I've been reading up on the FairTax. Mr. Neal Boortz, syndicated talk show host, wrote a book with Congressman John Linder called The FairTax Book: Saying Goodbye to the Income Tax and the IRS. I absolutely do not support the idea of the "FairTax" based on his book.
The kicker for me shows up on page 78.
Neal Boortz has just finished explaining on page 77 how "The federal government will pay the states one quarter of 1 percent" for collecting the "FairTax"; in addition, "the same amount will also be paid to the business that collects the tax". Basically, the states and businesses turn the collection of the "FairTax" into a venture that adds to the bottom line. What are the ethical implications? The incentives of collecting taxes have changed wildly under the FairTax.
Further on page 77, Neal points out that it is really all just conjecture that prices will go down, like for your doctors visits. I have my doubts about the FairTax making any prices go down (they might be able to do it with legislation, but most companies will not drop 26%). The FairTax will result in higher prices overall.
Then on page 78, Neal calls for the Federal Government "to pay the consumption tax along with everyone else". He goes on to say, "Remember, the FairTax is neutral. It plays no favorites. We've had enough of 'playing tax favorites' game with the present system..."
And this is what I find so crazy about his perspective. Neal seems to have forgotten that although the FairTax doesn't "play favorites", politicians do. The incentives for spending start to include paying for states to regulate and collect the tax, and paying companies to collect the tax as well. I can see the quarter of one percent slowly ticking up over time as states and businesses refuse to collect the tax because it costs them more money than they receive. I believe the FairTax places more pressure on politicians to create pork barrel spending, not only do they get money invested, but the companies that lobby them get a piece of the pie as does the state government.
In conclusion, the FairTax's big claim is that it is meant to be revenue neutral. Let's take a look at the idea "that the federal government will send every family in America a prebate". Most recently the Federal Government alerted some 130,000,000 tax payers to expect a check from the Federal Government. And what did this one time mailing cost the US taxpayer?
$42 million dollars
Now let's times that by twelve months, that gives us $502 million dollars, nearly a half billion dollars, for the yearly mailing of prebates. Of course, we times this by the FairTax and we add an additional $151.2 million for an amazing total of $655.2 million dollars just to get the prebates into the American taxpayers' hands. (I ignore death payments that would need to be stopped, also fraud, and the terrific cost of returned mail.) The FairTax is not revenue neutral.
The FairTax may sound like a good idea, but somebody needs to, as Mr. Thomas Sowell suggests in Applied Economics, "Look beyond stage one", the FairTax doesn't look as happy go lucky as Mr. Boortz childishly puts it in his book.
Showing posts with label Huckabee. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Huckabee. Show all posts
Latest Presidential Poll Released...
The poll results are in: Mitt Romney 45%, Mike Huckabee 10%, and John McCain 6%.
Barak Obama took in 38%, while John Edwards was close with 36%.
These results were gathered from 300 dentists during the Chicago Dental Society's 143rd Midwinter Meeting. The results indicate Mitt Romney has the best smile of all of the Presidential candidates.
The poll also found that childbirth really was tougher than pulling teeth, and raising teenagers came in a close second.
Read the entire story at United Press International, Poll: Dentists like Romney's smile best
Barak Obama took in 38%, while John Edwards was close with 36%.
These results were gathered from 300 dentists during the Chicago Dental Society's 143rd Midwinter Meeting. The results indicate Mitt Romney has the best smile of all of the Presidential candidates.
The poll also found that childbirth really was tougher than pulling teeth, and raising teenagers came in a close second.
Read the entire story at United Press International, Poll: Dentists like Romney's smile best
Where is Rudy Giuliani now? and other New York Times News
I was reading yesterday's New York Times and came across some interesting articles:
From Canditate to Corporate Lawyer: Rudy Giuliani is no longer a candidate for the presidency, having dropped out two weeks ago. But at least he has a law firm bearing his name to return to.
That would be Bracewell & Giuliani. Giuliani made $1.2 million from the company, that was $1 million base salary and 7.5% of the profits of the New York office. (Wow, that's kind of a nice salary.)
I thought this one was kind of funny since Huckabee was zinging Romney on the Caymans.
Huckabee Offshore's His Speeches: The reporters following Mr. Huckabee asked him if this might present a conflict for him, to be picking up some cash in a place that he criticizes.“OK, first of all let’s get something straight: I’m not gonna be taking money and parking it in the Cayman Islands,” ABC News reported, describing his tone as “a little combative.” “I’m gonna get enough money to come back and pay about 40 percent in taxes on what I earned. There’s a big difference.”Mr. Huckabee said he has to give speeches to earn money and “make sure I can make my mortgage payments, just like everybody else has to do.”He also noted: “I’m the only person who doesn’t get paid by the taxpayers to campaign. Senator Obama, Senator Clinton, Senator McCain, they campaign every day and I’m paying for their campaigns. I’m paying because I’m a taxpayer, and I have to pay for their Senate salaries even if they are not on duty.” (Compared to Giuliani's salary Huckabee's got to bring in dough some how.)
This next article is titled Fresh Start Conservatism by David Brooks and encourages Republicans to gather around the "spirit of reforms". A brief highlight is:
1. Policies that foster two-parent families.
2. Policies for early-childhood education.
3. Policies to loosen the grip of the teachers' unions.
4. Encourage national service for 20 somethings and prepare and emotionally engage future college students.
5. Policies encouraging worker security like portable health insurance and retraining accounts.
Republicans believe positive government can help prepare people for the rigors of competition, so they can have an open field and fair chance.
The article in its entirety is below.
Fresh Start Conservatism
By DAVID BROOKS
Published: February 15, 2008
In the 19th century, industrialization swept the world. Many European nations expanded their welfare states but kept their education systems exclusive. The U.S. tried the opposite approach. American leaders expanded education and created the highest quality work force on the planet.
That quality work force was the single biggest reason the U.S. emerged as the economic superpower of the 20th century. Generation after generation, American workers were better educated, more industrious and more innovative than the ones that came before.
That progress stopped about 30 years ago. The percentage of young Americans completing college has been stagnant for a generation. As well-educated boomers retire over the next decades, the quality of the American work force is likely to decline. Mitt Romney captured the consequences in his withdrawal statement: “I am convinced that unless America changes course, we will become the France of the 21st century — still a great nation, but no longer the leader of the world.”
Americans feel the slippage every day.
If I were advising the Republican nominee, this is one of the places I’d ask him to plant his flag. I’d ask him to call for a new human capital revolution, so that the U.S. could recapture the spirit of reforms like the Morrill Act of the 19th century, the high school movement of the early 20th century and the G.I. Bill after World War II.
Doing that would mean taking on the populists of the left and right, the ones who imagine the problem is globalization and unfair trade when in fact the real problem is that the talents of American workers are not keeping up with technological change.
Doing that would also mean stealing ideas from both the left and right. Liberals have spent more time thinking about human capital than conservatives, who have tended to imagine that if you build a free market, a quality labor force would magically appear.
Doing that would also mean transcending economic policy categories. If there is one thing we have learned over the bitter experience of the past 30 years, it is that per-pupil expenditures and days in the classroom are not sufficient to produce superb information-economy workers. They emerge from intact families, quality neighborhoods and healthy moral cultures.
Finally, doing that would mean laying down lifelong policies. Human capital development is like nutrition — you have to do it every day.
The first group of policies would foster two-parent families. If all American families looked like the intact middle-class ones, we wouldn’t have nationally low education outcomes. Married men earn 10 percent to 40 percent more than single men with similar skills, and their children are much more likely to graduate from high school. But among the lower-middle class, there is a poisonous spiral of economic stress and cultural decay.
A new working class tax credit applied against the payroll tax would reduce some of the stress. So would a larger child tax credit and increases in the Earned Income Tax Credit. The federal budget should bestow less on seniors and more on young families.
The second group of policies would involve early-childhood education. There could be nurse-home visits for children in chaotic homes so that they have some authority in their lives. Preschool should be radically expanded and accountability programs put in place.
Third, the next president has to loosen the grip of the teachers’ unions. Certification rules have to be radically reformed to attract qualified college graduates. Merit pay has to become the norm. Reforming superintendents need the freedom to copy the models — like KIPP Academies — that actually work.
Fourth, Democrats like to talk about college affordability, but that’s the least important explanation for why so many students don’t complete college. The real reasons are that students are academically unprepared and emotionally disengaged. National service should be a rite of passage for 20-somethings, and these volunteers could mentor students through high school and college years.
Fifth, portable health insurance and retraining accounts would give adult workers security. Income taxes are not going to be coming down, but they need to stay where they are. As Edward Prescott has shown, higher taxes mean less work, and less work means less worker development.
The agenda could go on, but the point is this: Democrats believe in fine-tuning the economy.
They believe in intervening in a thousand little ways to address problems. Republicans believe these thousands of little Band-Aids hinder movement and distort productivity. But Republicans do believe, or at least should, that positive government can help prepare people for the rigors of competition, so they can have an open field and fair chance.
That’s the conservatism of the fresh start.
From Canditate to Corporate Lawyer: Rudy Giuliani is no longer a candidate for the presidency, having dropped out two weeks ago. But at least he has a law firm bearing his name to return to.
That would be Bracewell & Giuliani. Giuliani made $1.2 million from the company, that was $1 million base salary and 7.5% of the profits of the New York office. (Wow, that's kind of a nice salary.)
I thought this one was kind of funny since Huckabee was zinging Romney on the Caymans.
Huckabee Offshore's His Speeches: The reporters following Mr. Huckabee asked him if this might present a conflict for him, to be picking up some cash in a place that he criticizes.“OK, first of all let’s get something straight: I’m not gonna be taking money and parking it in the Cayman Islands,” ABC News reported, describing his tone as “a little combative.” “I’m gonna get enough money to come back and pay about 40 percent in taxes on what I earned. There’s a big difference.”Mr. Huckabee said he has to give speeches to earn money and “make sure I can make my mortgage payments, just like everybody else has to do.”He also noted: “I’m the only person who doesn’t get paid by the taxpayers to campaign. Senator Obama, Senator Clinton, Senator McCain, they campaign every day and I’m paying for their campaigns. I’m paying because I’m a taxpayer, and I have to pay for their Senate salaries even if they are not on duty.” (Compared to Giuliani's salary Huckabee's got to bring in dough some how.)
This next article is titled Fresh Start Conservatism by David Brooks and encourages Republicans to gather around the "spirit of reforms". A brief highlight is:
1. Policies that foster two-parent families.
2. Policies for early-childhood education.
3. Policies to loosen the grip of the teachers' unions.
4. Encourage national service for 20 somethings and prepare and emotionally engage future college students.
5. Policies encouraging worker security like portable health insurance and retraining accounts.
Republicans believe positive government can help prepare people for the rigors of competition, so they can have an open field and fair chance.
The article in its entirety is below.
Fresh Start Conservatism
By DAVID BROOKS
Published: February 15, 2008
In the 19th century, industrialization swept the world. Many European nations expanded their welfare states but kept their education systems exclusive. The U.S. tried the opposite approach. American leaders expanded education and created the highest quality work force on the planet.
That quality work force was the single biggest reason the U.S. emerged as the economic superpower of the 20th century. Generation after generation, American workers were better educated, more industrious and more innovative than the ones that came before.
That progress stopped about 30 years ago. The percentage of young Americans completing college has been stagnant for a generation. As well-educated boomers retire over the next decades, the quality of the American work force is likely to decline. Mitt Romney captured the consequences in his withdrawal statement: “I am convinced that unless America changes course, we will become the France of the 21st century — still a great nation, but no longer the leader of the world.”
Americans feel the slippage every day.
If I were advising the Republican nominee, this is one of the places I’d ask him to plant his flag. I’d ask him to call for a new human capital revolution, so that the U.S. could recapture the spirit of reforms like the Morrill Act of the 19th century, the high school movement of the early 20th century and the G.I. Bill after World War II.
Doing that would mean taking on the populists of the left and right, the ones who imagine the problem is globalization and unfair trade when in fact the real problem is that the talents of American workers are not keeping up with technological change.
Doing that would also mean stealing ideas from both the left and right. Liberals have spent more time thinking about human capital than conservatives, who have tended to imagine that if you build a free market, a quality labor force would magically appear.
Doing that would also mean transcending economic policy categories. If there is one thing we have learned over the bitter experience of the past 30 years, it is that per-pupil expenditures and days in the classroom are not sufficient to produce superb information-economy workers. They emerge from intact families, quality neighborhoods and healthy moral cultures.
Finally, doing that would mean laying down lifelong policies. Human capital development is like nutrition — you have to do it every day.
The first group of policies would foster two-parent families. If all American families looked like the intact middle-class ones, we wouldn’t have nationally low education outcomes. Married men earn 10 percent to 40 percent more than single men with similar skills, and their children are much more likely to graduate from high school. But among the lower-middle class, there is a poisonous spiral of economic stress and cultural decay.
A new working class tax credit applied against the payroll tax would reduce some of the stress. So would a larger child tax credit and increases in the Earned Income Tax Credit. The federal budget should bestow less on seniors and more on young families.
The second group of policies would involve early-childhood education. There could be nurse-home visits for children in chaotic homes so that they have some authority in their lives. Preschool should be radically expanded and accountability programs put in place.
Third, the next president has to loosen the grip of the teachers’ unions. Certification rules have to be radically reformed to attract qualified college graduates. Merit pay has to become the norm. Reforming superintendents need the freedom to copy the models — like KIPP Academies — that actually work.
Fourth, Democrats like to talk about college affordability, but that’s the least important explanation for why so many students don’t complete college. The real reasons are that students are academically unprepared and emotionally disengaged. National service should be a rite of passage for 20-somethings, and these volunteers could mentor students through high school and college years.
Fifth, portable health insurance and retraining accounts would give adult workers security. Income taxes are not going to be coming down, but they need to stay where they are. As Edward Prescott has shown, higher taxes mean less work, and less work means less worker development.
The agenda could go on, but the point is this: Democrats believe in fine-tuning the economy.
They believe in intervening in a thousand little ways to address problems. Republicans believe these thousands of little Band-Aids hinder movement and distort productivity. But Republicans do believe, or at least should, that positive government can help prepare people for the rigors of competition, so they can have an open field and fair chance.
That’s the conservatism of the fresh start.
NYT - Razor Thin Margins Show Nationwide Split or in otherwords PEOPLE VOTE FUNNY
On the Republican side, all of Missouri’s delegates will go to Senator John McCain, under Republican Party rules, but the popular vote looked more like a pie split nearly in thirds.
Mr. McCain, who won 33 percent of the state’s Republicans, finished about 8,500 votes in front of Mike Huckabee, a former Arkansas governor, who wound up with 31.5 percent. Not far behind was Mitt Romney, a former Massachusetts governor, with 29.3 percent.
Republican voters in Missouri were split over what they saw as the most important issue facing the country, statewide exit polls conducted by Edison/Mitofsky for the National Election Pool showed; 44 percent said the economy was most important, followed by the war in Iraq (20 percent), illegal immigration (18 percent) and terrorism (13 percent).Republicans who shared certain top concerns also seemed to share preferred candidates. Many who chose illegal immigration said they voted for Mr. Romney, while those who chose the war voted for Mr. McCain, and those who selected terrorism voted for Mr. Huckabee.
Although Republican leaders in Missouri dismissed worries of lasting divisions, saying many voters now seemed ready to unify around Mr. McCain, some spoke of a lingering divide.
“I think frankly Senator McCain will have a challenge,” said Delbert Scott, a Missouri state senator who supported Mr. Huckabee. “People may vote for him, but they won’t bring the neighbors to vote for him.”
My analysis: I agree with Mr. Scott, both Romney and Huckabee supporters would prefer not to vote for McCain. I heard someone say that both the conservative supporters of Romney and Huckabee would cast a ballot for John McCain with a guilty conscious because they know he isn't a true conservative.Here is the data based on voters top issue:
44% Economy most important - voters didn't seem to vote for a specific candidate based on this issue, which I find surprising. Clearly, Romney would should have swept these voters, yet he didn't.
18% Immigration - voted Romney (Makes sense was endorsed by the candidate that believed in immigration reform the most)
20% War - voted McCain (crashed five planes, spent a lot of years as POW, served on some committees on war)
13% Terrorism - voted Huckabee (can someone please explain what Huckabee has done on Terrorism?)
Now what does this data tell us? Nobody is hurting enough in the economy for them to chose an economic candidate. I guess every voters got a pet issue, kind of fun to see us all muddling through.
Super Tuesday Delegate Count Prediction - whose the winner?
Total Delegate Counts: McCain = 577 Romney = 429 Huckabee = 270
Got these numbers from Red State - read the state by state analysis here.
This site has an excellent analysis of the state by state break down on delegates.
UPDATE: Got this end of day February 6th, 2008
Total Delegate Counts: McCain = 680 Romney = 270 Huckabee = 176 Paul = 16
Looks like McCain and Paul did better than expected. While both Romney and Huckabee underperformed. Got some ground to make up on McCain.
Anyway, with all of the states added up, McCain does look like the front runner, Romney looks great in the midwest and west, and um, Huckabee is a one trick pony, barely got above Romney in the southern states by a half percent.
Got these numbers from Red State - read the state by state analysis here.
This site has an excellent analysis of the state by state break down on delegates.
UPDATE: Got this end of day February 6th, 2008
Total Delegate Counts: McCain = 680 Romney = 270 Huckabee = 176 Paul = 16
Looks like McCain and Paul did better than expected. While both Romney and Huckabee underperformed. Got some ground to make up on McCain.
Anyway, with all of the states added up, McCain does look like the front runner, Romney looks great in the midwest and west, and um, Huckabee is a one trick pony, barely got above Romney in the southern states by a half percent.
McCain, Huckabee the wrong choice for Evangelicals
McCain, Huckabee Worst Picks for Evangelicals
MEDIA ADVISORY, Feb. 4 /Christian Newswire/ -- The Reverend Rob Schenck (pronounced SHANK), in his capacity as a private citizen, today released this statement regarding tomorrow's primary votes:
"I have spent the last 33 years as an active evangelical Christian. I am an ordained evangelical minister. I graduated from an evangelical Bible college and an evangelical seminary. I serve on the board of America's oldest association of evangelical church leaders, and I head one of the most active evangelical ministries in Washington, DC.
"I have thought long and hard about the upcoming elections. I have prayed earnestly about them, and I have met many of the candidates and their top campaign people and I have studied their platforms and policy proposals.
"After careful and prayerful consideration, I have concluded that an evangelical vote for Mike Huckabee is a vote for John McCain, and a vote for John McCain will be a disaster for this country.
"Let me explain. It's clear to me and many others that Mike Huckabee is not broadening his appeal enough to win the primary. Therefore, his only contribution is to siphon off votes, giving McCain a clear path to victory. It's very possible Huckabee is being positioned to be John McCain's pick for vice president. In order to win, McCain needs Mike Huckabee and the evangelical votes he brings with him. The specter of a McCain-Huckabee ticket is bad for evangelicals.
"McCain is proud of his signature accomplishment, the McCain-Feingold law co-authored with liberal Democrat senator Russ Feingold. McCain-Feingold severely limits the First Amendment rights of evangelicals. McCain will use this law as the litmus test for his Supreme Court nominees. If a judge is likely to be against McCain's unconstitutional law, McCain will not nominate him. Make no mistake about it, constitutional originalist judges will be against McCain-Feingold. These same judges will also be pro-life, for traditional marriage and for the public acknowledgment of God.
"Only liberal judges will support McCain-Feingold. They will also be pro-abortion, anti-traditional marriage and against the public acknowledgement of God. So, with a McCain-Huckabee administration, or with a McCain-anyone administration, we get the wrong judges. Most distressing, we get the wrong justices on the U.S. Supreme Court."Evangelicals must consider both the stakes and the realities in this election. Mike Huckabee's continuation only helps John McCain. The consequences are just too great to take this risk. A McCain victory will hurt this country because of the long-term damage of the wrong judges and justices. Worse, McCain's court legacy will continue to hurt our children and our grandchildren, perhaps even our great grandchildren.
"Evangelicals must choose wisely from among candidates other than Mike Huckabee and John McCain as they vote tomorrow, February 5.
"For identification purposes only, the Reverend Rob Schenck (pronounced SHANK) is president of Faith and Action in the Nation's Capital, chairman of the Committee on Church and Society for the Evangelical Church Alliance and co-founder of the annual National Memorial for the Pre-born and their Mothers and Fathers, the only pro-life worship service held inside the U.S. Capitol complex in Washington, DC.
MEDIA ADVISORY, Feb. 4 /Christian Newswire/ -- The Reverend Rob Schenck (pronounced SHANK), in his capacity as a private citizen, today released this statement regarding tomorrow's primary votes:
"I have spent the last 33 years as an active evangelical Christian. I am an ordained evangelical minister. I graduated from an evangelical Bible college and an evangelical seminary. I serve on the board of America's oldest association of evangelical church leaders, and I head one of the most active evangelical ministries in Washington, DC.
"I have thought long and hard about the upcoming elections. I have prayed earnestly about them, and I have met many of the candidates and their top campaign people and I have studied their platforms and policy proposals.
"After careful and prayerful consideration, I have concluded that an evangelical vote for Mike Huckabee is a vote for John McCain, and a vote for John McCain will be a disaster for this country.
"Let me explain. It's clear to me and many others that Mike Huckabee is not broadening his appeal enough to win the primary. Therefore, his only contribution is to siphon off votes, giving McCain a clear path to victory. It's very possible Huckabee is being positioned to be John McCain's pick for vice president. In order to win, McCain needs Mike Huckabee and the evangelical votes he brings with him. The specter of a McCain-Huckabee ticket is bad for evangelicals.
"McCain is proud of his signature accomplishment, the McCain-Feingold law co-authored with liberal Democrat senator Russ Feingold. McCain-Feingold severely limits the First Amendment rights of evangelicals. McCain will use this law as the litmus test for his Supreme Court nominees. If a judge is likely to be against McCain's unconstitutional law, McCain will not nominate him. Make no mistake about it, constitutional originalist judges will be against McCain-Feingold. These same judges will also be pro-life, for traditional marriage and for the public acknowledgment of God.
"Only liberal judges will support McCain-Feingold. They will also be pro-abortion, anti-traditional marriage and against the public acknowledgement of God. So, with a McCain-Huckabee administration, or with a McCain-anyone administration, we get the wrong judges. Most distressing, we get the wrong justices on the U.S. Supreme Court."Evangelicals must consider both the stakes and the realities in this election. Mike Huckabee's continuation only helps John McCain. The consequences are just too great to take this risk. A McCain victory will hurt this country because of the long-term damage of the wrong judges and justices. Worse, McCain's court legacy will continue to hurt our children and our grandchildren, perhaps even our great grandchildren.
"Evangelicals must choose wisely from among candidates other than Mike Huckabee and John McCain as they vote tomorrow, February 5.
"For identification purposes only, the Reverend Rob Schenck (pronounced SHANK) is president of Faith and Action in the Nation's Capital, chairman of the Committee on Church and Society for the Evangelical Church Alliance and co-founder of the annual National Memorial for the Pre-born and their Mothers and Fathers, the only pro-life worship service held inside the U.S. Capitol complex in Washington, DC.
McCain Nervous, Romney Hopeful, Huckabee Bitter
Republicans spar over economy MSNBC reported the following:
McCain told "Fox News Sunday" he would veto any tax increase passed by a Democratic-controlled Congress. McCain, who opposed President Bush's first two tax cuts, now says Congress should make the reductions permanent, and that there also should be further tax reductions for business investments.
Romney told ABC's "This Week" that McCain "doesn't understand the economy" and that his advocacy of a higher gasoline tax to combat global warming would hurt U.S. consumers.
Romney added, "If we want a party that is indistinguishable from Hillary Clinton on an issue like illegal immigration, we're going to have John McCain as a nominee. That's the wrong way to go."
Romney said he will continue pouring his own money into his campaign, contending that McCain is much better known to most voters.
McCain, who also appeared on "Face the Nation," said he is "far more conservative" than Romney.
McCain later told reporters that despite polls showing him with a 20-point lead over Romney, "I'm incredibly nervous, and I've seen that movie before." Knocking twice on a wooden table in his campaign bus, he said, "a lot of this business is expectation levels, so it's our job to keep our own expectation levels down."
Huckabee said it was time for Romney, who lost major contests in South Carolina and Florida to McCain, to drop out of the race.
"I think it's time for Mitt Romney to step aside," the former governor, who has won only the Iowa caucuses, said on CNN. "If he wants to call it a two-man race, fine. But that makes it John McCain and me."
Update: Republicans consider Mitt Romney the strongest CONSERVATIVE for the Presidential Nomination. Here's hoping for another upset, like the NY Giants over the Patriots.
Conservatives flocking to Romney here are a few sites:
The Problem with John McCain
But, as we learned with former Sen. Bob Dole, the American people want more than a war hero to lead our country. We need somebody who is level-headed on the big issues: immigration, the war against radical Muslim jihadists, (which goes far beyond the “surge”) the economy, taxation, threats of government-run health care, and the man made issue of global warming.
Why I will Not be Voting for John McCain and yes I did invent the term Blogosphere
Here is an example from a commenter named Scott Martin:
"I’m still confused about the intensity of the hatred towards McCain. I know he has bucked the conservative movement on a few occasions but the level of animosity is amazing."
I don’t ipso facto ascribe this sort of response to wilful stupidity or robotic submission to a political party, but I do ascribe it to ignorance. And the cure for ignorance is facts. If you can read the following and still vote for John McCain, fine. But don’t consider that you are doing yourself, your country, or your party any favors.
It's time to unite around Mitt Romney
What's with this mutual admiration society with McCain and the Democrats? They have such high regard for one another because McCain has more in common with the Democrats than he does with conservative Republicans. Democrats like Tom Daschle, John Kerry, and Hillary Clinton love John McCain because they are on the same team so many times. They have different letters by their names but they hold much in common.
A Vote for Huckabee is a Vote for McCain
How? Like it or not, Huckabee is done. Huckabee does not and will not have the delegates, momentum, or money. Huckabee will probably win Alabama and maybe a couple other states but he will not win the nomination. Most Huckabee supporters probably realize this. If you are one of the few who still thinks that Huckabee can win the nomination, there is probably very little that can persuade you to change your vote. But if you are one of the majority who understands that Huckabee will not win the nomination, please switch your vote to Mitt Romney.
McCain told "Fox News Sunday" he would veto any tax increase passed by a Democratic-controlled Congress. McCain, who opposed President Bush's first two tax cuts, now says Congress should make the reductions permanent, and that there also should be further tax reductions for business investments.
Romney told ABC's "This Week" that McCain "doesn't understand the economy" and that his advocacy of a higher gasoline tax to combat global warming would hurt U.S. consumers.
Romney added, "If we want a party that is indistinguishable from Hillary Clinton on an issue like illegal immigration, we're going to have John McCain as a nominee. That's the wrong way to go."
Romney said he will continue pouring his own money into his campaign, contending that McCain is much better known to most voters.
McCain, who also appeared on "Face the Nation," said he is "far more conservative" than Romney.
McCain later told reporters that despite polls showing him with a 20-point lead over Romney, "I'm incredibly nervous, and I've seen that movie before." Knocking twice on a wooden table in his campaign bus, he said, "a lot of this business is expectation levels, so it's our job to keep our own expectation levels down."
Huckabee said it was time for Romney, who lost major contests in South Carolina and Florida to McCain, to drop out of the race.
"I think it's time for Mitt Romney to step aside," the former governor, who has won only the Iowa caucuses, said on CNN. "If he wants to call it a two-man race, fine. But that makes it John McCain and me."
Update: Republicans consider Mitt Romney the strongest CONSERVATIVE for the Presidential Nomination. Here's hoping for another upset, like the NY Giants over the Patriots.
Conservatives flocking to Romney here are a few sites:
The Problem with John McCain
But, as we learned with former Sen. Bob Dole, the American people want more than a war hero to lead our country. We need somebody who is level-headed on the big issues: immigration, the war against radical Muslim jihadists, (which goes far beyond the “surge”) the economy, taxation, threats of government-run health care, and the man made issue of global warming.
Why I will Not be Voting for John McCain and yes I did invent the term Blogosphere
Here is an example from a commenter named Scott Martin:
"I’m still confused about the intensity of the hatred towards McCain. I know he has bucked the conservative movement on a few occasions but the level of animosity is amazing."
I don’t ipso facto ascribe this sort of response to wilful stupidity or robotic submission to a political party, but I do ascribe it to ignorance. And the cure for ignorance is facts. If you can read the following and still vote for John McCain, fine. But don’t consider that you are doing yourself, your country, or your party any favors.
It's time to unite around Mitt Romney
What's with this mutual admiration society with McCain and the Democrats? They have such high regard for one another because McCain has more in common with the Democrats than he does with conservative Republicans. Democrats like Tom Daschle, John Kerry, and Hillary Clinton love John McCain because they are on the same team so many times. They have different letters by their names but they hold much in common.
A Vote for Huckabee is a Vote for McCain
How? Like it or not, Huckabee is done. Huckabee does not and will not have the delegates, momentum, or money. Huckabee will probably win Alabama and maybe a couple other states but he will not win the nomination. Most Huckabee supporters probably realize this. If you are one of the few who still thinks that Huckabee can win the nomination, there is probably very little that can persuade you to change your vote. But if you are one of the majority who understands that Huckabee will not win the nomination, please switch your vote to Mitt Romney.
A WIN IN CA WILL HELP MITT ROMNEY Zogby says
Reuters reports on a new Zogby poll on February 4, 2008:
Romney, a former Massachusetts governor, led McCain 40 percent to 32 percent in California, where the margin of error was 3.3 percentage points. A win in California, the most populous state, could help puncture McCain's growing momentum in the Republican nomination fight.
McCain won the last two contests, in South Carolina and Florida, to seize the front-runner's slot in a hard-fought Republican race despite qualms among some conservatives about his past views on taxes, immigration and campaign finance.
"Romney is widening his lead in California and has a really big advantage with conservatives," Zogby said. "Romney winning California would give some Republicans pause when they look at McCain as the potential nominee."
Romney said he would cut short a scheduled trip to Georgia and fly back to California on Monday for a last-minute campaign visit.
'A GOOD SHOT'
"People there are taking a real close look at the race and it looks like I've got a good shot there," Romney told reporters.
In Missouri, McCain leads former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee by 35 percent to 27 percent, with Romney in third place at 24 percent. The margin of error was 3.4 percentage points.
"Huckabee and Romney are splitting the anti-McCain vote in states like Missouri," Zogby said.
Romney, a former Massachusetts governor, led McCain 40 percent to 32 percent in California, where the margin of error was 3.3 percentage points. A win in California, the most populous state, could help puncture McCain's growing momentum in the Republican nomination fight.
McCain won the last two contests, in South Carolina and Florida, to seize the front-runner's slot in a hard-fought Republican race despite qualms among some conservatives about his past views on taxes, immigration and campaign finance.
"Romney is widening his lead in California and has a really big advantage with conservatives," Zogby said. "Romney winning California would give some Republicans pause when they look at McCain as the potential nominee."
Romney said he would cut short a scheduled trip to Georgia and fly back to California on Monday for a last-minute campaign visit.
'A GOOD SHOT'
"People there are taking a real close look at the race and it looks like I've got a good shot there," Romney told reporters.
In Missouri, McCain leads former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee by 35 percent to 27 percent, with Romney in third place at 24 percent. The margin of error was 3.4 percentage points.
"Huckabee and Romney are splitting the anti-McCain vote in states like Missouri," Zogby said.
A trouncing in Maine! Who was blown away by 31%?
John McCain got blown away in the Maine caucus. Even after McCain's supposed momentum from Florida, he was trounced by Mitt Romney. Beat by 31% of the vote!
Results:
Mitt Romney 52%, John McCain 21%, Ron Paul 19%, Mike Huckabee 6%, Thompson 4%
Even Mike Huckabee barely registered, he was back down there by Thompson who kindly dropped out when he realized he was wasting time BEFORE the Maine caucus.
With the win in Maine, Mitt Romney is just 5 delegates behind McCain!
Mitt Romney is electable. Vote Romney 2008!
Results:
Mitt Romney 52%, John McCain 21%, Ron Paul 19%, Mike Huckabee 6%, Thompson 4%
Even Mike Huckabee barely registered, he was back down there by Thompson who kindly dropped out when he realized he was wasting time BEFORE the Maine caucus.
With the win in Maine, Mitt Romney is just 5 delegates behind McCain!
Mitt Romney is electable. Vote Romney 2008!
John McCain says Its not the social issues I care about
Wow, the ONLY issue John McCain carries any weight on is defense. I would argue that he is poor on that as well. He has been a US Senator for Arizona for nigh on 25 years. His claim is the same thing over and over, "I've been on the committees in Washington all this time defending America".
Ha, ha, ha, ha. Sorry, I can't help but laugh at that.
If John McCain has been on the committees all this time, then he is PART OF THE PROBLEM. He hasn't kept us safe; he didn't protect America sitting in a plush seat in Washington. It was the soldiers that did the work. But I digress; this post is about social issues.
The Washington Post recently reported the following surprising statement:
Ha, ha, ha, ha. Sorry, I can't help but laugh at that.
If John McCain has been on the committees all this time, then he is PART OF THE PROBLEM. He hasn't kept us safe; he didn't protect America sitting in a plush seat in Washington. It was the soldiers that did the work. But I digress; this post is about social issues.
The Washington Post recently reported the following surprising statement:
McCain seems distinctly uninterested when asked questions concerning abortion
and gay rights. While campaigning in South Carolina, he told reporters riding with him on his bus that he was comfortable pledging to appoint judges who would strictly interpret the Constitution in part because it would reassure conservatives who might otherwise distrust him.
"It's not social issues I care about," he explained.
John McCain ignores economic and social conservatives. Only Mitt Romney and Mike Huckabee have declared their intentions to keep conservative judges and move forward on social issues. Their Presidential platforms are pro-life and pro-family.
I found this on Article VI blog (this is a MUST READ):
As things have turned out, Evangelicals have not refused, so much, to vote for Mitt Romney because he is Mormon, they have instead chosen to vote for Mike Huckabee because he is “one of us.” How much a role suspicion and bias against Mormonism has played in that somewhat more positive-appearing choice is a determination that will ultimately be up to pollsters and psychologists in the years after the election to determine. And while it may not be “bigotry” it is identity politics, and they are as suicidal as pure bigotry.
No identity group is sufficiently large to carry a presidential election. A coalition is required. What Mike Huckabee has done is peel off one section of the traditional conservative coalition, Evangelicals, and claimed it for himself. With the coalition split, neither Evangelicals or the greater conservative coalition can win.
The presidential candidate for a party leads that party. That leader is going to pay attention to and drive the agenda of the coalition that got him there. Not only are Evangelicals not part of the coalition that has gotten John McCain this far, McCain has in the past loudly and actively found Evangelicals distasteful.
Let's face it though, only Mitt Romney has the money to continue on. And recent polls show Huckabee with a 5 to 8 percent change of winning against a Democrat. I hope Huckabee supporters will throw their support behind Romney so we can ALL block McCain.
McCain can continue to help the war from his plush Washington chair. Romney can help America face the global economy. In fact, economists estimate that 80% of jobs in 20 years haven’t even been thought of yet. I believe Mitt Romney can position America on a global scale to take advantage of those opportunities. He supports social issues and he knows how to bring together a strong team for national defense.
Now is the time to Rally to Romney.
Update: New ad showing how close McCain and Clinton are.
Presidential Debate January 30, 2008 Reagan Library
Presidential Debate January 30, 2008 Reagan Library
Here are my notes from the debate; I missed the first half hour.
They are all Federalists, in other words they think each state has the freedom to experiment. (McCain looks like a small man sitting next to Romney)
Huckabee on the Economy: Question about using money for highways sounds like a Democratic plan. Again mentioned parents not getting home to soccer games (as if that is a government concern).
Romney disses the Big Dig in MA. (I bet MA residents liked that.)
Ron Paul doesn't like the idea of borrowing money from China. (I agree, however, Market Place talked about the reliance between China and the US on borrowing)
McCain asked a question about the economy. (Twirling his pen, is he nervous about this question?) Blah, blah, blah, one page mortgage paper, fix rating system. (Yeah right.)
(It's interesting to me that Romney always pays attention to the others as they speak. McCain on the other hand looks like an arrogant, smug jerk.)
McCain asked about opposing the tax cuts originally because they favored the rich. Now he has flip flopped and claims it was because of spending. (So much for Straight Talk Express, what a joke.)
Romney asked about economy. I doubt many people understood this comment, but it actually makes a lot of sense. Romney explains McCain's ideas about stopping spending are basically nickel and dimes. The US economy spends 60% of the money on entitlement programs like Medicare and Medicaid, 20% on the military, and 20% is discretionary spending. The biggest impact we can have is by tackling the 60% spending on entitlement programs. (That makes so much sense! Romney is definitely a smart man.)
Huckabee says he will have a fence built within 18 months.
Romney on immigration. No amnesty, no special path way to citizenship. Illegal immigration those recently arrived head home; kid in school? give them time to finish school then head on home; others with commitments, give them time then have them gather up their belongings and head on home to get in line. Prolegal immigration, they are a valuable source of vitality for America. (Lots of applause)
McCain on border security, would he vote for his bill if it came to the senate floor. POLITICAL SPEAK McCain dodged the question. Flip flopper McCain - either his original idea was stupid, or he has changed his position. Then he talks using "we" instead of standing up for his stupid idea and admitting guilt. What a flip flopper. "We are all committed" McCain says. What a joke, Straight Talk Express plunges off the tracks and blows up in the valley.
Huckabee mentioned about everyone being equal. He mentioned fetuses, humans, but left out religion. He lost an opportunity to appease some fears about him. He also dodges every question presented to him. "I am not going to say anything about Reagan."
Everybody was basically the same on Judges - EXCEPT McCain who talked about all the favors he owes to his "good" friend O'Conner. This guy is a political snake.
Romney Question did George Bush destroy the Republican Party? I think the party is better off. I blame Washington, they overspent, and they didn't keep their promises. (Note McCain rubs his hands with a weasely look on his face as Romney talks about the military). Romney is appealing to Social, Economic, and Family Value conservatives.
Back and forth about the Timetables.
McCain comment about timetables. He smirks and looks self righteous.
Romney I have never supported time tables for withdrawal. McCain smirks again. (Well excuse Romney for not knowing your Washington speak! McCain is looking like a freaking jerk! He is bumbling his words and sounds a bit crazy, "If we had lain in the weeds until they had gone." What the hey? McCain is babbling.)
McCain says, "Of course, he said their should be a withdrawal." "I'm the expert on what you said." (McCain is an arrogant son of a gun. He's flip flopping and incoherent, not only that McCain is smiling like a village idiot. Just like someone that can't solve problems, McCain blasts out three quick attacks on Romney. Straight Talk Express slams off the bridge and plunges hundreds of feet into the raging river.)
Romney says McCain is Washington style old politics (I'll be posting my old leadership style verse new leadership style essay soon.) I loved Romney's comment, "[McCain] you got three Pinocchio for your mischaracterization from the Washington Post".
(I've got to take a break and shout McCain is a freaking smug guy!)
McCain - attacks Romney again about his success. "My friend, Huckabee will agree with me about your money.”Vote for me McCain, I want 100 years in Iraq!"
Paul puts McCain and Romney in the same boat with respect to Iraq. They both want to get the job done there.
Huckabee If Iraq fails it will create a vacuum there that could be used by Al Qaeda.
McCain "Protecting America's interest it’s not about casualties." Huh? McCain claims he came up with the Petraeus strategy. (What an egomaniac.)
Huckabee "I look at the actions rather than what they are saying."
Romney There are four major strategies in the world today: 1. Those countries that control energy like Russia, 2. China communism and a wild west free enterprise, 3. Al Qaeda, 4. Free enterprise and free individuals the USA.
McCain on leadership and management. I know how to lead, vision knowledge, background. 20 years on security committees (doesn't this mean that McCain is partially to blame for 9/11 - he sucks at making good security measures)
Romney McCain would not be good for the economy. Governors are leaders. Legislators are committee members. Leaders are small business, middle sized business - they are leaders not just managers. Govern in charge of National Guard and state police.
Romney the problems facing a commander of chief does not require service in the military. Foreign policy and military is no longer like a checkers game, it is more like three dimensional chess. McCain thinks its checkers. Romney has the capacity to think in the manner of chess.
McCain Starts with what looks like a compliment then turns it into a dig against Romney (McCain is such a double talking politician. The Straight Talk Express drives off the end of the tracks and explodes.) McCain says he hopes people will judge him by those that have endorsed him (that would be liberal newspapers and a cross dressing Rudy).
Huckabee political speak genius. Agrees with Romney that a governor is a better leader than a senator.
Romney thinks Reagan would support him.
McCain hits at Romney with his first statement again (what a loser, he looks like an angry little man)
Paul kind of impressive talk there. Liked the gold standard.
Huckabee just called the other candidates arrogant and presumptuous for thinking Reagan would support any of them. (What a politician, the guy is just like McCain - political speak champions)
At the end I noticed two things about the cameras:
1. Huckabee's wife is as tall as Arnold
2. Little camera time given to Romney, mostly on Huckabee and McCain.
Concluding thoughts: I am ticked off at McCain! The straight talk express is a bunch of garbage. John McCain showed himself to be a pig headed jerk. Digging Romney at every comment. What a smug jerk.
Here are my notes from the debate; I missed the first half hour.
They are all Federalists, in other words they think each state has the freedom to experiment. (McCain looks like a small man sitting next to Romney)
Huckabee on the Economy: Question about using money for highways sounds like a Democratic plan. Again mentioned parents not getting home to soccer games (as if that is a government concern).
Romney disses the Big Dig in MA. (I bet MA residents liked that.)
Ron Paul doesn't like the idea of borrowing money from China. (I agree, however, Market Place talked about the reliance between China and the US on borrowing)
McCain asked a question about the economy. (Twirling his pen, is he nervous about this question?) Blah, blah, blah, one page mortgage paper, fix rating system. (Yeah right.)
(It's interesting to me that Romney always pays attention to the others as they speak. McCain on the other hand looks like an arrogant, smug jerk.)
McCain asked about opposing the tax cuts originally because they favored the rich. Now he has flip flopped and claims it was because of spending. (So much for Straight Talk Express, what a joke.)
Romney asked about economy. I doubt many people understood this comment, but it actually makes a lot of sense. Romney explains McCain's ideas about stopping spending are basically nickel and dimes. The US economy spends 60% of the money on entitlement programs like Medicare and Medicaid, 20% on the military, and 20% is discretionary spending. The biggest impact we can have is by tackling the 60% spending on entitlement programs. (That makes so much sense! Romney is definitely a smart man.)
Huckabee says he will have a fence built within 18 months.
Romney on immigration. No amnesty, no special path way to citizenship. Illegal immigration those recently arrived head home; kid in school? give them time to finish school then head on home; others with commitments, give them time then have them gather up their belongings and head on home to get in line. Prolegal immigration, they are a valuable source of vitality for America. (Lots of applause)
McCain on border security, would he vote for his bill if it came to the senate floor. POLITICAL SPEAK McCain dodged the question. Flip flopper McCain - either his original idea was stupid, or he has changed his position. Then he talks using "we" instead of standing up for his stupid idea and admitting guilt. What a flip flopper. "We are all committed" McCain says. What a joke, Straight Talk Express plunges off the tracks and blows up in the valley.
Huckabee mentioned about everyone being equal. He mentioned fetuses, humans, but left out religion. He lost an opportunity to appease some fears about him. He also dodges every question presented to him. "I am not going to say anything about Reagan."
Everybody was basically the same on Judges - EXCEPT McCain who talked about all the favors he owes to his "good" friend O'Conner. This guy is a political snake.
Romney Question did George Bush destroy the Republican Party? I think the party is better off. I blame Washington, they overspent, and they didn't keep their promises. (Note McCain rubs his hands with a weasely look on his face as Romney talks about the military). Romney is appealing to Social, Economic, and Family Value conservatives.
Back and forth about the Timetables.
McCain comment about timetables. He smirks and looks self righteous.
Romney I have never supported time tables for withdrawal. McCain smirks again. (Well excuse Romney for not knowing your Washington speak! McCain is looking like a freaking jerk! He is bumbling his words and sounds a bit crazy, "If we had lain in the weeds until they had gone." What the hey? McCain is babbling.)
McCain says, "Of course, he said their should be a withdrawal." "I'm the expert on what you said." (McCain is an arrogant son of a gun. He's flip flopping and incoherent, not only that McCain is smiling like a village idiot. Just like someone that can't solve problems, McCain blasts out three quick attacks on Romney. Straight Talk Express slams off the bridge and plunges hundreds of feet into the raging river.)
Romney says McCain is Washington style old politics (I'll be posting my old leadership style verse new leadership style essay soon.) I loved Romney's comment, "[McCain] you got three Pinocchio for your mischaracterization from the Washington Post".
(I've got to take a break and shout McCain is a freaking smug guy!)
McCain - attacks Romney again about his success. "My friend, Huckabee will agree with me about your money.”Vote for me McCain, I want 100 years in Iraq!"
Paul puts McCain and Romney in the same boat with respect to Iraq. They both want to get the job done there.
Huckabee If Iraq fails it will create a vacuum there that could be used by Al Qaeda.
McCain "Protecting America's interest it’s not about casualties." Huh? McCain claims he came up with the Petraeus strategy. (What an egomaniac.)
Huckabee "I look at the actions rather than what they are saying."
Romney There are four major strategies in the world today: 1. Those countries that control energy like Russia, 2. China communism and a wild west free enterprise, 3. Al Qaeda, 4. Free enterprise and free individuals the USA.
McCain on leadership and management. I know how to lead, vision knowledge, background. 20 years on security committees (doesn't this mean that McCain is partially to blame for 9/11 - he sucks at making good security measures)
Romney McCain would not be good for the economy. Governors are leaders. Legislators are committee members. Leaders are small business, middle sized business - they are leaders not just managers. Govern in charge of National Guard and state police.
Romney the problems facing a commander of chief does not require service in the military. Foreign policy and military is no longer like a checkers game, it is more like three dimensional chess. McCain thinks its checkers. Romney has the capacity to think in the manner of chess.
McCain Starts with what looks like a compliment then turns it into a dig against Romney (McCain is such a double talking politician. The Straight Talk Express drives off the end of the tracks and explodes.) McCain says he hopes people will judge him by those that have endorsed him (that would be liberal newspapers and a cross dressing Rudy).
Huckabee political speak genius. Agrees with Romney that a governor is a better leader than a senator.
Romney thinks Reagan would support him.
McCain hits at Romney with his first statement again (what a loser, he looks like an angry little man)
Paul kind of impressive talk there. Liked the gold standard.
Huckabee just called the other candidates arrogant and presumptuous for thinking Reagan would support any of them. (What a politician, the guy is just like McCain - political speak champions)
At the end I noticed two things about the cameras:
1. Huckabee's wife is as tall as Arnold
2. Little camera time given to Romney, mostly on Huckabee and McCain.
Concluding thoughts: I am ticked off at McCain! The straight talk express is a bunch of garbage. John McCain showed himself to be a pig headed jerk. Digging Romney at every comment. What a smug jerk.
McCain: Shifting American Politics to the Left - MSM Loving it!
The only good thing for conservatives about John McCain is that he survived as a POW. Aside from that John McCain is a flip flopping liberal. Now I am not good enough to claim when someone is a hypocrite, but I think John McCain comes pretty close. For instance, he stated he wouldn't get involved in negative politics, yet McCain has been called on the carpet by news outlets and bloggers for his dishonest characterization of Mitt Romney's position on Iraq. Here are a few comments on the subject:
[McCain] said he was quoting Romney as favoring a "timetable" for withdrawal and argued that he was not misquoting Romney, saying, "Clearly, the impression was that he was ready to set a date for withdrawal." But Romney quotes circulated by McCain's campaign didn't show Romney making that exact comment _ nor did aides back up McCain's earlier comment that suggested that Romney "wanted to set a date for withdrawal." See the Huffington Post.
In doing so, [McCain] relies on a statement which cannot fairly be construed as advocating withdrawal. This is the conclusion of virtually everyone who has looked at the issue, except for some of McCain’s supporters. McCain, in short, has smeared Romney. See Paul Mirengoff.
John McCain today flat-out lied about Gov. Romney's position on the troop "surge," etc. This is no surprise. McCain's "straight talk express" has been anything but straight for quite some time now. He has been making false claims about what his position on immigration was just last summer. He has been making false claims about why he opposed Bush's tax cuts. He has been making false claims about Romney's stance on "torture." He has made misleading (not exactly false, but certainly misleading) representations about Giuliani's position on the line item veto. He has misrepresented his helpfulness on judicial nominations. And I know I am forgetting some of the other things he has not been exactly straight about. See Quin Hillyer.
Since McCain and his surrogates insist on making this a big issue, let's engage them. They are dissembling about what Romney said. I have provided quotes below. We have now heard from Woolsey, who is repeating the disinformation. And we have now viewed the video-tape, which clears Romney of the allegation, i.e., he did not call for a specific time to withdraw our troops. Now, if this is the big bombshell the McCain campaign is using in the days before the Florida vote (albeit people are casting votes throughout via absentee ballots), it's pretty disgraceful stuff. See Mark Levin.
Yeah, pretty egregious [of McCain]. [Romney] never said he “wanted” to withdraw or that he wanted a date set, and it’s patently clear he doesn’t want any timetables publicly announced. See Allahpundit.
It’s a reminder — like the McCain campaign’s dishonest line of attack this weekend — that as admirable McCain is as both a hero and a politician, he is not irreproachable even on national-security issues. McCain is fond of saying he’d rather lose a political campaign than a war; he now seems to be swimming close to using the war to win a political campaign in the most dishonest of ways. It’s conduct unbecoming a man we all respect. See Kathryn Jean Lopez.
Then he was asked to justify his contention that Romney once supported a withdrawal timetable for Iraq. (I wrote this morning that McCain "stretched" history with the remark, and a few moments before this particular question received a stern talking to by two McCain aides and one reporter.) See Marc Ambinder.
This is a fundamentally dishonest attack. One of the reasons why some Republicans who have opposed McCain over issues like the BCRA and immigration have tried to keep a civil tongue in discussing McCain is because of the respect he has earned as a stalwart on the war. He deserves that respect; he has been an indispensable voice for the effort and has the right to hold himself up as that. However, he should be showing that respect to others who have supported the war and the troops. See Ed Morrissey.
McCain’s unfair stab at Romney this weekend may not cost him anything. The endorsement from Florida’s popular governor, Charles Crist, came at just the right time to bury the item in the local news. And if he does win the nomination, this moment may not even be remembered. Unfortunately, the truth is always too complicated for a quick explanation. See David Freddoso.
McCain is Political Speak:
In the brief economic part of his presentation, McCain is insistent, absolutely insistent, that the Bush tax cuts he voted against, and would still vote against today, be made permanent. It’s hard to imagine how he can say the word “permanent” much more in the course of a couple of sentences: “But I think, my friends, that’s what we should do, I think it’s very important, to keep the tax cuts permanent, make the tax cuts permanent. If we don’t do that, every family and business in America is going to see an increase in their taxes in 2010. So we need to keep the tax cuts permanent.” See article by Rich Lowry.
Doesn't anyone else see what is happening? McCain is a darling of the liberal media (as are all the democratic candidates). If McCain can get elected with the help of the main stream media then the only two candidates available are a liberal democrat and a liberal republican. This dynamic would shift the entire United States of America to the left away from conservatism. Maybe Huckabee is doing to Romney, what Huckabee accused Thompson of doing to Huckabee.
Again, I am shocked at how the other Republican candidates have ganged up against Romney. You've got to see this video.
Update: I stumbled across this article by Vic Lundquist who analyzes the Florida results and discusses religious bigotry in America.
[McCain] said he was quoting Romney as favoring a "timetable" for withdrawal and argued that he was not misquoting Romney, saying, "Clearly, the impression was that he was ready to set a date for withdrawal." But Romney quotes circulated by McCain's campaign didn't show Romney making that exact comment _ nor did aides back up McCain's earlier comment that suggested that Romney "wanted to set a date for withdrawal." See the Huffington Post.
In doing so, [McCain] relies on a statement which cannot fairly be construed as advocating withdrawal. This is the conclusion of virtually everyone who has looked at the issue, except for some of McCain’s supporters. McCain, in short, has smeared Romney. See Paul Mirengoff.
John McCain today flat-out lied about Gov. Romney's position on the troop "surge," etc. This is no surprise. McCain's "straight talk express" has been anything but straight for quite some time now. He has been making false claims about what his position on immigration was just last summer. He has been making false claims about why he opposed Bush's tax cuts. He has been making false claims about Romney's stance on "torture." He has made misleading (not exactly false, but certainly misleading) representations about Giuliani's position on the line item veto. He has misrepresented his helpfulness on judicial nominations. And I know I am forgetting some of the other things he has not been exactly straight about. See Quin Hillyer.
Since McCain and his surrogates insist on making this a big issue, let's engage them. They are dissembling about what Romney said. I have provided quotes below. We have now heard from Woolsey, who is repeating the disinformation. And we have now viewed the video-tape, which clears Romney of the allegation, i.e., he did not call for a specific time to withdraw our troops. Now, if this is the big bombshell the McCain campaign is using in the days before the Florida vote (albeit people are casting votes throughout via absentee ballots), it's pretty disgraceful stuff. See Mark Levin.
Yeah, pretty egregious [of McCain]. [Romney] never said he “wanted” to withdraw or that he wanted a date set, and it’s patently clear he doesn’t want any timetables publicly announced. See Allahpundit.
It’s a reminder — like the McCain campaign’s dishonest line of attack this weekend — that as admirable McCain is as both a hero and a politician, he is not irreproachable even on national-security issues. McCain is fond of saying he’d rather lose a political campaign than a war; he now seems to be swimming close to using the war to win a political campaign in the most dishonest of ways. It’s conduct unbecoming a man we all respect. See Kathryn Jean Lopez.
Then he was asked to justify his contention that Romney once supported a withdrawal timetable for Iraq. (I wrote this morning that McCain "stretched" history with the remark, and a few moments before this particular question received a stern talking to by two McCain aides and one reporter.) See Marc Ambinder.
This is a fundamentally dishonest attack. One of the reasons why some Republicans who have opposed McCain over issues like the BCRA and immigration have tried to keep a civil tongue in discussing McCain is because of the respect he has earned as a stalwart on the war. He deserves that respect; he has been an indispensable voice for the effort and has the right to hold himself up as that. However, he should be showing that respect to others who have supported the war and the troops. See Ed Morrissey.
McCain’s unfair stab at Romney this weekend may not cost him anything. The endorsement from Florida’s popular governor, Charles Crist, came at just the right time to bury the item in the local news. And if he does win the nomination, this moment may not even be remembered. Unfortunately, the truth is always too complicated for a quick explanation. See David Freddoso.
McCain is Political Speak:
In the brief economic part of his presentation, McCain is insistent, absolutely insistent, that the Bush tax cuts he voted against, and would still vote against today, be made permanent. It’s hard to imagine how he can say the word “permanent” much more in the course of a couple of sentences: “But I think, my friends, that’s what we should do, I think it’s very important, to keep the tax cuts permanent, make the tax cuts permanent. If we don’t do that, every family and business in America is going to see an increase in their taxes in 2010. So we need to keep the tax cuts permanent.” See article by Rich Lowry.
Doesn't anyone else see what is happening? McCain is a darling of the liberal media (as are all the democratic candidates). If McCain can get elected with the help of the main stream media then the only two candidates available are a liberal democrat and a liberal republican. This dynamic would shift the entire United States of America to the left away from conservatism. Maybe Huckabee is doing to Romney, what Huckabee accused Thompson of doing to Huckabee.
Again, I am shocked at how the other Republican candidates have ganged up against Romney. You've got to see this video.
Update: I stumbled across this article by Vic Lundquist who analyzes the Florida results and discusses religious bigotry in America.
Hucks Army Defecting in Droves
Over and over the story reads the same...
I donated money to Mike Huckabee, but now I support Romney.
Being new to blogging, I wanted to post comments and have comments posted. So I searched the blogosphere looking for people that felt the same as I. Finally I stumbled onto http://www.mikehuckabee.com/ and lo and behold I found 754 "bloggers for Huckabee". I thought, well I guess this is a good place to start. Unfortunately, over and over as I clicked through the blogs, the bloggers had moved from Mike Huckabee to Fred Thompson and many had moved on to Mitt Romney; while other blogs like Latter Day Saints for Huckabee and Michigan for Huckabee came up as Error 404: Page does not exist. People had even posted their emails to Mike Huckabee asking to be removed from his blog roll!
Then I stumbled across a Bob Lonsberry, a guy that does a radio show in New York on 1180 WHAM and Utah on Family Values 570 KRNS. His story was similar to many, many others I have read:
As more and more evangelicals realize how Huckabee misuses his religion to get votes, Hucks Army gets smaller and smaller. His "I am more Christian than thou" doesn't help any one's cause. From the debate the other night, more people thought a former Baptist Preacher was the least likely to bring the country together than a woman, a black man, or a Mormon. Huckabee has turned out to be a major disappointment.
Bob Lonsberry and former Huckabee supports, I challenge you to make Mitt Romney the second campaign to which you have donated. Just click here to make your donation. And welcome to Team Mitt!
I donated money to Mike Huckabee, but now I support Romney.
Being new to blogging, I wanted to post comments and have comments posted. So I searched the blogosphere looking for people that felt the same as I. Finally I stumbled onto http://www.mikehuckabee.com/ and lo and behold I found 754 "bloggers for Huckabee". I thought, well I guess this is a good place to start. Unfortunately, over and over as I clicked through the blogs, the bloggers had moved from Mike Huckabee to Fred Thompson and many had moved on to Mitt Romney; while other blogs like Latter Day Saints for Huckabee and Michigan for Huckabee came up as Error 404: Page does not exist. People had even posted their emails to Mike Huckabee asking to be removed from his blog roll!
Then I stumbled across a Bob Lonsberry, a guy that does a radio show in New York on 1180 WHAM and Utah on Family Values 570 KRNS. His story was similar to many, many others I have read:
Mike Huckabee is the only politician I've ever donated money to. I sent him $50 last fall, when he was on the Glenn Beck TV show. I liked what he had to say about the Second Amendment and I liked the way he was so upfront with his strong religious values.
But this guy's only a conservative when it suits him, and he's got a new brand of conservatism he's peddling that is nothing but the old brand of liberalism. He is, to me, a keen, keen disappointment.
He has prostituted his religion, seeming to actively promote his Christian ties for personal political gain, and cunningly using religious bigotry against at least one opponent. He is too clever by half and it comes off looking not just cunning, but sinister. He did grow government, he did raise taxes, he was a good friend of illegal aliens – and all the 180s he's pulled in the last few weeks won't change that. Mike Huckabee is talented, and part of me still likes him a lot, but the more I learn about him, the more he reminds me of Elmer Gantry. -January 22, 2008
As more and more evangelicals realize how Huckabee misuses his religion to get votes, Hucks Army gets smaller and smaller. His "I am more Christian than thou" doesn't help any one's cause. From the debate the other night, more people thought a former Baptist Preacher was the least likely to bring the country together than a woman, a black man, or a Mormon. Huckabee has turned out to be a major disappointment.
Bob Lonsberry and former Huckabee supports, I challenge you to make Mitt Romney the second campaign to which you have donated. Just click here to make your donation. And welcome to Team Mitt!
Republican Debate January 24,2008 MSNBC
MSNBC Republican debate January 24, 2008
Just got home and the debate is thirty minutes in. Here are my comments and thoughts so far.
Romney "Get out or win?" Democrats say get out. "Not to General Hillary Clinton" (lots of applause, and I thought it was a pretty clever line)
Paul War is not worth it. Al Queda wasn't there. They are now. (Paul so now that Al Queda is there do you just run away and leave it to them?)
Huckabee Weapons of mass destruction just weren't found, like all the Easter eggs. (I think most Americans think there was not WMD in Iraq, oopsie Huckabee)
Romney War not well managed, under planned, understaffed. Now we are in the phase we are in now. Now we have to make sure Iraq does not become a safe haven for Al Queda. (I like that he realizes there were troubles, but that America can make changes to win.)
Second Segment: Questions from candidates to other candidates, going left to right
Romney Giuliani how do we level the playing field with China. What kind of economic.
Giuliani I told you I wasn't going to answer your question. More engaged in trade the better, get to know them better. Ability to sue in China (that will be a very tough one to every make happen). What can we sell to China - energy independence, technology.
McCain Huckabee proponent of Fair Tax, how do you answer the criticism wouldn't cause more pain to lower income Americans? How do you account the resonance.
Huckabee People would love to see the IRS abolished. (Look at this conversation I had with a Pro Huckabee supporter here.) Prebate, every American would get a check (dang that is going to require a ton of administration). Wants Pimps, drug dealers, etc to be brought into the tax (this is a tiny population. Huckabee goes on in rebuttal to discount 30% - although because of the method of determining the 23% tax it comes out as a true 30%)
Paul Sunlight on group running money policy in the US.
McCain Rely on secretary of treasure to run money policy. He would rely on his group of friends (basically those who he owes favors to).
Huckabee Second Amendment ban on so called assault weapons. Do you support Brady and assault weapon ban,
Romney I do support second Amendment. I would have signed the assault weapon ban. Both the pro and anti gun lobbies came together. People have the right to carry a weapon.
Giuliani People have difficulties getting property insurance. McCain does not support a national catastrophic fund. Do you have a position on the national catastrophic fund?
Romney The answer is Yes. We had the problem in Massachusetts. So we will do as you just indicated. I am not in favor that Iowa should subsidise the people in Mass or Florida. How do we build a policy in each state. I brought together industry experts to solve health insurance.
McCain This is a terrible problem. Spread insurance across state lines (wow, that is radical). Call regulators, congress together (opps left out industry experts).
Russert Global Warming in Florida, but you are against green house gases.
Giuliani Invest in new technology. Nuclear powerplants, increase hybrid vehicles, more clean coal, incentives for new industries and biofuels. Wind, solar, etc. National project like getting man on the moon. This is the best way to fight green house gases. Positive way.
McCain Joe Lieberman and I proposed credit market on green house gases. Nuclear power, out of foreign oil, climate change is real (wow, that is almost anti-republican). Suppose we are wrong and climate change is not real, at least we will hand our kids a cleaner world (I agree with that).
Third Segment:
Giuliani Romney asked me a nice question, we've lulled them into a false sense of security. Everyone has a chance. I believe I'll get the nomination.
McCain Proud of my record on judges. Most republicans thinking about threat of radical Islam (not so my friend). Stewardship of our planet. Keep Israel independent. Very, very conservative record, but there are times when Rumsfelds strategy is wrong, Jack Abrahmoff (McCain's third largest lobbiest is the group that Jack worked for).
Romney The idea of Bill Clinton in the White House with nothing to do. (That is funny) I'll run against Hillary. 110 billion more every single year for her health care plan. Get out of Iraq, she is what is wrong with Washington. Look sending the same people back over and over will not change the results.
Romney How much money of your own wealth. There is nobody that can call me and cash in a favor. I am consiHow America works, I am giving my all. Loved his answer on his religion. I don't believe for a minute that Americans will impose a religious test. I believe individual freedom is what makes America great. (His answer here was more inspiring than his speech on religion! I was duly impressed with his response. Wow, what optimism about Americans, even though we all know we have our scum bags. Very Presidential and spoken with such great conviction. WOW!)
Huckabee Specifically do to change social security. Huckabee to Romney, you have five exceptional sons. If the country will elect me, your sons will get to keep your money. (The guy is
Everybody keeps talking about unlikely the Fair Tax is, we need to be talking about what we can do (Let me note NO COUNTRY IN THE WORLD HAS EVER RUN GOVERNMENT USING A FAIR TAX).
Romney Will you do for social security what Ronald Reagan do? I will not raise taxes. The four ways to solve the method 1. Raise taxes (worse way); we will need to sit down with Dems/Reps 2. Personal Accounts that do better than government bonds, 3. Innitial benefit calculation based on wage index, 4. Change the retirement age. Let's not scare anyone listening to me, it's not going to change people already on social security.
Giuliani Why is your campaign airing an ad in Spanish? America is built around english language. If you know other languages that is a good thing. Stop illegal immigration at the border. Tamper proof ID Card. Question Wet foot dry foot: why special policy for Cuba? Presumption that if fleeing Castro then fleeing politcal persectuiong.
Huckabee Chuck Norris said at 72 McCain too old. I didn't disagree with Norris because I was standing right next to him. I don't think that McCain lacks the rigor. He has the capacity to run.
McCain Now that Sylvester Stallon has endorsed me I'm sending him right over to take care of Norris.
Giuliani Question about NY times article. I never did anything the NYTimes suggested, if I did I would not be a convervative. I moved people from welfare to work. They wrote how mean I was. There is serious ideological differnces.
Romney Charge about you changes positions with the wind. Haven't paid your dues. I'm not going to Washington to make friends with politicians. Look at my record at Governor. Every issue I dealt with as Governor. Awarded by Citizens for life in MA on pro-life. Clear record on taxes. I am proud of where I stand and show my record to show I've been consistent.
McCain Question about temper. I don't see it as an impediment. I've dealt with friends and colleagues and wouldn't have their support if we didn't have a good. Endorses Giuliani (now why is he doing that?). All these people are good people and I intend to respect them.
Huckabee Question about quesy feeling. Solid core, faith grounds me, sense of purpose. Never use auspices of government to push my faith. They will have to deal with it. Respect people who have faith or don't.
Paul Won't stick to your party, would you launch a third party? I think they haven't stuck to our party. I've been elected 10 times as a Republican. It has a problem because we don't act like Republicans. Used to be against the department of education. We stopped wars, and here we are starting them. Why should the strict constitutionaists be removed from the party?
The end.
Just got home and the debate is thirty minutes in. Here are my comments and thoughts so far.
Romney "Get out or win?" Democrats say get out. "Not to General Hillary Clinton" (lots of applause, and I thought it was a pretty clever line)
Paul War is not worth it. Al Queda wasn't there. They are now. (Paul so now that Al Queda is there do you just run away and leave it to them?)
Huckabee Weapons of mass destruction just weren't found, like all the Easter eggs. (I think most Americans think there was not WMD in Iraq, oopsie Huckabee)
Romney War not well managed, under planned, understaffed. Now we are in the phase we are in now. Now we have to make sure Iraq does not become a safe haven for Al Queda. (I like that he realizes there were troubles, but that America can make changes to win.)
Second Segment: Questions from candidates to other candidates, going left to right
Romney Giuliani how do we level the playing field with China. What kind of economic.
Giuliani I told you I wasn't going to answer your question. More engaged in trade the better, get to know them better. Ability to sue in China (that will be a very tough one to every make happen). What can we sell to China - energy independence, technology.
McCain Huckabee proponent of Fair Tax, how do you answer the criticism wouldn't cause more pain to lower income Americans? How do you account the resonance.
Huckabee People would love to see the IRS abolished. (Look at this conversation I had with a Pro Huckabee supporter here.) Prebate, every American would get a check (dang that is going to require a ton of administration). Wants Pimps, drug dealers, etc to be brought into the tax (this is a tiny population. Huckabee goes on in rebuttal to discount 30% - although because of the method of determining the 23% tax it comes out as a true 30%)
Paul Sunlight on group running money policy in the US.
McCain Rely on secretary of treasure to run money policy. He would rely on his group of friends (basically those who he owes favors to).
Huckabee Second Amendment ban on so called assault weapons. Do you support Brady and assault weapon ban,
Romney I do support second Amendment. I would have signed the assault weapon ban. Both the pro and anti gun lobbies came together. People have the right to carry a weapon.
Giuliani People have difficulties getting property insurance. McCain does not support a national catastrophic fund. Do you have a position on the national catastrophic fund?
Romney The answer is Yes. We had the problem in Massachusetts. So we will do as you just indicated. I am not in favor that Iowa should subsidise the people in Mass or Florida. How do we build a policy in each state. I brought together industry experts to solve health insurance.
McCain This is a terrible problem. Spread insurance across state lines (wow, that is radical). Call regulators, congress together (opps left out industry experts).
Russert Global Warming in Florida, but you are against green house gases.
Giuliani Invest in new technology. Nuclear powerplants, increase hybrid vehicles, more clean coal, incentives for new industries and biofuels. Wind, solar, etc. National project like getting man on the moon. This is the best way to fight green house gases. Positive way.
McCain Joe Lieberman and I proposed credit market on green house gases. Nuclear power, out of foreign oil, climate change is real (wow, that is almost anti-republican). Suppose we are wrong and climate change is not real, at least we will hand our kids a cleaner world (I agree with that).
Third Segment:
Giuliani Romney asked me a nice question, we've lulled them into a false sense of security. Everyone has a chance. I believe I'll get the nomination.
McCain Proud of my record on judges. Most republicans thinking about threat of radical Islam (not so my friend). Stewardship of our planet. Keep Israel independent. Very, very conservative record, but there are times when Rumsfelds strategy is wrong, Jack Abrahmoff (McCain's third largest lobbiest is the group that Jack worked for).
Romney The idea of Bill Clinton in the White House with nothing to do. (That is funny) I'll run against Hillary. 110 billion more every single year for her health care plan. Get out of Iraq, she is what is wrong with Washington. Look sending the same people back over and over will not change the results.
Romney How much money of your own wealth. There is nobody that can call me and cash in a favor. I am consiHow America works, I am giving my all. Loved his answer on his religion. I don't believe for a minute that Americans will impose a religious test. I believe individual freedom is what makes America great. (His answer here was more inspiring than his speech on religion! I was duly impressed with his response. Wow, what optimism about Americans, even though we all know we have our scum bags. Very Presidential and spoken with such great conviction. WOW!)
Huckabee Specifically do to change social security. Huckabee to Romney, you have five exceptional sons. If the country will elect me, your sons will get to keep your money. (The guy is
Everybody keeps talking about unlikely the Fair Tax is, we need to be talking about what we can do (Let me note NO COUNTRY IN THE WORLD HAS EVER RUN GOVERNMENT USING A FAIR TAX).
Romney Will you do for social security what Ronald Reagan do? I will not raise taxes. The four ways to solve the method 1. Raise taxes (worse way); we will need to sit down with Dems/Reps 2. Personal Accounts that do better than government bonds, 3. Innitial benefit calculation based on wage index, 4. Change the retirement age. Let's not scare anyone listening to me, it's not going to change people already on social security.
Giuliani Why is your campaign airing an ad in Spanish? America is built around english language. If you know other languages that is a good thing. Stop illegal immigration at the border. Tamper proof ID Card. Question Wet foot dry foot: why special policy for Cuba? Presumption that if fleeing Castro then fleeing politcal persectuiong.
Huckabee Chuck Norris said at 72 McCain too old. I didn't disagree with Norris because I was standing right next to him. I don't think that McCain lacks the rigor. He has the capacity to run.
McCain Now that Sylvester Stallon has endorsed me I'm sending him right over to take care of Norris.
Giuliani Question about NY times article. I never did anything the NYTimes suggested, if I did I would not be a convervative. I moved people from welfare to work. They wrote how mean I was. There is serious ideological differnces.
Romney Charge about you changes positions with the wind. Haven't paid your dues. I'm not going to Washington to make friends with politicians. Look at my record at Governor. Every issue I dealt with as Governor. Awarded by Citizens for life in MA on pro-life. Clear record on taxes. I am proud of where I stand and show my record to show I've been consistent.
McCain Question about temper. I don't see it as an impediment. I've dealt with friends and colleagues and wouldn't have their support if we didn't have a good. Endorses Giuliani (now why is he doing that?). All these people are good people and I intend to respect them.
Huckabee Question about quesy feeling. Solid core, faith grounds me, sense of purpose. Never use auspices of government to push my faith. They will have to deal with it. Respect people who have faith or don't.
Paul Won't stick to your party, would you launch a third party? I think they haven't stuck to our party. I've been elected 10 times as a Republican. It has a problem because we don't act like Republicans. Used to be against the department of education. We stopped wars, and here we are starting them. Why should the strict constitutionaists be removed from the party?
The end.
Flip Flopping John McCain, Mike Huckabee, Mitt Romney
According to the Cambridge International Dictionary of Idioms, the idiom flip-flopping means a complete change especially from one decision or opinion to another.
It should be recognized by everyone that all of the candidates have flip-flopped on many things. McCain saying his Amnesty bill was not Amnesty, Huckabee said he would pay tuition for illegals, but now his illegal bill is so Chuck "McCain is too old to be President" Norris tough that the illegals will go home with their children so Huckabee won't have to pay their tuition. And of course, Mitt Romney changed his position from status quo on ProLife issues to a strong position for Pro-Life issues and once he made the decision, he has come down on the side of Pro-Life issues every time. If every candidate has changed their position on things, why is it that Mitt Romney seems to be singled out by the main stream media as a flip-flopper.
When I browse CNN, Fox News, CBS, ABC, Telemundo, Reuters, Christian Science Monitor, New York Times, LA Times, and others they seem to be pushing this idea that only Mitt Romney has changed his positions. Additionally, if you look at comments posted by Huckabee supporters, McCain supporters, etc, they label Mitt Romney in some cases a flip-flopper.
New research done by Vanderbilt University explains why Romney's flip-flopper label sticks. Political scientists say anti-Mormon bias finds cover in the term flip-flopper. The research project was set up to uncover the real issue behind individuals comments about Romney. The poll states, "We find that of those who accuse Romney of flip-flopping, many admit it is Romney's Mormonism and not his flip-flopping that is the real issue." This poll indicated this pattern of calling Romney a flip-flopper is especially strong for conservative Evangelicals.
Ladies and Gentlemen, I propose that Romney's convincing win in Nevada shows that Mitt Romney appeals to Family conservatives, Economic conservatives, and Defense conservatives. More over, Mitt Romney appeals to Educated Evangelicals living in the same areas as Mormons. The nation can take a collective sigh of relief - Mitt Romney is supported by evangelical Christians that know Mormons best. Those in Nevada.
Seriously consider your candidate - Mitt Romney, if he weren't Mormon, would have won this contest months ago. Romney is a great candidate and his religion has nothing to do with his skill set, his honors during his education, and his drive to make America better not only for himself but also for us and our children. As an economic conservative, I endorse Mitt Romney for President - I love the idea of a successful self-made business man going to Washington and shaking things up. Romney is a highly trained manager who sets deadlines, holds meetings to set realistic goals, and then inspires his team to exceed expectations. If you like the idea of optimizing government, running the government as a break-even business, and bringing together both democrats and republicans in businesslike negotiation meetings - THEN MITT ROMNEY IS YOUR CANDIDATE. Mitt Romney is the choice of Republicans in Nevada and Michigan.
Mitt '08
It should be recognized by everyone that all of the candidates have flip-flopped on many things. McCain saying his Amnesty bill was not Amnesty, Huckabee said he would pay tuition for illegals, but now his illegal bill is so Chuck "McCain is too old to be President" Norris tough that the illegals will go home with their children so Huckabee won't have to pay their tuition. And of course, Mitt Romney changed his position from status quo on ProLife issues to a strong position for Pro-Life issues and once he made the decision, he has come down on the side of Pro-Life issues every time. If every candidate has changed their position on things, why is it that Mitt Romney seems to be singled out by the main stream media as a flip-flopper.
When I browse CNN, Fox News, CBS, ABC, Telemundo, Reuters, Christian Science Monitor, New York Times, LA Times, and others they seem to be pushing this idea that only Mitt Romney has changed his positions. Additionally, if you look at comments posted by Huckabee supporters, McCain supporters, etc, they label Mitt Romney in some cases a flip-flopper.
New research done by Vanderbilt University explains why Romney's flip-flopper label sticks. Political scientists say anti-Mormon bias finds cover in the term flip-flopper. The research project was set up to uncover the real issue behind individuals comments about Romney. The poll states, "We find that of those who accuse Romney of flip-flopping, many admit it is Romney's Mormonism and not his flip-flopping that is the real issue." This poll indicated this pattern of calling Romney a flip-flopper is especially strong for conservative Evangelicals.
Ladies and Gentlemen, I propose that Romney's convincing win in Nevada shows that Mitt Romney appeals to Family conservatives, Economic conservatives, and Defense conservatives. More over, Mitt Romney appeals to Educated Evangelicals living in the same areas as Mormons. The nation can take a collective sigh of relief - Mitt Romney is supported by evangelical Christians that know Mormons best. Those in Nevada.
Seriously consider your candidate - Mitt Romney, if he weren't Mormon, would have won this contest months ago. Romney is a great candidate and his religion has nothing to do with his skill set, his honors during his education, and his drive to make America better not only for himself but also for us and our children. As an economic conservative, I endorse Mitt Romney for President - I love the idea of a successful self-made business man going to Washington and shaking things up. Romney is a highly trained manager who sets deadlines, holds meetings to set realistic goals, and then inspires his team to exceed expectations. If you like the idea of optimizing government, running the government as a break-even business, and bringing together both democrats and republicans in businesslike negotiation meetings - THEN MITT ROMNEY IS YOUR CANDIDATE. Mitt Romney is the choice of Republicans in Nevada and Michigan.
Mitt '08
Huckabee and Trouble with his web site
I was browsing Mike Huckabee's presidential website. And lo and behold down on the right side is a Mormon blog supporting Mike Huckabee. Wow, even after Huckabee disses the Mormons someone is still supporting him? Latter-Day Saints for Huckabee it says. I click on the link and get the following:
Blogger: 404 Error Page - Page Not Found
Is Mike Huckabee making up support blogs? It appears he has some troubles with fibbing? Go check it out yourself by clicking here.
Evangelicals for Huckabee
I have read many comments online referring to people voting for Huckabee "because my pastor told me so". I really didn't believe people would do such a thing. But to my disbelief Mr. John Sansoterra, a small business owner and a member of a the First Baptist Church in sterling heights is doing just that. In his interview he said, "Granted the temptation is there on what could help me economically what could maybe better, but for us the social comes first."
Sansoterra likes Romney's plan to help the auto industry and he also likes Giuliani's plan to lower corporate taxes. Yet these two plans that would help him better support his family, his church, and his community are framed by Huckabee and his pastor as "temptations". And are therefore votes that will be deemed as "sin" if cast. I guess there is a reason why the Christian Science Monitor calls Mike Huckabee "a conservative with a social gospel".
What does Sansoterra mean by "us"? Instead of voting for his family's future, Sansoterra joins the "us". The announcer mentioned he is voting for a true social conservative. Huckabee isn't really a true social conservative - isn't that Fred Thompson? I think what they meant to say is that he is voting for a true evangelical because his pastor told him so. And evangelicals stick together, even when their candidate has a liberal tax history and raised taxes in his state.
It's a good thing voting is done in the confidential voting booth, where a vote for one's family and future can trump the suggestions of the "us".
Sansoterra likes Romney's plan to help the auto industry and he also likes Giuliani's plan to lower corporate taxes. Yet these two plans that would help him better support his family, his church, and his community are framed by Huckabee and his pastor as "temptations". And are therefore votes that will be deemed as "sin" if cast. I guess there is a reason why the Christian Science Monitor calls Mike Huckabee "a conservative with a social gospel".
What does Sansoterra mean by "us"? Instead of voting for his family's future, Sansoterra joins the "us". The announcer mentioned he is voting for a true social conservative. Huckabee isn't really a true social conservative - isn't that Fred Thompson? I think what they meant to say is that he is voting for a true evangelical because his pastor told him so. And evangelicals stick together, even when their candidate has a liberal tax history and raised taxes in his state.
It's a good thing voting is done in the confidential voting booth, where a vote for one's family and future can trump the suggestions of the "us".
What is A Huckabee?
The definition of "A Huckabee" is saying you won't do something, then doing it anyway.
synonyms include: Political Speak, Been in Politics Too Long, and Do What I Think Not What I Say
As in: I will not show this attack ad, but here it is anyway.
synonyms include: Political Speak, Been in Politics Too Long, and Do What I Think Not What I Say
As in: I will not show this attack ad, but here it is anyway.
Huckabee Scares a lot of Conservatives
While Mormons don't allow their church directories to be used for political purposes, nor their buildings; Mike Huckabee has a strong advantage by using evangelical church rosters.
Mr. Glenn lined up 50 local pastors to attend a closed-door breakfast with Mr. Huckabee in Grand Rapids. And he has compiled an e-mail list of more than 600 volunteers — many in Internet groups that Huck’s Army is connecting — who have been using church directories to make phone calls, courting local pastors and leafleting church parking lots . source
“Recruit volunteers to stand this Sunday on public sidewalks across the street from the parking lots of the biggest evangelical churches you can find,” Mr. Glenn urged in a recent e-mail message.
Richard Land, the top public policy official of the Southern Baptist Convention, argued that just as small-government and foreign-policy conservatives could not win a primary without evangelicals, “I don’t think evangelicals can win without most of the rest of those coalitions".
I am a bit surprised by Huckabee's use of religious groups. It would be interesting to hear what happens behind those closed door meetings.
Mr. Glenn lined up 50 local pastors to attend a closed-door breakfast with Mr. Huckabee in Grand Rapids. And he has compiled an e-mail list of more than 600 volunteers — many in Internet groups that Huck’s Army is connecting — who have been using church directories to make phone calls, courting local pastors and leafleting church parking lots . source
“Recruit volunteers to stand this Sunday on public sidewalks across the street from the parking lots of the biggest evangelical churches you can find,” Mr. Glenn urged in a recent e-mail message.
Richard Land, the top public policy official of the Southern Baptist Convention, argued that just as small-government and foreign-policy conservatives could not win a primary without evangelicals, “I don’t think evangelicals can win without most of the rest of those coalitions".
I am a bit surprised by Huckabee's use of religious groups. It would be interesting to hear what happens behind those closed door meetings.
John McCain vs. Mitt Romney vs. Huckabee
Michigan is now in the spotlight. The latest polls show McCain at 29%, Romney at 27% and Huckabee at 19%.
I think Mitt Romney would make an excellent President for the following reasons:
I think Mitt Romney would make an excellent President for the following reasons:
- As a Washington outsider, Romney does not owe anybody in Congress favors. McCain does owe political favors to Kennedy and others.
- Unlike Huckabee that relies on his poorness for votes and his supporters for non financial gifts, Mitt Romney cannot be bought like Huckabee (read about it here).
- While Mitt Romney doesn't have the most foreign experience like McCain, the world more and more uses economics for negotiations, sanctions, and cooperation. Mitt Romney is the only candidate that understands business and economics in a way that he can wisely use America's economic resources to aid our friends and hinder our enemies.
- A vote for Mitt Romney is a vote for a lower national debt, the optimization and streamlining of Washington, and a man that beyond war can use economic sanctions with nation motivating effect.
The polls are close, but think about this, economists estimated 80% of jobs in twenty years haven't even been thought of yet. Only Mitt Romney has the experience and knowledge to uniquely position America to take advantage of those jobs. Support Mitt Romney to lead America forward with respect to the economy.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
