Tuesday, January 24, 2012

SILVERSTATE CONFIDENTIAL 01/24/2012

SANTORUM: UP YOURS, NEVADA

Rick Santorum.  Arlen Specter’s biggest cheerleader.  He was here in Reno once during last year’s legislative session; before he became a Republican presidential candidate.  Then he came to Las Vegas in October solely to participate in the presidential debate.  Hasn’t been back since. 

And now get this quote from his remarks after the South Carolina primary:  “Three states, three winners, what a country.  We're going to Florida and then we're going to Arizona and Colorado."

Um, hello?  What about Nevada?  I mean, after all, we ARE first in the West. Do you mean being first in the West is…um, meaningless?  Go figure.  Who’d a thunk it?

ROMNEY CALLS GEN. MCARTHUR A FAILED LEADER!

Up until Monday’s NBC debate in Tampa, I’ve generally regarded Mitt Romney with a healthy dose of indifference, slathered with a decided lack of enthusiasm.  But his Pelosi-like attack last night on Newt Gingrich as a “failed leader” and a “disgrace” really fried my Fritos.

“Speaker Gingrich…was a leader for four years as speaker of the House,” Romney told moderator Brian Williams.  “And at the end of four years, it was proven that he was a failed leader and he had to resign in disgrace.” 

In the immortal words of Col. Sherman T. Potter: Horse-hockey!

That’s like saying that despite his four years leading Americans to victory in the Pacific in World War II, Gen. Douglas McArthur was a “failed leader” and a “disgrace” because in the end he was fired by President Truman.

Now, like Mitt Romney, I’m no historian - though in the interest of disclosure, I am a paid adviser to Winning Our Future PAC - but let’s take a look at the historical record.

Starting in 1978, Gingrich devoted 16 years in a visionary quest to wrest control of the United States Congress from House Democrats.  He did so not with the willing cooperation of establishment moderate GOP leaders, but despite them.

It was an insurgent guerilla campaign against a deeply entrenched, well-armed, strongly fortified Democrat majority.  But armed with the very bold, not pastel-colored, Contract with America – which, by the way, Mitt Romney refused to sign as a candidate that year - Gingrich & Company won a stunning victory in 1994 and knocked the D’s out of power.

Gingrich, as House Speaker, then honored the terms of the Contract; completing votes on all 10 of the 10 planks within the first 100 days, passing, I believe, 9 of them.  The Contract then went over to fellow Republican Majority Leader Bob Dole’s Senate where…it was promptly entombed, draining the GOP surge of both energy and momentum.

Indeed, the real failure of 1996 wasn’t Gingrich closing the government down, but Dole opening it back up.  And unlike Republicans in the House/Senate majorities in 2004, Gingrich had to deal with a Democrat president in the Oval Office, not a Republican. 

As for some of his House colleagues attempting to engineer a mutiny after  Gingrich led them out of the political wilderness, the fact is if you’re gonna make a political omelet, you’re gonna crack the egos of a few eggs.  Is it really all that surprising that once victory had been achieved, some folks thought they could do a better job than the guy who brought them to the dance?

Indeed, don’t all the farm animals want to eat the Little Red Hen’s bread after it’s baked?

And is it any wonder that Gingrich’s public approval numbers flat-lined considering the unrelenting barrage of negative attacks on the man by the Left and media elites (but I repeat myself) which began even before he was ever handed the gavel?  Gingrich was constantly under attack over trumped up and bogus complaints by Democrats who desperately wanted back into power. 

Who among us would have survived such an onslaught?

Again, like Mitt Romney, I’m no historian.  But I don’t believe it was Newt Gingrich who lost the White House in 1992 and 1996 and 2008; that was “failed leaders” George H.W. Bush, Bob Dole and John McCain respectively.  And Newt Gingrich didn’t lose the Republican majority in the House of Representatives in 2006; that was “failed leader” Denny Hastert.  And Newt Gingrich didn’t lose the GOP majority in the U.S. Senate in 2006; that was “failed leader” Bill Frist.

Now…

During that same period of time, Mitt Romney – God bless his capitalist soul – was making a killing by killing some businesses and jobs while resuscitating and creating others.  Bravo!

But Mitt Romney now wants to be a political leader, not a business leader.  And on the political battlefront, Mitt Romney’s historical record generally consists of running for president in 2008 (and losing), running for the the U.S. Senate in 1994 against Teddy Kennedy (and losing), and ushering in RomneyCare – the precursor to ObamaCare. Other than that, he’s been pretty much AWOL.

On the other hand, during that same period of time Newt Gingrich was campaigning for conservative candidates, training conservative grassroots activists, promoting conservative ideas and legislation, and helping local GOP parties, conservative advocacy organizations and tea party groups by attending and speaking at untold numbers of rallies, meet-ups and rubber-chicken dinners. 

For more than three decades, Newt Gingrich has been both a foot soldier and a general in the battles for limited government, low taxation, free markets and individual liberty.  Has he been right on every issue?  No.  Has he been correct in every tactical and strategic decision?  No.  But he’s been right more than he’s been wrong, and he’s won more often than he’s lost. 

For better or worse, Newt Gingrich has been a fighter, not an observer.  And certainly not a “disgrace.”  That’s just the historical record…though I again admit, like Mitt Romney, I’m no historian.

Attacking Newt Gingrich as a “failed leader” is also an attack on those of us who over the years have been trained by Newt Gingrich, led by Newt Gingrich and inspired by Newt Gingrich; who have been slugging it out, day in and day out, in the political trenches - while Mr. Romney was sitting in his luxury sky box at the Olympics and opening bank accounts in the Cayman Islands. 

Not that there’s anything wrong with that.  But please explain to me how bailing out the Olympics limited government, cut spending, reduced taxes, expanded individual liberty or preserved free markets in the United States of America?

Again, there’s nothing “wrong” with what Mitt Romney has done in his life.  But to attack and criticize Speaker Gingrich as a “failed leader” and a “disgrace” for his service to the conservative movement for the last 34 years reminds me of that famous quote by Teddy Roosevelt way back in 1910 (again, like Mitt Romney, I’m no historian - so if the source and date of the quote is incorrect, I’ll stand corrected):

It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.”

Indeed, Mitt Romney owes Newt Gingrich an apology.  But don’t hold your breath waiting.

NEVADANS BY CHOICE AWARDS

After the Nevada GOP caucus' close please join Governor Brian Sandoval, Senator Dean Heller and Congressman Joe Heck, along with Americans for Prosperity Foundation and the Congress of Racial Equality as we celebrate The Nevadan By Choice Awards Gala – Saturday February 4th 2012 at 5:30 pm at the Venetian Resort. 

This dinner is being held to honor America’s newest naturalized citizens and those that are giving back to our State and Country.  Two awards will be presented at this event, and applications for these awards will be accepted through the 25th of January 2012.

For more information and to purchase tickets log on to www.nvbychoice.org.  This event is selling out quickly so please make sure and buy your tickets soon!

POLITICAL POTPOURRI

* Question: Is the purpose of the GOP primary to nominate a candidate supported by Republican voters or by non-ideological, non-affiliated independent voters?

* No matter how “meaningful* Nevada’s February 4 GOP presidential caucus might turn out to be, the fact remains that since the Nevada Republican Party opted to be the “adult” and caved in to New Hampshire – abandoning its third-in-the-nation position – not a single GOP presidential candidate has campaigned here.  And with the exception of the October debate in Las Vegas, we have been all but completely ignored.  Indeed, South Carolina, the new third-in-the-nation state, got TWO debates in one week last week.  We ain’t gettin’ squat.  Epic fail, Nevada GOP.

FAMOUS LAST WORDS

“All of a sudden, voters who were prepared to vote for Romney - he led the state (South Carolina) by double digits in the polls a week ago - decided Gingrich is their better hope against Obama. And if voters in other states start to feel the same way, Romney’s path to victory becomes immensely more difficult.” – Aaron Blake of The Fix

“Voters in South Carolina rallied to Gingrich because his campaign is based on a big idea: he'll crush Obama in debates and win the White House.” – Columnist Fred Barnes

“Gingrich carried 43 of South Carolina's 46 counties.” – Morning Score, 1/22/12

“Among voters who consider themselves to be 'very conservative' -- who make up 36% of tonight's primary electorate - Gingrich leads Romney, 45%-20%. Among voters who are Tea Party supporters, Gingrich has a 17-point edge over Romney, 43%-26%. And among those who describe themselves as evangelical or born-again Christians -- who made up 65% of the GOP primary electorate -- Gingrich is ahead, 42%-22%.” – MSNBC.com, 1/21/12

“The bombshell accusation from former Speaker Newt Gingrich’s second wife that he had requested an ‘open marriage’ did not cost him the female vote in South Carolina, polls show.  According to exit polling conducted by Edison Research, Gingrich won a plurality of the female vote with 36 percent of South Carolina’s voting Republican women checking his box Saturday.” – Daily Caller, 1/22/12

“South Carolina proves money isn't determinative. Romney spent twice as much Gingrich and lost by double-digits.” – Major Garrett in National Journal

“(Mitt) Romney easily outspent and out-organized John McCain in Florida in 2008 and still lost." – Adam Smith of the Tampa Bay Times

“We're now confronted with a designated front runner, Mitt Romney, who got less votes in Iowa in 2012 than he got in 2008 and who lost South Carolina.  The base is revolting because they swept the GOP back into relevance in Washington just under two years ago and they have been thanked with contempt ever since." – Blogger Erick Erickson

“Gingrich’s surge is registering in the national polls — big time.  The latest Gallup national tracking poll has Romney and Gingrich in a virtual tie, with Romney at 29 percent and Gingrich at 28 percent.” – Morning Score, 1/24/12

“Very curious why (Rick Santorum) keeps sticking up for Romney, wonder what's he up to there.” – Gingrich spokesman R.C. Hammond

WHAT IS THE MSM HIDING? WHAT DO THEY REAALY KNOW?

SIMPLY AMAZING WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT IT

Isn't it amazing that, within only one week of Tiger Woods crashing his Escalade, the press found every woman with whom Tiger has had an affair during the last few years?

And, they even uncovered photos, text messages, recorded phone calls, etc.!

AL GREEN....YOU MUST BE KIDDING...

Liberal LunacyBy Alan Caruba
CanadaFreePress.com
Conservative commentators read what liberals have to say if only to get a glimpse into their current memes on various topics. It is always daunting because one cannot do this without coming away convinced that they are lunatics, devoid of any sense of history or reality, both of which they routinely invent to defend their opinions.
Read the Full Story

L.A. SCHOOL TEACHERS DON'T TEACH!

LAUSD and Teacher’s Union Sued by Parents: Accountability at LastBy Larry Sand
CAPoliticalReview.com

For nearly 40 years, the Los Angeles Unified School District has broken the law—and nobody seemed to notice. Now a group of parents and students are taking the district to court. On November 1, a half-dozen anonymous families working with EdVoice, a reform advocacy group in Sacramento, filed a lawsuit in Los Angeles Superior Court against the LAUSD, district superintendent John Deasy, and United Teachers Los Angeles. The lawsuit in essence accuses the district and the union of a gross dereliction of duty. According to the parents’ complaint, the district and the union have violated the children's "fundamental right to basic educational equality and opportunity" by failing to comply with a section of the California Education Code known as the Stull Act. Under the 1971 law, a school district must include student achievement as part of a teacher’s evaluation. Los Angeles Unified has never done so: the teachers union wouldn't allow it.

OBAMA CHALLENGES GOD

Obama Orders Catholics to Act Against Their Faith; Bishops Call it 'Unconscionable'By Terence P. Jeffrey
CNSNews.com
 
The Obama administration on Friday finalized a regulation that orders all Americans—unless they work directly at a church--to purchase government-approved health insurance plans that cover sterilizations and all FDA-approved contraceptives including those that cause abortions.
Read the Full Story

OBAMA CANNOT RUN ON HIS RECORD - IT IS AS NON-EXISTENT AS HIS BIRTH CERTIFICATE

Obama pitches 2012 election as ‘choice’ between two paths, rather than a referendum on himselfAs President Obama prepares to rev up his re-election drive with his third State of the Union address Tuesday night, he and his aides have already begun framing the fall contest as a “choice” election, not a simple up-or-down referendum on his own job performance in the Oval Office. In so doing, the president borrows a page from an unlikely playbook: that of the man he has spent the last five years disparaging, George W. Bush. It was President Bush, in his 2004 matchup against John Kerry ...Read More

THE INFLATION BEING HIDDEN BY OBAMA IS HORRENDOUS

Gas up 83%, Beef 22%, Bacon 22% since Obama AdminSo far, during the presidency of Barack Obama, the price of a gallon of gasoline has jumped 83 percent, according to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. During the same period, the price of ground beef has gone up 24 percent and price of bacon has gone up 22 percent. When Obama entered the White House in January 2009, the city average price for one gallon of regular unleaded gasoline was $1.79 ...
Read More

OBAMA REVELING IN THE LACK OF JOBS!

Our ‘Employment Prevention Agency’In just the past few months, President Obama and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) have decided that jobs are no longer the number one priority in America (although, for the EPA – jobs were never a concern). That’s why many people have begun calling it the Employment Prevention Agency. President Obama now believes that getting votes from extreme environmentalists (those who believe we should all be living in the woods) is more important than the 20 million Americans looking for full-time employment. The President and the agency have made several decisions that will cost hundreds of thousands, maybe even millions of jobs and billions of dollars in economic activity – and make electricity prices rise.Read More

ALLIANCE ALERTS 01/24/2012

Featured - Tuesday, January 24, 2012

NEVADA - DEAN HELLER FOR U.S. SENATE...CONSERVATIVE

Conservatives --
The national debt is $15 trillion... and rising.
Today will mark day number 1,000 since Senate Democrats last passed a budget.
Help stop this fiscal insanity!
We need to pass a budget... the Democrats refuse to act.
We need a Balanced Budget Amendment... the Democrats refuse to act.
We need to cut the reckless spending... the Democrats refuse to act.
Instead of addressing our growing national debt, Democrats have simply ignored our nation's out-of-control spending and decided to increase our national debt by trillions of dollar.
It's time for some real change in Washington—change that starts with you. If you think it's time to halt the runaway growth of government, cut spending and pass a Balanced Budget Amendment, I need your help right now.
Please contribute $10.00 today to join me in the fight to bring serious leadership and fiscal responsibility to Washington.
With your help, we'll take back the Senate in this next election and take the fight to the big-government spending and fiscal irresponsibility in Washington.
Thank you,
Dean
Dean Heller
P.S. I hope you'll stand with me today and show your support for the fiscal conservative policies that will get our country back on track. Can I count on you to contribute $10 today?
Contribute Today!

REMEMBER THIS WHEN YOU VOTE! REMEMBER AND VOTE FOR ANYONE BUT OBAMA!!!

FEDS GET GREEN LIGHT TO GRAB YOUR GUNS
JUDGE GRANTS ATF REGULATORY CARTE BLANCHE
In yet another example of Washington hypocrisy, U.S. District Judge Rosemary M. Collyer of the D.C. district disregarded the Second Amendment and tossed a lawsuit challenging new reporting requirements for gun dealers – requirements the Obama administration says are needed "to help staunch the flow of powerful rifles to violent Mexican drug gangs."
Folks, this is Washington hypocrisy at its finest.

POLITICAL DIGEST 01/25/2012 CONSERVATIVE

Happy Birthday to Robert Burns, Scotland’s Bard
Fun fact: When Burns was my age, he’d been dead for 28 years. Imagine what he could have produced if he’d lived to 65. “Wha will be a traitor knave? Wha can fill a coward's grave? Wha sae base as be a slave? Let him turn and flee!” http://www.darachweb.net/SongLyrics/ScotsWhaHae.html

Marine Lance Cpl. Andrew Paul Carpenter will never meet his son
A very moving picture. ~Bob.

IMF report: Global economy to slow sharply
Excerpt: The world economy is slowing sharply, and the euro region headed for recession this year, the International Monetary Fund predicted Tuesday in a bleak update of global conditions. Overall, the world economy is expected to expand 3.25 percent in 2012 -- down from the 4 percent projected by the IMF in the fall. That figure includes 8.2 percent growth in China, still the world’s most quickly expanding economy, and 7 percent in India. U.S. Growth is forecast at 1.8 percent, the same as the fund projected in the fall. (Very thoughtful of Obama to divert that Keystone oil to China, as clearly they will need it more than we will, and the working stiffs in the US can always afford a few more shekels for energy. ~Bob.)

REALLY GREAT QUESTIONS RESPECTING OBAMA

Is Obama Guilty of Identity Fraud Rather than Ineligibility?

DO MISSING RECORDS, HAWAII’S STONEWALLING AND INCONSISTENCIES POINT TO A DIFFERENT LIFE STORY?

by Sharon Rondeau
 
Did Obama achieve the presidency under false pretenses?
(Jan. 22, 2012) — On January 26, 2012, an administrativehearing will be held at 9:00 a.m. in Atlanta, GA, regarding the constitutional eligibility of one “Barack Hussein Obama” and whether or not his name should be placed on that state’s ballot for the 2012 presidential election.
But is identity fraud, rather than ineligibility, the actual crime?

THE DEBATE RAGES ON - ELIGIBLE OR .....

Natural Law and Natural Born FactsPatriotic Americans deeply concerned about the condition of our beleaguered Constitution and Republic have been challenging Barack Obama’s constitutional eligibility to hold the highest office in our land ever since he tossed his hat in the ring in 2008. A variety of definitions for the Natural Born Citizen constitutional requirement have been batted around by numerous people with varied agendas, leaving the debate largely..
http://www.newswithviews.com/guest_opinion/guest197.htm
by Lee Greene

WHAT IF?

Multiple Nukes Going Off in U.S. CitiesWhat would happen if a nuclear blast went off in just one American City? Let’s look at the results of a nuclear explosion released by the Department of Homeland Security’s Terror Report and the Center for Disease Control Emergency Preparedness and Response. The CDC describes a nuclear blast produced by a nuclear bomb which involves the splitting of atoms called fission or fusion. It produces an.......
http://www.newswithviews.com/McGuire/paul114.htm
by Paul McGuire

RedState Briefing 01/24/2012

RedState Morning Briefing
For January 24, 2012



Happy Birthday, Mom!