Posted on 02/10/2007 7:54:35 PM PST by seanmerc
“Peace Through Strength” are three words that, when uttered with conviction by a man of principle and great leadership, and backed up by decisive action, had the power to free hundreds of millions of people from the oppression of communism and saved this country from the specter of “mutually assured destruction.”
It was in a speech entitled, “A Time for Choosing”, that Ronald Reagan ignited the conservative movement in America and began the death knell of communism. “Peace Through Strength” became our charge. I firmly believe that it will take continued, unwavering dedication to that same calling to achieve victory against the evil terrorist threat we now confront.
I was swept into office by that Reagan revolution, arriving in Congress the same year Reagan arrived in Washington. He ushered in a new era of peace and prosperity by cutting taxes, limiting government and winning the Cold War.
It is a time for choosing again. Do we as a people choose appeasement in the name of tolerance and political correctness? If so, then we are saying to the world that what we are really willing to tolerate is evil in the World. Or, instead, do we stand firm in our resolve that this nation shall remain a beacon of freedom to people of goodwill everywhere?
Do we as a people choose dependence on a bigger, and ever-more-intrusive government? Or do we choose self-reliance, recognizing that we know better than government how to spend our money, raise our children, provide for our families.
I am confident you agree with me that we Americans have the self-reliance and the character to remain free. We choose for this nation to remain free by remaining strong; through military strength, economic strength and, in addition, through strength of character.
How?
A Strong Military and Secure Borders
Support our U.S. Military Men and Women As Chairman of the Armed Services Committee in the U.S House of Representatives I have dedicated the resources necessary to rebuild our military into the strongest and most effective fighting force in the world, after years of the Clinton Administration slashing our Armed Forces through budget cuts and troop reductions,
Our best national security asset is the U.S. soldier. Through their patriotism, dedication and sacrifice, America is more secure. We must continue to ensure their access to superior training and resources so they can meet the challenges ahead.
Field a National Missile Defense With Iran and North Korea blatantly ignoring international pressure to stop their efforts to build and field nuclear weapons, we must aggressively pursue a missile defense system that will protect our communities and families from the whims of rogue nations.
Target Terrorists Our national intelligence and defense communities must be given the tools necessary to identify, track, stop and prosecute terrorists before they have a chance to strike. Provide for Border Enforcement Homeland security begins at our nation’s borders. Knowing who and what are entering our country is critical to our efforts to secure our communities and protect our families. Building fences in strategic locations along our international borders is a proven method of keeping America safe.
We must have a Border Patrol and Immigration and Customs Enforcement corps with sufficient strength to secure our borders and provide for interior enforcement throughout the country.
We must field the manpower and technology at our national ports of entry to allow all cargo coming into the United States to be screened and inspected in a thorough and efficient manner.
We proved the double border fence works in my home district of San Diego. I wrote the Border Fence Provision, signed into law by President Bush, which mandates the construction of the fence across 700 miles of Arizona, New Mexico and Texas. There will be attempts made to undo the funding for it. You have my commitment that I will do everything in my power to maintain that funding and build that fence.
Economic Strength
Keep American Industry and Jobs in the U.S. American workers are the most productive and innovative labor force in the world. Unfortunately, they are asked to compete in an unfair environment against other workers who make only a fraction of a living wage and are employed by companies that face few, if any, responsibilities to the environment or to the long-term prospects of their employees. In addition, our domestic manufacturers are forced to compete against foreign companies that benefit from their country’s currency and/or regulatory regimes. International trade has the ability to lead to global prosperity, but it cannot come at the expense of the American worker and their families.
Reduce the Tax Burden Our small businesses and families face a significant tax burden that hinders their ability to plan, prepare and invest in their future. Reducing that burden will spur economic activity and enable families to have a secure future.
Strength of Character:
Honoring the Sanctity of Human Life
The life of the unborn child deserves the same rights and protections as any citizen of the United States. I have sponsored many pieces of pro-life legislation and have a clear and consistent record of fighting for the rights of our most vulnerable Americans.
Protecting Children from Predators Our children must be protected from those who would seek to do them harm. We need to implement stronger protections against: inappropriate on-line contacts with minors; pornographic materials that target children; and predators who avoid jail and strike again.
Defending the Institution of Marriage Marriage is the foundational building block of our society. It is under threat by activist judges throughout the country. It must be clearly defined as the unity of one man with one woman.
Preserving Our Religious Heritage Groups like the ACLU have waged a relentless battle to remove any mention of God from public life in America. This strikes at our very foundations. That is why I took action to save the Mt. Soledad Memorial in San Diego, CA, when it was threatened. That is why on the Armed Services Committee, we successfully defended our military chaplains and preserved their right to pray without fear of censorship by military commanders.
Religious symbols like the words “Under God” in our pledge, “In God We Trust” on our currency and countless examples on monuments across our nation’s capitol are historically significant and honor those who came before us. They must be protected for future generations. They are an important part of our history and targeting their removal dishonors us all.
Protecting Our Second Amendment Liberties
It seems every election year, some liberal politician dons an NRA cap and grabs a shotgun for a hunting photo-op, as if that means they support our right as Americans to keep and bear arms. I, myself, thoroughly enjoy hunting, having just recently spent a great weekend hunting elk in Arizona. But, the second amendment is not about hunting. It is about the right of you and me to be secure in our homes. We must vigorously defend against all attempts to chip away at the Second Amendment. You know as well as I do that there is one thing criminals prefer over any other: unarmed victims.
Standing Firm with our Allies and Freedom Loving People Everywhere
The whole world looks to United States of America as that “shining city on a hill” that Ronald Reagan called upon us to be. Enemies of freedom will find no more powerful foe than a strong America. Friends of liberty will find no greater ally.
_________
These are issues of pressing concern. Thank you for allowing me to share them with you. I thank you for what you do within our Republican party to uphold our conservative ideals. It is indeed a time for choosing – for choosing what kind of America we will pass on to our children and grandchildren.
My life’s work and the work of our party is to pass on to our posterity a secure America, strong and free.
Sincerely,
Duncan Hunter
That looks more like a party that Julieaani hosted.
Actually, it was revealed in 1999 that Newt had an affair with an intern when the House was impeaching Clinton. It would be hard for him to overcome that.
And yes, I do like Newt's politics.
Do you mind if I correct your post before I respond? It really doesn't make a lot of sense in some areas.
[Duncan Hunter] is a fiscal liberal/social conservative. That, besides being a radical leftist, [is] the most unpopular [way to] straddle with the electorate. Ask W: it's worth about 35% of the vote. He is a [back-bencher], wired in big-spending, 20 year congress-critter from a gerrymandered district who has as much chance of being the next POTUS as Custer's Bugler.
***Presuming that my corrected version of what you wrote is what you intended to say, I will respond.
[Duncan Hunter] is a fiscal liberal/social conservative.
***Yes, there's that, at least at first glance. I would take that over a social liberal/fiscal[doesn't matter] because it is these principles that are so important in qualifying a candidate. If a man won't stick to his principles, how can you trust him for fiscal sanity? For instance, on the right to life, there's been ~25-30 million legal baby killings since Roe v Wade legalized this ghastly practice. How much is that worth in fiscal terms? Care to put a price on it? But at 2nd glance you can see that DH had some severe choices that needed to be made during his voting record and he made those choices. They seem very consistent, unlike the other candidates who are all over the map. Hunter undoubtedly would prefer to have fiscally conservative choices and he would drive for that as President.
That, besides being a radical leftist, [is] the most unpopular [way to] straddle with the electorate.
***Well, there was that Reagan character who spent (by borrowing) more than any previous president. He seemed pretty popular. I think this particular point is just plain bogus.
Ask W: it's worth about 35% of the vote.
***No thanks, don't have time to ask him. Besides, I think W would have found better numbers if he had stayed true to conservative principles. And anyways, what difference does it make to W what 35% of the vote is? He isn't running.
He is a [back-bencher], wired in big-spending, 20 year congress-critter from a gerrymandered district who has as much chance of being the next POTUS as Custer's Bugler.
***Steve Young was a great back bencher to Joe Montana and then when his time came, he did pretty good. I can see that in California politics, congress-critter is about as high as you could go during this period if you were a social conservative. And I think he has about as much chance of becoming POTUS as Jimmuh Carter or Bill Clintoon, who were both relatively dark horse candidates. A RINO would split the party for a decisive loss, so it behooves the middle-of-the-road repubs to take a look at someone who energizes the base. It would be foolishness not to.
I agee partially. Had W secured the border and done some day to day conservative governance...tax reform....tort reform...held the line on spending....vouchers...the things he actually campaigned on....at least made an attempt.
If W had kept his campaign promises we would have barely held on in 06 despite Iraq.
Both the conservatives and the moderates abandoned the GOP in '06 because there was little to no difference between the parties in practice.
Yes! As I pointed out in one area...nothing is that cut n dry. That chart on Rudi is very unfair ...and as we both said, looks bad for FR. Nothing is that cut n dry. I think dirty tactics like that chart belong in places like DU.
A Brigadeer!! anti trade is anti America.
He can not be supported because of his failure to understand the world and the business conducted every day.
He can not be supported because of his failure to understand the world and the business conducted every day.
He's not anti trade. He's for trading on an equal footing.
Monday bump
The greatest problem Republicans have is that we can't get information about our representatives and movers and shakers and ideas about our side of issues through the regular news outlets.
But someone on the right who wants to become President has to break through the media muzzle. Look at how they talk up a total unknown who has no real experience and accomplishments so that he is now a household word. And the first time I've seen Duncan Hunter so I knew what he looked like was on C-span today.
But I look at Mr. Hunter's list of accomplishments and I can't say that he deserves to be a household word.
I don't know when the American public's idea of qualification for being commander in chief and leader of the free world and President of the United States became so dumbed down that Barrack Obama is even considered to be more than a bad joke by the public. And when I think about the other Republicans who have been President, ... well, they had more accomplishments than having sponsored a border fence bill...
Eisenhower--5 star general who commanded the liberation of Europe
Nixon -- Senator, Vice President
Reagan-- Governor of California, in the trenches fighter against communists in the U.S. for decades(recommend the book Reagan's War)
George H.W. Bush -- Congressman, ambassador to the U.N., ambassador to China, head of C.I.A., Vice President
George W. Bush -- Governor of Texas with a list of accomplishments there, who had a lot of experience also being close to the center of power and learning how the world works as his father's confidante.
Actually our most qualified people for the top spot are Condi Rice and Jeb Bush and Rudy Giuliani.
That Condi and Jeb aren't running represents a victory of the MSM over us, and that should be our main topic of interest...how to stop the MSM from eliminating their opposition. We shouldn't have to be rummaging around in our third string to find a candidate.
I know Gov. Racicot - though not well - I have met him at several GOP events, and he is a native son of Montana.
I am glad to say you are incorrect! I do not know where you got the [erroneous] information, but...
MARC RACICOT served as Montana's governor from 1993-2001. He has roots that run very deep in Montana's colorful history. His ancestors came to the Montana Territory in the 1860's. Marc's grandfather arrived in Libby in 1917 to work as a logging camp cook in northwestern Montana for J. Neils Lumber Company. Marc Racicot was born to Bill and Pat Racicot on July 24, 1948, in Thompson Falls, Montana.
Marc grew up, first in Miles City and then in Libby. His parents opened their home to foster children, taking in nearly 50 youngsters over time and formally adopting two: Phillip and Aimee, to join Marc, Tim, Larry, Pat and Chris in their home on Larch Street.
Under the guidance of his father, a teacher and high school basketball and track coach, Marc was a starter on the Libby High School basketball team. During his senior year in 1966, Marc led the team to its first and only state basketball championship. Marc also played basketball in Helena for Carroll College. At Carroll, Marc was elected student body President and in 1970 set a record for most assists in a basketball game, 32. That record still stands.
While at Carroll, Marc worked summers for the Highway Department, mapping county roads and railroad crossings across the state. This gave Marc his first opportunity to see Montana corner to corner and to meet many individuals who remain good friends. During college, Marc also worked in the Capitol print shop and as a dishwasher, cook and line runner in the college cafeteria. He graduated in 1970 with a degree in English and later that year married Theresa Barber, a Carroll student from Big Timber, Montana. Soon after, Marc enrolled in the University of Montana Law School in Missoula, receiving his Juris Doctorate degree in 1973.
As an Army ROTC graduate, Marc was immediately assigned to the Judge Advocate General's Corps and stationed in West Germany where he served as chief prosecutor for the largest U.S. military jurisdiction in Europe. While there, he also managed to teach business and criminal law for the University of Maryland.
After three years, Marc was discharged from the Army as a captain, returning to Montana in 1976 where he became deputy county attorney for Missoula County. There, Marc established the Missoula Drug Treatment Program for people with substance abuse problems. In 1977, Marc became a state Assistant Attorney General, as well as Montana's first Special Prosecutor, handling major cases for county attorneys across the state. In 1980 he ran for chief justice of the Montana Supreme Court, but was unsuccessful. He also ran for district judge in Lewis & Clark and Broadwater counties in 1982 and 1984, respectively, but was also defeated.
From 1977 to 1988, Marc travelled across the state prosecuting scores of cases with a conviction rate of 95 percent. He lost only two cases in twelve years. One notorious case was State vs. Don and Dan Nichols, the "mountain men" convicted of abducting Kari Swenson, an Olympic athlete, and murdering a would-be rescuer.
Marc was elected Attorney General in 1988 and took office in January, 1989. He planned to run for re-election in 1992. However, Governor Stan Stephens (R) took ill and withdrew from the race. Marc sought the Republican nomination with Lieutenant Governor Dennis Rehberg, a Billings area rancher. After winning a hard-fought primary campaign, the men ran a successful general election race that led to a narrow 51 percent victory in November, 1992. Marc Racicot was sworn in as Montana's 20th Governor on Jan. 4, 1993.
In 1996, he sought re-election to a second and final term, with Judy Martz, a Butte businesswoman, as his running mate. On Nov. 5, 1996, they were overwhelmingly elected with 80 percent of the vote, the largest winning percentage for a Governor in Montana’s history and the largest winning percentage for any U.S. Governor in 1996.
As Governor, Marc sought to improve government efficiency and bring government services closer to its owners, the people. He favored reducing government wherever possible and eliminated two executive departments. The Governor's Office staff was reduced to about half of the staff it had in 1977.
After working with the Legislature to eliminate a $200 million deficit in 1993, the Racicot Administration helped produce a $22.4 million budget surplus in 1995. At the Governor's request, the Legislature approved refunding the money to state taxpayers as tangible proof the state kept its budgetary bargain with the people of Montana to live within its means.
Some of Marc's hobbies include running, carpentry and gardening. Marc has served on the Board of Directors of the Corporation for National Service and on the Board of Directors for United Way. He has been a member of the Board of Visitors of the University of Montana Law School and was a member of the Board of Trustees at Carroll College from 1989-1993. Marc and his wife Theresa have five children: Annie, Tim, Mary Catherine, Theresa Rose and Joe.
He is Constitutionally QUITE eligible, and eminently qualified as his bio suggests.
Not "end of story"...
RUN MARC RUN!!
AmericanArchConservative
> I know Gov. Racicot - though not well - I have met him at several GOP events, and he is a native son of Montana.
I am glad to say you are incorrect! I do not know where you got the [erroneous] information, but... <
If Gov. Racicot was born in the USA instead of Canada, then I was wrong. My sincere apology to the good gov and his fans.
[Probably I got him mixed up with another MT Governor. Was it Stephens?]
Important as that is, the second amendment is not about protecting ourselves from criminals, except those criminals who are in government. Protecting our Liberty from government infringement is why the Constitution protects the right to keep and bear arms.
Of course the same arms can, and do, protect us from ordinary free lance type criminals as well.
Neither was William Jefferson Clinton at this time in 1991.
He voted for the repeal of the Assault weapons bill and against the Brady Bill. He had a 2006 A rating from the NRA and a 75% rating from GOA in 2005and 80 percent in 2003/2004. In 2000 and 2002 he had an A+ NRA rating. He got ratings of 0 from the Brady Bunch and the Coalition to Stop Gun violence.
Must have been doing something right to get those sorts of ratings.
Hunter was an LT in the US Army, 69-71, and served in Vietnam, Airborne and Rangers. That was a job with plenty of tests, and a high mortality rate as well. Prior to the recent elections, he was Chair of the House Armed Services Committee, where hard decisions and lots of leadership is required.
I just went to his site, and discovered he's been endorsed by BG Chuck Yeager, USAF(ret), who is now a very vigorous 84 or so. That, along with what I already knew about him, is enough for me, he'd got my primary vote. (And unlike most politicos, he has an offspring currently serving in the military, a son in the Marines with two tours, so far, under his belt)
Yes, I read about his record in Vietnam and his chairmanship.
I am very happy he is in Congress.
Be sure to donate a lot of money to his campaign and make up flyers to pass out, as I don't have the time or money this time around to support even someone I thought had a chance of winning.
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