Representing Purple America

I've been graveling on a new name for my "personality" that really explains who I am and what I believe. The "Conservative Hippie Chick" is what I thought made sense, but know what? The Conservative part offends the liberals and the Hippie Chick part puts off the Conservatives! I just can't win with a name like that.

And so I've been thinking - what makes up Kristina? What represents my thoughts, my beliefs and my actions? First and foremost, I believe in individual responsibility. That's where the liberals and I have a major clashing.

While most Democrats and liberals want the freedoms of America, they're also quick to volunteer the government to guarantee the American dream. Rather than guaranteeing the rights that everyone is created equal and treated equally under the rule of law (we're all given the same freedoms, it's what we do with them that makes us special) they'd like to find a way to even out the score through taxation and entitlements. While they're living in a free country, they're looking for ways to socialize it, to equalize it, to communize it. And to me, that's about as backwards as one can think as an American. No one can create my dreams nor can they fulfill them. Only I can do the work to make my American dream happen.

Then we have the Republicans who believe in freedom, just as long as it abides by their religion. Yes, this country was founded on Christian ideals. There's no disputing it. There's also no disputing that all the laws of our Federal Government have been laid out in the Constitution, not the Bible!

According to the Christian Conservatives, it's my body to choose what I want, just so long as I choose the Christian ideals. How in the world does that make for Freedom of Religion? And if we don't want Shariah law in the US, then lets stop thumping our Bibles on anyone who lives differently.

There's no rule in the Constitution that says marriage is between a man and a woman. That rule comes from the Bible. If one wants to get married under LAW, then go for it! If one wants to get married in the church, then there are rules.

Individualism means that I have the right to live my life how I want just so long as it doesn't infringe on someone else's rights. I've lost faith in the two party system and yet come to accept that one must play the game in order to change it.

And so all this streaming conscience-ness has brought me back to "who the heck am I?". Well, I'm an independent thinking, thought provoking, outspoken American who is just tired of the Red and Blue. I represent Purple America - how about you?

3rd party roll-up?

There's been a lot of talk about holding off on the third party efforts this mid-term election. The argument is that, historically, the third party splits the conservative vote.

A couple months ago, I wrote a piece about America's third party that already exists - the Libertarians. Libertarians borrow the best of both parties and form a liberty-based political party. They take the Constitution for face-value, maximizing liberty and minimizing government.

I've been listening to these people, though, who say there's no room for a third party in this election. The stakes are too high! If we don't, as a free people, replace our statist federal government in 2010, America will be changed forever. If we split the conservative vote and a liberal is re-elected or newly elected, America will continue down the path of economic destruction.

Now here's what I think: libertarians ought to roll into the Republican primaries.

Many Republicans will find themselves on the Libertarian spectrum of the World's Smallest Political Quiz anyway. Then we have other Republicans who are fed up with the way the GOP has run things for the past 10 years. To top it all off, there are Independents & Libertarians without a prominent candidate in typical elections and end up voting Republican anyway.

So, with all that is on the line, what about the Libertarians fighting it out in the primaries with their true rivals, the Republicans? Then we get the best candidate of all. Isn't that what's most important?

I also like Neal Boortz's idea of voting Libertarian in local elections so they can build support through the ranks. That's something we can do now for a fundamental change in the future.

picture from: http://www.yummy.ph/Yummy-lessons/baking/details/how-to-make-refrigerator-pinwheel-cookies

Florida's third party for Senate

The Florida GOP primaries are making national news because Crist and Rubio cause drama for the Republican party.

It all started last year when Mel Martinez unexpectedly tendered his resignation, mid-term. Gov. Crist had his eyes on that Senate seat from his cozy desk in Tallahassee. Rumors flew about who he would appoint as Martinez's successor; it had to be someone loyal to Crist and who would remit the seat to Crist at the 2010 primaries.

Gov. Crist chose George LeMeux, the person credited with spearheading Crist's gubernatorial campaign and his former chief of staff.

And now, the race is heating up for the primaries. Crist thought he made the right decision with LeMeux and that he would be a shoe-in for the Republican ticket. Crist thought wrong. Marco Rubio has come from nowhere as the leading conservative in Florida. Rubio leads Crist by 12% in the polls; both men lead the Democrat candidate, Kendrick Meek. Crist has shown his liberal leanings through making a deal for sun-rail and by taking stimulus dollars to shore up the Florida budget. Rubio, on the other hand, has a proven conservative track record and a personal history any red-blooded American feels in their heart.

What voters are missing while Crist and Rubio duke it out in the GOP is that we have a LIBERTARIAN candidate! (take the Worlds Smallest Political Quiz to find out if you are Libertarian)

If Floridians are searching for someone who holds the constitution dear, someone who believes in personal rights and private property, someone who will really make a change in Washington, we must open our minds to Alex Snitker. Snitker has taken the 10th Amendment Pledge and vowed to fight for our rights as Floridians. Alex Snitker has FairTax as his first platform initiative. He believes in balancing the budget, holding politicians accountable, raising taxes through spending so that even illegal immigrants pay, helping our education system by ending the regressive payroll tax laid upon teachers and so many more American ideals.

So, watch out Florida! We have more choices than just Rubio & Crist. Take a minute to check out Alex Snitker and his libertarian platform.

Donate to Snitker2010.com and help Alex land the Libertarian ticket in Florida. He only needs $15k to get a spot. Remember, America was not founded on a 2 party system! We're better than that and we need to redeem our LIBERTY!!

what did you take home?

This past Monday, I was a guest on Wake Up! with Doug Kosarek, an Orlando-based talk radio show. His question of the day was, "when did you wake up to your conservative values?" almost comparing it to when Christians are born-again. There's no doubt that many people have distinctive memories of when they finally realized that the government was not on their side! Was it a traffic ticket? Or a dispute with a neighbor? Or when you received your property tax bill? How about the first paycheck you got and the shock of what you took home versus what you calculated based on hourly pay?

Well, I'm one lucky chick because I grew up in a household that seemed very aware of the invaluable freedoms we have in America. I'm a second generation Army brat from both sides of my family. You could say that pride in America flows through my veins! My grandfathers, my father & my uncle all fought to keep American values and principles alive, not to strengthen our government.

Growing up, it was always a joke about how much we "got paid" compared to what we actually "took home". "Just wait and see," my older brothers would warn. My mom was an entrepreneur who started several successful businesses throughout the years. After a career in the Army as Finance Officer, my dad moved onto business management at the University of Florida. Our household understood how taxation discouraged work, growth, spending, saving and caused huge headaches for about 4 months out of the year.

In the 1943, our government enacted the income withholding tax. This single act of taxation changed the landscape of our great country and literally shackled Americans to the Federal Government. In one stroke of the pen, no honest, hard-working American will ever bring home an entire paycheck again (until we enact The FairTax). We can fill out cumbersome forms and look for any deduction in hopes that we recover some of the taxes paid come April 15. Little do most Americans know is that we don't get back our entire tax spending! On top of it, we pay corporations taxes with our own post-tax dollars! We're completely getting the shaft and we've become too lazy to worry about it.

Wake up, people! NO TAXATION WITHOUT REPRESENTATION!!

To get back to the original question, I was born thinking the way I do but it's always being refined. Refer back to my post on the 2-party system and understand that while I was born with conservative principles, my freedom is valued most - which includes freedom of speech, the right to bare arms, freedom to marry, choice of abortion or freedom invest money without penalty of taxation. (Oh, and I love the Constitution and the entire Bill of Rights) Conservative, to me, is fiscally related, not socially.

This email forward is worth the read:

He was getting old and paunchy
And his hair was falling fast,
And he sat around the Legion,
Telling stories of the past.

Of a war that he once fought in
And the deeds that he had done,
In his exploits with his buddies;
They were heroes, every one.

And 'tho sometimes to his neighbors
His tales became a joke,
All his buddies listened quietly
For they knew where of he spoke.

But we'll hear his tales no longer,
For ol' Bob has passed away,
And the world's a little poorer
For a Soldier died today.

He won't be mourned by many,
Just his children and his wife.
For he lived an ordinary,
Very quiet sort of life.

He held a job and raised a family,
Going quietly on his way;
And the world won't note his passing,
'Tho a Soldier died today.

When politicians leave this earth,
Their bodies lie in state,
While thousands note their passing,
And proclaim that they were great.

Papers tell of their life stories
From the time that they were young
But the passing of a Soldier
Goes unnoticed, and unsung.

Is the greatest contribution
To the welfare of our land,
Some jerk who breaks his promise
And cons his fellow man?

Or the ordinary fellow
Who in times of war and strife,
Goes off to serve his country
And offers up his life?

The politician's stipend
And the style in which he lives,
Are often disproportionate,
To the service that he gives.

While the ordinary Soldier,
Who offered up his all,
Is paid off with a medal
And perhaps a pension, small.

It's so easy to forget them,
For it is so many times
That our Bobs and Jims and Johnnys,
Went to battle, but we know,

It is not the politicians
With their compromise and ploys,
Who won for us the freedom
That our country now enjoys.

Should you find yourself in danger,
With your enemies at hand,
Would you really want some cop-out,
With his ever waffling stand?

Or would you want a Soldier--
His home, his country, his kin,
Just a common Soldier,
Who would fight until the end.

He was just a common Soldier,
And his ranks are growing thin,
But his presence should remind us
We may need his like again.

For when countries are in conflict,
We find the Soldier's part
Is to clean up all the troubles
That the politicians start.

If we cannot do him honor
While he's here to hear the praise,
Then at least let's give him homage
At the ending of his days.

Perhaps just a simple headline
In the paper that might say:
"OUR COUNTRY IS IN MOURNING,
A SOLDIER DIED TODAY."

Only 2 choices in America? That's un-American!

The 2 party system in America is a sham!

We're the melting pot of the world with millions of people of different heritages, ethnicities, backgrounds & beliefs. And when it comes to politics, we settle for 2 parties with vastly different stances on nearly every issue. Is there any way to really divide our diverse culture into two trains of thought? (no)

I've been a registered Independent my entire voting life. Even as a kid, I felt alienated by both the Democrat & Republican parties. I surely didn't fall into either category. I've been assumed and labeled a liberal when it comes to gay marriage rights or the legalization of marijuana and a right winger when discussing fiscal policy. It's almost like I'm not worthy of either club because I have an opinion of my own!

Think about the election process in the State of Florida. We are a 2-party state down to the wire. While I registered as an Independent in Florida 14 years ago, I have never voted in a primary. In Florida, you must be registered Republican or Democrat to vote in a primary for each particular party. As an Independent, I am excluded from primary voting. From the get-go voters are divided; candidates who don't necessarily fit into one party don't have the luxury of their supporters voting for them! Instead of finding the right candidate for all the people, it's first an internal party contest ending in a 2-party face off.

For the first time in my life, I'm considering switching to Republican just to vote in the primary to help Marco Rubio get the Senate nomination. I mean, how messed up is that? On the other end of the spectrum, there are professional voters and spin-doctors who register for the opposing party in order to vote the weaker candidate into the nomination! Either way, the system is wrought with failures and ultimately denying Florida residents the best candidates.

People running for office in Florida, from what I understand, must choose either a D or an R when registering their candidacy. They are required to join one of 2 parties, whether or not their ideals & ideas conform to the existing structure. This causes its own backlash when the Parties endorse a particular candidate. You're either with them or against them! You either choose the candidate that they have endorsed or they are going to take you down. If you're not left enough for the Dems, you're in trouble. If you're not right enough for the GOP, more trouble.

I have been an Independent because I don't make decisions down party lines. After learning more and taking the World's Smallest Political Quiz, I realized that there is a party for me! Growing up, I never heard much talk about the Libertarian Party - we only had 2 choices. I went to government schools for goodness sakes! When I started hearing about the Libertarians, I assumed that it was just another conformist political group that I wanted nothing to do with.

LIBERTARIANS support maximum liberty in both personal and

economic matters. They advocate a much smaller government; one

that is limited to protecting individuals from coercion and violence.

Libertarians tend to embrace individual responsibility, oppose

government bureaucracy and taxes, promote private charity, tolerate

diverse lifestyles, support the free market, and defend civil liberties.

What's so bad about this ideology? I do not believe that government makes our lives better. To the contrary, government intervention in anything turns into deficits and inflation. I believe our country was based on these Libertarian principles (Life, Liberty & the Pursuit of Happiness).

I've begun seeing life through my Constitution colored glasses. Too many political decisions have more to do with power and special-interest than they do for the interest of our Republic. We must preserve this Great Country by getting back to our roots. It's time for a Libertarian uprising to validate a 3rd party with the Constitution at its soul!!