Ken Cuccinelli … On Liberty

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.

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In Florida Senate Race, Be Careful What You Wish For

Red State’s Erick Erickson writes that Florida Gov. Charlie Crist may be bolting the GOP to run for the Senate seat Crist arrogantly believes is his by right.  If he does so, the conservative response should be a simple one – marshal every resource possible to elect Marco Rubio and THEN (after the election) make it our mission to destroy Crist politically so that he can never run for office again or benefit financially from his service as Florida’s governor.

Now, this may seem hard hearted.  It is.  However, if you play the game you should play by the rules.  If Crist bolts or campaigns for the Democrat nominee he has left the realm of civil political behavior and should be handled as such.

Erickson writes:

Here’s what will happen if Charlie Crist leaves the GOP. The DC-GOP Establishment crowd will attack RedState, Jim DeMint, and Marco Rubio for shrinking the GOP. Instead of pointing out that moderate Republicans are sore loser who don’t play well with conservatives, conservatives will be attacked for chasing Crist out of the party.

Read more

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Steele Flunks the Test Again

MPPI Senior Fellow Marta Hummel Mossburg tags RNC chair Michael Steele for the rank hypocrisy of his book – "Right Now: A 12-step Program for Defeating the Obama Agenda".  While Mossburg hits Steele on many of the right specifics, she should have expounded more on her “Ignatius Reilly” theory of the Michael Steele persona.

Steele’s problem is a simple one – he believes in nothing.  Michael Steele has shown himself willing to pander to almost any audience at the drop of a dime.  He’s conservative.  He’s cool.  He’ll use scarce RNC resources to back an unapologetic left-winger in the NY-23 race.  He’ll take credit for the victories in Virginia and New Jersey, when he had absolutely nothing to do with them (and the RNC’s contribution was an appreciated one of finance and a few bodies).

Michael Steele is the embodiment for why tea party activists, and the conservative movement in general, should look at the GOP as ONLY a means to an end and hold them off with a ten foot poll.  Sure, various state parties (such as RPV) should be looked on as allies.  Some state parties, such as MDGOP, should be viewed as irrelevant except for their easy access to the ballot.

Read more

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Cuccinelli Redefining Role of Virginia AG?

Bob Holsworth at Virginia Tomorrow argues that Virginia AG Ken Cuccinelli is redefining the office’s role, much like Jim Gilmore did during his term as AG.  Holsworth defines the new “Cuccinelli doctrine”:

It is the job of the Virginia Attorney General to identify and counter instances where the federal government may be unconstitutionally or illegally extending authority over the states.

Interesting.  While I question whether or not this redefinition will have the political legs of Gilmore’s move of making the AG “Virginia’s Top Cop”, Cuccinelli’s recent actions on behalf of the Commonwealth regarding states’ rights and federal mandates is more substantively important.  In a short period of time Cuccinelli is proving himself to be a conservative’s conservative.

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Bob McDonnell – Expressing America’s TRUE Values

On Wednesday Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell delivered the GOP response to Barack Obama’s 2010 State of the Union address.  You can view the speech here:

McDonnell’s message will prove important because he expressed the ideas upon which this great nation were founded and those ideas which have made our nation the greatest on earth.  While Obama wishes to continue throwing hard earned tax dollars (and even more money borrowed from the likes of Communist China) at problems, McDonnell’s message was one of self-reliance, self-sacrifice, liberty, and innovation:

Good government policy should spur economic growth, and strengthen the private sector’s ability to create new jobs.  We must enact policies that promote entrepreneurship and innovation, so America can better compete with the world.  What government should not do is pile on more taxation, regulation, and litigation that kill jobs and hurt the middle class.  It was Thomas Jefferson who called for “A wise and frugal Government which shall leave men free to regulate their own pursuits of industry ….and shall not take from the mouth of labor the bread it has earned…” He was right.

Today, the federal government is simply trying to do too much.

While most Democrats and far too many Republicans seek enhanced personal and corporate power through the overreaching hand of government, McDonnell’s message was one reminiscent of Ronald Reagan:

Read more

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Is It Time to Re-Tread Virgil Goode?

Bearing Drift has an interesting internal debate going.  Agricola makes an excellent pitch for resurrecting the political corpse of former VA-5 Rep. Virgil Goode.  Brian Kirwin, who I’m usually in agreement with, makes an obtuse argument against it (based on term limits?).

Let’s face it, Virginia Sen. Robert Hurt (R-19) hardly possesses the most conservative voting record.  As Agricola notes:

His votes for HB 3202 in 2007, the massive 2004 Chichester tax hike, and his support for benefits for same-sex partners are decidedly to the left of the incumbent. Read that again… even Perriello, a former executive director of Catholics in Alliance for the Common Good, doesn’t go so far either in his positions on fiscal policy or social liberalism.  Attempts to paint himself as something he’s not will simply fail.  Conservatives don’t trust Hurt, liberty-minded voters don’t like Hurt, Tea Party activists see Hurt as the establishment, and VA-05 activists are vehemently opposed to Hurt.  Simply raising the GOP banner and saying “vote Bad over Worse” simply doesn’t fly anymore.

I disagree that Hurt CAN’T beat Rep. Tom Perriello (D-5).  However, there is no question that Hurt is the “establishment candidate”.  House Minority Whip Eric Cantor’s support is excellent evidence.  Cantor, once a genuine conservative, has sold his philosophy for the opportunity to sit at the head of the table.  Hurt appears to be struck from the same mold.  The bottom line is that we need FEWER members of Congress like Cantor, not more.

I’m not an idealist.  I’ll leave that to the Paulistinians.  We can’t implement a conservative agenda unless we win races.  However, we can’t implement that agenda by electing candidates like Hurt either.  While never a huge Goode fan, he can be expected to be more consistently conservative than Hurt.

Perhaps it is time for Goode to emerge from the wilderness.

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HAPPY NEW YEAR!

At this time last year we were told that conservatism was dead.  The mainstream media was even claiming:

WE’RE ALL SOCIALIST NOW.

My, how things have changed in such a short period of time.

2010 can truly be a HAPPY NEW YEAR, but it will DEPEND ON YOU!  We’re in a war – a WAR OF IDEAS.  To win this war, you need to stay informed, and stay involved.

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Gilmore Named President of Free Congress Foundation

Former Virginia Governor Jim Gilmore has been named as the new President and CEO of the Free Congress Foundation.  The foundation, and its predecessors have been a key part of the conservative movement. 

Reached at his Henrico County home, Gilmore said that he no longer practices law and plans to devote most of his time to the organization. He will also continue to serve on four corporate boards.

Gilmore was governor from 1998 to 2002. He was chairman of the Republican National Committee for 10 months in 2000-2001.  Gilmore ran for the U.S. Senate in 2008 and lost to Democrat Mark R. Warner, who had succeeded Gilmore as governor.

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Support Conservatives – Not Republicans

Former New York Gov. George Pataki has endorsed Conservative Party candidate Doug Hoffman over GOP candidate Dierdre Scozzafava in the race for New York’s 23rd Congressional District.  Principle over party is now the cry!

As Hoffman narrowly moves into first place in a three way race, we are fast seeing who is willing to take a stand:

• George Pataki
• Sarah Palin
• Tim Pawlenty
• Sen. Jim DeMint
• Fred Thompson
• Steve Forbes
• Dick Armey
• Tom Cole (former RNCC chair)
• Ed Meese
• David Keene
• Al Regnery
• David McIntosh
• Brent Bozell
• Jim Miller
• Richard Viguerie
• Tony Perkins
• Tom Winter
• Ken Blackwell
• Craig Shirley

Who is supporting Scozzafava?

• Michael Steele
• Newt Gingrich
• The RNCC

Gingrich has ceded all ties to the conservative movement with this move.  Steele never had any.  Their support of liberal Wayne Gilchrest merely made them look foolish.  However, this race has the potential to be as meaningful to conservatives as the 1976 GOP presidential primaries.  Assuming Hoffman pulls off a victory, Steele’s resignation should be demanded immediately.  Those on the RNC who voted for Steele over Ken Blackwell should be ashamed!  As for the RNCC, no conservative should donate a dime as long as the House GOP caucus is led by the likes of Boehner and Cantor (see below).

Worst of all – Who is standing on the sidelines?

• John Boehner
• Eric Cantor
• Mike Huckabee
• Mitt Romney

This is merely a warm-up for next year.  We are witnessing the GOP elite support statist candidates over true conservatives.  We need to support people like Marco Rubio in Florida and Chuck DeVore in California.  As Neil Stevens recently reminded us, there are two kinds of Republicans.  We know which kind our country needs.

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Are Budgets “Moral Documents”?

As an Anabaptist I’ve been a fan of Jim Wallis and his Sojourners movement for some time.  I believe in peace.  I believe in justice.  However, I do not always agree with Wallis’s beliefs as to how we reach these goals.  I believe that peace is best obtained through a strong national defense.  I believe that there is no such animal as “economic” or “social justice”, which my Sojourner brethren seem to place so much emphasis on.  These are simply nominal substitutes for seizing the property of your fellow for your personal benefit.  Doing so in the name of “the greater good of society” is simply a means of making yourself feel better at the expense of someone else.

One of Wallis’s great sound bites is the claim that “Budgets are moral documents”.  Ray Nothstine has argued that Wallis is correct, but not in the same way as Wallis would hope:

Currently this country is facing no greater crisis than out of control spending and a mounting federal debt—a moral problem of prodigious proportions.

Nothstine is correct.  As our national government continues to spend far more than it receives in taxes we face a genuinely moral crisis.  As the government grows and grows, it continues to find more areas of lives to control.  We have a word for this – TYRANNY.  The continuous battle between liberty and tyranny is a moral issue as surely as it is a political one.

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