Monthly Archives: January 2008

2008 Election, Politics

It’s McCain’s To Lose Now

Florida is just chock full of surprises. After yesterday’s primary election, it looks like ‘the GOP primary electorate isn’t very conservative.’ Looks are deceiving. Dick Morris’s take on it is about right . . .

The GOP primary electorate isn’t very conservative.

Asked how they’d characterize their own ideology, only 27 percent of Florida GOP voters said they were “very conservative.” They backed Mitt Romney by 44 percent to 20 percent. Another 34 percent said they were “somewhat conservative,” and they broke even between Romney and McCain 33-32. A further 38 percent said they were “moderate” or “liberal” – and they backed McCain by 44-22. So it is not so much that McCain converted conservatives, but that Romney ran out of them – there weren’t enough of them to give him the Florida delegation.

2008 Election, Immigration, Media, Pensacola, War On Terror

By Their Circle Of Friends, Sen. John McCain

Like the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree, in politics, the company you keep says something about you. Take Sen. John McCain on immigration, for example. He says he has seen the light now that his strong advocacy for amnesty (or whatever descriptor you wish to apply), in the form of the President’s amnesty bill, or as they call it, the comprehensive immigration reform bill, has failed. But has he really?

Sen. McCain has recently dropped all kinds of names as potential advisers, except where it comes to illegal immigration issues. On that subject, the man is . . .

Dr. Juan Hernandez, McCain Hispanic outreach director: “We must not only have a free flow of goods and services, but also start working for a free flow of people.”

A credentialed member of a Mexican Cabinet position, heading the presidential Office for Mexicans Abroad. But wait, there’s more!

A hybrid of two cultures, he is the first Mexican American to hold a Mexican Cabinet position, heading the presidential Office for Mexicans Abroad. The office, newly created by President Vicente Fox, seems tailor-made for Hernández, a trusted aide handpicked by the president to protect the rights of Mexican émigrés and their families, and, perhaps just as importantly, to reach out to the millions of Americans of Mexican ancestry.

As Florida’s primary voting approaches, is it any wonder why Sen. McCain is not mentioning illegal immigration (the war, no, the economy, the war, the economy) and who his trusted advisers are on that subject? Between now and Tuesday the 29th, if not at all, will someone ask the senator if he shares Hernandez’s views of “Mexico First/” “Just A Region”/”Free Flow of People” or not?

h/t Michelle Malkin | Juan Hernandez website

UPDATE: couple hours later. Turns out, McCain was asked a little while ago, but not from a member of the media. Hear the exchange and see the transcript on Hot Air. Feel any better about him now? I don’t.

Politics

Make Stimulus Permanent, Lower Taxes

It’s interesting to see a bi-partisan move to put money (ahem, OUR money) back into Henry M. Paulson, Jr., Secretary of the Treasrythe economy by sending checks for hundreds of dollars to millions of people totaling $150 billion. The same thing can be accomplished with lowering taxes. Treasury Secretary Henry M. Paulson, Jr. discusses the ‘stimulus’ package. . .

Yesterday, I joined Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Republican Leader John Boehner to unveil a bipartisan legislative package that has two main elements – one-year individual tax relief so that working Americans have more money to spend, and one-year tax incentives for businesses to invest and grow. Together, the legislation will inject about $150 billion into the economy in 2008, creating over half a million additional jobs by the end of this year.

Specifically, working Americans who have earned income of $3,000 or more will be eligible for a minimum rebate of $300 for an individual or $600 for a couple filing jointly. Based on the amount of federal income taxes paid, that rebate rises as high as $600 for an individual and $1,200 for a couple filing jointly.

In addition to the individual rebate, families will receive an additional $300 per child credit. The individual rebate and the child credit phase out starting at $75,000 in income for individuals or $150,000 in family income.

I’d say the best way to stimulate the economy isn’t to give the money back, but to not take it, or not take so much, in the first place. You want to stimulate the economy, you leave the money where it will do the most good, in the hands of the people who earned it.

It is a leap to assume that this means that the democrat presidential aspirants, or Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid, are now in favor of tax cuts so I won’t even suggest it. Their M.O. is to take the money first, then spend it where it will get them the most votes, regardless of the consequences to the economy and regardless to whether the money spent was effective.

related links: Ask The White House, Henry M. Paulson, Jr. | Washington Post

2008 Election, Immigration, Judiciary, Media, Politics, Uncategorized, War On Terror

Recent John McCain History

Have you noticed how the media seems to have selected a Republican nominee, Sen. John McCain? It is also apparent that you should not know the John McCain of last year, and the year before that, and the year before that. If the media thought that it was important, they would have told you by now. This man is no conservative. And if he is the media’s choice, then that should be a clue that he is not where the republican party needs to be going.

Aside from the several McCain positions that Ann Coulter illuminates below, I can add two more things he did, and does, to her list of why I don’t want the Senator to be President. It has nothing to do with his position on the war on terror and defense, except for his position on waterboarding, Club Gitmo, and constitutional protections for the Club Gitmo enemy combatants.

One is his little coup in the Senate known as the gang of fourteen. Designed to intervene in judicial appointments, and prevent the ‘nuclear option’ concerning them. Effectively obstructing the Executive branch in judicial appointments and nominations. Politically speaking, McCain is left of Arlen Specter for crying out loud. And the other thing that turns me off about McCain is that he hardly knows the Reagan he speaks of if he is willing to subjugate conservative principles to the furtherance of liberal principles in order to ‘enlarge’ the party just to get votes. Otherwise known as the end of the republican party as we know it. And you know the media is down with that.

Ann Coulter writes . . .

John McCain is Bob Dole minus the charm, conservatism and youth. Like McCain, pollsters assured us that Dole was the most “electable” Republican. Unlike McCain, Dole didn’t lie all the time while claiming to engage in Straight Talk.

Of course, I might lie constantly too, if I were seeking the Republican presidential nomination after enthusiastically promoting amnesty for illegal aliens, Social Security credit for illegal aliens, criminal trials for terrorists, stem-cell research on human embryos, crackpot global warming legislation and free speech-crushing campaign-finance laws.

I might lie too, if I had opposed the Bush tax cuts, a marriage amendment to the Constitution, waterboarding terrorists and drilling in Alaska.

I’m beginning to see why he is the media’s choice. It’s not by accident that Sen. John McCain is the democrat’s favorite republican.

link: Ann Coulter

Uncategorized

aSide Order

Not to be outdone by the Perdido Key beach mouse, the flatwoods salamander is making claim in the Holley-Navarre fire district right where a fire station is planned to be built.

According to Holley-Navarre Fire Commission Chairman James Fix, the fire district will pay an expert $1,200 to tell them where wetlands are and if specific acreage given to the fire district contains land vital to the flatwoods salamander.

Saudi blogger ‘detained’ for blogging. Free Fouad.

And for a laugh, Mad TV’s alternate ending to the Wizard of Oz. h/t to Sheri

 

Race Relations, Uncategorized

New Orleans Sees Progress, From Within

A success story for New Orleans and the citizens in the 9th Ward.  A new clinic opened up there, in a nurse’s home.  The other part of this story is to illustrate the point of how people taking action to help themselves can get the job done, and get it done far quicker and cheaper than the federal government can do.  Hats off to Patricia Berryhill for making change in New Orleans, and opening The Lower 9th Ward Health Clinic in what used to be her home.

related link: New Orleans Nurses Turn Home Into Clinic

Pensacola

Roy Jones Jr. Retires Felix Trinidad

Good for Roy Jones, Jr. Pensacola’s own RJJ has good reason to be happy. Well, aside from the $3 million purse. Roy showed everyone again what the best fighter “pound for pound” looks like. 

It was a performance that reminded when Jones was declared the best “pound-for-pound” fighter in the world. The Pensacola resident, a Washington High graduate, flashed his speed, quick-strike ability and devastating power punches to fell Trinidad, 35, who had once ascended to the mantle of his weight division before retiring three years ago.

Shown here is one of two knockdowns that Roy gave Trinidad.

related: Pensacola News Journal

2008 Election, Media, Politics, Race Relations

Huckabee To Pick Up Black Endorsement

This will be good news for the Huckabee campaign. Rev. Bill Owens, founder of the Coalition of African American Pastors, is expected to be endorsing Mike Huckabee’s run for president tomorrow, the official observance of the Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday.

In an interview with an AP reporter yesterday, Rev. Owens said this about Huckabee . . .

He has actually done what he talks about when it comes to the African-American community, rather than just pandering.

His observation of Huckabee (R-AR) walking the walk really matters to what families in communities are hoping for.

related link: Huckabee to pick up black endorsement

h/t Sunnydale

Belly up to the counter. Politics are on the menu and Ross is on the grill.