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On today’s edition of Coffee and Markets, Brad Jackson is joined by Josh Treviño to the violent struggle between the drug cartels and the Mexican government, how Mexico’s economy has reduce immigrants to the US, and how the GOP can appeal to Hispanic voters.

We’re brought to you as always by BigGovernment and Stephen Clouse and Associates. If you’d like to email us, you can do so at coffee[at]newledger.com. We hope you enjoy the show.

Related Links:

Attorney General Eric Holder Set to Take Hot Seat at Fast and Furious Hearing
Mexican drug cartel crackdown has cost 47,000 lives in 5 years
Guillermo Martinez: Jeb, Rubio seek to soften GOP stance on immigration
Democrats Face Decades in the Wilderness
Joshua Treviño at TPPF

Follow Brad on Twitter
Follow Josh on Twitter

Subscribe to The Transom

The hosts and guests of Coffee and Markets speak only for ourselves, not any clients or employers.

Download audio here

Download Podcast | iTunes | Podcast Feed

On today’s edition of Coffee and Markets, Brad Jackson is joined by Josh Treviño to the violent struggle between the drug cartels and the Mexican government, how Mexico’s economy has reduce immigrants to the US, and how the GOP can appeal to Hispanic voters.

We’re brought to you as always by BigGovernment and Stephen Clouse and Associates. If you’d like to email us, you can do so at coffee[at]newledger.com. We hope you enjoy the show.

Related Links:

Attorney General Eric Holder Set to Take Hot Seat at Fast and Furious Hearing
Mexican drug cartel crackdown has cost 47,000 lives in 5 years
Guillermo Martinez: Jeb, Rubio seek to soften GOP stance on immigration
Democrats Face Decades in the Wilderness
Joshua Treviño at TPPF

Follow Brad on Twitter
Follow Josh on Twitter

Subscribe to The Transom

The hosts and guests of Coffee and Markets speak only for ourselves, not any clients or employers.

Soon we will know the winner of the Florida Republican primary, and the winner in Florida will probably be the ultimate Republican nominee for president.  So it is time to start considering whom to have for vice president.  Florida Senator Marco Rubio is the man.  It’s not too soon!  Don’t take “no” for an answer!

During the time he has been a senator, Rubio has already accomplished a strong conservative voting record.  As a Tea Party activist, he has followed through with pledges to oppose all tax hikes and he voted in favor of the Ryan Budget to restrain entitlement spending.  He has called for repeal of Obamacare and abolition of capital gains and estate taxes, and he has also called for a flat-rate federal tax.

And take your pick on all other conservative issues, and Rubio is on board for all of them: national security, abortion, vouchers and charter schools, gun rights, streamlining regulatory burdens on businesses, and opening up drilling for oil here in the U.S.  There are more positions, but you get the point.  Rubio is a solid conservative who would be a great fit with any candidate at the top of the GOP ticket.

But it is not only his stands on the issues that call for a draft-Rubio movement for vice president.  It is Rubio’s full-throated defense of American conservative values and free-market capitalism that appeal to conservatives.  During the four debates he had in his 2010 race for Florida’s Senate seat, Rubio truly stood out.  He even spent some time criticizing the moderator, which was cool back in 2010 and is even cooler today.  Replaying highlights of Rubio’s Senate debates, as will inevitably happen during his campaign for vice president, will be an excellent national introduction for Rubio.

Forceful, unapologetic articulation is a new requirement for Republicans: it is not only a good track record or voting record, conservatives also demand the ability to forcefully articulate conservative principles.  Just ask Texas Governor Rick Perry.

Rubio would also be the first Hispanic candidate for high elective office.  Oh sure, we will be told, Hispanics don’t vote for ethnicity alone, but if the GOP could put a significant dent in the 67% to 31% advantage Hispanics gave Barack Obama over John McCain in 2008, the presidential race is almost over before it starts.

The only drawback Rubio might have is that he has served in the Senate for only two years before running.  But where have we heard that before?  Possibly a certain Democratic presidential candidate in 2008?

But unlike Barack Obama, who before his election to the U.S. Senate spent seven years in the Illinois State Senate setting a record for voting “present,” Marco Rubio spent nine years as a representative in the Florida House of Representatives and even served two years as Speaker of Florida’s House.

Rubio will also be an asset in recent political developments.  In many political issues, the credibility of the politician on a certain issue determines his ability to get something done.  For example, that was why Richard Nixon, the perennial cold warrior, was able to go to China.  It is also why Governor Mitt Romney, noted rich guy, will never get top marginal tax rates dropped and in fact he is not even proposing it.  In the case of Marco Rubio, his mere ethnicity gives him credibility on immigration matters, so whoever the president will be, Vice President Rubio will be able to lead the issue of securing the border against illegal immigration while instituting a functional, bipartisan guest worker program, major electoral issues this year.

Rubio can also provide needed cover on another issue: the recent pandering to “Space Coast” Floridians.  Who would have ever thought that in the current days of $15 trillion national debt, Republicans would be outdoing each other on space proposals?  I mean, really!  I guess when I called Newt Gingrich “the Apollo 13 candidate,” more references to space were probably a given, so it might be my fault.

But in this primary season the Republicans have courted every Floridian vote, including the Floridians in the so-called “Space Coast.”  Hence the recent Republican calls for more trips to space, including a permanent station on the Moon.  If this keeps up, Moon-shots for Floridians will be like ethanol subsidies for Iowans, an obligatory pander to Florida voters from each new crop of presidential candidates.  As a Floridian, Rubio can put a stop to it and call it the shameless pandering that it is.

Other names mentioned for vice president include Susana Martinez, governor or New Mexico, would be very good, especially on energy issues; and Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal, who just won re-election by a landslide.  Jindal is also very good on energy issues and has recently been making a lot of news on school choice issues.  Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels has also been mentioned, and he has a great fiscal track record.  The charismatically-challenged former presidential candidate Tim Pawlenty has also been mentioned as a possible vice president.  In his recent candidacy Pawlenty showed that he stands for most of the issues Republicans favor.

Good people, but none of them is Marco Rubio.  So let’s draft Rubio for vice president and get this general election campaign started.

Citizenship was once a nationality status, the founding fathers of the United States struggled greatly over this issue to protect individual liberty and protect against indentured service known as slavery. 1770, Crispus Attucks, a free dockworker of African descent was the first person shot to death by British redcoats during the Boston Massacre. He is known as the first martyr of the United States revolution because of his allegiance and being subject to the jurisdiction of Boston Massachusetts. His allegiance and being subject to the jurisdiction gave him Citizenship and one of the founders of this great nation, a black man, an immigrant. 1857, a Supreme Court ruling, Dred Scott v. Sanford the Supreme Court upholds slavery and this decision is regarded as a key cause of the American Civil War. In essence, this Supreme Court ruling was that people of African descent brought into the United States, their descendants and held as slaves were not protected by the Constitution because they could never have Citizenship. More Americans were killed in the Civil War than in all other American wars combined, and at question was the United States Constitution protecting Citizenship in a Supreme Court ruling, Citizenship has a legal definition and law as to ether or not. In 1863, The Emancipation Proclamation goes into effect and in 1865, The Thirteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution abolishes slavery and involuntary servitude. Many forget the importance of servitude and that peonage would make a person subject to the jurisdiction of that contract thus removing Citizenship as seen in rulings of the Courts. Although this Amendment outlawed such contracts of jurisdiction to a foreign power the individual choice, to solemnly, freely, and without reservation was the choice of each individual, an Oath of Citizenship to the United States and the protection it provided. 

1868, The Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution was added, Section 1 requires due process, equal protection and a subject to the jurisdiction clause. Sen. Lyman Trumbull, who inserted the phrase; “The provision is, that ‘all persons born in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens.’ That means ‘subject to the complete jurisdiction thereof.’ What do we mean by ‘complete jurisdiction thereof?’ Not owing allegiance to anybody else. That is what it means.” Sen. Jacob M. Howard, the author of the Citizenship Clause; “The first amendment is to section one, declaring that all “persons born in the United States and Subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the States wherein they reside. I do not propose to say anything on that subject except that the question of citizenship has been fully discussed in this body as not to need any further elucidation, in my opinion. This amendment which I have offered is simply declaratory of what I regard as the law of the land already, that every person born within the limits of the United States, and subject to their jurisdiction, is by virtue of natural law and national law a citizen of the United States. This will not, of course, include persons born in the United States who are foreigners, aliens, who belong to the families of ambassadors or foreign ministers accredited to the Government of the United States, but will include every other class of persons. It settles the great question of citizenship and removes all doubt as to what persons are or are not citizens of the United States. This has long been a great desideratum in the jurisprudence and legislation of this country.”

Oath of Citizenship 1778, to “entirely renounce and abjure all allegiance and fidelity to any foreign prince, potentate, state, or sovereignty” thereof a legally binding contract to all generations whom immigrated here. We have laws against those that break this contract, sedition, treason, espionage, subversion and more including the suspicion of these crimes. The opinion on what constitutes these crimes has swayed back and forth and the severity of these crimes has as well in United States history. Furthermore, many who have immigrated here understood the wide path of destruction this swaying back and forth in their land they sought to escape. From this, there is a tradition of being as “American” as possible and not show any other jurisdiction for good reason. Not speaking English in public or at work, flying a flag of another nation, reading material not in English or simply being different could be identified with being under the jurisdiction of an undesirable influence. During World War II, the United States arrested and forced, most of whom were American citizens, Japanese Americans, women and children in to concentration camps, prison-like camps called relocation centers for such acts. Currently we are faced with a similar situation caused by war, a war on extremists and terrorists, an Economic War and Class Warfare. Now more then ever the importance we must prove and display is our subject to the jurisdiction of the United States, our Oath of Citizenship and Oath of Allegiance to the United States Constitution. Student Citizenship, Anchor Babies, Class Warfare and so much more have distorted our founding values, traditions and laws to where we have subverted Citizenship, those who cross some border illegally are but a small part of the problem, all leading to war like conditions, a War of Independence, a Civil War. Because this disease was allowed to fester over so many decades, the enormity seems insurmountable but must be confronted as a whole or it will grow again.

James Madison, 4th President of the United States, Father of the Bill of Rights; “When we are considering the advantages that may result from an easy mode of naturalization, we ought also to consider the cautions necessary to guard against abuse. It is no doubt very desirable that we should hold out as many inducements as possible for the worthy part of mankind to come and settle amongst us, and throw their fortunes into a common lot with ours. But why is this desirable? Not merely to swell the catalogue of people. No, sir, it is to increase the wealth and strength of the community; and those who acquire the rights of citizenship, without adding to the strength or wealth of the community are not the people we are in want of.”

Re-posted from PJMedia.com

In 2011, the political, social, and economic fabric of our nation stretched a little too far. Will 2012 be the year the seams burst?

For starters, we have a broke, broken, polarized, and dysfunctional government, and that saga will play out on center stage in election year 2012. The people are polarized as well. However, one issue has upwards of 70% of Americans in total agreement — our nation is headed on the wrong track. Hard to argue: no nation or empire in the history of the world has ever been burdened with  $15 trillion in debt. I am known to be an optimist, but reviewing the statistics that reveal the sorry state of our nation, I find myself joining the chorus of voters who believe national decline can only be managed but not avoided.

Many Americans, especially Republicans, think the 2012 election is our last chance to turn our ship of state around, but it may already be too late. For exactly how to turn the ship around and who will be captain will cause more polarization, more dysfunction, and potential for upheaval. Per Bob Dylan: “When you ain’t got nothin’, you got nothin’ to lose.” Some facts supporting that statement:

Half of All Americans Are Poor or Low-Income

According to the latest census data, 146.4 million  Americans, or 48% of the population, either fall below the poverty line or are in the low-income category.

Of that number, 97.3 million are considered low-income, while 49.1 million are poor. But the fact that should be of greatest concern to all Americans in regards to our future economic well being: 57% of all children are either poor or low-income.

Unless there is some radical change, the national trend towards a have vs. have-not society is already set in stone. Expect class warfare to grow and government entitlement battles to become even more vicious. There is no escaping that income inequality, on a scale that we have never seen before, will have a profoundly negative effect on our traditional American way of life. A child born into poverty has fewer chances to move into the middle class given all the disadvantages poverty heaps on a young life, both mentally and physically.

Census data from 2010 reveals that Hispanics account for 73% of our nation’s poor, and they are the largest and  fastest growing minority demographic, comprising 16.3% of the population. Hispanic growth increased 43% from 2000 to 2010.

Therefore, a massive public/private initiative must be developed to help lift Hispanics into the middle class or the U.S. will eventually cease to be a top tier nation. Our standing in the world economy is directly tied to Hispanic upward mobility.

The American Workforce Is Shrinking

According to USA Today, in 2010 the share of the population that had a job fell to 45.4%, down from a peak of 49.3% in 2000 — the lowest percentage of workers since 1983. This downward percentage translates into 27 million more non-working adults. Looking at male workers only, 66.8% had jobs, the lowest on record. Obviously this downward trend must be reversed, or national decline is inevitable.

High-Skilled Jobs and Low-Skilled Workers

This is a problem — closer to a crisis — that few of our national leaders bother to discuss. Too many  high skilled-high paying jobs are going unfilled. Met any unemployed computer engineers lately? Not likely you will.

Jobs, jobs, jobs may be the battle cry of the 2012 election but it is skills, skills, skills that are the real problem. Moreover, the lack of high-tech skills in our working population is impeding our future economic growth.

When I graduated from high school in the early ’70s, men who did not go to college often became auto mechanics. That path is not as easy anymore. Today, mechanics are highly paid and sought after because they require extensive computer training and certification to work on cars that have become computers on wheels.

How does our economy create low-skilled but adequate wage jobs for the growing number of low-skilled or no-skilled American workers? Solving that dilemma is the key to lifting half of our population out of poverty.

Innovative programs must be developed to help create a new middle class to supplement the current one that is shrinking fast. If we are unable to do that, then continued decline is the economic forecast for 2012 and beyond.

As expected, the Supreme Court has decided to weigh in on Arizona’s illegal immigration law- SB 1070. As most are aware, the law was signed into effect by Governor Jan Brewer and was immediately challenged in federal court by Holder’s Justice Department. The District Court then issued an injunction against certain sections of the law and the very liberal Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals has upheld the injunction. They found that the Arizona law was preempted by federal immigration laws. Without any argument, Congress has the enumerated power to establish uniform laws of immigration and naturalization. However, it is one thing to write and pass a law and quite another thing to actually then enforce that law. The lack of enforcement is what forced Arizona to take legislative action because Arizona is, by any stretch of the imagination, one of the primary entry points for illegal immigrants. The strain on their social services, infrastructure and, most importantly, law enforcement forced Arizona to take action.
I have written extensively on immigration in the past, sometimes sympathetically in support of immigrants. Extreme rhetoric on the Left and the Right have no place in a discussion of realistic reforms. And I have have repeatedly argued that there is no reason why immigration reform cannot occur alongside and simultaneously with improved border security measures and enforcement efforts. The attitude of “this first” or “that first” is best left on the kindergarten playground. That being said, I have also argued that “the more boots on the ground,” the better. Those boots can be the National Guard, the local Patriot groups, ranchers, Border Patrol agents, ICE agents, unmanned aerial drones, etc. In fact, a true commitment to enforcement would adopt a policy of “all of the above.”
In the case before the Court, four sections of the law are being contested. The first is Section 2(b) which allows law enforcement officers who have reasonable suspicion that a person is in this country illegally to make a determination of that legality by asking for appropriate identification. Speaking of extreme rhetoric, some on the Left have likened this aspect of the law to Nazi Germany tactics. However, it is a fact that immigrants, since the 1950s, have been required to carry appropriate identification attesting to their legal status in this country. That law was implemented by Harry Truman. Using this liberal logic, does this then make Harry Truman a Nazi? Naturally, since the bulk of illegal immigrants in Arizona are Hispanic, there is a fear that law enforcement will target Hispanics in particular for identification. However, the State has taken incredible pains to prevent and deter racial profiling. Additionally, the request must be based on a reasonable suspicion. Is it reasonable to request ID of Representative Grijalva? Of course not. Is it reasonable to ask ID of a group of Hispanics hanging outside a Home Depot at six in the morning? Maybe. Is it reasonable to ask ID of a Hispanic driver with a tail light out? Of course it is. I personally find it ironic that no one on the Left objects to policies or even laws that require one to show ID to purchase alcohol or cigarettes, or even conduct a credit card transaction, but by the same token they object to ID checks for something infinitely more important like whether the person is in this country legally. It defies logic AND THAT is unreasonable.
Section 3 makes it a crime punishable by a fine or jail sentence for anyone who willfully refuses to carry ID. All the state is saying here is that if you are in the country legally, you should have the appropriate ID to prove it. This ection simply puts teeth into the law. The key part, to me, is deliberate refusal to carry ID. Look at the analogy from traffic law. There is a separate offense for people who fail to carry their license or registration when operating a vehicle. Sometimes this is by accident- you forgot your wallet in the other pants. In most cases, the primary offense is taken care of the “failure to carry” offense is overlooked, as I suspect would happen in Arizona provided the person CAN produce ID.
Section 5(c) basically states that if you are in the country illegally, they cannot work or seek work in Arizona. Duh!! Seems rather self-explanatory. And the Circuit Court’s reasoning in their opinion is confusing here. They determined that Federal immigration law is designed to deter and inhibit employer exploitation of illegals. The State of Arizona’s law is simply designed to keep it from ever getting to that point. It is true that federal immigration policy changed in the 1960s under Johnson in response to employer abuses. Furthermore, Reagan’s IRCA in 1984 specifically targeted employers with fines, not employees or potential employees. Here, it is quite possible that the State may not prevail given stated and historical Congressional intent in enacting these reforms.
Finally, Section 6 allows police to make an arrest without a warrant with probable cause if they believe a person has committed an offense for which they can later be deported. This section is problematic for the State to defend on a coupe of levels. First, when it comes to arrests without warrants, we are starting to get into possible violations under the 4th, 5th and 6th Amendments of the Constitution and the Court will apply strict scrutiny in order to analyze the law. Here, the STATE would be under an obligation to justify the law instead of less onerous options and their reasoning has to be overwhelmingly convincing. Simply saying “We have an illegal immigrant problem in Arizona” will not suffice. Secondly, the state of the law is in flux not only with respect to immigration law, but criminal law in general. Just this term, the Court heard a case where the government argued that an inadvertent case of tax evasion, but tax evasion nevertheless, was a case of “moral turpitude” and a violation as a deportable offense. The Court reasoned otherwise. Also, the definition of what a “felony” is differs from state to state and between states and the Federal government. While the Court has upheld state “three strikes” laws, the definition of what constitutes a “strike” is still heavily litigated.
Predicting any Court decision is full of pitfalls although one can get a decent indication of the leanings of Justices from oral arguments. In this case, the government is arguing total preemption under Article I, Section 8. They also argue that if states like Arizona, and now others, start to regulate immigration matters, no matter how well-intentioned or the extent of the problem, it tangentially affects the federal government’s ability to conduct foreign policy. On the other side, and if Arizona sticks to the philosophy and is not tricked out of it by the Liberal wing of the Court, if the state argues they are merely “helping” the federal government in their enforcement efforts, they stand a greater chance of prevailing in whole or part. And they have a case. Speaking of Congressional intent, Congress has on many occasions adopted programs where they have incorporated local and state law enforcement. With immigration, the entire 287(g) program where local and state police are trained by the Federal government in immigration enforcement is a testament to the Federal-State cooperative paradigm. Because Obama and Holder have gutted the program does not negate Congressional intent. In fact, the program has proven quite successful where used.
In the end, it is most likely that the decision will be a little for the State and a little for the Federal government. I believe the documentation requirement will be upheld and the “willfull refusal” provision, since it involves Due Process concerns, will have to be modified on remand. I believe the worker provision will be struck down based on Congressional intent arguments with Kennedy siding with the Liberal wing of the Court and that Section 6 will be struck down quite convincingly. In the end, the major portions of the law will be upheld and the preemption arguments overcome and the law construed as a furtherance of federal law. If the State can adequately and correctly make their case, then they can convince the ultimate swing vote- Anthony Kennedy.

I encourage you to attend a free event this weekend, focusing on three important topics:  ObamaCare, immigration reform, and tax reform.  It’s Friday night in Overland Park, and Saturday in Wichita.  No, Wichita is not like it’s portrayed in “Planes, Trains, and Automobiles.”

It’s co-sponsored by two Kansas City-area center-right groups: the Union of Patriots and FairTaxKC.

I think you’ll find this event educational, even if you don’t come to the exact same conclusions on all of the issues.

The flyer is below (or click here to download the PDF).

Jointuop_ftkc PDF

Read More →

Liberal politicians incessantly demagogue the issue of illegal immigration by offering a false choice between amnesty and a police style roundup of 12 million aliens.  Obama believes that without a pathway to citizenship, even a moat with alligators can’t preempt illegal immigration.   They always forget the third option; enforcing the laws on the books and not offering them hospitality that isn’t afforded to legal Americans.

Last month, Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley offered such a taxpayer funded courtesy by signing a bill granting in-state tuition benefits at state universities to illegal aliens residing in Maryland.  Maryland taxpayers already spend $1.7 billion annually on illegal aliens, one of the highest per capita costs in the country.  It is no wonder why Maryland has become a magnet for those whom O’Malley affectionately calls “new Americans.”

While such cloddish policy decisions are par for the course in wacko Maryland, the Tea Party response was quite anomalous.  Maryland is not known for its strong Tea Party presence.  But against all odds, Maryland conservatives have successfully passed the first hurdle in securing a ballot referendum to strike down the tuition law.

When conservative state delegates Neil Parrott and Pat McDonough announced their inchoate plans for a petition drive against the tuition bill, the opposition and the local media dismissed the effort as futile.  After all, how could a few right wing delegates with no money or formal organization obtain the requisite 55,736 signatures (with properly spelled middle names) in the bluest of blue states?  This attitude from liberals, and too many Republicans, is a quintessential example of the dissonance between the elites and ‘we the people’ regarding illegal immigration.

Read More →

Liberal politicians incessantly demagogue the issue of illegal immigration by offering a false choice between amnesty and a police style roundup of 12 million aliens.  Obama believes that without a pathway to citizenship, even a moat with alligators can’t preempt illegal immigration.   They always forget the third option; enforcing the laws on the books and not offering them hospitality that isn’t afforded to legal Americans.

Last month, Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley offered such a taxpayer funded courtesy by signing a bill granting in-state tuition benefits at state universities to illegal aliens residing in Maryland.  Maryland taxpayers already spend $1.7 billion annually on illegal aliens, one of the highest per capita costs in the country.  It is no wonder why Maryland has become a magnet for those whom O’Malley affectionately calls “new Americans.”

While such cloddish policy decisions are par for the course in wacko Maryland, the Tea Party response was quite anomalous.  Maryland is not known for its strong Tea Party presence.  But against all odds, Maryland conservatives have successfully passed the first hurdle in securing a ballot referendum to strike down the tuition law.

When conservative state delegates Neil Parrott and Pat McDonough announced their inchoate plans for a petition drive against the tuition bill, the opposition and the local media dismissed the effort as futile.  After all, how could a few right wing delegates with no money or formal organization obtain the requisite 55,736 signatures (with properly spelled middle names) in the bluest of blue states?  This attitude from liberals, and too many Republicans, is a quintessential example of the dissonance between the elites and ‘we the people’ regarding illegal immigration.

Read More →

As Early back as January 27, 2011, Senator Jim DeMint told CNN’s Peter Hamby “But the ground may be shifting in DeMint-world, and several of his closest advisers and political confidantes are now telling CNN that he is at least open to a presidential bid if a suitably conservative candidate fails to emerge from the early and wide-open GOP field.”  http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2011/01/27/demint-open-to-2012-presidential-bid-advisers-say/

Now Flash Forward to May 19, 2011, First Donald Trump drops out followed closely behind by Mike Huckabee.  Two Would-be Top Tier Candidates who have humbly and respectfully dropped out of running for president in 2012 for their own personal reasons.  That’s Fine but with Newt Gingrich already playing defense from the media, conservatives and Democrats, the GOP field is looking as “Wide-open” as it gets.

Conservatives are interested in Hermain Cain, Rick Santorum and Tim Pawlenty but Not quite as Excited as they Could be at this Point in 2011.

Three Months has now passed since Senator Jim DeMint let slip his slight interest in running for President in 2012.

The Biggest question on most Conservatives’ collective minds right now is Who will be the Most Conservative Republican to commit to running for President in 2012?

Will it be Mitt Romney?  Herman Cain?  Rick Santorum?  Or Tim Pawlenty?

Those are Fine Candidates Who Would ALL be Much Better in the White House as President than Obama but I’d guess many Conservatives are still wanting a Candidate More Conservative and More Actively Involved with the Grassroots Conservative Tea Party Movement that has Helped the Republicans take over the House in the last Mid-Term Elections.

I Personally Would Love to see Sarah Palin Run, Michele Bachmann or even Allen West.

Allen West has said Publicly that he’d be Vice President IF Asked to serve.  Coming from a Marine, that Means alot!  It also means that Allen West is happy to be in Congress right now unless someone else taps him to run with them.  So Conservatives Who Love and follow Allen West can’t count on Him running for President in 2012.

Then there’s Michele Bachmann.  Michele is a Great Conservative Tea Party Patriot Who has been Extremely Active and Very Much a Big Part of the Tea Party Movement.  My Main Problem I have with her as a Presidential Candidate would be that she’s a Legislator in Congress.  The Problem with that is America has Not Elected a Congressman for President since 1864 when America elected James A. Garfield and even that was only after Garfield completed nine consecutive terms in Congress.

So My Point is that Michele Bachmann has not been around that long and she also would have to overcome being the first woman to be elected President.  Those are Tough obstacles to overcome without having More Executive Experience as a Governor of a Largely Populated State would have.  Like California, Texas or Alaska.

Speaking of Alaska…Sarah Palin has a Much Bigger Name Recognition in America in General than DeMint which works as Much for her as it does against her.  Sarah Palin has been on the frontlines of the Tea Party Movement from the beginning every bit as much as Bachmann or DeMint.  The Main Advantage Palin would have over both DeMint and Bachmann is the Executive Experience of Successfully running the State of Alaska and being one of the Most Popular Governors in America before Senator Johm McCain asked her to join Him on His ticket as His Vice President.   I Still think that was the Best Decision McCain EVER Made during his entire time during his campaign.  I gotta give credit where credit is rightfully due on that move.

As Much as I Love and Support Sarah Palin, she still hasn’t committed to running for President in 2012 yet either.

So on one hand, we have Sarah Palin and the other hand, we have Jim DeMint.

It could be a matter of Who Ultimately Decides to jump in and Run FIRST.  Either Candidate would be Well Recieved by Conservative Tea Party Patriots.  Most Conservatives Trust that both would Not Run Against each other.  That would only split the support and be counter-productive to both of their campaigns.

Since I’ve written previous blog posts expressing support and entthusiam for Sarah Palin, this Blog is going to Focus on Jim DeMint.

Senator Jim DeMint is an Educated Man Who received a bachelor’s degree[when?] from the University of Tennessee and an MBA from Clemson University.

Jim DeMint is also a Business Man Who worked in the field of market research. In 1983, he founded his own research firm, The DeMint Group. Based in Greenville, it had four employees. DeMint ran the company until 1998 when he entered Congress.

Elected as South Carolina’s 55th senator in 2004 after serving six years in the U.S House of Representatives, Jim DeMint has quickly established himself as one of the most effective conservative leaders in Washington. He was recently ranked as the Senate’s most conservative member by National Journal and as the number one senator voting for responsible tax and spending policies by the National Taxpayer Union.

Even as a freshman, Jim has shown that he has no interest in sitting on the sidelines in the Senate. Instead, he has leveraged his expertise in placing products and ideas in a crowded marketplace, gained as the owner of a small market research firm. He has become an effective national voice in Washington’s fight to regain the trust of the American people, most recently on the issues of immigration and wasteful spending.

In late 2006, he was elected by his colleagues as Chairman of the Senate Steering Committee, which is comprised of the majority of Republican senators and works to shape and advance conservative legislation. He also serves on the Commerce, Science, and Transportation; Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs; Foreign Relations and Joint Economic Committees.

DeMint won re-nomination in the Republican Party primary. Democratic Party opponent Alvin Greene won an upset victory over Vic Rawl, who was heavily favored. Due to various electoral discrepancies, Greene received scrutiny from Democratic Party officials, with some calling for Greene to withdraw or be replaced. DeMint consistently led Greene by over 30 points throughout the campaign and won reelection by a landslide.

Prior to the 2010 elections, DeMint founded the Senate Conservatives Fund (SCF), a political action committee that is “dedicated to electing strong conservatives to the United States Senate” and that is associated with the Tea Party movement.  As of February 2011, DeMint continued to serve as Chair of SCF, which states that it raised $9.1 million toward the 2010 U.S. Senate elections and which endorsed successful first-time Senate candidates Pat Toomey, Rand Paul, Mike Lee, Ron Johnson, and Marco Rubio.

DeMint plans to retire in 2016 after serving his second term.

Jim DeMint still finds time to write a Best Selling Book Saving Freedom: We Can Stop America’s Slide into Socialism

Other Jim DeMint Career Highlights while in Public Office Would include: DeMint is ranked by The National Journal as one of the most conservative members of the Senate. Salon.com has called him “perhaps the most conservative member of the Senate.”

DeMint opposes spending increases of the federal government. He opposed federal bailouts for banks and automobile corporations.

Senator DeMint has been a consistent supporter of organized and led school prayer and has introduced legislation that would allow schools to display banners such as one stating “God Bless America”.

DeMint opposes abortion, including in cases of rape and incest. He approves of abortion only when the mother’s life is in danger.

DeMint favors requiring all illegal immigrants in the United States to either return to their home countries or apply for legal residency. He is in favor of establishing the English language as the country’s official language.

Jim DeMint speaking at rally for United States Senate candidate Rand Paul in October 2010Demint opposed the NATO intervention into Kosovo but supported the U.S. invasion of Iraq.  He is an advisor to the Atlantic Bridge.

DeMint visited Honduras in 2009 and met with de facto president Roberto Micheletti, a meeting that was opposed by US President Barack Obama’s administration. The State Department officially viewed ousted president Manuel Zelaya as the legitimately elected president.

Following an attempted terrorist attack on December 25, 2009, DeMint criticized President Barack Obama for lacking focus on terrorism since taking office and for failing to appoint a head of the Transportation Security Administration.

DeMint opposed President Barack Obama’s health reform legislation; he voted against the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act in December 2009, and he voted against the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010.

Human Events names Sen. DeMint “Conservative of the Year”!! Rush Limbaugh congratulates Sen. DeMint on this award: “Tough, courageous, rock-solid and unflinching, Jim DeMint charts the way for all of us in truly historic times.”  http://www.humanevents.com/article.php?id=40938

Conservative of the Year Part 1 (Video) – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c3UmN6os0Cc

Conservative of the Year Part 2 (Video) – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WsqjsRBWWCU

Conservative of the Year Part 3 (Video) – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PEOmz66gPPE

Early Polls Showed Strong Numbers in DeMint’s Favor January 12, 2011 – http://www.conservativehq.com/node/765

Sen. Jim DeMint has been invited, along with 12 other potential Presidential candidates, to participate in this very important Iowa caucus forum!  http://www.ffcoalition.com/2011/01/04/iowa-evangelical-group-announces-caucus-forum/

DeMint Beats Huckabee, Gingrich in Official New Hampshire GOP Straw Poll!! http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0111/47993.html

Jim DeMint plans to introduce a bill  that he says will serve as the main Republican legislative vehicle in the Senate to repeal President Barack Obamas signature health care law.  http://www.thestate.com/2011/01/26/1663870/demint-bill-would-repeal-health.html

“Jim DeMint is well-positioned to win the presidential primary” in the critical state of South Carolina, based on a new Public Policy Polling survey.  http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0211/48610.html

SEN. DEMINT’S PAC RANKED #1, RAISING MORE MONEY THAN THE PACs OF ROMNEY, PALIN, AND HUCKABEE! It takes a lot of money to run for President and Sen. Jim DeMint has proven that he’s up to the challenge.  http://www.opensecrets.org/news/2011/02/political-powerhouses-raise-millions.html

If “conservative favorites decide to sit out 2012, will DeMint feel compelled to jump in?

‘I would have to feel a strong pull from people all over the country,’ DeMint says.

“…could a grassroots ‘Draft DeMint’ movement stir him to run? ‘I don’t want to suggest that I’m waiting for any kind of draft,’ he says.”  http://www.nationalreview.com/corner/259217/demint-surveys-field-praises-jeb-robert-costa?page=1

Jim DeMint (R-S.C.) won a healthy first place lead for the third month in a row in ConservativeHQ.com’s GOP straw poll of self-described conservative activists and Tea Partiers. DeMint won the poll with 43 percent of January votes, shortening his lead over the rest of the pack.  http://www.conservativehq.com/node/1162

TIME Magazine just named Jim DeMint as one of the “Republicans Who Could Be the Next President”!!

http://www.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,2048933_2048932_2048854,00.html

“…there is an opening now for someone who can credibly say: ‘I am fighting the President and his policies every day on the front lines.’ The obvious person to fill that role in the context of a presidential race is Sen. Jim DeMint….”  http://voices.washingtonpost.com/thefix/eye-on-2012/john-thune-is-out-who-benefits.html

“The unions are the most powerful political group in the country today … Their power in politics is unprecedented. And without the unions, the Democrat Party fades away,” DeMint said. “The president is completely dependent for his reelection on the unions, and so are the Democrats.”  http://cubachi.com/2011/03/02/demint-collective-barga…ining-has-no-place-in-representative-government/

Jim DeMint will be the keynote speaker at a conference hosted by Iowa Rep. Steve King, which has been called a “big gathering of 2012 hopefuls.” According to King’s PAC, the group “has a unique opportunity to help filter the candidates’ character, positions on the issues and, their ability to communicate, relate, and organize.”  http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2011/03/07/to-iowa-go-the-2012ers/

“The buildup is the latest sign that DeMint has become the pre-eminent conservative political activist in the Senate…” “Nearly 90 percent of prospective candidates across the country have sought meetings with DeMint….”  http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0311/50991.html#ixzz1GDtSjFvL

Jim DeMint “has recently shown that he also has significant fundraising prowess. If other tea party candidates don’t run or fizzle early, DeMint could immediately jump in and fill that void…. almost everyone recognizes that he would be a force.”  http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-fix/post/the-unlikely-game-changers-of-2012/2011/…03/16/ABvo78e_blog.html

Two Republicans vied for title of top cash generator, each pulling in more than $9 million in 2009 and 2010 to their respective leadership PACs: Senate Tea Party Caucus co-founder Sen. Jim DeMint (R-S.C.) and Mitt Romney, the former Republican governor of Massachusetts and 2008 presidential hopeful.

At the end of 2010, DeMint held a slight financial advantage over Romney — and both towered over the rest.  http://www.opensecrets.org/news/2011/02/political-powerhouses-raise-millions.html

The results of our February poll are in.  Poll Question: “Who should be Jim’s running mate?”

Our readers chose Congresswoman Michele Bachmann with 22.2% of the vote! Congressman Allen West was a close second with 20.6%. Congressman Ron Paul and Sarah Palin tied for third with 12.7%http://conservatives4demint.com/2011/02/28/february-poll-results-demintbachmann/

Sen. DeMint is Heading to Iowa!  Posted on March 8, 2011 by angelaktoft  In an article from yesterday’s Wall Street Journal:

“Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich will attend a conservative conference in Iowa later this month that is becoming another early curtain call for Republican 2012 presidential hopefuls.

“The pair will join Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachmann, former UN Ambassador John Bolton, Atlanta businessman Herman Cain and former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum at Rep. Steve King’s Conservative Principles Conference on March 26 in Des Moines.

“South Carolina Sen. Jim DeMint will be the keynote speaker at the one-day event meant to put conservative activists in touch with the Republicans running for the White House.”  http://conservatives4demint.com/2011/03/08/sen-demint-is-heading-to-iowa/

Jim DeMint Machine Could Rival NRSC!  Posted on March 10, 2011 by angelaktoft  From an article in today’s Politico:

Sen. Jim DeMint (R-S.C.) is already building an aggressive campaign machine for the 2012 Senate elections, promising to push his party further to the right, despite angering many in the GOP establishment with his political activities last year.

DeMint’s Senate Conservatives Fund wants to rake in a staggering $15 million, which is nearly $6 million more than in 2010 when his political action committee raised more money than any other politician’s PAC.

DeMint is now renting a Capitol Hill townhouse for his political operation — just a few blocks from the National Republican Senatorial Committee, the official campaign arm for Senate Republicans. And unlike the NRSC, which plans to stay out of contested primaries, DeMint is prepared to be an active force, jumping into intraparty battles by pushing conservative candidates against moderate Republicans.

The buildup is the latest sign that DeMint has become the pre-eminent conservative political activist in the Senate, and he plans to push candidates whose ideological views align with his and the tea party movement’s — even if it sets up a major clash with the NRSC, which always looks for the most electable prospect.  The article continues:

In the first two months of this year, the Senate Conservatives Fund raised an additional $500,000 — far more than it did in a similar period in 2009 — and there are signs that it will only continue to grow. Nearly 90 percent of prospective candidates across the country have sought meetings with DeMint, knowing that his endorsement would play well with conservative activists who are involved in Senate primaries.  http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0311/50991.html

DeMint Run Could be a 2012 Game-Changer  Posted on March 17, 2011 by angelaktoft  In an article from yesterday’s Washington Post, Chris Cillizza ponders:

So while we have our preconceptions about who will run, it’s always subject to change. Candidates will rule out a run one month and then open the door the next.

With that in mind, who on the Republican side could really throw a wrench into the calculus of the 2012 presidential election if he (or she) decided to run? Who are we not talking about who could really make an impact?

Sen. Jim DeMint (R-S.C.)  The second-term GOP senator, in addition to emerging as a kingmaker for tea party candidates in Republican primaries in 2010, has recently shown that he also has significant fundraising prowess. If other tea party candidates don’t run (a distinct possibility) or fizzle early (also a possibility), DeMint could immediately jump in and fill that void. Many Republicans are surprised that DeMint isn’t more actively considering a run, and almost everyone recognizes that he would be a force — especially in his home state of South Carolina.  http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-fix/post/the-unlikely-game-changers-of-2012/2011/03/16/ABvo78e_blog.html

Viguerie Hopeful DeMint Will Run in 2012  Posted on April 29, 2011 by angelaktoft  In an article from yesterday’s ConservativeHQ:

Despite Sen. Jim DeMint’s indications that he won’t run for president, Richard Viguerie, chairman of ConservativeHQ, hopes Sen. DeMint will hear the calls of conservatives, and run for president in 2012.

Viguerie calls Sen. DeMint his “personal favorite” principled, small-government constitutional conservative.

“I think that Sen. DeMint is such a patriot that when he looks at the presidential landscape in the Fall of 2011, he will come to realize that if he doesn’t get into the race, there might not be a candidate that conservatives can almost unanimously rally behind.”  http://www.conservativehq.com/article/viguerie-hopeful-demint-will-run-2012

DeMint on the Issues:

On Repealing ObamaCare:

“Republicans are standing with the American people who are demanding we repeal this government takeover of health care,” said Senator DeMint. “Repealing ObamaCare is vital to the future of our nation and the health of our people. ObamaCare will raise health costs, reduce choices, ration care, hike taxes, cut jobs, increase the national debt, and put bureaucrats between patients and their doctors. It’s time to start over and implement commonsense solutions that allow Americans to choose affordable plans across state lines, end frivolous lawsuits that drive up costs, and gives equitable tax treatment to those who don’t get insurance from their employer.”  Read More at:  http://demint.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?p=PressReleases&ContentRecord_id=fea64424-fa20-47ee-aa45-0acd9763c4b9

On Raising the Debt Limit:

From Sen. DeMint’s Op-Ed in Politico: “Reaching the debt ceiling should be a warning bell to Congress that our debt has reached scorching levels. But all Washington politicians want to do is shut off the alarm instead of put out the fire.

“The alarms are ringing loudly, and with more frequency, in response to new and expanded entitlement programs, bailouts and Big Government takeovers. Congress has voted to raise the debt ceiling every year since 2002 — and twice in 2008 and 2009.

“Raising the debt ceiling yet again without a plan to cut spending would be like putting out a fire with gasoline instead of water. Doing so would allow the government to continue borrowing more to spend more.”  Read More at:  http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0111/48020.html

On National Security:

Due to the volatile nature of the world today, we at Conservatives4DeMint believe it’s imperative that our next President has foreign policy experience. Sen. DeMint serves on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. And as a member of the Congressional-Executive Commission on China, DeMint helped write the CECC’s Annual Reports, which monitor China’s rule of law and religious freedom.

Sen. DeMint: ”America’s commitment to the principles of freedom, human dignity and free enterprise are just as strong as when our founding fathers first expressed them. And today, nations that embrace democracy, show respect for human rights, and support private enterprise continue to prosper and peacefully resolve their differences with other countries. As a result, the developed world relies on extensive global trade networks and multilateral agreements as the primary method of diplomacy and national security.

“Despite this success, there remain large parts of the world that continue to suffer from poverty, instability, and a lack of opportunity. These regions can serve as terrorist breeding grounds or they are ruled by tyrants that rely on oppression and extremism to cling to power. In order to protect our freedoms and advance them around the world, America must use every tool at its disposal from our cultural and diplomatic strength to our economic and military power.”  Read More at:  http://demint.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?p=NationalSecurity

Here’s what some Top Conservatives think about Senator Jim DeMint:

Tough, courageous, rock-solid and unflinching, Jim DeMint charts the way for all of us in truly historic times.” –Rush Limbaugh

“Jim DeMint has more political courage than any other member of the Senate. He understands America’s dire situation and actually wants to save her. He deserves our sincere appreciation and support.” –Mark Levin, talk radio host and author

“He’s always been one of my favorites.” – Michelle Malkin

“Senator Jim DeMint is a force of nature in the conservative movement. His steadfast and consistent stand in defense of fiscal discipline, a strong national defense and traditional moral values is unparalleled in Washington, DC and should give hope to millions of conservatives across the country as they look for conservative leadership in our nation’s capital.” –Congressman Mike Pence

“It’s comforting to know that someone like Jim DeMint is standing in the gap as we see so many of our nation’s founding principles eroding.” –Steve Forbes, Editor-in-Chief, Forbes

“Jim DeMint is a champion of conservative principles in the Senate.” –Sen. Marco Rubio

“It’s exciting to think that he might actually be serious about exploring a run….There is definitely room for someone with the record and commitment to the conservative principles as Jim DeMint.” –Ovide LaMontagne, Founder, Granite Oath PAC (NH)

“[The] taxpayers’ greatest ally.” –Steve Moore, Editor, Wall Street Journal

“Perhaps more than any other Republican, Senator Jim DeMint is not only responsible for the net Republican gains in the Senate in the 2010 election, but has helped restore faith in the Republican Party as the party of constitutionally limited government.” –Declaration of Conservative Leaders in Support of Senator Jim DeMint, signed by dozens of top conservatives including Brent Bozell, Erick Erickson, Jeffrey M. Frederick, Colin A. Hanna, Michael Patrick Leahy, David Noebel, Larry Pratt, Alfred S. Regnery, Ron Robinson, Drew Ryun and Richard Viguerie

Senator Jim DeMint is Tough on Earmarks, Wants the Border Secured and Rule of Law Enforced, Favors Defunding, Repealing and Replacing ObamaCare, Stresses the Importance of Domestic Offshore Drilling, Leading the fight for School Choice in Education, Wants to Reform Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, Wants to Audit the Fed, Proposed the “American Option Jobs” Plan to create jobs, grow the economy, and save taxpayers billions of dollars and is Great on Family Values.   http://www.jimdemint.com/what-i-believe/

DeMint also supports “The Roadmap for America” Plan for Retirement Security.  http://www.jimdemint.com/2010/07/the-roadmap-for-america/

I Don’t Know what else to say or write about this Great American Conservative Tea Party Patriot except for DeMint is a Great American that would be a Truly Exceptional President.

DeMint has already helped make an Impact and a difference in the Senate.

Conservatives can Only Dream, Imagine, Hope and Pray that DeMint jumps into this Race to be President in 2012.

For Many of us Conservatives, it would be an Answer to Our Prayers and a Dream Come True.

Don’t get me wrong though.  I’m Not saying that DeMint is Perfect or the ONLY Answer to the problems facing America.  I am saying that having Jim DeMint in the White House as Our President would be a Huge Step in the RIGHT Direction.

IF you want to know what Senator Jim DeMint is up to and Follow Him through this Up Comming “Silly Season” Please go to His Site at:  http://www.jimdemint.com/what-im-doing/

He Tells You Exactly what He’s up to there!

And Finally IF You Care to Know what is on Jim DeMint’s Mind?

He Tells You His Thoughts at:  http://www.jimdemint.com/my-thoughts/

So this concludes My Lengthy but Informative Blog Post in Support of Sentor Jim DeMint.  I Hope there won’t be too many people who charge me with ignorance about this Senator after I wrote this.

Time will tell and until my next Blog Post…God Bless You and God Bless America!

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Thank you all for taking the time to read this Blog Post.

You can read earlier Blog Posts at My Blog Page at:  http://jeremyintucson.blogspot.com/