Staff Writer

Podcasting has quickly grown to become a highly competitive info-market. Busy people want information, but need it on demand, on their terms, and podcast listener-ship has grown exponentially due to advances in do-it-yourself technology and enormous access provided by iTunes and others.

At the top of the podcast kingdom are a couple hundred top-rated shows that are largely re-broadcasts of already popular radio programs, such as Glenn Beck, Rush Limbaugh and others. There are also a handful of podcasts that reached the top without any name notoriety, but by simply producing a great show and having it catch on.

One such podcast that hopes to fall into the latter group is The Persistent Conservative. Having published its first show on November 11, 2009, it’s still new and much of its popularity is due to word of mouth from a core group of conservative fans on Twitter.

After a painfully boring, tedious learning curve in how to podcast correctly, Collin Buck and Scot Cerullo managed to find the right software, microphones and working knowledge to put together and publish a decidedly right of center political program that differs from other shows in many ways.

“The idea was to put together a weekly show that was irreverent, informative, almost like a magazine, with content juxtaposed to itself,” Co-Founder Scot Cerullo said. “Recording a funny skit back-to-back with thoughtful content, along with a variety of other entertaining elements, satire and music has been our goal.”

The podcast, which began with two subscribers, Scot and Collin, has grown on average by over 150 new subscribers per month through the iTunes portal and their website, also of the same name, and with conservative fans on Twitter and numerous Google searches, continues gaining strength.

One of the mainstays of the weekly podcast is a segment titled Green Tip of the Week, in which Collin and Scot spoof the political left with “letters” written by listeners, exclaiming how they are attempting to reduce their carbon footprint, make better use of green energy, but always with a politically incorrect solution, and always designed to point out the “lunacy of the left”.

Another show element that sets The Persistent Conservative apart from some of its competitors is Collin Buck’s impressions of Arnold Swartzenager, Bill Cosby, Obama, Sean Connery and many other characters, who are written into loosely-followed scripts that create caricatures and over-the-top scenarios that have met with considerable approval from listeners.

“We want to deliver a message, and to do so we have to keep our audience interested and entertained,” Scot said.” “So the first rule of thumb we follow is not taking ourselves too seriously.”

No one has accused the creative duo of taking themselves too seriously. In one recent episode, they were bragging about their new tinfoil hats and in another how they had recently made upgrades to what they call the “Liberal Defense Grid”, a supposed electronic smart fence that protects “Cabin 1″ from stray liberals who per chance wander onto the property. (Cabin 1, for the uninitiated, is the location from which the podcast is supposedly recorded. It is claimed to be a real cabin set deep in the farmland of Upstate New York).

Both Scot and Collin are intent on growing the show to professional standards, and to keep it fresh with new ideas, new content and input from listeners. “We want to be responsive to what our audience is saying,” Collin said. “We want to appeal to a large demographic but also pay tribute to the guy in the back of the room with some one-off humor and occasional references that only a true political wonk would get.”

The art of  “old-style radio” may well be coming full circle in this podcast effort, with the use of sounds, humor, acting, skits, along with good, solid content. If you are interested in checking out this new kind of political show, you can subscribe free at iTunes. Just type in “The Persistent Conservative” in the search box, click subscribe, and that’s it.

*Editor’s Note: Collin Buck is an award-winning sales trainer, possesses a Mensa-level IQ and has a photographic memory. Scot Cerullo is an award-winning sleight-of-hand magician, former delegate in the 1984 election cycle, and likes shiny things.

Today is the Anniversary of the Patrick Henry famous “Give me Liberty or Give me Death” speech.

Lady Libertas read the Patrick Henry speech this morning over and over again.  There are frequent quotes on Lady Libertas from Patrick Henry as he is one of my personal favorites … his message speaks to my soul and has been fuel for me, especially in the past year .

Lady Libertas finds it ironic … mocking … a slap in the face … that Obama is signing the largest takeover of Liberty in the history of the United States into Law.  And there is no doubt in my mind that Obama and his minions are delirious over the import of today and what it means to TRUE PATRIOTS and AMERICANS while they sign their Marxist Agenda Step One into Law.

Lady Libertas cannot watch – I will not give them the satisfaction of feeling defeated even for one moment more.

Lady Libertas will say this – Mock our Founders at your peril, Obamabots.  The American People have the DNA of Liberty in their veins and WE ARE NOT DONE …

To All of the Wonderful Patriots that read Lady Libertas – Let us remember Patrick Henry and the fire in his belly about our Great Republic today … Let us focus on the sentiments expressed by him in 1775 that are FRIGHTENINGLY RELEVANT  TODAY …  Let us Remember where we came from & where we are going …

And Lady Libertas is here to tell you – I AM NOT GOING TO SOCIALISM.

God Bless Our Founders – God Bless the Liberty that they gave us and God Help Us Protect It.

From Patrick Henry on March 23, 1775:

No man thinks more highly than I do of the patriotism, as well as abilities, of the very worthy gentlemen who have just addressed the House. But different men often see the same subject in different lights; and, therefore, I hope that it will not be thought disrespectful to those gentlemen, if, entertaining as I do opinions of a character very opposite to theirs, I shall speak forth my sentiments freely and without reserve.

This is no time for ceremony. The question before the House is one of awful moment to this country. For my own part I consider it as nothing less than a question of freedom or slavery; and in proportion to the magnitude of the subject ought to be the freedom of the debate. It is only in this way that we can hope to arrive at truth, and fulfill the great responsibility which we hold to God and our country. Should I keep back my opinions at such a time, through fear of giving offense, I should consider myself as guilty of treason towards my country, and of an act of disloyalty towards the majesty of heaven, which I revere above all earthly kings.

Mr. President, it is natural to man to indulge in the illusions of hope. We are apt to shut our eyes against a painful truth, and listen to the song of that siren, till she transforms us into beasts. Is this the part of wise men, engaged in a great and arduous struggle for liberty? Are we disposed to be of the number of those who, having eyes, see not, and having ears, hear not, the things which so nearly concern their temporal salvation?

For my part, whatever anguish of spirit it may cost, I am willing to know the whole truth — to know the worst and to provide for it. I have but one lamp by which my feet are guided; and that is the lamp of experience. I know of no way of judging of the future but by the past. And judging by the past, I wish to know what there has been in the conduct of the British ministry for the last ten years, to justify those hopes with which gentlemen have been pleased to solace themselves and the House?

Is it that insidious smile with which our petition has been lately received? Trust it not, sir; it will prove a snare to your feet. Suffer not yourselves to be betrayed with a kiss. Ask yourselves how this gracious reception of our petition comports with these warlike preparations which cover our waters and darken our land. Are fleets and armies necessary to a work of love and reconciliation? Have we shown ourselves so unwilling to be reconciled that force must be called in to win back our love? Let us not deceive ourselves, sir. These are the implements of war and subjugation — the last arguments to which kings resort. I ask gentlemen, sir, what means this martial array, if its purpose be not to force us to submission? Can gentlemen assign any other possible motives for it? Has Great Britain any enemy, in this quarter of the world, to call for all this accumulation of navies and armies?

No, sir, she has none. They are meant for us; they can be meant for no other. They are sent over to bind and rivet upon us those chains which the British ministry have been so long forging. And what have we to oppose to them? Shall we try argument? Sir, we have been trying that for the last ten years. Have we anything new to offer on the subject? Nothing.

We have held the subject up in every light of which it is capable; but it has been all in vain. Shall we resort to entreaty and humble supplication? What terms shall we find which have not been already exhausted? Let us not, I beseech you, sir, deceive ourselves longer.

Sir, we have done everything that could be done to avert the storm which is now coming on. We have petitioned; we have remonstrated; we have supplicated; we have prostrated ourselves before the throne, and have implored its interposition to arrest the tyrannical hands of the ministry and Parliament.

Our petitions have been slighted; our remonstrances have produced additional violence and insult; our supplications have been disregarded; and we have been spurned, with contempt, from the foot of the throne. In vain, after these things, may we indulge the fond hope of peace and reconciliation. There is no longer any room for hope.

If we wish to be free — if we mean to preserve inviolate those inestimable privileges for which we have been so long contending — if we mean not basely to abandon the noble struggle in which we have been so long engaged, and which we have pledged ourselves never to abandon until the glorious object of our contest shall be obtained, we must fight! I repeat it, sir, we must fight! An appeal to arms and to the God of Hosts is all that is left us!

They tell us, sir, that we are weak — unable to cope with so formidable an adversary. But when shall we be stronger? Will it be the next week, or the next year? Will it be when we are totally disarmed, and when a British guard shall be stationed in every house? Shall we gather strength by irresolution and inaction? Shall we acquire the means of effectual resistance, by lying supinely on our backs, and hugging the delusive phantom of hope, until our enemies shall have bound us hand and foot?

Sir, we are not weak, if we make a proper use of the means which the God of nature hath placed in our power. Three millions of people, armed in the holy cause of liberty, and in such a country as that which we possess, are invincible by any force which our enemy can send against us. Besides, sir, we shall not fight our battles alone. There is a just God who presides over the destinies of nations, and who will raise up friends to fight our battles for us.

The battle, sir, is not to the strong alone; it is to the vigilant, the active, the brave. Besides, sir, we have no election. If we were base enough to desire it, it is now too late to retire from the contest. There is no retreat but in submission and slavery! Our chains are forged! Their clanking may be heard on the plains of Boston! The war is inevitable — and let it come! I repeat it, sir, let it come!

It is in vain, sir, to extenuate the matter. Gentlemen may cry, “Peace! Peace!” — but there is no peace. The war is actually begun! The next gale that sweeps from the north will bring to our ears the clash of resounding arms! Our brethren are already in the field! Why stand we here idle? What is it that gentlemen wish? What would they have? Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God! I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty, or give me death!

Patrick Henry – March 23, 1775

Lady Libertas reached out to the Leaders of the Austin area Tea Party groups to get their official statements on Joseph Stack and to confirm … once and for all (this means you moonbats) … that Joseph Stack is NOT A TEA PARTY MEMBER and his actions are condemned unequivocally by everyone involved in the Tea Party.

Lady Libertas would like to extend thoughts and prayers to the victims of the Joseph Stack attack. The suicide of this disturbed man and the death and pain that he has caused are heart wrenching. It is being reported that there was one additional death as a result of Joseph Stack flying his plane into the building to achieve his own suicide.

Lady Libertas was stunned and outraged by the coverage of the Joseph Stack attack in the liberal blogosphere and then the main stream media. Headlines began appearing claiming that Stack was a Tea Party member and that the violence that he wreaked was a hallmark of the Tea Party movement. Donald, on Right Pundits, quickly broke the story (see full story here) of the Fake Facebook account attributed to Stack and set up by the mysterious Emily Waters. Donald provides links to the screenshot of that facebook account and how it was set up by Emily Walters with the Gadsden Flag and the Liberty Tree quote by Thomas Jefferson (and seen below). This facebook account and the distortions by liberals are nothing more than smear campaigns seeking to deface the Tea Party movement and prove some imagined violent agenda. The violent agenda of the Tea Party movement does not exist except in the fevered imaginings of the far left and the liberal media.

Somehow, this deranged girl thinks that misrepresenting a dead man and the Tea Party is all about her free speech.  Facebook removed the fake Stack Facebook account she created and her account so she has had her boyfriend open another Fake Stack Facebook account and filled it with more lies.  We can expect her to be writing for Huffington Post by the weekend, I am sure.  People are dead and Emily Walters is getting her 15 minutes of infamy by smearing Tea Party.  How Very Progressive of Her.

By Thursday evening, the mainstream media began to report the liberal blogospheres rantings that Joseph Stack was a Tea Party member as truth. Nothing could be farther from the truth. Lady Libertas reached out to the leaders of the Tea Party groups in the Austin, Texas area to get their reaction and to ask if Joseph Stack was a member of any of their groups. Leaders from the various Tea Party groups in the Austin area and a 912 group all confirmed that Joseph Stack was not and has never been a member or affiliated with any of their organizations.

Lady Libertas spoke by phone with Greg Holloway, Member of the Board of Austin Tea Party Patriots and Co-Founder of Common Sense Texans. Greg’s wife, Judy Holloway is the Founder of Austin Tea Party Patriots. Greg and I had a heartfelt conversation about the Joseph Stack incident. I asked Greg what his reaction was when he heard that this man had flown a plane into a building in Austin.

“The biggest thing that we found today in Austin, no matter what political affiliation Joseph Stack had, is the human tragedy. We are sorry for him and the people hurt today. This is a personal and community tragedy. Our prayers go out to the victims and to the family of Joseph Stack.”

Greg confirmed unequivocally that Joseph Stack did not belong now or ever to Austin Tea Party Patriots.

“Joseph Stack is not on any lists and was not a member.”

We discussed his view of the Tea Party and why anyone would think Joseph Stack was a member.

“Why would he be a Tea Party member? It could have easily been said he was a member of any group. They are just ridiculously mistaken by saying he was a member of Tea Party. Tea Parties are designed to help people, to bring people back to the Constitutional Principles. We want to make the country a good place for all people, not just a select few. We use civil mechanisms, the rule of law, elections, legislation to achieve our goals. Violence has no place at all in what we do.

These are real people. There was a real tragedy. How these left wing blogs are behaving has nothing to do with what happened today.

I hope there are plenty of friends and family available for the victims and the Stack family. If there is anything that Austin Tea Party Patriots can do for them, we are here to assist.”

Lady Libertas also reached out to Head Organizer, Heather Liggett of Austin Tea Party. Heather provided me with the following statement:

“I can say with affirmation that Joseph Stack was not a member of the Austin Tea Party nor was he a member of The Tea Party Movement. Within Mr. Stack’s own writing, one can see clearly that are no shared values or principles with the Tea Party.

After reading Mr. Stack’s February 18, 2010 statement, it is evident he supported anarchy. The Tea Party movement does not advocate anarchy. The Tea Party movement believes in our founding principles so eloquently written in our Constitution.

Mr. Stack repeatedly showed disdain for free-market principles in his statement. The Tea Party movement knows that every American success is rooted in the freedom of our capitalist principles.

Mr. Stack did not believe in paying taxes. The Tea Party movement believes in taxes for the defense of Our Great Nation; however like the majority of Americans – be they Democrat, Republican or Independent – we all believe in reform of the current tax structure. We only differ on the type of reform that is best.

Mr. Stack saw churches as corrupt entities and called them “monsters of organized religion.” He spoke of being “brainwashed to believe that there is freedom” and declared “violence is the only answer.” The Tea Party movement believes in God, and we know the valuable contributions our churches make each day to our communities across this land.

Thousands of Tea Parties have been held nationwide, a million Tea Partiers marched in our nation’s capital, and not a single act of violence was ever committed by a Tea Party supporter.

There is a common thread that ties every Tea Party across this country to the Austin Tea Party, and that thread is our eternal optimism in America. Tea Partiers believe in the American Spirit, the American Dream and the freedom of the people to peacefully assemble and use the powers granted in the Constitution to restore our nation. Mr. Stack was void of optimism. It is ironic that some members of the media are void of integrity and would try to make an association where one does not exist, as spelled out by Mr. Stack himself.”

Lady Libertas touched base with Toby Marie Walker, the Head of Waco Tea Party. Toby Marie also confirmed that Joseph Stack was not listed on their membership list and condemned the violent attack and sent an official statement over for me to use.

From Toby Marie Walker, President: “The Waco Tea Party does not condone or advocate acts of violence, the person who committed this violent act was not a member of the Waco Tea Party nor have we had any contact with him.  Our thoughts and prayers are with the the victims and their families.  We would like to thank the first responders and others in law enforcement for their service and dedication to the community.

“The Waco Tea Party promotes fiscal responsibility, free markets and Constitutionally limited government.  We are not an anti-government or anti-tax group, we are an advocate of our taxes being spent wisely and levied reasonably.  Suggesting that the tea party movement is somehow connected to the incident is ludicrous, the perpetrator’s own statements in his manifesto suggest he had far different beliefs than those in the Tea Party Movement.”

“Those responsible for trying to drag the tea parties into this tragedy must be desperate.  “Never let a good tragedy go to waste” is their mantra, and that is obvious here.  At a time when decent Americans are shocked and praying for those affected, they were gleeful in creating misinformation to pin on a principled movement (in reference to Emily Walker who created the facebook account).  She should be ashamed of herself.”

Lady Libertas, with the assistance of SarahInTx (awesome #Twister in Austin!), reached out to one of the 912 groups in the Austin area.  Sarah is an active member of the Caldwell County 912 Project and she contacted  the leadership on my behalf regarding the Joseph Stack attack.  Sarah forwarded me the statement that came back to refute all liberal misrepresentations that Joseph Stack embodied Tea Party principles or behaved in a way that is endorsed by Tea Parties.  This is the statement that I received from Sarah that came to her fromTracy Forester of the Caldwell County 912 Project:

“Joseph Stack was not a member of the Caldwell County 912 Project. To the best of our knowledge, he was not a member of any 912 or Tea Party group. His actions were deplorable and are contrary to everything that the 912 Project and the Tea Party movement stand for. There is no justification for violence, no matter the grievance. The following question must be answered by each member before they join as a member on our meetup site: “Do you agree to be a peaceful and open minded member of this group?”

You will also find our mission statement [on the site}. Our goals are education, information and involvement.

Lady Libertas has yet to find an authentic Tea Party Group or Tea Party Member that endorses or agrees with the horrific actions of Joseph Stack.  We all knew that.

A few, final thoughts.

Thank you to Greg and Heather, Marie, Sarah and Tracy.  I reached out and you responded immediately. You are all True Patriots and I salute the work that you are doing on behalf of our Republic.

Lady Libertas has been involved with the Tea Party Movement for almost a year. I have met some of the most amazing human beings through participation in the Tea Party. It is an amazing group of individuals from every imaginable walk of life, socio-economic level, and political party affiliation. We are white, black, brown, yellow, and red, white & blue. We have joined together not because we are all exactly the same in our beliefs but because we all love our country and we believe that it is in trouble. Tea Party is unique in its uniqueness. Each group is different but there has never been violence condoned or performed in the name of Tea Party. Only the terminally misinformed would mistake our passion for aggression.

One person’s insane actions, no matter what they believe does not define a movement. And that goes for Amy Bishop too.

The next few days will be immensely difficult for everyone involved as they attempt to recover from this unexplainable tragedy. Let’s hope that the left can leave off their political machinations, smear campaigns and fake facebook accounts to allow the victims, families and people of Austin time to wake up from this nightmare and begin to heal.

Lady Libertas Salutes:

Greg Holloway~Member of the Board of Austin Tea Party Patriots

Heather Littenger~Head Organizer of Austin Tea Party

Toby Marie Walker~Chief of Chaos & President of Waco Tea Party

SarahInTx - #Twister & Patriot - Please say HI to her on Twitter!

Tracy Forester - Caldwell County 912 Project

Donald from Right Pundits has also provided an update and a release of a statement by Emily Walters on his blog post:  Who is Emily Walters?.

Bungalow Bill is also on the unfolding Emily Walters is a Lying Liberal by updating his blog with new screenshots:  Who is Emily Walters & why is she trying to reinvent Joseph Andrew Stack on Facebook?

Here is a great video that takes the complicated issue of Cap and Trade and reveals it for what it really is, an enormous new revenue stream for the government. This video comes courtesy of our friends at Tax Foundation.

At a time when world tension is high, the US is involved in a war on two fronts (at least), the economy is tanking and taking the world economy with it and we have innumerable psycho nations seeking nuclear capabilities, we have a President that is an obsequious toady and wants the world to love him.

Obama began his administration with World Apology Tour One.  He paraded around Africa and the Middle East, insulting our allies and courting our enemies.  Can anyone forget the BOW to Saudi Crown Prince Abdullah?   Or giving the Russians a big red button to “restart”?

State Department protocol has been that American Presidents do not bow…TO ANYONE.  Our Founding Fathers fled religious and royal persecution over 200 years ago and one of the bonuses is that Americans do not have to bow.  We do not recognize that we are subservient to ANY Monarch and that is what a bow signifies.  Miss Manners agrees (see full article here) but of course, her opinion at this point is probably construed as rightwing extremism and bought her a spot on the Homeland Security watch list.

But symbolic subservience to a foreign ruler is worse. When Miss Manners sees American citizens delighting in bowing or curtseying to royalty, she tries to remind herself that they are just being silly, not treasonous. When an American official does it, we can only hope it was because he was noticing that his own shoelace was undone — and not that he recognizes the divine right of kings in general, or the authority over us of that king in particular.

George Bush did not bow, but it did seem that he formed his own protocol by holding hands with the Saudi Crown Prince…Lady Libertas was not quite sure what to make of that but at least it was more egalitarian than a bow.

Liberty-Minded Americans cringed over Obama’s submissiveness in Riyadh, but apparently that was just a test run.  In his meeting with Japanese Emperor Akihito, Obama dipped deep AGAIN!  We can be sure that the Liberal Obama Defenders will rush to protest that Obama was simply showing respect, but even in Japanese tradition, it was a sign of weakness.

Jake Tapper from ABC reached out to a “an old friend — an academic with expertise about the Japanese Empire, and in general a supporter of President Obama…” who made the following observations about Obama’s bow to the Emperor (see full article here):

“The bow as he performed did not just display weakness in Red State terms, but evoked weakness in Japanese terms….The last thing the Japanese want or need is a weak looking American president and, again, in all ways, he unintentionally played that part.”

Jake Tapper’s friend states that a bow to the Emperor is not unprecedented and he is referring to the Nixon bow to Emperor Hirohito (Akihito’s father) in 1971.  Lady Libertas agrees that the Nixon bow was certainly not as deferential as Obama’s and lest the Liberal Defenders excuse that it was Obama’s height, there is only a 2 inch difference between Nixon and Obama.  As well, no other heads of state feel the need to be as ingratiating as President Obama as evidenced by the 46 handshakes collected by UConn Republicans by other world leaders as they met with the Emperor.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5U6fL7Y4BZA]

Dick Cheney commented to Politico, ““There is no reason for an American president to bow to anyone. Our friends and allies don’t expect it, and our enemies see it as a sign of weakness.”

When Bill Clinton made what was interpreted as a slight bow to the Emperor in 1994, the NY Times slammed him:

“The image on the South Lawn was indelible: an obsequent President, and the Emperor of Japan.” The paper wrote that the “thou need not bow” standard in State Department protocol has been constant since the country’s founding.