Pick a side, any side...

It's not a secret that I enjoy spirited debates on a few different internet message boards. Mostly I tend to debate politics as I learned a long time ago that debating parenting styles is pointless. No one likes to make a better liar out of you than your children!

My writing style has always been a bit inflammatory--that was part of the reason people actually read The Green Owl (my college newspaper) during my tenure as Editor in Chief--you never knew what I was going to say! It was an election year and I was probably the first Republican editor in the paper's history. One of the biggest compliments I recieved at the time was, "When I read your editorials, I can hear you. You write exactly how you speak." As a journalism student, I counted the fact that I could communicate my views that clearly as a tremendous success.

My writing style tends towards the snark and lacks tact. I freely acknowledge this. I am far more of an Ann Coulter or Rush Limbaugh than I am a Thomas Sowell. I am an outspoken, opinionated Conservative. And while I respect your right to disagree with me, if you do disagree with me, you're wrong and I won't hesitate to tell you why. I have no patience at all for the politically correct movement and I refuse to mince words for fear of hurting feelings. In other words, I call it like I see it.

It is this no-holds-barred approach to life (and writing, and debating, and politics) that caused a firestorm on one of the boards I frequent. A few posts ago I brought up the race issue in this election. For the record, I do not believe that Barack Obama was elected POTUS solely because he is black. I have never said that. But to pretend that his race had NOTHING to do with his election to that office is at best denial and at worst sheer lunacy. Howard Stern (yes, THAT Howard Stern) proves my point with this clip (warning--there is an "F-bomb" not 10 seconds into the footage, but it is worth watching nonetheless). http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b5p3OB6roAg

Naturally, daring to mention the race issue to a bunch of left wing libs caused a huge pile on. I was accused of racism, called a bigot, told I couldn't possibly know that anyone voted for Obama solely based on his skin color (although the clip above shoots that theory down like Palin and a moose). When they couldn't go after the political, the attacks got personal. One group had their panties in such a bunch that they took the flogging to another message board. You know, because nothing says democracy and spirited political debate like making fun of someone behind her back in a place where she can't defend herself. Perhaps it is all going to my head, but I'm starting to think that Ann Coulter may need to watch out...if I can piss off a few desperate housewives to that extent with a few posts on an internet message board, imagine what my book sales could be! Oh, the possibilities...

Sick Day

So Chase got a sick day today. He woke up complaining of a sore throat and felt a little warm, so I kept him home and took him to the ped for a strep test. It's not strep and he'll be back at school tomorrow.

I continue to be impressed by my fellow conservatives and the spirit of unity that they're displaying. Would that the left displayed such dignity following the elections in 2000 and 2004...last night Karl Rove expressed his support for President-elect Obama on three Fox News shows (O'Reilly, Hannity and Colmes, and Greta). This afternoon, Glenn Beck also announced his support for our new President-elect. I'm truly proud of my party for reaching across the aisle and doing what is best for our country, despite Obama's appointment of no less than a far-left, partisan attack dog (I can't call Rahm Emanuel a pit bull, that's an insult to both Baxter and Ruthie) as his Chief of Staff. Say what you will about Karl Rove, but to my knowledge, he never mailed a dead fish to someone who pissed him off. Rahm Emanuel did. And that is Barack Obama's new Chief of Staff. Yeah--I'm not really feeling much HOPE about the CHANGE that is coming...

I recieved the following quote in an email today:

"The American people will never knowingly adopt socialism. But, under the name of 'liberalism,' they will adopt every fragment of the socialist program, until one day America will be a socialist nation, without knowing how it happened." - Norman Thomas, U.S. Socialist Party presidential candidate 1940, 1944 and 1948

Goldberg also uses this quote in Liberal Fascism. I fear this is where our country is headed. While debating online today, someone commented that because the US is the only remaining Superpower, naturally Germany, France, and Canada have a vested interest (and opinion) in our national leadership. It was the perfect opportunity to point out that indeed those nations are NOT Superpowers, but they are examples of governments/societies with the exact sort of socialist model liberals want to see in America. And they're NOT Superpowers. Imagine that. The last socialist Superpower was the USSR (Union of Soviet Socialist Republics). Those of us who lived through it (and students of history) know that the USSR collapsed because Ronald Reagan outspent them (and basically pushed them into bankruptcy) on defense. You can't support your entire population while also defending yourself against external threats. Something has to give. The Soviet Union collapsed under the financial strain.

The Dow is down over 800 points since yesterday. While some of this can be contributed to horrible retail sales in October and lower than expected corporate earnings reports, some of the sell off can also be attributed to fear that Obama will raise the capital gains tax. In the best of circumstances, raising taxes does not stimulate the economy. Raising taxes in the midst of a financial crisis could spell disaster for us all.

I'm hoping for the best, and preparing for the worst...

As usual, Conservatives do it with class...

And while I hate to lose, at least we're gracious losers. While I'm sure Barack Obama will get all the credit for "healing the nation" after the "horrible" Bush Presidency, I have to say how proud I am of my fellow Conservatives. Unless you live in Oklahoma, Republicans lost last night and we lost big.

We could take a page from the behavior of liberals/Democrats in 2000 and 2004 and continue the divide that plagued this country for almost a decade. Instead, I see Republicans stating that they will support President-elect Obama and RESPECTFULLY disagree with him. Watching O'Reilly with Chase this evening, I pointed out Malia and Sasha Obama on stage with their parents last night and told him that Sasha is about his age. We talked about how it is possible to respectfully disagree with policy without personally insulting the person. We also talked about how Chase should ask himself how he would feel if someone said something about HIS father before he said it about Barack Obama.

I find it incredibly ironic that the biggest Bush bomb throwers are the ones screaming the loudest now for unity and coming together. Unlike their behavior over the last eight years, we conservatives will put our Country First and support our President because it is the right thing to do.

My fellow Americans...

Really? Did you really just elect the most liberal Senator in Congress to the highest office in the land? A man whose spent his entire Senate career campaigning for President and has absolutely no zero executive experience? This is the man who will protect our nation from terrorists? SERIOUSLY?

I had a little election results wake tonight. There were eight adults (seven of whom voted for McCain, btw) and 11 children (all of whom favored McCain). While picking up the pizzas ($5 Little Greasers, b/c by God if my taxes are going up, I'm going to start saving now), I bemoaned the current state of the election to the man waiting on me. He was middle aged and I'm quite sure he was the manager. I said I thought it was the first time voters who put Obama over the top (you know, the youngsters who don't pay real taxes) and he agreed. He said one of his employees came in and proudly announced her vote for Obama. He replied, "Good. You'll be the first I lay off when his economic policies cause the economy to go to hell in a handbasket." No kidding. We both laughed and he comped me a pepperoni pizza.

I knew this would happen, but I really didn't expect to feel so sad and so disappointed in my fellow Americans. I haven't felt this crappy about politics since 41 lost in '92. I'm just sad. And scared. Because I don't trust his "civilian" army, I don't trust the fairness doctrine, and I don't trust him leading our armed forces (neither do they, btw, which is why they voted overwhemingly in favor of McCain). Not to mention his socialist economic policies.

My dad said that those who voted for him will get what they want. Unfortunately, so will those of us who didn't...

http://www.drudgereport.com/ Check out the two top links on the page--they have video of the guy w/the billy club...
Obviously they're not stumping for McCain...anyone want to discuss?

Am I the only one appalled by the glaring double standard in race relations? If 95% of white Americans voted for John McCain b/c of the color of his skin, that would be blatantly racist. Even if it was one of many reasons they voted for him. Yet an estimated 95% of black Americans are voting for Barack Obama largely b/c he's black. And that's not racist? How is that not racist?

It probably goes w/o saying that I think the voter intimidation in Philly is a bunch of crap--but why hasn't Obama himself denounced it? He's staying silent about it, just like he stayed silent in the pews of Jeremiah Wright's church for 20 years...

MLK wanted a world where no one was judged on the color of his/her skin--I don't think he would have wanted a black man elected to our nation's highest office like this...

Thoughts?

It is Election Eve

And while I'd prefer a month of fighting over hanging chads to President Obama, I've more or less resigned myself to the fact that the majority of the electorate has swallowed the "change" kool aid and will tomorrow elect a President whose values are far more in line with Western Europe's socialist entitlements than your typical Red State land of opportunity values. Taxes will go up, government will get bigger, businesses will suffer (due to increased taxation) and pass their sufferings on to consumers, further tanking the economy, which will result in even higher taxes and more government programs until we the people come to our senses and realize that more government is not the answer.

Jamie and I are looking at the bright side of this Obamanation--if his tax plans go through, the only place to really tax-shelter retirement funds will be in life insurance policies. So that's good for Jamie's business, which is good for us, so long as we keep our household income under 250K, or wait--didn't Biden say 150K, oh, hold on, last I heard it was 120K, and then 60K...yeah, I'm pretty sure that "middle class tax cut" isn't going to cut it for us...but hey, the life insurance biz should be booming, provided those Western European policies don't result in Western European unemployment rates...

I'm watching Barack Obama speak...

and somehow, even managing to choke down lunch (although it really wants to come back up).

I'm going to ask a varient of the famous question Ronald Reagan asked Americans in 1980. Are you better off now than you were eight years ago? Or even four years ago? Despite the recent stock market volitility, we are. We have more equity in our home, our diversified investments are hanging in there, and we're doing okay. The economy is a cycle and in order to have up times, there are inevitable downtimes. I've blogged ad nauseum about how the "life should be fair" policies of Democrats caused this particular downturn by forcing lenders to give to unqualified borrowers. Is giving them control of the Legislative and Executive branches of government really the solution? They caused this problem, do you really trust them to solve it?

I believe in capitalism. I believe that the economy will recover if government gets out of its way. Moreover, I don't understand how taking away capital (through higher taxation) from those who create wealth, who create jobs, who create opportunities for others and giving it to others (who don't create wealth, jobs or opportunities for others) is going to stimulate the economy. Take the capital gains tax...Jamie and I often talk of building our dream home on acreage not far from here. But paying a 28% capital gains tax on the sale of this house might be motivation enough to stay put. We love the neighborhood, the house meets our needs and considering everything we've done (and plan to do) to it, that 28% is going to hurt! Building a new house, selling this one--that is exactly the sort of stimulation the economy needs that would be suffocated by increased taxes. Obama isn't telling the truth--first it was higher taxes if you make more than $250K, then $150K, then (courtesy of Biden)$120K. Now, videotape of Obama surfaces and he's saying $80K. The fact of the matter is--no one knows at what income level Obama will raise taxes, but he's going to raise them. He's admitted as much! Herbert Hoover raised taxes--his tax increase has been noted as the proverbial straw that broke the camel's back on a struggling economy and kicked off the Great Depression. Do we really need another Great Depression? Even an economist stumping for Obama on Fox News last week admitted that raising taxes in the current economy would be disasterous.

Last night Janine Turner was on O'Reilly talking about why she's voting for McCain and her response was similar to what I've been saying for months: as a mother, her greatest priority is the safety of her children. Terrorism is still a very real threat, and a leader who takes a stand and won't bow down to our enemies is what this country needs. So much lip service has been paid to change. We haven't had a major terrorist attack since I was pregnant with Chase. Given Bush's record on National Security, we don't need change. We need to stay the course, remain hawkish on defense, and fight our enemies on their turf, not ours.

National polls show the race tightening, but I'm not sure the electorate will come to its senses by Tuesday. If not, I wish it were only the Obama supporters who will reap what they've sown. Unfortunately, it will probably hurt those of us smart enough not to vote for him in the first place the most.