Back to blogging

Frankly, I haven't blogged since August for one reason - I was just not motivated. The GOP candidate was crap, Obama winning was a fait accompli, and I was just too depressed to get wound up and blog.

With all the stuff that has been going on since the Big O was inaugurated, I'm motivated again. Look for more.

Gov. Sarah Palin of Alaska

It's a striking image. Striking enough to bring me out of blogging malaise.

Right now I am looking at Senator McCain and Governor Palin speaking in Dayton and it's compelling. The more I learn about her and her background the more appealing she is. Her story is compelling, if a little short for now. The more she speaks the more I like her.

11:37- She speaks strongly on ethics and energy. Two good topics for this campaign.

11:39- I think this is good for McCain. It's certainly bringing this member of the base into line with the campaign.

11:41- She's a forceful speaker but not overwhelming. Not the brow-beating harshness of Hillary, but a good strong voice. I really want to see more from her next week at the convention.

11:42- I hope they drop the "commander of Alaska's National Guard" line. I know it's true, and probably a lot more applicable than most of us know, but it just reminds me of how lame I thought that line was when Bill Clinton's campaign used it.

11:45- I think she is going to play very, very well in middle America.

I know, I have not posted in FOREVER

I promise I am trying to get back into posting, but I am so down on both political candidate's that I am just not excited. Maybe I can broaden my horizons....

We'll see, I really will try to start posting more.

Gorbachev is a Christian

He has publicly said so. I truly feel like this explains so much about about how the Soviet Union was brought down. Very, Very interesting.

Mikhail Gorbachev, the last Communist leader of the Soviet Union, has acknowledged his Christian faith for the first time, paying a surprise visit to pray at the tomb of St Francis of Assisi.

Accompanied by his daughter Irina, Mr Gorbachev spent half an hour on his knees in silent prayer at the tomb.

His arrival in Assisi was described as "spiritual perestroika" by La Stampa, the Italian newspaper.

"St Francis is, for me, the alter Christus, the other Christ," said Mr Gorbachev. "His story fascinates me and has played a fundamental role in my life," he added.

Mr Gorbachev's surprise visit confirmed decades of rumours that, although he was forced to publicly pronounce himself an atheist, he was in fact a Christian, and casts a meeting with Pope John Paul II in 1989 in a new light.

Is this what modern American society is becoming?

Or is the NY Times ridiculously out of touch?

You can take this statement from an article on trans-gender college students one of two ways... which way do you take it?

Then he took a typical step for someone going to high school in the first years of this century. He went home and typed “transgender” into Google.

John McCain Speaks at Dell - LIVE BLOG

10:25 - a few minutes late due to webcast issues...

10:27 - follow Osama "to the gates of hell" - good applause line

10:28 - He reiterates his support of NAFTA - countering the Obama story yesterday. He promises to Canada and Mexico that we will not back out...

10:29 - "The surge is working. It is succeding". Applause "We are blessed to have General Petraus" More applause.

10:30 - Specific goods words about the Texas National Guard. Crowd likes it.

10:32 - Jokes about the status of his campaign a few months ago - "It's always blackest before it gets totally dark - Chairman Mao"

10:33 - "I'd rather lose a campaign than lose this war" - good line

10:34 - Good short comments, proceeding to open questions

10:35 - Question from a Iraqi Freedom veteran asking about treatment for new veterans - "we have passed legislation, but we have got to do a lot more" "we have got to expand the VA system"

10:36 - "The only way that the price of gas will go down is if we become energy independent"

10:37 - He let's Kaye Bailey Hutchison address a question about AmTrak - huh.

10:40 - We have to modernize the air traffic control system

10:41 - Answers a question on international highway system by blatantly dismissing the notion of a "North American Federation" or anything like it

10:42 - "I'm totally in favor of it" - on tax breaks to help companies globalize without layoffs

10:45 - Long question about relations w/ Latin America, Cuba, and immigration
- Reiterates support for free trade in Latin America
- 70% of Latin America votes in his Arizona reelection
- Cuba: "state sponsors of terrorism" "gulags that would make Stalin blush" - Does not accept comparison to China
- Raul was Fidel's hitman
- We should send a clear message on how we can re-establish relations now that Fidel is no longer in control

10:50 - Hits (convincingly) Obama on his "al Qaeda in Iraq" gaffe - draws distinctions on Iraq between himself and the two Dems

10:52 - Very good answer on vaccine-induced autism. Congress needs to act and he admits it.

10:55 - He is pretty funny and disarming. Much better than he tends to come off on TV.

11:00 - He did well - lots for me to think about going into Tuesday...

John McCain to visit Dell's Round Rock Campus

As sharp readers of this blog can probably assume from many of my posts, I work for Dell in Austin. I love my job and am proud of the company I work for, but I have never brought up my employment before and I don't intend to much in the future.

Here is why it is relevant today: tomorrow morning, not more than 100 yards from my desk, John McCain will have a town hall meeting for Dell employees. Due to the complicated and confusing registration procedure I am not sure if I will be able to attend in person, but at a minimum I will be watching the internal webcast of it.

So what am I looking for from him? Well, I am an undecided Republican primary voter and while the race for the nominee has all but been decided by now I always take voting seriously and I have to vote my conscience. That being said, he has an opportunity to win my vote tomorrow if he can demonstrate most, if not all, of the things below. I have to say, I do not think he will do this even though my expectations are somewhat lowered at this point.

1. Show that he can be the conservative standard-bearer in the fall campaign. Let's face it, he is saying the right things now except on a few points - but its the primary season of course he is running to the right. When the fall comes, what is going to keep him from running right to the center, or even the left? I don't expect closure on this tomorrow - I simply would like to see an indication based on the strength of his statements
2. Taxes. Bush tax cuts permanent? Will he resist calls to raise the capital gains tax? How strong will he emphasize supply-side economics in his policies? This is key for me
3. Health care reform - sure I think our system sucks. But does that mean I want our government providing it for me through a socialist system? HELL NO! So, our task as Republicans will be to fight this issue on tow fronts. Number one we need to effectively articulate our own solution to the current mess - we certainly do not need to ignore the situation. The vast middle of American political opinion will not consider listening to us without a substantial plan of our own. Second, point out the many, many flaws of a government administered, mandated system that the Dems are hawking. Americans will lose their rights and freedoms in such a system, and we need to point that out!
4. Show no fear. He will have to take on a historical first regardless of who wins the Dems beauty pageant, and he cannot be scared of that. Sure, run a clean campaign and stick to the issues - but do not back down or concede anything to them out of fear for the game of identity politics.

If Johnny boy can show me those things tomorrow he will have my support on Tuesday. If not, I'll be voting for Huckabee before jumping on the McCain bandwagon for the fall.

I believe the strongest chance the GOP has this year (or any year for that matter) is to stand up and state why we are right and they are wrong. In a strong war of ideas we will win - I just hope the Senator from Arizona gets this too...

Larry Kudlow endorses McCain

Larry Kudlow is a smart, smart guy that I respect a lot. He has endorsed McCain in the general and made some good points:

McCain is also good news for business and the stock market. He wants to cut the corporate tax and keep dividend and cap-gains tax rates low. He’s tough as nails on restraining government spending and blowing up earmarks. On top of all this, he’s a very strong free trader who knows America can compete with the rest of the world.

...

This also happens to be a good time for the GOP to nominate someone who served bravely and courageously in the military. McCain is much more than a POW who somehow survived the Hanoi Hilton. He is a true military man. It flows through his veins, posing a whopper of a problem for Hillary or Obama. Guaranteed, there will be no chicken-hawk taunts.

And let’s not forget that military leaders who know all about war, security, and defense are exactly the people who cherish peace the most. When John McCain talks about the global terror war and how to deal with it, and how to protect this country, and how to move toward peace, voters will listen. So will folks around the world. This is all part of McCain’s character.

Read the whole thing.

Well, we're stuck with McCain

Yep, I said it. Stuck.

I have a list a mile long of why I do not like Sen. McCain. That is precisely why I will not be voting for him in the Texas Primary come March 4th. I will even vote for Mike Huckabee before I vote for "Straight Talking" John. I could sit here and catalog my disagreements with him over immigration, taxes, and his absolute disregard for the First Amendment - but I won't. There is simply no point in it anymore.

When he wins the nomination, which he will, I will support him. But only by default. I can't in good conscience vote for one of the two socialists the Dems will put up, and my sense of duty compels me to vote, so there you go.

To all of you real conservatives out there in my shoes I beg you, please consider your votes this fall very carefully. Sure McCain is a bad choice - but can you imagine the alternative?

Crunchy Con: A New Addition to the Blogroll

I am very happy to announce an addition to my blogroll. I have been reading Crunchy Con by Rod Dreher daily since finishing his book by the same name.

I do not agree with everything Rod professes, but I do believe the worldview that is laid out in his book is great and certainly truly conservative. His criticisms of the Republican party and its blind loyalty to economic libertarianism is very thought provoking and hits home with me.

Hit up his blog, I'm sure you'll find something interesting.