"If a federal judge changes the law. . . then I'm going to follow what's been redefined as the law." Michigan Governor Rick Snyder abandoning his oath of office to support the Constitution of the United States as he prepares to run for reelection this fall. Snyder, who ran for governor four years ago saying marriage was "between a man & a woman" is adjusting his Republican Party tone & stances to reach new voters after a judge found a ban on homosexual marriage in Michigan unconstitutional.
"Do you know of one blue state that has turned red by conservatives moving in?" – unanswered question from RTE post dated March 14, 2014
"A political party cannot be all things to all people. It must represent certain fundamental beliefs which must not be comprised to political expediency, or simply to swell its numbers." --- President Reagan
Click on graph to enlargeThe above top quote & pitiful strategy for reelection by Michigan's governor shows just how detestable the Republican alternative can be for many of us – so much for running on the set of principles the country was founded upon when you can take a poll, like the one shown in the graph above, or wait for a judges' ruling to see what your new positions should be to ensure reelection – or so you think. What homosexual could possibly trust Snyder after shifting his position from four years ago that marriage was "between a man & a woman?" What Tea Partier could trust Snyder, an elected governor, who follows the lead of an appointed judge? – that is my gripe, much more so than Snyder's various pandering PC positions regarding what constitutes marriage. The fact that Snyder's shift came about because of a judge's ruling means that Tea Partiers recognize there is not a dime's worth of difference between such Republicans & their statist opponents & will vote for neither. Whether you are for or against homosexual marriage is beside the point that Snyder (& his ilk)will go back & forth on the issue based only on his perception of popularity & strategy for getting reelected. No thank you.
The second quote above is an indication of how outnumbered conservatives, Tea Partiers, & libertarians are. As state after state like Iowa, Virginia, & North Carolina turn bluer each election cycle there is not one example where a blue state turned red because conservatives moved in. This phenomenon is caused by some blue states having such a large surplus of statists that many of them can relocate while still leaving a majority of statists in the original blue state while the transplants overwhelm the new state & turn it blue. In other words statist candidates in blue states win by large margins & conservative candidates win by small margins for the most part. Texas is the ultimate prize in this regard for the statists.
For most of 2014 the establishment Republicans & the Tea Party Republicans have been satisfied to campaign predominantly on the single issue of being against ObamaCare – this has produced a fragile uneasy truce between the two sides that stopped the bashing of each other & I hope the truce holds. The problem with this single minded approach is that ObamaCare is starting to become more accepted & popular with an unsuspecting populace. See graph below.
click on graph to enlargeBO has delayed the worst parts of ObamaCare so that they will not come into effect until after November's midterm elections. This leaves Republicans, with no concrete proof, telling disinterested people how bad their healthcare future will be. In the meantime Democrats will promise hikes in minimum wages, extensions of unemployment compensation, amnesty legislation for illegal immigrants, & hammering home the perceived Republican war on women & women's rights concerning equal pay & choice regarding having abortions. Women made up 54% of the electorate in 2012 & Republicans are already planning & practicing how not to offend the virtually certain Democrat woman presidential candidate in 2016.
A long time subscriber to RTE recently wrote to me that "ObamaCare can only succeed at best for a short time. . . & within a few years ObamaCare will be running a huge deficit. There is no way they will be able to pay all the claims that will be coming in under his plan. Insurance in its true form is a lot of premiums being paid with a small risk of loss. ObamaCare doesn't do that, it covers all kinds of claims ("well visits", prescription plans [Bush blew it on that one as well, Viagra, etc.]). In short over 300 million claims by 300 million people. The math simply does not work."
The problem for us is that the short term our subscriber talks about only needs to be longer than November's elections - then it's trouble the last two years of BO's term. The delays in implementing ObamaCare's worst features keep improving its short term chances.
So as Republicans sense that the single issue strategy of being against ObamaCare continues to fray around the edges the GOP has turned its focus to Senate Majority leader Harry Reid as a political symbol of what is wrong with Washington – much like they did with Pelosi in 2010. Control of the U.S. Senate is the immediate electoral stake but unfortunately Ringside Reid is not readily recognized by the majority of voters. Democrats recognize what is happening & are starting to campaign on the desirability of fixing parts of ObamaCare rather than outright repealing it – Dems are even going so far as to say the Republican shift in strategy is an admission that ObamaCare is succeeding.
Reporter Claire Shipman, wife of presidential Press Secretary Jay Carney, recently said that working women value flexible hours & then changed it to say equal pay & flexibility are important. The Democrat thrust is working its way toward the European "flexicurity labor market system" of enhanced flexibility & security that is built on high minimum wages, high average wages, & very progressive taxation to pay for the flexibility & security of workers.
Now Republicans know where Democrats are going on the issues & vice versa so why don't Republicans just go back to basics & campaign like they really believe it – that the general Welfare of the United States is best served by people – men & women, homosexual & straight, Hispanic, Black, & Asian, – working in the cooperation that is the free market capitalistic system. America's brightest future will be realized when all of the really unclever gamesmanships described above are not just put aside but are unmasked as the domestic enemy of America that has infected our country with the clear intent of ruining everyone's chance @ the American dream.
We have to face that something different happened in November 2008 & it was confirmed in 2012 – & that something is evil & a deliberate deception to overrun our country. The last five years has not been about the usual sort of things the two parties argue over & take turns winning elections over. These years have been about robbing liberty from people by increasing dependency on government & promoting destructive class warfare & envy & there is no end in sight re this pursuit & no foreseeable practical solution other than for those of us who still believe in America to campaign on, teach, & live the libertarian principles that our country was founded upon. Start with the thought of freedom & explain that all prosperity comes from unleashing the free human intellect. If we lose with that message all is lost anyway @ least until John Galt comes forth.
There is more treason on campus from small groups and campus leaders, that is where the change must take place, grammar schools as well. They will be defunded if they don't take up the communist cause. A tax payer revolt must take place in the towns. Well spoken people must take their shot at the meetings, some will get shot (taken out in cuffs for a 2 minute over run). The first solders always get shot first - there must be another to take his place. These towns think they are some sort of king. If you saw the clip the rest just sat there when they should have spoken out. We have lost because of political right speech.
ReplyDeleteIt is very clear to those willing to observe, that the elite political Left ‘s main goal is the destruction of capitalism. This will then include a new Top 1% that will control not only the economy but personal liberty. Controlling individual liberty is a prerequisite to controlling the economy; this is enhanced via expanding a Dependent on Government class. As this class grows, a growing population becomes addicted to Government transfer payments, Government backed student loans and mortgages, food stamps, unemployment benefits, free cell phones, Social Security disability, and other means of welfare. This increasing population then grows more tolerant of Government controls on the economy and individual liberty. Scandals then hardly make the radar for most Americans.
ReplyDeleteUnchecked, this mindset will lead to a 21st Century version of Marxism. So how can a Republican or Libertarian become president? Not by offering a scaled down progressive vision. Doug is absolutely correct with this point. No – we do not need another McCain or Romney. Rather we need someone who will call out the Left on how their policies are destroying our economy and personal freedoms. This someone will need to be clear and persuasive as to how these policies are destroying the rest of the 99% - especially the most poor.
A little more on the Left:
The elite Leftists are happy with a weakening economy; per their perspective this will lead to destruction of capitalism. A weakening economy grows the dependency on gov class and thus election victories for the Left. With more and more poor and dependent on gov, it becomes easier to blame the "greedy, cheating" private sector, then topple it eventually. It is up to us to counter this and champion free market capitalism.
We must also battle extreme political correctness:
The Left feels they have a huge lead due to effectiveness of their propaganda and entitlement policies. Hence – dissent, once a main tenant of the Left as a basic individual right, must be eliminated. When I was in college in the late 70’s – early 80’s, dissent and free expression of opinions were strongly encouraged. Why? Because the Left was not in the lead in opinion. The Left has been in the lead since BO took office; hence – 1st Amendment is less relevant.
Who are the leaders of the elite Left? BO and MO, Valerie Jarret, Suzanne Powers, and maybe Andrew Cuomo (watch him run for President if Hillary is not healthy or MO for President does not take off). Most of the elite Left understand economics in great depth and are well schooled in Marxism and Leninism.
Here’s a great link that discussed further how the Left is pleased with a lousy economy:
http://news.investors.com/ibd-editorials-viewpoint/051314-700703-left-is-only-interested-in-inequality-and-green-issues-not-prosperity.htm
All these points and more must be made to counter the Left. Who is up to it – Rand Paul, Mike Huchabee, Ted Cruz, Kelly Ayote?
Hi Doug - I was just reading your latest RTE. It’s always full of interesting facts and good information. Your latest issue dovetails nicely with a new book by David Kendall. David is the economist you asked me about and author of the FairTax Economist letter. It’s really a god read. Although certainly libertarian, it should be interesting reading to people of any political stripe.
ReplyDeleteHe writes it similar to Hazlet’s Classic, Economics in One Lesson in that he starts out with a single “moral imperative” and then proves it throughout the book. Morals can be a deep subject, but here he keeps it simple by conversations between two friends and a storyline with the residents of “threesville”. Those conversations walk you through the thoughts of philosophers and economists throughout history using simple examples.
Don’t mean to sound like an advertisement, but I was really impressed and thought you might want to check it out. “The Morality of Capitalism” is on both Amazon and Smashwords for $2.99, only available in e-form.
Hope you’re doing well.