So if it’s 2008 we must be in an election year, and if it’s Tuesday it must be Michigan. I have to ask, did you enjoy the chick flick moment from Hillary Clinton? Doesn’t Barack Obama give just the swellest magniloquent speech? But enough of that for now--we’ll have plenty of time to rate their escapades.
Now as you have probably guessed I admire respect and adopt the Conservative ethos as my understanding. Conservatism it seems to me is the surest worldview for respecting and informing freedom. Meaning, limited government, personal responsibility, defense of the nation (self defense) are the foundation upon which Individual Liberty stand, and without that we can’t live a purposeful life, a consequential life. Not in the fullness of our living, anyway. Oh sure, we can live, our inherent meaning can’t be denied, even as indentures of the state, but obviously, not freely, but rather, only as cogs in the state’s design, and only express ourselves within the state’s sanctioned definition. Thanks but no thanks.
Not that I‘m for anarchy, as you well know if you have read some of my other postings. There is no freedom where there is no freedom of association. Like speech, like self defense (the right to bare arms), free association is absolutely necessary for the freedom of religion. And where there is a church, where there is a home, there must be private property. I would say our Founders were pretty bright. These fundamental rights, our Bill of Rights, were, are, and must be inter-connected. Unravel one and the pattern falls apart.
The Reagan coalition is the recognition that fiscal, social, security conservatives are the groups that enunciate and defend the founding principals upon which our liberty is based.
So how do our “front runners” and those running against them measure up?
Security:
With the above in mind what are we to make of John McCain and Mike Huckabee? How do they stand aside the Conservative Measure. Not well I’m afraid.
It’s true that Mike Huckabee has endorsed an enforcement first illegal immigration policy, but that undermines his policies as Governor doesn’t it. Well, we are happy to have him on our side now, because he stood with us on the, speaking of McCain, McCain Kennedy amnesty bill. What’s that? Actually, he was nowhere to be found. You find his new found enthusiasm for border enforcement a bit too convenient? Well, he’s campaigning on it right? No, not front and center, not a major theme of his campaign? Hunh, well I guess I don’t have much confidence in his illegal immigration policy, either. Not necessarily because I don't believe he is sincere, but rather when people come to a new idea it's not settled, is subject to change, or even, later rejection.
On the other hand Thompson and Romney stood with us shoulder to shoulder. Giuliani, not quite as solidly, but he did make himself counted didn’t he.
Where was McCain? Did I mention the McCain Kennedy amnesty bill. Nuff said.
Or rather not a very good start on National Security and self determination for Huckabee and McCain.
Let's see: how about the War on Terror. We lose and there is no us. Now here we do have McCain supporting victory in the battle of Iraq. Has a good handle on Iran. How about Huckabee? If you check his website you’ll see that winning in Iraq is a good thing, but how that squares with rebuking President Bush and wanting to reestablish diplomatic relations and play nice with a country that held our citizens hostage for 444 days, that gives weapons, hell supports, terrorists that kill Americans, that goes after our Navy with speed boats, I don't know, couldn't even begin to tell you how, really. Pakistan? Don't ask.
Note: a country nutty enough to send speed boats after the US war ships is nutty enough to do just about anything.
On the other hand Thompson wouldn’t have even let Nutjob in the country except perhaps to go to the UN--certainly not to speak at one of our Ivy League institutions. Victory is a necessity, and Thompson and Romney have stated that emphatically again and again. They get it. And Giuliani? Do you have to ask? If so, then please don’t vote.
So let's see: McCain good on National defense, if you're talking about the War on Terror, but not so, if talking about the security of our border. Huckabee (maybe someday, but then again maybe not), today? Not so much.
On the 2nd Amendment Huckabee and McCain are very good on the right to bare arms. So too is Thompson. Romney recently joined the NRA, and though Giuliani has not been so good in the past as the Mayor of New York, he has given every assurance not to bring New York’s 2nd amendment politics to a national stage.
I think the whole concept of self determination informs the above. Two candidates get that from beginning to end. You want a conservative in the white house then we better vote conservative, beginning with but not limited to the above concerns. Conservatives, you know what you have to do in Michigan. You know what you have to do in South Carolina. Yes, lets winnow the field to conservatives. That is, unless you don’t want a conservative in the white house.
More to follow.