Posted on 07/01/2003 1:41:52 PM PDT by PhiKapMom
Countdown to Victory '04 is Free Republic's daily action center for the grassroots campaign to re-elect Bush-Cheney in 2004 -- the place to visit to find out the latest from the campaign and how you can help right now!
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Bush Raises at Least $34M in Six Weeks
By SHARON THEIMER
Associated Press Writer
July 1, 2003
WASHINGTON (AP) -- President Bush's campaign said Tuesday it has raised at least $34.2 million since he announced his 2004 re-election effort in May, with some checks still to be counted.
The Republican's total dwarfs fund-raising by his nine Democratic rivals, including Howard Dean, who racked up more than $800,000 in a daylong Web-a-thon on Monday that put him firmly among his party's money leaders as the second fund-raising quarter ended at midnight.
Bush raised $3 million at fund-raisers in Miami and Tampa, Fla., on Monday while Vice President Dick Cheney helped the campaign collect at least $500,000 in Grand Rapids, Mich., and $600,000 in Akron, Ohio.
The Bush-Cheney campaign had expected to raise around $30 million for the quarter after six weeks of fund raising. Bush entered the race in mid-May."This number represents strong enthusiasm for the president's leadership," campaign manager Ken Mehlman said.
Click for FULL ARTICLE
Dean Taps Into Democrats' Frustrations
By MIKE GLOVER
Associated Press Writer
July 1, 2003
PHOENIX (AP) -- To hear him talk, you can't tell what most peeves Howard Dean: the U.S.-led war in Iraq or his Democratic presidential rivals inside the Washington Beltway.Either way, Dean's take-no-prisoners' pitch is driving scores of supporters and millions of dollars to his long-shot candidacy.
In the first months of the year, the little-known Dean developed a reputation as the outspoken anti-war candidate - a sharp contrast from his more established Democratic rivals in Congress who supported military action. But the anti-war moniker only captured part of Dean's appeal to some Democrats.Edwards blocks GIs' loan break
Click Here for FULL ARTICLE
Edwards blocks GIs' loan break
By Charles Hurt
THE WASHINGTON TIMES
July 1, 2003
Sen. John Edwards, North Carolina Democrat, is single-handedly blocking Senate action on legislation all but unanimously supported by the House to ease the student-loan burden for soldiers fighting overseas.
In April, the House voted 421-1 to pass the HEROES Act, which essentially would defer student loans for soldiers called into action. The only dissenting vote was cast accidentally by one of the bill's sponsors.
The bill is stalled in the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee under a "secret hold," said Sen. Judd Gregg, New Hampshire Republican and chairman of the committee.
Senate tradition allows members to lodge secret, or "anonymous," holds against a bill and block it indefinitely.
Supporters of the bill, the Higher Education Relief Opportunities for Students Act, were mystified for months that anyone would hold up such popular legislation, but couldn't pinpoint the culprit.
"It's frustrating when something has such overwhelming support and then it gets held up like this," said the bill's sponsor, Rep. John Kline, Minnesota Republican.
Click Here for FULL ARTICLE
This is how I stand right now.
They are all the same. Bush, Gore, Clinton, Cheney.
It's a one party system.
I am a retired broadcast executive. In my early broadcast career I was on the air. In that role I had to garner audience. Now, retired I do not have to please an audience or a board of directors. What I do is commentate on politics for fun. Since I have no education in political science, I am not qualified to be a real commentator. Therefore I am just a common tator.
What does that behavior tell us? Are there ideological differences between Republicans and Democrats? Yes. Then can you argue that the center changes its opinions on ideological matters often? That does not seem probable, does it? One does not believe in limited government one election and believe that government is the cure all the next election then return to favoring limited government the next election. No. The only logical conclusion is that the middle is NOT IDEOLOGICAL at all.
If we accept that the 1/3 of voters that are centrists are non ideological then they can be divided into two categories. The first category of centrists tend to vote for the person they like. They liked Reagan so they voted for him. They liked Bush Sr. better than Dukakis so they voted for Bush Sr. They liked Clinton better than Bush Sr. so they voted for Clinton. They liked Dubya but didn't like Gore so they didn't vote for Gore... they voted for Dubya.
The remainder of the centrists tend to have a sign tattooed on their forehead that says..."What will you do for me." They look to candidates and ask "What will you do for me?" Once the center's motivation is understood, the appeal Ronald Reagan had for them becomes apparent. Reagan understood these people perfectly. They liked him. They liked him a lot .. which coated him with teflon for more than half the center. But he constantly talked about what he would do for the center voters. He presented the-conservative agenda as something that would help the ordinary person. He promised to do things for the non ideological center. When he talked to the center he did not talk about cutting tax rates. He talked about letting them spend their own money. "I am going to let you keep more of YOUR OWN MONEY." is how Reagan phrased it. "Why is it better for government to take your money and spend it on things it wants, than for you to keep your own money and spend it for things you want?" See how that appeals to the "What's in it for me" crowd?
The laffer curve convinced Reagan.. but he sold it to the center by talking about THEIR MONEY. That is a better sell to the center than I will cut tax rates or laffer curve explanations.
"I will get the government off your back." is the limited government pitch to the "Whats in it for me" group. There is a world of difference between "I will cut the size of government." and "I will get the government off your back."
Democrats won this group for decades by offering government benefits. Reagan offered a whole range of "Non Government Benefits". But the Reagan pitch and the LBJ pitch are the same type of pitch... It is "Here is what I will do for you." pitch.
Bush is making the pitch on several grounds. "I will protect you from terrorists". "When you get old, the government will buy your prescriptions".
The key to true conservative victory is selling the conservative position as a benefit for the center voters. I am not sure Rowe understands how to sell the conservative agenda to the center. He is into stealing the Democrats "Democratism." That is a page from Dick Morris's telling Clinton to steal the Republicans "Republicanism" with welfare reform.
"Give me a solidly Republican Senate and House and I will fix the economy as easily as I defeated Saddam. My administration will create the jobs, create the opportunities to make your life better and far more prosperous." That is a campaign statement that will work to gain the votes of the center.
Some final thoughts. What I call the likability factor varies with the personal appeal of the candidates. If both are quite likable it will be a reduced factor. If both are less than likable, (Humphrey and Nixon in 1968) other factors prevail. But when one candidate is more likable, it is a real factor if exploited. When George Voinovich first ran for the Senate his share of the center was increased with a TV commercial. It showed George and Janet Voinovich walking through a Cleveland City park. They were just strolling in the park holding hands and talking. The viewer did not hear what was said. He was just paying close attention to what she said, and she was pleased and amused with his reply. The voice over announcer said," George Voinovich was a successful Mayor of Cleveland and served two successful terms as Governor. But George always says the best thing he has ever done was convince Janice to marry him." It was just a nice couple, husband and wife, enjoying a summer stroll on TV. The center voters reaction to that commercial was the margin of victory in the race.
The "What's in it for me" of the non ideological center decides nearly all races. That is why successful presentations of the conservative agenda must not be based on its theoretical properties or benefits to society in general. The pitch to the center must be based on what is in it for the voter watching or hearing the commercial. There should be some budget devoted to making a candidate likable to the center voters.
No one wants to convince you. Read my post. you are irrelevant in our system. It does not matter if youre ilk votes or not.
The one characteristic of fringes is they tend to look for a White Knight to save them. As you so ably point out they sit on their rumps while complaining that no candidate is doing right.
They do not recognize that politics is a never ending job of persuasion and compromise. What the fringes of the left and right long for is a benevolent dictator to come on the scene and overrule the ignorant majority that decides elections. Their dictator would rule by fiat put the good and the right in place...as they see the good and the right.
That is the appeal.. they want a strong leader to set things right. That is a definition of a ruler. Hitler ruled, Stalin ruled, Mao ruled, and Castro rules. Do you think Hitler woke up one day and said,"My goal in life is to be an evil dictator. My goal is to kill 50 million people and go down in history as a terrible mass murderer?" Of course not. Hitler saw the world from the position of the left fringe. He was the leader of the German Workers National Socialist party. The acronym for Hitler's party is NAZI. Hitler was as socialist as Stalin.
His motivation was to rid Germany of those he felt were bad, and conquer the world for those he felt were good. He was elected in 1933 because the German people thought he was a strong dictator who would take charge and fix the depression.
Fringes are always frustrated with the two steps forward and one step back with lots of side steps comon to democratic poltical movements. Fringers can't tolerate a leader who bends to the will of the majority. They see all elected leaders in a Republic as failed dictators who do not have the ability to dictate. They see the inability to order things done, and the necessity to bend to the will of the people as a weakness of their brand of leadership.
Fringers will deny it, but they crave a dictator. Yes, they crave a benevolent dictator but a dictator never the less. Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely. That is true and all dictators eventually become corrupt. Mostly they do it sooner rather than later.
The slow arduous and difficult task of getting things done in a representative republic is abhorrent to the fringers. Fringers have no patience. They want a dictator to dictate and dictate now.
They haven't a clue about what would happen if they were successful. They would be among the first people killed by a successful dictator. For the first time the dictator dictates something they don't like, they trash the dictator. The dictator has them killed to protect his authority.
The best thing that can happen to a fringe group, is to never be successful. For fringe members Success, and Death are synonyms.
Here's my argument:
The following was brought to you by the sheer incompetence and negligence of the last Democrat administration:
Beth Petrone-Hatton, background left, follows the casket of her husband, New York City Fire Dept. Capt. Terence Hatton, as it is taken from New York's St. Patrick's Cathedral after his funeral, Thursday Oct. 4, 2001. Hatton, 41, was remembered at a filled-to-capacity funeral Mass as a hero and a role model for his unborn child and for the nation. His wife only discovered she was pregnant after the World Trade Center attack that took Hatton's life. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)
But hey, it's not like your vote makes a difference, right?
Now, if that doesn't do it, here are the steps to convincing yourself:
1. Go to your own FR homepage.
2. Read the Liberal Catechism and the Liberal Lexicon.
3. Now, stop and let it sink in; all that visceral hatred aimed at America, her people and her ideals.
4. Consider the following facts, established beyond a reasonable doubt:
a. Though he may not express it in the exact manner you would like, President Bush loves America, her people and her ideals and opposes the ideas in the Liberal Catechism and Lexicon.
b. Though they try to hide it, every single one of the Democrat Presidential candidates (and "non-candidate" Hillary Clinton) agrees with at least 90% of the Liberal Catechism and Lexicon and has a visceral hatred for America, her people (at least, those to the right of Phil Donahue) and her ideals.
c. The Democrat nominee will most likely be Dean or Kerry, both of whom are exceptionally dishonest weasels who happily believe and live the entire Liberal Catechism and Lexicon, and can count on the monetary and grassroots support of millions of activists who share the same views and hate the President (and us) with all they've got.
d. A combination of underestimating the Dems and "my vote doesn't matter" crybaby whining by summer-soldier-sunshine-patriot conservatives is what got us Bill Clinton. You remember Bill? He was the guy who couldn't be bothered to fight Al-Qaida because he was too busy defending partial-birth abortion, fleeing from Mogadishu, balming the Oklahoma City Bombing on conservatives, pardoning terrorists and, oh yes, getting hummers from an intern while discussing troop movements.
5. Quit whining and help push.
I am not ecstatic over some of the compromises the President has made on the domestic agenda, but to act like we will be in the same place after 4-8 years of Dean, Kerry, Hillary (or even just a heavily Dem-controlled Senate) is to deny reality. Politics is about addition, so add yourself to the right side of the equation, or you're part of the problem.
"A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty." -Winston Churchill
"Victory at all costs, victory in spite of all terror, victory however long and hard the road may be; for without victory there is no survival." -Winston Churchill
Please see posts #67 and #70. I was inspired by your examples.
Excellent !! Thank you !Churchill Speech – Finest Hour
hehe !! Not a problem. I saw it. Thanks !! Keep up the great work.
As my Dad used to tell the family, "Never praise tator... it only encourages him."
Back in 1992, my lovely, sweet, and beautiful oldest daughter suggested that our radio stations could improve our news clout if we did polls on the local elections.
As a side note let me state that all my daughters are lovely, sweet and beautiful. I can't be too careful. Did I mention ditto for granddaughters?
Meanwhile back at the polls, Her idea was to go to the various boards of elections and ask for voter lists in precincts where Voters News Service had purchased voter lists for their exit polls. These precincts were the bellwether precincts VNS had identified in our coverage area. We then polled these precincts for local races and broadcast the results. The polls turned out to very accurate when the actual votes were counted.
On election day we staffed the precincts and exit polled them. VNS had exit pollsters at the same precincts. Our people discussed our results with the VNS pollsters. VNS pollsters were nothing special. VNS just ran an ad for people in the local papers. The gave the respondents they hired an afternoons training and sent them out to exit poll on election day. The VNS pollsters were all local people and it was not too hard to get them to let us see the local exit polls of national races they had done for VNS.
We did some polling on Perot as well. For Perot voters we wanted to know if they had voted in 1988 and if they had for whom they voted. We asked if they would have voted in 2000 if Perot had not been on the ballot. If they would have voted with out Perot on the ballot,we asked for whom would they have voted instead.
That was her first attempt to understand fringe voters. The results of that polling was nearly identical to the analysis of the 1988, 1992, 1996 and 2000 election returns I have posted on this thread.
She found out some other things by polling. People attracted to fringe parties feel helpless and in the control of bad people. Those on the left rant about how government has failed them by not taking care of them. Those on the right rant about how government has enslaved them. Both of those opinions are held by people who see themselves as unimportant pieces of property owned and controlled by others. It is their excuse for not being able to achieve what others have achieved. It is an excuse for their own failure.
The fringe people see themselves as not in control of their own lives. They see themselves as helpless victims of the powerful people who run things. For the left fringe the powerful people who oppress them are the corporations. It is those evil Corporations whose greed and evil ways have prevented them from achieving the utopian existence that would have been their destiny.
The right fringe see an enslaving conspiracy made up of Republicrats who are out to keep them in subjugation with restrictive laws that insure their failure. The fringes have the biggest inferiority complexes one can imagine. They use it as an excuse for their own failures and limitations.
You can present the right fringe with a million examples of how different Republicans are from Democrats. They will not accept the proof. They can not give up the belief that the major parties are a cabal of evil allies who exist for the purpose of oppressing them. For were they ever to leave the safety of their fringe beliefs, they would have to admit their lack of achievement in life is a function of their own shortcomings and not the work of an evil society.
Fringe people have a common mantra. It Is:
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