Urban Conservative Officially Relaunches

October 29th, 2009 Billy Hallowell

Hello, America!  I am extremely excited to be writing to you this evening, as I officially begin my journey as editor-in-chief of UrbanConservative.com.  My name is Billy Hallowell and I am honored to introduce myself to you all.  

I have been a contributor to this site for the past two years.  I am a journalist and commentator who has been working in media for nearly 11 years (Im 26, so I started fairly young).  In 2003, I founded Pathufind Media and I am currently the host of RENEWtv, a web show devoted to renewing American conservatism.  And now, Im officially a member of the Urban Conservative family!

But enough about me.  You can surely read more on my Web site, but Im guessing youre most interested in what will be happening here on UrbanConservative.com!  Tomorrow, we will become a daily publication.  Many of you have been actively reading UC for years.  This new change will afford you even more access to valuable news and information!

Youll notice weve launched a plethora of new topics.  While these subjects are of great importance to American politics, please be patient as we build our content around them (i.e. there may be a lag before all topics have streaming content).  But, we will be branching into new and uncharted news categories, as you can see.

Also, in November, my show RENEWtv will officially join forces with Urban Conservative.  

These are just some of the changes in store as we move forward!  Please be patient as we transition, add new blogs to the CONLIST and forge our path moving forward.  I thank you for your support and readership and I look forward to serving you!

Billy Hallowell, Editor-in-Chief


Rating: 3.2/5 (13 votes cast)

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I am looking for conservative bloggers

July 19th, 2009 Urban Conservative

I need some serious help, please. I launched this site about two years ago and I am quite surprised at its growth in readership and web traffic.  I really wasn’t expecting it. 

Last fall before the election, I was asked by CNN & MTVif someone from this site would be willing to debate a liberal blogger from Dailykos on television.  I had to decline.  Part of it was because I was kind of scared to go on live TV; but also, I really didn’t have the time or support to fulfill the request. And, if you look at the frequency of posts here I have had a hard time keeping up since.

This site is ranking number one for “conservative blog” as well as other terms and it drives a mass amount of traffic to this site, unfortunately many of them are liberal trolls who offer no valuable dialogue whatsoever. 

I have a couple of bloggers today who contribute when they can but I need more.

Here are some topics that I would like to see (from a conservative viewpoint of course): 

  • The Economy
  • Health Insurance Reform
  • Iraq & Afghanistan
  • Social Issues

What I am looking for in a blogger:

  • Original content. I would prefer not to have reposts from your blog. Posts don’t have to be too long. It can be a quick opinion piece based on the latest news.
  • Someone with a backbone. There are some rude liberals on this site and I would expect you to respond if necessary.
  • Commitment:  It would be great to get one post per week from each blogger.  Again, blog posts do not have to be very long.
  • Passion for conservative values. Need I say more?
  • Linking back to your site is okay, as long as it’s relevant. 

Can you help me? If so, please email me at [email protected] and we can talk about it. 

Once I get all the bloggers set up with accounts, I will then create a page (an activity feed) pulling in the bloggers Twitter streams as well as thier blogs feed, if they have one. I will also create a page featuring all the Urban Conservative bloggers with personal bios and links back to their sites.

Please let me know if you are interested.


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Reverse Party Logic Proves Faulty

May 3rd, 2009 Billy Hallowell

“Agree with her or not, she seems like a sweet kid who means well.” HotAir.coms Allah Pundit recently Tweeted this reassuring proclamation to his followers. The subject: Meghan McCain. The context: Her political philosophy. Surely, Allah Pundit’s right. Meghan does, indeed, have good intentions. But it is her somewhat anti-conservative viewpoints about which direction the Republican Party should head that drive a wedge between her and her constituents.

In reality, Meghans perspectives comprise just one of the many tenants competing for GOP dominance in a smorgasbord of ideological muck. Conservatives and Republicans are embroiled in a high-stakes battle-of -the-ideals, with all sides vying to capture the party’s heart and soul.

Unfortunately, some conservatives have forgotten that we live in a constitutional democracy. If you’ll recall, Laura Ingram was so incensed over Meghan’s political proclamations that she called her a “useful idiot” and made fun of her physical appearance. Just as Miss California had every right to voice her perspective during Sundays Miss USA pageant, so does Meghan McCain have the right to express where she stands on her party’s sociopolitical alignment (I bring up this totally random side-note to remind conservatives not to perpetuate a double standard when criticizing “rogue conservatives.” This is America. May we all speak freely).

Two, Contrasting Perspectives

So, what’s the big deal about Meghan, you ask? She describes herself as a Progressive Republican. Others, like political strategist Patrick Ruffini, would likely counter efforts to bestow such an anti-conservative title upon the party. Ruffini sees a need within the movement to return to conservatism – an effort to clarify party roots, while infusing the values and ethics that made the Republican Party so appealing to the Reaganites.

In truth, this brief description is less that a totalistic view of what is occurring within the GOP; Meghan and Patrick merely represent two opposing sides, with a middle-range so diverse it couldnt possibly be captured in mere paragraphs. Ideological stances are surely in battle, but Id hardly call it a full-fledged war. The Republican Party has lost step and those within it are attempting to repair its standing. The point of contention surrounds defining a literal meaning for “repair” and crafting an action plan that the majority of the party can embrace.

This past week on Twitter, Patrick said, “We can be more conservative AND more aggressive / dynamic / forward focused. These things are not in tension.” In contrast, Meghan McCain recently wrote, “I consider myself a progressive Republican…” and claimed that “…being a Republican is about as edgy as Donny Osmond.” Talk about a difference of opinion.

The two contrasting perspectives define, in a macro sense, the issues facing the party. While I am a big believer that current perspective is important in determining next steps, exploring the past is the best way to predict what’s to come in politics. A recent history lesson shows us that moving in the opposite ideological direction isn’t necessarily indicative of future success. Don’t believe me? Take a look at the democrats. Following its 2004 electoral defeat, the Democratic Party moved so far left that its currently dangling off a cliff over a sea of socialistic decree. Barack Obamas nomination and subsequent election is the literal manifestation of this reality.

Clinging to the Outer Fringes

Aside from his overt inclination for “spreading the wealth” and his less than moderate positioning on issues like abortion and diplomatic relations with rogue nations like Iran, from 2004 and 2008, Barack Obama distinguished himself as the most liberal member of the United States Senate (or, as the Democrats like to say, he earned the title of “Miss Congeniality”). Thats like a baby learning to run before taking first steps. Or, to put it in a more realistic perspective: When a party embraces a candidate whose ADA rating beats Ted Kennedys, one can safely say that said party is clinging to the outer fringes of liberalism. Barack Obama is the most left-leaning president America has elected to date. Hands down.

The GOP is now the Democratic Party post-Kerry. This in mind, the notion that becoming more “liberal” will redefine the party in a positive way just doesnt make sense. Unless Republicans want to see a split that rivals the Catholic-Protestant disunion, Id advise against such a move.

If you follow the Democratic model, youll see a party that elevated another ADA-favorite and a liberal, yet average guy John Kerry to take on George W. Bush during a time of relative domestic and international instability (2004). Following electoral defeat and a steady increase in discontent, the Democrats saw a clear opportunity in 2008 to make “change” through the nomination of the most left-minded candidate they could find. Enter, Barack Obama.

A State of Shear Dormancy

When I hear the debate about how the GOP should react, I wonder: Have some Republicans been in a dormant state? Are drugs that induce sense-retardant inclinations being consumed without their knowledge? Dont they get it? From health care to abortion rights, Barack Obama thinks weve done it all wrong. His self-proclaimed mission is to reboot any and all conservatively-influenced policies and his prescription for success is a hyper dose of Democratic doctrine. Meanwhile, Americans are encouraged to stand by while he continues to perform euthanasia on the financial markets.

What simply doesnt make sense from a strategic or logical standpoint is the idea that becoming Democratic Light will equate to a positive reformation for the Republicans in 2010, 2012 and beyond. Did the Democrats make themselves more conservative, or more moderate for that matter following their 2004 defeat? The most recent bailout and tax code changes should answer that question for you.

As much as I believe Meghan McCain to be an effective leader and someone who does, indeed, deeply care for her country (she is John McCains daughter, after all), I deeply disagree with some of her insinuations that the party must move left for sake of survival. Retracing our conservative steps is the answer to formulating a true contingency plan. America doesnt need a more liberal GOP; she needs a more rational and doctrine-abiding one.

To clarify, this means looking at where the GOP has been in an effort to retrace and correct party wrongs. This process transcends architectural tweaks to the party; it requires recapturing the movements heart and soul. Its not about gay marriage – or abortion (to name only two controversial social issues). This is not to say that conservatives cannot and should not hold opinions about these issues. Everyone is entitled to individual perspective (yes, even Meghan McCain). But, if we truly want to save capitalism, the conservative heart must shift focus to the most pressing issue of our time: Americas economic decline. Fiscal conservatism is the answer.

Conservatives, for what its worth, have stuck solidly to the structures surrounding Americas social paradigms, but we have neglected and abandoned our small government mantra. We have allowed our own party members to engage in excessive spending, while sitting back and watching our economic doctrine lay dormant. The fiscal irresponsibility and vampire-esque future-feeding that the current administration is engaging in is a dangerous detriment to our democracy. The GOP needs to retract irresponsible spending policies and make good on its claim that human beings are the primary benefactors and architects of their own destiny.

Its time to truly embrace small government ideologies. It is not time to abandon our principles in pursuit of a party construct that already exists. What made the GOP so powerful was its embracement of important social and economic issues. In keeping in step, the only natural reaction is to return to our roots, while making good on both areas of political inquiry.

Technorati Tags: Billy Hallowell,RENEWtv,GOP,Republican,Rebuild the Party,Democrats,Meghan McCain,Patrick Ruffini,Obama

Rating: 2.4/5 (20 votes cast)

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Fed Chair Bernanke: The Fed is Printing Money

March 16th, 2009 Jr Accountant

After Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke appeared on 60 Minutes last night, few noted little from his speech besides his insistence that the recession should calm by the end of 2009 and signs of recovery might start popping up like little spring buds beneath the melting snow of a cold hard winter some time in 2010. The man is delusional at best, and the markets reacted by snapping a three-day upward swing (if you call 2 or 3 points upward). Sadly, Bernankes song and dance on national television resonated across America as a sign that things might be looking up. Hell, if this guy says everything is going to be okay, who are we to question?

Well the answer is simple, and if Ive got to explain to you what is wrong with last nights appearance, perhaps youre not grown up enough to be using the computer without supervision. Turn it off, curl up into a ball, and commence to existing with your head in the sand, k?

In case you missed it, Bernankes national TV debut may be found in 3 parts here, here, and here. How cute, Helicopter Ben even cleaned up for his interview. Thats absolutely adorable.

Hidden in the midst of Bernankes interview, a little-noticed point on the Feds action in the face of economic crisis. While the conservatives continue to rail against the endless bailouts on behalf of helpless taxpayers believing that the Fed and Treasury promises are funded by actual taxpayer cash, Chairman Bernanke spilled the beans last night and said in no uncertain terms that his Fed is in fact funding bailouts using a process more akin to printing money than it is borrowing.

Average Joe reading this article, or even the most enlightened of conservatives, may not even think twice about the issue. Who cares? Isnt it the Feds job to print money?

Under normal circumstances, absolutely. But in these conditions, Bernankes quantitative easing scheme will be the end of the dollar as we know it. Does he believe that inflation is so low that his agency has the right to crank up the presses to cover the incessant bailout of commercial banking interests at the detriment of our economy? This equates to criminal currency debasement and should absolutely be treated as such.

For our Fed chair to believe he can boldly state on national television just days after a warning from the United States largest creditor that we better not use the printing press to stem financial crisis is not only moronic but may send China reeling against our pleas for help in unloading our debt. And if China pushes back on Treasurys, we might as well consider the game over.

You as an American taxpayer have every right to be angry over the bailouts. And you should still believe that taxpayers are some how on the hook for this. But you as an American under the Federal Reserves control should be absolutely outraged to hear Bernanke boasting that his Fed is cranking up the press to the tune of some $2 trillion to cover its creative lending programs. AIG has fed at the government teat FOUR TIMES and funneling bailout funds to foreign banks due to its own irresponsible financial products risk management. But $2 trillion on the taxpayers behalf means little when the Fed is using the press to pump capital into floundering firms on your dime the savings youve worked your life to put away? Doesnt matter when the Fed has fully debased the currency. Is 97% of the dollars value lost since its inception in 1913 not enough?

The recession will only worsen moving forward if the Fed and Treasury continue to sabotage any hope at recovery by throwing billions more into the sinking ship.

Unemployment will continue to surge.

The Fed will continue to overstep its given powers by Congress and Congress will continue to allow such a fleecing until someone on Capitol Hill stops looking the other way and demands an audit of this private and essentially unregulated agency.

And Ben Bernanke will continue to crank up the press. Heres to hoping China doesnt notice or else were really in trouble.


Rating: 3.4/5 (43 votes cast)

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Republicans surpass democrats on twitter

February 17th, 2009 Urban Conservative

Interesting story in the Washington Times about how Republicans are jumping on the technology bandwagon by joining in on the fun with twitter; and they are even beating out the democrats on Capitol Hill  Ha!  This is a moot story and I will tell you why.  Current Republicans in the Senate and Congress aren’t going to win us any future elections.  I will tell you what it is – it’s the thousands upon thousands of conservatives who are using twitter to converse, build relationships, and spread the conservative message; specifically the Top Conservatives on Twitter #tcot.

Granted, twitter only has about 14 million registered users but that number is growing exponentially month over month and I believe it will be mainstream in the next couple of years. Mark my words folks the conservative movement has just begun!

If you enjoyed this post, plese follow me on Twitter.


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The Good, the Bad, and the Stimulus

January 28th, 2009 Jr Accountant

Obamas planned economic stimulus passed in the House today by a 244-188 vote. There is, as with all political and economic news these days, a good and a bad to this announcement.

Above all else, if you have not reviewed the actual appropriations of Obamas plan, I absolutely recommend doing so. After all, this set of economic shock treatments will likely cost each American taxpayer around $6700 in the long run this number is, of course, in 2009 money, which will shortly be devalued if Ben Bernanke and the Federal Reserve have their say, running the presses non-stop to cover endless government and private bailouts.

Full disclosure of the stimulus in actual dollar figures suggested by the committee may be found here and here. Warning: the contents of this bill are not pretty. Reading of this bill may cause nausea, vomiting, shortness of breath, and vertigo. The pork is overwhelming and feels an awful lot like a giant government bailout. We have been down this road before (Citigroup, anyone?) and the scenery is certainly not entirely unfamiliar.

It is disgusting that this bill passed at all. Beyond that, it is sickening that our new President and Congress chose this as the hallmark of the new administration. Way to kick things off with this bloated joke of a bill, passing a government makeover at the taxpayers expense off as a stimulus to rebuild the broken economy which has damaged so many of those selfsame taxpayers.

The good? Not a single Republican in the House voted yea. It shows a strength and unity that the party has been desperate to formulate in recent years; could it be that Conservatives have once and for all learned that we are greater than the sum of our parts?

The bad? The Democrats still got their way.

It is a frightening reflection of the divide we now have to fight against; even when every single one of our conservative representatives in D.C. stand against a self-indulgent joke of a bill such as Obamas stimulus, we are still defeated by the Spendmores on the other side of the aisle. That is a more frightening realization than the bill itself.

There is a healthy way to stimulate our floundering economy. This, my friends, is not it.


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A Proclamation to American Conservatives

January 22nd, 2009 Billy Hallowell

History was made this week when Barack Obama was inaugurated to serve as the nation’s first African American president. Obama’s historic electoral victory showcases the nation’s move beyond the stigmatization and segregation that existed just sixty years ago. It is a time of reflection not only for a country that has made significant sociopolitical progression, but also for a subset of the nation that has suffered two consecutive electoral losses – the American conservative.

It can be said without a doubt that many conservatives are still disheartened by the results of the 2008 election. But, as President Obama settles into the White House and begins to govern, our disillusionment cannot overtake us. In 2000 and 2004, we felt a high level of political efficacy as our candidate elevated to serve in the nation’s highest office. Today, this same efficacy is being experienced by American liberals, as Obama embodies the values and virtues this constituency embraces. Though these values often conflict with the notions we hold dear, we are all Americans and no matter how disappointed we are, we must endure.

It would clearly be a blind disservice to history and to this great nation to ignore the historical connotation of Obama’s victory. Ignorance to the historical relevancy of this time is, indeed, (and rightfully) hard to find. Most conservatives are, despite the sting that has come with suffering major defeat in recent elections, prepared to give President Obama the respect that American liberals ardently refused to give to President George W. Bush.

Surely we feel disheartened and anxious as we await the policy maneuvers and advances that are slated to violate our personal values and conservative character, but we cannot allow a difference of ideals to distract us from reformation. Instead of focusing our energies on how horrific we think Obama to be, we must work strenuously to showcase the relevancy of our policies and the potential results of our legislative potentialities.

In the end, the American conservative, though contemporarily subjugated at the polls and in the realm of ideological policy influence, has the advantage. It is our values that work to hold the fabrics of society together; it is our conscious that collectively seeks to bolster America’s most treasured ingenuities. Though we are underrepresented in the near-term, we are not forgotten.

As liberals celebrate their recent victory, we should be thankful for an opportunity to break free from the corruption and distractions that have permeated our party over the past decade. Now is the time to look beyond what has already passed and to focus on refining policy points, bringing the party together and harvesting the young leaders who will, in turn, assist America in sustaining and advancing her global position.

While American liberals have showcased their extreme excitement and awe over Obama’s win, the most inspirational result – aside from the social barriers that our new president has broken, of course has been the character, spirit and resilience of American conservatives. As we struggle to understand the devastating losses we suffered in the Congressional midterm of 2006 and in the subsequent presidential race of 2008, we remain hopeful and confident that our nation – and political presence will rebound.

Many of us, including former Republican vice-presidential nominee, Sarah Palin, have wished Obama well. When asked by Glen Beck this week if she considered Barack Obama her president, Palin replied, “Absolutely. Yes, he is. We are all Americans and united we stand.” As can be easily recalled, the left’s often harsh attacks against President Bush have never been particularly fortuitous. As per the New York Times:

In January 2001, when the country was divided over a disputed presidential election, the newest development was security checkpoints along the parade route on Pennsylvania Avenue, from the Capitol to the White House, to minimize the ability of protesters to disrupt the procession. None did, although several people threw eggs and debris at Mr. Bushs limousine as it left the Capitol grounds.

As conservatives, there is no greater or more patriotic service we can do for our nation than to wish our new president well as he forges ahead into a mountainous terrain. Make no mistake: This is not to say that we should advocate ignorance when processing or addressing Obama’s often radical ideals; rather, as conservative Americans, we should come together to address the issues that are hampering our nation’s progress using clear and rational means. After all, it is in our best interest for Obama to reach some level of success while in office.

Instead of attacking Obama’s presidential vehicle with eggs and tomatoes, let’s prepare our arguments logically and present them with zest; let’s ensure that we support our president to the highest degree possible, while working to ensure our voices are heard. The stage has already been set, but the play is yet to be written.

The jeers that President Bush received this week when he walked onto the inaugural stage served as a confirmation and a distinct reminder of the following ideal: The American conservative must patriotically reject concentrating our efforts on pointless acts of vilification. We must rise to the occasion. We must reject the “not my president” mantra that so many liberals have held dear these past eight years. And finally we must restructure our party, while making our voices heard loud and clear to the executive and legislative branches.

Surely, we disagree with Obama’s policy assessments, but, we can fight these progressions the fair and rational way: By rebuilding and mobilizing our base, and attempting to bring in leaders who seek true change in future electoral cycles. Whether we wanted him or not, Barack Obama is our president. Now, let’s get to work.

For more information on Billy Hallowell, go to http://www.williamhallowell.com.

Technorati Tags: Barack Obama,Inauguration,Conservative,Sarah Palin

Rating: 3.1/5 (21 votes cast)

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Top Conservatives unite online using social media and twitter

December 8th, 2008 Urban Conservative

This is great news and I am hyped!  Conservatives are finally leveraging Web 2.0 Social Media tools and applications to spread the conservative message; specifically with Twitter.  I have been on twitter for quite some time but didn’t use it very often because the lack of conversation. Well, a new group has risen Top Conservatives On Twitter – that dynamically pulls in active conservative twitter profiles attempting to build community.  I did something similar to this when I created the Best Conservative Blogs directory last year, which is now featured in Wikipedia under conservatism.  According to the site:

This list was first placed on the web on November 28, 2008. In the short time since then, it has become a bit of a rallying point for conservatives on Twitter. I think all of us who are on the list can conceive of many additional ways to improve the list to strengthen and grow the conservative community on Twitter.

You must primarily tweet on conservative themes and cannot be merely a campaign profile political office holder profile or a radio or television program or publication promotional profile to be on this list. New participants are welcome. Just nominate someone you follow or yourself and show that you are primarily on Twitter as a conservative.

To put this list in context, you will note that the #100 most followed person on Twitter has 9,000 followers, so we have a lot of work to do!

Even the libs are noticing and taking notes.

To Build The Conservative Community on Twitter

  • Follow everyone on this list.
  • Make a point of tweeting conservatives on the list who you dont know, but you think might be interesting.
  • Use the #TCOT tag before tweets you think might be of interest to the entire community.
  • Tell your conservative friends who are not on Twitter to join now.
  • Do something nice for someone on the list.
  • If someone follows you, follow them back.
  • Try to keep your following to follower ratio greater than 0.85 to 1. The point of a community is to engage in a dialogue. You cant engage unless tweets flow two ways.
  • Follow the people who follow people on the list with whom you have much in common. Especially follow people on the list who are rapidly adding new followers, such as @pinkelephantpun and @nansen.
  • Volunteer to be a Project Servant-Leader or Team Member on a #TCOT Action Project
  • Propose and gain approval for a new #TCOT Action Project.

Top Conservatives on Twitter! #TCOT


Rating: 2.3/5 (26 votes cast)

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I’m a conservative because …

October 13th, 2008 Urban Conservative

Well, I’ll let Zo tell you because he can do it a lot better than I can.  And, if you disagree with him “and the words that are coming out of his mouth” well, then you are RACIST!! Ha. Now, only if I can get him to post here, thatd be kinda awesome.  You can get more of Zo on his Youtube Channel.

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Tags: Zo, machosauceproduction, macho sauce production, black conservative

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Rating: 2.9/5 (38 votes cast)

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