My Open Letter To The GOP: Don't Forget The Disabled

By By Jared Allebest

Conservative Samizdat

Even though the election ended a few weeks ago, the Republican party is still feeling the sting of losing the election and are reviewing the reasons why the election did not turn out the way we predicted. I've sat read many articles that attempted to explain our party's loss and identify the problems of the GOP. It seems to me that there is a general consensus that the GOP party and Mitt Romney's campaign failed seriously take the current and future demographic make up of our country. Our country's make up has rapidly changed and will do so in the foreseeable future. As a result of these huge demographic change, their will be a change in how people view the government and its responsibility to the citizens.

The pundits, columnists, political advisers seem to all agree that our party needs reach out to important voting groups such as women, Asian Americans, Latinos, African-Americans or young people. However, there is one demographic that the GOP doesn't even make an attempt to reach out to that Democrats consistently do and they win by large margins.

Its people with disabilities.

According to some estimates, there are approximately 54 million Americans with some kind of disability. What's so important about this group is that it can be found in every demographic group in America. This group is found across every level of society and affects people of every age, race, occupation, education or economic situation.  This means that approximately 1 in 5 U.S. residents or 19 percent of America fall into this group. The democrats are very aware of this demographic and that's why they overwhelmingly win this voting demographic at the ballot box.

But the size of this group isn't limited to just those who have some form of disability. If you include the individuals, single parents, families, educators, law enforcement, the judicial system and businesses who deal with disabilities on a personal and daily basis, you have a large voting bloc since they also join in on the concerns and issues that this demographic group is concerned about. Think about it. We all know someone has some form of a disability whether it be severe or mild and we know the challenges they face. They are deeply concerned about promoting their interests and protecting their rights.

If the Republican party can reach out to this group and articulate how conservative principles will improve the lives of people with disability, it will dramatically change how people, especially minorities, view the Republican party. People will be more receptive to the conservative message and view the GOP in a more positive light if they could see the tangible impact on the lives of the disabled because they will know if it works for them, it will work others as well.  

In volunteering or working for various political candidates, I have suggested that we reach out to Deaf people as well as people with other disabilities. Nobody takes my suggestion seriously. But then again, the Republican Party and Conservatives don't fully understand why they need to. 

Conservatism is a universal yet unique message. Our principles and values apply to everyone regardless of who they are or what groups they belong to because our policies allow the greatest number of people to be successful in society. That is made possible because we believe that paths to success are as infinite and unique as the people who dare to dream to do what they aspire to do. 

Conservatism is a liberating, empowering and powerful message because the individual, can expand or push beyond the limitations that their bodies, circumstances, or background places upon them. It is a free thinking and open minded belief that encourages people to be their best selves and to constantly reach for new vistas of excellence. It allows people to reach their fullest potential by using their intellect and creative powers to solve problems that benefit themselves and others, to create products and services and to make beautiful paintings, art, books, film and clothing.

However, in the conservative world view, the individual isn't an island unto himself. There are times when the individuals rely on other individuals who freely and voluntarily pool their talents, resources and finances to individuals in need. Families, churches as well as educational and medical organizations are the best venues to help disabled people reach their full potential.

The final point to the conservative message is that we do believe in a limited government. This concept is is a message that needs to be better articulated to the public because non-conservatives understand this idea in theory but not in practice. What this means is that government is given specific duties as well as limited responsibilities and powers. In practice, that means that government can be the solution to some problems that are too large for individuals to fix and that provide fairness and equality to everyone.

This is why we need to better explain this message to the various groups because one of the major and common concerns of these voting groups such as women, Asian Americans, African Americans, Latinos and other minority groups is their concern about widespread discrimination both in the past, present and future as well as the inability to integrate into American society.

However, Republicans were once fully aware of these concerns and addressed it. After all, Republicans were the ones who got the post civil war Thirteenth, Fourteenth and Fifteenth Amendments to the Constitution passed. It was the Republicans who passed the Civil Rights Act of 1866, the Reconstruction Act of 1867 and other civil rights laws in 1875, 1890, 1922, 1935, 1938 as well as the anti-poll tax bills in 1942, 1944, and 1946. The Republican party also passed Civil Rights laws of 1957, 1964 and 1965.

When it comes to helping people with disabilities, it was a Republican President named Abraham Lincoln who established the Galludet University which is a college for Deaf people.

It was a Republican President, George H. W. Bush,  who signed the Americans With Disability Act (ADA). The law is not perfect but as a conservative lawyer who engages in disability discrimination litigation in a deeply Republican state populated by a majority of people who share my faith, I can tell you that this law and other anti-discrimination laws that help people with disabilities is the kind of limited government solutions to big problems that real conservatives endorse.

If the GOP wants to be successful in upcoming elections, they have to clearly articulate and demonstrate that our policies and agendas are ones where the greatest number of people benefit in a country that is very diverse with different ethnic, racial, social, religious, economic and physical backgrounds. We believe that the free market is the best way for all walks of life to become successful and we also believe that the government can help those who sincerely need it. We do not believe that government should be helping everyone regardless if they need it or not.  

When conservatives talk about limited government, conservatives can demonstrate what they mean by that phrase. The disability community relies on government for assistance, legislation and public funded programs and they are justified in doing so. They don't seek a government handout. These programs help people who truly need it to in order to be independent, to obtain medical assistance they cannot afford, or to become active participants in society.  

Conservatives should tread very carefully when talking about people who receive government assistance because their are certainly those who abuse the system and there are those who truly need it. Libertarians and Conservatives have been careless and not very articulate when talking about Americans who receive public assistance of some kind.  There are those, such as John Stossel, who have openly opposed anti discrimination laws such as the ADA. They fail to realize that they're alienating people rather than attracting people to their political views when they make stupid comments about individuals with disabilities.

I don't oppose people criticizing the ADA since there are valid objections to be made. However, what these critics fail to realize that for people with disabilities, life in the absence of these laws was not that great. Thanks to these laws, it helps to combat discrimination, allow disabled people to be employed with businesses supplying reasonable accommodations for them and having the technology to become more integrated into our society. Disabled people didn't have these kinds of protections back then.

As a result, the Republican party and conservatives need to do better at making their case to the American people when it come to the discussion of the entitlement society and the people who rely on some form of government assistance. We need to make the distinction clear to the American people that we oppose those who who abuse the system and support government support for those who truly need it.We need to set up policies that understands this distinction and addresses these problems. 

I know that reaching out to people with disabilities is a winning message. I've seen it. When Sarah Palin talked about her commitment to help people with disabilities and to make it a priority as Vice President in her 2008 GOP convention speech, she got conservatives Moms and Dads excited and teary eyed. But if Sarah Palin and others want to reach out to the Disability community, they're going to have to mean it since many the GOP rarely follow through with talk of including them in our party or government policies. 

The conservative philosophy for individuals with disability works. I know because I am an example of it. I have worked hard to overcome discrimination and other obstacles to become one of the handful of Deaf attorneys in the United States. I have received assistance from the government not as a hand out but as a stepping stone to achieving my dreams of becoming an attorney. 

If the GOP wants to become successful, they need stop playing safe in promoting our message but go out and share that message in places we normally don't share it:   

What I am talking about is taking the conservative message, a message that stands to benefit everyone in society, to places the GOP often ignores--local African-American and Hispanic church groups, feminist centers, and left-leaning college campuses, to name a few.   

Will your message face resistance? Yes, and that's okay. It gives you a chance to correct false, media-driven stereotypes about conservatives and conservatism. Will you convert the majority in one afternoon? Of course not; these stereotypes have been inculcated over decades. Opening hearts and minds is a process, not a lunch appointment. 

If the GOP is serious in winning elections in the future, they're going have to get serious about promoting that message. We don't need to change our core values, principles or beliefs. We already have a wining message. We just need to do better in reaching out to those people and helping them understand that conservatives believe that government needs to get out of the way of those who don't need government and to get involved with those who do need it.

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My Prediction For Tuesday: Romney 295-Obama 243

By Jared Allebest

Conservative Samizdat

A lot of people have been predicting what the Electoral College map will look like on Tuesday night or Wednesday morning. One article gathered 9 different predictions gathered from various sources that show Obama winning a second term. 

However, Karl Rove has Romney winning at least 279 electoral votesand Michael Barone, a columnist for the Washington Examiner, is predicting that Mitt Romney will win 315 electoral votes. 

Two University of Colorado professors, Michael J. Berry's and Kenneth N. Bickers published an article back in August that that Mitt Romney would win the election by 330 electoral votes while Obama gets only 208 electoral votes and still won't back down from that prediction.Michael J. Berry's and Kenneth N. Bickers do not base their predictions on poll numbers but on economic data which are extremely accurate in predicting the outcomes of presidential elections.

While many election forecast models are based on the popular vote, the model developed by Bickers and Berry is based on the Electoral College and is the only one of its type to include more than one state-level measure of economic conditions. They included economic data from all 50 states and the District of Columbia. [...]

The Bickers and Berry model includes both state and national unemployment figures as well as changes in real per capita income, among other factors. The new analysis includes unemployment rates from August rather than May, and changes in per capita income from the end of June rather than March. It is the last update they will release before the election. [...]
In addition to state and national unemployment rates, the authors analyzed changes in personal income from the time of the prior presidential election. Research shows that these two factors affect the major parties differently: Voters hold Democrats more responsible for unemployment rates, while Republicans are held more responsible for fluctuations in personal income.

Despite some high profile names predicting Mitt Romney winning the election, I'd like to offer my humble prediction of how I think the Electoral College numbers will be. Look below and tell me if you think I'm right or wrong: 

By the way, predictions are just predictions. Don't get excited or depressed by what you see on the news or read in print or online. The important thing is YOU get out and vote. Your vote does matter. You and the millions of Americans who will go to the polls on Tuesday will decide if America will keep Obama or make him a one term president. Go Vote on Tuesday!!

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Obama's Chances Of Getting Re-elected Is Growing Slim

By Jared Allebest

Conservative Samizdat

There are several signs that Barack Obama's campaign is in serious trouble and that there is a strong likelihood that he will not be reelected on November 6th, 2012. With Obama not winning the last two debates and running a poor campaign with no new vision or plans, using lame attacks on Romney over Sesame Street's Big Bird or Romney's comments about getting a binder that contains a list of women he could hire, his campaign is starting fall apart.

One of the best indicators that Obama's campaign is in trouble is RealClearPolitic's electoral map which shows Mitt Romney having an electoral lead for the first time in the 2012 general election: 

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The second piece of evidence that shows Obama is in real trouble for November 6th is polls show that Mitt Romney has opened up a 7 point lead in the crucial swing states. That is part of the reason why there has been a strong shift in the polls and electoral map that has swung in Mitt Romney's favor. Mitt Romney is gaining support amongfemale voters. 

Even Bob Beckel, a well known liberal on Fox News admits that the writing on the wall doesn't look good for Obama.

While Obama's chances of wining are slipping away from him, it doesn't help the President that Bill Clinton is admitting that Obama hasn't fixed the economy like he promised. One can speculate if this is pay back for Obama throwing Hilliary under the bus or not, but such speculation doesn't really matter. What matters is Bill Clinton's comments are going to matter with moderate Democrats and independents who need a perfectly good excuse to ditch Obama at the ballot box.

 Obama only has 19 days to keep his campaign from sinking. He has one more debate left with Mitt Romney. However, given that Mitt Romney has performed well in the last two debates, only a miracle would help Obama now.

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Government Employees Died, Then Obama Lied

By Jared Allebest 

Conservative Samizdat

It is now evident that the Obama administration lied about what happened in Benghazi. They insisted that it was a spontaneous and unscripted riot prompted by an obscure anti-Muslim video. They stuck with that narrative despite the fact that evidence was building that it was a planned attack designed maximize embarrassment and destruction on a day that is sacred to many Americans. We now know that the attacks were planned by Al Qaeda.

You didn't have to be an intelligence officer to discover that. If regular citizens with no access to intelligence agencies know that we were attacked and the President is telling the American people something else, its lying. Prior to this revelation by American intelligence agencies, Mark Steyn made the case for how the Obama was willfully turning a blind eye to the evidence of a terrorist attack: 

As I say, I’m inclined to be generous, and put some of this down to the natural torpor and ineptitude of government. But Hillary Clinton and General Martin Dempsey are guilty of something worse, in the secretary of state’s weirdly obsessive remarks about an obscure film supposedly disrespectful of Mohammed and the chairman of the joint chiefs’ telephone call to a private citizen asking him if he could please ease up on the old Islamophobia.

Forget the free-speech arguments. In this case, as Secretary Clinton and General Dempsey well know, the film has even less to do with anything than did the Danish cartoons or the schoolteacher’s teddy bear or any of the other innumerable grievances of Islam. The 400-strong assault force in Benghazi showed up with RPGs and mortars: That’s not a spontaneous movie protest; that’s an act of war, and better planned and executed than the dying superpower’s response to it. Secretary Clinton and General Dempsey are, to put it mildly, misleading the American people when they suggest otherwise.

As the old saying goes, If you repeat a lie often enough, people will take it as truth." The Obama Administration was trying to get the American people to accept their lie as the truth despite the clear evidence that this was an attack on the U.S. Consulate because it would be a clear admission that Obama's foreign policy is a complete failure: 

"The attacks on US embassies and consulates in the Arab world can not be justified in any way. If it turns out that AL-Qaida is behind the attacks, as some US officials suspect, then they are acts of terrorism committed under the guise of religion. If they turn out to be uncoordinated actions by angry believers, then they are an expression of a frightening ignorance. A crazy individual US citizen has uploaded a movie onto the Internet which denigrates the Prophet Muhammad. The US government can not be held responsible for that. But that clearly does not help US President Barack Obama very much. He has to bear the political consequences of the recent events by himself."

"Four years ago, Obama pledged to seek reconciliation with the Muslim world. Now, it is doubtful whether he has succeeded. The US and its European allies now have to ask themselves how much support they still enjoy in the countries of the Arab Spring."

Obama must be held accountable for his policy of leading from behind in world affairs and how it has been a utter failure. The fact that the Obama Administration has openly and brazenly lied to the American people cannot be tolerated either. The best way to hold him accountable is to give him the pink slip on November 6, 2012.

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Mitt Romney Officially The GOP Nominee At The GOP Convention

By Jared Allebest

Conservative Samizdat

 Today, Mitt Romney officially became the Republican nominee. They conducted a final delegate tally and he received 2,061 delegates which is well above the 1,144 delegate needed to become the nominee. 

Its been a long journey for Mitt Romney who ran for President in 2008 and like Reagan, decided to make another run for the White House. He fought hard in each of the primaries in the 2012 election and built a strong momentum that helped him win Super Tuesday. He endured tough debates and took on multiple Republican challengers. Mitt Romney had to endure attacks on his faith and his successful career by people within the GOP party. Finally, Mitt Romney was able to get enough delegates needed to win the GOP primaries.  Looking back on the 2012 primaries, Mitt Romney mastered the fundamentals of running for office and that's why he's the GOP nominee to go head to head with Obama.

I have heard and read comments from some people who are still unhappy with him as the GOP nominee. There were numerous attempt to stop Mitt Romney. Each primary was an opportunity to stop Mitt. Republican voters had alternatives to choose from if they didn't want to vote for Mitt. However, Mitt proved himself to be an effective, smart and \superior candidate who deserved to win the nomination. 

Looking forward to the election in November, Mitt Romney is a serious threat to Obama. Obama has been relentless in attacking Romney and has burned through alot of money to unsuccessfully take him down. Mitt Romney has been just as aggressive with Obama as he has with his GOP competitors in the GOP 2012 primary. Mitt Romney has also been an aggressive fundraiser for which Obama may not be able to compete with him since due to the amount of money Barack spent during the summer against Mitt. 

Based on Mitt's experience in the private and public sector, looking at how he campaigned in the 2012 primaries, how well he's done so far,  picking Paul Ryan to be his VP and going after Obama, Mitt Romney will be our next President in 2012. 

P.S. I want to thank fellow Mitt Romney supporters and bloggers and volunteers in helping him become the GOP nominee. I have admired you hard work and dedication. I also want tell you how awesome the people behind Mitt Romney Central are and that they have done a great job keeping people informed about Mitt Romney. Good job everybody!

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Newt Gingrich Releases His Delegates For The National Republican Convention

Newt Gingrich has just released a open letter to the Republican Party releasing his bound or pledged delegates and urges everyone to unite behind 

Mitt Romney. Read the letter below:  

By Jared Allebest
Conservative Samizdat

AN OPEN LETTER TO DELEGATES TO THE REPUBLICAN NATIONAL CONVENTION

August 21, 2012

Dear Delegates:

With the Republican National Convention beginning in Tampa within the next few days, it is time now for all Republicans to come together in common purpose to defeat President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden. Everyone must do their part and Callista and I are committed to doing everything that we can.

Toward that end, I hereby release all delegates bound or pledged to me under any and all state laws or party rules. At the same time, I call upon them and all Americans committed to a safer and more prosperous American future to join Callista and me in strongly supporting the Romney-Ryan ticket. Together, we can and will defeat Barack Obama in November.

Your friend,

Newt Gingrich

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There Will Be No Brokered GOP Convention

By Jared Allebest
Conservative Samizdat

 With the Republican National Convention in Tampa Florida coming up next week, there are still those who yearn for a brokered convention. Many of Ron Paul's supporters were hoping that he would push for it but it appeared that Ron Paul did not agree with his supporters that it was a good idea. Moreover, even if he wanted to get a brokered convention, it would not have worked since he hasn't won any delegates in any of the 2012 primaries including Louisiana. Ron Paul will provide a different kind of excitement at the GOP convention since he will be rocking the GOP convention by hosting a fun rally and after party.

However, that is not to say that Ron Paul won't have an impact on the GOP convention. Despite the fact that people like Rick Santorum strongly warned against any attempt by Ron Paul and his supporters to not mess with the GOP platform, the old rumors that Mitt Romney might be adding Ron Paul's "Audit the Fed" campaign to the GOP platform might be coming true as Mitt ponders including it this year's platform. Ron Paul's idea is the only good idea he's ever had and the idea of auditing the Fed is currently making its way though congress.  I'm open to adding that to the GOP platform but any other request from Ron Paul supporters to add more items on the platform is asking too much.

I don't think Ron Paul was ever serious about making a brokered convention happen. However, there is evidence that Sarah Palin wants it to happen. Ann Coulter explains why having her lead a brokered convention is a bad idea: 

Coulter, who was asked about the prospects of a brokered Republican convention, hinted — as she has done in the past – that former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin is promoting the idea because she would like to be considered for the GOP nomination should a brokered convention occur. Coulter warned that selecting a candidate that way would void the vetting process that has weeded out inferior candidates.

“One of the ones promoting that [a brokered convention] is Sarah Palin, who has suggested herself as the choice,” Coulter said. “I think as long as it’s between us girls — I’ve been observing something about her. I don’t think it’s likely to happen. I don’t know what these people are cheering for. As I wrote in a column a few weeks back, who is this dream candidate we’re hoping to get from the convention, because Rick Perry used to be the dream candidate. Can we see them in a debate first?”

As a result, it should be clear why Sarah Palin not being invited to the GOP convention or why she hasn't been allowed to have an opportunity to speak at the convention. You can't expect to be invited to an event if you intend to undermine that event and have not been supportive of the GOP nominee. 

Presidential conventions in both parties are highly scripted and highly managed events. With regards to the 2012 GOP Convention, its possible that anything could happen but the Republican Party will ensure that everything will go as planned.

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Are We Mature Enough To Face Our Economic Problems?

By Jared Allebest

Conservative Samizdat

Although we are currently $15 trillion in debt, the forecast of our economic future is bleak. Recently, a report was published that looked at the future liabilities to future revenue to be $222 trillion:

The U.S. fiscal gap, calculated (by us) using the Congressional Budget Office’s realistic long-term budget forecast -- the Alternative Fiscal Scenario -- is now $222 trillion. Last year, it was $211 trillion. The $11 trillion difference -- this year’s true federal deficit -- is 10 times larger than the official deficit and roughly as large as the entire stock of official debt in public hands.

This fantastic and dangerous growth in the fiscal gap is not new. In 2003 and 2004, the economists Alan Auerbach and William Gale extended the CBO’s short-term forecast and measured fiscal gaps of $60 trillion and $86 trillion, respectively. In 2007, the first year the CBO produced the Alternative Fiscal Scenario, the gap, by our reckoning, stood at $175 trillion. By 2009, when the CBO began reporting the AFS annually, the gap was $184 trillion. In 2010, it was $202 trillion, followed by $211 trillion in 2011 and $222 trillion in 2012.

The ultimate issue of this election and beyond is the question of how mature are we going to be about the economy. Are we going to take the economy seriously and handle these issues like adults or are we going to be immature about it? Adults deal with serious issues in a mature way and take a long term perspective in dealing with problems and has a willingness to make tough and painful decisions. Being immature means taking a short sighted view of the problem and only considering our wants at the present moment regardless of how it affects others.

Mitt Romney picking Paul Ryan as his running mate for 2012 is a call for a serious discussion about our nation's economy. More specifically, we need to have a serious discussion about our entitlement programs. Voters will be learning alot about Paul Ryan's “Roadmap” to prosperity plan which is a fabulous plan to reduce our national debt and reform our entitlement programs. Here's a briefsynopsis of his plan: 

1)    It would spend $40.135 trillion over 10 years, compared with the $46.959 trillion the White House said its budget would spend over 10 years.

2)    It would bring in $37.008 trillion in tax revenue over 10 years, compared with $40.274 trillion in the White House plan.

3)    Lowers tax rates and cuts tax breaks. But the report doesn’t say which tax breaks would be targeted for new limits or elimination.

4)    Overturns the White House’s health care law and replaces it with changes. New Medicare rules would not go into effect for those already using the program or about to qualify for benefits. They would be able to use the existing program.

5)    On Medicare, it would give Americans a choice to enroll in a Medicare-type plan. The government would subsidize part of the payments for private-run insurance plans. Mr. Ryan believes this competition between firms “will help ensure guaranteed affordability.” For the poor or those with more health risks, Medicare would offer additional assistance.

6)    The Medicare piece is perhaps the biggest flashpoint in the entire plan. The White House and Democrats have said it would gut benefits for seniors, and even former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney has kept some distance from it.

7)    On Medicaid, the budget would turn it into a federal block grant program, “thus freeing states to tailor their Medicaid programs to the unique needs of their own populations.”

8)    The plan offers no details for changes to Social Security, other than calling on Congress and the White House to pursue modifications to it.

9)    On taxes, the plan calls for two individual income tax rates – 10% and 25%. It also proposes “clearing out the burdensome tangle of loopholes that distort economic activity,” but it doesn’t identify which ones should be cut.

10)   It calls for overhauling the corporate tax code by gutting exemptions and lowering the top corporate rate from 35% to 25%.

11)   The Ryan budget would reduce the deficit to just 3% of gross domestic product by fiscal year 2014, three years faster than the White House estimated its plan would reach that level. For comparison, the deficit is expected to be $1.2 trillion this year, 7.8% of GDP.

12)   The Ryan budget would not, at least according to its 10-year window, balance the budget, as tax revenue would always lag behind spending.

Although Romney certain parts of Ryan's plans, Mitt will offer his own proposals for Medicare which will be different in many ways from Paul Ryan's plan.

However,  it appears that the public is not mature enough to handle the cuts required to maintain America's financial security. Furthermore, Americans want to keep their entitlement programs as they have it yet somehow reduce the debt. Americans want to have their cake and eat it as demonstrated in a recent poll showed that78% of Americans oppose cutting spending on Medicare while another poll shows that 48% of Americans are willing to see Medicare spending cut to reduce debt. At the same time, people are loosingfaith in programs such as Social Security.

We cannot have it both ways. It is clear that Americans are conflicted and inconsistent on what to do about entitlement programs. This election will require the voters to make up its mind in dealing with the entitlement programs that drive up our national debt.

It is an undeniable fact that entitlement programs are the single largest driver of our debt. The only solution to reducing our staggering debt is to reform these programs. If we do not fix thisproblem right now, it will be the beginning of the decline of our great country.

Democrats, liberals and progressives have absolutely zero interest in reforming our entitlement programs because they believe inredistribution of wealth despite the fact soaking the rich cannotsustain the way our government operates right now. They are indenial that social security is having problems. Instead, their solution is to preserve the entitlement programs as they are now and makedeep cuts in other programs. This plan will not work because no matter how much you cut in other programs, the amount we spend in entitlement programs is larger than what we spend in other programs.

Democrats have already gone on the offensive by engaging in "Mediscare" attacks on Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan. Both men have already defended their position on reforming Medicare and other entitlement programs. 

The effect of these Mediscare attacks on this election remains to be seen but the effects of these attacks isn't as important as what it reveals about the democratic party. The Democratic party wants to keep the public from acting like adults in addressing our nation's economic problems. That's why they have make complete lies about Republicans wanting to end Medicare in order to keep the voters from having the confidence to make the tough decisions that we need to make. Democrats know that a large majority of Americans are on these programs, that they are dependent on these programs even though some or most don't want to be but that due to the poor economy and that they get extra money, they don't want to let go of these benefits. They also know that if the voters can vote themselves to get benefits, they will vote for the party that will deliver it to them.

Obama and the Democratic party have not been responsible in managing the economy and they don't want you to keep them responsible for it. Unemployment is above 8%, our deficit is exploding, they have not passed a budget since Obama has been in office and the President hasn't meet with his economic advisers for a while now. 

Unlike Obama, Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan recognize that Washington has a spending problem not a revenue problem and that despite attacks from the left, they and their fellow Republicans do haveclear, actionable plans for balancing the budget and reducing the national debt.

Mitt Romney picking Paul Ryan as his running mate for 2012 is a call for a serious discussion about our nation's economy. That discussion starts with the American people looking introspectively and asking themselves if they are mature and adult enough in making the necessary cuts, reforms and changes to fix the problem. That also means accepting the the truth is that as much as Washington D.C. is the problem, we are also the problem if we cannot face these problems maturely. We get the government we deserve since our political leaders come from our communities to our nation's capital. Plato is to have said, “The states are as the men are. They grow out of human characters.” 

As a result, the central question of the 2012 election will be: are we mature enough to make the tough choices ahead? If we are, then the mature choice in this election is to vote for Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan. 

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Breaking: Paul Ryan is Mitt Romney's VP!!!

By Jared Allebest

Conservative Samizdat

Back in the early days of the 2012 election, there were talk of the possibility of Paul Ryan running for President and he denied any plans of throwing his hat in the ring. Yesterday, rumors starting swirling like a F5 tornado all day today about who Mitt Romney's pick would be. MSNBC and CBS declared late last night that the VP was Congressman Paul Ryan. However, Mitt Romney himself confirmed that Paul Ryan is the VP on the U.S.S. Minnesota.

Having Paul Ryan as Mitt Romney's VP is a logical and bold choice for Mitt Romney. Lets go through each of those reasons.

Paul Ryan is a logical choice for Mitt Romney since the economy is still the top concern for American voters. He just doesn't talk about fixing the economy and reforming the government, he has actually put forward concrete plans. Paul Ryan's “Roadmap” is a fabulous plan to reduce our national debt. It is a bold, innovative, controversial and smart plan to head off the entitlement time bomb that America faces. Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan share a vision of how to fix our economy. Paul Ryan liked Mitt's economic plan since a lot his ideas were similar to Paul Ryan's.

I think everyone, including libertarians, should be at least intrigued, if not excited, about a Romney/Ryan ticket because there is a legitimate complaint that American has been more focused on fixing problems abroad than at home. A Romney/Ryan ticket would be a strong indication that Mitt Romney plans to really focus on the problems here in America rather than abroad.  Moreover, by picking Paul Ryan, Mitt Romney is attempting to offer the American people the starkest and most interesting choice on domestic policy that Americans haven't seen in a very long time. If we were back in the 1980's, this would have been a Reagan/Kemp ticket.

Moreover, the ticket is a devastating blow to Obama when it comes to the issue of the economy. As we all know, Obama is weak on the economy because he's never taken the economy seriously. Moreover, Obama and the Democrats haven't passed a budget yet and will be the first President in history not to have passed a budget.

The Romney/Ryan team is an interesting and historic ticket given that it is a Mormon/Catholic ticket.  Its also a historic ticket because both religions have experienced discrimination in the US. There was a time that it was unheard of for a Catholic or a Mormon to be on a major ticket. This is a strong indication that we have come a long way since the 1960's when it comes to accepting a candidate based on his religion.

Picking Paul Ryan should appeal to religious conservatives since both men are pro-life. Moreover, Catholics have been turned off by the way Obama mislead the Catholic Church on the contraceptive issue. Its also a strong attempt to go after the Catholic vote. 

Romney's choice is should also be appealing to the TEA party conservatives. Paul Ryan has been a rising star for this emerging section of the Republican party. He's been called the intellectual leader of the Republican party. By picking Paul Ryan, Romney may be trying to find a balance between Establishment Republicans and the Tea Partiers. I think Romney succeeded in finding this balance. 

The Romney/Ryan ticket is an excellent challenge to the Obama/Biden ticket. Both the Presidential and Vice President will be a must see event. For a good preview of what a Ryan/Biden debate might look like, watch Paul Ryan take down Timothy Geithner. 

One vulnerability that Mitt Romney faces is that  Paul Ryan has been on record criticizing RomneyCare. But he has also been very vocal in his belief that his running mate will repeal ObamaCare.

Mitt Romney has made a very wise choice in selecting Romney. It is a bold and exciting ticket. Its a ticket that emphasizes Romney's focus on the economy. This is a smart move since it gives America a real clear choice about which direction we want to take on the economy. Its a perfect and serious challenge for the Obama Campaign. Way to go Mitt Romney for picking Paul Ryan!!!

See more of Jared Allebest  / Conservative Samizdat here ........................................................... 

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Why The Priorities USA Ad Just Made The 2012 Election Even More Important

By Jared Allebest

Conservative Samizdat

Mitt Romney has put out a campaign ad hitting back hard on the controversial Priorities USA ad which is causing problems within the Democratic party. Watch below:

 

The Republican Party also went after the controversial Priorities USA ad with a devastating ad of their own: 

As Mitt Romney and the RNC ad points out, the Obama campaign shows that has a serious character problem, especially when it comes to honesty. We know that Obama has been dishonest in the past and there's strong Obama campaign may have been illegally communicating with this SuperPac and are lying about it. Thus, its fair to wonder about what other lies Obama might be telling us. Furthermore, if Obama is reelected, there's a good chance that Obama will continue to lie to the American people. 

As a result, its fair to say that a vote for Obama means all of the following: 

1. The voter has no problem with Obama lying to the American people in the past (see Solyndra, Operation Fast and Furious, etc.)
2. The voter has no problem with Obama lying to you now (See Priorities USA ad)
3. The voter has no problems with the fact that the Obama campaign may be breaking the law with the Priorities USA ad.  
4. The voter has no problems with Obama's hypocrisy in complaining outside campaign groups but is caught collaborating with them.
5. The voter has no problems with Obama's surrogates lying to you (See Harry Reid's false claim that Romney hasn't paid taxes for 10 years)  
6. The voter is fine with the Obama campaign promising to be the most transparent administration ever only to lie about it. 
7. The voter is perfectly fine with another four years of Obama lying to him or her.

But we also have a deeper problem here with this Priorities USA ad. Its not just Obama's character problem that is a problem. There is strong evidence that the Obama's potentially illegal action. The significance of this fact is that it shows that he's willing to do whatever it takes to hang on to power. Mitt Romney's ad mentions alludes to this problem when he the ad asks, "what does it say about a president’s character that tries to use the tragedy of a woman’s death for political gain?”

It is becoming increasingly evident that Obama is willing to do whatever it takes to hold onto power. As we have seen with history and current events, things don't turn out well when a political leader bitterly clings to power. In fact, its a bad omen of things to come for a country unless the politician is removed from power early on. We have that chance in 2012.

Usually, a when a scandal like this hits a political campaign where they are caught lying to the American people and potentially breaking laws, its OVER for that candidate.However, there doesn't seem to be much of a outcry from the American people A country can survive if the citizens have zero tolerance for this kind of behavior from a politician. However, a country cannot survive for long if the citizens themselves tolerate this kind of immoral and potentially criminal behavior from its leader. 

The Obama team has tried to frame this election as a choice of electing a president who will make the government provide everything you want or a President who will provide only what the Constitution will allow. Mitt Romney is trying to frame the election as a choice between four more years of economic sluggishness or a new President who will revitalize America's economy. However, regardless of how these candidates want to frame the choices presented to the American people, the real issue before the American people is character. Whether Obama likes it or not, this scandal has just made this election about a choice between a man with questionable character and a man with a squeaky clean character. The choice should be obvious to the American people. When the American people are presented with these options, its OVER for the candidate with the questionable character.

Yet, if we elect Obama, we are admitting that we are fine with a President who lies and breaks laws. It also a reflection of us since it means that we as a society are OK with this behavior and that its OK for people to behave this way. If such behaviors are tolerated by its leaders and the public, then we deserve a society and a country where such behavior becomes the everyday norm.

This election has just become more important than ever.

See more of Jared Allebest / Conservative Samizdat here..... http://conservativesamizdat.blogspot.com/

Mitt Romney Launching Four Day Bus Tour Ahead Of GOP 2012 Convention

By Jared Allebest

Conservative Samizdat

With the Mitt Romney campaign launching a "Mitt's VP app" and encouraging supporters to donate money to the campaign with the possibility of meeting the new VP, announcing a bus tour two weeks prior to the GOP convention in Tampa, Florida is adding more fuel to the fire of speculating who he will pick as his VP: 

But beginning August 10th, Romney will ramp up his campaign operation with a splashy four-day bus tour targeting the largest media markets in several of the states that will decide the November election, CNN has learned.

And in a show of force and party unity, Romney will be joined at each stop by prominent Republican officials and campaign surrogates.

Some details are still murky, and Republicans cautioned that they are subject to change, but on August 11th, Romney will hit three of Virginia's biggest population hubs - the Washington, D.C. metro area, Richmond and Norfolk - before heading down to North Carolina the following day.

On Aug. 13, the Monday after the Olympic Summer Games finish in London, Romney will arrive in Florida for campaign stops in Jacksonville, Orlando and Miami.

Romney aides are also scouting multiple campaign venues in Ohio for later that week, knowledgeable Republican sources told CNN. Other states may also be added to the itinerary that week.

"Sounds like V.P. week," said one Republican familiar with the schedule, who did not want to be identified revealing the campaign’s plans. “Hitting the big markets in the big states. It just makes sense.”

I found some tiny additional details of the bus tour: 

A campaign aide could not immediately confirm what states Romney is expected to visit on the trip. According to CNN, the bus tour will take Romney to the Washington area as well as Richmond and Norfolk, Va., on Aug. 11. The next day, Romney is expected to hit the swing state of North Carolina, with the final leg of the tour expected to bring him to Jacksonville, Orlando and Miami, Fla., on the last day of the London Olympics.

While all of the details of the bus tour hasn't been released, you can be sure that people will try to figure out who the VP is based on the path of the tour bus. That's why the Romney campaign is keeping things under wraps and the details vague. 

Some people are speculating that Tim Pawlenty or Bob McDonnell based on the scant details that we do have. While those names have been mentioned as potential running mates for Mitt Romney, I don't think it will be either men.

See more of Jared Allebest / Conservative Samizdat here........................

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