KNOXVILLE --- AMAZING

When I arrived at the Barnes & Noble in Knoxville last night for signings of The FairTax Book the people were lined up out the front door and down entire length of the shopping center. [photos] It was a truly amazing crowd, and I can't tell you great folks in Knoxville how much I appreciate you being there. This has been an incredible week of book signings, Indianapolis on Tuesday night, then Lexington, Ky., and now this great event in Knoxville. Next week we have Oklahoma City and Tulsa ... and I'm already looking forward to it.

WHAT'S THE PROBLEM WITH ZACK WAMP?

Zack Wamp, in case you didn't know, is a Republican representing Tennessee's 3rd Congressional District. At last night's book signing there were continuous expressions of discontent and outright anger at Zack Wamp. It would seem that he is not a friend of the FairTax. In fact, I have copies of letters he has written to constituents denouncing the idea.

I've told you that the FairTax would be the biggest transfer of power from politicians to the people since the Constitution was ratified. This may be the true reason Wamp is so opposed. When he ran for his seat in the Congress he promised to serve for only six terms and then resign. Well .. his time is up, and he's now telling voters that he "made a mistake" when he made that promise.

He's not going to quit after all. In fact, he sees himself as part of the new leadership in the Congress. What we may very well have here is a congressman who has become addicted to the prestige and power that comes with serving in Washington. This love of political power will be a primary influence on many elected officials who stand in opposition to meaningful tax reform.

AND THEN THERE'S LINCOLN DAVIS

Congressman Davis, a Democrat, represents Tennessee's 4th Congressional District. Davis has written letters to constituents misrepresenting the terms of the FairTax act. In one letter I've seen Davis writes "First, the bill misleadingly reports ..... " He then writes "Overall, I find the national sales tax idea is regressive and puts an unfair burden on poor folks." So ... here is another congressman who simply hasn't read the bill. The poor in this country would end up paying absolutely no federal taxes at all. None. They get a free ride ... a free ride from paying their share for the operation of the federal government, to Social Security, Medicare and beyond. The likely truth here is that Congressman Lincoln Davis is paying close attention to his leadership's demand that he neither co-sponsor nor express support for the FairTax. His constituents are upset, and they're letting him know it. After several calls from Constituents, a Davis aide called Americans for Fair Taxation incensed that his boss has been listed on the AFFT scorecard as "against" the FairTax. OK, Congressman Davis ... let us know? Are you for or against? Do you have the courage to stand up to Nancy Pelosi? Who is calling the shots for you? San Francisco or the 4th District of Tennessee?

STAGED PRESS CONFERENCE

Here comes the brouhaha over nothing. Yesterday, President Bush held a teleconference with troops serving in Iraq.  The president spoke to troops in Tikrit.  Standard presidential photo op.  This is the kind of thing that has been going on in presidential administrations since...oh...well, who knows. Probably since the invention of television.  It was discovered that the soldiers were coached by the deputy assistant defense secretary, and only pro-war soldiers were allowed to speak to the president.

The media began frothing at the mouth....YOU MEAN THE WHOLE THING WAS STAGED?  The AP headline, picked up by every media outlet in the US screamed "Bush Teleconference With Soldiers Staged" (notice how the media is starting to not address George Bush with his formal title of "president.")  This is, at best, dishonest reporting, and at worse, outright leftist political bias.  If ever you needed proof to convince your friends and family that the media is overwhelmingly liberal and Democratic, this is it.

Did we hear the same cries of outrage when Bill Clinton staged a photo op?  How about this one, for instance.  In June of 1994, President Bill Clinton was attending the 50th anniversary of the D-Day invasion.  While walking down the beach, pretending there were no cameras around, Saturday Night Bill came upon some stones.  He knelt down and placed the stones in a shape of a cross and looked all sad and stuff.  But guess what?  The rocks were put there by an advance man, and the whole entire thing was staged.  Every bit of it.  Just like every other presidential photo opportunity.  Once again per the media template, it was okay when a Democratic president did it, but not when a Republican did it.

The media jumping all over Bush's case about this is about as shameless as it gets when it comes to their relentless bashing.  More selective outrage from the left.

BUSH'S POLL NUMBERS

Well, at an average 40% approval rating low, it looks like George W. Bush has bested the lowest approval rating of his predecessors.  Besides, who cares about Bush's approval rating?  He's a lame duck...it's not like he's going to ever be running for office again.

Leave it to the media to continually report a non-story.

DOWN AND OUT AT AIR AMERICA

Things continue to look bleaker and bleaker at Air America, the liberal talk radio network that is currently being kept afloat by donations.  It seems Al Franken's on-air companion has flown the coop, leaving the show to write a book. Or something like that.  Maybe it was her week to squeeze the family orange juice.  Or paint the sidewalk.  Or maybe her dog was on fire.  When you've got to go, you've got to go.  Something came up.

So Al is all by himself.  I'm not sure what's next for Air America now that the $875,000 loan from the Boys Club has run out.  Perhaps he could hit up the homeless. So what's behind the financial problems?

Who knows.  Maybe it's the bumper stickers and the stylish totes they've been giving out.  We should all be concerned with keeping Air America afloat....after all, if Air America goes bust, it won't take 2 seconds for some Democrats and weak-kneed "Republicans" to re-introduce the fairness doctrine to bring balance to talk radio.  We can't have that.

So kick in a few bucks for Al.  Remember: your local Boys Club needs the money.

Tour Gallery | BUY ONLINE | Book Tour, part 2!

REDNECK SCRAP BOOK

Do you think this sign points to a proper redneck haircut or something else?  More in the Redneck Scrap Book.

REPUBLICAN WOMEN VS DEMOCRAT WOMEN

READING ASSIGNMENTS

WHAT THE HECK ARE THOSE POINTY HAND THINGS?

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