American Majority is excited to be a part of the We the People Convention on July 1 & 2 in Columbus, OH. Our Candidate Training track will be available on both Friday, July 1 and Saturday, July 2 starting at 9:00 a.m. The Convention is being held at the Columbus Convention Center located at 44 N. High Street in Columbus.

Topics presented by American Majority at the Convention include*:

• So, You Want to Run for Office?
• Campaign Plan
• Campaign Fundraising
• Campaign Communications
• Taking Your Campaign Online
• Get-Out-The-Vote

For details on other presentations and sessions offered at the We the People Convention, please visit their website.

To register for the We The People Convention, please visit the Convention website. The cost is $100/day, and includes some meals.  The purpose of the Convention is to provide education and resources to the citizens of Ohio who are looking for ways to be engaged and informed in our political system.

If you have any questions about this training, please contact Allison at allison@americanmajority.org.

*Topics are subject to change.

Our nation was founded by ordinary citizen activists desiring a government that was accountable to the people.  Today, ordinary citizens across our nation are tired of the status quo and ready to engage for the betterment of their communities. American Majority’s political training addresses these passions by providing education and resources to help you meet your goals.

American Majority will conduct a Grassroots / Activist training that will provide citizens with the tools necessary to win elections and implement limited government and free market principles.

The training will take place on Saturday, June 11 at the Moline American Legion (1623 15^th St  Moline, IL 61265) from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm. Registration begins at 9:30 am. Registration is $25 per person in advance or $30.00 at the door.

In addition to providing an opportunity to meet other patriots in your community, the seminar provides an opportunity to network and learn from grassroots organizers with successful campaign experience. Topics to be covered during the training include:

• Public Speaking
• So You Want to Become a Campaign Manager?
• Patriots 2.0 New Media, Social Media, Online activism
• Precinct Power – Micro Targeting and Door-Knocking Your Community

If you have any questions or would like additional information, e-mail Lonny at Lonny@AmericanMajority.org

American Majority is a non-profit and non-partisan political training organization whose mission is to train and equip a national network of leaders committed to individual freedom through limited government and the free market.

Today, the Wisconsin Legislative Fiscal Bureau (LFB) announced their estimate of an additional $636 million of revenue over the next three years due to an increase in the LFB’s projection of Wisconsin tax collections.  If liberals were running the show in Madison, we would likely already be hearing how the money should be spent as if the Governor had just found a treasure chest in the Governor’s Mansion basement with $636 million in it.  Unfortunately, that is not how budgets work.  This new projection is based upon stronger than previously expected income tax numbers.  But again it is an estimate that could easily change as it is very difficult to predict future revenues in an uncertain economy.

We also are seeing a debate taking place over the Voter ID bill in the Legislature at the same time the Wisconsin Supreme Court election recount is continuing in only one remaining county and concealed carry legislation is moving forward.  Politics is very fluid and conservatives must remain vigilant at all times because there is more policy to be made and more elections right around the corner.

Several counties are either increasing or decreasing the size of their County Boards.  What a good reminder that we need to have conservatives representing us at all levels of government.  If you don’t have conservatives representing you on your School Board, Village or City Council, County Board, then you should find your own candidates to run against them next spring and fall.

Is it too early to start talking about 2012 Spring and Fall Elections? No.  It’s not.  In fact, the Left has been active in preparing for 2012 already.  Conservatives and Tea Party members need to  go out and find candidates who will represent them at the local levels.  To prepare you and the candidates you identify for 2012, American Majority Wisconsin will be hosting a Candidate/Campaign Manager/Activist Training on June 11 in Oconomowoc. To register or find out more information about this training, visit here:  http://americanmajority.org/events/candidate-and-activist-training-oconomowoc-wi/ .

The President has released his long-form birth certificate, proving that he was, in fact, born in Hawaii as he has consistently said. You can find the (.pdf) here, and the press secretary’s statement here.

It was just a matter of time until this came out. For an explanation of the political expediency of releasing the certificate today, I point you to Erick Erickson at RedState.

This development, of course, means that thousands (and maybe millions) or birfers, including the ever-incendiary Donald Trump, must find a new pastime. As AM President Ned Ryun made clear last year, American Majority does not welcome or encourage discussion of the birth certificate issue (now non-issue). It is, and always has been, a waste of time, resources, and brainpower for otherwise clever and thoughtful would-be activists.

Now, thanks to the president (and I say that without sarcasm), thousands of former birfers can fully devote their efforts to recruiting, supporting, and electing conservative candidates at the local and state levels without concern for conspiracy theories or far-flung scenarios of the president’s birth.

Former birfers, welcome back. Let’s get to work.

Our nation was founded by ordinary citizen activists desiring a government that was accountable to the people.  Today, ordinary citizens across our nation are tired of the status quo and ready to engage for the betterment of their communities.

American Majority is pleased to announce an Activist Training will be conducted on Wednesday, May 18 in Northglenn, CO to provide citizens with the tools necessary to become effective activists.

The training will take place at the O’Meara Ford located at 400 West 104^th Avenue in Northglenn, Colorado from 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm.  Registration opens at 5:45.  The cost is $25 per attendee.

Topics* to be covered during the Training include:

• The System (an in-depth look at the system we’re in, how we got there, and what we can do about it)
• Grassroots Action (ideas and practical steps to engage our communities and organize a coalition of volunteers)
• Precinct Power (changing your community one precinct at a time with specific micro-targeting and focused action)
• Patriots 2.0 (effectively utilizing social networking tools, blogs, wiki projects and other technologically-driven platforms)

Full training materials, samples and supplements will be provided to help you apply what you learn to your organization, candidate, cause or community.

Political Training Registration

If you have any questions or would like additional information, contact Kathleen Baker at Kathleen@ammechanics.org or call 303-817-3048.

American Majority is a non-profit and non-partisan organization whose mission is to train and equip a national network of leaders committed to individual freedom through limited government and the free market.

* Topics are subject to change.

About Your Trainer

Kathleen Baker became involved in the tea party movement in Colorado in March 2009. She was a co-founder of the Evergreen/Conifer Tea Party, which received national attention when asked to present at the National Tea Party Convention in February 2009. She also co-organized the 2010 Denver Tax Tea Party. During the November 2010 elections, she oversaw the social media for a nationally known candidate’s campaign, which a L.A. newspaper cited as the most active social media for all candidates nationwide. She currently is a precinct committee person and district area coordinator in her county for her political party, as well as co-organizer for Liberty on the Rocks Clear Creek. She also writes for a national news website.

She is a certified American Majority Mechanic Trainer as part of the American Majority Mechanics Program.  Kathleen was identified, trained and certified to conduct Activist Trainings on behalf of American Majority.

The American Majority Mechanics Program was launched in 2010 with goal of training citizen-activists to equip others to become engaged in their state and local communities.  The program is named after the roughly 30 citizens who called themselves “Mechanics” and organized an intelligence network designed to monitor and inform the citizenry about British activities in New England colonies on the eve of American independence.  Among its most notable members was Paul Revere.  For more information on become an American Majority mechanic, please contact us.

Our nation was founded by ordinary citizen activists desiring a government that was accountable to the people.  Today, ordinary citizens across our nation are tired of the status quo and ready to engage for the betterment of their communities.

American Majority is pleased to announce an Activist Training will be conducted on Saturday, May 7th in Cleveland, TN to provide citizens with the tools necessary to become effective activists.

The training will take place at Cleveland Bradley County Public Library located at 795 Church Street NE in Cleveland from 9:30 am to 2:00 pm.  Doors open at 9:00 am.  The cost is $25 per attendee in advance and $35 at the door. For high school and college students, the cost is $15 in advance and $25 at the door (please call 540-338-1251 to register if you are a student).

The training will be conducted by a certified American Majority Mechanic Trainer (read more about your trainer at the end of this article).

Topics* to be covered during the Training include:

• The System (an in-depth look at the system we’re in, how we got there, and what we can do about it).
• Grassroots Action (ideas and practical steps to engage our communities and organize a coalition of volunteers)
• Precinct Power (changing your community one precinct at a time with specific micro-targeting and focused action)
• Patriots 2.0 (effectively utilizing social networking tools, blogs, wiki projects and other technologically-driven platforms)

Full training materials, samples and supplements will be provided to help you apply what you learn to your organization, candidate, cause or community.

Political Training Registration

If you have any questions or would like additional information, contact Laura Boatright at Laura@AMMechanics.org.

American Majority is a non-profit and non-partisan organization whose mission is to train and equip a national network of leaders committed to individual freedom through limited government and the free market.

* Topics are subject to change.

About Your Trainer

A homeschooling mom, Laura Boatright has been active in community service and politics for a number of years ranging from involvement in her church and local PTA to conducting voter registration and petition drives and playing a leadership role in local political campaigns.

Laura launched the Tea Party IE in March 2009 that drew 1,600 participants and remains very active in the Tea Party movement in California.  In August 2009 she helped organized a coalition to protest the state’s eco tyranny which included farmers and worker, truck owners and drivers, miners and loggers and was co-sponsored by the Howard Jarvis Tax Association.  The event drew over 10,000 participants.  She has been invited to speak before several political and non-political groups.

Laura has a passion for training new organizers and members of their groups.

The trainer for this event is a certified American Majority Mechanic Trainer as part of the American Majority Mechanics Program.  This individual was identified, trained and certified to conduct Activist Trainings on behalf of American Majority.

The American Majority Mechanics Program was launched in 2010 with goal of training citizen-activists to equip others to become engaged in their state and local communities.  The program is named after the roughly 30 citizens who called themselves “Mechanics” and organized an intelligence network designed to monitor and inform the citizenry about British activities in New England colonies on the eve of American independence.  Among its most notable members was Paul Revere.  For more information on become an American Majority mechanic, please contact us.

Every elected official, from school board member to state legislator to the President of the United States plays a vital role in shaping the policies and direction of our communities, states, and nation. These offices deserve men and women who are grounded in the principles of liberty and individual freedom. American Majority’s political training is designed to enhance your campaign effort through targeted education and resources.

American Majority is hosting a Candidate/Campaign Manager Training on Saturday, May 21 at the Miami University Voice of America Learning Center located at 7725 Voice of America Centre Dr., in West Chester, OH (located off of I-75 between Dayton and Cincinnati). The training will run from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.  Please report to Room 116.

The cost for Activists and Campaign Managers is $35 per person if registered online and $45 at the door. The cost for Candidates is $50 per person if registered online and $60 at the door. These costs include a boxed lunch and all training materials.

The Candiate Training program is designed specifically to educate candidates on every level how to run effective and victorious campaigns and prepare them to become successful elected officials. The Campaign Manager and Activist lectures provide extensive knowledge on the role campaign managers and volunteers play during an election, as well as how citizens can be engaged and effective in their community.

The Candidate/Campaign Manager Training Program includes the following topics*:

• Creating your Campaign Plan and Campaign Structure
• Campaign Fundraising
• History of the Progressives
• Public Speaking and Messaging
• The Role of a Campaign Manager
• Get-Out-The-Vote
• Campaigning Online
• Winning your Precinct

Upon completion of this political training seminar, candidates will receive continuing education materials, access to podcasts and other presentations, communications curriculum, and suggestions to help them utilize think-tank resources.

If you have any questions, please contact Allison James at Allison@AmericanMajority.org or call 571-420-2300.

American Majority is a non-profit and non-partisan organization whose mission is to train and equip a national network of leaders committed to individual freedom through limited government and the free market.

*Lectures are subject to change.

By far the coolest facet of my job is daily interaction with grassroots patriots. Like our Founding Fathers and patriots of every era since then, these people work hard all day, take care of their families, fulfill their obligations, etc. What truly makes them stand with those former generations of patriots is that whether it’s big or small, they refuse to let a day go by where they don’t do something to promote liberty. The future of their country and her freedom is simply too important for them to not take up that banner every day.

As I’ve been working for American Majority in our Texas office for the last two years, one of the people and groups who I’ve spent the most time working with and come closest to is Toby Marie Walker (@TobyMarie) and the Waco Tea Party (@WacoTEAParty)

With the advent of the TEA Party movement, things went from zero to sixty pretty fast in Waco. It’s not an area friendly to political newcomers but the Waco TEA Party wasn’t about to ask somebody’s permission to promote liberty. When asked to define the TEA Party in an interview on NPR, Toby said:

Well, we focus around three main issues…constitutionally limited government, free markets and fiscal responsibility. A litmus test that we use is about taxes or spending, and we focus on those issues because that’s what we were founded under.

When it came time for the 2010 election cycle, Waco TEA Party activists were ready to make things happen. Even though their Congressman, Chet Edwards, had voted against the Health Care Reform bill, they knew that his record was far from fiscally responsible. When asked by the BBC why they would work to fire somebody who had voted against the HCR, Toby responded: “If they don’t have a really good record of being fiscally responsible, and following the constitution, nobody’s safe.”

For anybody who thought the Waco TEA Party was just a GOP front group, they’ve been proven wrong on more than one occasion. Not only have they gone after fiscally irresponsible Republicans but their members worked in force to elect 9/11 survivor and American Majority alumni Lt. Col. Brian Birdwell to the Texas Senate over the establishment favorite, David Sibley. Toby also served as campaign manager for Marva Beck in her successful campaign against longtime liberal incumbent, Jim Dunam in the Texas State House.

This upcoming municipal election cycle, the Waco TEA Party is cheering on one of their members and AM Alumni, Tony Abad, in his bid for the Waco School Board!

Since helping start the Waco TEA Party, Toby has worked to make it a force for liberty (as well as a force to be reckoned with) in the region. They haven’t just waved signs and protested. It was clear to Toby and the rest of the TEA Party that if they wanted to make a real political impact that solid political training was very important. Through that realization came the genesis of their relationship with American Majority. Since then we’ve worked with the Waco TEA Party and trained nearly 200 of their members! They have also signed the New Leaders Pledge, promising to identify and help train a new wave of conservative elected officials.

The Sam Adams Alliance has recently named Toby as one of the finalists for their “Rookie of The Year” award. SAA describes the award: “In 2010, newcomers to the political scene accomplished what professional politicians couldn’t. The Rookie is someone who engaged in politics for the first time.” When I called to congratulate Toby on the award her response was, “I’m honored to have been chosen as a finalist for the “Rookie” Sammie this year, but while the nomination has only my name on it, I believe that it is an honor for the whole Waco TEA Party team.”

Toby went on to describe some of the contributions made by her fellow Waco TEA partiers and their relationship with American Majority:

Our whole team are American Majority Alumni and we credit many of our accomplishments to the training we have received. We have implemented many of the techniques and tools provided by AM. Our social media presence has double this year, we have many modern day pamphleteers in the group who blog, tweet and post all over the internet spreading the conservative message. Michael Simon, our co-founder, Carol Waddell, Becky Kodrin and Greg Jones have worked tirelessly with me to make the Waco Tea Party one of the best grassroots activist/watchdog groups in the country. Other volunteers, such as Lisa Dickison, who has put together our voter guide, creates great graphics, and is also our City Watchdog. Bobby Keith has done an awesome job as our WTP Watchdog Radio host, due to his efforts and his weekly appearance on 94.5 he was offered a live one hour show each week for the Waco Tea Party. David Saucedo has toured the country singing his political rap and energizing people to be more involved in the political process. I can’t think of one person on our volunteer team who didn’t get involved in the elections in 2010, either through a candidate, group, club or individually helped out at the polls.

We also are proud of other AM Alumni like Tony Abad, who was one of the first people to support the WTP and now works very hard with GOPisforme in Stepping Stone project. Janet Jackson, who was at the first AM training in Waco is now our SREC rep for SD 22 and sings praises about AM far and wide. Duke Machado, I believe another AM Alumni has started GOPisforme and the Hispanic Club. Tom Bratcher was at the first Waco AM training and is now the GOP county chair for Bosque County. And the Baylor YCT students have also been to the AM training.

The Waco TEA Party has established a record of doing it right. They protest, they GOTV, they train, they identify conservative candidates. They stand up and get things done for liberty! It’s been a real honor to get to work so closely with them and I’m excited about their growth moving forward.

As a child of the 1980’s, I protested vehemently when my wife recently went and rented the updated, Will Smith-ified version of The Karate Kid. The film stars his son, Jaden, and is a remake of sorts from the CLASSIC film of the same name that came out when I was six.

And yes, I absolutely adore the original.  I love it for a number of reasons: Pat Morita as Mr. Miyagi, a 37 year old Ralph Macchio playing a teenage Daniel, and Elisabeth Shue simply being Elisabeth Shue.

Plus, the crane kick at the end still gets me.  And the scene where Daniel dresses up like a shower for the dance and then gets chased by the Cobra Kai in their skeleton costumes is awe-some.  But I digress.

In regards to the updated version, it was not as bad as I thought it would be.  Jackie Chan does a decent job as the maintenance man turned martial arts teacher and I grew to love little bitty Jaden Smith as the Daniel character.  Plus, using China as the setting was a brave move that paid off.

And while there is no crane kick at the end of the film, they really did do a nice job with the sappy and victorious ending.  (I don’t want to completely ruin it for anyone who has not seen the film.)

Now why do I bring all this up?  Because while the idea of re-making a classic film that came out only 27 years ago makes me nervous, the folks who produced it changed the movie up just enough to not be a total rip-off of the original.

And thankfully, they also inserted enough subtle references to the original to pay honor and homage to it.

Basically, those involved did their best not to totally re-make The Karate Kid but rather make a film that followed the same story but in a new and fresh way while also giving the original its proper respect.

Which brings me to Ronald Reagan.

Anybody else notice how seemingly each week some potential GOP presidential nominee distastefully communicates that they are the new and updated version of the Gipper?  Does this make anybody else sick to their stomach?

This hit a fever pitch a few weeks ago during the celebration of what would have been Reagan’s 100^th birthday.  From what I saw and read it very much seemed that some of the potential nominees wanted to exhume the guy’s body and use it as their future running mate.

But guess what? Just as there will never be another Ralph Macchio/Elisabeth Shue version of The Karate Kid, there is not another Ronald Reagan waiting in the wings to run for president.  Seriously, that person does not exist.

The simple fact is that Ronald Reagan will justifiably forever be the torch bearer of the conservative movement.

But lest we forget that he was a once-in-a-lifetime president, politician, and leader.  He was as transformative, charismatic, and strong as any public figure in the last 150 years.

So while we should learn a lesson from Will Smith (wait for it) and emulate Reagan’s legacy and philosophies (such as striving for a more limited government, lower taxes, and a firm hand to spread freedom around the world), we should also be encouraging our up and coming leaders to TRY NOT TO BE THAT MAN ALL OVER AGAIN!

Seriously, can’t there be a presidential hopeful who pays homage to the man without implying they could be our generation’s version of him?

Furthermore, the need for a new type of Reaganesque leader on the right dovetails nicely with this article about just how great the need is to groom and raise up a new “Great Communicator” on the conservative side of the aisle.

And no, Ronald Reagan cannot be that person for us.

Thus, the application to these truths is that as a conservative movement we must identify, encourage, and support someone who is like Reagan without trying to be Reagan all over again.

And, yes, that does sound a lot like how Will Smith handled remaking what is perhaps the greatest movie of my generation.

This last week, the conservative movement remembered Ronald Reagan’s 100^th birthday.  Countless documentaries aired, new (and controversial) books were released, and hundreds of quotes were copied and pasted on twitter, Facebook, and countless forwarded emails.  Now, I am not going to expound upon his politics, philosophy, personal life, marriages or children.  What I will tell you, is a little known story in my little family circle.

I can’t count the amount of times I have been asked the question, “Kerry, how did you get into politics?” Typically, I go into the short version of my resume and leave it at that.  However, the story goes back to 1984 and I was a 9 year old little girl.  My first vivid memory of President Reagan was when he was making his acceptance speech at the Republican National Convention in Dallas, Texas.  All I clearly remember is asking my Mom if she was going to vote for this tall handsome man who clearly had a lot of folks cheering for him.  She quickly told me, “Kerry, that’s none of your business, and you shouldn’t ask adults that.”

Well, my little sister didn’t take that to heart, because she soon after decided that she and the President could become friends and pen pals.  My adorable sister wrote him letters with her sharpened Care Bear pencils on her very own personalized stationary (Mom was a stickler for thank you notes).  Throughout his second term, Tracy diligently sent him Christmas cards, birthday invitations and sweet little notes to let him know he was doing a good job being our President.  She regularly asked him about his dog and kept an open invitation for him to come and visit us in south Arkansas any time he liked.  One of her letters I especially remember because of what the President said in his response.  It went something like “My dear friend Tracy, thank you so much for inviting me to your 7^th birthday party.  The clown sounds like fun and I know you will have a nice time.  Unfortunately, I won’t be able to attend because of some important meetings, but I do appreciate you offering your back yard for me to land Marine One.”  He literally sent Tracy a letter for each one she sent him, along with pictures of Rex, the presidential pooch, complete with inked paw prints.

It also turns out that Tracy was quite determined and industrious at a very young age and refused to take NO for an answer, even at the ripe old age of seven.  Not happy with the President’s perfectly acceptable written RSVP for her birthday, she decided to take matters in her own hands by picking up the phone.  Tracy actually called the White House numerous times (successfully I might add) to try and convince her hero that he could postpone those meetings and come to her party.  After all, she offered the backyard as a landing platform for his helicopter.  Mom and Dad were unaware of their youngest daughter stalking the President of the United States until the phone bill arrived.  Mom was torn between being angry at Tracy for the long distance phone calls (and potential Secret Service visit) or being proud of her pint sized daughter’s determination and ingenuity.  Somewhere in the depths of moving boxes, is a picture of Tracy grasping the hand of a life-sized cardboard cut-out of the Gipper.  I am not sure which is most humorous, the fact that she is holding the hand of a cardboard president, or the 1980’s bubble dress she is sporting.

In order to come full circle with Tracy’s fondness for President Reagan, this final tidbit must be shared.  After President Reagan departed this life and he was brought to Washington DC for his state funeral, who do you think watched the procession in front of the White House, complete with a riderless horse and his very own boots in reverse?  That little girl, who adored her President, was actually working for the current President at the time of Reagan’s death.  I can only imagine the emotion she was feeling when she watched “her President” ,  depart in Air Force One from Andrews Air Force Base for the final time, taking him home to California.

This “love” for President Reagan truly changed our immediate family’s view of politics.  I never again had to ask Mom who she was voting for because it was quite apparent in our conversations.  Political events were discussed openly and with vigor.  Immediately after college, Tracy got her foot in the door by working on a national campaign, hence our family learned from then on that we were to regularly attend phone banks and go door-to-door.

So, when I am asked how I got involved in politics, I will now only answer, “blame Dutch & Tracy.”

If I were to walk up to a random person today and ask him/her to share their thoughts on the upcoming spring elections in Kansas, I’m willing to bet that the response would be, “What elections?”

These elections are so often forgotten about, and so few people actually vote in them, let alone volunteer on campaigns for them.  There are many times when these seats go unfilled because there aren’t enough people interested in running for the available positions.  So many people fail to understand the importance of these elections because in their minds, who gets elected to their local school board just doesn’t matter.  What people don’t realize is how much power their local school boards actually have, and how great of an impact an individual can have on school board elections just by getting involved.

But why would somebody want to get involved with school board elections?

Well, if you have children in the school district, there are a few obvious reasons why you would want to help quality candidates get elected to the school board.  School boards are responsible for:

• Hiring and working with the superintendent.
• Overseeing school personnel.
• Reviewing and approving curriculum that students learn.
• Tracking district enrollment and attendance.
• Monitoring student achievement.
• Setting the academic calendar.
• Managing student transportation.
• Ensuring that local schools are in accordance with federal and state academic standards.
• Providing parents and members of the community with a voice into the education of their children.

All of these tasks are ones that shape the learning environment and educational experience of your children. It is vital that these tasks aren’t just given to anyone. These students are the future of this nation.  We have an amazing opportunity to shape the people that these students become by influencing the dynamic of their school boards now.

What if you don’t have children in the school district, though? Why should it still matter to you?  Well, you may not care quite as strongly about the educational experience of students in your district, but I bet you care about your money!  School boards are also responsible for the following:

• Establishing approximately 55-60% of the local property tax bill.
• Administering the local education budget.
• Approving facility maintenance and construction.
• Negotiating subcontractor agreements.

I don’t know about you, but in my home county, property taxes have gone up 168.9% just since 1997. There’s no telling how different the circumstances would be now if people in my home county would’ve been paying attention to the school board all these years.  If you care about where and how your hard-earned money is being spent, then it is of the utmost importance that you get involved in your local school board elections.

If your state’s filing deadline has not yet passed, I encourage you to seriously consider running for your local school board.  If the filing deadline has passed, then volunteer to help campaign for the candidate you are supporting.  Even after the elections are over, it is in your best interest to continue being involved with the school board.  Attending school board meetings is the best way to hold members accountable for the actions that they take while in office.   If everyone does their part to get involved with their local school boards, these elections will no longer be forgotten ones.

Our nation was founded by ordinary citizen activists desiring a government that was accountable to the people.  Today, ordinary citizens across our nation are tired of the status quo and ready to engage for the betterment of their communities.

American Majority is pleased to announce an Activist Training will be conducted on Thursday, February 24 in Huntsville, AL to provide citizens with the tools necessary to become effective activists, especially in preparation for the 2012 elections.

The training will take place at The BBVA/Compass Bank Community Room located at 114 Governor’s Drive in Huntsville from 6:00 pm to 9:30 pm.  Doors open at 5:30 pm.  The cost is $25 per person.

The training will be conducted by a certified American Majority Mechanic Trainer (read more about your trainer at the end of this article).

Topics* to be covered during the Training include:

• The System (an in-depth look at the system we’re in, how we got there, and what we can do about it)
• Grassroots Action (ideas and practical steps to engage our communities and organize a coalition of volunteers)
• Precinct Power (changing your community one precinct at a time with specific micro-targeting and focused action)
• Patriots 2.0 (effectively utilizing social networking tools, blogs, wiki projects and other technologically-driven platforms)

Full training materials, samples and supplements will be provided to help you apply what you learn to your organization, candidate, cause or community.

Political Training Registration

If you have any questions or would like additional information, contact Vincent Kreul at Vincent@AMMechanics.org.

American Majority is a non-profit and non-partisan organization whose mission is to train and equip a national network of leaders committed to individual freedom through limited government and the free market.

* Topics are subject to change.

About Your Trainer

Vincent is a long-time conservative activist and campaign consultant, and has been very active in the tea party movement throughout the southern United States. Originally from Gillette, WY, Vincent now calls Huntsville, AL home.

In the wake of new Republican House leadership, a weak State of the Union, and a looming March 4th deadline for a continuing budget resolution to keep government running and the Capitol’s lights on, conservatives find themselves pressed against an innate system of government largess and go-along mentality.

While campaigning allows candidates to say much of anything without being held yet-accountable, governing is an entirely different animal; taking on the massive leviathan that is Washington DC will take a resolute spine and the tenacity of a junkyard dog protecting his wares. As congressional Republicans move into committee chairmanships an leadership positions,the message from the entrenched establishment is ‘sometimes it’s best to just quietly go along and not raise a fuss.’ Conservatives across the nation fear that this approach will lead to the inevitable ‘Conservative Light:’ someone who professes from high rooftops to be a staunch fiscal advocate of less government and will take the system head-on, however once in office and pressed, folds like a cheap suit and gives-in to base temptations.

Desperate and critical circumstances are often breeding grounds for true leadership to emerge: a divided nation brought Lincoln to hold us through a Civil War; in the face of spreading fascism, Churchill’s resolute stature held Europe together; and in the face of growing inflation, high unemployment, and a losing Cold War, Reagan transformed this country and took us to never-before-seen growth and security. We’re a few steps away from matching Greece in our financial house of cards, unemployment and housing continue to be issues, and now Egypt is a mess, causing more concern for an unstable Middle-East. The new congress must keep to their conservative principles, it is imperative that they force a Democrat Senate and Leftist Administration to reign-in spending across the board, get our economic house in order, and serve as a strong voice on National Security.

Circumstances are not easy, we face a desperate situation on many fronts, our newly elected conservative leaders must hold fast and emerge as the leaders our country needs them to be.

This event is being rescheduled for another date- please contact Seth@americanmajority.org for more information.

Our nation was founded by ordinary citizen activists desiring a government that was accountable to the people.  Today, ordinary citizens across our nation are tired of the status quo and ready to engage for the betterment of their communities. American Majority’s political training addresses these passions by providing education and resources to help you meet your goals.

American Majority and The Bowling Green Southern Kentucky Tea Party  is pleased to announce an Activist Training will be conducted on Saturday, April 2nd in Bowling Green, KY to provide citizens with the tools necessary to become effective activists.

The political training will take place at Best Western located at 166 Cumberland Trace Road in Bowling Green from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.  Registration opens at 8:45 a.m.  The cost is $25 if you pre-register online by March 15th and $30 at the door.  Space is limited.  Pre-registration is strongly encouraged.

Topics* to be covered during the Training include:

• The System: In this presentation we discuss the system our Founders establish, and we breakdown the progressive rise and how their efforts over the past 100 years have build the system we now face.
• Building Coalitions: We cover specifics on how to lead an organization, keeping your volunteers engaged, making a difference, being most productive, how to hold elected officials accountable, and how to work together with other organizations in your area.
• Community Organizing for Freedom: Steps you can take in your community to find new leaders, increase transparency and find the votes.
• Fundraising: Who to ask, how to ask, how much to ask for- these are all important questions that you need to have answered before you start fundraising.
• New and Traditional Media: This presentation explores how activists today can utilize social media to win the hearts and minds of fellow citizens, much like the pamphleteers of the American Revolution.

Full training materials, samples and supplements will be provided to help you apply what you learn to your organization, candidate, cause or community.  Lunch will be provided.

Political Training Registration

If you have any questions or would like additional information, call Beka Romm at 913-940-7369 or e-mail Beka@AmericanMajority.org.

American Majority is a non-profit and non-partisan political training organization whose mission is to train and equip a national network of leaders committed to individual freedom through limited government and the free market.

* Topics are subject to change.

Recently, a city mayor declared that he wanted to broadcast “bird songs” on the streets of his city. The rationale? Bird chirping makes people happy.

Never mind the fact that I personally think bird chirping is the most annoying sound on the planet, I nonetheless stopped to wonder, is this really what our cities should be worrying about?

Right now in Kansas, city council and school board candidates are ramping up their campaigns for our April elections, and we’re getting ready to hold our third candidate training specifically for them. Sometimes I get questions about why the local level is important- and it’s stories like these that illustrate why.

There are a few key questions any elected official should ask themselves when faced with a proposal, such as broadcasting bird chirping:

First: Is this something we have the authority to do? I strongly believe in federalism, the notion that local entities can make better decisions than federal entities, but that still doesn’t authorize local governments to legislate outside of their jurisdiction. In this case though, I would say, sure, there’s nothing in the state or national constitution that expressly forbids the city of Lancaster, CA from broadcasting bird chirping. It might ruffle a few feathers (sorry, I had to go there), but it’s not directly unconstitutional.

Second: Is this something that we should do? Meaning, will the benefits this entails outweigh the costs to do it. I couldn’t find any estimates of what it would cost the city to erect speakers from which to broadcast the bird song, but I can’t imagine that the benefits could outweigh the cost. Which brings to point, what are the benefits? According to the mayor, increasing the people’s happiness. How interesting. Our Declaration of Independence says that one of our inalienable rights is the pursuit of happiness - that means that I get to choose what my happiness is, and how to pursue it. It does not mean that government is responsible for giving me happiness.

Third: Is this something we can do best? Often times governments take on ideas or projects that a private entity could do better. I have to think that if this bird-brained scheme were really a bright idea, wouldn’t private charities and enterprises take it up?

Several months ago, I wrote about Bell, California, where the city manager was making nearly double the salary of President Obama, and the council members were also making off with salaries of $100,000 per year. While both this story, and the story of the bird-chirping mayoral proposal take place in California, I can’t help but think that this problem isn’t localized to that state only. We all ought to be monitoring our local governments to know what they’re doing and how they’re representing us.