Conley Charges Sen. Graham With Setting The Stage For Crisis

Democratic challenger Bob Conley, running for South Carolina’s U.S. Senate seat, is strongly opposed to the kind of meddling in financial markets that is supported by Lindsey Graham and which is responsible for today’s economic crisis.

“The current economic crisis is a direct consequence of the flawed legislation Lindsey Graham voted for while serving in the House of Representatives,” said Conley. “Lindsey Graham has hurt South Carolina and the Nation beyond measure.”

Graham voted in 1999 for the euphemistically-named Financial Services Modernization Act of 1999 which repealed the common-sense restrictions on the financial sector imposed by the Glass-Steagall Act of 1933.

This repeal of Glass-Steagall set up the current crisis by allowing Wall Street firms to integrate banking, insurance and brokerage services under the same roof, with virtually no regulatory oversight.

“Lifting Glass-Steagall restrictions launched a new era of irrational risk-taking, led to dangerous financial practices, and allowed the perilous consolidation of the financial sector into too few hands,” said Conley. “This centralization of financial power now threatens to destabilize our economy and further sink our once vibrant Middle Class into a hole from which they may never climb out.”

Lindsey Graham’s vote in 1999 had the following impact on South Carolina and the Nation:

· Feverish speculation caused the so-called “dot.com” crash that wiped out $5 trillion in market value of technology companies from March 2000 to October 2002. At the time, Fed chairman Alan Greenspan called this “irrational exuberance”.

· Lax regulatory oversight set up, accelerated and perpetuated sub-prime mortgage loans and their bundling into prime investments that promised high returns – an unsustainable proposition by any common-sense measure.

· The results: $29 billion to bail out Bear Stearns; $85 billion for 80 percent of AIG to nationalize it; $150 billion in a stimulus package to flood the nation with cash; $250 billion to bail out Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac; and now $700 billion to save the national economy from the excesses of Wall Street. All this with no guarantee of success!

After helping to lead our Nation into a financial crisis of such devastating magnitude, Lindsey Graham no longer can claim to have the knowledge, insight and hands-on experience to continue representing South Carolinians in the U.S. Senate.

In financial terms, it is time for the voters of South Carolina to withdraw Lindsey Graham from the U.S. Senate and deposit Bob Conley as their sound investment in the future.

Bob Conley or Lindsey Graham?

Send Goober Grahamnesty Packing

It becomes clearer by the day that John McCain did his candidacy a great favor by "crossing the aisle" to the conservatives of his party and selecting a running mate with whom the base is not only comfortable, but enthusiastically embraces.

Consider what the outcome might have been had he heeded the advice of South Carolina's Lindsey Graham and chosen the pro-abortion liberal, Senator Joe Lieberman. Graham, never one to concern himself with the views of those fool enough to vote for him, wanted McCain to shake up the political landscape by choosing a man who has earned an "F" from the National Rifle Association and "zeroes" from the National Right to Life Committee, the Christian Coalition and the American Conservative Union. Take away Lieberman's hawkish votes on Iraq and any legislation benefiting Israel, and Al Gore's running mate is more liberal than half of his Democrat colleagues and all Republicans. He earns from the ADA a score of 80, the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) award him an 86, and the American Civil Liberties Union an 83.

South Carolina's Republican Senator would turn his back on the Republican Party, as he has turned his back on his own electorate, to support a liberal, pro-choice, anti-Second Amendment, Democrat for the VP nominee of the Republican Party. Such a decision would likely have resulted in a floor fight and a walk-out on the part of many conservative Republicans. It would have left the base dispirited and in quest of third party candidates, and millions of Republicans would have stayed home on election day.

After outspending his Republican Primary opponent by 9 to 1, one-third of South Carolina Republicans voted against their incumbent Senator. On primary night Graham was not chastened; he rather took the victory as encouragement for even more defiance of South Carolina views and values. This is a man we need to unload now before he does even more damage and becomes more entrenched.

Fortunately, Senator McCain ignored the advice of his "Mini Me" and chose a running mate that inspires Republicans and independents. But South Carolina should think long and hard before renewing Graham's contract. We can hope that McCain might relieve the state of this embarrassment and give Grahamnesty a federal appointment; but we "bigots" who actually believe that US sovereignty, borders and laws should be respected, should not pass up the opportunity to send a message to all RINO's.

We have in Bob Conley someone who will defend the US border, support US-first trade policies and end the outsourcing of US industry and jobs. Conley supports the Fair Tax, will restore sound, honest money, and halt the fall of the dollar. Conley will oppose predatory lending practices, end the Wall Street bailouts, and put a lid on massive expenditures at home and abroad. Most importantly, he is committed to the strict interpretation of the Constitution - the rights of states and individuals, and will work to restore the federal government to its proper role and size.

Goober Grahmnesty, if in nothing else, has been straight about where he stands. It is time South Carolina sent him packing.

The New Democrat

From The New American
By Jim Capo

According to Bob Conley, the Democrat nominee for the U.S. Senate in South Carolina, “The New Democrat is the Old Democrat.” And that Democrat is pro-life, pro-Second Amendment, and fiscally conservative.

Bob Conley actively supported Pat Buchanan's presidential bid on the Reform Party ticket in 2000. More recently, he supported Republican Congressman Ron Paul's presidential bid. He is now running for the U.S. Senate in South Carolina- as a Democrat.

Though he is still largely ignored by the establishment media, Bob Conley has already won the Democratic primary and his name will appear on the ballot in November as the Democratic nominee. His primary victory should be added to those of John McCain's and Barack Obama's on the list of improbable but notable outcomes thus far in 2008. On a shoestring budget, and with only a few months under his belt in his new party, Bob Conley won his primary race against Michael Cone, a Charleston lawyer, by 1,049 votes out of 147,287 cast.

The commercial pilot, professional engineer, and flight instructor is now up against Lindsey Graham, the Republican incumbent, who in the current Congress (to date) has scored a mediocre 56 percent in The New American's "Freedom Index," a congressional scorecard that rates all members of the House and Senate based on their adherence to the Constitution. Conley often refers to Senator Graham as "McCain's Mini Me" and "Grahamnesty" (a moniker coined by Rush Limbaugh). Graham was one of the key Republican senators who tried (unsuccessfully) to push through the McCain-Kennedy immigration reform (read: amnesty) bill last year.

If a Democrat running to the right of the Republican seems a bit odd, it should be kept in mind that the Republican Party has been moving to the left. In fact, many Republicans are "neoconservatives" who promote a corporate-socialist-internationalist agenda under the banner of Republican conservatism. Neoconservatism has become so prevalent within the Republican Party that some conservatives have left the party in disgust. For example, former GOP Congressman Bob Barr migrated to the Libertarian Party and is now the Libertarians' presidential nominee. Pastor Chuck Baldwin is running for president under the Constitution Party banner. And Bob Conley, the engineer-pilot-pragmatist, with a signature flattop haircut, thinks he has a better idea: run and actually win as a Democrat. Since his plan has worked so far, we caught up with "FlatTop Bob" to flat out ask him, "What's up?"

The New American: With your conservative views, why are you running as a Democrat and how were you able to win the Democratic primary for the U.S. Senate in South Carolina?
Bob Conley: I had a simple opening message for voters, "I'm the Democrat your grandfather voted for." The "Blue Dog" is the wave of the future. The New Democrat is the Old Democrat. You can campaign and win as a Democrat on a pro-life, pro-Second Amendment, traditional values, fiscally conservative platform. The 2006 elections proved this. Jeffersonian ideals can still win in the party that Jefferson founded. Outside of a few elitist, urbanite white folks, the message of Ted Kennedy doesn't play in South Carolina - even among rank-and-file Democrats.

TNA: You have described yourself as a "Jeffersonian Democrat." How do you define that term?
Conley: A Jeffersonian Democrat believes in small government; he believes that the government that governs least governs best. Like Thomas Jefferson, I believe that government power must be limited and that those entrusted with exercising that power must be held in check. As Jefferson put it, we must not put confidence in man, but "bind him down from mischief by the chains of the Constitution."

TNA: You have also called yourself a "Larry McDonald Democrat." What's a Larry McDonald Democrat?
Conley: A champion of the Constitution. Larry McDonald, a member of Congress from Georgia, was a modern Jeffersonian Democrat. He served in the U.S. House from 1975 until 1983, when he disappeared on Korean Airline Flight 007. Dr. McDonald was a traditional Southern Democrat, and was the most conservative member of that body. In fact, he was chairman of the John Birch Society.

TNA: You mentioned earlier that a Democrat who's pro-life, pro-Second Amendment, pro-traditional values, and fiscally conservative can win. What are a couple of the other issues you are campaigning on?
Conley: The U.S. has suicidal immigration problems that must be fixed; amnesty is not a solution, and will only exacerbate the problem; the importation of foreign nationals to take Americans' jobs and drive down wages must stop. I'm running against the occupation of (not war in) Iraq. We need to end the occupation now.

TNA: How fast is "now"?
Conley: As rapidly as is consistent with the safety of the troops. Complete redeployment may take three, six, or nine months, but must begin now. I would be surprised if the process takes more than a year.

I also support our veterans. Compare our treatment of our honorable veterans to how we treat dishonorable bankers on Wall Street with subsidies and bailouts. Corporate welfare has to end. I'm a reemergence of the traditional Democrat: think William Jennings Bryan.

TNA: What role do you see the Federal Reserve Board playing in our growing economic debacle?
Conley: The Fed is a banking cartel that should be abolished. It is a major part of the problem. It will never be part of the solution. I support constitutional money - including Lincoln's Greenbacks. We have to free ourselves from the Fed's debt-based money. As noted Austrian economist Murray Rothbard said in response to what should happen to the Fed, "It should just go away!"

TNA: You also support the FairTax. Why is that?
Conley: Three points: First, it will do away with the IRS and move towards repeal of the 16th [income tax] Amendment. Second, the special breaks for the corporate lobbyists will go away. And third, South Carolina has lost so many textile jobs to Communist China, it will help level the playing field on international trade. That is, it will allow our domestic manufacturers to compete under the so-called "free trade" agreements. It will counter the tax penalties Duncan Hunter talked about in his presidential campaign. Hunter used a football analogy to describe the 17-percent subsidy Communist China gives their exporters while at the same time penalizing our producers 17 percent. Team U.S.A. is down 34-0 on the scoreboard at the start of the game - and this doesn't even take into account the Chi-Coms' devaluation of their own currency.

TNA: How do you reconcile your Jeffersonian principles with the fact that the FairTax is supposed to be revenue neutral - that is, the federal government would collect as much money under the FairTax as it does now?
Conley: We did not get to where we are today in one step. The FairTax eliminates, among other things, the income tax and payroll taxes. This is a step in the right direction. Once that is accomplished, the next step to reduce the size of the federal government is by cutting spending-then paying off the national debt, then reducing the tax rate.

TNA: Getting back to your upset primary victory, how were you able to pull it off without mega bucks for advertising?
Conley: Our victory was just a lot of hard work along with lots of dedicated volunteers. Everywhere we went we handed out a lot of business-card-sized pass-along cards to build name recognition. We went where the votes were, and where I could connect with enough voters to win. Our goal was half plus one; we received half plus a little more than five hundred! I do believe God helps those who make the effort.

TNA: What is your strategy for beating Lindsey Graham on November 4?
Conley: We need more name recognition, and that will take at least a little bit of money, by no means parity with Graham, but between 10 and 20 percent. Remember, Tom Coburn was outspent 11:1 in his 2004 primary race for U.S. Senate in Oklahoma, but through a grass-roots effort he won the primary and went on to win the Senate seat in November. And through our own grass-roots effort here in South Carolina we will win this Senate seat. Certainly, we think there will be an increased turnout for Obama in South Carolina. Graham has been declared the worst Republican senator, and is widely despised; we need to take 10 percent of his base, and believe we can take at least 25 percent.

TNA: Do you see a Ron Paul-type candidate on the horizon in the Democratic Party?
Conley: I am that candidate.

Interview of Bob Conley by Jim Capo

Money Bomb to Retire Lindsey Graham-nesty

This November we not only have the opportunity to remove a senator who has been whittling away at liberties, but we now have someone who will champion the ways of the Constitution.

His name is Bob Conley.

Even if you don't live in South Carolina, you can help take down Lindsey Graham and elect someone who will be a champion for liberty. This Monday, September 1st, a local Campaign for Libery Meet-Up group is calling for a Money Bomb for Bob Conley. You can donate at Bob Conley's website: aimhighwithbob.com.

Here is a statement from a founding member of the Meet-Up group, Vicki Simmons:

Lower Your Gas Prices: Bob Conley sees solutions to reduce your gas prices through the use of alternative energy and conservation. To end our dependence on foreign oil, we need to change our energy policy. Bob will fight for this change by: encouraging more energy production at home, promoting the development of alternative energy sources, wider use of proven alternative energy solutions, and encouraging the use of energy-saving technologies. We’ll regain energy independence and create good jobs in the process!

Iraq: Bob Conley believes it is time to end the occupation, and support our troops by bringing them home!

Jobs & Immigration: Bob supports secure borders and wants South Carolinians to have first choice of jobs in South Carolina.

Jobs & Trade: Bob Conley says no to trade agreements that send our good, well-paying jobs to foreign lands. The U.S. needs to withdraw from trade agreements that have cost us 3.5 million of our good manufacturing jobs since 2001!

Bob will promote and restore America First trade policies. We need to follow the Constitution – Congress is to regulate trade with foreign nations. We must end most favored nation status for Communist China. Bob is our fighter to change trade policies, correct our massive trade imbalance, and keep our good jobs here at home.

Economy: We must implement fiscal policies to end deficit spending. Bob Conley believes we must change our monetary policy, restore sound, honest money, and halt the fall of the dollar. We must stop predatory lending practices, end the Wall Street bailouts, and put a lid on massive expenditures abroad.

Military: Overseas deployments of occupation are breaking our military. Deployments in recent years have left 80% of our National Guard units without the necessary equipment for training – and the missions they should be prepared to serve here at home. Our National Guard needs to be rebuilt.

Veterans: Bob Conley believes veterans need to be given adequate care, not shuffled around in a Veterans’ Administration that should be overhauled. Bob will work to pass a new GI Bill for our veterans who have fought in the twenty-first century.

Constitution and the Bill of Rights: Bob Conley will fight to repeal the Big Brother legislation passed by rubber-stamp Republican Congresses. We cannot afford to give up essential liberties under the false pretense of security. Measures that infringe on our individual liberties protected by the Constitution and the Bill of Rights must be repealed! We must restore the Constitution and respect the principles on which our Republic was founded.

Bob Conley is the freedom candidate.