Some thoughts on the mid-terms

I don't be-grudge Stephen Colbert going to a House hearing and testifying about dirt, farm workers and other sundry thing, in character from his Comedy Central show.  From a capitalist perspective, I'm thinking it was a good publicity move.  I'm not all that jazzed about him showing a discernible lack of respect for Congress, but he has every right to do so.  It's not like he wants to build a mosque next to it.  In both cases it's a matter of what's allowable versus what's right.  Colbert's move however, is far less offensive than a Ground Zero mosque.

But I digress.  While I don't be-grudge Colbert, I do have to question the wisdom, yet again, of a Democrat Congress showing such disrespect for itself as an institution. This close to the midterm elections maybe it was some sort of desperate attempt to portray Democrats as just regular people.  The thing is, just regular people don't want their money spent or time wasted on things as farcical as this at a time of national economic crisis.

Has the GOP stumbled onto a useful tactic with Castle?  When Charlie Crist decided to run as an independent for Senate in Florida it seemed like a blow to GOP candidate Marco Rubio.  But Rubio roared back.  With Barbara Murkowski thinking about a write-in ballot in Alaska, and Castle apparently pondering the same thing in Delaware, could it actually turn to an advantage for the GOP?  In Alaska, no but Delaware.  As far left as Castle is, he might actually hurt Coons by running and thereby aid O'Donnell.  What would be fantastic, is if that tactic were deliberate.

Polling is moving all over the map lately in some races. Of course  more polls mean more variation and possibly more confusion leading up to November.  Is the GOP losing momentum or sustaining it?  Look for apples to apples polls, look for Likely Voter polls instead of Registered Voters.  But more importantly, don't let any poll dissuade you from voting.  Make sure you do, and make sure you do whatever you can to help stoke the fires of a common sense revolution.

The Republican Pledge? Yeah, it's a good start...

Chris Coons pretends to run right

The Delaware Senate election isn't just about Cristine O'Donnell.  There's an extremist in the race, and it's not her.  But you wouldn't know it from the campaign sound-bites.  The mainstream media are doing their best to focus on some silly statements from O'Donnell, in order to avoid shining any light on the Democrat in the race.  Delaware Marxist Democrat moderate(?) Chris Coons is doing his bit to misinform as well.  He's running to the right believe it or not. From Fox News;

I'm no one's pet, and I intend to be an independent voice in the U.S. Senate," Delaware's Democratic Senate candidate, Chris Coons, declared emphatically on MSNBC Wednesday, referencing a recent utterance from the gaffe-prone Majority Leader Harry Reid who called the New Castle County executive "my pet." "That was a very unfortunate choice of words by Senator Reid," Coons told "The Daily Rundown's" Chuck Todd.

Coons cited two specific examples where he disagrees with the White House, saying he opposes the president's offshore drilling proposal and added, "I strongly disagree with how the banking bailouts were handled. I think the TARP bill, the Troubled Asset Relief Program, was passed in a hurry without any accountability and hasn't been administered properly."

The Democrat also would not rule out bucking his party on whether or not to extend all of the Bush tax cuts, though he clearly prefers a middle-class-only approach favored by the president.

But here's some quotes of Coons from the past;

And more, from OnTheIssues.org;

• Buildup of carbon dioxide is unsustainable. (Jul 2010)
• Oil drilling poses an environmental risk. (Jul 2010)
• Link fair trade with national security. (Jul 2010)*
• Longstanding need to fix health care system. (Jul 2010)
• Link security with development and human rights. (Jul 2010)

Interestingly they rate him as a moderate. Gotta love those .org sites.

*Do you know what Fair Trade is? From Wikipedia,

"Fair trade is a financial relationship between producers, sellers, and consumers based on the principle of equity within the exchange of goods. Equity is achieved via creating a platform for trade that is transparent and therefore accountable for the just treatment of all producers. This includes providing market avenues that allow marginalized producers the opportunity to sell, ensuring humane working conditions, and all the while protecting environmental and cultural factors that play into the production process. There are nine main principles by which all fair trade abides: create opportunities for marginalized producers, develop transparent relationships, build capacity, promote fair trade, pay promptly and fairly, support empowering working conditions, ensure children’s rights, cultivate environmental stewardship, and respect cultural identity.

...The Adam Smith Institute sees "fair trade" as a type of subsidy or marketing ploy that impedes growth. "

I'd just add that fair trade certification's emphasis on agricultural cooperatives (co-ops) discriminates against farmers who are understandably skeptical of joining into a co-op. Pushing people into co-ops is something a Marxist might do as an intermediate step.

Is Karl Rove using reverse psychology?

Karl Rove, versus Christine O'Donnell.  Is it dumb for Rove to be dissing a Tea Party candidate so close to the general election?  After all isn't it playing into the hands of the far left - the Daily Kos types who will be quoting him six ways to Sunday as if they suddenly have new found respect for his pronouncements?  Maybe not.

Hey, GOP Establishment, there's no 'RINO' in TEAM.

I respect people like Charles Krauthammer and Karl Rove. They have brilliant minds and are right about various topics most every time. But as establishment conservatives, they are wrong on O'Donnell to a point of excess. Karl Rove on Sean Hannity's show the other day reiterated that he was for the Republican (hey, how about using her name in that context Mr. Rove?) and then followed it with the biggest BUT in politics.  Krauthammer gave O'Donnell a 1 in 10 chance of winning the Senate seat. If you think that, fine but don't say it in public. You back the Republican and if she loses you have a real weight behind your I-told-you-so. In the meantime you don't run your own play because you don't like the play the coach called on third down. You run the play the coach called. 

Dela-wow! Now what?

Christine O'Donnell, Tea Party supported candidate, endorsed by Palin and DeMint won the GOP Senate primary in Delaware. Wow! She defeated party-backed 'moderate' Mike Castle who was seen as a better bet to win in November. Now what?

Delaware Republican Civil War

In Delaware the GOP seems poised to rip itself apart over the Mike Castle versus Christine O'Donnell Republican primary for the Senate. The issue distilled, is that Castle, the GOP establishment preference is a bit too RINO (Republican in name only) for Delaware conservatives. His opponent O'Donnell has been endorsed by a number of Tea Party favorites, including no less than Sarah Palin herself.

Liberal Captions

Below are some movie quotes that you could associate with various liberals. Please add your own in the comments section. I don't get too many comments, but any feedback is appreciated, especially when it pokes fun at Democrats.

Added bonus, I can't recall which website I read this on, but it might have been Protein Wisdom. [Sorry, let me know and I'll update the link]. "The Secret To Being A Liberal Hysteric? No secret: just treat adults like children, and treat children like adults."

My precious.

Say hello to my little friend. (Okay, little kid)

You don't understand! I coulda had class. I
coulda been a contender. I could've been
somebody, instead of a bum, which is what I am.

You talking to me?

A census taker once tried to test me. I ate his
liver with some fava beans and a nice Chianti.

You can't handle the truth!

Mama always said life was like a box of
chocolates.

I'll be back.

I see dead people.

We rob banks.

I'm gonna make him an offer he can't refuse.

E.T. phone home.

"I just want to say one word to you - just one word.... 'plastics.'"

"Badges? We ain't got no badges! We don't need no badges! I don't have to show you any stinking badges!" (That's just wrong)

"Surely you can't be serious."

"I am serious. And don't call me Shirley."

Show me the money!

What we've got here is failure to communicate.