Although it got very little attention given the impending New Hampshire primary, Wyoming’s Republicans held a caucus today and Mitt Romney came away the clear winner:
CASPER, Wyo. (AP) - Mitt Romney’s attention to Wyoming paid off Saturday as he won most of the 12 presidential delegates at stake in the state’s Republican county conventions.
The former Massachusetts governor gained the first four delegates and six of the first eight to be selected Saturday. Fred Thompson and California Rep. Duncan Hunter, who both also visited Wyoming, won the other two that had been decided, meaning no other candidate could beat Romney.
Coming two days after the Iowa caucuses and three days before the New Hampshire primary, the early date of the Wyoming GOP county conventions was intended to draw candidates’ attention to the state, but has had only modest results.
Republican hopefuls Romney, Hunter, Fred Thompson and Ron Paul all stopped by the state—visits they probably wouldn’t have made except for this year’s early conventions—and candidates have sent Wyoming’s GOP voters a flood of campaign mail.
However, the traditional leadoff nomination contests in Iowa and New Hampshire have dominated the attention of both candidates and the national media in recent months, and no candidates have visited Wyoming in the four weeks leading up to the caucuses. Hunter was the last to visit the state on Dec. 4.
Because he was one of the few candidates to advertise in the state, there was some speculation among Ron Paul’s internet boosters that Wyoming could be a state where the Texas Congressman could make a splash. Obviously, that didn’t happen.
At this point, whether Ron Paul remains a serious candidate depends upon how he does in New Hampshire. Finishing in anything other than 3rd place or with less than 10 percent of the vote puts him in the same tier of candidates as Duncan Hunter and Alan Keyes.
January 5th, 2008 at 4:35 pm
YOU ARE! OR YOUR NOT!
No In Between
Rush Limbaugh this week had quite a time with callers and E-mails.
Ron in Santa Barbara you’re up first on Open Line Friday.
RUSH: Look, let me try to clarify something. I am a professional communicator, and apparently I’m failing here in my highly trained specialty. I am not upset so much over the roster of candidates. It is what it is.
hope I’m wrong about how large the sentiment is. But I’m a little distressed that so many people on our side, average Americans, the people who are the focus of this program — remember, the focus of this program is to create as many informed, educated, engaged people as possible, participating in the electoral process and other things, and voting so that when we win elections there’s a mandate. Now, this is 2008 that we are in, and I’m into my 20th year, 19-and-a-half years here. This is a little different than going back to 1988 when we started or 1992. In 1992, we’d been doing this for four years, and the Drive-By Media was still pretty much a monopoly. It was in the process of being broken down and broken apart. But here we are 19-plus years after we started here, and it just bothers me that there are people who are willing to throw away what they know wins, what they know works, in exchange for populism or what have you. My concern is not so much the candidates, because they are who they are and they’re there based on their desire to run.
Rush: But what distresses me is that I get all these phone calls. “Bush isn’t conservative enough, Rush. When are you going to stop telling us that he’s good? When are you going to stop telling us that we should support him? And these Republicans in Congress, they’re not conservative. I’m voting against them.” Okay, good, they’re not conservative enough for you, I understand that. “You gotta stop carrying their water.” Now all of a sudden you don’t care about anybody being conservative. You don’t care about it! What am I to do as host? You give me grief because I seem to stand behind people not conservative enough and now all of a sudden it’s you, not all of you, of course, giving me grief because I’m not abandoning conservatism like you are. You’re abandoning conservative beliefs for reasons that scare me. You’re not thinking. You’re feeling. You’re seeing something that’s conservative when it’s not because you want it to be.
You’re falling into this trap of becoming victims. You’re allowing the news media to dictate your mood and your attitude and your contentment, your happiness, and then you’re ultimately relying on the election of individuals to change your life. This is not what conservatives support candidates for, liberals do that. So if I have any angst of my own, it could probably best be expressed by the perception, anyway, that people who in the past have been rock-ribbed conservative and may still think they are, are all of a sudden looking to government as their salvation, as their fix, as their hope, and it just troubles me because that’s not what government is in your individual lives.
I shall begin here and say Rush did a great job with this caller as he dose all the time.
Make no mistake, this is my opinion and what I think Rush’s point is here.
He has just drawn a line in the sand that the conservatives have sold out and have given up on there core belief’s of true conserativism that this nation need so desperately.
Our core values have emerged from America’s experience, a synthesis of its Western moral and cultural heritages, its British colonial formation and the circumstances of its independence and constitutional government. This is best summarized in the document that affirmed the new American nation, the Declaration of Independence. It begins with the values of the old religious tradition: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.”
Creator, of course, was the Jewish foundation for God the Father in the Christian creed. And life, liberty, and happiness summarized the values English philosopher John Locke said were granted by Him to all people as individual rights that governments must respect. If governments did not limit themselves in this manner, the people had a moral right to resist or even rebel. The remainder of the Declaration was a practical spelling out of grievances that Americans held against the King in a commonsensical attempt to win over the “opinion of mankind” to the justness of their new order of limited government based on individuals with moral responsibilities.
The Constitution explicitly followed in that tradition by seeing human nature not as simplistically good or evil but as a balance between angelic and troublesome tendencies, as documented in its justifying work, The Federalist Papers. According to the “father of the Constitution” James Madison, differences, divisions, factions, and even conflict are innate to social life. The only way to eliminate these and other differences, he argued in Federalist 10, would be for government to extinguish liberty or force people all to think the same. Both require the improper and imprudent use of force by government. Suppressing liberty would be like eliminating air because it feeds fire and fire can be dangerous. Liberty is essential to healthy social life, even if it can be abused. Likewise, if people are free, it is impossible for all to have the same views. Rather, differences in views and about property must be protected as the “first object” of government. The only way to respect liberty and protect property and religious differences is to create an independent secular government that is limited in the powers that it can exercise over them. In that way, both secular and religious freedom can be guaranteed.
With only a score of powers or so directly granted to the national government, how could the people obtain the things they needed for a decent social life? The French aristocrat Alexis de Tocqueville performed the most systematic and influential investigation of what made the new American democracy tick. When he looked for evidence of the effect of the new national government around the country, he found it quite absent. Almost everything was accomplished outside of national government, which primarily handled national defense and limited inter-state commerce matters. Yet, he concluded, while the institutions of central power were missing, the people carried the nation in their hearts. Paradoxically, this made Americans more patriotic than Europeans, whose national governments were visible and present everywhere. The American government, being less intrusive in people’s lives, could be loved that much more.
The only effective government de Tocqueville discovered in America was local government. Indeed, the overwhelming amount of government activity was local until the early 20th century in the United States. Even more work was performed by voluntary associations. These and local government performed much more than state and national government combined. To him, wide participation in formal and informal associations was democracy in action—direct civic action was much more important than was mere voting participation. With no hereditary nobility and a wide franchise, there was a certain equality between citizens that made them feel part of the community and willing to act voluntarily to support it. It was not the national government, as in France, nor a socially-conscious aristocracy, as in Britain, that accomplished great works in America, de Tocqueville concluded. It was local people, with the freedom to solve their own problems that encouraged them to act in the community—and act more effectively than national government or aristocracy ever could.
Now more than ever in this day and time we the people are responsible for the character of our Government. If that Government body is ignorant, reckless, and corrupt, which it is, it is because the people tolerate ignorance, recklessness, and corruption. If our Government is intelligent, brave, and moral, it is because the people demand high standards of our representatives in the national legislature. So, I ask you, what is it that you demand?
Again I say, it seems some have forgotten our beginnings. Instead of Americans with a shared vision, we have become a nation divided. We have become a nation of individuals and groups, each with a special interest vision, often without thought for what is best for the nation. We are, however, a nation that at one time had an immutable vision for all. We need a true conservative that has a vision for the nation, a vision that includes all men and it’s the same vision that our Founding Fathers held for this nation.
The Socialist Democrats have a vision and have chosen to allow an extreme socialist, Marxist liberal group, MoveOn.org, to become the buyer and owners of the Democratic Party. Why? That’s who they are Socialist, and it should be clear to all that socialism is their vision for you and me.
The question to be asked is about the future of this country, whether it will be freedom or socialism from the Democrats or true conservatism from the Republicans, there is NO in between.
“Albert Einstein once said, “Insanity is when you think that by doing more of what you are already doing you can get a different outcome.” Do I need to say more here.
Ray Charles can see that!
A lot of candidates pretend to be for change, but they offer only the same tired old excuses and BS from both parties’. I’m sick of it and I’m speaking out.
My fellow American’s now more than ever the time has come to evaluate the Republican Candidates for President.
As time passes, we are learning more about the top-tier candidates for the Republican nomination. We are learning where they stand on the issues that face this nation. I’m learning some candidates hold positions on issues that cause me concern more and more, because they are not true conservative view points.
I will not compromise my conservative values in anyway shape or form.
From within the current candidates vying for the GOP nomination, I have found a candidate that holds these high standards and I would like to suggest you take a look at Congressman Duncan Hunter for President. I’m not a high-powered campaign operative; I’m just a regular guy who’s a Reagan conservative and I have chosen to support Duncan Hunter for President.
Let’s face it, the Republican nominee is going to get support from many quarters because of whom the Democrats are going to nominate. They just don’t share the values of mainstream America. Why not nominate a candidate who supports true conservative values. History shows when we nominate Presidential candidates with strong conservative credentials, we win elections.
So, I say to you, as a Reagan Republican, I will vote for Duncan Hunter and work to put him in the White House 2008. Please take time to give Duncan Hunter another look, as I did. There is much work to be done. Time is short. Let’s begin - in earnest - and may God Bless our efforts.
PS:
I invite you to join the Duncan Hunter team for America at http://www.gohunter08.com/index.asp and help put him in the White House in 2008. I ask you to donate all you can for America and Freedom, donate to the candidacy of Duncan Hunter.
Respectfully,
Russell M. Scott
January 5th, 2008 at 4:39 pm
Duncan Hunter is a non-entity in this race.
My dog has a better chance of being elected President than he does.
There really isn’t anything else worth saying.
And, oh yeah, he’s wrong on almost everything
January 5th, 2008 at 7:06 pm
The Republican Party is a sick joke, and the people of this country are fed up with them.
From Nixon to Bush, and from Scooter to Larry “Toilet Stall” Craig, the Republicans have proven themselves to be a bunch of lying, corrupt, evil, perverted, over-spending crooks.
When you look at all the money Bill Clinton left this country, it makes us all cry to know that Bush spent it all.
When the money was gone, Bush went to China for help.
Just think, we owe money to China!
That is the Bush way.
Cheney is no better.
You can’t trust either of them.
No one does.
Why are we in Iraq?
The war should be on terror, not in Iraq.
Iraq had nothing to do with 9/11, and yet Bush has spent all that money to fight “his” war.
Yes his, because many Republicans have backed off from the war.
By the way, the war in Iraq has cost the U.S. almost five hundred billion dollars.
Forget Rudy.
Rudy Giuliani is no hero.
While he is often called the hero of 9/11, the truth is that Rudy was a terrible leader during his years as mayor of New York City.
He made bad decisions and took a girlfriend while being married.
In fact, he even wanted his lover to live in the same house with his wife.
Most people would call this perverted.
New Yorkers were so sick of his antics, that they wanted him out of office.
Then came 9/11.
The only reason people call Giuliani a hero today, is because he just happened to be NYC’s mayor during that bad time.
Any mayor would be looked at as a hero if they showed their face under those circumstances.
If there was no 9/11, Rudy would have become a joke.
This is not the kind of leader we want in the White House. In closing, the New York Post reported in their paper on April 23, that Giuliani spent more than $48,000 dollars of campaign money on posh hotels while claiming to have spent the least of all the Republican candidates.
Rudy is a good time leader, and does it with other people’s money.
Forget Mitt.
His ads look bad.
He can’t seem to get his facts right, and will say things to make himself look good.
Red flags go up around him.
I spoke with his son Tagg at the New Hampshire debates back in June (2007), and while he seemed like a nice man, Tagg could not get his facts right either.
The worst Republican as of late, though, is Larry Craig.
He is a lying pervert who wanted gay sex with a strange man on a dirty toilet seat.
He pled guilty, then said he was not guilty.
Say what?
He is another Republican moron.
Did you hear about Washington State Republican Rep. Richard Curtis?
He offered $1,000 to a young man for unprotected sex while dressed in women’s lingerie.
This sort of thing just goes on and on with them.
Remember Mark Foley?
Here is a letter I wrote that was in many newspapers and Web sites:
Once again, the Republicans have turned my stomach with shocking and repulsive behavior.
Mark Foley, a Republican member (now ex-member) of Congress, has sent many e-mails with perverted sexual content to a sixteen year old boy.
This is the same man who while in Congress, backed a bill that was meant to protect children from child predators.
Foley himself, is a man who preyed on a child with lust.
What is also incomprehensible, is the fact that some Republicans knew of Foley’s behavior, and yet, did not take a hard stand against this until it became public news. If I had a teenage son and/or daughter, I would not want them to go near any Republican leader for fear of either or both becoming a victim of a sick Republican pervert.
There were more than three hundred such letters in newspapers in 2007 alone.
Many of them in New Hampshire.
There are thousands on the Internet.
No lie.
THOUSANDS!
This does not even include articles, ads, radio, TV and other areas where the public takes notice.
In fact, one Republican in California wanted me stopped once, because I was hurting some Republicans in their elections.
I just want to do my part in helping to get rid of every Republican scumbag.
From phone scams to the Union Leader (NH) covering up for Republicans, the garbage never ends.
But the Republican Party will end.
Did you know that George W. Bush once made fun of the issue of Weapons of Mass Destruction?
He did, and in front of some shocked people during a black-tie event in 2004.
He said…. (While looking under a piece of furniture) “Those weapons of mass destruction have got to be here somewhere.”
Then, while pretending to look out of a window, Bush laughed as he said….. “Nope, no weapons over there.”
While he was laughing, there were men and women fighting and dying in Iraq because of WMD.
George W. Bush should be removed from office because of that alone.
Face it, Bill Clinton lied about having sex, and was impeached because of it.
George W. Bush however, did far worse, as he laughed at the very people who are fighting for the United States of America!
That about sums it all up!
(By the way, this Bush/WMD was part of an article and letter I wrote as well.)
This leads us to John McCain.
All he seems to do is attack other candidates.
His Woodstock ad against Hillary Clinton was boring and without the facts.
He tells of Hillary wanting to spend a million dollars on a museum while he (McCain) supports spending more on the war in Iraq.
He wants you to believe that the Democrats are the big spenders, while it is McCain’s Republican Party that has spent all the money Bill Clinton left us to a point where Bush had to borrow money from China.
Think about that again.
We owe to China.
That is the Republican way.
Also, it must be noted that McCain even laughed at war.
Remember when McCain changed the words of a Beach Boys song to Bomb, Bomb, Bomb, Bomb, Bomb, Iran?
McCain even laughed when he was done.
He thought starting a war with Iran was a laughing matter.
That is the real John McCain.
He just can’t be trusted.
He is another George Bush, and you know what we got with him.
The Republican Party is a mess, and getting worse.
People do not trust any of them, and we are all tired of their act.
If you are a NH Republican voter and plan on voting Tuesday (1/8), please do your country and New Hampshire a favor and either stay home or join another party.
Your party is over!
George Vreeland Hill