question authority
Questions for politicians and political leaders: Page 2
Summary (posts follow):
See the summary for this topic on the main Questions for politicians and political leaders page.
Discussed in (click each link for the full post):
"Demand Question Time": another bipartisan sham (petition, demandquestiontime.com) - 02/03/10
A series of Beltway insiders, bloggers, and journalists have launched an online petition at demandquestiontime.com calling for repeats of the recent question and answer session Barack Obama held with House GOP leaders. In and of itself this isn't such a bad idea, at least from the entertainment standpoint. However, it's a very bad idea to the extent that it will be falsely presented as a real dialogue about vital issues. It's yet another sham, a slightly elevated version of debates held on the Hannity show.
As can be seen by the questions asked at the first event, the GOP isn't about to ask...
Ask Jonah Goldberg: do you support childish mocking of Obama, or Buckley-style questioning? - 01/28/10
Jonah Goldberg of National Review is promoting (link) a reader's letter that suggests that Republicans laugh at and mock Barack Obama because he has a "glass jaw". Can the reader imagine William F.
How to get Eliot Spitzer's questions for the Financial Crisis Inquiry Commission asked - 01/13/10
Disgraced former New York governor Eliot Spitzer offers "10 Questions The Financial Crisis Commission Must Ask" (link). Some are pretty good, others would only generate a stock response.
Example: how to make a question for a politician better (Obama healthcare) - 12/10/09
The page mentioned in the previous post (toptenhealthcarequestions.com) contains this question for Barack Obama:
The Administration has repeatedly claimed that its health care reform plan will not cover illegal aliens. The Congressional Research Service recently issued a report contradicting the Administration's position, stating "H.R. 3200 does not contain any restrictions on non-citizens whether legally or illegally present, or in the United States temporarily or permanently participating in the Exchange." Is the Congressional Research Service in error? If so, where is the error?
The...
Questions for John Fund about the Hispanic vote (Wall Street Journal, Carly Fiorina) - 11/28/09
John Fund of the Wall Street Journal offers an interview with California senate candidate Carly Fiorina (link). Fiorina is not an option, and she says the to-be-expected things.
Rather than spending time discussing why Fiorina is wrong, I encourage the readers of this site to go to Fund's appearances and ask him about this paragraph:
An issue that will give (Chuck DeVore) some traction in a primary is that Ms. Fiorina says she "probably" would have voted to confirm Sonia Sotomayor, because most presidential Supreme Court nominees who are qualified deserve a presumption of support. One can...
More questions for DHS' Janet Napolitano - 11/13/09
In addition to the question here, there are some questions for Janet Napolitano of the Department of Homeland Security below.
How to make Michelle Bachmann's plan to block Obamacare work - 11/05/09
Earlier today, Rep. Michelle Bachmann and a group of hundreds or thousands from the tea parties and related groups "stormed" Capitol Hill in an attempt to block Obama healthcare. That follows a conference call yesterday (link). If they had listened to me, they would have already blocked the plan or at least have eliminated any possible debate over the immigration-related provisions.
Since February 2007 I've been promoting the question authority plan, and in this case I wanted people to go to townhalls and ask tough questions on video about the immigration-related issues of Obamacare. That...
Ask Doug Hoffman these immigration questions - 10/31/09
Dede Scozzafava has withdrawn from the NY-23 race in upstate New York, leaving conservative and tea parties favorite Doug Hoffman squaring off against Democrat Bill Owens; the odds are speculated about here.
Little Green Footballs has ObamaCare questions - 08/24/09
Someone associated with Little Green Footballs has compiled a list of questions about Obama healthcare here. There are several dozen questions and they're encouraging their readers to go ask them at townhalls and the like.
Ask better questions about illegal aliens receiving healthcare at townhalls - 08/14/09
Apparently some of the questions at recent townhalls have been about illegal aliens receiving Obama healthcare. Unfortunately, if the report at [1] is accurate, the questions have been weak and may have actually helped the Democrats rather than revealed what they intend to do. As detailed by Obama himself, the Democrats do intend to give UHC to current illegal aliens by changing their status first.
Weren't violent confrontations at healthcare townhalls part of the plan? - 08/08/09
Recently there's been a series of angry mobs at townhalls designed to promote Obama healthcare (link), and some have devolved into violence. That wasn't difficult to foresee and, while I have no proof, it might have been by design.
But, first of all, if I had my way those who oppose the Democrats health care proposals would have followed through on my two-and-a-half year old question authority plan. If they'd done that, instead of angry rants, the flaws in the Democrats' plan - and the inability of those pushing their plan to plan for contingencies - would have become obvious to millions of...
"Operation Embarrass Your Congressman": OK, but better questions please - 08/02/09
Like human ancestors emerging from the primordial ooze, the tea parties might be growing a brain. Someone who appears part of that overall movement has started a new campaign called "Operation Embarrass Your Congressman" (link) which is highly similar to my two-and-a-half year old plan outlined in the question authority summary.
How to stop Cap and Trade the smart and effective way - 06/26/09
[Note: this site doesn't follow these issues; we'd probably oppose Cap and Trade but we haven't looked into it. This is here for those who follow those issues and who want to do something effective.]
Ask Obama questions in Albuquerque on May 14, 2009 - 05/11/09
Barack Obama is conducting a town hall on May 14, 2009 in Albuquerque, New Mexico. You can sign up for tickets at whitehouse.gov/newmexicotownhall-5-14 but you have to do it before 5pm today.
Baby steps: Instapundit finally pushing my two year old idea to ask politicians tough questions on video - 04/19/09
Since February 2007, when I attended an Obama rally and unsuccessfully tried to ask him a tough question, I've spent endless hours trying to get others to do something similar with him or other politicians; see the question authority page for the overview and an action plan.
Jan Schakowsky: tea parties are "despicable". Here's how to affect her political career - 04/18/09
A few days ago, Rep. Jan Schakowsky of Illinois said that the tea parties are "despicable" and "shameful." Now, Glenn Reynolds informs us (pajamasmedia.com/instapundit/76900) that she'll be making an appearance at the Peoria County Democratic Women's May Day Dinner on May 3 (link), saying:
I WONDER IF ANY “TEA PARTY” PROTESTERS WILL SHOW UP?... There were 3,000 Tea Party protesters in Peoria. They might take exception to her calling them despicable and shameful.
If you'd like to do something about this, there are two basic ways to do it:
1. Stand around outside with signs. However, there are...
Sen. Blanche Lincoln thanks you for your input on the SAVE Act, will be in touch - 04/11/09
On the attached video, Arkansas Senator Blanche Lincoln responds to citizen input on the SAVE Act and her related push to increase volunteerism. This is part of the Youtube effort called "Senate Hub" in which users submit questions which are then answered by various senators (youtube.com/user/senatehub).
WeAreChange "reporter" arrested for trying to ask Mayor Mike Bloomberg a question? - 03/29/09
From this:
WeAreChange founder and activist Luke Rudkowski was arrested at the Hilton Hotel on Manhattan [March 28] for attempting to question New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg about his refusal to pay for the health care of 9/11 first responders. Rudkowski had Infowars press credentials and a video camera when he was singled out by Bloomberg’s security in the lobby of the hotel located at West 53rd Street and Avenue of the Americas (Sixth Avenue).
My reactions, in order:
1. Good.
2. OK, maybe I shouldn't have said "good", but there's probably something we aren't being told about what he...
White House is "Open for Questions": wants questions for March 26 online town hall - 03/24/09
On Thursday, March 26 2009, Barack Obama will be holding an online townhall meeting during which he'll answer the most popular user-submitted questions which they're now soliciting at whitehouse.gov/openforquestions
Ask Obama questions in Orange County. Tickets available tomorrow, Tuesday, March 17, 2009 at 10am in Costa Mesa - 03/16/09
Do you live in Orange County, California and can you get to Costa Mesa TONIGHT? If so, please go to the OC Fair and Event Center at 88 Fair Drive and get tickets to a townhall that Barack Obama will be conducting on Wednesday.
Regional White House Forums on Health Care Reform visiting California, Iowa, MI, NC, VT; ask questions - 03/06/09
Later this month and in April, the Barack Obama administration will be conducting "Regional White House Forums on Health Care Reform" in California, Iowa, Michigan, North Carolina and Vermont [1]:
In keeping with the Obama administration’s commitment to a transparent, accountable government, the forums will be an opportunity for Americans from all over the country to voice their concerns and ideas about reforming our health care system... They will be open conversations with everyday Americans, local, state and federal elected officials – both Democrat and Republican -- and senior Obama...
Colorado: discredit Peter Groff over in-state tuition for illegal aliens (bill passes Senate committee) - 03/06/09
Colorado state senator Chris Romer is pushing for that state to give in-state tuition to illegal aliens, and yesterday his bill passed a state senate committee (link). CO senate president Peter Groff is quoted as saying:
"For me, this is a moral issue, that we should not shackle the future of children because of the sins of their fathers."
If you oppose this bill, one of the best ways to fight it is to have an impact on the career of one of the politicians who supports it. And, you can do that by asking either Romer or Groff a very tough question - not a rant - designed to show that they're...
Luis Gutierrez' "National Family Unity Tour" to pull heartstrings in support of illegal immigration; ask him a question - 02/25/09
Rep. Luis Gutierrez is conducting a nationwide tour where he and his friends will be visiting churches and conducting townhall meetings from coast to coast to push for comprehensive immigration reform.
Ask this stimulus bill question (illegal aliens taking jobs from U.S. citizens) - 02/15/09
Please go to a public appearance of a political leader who supports the stimulus plan and ask them the following question. Feel free to modify it to match your speaking style, and if you can find a quicker way to state this question please leave it in comments:
Version 1:
Obama says that the stimulus bill will save or create millions of jobs. Whatever the exact number, there will still be millions of unemployed Americans, right? Unfortunately, in the final bill, provisions to prevent illegal aliens from receiving jobs were stripped out. That means that every stimulus job that's taken by an...
How to stop the stimulus bill: ask tough questions (and I'll help) - 02/09/09
If you want to stop the stimulus plan, the most effective way is to publicly embarrass one of its nationally-known supporters on video by asking them a series of tough, "prosecutorial-style" questions. When uploaded to Youtube and similar sites, that video would get hundreds of thousands or millions of views. It would have an impact on the career of the person who was asked those questions, and it would send a message to the others.
Immigration questions for Republicans ("reform", amnesty, etc.) - 01/21/09
Here are some non-politician-specific questions for Republicans or conservatives regarding amnesty, comprehensive immigration reform, illegal immigration, and so on. More questions will be added to this list over time.
Please go to public appearances by politicians or political leaders, ask them these questions on video, and then upload their response to video sharing sites. Create a flier to be handed out for those who want more information by compiling citations from any links provided below:
Change.gov Round 2: Ask Obama stupid questions, get stock responses - 01/13/09
Barack Obama's change dot gov has released their responses for the second round of their scam where they encouraged people to submit and vote for questions that Obama would answer (change.gov/newsroom/entry/open_for_questions_round_2_response). As with other popular voting systems, it was designed to fail, with weak questions being voted up while tough questions (such as the ones I submitted) languishing or being voted down (my vote totals at that link).
What might have worked is if people had submitted only a small number of very tough questions and voted those up. Instead, dozens or...
Andrew Revkin/NYT: 11 weak science questions for Obama (dot Earth) - 01/02/09
Andrew Revkin writes the "dot Earth" blog for the New York Times, and he offers "11 Questions for Obama’s Science Team" (link). As one might expect, all of the questions are to one degree or another variations on, "Comrade Lysenko, tell us of the wonders of your system." About the only slightly tough question concerns ethanol. None of the questions challenge fundamental assumptions or expose flaws in the reasoning of Obama or his science selections.
More immigration questions for Barack Obama (change.gov Open for Questions) - 12/29/08
Barack Obama's change dot gov is starting round two of their "Open for Questions" scam (why it's a scam is explained here) where they solicit questions from the public at change.gov/openforquestions.
A tough question about the DREAM Act - 12/28/08
Please go to public appearances by any political leader who supports the DREAM Act, ask them the following question, and then upload their response to video sharing sites:
You support the DREAM Act, a bill that would let illegal aliens take discounted college educations away from U.S. citizens.
No matter how you do the math or whatever words you want to use, the bottom line is that the DREAM Act would have that effect.
How can you justify taking college discounts away from U.S. citizens in order to give them to foreign citizens who are here illegally? What would you say to a U.S. citizen...
Questions for Barack Obama about Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac - 10/06/08
Please go to a Barack Obama public appearance, ask him one of the following questions (derived from a McCain campaign missive [1]), get his response on videotape, and then upload that to Youtube. If you can get a "good" answer from him it would have a devastating impact on his campaign.
"Senator Obama: You got over $100,000 in campaign contributions from Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, and their employees. Did you ever talk to the executives of Fannie and Freddie about the reckless loans they were giving out? That is, could you please list some approximate dates when you discussed those reckless...
Questions for Matt Yglesias - 06/21/08
Recently, Matt Yglesias of The Atlantic (matthewyglesias.theatlantic.com) has been posting a daily thread soliciting questions that he'll answer from his visitors ("requests"). I've posted a few comments to those threads without an answer, but that just means I'll keep trying. To be frank, the reason I do that is in the hope that one of these days Matthew Yglesias will let someone at the higher levels of the DNC know that the old lies aren't working any more.
Three questions for the American Civil Liberties Union (Kevin Keenan) - 05/22/08
On April 24, 2008 I sent an email to the American Civil Liberties Union's San Diego chapter, directed to their president Kevin Keenan. I listed a few questions I had for them concerning the fact that they're collaborating with the Mexican government to in effect block immigration enforcement. Needless to say, I haven't heard back.
Ask John McCain about his Hispanic outreach director, Juan Hernandez (former Mexican government official) - 01/25/08
John McCain's Hispanic outreach director [1] is Juan Hernandez, a U.S.-Mexico dual citizen and former Mexican government official who said the following in 2001 about Mexican immigrants to the U.S.:
"I want the third generation, the seventh generation, I want them all to think 'Mexico first.'"
He also said [2]:
"We must not only have a free flow of goods and services, but also start working for a free flow of people."
Now, he's working for John McCain.
However, what McCain knows is that no one in the MSM is ever going to question his hiring accepting the volunteer efforts of [3] a pro-...
Can we get the presidential candidates to attend policy debates? - 11/26/07
The presidential debates so far have been a mockery of a sham, featuring shallow questions, few follow-ups, and even worse in the case of the last CNN debate.
CNN/Youtube: Don't ask Mike Huckabee this question - 08/02/07
Dear CNN:
Please do not choose the following video for the upcoming GOP debates.
A tough question for John McCain (let's block amnesty) - 06/16/07
If you want to block an illegal alien amnesty, calling Congress is only going to go so far; many of our elected officials just aren't listening. That doesn't mean you shouldn't call, but an additional, even more effective way is to go to campaign appearances and ask tough questions, and then publicize the response. The goal is to discredit politicians and have an impact on their careers. That's something that will get their attention.
Here's one possible question for John McCain:
Dr. Richard Land wants to hear from you about immigration matters - 03/29/07
Dr. Richard Land is the president of the Southern Baptist Convention, and earlier today he appeared with Senator Teddy Kennedy and others at a Washington DC press conference to support immigration "reform" (aka a massive amnesty):
"...We also have a Biblical mandate to act compassionately for those that are in needm, Matthew 25... To love our neighbors as ourselves. Matthew 22. And to do onto others as we would have them do onto us, Matthew chapter 7, verse 12..."
Unlike other "leaders" you have a chance to speak to him one-on-one and tell him how he's wrong: he conducts a radio show each...
Can Barack Obama answer this? - 02/25/07
Please go to Barack Obama's campaign appearances and try to ask him the question on the video (reprinted below). The media isn't going to ask politicians any difficult questions, so it's up to us to do it.