Time to get serious about the vote!

1/30/08

Is the election going to be Clinton and Clinton against Clinton-Lite?

It is starting to look that way. Most people know that if you get one Clinton you get them both. Is that a good thing? Bill again?

It has looked all along as though the Clinton machine would be sure to have Hillary as the candidate. I haven’t seen anything to change my mind but at least it is somewhat interesting. Barack Obama is every bit as liberal as Hillary but we don’t have much of a history on him.

On the Republican side, I am a bit surprised to find John McCain as one of the two frontrunners. I expected Romney and Rudy. McCain has too much baggage at this time for conservatives to support him. He is winning independents and Democrats voting in the Republican primaries. He has a lot of credibility in the defense sector, one of the most important issues. Unfortunately, he doesn’t have much in the illegal immigration sector. To a lot of conservatives, that is a very important issue. He says he learned from the immigration fight earlier this year and now supports the fence.

He says he is conservative but on too many issues he has voted in a somewhat Clintonesque manner. He seems to be a version of Clinton-Lite. He didn’t support the tax cuts, he sponsored McCain-Feingold, and the McCain-Kennedy. He might be better than the Bill/Hill group but only marginally on a lot of issues. I don’t trust him to appoint conservative judges.

I think the media and the Democrats would love to run against him. He will probably cause the large conservative base of the Republican Party to stay home on Election Day. That would not be an optimal situation for the country. I hope someone else wins the nomination but I will vote for him if he gets the nomination but I will have to hold my nose. At least, he is Clinton-Lite, but not Clinton (or Obama).

I was asked about the hint of impropriety in Arkansas for Mike Huckabee. Some of the things I have heard are from http://www.salon.com/opinion/feature/2007/11/13/huckabee/. I wouldn't base my opinion on Salon but it is like some talk show hosts say, don't believe it unless you verify it for other sources or if it fits with what you already know. I am still checking. In some instances, the actions in question can be observed as either good or bad. Unfortunately, I just don't know.

I don't have independent sources except for unsubstantiated stories. I think that he mainly seems to be willing to say whatever he needs to for election--possibly no more than other politicians but I just don't trust him.

I have a great deal of admiration for anyone that can lose 110 pounds but that does not make him presidential. I don't know that there were improprieties but the suspicion is there.

I know he supported in-state tuition for illegal aliens and I know he supported drivers licenses for them as well. He seems to want to be an isolationist internationally and I think that is a serious error. I think in general he is a serious populists. Not a man that inspires me.

A New Election

1/16/08

It seems that the state is going to be mostly ignored in the upcoming primary. Since we are one of many in “Super Tuesday” any attention we get will be badly diluted. Nonetheless, I want to get my two cents in.

I was a founding supporter of one candidate, ABH—Anyone But Hillary (thanks for the title to Herman Cain). I am starting to think that Barack Obama would be as bad as Hillary.

The common wisdom is that Republicans are going to have a bad year. I certainly hope not. I am a Libertarian at heart but Ron Paul (former Libertarian) is too much. The overriding issue has to be the protection of the country from militant Islamofascists and the protection of our borders. The two are closely related but different issues. Ron Paul has the notion that if we bring all of our troops back and tell the world “we’re sorry about whatever we did” that everyone will love us again and we won’t have any more problems. (Dennis Kucinich are us!)

Rudy is one I could vote for but his campaign is floundering now and may not recover. He is not a conservative but I think he would be strong on my two issues. It would be hard for anyone to challenge his record in New York.

Mitt Romney seems to be a fully acceptable conservative. Unfortunately, he has been branded as a flip-flopper. Not true but some people think it is so. (Note: flip-flop is when you go back and forth on an issue, not when you change your mind and stay there.) He is probably the best with respect to the economy.

John McCain would be strong on the defense of the country except for the border issue. Unfortunately, we have McCain-Feingold, McCain-Kennedy and the vote against the tax breaks. No chance, no matter how much he is admired for his Vietnamese heroism. So, sorry John.

Oh yes, I almost forgot Thompson. I like him and could easily support him. I like the idea of him having to be dragged, kicking and screaming into the election. I don’t know how true that is but a fun thought! The only problem is that he still supports McCain-Feingold but I can let one problem slide.
That brings us to Huckabee. The best thing I can say about him is that he supports the Fair Tax proposal. I think that would be a great thing if it passed but it is not enough to support Huckabee. It is a death knell to me that he endorsed the in-state tuition for illegal aliens. He seems to be a populist that is extremely good in saying the right things to the right crowd. He is the candidate that the press loves (along with McCain) but that is a strike against him. There are hints of impropriety in Arkansas and I just don’t trust him. One of the things I have always worried about is a theocracy taking hold in the nation. I don’t think Mike Huckabee is the start of that but….
I could support Giuliani or Thompson. I prefer Romney. I will support any Republican. Remember, ABH or maybe ABH or O. After all, it is only the country at stake. Vote. Vote smartly.