American Majority is pleased to announce that a Grassroots Activist Training will be held on on August 6th  in Irving, Texas. The event will be held at North Lake College, G-401, at 5001 North MacArthur Blvd. Doors will open and on-site registration will begin at 9:00AM. Training will begin at 9:30AM, and conclude at 4:00PM.

American Majority will be unveiling some new curriculum, covering topics such as*:
- 10 Tips to Full Speed
- Social Capitalist: Keys to Online Activism
- Grassroots Organizing for Freedom

Other topics and guest speakers include:
- The TEA Party Impact in the 82nd Legislative Session (JoAnn Fleming, TEA Party Caucus Advisory Board)
- Focus Local: Keys to impacting your Municipality (Katrina Pierson, TEA Party Review)
- New Tools for Voter Engagement (Roy Magno, Political Gravity)
- GOTV: Beyond the Basics (Ken Emanuelson, Dallas TEA Party Steering Committee)

Registration for this event is $25.00 per person, and includes lunch and training materials.

* Presentation topics are subject to change.

We are proud to announce that more than 500 groups have now taken the New Leaders Pledge since the launch of this first-of-its-kind national program late last year. Those local tea party and activist groups have agreed to recruit and train more than 5,000 new potential candidates in advance of the 2011 and 2012 elections. This brings the program more than half way to its goal of engaging 1000 organizations each to recruit 10 new leaders in their local communities to run for state or local office.

American Majority and tea party leaders from across the nation launched the New Leaders Project (NLP) to combine policy, education and grassroots infrastructure in an effort to sustain Tea Party momentum across America. The NLP is helping community leaders identify quality, liberty-minded candidates while fostering a new era of accountability between voters and elected officials.

“This is how we build a farm team for the future,” stated Ned Ryun, President of American Majority. “These new leaders have been identified as people who will be committed to fiscal responsibility, free enterprise and limited government. Thousands of them will now be trained to be effective advocates for the kind of reform that is necessary to save this nation from an unresponsive and unmanageable government we cannot afford.” In addition to the more than 500 groups that have signed the Pledge, more than 500 individuals have already committed to running for office.

To support the groups that take the Pledge and the work of local tea party organizers, American Majority will offer its proven policy, campaign and candidate training to the new leaders. More information about the New Leaders Project can be found at www.NewLeadersProject.org.

“Political parties do little to ensure their candidates, especially incumbents, adhere to fiscally responsible principles,” states Jason Hoyt, founder of the Tea Party of Orlando, FL. “In Florida, we the people will utilize the New Leaders Project to not only ensure we have the right candidates, but that they’re equipped with the tools necessary to win elections.”

“This is a crucial time in our nation’s history. We do not have a government that serves the American people and tea party organizers at the local level recognize that,” states Ryun. “Statistics show that the longer a government official remains in office, the more prone they are to grow government. These new leaders will have the tools to break the cycle of incumbency and not only win, but passionately support the solutions we need.”

With the New Leaders Project fast reaching its goal, American Majority and local activist groups are keeping what has become one of the most potent grassroots political forces in American history strong, focused and ready for 2012.

Read the full text of the release here.

Late yesterday afternoon, the Wisconsin Supreme Court weighed in on the Budget Repair Bill (Act 10) and ruled that it did not violate the Open Meetings Law.  Judge Maryann Sumi’s injunction to Act 10 was voided because she exceeded her authority, “invaded” the Legislature’s constitutional powers and erred in stopping the publication and implementation of the collective bargaining law.

Justice David Prosser, who was recently re-elected to the Wisconsin Supreme Court following the drawn out recount that cost the state over $520,000, wrote in his concurring opinion:  “[T]he Circuit Court [Judge Sumi] exceeded its authority in prohibiting publication of the 2011 Wisconsin Act 10.  This is not a close question.”  Now Secretary of State Doug LaFollette, who initially delayed publication after the Budget Repair Bill was passed to allow unions time to pass new contracts, is saying he will wait until June 28 before finally publishing Act 10.

Whenever Act 10 does take effect, local governments will have the tools available to balance their budgets.  The many local jurisdictions that passed new union contracts across the state at the behest of the unions will have those recently passed contracts in place until the contract term expires.  At that point, Act 10 would then apply to those public employees as well.

Since the Left and the unions have successfully gotten so many local governments to pass new union contracts, the savings in many areas will not be realized for a few years.  Members of school boards, city councils, and county boards that hastily passed union contracts need to be held accountable for their actions.

We need a new generation of leadership to step forward and run for local office to challenge the elected officials that kowtow to the unions.  Conservatives and Tea Party members are the logical people to fill this void of leadership.  It is time for local governments to serve the taxpayers.  Our communities need conservatives to step forward and run for local office!

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.

I recently had the pleasure of having a little chat with Andrew Breitbart about his new book,  Righteous Indignation; Excuse Me While I Save the World! Sadly, since Andrew and I have been in the same place I think exactly three times over the last three years, we did the interview via email. But below is our short discussion, not only about the book, but his thoughts on the tea party movement and other topics:

Ned: What compelled/motivated you to write “Righteous Indignation?“

Andrew: The un-ironic answer is that the book tells you why I wrote the book. It is ultimately the story of my awakening, my transformation from being a default cultural liberal in the bluest, most elite part of a blue city in a blue state: Hollywood.  And over the last 15 years, I’ve increased my knowledge of what it means to be a conservative and connected it with my desire to alter the cultural landscape.  When I see a conservative movement that is solely fixated on politics, I realize that I’m in a unique position to inform and to focus on the cultural side of our political problems.  We, as Americans, are not going to win back our country if we don’t take back K-12, the humanities departments, and the graduate schools of our nation’s top higher education institutions.  We’re not going to win if we don’t neutralize the devastating, repetitive attacks on American exceptionalism, capitalism, and Judeo-Christianity from the leftist cynics in Hollywood who are too drugged or ungrateful to understand that they’re helping slowly to rot the greatest country on earth from within.  In short, I wrote this book to do my small part in trying to reclaim this righteous country, and to awaken as many people as I can to join this army.

Ned: When was the “I am going to be a journalist” moment for you?

Andrew: The book delves somewhat tragicomically into the way that my ADD-addled brain works.  And one common thread through my unfocused youth was an obsession with “the news.”  By the age of nine, I was watching every edition of local news through the nightly national news and then the 11 o’clock news, only to be buffered by my father’s subscriptions to the Santa Monica Evening Outlook, the Los Angeles Herald Examiner, and the Los Angeles Times.  That orgy of information now seems quaint compared to the information overflow I received when I logged on to the Internet for the first time.  If I’m Humphrey Bogart in the movie, the Internet was my Lauren Bacall.  Not only did the Internet provide me more immediate news data than I could possibly consume, but it also gave me a mechanism to be a participant and a contributor.  That personal revolution had immense political consequences for me.  It was clear that those who controlled the media were now losing control to highly democratic forces. We the people are now acting as checks and balances to the status quo.  There hasn’t been a moment since 1995 that I haven’t felt the raw excitement that comes from knowing that these are historic and revolutionary times and that the primary battlefront is the media.

Ned: What is the biggest threat to our republic?

Andrew: The barriers to an informed electorate (**cough**ahem**the media**cough**ahem**).  Once the truth is transcendent, if the American people are given a choice between truth and lies, I’ll have faith that they will make the right decisions.

Ned: What one book has influenced you the most?

Andrew: The politically correct answer is Whitaker Chambers’s Witness.  It had the intended effect on me–I’m drawn to apostates’ tales, and that’s what my book ultimately is, the story of how someone who once considered himself a liberal saw the light.  The apostate’s goal is to show those lost in the fog of liberalism the error of their ways.  Two other books blew my mind: One is Tammy Bruce’s The New Thought Police. Her vivid depiction of going from a lesbian National Organization for Women Los Angeles Chapter President and liberal media presence to becoming a conservative rabble-rouser possessed cinematic “reveals” of her recognizing that her peers on the left were steeped in intellectual dishonesty and an ends-justifies-the-means mentality.  Better yet, I’ve read a book that has yet to come out that is the most important book from the most important voice: master-playwright David Mamet.  While perusing Amazon.com for my book, please pre-order The Secret Knowledge, an almost too-good-to-be-true, incisively written evisceration of liberalism and a shockingly powerful defense of conservatism from one of the twentieth century’s most regaled liberal minds.

Ned: Where do you think the tea party movement will be in 5 years?

Andrew: If it’s gone, we’re gone.  The future of this country is the tea party movement.  It must grow.  It must get younger.  It must courageously defy the mainstream media’s admonition to minorities to stay away.  It must grow more diverse, but not in the name of tolerance, not in name of political correctness, not in the name of multiculturalism, but in the name of e pluribus unum.

Ned: What are the three greatest milestones in the life of Andrew Breitbart?

Andrew: Aside from the obvious—meeting my wife, getting married, and having four children—being at Kurt Gibson’s 1988 World Series home run means far, far, far more than it should.  But you have no idea how wonderful that moment was. Meeting Drudge at the beginning of his ascent; and watching the ACORN game-plan play out as devised to force a reluctant political and media class to takeJames O’Keefe and Hannah Giles’s powerful journalistic exposé seriously.

Folks, there you have it. Now go buy a copy of Andrew’s Righteous Indignation.

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.

Well, the election of 2010 is now one for the history books.

Six new U.S. Senators now sit in “the world’s most exclusive club”, including political newcomers who finally give Jim DeMint some conservative reinforcements. 87 freshmen representatives were also sworn in, many of them introduced to the process and propelled by the grassroots rallies and groups that formed over the previous two years. It was the biggest wave election since 1948, and it didn’t stop in Washington.

At the state level, 20 legislative bodies previously split or under the control of the Left are neither anymore. There are now 25 states where center-right elected officials hold majorities in both legislative chambers. It was a swing of nearly 700 seats on Election Day, outperforming even the 628-seat record set in 1974, the 472-seat pickup twenty years later, and more than doubling the recent 322-seat gain of 2006.

And here you sit. You sense a true shifting of the political tectonic plates in America, but you’re not sure what it means. You saw the tremendous grassroots uprising of last year:  the Tea Party movement, 9.12 groups, and libertarians focusing and mobilizing like never before. Yet you’re still by turns outraged, inspired, frustrated, compelled and afraid.

Afraid of the fiscal insanity perpetuated by this Administration. Compelled to try and change things, like the number of true small-government adherents actually in office. Frustrated by an archaic political system that has its own set of insular rules and hasn’t adapted to the 21^st century’s information age. But inspired by the very real opportunities for new blood willing to work within that same system. And along with that, outraged that more people like you aren’t paying more attention to things like an unsustainable national debt, or even local and state tax rates where you live, work and raise a family.

You’re not alone.

Many new activists and groups are fuzzy on exactly how to go about becoming the next crop of liberty-minded leaders. Where and how should you begin considering a run for office? When do you decide it’s YOU that should step forward? Putting your name on the ballot involves enormous sacrifice, followed only in magnitude of difficulty by the actual job of becoming a public servant…that is, if you win a campaign.

In the spirit of “stacking the deck” with right-thinking, credible, competent candidates, here are some shortcuts that can allow for a rolling start should you decide to throw your name in the proverbial hat.

First get a political lay of the land. Look for open seats! If you live in a state where there are term limits at the state legislative level, an open seat is the best opportunity for a new, solid candidate. So do your homework in a term-limited state (compile a list of all seats coming open) and find out which seats are up in 2012.

Also look for seats that could be flipped due to the registered partisan make-up of a district, etc. Where’s the low-hanging fruit? Where are the best opportunities for victory (or unexpected wins)? Which incumbents are asleep at the switch? Which districts are long overdue for an upset but haven’t had an effective challenger—perhaps in years?

Occasionally you can find a congressional seat that falls into this category, but not often. And frankly, far too many idealistic individuals sally forth at this level only to have no real impact.

Why not steal the liberals’ mantra:  “think global, act local”?

Many of the best opportunities for newcomers exist at state and local levels. Don’t put your entire focus on Washington—plenty of statist, big-government decisions are made at municipal and county levels. It’s a mistake to ignore the tax-and-spend good ol’ boys at city hall or the state capital when you can de-pollute that compost pile of a political ecosystem right under your nose. And it’s quite appropriate to run for school board, city council, or county board/commission (often multi-million, if not billion-dollar budgetary entities, with plenty of civic responsibility) before running for state legislature—much less Congress.

Then it’s time to ask yourself what makes you a strong candidate. Do you have the “fire in the belly” to persevere through an entire, tough campaign season? Are you a natural leader? Can you inspire other people? Articulate a positive vision? Zero in on voters and their core values?

If you’d rather win the philosophical argument about why your political beliefs are the clearly correct ones than actually go out and meet the people who could become your proud supporters, running for office is probably not for you.

(Still reading? Think you have what it takes to make a difference? Watch for Part 2 of this article on the nuts and bolts of political campaigns in May 2011)

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.

A recount is looming over yesterday’s Wisconsin Supreme Court election.  Currently, Incumbent Justice David Prosser is trailing by 206 votes to Prosecutor Joanne Kloppenburg with 100% of the precincts reporting.   With the momentum from the union protests, this election was one that many thought Kloppenburg would win.  But the Tea Party showed up to the polls again to support their candidate and that is why this election is so close.

There is no rest for the weary.  In addition to the likely recount, we are looking at a summer full of special elections in the State Senate due to the many recalls taking place.  One recall committee had already filed its signatures to the Government Accountability Board (GAB) on Friday.  Another recall committee announced it had enough signatures on Monday.  With many recall committees having volunteers outside of polling locations yesterday, it is likely that a handful or more will file their signatures in the next week.

All of this means that the Tea Party and conservatives need to be prepared and organized for these special elections.  Recall committees will have an advantage of organization due to their use of so many recall volunteers that can easily be turned into campaign volunteers.  In addition, the Left is known for their organizational superiority to the Right.

American Majority is partnering with local Tea Party groups to hold 6 April Activist Trainings around the state of Wisconsin.  Our training blitz begins this Saturday, April 9 when we will hold Activist trainings in St. Croix County and La Crosse, WI and continues on Tuesday, April 12 in Eagle River, WI.

American Majority’s April Training Blitz will equip the Tea Party and conservatives to be organized and effective.   These activist trainings will provide the tools and resources to enable activists to accomplish their political goals.

To learn more about and to register for American Majority’s Activist Trainings in Wisconsin, please visit:  http://americanmajority.org/wisconsin/events/.

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.

Dane County Judge Maryann Sumi has issued another temporary restraining order (TRO) blocking further implementation of the budget repair bill (Act 10), which Governor Scott Walker signed into law on March 11.  See if you can follow me on this legal mess.

Last Monday, the Department of Justice appealed Judge Sumi’s original TRO delaying publication of Act 10.  The appeals court; however, punted on March 24 to the Wisconsin Supreme Court on determining if the TRO was valid.  The Wisconsin Supreme Court, which has one of its Justices up for re-election next Tuesday, would then need to determine if they will take the case.

Then on Friday, March 25, the Legislative Reference Bureau (LRB) published Act 10 because they were not enjoined from doing so in Judge Sumi’s original TRO.  On Monday, Department of Administration Secretary Mike Huebsch announced he believed the law took effect Saturday, so the state began charging employees more for their benefits and ended collecting dues on behalf of unions.

Judge Sumi held a hearing yesterday and then ruled that further implementation of the act is enjoined, while stopping short of declaring whether Act 10 is in effect. That will have to wait for the next hearing, which will not take place until Friday.  Judge Sumi also appointed an attorney for Secretary of State Doug La Follette rather than having the Department of Justice represent him. So on Friday, there will be even more attorneys convoluting this mess further.

Did you follow all of that? If you did, then you should probably go to law school. If not, don’t worry, the main points are that the Supreme Court election on Tuesday will be monumental and the Left will stop at nothing to slow down the implementation of Act 10.

Tuesday’s election has Michael Barone questioning whether the Tea Party movement is going through a hangover.  Will the Tea Party show up in mass on Tuesday as they did last November? In a week we’ll know.  With many possible special elections on the horizon this summer, the Tea Party needs to continue its momentum and stay engaged.

What can you do to help? First of all, make sure you vote on Tuesday.  Also, communicate with your friends and family who you will be voting for and why.  Media Trackers has been doing great work in covering the Supreme Court race.  Share their articles with other voters and on Facebook and Twitter.  Get out and help with a campaign to make phone calls or go door to door.  Do all that you can to help your candidate win.  The Tea Party must continue to be heard!

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.

Last month I talked about a few things elected officials would probably rather you didn’t know. And since we here at American Majority are all about stripping the political process down, it’s time to do the same for that modern-day priesthood: political consultants. Now, some of my friends make their living in this arena, but I’d be lying if I didn’t tell you both they and I get pretty disgusted with many aspects of their field. So let’s dig in and suss out 7 of their secrets:

1) It’s said the best trick the devil ever pulled was convincing folks he didn’t exist. This is kind of the reverse of Elected Official Syndrome, where a lawmaker wants you to believe in their godlike qualities. Instead, political consultants tend to vanish like gorillas in the mist between campaigns (especially ones like last year’s—where “insiders” are considered persona non grata). But just like that mosquito you can hear buzzing about in a dark room, you know they’re still there.

2) And not only are they still around, they’re calling most of the shots. Lobbyists get all the bad press, but political consultants have created a cottage industry for themselves. That permanent campaign you’re sick to death of? The negative campaigning you hate? Their baby. A political “military-industrial complex” means endless job security for them. Think of them as those walkers just out of camera sight, directing the gigantic Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade balloons around every twist and turn on 34^th Street.

3) Which leads me to the money they make. I’d never say you can win anything except the most local, grassroots races without both an air and a ground war, but you can take it to the bank that no political consultant ever got rich off volunteers or door-knocking. Oddly, these free things rarely end up in a consultant’s campaign plan. Hmm. Consultants get cuts of media buys (mail, too), which is why by the time an election rolls around you can’t even walk to your mailbox or watch Jersey Shore without seeing a gazillion political ads. Some firms in Washington or state capitols even seek out longshot candidates against Nancy Pelosi or her equal every two years, raising millions of dollars by nationalizing the contest, but, mysteriously ensuring 99% (I’m not exaggerating here) of the funds raised get spent on “consulting services”. Can you say “Madoff”?

4) Here’s another dirty little one: sometimes politics is rigged. Meaning the possible outcomes are managed by political consultants before an issue ever goes public. Trial balloons floated in the press, hearings where cherry-picked citizens testify…they can all be part of the game, and one great big last Kabuki dance before a gavel gets slammed down just like it was always going to.

5) This next one drives me nuts. It’s the Inverse Theory of Political Consulting. Or what I call “Failing Upward”. Right this second I can name you six to ten talking heads who haven’t won a race in years, if not decades. Mike Murphy and Robert Shrum come to mind. You see them every week on the nightly and Sunday news shows. And as long as they continue to be a go-to source for reporters and endless quote machines, they’ll find work (and appearances on cable TV).

6) Political consultants are also at times much more interested in padding their own personal creative portfolio (and profits) than in actually doing the right thing to win the race. Take the director behind the famous Christine O’Donnell “I’m not a witch” commercial. The absolute last thing that campaign needed at that moment was more attention drawn to something eccentric the candidate had uttered. Yet say it in a 30-second spot she did, because a political consultant was more concerned with making news and raising his profile than in, as Charlie Sheen would say “winning, duh”, the campaign.

7) And finally, the ultimate secret of political consultants: you can win a race without them. We can argue about if politics is more art than a science, whether “cometh the hour, cometh the man” (or woman) is true, or how much time, talent and treasure gets squandered every single election. But American Majority exists so that you too can cut out this middle man of American politics, just like you do in every other area of your current lives (Web M.D. anyone?) And in the end, especially in our Information Age, there’s just no excuse for not getting trained and cracking the political consultants’ code.

Last evening brought a whole new resurgence to the battle in Wisconsin.  Finally, some of the stalemate was going to be overcome.  The consequences of these actions are still somewhat unknown, but we are sure to be witnessing more history happening in Wisconsin.

After weeks of 14 AWOL Senators refusing to come back to the state to debate the issues, the leadership in the State Senate did the last option they had at their disposal.  Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald had decided enough was enough, particularly after receiving a letter from Senate Minority Leader Miller.

A conference committee was called, a new bill was put together and sent to the Senate for a vote.  This movement all happened in a matter of hours.  Where were the 14 AWOL Senators?  Apparently still in Illinois.  Immediately following the vote, protestors in the area stormed the Capitol.  After weeks of protestors being able to stay in the Capitol overnight, it seemed there was return to normalcy but control by the police was lost last night.  The Assembly was to go into session at 11 am this morning to vote on this bill, but was delayed due to security concerns within the building.  Was this another stall tactic from the liberals?  I am beginning to wonder how many more ways can they ensure session cannot take place.

As I write, the situation continues to change and quite frankly I am uncertain of how the day will go.  However, being on the ground to be able to see this continued craziness is almost more than a person can take in.  Death threats have been put out on the Senators who voted last night, staffers and members were trapped inside the building today and other members couldn’t get into the Capitol even if they wanted to.

After all of this is said and done, and there are the votes in support of this conference committee bill, what is going to happen?  After AWOL Senators went missing, recall efforts were put underway to recall them.  The other side responded with recall efforts of their own against those supporting the bill.  Does this mean the results of our last election in November don’t mean anything?  Will this issue even be resolved before the next election cycle?

What I do know is that this is just the beginning of the fight in Wisconsin.  The budget bill debate is yet to come.  If people are unhappy with what was in the Budget Repair Bill, they certainly won’t be happy with the cuts and changes that will be coming forth in the budget.  We are breaking years of unruly spending when the funds simply weren’t there.  The idea of taxing the rich to continue this spending spree is no longer an option.  The people in Wisconsin spoke last November and now those they elected are doing what the electors asked them to do.

We need to have those in Wisconsin who supported these elected officials keep pushing them to stand strong and let them know they are not alone out there.  The Tea Party movement helped make this change in Wisconsin.  Now is the time for us to step up like never before.  People need to make sure the correct message is being sent out and stay active.  The silent voice is the broken voice.

It’s time to step up and write letters to the editor, start talking to your friends and family who aren’t politically involved and get them the facts of what is going on in Wisconsin, do research to find the correct information and don’t let the liberal media continue to spread misinformation.  Email or call your representatives and tell them you are standing behind them and encourage others to do the same.  When there is an opportunity to rally, do so, but keep in mind the loud voices need to do more.  We have seen that the thousands of protestors who oppose Governor Walker did not make a change in the legislation.

As I am writing this blog, I am sitting in a coffee shop in our lovely liberal Capitol of Wisconsin just a few blocks from the activity.  Listening to people who are telling why free markets and capitalism are so bad for our future.  If we didn’t have free markets and limited government, do you think America would be a leader in the world?  If we didn’t have free markets and capitalism would there even be a class of rich to tax?

The coffee shop has a pink slip sign for Governor Walker, thanks for the free Wi-Fi, but I didn’t spend any money at your shop!  Stay tuned, the story isn’t finished.

A week ago this past Tuesday, I was in Madison, WI to attend a conference with my colleague.  The conference happened to coincide with the first day of protests against Governor Scott Walker and those who supported his Budget Repair Bill.  Little did I know that American Majority would be playing a major role in this effort later in the week.

As last week progressed and State Senators fled the state, protests continued against the Budget Repair Bill and their crowds grew larger by the day.  By Thursday, those in support of the Budget Repair Bill had enough and we said it is our time to make our voices heard.  Saturday seemed an ideal day since most of the people who wanted their voice heard had to work during the week.

Quick preparations were put together by the American Majority Wisconsin staff and our American MajorityLeaders who came together to get national speakers to come in on very short notice. The key was not a national organization putting this effort together, but working with the local tea party leaders and groups to spread the word.  Without their help the people would not have come.   No one knew what the turnout would be on Saturday or if anyone would show up.  Wow, we knew people were in support of the Budget Repair Bill, but never expected the turnout we had.

The State Capitol has turned into a motel where it appears there is , child care, and if you have ever traveled to a motel with the sign that says please call the front desk if you have forgotten a toiletry, well that is provided here as well.  I was unaware that I could pick up a free pair of underwear at Wisconsin’s Capitol.

Yes, this is the people’s house, but is this really the way you treat your house?  I am not a stranger to Madison, I attended college in this city and really nothing can surprise a person who has lived here.  The picture of protestors walking up from campus on State Street to the Capitol is one that happens at least once a year.  But, never did I see the Capitol turn into a motel, restaurant or day care center.

Signs are taped on the walls of this historic place.  An interesting note is that elected members of the legislature are not even allowed to put a nail hole in their walls, but protestors find it acceptable to put tape on marble walls.  Instructions are posted on the walls for protestors on their rights in the Capitol, what to do if they are forcibly removed, the charges that are likely against them, how they can pay for their bail and even an attorney to contact for help.

Now that the Capitol has turned into rally central, why are all these people here?  If you walk around the Capitol there are all sorts of chants, but the most used is “kill the bill.” That’s right, kill the bill.  State public employees are being asked to pay a higher portion of their healthcare costs and to contribute to their pensions.  As it now stands, these employees currently pay next to nothing for their retirement and pay a small fraction of healthcare costs in comparison to the private sector.

Wisconsin is in a fiscal crisis.  If we weren’t, we wouldn’t need to find alternatives to fill gaps in our budget.  Many states are finding themselves in this fiscal crisis, but Wisconsin was in the process of working through a Budget Repair Bill that would have restructured past loans to help save additional dollars that are not in the bank account.  This Friday is the deadline for restructuring loans and time is ticking away.

To make matters worse, 14 Senators are missing from our great state of Wisconsin.  Rather than debate the issue they fled the state and took cover in Illinois.  More taxpayer dollars are now being used as the State Patrol is on the lookout for members at their homes.  Meanwhile, the members of the Assembly are going on 44 hours of debate, the longest in state history.

The real question: is there an end in sight?  All sides of this argument are not willing to compromise.  American Majority works to train people for this very moment.   Activists must make their voices heard by calling or emailing their elected officials and share their support.  People can visit I Stand with Walker and sign the petition to show your support.

Once Friday passes, the fight will not be over.  The budget for the next fiscal year still needs to be introduced and it is likely these issues will be revisited then.