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 »
Back in February of 2010, I appeared on Neil Cavuto’s FOXBusiness TV show to talk about the emergence and effectiveness of America’s Tea Party movement. I warned FOX biz host Charles Payne that I was very concerned about the Tea Parties being infiltrated and taken over by big-government neocons.
See my interview on Neil Cavuto’s show (hosted by Charles Payne): Click Here
With more than a year having gone by since that interview, I believe the concerns I expressed on FOX were more than warranted. I am seeing more and more Tea Parties fall into the same trap, as did their predecessors back in the “Conservative Revolution” of 1994 and ‘95.
Right here in my home State of Montana, voters overwhelmingly threw the liberal Democrats out of both State houses and replaced them with Republicans who campaigned on strong conservative rhetoric. But what has happened since? Neocon Republicans in leadership positions squashed the best legislation and bullied compromised, big-government legislation through both chambers. The result: big-government neocons, once again, stymied and squashed the efforts of constitutionalist GOP legislators. Read more of this article »
Those of us who hold hard core conservative beliefs will often find ourselves thinking of unreliable Republicans as RINOs. To the three readers not familiar with the term it stands for Republican In Name Only. Many fine examples of this designation are Lindsey Graham, Richard Lugar, and the wicked witches of Maine. While it is true that these often deviate from Republican orthodoxy, the title relies on a central assumption that we must give serious consideration.
The assumption is that the normal Republican is a small government conservative. Unfortunately, this may just be wishful thinking on our part. The thing we must remember is that before Barry Goldwater came along, people like the progressive Nelson Rockefeller represented a large portion of the party. Later Pat Robertson brought many Christian conservatives into the party. Ron Paul has more recently brought many young libertarians into the fold. Yet few of these newcomer groups have managed to make deep inroads into the power structure. The old guard still clings to power.
There is often a significant gap between the party rank and file and those making important decisions. Yet their rhetoric is supportive of the common man and his liberty. They even welcome the support of the Tea Party. Unfortunately, their actions often are more for the benefit of the wealthy donors and special interests… just with a little more subtlety than the Democrats. We need only look at the recent selection of RNC Chairman Reince Priebus who was thought to be best able to smooze donors and raise money. True, money is important but the leadership continuously subordinates the desires and welfare of the poor schlepps who take to the streets and get the job done on election day to the wishes of those who pay the bills. Read more of this article »
This weekend I took my five year old grandson to the Greatest Show on Earth. He had a permanent grin on his face from the time the show began until he kind of dozed off on the way home. He loved the clowns, the acrobats, tight rope walkers, zebras, elephants and tigers. The boy was blissfully ignorant of the turmoil in the world about us.
He was typical of youngsters in the smaller than usual crowd. The government damaged economy gave the circus joy to fewer families this year… and there are many children just like who have never had the opportunity to enjoy such an evening. Yet, all of the younger generation, privileged or not, already have debt upon debt piled on them by the scoundrels in Washington who insist on borrowing money that will never be paid off in their lifetimes to finance giveaways to people who vote to keep them in office.
If you’re like me, you really hate to think of the thousands of dollars that have already been committed in my grandson’s name, with more being piled on every day. We have three choices… only three. Read more of this article »
Even though he has not officially announced his intention to make a run for the White House, Donald Trump has shot to the top, or near the top, of many Republican presidential polls, much to the consternation of many who already have an emotional investment in one potential candidate or another… or in their ability to act as king maker within the party. Weather he can ultimately win, or if he would be good for the country is a question for another day.
Many political advisors and analysts will most likely miss, what I believe, is the key to his meteoric rise in this new area of endeavor. If they were to see this, the question would arise, why aren’t they telling their clients to do the same? Instead they keep advising their charges to try to act like statesmen, rather than actually being one.
Trump, with is vast experience in negotiations and public relations, has pulled few punches and is viewing Barack Hussein Obama as an enemy to be defeated rather than someone they have to make nice with. His “go for the throat” style of valuing results over process may frustrate him if he ever has to deal with the Senate, but it resonates with many who see the country falling apart and people in leadership positions who can only express “concern” and spend far too much time explaining why they can’t get the job done. Read more of this article »
I often receive inquiries from college and university students. Contrary to the thinking of most older adults, I find a sizable number of today’s youth much more constitutionally aware than are their parents. I’ve traveled all over America and spoken to thousands of high school and college age young people. My observation is this: the youth of America have not rejected the message of liberty and constitutional government; they haven’t HEARD the message of liberty and constitutional government. When they do hear it, as often as not, they embrace the message enthusiastically. If the Ron Paul Revolution of 2008 proved anything, it proved that!
Recently, a student from a prestigious university wrote me with a short list of questions for a thesis he is writing, which is entitled, “The Effect of the Evangelical Movement on the 2008 Presidential Election.” He reads my columns and was motivated to ask me to contribute to his report. I am using today’s column to answer his questions.
Question: “What, in your opinion, is the best way for the government and religious organizations to interact?”
Answer: The best way for government and religious institutions to interact is the same way that government and virtually all institutions should interact: by the government staying the heck out of their business! Read more of this article »
I just read an interview with new RNC Chairman Reince Priebus, and, while he seems to be a good, dedicated man, it left me somewhat concerned about the future of our country. His predecessor, Michael Steele also is a good man, and he tried to do a good job. Yet, even if the new guy gets it all right, we need to be sure it is the job that needs to be done.
He has been hailed as the answer to the party’s financial woes. Woes that stem from the $23 million dollar debt left by the man who held the job before him. Somehow Steele is blamed for this financial fiasco as if his lack of fund raising skills was solely responsible for this debacle. Let’s think about this for a bit.
The Republican Party is the one that trumpets its dedication to fiscal responsibility. The thrust of the party line is that our national government running up unconcionable debt is the result of two factors – the amount of revenue and the amount spent. Yet, the party finds itself struggling under a load of debt… debt not all incurred by the former chairman. Like a less than successful football team, they seek to change their fortunes by changing the coach. The new guy seems to be doing fairly well as his efforts during his short tenure has reduced that debt by 2 million dollars. Read more of this article »
They cheered. We cheered. The courageous words stir our hearts and our spirits. We are inspired by those who speak of standing up against an oppressive government and look to them to lead the way, and secretly hope that their sacrifices will be sufficient to get the job done. But, what if it isn’t enough? What if the task falls to us? Will we take up the task and do what is right, or will we lament the lost freedoms… and apologize to our children for having destroyed their legacy.
We admire Daniel along with Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego who stood against prideful monarchs who set themselves against the Almight God. But, some would say, our guns do not compare to the divine worship. This is true, however they could be one of the restraining influences that keeps our current government from trampling on even more of our God-given rights and privileges… including our ability to worship and, worse, spread the word. Read more of this article »
This morning I read an editorial urging those discouraged by Majority Whip Eric Cantor’s tepid efforts to fight the Obama agenda to quit complaining and do something about it. The writer encouraged those living in Virginia’s Seventh District to join the various party commitees and help push the party and its elected representatives to the right and encourage the congressman to match his actions more closely with hisw campaign rhetoric. This is good advice if people are willing to get off of their expanded posteriors and take part in the nuts and bolts activities that keep a party running.
I understand that for many, fussing about the deficits, bemoaning the death of innocent babies and bellyaching about diminishing individual rights in the face of ever epanding governments at all levels is far more satisfying in the short term than doing the party grunt work like passing out literature in rain on election day of putting out signs in the dark of night to stay one step ahead of the county’s sign nazis intent on keeping the area clear of such unseemly displays. However, unless you are a silver tongued, community organizing shyster, the path to political influence and power takes you through the back rooms of campaign headquarters and party offices. It’s not glamorous work, but if those of us with a positive vision for the restoration of our country don’t step forward and fill the various adminstrative and leadership spots, they will be filled by those with only personal ambition to guide them.
Is this theory… or fact? I’ll let you judge by my experience. I joined my local Republican committee many years ago… and did the low level political stuff.. putting up signs, stuffing envelopes, cleaning up after fundraisers, and the like. I was like many new to the political experience then, and some now, wide eyed and thrilled to be among the leaders of our county and state… and nation. As I got to know them better, I found that some were the real deal and others proved to be less than meets the eye. As an old employer used to tell me, it is good to be disillusioned, because our illusions aren’t real anyway. Read more of this article »
In 1966, while running for Governor in California, Ronald Reagan formulated what has come to be known as the Eleventh Commandment: “Thou shalt not speak ill of any fellow Republican.” This was in response to the trash talk about conservative 1964 presidential candidate Barry Goldwater by so-called moderate Republicans. In general is was a pretty useful and workable rule at the time.
However today it seems to only work in one direction as we have seen in the uncivil treatment received by Sarah Palin or Ron Paul and others at the conservative/libertarian end of the spectrum. While conservatives have gotten used to the being ostracized and having lies and half truths told about them, the more moderate members of the party seem to have much thinner skin.
We are told we should not be criticizing Republicans who are throwing conservative principles under the bus as the country plunges downward in an economic tailspin. While party members are squelched when bringing this up, polls show more anger among conservatives at the Republicans than Democrats. This should be cause for concern by those counting on this voting block.
The practice of catering to incumbents, despite a lack of adherence to generally accepted, smaller, less intrusive government thinking has led the party to silently take the poison pill of semi-Democrat influence in the leadership positions. Yet no one is supposed to speak up. Read more of this article »
“This is a saaad day for the women of Virginia” was the sound bite that was played and replayed on radio and television stations around the Commonwealth of Virginia on the day that the General Assembly voted to require abortion clinics to adhere to much the same standards as hospitals. Forget the fact that women have died because facilities were not adequate to handle the emergencies of an abortion gone wrong… that was a small price to pay for the convenience of easily killing one’s offspring.
In some ways, it is kind of useless trying to make such places safer, since, by definition half the people who come onto the premises die before they leave. Yet, it is a step in the right direction. How, one would ask, is making abortions safer a step in the right direction. The pro-death crowd understood immediately – mourning the fact that the new regulations would cause more than half the of Virginia’s clinics to close their doors.
This may be the first time that the progressive left recognized the reality that heavy regulations close business and increase unemployment. We can hope that the lesson, that put the squeeze on one of their sacred cows, will carry over to other areas of government action. We can also hope that they care about business and workers who are not about perpetuating this American holocaust. Read more of this article »
The recent CPAC conference in the nation’s capitol made a brief splash and now it’s gone. Many opponents of the President’s policies were present to stir the crowd with firey rhetoric heard from few elected public servants anywhere, and even fewer inside the beltway. It was, perhaps, cathartic for those who attended. And many attended… but many did not.
The newly influential presence of the group that bills itself as “homosexual conservative” was a stumbling block to many. A great many well known political figures skipped this year’s event because of the highly visible involvement of GOProud.
Objections came on two levels. The first, and the one most expected, was based on the concept that homosexuality is wrong, as described in various scriptures, such as Leviticus 20:13 “If a man lies with a man as one lies with a woman, both of them have done what is detestable. They must be put to death; their blood will be on their own heads.” (NIV) Read more of this article »
I was thrilled to see J.B. Williams report in NewsWithViews.com that the State of Montana has a broad-based State nullification bill currently proposed in its legislature. Derek Skees (R-Whitefish) is the State legislator who has introduced this much-needed legislation.
See the story at: http://www.newswithviews.com:80/JBWilliams/williams130.htm
The fact is, Skees’ State Nullification bill is only one of several outstanding freedom-first bills that is currently before the Montana legislature. I urge readers to go to PolyMontana.com to look at the many other fine pieces of pro-freedom legislation pending in the Montana State legislature: http://polymontana.com/legislators/freedom-bills/
Unfortunately, one of those very fine bills has already been defeated: the “Sheriffs First” bill sponsored by Senator Greg Hinkle (R-Thompson Falls). This bill is long overdue and absolutely necessary to prevent federal usurpation of State and local law enforcement. That the Montana legislature failed to pass this bill indicates just how necessary it is to elect State legislators who truly understand constitutional government. I urge readers to read the following defense of the Sheriffs First law, written by my son, Constitutional Attorney Tim Baldwin: http://tinyurl.com/4aclefs Read more of this article »
My first experience with George Allen came a few years after I escaped from Sopranoland and arrived in the Old Dominion. He was a one term congressman who had just been redistricted out of his seat by the partisan Democrat machine that ruled the commonwealth with an iron fist in those dark, dreary days. He was a young and hungry politician eager to press the flesh and meet the people.
He was running for governor in the early days of 1993 eagerly seeking people to join his “A-Team” as he ran on a “Jeffersonian conservative” platform that included keeping bad actors off the streets longer through the abolition of parole and a generally more efficient government in Richmond. My teenage daughter spent time working at his campaign headquarters and was thrilled when he came around and chatted with those volunteering their time on his behalf.
Much to the chagrin of the entrenched Democrat establishment, Allen won and took up residency in the Governor’s Mansion. He kept his promise to restore truth in sentencing and end the practice of paroling violent criminals long before their time was served. He even went further and made the Department of Motor Vehicles a functioning part of Virginia government. Many other accomplishments marked his time in office, which was ended by term limits, and the citizens were indeed better off for George Allen having served. Read more of this article »
Newspapers, along with TV anchors and infobabes love to tell stories of dissension within the ranks of the Republican Party. They enjoy pouring fuel on any kind of sparks, trying to fan them into a blaze that negates the effectiveness of any politician not pushing progressive Democrat values. The problem is that there is some basis for the stories about factions within the Grand Old Party.
To those on the outside, the differences may appear to be simple personality conflicts or random loyalty fights. The fact is it goes much deeper than that. There are really two distinct groups within the party. When things are going well, it’s hard to tell one from the other. However the recent electoral victories by tea party candidates have deepened these differences and peeled back the veneer of smiling faces.
The first type is the structural Republican. With these, it is a tradition and they may have been in the party all their lives. They feel a kind of proprietary interest in it. They would vote for anyone as long as they have an R by their name on the ballot and will continue to support them no matter how far they stray from party orthodoxy. Because of their party orientation, these are usually the people who show up at party functions and usually run for party offices.
The President has made his spectacular speech, and, by generally accepted political standards, it was a success in that he said something to annoy just about everyone. This thinking presupposes that compromise – moving to the middle – is always a good thing. It’s the product of the belief that all points of view are equally valid and meeting in the middle is something that helps everyone move their agenda forward.
The problem is that when you have completely opposite views, compromise will will do neither side justice. Today, we have a government run by orthodox Keynesians who believe infusions of public cash are necessary to keep the economy running on all cylinders. These people have told us time and time again that more and more spending is the answer to our troublesome times, even if we have to watch our debt skyrocket to do it.
There opponents tell us that excessive government spending saps the market of capital needed to create businesses that hire workers. Then we have some, who say they are in league with the reduced spending, smaller government crowd who, enter into negotiations with the big spenders, already looking for a common ground compromise… so they have given significant ground before the battle has even begun. All the other side has to do is make more and more outrageous demand, depending on the “reasonable” conservatives, usually calling themselves “fiscal” conservatives, desiring to distinguish themselves from “principled” conservatives, to give in so as to give the appearance of a statesmanship that is above mere politics. Read more of this article »
Having just endured the State of the Union speech by the current White House resident, hearing the voice from the past addressing situations similar to those we face today is at once, exhilarating and depressing. The solutions worked back in 1981 and they will work today. The history is past and provable. Current solutions are only theory… based on a theory that has never worked. Read more of this article »
Republican National Committee Chairman, Michael Steele’s term is almost up and there is quite a buzz in the air around insider circles and talking heads over whether or not he should keep his job. That this should even be a topic of discussion after the tremendous victory the party recently enjoyed is just one more indication of the tumultuous times in which we live. It shows the old rules of political warfare simply don’t apply today.
Some of the arguments of his opponents are more telling about about the upset insiders than about the man himself. He was their darling a few years back when he allowed them to hold off conservative challengers for the position. He represented the desired demographics as the me-too Republicans felt the need to demonstrate a public inclusiveness on their part. Now that he has outlived his usefulness, they are ready to toss him aside. At one time he showed much promise as Lt. Governor of the Peoples Republic of Maryland, but like many of the political class, failed to provide the leadership the people needed.
A few years ago when I was more involved in party politics, I had the opportunity to chat with Michael Steele at The Homestead during Virginia’s Republican Advance. I found him to be a pleasant, intelligent and well spoken gentleman… a typical Republican. He was not, however, the fire breathing patriot we need today to lead us out of the mess we find ourselves in. Read more of this article »
Orlando, FL – Between his campaign against President Gerald Ford in 1975-76 and his race against Jimmy Carter, Ronald Reagan delivered more than 1,000 radio broadcasts, running about three minutes each, writing nearly all of them himself. In one broadcast during the Christmas season, Mr. Reagan told a story about Christmas in the Ukraine before and after Communism.
In an effort to resist Christians, Communist leaders secularized a favorite Ukrainian Christmas carol, “Nova Radist Stala” (Joyous News Has Come to Us). The original song began with these words: “The joyous news has come which never was before. Over a cave above a manger a bright star has lit the world, where Jesus was born from a virgin maiden, …” Communists feared the public outcry that would follow a complete ban on Christmas, so they began to slowly secularize the holiday. The first rewrite of the song began: “The joyous news has come which never was before, a red star with five tails has brightly lit the world.” The second rewrite went further: “The joyous news has come which never was before. Long-awaited star of freedom lit the skies in October [the month of the Revolution]. Where formerly lived the kings and had the roots their nobles, there today with simple folks, Lenin’s glory hovers.”
The former Soviet Union eventually began banning Christmas commemorations. St. Nicholas was replaced with “Did Moroz,” or Grandfather Frost. This Stalinist creation wears a red cap and long white beard of Santa Claus, but he delivers gifts to children on New Year’s Eve. Christmas trees were also banned, but people continued to trim their New Year’s trees. Communism folded all Christmas celebrations into a New Year celebration. Read more of this article »
Something amazing happened recently. Senate Republicans held together and gathered the support of of a few Democrats to shoot down the President’s plan to stop “tax cuts for the evil rich”… thus pursuing his class warfare agenda. Never mind the fact that keeping tax rates the same is not a cut. We are told the government has other uses for the money – as if it was theirs in the first place.
It’s not surprising, with Senators like Jim DeMint and his cohorts, but the wicked witches of Maine and even Lindsey Graham and John McCain held together with the conservative core of the party. We can hope the the recent election results have either put the fear of the voters in the non-believers or actually made them believers.
Our poor President was not the only one infuriated by this act of insubordination, so was his base… he was going to extend the tax cuts for some when he promised cuts for no one. However, he has something he thinks is a bargaining chip. Something he thinks he can get out of the Republicans if he must compromise with them. He knows his leftist base will accept not it if it appears he has caved to the opposition demands. He has told them that he will veto any bill that has tax cuts for every American – unless it contains an extension of the unemployment benefits. Read more of this article »
Having just spent the Thanksgiving holiday weekend in the land of Chris Cristie and Jim Florio, I noticed a few things about the Garden State. First, is that while the thinking in Trenton has changed considerably for the better and Governor Cristie presents the best hope to recover prosperity in the region that has seen in recent history… or at least limit the economic hemorrhaging until a pro-American government can be installed in Washington, there is still so much to be done.
I mentioned Jim Florio along with the current governor as one who represents the other end of the New Jersey political scale. For years the state government, which is one of the states’ major industries has been operated for the benefit of the citizens, as long as they were union members – teachers, government workers, construction or whatever – or were well connected in other ways. Today, ironically, there is hope for change. Yet all this cannot be laid solely at the feet of Florio. He was preceded by the likes of Jon Corzine, who almost got himself killed while not wearing his government approved and promoted seat belt, and homosexual Jim McGreevey who confessed to being governor in 2004… and the illustrious Woodrow Wilson who not only executed his nefarious schemes in his own state, but laid much of the groundwork for the progressive destruction of the entire country.
On the evening of Black Friday, we walked the streets of downtown Denville, a small town about 30 miles west of New York City. The Chamber of Commerce had organized on Open House to promote the local businesses as they compete against local mall, just the next town over in Rockaway. The blast of frigid wintry air we experienced as we walked the near empty streets, reminded me once again of one of the reasons I no longer call this part of the world home. Read more of this article »
A few days before the election received an email blast from the Republican Party of Virginia with the heading Countdown To Victory: It Depends On You!. It’s just a few days to Election Day and the people running the party are calling on the rank and file party sympathizers, the grassroots activists, many of whom are tea partiers, to do the work to keep these leaders and their selected candidates in charge and expand there power base.
If only they would exhibit such concern for the little people when it came time for candidate selection or policy formulation, many more would be out knocking on doors, waving signs, working the polls, talking to their neighbors and a whole host of other activities necessary in winning elections.
It’s sad, but so often we see people entrenched in their positions, more intent on preserving their rank than serving the people who put them there. This should not be interpreted as a rant specifically about RPV, but a general condition in many states and nationally. People in leadership and consulting positions want us to defer to their supposedly superior knowledge and wisdom in picking candidates they deem to be electable, then fall into line and lift these people to be victorious benefactors of the citizens, who are often profoundly disrespected… can anyone say Delaware? Read more of this article »
It has been an interesting evening watching the election returns and trying to make some sense of them. Political prognosticators are something like economists in that if you would lay them all end to end, they still would not reach a conclusion. It appears that we, in the US, have a double minded electorate.
As this is written there are a few things that we can see. Some are positive and some negative for our country, but nonetheless, this is the world we have to live with for the next two years. While we cannot go back and correct mistakes made this cycle, we can learn from them… and it is essential that we learn from them.
At the top of many people’s list is looking at what happened in Delaware. In what was a disappointment for many tea partiers, Christine O’Donnell came up short in her attempt to defeat the “bearded socialist”. Many of us look at Karl Rove and say “shame on you” as his rant against O’Donnell on the night she won the primary was not only ill advised, but dishonest as he, at the time, did not reveal that he was consulting her liberal, defeated opponent, Mike Castle. Other pundits, attempting to show themselves to be above the common folks who make up the tea party, followed suit.
In spite of the fact that these poor unwashed masses were expected to fall in line and back their establishment candidate, they were given permission to vote for the Democrat or sit out the entire process by this behavior. According to FoxNews polling 18% of the Republicans did not vote for their party’s candidate. Given the minority in voter registration in the state, this softened support most likely did not make the entire difference… but it certainly didn’t help. Read more of this article »
In the September issue of the “New Guard”, Congressman Paul Ryan mapped out his plan to reclaim the American Idea. As a Tea Party leader it was necessary to respond with an alternative Tea Party Road Map. The most challenging task is to confront our ballooning and unsustainable entitlements and other usurped government spending from State and local governments, commerce, charity and the individual.
Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid grew to an unsustainable level through the legislature’s lack of prudent fiscal responsiveness to increased life spans and political pressures that expanded care under Medicare and Medicaid without regard to the costs. I submit these programs should never have been anything more than minimal fully portable safety net protections executed through private products. The conflict arose when the government decided to run these programs.
Social Security is not held to the same reserve requirements as the private sector hence we have no money set aside to pay these obligations. Government continues to expand government to “fix” the conflict of interest that exists from government engaging in the market and who then regulates, taxes and oversees its competition (the private unsubsidized market) and itself and its agents (subsidized Corporations and non-for-profits.) Government spending is now driving unemployment and preventing a recovery.
Social Security
The fundamental problem is that we are all forced to participate in these programs, we have few choices, lower return on our investment and a massive loss of opportunity through inflationary measures to shirk the debt these unsustainable programs demand. Transitioning from a program for all to a minimal fully portable safety net benefit may take decades but all participants need to be part of the solution from existing retirees to the teenage employee. For Social Security, increasing the eligibility age to 70, capping the income paid out and moving to private accounts will be the ultimate solution for America. Products that guarantee a rate of return that covers inflation will be the minimal option available in the market. Read more of this article »
Over the coming 6 days, you should expect to hear two things. 1. Republicans want to cooperate with Obama. 2. Democrats are on the rise, polls are changing, and the losses will not be as bad as predicted.
Neither statement is true of course, but that does not matter. Desperation among democrats and especially the all out panic in media outlets has led them to fabricate stories designed to demoralize the GOP base, and spin massive losses as a win.
It may be true that some establishment Republicans still don’t understand what is expected of them. That’s fine, the next election is coming. What is happening now can be done again in 2, 4, and 8 years. What has begun in America is not a one election fight. A new generation of patriots is committed to turning this ship of state back toward the Constitution, and we are fully aware that it can not be done in one election cycle.
The truth is however that many GOP leaders (especially the soon to be elected, unqualified, inexperienced, fire breathing, Constitutional fanatics) do understand, and fully intend to wreak havoc on DC as usual. Do not be discouraged or dismayed by claims to the contrary, especially when they come to you via outlets such as Network News, New York Times, or the Washington Post. Read more of this article »
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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.
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.
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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.
By Chuck Baldwin
Those of us who hold hard core conservative beliefs will often find ourselves thinking of unreliable Republicans as RINOs. To the three readers not familiar with the term it stands for Republican In Name Only. Many fine examples of this designation are Lindsey Graham, Richard Lugar, and the wicked witches of Maine. While it is true that these often deviate from Republican orthodoxy, the title relies on a central assumption that we must give serious consideration.
This weekend I took my five year old grandson to the Greatest Show on Earth. He had a permanent grin on his face from the time the show began until he kind of dozed off on the way home. He loved the clowns, the acrobats, tight rope walkers, zebras, elephants and tigers. The boy was blissfully ignorant of the turmoil in the world about us.
Even though he has not officially announced his intention to make a run for the White House, Donald Trump has shot to the top, or near the top, of many Republican presidential polls, much to the consternation of many who already have an emotional investment in one potential candidate or another… or in their ability to act as king maker within the party. Weather he can ultimately win, or if he would be good for the country is a question for another day.
I often receive inquiries from college and university students. Contrary to the thinking of most older adults, I find a sizable number of today’s youth much more constitutionally aware than are their parents. I’ve traveled all over America and spoken to thousands of high school and college age young people. My observation is this: the youth of America have not rejected the message of liberty and constitutional government; they haven’t HEARD the message of liberty and constitutional government. When they do hear it, as often as not, they embrace the message enthusiastically. If the Ron Paul Revolution of 2008 proved anything, it proved that!
I just read an interview with new RNC Chairman Reince Priebus, and, while he seems to be a good, dedicated man, it left me somewhat concerned about the future of our country. His predecessor, Michael Steele also is a good man, and he tried to do a good job. Yet, even if the new guy gets it all right, we need to be sure it is the job that needs to be done.
This morning I read an editorial urging those discouraged by Majority Whip Eric Cantor’s tepid efforts to fight the Obama agenda to quit complaining and do something about it. The writer encouraged those living in Virginia’s Seventh District to join the various party commitees and help push the party and its elected representatives to the right and encourage the congressman to match his actions more closely with hisw campaign rhetoric. This is good advice if people are willing to get off of their expanded posteriors and take part in the nuts and bolts activities that keep a party running.
In 1966, while running for Governor in California, Ronald Reagan formulated what has come to be known as the Eleventh Commandment: “Thou shalt not speak ill of any fellow Republican.” This was in response to the trash talk about conservative 1964 presidential candidate Barry Goldwater by so-called moderate Republicans. In general is was a pretty useful and workable rule at the time.
“This is a saaad day for the women of Virginia” was the sound bite that was played and replayed on radio and television stations around the Commonwealth of Virginia on the day that the General Assembly voted to require abortion clinics to adhere to much the same standards as hospitals. Forget the fact that women have died because facilities were not adequate to handle the emergencies of an abortion gone wrong… that was a small price to pay for the convenience of easily killing one’s offspring.
The recent CPAC conference in the nation’s capitol made a brief splash and now it’s gone. Many opponents of the President’s policies were present to stir the crowd with firey rhetoric heard from few elected public servants anywhere, and even fewer inside the beltway. It was, perhaps, cathartic for those who attended. And many attended… but many did not.
I was thrilled to see J.B. Williams report in NewsWithViews.com that the State of Montana has a broad-based State nullification bill currently proposed in its legislature. Derek Skees (R-Whitefish) is the State legislator who has introduced this much-needed legislation.
My first experience with George Allen came a few years after I escaped from Sopranoland and arrived in the Old Dominion. He was a one term congressman who had just been redistricted out of his seat by the partisan Democrat machine that ruled the commonwealth with an iron fist in those dark, dreary days. He was a young and hungry politician eager to press the flesh and meet the people.
Newspapers, along with TV anchors and infobabes love to tell stories of dissension within the ranks of the Republican Party. They enjoy pouring fuel on any kind of sparks, trying to fan them into a blaze that negates the effectiveness of any politician not pushing progressive Democrat values. The problem is that there is some basis for the stories about factions within the Grand Old Party.
The President has made his spectacular speech, and, by generally accepted political standards, it was a success in that he said something to annoy just about everyone. This thinking presupposes that compromise – moving to the middle – is always a good thing. It’s the product of the belief that all points of view are equally valid and meeting in the middle is something that helps everyone move their agenda forward.
Republican National Committee Chairman, Michael Steele’s term is almost up and there is quite a buzz in the air around insider circles and talking heads over whether or not he should keep his job. That this should even be a topic of discussion after the tremendous victory the party recently enjoyed is just one more indication of the tumultuous times in which we live. It shows the old rules of political warfare simply don’t apply today.
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Something amazing happened recently. Senate Republicans held together and gathered the support of of a few Democrats to shoot down the President’s plan to stop “tax cuts for the evil rich”… thus pursuing his class warfare agenda. Never mind the fact that keeping tax rates the same is not a cut. We are told the government has other uses for the money – as if it was theirs in the first place.
Having just spent the Thanksgiving holiday weekend in the land of Chris Cristie and Jim Florio, I noticed a few things about the Garden State. First, is that while the thinking in Trenton has changed considerably for the better and Governor Cristie presents the best hope to recover prosperity in the region that has seen in recent history… or at least limit the economic hemorrhaging until a pro-American government can be installed in Washington, there is still so much to be done.
A few days before the election received an email blast from the Republican Party of Virginia with the heading Countdown To Victory: It Depends On You!. It’s just a few days to Election Day and the people running the party are calling on the rank and file party sympathizers, the grassroots activists, many of whom are tea partiers, to do the work to keep these leaders and their selected candidates in charge and expand there power base.
It has been an interesting evening watching the election returns and trying to make some sense of them. Political prognosticators are something like economists in that if you would lay them all end to end, they still would not reach a conclusion. It appears that we, in the US, have a double minded electorate.
In the September issue of the “New Guard”, Congressman Paul Ryan mapped out his plan to reclaim the American Idea. As a Tea Party leader it was necessary to respond with an alternative Tea Party Road Map. The most challenging task is to confront our ballooning and unsustainable entitlements and other usurped government spending from State and local governments, commerce, charity and the individual.
Over the coming 6 days, you should expect to hear two things. 1. Republicans want to cooperate with Obama. 2. Democrats are on the rise, polls are changing, and the losses will not be as bad as predicted.
