And Then There Were Four

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When the week began, there were still six candidates vying for the nomination to be the Republican candidate for President of the United States.  Early Monday, prior to the Fox News debate that night, Jon Huntsman suspended his candidacy and threw his support behind Mitt Romney.  Huntsman was polling so low, I am not sure his supporters will help Romney that much.

It is funny to hear these candidates speak, because as a candidate, Huntsman had said Romney was "not electable."  After dropping out of the race, and announcing his support for Romney, Huntsman now says that Romney is the only candidate that is "electable" and can defeat Barack Obama.  Yes, politicians do make strange bedfellows.

With only five candidates on the stage for the Fox News debate that night, it made for a much more intense debate in my opinion.  Newt Gingrich once again had a very strong debate, and for a change, I thought Romney stumbled a bit.  Since that debate, Gingrich has been gaining on Romney in the polls for the upcoming primary in South Carolina on Saturday.

As Gingrich has surged in the polls, he has called on supporters of Rick Santorum and Rick Perry to consider voting for him as the conservative Republican option as opposed to the moderate Romney.  This morning, Gingrich may have gotten a few more voters as Rick Perry announced that he is dropping out of the race and endorsing Gingrich for the nomination.

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Perry was showing quite a bit more support than Huntsman had been getting, so his departure may actually help Gingrich.  Tonight, there will be another debate in South Carolina to be televised on CNN.  Another strong performance by Gingrich could put him over the top in South Carolina and make a race of the nomination.  With only four people on stage, there should be ample opportunity for all to make their case.

Of course, all of this could be a moot point depending on how the public reacts to a television interview to be broadcast after tonight's debate.  Newt's second wife, the one he was married to when he was carrying on an affair with his current wife, will be interviewed on ABC. Will people give any credence to what she has to say, or will she come across as someone trying to even the score after a bitter divorce?

As of this moment, however, there are currently three separate camps vying for the nomination.  There is the moderate Mitt Romney, that seems to have the support of the so called "GOP establishment," the Ron Paul Libertarian camp, and the Conservative camp being split between Gingrich and Santorum.  A strong showing on Saturday by Gingrich and a poor performance by Santorum could whittle the field down some more.

Related articles

• Gingrich rising in SC, but in time to edge Romney? (mercurynews.com)
• Huntsman Flip-Flops on Romney (thedailybeast.com)
• Rick Perry Drops Out Of Race, Endorses Newt Gingrich (theamericanteaman.com)
• Gingrich: Santorum, Perry Should Drop Out (newser.com)

New Hampshire Primary Preview

Image via WikipediaIn the past 24 hours, there have been two Republican Presidential debates leading up to the first official primary of the 2012 election cycle.  I think we are up to about 85 debates since the whole process started last May.  That is a bit of an exaggeration, but there have been a bunch of them.

I did not get to see either of the two debates this weekend.  Last night, I was working delivering pizzas so I was unable to watch.  My local talk radio station did broadcast the debate on the radio so I was able to get bits and pieces of it.  Unfortunately, getting in and out of the car and often having several breaks between deliveries made it difficult to get a good grasp of how the debate went.

The second debate was held this morning.  I missed it because my local news was promoting it as being later in the day.  I logged on to Twitter this morning as the debate was ending.  I started to watch the replay on Meet the Press, but I had several errands to run this morning so I only caught the first half hour or so.  I probably won't watch any of the other replays of it today.

When the whole process started, I watched all of the debates I could.  The only ones that I have missed were the ones that have been scheduled on Saturday nights.  At this point in the process, I am pretty much numb.  I almost don't care any more.  I already know that whoever ends up being the Republican nominee will get my vote in November.

More and more, I am starting to get the feeling that Mitt Romney will end up being the Republican nominee in November.  Maryland, my state, does not hold its primary until April 3rd.  By that time, it may be decided as 31 states or territories will have already had their primaries or caucuses before Maryland has theirs.

There are 4 more debates scheduled this month, including two more next week leading up to the South Carolina primary on January 21st.  I am not sure if I will keep watching the debates, though I probably will if I am not scheduled to work.  I have become a bit of a political junkie.

My only hope that regardless of whoever ends up being the Republican candidate that the other candidates and their supporters will rally around the nominee.  The last thing we need is for somebody like Ron Paul or Donald Trump to run as a 3rd party candidate and garner enough votes to guarantee Obama's re-election.  Those who fail to learn from history are destined to repeat it, see Ross Perot.

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• Second Battle Of New Hampshire Brings Fireworks, But Little Danger For Romney (outsidethebeltway.com)
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Ready to Tighten Our Belts

Image via WikipediaTo use a sports metaphor, barring a last second Hail Mary, it looks like most of us will start the New Year off a  little lighter in our wallets thanks to the idiots in DC.  I am not signalling out either side in this fiasco, as all parties involved deserve to get a lump of coal in their stockings.  Perhaps they should be sent to their rooms without supper. At the very least they should be whipped 100 times with a wet noodle.

Last year at about this same time, Congress and Obama concluded a deal that extended the Bush era tax rates.  Along with that, Obama asked for, and received, a 2% payroll tax holiday for 2011.  That  payroll tax break along with keeping the income tax rates steady came at a most opportune time for me personally.  My health insurance premiums, like a lot of folks, went up significantly.  The 2% tax break just about covered the increase in my share of my health insurance.

Now, I am all for keeping more of the money that I earn in my pocket as opposed to sending any more to the government, though I have to say I wonder about the practical aspect of cutting the tax that funds social security.  We keep hearing about how social security is in trouble because we are spending more than we are taking in.  It doesn't seem logical to cut the payroll tax if that is the case.  Of course, with 47% of people not paying income taxes, the only thing left for Obama to cut for those folks is the payroll tax so that he can keep buying those votes for the Democrats.

Originally, Barack Obama called for Congress to extend the payroll tax holiday for another 12 months through 2012.  Both the Senate, controlled by Democrats, and the House, controlled by Republicans, stated that they wanted to extend the tax break.  Unfortunately, neither side could agree on how to pay for it.  Once again, they wait until the very last second to try to address the issue.  Obama called for Congress to put off their Christmas break until after an agreement was reached.

The Senate proposed a total of three bills that included a 12 month extension, two from Democrats and one from Republicans.  All of them failed to pass in the Senate.  For their part, the House of Representatives did pass a 12 month extension which Harry Reid and the Senate promptly killed.  The Senate then passed a bipartisan bill that only extended the tax break for two months.  That bill was voted down by the House which is where we stand today.

After the House passed their bill with a 12 month extension, Boehner took the President's admonition to delay the Christmas break until a deal was reached to heart and kept the House in session, or at the very least on call in case there was a need for a vote on a bill.  Harry Reid and the Senate, bolted town as soon as they passed their two month extension.  Boehner is calling for the Senate to come back to work things out, but now Obama and Reid are basically saying, "screw you!"

Even though the House passed a 12 month extension, albeit with conditions the Democrats found unpalatable, it will end up being the Republican House that takes the brunt of the negative PR.  The Republicans are correct in that a two month extension really doesn't do any good for anybody.  The reality is that with a two month extension, we will find ourselves in the same spot in February.  It is the Democrat controlled Senate, and supported by Obama, who refuse to come back to work on an agreement.  Still, the news media will report it was the Republicans who are responsible for the failure of extending the tax break.

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• Romney Boldly Refuses To Take Sides On Payroll Tax Holiday (alan.com)
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• Two-Month Payroll Tax Holiday Passed By Senate, Pushed By President Unworkable According To Experts (nicedeb.wordpress.com)
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Jobs, Energy, and Taxes

Image via WikipediaWhat are two of the most pressing concerns of American citizens these days?  Without question, first and foremost is jobs.  The current 8.6% unemployment rate is understated with the number of people that they have stopped counting thanks to the fuzzy math performed by government in general.

Another critical issue would be the cost of energy, gasoline in particular.  While gasoline prices had been falling in recent weeks, they are still higher than at any other time at this time of year.  With the price of oil recently going back over $100 per barrel, I have already seen the price of gas go back up about $0.10 last week.

Meanwhile, the current resident at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave in Washington DC wants to extend the 2% payroll holiday that is currently in place.  He repeatedly calls upon the Republicans to put party aside and do something for the good of the middle class.  One of his favorite words to use is the word "compromise."

The President has the opportunity to do just that, compromise.  The Republicans are giving pass legislation that will extend the current payroll tax holiday.  In exchange, they are asking the President for approval of construction of the Keystone pipeline from Canada to Texas which would address the two pressing matters of jobs and energy.

We constantly hear from politicians about how we need to lessen our dependence on foreign oil from countries that are basically hostile to us.  The pipeline would provide 20000 good paying union jobs, a key Democrat constituency, and provide us with a reliable source of energy, at a lower cost from one of our key allies and trading partners.

Sadly, for this President, the word compromise only applies to Republicans giving him what he wants.  He has come out and stated that any bill to extend the payroll tax holiday that is tied to approval of the pipeline will be vetoed.  Yet another reason why OMG no longer stands for "Oh my God," but rather "Obama must go."

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• U.S. unemployment rate : improving or not? (nuzaddikt.wordpress.com)
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• The Consumer Won't Look So Hot When Gas Prices Catch Up To Oil Prices (businessinsider.com)
• Gas Paradox: Falling Demand, Rising Prices (blogs.wsj.com)
• Republicans tie payroll tax to Keystone pipeline (marketwatch.com)

Political Ads-Getting Down & Dirty

In eleven months, it will be time for another election cycle.  That means we are soon going to be inundated with political ads on television and radio.  Since the Iowa Caucuses are just a few weeks away, those fine folks are already getting their share of political ads along with the usual Christmas shopping ads.

Now, I do not claim to be an expert on political ads and what is most effective in gaining the support of the electorate.  However, I do know what I like, and I especially know what I don't like.  I prefer ads that are positive and uplifting as opposed to negative attack ads.

Negative attack ads must work on some people, because they are so prevalent during every election cycle.  For me, however, they are a major turnoff.  With Newt Gingrich currently being the front runner among the GOP candidates, he is getting targeted in ads in airing in Iowa.

First, take a look at this ad from the Romney campaign in this "With Friends Like Newt" ad.


Next up, Ron Paul has his own attack ad against Gingrich.


Compare those ads with the "Rebuilding the America We Love" ad from Gingrich. Gingrich seems to be channeling Ronald Reagan's "Morning in America" ads. Which ads do you prefer?


The purpose of this post is not to express support for Gingrich.  He is leading in the polls and is the natural target for these ads.  I have not decided who I will vote for in the Maryland Republican primary.  By the time the Maryland primary rolls around, it might not matter.  I do want to raise the question though, do negative or positive ads sway you one way or another in deciding who to vote for come election time?

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• Ron Paul To Romney's Rescue: Releases Gingrich Attack Ad (huffingtonpost.com)
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Herman Cain Suspends Campaign

Image via WikipediaYesterday, Herman Cain announced that he was suspending his campaign for the Republican Presidential nomination.  For the past few weeks, Cain has had numerous allegations of sexual harassment come out from his days as CEO of the National Restaurant Association.  The most recent allegation was that he had been involved in a 13 year affair.

For his part, Cain has steadfastly denied any impropriety in any of the allegations.  As an early supporter of Cain, I have been been willing to give Cain the benefit of the doubt because the allegations seemed to be so out of character for the man.  Those who have known Cain for years have vigorously defended the man's character and steadfastly refused to believe the charges.

However, since the first story broke about the harassment allegations, Cain's poll numbers have been dropping steadily.  Fighting all of the various charges against him, took Cain off message.  More and more time spent defending his reputation meant less time discussing and putting forth the ideas like the 999 plan that led to his rapid rise in the poll from afterthought to frontrunner.

I have to admit, that in the last month or so, my own support for Cain had faded.  However, the allegations of impropriety have had nothing to do with it.  There have been a series of mistakes made by Cain and his campaign from the initial handling of the harassment charges to some areas where Cain showed his biggest weakness in regards to foreign policy issues.

I still think very highly of Herman Cain.  He seems like a tremendously positive, optimistic, and likable person.  Putting forth his 999 tax plan helped changed the course of the political debate for the Republican nominees.  In the end, I think Cain will do OK, whether it be in continued political life or if his participation in the debate process leads to other opportunities.  I wish the best for Herman Cain and his family.

The Now Annual Year End Tax Drama

Image via WikipediaOne year ago at this time, I was concerned about whether or not Congress and President Obama would keep the George W. Bush tax rates in place.  It was a particular concern for me at the time because I was weighing my health insurance benefit options at the time.  My portion of my health insurance was going to be going up 23% over the previous year.  Having a tax increase at that time would have been a tremendous hardship for my family at the time.

Thankfully, they were able to agree that during the tough economic climate, it was not a wise idea to let the tax rates expire.  In addition to extending the existing tax rates, in an effort to stimulate the economy and to give an additional tax break for middle and lower income folks, Obama asked for and Congress passed a 2% payroll tax holiday.  All told, that small tax break ended up being just enough to cover my increased health insurance costs.

Overall, the tax break did little to stimulate the economy.  As I said, for me personally, the tax holiday just about covered my additional health care expense.  Couple that with higher food and energy prices, and my purchasing power probably dropped a bit.  I am sure most people in my income bracket experienced similar results this past year.

Unfortunately, the tax holiday is set to expire at the end of the month.  Currently, both parties say that they want to extend the tax holiday, but of course they do not agree on how to do it.  Obama, of course, wants to raise taxes on higher income earners, while the Republicans want to cut other spending.  I don't know if extending the payroll tax holiday will help the economy or not.  I do know that if it isn't extended, that it will hurt my own financial situation and that of others I know, which definitely won't help.

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• Boehner Says Payroll Tax Cuts 'Help Economy,' Urges Dems to Offset Tax Breaks with Savings (abcnews.go.com)
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• House GOP Craft Plan to Extend Jobless Benefits, Payroll Tax Holiday (foxnews.com)

One More GOP Debate

Image via WikipediaAs I sit here getting ready to watch the latest Republican debate, I am actually torn between watching the debate and watching the CMA Awards.  On the one hand, I could use a little bit of mindless entertainment, and on the other I have a great deal of interest in learning more about each of the candidates in the debate.

I have mentioned here before that I have not made up my mind as to who I want to support in the primaries.  I have always liked Herman Cain, and I have been leaning in his direction.  The allegations that have been made in the past week have allowed a little bit of doubt to creep into my support for Cain.  Not that I believe any of the accusations against Cain, but my concern would be how the general public would react to Cain.

In addition to Herman Cain, I have been awfully impressed by the performances of Newt Gingrich in the debates.  He has been extremely solid in all of the debates thus far.  There is no doubt that of all of the candidates on the stage, Newt is the smartest guy in the room.  His strong performances in the debates has been reflected in the polls.  He is slowly rising to the point that he is 3rd of all candidates, and 2nd in some state polls.

I still am leaning towards Cain at this moment in time.  I hope that he can put the allegations behind him and get the campaign message back out in the forefront.  Still Newt is getting more traction in mind and could be a force.  I also have a little bit of personal interest in seeing Newt become president.

A few years ago, I was working part time at a Barnes & Noble store here in Maryland.  We had a few book signings, but mostly local authors.  We managed to get Newt Gingrich and William Fortschen at a signing for one of their alternative history Civil War novels.  Originally I wasn't going to buy one, but ended up buying two books and having them signed.  How cool would it be to own a book signed by a President of the United States?

Herman Cain Wins Florida Straw Poll

Image via WikipediaLast night, I was doing my usual Saturday night gig of delivering pizzas.  Unfortunately for me, we were not very busy, so I did not make a lot of money.  As the night was dragging on, I decided to take a look at a few sites on my phone when I saw that Herman Cain won yesterday's GOP straw poll in Florida.  Not only did he win, he won handily.

I have been a Herman Cain fan for a few years now.  His candidacy is one that I have been watching with particular interest.  There have been very few politicians out there that I can say that I like and trust.  The fact that Cain is not a politician is one of the reasons that I have an interest in hearing what he has to say.  It is also one of the few drawbacks that I see as well. 

One of my biggest complaints of these early debates of those that are in the hunt for the Republican nomination for the presidency is that in several of the debates, the questioning has been geared to those who are ahead in the polls. I have been very interested in seeing how some of the lesser known candidates would perform in the debates. There is just something about Mitt Romney that doesn't sit well with me, so though if given the choice of him or Obama, Romney would get my vote.

I was extremely interested in seeing what Rick Perry had to offer when he finally threw his hat into the proverbial ring.  I have not totally decided on how I feel about him, but in the debates that I have watched thus far that he has participated in, I have not been too impressed.  I have blogging friends in Texas who speak well of Perry and say I should not put too much into what we have seen in the debates so I have not completely ruled him out.

Anyway, back to Herman Cain.  As I have said, I have been a fan of Cain for a few years now.  I have been a little upset that he has not gotten too many opportunities to express himself in some of the previous debates.  In the Fox News/Google debate last week, Cain finally got an opportunity to answer more than a few questions.  The more that I hear from Herman Cain, the more I like what he has to offer, which is common sense solutions.

I hope that Cain's victory in yesterday's Florida straw poll will result in us getting to know more about the man and his ideas.  He is one of the few potential candidates that is offering specific solutions.  In my mind, Cain and Newt Gingrich are two of the smartest candidates that are currently in the mix.  I would like to see more of each of them rather than the ones that the media and GOP establishment are pushing.  Congratulations to Herman Cain, and I hope we get to see even more of him in the future.

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Republican Debates

Image via WikipediaI make no bones about the fact that I do not like the policies of the current President of the United States.  There has been very little that he has done since entering office that I have agreed with.  Consequently, I have had a great deal of interest in following those members of the Republican Party who have declared themselves candidates for the Republican nomination for President.

There is a bit about each of the potential candidates that I like.  While there is a bit that I like about each of them, each has their own individual flaws.  I do not feel like I know enough about any of the candidates yet to make a decision one way or the other for any of them.  I do know that I know enough about Ron Paul and Jon Huntsman that I can't bring myself to vote for either of them come primary time.

It is for that reason that I have been watching all of the Republican debates.  It has been my hope that I would be able to see enough of the remaining candidates that I could make an informed decision when the primary elections roll around.  Unfortunately, the debates themselves have been a disappointment in trying to learn more about all of the candidates.

The two debates that have taken place since Texas Governor Rick Perry entered the race have been a bit of a disappointment.  The one that was broadcast on MSNBC was absolutely awful for learning about all of the candidates.  That was Perry's first debate, and the questioning was primarily directed at the two candidates that were polling the highest, Perry and Mitt Romney.

Last night's debate on CNN was a little better.  Wolf Blitzer was able to get a little more air time for some of the other candidates, but it was still mostly the Perry and Romney show.  Michele Bachmann also got a good bit more time to speak than in the MSNBC debate the week before.  Unfortunately, there still was not enough from Rick Santorum, Herman Cain, and Newt Gingrich.

During the last two debates, I spent a good bit of time on Twitter following tweets there along with the actual debates.  I even exchanged a couple of tweets with syndicated columnist Mychal Massie about the lack of face time for some of the lower polling candidates, especially Herman Cain.

It just seems that the media that are moderating these debates is stacking the cards in favor of the front runners.  If Perry and Romney are getting the majority of the face time during the debate, those will be the names that a lot of folks will choose between.   Everything I have heard from Cain and Santorum I have liked, but if they do not get the opportunity to express those ideas, then how can we decide who is the best choice for the GOP?   

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Republican vs Democrat

Image via WikipediaThere have been two separate news stories here in the DC area in the past couple weeks that I think is a microcosm of the differences between Republican philosophy and Democrat philosophy.  The two stories involve the governments of local neighbors, Virginia and Maryland.  Virginia is led by Republican Governor Bob McDonnell, while Maryland, which is about as blue a state as can be, is led by Democrat Martin O'Malley.

In these tough economic times, like most states, the two governors have been faced with difficult budgetary decisions.  The approach of the two men couldn't be more drastically different.  McDonnell was adamant when he took office that he would not increase taxes as a way to make up for any budgetary shortfall.  He made the decision to go through the budget and make tough, but necessary, spending cuts.  He has also worked to make Virginia a business friendly locale.  The result was released this week that Virginia expects to have a $311 million surplus.

O'Malley, on the other hand has taken the opposite track.  Currently, Maryland is facing a structural deficit of over $1 billion dollars.  At a time when most states are trying to curb spending, O'Malley keeps spending.  The state recently passed it's version of the Dream Act to give illegal immigrants in state tuition rates, which is expected to cost the state millions.  The Baltimore Sun reported that Maryland has the 4th highest tax burden among the 50 states and had the 4th highest increase in spending among the states.  It also stated that Maryland ranked 50th of the 50 states in job creation according to the Department of Labor.

The Washington Examiner reported last week that the Maryland State assembly will be holding a special session aimed at looking at how to close the budget gap.  The article basically states they are looking at anything and everything that they can tax that isn't already being taxed.  They will be looking at taxes on snacks, medicines, on line sales, and increasing the gasoline tax.  This after the regular general session resulted in increases in the alcohol sales tax and increases in several fees, which really are nothing more than taxes.

The results in the two states couldn't be more different.  Virginia, while not raising taxes, has actually increased tax revenue by creating an atmosphere conducive to business.  By growing jobs, there are more people paying taxes, thus increasing revenue.  That is the essence of Republican philosophy of job creation.  A case in point being Northrup Grumman's decision to locate new offices in Virginia rather than Maryland. 

While Maryland is always near the top 10 in state tax burdens, Virginia is usually in the mid-30's.  Texas, by the way, has the 45th ranked tax burden and has one of the best state economies in the nation.  The reality is that if you want to increase tax revenues, the answer is not new taxes.  The answer is to have more taxpayers.   

New Hampshire Republican Debate

Image by DonkeyHotey via FlickrLast night, I watched the Republican Debate on CNN.  I was a little late for the start of the event because I had a hard time finding the channel, so I missed some of the candidates introducing themselves.  Actually, my channel guide showed that the debate was going to be on CNN International, but it wasn't.  I eventually found the regular CNN station, but that should give you an indication of how frequently I watch the channel; not at all.

It is still really early in my mind to try to narrow down a choice for the Republican nominee, but I had a great interest in watching the debate.  The candidates that were participating in the debate were Mitt Romney, Ron Paul, Tim Pawenty, Michele Bachman, Rick Santorem, Herman Cain, and Newt Gingrich. 

One of the things that I was particularly interested in seeing was whether or not Gingrich could recover from the majority of his campaign staff quitting on him last week.  When Gingrich announced that he was running, I was excited because if nothing else, Newt gives ideas.  Unfortunately the last few weeks have been tough on the former Speaker.  He had a couple of nice moments, but not enough to set him apart from the rest of the field.

There were not a whole lot of bombshells throughout the evening, with the possible exception of Michele Bachmann announcing that she would officially be throwing her hat into the ring to run for the presidency.  None of the candidates did anything that really made me change my viewpoint on any of them.  There are aspects of each candidate that I like, and each has their individual flaws.

That being said, I really like Herman Cain.  Michele Bachmann is a solid conservative, and as much as I like Sarah Palin, to compare Bachmann to Palin as the media will do, is not fair to Bachmann.  Tim Pawlenty and Rick Santorum each have characteristics that I admire. Newt has some good ideas and made some good points, and I hope he can contribute to the race.  Those would be my favorites, in no particular order, but all of the participants would be an improvement over the current resident of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.

2012 Presidential Debates

Image by DonkeyHotey via Flickr
This post was originally posted the night of the Fox News Republican Debate.  It was started on the Blogger Android App and finished on my laptop and is the post that was deleted as mentioned in my Gone Mobile post.  I found a copy of the post on my Facebook Notes page.

We are currently 18 months away from the 2012 Presidential election. Since the night that Barack Obama defeated John McCain, Republicans and/or conservatives have been anxiously awaiting the 2012 campaign to try to make Obama a one term president. Since I acknowledge that I am not a fan of the current president's policies (the bin Laden affair notwithstanding) I count myself among those who have been looking forward to 2012.

I consider myself to be more of a Libertarian (more in the ilk of Neil Boortz as opposed to Ron Paul) but I am registered as a Republican. In Maryland, you can only vote in the primary of the party that you are registered. The Libertarian Party at this time just does not have what it takes in terms of numbers to put forth a viable Presidential nominee. For that reason, I take great interest in the campaign to become the Republican nominee.

As I said, we are 18 months away from the actual 2012 election. As far as the primaries are concerned, the Iowa caucuses will take place in January of next year, along with the first primary in New Hampshire. Since we are a full seven months ahead of any real contests, and not all potential candidates have declared, it strikes me as somewhat odd that Fox News will be broadcasting the first GOP Presidential debates tonight at 9pm Eastern from South Carolina.

For tonight's debate, the following potential candidates will be participating: Former Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty, Former Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum, current Texas Congressman Ron Paul, businessman Herman Cain, and former New Mexico Governor Gary Johnson. I know a little about each of them, and want to learn more, but have to wonder if it is a little too soon for a Presidential debate, especially since not all potential candidates will be there.

Several big names will not be in attendance, such as former Speaker Newt Gingrich, former Governors Mitt Romney and Mike Huckabee, and others. I have not yet decided whether or not I will watch the debate. It just seems too early for me. Of those that are participating, I do like aspects of each candidate, some more than others. Cain, Pawlenty, and Santorum are the three that I definitely would like to see do well. I am not sure whether Paul or Johnson could make strong national candidates.

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Donald Trump for President

Image via WikipediaI am not a fan of Donald Trump.  He obviously is a very successful business man, but his personality just rubs me the wrong way.  The Donald has been making the rounds and making it clear that he is considering a run to be a Republican nominee to face Barack Obama in 2012 for the presidency.  To date, polls are showing Trump performing well among the other possible candidates for the GOP. 

As I said, I have never been a big fan of Trump.  The idea that this man could be considered a serious contender for the Republican nominee for president makes my skin crawl.  Things that I have heard him say in the past had led me to believe that he tended to lean more to the liberal side of the spectrum than in towards the conservative side.

During my commutes to and from work during the week, I usually listen to WMAL 630 talk radio.  In the evening, I catch a good bit of the last hour of Sean Hannity's radio show, and depending on how bad traffic is, the start of the Mark Levin show.  On Friday nights, when I am out delivering pizza, I get to hear more of Levin's show.

On last night's show, Levin spent a great deal of time talking about Trump and the idea of him running as a Republican.  Levin's research and analysis further cemented my belief that Trump can not be the Republican nominee.  It started with a list of candidates that Trump had made campaign contributions to.  You would not think that somebody who proclaims to be a Republican would be making donations to the campaigns of Chuck Schumer, Harry Reid, Hillary Clinton, and Anthony Weiner, but he did.

Levin also played several sound bites of Trump spouting his praise of Barack Obama and Nancy Pelosi, and his criticisms of George W. Bush.  Trump has expressed his support for universal health care.  Mark Levin has posted a summary of the things he spoke about last night on his Facebook page called "Donald Chump and his Spin."  It really shows that Trump is all about Trump and is not what the Republican Party needs. 

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Cowboy Poetry

Thomas Jefferson said in his inaugural address that the purpose of government was fivefold:

1. Acknowledge and adore God
2. Exercise frugality
3. Restrain the infliction of injury (keep people safe)
4. Encourage entrepreneurship and free enterprise
5. Protect property, earnings of the citizens

Currently, our government is running a deficit of $1.5 trillion, so it is obviously not exercising frugality.  With the possible exception of #3, you could easily make the argument that they aren't performing any of their primary roles effectively.

The deficit is the object of much of the current debate in DC these days.  Rightfully so.  Sadly, the Republicans proposed cuts are merely a drop in the proverbial bucket.  Worse, the Democrats think that even that small percentage of the budget should be untouchable and is too draconian.

Nobody better exemplifies the lunacy of the budget debate than Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid.  (Hat tip to Jason Mattera at Human Events for posting this on their site.)  Reid has called the Republicans "mean spirited" in their attempts to cut funding for the National Endowment of Humanities which helps fund Nevada's annual Cowboy Poetry Festival.




Now I have nothing against cowboys, unless they are Dallas Cowboys.  Nor do I have anything against poetry.  The fact that cowboys write poetry would be a good thing in my mind.  However, government funding  of poetry festivals do not seem to fit in the role of government as defined by Thomas Jefferson, especially when the government is operating at such a godawful deficit.

Now, while this seems to be like a perfectly lovely event, and I am sure that a splendid time is had by all that attend, is this really what are tax dollars should be going towards?

Related articles

• Harry Reid: Save the Cowboy Poets! (michellemalkin.com)
• Thomas Jefferson on Good Government (dakotavoice.com)
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Time for a News Blackout

Image via Wikipedia

Image via WikipediaI am tired.  Exhausted really.  There are a couple of reasons.  Part of it is because for most of the past 20 years, I have worked two jobs.  Not complaining, but you do what you have to do to pay the bills and put some food on the table.  Another part would be dealing with the difficulties of the issues with my son.

Prior to getting into blogging, I was probably your typical American.  I watched the local nightly news, checked out a few websites to be informed of things that interested me, but for the most part didn't get into the details of the happenings in DC.  As long as I was working and doing OK, it just wasn't that important to me.

As I got into blogging, and started looking for subjects to right about.  I had gotten tired of listening to the local sports talk radio station and found a fairly balanced talk radio show in the mornings, that featured three local reporters with both liberal and conservative commentators.  The station eventually switched over from commentary to only Federal news.

I then started listening to WMAL630 with Fred Grandy in the morning.  They were definitely my conservative, but my political views were more conservative to begin with.  It is there that I would also listen to Sean Hannity and Mark Levin.  Frequently, I will hear stories on this station, not always political, that would inspire a particular blog post.

Politically, I consider myself to be a Libertarian, though I am registered as a Republican.  Most of my views would be considered conservative and while I definitely do not always agree with the Republicans, especially on social issues, I do fine myself more in agreement with the GOP, especially when compared with the Democrats.

In addition to WMAL630, I found myself watching a lot of Fox News channel in the evenings.  In particular, The O'Reilly Factor, Hannity, and On the Record with Greta Van Susteren.  In recent months though, I find myself tiring of it, especially O'Reilly and On the Record. Plus several of the more liberal leaning guests on all the shows have a tendency to raise my blood pressure.  It has gotten to the point where I have been considering a self imposed news blackout of sorts.

The idea of the news blackout has really come to a head this past week with all of the hand wringing on both sides of the political spectrum in regards to the deal that Barack Obama announced regarding the extension of the Bush era tax rates.  I actually wanted to give the President some credit for the bipartisan agreement, but he couldn't go without attacking those that don't agree with him.  Of course the more left members of the Democrats and the more right members of the GOP are all attacking the agreement.

For the entire week, I have been listening to Mark Levin blasting the agreement.  He has gone on and on about how the GOP should be holding out for even more concessions from the Democrats, even if it means waiting until they take control of the House in January.  Hannity has been picking up on the theme of holding out, even if it takes a month or two to get a deal and how it would be an "interesting game of chicken."  I actually turned off Levin as he started his opening monologue last night and switched to music in the car.

While philosophically, I am in agreement with their position, the practicality of it leaves me scratching my head.  If the tax rates are left to expire, then folks that are living pay check to pay check currently will really be struggling when the tax withholding goes up on January 1.  It is funny that the very people who want a prolonged battle with the Democrats are the same ones that can afford to have a little extra money withheld from their paychecks.

Meanwhile the Democrats continue their class warfare battle.  They are all up in arms about the tax rates being extended for everybody, especially the evil rich.  They are even more irate at the proposal to have a break in the estate tax. I have never understood the logic of an estate tax.  A man or woman can work hard all their life, pay taxes on everything they earn, and save for their children.  Then when they die, the government wants to confiscate property that had already been taxed.

So now, I say a pox on both their houses.  I am not sure I am going to completely go on a news blackout, but I may cut back considerably.  Plus it is time for the holidays.  Over the next two weeks, I am considering running a 12 Days of Christmas theme where I will post a Christmas related post for 12 straight days, culminating on Christmas day.

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Music Monday-Ray Stevens "Throw the Bums Out"

Tuesday is election day. If you put any faith in the polls, it looks like the bad guys are going to lose big. I would say that the good guys are going to win, but the reality is the GOP had better realize that this is more a condemnation on the Democrats than a mandate for them. They are on a short leash and had better learn their lessons from their past sins.

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Maryland GOP Primary Tomorrow

Image via WikipediaTomorrow is primary day here in the state of Maryland.  While I consider myself to be Libertarian in my political leanings, I am registered as a Republican.  Thus, I will be able to participate in the primary voting tomorrow.  Mrs. Dickster is registered as an Independent, so is not able to vote tomorrow.


There are two races in particular that I am looking forward to watching tomorrow.  First is the GOP race for the nominee for governor.  Former Governor Bob Ehrlich is facing a challenge from newcomer Brian Murphy.  For a while it was pretty much a given that Ehrlich would get the nod.  However, Murphy has received an endorsement from Sarah Palin, and has been getting a lot more press because of it.  Ehrlich, has received the endorsement of Palin's former running mate, John McCain.  Palin has recorded robo-calls for Murphy, but I have yet to receive my call.  I am leaning heavily towards Ehrlich.


The other race that has stoked my interest tomorrow is the GOP nomination for the 5th Congressional District to oppose the seat currently held by House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer.  The race features Collins Bailey, who ran against Hoyer in 2008, and Charles Lollar, an African American and a Major in the Marine Reserves.  Lollar also happened to be Bailey's campaign manager in 2008.  Many in the Maryland GOP give Lollar a better chance at beating Hoyer.  Lollar has given some rousing speeches at Tea Party events, and is my choice for tomorrow.

I will be doing my civic duty tomorrow by voting in tomorrow's primary.  Six other states are having their primaries tomorrow, so if you are in one of those states, do your part.  I am looking forward to following the results tomorrow night.

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Charles Lollar vs Collins Bailey

I have mentioned a time or two that I am not a fan of House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, who also happens to represent the Congressional District where I live in the state of Maryland.  Unfortunately, in a Democrat stronghold like the state of Maryland, it will be difficult.  There are two Republicans currently running for the GOP nomination to try to unseat Hoyer; Charles Lollar and Collins Bailey.

Both men are successful businessmen, husbands, and fathers of four.  More importantly, both men espouse conservative virtues.  Lollar is a Major in the USMC Reserves, has been very active in the Tea Party movement, and is one of a growing number of African-American Republicans.  Bailey promotes adherence to the Constitution, fiscal responsibility, and the FairTax.  Either one would get my vote over Hoyer in November.

If social media like Facebook and Twitter are any indicators, the edge in the upcoming primary would appear to favor Lollar.  On Twitter, Lollar currently has 412 followers, while Bailey has 218.  On Facebook, Lollar has a much more dominant following with 2794 fans compared to 463 for Bailey.  Both also have a fairly high profile endorsement listed on their websites.  Bailey has been endorsed by Texas Congressman, and former Presidential candidate, Ron Paul, and Lollar has appeared on and received the endorsement of conservative commentator Sean Hannity.

The primary takes place on September 14, 2010 which will give the winner a mere seven weeks to launch a successful campaign against Hoyer who has held the seat for nearly 30 years.  It is time for new blood.  Whichever man, Bailey or Lollar, that wins the primary will have my vote come November.  May the best man win.

So Long, Arlen!

Arlen Specter is emblematic of the problems in Washington these days, and the reason so many of us want to throw most of the bums out on their collective asses.  It is not because he is a Democrat, though that in and of itself should be cause for concern.  It isn't even because he decided to switch from the Republican Party to the Democrats.  Had he simply said last year that he now found himself more in agreement with the Democrats than the Republicans and stopped there, it probably would not have bothered me that much.  The truth is, it is what he said after that they is where the real problem with Arlen Specter begins.  To refresh your memory, here in all his glory is Specter explaining his reason for switching parties.

The real reason, as Specter revealed, is that he realized that he faced a challenge in Pat Toomey who decided to challenge Specter in the Pennsylvania Republican primary.  He knew he was behind, and he knew he would most likely lose.  To Specter and his ilk (ie Charlie Crist), it isn't about serving his constituents and letting the electorate decide who they want to represent them.  No, to them it is all about maintaining their power and getting reelected no matter what it takes.  It has been that way for Specter's entire political career.  After all, he started as a Democrat and switched to the Republicans when it became apparent that it was the best way for him to achieve his first elected office.

Specter thought that he would have an easier time getting reelected by becoming a Democrat as opposed to a Republican.  How appropriate and ironic that instead of facing Toomey in the Republican primary that he would still end up facing a challenge from Joe Sestak in the Democratic primary.  How wonderfully delicious that he would lose to a challenger that the Democrat establishment did not want in the race.  It couldn't have happened to a nicer guy.

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