First of all, congratulations on winning Iowa. Better late than never, right? Iowa is the new Florida.

I attended the debate in North Charleston Thursday night an undecided conservative voter. I arrived in South Carolina the previous night ready to campaign for Gov. Rick Perry, who at the time, was still the best and most principled conservative in the race. With Perry’s withdrawal earlier in the day, my wife and I walked into the debate open-minded but leaning toward Newt.

Ironically, on the way to the debate, my wife and I ran into Jim Bob Duggar and a few of his kids. We told him we had been Perry supporters. Jim Bob Duggar had said it had been a tough choice between Perry and Santorum for who he endorsed. To my surprise, he asked us if we thought most Perry supporters would now back Santorum. I told him I thought it would fracture, with most Perry backers moving toward Newt and then Santorum.

I am very familiar with both yours and Newt’s strengths and weaknesses. I’ve articulated them on this forum at RedState multiple times. I am most concerned with your failure to pull the plug on wasteful spending and raising the debt ceiling multiple times. I expect you to strongly support right to work, cut spending and balance the budget if you are elected. The zero percent tax rate for manufacturing is not a good idea. Government should not favor one sector of the economy over another. That’s not free-market capitalism. Embrace a low flat tax for all businesses similar to Perry and Newt’s plans, and the economy will come roaring back, because we will once again be competitive internationally. Our current corporate tax rate, as you well know,  is second highest in the world. Your economic plan can definitely be improved, and I think you will be open to revisions. I believe you’ll reign in spending and thereby honor your word if you become President.

I appreciate your staunch pro-life support and your passion to promote the family in America. Your willingness to tell the truth about Iran and take steps to counter that evil regime’s rising influence. I served as an Army intelligence officer in Iraq in 2010, and I completely agree with your analysis on Iran. That government has much American blood on its hands, and Iran is the greatest threat we face as a nation. We are on a full-speed collision course with that country toward full scale war, unless we think outside the box in how we deal that regime.

Your debate performance Thursday night won us over. Newt definitely gained the momentum early on after soul-crushing John King. Newt quickly gained empathy from the audience for CNN’s opening full-scale attack. But you reversed Newt’s momentum by defending and promoting conservatism better than any other candidate on that stage. Further, you effectively exposed both Newt’s and Mitt’s glaring anti-conservative (and anti-constitutional) healthcare positions. You came out swinging in that debate, and you convinced me you are most in tune with conservative thought and philosophy. You come across much better in a live setting then you do on television. I do not know why, but on tv you seem a little over the top emotionally. However, in person, you seemed passionate about conservatism.

One last piece of advice: lose the vest. The vest was all well and good and endearing in Iowa, but you’re running for President of the United States now, not President of Iowa anymore. When Piers Morgan dresses more Presidential then you in a national interview, something is wrong. By Providence, you somehow made it to the top 4. So please always dress like a top tier Presidential candidate.

You have our prayers and support. I think it is only by Providence that you’ve made it this far. Now go forth and win this thing.

Cheering for You,

Justin Wax

@JustinWax on Twitter

A week ago, I made it pretty clear why I believe Gov. Rick Perry is the best choice for conservatives in this election. Now I’ll go a step further. I think he is the only Republican contender who can defeat Obama.

Obama will run rings around former Gov. Mitt Romney on Romneycare and his pathetic 47th place finish in job creation as governor of Massachusetts. With former House Speaker Newt Gingrich as the nominee, the general election campaign would morph into a media circus on his Fannie Mae/Freddie Mac ties and why American women just don’t trust the guy. Because Gingrich plans to go Newtular on Mitt, I believe Newt’s tactics will resemble a scorched earth campaign and could procure a pyrrhic victory. Santorum will not win the nomination because he lacks executive experience and his national organization is akin to an impending train wreck. Santorum’s organization problem directly stems from his lack of executive experience problem. So Mitt will probably wind up winning the nomination and subsequently subject the Republican party to another butt-kicking in November, unless one thing happens: Perry becomes a phoenix, rises from the ashes and breathes new life into his campaign. For those fuzzy on greek mythology, the Phoenix was a supernatural creature who lived 1,000 years, then hurled itself into the flames and was reborn to live another 1,000 years. Perry’s fundraising prowess and decent national organization present some opportunities for a comeback.

If Perry is able to resurrect his campaign, it will arguably be the greatest comeback in Presidential politics and probably, like the Phoenix, involve the supernatural. I largely agree with Erick’s analysis that there needs to be some internal shakeup with the campaign staff. Regrettably good people will get burned. But I can assure you, if Team Perry doesn’t get back into the game, the entire  nation will continue to get burned for the next four years and probably beyond.

In order for Perry to mount a comeback, three things need to happen:

1) Perry needs to put in some great debate performances.

Perry needs to string together some solid debate performances, but he doesn’t just need to avoid gaffes. He needs to hijack some serious debate time away from the other candidates and begin to dominate the discussion. He must relentlessly expose the other GOP contenders as counterfeit conservatives, particularly Santorum and Mitt. Yet he must do this tactfully and effectively while simultaneously establishing his bona fides as a true conservative.

Conservatism is analogous to a three legged stool. One leg is fiscal conservatism and limited government in economic terms, and government has a responsibility to promote liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Another leg is a realistic view and adherence to sound foreign policy and national security which enables our citizens to pursue life, liberty and happiness. The last leg is social conservatism: recognizing that government has an obligation to protect innocent life and promote the family and realizing the best way for our citizens to experience life, freedom and happiness requires promoting Judeo-Christian precepts and morality.

Ronald Reagan understood genuine conservatism and that Americans yearned for it, especially after years of malaise. That’s why Reagan cleaned his opponents’ clocks in two national elections. He was able to articulate conservatism, prove his conservative credentials and enact a conservative agenda. In our current race, every GOP candidate in the race is missing at least one or two legs on the stool, except for Perry. He must doggedly explain this reality to voters that they must elect a true, consistent conservative to take on Obama.

2) Perry needs to speak directly to conservatives, bypassing the media blackout, and he needs to hone the right message.

Due to Perry’s dismal poll numbers in South Carolina and nationally, the drive by media is ignoring him. So Perry must go rogue and begin a direct conversation with conservative voters. To some extent, he’s already doing this by his recent articles on RedState and Townhall. He is on the right track. But his team must find creative ways to engage tea party and evangelical leaders in South Carolina and begin reaching out to them. There are 450,000 veterans in South Carolina. The campaign needs to engage and capture this conservative base also.

3) Conservatives across the country need to wake up, get into the game and flood the zone in South Carolina for the upcoming primary.

For those unfamiliar with the term “flood the zone,” it occurs when an offense sends more players to a part of a field than the defense can adequately defend with personnel. It’s a mismatch. In military terms, it would be similar to using overwhelming force against an adversary.

If you have friends and relatives in SC, you need to start introducing them to Rick Perry today. Before they vote in the primary, you must extract from them a blood oath that they will vote for Rick Perry and tell their friends and neighbors to do likewise. The strike force in Iowa was respectable, but it was not enough. Iowans chose Santorum because they didn’t want Romney to win their state. Santorum benefited from not having undergone a proper vetting process and surged at the right moment. Many Iowan voters told me they would enthusiastically support Perry if he could mount a comeback. There were nearly a 1,000 strike force volunteers in Iowa working on Perry’s behalf. But this is SC we’re talking about now. I believe 2,000 conservatives could realistically respond and descend on SC to get this done for Perry and our nation’s future. These volunteers will be instrumental in working a ground game of phone banking, block-walking, sign-waving and manning precincts across SC.

Think about it. We are either in 1976 or 1980. Perry is the most Reaganesque GOP Presidential candidate to come along in 30 years, and we’re on the verge of screwing it up. Romney is Gerald Ford–timid and moderate. Either we unite behind Perry or we send Romney to be the sacrificial lamb.

We are rapidly coming to the decisive point in the Republican primary battle. Conservatives must unite and make a stand in SC or all is probably lost. A SC Strike force is forming for Gov. Perry. Volunteers will arrive in the Palmetto state beginning January 15.

Just wanted to give RedStaters a brief report from the Perry Strike Force. As a point of reference, I volunteered in a 72 hour campaign  for President Bush in Florida in 2004. In other words, this isn’t my first rodeo in this kind of effort.

Volunteers have been pouring in over the last few days. I arrived in Des Moines Friday night, and following a training session, I  immediately began phone banking, going door to door and sign waving.

http://twitter.com/texasgalt/status/153872641596469248/photo/1/large

I believe the reports of actual strike force participants are probably low. There are multiple Strike Force rally points (hubs) across Iowa, and there are several hundred volunteers at my hub alone in West Des Moines.

Morale is very high. The reports coming in are very positive in re to Gov. Perry’s bus tour. Perry offered an oustanding performance on Fox News Sunday yesterday also. Every venue is packed and the vast majority of attendees leaving Perry rally’s are firmly on board for the Governor which is in contrast to reports on Romney and Gingrich events. Many participants are still leaving these events for Mitt & Newt undecided. Perry staffers have been able to reassign volunteers to more door-to-door, phone banking, etc. due to the large number of local Perry supporters/volunteers/attendees flooding to each of his bus stop events.

One of the most underreported aspects of the Strike Force is the diversity of volunteers. For example, one day I went door to door w/ a Jewish guy from Florida who’s an IT guru back home. Another day I went door-to-door w/ a college student from Rhode Island who studies in NYC. Today I went sign-waving w/ a guy from Oklahoma who took vacation time to fly up here. Make no mistakes, the Texans are here, and there are a lot of them testifying on behalf of Gov. Perry’s leadership back home. But volunteers from 31 other states are here also, and they are making their presence felt.

The Perry ground game in Iowa is for real, and I think this could easily land him in the top 3 or better when all the dust settles on Caucus night. Many Iowans contacted via phone and door-to-door admit they are still undecided. So we’ve been able to sell a lot of them on Gov. Perry’s strong leadership and record in Texas.

One other advantage of the Strike Force is the sheer organization of the staff. I was a foot solider for Bush in 2004. Bush had the power, organization and war chest of the incumbency at his disposal. The campaign’s organization, unsurprisingly, was exceptional. So I’ve pleasantly surprised how organized Perry’s campaign has been here in Iowa despite not having the advantages Bush enjoyed.

One final thought: I think obsession with the latest polling numbers are overemphasized. The Caucus procedure is vastly different than a primary. Consequently, I think the polling would be much more accurate if Iowa were a primary state. But it’s not. As a result, organization is going to be critical and worth several percentage points in my view. People supporting Newt, Mitt and Santorum on the phone aren’t necessarily going to show up for the Caucus. There is no absentee or early voting in Iowa. Turnout is key. I really have not seen or read any reports of any significant ground effort on behalf of Bachmann, Newt, Santorum, Mitt and he who shall not be named. I may be too insulated, but I honestly don’t think they have anything close to the level of enthusiasm, volunteers and organization that Perry enjoys. Responses going to door-to-door, phone banking and sign waving have generally been positive and encouraging, as most Republicans are generally nice, courteous and open-minded.

The Perry campaign is still recruiting volunteers and needs your help. Join the Perry Strike Force from wherever you are by emailing: phonebank@rickperry.org

Talk soon!

@JustinWax

Tennessee Volunteer for Rick Perry

Dear Iowa,

As I write this letter, I’m sitting in the Nashville, Tennessee airport preparing to come visit you. I just kissed my beautiful wife of 7 years and 2 small children goodbye. I won’t get to spend the next few days or celebrate the New Year with them this year.  I’m OK with that, because I have some things I need to tell you and get off my chest. I intend to say these things not only through this letter but in person.

The upcoming Presidential election has very much been on my mind. For the last few years, I’ve witnessed the rapid decline of our country. It’s been intensely painful and deeply unsettling to watch and experience. Our elected representatives in Washington, DC continue to spend money like drunken sailors and add trillions to our deficit. Our President provides no leadership and demands no fiscal discipline of Congress. He’s showed tremendous naivete, incompetence and weakness when it comes to our enemies, particularly Iran. President Obama has undercut our greatest ally and friend of liberty in the Middle East. Instead of promoting real economic reforms that could jump start our economy, lower unemployment and reduce our nation’s debt, our President is off on a $4M, 17 day vacation in Hawaii. Could he be more disconnected from reality and the crisis our people face each day?

America needs dramatically different leadership in our President. We need a new President with a vision to reverse the disastrous course we are on. May I digress and elaborate on a moment that had a big impact on me ten years ago?

I remember watching the attacks on 9/11 as a high school senior. I was dumbfounded and then angry at the horrific evil I witnessed. I was speechless and shocked watching some of my fellow countrymen jump out of burning buildings to their deaths that day. I remember telling my high school girlfriend (now my wife) that my life would take a different course due to the events of that day. I resolved to do something for my country, defend her and be an instrument of her justice. So I did. A few years later, I became a Tennessee Volunteer, and eventually, I deployed to Iraq as an Army officer. My most important tasks were to place the mission first and do everything in my power to ensure as many of my fellow soldiers returned home. God answered our prayers and every single soldier in my unit made it home. I now work as a businessman and continue to be a citizen soldier. I’m also a husband and father of two wonderful kids.

Since September 11^th, I have not been as unsettled about our nation’s future as I am now. I am still resolved to fight for my country. Because of my continued resolve, I wholeheartedly believe the first significant battlefront to reverse our country’s decline will occur all across your state on January 3 when you hold your Caucus. Your people will choose between several different accomplished individuals for President, but before they do I would appreciate the opportunity to offer them some thoughts on the top contenders in no particular order. There are some decent and good Americans running for President, but only one of them should be President.

Rep. Ron Paul is a poster child of the problems in Washington, D.C. He sharply criticizes pork barrel spending by DC insiders, then he loads congressional bills with pork for his home district. He provides a clear example of unprincipled leadership. Unable to convince enough of his colleagues to abolish wasteful spending, he joins the earmark club. Paul has proved almost entirely incapable of convincing his colleagues to go along with just about any of his ideas. Congress passed just one bill Paul sponsored over his 30 year tenure. He’s been exceptionally ineffective in Washington. So I find it astonishing why anyone believes he deserves a promotion. The other disqualifying factor for Paul is his views on foreign policy, particularly the threat of a nuclear Iran. When I served in Iraq, my greatest concern was the threat of Iranian made IEDs. Iran has waged a proxy war with the US for decades. Their radical government has American blood on his hands through its attacks on US personnel in Iraq and its bombings of our embassies in Kenya and Tanzania among other terrorist ventures. Yet Paul, inexplicably wants to extend the hand of friendship to a vicious government that enslaves its own people and is soaked and dripping with American blood. In summary, Paul’s foreign policy views mirror those of Neville Chamberlain at best and a lunatic at worst.

Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum has risen in the polls lately. Similar to Santorum, I am an evangelical Christian. I am passionate about my faith and seek to be more like Christ each day I’m given. I share Santorum’s strong stance on social issues and want our nation to protect the lives of the unborn. Santorum (like Paul) lacks executive experience. When choosing a chief executive, wouldn’t it make sense to choose someone with requisite experience? Santorum’s organization woes are increasingly apparent. For example, Santorum failed to qualify a single delegate in my home state of Tennessee. Organizationally, he cannot go the distance. Further, Mr. Santorum had a spending problem when he was in Washington. He inexplicably supported outrageous earmarks, including “the Bridge to Nowhere” and the “Teapot Museum” among other egregious wasteful projects. During his 16 years as a Washington insider, he sought over 1 BILLION dollars in earmarks. Yes, you did read that correctly–Santorum wanted $1 BILLION dollars for earmarks. Santorum possesses no moral high ground when it comes to fiscal restraint and failed miserably to be a good steward of the people’s money. The people of Pennsylvania grew so disgusted with Santorum’s spending spree in Washington that they kicked him to the curb, firing the pork-loving Senator with an 18% loss (or butt-kicking to be more precise) at the polls.

Plummeting in the polls is Congresswoman Michele Bachmann. While I deeply admire her conservative credentials, tenacity and fight, Bachmann, like Santorum, suffers from a fatal organizational problem and would never be able to make it to the finish line in the primary contest. Bachmann also failed to field a single delegate in my home state and lacks executive political experience. America needs her principled voice to remain in Congress. She is just not ready to be President.

Also fading fast is former House Speaker Newt Gingrich. Newt did some great things when he was in power. He helped bring about welfare reform and balanced the budget. However, Newt has a 200 lb ruck sack of personal baggage he carries. No wonder he’s always sitting down. He will have a hard time making it to the finish line. Newt has never proven himself particularly trustworthy. If Newt won the nomination, he’d be the first GOP nominee with two ex-wives, who don’t particularly have nice things to say about him. If two spouses couldn’t trust Newt, why should the American people be expected to? Newt will have a hard sell convincing American women he deserves their trust. Personal life effects public life. Don’t believe me? Where are all the GOP congressmen from the class of 94? Well, they’re not lining up to endorse Newt. One distinguished member of that class, Senator Tom Coburn, a champion of fiscal conservatism made it clear he would not support Newt’s candidacy, citing his poor leadership. Critics love to lampoon Gov. Rick Perry’s memory lapse during a debate performance, but Newt has on numerous occasions forgotten what it means to be a conservative. As House Speaker, he drastically increased the size of government. He praised Romneycare as recently as 2006 and continues to back the unconstitutional individual mandate. Newt excoriated politicians who benefited improperly from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. Yet Newt received $1.6 million from the corrupt entities. Newt is a great debater, but his rhetoric too often fails to line up w/ his record.

Governor Mitt Romney is shaping up to be the potential Bob Dole of this election season. Romney’s crowning achievement as governor in Massachusetts was Romneycare, a forerunner for Obamacare. The single worst legislation of Obama’s first 3 years in office is Obamacare. It is a huge expansion of the federal government, and it will destroy America’s healthcare system by handing all the control over to government bureaucrats. America’s standing in the world as #1 in healthcare will be no more. Romneycare killed 18,000 jobs, increased healthcare costs by billions of dollars and mandated its citizens to purchase healthcare. Think about that for a moment. A government that forces its citizens to purchase something sets a dangerous precedent. What will it force us to buy next? There was nothing conservative about Romneycare. Not to mention it’s simply unconstitutional. Unsurprisingly, Obama loved it. So he requested help from Romney advisors when crafting Obamacare. And Romney’s record in job creation? Miserable. Romney-led Massachusetts placed 47^th in job creation. Someone please remind me why conservatives ought to elect Romney? Can someone name a reason he deserves our votes? Romney’s unceasing campaign for the Presidency over the last 6 years doesn’t count.

Governor Rick Perry’s record as governor of Texas, particularly his jobs record, is outstanding. Since June 2009, Texas has created 37% of the nation’s jobs. Some Perry critics argue Texas’ job growth is exclusively tied to its energy sector. If that’s the case, one could argue California, with Silicon Valley, and New York, with Wall Street, should be experiencing tremendous growth and prosperity. Yet New York lags far behind Texas in job growth and California continues to bleed jobs and opportunity at a fast clip. Right out of the gate, Perry sent a powerful message when he vetoed 79 bills after his first legislative session alone, breaking a Texas record for vetoes. With Perry at the helm, Texas has always balanced its budgets. While Romney balanced his state’s budget by punishing job creators with a 20% tax hike, Perry balanced budgets as an authentic conservative would, reducing state spending for the first time since World War II. Perry’s leadership in implementing tort reform, instilling fair regulatory policies and attracting investment is truly exceptional. Executive experience (namely executive political experience) and executive records matter a great deal. Character and integrity also should rank highly when choosing leaders. Perry lacks nothing in these areas, while several of his Republican colleagues leave much to be desired. Solid on social issues, Perry is a strong pro-life advocate, signing into law a parental notification requirement and defunding Planned Parenthood. Further, every one of his judicial appointments adheres to a strict constructionist view of the Constitution. Perry’s outstanding leadership in Texas is why I am headed to Iowa. Did I mention Perry served honorably as an Air Force Pilot, achieving the rank of Captain, during the Cold War? It would be nice to have a Commander-in-Chief with military experience.

One final thought. What I love most about Iowa is that so many of you are God-fearing people, just like so many of us in Tennessee. Like many of you, I’m an evangelical Christian. I know you spend time on your knees praying and asking for guidance. I pray God gives you peace on Tuesday.

Will you support the consistent conservative on January 3^rd, who will provide a stark contrast to our failed President? Or will we continue full speed toward the precipice of national ruin. Iowa, you have a duty to weigh in on the electoral process and get it right. I, along with hundreds of volunteers from 30 states across the country, urge you to support Governor Rick Perry.

Happy New Year and see you soon!

Justin Wax

Tennessee Volunteer for Gov. Rick Perry

Twitter: @JustinWax

UPDATE: The Perry campaign is taking legal action to appear on the Virginia ballot arguing the current process involves both onerous and unconstitutional requirements. Curiously, Newt has neither filed a lawsuit or hinted at possible legal action to my knowledge.

Full disclosure: I am a Rick Perry delegate representing the state of Tennessee.

Here are some musings on the Virginia ballot mess for what they’re worth. And yes, when 5  of 7 major GOP candidates are excluded from a state ballot, mess is an apt description of the situation. RedState contributor Neil Stevens tweeted that he hadn’t seen so many candidates tossed from a ballot since the Iranian Presidential election. Possibly true. Regardless, there is a certain absurdity to the whole episode, especially as the story continues to unfold.

My friends at Team Perry instructed me to gain well above the necessary signature threshold, as the Secretary of State’s office would inevitably disqualify some of the signatures. In fact, the Tennessee SoS disqualified roughly 20% of my signatures due to various signature infractions. I still managed to qualify. I mention this simply to elaborate and explain that capturing valid signatures isn’t as easy as it seems. In Tennessee, voters must print their name, sign their name and include their residence as it appeared on their registration card. Easy Peasy right? Wrong. Many seasoned citizens had a hard time reading the instructions without their reading glasses and left off a signature or complete address. Some voters included their business addresses. Disqualified. Some voters forgot to update their registration to their new address. Disqualified. Some people were embarrassed to admit they weren’t registered voters but signed my petition anyway. And since I didn’t slip any truth serum in their drinks…  Disqualified. Some signees were convicted felons. Dis–Okay. Just joking on that one (I hope). Others failed to realize their voter registration lapsed since they hadn’t voted in so long. Suffice it to say, it’s inevitable that many signatures will be thrown out during the validation process for various reasons.

Before delving deeper into this blog post, readers should first familiarize themselves with RedState contributor Moe Lane’s excellent points here.  All interested parties ought to review his analysis of the fiasco, as my reflections are based in large part on his latest assessment. If you are operating under the assumption that all you need is 10,000+ signatures and you are golden, it will change the way you play the game and use your resources. Keep in mind that Perry got into the game late and has had to play catchup w/ Mitt Romney who’s been running for President since he was in the first grade and amassing a fortune since then and Ron Paul who’s been running for President since television began appearing in color while inspiring millions of devoted followers across the fruited plain by promising to legalize pot.

All that being said, I think Newt and Perry deserve some more grace from GOP voters than Santorum, Bachmann and Huntsman, because both Newt and Perry actually organized in VA and turned in over 10,000 signatures. By all appearances, they attempted to play by the Virginia Republican Party’s rules and thought they made the ballot. The problem, it seems clear now, is that the rules changed late in the game. Whether the referees notified Perry and Newt of the rules change (or the fairness thereof) is an open question.

I contacted via Twitter a prominent political scientist familiar with Virginia politics that Virginia lawmakers ought to pass legislation enabling GOP contenders polling 5%+ an automatic ballot berth. To my surprise,  he responded to my tweet: “Something like that ought to be done. I doubt they’ll do it in time for March 6 primary–or much earlier ballot printing.” He has a good point. The logistics of conducting an election will work against Newt and Perry.

In the last 24 hours, Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli has called for Virginia lawmakers to reform Virginia’s burdensome ballot requirements in order to make Virginia relevant in primary contest. Although Republicans hold majorities in Virginia’s legislature, I am not optimistic they will be able to resolve this fiasco satisfactorily in time for the primary.

Alas, the only likely redress ending with Newt and Perry on the ballot involves a lawsuit. It is truly unfortunate that Virginia party leaders have mishandled this process so badly. They’ve effectively disenfranchised Virginians and reduced their primary Presidential choices to an ineffective RINO libertarian congressman who routinely dons a tin foil hat and a Massachusetts moderate who inspired Obamacare and raised taxes on businesses 20% during his one term.

One last thought: how candidates handle adversity reveals a lot about their leadership and character. Perry’s public response has essentially been muted. It remains to be seen if he will issue any more public utterances on the situation, although I think it likely he will be forced to address the dilemma sometime soon. This strategy is probably wise considering many voters haven’t been paying close attention to the Virginia ballot fiasco over the last few days. Further, it gives Team Perry time to work the VRP channels privately and see if anything can be done before issuing any additional remarks. Newt’s response, however, leaves much to be desired. Comparing the ballot snafu with Pearl Harbor is beyond ridiculous. Moreover, Newt has an unyielding proclivity to blow things out of proportion to include his opinion of himself (i.e. his comparing himself to Churchill, Thatcher and Reagan).

Headed to Iowa later this week. Talk soon!

“It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.” - Teddy Roosevelt

When Governor Rick Perry tossed his hat into the Presidential ring, he said he was joining the race at his wife, Anita Perry’s urging. Perry believed it was his duty to run and was answering the question President Kennedy had asked Americans 50 years prior in his inaugural address: “ask what you can do for your country.”

Was Perry ready to run for President? No. His stumbles on the campaign reflect that reality. Is he ready to be President? Yes. His impressive record of conservative governance and Texas’ dominating economic growth attest to his strong leadership. There is an important distinction between these two questions. When President Reagan ran for President in 1980, he took on the Republican establishment and the country-club wing of the party. And he won. Yet Reagan benefited from already having run for President in 1976.

There is a steep learning curve to running for President of the United States. Gov. Perry’s success in winning the nomination will in large part reflect how fast he adjusts to this curve. He is not a particularly skillful debater, but he is improving rapidly. Perry, like every candidate, has his critics and baggage (yes I know about gardasil and in state tuition for illegals), but unlike the other candidates, Perry possesses vast executive experience (sorry Ron, Michelle and Santorum), a consistently conservative record (sorry Mitt, Newt and Huntsman) and a genuinely enthusiastic persona and endearing and inspiring charisma.

Perry’s military experience is an important asset also. How refreshing it would be to have a commander-in-chief who has actually led American servicemen, understands military culture, knows the difference between Veteran’s day and Memorial Day and how to correctly pronounce the Marine “corps.” Perry ‘s experience leading airmen during the Cold War and commanding 20,000 troops as Commander-in-Chief of the Texas National Guard for the past decade will serve him well as President. Further, Perry has developed a good grasp of foreign policy.

Allow me to review Perry’s more serious GOP opponents by first examining the Hermanator. I like Herman Cain, but he is just not ready to be President. Just ask him about Libya, China’s nuclear capability or perhaps any other country for that matter. Having a political record can be a deal-killer, but in Cain’s case, the absence of policy experience is soul-crushing his candidacy. Cain has shown poor judgment by who he’s surrounded himself with on his senior staff. Mark Block anyone? This repeat DUI offender is managing (or mismanaging to be more accurate) his campaign by releasing the bizarre smoking ad, blaming the Perry campaign, then the DNC for the sexual harrassment leaks to the Politico all without providing a shred of evidence. Worst of all, illegally launching Cain’s campaign as a 501(c)(3). This egregious mistake raises an integrity flag (and stupidity flag quite frankly) for Cain and will permanently derail the Cain train provided it ever gets back on the track.

I like Newt also. He’s brilliant and can articulate conservatism probably better than anyone. But Newtapotamus has not walked the walk and been a consistent conservative. He was for the individual mandate before he was against it. He claims he is an agnostic when it comes to man-made climate change. Seriously man? Show some backbone! Newt is too intelligent not to see the man-made global warming hoax. He excoriated Paul Ryan’s medicare reform plan before backtracking and apologizing. That’s not principled leadership or being a team player for that matter. Newt has shown exceptionally poor judgment in his personal life. He has demonstrated through his adultery an integrity deficiency. I believe Newt when he says he sought repentance and forgiveness. But that doesn’t mean we should ignore his past. If multiple wives could not trust Newt, I’m not so certain the American people, particularly American women, will either.

Which brings me to Mitt. I cannot say I like Mittens. I sympathize that he governed a dark blue state, but Romneycare is just terrible, and we all know it was the prototype for Obamacare. The man has not shown that he’s learned from his mistakes. Mitt supported abortion on demand, yet now he’s pro-life. Like Newt, he’s flipped-flopped on climate change, had a lousy immigration record (free healthcare for illegals) and can’t tell the truth about his book (how he quietly removed a paragraph in favor of nationalizing Romneycare from one edition to the next). He’s displayed no desire to be a transformative leader or offer bold ideas. Romney can’t even find it within himself to support a flat tax. But he has said he wants the tax code to be flatter. Classic Mitt. Romney is an uninspiring, tune-up kind of politician. But Washington doesn’t need a tune up. It needs the wrecking ball that Perry has recognized and called for.

Which is easier to repair? Style or substance? A candidate’s ability to sell himself or his ability to be bought by the establishment wing of the party? I’ll take the guy with substance over style. Perry can and will continue to improve his debate performances. Rick Perry, having courageously entered the arena, has taken some shots and been bloodied by the drive-by media and by his own mistakes on the trail.

Now is the critical moment conservatives must rally around Rick Perry and jump into the arena to fight for him. This means all conservatives who have the ability and means should travel to Iowa and work to help Perry win the caucuses. Entering the arena means boldly proclaiming your support for Governor Perry and defending him through financial contributions, letters to the editor, call ins to talk radio, Facebook posts, political discussions at the office water cooler, etc. We have the opportunity to send a consistent, passionate conservative to the White House. But in order to do so, conservatives must exit the stands and enter the fray. Doing so will be difficult and will require sacrifice. But just about all things worthwhile in life are hard. Freedom isn’t free. I have a beautiful wife and two young children. God has blessed my family tremendously through this country. I’ve been privileged to serve in our armed forces and defend our freedom in Iraq as an Army officer. I am passionate about this country and our future. So what kind of country will we leave our children and grandchildren? I don’t want to look back at life and have any regrets.

As a result, I have bought an airline ticket to Des Moines and will be campaigning for Gov. Perry leading up the caucuses. If Perry is going to re-emerge and win the nomination, then he needs an early win in Iowa. He needs fellow conservatives fighting alongside him in the fray. Will you join me in entering the arena?

Is it just me or has Karl Rove completely gone Washington? Rove’s latest attack on Gov. Rick Perry for being too cowboy is ridiculous. Perry rightly sharply criticized Ben Bernanke’s failed monetary policies. This recent episode is indicative of Rove’s deteriorating intellectual capacity due to his Beltway Bubble illness.

Alas, Politico’s embed link appears to be jacked up, along with most of their political analysis. So please oblige me by clicking the link below:

Watch Rove’s banal Perry analysis on Fox News.

Perry needs to fight the cowboy impression? Seriously Karl? You sure pulled that off with Dubya didn’t ya. Because nobody in America ever views  W. as a cowboy. Ever. Riiiiiiiighhhhht. Perry was (and is) a cowboy. He was a rancher. So what?

The current President was an Ivy Leaguer and a community organizer (although he never lived in the areas where he organized–he preferred the upscale, posh neighborhoods instead). Look where that guy’s gotten us.

Newsflash Karl: the two Presidents most ridiculed by the drive by media as “cowboys”  are 4-0 in presidential elections. Both of Reagan’s wins weren’t even close, especially that 49 state landslide. Suffice it to say America likes cowboys.

So Perry ought to fight the cowboy impression……………..why exactly? Help me out Karl. Will someone please punch this guy a ticket to real America? I’m getting concerned about the architect.

I’ll take the cowboy over the clueless Keynesian any day. Thanks.

It’s time for McConnell to step down as Minority Leader. His capitulation to President Obama yesterday makes it clear he is no longer the right person to lead Republicans in the Senate.

Conservatives and Tea Partiers need to start calling for his resignation. Who should replace him?

I propose Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL). He is leading the conservative movement in the Senate and could be the second coming of Ronald Reagan. It’s time he led Republicans from the Minority Leader position.

Over the last few days, it has become clear Sen. McConnell has gone wobbly. Sen. Rubio, in contrast, has strengthened his conservative bona fides and eloquently made the case for conservative solutions.

Who is more articulate or convincing  in presenting the conservative cause than Rubio in the Senate?  Is there a better face for the conservative movement going into the 2012 elections? I think not. Rubio is the embodiment of the American dream. Further, his leadership will be instrumental in winning the swing state of Florida in the 2012 Presidential elections and winning back the Senate for Republicans.

Congressmen Boehner and Cantor have shown fortitude in the debt negotiations. They need a firm and trusted ally in the Senate. It’s time we send them one.