At our Tea Party event on Saturday, April 16, I gave the following speech about Indiana 69th State Representative Dave Cheatham which is on Youtube:
Part 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KODKArF_ovM
Part 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=THpPfvnLZW4
Here's the text:
Thanks, Bulldog. I'd like to take this opportunity to let you Patriots know what the guiding principles of the Sons and Daughters of Liberty are - there are thousands of organizations like ours across this great country and all have common themes, ours are:
• public validation of the concepts of liberty; freedom; smaller, less intrusive government; and, the united states constitution.
• provide a public forum for the free and rich exchange of ideas. (The reason we are here today)
• raise awareness of corruption in government.
• not cease our relentless pursuit of those elected officials who have betrayed their oath or affirmation of office.
This is the purpose of my talk today.
We've generally confined our issues to national issues, but with the cowardly exploits of the Flee Party Democrats in avoiding their responsibilities in the Indiana General Assembly, I give you Indiana State Representative Dave Cheatham.
Now you've got to understand that Dave is a likeable fellow and actually ok on several issues - he's anti-property taxes and anti-illegal aliens, but he's shown his true colors in supporting liberal Representative Pat Bauer in walking away from their constitutional responsibilities in the longest walkout in the history of Indiana.
We had a radio ad to this effect trying to shame ole Dave to come back or resign. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pBYpIfWVLSA&feature=related)
Rick and I even offered Dave a spot on our radio show to try to explain what he did - indeed it was not going to be a gotcha format but it was going to be with conservative representative Jud McMillan to be in a point-counterpoint format.
Dave's response:
"Thanks for asking me to be on the show. I e-mailed rick (the shorter) and let him know that I think the idea is good to talk about what is going on, so what I plan on doing is buying some time myself and having my own show with some guests from Jefferson County. I am not sure when yet, but will work on details." We haven't heard his show yet!!!!
When constituents emailed him to implore him to come back, ole Dave contended that he had the moral high ground:
"You are entitled to your opinion. You have no idea what kind of courage it takes to do something unpopular when it means defending 1 million school children in this state.
I did the only thing left for me to do to stop the tyranny of the republican party. The Republicans filibuster in the U.S. Senate when they don't get their way, as do the Democrats, why haven't you ever mentioned that? Because you're biased by your Republican ideology, [you] show little compassion for those less fortunate than yourself. I showed up for those children that need my voice the most, those Republicans that showed up at the statehouse are the ones who didn't show up for the most vulnerable ones in our state - the children.
I will give you a Bible verse: do not oppress the poor, the fatherless child, the widow, and the orphan. For their defender is the lord almighty. God will bring judgment on those who oppress the children. Be careful of the words you use (this is to the emailer), you might regret it someday."
Our Flee Party Representative contended that he has a constitutional basis to walk away from his job. He seems to confuse this at times with the filibuster in the United States Senate which actually has rules to allow a filibuster. Our State Constitution does not.
What our State Constitution does say in Article 4, Section 11 "2/3s of each house shall constitute a quorum to do business; but a smaller number may meet, adjourn from day to day, and compel the attendance of absent members." Too bad they couldn't figure out how to do exactly that.
Well, ole Dave finally did deign to show up for a town hall meeting in North Vernon then the next week in Madison.
The North Vernon meeting was comprised of Democrat operatives and teachers sympathetic to ole Dave. I was there as well as my middle son. Sentiments unsympathetic to Cheatham were met with derision by the partisan hacks. Cheatham mistook sycophant applause for approval of his actions.
Flush with his success in North Vernon, Cheatham sought to stuff the audience in Madison with his own crowd. The following is from an email he sent to the Democrats in Jennings County:
"The Madison Courier reported Tuesday that I was still in Illinois and they weren't sure if I would be at the 3rd House meeting in Madison on Saturday. While this is completely untrue, I believe their purpose is to make people that support my stand believe that I won't be there so that our supporters won't come to the meeting. This looks like double-dealing and I don't like it. I hope that you can ‘cover my back' one more time and do all you can to get as many people from North Vernon to attend the meeting in Madison so we can show the public that people do support teachers and public education. Let's not let the Madison paper get away with this and have large numbers of supporters be there so we can duplicate the success of the meeting we had in North Vernon."
Now folks, the Madison Courier was slavish in putting anything Cheatham wanted in their paper before or after he gave this strawman argument. But he said they were ripping him. Ironic ain't it? This is collusion and a tad unethical as well. If you can't win with facts or ideas, stack the crowd. As Paul Ryan said of our "historic leader" (Obama), Churchill might have said about ole Dave "he's basically a pyromaniac in a field of straw men!"
The Third House meeting was memorable for one more thing that old Dave related. It was a story in his wife's first grade classroom (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hwixYYFmSHI&feature=mfu_in_order&list=UL)
Well, thanks to my 18 and 16 year old sons, we got this clip on youtube and it went viral. It was featured on Sean Hannity's show on the Fox News Channel as well as Human Events, National Review Online, Hotair.com; Michelle Malkin's Blog; the Weekly Standard; Townhall.com; and, many others. The weekend after the youtube was posted, I was at a camp with my 16 year old twins and their sophomore classmates. It was really cool to be updated on the progress of this from my dear friends, Rick Berry and State Senator Jim Smith.
The outrage from all these sources was quotable but I think the words of our blogger and fellow patriot, John Mustain summarize the disgust of all of us at ole Dave's incredible analogy:
"Dave Cheatham's little story has all the makings for a heart-wrenching, tearjerker of a tale. The problem is, whether the story is fiction or non-fiction (and I am leaning toward fiction), it is an unsound argument that seems plausible at first but fails the test of reality. Mr. Cheatham and his band of run-away democrats are frantically reaching for anything that might make sense of their walkout to their constituents. Unfortunately for Rep. Cheatham, his story is a barf bag worthy insult to American soldiers and their bravery.
I am a disabled American veteran. Like so many others, I bear in my body and on my mind the scars of my service to my country. I am not claiming bravery or heroism here. I am simply trying to illustrate that I understand the difference between running to a fight and running from one.
The American soldier to which Mr. Cheatham is referring is going off to war. He will see things no human should have to see. He will endure the harsh conditions of war. He will suffer sleepless nights and hellacious days. He will put his life in harm's way everyday he is in Afghanistan. He will feel the anxiety of patrolling the streets amid a hostile people. He will feel the emptiness of being without his family. He may even lose his life leaving his wife a widow and his son without a father.
Nevertheless, one thing is for certain, Mr. Cheatham, the American Soldier you reference will not desert his post. He will not go AWOL. He will stand and fight, and through his bravery and heroism, he will help secure freedom for all Americans.
Now let's see, Mr. Cheatham. You and your rebel band of weak and fearful Democrats left Indianapolis and traveled in your luxury cars to the comfort suites in Illinois. You slept in warm, soft beds. When it got hot, you turned on the air conditioner. When it got cold, you turned on the heater. You safely traveled at will from your hideout to your home. Hotel maids cleaned your room each day. You sat in big comfortable chairs and played on your laptops. Someone else prepared your meals…no C-rations or MRE's for you. You abandoned your post, your place of duty. You broke your sacred oath to not only all the voters in your district, but to all the voters of Indiana as well. How can you possible equate your cowardice with the American soldiers bravery?
The truth be told, Mr. Cheatham, your words and actions on Saturday, March 26, 2011, make you nothing more than an irritating pimple on that American soldier's behind. It is such a tragedy that you have stooped so low. Yes, Mr. Cheatham. You have insulted a gallant American soldier and all of our brave men and women serving in the middle east. You have insulted the people of Indiana by thinking them too stupid to see through your sophistry.
So my question is this: if you have so little respect for the Indiana General Assembly, the American Soldier, and the People of Indiana, why don't you and your fellow scamocrats resign and go home?"
Patriots, I can add nothing to john's eloquence other than to reflect that next year, Mr. Cheatham will be up for re-election. Whoever runs against him might have a slogan "Dave was AWOL, I won't be!" What say ye, Patriots, next year does ole Dave stay or does he gotta go?
God bless you all and God Bless the United States of America!
In freedom (still),
The War Eagle
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