Come on, did you really think that we could get through an entire election cycle with a guy named Huckabee in the race and not reference that movie?

So Mike Huckabee took the who cares Iowa caucus yesterday. OK, great win for morale of the troops, but what else really? New Hampshire is in four days now, so expect that overplay as well. But at least that is an actual primary. To me, there is something perverse about the caucuses, especially for the attention they get. Basically, each members of the community belonging to each party gather in a room and talk about who they want to be president, logging in a vote. For the Republicans, it is one man, one vote. For the democrats, they have a screwy system where if your candidate doesn’t place in the top three, then your second choice is logged in as your vote. Talk about skewed results.

I think the obsession with Iowa is that everyone wants an edge in political reporting. Well, you are following a red herring folks. I am not a dem so I can’t speak for them but I think if you really want a good indication of how the Republicans will eventually fall into place you should take a look at what happens in South Carolina in a couple weeks. Here is the first primary in a decent sized state with a decently representative population. And it is especially important for the Republicans. This is where the true conservatives are. That is a vote they don’t want to lose.

My predictions? You have not seen the end of Guliani of course. He endeared himself to me quite a bit by not playing in this Iowa business, seeing how much I am not a caucus fan. Don’t count out John McCain either. The defense angle still plays very well with many conservatives, although his immigration views may get him in trouble in an illegal-laden south. Here’s the word on the street though…if Fred Thompson ends up dropping out, which seems likely sooner than later, he may throw his support behind McCain. Don’t underestimate that union. There is still support for Thompson out there, media coverage or not. Right now, if I had to pick, John McCain is my guy, but not by much. Let me put it to you this way–if I was giving my free time to a campaign, it wouldn’t be to any of them at this point. They just haven’t differentiated themselves to me yet. We’ll see though. Cannot wait for South Carolina!

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So, we are a little under a year from the 2008 presidential election and there are so many questions ahead of us. Do we have a real front runner (No)? Is Hillary electable (No)? Who will emerge from a crowded, undifferentiated GOP field (Who knows)? What will be the defining issue be (immigration)?

I think most of us can agree on one thing. It is definitely time for a change. Eight years of Bush has been about two too many. I know many of my more liberal friends will say that it has been eight years too many, but that is for another time. I was a supporter in the beginning, but the mismanagement and fiscal irresponsibility has to come to an end. While his effort of good faith regarding spending have been nice to see lately, it’s too little too late. We need a new voice to hear and a new face to look at.

Now let’s get down to it. We know who is who on each side. Hillary is pretty much pre-ordained on the for the Donks, but the field is wide open on the Right. There is division in each party. The GOP cannot decide a) if the socons (social conservatives) or econs (economic conservatives) will win out, b) how far to distance themselves from Bush’s disasterous record on immigration and energy, or c) if they will select the best candidate or the one that can beat Hillary. The Dems cannot decide a) who hates George Bush most, b) who can provide the biggest, grandest entitlement program at the expense of the smallest number of people, or c) who can most effectively bring “universal” health care to America (excuse me…..barrrf!)

So my question is: with all this division, where the hell is the independent, where is the serious third party candidate? I think most Americans are tired of all this silliness from both sides. If most people are like me, they don’t give a rats-behind about gays having legal and adoption rights, think it is wrong to provide illegal aliens with services that legal taxpayers pay for, think that our time in Iraq is coming to a close and we need a sane exit strategy that doesn’t endanger our stategic positions, and think that it is time for the government to get a handle on spending (well, for the talk of some of my leftward friends, maybe not).

So where is the independent? Where is the person that can provide alternatives to the red and blue. Where is the green candidate, the one that blends laissez-faire social policy with demands for fiscal conservatism, a smaller, more efficient government, and a smarter State Department?

If an alternative candidate is to emerge, this year is the year. Will it happen (Feeling is no, hope is yes)? Who could it be (Michael Bloomberg anyone)?

What do you think? Is this the year that an serious independent capable of winning a state or two will finally emerge to set us on the path to a greater plurality of parties? Or will we be subjugated to another election cycle of politics as usual.

I would love to hear some thoughts…

Will he run? Is he electable? Can he save us?

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Seems Barak likes pizza. According to a little blurb that came across the wire today, the esteemed “progressive” from Illinois was interviewed by a 5-year old after a rally today. Let’s just copy/paste the article, eh?

“Crouching to the ground after a rally with 4,000 supporters, Obama briefly outlined for Hadassah his plan to provide health insurance for everyone and to improve schools. He also suggested to the first-grader that wealthier people should help those who are less fortunate.”

“‘We’ve got to make sure that people who have more money help the people who have less money,’ Obama said. ‘If you had a whole pizza, and your friend had no pizza, would you give him a slice?’”

I get you were talking to a kid, Senator, but I think it illustrates that you just don’t get it. What you describe to the young lady is called charity. Government is not charity. Government is a way to manage “donated” tax monies, not redistribute wealth.
For the record, I am the king of giving people a slice. I cook for people all the time. It’s great fun. But Mr. Obama’s delicious pizza pie reference doesn’t take one thing into account…your slice of pizza isn’t seized by force! The government doesn’t come to your house and take your damn pizza!

Yes, I want everyone to be insured, but not by threat of a government mandate and certainly not by having my money seized from me by a faceless Federal bureaucrat. Exhaust free market alternatives first. Don’t just jump into what is a “single payer” system, what will become a nightmare within ten years. Look towards Massachusetts, look towards Casey Cagle’s health insurance marketplace idea in Georgia. Look towards providing people choices in insurance instead of restricting who can offer what. There is your first step towards reform.

Instead of what Barak told that young lady, I would have gone with a different pizza analogy. How about instead of taking one slice and giving it to another, open up the choices of pizza parlors to choose from. This will help to lower the price of a slice. We need to open up the options. Everyone should be entitled to choose from a Wolfgang Puck slice, a slice of Dominos, a piece of the cheap $4.99 large pie from the hole-in-the-wall next to Office Depot, and everything in between. And let’s keep it basic–cheese as a base. You want some pepperoni, throw that topping surcharge into a pot with everyone else who wants pepperoni and pay for services that way, don’t charge the guy who just wants a plain slice. How fair is that, Senator?

Point is, let people choose, don’t restrict their ability to decide for themselves. That is the first step to reforming health insurance in the country. The last thing we need is another hand in the pot, especially when that hand has the gun of law enforcement.

Mr. Obama, I know that you are hungry. Campaigning against the Devil does that. Just keep your hands on your own plate…

Boy, look at all the delicious pizza! What if Pizza Hut said you can only have one type of pie? Think you would ever go back there again?

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I hoping everyone got to see the debate that happened on CNBC yesterday. I thought it was a pretty good debate involving some important issues. Healthcare, social security, federal spending and taxes were the center of attention and I honestly feel like this was the first debate that you can start picking your potential GOP candidate.

Federal spending is the cornerstone to all of the issues that the presidential hopefuls debated about. As you all should know, federal spending has been off the charts. Yet, taxes have not increased, but DECREASED over the past eight years. Can someone please tell me how you can pay for a war and still offer tax cuts? Pretty much you can’t do that (unless you want to be in debt forever!).

This is one issue that most presidential candidates do not want to talk about other than Ron Paul (Please watch this video! It pretty much explains everything). It really does suck that Ron Paul is voted the most important presidential candidate online and in polls, yet the mainstream media doesn’t want to give him any air time. Extremely sad. He is the only candidate that wants to bring America back to what it used to be and, more importantly, what it always should be.

I just think it’s amazing how no one really wants to talk about the deficit and pretend like it’s non-existing issue (Ron Paul excluded and a lil’ McCain too). Cutting taxes and participating in a war is an oxymoron. You can’t double dip unless the government is getting the tax revenue to fund the war. One of my anti-war friends thinks that there should be an Iraq War Tax to wake up Americans. Pretty good idea… Our faux-Republican government has lost their touch and everyone can see that now. Limited government? Gone. Federal spending down? I don’t think so. Cutting taxes? Well, yeah that’s happening. We need a full scale enema. We need the Reagan times to come and shine again.

I am hearing a lot of discussion about reforming the tax code; which I am also in total favor for. BUT… it still doesn’t change our current situation. The only way we can get ourselves out of this mess is by either INCREASING taxes or DECREASING federal spending. I know everyone gets really scared when you hear tax hike, but our system will end up failing horribly at some point. And that “some point” will inevitably be in my lifetime. The math does not make sense people. Our economy couldn’t handle the credit crunch. What makes you think our federal government can? Instead of worrying about cutting taxes, start demanding federal spending cuts.

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Let’s face it; you need money to win political campaign at a local, state, and national level. Almost 99% of the time you will win the election if you have more money than your opponent. BUT that usually only works if you raised that money from individuals, political groups, companies, ect. Candidates that use their own money to support their campaign end up losing the election and all their money.

For instance, Ross Perot spent an estimated 65.4 million dollars campaigning in only 16 states. If he would have campaigned through the whole election, he could have spent nearly 205 million dollars on a losing election! That is almost 1/5 of the amount of money raised by both George W, and Kerry in 2004. *remember that is 205 million in 1992, which would be much more in today’s dollars*

Why is investing in your own election almost a guaranteed loss? Think about it. If you aren’t raising money the traditional way, you aren’t meeting voters. Voters are the ones that will put you in office. Trust me if someone donates money to your campaign you’re guaranteed that vote. So you just killed two birds with one stone. When you become your number one supporter you are bound to lose. In Georgia, the past two gubernatorial elections had candidates that used their own money or family money and lost (That word is so weird to me. You would think its “governatorial” and not “gubernatorial.” Just something to think about) I’m predicting a loss for Mark Taylor which will make it two.

A lot of candidates running in the upcoming elections still aren’t learning from the past. This article highlights just a few people that have decided to use their own money to support their losing election. If you plan to run for political office someday (like I do), raise money the traditional way. Worst possible outcome is you lose the election, and not your retirement money!

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