Purging and Hushing Internal Critics Will Not Rebuild the Republican Party

One thing is clear after the election defeat of John McCain: The Republican Party must assess, rebuild, and better communicate in the future. However, the assessment stage is taking an unacceptable turn which hears calls for purging the party and conservative movement of those considered to be RINOs and purify the ideology. Purging and purification will only make the party smaller and not persuade independent ad moderates to join us.

RINO, a term I intensely dislike is thrown around at anyone that finds disagreement or is unorthodox with their approach, a practice that does not help. Republicans need to remember how Ronald Reagan brought the Republican Party together and attracted some crossover conservative Democrats. They also need to observe and learn to marry the internet and community organizing rather than purging the party and purifying it. We need Republicans of all stripes to help in rebuilding the party.

Purging and Hushing Internal Critics Will Not Rebuild the Republican Party

One thin is clear after the election defeat of John McCain: The Republican Party must assess, rebuild, and better communicate in the future. However, the assessment stage is taking an unacceptable turn which hears calls for purging the party and conservative movement of those considered to be RINOs and purify the ideology. Purging and purification will only make the party smaller and not persuade those whom we need to join us any more likely to do so. RINO, a term I intensely dislike is thrown around at anyone which creates disagreement or is unorthodox with their approach. This does not help any Republicans need to Remember how Ronald Reagan brought together the Republican party and also attracted some crossover conservative Democrats. They also need to observe and learn to marry the internet and community organizing rather than purging the party and purifying it. We need Republicans of all stripes to help in rebuilding the party.

Then there is the harsh and impolite way that we have been dealing with internal critics. The internal critics: Kathleen Parker, Michael Smirconish, Christopher Buckley, and now Jim DeMint; need to have their view points considered. It was uncalled for that DeMint’s Senate colleague Richard Shelby said that DeMint should just shut up with his concerns once he is outside the caucus room. DeMint dared to criticize the policy direction of the party over the last few years. His criticisms are insightful and could lead to solutions if we wish to have them. The people need to hear from Mr. DeMint because otherwise we may not know what our GOP is doing.

Post Election Wrap-up: Time to Rebuild as History is Made

Last night the election results showed that American has changed and grown-up on the issue of race, however, there are conservatives that are seething at their brethren who dared to question the orthodoxy during the election cycle. It is time that conservatives learn to take criticism from within because this criticism is often meant as a loving admonishment to look internally for the answers to their questions about what went wrong.

First, lets recognize and celebrate the history of electing Sen. Barak Obama President of the United States. There were people that believed that this momentous turn of events could not happen because of racist sentiment in the country. However, people from all backgrounds unified to elect Barak Obama. Obama also brought in many new voters and won the youth demographic. His coattails helped bring some new blood into the legislatures of this country as well.

Commentary: Defending Sarah Palin

A Response to Mary Mitchell of the Chicago Sun-Times
Ever since Senator John McCain (R-AZ) the GOP presidential nominee announced his surprise selection of Governor Sara Palin of Alaska as his Vice President Sun-Times columnist Mary Mitchell has been hammering away at Palin. This commentary is an attempt to respond to Mitchell and her charges.

In her first column ” The Gender Game” Mitchell mentioned the historic nature of Gov. Palin’s selection as Senator McCain’s running mate and even called her a reformer. She also thought that Palin was a fighter, but then the rest of the column set a negative tone. She bemoaned that the “Choice feels sleazy.” She then diminishes the choice by claiming that it is not Palin’s brains that McCain is after, but her gender because of Hillary voters. She called the selection a desperate and sleazy game for which women would not fall.
If Sen. McCain’s selection of Palin were just about capturing the Hillary voters by choosing a women there are others he could have chosen like Rep. Heather Wilson (NM) or Gov. Jodi Rell of Connecticut. These two women are also very intelligent and capable of leading the country. Some thought he might chose fellow Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchinson (TX), however, rather than going with the two known individuals or the eastern Republican he chose the Gov. of Alaska. Granted Hutchison and Wilson are insiders and he was looking for an outsider. That would leave Palin or Rell and he chose Palin because according to McCain Palin campaign manager Rick Davis “He saw alot of himself in her ( Newsweek, 30 Aug 08)”. There is nothing sleazy or cynical here. This was a choice based on his instinct of who he would be able to work with the best.

McCain, Obama, and Houses: Property Ownership & Campaigns

The furor started a clouple days ago when Republican presidential nominee John McCain could not answer a question about how many houses he owned. His answer to the questions wa "I think I'll have my staff get back to you," according the Politico. Within hours rival Democratic nominee Barak Obama sent out a blast e-mail asking his supporters to write letters to the editor exposing the real John McCain.

Yes, Mr. O'Bama if asked most middle class Americans could tell you how many houses they owned. However, the amount of property, weather it is the house you live in or ones in which you have invested, are not the issue. Mr. Obama himself owns a large, expensive mansion in Hyde Park, one of the most exclusive communities in Chicago. So, what is wrong with McCain owning seven properties. If the Democrats want to enter the property debate then they better be ready for the onslaught because this will bring up Mr. Obama's affiliation with convicted felon Tony Rezco.

Also, for the Deocratic party to complain about and use a property and wealth based argument is wrong because they compalined when John Edward's large custom-built home was discussed in 2004 is hypocritical.

John McCain makes no pretenses of fighting for a paverty alleviation agenda, but Democrats always do. This is not a problem, but the Democrats need to stop playing "gotcha" on the wealth issue because there is no individual below the pay grade of a John Edwards or Barak Obama that could possibly run for presidnet.

President Bush's Vetoes More Politics than Principle

In 2007 President Bush has threatened slightly more than twice the number of vetoes he did in 2003, according to USA Today. This marker is important because in 2003 there was a Republican led House Senate that was drawing threats for similarly spending above what the president requests or attaching disagreeable legislative provisions. The Democrats took over in January 2007 and continue this practice of spending over the president's request. Those who argue that well the Democrats spend further over than the Republicans are missing the point. When your principle is capping spending on a program to control it shouldn't matter who spends how much more than the president's request. The principle dictates that you veto bills no matter who they come from when the break your cap or contain provisions unacceptable to you.

When Republicans controlled both the House and Senate the President threatened a veto on bills above his cap or with disagreeable provisions attached but than signed them anyway. One example is the transportation bill in 2004 on which the Heritage Foundation supported a veto because of wasteful spending included in the bill. The President even called the Senate version of the bill excessive for exceeding his cap. After declaring the bill excessive he signed the House version, which was no less excessive. The second example is the Defense Authorization Act of 2005, which included the Detainee Treatment Act, also received a veto threat. However, President Bush signed the bill and attached a signing statement with respect to the detainee language.

August 2008 Budget & Tax News

The August 2008 issue of Budget & Tax News is hot off the presses and spotlights state lotteries and smoking bans. It also covers the pledge by Senators McCain and Obama to support transparency in government, Congresses attempt to address flaws in the Alternative Minimum Tax and the former comptroller David Walker's remarks regarding sustainability.

New Immgrants and the Election: Will they be a factor

Let's debate like it's 1996 again. As we ready ourselves to vote in November in the most important election this country has seen in decades the politicians in Washington are wrangling over weather the newly sworn immigrant will be allowed to vote. The ceremony for the new citizens is in October. According to MSNBC the administration is being accused of slowing the process of approving immigrants for citizenship. This is the opposite of the 1996 charge that the administration was accelerating citizenship to influence the election.

Another Article asks "Will new citizens be an election factor?" There are a total of 820, 000 new citizens between the states of Colorado and Florida. Colorado is where the Democrats are holding their convention in August. Many of these voters cannot speak either English or Spanish well.

Detainees and Habeas - An Open Letter to Sen. Lindsey Graham

I am also reviewing the Supreme Court’s decison and am disappointed in your over reaction to it. The one tweak that may be needed to satisfy the Court is to allow the review to be a habeas review.

I thought that the procedures were generous and sufficient, but that does not equate to constitutional and in keeping with the habeas statute.

I certainly don’t think you should make a statement like the one you have until you have completely finished reviewing the decision. I am a bit concerned about your constant warring with the Court.

In my reading so far I see nothing that says that they would have a right to sue. However, if the Court did have full review and found that an individual was wrongly detained; especially because of the length of time involved that justice ought to be rendered even if it meant a lawsuit against our government for improper detention.

Hillary Clinton, Sexism, and the Historic Presidential Bid

Some of Hillary Clinton's supporters believe there is sexism at play in the defeat of their candidate. However, I couldn't disagree more because I beleive that what ultimately did her in may have been Clinton-Bush fatigue.

 

No one in the media originally brough up the gender card. The Clinton brought gneder in to the race when she complained of being treated harshly by the other candidates, all male, because she was a women. After this incident what was supposed to be her coronation was over. Then you have the mocking by late-night comedians, which can be over-the-top. However, when these same comedians parody President Bush, of whom I am no great defender, and are over-the-top no one complains. Finally, you have the parody by Father Michael Pflager regarding her feeling entitled. While his parody was inappropriate for the environment in which he did it, the parody is something that would have went largely no comment and recieved no punishment if it were of President Bush.

 

Liberal or Conservative?: The use of Political labels to smear candidates

It is now the fashionable order of the day to use the political labels such as liberal or conservative as a smear for a person inside your group that thinks differently on major issues. For example, a Republican being branded liberal is a bad thing inside the Republican group, while a Democrat being seen as conservative is equally bad inside the Democratic camp. This negative labeling brings up the question what are conservative and liberal other than labels we use to describe people either pejoratively or positively depending on who is using the label to describe an action that was taken.

What is an Educated Person?

This is just one of the questions I asked myself and journaled about before I began reading the book The Educated Person by D.G. Mulcahy. The other question was what type of education would produce this educated person?

First, I believe that education is a lifelong process that consists of both formal and informal experiences that lead to the individual learning something. The setting could be a school, the home, a job, a volunteer position, or an internship or cooperative learning experience. Since an education is a continuing mix of experiences; I think en educated person is a person who has made the most of each experience and lerned from it or understands how the experience falls short for what ever reason.
Second, the idea of an educated person always starts with formal school experiences from primary school through college. This focus begs a third question: What should the academic and career oriented curricula look like? The answer to this question is a traditional liberal arts curriculum that teaches reading, writing, mathematics, science, and Physical Education. In middle or high school we can add computer operations.

Changing Direction

I originally had planned to complete the Associate Applied Science degree in Web Graphic Design at DeVry University. My first two courses were MATH-032 and BUSN-115 and I am a little more than half way through them. I plan to finish them, however, I do not have funding to achieve this goal. I will place it on hold until a later date. Through taking BUSN-115 I have developed a desire to complete a business degree.

I applied to the Keller Graduate School of Management of DeVry University and was accepted. I have completed my financial aid, paid the tuition deposit, completed the entrance testing and am registered for my first course, IS 535 Managerial Applications of Information Technology. I begin my career as a Keller student on 7 July.

Election, Atheism and Christianity

Sunday’s sermon (PDF) was about God’s “Amazing Grace” and how we are elect among men as Christians. The passage for the day was Genesis 25:19-34 which talks about Jacob and Esau. One important point in the passage and that was brought home in the sermon was that Issac and Rebekah went to the Lord in prayer when they did not understand something or had a wish. Isaac went to the Lord in prayer when his wife was barren and she became pregnant (Genesis 25:21-22). Then Rebekah went to the Lord in prayer when the babies jostled in her womb and was told that she had two nations within her (25:22-23). Then finally we see the nature of the two children. Esau was of poor character and Jacob was a bottom grabber.
The practical lesson here is that no matter what you may wish for or what you want to know if you ask the Lord in prayer than he will answer.

Letter Regarding Iran

I am gravely concerned that we are on the road to war in Iran. Considering S.J. Res. 23(2001), S.Amdt. 3017 (2007) and Gen. Petraeus's recent testimony I fear there may be either a resolution to take hostile action against Iran or the president claiming he has the authority to do so based on the aforementioned acts of Congress.

There are also the reports in the New York Times and Washington Post this morning about the Iran threat. This smells of being a reprise of the buildup to war with Iraq. It also doesn't ease my fears that Adm. Fallon, who was trying to calm the frayed nerves of Middle Eastern countries, has resigned his post. He had said upon nomination that there would be no war with Iran on his watch. Now that we are not under his watch I fear that we will get ourselves whipped into a frenzy again and take hostile action against Iran.

Free-Market Principles of Environmental Policy

Free-market environmentalism is a way of addressing environmental issues with market-based solutions, sound science, and respect for private property rights. Public policies based on this approach include using cost-cost and cost-benefit analysis to determine if regulations are necessary or desirable, improving the definition of private property rights to solve problems involving common ownership and negative externalities, and rejecting policies based on fear, hyperbole, and “junk science.”




1.Energy independence is an illusion. Markets, not politics should determine how much energy we import.

2.Gasoline prices are market-driven. Government policies, not greedy oil companies, are responsible for rising gasoline prices.

3.Global warming is not a crisis. Concerns over global warming do not justify higher energy taxes or carbon “cap-and-trade” programs.

4.Air pollution is not a major public health problem. Air quality is better today in virtually all parts of the U.S. than at any time since measurement began, making new regulations unnecessary.

5.Mercury is not a major public health problem. The public health effects of mercury emissions from coal-burning power plants do not justify restrictions on the use of coal.

6.Biofuels should not be subsidized. Ethanol and other biofuels do not produce environmental or economic benefits that justify their subsidization.

7.CAFE standards sacrifice lives for oil. The Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards is a legislative restriction of the types of vehicles Americans purchase and drive. But there are more cost-effective ways to save fuel, and CAFE standards have a terrible unintended consequence: needless highway deaths.

8.Electric deregulation is still necessary. Extending price caps and blocking construction of new power plants are harmful to the long-tern health of electric markets.

9.Liquefied natural gas is part of the solution. LNG is a clean and safe source of energy that is at risk because of environmentalist opposition.

10.Nuclear power is part of the solution. Nuclear power is an important part of the nation’s energy portfolio. Regulatory barriers to the expansion of nuclear power ought to be removed.

Sen. Graham Returns to Iraq for Military Service

Sen. Graham is in Iraq to complete a third tour of duty according to Stars and Stripes. He was in Iraq in May and August of 2007 as well for short tours of duty. He is an Air FOrce Reservist and teaches at the Judge Advocate General School in Alabama.

Graham told Stars and Stripes in an interview “I’d like to do more, but [with] the day job, you know in the Senate, it’s hard to get away for any long period.”

Graham is proving again that he is dedicated to serving his country, both in uniform and out. It may seem odd for a politician to be in uniform, but there is precedent stretching back in history and Sen. Graham is just another link in that proud history.

Letter to Senator Kit Bond regarding Foreign Intelligence Srveillance

I believe that your office is trying to cover up the President’s wrongdoing. According to the Washington Times there is an assessment from your office that says the following: “There is nothing new or aggressive about relying on Article II authority in the context of foreign intelligence surveillance.”

There would be nothing new or aggressive about relying on Article II authority in the realm of Foreign Intelligence Surveillance if there had been no FISA in 1978, no Patriot Act in 2001 & 2006 and the Protect America Act last year. These laws set a framework of how the President is supposed to conduct foreign intelligence surveillance. He cannot use Article II authority to do something that the law does allow. Congress makes the laws and the President signs them. Why should this be the case if we are going to allow a President to conduct activities that run a foul of the law and claim Article II protection so that anything can be done that the President likes; when the President likes. I keep emphasizing the President because this would apply to any President not just this one.

I know that many Republicans will turn around and cry foul if a Democrat or Republican they do not like becomes President. Your claims would lose moral authority in this case because you allowed a President to have such power. This is wrong for the President, the Congress, and the Country.

My OpenCongress: Network, Comment and Vote on Congress

OpenCongress has come out with a new version which allows you to network, discuss, evaluate, and vote on what’s happening in Congress. You can track specific bills, Senators, Representatives, or issues and they’ve even put together a page on how to make the most of it: http://www.opencongress.org/profile/howtouse