Conservative pundit Michelle Malkin has endorsed Delaware GOP Senate candidate Christine O’Donnell over her rival, Rep. Mike Castle (R-DE).  In her endorsement, Malkin makes one point that stands above all others:

I’ve said it before and Republican voters need to hear it again:

Entrenched incumbency is not an argument for more entrenched incumbency.

She’s absolutely right.  She’s also right on on regarding many of O’Donnell’s fine qualities AND the relatively liberal voting record of Castle.  While Malkin focuses almost exclusively on Castle’s vote for “Cap & Tax”, Mike Castle has hardly been a beacon of conservatism during his tenure in the House.

That said, I remain a reluctant supporter of Castle.  Why?  The simple reason is that I hold conservatives to a higher standard.  Given that the issues are on our side, there is no need to fudge the truth or pander – IF you are a true conservative.  O’Donnell’s attacks on Castle and her campaigns laughable speculation that Castle would, if elected, resign and allow Delaware AG Beau Biden to take the seat make me believe that O’Donnell simply lacks the character to sit in the US Senate.  Mike Castle does.  Despite his less than wonderful voting record in the House, Castle would still be the best Senator from Delaware since Bill Roth.

H/T – Frank Knotts @ DelawarePolitics

Reading the lead of this morning’s Baltimore Sun piece by Paul West might make you think, as I did, that we’re about to be treated to another puff piece designed to help freshman 1st District Rep. Frank Kratovil (D-MD):

For more than a year, Republicans have been carefully plotting the ouster of Rep. Frank Kratovil of Maryland, one of the most vulnerable Democrats in the country.

Party strategists never expected to contend with Rob Fisher, however. An upstart candidate with an outsider message, the conservative businessman has emerged from obscurity, thanks to the most extensive TV ad drive of any Marylander running for Congress.

"We need to change what’s happening Washington," Fisher said in an interview. "The only way we can do that is by changing the kinds of people we send to Washington."

If so, you would be just as mistaken as I was.

Building on the great investigative work already done by my Red Maryland colleague Mark Newgent, West leads readers through a maze of issues which need to be considered by any GOP voter thinking about pulling the lever for Fisher in the September 14th primary.  While some Andy Harris partisans may cry foul because West gives Fisher a free pass on Fisher’s sundry legal problems, West proves that taking the high road can pay off – in spades.

There are many reasons why any moderately intelligent GOP voter should refuse to cast their ballot for Fisher in the GOP primary (or for Kratovil should Fisher miraculously win the GOP nod).  Yet, one issue stands out above all others – CHARACTER.

The Reagan Disciple

As so many faux cons, Fisher claims to be a disciple of President Ronal Reagan.  Without specific stances on issues or concrete actions by a candidate or official it’s difficult to disprove.  After all, we can’t read a candidate’s mind.  Simply look at the mileage former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney has gotten out of claiming the mantle of Reagan.  Why then would Fisher leap to lying about an attachment to Reagan?

In the interview, Fisher proudly described himself as a Reagan Republican, adding: "My first vote was for Ronald Reagan."

When it was pointed out that he was only 17 the last time Reagan’s name was on a ballot, in 1984, he backed away and said he "thinks" he voted for Reagan.

Why does Fisher feel the need to lie about something that is so easily checked?

Beyond lying about his support of Reagan, Fisher also never voted in a Maryland election since registering to vote in 1996.  Since 2006, Fisher has been registered to vote in Virginia.

Carpetbagging

Fisher claims deep roots in Maryland’s First District.  Yet, when he filed for office he used his parent’s Federalsburg address.  By his own admission, Fisher did not obtain a residence in the district until AFTER he filed his candidacy (he rented a townhouse in Ocean City).  Fisher and his current wife have a home in Chantilly, VA which they have owned since 2004.

Slinging Mud?

Besides lying about his support of Reagan, Fisher also attempts to sling mud at his primary opponent – Maryland Senator Andy Harris (R-7).

He dismisses Harris, a veteran state legislator, as a "career politician" with little to show for his 12 years in Annapolis. And he questions Harris’ ability to unseat the Democratic incumbent in Maryland’s easternmost congressional district.

In fact, Harris epitomizes the true “citizen legislator”.  A physician, professor at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, and an officer in the US Navy medical corps, Harris was dismayed at the work being done by his state senator.  Instead of complaining, Harris challenged the incumbent Republican, won the GOP primary and was elected three times to the Maryland Senate.  Harris chose to give up a secure seat in the Maryland legislature to challenge Kratovil for the First District congressional seat.  While Harris may posses faults as a candidate, attempting to paint him as a “career politician” smacks of political opportunism at best.

Amusingly, Fisher has also attempted to paint Red Maryland’s Newgent, who first publicized many of the gory details regarding Fisher’s political, personal, and business lives as a tool of the Harris campaign.  Anyone, Democrat or Republican, conservative or liberal, who knows Mark Newgent and his work also knows that he doesn’t carry water.  I hope that Fisher put forth better arguments when vying for the fat federal contracts that made his fortune – the same fortune paying for his TV ads.

Why?

Over the past several months I’ve had the opportunity to talk to many Fisher supporters.  Overall, they seem to fall into one of three camps:

• Center – left of center Republicans who despise Harris because he defeated former Rep. Wayne Gilchrest in the 2008 GOP primary.
• Principled conservative or libertarian leaning Republicans who believe that Fisher more closely mirrors their world view.
• ABH voters – Anybody but Harris voters.  There is quite a bit of overlap between this group and the center / left Gilchrest crowd.

Why would a center / left GOP voter support a guy that CLAIMS to be more conservative, more this, more that than Andy Harris?  There is a complete logical disconnect there.

Admittedly, Harris is not going to win lots of kudos from the Ron Paul wing of the party.  Mores the pity.  However, Harris is a genuine, principled conservative.  It’s what motivated him to run for the Maryland Senate 12 years ago.  Fisher, who has amassed a sizable bank account sucking on the federal teat, has already proven himself to be less than principled and less than honest.  Better to vote for Harris (even if you feel the need to hold your nose) or write-in Mickey Mouse than to throw your primary vote on a guy who has already proven himself unworthy of your vote.

The ABH voter simply votes on a visceral basis and cannot be swayed.  He (or she) is also one of the reasons that Republicans cannot win many elections in the Not So Free State. 

Am I worried that Fisher will win the GOP primary?  No.  Am I worried that he’ll garner enough votes to harm Harris in the general?  No.  Harris’s fate is in his own hands and the hands of his campaign staff.  No, I am simply worried that candidates like Rob Fisher will help destroy a conservative / GOP grassroots movement that is still in its infancy.  This ISN’T Bob Ehrlich vs. Brian Murphy.  If candidates like Rob Fisher can actually con principled voters, then the long term prospects of a conservative / GOP resurgence in Maryland is doomed.  Those same principled voters who are willing to work to elect good candidates will find out, sooner or later, that they have been duped.  When that happens, they tend to take their ball(s) and go home.  That isn’t how you win elections.  That is also why panderers like Rob Fisher are dangerous – not because they can win; but because of the damage they do.

If the stakes weren’t so high, this would be laughable.  The GOP leadership can’t control the Tea Party movement and seem to be scared to death.

House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-OH) simply doesn’t know what to do.  Commenting after the first meeting of the House Tea Party Caucus, organized by Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-MN):

Mr. Boehner, who said he has attended several tea party events throughout the country, acknowledged the gatherings typically include smatterings of "disaffected Republicans," Democrats and "a couple of anarchists who want to kill all of us in public office."

But "75 percent of these people who show up at these events are the most average, everyday Americans you’ve ever met," he said. "None of them have ever been involved in the political process, and I would guess half of them have never voted."

Mr. Boehner added that tea party activists represent "the tip of the iceberg" of Americans disenchanted with their government.

"They represent the same values, concerns, frustration, anger and fear that you see from tens of millions of other Americans who aren’t in the streets yet," he said. "They should not be dismissed, they shouldn’t be mocked."

75%?  The Tea Party movement is far more independent than Boehner believes.  Sure, the vast majority will vote for Republicans this fall, but that has nothing to do with the GOP’s lack of a genuine conservative message and everything to do with what they’ve witnessed since Barack Obama was sworn in.

Boehner and his buddies better understand that this fall is like a free pass.  If the GOP can’t show that they can actually lead, it’s game over.  Either it’s back to the minority or conservatives and libertarians in the GOP will be demanding that Republican candidates pledge to purge themselves of a leadership that simply cares more about power than philosophy and policy.

The time for pandering is over John.

Christine O’Donnell is clearly the conservative choice over Rep. Mike Castle (R-DE) for the GOP nomination for Joe Biden’s old senate seat.  Whether she’s the more electable choice, only time will tell.  In the year of the “Tea Party”, O’Donnell’s shot at garnering the GOP nod hinges on how many disaffected Republicans will turn out for her and / or to deny Castle (the “RINO” candidate) a place on November’s ballot.

To that end, O’Donnell is coming out swinging:

“Mike Castle’s voting record proves beyond a reasonable doubt that he is for special interests, against the free market, anti-Second Amendment, pro-abortion and he’s even for sanctuary cities.  It’s a preposterous record,” O’Donnell said. “Calling himself a Republican is borderline schizophrenic, confused about his own political identity.”

“Mike Castle is the most liberal congressman in the Republican Party,” said Yates Walker, campaign spokesman.

O’Donnell points out that National Journal, hardly a conservative organ, ranks Castle as the most liberal GOP House member.  To overcome the electability argument, O’Donnell can how point to a Rasmussen poll showing her with a 2 point lead over presumptive Dem nominee Chris Coons.

Given Castle’s length of service as Governor and Congressman, along with a huge fundraising advantage, will painting Castle as a RINO be enough?  Time will tell.  However, if it can be done, Delaware is a great state to do it in.  If O’Donnell is able to organize a real grassroots effort, you can easily contact just about every registered Republican in the First State.

It may just boil down to who wants it the most….  who will will work harder.

It seems that many of GOP “leadership” don’t think too much of the Tea Party movement.  They didn’t have much regard for those of us who supported Ronald Reagan in 1976 either.  Granted, it can be a fine line between nominating strong, conservative candidates and unelectable loons, but better to nominate a loon than keep supporting the same Do-Do’s that have turned the Regan Revolution into “borrow and spend” Dem-lite.

Trent Lott is mistaken.  More Jim DeMints are exactly what we need.

It seems that the national GOP establishment is a tad squeamish about Virginia AG Ken Cuccinelli.  Little wonder.  Virginia went for Obama in 2008.  The establishment GOP types thought anti-Obama backlash might yield victories by nice, safe, MODERATE Republicans.  Instead, Virginia elected Bob McDonnell AND Cuccinelli.

“We agree with his positions, we don’t like his style,” said a senior official with a national Republican organization. He spoke on the condition of anonymity for fear of antagonizing Cuccinelli allies.

Why do they fear the Cooch?

Cuccinelli offers no apologies for his stands, which delight the tea party wing of the GOP. His federal lawsuits are just a way of making good on his campaign to fight what he views as unconstitutional federal usurpation of states’ rights.

“What we have started on in these first two months is … reasserting the state’s role vis-a-vis the federal government in determining its own destiny and in pushing back on the growing, overreaching federal power,” Cuccinelli said during a recent interview with The Associated Press. “And that isn’t just a Democrat occurrence. That happened under Republicans, as well.”

The 41-year-old Cuccinelli is a pugnacious, ruggedly handsome champion of the right who is able to publicly articulate its beliefs and aims without sounding shrill or mean. And he has clashed with what he considers apostates within his own party as much as he has Democrats.

Sure, the GOP establishment likes it when Cuccinelli pokes a stick in Obama’s eye or throws a bomb at the Democrats in Congress.  The problem (at least for them) is that Cuccinelli also won’t hesitate taking on the GOP establishment as well.  That’s why we’ve all heard the comments from these same faux con GOP operatives.  “Cooch is a nut job.”  “He’s a right wing lunatic.”  etc.

Sure, Cuccinelli is crazy like a fox.  First of all, he’s principled.  That’s enough to scare the RNC out of the gate.  He also appeals to grassroots conservatives of every stripe – social conservatives, fiscal conservatives, and libertarians.  The Tea Party crowd loves Cooch.  These are the folks that the GOP establishment really fears.  It’s 1976 all over again.

Virginia governor Bob McDonnell must really love Cuccinelli.  McDonnell is a solid conservative, with no need to pander (to build a bona fides).  Cuccinelli can only help as McDonnell becomes a national GOP star.  Compared to Ken, McDonnell actually makes the establishment types breathe a sigh of relief.  McDonnell is smart enough (and principled enough)  to use the talents of someone like Ed Gillespie without being corrupted by him.  McDonnell also doesn’t display the type of ego that resents all of the press Cuccinelli receives.

Establishment types should fear the Cooch.  As conservatives, we should be thankful.

Thanks to Norm Leahy @ Tertium Quids

Today, MDGOP chairwoman Audrey Scott begins her 5 day “Take Back Annapolis and Washington Town Hall Tour” with stops in Annapolis (noon, Conte-Lubrano) and Salisbury (6:30 PM, Wicomico Youth and Civic Center).  The tour criss-crosses Maryland and finishes up Friday in Bowie.

Scott is to be commended for her efforts.  If the MDGOP were a functioning party, I have no doubt that Scott would be an excellent chair.  Sadly, the MDGOP is not a functioning party and has little sign of becoming one in the near future.  Check out successful, conservative, state Republican parties.  They’re NOTHING like the MDGOP.

Why?  Grassroots conservatives have no say in how the party is governed and aren’t particularly welcome.  The party deliberately separates itself from the grassroots by promoting a layered, “big fish in a little pond” approach to governance.  At a recent county central committee meeting one member went so far as to claim that, “They (Tea Party activists) need us more than we need them.”  This fool obviously has never had any real experience in WINNING campaigns.  My money is on the folks that seem to be willing to knock on doors, make phone calls, and write letters.  That ain’t the folks who think that the Republican Party elects candidates in this state.

We don’t need to be pandered to.  We will support candidates who have earned our respect.  We won’t be supporting candidates simply because they appear on the GOP line.

Hopefully, grassroots conservatives will attend these “town halls” and let Scott know that their support must be EARNED.  Sure, we’ll be supporting GOP candidates, particularly those committed to free markets, limited government, and fiscal restraint.  However, that doesn’t mean that we support the Republican Party.

Why?  Simply look around.  Michael Steele’s RNC is spending money on private jets and bondage clubs when they should be working to elect right of center candidates.  Other self-identified conservatives are possibly more dangerous to the cause of liberty than Steele.  A new 527 group dubbed “American Crossroads” has decided to make hay out of Steele’s ineptitude.  Do conservatives actually believe that the answer to our current problems is to return to the days of “big government conservatism” (one of the greatest oxymorons ever) with the likes of Karl Rove and Ed Gillespie?  Sure these guys are excellent political operatives.  They would also sell their mothers for the right number of votes.  As for principles, these guys never had any TO sell.

So what should grassroots conservatives do?

First and foremost, we should work at the grassroots level to elect fiscally solid, right of center candidates.  In the case of Maryland, that also means helping to elect fiscally solid, center – right candidates.  For every Andy Harris, there are several Allan Kittlemans.  You may not agree with him on 90%+ of the issues, but he’s honest, straight, and definitely worth electing.  That means knocking on doors, making phone calls, writing letters, or just talking to a few of our neighbors.

Second, our money should go directly to good candidates; not to the RNC, the NRSC, the RNCC, or the MDGOP.  We need to elect the Marco Rubios and Andy Harris’s.  We need to re-elect the Tom Coburns, Jim DeMints, and Mike Pences.  We don’t need the Charlie Crists or the Roy Blunts.  While candidates like Blunt or Crist are definitely better than their Democrat alternatives, these “faux cons” also make many moderate GOP incumbents feel safe in continuing their profligate ways.

Third, we need to educate ourselves.  I’m not talking about educating ourselves just on the issues; I mean educating ourselves on the integrity and records of those candidates asking for our support.  In Maryland we have an excellent example in the GOP Senate primary.  Because Queen Anne’s County Commissioner Eric Wargotz has plenty of money to throw around, he’s convincing people that he’s actually a conservative.  My wife’s mutt holds more conservative ideals than Wargotz.  Jim Rutledge is the real conservative alternative to Barbara Mikulski.

Last, we need to organize.  This means changing your party registration to the GOP for starters.  Conservatives can’t have an impact on the MDGOP if we are registered as “non-affiliated” or Libertarian.  We cannot affect policy if we don’t win elections.  Whether you like it or not, we don’t have a prayer of winning elections without access to that GOP ballot line.  If you have time, join your local Republican club, but you’ll learn (and accomplish) more by joining your local AFP chapter and attending Tea Party events.  Just remember that groups like the AFP are “non-partisan”, so you need to network with like-minded members and then work for the right candidates outside of the formal AFP structure.  Then volunteer directly for candidates you support.  Make sure they know that you are not part of the formal GOP structure.  When candidates are elected AND know that grassroots conservative activists made the difference, THAT is how you affect positive change.

Perhaps then, the MDGOP will take an interest in the views of grassroots conservatives other than merely hoping we turn out for their slate.

Attacking the grassroots conservative / libertarian coalition of Tea Party activists hasn’t worked after a year.  Calling us names or claiming that we’re bigots hasn’t worked.  Ridiculing us hasn’t worked.  So, the left (through their allies in the mainstream media) have found a new tactic – let us destroy ourselves.  Shamefully, the tactic just might work.

Can Tea Party activists band together around the issues which they agree on AND agree to disagree on others?  That is the core question facing us as the media attempts to prod Tea Partiers into an internecine war.  Their first target – former House Majority Leader Dick Armey, his FreedomWorks group, and the issue of immigration.

The success of the Tea Party movement has been that it is a loose coalition of individuals and groups focused around economic and tax issues.  We opposed the stimulus.  We opposed TARP.  We opposed “cap and trade”; not because we support pollution, but because we question the science upon which “climate change” is based and we are worried about the economic impact of such a measure.  We opposed ObamaCare.  Some of us opposed the measure solely because of its probable negative impact on the world’s greatest health care system and on our economy..  Others opposed it because of its assault on our individual and corporate liberty.  Many of us fought the measure for both of these reasons; and a few more.

To date, the Tea Party movement has not come together around social issues or other issues that don’t have a direct economic impact on our nation.  However, there is one issue which has an economic impact AND on which many of us within the Tea Party movement disagree.  That issue is ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION.

I, for one, oppose ANY immigration reform which provides amnesty or a “path to legalization” for aliens in this country who did not enter legally.  My reasons are simple – these people have BROKEN THE LAW and history (1986) has taught us that providing amnesty exacerbates the problem rather than fixes it.  If they want to live here, they need to GO BACK HOME and get at the back of the line.  I also believe that we should expand LEGAL immigration and make provisions for a “guest worker” program.

I understand the arguments of many who support immigration reform that includes some form of amnesty (although many refuse to accept that term).  It’s an economic argument.  It’s a “justice” argument.  However, just because I understand (and even respect) their arguments does not mean that I will agree with them.  Some of these people are folk who I genuinely respect.  These include Dick Armey and Grover Norquist of Americans for Tax Reform.

SETTING US UP FOR FAILURE?

FreedomWorks has taken a leading role in sponsoring the Tea Party movement.  Since 1984, the group has focused on issues relating to fiscal policy and limited government.  This morning I came across a post by Richard Falknor, who chairs the Maryland Thursday Meeting, questioning Armey’s role in the Tea Party movement BECAUSE of his views on immigration reform.

Falknor appears to oppose amnesty.  However, he holds (at least some of) the same view towards the relationship of FreedomWorks to the Tea Party movement as I do:

Tea Partiers need to know exactly the policy priorities and advocacy records – - such as amnesty for illegals – - of people who, like Dick Armey,  are playing a visible role in the movement.  Then local, state, and regional Tea Partiers can make their own decisions on their agendas – - taking or leaving “guidance” from their “Beltway Betters” as they choose.

On this, we are in complete agreement.  I also support Falknor’s belief that “social, immigration, and national security concerns are a seamless web”.  However, Tea Party activists need to be politically savvy enough to understand that we are NEVER going to succeed on ANY issue if we will only ally ourselves with those that we are in 100% agreement.

What caused me great concern in Falknor’s post was a reference to an article in Politico:

Critics ranging from prominent conservatives to bloggers to grass-roots tea party activists have called into question whether Armey’s stances on illegal immigration and social issues, his candidate endorsements and his past lobbying work are fundamentally inconsistent with the tea party movement. They also have suggested he raised the white flag too early in the fight over the Democratic health care overhaul and is beholden to corporate benefactors, and have accused him of trying to hijack the tea parties to serve those benefactors or his own personal political ambitions.

Armey and FreedomWorks have been very helpful in assisting Tea Party activists.  Given the loose knit structure of the movement, this support is VERY HELPFUL and we should all be grateful.  Just because I disagree with Armey on the immigration issue does not mean that I shouldn’t want to work with him on others.  Yet, that is just what some activists are urging; with the helpful prodding of those in the media.

Some are asking the question, “Do we need to be organized by FreedomWorks?”.  No, but I don’t believe that is what is happening.  EVERYONE in the Tea Party movement has an agenda.  Some are just truly concerned about the direction our nation is moving.  Others may want to tap the grassroots fervor of the movement for specific electoral or policy purposes.  It is up to EACH AND EVERY ONE OF US to educate ourselves and then decide to what extent we wish to accept assistance (or take direction) from others.

If we can agree to support each other on certain issues, respectfully oppose our allies on other, AND decide not to argue over issues that may be important to some but not ourselves (but on which we have an opinion), THEN we can succeed.  IF we choose to take the path of some (such as ALIPAC, a group that I agree with on many things), we are doomed to divide just at the time when we need to come together on those issues which are most important to us:

Dick Armey of Freedomworks (The group trying to take control of the Tea Party Movement) supports AMNESTY for illegal aliens and Armey says the Tea Party movement is about "Free Markets" aka NAFTA and CAFTA.

Obviously he believes in free labor and consumer markets across OPEN BORDERS.

Do you agree with Dick Armey of Freedomworks? Does this explain why the DC insiders are trying to keep the illegal immigration issue out of the Tea Party movement?

I happen to think that Armey is wrong about immigration.  I do agree with him that free markets are key to our economic survival and that this is one of the core issues of the Tea Party movement.  However, because I believe he is wrong on immigration, does that mean that I should spurn Armey and refuse to work with FreedomWorks on issues involving free markets, lower taxes and limited government?

Ironically, many of the same activists attacking Armey have agendas of their own and wish to diminish whatever Armey and FreedomWorks may enjoy within the Tea Party movement:

Fire-breathing conservative blogger Michelle Malkin last week blasted Armey as an “amnesty stooge” and “a clueless promoter of bailout-happy, big government Republican Sen. John McCain.”

And Tony Perkins, president of the socially conservative Family Research Council, said he has urged tea party activists to ignore FreedomWorks’ advice to minimize the profile of social and religious issues, which he charged the group was “intentionally avoiding, and that undermines the potential for success” in the tea party movement. Perkins said his staff has tried to discuss its concerns with FreedomWorks officials, but hasn’t been satisfied with their response.

This is reminiscent of problems within the GOP.  Establishment Republicans have been unwilling to reach out to the libertarian leaning supporters of Ron Paul just as they spurned and ridiculed social conservatives for many years; and the Goldwater / Reagan conservatives before that.

If they aren’t successful over the issue of immigration, expect them to start prodding us over social / religious issues such as abortion and marriage.  The left FEARS the Tea Party movement and grassroots groups such as AFP and the Club for Growth.  They realize that they can’t defeat our ideas.  Their best hope is to push us into destroying ourselves.

Is there any wonder that Florida Governor Charlie Crist just keeps sinking lower in polls?  Without saying one bad word about Crist, conservative candidate Marco Rubio shows Floridia Republicans why he should be their next US Senator:

H/T – Kevin Holtsberry @ RedState

While the nation’s “economic pie” can be grown through good economic policies, the “liberty pie” is a zero-sum game – it doesn’t grow or shrink – and there are only two slices:  government power and citizens’ liberty.  If the current notions of centralized health care are enacted, government’s raw power over citizens’ lives will increase, and their liberty will be reduced by the same amount.

So writes Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli in this month’s issue of the American Spectator.  (sorry, the actual article won’t be available online until April)

Cuccinelli is fast becoming one of the leaders of the conservative movement.  While Cuccinelli has been using the power of his office to fight federal tyranny in the courts, he is also using the pen to make a reasoned argument for all that conservatives hold dear.

During the current resurgence of the conservative movement and the semi-conservative populism inherent among the tea parties, some may dismiss the need for the intellectual strength displayed by officials like Cuccinelli.  Don’t be fooled.  Without its intellectual underpinnings, the conservative movement never would have grown beyond the Bob Taft years.

As I have noted here in the past – Yes, it is important to believe the right things.  However, without a firm understanding of WHY we believe what we do, those beliefs will not survive the test of time.  This is precisely why we need elected officials like General Cuccinelli.

Yes, we all know that ObamaCare is bad policy.  We all know that it would be fiscally disastrous.  We all know that the world’s best health care system would be greatly diminished.  Yet, Cuccinelli has managed to succinctly explain why we should fight ObamaCare – even IF these things were not the case.  If we wish to forfeit our God given individual liberty for a promised blanket of economic security then America ceases to be that shining city.  Liberty forfeited is liberty lost forever.

Thanks Ken.