1. The RNC Race and the Truce on Truces

2. Gun Control and the Tucson Shootings

3. Dupnik Refudiated in President’s Speech

4. Coats for Kids fires guy for agreeing with Obama?

5. On the Oil Spill Commission Report

1. The RNC Race and the Truce on Truces

Erick wrote a post earlier this week about the race for RNC chair titled, “Are RNC Committeemen Even Listening?”As the head of the Susan B. Anthony List, a 285,000 member non-partisan pro-life group, I’ve asked myself a similar question – Is the Republican Party listening to the grassroots on Life?This question was prompted in my mind (and in many others) by those within the party who have called for a “truce” on social issues – a call to ignore the million babies killed each year, many aborted using our tax dollars — while more “pressing” issues are dealt with.So when I was asked to represent social conservatives during last week’s debate for RNC Chair, I very willingly said yes so I could get the lingering question in my head answered.In front of a packed room of activists, voting RNC members, media, and many more watching on C-SPAN, I questioned the candidates on Life and Marriage.Please click here for the rest of the post.

2. Gun Control and the Tucson Shootings

As we’ve witnessed over the past five days the left has pulled out all the stops to gain political advantage from the tragic shootings in Tucson.We’ve endured the spectacle of the leftist punditocracy shrilly blaming opinions opposed to the Obama Administration for the actions of an obviously schizophrenic young man who has been described by his friends as a left wing doper who was disengaged from current politics. We’ve seen the addled superannuated “sheriff” lash out, blaming everyone in sight except his own department which had numerous contacts with the shooter in the past few years did bupkis, in fact they did less than bupkis.Having failed to hang direct responsibility about our neck — an action very accurately described by Sarah Palin as “blood libel” — they moved on to Phase II which is “everyone needs to watch what they say… especially you wingnuts who are violent and since the left doesn’t say violent stuff so we’re okay.” This, too, has wilted under even the cursory scrutiny it was given by the press. Over the past decade the calls for the assassination of President Bush, the trashing of ROTC offices, the incitement of troops to mutiny, the daily scurrilous calls for violence by websites like DailyKos and by the now happily defunct Air America were part and parcel of what passes for speech on the left. That nothing happened is due more to the lack of manliness (with the exception of Amanda Marcotte) and ambition on the part of the left than any reticence to actually engage in violent acts.Please click here for the rest of the post.

3. Dupnik Refudiated in President’s Speech

Jonathan Martin at Politco has an article out today that puts it’s attention on Sarah Palin again. This time it is for not being as totally awesome as President Obama who gave a stirring and emotional speech at the otherwise unfortunately inappropriate memorial service. Please click here for the rest of the post.

4. Coats for Kids fires guy for agreeing with Obama?

Short version: Glen Busch was the Chicago director of the nonprofit Coats for Kids, right up to the point where he (on his own personal Facebook page, and on his own time) made the completely accurate and noncontroversial points that Tucson shooter Jared Loughney was not, in point of fact, a right-wing crazy; and that later evidence that Loughney has left-wing beliefs didn’t prove anything about the situation, either. A day later, Coats for Kids national president Paul Darby (of Virginia: guess where he and his wife Cheryl’s political contributions overwhelmingly went in previous election cycles?) fired Busch for it.Please click here for the rest of the post.

5. On the Oil Spill Commission Report

As many of you know, your humble correspondent is a veteran of 32 years of service in the oil and gas industry, currently serving as the operations manager for a small Gulf of Mexico exploration and production company. This week, the President’s Oil Spill Commission published its 380-page report on the BP blowout and spill on the Deepwater Horizon. I won’t pretend to have read the thing, but there are a few recommendations and outcomes worth commenting upon.Please click here for the rest of the post.