nhwingut
Since Dec 24, 2007

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I am a 40-something traditional Ronald Reagan/Sarah Palin type conservative living in the Live Free or Die state of New Hampshire - the only politically sane state left in New England.

My professional background is in Data Analytics and Business Intelligence. I am a graduate of Boston University with a BS in Mgt Studies and a MS in Computer Science.

I was brought up as an Irish Catholic Democrat in liberal Massachusetts. It's just the way it works. I still remember my mother bringing me to register to vote at City Hall. And I wasn't sure which party to pick (I was 18 and heading off to college and more concerned about where the next keg party would be held). Her being a Kennedy sycophant, she said, "You're a Democrat." So I checked the Democrat box and off I went. I was a registered Democrat for the next 20 years. And for the next 16 years or so I was your typical apolitical voter. I never really followed politics while going to school, starting my career, marrying, raising children, etc. I watched the debates and voted on personality and gut instinct. But I voted for Reagan (84), Bush (88), Bush (92), and Clinton (96) - so I was clearly conservative leaning without knowing it.

My real political baptism happened during the 2000 election. Again, I was an apolitical guy just watching the debates between Bush and Gore in the fall of 2000. I had no real horse in the race. I had voted for Clinton in 1996, but never felt any connection to Clinton/Gore. I do remember being turned off by the Gores kissing. I thought it was phony and contrived - and I am a contrarian by nature. And this was, again, not a partisan take. So, anyhow, I am watching the debate where Bush and Gore are in Boston (I believe) and walking around the stage. Gore walks over to Bush, trying to intimidate, and Bush gives him the up and down and nods his head. I was all in for Bush from that moment on. Gore came off as a condescending jerk and Bush came off as Joe cool. It's weird. But it's just how it works sometimes. Ask political consultants.

So I then followed the race from afar (not online or FR or anything like that). Just everyone once in a while I'd watch a news clip while on the tread mill at the gym or listen to the radio on the commute home from work. I liked W. And I liked his father. So I was rooting for Bush from that point on.

Then the election happened (I voted for Bush, still as a registered Democrat). I remember the call for Bush late at night. I was excited. Then the entire recount fiasco. It was then that I learned all about media bias. Now it again was not about political partisanship or ideology with me at this point. I just wanted Bush to win. And the media I watched was clearly in the Gore camp. It was weird. I was not calling them "liberal" or anything like that - just "unfair." I don't think I even realized it had anything to do with politics (just that they liked Gore better). So I was having lunch with a guy at work one day who happened to be a hardcore Republican. I started complaining that CNN was "so biased in favor of Gore." He laughed, and explained to me the whole media bias/political ideology issue. He suggested that I watch FOX News - which I had never watched before in my life. Presto. I was like wow. This is cool. A fair news channel.

So I followed all the chad counting and during this time I became a bit more politically aware (which sometimes my wife regrets). I started going down the checklist and realized I was conservative: social issues, fiscal issues, national security, etc.

But once Bush was confirmed by the Supreme Court though I sort of got back to my apolitical ways - career, golf, ESPN, etc. It was like my team won the Super Bowl - but now the season is over. I wasn't interested in the policy stuff, the daily back and forth on this vote or that vote - it was boring to me. I didn't really watch FOX News again.

Then 9/11 happened. And that was it. My whole life changed! I was now a hardcore Republican partisan. I became to detest Democrats and their allies with their appeasement and politically correct talking points. Here I wanted to blow up the entire Middle East, and the Dems wanted me to respect Muslim's feelings. It was FOX News 24/7. And not much has changed in the last 10 years. Except I don't want to blow up the Middle East. (I wouldn't want to waste the money on the bombs for these maggots. Let them kill each other.)

I most likely would have been a Republican prior to 9/11 as I was clearly moving in this direction - following the 2000 election. But 9/11 cemented it. George W Bush, for all his faults (and there were many), will always hold a place in my heart for the way he acted during and after 9/11. He was/is a patriot.

In 2003, I moved to New Hampshire and finally became a registered Republican - leaving the Democrat party forever.

As for my political tendencies... I'm a political realist and pragmatist... to a point. I despise media-appeasing sellouts and RINOs. But also think conservative purists are delusional.

I absolutely despise media bias - to the point of real anger. I used to be a fan of FOX News. But find myself turned off by their need to bring on left wing hacks every segment. (Note to FOX News: If I wanted to hear the liberal side of things, I would turn on any other channel; I would log on to Google or Yahoo or any other leftwing propagandist website. FOX News to me was like an escape from state-run media. Imagine Radio Free Europe deciding to offer the communist point of view... What is the sense? Enough already.)

I now only (regularly) watch Hannity. Rush and Levin are on my (web) radio must-listen-to list most every day - with Hannity and Howie Carr sprinkled in, here and there, depending on the issue of the day.

I love Free Republic. Other political sites I regularly visit include: Drudge, HotAir, Ace of Spades, and Lucianne. When not screaming and yelling (figuratively or via keyboard), I enjoy watching the PGA Tour, the NFL, and the NHL. I enjoy time with my family - a beautiful wife and daughters.

Every once in a while I enjoy a good cigar and a cold beer. I don't normally drink but when I do it's regular cheap fare: Bud Lite or Coors Light. I am a fan of Seinfeld and King of Queens reruns (not sure why, but just relaxing and funny).

My 2012 support went from Palin to Perry to Cain to Mitt. Never really a fan of Santorum or Newt. But respect both. (Perry could have been a contender if he came in more prepared for the debates.)

Palin 2016 (If Mitt blows it)! -9/12






Lib Trolls --> RightwardHo, RaisingCain, zt1053, AdriaticCons (4/12)

Onto 2016...

New (Trump) Trolls --> Nathan, Wife, Geron, LazyFair, Nick, Kevin, NYC (8/15)

Trump 2016. Make America Great Again!

Build a wall. Repeal Obamacare. Rebuild the Military. Rebuild the VA. Support Vets. Reduce Income Taxes. Fight Crony Capitalism (K Street & Wall Street). Redo Dumb Trade Deals. Destroy the EPA. Drill & Mine for Energy. Law & Order POTUS. Pro Life POTUS.

Trump Shakes Up the Inside-the-Beltway Establishment with His Immigration Plan
Rush Limbaugh

"What is Trump doing? With every insult that comes his way, with every bit of criticism, he doubles down and fires right back at the critics. This is, in one small part, exactly what Republican voters have been seeking, wanting to see. They've been thirsting for it.

When one party is trying to fundamentally transform this country and make it into something it is not founded to be, why is there no opposition to it?

They voted in mass numbers, landslide victories for Republicans in 2010, 2014. But they can't even get any criticism of the Democrats, much less any opposition policy!

And Trump comes along and the GOP is firing more than arrows at Trump. They're insulting him. It's predictable. Everything that they can throw including the kitchen sink. But again the lesson is what Trump is doing with it. I told you from the... Look, I hate to do "See, I Told You So" kind of stuff.

But I remember the first week this all happened when he stepped in it on the first original Mexico insults: Rapists, muggers, purse snatchers are who the Mexicans are sending. And then the insult of John McCain. (paraphrased) "I prefer prisoners that don't get caught, or servicemen that don't get caught." And the conventional wisdom, "That's it! He stepped in it, now. He can't survive that," and Trump doubled down on it.



I said the American people haven't seen anything like this. It's a teachable moment here. Standing up for what you believe after you say it and doubling down on it is rewarding. All of this so-called political correctness has been a myth. Oh, it's there. But the fact that the American people on a majority basis buy into it has been a myth. So that's why the me-toos are now going to start springing up.



It's a validation of what common sense has always thought. Fight back against some of this stuff! You'll be rewarded. And not just for the sake of the fight. That's not what this is all about. The inside-the-Beltway people are even mischaracterizing this. The purpose of the fight is what it represents, the standing up for principles, the standing up for the American way of life, the standing up for the very way the country is founded.



Anybody that does that is gonna be rewarded in this particular climate. They're not gonna ask, "Is the guy a conservative?" or whatever. They're not gonna ask that. They'll deal with that later. This is not a purity beauty pageant. Besides, what good has rock-ribbed conservatism done? I mean, the inside-the-Beltway intellectual conservatives are off having dinner with Obama and talking about the crease in his slacks and talking about how smart he is. What the hell good is conservatism, if that's what it means?

What good is conservatism if what it means is shutting up, and being thought of as a mannered, cultured, polite person who just steers away from skirmishes? What good is conservatism if it doesn't stand up for what it believes in? Yeah, it's an intellectual pursuit, but in terms of really understanding it, it's not something for only the intellectual eggheads on our side to be able to comprehend, define, and implement.

Believe me, this is a question a lot of people have been asking: What good is conservatism if what it does is seek to compliment Obama's intellect and his speech making ability and his whatever else? What do we gain by doing that? "Well, uh, Mr. Limbaugh, what you must understand is the Republican Party brand has been terribly damaged partly because we're seen as barbarians, constantly attacking!

"We must show that we can govern and work together and compromise. See if we can't do this, we don't have a chance of attracting the independents and so forth." Yeah, you're sitting there and you're dying with this attitude, because you're not gonna gain anything. You think you're gonna siphon Democrat votes, independent votes by shutting up?