I’m glad I stumbled upon this item in the Wall Street Journal today.

Any one whose labors take him into the far reaches of the country, as ours lately have done, is bound to mark how the years have made the land grow fruitful.

This is indeed a big country, a rich country, in a way no array of figures can measure and so in a way past belief of those who have not seen it. Even those who journey through its Northeastern complex, into the Southern lands, across the central plains and to its Western slopes can only glimpse a measure of the bounty of America.

And a traveler cannot but be struck on his journey by the thought that this country, one day, can be even greater. America, though many know it not, is one of the great underdeveloped countries of the world; what it reaches for exceeds by far what it has grasped.

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We can remind ourselves that for all our social discord we yet remain the longest enduring society of free men governing themselves without benefit of kings or dictators. Being so, we are the marvel and the mystery of the world, for that enduring liberty is no less a blessing than the abundance of the earth.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

-Bruce (GayPatriot)

I am proud this morning to announce my support for Herman Cain for President.

This is a personal decision by me and does not reflect the views of my co-bloggers nor should be construed as an official endorsement by GOPROUD of which I am a board member.

Now that I’m done with that disclaimer….let me shout this from sea to shining sea — AMERICA NEEDS HERMAN CAIN!!!! I have been flirting with the Cain candidacy for over a year now. I had the pleasure to meet him at CPAC and I have been closely following his campaign long before most people knew his name.

I felt it was important to declare my preference publicly today as I have decided to become actively involved in Team Cain to assist in the South Carolina primary and beyond. I owe my readers the transparency of knowing why I am writing about certain things and not to be confused by my intent.

Why Herman Cain? Well, haven’t been this excited about a Presidential candidate since Ronald Reagan in 1984 (the first year I was old enough to truly know anything and make a difference).

Some will now say, “now Bruce….there will never be another Ronald Reagan!” And that is true. And I am NOT equating Mr. Cain to Mr. Reagan. What I am saying is that Mr. Cain excites me with his common sense ideas, love of country, and ability to connect to the American psyche. Choosing a President has always been a “gut feeling” thing for America. I have a great feeling about Herman Cain.

Herman Cain has been plucked by destiny to arrive at America’s electoral doorstep at just the right time. He has a solid business background, is an inspirational leader of people, and understands the complexities of the world economy. He wasn’t a community organizer, he is a jobs and growth creator. He wasn’t a concocted creation of America’s radical left and academic centers of power, he is a true child of the American Experience. He has never scoffed at American values, he embraces our nation’s special place in the history of mankind and knows we are teetering on the edge.

Mr. Cain is familiar with rescuing failing enterprises, which to me is his most important qualification. In a sheer coincidence to the timing of my announcement, Daniel Henninger wrote this yesterday in the Wall Street Journal:

Does a résumé like Herman Cain’s add up to an American presidency? I used to think not. But after watching the American Idol system we’ve fallen into for discovering a president—with opinion polls, tongue slips and media caprice deciding front-runners and even presidents—I’m rewriting my presidential-selection software. [Emphasis added.]

Conventional wisdom holds that this week’s Chris Christie boomlet means the GOP is desperate for a savior. The reality is that, at some point, Republicans will have to start drilling deeper on their own into the candidates they’ve got.

Put it this way: The GOP nominee is running against the incumbent president. Unlike the incumbent, Herman Cain has at least twice identified the causes of a large failing enterprise, designed goals, achieved them, and by all accounts inspired the people he was supposed to lead. Not least, Mr. Cain’s life experience suggests that, unlike the incumbent, he will adjust his ideas to reality.

No other GOP candidate can bring the fight to Obama over the sorry state of the American economy than Herman Cain. Our other choices are, I’m sad to say, more of the same old thing — career professional politicians. Yes, even Ron Paul, folks.

So there you have it. My big announcement. Herman Cain is the first Presidential candidate I will actively and ENTHUSIASTICALLY campaign for through blood, sweat, money & tears since Ronald Reagan in 1984. That’s a long time of being unmoved by GOP nominees, don’t you think?

There will be more to say about Herman Cain and the issues. But I wanted to stand up today and proudly declare my support for the 45th President of the United States of America and the next true heir of the American Experience — Mr. Herman Cain.

-Bruce (GayPatriot)

UPDATE:  Here’s the podcast!

Tonight on the Gay Patriot’s America BlogTalkRadio show, I’ll be joined by conservative news guru AndrewBreitbart.

The show will air live tonight at 9PM Eastern Time.

Join the show online at this link —>
GayPatriot’s America

I’m looking forward to the show!

One of the best arguments I’ve heard against the repeal of DADT (which, as we say in the business is now OBE) is that it will lead to a new level of mamby-pambyness vis-a-vis gay troops demanding they be treated “fairly”. Often as we’ve noticed, when any “rights” group is looking for “fairness” it’s often simply code for “special rights”.

For the majority (based on my experience) of gay troops, our lives will likely not change much on a day-to-day basis. I, for one, am not planning to “come out” to anybody save a few close friends where I work. I’m expecting, in fact, that they likely know about me anyway. (After all, such a devilishly handsome man with so much going for him my age not married? He must be gay! Har har, but anyway…) Inasmuch, I don’t expect most gay troops will be demanding anything much more than simply not getting kicked out if we forget to use the gender-neutral pronouns when speaking of our dates.

This is not to say there won’t be a few (which will likely seem like much more than a few) flamboyantly unprofessional troops whose conduct will surely be seen as unbecoming and hopefully will be counseled right away. That will be a touchy subject I’ll save for another post.

For now let’s talk about “special rights”.

Many have argued this is a stepping-stone to a larger “gay rights” agenda. I’ve never seen it as such, and I regret that there will definitely be many gay “rights” champions who will misuse this to further their own agenda (much as those opposed to gay “rights” will also use it to further their agenda). They have no concern necessarily about the defense of the Nation nor about the military. We are a tool for them to use and they should be ashamed, if they knew any such thing as shame in the first place.

There’s another thing that I think might come of this which would be a good sign. Check out this quote from the DoD’s report on the repeal of DADT:

We do not recommend that sexual orientation be placed alongside race, color, religion, sex, and national origin, as a class eligible for various diversity programs, tracking initiatives, and complaint resolution processes under the Military Equal Opportunity Program. We believe that doing so could produce a sense, rightly or wrongly, that gay men and lesbians are being elevated to a special status as a “protected class” and will receive special treatment. In a new environment in which gay and lesbian Service members can be open about their sexual orientation, we believe they will be accepted more readily if the military community understands that they are simply being permitted equal footing with everyone else.

(emphasis added)

This is a sentiment I (as most libertarian conservatives) have long espoused: Equal treatment, not special treatment. Which leads to the next logical question: Why should “race, color, religion, sex, and national origin” be the basis for special treatment either? If gays and lesbians “will be accepted more readily” if not treated differently, wouldn’t that also be the same for members of these other groups? What an interesting outcome of this whole episode if the entire concept of “special” categories of troops went by the way-side?

For all the talk (and legitimate, I might add) of “unintended consequences” surrounding the repeal of DADT, what a happy accident it would be if, by virtue of this new policy change, we had to rethink how we treated everybody. Because if there’s no good reason to treat gays and lesbians as “diversity programs” (and there isn’t), then why do we need them in the first place? This could be a whole new chapter in respecting each other as individuals and as part of a larger team rather than the social balkanization the Left so often loves to use to drive us apart.

-Nick (ColoradoPatriot, from TML)

First, thanks to everyone who joined our Election Night internet TV coverage.  It was a blast.  My office is now back to normal, sans big screen TV with Charlotte skyline.

Second, my deepest sympathies to our readers and supporters in California and Nevada.  This is what happens when public unions that receive public dollars to fund political campaigns corrupt our elections.  Ya gotta figure a way to stop that to solve your issues, I’m afraid.

Third, some 2008-era slogans come to mind:  “Elections have consequences”  “We Won”  “The Republican Party is nothing more than a regional party now”

Oh yeah?

2008

2010

Nuf said.

I reserve the right to gloat as much as Obama’s ego is large.

-Bruce (GayPatriot)

Stay tuned for a special announcement at 3:30PM Eastern. 

I’ll be broadcasting live (er.. recorded live…) for the first time from GayPatriot Broadcast HQ in Charlotte, NC.

LIVE ELECTION NIGHT COVERAGE FROM FREEDOMWORKS
Anchored by Tabitha Hale, Melissa Clothier and Bruce Carroll

UPDATE:  Dang it, I forgot to mention the most important thing!  If any of you are planning to be at a campaign HQ on Tuesday night, please email me and let me know and we can try to get you on the show as a contributor (iPhone & Skype would help!).

-Bruce (GayPatriot)

I couldn’t express it any better than Kevin Williamson did at The Corner on NRO.

About Christine O’Donnell: No strong opinion about the candidate, though I understand the reservations about her. I do not much weep for RINOs and rather enjoy the sight of them going down in flames.

What this really should communicate, I think, is that the Right needs a lot more Club for Growth–style candidate-recruiting efforts. If conservatives do not like O’Donnell, then they should be out identifying better candidates to run against vulnerable RINOs — because somebody is going to run. These incumbent takedowns are going to inspire a lot of new people to get into electoral politics, many of them without the sort of experience or backgrounds that Establishment types are comfortable with. Power, like nature, abhors a vacuum.

-Bruce (GayPatriot)

UPDATE at 5PM: I believe the DC event has wrapped up. I wanted to add this new video of the crowd to the top. You can be the judge on how many people were there. The video was taken before the event had begun.

LIVE FROM US CAPITOL:
UPDATE from Melissa Clothier whose iPhone is the live stream you see below: 50,000 people behind her

LIVE FROM ST. LOUIS

Do something about it.  Yes, vote in the Republican Election on November 2nd of course.

But if you are free this weekend — try to get to Washington, DC and take a stand!

We are organizing another huge 9/12 Taxpayer March on Washington. In 2009 we rallied hundreds of thousands of people and marched right up to the capitol building in Washington. This year, we are coming back in full force, and we will be focused on one message — Remember in November!

Click here to RSVP for the 9/12 Taxpayer March on Washington!

This event will be organized by the same coalition that organized the original 9/12 March on Washington — including FreedomWorks, Tea Party Patriots, National Taxpayers Union, The Institute for Liberty and a host of other great free market groups from around the country.

Who: FreedomWorks and allied conservative groups

What: 9/12 Taxpayer March on Washington, DC – 2010

When: Sep. 12, 2010, 10:00am until 5:00pm

Where: The Washington Monument and the U.S. Capitol building

Why: To protest big government and support lower taxes, less government and more freedom

I had planned to attend.  But the mortgage-paying job always wins out.  I’m saving my pennies to pay for my increased health insurance premiums and prepare for the major tax hikes approved by Obama for January 2011.

And, I’m going to NYC on Sept. 25 for HOMOCON!

But please think about going to DC this weekend to do your part in bringing sanity back to our Federal Government.

-Bruce (GayPatriot)

Wow…. two weeks in a row, baby!  Tonight I’ll be talking with Ben Howe — a conservative activist and host of BTR’s “Renewing America”.  Ben attended the “Restoring Honor” rally in DC on Saturday and has some on-the-scene commentary to share. 

(Photo courtesy of Jon Ward from The Daily Caller)

Oh yeah… and I’m broadcasting tonight live from our nation’s capital — Washington, DC.  I couldn’t make it for the 8/28 rally, but I’m here this week for my “real” job.

And I’m just a few blocks from The White House.  Maybe I’ll hop on over to 1600 Penn Ave and ask Michelle for a crumpet.

Tune in tonight at 8:30PM for GayPatriot’s America.  We have a great chat room too!

-Bruce (GayPatriot)

Simple, yet effective country song about the state of our nation and how fed up most Americans are. (h/t – GP reader Spartann)

Unfortunately, standing up against the Obama Administration carries a heavy price. 

Bryan Glover, an assistant coach at Grassland Middle School near Nashville, co-wrote the country music song, “When You’re Holding a Hammer, Everything Looks Like a Nail.”

It was co-written by a parent who has a child on the team. Glover, 26, said he emailed a copy of the song to friends, family members and player’s parents through his personal email account.

And that’s when all the trouble started for the self-described independent conservative.

“The coach called me and said parents were upset – that I was being politically incorrect and the song had racial overtones,” Glover told FOX News Radio. “An hour and a half later I was told I was being terminated.”

“I was informed that I was being let go because of the song,” he said, denying claims there were any racial overtones in the song.

Racial overtones?  Good lord.  Hasn’t the “race card” expired already for overuse?

-Bruce (GayPatriot)

This is why We, The People are now armed with questions and video cameras to confront our elected officials.

Outrageous.

-Bruce (GayPatriot)

**WELCOME INSTAPUNDIT READERS!**

I’ve been thinking a lot about the prospects of the much feared age of “Big Brother” — where the Government knows all and uses that information to suppress.  And as dedicated readers know, my view of America and our past and future was radically altered after I read the book “The Fourth Turning.”

Clearly there are a lot of elements to Orwell’s vision that have arrived — too many to list, but originating with the Bush-era Department of Homeland Security.  But recently, I’ve thought about a new phenomenon that turns “1984″ upside down. 

The Internet, blogosphere, New Media, and everyone owning a video camera device has made the “Army of Davids” also an check and balance on the “Big Brother” State.  In fact, one could argue that We, The People are the true Big Brother (in a good way) by constantly monitoring and calling out the never ending moves toward tyranny by the Federal Government.  Exhibit A: Congressman Bob Etheridge (Ruling Class – NC).  Exhibit B: Congressman Brad Sherman (Ruling Class – CA) Exhibit C: Congressman Ciro Rodriguez (Ruling Class – TX)  Exhibit D:  Any Town Hall meeting in 2009 & 2010 (Ruling Class vs. We, The People)

I’ve also been pondering (under the influence of “The Fourth Turning”) whether or not the United States is in a “low grade civil war” (here and here) and whether it will become a “hot” one.  Yesterday’s Investor’s Business Daily has an editorial that combines all of these ideas and lays it on the line.

Will Washington’s Failures Lead to Second American Revolution? – IBD.com (h/t – Instapundit)

The Internet is a large-scale version of the “Committees of Correspondence” that led to the first American Revolution — and with Washington’s failings now so obvious and awful, it may lead to another.

People are asking, “Is the government doing us more harm than good? Should we change what it does and the way it does it?”

Pruning the power of government begins with the imperial presidency.

Too many overreaching laws give the president too much discretion to make too many open-ended rules controlling too many aspects of our lives. There’s no end to the harm an out-of-control president can do.

Bill Clinton lowered the culture, moral tone and strength of the nation — and left America vulnerable to attack. When it came, George W. Bush stood up for America, albeit sometimes clumsily.  Barack Obama, however, has pulled off the ultimate switcheroo: He’s diminishing America from within — so far, successfully.  He may soon bankrupt us and replace our big merit-based capitalist economy with a small government-directed one of his own design.

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A wounded rampaging president can do much damage — and, like Caesar, the evil he does will live long after he leaves office, whenever that may be.

The overgrown, un-pruned power of the presidency to reward, punish and intimidate may now be so overwhelming that his re-election in 2012 is already assured — Chicago-style.

It is interesting to see a number of people now thinking the way I have been since August 2009.  I certainly am not advocating armed revolution.  But I also know that we have the right to it under the Declaration of Indepedence (Read up on it, please. It is important.). 

Step one is holding Members accountable with the power of technology (someone should write a book about that!)  The second step is voting.

-Bruce (GayPatriot)

First, there was US House Rep. Bob Etheridge (D-NC) manhandling a college student in early June…

And now, US House Rep. Ciro Rodriguez (D-TX) completely loses his cool when challenged on the facts by his constituents. According to Mike Flynn at BigGovernment, this meeting with constituents was held “recently“. Arrogance doesn’t come across well on video for Rep. Rodriguez.

I wonder… are Democratic Congressmen learning their divisive and arrogant ways from Nancy Pelosi or Barack Obama?

Seems like these two Members would be more happy in an unchallenged Soviet system than in a democratically-elected Congress?  Just sayin….

-Bruce (GayPatriot)

Since publik skools don’t seem to teach the importance of the Declaration of Independence and the foundation of American liberty…then May 20, 1775 is certainly one date most folks probably haven’t heard of.

It just so happens that I live in Mecklenburg County, NC — the original home of American Independence. I’ve often wondered if fate somehow brought me here….

Here’s the story of Meck Dec:

Today’s a day when some people stop to celebrate a document that nobody can seem to find. This is Meck Dec Day. May 20, 1775 is the day when the Mecklenburg Declaration of Independence was said to be enacted here in Charlotte. It pre-dates the Declaration of Independence by more than a year. We here in North Carolina are so proud of the Meck Dec, we’ve even put the date of its alleged signing on the state flag.

We say alleged because nobody has ever actually found the Meck Dec. In fact, there’s no real evidence that it ever existed. Back in 1775, a rider named Capt. James Jack says he took the Meck Dec from Charlotte to the Continental Congress, but there’s no other documentation that he actually did it.

I’m not sure I’ll be blogging tonight, but don’t let that stop you from using this space to comment about the hot Senate races in Pennsylvania, Kentucky and Arkansas.

Goodbye, Arlen Specter.

And of course, I’ll be paying close attention to the PA Congressional District #12 Special Election (RIP Murtha) where I am praying that Tim Burns pulls an upset.  If this race is of interest, I’d suggest monitoring results AT THIS LINK.

-Bruce (GayPatriot)

I’m still a little bit uneasy about some specifics of the new Arizona anti-illegal immigration law. I haven’t read the entire thing yet, but unlike some careless and impudent public figures who also haven’t read it, I’m not going to come out and talk it down out of hand. That said, I’m gratified that some changes have been made to clarify and discourage misuse and misunderstanding. (Natch, the old-school press still insist upon distorting (lying?) the actual narrative about the law.) The immediate action by the Arizona legislature and executive to address legitimate concerns should show those watching that law-makers of the Grand Canyon state are earnest in their efforts not to be racists, but rather to ensure that the spirit of our Nation’s immigration laws is alive in well in the state, especially considering the Federal Government has chosen not to enforce them themselves.

It’s striking how eager the inky-fingers of the old-school media are trying to destroy this incredibly popular (and necessary!) move toward national sovereignty. In the immediate aftermath of its passage, the then-new law enjoyed the support of 51% of Americans. Since then, the media, illegal-immigrant activists, and even the President of the United States (talk about unprecedented!) have done their best to undermine support for the new law.

The result? That support is even higher now (at 59%), and Governor Jan Brewer’s popularity has enjoyed a boost. Seems the more the elites of the Left demonize the measure, the more popular it gets.

Perhaps there’s something to learn from dismissing the nay-sayers and just unapologetically doing what’s right, and damn the chattering.

Last night at my Congressional District’s Republican Assembly I was joking with a fellow delegate that if I ever ran for office, my stump speech would be something like: “Vote for me and you’ll get less from the government. I’m not going to bring any money back to the district, I’m not going to fight for our ‘fair share’. I’m just going to return your own choices and leave the spending of your money to you rather than run your life from Washington (or Denver).”

Fat chance winning with a platform like that, but maybe Christie and Brewer are starting to realize Americans are pining for straight-forward, common-sensical leadership and are ready to embrace someone who simply solves problems. Is there a new yearning in America for politicians who simply do what they think is right and dismiss their detractors? And if so, why does it only work when it’s conservative ideas (Christie’s budget cuts and the new Arizona law) and not Leftist ideas (SoHCA2010, Cap-and-Trade, bailouts, etc.)?

-Nick (ColoradoPatriot, from HQ)

Okay, so there’s been a pretty hot (and to a great degree oppositional) response to my post from last night about Constance McMillen, the 18 year-old (whom I mischaracterized as a “girl”, not realizing her age, alas) who had been hornswoggled (I’m running out of synonyms) out of her prom. I’m gratified so many people are so animated by this, and also glad to have sparked a debate in which I actually find myself with few defenders. It’s the sort of battle I prefer best!

In retrospect, I think I may have been too snarky in my original post.* I was flush with the glory of having witnessed my beloved Rockies complete their first ever no-hitter, thanks to the great Ubaldo Jimenez, so I was in no mood for sad-sack stories.

Upon further reflection, I think, while I don’t agree I owe her an apology, at least I do owe her a much more measured and reasoned address. At the risk of flattering myself that she cares what I think in the first place, said clarifiaction follows forthwith, below the jump:
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As promised, here is the roll call from the House vote last night. Sorry for the quick hit-and-git here, but I have too much crap to do tonight.

Rest assured, however, I’ll soon be culling this list, Googling like mad, and producing for you a comprehensive list of the “Ayes”‘ opponents.

I’d love for anybody who wants to help out to email me (my address is in the bar at the right) if you already know of any opponents.

-Nick (ColoradoPatriot, from TML)

Yesterday we saw history made as the largest take-over by the United States government of a private industry was narrowly passed by the House of Representatives and will soon be signed by the president in the face of an overwhelming opposition from the population of the Nation and zero support from the opposing party whatsoever.

I wrote in my post right after that fateful vote that it was time for America to choose which sort of moment that was to signify. As I slept on it (and wished I hadn’t given up alcohol for Lent) last night, I started thinking about what we do next. And here’s what I’ve come up with:

Last spring we told them “No” at Tea Parties. They responded by calling us all racists.

Last summer we told them “No” at town hall meetings. They responded by calling us un-American.

Last fall, we told them “No” in voting booths in New Jersey and Virginia. And in January in Massachusetts of all places. Their response was not to reconsider their positions in the face of their clear unpopularity, but rather to redouble their efforts to find a way around us and our wishes.

And now it has come to this. We can no longer say, They’re not hearing us; we’ve been loud. We can no longer say, They’re not listening to us; we’ve been clear. The only conclusion we can come to is that they knowingly defied us, and this cannot stand. They must all be removed.

The time has come for action.

It is time now to remove these people from their offices. Every Congressman and Senator who voted in support of the Stalinization of Health Care Act of 2010 MUST lose his or her seat this November 2d. It is imparative for the survival of our Nation.

This is not about malice. It’s not about vengence. It’s not about “teaching them a lesson.” It is simply about caring for our Union. It is the (metaphoric, mind you) watering of the tree of Liberty. (more…)