One From The Oogedy-Boogedy Crowd

...I will grant you social conservatism can be a loser if it comes across as preachy, bossy, or overdone. Moreover, there is a weird discomfort some people have about Christians who are serious about their faith getting interested in government. However, Christians had better be interested in the government because the government is certainly interested in them. It's interested in shaping the minds of their children, it's interested in shaping the culture around them, and it's interested in shaping who gets to be married in their church. If people of faith are willing to help the GOP in return for having their interests protected in Washington, the Republican Party would be extraordinarily foolish to turn them away.

- John Hawkins

The quote above was in response to Kathleen Parker's denigration of Evangelical Republican voters. Understandably her statement has apparently been the subject of a mild uproar. There were quite a few columns in response to it today. I heard about it originally in David Limbaugh's column.

Apparently in the aftermath of the GOP's defeat on November 4 the finger pointing has gotten around to us "values-voters." Many are suggesting that the GOP is doomed until it sheds its "archaic" attachment to the protection of the unborn, the defense of marriage, etc.

Let this "oogedy-boogedy" member of the GOP go on record to say that if the party ever abandons these issues it can stop counting on my vote. The likelihood of my voting straight ticket for the Republicans will be nil. Granted, the likelihood that I'll vote straight ticket for the Democrats is even less than that, but there will be no more blank check. I will vote for each individual and will be paying attention to these issues.

I have no illusions that the political system in America will ever be able to accomplish the restoration of the values that our country has drifted so far away from, but I'll be hanged before I'll help it drift further.

Check Out C-Span's Coverage

Last night I skipped the Republican National Convention because I frankly could not stomach the self-important pontification that goes on on the main news outlets - and that includes Fox News. I don't know about you, but I am sick and tired of the news treating me like some 3-year-old who needs to have everything explained. It is so bloody annoying. And Fox is one of the worst for interrupting what is going on so that its pundits can hear themselves talk.

Well, tonight I really wanted to hear Sarah Palin's talk, and decided that I would try to stomach it again, and when I was flipping through the channels I saw C-Span and remembered that they broadcast with no fluff. That got my vote.

I watched tonight without anyone blathering on and on about what the Obama campaign has had to say today or about the latest dust bunny that the Democrats have dug up. I didn't have to listen to someone try to spin what I had just heard straight from the horse's mouth.

IT WAS SO AWESOME!!!

Now if I could only get the news the same way.

Seriously. If you want a totally different way to watch the convention, blow off the main networks and watch on C-Span. It was channel 350 on Direct TV in my market.

There was so much that I'd love to comment on from the convention tonight, but there is no time nor energy. You will have to wait. Perhaps by that time some of the best parts will be available on YouTube. I will say that I heard some great speeches tonight - mostly by the folks who ran for the Republican nomination. I loved Giuliani's speech. But they definitely saved the best for last. Sarah Palin knocked it out of the park. But more on that tomorrow.

PS C-Span is also a great outlet for Presidential speeches like the State of the Union.

John McCain Is A Genius

OK. I'm convinced. John McCain is a genius.

I'll admit that I was a little concerned about his maverick streak when he was picking his running mate. I thought that he may pick someone like Lieberman or Ridge. But when he promised that he was going to hold true to the convictions that he has about the right to life and the protection of the unborn I began to feel much better about things.

I guess that is the problem with a maverick. They aren't status quo. They do things that don't always make the most sense politically. When you don't know the person and their character it can make things a bit nerve-wracking. My fear about John McCain came from my underestimation of his political savvy and intelligence. I couldn't have been more wrong to fear.

John McCain's selection of Governor Sarah Palin as his running mate shows that he has effectively sized up his competition, identified its weaknesses, and recognized the strengths and weaknesses of his own campaign. Sarah Palin is a great answer to all of these things.

Is John McCain too old? Sarah Palin is young. Is McCain eloquent? Not so much, but I think that you will agree that Sarah is. Does Obama have a record of reform? No, but Governor Palin does; something that compliments McCain's platform to bring reform to the government in Washington. And she has as much experience in government as Obama - actually more executive experience.

Obama is weak militarily. Palin has a son getting ready to deploy to Iraq. Obama has a bunch of shady characters in his path to the Presidential nomination, whereas Palin has stood up to shady characters. Obama doesn't want the nation to avail itself of domestic energy resources. Sarah Palin's government in Alaska has already taken steps to help make it easier to utilize those resources.

Also consider the demographics that she covers. She's pro-life, and to her it is more than words. When faced with the knowledge that one of her children had a birth defect, she decided to keep the child no matter what. In fact, there wasn't even a question. She gives the women disappointed with the outcome of the Clinton campaign a choice. Her parents were educators, so she has an insider's perspective on the problems in the education system. And both she and her husband have been union members. She hunts and fishes. She's a member of the NRA. I wonder if she has a sister?

I don't know what John McCain's grade was when he got out of the Navy, but he would have made a fine Admiral. He has completely flanked the Obama campaign and delivered a broadside that has made this a race worth watching. Hopefully the Republican convention this week will provide a Midway style decimation for the Obama camp that will prove the handwriting on the wall for the Democrats as surely as that battle did for the Japanese in World War II.

Obama says McCain doesn't know who he is messing with? No, Barack, I think John McCain knows EXACTLY who he is dealing with, and I think that your hubris has caused you to underestimate your opponent, hopefully resulting in your defeat in November.

And Then There Were Two

So, Mitt Romney has gracefully bowed out of the Presidential race. I saw that coming before Super Tuesday. So that leaves McCain, Huckabee, and Paul - two candidates (one whole and two halves.) By the time the North Carolina primaries hit in May, there won't be any point going to the polls. It will have been settled long before then.

My prediction? McCain and Obama. Hillary is in deep trouble. I doubt that she can make it to the end of March. She'll never beat Obama between here and the convention without having him killed. (And I wouldn't put it past her. By the way, when does her Senate seat expire?)

I heard another statement by Dr. Dobson today that he will abstain rather than vote for McCain, Clinton, or Obama. I wonder if he would have voted for Romney? I have just found out that he is endorsing Huckabee. I dare say it is too little too late. That endorsement two months ago would have probably gone a long way. It looks like Dr. Dobson won't be voting. How foolish. But the scary thing is that many are actually considering doing just that. Cleta Mitchell, chairman of the American Conservative Union Foundation said, "It's a very American privilege not to vote."

Privilege not to vote?! Beg pardon, but those folks that have been dying in the Middle East aren't doing it so that we can pout, take our ball, and go home, leaving our country's leadership to chance. Please don't get me wrong. I have a lot of deep-seated misgivings about McCain, but I would vote for former President Clinton before I would vote for Senator Clinton or Senator Obama. I can say that without reservation.

I suppose we will see if anyone but Senator McCain is still in the race in May. If Huckabee is still in, I may vote for him as a protest vote, but it seems pretty certain that the Senator is the Republican's man - officially anyway even though Rush Limbaugh is still blistering McCain on his show. And Michael Reagan (Ronald Reagan's son) even went so far as to say,

"If you are a newcomer to politics and you're undecided on who you are going to vote for, but know you are going to vote for the candidate who gives you substance instead of mere promises, there is no doubt in my mind you are going to vote for the Democrat nominee because that's where the beef is."

"...Unless Republicans start acting like Reagan and quit talking like Reagan, the only place they are going in November is home."

I have to give Mike this, Obama can speak - wow. Seriously, even with the inherent absurdity of some of the things that he was promoting his speech was inspiring.

McCain isn't without his allies though. Senator Bob Dole has sent a letter to Rush Limbaugh in McCain's defense. McCain reached out to conservatives today, but his statements made it clear that he was not willing to go as far as many of the party base want him to.

Tonight, speaking to the CPAC McCain defended his conservative record and his commitment to a conservative platform.

Speaking just hours after Mitt Romney dropped out of the presidential race, McCain acknowledged he had “the distinction of being the GOP front-runner,” and “intended to keep it.”

As such, he said he had the “responsibility to unite the party, and conceded: “I cannot prevail over the Democrats without conservatives…

“I have defended many positions we share. I am proud to be a conservative … My record is one of a mainstream conservative.”

As a candidate, he promised to “offer a clearly conservative approach to government, and to “stand by my conservative convictions.”

McCain vowed to make the Bush tax cuts permanent, abolish the Alternative Minimum Tax, and protect second-amendment rights. He boasted of his “24-year pro-life record,” and his support of the troop surge in Iraq.

One thing is certain, McCain has a lot of bridge building to do with the conservatives if he has any hope of beating the Democrats in November. The party is too divided right now for him to have a chance.

This consternation should also be as a warning to those in Congress. This conservative angst is running deep. Those in Congress would do well to note the frustration level of their constituents, and represent the party that elected them better. It is high time that they get something done in Washington, lame duck or no. The people of this country won't put up with four more years of this sort of nonsense.

I do hope that whomever eventually wins the nomination will be able to unify the party. The Clinton years were dark years in my memory. I would hate to have to endure even four more years of Democratic leadership.

More On McCain

It would seem that conservatives are fairly divided on McCain. As I reported earlier, Michael Medved is squarely in McCain's corner, but I have since read or heard several absolutely blistering condemnations of him as a candidate only today.

The first that I read was written by Ronald Reagan's son, Michael Reagan, and was entitled John McCain Hates Me. He said in as many words later in the article that the sentiment is echoed back towards the Senator.

The feeling is mutual between McCain and me. I don’t like the way he treats people. You get the impression that he thinks everybody is beneath him. He seems to be saying, “I was a war hero, and you had damn well better treat me as your superior.”

He has contempt for conservatives who he thinks can be duped into thinking he’s one of them, despite such blatantly anti-conservative actions as his support for amnesty for illegal immigrants, his opposition to the Bush tax cuts which got the economy rolling again, and his campaign finance bill which skewed the political process and attacked free speech.

I am appalled by his contempt for the intelligence of his listeners when he flat-out lies and expects them to believe what he says even when the truth is staring them in the face.

So, there you go.

Later I heard Ann Coulter say that she would vote for Hillary Clinton over John McCain. Yes, you heard that right, and she said it with all of the vitriol that she could muster. Sean Hannity wasn't terribly supportive of him either.



Hmmmm...

Now I see that Dr. Dobson won't support him either. He recently reaffirmed his views which were aired months ago. Well, crap.

It looks like McCain will probably wrap up the support he needs to win the nomination on Super Tuesday. Both Huckabee and Romney are fading fast. It's not looking good for the Republicans in November. If the conservative base balks at McCain there is no way that he will win. That leaves us with Hillary or Obama at the helm. (Excuse me while I shudder uncontrollably.)

So what is the answer? Well, I am still pulling for a Gingrich upset at the convention - but I'm not holding my breath either.

Here is the thing. I just cannot vote for either Obama or Hillary. They have way too many stupid ideas. I will not vote for either of them under any circumstances - barring the sudden appearance of the Antichrist as a candidate.

And sorry, I cannot abstain from voting simply because there aren't any perfect - or even nearly perfect candidates to choose from. To abstain is childish, overly-idealistic, and incredibly irresponsible even if you are Dr. Dobson. There is no way that McCain, Huckabee, or even Romney could be worse than Clinton or Obama. No way at all.

I would rather put in a vote for the best of the bad choices than stick my head in the sand, bitching the whole time, and wait for the inevitable bad choice to be elected so that I can bitch about it some more. Guess what, Republican party: Ronald Reagan isn't running for either party's nomination. Get over it and make the best of what you have to work with or provide a better alternative. And if you find someone better then let me know so that I can vote for him too.

Amen, Cal

Cal Thomas has written a scathing review of the Republican Party's behavior over the past 8 years that is spot on. I couldn't say it better, Cal. This is why Republicans are running for cover. It all probably began when they betrayed their promise in the Contract With America to institute term limits. Now Republicans are acting more like Democrats than any time I can remember. They are more concerned about job security than they are about any guiding principle or standard. If they keep serving themselves in this way they will destroy the party.