Elections

Conservatives - Elections - GOP - Government - Mitt Romney - Newt Gingrich - President - Republicans - Rick Santorum - Ron Paul - Warner Todd Huston

So What About that Pre-Florida Republican Debate?

January 27, 2012 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

Instead of rehashing the whole January 26 Republican debate, I think it would be easier for me to post here all my Tweets from my live tweet of the debate. Some were fun, some serious and at the end I pass my judgment of how well the participants did. Below you’ll see my tweets, some with comments in parenthesis to put the tweet in context.

  • Aaaand here we go…

Opening Statements

  • I hear that Mitt Romney’s Super PAC said that Newt attacked the National Anthem in Reagan’s era!
  • (Rick says his mother lives in Florida) Uh oh, Rick’s Mommy is a carpetbagging snowbird. Now I cannot vote for him!
  • I’m Ron Paul… now GET OFFA MY LAWN YOU KIDS.
  • CNN’s first question:”Mr. Santorum, if you were a tree, what sort of tree would you be you racist creep?” OK, jess joking

Immigration Questions

  • (On the immigration ad about Romney) Didn’t Newt have that ad axed? Now he’s supporting it? Odd.
  • (Mitt’s Solution)It’s a little late to just “follow the law,” Mitt. We’ve already made a mess of that.
  • Mitt: “Our problem isn’t 11 million grandmothers.” Applause. That was a good one, Mitt!
  • (Questions back and forth between Newt and Mitt for quite some time) I think Santorum and Paul are now in the green room having a snack. Its the Mitt Newtny show!
  • (CNN goes to the Hispanic conference for a question) CNN gives Hispanics their own debate watching room? El separata but equalo?
  • Paul: “Cuba should be our buddies!” To heck with worrying over gulags and political prisoners. So last century, right Ronnie?
  • Does Ron Paul realize that supporting Castro in Miami is probably a bad political move?

Continue reading “

So What About that Pre-Florida Republican Debate?”

Christianity - Dr. Don Boys - Elections - GOP - Mitt Romney - Mormons - President - Religion - Republicans

Questions No Reporter Will Ask Romney!

January 26, 2012 by 1 Comment

-By Don Boys, Ph.D.

We are told that a politician’s religion is private and is of no concern to anyone. In fact, it is supposed to be bigoted to inquire what a candidate believes; however, that is dangerous non-thinking. Since religion is an extremely personal thing making up the character and principles of a person, it is insane not to consider a candidate’s religion.

Harry Truman was a Baptist, but not a very good one; however, what he learned from church and the Bible sure affected millions of people on earth, especially Israel. When Israel declared itself a nation on May 14, 1948, Truman recognized the new state without going through his advisors. He did it knowing most of his close advisors and both the State and War Departments were against the recognition.

The politicians were fearful that Muslim states would cut off our access to oil and the possibility of a Soviet/Arab alliance. May 15, the Arab states issued their statements of opposition and immediately invaded the new nation–and got their tails whipped. (Muslims are slow learners and got their tails whipped repeatedly over the following years.) That first Israeli/Arab war is known as the War of Independence.
Continue reading “

Questions No Reporter Will Ask Romney!”

Chicago Sun-Times - Congress - Democrats/Leftists - Elections - Government - House of Representatives - Journalism - Liberals - Media - Media Bias - President - Senate - Warner Todd Huston

Chicago Sun-Times Shows White Flag: No More Political Endorsements

January 25, 2012 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

The Chicago Sun Times has received your message loud and clear, dear readers. As much as admitting that they are biased and they know it, the long-time Windy City staple has decided that hence forth it will no longer endorse candidates for political office.

In a Sunday editorial, the 71-year-old paper announced its new policy amusingly touting the Old Media’s party line that it engages in “unbiased news coverage” and that newspapers today wish to “appeal to the widest possible readership.”

“They want to inform you, not spin you,” the editorial avers. Yet, the editorial goes on to admit that it has heard from readers who seriously doubt that dedication to unbiased news coverage. And when you note that over the last several decades few national news papers have endorsed a Republican for President — most especially the left-leaning Chicago Sun-Times — it is easy to doubt that purported dedication to just-the-facts reporting.
Continue reading “

Chicago Sun-Times Shows White Flag: No More Political Endorsements”

Christianity - Conservatives - Elections - Michael Bresciani‏ - President - Religion

Conservative President? Yes, But Not by Opinion

January 25, 2012 by

-By Rev Michael Bresciani

That, I am not alone in the struggle to bring conscience, faith and the Bible itself back into the national psyche offers little consolation because, God seems to have required this at a time when it is anything but vogue. But of all the absurd attempts to remove any mention of God from the public, perhaps the latest effort tops anything that has happened to date.

District Judge, Ronald Lagueux ruled that Cranston High School in Rhode Island must remove a placard that has been in the school for decades because it ends with the word “Amen.” The authoritarian ‘out with it’ was supposedly dignified by the judge in a forty page opinion stating all his learned and wise reasons to oust the placard.

Student, Jessica Ahlquist thought the banner should go, so she sued her school to remove the placard which has been in place since 1963. Up until April of 2011 students may have looked at, and pondered the message of the placard, while others passed by and gave it no thought. Now that one student, and one judge, who is an atheist, has formed an opinion, the history of the placard is finished. Ahlquist can now be found on You Tube explaining the launch of her new career as an anti-religion activist. Just when you begin to adjust to this kind of absurdity, along comes another high flying judge in the state where ‘the wind comes sweepin down the plain.’
Continue reading “

Conservative President? Yes, But Not by Opinion”

Budget - Business - Capitalism - Economy/Finances - Elections - GOP - Jobs - President - Republicans - Selwyn Duke - Taxes

If Republicans Want to Win, They Must Rebrand ‘Capitalism’

January 23, 2012 by

-By Selwyn Duke

One of the simplest rhetorical truths is that the side that defines the vocabulary of a debate wins the debate. Yet, amazingly, we still see experienced conservative politicians with access to advanced polling operations and an array of advisors use the Lexicon of the Left. And this election cycle is no exception.

I could almost cringe when I hear – as I did repeatedly during Monday’s South Carolina GOP debate – Republicans talk about “capitalism.” “I believe in capitalism….” “Barack Obama doesn’t believe in capitalism…..” Capitalism this and capitalism that – look at me with my plump wallet, walking stick and tony top hat. Oh, it’s not that I don’t believe in free enterprise; it’s that we shouldn’t use words that conjure up sentiments akin to the preceding rhyme.

And polls inform that this is precisely what “capitalism” does. For example, Pew Research Center reports, “Slightly more than half (52%) react positively to the word ‘capitalism,’ compared with 37% who say they have a negative reaction.” According with this is a 2009 Rasmussen poll showing that, shockingly, “only 53% of American adults believe capitalism is better than socialism.” And the picture looks even worse with certain demographic groups. Writes Pew, “Fewer than half of young people, women, people with lower incomes and those with less education react positively to ‘capitalism.’”
Continue reading “

If Republicans Want to Win, They Must Rebrand ‘Capitalism’”

Barack Obama - Budget - Business - Congress - Democrats/Leftists - Economy/Finances - Elections - Government - House of Representatives - Jobs - Liberals - Money - President - Senate - Taxes - Warner Todd Huston

VIDEO: ‘Change has come,’ Alright! But How Good Has it Been?

January 20, 2012 by 2 Comments

In 2008, President-elect Barack Obama announced that change had come to America. After three years, the results of that change make many Americans ready to change it back.

And here is a great for-instance of how the Old Media establishment is covering for their Obammessiah. Let’s get in the way back machine and recall how the price of gas was used as a sledgehammer with which to beat George W. Bush about the head. Remember how it was front page news on a daily basis? Well now gas has lingered at highs that it never stayed at during the Bush years and now analysts are saying gas will reach to $4 a gallon this year — an all time high.

Where is the media on this story? Why isn’t it as big a deal as it was 5 and 6 years ago? Ah, yes. We have The One in office. Gosh. How could I forget that the Old Media doesn’t want negative stories about their messiah? Silly me.

Courtesy AllAmericanBlogger.com

Conservatives - Elections - Ethics - Frank Salvato - GOP - Government - President - Republicans

An ‘Axelrod-esque’ Moment for Gingrich

January 20, 2012 by

-By Frank Salvato

Almost on the eve of the South Carolina GOP Primary, ABC News is set to televise an interview with Newt Gingrich’s second wife, Marianne, where she claims the presidential contender asked her for an “open marriage” so that he could see the woman that would become his third wife, Callista. Truth be told, this is a re-hashed interview, the original having run in Esquire Magazine in 2010. Which leaves us this to consider: the execution and airing of this interview is either an attempt by a woman scorned to even the score, a politically motivated hit-piece, or both. Whichever it turns out to be, the one thing it won’t be is a game changer.

That Newt Gingrich has had marital issues in his past is common knowledge. Anyone shocked by this news should not consider themselves well-informed. Anyone offended by the marital transgressions of his past should heed the words from a follow-up Esquire Magazine article:

“…Love makes fools of us all, etc., and liberals who believe in parole and rehabilitation really should think at least once before they snicker at the religious folks who have decided to believe in Newt’s remorse for his past behavior.”

In a recent article titled, Political Baggage: Establishment & Media Manipulation, in which I wrote about Mr. Gingrich’s infidelity issues, juxtaposing them to the sexual peccadilloes of myriad Democrat and Progressive politicians, I argued:
Continue reading “

An ‘Axelrod-esque’ Moment for Gingrich”

Anti-Americanism - Budget - Business - Capitalism - Constitution - Democrats/Leftists - Economy/Finances - Elections - Ethics - GOP - Government - House of Representatives - Indiana - Jobs - Liberals - Mitch Daniels - Public Employees Unions - Republicans - Right To Work - Senate - Teachers Unions - Unions - Warner Todd Huston

Indiana Democrats Fleebagging Again, Abandoning Their Jobs

January 19, 2012 by 1 Comment

-By Warner Todd Huston

Once again Indiana Democrats are playing the fleebagger game. Because they don’t have enough votes in the Indiana Statehouse, Hoosier Democrats are abandoning their rightful duties and fleeing the Capitol over Indiana’s right-to-work bill currently under consideration in Indianapolis.

Indiana Senate Bill 269 and House Bill 1001 would make it illegal to require workers in Indiana to join a union as a condition of being allowed to have a job. Allowing workers a choice seems like an inherently American idea, doesn’t it?

After all, how could anyone tell you that you must belong to a union or you’re not allowed to have your job? That sort of forced association seems so contrary to the American character. But forcing people to join unions just so that they can have a job is precisely what Indiana Democrats are fighting to protect.
Continue reading “

Indiana Democrats Fleebagging Again, Abandoning Their Jobs”

Abraham Lincoln - Anti-Americanism - Campaign Finance - Democrats/Leftists - Economy/Finances - Elections - Ethics - Founders - Franklin Deleno Roosevelt - GOP - Government - History - Liberals - President - Warner Todd Huston

Come On, People! Poor Men Do Not Become President

January 18, 2012 by 2 Comments

-By Warner Todd Huston

I have to say, I am getting a bit sick and tired of this nonsensical lament about how rotten it is that those running for president are “rich” people. Stop it right now, America. The fact is that we’ve never really had a poor man as president so talking about it as if it is news that rich people often seek the presidency is stupid. Not only that, but today it is impossible for a poor or even middle class man to run for president anyway, so get this populist silliness out of your minds right this instant.

The latest in this onslaught of populist foolishness is the New York Times (unsurprisingly) with an article full of serious tones on how hard it is going to be for two Harvard educated, Richie-Riches like Obama and Romney to win over those “blue collar Americans.”

“Both are Harvard-educated millionaires,” The Times begins sonorously. “Both have been criticized as elitist and technocratic. Both have struggled to handle the populist anger coursing through politics.”

Of course, much of that anger is fostered by the Old Media constantly harping on that “anger” by writing daily stories indulging themes of class warfare as if it is some sort of legitimate political discussion in this, a capitalist-based society.
Continue reading “

Come On, People! Poor Men Do Not Become President”

Christianity - Conservatives - Democrats/Leftists - Elections - GOP - Michael Bresciani‏ - Religion - Republicans

Independent and Undecided Voters are now Cleared for Landing

January 18, 2012 by

-By Rev Michael Bresciani

Estimates run around 40 percent for independent voters in this election cycle. Many answers are offered for why this phenomenon is so prevalent right now in the nation, but few are viewing it as a possibility of a growing sense of confusion and uncertainty.

Barack Obama has been castigated in the media for proclaiming that Americans may have gotten “lazy” in the last few years, so, where would someone come in who calls us wishy washy and confused? Unlike Barack Obama, I am sure that I love America, I will salute the flag and I don’t think we were ever a Muslim nation, nor do we want to be. I’ll take my chances with the people of this nation.

The Iowa caucuses may be the quintessential example of what happens when voters are uncertain. That may be completely understandable, unless for some reason, there is cause to believe, that it is more than uncertainty, but confusion itself, which may have caused the voters to flip from one front runner to the next in a matter of days in some cases.
Continue reading “

Independent and Undecided Voters are now Cleared for Landing”

Democrats/Leftists - Elections - GOP - Government - Liberals - Media - Politico - President - Republicans - Tea Party - Warner Todd Huston

Politico’s Fake Tea Party-Slamming South Carolina Poll

January 17, 2012 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

It almost seems that on a daily basis the onetime political news website Politico is edging toward a Daily Kos-like experience and on Jan 14 we see yet another step in Politico’s journey toward left-wing extremes with a fake poll that claims that no one in South Carolina likes the Tea Party movement. Did I mention it was a “Facebook poll”?

The headline ways it all, really: Facebook/POLITICO poll: South Carolina users cool to tea party. If the fact that this “poll” is just some posting on a Facebook page doesn’t make you laugh at its validity, the hilarity continues as Politico goes on to treat this silliness as real news.

“Almost two-thirds of adult Facebook users in South Carolina say they aren’t fans of the tea party, according to a Facebook poll conducted today with POLITICO,” the “news” website begins.

Come on. Does anyone imagine that Politico reached “almost two-thirds” of the Facebook uses in South Carolina? Does anyone even imagine that Politico reached even a representative number of Facebook users in South Carolina? Was there any scientific method at all to this or was it just some posting that a handful of South Carolinians saw on Facebook? Bet you can guess.
Continue reading “

Politico’s Fake Tea Party-Slamming South Carolina Poll”

Conservatives - Elections - GOP - Republicans - Selwyn Duke

The Myth of Bad Republican Candidates

January 17, 2012 by 1 Comment

-By Selwyn Duke

Repeat a big Democrat talking point often enough, and it becomes the truth. There is a certain liberal narrative that has recently filtered down to many independents and even some conservatives: the idea that the current crop of Republican candidates is weak, wanting and worrisome. The lament is, “Hell’s bells, the guy in the White House is out of his depth, but what alternatives does the GOP offer?” The idea, I suppose, is that we might as well just re-elect Barack Obama. At least he has four years of golfing, government-growing and greenback-gobbling experience.

This characterization of the Republican field much reminds me of the gratuitous criticism of the U.S. by the hate-America-first crowd. Okay, you say America is a bad country. Compared to what? Some imaginary Utopia that will never exist? Because in the real world, the U.S. has been besting her competition for a long time.

Many repeat the statist talking point about the GOP contenders’ alleged ineptitude simply because of media spin and the branding iron of repetition. Yet others do, in fact, have unrealistic expectations. They have in mind an ideal, a utopia of a politician; a person who agrees with them on every major issue, possesses eloquence and decent looks, and has never strayed from ideological purity. And when this imaginary figure doesn’t appear, they ask, “Is this the best our political class has to offer?!”
Continue reading “

The Myth of Bad Republican Candidates”

Congress - Conservatives - Democrats/Leftists - Elections - Ethics - GOP - Government - House of Representatives - Liberals - Libertarian - President - Republicans - Senate - Socialism - Warner Todd Huston

Are You a Conservative? Welcome to the Majority!

January 13, 2012 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

There has been a lot of lament by the far left in America that the Tea Party has somehow driven the Republican Party to conservative extremes. This, however, is untrue. The truth is, the American public has been trending toward conservative views for more than a decade before the Tea Party even came about.

According to Gallup, for the last three years more Americans have self-proclaimed themselves as conservatives than have claimed the moniker of moderate.

Political ideology in the U.S. held steady in 2011, with 40% of Americans continuing to describe their views as conservative, 35% as moderate, and 21% as liberal. This marks the third straight year that conservatives have outnumbered moderates, after more than a decade in which moderates mainly tied or outnumbered conservatives.

But think about this for a minute. This means that fully 75% of America is more conservative than the Democrat Party, a party that decades ago stopped being a party of centrism becoming instead a European-like, liberal party.

Gallup’s several decades of polling finds that “moderates” have been in slow decline since 1992 with Americans calling themselves “liberal” now only measuring at 21 percent. With this we see a nation that is not just center-right as many political pundits have for years claimed, but is actually trending conservative.
Continue reading “

Are You a Conservative? Welcome to the Majority!”

Barack Obama - Budget - Congress - Democrats/Leftists - Elections - Ethics - Liberals - President - Society/Culture - Taxes - Warner Todd Huston

Obama Chic: Now Selling Campaign Gear for the One Percent

January 13, 2012 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

Obama? Why, he’s the middle class warrior, isn’t he? He’s the veritable man of the people, darn it. He has beer summits and he chows down on burgers and fries just like us reg’lar folks. Gone are the arugula days, the million-dollar vacations and secret Hollywood star-studded Halloween parties…. one out of three ain’t bad, anyway. On the other hand, perhaps all those claims of Obama’s middle class appeal are a bit of a show. If Obama’s new high-end, très chic campaign gear is any indication, he’s driving right for the vaunted One Percent.

With such famous haute couture designers as Vera Wang and Diane Von Furstenberg, team Obama is offering designer tote bags at $85, t-shirts with the hefty rice tag of $55, and a “Thakoon-designed silk scarf” that will set you back $95. With all that you’ve hardly got the sort of gear you might wear to a beer summit.

It’s all part of the Democrat Party’s “Runway To Win” campaign to raise cash for the cause.

As to the Republicans, t-shirts on Mitt Romney’s website cost no higher than $30, Newt’s t-shirts are only $20 — or you can get an embroidered polo for $40 — and Ron Paul charges even less offering his Ts for the low, low, dime-store prices of $17 and $18.
Continue reading “

Obama Chic: Now Selling Campaign Gear for the One Percent”

Alan Caruba - Barack Obama - Budget - Business - Capitalism - Congress - Democrats/Leftists - Elections - Ethics - Government - Liberals - Money - President - Taxes

Barack Machiavelli

January 13, 2012 by

-By Alan Caruba

The Founding Fathers, authors of the Constitution, were obsessed with any form of government that could become too powerful, too willing to use force to oppress citizens. They had cause. They had fought a long war against the greatest power of their age, ruled by a king with nearly absolute power. They fashioned an instrument designed to ensure that the President could not rule by edict and defused power among three branches of government.

We have a President currently running for reelection against Congress, Wall Street, Republicans, and the right of citizens to be free of an overly intrusive government.

Article I, Section 1 of the Constitution says: All legislative powers herein granted shall be vested in the Congress of the United States, which shall consist of a Senate and House of Representatives.

All appointments of the President must be approved by the Senate while it is in session and the Senate, even over the Christmas and New Year’s vacation has remained in session, if only in a pro forma, technical manner. Every three days it has been convened to assert its powers.

Even so, President Obama has announced several “recess” appointments, all clearly a challenge to the Senate and all clearly a tyrannical power grab. He appointed Richard Cordray as the first director of the new Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, a new function that puts government between the lender and the citizen. In theory, all loans in the future will be subject to government approval. This is Communism, not Capitalism.

Continue reading “

Barack Machiavelli”

Congress - Conservatives - Elections - GOP - Immigration/Immigrants - Republicans - Selwyn Duke

What Conservatives and the GOP Dare Not Say about Immigration

January 12, 2012 by 1 Comment

-By Selwyn Duke

In a recent election piece, pundit Ann Coulter identified illegal migration as one of the two most important issues of our time. She writes that if we fail at halting it, “the country will be changed permanently.” She continues:

Taxes can be raised and lowered. Regulations can be removed (though they rarely are). Attorneys general and Cabinet members can be fired. Laws can be repealed. Even Supreme Court justices eventually die.

But capitulate on illegal immigration, and the entire country will have the electorate of California. There will be no turning back.

She expands on this later in the piece:
Continue reading “

What Conservatives and the GOP Dare Not Say about Immigration”

Democrats/Leftists - Elections - Ethics - GOP - Government - Illinois State Government - Liberals - Senate - Warner Todd Huston

Illinois GOP Follies: Establishment vs Reform in Champagne County

January 11, 2012 by 1 Comment

-By Warner Todd Huston

Illinois is drowning in debt and corruption. The state ranks as the worst state in nearly every category vying only with California for the worst-of rankings. The biggest factor in its downfall is the corrupt Democrat Party. So one would think that the state GOP could make good headway against this corruption. Unfortunately, the establishment GOP is in utter disarray. Worse, the establishment GOP fights to deep six any candidate from its own ranks that might offer reform and we have yet another story illustrating this fact in the 52nd District State Senate race in Champaign County.

The primary race in the 52nd is between the early announced John Bambenek(photo left), a long-time reform advocate, and establishment GOP candidate Alan Nudo, both of Champaign.

Bambenek is a well-known reform advocate and even wrote a book titled, “Illinois Deserves Better.”

For his part, Mr. Nudo, a 63-year-old Champaign County Board member, has in the past supported local tax hikes. He also was keen on securing stimulus spending for big government-style construction projects in his district.

But that isn’t all. Mr. Nudo has also had a hand in donating the single largest non-PAC donation to the incumbent Democrat Senator in the 52nd District!
Continue reading “

Illinois GOP Follies: Establishment vs Reform in Champagne County”

Conservatives - Elections - GOP - Government - Mitt Romney - Newt Gingrich - President - Republicans - Rick Perry - Rick Santorum - Ron Paul - Warner Todd Huston

The Most Superficial Political Analysis Ever: The Candidates Ranked by Their T-Shirt Designs

January 11, 2012 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

For months, now, we have all been involved up to our ears in policy debates, discussions of the candidate’s records, and general mud slinging in this Republican primary season. There’s more to come, too. So, let’s take time out to be completely shallow, shall we?

Let’s judge the six remaining candidates by the most substantive measure we can muster: their t-shirt designs.

That’s enough yackity yak… on with the contest.

The Winner And Runner Up

Newt Gingrich wins the shirt wars, for sure. His campaign t-shirt has to rank as the best of the remaining six candidate’s designs. It sits just right on the shirt, it holds together well as a logo, and it is quickly recognizable from a distance. My only qualm is that the color red is a bit darker than I’d have picked. But none of this should be a surprise, right? Who knows branding and salesmanship better than Newt Gingrich?

Mitt Romney comes in second in this t-shirt contest. His has a fairly good logo, but the design is unbalanced by the line, “Believe in America.” It is it is just too long and makes the logo look less important than it should be. Worse the design is wrecked by the stupid website on the front. The website should be on the back, not the front.

The Boring

Ron Paul just fails in t-shirt design. Befitting his aged status as the cranky old uncle of the GOP, Ron Paul’s shirt stands as a boring one. Not much style to it, for sure. All the little type on the shirt doesn’t help, either. No one wants to get that close to a Paul supporter to read all that.

The Rick Perry shirt is a big miss and is the most boring one of the bunch. It looks like he just took the design off his political yard sign circa 1998 and slapped it on a t-shirt. It’s like his team didn’t put any thought at all into this thing. Ugh. At least it is fully visible at a distance, though, unlike Paul’s.

The Total Fail

Jon Huntsman has had the hardest time trying to convince everyone that he is a real Republican and his t-shirt design sure as heck isn’t helping him. Look at that thing! First of all who can tell that those white stripes are supposed to represent the letter “H”? But even worse, this looks like the bad design of a European soccer team shirt, not that of an American political candidate! Finally, it is not easily recognizable from a distance at all. It just looks like a bunch of white bars. This thing is horrible.

So, there you have it. If we were going to elect based on a t-short design, the Newtster is the winnah!

(Note: Santorum does not have a store on his campaign website. I can only assume that he is still having his campaign sweatervests produced.)
Continue reading “

The Most Superficial Political Analysis Ever: The Candidates Ranked by Their T-Shirt Designs”

Anti-Americanism - Barack Obama - Budget - Business - Capitalism - Communism - Constitution - Crime - Democrats/Leftists - DOJ - Economy/Finances - Elections - Ethics - Frank Salvato - Government - Jobs - Liberals - President - Socialism - Taxes

Promises, Promises: The Reality of Campaign Speak

January 11, 2012 by

-By Frank Salvato

As the campaign cycle progresses we are going to hear a lot about what one candidate or another is going to do about this or that. We will, to the point of weariness, be inundated with campaign promise after campaign promise, albeit, between gratuitous attacks, both political and personal. This is politicking and the American electorate – for better or for worse – has come to accept a certain amount of it from the people in the political class. But expecting grandiose pledges and believing in the unattainable, well, those are two different things. It is the truly foolish who believe half of what a political candidate says he can deliver, and the blame for that foolishness must fall on the shoulders of the individual voter.

While Presidents sign legislation into law, it is Congress – the House and the Senate; the Legislative Branch – that actually crafts and passes legislation. Therefore, any promise made on the campaign trail by a presidential candidate, be it by the incumbent or the challenger (or the field of candidates vying to be the challenger), is subject to the debate and acquiescence of those in the Legislative Branch; in Congress. It is because of this that any promise made by a presidential candidate must be received by the voting public as more of an intention, rather than a promise. To accept a campaign promise as an impending reality is to set oneself up for almost certain disappointment. And to blame a successful candidate for not living up to those campaign promises requires a level of certainty that the promise was actually ignored, not thwarted.

A good example of campaign promises thwarted comes in the form of the Republican TEA Party supported congressional freshman class who, during the 2010 Mid-Term Elections, promised to “repeal or defund Obamacare” and to “bring fiscal responsibility to Washington.” Each of those elected sincerely believed that they would be able to succeed in doing what they promised. In fact, HR2 of the 112th Congress did, in fact, attempt to repeal Obamacare and many of the TEA Party supported members of the House took it straight on the chin during the debt, deficit and budget debates. But for all of their good intentions and actions, the freshmen Republicans of the 112th Congress learned that unless you have a veto-proof majority in the House, a filibuster-proof majority in the Senate and a friendly inhabitant in the White House, absolutes in campaign promises do not exist.

The same must be said about the Executive Branch and the President of the United States, although he has some additional quivers in his pouch where getting his way is concerned: the bully pulpit (self-explanatory) and the Executive Order.

Continue reading “

Promises, Promises: The Reality of Campaign Speak”

Conservatives - Elections - GOP - Government - Republicans - Utah - Warner Todd Huston

Mia Love for Utah!

January 9, 2012 by 1 Comment

-By Warner Todd Huston

A new candidate is hitting the scene in Utah. Her name is Mia Love, an African American running for the fourth Congressional District.

Mia’s Bio

Mrs. Love was born into a family of Haitian immigrants, she has deeply rooted values, love for this country, and guiding conservative principles.

Mia’s personal and professional life experiences, and her commitment to changing the reckless culture in Washington, have driven her to run for Congress. If elected, Love will become the first Republican black woman to serve in the United States House of Representatives.
Continue reading “

Mia Love for Utah!”

Conservatives - Elections - GOP - Government - Media - Mitt Romney - Republicans - Rush Limbaugh - Talk Radio - Warner Todd Huston

No, Daily Caller, Rush Will Not Back a Candidate in the Primary

January 8, 2012 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

The Daily Caller posted an Op Ed calling on Rush Limbaugh to save the GOP by offering a clinching endorsement of one of the non-Romney candidates. The writer was full of reasons and praise for the most listened-to radio talker, but for all the importuning, Rush will never back a primary candidate. The truth is, there just isn’t anything in it for him.

The writer, Yates Walker, says that short of some action by Rush, Romney will be the GOP nominee. Romney’s big money and ubiquitous support among the ignoratti of the GOP elites will be too much for any candidate to overcome unless Rush plays the wild card, he says.

Walker fears that if Rush doesn’t speak, it will all be over.

If Rush doesn’t make a move, recent history will repeat itself. Romney’s multimillion-dollar ad buys and the mainstream media will destroy Rick Santorum before the end of January. Though he is an excellent conservative candidate and could beat Obama in 2012, Rick will be called “unelectable” by so many pundits over the next three weeks that it will become conventional wisdom. The conservative vote will split between Santorum, Gingrich, Perry and Huntsman. Ron Paul will take his customary 12-20%. And Romney’s quarter of the GOP vote will be good enough to win … unless Mr. Limbaugh decides to intervene.

Walker goes on to say that Rush has been “toying” with crushing Mitt for months and that Rush must be “chomping at the bit” to do so.
Continue reading “

No, Daily Caller, Rush Will Not Back a Candidate in the Primary”

Conservatives - Elections - GOP - Mitt Romney - Republicans - Warner Todd Huston

Dear Voters, Vote For Romney, You Idiots. Love, the Establishment GOP

January 7, 2012 by 1 Comment

-By Warner Todd Huston

Apparently, Mitt Romney and his surrogates want you to know that you should not vote your conscience or your principles this primary election. You should vote for Mitt Romney, instead. That is the message from Romney surrogate State Senator Gary Lambert in New Hampshire, anyway.

“This is not about picking your favorite, it’s not about picking someone you like. It’s not about picking someone even with your own beliefs and principles. This is about picking a person that can beat Barack Obama, period,” Lambert said at the Nashua New Hampshire Republican City Committee meeting on Friday.

We shouldn’t be voting for candidates with whom we agree on the issues? We shouldn’t be picking our “favorite”? What about principle? What about important policy issues? Aw, fergit it all. Never mind Romney’s long liberal political record. Never mind his near daily flip flops on the issues. Never mind his disdain for Reagan and the Tea Party movement. Never mind his claim that he’ really a “progressive” politician. Just vote Mitt, you dolts!
Continue reading “

Dear Voters, Vote For Romney, You Idiots. Love, the Establishment GOP”

Alan Caruba - Congress - Democrats/Leftists - Elections - GOP - Government - House of Representatives - Liberals - President - Republicans - Senate

How Not to Go Crazy in 2012

January 6, 2012 by

-By Alan Caruba

Election years tend to create a level of frenzy concerning the selection of the nominees and the outcome. The media feed this in order to keep readers reading and viewers viewing. The history of American elections has always been one of vituperation between the parties, so there is nothing new about this. Indeed, since so much depends on it, the political free-for-all is a healthy exercise.

It can, however, make for a difficult environment in which to go about one’s life; the air filled with charge and counter-charge, polls going up and down, and a general sense that something is very wrong with the way the government functions.

On the bright side, a gridlocked Congress may bring a measure of relief to everyone. Writing about gridlock in January 2011, Marcus E. Ethridge, a professor of political science at the University of Wisconsin, noted that “By fostering gridlock, the U.S. Constitution increases the likelihood that policies will reflect broad, unorganized interests instead of the interests of narrow, organized groups.” In 2011, we saw what happens when advocates of “renewable energy”, wind and solar power, or electric cars, get priority over the needs of most Americans for reliable energy and transportation.
Continue reading “

How Not to Go Crazy in 2012″

Elections - GOP - Iowa - President - Republicans - Rick Santorum - Warner Todd Huston

Hmmmm, Typo Hypothesis Claims Santorum Actually Won in Iowa?

January 5, 2012 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

Did Mitt Romney accidentally get 20 extra votes because of a typo made in Appanoose County?

Ed True, a 28-year-old caucus goer in the town of Moulton, Iowa, says that he was at the caucus and on his notes Romney only got two votes in his precinct. Yet when he checked reported totals later it showed that Romney got 22 votes! He thinks it was a typo. Someone accidentally entered “22” when they meant to type only one “2.”

The Iowa GOP says that Mr. True is not a party official and it will stand by its numbers as the full, final counting is underway. The certified count won’t be official for a week or two.

Still, it really won’t matter a whole lot. Whether Santorum lost by eight votes or won by ten or twelve is not really that relevant. The result is so close that it is nearly the same in delegate counts and what not.
Continue reading “

Hmmmm, Typo Hypothesis Claims Santorum Actually Won in Iowa?”

Conservatives - Elections - GOP - Herman Cain - Michele Bachmann - Mitt Romney - Newt Gingrich - President - Republicans - Rick Perry - Rick Santorum - Ron Paul - Warner Todd Huston

Santorum/Romney/Paul: So What Did Iowa Prove?

January 4, 2012 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

The 2012 Iowa Caucuses are now over and in a nail biting ending the two highest vote getters were separated by only eight votes. So, what did this caucus prove? It proved that organization matters, personal contact matters, and finally big money spent on TV might not matter as much.

The biggest news was that Rick Santorum came from the back of the pack — his numbers had been so bad that he almost got excluded from some of the many debates — almost taking first place in Iowa. He was, in fact, leading for most of the night until that final count showed him in second place losing only by eight votes. This was fantastic showing was due to one thing: Santorum’s hard work at retail politics.

Santorum spent much of his campaign treasury and much time in Iowa. He visited all 99 counties in the state and was for weeks on Iowa radio and TV morning noon and night. He pressed a lot of flesh and kissed a lot of babies. Santorum invested his campaign and himself in Iowa in a last ditch effort to keep his campaign alive. If he hadn’t it is likely that today he would be announcing the end of his campaign for the White House.
Continue reading “

Santorum/Romney/Paul: So What Did Iowa Prove?”

Congress - Conservatives - Democrats/Leftists - Elections - Frank Salvato - GOP - Government - House of Representatives - Republicans - Senate

So, What Actually Came of the ‘Shellacking’ of 2010?

January 4, 2012 by

-By Frank Salvato

We were so full of “hope” for “change.” No, I am not talking about the election of Barack Obama, one of the most effective Progressive presidents in American history. I am speaking of the excitement felt within the Conservative, Libertarian and Center Right and Left political communities after the 2010 election delivered the House and a non-filibuster proof Senate to the American people. Finally, most of us thought, some balance in the federal government. Maybe, just maybe, the Progressives and Liberal Democrats in federal government would be forced to the ingenuous table of true and honest compromise; compromise fitting of a truly free people. But, as we look back over the year, what did we really get for all that so-called “compromise?”

With Republicans in control of the US House of Representatives, the body where – by the mandate of the US Constitution – all legislation relating to revenue is to begin, many on the Right and in the Center believed that the reckless and spendthrift fiscal actions of the 111th Congress would be constrained if not reversed. With a sizable number of new members identifying with the oft demonized TEA Party, there was high hope for a glimmer of fiscal sanity to emerge from the halls of Congress. And while the TEA Party members of Congress are to be congratulated for doing exactly what their constituents sent them to Washington to do, in the end, they were thwarted by establishment, inside the beltway Republicans and the despotic obstructionism foisted upon them by Senate Majority leader Harry Reid, D-NV, (to be fair, Reid was aided by a less than reform-minded Republican leadership in the senate, led by Mitch McConnell, R-KY).
Continue reading “

So, What Actually Came of the ‘Shellacking’ of 2010?”

Democrats/Leftists - Elections - GOP - Government - Liberals - Michael Bresciani‏ - Republicans - Ron Paul

Ron Paul: Iowa’s Confusion – America’s Ross Perot?

January 3, 2012 by

-By Rev Michael Bresciani

Ron Paul cannot be called a dark horse as Abraham Lincoln once was, because now there is too much known about him. He is the nightmare for republicans and a cult hero for the libertarians. He is a friend to the John Birchers but no friend to Israel.

He is charged with racist leanings from statements made on an old newsletter he claims he never contributed to, and a foreign policy disaster by just about anyone who has heard his views on everything from the Vietnam War to Iran. Now some say he is Ron Paul the serious contender for the Oval Office.

A former medical doctor, Paul still looks the part of a doting somewhat stodgy old doc who would be as dependable as old faithful, truly concerned for his patients, but overtly opinionated and just a bit eccentric.
Continue reading “

Ron Paul: Iowa’s Confusion – America’s Ross Perot?”

Conservatives - Elections - GOP - Government - Iowa - Michele Bachmann - Mitt Romney - Newt Gingrich - President - Republicans - Rick Perry - Rick Santorum - Ron Paul - Warner Todd Huston

How Ron Paul Might Win Iowa and STILL Get No Hawkeye Delegates

December 31, 2011 by 3 Comments

-By Warner Todd Huston

My friend Michael Bates has raised some interesting — if technical — points. He notes that Ron Paul could very will win Iowa but still come away with few or even no Iowa delegates. After looking over Bates’ points, I think he has it right. But one thing he said is really trenchant when he noted that journalists don’t bother to read the party rules of correlate past history to see if Paul’s win in Iowa would really mean anything at all.

But first, we should note that the winner of the Iowa Republican caucus rarely becomes president. Many others have noted that the Iowa caucuses don’t pick winners. In fact, over the last six GOP presidential contests, only one Iowa winner became president (George W. Bush). Two others won the caucuses in Iowa but did not win the White House (Bob Dole and Gerald Ford).

That aside, Bates makes some important points in the delegates process. He finds that Ron Paul might win a plurality in Iowa and still come away with no delegates. The most important point he makes is to remind us all that the Iowa Caucus is not a primary election. It is only a straw poll and what happens there is not binding. This is a point that the media almost never make.

As the popularity polls are telling us, Ron Paul is neck-and-neck with Mitt Romney with Santorum have a last minute surge. But this shows that Paul will not be running away with it all, here. This also means that his support will be spread all over the state in numbers that will not commandingly control too many districts. This leaves the door open for the other candidates to band together to prevent Paul delegates from getting any traction and just might result on Paul have few or even no delegates at the state convention.

As Bates has it:
Continue reading “

How Ron Paul Might Win Iowa and STILL Get No Hawkeye Delegates”

10th Amendment - Anti-Americanism - Barack Obama - Budget - Constitution - Democrats/Leftists - Elections - Ethics - GOP - Government - Health - Liberals - Massachusetts - Mitt Romney - Obamacare - President - Republicans - Taxes - Warner Todd Huston

Mitt Romney: My Mass. Healthcare Plan Is ‘Fundamentally Conservative’

December 29, 2011 by 1 Comment

-By Warner Todd Huston


Romney did it again. On Fox News he linked Romneycare to conservative principles, an outrageous act in the eyes of any conservative. But hold the boat, people, because Romney didn’t exactly say that Romneycare itself is a conservative policy. And therein lies the weasel words that Romney has used to describe the Massachusetts healthcare plan he was so proud to pass when he was the Governor of the state.

To the video…

Transcript:

I’m happy to stand by the things I believe. I’m not going to change my positions by virtue of being in a presidential campaign. What we did was right for the people of Massachusetts. The plan is still favored there by 3:1 and it is fundamentally a conservative principle because the people take personal responsibility rather than turning to the government for free care.

Now, let’s look at what Romney said here. He didn’t exactly say that Romneycare itself is “fundamentally conservative.” He said the concept that people should take responsibility for their own healthcare is a fundamentally conservative idea.

Such as it is, he’s right. That IS a fundamentally conservative idea.

But as Romney has repeatedly done since he signed that disastrous, socialist, far from conservative piece of legislation, he has weasel worded his description of that law. As he’s done before, in this clip he illicitly linked conservative principles to Romneycare by focusing at a micro level on the single idea that we should take care of our own healthcare and linking that real conservative principle to his actions as if conservative principles are the guiding forces behind Romneycare. The problem with Romney’s characterization of the issue is that his legislation is fundamentally not conservative. It is big government, socialist, authoritarian nonsense. It’s not conservative at all. Romney tries to us that one tiny conservative idea buried under miles of socialist ideas as misdirection for the ills that Romneycare forces on the people of the Bay State.
Continue reading “

Mitt Romney: My Mass. Healthcare Plan Is ‘Fundamentally Conservative’”