Katy's Conservative Corner

The LA Times Admits It: Conservatives Rule Twitter

Even the liberal "news" paper, the Los Angeles Times admits it.  Republicans virtually own Twitter.  It may have been developed by Silicon Valley leftists,  but there are more of "us" than "them" communicating in 140 characters or less.

Two years ago, about the time your blogger joined Twitter, conservatives created a group called Top Conservatives On Twitter, (TCOT) and any conservative was welcome to become a part of it.  All one had to do was put the hashtag, #tcot at the end of a tweet.  

Conservatives could then click on the hashtag and be taken to a "Twitter Room" and see all activity of users with that hashtag.  They could then follow one another.  Twitter, amongst conservatives and Republicans, took off!

Today, other hashtags are popular, such as #iamthemob (referring to the liberals' derogatory name for conservatives at Town Hall meetings), #HHRS (Hugh Hewitt Radio Show - not heard in the Triangle area, but wildly popular on the web and nationally), and others.

Twitter and other such technologies change so fast, that few books have been written about them.  Who knows how long the phenomena will last?  

KCC is just glad to be able to take advantage of it.  She just wished more  of her local Republican party activists did.  It's great fun to attend political conferences and meet your Twitter "friends" in person.  Your blogger only uses twitter to discuss politics, and sports.  

Therefore, she doesn't follow the liberals that follow her.  There is no need to pollute her brain with the same garbage that she sees in the the lamestream media.  

  

Important Twitter Tip:  If you decide to sign up for a Twitter account, please download Tweetdeck, if you use a PC.  Tweetdeck allows you to run multiple accounts, keep up with replies to your comments, and any mentions about you, all in neat columns.  You can even follow your Facebook feed.  

Tweetdeck is only getting better, so your blogger highly recommends it.  She even uses it on her iPhone.

For More Information: Please see our previous post on using Twitter.

World Series Champs - Americans

Congrats to the boys from Chula Vista, CA, on America's left coast.  

 They might not look like our traditional image of Little Leaguers, but they are the our World Series Champs.

Read the entire story, here.

Who are the Real NC Republicans?

Will the "real" Republicans please stand up? 

The GOP in North Carolina is more diverse than ever as there are at least three different factions of Republicans groups.  

It's hard to break them down into nice, neat circles, but KCC attempts here to break it down. Sorry for any generalizations. 

Traditionally, there have been two groups, the moderates and conservatives, but a new, fast-growing group has moved in, and is bringing with it new people to the GOP.  Will they stay when the going gets rough?  Will they stand and fight when someone from their faction isn't nominated?  

Conservatives and moderates have traditionally "held their noses and voted" when a member of the opposite faction was nominated for office.  Not always, but usually.  As the minority party, GOP members know that we need every single vote to win, plus many Democrat votes, too.

We welcome this new faction, but we must let them know that they cannot run and hide, when one of "theirs" is not on the ballot.

Conservatives. 

Both socially and fiscally, they are are the party's right wing.   Their hero is generally considered to be the late U.S. Senator Jesse Helms (left).  Some religious fundamentalists count themselves among this group, and so does your blogger, who is NOT a religious fundamentalist.  .  

Social issues generally important to this group include opposition to gay marriage, protecting the traditional family, and opposition to abortion.  They also are strong on fiscal matters as taxation, a strong national defense, and support for overseas operations, such as the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan.  Members of this group often argue they are committed to "God and Country" and feel motivated by a higher calling, as does your blogger.

  

Republican Liberty Caucus 

The newest faction in our party.  Their number one issue is making sure that our government follows the United States Constitution. These folks are either brand new to politics, or have come over from the Libertarian party or somewhere in between.   

They have not been welcomed by all Republicans, but they've learned the ropes and gained  power within the party.  They respect Congressman Ron Paul and former Congressional candidate B.J. Lawson  (left). Your blogger personally likes Lawson as well, though she respectfully disagrees with him on issues regarding national defense. 

KCC counts many of them among her friends, especially those who serve with her on the Wake and NCGOP executive committees.  The issues the Liberty Caucus Republicans hold dear include less government intrusion, more personal liberty, fiscal conservatism, and they oppose the war on drugs and US conflicts overseas. Many are okay with the legalization of some or all illegal drugs.

They feel the best way to defend the United States is to bring every member of our armed forces home.  Though your blogger disagrees with their ideals on foreign policy, she feels that they have reminded the conservatives what we are fighting for, fiscally.  KCC appreciates them very much.  

 

The Moderates.   

These folks have often been known as the "Country Club" Republicans, and often hold varying stances on issues of abortion and gay issues, something that the staunch conservatives consider litmus tests for party membership.  Again, your blogger has many friends in this camp, as she worked in the administration of former Governor Jim Martin (left), a standard bearer of this group during college, and immediately thereafter.  

Once elected, they've shown that they are willing to work with Democrats and make some compromises.  This keeps the legislation flowing and prevents so-called "gridlock", but it doesn't sit well with all of the conservatives, who will take gridlock any day, versus watered-down pet issues.  

Governor Martin showed that he could and would work with nearly anyone necessary to bring more business and industry to North Carolina.   His 1988 re-election campaign theme was "better jobs, better roads, and better schools" and he kept his promises.  

Luckily, back then, we didn't have to pay companies to locate here. The  Governor could largely sell our great state as the best place to work, play, and learn. Things are different today and sadly, NC is in a bidding war with surrounding states. Is it worth it to pay for jobs that may or may not stay?

The worst thing Governor Martin did was to partner with former and future Governor Jim Hunt (D-Wilson) to promote the Global Transpark, now known as Global TransPORK.  We built it and they didn't come and it's been a huge waste of your tax money.  It's now a big runway in Kinston with only a few companies there.

Another example of a moderate in our state is former Speaker, Harold Brubaker, (R-Randolph).  Brubaker assumed the speakership of the NC House in the Republican Revolution of 1994.  However, by the long session of mid-1995, he was already proving that he was willing to work (a little too much to suit your blogger) with Democrat Senate leaders, Tony Rand (D-Cumberland) and Marc Basnight (D-Dare).  Your blogger felt that he made "deals with the devil" and nearly quit the party over it.  

(Last year, when Brubaker was chairing the NC McCain campaign, your blogger refused to post any photos of him, for what he did to our party during this period.)  

A final  example of a moderate is former U.S. Senate Majority Leader Bob Dole (R-Kansas, left).  Dole showed great compassion for his fellow man and is liked and respected by those on both sides of the aisle.  Your blogger put in many hours of work in 1987-88 during his Presidential primary run, but he ultimately lost to former President George H. W. Bush (41).  KCC has met Bob Dole many times, and his quick wit makes him a crowd favorite..   

She doesn't think the name "country club" Republicans is such as bad thing.  Your blogger grew up as a daughter of members in the New Bern Golf and Country Club, located, in Trent Woods, not New Bern.  t was not full of Republicans, then,  but rather Democrats who would decide among themselves who would run for what each election cycle and then made certain that they won the seats they sought.  The election was decided in the primary.  Today, thankfully, things are different.

In this report, KCC has tried , not to generalize but rather to post what she knows to be correct and to be true to her honest opinion.  If you don't agree, let us know why. 

Please VOTE in Your Upcoming Municipal Elections:

Don't forget that municiple elections are coming up this year.  We need to get our people out and voting.  In 06, only six percent of people identifying themselves as conservative or Republican even voted.  

By riding the couch that rainy election day, we allowed full liberal control of Raleigh, and numerous other cities and towns across our state.  Obama's election has awakened the sleeping giant and we cannot let this happen again.  Please educate yourselves on your favorite school board, county commissioners, and town commissioners, alderman, and council candidates.  Vote.  It's the only chance we have.

Sanford: Hell NO, I Won't GO!

Governor Mark Sanford (R-SC) announced on national television Wednesday afternoon that he was refusing the Lt. Governor's "offer" to step down, 16 months before his term is due to expire.  He said that would be "just plain wrong" and intoned that his work there isn't done yet.  

"Rewriting history is the wrong thing to do" Sanford told the news media, at a mid-afternoon news conference.  On the day the world discovered that long-serving US Senator Teddy Kennedy (D-Mass) had died overnight,  Sanford picked the perfect day to keep his announcement on the back pages of the newpapers.

Unbelievably, Sanford tried to put his personal problems in the proverbial backseat, while speaking about all the good his administration had done for the taxpayers.  Further, he took the opportunity to complain about the abuses of the South Carolina Democrats in the SC General Assembly.

Finally, to many of your blogger's twitter pals, it appeared that Sanford didn't look quite right during the press conference.  He seemed to babble on and on.

We can only hope and pray for Governor Sanford, and hope that he personally gets it together soon.  Your blogger, like many others, feels that he put himself before his  high office , his family, the people of South Carolina, and the Republican Party.

To remain in office, serves only to bring further shame on Mark Sanford.  Your blogger hopes his wife and family gets (in the word of Ivana Trump) "everything".

For More Information

AFP's Dallas Woodhouse vs Brother Brad on the Health Care Debate (Video)

Your blogger enjoyed watching this video, featuring Dallas Woodhouse, State Director of Americans for Prosperity, going against his own brother, who is the White House Communications Director.

Watch and enjoy.  Dallas, we love your quick wit!  

Everything I know, I learned on Twitter (video)

If you aren't on Twitter, you are missing out on the biggest news source on the Web. Recently at the RightOnline Conference, in Pittsburgh, your blogger met for the first time, many of her friends from Twitter.  

These people are some of the most in-tuned politically active people.  Their ranks include everything from the state government and congressional insiders, opinion makers, the unemployed, senior citizens, housewives, stay-at-home moms, bankers, and those from  every walk of life imaginable.  Yet they break stories faster than you can say "Fox News."  How do they do it?  They dedicate their time to the research necessary to further the conservative cause;.

Being on Twitter isn't really an option.  It's an absolute necessity.  It's a political junkie's dream!

The news services closely follow Twitter and then go out and confirm what they learned.  Only later does it make the news wires and television.  

Your blogger chooses to follow mostly conservatives, bloggers, and  fellow sport addicts.  

Contrary to what those on the left would have us believe, conservatives actually STARTED the online movement.  We have to look back, 10 years ago, to the beginning of the primary for the presidential race of 2000.  John McCain was running against George W. Bush, among others.  

McCain's staffers realized a need for something different, something new, and something bleeding edge.  It worked to some degree and he raised amazing amounts of money online, for the time.  However, four years later, the Democrat campaigns picked it up and claimed the idea as their own, as Democrats do.  The media, eating out of the liberal trough, began feeding the public a line about how far "advanced" the left was.

Conservative bloggers then came forth to balance the mistruths being spoken by the likes of Katie Couric and her ilk at NBC and MSNBC.  The same happened with Twitter.  If blogging is fast, Twitter is even faster.  Yes, we feel behind in 2008.  There seemed to be no stopping that train.  However, even liberals are regretting their mistakes.  The Democrats, especially the NC teachers union (aka NCAE) worked hard to elect Beverly Perdue, but she cut them off at the knees when budget time came around.  Conservative Tweeters around the state made sure this was well known.

Having a twitter account is no-longer optional  to keep up with the breaking news.  If you want to know what will be shown on your 24-hour news channel, in an hour, look for it on Twitter right now.  Chances are, some one in the know, has posted it on a blog and then  posted it to Twitter.

WHAT IS TWITTER?  

Twitter is similar to the blog you are reading now.   However, instead of unlimited space in which to make your point, Twitter limits you to 140 characters.  Abbreviations are common place. Hash-tags (#) are used to categorize your topic (#tcot is saying Top Conservatives On Twitter.  Your blogger is one.  Another hashtag might be #liberals to signify the post is about liberals.)  

How do you find people to read, or follow on Twitter? Simple.  

Find one person that you really like on Twitter.  They usually have lots of like-minded followers that they also follow and that follow them back.  Sort of like Facebook's friends, go through their list and follow those that  interest you.  Take a look at the person's most recent tweets.  If the person doesn't follow you back within about two weeks, go back and "unfollow" them and move on.  I try not to follow people who won't follow me.   

Other super celebs like cyclist Lance Armstrong, that I greatly admire, may only follow 17 people, but have millions of followers.  They are different and I can give them a pass, just to know what they have to say.

How do you get followers?  It's simple.  Tweet away.  Keep your comments pithy and interesting.  Be sure to comment back when you agree or have something to add.  If you agree with something your blogger just said, you'd write @katys  Your comment on public schools was right on.  etc...

Just be sure and remember that Twitter is a two-way street.  Re-tweet someone's post if you like it.  Talk back to them.  

Additionally, don't go on Twitter to try to sell your latest idea.  You'll be marked as a spammer and people will tell their friends to "unfollow" you.  It happens quickly.  There is nothing good tweeters hate more than a self-serving jerk who just wants to sell, sell, sell.

Further, beware of the person that calls themself a "social media expert".  This blogger thinks that sounds a bit like identifying yourself as a snake oil sales man!  People will laugh, right before they delete you.

HOW DO I GET ON TWITTER?

To set up an account on Twitter, click here.  

Then click, Sign Up Now.  

At the Sign Up page, enter the desired information and you can begin entering your Tweets.  

When tweeting,  to direct your tweets to a specific person (or tweeter), put the @ symbol in front of their twitter name, and type.   For example, if you want to send a direct message to your blogger, you'd enter @katys and include something like great blog.  I really liked what you had to say about xxx.

Next, the most important thing to make using Twitter easier is to download TweetDeck.  

TweetDeck does so much more than plain Twitter on the Web.  Tweetdeck lets you use multiple accounts.  For example, your blogger Tweets both for herself (@katys) and on behalf of the Wake County NC Republican Party (@WakeGOP) .   

KCC can use Tweet Deck to use one or both. TweetDeck can also have Twitter post to a Facebook account as well.  Just read and follow the directions and it's quite simple.  If you don't understand, shoot us an email though we are quick to point out that we will not act as technical support!  

This past weekend, your blogger was at the RightOnline Summit, where we discussed everything from issues, to web 101, to using blogging and Twitter as community building.  Twitter, at the moment, is THE big thing, and conservatives have made it happen.  In fact, there are more conservatives on Twitter than any other type of group.   it won't last forever, but while it lasts, we should stick with it.

Your blogger doesn't waste her time following liberals. It's too much trouble and the same old debate gets old and tiring. 

Give it a try.  For more information, KCC recommends the book "Twitter, Tips, Tricks, and Tweets" by Paul McFedries from Wiley Publishing.  

Your blogger has done so much more tweeting more than blogging these days.  But, to have a decent following on her blog, she has to tweet and vice versa.

Here is a video that describes Twitter, but not TweetDeck.  I highly recommend Tweetdeck and wouldn't Twitter without it, but this video offers easy-to-understand information.

Also check out these links: 10 Things to Know Before Using Twitter and  11 Things to Avoid When Using Twitter

Good luck!

Mercy To Former State Trooper With Child Porn?

Your blogger hasn't been writing much this summer.  She's been busy at the beach with her family, and dealing with family illnesses.

However, this story, as covered in Thursday's Raleigh News and Observer is too important to miss!   (Judge Upholds Firing of State Trooper). 

According to the article, former State Trooper, Ronald Gene Ezzell Jr., drove up to a State Employees Credit Union Drive thru, in his patrol car, wearing his Trooper uniform.  When asked for identification, he passed the teller a photo of a young naked boy.  (There are other details your blogger has chosen to omit as this is a family-oriented blog.)

The Patrol then, in the opinion of your blogger, rightfully fired the trooper and the Administrative Law Judge agreed.  However, the Judge, Fred G. Morrison, admitted to the News and Observer that he didn't impose the toughest penalty allowed:

"While I may have decided to imposes a lesser sanction based upon the maxim, 'Justice tempered with mercy,' for a veteran trooper..." 

What?  Show mercy for a sicko that passes a photo of a naked, innocent child to a bank teller he doesn't even know?  He claimed the photo was of himself as a boy and was a joke, but it was only a joke, after Ezzell was caught.  How convenient.

This man needs to be in prison.  He could become, if he is not already, a child predator.  We realize that it was not the Administrative Law Judge's job to issue prison time to Ezzell, but why wasn't he brought up on child porn charges.    Who cares how many years he served with the Patrol?  He took an oath to serve and protect, rather than break the law. 

Most of you know, that your blogger is the proud mother of a young boy.  She fights hard to keep him safe.  She works to watch over him, and to remind him to not run off, without his Mommy or Daddy.  

We must protect our helpless children.  We cannot allow people like this to walk the streets of our society.