MLK was a Republican

Interesting article that I received a link to on Twitter about Martin Luther King Jr. and being a Republican. Take a look at this one:

The Real Story of MLK and the Democrats

Very interesting. I didn't realize that he was a Republican. Amazing amounts of historical revisionism.

GOP: Should conservatives stay or not

I just read a great article from the American Thinker

Conservatism's Dilemma: To be or not to be in the GOP

You must take a look. It is like he read my mind! Great post Larrey!

One Trick Pony

This is where I get so frustrated with the Republican party. In discussing oil prices, their main focus is on drilling more oil. This is a longer term solution. While not a bad idea I think it is time that they stop being so damn bull headed about exploring alternative energies. I agree with removing the regulations on drilling in certain areas as a stop gap until we can get some other options in place but they also need to realize that oil is the past and present but not the future.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,365627,00.html

They just further make themselves look like one trick ponies in energy policy and look like they are in the pockets of oil companies. I am not saying that I believe that is completely true but it sure makes it hard to argue otherwise when they act like this.

Here's a crazy concept stop interfering and thinking that you have any control. Or... worse screwing things up like the Corn Ethanol subsidies and let the free market dictate where to head. The market is more efficient at finding solutions that bureaucracy is.

The First Decent Presidental Campaign News in Months: Rice for VP

Well, who knows if it will happen or not but I must say it would be welcome news to me. Condi may actually be thinking about the VP spot with McCain. This would actually give the ticket a more conservative credential and a few battling points against the second coming of Obama.

I have a huge amount of respect for Condi and I hope that McCain and Condi get together and consider how much stronger the ticket will be if they can work together.

Here's hoping.

Dan Senor: Condoleezza Rice Is Pursuing the VP Spot

Bush: US Must "Get Off Oil"

Well I must admit that I really was a Bush supporter some time ago. I am not a Bush basher now but I must say that he has proven to not do much of anything over the last 3 years in office.

Now he makes the statement that US must "Get off Oil". Really?? What has your adminstration and the Republican congress that you had for SO long done to solve the energy issues in the United States? Nothing. Can you show me the energy policy that your administration has been using? Oh no... there wasn't one. Now as a lame duck President you make an obvious statement without any need to back it up.

Bush: US Must "Get Off Oil"

I am tired of politicians who are so great at policy decisions except when they actually have to make them. Luckily the capitalist economy in this country will provide for the problem without the politicians getting involved.

Strange Views

I was just listening to the radio and the old song "War" by Edwin Starr was on. The lyrics are very sad in my opinion but I think that tie into today's politics.

"War, huh, yeah... What is it good for....Absolutely nothing"

Absolutely nothing? Interesting viewpoint. I am glad that the founding fathers of the United States didn't believe that. I bet that the French are glad that we didn't believe that during the 1940's. I would bet that the people of Kuwait are glad that we don't believe that.

Now, are wars good? The answer is yes and no. That is because although they cause destruction they are also necessary to deal with problems. When humans are no longer evil then I believe that wars will no longer be necessary until then it is a necessary part of the human existance.

Unfortunately, I hear a lot of politicians singing the same lyrics in their speeches. That to me is very scary. A country who believes that war is not good for anything is going to a punching bag.

Nothing Better To Do

So here we are. We have troops in Afghanistan and Iraq. The economy appears to be headed for recession. We have shootings every other week in a school somewhere. We are in the middle of the war against terrorism in the world. And what is your congresman doing? Trying to indict Roger Clemens!! Everything going on and Congress is interfering in baseball??

What ever happened to the concept of limited federal government that the Constitution described? The government has gotten so bad that they now are overseeing Major League Baseball. What's next? Investigate the use of non-USGA golf balls on the PGA? Maybe they could investigate how to get a real playoff in college football.

WAKE UP PEOPLE... This is NOT something that the morons in Washington D.C. should be doing!!!

Politically Homeless: Lack of a Candidate

I am currently in a position where I feel like my principles are making it so that I don't even want to vote. The Republicans are looking like they are going to select a very moderate John McCain (albeit not as "moderate" as Guiliani). The Democrats are fight over who can become more liberal.

I hear tons of people saying that conservatives should support John McCain because he is a Republican. I have also heard that we should vote for McCain to keep Hillary out of office. I am not convinced of this approach to voting.

First of all, I think McCain probably has a better shot against Hillary than Obama. Hillary and McCain are both closer to center than any of the other candidates and there is a lot of people who do not want the Clintons in office again. Due to the fact that Hillary and McCain agree on quite a few issues independent and moderate Democrats could possibly vote for McCain. Many conservatives will hold their nose and vote for McCain to "keep Hillary out".

As for the other, argument that we should vote for the Republican candidate. I have also heard that the conservatives are tearing the party apart by fighting McCain. First of all, I am in principle a libertarian conservative and by current necessity I typically will lean toward Republican candidates. That does NOT imply that I really care that much about the Republican party. As the Republicans continue to move to the left, I will hope that another option presents itself (maybe the conservative or Reagan party). Anyway, my point is that I am a conservative first and a Republican distant second so the argument that I should vote for McCain and that I should fall in line sounds like something the Democrats want - Don't ask questions just fall in line. Above and beyond that should I really throw my principles out the window and support McCain?

I am not quite sure what I will decide. I can honestly say that I won't be voting for Obama or Hillary, but if I vote for McCain it will definitely be with my nose plugged.

Yet another book!

I am going to say that Bush is not my favorite President but I also do not believe that he is the worst. Now that said, on with my thought.

It amazes me how many "former" aides to the President have seized on the current hate Bush market to make some money. Everyone that has ever worked in the Bush White House is either on a speaking circuit or selling a book about how they knew better.

Now, the former Press Secretary is writing a book in which he blames push for the Scooter Libby issue.

Former Aide Blames Bush for Leak Deceit

I am not sure if any of this information that all of the former aides is releasing is true or not. I would really question motives when each one of them is set to make a pretty decent amount of money for selling the books or giving the speeches.

Also, what ever happened to the stateman's honor and dignity where former aides and politicians showed each other respect? It has become a complete free for all. Unfortunately, I don't see it getting better any time soon.

So many experts

Why is it that every one who leaves the White House immediately has to go on a speaking circuit and disagree with the current policies?

I was just reading Colin Powell's statements about not attacking Iran. He said that Iran is a long way from a nuclear weapon and that the U.S. doesn't have the support to attack Iran.

Powell: Iran far from nuclear weapon

While I respect Mr. Powell's opinion, doesn't it seem convienent that after a few years of being out of office now he has the answers? The media believed he didn't know anything when the Iraq conflict came up. Now after he hasn't had access to current intelligence, we are going to publish how much he knows.

Or could it be that he is being published because he has an opposing view? Or could it be he has an opposing view because they will publish it? Running for VP?

I think it is definitely open to speculation.

Politics of Personal Destruction

I am hoping that a time comes that the politics of personal destruction at least calms down. I can understand Republicans attacking Democrats but attacking people in your own party isn't going to help win the Presidency in my opinion.

Apparently ads are being run attacking Romney's religion.

http://www.politico.com/blogs/jonathanmartin/1107/AntiRomney_antiMormon_calls_being_made_in_Iowa.html

Pretty pathetic turn of events in the primaries. Unfortunately not surprising.

Ron Paul

I will start off by saying that I like about 60%-70% of what Ron Paul stands for. The other 30-40% would keep me from voting for him. Ron Paul is definitely more Libertarian than he is a Republican. As I stated in an earlier post about Libertarians, I like many of their concepts in principle. He definitely believes in the Libertarian ideals of small government and very little interference in our lives.

My main point of this article is that I really don't believe that he will win the nomination for the Republican party. That being said, don't the Republicans have to open their eyes a little bit when someone with Ron Paul's values has generated the kind of money he has and the buzz that he has created? Isn't it time for the Republicans to realize that most of their base doesn't want larger government every time they turn around?

As long as the Republicans continue to move to the Left I believe that more and more of the base is going to become disgruntled and question the party. I think that if Guiliani wins the primaries it going to cause some serious issues in the Republican party because for many I think it will be the just another indicator of the parties shift to the Left and the loss of it's values.

I hope that the party starts to realize that Ron Paul is gaining support because of his stances on smaller government and less intrusion not on the other 30%.

Hindsight is 20/20

It must be nice to be a Democrat in the U.S. Congress right now. You voted for authorization for the Iraq conflict a few years ago. You did because you were concerned based on the intelligence you were provided. Even Bill Clinton saw Saddam as a serious threat. So the president sends troops into harms way and we find out that the intelligence was either flawed or Saddam utilized the time we rattled our sabre to move the weapons.

Now, here is the beautiful part for the Democrats, you get to completely forget that you voted for the action based on the same information the president saw. You get to say that Bush made a poor decision to go into Iraq (again forgetting that you actually agreed). You tell him to unbreak the vase that got knocked off the counter and say he's sorry.

Unfortunately, over here in reality we realize that you can't unbreak the vase. You need to either repair the vase or build a new vase. That will take some time.

Time?? That is unacceptable, fix the vase now! We will stop supporting the troops by pulling their funding! No, that's not unpatriotic to pull the rug out from under the troops! How dare you say that! We support the troops just not with money and equipment.

Was the war in Iraq the right thing to do? Doesn't matter, the vase is broken now. It must be fixed. It is our responsibility because as in the little shops - You break it, you own it.

Hey Democrats, STOP trying to put our troops in more danger by removing their funding and think about how to fix the vase quickly so they can come home!

Politically Homeless 6: New Book

Well, I really meant to continue writing the series of articles about the lack of a political party that really fits my viewpoints but then some other items came up and took up a lot of time. I do intend to keep working down this path for my own sanity.

Anyway, along the same line of thinking, I started reading Bernard Goldberg's book Crazies to the Left of Me, Wimps to the Right and I really find it to be interesting. He seems to discuss some of the exact concepts that I have been thinking about.

We'll see what the rest of the book brings.