Theodore's World

This may really blow up in the Repubs face. It does not matter how disgraceful the Dems are, it is expected of them. If high level Repubs covered up for Foley the crisis will carry right into the election. It will not add votes to the Dems. It will just cost Repubs votes as the so called swing voters stay home. Some of the Repubs base may also be so discouraged as to vote Libertarian or Independent.

I plan on voting Independent in the Texas gubnatorial race. Our present Republican Governor has dropped the ball on border security until the election season began. One of the Independents has made stopping illegal immigration his #1 priority.

Extreme term limits and a third party might be answers to the mess our two political parties are in. America has one of the lowest voter participations in the developed world. There may be other relevant reasons, but I think discouragement with partisanship and corruption are the main causes of non-voting.

A woman, her mother and three children were killed today in an auto accident when the woman apparently lost control of the vehicle while bending to retrieve her dropped cell phone.

How does that relate to Foley?

First,.....Foley?....Indefensible, period.

Hasert? Who knows for sure what he knew.

Here's the problem. We're on the road to an election in just a few weeks. Quite literally the fate of the world can hinge on this election. You've all posted on that in one form or another. If the Dems get control, the funding for Iraq is gone , the terrorists win, investigations, impeachment hearings, no Republican Administration in 08, yada, yada, yada.

We are bending to pick up a cell phone. We are not keeping our eyes and hands on the wheel.

Someone said the other day that instead of resigning, Foley should have just changed Parties and become a Democrat. As humorous as that may seem, let it sink in for a second.

OK.....

Want the Dems back??????

Then we need to put this behind us. There will be plenty of time to assign blame and consequences AFTER the election. Without trivializing what has occurred, the big picture is just too important.

Should we all hide our heads in shame because of the idiotic actions of one or two? Of course not.

If there was one lesson to be learned from the Clinton administration it was the art of mis-direction.

"Foriegn policy? heh heh heh. It's the econonomy stupid". Remember that line? It may be time to give them a shot of their own medicine. The way they turned Bush ones' words around with "No new taxes".

"It's the economy stupid". Just replay those words in your head the next time you see video of the planes hitting the towers. "It's the economy stupid."

So the fate of the world is now down to sex lies and emails.......maybe we really are stupid.

Billy

P.S. TomR, Unless the independant has a chance, a real chance, why lodge a wasted protest vote? It appears that Lieberman will be able to pull it off but I'm not sure what the political landscape looks like in your district. I would bet though that the democratic candidate was at least as non commital if not worse than the Republican. Still, in light of where we are in history, I hope you pick the person that WILL MAKE A DIFFERENCE when it hits the fan.

Also, I have never believed in term limits. I believe the right to vote is the right to term limits. Term limits are a lazy way to say you've had enough while penalizing the few who do an
exceptional job. (Although it did save us with Reagan. Not that I didn't support him, it just
would have been sad had he been allowed to run and THEN come down with Alzheimers)

Billy

Tom if the Republicans handle this right and do what they know they should with this it should not blow up in our faces. But if they make excuses and behave like Democrats then yes it sure will.

Billy, my heart is broken. I have been a Republican all my life and I am totally disgusted that even one RHINO exists in my party. But I also know that not to vote for someone in my party is giving the Dems a vote. I can't do that.
And yes in most cases there is no difference in the Republican running and the Dem running.I know that and I have cried about me more then I want to count.

Where I have made my voice heard is I have stopped donating money to my party and told them, called them, and wrote to them why. They know it is the cost of their backing RHINO's that has lost my funds.

The other night on the phone someone from the Republican party had called me for a donation. I told the person No and why. This really freaked me out....the person called a nice man said he did not know what a RHINO was and asked me to explain it to him. I told him what a RHINP was and pointed out examples like John McCain etc. and what they do and say that shows they are RHINO's.

I realize my funds will not make a dent, they certainly are not in the thousands or millions. But it helps me to keep my brain from exploding at my anger of what has been happening to my once awesome political party.

My emails to our elected officials and phone calls to their offices must be in the hundreds. I have done every thing I can do speak out and try to let them know they are behaving as a Dem on votes etc. Some bills have been voted the way I want and maybe it is because of my phone call and the hundreds of others doing the same thing with their elected officials.

I have even told them that the saying vote for the lesser of two evils is not just s saying any longer it is a fact and how it has broken my heart.

I want to be proud of being a Republican and I am more angry then words can even say at the trash, lefties that have filled my party and won elections. It says volumes of our society too how it has been curing to the left and PC more and more every day.

So I will vote I do nothing else and yes for Republicans but with a heavy heart and an anger that scares me sometimes.

The Independent running for governor in Texas is Kinky Friedman. He is second in the polls to the Repub incumbent. Crossover Repub votes are driving Friedman. The Dem was fourth behind another Independent.

Texas is a very Conservative state. To the point some Conservative incumbents take the vote for granted and forget about those who vote for them. Governor Perry has been a George Bush on illegal immigration, turning a blind eye to the massive influx and ignoring the cries of Conservatives and law enforcement to beef up border security.

If the Feds/Dems can make it easier for illegals to vote(motor voter ideas) the illegals can turn the tide back to the Dems in states like Texas.

I see your arguements about always voting Repub, but that is what moderating Conservative politicians rely on. If an Independent with a few Conservative ideas wins once in a while, the Repubs may get the idea they need to toe the line of their base. I don't want to moderate our country into basically a one-party nation.

Right now my mood toward the political arena is very pessimistic. I am not a young guy and I see the culture of America changing. The average American still seems Conservative and patriotic, but the people we elect become tenured office holders and even with pushing and prodding seem to compromise, moderate and change direction just to stay in power.

Ah Hell, one more statement.

I can still change my mind and vote Repub for governor. I never vote early because you don't know what might come up the day before the election.

Tom I think Kinky Friedman is awesome and so does Nick. He is like the Republicans used to be. Gosh he is fantastic!

If more people vote for this guy and he actually could be elected it would be better then a RHINO. My only fear is he might not get elected and a viole dem would win. It is that IF that is so scary to me.

But I sure am crazy about Kinky Friedman.

Damn this is sooo hard.

Kinky Friedman, in the limited exposure I've had to him, reminds me alot of Jesse Ventura. He seems to be a figurehead that represents a dissatisfied and agitated electorate. I have seen 3, maybe 4 interviews with the man. The first time I saw him I thought he was an intentional buffoon, making light of serious issues with off the cuff remarks designed to humor rather than articulate coherant solutions.

The next time I saw him the interviewer, and I can't recall who it was, confronted him on the issues and Mr. Friedman was confused, evasive, and angered by the questions. It appeared that the interviewer had peeled back the facade that Kinky had tried to hide behind and showed a side of him that was not very reassuring. I may be wrong. But that is what I took away from that.

It seems that if one can develop a persona and be recognized by a large segment of the public, you can be in politics. It doesn't matter how well rounded you are on the issues, you only need one, and you shake it like a dog. I'll go back to the "It's the economy stupid" and "No New taxes" remarks I cited earlier that are burned in peoples memories.

Often, we have to pick from a dismal abyss of options in selecting leaders, from the precincts on up to the Commander in Chief. But our picks should be based on professionalism, integrity, and a comprehensive understanding of the issues, their problems and solutions. This by the way is why I'm not a politician.

I understand your displeasure with the republican party at the moment. I feel it too. But we as a team need to come together and win this. If this were a football game I'd liken it to the 3rd quarter. We are ahead in the game but the momentum is shifting. The mid term will be the end of the third quarter and if we can hold on, we will have a better chance of winning this game in 08. Then, we can address the obvious 'coaching' problems and be better prepared for the rest of the season.

In Michigan, where I live, I'm faced with a similar dilema. The republican candidate is the owner of Amway, a large successful organization. Understands business. (on the surface) He sails, I sail. He is a competitor and often wins his division. His name is Dick DeVoss.

The current Governor is Jennifer Granholm, a Democrat who has done nothing to stem the bleeding of the Michigan economy. I beleve we are probably the only state in the union with negative growth. We NEED a change.

Is DeVoss the answer? I doubt it. I have a hard time connecting with someone who puts testimonial campaingn ads on tv by people who sight the inability to aquire affordable health care, yet run a company as large as Amway and leave that very issue up to the employees.

I have a hard time watching jobs go overseas and hear the reports of the millions Amway has invested in China.

So what do I do?

If there were a Kinky Friedman running in Michigan I'm sure he'd get alot of attention. In a way, Devoss IS the Kinky Friedman just because of the name recognition with Amway.

I will probably vote for him just because Granholm has proven that she is not the answer. She has increased taxes, hamstrung our schools, reduced law enforcement to dangerous levels, while lying through her teeth that we are on the road to recovery.

I guess the point I am trying to make in this rambling post is to make sure that you take into account all the issues that are of concern to you, not just the hot buttons that media is trying to get you to push.

We have too many 'celebrity' politicians already. Vote with your mind, not with your emotions. Remember our soldiers who are counting on us to support them.

Oh, and Death to Iran.

Billy

Billy I will and I know you are right. It is my heart that says no and my mind that knows I have to keep on keeping on as they say.

It used to be both my heart and mind excited about elections and being truly for a person.

I agree also death to Iran.

Anybody remember Representative Mel Reynolds a good friend of the Nation of Islam's Louis Farrakhan and his tryst with 16 year "campaign worker," Beverly T. Heard. In a trial that ended in Reynolds' conviction, Reynolds was sentenced to several years in federal prison for this and fraud and corruption convictions; his wife and three children went on welfare in Boston. But we've forgotten that not only was Reynolds pardoned by Clinton, but he was hired by Rev. Jesse Jackson's Operation PUSH, to help keep young black out of prison. How is that for a double standard? As ticked as I am at the Republicans they've demanded Mark foley resign, where the Democrats would rally to protect one of theirs, I can't ever vote for a Democrat. Pelosi is howling for an investigation, let there be one for both sides of the aisle, and let's expose them all for all to see. Open Pandora's box Pelosi.

OK, Billy, I just called a few friends and asked some questions. I will not vote for Kinky. Some of the characteristics you attributed to him I already knew about, buffonery and evasiveness. But now I found out he was in the Peace Corps about the time I was in Vietnam. He was a draft dodger.

Also, I was reminded that unique to Texas, the Lt. Governor is actually the most powerful entity in the state. The governor is more of a figurehead and cannot get much done without the endorsement of the Lt Gov. This alone would make a protest vote for the governorship of less importance.

And we are still stuck with a flawed immigration policy.

Vote, right,here is where the problem is,its
how many folks get off their dead ass and vote
the Line Construction company I worked 35 years
for had a contract every 4 years pay and
benifits,to say it was good is an under
statment..now here is the rub,we had 18,000
that could vote and it took at least 2 trys
to get it passed and then you would hear, "man
they sure screwed us","What" I would say,what
the hell you mean,whats it sound like we got
screwed and from me you vote,naw I couldnt
find my ballot so I said " F U" Vote next
time...After the smoke cleared it was 9% of
those that could vote passed the contract 9%
of 18,000 sounds just like a National election
and folks it will stay that way till we get it
together and vote in mass...If we could pull of
an 80-90% vote we could scare the crap out of
the lo life that run this country...In fact it
embarrasses the hell out of me the Iraqis had
a better turn out than we will, they had to take
their life in their hands to vote and for us we
can't get off our lazy ass to go vote...For a
good part of this country they have it to damn
easy,fat,soft and lazy...Am I pissed off, you bet I am, we are screwing up what the greatest
Generation left us and that ain't Funny Mac!!!

Jack I had forgotten about that man and I didn't know all that other stuff about him at all. Thank you so much!!

Tom OMG I didn't know that at all about Kinky. I will never tolerate anyone that is a draft dodger. I will read what you and Billy have written about him.

Thank you sooooooo much Tom and Billy too.

Tincan Sailor it is so important to vote. I agree completely.