Three key Democrats will not be holding their elected offices in January 2010: two U.S. Senators and Colorado's Governor. One of the Senators? Chris Dodd, who had been elected five times previously to his seat.
Dodd was facing a humiliating defeat in the 2010 elections. I'm sure the Democratic party will attempt to laud his achievements in the Senate over the past thirty years, and to paint the picture of an old, tired Senator, who just wanted to return home. We know better, though.
Democrats will be suffering many political losses in 2010 - that is known by numerous polls that have been taken throughout the past months, and by the elections in New Jersey and Virginia a few months ago (not to mention the near-miss in New York's LD-23). It would be detrimental for the Democratic party if mounting losses through the 2010 elections were to be placed at the feet of President Barack Obama. The solution is simple: minimize public perception of Obama's impact on the upcoming elections by forcing (yes - forcing) vulnerable officials to take a early, unplanned retirement from public office. In the end, less Democrat incumbents are defeated by Republican rising stars, and the public chalks up Republican gains to the "open market" (politically speaking). I don't think for a second that these retirements stemmed solely from autonomous decisions of Senator Dodd, Senator Norgan (North Dakota), and Governor Ritter. I think there was internal pressure from the National Democratic Party which led to the announcements.
The Democrats have already waved the white flag for 2010. Net gains will belong to the Republicans (in theory). However, while 2010 is a huge political year, 2012 is even more monumental. Democrats are already looking ahead to that election year, and they are trying to do everything they can to assist their incumbent President capture his second term - even if that means that veteran Democrats are sacrificed in the meantime.
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
Friday, December 18, 2009
Thoughts from Fall and Winter 2009
The school semester is over, and my mind has been freed up to blog once again. A lot has happened over the past couple months. I'd like to briefly share my thoughts on some of the events that have occurred in the political world.
1. On December 1st, I stood in a line outside of a Tempe Costco to meet Governor Sarah Palin - for six hours! It was extremely cold outside, and I needed two jackets and a blanket to keep me sane for a few hours I was in line. However, meeting Governor Palin was more than worth the wait. After speaking to Governor Palin, I came away with a couple of observations: first, she is genuine; second, she is a legitimate politician - she knows how to effectively work a crowd or gathering of people. It was a privilege to meet Governor Palin, and I look forward to her next political move.
2. Can we stop the madness of health care "reform"? I don't think so - although I definitely hope the Democratic proposals (entitled "ObamaCare") can be curtailed. The majority of people in the United States do not want ObamaCare to be enacted, yet the measure passed the House last month, and as this is being written, is one vote away from passage in the Senate (although the Senate's version is watered down for the moment). Democrats do not care about what is beneficial for the direction of this country, nor do they seem to care about their political futures. Because of the Democrats' cavalier attitudes opposing the voices of many constituents, I do believe that some potent form of ObamaCare will be given life by Congress sometime next year.
Will the country make the Democrats pay for their inept handling of budget strings? In less than a year, the entire country shall discover the answer to that question. I do fear that Americans are returning to their passive ways. This is what President Obama, Speaker Pelosi, and Leader Reid are praying for - they yearn for the American people to continue to demonstrate that they will not be "too" upset over what is going on in Washington DC. If this is the case in November 2010, Republicans voters might be evenly matched up with Democrat voters, and there will not be a necessary overhaul of the government - an overhaul we so desperately need.
3. President Obama recently went in front of the American people to announce his Afghanistan contingency plan - this plan had been brewing in the White House for months before its completion. I'm very skeptical of the effectiveness of the plan. President Obama probably should have relied more on his General's input towards the start of this process. President Obama should have ceased his political posturing in the months leading up to his address to the nation. This was a decision which had consequences for Middle East stability and United States' security - this should not have been given an arena in which President Obama comfortably took his time and continued to inform the Americans that he was trying to make the right call. The right call could have been made quietly and with far-less fanfare.
1. On December 1st, I stood in a line outside of a Tempe Costco to meet Governor Sarah Palin - for six hours! It was extremely cold outside, and I needed two jackets and a blanket to keep me sane for a few hours I was in line. However, meeting Governor Palin was more than worth the wait. After speaking to Governor Palin, I came away with a couple of observations: first, she is genuine; second, she is a legitimate politician - she knows how to effectively work a crowd or gathering of people. It was a privilege to meet Governor Palin, and I look forward to her next political move.
2. Can we stop the madness of health care "reform"? I don't think so - although I definitely hope the Democratic proposals (entitled "ObamaCare") can be curtailed. The majority of people in the United States do not want ObamaCare to be enacted, yet the measure passed the House last month, and as this is being written, is one vote away from passage in the Senate (although the Senate's version is watered down for the moment). Democrats do not care about what is beneficial for the direction of this country, nor do they seem to care about their political futures. Because of the Democrats' cavalier attitudes opposing the voices of many constituents, I do believe that some potent form of ObamaCare will be given life by Congress sometime next year.
Will the country make the Democrats pay for their inept handling of budget strings? In less than a year, the entire country shall discover the answer to that question. I do fear that Americans are returning to their passive ways. This is what President Obama, Speaker Pelosi, and Leader Reid are praying for - they yearn for the American people to continue to demonstrate that they will not be "too" upset over what is going on in Washington DC. If this is the case in November 2010, Republicans voters might be evenly matched up with Democrat voters, and there will not be a necessary overhaul of the government - an overhaul we so desperately need.
3. President Obama recently went in front of the American people to announce his Afghanistan contingency plan - this plan had been brewing in the White House for months before its completion. I'm very skeptical of the effectiveness of the plan. President Obama probably should have relied more on his General's input towards the start of this process. President Obama should have ceased his political posturing in the months leading up to his address to the nation. This was a decision which had consequences for Middle East stability and United States' security - this should not have been given an arena in which President Obama comfortably took his time and continued to inform the Americans that he was trying to make the right call. The right call could have been made quietly and with far-less fanfare.
Friday, October 9, 2009
America's Sovereignty Chipped Away by a Nobel Peace Prize Award
I certainly wasn't expecting to receive the breaking news this morning: Barack Obama, Nobel Peace Prize winner. What has he done to deserve this "so-called" honor? I'll take it one step further - what will he do to ever justify the "so-called" honor he received? Whatever the case, President Obama was ushered into a "so-called" illustrious group of United Nations' supporters and communists.
President Obama hasn't been in office for more than nine months. If he wasn't already, he is now a full-fledged captive of the world because of this award. He now has to find a way to move enemies of the U.S. out of Guantanamo Bay, and onto U.S. soil. He now has to find a way to further distance himself from the Iraqis, and he must rethink his increasing engagement in Afghanistan - two operations which are extremely vital for U.S. security, but can be discarded at the beckon of "world peace."
This "so-called" achievement also means that President Obama will continue to fashion the social and economic structure of the country in his socialist manner. What policies the United Nations supports will become grounded staples of the Obama Administration. The will of the American people has effectively been doomed to become extinct in the 111th Congress - all because President Obama received the Nobel Peace Prize.
This is the case because President Obama really did not do much of anything to receive this award, and as a result, he will be under enormous pressure (both from himself and the world) to earn it. He will bend over backwards to demonstrate to the world's community that he is, in fact, worthy of the great "honor," and that he will do everything possible to conform America's ideals and policies with those of other countries.
President Obama hasn't been in office for more than nine months. If he wasn't already, he is now a full-fledged captive of the world because of this award. He now has to find a way to move enemies of the U.S. out of Guantanamo Bay, and onto U.S. soil. He now has to find a way to further distance himself from the Iraqis, and he must rethink his increasing engagement in Afghanistan - two operations which are extremely vital for U.S. security, but can be discarded at the beckon of "world peace."
This "so-called" achievement also means that President Obama will continue to fashion the social and economic structure of the country in his socialist manner. What policies the United Nations supports will become grounded staples of the Obama Administration. The will of the American people has effectively been doomed to become extinct in the 111th Congress - all because President Obama received the Nobel Peace Prize.
This is the case because President Obama really did not do much of anything to receive this award, and as a result, he will be under enormous pressure (both from himself and the world) to earn it. He will bend over backwards to demonstrate to the world's community that he is, in fact, worthy of the great "honor," and that he will do everything possible to conform America's ideals and policies with those of other countries.
Friday, October 2, 2009
Obama's "City In a Valley" Policy Comes Back to Embarrass Him
Britain's former Prime Minister Tony Blair delivered. So did the former President of Russia, Vladimir Putin. They helped secure Olympic bids for their country in previous years. However, even with all the hype, and with the reported 1.2 million dollars it cost the taxpayers, President Obama's trip to Denmark could not snag the coveted 2016 Olympic slot for Chicago. Finally, his policies are coming back to hurt him.
How does the leader of the United States of America expect to see his country in a prime position when he has spent countless days and hours apologizing for America's previous actions in the world? How does this leader convince the world that for this one time the United States is special and deserving of a great honor when he has continuously implied that his country will no longer be the world's "bully," and that other countries may now take their "rightful" position above the United States of America?
President Obama cannot have it both ways. He cannot strive for world equality, driving the United States into the coarse dirt of world humiliation. and at the same time revert back to the ideal ambassador for the country he was elected to serve. One can only imagine what this decision would have been if, for the past nine months, this country had been portrayed as the greatest and freest country in the world.
How does the leader of the United States of America expect to see his country in a prime position when he has spent countless days and hours apologizing for America's previous actions in the world? How does this leader convince the world that for this one time the United States is special and deserving of a great honor when he has continuously implied that his country will no longer be the world's "bully," and that other countries may now take their "rightful" position above the United States of America?
President Obama cannot have it both ways. He cannot strive for world equality, driving the United States into the coarse dirt of world humiliation. and at the same time revert back to the ideal ambassador for the country he was elected to serve. One can only imagine what this decision would have been if, for the past nine months, this country had been portrayed as the greatest and freest country in the world.
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
The "Enemy of Humanity"
Add Congressman Trent Franks to the growing list of Congressmen who are boisterously voicing their disapproval towards the policies of President Barack Obama. In a speech given Saturday at the How to Take Back America conference, Congressman Franks spoke out against the President's decision to send taxpayer funds overseas to fund abortions, calling Obama an "enemy of humanity" for his unabashed support of abortion.
Unlike the partisan and devious verbal swipes which were uttered by Democrats at President George W. Bush, Congressman Franks' comments - along with other Republican members who have spoken out against President Obama - were calculated and confined to specific policy - not an attack on the man himself. There are few in this world who have a stronger disgust and realization of the heinousness of abortion than Congressman Franks. He was speaking purely with conviction in this speech, and that, I believe, is definitely what more Americans desire to hear from their elected officials.
Congressman Trent Franks boldly took his stand against the immoral acts of the administration. He stated what he knew to be right, and in doing so, he may have just elevated his fight for the unborn to a whole new level. The truth was laid out, and there is no debating that those who support abortion are indisputable enemies of innocent humanity - innocent humanity that was destroyed with their stamp of approval.
One thing's for certain, though - there is no way that Congressman Franks receives another invitation to a White House Super Bowl party.
Unlike the partisan and devious verbal swipes which were uttered by Democrats at President George W. Bush, Congressman Franks' comments - along with other Republican members who have spoken out against President Obama - were calculated and confined to specific policy - not an attack on the man himself. There are few in this world who have a stronger disgust and realization of the heinousness of abortion than Congressman Franks. He was speaking purely with conviction in this speech, and that, I believe, is definitely what more Americans desire to hear from their elected officials.
Congressman Trent Franks boldly took his stand against the immoral acts of the administration. He stated what he knew to be right, and in doing so, he may have just elevated his fight for the unborn to a whole new level. The truth was laid out, and there is no debating that those who support abortion are indisputable enemies of innocent humanity - innocent humanity that was destroyed with their stamp of approval.
One thing's for certain, though - there is no way that Congressman Franks receives another invitation to a White House Super Bowl party.
Thursday, September 24, 2009
The New United States - By Barack Obama
Two days ago (September 23), President Obama took to the United Nations' podium for the first time in his Presidency and did what he has done for the last nine months - he apologized for America's involvement in world events - events which he indirectly linked President Bush's eight years in office. It is becoming increasingly upsetting and distressing to listen to the words of the man who holds the highest office in the land - an office which I have great respect for. It is time for President Obama to realize that he is, in fact, the President of the United States of America. If he wants to spread his ideas of globalization, he should run for a leadership position within the United Nations - he would fit right in with many of the leaders who are apart of that institution.
Consider what our President stated towards the beginning of his speech:
President Obama played into the arguments of the countries that vehemently hate the United States in at least two ways - just in the short statements I posted above. First, he verbally leveled the former President of the United States - a shameful and cowardly act. And second, he affirmed the ever-present claim that the United States acted unilaterally in pursuing the War on Terror (among other things) - a false charge. President Bush may have acted without an approval stamp from a corrupt institution people call the United Nations, but he carried into war, a sizable coalition of countries. He most certainly did not act unilaterally.
Consider what our President stated towards the beginning of his speech:
I took office at a time when many around the world had come to view America with skepticism and distrust. Part of this was due to misperceptions and misinformation about my country. Part of this was due to opposition to specific policies, and a belief that on certain critical issues, America has acted unilaterally, without regard for the interests of others. And this has fed an almost reflexive anti-Americanism, which too often has served as an excuse for collective inaction.Sure, it can be said that there have been misperceptions and misinformation about the United States. Sure, there have been some in the world who believe that America is just a big bully who should be put in its place once and for all - I get this. That part is fact. However, I just cannot understand why our President would fuel the flames of these arguments. I cannot understand why our President would not condemn these mindsets of others around the world. Who does he serve? The world, or the people of the United States of America - the greatest nation that has ever existed in the world.
President Obama played into the arguments of the countries that vehemently hate the United States in at least two ways - just in the short statements I posted above. First, he verbally leveled the former President of the United States - a shameful and cowardly act. And second, he affirmed the ever-present claim that the United States acted unilaterally in pursuing the War on Terror (among other things) - a false charge. President Bush may have acted without an approval stamp from a corrupt institution people call the United Nations, but he carried into war, a sizable coalition of countries. He most certainly did not act unilaterally.
And President Obama neared the end of his speech with these statements:
We have reached a pivotal moment. The United States stands ready to begin a new chapter of international cooperation -- one that recognizes the rights and responsibilities of all nations.
The new United States - then what did all our brave men and women fight and die for over the past two hundred years? What are our soldiers who are currently in action fighting for? And how dare President Obama assume that he has the right and authority to re-create the United States and give it a new identity.
I said it before, and I'll say it again - if President Obama desires to become a leader of nationS, then he should campaign for a post in the United Nations. However, by attempting to transform our country into a new creation, he is asking for a revolt - a revolt that will happen, not by guns and violence, but by the the power of the voters of this country.
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
Bring It On!
The Democrats, having an insatiable desire to wipe Republicans and their policies out of Washington DC, have decided to move ahead with a disciplinary measure against Congressman Joe Wilson. According to Fox News, the House of Representatives will pass a 'resolution of disapproval' today. In my opinion, this is absolutely shameful behavior by the Democrats in Congress, and they ought to be extremely careful when dealing with disciplining anyone from the other party.
Joe Wilson already apologized for his rash comment of "you lie," uttered in Congress the night President Obama gave his health care speech. President Obama accepted the apology - the matter should have been closed.
In fact, Democrats are the last group in the United States who should be pointing fingers at such a statement that Joe Wilson made. Consider that they put partisan politics ahead of their country in insulting President Bush in just about every way imaginable (including, by the way, calling him a liar). Consider that President Obama's administration referred to Conservatives as "right wing extremists." Consider that President Obama made a foolish judgement about a situation which came up with a professor and a police officer, and then he did not own up to his mistake and apologize.
Still consider that in the very speech where Congressman Wilson shouted, "You lie," President Obama had just finished insulting and maligning the character, policies, and intentions of the GOP.
However, lest we forget, there were at least two State of the Unions where President Bush received a chorus of boos and negative reactions from the Democrats. President Obama has received a "you lie" from one person - hardly something to get riled up over. Did the Democrats apologize for their disrespectful behavior during Bush's speeches? I don't think so.
Yet, even though the Democrats are doing their mighty best to shame Congressman Wilson into the next millennium, many in America are applauding Representative Wilson's bold efforts to speak the truth about the Democrats health care plans. According to the Politico, it has been reported that Congressman Wilson has raised around one million dollars since his statement in Congress last week.
We definitely need more people like Congressman Wilson. We need these people to continue to fight for what America truly stands for - that is life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness for all Americans. President Obama's health care proposals do not match the ideals of Americans, no matter how much he says it is so. Republicans need to follow the lead of Representative Wilson, and respectfully, truthfully, and confidently ensure that the administration does not get away with lies.
Joe Wilson already apologized for his rash comment of "you lie," uttered in Congress the night President Obama gave his health care speech. President Obama accepted the apology - the matter should have been closed.
In fact, Democrats are the last group in the United States who should be pointing fingers at such a statement that Joe Wilson made. Consider that they put partisan politics ahead of their country in insulting President Bush in just about every way imaginable (including, by the way, calling him a liar). Consider that President Obama's administration referred to Conservatives as "right wing extremists." Consider that President Obama made a foolish judgement about a situation which came up with a professor and a police officer, and then he did not own up to his mistake and apologize.
Still consider that in the very speech where Congressman Wilson shouted, "You lie," President Obama had just finished insulting and maligning the character, policies, and intentions of the GOP.
But what we have also seen in these last months is the same partisan spectacle that only hardens the disdain many Americans have toward their own government. Instead of honest debate, we have seen scare tactics. Some have dug into unyielding ideological camps that offer no hope of compromise. Too many have used this as an opportunity to score short-term political points, even if it robs the country of our opportunity to solve a long-term challenge. And out of this blizzard of charges and counter-charges, confusion has reigned. Well the time for bickering is over. The time for games has passed.While I definitely cannot condone Congressman Wilson's interruption of President Obama's speech, I definitely cannot disapprove of it either. If President Obama is not lying about the facts of his health care proposals (in other words, if he has no clue about what he is talking about), he is being extremely misleading to the American people. Joe Wilson has every right to call President Obama out on this - more elected officials should do the same - but I think that the statement should have been made independent from a speech which the President of the United States (or anyone for that matter) was engaged in. If Congressman Wilson had gone on Fox News after the speech and had adamantly claimed that President Obama had lied, Democrats would have had little ammunition to fire back at him.
However, lest we forget, there were at least two State of the Unions where President Bush received a chorus of boos and negative reactions from the Democrats. President Obama has received a "you lie" from one person - hardly something to get riled up over. Did the Democrats apologize for their disrespectful behavior during Bush's speeches? I don't think so.
Yet, even though the Democrats are doing their mighty best to shame Congressman Wilson into the next millennium, many in America are applauding Representative Wilson's bold efforts to speak the truth about the Democrats health care plans. According to the Politico, it has been reported that Congressman Wilson has raised around one million dollars since his statement in Congress last week.
We definitely need more people like Congressman Wilson. We need these people to continue to fight for what America truly stands for - that is life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness for all Americans. President Obama's health care proposals do not match the ideals of Americans, no matter how much he says it is so. Republicans need to follow the lead of Representative Wilson, and respectfully, truthfully, and confidently ensure that the administration does not get away with lies.
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