………. and then they will sing L'Internationale

We close the work week with another moment of candor from Barack Obama describing his emotional commitment to an international order that so minutely regulates American conduct that our thermostats will be subject to international scrutiny.



Have we become so truly weak as a nation, so lacking in national will and patriotic self-confidence that this is what passes for leadership in the land of Abe, Teddy, FDR, Harry, Ike, JFK, and Dutch Reagan?

Maxine Waters-Socialism, yes that’s the answer.

In a rare, and most inadvertent, encounter with the truth, Democrat Maxine Waters, finally explained why Democrats have spent the last generation fighting for ever increasing gas, oil and energy prices.

Democrats have employed every means of American democracy to raise gas prices. When they controlled the White House they veto refinery construction and domestic oil exploration and production. When they control Congress they block legislation to the same purpose and when they don’t, characters like Chuck Schumer and Babs Barker filibuster domestic exploration and production. What little incentives to produce survive Congress are either killed by liberals in state legislative gymnastics or, failing that, blocked in well funded lawsuits where libs litigate their way to ever higher gas prices. How else can any rational person explain why we aren’t drilling the North Slope or the Caribbean basin when gas is $4 a gallon?

However, just yesterday, Maxine let it slip.

Link: sevenload.com

In the true spirit of the permanent revolution first advocated by Marx and Engels, the American liberals see an economically devastating energy crisis as the precipitating event for a socialist-governmental takeover of the energy industry.

So, if you want gas and electricity rationing (gas lines and brown outs you might recall) like California’s state controlled energy markets produced, then, by all means vote Democrat.

If you don’t, you’d better pull that GOP lever.

GOP Senate Debate: Let’s get it on!

The Polk County Republican Party is sponsoring a live debate for the Republican candidates for the United States Senate. George Eichhorn (pictured right) and Christopher Reed (pictured left) have agreed to participate. Steve Rathje declined participation. Take nothing from the size differential in the pictures-our tech skills with pics are pretty limited.

Channel 13’s ace political reporter Dave Price will moderate. Dave authors the outstanding Price of Politics blog so if you have any questions you would might have just click on Dave's photo and let him know.

The debate will air state wide live on Friday, May 30, at 9:00 o’clock p.m. on Channel 11 in Des Moines. Check the IPTV website for listings in your area. The debate will be at the Iowa Public Television studios in Johnston.

Seating is limited and will be provided by the Polk County Republican Party. The Polk GOP can be reached at PolkGOP.com.

Tom Harkin loves his country ..........

…………… like OJ loved Nicole.

We delayed blogging on Harkin’s latest outrage-his most unpatriotic statement that John McCain is disqualified from the Presidency because Sen. McCain comes from a military family-to avoid emotional hyperbole.

Now Tom Harkin has long been known to be the vilest pustule on the body politic. Harkin personally attacks every Republican in the most savage of terms, yet for some reason we just curl in a fetal position and take it.

Harkin has lied about his military service for almost forty years. Harkin has spent a lifetime denigrating and subverting America’s allies while fortifying America’s enemies. With a net worth of approximately $20 million, Harkin would be among the wealthiest of Iowans, if he really was an Iowan, so he has enriched himself by “public service”.

Attacking a Presidential candidate because that candidate comes from a military family is a new low for Harkin. Not so much because of the unpatriotic and hate filled sentiment that informs such a statement but because Harkin and his ally John Kerry built an entire campaign around combat service and a military background. I think it’s the hypocrisy that is so uniquely repulsive this time around.

The Iowa Brigade and Iowa Defense Alliance.

We discovered two great local blogs.

The first new link is The Iowa Brigade. This brigade is overtly Republican. The blog features a ton of links to other political events and interviews. It also features the question section described in our previous post. Don’t you think all of our candidates should respond to those questions?

The second new link is Iowa Defense Alliance is a more traditional editorial blog.

Both are great new finds and welcome additions the Real Interesting Reads section below left.

A question or two per day from The Iowa Brigade.

We here at TRS have discovered a great Iowa blog/website, The Iowa Brigade. Iowa Brigade has a series of questions for Iowa’s Senate and Congressional candidates. The questions are fair and clearly focused on the critical issues of the day.

Since we here at TRS try to hold candidates feet to the conservative fire, it seems only fair that we toe that same line. So, here goes:

1. Illegal immigration has been in the news quite often in the last year, what steps would you take to curb the flow of illegal immigrants from all US borders.



TRS says:

A. Very tight border beginning with Mexico and then, as resources permit, Canada as well. Our goal should be to identify every non citizen who enters this country. Don’t care where you come from just want to know who you are and what you are doing in my country. This means a literal and metaphoric fence. Capturing illegals in the interior is part of the metaphoric fence.

B. Very large gates. We need to approve much larger numbers of immigrants; our population simply does not produce enough children domestically.

C. Reform the system. Hundreds of thousands, maybe over a million, “illegal immigrants” are illegal simply because the bureaucracies that administer national immigration policy are as inefficient as almost every other federal bureaucracy. It really doesn’t serve the nation to deport the 25 year old math genius because a loose cog in a rackety machine didn’t produce the correct result. It isn’t very fair either. We also know that lots of bad guys slip through these same cracks, so fixing the bureaucracy is certainly of the highest importance.

D. Eliminate birthright citizenship. It is 2008 not 1808.

E. Enforce every existing law. If you’re here unlawfully, go home and get in line. We want you, but we don’t want you more than we want the people in your home country who are patiently and legally awaiting admission to the land of Coca Cola. Prosecute the hell out of unions and employers who pervasively enroll or employee illegal immigrants.

F. Fund the needed programs. Immigration is issue number three. Only national security, of which immigration is in part an important subset, and energy are more important. That means less federal money for non federal functions like education.

See, it’s not hard to say what you think.

Candidates in their own words: Chris Reed-US Senate

One of our public services here at TRS is providing a forum to any Republican who solicits a forum. We received a request from one of our US Senate candidates, Chris Reed. Our other candidates, George Eichhorn and Steve Rathje, are very welcome to publish as well. Nothing we publish on behalf should be construed as our personal endorsement of a candidate in a contested Republican primary, merely the provision of another forum for each candidate and their supporters to make their case to Iowa Republicans.

So, without further ado, Chris Reed in his own words.




May 19, 2008

There are currently three candidates competing for the June 3rd Primary victory for the right to take on Tom Harkin. Of the three candidates, there are many differences the voters should be made aware of.

The first candidate claims to have been “running” for approximately three years. He will be the first to boast that he has logged over 200,000 miles and hit all 99 counties “some more than once”. This candidate believes he should be handed the Republican nomination simply because he has been in the race the longest. This is like saying that Harvard should be allowed in the BCS National Championship or NCAA Final Four every year simply because they were the first major University, not because they are the best team and earn it. This candidate is scared to debate the other two. He knows very little about the issues except for those he has cut and pasted off the Republican National Party website. He has no depth or breadth on the issues and cannot speak about them other than saying he is “for” or “against” them. Can we really afford to place a “candidate” against Tom Harkin who is afraid to debate fellow Republicans, let alone Harkin himself? Fact: He has been invited to more than one major debate and has outright declined to show up. His reason – “I won’t be in the same room with those ‘Johnny-come-lately’ candidates” or “those two don’t deserve to be in the same room as me” and my favorite “they (Reed/Eichhorn) don’t deserve to be in a room with me” I think Iowa Republican voters need to wake up and look at this candidate. Does he reflect your values? Acting elitist and superior to anyone else does not seem very down-to-earth to me. Say nothing for his inability to discuss the issues. He cannot articulate his position on any issue. He cannot speak on any of the issues with regards to statistics, data or specific opinion on the matter. My friends, this is the single weakest candidate we could put forth to attempt the very important job of taking out Tom Harkin.

The second candidate is a very nice man. BUT, he is a “politician”. I am not knocking politicians here, but the Republican party of Iowa has tried --and failed -- to run some form of politician against Tom Harkin for the past four terms. We cannot afford to do this again and hand Tom Harkin a fifth term. It has not been openly discussed, but this candidate lost his bid for re-election to the State House in Des Moines. A race he was heavily favored to win. Can Iowans afford to run a politician -- who lost his own bid for the State House -- against Tom Harkin? Tom Harkin loves running against “politicians”. It gives him a reason to avoid the real issues and lets him sling “mud” for five months and paint his opposition as less than favorable. A loss in the Iowa State House in 2006 would be way too easy for Harkin to utilize.

The third candidate is not a “politician”. He is the ONLY veteran in this race, the only gun-owner and hunter in this race. He did not get in the race “late”, otherwise he wouldn’t be on the ballot. He is the ONLY candidate in this race who speaks about the major issues freely, and backs up each position he takes with facts, data, insight and lets voters know exactly where he stands on each issue without “wishy-washy” avoidance or aloofness to the subject or task at hand. He is simply an Iowan who wants to go to Washington to represent other Iowans. Republicans must put forth a candidate who can go after Harkin from day one with a depth of knowledge on the issues important for this race. Our candidate must be able to speak intelligently about the issues while also being able to articulate Mr. Harkin’s faults and wrong-headed positions on these issues. Our candidate must be able to unite the Republicans in Iowa as well as convince the Independents of this state that he is the right choice for Washington. This candidate must be able to woo demonstrate eloquently that Tom Harkin is just out of touch with Iowans. There is only one candidate for U.S. Senate this year that can accomplish all of this. It is Christopher Reed. He is the only that shows up to meetings with a different speech everywhere he speaks, and is able to define his position on issues with data, facts and opinion. He knows he cannot be all things to all voters, but will express exactly where he stands on each issue so you can decide for yourself. He will never placate voters to elicit their votes. He is strong on the issues that matter to Iowans. He has received the full endorsement on Bill Salier because he is the strongest candidate to take on Tom Harkin this year and finally give Chuck Grassley someone he can work with in Washington.

Finally, as the voter, I urge you to completely research out all three candidates before the June 3rd primary. Scratch the surface, look deeper than the façade and you will find only one candidate who will get the job done. Don’t be fooled by the plasticity of the one and the failed House race of the other. Only one of the three candidates will give the clearest choice for Iowans come the November 4th election day. Cast your vote for Christopher Reed on June 3rd.

Decency in the Era of Indecency

The President’s statement on the grave news of Ted Kennedy’s health.

Laura and I are concerned to learn of our friend Senator Kennedy's diagnosis. Ted Kennedy is a man of tremendous courage, remarkable strength, and powerful spirit. Our thoughts are with Senator Kennedy and his family during this difficult period. We join our fellow Americans in praying for his full recovery.

Compare the foregoing statement with some daily Kos commentary on poor little old Nancy Reagan’s recent health problems.

Some guys are just too nice to be President.

Courageous Change for the 21st Century: McCain on farm policy.

John McCain said something today in the Chicago Tribune that has needed to be said for years, particularly the last ten years.

We as a nation are entering a period of economic boom in our agriculture sectors. Farmers look to make a ton of money for the foreseeable future. The money to be made from the conversion of grain to energy will largely fuel this boom, but other factors indicatee a very bright long term future for America's farmers. Great, the Republican goal is for farmers, like everyone else, to become as wealthy as each individual's skills and effort allow.

Every time you hear a Democrat complain about rising food costs you also know that same Democrat is admitting the reality of the farming boom in progress.

McCain’s courage arises from his statement that he would veto the current Farm Bill. The 2008 Farm Bill represents nothing more than the culmination of the New Deal’s promise to remove American agriculture from the normal market cycle. The flip side of income guaranty is dependency on the source of that guarantee. As a result, the Farm Bill is wildly popular in states like ours that are heavily reliant on the agricultural economy.

But the reality is 2008 is not 1933 or 1965. American farmers are far wealthier and more secure, and far less numerous. Our need for crops, particularly corn and soy beans, and the refineries that convert crop to fuel, will only increase and so will agricultural profits. While agriculture requires that more government intervention than most sectors of the economy are we as a nation so addicted to government that we cannot ever change any part of the liberal welfare state?

Oh, I hope Johnny Mac calls for the abolition of all tobacco subsidies. Those guys need to grow corn and build some ethanol plants and distribution systems with the resources they devote to cultivating death, disease and poverty.

Kiki & Elton.

Hey, it could have been Danny Boy.

It’s a sign. Pachyderms are back in Polk County.

What could be a better sign that we Polk County Republicans are coming back than the return of elephants to Blank Park Zoo.


Our Blank Park board and staff are doing a great job of growing the Zoo. Everyone in the county should be proud.

What does the readership think of building great animals of North America zoo right here in the geographic center of North America-Des Moines, Iowa? There’s every critter from Polar Bears and Musk Ox to Jaguars and the Mexican Grey Wolf on this continent. Most people in Central Iowa have never seen a mountain lion, ground hog or even a large snake, yet such animals live among us right here in Polk

Just a thought, what are yours?

Sunday Morning Talk: Real Insight from Bill Kristol on Fox News Sunday.

Bill Kristol, who consistently demonstrates himself to be the smartest and most articulate panelist on any of the Sunday talk, came up with outstanding commentary on the Obama liberal foreign policy arguments.

First, Kristol identified the fundamental problem with Obama, and through him most liberals, is his fundamental belief that terrorists have legitimate claims that should be addressed notwithstanding the savagery of their expression. Our political necessity and our nation’s long term security demand and answer to the question Kristol posed: what are the “legitimate claims” that Obama believes are possessed by Hezbollah and Hamas. No one should even contemplate voting for Obama until he answers that question.

Second, Kristol identified the fundamental attack on American multi-lateral diplomacy that Obama’s pursuit of direct Presidential negotiations with the Nazi Ahmadinejad discloses. While Obama talks about multilateral diplomacy, much like his attack on our trade policy with Canada, the few specifics of actual Obama policy bespeak a level of isolationism unseen since Jimmy Carter undercut America’s role in the world.

The synergy of the two questions was unspoken by Kristol. Much like Jimmy Carter, at its best Obama’s world view would inform a policy that is economically isolated and protectionist. At its worst, Obama’s naive beliefs that terror states like Iran and their terrorist proxies like Hamas and Hezbollah, would empower those quite self declared enemies of America to entrench existing power bases and expand into newer areas. Iraq and Lebanon seem the rather obvious locations for such expansion, do they not?

Instead of answering fundamental questions Obama poses queries of his own, like why Osama bin Laden is still sending video tapes. That sounds like Obama believes sending mass casualty bombers against the World Trade Center, the American Saudi barracks, the American Embassies, and the USS Cole is preferable to attacking through video tapes? Since Obama probably doesn’t harbor such thoughts why does he so deceitfully deny the enormous progress the US has made in destroying the global terror networks?

The answer, of course, is the fairy tale is the description of Obama’s candidacy as a new post partisan, post racial candidate. Obama’s just a typical radical liberal.