There has been a flurry of speculation over who Donald Trump would endorse in the Republican race. Some reports said he was going to endorse Newt Gingrich and some said he was going to endorse Mitt Romney. There was so much fuss about this endorsement that one would think that this was the defining moment in the contest. I know I certainly was breathlessly anticipating the announcement.
Now that the announcement has been made that he is backing the former Massachusetts governor, I’m a little more certain of my selection. He said his decision was based on his tough position on China and that old bugaboo of common sense, “electability”. Now we must keep in mind that electability is defined by the polls provided by the formerly mainstream media whose agenda is far different than those of us who love freedom and love our country. Need I add that it is an atheistic, socialistic formerly mainstream media we are turning to for electability measurement.
It is good to have a confirmation of the wisdom of my choice. Many others feel the same way. A FoxNews poll showed many of the same mind. Ten percent said his support would make the candidate more appealing while twenty seven percent said Trump’s endorsement would make them less likely to support a candidate. The rest just didn’t care.
Newt Gingrich’s convincing win in South Carolina has certainly opened up the GOP Presidential race considerably. Just a few days before, the formerly mainstream media, including many supposed conservative commentators were sure that Mitt Romney, after victories in Iowa and New Hampshire was on his way to a quick and decisive nomination as the Republican standard bearer.
However, as John Adams told us, “Facts are stubborn things”. The facts in this case, include the Iowa caucus results being reversed to give Rick Santorum the victory. Romney was no longer 2 – 0 in the prior contests. Another fact was that CBS News, in an obvious attempt to swing the election results, made a clumsy effort to damage the former Speaker with a hatchet job interview with his former wife.
As with many ill-conceived efforts to strong arm the public, an aggressive, confident response can turn the entire situation around. John King’s attempt to put Gingrich on the spot with an embarrassing question turned sour quickly as it was met with a surprisingly determined response that called out the network and the questioner for what they were. The crowd cheered. Instead of turning on the former Speaker, they understood this was just an attempt to dredge up old news and remove the effect of any repentance and change of heart the man may have had.
The Republican race is getting more interesting and gaining clarity as the days go by. Yet even as we see the contest settling down into four separate camps, we are looking at an artificial divide, with minimal distinctions in some areas. When we saw the first debate, there were far too many talented, but imperfect candidates. Compared to the other side, the Republicans were experiencing an embarrassment of riches.
Four recent news stories have helped bring us to the point where South Carolina could help define the future of the Republican Party and the United States of America. When it was needed to give Romney a boost toward ultimate victory, the powers that be in Iowa found the votes to give him a thin, eight vote, victory of Rick Santorum. Now, with time to reflect and review the ballots, it seems that the Pennsylvania senator now has a 34 vote lead – long after the news cycle that declared his nicely coiffed opponent the winner.
To make matters more interesting, these results may not be certified since eight units can not even find the material to verify their initial counts. Come on guys! Stolen elections and dishonest counts are a time honored tradition in the Democrat Party. When it comes to the GOP, I would like to attribute it to incompetence – given their unique ability to consistently snatch defeat from the jaws of victory, yet, even that is not very comforting. If I am wrong, however, it confirms our worst fears that those running the party care just as little about the will of the people as do the donkeys. Whatever the ultimate reason, if we ever learn it, the whole situation just does not pass the smell test.
When you talk to so many Democrats, you hear them characterize conservatives, and Republicans in particular, as soulless, rich white folks who get their money by taking advantage of poor, working folks. They buy companies, sell companies, and, worst of all, try to squeeze more and more out of the workers, eventually firing them in cost cutting efforts to bump their stock price up a few cents a share. They live secluded lives, apart from, and looking down on the little people they use to make their fortunes.
Now, let’s think about this for a moment. Is there any candidate, front runner or back marker, who fits this stereotypical image many hold of the GOP? I’ll give you a hint. He has really nice hair. He, along with others, bought companies – made some successful and sold others just for the assets, leaving the workers to find their own way to the unemployment office.
This is not necessarily an attack on all of the practices of Bain Capital, but we really need to look past the “electability” issue the press and Republican establishment keep pushing in our faces. Is this a time for anyone so removed from the average American to run for the presidency? In some ways, it’s a lot like the question, no matter what you think of his qualifications, is it the time for Jebb Bush to run for the office?
Looking past the press reports of Mitt Romney’s decisive victory in the Granite State primary, there are a few things that need to be considered. Using New Hampshire as a bell weather of anyone’s electability or even desirability is about as reliable as extrapolating Barack Obama’s popularity from results in the District of Columbia.
This small northeastern state, which by virtue of an accident of electoral timing, has found itself in a position of disproportional influence in the national debate. When we look at the political landscape, we find that it is as friendly to conservatives as MSNBC or CNN. How could we expect results different from those reported. We could, perhaps, expect a little deeper analysis in the reporting.
The fact that Jon Huntsman finished third says more about the character of the electorate than the quality of the candidate. When we look at the people running and representing the state, Romney and Huntsman fit right in – Gingrich, Santorum and Perry do not. Does this mean that because New Hampshire elects squishy Republicans and progressive Democrats, the rest of the country should make the same bad decisions?
The Iowa Caucuses have allowed the people of the small farm state the unusual opportunity to flex their political muscles. Beyond the timing of the event, there is no reason to pay this much attention a gaggle of hopefuls crisscrossing the state in an exercise of retail politics. There is nothing earth shattering about the number of delegates awarded, yet the press, both formerly mainstream and legitimate, make this one state of good people a bell weather for the entire nation.
Talking heads, ever looking to reasons to make their learned pronouncements, want to expand on the preferences of a little over a hundred thousand Iowa Hawkeyes, into a national referendum. There is a complete lack of perspective by inflating the importance of this state in the heartland America. However, if we do want to take a sampling to apply to the whole country… Iowa is as good as any… better than most.
Considering the crucial nature of the decision at hand, one has to wonder about the wisdom of permitting any one state, or early sequence of states to do the initial paring of an unwieldy number to the top few who will carry on to the end. The results might well have been different in South Carolina or New York. However this is the process we are dealing with and anyone who wants to be President really needs to be able to work with people from all over the country.
With all the enthusiasm for the various personalities running for the Republican nomination, it’s easy to loose sight of the issues that drive the need to replace the current White House resident. As the passions rise, so does the level of rhetoric and the hostility toward other candidates and their supporters. Passion is great, hostility toward others who should be on the same team is not. It makes it too easy to fragment ourselves in a way that makes it difficult to achieve our goal.
What are these issues? Here are some that are critical to our survival as a nation. I make no claim to omniscience, so there are probably others. However, we shall start with these for your consideration:
One of the most pressing problems our country is facing is the economic doldrums where the Federal Reserve and members of the banking community seem to be profiting nicely while the rest of the country is struggling for survival. They are continuously throwing new money in to the system as production plummets. Anyone with an understanding of non-Keynesian economics knows this will never work. The banks, even foreign banks and governments, are bailed out and the American citizen sees his dollars devalued as inflation depletes their purchasing power, and loans are still difficult to get.
With the rise of the tea party, we are witnessing an epic battle between the conservative grass roots and the more moderate (read more liberal or progressive) party insiders. The relationship can be acrimonious at times as the struggle to hold on to power often takes precedence over working for the good of the country.
However this division is nothing new. In 1964 the country witnessed the Goldwater and Rockefeller wings of the GOP do battle for the soul of the party and the welfare of the country. Having won the battle at the Republican National Convention in San Francisco, Barry Goldwater had to deal with party members who never acclimated themselves to the idea that their candidate was more guided by principle than by political considerations. To their horror, the party fathers are facing the same rebellion in the ranks this time around.
As I was watching Saturday night’s debate, a radical idea came into my mind. It was a thought that I’m sure will anger many partisans completely committed to one of the six remaining candidates. No, it’s not that I’m waiting for Sarah Palin to jump in to the race. We’ll look at that a little later. This radical thought is that, while every one of the Republicans on the stage had some valid points that would serve our country well, we do not have a perfect candidate among them. However, with such acrimony among the various supporters, it’s plain that it’s not just the candidates lacking in perfection.
Being human, we should know that perfection is not within our grasp. There comes a time when we have to just make the best choice we can, then make sure it works. Since there is no one that has every issue nailed down, the selection comes down to prioritizing the strong points of each one and making the painful decision about what we can put on the back burner for the moment as we accomplish our primary task of evicting Barack Hussein Obama from Washington public housing.
I’m sure there will be disputes about what the primary issue is, but let’s get started looking at what each prospective president would contribute to the cause. I also want to make clear that these issues are complex and those we look at are not the only strong points any of the people bring to the table or that they are not the only points that matter.
We are told by the Republican establishment and the formerly mainstream media that Mitt Romney is the only potential candidate that could defeat the current White House resident. They tell us that he is the only one who can appeal the uninvolved Americans living in the mushy middle. We are also told that positions by the others seeking the presidency proposing solutions that would actually work, are too far outside the mindset of the media and consumption numbed Americans to be acceptable.
As is so often the case, the conventional wisdom dispensed from on high fails to look beyond the prejudices of their own echo chamber of inside the beltway thinking. They miss so much that is plain to normal Americans. Mitt Romney, we are told, is the only one who is “presidential” enough to be convincing. I’m not exactly sure what “presidential” means. It could be that he is more like them… which, in itself, is frightening – and disqualifying. Being “presidential” could also mean a more regal air, or as some would see it, elitist.
One of the real reasons Romney is unelectable is the same reason the previous darling of the “moderates” in the Republican Party, John McCain was unelectable back in 2008. He related well to the insider king makers who felt comfortable with inoffensive style and acceptance of government solutions to non-governmental problems. He faced a broad field of candidates, most of whom were more conservative than McCain. The key to his victory in the winner take all primary system was fragmentation of the conservative vote.
We saw results of the Republican establishment meddling in the county just across the James River from my home. By looking to overthrow the certified candidate who lost their approval and imposing their own wishes, they have managed to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory. Even though, in this case, there might have been some justification, their efforts were totally devoid of common sense and practicality.
Matt Geary was the Republican candidate for Commonwealth Attorney, running unopposed. Then came the admission, “Last year I did something that I shouldn’t have done. I got into a relationship that I shouldn’t have been, and as a result I broke my wife’s heart, I broke my childrens’ heart.” Clearly he had done something wrong.
I do not know the man personally, so I cannot speak to the sincerity of his repentance. The Henrico County Republican establishment decided to take steps that committees all across the commonwealth attempt to stifle when it is the grassroots that are unhappy with their selection – they found someone to run against, supposedly, their own candidate.
It’s sometimes interesting watching the Republican presidential hopefuls argue and debate as they discuss the various issues facing our country today. Yet, there is one issue no one seems to want to take on. We have seen time and time again the best laid legislative efforts slapped down by a judiciary that has placed itself as the in a position, not just of administering the law, but of judging the law and even creating new laws.
Unless the problem is resolved, it could short circuit any kind of legislative effort to restore sanity our part of the world. To make matters worse, some courts, in Massachusetts, for example, have even taken it upon themselves to order legislatures to pass laws that meet their dictatorial demands.
We have even seen the courts overrule the will of the people after a referendum on homosexual marriage in California. Just recently, they have stuck their Pinocchio like proboscis into the efforts of Arizona and Alabama to make up for the national government’s failure to live up to it’s responsibility to protect the citizens against foreign invasion.
In some ways the large number of candidates seeking the Republican nomination for President seems to be an embarrassment of riches. Compared to the assumed opponent, everyone is a shining example of integrity and concern for their country. The problem is that comparing this field to Barack Hussein Obama is setting our sights way to low. Since I am not working for ESPN, I can say that compared to Hitler, Jimmy Carter wasn’t too bad a leader either.
We, the Americans who are not looking to take everything from our country and fellow citizens, can do better than simply finding someone that will do a better job than the current disgrace of an office holder. Our country has slid so far down the wrong direction and people realize this. Just going back part way would be missing out on a (“an” for those preferring the stuffy academic lingo) historic opportunity to turn our country around completely, not just part way.
There are a couple of people in the race who would do an admirable job if they were to find themselves in office. Unfortunately, unless they pick up some support quickly, the two to five percent each will win would be enough to throw the nomination to the likes of Mitt Romney – the man most rank and file Republicans find detestable. That is except for the ego tripping Jon Huntsman who has pretty much zero chance of getting the job.
There has been a great hullabaloo about Mitt Romney’s Mormon religion. For several reasons, this is a foolish smoke screen that distracts us from the real issues our country is dealing with. There are plenty of reasons to reject the politician who brought RomneyCare to the formerly great state of Massachusetts, but this is not one of them.
It’s easy for those trained in theological pursuits to draw up lines of distinctions between various groups and philosophies. For myself, who you may call a Bapticostal, I must treat everyone who will proclaim “Jesus Christ is Lord” and shows the fruit of the Spirit in his or her daily life, as a brother. It is God’s heaven and He is the one who decides admission criteria.
This is not to mean that I don’t see differences, and that I don’t evaluate those differences. Not being a member of his church, it is obvious that I am not in agreement with all of it’s teachings. I have the same to say about my Catholic friends. Yet, I am not going to take it upon myself to comment on their ultimate destination, as I heard many do during my youth. Such calls are far above my pay grade and my Bible tells me I should not judge another man’s servant. I have found myself standing side by side the my Catholic and Mormon brothers and sisters in opposing such abominations on our land as the killing of innocent babies or the destruction of marriages. I will look at the fruit they produce and God will judge the heart. Read more of this article »
There has been much speculation lately about Governor Cristie joining the GOP presidential race. It has been inspired in part by Republican establishment types shaking in their boots that they may have a genuine conservative representing “their” party. The other part of the equation is people who genuinely believe he is the answer to defeating the pretender in the White House.
I must admit that when he is taking on the unions and the press I am right their cheering along with the rest his fans. He has the chutzpa we need in this world of political correctness and cowardice. It’s kind of like the attitude of the t-shirt I saw in a store window along the Asbury Park boardwalk many years age, that said, “Welcome to New Jersey, Now go home”. People are responding to a leader that is not afraid to speak up and stand against the prevailing “wisdom”.
The problem comes when he partakes of the conventional “wisdom”. Governor Cristie does this with disheartening and frightening frequency. Of course, the agenda driven formerly mainstream media hasn’t really given the public much of a heads up on some of his more controversial positions.
Many years ago, the Republicans in Virginia came up with a document that sums up what the party says they believe. It pretty much covers the range of issues that concern Virginians and Americans. It presents viewpoints that most citizens could agree with and support. The creed goes back to the beliefs that drove our Founding Fathers when they created a new nation. This is what the Virginia Republicans say they believe:
That the free enterprise system is the most productive supplier of human needs and economic justice,
That all individuals are entitled to equal rights, justice, and opportunities and should assume their responsibilities as citizens in a free society,
That fiscal responsibility and budgetary restraints must be exercised at all levels of government, Read more of this article »
I recently saw an advertisement for a seminar on the US Constitution where the presenters took great pains to emphasize the fact that it was a non-partisan look at the document. This got me to thinking, most every such session does the same thing. Years ago, no one would have thought otherwise. What happened?
Despite what some judges would have us believe, the constitution is the same as it was a hundred years ago, or for that matter, two hundred years ago. Of course there have been amendments, but for the most part, they have clarifications. Yet there were some that changed the philosophy of parts of the document. Allowing senators to be elected by the people rather than keeping them tethered to state governments was one instance. Permitting a graduated income tax was another. Not all change is for the better.
But why, recently, do people feel the need to emphasize that a study of the constitution is a non-partisan endeavor? Could it be that one political party takes offense at the idea of people – the common folks who made this country great – want to know the rules by which the governmental games are to be played? If the people know what the limits of governmental power are, then they are in a position to holler “FOUL” when those limits have been exceeded. This would put such a crimp in the unauthorized expansion of power both parties have pursued.
Any kingdom divided against itself will be ruined, and a house divided against itself will fall. Luke 11:17b (NIV)
In Federalist Number 2, John Jay makes the point that this country came together as one to defeat the most awesome power in the world to win its independence. He, like other founders, believed that divine providence brought together this unique group of people with a common world view and a common love for liberty. His point point was that most people at the time had a common set of values and this allowed them to pull together in a common direction. This also led them to see everyone as their neighbor… and they looked out for their neighbors.
This is true today, unity is the key to success in an organization as well as a nation. As flawed as they are, most Republicans try to see people as individuals and as Americans. Sometimes they find themselves in a position of telling us that what is good for corporations is good for Americans – whether it is true in the particular situation or not.
On the other hand, we have another party that seeks to maintain its prosperity by keeping segments of the American people constantly up in arms about some real or imagined sleight at the hands of society in general, or some other group of people in particular. These dividers have the erroneous view of our world with prosperity being a fixed value… that one persons good fortune is the result of another persons misfortune. This thinking is epitomized by former congressman Dick Gephart’s reference to those who are well off as “winners in the lottery of life” – the implication being that the less fortunate have nothing to do with their lot in life and they just are the losers in the “lottery of life”. Read more of this article »
As I see talking heads on the news programs, read blogs or check out a multitude of posts on Facebook, I grow so weary of so many supposed conservatives and libertarians verbally beating up on each other because they do not align exactly with their vision of the ideal leader. I’m not talking about those tearing the current president apart or even the likes of Romney or Huntsman.
However, when I see 137 reasons why Rick Perry is a liar or 92 reasons why Sarah Palin would make a horrible candidate, not to mention Michelle Bachmann’s top 40 screw ups, or someone wants to tell me about the real Herman Cain, I want to run screaming from the building with my hands over my ears. Enough already! Even if some portion of the dirt is true, take a lesson from the Leadership Institute session on handling negative information and meter it out one piece at a time. Otherwise, people like me just ignore the whole mess.
Then there are those who apparently despise Glenn Beck who is not running for office. Usually it is because he is a Mormon or they think he is just pumping the people for money. In the latter case, does not he deserve something for the good he is doing, or would it be better for him to make his living as an ambulance chasing lawyer a la John Edwards?
One of Barack Hussein Obama’s most frequent complaints is that those pesky Republicans are placing party and politics over the good of the country. In some ways he is correct. One would have to ask what he is complaining about. He got his two trillion dollar blank check and he won’t have to bamboozle congress for more until after his defeat next year. Yet, somehow it is the Republicans fault that the economy is falling apart.
Yes, many Republicans did place party discipline and allegiance over actions they knew to be good for the country when they fell for the fearful John Boehner’s attempt to look statesmanlike by “compromising” with the administration and Harry Reid and giving the President exactly what he wanted – more money to spend and no further chance to stop it until after the people render their opinion of his presidency. I find the term “compromise” a little odd when one side gives up just about everything they fought for and the other side gets exactly what they wanted. Yet the president needs someone to blame his failure on, since it could not possibly be his policies.
This is what happens when our elected representatives place party loyalty and submission to those in leadership positions over following the wishes of those who put them in office – their bosses. How will they fair when the citizens render an opinion on their performance? Considering the fact that generic incumbents have a re-election rate percentage in the nineties and that they will usually be running against socialistic Democrats whose moral turpitude makes them completely unsuited for any kind of responsible position. Our only hope of getting through to them is through primary challenges. Read more of this article »
In watching the debate of Republican presidential candidates I saw a stage full of essentially decent people. Any of these people would be better than the current White House occupant. There are some who would be somewhat better than the Chosen One, and some who would be a breath of fresh air and would bring the hope and change our country was promised, but never received. Then there are those who fall somewhere in between.
What was clear is that within this group are some pretty good ideas. Then there are some pretty bad ideas as well. Some appear presidential and some would be very good advisers. Observing each of these candidates, I thought back to the early days of GOPAC where one of the primary teachings for those looking to run for office was that you run because you want to DO something, not because you want to BE something. I get the sinking feeling in listening to some that they just want to BE president.
At the risk of being misinterpreted as having made up my mind who would be the best choice to give Barack Hussein Obama the boot, I would offer the some thoughts on what I’ve seen. Read more of this article »
Yesterday’s drop of 512 in the Dow shows the smashing success of the debt ceiling bill foisted on the American people. We were told increasing the debt limit so the national government can continue spending money on all sorts of schemes to control, rather than benefit the citizens, would eliminate the uncertainty hanging over the business world and the economy would soar out of the doldrums and go into a hiring frenzy like we’ve never seen. Oh yes, and it would user in an era of love, peace and harmony. Well, maybe not.
It’s not exactly happening like the Keynesians planned. The opening of the federal purse is almost guaranteed, they tell us, to open the wellsprings of prosperity on the huddled masses. Unfortunately, this plan has been tried recognizably since the Roosevelt administration and before, and they are still looking for their first success… as are the Europeans and the Greeks, especially the Greeks.
Pollster Scott Rasmussen reports that just 22% of the people approve of this plan that gives the President a pass on this argument until after the election. 26% of us who have no idea of what is going on have no opinion and 53% are actively opposed to the deal. As with ObamaCare and many other emanations from the banks of the Potomac, operations are in direct conflict with the desires and wisdom of the American people. Read more of this article »
Just a few days ago, congress had the opportunity to remove one of the thumbprints of tyranny from the lives of the American people. A vote came up in the House of Representatives that gave the body the ability to actually represent the wishes of the citizens. The vote came and went and the people, who are quickly becoming subjects, were still stuck with the mercury filled light bulbs, loved by the followers of Algore and Company. We still are being forced to have these dangerous, so our government keepers tell us, products in our homes. Hazmats in the house it would seem.
How did this happen in a branch of government supposedly run by Republicans who are supposedly looking out for the well being of the American people? It happened because ten Republicans chose to side with the progressive Democrats to send our last hope crashing down in flames. Two of these people, are from my home state of Virginia… I am so ashamed of what has come of those we were proud to see elected.
This shows that we cannot depend on party labels to insure sanity in the legislature. Although, if someone admits to being a Democrat, we can be pretty sure they will not be on the side of freedom… unless it is freedom to kill your offspring. It does show the wisdom of the saying, “Don’t listen to what people say, watch what they do.” Since politicians are a loquacious bunch, they throw a lot of words at us as a smokescreen and would like us to believe and act on those words. Read more of this article »
After the tragic shooting of Arizona Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords which claimed the lives of several others, including Federal District Judge John Roll, the progressive left screamed for a return to a level of civility. The civility they were demanding was from their opponents apparently, as they made no move in this direction themselves. The fact that Judge Roll was at the center of the Arizona immigration law dispute, and may actually have been the primary target is beside the point when our socialist opponents want to make the most of a crisis or tragedy.
As we moved forward from that calamity in Tuscon, the left kept up their vicious and, largely unfounded, attacks on anyone exhibiting even a minor degree of common sense. During that time the semi-loyal opposition maintained, in general, a more gentlemanly and ladylike demeanor, refusing to call the regime and its’ supporters on the vile and disgusting behavior and speech visible on the nightly news and in the blogosphere.
In some ways it is a credit to these American patriots that they did not stoop to the level of their opponents. Their behavior was usually measured and circumspect. In some ways it makes one wonder if they take the battle to save our republic as seriously and those who stand against our liberties do. As I noted before, their behavior was usually measured and circumspect – except when it came to dealing with opponents from within their own camp. Read more of this article »
I was chatting recently with a friend in the Republican Party about some of the people looking for the presidential nomination. Although I like and respect the gentleman, it was a meeting of the two kinds of Republicans – one a party person and the other an issue person. We both agreed that the pretender to the presidency was taking us in the wrong direction.
Our solutions, though, would take us in two different directions. The traditional Republican approach is to use conflicts with the Democrats to try to work out a compromise. The idea is to get concessions from the other side – for instance, in giving them a debt ceiling increase in exchange for significant cuts in spending. This traditional approach makes the assumption that they are 1) dealing with people you can trust to keep their word and 2) that we, in our already bankrupt condition, can afford to go even further into debt.
This thinking, I believe, is a result of the normalcy bias that prevents people from seeing the real dangers that present themselves, particularly because they never have been present in the past. It is same normalcy bias that led World Trade Center workers to return to their offices to turn off computers and lights rather than get themselves out of the building as quickly as they could. Some died because of this delay. Read more of this article »
The news this morning reported some Republican senators, John Cornyn and John McCain in particular, have indicated they would be agreeable to some government revenue increases. This is why the Republicans find it difficult to push through any kind of smaller government agenda. There are always those in their number who want to appear reasonable and not rock the boat too much.
The nasty secret is that too many Republicans just don’t subscribe to the smaller government thinking that our founders handed down to us. Unfortunately we have been unfaithful keepers of our heritage and have allowed smooth talkers in fancy suits to convince us that they are on our side then go back to DC and vote for more spending and more borrowing. They point to the President’s willingness to talk about spending reductions as indications that a deal is possible.
Yes, he has talked about billions in reduction in such things as Medicare and other such programs. First, he is talking about programs many people benefit from and arbitrary cuts would infuriate them… hopefully at the Republicans. He totally ignores all the governmental waste that only benefits the chosen few… the unions, foreign dictators, and academic hair brains and their esoteric experiments like treadmills for sea creatures. Read more of this article »
Sometimes I have to wonder if the usually wrong, Arianna Huffington was right that our two party system has given us a pro-abortion corporate party and an anti-abortion corporate party. Over recent years it seems the similarities extend far beyond the concern for corporate welfare. It seems that for all the partisan rhetoric each side produces, the net results of their efforts is remarkably similar. For the partisans who believe their favorite political organization can do no wrong… read on, I shall explain.
For those whose memories extend back as far as the 2008 presidential campaign, you may recall how adamant Barack Obama was about closing Guantanamo Bay and bringing the troops home from Iraq and Afghanistan. His followers hung on his every word, swooning occasionally for good measure. They thought the goal of world peace was at hand as their messiah would lead our enemies, which they didn’t really admit were our enemies, to beat there swords into plowshares. The reality is that he continued the war, even taking credit for the demise of Usama bin Laden. Our soldiers continued to die, and now, we are hearing reports of military involvement in Libya. The more pragmatic of his followers are amazingly silent while the true believers are hopping mad. And to put icing on the cake, Guantanamo Bay is still opened!
On the other side of the aisle, most Republicans talk a good fiscal conservatism game, yet, when push comes to shove, so many are entrenched in their own world of earmarks and pet government programs that economizing efforts are tepid at best. Many of their number have been infected with beltway fever to the point where they don’t even point out the madness exemplified by Secretary of Defense Robert Gates recent pronouncements that it may become necessary to reduce military pay… while we are borrowing and sending billions to countries that don’t even like us and our tax dollars pay for gay film festivals in eastern European counties and support research that puts crabs on treadmills. Read more of this article »
The Republican 2012 presidential field looks to be crowded this year, and no clear front runner has emerged as of yet. Maybe because of the potential crowd, including those that have yet to commit, or maybe…the media is choosing candidates for us, and as in the past, those candidates are less than exciting. I suppose it could be my paranoia and distaste for the mainstream media that causes me to float this conspiracy theory. Yeah, maybe it’s just me.
The 2008 Republican field brought us the likes of Mitt Romney, Fred Thompson, Rudy Guiliani, and a few others that the media made sure never had a chance. Tom Tancredo comes to mind. Once those candidates saw that there was no way they could defeat Barack Obama-or any other Democratic candidate for that matter, they dropped out of the race, leaving the sputtering John McCain campaign to be the sacrificial lamb. And sacrificial he was. He never had a chance. Even Republicans weren’t happy with him, but in the end, he was the only one that stayed in. McCain didn’t put up much of a fight. In fact, none of them did. So what are the prospects for 2012?
We see the media choosing candidates for the people already. CNN had a list of potential candidates a few months ago, and it included the usual suspects. Romney, Daniels, Palin, a few others, but as it stands now, none that could defeat Obama next year. Political vetting isn’t just coming from the left. Hugh Hewitt, a noted conservative talk show host, said that Herman Cain should drop out of the race. He had no chance of winning and was just taking up valuable media time. Then there was a conservative host I heard tonight. The name escapes me, but he had Romney front and center. He took a shot at Ron Paul, the perennial nut that everyone likes to joke about. When mentioning Paul, the guy played the cuckoo clock sound effect in the background, just to make sure we all knew this guy wasn’t a serious candidate. He said Ron Paul has as much of chance of becoming president as Osama bin Laden. Cuckoo, cuckoo. Read more of this article »
This past Sunday, Former Speaker Newt Gingrich admitted to regime flunky David Gregory that he was in favor of the same type individual mandate that Virginia, Florida and many other states afflicted with common sense went to court to fight. In a brilliantly seductive manner the former congressman promoted a progressive ideal using conservative language.
Yes, Newt is a highly intelligent man. It is quite likely he knows exactly what he is doing and saying. Many say there is little difference between the two parties. As much as we who passionately work for the victory of our favorite Republicans would like to believe otherwise, thinking like this make it hard to see things in any other way. Read more of this article »
We see all sorts of histrionics inside the beltway as our government faces yet one more showdown in the struggle to provide all the promised porkbarrel perks to the voters without totally bankrupting them. The Democrats say they see the problem, but tell us the needs are just too pressing in so many areas that it is impossible to significantly cut spending in any areas. About the best the Republicans can come up with is a plan to balance the budget in about five years.
Less than that, we are told would be “irresponsible”. It is somewhat understandable that expecting those, including government employees, to deal with a cut off of the flow of taxpayer funds is a little too much to expect. Psychologically it would appear difficult to pull the plug on programs that came about with “bi-partisan” support. Even Republicans have their pet programs they want to see continue in spite of the economic difficulties.
Speaker Boehner’s position that increased taxes are off the table is a welcome start. We can hope that he and the rest of the GOP contingent will hang tough on this. The proposal that any increase in the debt ceiling be accompanied by an equal reduction in spending is a good idea and represents symbolism that will put the progressive socialists in a terrible bind. To get the funds they need to carry out their schemes, they have to give up part of them. Read more of this article »
If you like the copyrighted content of Political Christian and would like to repost, republish or email the material, permission is granted for any article attributed to Larry Miller provided 1) there is a link back to this site and 2) there is no subscription fee and no paid advertising.
For other circumstances and other contributors, please contact larry@politicachristian.org or follow links that may be provided.
Be the First to Comment 
With all the enthusiasm for the various personalities running for the Republican nomination, it’s easy to loose sight of the issues that drive the need to replace the current White House resident. As the passions rise, so does the level of rhetoric and the hostility toward other candidates and their supporters. Passion is great, hostility toward others who should be on the same team is not. It makes it too easy to fragment ourselves in a way that makes it difficult to achieve our goal.
As I was watching Saturday night’s debate, a radical idea came into my mind. It was a thought that I’m sure will anger many partisans completely committed to one of the six remaining candidates. No, it’s not that I’m waiting for Sarah Palin to jump in to the race. We’ll look at that a little later. This radical thought is that, while every one of the Republicans on the stage had some valid points that would serve our country well, we do not have a perfect candidate among them. However, with such acrimony among the various supporters, it’s plain that it’s not just the candidates lacking in perfection.
We are told by the Republican establishment and the formerly mainstream media that Mitt Romney is the only potential candidate that could defeat the current White House resident. They tell us that he is the only one who can appeal the uninvolved Americans living in the mushy middle. We are also told that positions by the others seeking the presidency proposing solutions that would actually work, are too far outside the mindset of the media and consumption numbed Americans to be acceptable.
We saw results of the Republican establishment meddling in the county just across the James River from my home. By looking to overthrow the certified candidate who lost their approval and imposing their own wishes, they have managed to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory. Even though, in this case, there might have been some justification, their efforts were totally devoid of common sense and practicality.
It’s sometimes interesting watching the Republican presidential hopefuls argue and debate as they discuss the various issues facing our country today. Yet, there is one issue no one seems to want to take on. We have seen time and time again the best laid legislative efforts slapped down by a judiciary that has placed itself as the in a position, not just of administering the law, but of judging the law and even creating new laws.
In some ways the large number of candidates seeking the Republican nomination for President seems to be an embarrassment of riches. Compared to the assumed opponent, everyone is a shining example of integrity and concern for their country. The problem is that comparing this field to Barack Hussein Obama is setting our sights way to low. Since I am not working for ESPN, I can say that compared to Hitler, Jimmy Carter wasn’t too bad a leader either.
There has been a great hullabaloo about Mitt Romney’s Mormon religion. For several reasons, this is a foolish smoke screen that distracts us from the real issues our country is dealing with. There are plenty of reasons to reject the politician who brought RomneyCare to the formerly great state of Massachusetts, but this is not one of them.
There has been much speculation lately about Governor Cristie joining the GOP presidential race. It has been inspired in part by Republican establishment types shaking in their boots that they may have a genuine conservative representing “their” party. The other part of the equation is people who genuinely believe he is the answer to defeating the pretender in the White House.
Many years ago, the Republicans in Virginia came up with a document that sums up what the party says they believe. It pretty much covers the range of issues that concern Virginians and Americans. It presents viewpoints that most citizens could agree with and support. The creed goes back to the beliefs that drove our Founding Fathers when they created a new nation. This is what the Virginia Republicans say they believe:
I recently saw an advertisement for a seminar on the US Constitution where the presenters took great pains to emphasize the fact that it was a non-partisan look at the document. This got me to thinking, most every such session does the same thing. Years ago, no one would have thought otherwise. What happened?
Any kingdom divided against itself will be ruined, and a house divided against itself will fall. Luke 11:17b (NIV)
As I see talking heads on the news programs, read blogs or check out a multitude of posts on Facebook, I grow so weary of so many supposed conservatives and libertarians verbally beating up on each other because they do not align exactly with their vision of the ideal leader. I’m not talking about those tearing the current president apart or even the likes of Romney or Huntsman.
One of Barack Hussein Obama’s most frequent complaints is that those pesky Republicans are placing party and politics over the good of the country. In some ways he is correct. One would have to ask what he is complaining about. He got his two trillion dollar blank check and he won’t have to bamboozle congress for more until after his defeat next year. Yet, somehow it is the Republicans fault that the economy is falling apart.
In watching the debate of Republican presidential candidates I saw a stage full of essentially decent people. Any of these people would be better than the current White House occupant. There are some who would be somewhat better than the Chosen One, and some who would be a breath of fresh air and would bring the hope and change our country was promised, but never received. Then there are those who fall somewhere in between.
Yesterday’s drop of 512 in the Dow shows the smashing success of the debt ceiling bill foisted on the American people. We were told increasing the debt limit so the national government can continue spending money on all sorts of schemes to control, rather than benefit the citizens, would eliminate the uncertainty hanging over the business world and the economy would soar out of the doldrums and go into a hiring frenzy like we’ve never seen. Oh yes, and it would user in an era of love, peace and harmony. Well, maybe not.
Just a few days ago, congress had the opportunity to remove one of the thumbprints of tyranny from the lives of the American people. A vote came up in the House of Representatives that gave the body the ability to actually represent the wishes of the citizens. The vote came and went and the people, who are quickly becoming subjects, were still stuck with the mercury filled light bulbs, loved by the followers of Algore and Company. We still are being forced to have these dangerous, so our government keepers tell us, products in our homes. Hazmats in the house it would seem.
After the tragic shooting of Arizona Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords which claimed the lives of several others, including Federal District Judge John Roll, the progressive left screamed for a return to a level of civility. The civility they were demanding was from their opponents apparently, as they made no move in this direction themselves. The fact that Judge Roll was at the center of the Arizona immigration law dispute, and may actually have been the primary target is beside the point when our socialist opponents want to make the most of a crisis or tragedy.
I was chatting recently with a friend in the Republican Party about some of the people looking for the presidential nomination. Although I like and respect the gentleman, it was a meeting of the 
Sometimes I have to wonder if the usually wrong, Arianna Huffington was right that our two party system has given us a pro-abortion corporate party and an anti-abortion corporate party. Over recent years it seems the similarities extend far beyond the concern for corporate welfare. It seems that for all the partisan rhetoric each side produces, the net results of their efforts is remarkably similar. For the partisans who believe their favorite political organization can do no wrong… read on, I shall explain.
By
We see all sorts of histrionics inside the beltway as our government faces yet one more showdown in the struggle to provide all the promised porkbarrel perks to the voters without totally bankrupting them. The Democrats say they see the problem, but tell us the needs are just too pressing in so many areas that it is impossible to significantly cut spending in any areas. About the best the Republicans can come up with is a plan to balance the budget in about five years.
