Sean Bielat for Congress Massachusetts CD 4

Meet Sean Bielat. He's a former active duty Marine officer, and served 7 years in the Marine reserves with the rank of Major. He has an MA in public policy from Harvard. And he's currently an IT consultant. From his Bio:

Sean, 34, and his wife are residents of Brookline, MA where they are expecting their first child in August. They are members of St. Mary of the Assumption Catholic Church in Brookline. Sean currently works as an independent consultant. Until recently, Sean worked at iRobot Corporation where he ran the company's largest defense robotics program. Prior to that, he worked as a management consultant at McKinsey & Company.

And like many in the IT field, Bielat holds very libertarian views on the issues of the day.

Jobs

Stimulus spending has put politics over policy, and the result has been handouts to special interests, inefficient spending, and far too much debt.

It is clear that real economic growth comes from businesses working to compete and grow in the free market. Government cannot create jobs (aside from government jobs); only business can create jobs and sustainable economic growth.

Taxes

We need a tax code that doesn’t penalize success but also doesn’t punish the working poor. Some emerging democracies have learned lessons from the failed tax systems of other nations. These countries have had great success with a system in which an individual pays no income tax on earnings up to the poverty line and pays only a relatively low flat tax above that level.

Spending

President Obama’s proposal to cut non-defense, discretionary spending by 10% is a meaningless gesture—it would only apply to 12% of the total federal budget, meaning that there would be only a 1.2% cut in total spending over a 10-year period. This “cut” will have no real impact and serves only to provide the appearance of action.

Cutting earmarks and wasteful spending are obvious solutions and a good start.

National Security

American military might keeps the peace. Some on the left fixate on the exceptions to this statement, but the period of American pre-eminence has had fewer major conflicts than any other period since the rise of nation-states. U.S. strength creates stability across the globe... Many people believe that we should focus on non-state actors (i.e., terrorists, jihadists, etc.) rather than nation-states. I believe that we can, and must, do both.

With great power comes great responsibility. As the world’s sole superpower, we must be slow to undertake military action. We must only employ our military might when it is clearly in the national interest to do so.

Our founding fathers wisely gave the power to declare war to the representatives of the people; if the people do not believe that a conflict is in their national interest, then it is not. We should adhere to the Constitution and only fight in conflicts that receive a majority vote in Congress via a Declaration of War.

A Republican Against the War on Drugs

While all the above issue stances fall comfortably within the mainstream Republican view, Beilat takes a differeing approach on the War on Drugs. In a recent interview with Huffington Post reporter Ryan Grim, Beilat said the following:

"I'm a conservative, but I would say on drug issues I tend toward libertarian," he says, arguing that the war on drugs has been a total failure and that policy should focus on reducing the harm associated with drugs.

It makes no sense, he says, that coffee and alcohol are legal when other drugs aren't.

"Barney's not bad on those issues," offers Bielat, saying he won't make it part of his campaign. "I don't need to beat my head against that particular wall."

Barney can be Beat

The Republican adds, Barney's no friend of freedom on taxes and spending:

"I'm not emphasizing social issues. I'm here to talk about economic issues. That's what people care about this year," he says. "He's hardly libertarian on economic issues, though. I'm going to be talking about the deficit; I'm going to be talking about job creation; I'm going to be talking about economic growth; I'm going to be talking about taxes."

Bielat's cautiously optimistic of his chances:

"I think he's going to be arrogant about this. I don't think he's going to pay attention. And I don't want him to," he says.

"If we can't do it this year, this guy's going to be in there till he retires."

SeanBielat.org

From Eric Dondero:

It's been the hottest rumor for weeks out of the Crab State. Longtime entrenched incumbent Democrat Senator Barbara Mikulski was planning on announcing her retirement. The rumors were hot and heavy for a day or two. Then the major media squelched all speculation.

From the Washington Post, Post-Partisan blog, "Mikulski retire, not likely" Feb. 16:

The Maryland political blogosphere has gone berserk in the last 24 hours with the rumor that Sen. Barbara Mikulski (D) is planning to retire, adding to the Democrats’ headaches about keeping control of the Senate...

The senator, who will turn 74 this summer, broke her ankle badly last summer. She had a plate and screws inserted in surgery.

A Democratic source close to Milkulski says she is definitely running for reelection, and her actions seem to support that -- raising money, setting up a campaign office, making appearances.

But now a new twist has arisen.

Rumors are spreading that Obama and Reid convinced the Senator to run for reelection, then resign, so that Democrat Governor (and longtime Mikulski ally) Martin O'Malley can immediately appoint a replacement.

The stakes couldn't be any higher.

Moe Lane of RedState opines on the possible Mikulski retirement:

the real problem for the Democrats... they cannot have any more bad luck if they want to be assured of keeping their Senate majority.

We are almost at the point where everything has to go right for them, from now until November, for them to preserve their Senate majority.

Caution; the Obama, Reid part is just at the rumor stage, eminating from various Maryland political blogs.

From Eric Dondero:

New Jersey Senator Frank Lautenberg may be the next Democrat to go. Which would bring the number of 'D's in the Senate down to 58.

Here's the original AP story via Right blogger Don Suber:

Lautenberg was taken to the hospital Monday after his office said he fell. The office said Tuesday the senator was treated for a bleeding ulcer...

Now as NJ.com reports:

U.S. Sen. Frank Lautenberg, New Jersey’s 86-year-old senior senator, was diagnosed with treatable cancer in the stomach in the last 24 hours and will begin chemotherapy today.

As Suber sardonically notes:

Let’s see, this went from a fall, to bleeding ulcers, to cancer in the stomach within 5 days.

It sounds Politburo-ish to me.

Of course, Republican Governor Christie gets to appoint a replacement if and when Lautenberg were to resign. Speculation in NJ GOP circles centers on two names: Tom Kean, Jr. and State Senator Joe Kyrillos.

The Right blog SaveJersey.com writes:

Tom Kean, Jr. would be an exceedingly strong choice for Christie... The younger Kean is a proven party leader and a solid fiscal conservative.

However, the immediate concern for Dems, one less vote for the "Jobs bill" and for Health Care reform.

Partisan lines are clearly drawn: Democrats in favor, Republicans opposed

From Eric Dondero:

As state budget woes increase during the deep recession, and state worker lay-offs loom, legislators are looking to a familiar "bad guy," to pound even harder in an effort to help balance budgets. Democrat legislators are proposing massive increases in tobacco taxes. While Republicans, somewhat oddly, have been thrust in the role of defending the "little guy."

From Fox News, "States' Budget Woes Ignites Debate Over Raising Tobacco Taxes," Feb. 21:

Just a year after smokers were slapped with the single largest federal tobacco tax increase ever, public health advocates are urging states to follow up with their own cigarette tax hikes to offset declining revenues lost in the recession and to press more people into giving up smoking.

critics say a cigarette tax increase would be "foolish" and that the taxes are now "way too high" and target the poor.

"When you raise it a buck, you're taking it out of the hands of people with not much disposable income, and $1 buck a day is significant income," said William Ahern, the director of policy and communications for the Tax Foundation.

He added that since smokers can avoid tax by buying cigarettes on the black market, the increase is "criminalizing the population."

"Cigarettes are being sold on street corners like illegal drugs," he said. "There's a lot of crime associated with this now."

Republicans defending the rights of the Working Class

At least four states are already moving fast to implement an increase: New York, New Mexico Oregon and Maine.

Here's an example from one state.

From the Bangor Daily News, Feb. 21:

Public health advocates and some Maine lawmakers are supporting a proposed $1 state tax increase on a pack of cigarettes... But the proposed tax, estimated to generate about $26.6 million annually, faces opposition from Republican legislators...

Emily Cain, D-Orono, House chairman of the Legislature’s Appropriations and Financial Affairs Committee, said the tax proposal has been presented to her committee “along a partisan divide,” with support from Democrats and opposition from Republicans.

Sen. Peter Mills, R-Cornville, said the proposed tax wouldn’t generate enough money to meaningfully offset the devastating cuts the Legislature is charged with making. Mills, who is running for governor, predicted that legislative Democrats will push through not only the tobacco tax but also other liberal initiatives

In fairness, it should be noted that Republicans legislators are being joined in opposition to the tax increase, surprisingly, by outgoing Democrat Governor John Baldacci.

The libertarian-leaning group Freedom Works, headed by former Republican Congressman Dick Armey released a statement on the proposed nationwide tax hikes:

Those who don’t smoke won’t be paying this tax directly. Instead, this tax will fall disproportionately on the poor leaving less money for food and other essentials at a time when so many are hurting. At the same time, cigarette taxes hurt small businesses as profits from cigarette sales are lost across state lines, over the internet, or the black market. This means lost jobs, more economic pain, increased crime, and soon the state will be looking for the next group to tax to make ends meet. The collective bad fiscal policy of a state can’t be pawned off onto one unpopular minority.

From Eric Dondero:

Pin-up Gal Gina Elise was interviewed by both Stars & Stripes and the American Legion magazine last month.

From American Legion Troop Support website:

Since 2007, Gina Elise has raised tens of thousands of dollars for military and VA hospitals in the western United States through sales of her "pinup girl" calendars, posters and T-shirts. She's generated $5,000 for the VA medical center in Loma Linda, Calif.; $15,000 for the naval hospital in San Diego; and $15,000 for the VA medical center in Portland, Ore.

With a background in theater and a nostalgic appreciation for Betty Grable and other World War II-era pinup girls, Elise decided the best way she could raise funds for wounded warriors was by hearkening back to the days of Grable, Lauren Bacall, Ingrid Bergman and Jane Greer - and becoming a 21st-century pinup girl, herself. American Legion Post 360 in Lake Arrowhead, Calif., sponsored her efforts and soon she was off and posing.

But in the new politically correct era does Gina Elise still gain support for her efforts?

Continuing from AL:

Q: Do you ever hear that what you're doing is somehow inappropriate or politically incorrect?

A: I can honestly tell you that I can count on one hand the number of negative letters I've gotten compared to thousands of e-mails that support my project. People see this project as a really fun cause they can support. So many wives and girlfriends support my project, too.

It's a very tasteful calendar, really. Bathing suits and fun costumes. It's nothing too provocative.

I have so many amazing e-mails from veterans and from our troops serving overseas, thanking me for what I'm doing.

It's a unique project, and maybe some people are a little bit shocked that someone in my age group is doing this.

Read the full interview at American Legion.

To support Gina's efforts with a contribution, to purchase a calendar or to view her entire Photo Gallery visit PinupsforVets.com

Editor's Note - Proud US Navy Veteran and current Member of both American Legion and Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW).

Bush critic and staunch opponent of the War in Iraq, Senator Russ Feingold of Wisconsin looks increasingly endangered for reelection.

Former Republican Gov. Tommy Thompson has not yet announced his intentions to challenge Feingold. However, in a hypothetical match-up Thompson would soundly defeat Feingold.

From Rasmussen:

Thompson holds a 48% to 43% edge over Feingold. Three percent (3%) prefer some other candidate, and five percent (5%) are undecided.

Thompson's lead was expanded slightly from the same poll conducted last month.

If Thompson fails to declare, Feingold may still face a stiff challenge from two largely unknown candidates. Continuing:

Feingold leads real estate entrepreneur Terrence Wall 47% to 39%.

Against another potential GOP opponent, businessman Dave Westlake, Feingold currently holds a 47% to 37% lead but again fails to receive 50% support.

Any incumbent who attracts less than 50% support at this point in a campaign is considered potentially vulnerable.

by Katherine Jenerette

Last year Obama was going to move the nation forward with what he billed as his top priority: the economic stimulus package called the "American Recovery and Reinvestment Plan."

And now it appears that the only thing that was 'stimulated' was a Federal Power Grab and more strings attached to the free marketplace.

So if this Obama creation, with another fancy name - the "National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform" - works as well as his prior 'sounds-good-but-means-trouble' Federal nothingness, we are all in for an unprecedented rate of federal government growth for the next 7 or eight generations.

Chi Ching! Sounds like a Biblical plague of Federal locusts…swarming.

I don't pretend to be some conservative miracle worker for South Carolina's First Congressional District. I just know Obamamania-slash-Pelosimaniacs need to be stopped.

Washington D.C. is a pretty tough place but, you can count on the fact that my 'one vote' in the Congress will be for the District that I represent. I know that every vote I would make to spend money as a Congressman 'screws' someone and 'helps' someone . . . and costs every hardworking person and their family.

President Truman had the 'buck stops here' thing backwards: Every 'buck starts with a tax-paying person' not with the Federal Government in D.C.

The only strings attached to me are going to be from the voters - I'm used to fighting to get things done and to get things done right.

I don't pull any punches, and I can take a punch and will get up before the count is over.

Get me in an elevator as the SC-01 Representative at the capitol with Nancy Girl Pelosi, and I will do more than whistle Dixie to her…

Editor's Note - brought to us by Jenerette's national spokesman and LR Blog contributor Stephen Maloney. To make a contribution http://www.jenerette.com

MOVEMENT NEWS

Says she's a Tough-as-nails Paratrooper not to be messed with

Libertarian-conservative Founder of Draft Sarah Palin for VP in 2007/08, and friend of Libertarian Republican blog Adam Brickley attended C-PAC. Over at Race42012.com Brickley reported on his meeting with South Carolina Congressional candidate Katherine Jenerette:

Jenerette, a veteran and paratrooper in the Army Reserve, has a tough race in the GOP Primary to succeed retiring Rep. Henry Brown. Among her opponents are Paul Thurmond, the youngest son of Strom Thurmond, and and Caroll Campbell III, the son of former Governor Carroll Campbell. However, I will say that Jenerette has the drive and the strategy to succeed. She ran a tough campaign in the primary against Rep. Brown in 2008, and managed to win 19% of the vote with a shoestring budget. This time, she’s back for more – and now she’s in decent position as a Tea Partier facing off against a more fractured field of establishment opponents.

After spending a few minutes with her – I think this woman definitely has a shot. For one, she is a PISTOL - and I’m not even sure that term does her justice, even when bolded, italicized, underlined, and capitalized. She sat and chewed that fat with several bloggers for a few minutes - and this woman doesn’t just come off as a real person, she IS a real person. In all my political experience I have NEVER met a candidate with such a total lack of pretension.

Sarah Palin in Fatigues

Continuing:

Of course, she’s solid on the issues, and very well spoken (although in a very down to earth fashion) – but it was the “what you see is what you get” attitude that really hit home for me.

To give you an example, when the topic turned to Sarah Palin (who Jenerette REALLY remind me of) - she not only said she likes Gov. Palin, but that she’d love it if Sarah would be willing come to South Carolina and skydive with her and her friends in the U.S. Army Golden Knights (the army’s elite parachuting unit).

When I explained to her just how difficult it is to get a Palin endorsement, Jenerette looked me in the eye and told me, “Oh, I don’t want an endorsement, I just want to jump out of an airplane with her!”

Maybe this is rather superficial of me – but that was the moment I decided we NEED this woman in Congress. That sort of attitude could go a long way in the stodgy halls of the U.S. Capitol.

The "Thomas Jefferson of New Jersey"

The battle lines are drawn. It's Republican Governor Chris Christie versus the Unions: Teachers Union and State Worker Unions, who according to NJ.com dumped in $814,000 to Democrats in New Jersey last year, much of that going to defeat Christie.

From NJ.com:

delivering a major budget speech today, laying the groundwork to make a range of cuts that will include $475 million in state aid to schools, according to people familiar with his plans. New Jersey Democrats... are infuriated that he had not consulted with them.

Most politicians and political experts agree the war between Christie and the unions is unique in Statehouse history. No previous governor ever opposed the unions so directly and with such gusto, and the unions never fought back so readily.

However, Christie is gaining support from taxpayers and even some libertarians for his budget cutting efforts. So much so in fact, that one prominent NJ Libertarian economist Dr. Murray Sabrin of Ramapo College has even posed the question: Is Christie "New Jersey's Jefferson?" Sabrin was the 2006 Libertarian Party nominee for US Senate. He is also an associate at the Ludvig von Mises Institue.

From Murray Sabrin.com, Feb. 12:

if Democrats had a clue about how the economy works, they would realize that state revenues are very sensitive during the course of the business cycle. When the economy started to turn down more than two years ago, that should have set off alarm bells in the governor’s office and in the legislature. Instead, they collectively buried their heads in the sand and hoped the economy would turn around quickly.

In his address Governor Christie made the following remarks.

“And make no mistake: our priorities are to reduce and reform New Jersey’s habit of excessive government spending, to reduce taxes, to encourage job creation, to shrink our bloated government, and to fund our responsibilities on a pay-as-you-go basis and not leave them for future generations. In short, to make New Jersey a home for growth instead of a fiscal basket case.

“Let us live within the means the people are already providing us and not take more of their hard-earned wages and savings from their pockets.”

In his first inaugural address Thomas Jefferson said: “… a wise and frugal Government, which shall restrain men from injuring one another, shall leave them otherwise free to regulate their own pursuits of industry and improvement, and shall not take from the mouth of labor the bread it has earned. This is the sum of good government….”

Governor Christie may turn out to be New Jersey’s Thomas Jefferson. Let’s hope so for the people of New Jersey and future generations.