Episode 280: Communication Necessities

Administrative comment: Continually apologizing for the late posts and then posting late the following week is getting a tad repetitive, so I'll explain rather than make excuses. There are some big things being planned for the podcast as well as a new endeavor. Nothing is going to change for quite some time (in Internet terms of time, at least), however if you're a blogger, podcaster or vodcaster that is interested in hearing more about the rumblings of an interesting project, contact me directly.

This week we talked about the things necessary for a good, civil conversation. We also identified the real definition of the concept and also what it is not. Civility does not equate with watering down or with changing a message just to make it palatable to a wide audience. If you want to hear more, listen to the podcast!

Click Here to download the podcast, or listen using the Blubrry player (the blue ball on the right of the page).

Also, please be sure to visit our sponsor! You can get a free 30 day trial at Audible.com as well as a free audiobook by going to http://www.audibletrial.com/eastcoastconservative and signing up. The recommended book for this week is "American Sniper: The Autobiography of the Most Lethal Sniper in U.S. Military History" by Chris Kyle and Scott McEwan.

Follow us on Twitter @ECConservative to stay up-to-date with articles and check the website our our YouTube page for video comments when they're recorded. If you want to comment on something you can email conservativepodcast@gmail.com, post comments on the website or on our Facebook page. Thanks for listening!

Articles for Episode 280: Communication Necessities

There are some required aspects for effective communication, whether the subject is politics, the weather or a shopping list. In this episode we're going to look at some news articles that are examples of where these are noticeably missing from one side or the other. Let's talk about them and see how we can improve the conversation!

Articles for this episode:

• (Disorderly Skin) IRANIAN CLERIC: Women in Revealing Clothing Cause Earthquakes
• (New Reality Show) World's highest fight? Sherpas, Westerners come to blows on Everest
• (Conversational Politics) Silence of the Conservative Lambs
• (Saving a Dime) Obama's Budget Proposal Seeks to Cap Retirement Savings
• (Terror Trials) Barack Obama says Guantanamo Bay prison must close
• (Global Recall) Obama further amends ‘red line’ words on Syria chemical attacks
• (Tea Party) Tea Party Caucus not quite as dead as Rachel Maddow hoped
• (Looking Forward) 2016 Poll: Hillary Clinton lapping potential Democratic field
• (Media Matters) 'Face the Nation' Spends 30 Minutes on Gay NBA Player, Still No Mention of Gosnell

H. Comment on them if you have something you want to share! Here are some of the other articles that were tweeted @ECConservative:

• (Parents Rights) Baby Taken By CPS Returned, Parents Ordered To ‘Follow All Medical Advice’
• (Parents Rights) CPS Takes Baby After Parents Seek Second Medical Opinion
• (Health Care) Medical Device Tax Means a Million Fewer Years of Life
• (Immigrant Control) CBS: Illegals Entering US Triple With Talk of Immigration Reform
• (Drug Control) Aurora to consider running the show for recreational marijuana
• (Marriage Control) See How “Normal” Same-Sex “Marriage” Is?
• (Backpedaling) SUNDAY SHOWS: DEMOCRATS BACK AWAY FROM OBAMA ON BENGHAZI, SYRIA
• (Squished) PETA BLASTS GOV. CHRISTIE FOR KILLING SPIDER IN FOURTH GRADE CLASS
• (Gun Control) Obama on SNL a Day Early: I Sent Thousands of Guns to Drug Cartels, But I Blame You for Mexican Crime Wave
• (Quagmire) BENGHAZI: Names of ‘whistle-blower’ witnesses revealed
• (Global Recall) Will Barack Obama ever stop apologising for America?
• (Lottery Love) Single mother's simple error earns her $14 million lottery prize
• (Media Matters) Newspaper Union Declares Koch Brothers Unfit to Own Newspapers

You can join the conversation every Sunday night at 8:30pm and now if you want to help suggest articles, comment or just chat you can join us on Twitter at @ECConservative. If you want to comment on any of the articles, please feel free to start a discussion here, or email them to conservativepodcast@gmail.com. Join us for the recording session, normally live at 8:30pm Eastern time by visitinghttp://www.talkshoe.com/tc/75570. You can also listen to our show and many other conservative podcasts at the Red State Talk Radio Network. If you want to listen to the podcast on your mobile phone, you can listen using Stitcher Radio.

Episode 279: Are They Even Trying?

Another week, another late posting for an episode... I'm working not to make a habit of this, sorry again. This episode was a lot of fun, especially when it came to the jokes. I'm pretty sure we haven't had this irreverent of an episode in quite some time! Ken wasn't with us but Larry stepped in quite well.

We also had the chance to have a follow up conversation about home-schooling and some of the differences that were expressed between Larry and I. One of the great things about our show is the fact that we can disagree without being disagreeable and last week's episode left a something of a bitter taste that needed to be addressed.

Click Here to download the podcast, or listen using the Blubrry player (the blue ball on the right of the page).

Also, please be sure to visit our sponsor! You can get a free 30 day trial at Audible.com as well as a free audiobook by going to http://www.audibletrial.com/eastcoastconservative and signing up. The recommended book for this week is "American Sniper: The Autobiography of the Most Lethal Sniper in U.S. Military History" by Chris Kyle and Scott McEwan.

Follow us on Twitter @ECConservative to stay up-to-date with articles and check the website our our YouTube page for video comments when they're recorded. If you want to comment on something you can email conservativepodcast@gmail.com, post comments on the website or on our Facebook page. Thanks for listening!

Articles for Episode 279: Are They Even Trying?

Sometimes you look at the stories in the news and ask yourself, "are they even trying?" In this episode we are going to look at some of the things that are being said as well as what the media purports is action by elected officials, candidates and others. What do you think, are they even trying? Articles for this episode:

• (Voice of Experience) Double amputee Marine visits amputee victims of the Boston Marathon
• (Health Care) Food menus that list exercise costs could lead to healthier choices
• (Education) Another Anti-Voucher Democrat, With Kids in the Best Private School
• (Hot Air) House votes to avert a worldwide helium shortage
• (Friendly Skies) Congress passes bill to end widespread airline delays
• (Election Fraud) Officials found guilty in Obama, Clinton ballot petition fraud
• (Budget) Obama's Budget Proposal Seeks to Cap Retirement Savings
• (Drug Control) Marijuana Repeal Considered In Colorado
• (Homeland Security) Canadian authorities: potential terrorist attack on passenger train thwarted

Not as much in the extras bin for this week, but some good ones in there regardless. Comment on them if you have something you want to share! Here are some of the other articles that were tweeted @ECConservative:

• (Purchasing Power) Army says no to more tanks, but Congress insists
• (Education) Leaving no school behind: Can bad ones be turned around?
• (Statements) NBC: White House Regrets Publicly Setting Syrian Red Line
• (Research Study) Gov’t Spending $152,500 to Study Voice Therapy for Transgenders
• (Gun Control) Remember hearing that 90% of Americans want gun control? Well, those claims were pig excrement.
• (Tea Party) Harry Reid: Tea Party made up of non-violent anarchists
• (Self Defense) Woman sailor thwarts Dubai rape attempt with leg stranglehold
• (Odd Event) Shots fired at TVA Watts Bar Nuclear Plant
• (Bloomberg) Bloomberg Says Interpretation of Constitution Will ‘Have to Change’ After Boston Bombing
• (Gay Control) Archbishop prays while topless gay activists shout curses and douse him with water
• (Gun Control) John McCain Says He Wants To Bring Gun Control Legislation Back
• (Benghazi) BREAKING: Rep. Trey Gowdy says more Benghazi hearings ‘coming quickly’, promises EXPLOSIVE evidence

You can join the conversation every Sunday night at 8:30pm and now if you want to help suggest articles, comment or just chat you can join us on Twitter at @ECConservative. If you want to comment on any of the articles, please feel free to start a discussion here, or email them to conservativepodcast@gmail.com. Join us for the recording session, normally live at 8:30pm Eastern time by visitinghttp://www.talkshoe.com/tc/75570. You can also listen to our show and many other conservative podcasts at the Red State Talk Radio Network. If you want to listen to the podcast on your mobile phone, you can listen using Stitcher Radio.

Episode 274: Tactics

Another energetic conversation discussing the tactics and outlets used by both parties. Some of them are scary, others disturbing but they all seem to be effective. Take a listen for yourself and add your own comments!

Our Zazzle store is open to the public! Support the podcast and enjoy a hot beverage of your choice at the same time. When folks ask about your mug, it's a great time to talk about the issues... or the podcast, that's up to you. Right now there are only two products but we'll be adding more as time goes on. If you have ideas for products please email them to us at conservativepodcast@gmail.com.

Click Here to download the podcast, or listen using the Blubrry player (the blue ball on the right of the page).

Also, please be sure to visit our sponsor! You can get a free 30 day trial at Audible.com as well as a free audiobook by going to http://www.audibletrial.com/eastcoastconservative and signing up. The recommended book for this week is "American Sniper: The Autobiography of the Most Lethal Sniper in U.S. Military History" by Chris Kyle and Scott McEwan.

Follow us on Twitter @ECConservative to stay up-to-date with articles and check the website our our YouTube page for video comments when they're recorded. If you want to comment on something you can email conservativepodcast@gmail.com, post comments on the website or on our Facebook page. Thanks for listening!

Articles for Episode 274: Tactics

Lately it seems like everything is being presented with some underlying tactical perspective. It's not about side or party, it seems more about staying in power and getting one in over the other guy. In this episode we're going to be talking about the tactics being employed by both political parties to achieve that goal. Whether it's for the good of the country or not is a different question that we'll try to raise as well.

Articles for this episode:

• (Smart Kid) 9 Year Old Building an RPG to Prove Her Brothers Wrong!
• (Political Posturing) Politicians Prefer Scare Tactics to Sensible Reform
• (Polls & Surveys) Adventures in Manipulative Polling
• (Bumper Sticker Politics) Fake but real
• (Congressional Antics) DWS: We need to make sure budget cuts won’t lower the “quality of life” on Capitol Hill
• (Congressional Antics) Lawmakers introduce bill to void 'Redskins' trademark
• (Political Posturing) Rove: I Could See GOP’s 2016 Candidate Supporting Same-Sex Marriage
• (Republican Mess) REPUBLICANS LIVE IN INTERESTING TIMES
• (Bumper Sticker Politics) EVEN THE NY TIMES IS TAKING NOTICE OF VIRAL CONSERVATIVE STAR BEN CARSON

Here are some other articles from the week that deserve your attention. If you have comments on these, post them!

• (Economy) Obama Has Lost Advantage Over G.O.P. on Economy
• (Iraq War) The War For Oil Myth
• (Conservatism) Jeff Sessions: GOP Must Make the Moral Case for Conservatism

Articles for Episode 268: In a Free Society

We talk about having living in a free country, and over the years what that has meant has changed. It's been stretched, poked and prodded where some things have changed and others have stayed the same. In this episode we're going to take a look at the latest round of attempts to change things.

A quick administrative note: This week we will be recording at our usual time, however for the last two weekends of this month we will be recording on Monday nights at 8:30pm instead of Sunday nights. 

Articles for this episode:

• (Gun Control) Actor Steven Seagal trains Arizona posse on school security
• (Courts) Teen legally known as 'Girl' wins court battle to use her own name
• (Drugs) H.R.499 Latest Title: To decriminalize marijuana at the Federal level
• (Immigration) Among U.S. evangelicals, surprising support for immigration reform
• (Executive Power) NEW DHS REPORT ANNOUNCES AUTHORITY TO SEIZE AND EXAMINE ELECTRONICS FROM TRAVELERS ALONG THE BORDER FOR ANY REASON
• (Executive Power) Mold? Leaky Roof? Obama Administration Says All Americans Must Have 'Healthy Housing'
• (Executive Power) DRONE STRIKES: Washington debates oversight
• (Economy) Rand Paul: The 'Sequester’s a Pittance'
• (Courts) Florida judge approves birth certificate listing three parents

There are many other stories as well… not as many as last week, but they are still worth checking out!

• (Appointments) Graham: White House stonewalling on Benghazi means 'no information, no confirmation’
• (Bush) George Bush's family emails, pics ransacked - and spewed online
• (Climate Change) Administration’s New Climate Report: Next Ice Age ‘Has Now Been Delayed Indefinitely’

Episode 262: Lemmings or Thelma and Louise?

It's funny what happens when you plan out an episode like this one.  I wasn't sure what the call-in volume was going to be like and it turned out to be pretty big!  My co-worker Marshall joined us (he's the one that stated that, "know I know how Juan Willaims feels.") as well as just about the entire regular crew!  The show started off somber but when we started the political talk it turned into something else entirely!

Click Here to download the podcast, or listen using the Blubrry player (the blue ball on the right of the page).

One thing I failed to mention was our sponsor, Audible.com.  You can get a free 30 day trial as well as a free audiobook by going to http://www.audibletrial.com/eastcoastconservative and signing up.  The recommended book for this week is The Tyranny of Cliches: How Liberals Cheat in the War of Ideas by  Jonah Goldberg.

Follow us on Twitter @ECConservative to stay up-to-date with articles and check the website for video comments when they're recorded. If you want to comment on something you can email conservativepodcast@gmail.com, post comments on the website or on our Facebook page. Thanks for listening!

Articles for Episode 262: Lemmings or Thelma and Louise?

It's the end of 2012 and it looks like our pals inside the beltway are all auditioning for the role of Enigmatic Good/Bad Guy. It appears that the nation is going rumble past that dreaded deadline for sequestration. We're going to try and figure out if it's because the folks in DC are more like Thelma and Louise or lemmings.

 Here are the articles for the podcast:

• Two firefighters shot and killed after responding to fire in West Webster
• PIERS MORGAN: BOTH THE BIBLE AND U.S. CONSTITUTION ARE ‘INHERENTLY FLAWED’ AND NEED TO BE AMENDED
• Map: Where are the gun permits in your neighborhood?
• Merry Christmas: a (partial) list of Obamacare taxes, fees
• Conservative lawyer offers to defend NBC’s David Gregory on 2nd Amendment grounds
• Obama talks about 'worst day of my presidency,' goals for next term
• Obama Orders Pay Raise for Biden, Members of Congress, Federal Workers
• Congress in Sunday session as 'fiscal cliff' talks stall
• I Am A Democrat

And of course there's other stuff to read!

• Magnitsky case: Putin signs Russian ban on US adoptions
• Obama ups pressure on Republicans over 'fiscal cliff'
• Piers Morgan Threatens to Leave USA

Episode 261: Coal for Christmas

Something of an odd Christmas present, but the show's recorded and ready for download several hours early!  There was a scheduling conflict so Ken and I decided that rather than push the recording off we'd do the show at 2pm today.

We talked about the folks that should and should not get a lump of coal for Christmas this year.  I'll be posting a picture of my new voter registration card as well, following up on a promise made a few episodes back.

Click Here to download the podcast, or listen using the Blubrry player (the blue ball on the right of the page).

Follow us on Twitter @ECConservative to stay up-to-date with articles and check the website for video comments when they're recorded. If you want to comment on something you can email conservativepodcast@gmail.com, post comments on the website or on our Facebook page. Thanks for listening!

Articles for Episode 261: Coal for Christmas

This episode is being recorded earlier in the day (2:00pm Eastern) due to a scheduling conflict this evening.

What can I say? There are some folks that just deserve coal in their stockings. We're going to be talking about them, and some that don't deserve it as well. We didn't want to talk about just the gun issue, but it is on the list today.

Here are the articles:

• 'Random act of kindness' surprises shopping mom
• Firefighters and police support "Stand the Wall" to protect Sandy Hook funerals from Westboro Baptist Church
• State Department to get independent Benghazi report
• FLASHBACK: SEC. OF STATE NOMINEE KERRY COMPARED GLOBAL WARMING TO 9/11
• POPE BENEDICT XVI CONDEMNS SAME-SEX MARRIAGE
• What the tea party cost the GOP
• OBAMA: READY TO DO 'TOUGH THINGS' FOR FISCAL DEAL
• Obama Threatens Boehner: I’ll Use Inaugural Address And State Of The Union Speech To Bash Republicans
• Time’s Embarrassing ‘Person of the Year’

And yup, there's more to discuss as well. Here are the stories that didn't make the list.

• Reid urges quick appointment of Inouye successor
• Obama Uses Funeral Service to Talk About Himself

Video Episode 6: Starting the Conversation

After last week's episode I felt I had to come up with some avenue to start a conversation about truly effecting some level of change in our country.  There was a letter to the editor brought up on Facebook today and I decided to use it as a gateway for conversation about some of the cultural issues impacting the fiscal stability of the nation.

What do you think?  Where do you stand on this issue?  Email us at conservativepodcast@gmail.com, post comments on the website or make a response video on YouTube! We invite you to subscribe to our YouTube channel as well as our RSS feed! Follow us on Twitter @ECConservative to stay up-to-date with articles and check the website for video comments when they're recorded.  Thanks for watching!

Episode 242: Analyzing Decisions

Well, this episode turned out almost exactly as I had expected it to - we didn't get to a single article in the list.  We didn't even get around to running an analysis of the acceptance speech given by Paul Ryan!  What we had instead was a very lively round-table with myself, Tom, Shorahmin, Joesf and Toawa.  We were also joined by Ron Skytower, host of the Conservative Matters podcast from days back.

While each of us had our own thoughts and opinions, we'd love to hear your answers to our round-table questions.  Let us know what you think about this new R² ticket and where the campaign will go from here.

Click Here to download the podcast, or listen using the Blubrry player (the blue ball on the right of the page).

Follow us on Twitter @ECConservative to stay up-to-date with articles and check the website for video comments when they're recorded. If you want to comment on something you can email conservativepodcast@gmail.com, post comments on the website or on our Facebook page. Thanks for listening!

Articles for Episode 242: Analyzing Decisions

For the last two weeks we have had round-table discussions about how news articles can be used by campaigns. Tonight we're going to look into the decisions that campaigns have made to move their candidates forward.

Links for this episode are at Here are the links for this episode, assuming we actually get to all of them:

• FULL SPEECH: Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan in Manassas, VA
• A Risky Rationale Behind Romney’s Choice of Ryan
• CNN: Wife of steelworker in new Obama Super PAC ad still had job and health insurance after he lost his
• Obama to blanket Tampa airwaves for convention
• Romney Tax Cheat? Harry Reid’s Aide Speaks Specifics, Then EATS WORDS
• Coal Miners’ Union Sits Out Presidential Race
• GOP marks 1,200 days without Senate budget

You can join the converstation every Sunday night at 8:30pm and now if you want to help suggest articles, comment or just chat you can join us on Twitter at @ECConservative. If you want to comment on any of the articles, please feel free to start a discussion here, or email them to conservativepodcast@gmail.com. Join us for the recording session, normally live at 8:30pm Eastern time by visiting http://www.talkshoe.com/tc/75570. You can also listen to our show and many other conservative podcasts at the Red State Talk Radio Network. If you want to listen to the podcast on your mobile phone, you can listen using Stitcher Radio.

Episode 240: Spaghetti Campaigns

Well this episode didn't turn out anything like was originally planned.  We had a lively round-table and talked about news and campaign hits about Obama and asked some simple questions.  The answers might (or might not, depends entirely on how cynical you are) surprise you!


Click Here to download the podcast, or listen using the Blubrry player (the blue ball on the right of the page).


Follow us on Twitter @ECConservative to stay up-to-date with articles and check the website for video comments when they're recorded. If you want to comment on something you can email conservativepodcast@gmail.com, post comments on the website or on our Facebook page. Thanks for listening! 

Articles for Episode 240: Spaghetti Campaigns

It seems to me like both campaigns are in the habit of using the spaghetti theory when it comes to campaigning. For those not familiar with this concept, it's the idea of throwing a lot of different accusations, talking points and sound bytes out and whatever sticks is what they go with. Here are the articles we're going to be talking about tonight:

• Feinstein: Someone from the White House is leaking national-security secrets that coincidentally make Obama look good
• Obama Now Partly Running On Bill Clinton’s Record — ‘Our Plan’
• MEDIA DISTORTS ROMNEY'S OLYMPICS HISTORY TO INVENT 'GAFFE'
• Obama To The Opposition: Sit Down, And Shut Up
• White House predicts $1.2 trillion deficit for fourth year
• Obama shadows Romney's foreign trip
• GOP Says Coverage For The Uninsured Is No Longer The Priority

Here are the other articles that came up. Yes, there's a lot here. Feel free to discuss in the comments:

• Romney to Back Israel’s Right to Strike Iran, Aide Says (He backed off from this later)
• PALESTINIAN DELEGATION THANKS OLYMPIC COMMITTEE FOR DENYING MOMENT OF SILENCE TO HONOR MURDERED ISRAELIS

Episode 227: Terrorists, Taxes and Truths

All I can say is... WOW!  Tonight's show started off with a blast and took off from there.  We had Joesf and Shorahmin from SecondLife call in to comment on articles and a very lively crew in both the TalkShoe and SecondLife chats.  This made for a very energetic show... one that kept me on my toes from beginning to end.

Click Here to download the podcast, or listen using the Blubrry player (the blue ball on the right of the page).

Normally we don't roll over articles from an episode to the next week, however because of time we had to stop before we got to the Republican's replacement health care proposals.  I've made the commitment to talk about that one next week.

Follow us on Twitter @ECConservative to stay up-to-date with articles and check the website for video comments when they're recorded. If you want to comment on something you can email conservativepodcast@gmail.com, post comments on the website or on our Facebook page. Thanks for listening!

Articles for Episode 227: Terrorists, Taxes and Truths

It seems like we do this a lot. The media, working to keep viewers and ratings, focus on loud things that mean little. While the press is off investigating South American shenanigans, we're looking closer to home tonight. We're talking about taxes and Earth Day.

Here are the articles we've got lined up for tonight:

• Taliban commander turns self in... for reward on ‘Wanted’ poster
• The other primary: Obama on brink of clinching Democratic nomination
• The People Don't Know Their True Power
• Obama paid lower tax rate than secretary
• Barack Obama's 'Buffett Rule' dies in the Senate
• CHAIRMAN RYAN STATEMENT ON THE DEMOCRAT-CONTROLLED SENATE’S EMBARRASSING BUDGET SPECTACLE
• Republicans eye health plan should court overturn reform
• 'Acts of Green' urged as Earth Day is celebrated around the world
• Earth Day: Would you buy a $60 energy-efficient light bulb?
• Unearthing the Truth Behind Environmental Regulations

And those articles that didn't make it in the list. They're good reading as well, just didn't match the theme of the episode:

Articles for Episode 225: Where the Power Lies Redux

Well, last week we set a new record of articles that we didn't make it to.  Tonight we're going to continue with "Part B" of the conversation we started last week.

We might make it to articles this week but I'm not going to promise it.  If we do, it will be the article list from last week.  Those articles can be found at Articles for Episode 224: Where the Power Lies.

You can join the converstation every Sunday night at 8:30pm and now if you want to help suggest articles, comment or just chat you can join us on Twitter at @ECConservative. If you want to comment on any of the articles, please feel free to start a discussion here, or email them to conservativepodcast@gmail.com. Join us for the recording session, normally live at 8:30pm Eastern time by visiting http://www.talkshoe.com/tc/75570. You can also listen to our show and many other conservative podcasts at the Red State Talk Radio Network. If you want to listen to the podcast on your mobile phone, you can listen using Stitcher Radio.

Articles for Episode 224: Where the Power Lies

It's been an interesting week and lots of thingshave been happening. We're going to take another week off from the primary review and talk about other things.

We're probably not going to make it through the articles this time (yes, again), mainly because there are some other concepts that need to be addressed. Some comments from a listener prompted our first video posting and in this episode we're going to talk on grander terms about more issues related to that. If we get to them, here are the articles for this episode:

• Quote of the Day - Sowell on Johnny
• Lights go off around globe for Earth Hour
• Revolt to ouster President Assad is over, says Syrian official
• Washington Digest: House Republicans pass bill that shrinks federal spending
• Biden: "We Want To Create A Global Minimum Tax"
• Obama urges 'Buffett rule' passage
• Clinton: Iran agrees to new nuke talks
• Obama Finds Oil in Markets Is Sufficient to Sideline Iran

And yes, there were other articles that caught our eye. Here they are as well: