I haven't written a lot in recent times about Alaska Gov. Sarah Heath Palin, but that doesn't mean I'm not thinking about her. Since she visits this site from time to time, I want to reassure her that I continue to support her for the vice-presidential nod on the Republican ticket. She's exactly the kind of young, dynamic, highly electable individual that the GOP desperately needs.
I've said before that Sarah reminds me of two Pennsylvania politicos: Diana Lynn Irey, who ran so heroically against John Murtha in 2006 and Melissa Hart, who lost her congressional narrowly in 2006 -- and is determined to regain it this year. I've contributed $200 to Melissa's campaign, and I intend to donate more. She and Diana are highly intelligent people who truly care about the people they represent, and we need individuals like them in high office. They're Christians not only in faith but also in actions. They love their neighbors. And I love them.
I feel the same way about Sarah. She didn't grow up with any silver spoons around. Her parents were teachers in Alaska, and they taught their daughter well. She's the most popular governor in the country, mainly because the Alaskan people can see that she truly cares about them and their future. The Alaska Constitution, which Sarah reveres, says that the resources of the state exist for the benefit of the people, and she is perhaps the first governor there to take that fact into account.
The oil services firms that historically have bribed (sometimes in the form of "contributions," sometime just handing over envelopes full of cash) know that Sarah is untouchable. She's not for sale.
I was one of the first people to join the "Draft Palin for VP" movement, one started by a 20-year-old political genius from Colorado, Adam Brickley. You can find him here. A staunch Sarah-supporter in Alaska is Trish Houser, who worked on Sarah's campaign for governor.
It now appears probable -- although by no means certain -- that the Republican nominee for President will be John McCain. I urge John to give serious consider to Sarah as his vice-presidential running mate. She's the kind of charismatic young person who would add real strength to the ticket. The mother of an American solider, the wife of a working man, Sarah is someone with whom the people of this country can identify.
McCain-Palin: it sounds like a winning combination to me!
Showing posts with label Diana Lynn Irey. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Diana Lynn Irey. Show all posts
Saturday, January 12, 2008
Saturday, December 22, 2007
Your Christmas Gift to Russell
(Above) Portrait of an Angry Loudmouth. . . and a lump of coal for John Murtha, who loves his office but not his country
I sent the letter below to Libertarian-Republican activist Eric Dondero and several hundred of my closest friends and political allies. I've appeared this year twice on Eric's BlogTalkRadio site, as well as on Douglas Gibbs's Political Pistachio, Jenn of the Jungle's "Screw Liberals," and Snooper's program. I recommend all of them, and they're listed on my blogroll. They're helping to transform politics in this country. Of great interest to me, they're all generating donations to the Russell Campaign.
In 2006, Diana Lynn Irey, a dear friend of mine and an heroic figure, ran against Murtha and received 7,000 contributions from all 50 states. In contrast, Murtha got 6,500, although his average contribution was much larger than Diana's. If William Russell can get an unprecedented 10,000 contributions -- many of them $50 or less -- he will send Murtha into an unplanned "early retirement."
You can donate to William by going to his site here. Please do so right now.
Eric and Friends: I much enjoyed my appearance on your radio show last night. Jason, who spoke for the Romney campaign, and Norma Jean, who spoke for herself and libertarian views, were excellent. There aren't many radio shows that can produce that sort of dynamism and candor. Norma Jean raised issues in such a compelling way that she did something unusual: she made me re-think my stand on some key issues, especially the need to defer to people who exercise their freedom in unconventional ways.
I truly hope that everyone who follows you, your blog, and your radio show will unite behind the candidacy of Lt. Col. William Russell as he does everything in his power to defeat John Murtha in PA's 12th congressional district.
This may end up as the most important congressional race in the nation. If Murtha goes down, the shock waves would reverberate around the world. This will be a very hard race to win, but it is certainly not impossible. Even at this early stage, Lt. Col. Russell's campaign is shaping up as one of the most imaginative and effective ever waged.
This race can't be won if it restricts itself merely to the 12th District. It must be a national effort, one supported by conservatives and libertarians in all 50 stages. Russell will not be able to outspend Murtha, but he is outsmarting him -- and having a real influence on Murtha's previous position of total opposition to American efforts in Iraq and the Middle East.
When Murtha said, "The surge is working," what he really meant is that he is very concerned about Russell's candidacy.
I urge everyone who believes "Murtha MUST go" to visit Russell's web site. He needs thousands of volunteers around the nation, including those who will join "Bloggers 4 Russell," a rapidly growing group that will eventually include more than 500 bloggers.
Most of all, at this early stage, he needs financial support. People who've never contributed to a campaign before are giving $20, $50, and even $100 or more. Personally, I've given more than $400 and will contribute more, even though I'm not exactly in the category of "affluent."
Murtha collects huge bag-fulls of cash from lobbyists and various companies that benefit from his shameful "earmarks."To counteract that situation, Russell needs many small contributions ($200 or less) from perhaps 10,000 people who love this country and are deeply disturbed by the antics of Murtha.
I appeal to everyone to put this appeal on their blogs or to send it to their e-mail lists. Unity and enthusiasm are keys to winning against Murtha. Lt. Col. Russell, who was born on a military base, has devoted an entire lifetime to supporting and protecting the U.S.
Now, it's our turn to support him. Many people have volunteered to solicit financial support for the Russell Campaign. I hope you'll join them.
John Murtha has said that being a congressman is all about "making deals." On the other hand, William Russell believe that being a congressman is all about making this a better -- freer, more secure, more prosperous -- country.
To win, Russell needs to add just ONE PERCENT to the votes George Bush received in the district in 2004. That's certainly not an impossible task.
Please visit http://williamrussellforcongress.com/ -- and do so today.
Steve Maloney
Ambridge, PA
INVESTOR'S BUSINESS DAILY SUPPORTS TROOPS AND MISSION
Posted 12/19/2007Year In Review: Time selects Vladimir Putin as its "Person of the Year" because of the stability he has brought to Russia.
Our choice is Gen. David Petraeus — the man who helped bring democracy to the Middle East.
Wednesday, November 7, 2007
How is John Murtha Like a Pig Farm?
. . . Because he continually exudes the stench (of corruption).
I'm continuing this week to work on my blog to make it better and more accessible to visitors. Bear with me . . . I'll be writing later today on how Republican candidate -- particularly William Russell (12th CD) and Melissa Hart (4th CD) -- can sell conservative economic principles to Pennsylvania voters. Congratulations to my friend Diana Lynn Irey (who ran against Murtha in 2006) for beint re-elected -- and decisively so -- as Washington County (PA) Commissioner. She "exceeded" expectations by getting more than 20,000 votes, the most ever garnered by a Republican candidate in Washington County. She's a lady with a bright future. As for Gov. Sarah Palin, I'll be writing more about her, starting this weekend. Sarah is a model for GOP candidates.
(More to Come later today -- Wednesday)
Scroll down to read how John Murtha is something like a pig farm . . . and how William Russell can campaign in a way that will allow him to beat Murtha , , , and how important media outlets -- including The Wall Street Journal and the Harrisburg Patriot are exposing Murtha's thuggish behavior. Also, note the piece below on why Murtha is not really a Western PA Democrat.
I'm continuing this week to work on my blog to make it better and more accessible to visitors. Bear with me . . . I'll be writing later today on how Republican candidate -- particularly William Russell (12th CD) and Melissa Hart (4th CD) -- can sell conservative economic principles to Pennsylvania voters. Congratulations to my friend Diana Lynn Irey (who ran against Murtha in 2006) for beint re-elected -- and decisively so -- as Washington County (PA) Commissioner. She "exceeded" expectations by getting more than 20,000 votes, the most ever garnered by a Republican candidate in Washington County. She's a lady with a bright future. As for Gov. Sarah Palin, I'll be writing more about her, starting this weekend. Sarah is a model for GOP candidates.
(More to Come later today -- Wednesday)
Scroll down to read how John Murtha is something like a pig farm . . . and how William Russell can campaign in a way that will allow him to beat Murtha , , , and how important media outlets -- including The Wall Street Journal and the Harrisburg Patriot are exposing Murtha's thuggish behavior. Also, note the piece below on why Murtha is not really a Western PA Democrat.
Tuesday, September 25, 2007
RUDY & SARAH: VICTORY in 2008
Sarah Palin and husband Todd in Dillingham, Alaska, with Alaska Teacher of the Year Ina Boucher
Diana Lynn Irey, Washington County (PA) Commissioner who gained a national following in her heroic campaign against John Murtha, is endorsing Rudy Giuliani for President. In 2006, Giuliani campaigned tirelessly for two conservative Pennsylvania Republicans: Senatorial candidate Rick Santorum and gubernatorial candidate Lynn Swann. Thanks Rudy. In the words of Sarah Palin (spoken about her son), "We have your back."
John Hawkins August 10, 2007 column (J.C.'s Corner) in "The Forgotten Street" gives a salute to Sarah Palin and the grass roots effort (led by Adam Brickley at http://palinforvp.blogspot.com).
He also mentions as possible females for higher office Texas Senator Kay Bailey Hutcheson and Tennessee Congresswoman Marsha Blackburn. I am opposed to either Kay (whom I like a lot) or Marsha (who is a fine congresswoman) getting consideration for higher office.
It makes no sense -- check out the Cheney fiasco -- to nominate people for Vice-President who have no chance, either because of age, health problems, or lack of energy -- to have a opportunity to run for President. That eliminates Kay Hutcheson.
What about Marsha Blackburn? She's only 55 years of age and she has a good record as a Tennessee state Senator and as a congresswoman, where she's been cited as one of the best "new" representatives. She's pretty, blonde, and relentlessly Republican.
However, Rep. Blackburn won her congressional seat in one of the most Republican districts in America -- an area stretching from the suburbs of Nashville to the suburbs of Memphis. In other words, she represents the classic GOP base: people who are white, generally affluent, and almost reflexively Republican.
Early in the presidential campaign,Blackburn was a staunch backer of Mitt Romney. Later, she switched her allegiance to her home-state candidate Fred Thompson.
To win elections -- and to avoid repeating the disaster of 2006 -- Republicans don't need to solidify the (Southern or Southwestern, white,well-off, significantly evangelical) base. Frankly, attractive as she is personally and politically, Mrs. Blackburn doesn't really add strength to the Republican ticket.
Exactly who is she going to attract that we don't have already?
In the coming election, a Republican who wants to win must contest effectively in states like Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and -- yes -- in Hillary's New York. The Republican Party in Ohio, usually a must-win state, is in disrepair, and Hillary will carry that state. She may also carrry Florida and Colorado, both with big Hispanic bases mainly ticked off at the Republican Party's stance on immigration.
Since 2004, the number of people who identify themselves as Republicans has declined by about 10%. The number who identify themselves as Democrats has risen by about 10%. Also, the number of Independents who lean Democratic has increased substantially.
In New Hampshire, three-fourths of the Independents say they will vote in the Democratic primary. Let me beat the networks by about 14 months and "declare" the Sununu Senate seat in New Hampshire lost. The Virginia Senate Seat vacated by Republican Warner? Also a sure loss against an extremely popular Democrat.
Republicans have problems with the following voting segments: Blacks, Hispanics, young people (voters under 35), women professionals (teachers, journalists, doctors, lawyers), gays (about 5% of the electorate in most states), and younger evangelicals. (In 2006, Democrats got 27% of the evangelical vote, up from 21% in 2004).
A person like Mrs. Blackburn might help some with female professionals, but I see her as a net negative with the other key groups.
Traditionally, the Republican Party has nominated aging male Caucasians. All too often, as I've said before, the vice-presidential choice has been an individual who's one or more of the following: aged, or corrupt, or unelectable. When asked why he put Agnew on the ticket in 1972, Nixon replied, "Because no one in his right mind would want to assassinate me." Maybe that comment gives some insight into Bush, Sr.'s curious allegiance to the intellectually challenged Dan Quayle.
Recently, the web site race42008 had a discussion about the GOP's presidential nominee's "need" to have a Black running-male (there being no Black females imaginable) on the ticket. The participants came up with every conceivable Black other than O. J. Simpson and Michael Vick. It was a sad display of tokenism and political naivete.
He also mentions as possible females for higher office Texas Senator Kay Bailey Hutcheson and Tennessee Congresswoman Marsha Blackburn. I am opposed to either Kay (whom I like a lot) or Marsha (who is a fine congresswoman) getting consideration for higher office.
It makes no sense -- check out the Cheney fiasco -- to nominate people for Vice-President who have no chance, either because of age, health problems, or lack of energy -- to have a opportunity to run for President. That eliminates Kay Hutcheson.
What about Marsha Blackburn? She's only 55 years of age and she has a good record as a Tennessee state Senator and as a congresswoman, where she's been cited as one of the best "new" representatives. She's pretty, blonde, and relentlessly Republican.
However, Rep. Blackburn won her congressional seat in one of the most Republican districts in America -- an area stretching from the suburbs of Nashville to the suburbs of Memphis. In other words, she represents the classic GOP base: people who are white, generally affluent, and almost reflexively Republican.
Early in the presidential campaign,Blackburn was a staunch backer of Mitt Romney. Later, she switched her allegiance to her home-state candidate Fred Thompson.
To win elections -- and to avoid repeating the disaster of 2006 -- Republicans don't need to solidify the (Southern or Southwestern, white,well-off, significantly evangelical) base. Frankly, attractive as she is personally and politically, Mrs. Blackburn doesn't really add strength to the Republican ticket.
Exactly who is she going to attract that we don't have already?
In the coming election, a Republican who wants to win must contest effectively in states like Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and -- yes -- in Hillary's New York. The Republican Party in Ohio, usually a must-win state, is in disrepair, and Hillary will carry that state. She may also carrry Florida and Colorado, both with big Hispanic bases mainly ticked off at the Republican Party's stance on immigration.
Since 2004, the number of people who identify themselves as Republicans has declined by about 10%. The number who identify themselves as Democrats has risen by about 10%. Also, the number of Independents who lean Democratic has increased substantially.
In New Hampshire, three-fourths of the Independents say they will vote in the Democratic primary. Let me beat the networks by about 14 months and "declare" the Sununu Senate seat in New Hampshire lost. The Virginia Senate Seat vacated by Republican Warner? Also a sure loss against an extremely popular Democrat.
Republicans have problems with the following voting segments: Blacks, Hispanics, young people (voters under 35), women professionals (teachers, journalists, doctors, lawyers), gays (about 5% of the electorate in most states), and younger evangelicals. (In 2006, Democrats got 27% of the evangelical vote, up from 21% in 2004).
A person like Mrs. Blackburn might help some with female professionals, but I see her as a net negative with the other key groups.
Traditionally, the Republican Party has nominated aging male Caucasians. All too often, as I've said before, the vice-presidential choice has been an individual who's one or more of the following: aged, or corrupt, or unelectable. When asked why he put Agnew on the ticket in 1972, Nixon replied, "Because no one in his right mind would want to assassinate me." Maybe that comment gives some insight into Bush, Sr.'s curious allegiance to the intellectually challenged Dan Quayle.
Recently, the web site race42008 had a discussion about the GOP's presidential nominee's "need" to have a Black running-male (there being no Black females imaginable) on the ticket. The participants came up with every conceivable Black other than O. J. Simpson and Michael Vick. It was a sad display of tokenism and political naivete.
But why Sarah Palin? She's scrupulously honest, which puts her at odds with the state's pervasively corrupt Republican office holders. She's able to win elections against both powerful Republicans (Frank Murkowski) and Democrats (Tony Knowles). She's completely uninterested in using political office to enrich herself and her family.
She's BOTH a female professional AND a working mother. She's not only FOR the "workingman," she's married to one (commercial fisherman and oil field production worker). She's a devoted Christian whose religious beliefs have NOT curdled into sanctimony and self-congratulation.
She not only "supports" our troops, but also has a beloved son -- Track -- who's one of them. She's an expert on energy and the environment, two of the great issues of our time. She's a lifetime advocate of the sanctity of life and gun rights, but does a minimum of pandering on either.
That's why I support Sarah Palin for vice-president and, in God's own good time, for President. Those with eyes to see detect signs there of another Washington, Lincoln, or Reagan. She's a person whose communication skills and character have earned her the nation's highest approval ratings.
She's a breath of fresh air in a political atmosphere -- Republican and Democrat -- that's generally stultifying.
The new national polls are coming out today. The Democratic version shows Hillary Clinton increasing her lead over Obama and Edwards, in keeping with her Gallup Poll ranking as the most popular woman in America -- Oprah is second.
The Republican Poll is as follows:
Rudy Giuliani 30%
Fred Thompson 22%
John McCain 16%
Mitt Romney 09%
Mike Huckabee 04%
One notable point in the poll is that Thompson is taking support from Huckabee. I'm hoping that Mike, a wonderful man, will read the handwriting on the wall and throw his support to Rudy Giuliani. When the time comes, I believe John McCain, a true American hero, will do the same.
George W. Bush, who knows something about winning elections, has said that the national polls are very important this time around because the primary itself will be "a national one." He's referring to the fact that 60%-plus of the nation will vote from the Florida primary (January 29) through Super Tuesday on Feb. 5.
In Pennsylvania, which will hold a "late" primary, Giuliani seems to have an insurmountable lead.
I strongly urge people interested in voting in the general election for someone other than Mrs. Clinton to back Rudy Giuliani. He's already focusing on the Democrats and has completely refrained from attacking Republicans.
I also urge Republicans to ask (beg?) Rudy to choose as his running mate Sarah Heath Palin.
Anyone who has seen Sarah in action will recognize that she will never be "Rudy's token." With her, Rudy will have his hands full, which is as it should be. I don't expect her to discard any of her core beliefs.
She's BOTH a female professional AND a working mother. She's not only FOR the "workingman," she's married to one (commercial fisherman and oil field production worker). She's a devoted Christian whose religious beliefs have NOT curdled into sanctimony and self-congratulation.
She not only "supports" our troops, but also has a beloved son -- Track -- who's one of them. She's an expert on energy and the environment, two of the great issues of our time. She's a lifetime advocate of the sanctity of life and gun rights, but does a minimum of pandering on either.
That's why I support Sarah Palin for vice-president and, in God's own good time, for President. Those with eyes to see detect signs there of another Washington, Lincoln, or Reagan. She's a person whose communication skills and character have earned her the nation's highest approval ratings.
She's a breath of fresh air in a political atmosphere -- Republican and Democrat -- that's generally stultifying.
The new national polls are coming out today. The Democratic version shows Hillary Clinton increasing her lead over Obama and Edwards, in keeping with her Gallup Poll ranking as the most popular woman in America -- Oprah is second.
The Republican Poll is as follows:
Rudy Giuliani 30%
Fred Thompson 22%
John McCain 16%
Mitt Romney 09%
Mike Huckabee 04%
One notable point in the poll is that Thompson is taking support from Huckabee. I'm hoping that Mike, a wonderful man, will read the handwriting on the wall and throw his support to Rudy Giuliani. When the time comes, I believe John McCain, a true American hero, will do the same.
George W. Bush, who knows something about winning elections, has said that the national polls are very important this time around because the primary itself will be "a national one." He's referring to the fact that 60%-plus of the nation will vote from the Florida primary (January 29) through Super Tuesday on Feb. 5.
In Pennsylvania, which will hold a "late" primary, Giuliani seems to have an insurmountable lead.
I strongly urge people interested in voting in the general election for someone other than Mrs. Clinton to back Rudy Giuliani. He's already focusing on the Democrats and has completely refrained from attacking Republicans.
I also urge Republicans to ask (beg?) Rudy to choose as his running mate Sarah Heath Palin.
Anyone who has seen Sarah in action will recognize that she will never be "Rudy's token." With her, Rudy will have his hands full, which is as it should be. I don't expect her to discard any of her core beliefs.
Together, they can supply dynamic leadership in a time when the country desperately needs it.
Stephen R. Maloney
Ambridge, PA
From today's Anchorage Daily News (http://adn.com): Following in the footsteps of North Dakota. Gov. Sarah Palin has been picked to serve as chair of Interstate Oil and Gas Compact Commission in 2007-08, according to a state-issued press release. Palin succeeds North Dakota Gov. John Hoeven as head of the group, which promotes the conservation and efficient recovery of the nation’s oil and natural gas resources.
NOTE: MUCH OF MY EFFORT BETWEEN NOW AND SUPER TUESDAY (FEB. 5, 2008) WILL BE ON BEHALF OF RUDY GIULIANI'S CANDIDACY FOR THE REPUBLICAN NOMINATION. AT THE SAME TIME, I'LL DEVOTE AS MUCH TIME AS I CAN TO THE OTHER CANDIDATES I SUPPORT, ESPECIALLY GOV. SARAH HEATH PALIN OF ALASKA AND DIANA LYNN IREY OF PENNSYLVANIA.
Evangelical Extremism is Destroying Mike Huckabee's campaign:
On Mike Huckabee's main blog today (Tuesday), he reprints a letter from Dr. L. White, a Lutheran pastor in Houston. I urge you to read it -- and also read some of White's anti-American tirades. Here's my response to the White letter and his other writings, especially "God and Caesar," which is available at: http://mtio.com/articles/bissar55.htm
I've posted a comment on Gov. Huckabee's blog about Dr. Laurence White. I don't know whether it will get printed. I've probably written enough about Dr. White, a thoroughly evil egomaniac.
In his essay "God and Caesar," White compares America to Nazi Germany, saying the following: "America finds itself today in the midst of a moral catastrophe. We have cast aside the most basic standards of human decency. We have broken marriages and fractured families. Our youth are losing their way and often their lives in a maze of alcohol and drugs. We live in the midst of a culture that mistakes lust for love and tolerates the vilest perversions as acceptable alternate lifestyles while pestilence stalks the land. Our public schools have become facilitators for fornication and procurers for the abortionists knife. America has sown the wind of immorality and we are reaping the whirlwind of destruction and death. We have degenerated into a nation rolling in luxury, reveling in excess, rollicking in pleasure, revolting in morals, and rotting in sin. Personal responsibility, duty and honor have been abandoned in our mindless pursuit of instant gratification for our every desire."
Frankly, people who agree with Dr. White should not spend time blogging for Mike. Rather, if things were anywhere near as bad as he says, the proper response would be to engage in violent revolution. Dr. White's extremist comments are the kind that influence "pro-life-killers" like Eric Rudolph and Paul Hill.
Why is an attractive and articulate candidate like Mike Huckabee getting only a dismal 4% in the latest national polls? I fear it's because many Americans somehow associate Mike and his cause with the Dr. Whites of the world.
The Huckabee campaign made a major mistake in posting White's vicious screed against America. The country is not about to elect anyone who has a deep loathing for this country.
The Huckabee campaign disavowed the anti-Catholic statements of one its supporters (Dr. Ride in Iowa). It should do the same with White's comments.
TWO VIEWS OF MIKE HUCKABEE: MATT & STEVE
Note: As the week goes on, I'll talk about a few of the many columns I've written on Gov. Sarah Heath Palin and why I think she would be a dynamic -- and successful -- candidate for the nation's highest offices. On my blogroll you'll find dozens of bloggers who support Sarah for the nation's highest offices. If you'd like to "sign-up" as a Sarah supporter, please contact Adam Brickley at his site (http://palinforvp.blogspot.com/)
Before that, however, I'll talk about correspondence I've received from Matt in Washington state (http://senseinpolitics.blogspot.com/) and John Hawkins in Florida (http://theforgottenstreet.com/)
In response to my recent column indicating that I believe the Mike Huckabee's effort to get the Republican nomination cannot not succeed, Matt in Washington state sent me the following e-mail:
Stephen, I saw your posting in which you say you withdraw Mike Huckabee from consideration. I understand your reasons why, and let me add some [about] why I support Huckabee. It is because he has articulated so eloquently things I have been thinking of for quite some time. Things I would expound on if I were running for political office. Positions I would collectively call " Practical Conservatism." He seems to be trying to lead the conservative movement away from vitriol and rhetoric to more practical solutions to problems. That is where you and I are.
As for his winning, well, he could just be another Goldwater. He'll blaze the trail for another person who will come along and say the same things to a more receptive audience. I think that some of his ideas are light years ahead of what is currently being preached as policy, particularly in the realm of health care. Because he thinks outside the box, and because he holds to his principles while still being likable, he is the one I am truly fired up about. Some had the same feeling for Bobby Kennedy.
But I am realistic, I will be satisfied if Giuliani or McCain get in (hopefully with Gov. Palin). Giuliani being president won't mean that we'll have more abortions in this country, and I doubt that the current status would change even if Huckabee got in. Giuliani comes across as urbane and sophisticated; heck, he's from New York! Sure he's had issues in his personal life that make me have a few questions. But we've had a divorced man as Commander in Chief -- Reagan, who also was Republican -- so that should be put to rest. Giuliani has crossover appeal, and could actually put my state (Washington) in play.
I want to run for office someday, and I think that a variation of Huckabee's platform would appeal to the large number of Independents we have here. I'd have to be looked at as a moderate if I wanted any chance of winning statewide office as a Republican.
This e-mail has run longer than I originally wanted, but I wanted to say check out my newest posting today on "Gun Control for Criminals" and let me know what you think.
Thanks for listening . . .
Matt (E-mail at: corpsole2@olypen.com)
Steve's Response: Matt, your supportive comments about Mike Huckabee are pretty much in line with my own views of the man. I just don't believe he or Fred can win a year from November. (Admittedly, in the early part of 1992, I didn't believe Bill Clinton had a chance against Bush, Sr., who was coming off a period of great popularity after the Gulf War.)
What has changed since then is the huge amount of money needed to advertise on TV in the Super Tuesday states (including California and New York, as well as several other large states). Super Tuesday comes shortly after the Florida primary, which will also require a lot of money. I expect Giuliani and Romney to have significant amounts of campaign cash, and Thompson MAY have enough to keep afloat. McCain is always a question mark, but he seems to be doing better.
Can Mike Huckabee possibly have a dramatic surge among primary voters? In that regard, one candidate in modern times has had an amazing take-off, and that was John Kerry, who was at 9% in late November, 2003 and was at 52% in February, 2004. (Howard Dean screamed himself out of the running, and John Edwards was always more popular with the media than with voters, so it was relatively easy for Kerry to move up quickly.)
In the race for 2008, the only real movement in the polls over the last several months has been by Hillary Clinton with her putting distance between herself and Obama. Giuliani has been at 30% since the last Ice Age.
By the way, one national poll showed Romney with higher unfavorables than Hillary Clinton. She has high favorables (high 40s) and high unfavorables (mid-40s). The highest favorables of any candidate are those for Giuliani. People who say they aren't going to vote for Rudy in the primary still have a favorable view of him.
I've read that nearly six-out-of-ten Americans haven't seen so much as ONE debate. The current campaign started very early, but it's still mainly of interest to political junkies like us.
Evangelical-type candidates in the Northeast and West (Dreier in Cal., Irey in PA) tend to be gravitating toward Rudy. Hard-right evangelicals like Dobson are attacking Thompson, mostly for his virtues rather than his faults. He's not for an amendment banning gay "marriage," mainly because such an amendment doesn't have a snowball's chance in Hades of passing.
Also, he's against a total ban on abortion because (1) it wouldn't pass either the Senate or the House; (2) it would criminalize women and doctors involved in early-term abortions. There's massive national support for allowing such abortions -- 84% believe it should be allowable.
Overall, Mike Huckabee should have a bright political future. With Fred Thompson, I believe his political career is behind him.
If I had to go way out on a limb, I'd guess the Democratic ticket will be: Clinton-Richardson. The Republican ticket may well be Giuliani-Palin.
Steve (e-mail at: TalkTop65@aol.com)
Before that, however, I'll talk about correspondence I've received from Matt in Washington state (http://senseinpolitics.blogspot.com/) and John Hawkins in Florida (http://theforgottenstreet.com/)
In response to my recent column indicating that I believe the Mike Huckabee's effort to get the Republican nomination cannot not succeed, Matt in Washington state sent me the following e-mail:
Stephen, I saw your posting in which you say you withdraw Mike Huckabee from consideration. I understand your reasons why, and let me add some [about] why I support Huckabee. It is because he has articulated so eloquently things I have been thinking of for quite some time. Things I would expound on if I were running for political office. Positions I would collectively call " Practical Conservatism." He seems to be trying to lead the conservative movement away from vitriol and rhetoric to more practical solutions to problems. That is where you and I are.
As for his winning, well, he could just be another Goldwater. He'll blaze the trail for another person who will come along and say the same things to a more receptive audience. I think that some of his ideas are light years ahead of what is currently being preached as policy, particularly in the realm of health care. Because he thinks outside the box, and because he holds to his principles while still being likable, he is the one I am truly fired up about. Some had the same feeling for Bobby Kennedy.
But I am realistic, I will be satisfied if Giuliani or McCain get in (hopefully with Gov. Palin). Giuliani being president won't mean that we'll have more abortions in this country, and I doubt that the current status would change even if Huckabee got in. Giuliani comes across as urbane and sophisticated; heck, he's from New York! Sure he's had issues in his personal life that make me have a few questions. But we've had a divorced man as Commander in Chief -- Reagan, who also was Republican -- so that should be put to rest. Giuliani has crossover appeal, and could actually put my state (Washington) in play.
I want to run for office someday, and I think that a variation of Huckabee's platform would appeal to the large number of Independents we have here. I'd have to be looked at as a moderate if I wanted any chance of winning statewide office as a Republican.
This e-mail has run longer than I originally wanted, but I wanted to say check out my newest posting today on "Gun Control for Criminals" and let me know what you think.
Thanks for listening . . .
Matt (E-mail at: corpsole2@olypen.com)
Steve's Response: Matt, your supportive comments about Mike Huckabee are pretty much in line with my own views of the man. I just don't believe he or Fred can win a year from November. (Admittedly, in the early part of 1992, I didn't believe Bill Clinton had a chance against Bush, Sr., who was coming off a period of great popularity after the Gulf War.)
What has changed since then is the huge amount of money needed to advertise on TV in the Super Tuesday states (including California and New York, as well as several other large states). Super Tuesday comes shortly after the Florida primary, which will also require a lot of money. I expect Giuliani and Romney to have significant amounts of campaign cash, and Thompson MAY have enough to keep afloat. McCain is always a question mark, but he seems to be doing better.
Can Mike Huckabee possibly have a dramatic surge among primary voters? In that regard, one candidate in modern times has had an amazing take-off, and that was John Kerry, who was at 9% in late November, 2003 and was at 52% in February, 2004. (Howard Dean screamed himself out of the running, and John Edwards was always more popular with the media than with voters, so it was relatively easy for Kerry to move up quickly.)
In the race for 2008, the only real movement in the polls over the last several months has been by Hillary Clinton with her putting distance between herself and Obama. Giuliani has been at 30% since the last Ice Age.
By the way, one national poll showed Romney with higher unfavorables than Hillary Clinton. She has high favorables (high 40s) and high unfavorables (mid-40s). The highest favorables of any candidate are those for Giuliani. People who say they aren't going to vote for Rudy in the primary still have a favorable view of him.
I've read that nearly six-out-of-ten Americans haven't seen so much as ONE debate. The current campaign started very early, but it's still mainly of interest to political junkies like us.
Evangelical-type candidates in the Northeast and West (Dreier in Cal., Irey in PA) tend to be gravitating toward Rudy. Hard-right evangelicals like Dobson are attacking Thompson, mostly for his virtues rather than his faults. He's not for an amendment banning gay "marriage," mainly because such an amendment doesn't have a snowball's chance in Hades of passing.
Also, he's against a total ban on abortion because (1) it wouldn't pass either the Senate or the House; (2) it would criminalize women and doctors involved in early-term abortions. There's massive national support for allowing such abortions -- 84% believe it should be allowable.
Overall, Mike Huckabee should have a bright political future. With Fred Thompson, I believe his political career is behind him.
If I had to go way out on a limb, I'd guess the Democratic ticket will be: Clinton-Richardson. The Republican ticket may well be Giuliani-Palin.
Steve (e-mail at: TalkTop65@aol.com)
Thursday, September 20, 2007
Palin, Hart, Irey, Jindal, Wilson, Pippy: They Deserve Your Support
NOTE: ON OCTOBER 3, 2007, I'M GOING TO ENDORSE A CANDIDATE FOR PRESIDENT. I'VE SAID FAVORABLE THINGS ABOUT SEVERAL OF THOSE WHO ARE IN CONTENTION, BUT I'LL PICK THE ONE MOST LIKELY TO CHOOSE SARAH PALIN AS HIS RUNNING MATE. "BUSINESS-AS-USUAL" IS NO LONGER ACCEPTABLE FOR REPUBLICANS. WE NEED A DYNAMIC AND DIVERSE TICKET, ONE WHERE THE CANDIDATES MAY EVEN DISAGREE (IMAGINE THAT!) ON A FEW SIGNIFICANT ISSUES.
Also on October 3, 2007, Diana Lynn Irey, a Washington County (PA) Commissioner will hold a fundraiser/reception south of Pittsburgh, PA. Attendees who will participate in a political roundtable include: former Senator Rick Santorum, former congresswoman (and candidate to regain her seat) Melissa Hart, and State Senator and Iraq War veteran James Pippy. This will be a meeting of Republican political heavyweights, and I'll report on what they have to say.
If you're interested in attending, please let me know, and I've give you further details.
At the get-together, I intend to promote the candidacy of Sarah Palin for the vice-presidential slot and for the presidency in either 2012 or 2016, or both (depending on the circumstances). I'm hoping that Sarah might just show up as a mystery guest. People like Sarah, Diana, James, and Melissa (formerly my congresswoman) are the best our Party has to offer. They're individuals who adhere to the highest ethical standards and commit themselves totally to representing their constituents.
As I've indicated previously, I'm going to devote this blog primarily to promoting the candidacies of people like Diana, Rick, Melissa, and James. I hope to raise some money for them, but my main goal is to build a base of activists who solicit votes for the candidates.
Two other individuals are very much on my online radar: Heather A. Wilson, congresswoman from the Albuquerque area, and "Bobby" Jindal, a Lousiana congressman who's running for the gubernatorial seat now held by Kathleeen Blanco.
It's essential that Republican activists focus on supporting people who can build the Party. Such people don't even give off a whiff of scandal. They recognize the need to broaden the base of the Party. They have participated in tough elections -- and won them. Specifically, they know how to attract not only Republicans, but also Independents and Democrats.
My highlighted candidates will be mainly (but not exclusively) women. Why? Because the Republican Party desperately needs more females in all elective offices.
Right now, there are three Republican women governors -- and five Democrats. In the U.S. Senate, there are five Republican females -- and 11 Democrats. In the House, there are 21 Republican women -- and 50 Democrats. We need more Republicans of the female "persuasion" running for such offfices, and winning them.
We need candidates of both sexes with whom voters can identify. Take Sarah Palin of Alasksa. She's a wife and a mother (of four children). She not only "supports our troops," but is the mother of one. She's married to an authentic working man, Todd. She's an expert on energy and the environment. She's a true reformer, committed to cleansing her Party of corrupt individuals. She knows how to run against entrenched opponents, Republican and Democrat, and defeat them at the polls.
Currently, she's the most popular elected official in the country -- and for good reasons. For Alaskans, she's not just THE governor. She's THEIR governor. She "has their backs."
The other candidates I'm strongly recommending have similar qualities. They're fine people, and they deserve your backing.
Stephen R. Maloney
P.S. I'm asking readers to recommend perhaps two more candidates who are exemplary people. Please leave the name(s) in either a comment or an e-mail to me: TalkTop65@aol.com.
My wife and I visited our family doctor, Kathleen Osten of Ambridge Area Healthcare, today. Kathleen is an Air Force veteran (who served at the base in Wichita Falls, TX). Her partners are Donna Craig, also an Air Force veteran, and Michael Karp, an Army veteran who's made several humanitarian visits to Africa. I've encountered many physicians over the years, but these three "vets" are the absolute best.
Also on October 3, 2007, Diana Lynn Irey, a Washington County (PA) Commissioner will hold a fundraiser/reception south of Pittsburgh, PA. Attendees who will participate in a political roundtable include: former Senator Rick Santorum, former congresswoman (and candidate to regain her seat) Melissa Hart, and State Senator and Iraq War veteran James Pippy. This will be a meeting of Republican political heavyweights, and I'll report on what they have to say.
If you're interested in attending, please let me know, and I've give you further details.
At the get-together, I intend to promote the candidacy of Sarah Palin for the vice-presidential slot and for the presidency in either 2012 or 2016, or both (depending on the circumstances). I'm hoping that Sarah might just show up as a mystery guest. People like Sarah, Diana, James, and Melissa (formerly my congresswoman) are the best our Party has to offer. They're individuals who adhere to the highest ethical standards and commit themselves totally to representing their constituents.
As I've indicated previously, I'm going to devote this blog primarily to promoting the candidacies of people like Diana, Rick, Melissa, and James. I hope to raise some money for them, but my main goal is to build a base of activists who solicit votes for the candidates.
Two other individuals are very much on my online radar: Heather A. Wilson, congresswoman from the Albuquerque area, and "Bobby" Jindal, a Lousiana congressman who's running for the gubernatorial seat now held by Kathleeen Blanco.
It's essential that Republican activists focus on supporting people who can build the Party. Such people don't even give off a whiff of scandal. They recognize the need to broaden the base of the Party. They have participated in tough elections -- and won them. Specifically, they know how to attract not only Republicans, but also Independents and Democrats.
My highlighted candidates will be mainly (but not exclusively) women. Why? Because the Republican Party desperately needs more females in all elective offices.
Right now, there are three Republican women governors -- and five Democrats. In the U.S. Senate, there are five Republican females -- and 11 Democrats. In the House, there are 21 Republican women -- and 50 Democrats. We need more Republicans of the female "persuasion" running for such offfices, and winning them.
We need candidates of both sexes with whom voters can identify. Take Sarah Palin of Alasksa. She's a wife and a mother (of four children). She not only "supports our troops," but is the mother of one. She's married to an authentic working man, Todd. She's an expert on energy and the environment. She's a true reformer, committed to cleansing her Party of corrupt individuals. She knows how to run against entrenched opponents, Republican and Democrat, and defeat them at the polls.
Currently, she's the most popular elected official in the country -- and for good reasons. For Alaskans, she's not just THE governor. She's THEIR governor. She "has their backs."
The other candidates I'm strongly recommending have similar qualities. They're fine people, and they deserve your backing.
Stephen R. Maloney
P.S. I'm asking readers to recommend perhaps two more candidates who are exemplary people. Please leave the name(s) in either a comment or an e-mail to me: TalkTop65@aol.com.
My wife and I visited our family doctor, Kathleen Osten of Ambridge Area Healthcare, today. Kathleen is an Air Force veteran (who served at the base in Wichita Falls, TX). Her partners are Donna Craig, also an Air Force veteran, and Michael Karp, an Army veteran who's made several humanitarian visits to Africa. I've encountered many physicians over the years, but these three "vets" are the absolute best.
Kathleen has three young children, and she works two-three days a week. I asked her today when she got time off, and she said, "When I sleep."
Once when my wife Pat (who's disabled) and I went in, I mentioned that my spouse needed a pap smear. Kathleen looked over at Pat and said, "Lucky her." Imagine that: a doctor with a sense of humor!
She's a great reader of body language and tone of voice. I come from the generation that generally fibs to doctors, and she invariably catches me.
How do medical doctors become veterans? In most cases, the military is paying for their medical school training -- in return for several years of service. In short, these are "ordinary people" who are bright enough to get into med school, but generally lack the $200,000-plus needed to pay for it.
I asked Kathleen what she thought of her time in Wichita Falls. She said, "I loved it." I have a hunch she loves most of the things -- and people -- in her life. I have news for Kathleen: her patients also love her.
Thursday, September 13, 2007
Visitors and Victory
Within a day or so, this site will go over 11,000 visitors since Campaign2008VictoryA began last April. It started on Townhall.com, which I ultimately decided was not somewhere I really wanted to be, and I moved to blogspot.com, where I am now. Earlier in this week, I began writing about the abortion issue and proposed a Human Life Amendment that actually would have a chance of passing. The main purpose of this column has become to advance the political career of a remarkable leader, Sarah Heath Palin, the Governor of Alaska. I've never met Sarah face-to-face, but I feel now that I know her as if she'd been living in the guest room. The future of our wonderful country rests on the ascendance of people like Sarah and my other political heroine, Diana Lynn Irey of Washington County, PA (http://irey.com). I always appreciate your paying this site a visit, and I hope you'll leave comments whenever you wish. God bless. I've have a few short pieces up before noon on Friday.
Stephen R. Maloney
Stephen R. Maloney
Tuesday, August 28, 2007
Two Great Candidates (Huckabee & Palin) and An Awful One (Larry Craig)
Please don't skip over the material at the bottom of this post dealing with disgraced Republican Senator Larry Craig's pleading guilty to lewd conduct in a Minneapolis restroom. It's depressing, but it's important to face reality.
Note to supporters of MIKE HUCKABEE and other candidates, the best way to learn about Sarah Palin is to read some of the national articles praising her, all of them listed on my blogroll (Fred Barnes' "The Most Popular Governor" in The Weekly Standard, White House Correspondent Les Kinsolving in WorldNetDaily, Dimitri Vassilaros in the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review), SJ Reidhead on BlogCritics, and Tom Koenniger in The Columbian). The Wikipedia article on Sarah (type in her name) is short but accurate. If you're interested in blog sites backing Sarah, look at: http://palinforvp.blogspot.com/, http://palintology.com/ (an Alaska site), http://outsideofthebox.townhall.com/, as well as pro-Huckabee sites such as http://onemom.wordpress.com/, http://opinionatedcatholic.blogspot.com/ and http://themaritimesentry.blogspot.com/. Please join us in our efforts to get the most electable woman on the GOP ticket. If you're interested, leave a comment or send me an e-mail at TalkTop65@aol.com.
A big welcome to the newest Palin Fan (and a strong supporter of Mike Huckabee), a guy named "Nuke" who does Nuke's News & Views at: http://conservablogs.com/nuke/
In my comments section for yesterday's column, you'll notice NY Catholic Mom saying that Sarah should hold her political fire until Mike Huckabee has served two terms and Sarah's kids "are grown." Three of the kids are pretty well grown by now, including a boy who will soon be 19. The following in blue is my response:
MINNEAPOLIS (Aug. 28) - Idaho Sen. Larry Craig is a conservative Republican who has voted against gay marriage and opposes hate crimes legislation that would extend special protections to gay and lesbian crime victims.
Sen. Larry Craig, R-Idaho, confirmed on Monday that he pleaded guilty earlier this month to a charge of disorderly conduct after he was arrested at an airport. In the wake of Craig's guilty plea on misdemeanor charges stemming from complaints of lewd conduct in a men's restroom at the Minneapolis airport, his political future is in question. The three-term senator, who has represented Idaho in Congress for more than a quarter-century, is up for re-election next year. He hasn't said if he will run for a fourth term in 2008 and was expected to announce his plans this fall. A spokesman, Sidney Smith, was uncertain late Monday if Craig's guilty plea would affect his re-election plans.
Steve says: Affect his re-election plans? What re-election plans? This pitiful guy is political dead meat. I am sick of people, especially those who masquerade as "conservative Republicans," engaging in sexual misconduct. It's disheartening to see Republicans (Rep. Mark Foley, Sen. David Vitter, and Randall Tobias (Hollywood-Madam-customer) appealing to the "Republican base" with demagoguery and pandering -- and then engaging in the basest of behavior. In dealing with the "base," their motto is let them eat rhetoric.
Sen. Larry Craig should resign, and should do it today. Sinful and disgusting behavior by such people is an arrow in the heart of our many decent candidates, including people like MIke Huckabee, Sarah Palin, Michael Steele, Heather Wilson, and Diana Lynn Irey. The "narrative" people like Craig construct is one that says Republican elected officials are corrupt hypocrites. The fact that there were problems with the way Craig conducted himself should not come as a major surprise (for decades there have been rumors that Craig is gay, although married). As William F. Buckley, Jr. said many years ago: "Self-control is the most exhilarating of pleasures." Too bad that people like Foley and Craig don't heed that admonition.
Note to supporters of MIKE HUCKABEE and other candidates, the best way to learn about Sarah Palin is to read some of the national articles praising her, all of them listed on my blogroll (Fred Barnes' "The Most Popular Governor" in The Weekly Standard, White House Correspondent Les Kinsolving in WorldNetDaily, Dimitri Vassilaros in the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review), SJ Reidhead on BlogCritics, and Tom Koenniger in The Columbian). The Wikipedia article on Sarah (type in her name) is short but accurate. If you're interested in blog sites backing Sarah, look at: http://palinforvp.blogspot.com/, http://palintology.com/ (an Alaska site), http://outsideofthebox.townhall.com/, as well as pro-Huckabee sites such as http://onemom.wordpress.com/, http://opinionatedcatholic.blogspot.com/ and http://themaritimesentry.blogspot.com/. Please join us in our efforts to get the most electable woman on the GOP ticket. If you're interested, leave a comment or send me an e-mail at TalkTop65@aol.com.
A big welcome to the newest Palin Fan (and a strong supporter of Mike Huckabee), a guy named "Nuke" who does Nuke's News & Views at: http://conservablogs.com/nuke/
In my comments section for yesterday's column, you'll notice NY Catholic Mom saying that Sarah should hold her political fire until Mike Huckabee has served two terms and Sarah's kids "are grown." Three of the kids are pretty well grown by now, including a boy who will soon be 19. The following in blue is my response:
Dear Catholic Mom: Sarah seems to have done a wonderful job (along with her husband, Todd) with her kids to this point. From the polls, it looks likely (though not inevitable) that Hillary Rodham Clinton will be the next President of the U.S. The push to get Sarah on the ticket is an effort to forestall that from happening.
If Mike Huckabee or any Republican presidential candidate doesn't have an absolutely dynamite running mate, then the only time he will spend in the White House will be on a visitor's pass. Yesterday, a blogger for Huckabee noted that "It's time for Mike to take some risks." He said a mouthful.
People who believe Mrs. Clinton will be easy to beat are in denial, ignoring her tremendous financial and political resources, as well as her strong appeal to several large voting blocs. In generic polls (do you prefer a Republican or a Democrat for President?) the Democrat wins by 52-39%.
In her first Senate race in New York, Mrs. Clinton ran against a popular young congressman, Rick Lazio. Despite being called a carpetbagger and every other name in the book, she won 55 percent to 43 percent, which in New York qualifies as a landslide.
New York is a much more diverse state than most people think. It has a rich ethnic and racial blend. One surprise is that the state has a huge number of farms, and dozens of small and medium-sized cities, as well as many villages.
If Mrs. Clinton wins in 2008, her opponent in 2012 might very well be Gov. Sarah Palin. Poll data (I can provide if you'd like to see it) shows the Democrats doing very well among Catholic voters. That data has been generated by Rasmussen and Pew, two highly respected survey firms.
The Republican Party has also done poorly for nearly 30 years with women professionals (teachers, doctors, lawyers, businesswomen, nurses) for 30 years, and that gap is widening. The current thinking among most experts is that the Republican Party will get skunked in most important races, including the one for the Presidency.
It wouldn't benefit Mike to choose a male Caucasian (a Fred Thompson or Newt Gingrich) with very limited appeal to voters generally, as the Republican Party has done over and over and over again since the Eisenhower era. If the Republican Party has stars -- and Mike truly is one -- then it is time to present them to the voters.
Gov. Palin has more executive experience than Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama, and John Edwards -- combined. That executive experience comes from two terms as Mayor of Alaska's fastest growing town (Wasilla) and as governor of a state that's crucial to America's energy future. She also serves as chairman of energy resources for the Republican Governors' Association.
In a Republican Party (see the material below on Sen. Craig) beset by corruption and sexual misconduct, Sarah Palin is a model of ethical behavior. In her tenure on the Alaska Oil and Gas Commission, she blew the whistle on ethical misconduct by the head of the state's Repubican Party and on Alaska's Attorney-General.
The Republican Party has only two women -- a shamefully low number -- who could run effectively on the national ticket. They are Congresswoman (and Air Force veteran) Heather Wilson of NM and Gov. Sarah Palin of Alaska. I don't think the message we want to send to women interested in public service is that they had best ally themselves with the Democrats.
Surveys demonstrate that 92% of Americans are ready to vote for a qualified woman for President. Gee, what woman might that be? Apparently, Republican women make up most of the 8% who are not ready to vote for a woman for the highest office. That is just plain sad, and hopefully candidates like Sarah will rectify the situation.
As you can see, a great deal of thought has preceded the many thousands of hours people have spent on Sarah's behalf. IT IS NOT A CASUAL SUGGESTION.
(Note: A good chunk of the statistics I cite are drawn from a figure who's young but has almost achieved sainthood in the conservative movement, Patrick Hynes. You can find the material in his article, "Identity Group Conservatism," at the following link: http://anklebitingpundits.com/content/index.php?p=2496)
steve maloney
MINNEAPOLIS (Aug. 28) - Idaho Sen. Larry Craig is a conservative Republican who has voted against gay marriage and opposes hate crimes legislation that would extend special protections to gay and lesbian crime victims.
Sen. Larry Craig, R-Idaho, confirmed on Monday that he pleaded guilty earlier this month to a charge of disorderly conduct after he was arrested at an airport. In the wake of Craig's guilty plea on misdemeanor charges stemming from complaints of lewd conduct in a men's restroom at the Minneapolis airport, his political future is in question. The three-term senator, who has represented Idaho in Congress for more than a quarter-century, is up for re-election next year. He hasn't said if he will run for a fourth term in 2008 and was expected to announce his plans this fall. A spokesman, Sidney Smith, was uncertain late Monday if Craig's guilty plea would affect his re-election plans.
Steve says: Affect his re-election plans? What re-election plans? This pitiful guy is political dead meat. I am sick of people, especially those who masquerade as "conservative Republicans," engaging in sexual misconduct. It's disheartening to see Republicans (Rep. Mark Foley, Sen. David Vitter, and Randall Tobias (Hollywood-Madam-customer) appealing to the "Republican base" with demagoguery and pandering -- and then engaging in the basest of behavior. In dealing with the "base," their motto is let them eat rhetoric.
Sen. Larry Craig should resign, and should do it today. Sinful and disgusting behavior by such people is an arrow in the heart of our many decent candidates, including people like MIke Huckabee, Sarah Palin, Michael Steele, Heather Wilson, and Diana Lynn Irey. The "narrative" people like Craig construct is one that says Republican elected officials are corrupt hypocrites. The fact that there were problems with the way Craig conducted himself should not come as a major surprise (for decades there have been rumors that Craig is gay, although married). As William F. Buckley, Jr. said many years ago: "Self-control is the most exhilarating of pleasures." Too bad that people like Foley and Craig don't heed that admonition.
Wednesday, August 1, 2007
Campaign Finances: Government Of, By, and For the Rich
"Money is the mother's milk of politics." -- Thomas "Tip" O'Neill, former Speaker of the House
Scott Fitzgerald (supposedly): "The rich are different from you and me." Ernest Hemingway (supposedly): "Yes, they have more money."
Unless something important comes up -- and it usually does -- I want to write some this week about one of my favorite subjects: money in politics. I'm inspired in this direction because of discussions I've had with several Mike Huckabee supporters, most of whom are also supporting Gov. Sarah Palin.
In the second quarter of the year, Mike Huckabee raised three-quarters-of-a-million dollars. He's said he has enough money to get him through the Ames (Iowa) Straw Poll, which takes place in late August. Mike believes if he places second at Ames -- Mitt Romney will be the winner -- he will be more attractive to donors and will raise more money.
He needs it. Unfortunately, $750,000 (give or take a few bucks) is a drop-in-the-bucket. Barack Obama raised $32 million; Hillary Clinton raised $27 million; Rudy Giuliani raised nearly $18 million; and Mitt Romney raised about $14 million -- after surprising everyone by raising $21 million in the first quarter.
How does a guy like Mitt Romney raise so much more than an attractive conservative (and super guy) like Mike Huckabee. There are two explanation: as a former head of Bain Capital, Romney knows a lot of very rich people. Second, he got major contributions from a relatively untapped group, Mormons (Latter-Day-Saints).
One Provo, Utah man and his wife had never before contributed to a presidential candidate gave Romney the maximum allowable, a combined total of $4,600. They were not unique among Latter-Day-Saints, especially those in Utah and California.
Mike Huckabee has served as a Southern Baptist preacher and is a former governor of Arkansas. On average, Baptists and other evangelicals are not nearly as well-heeled as Mormons. Also, Arkansas is NOT a big-money state, unlike Romney's Massachusetts (where he was governor) and Michigan (where he was born and where he headquarters his campaign).
I'm rather intimately acquainted with the problems Mike faces. In 2006, I was extremely active in Diana Lynn Irey's campaign against the odious John Murtha in Pennsylvania's 12th Congressional District (an area mainly in southwestern Pennsylvan, including Johnstown (Murtha's home) and Washington (Diana's home.
In that campaign -- you can find most of this information at opensecrets.org link on the blogroll -- Murtha raised $3.5 million, most of it from political action committees (PACS) and big donors. Diana, with an heroic fundraising campaign, raised nearly $900,000.
At one point, Murtha accused Diana of being financed by "out-of-state" sources, which was -- let me put it politely -- a lie. Nearly four-of-every-five dollars Diana raised came from Pennsylvania, some of it from my wife and me, as well as from friends we solicited for contributions.
Murtha got most of his money from the DC suburbs of Maryland and Virginia, where million-dollar-mansions are a dime-a-dozen. Who lives there? The LOBBYISTS -- the people benefitted by appropriations from John Murtha's activities and "earmarks" -- live there. They weren't handing Murtha thousands -- and tens of thousands -- of dollars for his work in solidifying good government.
Well, since Murtha raised four times as much money as Diana, he must have had a lot more contributors, right? No, WRONG. He had a total of 6,500 contributors. Diana had 7,000, with contributions from all 50 states, including some from Hawaii and Alaska.
(Someday, when I'm in a really nasty mood, I'll tell you how Murtha spent that money. He uses an approach that my wife, who's half-Italian describes as, "You sratcha my back, and I scratcha you back." It's basically a transfer of funds, where a vendor of services contributes to Murtha, and the congressman "contributes" back to the vendor. . Gee, why don't the local newspapers expose this scam? The owner of one important newspaper -- Richard Mellon Scaife -- has lunch regulary with Murtha. The owner of the other paper has ensured that periodical endorses Murtha every two-years.)
In short, Diana and I know how Mike Huckabee feels. In politics, the rich not only get richer, but also get elected -- and re-elected. Murtha has now been in Congress for 33 years, and he'll be carried out of that august institution feet first.
Diana, my friend and political ally, is the perfect conservative candidate -- not just a Sarah-Palin lookalike but a Sarah-Palin act-alike. And she had and has no chance of defeating Murtha, singled out by one independent group as one of the 25-most-corrupt congressman.
When I hear Republicans snarling against campaign finance reform and using "McCain-Feingold" as almost a curse term, I get driven almost to tears. This is NOT a good system. It rewards the rich and those who do political favors for the rich. It leads to "government of, by, and for the rich." And it stinks.
Stephen R. Maloney
P.S. If you want to know what Diana Irey is up to these days, look on my blogroll and click on her link. She's running for re-election as Washington County Commissioner. She's also serving as a fundraiser for one of the Republican presidential candidates. She'd very much like to meet Sarah Heath Palin, and she will.
Scott Fitzgerald (supposedly): "The rich are different from you and me." Ernest Hemingway (supposedly): "Yes, they have more money."
Unless something important comes up -- and it usually does -- I want to write some this week about one of my favorite subjects: money in politics. I'm inspired in this direction because of discussions I've had with several Mike Huckabee supporters, most of whom are also supporting Gov. Sarah Palin.
In the second quarter of the year, Mike Huckabee raised three-quarters-of-a-million dollars. He's said he has enough money to get him through the Ames (Iowa) Straw Poll, which takes place in late August. Mike believes if he places second at Ames -- Mitt Romney will be the winner -- he will be more attractive to donors and will raise more money.
He needs it. Unfortunately, $750,000 (give or take a few bucks) is a drop-in-the-bucket. Barack Obama raised $32 million; Hillary Clinton raised $27 million; Rudy Giuliani raised nearly $18 million; and Mitt Romney raised about $14 million -- after surprising everyone by raising $21 million in the first quarter.
How does a guy like Mitt Romney raise so much more than an attractive conservative (and super guy) like Mike Huckabee. There are two explanation: as a former head of Bain Capital, Romney knows a lot of very rich people. Second, he got major contributions from a relatively untapped group, Mormons (Latter-Day-Saints).
One Provo, Utah man and his wife had never before contributed to a presidential candidate gave Romney the maximum allowable, a combined total of $4,600. They were not unique among Latter-Day-Saints, especially those in Utah and California.
Mike Huckabee has served as a Southern Baptist preacher and is a former governor of Arkansas. On average, Baptists and other evangelicals are not nearly as well-heeled as Mormons. Also, Arkansas is NOT a big-money state, unlike Romney's Massachusetts (where he was governor) and Michigan (where he was born and where he headquarters his campaign).
I'm rather intimately acquainted with the problems Mike faces. In 2006, I was extremely active in Diana Lynn Irey's campaign against the odious John Murtha in Pennsylvania's 12th Congressional District (an area mainly in southwestern Pennsylvan, including Johnstown (Murtha's home) and Washington (Diana's home.
In that campaign -- you can find most of this information at opensecrets.org link on the blogroll -- Murtha raised $3.5 million, most of it from political action committees (PACS) and big donors. Diana, with an heroic fundraising campaign, raised nearly $900,000.
At one point, Murtha accused Diana of being financed by "out-of-state" sources, which was -- let me put it politely -- a lie. Nearly four-of-every-five dollars Diana raised came from Pennsylvania, some of it from my wife and me, as well as from friends we solicited for contributions.
Murtha got most of his money from the DC suburbs of Maryland and Virginia, where million-dollar-mansions are a dime-a-dozen. Who lives there? The LOBBYISTS -- the people benefitted by appropriations from John Murtha's activities and "earmarks" -- live there. They weren't handing Murtha thousands -- and tens of thousands -- of dollars for his work in solidifying good government.
Well, since Murtha raised four times as much money as Diana, he must have had a lot more contributors, right? No, WRONG. He had a total of 6,500 contributors. Diana had 7,000, with contributions from all 50 states, including some from Hawaii and Alaska.
(Someday, when I'm in a really nasty mood, I'll tell you how Murtha spent that money. He uses an approach that my wife, who's half-Italian describes as, "You sratcha my back, and I scratcha you back." It's basically a transfer of funds, where a vendor of services contributes to Murtha, and the congressman "contributes" back to the vendor. . Gee, why don't the local newspapers expose this scam? The owner of one important newspaper -- Richard Mellon Scaife -- has lunch regulary with Murtha. The owner of the other paper has ensured that periodical endorses Murtha every two-years.)
In short, Diana and I know how Mike Huckabee feels. In politics, the rich not only get richer, but also get elected -- and re-elected. Murtha has now been in Congress for 33 years, and he'll be carried out of that august institution feet first.
Diana, my friend and political ally, is the perfect conservative candidate -- not just a Sarah-Palin lookalike but a Sarah-Palin act-alike. And she had and has no chance of defeating Murtha, singled out by one independent group as one of the 25-most-corrupt congressman.
When I hear Republicans snarling against campaign finance reform and using "McCain-Feingold" as almost a curse term, I get driven almost to tears. This is NOT a good system. It rewards the rich and those who do political favors for the rich. It leads to "government of, by, and for the rich." And it stinks.
Stephen R. Maloney
P.S. If you want to know what Diana Irey is up to these days, look on my blogroll and click on her link. She's running for re-election as Washington County Commissioner. She's also serving as a fundraiser for one of the Republican presidential candidates. She'd very much like to meet Sarah Heath Palin, and she will.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
.jpg)
