Shouldn't President Bush Should Be At 80 % Approval

No, I am not crazy. I am asking a serious question. For years we have been spoon fed many givens as to what the American people want in their politicians. In my mind President Bush fits that mold perfectly. Let's look at the myths purported by the mainstream media.

1. The American people want an end to partisan bickering. They want both sides of the aisle to join together and work for the people.

Nice sentiment but there is a reason that there are two parties. The liberals, mostly in the democratic party, are wrong on just about everything and need someone to stop them from damaging this country. It is when those on the republican side of the aisle cave in to liberals that the American people become disgruntled. As to my theory...President Bush has tried everything to befriend the democrats. He has had top dems to the White House for dinner and has even joined them on legislation. President Bush joined with Ted Kennedy on education and immigration. What has been President Bush's reward for this compassionate conservatism? The left hates him with a venom never before seen. The media criticizes him no matter what he does and his poll numbers are in a plummet.

2. The American people want a president to govern on principle and not cave in to special interests.

President Bush has consistently said to hell with public opinion polls. He has always done what he thinks is in the best interest of the country. When the right pressured him to veto the McCain Feingold anti-republican campaign finance reform bill he did not. He nominated Harriet Myers for the Supreme Court over the objections of the conservatives. With a public brainwashed by the media now firmly against the war which at one time almost all of them supported, President Bush has pushed on. President Bush has put his middle finger in the air defiantly toward almost all of his supporters when it comes to immigration. Governing from a place of principle certainly has not elevated his approval rating.

3. It's the economy stupid!

This has always seemingly been true. Now, however, the economy is as strong as ever and we have full employment and President Bush has gotten no credit for it. The media has consistently held back on the good economic news to make sure that the casual news observer has no idea how strong the economy is. Having a good economic recored is useless if nobody knows about it.

There are more examples that I could point to such as fighting a war in a manner to appease your critics etc. My point is simple. What the American people truly want in a president is a strong conservative who stands up to his critics and can speak to the American people directly. The media will never support a conservative president so effective communication skills become far more important. Those who love this country better take all of this into account when choosing our next candidate.

Saving the republican party...Worth It?

The recent defeat of the Senate Immigration bill has breathed life into the republican party. My negative attitude towards the bill was that it would strike a death blow to the party that was once home to conservatism. That a bill so vile on it's face could come so close to being passed is a testament to why the republican party is in serious trouble. The conservative base will not vote for a monkey with the letter (R) next to his name. The conservative base expects candidates to govern on the promises that they made. When the right strays and takes up a spending barrage that dwarfs the liberals , conservative voters stay home. Conservatives in the house and the slim margin in the Senate that helped in defeating this heresy have given the republican party a chance to ward off certain defeat.

The republican party has strayed and many conservatives are fed up and have taken the view that America needs to see how bad the left can screw things up. I don't ascribe to this view. If Hillary Clinton wins the presidency with a democratic congress they can cause great harm to this country that I love. Allowing prospects such as high taxes, national health care, the fairness doctrine, more abortions, a continued war on Christianity, another Ruth Bader Ginsburg on the court etc. are not worth it for me to prove a point. The republicans are the best hope for this country.

What must be done is actually quite simple, at least in theory. Conservative candidates must take on the entrenched party machine that governs in Washington. It's not easy to defeat these incumbents but in this climate of disgust it might just be possible. If these Senate elitists see a few of there colleagues defeated maybe they will start to wake up. The national republican party needs to find a mainstream voice that will carry on the legacy of Ronald Reagan. Our national presidential candidate must tell people why low taxes are good for the economy. They must explain the threats that face this nation and express why they have the stones to say "the hell with the media" and do what needs to be done. Our candidate must stand up for traditional values and the millions of Americans who are under assault by secular progressives. We need the rest of our leaders to stop attempting to appease the left wing and stand up for what is right. If our party would just stand on principle and communicate conservatism effectively we would once again feel proud to call ourselves republicans.

Presidential Candidate Profile: Mitt Romney

Mitt Romney looks presidential. He speaks well and usually espouses a conservative point of view. In many ways he comes off like the perfect candidate. I have been holding off on my view of Romney because it is hard to tell if he is a perfect candidate or if he's playing the role of perfect candidate. I personally believe that Romney has true conservative roots which he was willing to water down in order to achieve political capital in a liberal state. If elected president I think he would be a good one.

The negative in my view is that in the last presidential election our side pointed out the flip flops of John Kerry ceaselessly. I dont think it would be a good time to put up a candidate that could so easily face the same scrutiny. I don't think that the whole Mormon thing is much of an issue. I find it hard to believe that anyone would not vote based on a candidate being a Mormon but it seems to be true. I just cant accept that there would be enough of these kooks to sway an election. Romney seems to live the life of a solid values based religious man who holds his faith dear.

If Romney becomes the republican candidate I will support him strongly. I will cast my vote with a clear conscience and will not feel that I am sacrificing my own principles. I don't think that Romney will win the nomination but I do think that he is one of the stronger candidates.

Are Our Elected Leaders Insane?

I have been meaning to post on her for quite a while now. The biggest issue out there has been immigration reform. I have wanted to post my views but up until now I did not think that I could make my case in a logical way devoid of barrages of profanity. I have been listening to other conservative commentators talking about why the senate immigration reform bill would fail. I had taken a much less optimistic position and figured I would hope that I was wrong.

Immigration is made out to be the most difficult issue out there. In fact it is simple. Secure the border! How? Who the hell cares, just do it! Build a fence, hire more border patrol, use technology, use the national guard or use all of the above. If there is any issue on which there is a consensus it is this one. Approximately seventy percent of Americans want the border secured and say deal with the rest of the other crap later. Do it! It's that simple!

What about the approximately twelve million illegals that are here now? The leaders on the left and even some on the right say that because the government can't deport all of these people we have to make them all legal now, including those criminal aliens who are currently pegged for deportation! Many on the left say that in addition to this we need to bring their brothers, sisters, mothers, fathers, uncles, aunts and really close friends here legally to keep them company! This is insane! We have lunatics amongst us and many of them are in the United States Senate! I sit watching these people thinking that I am dreaming some crazy dream. People cannot believe this...can they? Here's what we do with them...

Any illegal alien who commits any crime gets deported. We put barbarian like sanctions on employers who hire illegal aliens. Many of those here who can no longer obtain work will leave. It would also act as a disincentive for more illegals to come across our border.

Do we really need these workers to do jobs that Americans simply will not do? I think that theory is overblown and overplayed. I would allow for a guest worker program. People would be allowed to apply for guest worker status in their own countries. Yes, mean old me would make those who have violated our laws go home before they could return legally. I would require all guest workers to have tamper proof identification cards following real background checks. There would also be very strict limits on how many guest workers would be allowed here.

Now, I could get into more detail but whats the point? The first Senate bill may have went down in flames but a new compromise is already on the way. Our leaders are intent on passing an amnesty bill and banking on the fact that people are stupid enough to believe them when they say that it's not. My belief is that they will pass a bill. The borders will once again fail to be secured amidst all the promises. Democrats will try and figure out how to let these amnestied illegals vote. The situation will get worse than it is now. Those committing horrible crimes will be even harder to deport than they are now and will have the opportunity to become citizens. This whole discussion makes me sick and I cannot even bring myself to proofread this post. If I have rambled, been unfocused or made mass grammatical errors, I apologize. I just cannot bring myself to read this again.

Presidential Candidate Profile: Rudolph Giuliani

It has been a while since I have posted here. It is not that I have not been following the issues of the day. The birth of my daughter three weeks ago has taken most of my attention and has left me to be less than attentive to this site. Rudy? This is a tough profile for me. If I lived anywhere other than the northeast I would probably be on this page tearing Rudy apart and pointing out all of his faults as a candidate. The fact is however, I live in New Jersey and have watched Rudy govern up close. On the negative side is the fact that Rudy is a social liberal, he always has been. He supports abortion, gay rights and gun control. He courts conservative voters with the promise that he will appoint strict constructionist judges and would not rule out judges who oppose Roe vs. Wade. I believe Rudy. I cannot see Rudy appointing inept judges such as Ruth Bader Ginsburg to the court. I also take him at his word that he is now opposed to gay marriage and will not attempt to strengthen gun laws in an activist liberal way.

The positives for Rudy are that he is a fiscal conservative who believes in and can explain supply side economics, he is very strong on national defense and he is a fighter. Many will point out rampant spending while he was the mayor of New York City but considering the reality of city politics Rudy was the Ronald Reagan of city government. On defense issues I have no doubt that Rudy would do anything in his power to defend this country. I have been to New York City prior to his administration and after and the difference is remarkable. Rudy did what was necessary to clean up the city and battled every critic that came his way. He never backed down and caved in to his critics. This brings me to his greatest strength. Rudy would not fight a war to appease the media. He also would not attempt to compromise with his critics. New York newspapers routinely published pictures of Rudy with a Hitler moustache and glorified protests against him. He never attempted to appease those critics or attempted to make them like him. He just moved forward with what he believed in.

I will admit that Rudy is not the perfect candidate. I am not likely to endorse him in the primary. I will say however that if he gets the Republican nomination for president I would have no trouble supporting him. The Democratic nominee if elected will push for more abortions with less restrictions. It would be foolish to shun a candidate who would at worst maintain the status quo and at best could appoint conservative judges. The Democratic nominee would also raise taxes, gut the military and attempt to make friends with our enemies. These are all issues where Giuliani shines. I would have no problem voting for Rudy Giuliani.

The Anti-American Unpatriotic Left

Well, they have done it once again. Liberals have once again proven why they should never again be trusted to lead this great country. In one of the most shameless acts ever by a United States congress the democrats and their liberal allies within the republican party have decided to side with Al Qaeda against their own country! A little strong you say...I think not. Let's look at the facts objectively. The United States is at war in Iraq whether we like it or not. Our troops on the ground have removed a vicious dictator who has committed genocide against his own people. The Iraqi people have risked their lives in order to vote in free elections. Our troops have killed ridiculously more enemy combatants than have been killed amongst our allied forces. Our military has secured about 80 percent of Iraq. The generals on the ground have stated that since the Bush surge policy has been implemented they are seeing swift and sure progress. Although unimaginable in 2001 after 9/11, the United States has not been struck by a terrorist attack. Even if one was to accept the premise dished out by the left that Iraq is a disaster being waged by idiots there are really two distinct choices. One is to change what has been done wrong and kick the living crap out of the enemy. That is the choice of victory and strengthening United States security. The second choice is to bow down to the terrorists, apologize for even thinking about challenging them and begging them to be nice and not kill too many people next time they decide to strike. This is the path of defeat and surrender. It is clear which path the left would have us take. The democrats have decided to throw in the towel and surrender to the Al Qaeda forces in Iraq! As has been proven time and time again the American left has no stomach for war and no clue as to how to protect this country. Yes, by demanding a timetable for withdrawal they have said that we lost! Thank God that President Bush will be vetoing this treasonous piece of legislation. In reality these democrats have no authority or power to waive the white flag. The damage though has already been done. By stating publicly that we have lost the democrats have given our enemies abroad and at home the ultimate piece of propaganda! The United States congress has officially voted to EMBOLDEN OUR ENEMIES! This is a disgrace that will cost American lives! I only hope that those conservatives that sat out of the last election cycle and allowed this UN-American bunch to take power are happy now! Liberals always look shocked when anyone states the truth and they take offense at anyone questioning their patriotism. Well, others may by afraid of that charge but I am openly stating that the American left and their allies within the republican party are NOT patriotic and are enemies of their own country!

A word on Iraq. My blog is fairly new and I have not yet had a chance to give my position on the Iraq war. I will gladly take this opportunity to tell you what I think. The media, politicians and pundits have made this whole debate far too complicated when it is really quite simple. When Saddam Hussein violated the first cease fire resolution following the first Gulf War, U.S. forces should have stormed the country and overthrown the government! President Bush was foolish to base the current Iraq conflict on weapons of mass destruction etc. The main argument should have been that a terrorist dictator who has repeatedly spat in the face of United Nations resolutions simply cannot be allowed to remain in power in the current world that we live in. The other arguments should have been secondary. September 11Th, 2001 changed how we have to look at our enemies. Regimes that have stated that they want us dead just might mean it! As to the war itself...Many have argued troop levels, the decision to disband the Iraqi military and all sorts of other minuscule issues. The fact is that the Iraq war has proven that you cannot fight a war in an attempt to please the media and critics. We should have fullfilled the promise of Shock and Awe and leveled Iraq. Terrorists hiding in Mosques should have been sent to Allah. War is bloody and when fought effectively many people die and many things are destroyed. Of course we should always attempt to limit civilian casualties but not at the expense of American soldiers lives. Following the leveling of Iraq and turning it into a military state the Army Corps of Engineers should have been sent in to start rebuilding the countries infrastructure and Iraqi police and military should have been trained. If we would have done this the country would have been secured in relatively short order before the insurgents had a chance to cause their havoc. The media and critics of America would have screamed but it would have been a short lived story that would have been laughed at by the American people. By attempting to appease critics this war has been dragged on so that the leftist propagandist media could change public opinion by reporting only the bad news. At some point in time conservatives have to realize that those on the left will never like them or attempt to do what is right for their country. Conservatives always take the high ground and state that they are not questioning any ones patriotism but I think with this latest vote by congress it is clear that the left are not simply UN-patriotic but are downright enemies of both our brave military and our nation.

May They Be At Rest In The Arms Of God

I am sick. The senseless and savage slaughter of 32 innocent people at Virginia Tech University has left me with a hollow feeling in the pit of my stomach. I grieve for the fallen as well as those who held them dear. I cannot even begin to imagine the utter sorrow of the parents who are being forced to bury their children who they believed were safe at school preparing for bright futures. My prayers and somber thoughts are with all who have been touched by this horrible travesty.

I am disgusted by the media machine that is taking the opportunity of this tragedy to advance it's own political agenda! I am dismayed by the vultures who seem to appear on television only after innocent people have lost their lives. I have watched expert after expert point out the mistakes made by the school and the police in response to this maniacal killer. These experts who feed off of others misery only to achieve their next fifteen minutes of fame are pitiful! They were sitting on their asses at their homes when this slaughter happened. With little information they have rushed to the cameras to explain why they would have made better choices and decisions than those who were at the scene and had all available information. They were spewing their bile before the bodies of the dead were even carried off of the campus. There will surely be a time for second guessing but it definitely is not yet that time!

The media has also attempted to turn the massacre of innocent college students into an indictment of American culture. Before the blood had dried they allied themselves with the anti-gun left and attempted to begin a national debate on gun control. They have blamed everything from American society to George W. Bush for this slaughter. The simple and clear fact is that none of this is relevant at this time. College students at Virginia Tech went to school in order to learn. They went to school holding dreams of the lives that their education would bring them. I am sure that some were dwelling on minutia and others were distracted by their latest love interests. Professors went to work as they did each day and attempted to impart some knowledge to eager students. Then one sick lunatic showed up with guns and ended their lives. Yes, one degenerate gunman, not American society or the NRA, showed up with evil in his dark little mind and took away the dreams of people just living their lives. His intent was to cause maximum casualties and then to take his own pathetic and unfulfilled life!

This is a time to mourn. This is a time to feel for the victims and their families. This is a time to attempt to help all of those who have been touched by this terrible tragedy. There will be a time for a discussion about these issues later but not when the wounds are still raw. If there is a lesson to be learned it is that the media will take advantage of any opportunity to politicize a story in order to advance their ideological agenda. I will not fall into this trap and debate gun control or second guess those who did their best to make tough decisions. I will not obscure the deaths of these people with an ideological debate! Instead I will sit here and reflect on those that died. I will pray for them and their families. I will dry my tears and silently ask God to take good care of them.

Presidential Candidate Profile: Duncan Hunter

I plan over the next few months on giving you my take on the Republican crop of Presidential candidates for 2008. I know it's early but I am a junkie for this stuff. I decided to start my profiles with Congressman Duncan Hunter. I figured that Rudy, Mitt and the rest have enough publicity already and can wait for their turn on the Lazy Dog. Duncan Hunter is a near perfect candidate. In fact the biggest knock on him is that he has virtually no chance of winning. I have heard him say that he has run underdog campaigns in the past and won. I know all about the straw polls that he has done well in but...let's face it, the bigger candidates have a whole lot more money and exposure. Hunter is banking on a groundswell of grassroots support but the chances of that are minimal. Don't get me wrong, I hope it happens. I am not ready to endorse a candidate yet but Hunter is at or near the top of my list.

Duncan Hunter has been in congress since 1980 and has been a tried and true conservative. He is chairman of the House Armed Services Committee and is a huge supporter of the United States military. He is a true believer in the Ronald Reagan philosophy of peace through strength. On other issues he also has been consistently on the right side of the issues. Hunter was one of those who spearheaded the fence along the San Diego and Mexican border that has shut down most illegal immigration on that stretch of border. He is very strong on border security and would not offer amnesty to those illegal aliens who are already here.

Hunter is also big on cutting the outrageous spending of the federal government and balancing the budget. He supports conservative judges, is firmly pro-life and has consistently defended second amendment rights. Not only does he support tax cuts but he supports revamping the federal tax code. Tax reform is one of the most important issues to me and Duncan Hunter is a co-sponsor of the Fair Tax Act in congress. The only issue that I can see some on the right having with Hunter is his stance on trade. He often speaks of a fair trade policy that would put the U.S. at a competitive advantage. Some of his rhetoric has a tinge of protectionism but from what I have seen he is not an isolationist in any way. In areas of education he supports vouchers and even supports transferring NEA funds to local school art programs.

Duncan Hunter is an intriguing candidate. I havent heard enough of his speeches to decide whether he is the spokesman for conservatism that we have been waiting for. What I have found though is a candidate who has been a strong conservative who has never waivered or been willing to sacrifice his principles in order to get along with the enemy. Add to that that he is a strong defender of America and would be a terror warrior and you have a candidacy that hopefully will make a mark.

Mullet Haired Moron

I was thinking about sitting this controversy out. I have to admit that I can't stand the Don Imus show. Weekdays when I tune into 660 WFAN for some good old sports talk at times I catch the end of the Imus show. Usually I am subjected to no more than a minute or two but I can tell you that is more than enough. That minute or two is much worse than anything terrorist detainees at Gitmo are faced with. As to the controversy, what Imus said about the Rutger's basketball team was uncalled for. Imus himself has apologized and has taken responsibility for his words. Now he has been fired from his radio show and his MSNBC telecast...end of story...well...

What I have found interesting about this controversy is the reaction of those who have spoken out. Jesse Jackson who was long ago forgiven for anti-Semitic statements that he made has been unwilling to forgive Imus for his transgressions. Al Sharpton who has not only put his foot in his mouth but still wears the stains of the Tawana Brawley debacle, has made this his latest crusade. I am also intrigued by the outrage and disgust of common society. Rap and in many cases pop music routinely uses language far worse that Imus. Gangsta rap not only demeans women but adds a good dose of violence and drug use to the mix. Gangsta rap and oversexed pop music are far more dangerous to society than a 60 year old idiot on the radio. Teens idolize these music artists and in many cases attempt to emulate their behavior. Where is the outrage of those who so vocally criticize Imus? I am waiting to see the marches in the streets!

I have a final comment for the Rutgers basketball team. I was disturbed watching their reactions to this controversy. These young women are examples for all to follow. They are strong women who are at the peak of their sport. I can understand why they would be angry with Mr. Imus. What really bothered me is that they truly seemed hurt by his statements. Many of the players said that this took away from their joy at winning a national championship. I would only say this. Ladies, you did nothing to bring this upon yourselves except for rising to the top of your games. Do not let the words of a radio shock jock bring you down. I would also encourage the team to tell the mouthpieces who are exploiting this situation that strong women can take care of their own business and don't need a couple of hucksters to fight their battles for them.

Ahmadinejad's Gift to the British People

In a showing of his humanitarianism and benevolent intentions toward the west, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has given an Easter present to the British people. Yes, even after British Royal Navy sailors had the gall to invade the sovereign waters of the great and peaceful nation of Iran, Ahmadinejad proved to be this generations Ghandi. After having the sailors brought into an Iranian resort community for some fun, sun, rest and relaxation, he sent them home even after the ungrateful British failed to offer an appropriate apology for sailing into their waters. This has been the story that I have been reading in the national media!

Unlike many in the conservative movement I am not an optimist. This whole incident has deepened my fears that our way of life is in great danger. Ignore the media spin and take a look at what really happened here. British soldiers sailing along in Iraqi waters were taken hostage by Iran! When the British sailors asked for permission to defend their own people they were told not to provoke those who were attempting to take them hostage. Then when the sailors were taken hostage the response was to NOT confront the hostage takers. As a matter of fact when President Bush used the word "hostages" to describe the hostages there was more outrage than there was to the initial incident. I kept waiting to hear of Royal Navy ships cutting off the gasoline supply to Iran or air strikes against their single refinery. Hell, I would have been happy to have heard some tough talk! No, what was heard was the west bowing down on their knees and kissing the feet of an insane dictator! Oh, I forgot, the United Nations issued some tepid blather that was supposed to scare Iran into releasing the vacationing sailors. On television I saw a female sailor wearing Muslim clothing and then one by one these sailors were apologizing for entering waters that they never had. I waited for the media to slam Iran for these blatant violations of the Geneva convention but the media were silent. I guess if the Iranians had made them pose for embarrassing photos then we would have heard some outrage.

Then Ahmadinejad, having thoroughly embarrassed the west, let the sailors go. He called it a gift to the British people. After being released, the soldiers talked of steady and tough interrogations. They told of being threatened with seven years of prison time if they refused to make statements. I am sure that the American left will be outraged that the soldiers were not simply allowed to give name, rank and serial number as they would have as the standard for captured terrorists. No, for the left, only enemies of the United States are due these rights.

The lessons here are simple. By showing weakness to an irrational and dangerous enemy the west has opened the door to more of these tactics. Lunatics such as Ahmedinejad are free to act without fear of reprisal. It is more imperative than ever that the United States sends a clear message that if an act such as this is tried against us there will be severe ramifications. Touch our soldiers and you will no longer have a navy. You will no longer have the benefit of gasoline and we will shut down your entire economy. As a matter of fact why haven't we used these simple tactics in regards to Iran's nuclear endeavors. The answer is painfully evident. Although it is clear what MUST be done, our leaders on both sides of the aisle do not have the stomach to do it. Even those on the right who talk a tough game have proven unwilling to fight a war on terror that is designed to defeat the enemy. Instead we have fought a war to placate a press which has proven time and again to embrace our enemies. I sit here discouraged. A simple question passes through my mind. How many innocent people, innocent Americans, have to die before this country wakes up to the threats that face us? At one time I would have thought that 3000 would have done it but the majority of our own people have forgotten those that gave their lives on September 11th 2001. God help this great nation.

Welcome to the Lazy Dog

What is the Lazy Dog Observer? That's a good question and I'm not entirely sure that I can give you a full answer! I am just a regular guy who goes to work each day so that the mortgage gets paid at the end of the month. I've never ran for anything and have never been a speech writer for so and so or pollster extraordinaire. As a matter of fact I don't have any special qualifications as a political pundit. What I do have is a a lot of opinions on things that are happening in the world and even some ideas on how to fix them. I can't tell you how often I'm going to post here or what exactly I'm going to comment on, I guess we'll figure that out together. Right from the start I will tell you that I consider myself to be a pretty conservative guy. I used to call myself a Republican but then I woke up one day and realized that I lived in New Jersey. Politicians calling themselves Republicans routinely espoused views that I just couldn't relate to. Then following the collapse of the Gingrich Republican Revolution, it seemed that the national party drifted farther and farther away from the Reagan conservatism that I hold dear. I am much more loyal to the Reagan philosophy than the party that has in large part abandoned it. That's where I stand right now, let's get started with some Lazy Dog observations.