This Isn't the Tea Party I Signed Up For...I'm a Lost Libertarian Once Again

Really? I mean, Really? This is just ridiculous.



I had such high hopes three years ago. Back in 2007, I joined the Ron Paul presidential campaign, because I felt he reflected my political views more closely than anyone else running for President. Back then, we were called crazy and told small government views wouldn't work. But, we continued to work hard to raise money, canvass neighborhoods, and become delegates. I loved working on the Campaign for Liberty. We funded the original tea party money bomb back in December of 2007 as a way to bring attention to our freedom cause.

Obviously, Dr. Paul didn't become president, and our efforts seemed to be for nothing. But, as the Obama presidency has rolled on, the Tea Party voice has surprisingly become even louder. The only problem is, I don't know who these people are. I know the Tea Party, I worked in the Tea Party...and this, sir, ain't no Tea Party.  It never fails. Anytime you start something based in fact and principal, it gets all warped the bigger the movement gets. Somehow, our campaign for true ECONOMIC and PERSONAL liberty has turned into a sideshow for racists, neo-cons, and religious zealots led by a mormon radio talk show host.

Now, the greatest thing about the tea party back in 2007 was that it did bring people together. All different political affiliations, religions, socioeconomic backgrounds, ages, races, etc...it didn't matter. We were all joined together based on one idea: personal liberty. Not liberty for people and ideas I agree with...liberty for everyone.

But now, I don't even feel welcome in the Tea Party anymore. It's so religion focused, that as an atheist I don't identify. I don't think believing a specific religious doctrine makes a person moral or good...I believe most humans are just inheritently "good" beings. I have rights because I am alive, not because a god or government gave them to me. I am all for the freedom of religion and a person's right to believe in what they want to believe in...but I wish those same considerations were given to me. Instead, christian morals and values have somehow woven their way into being synonymous with founding father principals...which is just absurd. And, anytime the Republicans start dabbling in social issues...we start hearing Pro-Life, Anti-Gay talk...which of course is the opposite of personal liberty.

So now, I must say goodbye to a movement that I so enthusiastically joined so many years ago. I will still be a libertarian, a Ron Paul supporter, and a fighter for the Campaign for Liberty...but, sadly, to the Tea Party I must bid you adieu.

EDIT: Now, of course, if the current Tea Partiers end up actually supporting Dr. Paul in 2012, well then I will be proven wrong...and I hope that will be the case.

Dancing With Jennifer Grey

Tonight was my first experience with Dancing with the Stars. I know it's Season 11, but I can be very stubborn when it comes to reality shows. I watched the Real World back in the early 90s', the second season of Survivor and a couple early seasons of American Idol, but lately the only one I keep track of is the Amazing Race.

However, tonight I stumbled upon Dancing with the Stars. At first I thought I would have a few laughs and move on, but before I knew it the entire two hours had gone by.



The best part of the show, for me, was Jennifer Grey. I was so jealous of her in 1987. Dirty Dancing was the first PG-13 movie I ever saw. I watched it at a slumber party when it came out on VHS back in junior high, and from the first time I saw him I thought Patrick Swayze was god. I was convinced Jennifer Grey was the luckiest girl on the planet.

Watching her dance tonight actually made me cry. That probably makes me sound incredibly corny. I didn't feel so bad when I saw the woman judge (I have no idea what her name is) was also in tears. Dirty Dancing was such a big part of my pre-teen years, and I realized tonight how much of an impact it had on me.

I enjoyed watching Jennifer Grey dance again, even if it was without Patrick. DWTS producers were very sneaky by using a song from the Dirty Dancing soundtrack for her to dance to. But, it did create a great moment that I enjoyed.

Now the question is...how many "baby in the corner" references are we gonna have to put up with this season?

The Fresh Prince v Willow Smith

Willow Smith, the 9 year old daughter of Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith, has released her first single...and it's quite impressive for someone born in 2000.



But, being the Gen X'er that I am, I will always have a special place in my heart for the very first song I ever heard from Willow's dad...I still know all the words! Remember everyone...you go to school to learn not for a fashion show.

So the Republicans may win the Midterm Elections...So What? Who Cares?

Call me negative, but I don't understand what all the fuss is about. It's just hard for me to get excited about elections anymore. So recent polls are indicating the Republicans are on the path to quite a victory this November...big deal. Unless major party leadership is voted out on BOTH sides, it really doesn't make any difference.

Remember when people thought Barack Obama was going to be different from George W. Bush? Hilarious. I love that people fell for that. My libertarian eyeballs saw they were two sides of the same coin. Both guys love spending government money and flexing American muscle overseas. I am willing to bet our country wouldn't look much different if McCain would've won. The spending would have just been dispersed a little differently. Oh, but one is a Republican and the other is a Democrat...they have to be different, right? If you believe that I've got some oceanfront property in Arizona to sell you. (That is a rare country music nod on this blog...my short residency in Texas did expose me to George Strait)

I guess one of the perks of having the Republicans back as the majority in Congress is they can bring this Obama spending spree to a hault...kind of. They will say they oppose his spending and budgets due to principal, but we all know when they have the checkbook they like to spend themselves. Again, the disagreement is what to spend the money on.

What I think is important to focus on is not the letter by the winning candidate's name, but the actual philosophies he/she believes in. Having a Rand Paul in the Senate is not the same as an Orrin Hatch. Having a Ron Paul or Jason Chaffetz in the House is not the same as a John Boehner. I hate that Libertarians have to run incognito in the two major parties, but the system has been craftily built to make running as a third party candidate impossible. So, the change has to come from the inside...which is the part that really sucks. There are a few of us that are lucky enough to have freedom-minded representatives, but most of us do not. What is it going to take to get Constitutution focused people representing citizens in all states?

So, the Republicans may become the majority again in 2010. The question is: are we going to get another silly Contract with America or will some new philosophies start to be represented in Washington D.C.?

In 2008, I thought freedom was popular...but was very disappointed with the election outcomes. Hopefully, 2010 will be different...and 2012 will be revolutionary!

1990's MTV Commercials

Cole Stryker at urlesque.com did my work for me. I was going to put together some fun 90's commercials...but he beat me to it. Here are some great MTV commercials from a time when there was actually music on the channel. If you have some to time to kill, check it out.

TV Pet Peeves-2 in 1 Day

I will admit that I watch more TV than the average person. I am a TV/Movie junkie. I can't help it. It has always been that way, and I have decided to stop fighting it.

However, along with watching more than my fair share of TV, I find myself running into two of my biggest pet peeves on a regular basis. I don't think I can take it anymore.

   PET PEEVE #1

I am not a coffee drinker, but I understand the caffeine addiction that many people have. What I don't understand are TV characters having an addiction to coffee cups that DON'T HAVE ANY COFFEE IN THEM. Is it really that difficult to put a little liquid in that fake Mocha Latte? Seriously, this makes me so mad it's almost a deal breaker for me these days when I watch a TV show. If you can't take the time to make your story realistic, then I am not gonna bother watching. I couldn't even bring myself to put an example screen shot. It just irritates me.

PET PEEVE #2

There have not been many occasions for me to use binoculars, but I can tell you that when I do use them I don't see a weird outline around what I am looking at. Hey TV and movie directors, when you look through binoculars it magnifies the image, it doesn't frame it in two circles.

I know Brad Pitt & George Clooney Could Defeat the Terrorists

America loves its villains, and our government leaders have known it for a while. They spend a lot of time branding those bad guys into a product we love to hate. There is always an enemy to fight, and Hollywood has capitalized on this American fear (or pride, depending on how you look at it) since the early days of movies.

The first big Hollywood enemy came in the form of Nazis in WWII movies. Then, after Hitler lost his bid for world domination, we had to move on to the next big scary monster: the Soviets. The war may have been cold, but the box office would heat up when big stars kicked Communist ass.
Being taught the Soviets were the enemy and living in the Cold War was just a normal part of growing up as a Gen X'er. It was part of our pop culture life. I watched Patrick Swayze and Charlie Sheen fight a Soviet invasion in Red Dawn. I cried and cheered as Rocky Balboa knocked out Ivan Drago and won the hearts and minds of the Soviet people (If I can change, you can change...Everybody can change!) in Rocky 4. Hell, Matthew Broderick almost started global thermo-nuclear war with the damn Russians via video game in War Games! Luckily, the "good guys" always won.

So, this got me thinking. Our current enemy apparently is "the terrorists"...whatever that means. This has been the case for about a decade now, yet there has been no real attempt from Hollywood to showcase the power of the action star over our nation's enemies. There have been a few, mostly failed attempts at the "thought provoking" terrorism film (i.e. Lions for Lambs, Stop Loss, etc...). My absolute favorite movie on the subject would be Team America: World Police, but that film is far too intelligent for what I'm wanting here. I want to see a good knock down, blow 'em up, melodramatic, America is #1 live action flick.



• I want to cheer as veteran LA cops George Clooney and Brad Pitt, along with rookie Shia LeBeouf take down Al Qaeda at the Superbowl.

• Maybe I could tolerate Miley Cyrus if she were held hostage by terrorists. But, then with the help of her iPhone,secret nunchuck skills, and her Pit Bull named Kevin, she is able to escape and take down the biggest sleeper cell on the East Coast.

• Or...lawyers Tom Cruise and Cameron Diaz (who are oddly competent with firearms) find out the company they represent is really a terrorist front organization. So, they risk their lives as they team up with the FBI to bring them down from the inside.

Come on Hollywood, it's time to show the world who's boss.



Wolverines!!

Gen X'ers On Your TV This Fall

Donnie Wahlberg of New Kids on the Block fame stars in another cop drama. At least this time his co-star is Tom Selleck.
Blue Bloods (CBS)
Premieres: Friday, Sept. 24 at 10/9c

The fat kid from Stand By Me (Jerry O'Connell) gets hotter by the year. This fall, he plays a lawyer opposite Jim Belushi. The Defenders (CBS)
Premieres: Wednesday, Sept. 22 at 10/9c

 
 
 
 

 
 
Zack Morris has grown up to be an ambulance chaser in a new TNT show. I'm so excited! I'm so excited!
Franklin & Bash (TNT)Premieres: TBD

Kerri Russell will always be Felicity, but now she stars in a new show without Ben & Noel.
Running Wilde (Fox)

Premieres: Tuesday, Sept. 21 at 9:30/8:30c

90210 Day

Happy 90210 day!!! (The date is 9-02-10)

Come on people, whoever came up with this is a fantastic human being who has way too much time on their hands. And, no, this celebration will not include the new crap that's on the CW right now.