Tuesday, December 13, 2011

Who Should the Republican 2012 Nominee Be?

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Friday, May 20, 2011

The Problem with Us Conservatives

We make every case we can as to why conservative values are right. However, we often provide ambiguous answers as to why our values will make the world a better place.

I know we don't like to think that we have problems with ourselves. Of course, we'll admit we're not perfect. But when someone points out a specific flaw, we go into defensive mode, which often leads us to point out the flaw in our new enemy and ignore the gnawing weaknesses within ourselves.

This leads us to care about what doesn't matter, and often leaves our weaknesses to slowly destroy ourselves.

I suffer from this. Having flaws identified for me, hurts. Those of us who claim to have a conservative mindset have a shared flaw. We are good at providing a general platform to build off, but we do not do a good job at conveying specific solutions to our society's problems.

The economic claim we make that the Invisible Hand will give us a perfect economy is an example of this. Our claim that small government is better is another.

I believe the economy is best when left unregulated by government, but it is not best when left unregulated by the morals of individuals. The Invisible Hand does not work if we as a people are corrupt or if we allow for corruption. If we are prideful, our economy will become prideful and divisive.

Thus, it is not enough for us to fight for a free economy, we must ALSO fight for a moral mindset that will support a free economy (a mindset that encompasses moral actions). This being the same moral mindset that will support a free government. If not, we are leaving ourselves to revert back to some variation of a non-self-governing government, even one that hides under the name of Democratic.

Those who conservatives consider their antithesis (liberals), provide apparent solutions, albeit ones that haven’t been able to self-sustain themselves. The fact that they can't economically self-sustain themselves for a significant period of time, is why conservatives still have an argument people listen to. If liberals were able to self-sustain their policies the conservative voice in America would be but an ideal dream.

So we must provide solutions. Honest and effect solutions. Solutions to:

Healthcare
Unemployment
Poverty
Depression
Single Parenthood
Economic Division
Hate Crime
Broken Homes
Crime

Our solutions to these and other human needs must maintain the freedom of others AND make this country, and possibly world, a better place to live in.

Our solutions must be specific. Saying we can help people without the need of government help is not enough. We must put those words into action and we must get measurable results. While we still have our freedoms, we still have the ability to do good without the help of taxpayer money.

We must face our weaknesses with an honest attempt to use freedom to better the world around us. The beautiful thing about freedom is that with it there is no limit to the good that can be achieved.

Monday, January 24, 2011

Political New Year Resolutions

It's a new year, and with it comes the chance to use the change in time as a springboard to bring on change in ones own life. It took about three New Years to finally complete my goal to make flossing a daily habit (might need to make that one again). That was one of my better resolution attempts. So with that said, these are my three political resolutions for 2011:

1) Be more thoughtful and fair in my thoughts and discussion of politics and government.

2) Do a somewhat in depth blog series on the U.S. Constitution.

3) Get Keith Olbermann off of MSNBC.

Well, looks like I can check one thing off my list already. This might be a good year for completing resolutions after all.

Tuesday, December 28, 2010

111th Congress Added More Debt Than First 100 Congresses Combined

The 111th Congress added more debt than the first 100 congresses combined. And almost doubled the amount of debt incurred by the 110th congress.

You can read about it here.

You know it would be a lot harder for conservatives to argue their principles if our country was able to keep government spending on social programs in the black.

Perhaps, as someone who leans conservative, I should be grateful that the social programs created by the federal government are outside our means and thereby help to support my arguments for smaller government.

Thursday, December 23, 2010

How is Obama a Loser?

Really, I'm being honest here, but for all intensive purposes I do not think Obama is a loser. He has accomplished almost everything he has set out to do. And with Republicans balancing out congress this next year, Obama has the chance to show that he is willing to work across party lines. His recent tax proposals could be an indication of that.

Personally, I really dislike many of the things Obama has been successful at getting through congress. Health Care Reform and additional bailout funds are at the top of the list, but not all inclusive.

But how is Obama a loser? What has Obama not accomplished that he said he would? Don't Ask Don't Tell was finally snuck off the books during the holiday season. I really can't think of anything left. Can you? If a checklist is a good indicator of success, Obama has surprisingly crossed much off his list and achieved a high 'not a loser' score.

So why do people, even people from Obama's same party say that Obama is a loser? That they aren't pleased with him?

It seems strange to me, they appear to be getting everything they wanted out of him, in record timing even. I don't get it. In fact all this loser calling is making me curious.

Friday, December 10, 2010

Tony Blair's Religion Debate and My Response

A couple of weeks ago in the news I saw an article about a public religious debate between former U.K. prime minister Tony Blair and the atheist and columnist Christopher Hitchens. It peaked my curiosity, so I read it and was not that impressed with the quoted arguments used in that debate on both sides. Although, interesting points were made. I also don't know if Mr. Blair or Mr. Hitchens are the two I would put into such a debate.

Most of you probably know that I am one who believes that a religion created by God for his purposes is the greatest organization for which you can be a part. And some of you, who have had discussions about religion with others may have heard, or made, the argument that religion has been the cause of so many needless deaths in the history of our world.

This isn't really what I would call a "debate response," it is simply the response ignited in me when I read the article.

Religion is not evil. The misuse of power is what is evil. Is government evil? Not inherently. Only when the power given to government is misused is it evil, or when government is given power it should not have. Is charity evil? Only when it’s true designs and actions are evil. Can different religions perform evil acts? Absolutely. But God does not perform evil acts, and he condemns anyone who misuses his name to perform those acts.

This life on earth, which was created by God, puts us is in a situation where we are created free and commanded to use that freedom correctly. In order to become something greater. In order to become like our God.

That freedom can be abused, and has been abused to do EACH and EVERY evil act committed on this planet. But that freedom has also been the foundation for EACH and EVERY good act performed on this planet. That freedom comes from God and so all good that comes from our freedom is of God, whether you choose to recognize Him as the source or not.

There is a God, God is truth. All that is good is of God and all that is evil is not. Man does not declare what is of God and what is not, God makes that declaration. Within each of us is the Spirit of Truth that can help us to identify what is and what isn't true.

However, if we limit the Spirit of Truth within each of us with our pride, selfishness, doubt, fear, laziness, unwillingness, or other limiting traits we are unable to hear the confirmation of truth that that spirit brings, and we are then left to our own reasoning. When that is the case, each person comes up with his or her own “truth” through his or her own reasoning and chaos can ensue.

One being knows all, and that is the being who created our souls. He IS the source of all truth. God has only created one religion. Man with the help of the Devil has created many, and done much that is evil.

Wednesday, October 20, 2010

A New Study on the Tea Party

A friend of mine recently got a study she did as part of her doctorate program at UCLA picked up by the Washington Post and then other news organizations. Fox News was one of them (but for you anti-Fox people it was also picked up by the NY Times).

For her study she went to a Tea Party Rally and conducted a survey by going through the group row by row and taking pictures of every sign she saw. Her results showed that an overwhelming number of signs had to do with complaints about big government and fiscal conservatism while only about 6% of the signs had to do with the president's race or religion and 1% were tied to 'birthers.'

Here is a video of when she was invited to go onto Fox and Friends and explain her study. It does have the "Fox touch" but I think it presents her findings well.


Here is also a link to the Washington Times article that first covered her findings.


All I can say is "Emily, good job." I think her findings, although just one study and one rally, show that we can often overlay our fears or prejudices over a political movement and completely misrepresent what that movement is all about. That goes for both sides of the aisle.