Mitt Romney Buys and Lies His Way to a Florida Victory

Propaganda Wins.

Mitt Romney's Florida victory shows that elections can still be bought, and that the dictum "If you repeat a lie often enough, it becomes the truth" still holds true. This does not portend well for Romney, since he will be subject to exactly the same tactic from President Obama. And I do mean exactly. Romney will not be capable of outdistancing Obama (with a purported billion dollar campaign war chest) either in money or negativity.

If ideas cannot win in this presidential race, we are doomed. The American people must develop the ability to cut through the chatter, carefully investigate, and vet, their candidates. I am convinced that we are seeing an Obama replay in Mitt Romney. Obama was never properly vetted either.

How in the world can a supposed "conservative resurgence" get behind Mitt Romney, a northeastern moderate at best, who believes that socialized medicine is a viable path for the states? Why are the people unaware of the true state of the Massachusetts economy? What about Romney's proposed international tariffs? Are today's conservatives so economically ignorant that imposing tariffs sounds like a good idea to them?

If Mitt Romney becomes the next president, ObamaCare will never be repealed. The Romney camp uses "repeal ObamaCare" as a synonym for trying to repeal the federal mandate only. That still leaves vast regulatory authority in place, and a ready framework for totalitarian control. I fear that the most bulldog-like president we could elect could not get it done, much less one who has already made peace with socialized medicine on the state level, and who has an apparent agenda of encouraging the states to adopt plans similar to Massachusetts'. Where is the sense of urgency on this issue? Our futures hang in the balance.

Apparently Barack Obama has dragged this nation so far to the left that Mitt Romney is able to pass himself off as a "conservative" to a bunch of uninformed rubes who swoon when they hear Mitt Romney say "10th Amendment."

Let me explain why "state's rights" is a red herring as pertains to this issue. The example of mandatory government education is instructive. Consider it the "education mandate." I hope that I do not need to recount the train wreck that is compulsory government schooling, where vast amounts of taxpayer dollars are funneled to a failed model, and gobbled by a top-heavy bureaucracy. Government schooling is supposed to be "state run," yet federal government mandates abound. The states, by and large, have adopted federal education standards. Why is that?

The federal government robs the states of much needed taxpayer dollars, then offers those funds back as "incentives" to meet the federal government's demands. Bribing people with their own money is a pretty good racket when you can get it. The entire educational system is corrupted in this fashion. Do you think for one moment that the same will not hold true for health care? "State mandates" are simply fronts for what will become effective federal control in the long run. The end result remains a single-payer system.

Socialism is a destructive evil, whether enacted at the federal, or the state, level. Can conservatives not agree on this patently obvious fact? Are we that lost?

Krauthammer: Newt Will Fight On, Could Still Win Nomination

Newt is not bluffing and will fight all the way to the convention, says Charles Krauthammer. Santorum still has a great opportunity. Things are going to get uglier.

Newt and Romney-Lieth: 5 Times the Spending, Half the Integrity

Will the Mitt Romney surge in the polls due to profligate spending and character assassination ultimately be enough? Time will tell, but a Romney victory in Florida may prove to be a Pyrrhic one, considering the alienation now felt by Tea Party conservatives. I predict a backlash, one way or another.

“It not about winning here anymore,” one Romney staffer told BuzzFeed. “It’s about destroying Gingrich — and it’s working.”

Romney is lying about Gingrich's Ethics Charges

There are more ways than one to lie. Romney and his surrogates are lying by giving a false impression about Gingrich's history. They lied about his relationship to Reagan. They lie about his ethics. They spend millions of dollars in the professional lying game.

First, watch the CNN video reporting Gingrich's complete exoneration from the phony ethics charges trumped up by the far left. Their goal then, as now, was to destroy Newt Gingrich. Then, as now, the country club wing of the Republican party joined with them. It is truly shameful. They shouldn't get by with it. But it looks as though they are succeeding.

Really, ask yourself why the media, Democrats, and establishment Republicans are so vitriolic towards Newt Gingrich. It is because they fear him. They know that he is not inclined to "leave well enough alone." His history of fighting proves it.

One of the charges was that a Gingrich college course was "biased." Can you believe it? Anyone who knows anything about college campuses knows that 90 percent of everything that goes on there is biased towards the left. Colleges are bastions of Marxist, leftist thought and speech codes. Yet they "accuse" Gingrich of "bias" as though it were the crime of the century. This information alone should be enough to make one laugh.

Watch the CNN video. Then read Byron York. Then ask yourself how you could stomach supporting a man like Romney, who is so willing to lie, cheat, and distort the truth so as to crucify Gingrich anew -- and he does not mind siding with the radical left to do it.

“It not about winning here anymore,” one Romney staffer told BuzzFeed. “It’s about destroying Gingrich — and it’s working.”

Newt: I Pledge "for as long as I am allowed to serve, my life, my fortune, and my sacred honor."

I pledge to you, in the tradition of our founding document, if you help me next Tuesday, and if with your help I become the nominee, and as nominee we decisively defeat the Left at every level, at President, at House, at Senate, and local governments. That I will give you for as long as I am allowed to serve, my life, my fortune, and my sacred honor. Together, we are going to give our grandchildren the country they deserve, not the country that's currently decaying. - Newt Gingrich

I do not want you to be for me, I want you to be with me -- side by side, said Gingrich. Newt Gingrich means business. I believe this race is teaching him humility, a lesson he has already learned from other life experiences. I have come to realize in recent days the vast difference in character between Newt Gingrich and Mitt Romney. Like Obama, Romney uses Orwellian Newspeak.




H/T Free Republic

Mitt Romney Drops a Bomb in Campaign Speech: He will use DoD "Waste" to Pay for ObamaCare!

Mitt Romney said the following in a campaign speech in Panama City Florida, yesterday, 1/28/2012. (Go to the 1:10 mark on the video.)

"There's a lot of waste in the Department of Defense, like the rest of the government. I'm going to go after that waste. I'm going to take that waste and use it to go pay for ObamaCare."

You know, the ObamaCare that he has been swearing he will repeal for months now.

Thank You, Kari George.

Did Mitt Romney Really Say That?

Yes, he did. Check the Jacksonville, FL debate transcript.

"Everyone has a requirement to either buy it or pay the state for the cost of providing them free care." -- Mitt Romney, on his Massachusetts Health Care Plan

"If you think health care is expensive now, wait until you see what it costs when it's free." -- P.J. O'Rourke

OMG: The 'New Ice Age' is Back

"...we could even be heading for a mini ice age to rival the 70-year temperature drop that saw frost fairs held on the Thames in the 17th Century."

Holy cow. What happened to the "consensus?"


via Instapundit

Pam Bondi Supporting RomneyCare, State Mandates, Part 2

Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi Supports RomneyCare and Individual Mandates, will be heading Romney's HealthCare "Task Force"

See Part 1 Here (important).

Some people have doubts as to whether Pam Bondi really said what other people think she said, or whether she is being misinterpreted. This new Bondi interview on Fox and Friends Sunday 1/29/2012 should remove those lingering doubts.

Bondi blusters (filiblusters) at length over the horror of federal intrusion into our lives (I believe as a cover for Romney's real agenda,) but she believes that state healthcare mandates -- the use of government force -- are just dandy. Romney "believers" are sure to focus on the former rather than the latter part of her statement.

Listen carefully. There is no appeal among the establishment Republican / Romney wing of the party to the defense of individual rights.

This stuff is making me sick. The Romneybots are either being taken, or they are convinced that tyranny is acceptable as long as the tyranny comes from their side.

A doctor's labor is not my right.

Romney is appointing Bondi to his Healthcare Task Force - with an emphasis on "force."

man·date  (mndt)n.

1. An authoritative command or instruction.

2. A command or an authorization given by a political electorate to its representative.

Pam Bondi's Facebook page (read the comments!)



An excellent comment:

"If healthcare is a state issue, as Romney reminds us at every turn, why does he have a healthcare plan at all, let alone a task force?"

Republican Establishment "Screws" Allen West: Led by Mitt Romney Spokesman (Updated)

UPDATE: After national attention given to his plight, Allen West switches districts.

“Allen West was screwed” in Florida redistricting and it is the Republican establishment doing the screwing. They are at war with Tea Party conservatives. "Leading insiders... believe that the fix was in against Allen West." It looks like he will be out of a job, thanks to the party's "Romney wing."

Save Allen West, but it may be too late.

Update: West's response.

Pam Bondi's Shocker: She will work on Romney "Task Force" to Implement "Good" State Healthcare

Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi says that she will be part of Romney's healthcare "task force" to implement "good" state-run healthcare.

Romney will work hard to repeal Obama's "bad" federal health care plan, so that he can "help" states implement "good" health care on a state by state basis. See the difference? Of course there will never be any pressure by the federal government on the states to participate in such a plan through the use of "carrots and sticks." No way!

Listen to this interview, and realize that Pam Bondi is not referring to Massachusetts' healthcare, but to the new implementation of "good" healthcare, based on her talking points, in a future Romney administration. She tries to draw the distinction between the Obama and Romney plans using her notes.

All of our candidates have said the first thing that they will to try to do is get rid of the federal government healthcare takeover.

Let me tell you, I have been asked to be a part of Governor Romney's task force. I am going to be part of his healthcare policy team when he's president to undo this, and to create good healthcare.

(NOTE: Like many others, I was annoyed to not get the full context. Sorry, that is beyond my control. But the Right Scoop has posted the entire context, including Limbaugh's comments, and Greta's pressing interview questions.)

Repeat after me, "RomneyCare good, ObamaCare bad."

This is incredible. We are ultimately just talking semantics. Either path will lead to a single-payer, government-run system. Where the hell are the conservatives arguing that healthcare is not the constitutional purview of the state on any level? What is wrong with the voters? Are they completely out to lunch? Please wake up! You need a microscope to tell the difference between Romney and Obama on this issue. Either way, Romney supports a "mandate" (i.e. government force.)

Mitt Romney, and now his surrogate and future cabinet member Pam Bondi, tout RomneyCare as a great success, but the fact is that it is a dismal failure that is bankrupting the state.

RomneyCare vs. ObamaCare is like the old saw about smoking filtered vs. unfiltered cigarettes, or the difference between jumping off a 10-story building vs. a 20-story building. Either way, you're dead!

Gov. Romney has telegraphed his intent before, as I wrote about here. Another Romney adviser, and potential cabinet member already recently commented "We're not going to repeal Obamacare."

They are telling us what they intend to do. All you have to do is carefully listen.

Other sites talking about this:

Free Republic

Gateway Pundit

Pam Bondi's Facebook page (read the comments!)

Listen to this badly needed cold shower; Ronald Reagan presciently warns of the evil of socialized medicine.




UPDATE, See part 2

Breaking: Herman Cain endorses Newt Gingrich

Herman Cain has endorsed Newt Gingrich

"It is time for conservatives and Republicans to refocus their attention on the ultimate mission of defeating President Obama. I believe Speaker Gingrich is the bold leader we need to accomplish this mission."

Breaking: Florida Tea Party Endorses Newt Gingrich

Now Gingrich has both Sarah Palin and the Tea Party solidly behind him. The Tea Party characterizes Mitt Romney as the "Massachusetts Moderate." More than 30 Florida Tea Party activists signed onto the coalition.

“It is clear to me and many others in the tea party movement that Newt is the Reagan conservative that America needs,” said Peter Lee, founder and director of the East Side Tea Party of Orlando.

Typical of the establishment media, an accusation from "observers" leads the linked article stating that the Tea Party risks "throwing away their clout and credibility." And their own headline characterizes the endorsement as "high risk and low reward" for the Tea Party.

Ya don't say? The Marxist Food Stamp President in Chief's credibility never seems to be of concern to "observers." And since when did the media credit the Tea Party with having credibility to squander in the first place? You know what? Why don't you smug useful idiots stick your head back up the OWS movement's nether regions?

Sarah Palin Vilifies "Stalinist" Republican Attack on Newt Gingrich

"Cannibals in GOP Establishment Employ Tactics of the Left"

 Yes, Palin, via Facebook, accuses the "Cannibal" Republican establishment of  a "Stalin-esque re-writing of history," an "opposition dump," and employing "Alinsky tactics at their worst" in it's war on the candidacy of Newt Gingrich.

Politico calls Palin the "new unofficial campaign surrogate" for Newt Gingrich.

...this week a few handpicked and selectively edited comments which Newt made during his 40-year career were used to claim that Newt was somehow anti-Reagan and isn’t conservative enough to go against the accepted moderate in the primary race.

It is curious how the Republican establishment saves the vicious attacks and vitriol for conservative challengers, while placidly settling for playing footsie with the left. Go Sarah!

H/T Legal Insurrection

Mark Levin Agrees

RomneyCare Cost Massachusetts more than 18,000 jobs, Decimated the Economy

But hey, they have their health(care), right? For which they are mandated to pay. With no job. That should work out well. Or not:

"Our analysis reveals a weak comparative economic performance of the state over the Romney years, one of the worst in the country," the researchers wrote in the Boston Globe. Specifically, they found:

* As U.S. real output grew 13 percent between 2002 and 2006, Massachusetts trailed at 9 percent.

* Manufacturing employment fell 7 percent nationwide those years, but sank 14 percent under Romney, placing Massachusetts 48th among the states.

* Between fall 2003 and autumn 2006, U.S. job growth averaged 5.4 percent, nearly three times Massachusetts' anemic 1.9 percent pace.

* While 8 million Americans over age 16 found work between 2002 and 2006, the number of employed Massachusetts residents actually declined by 8,500 during those years.

"Massachusetts was the only state to have failed to post any gain in its pool of employed residents," professors Sum and McLaughlin concluded.

No wonder team Romney feels that they must destroy Newt Gingrich at all costs. Mitt substitutes mythical propaganda for a real record.

"Michigan is like the canary in the mine shaft. What happens in Michigan is going to happen to the rest of the country." -- Mitt Romney

I think a substitution is in order.

Romney will Make Peace with ObamaCare, not Repeal it

That''s what moderates do. Make peace with the other side. If you are one of those who are being swayed into thinking Romney will have the will to repeal ObamaCare, you are being had.

And, let me just point out, that the question on the legality of state-run health care rests on the principle of government force and coercion. Romney pretends to make a distinction between what the government can force individuals to do at the state level versus government force at the federal level. Let me be clear (to use a Newtism): No such distinction exists. The principle is the same. If government can force indivduals to buy it's health coverage at the state level, there is NO ARGUMENT for denying that the federal government has the same authority. The distinction is a lie, folks.

A key Romney adviser has already said, "We're not going to repeal Obamacare." The Minnesota Senator, Norm Coleman is likely "on the short list for a cabinet position in a potential Romney administration (perhaps even at HHS)." Sen. Coleman is not just some pundit, but an expected key participant in a future Romney administration.

Romney will modify ObamaCare to his liking, but he will never have the political will to bully congress into repealing it.

Update -  Forbes

...there are two subtle signs that raise questions about Romney’s commitment to repeal. The first is that, in many settings, Romney did not argue for full repeal, but merely for repealing “the worst aspects of Obamacare” (emphasis added):

    "President Obama’s new healthcare law imposes higher taxes, cuts Medicare, contains insurance price controls and expands the size of our federal government. It is unhealthy for America. That is why it is critical that we elect fiscally-responsible conservative leaders who will work to repeal the worst aspects of Obamacare, restore commonsense principles to healthcare, and focus on getting our economy back on track."

<snip>

“Most telling” in Jeff Anderson’s eyes is that, on page 6 of “Believe in America,” Romney lists “five bills for Day One” of his administration. They involve: (1) cutting the corporate income tax rate to 25 percent; (2) implementing the Colombia, Panama, and South Korea free trade agreements; (3) surveying American energy reserves; (4) restructuring federal job-retraining programs; (5) cutting non-security discretionary spending by 5 percent. Anything missing from that list?

True, on the next page, Romney promises an executive order to “pave the way to end Obamacare” by granting waivers from the law to the 50 states, where applicable. But this is barely serious: most of the law isn’t subject to federal waivers, and a future Democratic President could reverse any executive order signed by Romney.

 Update 2

We’re Screwed… Florida AG Pam Bondi Says Mitt Wants Romneycare In Every State (Video)

Update 3

Romney admits he will tweak ObamaCare (December 2011)

Cheering for Newt: It's the Elites, Stupid!

The GOP elite are squandering our support.

    Political debate-goers are not prone to giving standing ovations.  Jumping to your feet and cheering is something enthusiastic fans watching a Super Bowl do, not conservative GOP loyalists watching their candidates in an intraparty debate.  The fact that such an audience, and surely millions of viewers at home, felt such elation, such euphoric relief, that they were prompted to offer not one, but multiple standing ovations to a political candidate, demonstrates the utter paucity of spirit and lack of understanding so glaringly obvious in the GOP political elite.

    Unfortunately, the GOP elite's failure to understand exactly why Gingrich did so well portends the sad prospect that Republican leadership isn't going to improve anytime soon.  In election after election, and on issue after issue, the Republican base has felt increasingly frustrated and disappointed by their party's leadership, who have consistently underperformed, buckled under media and opposition pressure, and squandered any mandate provided them by the American people.

    <snip>

    The tone-deafness of the Republican establishment could not be more astounding.

The Republican Divide and a Time for Choosing

Republicans have chosen sides in recent days.

One side is with the Tea Party, and one of it's most distinguished champions, Mark Levin. This wing includes Sarah Palin and even, dare I say, Ronald Reagan (or, at least, the Reagan vision.). I'm part of this group. We sense imminent danger and seek a radical change of direction for our country. We see an unholy coalition between crony-capitalists, elite leaders, unions, the media, educational institutions, and a runaway judiciary, all hellbent on capturing and controlling every segment of society. We want to take the power from this coalition and return it to the people.

The other group sides with the Republican political establishment, and an abstract notion of "our best chance" to win the election against Barack Obama, capturing the middle and, by extension, tailoring our positions to appeal to the middle. They do not believe that it is possible to persuade this "middle" to join us, it is we who must join the ranks of the moderate. The "big tent" is not opened to welcome moderates, it is torn asunder and rebuilt to encompass them. This group is embarrassed, if not outright offended to have the Tea Party and Sarah Palin in its ranks. This group consists of faux conservatives, whose main objective is to maintain or capture political power. This group will never seek an actual reduction in the scope, power, or size of government -- it only cares about who gets to wield it. I will call them "Republican power brokers" because that is all that they are. Last election cycle, these power broker Republicans saddled us with John McCain. This election cycle, it has prematurely coronated Mitt Romney and it seeks to destroy any threat to his princehood by any means.

I am saddened to discover who is choosing second group. Saddened because they are unprincipled, and not devoted to what I had thought was our common cause. Now I know who are my real friends, and who has become my enemy.

Mark Levin said of the second group, "If this is what the conservative movement has become, I want no part of it."

I feel exactly the same way.

2012 Political Candidate Matching Quiz

Answer the 40 questions in this questionnaire to find the best matched 2012 presidential candidate for you. You don't have to answer every question. Keep track of your best candidate matches with the box on the right.

My quiz results shown. No surprises here. A virtual tie. This quiz even confirms my commitment to vote for Paul before Romney, so I'd say it very accurately reflects my views.

Note: I could not get a direct link, so you'll need to browse around. Click on "2012 Presidential Election" under "Elections and Presidents."

When the Government's Boot is on your Throat...

I got this image from a Facebook friend. Many of us are only beginning to realize just how true this is.

Un-Drudge: The Just Headline that Wasn't

Perhaps a new verb is in order: Un-Drudge that story, would you? Can what has been Drudged be Un-Drudged? When did Drudge become just another establishment hack?

Elliott Abrams' Smear of Newt Gingrich

Elliott Abrams took quotes out of context to smear Newt Gingrich, Romney is complicit.

Rush Limbaugh continues to insist that Newt Gingrich was the PREMIERE defender of Ronald Reagan using Special Orders. According to Rush, Abrams was "spoon fed" information confirming his own biases (probably by the Romney camp), which he failed to check.

According to Jeffrey Lord's first hand research, Gingrich's words from the very speech cited by Abrams are very different from Abrams' scurrilous characterization.

"Let me be clear: I have the greatest respect for President Reagan. I think he personally understands the threat of communism." Gingrich then goes on -- at Newtonian length -- praising Reagan for Reagan's understanding of Lenin, Reagan's understanding of the real "purposes of a Soviet dictatorship" and much more. He lists and applauds Reagan repeatedly for the President's appreciation of "the threat in a more powerful Soviet empire" and the threats posed by Communist Cuba and Nicaragua. He ranks Reagan with the great cold war presidents in protecting freedom.

CNN Whitewashes the Saul Alinsky President

Obama, the "community organizer" who his supporters compared to Jesus, was heavily influenced by Saul Alinsky (who actually dedicated his work to Lucifer) -- a fact that CNN is attempting to cover up.

H/T Instapundit

Obamney Care IS Worth Getting Angry About

America is angry over ObamaCare: the waivers, the way it was forced through, the phantom bill that "we have to pass so we can find out what is in it," the gloating, giant gavel-toting Pelosi. I'm furious over it. Just thinking about it takes me back to the Sunday morning when I was in church while the president and his minions raped America in special session.

All those emotions and thoughts are not helped by Romney's defense of the same thing. This is the legislation that will finally choke the life's blood out of America. State run health care is the dragon which must be slain. And Romney declares "It's not worth getting angry about." I immediately grasped the significance of Romney's nonchalance during the debate. I just had to comment again. The Antoinette-like statement* deserves it's own special place.



*Note: Marie Antoinette never actually said "let them eat cake" and was unjustly savaged with the statement as a matter of propaganda by French revolutionaries. But, if I said "Robespierre-like" no one would know what I was talking about.

Marie Antoinette NEVER said "let them eat cake". Marie Antoinette was smeared, Alinskyfied in order to prepare the masses to accept her brutal murder. What was done to her was what was done to the Jews in Nazi Germany. She was portrayed as something she was not. In fact she was a deeply religious Catholic, so saintly the Church had thought of bestowing Sainthood on her. The French Revolution was a religious revolution in that it supplanted the beliefs of the radicals with the beliefs of the Church. France was once known as the First Daughter of the Catholic Church. The Royal Family were revered and looked up to for centuries. In order for the rabble to destroy what was once loved, they needed to blacken and blaspheme it. Saul Alinsky was a copycat and a piker by comparison. The phrase attributed to Antoinette was instigated by her murderers and spread far and wide so that when their Queen mounted the steps to lose her head the public would accept the horror. They had been lied to and brainwashed. Sound familiar? She was a woman not suited for her position and easily maligned. But a cold, heartless, callous? That was the portrait painted by her destroyers. She does not deserve the calumny. In the comments.

 Update: 12 noon, 1/27/2012 - Rush Limbaugh opens his show with Romney's gaffe, praises Santorum.

Marco Rubio could be Newt's VP Pick

Newt Gingrich suggests a "more central" role than cabinet member for Rubio in a Gingrich administration.

CNN Jacksonville Republican Debate

Santorum Wins

Hour 1

I believe that the questioning so far is designed to undermine Gingrich, and keep him on the defensive. Gingrich keeps being asked to defend himself.

Gingrich lost the immigration exchange with Romney. It is no surprise, since Gingrich already backtracked on the issue.

Then Gingrich was invited to attack Romney on his finances,, which Newt tried to avoid, but both Romney and Blitzer goaded him into it. Romney nearly called Gingrich a coward for attempting to refuse, in fact. I'm not sure how that played with voters, but Romney seemed to get the edge on that exchange, except for when he pleaded ignorance on his finances because his money is in a blind trust. Romney repeated that several times. He said, in effect, that he has no idea what happens with his money. That makes me wonder if he'll give the same answer one day as president, when questioned about particulars.

Next, the talk shifts to Gingrich's promise to have a moon base by the end of his second term as president. To me, that's a completely wacky idea in light of the state of national debt and the economy. I can't imagine there are many American's excited over a lunar base when we're largely just trying to survive. Even as a Gingrich supporter, I think that makes him look completely out of touch with reality.

In sum, Newt really needs to find a way to score some points. He is not looking great tonight.

Santorum looks competent and considerably more animated than usual. Santorum is much, much more aggressive. He attacked Romney pretty persuasively on Obamney Care. I do not know whether it will be enough to lift him this Tuesday. It may even help Newt instead.

Hour 2

Santorum is scoring big "Free-ridership has gone up five-fold in Massachusets. Five times the rate it was before. Why?"  Because it is cheaper to pay the fine for not having medical insurance than to pay the premiums under RomneyCare, explains Santorum.

Romney testily responds: "First of all, It's not worth getting angry about."

That's a huge flub folks! And he hesitated afterwards. I think he realized his mistake. Those who feel the way I do will be thinking, "Hell yes it's worth getting angry about! What do you think this election is all about?"

Santorum continues to go after Romney, insisting that there is no fundamental difference between RomneyCare and ObamaCare. He scored HUGE points with his line of attack. I'm impressed, and thankful that someone finally forcefully made the case against RomneyCare. It should have been done long ago. Romney has got to be sore from those Santorum body-blows.

The candidates try to outdo one another on how pro-Israel they are. Gingrich promises to issue an executive order to move the U.S. embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.

The candidates all gave good answers about how religion would affect their governance. (Why don't Democrats ever get that question? Everyone knows that religion is just a pretense for them.) I liked Gingrich's and Santorum's answers best

Santorum finishes with a final salvo on both Romney and Gingrich for top-down government, mandates, cap and trade, etc.. That was smart, since they could not rebut him.

I was ready early on to call the debate for Romney, but Santorum changed my mind. This was his night. In my view, Santorum is the clear winner. I wonder if his win will benefit himself or Gingrich more for exposing Romney's weaknesses.

Update: I was correct. This is the line of the night that everyone is talking about.


'It's Not Worth Getting Angry About?' Santorum Decimates Romneycare

Gateway Pundit weighs in

Legal Insurrection

Gingrich Buried under an Avalanche of Lies from Mitt Romney

I find myself too overwhelmed to respond with efficacy to the unending volley of lies launched at Newt Gingrich by his opponents. In fact, I believe that is precisely the point. Today marks the beginning of the Republican establishment blitzkrieg. Gingrich and his supporters are supposed to be overcome by sheer volume of accusations. Dispatching with Herman Cain was easy enough, but Gingrich is proving more formidable.

No matter. There are plenty of others more skilled and qualified than I who are doing an effective job of rebutting the smears. We do not have the resources to buy our way clear, but we do have the truth.

Go here for rebuttals to:

• "Gingrich is unelectable. / Romney is the electable one."
• "Romney is conservative (or, unbelievably, 'more conservative.')"
• "Romney's business experience translates into sound economic policy."
• "Romney will shrink the deficit."
• "Romney will not increase taxes."

Since 1896, only Republicans who have campaigned on a pro-growth platform have been elected. Mitt Romney, instead of being the most electable, is firmly in the tradition of Thomas Dewey, Jerry Ford, Bob Dole, and John McCain. His timid, scared proposals do not offer the promise of booming economic growth that Reagan's bold reforms delivered.

 Go here for rebuttals to:

• "Gingrich was reprimanded and paid a $300,000 fine for ethics violations."
• "Gingrich had to resign in disgrace."
• "Gingrich's ethics violations make him unelectable."

Go Here for rebuttals to

• "Gingrich attacked free-market capitalism.

Go here to find the answer to:

• "Why do so many Republicans hate Gingrich?"
• "Why don't any of the people he worked with in the house endorse Gingrich?"

Go here for rebuttals to:

• "But the Drudge report said..."

Go here for Rebuttals to:

and here.  and here.  and here

and, finally, the nuclear annihilation of this lie.

• "Gingrich is anti-Reagan."
• "Gingrich really didn't participate in the Reagan Revolution."

Go to Newt.org where Gingrich has posted a direct response to these and other issues.

Check in regularly at the Legal Insurrection blog, where William Jacobson somehow finds the time to do the tedious work of staying on top of things. Personally, I'm a hardworking guy with a full time job just trying to survive the assault from establishment know-it-alls on both sides of the aisle. May God be with us in these perilous times.

Rush Limbaugh Defends Newt Gingrich

Rush Limbaugh notes that there is a coordinated establishment effort today to "take out" Newt Gingrich. The way Rush remembers it, Newt was an ardent defender and friend of Reagan.

"Newt is fighting for an ideal, Romney is fighting to get elected."

"They are clearing the field for Romney" in preparation for tonight's debate, says Rush.

Mitt Romney's Vast Energy Deficit

Mitt Romney's Florida enthusiasm deficit is evident in both the size and energy of the crowds (or huddles, as the case may be) surrounding him, in contrast to those following Newt Gingrich. Newt receives standing ovations from cheering throngs, Romney golf claps from small groups. Newt rallies are standing room only, while Mitt speaks to rooms with hundreds of empty chairs. I wonder about the demographics of those crowds? The enthusiasm gap cannot be sitting well with the Romney campaign, especially in view of Mitt's voluminous outlay of cash compared to Newt's much smaller expenditures.

Update (Video): Newt Gingrich Draws Huge Crowds in Florida

Gingrich Missteps on anti-Romney Immigration Ad

Newt Gingrich pulled a Florida campaign ad attacking Mitt Romney on his immigration stance. The ad accuses Romney of (to paraphrase) being heartless and having no feelings for the plight of immigrants. Once again, Gingrich finds himself attacking Romney from the left as a matter of political opportunism. Romney and company are (at least) equally as guilty of doing the same to Gingrich on their line of attack over Gingrich's trumped up ethics charges, the poison fruit of left-wing witch hunts.

I don't mind harsh criticism, as long as it is valid criticism. Gingrich has now corrected himself, as he has proved quick to do throughout his campaign when he believes he is in error. Whereas, as far as I know, Romney hasn't changed direction one time due to his own misjudgments. Romney continues to lend weight to the preposterous attacks on Gingrich from the far left, including scumbags like David Bonior.

I know it is a heated campaign, but let's keep it clean out there. We only harm ourselves when we validate leftist talking points.

The REAL State of the Union comes from C. Dickens

Amid the wreck of capitalism and socialism, Dickens is timelier than ever.

By Theodore Dalrymple | January 23, 2012

"We live in hard times, and all the indications are that they may get much, even very much, harder. No one, at any rate, would take a bet that they won’t.

The number of children in America claiming subsidized meals in school has shot up; the homeless are increasing by the hour; the formerly prosperous are laid off without so much as a thank you; the young struggle to find any work at all; beggars are making a comeback on the streets of cities as if they had been hiding all these years, waiting for the right moment to emerge from their subterranean lairs into the world above."

Continue at The American Conservative.

Proof of Obama's Repetitive, Meaningless SOTU Rhetoric

When Obama speaks, you get the feeling that you have heard it all before, and that he means nothing he says. Obama is the mouth that speaks empty words. Here comes the proof.



Thanks to Glenn Reynolds.

Gingrich will Guarantee an Airing of Obama's Marxism

If Gingrich is our nominee then Obama will have to answer for his radical Marxism, and all Americans will discover the identity of Saul Alynsky. 

If Romney is our nominee, no such unrefined charges will ever see the light of day, as making them could possibly be construed by some as discourteous.

The reason for Gingrich's enthusiastic grass roots popularity daily becomes more evident. We will never need fret over the words "Food Stamp President" escaping Romney's decorous lips.

State of the Union Speech: 2 Hours of Putting Lipstick on a Pig

The pig being failed, poverty-inducing Democrat policies, the lipstick being flowery, focus-group tested, empty rhetoric.

1000 days of a rogue congress without a budget. 15 trillion in debt and counting. No mention of the president's Keystone-spiking betrayal of America.

The only kernels of truth to be had came from Mitch Daniels.



Update: The SOTU was actually 1:04:44. It only seemed twice as long. Perhaps Obama is inflating the time supply like he inflated the money supply, so that what used to be worth two hours is now only valued at one. Inflation is the hidden tax that I've heard no one but Paul talk about. Obama has ripped us off in too many ways to count.

Andrea Mitchell, NBC News: "Party Elites" Desperate for Newt Alternative

The "Newt must not be allowed to win" sentiment comes from a "top Romney advisor" according to Mitchell.

Elites from both parties pit themselves against the people.

I'm guessing that Sarah Palin won't be on the alternate list. Maybe they should have thought twice about taking out Herman Cain.

Yes! I admit it! I'm guilty of "Influence Peddling" -- But not Lobbying

And, if you have ever blogged, commented on a blog, given friendly council, or shared your political opinions with anyone, so are you!

Just sayin'. Sure sounds bad, doesn't it? You dirty influence peddler.

Mindless accusations are fodder for mindless people.

NBC: Silence! I Keel You!

Last night's debate was incredibly boring and NBC's silencing of the crowd contributed to that placid dynamic. The more cynical among us might conclude that this is a purposeful strategy specifically designed to undermine the Newtmentum. It is noteworthy that the establishment finds advantage in silencing voices at every turn, SOPA being one recent example. What do we think this is? A participatory democracy?

@DRUDGE: nbc allowing no clapping, cheering standing ovations @ debate changes dynamic. 'low energy' say heads, wanting xfactor circus peanut gallery

UPDATE: Newt Responds to NBC audience muzzle

Tennessee's Fred Thompson endorses Newt Gingrich

Fred Thompson endorses Newt Gingrich.

Romney Invested in Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac

As Mitt Romney criticizes Gingrich's business dealings with Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, it turns out that Romney's tax returns indicate that he invested in those same entities.

In other news, Pot calls Kettle black!

NBC News Rock Center Republican Candidates Debate 1/23/2012

This is one boring debate. The crowd is conspicuously missing as a debate factor. You can barely hear a throat clearing out there. I wonder if this was planned or if the crowd is just finding this so boring that they fell asleep.

Romney went after Newt pretty hard on Freddie Mac. Newt seemed to struggle a bit, but he did not implode. They spent a lot of time on it, and it really seemed to devolve into bickering which probably lost people on both sides. Romney likely got the better of the exchange, but I doubt it will be enough to cause a significant electoral shift.

Unbelievably, the panel brought up Terri Schiavo and the ethics of DNR's. For one thing, that's apples and oranges. But, seriously? That's what is on people's minds these days?

Brian Williams tried to throw Santorum some red meat with a perfect set-up question to attack Gingrich on Freddie Mac and Romney on Bain, but he didn't know what to do with it. He just doesn't grab you. Fail.

Romney: Kennedy had to take a mortgage out on his house to be able to defeat me. [Because, you know, I have much more money than the Kennedy's. LoL.]

And the debate ends with little action. No fire at all. A real snoozer. My guess is, the media will try to hype a Gingrich defeat that didn't really happen. I can see the headlines now: Romney's back!

Mitt Romney uses Class Warfare on Himself

NBC News Rock Center Republican Candidates Debate 1/23/2012

I'm watching the Republican debate. Mitt Romney demanded to know Newt Gingrich's proposed capital gains tax rate. Newt answered that he plans for zero percent. Romney responded, "under that plan I would have paid no taxes in the last two years."

Newt: "And if you would have created enough jobs doing that... as Alan Greenspan said, the best rate if you want to create jobs, for capital gains, is zero. My number one goal is to create the maximum number of jobs.to put the American people back to work."

Think of it. Romney is arguing that a "rich guy like me" would be paying zero taxes under Gingrich's plan. Hear that America? That is supposed to make you seethe! A rich man paying no capital gains tax? Outrageous! How dare Newt propose such a thing!

Did it work? Is that a conservative argument?

Just when I thought I'd seen it all, Romney plays the "soak the rich" card on himself! While running as a Republican candidate for president, no less.

Update: Politico immediately picked up on the same thing, and ran it with the headline: Romney: I wouldn't pay taxes under Newt plan

See what I mean? Politico and Romney are on the same page. Yipee. That's the way to energize the conservative base!

From the Politico comment section:

Bob Isitt · Top Commenter · Whitworth University

I'm in the West so I'm not watching it live but reading this sounds like Romney is back on his feet. Great response to Newt's tax plan calling it the Romney 15% plan. Perfect.

 
Ha ha ha. What else to expect from the Politico crowd? A bunch of leftists rooting for Romney.

Is Newt Gingrich Really attacking Capitalism?

A new blog, Newtonian Capitalists, defends Newt's criticism of Romney's private equity dealings. I must confess that I have been guilty of thinking in generalities on the subject, and buying into the "Newt's attacking from the left" meme. But there are two sides to every story.

I have a fair grasp of free-market economics, but I do not understand venture capitalism or private equity or high finance. If I did, I'm sure I would not be such a poor, struggling, business owner.

The following defense makes Newt's criticism far more palatable than I originally thought. The elite media / establishment political machine tends to distort things in such a way as to serve their own interests. They can sometimes fool the best of us.

...private equity in many cases does NOT act as venture capitalists or turnaround specialists, but in fact engages in a conscious business plan of immense borrowing, immediate capital withdrawal, and little or no re-investment, followed shortly by bankruptcy or sale of the hobbled shell of a company that is left behind.

This puts a different spin on things. Did Mitt Romney buy into companies with the intent of running up massive debt only to take the money and run just before filing bankruptcy? If that is the case, it doesn't make him much better than your average serial bankruptcy-filing street hustler. The only difference being that Romney protects his name by serially bankrupting corporations. Who is left holding the debt in this shell game? I suspect that, in many instances, it is the taxpayer.

... the histories of Dade Behring, Ampad, KayBee Toys, and others – a total of 6 companies that were bankrupted under the influence of Bain – fit this pattern.

H/T Legal Insurrection

All In

I just donated to Gingrich's campaign. I guess that means I'm all in. I've been keeping my powder dry waiting for the definitive anti-Romney. I was tempted to donate to Herman Cain's campaign earlier, but money is tight and I did not want to "throw it away." Gingrich is articulating real conservative principles while Romney, the moderate, angles for the independents. In my view, designing a campaign around appeal to independents is just plain stupid. I suggest "Stuck in the Middle with You" for Romney's campaign theme song, as the moderate is likely to remain stuck in the middle along with all his equally moderate supporters.

"I'm someone who is moderate, and... my views are progressive." -- Mitt Romney

The Anti-Romney is Christened

Newt Gingrich is the anti-Romney. Those of us who have been waiting for the clear conservative alternative to rally behind now have our answer. Gingrich is the person chosen by the electorate and, according to South Carolina exit polling, the Tea Party choice. Let's get behind him. I would prefer a more perfect candidate, but none are available. I think we have done well. We could have done much worse (cough, McCain, cough). As Mitt Romney said, "I'm someone who is moderate, and my views are progressive." Newt Gingrich has shown forcefully on several occasions that he is ready and willing to articulate and pursue a strong conservative vision for America. I can support him and get excited about it, because Newt is an exciting candidate. Romney, not so much.

Somewhere, Ann Coulter Softly Weeps into her Pillow

And Glenn Beck joins her as Fox News projects Newt Gingrich to handily win South Carolina. I've heard ad nauseum from self-proclaimed experts that Romney is the "inevitable" nominee and that South Carolina chooses Presidents. If the latter is true, then our next president will be Newt Gingrich. However, the backpedaling will now begin. We'll now be told that South Carolina isn't so important after all. I hope that Gingrich is prepared for a media and Republican establishment onslaught of biblical proportions. Read it and weep, suckers.

Fox News reports that 7 of 10 Gingrich voters affiliate with the Tea Party according to exit polls.

Fox also is now projecting that Rick Santorum will finish third, ahead of Ron Paul.

"A double-digit lead by Romney collapsed within a week." -- Charles Krauthammer

8:40 p.m. Tonight's big winner, Sarah Palin, who never seems to be tone deaf.

8:59 p.m. I loved Rick Santorum's concession speech. Nice job.

Democrat legal defense: Voter Fraud is a "Normal" Political Tactic

I kid you not. More ACORN skullduggery. Apparently the Democrat moratorium on the word "normal" may be temporarily lifted in this case.

Anthony DeFiglio, a Democratic Committeeman who pleaded guilty to falsifying business records, told state police investigators that such fraud is actually "an ongoing scheme and it occurs on both sides of the aisle. The people who are targeted live in low-income housing and there is a sense that they are a lot less likely to ask any questions... What appears as a huge conspiracy to nonpolitical persons is really a normal political tactic."

The whiny "but Mom/Dad, everyone is doing it!" defense worked so well for most of us didn't it? Some people never grow out it. Truly, this is where moral relativism leads in practical terms.

Captain Obama Abandons the Ship (Updated)

"You've abandoned the ship?"

"No. No. What Abandon? I'm here. On the golf course. I'm coordinating the rescue. It is only a technical difficulty."

The killing of the Keystone Pipeline aptly illustrates Obama's lack of commitment to the welfare of this nation. He is a liar and a coward who will be court martialed in November.

Update 1/30/2012

I was ahead of the curve on this one, for sure (by 10 days.) Obviously, I'm in agreement.

Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus critized President Barack Obama, comparing him to "the captain that fled the ship in Italy, that's our own president who is fleeing the American people."

"Wasserman Schultz: Priebus ‘crossed the line’ comparing Obama to Costa Concordia captain"

Wah.

Romney Lackluster in Republican Debate 1/19/2012

Perhaps it is because we know Romney so well that we already know what he is going to say before he says it. Everything he says is delivered with a polished sheen but little feeling. Once again, Mitt stumbled on the issue of financial disclosure, saying that he would release multiple years of returns in April, after the primary. Something about that smells. Romney's evasiveness is bound to play poorly with many voters.

Rick Santorum performed well, going for Gingrich's jugular on the Speaker's former support of healthcare mandates, his ego, and his "lack of discipline." I suspect, though, that Gingrich emerged unscathed by the criticism since he has addressed the issues previously and remained unshaken tonight. Santorum's stiff demeanor does not play well with the crowd. I can't put my finger on it, but so many people I encounter just plain dislike Santorum.

Gingrich once more outperformed everyone else on the stage, leading with a fiery confrontation with John King over CNN's choice of opening question concerning recent "open marriage" allegations by Newt's former wife. The confrontation, and subsequent standing ovation for Gingrich's response,  was the most noteworthy moment of the debate and will no doubt dominate the news for the next day leading into the S.C. primary. The buzz will only improve Newt's momentum. Newt was the clear winner tonight.

Newt's former Wife's statements Inconsistent and Contradictory

Newt Gingrich's ex-wife will reportedly say in an interview airing tonight that he approached her about wanting an open marriage and that she refused.

Via Legal Insurrection:

The story she tells is not consistent with this 1999 interview in which she said Newt told her he wanted a divorce and she was totally shocked.

Apart from that, I believe that Newt's affairs are already "built into the stock price" so to speak. The electoral damage is already there and accounted for. Gingrich has been upfront and repentant for his past indiscretions. I do not see this story having legs.

Update:

"She has been reported to say that she could end his candidacy with a single interview."

This threat says more about her than it does about Newt. She must have taken a break from the Soprano's waste management office to get before the camera.

"Mr. Inevitability" Looking Less Inevitable

In less than 24 hours, news broke that Rick Perry has dropped out of the race and will endorse Newt Gingrich, and the Iowa primary win has flipped to Rick Santorum.

I cannot count the number of capitulations and pronouncements on right-wing blogs that I have read in the last week declaring that Romney will be the Republican nominee and we'd better just get used to it. The race is far more in flux than we are led to believe. I am beginning to wonder if most of the Republican electorate is French, they are so eager to raise the white flag.

How about a little fire in the belly, folks? Romney is not inevitable! Let's fight for the most conservative candidate that we can get! We need not settle for a "moderate" who is the very model for the legislation that we so desperately need to repeal -- ObamaCare. Romney will never have the necessary credibility on this issue. Romney will not fight to reduce the size of government.

Breaking: Rick Perry Dropping Out of Primary

Rick Perry is reportedly "suspending" his campaign (Who comes up with this stuff? It's the cliche du jour) and will endorse Newt Gingrich, Fox News reports.

Thank you, Gov. Perry. You are doing the right thing. Many of us truly appreciate it. I wish you could have done better, but it was not to be. This should significantly boost the ant-Romney coalition. Perry's withdrawal could be a game-changer.

Breaking: Marco Rubio withdraws support for Internet "Piracy" Act

"...we've heard legitimate concerns about the impact the bill could have on access to the Internet and about a potentially unreasonable expansion of the federal government's power to impact the Internet. Congress should listen and avoid rushing through a bill that could have many unintended consequences. Therefore, I have decided to withdraw my support for the Protect IP Act. Furthermore, I encourage Senator Reid to abandon his plan to rush the bill to the floor. Instead, we should take more time to address the concerns raised by all sides, and come up with new legislation that addresses Internet piracy while protecting free and open access to the Internet." -- Sen. Marco Rubio

H/T Red State

Newsweek is Incredible

Newsweek cover: “Why are Obama’s critics so dumb?”

By "incredible" I refer to the appropriate sense of the word meaning "not credible." Government interests, hence Obama's interests, are actually served by the opposite of the Newsweek assertion: keeping people stupid and docile.

In our dreams, people yield themselves with perfect docility to our molding hands. The present eduction conventions of intellectual and character education fade from their minds, and, unhampered by tradition, we work our own good will upon a grateful and responsive folk. We shall not try to make these people, or any of their children, into philosophers, or men of science. We have not to raise up from them authors, educators, poets or men of letters. We shall not search for great artists, painters, musicians nor lawyers, doctors, preachers, politicians, statesmen – of whom we have an ample supply. The task is simple. We will organize children and teach them in a perfect way the things their fathers and mothers are doing in an imperfect way. -- John D. Rockefeller General Education Board (1906)

The quote could have been written by Obama himself. Docile stupidity also serves government's sibling, crony capitalism, since stupid people are uncompetitive people. As such, Obama has firmly positioned himself the anti-innovation president, stifling it wherever it may be found.

John T. Gatto blows the lid on compulsory government schooling. 

Schools train individuals to respond as a mass. Boys and girls are drilled in being bored, frightened, envious, emotionally needy, generally incomplete. A successful mass production economy requires such a clientele. Small business and small farm economies, like those of the Amish, require individual competence, thoughtfulness, compassion, and universal participation. Our own economy requires a managed mass of levelled, spiritless, anxious, family-less, friendless, godless, and obedient people who believe the difference between Coke and Pepsi is a subject worth arguing about.

The extreme wealth of American big business is a direct result of school training in certain attitudes like a craving for novelty. That's what the bells are for. They don't ring so much as say, “And now for something different, thank god.”

There is no Constitution without God

That's the bottom line. The Constitution of the United States is, and always has been, a religious document. That is one reason why leftists are so incredibly hostile towards Christianity. Rick Santorum explains why the libertarian approach is inadequate.

Does your site contain any copyrighted material?

Think about it. Look around. I bet there are numerous copyrighted excerpts or photographs on your site. The Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) and its Senate companion, the Protect IP Act (PIPA) purport to stop internet copyright violations. "But I only engage in fair use!" you say. Never mind. These overreaching laws will grant government take-down power over your site on their word. Are telling me that this power will not be politicized? We're all Gibson Guitar now.

Sign the petition to congress (easy.)

Sarah Palin to SC: "I’d vote for Newt"

 "I’d vote for Newt"

Sarah Palin says that Newt Gingrich "came out there swinging" in the last debate, therefore she would vote for him. Palin realizes that, should Romney win South Carolina, the race will essentially be over and she would prefer to "to keep things going."

Romney Stumbles, Paul Booed, Santorum shines in Republican Debate 1/16/2012

Romney stumbled in uncharacteristic fashion tonight as Santorum gained ground by calling out the former governor on his super-pac's misleading allegations surrounding granting convicted felons the right to vote. Santorum pointed out that Romney's position on the issue as governor of Massachusetts was to the left of his own. Senator Santorum clarified that he voted to grant felons the right to vote only after they had paid their debts to society by fully serving their time, including any probationary period. Governor Romney clearly had a difficult time defending himself on the issue. When asked to demand that his super-pac stop the unfair attack, Romney insisted that he had no power to do so, making him appear disingenuous.

Romney also appeared to be dodging a commitment to release his income tax return and provide full financial disclosure, struggling in his response to leave himself future "wiggle room" to backtrack. Romney's halfhearted, self-imposed deadline to fess up comes due in April, noticeably and somewhat conveniently after the primary process is over.

Rick Perry and Newt Gingrich both performed well tonight, but their conservative standing continues to erode as they both persist in attacking Governor Romney from the left. Neither Perry or Romney sufficiently assuaged conservative doubts concerning their fidelity to capitalism tonight. They both picked the wrong bone to chew and it continues to come back to bite them in the buns. They were unfortunately prompted by a questioner to continue attacking Romney in the same vein, and they did not disappoint.

Ron Paul lost the crowd with what has come to be known among conservatives as his "blame America first" patter.

Finally, it was a pleasure to see the enthusiastic and rowdy crowd tonight, alternately cheering and booing as the mood struck. They seemed to be having fun.

Don't like Obama? You're a Racist. Don't like Romney? You're a Bigot.

Do you see a pattern here?

Note to Team Romney: when you are in a room full of Christian leaders like those who were in that room and who have all long been attacked by the left as bigots, it is unwise — no, it is damn foolish — to accuse them of being anti-Mormon bigots, something too many Romney supporters have descended to as the only possible explanation for daring to not get on board with Romney.

Republican Coalescence Now Much Simpler

Conservatives longing for a narrowing of the Republican field have gotten their wish, in light of the political suicides of Gingrich and Perry. For Republicans, the anti-Romney couldn't be clearer. The only two remaining alternatives are Santorum and Paul. Since Paul's foreign policy statements are seen as untenable, and he struggles to answer questions about statements in his newsletters, the clear alternative to Mitt must now be Santorum. You don't want Romney to become the Republican nominee? Then get behind Santorum. Now. Before its too late. We do not need to put up another "moderate" in the face of what has proved to be a terrible advance of American Marxism.

PolitiFact Claims there really is no Incandescent Light Bulb Ban

I'm not thinking much of the so-called "fact checker" sites these days. In this case, PolitiFact uses what I call the "hyperliteralism ploy" to claim that there is no incandescent light bulb ban, and that whatever-it-is, it does not limit consumer freedom.

PolitiFact says that, since expensive halogen bulbs will still be available, and halogen bulbs are a type of incandescent bulb, it cannot be said that incandescent bulbs are banned. Ta da! Moreover, PolitiFact says, the "non-banned" incandescent bulbs "will continue to be sold to consumers until supplies run out." Therefore Marsha Blackburn is a lying liar when she states  "new energy standards will take away our freedom of choice and selection in the light bulbs we have in our homes."

Never mind that Blackburn did not intend her statement to be a scientific treatise on the constitution of incandescent bulbs, but was speaking in common usage of the everyday bulbs familiar to virtually all consumers.

Hollywood Studios shoot themselves in the feet

Hollywood studios attempt to use their heft to force consumers to buy their movies. Let me make a bold prediction by saying the effort will fail. I do not see how studios figure delaying movie rentals is going to increase revenue. The standard delay from public release of DVD's to rental availability is 28 days. Now Time Warner seeks to push that delay to 56 days to spur more movie purchases. Good luck with that. Most movies are not worth purchasing. I've got other things to do in the meantime. This move will ensure a longer shelf life for DVD's and that's about it. I won't even pay for the premium tiered rental fee that Blockbuster Express uses. I wait till the movie costs a dollar. If I really want to see it, I might pay two bucks. Never three. I'm just not that impatient.

Tangentially, I really do not understand why Amazon and Vudu persist in charging four dollars for VOD, when I can rent locally on the cheap. Less distribution costs for them, but higher fees for me? I'll make the trip to the kiosk, three minutes from my house.

Last night I checked out Vudu on a whim. I resent the requirement to register just to check their prices, but I did so. One of the featured films was "12 Monkeys" released well over 15 years ago. The rental fee: $3. Amazon charges the same. The price-fixing socialist model reigns supreme among competitors apparently. Why would I abandon Amazon, with whom I have a preexisting multi-year relationship to rent movies from Vudu for the same price? I wouldn't.

Election Night Shocker: Romney Wins NH!

That's sarcasm. A northeastern state favoring a northeastern moderate is hardly surprising. Does this make Romney inevitable? I hope not. NH hardly counted as a barometer. The result is as expected.

South Carolina will be far more important.

"I like being able to fire people."

Statements like this from Romney cause me to like him more. Notice he said he likes "being able" to fire people. This is not the same as relishing firing them. That's point one.

Two, people are hired and fired based on performance. One who does not perform should be fired. If you cannot fire people, you don't have jobs but welfare entitlements. There is absolutely NO NEED to apologize for this statement.

Republican candidates attacking Romney from the left make a grave mistake. They are playing right into his hands. They are making Romney look like the conservative. They are making Democrats look "reasonable."

Where have all the real conservatives gone?

Cyborg on Roids?

Noooo! You're kidding. Say it isn't so!

I'm an MMA fan, not so much of women fighters (except for Gina Carano, for obvious reasons.) I think the fighting should be left to men. Does that make me sexist?

Some good Strikeforce fights are scheduled this weekend, which happens to coincide with a free Showtime preview if your cable company participates. It is getting so that there is a major MMA event almost every weekend. Love it.

Is Santorum to the left of Romney?

Ross Kaminsky thinks so, at least economically, citing Santorum's enthusiasm for government regulation, big government solutions, and protectionism. Romney has also used protectionist rhetoric of late, though I think that may amount to pandering pretense, as a suspicious Jon Huntsman noted during the debates.

Gingrich is looking better all the time. He seems to be the only serious remaining Romney alternative. William Jacobson writes about the unprecedented "conservative" onslaught against Gingrich. I don't know that Gingrich will have the ability to hit back effectively, given his inferior finances and organization, but I hope so.

Update: A new Real Clear  Politics poll has Gingrich at 35% in South Carolina, leading Romney by 15%.

The "Decay Manager" wins by eight votes

I use the term "win" lightly. Erick Erickson writes:

As you wake up this morning, Rick Santorum only lost to Mitt Romney by 8 votes. Santorum spent about a dollar per vote and Romney spent hundreds of dollars for his votes. Rick Santorum substantially over performed and while the Romney camp wants you to believe a win is a win, Romney got less votes in 2012 than he got in 2008. In addition, everything you heard last night from the professional class of political pundit was bull crap.

And Erickson has no love for Santorum, as he leaves no doubt in his past writings.

Gingrich is right about Romney. He is a manager, not a leader. If Romney becomes president, a manager is who we'll get. Leadership by compromise. Yee Hah.

I do not know who will finally emerge as the front runner, but here's to the Romney decline. Cheers.

I cannot understand why Bachmann chooses to hang on at this point. She did not win a single Iowa county. She should get out and throw her support to Santorum. I don't see her end-game at all. Maybe she has a little more money to spend. I like Bachmann very much, but I'm a realist. Her campaign is dead. 

Breaking: Bachmann has cancelled a planned trip to S.C. and she has called a news conference for 11 a.m. Perhaps reality has sunk in.

Yep. Bachmann suspends her campaign, but makes no statement in support of another candidate.

Netflix Original Programing starting in February

Lilyhammer, a Netflix original series will premier on Feb. 6. The cool thing is the whole series will be released on that date! Netflix is avoiding the traditional TV model of piecemealing out an episode a week. I love that! And the show looks interesting. There is lots of room for Netflix to pick up beloved television series that have been dropped by the networks.

The abrupt ending to Camelot is one of my most frustrating TV watching experiences. I thought the show was awesome. If only Netflix would revive it, just as they plan to do with the canceled Fox comedy "Arrested Development."

What a great opportunity to satisfy existing customers, provide a "hook" to entice new customers, and avoid expensive studio licensing fees. Win, win, win!

P.S. And how's about  we just pretend that the unfortunate pseudo-ending to LOST never happened? Get some great writers and pick up three or four episodes from the end. Give the viewers a chance to recoup their LOST time with the creative wrap-up we all hoped for.

Google's irritating new Search Behavior

Google search now behaves a bit differently, and I find it quite annoying. Enter a search into Google, say "Romney" for instance. You get web results, with a few news results thrown in. Now, if you want to see a bunch of Romney images, click the "images" tab at the top of the page and, sure enough, you get lots of images as expected. But what happens if you want Romney news stories? Clicking the "news" tab at the top of the page takes you to news stories, sans the original search results. Google clears the search parameter. If you want news stories specific to Romney, you must re-enter the search term and click again. Why did they do this?

Romney-Boated

So Gingrich decides to whine that he's been "Romney-Boated." I don't much care for the analogy, unless Gingrich is accusing Romney of telling the truth about him. Here Gingrich is using a leftist canard to attack his opponent again. There is no real analogy. Not even close. The swift-boat veterans were great Americans who did the right thing. They are heroes, who correctly outed John Kerry as a traitorous slimeball. Gingrich is not going to endear himself to conservatives with his too-clever-by-half turn of a phrase.

Waiting

Today will prove to be exciting for myself and many others as we await the results from Iowa. I can't remember a presidential primary in my lifetime when the frontrunner was so up in the air, nor can I remember when picking a nominee was so personally difficult. The only thing I know for sure is that I do not want Mitt Romney to be the nominee. If it comes down to Romney versus Paul, I'm voting for Paul.

Santorum seems to be peaking at the perfect time. Will his momentum continue, or will the predictable media--establishment assaults sink him?

From where I sit, it seems that the Republican electorate has proved exceedingly easy to manipulate so far, even to to point of embracing leftist talking points in a rush to agree with establishment assessments of our candidates. This willingness to throw ourselves into the fire does not portend well. I had hoped that conservative principles would run deep this election cycle. It's sad when it takes Newt Gingrich to articulate them, only to have his own party attack him for it. Nothing like wilting at the first sign of a challenge. If this were a war, our side would be the French.

Is Ron Paul "Homophobic?"

Ron Paul is being accused of "homophobia" for statements like the following:

“The individual suffering from AIDS certainly is a victim – frequently a victim of his own lifestyle – but this same individual victimizes innocent citizens by forcing them to pay for his care.”

Chris Wallace asked the congressman in an accusatory way, "Congressman, do you still feel that way?"

Yet another case of media trying to make perfectly reasonable, defensible positions look "nutty" or callous.

Is it true that AIDS "victims" have frequently "made their own beds," so to speak? You bet it is.

Should taxpayers be required to bear the consequences of everyone's poor decisions? No, they should not. Neither for corporations or for individuals.