Redstate

His support of government funding for abortion is not "new" news in the sense that he said the same thing many years ago. But I thought that, while he would have to run as a pro-choice candidate, he might have shifted his views on abortion at least a teeny bit (such as opposing govt. funding, opposing partial-birth abortion), but this shows that he is absolutley unwilling to compromise on the issue.

Also, some conservatives have been pretending that Rudy is personally pro-choice but would still appoint judges that will overturn Roe. I hope his latest comments put that pipe dream to rest. He not only said he supports govt. funding of abortions, he described abortions as a constitutional right. Maybe he likes "strict constructionists," but he should have no trouble finding judges who are conservative on law and order issues and liberal on social issues.

Maybe it's admirable that Rudy is "up front" about his positions. But I'd rather elect someone like Romney, whose conversion may be false then Rudy, who I know is an opponent of many of my views. At least if Romney is elected it would laregly be thanks to social cons and he'd have the need of pleasing his base.

the sheer idiocy of this statement-
"But I'd rather elect someone like Romney, whose conversion may be false then Rudy, who I know is an opponent of many of my views. At least if Romney is elected it would laregly be thanks to social cons and he'd have the need of pleasing his base."

I just don't think I have anymore words for that.
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The ultimate determinant in the struggle now going on for the world will not be bombs and rockets but a test of wills and ideas-a trial of spiritual resolve: the values we hold, the beliefs we cherish and the ideals to which we are dedicated.-Reagan

But I'd rather elect someone like Romney, whose conversion may be false then Rudy, who I know is an opponent of many of my views. At least if Romney is elected it would laregly be thanks to social cons and he'd have the need of pleasing his base.

Once a candidate gets through the primary, he doesn't need us any more. He can simply have some more conversions to put himself more in line with the general populace on the issues. The same goes for McCain, incidentally, who has the same problem Romney has on flipping whenever it is politically expedient to do so on issues like abortion.
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Underlying most arguments against the free market is a lack of belief in freedom itself. - Milton Friedman

Actually c17wife and zuckio I don't see my position as idiotic. Presidents do have to appease their base. I'm not saying that they will do everything the base wants, but they can't cross them too much because they will then be completely ineffective. Bush wanted to appoint Harry Miers to the Supreme Court but was unable to because his base was so resistent. The point I was trying to make was that Romney's base would be essentially the same as Bush's and wouldn't let him get away with a nominee who favors Roe. Giuliani's base would be law and order Republicans and Independents who would be fine with judge who favors Roe. Naturally there's no way to prove this, but this i my take.

I'm not saying that they will do everything the base wants, but they can't cross them too much because they will then be completely ineffective.

There's gotta be easily 100 or more Republican governors that have disproved this theory. You always need to maintain a base of support, sure. But it doesn't have to be the same base that brought you to the dance. Politicians can and frequently do "evolve" in office.

The point I was trying to make was that Romney's base would be essentially the same as Bush's and wouldn't let him get away with a nominee who favors Roe.

Unless we have the Senate, there's nothing the base can do about it. It was push back from Republican Senators that killed HM. If we have a Democrat Senate, as appears likely, the base can scream all it wants and it won't matter.
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Underlying most arguments against the free market is a lack of belief in freedom itself. - Milton Friedman

so I still see the original statement as sheer idiocy.
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The ultimate determinant in the struggle now going on for the world will not be bombs and rockets but a test of wills and ideas-a trial of spiritual resolve: the values we hold, the beliefs we cherish and the ideals to which we are dedicated.-Reagan

Well it's all just a guess when it comes down to it. I suppose one could argue that you culd never REALLY know what someone will do once elected to office.

I tend to think Romney's abortion conversion was sincere and that even if it wasn't he'll try to appoint pro-life judges if he can for political reasons. Maybe I'm wrong. But I know Rudy will appoint pro-choice judges -- he's just said abortion is a constitutional right that should be funded by taxpayers. I'd also rather have someone who who'll veto any attempt at instituting civil unions, and veto embryonic stem cell research funding. Romney has a proven record as being on the right side of these issues when it actually mattered -- he governed as a conservative even if he made prior liberal statements.

I guess I have nothing to say...it's just so arbitrary I felt I had to comment.

I suppose he can't come back with "Hanoi Liberty".

What the heck, he might even be right. It's way too soon to make that call.

Lighten up. It's politics, not life.
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Those who live by the sword get shot by those who don't.

(just a joke, just a joke, take it easy...)

"During my lifetime, all our problems have come from mainland Europe, and all the solutions from the English-speaking nations across the world." - Thatcher

when I saw it listed in "Recent Comments". Note that I've even lightened up on McCain recently.

Sent my cannon off for reboring and cleaning. When it gets closer to reality, like late summer, it's scheduled for delivery.
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Those who live by the sword get shot by those who don't.

I'll look forward to the resumption of hunting season...

"During my lifetime, all our problems have come from mainland Europe, and all the solutions from the English-speaking nations across the world." - Thatcher

And I just love a new cannon with fresh powder.
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Those who live by the sword get shot by those who don't.

is that some people only one who will be able to keep them safe that they almost have to vote for him out of desperation. I just don't get it. The man has no foreign policy experience, he's never served in the military. I haven't heard him articulate a position on Iraq that's any better than Bush's. McCain has years of foreign policy experience, has fought for the counry in Vietnam, and has been the leading defender of the Iraq War (and just as importantly his criticisms of its handling have been right on) and he's not a social liberal. If the laundry list of McCain-Fiengold, Gang of 14, etc. are so obnoxious that one can't vote for him, I'd say that there's no reason to believe Romney, Duncan Hunter, or Fred Thompson if he runs, wouldn't be able to protect the country from terrorists. All have spoken eloquently about the threat, take it seriously, are capable "leader" types.

I wonder how many Republican candidates thought Hamilton was right when he argued for a constitutional monarchy during the Constitutional Convention?

(OK, you're probably right. I'm the only one.)

"During my lifetime, all our problems have come from mainland Europe, and all the solutions from the English-speaking nations across the world." - Thatcher

I've been very open about my support for Franz, Prince of Dogness. And he would move to immediately abolish further elections and dissolve the Congress. OK, he wouldn't dissolve the Congress. He'd kill them and eat them. Raw.

Don't let the smile fool you...
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Those who live by the sword get shot by those who don't.

and long live the habit of eating fresh, raw meat.

"During my lifetime, all our problems have come from mainland Europe, and all the solutions from the English-speaking nations across the world." - Thatcher

http://www.watergate.info/analysis/buchanan.shtml

"Until I saw an unctuous individual babbling on about how our terrified city feared a coup d'etat by Richard Nixon in 1974, I had decided not to write on the 25th anniversary of Watergate. But that did it. Watergate was indeed a coup. It was the overthrow of an elected president by a media and political elite he had routed in a 49-state landslide the like of which America had never seen."

The fact that Nixon and Ford were pro-choice Republicans doesn't prove your point at all. It shows just how different the Republican party of today is than it was in the 1970's.

I I hardly think of Nixon and Ford as exemplary Republicans. They're probably the two worst Republican presidents of the 20th century.

No doubt abortion is used by Republicans to get votes, but that doesn't mean it isn't worth fighting for. Evevotes -- GWOT, taxes, social programs...

and Ford helped to unify the nation after watergate. Warren Harding and Herbert Hoover were the worst two Republican presidents of the 20th century.

http://www.reference.com/browse/wiki/Historical_rankings_of_United_State...

Gerald Ford:
6% outstanding,
17% above average,
60% average,
9% below average,
3% poor,
5% unsure

http://www.reference.com/browse/wiki/Richard_Nixon

in full:

http://www.yale.edu/lawweb/avalon/debates/618.htm

in summary:

On June 18 Alexander Hamilton presented his own ideal plan of government. Erudite and polished, the speech, nevertheless, failed to win a following. It went too far. Calling the British government "the best in the world," Hamilton proposed a model strikingly similar an executive to serve during good behavior or life with veto power over all laws; a senate with members serving during good behavior; the legislature to have power to pass "all laws whatsoever." Hamilton later wrote to Washington that the people were now willing to accept "something not very remote from that which they have lately quitted."

My own view:
Hamilton was being only half serious. He meant to push the convention to the right, to thwart those who wanted to reform the Articles of Confederation rather than draw up a new document with substantial national powers based on Madison's Virginia Plan. But he was partly serious, too.

But I didn't mean to hijack your comment, just to make a (half-serious) joke...

"During my lifetime, all our problems have come from mainland Europe, and all the solutions from the English-speaking nations across the world." - Thatcher

to my knowledge.

In any case, Hamilton wouldn't have been part of such an offer. He knew better than to do such a thing.

"During my lifetime, all our problems have come from mainland Europe, and all the solutions from the English-speaking nations across the world." - Thatcher

i don't believe there was ever an official offer, though, only some informal support for the idea.

"During my lifetime, all our problems have come from mainland Europe, and all the solutions from the English-speaking nations across the world." - Thatcher

"During my lifetime, all our problems have come from mainland Europe, and all the solutions from the English-speaking nations across the world." - Thatcher

"During my lifetime, all our problems have come from mainland Europe, and all the solutions from the English-speaking nations across the world." - Thatcher

God knows I have enough reason to not be fond of either: one killed my gg/granfather, the other dispossesed his wife and children, so in that context:

I think both had more affinity for their Confederate "enemies" than they did for the Congress, the profiteers, and schemers in Washington. By that I don't mean the government of the CSA, which both roundly condemned, but the formidable fighting force that still existed and only needed the word of R. E. Lee to take to the hills and woods and plunge the Country into a new Dark Age.

In 1865, the AOTP was less than a formidable force comprised as it was by conscripts, bounty men, USCT, garrison troops forced from their sinecures by Grant, and only strengthened by the mortal remains of the Old Army and the few remaining early war veterans. Before Richmond it had overwhelming numbers and Lee's Army was dying every day to desertion and poor morale. On 2 Apr 65, Lee had less than one third of his nominal strength actually in the ranks, about 30K men facing 120K or so. When Lee's lines were broken, his only remaining hope was to break out and join Johnson in the Carolinas. When Lee was run to ground at Appomattox, mostly by the cavalry, he had three choices: fight it out to the last man and last bullet, disperse his army, still a hard and formidable force, to the hinterlands to continue the fight - what Davis wanted, or surrender his army and tell the men to go home and be good citizens. Lee chose the latter over the objections of many, most, of his officers, but they obeyed his command, and their descendents do so to this day.

Sherman's Army, on the other hand, was a very different beast from the AOTP; battle hardened, long serving, farm boys mostly from the, then, Northwest. Like a Roman Legion 1500 years before, they had lived off the land and their wits far from the Imperial City and its intrigues for years. After Johnson's surrender, Sherman crossed the Potomac as Caesar crossed the Rubicon. He marched that hard, dirty, sun-burned army down whichever Avenue it was, and the message was lost on no one; read the contemporary accounts.

It is fair to say that with Lincoln's death and Johnson's difficulties, America was run by a Congressional Junta until Grant's election in '68, but those formidable men, Grant and Sherman, had signed military surrenders with the PACS and paroled its leaders as soldiers, not traitors. Their power controlled the mischief that the Washington eunuchs would have wrought.

We have won the lottery of life by having been born with an American passport. Our fragile Constitutional republic survived the Spring of '65 because U.S. Grant, W.T.Sherman, and R.E. Lee said, "The War is Over."

In Vino Veritas

"During my lifetime, all our problems have come from mainland Europe, and all the solutions from the English-speaking nations across the world." - Thatcher

Deo Vindice

In Vino Veritas