Free Republic

Since we are approaching Valentine's Day I thought I would post on the subject of happiness, specifically the pursuit of happiness. Think about it: what is romantic love if it is not about the pursuit of happiness? However, I intend to look at the idea of the pursuit of happiness through a political lens, specifically through the federal lens of the Democrats and liberals on one side and the Republicans and conservatives on the other side. Before I state my premise I want to assert that in politics or in war, the dream goal of any army is to outflank...

One innocuous event on the eve of the new century arguably changed the fate of so many NFL franchises so significantly that it may turn out to be most pivotal at the same time iconoclastic decision ever made in the entire half century or even for the full century in the NFL. And that decision was that Michigan QB, Tom Brady was selected in the 6th round of the 2000 NFL draft, 199th overall, by the New England Patriots. To this day many football fans wonder how every one of the 31 teams at the time (The Pats drafted six...

Over the past 50 years, conservatives have been abandoned and betrayed by fellow Republicans, folks on our side or the right-wing media and blogosphere and as a result only twice in the past half a century (the two terms of Ronald Reagan) has our side won the ultimate victory. In that light here are the ten most egregious episodes that deserve their own Hall of Shame and which conservatives should not forget whether Mitt Romney wins or loses. Inherent in each of these episodes should be the basis and foundation for conservatives to throw off forever the yoke of COLONIAL...

10 Questions to ponder to why there has not been more discussion about these topics in this election cycle: 1) Have you ever wondered why there is little talk or discussion of the results of the 2010 midterm election in respect to the 2012 election, especially the fact that conservatives represented 42% of the electorate in 2010, 8 points higher than 2008 and that increase in self-identified conservatives should be exploited by Team Romney? 2) Have you ever wondered why there is little talk or discussion of Mitt Romney in most national polls not passing McCain's popular vote in 2008...

Search around the internet and among most pundits you will find this conclusion: Among sure blue states and blue states that lean blue President Obama now commands 247 electoral votes (EV) adjusted for the 2010 census. These states include: Hawaii (4) Washington state (12) Oregon (7) California (55) New Mexico (5) Minnesota (10) Wisconsin (10) Michigan (16) Illinois (20) Pennsylvania (20) New York State (29) Delaware (3) Maryland (10) New Jersey (14) Connecticut (7) Rhode Island (4) Massachusetts (11) Vermont (3) Maine (4) DC (3) Now Mitt Romney commands 180 EV adjusted for the 2010 census: Alaska (3) Idaho (4)...

This is a follow up on my post on Virgil Goode and the impact he will have on the presidential race in Virginia. Here are a breakdown of the electoral numbers from the 2004 and 2008 presidential elections and the PPP poll on Virginia released a few days ago: -----------------2004----------2008--------2012 ---------BUSH--KERRY-----MCCAIN--OBAMA--ROMNEY--OBAMA Overall----54---46---------46-----52-----42------50 WHITES-----68---32---------60-----39-----51------41 WHITE% OF ELECT--72%----------70% LIBERALS------17%-------------21% MODERATES-----45%-------------46% CONSERVATIVES-38%-------------33% So folks we see Bush 43 blowing Kerry out of the water among WHITE voters to the tune of 36% and McCain besting Obama by over 20 points albeit in a losing effort. But in a supposedly a much better political...

The complete Virgil Goode rundown: The ten most asked questions about Virgil Goode and why he matters: 1) Who is Virgil Goode? He is a former GOP Congressman from Virginia who was defeated in the 2010 election. He is now the presidential nominee for the Constitution Party, a third party. 2) How long has the Constitution Party been around? About 20 years. 3) I hear that Virgil Goode is NOT yet on the Virginia presidential ballot. Will he fail to get on the ballot. To give you some perspective, in 2004 and 2008 the Constitution Party presidential nominee was on...

10 common sense reasons based on my knowledge of human perception, human relationships and leadership and motivational skills why I believe Mitt Romney will NOT maximize conservative, evangelical turnout and lose to Obama: 1)Lack of AFFINITY for Mitt Romney among voters. For those in Rio Linda, it means a lack of identification or a NATURAL LIKING or a lack of CONNECTION between people. Romney is simply not a lot of people's cup of tea demographically or culturally, let alone politically. 2)Extreme anger and indignation at Romney's carpet-bombing tactics against both Gingrich and Santorum. Many conservatives will be willing to forgive...

A couple of days I ago I wrote a piece arguing from a macro-point of view that conservatives were saying and doing things during this GOP primary season which were essentially causing their own political self-destruction and selling themselves down the river. But before I go any further what does "selling down the river" mean? It means to betray in such a manner that it causes serious difficulty for the one betrayed. Inherent in the phrase as it manifests itself is the feeling of separation or estrangement, the feeling of being uprooted, dislocated, and discombobulated, the perpetration of deceit or...

Before I get into the 10 primary reasons for conservative self-destruction in 2012 I first want to say that the conservative movement is NOT monolithic or one-dimensional, that each reason I offer that points to its political self-destruction may NOT apply to each conservative. But in terms of the movement itself as represented by tens of millions of American patriots, these reasons do encapsulate why conservatives almost invariably end up as the bridesmaid and never the bride, are left out shivering in the cold or end up shooting themselves in the foot during presidential election cycles where the GOP President...

In all likelihood Mitt Romney will manage to win the necessary 1144 delegates, pre-convention, to win the GOP presidential nomination. So what I am about to write about Rick Santorum has to be seen in this context. In no way shape or form am I hyping Santorum's chances to prevail in the end, but only trying to reflect what is now happening on the ground and how that may impact the lay of the land going forward to put some temporary roadblocks in the path of Romney winning the nomination. Having said that Rick Santorum's odds of stopping Romney from...

Over the course of the GOP primary season it is quite easy to get so absorbed or distracted by the day to day happenings and events on the campaign trail that one loses sight of the current political reality and loses one's perspective on what is really happening on the ground. And in respect to how many voters view Mitt Romney and his campaign, correctly or mistakenly that is no exception. Well here are 10 most glaring myths or misconceptions that have surrounded Mitt Romney and the Romney campaign, many of them admittedly spun by Romney's own propaganda machine or...

If you go back to Feb. 2010 and read an article by David Bernstein in the Boston Phoenix called New and Improved Romney, you will in essence be provided with a road map of how we got to where we are, at least from Mitt Romney and Team Romney's point of view. Link: http://thephoenix.com/boston/news/96976-new-and-improved-romney/ In that piece Bernstein indicated 5 main priorities for Mitt Romney and his team in the run-up to the 2012 primary season: a)De-emphasizing social issues like abortion, same-sex marriage, and illegal immigration and emphasizing fiscal issues b)Scrupulously avoiding association with the Tea Party movement or pandering...

President Obama now trails former Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum by four points in a hypothetical 2012 matchup in combined polling of key swing states Florida, North Carolina, Ohio and Virgina. The president continues to hold a modest lead in those states. Santorum leads the president 48% to 44% in the so-called Core Four states. Five percent (5%) prefer some other candidate in this matchup, and two percent (2%) are undecided. This marks a shift from last week, when the president was slightly ahead of Santorum (5 points). Obama remains ahead of Romney 46% to 42% showing no change from last...

I just read today's Rasmussen national poll of the GOP presidential contenders that includes the claim that 56% of GOP primary voters feel it is important to choose a candidate who has the best chance of beating President Obama in the general election. Translated, it means these folks in the main support Governor Mitt Romney in his quest to secure the GOP presidential nomination in 2012 because they feel he has the best chance of the four candidates of beating Obama. I believe this premise is utter hogwash and the outrageous creation of media disinformation and propaganda and to put...

A few hours ago I posted a piece titled Why Santorum is Toast and gave 10 reasons why I think he could be. Now I am going to take the other side of the argument and provide 10 reasons why one shouldn't write Rick Santorum off just yet: 1)In the two month history of the GOP primaries/caucuses and taking the main states into consideration only once has any of the candidates gone two in a row: a)Iowa (Santorum) NH (Romney) b)NH (Romney) SC (Gingrich) c)SC (Gingrich) Florida (Romney) d)Florida (Romney) Nevada (Romney) e)Nevada (Romney) Colorado (Santorum) f)Colorado (Santorum)Arizona(Romney) The trend...

10 reasons he is toast: 1)He now is showing a major gender gap in his female voting whereas 2-3 weeks ago in polls it was negligible. Santorum lost Catholic women in Michigan to Romney by about 15-20 points. 2)Newt Gingrich will rise again to cancel Santorum out making each other non-viable. Major conservative vote splitting will occur again allowing Romney to come up the middle. 3)My prediction (other than Washington)is that Santorum doesn't win another contest in this primary season. 4)Romney has all the momentum and too much of an advantage in money and organization and will have the nomination...

Former Sen. Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania has a commanding lead among Republican presidential candidates in Texas, according to a new University of Texas/Texas Tribune poll. Santorum would get the votes of 45 percent of the respondents if the election were held today, according to the survey. The other three candidates in the GOP race-former U.S. Speaker Newt Gingrich, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney and U.S. Rep. Ron Paul of Texas--are clustered well behind. Gingrich got 18 percent, Romney received 16 percent and Paul garnered 14 percent.

The 10 most remarkable or telling polling stats from the past week: 1) From the CNN national poll of contenders Rick Santorum leads Mitt Romney in the South 32% to 30% with Newt Gingrich at 17%. It is thought by many pundits that the South is Gingrich's stronghold or strong suit. If these numbers are accurate, Super Tuesday may not go the way Gingrich wants it to go. There is a good chance Newt could lose both Tennessee and Oklahoma. If he lost his home state of Georgia as well, that would spell disaster. 2)PEW Research Approval/disapproval of Obama from...

Folks, we live in fascinating times, a time which I believe we are going to find it more and more difficult to find political consensus in. Take today for example: Jack Cafferty of CNN is lauding CNN's new push poll of Obama's overall approval (50%) and that the Messiah will overmatch and outwit any of the GOP presidential candidates, whichever one becomes the nominee. He acted like the cat who had just swallowed the canary, he was beside himself, gloating from ear to ear. Unfortunately some posters on the right-wing blogosphere have also adopted this negative narrative and posture as...