Editor’s note: Earlier this year, I promised to harness our collective outrage against the GOP establishment by searching out candidates to support – men and women who will uphold our first principles.  Unfortunately, we have been too busy dealing with capitulation after capitulation on the major legislative battles.  That is about to change.  Over the next few months, I will be seeking out conservative candidates for The Madison Project (my other daytime job) and bringing them to the Red State community.  Your suggestions are much appreciated. Together we can get this done.

As conservatives, we have been frustrated by the fact that there is such a dearth of intellectual firepower among our elected Republicans.  Very few Republicans have the ability to articulate conservatism from a position of strength.  Unfortunately, this shows in their voting record.  Someone who fails to articulate conservatism as a candidate is bound to vote along with GOP leadership as an elected member of Congress.  This is why we need more candidates like Clark Durant in the Senate.

Clark Durant has been articulating conservatism long before he decided to run for public office.  During the 1970s, Durant worked at Hillsdale College and helped start Imprimis, one of the best conservative publications.  In the ‘90s, he helped found a network of charter schools that have had a positive impact on education in inner city Detroit.  While many Republicans struggle with the issues of education, Durant will be able to clearly articulate the superiority of private enterprise over government control in the education system.

Durant is a comprehensive conservative who possesses the requisite knowledge of history, policy, and the Constitution to properly articulate conservative principles in this Democrat-leaning state.  His campaign has already excited Tea Partiers in Michigan.  He has raised $1.3 million in just four months against a better-known opponent.

Read More →

Editor’s note: Earlier this year, I promised to harness our collective outrage against the GOP establishment by searching out candidates to support – men and women who will uphold our first principles.  Unfortunately, we have been too busy dealing with capitulation after capitulation on the major legislative battles.  That is about to change.  Over the next few months, I will be seeking out conservative candidates for The Madison Project (my other daytime job) and bringing them to the Red State community.  Your suggestions are much appreciated. Together we can get this done.

As conservatives, we have been frustrated by the fact that there is such a dearth of intellectual firepower among our elected Republicans.  Very few Republicans have the ability to articulate conservatism from a position of strength.  Unfortunately, this shows in their voting record.  Someone who fails to articulate conservatism as a candidate is bound to vote along with GOP leadership as an elected member of Congress.  This is why we need more candidates like Clark Durant in the Senate.

Clark Durant has been articulating conservatism long before he decided to run for public office.  During the 1970s, Durant worked at Hillsdale College and helped start Imprimis, one of the best conservative publications.  In the ‘90s, he helped found a network of charter schools that have had a positive impact on education in inner city Detroit.  While many Republicans struggle with the issues of education, Durant will be able to clearly articulate the superiority of private enterprise over government control in the education system.

Durant is a comprehensive conservative who possesses the requisite knowledge of history, policy, and the Constitution to properly articulate conservative principles in this Democrat-leaning state.  His campaign has already excited Tea Partiers in Michigan.  He has raised $1.3 million in just four months against a better-known opponent.

Read More →

Feb 13, 2012 by jacobsonlv
There are so many violations of our conservative values within society that picking one is a tough task.
The separation of church and state has been an area of controversy in America, and while the Constitution clearly defends against a national, mandated religion, the meaning of this statement has been skewed over the years. It is important that the GOP candidates understand the importance of religion in this country’s founding principles.
Countless questions have arisen about the faith of GOP front runner Mitt Romney, a proud Mormon, and one whom many feel is the Republicans’ best chance at reclaiming the White House in 2012. Newt Gingrich has picked up where Rick Perry left off, attacking the Democratic administration’s “War on Christianity.” A war that he claims has oppressed religious freedom within our nation, as he states during a recent debate.

Just this week, President Obama has come under fire from the Catholic Church for a mandate that requires employers to provide their employees access to artificial contraception, sterilization services and birth control pills through their existing health plans. According to the words of Newt Gingrich, this new mandate is “another example of President Obama and his promoting of anti-religious policies.”
Over the last few decades, the Ten Commandments have been removed from our federal buildings, prayer has been banned from schools and other public meetings, and marriage and life have been redefined. Not to mention our very own President Obama publicly declaring that America is “no longer a Christian nation.”
These things are not merely just good ideas they are truths that our nation stands upon and when we begin to remove or dilute them from their intended state we lose our identity as a nation. There are some reading this that will cite the argument over the words “Separation of Church and State,” however many fail to recognize this ideology of how the church and government should interact was taken completely out of context. This idea that our government should operate separated from the church was taken from a letter Thomas Jefferson wrote in response to a constituent in which he was stating the government has no ability to establish a national religion or interfere with religious activities, not to keep these activities out of the government. This idea is illustrated here in his response entitled the Danbury Baptists Letter.
“I contemplate with sovereign reverence that act of the whole American people which declared that their legislature should “make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof,” thus building a wall of separation between Church & State.”
Over the decades many candidates hide or diminish their religious beliefs in order to avoid offending others and to give themselves a better chance of gaining election to their intended office. However, we fail to realize just how large the religious majority is within America. In the 2008 American Religious Identification Survey conducted by Barry A. Kosmin and Ariela Keysar of Trinity College, we find that over 76% percent of Americans call themselves Christians. If this is the case it would seem hiding ones Christian views in order to appeal to the masses would be counterproductive.
This is certainly not an issue that can be fully examined or analyzed in one column, however, I feel it is important we are reminded and for some enlightened to these realities. Our nation is under attack on many fronts however history has shown us that the Judeo-Christian beliefs our nation was founded upon are quickly becoming extinct. Not only as conservatives but as Christians, it is our responsibility to speak up and take a stand for what we believe in. We are blessed to live in a nation in which we have a democracy that allows us to elect candidates that reflect our views and beliefs, ones who will stand and fight for the values that make our nation great.
Jacob Harmon :: University of California at San Diego :: San Diego, California :: @Jacobsonlv

Okay, not that Ricky Bobby.

I’m talkin’ Rick Santorum and Bobby Jindal.

What’s that you say? Santorum hasn’t gotten the nomination yet and Jindal hasn’t been tapped or accepted a veep nod?

No matter!

This is purely speculative and while a bit tongue-in-cheek, perhaps not a bad idea.

If Mr. Santorum is able to garner the Republican nomination for President, Mr. Jindal would be a pretty good pick for Vice President I believe.

And, while some might see a campaign trying to piggyback or correlate in some way to the fictional character of Ricky Bobby as not a good choice or possible, perhaps it might be doable and interesting*. I think the character appeals to a lot of the electorate. It’d be interesting to see, that’s for sure.

So, consider this some campaign advice from a know-nothing-nobody for Team Santorum!

Ricky Bobby 2012! **

Feel free to tell me why this would or wouldn’t work and/or whether it’s a good idea.

*I have no idea about trademarks and intellectual properties vis-a-vis political campaigns, much less how Will Ferrell might feel, but considering how often politicians use popular music in their campaigns, why not a popular movie character that oozes “everyman”?!

**I “stole” the idea off of a comment from someone named “Doughboy” on Hot Air after I had offered the idea of Mr. Santorum teaming up with Mr. Jindal.

This post was originally posted at my blog, Wading Across

You can tell Mitt Romney is desperate when he tries to once again cast his rival as a non conservative. It’s as if the former governor lives in an alternate universe where he had a 98% conservative rating and a 100% pro-life rating. And in this alternate universe he’s the Reagan conservative who led a Republican rebirth in the early 90s as speaker of the House of Representatives; and Newt Gingrich was a one term governor who achieved very little outside a controversial micro version of federally mandated health care; of which he’s trying to avoid talking about as though it never happened, (kind of like sleeping with your step sister.)

Now he’s trying to cast new rival Rick Santorum as a big spending, big government conservative. He uses the examples of earmark spending and federal spending increases overall while Rick Santorum was serving in the US Senate as his prime talking points. Problem is he voted for the biggest form of federal spending since the New Deal and Great Society: TARP. Let me repeat that louder so you can hear me: TARP. Romney’s problem is that whenever he tries to hit someone for being a so called fake conservative he usually finds himself exposed for being a fake conservative himself. And, had he ran as a moderate from the jump instead of trying to pose like a model when it comes to how allegedly conservative he is, then I’m guessing he would have gained a lot of support based on honestly and adherence to moderate principle alone. Even if conservatives won’t support a moderate at least we’ll give much respect to someone who stands strong for their centrism; Romney won’t even do that much at the very least.

And thus the aura of his fake character is what will ultimately either cause him to lose this nomination fight or lose in a general election. I’m troubled by the fact that when he’s not trying to convince the unconvinced that he’s a conservative, he’s trying to win by tearing others down which shows signs of a person who has little if anything good to say about themselves.

I suspect the attacks on Rick Santorum will increase in ferocity because Romney can’t win otherwise because Mitt Romney has no real platform in which he can develop himself into a credible candidate. You see the cash and the organization coupled with a flimsy at best argument that he’s the most electable is all he has to run on. Can anyone tell me where he stands on the issue of this latest overreach by the Obama administration and HHS? Does anyone know where he stands in regard to tax reform and how he’ll turn around the economic and jobs picture in this country? He has a fifty point plan that no one remembers and quite frankly no one can recall him actually talking about this fifty point plan.

It’s not just the issue with the Catholic Church and the Obama administration that has Rick Santorum rising in the polls. Rick Santorum banked on the simple equation that works every time, no matter how much money and entitled arrogance your opponent has in abundance, no superficial vision of occupying the White House based on your weird obsession of being president because you believe you look the part can trump (see what I just did there?) a real solid platform that people can understand and really rallying behind either way. Whether you disagree with Rick Santorum on the left or support him on the right, both sides have come in agreement that at least Rick Santorum isn’t running on his inevitability and running away from his record.

So the idea of Romney, friggin Mitt Romney calling someone other than the man he sees in the mirror every morning a non conservative is just laughable. I mean it really makes me laugh when he tries to hit Santorum on the big government and spending. Yeah because Rick Santorum and Rick Santorum alone was the sole controller and thus responsible for the increase in spending while he served in Washington as a US Senator. Yes Mitt Romney because unlike governors, senators have complete control of every tiller of power at disposal. So I’m guessing Rick Santorum’s vote overruled that of every single senator in the Senate right? Wait….yeah no.

And before I sign off, listen you and the Donald want to hit the former Senator for his loss in 2006 to Bob Casey Jr. You two are going around talking about how it was the largest defeat in history and that it puts a wedge in Rick Santorum’s viability as a serious candidate for the White House. But didn’t you lose to Ted Kennedy by sixteen points when you ran for the Senate? Yeah, I’m not sure that will fly Mitt, just not sure it’ll fly.

He’s spent $38 in gas – in two months! (He’s home a lot these days.) See how, and see what Bob thinks of his new Volt, his fire insurance, and what it’s like to stay home most of the time!

The wondrous Chevy Volt, and the enlightened President Obama: that’s a team with the smallest amount of gas in the 2012 race. Check out their explosive new ad campaign at ObamaVolt2012.com

He’s spent $38 in gas – in two months! (He’s home a lot these days.) See how, and see what Bob thinks of his new Volt, his fire insurance, and what it’s like to stay home most of the time!

The wondrous Chevy Volt, and the enlightened President Obama: that’s a team with the smallest amount of gas in the 2012 race. Check out their explosive new ad campaign at ObamaVolt2012.com

The Democrats are on the run. Even though they have a chance for President in my view (if we nominate Romney) the rest of the game… is “Game Over” for them.

The first evidence was the 2010 election cycle

Landslide!

The defeat at the local level was so severe for the Democrats however in that they lost many gerrymandered districts.

In fact redistricting has caused several Democrats to end re-election bids… I am sure you all can name the Prominment New Yorker…

The tide is also felt in defections. The number may seem small, but considering there is no revserse direction defections in the areas affected…

Defections Galore!

Then there is the map which shows Obama will lose… even if he wins the popular vote

Election 2012

In the elections they have won Democrats have had to spend many more millions than Republicans… in districts once considered Democrat Strongholds.

Even Democrat websites predict the loss of the Senate to Republicans due to a variety of circumstances… mostly however due to retirements.

Uh oh Retirements!

In my home State of Oregon we the GOP look to gain Oregon’s house for sure almost and even have a very high chance to gain the Senate. Something no one would have predicted four years ago!

Obama and the Democrats have also angered a significant portion of the population recently.

25% of the United States identifies as Catholic. Another 10% say they were Catholic. His choice to force Catholic organizations (and other religious and moral dissenters) will cost him a large group that supported him in the 2008 election. His previous outreach that his ideals were morally equivalent (except his stance on Abortion) earned him a lot of Catholic votes.

Now the outraged Catholics will donate time, money, energy in record levels… against Democrats and Obama.

Obama also has failed to galvanize his voters. The 99% effort failed in the face of rising crime, rising odor, and due to a huge disconnect with the average voter. Other efforts continue to marginalize Obama including his new election clothing line for the rich.

With healthcare continuing to be an albatross he also has his TSA problems, EPA over-reaches, DOT problems, and the Keystone pipeline hanging over his head like a Sword of Damocles.

Obama also has problems making good with Hollywood over his refusal to sign SOPA.

In fact Obama’s name is also worth less than it was a few years ago. Obama is less sought out than local celebrities and in fact many are actively avoiding being associated with him at all.

All in all I would say the Democrats bet everything on 2008 and lost it all starting in 2009. What a quick turn around for Democrats!

This nation is 40% Conservative. We will be heard!

The Contraception deception…

“If you like your plan, you will get to keep your plan!” Remember Obama promising you that about ObaMAOcare?!?!?!

Do you think Religious institutions, exercising their conscience by not having their plans include contraception and the (Morning after) Abortion pill, like their plans the way they are?!?! Obama shows how “If you like your plan, you can keep your plan” is, and always has been; as well as most everything else out of his mouth is; A LIE!

There is something else that everyone is missing here. This is a purposeful, willful, and with malice of fore-thought, a direct attempt to get Religious endeavors TO DROP THEIR PLANS causing countless more Americans to be in that “Public Option,” which was, is, and always has been, their (Liberals) goal. They are moving to complete, outright, Government controlled Socialized Medicine; ObaMAOcare was designed to do this from the outset – to destroy and move people away from Private Health Care Insurance plans to a Government option.

Time and time again, we warned people this was the plan/goal from the outset and so many just buried their head back in the sand – too lazy to pay attention and do any research for themselves, just buying into any and all lies from Liberal/Progressive Democrats about the ObaMAOcare scheme. They have been pushing for this since the 1930′s (long before HilaryCare) and only now under Obama and while they had Democrat control of the House and Senate were they finally able to (do what they couldn’t, but tried, to do under Clinton, and) ram it through.

Shamefully, Mitt Romney continues to struggle on finding the “right message” (response) to the ‘Obama-care is just Romney-care on a National scale’ meme. While there are similarities (Mandate), they are NOT exactly the same. The words Romney, and other Republicans, must be putting forth is the simple truth: Obama-care was designed to DISGUISE itself as a Romney-care clone, but is little more than a Trojan-horse (Wolf, in Romney-care clothing). While it (Obama-care) keeps the facade of “Private Insurance” coverages, countless other pages/sections are designed and in-place to undermine that (“If you like your plan, you can keep your plan”) concept and drive more and more people unto the “Public Option.” Obama-care was/is designed TO FAIL over the long haul, at which time having harmed Private coverage and driven people off their plans onto the Public Option, and usher in the Democrats next calls for out-right and complete 100% Government-run Socialized Medicine.

I have seen many Religious spokespersons asking that we contact our Representatives and ask that “this policy” be “corrected!” THAT IS THE WRONG APPROACH, ALL OF OBAMA-CARE MUST BE REPEALED – that is the correct/only option and course of action that will stop Liberals/Progressives from exerting control over any and all aspects of your Life in the name of Health Care. Our Representatives must STOP trying to tinker around the edges and continue to demand complete repeal – no Republican that offers/promises any less should be supported!

Obama’s mistake was letting this cat out of the bag before this 2012 election. Rest assured, if they cave on the issue now, it will only be to get past the election and to once again push this issue. It’s all about pushing people from Private coverage (by badgering, bullying, regulating into submission, or HC inflation to cause cost prohibition, organizations into dropping their coverages – pushing their people) to the Public Option.

Obamaocare primers: here, here, here, here, here, and HC summary here.

As always, Regards from JLenardDetroit from “NoMoTown (The MOTORless CITY)”
“Remember, Liberals – looking to do for America, what they’ve done to Detroit. – Destroy it!”
“I think, therefore I am Conservative”
“Conservative by choice, Republican by necessity”
“The more things ‘hope and change’ the more they stay the same”
“You can lead a Liberal to the Truth (Facts), but you cannot make them THINK!”
“Romney (No, not my first choice) does NOT have a MORMON problem. He has a, far too many Americans; these days; are MORONS problem!”
“No more Lawyers to DC, send Accountants!”
closing quotes attributable to (me) JLenardDetroit

Follow @JLenardDetroit

//
cross-posted: “Rattle With Us” Tea Party, Before It’s News, and RedState

see related items:
Liberal’s true Religion is Government (Separation FROM Church TO State)
‘The Greater Good’ – “The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few. Or the One.”
Frustration with dealing with Politically Brain-Dead
Warning: Children Will Die!!!

Over at the American Enterprise Institute, James Pethokoukis modeled the economy and the effect of the economy on the 2012 elections. He calculated what unemployment would look like under 28 different scenarios, varying both job and labor force growth rates to cover the range of possibilities, ad the results look bad if there’s any sort of return to the previous trend, should job growth rates not grow sharply.

Even worse for the President, Pethokoukis applied a model by Ray Fair to guess the resulting share of the vote Barack Obama will win based on likely GDP growth rates. Pethokoukis calls the resulting prediction a “close race,” but it actually isn’t. Using Swingometer and some simple math, I think the prediction is one of a nearly 100 EV win for the Republican nominee.

Read More →