Luckily for Giffords ObamaCare Isn’t Yet In force
I will preface the following with this statement. What happened to Gabrielle Giffords (and the others) was a tragedy. However, as with most tragedies, Giffords’ situation in particular provides us with a very succinct learning opportunity.
It’s pretty easy to pass judgment and decide what is best for everyone else when you aren’t personally affected by the result. Over reaching politicians, eager to push their own personal agendas as well as those paid for by corporations and “private interests” so often sell off the rights of the individuals they are supposed to represent. ObamaCare, wrapped up in the warm fuzzy words of “betterment of society” is set to rob people of the most basic human right, the control over their own bodies.
Gabrielle Giffords was a proponent of ObamaCare. She agreed that the rights of millions of Americans should be subjugated to the government. She agreed that the government would be a better custodian of your medical care than your own doctor. Perhaps most ironic, she supported the idea that those who would be a financial burden to the medical system, using more than their fair share of medical resources or have (what a panel deems) a low quality of life, should Read more
GOP Unprecedented Opportunities to Reach Voters & Donors
This week, now that I’m back from holiday, I will be writing about the unprecedented opportunities that the GOP has to reach out to voters, create an effective brand, generate deserved voter loyalty, and raise both funds and awareness in this pre-campaign cycle season. At perhaps no other time in history have so many tools be available to Republicans to educate the populace and engage them in the political process. This year could be pretty exciting!
In the 2008 election cycle, Team Obama rolled out a publicity machine the likes of which America had never seen. Massive, cross coordinated events at Universities, labor union headquarters, and minority and fringe group rallies were coupled with an incredibly internet savvy marketing campaign that both engaged the audience and compelled them to become a part of the bigger event that was Team Obama. The Republicans, in comparison, appeared disorganized, outdated, and slow.
Despite Team Obama’s overwhelming success during the campaign, to reach an audience happy to support him emotionally and financially, Republicans failed to follow his lead. For some politicians, this refusal stemmed from a real lack of understanding of the technological advances that would get the message to the masses. Some politicians reveled in Read more
Opportunities in Tragedy
Within a few minutes of the Arizona shooting, politicians rushed to shove shooter Jared Loughner into the political camp of their opponents. With no motive, no warning, not even a name, the opportunity to make the murders of (at that time) an unknown number of people, political, simply couldn’t be resisted. The tragedy gave those who should have the sense to be silent and somber, a perfect opportunity to pontificate. Politicians, political pundits, and even a Sheriff pointed fingers at the right in general, and Rush Limbaugh and Sarah Palin specifically. “SHAME all you right wing, hate mongers!”
As is often the case, many of those who pointed fingers first and bemoaned the loudest at the “irresponsible hate speech” of those on the right, had short memories. Democrat Paul Kanjorski, the former House of Representatives member from Pennsylvania was quick to point fingers and demand that the right stop the rhetoric that he suggested led to the murders. Yet a mere nine weeks ago, Kanjorski, who lost his re-election bid, said of Rick Scott, the Republican contender for Governor of Florida, “Instead of running for governor of Florida, they ought to have him and shoot him. Read more
Steele Takes Credit For Conservative Landslide
If Republican National Committee leader Michael Steele’s announcement that he intends to seek re-election to the leadership office that he has disgraced for the past two years isn’t enough to change your “ho-ho-ho” to NO-NO-NO, then his taking credit for the conservative landslide of the midterm elections will.
Acknowledging his occasional “stumble” as the head of the Republican National Committee, Steele issued a grammatically poor, typo laden letter to members of the RNC announcing his bid for re-election. Interestingly, in his remarks, he claimed that he had no hidden agenda. However, this statement was followed by the admission that he had delayed making the announcement for over a month in order to lure detractors into tossing their own hats in the ring. If Steele had hoped to win support from RNC members who questioned his ability to unify the RNC and get the fundraising machine back on track, this technique failed.
Members of the RNC are not the only ones eager to see Michael Steele step aside, Republican and conservative voters have expressed their displeasure for Steele’s leadership by closing their wallets to the organization. Major contributors, corporate donors, and private individuals have donated their political dollar directly to their chosen candidates, Read more
The Murkowski Experiment
Today, as Republican primary winner Joe Miller and primary loser Lisa Murkowski assemble legal teams to determine the validity of thousands of write-in votes, the “news” blathers on and on about the historic significance of a “write in” candidate winning an election, an occurrence which hadn’t happened since Strom Thurmon won a Senatorial seat as a write in in 1954. But while much of the media pats her on the back and rehashes details of the animosity between Murkowski and a plethora of GOP stars, including Palin and DeMint, they miss the real significance of the Murkowski win.
Murkowski isn’t a fringe candidate who struggled against the power of the mainstream parties for attention and finance. She isn’t an unknown who won by convincing the public to support her new, ambitious plans and ideas. She isn’t the representative of a group of independent voters dedicated to promoting a particular issue like McMillan’s “The Rent Is Too Damn High” party. No, Murkowski is no “write in” candidate and her win isn’t historic. It may however prove to be a turning point in American politics and in the future of representative government.
On the surface, Lisa Murkowski is just another career politician Read more
Rachel Maddow, Sean Hannity, & Liberal Math
In the interest of fairness, I will admit right up front, I don’t care for Rachel Maddow. In my role as a political commentator, I watch, listen to, and read the ideas, positions, and beliefs of perhaps hundreds of people each week, many with whom I don’t agree. I can respect people who don’t share my positions, provided they are thoughtful, genuine, and fair. In my opinion Rachel Maddow is none of these. Aside from her snarky, sarcastic comments and sweeping, erroneous, generations about the beliefs of conservatives, she suffers from “liberal math.”
The Keith Olbermann situation is a perfect case in point. As most of you now know, Keith Olbermann, star of MSNBC’s Countdown was suspended without pay, indefinitely on Friday for previously contributing the campaigns of three politicians. The terms of Olbermann’s contract with MSNBC clearly state that he is not allowed to make political campaign contributions or endorse political candidates without receiving permission to do so, in advance, from MSNBC.
The math is simple. Employment contract stating that Olbermann can’t make political contributions + Olbermann making political contribution = Olbermann suspension.
Unfortunately, Rachel Maddow doesn’t understand actual math, but she offers us all her “insight” anyway. Read more
National Organization for Women Defends Christine O’Donnell
Call me shocked! The grossly misnamed National Organization for Women is DEFENDING conservative candidate Christine O’Donnell.
O’Donnell recently found herself the focus of a gossip article suggesting that she had been drunk and behaved as some sort of slut/tease combo years ago at a Halloween party. The anonymous accuser told “Gawker” (an online gossip tabloid) that O’Donnell had come on to him, and then refused to have sex.
Gawker editor Remy Stern confirmed that the anonymous “man” who was later exposed as Dustin Dominiak, an auditor at the Federal Reserve in Philadelphia, received in the “low four figures” for the story and photos of O’Donnell in a ladybug costume.
Of course I could comment on Dustin Dominiak, a man who by his own account was so repulsive that a drunk, naked, virgin who wanted to have sex, rejected him. I could also comment on the type of sleezeball who would search through years of old photos in the hopes of finding some “incriminating” story to sell for a few thousand dollars to an online gossip rag. I could even question how a person like Dustin Dominiak, so clearly lacking in honor and integrity could be employed as an auditor with the Federal Reserve, Read more
Angle Asked the Right Question, Reid Dodged, The Media Ignored
During Thursday’s debate, Sharon Angle asked Harry Reid the question that Americans should be asking ALL politicians.
Angle: “You came from Searchlight (his hometown) to the Senate with very little. Now you’re one of the richest men in the U.S. Senate. On behalf of Nevada taxpayers, I’d like to know, we’d like to know, how did you become so wealthy on a government payroll?”
Reid: “…that’s really kind of a low blow. I think most everyone knows I was a very successful lawyer. I did a very good job in investing. I’ve been on a fixed income since I went to Washington. I’ve lived off of what I made in the private sector….So her suggestion that I made money being a Senator is simply false, and I’m really disappointed that she would suggest that.”
While it is true that Reid was a lawyer prior to entering politics in 1966, it is this “good job in investing” that has made him one of the wealthiest politicians in Washington.
Reid’s “disappointment” and feigned indignation aside, it seems curious that men and women in Congress, who so inadequately manage the finances and investments of this country and their individual states have so much success in personal investment.… Read more
Underhanded or Incompetent; Tax Increases Cost Middle America This Year!
It’s not just the Bush Tax Cuts…Obama has already hit you with thousands in new taxes that may not even be aware of…yet.
Contrary to Obama’s pledge not to raise taxes on the those making less than $250,000.00, a rate increase is already in effect, as of December 31, 2009, which will result in nearly 30 million working class Americans owing thousands more taxes, this year.
For the past decade, a “fix” has been passed annually to adjust the AMT or Alternative Minimum Tax threshold, for inflation. However, under Obama, the “fix” expired on December 31, 2009 and has not been renewed. Unless Congress passes the annual “fix” before December 31, 2010, nearly 30 million Americans will be hit with the tax increase. But hot on campaign trails, politicians are focused on their own careers and not on saving the American tax payer.
Who will the increase hit? Well, the Congressional Budget Office suggests that those affected will include:
- 3% of households earning under $50,000.00
- 40% of households making between $50,000.00 and $100,000.00
- 50% of households making between $100,000.00 and $200,000.00
- 15% of households making between $200,000.00 and $500,000.00
Actually, nearly every married couple, filing jointly, making a combined income of between $100,000.00 and $500,000.00 will be hit Read more
Jeanne Harris Kills Democracy
As the midterm elections draw near, millions of voters will bemoan their choices and decry that they are resigned to choose the “lesser of two evils.” But how did it come to that? Where are all the honorable, ethical, respectful political representatives dedicating a few years of their lives to public service? Well I can tell you. Jeanne Harris killed them in their infancy.
Ok, to be fair, Jeanne Harris may have only been responsible for killing a few people in Vancouver, WA, but there are Jeanne Harris’ across the country, killing not only participation from those who might be tempted to toss their hat into the political ring but also killing citizen participation in the governance process.
Wait, you don’t know who Jeanne Harris is? Don’t worry, I hadn’t heard of her either. Jeanne Harris is currently a councilwoman in Vancouver, Washington. Read more
