THE ISSUE'S NOT THE ISSUE

Chris Horner, author of "Power Grab" was on Hannity tonight.  In his interview, he used, over and over, the phrase "The issue's not the issue".  This is the mainstay liberal/progressive tactic to a T, and he deserves a hearty thank you for tagging it as such.  It's quick, concise, easy to remember and right on the mark.  A perfect foil for the coming campaign clashes. 

In his book, he discusses the Obama administration's green agenda.  On the face, the green agenda is hard to fight - after all, it's all about "saving the planet", and what kind of heartless, selfish person would you be if you wouldn't want to do that? 

But if you dig deeper, as Mr. Horner did, you will find that it has, in reality, very little to do with saving the planet - that angle is used merely as a means to an end.  For all the hundreds of billions of dollars in taxpayer funds that it will suck up and the unprecidented control over American citizens, there is little or no measurable good for the environment that will come of it.  As Horner says, it's all about power and control.  The green agenda is a perfect illustration of his quote, "the issue's not the issue".  It is being sold as good for us, but in reality it is not.  The issue isn't saving the earth, the issue is grasping more power into the ever-expanding federal government.

This phrase, "the issue's not the issue" is something that needs to be remembered and repeated so that all will know it, because within that phrase is the key to fighting back.  Understanding your opponent's tactics is the first step in defeating them.

The issue not being the issue concept applies to every piece of legislation that has passed this Congress so far.  The stimulus was not about helping the country get back on it's feet.  That is just the bill of goods we were sold.  That bill was all about consolidation of power.  It was a big, wet, sloppy kiss to all of the special interests who helped put the democrats in power.  That expensive thank you also acts as a promise of thank yous to come if the democrats stay in power, thus ensuring their legacy.

The health care bill was not about lowering costs, as was sold to us.  It was about redistribution of wealth and control over the most important part of your life - your health.  If they hold the key to your good health, you're more inclined to vote to keep them happy and in power, and redistribution buys a whole sector of voters.

Cap and trade isn't about the environment, it's about seizing wealth and controlling the energy sector.  Period.

The coming election isn't about a referendum on the distinctly leftward tilt towards european socialism that we are currently pursuing - it's apparently about George W. Bush.  I haven't quite figured out how yet, but give me time.   Suggestions are appreciated.

The democrat's talking points these days are not just a reflection of their desperation, they are also a roadmap for the coming elections.  But then, faced with polls like these and these and these, it's no wonder there is a distinct whiff of desperation in the air.  It seems that their entire strategy for the 2010 election is "the issue's not the issue" (and blame Bush, of course).

The liberals are geniuses at directing a conversation.  This is what they will attempt to do over the next few months.  Instead of addressing the issues that are paramount to a majority of Americans, they will redirect the conversation to either other issues altogether or changing the issue to suit their needs.  Thus the green agenda is not about power and control, it's about saving the planet somehow.  Instead of being accused, they are going to attempt to be the accuser.  When they are accused of grasping for power, they will accuse you of hating the planet.  Health care doesn't lower costs translates to "you hate people and don't want them to have insurance".  Concerns that there is a lot of taxation coming down the pike becomes "you're one of those fringe militia people, aren't you?"

It's a brilliant strategy, really.  When you have no answers, start asking the questions. 

The problem is that we have been subjected to this tactic for years now.  You might say the country was battle weary, but that would only confirm you are a tea party member extremist out to slaughter some random government official(s).  The secret is, though, that Alinsky was right.  In Rule #7 he said that "a tactic that drags on too long becomes a drag".  The rising opposition in the polls shows that the "issue's not the issue" tactic has become a drag.  It's time to start calling them out on it.

The tea partyers know the issues, often better than their representatives, and they are equally as tenacious in their pursuit of an answer as the liberals are in their attempts to avoid the discussion.  It promises to be an interesting summer campaign.  The big question will be whether the issue is debated, or the issue that isn't the issue. 

It's time to take control of the debate and demand real answers to the real issues.

UNIVERSAL VOTER REGISTRATION

God help us if John Fund is right.



According to Fund, the democrats, lead by Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and Barney Frank (D-MA) will be proposing a 'fix' to our voter registration problems.  The 'fix' is called Universal Voter Registration. 

Oh, it's a fix, all right.  As in 'the fix is in'.

For months now, many people have been wondering why the democrats are on a kamikazi mission to pass their radical agenda.  It just didn't make sense that so many would be willing to commit career suicide.

Here's how Fund says they are going to do it (via American Thinker):

In January, Chuck Schumer and Barney Frank will propose universal voter registration. What is universal voter registration? It means all of the state laws on elections will be overridden by a federal mandate. The feds will tell the states: 'take everyone on every list of welfare that you have, take everyone on every list of unemployed you have, take everyone on every list of property owners, take everyone on every list of driver's license holders and register them to vote regardless of whether they want to be ...'

How will they manage to sell this to the people, you ask?  Simple.  They will demonize ACORN and the voter registration fraud issues, using them as a foil to promote UVR.  They will argue that we need to get rid of those corrupt third party registrations.  After all, liberals are known to devour their own if politically necessary, so using ACORN as the villain is just par for the course.

And if the people don't buy it?  It doesn't matter, of course.  The Democratic Congress will ram this through against the protests of the American people, and they will do it quickly - time's a wastin', and November will be here sooner than you think.

The opportunity for fraud is astronomical with UVR. 

First of all, the chances of multiple registrations are legion.  If you are a property owner, you are registered.  If you have a driver's license, you are registered.  If you are on welfare, or food stamps, or unemployment, you are registered seperately for each one.  If you own homes in multiple states (living in FL, this is a common occurrance with our 'snowbirds' who live here only in winter months), you will be registered in all states where you own property.  It's almost impossible to be only registered once!

And don't forget, it takes an eternity for government agencies to get someone off the rolls if they die, so there will be lots and lots of dead voters out there - a custom made scenario for this Chicago Machine run administration.

This really will make it entirely possible to vote early, vote often, and vote from the grave.

What it comes down to is the numbers.  The thing that got many of the states who are investigating ACORN for registration fraud interested was that the numbers just didn't match up.  There were so many districts that ended up with far more voters that residents that it was impossible to ignore.  UVR would take care of that.

As of 2008, about 71% (about 146 million out of 206 million) of eligible potential voters are registered.   Of those, about 90% actually voted.  UVR would enable unscrupulous factions to access upwards of 60-70 million unclaimed (but still registered) votes - plenty to swing any election on any level.  Absentee ballots make this very easy - no ballot box stuffing required, just anonymously pop them in the mail!  Artificially increasing the votes by, say, 15%  would be easy to explain - surely more people would vote if they were automatically registered, right?  That 15% translates to about 9 million votes - the margin by which Barack Obama won election in 2008.

Because many states (like Florida) have opened absentee ballots to all eligible voters, the only way to verify if a voter truly voted, and whom they voted for, would be by personal interviews.  I'm sure that process would make the hanging chad drama of 2000 seem pale in comparison.

Granted, Schumer and Frank have yet to announce any pending legislation.  Now that the concept is getting publicity, it will be interesting to see if they still propose it.  If they're going to do it, it needs to be done soon in order to effect the 2010 elections.  With any luck, this story will get legs and nip this nightmare in the bud.

If not, this scheme must not be allowed to be enacted.  In one fell swoop this legislation would take us from our signature free elections that are the envy of the world to something resembling the fiasco in Iran last year.

PELOSICARE HORROR PROVISION OF THE DAY: PART 3 Updated

Today's horror provision isn't just a horror, it is also in direct violation of both they Hyde Amendment and the Smith Amendment.

Nancy Pelosi is determined to force her far-left progressive agenda down our throats. One of the major provisions that Americans are against is government funded elective abortions. The Hyde Amendment prohibits the use of federal funds to pay for elective abortions under Medicaid/care, and the Smith Amendment prohibits federal funding of abortions under the federal employees health benefits plans.

Pelosi's plan requires at least one insurance plan offered in the government exchange to cover elective abortions. On top of that, a monthly abortion premium will be charged to anyone enrolled in the government option. These premiums will be paid into a Treasury account that will be an abortion pool to pay for elective abortions.

Well, only people who opt into the plan will have to pay that, some will argue. The problem is, the way the bill is set up, eventually the only option will be the government (excuse me, consumer) option, and so all of us will eventually be paying into the pool. Maybe not next year or in five years, but, down the road, when all the private insurers are eventually driven out of business (which is the ultimate end result of the legislation), we will all be subject to it.

It will be interesting to see what the blue dogs make of this. So far, there are 43 democrats who have vowed to vote no on the health care legislation if there is abortion funding in it, so I'm sure Nancy will be twisting arms extra hard over the next 48 hours. Hopefully the blue dogs will stand firm against this abomination.

Yesterday they said the vote would be held Saturday, but I am hearing now that it will be Sunday. Sounds like Nan took a count and realized she's coming up short. What I'd really like to see is some blue dogs telling her they will vote yes so that it comes to the floor and then vote no to kill it once and for all. They would be heroes in my mind, and I'm pretty sure I wouldn't be alone.

UPDATE: A Planned Parenthood director just stepped down after two events - she witnessed an abortion ultrasound, and she got a directive to stop pushing prevention and start pushing abortions due to tough economic times. According to Ms. Johnson, "her bosses told her to change her "priorities" and focus on abortions, which she said made money for the office at a time when the recession has left them hurting." I mention this in this update because I find it interesting that A) Planned Parenthood is 'hurting' and needs to promote more lucrative abortions, and B) that Pelosi, a big supporter of Planned Parenthood, has conveniently opened the floodgates of federal funding. Let's not forget C) it turns out Pelosi's former deputy chief-of-staff, Cecile Richards, is now President of Planned Parenthood.

What a coincidence.