Jon Henke over at QandO certainly thinks we’re doing something right. We’ll keep plugging away…
What do you all think of a Congressman using a blog to communicate?
Go ahead. Leave a comment. We won’t tell.
Click on the JackTube below to watch, share, and embed the latest internocumentary, Journeys With Jack.
Last week we had a real star as our Theme Team guest — Ben Stein.
Stein is certainly a funny man as you’ll see in an upcoming JwJ, but he’s also smart, conservative, and as patriotic and American as one would find in the VFW hall putting up flags on graves for Memorial Day or Veterans Day.
On his visit to Washington he kept us entertained, inspired, and challenged. Whether he’s a conservative w/ a libertarian streak or a libertarian w/ a conservative streak, he’s worth listening to.
Thanks Ben.
-Jack
John Hawkins over at Right Wing News points to a few problem areas with the Senate’s recently passed immigration reform bill.
I’m just sayin’…
Last Friday this blog carried well over 8,000 readers as folks checked in to see what was going on with the alleged shooting (turned out to be a false alarm) in the Rayburn House Office building. You came from all over this great nation and beyond from places like France, Switzerland, UK, and many more. And of course, many, many new readers dropped in from Georgia.
Among other things, the added exposure has helped show some folks what a blog and new media strategies can do for folks who want to stay in touch with their Member of Congress — on their terms.
We wanted to share with you (with permission) one particularly interesting exchange with a fellow blogger and Congressman Kingston to show exactly what is going on when folks come to Jack’s Blog for the first time. If the “Revolution” had a mission statement or a thesis, this would be it.
A few weeks ago I had the opportunity to join about 450 folks who were running a 5K to help honor and support the family of Corey Goodnature, a serviceman killed nearly a year ago while in Afghanistan fighting the global war on terror.
On June 28, 2005, Army Chief Warrant Officer Corey J. Goodnature was killed when the MH-47 Chinook helicopter that he was aboard crashed in Asadabad, Afghanistan in the Kunar Province.
Sadly, like so many of our troops killed overseas, Corey, a husband and a father, left a loving family back in Georgia.
I had a chance to talk with Corey’s wife, Lori, about her late husband, about the global war on terrorism, and about what Corey’s death means to her.
Lori told me about a letter that Corey had written years earlier for his church to help explain what the anniversary of 9-11 means to a soldier.
I asked her if I could have a copy of that letter to help send Corey’s message and story out to help celebrate Corey and the thousands who have given their lives to defeat evil.
I’ve attached the text of the letter below.
This Memorial Day, we must never forget our sons and daughters, friends and loved ones, like Corey, who have paid the ultimate sacrifice to help shine the bright light of democracy in the darkest shadows of the world.
God Bless you Corey, your Brothers still fighting the good fight, and peace be with your family.
-Jack
Ok, Ok, we’re only joking about the whole “JackNation” tag (we just finished watching the latest episode of diggnation), but seriously, if you haven’t yet registered to comment on this space, why not do so right now.
There’s a LOT going on right now in your neck of the woods and Jack wants to know about it.
The Minuteman Civil Defense Corps has broken ground on a fence along the border (on private property).
The Minuteman Civil Defense Corps plans to install a combination of barbed wire, razor wire, and in some spots, steel rail barriers along the 10-mile stretch of private land in southeastern Arizona.
They hope it prompts the federal government to do the same along the entire Arizona border.
Two weeks ago, Congressman Kingston was briefed by the Minuteman on just how bad the border is. You can watch the video briefing at the JwJ page.
Jonathan Alter of Newsweek thinks the Internet is taking hold in democracy in today’s must-read.
Open-source politics has its hazards, starting with the fact that most people over 35 will need some help with the concept. But just as Linux lets tech-savvy users avoid Microsoft and design their own operating systems, so “netroots” political organizers may succeed in redesigning our current nominating system. But there probably won’t be much that’s organized about it. By definition, the Internet strips big shots of their control of the process, which is a good thing.
Just wanted to let everyone know that the US Capitol Police are investigating shots in the Rayburn House Office Building (where we are), specifically in the parking garage below the building.
First and foremost, Congressman Kingston is back in the district and all of his DC-based staff (and interns) are OK!
Full story and updates after the jump.
On May 19, 2006, Jack received a video briefing on how bad our nation’s borders are by a spokeswoman for the Minuteman Civil Defense Corps.
The spokeswoman, Connie, brought a number of interesting clips which we show you on the latest Journey With Jack. Some of this video is absolutely ridiculous.
Here’s what you’ll see on the latest video:
A big hat-tip to Connie and the rest of the Minuteman for helping us get this video out to the public.
Click on the JwJ Tube below to go to the JwJ page to watch the videos.
Just this afternoon, the House voted to open ANWR to oil drilling. Congressman Kingston released the following statement:
WASHINGTON–Today, U.S. Rep. Jack Kingston, R-GA, the vice-chairman of the House Republican Conference, took action to address high oil prices by voting for H.R. 5429, The America-Made Energy and Good Jobs Act.
This legislation authorizes oil and gas production in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and offers the opportunity to reduce our dependence on foreign oil by expanding our domestic energy supply while at the same time stimulating our economy and creating hundreds of thousands of new jobs.
“President Bush has said that we are addicted to oil and he is 100 percent right,”
Kingston said. “Our dependence on foreign oil threatens our national security and distorts global diplomacy. It is not in America’s interest to remain dependent on leaders like Venezuelan President Chavez and Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.”
“This legislation is a good step towards achieving that oil independence. It’s too bad Democrats who have spent years voting against drilling in ANWR, have refused to take that step with us,” Kingston concluded.
And just so you know: ANWR oil would supply Georgia for 54 years.
