Everyone loves the spotlight

Republicans for Obama?
Media making bid deal about old political tactic

It's one of the oldest political moves in the campaign 101 text book. Find people who identify with your opponent and feature them endorsing you. On Tuesday Barack Obama's media disciples paraded Republicans (?) former Iowa congressman Jim Leach and former Rhode Island Senator Lincoln Chafee, who both publicly endorsed Obama for President.

Neither endorsement was surprising. Both men lost their re-election bids in 2006 and harbor great resentment toward conservatives. When the term RINO (Republicans in name only), was first used, these two were the poster children. The irony in the case of Chafee is that there is a story about his father receiving a death bed promise from George Bush (41) to take care of his son, in the political sense. In 2006 the RNC busted their hump to help Chafee win his primary fight when real conservatives went after him. Your brilliant blogger was approached by the RNC to assist him on the ground in Rhode Island. I informed them that I had promised my wife we would have a flatulence contest that weekend.

If you do a web search you can find countless websites, blogs and groups titled Democrats for McCain and Republicans for Obama. To this day the term "Reagan Democrats" is common place. It refers to traditional Democrats who believe that their Party no longer fights for the working class. High taxes, affirmitive action, weak national security and liberal social ideas opened many traditional Roosevelt and Kennedy Democrats to Republican principles. Since the GOP themselves began abandoning Reagan ideas, most of those Democrats have become Independents or gone back to the Democratic Party.

My favorite group in "Libertarians for Obama." That makes as much sense as "Jews for a nuclear Iran" or "Vegetarians for Beef." Don't get me wrong, I understand their thinking. I consider myself to be much more Libertarian than I am a Republican, especially in a post Reagan era. Unfortunately the Libertarian movement is no different than the GOP or the Democratic Party, straying away from their core beliefs.

Libertarian principles primarily state that government's main purpose is to defend her citizens from harms way both foreign and domestic. After that government has an extremely limited role, which is to enforce public safety laws and see that contracts are abided by and property rights are not infringed upon. Today's Party refuses to allow the government to protect her citizens, claiming a civil liberties violations at every turn. The Party has also become Isolationist. Unable to comprehend that defending America often means doing so outside our borders. Notice the pattern and why they would like Obama.

The ideas of capitalism, free markets, free trade, as well as school, social security and religious choice has become a distant after-thought for too many self- described Libertarians. Their current movement is about ending the war in Iraq, eliminating the Patriot Act, discouraging faith and legalizing drugs. While I do support the latter in many instances, especially when it comes to decriminalization, I don't believe the right to smoke marijuana or crack is a priority in a post 9/11 world. As far as the Patriot Act, I can careless if some schmuck in Virginia knows my wife surf's the Internet for porn or shoes. I do want him to be able to prevent someone from blowing up a school bus that has my children on it.

Considering that Obama is without a shadow of a doubt a Socialist, which is the opposite of Libertarian, such identified voters supporting him goes against all logic. What you find more often than not is when people vote against the majority of their interests it's about one issue that is important to them that they cannot overlook. Revenge and anger are also prudent measures of a vote. Isn't that right former senator Chafee?


Can Gov. Kaine be that Stupid?
Praises Obama for non-existent cease fire

With Virginia believed to be a swing-state in November, both Presidential candidates are seriously considering prominent leaders from the "Old Dominion" state. Republican John McCain is interested in congressman Eric Cantor. Currently deputy minority whip, Cantor has been an up and coming star in GOP serving his 4Th term in the house. Cantor is believed to be on McCain's short list offering little or no negatives to a McCain/Cantor ticket.

On the other side of the aisle, Barack Obama is interested in first term Virginia governor Tim Kaine. Unlike Cantor, Kaine doesn't offer Obama any experience or skills to help him win the White House. He is popular, so without a doubt he could help Obama win the commonwealth.

In recent weeks, media pundits have brought up Kaine's lack of experience as an Obama liability. The governor appears to be taking matters into his own hands and campaigning for the #2 spot. Unfortunately for him his immediate and future prospects for the national scene may have dwindled away.

In an interview with Fox News, Kaine suggested that a cease-fire had been agreed upon because Obama publicly asked for one. The fact that McCain, Bush and half of Washington publicly asked for one had no bearing on the situation, but Obama's did. Making matters worse was at the time of his statement, the so called cease-fire was only words and Russia was still marching into and murdering Georgians. So if cease-fire for Obama and Kaine means continue killing people, than maybe the Virginia governor is correct.

These are scary times that need serious and dare I say experienced competent people. Assets that Obama and without a doubt Kaine do not possess. Obama pundits claim that judgement is more important than experience and I strongly agree. So if not supporting the surge in Iraq, off-shore drilling and desiring a sit down with the President of Iran without preconditions is a sign of good judgement, by all means vote Obama.

For my readers who don't have their head up their ass or don't get out of bed looking for the crack-pipe, what more needs to be said?

Paulie