60 Minutes Interview of the Obamas

I just finished watching the Obamas being interviewed on 60 Minutes by Steve Kroft.

Boy, did Kroft ever grill Obama over such burning issues as household chores, what dog they will get for their children, his mother-in-law and a playoff system for college football.

Well, now I can go to bed with the knowledge Obama has a better relationship with his mother-in-law than Harry Truman did.

If this is the sort of scrutiny we can expect from the media concerning our 44th President then heaven help us.

About That Rudy For Senate Idea

A couple of days ago, I mused about the possibility of Rudy Giuliani running for the Senate if Obama names Hillary as his Secretary of State thus creating a vacancy. If the Democrats get to 60 seats, a Hillary vacancy and a Rudy win would put them back at 59.

There's one problem with this scenario.

If Hillary accepts Obama's offer and vacates her seat then New York Governor Paterson will appoint someone to finish Hillary's term which expires in 2012.

There's no way in hell Governor Paterson appoints a Republican to fill this vacancy.

Governor Paterson might be blind but he's not stupid.

Obama Wants Israel to Recede to 1967 Borders

I just saw an article in The Times. It looks like Obama has it in for Israel. (http://www.timesonline.uk/tol/news/world/middle_east/article5162537.ece)

It appears that President-elect Obama backs the so-called Saudi Peace Initiative that was first proposed in 2002. Israel would have to recede to its 1967 borders in exchange for recognition in the Arab world. The Arabs would also drop any refugee claims. Israel would have to return the Golan Heights to Syria, a Palestinian state would be established with East Jerusalem as its capital. No wonder Obama withdrew his "undivided Jerusalem" remark.

When Obama met with Mahmoud Abbas last July he told the Palestinian Authority President, "The Israelis would be crazy not to accept this initiative. It would give them peace with the Muslim world from Indonesia to Morrocco."

Did Israel get peace when it unilaterally withdrew from Lebanon in 2000? Did Israel get peace when it unilaterally withdrew from Gaza?

What makes Obama think Israel will have peace if it accepts the so-called Saudi peace plan?

Of course, Kadima leader Tzipi Livni supports the Saudi peace plan as does Israeli President Shimon Peres. If the Israelis elect Livni in February there's not much I can say. I don't like it but they live there and I don't. If Israelis want the Saudi peace plan then that's their choice.

But what if Israelis see the so called Saudi Peace Initiative as a bill of goods and elect Bibi Netanyahu? That would throw a monkey wrench into the mix. No doubt Obama would then try to blame all ills in the Middle East on Netanyahu as would his sychophants in the liberal media.

From where I sit this so called Saudi Peace Initiative is a suicide note for Israel. Obama's endorsement of this plan means he wants Israel to drink the hemlock.

Remember When Obama Said This To Hillary?

Do you remember when Obama and Hillary faced off in one of the Democratic debates in Iowa?

Do you remember when the moderator asked Obama why he was surrounded by Clinton advisers vis a vis foreign policy and how this represented change.

HILLARY: I want to hear that.

OBAMA: Hillary, I am looking forward to you advising me as well.

You can view it at http://youtube.com/watc?v=VISV|-scc5I.

Obama's words may prove to be prophetic.

Hillary as Secretary of State? Rudy as Senator from NY?

It could just be a trial balloon on a Friday morning.

But if this is for real then talk about keeping your enemies closer.

If Hillary does become a part of Obama's cabinet would Rudy be drafted to run for her vacant Senate seat?

Giuliani might be the only thing standing in the way of a Democratic supermajority if Republicans lose Senate seats in Alaska, Minnesota and Georgia.

Lee Wins AL Cy Young

Cleveland Indians pitcher Cliff Lee won the 2008 AL Cy Young Award. Lee, 30, was one the few bright spots for the Tribe in 2008. After coming within a heartbeat of the World Series, the Indians struggled most of 2008 although they played well enough in September to finish with a .500 record.

Although 2007 was full of triumph for the Indians, Lee struggled with a 5-8 record and a 6.29 ERA. Lee found himself demoted to Triple-A Buffalo in late July.

In 2008, Lee had a remarkable transformation going 22-3 with a 2.54 ERA with 170 strikeouts. Lee started April 5-0 and never looked back. This is the second year in a row an Indians pitcher has won the AL Cy Young. C.C. Sabathia was the AL Cy Young winner in 2007. Sabathia was traded to the Milwaukee Brewers in the middle of the 2008 season helping the Brewers to their first post-season appearance since 1982. Sabathia is now a free agent.

Lee was the first Indians pitcher to win 20 games since Gaylord Perry in 1974. Perry is the only other Indians pitcher other than Lee and Sabathia to win the award. The Baseball Writers Association of America awarded Perry the AL Cy Young in 1972.

Originally drafted by the Montreal Expos in 2000, he was traded along with Grady Sizemore and Brandon Phillips to the Indians for pitcher Bartolo Colon in the middle of the 2002 season. Without Lee and Sizemore the Indians might have finished in the cellar of the AL Central.

Iran Successfully Tests Missile

Yesterday, the Iranians successfully launched a long range missile capable of reaching Europe.

If their weapons can reach Europe they can certainly hit Israel.

Maybe they'' build a missile capable of hitting America.

Does President-elect Obama really want to engage Ahmadinejad and the Mullahs?

Does President-elect Obama really trust Iran to help us out in Afghanistan?

This won't be the last time we hear from Iran. Not by a longshot.

Mitch Mitchell, 1947-2008. R.I.P.

Mitch Mitchell, the drummer of the Jimi Hendrix Experience, was found dead last night in his hotel room in Portland, Oregon. He was 61. No cause of death has been determined although an autopsy is expected to be performed.

Mitchell had just completed a four week U.S. Experience Hendrix tour.

Now all three original members of the Jimi Hendrix Experience are gone. Jimi Hendrix, of course, died in 1970. Bassist Noel Redding died in 2003.

There are some who are not crazy about '60s music and the drug culture with which it is associated.

But there is a lot of very good music that came out of it. Hendrix' version of the Star Spangled Banner gave our national anthem a brand new sound.

Maddon & Piniella Named AL & NL Managers of the Year

It came as a suprise to no one that Joe Maddon was named the AL Manager of the Year. Maddon guided the Rays to their first post season appearance in franchise history winning the AL championship though falling short in the World Series. The only other plausible candidate for this award would have been Minnesota Twins manager Ron Gardenhire who nearly led his team into the postseason despite losing a Cy Young Award winner, an All-Star centerfielder and two other members of the starting rotation.

But no one had predicted the Rays would be a playoff bound team much less a team with a winning record. Despite their history Maddon had the team believing in his mantra of 9=8. Nine players = eight playoff spots.

Of course, as is well known, I picked the Rays to win it all in 2006 when Maddon took over the helm of the Rays. I might have been guilty of premature speculation but I knew the Rays were headed in the right direction under Maddon's guidance.

Maddon succeeded Lou Piniella as the Rays manager. Piniella took a year off from managing before replacing Dusty Baker as the manager of the Chicago Cubs in 2007. He has guided the Cubs to back to back NL Central Division titles. In 2008, the Cubs had the best record in the NL and was named NL Manager of the Year. Fat lot of good its done them in the NLDS.

This is the third time Piniella has been named Manager of the Year. He won it twice in the AL with the Seattle Mariners in 1995 and 2001. 1995 represented the Mariners first playoff appearance in franchise history and in 2001 the Mariners tied the MLB record with 116 regular season wins. Oddly, Piniella didn't win Manager of the Year in 1990 when he guided the Cincinnati Reds to their last World Series championship.

Chuck Muth on why the GOP did poorly

CONSERVATISM R.I.P.? I BEG TO DIFFER
By Chuck Muth
November 10, 2008

(NOTE: This will likely be my last column for a while, so it's a doozy! I'll explain why in a few days, but suffice it to say that real change requires real change, and I'm reassessing the best use of my time and treasure following last Tuesday's elections. Anyway, this baby is a long mama-jama, so just read a little bit of it each day for the next few days to hold you over.)

Now this is poetic justice.

When Republicans settled on John McCain as their presidential nominee last winter, more than a handful of conservatives objected. McCain, after all, was a moderate ("maverick"), not a movement conservative. But conservatives were browbeaten into supporting McCain by invoking the Reagan doctrine, which generally says that someone who is with you 80 percent of the time is your friend, not your enemy.

Well, yesterday NewsMax cited Rush Limbaugh who reportedly cited exit polls which reportedly show that while McCain got 89 percent of the GOP vote, he only received 80 percent of the conservative vote.

So that means conservative voters, who helped cause McCain's defeat by not voting for him last Tuesday, are his friends, not his enemies, right? I mean, it works both ways, right?

In any event, I'm going to turn to my home state of Nevada now, where some local Republicans, not surprisingly, are taking all the wrong lessons from Tuesday's ballot box debacle. And I suspect their admonishments are popping up in your state, as well, so let's look.

CONSERVATISM IS DEAD; LONG LIVE CONSERVATISM

To preface this, please know that after EVERY major GOP loss, the media and Republican moderates ALWAYS declare conservative ideology dead and warn ominously that Republicans have to move to the mushy middle if they're ever to have a chance of ever getting elected again.

Ever.

They made this declaration after Goldwater's defeat in the 1964 presidential race. And all Republicans got for that was.Ronald Reagan.

They declared the same thing after the first President Bush's crushing defeat in 1992 after breaking his "read my lips" tax pledge. And all Republicans got for that was.the historic GOP take-over of Congress just two short years later.

The simple fact is Republicans didn't lose last Tuesday because George Bush, John McCain and congressional Republicans weren't "moderate" enough; Republicans lost because they weren't conservative enough and governed badly. They spent money our grandchildren don't have and just weeks before the national election, larded up a $700 billion bailout for Wall Street while simultaneously taking the first steps toward nationalizing our banking, insurance, real estate and auto industries.

Meanwhile, Barack Obama was campaigning on a platform of cutting taxes and paying for his new programs by eliminating old programs. Hello?

Yet some Nevada GOP leaders are declaring the conservative governing philosophy dead here in the Silver State despite no evidence of such whatsoever.

The truth is Republicans in Nevada lost because the Democrats beat their socks off in the campaign, not because of any seismic ideological shift. They began out-registering Republicans as soon as they moved their presidential caucus to the front of the pack in the summer of 2006. The Democrats never looked back and Republicans never caught up.

Democrats, led by Sen. Harry Reid, used their presidential caucus to recruit volunteers, organize precincts, establish a "new media" communications network with activists, raise money and register voters. And the Democrat presidential candidates, unlike the Republican presidential candidates - particularly John McCain - supported the caucus and came to Nevada to campaign early and often.

Come election time, Democrats were on the streets, pounding the pavement for their guys and gals, building up huge "early voting" leads Republicans couldn't overcome. The GOP, on the other hand, waited until the final weekend before Election Day to flood phones with "Joyce from the McCain campaign" robo-calls. Pathetic.

Republicans didn't lose because they opposed tax hikes. They lost because they got their butts kicked in the trench warfare of grassroots politics. Plain and simple.

SINGING THE BLUE STATE BLUES

And yet the Las Vegas Sun reported yesterday that Nevada state Sen. Warren Hardy (R-Las Vegas) "thinks Nevadans repudiated the state's small-government libertarian past." Here's the Harry Reid-like "war is lost" eulogy Hardy gave the conservative movement yesterday.

"Nevada has gone in the last two to four years from center-right to center-left and it's not going back. We're a blue state and we're going to continue to be a blue state. If Republicans are going to survive we need to figure out a way to recruit and run candidates who are going to attract Democratic voters."

I've already given multiple examples from last Tuesday's election results to dispel this flapdoodle, but let's take another look at the race involving Hardy's now-former state Senate colleague, Joe Heck.

First, Joe Heck was perceived as, at best, a moderate, not a conservative. In her October 21 column, Las Vegas Review Journal columnist Erin Neff quoted Senate District 5 Democrat voter Marty Smith as saying the following: "Heck doesn't seem like the other Republicans. I stuck with him because.as Republicans go, he's pretty liberal."

Indeed, Heck was first elected to the state Senate four years ago by defeating that right-wing, card-carrying, social and fiscal conservative champion Sen. Ann O'Connell. In other words, Joe Heck was exactly the kind of candidate Warren Hardy maintains Republicans need to run if they're "going to attract Democratic voters" and win.

But a funny thing happened last Tuesday on the way to Mushy Middledom. The "moderate" Joe Heck lost by receiving 46 percent of the vote while his Democrat opponent received 47 percent of the vote.

Now, I went to public schools for a number of years, so maybe my math is off here.but doesn't that add up to 93 percent of the total vote? Why, yes it does. So where did that other 7 percent go? Well, 4 percent of it went to the Libertarian Party candidate in the race and 3 percent of it went to the Independent American Party candidate in the race.

Hmmm. And the LP and IAP are small-government conservative third parties. Go figure.

So in order for Joe Heck to have "survived" last Tuesday, he didn't need to get a single additional Democrat vote to win. All he had to do was get about 200 votes out of the more than 7,500 votes cast for either of the third party "conservative" candidates in the race.

Could he have pulled 200 votes from the two conservative candidates? Absolutely. If he had only bothered to ask for them. He didn't.

Joe Heck didn't lose on Tuesday because he was too far to the Right. He lost because too many on the Right saw no reason to vote for Democrat Lite. It's just that simple.

EXTREMISM IN DEFENSE OF LIMITED-GOVERNMENT

Next, let's turn to state Senate Minority Leader Bill Raggio (R-Reno). In a huge, front-page story in yesterday's Nevada Appeal, Sen. Raggio also declared conservatism in the Republican Party dead.

"My party is going to have to change. It's gone too far to the right. The Republican far right message does not sell. We have to keep our core principles firm, but I'm not going to be an extremist. I'm a conservative in the Reagan mold but I'm not going to be an extremist. (The Republican Party has to) get a good handle on what went wrong (in the election). Otherwise we won't win another election."

So it was the far right extremist candidates who didn't sell, huh?

Republican John McCain (2006 American Conservative Union Rating of just 65) got his $#% kicked in Nevada on Tuesday by 13 points. Was he a far right extremist? No.

Republican U.S. Sen. Gordon Smith of Oregon (2007 American Conservative Union Rating of just 48) lost on Tuesday. Was he a far right extremist? No.

Republican Rep. Chris Shays of Connecticut (2007 American Conservative Union Rating of just 20) lost on Tuesday. Was he a far right extremist? No.

Republican Rep. Jon Porter (2007 American Conservative Union Rating of just 64) lost his congressional seat in Las Vegas on Tuesday. Was he a far right extremist? No.

Republican Nevada state Sen. Joe Heck (see above) lost his seat on Tuesday. Was he a far right extremist? No.

Meanwhile, conservative Republican Rep. Dean Heller (American Conservative Union Rating of 96) - who, unlike his former colleague Porter, voted against the $700 billion Wall Street bailout - whooped his Democrat opponent.

And at the state level, Republican Assemblyman John Marvel - who famously flip-flopped on the largest tax hike in Nevada's history back in 2003 - lost in the GOP primary to far right extremist former Assemblyman Don Gustavson, who went on to capture more than 60 percent of the general election vote last Tuesday.

Hmmm. Seems to me it's the moderates, not the "extremists," who are the tough sell.

"EXTREMIST" ISSUES ARE BIG ELECTORAL WINNERS, TOO

Now that we've debunked the myth about "extremist" candidates, let's take a look at the "extremist" issues which Sen. Raggio says don't sell. We'll start with a social issue.

Is opposition to gay marriage an "extreme" position which doesn't sell with the general electorate? If so, then how does Sen. Raggio explain the fact that a ban on gay marriage passed overwhelmingly in Nevada, not once, but twice? And how does he explain gay marriage bans passing last Tuesday in all three states where they appeared on the ballot, including in ultra-liberal CALIFORNIA?

Me, personally, I couldn't care less about gay marriage. Frankly, I think the problem of heterosexual divorce is FAR more damaging to the institution of marriage. But in looking at the issue and how it fares at the ballot box, you can't possibly make the claim that opposition to gay marriage is an "extreme" position in the minds of the electorate or an electoral loser.

Maybe Sen. Raggio is talking about spending restraint when he refers to "extremism." Well, let's look at that.

Two years ago, a citizen initiative was circulated by "extremist" state Sen. Bob Beers (R-Retired) which would have limited spending increases to the rate of population growth plus inflation. That petition was signed by more than 150,000 Nevada voters - Republican and Democrat alike - before the state Supreme Court kicked it off the ballot over a typo.

150,000 citizen signatures.

Seems to me this effort at fiscal responsibility enjoys widespread public support and is anything but "extreme."

And by the way, during the last two sessions, while in control of the state Senate, Sen. Raggio has blocked this common-sense, fiscally-responsible, popular measure from even getting to the floor for a vote. Some might consider THAT extreme.

READ OUR LIPS, DAMMIT!

How about taxes? Do Nevada voters think opposition to tax hikes is "extreme"? And is promising the voters that you won't raise their taxes an electoral loser?

Hardly.

Back in 2006, Jim Gibbons pledged to the voters of Nevada that he would oppose and veto any effort to raise taxes if elected governor. And despite scandals out the ying-yang leading up to Election Day, voters voted for this "extremist." And truth be told, the ONLY shot Gibbons possibly has for re-election is if he keeps his promise. If he breaks his "no new taxes" pledge, he's toast.

But let's take a look at this issue as it played out last Tuesday.

Question 4 on the statewide ballot asked Nevada voters if they wanted to allow the Legislature to change the "Sales & Use Tax Act" without a vote of the people, which many rightly saw as a first step toward taxing the Internet. It was crushed, 73 percent to 27 percent.

Question 1 on the Carson City ballot asked for a mere 1/8th of 1 percent hike in the sales tax for a tourist railroad project billed by proponents as critical for economic development. It was crushed by 61 percent to 39 percent.

Question 2 on the Carson City ballot asked for a property tax hike for cops and firefighters. It was crushed worse than the V&T railroad question - 69 percent to 31 percent.

Let's look in Sen. Raggio's own backyard.

Question 1 in Washoe County would have raised sales and vehicle taxes for the public school district. It was crushed 55 percent to 45 percent.

Question 2 in Washoe County would have raised the sales tax a mere 1/8th of 1 percent for public transportation. It was crushed 64 percent to 36 percent.

Question 4 in Washoe County would have raised property taxes for fire protection. It lost 52 percent to 48 percent.

To be fair, two other advisory questions in Clark and Washoe counties which called for a hike in the room tax passed. But bear in mind, that's a (misguided and self-defeating) tax penalty which will be passed on to our tourists, not a tax hike on Nevadans.

So, tell me again how opposing tax hikes is somehow "extreme" and "too far to the right" for Republicans to get elected? Because the election results show that Nevadans don't want their taxes raised.and even Sen. Raggio knows this.

Indeed, in his primary race just this last July, Sen. Raggio said, and I quote, "This is not the time to start talking about raising taxes. It is something we can't even consider." I guess this make Sen. Raggio himself an "extremist."

FLIP, FLOP, HOP ON POP

Of course, now that the election is over, Sen. Raggio doesn't want to be an "extremist" any longer and is singing a different tune. The day after the general election he reportedly told Reno Gazette-Journal reporter Anjeanette Damon that it will be "almost impossible" to construct a budget next year with existing tax revenue and, therefore, tax hikes are "on the table."

Let me repeat.

In July Sen. Raggio said tax hikes were something "we can't even consider."

After the election, three short months later, Sen. Raggio now says tax hikes are "on the table."

Lovely.

And we don't even get cab fare home.

Unfortunately, Sen. Raggio isn't alone in hopping on the deck and flopping like a fish.

As noted earlier, Gov. Gibbons made and signed the following promise to the voters of Nevada before they elected him governor in 2006.

"I, Jim Gibbons, pledge to the taxpayers of Nevada, and all the people of this State, that I will oppose and veto any and all efforts to increase taxes."

But that was then. This is now.

On Friday, Gov. Gibbons flip-flopped and, like Sen. Raggio, said tax hikes were now "on the table."

"We are going to have to look at some of our revenue (sources) and see if (raising them) is an option," Gibbons told reporters, adding that tax increases alone will not make up the budget deficit; that some cuts will still be necessary. "You need a combination," he said.

Yet, that "combination" somehow doesn't appear to include laying off government workers. While non-essential private sector workers are losing their jobs in herds, Gov. Gibbons, for some reason, thinks Nevada's non-essential government workers should be immune to layoffs.

Easier to just raise taxes, I guess. Good grief.

It's easy to promise not to raise taxes in times of plenty. What separates the men from the boys is whether you stick with your word when the going gets tough. As he has before, it appears Gov. Gibbons is again "going wobbly" on us just when his steadfast resolve is needed most.

FORGET "WHERE'S THE BEEF?" - WHERE ARE THE CUTS?

In defending his flip-flop in light of the budget crunch, Gibbons also said last week, "Nobody could have foreseen this. Nobody."

Au contraire.

Former Gov. Kenny Guinn saw it coming a mile away. He predicted this $1 billion-plus shortfall LONG ago, but no one listened. Indeed, he warned the Legislature not to spend the surplus from the $833 million tax hike in 2003 on new programs.but they didn't listen. And he called on the Legislature to address the looming financial time-bomb posed by government employee retirement and health care benefits.but they didn't listen.

Now look where we are.

And by the way, does anyone else remember back in 2003 when then-Rep. Jim Gibbons scolded then-Gov. Kenny Guinn for pushing his $704 million tax hike instead of cutting $704 million from the budget? Where exactly are those $704 million worth of budget cuts Gibbons said were in the budget five years ago?

Factoring in just a conservative six percent increase per year for population growth and inflation, that $704 million worth of budget cuts should be worth about $950 million today.just about the amount of the current budget deficit. Shouldn't Gov. Gibbons make the cuts he told Gov. Guinn to make before even remotely considering raising taxes, especially in a recession?

Or at least apologize to Gov. Guinn?

And shouldn't we at least zero out the Nevada Arts Council before we start talking about raising taxes, especially in a recession?

And if "everything is on the table," shouldn't we be talking about the $500-million-per-year offer on the table from Sen. Jim Inhofe (Republican extremist-Oklahoma) in exchange for Yucca Mountain? Doesn't "everything" mean "everything"? I mean, is "everything" on the table.or not? And if not, why not? Inquiring minds wanna know.

REJECTING THE REJECTION OF CONSERVATISM

Serious question here, folks:

Do you think voters in 2010 will be mad at Republicans who stand firm against tax hikes, such as the ones voters overwhelmingly crushed last Tuesday - or Republicans who flip-flop around on the tax issue, telling us one thing while they try to get elected and another thing afterward?

Yeah, me too.

Hardy and Raggio and the mainstream media are just plain wrong. Conservatism isn't dead. Fiscal responsibility and opposition to tax hikes aren't electoral losers. The fact is Republicans have articulated their conservative philosophy to the electorate badly (primarily by being inconsistent and wishy-washy on it), governed while in the majority badly, and campaigned for office up and down the ticket this year badly.

The 2008 election wasn't a rejection of conservatism; it was a rejection of Republicans who rejected conservatism.

Particularly in Washington, it wasn't that limited-government conservatism was a bad product; it was that Bush and congressional Republicans operated it wrong. A Rolls Royce is, obviously, a great product. But if you're driving down the highway at 70 miles per house and suddenly shift from "Drive" to "Park," you're in for a world of hurt. Of course, it wouldn't be because the product was bad; it would be because you tried to get it to do something it wasn't intended to do.

That, ladies and gentlemen, is exactly the problem with "big government conservatism."

In addition, Republicans have been really, really, REALLY lousy at marketing conservatism to the public.

For those of you who still remember the late 70s, the superior product on the day was BETA video tapes. But the folks with VHS did a far better job of marketing their product. Thus, until the DVD was invented (did Al Gore have anything to do with that?), we all rented VHS videos from Blockbuster, not BETAs.

The GOP doesn't need a new philosophy; it needs a better marketing campaign - including better spokesmen other than non-conservatives such as George Bush and John McCain.

One final thought on this subject.

Marketing guru Robert Allen tells the story of a book featuring a compilation of classic literature stories which were boiled down to just two pages each. The book was titled "Condensed Classics." And it bombed.

Then some genius took the EXACT same book, re-titled it "The Great American Bathroom Book," and the thing FLEW off the shelves.

So I guess my final (for now) piece of advice for Republicans would be: Forget this crap about going to the middle and go to the bathroom instead!

Until we meet again.

Viguerie's "Conservatives Betrayed" foresaw collapse of GOP

and describes the road back for conservatives

(Manassas, Virginia) Richard A. Viguerie's 2006 book Conservatives Betrayed: How George W. Bush and Other Big Government Republicans Hijacked the Conservative Cause (Bonus Books) offers a roadmap for a conservative comeback following the disastrous elections of 2006 and 2008.

The book calls on conservatives to organize themselves as a "Third Force" that can influence both major political parties.

Viguerie points to environmentalist, labor union, and race-based groups as models for "Third Force"-type organizations. These groups are major political players, he says, but they are independent. They have their own members, money, and issues. "They are free to punish or reward politicians based on their behavior."

Conservatives, according to Viguerie, will respond to the 2008 election by creating their own Third Force organizations. These groups will deal with social issues, the culture, immigration, taxes, health care, government spending, judicial appointments, the environment, excessive government regulation, schools, and the concerns of working class and small business class Americans - "literally thousands of grassroots organizations reaching every community in this country."

Conservatives Betrayed was one of the earliest assaults on Big Government Republicanism, the governing philosophy that wrecked the economy, ruined the GOP "brand," and brought the Obama-Pelosi-Reid Democrats to power.

Since the book was published, its central argument - that Big Government Republicanism would be a disaster for the GOP and for the country - has been proven correct.

In the book, Viguerie calls on conservatives to "Cut off your support of the Republican National Committee and other party fundraising committees;" to instead "Give 100% of your political donations to principled conservative causes and candidates;" and to "Demand sweeping changes in the Republican congressional leadership."

In recent weeks, Viguerie has renewed his call for conservatives to cut off support for the GOP until the party changes its leadership, top to bottom.

Church under attack for signpost

For years Crestwood Baptist Church has unashamedly declared the Gospel of Christ and the Word of God through the display of scripture on the marquee in front of their church. Tragically, this common practice for churches has now come under attack. In the days leading up to the Presidential election, Crestwood Baptist Church displayed Proverbs 29:2, which states, “...when the wicked beareth rule, the people mourn” on their marquee in an effort to remind citizens of their responsibility to vote based upon their values as Americans and ambassadors for Christ . Nearly a week after the election, while jogging past the marquee, a nationally syndicated news reporter took notice of the verse, erroneously assumed it was the church’s attempt to slander a particular candidate, and reported his biased opinion on CNN news. This unmerited report sparked animosity towards Crestwood and its pastor, Phil Edge, who have received numerous emails and phone calls demanding an explanation for his alleged attack on the results of this recent Presidential election. Please pray for Crestwood Baptist Church as they endeavor to obey the command of Christ through the Apostle Paul in II Timothy to “Hold fast the form of sound words.” CLA commends churches who continue to be unashamed of the Gospel of Christ. Please join CLA in supporting the pastor of Crestwood Baptist Church as he stands firm upon the Word of God. Click Here if You Commit to Pray for Crestwood Baptist Church

© Christian Law Association | www.christianlaw.org 727-399-8300 | P.O. Box 4010 Seminole, FL 33775

National Geographic video of fetal development

Arizona finally offers reciprocity for out-of-state lawyers

Arizona Supreme Court strikes a blow for freedom

by Clint Bolick

 

When I moved to Arizona seven years ago, two things happened related to my legal practice. First, I was invited to teach a continuing legal education class for Arizona lawyers on property rights law. Second, I was told I could not practice law until I passed the Arizona bar exam. Good enough to teach, but not good enough to do.

So I had to take six weeks away from my constitutional law practice to demonstrate proficiency in areas of law (like wills and contracts) that I wouldn't practice in a million years, and take an examination in many ways identical to the one I passed 20 years earlier in California. There was little on the exam unique to Arizona.

For many years, Arizona was one of the few states that refused to recognize attorney credentials from other states. Even a U.S. Supreme Court justice couldn't move and practice here without taking the exam. I suspect there was a bit of protectionism going on, especially with the specter of lawyers retiring to Arizona and practicing part-time.

In September, the Arizona Supreme Court lifted the barrier, in response to a petition from a lawyer whose practice, as so many do, spans state boundaries. Now, lawyers in good standing in other states may practice here if they take a course on Arizona law. The new rule is wise and judicious.

I know what you're thinking: the last thing Arizona needs is more lawyers. But greater supply should increase quality and decrease prices. And now if you have a legal matter that involves more than one state, you won't have to hire multiple lawyers.

I still lament the wasted time and sheer boredom entailed in studying for the Arizona bar exam. But if you need a will, I know how to do one, sort of.

 

Clint Bolick is the director of the Goldwater Institute Scharf-Norton Center for Constitutional Litigation.

Moveon.org's right wing internet equivalent is here: #dontgo

The #dontgo Movement is Back!

Indeed, the #dontgo Movement is back and better than ever. We're ready to come out firing on all fronts this week, and you're invited to help us give the free market movement a full scale online kickoff!

This will be a somewhat lengthy message, but if you watched what happened in last Tuesday's election and have concerns about the future of this great nation, hearing me out will be well worth the time.

Please read on...

During the past few years, Republicans and Democrats have brought great distress to the American Government. Both sides of the political isle have used the powers we've given them to manipulate the system for personal gain. In many cases, that gain was financial... in other scenarios it was simply a move for permanent power.

Either way, this reckless use of the American government has caused significant damage to our country, our economy, and markets, our freedoms, and our society in general. Government at all levels is currently running like a wild fire and it must be contained before it burns the entire forest to the ground.

In wake of the recent shift towards socialism and out of control spending, several grassroots efforts are beginning to brew at levels never seen before. The #dontgo Movement, a grassroots effort that began organically cultivating last August during the energy debate, is ready to lead the charge in state of the art online activism.

This Monday (November 10th), we're having a full day “launch party” in various places across the web. To kick things off, we're launching our brand new website first thing in the morning. Then, throughout the day we'll be interacting with folks through Twitter, Facebook, blogging communities, and various other social media realms. Later in the evening, 7:00 PM Central time to be exact, we're hosting our first “Blog Talk Radio” show. This show will last an hour and will be broadcast live.

You can visit the official show page here. There will be a live chat room during the show. If you can't make the online version, you can always call in to participate live or just listen in via phone. The call in number will be available on the official show page shortly.

What is the purpose of the #dontgo Movement?
In short, we exist to advance the ideas of free-markets, less regulation, less taxation, accountability and transparency in government, and finally, a collaborate effort to bring the power back to the people.

How will we do this?
We're currently developing a state-of-the-art action center that will allow users direct access to contact information for public officials as well as media contacts. We're crafting a carefully planned network of activists in each state that will be able to work with local government and media, as well as bloggers and other political organizers, to unify behind the message.

The purpose is to not only drive the message, but to also provoke real world action in ways that cause REAL change.

We also plan to launch a fifty state “investigative reporting” network that will seek to explore, identify, and expose corruption in government at all levels.

Finally, we'll work to identify candidates for offices from school boards, all the way up to state constitutional offices, and help them develop campaign strategy and organizational structure.

Have no doubt, this is going to require an enormous amount of time and energy. And it's going to require a LOT of people just like you.

Which leads me to my plea for your help. We're an all volunteer organization. There is not a single paid person within the #dontgo Movement, and there for we need to reach out to individuals across the country to join us in developing one of the most ambitious center-right movements we've ever seen.

We need assistance in graphic design, content creation, messaging, media relations, web development, online marketing, political strategy, and much more.

Please click here for a full list of ways you can join the movement.

This is our time to shine. Some who consider themselves “progressives” believe we need to MoveOn. We, on the other hand, believe it to be much wiser if we #dontgo.

Our country is fine the way our founding fathers set it up. Let's keep it that way.

Are you in? Join us now.

-Eric Odom

Twitter Stream
Click here to visit the Twitter Stream.
Watch a live stream of twitter conversation happening around the #dontgo Movement.

#dontgo on Facebook
Have a Facebook? Make sure you join the Official #dontgo Facebook Group.

Get Involved!
Want to get involved? Check out the different ways you can help build the movement.Click here to see the positions open (voluntary).

Herb Score, 1933-2008. R.I.P.

Former Cleveland Indians pitcher and broadcaster Herb Score has died after a lengthy illness. He was 75.

Having just written about Tim Lincecum, one could state that Score was the Tim Lincecum of 50 years ago.

Score burst onto the scene with the Indians in 1955 winning 16 games and striking out 245 batters with a 2.85 ERA en route to winning the AL Rookie of the Year. The following season, Score was even better with 20 wins, 263 strikeouts and a 2.53 ERA.

Like Lincecum, the sky appeared to be the limit for Score.

He would only win 19 more games in the bigs.

On May 7, 1957 (almost 50 years to the day before Lincecum's big league debut), Score was pitching against the New York Yankees when Gil McDougald hit a line drive that hit him in the face causing several fractures. Neither man was the same player after that incident. Score was nearly blinded and McDougald vowed to retire if that turned out to be Score's fate. It wasn't. Score came back to pitch with the Indians in 1958 but always feared he would be hit again and was plagued with control problems. Score was traded to the Chicago White Sox prior to the 1960 season and would pitch his final big league game in 1962 at the age of 29.

Score rejoined the Cleveland Indians as a TV broadcaster in 1964. He switched over to radio in 1968 and remained there until 1997. The last game he called was Game 7 of the 1997 World Series when his Indians lost a extra inning heartbreaker against the Florida Marlins on a single by Edgar Renteria. The Tribe has not been back to the World Series since.

The following year, Score was severely injured in a car accident the night after being inducted into the Broadcasters Hall of Fame. Although he did throw out the first pitch at Jacobs Field on Opening Day in 1999, Score has been plagued by health problems since the accident.

When my family moved into our new home in 1984 we uncovered some old newspaper article giving an account of Score being hit by McDougald's line drive.

Herb Score had harder luck than most but no one can take away the fact that for two years he was the best pitcher in baseball. Not many people can say they were the best at something in their chosen profession.

Lincecum Wins NL Cy Young

San Francisco Giants pitcher Tim Lincecum has won the 2008 NL Cy Young Award. Lincecum, in his first full season in the bigs, went 18-5 with a 2.62 ERA and 265 strikeouts. Although Brandon Webb of the Arizona Diamondbacks led the NL in wins with 22, Lincecum's ERA and strikeout totals led the NL.

I saw Lincecum's major league debut on ESPN Sunday Night Baseball on May 6, 2007 when he faced the Philadelphia Phillies. He only lasted four and a third innings giving up five runs including homeruns to Ryan Howard and Shane Victorino. Lincecum got away with a no decision. But you could see why the Giants selected him as their first round draft pick in 2006.

Lincecum is only the second Giant to win the NL Cy Young. Mike McCormick won it for the Giants in 1967. At 24, Lincecum is also the second youngest pitcher to win the NL Cy Young. Dwight Gooden won the NL Cy Young in 1985 as a 20-year-old for the New York Mets.

I enjoy watching Lincecum pitch with his wild delivery. The Giants are a team to watch in 2009 with a starting rotation of Lincecum, Matt Cain, Jonathan Sanchez and Barry Zito. Yes, Zito has been a dissapointment with the Giants so far but he did pitch better in the second half of the season. If the Giants get a bat or two they can contend in a relatively weak NL West Division.

As for Lincecum the sky is the limit. The only worry here is that his wild delivery may cause him to be suspectible to arm and back injuries. But barring injury I think Lincecum will emerge as baseball's best pitcher over the next five to ten years with a couple more Cy Youngs under his belt.

Is Obama Seeking Iran's Help in Afghanistan?

An article in The Washington Post indicates that President-elect Barack Obama would attempt to engage Iran by seeking to have it help us in Afghanistan. (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/11/10/AR200811102897_pf.html)

The reasoning behind this as put by one unnamed senior U.S. military official is that Iran doesn't "want Sunni extremists in charge of Afghanistan any more than we do."

I suppose 'the enemy of my enemy is my friend' is the raison d'être of Obama's argument to include Iran in the War in Afghanistan.

It has been argued that in the days following the September 11th attacks, the Iranians rounded up and interrogated al Qaeda suspects. But there is also evidence Iran has played both sides and also assisted key al Qaeda people escape the Islamic Republic.

I think it's a huge leap of faith for Obama to trust Iran at face value on anything much less assist us in hunting down Osama bin Laden.

Let us also not forget that Iran has been responsible for killing U.S. soldiers in Iraq and is the world's biggest sponsor of terror through Hezbollah. The last time I checked Hezbollah did kill 241 U.S. Marines in Beirut in 1983. I think Obama would have a lot of explaining to do our military families.

If Obama does engage Iran on Afghanistan you can be sure that Ahmadinejad and the Mullahs will a) demand Obama to fly to Tehran to meet with them b) tell him that he will back off any further push for UN Security Council sanctions for their nuclear proliferation program c) remove Iran from the State Department's list of nations that sponsor terror d) don't criticize Iranian or Syrian actions in Lebanon and e) sell out Israel.

Obama, of course, would be a fool to accept all those conditions but I can certainly see him accepting some of those conditions.

Whatever the case this is not an encouraging development at all.

In Flanders Fields

In honor of Veterans Day and the 90th anniversary of the Armistice that ended WWI, I thought it would be fitting to reprint the poem In Flanders Fields.

It was written by Dr. John McCrae, a military physician with the Canadian Expeditionary Forces during WWI. McCrae wrote in response to the death of a former student during the Second Battle of Ypres on May 3, 1915. A fellow soldier who was moved by the poem sent it to the British magazine Punch where it was published anonymously. However, the following year it was published under McCrae's name. McCrae would not live to see the Armistice dying of pneumonia in January 1918. When I was attending school as a child in Canada we memorized this poem for Remembrance Day (which is what we call Veterans Day in Canada.) I cannot say with any certainty that this practice continues, especially with the third verse.

IN FLANDERS FIELDS

In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved, and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

Longoria & Soto Win AL & NL Rookie of Year Honors

Not surprisingly, Tampa Bay Rays third baseman Evan Longoria and Chicago Cubs catcher Geovany Soto captured 2008 Rookie of the Year honors in the AL and NL, respectively.

Longoria was not with the Rays on Opening Day in 2008 but would be called up in mid-April. He hit .272 with 27 homeruns and drove in 85 runs. Although only 22 years old, only Carlos Pena put up better offensive numbers for the Rays who won their franchise's first American League championship in 2008. The Rays quickly signed Longoria to a 6-year contract worth $17 million - a bargain in this day and age.

Longoria was a unanimous selection of the Baseball Writers Association of America. He was the first rookie to receive a unanimous since 1997 when Nomar Garciaparra won the AL Rookie of the Year with the Boston Red Sox. Longoria is the first Ray to win this honor.

Geovany Soto was a key part of the Cubs NL Central Division championship team. Soto became the first catcher to win NL Rookie of the Year honors since Mike Piazza did so with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1993. After getting cups of coffee with the Cubs in 2005, 2006 and 2007, Soto finally stuck with the big league club in 2008 hitting .285 with 23 homeruns and 86 runs driven in. He also played stellar defense behind the plate. Soto is the first Cub to win NL Rookie of the Year honors since 1998 when teammate Kerry Wood earned that distinction.

Some rookies of the year go on to Hall of Fame careers (i.e. Mike Piazza, Derek Jeter, Carlos Beltran and Albert Pujols) while others fade into obscurity (i.e. Pat Listach, Bob Hamelin, Marty Cordova and Ben Grieve). Will Longoria and Soto be superstars or have they reached the peak of their careers? Only time and good health will tell.

Rockies Trade Holliday to Oakland

A colleague told me a little while ago that the Colorado Rockies had traded outfielder Matt Holliday to the Oakland Athletics.

My initial reaction was that this was a paper trade for the Athletics and that they would flip him for several younger players. But according to Ken Rosenthal at Fox Sports, the Athletics are not going to do that and are going to try to contend in 2009. (http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/8779078/Sources:-A's-close-to-deal-for-Rockies-star-Holliday) The Athletics have had losing records for the past two seasons under manager Bob Geren.

Holliday was runner up for NL MVP honors in 2007 finishing second to Philadelphia Phillies shortstop Jimmy Rollins. He hit .340 with 36 homeruns and drove in 137 runs in the Rockies surprise run to the NL pennant. Holliday was named MVP of the 2007 NL Championship Series.

Holliday did spend time on the disabled list in 2008 with a pulled hamstring but did hit .321 with 25 homeruns with 88 RBIs. The Rockies did not repeat their magic of 2007 finishing with a 74-88 record.

There had been speculation that Holliday might go to the Philadelphia Phillies or St. Louis Cardinals but Oakland emerged as the surprise winner. No word yet on who the Rockies will get in exchange although reliever Huston Street, outfielder Carlos Gonzalez and pitching prospect Greg Smith have been mentioned.

Holliday becomes a free agent after the 2009 season. Even if Oakland GM Billy Beane decides to spend money this season it is not likely he could sign Holliday to a long term contract. Perhaps Oakland is going for broke this year in an AL West that has been dominated by the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim the past two seasons.

The Graciousness of George W. Bush

Later today, President-Elect Obama will meet with President Bush at the White House.

This only six days after Obama was elected.

When speaking on the South Lawn in front of the entire White House staff President Bush said, "The peaceful transfer of power is one of the hallmarks of a true democracy. And ensuring that this transition is as smooth as possible is a priority for the rest of my Presidency."

I read this quote and I think of people like former Nixon White House Counsel John Dean and Pullitzer Prize winner Naomi Wolf insist to the high heavens that Bush would find a way to remain in the White House after January 20th and that fascism would take reign in the United States. I saw and heard them utter it with my own eyes and ears just last year.

I'm sure they still believe that there's still a plan in the works to deny Obama the Oval Office. It just demonstrates the hysterical irrationality paranoia there was and still is towards Bush. Yet I think most Obama supporters know perfectly well that Bush is leaving. Why else would people put 1/20/09 bumper stickers if they didn't have some semblance of faith in democracy?

George W. Bush has demonstrated the utmost in graciousness.

Somehow I don't think Bush staffers will remove the letter "O" from the White House keyboards unlike Clinton staffers who saw fit to remove the letter "W" from White House keyboards.

George W. Bush and his people aren't that type.

Viguerie: Democrats ran as moderates, forfeited any claim to a liberal mandate

he 2008 election, the American people voted to punish the Big Government Republicans who made a mess of things, from the conduct of the Iraq War to Katrina to the Wall Street bailout," Viguerie said. "But, at the same time people were voting to throw the Republicans out, they were giving the Democratic Congress some of the lowest approval ratings ever recorded. This was a vote against Big Government Republicanism, not a lurch to the Left.

"And the proof of that is that Democrats didn't run as liberals.

"Instead, they ran against Big Government Republicanism and stressed they would govern as centrists," Viguerie said. "They ran as moderates who would cut taxes for 95% of the people, who would balance the budget in four years, who would go line-by-line through the budget eliminating wasteful programs, who would capture Osama bin Laden, who would leave law-abiding gun owners alone.

"Democrats will be under tremendous pressure - from their special interest groups such as MoveOn, unions, race-based groups, and pro-abortion and homosexual groups - to run the country from the Left," he said. "If they do, they will learn, like Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton, what happens when politicians claim mandates they didn't earn."

Regarding the future of Senator McCain's running mate, Viguerie said, "Governor Sarah Palin came out of the campaign as a hero to conservatives and a rising star with a strong future."

Majority of Voters Say Celebrity Endorsements Played No Role in their Decision

-- Males and Females Pick Oprah Winfrey, Alan Greenspan and Rush Limbaugh as Most Influential --

Flemington, NJ, November 7, 2008 – Results of a new national focus group among 245 Americans revealed that the majority of male (90%) and female (87%) voters reported that celebrity endorsements had no influence on who they voted for in the presidential election.

The communications research study was conducted during November 6-7 by HCD Research and the Muhlenberg College Institute of Public Opinion to obtain Americans’ views on celebrity endorsements for the presidential candidates. To view detailed results of the study go to: www.mediacurves.com

Among the study findings:

Did celebrity endorsements in the media have any influence on your decision on which candidate to vote for in the presidential election?

	Males	Females
Heavily influenced my decision	2%	3%
Slightly influenced my decision	9%	10%
No influence my decision	90%	87%
Not sure	0%	0%

Top five most influential celebrities among male and female respondents:

	Male Average	Female Average
Oprah Winfrey	32%	34%
Alan Greenspan	33%	26%
Rush Limbaugh	25%	28%
George Clooney	21%	27%
Barbara Walters	25%	22%

The Media Curves web site provides the media and general public with a venue to view Americans’ perceptions of popular and controversial media events and advertisements.

Editors/Reporters: For more information on the study, or to speak with Glenn Kessler, president and CEO, HCD Research or Chris Borick, Ph.D., director of the Muhlenberg College Institute of Public Opinion, please contact Vince McGourty, HCD Research, at (908) 483-9121 or (vince.mcgourty@hcdi.net).

HCD Research is a communications research company headquartered in Flemington, NJ. The company's services include traditional and web-based communications research. For additional information on HCD Research, access the company’s web site at www.hcdi.net or call HCD Research at 908-788-9393. Headquartered in Allentown, Pennsylvania, MCIPO is a respected source of public opinion data on local, state and national issues. For additional information on Muhlenberg College, go to www.muhlenberg.edu

Conservatives Win New Zealand Election

The National Party has won the New Zealand general election thus thwarting Labour Party leader Helen Clark's attempt to win a fourth term in office. The Labour Party had been in power since 1999.

John Key will become New Zealand's next Prime Minister.

Key is 47 and exactly five days younger than Barack Obama.

I think Key is similar to David Cameron of Britain's Tories in that he has moved his party to the center so how conservative Key will actually be remains to be seen. While he is considered more sympathetic to the United States than his predecessor; New Zealand has long deemed itself a nuclear free zone and thus refuses access to U.S. naval ships to come within 12 miles of its shores. I suspect that this will not change under a National government as it didn't while the National Party was last in power between 1990 and 1999.

It is worth noting that Key is Jewish and becomes the second Jewish Prime Minister in New Zealand's history and is said to be keen to visit Israel.