Conservative Hideout

Why are the Republicans Allowing the Democrats and MSM Control the Debate?

Why are we talking about contraception?  Why are the talking heads of the MSM (taking notes from Spooky Dude, via Media Matters), being PERMITTED to define what is discussed?

Here is the point:  Obama is a loser on the economy.  He has broken every promise, failed at every proposal, and has, in fact, made things worse.  The economy is THE issue of this election, and everything else is secondary.  Yes we can illustrate that the government, in their effort to get religious organizations to fund abortion (because the pill is just a side issue), is an affront to the First Amendment, but I’m sure that Gingrich, Santorum, or Paul would reverse that on day one, if elected.  But, why waste time discussing condoms or birth control pills when the economy is in the tank, we’ve lost millions of jobs, and the debt will kill the Republic?  That is the issue that we need to be talking about, and the Democrats and MSM wants desperately to avoid, is the economy.

Santorum needs to kill this issue, and he can, by saying the following…

I’m running for President of the United States.  And unlike the current occupant of that office, I will not overstep my Constitutional authority to turn my personal beliefs into de facto laws.  While my family’s religious beliefs mean that we do not use these products, the President of the United States does not have the power to prevent others from making that choice.  The discussion of this topic is nothing more than a way for the Democratic Party, and the media that serves them, from discussing the economy, which is negatively impacting all Americans. 

Frankly, this is more an attack of Santorum than anything else.  The former Senator is taking Obama to task on the economy.  To keep the attention off of that sore spot, Santorum will be asked contraception questions every time the MSM interviews him. To be fair, he did try to point that out last week, but it will take continuous effort to take the MSM off of that line.

Again, the next POTUS, if a Republican, will kill the mandates and such on day one.  Using the economy against Obama is the number one way to get a Republican elected.  See the flow there?  If we allow social issues to dictate the debate, we strengthen the Obama campaign buy burying his biggest failure.

Original Article

Bayer Aspirin and the Left: It’s a Sideshow, but we can Learn From it

OK, I have to write a bit about the recent comments by a Santorum Super PAC supporter, Foster Friess.  The point of contention is that Friess suggested, during a MSM interview, that Bayer Aspirin, when placed between the knees, was an effective form of birth control.  In essence, he suggested that keeping one’s legs in a closed position is the most effective means for preventing pregnancy.  And, in fact, it is.  However, the political left has had a hissy fit over the comment, stating that it’s “creepy.”  Here is the infamous statement…

http://youtu.be/hOI7fokqkFc

Of course, the perception that the aspirin comment was “creepy” flies in the face of reality.  If you recall, we recently posted a video from Planned Parenthood.  Let’s review, shall we?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=9l0SAVeK2Rg

OK, so let’s get this straight.  A Conservative that suggests that women keep their legs closed is “creepy,” but a video from Planned Parenthood that features a supporter of abortion KILLING anyone who disagrees with her, is just fine?  Sure politics is spin, and the MSM will contort anything to suit the Democratic Party, but saying, in essence, that abstinence is “creepy” says more about them that I have the power to illustrate.

Is it just me, or are we in the age in which evil is put up as good, and good is put down as evil?

In the end, however, I believe this issue is a huge distraction from the real issue in the coming election.  While it is useful to discuss it, as it shows the regressive’s beliefs and strategies, it is still a sideshow, so we aren’t discussing the economy.  But, I will cover that in the post at noon today.

Original Article

Iron Sky is Coming!

If the title is confusing, allow me to explain.  Iron Sky is a highly anticipated dark comedy about one of my favorite conspiracy theories; that a select group of Nazis escaped in the aftermath of WW II.  No, this bunch didn’t hang out in South America and hide from the Israelis, they ended up sneaking down to Antartica, and escaped…to the dark side of the moon…in flying saucers!  Yes, there are people that actually believe this!  See this video for what the theory implies.

http://youtu.be/hV4Jb3Wna5g

Made by a group on independent film makers, Iron Sky was fan supported.  In other words, they made the movie with donations from fans.  If you question the quality, take a look at the extended trailer…

http://youtu.be/Py_IndUbcxc

And yes, these are the same folks that brought us Star Wreck…

http://youtu.be/R79JuYdG5KY

Fortunately, they were able to hire real actors for Iron Sky, and it is in English.

What can I say, I’ve been waiting for this for over two years!

Check out the site for Iron Sky for how the film was made, and how you can see it.  

Original Article

Paul Ryan: What real leadership looks like

Folks, we had better start listening to Paul Ryan, because we’re heading down the same road as Greece and very soon our debt is going to spiral out of control. It will reach a tipping point and we won’t be able to do anything to stop it. It’s an election year and both sides appear to be playing politics with our future. They don’t want to deal with this debt crisis because it’s the silly season when politicians paint a picture of rainbows and unicorns for the electorate. They want us feeling good about ourselves and buying into the empty promises they’re trying to sell us. Paul Ryan is one of the few elected official in Washington these days who is daring to stand on principles and tell the American people what the score really is in regards to our debt crisis. That is what leadership is about folks. Leadership is doing the right thing no matter what the cost. The first clip is from a few weeks ago.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nPeaYB7Iaso&feature=player_embedded

You can hear in his voice how frustrated and disgusted he is with his colleagues for not passing a budget, because like he said you don’t even have a starting point to address this problem without a budget. It starts and ends with a budget.  Instead we have continuing spending resolutions that continue to increase our debt at record levels.  This past Sunday on ABC’s This Week he discussed the budget, Medicare, Social Security, and partisan politics.  Below is a clip from his interview.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dtkFTHOSn1E&feature=player_embedded

While Representative Ryan offers up ideas and solutions to help restore America, his partisan minded colleagues play politics with our future and our children’s future. He is speaking up and warning us of what America faces if we don’t get a handle on our spending problems.  He too is running for reelection this November, and yet he is not afraid to tell us the cold hard truth.  This is the kind of leadership that is needed to turn this thing around and unfortunately it’s lacking in D.C. these days.  Congressman Ryan cares about America and he sees what America will look like if we don’t correct course. I applaud Congressman Ryan for his efforts and his willingness to stand up for each of us. This is what real leadership looks like.

Liberty forever, freedom for all.

Original Post:  The Sentry Journal

Original Article

Allen West Teaches History: Leftists Ignore it

Allen West is one of the new Conservative Congressmen that are held in high esteem.  Recently, he provided Congress with a history lesson.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=xYgXGM_AuO8

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=9J8rJxQ7aRI

I think that the Democrats will pretend that this was never said.  The MSM will never cover it, and the cries of “racism” will continue.

Do you think we ought to make this viral?

H/T:  An Ol’ Broad’s Ramblings

Original Article

The Gospel According to Barack Obama

And in those days cometh John Kerry preaching in the desert of Massachusetts.  And saying:  Do taxes:  for the kingdom of Barack is at hand.  For this is he that was spoken of:  A voice of one crying in Massachusetts, Prepare ye the way of redistribution.  For now the axe is laid to the root of the capitalists.  Every Republican therefore that doth not yield redistribution and his fair share of taxes shall be cut down and cast into the fire.

Then Barack was lead by the spirit into Chicago, to be tempted by the nonredistributioners.    And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights he was appointed a constitutional scholar.

And the evil Republicans took him up into the Sears Tower and showed him all the glory of Chicago.  And said to him:  All this I give thee if falling down thou wilt interpret the Constitution as the fathers intended.  Then Barack saith to them:  Begone. For it is written, the Federal Government shalt thou adore and him only shalt thou serve and enlarge the powers thereof.

And seeing the multitudes he went up to the John Hancock building and when he was set down public sector union employees came unto him.

And opening his mouth he taught them saying:

Blessed are the poor:  For the Feds have the power to take away from others and give unto thee.

Blessed are the meek:  For they know America is an evil country and they have no reason to brag.

Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after social justice:  For the feds have the power to engineer equality of result.

Blessed are the merciful:  For they shall obtain redistribution of wealth.

Blessed are the peacemakers:  For Muslims shall like them and they shall be called children of the most High Prophet and enemies of the terrorist state of Israel.

Blessed are they when the revile you and persecute you, and speak all that is evil against you, untruly, for my sake.

Be glad and rejoice, for your reward is very great in Washington D.C.  For so they persecuted the populists and progressives before you.

Do not think that I am come to destroy the law or the Constitution.  I have not come to destroy, but to fulfill and interpret the Constitution as a living, breathing document with positive powers of government.

For amen I say unto you, till my healthcare reform law and all its 1000 plus pages come into effect, the old slave-holder’s Constitution shall still be in place until all be fulfilled.

He therefore that oppose my healthcare reform, and shall so teach men, shall be called the least in the kingdom of Washington D.C.  But he that shall do and teach, he shall be called great in the kingdom of D.C.

For I tell you, unless your social justice abound more than that of the scribes and Republicans, you shall not enter into my kingdom.

(To be continued.)

The Gospel According to Barack Obama is brought to you by PBS and is made possible through a generous grant from the Chubb Group of Insurance Companies.

Original Post:  Manhattan Infidel

Original Article

Does the Constitution Still Apply?

I caught this over at the Classic Liberal, and I thought it would be good to share it here.  Kindly give this video a view…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C27FFe2O5AA&feature=player_embedded

I think that this was a very appropriate analysis.  But for more discussion, get over to the Classic Liberal.

Original Article

Occupy Unmasked: Occupod Documentary Coming in the Spring

And unlike a work of Michael Moore, it won’t have to be fictional!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iHcr_8Qgdos&feature=player_embedded

I can’t wait to hear the crying and excuses over this one!  Then again, most on the left will simply try to ignore it.

H/T: Verum Serum

Original Article

America, The Land of the Free? What Constitution?

Apart from some of us in the blogosphere, Americans go about their daily live with no cognition that their freedoms are being eroded away. There is no perception that they are any less free today than they ever were. And that, I believe, is by design.

Our constitution exist to protect us from our government, to protect our unalienable rights and, to limit the power of our government in Washington. Yet today our government pays little heed to this sacred document.

While I was recovering from retina surgery to my only, I managed to read my favorite blogs every day. Looking over the top of the gas bubble that was in my eye and using the Window’s virtual magnifying glass, I would spend over an hour reading a typical post. we old retired folks have plenty of time on our hands and I made use of it to stay up with my internet friends.

There are a handful of blogs that for me are a must read every day. One of those is the Bunkerville blog. Back in January, Bunker put up this post about the doings of Cass Sunstein, one of Obama’s czars who is no friend of our constitution. If you missed this article, you really need to give it a read. For now let me share his closing paragraph:

Continued Sunstein: “We suggest a distinctive tactic for breaking up the hard core of extremists who supply conspiracy theories: cognitive infiltration of extremist groups, whereby government agents or their allies (acting either virtually or in real space, and either openly or anonymously) will undermine the crippled epistemology of believers by planting doubts about the theories and stylized facts that circulate within such groups, thereby introducing beneficial cognitive diversity.” Full story at WND

Mr.  Sunstein really doesn’t like those who support conspiracy theories. Hmmm.  That means me, doesn’t it? Mr.  Sunstein has no qualms what so ever on spying on Americans that have a difference in opinion with our government.

But Sunstein is not the only out-of-control czar in this administration. Rereading Bunker’s post today, I read the comments for the first time. One of the commentors,  Wilma Frank,  sheds some light on some of the other czars:

The rest of the list:

Daniel Fried Guantanamo Closure Czar Human Rights activist for Foreign Terrorists.  Believes America has caused the war on terrorism. Believes terrorists have rights above and beyond Americans. Nancy-Ann DeParle.   Health Czar Former head of Medicare / Medicaid.  Strong Health Care Rationing proponent.  She is married to a reporter for The New York Times. Vivek Kundra Information Czar Born in New Delhi , India .  Controls all public information, including labels and news releases.  Monitors all private Internet emails. (hello?) Todd Stern   International Climate Czar Anti business former White House chief of Staff- Strong supporter of the Kyoto Accord.  Pushing hard for Cap and Trade.  Blames US business for Global warming.  Anti- US business prosperity. Dennis Blair Intelligence Czar Ret. Navy.  Stopped US guided missile program as “provocative”.  Chair of ultra liberal “Council on Foreign Relations” which blames American organizations for regional wars. George Mitchell Mideast Peace Czar Fmr. Sen from Maine Left wing radical.  Has said Israel should be split up into “2 or 3 ” smaller more manageable plots”.  (God forbid) A true Anti-nuclear anti-gun & pro homosexual “special rights” advocate Kenneth Feinberg Pay Czar Chief of Staff to TED KENNEDY.   Lawyer who got rich off the 911 victims payoffs. (horribly true) Cass Sunstein Regulatory Czar Liberal activist judge believes free speech needs to be limited for the “common good”.  Essentially against 1st amendment.  Rules against personal freedoms many times -like private gun ownership and right to free speech.   This guy has to be run out of Washington !! John Holdren Science Czar Fierce ideological environmentalist, Sierra Club, Anti business activist.  Claims US business has caused world poverty.  No Science training. Earl Devaney Stimulus Accountability Czar Spent career trying to take guns away from American citizens.  Believes in Open Borders to Mexico  .  Author of  statement blaming US gun stores for drug war in Mexico . J. Scott Gration   Sudan Czar Native of Democratic Republic of Congo .  Believes US does little to help Third World countries.  Council of foreign relations,asking for higher US taxes to support United Nations Herb Allison TARP Czar Fannie Mae CEO responsible for the US recession by using real estate mortgages to back up the US stock market. Caused millions of  people to lose their life savings. John Brennan Terrorism Czar Anti CIA activist.  No training in diplomatic or gov. affairs. Believes Open Borders to Mexico and a dialog with terrorists and has suggested Obama disband US military   A TOTAL MORON !!!!! Aneesh Chopra   Technology Czar No Technology training.   Worked for the Advisory Board Company, a health care think tank for hospitals. Anti doctor activist.  Supports Obama Health care Rationing and salaried doctors working exclusively for the Gov. health care plan Adolfo Carrion Jr. Urban Affairs Czar Puerto Rico born Anti-American activist and leftist group member in Latin America . Millionaire “slum lord” of the Bronx , NY.  Owns many lavish homes and condos which he got from “sweetheart” deals with labor unions.  Wants higher taxes on middle class to pay for minority housing and health care Ashton Carter Weapons Czar Leftist.  Wants all private weapons in US destroyed.  Supports UN ban on firearms ownership in America  ..  No Other “policy” Gary Samore WMD Policy Czar Former US Communist.   Wants US to destroy all WMD unilaterally as a show of good faith.  Has no other “policy”.

Americans should be very worried about what is going on in their government. Unfortunately, the vast majority of Americans are walking around in ignorant bliss.

Our constitution has been under attack since the day it was ratified. But never more blatantly than when Republican President, George W. Bush, took advantage of our collective fear after 9/11 to impose upon us the Patriot Act. The Patriot Act received overwhelming bipartisan support and continues to be renewed with bipartisan support. Where is the outrage?

Our current president, Barack Obama, has eagerly followed in the footsteps of his predecessor. Besides the evil doings of his Marxist czars, Obama has blatantly ignored the constitution on a regular basis, he ignores the orders of federal courts all the way up to the Supreme Court, he ignores Congress and, he ignores the will of the people. He has an agenda and that is all that matters to him. Through the National Defense Authorization Act, he gained the power to detain citizens “suspected” of being terrorist without due process. Where is the outrage?

The most recent attack on our rights and the constitution comes to us  by way of Obamacare, which in itself is an affront to the constitution. Obama is insisting that religious institution violate their beliefs (protected by the first amendment to the constitution) to provide women’s right to contraception and the morning after pill (abortion). This time there is outrage. It is coming from the leadership of the Catholic Church and other religious leaders and from social conservatives. Does Obama care? Not in the least. Obama and Axelrod have made the political calculation that they will have the support of the majority of women in November and they were never going to have the votes of the social conservatives anyway. So for Obama it is a net win. Is he right? He may very well be right. If the outrage remains confined to the social conservatives, then he has made a strategically good move. Unless more Americans recognize that this has nothing to do with “women’s rights” and everything to do with an attack on a fundamental pillar of our constitution; unless the outrage spreads dramatically, Obama’s agenda will take another giant step forward.

Yes, I am questioning if America is still the land of the free and I am question if our constitution still has relevance.

Well, that’s what I’m thinking. What are your thoughts?

Original Post: Conservatives on Fire

Original Article

I Declare the $5.00 Per-Bag Fee to Fund the TSA Illegal!

President Obama’s budget includes a $5.00 per-bag fee to fund the TSA screeners.  For more, take a look at this, from Gateway Pundit…

Obama’s latest budget includes a $5.00 per bag charge for TSA to screen out luggage.
The Daily Mail reported:

The cost of travel will take off if President Obama’s budget is approved out of hand because he plans to add fees to passengers and take away existing grants to airports in an effort to reduce the deficit.

In his budget put forth Monday, the President mapped out a way to accrue $32billion for the government over the next decade.

The Obama administration wants major carriers, their passengers, business jets and airports to pick up more of the costs of air travel and airport improvements that for years have been borne by taxpayers.

…

Ideas quietly floated and then discarded during congressional budget negotiations last summer re-emerged in the fiscal 2013 transportation and homeland security portions of the White House budget sent to Congress that outlines $4trillion in deficit reduction.
Under the proposal, ticket fees that help pay for passenger and bag security screening at more than 400 U.S. airports would double to a mandatory minimum of $5 per one-way trip.

The fee would jump 50 cents per year beginning in 2014, raising the total to $7.50 in 2018.

I know that some of you are wondering, “This is yet another despicable fee, but how is it illegal?”  Dear reader, it is simple.  If you go anywhere in the US (with the exception of certain parts of Nevada), and pay someone $5.00 to fondle your genitals, you will be arrested. Well, maybe you won’t be arrested, but it would still be illegal.  I fail to see how the TSA is any different.

Original Article

Califailure Alert: It Seems That There are Less High Income People to Tax

Margaret Thatcher, Prime Minister of Great Britain in the 80’s stated the following warning about socialism…

“The problem with socialism is that eventually you run out of other people’s money.”

It would seem that Califailure’s Governor Moonbean didn’t get that memo, and is taking a page out of Obama’s class warfare book.   While the taxes have gone up, the number of people capable of paying them have gone down.  For more, here is an excerpt from The Sacramento Bee…

But the number of Californians with $500,000-plus annual incomes declined dramatically from 2007 to 2009 as the state’s economy stagnated, leaving fewer to tax, the California Taxpayers Association points out in a compilation of data from the Franchise Tax Board.

The latest FTB statistical report covers the 2009 tax year, and Cal-Tax points out that it listed just 98,610 California tax returns with adjusted gross income of $500,000 or more, down nearly a third from the 146,221 in 2007. Data for 2010 are not yet available.

Those 98,610 tax returns were just over a half-percent of the 14.6 million returns filed for 2009, but they accounted for 18.8 percent of the taxable income and 32 percent of the income taxes paid that year.

The article does state that while the loss of income is likely due to loss of income, rather than people leaving, there isn’t evidence to prove it either way.

Califailure has run out of other people’s money, but they aren’t going to let something like reality stop them.

Original Article

Media Matters and the Alinsky Method: Leftist Tactics on Display

Over the last three years, we’ve tried to illustrate how the political left deals with those that disagree with them.  What we usually see is a display of intimidation, disinformation, and outright lies.  Rather than argue facts, and use reason, they all too often resort to the dark art of the smear.  The idea is not to disprove the arguments of their critics, or to convince others of their own merits.  Instead, they seek to destroy their crititcs, making the argument personal rather than factual.

As many of you know, The Daily Caller is publishing a series of articles on Media Matters.  From what has been released thusfar, we can see that Media Matters is as dark and twisted as their primary benefactor.  In their activities, they display the leftitst tactics, generated by Saul Alinsky, for all to see.  

Simply put,” Frisch wrote, “the progressive movement is in need of an enemy. George W. Bush is gone. We really don’t have John McCain to kick around any more. Filling the lack of leadership on the right, Fox News has emerged as the central enemy and antagonist of the Obama administration, our Congressional majorities and the progressive movement as a whole.”

“We must take Fox News head-on in a well funded, presidential-style campaign to discredit and embarrass the network, making it illegitimate in the eyes of news consumers.”

What Frisch proceeded to suggest, however, went well beyond what legitimate presidential campaigns attempt. “We should hire private investigators to look into the personal lives of Fox News anchors, hosts, reporters, prominent contributors, senior network and corporate staff,” he wrote.

Again, notice that nothing in Media Matters’ strategy has a thing to do with disproving FOX, showing that anything that they report isn’t true-it’s about attacking FOX, via the people that work there, in order to discredit the network. It isn’t about truth- it’s about creating a false perception.

I would encourage you to read the rest of the article, that highlights some of the other strategies that Media Matters Planned for FOX, like filing frivolous lawsuits, harassing stockholders and the use of social media to smear FOX personalities.

Besides the obvious points about the dishonesty of  Media Matters, this series shows us the tactics that we will see if we have a GOP POTUS and Congress next year.  There will be smears, lawsuits, personal attacks, intimidation, and likely even violence.  The left believes that the  ends justifies the means, and no means are left off the table.

Get ready for it.

Original Article

Thanks a Ton: I’ve Been Blogging for Three Years!

Actually, the “blogaversary” was on Saturday.  Three years ago then, Posted The Piggly Wiggly and the Porkulus, and the Conservative Hideout was drug, kicking and screaming, into the world.

What do I say?  I have a ton of people to thank, like Snarky Basterd, who inspired me to start blogging in the first place.  Then, there have been all the contributors, like Don, the late Ken Minor, AG, Matthew, Marie, Jackie,  Jason, A Conservative Teacher, Jim, John, Manhattan Infidel, and RHM.

That’s just for starters:

Pam Geller:  Who took the time to link me, and actually responded to my emails when I had only been blogging for a few weeks.

Nuke Gingrich:  For the same reason.  Nuke was a early linker and commenter.

Dr. Bill, of the ARRA News Service, and Blogs for Borders:  For supporting us early on.

The Liberty Pen:  Who linked early and often.

Steamboat McGoo:  Who made me laugh my posterior off, and was a another early supporter.

Solyent Green:  For obvious reasons.  (Birthday spassfabrik is always a consideration)

The Classic Liberal:  Another early supporter, and who has helped me with more coding issues than you can shake a stick at.

Steve at Motor City Times:  Yet another early supporter, and a fellow of the Resistance.

The Amusing Bunni:  Proof that kitteh’s and politics go together.

Wyblog:  The man is a great serving of insight, with a healthy side of sarcasm.

The ‘Bot:  Tweets and Facebook links almost everything here.  He is the ultimate in artificial blogging intelligence.

Steve Dennis:  Who has commented consistently at the CH even when I haven’t been able to get to his place.

Innominatus:  For the humor and support.

Larry Jackson at Political Realities:  For being there early on, and commenting so much over the years.

The Other McCain:  Who has been an inspiration and guide, and has linked me far more than I have been worthy.

 King Shamus:  For all of the kind words, which have always served as encouragement.

Doug at the Daley Gator:  For links and great source material.

Angel:  Who always drops and encouraging comment, and has a unique style of blogging all of her own.

To be Right: For listing me on his list of the best Conservative bloggers.

Zilla: For linking, and giving me an award.

Hans, at Western Front America:  For publishing my stuff, and posting an article of mine at the Goracle’s mothership, Current TV.  There was much debating liberals on that day.  Ironically, the blog was called Conservative Hideout for a reason.  I planned on blogging anonymously.  But, I never told Hans that, so he used my name at his place.  Hence, the Hideout stopped being a hideout at all.

I know I’ve forgotten people, and I apologize for that.  However, I did want to point out some of the people that have contributed to the success that we’ve had here.  And I hope that they will continue to help make the CH 2.0 a success.

Here’s to another three!

Original Article

Will Gingrich Respond to National Review’s Call to Drop out and Endorse Santorum?

After surging in South Carolina,  Newt Gingrich crashed and burned in Florida, and shows no signs or recovering.  After several poor showings in a row, the vultures are circling over the dying campaign.  One influential source, The National Review, has called on him to drop out of the race, and lend his support to Rick Santorum.  Teresa, at Teresamerica, has more…

Today the National Review has taken a bold move and requested that Gingrich drop out of the race and endorse Rick Santorum.  With Santorum’s rise in popularity and continued surge, and Gingrich’s implosion I think this is a good idea.  

It isn’t yet a Romney–Santorum contest, but it could be headed that way. We hope so. Gingrich’s verbal and intellectual talents should make him a resource for any future Republican president. But it would be a grave mistake for the party to make someone with such poor judgment and persistent unpopularity its presidential nominee. It is not clear whether Gingrich remains in the race because he still believes he could become president next year or because he wants to avenge his wounded pride: an ambiguity that suggests the problem with him as a leader. When he led Santorum in the polls, he urged the Pennsylvanian to leave the race. On his own arguments the proper course for him now is to endorse Santorum and exit.

Santorum has been conducting himself rather impressively in his moments of triumph and avoiding characteristic temptations. He is doing his best to keep the press from dismissing him as merely a “social-issues candidate.” His recent remark that losing his Senate seat in 2006 taught him the importance of humility suggests an appealing self-awareness. And he has rightly identified the declining stability of middle-class families as a threat to the American experiment, even if his proposed solutions are poorly designed. But sensible policies, important as they are, are not the immediate challenge for his candidacy. Proving he can run a national campaign is.

This should be seen as the sentinel event that it is.  Some major sources on the right are turning on Gingrich.  The real question is, will Gingrich step aside for the good of the Party and Movement, or will he hang on for the sake of hubris?

The fall of Gingrich can be blamed on the same source that brought about  his surge.  He is well known for debating off the cuff, with little preparation.  Given his incredible fund of information, and his ability to communicate, he could hit them out of the park.  However, swinging for the fences is a double edged sword.  Sluggers like Gingrich do hit a lot of tape-measure shots, but, they also strike out a great deal.  And, in the end, that was his failing.  Playing off the cuff works brilliantly sometimes, and causes embarrassment at others.  That is not a way to run a Presidential campaign, no matter one’s level of intelligence, or grasp of the issues.

Santorum, on the other hand, has engaged in a wise strategy of sticking to issues, and communicating Conservative principals.  For a case in point, kindly take the time to look at his CPAC speech, courtesy of  Catholibertarian…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=7Pdy09iQrNw

Slowly but surely, Santorum is uniting Conservatives.  While it might simply be that he is the most consistent Conservative in the field, or that he “isn’t Romney,” he is galvanizing support for the right wing of the GOP.  The real question now is if he can fend off the well funded, and unethical Romney smear machine.  If he does take Michigan, Romney’s home state, it’s a race.

And frankly, that’s where Gingrich comes in.  With Santorum running close to, and sometimes ahead of, Romney in the polls, he needs an additional bump to get over the top.  This is especially vital when Romney’s money advantage comes into play.  While Gingrich is getting 10 percent or so in races, most of his supporters would gravitate towards Santorum.  With an endorsement, almost all would go.  And, since there is little bad blood between the two, Santorum would likely take most Gingrich voters.  That would go far to help Santorum take on Romney and his deep pockets.

Any way it goes, it should get exciting.

Original Article

Site News: Political Scraps Gets a Makeover

For those of you that have been following our plots and and endeavors at the CH 2.0, you know that there has been a forum here for a long time.  In fact, the forum came before the blog.  A few weeks ago, John, Don, and I hatched a plot called “Political Scraps.”  The concept is simple: have a place for everyone to debate with one important caveat-we would follow President Obama’s  call for “Civil Discourse.”  That, of course, would force all involved to stick with the facts, and that would make things rather interesting.

While that plan seemed to be sound, the forum itself was proving to be a problem.    It was transferred from the original Conservative Hideout, and as such was dated.  In fact, the version of the  forum software that powered it was discontinued, and it could no longer be updated.  Also, new features and themes were not being developed, and the new, shiny version of the software could not seem to transfer all of the data from the original.  So, I had no choice but to do a fresh install.

The new and improved forum is more flexible, easier to administer, and has more features and themes coming on line all the time.  So, check it out.   Click on the post image, and you’ll be transferred to the forum.

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