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Conservatives Speak at CPAC; Issues Lead the Charge

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One of the most anticipated things to come with CPAC is the straw poll, and with the results from this year is what Conservatives have been rallying about for the last year or more. The main thing to take away is that strong Conservative/Libertarian issues lead the way.

When it was announced that Texas Congressman Ron Paul was at the top of the list at 31%, there were boos. And then, a resounding applause when former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney was announced with 22%. But why Paul before Romney? After all, some argue that Romney is the real winner and discrediting Ron Paul. However, when you look at what Paul has been talking about over that last few elections, one can’t help but think that Ron is now getting his turn at the limelight.

Part of the unscientific poll is to get an idea of where people stand on current issues. The theme of this year at CPAC was spending and the size of government. Both are top priority issues both Paul and Romney are proponents of. When asked, “Which ONE of the following comes closest to your core beliefs and ideology,” 80% of the people responded with, “My most important goal is to promote individual freedom by reducing the size and scope of government and its intrusion into the lives of its citizens.”

While favorability was part of the poll, those nembers can change almost at an instant. So again, we are brought back to the issues.

Which of the following issues is MOST, and SECOND MOST IMPORTANT to you personally?

  • 52% – Reducing size of Federal Government (35% 1st | 17% 2nd)
  • 33% – Reducing Government Spending (12% 1st | 21% 2nd)
  • 18% – The War on Terrorism (8% 1st | 10% 2nd)
  • 18 % – Lowering Taxes (6% 1st | 12% 2nd)          . . . MORE

Taking a look at those numbers really show you what people find important, but it also shows that people are educating themselves on the current issues. They aren’t so concerned about health care, as they are about reducing the size and reach of the government. They are educated about just how much the administration is spending and at what rate. So what should the Republican party do? The poll asked that same question, and people responded with 58%  cutting federal spending, 23% reducing the federal debt, and 15% cutting federal taxes.

Going back to trying to discredit Ron Paul would be absurd. He is a viable candidate. As viable as Romney. But, it is how these two build off the momentum created from the convention. Ron Paul has continued to say the same thing over and over again, and he would only have to present his record to prove his viablity against the more popular Mitt Romney.

CPAC Straw Poll Results

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The 2010 CPAC straw poll results are in, and they are:

  1. Ron Paul
  2. Mitt Romney
  3. Sarah Palin
  4. Tim Pawlenty
  5. Mike Pence
  6. Newt Gingrich

As the results were read, there was a great deal of applause for Ron Paul. However, an eruption that shook the walls of the conference when the name Mitt Romney was read.

2010 Coservative Political Action Conference in Washington

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The Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) this year is being held in Washington, D.C. from Thursday through Sunday. The key speaker for today was Mitt Romney, but he was not the only power player to show their face. Marco Rubio graced the microphone, as did NRA leader Wayne LaPierre.

While there are many quotes to pick from, probably the one that stands out the most was when Romney said, “When it comes to pinning blame, pin the tail on the donkeys.” As it did cause the crowd to erupt, it is the tone it places on the Obama administration as they seem to be doing just that. Blaming everyone else for what they have done.

It also sets the tone for a presidential run from Romney in 2012.

RCP – Romney says Obama failed America

“President Obama, Nancy Pelosi, Harry Reid and their team have failed the American people, and that is why their majority will be out the door,” Romney told a gathering of conservatives, a certain critical constituency in the upcoming Republican primary fight.

“He has prolonged the recession, expanded the pain of unemployment, and added to the burden of debt we will leave future generations,” Romney said.

Romney argued that Obama broke his promises of transparency and a new kind of politics. And Romney charged Obama with “the most blatant and reprehensible manifestation of political payoff in modern memory” by cutting a health care deal with unions.

Pumping up the GOP, Romney said: “The people of America are looking to conservatives for leadership, and we must not fail them.”

He said conservatives would strengthen the economy, U.S. security, and the nation’s families, though he acknowledged that not everything on the agenda is popular.

Still, he said: “The American people have shown that they are ready for truth to trump hope. The truth is that government is not the solution to all our problems.”          . . . MORE

WashingtonPost – Conservative Political Action Conference begins in Washington

Romney sounded similar themes as he defended his party against allegations from Democratic leaders that Republicans have become “the party of ‘no.’ ”

“Before we move away from this ‘no’ epithet the Democrats are fond of applying to us, let’s ask the Obama folks why they say no — no to a balanced budget, no to reforming entitlements, no to malpractice reform, no to missile defense in Eastern Europe, no to prosecuting Khalid Sheik Mohammed in a military tribunal, and no to tax cuts that create new jobs.

“You see, we conservatives don’t have a corner on saying no,” Romney continued. “We’re just the ones who say it when that’s the right thing to say.”          . . . MORE

FoxNews – ‘Freedom’ Just Another Word for . . . Big Debate at Conservative Conference

“Freedom” is the buzzword at this year’s Conservative Political Action Conference — from freedom from government “tyranny” to the freedom to earn a living.

And as the themes of freedom and liberty enjoy a resurgence among conservative activists, many of the people attending CPAC this week — an estimated 10,000, according to the American Conservative Union, which sponsors the event — say the burgeoning Tea Party movement has given voice to their concerns.

“It’s about every kind of freedom. When government grows bigger, citizens become smaller,” said Christian Callahan, a spokesman for “Let Freedom Ring,” a conservative nonprofit with a booth at CPAC.

Callahan said President Obama’s economic policies — including the auto industry bailouts, the skyrocketing budget deficits and the massive stimulus bill — have encroached on economic freedom and free market ideals.

“They are taking our choices away from us,” he said.          . . . MORE

2010 Elections, Change Brought by the People

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The direction of the 2010 elections look to shape a new change. A change lead by the people, which the Founding Fathers were prepared for. They laid out the direction in the Declaration of Independance.

That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness.

That is exactly what is going on today. There is an uprising of people, namely those associated with the Tea Party movement. They have become so against the current direction of the current administration that now they are putting a lot of pressure on those elected officials facing re-election in 2010.

So much pressure in fact that some of them have bowed out before their term is up. The most current being Evan Bayh, and others like Chris Dodd. Even the Kennedy clan is taking heat, with the only remaining Kennedy stepping down.

So, what does all of this mean? A simple look at the current polls show that Republicans are ahead. In the most recent Rasmussen telephone poll, 45% of the people would vote Republican while only 36% would vote the Democrat. The people are fed up. That’s why the Tea Party movement is so popular. People are ready. They are becoming more educated on what their elected officials are trying to do, and the Democratic party is getting worried.

That is the reason they are stepping down. They don’t want to lose. Nobody wants to lose. However, the people are starting to realize that if the Democrats continue to stay in power, the only one that will lose is the people themselves.

Sarah Palin: Electable or Not

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Sarah Palin is still all the buzz, and for what? Is she electable or not? While she has proven to be a viable asset, it is her electability that is in question.

Now that the first Tea Party Convention is in the past, the real test for Sarah Palin is if she is electable. That is not to say that she is never electable, but in the current stand she is not. I am not against Palin. Don’t get me wrong. I think there is a place and a reason for her. Just not at the helm of the Presidency. Just not yet. 2016, I feel, would be the soonest she could be in an administration. In 2016, she has the possibility of being a perfect Vice President candidate.

Sarah Palin is very good at drawing a crowd. She also has the ability to deliver a message that gets people to listen. How does she do it? Easy. The ‘real’ factor. You see, the ‘real’ factor is how people relate and how they see themselves. Sarah is presented as the next door neighbor, just with a large political platform that can present the real issues plaguing real Americans. Those same people look at her as having gone through what they are dealing with. Not like the ‘elites’ in Washington.

Recently, the ‘elites’ have distanced themselves even further away from the people. Sarah has been able to embrace her platform and keep the issues out in front instead of allowing Washington to further corrupt the nation more than what they already have. She is able to inspire others  to get politically active, and help deliver real change to Washington. The type of change that has inspired people to flood the phone lines of Senators and Representatives to protect the rights they feel are in danger.

So, what I am getting at is that for her to best be utilized is to be a voice. A conservative voice that not only unites the base of the GOP and the RNC, but also the people. The infighting will only lead to more of the same. One look at the 2008 election fight between McCain, Romney, and Huckabee. There is little denial that the length of time that Huckabee spent against Romney, divided the conservative base and allowed the leftist right to prevail and put McCain out in front. That is another story, however it demonstrates how unity is needed among conservatives and the right.

Again, is Sarah Palin electable or not? Time will only tell.

Supreme Court Rules On Campaign Spending

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In a monumental ruling, the Supreme Court issued a 5-4 ruling on overturning campaign spending limits. This ruling sent Democrats into a frantic frenzy over the constitutionality of the ruling. However, that is exactly what their ruling was based on. The Constitution.

President Obama added:

With its ruling today, the Supreme Court has given a green light to a new stampede of special interest money in our politics. It is a major victory for big oil, Wall Street banks, health insurance companies and the other powerful interests that marshal their power every day in Washington to drown out the voices of everyday Americans.

In one light, this ruling does seem to silence the small-wallet voice of the people. However, it was the voice of big business that had their First Amendment taken away previous to the overturn. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the AFL-CIO both urged the court to strike down the McCain-Feingold provision, as did the American Civil Liberties Union and the National Rifle Association.

On the other side of the aisle, Sen. Charles Schumer (D, NY) said, “This is poisonous to our democracy,” while Rep. Chris Van Hollen (D, MD) said, “This will allow the biggest corporations in the United States to engage in the buying and selling of elections.”

For more commentary:

Republican Scott Brown Wins Senate Seat

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Republican Scott Brown has won the Mass. senate seat, and now that the controvercial election for the late Ted Kennedy seat is decided, there are certain issues that are now coming forward.

One of the main concerns is when Scott Brown will be sworn in to his newly elected position. And with health care reform at its most pivotal moment, the democratic party is seen scrambling for the next step to radically change the U.S. health care system.

Fox News – Brown Beats Coakley in Massachusetts Senate Race

He also breaks the Democrats’ 60-vote, filibuster-proof majority in Washington, posing big problems for Obama’s agenda. Most immediately, Brown’s win sends Democrats into a scramble to pass health care reform before he arrives in Washington. Democrats were already weighing options for how to fast-track the bill before polls closed Tuesday.

The other thing that will be the talk of the town is how this monumental election could be a blueprint for future elections withing the GOP.

Wall Street Journal – Steele: Massachusetts Race ‘A Model for Campaigns of the Future’

In a memo to RNC members today, Steele said the national committee has been “working very diligently behind the scenes” with the Massachusetts Republican Party for the past three months to make the race what it is today—a likely Republican takeover in one of the bluest states in the nation.

“Never in the history of our party have so many fellow Republicans from all over the country worked so hard to help another state,” he wrote. “This is a model for campaigns of the future.”

For more commentary:

The Content of Character

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In a recently published book, Game Change, Sen. Harry Reid was quoted as saying that Obama was “light-skinned” and “had no negro dialect unless he wanted to have one.” The problem isn’t really in what he said – partly because it is true – but more in that it offers an opening as to the content of character which is Harry Reid and the party he belongs to.

While racial politics is a complex issue, on a recent episode of Glenn Beck in a segment titled ‘A Time to be Heard,’ this very thought was discussed. The video is about 20 minutes in length.

Your thoughts about the issue are very welcome.

Obama Team ‘Controlled’ Media During Election

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It was no secret that the media was in it for Barack Obama during the election. Now it is being bragged about by Anita Dunn, White House Communications Director, that they “controlled” the media to look “popular.” This comes as Dunn and the White House is attacking Fox News.

What Dunn said:

She explained that the campaign favored live interviews so that Obama’s words could not be edited — “so that what the voters heard we determined, as opposed to some editor in a TV station.” 

She said Campaign Manager David Plouffe put out Web videos so the campaign could avoid talking to reporters and focus the media message. 

“Whether it was a David Plouffe video or an Obama speech, a huge part of our press strategy was focused on making the media cover what Obama was actually saying as opposed to why the campaign was saying it,” she said. “One of the reasons we did so many of the David Plouffe videos was not just for our supporters, but also because it was a way for us to get our message out without having to actually talk to reporters. … We just put that out there and made them write what Plouffe had said as opposed to Plouffe doing an interview with a reporter. So it was very much we controlled it as opposed to the press controlled it.”