Did Georgia Governor Nathan Deal Damage GOP Presidential Chances?

The Georgia Republican convention was held in Macon this past weekend and while the controversy in Georgia does not appear to have national implications, it does. In fact, the controversy that caused some hard feelings here in the Peach State may become a national issue.

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Georgia Governor Nathan Deal

In Georgia, current Governor and former US Representative, Nathan Deal managed to offend a lot of his fellow Republicans by inserting himself squarely into the race for the Georgia Republican Party (GAGOP) Chairman's race. In some states this may be common, but in Georgia - which did not elect a Republican governor until 2002 after 131 consecutive years of Democrat governors - this is not acceptable. The GAGOP had discovered that state governors are not necessary to run a state party.

Governor Deal had already angered many Georgia Republicans when he endorsed Tricia Pridemore during the GAGOP Chairman's race. Incumbent Sue Everhart and third candidate Shawn Hanley were not amused, but those really offended were the party activists who felt that Governor Deal clearly crossed a line. For a sitting governor to attempt to influence the outcome of a party election made many people uncomfortable.

Governor Deal already has a bully pulpit and it looked to many GOP grassroots activists that the governor was attempting to take theirs. More galling, was the implied insult that he - a man who had never shown real interest in the state party - knows more about what is best for the party rather than the thousands of party activists.

On Saturday, when Governor Deal deviated from his address as governor to endorse Mrs. Pridemore from the dais, the boos were no great surprise to anyone but the governor. Eventually, Mrs. Everhart was re-elected and most delegates and alternates were impressed with Mrs. Pridemore and Mr. Hanley. It was a good day for the party, except for the governor.

After a contentious 2010 GOP gubernatorial primary, followed by a more contentious run-off, a contentious state convention could not be a good thing. Three strong candidates for GAGOP Chairman is a sign of the success of the state party. Rancor added when a sitting governor involves himself in that race is a very bad thing. Then there is the question of why Governor Deal suddenly involves himself in party politics. I have yet to hear a reasonable explanation from the Governor or his staff.

And now, President Obama's campaign has declared Georgia in play for the 2012 election. Polls indicate this may be true and the President's people have already added a re-election headquarters and staffed it 18 months prior to the next election. Do I think the Obama campaign has a chance of taking Georgia? No, I don't. Do I relish the idea of facing an incumbent president with a divided state party? Again, I can't say that I do, because we hold elections for a reason. We don't know what will happen.

Why were delegates so upset with their own governor? The sad truth is that what is best for a state party seldom coincides with what is best for an elected official in the long run. A governor with too much influence in the state party structure can cause real harm to the state party.

So, will the Georgia GOP be united in the face of our opponents? We shall see, but the involvement of Governor Deal in no way strengthened the GAGOP and may have created stress fractures that were unnecessary.

There are several victims of this change. One will be the Republican presidential nominee who will be forced to spend more time and money in Georgia than should have been necessary. Others will be local and congressional  GOP candidates who may find it more difficult to raise funds and receive fewer volunteer hours from local Republicans focusing on the presidential race.

All three GAGOP chairman candidates are saying the right things and openly encouraging their supporters to unite and get ready for 2012. I hope this happens, but I wonder if the enthusiasm and focus shown in 2010 will be on display next year. If it isn't it will certainly affect the allocation of GOP funds which will affect how marginal states swing and therefore, the selection of the our next president.

Why Herman Cain Won and Rick Santorum Lost the GOP Debate

The South Carolina Republican presidential debate was held last night and featured five GOP candidates that Democrat pollster and Fox News analyst Doug Schoen described as “the B team”. Herman Cain, Gary Johnson, Ron Paul, Tim Pawlenty and Rick Santorum showed up and delivered an energetic, friendly debate that generated some noteworthy video clips and sound bites.

“Winning” the debate is an obvious goal, but candidates had more important things they needed to achieve. Both Herman Cain and Gary Johnson needed to increase their name recognition and prove they could stand on the stage with the competition. Though Johnson is a former New Mexico governor, he is unknown to a vast majority of people and in the South is probably less known than TEA Party icon/businessman/radio talk-show host Cain.

Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty is well-liked in the media. He’s well-spoken and his positions are mainstream. Unfortunately for him, some are not mainstream for Republicans. Pawlenty needed to convince voters that he’s not simply a more articulate, wrinkle-free version of John McCain.

Texas Congressman and libertarian darling Ron Paul had a difficult task. During this campaign, he has to convince a lot of people that what they “know” about him isn’t accurate. Paul has been painted as a “loony” and “dangerous” by political opponents, even though he holds a medical degree from Duke University and was first elected to the US House in 1976. In addition, the Congressman can come across as professorial when discussing economics and his foreign policy is not supported by most mainstream Republicans.

Finally, there is former US Senator Rick Santorum. I was surprised when Chris Stirewalt’s analysis on the Fox News website offered up Rick Santorum as the winner. I didn’t see him as the winner and after further reflection, I still do not see it. With his experience and relatively high profile, Santorum needed to show he was the class of the debate and consequently, was the only one who actually needed to win.

Pennsylvania’s Santorum has a well-earned reputation as a conservative. He is openly patriotic and has shown he will go to the mat for conservative causes. He would like to be the heir to Ronald Reagan, but his visible lack of comfort and  joy prevents him from being the next incarnation of Reagan’s “Happy Warrior”.

Santorum, presented as a checklist of positions and as a squeaky-clean public servant should chart high with conservatives. Santorum’s personal presentation though was stiffer than a plank and his expression was wooden, as well. The Rick Santorum who was first elected to the US House of Representatives at the age of 32 was joyful, passionate, and witty. Speaking during “Special Orders” in the US House, he demonstrated his thoughtful support for the conservative cause with a real smile on his face. If that Rick Santorum does not reappear, along with his missing smile, then this Rick Santorum should simply go home because voters will not support a man this difficult to like.

Gary Johnson came across as a smart man with a sense of humor, but his attempts at using cost-benefit analysis as a platform did not score with the audience. Tim Pawlenty got points for his kind treatment of absent colleagues, but was entangled in his former position on Cap and Trade legislation. Neither completed the needed tasks.

Ron Paul held his own and his supporters were enthusiastic. He got some significant applause lines and laugh lines, but his task is a long-term one. He has to convince voters that his ideas aren’t crazy just because they are different. He certainly lost no votes because he stayed on message and his candor may have brought some new listeners, but he did not dominate the debate. The unanswerable questions at this time are, “Was it enough?” and “Will his message begin to resonate with a broader audience?”

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.

JFK is A-OK, But Nix Osama's Pics?

So, let me get this straight, it’s okay to show the Zapruder film of the assassination of US President John F. Kennedy, but not to make public the still photos of dead dirt bag Osama bin Laden? The number of ways this is outrageously stupid approaches infinity. Whose feelings are we protecting? Certainly not the feelings of American citizens who have been exposed to violence in the media repeatedly in the past 20 years.

Americans have been subjected to videos of fellow citizens flinging themselves to certain death from the top floors of New York’s Twin Towers, videos of the gaping, deadly wound in the side of the USS Cole, the remains of bombed US embassies strewn with victims in Africa and the beheading video of US journalist Daniel Pearl. We have shown our resilience time and again and the sugar coating just gets in the way.

All of these events can be traced back to Osama bin Laden and his followers. Irony does not begin to cover this circumstance. The body of the creature who brought these vicious attacks to bear, often on unarmed civilians, was treated with respect and dignity after we killed him. So our enemies, stunned by our chivalrous actions will begin to understand the complex morality of the West and begin to see us as “people” and no longer wish to perpetrate unreasoned violence against us. And, in the Left’s fairy tale view of the world, that’s how it would be. Reality; however, is a harsh mistress with death in her eyes and a smile on her lips and cares not for fairy tales.

In case you’re keeping score, as the radical Islamists certainly are, the most important words in the previous paragraph are “we killed him”. That is all they really care about. They don’t care about linen shrouds, Islamic traditions, proper burial rites or a picture. If we had planted bin Laden in a vat of cow patties and released a photo of that, could the radical, murderous fanatics be even more radical, more murderous or more fanatical?

I'm not demanding that anyone release the still photos of a dead Osama bin Laden, but to not release the photos because some of bin Laden's followers might be offended is silly and naive. This homicidal band of thugs seeks the destruction of our civilization, the trampling of our love of our God-given rights and the surrender of our free will. If those who seek bloody injustice are offended by bloody justice, then so be it.

Give President Obama a thumbs-up for pulling the trigger on the operation, give Navy SEAL Team Six a big thumbs-up for pulling the actual triggers, and give President Bush credit for providing the trigger in the first place. Let us continue to honor our war dead and wounded and pray that we are worthy of their sacrifice.

We are a better planet for bin Laden’s absence, but work remains. Before that work is done, before we can  claim victory, the blood of more innocents will be shed; more brave American soldiers, sailors and marines will perish protecting our precious rights; and most importantly, we must realize we are in a war about everything we believe, and for everything we hold sacred.

Osama bin Laden Killed by US, Part II - The President's Speech

Osama bin Laden was a murderous thug who had no respect for the rights of individuals and openly opposed, in the bloodiest manner, those who wished to uphold those same rights. Bin Laden followed Islam's lengthy tradition of turning to violence almost immediately to gain power and influence.

Tonight, President Obama made a point of reminding people that many of the people bin Laden murdered were his fellow Muslims and that "his demise should be welcomed by all". The President is correct in this regard.

This was probably the best speech ever given by President Obama, and whoever wrote this speech is underpaid. Obama hit many of the right notes in his speech tonight, though it would have been a better speech if he had mentioned former President George Bush's efforts to bring bin Laden to justice.

President Obama was more subdued in his claims for credit than I had anticipated using "I" statements only five times by my count. He was generous in his praise for the US armed forces.  I did not note a lot of praise for Pakistan in tonight's speech, even though they were mentioned. There is probably a reason for that and I believe that it is because Pakistan likely knew of bin Laden's location for months and failed to disclose it.

I will stick with my predictions about the fall-out from the event announced tonight, given in my previous blog. I will add another: There will be riots and anti-American actions because bin Laden was killed.

I'm watching live TV shots of Americans celebrating bin Laden's death. There seems to be a lot of joy and patriotism in force. This is so different from Middle East demonstrations where the usual display of emotions starts with anger and ends with disgust and possible self-loathing.

This does not mean the end of anti-Western Muslim actions, including violent attacks, but it is a victory for the United States and its allies. If we do not see a new "face" for al-Quaida within the next 90 days, then it will mean that the terrorist organization is more splintered than we realize at this time.

Our many problems, mostly self-inflicted, still remain but that does not mean we should not enjoy this. Listen to some Kool and the Gang and have a "Celebration". May God bless America.

Osama bin Laden Killed by US

This blog will be updated after I listen to President Obama's press conference.

The world is a better place than it was a week ago, while Osama bin Laden was still breathing the same air as humanity. While he may have lessened his direct direction of al-Quaida, this is still a positive development and worth celebrating.

For those of you who think it is unkind or cruel for me to celebrate the death of a fellow human being, I would argue. First, bin Laden lost all claim to humanity when he plotted the brutal deaths of civilians. Second, while true justice does not exist on this plane, this is about as close as it gets. I WILL celebrate the termination of this bipedal virus.

Predictions:

1 - President Obama will overstate his claim to credit for this event.
2 - Time magazine will name bin Laden "Man of the Year"
3 - The left will push even harder to withdraw troops from Afghanistan and Iraq.
4 - President Obama will (though not tonight) declare victory and begin troop withdrawal.
5 - President Obama will see a rise in his polls, both personal and job-related.
6 - The Pakastani government knew Obama was living in their country all along.
7 - A new, lesser known individual will emerge as the "face" of al-Quaida. It will be weeks before this happens.

Around the World in 80 Lines - Or Less for April 29th, 2011

The Amish Mafia

We’re lucky that the federal government has recently cracked down on the selling of contraband in the US. The Washington Times reports that a year-long sting operation conducted by federal agents has resulted in the bust of an illegal operation in Pennsylvania. The Amish-run Rainbow Acres Farm was selling non-pasteurized milk to consumers who knew the milk was non-pasteurized. The consumers of the illegal milk prefer the taste and say that pasteurization kills good as well as bad bacteria. There have been no complaints or charges filed against the dairy farm previously.

According to Tamara N. Ward, spokesperson for the US Food and Drug Administration, “It is the FDA’s position that raw milk should never be consumed.” We can’t seem to protect voters from intimidation at the polls by the New Black Panther Party, write oil-drilling permits that can be acted upon, or protect our borders from illegal aliens by we can sure shut-down the Amish Mafia with their natural milk.

Exciting Events in London

Around the World is 80 Lines - Or Less
Image via Wikipedia

Many of us were excited today about the Royal Wedding in London, where Prince William wed Kate Middleton. We’re thrilled, thrilled that it is over. Best wishes to the newly wed Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, but we’ll be very happy to see them exit the news channels to be replaced by real news.

Trump Not Trumped

Not to be outdone in publicity, faux Presidential candidate Donald Trump dropped the F-bomb four times in a Las Vegas speech. To prove his fluidity in unacceptable language, Trump even managed to work the F-word into a compound word alleging incestuous activities, as well as using it in its raw, unadulterated form. There is a rumor, that I am starting right here, that the foul-mouthed outbreak was the result of a wager between Mr. Trump and his chauffer.  Best wishes to Mr. Trump, but we’ll also be very happy to see him exit the news channels to be replaced by real news.

Geld Gadaffi

Moammar Gadaffi (pick your own spelling) has been a bad boy again. The mischievous, murderous madman has not only illegally mined a harbor, he has also been handing out Viagra to his troops to increase the number of rapes perpetrated on Libyan civilians. This is unacceptable by thinking human beings, so we’re waiting on a statement condemning these actions from Gadaffi’s good pal Minister Louis Farrakhan. We are not; however, holding our breath.

We do not wish Mr. Gadaffi well, but we do wish for him to be locked in a room with the husbands, fathers and brothers of the rape victims. They may wish to geld Gadaffi, or more. Oh, and we also wish that all of their knives are rusty and dull, making for a long, painful evening for Mr. Gadaffi.

Painful Gas

The average gas price in the US for regular is now $3.91 per gallon. Overlooked by most is the fact that not all of this can be laid at the feet of President Obama’s energy policies. A large part of it can be found at the feet of President Obama’s monetary policies which has officially given us the weakest dollar in years. And, in terms of dollars, gold has just set an all-time record high, which helps reinforce the point.  

I have yet to decide if our President Obama knows nothing about economics or if he knows nothing about this country. Former Pennsylvania US Senator and Republican Presidential hopeful Rick Santorum stated that Obama does not understand America. I think Santorum may be right and the President knows even less about us than we know about him.

McCain-Feingold Still Makes Hypocrites

Finally, two years ago Democrats were screaming bloody murder about Republican fund-raising by less regulated organizations. I’m sure you remember the accusations that Republicans were allowing overseas donations to be used in the Congressional races. The charges were unproved and unfounded, but it seems Democrats secretly thought it was a good idea. Now they are forming their own.

Why is this happening? McCain-Feingold, of course. Let’s not forget that McCain-Feingold is a clear violation of First Amendment rights above all else. It was supposed to put an end to all of this, but it has actually made it worse. The road to Hell is paved with good intentions – and well-meaning idiots.

A Quick Note on the Obama Birth Certificate

I’m on record as saying the controversy over President Obama’s birth certificate was a distraction from important things. One can blame the “birthers” for refusing to give this up or one can blame President Obama for refusing to display the long-form birth certificate much earlier. In this one, believe it or not, I side with President Obama. If someone continually demanded that I display some of my personal paperwork for everyone to leisurely review and publicly comment upon, then I’d probably tell them to go to Hell.

So now, can we finally focus upon the fact that our President is either so incompetent or so ideologically crippled that he risks destroying our country? Of course he has been aided by the likes of the melodramatic Nancy Pelosi and the Cowboy Poetry-loving Harry Reid, but they couldn’t have done it without him.

I offer a modest suggestion. How about everyone who was so incensed over the possibility that President Obama was born in a different country put at least some energy into publicizing the fact that Washington seems to be doing everything possible to crush our entire economy beginning with our energy sector?

There is one final point to consider. Politics is still more important to many people.

While declaring “victory” for forcing President Obama to reveal his birth certificate, Donald Trump went on to say that perhaps the press will now ask him about important things and drop the birth certificate issue. Since Trump revived the issue single-handedly, try wrapping your mind around that. Then to further insult the public’s common sense, Mr. Trump challenged Mr. Obama to release his college records by chiding Obama on his reputed poor school records. Per Real Clear Politics, Trump asked, "I'd like to know how does he get into Harvard, how does he get into Columbia if he isn't a very good student?” Trump later added, “But the word is he wasn't a very good student.”

So, did President Obama set a better example? Not really. President Obama declared that he produced the long-hidden birth certificate to enable the public to focus on much more serious issues. “We do not have time for this kind of silliness,” the President stated. Then he returned immediately to the Oval Office to continue sweating over a way to save our down-trodden economy. Just kidding! Are you crazy? Of course not. He proceeded to go to Chicago so he and the First Lady could be interviewed by Oprah. 

One, Two, Many

The theory goes that early man had only three numbers: “one”, “two” and “many”. When I was younger, that was difficult to believe. If a person could count to “two” then he could count to “three” and if he could count to “three” he could add another, couldn't he? Now, I think I understand. Just how many is 14.3 trillion anyway?

When I look at the number of dollars associated with our current federal debt . . . and our current budget . . . and even our annual deficit, quite frankly it’s overwhelming. When numbers get that large, I believe we have a tendency to think of those numbers as “many”, shake our heads and think about something comprehensible – like string theory. We can’t afford to do that anymore.

Numbers, when left alone are honest reflections of something and we are confident that we are on solid ground with them. It is when people re-define and re-interpret numbers that we begin to be on shaky ground and when people with an agenda begin to manipulate numbers, we leave unstable footing and dive into the quicksand head first.

Those who either deny reality or wish to influence the public often use numbers to obfuscate truth. The gullible and naive often see numbers as absolute truth and pay no attention to what is actually measured, they only listen to an interpretation. As famed 19th Century British Prime Minister Benjamin Disraeli said, “There are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies, and statistics.” It’s still true today.

Recently President Obama used a 12-year – rather than a 10-year – budget projection and incredible (in the truest sense of the word) growth numbers to “prove” his budget proposal was as good as that of Wisconsin GOP Representative Paul Ryan. It actually proved nothing other than the President is not attempting to solve a problem so much as build a fiction that sounds feasible to the feeble-minded and, where they occasionally differ from the feeble-minded, the media. These ignoble creatures will, in turn, trumpet these false facts to the ignorant, the uncaring and the foolish.

President Obama and his team have already persuaded the public to accept phony statistics before and done so successfully. Do you remember the “jobs created or saved” statistic? A “statistic” which cannot be defined, measured or debated because it is made of fluffy clouds, tissue paper, lies and conjecture. He got away with it then and he will continue in the same vein until someone points out that this emperor has no clothes, no plan and no understanding of capitalism. “One, two, many,” indeed. In the case of this president’s budget, it has become “one too many” and I cannot wait until next November.

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
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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?

Top Ten Presidential Demands of Donald Trump

In a secret that will only be revealed here, Donald Trump has been in private negotiations to obtain the 2012 Republican Presidential nomination. As usual “The Donald” is driving a tough bargain. Below are Trump’s demands if he is to run the country:

10. Trump’s “The Art of the Deal” will be required reading in all colleges and high schools.

9. President Obama must write 100 times on the blackboard, “I will not leave my birth certificate at home again.”

8. US’s China Policy will become “All Chinese imports must be made in the United States.”

7.  The US will demand that Kuwait and Iraq pay rent to the US on all oil wells, current and future.

6. While he is in office, the United States will be referred to as Trump Land.

5. The sitting President always makes the cut at the Masters.

4. Trump gets TWO Nobel prizes as soon as he is sworn in.

3. All Trump ex-wives receiving alimony will be American good will ambassadors - in Sendai¸ Japan.

2. When Trump is elected President he also becomes the President of The Hair Club for Men.

1. A new reality TV show will be broadcast from the White House: Apprentice VP.

Incentive Bonus: If the federal debt is reduced to zero during his administration not only does The Donald gets his image carved on “Mount Trump-more” – he gets the franchise rights!

And . . . if I've made you smile, make me smile and check out one of my sponsors (Yes, this is a totally capitalistic marketing ploy.)

A Tiny Victory in a Long War

Now is not the time for back-slapping. This weekend, conservatives merely won a small, though significant, concession from Democrats. While $38 billion is only two percent of the projected 2011 deficit, it did change the focus of the American people. The emphasis is now on deficit reduction, not shifting funds from program to program.

As for the real budget debate, we are just beginning. Remember that the most recent conflict was because Democrats failed to pass – or to attempt to pass – a budget for 2011. The 2011 budget was due by October of 2010 when Democrats controlled both houses of Congress and the White House. Rather than use their huge majorities to pass an overgrown budget that would outrage the American public, they simply passed a huge increase in the federal debt ceiling. There was no budget or responsibility but the spending binge continued.

The debate for 2012 will be even more contentious, partly because the Presidential election is in 2012. The 2012 budget is due by October of this year and the debt limit will have to be addressed even before then.

President Obama has already asked for “a clean bill” to authorize an increase in federal debt without any restrictions. This asks Congress to surrender its responsibility for oversight. Speaker of the House John Boehner (R-OH) has already stated that any increase in the federal debt would only be passed with significant changes that address the source of our debt. This illuminates two views of government.

The difference is that Democrats want to find a way to be more efficient while keeping – or even growing – the size of government. There have been no suggestions from Democrat leadership to reduce the size of the federal government. That’s not hyperbole; they have made zero proposals to reduce the size of government. This Republican-led House, while more timid than many would like, is striving to reduce the size of the federal government.

So, why are Democrats still seeking to spend more of our resources on government programs that we obviously cannot afford? I believe that some still have the mindset that the economy requires federal programs to prop up the economy. While this is neither logical nor reasonable, there are leftists who have no faith in individuals.

My concern is those who cynically grow the government to increase their own power and influence. You can usually tell them because they know they are wrong and can’t rely on facts to support their positions. They tell lies continually to denigrate their opponents instead of addressing issues. If you are thinking of President Obama, Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi then we’re on the same page. I won’t begin listing the falsehoods knowingly told by this trio regarding the economy. That would fill a book and I don’t have the inclination or the space.

This budget debate will be a fight for our future, so do not let numbers frighten you away. Either continued government growth or rising debt will destroy our nation; our path has been to increase both. If we fail to stop this trend, our nation will sink into mediocrity weighed down by chains of debt while our children will grow into adulthood in a second-class country, ignorant of American exceptionalism. I see no alternative other than to win this fight.

You will be needed. The battle lines are drawn. Paul Ryan has authored the battle plan for conservatives and it is a good, bold plan. It’s not perfect, but adjustments should be made by applying additional cuts, not increased taxes.

An important note to conservatives in Congress: Please do not fall into the false concept that the government is the country. Shutting down the government is not shutting down the country. It’s better to rebel and crash the government than to fatally harm our country. If it’s necessary, you won’t be the first to make that courageous decision.

It’s time. Let’s roll.

Reid My Lips, Harry

If you’re right about something, why would you lie about it? That’s a question someone needs to ask Harry Reid. It’s no secret that Reid (D-NV) dislikes the TEA Party and accuses them of being dangerous to the country because they want to curtail federal spending, but Reid is going out of his way to misrepresent polls regarding the TEA Party.

Harry Reid is the symbol of everything that’s wrong with Washington. Reid cares more about maintaining power for the sake of maintaining power than he cares about his country. I say this because our federal government’s financial situation is in crisis and Reid is more concerned about remaining US Senate Majority Leader than he is in solving the problems.

Due in large part to Reid’s policies, our country is overwhelmed with debt and we are rapidly approaching the point where we can no longer remain solvent. Looking at rising oil and food prices and seeing the very real possibility of inflation, we may already be caught in a riptide of debt caused by overspending that will drown our economy.

Reid in incapable of helping solve our financial problems and Republicans need to learn this. In order to be an agent of change, Reid and his fellow leftists must first admit that our country has a problem and that they are its main cause. Reid is incapable of admitting he was wrong and keeping his power-base. By his actions and his false rhetoric, Reid has announced that he would rather be wrong and powerful than do what is best for his country.

Reid would deny all of this, I’m sure, but so what? If there was any doubt that Harry Reid will lie, just remember this: He is on record as blaming Republicans for the Democrat’s failure to pass a budget last year when they had the US Presidency and large majorities in both houses of the legislative branch.

Ask yourself what the TEA Party folks have to gain by their actions other than a reduction in the size of government and a reduction in federal spending. Then ask yourself what Senator Reid and his cronies have to gain by lying about the TEA Party. The only thing their statements might accomplish is a continuation of their power. Finally, ask yourself this: If Democrats could no longer give our tax dollars to special interests groups, could they ever again have a national majority?

Then, there is Reid’s latest statement that the TEA Party is dangerous and unpopular. He stated that most people disliked the TEA Parties. Yet, Scott Rasmussen’s latest poll shows that 48% of Americans consider their beliefs to be closer to the TEA Party than to Congress. Less than 30% of Americans stated their beliefs were closer to the average Congressman.

So why would Harry lie? He’s still attempting to convince the American people that the TEA Party movement is dangerous. Yet, I see the projected $1.65 trillion shortfall for 2011 and it’s pretty apparent that the TEA Party activists and their allies are wearing the white hats. Harry Reid is a dangerous, power-hungry demagogue without a conscience. 

I hope the rest of Senator Reid's time as Senate Majority Leader is very frustrating. Read my lips, Harry; it ends in January, 2013.