Michael van der Galien
Michael van der Galien was born in the Dutch city of Leeuwarden in 1984. For as long as he can remember, he has been obsessed with the United States. When he was 17 years old, he started blogging - of course about America. His articles have been published at Big Hollywood, Pajamas Media, Hot Air (the GreenRoom) and Right Across The Atlantic. He's also an editor for the Dutch conservative blog, De Dagelijkse Standaard.
New Jersey Governor Chris Christie once again proves himself to a prime example of fiscal conservatism with an attitude:
It seems to me that Christie has read Saul Alinsky’s Rules for Radicals as well and that he’s using some of the Left’s favorite tactics against them. In this case, I am – of course – referring to rule 13: Pick the target, freeze it, personalize it, and polarize it. As Alinsky explained in his notorious handbook for (radical) community organizers: “..any target can always say, ‘Why do you center on me when there are others to blame as well?’ When your ‘freeze the target,’ you disregard these [rational but distracting] arguments…. Then, as you zero in and freeze your target and carry out your attack, all the ‘others’ come out of the woodwork very soon. They become visible by their support of the target… One acts decisively only in the conviction that all the angels are on one side and all the devils on the other.”
Is this man doing a great job, or what?
In what’s a clear sign that smoking marijuana is becoming increasingly acceptable in the more socially liberal parts of the United States, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger said on Jay Leno’s show last Monday that “no one cares whether you smoke a joint or not.” The rather blunt statement came after Leno asked the outgoing governor about a bill he signed five months ago, that made possession of up to an ounce of marijuana the equivalent of a traffic ticket, rather than a serious misdemeanor. This means that it carries a penalty of no more than a $100 fine and no arrest or criminal record.
Watch it:
Link: 
MSNBC pundit Lawrence O’Donnell came out of the collectivist closet recently, telling Salon‘s Glenn Greenwald on Morning Joe that he’s not a so-called liberal (he doesn’t want to have anything to do with those weaklings), but a full-blown socialist. Although he will undoubtedly be criticized by many, I applaud O’Donnell for his honesty. He’s one of the few ‘progressives’ with the courage to admit that ‘progressivism’ and modern day so-called ‘liberalism’ really are Newspeak for old fashioned socialism. The more ‘progressives’ admit what they really are, the more Americans will turn their backs on them.
The Left is like the Mafia
This article originally appeared at Salon, on March 1, 1999.
Let’s begin by acknowledging the obvious: I am the last person Christopher Hitchens wants to see defending him in his current imbroglio with White House henchman and ex-friend Sidney Blumenthal. Like them, Hitchens and I were also once political comrades, though we were never quite proximate enough to become friends. But for nearly two decades we have been squaring off on opposite sides of the political barricades, and I know that Hitchens’ detractors will inevitably use my support of him to confirm that he has lost his political bearings and betrayed them to the other side.
For that reason, let me add that I hardly expect Hitchens to have second thoughts, politically speaking, and join those of us who are critics of the movement to which he has dedicated his life. On the contrary. As everything Hitchens has put on the public record in the last year attests, his contempt for Clinton and his decision to expose Clinton’s servant as a liar spring from his deep passion for the left and for the values it claims to hold dear. read more…
Moderate Democrats Paul Begala and Evan Bayh wasted no time after the election before rebelling against the true losers of yesterday’s elections: the left-wing of the Democratic Party, led by President Obama, Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi.
Yes, President Obama and the Democrats need to move to the center. Fortunately, that does not mean slow-walking gay rights or repealing the 14th Amendment. Rather, it means a strong, centrist jobs program and a clear, centrist commitment to limiting the power of corporate special interests. If they have the skill and adaptability to reclaim the center, the Democratic comeback won’t be far behind.
And Bayh: read more…
There’s a lot of talk these days about how negative political campaigns have become. I’m sure you’ve heard people (especially those who are a bit older) say something similar to this: “It’s all negative, they’re not talking about the issues, but about each other’s character. It’s one big smear campaign, all the time. That was different back in the day, yep, back then they actually debated each other on the issues.”
Reason shows that our glorification of the early election campaigns may be, um, how to put it? Mythical. See for instance the race between John Adams and Thomas Jefferson: read more…
Hot Air reports that the notoriously progressive Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi, may resign if the Republican Party takes back the House of Representatives during Tuesday’s elections.
Although Pelosi publicly says she expects Democrats to hang on to a small majority in Congress, Republicans and her rivals in the Democratic Party smell blood. Polls have made it crystal clear in recent weeks that there’s no chance whatsoever of Democrats limiting the damage – not in Congress, at least. read more…
NewsReal Blog’s Team MvdG is looking for new and energetic conservative bloggers. If you are passionate about politics and if you understand that there’s no taking prisoners in the political war we’re fighting against the Left, you might just be the perfect fit for us.
My team’s members have to be able to write clear, concise posts, that do not need a lot of editing. This is why blogging experience is a must. Only those who can write posts around a clearly articulated thesis and who are creative enough to come up with catchy titles need apply.
Potential members must have experience working with an editor, or at least be open to working with editorial guidance. Also, stories can and likely will be assigned to you. If you prefer to write in total freedom, this offer is not for you. read more…
I have a couple of favorite authors. These are writers whose books I truly eat up. I can’t get enough of them. I will read them not once, not twice, but probably dozens of times in my lifetime (if I haven’t done so already). When in the process of reading them, I frequently stop, take notes and think about what I just read, making sure I digest the whole intellectual meal they’re offering me. Many excerpts from these works end up being included in my own writings – which I use solely for private purposes (as of yet, at least).
Two such authors – people whose books and articles truly fascinate me and influence me tremendously – are Ralph Waldo Emerson and Robert Greene. Emerson is, of course, one of the most famous writers in American (literary) history. Robert Greene, in the meantime, may be somewhat less well-known, but he too is a literary force to be reckoned with. He’s the author of The 48 Laws of Power, which has had a tremendous impact on the ambitious among us all over the world. Editors, entrepreneurs, scientists, politicians, even rappers (such as 50 Cent) are acquainted with this book and use Greene’s strategies in their everyday lives and in their businesses or careers. read more…
The Blaze reports that Glenn Beck briefly discussed his recent medical tests on his radio program. Watch the video:
Needless to say we at NRB continue to pray for a speedy recovery for the popular talk radio and TV host.
Chamber of Commerce Fights Back Against Obama: “When Did Hope And Change Turn Into Fear And Smear?”
The United States Chamber of Commerce has had it with the Obama administration’s smears against it. Yesterday, the Chamber’s VP Greg Hengel went public. Appearing on Fox News, he wondered aloud when “hope and change turned into fear and smear?” He added that he had never before seen such a dirty assault on the Chamber (or any other non-profit organization). “They’re desperate,” he concluded.
The administration has shown us its true face. If anyone was still harboring any doubts, he now knows: the White House is occupied by a bunch of Alinskyites who are willing to do whatever is necessary to hold on to power.
An unhinged Tennessee teacher was taken away by police recently, after he completely lost it. He smashed a dust bin, threw a chair through a window, and went off on an unhinged tirade against his students, who quickly left the classroom once they realized their teacher wasn’t fooling around. He had truly lost his mind.
Here’s a video of teacher Donald Woods’ incredibly rage:
Also watch this video at Glenn Beck’s The Blaze website.
