So says a Gallup poll.
Archive for the ‘National News’ Category
Conservatives Outnumber Liberals in All 50 States
Tuesday, August 18th, 2009Nancy Pelosi: “I’m a Fan of Disruptors”
Friday, August 14th, 2009Thomas Paine: Silent No More
Friday, August 14th, 2009Obama IS Seeking to Destroy Private Healthcare
Monday, August 3rd, 2009Barack Checks Out Girl at G8
Friday, July 10th, 2009ABC can try to refute it, but Obama definitely checked out the girl from the back side and acted as if nothing had happened by going through the motions of helping the other person down the steps.
Sahel Kazemi DUI Video
Friday, July 10th, 2009Palin’s Political Passing
Sunday, July 5th, 2009Sarah Palin’s political career is over. If it isn’t, it probably should be. It has been reported that Alaskan Lt. Gov. Sean Parnell stated that the reason for Palin’s resignation as Governor of Alaska was due to personal legal costs she had incurred in ethics investigations. He also stated that the investigations were weighing heavily on her, and that she felt she could not move Alaska’s agenda forward.
Is Sarah Palin choosing to be out of politics, or does she have an eye on higher office? Politicians do not resign in the manner that Palin has chosen. Most run for higher office as they serve in another position, or they run for another office as their current term in another office is expiring. Some even run concurrently for reelection and for the higher office. That is how it is done. Palin’s resignation is nearly as bizarre as was the behavior of South Carolina’s Governor Mark Sanford. Both actions will probably knock both out of being major players for the White House in 2012.
John McCain’s Presidential Campaign was going down the drain as the veepstakes was coming to a close. Rumors were swirling about the person he would choose. Palin was the perfect choice, but the fact was that John McCain’s campaign was already doomed. Palin gave McCain the best chance. She was a strong woman. The media hated her. They attempted to thwart her at every turn, but America loved her.
That perception is changing now. Is Sarah Palin really that stong woman that we saw running for VP? She is no longer a Presidential contender. Does Palin believe that things would be any easier as President? It will only be worse. If she was unable to move an agenda through in a Republican state as a Republican Governor, does she think she would be able to do much of anything as a President with a likely Democratic controlled government? That is highly unlikely.
If Palin were to make a run for the Presidency, the Republican Party would be best served to look another way. Jimmy Carter 2.0 will be at the end of his term. He will be highly vulnerable. Palin should no longer be looked upon as being a viable answer.
Wonder if She Assaulted Any Israeli Police?
Friday, July 3rd, 2009Cynthia McKinney, yes the same former U.S. Congresswoman from Georgia made famous for assaulting a Capitol Police Office a few years ago when he stopped her from entering the Capitol because she did not show him an ID and a presidential candidate for the Green Party, has been detained in Israel for being aboard a ship that attempted to run an Israeli naval blockade and enter the Gaza area. I wonder how it feels to be an anti-Semite surrounded by Jews. Hopefully they keep her a while longer.
Writing, Hiking, Driving Along the Coast, or Something Else
Tuesday, June 30th, 2009South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford would have been a great candidate for POTUS in the 2012 election. Social Conservatives would have loved his stances on the two hot button issues of abortion and gay marriage. Economic Conservatives would have loved his move against the stimulus funds, which he then accepted but only after getting the legislative branch of South Carolina to agree to match those funds to pay down the state deficit. Neo-Conservatives would have loved his military service, even as he is currently in the Air Force. Sanford would have garnered Libertarian-Conservative support (granted Ron Paul does not run) due to his stance on education and his soft support from the Liberty Caucus. He would have indeed been a candidate for all the factions.
The last week or so has been truly bizarre. I recall first seeing about the governor being MIA. My first thought was that this was no big deal. Turns out I was wrong. Rumors were that he had said he had to go somewhere quiet to do some writing. Then, it was said that he was hiking the Appalachian Trail. I finally realized that he was doing all of this over the Father’s Day holiday, and the governor had two children. Then news came out that his vehicle had been found at an airport in or near Atlanta. When questioned, he stated he did not know why his staff said he was hiking, and that he had been driving the coast in Argentina. Something just wasn’t right, which was confirmed at his press conference in which he admitted to having an affair.
The news has definitely derailed any 2012 POTUS hopes, but is it an offense for which he should resign? Obviously, a person should not just resign from a job for an indescretion. For example, if a bank teller is having an affair with a construction worker, neither would need to resign if it is not effecting either’s work. If a pastor were having an affair, he should resign because it would have to effect his job, because others would not see him in the same light as before. A pastor would never be qualified to be a minister again because (the Bible forbids it in my opinion) that would be detrimental to any work that he would ever do. If a politician were having an affair, it gets a little trickier.
Rep. Mark Foley was caught having erotic conversations with male pages. This ruined any future in politics that he might have had. Resigning was the only option.
Senator Larry Craig was caught trying to solicite homosexual sex in an airport bathroom. This ruined his ability to be taken seriously and he should have resigned.
Barney Frank should never be taken seriously and should resign, but the left apparently owes him something as he is a power player.
The whole Lewinsky affair destroyed Clinton’s ability to do anything substantial as POTUS. He should have resigned.
John McCain and Newt Gingrich have been able to weather questionable behavior and have successful political careers that really have not had a major effect on their ability to serve as politicians.
These examples bring us to Mark Sanford. Can Mark Sanford continue as Governor of South Carolina? It is highly doubtful. Had there not been such media attention (as with John Ensign), Sanford may have been able to weather the storm. That has not been the case. I know every time I heard about Mark Sanford a month ago, I thought about an honorable man who stood up to the federal government. Now when I hear about Sanford, the text of those steamy e-mails come to mind. It is doubtful that he can be anything more than a lame duck, and he should resign. Maybe he would be able to come back years from now, but that is even highly doubtful at this point.
Ron Paul at CPAC
Saturday, February 28th, 2009Who is Michael Steele?
Saturday, January 31st, 2009Yesterday the RNC chose a new chairman to lead the Republican Party. Being head of a political party is not something that I could ever see myself doing as I like to be an independent minded critic that points out the negatives of all candidates. Blame it on my cynicism, but being a cheerleader for a bunch of politicians is not a job that I could respect myself in. If I ever rose to any level within a political party, I would still remain a vocal critic even of those in my party.
Michael Steele was one of five seeking the head of the RNC. He won on the sixth ballot. I watched most of the action as it happened on CSPAN. I must say that this is really the first time I have watched such an election. I actually have found this to be a superior form of electing a leader as you cannot have several good candidates with split support and a terrible candidate with solid support. If you had 5 good candidates each pulling in 15% each, but the 6th candidate may be a horrible choice but he may have 25%. It kind of makes me think of the Corker, Bryant, Van Hilleary Senate race from a few years back. You had Bryant and Van Hilleary running as conservatives and Corker as a moderate. Had Van Hilleary or Bryant dropped out, I am sure the other would have won. Instead, we got stuck with the moderate.
Steele, himself, is somewhat of a moderate on issues. He is pro-life but believes that Roe v. Wade is settled law that should remain. With civil rights type issues, he is pro-traditional marriage, but he is also pro-affirmitive action. He is also against the death penalty. He is conservative on a host of other issues, however. He is against No Child Left Behind (believe it or not, this is actually a conservative ideal), for guns, against socialized medicine, and against illegal immigration.
Steele also received the endorsement of Newt Gingrich and he led GOPAC, a political action committee that develops candidates for state and local offices.
Steele has some minority appeal as an African-American, but his leadership with GOPAC makes him a prime candidate to lead Republicanism back into the mainstream on a grassroots level. While I would like Steele to be a stronger conservative on some issues, he may have been the best candidate to bring the Republican Party back from the ashes.
Tennessee News Platoon Fresh out of Beta…
Wednesday, January 21st, 2009Nashville, TN - Strategic Activism, LLC, partnering with the #Don’t Go Movement is proud to launch a news and opinion website focused on state and local news and written by Tennesseans for Tennesseans.
Tennessee News Platoon goes live today along with sister sites in Arizona and Virginia with the other 47 states to follow shortly.
The News Platoon model is different from other multi-author news websites in a number of critical areas setting it apart and holding great promise.
News Platoon is committed to State and Local news. As MSM outlets cut staff and coverage, State and Local stories fall out of the news cycle. This creates a population segment that lacks news coverage and news consumption. News Platoon is written by citizen journalists. Dissatisfied with Liberal bias from “professionals” in the MSM, News Platoon contributors are engaged and informed citizens with a flair for communication.
Further, they are openly and unashamedly Right of Center. They are unafraid to be known as committed to values like Free Markets, Smaller Government and Individual Liberty. News Platoon contributors are fair, factual and Right. News Platoon is founded on a “for profit” model. It will solicit and accept local and national advertising and pay contributors for their work. This ensures fresh content and permits setting high standards for the quality and integrity of the content.
Finally, and most uniquely, News Platoon is not the product of any think tank, political party, organization, PAC or non-profit. There’s no inside-the-beltway spin and no protecting the-good-ole’-boy network. The folks behind News Platoon are ordinary citizens interested in politics and gifted to engage the culture in print. There’s no Party line, issue or agenda to drive. Contributors say what they think and believe. They are passionate about their politics and we believe ou’ll be eager to hear what they have to say.
Come by Tennessee News Platoon. Tell friends in Arizona and Virginia about their News Platoons and your friends across the country to watch for launches in their states.
Strategic Activism, LLC is a new media/web strategy consulting firm based out of Nashville, Tennessee.
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Compean and Ramos Commuted!
Monday, January 19th, 2009President Bush finally commuted the sentences of Ramos and Compean. Read more http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=D95QC3480&show_article=1
Sarah Palin Has More Political Muscle than Obama?
Thursday, December 4th, 2008I have to question how strong a President Obama will be after he already lost the Senate battle in Georgia on Tuesday. Obamamania seems to be subsiding as we get further from the election. His supporters did not turn out in Georgia as the run-off vote turned out to be a 16-point win by Saxby Chambliss. Obama seemed to know he did not have the muscle to take on this battle, but Sarah Palin jumped in feet first as she helped Chambliss retain his Senate seat.
I am sure that someone will say that Obama just decided he had more important things to do in preparation for his Presidency, but he would have to be brain-dead or afraid to actually lead if he did not want a filibuster proof Senate. I wonder if this means that the Democrats will ease off of trying to steal Minnesota.
May Obama’s Presidency be a short four years.
I share many of Mark Albertini’s sentiments on this race.
Jorge W. Bush Es Un Idiota
Tuesday, November 25th, 2008El Presidente Jorge W. Bush is a reason why the American public is turning against the Republican Party. As a Republican and conservative (first and foremost a conservative) I am going to firmly disagree with his decision to not release Compean and Ramos (the border agents that fired on a Mexican drug dealer).
I have never been one that says that people who speak out against elected officials are anti-American. I have not had to speak badly of my Congressman (David Davis) on any issue. He has served my ideas fairly well. I have had major disagreements with my US Senators (Alexander and Corker). I do find myself speaking out against things that President Bush does quite often. I firmly believe that I will be speaking out against the future ex-President Obama and yes, possibly even calling him names, more often than I have had to do with President Bush (Only 1507 days to Inauguration Day 2012).
In this case, President Bush should pardon the two border guards immediately. If he does not do so before leaving office, I hope history will judge him harshly.
We need true conservatives carrying the conservative banner.
Who did President Bush pardon? He pardoned a rapper, John Forte, who was convicted of smuggling cocaine into the United States.
This whole scenario is quite ironic. President Bush pardons a drug smuggler, but President Bush will not pardon two border agents that attempted to stop someone from smuggling drugs into the Unites States. This reasoning says that President Bush has absolutely no problem with hard drugs.
Ballot Challenges in Minnesota
Thursday, November 20th, 2008Those Demented Homeschoolers
Tuesday, November 18th, 2008*** Since this is a post on education, I should probably let it be known that I am an educator at a public school. I am not a member of the teacher’s union. I will probably never join a teacher’s union. As a matter of fact, I would be more comfortable handling my own negotiations than letting them, though I am okay with what I am making because I am not in it for the money. My ideas on federalism and constitutionalism are that a parent is ultimately responsible for a child’s education, so a parent should have an unquestionnable right to home school their children. The 10th Amendment would also give the state some say on the matter, but I believe that is better for the state to only get involved in public schools (notice I did not say the federal government). On the flip side, I believe that a sizable portion of children whom are homeschooled would be better off in a school, public or private. I would do it (homeschool or private school) for my children if faced with certain issues. Private school would probably be my choice between the two. ***
Apparently Joy Behar called homeschoolers “demented.” Should we really be surprised by anything that Joy Behar says?
Behar does wear her affiliations on her sleeve. This is just another way that she does not really have a mind of her own. She simply is anti-religious, anti-Republican, and anti-common sense. Isn’t it funny how liberals want to talk about rights, unless it has a strong union pulling the other way?
How Obama Won In a Right of Center Nation
Tuesday, November 18th, 2008In a previous blog post, I discussed some ways that the GOP needs to evaluate itself. Truth is, Obama won by a fairly large margin. There are several ways that he did so.
The first reason, in my opinion, is that voters were tired of Republican rule. I am a Republican. I could never vote for a Democrat in a state or national election. I may be narrow-minded for making such a statement, but a vote for a Democrat in any state or national election is more than a vote just for that candidate. This will put forth an agenda that I, as a Conservative, could not endorse. Those who voted for any of the “Naifeh Republicans” (if you are from outside Tennessee you may not understand unless you investigate) indirectly helped advance the liberal agenda. However, many Americans, including me, were tired of what was passing as Conservatism. The Republican rule has been far from Conservative both socially and fiscally. Others had their own pet peeves about what has come from Republican rule.
The second reason is that Republicans have been acting more like Democrats. The Republican Party used to be the party of small government. One would be hard pressed to argue that the Bush White House was for smaller government. The one smaller government idea that I can point to is lower taxes. There were very little other gains. I want to clarify that Republicans and Democrats are really not all that close in philosophy, but I do want to point out that the Republicans gained near absolute power in the only way you can in a republic. That near absolute power corrupted nearly absolutely. We were acting like those same corrupt Democrats that we despise.
The third reason is that Obama capitalized on a two-fold message. HOPE and CHANGE. Americans felt that things were getting bad because of debt and economic problems of our country. They were right. Americans felt that Republicans (especially President Bush) were to blame. They were only partially right. It was a bad time to be an incumbent or a Republican. It was a doubly bad time to be both a Republican and an incumbent. That message of HOPE and CHANGE was something that citizens (Conservative, Liberal, and Moderate) were willing to choose.
The fourth reason is that the mainstream media had a love affair with Obama. The media loves someone who can talk a good game. The media equally loves someone who is a Liberal. Obama met both qualifications. Even parody shows failed to go after Obama. Was it that these people were scared of being called a racist or just in love with Obama? I believe that it was more love, but nonetheless, a fear of being marked as racist had to be in their minds.
The fifth reason, the biggest reason, is that the American public does not have a clue what is going on. A Zogby poll of Obama supporters showed that Obama supporters are… shall we say… lacking in “intellectual fortitude.” Did I just call Obama supporters stupid? I will say that Obama supporters either have a screwed up ideology that does not jive with what it means to live in a republic or to be American, or they ARE stupid lacking in “intellectual fortitude.”
The results of the Zogby poll were startling. I teach a computer class. My students have tests that they take. Some of them refuse to take the tests seriously and they take a 100 question multiple choice test with four possible answers, and they make a 25 on average. If they make a 30, I know that they probably guessed on most, but they knew an answer or two. If they make below a 20, it almost seems as if they sabotaged their answers. In this Zogby poll, Obama fans showed they had no clue what was going on. With a 50-50 shot, more than 57 percent did not know that the Democrats control Congress. That question must have been below their pay-grade. When asked about which of the four Presidential or Vice-Presidential candidates quit a previous campaign because of plagiarism (that is a 25 percent chance for all of you Obama supporters), over 80 percent missed the question. Furthermore, when asked which of the four candidates said he or she would bankrupt the coal industry and cause prices to skyrocket (still a 25 percent chance for you Obama supporters… ahh heck with it, can they even read this?), more than 88 percent did not know that this was Obama.
But by golly (re-read that in a Palinesque accent), they knew all of the dirt on the Republicans. More than 86 percent knew that Palin was the one that had $150,000 spent on her wardrobe by the GOP. Nearly 94 percent knew that Palin had a pregnant teenage daughter. Oh, and 87 percent “knew” that Palin stated that she could see Russia from her house (which by the way was not Palin, but Tina Fey).
Sadly, McCain was chosen by Republicans that had about the same amount of “intellectual fortitude.” Well, maybe not quite that bad, but there were definitely better choices.
*** The above is simply a piece saying that Obama supporters and even those who chose McCain as the Republican nominee as a whole did not have a grasp on issues. Obama supporters simply wanted “change” whatever that means (and which we may soon find out). McCain supporters simply wanted someone enough like the Democrats that he could win. I guess that backfired didn’t it? ***
Here are some other reads on the subject and the fallout:
http://www.howobamagotelected.com/
http://libertarianrepublican.blogspot.com/2008/11/some-conservatives-actually-helped-to.html
http://www.creativeminorityreport.com/2008/11/republican-party-or-donner-party.html