The Righteous Right-Wing Republican Rant on Florida

- A Not-So-Moderate Message to Moderate Republicans -

The members of the Republican Party and conservatives - often two separate groups - are feeling a widespread range of emotions right now. Some of those emotions include thoughts of hatred, betrayal and incredulity toward each other. You don't need to be Dr. Phil to know that this is not a good thing.

I'm not going to yield to my own emotions right now because I pretend to be a somewhat objective writer and I know that I will support the eventual GOP nominee because, quite frankly, Barack Obama is less qualified to run this country than Patty Murray and Cindy Sheehan are to become chapter presidents of MENSA. I won't knock someone now that I will actively campaign for in November.

So, without attacking any Republican Presidential candidates, I would like to point out a few things.

The Sun Sets in Florida
Image by Odalaigh via Flickr

First, choosing a candidate based upon perceived "electability" is a joke. Do you believe in your principles or not? If you do, then at least give them a chance. "We have to appeal to independents" may be one of the most ignorant, asinine comments uttered by otherwise respectable people. Of course you have to appeal to the independents, but does abandoning your own positions do that? No. What ever happened to reasoning with independents? Whatever happened to forcefully putting forth what you believe to sway other people's opinions?

If you won't stand up for what you believe, then there are one of two things possible. Either you don't understand or believe your own stated opinions or you are a coward. And this is why conservatives become skull-popping outraged with GOP moderates. It's like having the French protect your flank. You're pretty sure they are going to break ranks and run, but you are forced to count on them. And then when they do shriek and scurry away like rats, it will be at the worst possible time - every time.

The CNN GOP Rhubarb

Newt Gingrich started off with a bang and ended on an even, but less-than-exciting note. Rick Santorum did well during the debate, and probably won the debate on points, but is proving irritating and tiresome. Mitt Romney, for the second consecutive debate, looked unsure of himself at times but escaped the debate relatively unscathed. Ron Paul got lots of rest and would have been ignored more often by CNN if he had not been persistent and if the Paulistas in the audience had not been so vocal.

Former Pennsylvania Senatoe Rick Santorum
Image via Wikipedia

CNN managed to both host and lose the debates; a feat of marvel and amazement. CNN moderator John King, proving he deserves that bed allotted him at "the home," began by picking a fight with Newt Gingrich. You can imagine how that went. King was outgunned intellectually and emotionally before Gingrich rolled him into a little ball and dropped him, smoldering, into an ash can.

King insisted on bringing up Gingrich's ex-wife Marianne's statements about their divorce. Marianne Gingrich has long flirted with the idea of "ruining" Gingrich's political career "with one interview". With, not just South Carolina but, the entire GOP nomination at stake she decided to strike. Angry much, Marianne?

Gingrich Clearly Wins South Carolina Debate

Newt Gingrich clearly dominated the South Carolina GOP debate last night. He received two standing ovations and his statements were often followed by loud, lengthy applause. The former US House Speaker needed to do well after he allowed the negative ads run against him in Iowa to affect him and his campaign, and he did so.

Former US House Speaker Newt Gingrich
Image via Wikipedia

Gingrich won the debate by dealing in specifics. Other candidates, President Barack Obama comes to mind, do better when they are allowed to make broad, gilded generalities that have less substance than a cotton candy hologram. Gingrich revels in applying the lessons of the past to the present and it's one of the reasons most people believe that Gingrich would destroy the sitting President in a debate.

Gingrich started slowly, having an uneasy time defending his attacks on former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney's stint at Bain Capital. He muddled through eventually, though.

Former Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum cleaned Romney's clock in an exchange about the attack ads run by the superPAC that supports Romney. Santorum forced Romney to admit that his state of Massachusetts had a more liberal law than the one Santorum voted for and that the representation in the ads did not fairly depict Santorum's position. Santorum failed; however, to look at Romney and add the killer line that I expected: "In fact, Governor Romney, the position your superPAC accuses me of having is identical to the one you tolerated as Massachusetts Governor, isn't it?"

Analysis of the 2012 Election for Conservatives

Let's step back from this squirming pile of electoral nonsense for just a moment, take a calming breath and quietly look at things. Just you and me. No agendas, no group think, no hidden motivation. If you haven't had a chance to do this, who can blame you? It's been a whirlwind from the beginning and there is no sign that it's going to slow, but it needs to be done.

If you're a conservative or a libertarian, then the current president is doubtless as unacceptable to you as he is to me. Please keep this thought in mind as you read this and then as you choose a Presidential candidate.

The Liberty Bell - Image via Wikipedia

Even the supporters of President Obama cannot deny that his own Congressional Budget Office numbers show a massive increase in debt over the next decade and those numbers assume nearly miraculous job growth with none of the negative symptoms of the "quantitative easing" policy of Obama.

The continued printing of money will destroy the small amount of wealth that the middle class had managed to retain. This is not a hypothesis. It is a fact. The people of the middle class are the glue that holds our nation and our society together. As the size and wealth of the middle class decreases, so do our chances of surviving this economy and this lack of national leadership. 

Why is it that when the Left aims at the wealthy it always shoots the middle class right between the eyes?

The Unaware, Undecided and Indifferent will Choose Our President

If you've been closely following the current events of the past few years because you are concerned about the massive unemployment, trade deficits, increased government spending, the galloping herd of Obama Administration scandals and Obamacare then I am about to make you angry. If these issues are your concerns, as they are mine, then make yourself a stiff drink and sit down.

Obamanomics
Image via Wikipedia

The Gallop Poll conducts a daily Presidential Approval Poll. They now have president Obama's approval rating at 47% - above his disapproval rating of 46%. Scott Rasmussen's daily Presidential Approval Poll has President Obama's approval rating at 45% and his disapproval rating is 53%. Rasmussen also measures strongly approve and strongly disapprove, which reveals that 20% more Americans strongly disapprove of President Obama's performance than strongly approve.

What does this tell us? First of all, a poll is a snapshot of people's beliefs at a given time. Second, a poll is not necessarily a predictor of the future. Third, polls can often disappoint you in your fellow human beings.

Romney's Southern Problem: The "M" Word

- It's Not What You Might Think -

For all of the pundits who are putting a spit-polish shine on Mitt Romney's coronation-ready, GOP crown; slow down. The fat lady is still in the wings running through her scales.

I'm actually seeing predictions that Romney will win Iowa, win New Hampshire, and then win South Carolina. I would rate those projections as obviously possible, almost certain and simply not going to happen.

Former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney
Image via Wikipedia

I can see Romney winning Iowa or at least finishing second in Iowa. He should win his neighboring state of New Hampshire; anything else would be a major upset. As for South Carolina - listen to me, well-meaning Yankee pundits - it's not going to happen. It's the "M" word.

What? "Mormon"? No, get real; you guys are far too quick to project your prejudices on others. There are members of the Church of Latter Day Saints all through the South and while they may not be ultra-active in politics, they are viewed as being good people and good neighbors. They are walking examples of the "family values" that the Republican Party endorses so heartily. Mitt Romney's "M" word problem is Massachusetts.

Desperate and Nasty: Obama's Coming Campaign

The 2012 US Presidential campaign will be the most ugly, mean-spirited, bloody, public event since the War Between the States. I know that people constantly complain about negative campaigns, negative campaign commercials and negative political messages, but this time it will be inevitable, nasty and pervasive.

President Barack Obama has a record of accomplishments that would make even the most loving mother wince, undergo plastic surgery and move to Antarctica under an assumed name. The Obama record cannot be overlooked without wholesale misdirection, an army of SEIU's pathological liars and the introduction of mass amnesia among American voters - or $1 trillion or so of negative advertising.

Can President Obama defend:

Image via Wikipedia

1. Being the only US President to oversee a reduction in the sovereign credit rating of the United States.
2. Spending 25% of the gross domestic product (GDP) by the federal government, the most since the last world war - with nothing to show for it.
3. Increasing the average time spent on unemployment insurance from 19 weeks to 39 weeks.
4. A home ownership rate of only 59.7%, that is the lowest since 1965.
5. An increase in the federal debt from $10.6 trillion to $15.1 trillion dollars with another $1.2 trillion on the way.
6. Twenty-one consecutive months of unemployment rates over nine percent and 34 consecutive months (and counting) of unemployment rates of 8.2% or higher.
7. The misery index increasing from 7.83% in January, 2009, to 11.99% in November, 2011 - an increase of over 53%.
8. Thirteen million more Americans being forced onto food stamps, an increase of nearly 41%.
9. And all of the many more embarrassing numbers.

Why 2012 Is Even More Important Than You Think 3

- Taking Failure, Incompetence and Class Envy World-Wide -

If you have been focused on economic conditions, I can't really blame you. It's like driving past an endless chain-reaction car wreck. You can't help but stare. The carnage has been sickly fascinating as we watch the destruction of businesses and industries and the tightening of government-applied vices to the dwindling American middle class.

Image via Wikipedia

In the meantime, not only have other economies suffered, there is a leadership vacuum across the globe. Do you remember when the President of the United States was automatically considered the Leader of the Free World? I cannot imagine any person with a modicum of political knowledge and a good dose of common sense describing Barack Obama as the Leader of the Free World. Let's face it, Obama could not be an effective leader of Candyland. Consequently, there is no world leadership and the world is floundering.

Why 2012 Is Even More Important Than You Think 2

- Neither a Healthy Populace, Nor a Healthy Economy -

While we can't help but recognize that the United States is struggling financially in both public and private sectors, it's time to point out that Europe is struggling even more. The fact that a European-style economy appears to be President Barack Obama's model for the fundamentally changed United States is seldom mentioned.

Like the act of socializing medicine in Europe, the goal was not about medicine; it was about socialism. In the United States, Obamacare is not the end; it is a means to an end. The purpose of Obamacare is to squeeze out private insurers and then private medical providers. In the end, the quality of medical care must decrease as surely as the costs must increase when efficient competition ends and healthcare by bureaucrat begins. If there is a second Obama term, then this will be the future. 

Look at Europe where decades of promises are dying with the whimper of occasional street riots. It's as though a lie, that everyone knew to be a convenient fiction, was finally exposed. There is little real outrage, but many will go through the motions because it is expected.

Beware Greeks Bearing Gifts
Image via Wikipedia

Europe is simply another example of socialist economies failing to live up to socialist promises. The ability to pay for early retirements, universal "free" healthcare, stringent regulation of everything but workers' behavior and opulent employee benefits are dependent upon an eternally growing population and a constantly growing economy or payment by future, currently voiceless, generations. 

The problem is that socialist and mythical "third way" economies stifle themselves with burdensome costs and regulations that guarantee a sluggish economy that cannot compete on the world market. What makes socialism appealing to the uneducated and gullible is what makes it always fail.

Why 2012 Is Even More Important Than You Think

The Supreme Court of the United States
Image via Wikipedia

- Courting the Future of Our Nation: The US Supreme Court in Obama's Hands -

You think you're taking the 2012 elections seriously. You're already paying attention. You're months ahead of your neighbors and friends. This makes you, my friend, an opinion leader. So you need to grow into your burdensome responsibilities.

Four more years of a Presidednt Barack Obama and a US Congress that, regardless of majority, hungers for re-election at the expense of good policy may cause repercussions for decades.

What if the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) approves Obamacare? Four years to implement this resounding death knell for American business and it will be too late to make the needed corrections without a chain reaction of tumultuous results. Are you counting on the SCOTUS to save our bacon? Look, I don't care what your local Constitutional expert says, there have been enough questionable decisions in the past few years that I am dubious, e.g. Kelo vs City of New London, Connecticut.

And speaking of the SCOTUS, how many appointments will be made in the next four years? Are you ready to see an Eric Holder court? Four of the nine justices are septuagenarians. Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg will be 79 in March just a few days after Justice Antonin Scalia turns 76 and just four months before Justice Anthony Kennedy's 76th birthday.

Hey, Politicians: No One Leads the Tea Party

Leading the Tea Party is not like herding cats; it's like herding cats who possess and love using flame throwers. There might be some singed fur in the mix, but if you insist on pushing them; you'll get burned.

South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley
Image via Wikipedia

South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley, a once and perhaps future Tea Party favorite is learning that. Glenn Beck, a stand-up guy who may have taken agreement in most matters for acquiescence in all, is learning that. Smart politicians are paying careful attention. Politicians who underestimate the Tea Partiers will likely suffer their wrath.

While - call it what you will: the liberal press, main stream media, word-processing cretins who understand less about the world than a boy raised by commie wolves - have ridiculed and pigeon-holed the Tea Party, the reality is quite different.

People who have been active in the Tea Party didn't become active because of politicians, they became active to spite politicians. The Tea Party members are people who were paying attention all along, unlike the sheeple who hang on every syllable from Brian Williams or Anderson Cooper. The Tea Party became a collective expression of a large group of independent-thinking Americans.

So, for the people who are upset with Nikki Haley or Glenn Beck; it's alright. By all means explain to them why they are wrong in a nice way, but their influence is not the wide-ranging catastrophe you may be imagining. After all, the other people you have worked with in the Tea Party and similar groups are just as independent as you. They will arrive at their own conclusions in their own time.

In the meantime, rabidly support the Republican candidate of your choice and keep the 2012 election in your sights. November is coming. 

Sioux City Me, Sioux City You Blues

 - Preview of the Fox News Sioux City GOP Debate - 

I'll be blogging tonight's Fox News GOP debate; watching for political blood and gore. Sioux City, Iowa, is hosting the event which will likely need ring girls, a referee, a ring and a house doctor. I will be surprised if it does not get ugly. I've made a few notes on what I will be watching for during the debate and thought I would share them with you.

After the debate, I'll open up the online poll on who you believe won the debate with civil comments welcome. Then, I'll add my after-debate opinions to the mix.

Things to watch:

Historic downtown Sioux City, Iowa
Image via Wikipedia

Michele Bachmann: Bachmann is one of two candidates who must do well here to be taken seriously for the remainder of the campaign. Her campaign has trumpeted her Iowa ties and organization too loudly and too broadly for her to fail and mount a comeback later. Whether she realizes it or not, this is make or break for her. She does not have to win, but anything less than third in the Iowa caucuses is a major problem and less than fourth is a death knell for her campaign. She is likely to be very aggressive and should self-monitor to ensure she does not sound shrill.

Herman Cain: Most regular debate watchers may be surprised at how much they miss Cain's presence.

Newt Gingrich: As the current poll leader, Newt will again be the focal point of his fellow candidates. Look to see if he handles attacks with calm, rational ripostes or if he looks mean. The manner, rather than the substance of his remarks will be more important. Look for attacks on Gingrich's past moves to the left. Critics want you to see them as revelatory; Newt wants you to see them as anomalies. If he is smart, Gingrich will point out how he differs from President Obama rather than his fellow Republicans.

The GOP's Circular Firing Squad

Ken Carroll's Eleventh Rule of Politics: "If you’re an incumbent, the election will nearly always be about you. If you are a challenger to an incumbent and the election is about you, then you are nearly always in trouble.”

The Republican Party and its faithful followers have formed a circular firing squad around its potential presidential nominees and are rapidly loading and firing. Some on the outskirts of the group, apparently fearing that the massacre will be over before they can make their way to the front, are calling for more candidates to step forward.

Dear Mr. Cain: It's Time

Dear Mr. Cain:

We've never met, so this advice may sound impertinent. I'm offering it as a serious Republican who is still not committed to a particular candidate, so I hope you will consider what I have to say.

When people said you were a flash-in-the-pan after the South Carolina debates, I defended you way back on May 6th, saying, 

  "The big winner was Herman Cain. Cain clearly won the debate on two levels: his performance and his accomplishment of what he needed as a candidate. Last night Herman Cain proved he belongs on the big stage and that his message has an audience. Pundits may dismiss Cain and we must remember it is a long campaign, but anyone who thinks Herman Cain won’t be around is going to be proven wrong."  

I took a lot of heat for that statement, but I was right. In other posts, I defended your lack of political experience when I pointed out that your positions as CEO were a better preparation for the US Presidency than the herd animals in legislatures. I still believe I'm right about that, too, but now we won't know.

GOP: White House Or (We All Go) Bust

GOP: White House or We All Go Bust
Image via Wikipedia

The 2012 federal elections will be an extended IQ test for the American voters. If we, as a nation, focus on personalities and political advantage then we absolutely deserve to have an economy that crashes, burns and explodes violently. We are not looking at economic Armageddon in the future, the armies are joined at Mt. Megeddo now and we are losing.

I honestly cannot determine if the left is tabula rasa ignorant, hide bound to the addiction of spending and the power it brings or if they simply do not care if the politics of envy and redistribution destroy the economy. Either way, the left has earned the scorn of, not just the right but also, the reasonable center.

This election will not be solely about the economy, but a powerful combination of high unemployment, looming inflation, energy costs and sickly economic growth are the chief concerns of most Americans. Huge

50 Job Ideas for Joe Biden in 2013

In a spirit of cooperation, and because I'll be doing everything I can to evict the current residents of the White House in 2012, I think we may need some type of outbound job placement. Well, not for the President or Mrs. Obama. They're set for life. There will be book deals and I'm fairly certain that there will be plenty of "business" opportunities in Chicago for the two of them. No, the Obamas will end up quite wealthy.

Dr. Jill Biden has a doctorate in education and two masters degrees and actually holds down a job as an English professor at Northern Virginia Community College, so it's Joe that's likely to be a drag on society.

Vice President Joe Biden
Image via Wikipedia

I have taken Joe's abilities and his likely connections into account while preparing this list. There is even speculation that Biden will be dropped from the Democratic ticket  next year. I've also taken that into account. I encourage you to submit your own suggestions in the comments section. My suggestions for Joe Biden (Tweet hash #jobs4joe):

Job Suggestions For Joe:

1.  Donald Trump Apprentice - That should last for a good two hours - If The Donald is in a good mood.

2.  Manager of GM's new wind-powered car division. If anyone's got the wind, it's Joe.

3.  Public relations consultant for Charlie Sheen

4.  Dr. Teeth's stunt double on the next Muppets movie

5.  Night manager at Denny's - "I'm shooting for a job at IHOP. After all, I have lots of experience with international relationships - - and pancakes."

6.  Based on his experience, the perfect Vice-President of the Hair Club for Men: “ . . . And there were almost no ingrown hair plugs.”

My Advice? Slow Down

Slow down; you move too fast.
You got to make the morning last; just
Kickin’ down the cobblestones;
Lookin’ for fun and feelin’ groovy.
          - 59^th Street Bridge Song – Music and Lyrics by Paul Simon

What is the rush? We’re in the beginning stages of selecting who will be the next President of the United States. This is an important decision that will have consequences far beyond the next four-year term of the leader of the free world. So, again, what is the hurry?

Are you states that want to move your presidential preference primaries up to next week paying attention? Probably not. Yes, we all want our state primaries to matter, but if you love this country you will not turn a marathon into a blind sprint. If we’re going to do something that stupid, let’s save some money and just cut cards.

Governor Perry and the Great Economics Debate

Last night’s debate on Bloomberg TV focused on the US economy. This was a good choice by debate sponsors, because the American people are focused on the economy out of self-defense. The abject failure of President Obama and his gaggle of academic charlatans and Wall Street Wonderboys to grasp even the basics of business, is no surprise to economic conservatives. If one is overly kind, one could call the state of our current economy “iffy”. For that reason alone, people are ready to hear Republican ideas to repair the economy.

The debate was an opportunity for Republican presidential candidates to discuss their thoughts on the economy in more detail than other formats have allowed. Many of them, including Herman Cain, Newt Gingrich and Mitt Romney made good use of the format. Others did not do as well.

Image via Wikipedia

Texas Governor Rick Perry didn’t lose the economics debate last night, but it may eventually cost him the nomination anyway. Perry needed a reversal in direction for his campaign and his lackluster performance did not do that. He will continue to slide in the polls because he gave no reason for the slide to stop.

Perry is right, of course, on his statements about the necessity to utilize our natural resources to save the economy. He mentioned it several times but never ventured beyond the painfully obvious. Simply put, Perry never connected the dots. There was no analysis; no linking of job production outside of the energy sector; and most importantly to his campaign, no burning reason why voters should stick with the Perry bandwagon.

Perry could have easily pointed out that we need relatively inexpensive energy to increase production of both goods and jobs. Less expensive goods - and lower transportation costs - means more exports in all sectors, which means more jobs. Less expensive products are more affordable to America’s middle class. Common

Fear of a Tea Party Planet

- Why the Democratic National Committee wants to co-opt the Occupy Wall Street Protesters -

Why would former US House Speaker and legislative airhead Nancy Pelosi go out of her way to embrace the Occupy Wall Street (OWS) protesters? Why would civil rights movement icon John Lewis attempt to address the OWS group in Atlanta’s Woodruff Park? Why would President Obama praise these groups even after hundreds were arrested in New York City?

Tea Party Rally in Washington, DC
Image via Wikipedia

These are legitimate questions because of the significant political risks undertaken by these nationally known Democrats. They risk their personal reputations, if not their re-election chances, to mingle their fortunes with an little known group of protesters. They are also placing their party’s lower tier candidates at greater risk with this affiliation. Generally a high risk should have an opportunity to generate high rewards, and this is the case. Democrats are playing high stakes poker to counter the Tea Party.

Publicly, Democrats deny that the Tea Party had any effect on the 2010 elections and will soon disappear. No one really believes Democrats are that stupid and recalcitrant regarding reality. Having failed to destroy the Tea Party movement, though slandering it so that the movement’s popularity has decreased, the Democrats want a left-wing movement to counter the Tea Party.

Let's Just Lie

On April 13^th, President Barack Obama abandoned all pretense of being presidential. Not only was his response to Representative Paul Ryan’s budget proposal not reasonable, it was dishonest and childish.

President Obama Before a Joint Session of Congress
Image via Wikipedia

Agree or disagree with his ideas, Ryan (R-WI) has done the heavy lifting on the 2012 budget and he did so knowing that it would immediately make him a target for those on the left. This alone should bring to him some well-deserved respect. The President, rather than give a nod to Ryan’s work and then list where he disagrees simply attacked the character of Congressman Ryan and other Republicans and then pretended he has a legitimate budget proposal.

The President makes some pretty wild assumptions in his – well, we’ll call it a “budget” for lack of a better word. How likely are President Obama’s assumptions to become reality?