AlterNet: 'In Onion Worthy News - Major GOP Candidates All Pledge to Be Hard on Porn'

Source:The Daily Journal

In other Onion worthy news, I actually agree with the AlterNet on something. Which tells me, its time for another head examination. I generally only read the AlterNet to see what Far-Left conspiracy theorists are up to. And if there’s anything I can do to help them. Suggest certain medicine, a good shrink, perhaps a Mental Institution. 

But from time to time, about as often as oceans are dry and Lindsay Lohan is sober, the AlterNet produces a good story that's actually worth reading and should be taken seriously. Like with their reporting on crime and punishment. And homelessness and the broader War on Poverty. Back in July when Michelle Bachmann, perhaps better known as the “Iron Lady” at her Mental Hospital being off her medicine decided to run for president and make pornography and same-sex marriage her key issues. That is what happens when she is off her medicine. 

Hopefully Michelle is back now getting the help she badly needs at her institution. And perhaps she is now running for President and away inside her mental hospital. Where she’s a resident, but during her time as an escaped patient, she and Rick Santorum took the same pledge, to outlaw pornography. If the Pope were to convert to Islam and Ron Paul were to declare himself now as a Socialist and only then would Michelle or Rick might have an ice balls chance in hell of winning the presidency. 

Michelle and Rick both argued over who singed the pledge first to outlaw pornography and same-sex marriage and return America to the 1950s. Michelle Bachmann finally won the debate, by saying "ha! I Singed it first" Nanny nanny boo boo stick your head in dog do". How you come back from that. This is the state of the Republican Party right now. This is what you have to do to be nominated for president there. 

These are the issues that drive the GOP right now. Like cabbies drive cars, yeah we might have 8.5% Unemployment, a 15T$ national debt and budget deficit approaching 2T$ and rising costs of living. But it's your positions on these that are the issues that only 10% of the country cares about, that the Far-Right of the Republican Party cares about. 

Small percentage of the country at large, but big enough that the GOP still needs them to win. Because of their inability to bring voters from outside of this small community into the party. These issues won’t put anyone back to work, except for people who fight against these things like on the Christian Right, but lay off more people or put more people in Prison that currently work in the adult entertainment industry. 

The Atlantic: Jon Stewart to Jon Hunstman: The Hunt is Over!

Source:Real Life Journal

Jon Huntsman has spent the better of the last six months campaigning for votes  in New Hampshire, The “Live Free or Die State”, a state that should play well for him and his classical liberal leanings and managed just 17% of the vote. Finishing seven points behind the 2nd place finisher in Ron Paul. GOV. Huntsman was going after the sane vote in the Republican Party. Apparently most of those people voted for him, congratulations. Huntsman is clearly a very sane and common sense presidential candidate. "These are the problems, this is how I would try to solve them". 

Instead of spending years debating the issues and looking for absolute power, he would actually try to solve problems. I give him a lot of credit for that, his problem however is not only is he in the wrong political party for his politics, (ask Ron Paul and Gary Johnson what thats like) but he’s looking to appeal to sane, credible, intelligent common sense voters. In a party that's dominated by Religious and Neoconservatives.

Jon Huntsman is running for President in a party where a lot of base cares more about a candidates position on condoms, adultery, pornography, same-sex marriage, gambling, than they do who’s got the best economic and foreign policy’s. It's like searching in a mental hospital for the sanest people there, that don’t work there. Finding a couple of people who are about to be released and than wondering why there are so many crazy people here. It's a mental hospital for Heaven Sake!. 

As GOV. Huntsman likes to say on the campaign trail. What were you expecting to fine, college professors. And that's the state of the GOP right now, there too many crazy people for acCommon sense classical liberal or conservative presidential candidate there. Personally I believe Jon Huntsman would make one hell of a Liberal Democrat. In the sense of what liberalism really is and not how its stereotyped today.

And when the clock finally goes off in his head and he realizes that his time is over in the GOP, I believe he should consider a 3rd-party bid. Not to win because that's not going to happen. But just to let the American voters who are fed up with out two-party System, that there's other options out there and people who think like them.

Real Time With Bill Maher: Un-Presidential Campaign For President

Source:The Daily Press

The leadership in the Republican Party in 2011 or so decided that Mitt Romney was going to become the presidential nominee in 2012. And that they decided that they were going to do whatever they could to make that happen. And now they are pardon the phrase, shitting bricks, because their guy, the supposed frontrunner Mitt Romney, has only won 1-3 of the first Republican contests. Hardly looking like a frontrunner. 

Mitt Romney, someone who won't even defend himself. By saying that "I was in corporate America, I made a lot of money taking failing companies and turning them around. And sometimes that means you have to lay people off, in order to save the company. And so you don't have to fire more people in the future and be able to hire more people. And I made a lot of money because I turned these companies around, that are now successful". That's called American capitalism, there's nothing wrong with being successful in life. 

Especially when others benefit from that success and you do it legally. Not by screwing people over, especially with a smile on your face. That's what Mitt Romney should be saying about his business career, but wait we are talking about Mitt Romney. Aka Flip Flopper, the man who feels the need to please everyone he meets, who can't come up with a simple answer to any question. 

I hate to say this because I have a lot of respect for Senator John Kerry. He's one of my favorite members of Congress, but Mitt Romney in 2012, is looking like John Kerry from 2004. And because of Mitt's inability to communicate to Republican voters, you know we aint talking Albert Einstein here, Republican Voters are fairly simple people. "Keep my taxes and regulations down, cut them whenever possible, defend the nation, Jesus, guns and country". And Mitt doesn't seem able to speak their language. 

And because of this, as well as being the master of flip flops and I'm not talking about feet, Mitt Romney finds himself in his political battle of his lifetime. Against someone with a 27% approval rating nationally and 56% negative rating in Newt Gingrich. On stage debating people like Michelle Bachmann, Herman Cain and Rick Santorum and hasn't really won a debate yet. At least since he came back against Rick Perry in September. If Mitt Romney is a frontrunner, I sure as hell would like to know what the joke candidate looks like. 

Well that would be Michelle Bachmann, but she's back in the nut U.S. House. So now we need someone else to take that role and that since Newt has already cut Mitt's big lead in Florida, the GOP establishment may be looking to replace Mitt and the GOP base which is different from the establishment. We are not there yet but if the Newter wins Florida and he'll have a couple of opportunities to do that this week, they are playing in Newt's territory with two big Florida debates, all hell could break lose in the GOP. 

Which finally gets me to Sarah Palin who I said a year ago would not run for president in 2012. Even though she would be my favorite Republican candidate, to make fun of. And be President Obama's personal escort to reelection, but she's not going to do us that favor. And put the country through the pain and embarrassment of her presidential campaign. But I could see a post Mitt campaign, a call to the bullpen if you will, if the GOP establishment feels Mitt is no longer up to it. Will either be beat by Newt, or get pushed by Newt to the Republican convention. With no one knowing who won, until they actually count the votes. 1976 all over again. 

Huffington Post: Sam Stein: John McCain 200-Page Mitt Romney Opposition Research Book From 2008 Found

Source:FreeState MD 

John McCain to Mitt Romney-

"I’m sorry Mitt I didn’t mean it, I thought you were an oil slick schmuck five years ago. Well I still do, but hell, at least your better than President Obama. Well I’m 75 years old and I”m not always sure what I believe. I was Captain of the Straight Talk Express back in 2000. But that train ran out of gas in 2007, because there was this other job that I wanted as well and besides I’m a Republican­. So it was my turn to run for it. Thats how we roll in the GOP, a party I’m sure your familiar with. 

The Grand Old Party and its a job you’ve run for twice yourself and who knows maybe after you crash and burn in 2012, we’ll be dumb enough to nominate you again. I’m sorry I had this, is this guy the best we can do expression on my face? When I endorse you after I waited till it was clear you’ll be our nominee. You know so I wasn’t taking a risk or anything, I am a politician after all. 

When you're talking about Washington insiders, I’m still a member of that club. Been in Congress for now 29 years. As much as I they try to kick me out, because I’m a maverick insider. Huh slick name, almost as slick as one of your speeches. But again I wish you the best of luck and hope you beat the other guy". Not exactly a ringing endorsement from Senator John McCain of Mitt Romney. But that is what Mitt I guess can expect, considering he's Mitt Romney and running for president in the Republican Party. 

Bad Lip Reading: Video: Rick Perry For President

Source:The Daily Post

When you’re trying to appeal to the farthest fringe flank in your party, the most ignorant of the ignorant, people who believe Lee Harvey Oswald shot President Abraham Lincoln, or homosexuals were behind the 9/11 Attacks, Barack Obama is an African Muslim who wasn’t born in the United States, the ignorant of the ignorant, to get their votes, because you want to win a Republican caucus to win the Republican nomination for president, you know your presidential campaign is in sad shape. Because you’re trying to appeal to worst in people to get their support. “Look I’m just as dumb as you are, hell I don’t even know my own positions by heart. We go well together, vote for me.

Thats the state of Governor Rick Perry’s presidential campaign. “I can’t win this thing by appealing to the best in you, which is what Jack Kennedy and Ron Reagan did. So I’m going to appeal to worst in you the most ignorant people in the country. To get their support for president.” When you have to go to the Far-Right for their support this early on and it backfires winning 10% in the Iowa Caucus only toppling Michelle Bachmann as far as candidates who ran hard in Iowa, you know, well if you understand politics you know your presidential campaign is basically over. Win South Carolina or move back Texas and actually do your job as Governor there for good. Thats Rick Perry for President 2012, he’s preying he can have someone’s support, who’s actually eligible to vote.

What gets me is that Rick Perry is one of the leading fundraisers in the Republican Party right now. He has the money to go far as far as campaigning. He could probably make it to Super Tuesday in February financially without winning one state. But who are these people who are supporting him and still supporting him. Talk about a bad investment or business decision. It would be like thousand shares in Enron back in 2001-02. The day it filed for bankruptcy and then trying to get your money back. Or investing a million dollars in a store that sells snow mobiles in South Florida. Who needs a Snow Mobile on the beach?

This is a guy who gets mouth tied in a debate when asked which three Federal agency’s he would eliminate. Which is supposed to be the centerpiece of his fiscal plan. Which would be like someone singing the national anthem, a professional singer use to performing in front of big crowds, performing at a football game, can’t remember the first three lyrics of the national anthem. Or a taxi driver not knowing the speed limit. Or running in the State of Florida on eliminating Social Security and Medicare. Or coming out for the destruction of Israel in New York.

When you think of the term “not ready for prime time”, it fits in with Rick Perry for president. Like fries fit in with cheeseburgers. He’s clearly unprepared and had no idea what he was getting into. Like the media actually paying attention to what you say, asking tough questions, running negative advertising. I believe he was expecting that he’s Rick Perry he’s going to unite the Tea Party with the Religious Right. And have a cakewalk to the Republican nomination for president and it just didn’t work out for him that way.

President John F. Kennedy: Speech On Tax Cuts

Source:Free State MD

First of all, I want to thank my friend and one of my subscribers Brendan Owens from Facebook for giving me the inspiration to write this blog. about tax cuts. Parts of the last two nights we’ve been debating tax cuts on Facebook as good friends can do in a respectful way. He’s a self-described Democratic Socialist. I don’t say that to be insulting, but that’s how he describes his politics. I’m a self-described Liberal Democrat, so we have plenty to debate about outside of social issues, where we tend to agree. At least so far, we haven’t discussed gun rights yet, but maybe in the future.

Jack Kennedy, a political hero of mine and I know I’ve said this many times, but it’s definitely true. Inherited a recession, or a weak economy when he became President in 1961. The economy boomed for the most part in the 1950s under the Eisenhower Administration. But went into recession in I believe in 1958. It cost the Republican Party a bunch of seats in Congress that year. As Congressional Democrats added to their majorities, thanks to the Southern Conservative Caucus and others. And proposed an Economic Recovery Act that had I believe when the largest tax cut in American history.

Back then, we had tax rates ranging from 25-90%. Thank God for all the tax deductions! Or our economy would be like Russia, with basically no property rights. Basically the Federal Government would take most of your money from you in income and payroll taxes and then let you decide how much of it you could get back in order to pay your bills. It was redistribution of your own wealth through high tax rates. President Kennedy, recognized that those high tax rates were slowing down economic growth and economic incentive for people to work hard and make a good living. Because the Federal Government would collect so much of the money. Those high tax rates didn’t make much sense even from a socialist point of view other than to hold down the rich or something. Because America still didn’t have much of a safety net. This was right before the Great Society.

The 1960s, was one of the best decades we’ve ever had economically at least in the 20th Century. With high economic and job growth for most of that decade and low unemployment. One of the reasons why President Johnson was elected in a landslide in 1964 and if it wasn’t for the Vietnam War, he probably would’ve been reelected in a landslide as well. The Kennedy tax cuts by the way, we aint talking about Goldwater-Reagan or Kemp-Roth, but Jack Kennedy a Liberal Democrat, was a big part for the 1960s economic expansion. And it wasn’t a supply side tax cut, but they paid for it by eliminating tax loopholes.

The Kennedy tax cuts, had tax reform in it. Lower tax rates while eliminating tax loopholes. Letting people keep more of their money for them to decide how to spend it. Encouraging people to be more productive, because they would get to keep more of their money as a result. Instead of the Federal Government taking most of it from them. The Kennedy tax cuts plus the Vietnam War with the boom in the military industry as well as people being sent to Vietnam opening up more jobs at home, are reasons for the economic expansion of the 1960s.

In 1978 Representative Jack Kemp and Senator Bill Roth, two Conservative Republican members of Congress, proposed their own tax cuts that later became the 1981 Economic Recovery Act that President Reagan singed into law. It did help jump-start the economy and lead to the economic boom of the 1980s. But the difference being President Reagan didn’t pay for his tax cuts, or even propose to do so. He didn’t propose on balanced budget plan to Congress his entire eight years. He had a Republican Senate for six years. His theory was that supply side tax cuts pay for themselves. He was wrong if you look at the mountain of debt as a result in his government expansion and tax cuts. But President Kennedy was an inspiration for their tax cuts.

Jason Wright: Tribute to Ronald Reagan: How The GOP Has Moved Away From Reagan

Source:The FreeState

Happy New Year everyone! I hope anyone reading this blog is now at least somewhat sober and prepared to have a great 2012. I wrote a blog last year for Ronald Reagan’s 100th Birthday laying out why even though I’m a Liberal Democrat, what I like and respect about President Reagan and I’ll probably be doing the same thing for his 101st Birthday this year. And since we are just a little more than a month away from his birthday and with the Iowa Republican Caucus tomorrow, why not kick off 2012 for FreeState Plus with a look at Ron Reagan and the state of the current Republican Party.

We are about 24 hours away from the 2012 Iowa Republican Caucus which will decide who’ll have the momentum going into the New Hampshire primary. And the Republican Party still has no presidential candidate that resembles Ronald Reagan as a Reagan Conservative, a Classical Conservative. Who truly believed that big government was the problem with America and the way to get America going again was to get big government off the backs of the American people. And let free people live their lives.

All the GOP presidential candidates, of course except for Ron Paul and Jon Huntsman, believe in some form of big government. Some new intrusion into the lives of the American people in how we can live our own lives and a new intrusion in how states can govern themselves. Even if they are within the U.S. Constitution. And got this idea that free people should be free to live their own lives. But as long as they are living them the way these Neoconservatives want them to live. And that’s another thing, there isn’t a Constitutional Conservative, again except maybe Ron Paul and John Huntsman. I find that unbelievable that a political party that calls themselves the Republican Party, wouldn’t have a Constitutional Conservative, all these candidates except for again Paul and Huntsman.

Ron Paul and Jon Huntsman and I’ll just say it, Paul and Huntsman are running for President in the wrong party. And I guess have missed the memo, or something and haven’t figured that out all of these candidates except for Paul and Huntsman, want to change the U.S. Constitution to limit our individual liberty. What happened to the Barry Goldwater/Ron Reagan Republican Party, Goldwater and Reagan are obviously dead. But their ideas are not, what happened to their supporters who voted for them. And the political activists that brought about the Reagan Revolution of 1980. Winning 44 States, 56% of the Popular Vote in the presidential election. Senate Republicans winning back the Senate for the first time since 1952.

These people again except for the Huntsman and Paul Supporters and few Members of Congress. Like Representative Paul, Senator Paul, Senator Lee, Senator Johnson, you don’t hear from Classical Conservatives in the Republican Party anymore. The GOP is now dominated by Religious and Neoconservatives Big Government Republicans that want to limit our individual liberty, mot protect it. Barry Goldwater and Ron Reagan would not recognize the Republican Party today and I believe may even of left it. You could get this sense of how Senator Goldwater felt about the current GOP in the late 80s and 90s after he had already left Congress. And neither one of them could win the Republican nomination for president in either 2008 or 2012. If they were able to run for it.