Grizzly Groundswell

Meet Melissa Lineberry with her Speech she gave this last weekend on Saturday I believe:

Hi my name is Melissa Lineberry and first off I would like to state that I am a proud Republican.

This party has a long and proud history, but no matter what year it is on the calendar the Republican Party has always been the champion of freedoms.

 My subject for you today is Freedom of speech and why it should be included in our Party Platform.

This freedom is guaranteed in our State Constitution Article 1 Section 9 and in our Federal Constitution in the bill of rights  1^st Amendment.

Freedom of speech is one of the core values that define who we are as a state and a nation. Our elected officials take an oath to uphold, protect, and defend this right. 

Without our right to free speech we would never have the opportunity to hear fresh thoughts and perspectives from others. Free speech should be respected at all times even in the face of opposition. 

This is something the Republican Party has held in the past, should in the Present, and hopefully will in the future.

 This election cycle has been one of the most exciting in my lifetime and I am proud to be a part of it.  During this election cycle there have been many candidates, many different opinions about those candidates;

 All the energy that I have seen that has come from this has been sheer pleasure for me.  Indiana has been pro-active in many government issues and our Republican leadership has lead in this fight. It is time once more for Indiana to lead the way and that is why I would like to see Freedom of Speech be one of the main ideas in our 2008 platform This ideal can only be accomplished if we remember that government was made by the people and for the people and we should not be divided by different opinions but allow those opinions to bring us closer together.  Please ensure that Freedom of speech be held dear to the Republican Party this year and included in our 2008 platform. This will enable all of us to work together, because even if our opinions are different, our goals are the same.  These very goals are what have inspired me to work for the Republican Party and to support great Republican Candidates. I would like to see this implemented in our state so that no supporter of any candidate for political office ever feels disenfranchised, and that the Republican Party is welcoming, and unbiased to all that support Republican candidates.

I had the great honor of working with her on this speech.  It happened by happenstance.  Actually, Melissa was doing me a great favor because she was telling me that I had the link for her Indiana Republican Platform with a Illinois platform link messed up.  So, I was really glad she told me so I could fix that.  Then, we began emailing back and forth because she asked me if I knew where to find a speech to look at for a Republican Platform Convention. 

Well, I have been truly just as frustrated as Melissa was.  There is no resources for what should be a simple question.  Where are our forms and templates for our organizational meetings?  They sure are not easy to find online!  In fact, the whole endorsement process is a little on the secretive side.  Why is that?  I have ran into that fear head long in my own backyard.  It is funny how the old guard cuts off the present at the cost of the future over and again.  If we want a strong Republican Party we are going to have to Grizzly Groundswell some things quickly. 

Melissa and I began talking and I found out Melissa is one of the many Ron Paul supporters that truly I say our Party is blessed to be over run with.  Now I have a bone to pick with Ron Paul on his understanding of the war, and I do not support his isolation tendencies, but I realize he is principled and I enjoy the passion that his supporters bring to the process! 

In fact, as Republicans we are going to have to come to terms with each other.  Sure the endorsement is not a done deal yet and who knows what is in store for our party between now and then, however, when this election is all said and done, we are going to have to find a way to all get along! 

I enjoy the give and take, the struggle and tension that we enjoy in our Republican Party.  I enjoy not really knowing where the battle lines are drawn.  That makes some very interesting meetings and conventions.  That means our party is still vital to the American Dream and people.  That means that we are truly fighting the good fight. 

However, when is enough, enough?  When do we go out of our way to welcome these new Republican members into the rough and tumble with the rest of our wacky factions?  The Republican Party reminds me of where I grew up in North Dakota.  Did you ever wonder why there were a great number of church’s in each small town with twice the number of bars?  I think it is because people just do not get along.  Plain and simple.  We are a species who quibble over moving baptismal fonts an inch to the right or left. 

So, knowing this, where do we go from here? 

I think, we do not have to do much of anything but remember to love our neighbor, especially those fighting the same socialism as us.  Besides great leaders such as Melissa Lineberry are here and leading our party as a whole forward into battle.  Maybe it is time we all yoke our massive and powerful wild animal love of our country to that endorsed candidates wagon and pull it to Washington together. 

I know I am willing to work with the likes of Melissa Lineberry.  We did and I think she came up with a great speech.  Here is her first platform plank submission:

We respect and cherish Our State and Federal Constitutions. We believe the right to free speech is one of the most basic and fundamental rights, we will make sure that in all that we do and say honors this right. We will makes sure that all Republican Candidate Supporters are welcome and will make every effort to make sure that no one feels disenfranchised by not allowing free and open discourse

I think she and the rest of the Ron Paul supporters will fit in with the rest of us passionate Republicans just fine.  Hell, I would vote for her platform plank.  Then it will give me the opportunity to correct that one old bitty who just does not seem to understand civility or decorum when she gets within the walls of a convention.  It would also tickle me pink to pull aside the gentleman who is trying hard not to call upon a voice that is of opposing view to the powers that be.  My fellow Republican’s where is our decorum?

After all we are not the Godless Democrat Party are we?  No, thank God!  No sir!

So, we are currently blessed with a growing number of new Republicans this year. 

“And How is that a bad thing?” says the Teddy Bear shouting on my shoulder. 

Leadership, not just brute abuse of power will always win the day.  Why is it that our Republican old guard is lacking in that department today?  From my vantage point, it seems like we have a generation who built up the current political machine and have been running all the future generations through it, without a need to teach those that threatened their positions how to work the machinery for fear of being replaced. 

If we fear that which God blesses us with, then maybe our leadership is not reaping the harvest in Fall but just pulling out the crop while letting the weeds grow tall and strong in the growing Summer.  We both know then there will be no crop to harvest come the harvest moon in the Fall. 

Now before I step off my Grizzly Groundswell soap box, I just want to make sure you understand how lucky we are as a party that we have this influx of talented and passionate people coming into our party!  Remember, the Democrats have to digg up the dead, Vote in multiple districts and commit huge amounts of voter fraud just to loose to our legitimate voters and members of our party.  The Democrat party is built upon a deception that only socialism can tempt the compassionate with.  It is subtle and vain.  The Democrat’s are not having this same blessing of a flood of new members.  The only time they did was when Rush broke out his “Operation Chaos”.  And we know most of them were us Republican’s to keep the Socialist Squirrel show going on a little longer for our amusement. 

So lets count our blessings.  Let’s battle each other up to the endorsement and then together we will yoke ourselves to the endorsed candidates wagon and carry them to the inauguration in Washington. 

One last thing!  I want you to do one thing for me as a fellow Republican!  I want you to email this fine Republican and welcome her and her candidate to the party! 

Melissa Lineberry
Indiana Field Director for Ron Paul 2008
Melissa@ronpaul2008.com

I know for our Grizzly Groundswell, conservatives, libertarians and Republican’s alike, we welcome the Ron Paul supporters to the conservative Republican Grizzly Groundswell movement.  I am glad to fight shoulder to shoulder with you.  

Ron Paul supporters where out in force at the April 12th, 2008 Minnesota Tax Cut Rally freezing.  We all, everyone there, fighting for the same things even though our solutions are sometimes very diverse.  Yet, that in itself leads to better solutions and more creative problem solving.  Check out these dedicated Republican Ron Paul supporters.  Dragging out the kids and the wife to support a better future for all our generations!  Bravo! I say.

I am still going to give you a hard time about your candidates isolationist views, but honestly, if you did not return the favor, I would think that you don’t like me! 

And we all know, Everyone loves the Teddy Bear!

~Teddy Bear

Tags: GGBN-Indiana, Melissa Lineberry, Republican, Ron Paul

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