Time For the Toss-up Round

Wonderful family photo, see if you can pick out the future Navy officer. 

Happy Mother's Day!!!

To all the Mum's who read this blog, enjoy your day!

Our Matriarch, with her favorite son, closest.

The Walker Phenomenon the NYT Skips

Walter Russell Mead has a nice post on Scott Walker's coalition in Wisconsin--you  remember Wisconsin, don't you?  Where the public sector unions, Democrats and Liberals (but I repeat myself) have gathered to "recall" the man who is putting the state back on its feet?  It occurs to me that Wisconsin may once again be showing itself as the shape of things to come--similar to the role it played early in the last century.  There, it was a "progressive" movement that sought to reshape the political landscape.  This time, conservatives hold the whip hand.

$10K in May!

Let's go folks!  Click this link and let the money fly--we gotta send the Obama's back to the Ayres and Dorn cocktail party circuit in Chicago.  Let's raise $10,000 before June 1...  Who is with me?

Times are Tough in the UK

Prince Charles apparently in need of employment.  He's becoming more like his father, which is a very good thing.

Big Fat Friday Free For All

What has you down, friends?  Your five year old wants to stop breast-feeding and that makes you feel abandoned?  Got a Vice President who can't keep his mouth shut?  Are your (multiple) autobiographies providing ammunition for an opponent you're trying to smear?  Unburden yourselves!

It's Not You, It's Me!

Poor Richard Lugar! A lion of the Senate. He was first elected when most of you were trying to shape your peach fuzz into Neil Young mutton-chops (nevermind, that was me) or more likely terrorizing the neighborhood on a Big Wheel. Point being the guy has been around a long time, and he lost in the Indiana primary; not the general election mind you, THE PRIMARY!

If this isn't a wake up call to the establishment Republicans I don't know what is. Ok ok, I can hear it now: If we vote out the moderates we'll get killed in November, we need the swing voters and "right-wing" Tea Party types can't win! Horse Hockey! When Republicans make the conservative/libertarian case, clearly and concisely, they almost always win, and in these troubled times voters are in no mood for compromise. The Tea Party defeated Richard Lugar, and the moderates, compromisers and appeasers in the Republican Party have been put on notice.  

Obama's "Courageous" Evolution on Gay Marriage

President Obama's personal journey on the subject of gay marriage advocacy reached a new point yesterday, which incidentally, is where he was on the subject in 1996 when he was running for a seat in the Illinois State Senate.  Heading today to the West Coast and the arms of George Clooney, the President is being hailed as a conquering hero by the echo chamber that is the Hollywood/Mainstream Media Nexus.  His "evolution" (a term the media usually frames as "flip-flop" when applied to Republicans, or when someone comes to a conclusion antithetical to their views) is not a sign of political courage, so much as it is a sign of growing desperation in the White House.

Let's face it.  No one, and I mean no one, is surprised that Barack Obama said what he did yesterday.  Most of us believed that his affirmation of straight marriage for so long was a coldly political calculation, and that he personally believed as much of his political base believes.  Now, the cat is out of the bag.

But why NOW?  Everyone's blaming it on Joe Biden, but Biden only let slip a policy change that had already been made, maybe a bit earlier than it was going to be announced.  The reason we see this now is a growing sense of desperation in the White House, which Democratic guru James Carville laid out for all of us the other day.  The President could lose this election, and they are running scared.   The bottom line here is the bottom line--and that is, Wall Street money--which was on Obama's side in 2008, isn't there after four years of pummeling from Pennsylvania Avenue.  The next best place for the President to raise money is from Hollywood, which has expressed some discomfort with the President's previously held position on the issue.  A change of mind can and will lead to more money from a newly enthused pro-gay marriage community.  That is why the President evolved--once again, a cold political calculation.

To review--my position on gay marriage is the same as my position on straight marriage.  Government should be out of it altogether.  Marriage should be a social/religious convention, and government should have no role in it.  Including collecting a disproportionate amount of tax money from the non-married.

Brokered Convention!

Inmate 11593-051 takes 41% of the vote to O's 59% in the West Virginia primary. 

If You Are In DC May 16th....

stop by the Center for National Policy for a little strategery.

You Snooze, You Lose!

Europe has taken a turn left (if that's possible). In France, Le Parti Socialiste won big with the election of Francois Hallande to replace the (so-called) conservative Président Nicolas Sarkozy. Hallande is a typical European/French socialist; i.e. anti-capitalist statist, anti-American etc. as well as being a very peculiar individual. He's never been married but likes to chase the skirts (huge surprise there), rides around Paris on a scooter (pussy!), and his mistress of 25 years (and mother to his four children) was also a candidate for President (they split when he was caught with a little side "morceau de cul" ). But by comparison he's actually quite normal compared to his main party rival Dominique Strauss-Kahn. In his youth he was educated at the best training academies for bureaucrats France has to offer and worked tirelessly for La Grande République's last "official" socialist President Francois Mitterand. I expect he'll run France into the ground almost immediately.


So what happened? The first thing one must know about European politics is that conservatives are not conservative and socialists mean what they say. Sarkozy was elected as a reformer, and he made an attempt but chose to go slow in an effort to mitigate the pain. Not a smart move. Reform, any kind of reform but especially of the magnitude required in France with all their unions and leftists and malcontents, needs to be done quickly and brutally. Pain is inevitable. In order to survive politically, and for the good of France, Sarkozy should have taken a meat cleaver to the problem. But instead he chose the "safe" way, the path with the least pain, the path of slow malignant death: Death for his political career and perhaps death for France and Europe. 


There's a lesson to be learned here, and I hope Gov. Romney is watching. Go the way of Ronald Reagan and do what needs to be done in spite of the political threats and blackmail from the left, or be slow and methodical while accomplishing nothing and pissing everybody off, including your base. Sarkozy was either a coward or a fool, either way France was the big loser. 

The Beginning of the End of the Renovation

The house is complete.  All that's left is landscaping.  Below is what we've done around the pool.  Can't wait for summer!  Sod is a wonderful thing--makes me want to tear up the rest of the lawn and lay it down...

Next up is to repair the damage in the backyard--then--onto the front!

The Thrill is Gone

The President "kicked off" his campaign yesterday before a sparse crowd at Ohio State.  

When Julia Loses MSNBC, Julia's in Trouble...

Classic!

Q: What's the rule for Democrats running for national office? A: Hide who you are. Run to the center, run as a conservative if you have to and you can get away with it, but for Heaven's sake never ever own up to your big-government leftist positions. It's the kiss of death.

But every now and again leftists lose focus and show their true colors. "The Life of Julia" is a prime example. It's a little slide show comparing and contrasting the President's cradle-to-grave activist approach to government and the Republican Romney's heartless "you're on your own" model (i.e. the American way). The problem is, like a woman trying to look hot on a first date with a low cut dress, it's a little too revealing and suggests the wrong message. Even that collection of leftist hacks on MSNBC were embarrassed for the President because the underlying message of dependency, intrusion and "you're not good enough to make it without us" may be a fine a policy goal, but should never be enunciated so clearly.

I think I understand where Team Obama is trying to go with this. Their tactics of divide, manipulate and blame are not working that well. They desperately want to present a positive vision for the future (you know, a little hope and change) that worked so well last time, but when you have a clear record of failure it's hard to offer up just more of the same. Dependency doesn't work in real life, as the President's policies have demonstrated, and it won't work as a campaign theme.

Big Fat Friday Free For All!

What's got you down, Bub?  Got a Chinese dissident hanging out in your embassy?  Are you going to have to sit out the NFL season?  Are stockholders questioning your academic cred?  Share people, share!

Have You Made Your Friday Donation to Romney for President?

Let's face it folks, Mitt's been on a bit of a roll since putting the Republican nomination away, and he's beginning to really get under the skin of Democrats, including our President.  Let's keep the momentum rolling by contributing whatever you can.  We've received donations through he CW site of $10-$2500; you don't have to be a high roller to play a part!  Click this link to contribute, and don't forget to check the box indicating that you know your referrer. 

Things the Press Finds Newsworthy: A Contrast

The cost of Michelle Obama's $467,000 vacation to Spain?  Not interesting. 
Michelle Obama's $540 sneakers for a soup kitchen photo op?  Yawn.
$424,142 in expenses racked up in a trip to South Africa and Botswana for Mrs. O, her daughters, and an entourage to include a hairdresser and makeup artist?  Ho-hum.

The cost of Ann Romney's designer shirt?  Suddenly we have some fascinating stuff.  At least worthy of a lead story on Politico.   

For $990, I would venture to say Mrs. R. got ripped off.  However, with the exception of the sneakers, Mrs. O's extravagances were covered by us.  The fish shirt was purchased with Romney money.

Elizabeth Warren, Everywoman

In a dogged attempt to wrest the Scott Brown seat in the Senate from the Republicans, Hahhvahd Professor Elizabeth Warren has painted herself as Everywoman, to include those living on Reservations.  A nifty takedown of the Professor can be found here.