Now At The Podium

Thoughts on the Smoking Ban

2009-12-02T11:47:00.004-05:00

This is a comment I left over at NLS on this topic (which he supports with great fervor)...

I am a former cigarette smoker (and occasional cigar aficionado), but I'm not one of these self-righteous fools who believes that only those they agree with have rights. They don't like smoking, so they believe a smoker should not have the right to enjoy a meal and a cigarette in the same place. Especially in bars and nightclubs, where getting in and out of the establishment to have a smoke can be a hassle.

Lest we forget, a lot of tobacco companies do business in Virginia...they could very well take their business, their jobs, and their tax revenue to another state if we keep demonizing innocent civilians who happen to enjoy cigarettes.

I believe that the property owners and restaurant managers should make the decision regarding whether or not they will allow smoking, and the free market (meaning us, the patrons) will decide if we will go to a non-smoking or a smoking-permitted establishment. Unfortunately, there are those who feel that the state should provide legislation that bans everything that they don't like, no matter how ridiculous it may be.

A Return...?

2009-12-01T00:19:00.003-05:00

It's been quite a while, but the Podium may be seeing a return to action.

Yours truly has been off finishing up his Bachelor's Degree program, and will be done by mid-December, thus leaving me with the free time that I did not have previously. So right now, I'm simply contemplating the idea of coming back to blogging. The time seems right, and I've talked plenty of politics with people during my hiatus, so I've stayed pretty much up-to-date regarding most of the shenanigans that are Virginia politics.

Will I or won't I, that's the question I have to wrestle with at this time. We shall see...

One-Vote Wonder...

2008-11-20T19:27:00.000-05:00

Out of all of the manually-recounted ballots cast in Minnesota, this is the only one that Al Franken is challenging...? As if there is some kind of debate about the voter's intent?

I'm wondering if he's thinking to himself "I'm good enough, I'm smart enough, but doggone it, this guy didn't like me."

Deroy Murdock Talks About "Restoring Reaganism"

2008-11-11T19:16:00.000-05:00

In his featured article at the National Review, columnist Deroy Murdock talks about how the GOP can get back to a more consistent, conservative base and how to eliminate those who have led the party to where it is today. Here's some excerpts and my own opinions regarding some of Murdock's better points...

The GOP has been laid low, thanks to politicians who swapped their principles for power and lost both. As the chief electoral vehicle for conservative and free-market ideas, the Republican party cannot regain America’s confidence —nor should it — until the guilty have been cast into the nearest volcano.

Amen to that. The party members should throw out the bums who put them into the minority.

Comrade George W. Bush has spearheaded the most aggressive federal expansion since Franklin Delano Roosevelt. As a delivery system for socialism, he has been the most effective Trojan Horse since that pine steed rolled into Troy.

When Bush arrived, Washington consumed 18.4 percent of Gross Domestic Product. Uncle Sam now devours 22.5 percent of the economy, reported Jon Ward in the October 19 Washington Times. “The country has gone from a $128 billion budget surplus when Mr. Bush took office to a deficit of at least $732 billion in fiscal 2009,” Ward writes. “No president since FDR — who offered a New Deal to pull the nation out of the Great Depression and then fought World War II — has presided over as rapid a growth in government when measured as a percentage of the total economy.”

Ouch, Mr. President. Looks like you forgot the conservatism part of "compassionate conservatism".

While much of Bush’s spending has funded defense and the War on Terror, most of it vanished into the furnaces of No Child Left Behind, the 2002 Farm Bill, the 2003 Medicare drug entitlement, the 2005 highway bill, the 2006 ethanol mandate, at least 69,341 earmarks, and much, much more. In 2001, Bush launched federal embryonic stem-cell research. By 2008, he added the word “nationalization” to the American vocabulary, and underscored it with nearly $1 trillion in bailouts and Third World—-style government ownership stakes in banks and financial houses.

Bush has kept America safe from terror attacks since September 11. The liberations of Afghanistan from bin Ladenism and Iraq from Ba’athism were vital victories for national security and human rights. Until this year’s mortgage meltdown, his tax cuts fueled robust growth. Good work.

Nevertheless, Bush is the GOP’s Jimmy Carter, a weak bumbler who embarrassed his constituents, betrayed his philosophical movement, sank his party, and eventually surrendered the White House to the opposition, this time led by the Senate’s Number One liberal, still in his first term. Bush should retire quietly to Texas, where he can drive his truck, chop wood, and avoid the limelight for the balance of his natural existence.

While harsh, there IS a lot of truth to this. Both the positives of the fight against terror and the high-flying growth spurred by his tax cuts. However, Bush waffled too often on too many issues, and lost his way. Granted, he's tried to balance a long-term, large-scale War on Terror and a peacetime economy at the same time...but that hasn't worked. Also, in an attempt to "save" the economy, we now have the foundations for a large-scale expansion of government.

Further down the column...

With few exceptions, Republican congressional leaders cheered this elephantiasis amid an atmosphere of corruption, incompetence, and unaccountability. Top Senate Republican Mitch McConnell, House GOP chief John Boehner, House Republican whip Roy Blunt, and other failed leaders should go warm the back benches. Senator Ted “Bridge to Nowhere” Stevens will become Ted “Jail to Nowhere” Stevens — and not soon enough.

Former Senate GOP leaders Bill Frist and Trent Lott, and top House Republicans Dennis Hastert and Tom DeLay have nothing to offer America. They should be left alone to fade quietly into obscurity.

With the exception of Mitch McConnell, who has done a good job of rallying the minority (for the most part), I can agree with those names named.

Instead, Americans should listen to Republicans who courageously advance pro-market principles today. Senators Jim DeMint and Tom Coburn would make outstanding GOP honchos. House Republicans should elevate Jeff Flake, Mike Pence, Jeb Hensarling, and John Shadegg to key positions. Governors Mark Sanford of South Carolina and Louisiana’s Bobby Jindal are attractive young reformers with lots to offer through at least 2012. Ditto former Maryland lieutenant governor Michael Steele, author of 2008’s best slogan: “Drill, baby, drill!”

Yes, yes, and more yes. Throw in the names of Reps. Thad McCotter (MI-11) and Eric Cantor (VA-7) and the GOP would take on a much fresher, energetic, principled leadership.

In Honor of our Veterans and Soon-To-Be Vets...

2008-11-11T13:22:00.003-05:00

...donate to Operation Gratitude.

No matter your political leaning, you should ALWAYS provide support for our troops.

McAuliffe Files...Dems Have a Problem

2008-11-11T12:27:00.000-05:00

Former DNC Chairman Terry McAuliffe has filed his committee papers and looks to be throwing his hat into the ring as a potential Democratic Party nominee for the governor's race in 2009.

So now, you've got McAuliffe (potentially, and most likely), running against Del. Brian Moran and Sen. Creigh Deeds in the Dem primaries...meanwhile, current state Attorney General Bob McDonnell will being going unopposed for the GOP nomination.

This could create a real problem for the Democrats in this state, as now you've got a bit of a division. Moran would have had NoVa sewn up in the primary voting, but McAuliffe eats right into that base. Also, most of your Blue Dogs and rural Democrats will be going for Deeds.

The key is which one of these 3 will snatch up the vote in the Tidewater area? I believe that's going to be up to Deeds or McAuliffe, as well. Also, the Richmond/Petersburg area will be key, and I would imagine that area will lean towards McAuliffe or Deeds as well, as Moran will probably be seen as too liberal for these more conservative, albiet left-leaning, areas.

Deeds and Moran will lose votes as McAuliffe occupies the space between them on the "center-to-left" spectrum. Also, while I thought that Governor Tim Kaine might implicitly back Deeds, now you can't be so sure. Remember that McAuliffe funneled $5 million in DNC funds to Kaine when he ran in 2005, which is a record sum for a non-Presidential race. Basically, Kaine OWES McAuliffe a LOT...which will hurt Deeds in the process.

Hurting Deeds will hurt the Dem's chances with swing voters if he isn't nominated. Kaine and Mark Warner were seen as centrists, and Deeds fits that mold. However, neither Moran or McAuliffe can be classified as such. While Virginia is a purplish-blue state right now, it is still more of a Blue Dog than a Deep Blue state, and the Dems cannot afford to move too far to the left in a statewide campaign such as this.

No Humility in Victory, No Graciousness in Defeat

2008-11-08T18:46:00.000-05:00

Just like we saw a total and complete lack of graciousness from the left in 2004 when John Kerry lost, I'm now starting to see a complete lack of humility in victory amongst Democratic supporters.

There's the continued attacks on McCain and Palin, the hate-filled speech towards Republicans as if we were early in primary season, the "seance" comments by Barack Obama towards Nancy Reagan (which actually better apply to Hillary Clinton, but is still a misnomer of a term).

Tonight, we have another good example...my wife (who has a McCain/Palin bumper sticker) was harrassed for several miles on I-81 by a couple of college-aged kids holding up handwritten signs that said things like "Ha Ha You Lost!!" and "McCain Sucks".

Pathetic. No humility or decorum in victory at all.

Novak: "No Mandate"

2008-11-05T16:09:00.002-05:00

Bob Novak lays it out that Obama's victory, while solid, did not provide the lopsided congress and paradigm shift in American politics that some would like to think has happened.

Author Michael Crichton Dead at 66...

2008-11-05T14:59:00.000-05:00

Sad news for millions, author Michael Crichton is dead at the age of 66 after a long battle with cancer.

Crichton was a PhD, an author whose books have entertained millions and have often been translated into movie form, and a leading critic of the global warming movement.

In fact, his criticism (which, given his PhD, lends him some credibility) has frustrated Al Gore on many occasions, especially when he issued a series of challenges to Gore to debate the topic, but the former VP refused.

Crichton was the author of such books as Jurassic Park, The Andromeda Strain, Sphere, Congo, The Great Train Robbery, The Terminal Man, Westworld, State of Fear, and Disclosure. He was also the brainchild behind the TV show ER, co-wrote the screenplay for the movie Twister, and also co-wrote the screenplays for a number of the movies that were made from his own books.

Crichton's works are best known for challenging the idea of "fail-safe" measures and the idea that so-called "perfect" and "infalliable" systems will inevitably fail at some point, no matter how hard you try to achieve perfection.

I Will Not Take The Same Road as the Opposition

2008-11-05T11:16:00.000-05:00

While I will remain very critical of Obama's policies and decision when I do not agree with them (which I hope will not be as often as I fear it may be) I WILL be something that Democrats/liberals have not been.

I will remain loyal opposition. I will put my country first. I will not suffer a conservative version of the "Bush Derangement Syndrome" that has plagued the left for 8 years. You won this election, I concede that easily, because there is no point in doing otherwise.

If you think that this will dampen my spirits and leave my objective to promote my beliefs daunted...think again. However, I will not desert my nation because I believe they make a mistake in selecting a leader. I will work my tail off to promote a better America.

Now let's get to work on this country, shall we?

Change? Not Right Off the Bat...

2008-11-05T11:07:00.002-05:00

Apparently, Obama has now officially offered the position of White House Chief of Staff to Rahm "Republicans can go f*ck themselves" Emmanuel.

Why do I see this as a bad omen for any hopes of bipartisanship?

David Kahane GETS IT...Period

2008-11-04T23:40:00.001-05:00

K-Lo from The Corner posts some truth from David Kahane regarding this election and what needs to be done going forward from the death of this prosperous period in American history...

1) We got this the old-fashioned way: we earned it. The other side took the fight to us, and we never took the fight to the other side, except coyly and obliquely. That's not a mistake we should make the next time. "Honorable campaigns" are for losers. Next time, call 'em as they really are, not as you wish to see 'em.

2) Where was Bush? Once again, and right to the bitter end, he let his passion for "loyalty" supersede what was stragetically right for the party, not to mention what was best for the country. I think his reputation has nowhere to go but down; yes, he got one big thing right,
but he got everything else wrong. Enough of this family in our
country's politics!

3) Good riddance to Liddy Dole, the woman who gave us the national drinking age of 21 and a host of sozzled underage college students. She won't be missed.

4) Hillary comes out smelling like a rose, plus unbloodied. She and Bill are already scoping out 2012.

5) Time to clean house. McCain should have been president in 2000, not in 2008. No more "it's my turn" for the last loser. We need to be looking for our candidates in the ranks of returning war vets — think Eisenhower in '52 as the model — and let the Dem's shifty lawyers run the country for a couple of years. Then hit them across the board with people who know how to lead. Gen. Petraeus might be a good place to start. Lots of junior officers, too.

6) You know what? McCain never did sell himself as a leader. He sold himself as a maverick.

7) One upside: McCain/Feingold is now dead, as is public financing. Talk about being hoist with your own petard!

8) That Gang of 14 thing really worked out well, didn't it? Say good-bye to the courts. And we were so close...

9) Joe Lieberman was worse than useless. When he could have made a difference, he didn't cross the aisle to caucus with the Republicans.
Now, it doesn't matter. Thanks, Joe.

10) Age matters. McCain ran an "honorable campaign" because he never really understood in his heart that the other guy had no intention of doing so; he didn't "get" Obama's generation, or Axelrod's.. Obama would lie about public financing, "oppose" gay marriage but also oppose Prop. 8 and never see it as morally contradictory. The world that McCain understood and operated in is vanishing, and tonight is visible evidence.

11) Unlike the Democrats, let's show some class in defeat. That doesn't mean lie down and roll over: it means fighting for what we believe in, doubly so now. But their sneering childishness is not for us; and now that they've won, they won't be able to control it even in victory. This is an unlovely party filled with unlovely people, as America's about to find out once the Obama pixie dust wears off.

12) Understand, once and for all, that the old media is part of the Democratic Party now. Ignore it. Never send Michele Bachmann onto Hardball again. Never send Sarah to play nice with Katie. We need to develop and create our own work-arounds — Fox, talk radio, NRO, etc. — and use them. Don't play by their rules: make our own.

Truth, my friends, is occasionally a hard pill to swallow...but there isn't much to argue with above.

Far From a Mandate, Remember That...

2008-11-04T23:06:00.000-05:00

Democrats, don't get too overjoyed. A 2% win with everything going in your favor does not mean a "mandate for change", it means you slipped through the cracks and won in spite of yourselves.

America, brace yourselves. Welcome to the land of mediocracy, forced attempts at one-party rule, and the end of your ability to freely pursue happiness...because your ability to pursue life, liberty, and happiness will be redistributed to those who lack the impetus to pursue it themselves.

Congratulations, you have now earned yourselves 4 years to screw things up beyond recognition.

Welcome to a land where the majority of black voters can vote for Obama because of his race, and it's OK...but if you're white and you supported McCain, you were a racist and a bigot. Welcome to a land where the economy will not grow at all. Welcome to the end of blue collar work. Welcome to 4 years of nothing productive. Welcome to the end of the ability to defend yourself. Welcome to the end of the optimistic, bipartisan spirit of the Reagan-Clinton era. Welcome to the statist supermajority.

However, while you Democrats get drunk on power, you will turn a blind eye. You will forget that the American public can only stay fooled for so long. Meanwhile, true conservatives, libertarians, and moderates will be working hard behind the scenes to bring America back to where it should be. Back to her principles. Back to our Constitutional basis. Back to the ideals of individual liberty.

Enjoy your victory tonight, because all you are doing is setting the groundwork for the return of true American, democratic (small d), capitalist, freedom-based ideals.

Mid-Election Night Thoughts...

2008-11-04T22:05:00.000-05:00

- Gerry Connolly is VASTLY underperforming so far against Keith Fimian in VA-11. Honestly, with 56% of precincts in, he is only up 52%-45% in what should have been a 10-15 point victory for him.

- VA-02 is fluctuating, but staying in Glenn Nye's favor. Just like 2006, Thelma Drake is close to losing her seat.

- Bob Goodlatte, Eric Cantor, Randy Forbes, Rob Wittman, and Frank Wolf all going as thought...big GOP victories...those are districts 6, 7, 4, 1, and 10.

- 90% of precincts reporting, and Tom Perriello is up on incumbent Virgil Goode by less than 3,000 votes in VA-05. Most of this is because Goode is his own worst enemy at times.

- I think it's WAAAY too early to call Ohio for Obama.

Pre-Return Thoughts...

2008-11-04T18:36:00.000-05:00

- If anyone thinks this will be some kind of a "historic blowout" for either candidate, you're HIGHLY delusional. Neither candidate will win by more than 2-3%. The electoral college will be close for McCain if he wins, like a "less than 20 electoral votes victory" kind of close. If Obama gets the nod in the toss-up states, he will have a victory in the electoral college that looks like Clinton's wins in 92 and 96...solid, but nothing spectacular.

- The throwing out of Republican election officials, and the intimidation of GOP voters by Black Panthers and other groups in Philadelphia is despicable...but the left won't say a word about it.

- The exit polls that showed a Kerry blowout in '04 will show an Obama blowout in '08. Ignore them, and watch the ACTUAL RETURNS.

- If the networks call the election for Obama before the polls close in the Mountain Time Zone, then the networks have reached a new low in how far in the tank for Obama they are.

- If Obama wins, consider the positive, prosperous eras of both Ronald Reagan AND Bill Clinton to be over and done with...and an economic and social malaise, brought on by socialist policies, will set in by 2012.

- I think the fact that the leftist bloggers call white people voting for McCain "racist", but 95% of black people voting for Obama (many of which cite his race as the deciding factor) is "OK" with them. I also abhor the fact that my being a hispanic who supports McCain makes me a "race traitor" of some kind, in the eyes of a few bloggers.

We'll see how things go as the returns roll in, most Eastern Time Zone polls close in 24 minutes...

Why NOW???

2008-11-04T00:01:00.002-05:00

First, the Sunday before the election, we get Obama stating he will bankrupt the coal industry and raise electricity prices, and today we finally get Sarah Palin cleared of any ethics violations or wrongdoing in the "Troopergate" non-scandal.

Of course, this could not have been released (or made public by the MSM) say, oh, a week ago?

Ok, I get that the clearing of Palin's name was only made official today...but can anyone tell me (beyond their own bias) why the San Francisco Chronicle would keep those Obama tapes from being released?

Every Action has an Equal and Opposite Reaction

2008-11-01T15:56:00.003-04:00

If Obama wins, this blog will swing even more libertarian in nature.

I only disagree with certain LP subsects on a few issues, but those subsects are the most vocal subsect of the party. Considering I'm a conservative-leaning libertarian (or a libertarian-leaning conservative, depending on the issue and your own perspective), I'm going to have to take a harder line against a quasi-socialist, ultra-liberal Obama administration...should he win.

Palin to Obama: "Ship Happens"

2008-11-01T12:27:00.004-04:00

Palin wearing the "Ship Happens" shirt at Shippensburg University, my almost alma-mater.

Mind you, she had already spoken to a crowd across the street in another, much larger building. This picture was taken in a building where the overflowing crowd was placed. They weren't supposed to get to see Sarah Palin, but Palin donned the "Ship Happens" shirt, walked across the street, and visited these people who came to see her...much to their surprise.

I used to love south-central PA...from Gettysburg to Lancaster, north to Harrisburg and back down through Chambersburg. These are some of my old stomping grounds, and they LOVE Sarah Palin. So do I.

Another Good Laugh

2008-10-31T11:40:00.000-04:00

Roanoke Valley Republicans has an interesting twist on Obama's plan to redistribute wealth.

A Statement of Complete Honesty

2008-10-31T11:37:00.001-04:00

From a comment in my most recent post, a quote from former NBA star Charles Barkley...

Poor people have been voting for Democrats for the last fifty years....and they are still poor.

Just think about it.

PUMA-GOP Solidarity???

2008-10-29T16:45:00.001-04:00

Apparently so, as I can see from this post at Hillbuzz...

Republicans, this is directed at you. Hillary’s Army remains strong, and committed to putting McCain/Palin in the White House. Do not listen to the media. Ignore the trolls. Corral your Eeyores and put them on the endangered species list. Because by our most conservative estimate, you’re going to get 4 million Hillocrats on your side next week, with roughly another 3 million Democrats who voted for Kerry staying home or throwing their votes to McKinney or Nader. That’s 7 million votes Obama has lost from lifelong Democrats — because we love this country more than Republicans have ever given us credit for.

This is the greatest nation on Earth and we Democrats never fail to wake each morning deeply thankful and grateful for the opportunities we have here. We know what socialism is, and know we want no part of this here. Obama’s mission is to weaken this country and put us under the thumb of the UN, like a European socialist state. That’s not what we want.

We will fight tooth and nail to stop him. We’ve sunk everything we have into this — because McCain/Palin are worth it. We believe they will serve this country well, and will work with our champ, the new lion of the Senate, Hillary Clinton, to make us energy independent, to secure good solid jobs for all Americans, and to strengthen and grow our economy in a world stressed and tried in these times.

We do not intend for this alliance to be of only this moment — we’ve worked alongside all of you for months now and see we all have more in common than we ever had apart. We will never agree on everything, but let’s all start with our love of country. Our pride in America. Our willingness to work hard together to give everyone opportunities — not hand outs. Europe calls Obama’s plans socialism. We call it welfare. Obama says this is change. We paraphrase the McCain campaign because, much to our initial surprise, Clinton Democrats find more in common with McCain/Palin than we do the socialists the current Democratic Party revealed itself to be.

So, all of us centrists stand strongly with you. Please work hard in every way you can this last week. Join us in Ohio if you can — or in Pennsylvania, Indiana, Iowa, Wisconsin, or Virginia. Let’s make sure socialism is defeated once and for all.

We can do this together. If we work hard, we will win. And after our victory, we will work hard to find other commonalities going forward.

Of this, we promise you, our new friends.

Elephants and pumas together, now and going forward.

WOW

Obama, you may have a problem...

Even Hollywood Liberals Hate MSNBC

2008-10-28T17:41:00.001-04:00

"MSNBC is 'the only network with more letters in it's name than actual viewers.'"

Article Here.

Three Strikes, and My Support of Mark Warner is Out

2008-10-28T17:21:00.001-04:00

Mark Warner, the only Democrat I was endorsing for this election, has struck out with me.

I liked Warner. He's a pragmatic problem-solver for the most part, and I believe that successful businesspeople solve economic problems better than most politicians of a different career background. I also liked that he rubbed the DNC the wrong way by making a fairly bipartisan speech at a very blue lovefest in Denver because he wouldn't follow the party line and doctrine in slamming McCain and holding Obama up as a God amongst peasants.

However, he had some flaws with me that rubbed me the wrong way, and now he's hit that third strike that loses his endorsement from me.

Strike One: His lack of support for 2nd Amendment rights has always bothered me.
Strike Two: He supports the fairness doctrine, which would force many radio stations to drop any kind of a "talk" format because they would be forced to give liberal talk shows airtime, even though liberal talk shows garner next-to-nothing in the ratings.

And now...

Strike Three: He supports the "card-check" proposal, which would FORCE unionization amongst workers in all industries. My father was a unionized worker, but that was by choice. Everyone should have the choice to join a union, not be forced to do it. EVEN GEORGE-FREAKIN'-MCGOVERN IS AGAINST THIS, BUT WARNER IS FOR IT!!!

I think not. Mark Warner, you're OUT! These are 3 things I cannot truck with at one time.

Due to this, the Podium is rescinding it's endorsement of Mark Warner, and will now support Former Governor Jim Gilmore for the United States Senate, Virginia Delegation.

A Breakdown of Obama's Lies on Taxes

2008-10-28T16:59:00.000-04:00

Done by a small business owner at the ARFCOM forums.

A brief synopsis...

Obama Tax Lie #1 - By letting the Bush tax cuts expire, this is a de facto tax increase for 100% of Americans, because 100% of Americans received a tax cut under George W. Bush.
Obama Tax Lie #2 - Obama plans to lift the inflation-adjusted cap on the Social Security tax in a manner that will impact anyone making up to $249,999.99 a year.
Obama Tax Lie #3 - Obama wants to increase the capital gains tax from 15% to 20%. He claims it is to get those "Wall Street fat cats", which is about 1% of the population...however, 50% of the population invests in the stock market. So for 50% of the population, this is a tax increase.
Obama Tax Lie #4 - Obama wants to increase taxes on big corporations. However, as this gentleman points out, corporations do not "pay taxes"...they simply collect the money from the customers and give it to the government. When Obama raises their taxes, the corporations will simply increase the price of what you're buying from them, which will cost you money.

The poster also has a tax table comparing your current tax liability as opposed to what it will be in 2010 with Obama letting the Bush tax cuts expire.

Compassion Is Not Socialism...

2008-10-28T14:31:00.000-04:00

...but the forcible redistribution of someone else's wealth that they have earned, and the punishment of self-made success, IS socialism.

Period, end of story, it's part of the definition of socialism. C'mon lefties, let's call things for what they are.