Tomorrow is election day here in Pa. I am urging everybody to get out and vote. In particular (no fainting please) vote for Bednar for Controller and Harry Haas for council.
In the controller race, as much as it pains me to ever endorse a democratic candidate, this is an easy call to make. Sometimes the devil you don't know is a far better pick than the one we all know all too well.
For county council I am hoping everybody votes for just Harry Haas. Harry is a man of exceptional character and honesty and he deserves all of our votes.
Monday, November 4, 2013
Monday, December 24, 2012
Sunday, November 18, 2012
Changes the Republican Party Must Make Part 2: Taxes and Tax Cuts for the Rich
One of the biggest mistakes the Republican Party has made has been the entirety of the issue of tax cuts. The party allowed the dems to totally distort the tax cuts and then compounded the problem by not returning to our conservative roots and leading the way in calling for them to be ended.
The simple fact is that I don't know a single wealthy person (and I know quite a few) that is against repealing the tax cuts for the richest as long as the government starts spending our money in a much more sensible manner. This is why I suggest Speaker Boehner not only agree to the President's request to end those cuts but to lead the way. He should offer (through the press) that we whole heartily support the plan to end the cuts for the wealthiest coupled with across the board 5% spending cuts. By across the board I mean everything including defense.
It is far past time our elected nitwits start actually doing the right things for this country rather than what is politically expedient. This should be played out in complete transparency in the court of public opinion via the media. The party position should be we are trying to work with the President and Dems in Congress. If they resist the spending cuts blow it all open in the press and turn it around on them.
Frankly, I think we should clean house of all the wonks and consultants and shitty public relations types that just have not done their job.
The simple fact is that I don't know a single wealthy person (and I know quite a few) that is against repealing the tax cuts for the richest as long as the government starts spending our money in a much more sensible manner. This is why I suggest Speaker Boehner not only agree to the President's request to end those cuts but to lead the way. He should offer (through the press) that we whole heartily support the plan to end the cuts for the wealthiest coupled with across the board 5% spending cuts. By across the board I mean everything including defense.
It is far past time our elected nitwits start actually doing the right things for this country rather than what is politically expedient. This should be played out in complete transparency in the court of public opinion via the media. The party position should be we are trying to work with the President and Dems in Congress. If they resist the spending cuts blow it all open in the press and turn it around on them.
Frankly, I think we should clean house of all the wonks and consultants and shitty public relations types that just have not done their job.
Tuesday, November 13, 2012
Changes the Republican Party Must Make Part 1: Abortion
Not long ago I was helping a friend campaign for a county row office and I had the chance to observe first hand the strangest of things; the single-mindedness of the one issue voter. I cannot tell you how many people asked this exact question "what is your stance on abortion?" but suffice to say it was a rather embarrassing number.
I found it embarrassing because I consider myself to be a conservative republican. Strangely, these people asking that question of somebody running for a county row office, probably consider themselves the same. Therein lies the embarrassment. People like me will get lumped in with people like them.
You see, I know that a county row officer has absolutely zero say in the abortion debate, The simple fact is, nobody other than the Supreme Court does. So why was it such an issue for them? I couldn't say even though many of those that asked are in fact pals of mine. The sad reality is that they happen to be single issue voters and frankly I wish all single issue voters would just stay home on election day regardless of what their issue is. They are a menace and an relentless boat anchor dragging down whichever party they attach themselves to.
I am not denigrating the beliefs of the pro life movement as I happen to agree with them with a scant few exceptions. The simple fact is that no sane person can honestly say they are pro abortion period. But alas, this isn't the black and white issue both sides would like to present it as. Like life, it is filled with grey areas. The exceptions I have to my anti-abortion stance are in the instance of rape or incest. I cannot fathom that anybody has the right to tell the victim of such horrendous crimes that their suffering must be prolonged and that they must actually give birth to a permanent reminder of their darkest moments. Is it the baby's fault? No, it sure isn't but to every rule there must be at least one exception and in this instance there must be at least two.
I now offer an example of pandering to one side of the movement that was definitely a contributing factor to Romney losing. A major douche by the name of Akin actually said that women have a natural defense against getting pregnant in the instance of legitimate rape. I've heard every explanation as to "what he actually meant" and none of them are true. It was a declarative statement designed to elicit a positive response from the pro life voters. Some of whom may actually believe such utter nonsense. What that horse's ass didn't count on was people being able to see the other side of the statement which was essentially that any woman that got pregnant from being raped must have secretly wanted/enjoyed it and thus became pregnant. It was a terminally stupid thing to say and in fact undermines the very people he was trying to court.
If Conservative Republicans want to change Roe v. Wade and actually have some impact in saving babies, they need to pick the battles to fight and concede those that cannot be won. It isn't rocket science. It will appeal to the vast majority which would demand a new look at the supreme court case. Simply, fight to ban all late term abortions. Fight to make adopting an American baby simpler and cheaper than going out of the country. Fight to make abortion for teens the same as any other medical procedure meaning they must have parental consent for the procedure. Bring into the fight that women's birth control is now covered by Obamacare and there really isn't any legitimate reason for getting an abortion. I think if you screwed up (pun intended) and got knocked up, you should take responsibility. Besides, who knows, maybe the child you may have can grow up to be the one that cures cancer or invents a tachyon drive. Before anybody points it out, yes I know that birth control isn't 100% effective. To you I say that abstinence is in fact the only 100% effective form of birth control but we don't want to teach that do we?
Once we can get the douchenozzle politicians to quit pandering to special interest groups I think our elections will start to straighten themselves out. The next part of this series is coming soon. Stay tuned.
I found it embarrassing because I consider myself to be a conservative republican. Strangely, these people asking that question of somebody running for a county row office, probably consider themselves the same. Therein lies the embarrassment. People like me will get lumped in with people like them.
You see, I know that a county row officer has absolutely zero say in the abortion debate, The simple fact is, nobody other than the Supreme Court does. So why was it such an issue for them? I couldn't say even though many of those that asked are in fact pals of mine. The sad reality is that they happen to be single issue voters and frankly I wish all single issue voters would just stay home on election day regardless of what their issue is. They are a menace and an relentless boat anchor dragging down whichever party they attach themselves to.
I am not denigrating the beliefs of the pro life movement as I happen to agree with them with a scant few exceptions. The simple fact is that no sane person can honestly say they are pro abortion period. But alas, this isn't the black and white issue both sides would like to present it as. Like life, it is filled with grey areas. The exceptions I have to my anti-abortion stance are in the instance of rape or incest. I cannot fathom that anybody has the right to tell the victim of such horrendous crimes that their suffering must be prolonged and that they must actually give birth to a permanent reminder of their darkest moments. Is it the baby's fault? No, it sure isn't but to every rule there must be at least one exception and in this instance there must be at least two.
I now offer an example of pandering to one side of the movement that was definitely a contributing factor to Romney losing. A major douche by the name of Akin actually said that women have a natural defense against getting pregnant in the instance of legitimate rape. I've heard every explanation as to "what he actually meant" and none of them are true. It was a declarative statement designed to elicit a positive response from the pro life voters. Some of whom may actually believe such utter nonsense. What that horse's ass didn't count on was people being able to see the other side of the statement which was essentially that any woman that got pregnant from being raped must have secretly wanted/enjoyed it and thus became pregnant. It was a terminally stupid thing to say and in fact undermines the very people he was trying to court.
If Conservative Republicans want to change Roe v. Wade and actually have some impact in saving babies, they need to pick the battles to fight and concede those that cannot be won. It isn't rocket science. It will appeal to the vast majority which would demand a new look at the supreme court case. Simply, fight to ban all late term abortions. Fight to make adopting an American baby simpler and cheaper than going out of the country. Fight to make abortion for teens the same as any other medical procedure meaning they must have parental consent for the procedure. Bring into the fight that women's birth control is now covered by Obamacare and there really isn't any legitimate reason for getting an abortion. I think if you screwed up (pun intended) and got knocked up, you should take responsibility. Besides, who knows, maybe the child you may have can grow up to be the one that cures cancer or invents a tachyon drive. Before anybody points it out, yes I know that birth control isn't 100% effective. To you I say that abstinence is in fact the only 100% effective form of birth control but we don't want to teach that do we?
Once we can get the douchenozzle politicians to quit pandering to special interest groups I think our elections will start to straighten themselves out. The next part of this series is coming soon. Stay tuned.
Monday, November 12, 2012
Why Did Romney Lose?
It's been a week since the election and I have heard many theories as to why Romney lost. I don't think any of the pundits have touched on reality.
The fact is that whether you want to accept it or not, Romney just wasn't a great candidate. He is a real life Gordon Gecko and let's face it, while everybody wants to be GG, nobody actually likes GG.
When we add in what I consider his campaigns biggest gaffes, he really didn't have much of a chance. The 47% comment was probably the biggest gaffe and it certainly put most of the nails in the campaign coffin. laying down in the last debate was a huge mistake but nowhere near as big as not putting massive distance between himself and the "legitimate rape" faction of the party.
Could Romney have been a lot less flippy floppy? Sure. Could he have told the ultra-far right wing religious zealots to pound sand? Sure (let's be honest, how many of them are there? not even close to the number of social moderates). Could his campaign of done a better job playing hardball and blasting the President for his outlandish lies and distortions? You bet.
I truly believe if the Republican Party wants to start winning that the formula to do so is incredibly simple. Become a whole lot more socially moderate and a whole lot more fiscally conservative. I am hoping the powers that be within the party start listening to reason and stop listening to entertainers like Rush Limbaugh.
The fact is that whether you want to accept it or not, Romney just wasn't a great candidate. He is a real life Gordon Gecko and let's face it, while everybody wants to be GG, nobody actually likes GG.
When we add in what I consider his campaigns biggest gaffes, he really didn't have much of a chance. The 47% comment was probably the biggest gaffe and it certainly put most of the nails in the campaign coffin. laying down in the last debate was a huge mistake but nowhere near as big as not putting massive distance between himself and the "legitimate rape" faction of the party.
Could Romney have been a lot less flippy floppy? Sure. Could he have told the ultra-far right wing religious zealots to pound sand? Sure (let's be honest, how many of them are there? not even close to the number of social moderates). Could his campaign of done a better job playing hardball and blasting the President for his outlandish lies and distortions? You bet.
I truly believe if the Republican Party wants to start winning that the formula to do so is incredibly simple. Become a whole lot more socially moderate and a whole lot more fiscally conservative. I am hoping the powers that be within the party start listening to reason and stop listening to entertainers like Rush Limbaugh.
Wednesday, November 7, 2012
The Election of 2012
What seemed like the longest election cycle in history is finally over.
I offer a hearty congratulations to all of the winners including Pres. Obama. I am praying that his 4 years of OJT will greatly improve his performance for this term.
Monday, November 5, 2012
Election 2012
Tomorrow is the big day. Please get out and vote. There is nothing more important for you to do tomorrow.
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