Well, duh.

Reviewing poll numbers which show that even as Republicans leads in generic matchups against Democrats, the GOP has still failed to regain the positive image it enjoyed frequently in the mid-1990s and occasionally in the early 2000s, I realize that our party still has not recovered to the damage the “brand” suffered in the concluding years of the Bush Administration.

At the same time, polls have shown that the ideas which undergirded the Reagan Revolution have gained greater favor among the American people.

In other words, people like the basic Republican ideas, but don’t yet trust the GOP to promote them and enact legislation consistent with them once in office.  It’s why I believe my party needs a new Contract with America, not the same as that successful document from 1994 — one that helped the GOP regain (after a 40-year hiatus) a congressional majority and whose planks the Democratic President of the United States cited as his accomplishments when he accepted his party’s nomination in 1996.

In a renewed contract, Republicans could acknowledge its failures in recent years and say something like “We understand that you [the American people] held us to the ideas behind that Contract and when we abandoned them, you voted us out.  We know that should we again stray from the small-government policies, you can — and likely will — do the same.”

Just such a Contract would go a long way to showing that Republicans recognize that they made errors in the past and could help improve their standing with the American people.

You may recall this ugly incident which showed the true colors of many of our Congressional elitists.  Here is US Rep. Bob Etheridge (D-NC) on full display with one of his constituents.

Etheridge has a strong challenger in Republican Renee Ellmers.  She has discovered that Etheridge has learned more than arrogance from his fellow Democrats in Congress.   Like Charlie Rangel, Etheridge too seems to have a problem understanding what taxpayers’ money is all about.

This is such a good trailer…. I wanted to bump it up so more folks could see it. 

And as my response to stupid comments from people like David.

Wow. A nice contrast to the Obama-Sherrod vision of America.

-Bruce (GayPatriot)

Sounds like the title of a great movie!  Heh, heh.  Well, I’m still in a nostalgic mood for what our Founding Fathers did on July 4, 1776.  And I caught this item on today’s Heritage Foundation blog.  I hope you find it as inspiring and motivating as I did when I read it this morning.

Happy Birthday America! America is 234 years old. She was born on July 4, 1776, with the passage of the Declaration of Independence.  Since then, America has grown from thirteen colonies on the east coast to fill a vast continent. Her economic and military power is envied around the world. And the American people are hardworking, churchgoing, affluent, and generous.

Independence Day is an opportunity each year to remember the root of our success—our founding principles as set forth in the Declaration of Independence.

The Declaration of Independence serves as a philosophical statement of America’s first principles. As Matthew Spalding describes, the Declaration affirms that all men are created equal. By nature, men have a right to liberty that is inalienable, meaning it cannot be given up or taken away. And because individuals equally possess such inalienable rights, governments derive their just powers from the consent of those governed. The purpose of government is to secure these fundamental rights, and the people retain the right to alter or abolish a government that fails to do so.

These principles have made America the great nation it is today. But, since the early 20^th century, these principles have been under attack in the academy, the media, and popular culture. So-called progressives have rejected the existence of self-evident truths—in the Declaration of Independence and elsewhere. Instead, they embrace the notion of “Progress” that is constant change towards an unspecified end. From these faulty principles, it follows that, all men are not created equal; some people are further along in the historical process than others. There are not permanent rights with which man is endowed. Government creates rights, and these rights evolve according to the demands of the time. There is no need for consent of the governed, just experts who will tell us how to live and how to progress.

This is a serious attack on our principles, but not an insurmountable one.

We, The People are in charge.  Our government’s power comes from our consent.  And our rights come from our Creator. Never forget that!

-Bruce (GayPatriot)

At least since the 2008 Republican National Convention, where I had the good fortune to be present, when the then-Governor of Alaska, our party’s nominee for Vice President gave a stem-winder of a speech, I have compared that good woman to the Gipper.

Like that great man, she has a natural stage presence, a certain dynamism, an appreciation and affection for the ideas which define our nation, and a heart-felt optimism about its future.

Unlike Reagan, however, she lacks an education in the depth and breadth of conservative political philosophy.  Before his famous speech on behalf of then-GOP presidential nominee Barry Goldwater in 1964, he had spent years reading widely and reflecting on what he was learning.  Only after he had educated himself did he launch himself onto the political scene.

And now Palin, with great energy and incredible effect, is so launching herself.  She is doing a lot of good for the GOP, but she is also delaying her own return to a position of leadership.  She inspires us, she motivates us, but she needs better educate herself before she can lead us.

But, maybe that’s not her goal.  Maybe she relishes her role as the Reaganite rallying the rank and file around his ideas and vision.  Commenting on her appeal in his list of influential Republicans, Chris Cillizza writes, “There simply is no bigger figure in the Republican party than Palin. Where she goes, crowds and enthusiasm follow. But, there is a difference between enthusiasm and influence.”

I’m glad she’s out there, stumping for our team.  She is helping promote the ideas of Ronald Reagan.  But, if she wants to follow in his footsteps, she’s got some larnin’ to do.

No, I’m not going to Barney Frank’s Florida condo.  Shame on you people!

Actually I’m bound for New Orleans, Louisiana to report on and envelop myself in the Southern Republican Leadership Council.  I’m hoping it is like CPAC but with more Southern food.

I’ll be reporting from inside at Bloggers’ Lounge later tonight.  Four great speakers lead off the program tonight:  Mary Matalin, Liz Cheney, JC Watts & Newt Gingrich.  Hmmm, Watts/Cheney… 2012 anyone?

So watch this space later today for reports of N’awlins.

-Bruce (GayPatriot)

Just chanced upon this post, The Coming Conservative Renaissance, while linking another.  I had penned it in October 2008.

As our readers note, Tammy Bruce is a gun-toting, abortion-rights’ supporting lesbian feminist who once served as president of the LA chapter of the National Organization for Women, breaking with them after her harsh criticism of O.J. Simpson and his defenders during his murder trial.  In 1992, she enthusiastically backed Barbara Boxer in her first bid for the United States Senate.

On Saturday night, she was Bruce and my guest at the Claremont dinner, honoring former Vice President Cheney.  And not only was it a treat to hear the Vice President speak and to meet that great and good man, but I was particularly honored to sit next to Tammy at dinner.  She is a great conversationalist who does not mince words.

Just like the former Vice President.

And during dinner, we were constantly being interrupted as numerous guests at this fundraiser for a conservative think tank came up to tell this pro-choice lesbian how much they loved her and appreciated her work.  She was even approached as we retreated to the bar after the dinner.

So, here we have an openly lesbian, openly pro-choice, openly feminist woman with an enthusiastic fan base among Angeleno conservatives.  Guess being a lesbian is not a hindrance to earning accolades on the right.  Kind of defeats the narrative of a narrow-minded, gay-hating right.

John and I had a great time on our whirlwind trip to LA this weekend. Thanks to Leah, Western Princess of the Homocons for her hospitality!! Karl Rove and Dick Cheney’s speeches were challenging but inspirational. We were thrilled that they appreciated our blog and went out of their way to acknowledge our prescence.

More travel for me this week: Atlanta, including the BlogTalkRadio shoe on Wed night at 10pm Eastern.

And now, I plan to snooze across the fruited planes….

Have been meaning to write on this for a while, but all the words back-and-forth over the Stalinization of Health Care Act of 2010 kind of got us all on a single track for a while. But now finally getting the chance.

I lived in Cleveland for a short time as a kid and remembered it being kind of drizzly and grey, climate-wise. (Given that my family moved from there to the Queen City of the Plains in our great Centennial State, naturally, the clime left much to be desired. Not every place can be as beautiful as here!) However, I didn’t know much about the problems of the “Mistake on the Lake”, as it’s called by some.

Earlier this month, reason.tv posted a series of videos featuring the city’s favorite son, Drew Carey, and focusing on free-market solutions to the city’s issues. It’s a six-part series titled “Reason Saves Cleveland”. If you’re from the area, or are interested in urban revitilization through free-market principles and liberty, I recommend you take the time (about an hour altogether for all six episodes) to check it out.

The topics are:
Episode 1: The Decline of a Once-Great City
Episode 2: Fix the Schools
Episode 3: Privatize It
Episode 4: Take Care of Business
Episode 5: Encourage Bottom-Up Redevelopment
Episode 6: Bring Back the People

Some jokingly say that Cleveland’s motto is, “Maybe Next Year”. Tongue in cheek, sure. But maybe there’s something to that. For that matter, ideas like these could probably help many other cities in a recession-era slump, and even some who are doing well but could also benefit from a capitalist shot in the arm.

-Nick (ColoradoPatriot, from The Office)

I find myself generally to be an optimist.  Maybe that’s one reason I love the Gipper so much; that great and good man defined optimism.  It was practically his faith.

To be sure, I’m not always optimistic.  I do have my dark days.

For the better part of Friday, despite the hectic nature of the week — and the considerations of the impact of Sunday’s vote in the House of Representatives on our freedom, our economy and of course our health care system — I was feeling pretty upbeat.  Maybe it’s that after a week of agonizing over how to begin the current chapter of my dissertation, it just fell into place and the words flowed.

Maybe it’s that Bruce is in town and amid all the activities, I will get to hobnob with some blogger readers and conservative friends.  Or maybe it’s just my nature.

But, something struck me (yet again) while pounding away on the Stairmaster before heading out to the Reagan Library.  I looked up at the television monitors in front of me.  And when I wasn’t enjoying Naked Gun 33 1/3:  The Final Insult, I was watching Rep. Anthony Weiner (D-NY) whine about something or other.  This career politician who represents an overwhelmingly Democratic district (he succeeded Chuckles Schumer for whom he once worked) presumed to warm Republicans about how the “Teabaggers” (at least that was the word on the closed captioning) threatened to divide our party.  (How would  a guy who’s spent his life in the Democratic Party have a clue about the GOP?)

(Hey, Anthony, how come our party was united in opposition to Obamacare when your party lost one-eighth of its caucus.  Doesn’t look like GOP division to me.)

It wasn’t just Weiner’s juvenile rhetoric which struck me, it was also his dour demeanor.   Like his far less attractive counterpart from the Bay State, he just doesn’t seem very happy whenever I catch him on the tube.  (Guess the glow wore off right after he kissed Bart Stupak.)  Nancy Pelosi seems to have put her smile on with her special make-up on Sunday, but has since lost the kit.  She doesn’t seem very happy any more.  And it’s not just the Speaker from San Francisco.  Whenever you turn to the tube and see Democrats on screen, they just don’t seem unhappy. (more…)

Jules Crittenden nails it:

If conservatives think America is full of rage and Congress will be theirs in November, and they plan on taking that for granted, they might be in for a surprise. November is a long way off. Talking health care for seven months when people have had to listen to it for a year might work, but I doubt it. If it was my campaign to take over Congress, I’d talk fiscal responsibility and government accountability. Everyone will know exactly what you are talking about. Elected leaders that don’t listen, spend too much and think they know better than you do.

The rage and indignant righteousness won’t get it done, either, BTW. They might help. But it will be hard to keep the American public PO’d that whole time. People will get real tired of that, and might decide they’re PO’d at the people who want them to be PO’d all the time. Turning rage into work might work though. Relentless, smart, observant, opportunistic, door-to-door, listening, handshaking, baby-kissing, truck-driving work and taking nothing for granted. Also, to steal a line from an old Dem who knew all of that inside out, Tip O’Neill, don’t forget to ask people to vote for you. People like to be asked. That might do it.

Emphasis added.  Via Instapundit.

Look, poll after poll after poll shows that health care is not nor has it has been (at least since the 2008 election) the most pressing issue to American people.  We are more concerned about the economy, about jobs and about the deficit.  Recall how Democrats pushed the “stimulus” promising it would keep unemployment, now at about 10%, below 8%?  Recall how Obama campaigned on a “net spending cut,” saying, in a campaign ad, that he would ”pay for his new spending plans with even bigger spending cuts.”

Small government ideas, fiscal responsibility, resonate with the American people.  Yes, Republicans should run against this big government boondoggle, but it should be part of a campaign against big government in general and in favor of real reforms which rely on removing regulatory burdens and not increasing federal expenditures.

The idea is to unleash the entrepreneurial spirit of the American people.  As most new jobs come from small business, so do many new ideas and innovations which improve the quality of not just our health care, but also of other good and services in other industries.

Whenever I see Paul Ryan speak, I have hope for the future of the GOP.  This intelligent young (he just turned 40) conservative can both articulate broad conservative principles and explain the details of various legislative proposals.  In short, he can apply conservative ideas to the process of governing.

Fewer legislators have so favorably distinguished themselves in the the health care debate than has this fetching Congessman from Janesville, Wisconsin.   With his state’s junior Senator Russ Feingold’s favorable rating on a steady downward trend since the dawn of the Obama Administration, seeing his his approval fall below 50%, now barely above his disapproval, that liberal Democrat is looking increasingly vulnerable in a state which appeared to be moving away from the Democrats in the early 200os.

Why not replace that principled liberal (and apparently very decent guy, being one of the few incumbent Democrats to show respect for his constituents holding different political views than he) with a principled conservative?

Why isn’t Ryan running to replace Feingold?

It appears instead that former Governor Tommy Thompson is readying a Senate bid, preparing to replace Feingold.  While Feingold edges Thompson in the most recent poll, Thompson has led in a number of polls going back to last October.  And while Tommy Thompson would make a fine Senator, Ryan would make a better one.  And as a younger man, he would present a better image of the GOP as the party of ideas for the current and coming generations.

Well, at least with Thompson, we get a leader with  a real record of reform; as Wisconsin’s long-serving Governor, he all but pioneered welfare reform.  But, in a choice of two reformers, I’d prefer the younger, the one who has so distinguished himself in the current debate.

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…)

I am thrilled to announce that as of today, I’m a new contributor at Andrew Breitbart’s Big Journalism site.  My first post summarizes the “homocon tipping point” that occurred this past weekend at the CPAC conference.

Here’s a taste:

The reaction from the mainstream media and Gay Left blog community was swift and predictable:   CPAC boos the gays. Most delivered their verdicts without being at the conference itself, talking to anyone there or even watching the earlier video where Alexander McCobin was applauded.  The idea that the conservative movement would actually rally behind GOProud at the CPAC conference was completely unimaginable to those on the Left as news of the event spread.

But there’s a LOT more.  I encourage you to read the whole thing.

And, while I’m at it, let me suck up a bit to my new partner — the conservative media bulldog Andrew Breitbart.

Andrew Breitbart of Breitbart.com, BigGovernment.com, BigJournalism.com, BigHollywood.com is big.   He is bigger than all his entities combined, he is big energy, big bravery, big wallet, and big-hearted to take on seemingly endless government corruption in the Obama administration.  He fills any room with his aura and his voice.  Everyone knows when Breitbart is in the house.

-Bruce (GayPatriot)

Yep, I’ll be at CPAC this coming Wednesday through Sunday.   And so will GOProud…

GOProud will be the only gay organization co-sponsoring the 2010 Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC).  As most of you know, CPAC is the nation’s premier annual gathering of conservatives and GOProud is honored to have the opporunity to represent gay conservatives and our straight allies at this important event.

GOProud will be at CPAC standing up for the values of gay conservatives and I write to you today asking you to stand with GOProud. 

If you are going to be in DC for CPAC, please join us.  Below is a run-down of some of our plans for CPAC.  Whether you will be here for CPAC or won’t please support GOProud’s work -  Click here to contribute.

Wednesday, February 17, 6 pm – 8 pm – Join us for an informal happy hour at the Dupont Hotel Bar.  Click here for directions.  This will give GOProud folks a chance to meet and get to know each other before CPAC starts on Thursday. (We expect we’ll get together Thursday – Saturday nights too.  Stop by the GOProud booth any day during CPAC to see what’s planned for that evening.)

Thursday, February 18 – Saturday, February 20 - The focus of our CPAC efforts will be our GOProud information booth in the exhibit area near radio row.  This is our opportunity to talk about GOProud’s mission, answer questions, and grow our organization.  Please support GOProud’s CPAC booth by making a contribution to this important effort today

Saturday, February 20, 11 am - GOProud’s Jimmy LaSalvia will speak to CPAC about “Using Technology to Mobilize Conservatives.”  Click here for more information.

We hope that you will join us next week at CPAC!  There’s still time to register here.  If you can’t make it to Washington, we still need your help.  Remember, only one CPAC co-sponsor represents gay conservatives and their allies.  Please support GOProud today.  Click here to contribute.

In addition, I’ll be a speaker at a Blogger-Free-For-All panel hosted by BankofKev.  The panel is Thursday at 4:00PM.  Please come by the Marriott Wardman Park Hotel to say hello and support GOProud this week.

Oh yeah, I’ll be blogging and hopefully doing some videopodcasts too!  The one speech I’m definitely going to liveblog: MARCOOOO RUUUUBIOOOOO!

-Bruce (GayPatriot)

In the coming days, as they have in the last moments of the campaign to elect someone to fill Daniel Webster’s Senate seat, many Democrats will dismiss the election of a Republican in a state which hasn’t elected a Republican to federal office since before the president won his first election as an aberration, the consequence of a weak candidate running a poor campaign.

But, before they dismiss this good woman, they should recall that, in a Democratic state not normally friendly to women statewide, she rose to political power rather quickly and easily secured her party’s nomination to succeed Ted Kennedy. She was running a smart campaign until she, like everyone, including most right-of-center pundits, became aware of the power of the Brown juggernaut.

We all give Barack Obama’s for running a great presidential campaign back in ’08, but even he was caught off-guard by McCain’s choice of Sarah Palin. It took an economic crisis for that Democrat to right the listing vessel his campaign had become in early September. Had it not been for the mortgage meltdown, Obama may have limped his way to November, handing the White House to the GOP for another four years.

There were 17 days between McCain’s announcement of his running mate and the collapse of Lehman Brothers and 15 between the first sign that Democrats should not take the Massachusetts race for granted and Election Day.  And, in some ways, fewer than that; it took the Democrats a few days to realize the significance of the January 4 Rasmussen poll showing Brown within striking distance.  Perhaps, their delay in realizing the survey’s significance was due to their party’s prejudice against that pollster (as Politico reported just days before the release of that milestone survey). (more…)

UPDATE: AllahPundit notes that this level of conservative self-identification is “back to same level as post-9/11.”  Interesting.  Perhaps a one-night stand with Obama was enough to give America The Hangover Of The Century?

STILL. From Gallup today:

PRINCETON, NJ — The increased conservatism that Gallup first identified among Americans last June persisted throughout the year, so that the final year-end political ideology figures confirm Gallup’s initial reporting: conservatives (40%) outnumbered both moderates (36%) and liberals (21%) across the nation in 2009.

More broadly, the percentage of Americans calling themselves either conservative or liberal has increased over the last decade, while the percentage of moderates has declined.  [GP Ed. Note: So much for Obama being "post-partisan" and a "uniter", eh?]

<..>

Thus far in 2009, Gallup has found an average of 36% of Americans considering themselves Democratic, 28% Republican, and 37% independent. When independents are pressed to say which party they lean toward, 51% of Americans identify as Democrats, 39% as Republicans, and only 9% as pure independents.

Ideological tendencies by leaned party affiliation are very similar to those of straight partisan groups.  However, it is worth noting the views of pure independents — a group usually too small to analyze in individual surveys but potentially important in deciding elections. Exactly half of pure independents describe their views as moderate, 30% say they are conservative, and 17% liberal.

Conservative Republicans hold the mainstream views in America.  The governing coalition in the US has been, since 1980, Conservative Republicans, Conservative Democrats, Conservative-Leaning Independents.  That all adds up to the magic 40% Conservative.  Then all you need is two swing 11% moderate Independents and you have your governing coalition.

Liberals had their wad shot in 2008.  Now the Conservative Governing Coalition of America is coming back and uniting around our Founding Principles.  Obama had better wake up and realize he ain’t the Premier of the United Soviet States of America anymore.

The problem of course is that liberals have infested the academic and media worlds and they whine, shriek and holler louder than the other 79% of America.  We need to change that.  NOW.

-Bruce (GayPatriot)

I’m writing this on my iPhone with a new WordPress app. If it works, I’ll be blogging more!!

Yesterday, Human Events declared Dick Cheney to be the “Conservative of the Year.” (read the whole thing!)

In Washingtonian “inside the Beltway” terms, the most amazing aspect of former Vice President Dick Cheney’s new clout is that he is achieving it the old-fashioned way: talking about public policy. He is not running for President or any other office. He has not formed a PAC or a D.C. lobbying firm. He is not dishing on former colleagues, not spreading gossip, not settling scores. He is, instead, writing a memoir about his extensive career in public service, and giving occasional speeches and interviews, mostly on national and homeland security policy, long his central focus.

How is it, therefore, that someone who has no political ambitions can cause so much angst at the White House and in the mainstream news media? The irrefutable answer is that what Cheney is saying, primarily on foreign policy, defense and anti-terrorism, makes sense to more and more American citizens growing increasingly worried by the Obama Administration’s insouciance when U.S. national interests are threatened, both at home and abroad.

I’ll go one further. Cheney is without doubt The Conservative of The Decade and perhaps the most important and influential true American Conservative since Ronald Reagan.

Cheney proves again and again that he has core values and principles that are TRULY conservative and mirror the Founding Principles of this nation.

His devotion to individual American freedom and liberty is so pure that he becomes a progressive on the issue of gay marriage.

History will judge Cheney well. He helped make decisions that needed to be made to save the Republic. And I am confident that by 2012, a majority of Americans will only wish that Dick Cheney was our President or Vice President.

- Bruce (GayPatriot)

UPDATE (from Dan):  The former Vice President is not only, as Bruce noted above, devoted to his country, but also to his family, including his lesbian daughter.  He has treated Mary as we wish all parents to treat their gay children, loving her for who she is, welcoming Heather, her partner, into the family as he has her elder sister’s husband, including that same-sex couple in official events, including three inaugurations.

It is unfortunate that more gay Americans, including the heads of various gay organizations, don’t give this good man his due.  They may not share his politics, but they should at least appreciate his example.

As many of our readers know, CPAC (the Conservative Political Action Conference) is one of the premier, if not the premier, annual conservative gathering.  Slated to begin on February 18, 2010, it will draw leading conservative intellectuals and activists from around the country.  Among the group’s many sponsors with be our friends at GOProud.

Announced that his organization will be “a cosponsor of the single most important conservative gathering in the country”  Jimmy La Salvia, the group’s Executive Director pointed out that the “gathering of the nation’s most influential conservatives gives us an incredible opportunity to deliver our message.”  When the various conservatives assembled for this shindig see gay Americans speaking out against Obama’s statist policies while calling for smaller government and more personal freedom, some may reconsider how they view gay people.

At the same time, by allowing this gay group to cosponsor their marquee event, the American Conservative Union (the leading sponsor of CPAC) shows that it welcomes gay people.  Left-wing misconceptions notwithstanding, most mainstream American conservative organizations don’t discriminate against gay people.  And while there remain many in the conservative movement who continue to harbor unwarranted prejudices against gay people, their attitude is not–and never has been–central to American conservatism.

As gay individuals becoming increasingly visible on the right, we can help correct those prejudices still present in pockets of our movement.  Indeed, some groups, as one of our readers points out, who continue to promote such prejudices are also cosponsoring the conference.  Let us hope the presence of GOProud alongside them at the conference helps wean them of their prejudice.

By cosponsoring CPAC, GOProud is doing something other gay organizations refuse to do:   establish a gay presence an environment where prejudice persists.  If we really want to change attitudes toward gays, we need to work in environments where attitudes need to be changed.