The Political Fish

Breaking from Fox News:

Republican state Assemblywoman Dierdre Scozzafava has suspended her campaign for upstate New York’s 23rd Congressional seat, giving a possible boost to Conservative Party nominee Doug Hoffman against Democrat Bill Owens, Fox News has confirmed. 

The move comes on the heels of a new poll that showed Scozzafava had fallen behind her two competitors in a race too close.

The special election is Tuesday and political analysts believe upstate New York is a preview of the races in 2010 and 2012 as Republican leaders struggle to rebuild, redefine and regain control of Washington.

The Siena College poll has Owens picking up 36 percent of the vote, while Hoffman has 35 percent. Scozzafava has 20 percent, with nine percent of voters undecided.

Chalk this one up to a victory for conservatives nationwide. And shame on Newt Gingrich for backing a woman who was clearly a center-left Republican and not representative of the conservative district that she was tapped to represent.

It will now be a two-horse race in the NY-23 district run-off election. Doug Hoffman, the Conservative party candidate, and Bill Owens the Democrat. Most recent polling with Scozzafava still in the race showed a neck and neck affair with Owens at 36%, Hoffman 35% and Scozzafava checking in with 20%.

Doug Hoffman garnered national attention for jumping into the race as a third party candidate after he was passed over in the selection process of the district. He attracted endorsements of many high-profile Republicans nationwide, as well as the teaparty activists who flocked towards upstate New York to lend their support.

This is what the Republican party needs. The big-tent philosophy of this party is what has gotten them into trouble in national elections recently. The base is motivated, and they are conservative.  Conservatives nationwide want to keep this country true to the principles it was founded upon, and this will be the start in retaking what has become an out of control governmental machine.

Now its time to watch the Governors races in New Jersey and Virginia.

Update:

From Newt Gingrich on Twitter:

newtgingrich Scozzafava dropping out leaves hoffman as only anti-tax anti-pelosi vote in ny 23 Every voter opposed to tax increases support doug hoffman11 minutes ago from TwitterBerry

Scozzafava’s statement:

Dear Friends and Supporters:

Throughout the course of my campaign for Congress, I have made the people of the 23rd District and the issues that affect them the focal point of my campaign. As a life long resident of this District, I care deeply and passionately about its people and our way of life. Whether as a candidate for Congress, a State Assemblywoman or a small town Mayor, I have always sought to act with the best interest of our District and its residents in mind—and today I again seek to act for the good of our community.

The opportunity to run as the Republican and Independence Party candidate to represent the 23rd District has been and remains one of the greatest honors of my life. During the past several months, as I’ve traveled the district, meeting and talking with voters about the issues that matter most to them, I’ve been overwhelmed by the amount of support I’ve received as I sought to serve as their voice in Washington. However, as Winston Churchill once said, Democracy can be a fickle employer, and the road to public office is not always a smooth one.

In recent days, polls have indicated that my chances of winning this election are not as strong as we would like them to be. The reality that I’ve come to accept is that in today’s political arena, you must be able to back up your message with money—and as I’ve been outspent on both sides, I’ve been unable to effectively address many of the charges that have been made about my record. But as I’ve said from the start of this campaign, this election is not about me, it’s about the people of this District. And, as always, today I will do what I believe serves their interests best.

It is increasingly clear that pressure is mounting on many of my supporters to shift their support. Consequently, I hereby release those individuals who have endorsed and supported my campaign to transfer their support as they see fit to do so. I am and have always been a proud Republican. It is my hope that with my actions today, my Party will emerge stronger and our District and our nation can take an important step towards restoring the enduring strength and economic prosperity that has defined us for generations.

On Election Day my name will appear on the ballot, but victory is unlikely. To those who support me – and to those who choose not to – I offer my sincerest thanks.

Dede

Apparently, according to our moderate progressive (refuse to call him conservative, as he wishes) Senator from South Carolina, he is also tired of the GOP being the party of “angry white men”.

While I am not a full steam ahead Ron Paul supporter, he bears much  more of a resemblance to what the Republican party says that it believes in, refusing to support ridiculous big government programs, spending, regulation, interference, and trampling on liberties. Senator Graham has not shown himself to be much in favor of these things based on his less than stellar conservative voting record. Watch the video below of the townhall meeting from Senator Lindsey Graham at Furhman University, and I will follow it with a Ron Paul response to Wolf Blitzer (that guy is still on tv??) interview for CNN.

And the response (this is where Ron Paul lays waste to Senator Grahams non-conservative record).

The indecision of President Barack Obama in Afghanistan is starting to make sense now. He is putting the attention of the White House on Fox News Channel and taking the fight to them instead of the sworn enemies of the United States, you might remember them as the Taliban and Al-Qaeda.

Most of us have seen by now the jaw dropping ignorance of interim White House communications director Anita Dunn a few days ago on CNN declaring all out war on Rupert Murdoch’s wildly successful media conglomerate, declaring them to not be a news station at all, but merely the research arm and communications arm of the Republican party. For those that missed it, here is the video.

Ms. Dunn is clearly unaware of the difference between news and opinion. Clearly Fox has its opinion shows, and there is undoubtedly a conservative bent to those shows. Glenn Beck and Sean Hannity are obviously staunch conservatives. Bill O’reilly falls into more of a moderate conservative mold, Greta Van Susteren the same. What Ms. Dunn has obviously failed to recognize is the numerous voices on the network that fall into the liberal side of the equation. Geraldo Rivera?? Bob Beckel, Pad Caddell and the list goes on of pundits, talking heads and contributors they have on the network to give both sides of the story. Makes for great entertainment. It also is what Americans want. NBC, ABC, CNN, CBS, MSNBC are so ridiculously in the tank for any and all Democrats (especially the Chosen One) that Americans are turning them off. On any given night, Fox beats them senseless in the ratings…Combined!

Neil Cavuto absolutely blasted Anita Dunn on his show with the most common sense logic you could possibly apply to that level of ignorance.

So why is the administration taking on Fox News? What could possibly be gained by this strategy. It is politically ignorant, and sets a dangerous precedent to attempt to intimidate the ONLY news station that is not completely in the tank for you. It really makes CNN and the rest of the sheep media look pathetic, because it simply illustrates the point that they are unwilling to print, opine, or produce any sort of coverage that might be critical of the President, and it appears to be at the behest of the Executive branch.  The reason is clear. Fox News has skyrocketing ratings. They are the highest they have ever been, and only going higher. Which is a clear indication to this administration that there is a growing unease and dissent among the American people when it comes to the force-fed policies of this administration. They see it, and they can’t stand it.  When the MSM even admits that carpet-bombing a news station that doesn’t conform is bad policy, then you know it must be real bad policy and strategy.

So as we continue to watch the Obama administration step up its attacks on American citizens and the place where they CHOOSE en masse to get their news, lets not forget about the soldiers in Afghanistan who have now endured 45 days of indecision on whether or not we want to win the war in Afghanistan.

Time to prioritize Mr. Obama.

From Townhall.com

House Republican leader John Boehner says nationwide protests known as “tea parties” are the result of pushback against Democrats’ spending.

Boehner says his Democratic colleagues are “bankrupting” the country.

People are demonstrating and attending town hall meetings because, Boehner says, “we’re in the midst of a political rebellion in America.”

Sorry John, the teaparties are more than just an opportunity for you to play political games against your Democrat opponents.

I like John Boehner, he is truly one of the few conservatives left, but he is dead wrong with that statement. He clearly has missed the entire point.

Boehner (R-OH) is correct on one hand, we are definetely in the midst of a political rebellion in this country, but sorry to say it sir, this has nothing to do with Democrat vs.  Republican and everything to do with out of control government. That would be Democrat AND Republican.  It has everything to do with liberty and freedom from an oppressive government bent on ruling the lives of each American individual.

The discontent (although much quieter) started during the Clinton and Bush years. It has reached a boiling point now, as the American public made the grave mistake of electing a progressive (aka socialist) in 2008. I stood shoulder to shoulder for many hours with a life-long Democrat in DC on 9/12 , who was there voicing his discontent at the government. All of it.

The Constitution is the law that rules our land. Our government has abandoned it as a guide. The GOP and the Democrats are both to blame, plenty to go around John.

Do not use the people to play political games. Your gamesmanship is no longer going unnoticed.

The Democratic National Commitee has been pushing through the campaign to marginalize, intimidate, and demonize average American citizens who have been swarming the townhall meetings with Congressional leaders. Apparently, the  liberal loons out there are really buying into the idea that if you protest the President, you have obviously been paid off by Fox News, big insurance, or some other rich, white Republican to disrupt and intimidate the members of Congress. Just another Brooks Brothers Brigade is how Robert Gibbs dismissed Americans excercising their freedom of speech. What I am about to post, I am only posting because of how ridiculous this is…but it points to the lack of decency, and frankly the desire to stifle debate on an issue that will affect each and every American citizen. Check this out from talkingpointsmemo.com. This is only page 2 of 4. Read the rest at the site…its….amusing.

It appears as if Republican Senators in the Judiciary commitee hearings for Judge Sonia Sotomayor are going to be left alone to parse her lengthy judicial record. While I personally have been  unable to watch the hearings in its entirety (mercifully I might add) what I have seen has been nothing more than a love affair from the Democrat Senators who find Sotomayor’s story of growing up in the Bronx to be more relevant than how she has decided cases, including her obvious racial and ideological bias’ that she has shown numerous times. We all get it, she was born in the Bronx, the daughter of Puerto Rican immigrants, lived in the projects…its great. But it should have no bearing on how she decides cases. She has shown that is not the case.

Its a disgrace that Democrat Senators have become so far entrenched in partisan bickering that they cannot even properly vet a candidate for the highest court in the land. Its being left to the seven Republicans on the commitee, likely in an effort to make them look bigoted or obstructionist. Junior Minnesota Senator Al Franken has been comical to watch, as he sits there like a silly kid amazed that he has this job. Wes Pruden in the Washington Times wrote an exceptionally harsh, but remarkably accurate piece on Franken today. See the whole thing here.

Al Franken’s vote is not likely to be the margin of victory for any of the schemes now being dreamed up by the Democrats, but the way he got to Washington, and the easy acceptance of fraud, will be remembered as typical of the times, an era when avarice reigned, and the clever swindle was a joke to be played by a clown.

Ahh, love is a wonderful thing. It would be nice if the United States Senate would spend less time being awestruck my Ms. Sotomayor, and spend more time doing their due diligence to ensure that America is not stuck with a judicial activist on the Supreme Court for the next 20 years. I won’t expect the in-over-his-head Al Franken to do this, but the rest of the Senators with a little experience should heed this call. I won’t hold my breath.

Waxman-Markey Clean Energy and Security Act passed the House of Representatives today by a 219-212 vote. 8 Republicans broke rank and voted in favor of the legislation, while 43 Democrats broke rank with their party voting nay on the bill.

Minority Leader John Boehner scolded the legislative body for not thoroughly debating this bill, taking just over 5 hours for over 1200 pages. I must admit, I have not been able to read the bill myself, especially the 300 page add-on that Chairman Henry Waxman decided to tack on at 3AM.
Democrats were giddy over its passage, as part of their agenda of rushed radical legislation. The people of this country have come alive to understand what is going on in the House of Representatives and in the Senate. It clearly does not represent the people of the United States, as they do not even have the good sense to debate and hash out the details of legislation that will affect each and every American. This administration and this Congress promise transparency, yet they drop a 300 page ammendment overnight, and force the vote the next day? God only knows what radical socialism is contained in that monstrous ammendment.

The bottom line on Cap and Trade is simple. It is the largest tax increase in American history. It will crush the manufacturing sector of this country. It will trickle down to the individual families of this country who will pay for the increases. It will drive business overseas. At which point, the pollution from China will still float over into our neighborhoods.

The US House just sold out every day working middle class Americans. I took notes on the Congressman from my area who voted in favor of this bill. It will become my political mission to remove them from office when they come up for election.

Iran has given us a deeper look into what tyranny and fascism really means. We learned today that they are expelling all foreign reporters from reporting on the unrest from the street level. The un-elected clerics have complete control over all other media (other than alternative media, social networking etc) and will control the story and the debate through these mediums.

Contrast that with the lead story on the Drudge Report which states that ABC News will be broadcasting on June 24 from the Blue Room of the White House. The purpose is a special report on President Obama’s socialist health care plan. This will basically be an infomercial on the issue, with no opposing views being aired, simply the need for the President to have his way on nationalising the health-care industry.

Monday night, the listless Republican party sent a letter to the head of ABC News, which I am sure will have no affect whatsoever.

Dear Mr. Westin:

As the national debate on health care reform intensifies, I am deeply concerned and disappointed with ABC’s astonishing decision to exclude opposing voices on this critical issue on June 24, 2009. Next Wednesday, ABC News will air a primetime health care reform “town hall” at the White House with President Barack Obama. In addition, according to an ABC News report, GOOD MORNING AMERICA, WORLD NEWS, NIGHTLINE and ABC’s web news “will all feature special programming on the president’s health care agenda.” This does not include the promotion, over the next 9 days, the president’s health care agenda will receive on ABC News programming.

Today, the Republican National Committee requested an opportunity to add our Party’s views to those of the President’s to ensure that all sides of the health care reform debate are presented. Our request was rejected. I believe that the President should have the ability to speak directly to the America people. However, I find it outrageous that ABC would prohibit our Party’s opposing thoughts and ideas from this national debate, which affects millions of ABC viewers.

In the absence of opposition, I am concerned this event will become a glorified infomercial to promote the Democrat agenda. If that is the case, this primetime infomercial should be paid for out of the DNC coffers. President Obama does not hold a monopoly on health care reform ideas or on free airtime. The President has stated time and time again that he wants a bipartisan debate. Therefore, the Republican Party should be included in this primetime event, or the DNC should pay for your airtime.

Respectfully,
Ken McKay
Republican National Committee
Chief of Staff

Lessons should be learned from Iran as we witness history. I hate to make the comparison, given the fact that the two situations are completely opposite. But a core freedom of the United States is the freedom of the press. When the ruling party controls the press and its message, it is no longer free.  We see this in Iran today, and their decree to shut out journalists from covering the rallies.  This should raise a red-flag for all Americans, and we as a people should not allow ABC News to go down this path. If they do, we should make it hurt…whether that is in the pocket books through sponsorship, or through ratings which will undoubtedly drop.

What happened to the spirited debate Mr. Obama? Weren’t you just touting the robust debate in Iran just a few days ago?? What happened to bipartisanship Mr. President?

The GOP has been in attack mode for the last few weeks. The attack machine of the so-called “conservative” party has been in overdrive. Unfortunately, they have been attacking all the wrong things. Most recently, you have the Republican hit machine taking swipes at the fact that President Obama took his wife out on a date this past weekend. The argument can be made (and its a good one) that this was an excessive abuse of his power. It was fiscally irresponsible, and could have even been poor judgement. All these things are probably true. At the end of the day, it will leave no lasting affect on the course of our country. It speaks only to the hypocrisy of our President as he calls on the nation to sacrifice and live within our means. This is obviously an issue for us to pay attention to. But is it really an issue that demands full blown attacks and statements and the “righteous anger” of the GOP? Follow me here for just a minute…

At the same time the GOP machine is taking major swings at the President for taking his wife on a lavish date, the same GOP who is outraged at this “heinous” lack of judgement have come out and basically admitted that Judge Sotomayor will be confirmed.  Senator John Cornyn has all but disavowed any criticism from “non-elected” officials and has withheld any statements against the Judge. Does it make sense to have such a strong backbone on something as inconsequential as a Friday night on the town, and then morph into a spineless blob on an issue that will directly effect the Constitution, the citizenry, and the Supreme Court for what is likely to be decades??

Confirmation of Judge Sonia Sotomayor is the politically expedient thing for the GOP to do.  To filibuster, or to give her a major fight could possibly anger a growing political demographic. However, it appears to have not harmed the Democrats when they put Miguel Estrada through the ringer. They seemed to have come out on top of that argument.  At some point, politics needs to be put aside to stand for something that you believe in. Why are Republicans willing to compromise on issues that fly in the face of the core values of our country?? The problem with the GOP is that they truly do not believe in anything at all. The Democrats have been successful because everyone knows what they stand for and what they are all about. Their core values fly in the face of everything that is conservatism. Yet the GOP wants to embrace them in the middle of the road on these issues to try and sway the moderates. Its poor strategy. At the end of the day, Dems are likely to continue voting for Dems. As long as the GOP continues to alienate their base, they will continue to be an irrelevant fixture in the 2-party political arena.

When the GOP decides to stand true to its core beliefs, you can rest assured that their will be another “Republican Revolution” like we saw during the Clinton years. The public is fed up with the corruption, hypocrisy, and duplicitous behavior of the Dem Congress. Eventually they will get fed up with the socialistic drive of this president. At this point there is no viable alternative…the GOP needs to become the alternative soon, and if they can’t, dissolve it all together and create a real conservative party.