"This is no time for ceremony. The question before the House is one of awful moment to this country. For my own part, I consider it as nothing less than a question of freedom or slavery...It is only in this way that we can hope to arrive at truth, and fulfill the great responsibility which we hold to God and our country. Should I keep back my opinions at such a time, through fear of giving offence, I should consider myself as guilty of treason towards my country, and of an act of disloyalty toward the majesty of heaven, which I revere above all earthly kings."
This isn't the first time that I've written about politics and I can say with assurance that it won't be my last. While politics is more of a hobby for me than something I would ever pursue, I have to admit that recently the state of our government has churned that "raise your voice" feeling a person gets when they see something terribly wrong being done in broad daylight and everyone seems to be just standing around and letting it happen.
I call myself a moderate conservative, but really the only reason why I throw the word moderate in front is because to label yourself as just "conservative" has come to be interpreted as Westboro Baptist loving-confederate flag waving-abortion clinic burning-stealing from the poor to give to the rich-invade your country just because I can-puffy faced 70 year old white dude in a navy blue suit that looks like he might have a heart attack after climbing the capitol hill steps. Not me at all, even though I'm a true conservative in every sense of the word. I believe in small government, balanced budgets, owing nothing to no one (especially communists who devalue their own currency to screw the rest of the world), building a strong military but only using it if absolutely necessary, leaving things like abortion and gay marriage up to states and voters . . . the list goes on but you get the point.
The election of 2008 was a tough one. My girl, Hillary, didn't get the nod (yes, I'm a conservative, and John McCain was anything but conservative. And if your husband and most of your friends' husbands were in the military, you wouldn't have voted for him either) so I threw in my lot with Obama. Ugh. Lesson learned.
"Mr. President, it is natural to man to indulge in the illusions of hope. We are apt to shut our eyes against a painful truth, and listen to the song of that siren till she transforms us into beasts.
I have but one lamp by which my feet are guided; and that is the lamp of experience. I know of no way of judging of the future but by the past. . . There is no longer any room for hope. If we wish to be free, if we mean to preserve, inviolate those inestimable privileges for which we have been so long contending, if we mean not basely to abandon the noble struggle in which we have been so long engaged, and which we have pledged ourselves never to abandon until the glorious object of our contest shall be obtained, we must fight!"
And fight we must, as conservatives, for history shows us that big government always fails.
"They tell us, sir, that we are weak; unable to cope with so formidable an adversary. But when shall we be stronger? Will it be the next week, or the next year? . . . Shall we gather strength by irresolution and inaction? Shall we acquire the means of effectual resistance, by lying supinely on our backs, and hugging the delusive phantom of hope, until our enemies shall have bound us hand and foot? Sir, we are not weak if we make a proper use of those means which the God of nature hath placed in our power. {Millions} of people, armed in the holy cause of liberty, and in such a country as that which we possess, are invincible by any force which our enemy can send against us. Besides, sir, we shall not fight our battles alone. There is a just God who presides over the destinies of nations; and who will raise up friends to fight our battles for us. The battle, sir, is not to the strong alone; it is to the vigilant, the active, the brave. . . it is now too late to retire from the contest. There is no retreat but in submission and slavery! Our chains are forged! The war is inevitable and let it come! I repeat it, sir, let it come."
Our battle is at hand, friends. But who should we choose to lead us? Again, the Republican party disappoints.
The process itself has become a joke. Herman Cain? Really? I'm reminded of the DiGiorno commercial where the weird kid is let into the party just because he brought the pizza.
And what about Buddy Roemer?
"Who's Buddy Roemer?" you ask. Well, let me tell you. All the other candidates are talking about how, when they're elected, one of the first things they'll do is overhaul the election process. Take big business out of Washington. Make it so that anyone can run, not just millionaires. And where does Buddy Roemer fit into all this? Well, first off, he's running for president . . . as a republican. WHAT?! But you've never heard of him? Of course you haven't. Because while all the others are talking about changing the system, Buddy is actually doing it. He won't accept annonymous campaign donations, he won't accept PAC money and is seeking to abolish Super PACs all together. What does this have to do with people not knowing he exists? Plain and simple: if you don't play by the corporate Washington rules, you can't play at all. Sure, his name is on the ballots, but you won't see him on the news because they all have corporate backers. You won't see him at debates because, in order to qualify to be on stage, you have to have raised $X million . . . in the week/month prior to the debate. The only way to do that is with corporate PAC money. So because Buddy actually practices what he preaches, he's not allowed to play. Now, if the others wanted to, they could change this. All they had to do is get together and say "We won't debate unless you let Buddy debate, too." If they stood their ground, the networks would have to drop the money rule or they wouldn't make any money themselves. After all, that's the real reason why every single cable news host has to have his own debate. They're in it to make money just like everyone else. Now how sweet would it be if Buddy won New Hampshire : )
http://www.buddyroemer.com/
Since I'm afraid asking people to vote for Buddy Roemer might fall on deaf ears, I'll instead ask you to consider the only true conservative on the debate stage. No, not Rick Perry. Besides basically throwing in the towel last night, he's really not conservative nor is he cut out for the job. Texas is a state that pretty much governs itself. It's prosperity and job creation isn't dependent on the governor, but on the individual counties and cities. Perry didn't bring Silicon Valley to Austin, Austin did. Perry didn't create thousands of jobs, oil and natural gas did. Perry isn't on the side of the people, he's on the side of the person putting money in his pocket. Making HPV vaccinations mandatory is just one case that proves that point. I won't waste any more time on Perry, though, since he's packing his boots and heading back to Texas.
So if not Perry, then I must mean Rick Santorum. HA! Remember that new definition of conservative that I was talking about earlier? Aside from the puffy face and the age, that's Santorum in a nut shell. Ban contreception? Really? As if that would ever win you a general election. I'm all for family values and I appreciate that he's pledged his support for the Parental Rights Ammendment and the rights of homeschoolers, but his record concerns me. He bragged about being the in the top five congressman receiving the most money for earmarks. He's very proud of his pork and contributed heavily to the massive debt we're in now. And to be honest, he doesn't have much of a plan. He'll get us out of Afganistan and send us to Iran and wherever else Islamists are wreaking havoc. His solution for fixing the economy is cutting taxes. We tried that, by the way. Doesn't work. He has no real plans and no real solutions and one of the least conservative records out there. Nope, not Santorum.
Gingrich? Yes, the one who considers himself a god among men. Who cries when the truth about his lobbying and conservative bashing makes national news, who compares and considers himself an equal to those brave men and women who lost their lives during the attacks on Pearl Harbor. For that blasphemy alone, he should be hung for treason. No, not Newt.
Not Romney either. He does make for a strong contender in the general because he's on record as being slightly left of right on just about every issue. This would win the independent vote for sure. Plus, he's governed a state, and governors almost always make better presidents because they've actually had to govern and balance budgets. And let's be honest here, can we really expect a man who won the governor's race in the most cobalt state on the map, Massachusetts, to be a right wing extremist? No, he doesn't really fit the true conservative mold, but he can beat Obama, and that's why he's my #2.
So that just leaves Ron Paul, right? No. The man has lost his marbles when it comes to foreign policy. No, I don't think we should go to war with the world, but shrinking our defense down to a glorified border patrol doesn't make us a strong nation. And if anyone thinks that when we withdraw into our state-side fox holes that every other militarized nation won't be parking their battle ships just off our coastline is insanely naive and needs to have their heads checked.
So who else is there. Well, my friends, there's Jon Huntsman. If you haven't heard of him it's because you don't live in New Hampshire or you don't watch cable news. Yes, he's that guy that worked for Obama as ambassador to China. But how can he be conservative if he worked for Obama? Here's how:
Jon Huntsman Jr., at 51 years of age, has lived a varied and remarkable life in business and public service.
As governor of one of the most conservative states in the country, Jon built a strong executive record by cutting taxes, reducing waste and growing Utah's economy. Thanks to the free-market policies implemented by Gov. Huntsman, Utah weathered the economic storm and grew jobs while the rest of the country saw substantial job loss.
Jon also has extensive foreign policy experience -- a passion that was sparked at a young age. When he was 19, Jon embarked on a two-year mission trip to Taiwan, where he learned to speak Mandarin Chinese and Taiwanese Hokkein. He was later named U.S. Ambassador to Singapore, becoming the youngest head of an American diplomatic mission in a century. As U.S. Trade Ambassador under President George W. Bush, Jon helped negotiate dozens of free trade agreements with Asian and African nations.
His commitment to service rises above partisan politics. Asked by President Obama in 2009 to serve his country once again, Jon was unanimously confirmed by the U.S. Senate as ambassador to China. He turned heads by shunning motorcades, preferring instead to ride his bicycle and interact with the Chinese people. As ambassador, he worked closely with American business owners to facilitate commerce in the growing Asian market, bringing jobs and capital back to America. Jon occasionally butted heads with the Chinese government as he stridently advocated for the release of American citizens wrongfully imprisoned.
In the private sector, Jon is a successful businessman with hands-on job creation experience. He served as an executive in his family's business, which built hundreds of products and employed thousands of people. Using his international experience and language skills, Jon has helped the company compete and expand globally.
Shortly after becoming governor in 2004, Jon began implementing his 10-point plan for jumpstarting Utah's economy -- including historic tax reform. He simplified the tax structure and cut taxes by more than $400 million -- the largest tax cut in the state's history.
He maintained his fiscal responsibility even in the midst of the national economic recession. Rather than raise taxes or use accounting gimmicks, Jon cut waste and made government more efficient. As a result, Utah held its AAA bond rating and earned national accolades for debt management. Under his leadership, Utah ranked number one in the nation in the job creation and was named the best-managed state by the Pew Center.
In 2008, Jon spearheaded and passed comprehensive, market-based health care reform. While other states relied on government control and individual mandates, Jon delivered reforms that give consumers freedom to choose and negotiate their own coverage in a competitive marketplace. He also signed landmark legislation to protect the sanctity of unborn life and defend the Second Amendment.
When he is not working or spending time with his family, Jon enjoys riding his Harley and considers himself a street food connoisseur, frequenting taco stands. He is also an avid motocross racer, which has been a passion his entire life.
Jon Huntsman, Jr. is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania. He and his wife Mary Kaye have seven children, including two adopted girls from China and India.
And that, dear voters, is why we have to quit sitting around wishing for change and get up and start making a difference. Huntsman has a chance to win in New Hampshire, but after that is anyone's guess. Now is not time to fall in line with business as usual and watch our country wither and die. Raise your voice, and raise it for true conservatives.
"It is in vain, sir, to extenuate the matter. Gentlemen may cry, Peace, Peace but there is no peace. The war is actually begun! The next gale that sweeps from the north will bring to our ears the clash of resounding arms! Our brethren are already in the field! Why stand we here idle? What is it that gentlemen wish? What would they have? Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God! I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty or give me death!" ~Patrick Henry 23 March 1775
This print by Benjamin Franklin had nothing to do with independence from Britain. It was a plea for unity in defending the colonies during the French and Indian War. It played off a common superstition of the time: a snake that had been cut into pieces could come back to life if you joined the sections together before sunset.
We as conservatives have been cut into pieces. We need to unite behind one true conservative candidate before the sun sets, or risk four more years of Obama.
The bright yellow Gadsden Flag (top) stood for revolution. While more recently it's been adopted by anarchists and anti-government militias, conservatives should embrace it and hoist the colors again, to remind Washington of the ideals this country was founded on. Often considered the first flag of the United States, the Gadsden flag should become the first flag of the new, truly conservative party.
This observation of the image was published in a Philidelphia newspaper by a man calling himself the "American Guesser":
First, it occurred to him that "the Rattle-Snake is found in no other quarter of the world besides America."
The rattlesnake also has sharp eyes, and "may therefore be esteemed an emblem of vigilance." Furthermore,
"She never begins an attack, nor, when once engaged, ever surrenders: She is therefore an emblem of magnanimity and true courage. ... she never wounds 'till she has generously given notice, even to her enemy, and cautioned him against the danger of treading on her."
Finally,
"I confess I was wholly at a loss what to make of the rattles, 'till I went back and counted them and found them just thirteen, exactly the number of the Colonies united in America; and I recollected too that this was the only part of the Snake which increased in numbers. ...
"'Tis curious and amazing to observe how distinct and independent of each other the rattles of this animal are, and yet how firmly they are united together, so as never to be separated but by breaking them to pieces. One of those rattles singly, is incapable of producing sound, but the ringing of thirteen together, is sufficient to alarm the boldest man living."
Many scholars now agree that this "American Guesser" was Benjamin Franklin.
