Political Strategies, Thatcher RIP, Sequestration, Budget, Korea

CPAC & Campaign Workshop

At CPAC, Romney humbly said we need to learn from our & his mistakes, and take back the country.  An interesting contrast to Obama’s arrogance. 

Speaking of that learning, on Feb. 9 I attended an all-day campaign workshop given in L.A. by the Leadership Institute of Washington, D.C. (http://www.leadershipinstitute.org/) to sharpen the skills of candidates, campaign managers, staffers & activists (I now count myself in the latter category).  Some very experienced presenters from the recent presidential campaign, and some who’d been in the business for over 30 years.  I took 10 pages of notes, on the modules that were titled:  campaign structure & organization, managing volunteers, strategic research, voter ID and targeting, building coalitions, developing your message, public relations & earned media, keys to precinct organization, door-to-door, phones, basics of online activism, keys to election day, developing a finance committee, fundraising events, and person-to-person fundraising.  Some real eye-openers I can see using locally even at the precinct level.  Additionally, I’ve downloaded the charts presented, and if you’re interested in any/all of these topics, let me know and I can share.

We’ve definitely got to work smarter and harder to take back the reins of government and turn this galloping horse from the cliff.  Including holding to account the increasingly Orwellian mainstream media that facilitate the Left's agenda.

Margaret Thatcher, R.I.P.

We should also learn from our successes.  Here’s a tribute from Hillsdale College to a truly great conservative on par with her great contemporary, Reagan:

Margaret Thatcher spoke at several Hillsdale College events, both on- and off-campus. Her speeches have been featured three times in Hillsdale's monthly publication Imprimis, including a speech entitled "The Moral Foundations of Society" in March 1995.

Click Here to Read "The Moral Foundations of Society"
by Margaret Thatcher

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A Message from Hillsdale College President Larry P. Arnn:

Lady Thatcher, born Margaret Roberts in 1925, was one of the most important and beneficial statesmen of the twentieth century. When she came to power in 1979, her nation was held in the grip of unions that had command of the largest political party in the state.  They used that power to shut down industries and even sections of the country at will to make employment demands.  Rather than resist, the government would collude in crippling strikes.  Margaret Thatcher was elected with a promise to stop these practices, and in a series of dramatic confrontations in her first year she was successful.  She did not seek, she said, to adjust the power from labor to capital, but rather to return the government to serving the whole people and the public interest. 

In 1982, she sent British forces to war against the junta in Argentina, which had invaded the Falkland Islands, a British protectorate. Britain won that war with the help of the United States and its president, her friend, Ronald Reagan.  The Falklands are in dispute between Britain and Argentina today, and the current administration in Washington is less friendly to Britain.  The people of the Falklands, whenever they are asked, still indicate in overwhelming numbers that they wish to remain as they are. 

The only statue of Lady Thatcher in North America stands on the Hillsdale College campus.  She visited the campus in 1994 and spoke at college events on several occasions.  We are proud to have known her.  At our spring convocation on Thursday we will say prayers of thanksgiving for her life and service. 

Lady Thatcher with the Hillsdale College Chamber Choir after a performance in February 2001.

Obama’s “Vision” & Democrat Eavesdropping

On Obama’s belated Israel visit, he once again couldn’t resist lecturing, quoting Saul Alinsky that we need to see the world not only as it is, but how it can be.  A great platitude, but the devil’s in the details, and how you envision how the world can be.  Of course he’s always been more critical of Israel than those who continue to attack & threaten it, and refuse to recognize it.  Just typical of progressives – full of criticism of others, but have no proven solutions – only proven failures.  A lot of theoretical leftist emotional fluff.

After the State-of-the-Union address, Fox News did a focus group.  Only a couple liked Obama’s vision better than Rubio’s.  When asked why, a Dem said “because Obama seemed more sincere.”  As if sincerity is a good reason – no doubt Stalin, Mao, Hitler, Pol Pot, etc. were very sincere.  How about truth or reason?  Obama may be a good communicator (the chief job description of a community organizer), but without good policies and executive skills, the words are hollow, as should become increasingly evident (except to the true Kool-Aid drinkers) over the next 4 grueling years.

How dare the Dems gloat over Watergate when their own “plumbers” are illegally (even feloniously) recording  & leaking private Republican strategy meetings like Romney’s and McConnel’s?  Is Obama superior to Nixon, who didn’t order the break-in?  What has Obama said to distance himself and his party from such tactics?  Nothing.  Just Chicago politics gone national.

Losing Minds

Another sign that Obama’s losing his mind (or at least his “cool” or pretention to geekiness) – he confused Jedi mind trick and Vulcan mind meld.  Biden’s mind is already long gone.  His proposed brain-mapping initiative should begin with them.

And speaking of losing minds, with North Korea’s steady ratcheting up of war threats, it’s less than comforting to know that Dennis Rodman is the closest thing we have to a diplomat to Kim Jong Un, and the best source of intelligence on him.  Oh, but no doubt the fabulous personal skills of Obama will bring Kim to reason.  Just as they have with Ahmedinejad, Putin, Chavez (may he rest in pieces).  Speaking of Putin, we’re waiting with baited breath to see how Obama’s new flexibility will be manifest, now that the election is over. 

Sequestration

We survived the Mayan apocalypse, and now it appears we are surviving the sequestration apocalypse Obama manufactured and predicted.  Oh, he will make the little cuts just as painful as possible, in highly visible areas, to make it appear that we really can’t afford to cut his already bloated “budget” (or pseudo-budget, since there’s no budgeting involved).

We're also looking at 8-10% defense cuts, incl. R&D.  As if there weren't areas that really OUGHT to be cut (waste, fraud, abuse in entitlements, pork, etc.), but are untouched.  But they're trying to maximize the pain instead of minimizing it to make a point against any cuts.  Just like the "firemen first" that we always hear whenever cuts are proposed at all levels of government.  Even absolutely across-the-board cuts would be better than what we got.  First they double the deficits, then they say we can't afford any cuts to that.  And they can't come up with a budget for the life of them.  They'd be out of business in no time in the real world rather than Fantasyland.  We'll either learn the easy way, or the hard way.

Yes, Obama’s sequestration (though he's tried to distance himself from it) has resulted in pain – more in the basic, essential functions of government than the sacrosanct entitlements and growth of bureaucracy.  First they skyrocket entitlement & bureaucracy spending, then they say they can’t cut it, and even if they did, it wouldn’t be nearly the sacrifice or pain as the essential government functions like defense, transportation, research, etc. whose budgets have been flat.  Even Obama acknowledged in Israel this week that security & defense is the most basic and essential role of government – nothing else really matters without it.  Defense & intelligence R&D has resulted, among many other things (some classified), in GPS.  And something that many in the Pacific Rim and Israel are now grateful for – missile defense systems.  Thanks in good part to Reagan, who initiated that.

Bob Woodward is apparently now on the Left’s blacklist for treason for saying that Obama originated the sequester.  A White House official, after yelling at him for ½ hour, said “you’re going to regret this.”  Sounds thuggish and totalitarian.

Unintended Consequences

Of course the sequestration was intended to have a different result, but the strategy is typical of the unintended consequences and pain of his transformation of America.  Massive stimulus spending, but the economy is still in idle in the most protracted “recovery” in history.  Massive government healthcare takeover, and the costs go up more than they were predicted to drop.  Massive debt and unfunded liabilities (in cahoots w. the unions) that will stifle the next generation(s).  For all his talk of uniting America, he has only succeeded in dividing it more deeply than ever with his class & race warfare, etc.  An apology and charm diplomatic offensive that has only resulted in less security and stability in the world.  Truth be told, we cannot afford any more of his transformation.  And they have the gall to criticize Ryan’s budget (the only one coming close to closing the deficit -- in 10 years! Let alone reduce the debt.) when they haven't had one of their own for 4 years? 

Budget, Deficits & Debt

Barbara Boxer – “We [Democrats] know how to balance a budget – we’ve done it.  The Republicans don’t.”  Well, then, why haven’t you?  And why is Ryan’s budget significantly closer to balancing the budget – at least within 10 years?

Obama declared April national financial awareness month – ha!!  The rules only apply to others.  His other initiative announced April 2 – understanding the human brain – should focus on his – all those disconnects.  He declared Bush “unpatriotic” for incurring $4 billion in national debt in his 8 years.  But Obama has doubled that in less than 5 years, also doubling the national debt – and he’s got over 3 years to rack up even more.  So what is the best term for extremely unpatriotic – “treason?”  Certainly an enemy could hardly hope for more effective economic sabotage with a relatively short fuse.  Inspired by his old buddy and bomber, Bill Ayers?  Some are calling Obama the most destructive American president in history.

 The GAO acknowledges the current path is not sustainable (and worse), but Obama shows no urgency in reducing the deficit (except by raising taxes again, as he just did for all of us, and are already slated for more when Obamacare fully kicks in in several months).  Like other important issues (joblessness, etc.), he seems to not be concerned until it’s reached crisis proportions.  That’s not leadership with vision – it’s reacting to crises when they’ve become imponderable.  But apparently that’s the Leftist dream – as his former chief of staff said, “Never let a crisis go to waste” – it’s an opportunity for a huge government encroachment. 

Obama always seems to find a lot of time to agonize over and narrate his sports brackets, golf, basketball, vacations, etc.  Wouldn’t it be nice if he spent a bit more time putting together a budget that wasn’t late, and that is serious enough to even get a single Democrat vote?  Oh, but he’s above “balancing the budget for the sake of balancing the budget.”  And has said repeatedly that the deficit and debt are not of any near-term concern.  So why should he?  His only real concerns are to grow government, taxes and spending, to buy more votes for Democrats, and “transform America.”  Well, he’s already produced a totally stagnant economy & joblessness, transformed our health care system to be more like the wonderful Canadian & British models, dramatically increased dependence on food stamps, etc., etc.

Medved noted that Obama hyped “Romnesia” but already has forgotten a couple months later that he already got his tax increases (on everyone), and didn’t cut anything he’d promised.  Now he’s asking for more taxes.  We should start hyping “Obamnesia.” He’s a broken record.  And he complains of Republicans endlessly asking to cut taxes?  Sounds like a reasonable compromise would be to freeze taxes & spending.  Obama needs to acknowledge that raising taxes doesn’t solve the deficit nor the economy.  And that cutting entitlements is the only way to do that.  A subtlety of Obama’s proposed budget is that what he calls “cuts” are only cuts in the growth of spending – which he’s already raised conveniently high, so that any “cuts” do not lower the deficit or national debt.

And while the nation languishes in stagnant joblessness, rising healthcare costs & taxes, and sequestration, the Obamas are holding lavish rock-star parties, taking expensive separate vacations, unprecedented golf rounds (Bush gave that up after 9/11 and the wars – not Obama during his war).  Of course traditional White House tours can’t be afforded.  Michelle Antoinette:  “Let them eat cake!”

Gay Marriage, Guns & Gorillas

Gay marriage – instead of “go and sin no more,” it’s “go and sin some more.”  One by one some Republican leaders are succumbing to the peer pressure, or empathizing w. gay relatives, to support gay marriage.  Forget the wisdom of thousands of years of human history among all cultures, or that of the Bible.  Or that Christ said that sometimes for the gospel’s (truth’s) sake, one must part w. relatives.  For them, it’s showing empathy that matters.  And only love that matters.  So, does that apply to incest, polygamy, bestiality, etc.?

Stephanopoulos said we need a national gun law because guns can cross state lines.  And we don’t need national DOMA because gays can’t?  But the gun laws will make liberals feel and look like they've done some great thing, though they won't prevent the kinds of massacres they use to motivate and justify their proposals.  Meanwhile neglecting the gorillas in the room -- other weightier issues.  Something in common with the North Korean regime that uses the constant drumbeat of war to distract from their problems like hunger, poverty & oppression.  I predict the gorillas will not be ignorable in the 2016 election, if not 2014.