As 2013 comes to a close, it’s a good time for Independent Conservatives to reflect on all that has happened and what it means for the Indie Con agenda, including decreasing government intrusion into our lives and an increase of personal freedom. I’m curious to see who you think has done the most for our cause this year and who you think are the stars of the future. My picks? While I’m concerned about his ability to influence and work with the existing infrastructure, I think Ted Cruz has been a person who has remained consistent with his conservative principles. My main concern is that he not slip into a focus about what he wants versus what’s best for the country, like Marco Rubio.
Upcoming star? For me it’s Mia Love all the way! The potential of that young woman is extraordinary.
While we’re at it, what do you think will be the major story/event(s) of 2014?
My conservative of the year is Tammy Bruce!
i agree with tammy’s choice along with mike lee, then tammy comes in a close third. haha
My choice is a tie: Ted Cruz and Allen West. I agree on Mia Love and she may be our choice for next year. Fingers crossed that there will be more that we are not yet aware of 🙂
Sarah Palin- she keeps on truckin.
Love your choice midget, I agree. 🙂
I think next year will be all about finding the right ways to message–I think we have more than enough talent in the current crop of officials and candidates–so my conservative of the year is one of our up-and-coming Maestros Of Messaging: Bill Whittle.
Mark Levin
Ted Cruz showed the most guts. Palin always takes the arrows for us.Ann Coulter is intellectually bold, going on shows that others are ascared of. Tammy Bruce & Dana Loesch are THE brainy brunette babes on the Right. Mark Levin is The Great one.
Most excellent
Governor Palin. She is unstoppable and surfs the debauchery of the left and it’s media team like a pro. Like Senator Cruz also.
Conservative of the Year 2013; 1) Ted Cruz, 2) Jim DeMint, 3) Scott Walker
Upcoming star 2014; 1) Jeff Sessions, 2) Mike Lee, 3) Sharyl Atkinson
Major story/event 2014; 1) Terrorism at Winter Olympics, 2) Hospitals turning away patients, 3) Another Ambassador attacked
In this order; Levin, Bruce, Cruz, Palin, Walker, etc.
I think ALL the conservative voices in new media made a huge difference in pushing back on the liberal agenda and calling them out on the all the hypocrisy OBummer and his minions have heaped on us throughout his term. Last year we saw the start of “the fall” with all the scandals. We’re all witnesses to the wheels falling off the OBummer bus. Everyone should be proud of that. The work is not done, but we’ll see it to its end. My favorites continue to be Sarah Palin and Tammy Bruce. It is a rare occasion indeed, when I am not in agreement with them.
I believe the biggest issues in 2014 will be: Domestically: OCrapoCare. If not dealt with rather quickly and severely, it has the potential to bring our economy to its knees. Foreign Policy: Iran continuing its nuclear program, unchallenged while Al-Qaeda runs rampant around the world killing innocent people because OBummer is not their enemy. Mid-term Elections: Conservative/Tea Party victories in the House & GOP takeover in the Senate. This is our fight to win on every front. So, let’s shed a few pounds (if you can afford to), eat healthier, get your allotted sleep at night, and say your prayers. We’ve got work to do.
Good choices Kitten, and prayers can help more than you could know.
Ted Cruz, I think. He ably represented the people who elected him. My favorite part was when he was on a TV talk show (any of them), some libtard host/hostess would ask a biased question, and Cruz would burst out laughing. I have a visual of Toure with his mouth hanging open in disbelief while Cruz laughs. Scott Walker, he really stood on principle and kept his cool, under heavy attack from the left. I’m liking what I’ve seen of Trey Gowdy. The man makes sense and has the courage of his convictions.
Who has done the most for our cause this year? I agree with a lot of the previous TAMS: Scott Walker (truly inspirational for everything he has achieved against all odds), Sarah Palin (The Pain In The Ass For The Dems Who Just Keeps On Giving It To Them), Ted Cruz (who was willing to take the heat from both sides of the isle but still held his ground because it was the right things to do) and last, but certainly not least, almost all of the major conservative talk show radio hosts, including Ms Tammy Bruce, of course. They not only continue to keep us informed on the truly important issues of our time without being sidetracked by the “squirrel”, but they do it using humor, common sense and integrity – qualities that are sorely lacking on the left.
As for the stars of the future? I say ANYONE who can dethrone John Bonehead gets my vote. I will wish, hope and pray for it to be Mia Love, who I think is absolutely fantastic, but I will be forever grateful to whoever can knock that good for nothing clown off his perch into the water tank. Wooo Hooo!
Major stories and events for 2014? ObamaCare…ObamaCare…ObamaCare…The Winter Olympics…ObamaCare…ObamaCare…The 2014 Elections…ObamaCare…ObamaCare! Well, you get the idea. I’m just waiting for this crap to REALLY hit the fan and I think it will in 2014.
Happy 2014, Fellow TAMS as we battle onward and upward…
Allen West and Sarah Palin still top my list and continue to shake things up, making the left go mad. A close second goes to so many great conservative voices who keep us abreast and informed. Topping that list our very own Tammy Bruce. Keep fighting the good fight, America is worth it !!
Although he may not be the Conservative of the Year, he’s my go-to conservative— the Nuclear Walrus, Ambdr. John Bolton. We haven’t heard or seen the last of him…if we do our job and the next two election cycles go as we dream, he will be a strong asset of any Republican administration.
Among the major stories of 2014: Patients complain about being abandoned by “their doctor” while their silly argument of the past is reprised: “Doctors have an obligation to provide us medical care regardless of whether there is profit to be made or not. It’s our right.”
I kind of like Ted Cruz and his boldness to hold up against the opposition. But my number one choice would be Tammy Bruce.
Ted Cruz
Allen West (for President)
Ted Cruz for speaking truth in boldness and in good humor.
Headline of the year “We Thought the Tea Party was dead!” New York Times
Ted Cruz, of course. I’d like to get ahead of myself and vote for John Boehner as my least favorite liberal.
My pick for Conservative of the year is Mike Lee for standing on principle and supporting Ted Cruz without having to be the guy in the spotlight. My pick for next year is Scott a Walker even though he is bland, I’m hoping he’ll catch lightening in a bottle and will set himself up for a 2016 Presidential run.
I appreciated Justin Amash’s fight against NSA spying. He’s despised by the GOP establishment and big corporate interests. I’ll be keeping my eye on him.
At the top of my 2013 FaveCons list are: Ted Cruz, Mike Lee & conservative talk warriors (Tammy, Levin, Limbaugh, etc.)
People to watch in 2014 are:
– Rand Paul — I agree with Tammy’s assessment of him, but if he’s successful in bringing conservatives & libertarians together, he’ll be a big player in 2016.
– Marco Rubio — who will try to worm his way back into the good graces of conservatives.
– GOPe Pajama Boys — who will continue to trash conservatives even in an election year!
2014 big stories:
– DBcare disaster continues but GOPe squishes shift focus to fixing instead of repealing.
– A large majority of “Young Invincibles” and other healthy folks DO NOT enroll in DBcare triggering a bailout for insurance companies (i.e., “risk corridor”).
– GOPe passes some form of amnesty for illegals despite major objections from their base. If they do this, they can kiss flipping the senate in 2014 goodbye b/c conservatives will stay home or vote 3rd party as punishment.
– Economy tanks b/c DBcare will suck disposable income out of people’s wallets.
– RiNO Governors who allowed Medicaid expansion in their states will look like the fools that they are.
I agree with most of the suggested favorite conservatives, but I appreciate Trey Gowdy. He seems to be very consistent in his conservatism and is not afraid of confrontation. I like Jeff Sessions, but have major concerns after hearing him a couple weeks ago or so on the Great Ones radio show; almost sounded like he was hedging when talking about Ryan’s budget.
Stories of 2014:
– The Middle East is NOT stable – I think we are still on the brink of war. Iran continues to threaten Israel and Obama will continue to pressure Israel to accept consessions.
– While we are distracted by other issues (Obamacare), there has been nothing done about our debt. It will only take a small interest rate increase to cause enormous disruptions of the markets and large new interest payments that could hit about the same time as Middle East problems.
– NDAA was passed before Congress left for Christmas. There are many landmines for destruction of our freedoms in this law.
– We will see more attacks on Christianity in 2014. The pressure in 2013 on the military to eliminate religious practices will increase massively.
– Continued attacks on the 2nd Amendment – government is putting the screws to the availability of ammunition, with regulations causing the last lead smelter in the US to close. This will inevitably put pressure on the price and supply.
Finally I know that many Conservatives want to see a Constitutional Convention soon per Article V. I am not sure that I agree with Levin’s Article V interpretation that many conservatives think will save the Republic. I re-read the article and it seems to say Congress has to call the Convention. I agree with many of the arguments in this article (also in the Tamwire section): http://c.washingtontimes.com/neighborhood/american-millennial/2013/dec/27/nullification-vs-article-v-constitutional-conventi/
Conservative of the year: Buck Sexton Mia Love