Tuesday, February 21, 2012

• DINNER WITH BARACK OBAMA

I am SO tempted to send $3. Can you imagine if a number of conservatives ended up at this dinner?  --Jz

Jimmy Z --

Tomorrow night, we'll pick the first of four supporters who will sit down with me for dinner.

I'm hoping you'll take me up on the invitation.

Donate $3 or whatever you can today to be automatically entered for the chance to be my first dinner guest.

These meals are one simple thing that sets this campaign apart. The seats at our table don't belong to any Washington lobbyist or powerful interest.

These seats are yours.

Donate $3 or more today and be automatically entered to win:

https://my.democrats.org/The-First-Guest

Hope to see you,

Barack

• EMAIL FROM A FRIEND: GINGRICH, OBAMA

You won't agree, but how would you answer? --Jz

Gingrich is completely lost. He can't even remember the last decade. He forgot that GWB was our president when 911 happened. He apparently doesn't realize Obama has ENDED 1 war and is about to end another. The US has never been attacked during Obama's term, so where does he come up with the statement: He is incapable of defending the United States? Newt, check the scoreboard. You have no evidence of what you say. You are chicken-little-ing by making these statements. If you were President, how would anyone know if we had a 'serious' threat or a chicken little threat?

I don't even like Obama and I still feel compelled to defend him when old, dangerous, and apparently Alzheimer-suffering Newt gets loose.  --A friend's email to Jimmy Z

Tuesday, February 14, 2012

• We Are Getting A Despot!

Email from a friend of the show. Important reading - A rational, reasonable person worried for our country's future. --Jz

Something has been worrying me.  If the President is going "extra-constitutional", why doesn't he get challenged.  I know we don't have a Governor General, but isn't there someone who could do the equivalent of "prorogue parliament"?

I couldn't sleep, so I was listening to a Mark Levin podcast.  The first 30 minutes or so, Mr. Levin was wondering the same thing.  What do you do with an executive branch who is seizing power?  Obama isn't being challenged.  He is doing things, seizing more and more power.

I remember the son of Jesse Jackson Jr. saying B. Obama shoud go around Congress.  I thought at the time, "Yeah, right.....let him try."  Now he is doing it. What the hell?

Where is the emergency brake.  We have to be careful.  I studied American history, and always thought our system was great ... all those checks and balances.  It does need some sort of emergency brake if one branch is rolling over the others.

If you can, listen to the first twenty minutes of Mark Levin.  He seems to be worried too. 

I think he is having a two guest  show.  I haven't got there yet, but I think it will be an expert on the constitution.

Something should be challenged.  Mark Levin has a point, maybe they are nervous about taking things to the court.  It is a dilemma.  I am convinced more than ever, we are dealing with a fifth column.  The next step will be a Krystalnacht, and we won't recognize our country.  Boykin, a long time ago, thought Obama wrote into the health care legislation, a way to set up a constabulary in an "emergency" situation.  I thought it would be just a martial law situation, but maybe the General is right.  I'll dig up that old clip.  (My understanding here is that this is not so. --Jz)

The expert on Levin's show is Brent Bozell.

=============

Well, Mark Levin said he believes that Obama knows what he is doing.  He is hollowing out our country, with the intent to collapse  the system.  You have to collapse it before you can replace it. I agree with him.  Yup, we are in the middle of something big.  We are being rolled.  The show, the first two hours ... he thinks Obama is doing more damage than all your enemies could have hoped -WW1, WW2, Cold War, Civil War -  real damage from within. Obama will go down in history.   I think he says this right before the end of hour two- after Jeff Sessions.

I haven't heard the third hour, but it is morning here now.............a new day. Chores have to be done.

=============

http://pjmedia.com/tatler/2011/10/13/rep-jesse-jackson-jr-congress-is-in-rebellion-so-obama-should-go-outside-the-constitution/

OK:  I found this about Jesse Jackson Jr.'s son (it is a shame he reproduced) from way back (Oct. 13, 2011).  He wants Obama to go extra-constitutional.  Listen to this..............hire 15,000,0000 people at $40,000 each...................bail out the states.....................bail out the cities.  I thought back then, what a young jerk.  Now Obama is taking power that he doesn't have.  He's just steamrolling across all his opponents.  Now his campaign is going to start some TRUTH TEAM????   Can we say PROPAGANDA ARM of President Obama.  Holy crap, this is just insane.  

Tucker Carlson has a good investigation going into Media Matters.  It is almost like they have an Enemies List.  They are going to dig up dirt on television producers, GOP backers, it is just insane. You are not on that list, are you????  Just kidding. Gen. Boykin did mention that discrediting your opposition is a Marxist takeover plank.

Do you notice how fast things are moving?  I'll use an old fashioned word:  I feel discombobulated.  Things are being thrown out there so fast, you don't know how or what to do.  I guess that is by design too.  It is almost like a giant shell game.  We are watching what is happening, but nothing seems to make sense.  People say, "hey you can't do that" and before the words are out of their  mouth's, Obama has moved on to the next thing.

Maybe I'm just paranoid, but I don't think so. 

I always thought the world of the U.S.  I thought we were invisible.  When all this is over, and IF the good guys win, I really hope we have some fantastic trials!

Thanks to my listener for writing from the head and the heart. --Jz

Monday, February 13, 2012

• LATEST FROM THE OBAMA CAMPAIGN FRONT

VIA EMAIL, today, Monday, at 4:46pm pacific time from the DNC executive director:

Big announcement: the folks over at the Obama campaign launched the Truth Team today -- the grassroots effort to fight back against the GOP's attacks on President Obama's record.

This will be your one-stop shop to help make sure everyone you know gets the facts the next time Mitt Romney or any of the other candidates launch a false attack on the President, or when you hear someone ask what he's accomplished in office.

I wanted to be sure you saw this. The GOP candidates are making it their number one priority to distort our President's record, and they aren't acting alone. They have millions of dollars in special-interest ad spending at their disposal.

We're fighting back. With your help, we can hold the other guys accountable with the truth.

If you're ready to fight the GOP lies, join the team today:

http://my.democrats.org/Join-the-Team

Thanks,
Patrick Gaspard
Executive Director
Democratic National Committee

Sunday, February 12, 2012

• ARCHDIOCESE OF SEATTLE ON OBAMA MANDATE

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

We are writing you today about a very serious matter which deserves our attention and concern. New and proposed laws at both the state and national level pose an unprecedented threat to the fundamental right to religious liberty for all faith traditions. This threat undermines our country's First Amendment guarantees protecting the conscience rights of all citizens.

• The federal government recently announced that almost all employers, including Catholic employers, will be forced to offer their employees health coverage that includes sterilization, abortion-inducing drugs and contraception as “preventive” health services.

• This year the Washington State Legislature is considering bills that would mandate coverage for abortions in health insurance plans that provide maternity care coverage.

• Should the same-sex “marriage” bill be signed into law, we continue to be concerned that conscience provisions effectively provide protection to churches and religious organizations.

In addition to these threats, at the state level, based on an Attorney General’s 2002 opinion, the insurance commissioner affirmed his mandate that all state-regulated healthcare plans must cover contraceptives even if an employer has a religious or conscientious objection. This state mandate was bad enough. The federal mandate issued several weeks ago by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is much worse.

Under this unprecedented federal mandate, almost all health insurers will be required to include contraception, abortion-inducing drugs, and sterilization as “preventive” services in the health policies they write, and almost all individuals and employers will be forced to buy that coverage as a part of their policies. Moreover, the religiou s exemption to this mandate is so narrow that it would virtually require that the Catholic Church and Catholic institutions hire and serve only Catholics.

In a very grave violation of our religious liberty, the proposed abortion-insurance mandate before the Washington State Legislature similarly would place the Church, Catholic health care and all Catholic organizations and employers in an absolutely impossible situation.

We, the bishops of the Archdiocese of Seattle, have an obligation to make you aware of the seriousness of the situation and to ask for prayer and action to turn back these efforts to deny our constitutionally guaranteed right to religious liberty as a church. In generations past, the people of God, the Church, has always stood up to protect our sacred rights. Today we are again called upon to stand up for these rights. We will do so as loyal Americans and loyal Catholics.

We therefore ask two things of all Catholic people:

• First, as a community of faith we must commit ourselves to prayer and sacrifices, that wisdom and justice may prevail, and that religious liberty may be respected. Without God, we can do nothing; with God, nothing is impossible.

• Second, we urge you to visit www.usccb.org/conscience, and www.thewscc.org/ to learn more about this onslaught against religious liberty, and how you can contact your congressional and state legislative representatives to oppose these attacks on our religious liberty.

We cannot stand idly by while these assaults on our religious liberty are being perpetrated. Please join us in expressing to both federal and state officials our grave concern and strong objections.

Sincerely in Christ,

Most Rev. J. Peter Sartain
Archbishop of Seattle

Most Rev. Eusebio Elizondo, M.Sp.S.
Auxiliary Bishop of Seattle

• WHEN ACTIVISM BECOMES LEGALISTIC & OBSESSIVE

You might enjoy this - maybe, maybe not. A friend - or a contact anyway - on Facebook chastised me for watching, daring to laugh at and posting a link to a Saturday Night Live sketch (actually, it wasn't even a link to SNL, but to the Huffington Post), because he is a crusader against watching ANY television apparently. Have look:


So many conservatives watch SNL, Jay Leno, etc... not even thinking twice that they are helping generating ad revenue for GE... who in turn spends enormous sums on electing marxist a-holes like Obama (among other things)... From the wildly popular book, I have yet to write
"And THAT Virginia is how we got a marxist in the white house

    • Maryann Maccione Dodd And am I correct in that they pay little in taxes?
      10 hours ago ·
    • Joe Dan Gorman ‎'little' as in 'almost none' on billions of income.

    • Kevin Chittick I love that book (I have yet to read) "I have yet to Write"
      @Maryann is that a tease for the squel? Can't wait!!!

    • Joe Dan Gorman We're paying to have our own asses kicked...and outside of San Francisco...that's pretty sick!

    • Terri Gordon I don't watch the crap, nor do I go to movies that feature the ignorant commies.
    • Elder Reed I quit watching all thos just for that reason JD, even cancelled my HBO anbout five years ago when Bill Maher went on a rant about some asshat agenda item of the lefts. You are right, hell I won;t even watch some movies because of who the star.....

    • Tom Martin Very good Point Joe Dan, I boycott ALL movies with the Likes of Brad Pitt, George Clowney etc... As a matter of fact I watch very few movies anymore and concentrate on educational programming. Compromising your country for Entertainment is NOT an Option, $$$ you spend at the Movie Houses ends up right in the Pockets of the Marxist comes election time.

    • Lee Golden I for one do not.
    • Ellen Schaefer I don't watch either..never have!
    • Cheryl Barone Sweeney haven't watched since the mid 80's. not funny

    • Peggy Baker I too abandoned SNL and Leno years ago. I do not like mean spirited humor. I don't think we should always have to be PC, but most of the leftists feel they have to get mean ant personal. Nah!

    • Jimmy Z Zulz
      The current cast is VERY funny - easily the funniest since the days of Kevin Nealon, Dana Carvey, Dennis Miller, David Spade, Adam Sandler etc. Over the past few weeks, I've seen them rip on Al Sharpton, Obama, and some pretty big liberal icons in addition to our side of the aisle. Diversion from the serious matters at hand is very important, and Kenan Thompson doing Al Sharpton is just splendid.
      http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/12/11/saturday-night-live-al-sharpton-msnbc_n_1141929.html
    • Joe Dan Gorman Jimmy Z... are you fking pimping GE products on my wall? What the hell kind of 'conservative' promotes a Communism---which GE is. You are helping them raise money! Ad revenue! This is pure dumbass---paying someone to kick your own ass. NEVER POST LIBERAL SHIT ON MY WALL AGAIN> Comprende...
    • Joe Dan Gorman Yeah, GREAT Idea... how about contributing to Socialism as a 'diversion'--- Holy Cow...
    • Joe Dan Gorman You'd best be careful how you respond... I'm in no mood for someone who promotes socialist products on my wall.

    • Jimmy Z Zulz
      I watched most of the show last night, and I saw no socialism. The media is what it is. I don't take a hardline approach because I know everyone needs to laugh and be diverted. Do you have a TV in your house? I do. Do you pay for cable? I don't. Not a penny of MY money goes to the cable companies that distribute much more crap than SNL dishes out.

      I've promoted your material on my show, daily on my show. EVERY show has a Joe Dan Media ad within it. I have advised you that I'd like to have a new ad for your new project(s). I have done nothing but support you and what you are trying to achieve.

      But on this we disagree. Your warnings about how I should respond, what I can post in response - I find that troubling. Attacking me with the F word - that's conservatism I suppose? It's the OTHER side of the aisle, saying what can and cannot be 'American'. Joe Dan, you're talking to me as if I'm an enemy of yours. Either lighten up, or block my ass, but I won't be censored by Obama, Facebook, or Joe Dan Gorman.

      I doubt you'll be able to read my comment without blowing a cork, so I'll send it privately as well. But for those who are receiving this as an email notification, I don't see any reason for Mr. Gorman to lash out as he has. I've had him on my show, we spent a lot of time talking about his music and that show is still available in the archives.

      Anyway, that's that. Block me if you must, censor my comments, delete them, whatever you gotta do. But I have never done anything like that to anyone for disagreeing with me. On Facebook, via email and on my show, I WELCOME disagreement. It gives me an opportunity to strut my debate abilities. Perhaps you should hone up.
    • Joe Dan Gorman We,ve had this discussion before JZ.... You are Not going to SEE socialismm...DUH... But you are damn sure FUNDING it. They OWN the fking Network... who do you think gets the revenue? Thats how they DUPE dumbasses... Put an American Face on the Communist Product... And you are in the MEDIA and don't or cannot grasp this?
    • Jimmy Z Zulz I watch CBS more often. Love Person of Interest. But I still love your work and I still want a new ad for your newest project to play on my show. I'm a fan of what you do.
    • Jimmy Z Zulz And I'm not kissing your behind. I like your work, very much.
    • Lash LaRue And CBS is better? LOL... Thats insane.

      Joe Dan is dead on... everytime you tune in (via any digital means) ---you are counted, and become the raw data with which their advertising dollars are PAID. This is not even debatable.
    • Jimmy Z Zulz Lash, CBS News broke the Fast and Furious story and still takes the lead on most of the details coming out. Credit where credit is due. Do you have a TV?
    • Lash LaRue So because CBS occasionally cover a story [which is SUPPOSED to be their JOB] and pretend/act like they MIGHT be American... its okay to generate revenue for them? WTH?
      If you did not read Joe Dan's piece "MEDIA 101: Information Traffickers and The Art of Perception"----you really should.

      And yes I do have a TV...
    • Jimmy Z Zulz Lash, I'm not saying any such thing. You don't want to watch, don't.
    • Lash LaRue Maybe not with words...but your actions damn sure do. And I don't watch...
      Unlike YOU---I don't call myself a conservative and support socialism.
    • Jimmy Z Zulz Do you pay for cable?
    • Joe Dan Gorman Paying for cable is NOT even REMOTELY a calculable factor when determining viewership--- or ANY type of value-based market shares [which we all know determine and effect market value of any particular network's advertising rates].

      If it DID---no cable show would ever get canceled.
    • Jimmy Z Zulz Paying for cable supports all kinds of left wing cable networks, including msnbc.
    • Joe Dan Gorman So does banking at Bank of America, eating at The Olive Garden..and buying ANYTHING in California.... There are all kinds of enterprises that support Leftwing crap too...the list is endless. But that is changing the subject.

      We're discussing advertising revenue from promoting programs... any network's BREAD & BUTTER. Cable fees pale in comparison... and have NOTHING to do with advertising rate calculations.
    • Jimmy Z Zulz
      ‎1 person watching a link on the internet - how much revenue does that generate? I don't bank at BofA, and I don't eat at the Olive Garden and the related restaurants. Love the Red Lobster, but won't eat there anymore. So, how much revenue is generated by clicking a link vs. how much goes to - say - HBO if you like their fare? And Lash hasn't answered yet. We have to add up the numbers, because one click isn't much, but many people clicking adds up. Same for the cable fees. Many people paying for basic cable that includes MSNBC, even if they don't watch it, adds up to a lot of money.
    • Jimmy Z Zulz How much does MSNBC get from advertising AND cable fees? Enough to pay Rachel Maddow $12.5 million.
    • Jimmy Z Zulz Here's an article that cites ESPN (part of ABC) getting $2/subscriber/month. That's not chicken feed.
    • Jimmy Z Zulz MSNBC: "that the channel received an average rate of 70 cents per subscriber per month" stateofthemedia.org/2011/cable-essay/
    • Jimmy Z Zulz Here's the link with the number for ESPN
      http://abovethecrowd.com/2010/04/28/affiliate-fees-make-the-world-go-round/
      abovethecrowd.com
      “The clock on the wall's moving slower My heart it sinks to the ground And the storm that I thought would blow over Clouds the light of the love that I found” – Fool in the Rain, Led Zepp...

    • Joe Dan Gorman Fight for 'em Jimmy! Thats fine. Support your socialists elsewhere though pal....

      MSNBC was an indirect recipient of Bailout Money---which further proves my point... I'm done.
      One click don't matter is a cop out.
    • Jimmy Z Zulz That's the point - I DO NOT pay a penny for television.
    • Joe Dan Gorman Thats the attitude that put a Marxist in the White House --- nice job! Keep the dream alive!
    • Jimmy Z Zulz I get all my HDTV and about 19 channels I think - through the airwaves. Digital wave broadcasting.
    • Jimmy Z Zulz What attitude? I challenge all cable subscribers to stop supporting the communists.
    • Jimmy Z Zulz Now what?
    • Jimmy Z Zulz Never got an answer from Lash.
    • Joe Dan Gorman QUit changing the subject---You are promoting Liberal/Socialists sites... You did it here. You do it all the time. Be proud Comrade... Obama appreciates your efforts
    • Jimmy Z Zulz Joe Dan, it's all the same subject.
    • Jimmy Z Zulz You can't pay for cable and support these outlets with your own cash money and point the finger at me for posting a link.
    • Jimmy Z Zulz I'm off to the grocery.
    • Joe Dan Gorman Its not the same subject at all... You "JZ} are actively, knowingly and 'publicly' PROMOTING socialists by 'publicly' providing LINKS to these ACTIVELY-SOCIALIST websites for other people to click.
      End of story. Call it what you want.

      But it does not change the fact that YOU are contributing to the INCOME of the enemy. ---which, by the way....makes YOU MY enemy too.
    • Jimmy Z Zulz Joe Dan, so block me. I'll be happy to take this whole stupid dialogue to my show and explain why I no longer will play ads for Joe Dan Media. Your call, hypocrite. You pay for cable? You're supporting them ALL. I'm done here. Simmer down and talk to me with decency, or block me. You're not MY enemy for disagreement, but I won't have my ability to express myself limited by anyone. Thanks for playing.

Tuesday, February 7, 2012

• THE DEBATE: NEWT GINGRICH V RICK SANTORUM

Two friends of mine will debate whether or not the best man for the job is Newt Gingrich, Rick Santorum or Mitt Romney. On the PRO Gingrich side is SonlitKnight. On the ANTI Gingrich side (or, PRO Santorum) is Elvis Nixon. That's the simplistic position they espouse, but this will be more widely discussed. If you wish to join in, your comments are welcome beneath the post. Stand by for the opening statement from both participants.

PRO GINGRICH: SonlitKnight writes:


With the newest poll by Rasmussen showing Democrats at (yet another) all-time low, I will not insult your intelligence by suggesting that, given the chance, Rick Santorum could not beat Obama. I have said, and continue to say, that we can beat Obama with a ham sandwich. Rick's problem is that there are two men that he cannot beat. Their names are Romney and Gingrich. My opponent will surely say that Rick Santorum is the most Conservative candidate still in the running. I heartily disagree....with the "in the running" part. After his 34 vote Iowa victory, Santorum has gotten 9.4%, 13% and 13% in the last 3 contests. Like Huckabee in 2008, he has failed to capitalize on the Iowa momentum and his moment is now gone.

Santorum is an incredibly decent man, a devout Catholic Christian, a wonderful steadfast conservative and a family many who has shown incredible grace amid some heavy crosses. If you are making the argument that Santorum is more of a Conservative purist than Newt, I'd say you have a plausible enough case that I won't contest it.

You miss the point.

As a patriot, Rick must do what's best for the country, not what's best for Rick. Had Rick Santorum dropped out after South Carolina, Newt Gingrich would have won Florida. Had Newt Gingrich dropped out, Santorum would not have won Florida, Romney would have simply won by a wider margin. Exit polls bear this out.
If Santorum drops out now, Newt Gingrich will win Michigan. That's right, Michigan, where Mitt Romney's Dad was a Governor.

The race, right now, is between Newt Gingrich, who couldn't possibly win the house in 1994, but did. He is the man who couldn't possibly balance the budget, but did. He is the heir to the legacy of Ronald Reagan, who could not possibly beat Jimmy carter, but did. Now, the Gingriches and Reagans of the world are being mocked and ridiculed by the likes of Bob Dole and John McCain. Yes! let's take advice from the only Republicans in 50 years to lose Florida, North Carolina, Virginia, Ohio, Indiana, Colorado, Iowa, New Mexico, New Hampshire and Nevada! How's that "movin' to the center" thing working out for ya, Mitt?

Still, I will concede that, in this election cycle, even a mutt like Mitt beats Obama (though both lose to the Ham sandwich).

That's where the trouble starts. You see, I don't want to beat Obama WITH Obama. Ok...Romney has a better haircut. I'll give you just on example (beyond the obvious support of health care, social engineering).

The Federal minimum wage is an unconstitutional, unfunded mandate that is little more than a gimmick to get Democrats elected. It has never created a job and it has never been shown to help the poor. It is electioneering sleight of hand.

Let me explain.

Suzy makes $7.25 per hour. Joan makes $14.50 per hour.

Suzy's rate is increased to $7.98, a 10% hike in the minimum wage. Suzy's company did not enjoy any increased production and has, thus, taken a 10% direct hit on their profits. Suzy's company (and everyone else's) must raise their prices 10% so Suzy has gone absolutely nowhere in terms of buying power. On the other hand, Joan, unless she too gets a 10% raise (very unlikely) has just seen her real buying power drop to $13.05.

Unfortunately, many employees only receive an annual Cost of living adjustment, so their wages (in terms of constant dollars) never go up.

Mitt Romney, genius businessman wants an automatic, annual increase in the minimum wage, indexed to inflation. This means that only those making the minimum wage, or people getting raises at twice the inflation rate, will not see their pay decline each year. So, each year, the advantage of pay for skilled, trained seasoned workers over burger flippers,will decrease until the incentive to produce disappears completely.

This is the America Barack Obama and Nancy Pelosi want! Should our nominee be pushing such crap?

Right now there is one man who can stop him, only one. Unfortunately, there is also only one man who can stop the man who can stop Mitt Romney. For goodness sake, Rick, wake up and smell the coffee. It's not about you, we've got a country to save.  (2/2/12)


PRO SANTORUM: Elvis Nixon

First of all, I thank SonlitKnight for his comprehensive opening salvo and his tone of respect and reasonable attitude. Far too often political debates degenerate into rancorous jeremiads with neither side proving much except their own emotional incontinence.

SonlitKnight and I agree one the most important issue of all. Mr Obama is a threat to Christian values and in his arrogance Mr Obama has emboldened our enemies abroad and weakened our nation at home. His judicial appointments have been a catastrophe and his administration is openly hostile to the republican form of government as enshrined in our U.S. Constitution.

The fundamental question is which candidate is best suited to unseat Mr Obama in the upcoming election?

I must state that I am not overly impressed with any of the four remaining GOP candidates. In a nation that is overwhelmingly Protestant, it is peculiar that the political party most strongly associated with evangelical Christians has a Mormon front runner and two Roman Catholics as its top three candidates.

Let's examine the field. I have read Ron Paul's explicit Christian testimony and am heartened by his statements in favor of life and other issue of profound importance to Christian voters. Dr Ron Paul is outstanding in his analysis of the Federal Reserve and Austrian (Free Market) economics, and his domestic policy is overall quite good, but for a variety of issues that deserve a fully developed treatment and analysis, it is perhaps best to say that he has made a few remarks that are "off the reservation" with regard to current mainstream GOP voters. He will not be the GOP nominee (but I believe he can make an important contribution via his delegates at the GOP Convention in Tampa, Florida.) Beyond that it seems that Mr Paul is far and away the dark horse of the GOP field and as such not really a part of the discussion at hand.

That leaves the other three. In an effort to address the most crucial issue before us, how to unseat Obama I will stipulate, for the sake of this debate only, that Governor Romney has some problems.

Having said that, we are left with Newt Gingrich and Rick Santorum.

If we table the viability of Governor Romney, the problem before us is: If not Romney, who?

Realistically, one of the other two should step aside so that the votes of those opposed to Romney may be pooled together. Who must step aside? It must be Newt Gingrich.

I agree wholeheartedly that Mr Gingrich's attacks on the sanctimonious liberal media are delightful to watch but the sad truth is that he is an enormous liability to the Republican Party.

Gingrich claims he is a "Reagan Conservative." This claim has as much validity as Islamo-Atheist Obama claiming that he is a Christian and that the Bible instructs him to raise taxes. Simply making a statement does not make it true.

Mr Gingrich is not a traditional conservative. Conservatives do not leave their wife (suffering with cancer) for another woman and then do the same to wife #2 (who suffered from MS) while carrying on an elongated affair with wife #3. Gingrich libeled his former wife by claiming he had "witnesses" that he never asked for an "open marriage." This defense is absurd on its face. Were these alleged witnesses with him at every moment? Were they privy to his bedroom conversations with his wife? If so, how reliable are their claims?

Even if you believe Gingrich's abandoned wife is a liar, you must face the reality that a triple-marriage career politician is better suited to the party of Clinton than than the Party of Reagan (Yes, Reagan was divorced once. His wife left him- enormous difference).

Can we be so naive as to believe that Mr Gingrich's "friends" in the media will not revisit this sordid affair over and over as he campaigns against beloved Obama?

Gingrich polls in the low 20% with GOP women and even lower among independent women and democrats. There are more women registered to vote in the United States than men. This argument alone ought to be dis-positive on practical grounds.

For the sake of argument, let us continue with Newt's disqualifications beyond his personal moral failings.

Fundamentally, the argument is that Gingrich represents "true" conservative values and Romney does not. The issue then becomes defining what you mean by "conservative."

Gingrich is a committed globalist who shepherded through GATT and NAFTA for Bill Clinton. These treaties sundered American sovereignty and resulted in the hemorrhaging of millions of manufacturing jobs and the massive influx of illiterate Mexicans whose own traditional economy was shattered as a direct consequence of NAFTA. Gingrich has never once apologized for his vital role in these fiasco and indeed boasts of it.

Did conservatives endorse pro-abortion/pro-homosexual "marriage" candidate Dee Dee Scozzafava over a TEA Party candidate? No. But NAFTA Newt did.

Do conservatives join with Nancy Pelosi endorsing the idea of man made climate change and make commercials on behalf of this sideshow? No, but NAFTA Newt did.

With millions of American citizens out of work and illegals FLOODING the US to take jobs away from unemployed Americans, do conservatives endorse the DREAM Act and amnesty? No, but Newt does. His Hispandering is nauseating.

The list goes on and on. I have not even started on Newt's profiting from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.

Newt is no conservative.

His erratic behavior and hubris guarantee an election campaign overflowing with gaffes (such as his "moon base" pledge) that will be fodder for the very media Newt disparages.

If anyone ought to drop out, it must be Newt. (2/3/12)


PRO-GINGRICH: SonlitKnight

The best way for me to respond to Mr. Nixon is to put his remarks in brackets [ like this ] and then address them. So let's go......

[ First of all, I thank SonlitKnight for his comprehensive opening salvo and his tone of respect and reasonable attitude. Far too often political debates degenerate into rancorous jeremiads with neither side proving much except their own emotional incontinence. ]

Well, thank you. You are right, political discussion can get emotional.

[ SonlitKnight and I agree one the most important issue of all. Mr Obama is a threat to Christian values and in his arrogance Mr Obama has emboldened our enemies abroad and weakened our nation at home. His judicial appointments have been a catastrophe and his administration is openly hostile to the republican form of government as enshrined in our U.S. Constitution.

The fundamental question is which candidate is best suited to unseat Mr Obama in the upcoming election? ]

No, I disagree. I think that, right now the question is which of the three remaining viable candidates is UNSUITABLE to run against Obama and how do we stop him? I think we are approaching this from the perspective of who you think the best man is. You say Santorum and you may very well be right.

However, the best man to run against Obama has to be someone theoretically capable of running against Obama.

I can say that the best team to beat the Patriots is the Steelers. I could argue that the Steelers beat the Patriots earlier. That is all irrelevant. Right now, the only team CAPABLE of beating the Patriots are the Giants. I may PREFER the Steelers but the only CHOICES are the Patriots and the Giants.

Likewise, Santorum is and has been a better man than Gingrich. I gladly concede it...but the nomination is going to be between Romney and Gingrich. You know it, I know it, everybody knows it.

[ I must state that I am not overly impressed with any of the four remaining GOP candidates. In a nation that is overwhelmingly Protestant, it is peculiar that the political party most strongly associated with evangelical Christians has a Mormon front runner and two Roman Catholics as its top three candidates. ]

Overwhelmingly protestant? Huh? 1 in 4 Americans are Catholic making it-by far- the largest Christian denomination. Further, 9 of the 47 Republicans in the US Senate are Catholics. Again, by far, the largest denomination. In the US House, there are scores of Catholic Republicans, including the Speaker. The same is true of Governors- Bob McDonnell, the Governor of my state is one example. So, your comment about the fringe religion of Mormonism may have merit, but my religion has earned it's rightful place in our political structure, thank you very much.

[ Let's examine the field. I have read Ron Paul's explicit Christian testimony and am heartened by his statements in favor of life and other issue of profound importance to Christian voters. Dr Ron Paul is outstanding in his analysis of the Federal Reserve and Austrian (Free Market) economics, and his domestic policy is overall quite good, but for a variety of issues that deserve a fully developed treatment and analysis, it is perhaps best to say that he has made a few remarks that are "off the reservation" with regard to current mainstream GOP voters. He will not be the GOP nominee (but I believe he can make an important contribution via his delegates at the GOP Convention in Tampa, Florida.) Beyond that it seems that Mr Paul is far and away the dark horse of the GOP field and as such not really a part of the discussion at hand. ]

In my estimation, Ron Paul is nuttier than a pecan pie but, since we both agree he is nut viable, I'll end it there.

[ That leaves the other three. In an effort to address the most crucial issue before us, how to unseat Obama I will stipulate, for the sake of this debate only, that Governor Romney has some problems.

Having said that, we are left with Newt Gingrich and Rick Santorum.

If we table the viability of Governor Romney, the problem before us is: If not Romney, who? ]

Saying Romney "has some problems" could qualify you for understatement of the year. However, you last question gets to the meat of the matter. If not, Romney, who?

To answer that question, let's get back to my earlier comparison between the Governor from Massachusetts and the TEAM from Massachusetts. If not the Patriots, who?

There is only one possible answer... the Giants.

In this analogy, Newt is The Giants.

[ Realistically, one of the other two should step aside so that the votes of those opposed to Romney may be pooled together. Who must step aside? It must be Newt Gingrich. ]

It is ironic that you say "realistically" then suggest that it is Newt who should step aside. Gingrich leads Santorum nationally by 10 while Romney leads Gingrich by only 5.

http://www.gallup.com/poll/152423/Romney-Leads-Gingrich.aspx

It is beyond any use of logic to suggest that Santorum is the more viable of the two.

[ I agree wholeheartedly that Mr Gingrich's attacks on the sanctimonious liberal media are delightful to watch but the sad truth is that he is an enormous liability to the Republican Party. ]

That is an assertion you have yet to prove.

[ Gingrich claims he is a "Reagan Conservative." This claim has as much validity as Islamo-Atheist Obama claiming that he is a Christian and that the Bible instructs him to raise taxes. Simply making a statement does not make it true. ]

That was not a very sound argument. The use of both hyperbole and the juxtaposition fallacy did little to advance your case. I would argue that BOTH Reagans (Nancy and Michael) have said that he is, in fact, the torch bearer for RR. I would also state that his accomplishments as Speaker (including 4 straight balanced budgets) speak for themselves.

[ Mr Gingrich is not a traditional conservative. Conservatives do not leave their wife (suffering with cancer) for another woman and then do the same to wife #2 (who suffered from MS) while carrying on an elongated affair with wife #3. Gingrich libeled his former wife by claiming he had "witnesses" that he never asked for an "open marriage." This defense is absurd on its face. Were these alleged witnesses with him at every moment? Were they privy to his bedroom conversations with his wife? If so, how reliable are their claims?

Even if you believe Gingrich's abandoned wife is a liar, you must face the reality that a triple-marriage career politician is better suited to the party of Clinton than than the Party of Reagan (Yes, Reagan was divorced once. His wife left him- enormous difference). ]

These things have nothing to do with being a Conservative. Sorry to inform you of this but Conservatives are sinners too, myself included. Was what Newt did rotten? Yes. Do I believe he is truly repentant? I do. King David committed adultery too, as did Mary Magdalene. God didn't write them off.

[ Can we be so naive as to believe that Mr Gingrich's "friends" in the media will not revisit this sordid affair over and over as he campaigns against beloved Obama? ]

No more than they will revisit Santorum comparing gays to those who have sex with animals. I care not what MSNBC has to say.

[ Gingrich polls in the low 20% with GOP women and even lower among independent women and democrats. There are more women registered to vote in the United States than men. This argument alone ought to be dis-positive on practical grounds. ]

Gingrich received a higher percentage of the women's vote in SC then either Romney or Santorum.

[ Fundamentally, the argument is that Gingrich represents "true" conservative values and Romney does not. The issue then becomes defining what you mean by "conservative."

Gingrich is a committed globalist who shepherded through GATT and NAFTA for Bill Clinton. These treaties sundered American sovereignty and resulted in the hemorrhaging of millions of manufacturing jobs and the massive influx of illiterate Mexicans whose own traditional economy was shattered as a direct consequence of NAFTA. Gingrich has never once apologized for his vital role in these fiasco and indeed boasts of it.

Did conservatives endorse pro-abortion/pro-homosexual "marriage" candidate Dee Dee Scozzafava over a TEA Party candidate? No. But NAFTA Newt did.

Do conservatives join with Nancy Pelosi endorsing the idea of man made climate change and make commercials on behalf of this sideshow? No, but NAFTA Newt did.

With millions of American citizens out of work and illegals FLOODING the US to take jobs away from unemployed Americans, do conservatives endorse the DREAM Act and amnesty? No, but Newt does. His Hispandering is nauseating.

The list goes on and on. I have not even started on Newt's profiting from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.

Newt is no conservative.

His erratic behavior and hubris guarantee an election campaign overflowing with gaffes (such as his "moon base" pledge) that will be fodder for the very media Newt disparages.

If anyone ought to drop out, it must be Newt. ]

First of all, I have never been one to buy into the ridiculous "One world government" hooey that springs from a gross misunderstanding of the book of Revelation and an almost flat-earth denial of the technological age we live in.

Nevertheless, I agree that NAFTA and GATT were both bad deals, not because they sought global trade (a reality that we must live in) but because the put us at an unfair advantage. We can argue that and all those other issues until the cows come home and it won't change one fundamental reality.

Either Newt will be the nominee or Romney will. I never claimed Newt was perfect, far from it. I have only said, and you agree, that Romney is worse.

Newt cleaned Rick's clock in SC and in Florida and Nevada will obviously be the same. Santorum cannot win...he can only help Romney win.

Is THAT what you want? I hope not.  (2/4/12)

--------------------------------

ADDENDUM: Mr. Nixon, I offer my closing argument here and now and the supporters of Jimmy Z can decide the outcome. Here are the facts, and they are not disputed.

Mitt Romney has now won three states and Gingrich and Santorum one each. Santorum won Iowa by 34 votes over Romney, while Gingrich won South Carolina by almost 76,000 over Romney. Gingrich bested Santorum by almost twice that number in South Carolina.

All three of Romney's wins came in critical battleground states where Obama is trouble. In all 3, Romney won with less than 50% of the vote so the failure of conservatives to unite is to blame. In all 3, Gingrich beat Santorum. That's right, Gingrich has now beaten Santorum 4 consecutive times. True, the margin in New Hampshire was close but it has been anything but close since.

Here are the margins by Gingrich over Santorum in the last 3 contests by raw numbers and percentage:
• In South Carolina, Gingrich beat Santorum by 141,111 votes. In this contest, Gingrich got 238% of the vote total of Santorum.

• In Florida, Gingrich beat Santorum by 310,318, achieving 239% of the Santorum vote.

• In Nevada, hard numbers are not yet in but the percentages are showing that Gingrich has gotten about 313% of the vote of Santorum, who at 8%, is going to also finish behind Ron Paul.
If the 8% number holds, Santorum's average finish in the last 4 contests is less than 11% of the vote with Santorum losing ground to Gingrich 4 consecutive times since Iowa. True, even with Santorum out, Gingrich would have lost New Hampshire (Romney's back yard) and Nevada (where there was a heavy Mormon vote) but he would have still gotten more delegates, as those states give them by proportion. Yet, Gingrich could very plausibly have won Florida. Depressed turnout hurt him there because of Santorum's stubborn refusal to drop out. We are running out of time to stop Romney. This isn't funny anymore.

These are the facts and they are undisputed. Santorum needs to drop out today. Period. The Gingrich side rests.  (2/5/12)


PRO-SANTORUM: Elvis Nixon

It seems that the Newt Gingrich aficionados are intent on following a "don't bother me with the facts" stance.

Rasmussen released a poll today showing that Rick Santorum is the only Republican who can beat Obama in a head to head contest.

If Newt were a true conservative and a man of honor he would drop out today and pledge all of his support to Santorum -assuming Newt actually believes Romney is the wrong man for the job- a hard thing to imagine seeing as there is hardly a dimes' worth of difference on policy between them- except on importing illiterate illegal aliens in the midst of an economic crisis- Newt is all for that- Romney is not.

I pointed out the multiple factors that would lead any reasonable person to conclude that Newt Gingrich by far the worst candidate in GOP field

Gingrich has an abysmal record of throwing fellow conservatives under the bus in favor of enriching himself and preening before the cameras.

Ron Paul was the Texas Chairman for Ronald Reagan back in 1976. Reagan personally taped a glowing endorsement for Dr Paul when he was campaigning in the 1980's. Newt Gingich attempted to put an open borders neoCon up against Ron Paul. If your standard for a candidate is being a genuine "Reagan Conservative" that would mean you must endorse Ron Paul.

I made the following factual statements that were dismissed as something "we can argue about until the cows come home"- actually there would not be much of an "argument" as each statement is a historically accurate truth:

"..Gingrich is a committed globalist who shepherded through GATT and NAFTA for Bill Clinton. These treaties sundered American sovereignty and resulted in the hemorrhaging of millions of manufacturing jobs and the massive influx of illiterate Mexicans whose own traditional economy was shattered as a direct consequence of NAFTA. Gingrich has never once apologized for his vital role in these fiasco and indeed boasts of it.

Did conservatives endorse pro-abortion/pro-homosexual "marriage" candidate Dee Dee Scozzafava over a TEA Party candidate? No. But NAFTA Newt did.

Do conservatives join with Nancy Pelosi endorsing the idea of man made climate change and make commercials on behalf of this sideshow? No, but NAFTA Newt did.

With millions of American citizens out of work and illegals FLOODING the US to take jobs away from unemployed Americans, do conservatives endorse the DREAM Act and amnesty? No, but Newt does. His Hispandering is nauseating.

The list goes on and on. I have not even started on Newt's profiting from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.

Newt is no conservative.

His erratic behavior and hubris guarantee an election campaign overflowing with gaffes (such as his "moon base" pledge) that will be fodder for the very media Newt disparages.

If anyone ought to drop out, it must be Newt"

To discount the media firestorm that will be unleashed on whoever the GOP candidate will be it is madness to argue that "I do not care about what MSNBC says"- you may not but plenty of ignorant voters do listen to the managed media. Why give them a seemingly deranged candidate with a horribly checkered past?

Gingrich has led his entire public life as a parasite. A parasite on public funding. A parasite who excortiates actual conservatives like Paul Ryan with his infamous "Right Wing Social engineering" remarks- Gingrich is a parasite on the conservative moment.

The man is a phony and the electorate sees him as erratic and un-electable. His win in South Carolina has been repudiated by wide margins. Even his Vegas money base failed to generate any interest in him and his "sugar daddy" Adelson is cutting off the spigot of gambling $.

Newt must go - He is an embarrassment on par with Jeb Bush and Juan McCain.


PRO-GINGRICH: SonlitKnight

[ It seems that the Newt Gingrich aficionados are intent on following a "don't bother me with the facts" stance. ] (Previous comments from Elvis Nixon appear in blue)

I thought that you were the one that said we should stay clear of hyperbolic, inflammatory rhetoric. First of all, I am not a Newt aficionado nor have I ever claimed to be. There are at least a dozen other candidates I would have been more than willing to support but each either declined to run or were not able to make a good showing. As for the "don't bother me with the facts" crap, that was just as incendiary, just as unnecessary and, frankly, just as much of a lie as the first statement.

I never contested a single true statement that you made. If I did, please point to it. You sir, do not seem to comprehend that something can be true and, at the same time, irrelevant to the debate at hand.

[ Rasmussen released a poll today showing that Rick Santorum is the only Republican who can beat Obama in a head to head contest. ]

As some one who knows a bit about polling, and actually interviewed Scott Rasmussen, let me tell you what this is called.... It's called "statistical noise". There have been dozens and dozens of polls taken by Rasmussen and Santorum, Gingrich, Cain and Romney have all been shown to lead Obama at one time or another. This is the first and only poll showing Santorum up top but it doesn't matter. They are up, they are down, from day to day and week to week but one thing remains constant- the incumbent Obama almost always draws less than 50% in the top-line (or horse race ) number. The same is true of his overall approval number and especially his strong approval number. They have all been consistently underwater. This is even more pronounced when you screen the sample to states (where Obama is underwater in 40 out of 50 and in 10 of the top 12 battlegrounds) and to undecided voters, where his approval/disapproval sits at -56 (20/76).

The same poll you referenced showed Romney down 47-41 correct? So, undecided voters who approve of Obama at a rate of 20% (and strongly approve of him at a rate of 2% are going to swing to him?

No. 76% of those undecideds are going to break for Romney, 20% for Obama and the remaining 4% will stay home. So, the reality of this poll is Romney at 50.1 and Obama at 49.4. Please do not insult my intelligence by suggesting that only Santorum can beat Obama. Obama is toast, it isn't even a question. We can beat him with a ham sandwich.

I am not concerned at all with the Democrats winning the 2012 election.....

but I am starting to be petrified about 2014 and 2016.

[ If Newt were a true conservative and a man of honor he would drop out today and pledge all of his support to Santorum -assuming Newt actually believes Romney is the wrong man for the job- a hard thing to imagine seeing as there is hardly a dimes' worth of difference on policy between them- except on importing illiterate illegal aliens in the midst of an economic crisis- Newt is all for that- Romney is not. ]

There isn't anything substantive that can be responded to there. First of all, I have already conceded the man of honor badge to Santorum. This is one of those irrelevant facts that I pointed to. Ok.... So, Santorum is more honorable than Gingrich. Billy Graham is more honorable than either of them so let's nominate Billy Graham. Stop being silly and stick to the facts. For you to suggest that there isn't a dime's worth of difference between Romney and Gingrich is just more empty, hyperventilated rhetoric. Do I have disagreements with Gingrich? Sure. How about the fact that Santorum endorsed Arlen Spectre over Pat Toomey, hmmm? Arlen Spectre??? Are you kidding me????

None of the candidates are perfect. Yet, what has struck you down is the fact that you have already conceded that Romney is the worst. I will not let you back off that concession now because you find yourself cornered.

The ONLY relevant fact is that Gingrich at least has a shot of stopping Romney, while Mr. 10% clearly does not. Your insistence that the man who has beaten your guy 4 straight times (by almost 2 1/2 times in the last 3) is the guy who should drop out tells me one very sobering fact...

Do not ask for whom the "afraid of the facts" bell tolls....it tolls for thee.

[ I made the following factual statements that were dismissed as something "we can argue about until the cows come home"- actually there would not be much of an "argument" as each statement is a historically accurate truth. ]

Yes, I dismissed them, not on the basis of their accuracy but on the basis of their RELEVANCE. I opposed both Nafta and Gatt but that has NOTHING to do with the argument at hand. I would LOVE to get behind a candidate who is 100% right on 100% of the issues. We are trying to settle who can stop Mitt Romney and you want to argue with me over Nafta! This is especially silly since we AGREE that it was a bad law. Please try to stay on point.

I have already stated that Santorum is the more pure Conservative. I would LOVE to see Santorum as president. All of this means NOTHING when the man can't break 13% of the vote in any state. Santorum is NOT viable. He CANNOT beat Romney, He CANNOT beat Gingrich. You have done NOTHING to counter that very real and relevant truth.

[ To discount the media firestorm that will be unleashed on whoever the GOP candidate will be it is madness to argue that "I do not care about what MSNBC says"- you may not but plenty of ignorant voters do listen to the managed media. Why give them a seemingly deranged candidate with a horribly checkered past? ]

Reagan didn't have a 'checkered past', they savaged him. Quayle misspelled a word...they massacred him. Clarence Thomas was a human success story, they smeared him. With Sarah Palin, they went as far as to suggest that her husband was having sex with his own daughter. If you think they won't have Rick Santorum ripped to shreds by election day, you are delusional. Why would you let the media choose your candidate for you?

[ Gingrich has led his entire public life as a parasite. A parasite on public funding. A parasite who excortiates actual conservatives like Paul Ryan with his infamous "Right Wing Social engineering" remarks- Gingrich is a parasite on the conservative moment.

The man is a phony and the electorate sees him as erratic and un-electable. His win in South Carolina has been repudiated by wide margins. Even his Vegas money base failed to generate any interest in him and his "sugar daddy" Adelson is cutting off the spigot of gambling $.

Newt must go= He is an embarrassment on par with Jeb Bush and Juan McCain. ]

Ok. You hate Newt Gingrich. I get it. I could view your personal animus towards him as hypocritical but I will just say that you are entitled to your opinion.

However, you have failed to even approach making a case that Rick Santorum can beat him and you conceded early that it is between Gingrich and Santorum to do so because Romney has some problems.

If Gingrich's 76,000 vote win in SC has been repudiated by 2 losses what are we to say about Santorum's 4 straight drubbings after a 34 vote win in Iowa? Erratic and unelectable? They were sipping champagne in the White House the night Ronald Reagan won the nomination. The same who say Newt is unelectable say the same about Rick, They are the same who told us Ford, Dole and McCain were the most electable. You can say it, but you sure haven't shown it.

In my view, it is pretty clear that you lost this debate on the merits. Jimmy Z's readers will have to decide if they agree. (2/7/12)