As a TEA Party Member, Believer, Identifier, etc…  I see a scandalous conflagration of philosophy this election cycle.  On the Left you have Democrats, Liberals, Socialists, Communists and Progressives screaming for more taxes and money allocated to entitlements.  While the Right and the Republicans holding court with progressives, independents and conservatives are riding the tide of popularity with fiscal responsibility as a major theme.   Unless you are:

a) completely void of common sense,

b) lacking in the knowledge of how our free market economy is supposed to work,

c) a dilettante in the pitfalls of socialism and communism

d) feel obligated to the left because you are being provided for at the tax payer's expense, you will be voting for Republicans this year.

So little wonder that the RATs (Republicans Allow Transgressions) are jumping ship...  How many Republicans running this election cycle were Democrats last cycle?  Think they saw the light after the 2010 elections?  You betcha they did.  And they use the line that Reagan used, "The Democrat party left me".  So my question is this: Why do we allow Democrats to jump from the ship they have been riding happily on for so many years to the new and viable one that the Republicans are sailing this cycle.   Because Reagan did???

Least we forget how President Obama, Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid came to power.  Through complete miss management and abuse of power that the Republicans showed when they controlled the House, Senate and the Presidency.  I love J.C.Watt's statement concerning ethics: something to the effect that Character is doing the right thing when no one is looking!  Well President Obama and the Democrats have our attention now after spending 5 Trillion dollars we still don't have.  Of course the Republicans didn't fair much better in their record during the Bush administration.  Arrogance and condescension has a way of enacting a Karma like results.  The spending has to stop and the expectations of our Federal, State and county governments need to be controlled.  Hence the numerous and sometimes obnoxious TEA parties... 

TEA parties are only as good as the people that get involved.  If you don't like what the TEA party in your area is doing, start your own TEA party and become a political force to be reckoned with.  The more people involved and engaged in the process the better off we are.  If you don't like the TEA party and feel more taxes should be paid by everyone,  then start an AntiTEA party group (as if there is not enough of them).  Be a voice for what you believe  and read bout our Constitution, its a great document that everyone should read and understand.  The understanding is the hard part...  It requires thought!!!

Someone said the Republican Party is a big tent.  If you haven't studied progressive political thought you really don't know what your missing.  What is progressive and what do progressives think?  "Progressive" is such a nice word.   When it is said you think progress, moving forward, the connotation is positive.  There are progressives in both major parties!!!  However, think about what progressives stand for: ever expanding government...  Another agency to help us with our day to day living.  The problem is; to what cost are we willing to continue this progressive advance..  Furthermore, how many freedoms have we lost as a result?

Juxtapose the connotation of Progressive with Conservative.  Conservative is such a harsh word with visions of penny pinching and misers.  But conservatism is where freedom is admired and valued.  Conservatives feel you can spend your money better than the government can so we want lower taxes.  Conservatives believe that the free market is a better judge of the economy than any government planner.  Witness the recent GSA debacle.  Its not their money so why would they or should they care...  So true conservatives believe in giving the government as little money as possible...

If the Republican Party continues to accept the Fleeing RATs to gain political power,  isn't doing so, at the cost of its soul?  The ideas of liberals, progressives, socialists and communists are not congruent with the base of the Republican Party (Conservatism).  If this practice is allowed to continue, a viable third party might need to be established.  With every defection of Democrat to the right moves the Republicans that much further to the left.   If last cycle's Democrats are re-elected as Republicans this cycle, where will Republican leadership stand on pivotal issues in the future?  When you corrupt your soul, don't expect pity from the devil when it gets too hot.  You, as a voter, have the responsibility to understand and uncover conflicts of interest and the political history of the candidates.  What has each candidate done to reduce the tax burden associated with their tenure as a public servant?  Unless of course, your happy with ever expanding government budgets and the taxes that go with them...

First and foremost are conflicts of interest.  Most politicians are politicking for money and their first rule: is to get elected.  Which is followed closely by rule number two: getting re-elected.   Florida Circuit Judge, Jessica Recksiedler; have you heard of her?  Probably wont now.  She removed herself from the Zimmerman trial (very hot potato) due to an alleged conflict of interest.  What was her conflict?  Her husband works with Orlando attorney Mark NeJame, who was first approached by the Zimmerman family to represent their son, George Zimmerman, the neighborhood watch volunteer who shot and killed Trayvon Martin.  Why is that a conflict?  Most legal scholars feel that Zimmerman can not be found guilty.  He may not even go to trial, but the Bottom line is there will be a book deal and the proceeds will be large. Might Jessica Recksiedler do something detrimental to Zimmerman's case in retaliation for her husband's firm not getting to represent Mr Zimmerman?  Or it is felt she could be biased in his favor which could lead to more problems down the road (riots).  But not now; not after her Recusal. 

Mark H. McCormack talked about golfing with Arnold Palmer in a Pro Am tournament  in his book "What they don't teach you at Harvard Business School.  He stated there were several occasions where Mr. Palmer placed his ball noticeably further away from the hole then he needed to.  Players are allowed to pick up their ball on the green (sorry, I'm not a golfer and don't know the rules).  Mark inquired why: Arnold Palmer stated that if one person thought he had taken advantage of the rule it would taint his game.  That's going way out of his way to confirm his integrity to his audience.  This level of integrity really seems to be missing in our political environment today and maybe it has really never existed, but it needs to...

In America, you are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.  At least that's how its supposed to work...  How difficult is it to prove someone is guilty if the Judge who makes that determination in a district court, is in bed with the Prosecutor?  Both, figuratively as well as literally!!!   Stephanie Casady, (I have met her and I like her) candidate for District Judge in Saline County, is married to Ken Casady, Saline County Prosecuting Attorney (elected).  This is such a blatant conflict of interest it is mind boggling how a political party (Republican) could or would condone such.  I could see the Democrats doing this, but not the Republicans.  Could this be an indication as to how far left the Saline County Republican Party has "Progressed"???

It's not funny, fair or ethical asking Saline County citizens to vote for this conflict of interest and it is a shame!!!  In simply asking the voters to OK this conflict, shows a lack of integrity and judgment unbecoming: 1) a prosecuting attorney, but more importantly 2) a Judge...  Any and every Attorney that might represent their client (for that matter, every defendant) in a Stephanie Casady court when the Saline County Prosecutor's office represents the state, will first have to ask her to recues herself, just as George Zimmerman’s attorney requested Judge Recksiedler to do...  Having to do this, would place a greater strain on our other county courts (the very reason this court was established).   

Next question, did no one in the Republican Party think about this?  Has anyone asked the relevant questions concerning this conflict with the candidate and her husband in an open forum?  Are there not other qualified Republicans to run for this position?  Oh, I guess there is: Brent Standridge.  Any conflicts here you might know about?

We all need to do a better job in selecting the people that are going to represent us in our city, county, state and federal governments be they Democrat or Republican.   We have been electing the same people over and over and we wonder why it costs so much to run our government entities.   The people we place in leadership should respect the citizens enough to take care of their money and build our trust, by always doing the right thing...  Sometimes its hard to do the right thing when we feel comfortable in our past and future...  Just ask Bobby Petrino!!!  But we as the citizenry must hold our elected representatives and football coaches to a higher standard.  When we see an ethical laps, we must bring it out into the sunlight and let the chips fall where they may. 

Ken Rhone

Benton AR