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Subscribe to RSSEstablishment Republicans are hoping that Osama bin Laden’s death represents the end of the silly season among 2012 Republican presidential hopefuls who have up to this point focused on birth certificates and the threat of nationwide Sharia law, Politico writes.
GINGRICH: Gingrich will not participate in the May 5th South Carolina presidential debate, Human Events writes (and NBC confirms)
Gingrich was supposed to give a presentation on Pope John Paul II at the Basilica of St. John in Des Moines, IA, on May 16, but basilica officials canceled the event because Gingrich is now weighing a run for the presidency and his speech could be considered a conflict of interest, the Des Moines Register reports.
MOORE: Former Alabama Chief Justice Roy Moore, who was removed from office in 2003 when he refused to remove a monument of the Ten Commandments from the state’s Supreme Court building, will participate in a Tea Party rally in South Carolina on Thursday before the debate. He is also planning a four-day tour of the Palmetto State on May 23, the Spartanburg Herald-Journal writes.
PALIN: During a veterans’ charity fundraiser at Colorado Christian University, Sarah Palin commended President Obama and former President George W. Bush and the military, although she did not mention Obama (only “the president”) by name in her speech, The Hill reports. "We thank President Bush for having made the right calls to set up this victory," Palin said.
Per NBC’s Catherine Chomiak, Palin said that bin Laden met justice at the hands of America's finest. She said the success of the mission was the result of diligence and a "testament to the military's dedication." She also urged that those who kill in the name of religion must be stopped.
PAWLENTY: Although Pawlenty is sometimes characterized as the establishment’s alternative to Mitt Romney, he’s also been courting the Tea Party diligently, especially in New Hampshire where he is “most actively positioning himself to play well among a libertarian-leaning electorate that tends to care more about what candidates say about finances than they do about faith,” Real Clear Politics writes.
Pawlenty will be in Iowa over the next two days with stops in Ames, Adel and the Des Moines area, the AP writes.
ROMNEY: Romney’s camp announced yesterday he won’t be participating in Thursday’s South Carolina debate. The New York Times: “Mr. Romney had previously indicated that he was not planning to attend the debate, and he seems not to have been persuaded to change his mind by Tim Pawlenty, the former governor of Minnesota, who last week made a plea for more of the potential Republican field to join him on stage in South Carolina.”
Romney returns to New Hampshire today, where he will have a meeting with business leaders in Nashua, the Nashua Telegraph reports. “As a courtesy, Greater Nashua Chamber of Commerce President Chris Williams was helping to set up the private sit-down for Romney.”
SANTORUM: While he praised “all those involved” in the killing of Osama Bin Laden, Rick Santorum told Radio Iowa that the news doesn’t mean President Obama will prevail in the 2012 election: “According to Santorum, Obama has made the U.S. less safe by the way he’s handled Egypt, Iran, Libya, and Syria.”
Santorum spoke at Dordt College in Iowa yesterday, his last stop as part of the Presidential Lecture Series sponsored by conservative group the Family Leader, according to the Des Moines Register. He told the crowd that government is only set up “to protect your inalienable rights. It wasn’t to build a stronger economy. It wasn’t to order society. It wasn’t to create roads and bridges. It was to protect your freedom.”
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There are 2 ways to get noticed in the GOP field - substance or flash. The GOP is short on substance, especially now. I predict the silliness gets worse since that is the only way they can get noticed now.
Hate to tell the republicans... but by them not putting a stop to the pathological liers and the racists and the psychopaths in their party ...at the very first mention of anything that wasn't right ... has completely ruined any chance for any Republican ... to be taken seriously ...their leadership stinks ...the complete ruin of a political party because of the lack leadership ...who just stood by and laughed ! The whole party is now a joke / sideshow !
"If you lay down with dogs you will get up with fleas" -good advice from Grandma Grump.
Spoken like someone who wouldn't vote for a republican to begin with.
Catholic officials cancelled a Gingrich speech because his campaign might be seen as a conflict of interest? How about his three wives? When did THAT pass muster in the Catholic faith?
The South is besieged by floods, tornadoes, and fires, and republican governors and legislators are going to want to suck hard on the teats of the same beast they want to starve. No Big Government! Unless their state needs help, then big government, socialism, and the redistribution of wealth works for them. I certainly do not propose we turn our backs to to our fellow citizens, but the politicians can't have it both ways, you can starve the beast, or feed off the beast. You want the federal government to stay out of your business or come to your rescue? Which is it?
Actually, I think disaster relief should be one of the few functions of our centralized government. There are situations that the best planning can't prepare a state for and that's where the feds should step in. Natural disasters tend to affect things that are under the auspices of the feds (infrastructure, interstate commerce and economic activity) so the feds should play a role. And if they stopped trying to control things that should be left to the individual states (police & fire protection, education, etc) we wouldn't have near the economic disaster we're sitting in the middle of- states could collect taxes appropriate to sustain themselves and the federal beast would naturally shrink to a reasonable size. So yes, in fact, I think this is a totally logical place to "have it both ways"
The federal government has nothing to do with your local Police department, Fire department, Ambulance district, or school district. Those are all controlled by locally elected politicians. The federal government has no control there and has contibuted no extra costs.
Grump, how much money does the federal government confiscate from tax payees every year and redistribute in the form of education dollars and subsidies for law enforcement, etc? While they may not directly control these functions, they sure as he'll finance many of them and that funding often comes with some pretty tight guidelines to qualify. And how much of that money goes to bloated government bureaucracies to run the programs to redistribute the ta dollars instead of actually getting to the programs the money is supposed to support?
This morning I heard what sounded like an interview with either little Cindy from The Brady Brunch or Daffy Duck I couldn't tell exactly. When I went and looked at the TV it turns out it was Rudy Gulliani. If he is back the silly season must not be over yet.
The Lefties may want to take a peak at 2 important news items for themselves !
1. The 2010 election results which was the worst butte whipping in 75+ years for Democrats,, and ask themselves,, under Obama have things gotten better or are they worse now ? Paul Ryan is the only Congressional member that has a Deficit Reduction passed and in place. The Democrats have offered NOTHING.
Things as they have been under Obama,, don't play well in American.
2. Republicans are open in commending Obama and the entire team for the Bin Laden success... The Leftists are simply not able to accept that the Right has any smart ideas,, only the Left has any answers,, but they seem to be leading America into financial chaos.. Redistribution of Wealth is a Communist ideology,,, one Obama endorses 100%.
The elimination of Bin Laden is a great day for all Americans,,, and Obama deserves our grateful thanks for having the courage to take a risk and not take the easy way out by bombing that compound. Obama made a very, very wise decision and did a good job. Unlike Leftists,, I am open to recognizing good work by anyone and any party.
Check the polls out my Communist Democrats,, or should I say Progressives ? Obama has been sinking like a stone on $4 + gasoline, Record Deficits, over regulation of health care and the private industry that makes us great. Obama has no , zilch clue of how to get us out of the road to ruin. Obama's own plan called for the National Debt to reach $27.6 Trillion by 2010.
Are you Communists on the Left smart enough to realize that bankrupts and buries America for ever in the world ? Oh,, Oh,, I forgot,, you numb nuts really do want a revolution. You have no idea how great this country has been,, and how much damage you are inflicting on people who still believe in American Exceptionalism,, Freedom, Self Reliance,, And Risk Taking because you believe in yourself and your ideas.
The longer Obama fumbles around with the economy and spending ,, and focuses on being re elected,, the less chance he has to ever achieve that.
America is still a Right Center Country,,, Obama is FAR LEFT,,, and will be defeated no matter who runs for the Right.
Sir, you are either a millionaire and therefore supporting the right because you have much to gain; or you are not a millionaire and believing the BS the millionaires are feeding you through the millions of dollars they are pouring into advertising. The pendulum needs to swing towards the center. Currently it is far right, to the benefit of the richest people. Of the people who are actually educated on the economy and history, you will find that we have prospered by moving right when we were too far left and left when we were too far right. The shrinking of the middle class to the lowest level in many many years is a clear cut indication that we are too far right currently. A correction further right would be devistating to the county. I am not proposing going to far left, merely more towards the center.
Jack, I would contend that we currently have 2 pendulums at work- socially we are too far right- too many people inserting themselves into others' private affairs. This happens from both the left and the right- from Team Elephant it's abortion and marriage, from Team Donkey its the "it takes a village". I think the reality is that we thrive when people are left to pursue their own happiness so long as that happiness does not infringe on others' rights to pursue the same. Financially, the pendulum has swung FAR too left and Bush along with virtually every other president in our history has contributed to it. I believe its something like twice in our nations history that we've actually taken in more than we've paid out. There are occasions where it must happen in the short term (WWII for example) but as a long term fiscal policy, it is not sustainable. I would contend that the current economic policy is too tilted toward government dependence which is at least as damaging to the middle class as a tax policy that appears to favor the very wealthy. Again, both need to be corrected so that we can truly move toward the center and see long term improvement.
Suzy - Your opinion is well thought out and well stated. You make some very valid points. And the weight of entitlements is getting extremely heavy. My only counterpoint would be that most of the additional debt we have taken on appears to have gone directly into the pockets of the rich. All the government bailout money appears to have been invested in a trickle-down approach.
I too do not like the size of government today. When I see the size of our government growing, I find myself aligning with Liberatarians.
But my bottom line is that it seems that big business and the fatcats that run them are growing faster than the government and are spending millions to control/sway elections so that they can make more money. If successful, it will mean the end of the middle class and a very different country than the one founded all those years ago.
In summary - You are correct. Both need to be corrected.
I'll believe Ms. Palin when she comes out opposed to this:
Murders
In the U.S., violence directed towards abortion providers has killed at least eight people, including four doctors, two clinic employees, a security guard, and a clinic escort.[6][7]
But I won't hold my breath.
The sooner the Progressives understand that it will take a Bi Partisan Solution and plan to save America , that an economic solution is required and not ideology, then we have a chance. To hear the Demo Progressives ,, mock Republicans shows how uneducated they really are.
Bush screwed thing up ,, and so did Bill Clinton. Obama does not get all the blame from anyone intelligent... but Obama has poured TNT on a burning fire and things are now out of control. A real leader would be working with the Entire Congress ,, finding a workable solution. Obama's 2012 Budget was a joke,, more unlimited Deficit Spending. That will not be accepted by the American People.
2010 spoke volumes about most citizens concern for the future of America and young people and old people. Democrats were trounced and the Right took over traditional Blue States like Wisconsin and Michigan and Pennsylvania.
Our country needs for Democrats and Republicans to drop the partisan approach,,, and face reality ,, we spend beyond our ability to pay for the spending,,, we generate too little revenue to have a future. We borrow 40cents out of every dollar we spend,, even a teenager should understand that will NOT WORK.
I hope that the Gang of 6 which I consider the only possible group can bring a united effort to Congress to get serious about saving our country. Obama is the most Partisan President in the history of the US, and assuming he actually is as intelligent as he claims-- he needs to lead not campaign.
Record foreclosures, Record Food STamps, Record Bankruptcies, Record Deficits, Record Gas Prices, Continuous 9% Uemployment and Record Unemployment Benefits are not Sustainable. Buying Union votes through unrealistic Union pension and benefit plans will not work.. Ask California, New York, Wisconsin, Illinois, Michigan, New Jersey, Massachussets, etc,, all Pro Union Democratic States who face bankruptcy...
I wonder how much longer Caterpillar,, a fabulous company,, will remain in Illinois ? Or they can relocate to a State as Boeing is doing,, where people want jobs that Illinois doesn't apparently want.
Come on Obama,, get to work !
By bi-partisan, I assume you mean the completely Republican ideology of taking from the middle class, correct? Never happen, thank God. Common sense regulation, a return to American manufacturing by not supporting with tax breaks and subsidies for companies moving from our country, doing away with subsidies for oil and agri and for corporate welfare, will bring jobs to America. When we have jobs, and there is a fair playing field for the US economy, with
Who do you think is gonna beat him? What does America lead in? What measure makes us exceptional anymore? Not education, not health care, not infant mortality, Americans have exceptionally fat asses, that is still a fact.
I'm already sick of the 2012 election cycle. The endless campaign mode we seem to be stuck in is ridiculous. How can anyone get excited about a candidate when we never get a break in the constant media blitz? UGH
without silliness there is no GOP these days !!! but that's OK by me because these idiots just make President Obama look even more PRESIDENTIAL !!!
OBAMA 2012 !!!