Merry Christmas From the Bridge to Nowhere Tea Party

PPPS (Littleton)—In what has become a holiday tradition here at PPPS, we again share this holiday greeting from two loyal readers and their grassroots group, the Bridge to Nowhere Tea Party.

BTNTP - Littleton, Colorado (click to enlarge)

Citizen Pete Volunteers to Help With Obamacare Message During the Holidays

PPPS (Littleton)—Our longtime reader and frequent contributor, Citizen Pete, forwarded us some email correspondence he had with President Obama's grassroots organization, Organizing For Action (OFA). Apparently, Pete has signed up as a member of Team Obamacare to explain and discuss the benefits of Obamacare with friends and family over the holidays, including with his wife Citizen Caryn, whose health insurance policy is terminating on New Year's Eve.


The email letter Pete received:

Hey --
Thanks for joining Team Obamacare.
There's a lot of work to do to make sure people have the facts about health care reform. And the other side isn't going to pull any punches or spare any expense to try to tear down this law.
We have news for them -- Obamacare isn't going anywhere. And neither are we.
If you know someone who's recently enrolled in the health care marketplace, we're looking for stories that show why this work matters:http://my.barackobama.com/Obamacare-Story 
And if you know anyone looking to get coverage through the new law, be sure to send them here:
Thanks -- more to come,
Organizing for Action

########

And here is Pete's response:

Dear Organizing for Action Staff:

I am so proud to be selected to join Team Obamacare!

You can bet I'll be discussing Obamacare with everyone over the holidays, especially as we get closer to the New Year, when my wife's existing insurance plan is officially terminated. 

We don't know yet how she'll be able afford the new, more costly coverage, or if she can keep her doctor, but if as you say, "Obamacare isn't going anywhere", I guess we'll have to manage.

Oh, and one more thing, here's back at ya!

Citizen Pete

Could the Tea Party Have Been Right? - Citizen Pete Thinks So

PPPS (Littleton)—We received this note from a loyal reader and spokesman for the Bridge to Nowhere Tea Party, Citizen Pete, and thought we would pass it on, even though we strongly disagree with Pete's premise that PPPS, and our brethren in the press, could have done more to listen, or to inform the American people.

Dear Editor, 

We in the Tea Party movement are a bit frustrated.

We tried to warn you about Obamacare, BEFORE it was passed.

We tried to warn you that President Obama was a liar BEFORE he was reelected.

But you didn't listen.

Maybe some day.........you will.
—Citizen Pete

Is Obamacare Like the Ring of Power?

PPPS (Littleton)—As our nation debates the implementation of the President's signature legislation and sole accomplishment, the Affordable Care Act, or Obamacare, we received an interesting poem and link to an article published by one of our loyal readers, Citizen Caryn.

We decided to share the poem and encourage people to read her excellent article. 

 

One Ring to rule them all, 

One Ring to find them, 

One Ring to bring them all 

and in the darkness bind them.

 —J.R.R. Tolkien from Lord of the Rings

 Obamacare: The Ring of Power 

Caryn Boddie, Western Bluebird blog

November 11, 2013

One ring to rule them all, One Ring to find them, One Ring to bring them all, and in the darkness bind them. — J.R.R. Tolkien, The Fellowship of the Ring

I'm one of those Americans who has received a cancellation letter from my insurance company because of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) or Obamacare. I bought my policy when I was laid off in 2011. Now, my premiums and deductible will go up when I can least afford it, and I'll probably be unable to keep the doctor I've had for over 25 years.

It's as if we were living happily in the Shire, able to buy health insurance in a free market, and to work and  play outside the control of anyone but ourselves. But, the Eye of Sauron — an ever-growing government — was upon us, and it wanted our liberties. It devised to take them through one ring of power: Obamacare.

So, we picked up this ring of power and put it on a chain and set out together to take it to Mordor to destroy it, but certain good-but-misguided people wanted to take the ring from us and wear it for themselves and prevent us from throwing it into the fires inside of Mt. Doom and they allowed the healthcare law to come into effect and stopped us on my journey . . . .

Pardon me, I digress.

This isn't the Shire and I'm not Frodo.  I'm a woman living in the suburbs in Colorado, an unemployed woman, and, Obamacare is not the ring of power of the president, and his Precious.  Or, is it? Come to think of it, the president did lie to me about it, repeatedly. And, the Democrats were very sneaky in the way they passed it into law, and they keep insisting it's the law of the land and they tell us to leave it alone, because they won . . . .

Sorry, got carried away.

We did have the freedom to choose insurance on a free market, though, and most of us were able to afford it with a little fancy dancing. Now, the government's power move into our healthcare will cause use to pay for insurance policies that don't fit and are far too expensive for us. And, many of us are still out of work and our job searching is being made even harder by Obamacare.

It was already plenty hard for me, as it is for many women in their 50s. Fortunately for me and my family, my husband has a good job and we are hanging on in the middle class, even though our family budget has been cut by about 30 percent. Sadly, I was counting on this decade to be the time when I'd be able to sock away money for retirement and pay off the debt we incurred raising our kids. Nope, not happening.

On Saturday, November 9, 2013, Jonathan Hoenig said it this way on Cashin' In: "In a free market, you actually have to earn business through years of competence, successful dealings, and success.  And this is the fundamental difference between economic power like Walmart, which succeeds through trade,  and political power, which is Obamacare, which only works because of a government gun.  Obamacare is a gun brought to health care."

As government brought this weapon into our lives, I was hopeful that the US Supreme Court would protect us by ruling that the individual mandate in the law was unconstitutional, but that didn't happen. The Court affirmed the government's right to meddle in my economy under its taxing duties.  This was a big shock and disappointment.

We found out that Saruman was not a good wizard at all; he was in league with Sauron.
So, the president's  healthcare law, which was passed along party lines with Democrats voting for it and Republicans voting against it, is being rolled out. And, the people who are rolling it out are trying to silence our political speech by calling us names and mocking us.

This is nothing new for me when it comes to Obamacare.  In August 2009, when Congress was working to pass Obamacare, I went to North High School in Denver—where my grandmother had attended—with a sign because a rally would be there for the president's health care legislation. Serendipitously, I ended up where all the supporters of Obamacare entered a fenced area. I stood on the sidewalk next to the gate with a sign that read, "Yes, we can . . . do better than Obamacare. Go back to the drawing board. Plz!"

Obama supporters then tried everything to get rid of me, including sending a lawyer out to threaten me and to bring the police. The police came, looked at me, rolled their eyes and went away, leaving me standing on the sidewalk with my sign.

I expect Obama supporters will continue to try and silence my political speech in the future. I can deal with that. I am more concerned about them using the IRS to target me, because we've seen them do that . Nevertheless, I'm all in to destroy this ring of power with my grassroots friends. I have faith in the Lord.

Gandalf will help when all seems lost. He will call the eagles to come and lift us out of danger.

Afterall, who am we?  Well, I can tell you, I'm just a humble citizen, someone who's been a family caregiver for years—for children and seniors—and who has always worked, either in part-time or full-time staff positions or as a freelancer or self-employed writer and editor. I'm a responsible citizen who pays the mortgage and the bills, and who has volunteered for church, schools and community consistently over the years.

Once, I was a "bleeding heart liberal" but  I moved to the center and to center right and then joined the Tea Party. How did that happen? The events of the Great Recession accelerated the transformation in me. My husband and I stood up because we could see our liberties —and those of our children —were in jeopardy.  

And, even though we are mere members of the middle class we do help the poor, dear leaders.  If you'd just asked us nicely, we would have helped more. Maybe the government could have put a box to check on the IRS forms  and we could have donated some amount to cover health insurance for the poor.
 
We could have taken a much simpler route to help our brethren in the Shire, but we didn't because Sauron wanted power and control more than anything.

So,  let's  create a cancellation letter for Obamacare.  Let's throw Obama's Precious into the fire. Then, we can restore economic and political liberty to the People, and return to the Shire.

Caryn Boddie is a writer, editor, and communications professional who lives in Littleton, Colorado.

Note: The image of the ring, before adding Obamacare was from a blog by Lee Hadley.

Will Obamacare Diminish Our Freedoms?

PPPS (Littleton)—We recently received this short note and photo from one Patriot Pete, an occasional contributor to this blog.

May the bells of freedom peal once again throughout the land! —Patriot Pete

Citizen Pete photo from Hands Off Our Healthcare Rally, Denver, 2012

While we were at first a bit puzzled, we began to wonder whether Pete might, in a very obscure way, be suggesting some connection between freedom and our President's signature healthcare legislation, Obamacare.

Tell us what you think.

Obamacare Disaster: Could President Be Losing His Base?

PPPS (Littleton)—With the recent minor glitches in the launch and implementation of President Obama's signature health care reform legislation and talk in some circles that the President may have misled the American people, some are wondering whether his base support may be eroding.

And then we received this photo, taken on a college campus where the President was encouraging young adults to sign up for Obamacare.

What do you think?

Unbelievable: In 2009 Obama Warned Not To Misrepresent What's In Obamacare

PPPS (Littleton)—Pundit Pete caused a bit of a stir today with this tweet:

"If you misrepresent what's in this plan, we will call you out."  —President #Obama, September 9, 2009.  http://t.co/cKpKYQnbAL
— Peter Boddie (@Pundit_Pete) November 5, 2013

Pete found that quote in the Healthcare Reform speech President Obama gave to a joint session of Congress on September 9, 2009.  The quote was then posted in an article by Katie Pavlich at Townhall.com, and again later in an article by Andrew Malcolm at Investors Business Daily.

Here is a video clip, courtesy of fellow Coloradoan Caleb Bonham of Campus Reform.

It is perhaps a bit ironic that, just a few minutes earlier, Congressman Joe Wilson had called out the President on a part of his speech.

And it is perhaps even more ironic that, just as Americans are finally reaping the benefits of the Affordable Care Act, and discovering, as Speaker Pelosi once said, "what's in it", there are some who are suggesting that the President himself may have misrepresented "what's in this plan".

In fact, earlier in that very same speech, the President said this:

"First, if you are among the hundreds of millions of Americans who already have health insurance through your job, or Medicare, or Medicaid, or the VA, nothing in this plan will require you or your employer to change the coverage or the doctor you have.  (Applause.)  Let me repeat this:  Nothing in our plan requires you to change what you have."

Being part of the press, we are of course reluctant to question anything that our President says.

Citizen Pete w/ his old 2009 sign at a 2012 Rally

However, we would note that we recently received a letter, submitted by one of our readers, Citizen Pete, who indicated that because of the Affordable Care Act, his lovely wife, Citizen Caryn, was going to lose her health insurance, contrary to the President's statement. Pete, having apparently also learned that his wife may not be able to keep her doctor, and will end up paying much more for insurance due to implementation of the AFFORDABLE Care Act, was less than complimentary of the President, and even characterized what he had done as lying.

We will leave it to our readers as to whether the President lied about, misinformed us, or misrepresented what was in the Affordable Care Act.

Related: 
Obama in 2009: We Will Call Out Those Who Lie About Obamacare
      —Katie Pavlich, Townhall.com (thanks Katie for the H/T credit & link)
Obama on health care reform in 2009 - video clip from Caleb Bonham of Campus Reform (thanks Caleb for the video clip)

President Obama didn't misspeak; He lied —Andrew Malcolm, Investors Business Daily (thanks Andrew for the H/T credit & link)

The White House Fable Factory —Michelle Malkin, and at Townhall.com

Barack Obama vs Responsible Citizens

PPPS (Littleton)—We received this note and accompanying picture from a loyal reader, Citizen Pete.

Barack Obama.

Thug president.

Dictator wannabe.

Instead of an apology for lying to the American people about Obamacare, he goes on tour to mock responsible citizens who purchased their own health insurance.

Like my wife.

Unemployed.

Got her cancellation letter.

—from Citizen Pete

Sebelius to Give Obamacare Testimony - Local Lawyer Helps Prep

HHS Secretary Sebelius applauds launch of HealthCare.gov

PPPS (Littleton)—Secretary of Health and Human Services, Kathleen Sebelius, has finally agreed to testify before Congress regarding the less-than-perfect launch of HealthCare.gov, the web site for people to sign up for insurance under the Affordable Care Act (a.k.a Obamacare).

Secretary Sebelius, was unable to attend Congressional hearings this week, due to her  busy schedule of banquets, late-night TV program interviews, Planned Parenthood speaking engagements, and audiences with petitioners seeking waivers.

The Secretary will testify in a hearing before the House Energy and Commerce Committee next Wednesday.

Our own PPPS staff attorney Pleader Pete, author of the best-selling legal tome, The Art of Testimony, has been asked  by Secretary Sebelius to assist her in preparing for the hearing.

PPPS was able to interview Pleader Pete as he was getting ready to drive to Norton, Kansas where he will supervise the construction of a mock Congressional hearing room at a secret farm location overlooking Sebelius Lake. Pete will then meet with Secretary Sebelius and her closest aids for an  intensive weekend of testimony prep.

Here is our exclusive interview: 

PPPS: What advice do you plan to give to the Secretary?

Pleader Pete: Well, as an attorney, my first advice to her will be to just tell the truth. But within the definition of truth, there is of course a great deal of latitude, as any lawyer or politician is fully aware. I've actually been able to stretch the definition of truth to three full chapters in my book The Art of Testimony.

Did I mention that the book is for sale on Amazon or at my web site, PleaderPete.com? That's P-L-E-A-D-E-R  P-E-T-E, one word, DOT COM.

PPPS: Very clever of you to get that book plug in. But, I'm sure our readers already know that any attorney would advise their client to tell the truth. Can you share any more specific advice you may have for the Secretary regarding her Obamacare testimony?

Pleader Pete: Yes, I will advise her to Just Follow the Chart.

And by chart I mean the diagram of the various components of the Affordable Care Act carefully prepared by Congressional Republicans. Charts and diagrams can be excellent aids to testimony, particularly when you can effectively use one prepared by your enemies, those rascally Republicans.

PPPS: Can you describe the nature of this chart for our readers? And perhaps how the Secretary might use it?

Pleader Pete: Yes, of course. In fact, I have a copy of the chart right here.

(click to enlarge)

As you can see, the chart provides some clarity regarding the various components of the Affordable Care Act, and yet, at the same time, is also a bit confusing. I will instruct the Secretary on how to use the chart to her advantage, sometimes to clarify, and at other times to obfuscate, depending on the nature of the question from the committee.

And of course, by providing this diagram to the Secretary to study over the weekend, it will afford her an opportunity, perhaps for the first time, to learn what was really contained in the 2,400 page bill. It will certainly provide that "first time" opportunity for  the Democratic committee members who voted for the law.

PPPS: I notice that there is a very large circle in the middle of the chart marked Secretary, with lines connecting the circle to nearly every other chart component. Will that have any bearing on the Secretary's testimony? It almost looks like the flow of every piece of data and every decision goes through that circle.

Pleader Pete: You're very clever to notice that. In fact, you've hit upon the most critical piece in the Secretary's testimony, and the main reason I've been hired to prep her.

You see, the Republican members of the committee will have noticed that as well. My sources tell me that they are preparing questions referring to that circle and those lines as the Center of Authority and the Lines of Responsibility, and that they may even demand the Secretary's resignation.

But I have a plan for the Secretary, through her testimony, to turn that strategy right on its head. When she is done, that circle and those lines will be known as the Circle of Least Responsibility and Lines Delegating Authority.

Of course, that last bit of strategy is strictly off-the-record. Client privilege and all.

PPPS: Of course, I understand. Why look, my recorder was turned off the whole time.

Do you have any other advise for the Secretary, say if, for instance, the atmosphere becomes a little heated, or the questions a bit too personal?

Pleader Pete: Well, my final advise will be this: "Never, ever, under any circumstances, reveal the address for any personal or unofficial alias email account that you might maintain. If pressed on this issue, first emphasize that you can't remember such details, and then, if necessary, liberally cite the first and fifth amendments."

Not that there are any such email accounts, of course.

PPPS: Of course.

Thus ended the interview.

Related Stories:
A great article about why Secretary Sebelious should NOT be fired.
Don't Fire Secretary Sebelius! — Charlotte Hays, Independent Women's Forum & Townhall.com

Don't Fire Secretary Sebelius!

Don't Fire Secretary Sebelius!

End of the Obama Shutdown - A Citizen's Reflection and Plan of Action

PPPS (Littleton)—As America celebrates the end of the government shutdown today, and life in Washington, DC resumes to its normal level of unabated deficit spending and blissful ignorance of the suffering of American citizens, we received this interesting email submission from one of our loyal readers, one Citizen Pete. 

We think that Pete offers an interesting perspective on the settlement reached to restart the government, and also an interesting plan to repeal Obamacare, despite the clear victory by the President in defeating the Republican efforts to hamper that important legislation, now clearly entrenched as the "Law of the Land".

Here is Citizen Pete's submission:

Reflections on the Obama Shutdown and a Plan for Action by Citizen Pete

Now that President Obama's Shutdown of the government is over, and the GOP has apparently caved once again, I thought I would offer up my own reflections on the recent battles in Washington, DC, from the perspective of a citizen engaged in efforts to save our great republic, and hopefully to offer a plausible plan to still achieve defeat of that worst of legislative monstrosities inflicted upon American citizens, Obamacare.

My Thoughts
This was only one great battle in a long war to save our nation. 

In this battle, thanks to the efforts of many Patriotic citizens and a few good legislators, and despite the efforts of many in the media to prevent it, millions of our fellow Americans learned first-hand the truth about President "No Negotiation" Obama, the "civil" rhetoric of Democrats, and that "harmless" little law they call Obamacare. 

This was a good thing.

And in this battle, We learned much about the nature of leadership, and who our true leaders are, the ones willing to stand up with courage on our behalf. 

We the People need to stand behind those leaders.

And for those others, well, we need to remind them of just one thing .....

  

A Song

As I was thinking about the shutdown battle, one song kept repeating in my head, a song of We the People Power and Patriotism. I soon found myself standing up straight and proudly singing the words "We Ain't Goin' Away".  

I first heard that song, sung by a Patriot named Bruce Bellot, at a small gathering of Tea Partiers in Washington, DC on September 12, 2010. 

As I continued to struggle with the events of the last few weeks, the direction our nation seems headed, the impending doom of Obamacare, the words of Bruce's song filled me with courage and hope. 

A plan of action began to form.

But first, before I outline my plan, I ask all Patriots to stand with Bruce and I and sing We Ain't Goin' Away. 
Here we go, altogether now, two, three, four, ....

Now, For That Plan of Action
It goes like this:

What if you, one person, went to the nearest office for your Congressional Representative or Senator........and walked in, sat down, and began singing We Ain’t Goin’ Away ........why, they’d think you were crazy, and might offer you a free White House Tour Pass, to get you to leave.

What if two people, walked in, sat down, and began singing We Ain’t Goin’ Away ..... they might think you were citizen journalists, secretly making a video, and threaten to have you arrested.

If three people....that’s right....three people walked in, sat down, and began singing We Ain’t Goin’ Away ....in three-part harmony.....why, they might think you were friends of Senator Ted Cruz, and proceed to call you all sorts of mean, nasty, horrible things right there on the reception area citizen’s bench, and then ask you politely to leave.

And if a busload of people..... just one busload of people, some of them in wheel chairs and carrying American flags.....rolled in, lined up, and began singing We Ain’t Goin’ Away.......they might think you were veterans, and have to start erecting barricades.

And if dozens of people.....dozens and dozens of ordinary Americans....every day, walked in, sat down, and began singing We Ain’t Goin’ Away......they might think you were part of a dangerous movement, and the Department of Homeland Security would have to issue a memo about you.

But what if……I mean…..what if…..hundreds of people……at Congressional and Senate offices all around the country……hundreds of people, all with same-colored t-shirts and carrying colored, glossy, pre-printed signs……I mean…..what if, all these people showed up, and began chanting all sorts of mean, nasty, horrible things, and then sang We Ain’t Goin’ Away……..why, they might think you were a union, and that they’d better do somethin’ pretty damned quick to get rid of Obamacare.

Well, that's it. Pretty simple, huh?  
If properly executed, the plan should bring about the complete repeal of Obamacare.

NOW GO OUT AND DO IT!

Citizen Offers Obamacare Amendment to Resolve Government Shutdown Crisis

PPPS (Washington)—All of Washington, DC is awaiting finalization of a citizen proposal to amend the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (Obamacare), which both pundits and legislators on both sides of the aisle or touting as a potential solution to the current government shutdown crisis.

The amendment, tentatively titled the Honoring the President's Promises Amendment, is being written by Citizen Pete, of Littleton, Colorado, with assistance from our own PPPS staff attorney, Pleader Pete. Apparently, some details in the amendment are still being finalized, and Citizen Pete is currently seeking a member of the House of Representatives to sponsor the bill.

PPPS has obtained a copy of the title page for the bill, which given the provisions outlined in table of contents, is likely to receive strong bipartisan support in both chambers of Congress and at the White House. We will update this story when a copy of the full amendment is available.

A Letter From a Passenger on the Ship of State

PPPS (adrift at sea)—Today we received a letter from a new reader, one Passenger Pete, who claims to be aboard the metaphorical Ship of State.  Pete apparently posted his letter on Facebook. He has included one comment to his post, and his response, both of which we found interesting. In the interest of protecting personal identities, we have listed Passenger Pete's comments as PP and his commenting Facebook friend as FF.

****************************************

PP -   

Fellow Passengers: 

NOW is the time to Right the Ship of State, which is listing so far to the Left as to be in imminent danger of capsizing.

In order to save ourselves, we must immediately throw overboard the largest burden of dead weight, Obamacare.

Then we must seize the rudder of government and set a new course with the Constitution as our compass.

—Passenger Pete, September, 2013

****************************************

FF - 

The fact that I disagree with you does not make me wrong or you right. It does mean that open debate is the foundation upon which our democracy rests. Open contentious "war in Washington" is not. Peace and Blessings to all.

****************************************

PP -

I love that you are my friend and that we can debate issues from time to time. I think that open, honest debate is wonderful, and that there should be more of it - for instance in the U.S. Senate right now regarding the merits of Obamacare. 

But I disagree a bit that a contentious "war on Washington" is not necessary. 

You see, because I have been involved in the peaceful protests and lawful campaign activities of the Tea Party movement, and in doing so, have many times disagreed with the policies of the President and the majority party in Washington (and at times the leadership in the minority party as well), I have been labeled a racist, a mobster, an anarchist, a terrorist, a fraud, an extortionist, an extremist, a child hater, a grandmother killer, and a teabagger (to name just a few) by our leaders in Washington, DC. 

Not a single one of those labels is even remotely true of me or anyone else I know of who is involved in the Tea Party movement. 

So forgive me, if at times, I speak using words or metaphors which might elicit an image of a "war on Washington".

Frankly, it feels as though "Washington is at war with the citizens", certainly the ones, like me, who wish to reign in a bit of the overreach of power, out-of-control spending, and assault on freedoms that is the daily regimen in DC.

And if I go too far at times, please understand my frustration, and then let me know gently, as you have. God bless you my friend.

Message on the Bridge - Defund Obamacare

PPPS (Littleton, CO)—We received this picture today from Citizen Pete, spokesman for the Bridge to Nowhere Tea Party. It had been our understanding that the Tea Party movement had completely disappeared after the last election, but apparently there are some who are still active.

Photo credit: Citizen Pete    (click to enlarge)

The bridge message, which reads END THE MADNESS....TELL SENATORS TO DEFUND OBAMACARE, is a little puzzling, as our leaders in Washington, DC have recently declared the Affordable Care Act (a.k.a. Obamacare) to be the "law of the land'.

We have assigned our Health Issues Investigator, Proctologist Pete, to probe into the matter.

Check back for updates.

Interview With Debbie Coakley of Revolution Radio at Conservative Gathering

Debbie Coakley of Revolution Radio (PPPS photo)

PPPS (Orlando)—As part of our ongoing investigation of conservative groups, we sent our crack team of reporters to the RightOnline Conference and the Defending the American Dream Summit held simultaneously in Orlando, Florida.

Pigment-Challenged Pete was able to interview one of the black conservatives in attendance, Debbie Coakley, who was there with Revolution Radio. When not on remote,  Revolution Radio is hosted by Vince Coakley at a studio in Charlette, North Carolina. Pete found Debbie to be a most interesting promoter of freedom and a color-blind society, consistent with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s Dream.

Here is a link to the Interview with Debbie Coakley on YouTube.

Related Links: 
Revolution Radio with Vince Coakley
Defending the American Dream Summit
RightOnline
Debbie is sporting a fashionable button from American Conservatives of Color. 

New ATF Director Sworn In - Country Now Safe From Guns

New ATF Director B. Todd Jones

PPPS (Washington) Vice President Joe Biden, a noted firearms expert, yesterday directed the swearing in of B. Todd Jones as permanent director of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobaco and Firearms and Exposives (ATF). The new appointment comes as the ATF is implementing a new restriction on the re-importation of surplus military firearms.

The ATF has been struggling for the past two years due to the absence of a permanent director and a series of congressional investigations into the Fast and Furious gunrunning scandal.

Under the leadership of a new director, Vice President Biden indicated that "We are finally putting ATF back in business." Under the new restrictions, any intercepted firearms will be given directly to Mexican drug cartels, thus "avoiding the middleman" as Biden described the process in an off-the-record comment.

Attorney General Eric Holder, who also attended the swearing in ceremony, did not comment.

Ted Cruz - Western Conservative Summit 27 Jul 2013

What's Happening at the Western Conservative Summit in Denver

PPPS (Denver) - Conservatives from around the western U.S. have gathered in Denver this weekend for great food, great speeches and networking gone wild! The Pundit Pete Press Service is there to gather intel on the conservative movement.


You can watch a live feed from the conference here.

We'll be interviewing some of the speakers and some of the participants throughout the conference, so keep checking back for updates.

Saturday, July 27th

The morning session began with KT McFarland who is hopefull about America's future, provided we can turn back the disastrous policies of the current administration.

Guy Benson, John Andrews and Michael Barone participated on a panel discussing the question "Who owns the future?" Mary Katherine Ham also participated on a live feed from her home because she is soon to give birth to her first child. All were very impressive. However, given the disastrous deficit spending of our federal government, I think that the question should have been rephrased to: "Who owes the future?"

Victor Davis Hanson discussed "The Moral Bankruptcy of Liberalism". Unfortunately, we had assigned Progressive Pete to cover that speech. We found him later, in the bar, wracked with guilt and unable to file a story.

Great people and organizations we've met today.

K. Carl Smith of the Frederick Douglas Republicans gave a great talk about how to thwart the race card and win over liberals of all persuasions and ethnic backgrounds by explaining the conservative principles of that great American and former slave.

Our "man on the street" reporter, Pedestrian Pete interviewed Tom Intorcio of Patirot Voices about that organization's grassroots efforts to promote conservative values and economic freedom and opportunity. 

Friday, July 26th

Friday's sessions got off to a slow start because a previous conference group at the Hyatt Regency Hotel went over on their time. But all was forgotten when keynote speaker Governor Scott Walker took the podium. He was followed by Mayor Mia Love from Utah, and up and coming young conservative star to watch. Our own PPPS reporter, Political-Beat Pete was able to ask her a question after her speech.

Western Conservative Summit to Include Many Top Conservative Speakers Next Week

PPPS (Denver)—Rising conservative stars Senator Ted Cruz and Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker are among the speakers at the fourth annual Western Conservative Summit to be held in Denver, July 26 - 28, 2013.

Sponsored by the Centennial Institute at Colorado Christian University and Tea Party Patriots, the annual conference is becoming the "super bowl" of conservative events for the Rocky Mountain Region and draws participants from many states.

The conference includes speeches and panel discussions from many leading national and local conservatives, as well as more intimate Citizen Action Workshops on a number of topics.

Scheduled Speakers will include several conservative and Tea Party favorites, such as:

Mia Love, Mayor of Saratoga Springs, Utah

• Senator Ted Cruz, Texas
• Governor Scott Walker, Wisconsin
• Rep. Allen West, Florida
• Mayor Mia Love, Utah
• Jenny Beth Martin, Tea Party Patriots

We are encouraging all conservatives and Tea Party activists within the sound of this blog to consider attending the Summit. Tickets may be purchased here (the price goes up at the end of Friday, July 19).

Look for live blog posts and twitter updates from the PPPS staff during the Summit.

Pedestrian Pete w/ Jesse Waters

If you come, you may get a chance to meet: Political Beat Pete, who recently caused a stir in the White House Press Room; Citizen Caryn, co-founder of the Bridge to Nowhere Tea Party; Pedestrian Pete, who will be conducting interviews of some of the attendees; or even Pundit Pete himself, who is rumored to be attending.

Pundit Pete Solves Global Warming Controversy

PPPS (Littleton)—Now that President Obama has solved the problems in our economy, is creating numerous new part time jobs, is carefully managing the volatile situation in Egypt, and has resolved all of the scandals affecting his administration, he has appropriately turned his focus to solving the one remaining issue that threatens mankind - Global Warming.

At the Pundit Pete Press Service, we are happy to announce that, based upon a new study recently published by Professor Lu at Waterloo University in Canada, and certain lifestyle changes made by our own leader, Pundit Pete, Global Warming is no longer a threat to the planet. Thankfully, the President can set that issue aside and focus on planning his next vacation.

Here is the article which will allay the President's fears and those of our readers:

Global Warming Caused by CFCs, Not Carbon Dioxide

And, we are proud to document Pundit Pete's contribution to solving the problem and saving mankind (women too).

A Call to All Patriots, Inspired by the People of Egypt

PPPS (Littleton)—On rare occasions, our CEO and Editor-in-Chief, Pundit Pete, offers up his opinion. This is one of those times, on the day that our nation celebrates our independence.

A Call to All Patriots - Inspired by the People of Egypt

On this July Fourth, when our nation celebrates its great beginning, I cannot help but look to current world events with recognition of some irony.

On this day, our own Republic is in peril as our freedoms are slowly eroded; liberty is taken from us bit by bit in ways hardly noticed by a complacent populace. Yet, today we celebrate our independence from a tyrannical government and the nation that was built from the declaration of that independence.

Across the ocean is a land where freedom has been a foreign concept since the time of the ancient rulers called pharoahs. In Egypt, the people have risen up and thrown off their old yoke of tyranny. Today they celebrate, having declared their independence from a tyrannical government. The road ahead of them is uncertain but they are probably more filled with hope than dread, hope that they can build from this new independence.

Which nation will be a beacon and which will be a nation in decay? Today, on our Independence Day, it is sad to think that our nation is on the road to being the the latter while Egypt is the former. Still, we must celebrate our brothers and sisters in Egypt today and pray for the viability of their new found liberty, for which they will have to fight.

Americans have had to fight for liberty. It required sacrifice, and still does every day, both on battlefields far away and at ballot boxes and in court rooms at home—and now in the media.

Let us be inspired by the people of Egypt as we turn our focus once again to the fate of our own fragile republic. We must gather all patriots and throw off this slowly encircling noose of government, of a dependence society, and of fraud and corruption in our public sphere, and of political correctness.

Are we to be indendent or dependent? Let each citizen decide and act, just as each Egyptian citizens decided what he or she was for when they signed petitions and gathered in Tahrir Square to make their voices heard and their presence known.

Happy Fourth of July 2013!

Local Tea Party Issues Statement on Egyptian Protests - Obama Still AWOL

PPPS (Littleton)—Local Bridge to Nowhere Tea Party spokesman, upon seeing the protests against occurring in cities across Egypt, sent in this supporting statement to our editor.

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The Bridge to Nowhere Tea Party stands with the majority of Egyptians and the coalition of secularists, moderate Muslims and Christians, who are demanding the resignation of President Morsi and members of the Muslim Brotherhood controlled government of Egypt.

We believe in the right of the citizens of any country to protest tyranny in all forms. 

President Morsi, although duly elected in a (mostly) free election, proceeded to thwart the intent of the people expressed through that election and transform the government into a radical Islamic state, removing from office and power, and progressively silencing all elements in opposition within the government, the civil society and the press. 

President Morsi and members of the Muslim Brotherhood have proceeded with their radical agenda of  Islamic fascism, instead of focusing on critical elements of the struggling Egyptian economy. They have ignored the will of the people in this regard and have failed to promote (and even prevented) appropriate solutions, including the promotion of free enterprise and guarantees of economic and individual freedom for the citizens of Egypt.

President Morsi and members of the Muslim Brotherhood have also proceeded to undermine longstanding relationships with other countries and treaties, harming trade and threatening the stability of the region.

President Morsi and members of the Muslim Brotherhood have failed in a primary role of government, the protection of their own citizens, and have stood by and allowed (and at times encouraged) violence against the Christian minority and other groups within the country.

Against the wishes of a majority of citizens, President Morsi and members of the Muslim Brotherhood have put forth and passed legislation, including a new constitution, using questionable legislative techniques and without allowing sufficient time for opposition partes and the People, to read, evaluate and debate the measures. These actions thwart the will of the people and are an affront to democratic institutions everywhere.

Therefore, in solidarity with our brothers and sisters in the freedom movement in Egypt, We, the members of the Bridge to Nowhere Tea Party, lend our good name and commit Our voices in support of the People of Egypt in their efforts to peaceably assemble and to petition their government for redress of their grievances.

And absent any good-faith response from that government, we support the Right of the People, to dissolve the political bands which connect them to their government and to form a new government which will secure their rights and which derives just powers from the consent of the governed.

We also declare that we are in disagreement with the position of neutrality put forth by our own President and Department of State  in this matter. We believe that our president is out of touch with, and disrespectful of the will of the American People, who have stood and fought for freedom around the world.

—Done this day, July 3rd, 2013 in Littleton, Colorado

Citizen Pete & Citizen Caryn, Co-Founders