Erick Erickson's Blog, page 217

Yes, I Am Voting for a Democrat

I have written before about Georgia Lt. Governor Casey Cagle. To say the least, I am not a fan.

Last night in Georgia, a new revelation came out about Casey Cagle that solidifies a decision I'd already made. I will be voting for the Georgia Democratic nominee for Lt. Governor, Carol Porter.

Last night in the 8th District Congressional Debate, Democrat Congressman Jim Marshall finally admitted what many of us have known for a few months. Republican Casey Cagle put Democrat Congressman Jim Marshall up to trying to force open the sealed divorce records of Republican Austin Scott.

Why?

Because Austin Scott decided to run for Governor of Georgia even though Casey Cagle was running. Never mind that both of them dropped out of the race.

Casey Cagle has been vain, vapid, and vindictive through his tenure as Lt. Governor. He's run the place based on innuendo and incompetence.

Frankly, the Senate Republicans ran a tighter ship the last time they were confronted with a Democrat in the Lt. Governor's position and I believe they would with Carol Porter there too.

I want a Lt. Governor who can tie their own shoes. Carol Porter can. Casey Cagle cannot. Damn the party affiliation — I cannot vote for the man.

Just thought you should know.

Oh, I'll also be voting for my really good friend Keith Moffett for the Georgia Public Service Commission. Both guys running, the Republican and Democrat, are good people, but Keith and I are good friends and I think he'd be an asset to the job. Yes, he's a Democrat, but that isn't exactly a partisan office.

Morning Briefing for October 15, 2010

RedState Morning Briefing

For October 15, 2010

Go to www.RedStateMB.com to get
the Morning Briefing every morning at no charge.

1. RedState Rules

2. Marginalizing Jim DeMint: Are Senate Republicans Trying to Get Tom Coburn to Be Judas to Conservatives?

3. Let Dead, Defunct Economists Stay Dead

4. Democrats Try Riding Two Horses With One A** On Union Anti-Choice Bill

5. Dick Blumenthal's Countrywide problem.

6. The Hill: Voters find Democratic party more extremist.

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1. RedState Rules

Time Magazine has released its 40 Under 40 list for the year. Question number two is "What's your go-to political blog?"

Among Republicans on the list, RedState.com is the most consistent answer. Those listing RedState as their go-to blog include Marco Rubio, Nikki Haley, George P. Bush, Sean Duffy, Nick Ayers, and Mike Lee.

Surprisingly, among the Democrats, not a single person listed Daily Kos as a go-to blog.

Please click here for the rest of the post.

2. Marginalizing Jim DeMint: Are Senate Republicans Trying to Get Tom Coburn to Be Judas to Conservatives?

As you know, Senate Republicans are more than a little unhappy with Jim DeMint. The Senate GOP will see an influx of DeMint backed candidates after November. Consequently, the Senate GOP has become more fixated with marginalized Jim DeMint than fighting Barack Obama.

For perspective, Mitch McConnell won't even campaign against or speak ill of Harry Reid to help Sharron Angle. But his minion are all over Washington newspapers badmouthing Jim DeMint.

The latest story coming out of the Senate GOP Conference is that the Senate GOP has decided to ignore Jim DeMint.

"'Jim DeMint isn't the most effective legislator, so he has to gain power by driving headlines. His Achilles' heel is everyone saying, 'no comment," a Republican said."

That's from one Republican who, not being identified as a staffer, may be a Senator. Another, a staffer, said, "It's like a piece of fruit. If you leave it on the counter long enough, it will spoil and go rotten on its own. I feel like that's what's going to happen with Jim DeMint."

With the coming wins by DeMint's Senate Conservatives Fund, these Republican whiners are much like a boxer talking smack at the weigh in only to get knocked out in the first round.

So they'll talk about him and then say no comment. But there is something more and it is more troubling. It appears the Senate GOP is trying to set up Tom Coburn to be Jim DeMint's Brutus and conservatives' Judas. Thank God Coburn will have none of it.

Please click here for the rest of the post.

3. Let Dead, Defunct Economists Stay Dead

I gave a talk at the Heritage Foundation and the subject of economics and policy came up. I've been dwelling on this 2009 article in the New Zealand Centre for Political Research Weekly and I think it is relevant today too.

I stumbled onto it a couple of weeks ago and think it makes a worthwhile point — we keep digging up these dead and defunct economists like Karl Marx and John Maynard Keynes and we need to put them back in the grave and keep them there. . . .

We keep having the problems we're having because people forget. They forget just how terrible the economic policies of Keynes and Marx actually are and inevitably after a twenty year gap or so they come back in full force and screw things up again.

They're zombies.

Please click here for the rest of the post.

4. Democrats Try Riding Two Horses With One A** On Union Anti-Choice Bill

The job-destroying Employee Free Anti-Choice Act (EFCA) is becoming a topic this week in the political races leading up to November 2nd, as it should. Given that EFCA, in addition to card-check, lets a government 'arbitrator' dictate wages and benefits on private-sector businesses and their workers, it's been estimated that 4.5 million jobs would be lost if EFCA ever does get signed into law.

Please click here for the rest of the post.

5. Dick Blumenthal's Countrywide problem.

It's not often that you'll see a conservative site link approvingly to a Nation article, but these are odd days. The executive summary: in 2008 Countrywide Financial/Bank of America - yes, the same Countrywide that gave sweetheart loans to Senator Dodd of Connecticut, who completely non-coincidentally decided not to run for re-election this year - entered into a 8.6 billion dollar settlement with those of its borrowers currently in financial trouble. The Nation has a variety of opinions - generally unfavorable, to put it mildly - on how well that settlement is working; but the part of the article that should really be drilled down from our point of view is the bit about how this is all being paid for. You see, in that announcement Blumenthal indicated "This settlement will cost BofA as much as $8.6 billion, but no cost, not a dime, to taxpayers."

The Nation calls that a flat lie.

Please click here for the rest of the post.

6. The Hill: Voters find Democratic party more extremist.

This was one of their questions in their recent poll of ten open-seats (details here): 44% of likely voters think that the Democratic party is too extreme, as opposed to 37% who think that the GOP is too extreme. According to this poll, in fact, 22% of Democrats think that their own party is too extreme (11% of Republicans think the same of their own party)… and the breakdown of independent voters is virtually identical (43/37) to that of likely voters.

Please click here for the rest of the post.

Let Dead, Defunct Economists Stay Dead

I gave a talk at the Heritage Foundation and the subject of economics and policy came up. I've been dwelling on this 2009 article in the New Zealand Centre for Political Research Weekly and I think it is relevant today too.

I stumbled onto it a couple of weeks ago and think it makes a worthwhile point — we keep digging up these dead and defunct economists like Karl Marx and John Maynard Keynes and we need to put them back in the grave and keep them there.

Now, a friend of mine at the Heritage event today said I said something about killing the Keynesians. If so I misspoke. We need to keep the living Keynesians around somewhere to remind us constantly why they are so terrible. It is John Maynard and Karl themselves we need to permanently put six feet under.

We keep having the problems we're having because people forget. They forget just how terrible the economic policies of Keynes and Marx actually are and inevitably after a twenty year gap or so they come back in full force and screw things up again.

They're zombies.

Consider this bit from the article:

A landmark event in economic history was the open letter signed by 364 British economists in March 1981 protesting against the Thatcher government's (non-Keynesian) economic policies.

Its most telling paragraph read: "Present policies will deepen the recession, erode the industrial base of our economy and threaten its social and political stability."

Ironically, the economy began to recover at that very time (March 1981), and the upturn extended to mid-1990.

As the article notes, Keynes himself said, "Practical men, who believe themselves to be quite exempt from any intellectual influences, are usually the slaves of some defunct economist." Consistently in government, Keynes is the defunct economist.

The question I was asked at Heritage today was about how I'd respond to Obama and those who say that but for the stimulus the economic situation in the country would be far worse.

I'd say that the prescription was wrong and the fact that we are still in a slump with massive unemployment is proof positive that yet against Zombie Keynesian continues to steer government bureaucrats off the rails and keep us in a rut. We don't need a bigger stimulus, we need a different plan altogether.

If we're going to dig up the dead, let's dig up Milton Friedman and Adam Smith. Keep Keynes in the grave.

Marginalizing Jim DeMint: Are Senate Republicans Trying to Get Tom Coburn to Be Judas to Conservatives?

As you know, Senate Republicans are more than a little unhappy with Jim DeMint. The Senate GOP will see an influx of DeMint backed candidates after November. Consequently, the Senate GOP has become more fixated with marginalized Jim DeMint than fighting Barack Obama.

For perspective, Mitch McConnell won't even campaign against or speak ill of Harry Reid to help Sharron Angle. But his minion are all over Washington newspapers badmouthing Jim DeMint.

The latest story coming out of the Senate GOP Conference is that the Senate GOP has decided to ignore Jim DeMint.

"Jim DeMint isn't the most effective legislator, so he has to gain power by driving headlines. His Achilles' heel is everyone saying, 'no comment,'" a Republican said.

That's from one Republican who, not being identified as a staffer, may be a Senator. Another, a staffer, said, "It's like a piece of fruit. If you leave it on the counter long enough, it will spoil and go rotten on its own. I feel like that's what's going to happen with Jim DeMint."

With the coming wins by DeMint's Senate Conservatives Fund, these Republican whiners are much like a boxer talking smack at the weigh in only to get knocked out in the first round.

So they'll talk about him and then say no comment. But there is something more and it is more troubling. It appears the Senate GOP is trying to set up Tom Coburn to be Jim DeMint's Brutus and conservatives' Judas.

According to numerous Republicans familiar with the issue, the hope had been to recruit Sen. Tom Coburn (R-Okla.) to challenge DeMint for the post [of Chairman of the Senate Republican Steering Committee]. Coburn is as conservative as DeMint, which would shield him against attacks from conservative activists and limiting accusations that the GOP was stifling conservative demands.

As of now, thankfully, Senator Coburn has refused to go along with the plan and fully supports Jim DeMint in that position. I'm sure Senator Trainwreck, himself never enamored with Washington, is wise enough to know he is being used or at least the GOP leadership is attempting to use him. But there is more to it.

Senate Republicans also want Coburn to be the liaison to the freshmen Senators. In effect, the Senate GOP Leadership wants Tom Coburn to be their outreach guy to the band of brothers (and sisters) Jim DeMint played a great roll in getting elected.

The Senate's class of 2010 may have Sen. Jim DeMint (S.C.) partly to thank for their electoral victories, but if they're going to flourish in the chamber they may want to follow the lead of conservative Sen. Tom Coburn.

Republicans said Coburn — who often leads his party's charge against earmarks and spending — is as conservative as many of the likely GOP newcomers, but also is close to Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (Ky.). They argue that the Oklahoma Republican may be the best Member to help his party's leadership work with the new class and help the freshmen adjust to the Senate.

That last bit is key. Remember what Trent Lott said a couple of months ago?

"We don't need a lot of Jim DeMint disciples," Lott said in an interview. "As soon as they get here, we need to co-opt them."

The Senate Republicans have decided to take on Trent Lott's mission and co-opt the freshmen Republicans. And they intend to use Tom Coburn to do it.

It will be bad, bad news if these freshmen "adjust' to the Senate. We don't need them to adjust to the Senate. We need the Senate to adjust to them.

RedState Rules

Time Magazine has released its 40 Under 40 list for the year. Question number two is "What's your go-to political blog?"

Among Republicans on the list, RedState.com is the most consistent answer. Those listing RedState as their go-to blog include Marco Rubio, Nikki Haley, George P. Bush, Sean Duffy, Nick Ayers, and Mike Lee.

Surprisingly, among the Democrats, not a single person listed Daily Kos as a go-to blog.

Why Not Barack Obama?

Last evening, the President of Chile called out by name two world leaders for special thanks for their support — British Prime Minister David Cameron and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Barack Obama's name was not mentioned.

Barack Obama, purported leader of the free world, resides in the Western Hemisphere with the Chilean President and is supposedly restoring American greatness in the world.

What has Barack Obama done or not done to merit the President of the United States of America not being thanked by the President of Chile? A great deal, I'm sure.

But our thin skinned leader is probably not upset. Given his contempt of mining, Great Britain, and Israel, I'm sure he has no problem at all not being mentioned by name.

Morning Briefing for October 14, 2010

RedState Morning Briefing

For October 14, 2010

Go to www.RedStateMB.com to get
the Morning Briefing every morning at no charge.

1. Why Not Barack Obama?

2. Taxpayers are Against Earmarks - Will Elites Listen?

3. Congressman Charlie Wilson Is A Wife Beater

4. Democrats Are Funding Their Campaigns With Money Taken From Foreign Nationals

5. Tolerance and Diversity: Teaching Girls That Misogyny And Beatings Are An Honor

6. If Democrat Marcy Kaptur can't tell the difference between Islamic terrorists and our Founding Fathers…

7. Video: Dem Majority Leader Ducks Question on Taxes

———————————————————————-

1. Why Not Barack Obama?

Last evening, the President of Chile called out by name two world leaders for special thanks for their support — British Prime Minister David Cameron and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Barack Obama's name was not mentioned.

Barack Obama, purported leader of the free world, resides in the Western Hemisphere with the Chilean President and is supposedly restoring American greatness in the world.

What has Barack Obama done or not done to merit the President of the United States of America not being thanked by the President of Chile? A great deal, I'm sure.

But our thin skinned leader is probably not upset. Given his contempt of mining, Great Britain, and Israel, I'm sure he has no problem at all not being mentioned by name.

Please click here for the rest of the post.

2. Taxpayers are Against Earmarks - Will Elites Listen?

Taxpayers are against earmarks because they waste money and corrupt the political process. It is that simple.

House Republican Whip Eric Cantor (R-VA) authored an excellent Op Ed in Politico attacking earmarks. Cantor writes today that in March Republicans imposed an earmark moratorium for this Congress — a moratorium that expires on January 3, 2011. Cantor is showing some leadership by calling for the elimination of earmarks in the next Congress.

Please click here for the rest of the post.

3. Congressman Charlie Wilson Is A Wife Beater

Good job by Mike Flynn and Big Government uncovering this absolutely horrendous court filing detailing the abuse Congressman Charlie Wilson (D-OH) inflicted on his ex-wife — much of which he admitted to doing in a deposition. Clara Wilson went so far as to use the term "extreme cruelty" to describe what Charlie Wilson put her through.

Wilson admitted in his deposition to grabbing his wife by the neck and shaking her.

According to the court document, Wilson "slammed [his wife] into the refrigerator." Wilson admitted in his deposition that early in his marriage he "kicked and struck" his wife and "accused her of adultery."

Please click here for the rest of the post.

4. Democrats Are Funding Their Campaigns With Money Taken From Foreign Nationals

Do you remember the game of Whack-A-Mole? You know, the game you play on the boardwalk or at the county fair where, for a couple of bucks, you can win a stuffed toy for 'whacking' these stupid cartoonish-looking moles on the head with a mallet when they pop up?

Well, this one is almost too easy.

Last week, when the White House and DNC launched their desperate campaign to smear the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, alleging the federation is funding GOP campaigns with "foreign money," our immediate reaction was:

Do they really want to go down this road? Really?

Are those who are really launching the attacks going to expose themselves this easily?

Please click here for the rest of the post.

5. Tolerance and Diversity: Teaching Girls That Misogyny And Beatings Are An Honor

"Allah honored wives by instating the punishment of beatings." So said Cleric Sa'd Arafat earlier this year. Last month, a Wellesley, Massachusetts public school took a trip to a mosque, where the school children were taught to pray to that same Allah.

Well, except for the icky girls. Cooties, and all. They were not allowed to take part in the "tolerance" indoctrination. Have to teach these girls how to show respect!

Please click here for the rest of the post.

6. If Democrat Marcy Kaptur can't tell the difference between Islamic terrorists and our Founding Fathers…

Just one question for the voters in Toledo, Ohio:

Which would you rather have:

A Congressman who has dressed up for war re-enactments, OR…

A Congresswomen that compares terrorists to America's Founding Fathers?

It's a pretty simple question, but it is the choice you have to make on November 2nd.

Please click here for the rest of the post.

7. Video: Dem Majority Leader Ducks Question on Taxes

When Speaker Nancy Pelosi cast the deciding vote to adjourn the House until after the midterm elections, it was a vote for tax increases. As we reported on HUMAN EVENTS, there were 39 Democrats ready and willing to vote to maintain the tax rates at the current levels. But Pelosi balked at such a choice, thus shielding her party from a tough vote in an election cycle where news grows worse for the Democrats by the day. Effective on January 1, 2011, every income bracket, not just the much-maligned "rich," will see their taxes go sky high.

The dirty little secret is that Nancy Pelosi and her leadership team could call the House back into session tomorrow in order to ensure that taxes are not raised. But will they?

Please click here for the rest of the post.

#1013bomb

I am sitting in a Taco Mac in Atlanta right now eating supper. I have out my credit card not to pay for my meal, but to fund candidates.

Tonight I am participating in the #1013bomb money bomb on Twitter along with a host of other outstanding conservative bloggers.

Go on Twitter. Search for #1013bomb or just follow me at @ewerickson. I will be listing candidates and giving of my own money to each of them. I encourage you to do the same.

Congressman Charlie Wilson Is A Wife Beater

Good job by Mike Flynn and Big Government uncovering this absolutely horrendous court filing detailing the abuse Congressman Charlie Wilson (D-OH) inflicted on his ex-wife — much of which he admitted to doing in a deposition. Clara Wilson went so far as to use the term "extreme cruelty" to describe what Charlie Wilson put her through.

Wilson admitted in his deposition to grabbing his wife by the neck and shaking her.

According to the court document, Wilson "slammed [his wife] into the refrigerator." Wilson admitted in his deposition that early in his marriage he "kicked and struck" his wife and "accused her of adultery."

Read the whole thing here.

And for those who

Birthers:Chamberpots::Birth Certificate:Chamber Money

Read this email from a birther. Then consider changing things like "birth place" dual citizenship" and "natural born status" to "foreign money.

From: Kandace Ricotta

Subject: Your latest birther comments in today's Morning Briefing

Date: October 13, 2010 10:00:02 AM EDT

To: Erick Erickson

Dear Mr. Erickson,

Why is it that you continue to refuse to look at the VALID questions surrounding Obama's eligibility? You, like the Fox commentators, tell everyone the birthers are crazy, when it is blatantly obvious that none of you have ever taken the time to truly investigate the entire issue. There are FACTS that can not be disputed, FACTS which raise serious questions as to not only his birthplace, but his dual citizenship. Obama releasing the necessary records to PROVE one way or the other is the ONLY action that can be taken to remove all doubt about his natural born status.

Please answer the following questions and tell all of America in one of your columns…why has he spent upwards of 1.5 million dollars fighting these ineligibility allegations in the courts? How did he travel to Pakistan in 1981 when there was a travel ban for ANY person holding a US passport? Why has he also sealed all of his school and college records…could he possibly have enrolled as a foreign student? And lastly, WHY has Obama been issued several social security numbers? I don't know about you, but I have only had one SS# in my lifetime. If you want to check into this, contact Susan Daniels, the reputable P.I. who thoroughly investigated this social security issue, and came up with some very troubling factual data! One thing that REALLY steams me is the bogus claim that the birth notices in those two Hawaiian newspapers PROVES Obama was born in Hawaii. Nothing could be further from the truth…that information came from the State Department of Health Birth Registry, and at that time, ANYONE could register a live birth in Hawaii, whether born in Hawaii or elsewhere. So, that claim absolutely does not hold water.

For those of us who follow you regularly, and find you to usually be dead on with your commentaries, you have totally blown it with this issue. WHY?????

I would LOVE a personal response, but addressing all of these questions in one of your columns, after you do your homework, will suit me just fine!

Kandy Ricotta

Scottsdale, AZ