was just aware it was Fruit of the Loom … which is an American company.”
That’s right Pizza Man, an American company taking advantage of low wages, horrible working conditions and tax loop holes to move jobs that used to be here overseas. These are the so-called “job creators” you and your fellow Tea Partistas are supporting.
When confronted by ABC News on their campaign’s using foreign producers both Santorum and Paul used the opportunity to make political statements.
“It’s tragic that so many products in this country are made outside of this country,” said Santorum. “You probably can find a T-shirt occasionally made here in the United States … but it’s harder and harder to do.”
And no doubt Ricky is going to get right on finding companies right here the good old US of A to make his shirts in the future. Yeah, OK, and he also has a bridge he wants to sell …
“If this senator doesn’t know how to find shirts, pick up the phone and call me. I’ll sell you the shirts,” said Abdul Rashid, COO of Bayside, referring to Santorum’s comment.
“We are creating jobs, and that’s what America is about—creating jobs,” said Rashid. “There are less companies in the United States making goods made in America, but all you have to do is go online and search. … If you do your searching, you will find us.”
The company reportedly says if all the candidates bought Bayside, it could hire another 500 workers.
In the 1970s there were more than 2.4 million textile workers in the U.S. Today, there are fewer than 400,000; two million jobs have been shipped overseas due to the relaxing of regulations largely done during the Bush/Cheney years, and supported then and now by conservatives who rabidly defend the free market before a free America.
Typical of the current crop of GOTP candidates and politicians, these four talk out of both sides of their pie holes. They claim to love America, and to support the American worker while buying from foreign producers, and supporting companies which have moved out of the U.S. to take advantage of juicy tax breaks and loop holes – the very same ones the Tea Partistas are fighting to keep in place.
Here’s the latest information on this week’s polling on the 2012 Presidential election.
First – from a Public Policy Polling poll conducted from 14 – 17 July 2011 – let’s look at who would be the Republican/Tea Party (GOTP) nominee if it all ended today:
Romney 20; Bachmann 16; Palin 12; Perry 11; Cain 10; Paul 9; Gingrich 6; Santorum 3 and Pawlenty and Huntsman both bringing up the rear of the pack with a whopping 2%
Romney (aka Flopsy Mopsy) is narrowly holding on to his lead, while Bachmann (aka Krazy) is steadily moving up still followed by the two candidates who haven’t announced they’re running, Palin (aka the Ice Queen), and Perry (Pres of the 2nd Republic of Texas). Bringing up the rear are Herman Cain (aka the Pizza Man, who has never met a Muslim he hasn’t disliked) followed by Paul, Gingrich, Pawlenty, Huntsman and Santorum.
Still wondering how long the guys in the back are going continue deluding themselves that they’re viable candidates? One would think you’d actually do some polling before you jumped into the ring, but I guess not.
With the first major GOTP contest being the Iowa Caucus; if it was held today (according to Mason-Dixon polling: Krazy 32; Flopsy 29; and the rest of pack are still running only in single digits so far back it doesn’t really matter.
So, how does the GOTP pack stack up against President Obama?
If the election was held today, according to NBC/WSJ (which only asked about Bachmann and Romney) and previous polls for the others:
President Obama 48/Romney 41
President Obama 50/Bachmann 35
President Obama 48/Pawlenty 39
President Obama 52/Gingrich 39
President Obama 53/Palin 37
President Obama 48/Cain 36
President Obama 54/Paul 36
President Obama 52/Huntsman 34
If the GOTP nomination circus – and the general election – had both ended this week Flopsy would be the GOTP candidate, and he would still have lost to the President.
Republican/Tea Party (GOTP) presidential candidates Michele Bachmann (aka Krazy) and Rick Santorum (Ricky) are rushing to find cover, as well as sanity, after the two reportedly supported a pledge containing a controversial racially charged preamble containing the statement, “Slavery had a disastrous impact on African-American families, yet sadly a child born into slavery in 1860 was more likely to be raised by his mother and father in a two-parent household than was an African-American baby born after the election of the USA’s first African-American President.”
Of course since the controversy began the excerpt has been removed from “The Marriage Vow – A Declaration of Dependence upon Marriage and Family,” a pledge issued by the uber-conservative Christian organization The Family Leader, an important social conservative group with power to influence uber-conservative right wing “Christian” caucus goers of Iowa.
A Ricky lackey told CNN that the Senator was “pleased” to sign the pledge, but agreed with the Leader’s decision to remove the language about slavery.
“Senator Santorum was pleased to sign the Iowa Family Leader’s pledge because he is committed to standing up for traditional marriage. The bigger question here is why aren’t more Republicans having the courage to stand up for the institution of marriage and signing this pledge,” Virginia Davis said in an email. “With that said, Senator Santorum believed it was the right thing for the Iowa Family Leader to remove the language from the preamble to the pledge about slavery.”
Krazy’s campaign has confirmed the congresswoman signed the pledge saying, “In no uncertain terms, Congresswoman Bachmann believes that slavery was horrible and economic enslavement is also horrible.”
The Family Leader has the purpose of the pledge “is to have on record the personal convictions of each presidential candidate as it relates to the issue of marriage. The signing of the pledge will be a requirement for future endorsement” by the Iowa-based group.
The pledge reportedly further requires signatories “to defend and to uphold” the institution of marriage as between one man and one woman, as well as each signing candidate being required to pledge personal fidelity to his or her spouse and to recognize that “robust childbearing and reproduction is beneficial to U.S. demographic, economic, strategic and actuarial health and security.”
Besides that last part being exceedingly 19th century like in tone, it’s clear – due to the fidelity pledge – that Newt Gingrich will probably not be signing any time soon; well besides the fact signatories actually have to be running for the presidency.
Other reported provisions include supporting the enactment of safeguards for married and unmarried military personnel from sexual harassment and the “rejection of Sharia Islam.”
After all, what’s a good old fashioned right-wing religious pledge without some line attacking Islam and wanting to protect all of us from Sharia law while forcing its own religious theocracy?
Point is we’ve either got two very stupid presidential candidates who don’t read what they’re signing, or we’ve got two presidential candidates who read the pledge and saw nothing wrong with it. Either way their signatures speak volumes about their willingness to sell themselves to the uber-right, and that’s a concern.
So, former Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum, one of a number of Republican/Tea Party candidates for the presidency, is vowing he’s “in it to win.”
Santorum, who announced his candidacy earlier this week on Good Morning America is currently polling – as are many of the GOTP hopefuls – in double digits behind President Obama supposedly enjoys strong support amongst social conservatives because of his stands on opposing abortion, recently blaming the nation’s so-called Social Security woes on the amount of abortions performed annually, claiming we have too few people paying into the program because of the number of abortions in America.
As has been said before here; anyone who claims they have the ability to overturn Roe v. Wade is one of three things: a liar, delusional, or both.
Following the recent killing of Usama Bin Laden, and subsequent claims which arose anew by conservative bloviators that it was the the torture of prisoners which led to Bin Laden’s location; Santorum claimed Senator John McCain – who spent 5 1/2 years in the Hanoi Hilton, and who vehemently opposes the use of “enhanced interrogation” – “doesn’t know how effective waterboarding and other harsh interrogation techniques can be”.
Yeah, he actually said that; this little man from Pennsylvania, who dreams of being the President, actually said John McCain didn’t understand how effective torture can be.
Of course amongst the exceeding far-right of the GOTP who cares if the man sounds like an idiot? After all he opposes abortion, gay marriage, embryonic stem cell research, fully embraces the Paul Ryan plan for the destruction of Medi-caid and Medi-care and believes the richest 2% deserve even more tax cuts.
When the dust settles, Santorum will become just one more guy who thought he had what it takes to become his party’s nominee, and who thought the American people would support him. Sorry Ricky, but most Americans do not support abolishing abortion, are not homophobic, support stem cell research, do not support the torture of prisoners, do not support the destruction of Medi-caid and Medi-care and definitely do not think the richest 2% are taxed too much. While all of that might play well in Palinville, it does not resonate with the rest of us – who contrary to FOX News and the conservative talking heads on the radio – do make up the majority of voters in America.
And so it begins. Those seeking the GOTP presidential nod have begun officially bowing before the alter of the far-right conservative Bible thumping, fire breathing “Christians” of the party hoping that they will receive the groups seal of approval.
The Washington D.C. two-day conference of the Faith and Freedom Coalition’s proved to be just too much of a temptation for the GOTP hopefuls who decided they needed to “render unto” the theocratic right what is there’s playing it as though it was also what is God’s. Never mind the fact at least three of the candidates don’t stand a prayer – or a snow ball’s chance – of ever gaining the group’s “blessing”. Those three of course would be Romney and Huntsman – both Mormon – and Cain, who besides the fact his name will offend some of the group, bears “the mark” of that name and will be snubbed because of it by large numbers of these so-called “religious” folks. Yes, they won’t nominate him because he’s Black.
Ever since their favorite son, former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee decided not to run – not wanting to be this election cycle’s Bob Dole – the far-right religious crowd has been looking for someone new to embrace, and all they had to do was hold a convention and off the GOTP candidates run to pander, and to promise, and to sell themselves.
As the selling of political souls began, the candidates set the nation’s most fearful moral concerns as federal debt and health care policies, while still playing up to the sizably overinflated egos of the religious conservatives.
According to the Associated Press, one of the two dreaded Mormon candidates, former Utah Governor – and Obama Administration appointed Ambassador to China – Jon Huntsman bypassed a large scrum of journalists but did give an interview to the Christian-oriented CBN network.
During his address to the “faithful” – after citing numerous anti-abortion laws he signed as governor of Utah – Huntsman declared, “I do not believe the Republican Party should focus solely on our economic life to the neglect of our human life”.
Strangely, neither Huntsman nor Romney mentioned their own religious faith while addressing this very religiously “inclusive” audience.
Others jockeying for the pharisaic endorsement included former Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty, Representative Michele Bachmann, former Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, who strangely declined an invitation to the conference; now why would Newt turn down an invitation? Maybe the whole being caught in the act of adultery thing is just too much for the sensitivities of these modern day “Christians”?
Pawlenty, a Catholic-turned-Protestant evangelical (basically someone who this group would therefore count as having been “saved”) opened and closed his remarks with biblical quotes. During his sermon, he declared his four top “commonsense principles” – if elected – would be for the nation are to turn toward God, protect the unborn, support traditional marriage and keep Americans secure. Translation being he would oppose anything produced in Hollywood, and would never support the building of any Muslim houses of worship anywhere close to the “hallowed” Ground Zero; he would take away a woman’s right to abortion; he would make sure only “his type” of people could get married, and he would declare crusades against the evil spread of Islam throughout the world, to include bombing Iran, maintaining the war on terror in both Iraq and Afghanistan and wholeheartedly support the torturing of prisoners.
The crazy woman from Minnesota, Michelle Bachmann, told of her home-schooling of her five children and how she had served as foster mother to 23 other children. She told the crowd – of a few hundred – that “marriage is under siege” in America, and then – as the self appointed priestess-in-chief of the GOTP – she ended with a prayer asking a blessing for President Barack Obama, the same Barack Obama she had just finished sharply criticizing moments earlier.
Romney – aka Flopsy Mopsy – who as a Republican Senate candidate and one-term governor in Massachusetts, supported legalized abortion, gay rights and gun control, but who has since “seen the light” and reversed his stands on those positions. His change of heart is not an easy sell when he so fervently defended each during an October 1994 debate against Senator Edward Kennedy
Flopsy spoke of “our belief in the sanctity of human life,” and said marriage should apply to “one man and one woman.” He said the nation’s high unemployment rate was President Obama’s fault and said job losses can push marriages to the breaking point, calling it – unemployment – “a moral crisis.”
It’s interesting that during his tenure as Governor of Massachusetts his state ranked 47 of 50 for job creation, and that he never spoke of this “moral crisis” while his buddies Bush and Cheney were throwing the economy to the wolves of Wall Street.
And last, but not least, the always entertaining Ron Paul of Texas mixed quotes from the Bible’s first book of Samuel with his familiar libertarian proposals, such as returning to the gold standard, appealing to the two things the crowd held most sacred; quoting scripture and personal acquisition of lucre.
But while the economy is a concern for almost everyone else in the country some religious conservatives are not happy with the heavy emphasis on economic matters these days, and the congregation sat stone faced when Boss Barbour spoke of how the sheep must blindly follow whichever shepherd won the nomination despite the absolute certainty they will disagree with that person on some issues – unless of course they pushed for and got someone like Palin or Bachmann.
Boos Barbour declared, “Purity is the enemy of victory.”
Yeah, I’m fairly certain that line isn’t going to become a bumper sticker throughout the Bible belt anytime soon.
I really hate to say it, but perhaps the “smart” candidates were the ones who didn’t go running to the church in the wildwood, and who didn’t promise things they know full well they can’t deliver on. Anyone who promises to overturn Roe v. Wade (i.e., “protecting the rights of the unborn”) is one of three things; a liar, a lunatic, or both. It is established federal law and no President is ever going to be able to overturn it. They are lying every time they speak as though they can.
How truly sad that anyone seeking his party’s nomination for the office of the President of the United States must go hat in hand to any religious group asking its blessing. It is even sadder they pander to the group which screams about Islamic Sharia Law being enforced in America – when it isn’t – while having absolutely no regrets of shoving its brand of “Christianity” down everyone else’s throats.
Perhaps Newt and Palin – gulp – were the smart ones.
Former Republican Tea Party (GOTP) Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum is setting up a fundraising committee allowing him to take those crucial baby steps toward a 2012 presidential campaign.
Santorum, who significantly lacks the name recognition and fundraising organization of his better-known rivals, is a favorite among the right wing of the GOTP primarily because of his anti-gay and anti-abortion stands. He recently claimed America’s Social Security funding issue was due to too many abortions in America.
“It’s time for America to be America again — an America that rewards innovation and hard work, that stands by our allies instead of our enemies, that protects even the most vulnerable of our society, and an America that says every life is to be cherished,” Santorum told supporters in an email that was sent as he announced his plans on Fox News Channel. “That’s what I believe in and that’s why I’m taking this next step in a possible run for president.”
It’s time for America to be America again? What country have we been? Or is this a new twist on the same old theme, “We’ve got to take America back”?
Of course, “an America that rewards innovation and hard work” is Tea Party code for “we’ve got to continue tax cuts for the wealthy and cut social spending to those welfare queens driving Cadillacs”.
“… an America that stands by our allies instead of our enemies”. Is Tea Party code for, “… an America where we bomb first and ask questions later, an America where we tell our allies, ‘It’s our way or the highway.’”
And, “… an America that protects even the most vulnerable of our society, and an America that says every life is to be cherished,” is the Holy Grail for the far right wing religious fringe which bases all of its voting decisions on abortion; so, woman, don’t even think of having an abortion in Santorum’s America. If you’re raped, too bad! If you might die having that baby, too bad! There are no abortions in Santorum’s America, no matter what!
On Gay and Lesbian issues Santorum made headlines in 2003 when he declared, “If the Supreme Court says that you have the right to consensual (gay) sex within your home, then you have the right to bigamy, you have the right to polygamy, you have the right to incest, you have the right to adultery. You have the right to anything.”
After taking a lot of heat for his avowal, Santorum released a statement, wherein he did not dispute the accuracy of the quote, but criticized the AP and the “liberal” media for “misleading” the story.
“I am a firm believer that all are equal under the Constitution,” he said. “My comments should not be construed in any way as a statement on individual lifestyles.”
But, wait for it, according to unedited excerpts of the taped interview released the same day, by The Associated Press, Santorum spoke at length about homosexuality, and he made clear he did not approve of “acts outside of traditional heterosexual relationships.”
His views on both abortion and homosexuality are based on his Christianity, and that’s what is the most troubling about candidates like Santorum. It’s this attitude that pushing one’s so-called far right Christian values into the arena of public office is OK, but no one else’s views are permitted. For candidates like Santorum there is no separation between Church and State, unless you’re a Muslim. For the far right Christians of the Tea Party movement Islamic Sharia law is abhorrent, but Christian Sharia law is fine. Fortunately, Santorum’s appeal is fairly limited to the far right, and that areas already pretty crowded with Palin, Bachmann and Huckleberry.
Grand Old Tea Party (GOTP) presidential hopeful Rick Santorum, during his latest trip to New Hampshire, was asked about the status of the country’s social security system in an interview on WESZ-AM. He replied the system would be in much better shape if there were fewer abortions.
While admitting the system has flaws, he says the real reason social security is in big trouble is there aren’t enough workers to support retirees. He blamed the lack of workers on the “nation’s abortion culture”, claiming it’s that culture, coupled with policies that do not support families; that are denying America what it needs — more people.
Wow. Really Rick? America’s social security is allegedly in trouble because there have been too many abortions? How about maybe there isn’t enough tax being taken from those who can afford it? Maybe the fact the wealthy only pay social security on a small percentage of their income each year and yet draw full benefits when they retire has something to do with it? Why not require the top 2% of the population to pay its taxes, rather than continue to give it tax breaks? But on no, that would be far too easy; instead we have to appeal to the far right religious fanatics of the GOTP, and instead of offering solutions to a perceived problem we have to create excuses. Maybe you can help the GOTP take our country back to that simpler time when woman were men’s property, and were expected to simply stand bare foot and pregnant in the kitchen? Are there no serious conservative contenders for the presidential nomination? No, instead it appears we have another nut ready to be gathered into the Tea Party nest.
The Liberty Tree 