Video Inspiration from Women at the RNC Convention 2012

President Rae Lynne Chornenky spoke on behalf of the National Federation of Republican Women. She presented results of an extensive poll taken recently of over 8,500 women and she brought forward the newest video from the organization. The theme - You have a place at our table: Two incredible Republican women public figures spoke Wednesday and brought many to tears, including myself. From New Mexico Governor Susana Martinez - the first Hispanic woman governor in America - and Condoleezza Rice, the personal stories were moving and inspiring. The message was clear - in America, all things are possible.

"I never imagined a girl from a border town could one day become a governor. But this is America. Y, en America todo es posible.

"A little girl grows up in Jim Crow Birmingham - the most segregated big city in America - her parents can't take her to a movie theater or a restaurant - but they make her believe that even though she can't have a hamburger at the Woolworth's lunch counter - she can be President of the United States and she becomes the Secretary of State."

Ann Romney Responds to War on Women Meme

Ann Romney delivered big time on her speech to the RNC convention during Tuesday's opening night. Ann Romney delivered a speech with the theme of love. As the Democrats continue their decades long strategy of keeping voters enslaved to entitlement programs with no hint of necessary reforms being uttered, Ann Romney pointed out that not all women expect to be under the control of the government - a distinct response to Team Obama's charge that Republicans have a war on women. Ann Romney pointed out that women don't expect life to be easy, no matter your station in life.

And if you listen carefully, you’ll hear the women sighing a little bit more than the men. It’s how it is, isn’t it? It’s the moms who always have to work a little harder, to make everything right. It’s the moms of this nation — single, married, widowed — who really hold this country together. We’re the mothers, we’re the wives, we’re the grandmothers, we’re the big sisters, we’re the little sisters, we’re the daughters. You know it’s true, don’t you? You’re the ones who always have to do a little more. You know what it’s like to work a little harder during the day to earn the respect you deserve at work and then come home to help with that book report which just has to be done. You know what those late night phone calls with an elderly parent are like and the long weekend drives just to see how they’re doing. You know the fastest route to the local emergency room and which doctors actually answer the phone when you call at night. You know what it’s like to sit in that graduation ceremony and wonder how it was that so many long days turned into years that went by so quickly. You are the best of America. You are the hope of America. There would not be an America without you. Tonight, we salute you and sing your praises. I’m not sure if men really understand this, but I don’t think there’s a woman in America who really expects her life to be easy. In our own ways, we all know better!

We’re too smart to know there aren’t easy answers. But we’re not dumb enough to accept that there aren’t better answers.

     It was Mrs. Romney's first speech delivered using a teleprompter. Normally, she doesn't even use a printed speech at a podium - her method of "keeping it real", as she told the women in attendance for the Women for Romney breakfast Wednesday morning. Why do the lapdog media for the Obama re-election efforts dislike Mitt Romney and his wife, Ann, so intensely that a Yahoo News bureau chief lost his job Wednesday after making a viciously snide remark into an open mic during her speech? I think it is because the Romney's are a natural, genuine, and relatable couple, despite their enormous wealth and privilege. It is easy for women to respond favorably to Ann Romney - who is the first to say hers is not a fairy tale marriage. She said that fairy tales don't have chapters including breast cancer and M.S. diagnoses in them.

     Ann Romney is the real deal. All the vitriol and ugly campaigning against her, as a Republican woman, is proof to me that the hideous leftists know this and are scared of her effectiveness as the candidate's wife. I like that.

Republican Women Open RNC Convention

From the National Federation of Republican Women after Tuesday's RNC convention opening day and night:

The NFRW was in the spotlight during the Tuesday session of the Republican National Convention, as several Federation members took the stage in the afternoon and during primetime. In addition to NFRW President Rae Lynne Chornenky, the following Federation members addressed the convention:

RNC Co-Chair Sharon Day (FL), U.S. Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (WA), U.S. Sen. Kelly Ayotte (NH), Gov. Mary Fallin (OK), Gov. Nikki Haley (SC), Lt. Gov. Kim Reynolds (IA), and House Delegate Barbara Comstock (VA). Also speaking were candidates Mia Love (UT), Sher Valenzuela (DE), and Deb Fischer (NE).

 

Scheduled to speak tomorrow (Wednesday) during primetime is Gov. Susana Martinez (NM).

The NFRW is proud of this group of women!

Haley Barbour Delivers Advice to Bloggers at RNC Convention

Listen to a good speech delivered by former Gov Haley Barbour to BlogBash 2012 attendees at the GOP convention in Tampa. He tries to explain to those who don't understand the strategy of politics - some more strident Tea Party and those who may identify as conservatives but not Republicans - and declares himself a proud "Establishment Republican".

     "70 million voters have to get under our tent. I beg you to make it as easy for them as possible." Purity does not win elections, nor does it grow a political party. If you consider Ronald Reagan a political model, you must remember his philosophy that he considered someone agreeing with you 80% of the time as a partner.

       Here is the video. It is worth the time. (Ignore the loud woman who keeps butting in with dumb remarks - Haley does!)

Chris Matthews Melts Down On Morning Joe Show

     I looked up the meaning of the word sycophant because I wanted to make sure I got it right. I think I did.

sycophant: noun : a person who flatters another in order to get ahead

     For the most part, I think that journalism is dead in America. Especially with the crescendo of the last presidential election, when the press corp was so completely immersed in the tank of Obama worship, a voter was hard pressed to learn anything at all about Barack Obama other than he delivered a good speech and he was cool. Heaven help you if you didn't jump on the Obama train. Obviously anyone not declaring undying support for Barack Obama was labeled a racist and a Neanderthal hopelessly clinging to God and guns. Many of these charges came from the candidate himself and not an eyebrow was raised by most of those in the press. Why would they object? They believed that, too. Ninety percent of them voted for the Democratic ticket.

     One of the most ardent of sycophants has a show of his own on the hideously slanted cable network MSNBC. Chris Matthews is a former Democratic operative, campaign hack and presidential speechwriter. No one questions that he has his own opinions. No one questions he is a loyal Democrat. Yet, today, after incident after incident of super biased behavior against Republicans in general and in specific, he is the talk of the Internet because of his latest unhinged moment captured on television video.

     Chris Matthews was a guest on the panel Monday during the MSNBC morning show, "Morning Joe". Broadcast live from the RNC convention in Tampa, Florida, Matthews was questioning RNC Chairman Reince Preibus on the joke told by Mitt Romney about his birth certificate as he and his wife addressed a crowd in their home state of Michigan. The crowd laughed and enjoyed the joke. The Obamatrons went into high dungeon over it. And, of course, the standard race baiting began.

     Even veteran liberal newsman Tom Brokaw was shocked by the Matthews outburst towards the RNC chairman.

     Does Matthews deny that food stamps and unemployment benefits are being utilized at an all time high? Does Matthews not remember that Barack Obama also went to an elite prep school - the most prestigious one in Honolulu? If Matthews has a first thought of black people when he thinks of welfare and the work requirement - as implemented by Bill Clinton - than that says more about his own racist tendencies than that of others. Chris Matthews is famously known as the talk show host who said he had a "tingle up his leg" over Barack Obama's inauguration. He is the poster child of sycophants in today's media.

Neil Armstrong: 1930-2012

     At the age of 82, NASA astronaut Neil Armstrong died Saturday. Armstrong's death is said to be from complications after recent heart surgery. From an article marking his passing, his most famous quotes: "Tranquility Base here. The Eagle has landed," Armstrong informed mission controllers at NASA's Johnson Space Center, with the restrained aplomb that marked his life. Two and a half hours later with the words, "That's one small step for (a) man. One giant leap for mankind," he stepped upon the moon for the first time

     The first man to walk on the surface of the moon, Armstrong used his final years as a strong advocate for the space program as NASA faced continuing financial cuts and uncertainty in future missions.


     Released by the office of Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison:

"I was saddened to hear the news of the death of Neil Armstrong. The extraordinary courage and dedication it took to be one of the first to travel to the moon and set foot on its surface cannot be overstated.

"Though his achievement ranks him among the most important explorers in human history, he viewed his individual accomplishment in a larger context of public service and encouraged us to follow his example in our own way.

  "He will always be remembered as one of the most iconic pioneers of the NASA community - dedicated to the team that helped him achieve glory for us all."

      Sen. John Cornyn Saturday issued the following statement on the passing of Neil Armstrong:

"Today we have lost one of our nation's finest heroes and a timeless symbol of the American spirit.

"Forty-three years ago, his was the voice that came through loud and clear at Johnson Space Center's Mission Control to alert an anxious nation and the world of man's first steps on the surface of the moon. Neil Armstrong's immortalized words, 'that's one small step for man; one giant leap for mankind,' ushered us into a new era where we believed anything was possible.

"I know all Texans join me today in paying tribute to this true American legend and offering our sincere condolences to Carol, the Armstrong family and the NASA community."

     Thank you, Neil Armstrong. Rest in Peace.

Romney Makes Birth Certificate Joke at Michigan Rally

Mitt Romney enjoys a good joke. He enjoys telling a joke, too. Friday he joked with a reference to his birth certificate in his home state of Michigan to an applauding crowd and the leftist supporters of Barack Obama went ballistic. It was great.





     You, too, can share in the joke. Even Barack Obama tried to cash in on the birther stuff. For a  $22.50 donation to his re-election campaign you can have a coffee mug with the birth certificate plastered on it.

     See, it's ok for Barack Obama to cash in on birth certificate theory but it's not ok to let a joke go from Mitt Romney at a campaign rally in his home state. Remember, this is the man who, as President of the United States, has made reference to an incident decades old concerning the Romney family dog on the station wagon's roof at a campaign rally of his own.

     This president is a thin-skinned egomaniac. I welcome Mitt Romney's jokes.

Akin Stays in Missouri Senate Race

     I was really interested to read that Rep Akin is employing his own family as his campaign team. I think - hope - he now realizes that doing so is usually a big mistake. It is worth the money to employ professionals in a campaign. The cost doesn't have to be so great that fundraising doesn't cover that cost. I hope that Rep Akin now realizes, too, that a run for the U.S. Senate is different than a run to be a state's U.S. Representative. He made the mistake of running as he always has, apparently, and it has cost him dearly. It has cost the Republican party nationally, too.

     Here is the apology via video: The last apology, of sorts, I remember from a U.S. Senate seat campaign was that one from Christine O'Donnell in Delaware who felt compelled to tell everyone she is not a witch. How'd that work out? If a candidate has to apologize to that extent during the campaign, well, it usually doesn't work out so well for the candidate on election day.

      A big problem, for me, is that Rep Akin apology is one of "misspeaking" and not of recognizing he flat out got the science wrong, too. His ignorance insults women who have been raped and it speaks to what the man must really believe to be true. It implies that he is one who believes that women 'ask' for such assaults or lie about them. It is a form of misogyny.

     HERE is a piece that dispels the scientific evidence against Rep Akin's belief that if a woman is "legitimately" being raped, her body will "shut it down" and she will not be impregnated.

Mental stress can temporarily alter the functioning of your hypothalamus - an area of your brain that controls the hormones that regulate your menstrual cycle," explains the Mayo Clinic in a publication about infertility. "Ovulation and menstruation may stop as a result." But the stress that reduces fertility is the chronic kind that occurs over months or years, not the acute trauma of a rape. "A woman who is raped at a vulnerable time in her menstrual cycle is as likely to conceive and retain a pregnancy as a woman who was voluntarily attempting pregnancy," said ACOG's Levy. "There's absolutely no validity to any sort of theory that the trauma related to rape - or to any thing else for that matter - would shut down ovulation that has already begun." Physicians and researchers had long thought that conception occurs when sperm encounter an already-waiting egg. Recent research has shown that in fact sperm do the waiting, remaining in the woman's uterus or fallopian tubes until an egg is released from the ovaries. Although the trauma of rape might impair a woman's fertility months or years later, said Levy, "you're not going to interrupt something (like the release of an egg) that's already started."

There are those in my party who believe that abortion is wrong always. They do not believe there should be exceptions for victims of rape and incest. That is cruel and wrong, in my opinion. Ronald Reagan, running in the year that brought abortion to the national party platform, believed that the exceptions were warranted. The statements uttered by Rep Akin play into the national conversation that Republicans are Neanderthals and anti-woman. Do I think Akin deliberately wants to push that stereotype? No. I think he was trying to pander to the most strident of the social conservatives. It backfired and now we all pay for it.

      If I had my druthers, and I don't here, I would want Rep Akins to withdraw from this senate race. A Republican majority in the U.S. Senate is crucial for Republican policy victories, especially if Barack Obama is re-elected. With a Republican controlled House and Senate, President Obama will feel the pressure to work with the other party, as he never has before. There are only so many seats where a Republican victory is possible and Missouri was one state the national party was hoping to flip from the Democrat column to the Republican column.

     Current Senator Claire McCaskill should be the easiest of them all to pick off. She wanted an Akin victory in the primary run-off, however, and invested heavily in making that happen. With Democrats spending over $1.5 million in the GOP primary contest, clearly they were banking on Akin to be the easiest to beat in November.

Here’s how the Democrats did it, running ads in the GOP primary that were intended to boost his appeal among the most conservative primary voters: The latest example is a new radio ad paid for by the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee that attacks Rep. Todd Akin (R), but does so slyly, in a manner that appears to be designed to endear him to conservative voters. “Todd Akin calls himself the true conservative, but is he too conservative?” asks the narrator of the ad, which is approved by McCaskill’s campaign and paid for by the DSCC. The narrator goes on to note the negative posture Akin has taken toward President Obama, before concluding, “it’s no surprise Todd has been endorsed by the most conservative leaders in our country – Michele Bachmann and Mike Huckabee.” Bachmann and Huckabee are popular among conservative voters and are from states in the same geographic region as Missouri. If anything, many undecided conservative primary voters who hear their names in the radio ad would be tempted to give him a closer look. The Post notes that these ad buys were actually more that Akin spent on his own campaign: According to a Republican strategist tracking ad buys in the race, McCaskill’s campaign and [the Democratic-aligned] Majority PAC have each spent about $850,000 on ads during the last two and a half weeks – more than Akin has spent on commercials during the entire campaign. So if Akin wins the primary, he might be able to credit some very unlikely allies.

The House of Representatives is different than the Senate. It would appear that Rep Akin is not ready for the step up. Polling at the present time has Akin still ahead of McCaskill by a point or two. The real numbers will come in the upcoming days, as the incident settles in and people let it all sink in.

Wisconsin Republican Women Praise Paul Ryan

When Mitt Romney announced Paul Ryan as his vice presidential running mate last weekend, many Americans were introduced to the seven-term congressman for the first time. But in Ryan's home state, the women of the Wisconsin Federation of Republican Women already know him well and have for years. We asked these women to tell us about Congressman Ryan and his relationship with the Federation and Republican women, what they think about his rise to instant fame as the Republican vice presidential candidate, and if they think Ryan will help put Wisconsin in the red column in November.

     A rally was held for Paul Ryan on August 12 that drew 13,000 citizens, just a day after Romney announced Ryan as his running mate. The crowd at the rally was populated by Republican women, including former Wisconsin Federation President Ginny Marschman, who said, "In all the years I've been going to events in Waukesha County -- which is the most conservative and populous county in Wisconsin -- I have never been to an event like this. It was one of the most wonderful experiences I've ever had."

     Here are some of the Wisconsin Republican women and what they are saying about Rep Paul Ryan:

     "Paul Ryan understands the value of the Federation, the value of what we bring to him as a representative. He's always been very appreciative of what we've done to help him get elected. He has very strong ties with the Federation and with the local clubs in his district, and a great relationship with the ladies there. Before Romney put Ryan on the ticket, Wisconsin was on the cusp, but I think this solidifies it."- Jackie Trudell, president of the Wisconsin Federation

     "Congressman Ryan is very supportive of the Republican women, very willing to listen to ideas, and very involved. He's such a warm, friendly, down-to-earth person … an average Wisconsinite with great values." -Karen Mueller, a leader of Waukesha County RW and an active Republican volunteer in her area.

     "I have known Paul for many years, and I am thrilled he has been selected by Governor Romney as part of the 2012 GOP ticket. Paul has been a longtime supporter of Republican women in Wisconsin and supported my efforts during the time I served as NFRW president. If elected, I am sure he will continue to listen to the women in our party." Sue Lynch, former president of the Wisconsin Federation and former president of the National Federation of Republican Women

     "I've been going to Paul Ryan's town hall meetings for years. You can't help but like him. He's not arrogant or egotistical. He's not a politician, spouting platitudes. He's just a real kind gentleman." -Luonne Dumak, a member of Waukesha County RW.

      Dumak says she shares a common interest with Ryan in the Ayn Rand novel, "Atlas Shrugged." "Years ago, we struck up a conversation about that book, and today, when I see him, he still asks me what books I've been reading."

     "I met Paul back when he was first running for Congress in 1998. He wanted to meet with me to explain why he was running. By the end of our conversation, I told him that he had my total support. He's always been very warm, very friendly, very supportive, and he has a great relationship with Republican women across the state. He is so knowledgeable, that nobody, including the president, can speak with him and be successful if they are trying to spin something, because he knows what he knows. And he comes back with what he knows in such a likeable way. He's very Reagan-like in the way he communicates. He's going to be a force to be reckoned with."- Ginny Marschman, former president of the Wisconsin Federation

  "Paul graciously served as our keynote speaker at the Wisconsin Federation's luncheon at the state party convention in 2011. He drew the largest crowd the Federation has ever had for that luncheon. For as many years as I've known him, he's had the reputation of being solid. People like to hear him speak because he has such a phenomenal understanding of the budget. I knew he was destined for higher things." -Charlotte Rasmussen, former president of the Wisconsin Federation

     If you know anything at all about the working of the Republican party, you are well-versed in the respect Republican women have earned over the years for the hard work and steadfast determination put forth by the members of federated clubs in all the states to help elect Republican candidates. These are the people who know Paul Ryan as a Republican legislator.   

Rubio Speaks to The Hispanic Voter Network in Houston

Associated Republicans of Texas and the Hispanic Voter Network hosted a Leadership Forum Wednesday morning at the Omni Houston Hotel in Houston. The keynote speaker was Senator Marco Rubio. Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott preceded Senator Rubio in remarks. He spoke of his battles with the Obama administration and fighting the good fight to keep America more on the path to being like Texas instead of Texas going the way of the rest of the country.

  Here is a photo of Tx Rep Aaron Pena and General Abbott with me and my fellow bloggers:

    Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) was a well-received speaker, to understate the crowd's enthusiasm. Here is a quickly taken photo of Senator Rubio, myself and sister bloggers, Michelle Lancaster and Kathleen McKinley. He was hurriedly leaving this event to catch a plane to his next stop.

     Senator Rubio is achieving a dream he has held for a long time in a couple of weeks - he will introduce Gov Mitt Romney as the Republican candidate for president at the Republican National Convention in Tampa. He spoke about his life and his family's immigration story. He calls himself an American son because that is what his grandfather told him he was - truly an American son. He stressed that his story is not unique, that we are all children or grandchildren of immigrants, whether we are first generation or seventh generation in this country. He spoke of how backwards the Obama administration has brought our country to in spirit. He said that Barack Obama has no successful record to run on and will run a re-election campaign of personal destruction on Mitt Romney.

    Rubio stated that he looks forward to working with the recent winner of the Texas GOP primary race for the senate - Ted Cruz.

     Let me mention that Texas Rep Aaron Pena is a terrific guy and he was able to help me and my sister bloggers catch a photo on the run with Senator Rubio. We always enjoy the company of Rep Pena and wish him well as he ventures out of his service to Texas in Austin and pursues new goals when his current term is over.

     The event was quite successful. Folks from all walks of life were there and lots of people in leadership, both locally and statewide, were there to enjoy the event. Spanish media was there and the speech delivered by Senator Rubio will be broadcast on Univision. Senator Rubio addressed the Spanish speaking audience in Spanish briefly as he said if he didn't, then they would give their own interpretation of his words.

     I look forward to supporting The Hispanic Voter Network as they work to increase Latino membership in the Republican party. The group is off to a good start.

The Path To Prosperity - The Ryan Plan

Few have actually read what is referred to as "The Ryan Plan" - the economic plan put forward by now vice presidential candidate Paul Ryan. HERE is a link to the actual plan. It would be helpful to the accuracy of public debate if more folks bothered to sit down and quiet themselves for a few minutes and read the proposal. It isn't scary. It isn't set in stone. There is room for tweaking and Ryan has always maintained that it is a starting point, not the finished product.

  Here is the trailer to introduce the plan:

     Democrats are falling over themselves as the roll-out of Mitt Romney's choice of Rep Ryan as his vice presidential pick continues. The talking points that have been sent out from the White House are clear - the surrogates for Barack Obama are suppose to use words like "scary" and "extreme" and "right wing ideologue". Predictable, right? No plan for a solid balanced budget or entitlement reform has been brought forward by President Obama or Senate Democrats yet they are the first to squawk if Republicans show leadership and produce a starting point.

     Instead of producing real results to turn our struggling economy around when they controlled the House, the Senate, and the White House, Democrats instead concentrated on passing the largest new entitlement program ever in our history. They did in on a solely one party vote, too. It was to be a legacy for President Barack Obama. This is his sole achievement yet it is widely unpopular by a solid majority of Americans. There is nothing for him to run on for re-election so the only strategy left is to go all out for the politics of personal destruction.

     We deserve better.

Now Is the Time For Righteous Indignation, Gov Romney

Dear Gov Romney:

     Now is your time. With the lowest level attained yet in this political campaign season, with the hideous ad spotlighting a widower all but outright accusing you of murdering his cancer-stricken wife from Team Obama's SuperPAC, it is time to show your honest outrage in defense of yourself. I know, I know it is not your nature to go into dramatic mode but we are waiting for a flash of honest anger here, sir.

     Now is your time to seize this opportunity to bring some level of decency into national politics. It is an opportunity to say, no, the voters deserve adult behavior here and I'll not allow the continuation of this rolling around in the gutter in campaign videos.

     Now is your time to say we are better than this. You are better than this. You have an honest, practical narrative to offer voters and do not have to rely on a "kill Romney" strategy advanced in a 2011 memo among Team Obama to win this election. You are not a failed president with a failed record on your resume. You are a winner. In your career as a politician and as a businessman - particularly as a businessman - you have nothing but real success as your record.

     Now is your time. Please show your indignation to this video hate leveled at you. Please rise up and say it stops now. And then go on to concisely presenting an alternative to the doomed path our economy is speeding down. You can win with that simple strategy.

     Now is your time. As Peggy Noonan wrote in the Wall Street Journal,

Some of the unperturbed sunniness you see modern political figures attempting to enact may be traceable to Ronald Reagan, the happy warrior who set a template for how winners act. But the Reagan of the 1950s and 60s was often indignant, even angry. When he allowed himself to get mad, or knew he should be mad and so decided to feign anger, it was a sight to behold. "I'm paying for this microphone," he famously snapped to the moderator of the 1980 primary campaign debate in Nashua, N.H. He didn't win that crucial state by being sunny.

     It is time for your righteous indignation to burst forth, Governor Romney. We have your back. We will stand and cheer. We will say, see, he gets it. This is a war we are waging against the other side and we are not going to stand down.

    Now is your time, sir. Move out of your comfort zone and allow some anger to emerge in your fight for America's future.

The Audacity of Lying

"The audacity of lying" is how pundit Charles Krauthammer described the bottom of the barrel video ad produced by a SuperPAC on behalf of President Obama's re-election effort. The RNC has a video ad out using an Obama campaign spokesperson's own words against her as she pushes the narrative that Team Obama had nothing to do with the despicable ad put out by the Obama SuperPAC run by former Obama administration aide, Bill Burton. The ad implies that Mitt Romney is responsible for a steel worker's wife's death due to a Bain takeover of the company. The problem is, the ad is all chock full of lies.




Even the liberal Obama supporting Washington Post wrote of the ad: "On just every level, this ad stretches the bounds of common sense and decency." The newspaper awarded the ad four "Pinnochios" for its untruths.

     Texans witnessed this very tactic during the recent GOP primary run-off race between Lt Gov Dewhurst and Ted Cruz for the U.S. senate seat. A video ad was run by supporters of Dewhurst using a grieving mother telling the story of her son's suicide and linking Ted Cruz to it. It was stomach-turning, to say the least, and Texas voters clearly were appalled. Not only is Dewhurst the sitting Lt Governor of our state but the ad was a new low in an already vicious campaign. Dewhurst lost to Cruz by thirteen points on election night. Ted Cruz will be the next senator from Texas to go to Washington, D.C.

     The White House and the SuperPAC responsible for the anti-Romney ad refuse to take responsibility for the ad. They have been caught time and time again in lies yet continue down that path. Obama is a failed president and they have no other strategy other than to "kill Romney" as a 2011 memo stated their campaign strategy would be. Interesting how obsessed they are with the "kill" theme, isn't it?

Obama Guts Welfare Reform

     In 1996, President Bill Clinton signed bipartisan legislation that reformed welfare. Democrats from Carl Levin to John Kerry, and even Joe Biden supported the bipartisan reforms. President Obama, on the other hand, has been a consistent opponent of the law and recently dismantled the historic bill. When it comes to welfare reform, President Obama is out of step with the country, his party, and even his own Vice President.

     The welfare reform package passed by a Republican led House - the days of Newt Gingrich's leadership - was perhaps the single signature legislation in Bill Clinton's presidency.  Republicans held his feet to the fire and after two attempts, both vetoed by Clinton, the legislation was finally signed.  Clinton would go on to take full credit, of course, once he realized it was indeed truly supported by a majority of Americans.

    It is not surprising that then Illinois state senator Barack Obama would oppose such reform. His history is that of a big government, cradle to grave entitlement mentality.  He took it upon himself in an election year when his re-election is in question to pander to those who might enjoy sitting out the work requirement of welfare assistance and with the stroke of his executive order pen re-wrote the legislation.

     That is how Barack Obama operates.  Unable to lead Congress, he governs by executive order and bypasses Congress at every opportunity.

     It is time for a change.  America deserves better.

It's Been Four Years

It's been four years. President Obama recently told an audience at his re-election campaign event that "We tried our plan, and it worked." Really? Has President Obama given up on leading the nation back? Here is a possible explanation:

“In a time of widespread economic hardship, the president’s schedule has not included a ‘Daily Economic Briefing’ since April of 2011. He has not convened his Jobs Council in over six months, yet he has found time for over 120 political fundraisers and 11 rounds of golf since their last meeting."

Do you think we should just keep doing the same? It is time for some real leadership by someone who knows about jobs creation and economics. It's time for a new president.

Recovery Numbers Add to National Uncertainty

In August, 2010, Secretary of Treasury Geithner was quoted in The New York Times as saying, "Welcome to the Recovery".

How's that Recovery working out for you?

Cruz Soundly Defeats Dewhurst For Texas Senate Seat

With 100% of the votes counted, Ted Cruz has handily defeated Lt Governor David Dewhurst for the Republican nomination in the Texas primary run-off for the U.S. Senate race. The final tally, according to the Texas Secretary of State is 56.80% to 43.19%. That is a solid 13 point victory.

  To state that this sends earthquake level ramifications within the state Republican party is accurate. This ends the next in line mindset so prevalent within the party structure. Many of the career politicians, the current leadership, the "establishment" members of the party threw in early support of Dewhurst in hopes of maintaining the status quo and their own career ambitions. The Senate members in Washington, D.C. will be all the better for this victory, if all indicators prove correct. Renewed enthusiasm from the grassroots of the party is crucial for future victories and many of us within the party are looking at the long term picture. The Republican brand has been updated after experiencing a slow decline in previous elections.

  This is how Politico's Mike Allen led off his daily "Playbook" column:

WHAT THE TEA PARTY WIN MEANS TO GOVERNING: The 13-point victory by Ted Cruz, the former Texas solicitor general, over the sitting lieutenant governor, David Dewhurst, is a dramatic manifestation of the repeated pattern in GOP primaries over the past three years: upset victories by more-conservative, non-establishment candidates. Don't underestimate the level of BUSH GUILT among activists over the spending of the past decade, and their determination to undo it. This means a growing swath of Capitol Hill Republicans have NO allegiance to leadership: The incentive, rather, is to REMAIN PURE. And these candidates have access to their own media and money - the traditional party levers for containing rebels.

SO EVEN IF ROMNEY WERE TO WIN - even if the GOP held the House and took the Senate -- there's no guarantee he'd be able to broker a deal with his own party, on deficits or anything else.

  From Politico's Dave Cantanses:

--"Move over, Marco: Cruz a GOP star-in-the-making," "He is the Canadian-born son of an American mother and Cuban father who fled to Texas at age 18 with $100 sewn in his underwear. [His parents worked] their way through college on his father's dishwashing job before starting a small business in seismic-data processing for oil companies. ... He was a founding editor of the Harvard Latino Law Review, the first Hispanic to clerk for Chief Justice of the United States, William Rehnquist."

In the afterglow of his win, though, the future looks bright. Like President Barack Obama, Cruz is a telegenic constitutional lawyer with a Harvard Law degree and parents of different backgrounds. Like Rubio, he has a rich family history that’s rooted in Cuba.

  Should President Obama win re-election, who better to advance Republican philosophy and policy from the U.S. Senate than the voice of Ted Cruz?

Crowd Tells Cruz "Yes, We Can!"

A brief video clip of U.S. Senate candidate Ted Cruz at the end of his remarks to the crowd at FreePac in Dallas Thursday night:


The crowd was 13,000 enthusiastic Americans joining together with like-minded conservative voters to hear from elected officials and nationally known public figures and activists.  Who wasn't there?  Lt. Governor David Dewhurst.

Not at all unusual for this race.

A Message from Heidi Cruz

This is a compelling message from Heidi Cruz, wife of U.S. Senate candidate Ted Cruz:

Down in the polls and grasping at straws, the Dewhurst Attack Machine is getting more and more vicious. The leading Dewhurst Super PAC—which is run by Dewhurst’s former chief of staff and campaign manager—just began airing a despicable, false ad about my husband Ted that one commentator called the nation’s “nastiest ad of the campaign cycle.”
Dewhurst is using the suffering of a grieving mother to try to blame Ted for the death of her son. But Ted had nothing—absolutely nothing—to do with the criminal proceedings surrounding that juvenile prison scandal, and Dewhurst knows it. The attack is a lie.
As a mother of two young girls, my heart weeps for this mother who lost her son. But I am repulsed by a desperate politician willing to exploit her grief to try to falsely claim, in the final days of the campaign, that Ted is responsible for killing children.
Texans are tired of Dewhurst’s desperate lies about Ted.
And Ted needs your help to fight back. Will you please consider an immediate donation to Ted’s campaign so he can defend himself against the Dewhurst attacks?

This has become a pattern. Texans are uniting behind Ted’s positive, optimistic message, and Dewhurst responds by spending over $10 million of his own money on relentless false attacks on Ted’s character, patriotism, and integrity. This is wrong.
I know Ted better than anyone else. I love Ted. He’s a loving husband and father, and he is running a principled, honorable campaign. I am asking you personally to please help Ted defend himself from these shameful attacks.
In this final week, we need to raise an additional $1 million to combat “the nastiest ad of the campaign cycle” on television.
Six days to go. We will win this – with your help and your incredible support.
Just this morning a Houston Chronicle column pointed out David Dewhurst’s “maddening tendency to deny inconvenient facts.” Please contribute what you can right away to help us fight back. Many thanks!

You may have noticed that Heidi Cruz is under attack from those who are desperately counting on a Dewhurst win. Her professional career - admirable and successful - seems to be fair game for the nasty attacks in this campaign. Imagine - Republicans who traditionally stand for hard work and leadership in the community now are so twisted up in blind ideology as to attack a candidate's wife's career.

Early voting continues through Friday at 7:00PM.  Election day is July 31. Please vote.

Village Republican Women Hosts Run-off Candidates Forum

I attended an evening with the Republican candidates in Harris County run-off races Tuesday night hosted by Village Republican Women PAC. The evening was a complete success, with a sold out venue - Lakeside Country Club - and access provided to all of the candidates in attendance.  The main draw was the forum extended to the two Republican U.S. Senate candidates - Ted Cruz and Lt. Gov David Dewhurst.

The other run-off candidates went first and were provided the opportunity to speak, presented in the order in which they will appear on the ballot. Cristi Craddick led, followed by Warren Chisum both running for Railroad Commissioner. Next up was Justice Supreme Court, Place 4 candidate John Devine. David Medina was not present so we moved on to District Judge 129th District Court. Michael Landrum first, then Chris Gillett. Greg Parker spoke as candidate for Railroad Commissioner (unexpired term) and then Paul Bettencourt took the stage to introduce and endorse Barry Smitherman in the race. That was a bit odd, as the other candidates didn't have that kind of intro, but, whatever. Then Smitherman spoke.

Next were the candidates for Harris County sheriff. First up was Harold Heuszel, speaking as a surrogate for Louis Guthrie. This was really bad form. If another candidate was not there, the program moved on. Heuszel was permitted to speak and didn't say why Guthrie didn't attend. That, besides the fact that Heuszel is not a good public speaker didn't exactly please the audience. He received polite applause. The audience also didn't respond to the bit of nastiness inserted into his talk - that of the personnel matter for Pittman - by beginning to mention it and then saying he'd be happy to answer questions on that later. It was the only ugliness of the evening so Louis Guthrie did himself no favors by pulling this stunt. Maybe no one is surprised any more about the Guthrie campaign's tactics. The disgust is apparent, though. Carl Pittman was up next and it was clearly his room. He is an engaging speaker and clearly enjoyed being there. The audience ate it up.

Last was Don Self and then Janet Townsley, candidates for District Judge 152nd District Court.

Ted Cruz went first in the Senate candidate forum part of the program. Moderated by Harris County Commissioner Jack Cagle, Ted Cruz was first. He approached the stage from the front row table he was sitting at with supporters.  Harris County Republican party activist Paul Simpson as also seated at that table. Cruz delivered opening remarks, standing before the audience, then retired to the seat on the stage across from Cagle.  Cagle asked questions that were to be asked of both candidates.  Then Cruz stood and delivered his closing remarks. He received a standing ovation from at least half of the audience when he finished.

David Dewhurst entered from the back of the room and it is unclear if he was late in arriving or if it was a security thing for his current position in office.  Same format for his time on stage. He, too, received a standing ovation by about the same amount of the audience that Cruz did at the conclusion of his closing statement.

The interesting question was the last asked of each Senate candidate. It had to do with the ugly ads being run by each campaign. The candidates were asked what was the worst of such attacks.  Both candidates began in the same way - it is hard to know where to begin. Cruz mentioned that his two young daughters - ages four and one year - were surprised to learn that they are Chinese. He spoke about the lies told in those constant ads shown on television.  Dewhurst spoke of having to spend so much time and money countering the negative ads.  I don't know that many in the audience were too sympathetic to a multi-millionaire spending $10 million or so of his own money. I imagine Ted Cruz would like to have the same financial resources available to him.  Cruz pointed out that his campaign's negative ads concentrated on Dewhurst's record while Dewhurst has gone personal in his attacks. Cruz again spoke of his respect for Dewhurst's service in the Air Force and CIA - resume items Dewhurst mentioned several times in his time on stage.

Clearly this format was a friendly one for Dewhurst.  Cruz shines in the debate format.  Both candidates did well and answered the questions with similar responses.  This race really does come down to if the voter wants to continue with our state's new junior senator being the guy next in line, having served the state since 1999 in office. That makes him the "career" politician, not Ted Cruz. Cruz is a fresh face and has not served in elected office. His service to Texas has been as Solicitor General during the early Rick Perry years.  He has served Texas well before the United States Supreme Court. He is an accomplished debater, which is exactly what the Senate requires as the deliberative body in Congress. He honorably stood with his pledge that he would not run against Tx Attorney General Abbott if Abbott decided to run for re-election instead of the U.S. Senate. 

On the way out of the room, Carl Pittman and his wife, Kristi, said good night to the attendees and shook hands will everyone as they passed by.  I didn't see Mr. Hueszel.