Why I'm Working for Sam Brownback
By Leon H Wolf Posted in 2008 — Comments (37) / Email this page » / Leave a comment »
See the post before this one. I wanted to get this on the front page so everyone knows what's up. This will be Leon's last front page post about 2008. Thanks, Erick.
Friends, neighbors, and fellow bloggers: as I’m sure you’ve seen by now, I’ve accepted a position with the Sam Brownback for President campaign. I consider this to be a great honor, and I’m thrilled to be working for a campaign which I think will do a lot of good. If you are interested in learning why I support Sam Brownback’s candidacy for President, please follow me below the fold.
Before I begin this piece, let me explain something that should be immediately obvious, but needs to be stated in any case, in this political climate. I am quite confident that Senator Brownback and I do not agree on every single issue. So, if anyone wants to go back digging through everything I’ve written to find me criticizing some position that the Senator has taken, that can probably be done. The only presidential candidate with whom I’d have no disagreement would be me, and I’d make a terrible candidate. That being said, Senator Brownback is far and away the candidate whose vision for America matches mine most closely.
One of the most – if not the most – important issues facing this country today is the federal judiciary. Today, unelected and unremovable judges dictate policy on a wide range of important issues; from eminent domain, to antitrust, to marriage, to abortion. They also pass final judgment on the legislation passed by Congress and signed by the legislature, and on all regulatory action. A judiciary system gone bad undermines the basic principles of democracy upon which this country was founded, and a single bad selection to the Supreme Court can seemingly hang on forever, warping and twisting the law without ever having to face re-election or reconfirmation. All of the last four Republican Presidents made at least one ill-advised choice to the Supreme Court, because they viewed this issue as secondary to other issues which they felt were more pressing at the time. However, when President Bush chose to nominate another “blank slate” judge, about whom many had serious questions, Senator Brownback was the first and most insistent voice to demand that we learn more about this nominee. Ultimately, his demand for documents that the White House was unwilling to surrender led directly to appointment of Samuel Alito, a judge with a proven conservative record on the bench, to the Supreme Court.
This action confirmed one thing firmly in my mind: Sam Brownback would be the first Republican President since I’ve been alive about whom I would not have to worry at all when it came to selecting judges. Because Senator Brownback understands the importance of the federal judiciary, and has made it clear that he is not willing to rubber-stamp question marks in order to “go along and get along,” even with members of his own party, I have confidence that he will do the right thing in this critical area.
Also, as a former member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Senator Brownback has the expertise to deal with difficult questions that loom on the future, such as the situation in Iran. As I have explained at length before, the charges that the Senator supports amnesty are patently false and dishonest; the charges that he is “soft on immigration” are merely off the mark and ill-founded. The Senator supports strong border enforcement (including a physical barrier), the assimilation of immigrants into American culture, and an immigration system that does not contribute to the problem it seeks to solve. This is exactly right to me.
I know that a lot of people can’t get worked up about a guy whose main claim to fame is being the most strident pro-life voice on the hill, but in my view, taking the lives of the 1.2 million unborn children a year seriously is nothing at all to be ashamed of – I can think of a great many things that are less worthy of a candidate’s attention, and few that are more worthy.
Whenever I talk to people about Brownback, the consensus response I get is, “I like him probably better than all the rest of the candidates, but he can’t win.” It’s sentiments like this that ignore the greatest, but often forgotten, reality of politics: the surest way to not win a general election is to pick a candidate based upon electability. Besides which, the number of people I hear this sentiment from indicates that Brownback may actually have a better shot than people believe, if people can be convinced to vote for the man they truly believe is right for the job.
I hope you’ll join me.
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Why I'm Working for Sam Brownback 37 Comments (0 topical, 37 editorial, 0 hidden) Post a comment »
You're an honest and principled man, Leon. The knives (and knaves) will be out doubly so, therefore.
Congratulations to you. It's a well-deserved honor for you indeed.
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Dean Nation is now Nation-Building: Purple politics, muscular liberalism, principled pragmatism
I appreciate the compliment. I am quite confident that some of the positions I have espoused here will sound like an alien language to the many people who will be tasked with fisking through my work, but I'm reasonably confident that there's nothing in there which will embarrass the campaign, which is all I'm concerned about.
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[F]or by the fundamental law of Nature, man being to be preserved as much as possible, when all cannot be preserved, the safety of the innocent is to be preferred...
-John Locke
Sam got a good man.
Envisioning when all that is Left is the Right.
I may not agree with your choice of Brownback, but believe me, it's refreshing to see someone out there supporting a guy they really believe in. I just can't stand reading from folks how we have to support Candidate A or Candidate B for President in 2008 because they are our "only chance".
Convince him to change his view on illegal immigration and a "path to citizenship", will ya!
I know you'll do the best job for Brownback that can possibly be done.
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So libs, how's that Congressional Resolution to end The War™ coming along?
Brownback will be well served.
BTW did I notice a change in the tone of your writing? Has your new high status caused you to go soft? :)
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Develop alternatives to existing policies and keep them alive and available until the politically impossible becomes the politically inevitable. Milton Friedman
No good descriptor comes to mind...
Heck, they owe you back pay for what you've done on here already.
Congratulations.
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[F]or by the fundamental law of Nature, man being to be preserved as much as possible, when all cannot be preserved, the safety of the innocent is to be preferred...
-John Locke
That's a winner. You should start working on next year's Superbowl ad now. :)
I meant what I said and I said what I meant. An elephant's faithful 100 percent.
You're being petty.
Moe
PS: No, we aren't going to have a discussion about it, either.
The Fuzzy Puppy of the VRWC.
At the very least Sen. Brownbacks candidacy will help move the debate in the right direction.
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"Those who expect to reap the blessings of freedom must, like men, undergo the fatigue of supporting it."
-Thomas Paine: The American Crisis, No. 4, 1777
While I won't vote for your candidate, I know he will be well served by you.
Since I first heard about Senator Brownback,, I've admired his combination of a principled stand for life with regards to the unborn and vulnerable along with his taking the lead in championing those other pro-life challenges abroad that few other elected officials has even acknowledged, arising from a heartfelt and intelligent Christian faith.
I've also already encountered serious attacks on Sen. Brownback (e.g. Thomas Frank's What's the matter about Kansas) even before he announced for President. Given the current toxic political climate, I don't envy your having to wade through the slime that's sure to get thrown at him if he starts to get traction in his campaign.
I don't know if 2008 is the year for Sen, Brownback, but even if it isn't, if he is able to acquit himself well in his campaign, he should gain increasing influence in our political process in the years to come (and perhaps another shot at the Presidency).
Sen. Brownback remains at this time the only Presidential candidate I can unequivocably suppport, though where I live, my vote will likely matter little.
Best wishes on your new endeavor. Certainly his campaign will be the better for your presence in it.
Good luck man.
Remember many of us are undecided and are not sold on a particular candidate yet.
I hope you make the naysayers eat their words, at least until (unless?) a candidate I like more comes along, heh.
Run like Reagan!
Amanda Marcotte digging through your stuff...
All the best Leon.
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If "pro" is the opposite of "con", what is the opposite of "progress"...
Senior Writer
I know you'll do us proud! count me in the "I like Sam, but" crowd, but I'm open to persuasion on the subject. I don't foresee myself making a firm committment until the debates, so there's still plenty of time.
Brownback's not my guy (as you know) but good for you. I'm with you in that people should vote for who they most like. And other long shots have won before, so who knows?
Brownback still has no shot, but you'll improve his chances ;)
I'm not a Brownbacker, but there is nothing wrong with supporting the candidate who you prefer no matter what the polls say this far out (because we all know those can change).
Two thirds of the world is covered by water, the other third is covered by Champ Bailey
Best of luck ... and may the best man win Erick's campaign spam contest.
Stephen
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Even those who learn from history are surrounded by those doomed to repeat it.
Like you, I all but pull my hair out when someone advocates a candidate on the basis of his perceived electibility. Support the candidate you believe in during the primary and let the chips fall where they may. If your guy loses, then support the nominee. And, if your guy is a good enough candidate to win the party's nomination, then he's good enough to win the general.
I will vote for the person I want to win within the choices I have. And Leon is doing exactly the right thing. The way to get your preferred candidate to win is to try to convince as many people as possible that he's the best man for the job.
Congrats, Leon. (And you've probably got my vote.)
I meant what I said and I said what I meant. An elephant's faithful 100 percent.
This is very exciting.
Billy Valentine
Students for Brownback
and I hope you have a rewarding experience. I hope no one trashes you for doing what you believe in.
I want to know more about Brownback from his own mouth. Ii am looking for someone to root for because, while Giuliani is currently my favourite, I am well aware that he has plenty of room for improvement.
Only two defining forces have ever offered to die for you:
Jesus Christ and the American G. I.
One died for your soul; the other for your freedom.
In your heart you know he's right.
Pro-life Blogger for Brownback
I am a Catholic, and am working through my blog for Senator Brownback, as he is, as John J Miller of National Review has said, "the William Wilberforce Repubican", in other words, a man who places his ideals of justice before his political success.
May he continue to enjoy both.
Sam is a good and principled man, and we all wish you the best of fortune in this new and challenging endeavor.