DebateCorner

In wake of mid-term elections, GOP and progressive left draw battle lines in the sand




A week removed from the most sweeping election in at least the last 75 years, the true realities of what has resulted are becoming more and more clear by the day - change is coming to Washington, and some are not too thrilled. Much has been made about comments uttered by Senate Minority Leader McConnell (R-KY), in which he declared the number 1 priority of the Republican party over the next 2 years is to “defeat President Obama”. MSNBC talking head (and one could argue, blithering fool) Ed Schultz lambasted Mr. McConnell. But, lets get real…is it THAT much of a shock that the Republican leader in the Senate believes his goal, and the goal of other Republicans in Congress, ought to be to ensure a Republican takes over residence in the house that Ronald Reagan called home for 8 years? Of course the leader wants to get Obama out of office. Senate Majority Leader Reid (D-NV) has already declared that the Republicans better not block legislation he brings to the floor, and that we better not get in Obama’s way. The most efficient way to derail the Obama agenda, and implement conservative policies, is to pave the way for political leaders who will further the cause.

Republicans swept Speaker Pelosi out with the rest of the filth clogging up the Capitol building, riding the coattails of an absolute repudiation of the politics of the last 2 years. But really, it goes even beyond that. Republicans lost control of the House following the 2006 mid-terms, for much the same reason that the Democrats lost control following the latest mid-terms: a failing president, who’s popularity slithered away, and a group of tenants who failed to live up to what they campaigned on. When you provide a rubber stamp for an agenda which is egregiously to the left of mainstream USA, and the people flock in droves into the streets under the Tea Party label, to protest the takeover of 1/5 of the American economy, you have no reason to NOT expect to be rebuked. Several Democrats in the House had the brass to stand up to Pelosi, and came away with a campaign victory as a result (Jason Altmire, I’m talking about you). And several others, who under normal circumstances would have cruised to re-election, surely had to have been sweating for some time last Tuesday evening (or, if you’re Ike Skelton or John Spratt…well….adios). Yet despite the Democrats having little to no pull in the House beyond December, despite Nancy Pelosi becoming irrelevant, and despite Republicans pulling to within 6 in the Senate, delusional Harry Reid has the gall to threaten us? REALLY?

Lets get some things straight. First of all, Harry Reid has 2 years left to be Majority Leader. Close to 3 dozen Senate seats are up for grabs in 2012, and half a dozen come to mind automatically as being quite vulnerable (Bill Nelson in Florida, Ben Nelson in Nebraska, Claire McCaskill in Missouri, Jim Webb in Virginia, Bob Casey in Pennsylvania, Joe Manchin in West Virginia). Among the other seats that will be vulnerable:

Jon Tester - Montana
Kent Conrad - North Dakota
Jeff Bingaman - New Mexico
Sherrod Brown - Ohio
Herb Kohl - Wisconsin

North Dakota has already gone red with John Hoeven. New Mexico just elected a Republican Governor to replace Bill Richardson. Ohio just rejected progressive liberalism, outright. Wisconsin gave Russ Feingold the boot, and after 8 years of Jim Doyle, rejected Tom Barrett. Florida said no to Obama liberal, Alex Sink, and gave total control of the state to the Republicans. One would think, in the face of total backlash, Nebraska will send Ben Nelson packing, especially after folding on Obamacare. Virginia sounded the first shots against the progressive cause by electing Bob McDonnell, and suing the federal government in the wake of Obamacare’s passage. Pennsylvania followed Ohio’s salvo, and Bob Casey is likely next.

The moral of the story is this, folks - while the perceived cunning competence of former DCCC chair Rahm Emmanuel led to the overthrowing of the Republican majority in the House; and while former DSCC chair Chuck Schumer was successful in crowning Prince Harry in 2007...the sobering reality is that both majorities were built on, to use a fitting analogy as a resident of a town built on sand, one gigantic sink hole that was activated by the most polarizing, controversial president, likely in United States history. When you develop your majorities using mainly “blue dog” Democrats, and they carry out an agenda rooted in Marxism, it makes little sense to a common man to NOT expect this result. But, that’s the sad state of politics in this country right now. The sad state that leads to elected officials, in a representative democracy, who are sent to Washington to vote with the consent of the governed, and end up governing with the consent of the thugs who are better off behind bars. When you lack the integrity to stand on principle, and instead cower to Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi, you get what you deserve. When nearly 50% of the electorate identifies themselves as conservative, and a mere 1 in 5 identify themselves as liberal, you get what you deserve. A repudiation of the prior administration is not an equivalent to the romanticizing of the “other side”. Nowhere is this more evident than in the historic lead by Republicans in the generic Gallup polling, despite less than stellar approval ratings.

The party of Abraham Lincoln, Dwight Eisenhower, and Ronald Reagan has been returned, at least in part, to power. Not because of brilliant success, but because it stood with the people, against the progressive agenda. Progressives can attempt to insult us as being the “party of no” all they want, because in this particular instance, it happens to be the ultimate compliment. The Republicans have netted 5 governorships, a slew of state legislatures, the House of Representatives, and have essentially ensured GOP dominance for the next decade. 4 years might have convinced Prince Harry that he still has the final say, and 2 years might have convinced Mr. Obama that he has a mandate…but the results speak for themselves. The ripples of the 2010 mid-terms could roll right into 2012; and if that happens, Mr. McConnell could get his wish. The battle lines have been drawn, and if last week was any indication of the future…well, lets just say that there will no orders for drapes from ANY Democrat for a long, long time.

DebateCorner

Florida candidates for United States Senate face off in ABC debate



On Thursday night, October 7th, Marco Rubio, Charlie Crist and Kendrick Meek took part in a round table debate for 1 hour on ABC News. Topics during this debate ranged from health care, to social security, to gay adoptions, to the deficit, to the stimulus bill passed by President Obama and the left-wing congress at the commencement of his term. I found this debate to be a true snapshot of what this campaign has been about:

Charlie Crist misrepresenting Marco’s position on social security
Kendrick Meek repeating ad nauseam that he is “the only candidate in this race” to “fill in the blank here”
Marco Rubio drawing clear distinctions between himself and the 2 Democrats (because, lets face it folks…Charlie Crist is a Democrat posing as an Independent) on the ticket
Charlie Crist’s failure to portray himself as a middle-of-the-road, common sense type of guy who sees good in both the major political parties
Kendrick Meek demonizing the rich, and accusing both Crist and Rubio of making their careers out of being opponents of the middle class


It would seem that the best way to fix the social security system as we know it, is to legalize 12-14 million illegal immigrants, give them access to jobs, and let them pay into the system in order to save it. That’s right! Charlie Crist considers this to be a sound, common sense solution. Has anyone ever told Mr. Crist that eventually, those people will retire too? D’OH! Sorry, Charlie. You see, using this as a realistic, logical solution makes absolutely NO sense. Why? Well, it’s simple really - the reason why we have a serious problem with the system at present, is because there is an inverse relationship between retirees, and employees. The baby boomer generation is reaching retirement age, and the facts are pretty simple: estimates are that between now and 2017, social security will be paying out more than it takes in. By 2037, when I turn 53, it will be no more. Yet Democrats, including Charlie Crist, conclude that social security MUST be saved, and that ANY attempts to privatize it (such as the attempt by former President Bush 43) would adversely effect seniors. Charlie would also have you believe that Marco wants to raise the retirement age for EVERYONE. This is nothing short of a scare tactic by the left, to protect government power. Marco’s plan, and a plan that we really have no choice BUT to back, is to phase out social security, so that MY generation (and really anyone born after 1972) has a real hope to see retirement. Current day seniors, and those entering retirement age in the next 10 years, would see no change to their retirement. But folks like good ole Charlie and Mr. Meek would leave you to believe that Marco is an evil Republican who wants grandma in Boca Raton to be SOL (sh*t outta luck). Does ANYONE buy that?

Apparently, the answer is a resounding “NO!”: as of the most recent Rasmussen Reports poll, which surfaced post-debate, Marco now enjoys a very comfy 50%-25% lead over Charlie (who’s better off fending off Kendrick Meek with table scraps before he ends up sinking into last place). Charlie’s attempts to paint Marco as anti-social security, anti-health care, anti-teachers, anti-women, and as this extreme right-wing Tea Partier, have failed. He’d have you believe that the 20,000 teacher jobs that were saved by Florida’s cut of the stimulus money would have been lost if Marco had his way, and that his support for the State Senate bill tying a teacher’s salary to student performance was evil. He’d have you believe that Marco’s interest in total repeal of Obamacare is irresponsible, and wrong. He’d have you believe that Marco’s support for ultra-sounds prior to the decision to abort a fetus is heartless. He’d have you believe that the Tea Party is full of wackjobs. Kind of hilarious coming from a man who idolized Ronald Reagan 4 years ago, and now can’t run away from his conservative image fast enough. It’s a source of amusement to watch a man who ran as a fiscal and social conservative for governor, running as a pro-gay adoptions, pro-gay marriage candidate who accuses the Republican party of being “extreme and radical”. Amusing, yet somehow sad and pathetic.

The Florida senate race is really about 3 things - 1. An Obama/Pelosi lackey who paints himself as a supporter of the middle class who hates big oil and the rich and believes the stimulus worked (yet claims he’d support a leaner, meaner government), 2. An Obama lackey who paints himself as a good guy who’s running as an independent because he sees both parties at fault (NOT because he couldn’t win the nomination…*jab jab, wink wink*, and 3. A true conservative who wishes to be a roadblock against the Obama agenda, and who wants to save this nation from a Greece-like reckoning.

Common sense people in the state of Florida are making their decision more and more obvious by the day…sorry Charlie, St. Petersburg is calling. Not Washington, D.C.

DebateCorner

With just 24 days to go, Republicans have the lead in 10 states for the senate, and in the House


Ideologically, our president portrayed himself as an agent of change. He denied the seemingly inevitable ascension of the former First Lady, to the position of “leader of the free world”. He doctored his speeches to conceal the evident phraseology favoring Marxist governance, and plowed through the American people who decried his calls for socialized medicine, Keynesian fiscal policy, federal takeover of private entities, and further destruction of our dollar. Now, we stand a mere 3+ weeks from REAL change.

Here are the latest RealClearPolitics.com polling averages of the 10 key states that Republicans must win, to unseat Prince Harry:

Colorado - Ken Buck - 48%, Michael Bennet (incumbent) - 44%

Illinois - Mark Kirk - 41%, Alexi Giannoulias - 39.8%

Nevada - Sharron Angle - 43.8%, Harry Reid (incumbent) - 43.5%

West Virginia - John Raese - 48%, Joe Manchin - 43.5%

Pennsylvania - Pat Toomey - 47%, Joe Sestak - 40.4%

Wisconsin - Ron Johnson - 52.3%, Russ Feingold (incumbent) - 42.3%

Indiana - Dan Coats - 50.5%, Brad Ellsworth - 33.5%

Arkansas - John Boozman - 54.7%, Blanche Lincoln (incumbent) - 35%

North Dakota - John Hoeven - 69.7%, Tracy Potter - 23.2%

Connecticut - Richard Blumenthal - 52.4%, Linda McMahon - 43.2%

In the states that the Republican candidate has the lead in, 6 of them have a lead of greater than 5 percentage points. In California and Washington the incumbent Democrats (Barbara Boxer and Patti Murray), are under 50%.  If Dino Rossi or Carly Fiorina can get a late surge, the Republicans will return to power. Astoundingly, Joe Manchin, governor of West Virginia, has a solid approval rating, yet trails in his senate bid. Clearly, a sign of absolute repudiation of this president.

On the House side, all signs point to a GOP takeover there, too.  Current projections have the Republicans with 210 seats, and the Democrats with just 181. Incumbents who have spent a generation in power, are either trailing, or hanging on for dear life. Recently, Nancy Pelosi was quoted as saying that for every dollar a person receives in food stamps, $1.79 gets put back into the economy, and "It is the biggest bang for the buck when you do food stamps and unemployment insurance. The biggest bang for the buck”. It is extraordinarily clear that the powers that be in our legislature…moreover, the “elites” who concern themselves more with inventing new ways to consolidate their power, care more about enslaving the American people into federal welfare programs, than empowering us as a people to be independent. From cap and tax, to universal health care, to laws regulating what we can and cannot eat, to violating the 2nd amendment, to appointing Czars to carry out tasks with NO foresight from elected officials who directly represent the people, the promises of this president of transparency and accountable government were blatant, horrific lies. He rode a tidal wave of anti-Republican feelings, and fed off of fear of President Bush. Aided by the liberal media in covering up his radical agenda, the American people entrusted him to clean up Washington. He promised to “fundamentally transform America”, and he’s done a good job.

November 4th, 2008 was a day where America sacrificed it’s collective freedom, in hopes that our newfound savior would swoop in, undue 8 years of hell from the Bush administration, and return us to the promised land. What we have gotten is crippling debt which threatens our treasury bonds, a tax code which our Democrat-led congress left town without clarifying, a health care system which focuses more on government bureaucracy and loss of personal freedom than cutting costs and ensuring top quality, and an energy path to ruin.

Keep your change, Obama. And I WILL have hope.