You might remember this post from last week, where I discussed the new “driveway tax” passed last week by the city council in Mission, KS.  This tax (assessed as a fee) will apply to nonprofits including churches, schools and governments, will charge homeowners $72 each year for having a driveway, while businesses will be charged a minimum of $3,558 per year.  Some businesses, such as a fast food franchise, would owe $12,200, while larger retailers such as Target will be charged $64,750 annually.

As discussed in that article, the city of Mission will spend more than $2 million on parks and recreation this year.  I just wanted to illustrate the types of programs that money provides…

Two days after the city council passed this monstrous tax increase, the city emailed this message to city residents:

Pool Party 4 Pooches

Tuesday, September 7

“Bring your dogs out and help them cool off!  The Pool Party for Pooches will be at the Mission Municipal Pool the day after the pool closes for the season.  We will have three sessions for you and your pooch to have a great time playing and getting wet.  We even have a kiddie pool for people with smaller dogs.”

Sponsored, of course, by the City of Mission Parks and Recreation Department.  Now look- I like pools and dogs as much as the next person.  But really?  We needed to increases taxes by such exorbitant amounts while we spend upwards of $2 million dollars on a department that (among other, more important things, yes) sponsors pools days for puppies?

For this, our founders sacrificed their lives, fortunes and sacred honor?

Special thanks to Currie Myers for passing along the news about the pooches’ day at the pool.

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 Kansas is pleased to announce an Activist Training will be conducted on Tuesday, August 31^st in Carlinville, IL to provide citizens with the tools necessary to become effective activists.  This training is co-sponsored by Take Back Illinois 912.

The political training will take place at Glades Restaurant located at 18838 Route 4 in Carlinville from 5:30-8:30 pm.  Registration opens at 5:00 pm.  The cost is $20 if you pre-register online and $30 at the door.  Space is limited.  Pre-registration is strongly encouraged.

Topics* to be covered during the Training include:

• The System – Learn where we came from, the reforms that changed the system throughout the years, the situation we’re faced with now, and how to break the system
• Hardwiring Precincts – Learn how to identify precincts within districts to target, then persuade each voter on an individual basis and turn them out on election day
• 10 Tips to Full Speed – Learn what you, as an activist, can do to make a difference in these last few weeks before election day

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

Political Training Registration

If you have any questions or would like additional information, call American Majority Kansas at 913-940-7369 or 913-940-7398.

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

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 Sunday, November 14th in Monterey, CA to provide citizens with the tools necessary to become effective activists.

The training will take place at Marina Library Community Center located at 190 Seaside Circle, Marina, CA 93933 from 1:30 PM to 5:30 PM.  The cost is $25 per attendee in advance, $35 at the door; discount rates available for students (please call 540-338-1251 to register as 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 James Moore at James@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

James Moore is a full time Activist who has been an active organizer for many Tea Party Groups, events, and causes in the Northern California area. He’s been involved with politics/activism for a number of years, and been involved with petition drives and local political campaigns.

As an organizer he remains very active in the Tea Party Movement in California. In August 2009 he helped mobilize and promote a protest against the state’s eco-tyranny which included farmers and workers, truck owners and drivers, miners and loggers, and was co-sponsered by the Howard Jarvis Tax Association. The event drew over 10,000 participants.

He’s been involved in organizing dozens of other rallies and events across Northern California, as well as coalition building to achieve political objectives. In November 2009, he took a leadership role in developing the California Central Committee Project, which was instrumental in helping grassroots activist groups across the state get elected to their County Central Committee’s. He has been invited to speak before several political and non-political groups.

James 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.

American Majority Texas is pleased to announce that on Saturday, October 2nd (one month until Election Day) in Woodway, TX American Majority will be partnering with Americans for Prosperity and the Waco Tea Party to conduct an Activist Training geared toward providing citizens the tools necessary to be effective this November.

The political training will take place at The Best Western located at 200 Colonnade Parkway in Woodway, TX from 12 Noon to 3 PM.  Registration opens at 11:30am.  This is a Free Event if you pre-register online by 10/1 and $5 if you register 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 breakdown the progressive rise and how their efforts over the past 100 years have build the system we now face. We take a deeper look at that system and explore areas of reinforcement within government than can be broken down and exploited to bring about a more transparent and accountable system.
• Ten Tips to Full Speed: 10 tactics you can implement now to maximize your electoral impact.
• Precinct Power: highlights the great impact that can be made by focusing on precinct work, crunching numbers and understanding how the political system works on the local level
• Putting It To Use: AFP will provide an opportunity for those who attend to get involved with a simple-to-use at-home phone bank system to educate CD17 voters about their Congressman’s record on spending.

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, call Andrew at 512-771-2355 or e-mail Andrew@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.

Growing up in east Texas, far removed from a large metropolis, it was standard operating procedure to perform outdoor yard work under the hot Texas sun on any given weekend. Always present was my grandfather who was all-too-familiar with the operating functions of a lawn mower, how to remove brush from a clearing, and the proper parts needed for an efficient diesel engine. Years prior, he had made a living as a roughneck, an oilman who’d done hard work on rigs throughout the state; this provided vast amounts of real world experience alongside well-weathered hands that had seen their fair share of labor. Among his advice on how to get the best looking lawn, he would often tell stories of his days in the oilfield, and in particular, how it was vital to hold those accountable who had given promises and commitments: keep a close eye on those entrusted to hold up their end of the bargain.

Lessons from years past come back front-and-center when one examines the current climate of wayward assurances and oblivious guarantees personified by elected officials. Now, more than ever, the public is growing weary of politicians who promise to take on the political establishment – to bring about meaningful and substantive change – then all-too-often become part of the system and morph into the very thing they once opposed. How often have we heard prospective candidates claim that they will rid government of waste and corruption and then watch as spending and regulation increase during their term in office? The longer someone holds office, it is often the case that they become susceptible to its trappings and corruptive influences.

Most recently, here in Texas, a state representative was caught double-dipping: using his campaign expense account for lavish hotels, airline tickets, and costly meals, then billed the state for the exact same expenses. First his campaign paid for the goodies, then the state reimbursed him 100 percent. State Representative Joe Driver has been in office for 18 years and I have no doubt that his original intentions 18 years ago were genuine and sincere, wanted to represent his constituents as best he could, but in the past five years alone he has taken at least $17,431.55 from taxpayers; not exactly carrying out the will of the people.

This is not so much a commentary on the occurrences of a single Texas politician, but more so the importance of having an active electorate that remains engaged and committed to holding elected officials accountable. For a healthy democracy to survive and progress, it is imperative that there remain an active populace involved in current political affairs. The day after the election, when campaigning stops, those who voted need to remain alert and attentive when candidates become incumbents. A sharp message has to be understood that once in office, their actions will be watched and closely monitored; if they step out of line – whether raising our taxes our double-dipping from taxpayer funds – we’ll find someone to run against you next election. Our officials work for us and need to be kept aware of this fact.

Around the country, establishment figures are dropping like flies: Arlen Specter in Pennsylvania and Bob Bennett of Utah, two longtime senate incumbents both lost in primaries, didn’t even make it to a general election. Just yesterday, long shot Joe Miller was beating Republican incumbent Lisa Murkowski in the Alaskan Senate Republican primary. Miller was once an afterthought, not taken seriously, Murkowski had millions on hand and by all accounts a shoe-in to win, now her campaign is reduced to hoping for positive absentee ballots to eke out a win.

What’s going on? Around the country a once-dormant public is getting more and more actively engaged, serving as watchmen over our elected officials and holding them accountable: a harsh but realistic counterbalance to an out of touch cadre ramming an agenda against the interests of American voters. Many in the media and in Washington are downplaying these events, giving short shrift to Tea Party activists, standing in disbelief that the public would oppose their utopian statist agenda.

The election is only a few months way, but we need to keep this momentum alive and well through November and well-beyond. Regardless of what the elite is spewing from their ivory towers, an active and engaged citizenry is what took this country to great heights and accomplishments and it is exactly what is needed for a return-path to greatness.

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, November 13th in Sacramento, CA to provide citizens with the tools necessary to become effective activists.

The training will take place at Red Lion Inn – Arden located at 1401 Arden Way, Sacramento, CA  95815 from 11:30 AM to 3:30 PM. Doors open at 11:00 AM.  The cost is $25 per attendee in advance, $35 at the door; discount rates available for students (please call 540-338-1251 to make your reservation).

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 James Moore at James@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

James Moore is a full time Activist who has been an active organizer for many Tea Party Groups, events, and causes in the Northern California area. He’s been involved with politics/activism for a number of years, and been involved with petition drives and local political campaigns.

As an organizer he remains very active in the Tea Party Movement in California. In August 2009 he helped mobilize and promote a protest against the state’s eco-tyranny which included farmers and workers, truck owners and drivers, miners and loggers, and was co-sponsered by the Howard Jarvis Tax Association. The event drew over 10,000 participants.

He’s been involved in organizing dozens of other rallies and events across Northern California, as well as coalition building to achieve political objectives. In November 2009, he took a leadership role in developing the California Central Committee Project, which was instrumental in helping grassroots activist groups across the state get elected to their County Central Committee’s. He has been invited to speak before several political and non-political groups.

James 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.

While city officials in Fayetteville, Arkansas are constantly striving to
“Keep Fayetteville Funky”, I believe they are keeping it more flunky than funky.
In recent months our officials have revamped Block Street, the connector street between the historic square and the entertainment district along Dickson Street with back-in, angled parking spots (no, seriously), odd, jutting concrete islands and a maze of other fun and sundry driving obstacles only to discover mid-project that there might be a serious issue with the clearance of some emergency vehicles.

So now they go back to the drawing board to “re-revamp” the street project.
Even with remarkable Googling skills I have yet to locate a finite
number of what this has – and will – cost we the taxpayers.
Then we turn to the dreaded paid parking issue in the entertainment district. The powers that be decided in their wisdom to install parking kiosks downtown to increase city revenues. Or, in the words of Alderman Matthew Petty who represents Ward 2, “We need to do this; it’s the only way to keep Dickson Street growing.” Oh really?? Take an already tax laden community and further tax the down time where folks go to relax.

However, many residents of the majestic town have said “Good bye DicksonStreet” because they don’t feel it is worth the extra money and hassle to deal with these new parking restrictions, especially when there are so many other choices with free parking.
In an effort to raise revenues, the City Fathers have actually helped curb potential commerce for local business owners, in effect lowering tax revenues. They have spent taxpayer money implementing a plan to take more of that money from said taxpayers. Then, as a kicker, a few days ago we learn Fayettevillians will be hit yet again with an additional $15,000 in repair bills to the parking machines from vandalism in the initial weeks. Arggggg!

It is important to note before we proceed that Fayetteville is
running in a budget deficit situation of an estimated $1.2 million in
the General Fund. In light of that Mayor Jordan and his crew developed
a plan “to reduce target expenditures, freeze wages, forego the
replacement of certain open positions, and extend the replacement plan
for General Fund vehicles,” all of which I applaud. But to re-revamp a road
that actually did not need revamping in the first place then further tax
citizens with the hassle of parking fees so that potential customers may head elsewhere with free parking and easy access doesn’t seem
like good city planning to me.

Now the Coup de grace; the $93 million high school I continue to
shudder over. That’s NINTY THREE MILLION DOLLARS! The rapidly growing Springdale School District is seeking less than $70 million to build a new junior high and a middle school holding 2,000 students, new athletic fields and stadium for Har-ber High School and refurbish the existing Springdale High School stadium. The interesting fact of this matter is not only has Fayetteville school not grown, but according to a former school board member, the population at FHS continues to dwindle.

Now I understand the city management does not make decisions for the
school district, which might even play more into one of my points, that the
right hand and the left hand of the public’s business never know what the other is doing.
Beware friends. Government on every level is spending and taxing to the
point of non-recognition, in my opinion, to get all they can before
the heavy hand of the federal government comes down and lands a mighty and crippling final blow to families across the nation.

Has anyone else noticed how many unemployed there are in our corner of the state? How many foreclosures are published in the paper each day? How many empty storefronts have appeared?
So one little town (less than 70 thousand residents) in one little state is
spending millions of dollars on superfluous stuff and we just keep
going along living our clearly unsustainable “Life of Riley.”

Everyone has fallen victim to it before – the candidate that promises the world and, once elected, delivers nothing.  There is nothing more disappointing than voting for a candidate that you believe in and being let down by their lack of follow-through once in office.  What do you as a citizen do in this situation?  Enforce accountability! Whether you are trying to hold your elected officials accountable for promises they made while campaigning or for not properly standing for the beliefs of those they are supposed to represent, there are ways to ensure that they respond to you as a voter.  The best way to do this is by knowing how to most effectively communicate with your representatives.

The first step is finding out how exactly your representatives prefer to be contacted.  Some representatives may never answer their phone or return calls; but if you send them an email, you will receive a response in minutes.  Others may be very easy to contact via phone or letter, but they can’t figure out how to open an email to save their life.  These are all things that you must keep in mind when contacting your representatives with your concerns.

• LETTERS/EMAILS

When writing letters and emails to your representatives, it is very important to sound as genuine as possible.  Be you in the letter or email, and relay to them how the issue that you are writing about has affected you personally.  We’ve all received emails from friends and family telling us to mail or email the attached letter to our representatives.  However, a letter or email is given much more credibility if it is not an obvious effort that was orchestrated by one person.  If you are organizing an effort such as this, encourage people to put their own personal message in the letter or email before sending it to their representative.

If you are having trouble getting a response with your letters or emails, it may be time to include the media in your efforts.  Simply writing a letter to the editor explaining the situation and the lack of response by your representative can make a huge difference.  No representatives want to see their name in the paper being referred to in a way that reflects negatively upon them.  It is important to note, however, that you must be very careful when including the media in an effort such as this.  Do not let yourself write a nasty letter that viciously attacks the representative.  It is very easy to lose credibility when you let your anger and frustration get the best of you, especially in a public effort such as this.

• FACE-TO-FACE

Meeting with an elected official face-to-face can be an extremely effective way of communicating your views to your representatives.  When your representatives think about their district, you don’t want them to see a portion of a map with a border around it.  You want them to see the people, the personal stories, and the lives that they affect every time they cast a vote.  The best way to ensure this is by attending committee meetings and sessions.  In order to speak at these meetings, simply contact the secretary of the committee chair and ask to be put on the agenda.  It is also smart to provide the secretary with the testimony that you plan on giving beforehand.  This ensures that even those who are on the committee but not present at the meeting will still be exposed to what you have to say when the agenda is sent to them.

Attending city council and school board meetings is another very effective way of communicating face-to-face with those who represent you.  As we learned in a recent post by Beka Romm, it is essential for citizens to attend these meetings in order to hold our local government accountable.  These officials are much more likely to “behave themselves” when the citizens are watching and actively engaged in the process.  If appropriate, use your like-minded organization to back you up when sharing your views at these meetings.  Not only does it show the council or board that you are not the only citizen who feels a certain way about a particular issue; but it is also a good way to raise awareness about your organization and grow your group to potential new members that may also be in attendance.

• KNOW YOUR STUFF!
  

It is essential to the credibility of your argument or opinion to be as knowledgeable as possible about whatever issue you are concerning yourself with.  Assert yourself as an expert or valuable source to your representatives.  If it is evident that you have done your research, you and your argument will be taken much more seriously.  Some representatives will actually take the letters or emails that they receive from constituents into committee meetings and sessions and use them as a reference when arguing for or against legislation.  If your representatives are going up to bat for you and using the information that you provided them with, lend them credibility by checking your facts and doing your research.

If you are unhappy with your representatives’ behavior, hold them accountable for their actions, or lack thereof, by communicating your concerns to them in an effective manner that will be responded to.



What if you owned a small business?  What if you owned a small business and your customers came to your store or office?  What if you owned a small business where your customers came to your store or office, and parked in your parking lot?  What if you owned a small business where your customers came to your store or office, parked in your parking lot, and the government made you pay taxes for each and every car?

Would you still own a small business?

These may sound like hypothetical questions, but for a city in Kansas, they have become reality.  Last night, the city of Mission passed a new tax on driveways.   Yes, driveways.  Home owners will pay $72 each year for having a driveway.

Business owners, though, take the biggest hit in this new tax, which is being hailed as “revolutionary” and “ground-breaking.”  Beginning in December, all businesses will be taxed a fee of at least $3,558 per year.

But wait- it gets better…  Let’s say that you own a local bank, where customers come in to see you for home loans, business improvement packages, or simply to put money aside for the future.  You could owe the city $5,659 per year.  Maybe you own a local fast food franchise- do you have an extra $12,200 sitting around?  Because that’s how much you could be paying.  Maybe you work at a local Target- where the annual tax would amount to a whopping $64,750 per year.

Government charging businesses for having customers.  Doesn’t that sound like penalizing businesses for doing business?  (You know, investing in our economy?)  Because it sure sounds that way to me.

Let’s be honest, here- a small business owner taking on an additional $3,000-5,000 in taxes between now and December?  That could absolutely mean no Christmas bonuses for the employees.  Or how about that $65,000 tax on the local Target?  Do you think corporate headquarters will feel the brunt of that?  No, it will be the cashiers, customer service representatives, and cart shufflers who get laid off, or don’t get a raise.  The people who rely most on those jobs- and of course, the increased cost of doing business will be passed on to you and me, every time we visit that bank, eat at that restaurant, or shop at that store.

One last thing I forgot to tell you- Mission is very close to the Missouri state line.  After the Kansas legislature passed the second largest tax increase in our history- increasing sales tax in the entire state- and now that the city of Mission is burdening businesses in this manner… how many businesses do you think will stay in Kansas (much less Mission)?  How many will cross over into nearby Missouri?  How many new businesses will we attract?  And how many jobs will be lost, whether now or in the future, because of the elected officials’ decision last night?

We talk a lot about focusing local.  Chances are, if you own or are employed in a Merriam business, you understand the costs of elected officials who do not understand the importance of limited government on the local level.

Oh, one more thing- that tax?  Do you know what it’s going to pay for?  Transportation projects including a new express bus service to the upscale Country Club Plaza.  Help me here.  If you’re going to shop at Armani, Tiffany’s, Brooks Brothers or J. Crew- are you really going to be riding in a bus to get there?

It doesn’t make much sense to me, burdening families during a recession, when goodness knows we’re all tightening our belts as much as we can already. It makes even less sense to further burden the businesses that employ our spouses, friends and neighbors in the middle of a recession that no one sees a fast track out of.  Don’t worry though… I’m sure government officials know better than me.  After all, the mayor of Mission?  She is an attorney who “represents individuals and small businesses.”  And I’m sure the city really does need the money… after all, Mission is only spending $2,837,785 on Parks and Recreation in 2010.

Special thanks to Chris Stigall with the KCMO Morning Show with Chris Stigall for the background information in this story.

If you’ve been reading my posts at all this summer, you know that I cannot stop looking to the past. As a student of history (though by no means an expert), it has been my privilege to blog to such a sizable, open-minded, and appreciative audience as the one here at American Majority. So as my summer internship here at the national headquarters comes to a close, I ask you to indulge me as I recall a few lessons learned, particularly applicable historical ones.

First, consider the American tradition of localized involvement. As I and other contributors have discussed here before, the American colonists were governing their towns and immediate communities in a free and democratic way long before the notion of independence from Britain had even crossed their minds. (For more information, check out the “Days of Revolution” podcast, researched and co-written by AM President Ned Ryun and yours truly). Town hall meetings and local elections predated the American Revolution by centuries in some places, making community government more than just an American legacy. Rather, it is a tried and true embodiment of the timeless pursuit of liberty, a worthwhile, concerted effort to establish and preserve God-given rights that are inextricably linked to our very humanity. Jonah Goldberg, a very astute (and entertaining) pundit once argued that localized policy making is not only traditional, but that it is crucial to the preservation of liberty. “If you win in a democratic fight,” Goldberg said, “and you infringe on the rights or the prerogatives of somebody else in your community, you’ve got to look them in the eye every day.” Imagine, if you will (and if you will permit me to wax Lennon-esque for a moment),  an America in which our elected representatives had to look us in the eye every day. Would politicians truly be able to perpetrate such invasive regulation, irresponsible spending, and unjustifiable intrusion if they had to truly see the effect it has on us, our children, and our grandchildren? Such a system can be established through the vigilance of ordinary citizens and the restoration of locally accountable government.

Second, acknowledge the importance of working within the unchangeable elements of the current system. “Pragmatism” is a word commonly associated with the political Left, but its true meaning is one that is useful for all of us. What is “pragmatic” in politics is that which will ultimately be most useful for achieving victory. There is a strong temptation in the liberty movement today to abandon politically realistic strategy in the name of principle. While this is honorable in the abstract sense, policy is made by politicians who win elections. Unfortunately, a great idea will not win an election without effective marketing, and thus we are constrained, whether we like it or not, to operate within certain limits of our political system. We should by no means abandon principle in the name of achieving victory; indeed, such cutthroat, careless politicking is what created our current condition in the first place. Unaccountable, stagnant, spineless representatives rule our country today because they cared only about winning. However, candidates who scoff at advertising, endorsements, (ethical) connections, or the two-party system in general unnecessarily complicate and almost always shipwreck their campaigns. History shows unequivocally that third parties seldom make a difference, with the exception of splitting what has traditionally been one party’s constituency.

Instead, American Majority’s mission is to make the parties a reflection of the will of the people once again, as has been stated here time and again. Even George Washington, the oft-cited critic of political parties in general, acknowledged that the “spirit of party” was “a fire not to be quenched.” History has certainly proven this to be true. As a result, we can either use the system to our advantage or ignore it at our peril.

Third, we must value most highly a commitment to morality and our Creator. As our Founding Fathers firmly believed, a nation cannot prosper without a reverence for the God who gave us the freedoms and blessings we enjoy. We live in a time when moral degradation and cultural decline go hand in hand, and we cannot bear to ignore an absolute standard of right and wrong. The preservation of our liberty hinges on the involvement of good citizens, and good citizens are produced by good parents. The vast majority of my generation has grown up watching MTV, reality television, gratuitously violent movies, and pornography. We are now preparing to take control of this country. Does that comfort you? Does a generation of leaders flooded with such morally reprehensible content give you hope for the future of the United States? It is imperative to our future prosperity and the preservation of liberty that we reverse the downward spiral by teaching responsibility, moral standards, and integrity to our children NOW.

Finally, I will bookend this summer by restating the thesis of my first post. Liberty, in and of itself, is not our goal. Surely we fight for liberty, but only so that we can DO something with it. In this post, and across the American Majority website, are strategies and tips for restoring liberty, accountability, and integrity to our political system, from the abstract to the nitty-gritty. However, what you will do with that liberty is up to you.

It has been an honor and a privilege to intern here at AM, and I look forward to seeing our (everyone’s) hard work pay off in November and beyond! God bless.

This training has been postponed.

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, September 4th in Milan, TN to provide citizens with the tools necessary to become effective activists.

The training will take place at the B.D. Bryant Memorial Library located at 2072 S. First St. in Milan from 8:30 am to 12:00 pm.  Registration opens at 8:00 am.  The cost is $25 per attendee.

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 Jonathan Webb at jonathanw@ammechanics.org or call 402-730-7688.

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

Jonathan Webb was born and raised in West Tennessee and has worked for non-profit organizations for the past 8 years.  He is currently pursuing his Masters Degree in Public Policy and Administration from Northwestern University.  He has volunteered for numerous political campaigns and has over 6 years of public speaking experience.  He is passionate about our nation’s founding principles and the Constitution.

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.

We are cancelling the training in Merriam on September 15th and doing one larger training in Merriam on September 28th. If you are interested in attending, please see the entry for Merriam, KS on September 28th on the previous page!

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 Oklahoma is pleased to announce an Activist Training will be conducted on Tuesday, September 14th , in Norman, OK, to provide citizens with the tools necessary to become effective activists.

The political training will take place at Coach’s Restaurant located at 102 W Main in Norman from 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm.  Registration and dinner begins at 6:00 pm.  The cost is FREE with the purchase of food, but donations will be accepted.

However, space is limited, and pre-registration is strongly encouraged.

Topics* to be covered during the Training include:

• Building Coalitions and Reaching Your Community (ideas and practical steps to engage your community and organize a coalition of volunteers)
• Government 101 (how government operates, how legislative and executive bodies work, how to get involved)
• Holding Government Accountable (how to hold leaders accountable once they are in office)
• Effectively Communicating Your Views (how to write effective letters to the editor, opinion editorials and blogs, using social networking tools and wiki projects)

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

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, September 4 in Kansas City to provide citizens with the tools necessary to become effective activists.

The training will take place at JPI Glass located at 9760 N Pomona Ave in Kansas City, MO from 10am to 2pm.  Registration opens at 9:30am.  The cost is $25 per attendee.

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 Andrea Plunkett at andrea@ammechanics.org or call 573-990-1462.

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

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.

I posted this earlier in the week on RedState.