ÿþ<html> <head> <meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html;charset=iso-8859-1"> <title>OnlineColumnist&reg;.com: Even Utilities Must Pay Their Bills</title> <meta name="generator" content="Adobe GoLive 4"> <style type="text/css"> .style1 { font-size: x-large; font-weight: bold; } </style> </head> <body bgcolor="white" vlink="black"> <center> <table cool width="598" height="1274" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" gridx="16" showgridx gridy="16" showgridy> <tr height="1" cntrlrow> <td width="1" height="1"></td> <td width="116" height="1"><spacer type="block" width="116" height="1"></td> <td width="31" height="1"><spacer type="block" width="31" height="1"></td> <td width="182" height="1"><spacer type="block" width="182" height="1"></td> <td width="267" height="1"><spacer type="block" width="267" height="1"></td> <td width="1" height="1"><spacer type="block" width="1" height="1"></td> </tr> <tr height="79"> <td width="1" height="79"><spacer type="block" width="1" height="79"></td> <td width="116" height="118" colspan="1" rowspan="2" valign="top" align="left" xpos="0"><a href="aboutdiscobolos.html"><img height="110" width="62" src="images/discobolos.logo.transp.gif" border="0"></a></td> <td width="31" height="79"></td> <td width="450" height="79" colspan="3" rowspan="1" valign="top" align="left" xpos="147"><img height="75" width="450" src="images/banner.GIF"></td> </tr> <tr height="39"> <td width="1" height="39"><spacer type="block" width="1" height="39"></td> <td width="31" height="39"></td> <td width="182" height="39"></td> <td width="267" height="39" colspan="1" rowspan="1" valign="top" align="left" xpos="329"><a href="aboutdiscobolos.html"><img height="14" width="267" src="images/divisionofNEW.GIF" border="0"></a></td> <td width="1" height="39"></td> </tr> <tr height="20"> <td width="1" height="20"><spacer type="block" width="1" height="20"></td> <td width="597" height="20" colspan="5" rowspan="1" valign="top" align="left" xpos="0"> <table border="0" width="100%" bgcolor="black" cellspacing="0"> <tr> <td> <table border="0" width="100%" bgcolor="#99ffcc" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="4"> <tr> <td align="center"> <div align="left"> <a href="index.html"><font face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular" size="2"><strong>HOME</strong></font></a><font face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular" size="2"><strong> &#149; <a href="articlesindex.html">ARTICLES</a> &#149; <a href="books.html">BOOKS</a> &#149; <a href="teflon.html">THE </a><a href="teflon.html">TEFLON</a><a href="teflon.html"> REPORT</a> &#149; <a href="mailto:letters@onlinecolumnist.com">REACTIONS</a> &#149; <a href="aboutdiscobolos.html">ABOUT DISCOBOLOS</a></strong></font></div> </td> </tr> </table> </td> </tr> </table> </td> </tr> <tr height="7"> <td width="1" height="7"><spacer type="block" width="1" height="7"></td> <td width="116" height="1135" colspan="1" rowspan="2" valign="top" align="left" xpos="0"><img height="172" width="111" src="images/johninframe3.jpg"></td> <td width="31" height="7"></td> <td width="182" height="7"></td> <td width="267" height="7"></td> <td width="1" height="7"></td> </tr> <tr height="1128"> <td width="1" height="1128"><spacer type="block" width="1" height="1128"></td> <td width="480" height="1128" colspan="3" rowspan="1" valign="top" align="left" xpos="116" content csheight="1123"> <font size="5" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular"><b>GOP&#39;s &quot;Tea Party&quot;</b></font><p><font face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular"><b>by John M. Curtis<br> (310) 204-8700</b><br> </font></p> <p><font size="2" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular"><i>Copyright April 16, 2009<br> All Rights Reserved.</i></font></p> <p>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<span class="style1">H</span>osting tax-day  tea parties around the country, the Republican Party hopes to bounce back from a stunning defeat at the polls last Nov. 4.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>President Barack Obama s victory carried strong coattails in the House and Senate, with Democrats scoring decisive majorities.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>Wednesday s nationwide  tea parties, supported by conservative radio hosts like Rush Limbaugh and Sean Hannity, attempted to resuscitate the once popular rallying cry of Republicans brought by the late President Ronald Reagan that  Government is too big and spends too much. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>Eight years of former President George W. Bush ended years of hard-earned gains from the Reagan Revolution, where Republicans branded themselves as fiscal conservatives, opposed to the growing influence of the federal establishment.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>Bush left the country in shambles, hurting the GOP brand of sound fiscal management.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"> <![if !supportEmptyParas]>&nbsp;<![endif]><span style="mso-tab-count:1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span>Rallying the troops an Austin City Hall, Gov. Rick Perry suggested that Texas could get so fed up with Washington s big-spending ways that they could, once again, consider seceding, as they did in 1861, following the Civil War.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>Perry misquoted the 1845 statehood agreement that Texas reserved the right to secede.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>Actually, the agreement only permitted Texas to divide itself into several smaller states.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>Perry whipped up the conservative crowd suggesting that Texas could one day decide to extricate itself from the union.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span> There s a lot of different scenarios. Perry said.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span> We ve got a great union.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>There s absolutely no reason to dissolve it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>But if Washington continues to thumb their nose at the American people, you know, who knows what might come out of that.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span> But Texas is a very independent place, and we re a pretty independent lot to boot. </p> <p class="MsoNormal"> <![if !supportEmptyParas]>&nbsp;<![endif]><span style="mso-tab-count:1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span>Perry, who faces a tough re-election fight against Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-Texas), has a short memory of recent opinion polls.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>He knows that the former Gov. of Texas and past President George W. Bush commanded an approval rating of 25% when he left office.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>Overwhelming opposition existed to his economic and foreign policies, resulting in Obama s landslide victory against six-term Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>Washington did thumb its nose at voters, perpetuating the Iraq War and unpopular economic policies.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>Perry s secession rhetoric indicates a kind of delirium from campaigning, leaving his credibility in doubt.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span> Talk of secession is an attack on our country.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>It can be nothing else.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>It is the ultimate anti-American statement, said Rep. Jim Dunnam (D-Waco).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span> A nation divided against itself cannot stand, said Texas Sen. Sam Houston, supporting the Compromise of 1850.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"> <![if !supportEmptyParas]>&nbsp;<![endif]><span style="mso-tab-count:1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp;</span>Republicans face an uphill battle convincing mainstream voters that there approach would improve the economy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>While it s easy to criticize Obama at  tea parties around the country, it s difficult facing the worst economy since the great depression.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>Without extreme government intervention, individual states would not be able to keep running.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>Perry joins South Carolina Mark Sanford and Louisana Gov. Bobby Jindal, rejecting federal bailout funds.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>Perry advocates protecting  states rights in the 10th Amendment but has no answer for what cash-strapped states like California would do without help from the federal government.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>Obama s $786 billion bailout plan, while adding to the national debt, offsets the exponential rise in unemployment.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>With nearly 700,000 losing jobs in March, unemployment has become a real obstacle to jumpstarting the economy.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"> <![if !supportEmptyParas]>&nbsp;<![endif]><span style="mso-tab-count:1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span>Perry supported Bush s bailout of Bear Stearns, Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac and AIG, all seemed OK as long it was a GOP plan.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>Now that Washington s changed hands, Perry and other conservatives bash the exact same policy administered by a Democratic White House.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span> On April 15 Tax Day some in Congress may need a reminder of just who is underwriting this spending:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>The American taxpayer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>I am deeply concerned over the swelling tax burden that will be imposed on all Texas families, wrote Huthison in an op-ed, again, expressing disapproval today while ignoring the same policies under Bush and former Treasury Secretary Hank Paulson.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span> Stop Obama s Socialism, read a placard at the Austin City Hall rally.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>No one raised signs when Bush handed out billions to rescue banks and other financial institutions bankrupted by reckless stock market investing.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"> <![if !supportEmptyParas]>&nbsp;<![endif]><span style="mso-tab-count:1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span>Republicans tea parties make good publicity stunts but they don t deal with the once-in-a-century meltdown of U.S. financial markets.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>Without Bush s and now Obama s bailout plans, those fervent supporters of states rights wouldn t have the gas in the tanks to get to the rally.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>Calling Obama a  socialist plays well on right wing radio but doesn t fairly reflect the same policy by the former GOP president. It s going to take more than whipping up the base to compete with Obama s 60%-plus approval ratings, reflecting that he is, in fact, in-sync with voters.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>Perry should have taken a headcount of how many in the audience ranting-and-raving about Obama s  socialism collect Social Security checks and use Medicare.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span> The movement is growing, said anti-tax rally attendee Rebecca Knowlton of Smithville.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>Maybe she ll sign a pledge to give up her Medicare and Social Security.</p> <p><u><b>About the Author</b></u></p> <p><b>John M. Curtis</b> is editor of OnlineColumnist.com and columnist for the Los Angeles Daily Journal. He&#146;s director of a Los Angeles think tank specializing in political consulting and strategic public relations. He&#146;s the author of <a href="books.html">Dodging The Bullet</a> and <a href="books.html">Operation Charisma</a>. <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="2" width="75" height="25"> <tr> <td></td> </tr> </table> </td> <td width="1" height="1128"></td> </tr> </table> <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="2" width="597"> <tr> <td><font size="1" face="Arial,Geneva,Helvetica"> <hr noshade size="1"> </font><a href="index.html"><font face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular" size="2"><strong>Home</strong></font></a><font face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular" size="2"><strong> || <a href="articlesindex.html">Articles</a> || <a href="books.html">Books</a> || <a href="teflon.html">The Teflon Report</a> || <a href="mailto:letters@onlinecolumnist.com">Reactions</a> || <a href="aboutdiscobolos.html">About Discobolos</a></strong></font> <div align="left"> <p><font size="1" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular">This site designed, developed and hosted by the experts at</font><font size="2" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular"> <a href="http://www.cmeonline.net" target="_blank"><img height="30" width="138" src="images/cmelogoANIM.gif" border="0" align="absmiddle"></a></font></p> </div> <p><font size="2" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular">&copy;1999-2001 <a href="aboutdiscobolos.html">Discobolos Consulting Services, Inc.</a><br> (310) 204-8300<br> All Rights Reserved. </font></td> </tr> </table> </center> </body> </html>