Opposition to Syria intervention inspires FreedomWorks to change long-standing policy

Forward? Or For War? Is this the new "red line"?

As POLITICO reported yesterday, conservative organization FreedomWorks had taken the unusual step of publicly opposing the congressional resolution authorizing the use of military force in Syria, and would consider it a "key vote" in its next round of congressional scorecards.

I say "unusual" step because before now, FreedomWorks has maintained a strict policy of staying out of foreign policy issues. It's a risk for political organizations to venture into new philosophical territory, because they build relationships with supporters, stakeholders, and donors based on their areas of expertise and influence, and they may endanger those relationships if the organization takes on new issues and their supporters don't agree with them. 

Last #FreePAC event in Chicago today! Watch the livestream here!

I had the privilege of attending the last two FreePAC events in Phoenix and Orlando, and can't say enough great things about these excellent FreedomWorks programs. The Chicago FreePAC is today, and you can watch the livestream (for free!) here:

Connie Mack: "Defund the UN" [VIDEO]

Florida Senate candidate, Rep. Connie Mack,
addressing the crowd at FreePAC Florida

Florida Senate candidate Connie Mack delivered a rousing speech at the FreePAC Florida event last Friday to a crowd of thousands of grassroots conservative activists, saying that he wanted to go to the United States Senate to make sure that "freedom was at the top of the agenda."

One of the loudest responses Mack received was to several comments stating that the United States should withdraw funding support to the United Nations:

FreePAC is in Florida today! Watch the livestream here!

I'm in Orlando for FreePAC today, and it's so nice to be home for one last short trip before the election. FreedomWorks has been doing an amazing job with these events, and the FreePAC last week in Phoenix, Arizona was a blast.

Today's lineup of speakers includes:

Glenn Beck, Florida Senate candidate Connie Mack, Florida Congressional candidate Trey Radel, Judge Napolitano, Matt Kibbe, Reverend C.L. Bryant, Deneen Borelli, and more.

(ICYMI, check out my interview last week with Reverend C.L. Bryant for FTR Radio here, and the rest of the FTR Radio interviews from all the FreePAC events so far this year here.)

You can watch all the festivities on the livestream, which I've embedded below (if it doesn't work, go to live.freedomworks.org). We officially kickoff at 4:00 pm but FTR Radio is doing some pre-show interviews now.

FreePAC Arizona today, next week Florida!

Your humble correspondent

I'm in Phoenix, Arizona today for FreePAC, sponsored by FreedomWorks. We have a great day ahead of us, including grassroots training, a preview of Atlas Shrugged II, and presentations by Matt Kibbe, Kristina Ribali, Deneen Borelli, Dana Loesch, Glenn Beck, and many more.

Make sure to follow me on Twitter @rumpfshaker and the hashtag #FreePAC for all the latest news throughout the day, as well as the official FreedomWorks twitter accounts, @FreedomWorks and @FWforAmerica.

#GOP2012 interview with Matt Kibbe

I ran into Matt Kibbe, the President of FreedomWorks, earlier today in the Google Lounge at the Tampa Convention Center. Here's his comments on Paul Ryan as the Republican Vice Presidential nominee and why conservatives need to unite behind the Romney/Ryan ticket to defeat Barack Obama:

FreedomWorks endorses Mack, calls LeMieux a RINO

Try as he might, he just can't get
 the Oompa Loompa off his back.

Throughout his campaign to be Florida's next Senator, George LeMieux has claimed that he had a "conservative" voting record during the sixteen months he served in the United States Senate after former-Governor-and-former-Republican Charlie Crist appointed him.

I thought that was nonsense, and a little quick research gave me several good examples why in a post I wrote back in September:

Sunshine State Sarah | Reality Check on LeMieux's "conservative" voting record