Posted on 07/10/2009 4:08:19 AM PDT by Islander7
Haley Barbour emerged victorious this past week. While states nationwide were issuing IOUs, the Mississippi legislature actually passed a balanced budget albeit kicking and screaming from the pressure levied on them by Governor Barbour. This may be viewed historically as Governor Barbour's second greatest accomplishment of his term (the first being of course the response to Katrina). It will likely further serve to raise his stock among conservatives in the 2012 Presidential conversation.
Remember where we came from before the Special Session.
The Billy McCoy-led House wanted $0 hospital assessment on Medicaid. Governor Barbour got $60M that will increase to $90M under certain conditions in 2011.
McCoy and the MS Hospital Association wanted total protection for hospitals against cuts. They wound up being up to $40M at risk should Barbour need to make cuts to balance the budget.
McCoy's leaders wanted no taxes on small tobacco. Governor Barbour got close to $10M against House leaders initial wishes.
Of course the main bone of contention was saving the Rainy Day fund from the House spending it like drunken sailors (with my apologies to drunken sailors everywhere for the comparison). Here, Haley aided largely by Lt. Governor Phil Bryant and Senator Alan Nunnelee on the Senate Appropriations Committee held firm.
Governor Barbour artfully ran out the clock and boxed the Legislature in and had them literally begging him to be called back into the session. He set the tone by requiring that all revenues be taken care of first before expanding the call for revenue bills. It took extraordinary discipline to slay the spending dragon, but again, it may well be viewed as one of his greatest accomplishments as Governor.
(Excerpt) Read more at yallpolitics.com ...
Would you care to elaborate on just why you say that Gov. Barbour is not electable on the national scene? Is this something you have heard through the State Run Media, or because some Country Club “Republicans” have said that this is the case?
I would grant it would be tough to impossible given the “American Idol” feel of the past two cycles, but with Obama dragging us on down past Carter's disaster and people finally, after 30+ years, starting to feel at least some discomfort, I wonder if finally being in truly serious times could turn the political winds in his favor.
It is my personal opinion. He’s a very smart man. He’s the only person I know of who can slap Chrissy Matthews up side the head and have him smile about it not knowing what happened to him.
Haley is far less telegenic than 0bama. The left would bury him with unfair caricature, he has the baggage of being a tobacco lobbyist, etc.
Again, it is just my personal opinion.
He's from the South, and he'll be running against the "coolest black man ever to live", the New Savior, the Black Messiah, even though we all know that by the end of his first term 0bama, unless stopped, will be standing atop a rubble heap that used to be America.
The MSM will paint Barbour as a sweaty, close-minded, cheap after shave-wearing Baptist preacher from the 50's who wants to stop all you Yankees from fornicatin' and using them there iPod thingies, and put that young Negrah fellow back where he belongs - on the Plantation. Take it to the bank. I believe Haley is smart enough to understand that. Whether he (or anyone) is smart enough to over ride that MSM theme is highly unlikely.
I agree.....:)
With Palin out of the way (in the media’s minds), they will shift targets now to an other conservative. Watch for some unfavorable press about Haley within a few months if he is seen as the heir apparent. Frankly, conservatives don’t have many on the national scene who have been unscathed by the media and or through their own foibles. You all are right, he did a marvelous job with Katrina and has guided his state well during this recession. He would make a marvelous candidate IMO given his record but of course that will be besmirched by the Dems and their useful idiots in the press if he looks to be a serious candidate.
As far as BO goes, the guy will be beatable in 2012 if we have a serious candidate...please no more McCain like RINOs.
Since I don’t see this recession turing around till employment begins to pick up and with those two jerks at the helm of the executive branch spewing their lefty agenda, it won’t. As such, conservatives should pick up some seats in the house...the senate will be tougher though as I believe the GOP has more seats up in 2010 then the lefties. Florida is a key one and with the RINO Crist running against the conservative Rubio in the primary, it all starts the day of the primary here if we hope to move the senate back toward the right.
Vince
Sounds like somebody I could vote for.
Haley Barbour is never going to appeal to the diehard Kool Aide drinkers, it is the independents and there he does have a chance. You can see it in the polls now. In just six short months those independents are seeing what their Bush fatigue vote got them. People are also opening up their eyes to the way the msm covered up for Obama. After this fiasco, I don't know if telegenic is going to cut it.
But I fear 2012’s environment will be far different than anything we ahve seen in many generations if ever.
We could be looking at an election the may actually be largely decided on ability instead of "congeniality".
In that race it would be hard to deny Haley at least a shot, no one on the scene will have his record and experience.
Good job Haley
Okay, that’s fair enough and I respect your opinion.
I’m of the mind that while we do know that the SRM will do anything and everything possible to prop up the Marxists that are running our country into the ground, it is possible that their influence will be greatly diminished over the course of the next few years because of their transparent lack of journalistic integrity.
As Hussein’s “approval” numbers circle the bowl, so will theirs. This has already started to happen and it will pick up steam as thie summer goes on.
I believe that the real American public is slowly awakening to the monumental error of allowing these people to wreak havoc on our way of life and will take corrective action as soon as the 2010 primaries take place. Our GOP is going to have a house cleaning like they are so ripe for.
That is my opinion.
I hope you are right.
Don't misunderstand; Haley would make a great President. I'd love to see him in that role, but I just don't see it happening.
I’ve got a lot of respect for Barbour, but I unfortunately have to agree with the others. An older, less than hyper-charming, white man with a drawl has no chance at the top of the Republican ticket—in good times or bad, against Obama or another Democrat.
Barbour would remind too many voters outside of the South of the stereotyped Southern white sheriff in the movies, fending off integration with all his might. (And yes, I know such a sheriff would have been a Democrat.)
Notably, that Southern accent works for Democrat men running nationally because it tricks voters into thinking that particular candidate can’t be a far-out whack-job liberal.
I’m not saying that this is going to be easy. What I am saying is that IF we buy into the libtard message that we are toast and give up before engaging the enemy (and they ARE the enemy) then your assessment is right.
I refuse to allow the bastards to win without a fight. I do not care a whit about what their “conventional wisdom” is and I will not surrender to them under any circumstance.
They have thrown down the gauntlet and I am here to say that the challenge is accepted and that we will win out in the end.
It is time to stop playing patty-cake and to take the fight to them. Once they find out that we are dead serious and determined, they will fall into their true character which is to cut and run. They are cowards, whiners, pansies, full of bluster and bullsh*t who will shrink away when they feel the sting of battle.
As a Marine, I have seen this proven true time and again. Do NOT give up, rather carry the fight to them. Engage them and defeat them. No other option is acceptable.
Sadly, I have to agree with many other posters here that in the minds of the media:
Barbour=Huckabee.
What we need is a candidate that can draw independents and rural dems all over the country, not just in the south.
I don’t think Haley is interested in the Presidency, but he could be extremely valuable stumping for conservative candidates.
Hope you are correct; work you A** off to make sure it happens-unless you have to defend one of the actual true conservatives against a RINO establishment backed primary opponent.
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