Mark Sanford Needs to Resign

Mark Sanford has joined John Ensign, Larry Craig, David Vitter and others by betraying his wife, failing those he promised to serve in political office, and ensuring his party's defeat at the polls.

 

Nobody wishes to kick somebody when he's down; however, a governor who would leave for Argentina for four days without leaving a forwarding address is a public danger and needs to go.

 

This has resulted in a decision regarding the upcoming elections. I will not vote for somebody who has broken his vows to his spouse. It bespeaks a dangerous, self-serving willingness to violate trust, and Republican domination is not worth putting these selfish, arrogant politicians in a position of public trust when they are unworthy of private trust.

 

That means Mike Cox will not be getting my vote for Michigan governor should he win the nomination, and neither Newt Gingrich nor Rudy Guiliani will receive my support in 2012.

 

After eight years of Bill Clinton, it was a huge relief to have somebody we could trust in office. George W. Bush was known for his devotion to Laura (as Barack Obama's heart for Michelle is well-documented), and America sat back and relaxed.

 

These guys may well be able to find good jobs elsewhere, but they have violated the public trust and need to go.

 

Mark Sanford, especially, violated the public trust and should be removed from office by unanimous vote as soon as possible.

Iran Streets Getting Bloody

Tim Miller contributed to this.

According to news reports, the Iranians' stand for freedom has been squashed by a militant dictatorship intent on maintaining leadership at any cost. Apparently the Iranian leadership has unleashed unspeakable horror in Tehran by committing violence against peaceful protesters in cold blood.

Today, for the first time in six days, President Barack Obama mustered up the courage to issue a vocal condemnation of Iran's murderous actions:

"We call on the Iranian government to stop all violent and unjust actions against its own people. The universal rights to assembly and free speech must be respected, and the United States stands with all those who seek to exercise those rights."

(Obama still hasn't seemed to realize that dictators don't listen to people. They do whatever it takes to gain power and control. McCain was right; he's naïve and doesn't know what he's doing.)

Although acting President Robert Gibbs made some interesting statements about the rigorous "debate" going on in Iran, the Obama administration has made no apparent effort to officially intervene to protect innocent life in Iran.

America would not be free today if France had not been willing to step in and fight with us in our War for Independence, and unto whom much is given, much shall be required. We owed our involvement, and we failed.

Our hands are bloody.

Although the deaths of the protesters were senseless, let us resolve that they will not be worthless; that the protesters who have given their lives have not died in vain.

Here's what YOU can do to help, and also some helpful advice from Kevin Tracy. Kevin has done an excellent job reporting on these events in Iran.

It's been brought to my attention that there's another list of things you can do to help the Iranian protesters in addition to the list I provided earlier. I want to combine what I wrote earlier with these new strategies and tactics. Obviously, wearing green in public is an excellent way to show your support here and every little bit helps. But next to the ground war that the protesters are launching against their government, the most important battle field is online: more specifically, on Twitter. Read more here.

Bye, Bye, Bayh

Don Bates, Jr., a Richmond, Indiana, banker, has announced his intention to run for the United States Senate seat currently held by Evan Bayh (D-Indiana). Senator Bayh has the reputation of a moderate despite his record of enabling the far-left Obama agenda to succeed. Although, like Marco Rubio, Don Bates lacks the National Republican Senatorial Committee's support, his candidacy is already creating excitement and enthusiasm across Indiana.

Bayh was re-elected in 2002 with over 60% of the vote, making him unbeatable in the eyes of many Republicans. But perhaps a history lesson is in order. As Bates pointed out at a recent God and Country Rally, another "unbeatable" candidate was destroyed by the very-liberal policies of Jimmy Carter:

"Another phenomenon took place as well as a result of the 1980 Presidential election. Here in the great State of Indiana, 33 year old Dan Quayle defeated 3 term incumbent Birch Bayh to become the youngest person ever elected to the Senate from the State of Indiana. Senator Bayh was an entrenched politician with high approval ratings, a massive campaign war chest, and the power of the incumbency. And yet the American spirit, which longs for freedom, lower taxes, American patriotism and pride, said enough is enough. Senator Quayle went on to become the 44th Vice President of the United States."

Don Bates, Jr., could be an important part of a Republican resurgence in 2010 by creating a credible challenge to Evan Bayh. Bates is already building a network of committed supporters across Indiana and crafting strong policy alternatives to Evan Bayh who looks moderate only in comparison with George Soros, Nancy Pelosi, and the other leaders of the Democrat Party.

In addition, Bates brings with him significant leadership experience in the financial industry, an industry that requires federal oversight, but which is suffering (as the auto industry is) from government officials who want to legislate but do not understand the industry.

Most importantly, Don Bates is solidly committed to the sanctity of life – that every human being has intrinsic worth and value, and deserves equal protection under the law. Bates will be a strong voice for the unborn and the aged in the United States Senate.

As a supporter and friend of Don Bates, Jr., I urge our Hoosier readers to visit his website (www.DonBatesJr.com), study his record and his positions, and consider voting for him in your primary next spring.

If you're not from Indiana, you're not off the hook!

First, consider supporting Bates financially. We cannot count on the NRSC, and without significant financial support, Don Bates (and the other Republicans considering running) will not be prepared to compete with the well-heeled Evan Bayh.

Second, recommend that the PACs to which you contribute consider supporting Bates.

Finally, do your best to publicize the candidacy of a principled, dedicated Hoosier conservative who will bring balance and accountability to the Senate.

Dan Quayle pulled it off … so can we!

Related: http://www.kicks96.com/pages/3175254.php, http://www.donbatesjr.com

Medicine Should NOT be Socialized

If you think healthcare is expensive now, just wait until it's free.

Mark Levin says it best, in his sarcastic tone: "Uh, I'll take one of those "Forever Stamps" and a kidney transplant." He has also asked whether you want to have a colonoscopy done at the Post Office.

In all seriousness, however, a national health care system is scary, and here's why: the government would be in charge. Yes, the same government that caused the banks to fail and then tried to fix them, only to fail. The same government who messes up everything it does. And they want to dictate your health care! Governments are notoriously less efficient than the private sector and our dear Republic's is no exception.

The fact is, healthcare services are extremely expensive here, which begs the question, Where will the government get all this money? It still has to be paid for, so here are some solutions that have 'worked' in other countries:

• Rationing: There's only so much of one medicine available. If you need it, too bad. Go without. And doctors can only see so many patients, and since they get paid less, there are fewer doctors. Good luck finding one.
• Assisted Suicide: Sometimes insurance won't cover lifesaving treatment, but hey, no problem! You can kill yourself!

In the US, one can walk into any hospital without insurance, money, or a job, and get treatment. It's the law, and no one is turned away. In Canada, Britian, France, and others, that's not the case. The government dictates whether or not you get treatment, and you're just a number. They don't care.

Keep health care in the private sector, lower costs by cutting frivilous lawsuits (that are a major reason for skyrocketing costs.. ahem John Edwards), and we'll all be better off.

GOP Signs of Life ... And Cornyn's Suicidal Tendencies

Like a cliched surprise ending, the Republican Party, recently left for dead on the sidewalk, appears to be stirring. A groundswell of opposition to massive spending, the forced bankruptcies of Chrysler and General Motors, and closing the terrorist holding facilities at Guantanomo seems to be resulting in some potential electoral victories.

Already, two Democrat state senators in New York have chosen to caucus with the GOP, a sure sign that the Democratic Party in New York is suffering from internal problems and external perception.

Recent polling data indicates that Obama is suffering from his high deficit spending (his main attack against President Bush), and that the majority of Americans disagree with his decision to close Gitmo (perhaps a reason he is dragging his feet and Congress refuses to cooperate).

The Republicans are finding their voice, and are leading in governor's races in Alabama and New Jersey. This is a hopeful sign, because prior to 1994, the Republicans managed to win significantly at the gubanatorial level with governors like Tommy Thompson (Wisconsin) and John Engler (Michigan) emerging as leaders in free market economics and conservative principles. They applied these principles at the state levels, which led to significant budget gains and electoral gains in 1994.

The Democrats also won a majority of governor's offices prior to their winning control of the federal government.

There is definitely reason for hope in the 2010 election.

However, there are people in the Republican establishment like John Cornyn, who is bravely leading the National Republican Senatorial Committee to certain defeat in 2010 by backing committed moderate-to-liberal Republicans in primary races and by refusing to campaign competitively in key states such as Indiana, where the only declared candidate, Don Bates, is a charismatic, committed conservative who can give Democrat Evan Bayh a run for his money. (Other potential candidates could also pose a serious challenge to Bayh.)

Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele (endorsed by frontlinesblog) said that the Republicans would give up no territory to the Democrats and would give up no districts to them. Unfortunately, the Republican leadership appears uncommitted to victory everywhere or to conservative principles anywhere, and in this case, we could be our own worst enemy.

How do we win? In the words of Indiana blogger Kevin Tracy,

The corrupt Republican Establishment and the corrupt National Republican Senatorial Committee rely on your money to conduct their corrupt business. End the corruption by immediately ending your support of the establishment! Only donate money to trusted Political Action Committees (like HuckPAC) and, even better, give your money directly to quality candidates like Marco Rubio in Florida and Bob McDonnell in Virginia.

Senator Cornyn and the NRSC are either too corrupt or too incompetent to realize the importance of endorsing conservative Republicans. Make them realize the importance by shouting, writing, typing, and declaring as loud and as publicly as you can that you're not going to help them elect more liberals to political office! Make absolutely clear to Senator Cornyn that you're a conservative before you're a Republican. Let's make it undeniably clear that you vote on your values, not the politics of Senator Cornyn and the NRSC.

We can make significant gains in 2010 if Republicans are willing and able to fight a clean but tough fight for victory.

Time to Junk Cash for Clunkers

The United States House of Representatives today approved legislation to grant $3500-$4500 vouchers to people turning in gas-guzzling cars for newer, more efficient vehicles. Despite the Michigan roots of FrontLinesBlog (all of Michigan's Republicans and Democrats supported the measure), we must part with our state's supposed best interest and oppose this measure (which the Senate still has to approve).

The mechanics of this bill create unnecessary red tape. Vouchers will have to be issued, dealers will have to submit the claims to the government, and the cars will have to be destroyed.

In addition to the problems of increasing government, this bill is going to result in much higher prices for used cars, causing serious hardship on the poor who need cheap transportation for work, college students who need affordable transit options, and any of the rest of us who don't want to spend $20,000 on a new car.

Immediately, the value of most used cars shoots up to $3,000 because that's what you can get for a clunker at the dealership.

If the goal is to drive demand for new vehicles, why not just offer a tax credit to purchasers of new vehicles? The end-goal is ideological, not economic, and if this legislation is enacted it will hurt those who have already been hurt most by this recession.

Here's one Michiganian whose going to fight this legislation all the way to the junk yard.

Up, Up, Up: The Tyranny of High Gasoline Prices

Now that gasoline prices are heading back up into the $3 to $4 territory, perhaps it would be a good time to remember that liberals and environmentalists are enthusiastically supporting this assault on middle-class and below-poverty-level families:

Thomas Friedman claims in the New York Times that higher gas taxes would be a "Win, Win, Win" solution.

"Higher U.S. gas prices are long overdue," says Rachel Brownell in Strollerderby.

$4 Gas Does the Environmentalists' Job for Them

Now, let's review a few of the effects of $4 gas last summer:

• People were forced to choose between transportation to work and paying mortgage bills, credit card bills, or car payments, leading to the credit crunch that crippled the economy.
• Consumers stopped buying cars, leading to the failure of the auto industry and the resulting federal bailout and Obama-forced bankruptcy of Chrysler and General Motors.
• Food banks were depleted and homeless shelters were forced to feed and house more people with less money from fewer donors.
• Grocery prices rose because of higher trucking costs, literally causing people to go hungry.
• People got mad, and "drill here, drill now" became a popular mantra until lower gas prices made us forget how bad those prices were.

Now, I'm not for destroying the environment, but I live in one of America's poorest neighborhoods within one of America's hardest-hit cities. I saw first-hand how high gas prices, fed by Congress's refusal to allow new refineries to be built and existing oil to be taken from domestic sources, caused an increase in desperate poverty, caused families to suffer hunger, and depleted the resources of ministries trying to provide a safety net to the poor.

Low gas prices liberate the poor to get to work and liberate consumers to purchase goods that workers produce. I'm tired of wealthy liberals like Tom Friedman telling the rest of us we should pay $4 a gallon regardless of the cost that imposes on the poor and suffering among us.

Don't claim to be compassionate! Don't claim to be the party of the disenfranchised! You, the Democratic party, are the party of the rich and elite who couldn't care less about the needs of the poor.

Drill here, drill now, and tax less.

Tiller Was No Hero

As a pro-life activist, I am not supportive of the murderer of George Tiller. Those of us who are truly pro-life respect life at all levels, beginning at conception. The man who killed Tiller was an anti-government, mentally insane extremist, who in fact declares himself to be immune from Kansas law.

The murder was immediately denounced and condemned by the nation's most prominent pro-life groups, including National Right to Life, the American Life League, and Operation Rescue.

But Dr. George Tiller was not the hero people have claimed him to be. This man committed heinous acts that included the suctioning the brains from partially born babies. He's no hero, and we shouldn't act like he was a good man.

While I pray for his family and friends that they may be comforted, I will not ignore the horrible things Tiller did.

Until we have exhausted all possible peaceful, legal means of ending abortion, illegal means should never be employed. And it will be a while before those means have been exhausted.

Related: Interesting view from Kevin Tracy

Updated: On Condemning the Murder of George Tiller

Kansas abortionist George Tiller was killed at church yesterday morning, reportedly for his support of abortion. In the first place, we do extend sincere sympathy to his family and friends, hoping that they find comfort and hope in Jesus Christ.

In the second place, I want to answer the uncomfortable questions that this murder brings up. Believing that even a pre-born fetus is life created in God's image, we pro-lifers have asserted that George Tiller was a murderer. Even worse, he profited off of his actions, making him
morally equivalent to a murderer for hire. The uncomfortable question we find ourselves being asked is can we condemn this murder, or can Tiller's murderer excuse his action by saying he was saving lives by killing Tiller?

I answer an unequivocal no. We live in a civil society (and, no, I did not say a "civilized" society) where laws can be changed through political action and social force. Until these remedies have been pursued, it is wrong to use avenues of force and violence.

The answer to this question also has serious implications for those conservatives yapping about a Revolution because of Obama's encroachments on our freedom. I have no great faith in the Obama administration to save the world; however, we are a year away from the next elections. If all the people stockpiling spam would get serious about promoting their conservative ideals and engage the culture instead of stocking their caves; donate to conservative candidates instead of buying seeds that will last, vacuum-packed, for a hundred years; and get involved in the abortion debate beyond holding picket signs (and most pro-life activists are heavily involved in related ministries to at-risk mothers and children).

For the first time since Roe v. Wade, the American public is at least marginally pro-life. We have a huge opportunity to see significant, peaceful social change -- yet some among us seem intent on further alienating those in the middle.

This is not to say abortion is a minor issue or should be ignored, but our debate should be seasoned with grace and truth -- and always mindful of the fact that we are talking not about merely a political issue but flesh-and-blood, precious lives that were taken before their time.

And one aside note: If you're going to attack the person who took this action against Tiller, what have you to say against Bill Ayers, who defended his moral position (peace in Vietnam) by killing people?

Related: Michelle Malkin offers several salient observations: http://michellemalkin.com/2009/06/01/notes-on-the-murder-of-george-tiller/

Related: Loving the Unlovable: George Grant and George Tiller

Memorial Day 2009

Today is a day to honor those in America's military who have given their lives for a greater good -- freedom around the world.

It is worth noting that most of America's fighting has been in the interest of liberation, not enslavement.

To many on the left, America's has a history of war and militaristic action. Although America has not shied away from the "time to fight," we have approached war differently from most other historical fighters.

Like the ancient Romans, we revel in victory. Unlike the ancient Romans, we do not celebrate the number of dead on the other side and we strive as much as possible to protect innocent life in the conflict

This morning, I listened to Bill Bennett's Morning in America radio program. Throughout the course of the live program, dozens of callers (including Bennett's wife Elaine) shared memories and stories from friends and family who had paid the ultimate price. One of the most moving stories was of a man who lost his father in World War II, served in the military for several years himself, and lived to see his son pay the ultimate price for freedom in Iraq. It sure makes one rethink all the "Happy Memorial Day" greetings he heard today.

America has a checkered history, to be sure. But, on the whole, America has answered the higher calling in choosing to fight for liberty around the world.

Today, it's worth remembering ... and it's still worth fighting for.