Not so nice news

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Saltsman for RNC Chairman

Chip Saltsman is running to be the next chair of the Republican National Committee. His new site launched this week: Chip Saltsman for RNC Chair. Visit the site and read the information there. Chip has taken time to spell out an action plan for moving forward. Clearly, the RNC needs to address many issues to win back the support of American voters, many of whom crossed party lines because they no longer trusted the party to support their values. Chip has a plan to answer that and bring the party back to its traditional roots.

The Republican Party was not born as a party of big business or elites of any stripe. The party of Lincoln was also the party of the people. Today, the platform of the Republican party is much closer to what people say they want than that of the Democrats. Yet the public rejected Republicans in record numbers in the last election cycle. Many would argue that it was due to drift on the part of the Republican candidates. Many argue that it was due to an unpopular president and an unpopular war. Many blamed the Republican party (not necessarily correctly) for the current economic situation. Many voters seemed to feel there was no difference between the parties. And if there was no difference, why not give the new guy a chance? We will have to wait and see what havoc that thinking might have wrought.

In the meantime, we can take steps to bring the party back to the people … to set it on the right track and to build a grassroots team that will support candidates at all levels who best express the values and beliefs of the electorate. To do that effectively, we need Chip Saltsman.

Let's get real ...

Speaking in Springfield, IL last week, Joe Biden excoriated John McCain for supporting privatization of Social Security. The same lines were played again at the Democratic convention by more than one speaker. Let’s get real! That was George Bush’s proposal, and it’s not a bad one.

The fact is that you and I will never see a just return for the money we pay into Social Security. We aren’t meant to, because the government uses our money to subsidize people who don’t pay in or who pay in limited amounts. That made sense when the system was first established. But there is hardly anyone alive today who has not paid into Social Security for their entire working lives. And the Social Security Trust was breached long ago when our government decided they could “borrow” the money held in trust for the people. Pah!

Like many, I was not enthusiastic about privatizing Social Security. But, with some safeguards, I think it’s a good idea. The more I thought about Biden’s comments, the more I realized just how wrong politicians can be. He and other Democrats act like it’s a scandalous and diabolical notion. It is not.

Out of curiosity, I ran some numbers. I used a contribution rate of 12.4%, which equals the present rate plus the employer contribution. The figures below show how much money someone would have in their account after a working life of 40 years. Theses numbers are conservative, because I have used a 401k model with only 7% yearly gain. Most funds earn in excess of that. Also, I used the same wage scale throughout. Wages would increase for almost anyone over a 40 year span, but I wanted to be conservative in my estimates. For some reason Blogger won't let me post the table. Follow the link below to Dei for the numbers*.

Trust me, this is a much better return on your Social Security investment than letting the government muck with it. The Democrats should know better and they should serve the country better than to misrepresent what this could mean to future retirees.

*cross posted from dei

Biden?

Cross posted from Dei



Interesting that the text message came at 3 am ...

I am not sure what wisdom led to the selection of Joe Biden. It seems we will have two candidates who have no experience other than working in government and are far removed from the concerns of every day Americans representing the so-called "party of the people".

A close friend of mine has been a Biden supporter for years. This morning he said he didn't think he could vote for the Democratic ticket, even with Biden on it. Interesting ...

Where's my hat?

If I were still wearing my feminist hat, I would be highly incensed that a well qualified woman was passed over in favor of a less qualified man. I would be more incensed at the media and the powers that be at the DNC for their unfavorable attitudes. I would be asking some tough questions, like “Why would you assign delegates to a candidate who didn’t even appear on the ballot?” I would have a lot of other questions and I would be feeling particularly disenfranchised about now.

Guess it’s a good thing I lost my feminist hat.

cross posted to dei

Tickle Me Obama

As I watched the three major candidates speak last night, I was surprised at my reactions. I couldn't help but applaud the courage and determination of Hillary Clinton, who has been under intense pressure in recent weeks but has demonstrated a surprising level of courage and strength.

I thought John McCain's speech was excellent ... who knew he had it in him? The venue and staging left something to be desired, but John was good.

And then there was Obama. Outside of all the unfairness and political positioning I see with him, there is still a sense of unease. He is the unknown quantity. We don't really know what he is because his speeches are all about hope and little about how. As I listened to him, the following lines kept echoing in my head. I pray that they are not prophetic.

For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires, and will turn away their ears from the truth and will turn aside to myths. 2 Timothy 4.3-4

NObama

The recent decision by the Rules and Bylaws Committee of the Democratic National Committee is the latest step in the efforts to give the nomination to Senator Obama. Party spokespeople continue to press Senator Clinton to bow out. They cite the lead in delegates Seanator Obama has built up but their math debatable. Heh, no wonder Democrats can't get anything done in Congress ... they are too busy twisting truth to pay attention to real facts.

I'm not supporting Hillary Clinton, but don't like seeing the DNC railroad her either. If you want to express disdain on this decision, here are a few ways to comment:

Comments to the DNC: http://www.democrats.org/page/s/contactissues
Donna Brazile: Brazile Associates

Not that I expect a reply, of course. I have been sending comments to my congresswoman for some time and she has never bothered to respond. Yes, she is a democrat. And yes, I will support any candidate against any democrat this year because they have shown themselves to be anything but democratic.

Will the real Barack Obama please stand up?

Finally, we begin to get a glimpse of the real Barack Obama. CNN offers a story on how Obama was able to run unopposed for this first statewide office. Quite different from the kumbaya version. See more on AC360 tonight.

Oh, puleez!

John Kerry: Is he angling for secretary of state?

Can you imagine the chaos? The very idea sends shudders up my spine. I am still trying to figure out how this guy got the nomination in '04 and they're pumping him up for SOS?

They're starting to take notice

From the Washington Post: Obama's Growing Gaffe

All I can say is that is about time the news media started paying attention to what he says instead of constantly hyping what they think he says.

Appalling: Causing dimay, consternation or horror

Listen if you can bear it, to the vision Barack Obama spoke of to Planned Parenthood.



How can anyone claim to be a Christian, reference his faith and still give a speech of this nature?

Shame on them all!

Yesterday Dad and I watched as CNN played Barack Obama's comments in response to President Bush's speech to the Knesset. In fact, we watched it at least three times and saw numerous pundits comment negatively on President Bush's "attack" on the Democrats before we finally saw a clip of what GWB said. Today I can't even find a video of what the President said except one that is heavily overladen with comments by the CNN talking head. Heck, I can't even find a complete quote. Just an article describing Bush's "attack" on Obama with the words "believe we should negotiate with the terrorists and radicals, as if some ingenious argument will persuade them they have been wrong all along."

I finally found a transcript of the President's Speech to the Knesset. I encourage you to read it. Not one word about Obama. Not one word about the Democrats.

Shame on you, CNN, FOX News and the rest. Shame on all the pundits who jumped on the condemnation bandwagon. Most of all, shame on you, Barack Obama. It is a pity you are so self absorbed that you see everything as about you. Get over it! But you owe the President and the people an apology for your outburst.

Mississippi On My Mind (Updated)

Governor Huckabee has challenged supporters of Huck PAC to post their thoughts on what the GOP must do to win back the American voter. Read the post and the comments and add your own thoughts.

read more | digg story

November on my mind

Since Governor Huckabee challenged bloggers to post their thoughts on what is needed to rebrand the Republican party, I had to state my case. Of course, I got most of it done and had a problem which lost my post. Aiyeeee!!!! So what follows is not as good as the original, but includes much of what I wanted to say.

1. The War - we need to stop arguing about how we got into Iraq and focus on how we will help the Iraqi government build strength. How we got there is irrelevant at this point and we should not let Democrats get away with taking the high moral ground on this issue. We must maintain a stable Middle East and a precipitous withdrawal from Iraq is not the way to do that. We need clearly stated goals and sufficient troops and equipment to meet those goals.


2. Border security - Secure the borders. Promote a fair immigration policy. Deal with those currently in the US in a compassionate manner while enforcing our laws.


3. Social Security - formulate and promote a plan for how we will handle funding for SS without exorbitant contribution rates for our children. This is important to keep the system viable and is crucial to the ever increasing percentage of people age 65 and up.


4. Health care - Our system needs reform, but not government mandated insurance. We need to find a way to work with providers and insurance companies to make good coverage affordable. Some insurance companies offer incentives for things like health club memberships if one goes regularly. Perhaps a good insurance program should offer incentives or rebates for healthy habits and staying healthy. Goes to MH's comments on how our system is structured.


5. The Economy - here again, we need a plan. We must build new jobs. We need penalties against companies that export jobs and manufacturing. We need incentives for companies to retool and retrain their workforce. We need to rebuild the "Made in America" Brand. We need the modern equivalent of the WPA to put people to work and meet the needs of the nation.


6. Tax Reform - the tax code needs to be overhauled and simplified. We need to be open to any system that would help achieve that, whether it be a flat tax, fair tax or some combination of those. We do need to bring those who currently pay no tax into the system.

How do we win elections? First, by changing our tactics. Instead of negative ads filled with half truths, we need to require honest answers from Democrats. This is the third or fourth election cycle where they have promised "change". We should be requiring them to define that and tell us how they plan to effect it. Barack Obama is running on a theme of change and hope. He is big on lofty rhetoric and short on specific. We should be requiring him to get specific.

We need to key into specific voter blocks and make sure our message is heard. And we need to get the support of voters likely to actually cast a ballot in November. We need our best speakers our on college campuses working with local groups to get new voters registered and excited about our message.

We should be working with unions across the nation. The things we want are the things they want ... jobs, a sound economy, secure borders, a fair immigration policy. We've ceded these groups to the Democrats for too long.

Restore confidence in government by letting people know their opinions matter. John McCain made effective us of town hall meetings early in the primaries. We need surrogates to fan our across the nation, holding town hall meetings and taking the pulse of the voters. And then we need to follow up on that by reporting back to them so they know their concerns are being reviewed and how our candidates propose to address them.

• Be Positive
• Be Proactive
• Be Responsive

McCain's Running Mate?

So I woke up this morning to the radio saying the Washington Post reports that Tim Pawlenty is #1 on the list of potential running mates for John McCain. My first thought was that someone was smoking something bad. :-P

After some digging, I found that the source of the data was The Fix . *WHEW* If it had been a serious news story, I would have had to trot out all my reasons why I would not agree.

All that angst for nothing. :-D

Republican Hoosiers,Tar Heels Echo Pennsylvanians Sentiments

Even with many of the pundits auditioning for the role of the “Fat Lady” and Hillary Clinton riling up her supporters by promising to continue the fight after her crushing defeat in North Carolina and narrow victory in Indiana, the loudest clangor in John McCain’s ears is probably the echo reverberating from PA throughout IN and NC.

read more | digg story

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I'm not sure what this means. Perhaps the base is not energized to get out and vote because they feel the issue is decided. Huckabee and Paul supporters, on the other hand, have taken this opportunity to send a message to McCain and the RNC ... one wonders if they are listening, however.

Mike Huckabee on MSNBC

Mike was asked to comment on the recent public statements of controversial pastor Jeremiah Wright. In the past Mike has said we need to cut Rev. Wright a little slack in view of his prior experiences growing up in a segregated US. Mike expresses concern as to Wright's motives with his present actions.

Heading To Montana

Governor Huckabee heads to Montana to campaign for conservative candidates.

read more | digg story

Huck PAC was founded with the intention of supporting Republican candidates who are passionate advocates for tax reform, a strong national defense, real border security, life, the family, less government and individual liberty.

Just plain dishonest

Barack Obama tries to portray himself as honest and the agent of change. Then he acts like any other politician and is as guilty of spin as the people he points fingers at. I get sick of hearing him say he didn't campaign in Florida as if to imply that Clinton did. He knows she didn't and his innuendo gets picked up and repeated until I would be willing to bet that most of his supporters now believe that she campaigned in defiance of the candidates agreement that they would not. And when he says he wasn't even on the ballot in MI, why doesn't he say why? He wasn't on the ballot because he had his name removed! The statements he makes imply that *he* is somehow more ethical than Clinton. The amazing thing is that it seems to work. Why doesn't the media point out how disingenuous is statements are?

We Are Just Getting Started

Read and learn more about Huck PAC ... Governor Huckabee details the goals and plans for supporting candidates at local, state and national levels.

read more | digg story

It will be fun seeing governor Huckabee shake up the establishment. This is so needed to reform the Republican party so that it once more responds to the people.

Rubber Meets Road

I have often been frustrated by the two party system. I've wondered more than once if it wouldn't make sense to start supporting third (or fourth or fifth) parties that represent my views better than the big 2. I would not hesitate to say that most people probably do not support either the Republican or Democratic party as they now stand. They seem to have become despots, telling us what we will believe and what we will support rather that serving what we believe and support. And winning is all they care about. Being top dog as it were.

I've stated before that most people support the candidate, not the party. And perhaps that is why the whole system seems so dysfunctional. It probably goes a long way toward explaining voter apathy. Why vote when you don't feel you can support either candidate? Perhaps to vote for the lesser of what you see as two evils? "Of two evils, choose neither."* is good advice, but seldom practiced in contemporary politics. Often our vote is a vote against, rather than for, something.

I'm very disappointed that the best qualified candidates in both parties have withdrawn. I'm disappointed overall with the way we select candidates, because the ones who win are not usually the best qualified or even the most likely to win. So how do we address and correct this? How do we make the parties more responsive to what we want? We are, after all, the People, the ones it is supposed to be all about.

I've recently come to see that the only way to change the death grip the party system has on the election process is to change the parties from the bottom up. Rather than going away disappointed when the best candidates don't become the nominees, we have to start changing the whole system. It won't come the way candidates promise. The only way to "change Washington" is to start at the bottom of the political system and build it anew. It is to look for candidates at the local and state level who represent your views and really support them. It is to support candidates for Congress that represent your views. It is to stop letting incumbent Representatives and Senators run unopposed because we think they cannot be defeated. It is to demand that they stop thinking they were elected kings and start thinking they were elected servants of the people.

Good men and women with servant hearts could make all the difference.

*Charles Haddon Spurgeon
(Cross posted to Dei)

What Now?

Of many points made on the conference call last night with Mike Huckabee, perhaps the strongest was the challenge that we not sit and wait for 2012. There are many things that can happen between now and then and we need to be looking for ways to rebuild and reform our politics long before candidates for that election begin lining up.

Mike said he would be supporting candidates at all levels ... local, state and national ... who endorse positions we hold important. He said we need to begin now to change the Republican party so that is is responsive to the needs of people and works for them. It should no longer be considered the party of the rich and elite. With that goal in mind, Mike announced that his web site would be undergoing a redesign and would relaunch on Tuesday, April 15. (/me wonders at the significance of that!)

Maybe that explains why my Ranger link is not working? Nah ... it was something missing in the code. Not sure why, but it is fixed for now.

In Spite Of ...

So in spite of my resolution to keep this blog active and speak out on issues I found important, I have been silent for a month. Credit my apathy to disappointment that Mike Huckabee did not prevail in the March primaries and my total lack of enthusiasm for any of the remaining candidates. I have written extensively at dei about why I don't feel we should support candidates who are current office holders. Clinton, McCain and Obama have all neglected their current positions to run for president. They have abused the trust of their constituents and are not deserving of higher office. See Luke 16.10 "He who is faithful in a very little thing is faithful also in much; and he who is unrighteous in a very little thing is unrighteous also in much."

I have been participating sporadically at F3 Coalition. There are some active conversations on the discussion boards right now. But my experience with discussion boards leads me to hold back from getting heavily involved. I say "yes" to supporting the aims of the group while saying "no" to spending time on the discussion board. It is too easy to expend all your energy in discussion and not have any left for action. I've been there and done that, I guess.

I was excited to be invited to Steve Strang's conference call with Mike Huckabee last night. I was frustrated that I could not actually get into the call. I was able to connect, but there was a problem with the lines and only the first number was working. That was quickly overwhelmed as over 6,000 people tried to connect with the call. I really appreciated the prompt sending of a link to listen to a recording of the call. It was good to hear Mike's perspective on where we are in the election process.

When Do We Start to Learn?

I was surprised and a little dismayed to find this video today. Surprised because I didn't remember Reagan as a Republican that early ... I thought he was still one of "Dem" in the early 60s. Dismayed because we have learned so little in the intervening years ...

Huckabee may be new face of the religious right

With the race for the Republican presidential nomination now behind him, former candidate Mike Huckabee has many possibilities ahead: Potential vice president to John McCain? GOP adviser? Another run for the White House? Any way, observers say, one thing seems clear: Huckabee is now a kinder, gentler fresh face of the evangelical movement.

read more | digg story

Mike would be a great choice to lead the evangelical movement and could do much to erase the negative connotation in the minds of the public from earlier, more dogmatic leaders.

Obamination

Don't try to use Scripture to justify your positions, Mr. Obama. We know you are the most liberal member of the Senate. We know you are the most liberal candidate in this race. And now we know you will use any means to try to pander to voters.

I usually don't agree with Hugh Hewitt on much, but his recent post on Barack Obama's use of Scripture gave me pause: Obama's Sermon on the Mount. Hewitt suggests a law that might be useful in political situations: "A candidate should never cite Scripture except with great specificity and unless he or she expects and desires to return to the subject and have every reference they used parsed over by millions of Bible readers." I second that thought.

The Baptist Press picked up the story and ran the following on March 3rd: Obama: Sermon on the Mount supports gay civil unions. Better go back to the Bible and read it again, Mr. Obama.

On the other hand, if he keeps making statements like this, it might be enormously helpful to John McCain. Evangelicals aren't likely to get excited about the Arizona senator, but they might get very excited about voting against someone who makes statements distorting Scripture in such a way.

What's Next?

What's next for Polit-speak? This blog was born as a means to support Mike Huckabee. While I am not sure how successful it was in that endeavor, it did get some traffic and was a place to share information about the candidate of my choice.

I still have things to say about this election, and will continue to post to this blog.

That's what!

Delayed, But Not Deterred

"I want to thank all of you for the incredible encouragement that you've been giving to Janet and me these past few days. We read the blogs daily and get such a lift from the thoughtful and gracious things people are sayinig. It really does overwhelm us with gratitude." ... (read a personal message from Mike Huckabee)

read more | digg story

Aftermath

Support for Mike Huckabee is being poured out on the blog over at Huckabee.com and many are calling for a campaign to urge John McCain to select Mike as his running mate. There are many reasons why this is not likely to happen, and the most important one is that it might be the worst possible move Mike could make. As John Edwards discovered this year, being tied to a losing ticket doesn't help your political future.

Of the candidates in the race for the Democratic nomination, John Edwards was the only one who spoke to the real concerns of people who make up the Democratic base, yet his campaign never took off. Why? I think there were two reasons:

1. Concern for Elizabeth Edwards health
2. People saw him as a loser after the acrimonious campaign in 2004

Is it fair? Not at all, but who says politics is fair?

I'm willing to add my 2 cents worth to the debate. I say there is a pattern to follow in Ronald Reagan's loss at the convention in 1976. Reagan spent the next four years gaining traction and building his bona fides as a statesman. The nomination in 1980 wasn't a walk in the park, but a backward look shows that it was almost inevitable. This is the time for Mike Huckabee to become more well known. No matter who wins the election this year, Mike has the opportunity to speak out on the issues and serve as the conscience of his party. Four years well spent could well reap big rewards in 2012.

Texas Toast

Tonight I am disappointed to see the end of Governor Huckabee's run for 2008. Yet I also hold out hope that he will continue to advance the issues that are so important to those of us who supported his candidacy ... secure borders, no amnesty for illegals, a fair trade policy, tax reform, the sanctity of human life and that marriage is not a civil right, but was instituted by God and is between one man and one woman.

More than anything else, I appreciated the humor, wit and decency that Mike Huckabee brought to the political arena. He is unmatched by any politician in my memory (even Ronald Reagan).

I hope that we learn well the lesson that the coming election will teach us. When we don't put forward our brightest and best, we surely deserve what we get. In the case of the candidates still in the race, I fear we will be greatly disappointed.

As an independent, I am faced with a huge dilemma. I have said all along that I did not feel I could support any of the candidates who are current office holders. My reason for this is the fact that none of them is keeping faith with the voters who elected them to their current jobs. And I felt that if they could not be faithful in the job they have now, they could not be trusted with higher office. Now I have to think long and hard about how I will vote.

It's a puzzlement.

Stand

Mike's new ad says it all!

Real Change

I never, I mean never, thought I would find myself in agreement with Newt Gingrich on anything. Imagine my surprise at seeing a video clip of Newt on Hannity & Colmes saying that conservatives need to declare their independence from the Republican party and finding myself nodding in agreement.

You can view the clip here.

You can read the transcript here.

More Than a Little

I am more than a little frustrated with MSM, particularly CNN. CNN invites comments on the Ticker, their political blog, BUT comments are moderated and good luck getting a thoughtful comment approved. In the meantime, any crackpot who wants to take a shot gets their comment posted. So on the question of a GOP debate, there are lots of "give up" comments, lots of "support McCain" comments and not a few Ron Paul type comments. A comment like the following was (who knows why) not approved:

I would very much like to see a debate between the remaining Republican candidates. John McCain does not have the nomination wrapped up and it disenfranchises voters when we are told we must rally around the presumptive candidate. It is a disservice to the other candidates that they are expected to drop out of the race at this point.

Mike Huckabee has won primaries and caucuses in states that Republicans must win to take the national election and was second by the narrowest of margins in South Carolina, Missouri, Washington and Oklahoma. Governor Huckabee would most likely have won SC by an overwhelming margin but for the presence of Fred Thompson, who dropped out the next day. More people have voted against Senator McCain than those who have voted for him. That is telling. The voters deserve to be allowed to make their own choice without pressure from the national party or from the media.

Let the debate happen!

I thought it was a reasonable comment ... CNN did not approve it.

Never Give Up!

They like Mike!

I'm usually pretty low key about politics at church, sharing my POV only with those I know will respect my opinion even though they may not share it. (A group smaller than you might think!) In any case, this morning we were talking about Facebook and some were surprised that I am a member. I mentioned that it was only due to my political activity, and was asked who I support. Before I could say, one of the women said "I hope you will say Huckabee. He is the best candidate." Several others spoke up, also voicing support for Governor Huckabee. We were having a great "We Like Mike" Fest until the music started and we had to go sit down.

Back from the Blahs

I've been fighting the flu, so haven't been very faithful about blogging. What energy I did have, I spent on phone calls for Mike Huckabee and harassing the Washington Republican Party.

Yes, I was one of many who e-mailed the WSRP asking for an explanation of their declaring John McCain the winner when only 87% of the vote had been counted and the margin was only 242 votes. They weren't very happy about being questioned, with the state chair saying it was obvious I didn't understand the caucus process. (Hello, MN is a caucus state, though he had no way of knowing why I *do* understand the caucus process.) Then I got an e-mail from another state party official telling me not to send another e-mail because the issue was decided. Huh? That sounds to me like someone doesn't understand who voters are and what their power is. If I lived in WA I would have gone immediately to their office to have it out with them. (and perhaps share my germs in retaliation)

Now that I can talk without coughing my lungs out, I am going back to the phones tomorrow and will keep at it until we reach the next primaries.

Saturday Symphony

Great news that Kansas voters turned out in force to give Mike Huckabee a 60% margin.

The win in Louisiana is good news, but with less than a 50% margin, the LA convention will make the final determination. Hopefully they will follow the primary.

John McCain is projected to win Washington with a margin of just a little over 200 votes. Not all precincts have reported, so the outcome could be questionable. What is surprising is a strong showing for Ron Paul and the 16% who voted for Mitt Romney even though he suspended his campaign on Thursday. Do WA Romney operatives know something the rest of us don't know? Is Mitt hoping to be the spoiler at the convention? Or are WA Republicans just living up to an independent streak?

There *Is* a Santa Claus!

Unexpected good news came via a text message on my cellphone saying "Your favorite Republican is dropping out." Now I can recognize a jest as well as the next person, particularly when I know the sender shares my feeling. So here it is ...

Romney Announces He Is Dropping Out of GOP Race

Looking Ahead

From Team Huckabee:

We had a great night tonight and now it is time to get reorganized for the contests ahead.

We have upcoming votes in: WA, KS, and LA on Feb 9 and DC, MD and VA on Feb 12.We will launch new online headquarters for MD, VA, DC, KS, LA, WA and WI tomorrow. Emails will go out tomorrow morning to our supporters in each of these states detailing ways to help.

If you live outside of these states but have friends and family that live there please encourage them to learn more about Gov. Huckabee by visiting our website.

read more | digg story

West Virginia Likes Mike!!!

Gov. Huckabee has just won the official West Virginia Convention claiming 18 delegates.

On the second ballot at the West Virginia convention, Governor Huckabee received 52% of the vote. Governor Huckabee spoke to the convention this morning and his message clearly resonated with the delegates. After the first ballot, no one had the required majority of more than 50%. On the second ballot, Ron Paul was dropped as he got the lowest percentage on the first. Thanks to those who voted for the third and fourth place candidate who chose Governor Huckabee on the second ballot.

read more | digg story

GRRRRRRR ...

Last night, the following message was delivered to my inbox:

At first glance at all of the candidates, I thought I would be voting for Huckabee. He was clever and quick and he was a Christian. Then I started listening to some of the conservative people...Rush, Ann Coulter, and Jason Lewis

They thought he was too liberal in his record. I started going to all of the web sites and reading everything I could about all of the candidates....even Obama and Clinton and Edwards! In the beginning, I was afraid of Mitt Romney because he was a Mormon. I listened to his speech on religion and began to believe that we are voting for a president, not the senior pastor. Mormons at least have very strong family values....he has raised five boys and still has a very close family.

I had heard of Mitt Romney as governor because of the health care plan in Massachusetts. I heard about it on the radio, and then did a little research about it for my health econ course for my master's degree. I really liked it.

Mitt is my guy. It goes back to the way I thought about the 2000 Governor race. I was for Sullivan. A businessman that understands what taxes are for, and how to run a business. Mitt Romney talks about China as an enemy. Look how China has controlled us with their lead paint products and toy recalls. Our trade deficit is shocking and of all of the candidates, I think only Romney gets that idea.

I do not know why you think he is fake. I know the media and McCain try to paint him as a flip flopper, but he has only flipped....to the conservative side. And he is open and freely talks about his previous positions to the fact he has grown.

Remember, we have lots of politicians in the Republican party that have been big democrats. Ronald Regan is the first to come to mind....Norm Coleman is another. Romney was never that liberal.

I like Mitt because he has run companies, a state and he makes me proud to be an American. He believes that we live in the greatest country in the world and he and his campaign wants to make it even better. He has a vision for our economy and our military that is similar to mine. That is my little sermon for Mitt Romney. See you tomorrow. I worry that a vote for Huckabee is a vote for McCain. This will move our party way over to the left.

Deb

My first thought was "eek! A troll in my inbox!" I immediately composed a reply and made an effort to set Ms. Deb straight on the issues. It appears she is not a Minnesotan, since she speaks of an election for governor in 2000. The Minnesota governors office was not on the ballot in 2000 ... we still had Jessie. :-P (I did some checking. Brian Sullivan ran in 2002 but was defeated at the convention by Tim Pawlenty, the eventual winner.) She says she will "see me tomorrow". I assume that was meant to indicate she would be at the caucus. Too bad that she probably won't be ... I would like to have a conversation with "Deb".

I'm still puzzled as to how she got my e-mail address ... it's fairly private and relatively free from spam (no small feat in this day and age). Still, she made me feel targeted. Then she made me mad. Then she made me determined.

Mideast Obligations

Am I the only one who understands that an abrupt departure from the region could start renewed and violent hostilities against Israel? Nature (not to mention civilizations) abhors a vacuum and rushes to fill it. The vacuum left by our precipitous withdrawal from Iraq would be filled by Al Quaida and other terrorist organizations. Israel would stand alone as the only democracy in the region. Already under attack, their situation would be immensely worse if the US left the area. The Bush administration has already put Israel under duress with their stance regarding a Palestinian state. My question is: how willing are we to see Israel fall? I hope the answer is Not At All Willing.

Ahhhhh .... someone gets it!

Obama, Paul Confirmed For MTV/MySpace Dialogue - News Story

Mike Huckabee will participate in the MTV/MySpace discussion Saturday, February 2 at 5 PM CST. Other participants are Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama and Ron Paul. The event will air on MTV (as well as MTV2 and MTV Tr3s, with highlights on mtvU), stream online at ChooseOrLose.com and MySpace.com, stream on mobile devices via MTV Mobile, broadcast live on XM Satellite Radio, MTV and AP radio, and be distributed live and on-demand through the Associated Press Online Video Network, which has more than 1,800 media sites, including nearly 600 media outlets in Super Tuesday states. Invitations to this latest Presidential Dialogue have also been extended to John McCain and former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney.

read more | digg story

True Conservative

Minnesota Matters

Well look at that ... we made the Google front page. Of course, due to Google's rotation policy the article may be gone before you go to look. Still, its unusual for the frozen chosen to get a spot on national news. Here are a few of the stories for your reading pleasure:

FACTBOX: Minnesota and its presidential caucus

Super Tuesday: Why Minnesota caucuses matter

Debate Redux

I watched both debates this week and come away from the experience with a sense of urgency as to how we get people to realize that they are throwing away their votes unless they vote for a candidate who really will address the issues that are affecting their lives.

Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton are advocating a new round of Big Brotherism when we already have too much of that from our government.

Mitt Romney doesn't have a clue about what is needed to put America back on its feet. His much touted business experience is that of a corporate raider, who does whatever it takes to get the maximum profit from each deal without regard for the chaos he leaves in his wake. Ask the many who are left without jobs and holding worthless stock if they want more of Mitt.

Ron Paul, the perennial candidate holds some reasonable positions but will never get his message across to the country because of his presentation and the tactics of his supporters. It leaves one with a distinct fear of Paul which is probably not justified, but is a reaction to any interaction with his supporters.

John McCain is an honorable man, but is perhaps too limited in his perspectives. He is as polarizing in his own way as Hillary. To his credit, he is able to garner support from Independents and Democrats, which may work in his favor in the primaries to come.

After watching it all and weighing it impartially, I am still a Huckabee supporter. Mike Huckabee is the only candidate who really understands the needs and hopes of the American voter. He knows that government which is unresponsive is government doomed to fail. He is for a strong military, a responsible foreign policy and sound fiscal policies. He believes in small government and that the federal government should not try to take on the responsibilities of the individual states. As a former governor, he understands the impact of laws passed at the federal level which must be implemented at the state level. He is an excellent communicator and will bring back a sense that government is responsive to the people. We need Mike Huckabee!

Here's a good article: Mike Huckabee's Baptist Roots

The Quiet Side

OK, so I have been a little quiet this week. Not for lack of commitment, I assure you, but because I have been doing some grassroots work for Mike ... phone calls, e-mails, whatever I could to build some enthusiasm.

I've been really encouraged by some of the reports from my team ... they are making calls and doing a great job of promoting Mike to the voters of Florida and now Georgia and Alabama and other states with Super Tuesday primaries. Go Huckabeez!

Five Smooth Stones

I just read an excellent, really excellent article from Catholic Online. Now you might think that this would be the last place to read an article in support of Governor Huckabee, but let's not succumb to the kind of prejudice that is being wielded against the Huckabee campaign. Please read the article, and rate it.

Let Huckabee Speak, Let Huckabee Run ... and check his pockets

Nice Endorsement from Georgia

Huckabee presents the best choice for Reagan supporters

Audacious

The American Conservative has a good article online: The Audacity of Huck. I so wish the Beltway prophets and talking heads would get a clue.

I watched the debate last night on MSNBC and felt that the nature of the questions addressed to Governor Huckabee was deplorable. I could say the same about Congressman Paul. Tim Russert seemed to think they were there for his comic relief. To give Ron Paul his due, he stayed on message better than I have seen before. And Governor Huckabee was not deterred by Russert's sarcasm. When Russert attacked on the fair tax, Governor Huckabee suggested that he read the entire proposal and said that we need to be willing to look at new things because the same old system just wasn't working.

Tucker Carlson thinks Governor Huckabee won the debate.

Fighting On

After listening for two days to talking heads saying Mike Huckabee was pulling out of Florida, someone finally asked Mike. Huckabee struggles to keep 'scrappy little army' in fight.

Grrr ... the talking heads and the Beltway prophets would like it if we would just sit down and be quiet. Not gonna do it ... wouldn't be prudent, as someone famously said.

Is Fred's Campaign Dead?

Fred Thompson had little to say about future plans and has no campaign appearances scheduled. Is it over yet?

Interesting article about Fred Thompson and his motivation: How Much Does Fred Hate Huck?

On the economy

I'm listening to the rhetoric on the economy with a great deal of confusion. Fred says it will take care of itself. Rudy just harks back to when he was mayor of New York City. The economy is clearly not McClain's strong suit. Who is left ... oh, yeah ... there's Ron Paul and his stance on the economy is as incoherent as his stance on anything else. And then there's Mitt. When I listened to him speaking in Michigan and again in South Carolina, I thought I was listening to a Democrat. He's going to single-handedly bring back the auto industry and the textile industry?

Mike Huckabee just published a 5-point Fair Deal for All Americans plan which seems like a reasonable response. It would be nice if some of the others would put their plans on the table.

Spitting Tacks

I listened to Mitt on Larry King tonight ... it was a big mistake! After hearing him state that he has said often that he is concerned for the economy (when? was I not listening? or did he get concerned on the plane to Michigan?) he again began talking about relief for the middle class. He was touting his plan to allow the middle class, which he defines as those earning under $200,000/year, to earn interest on their savings tax free. ARGH!

Thanks, Mitt. I challenge that on a bunch of levels, the first being how you define middle class. If he had said under $100,000, it might have been closer. But most of those people are two earner families and they need every penny they have to live. Most don't have savings, so Mitt's proposal is useless. Moreover, because they are two earner families, they pay a higher tax than a single earner would.

Get a clue, Mitt

Will Mitt Save MI like he did MA?

Mitt's Mythical "Mass. Miracle"

Read this and then decide if you think Mitt Romney is the man to help Michigan's economic woes!

Economic Speech in Michigan

From the NY Times

Huckabee Splits Young Evangelicals and Old Guard

What this article fails to point out is that evangelicals have been getting more and more frustrated with national evangelical leaders who continue to support national candidates whose actions directly contradict evangelical values. We are not trying to establish a theocracy, as liberals accuse, but we can no longer turn a blind eye to the pragmatism of evangelical leaders who chose to support someone they feel is more electable regardless of their values. We hope they will get the message from the groundswell of support for Mike Huckabee.

Demand

The Conservative Argument

My comment was posted over at the Evangelical Outpost, and I thought it worth repeating here:

Today all the candidates are channeling Ronald Reagan and trying to be more Reagan than Reagan. They would do well to remember some of the things Reagan said, like: "You and I are told we must choose between a left or right, but I suggest there is no such thing as a left or right. There is only an up or down. Up to man's age-old dream -- the maximum of individual freedom consistent with order -- or down to the ant heap of totalitarianism."

The biggest danger to our system of government comes when people no longer believe in it and don't feel it represents them. People don't care about labels; they care about candidates that seem to have an understanding of their problems and seek to help them find solutions. That is Mike Huckabee's greatest asset. He is interested in a civil discourse that seeks to identify and find solutions for the problems that beset us.

At a time when confidence in government is lower than I can ever remember (and that's a long time), maybe it is past time for someone like Mike.

Fox & Friends Interview

The Weekly Standard

The Weekly Standard weighs in on the Fox South Carolina debate.

Great Quote from the SC Debate

In response to Fred Thompson on his record in Congress, Mike Huckabee said: "Senator Thompson, I appreciate you and the other members of Congress passing welfare reform, but it was up to the governors to make it work. And as a governor, we made it work in my state and took half the people off welfare and got them into jobs. ... It's easy to be in Congress and pass a bill that maybe will change some mandates to the states, but those of us who had to govern at the state level were forced with something that members of Congress didn't have to do. They actually had to make it work."

It's About Time

• It's about time we, the people, took back our government. And Mike Huckabee will help us do that.


• It's about time we restore civility to the political arena, and Mike Huckabee will help us do that.


• It's about time we told politicians we are sick of them defining the political process with negative and deceptive advertising, and Mike Huckabee has shown that he will help us do that!

New Michigan Ad

Mike has a new ad for Michigan.

The NRO Shuffle

They're dancing as fast as they can over at NRO to try to dissect the NH Primary in a way that doesn't cast Mitt in an unfavorable light.

Face it folks, Mitt is none of the things you say he is ...

The Paulites

Talk about a strange phenomina, the Ron Paul supporters on the web are active, aggressive and annoying. They seem to troll the web, looking for conversations about other candidates. They then crash the conversation with a massive cut and paste of Paul positions or links to articles about Paul or links to negative press about other candidates. Of course, this is not their own research, so often the links they cut and paste are links to nowhere. That doesn't deter them.

I came under attack over at Digg for questioning one of their sources. See, I knew I would get into trouble on the theological scene sooner or later. I was expecting anti-Christian bias, but what I got was slammed for setting the record straight vis a vis the notion that the founding fathers were all Christians ... *sigh*

The PowerPoint Mind

David Brooks, writing in his article Road to Nowhere which is quoted elsewhere on this site, commented that Mitt Romney reduces everything to a PowerPoint presentation. *grin* This is a trend I have noticed generally in business and don't consider an effective way of communicating. So this morning I went over to the Romney site to see what they were saying about New Hampshire. The answer to that is predictable ... they were applauding Wyoming. But while I was there I decided to take a look at the Issues pages .... LOL! nearly every page has screen shots of what have to be PowerPoint presentations.

Change is Just Nickels and Dimes

I'm getting tired of the candidates who talk about change with no clear understanding of the kind of change we want. Barak Obama talks about hope without telling us clearly what we should hope he will do. Mitt Romney is so far removed from the life most of us live that he doesn't have a clue. I like John McCain and don't question his integrity, but don't see him getting the kind of support he will need to take the nomination, let alone win the election.

I think Mike Huckabee is the only one who understands that we are just plain tired of demagoguery and want a candidate who will stand up and be counted. I don't agree 100% with all of his positions, but he has identified all the areas where I am concerned and is addressing them. Moreover, he has shown that he can work across party lines to get things done.

I don't put a lot of faith in polls, but they do reflect trends ... and they are showing more and more that we like Mike!

From National Review

Wrapping Up the Last Debate Before the New Hampshire Primary

"I applaud ABC for the style of this debate.

But just as we get a great format, many of the candidates seemed off their game. Maybe they had gotten so used to Nurse Ratchet newspaper editors demanding shows of hands and 15 second answers, or talking snowmen and Bible-waving David Koresh-lookalikes. No huge winners tonight, just a spectrum from ‘good’ to ‘pretty good’ to ‘okay’ to ‘not enough’ to ‘I think he’s in trouble.’

John McCain: He played it safe. Under the usual rules, if you go in as frontrunner and nobody lays a glove on you, you won. Still, I kind of miss the old, “I will hunt Osama bin Laden to the gates of hell” King Leonidas-style gleeful battleaxe that started this campaign. He actually had one moment of that, when he stuck Romney with his, “when you have so many positions, it’s easy to get misquoted” and “you can spend your whole fortune on those attack ads, but that doesn’t make it true.” Will New Hampshire-ites mind? I don’t think so, and I can understand how much he may want to pound away at Romney for running those negative ads. But he shouldn’t do it, and I think the one way he may drop the ball between now and Tuesday is if he goes too negative, considering how he’ll need to unify Republicans quickly if he’s the nominee.

Mike Huckabee: I think there will be a familiar split in reaction to his performance. Pundits, and folks who know these issues backwards and forwards, will find his answers glib, lightweight, paper-thin. Voters will like it. I don’t know how much of a splash he’ll make in New Hampshire, as he’s an odd fit for the state, but everybody else in this field ought to be going to Red Alert, because this guy is going to play the Pied Piper, and a lot of folks are going to line up behind him.

Rudy Giuliani: A solid night, but not a lot of moments to shine. By now, we’re getting more or less what we have gotten from Giuliani from the beginning, and either it does it for you, or it doesn’t. I like his combativeness, he seems very well prepared, he can show a bit of humor, and he pretty much always hits the points he wants to make. But he’s sliding in New Hampshire, and he’s not in anybody’s cross hairs right now.

Fred Thompson: I don’t think it was enough tonight, even though he’s expected to be in asterisk territory in New Hampshire on Tuesday. Few of his answers were bad, and I like the indifferent dismissal of the question from the local TV guy on oil companies’ profits.

During his moment of “If you are rewarded for your illegal behavior, by being allowed to stay in the country, then it’s amnesty” – I jokingly called him Arthur Branch. Still, it summed up what is likeable about Thompson – direct, clear, and logical. He occasionally rotated his chair, and when he did speak – almost only when directly asked – he seemed like a trusted adviser. Is he running for president? Or consigliere?

Ron Paul: As usual, Ron Paul is playing his own game. He’ll get his share of the vote, but I don’t think he’s dislodging any other candidate’s supporters and bringing them into his own cause.

Mitt Romney: At first I was going to say, ‘hit and miss,’ but I think his answers were hit and miss. (I thought his answers on health care were the most understandable of the evening.) I think he came out of tonight a little wounded; everybody else in the race smells blood.

I think the dynamics of the evening were tough for him. He must have felt like a piñata – one moment he’s getting whacked by Huckabee, then McCain, then Thompson. Romney never quite got completely thrown off, but I think the assessment in the Corner is accurate, he doesn’t defend himself well enough. He whines about personal attacks, or says candidates shouldn’t talk about others’ views, which is pretty nonsensical.

If you went into tonight hearing he was a flip-flopper, you heard several other candidates say it tonight, and you saw Romney say it was a personal attack… and then move on to policy points. Whoever’s left undecided might conclude, based on the lack of effective refutation, that the charge is accurate.

01/05 09:01 PM"

Mitt Never Supported a Time Table to Withdraw Troops

Caught in another falsehood. Echoes of Pryor in Romney Plan

Still Standing

Road to Nowhere

David Brooks wrote an excellent appraisal of Mitt Romney: Road to Nowhere

I loved this part: "And yet as any true conservative can tell you, the sort of rational planning Mitt Romney embodies never works. The world is too complicated and human reason too limited. The PowerPoint mentality always fails to anticipate something. It always yields unintended consequences."

ROFLOL

The following is from an article on CNN about tonight's debate:

During the spirited discussion on foreign policy, Romney told Huckabee, "Don't try and characterize my positions."

"Which one?" Huckabee then immediately asked, prompting the hundreds of journalists watching the debate from the Saint Anselm College filing center to burst into laughter.

Romney also sparred with Sen. John McCain on the issue of immigration, calling his plan to provide a legal path to citizenship for some illegal immigrants a form of amnesty. Romney has been airing television ads critical of McCain's position in New Hampshire.

"It's not amnesty, and for you to describe it as such in your attack ads, my friend -- you can spend your whole fortune on these attack ads, but it still won't be true," McCain shot back.

"Is there a way to have this about issues and not personal attacks? I hope so," Romney responded.

Excellent New Video from a Huckabee Supporter

How Sweet It Is!

Back in December, when I decided to start blogging for Mike Huckabee, I made my first contribution to his campaign. At that time, I considered signing on as a Ranger and raising money for him. After all, I had been watching his campaign for some time and reading his site regularly. Still, I wasn't quite ready to give up my treasured independent status. I finally decided to take the plunge on the morning of the Iowa caucuses.

The deciding factor for me was my long held position that we should stand up to be counted for the things we believe. So I signed on as a Ranger and started trying to raise contributions.

On January 3, the short term fund raising goal was to reach $200,000 by midnight tonight, January 4. Well that goal was reached the first day. Shortly after midnight, I posted a suggestion that we should increase the goal ... and we did. The new goal is $1,000,000 by January 10. I'm lobbying friends to help us reach that goal. It looks really good ... we are at almost $400,000 now. Every time I click refresh, the counter goes up and up.

How sweet it is!

Update: Saturday, 12 Midnight
We are just under $600,000 ... it's been a great day.

Context

So I was thinking about taking the Ed Sullivan sequence from Bye Bye Birdie and adding Mike Huckabee lyrics to make a youtube video. But then I realized it lacked context. No one would recognize the clip from a movie made in the 60s. Ah, longevity ain't what it's cracked up to be.

Good Article

Excellent article from Michael Medved

Once Upon A Time

To some of you, this story will sound like a fantasy made up in my imagination. I assure you from the vantage point of many years as a political watcher, it really happened.

Once upon a time, when we chose our elected officials, we voted based on who the candidate was and what he stood for. We knew who a candidate was and what he stood for because we listened to the discourse over a period of time and could make informed choices. This process gave rise to an amazing optimism about who we were as US citizens and what our country stood for.

Over time the political landscape changed. Political leaders began to think there was nothing wrong with manipulating the electorate to achieve victory. They turned to slandering their opponents and defined themselves by who their opponents were not rather than who they were. They tailored their message to pander to the interests of which ever group they were addressing and didn't even seem to notice the contradictions. If confronted with those contradictions, they had a song and dance ready to distract us from their dishonesty. They claimed they would do one thing and did the polar opposite once elected. They seemed to think winning an election had somehow annointed them with super powers.

With these changes in the landscape, it is small wonder that the voters became disenchanted. But elections prove that they were not without hope. Even after the famous Contract with America was well and truly broken, people kept hoping their elected officials would do the right thing. This is the reason for the resounding victories of 2006, which changed the balance of power in the house and senate. The balance of power changed, but it was still business as usual and the losers were the American people.

You would think by this time we would be so cynical that we would desert the whole process, and for a long time that is what many people did. In any election in recent years, only about 50% of the eligible voters participated.

Last night in Iowa, we learned that the spirit that created America is alive and well. In spite of well oiled political machines and huge monetary expenditures, Iowans on both sides of the political spectrum cast their votes for a new vision for America. I don't know if the politicians and pundits have learned anything from this. I can only say that it gives me hope.
It gives me hope that we have turned a corner and will listen to a man of honesty and integrity as he casts a vision for a new America.

National Review Article

Byron York has an interesting article on Mike Huckabee. He concludes with what should have been obvious to anyone who listens to Governor Huckabee: "In the end, the race wasn’t about infrastructure at all — something Romney never figured out but Huckabee knew all along."

CNN calls it

As soon as had CNN projected Mike Huckabee's win in Iowa, I started getting text messages on my cell from people who wanted to know how I had been so sure of the victory. All I can tell them is, "keep watching".

Nail biting time ...

Now the waiting game commences. Caucuses start at 7 PM CST and we should start getting results by about 8:30 or 9 PM.

Then it will be nail biting time for the next few hours.

In for a penny ...

OK, if you look at the sidebar, you will note that I have jumped in with both feet. Now I must swim for my life. You may also notice that I am not hiding behind the blog title, but have put my own name on display. This may or not be hazardous to my health. :-D It is definitely hazardous to my credentials as an independent. The idea that I am liberal, which some of my friends cherish even though it was never really true has also gone down the tube.

Meanwhile, over at CNN

Jack Cafferty asks: "Are Iowa and New Hampshire the right places to start the presidential election process?"

And I answer: You bet they are Jack!

Rather than the crush of states pushing to move up their primaries and caucuses, we, the people, would be much better served if they were more spread out and we were able to meet the candidates the way the people of Iowa and New Hampshire have done. We, the people, could then make much more informed decisions.

Cafferty's comments indicate that many think the conventions are a waste of time and that we should just have a national primary. I strongly disagree. Such a scenario favors the candidates with deep pockets and would most likely give us a President who had little to nothing in common with the population. I'd rather go into the convention with several viable candidates than to have it all settled by March.

Relief!

I've been frustrated today with the volume of negativity coming from Mitt Romney. And with the Paulites, to tell the truth. It was no small insult to me to log into the chat during the video stream from the Val Air Ballroom only to be asked if I was a Ron Paul supporter. Guess that's to be expected when they were in the chat hot and heavy.

The crush of negative ads had me worried, particularly in light of Governor Huckabee's decision to pull his counter punch. Seeing this video tonight was such a relief!



Tomorrow night at this time we will be celebrating! And I really hope Mr. Mittney is eating some crow.

Mike Huckabee on Hannity & Colmes

Part 1:



Part 2:

Rock Em