Huckabee

I have taken off the link to Mike Huckabee's website out of protest over his bigotry attitude towards Mormons. As a Mormon, I think his comments were way out of line and he should drop out of the Presidential race.

National Review Endorses......

National Review has just announced that the editors are endorsing Mitt Romney for President. National Review is considered by many as THE conservative publication.

Our guiding principle has always been to select the most conservative viable candidate. In our judgment, that candidate is Mitt Romney, the former governor of Massachusetts. Unlike some other candidates in the race, Romney is a full-spectrum conservative: a supporter of free-market economics and limited government, moral causes such as the right to life and the preservation of marriage, and a foreign policy based on the national interest. While he has not talked much about the importance of resisting ethnic balkanization — none of the major candidates has — he supports enforcing the immigration laws and opposes amnesty. Those are important steps in the right direction. (Read it all here)

Select a Candidate

KSL has a link to a great “select the candidate” website. Take the test to see who you most favor.

http://minnesota.publicradio.org/projects/ongoing/select_a_candidate/

My candidates are:
Duncan Hunter – 16
Mitt Romney – 16
Fred Thompson – 16
Tom Tancredo – 11
John McCain – 10
Mike Huckabee – 10

I decided to take the Minnesota Senate race for kicks, and:
Norm Coleman – 18
Al Franken – 2

Correction: Voucher Opponents: From Satan

I laughed out loud when I read the following in the Deseret News:

“…the more I learn about these 'parents for choice,' the more I know they are from Satan.”
-- Ronda Rose, former state PTA board member and legislative vice president, in an e-mail message sent to PTA members.

If my religious studies correct me, Satan was the one who presented a plan that had no choice. So who is more Satanic, those who would not let Parents choose, or those who advocate choice in education?

Vote for Choice, Vote for Better Education, Vote for Vouchers

Utahns For Public Schools - Unsolicted E-mails

Someone forwarded me an e-mail from Utahns for Public Schools. This person is very pro-vouchers and did not sign up to receive these e-mails. So answer the question Utahns for Public Schools, who are you sending this to?

The latest attack on public education!
Please go to these websites and post comments to tell these pro voucher people what Utahn’s for Public School really think.
http://vouchernews.blogspot.com/2007/10/blog-post.html
http://utdems.blogspot.com/
http://politicalspyglass.blogspot.com/2007/10/tension-between-legislature-state.html

Rolly's great piece

Today Rolly has a great blog piece: http://blogs.sltrib.com/politics/2007/09/not-sharing-wealth.htm

He was talking about how VP Cheney is not holding a fundraiser and the money the party could raise by his appearance. My favorite line is:

Just think, if Cheney would bother to raise a little money for the party, it
could afford to buy its own parade float rather than be forced to have
Republican legislative leaders strong-arm education officials to build them one.

Great wordsmith Rolly!

Fmr Gov. Romney coming to Utah

Governor Mitt Romney will be having a rally on Friday Sept. 28, 2007. To attend you have to commit to raise at least $1,000.


Utah's upcoming Rally

2:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.

Salt Palace Convention Center
100 S. West Temple
Salt Lake City, UT 84101

Who will be the scapgoat?

From the audit: The Mountainland Applied Technology College, a Utah College of Applied Technology Campus (the Campus) inappropriately expended $416.14 for the construction of a parade float for the Utah Republican Party. Utah Code 20A-11-1203(1), states that, “a public entity may not make expenditures from public funds for political purposes… .” Utah Code 20A-11-1202(8) defines political purposes as “an act done with the intent or in a way to influence or intend to influence, directly or indirectly, any person to refrain from voting or to vote for or against any candidate for public office… .” Because the parade float would be used by the Utah Republican Party to promote the interests of the Party, the expenditure appears to be made for a political purpose as defined by Utah Law.
After the initial $416.14 expenditure, the Campus President was advised by the Utah State Auditor’s Office and the Utah Attorney General’s Office through the Campus’ Vice President of Finance that the expenditure was against the law. In spite of this advice, the Campus President continued to look for a way to use Campus funds to pay an additional $694.87 towards the parade float, including falsifying documents to hide the true purpose of the expenditure.

You can read the whole audit at: http://www.heraldextra.com/pdfs/matcaudit.pdf

Rudy in Utah

A couple of Rudy fundraisers:

The Alpine Host Committee

Cordially Invites You to Attend a Reception

Honoring

Rudolph W. Giuliani

to benefit the Rudy Giuliani Presidential Committee

Wednesday, August 8, 2007

4:30pm – 6:00pm

Reception with Photo $2,000

Business Casual Attire

For More Information Contact:
Kristy Coleman
Phone: (801) 604-6303
Fax: (801) 269-9985
Vote4giuliani@gmail.com




--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Park City Host Committee

Cordially Invites You to Attend an Evening Reception

Honoring

Rudolph W. Giuliani

to benefit the Rudy Giuliani Presidential Committee

Wednesday, August 8, 2007

7:00pm – 8:30pm

Reception and Photo with Rudy Giuliani $2,000

Reception with Remarks $500

Business Casual Attire

For More Information Contact:
Kristy Coleman
Phone: (801) 604-6303
Fax: (801) 269-9985
Vote4giuliani@gmail.com

Oh yes! Harry Potter book 7 lived up to all the hype

Now I can get my life back! My wife read the book all day Saturday, and I read it all day Sunday. What an excellent read.

How did I get on the US House e-mail list?

I got an e-mail from a Fred Piccolo at the U.S. House e-mail address. I never signed up to be on a mailing list? Does the Congressman's office have some free time that they put in e-mail addresses to pass the time away?

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE JULY 19, 2007
CONTACT Fred Piccolo 202-225-7751 (O) 202-536-8424 (C)

Note: An electronic copy of this release can be found at -
http://chriscannon.house.gov/News/DocumentSingle.aspx?DocumentID=69686

Note: A video of Congressman Cannon's opening statement can be seen at - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a9U1LUOhdQo


Opening Statement of
Ranking Member Chris Cannon at Hearing on
“Meeting to Consider the Executive Privilege Claims Asserted by White House Counsel in Response to the Subpoena for the Production of Documents Issued to Joshua Bolten, White House Chief of Staff, or Appropriate Custodian of Records”
Thursday, July 19th, 1:00 p.m., 2141 RHOB


One week ago, this Subcommittee met before an empty witness chair, in a hearing the majority knew would yield no new information.

One thing did happen during that hearing that could have advanced our resolution of this matter.

I challenged the majority to present to the American people and the minority the evidence it believes justifies the continuance of this investigation.

I challenged the majority to cite and produce specific hearing testimony, interview testimony or documents demonstrating that in this case there is a critical question that remains unanswered and can be answered only by information from Harriet Miers or other White House sources – such as the White House documents at issue today.

The silence since I issued that challenge is deafening.

The majority did not present that evidence at the hearing.

The majority has not presented that evidence since.

I draw one conclusion – the majority does not have that evidence.

We are here today to consider a ruling on the executive privilege claims the White House has asserted over its documents and lining up contempt citations for Harriet Miers and the White House.

Once the majority obtains that ruling, it presumably will move on to contempt proceedings over the refusals, based on those claims, to appear, testify and turn over documents.

These games may be strangely entertaining to lawyers, press hounds, and academics.

But they are not parlor games, and they promise no productive end.

On the contrary, they pointlessly threaten to land in jail people who are asserting understandable claims to executive privilege, concerning evidence we don’t really need, and that we could have had – and still could have –if we were willing to take up the months-old White House offer of informal discovery.

Instead, we are placing Harriet Miers and Josh Bolten in the crosshairs for refusing to give us information, when we ourselves for months have refused the White House’s offers to give us precisely that information voluntarily.

This investigation began with the outcry over the dismissals of eight U.S. Attorneys from the very party whose leader, President Clinton, dismissed all 93 U.S. Attorneys in 1993.

It continued just last week, when the majority overruled executive privilege claims Harriet Miers forwarded – even though they rested on the legal opinion of Janet Reno, President Clinton’s Attorney General, that immediate advisers to the president, specifically including the White House Counsel, were absolutely immune from being compelled to testify before Congress.

There is one thing I want to assure everyone understands:

If this body votes out a contempt citation, and that citation is sent to the U.S. Attorney for prosecution to pierce executive privilege then this body will be committing precisely the kind of partisan abuse the majority has decried from the outset of this investigation.

In fact, the majority will be forcing the U.S. Attorney to pursue a political case. The Majority will be engaging in the sort of activity they are accusing the Justice Department of. The only difference is there is no factual evidence that the Department has engaged in that sort of behavior, only innuendo.

It is a core responsibility of Congress to oversee the Executive Branch. But after all the investigation we have done on this matter it has resulted in no evidence of wrongdoing in the removal of the U.S. Attorney’s. Instead, we have damaged the Justice Department and diminished Congress and have landed at the threshold of contempt proceedings against Harriet Miers and the White House.

We anticipate a court battle which I very much fear we will lose. If we don’t have substantial evidence of wrongdoing, we will perpetually undermine the Congress’ prerogatives in overseeing future administrations.

So I renew my challenge to the majority: Produce the evidence they believe establishes wrongdoing in the U.S. Attorney dismissals; cite and produce specific hearing testimony, interview testimony or documents demonstrating that there remains in this case a critical unanswered question that can be answered only through contempt proceedings.

Because without that evidence, there not only is no basis for ruling against the White House’s assertion of executive privilege, there is no basis for proceeding further with this investigation. There is no basis for doing anything other than wrapping this investigation up. We need to get back to the real business of the American people.

I yield back.

Man, even I know to keep receipts

Apparently the LG's office has discovered one of the secrets of lobbyists: amended reports. Why would a lobbyist file an amended report?

1. Incompetence
2. They are hiding something
3. Just plain stupid (ok, that is the same as #1).

But my favorite excuse, "Rogers said the amendments were necessary because they had not yet received their American Express statement. "We'd rather get the bill and make sure we did everything right than do it haphazardly," he said. (Salt Lake Tribune)

I have a hard time swallowing that reason:

1- Keep your reciepts. Having attempted to make a return at Target w/out a receipt has taught me that you always need to keep these.
2- You can see your AMEX bill online at anytime. I do!

Update: here is the link: http://www.sltrib.com/news/ci_6355191

Perhaps it is time for McCain to come to the realization that he won't win the nomination and drop out.

MCCAIN '08 Campaign Manager, Chief Strategist resign
Campaign Press release 'Challenging political environment'(from Drudge)

Red Skelton's Pledge of Allegiance

What is wrong with having a younger wife?

The Tribune is reporting about an e-mail from a BYU employee about Fred Thompson and his wife:

Subject: "Fred Thompson's trophy wife."
"From the attachment, you can see that Fred Thompson and his wife Jeri (25 years his junior) may not wear well on many conservatives. When making their final decision before entering the voting booth, I think many conservatives will in their minds compare this attached picture with a mental picture of Mitt Romney with his lovely wife of 38 years, their five handsome sons, five beautiful [daughters]-in-law, and darling grandchildren. I hope so."

So what if his wife is younger? His ex-wife is going to campaign for him.

A great post

A great post: My Two Cents

Although I don't agree with Rob on every issue, I would vote for him in a heartbeat.

So Where do the Mormons Go?

From KSL.COM "Anti-Mormon comments are becoming more and more common during this current presidential campaign season.
In March, presidential candidate Senator John McCain was on the campaign trail in Utah. He said, "I believe Governor Romney is a fine person, a fine governor."
This morning, it's damage control after one of his campaign workers attempted to link the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and subsequently presidential candidate Mitt Romney, to terrorists.
The Boston Globe is reporting that during a Republican gathering in April, the chairman of McCain's campaign in Warren County, Iowa -- Chad Workman -- questioned whether Mormons are Christians.
Then he referenced an article alleging the LDS Church helps fund Hamas, an anti-Israel organization, and associating the treatment of Mormon women with the Taliban."

Ok, so apparently Mormons are not welcome in a McCain administration (hell will freeze over before he is elected, so it will be ok). With so many GOP candidates attcking the Mormon faith, maybe it is time that we up and left the party. But where would we go? The national Democrat party is so far left, that I would never feel comfortable there.

How about the Green Jello with Carrots Party?

McCain has lost it ----

http://www.politico.com/blogs/jonathanmartin/0607/McCain_buys_antiRomney_URL.html

"In another sign of John McCain's plan to assault former Mitt Romney over his alleged flip-flops, the Arizona senator's campaign has purchased the website "www.mittvsfact.com" and will launch it in the coming weeks as a compendium of what they say are the former governor's differing stances."

"Desperate candidates do very desperate things," said Romney's Kevin Madden. "Sen. McCain has, sadly enough, been faltering so badly lately that his campaign is left with the last resort of launching attacks against Gov. Romney."
"If there is anyone left who still needs proof that the McCain campaign is floundering—and that’s a big ‘if’—they just got it."

TEAR DOWN THIS WALL

A great speech was delivered 20 years ago.


This speech was delivered to the people of West Berlin, yet it was also audible on the East side of the Berlin wall - President Ronald Reagan

Thank you very much.

Chancellor Kohl, Governing Mayor Diepgen, ladies and gentlemen: Twenty-four years ago, President John F. Kennedy visited Berlin, speaking to the people of this city and the world at the City Hall. Well, since then two other presidents have come, each in his turn, to Berlin. And today I, myself, make my second visit to your city.

We come to Berlin, we American presidents, because it's our duty to speak, in this place, of freedom. But I must confess, we're drawn here by other things as well: by the feeling of history in this city, more than 500 years older than our own nation; by the beauty of the Grunewald and the Tiergarten; most of all, by your courage and determination. Perhaps the composer Paul Lincke understood something about American presidents. You see, like so many presidents before me, I come here today because wherever I go, whatever I do: Ich hab noch einen Koffer in Berlin. [I still have a suitcase in Berlin.]

Our gathering today is being broadcast throughout Western Europe and North America. I understand that it is being seen and heard as well in the East. To those listening throughout Eastern Europe, a special word: Although I cannot be with you, I address my remarks to you just as surely as to those standing here before me. For I join you, as I join your fellow countrymen in the West, in this firm, this unalterable belief: Es gibt nur ein Berlin. [There is only one Berlin.]

Behind me stands a wall that encircles the free sectors of this city, part of a vast system of barriers that divides the entire continent of Europe. From the Baltic, south, those barriers cut across Germany in a gash of barbed wire, concrete, dog runs, and guard towers. Farther south, there may be no visible, no obvious wall. But there remain armed guards and checkpoints all the same--still a restriction on the right to travel, still an instrument to impose upon ordinary men and women the will of a totalitarian state. Yet it is here in Berlin where the wall emerges most clearly; here, cutting across your city, where the news photo and the television screen have imprinted this brutal division of a continent upon the mind of the world. Standing before the Brandenburg Gate, every man is a German, separated from his fellow men. Every man is a Berliner, forced to look upon a scar.

President von Weizsacker has said, "The German question is open as long as the Brandenburg Gate is closed." Today I say: As long as the gate is closed, as long as this scar of a wall is permitted to stand, it is not the German question alone that remains open, but the question of freedom for all mankind. Yet I do not come here to lament. For I find in Berlin a message of hope, even in the shadow of this wall, a message of triumph.

In this season of spring in 1945, the people of Berlin emerged from their air-raid shelters to find devastation. Thousands of miles away, the people of the United States reached out to help. And in 1947 Secretary of State--as you've been told--George Marshall announced the creation of what would become known as the Marshall Plan. Speaking precisely 40 years ago this month, he said: "Our policy is directed not against any country or doctrine, but against hunger, poverty, desperation, and chaos."

In the Reichstag a few moments ago, I saw a display commemorating this 40th anniversary of the Marshall Plan. I was struck by the sign on a burnt-out, gutted structure that was being rebuilt. I understand that Berliners of my own generation can remember seeing signs like it dotted throughout the western sectors of the city. The sign read simply: "The Marshall Plan is helping here to strengthen the free world." A strong, free world in the West, that dream became real. Japan rose from ruin to become an economic giant. Italy, France, Belgium--virtually every nation in Western Europe saw political and economic rebirth; the European Community was founded.

In West Germany and here in Berlin, there took place an economic miracle, the Wirtschaftswunder. Adenauer, Erhard, Reuter, and other leaders understood the practical importance of liberty--that just as truth can flourish only when the journalist is given freedom of speech, so prosperity can come about only when the farmer and businessman enjoy economic freedom. The German leaders reduced tariffs, expanded free trade, lowered taxes. From 1950 to 1960 alone, the standard of living in West Germany and Berlin doubled.

Where four decades ago there was rubble, today in West Berlin there is the greatest industrial output of any city in Germany--busy office blocks, fine homes and apartments, proud avenues, and the spreading lawns of parkland. Where a city's culture seemed to have been destroyed, today there are two great universities, orchestras and an opera, countless theaters, and museums. Where there was want, today there's abundance--food, clothing, automobiles--the wonderful goods of the Ku'damm. From devastation, from utter ruin, you Berliners have, in freedom, rebuilt a city that once again ranks as one of the greatest on earth. The Soviets may have had other plans. But my friends, there were a few things the Soviets didn't count on--Berliner Herz, Berliner Humor, ja, und Berliner Schnauze. [Berliner heart, Berliner humor, yes, and a Berliner Schnauze.]

In the 1950s, Khrushchev predicted: "We will bury you." But in the West today, we see a free world that has achieved a level of prosperity and well-being unprecedented in all human history. In the Communist world, we see failure, technological backwardness, declining standards of health, even want of the most basic kind--too little food. Even today, the Soviet Union still cannot feed itself. After these four decades, then, there stands before the entire world one great and inescapable conclusion: Freedom leads to prosperity. Freedom replaces the ancient hatreds among the nations with comity and peace. Freedom is the victor.

And now the Soviets themselves may, in a limited way, be coming to understand the importance of freedom. We hear much from Moscow about a new policy of reform and openness. Some political prisoners have been released. Certain foreign news broadcasts are no longer being jammed. Some economic enterprises have been permitted to operate with greater freedom from state control.

Are these the beginnings of profound changes in the Soviet state? Or are they token gestures, intended to raise false hopes in the West, or to strengthen the Soviet system without changing it? We welcome change and openness; for we believe that freedom and security go together, that the advance of human liberty can only strengthen the cause of world peace. There is one sign the Soviets can make that would be unmistakable, that would advance dramatically the cause of freedom and peace.

General Secretary Gorbachev, if you seek peace, if you seek prosperity for the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe, if you seek liberalization: Come here to this gate! Mr. Gorbachev, open this gate! Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!

I understand the fear of war and the pain of division that afflict this continent-- and I pledge to you my country's efforts to help overcome these burdens. To be sure, we in the West must resist Soviet expansion. So we must maintain defenses of unassailable strength. Yet we seek peace; so we must strive to reduce arms on both sides.

Beginning 10 years ago, the Soviets challenged the Western alliance with a grave new threat, hundreds of new and more deadly SS-20 nuclear missiles, capable of striking every capital in Europe. The Western alliance responded by committing itself to a counter-deployment unless the Soviets agreed to negotiate a better solution; namely, the elimination of such weapons on both sides. For many months, the Soviets refused to bargain in earnestness. As the alliance, in turn, prepared to go forward with its counter-deployment, there were difficult days--days of protests like those during my 1982 visit to this city--and the Soviets later walked away from the table.

But through it all, the alliance held firm. And I invite those who protested then-- I invite those who protest today--to mark this fact: Because we remained strong, the Soviets came back to the table. And because we remained strong, today we have within reach the possibility, not merely of limiting the growth of arms, but of eliminating, for the first time, an entire class of nuclear weapons from the face of the earth.

As I speak, NATO ministers are meeting in Iceland to review the progress of our proposals for eliminating these weapons. At the talks in Geneva, we have also proposed deep cuts in strategic offensive weapons. And the Western allies have likewise made far-reaching proposals to reduce the danger of conventional war and to place a total ban on chemical weapons.

While we pursue these arms reductions, I pledge to you that we will maintain the capacity to deter Soviet aggression at any level at which it might occur. And in cooperation with many of our allies, the United States is pursuing the Strategic Defense Initiative--research to base deterrence not on the threat of offensive retaliation, but on defenses that truly defend; on systems, in short, that will not target populations, but shield them. By these means we seek to increase the safety of Europe and all the world. But we must remember a crucial fact: East and West do not mistrust each other because we are armed; we are armed because we mistrust each other. And our differences are not about weapons but about liberty. When President Kennedy spoke at the City Hall those 24 years ago, freedom was encircled, Berlin was under siege. And today, despite all the pressures upon this city, Berlin stands secure in its liberty. And freedom itself is transforming the globe.

In the Philippines, in South and Central America, democracy has been given a rebirth. Throughout the Pacific, free markets are working miracle after miracle of economic growth. In the industrialized nations, a technological revolution is taking place--a revolution marked by rapid, dramatic advances in computers and telecommunications.

In Europe, only one nation and those it controls refuse to join the community of freedom. Yet in this age of redoubled economic growth, of information and innovation, the Soviet Union faces a choice: It must make fundamental changes, or it will become obsolete.

Today thus represents a moment of hope. We in the West stand ready to cooperate with the East to promote true openness, to break down barriers that separate people, to create a safe, freer world. And surely there is no better place than Berlin, the meeting place of East and West, to make a start. Free people of Berlin: Today, as in the past, the United States stands for the strict observance and full implementation of all parts of the Four Power Agreement of 1971. Let us use this occasion, the 750th anniversary of this city, to usher in a new era, to seek a still fuller, richer life for the Berlin of the future. Together, let us maintain and develop the ties between the Federal Republic and the Western sectors of Berlin, which is permitted by the 1971 agreement.

And I invite Mr. Gorbachev: Let us work to bring the Eastern and Western parts of the city closer together, so that all the inhabitants of all Berlin can enjoy the benefits that come with life in one of the great cities of the world.

To open Berlin still further to all Europe, East and West, let us expand the vital air access to this city, finding ways of making commercial air service to Berlin more convenient, more comfortable, and more economical. We look to the day when West Berlin can become one of the chief aviation hubs in all central Europe.

With our French and British partners, the United States is prepared to help bring international meetings to Berlin. It would be only fitting for Berlin to serve as the site of United Nations meetings, or world conferences on human rights and arms control or other issues that call for international cooperation.

There is no better way to establish hope for the future than to enlighten young minds, and we would be honored to sponsor summer youth exchanges, cultural events, and other programs for young Berliners from the East. Our French and British friends, I'm certain, will do the same. And it's my hope that an authority can be found in East Berlin to sponsor visits from young people of the Western sectors.

One final proposal, one close to my heart: Sport represents a source of enjoyment and ennoblement, and you may have noted that the Republic of Korea--South Korea--has offered to permit certain events of the 1988 Olympics to take place in the North. International sports competitions of all kinds could take place in both parts of this city. And what better way to demonstrate to the world the openness of this city than to offer in some future year to hold the Olympic games here in Berlin, East and West? In these four decades, as I have said, you Berliners have built a great city. You've done so in spite of threats--the Soviet attempts to impose the East-mark, the blockade. Today the city thrives in spite of the challenges implicit in the very presence of this wall. What keeps you here? Certainly there's a great deal to be said for your fortitude, for your defiant courage. But I believe there's something deeper, something that involves Berlin's whole look and feel and way of life--not mere sentiment. No one could live long in Berlin without being completely disabused of illusions. Something instead, that has seen the difficulties of life in Berlin but chose to accept them, that continues to build this good and proud city in contrast to a surrounding totalitarian presence that refuses to release human energies or aspirations. Something that speaks with a powerful voice of affirmation, that says yes to this city, yes to the future, yes to freedom. In a word, I would submit that what keeps you in Berlin is love--love both profound and abiding.

Perhaps this gets to the root of the matter, to the most fundamental distinction of all between East and West. The totalitarian world produces backwardness because it does such violence to the spirit, thwarting the human impulse to create, to enjoy, to worship. The totalitarian world finds even symbols of love and of worship an affront. Years ago, before the East Germans began rebuilding their churches, they erected a secular structure: the television tower at Alexander Platz. Virtually ever since, the authorities have been working to correct what they view as the tower's one major flaw, treating the glass sphere at the top with paints and chemicals of every kind. Yet even today when the sun strikes that sphere--that sphere that towers over all Berlin--the light makes the sign of the cross. There in Berlin, like the city itself, symbols of love, symbols of worship, cannot be suppressed.

As I looked out a moment ago from the Reichstag, that embodiment of German unity, I noticed words crudely spray-painted upon the wall, perhaps by a young Berliner: "This wall will fall. Beliefs become reality." Yes, across Europe, this wall will fall. For it cannot withstand faith; it cannot withstand truth. The wall cannot withstand freedom.

And I would like, before I close, to say one word. I have read, and I have been questioned since I've been here about certain demonstrations against my coming. And I would like to say just one thing, and to those who demonstrate so. I wonder if they have ever asked themselves that if they should have the kind of government they apparently seek, no one would ever be able to do what they're doing again.

Thank you and God bless you all.



Note: The President spoke at 2:20 p.m. at the Brandenburg Gate. In his opening remarks, he referred to West German Chancellor Helmut Kohl. Prior to his remarks, President Reagan met with West German President Richard von Weizsacker and the Governing Mayor of West Berlin Eberhard Diepgen at Schloss Bellevue, President Weizsacker's official residence in West Berlin. Following the meeting, President Reagan went to the Reichstag, where he viewed the Berlin Wall from the East Balcony.

The Boys of Pointe Du Hoc - President Ronald Reagan - June 6, 1984

We're here to mark that day in history when the Allied armies joined in battle to reclaim this continent to liberty. For four long years, much of Europe had been under a terrible shadow. Free nations had fallen, Jews cried out in the camps, millions cried out for liberation. Europe was enslaved, and the world prayed for its rescue. Here, in Normandy, the rescue began. Here, the Allies stood and fought against tyranny, in a giant undertaking unparalleled in human history.
We stand on a lonely, windswept point on the northern shore of France. The air is soft, but forty years ago at this moment, the air was dense with smoke and the cries of men, and the air was filled with the crack of rifle fire and the roar of cannon. At dawn, on the morning of the 6th of June, 1944, 225 Rangers jumped off the British landing craft and ran to the bottom of these cliffs. Their mission was one of the most difficult and daring of the invasion: to climb these sheer and desolate cliffs and take out the enemy guns. The Allies had been told that some of the mightiest of these guns were here, and they would be trained on the beaches to stop the Allied advance.
The Rangers looked up and saw the enemy soldiers at the edge of the cliffs, shooting down at them with machine guns and throwing grenades. And the American Rangers began to climb. They shot rope ladders over the face of these cliffs and began to pull themselves up. When one Ranger fell, another would take his place. When one rope was cut, a Ranger would grab another and begin his climb again. They climbed, shot back, and held their footing. Soon, one by one, the Rangers pulled themselves over the top, and in seizing the firm land at the top of these cliffs, they began to seize back the continent of Europe. Two hundred and twenty-five came here. After two days of fighting, only ninety could still bear arms.
Behind me is a memorial that symbolizes the Ranger daggers that were thrust into the top of these cliffs. And before me are the men who put them here. These are the boys of Pointe du Hoc. These are the men who took the cliffs. These are the champions who helped free a continent. These are the heroes who helped end a war. Gentlemen, I look at you and I think of the words of Stephen Spender's poem. You are men who in your "lives fought for life and left the vivid air singed with your honor."
I think I know what you may be thinking right now -- thinking "we were just part of a bigger effort; everyone was brave that day." Well, everyone was. You remember the story of Bill Millin of the 51st Highlanders? Forty years ago today, British troops were pinned down near a bridge, waiting desperately for help. Suddenly, they heard the sound of bagpipes, and some thought they were dreaming. Well, they weren't. They looked up and saw Bill Millin with his bagpipes, leading the reinforcements and ignoring the smack of bullets into the ground around him.
Lord Lovat was with him -- Lord Lovat of Scotland, who calmly announced when he got to the bridge, "Sorry, I'm a few minutes late," as if he'd been delayed by a traffic jam, when in truth he'd just come form the bloody fighting on Sword Beach, which he and his men had just taken.
There was the impossible valor of the Poles who threw themselves between the enemy and the rest of Europe as the invasion took hold, and the unsurpassed courage of the Canadians who had already seen the horrors of war on this coast. They knew what awaited them there, but they would not be deterred. And once they hit Juno Beach, they never looked back.
All of these men were part of a roll call of honor with names that spoke of a pride as bright as the colors they bore; The Royal Winniped Rifles, Poland's 24th Lancers, the Royal Scots Fusiliers, the Screaming Eagles, the Yeomen of England's armored divisions, the forces of Free France, the Coast Guard's "Matchbox Fleet," and you, the American Rangers.
Forty summers have passed since the battle that you fought here. You were young the day you took these cliffs; some of you were hardly more than boys, with the deepest joys of life before you. Yet, you risked everything here. Why? Why did you do it? What impelled you to put aside the instinct for self-preservation and risk your lives to take these cliffs? What inspired all the men of the armies that met here? We look at you, and somehow we know the answer. It was faith and belief. It was loyalty and love.
The men of Normandy had faith that what they were doing was right, faith that they fought for all humanity, faith that a just God would grant them mercy on this beachhead, or on the next. It was the deep knowledge -- and pray God we have not lost it -- that there is a profound moral difference between the use of force for liberation and the use of force for conquest. You were here to liberate, not to conquer, and so you and those others did not doubt your cause. And you were right not to doubt.
You all knew that some things are worth dying for. One's country is worth dying for, and democracy is worth dying for, because it's the most deeply honorable form of government ever devised by man. All of you loved liberty. All of you were willing to fight tyranny, and you knew the people of your countries were behind you.
The Americans who fought here that morning knew word of the invasion was spreading through the darkness back home. They fought -- or felt in their hearts, though they couldn't know in fact, that in Georgia they were filling the churches at 4:00 am., in Kansas they were kneeling on their porches and praying, and in Philadelphia they were ringing the Liberty Bell.
Something else helped the men of D-day; their rock-hard belief that Providence would have a great hand in the events that would unfold here; that God was an ally in this great cause. And so, the night before the invasion, when Colonel Wolverton asked his parachute troops to kneel with him in prayer, he told them: Do not bow your heads, but look up so you can see God and ask His blessing in what we're about to do. Also, that night, General Matthew Ridgway on his cot, listening in the darkness for the promise God made to Joshua: "I will not fail thee nor forsake thee."
These are the things that impelled them; these are the things that shaped the unity of the Allies.
When the war was over, there were lives to be rebuilt and governments to be returned to the people. There were nations to be reborn. Above all, there was a new peace to be assured. These were huge and daunting tasks. But the Allies summoned strength from the faith, belief, loyalty, and love of those who fell here. They rebuilt a new Europe together. There was first a great reconciliation among those who had been enemies, all of whom had suffered so greatly. The United States did its part, creating the Marshall Plan to help rebuild our allies and our former enemies. The Marshall Plan led to the Atlantic alliance -- a great alliance that serves to this day as our shield for freedom, for prosperity, and for peace.
In spite of our great efforts and successes, not all that followed the end of the war was happy or planned. Some liberated countries were lost. The great sadness of this loss echoes down to our own time in the streets of Warsaw, Prague, and East Berlin. Soviet troops that came to the center of this continent did not leave when peace came. They're still there, uninvited, unwanted, unyielding, almost forty years after the war. Because of this, allied forces still stand on this continent. Today, as forty years ago, our armies are here for only one purpose: to protect and defend democracy. The only territories we hold are memorials like this one and graveyards where our heroes rest.
We in America have learned bitter lessons from two world wars. It is better to be here ready to protect the peace, than to take blind shelter across the sea, rushing to respond only after freedom is lost. We've learned that isolationism never was and never will be an acceptable response to tyrannical governments with an expansionist intent. But we try always to be prepared for peace, prepared to deter aggression, prepared to negotiate the reduction of arms, and yes, prepared to reach out again in the spirit of reconciliation. In truth, there is no reconciliation we would welcome more than a reconciliation with the Soviet Union, so, together, we can lessen the risks of war, now and forever.
It's fitting to remember here the great losses also suffered by the Russian people during World War II: 20 million perished, a terrible price that testifies to all the world the necessity of ending war. I tell you from my heart that we in the United States do not want war. We want to wipe from the face of the earth the terrible weapons that man now has in his hands. And I tell you, we are ready to seize that beachhead. We look for some sign from the Soviet Union that they are willing to move forward, that they share our desire and love for peace, and that they will give up the ways of conquest. There must be a changing there that will allow us to turn our hope into action.
We will pray forever that someday that changing will come. But for now, particularly today, it is good and fitting to renew our commitment to each other, to our freedom, and to the alliance that protects it.
We're bound today by what bound us 40 years ago, the same loyalties, traditions, and beliefs. We're bound by reality. The strength of America's allies is vital to the United States, and the American security guarantee is essential to the continued freedom of Europe's democracies. We were with you then; we are with you now. Your hopes are our hopes, and your destiny is our destiny.
Here, in this place where the West held together, let us make a vow to our dead. Let us show them by our actions that we understand what they died for. Let our actions say to them the words for which Matthew Ridgway listened: "I will not fail thee nor forsake thee."
Strengthened by their courage, heartened by their valor and borne by their memory, let us continue to stand for the ideals for which they lived and died.
Thank you very much, and God bless you all.

Ron Levine - Candidate for GOP Chair

What are your plans to get the Party out of debt?

I will create a system that makes it easy for individuals of the general public to contribute specifically to the candidates of their choice to fundraise for our Republican candidates. Within that system on the internet and by telephone and in person and by mail, there will be an option for choosing 5% of that to be for general operating expenses of the Party. Knowing that their hard earned money goes where they want it to go to work for their causes and not against and not drained by mismanagement will do more to encourage contributions than anything else. People who contribute want to know that their contribution is used for their cause. They will!

If elected would you rehire Jeff Hartley or have an open hiring process?

No. We are rich with people who so love our Republican Party principles and want to reach out to those of the general public who identify with the Republican principles of our platform as they are the real political power being the voters as the ones who will elect their public servants that there will be plenty of volunteers. There will be so many people refreshed that they can have Utah Republican Party platform adherent candidates that they will contribute, campaign door-to-door, be a massive grass-roots Republican movement and volunteer in the Republican offices which is a job of passion and motivation to keep our Divinely inspired Constitutional republic form of representative self-government intact with freedom and prosperity for our posterity.

How can the GOP be more competitive in Salt Lake and Weber Counties?

Our identity, as defined by our platform, is the party that can best keep The American Dream, our Land of Opportunity, alive. It's the key to wins of real Republicans, which will lead to more wins. In campaigning door-to-door I say for example: "Vote for Morgan Philpot our Republican candidate for State Representative." People say: "Why should I vote for a Republican -- they raise taxes and create bigger and more intrusive government!" The votes are there for real Republicans! Getting those votes is what I've been doing. Imagine how effective I will be at promoting our platform as our official spokesperson!

What is your vision for the Party? What role should/can the average delegate/activist have in the Party?

As our next chairman, things aren't what I say just because I say it. Instead, I will facilitate the rule of our precinct elected delegates and county delegate elected central committee members as the ruling authorities of our Party and creator of our Party documents. There won't be dissidents because we will hear all of our members. Let's have them speak! My loyalties are not to "high-ups" in our Republican Party. That's backwards! "Support The Republican Movement Within Our Republican Party" That’s my campaign slogan.

Please ask me questions and tell me your concerns. I will be responsive.

RonaldHLevine@aideq.com
Ronald H Levine
1042 E Fort Union Blvd #231
Midvale, Utah 84047-1800
801-566-2112 at work, but call after 5 P.M.

No, No, No

SAY NO TO AMNESTY IN DISGUISE! Call your Congressmen and Senators. Tell them you do not support the Senate's "bipartisan immigration reform bill." Tell them you will not vote to reelect anyone who ties the issues of border enforcement and legalization together in one bill. Border enforcement first! When we as Americans verify over a number of years that this has been done, we can consider plans for those who have lived here illegally for several years.

How can President Bush talk about the "war on terror", but not secure our borders. If the borders are not secure, there can be no homeland security.

P.S. Any Utah Congressman that votes for amnesty will face a tough GOP Convention, and if Jim Matheson is as smart as I think he is, he will vote no.

Steve Harmsen - Utah GOP Chair Candidate

What are your plans to get the Party out of debt?
plan for debt: good management of existing resources , getting a handle on the salaries and no more commission deals, be more creative and diligent in all areas of fundraising especially in the area of smaller donors.

If elected would you rehire Jeff Hartley or have an open hiring process?

No,I would not in all likelihood re-hire previous director. I would not hire anyone that was not widely advertised for and was not agreeable to the majority of the state officers

How can the GOP be more competitive in Salt Lake and Weber Counties?
Salt Lake County: needs a strong legislative push to keep Salt lake County Clerk from putting Democrats at the top of the ballot (5%advantage) I think it needs to be randomly selected by each voting machine which is currently possible.

Weber and all other counties The party needs a much better use of its web site and it needs to be made available to all candidates and party officials. The data base that the party should be keeping and updating in a professional manner and should be made available to all party members and candidates. Precinct by precinct identification of voters needs to be done by the state party and the data can be kept from year to year and improved upon each year and shared with the respective counties.


What is your vision for the Party?
I would like to see a party that can stand on its own and I applaud Gov. Huntsman for not anointing the chairman as it truly gives the party a chance to become its own force. We have the opportunity to create a professional staff that can continue programs for more than the election cycle that is of interest to particular candidates and their staffs which results in a revolving door at party headquarters and no long term vision. I want to see implemented programs and directions that can embolden the grass roots of the party and i would like to steer the party pendulum in the direction of the state delegates who represent their grass root caucus.

Todd Weiler - Utah GOP Vice-Chair

What are your plans to get the Party out of debt?

The party will be out of debt before the June 9th convention. Therefore, the question really is what should be done to keep the party out of debt in the future. This can and will be accomplished by keeping costs down and increasing revenue. My job as vice chair will be to help raise enough money to ensure the party remains debt free. This can and will be accomplished by resurrecting the Ronald Reagan Club, improving relations with elected officials, and sponsoring more events such as the Legislative Breakfast and Golf Tournament. I will also ask state party officials (including the National Committeeman and Committeewoman) to report each quarter to the State Central Committee on their fundraising efforts and activities.

How can the GOP be more competitive in Salt Lake and Weber Counties?

We first need to recognize that inner-city residents in large metropolitan areas like Salt Lake City and Ogden generally vote with the Democrats. Accordingly, we need to target the races that make sense and use our resources where they will make the most difference. Considering everything, I think we were competitive in Salt Lake County in 2006. Lohra Miller won, and the race for sheriff was unfortunately lost on the golf course. There are still some fences that need to be mended in Salt Lake County due to prior scandals. We need targeted advertising campaigns and town meetings to reach out to the so-called “Matheson Republicans”. The prior election cycles have shown that moderate Republicans in Salt Lake County are not embracing conservative candidates like Swallow and Christensen – but they are embracing candidates like Gov. Huntsman and Mark Shurtleff. If we fail to learn from our mistakes, we will keep repeating them.

What is your vision for the Party?

My vision is for a strong and financially stable state party that earns the respect and admiration of elected officials and voters. My vision is for a party where delegates will focus on the 95 percent of issues they agree upon, instead of the five percent that they disagree. My primary goals are to create a more stable framework to meet the party’s financial needs, and to held Jim Matheson find new employment. The new party leaders need to rebuild trust, and regain some lost confidence. We need to streamline the process to ensure that substantive and meaningful debate can take place on important issues. The process needs to be simple and effective, and must be squeaky clean.

What role should/can the average delegate/activist have in the Party?

I believe in preserving the authority in the grassroots. The “average delegate/activist” ought to have direct access to party leaders and to suggest changes to governing documents. Although I believe that every delegate has a voice within the party, I will not support the efforts of a few attention-seeking individuals to hold large numbers of delegates hostage to their own agenda. If the chair refuses to recognize someone to speak, however, the delegates should be given the opportunity to override that decision with a simple up or down vote.

Chris Laurence - Utah GOP Chair Candidate

Here is the first survey that I got back. I have asked each candidate the same questions, I will post the responses as I get them; and will let you know any coward who refuses to respond.

Chris Laurence


What are your plans to get the Party out of debt?

Fortunately, the amount of debt is shrinking. The immediate future will require a good deal of begging, I mean, vigorous fundraising. The long-term solution is to build up a reserve, and anticipate future costs better.

If elected would you rehire Jeff Hartley or have an open hiring process?

I would have an open hiring process.

How can the GOP be more competitive in Salt Lake and Weber Counties?

Voters are not going to fall for simple slogans. We need pragmatic, bright, articulate, fiscal conservatives that understand economics, and the interplay between government and private industry in larger metropolitan areas. Utah's cities will only continue to grow. Rudy Guiliani proved that conservative principles can be applied successfully, even in New York City. It can be done here as well.

What is your vision for the Party?

If we can get our fiscal house in order, and not spend so much time worrying about the bottom line, the Utah Republican Party can become a place where ideas are worked out, and various potential solutions are provided. I would like to see it as a greater asset to the county parties. I would especially work toward greater involvement of individuals from outside the traditional metropolitan boundaries.

What role should/can the average delegate/activist have in the Party?

Enthused participant. I would like to see issue blogs and discussions on the state party website wherein any delegate can post comments. I would like another blog for Republican Party members or the public at large to post comments as well. I would like to farm ideas from everyone. With that investment, there will be greater loyalty to the party. Hopefully, donations would flow more freely as a result, contributing the the fiscal soundness of the party.


Thanks to Chris for responding. More surveys to come.....

Are you kidding me?

If this is what most Utah State University classes are like; I am glad I didn't go there. I actually got an education

The Senate Site: Good for Utah

While I haven't always agreed with Ric over at the Senate Site, and everyone knows I don't always agree with Senate Leadership; I think the Senate Site serves a very valuable purpose in the State.

It removes a filter that has become increasingly biased, the Drive-by Media (as Rush calls it). Here we have a chance to get the inside story straight from "the horse's mouth", rather than the other end of the horse (you know who I am referring to).

So Ric and Senator Valentine, wear the Rolly column as a badge of honor. You must be doing something good.

School Board --> Follow the Law!

Memo to the State School Board, you can not interpret law, you follow it.

From the SL Trib:http://www.sltrib.com/ci_5902159

Utah Attorney General Mark Shurtleff has ordered the Utah State Board of Education to implement a school voucher program based on a version of the state's voucher law that critics say leaves Utah vulnerable to a lawsuit.

Hundreds of voucher supporters cheered the news during a rally at the State Capitol complex today. Parents for Choice in Education, the political action committee that lobbied heavily for the program, held the rally to pressure officials to implement vouchers, making voucher applications available to parents starting today.

"The rally, combined with the most senior legal authority in the state, is demanding they implement it," spokeswoman and emcee Leah Barker said.

'08 Candidates React to the loss of Rev. Falwell - American Leader

Romney:

"An American who built and led a movement based on strong principles and strong faith has left us. He will be greatly missed, but the legacy of his important work will continue through his many ministries where he put his faith into action. Ann and I have had the honor to talk and meet with Reverend Falwell and get to know him as a man of deep personal faith and commitment to helping those around him. He will be forever remembered."

McCain:

"I join the students, faculty, and staff of Liberty University and Americans of all faiths in mourning the loss of Reverend Jerry Falwell.
"Dr. Falwell was a man of distinguished accomplishment who devoted his life to serving his faith and country.
"Our thoughts and prayers are with Dr. Falwell's family at this difficult time."

Rev. Falwell's last column

America has lost a great one today: Falwell Dead at 73


In the May issue of my National Liberty Journal newspaper, we featured the story of Megan Chapman, who last year was forced to make a choice between standing up for her faith in Jesus Christ or allowing school officials to silence her.
She chose not to be silent, even though Russell Springs, Ky., school officials told her she could not mention Jesus or her faith in her valedictorian speech. At the commencement, more than 3,000 people packed her school's gymnasium, with members of the press in attendance. And before the principal of the school could finish making his opening remarks, the senior class stood together and recited "The Lord's Prayer."
What an inspiring scene!
Then Megan walked to the platform, prepared only to read the poem, "The Road Less Traveled" because she had been warned not to mention her faith. But as she looked out over the audience, she prayed that God would give her a message. And he did.
Megan put away the poem and began speaking from her heart, sharing how God is real in her life. She spoke of the peace she has encountered since giving her heart to Jesus Christ and wished that same peace for her classmates.
The speech was frequently interrupted with cheers.
One local media outlet noted a "revival-like atmosphere" at the graduation.
The next night, Megan appeared on the Fox News Channel where she was able to again share her faith in Jesus Christ.
Today, Megan, along with twin sister Mandy, is a student at Liberty University, where she is planning to study law and attend Liberty University School of Law.
Her story has inspired many young people across this nation.
I hope it encourages more to take a stand for their faith.
I'm proud to stand with Mathew Staver, founder of Liberty Counsel and dean of Liberty University School of Law, and his wife Anita, president of Liberty Counsel, in the national "Friend or Foe" Graduation Prayer Campaign.
This program is designed to educate and, if necessary, litigate to ensure that prayer and religious views are not suppressed during graduation ceremonies across the nation.
As part of this year's campaign, Liberty Counsel has created red prayer wristbands which students can wear as a reminder to pray at graduation and all throughout the school year.
The wristbands are embossed with "I Will Pray," and "Pray Without Ceasing (Thess. 5:17)."
The wristbands serve as reminders to students that they have the constitutional right to wear religious jewelry and to pray during non-instructional times while at school. Liberty Counsel also has a free legal memo on graduation prayer which is available online at www.LC.org.
Mr. Staver stated, "The purpose of Liberty Counsel's 'Friend or Foe' Graduation Prayer Campaign is to protect religious viewpoints at graduation. Liberty Counsel will be the friend of schools that recognize the free speech rights of students and the foe of those that violate their constitutional rights.
"The key to graduation prayer is that the school should remain neutral — neither commanding nor prohibiting voluntary prayer or religious viewpoints."
High school students, don't be afraid to voice your faith in Jesus Christ! Liberty Counsel is here to help you if you should face persecution or punishment for doing so. I urge Christian students across this land to exhibit the strength of character of Megan Chapman by refusing to be silenced.
Boldly live out your faith!

First New Hampshire, now Michigan --> Romney on top

Mitt Romney, who last week led a New Hampshire poll of 2008 GOP presidential hopefuls, now finds himself leading in his birth-state of Michigan.
American Research Group ran a poll of 600 likely Republican primary voters from May 4-7 in Michigan. Romney now is in the lead with 24 percent of the vote. McCain has 22 percent and Giuliani has 19 percent.
Romney's support has tripled since late February. McCain and Giuliani have each lost support, 13 percent and 11 percent respectively.

The question is: can his lead, or anyone's lead, last until February?

Don't diss my team!

From the AP:

"Note to Sen. Sam Brownback: In Packerland, it's not cool to diss Brett Favre.
The GOP presidential hopeful drew boos and groans Friday at the Wisconsin Republican Party convention when he used a football analogy to talk about the need to focus on families.
"This is fundamental blocking and tackling," he said. "This is your line in football. If you don't have a line, how many passes can Peyton Manning complete? Greatest quarterback, maybe, in NFL history."
Oops, wrong team to mention in Wisconsin, once described by Gov. Tommy Thompson as the place "where eagles soar, Harleys roar and Packers score."
Realizing what he had said, the Kansas Republican slumped at the podium and put his head in his hands.
"That's really bad," he said. "That will go down in history. I apologize."

Too bad

I am now regretting being out of state last Saturday. I hear the Utah County GOP Convention had some fireworks.

GO JAZZ

One more win! Beat Houston!

Debate: Not Rocky and Hannity

I noticed that Professor Richard Davis was running as Utah County Dem Chair. If he were to debate Mariahan Monnahan he would clean her clock.

http://utahamicus.blogspot.com/2007/05/news-release-new-utah-county-democrats.html

Good pick Dems!

Enid, Enid, Enid --> We want Joe!

Today Enid "Joe did it all, not me, don't blame me" Greene fired GOP Executive Director Jeff Hartley. I have only met Jeff once, but was very impressed by him.

Rolly says the reason has to do about the party carrying a debt, a move that was approved by Joe Cannon.

My sources, and my gut insticts, tell me that another reason is the bitter feelings between Enid "Joe did it all, not me, don't blame me" Greene and Gov. Huntsman that have existed since Nolan Karras picked her to be his running mate. (Hartley was a "Huntsman" guy).

Word to the other GOP employees --> Watch your back, you might be next.

What was so wrong about this?

Rolly Broadside sinks the Black Pearl

Am I just naive? I thought a Pirate themed fundraiser was a clever idea tying into the new Pirates movie.

No action

My sources tell me that the GOP at the Utah County Convention are going to completely ignore the breaking of the bylaws by Senate President John Valentine. This disappoints me, at least an admission of a mistake made would be helpful.

(http://utahconservative.blogspot.com/2006/12/president-valentine-breaks-gop-bylaws.html)

I can guarantee that had this been an opponent of Mr. Valentine, or the "Bramharts", action would be taken.

I guess the saying is right: "Power tends to corrupt; absolute power corrupts absolutely" (An observation that a person’s sense of morality lessens as his or her power increases. The statement was made by Lord Acton, a British historian of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.)

Mitt has a point

If there ever was a question about whether the presidential election is critical, just look at the events of the last few weeks.

Last week, Democratic Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid came out with a bold, misguided statement. "The war is lost," he said, showing a lack of understanding of the fact that we won by taking out Saddam Hussein in the first phase of this war.

Imagine how different our nation would have been if, when the troops were having a tough time at Valley Forge, George Washington just said, "Well, we've lost." That is not the American way.

I'm afraid there are some Democrats who can't get the word victory or success out of their mouths. They see loss behind every corner, and instead of looking for our successes and our achievements, they are always looking for our losses.

(E-mail from the Mitt Romney campaign)

Rudy in Utah

My 2000 Presidential Favorite makes an Endorsement

Steve Forbes has endorsed Rudy Giuliani, and will serve as a nat'l campaign co-chair and senior policy adviser, Giuliani's camp announced today.

Forbes: "It is time the rest of the country benefit from a true fiscal conservative leader who gets real results"(release, 3/28).

Obama confused, Hillary Faltering

Obama: Rookie Mistakes Plague Obama

Hillary: THE POLITICAL A TEAM FALTERS

An excellent legal opinion

SLC Spin has done it again. Ethan has posted an excellent legal opinion on the Anti-School Choice movements flawed petition drive:

http://www.slcspin.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2007/03/cwltrgaryherbert3-16-07.pdf

A great Hatch quote!

Think about that, bring them all out, redeploy them all by March 31, 2008...all United States Combat Forces from Iraq except for a limited number that are essential for the following purposes: 1. Protecting the United States and coalition personnel and infrastructure. How does that small contingency do that? 2. Training and equipping Iraqi forces. How does that small contingency do that? 3. Conducting target and counter-terrorism operations. My gosh, every one of them would be murdered right on the spot if we did not have enough people to take care of them. This is ridiculous!

Senator Orrin Hatch

Run Fred Run!

With news that Fred Thompson is thinking about running for the President of the United States, I have to say that I would support him in a heartbeat.

For those who don't know him, here is a bio from Wikipedia:

Background
Born in Sheffield, Alabama, Thompson grew up attending the public schools in Lawrenceburg, Tennessee. He first attended Florence State College and then Memphis State University where he earned an undergraduate degree in philosophy and political science in 1964. He received a J.D. degree from Vanderbilt University Law School in 1967. He was admitted to the Tennessee bar in 1967 and commenced the practice of law, serving as an assistant U.S. attorney from 1969–1972. He was the campaign manager for Senator Howard Baker's successful re-election campaign in 1972, which led to a close personal friendship with Baker, and he served as co-chief counsel to the Senate Watergate Committee in its investigation of the Watergate scandal, (1973–1974). He was responsible for Baker's asking one of the questions that is said to have led directly to the downfall of President Richard Nixon—"What did the President know, and when did he know it?" Also, Thompson's voice has become immortalized in recordings of the Watergate proceedings, asking the key question, "Mr. Butterfield, are you aware of the installation of any listening devices in the Oval Office of the President?"
In 1977, Thompson took on a Tennessee Parole Board case that ultimately toppled Tennessee Governor Ray Blanton from power on charges of selling pardons. The scandal became the subject of a book and a movie titled Marie (1985) in which Thompson played himself, supposedly because the producers were unable to find a professional actor who could play him plausibly. This film launched his acting career. Thompson would go on to appear as racist demagogue "Dr. Knox Pooley" in a story arc of the TV series Wiseguy (1988). He has also been in numerous feature films, including No Way Out (1987), The Hunt for Red October (1990), Cape Fear (1991), and In the Line of Fire (1993). A 1994 New York Times profile described his roles as ones that portray authority: "The glowering, hulking Mr. Thompson has played a White House chief of staff, a director of the Central Intelligence Agency, a highly placed F.B.I. agent, a rear admiral, even a senator. When Hollywood directors need someone who can personify governmental power, they often turn to him."[1]

[edit] Senate career
On November 8, 1994, Thompson was elected to the United States Senate to fill the unexpired portion of the term ending January 3, 1997, left vacant by the resignation of Al Gore, defeating six-term Democratic U.S. Representative Jim Cooper in a 61% to 39% landslide which represented the most votes anyone had ever received for a statewide office in Tennessee history up to that point. Thompson took the oath of office on December 2, 1994. Almost immediately upon his arrival in Washington, D.C. ("while I was still unpacking my boxes," as he put it), Thompson was selected by the Republicans to give a reply to a nationally-televised address by President Bill Clinton. This was no doubt due to his acting background, but many pundits saw this as an attempt to groom him for an even larger political role. Thompson was easily re-elected in 1996 for the term ending January 3, 2003 over Democratic attorney Houston Gordon of Covington, Tennessee by an even larger margin than that by which he had defeated Cooper two years earlier. His name was regularly mentioned in the year 2000 as a potential candidate for Vice President alongside the Republican Presidential nominee George W. Bush.

56% of Utahns Support School Choice According to New Survey

From January 30, 2007.

A new survey commissioned by Parents for Choice in Education (PCE) and conducted by Western Wats shows strong support for school choice. When asked “Do you favor or oppose allowing students and parents to choose a school, public or private, to attend using public funds?” over 56% were in favor. This data underscores a recent Dan Jones/Deseret News poll showing increased numbers in favor of school choice.

Most significantly support for choice jumped to 67% for those with children in school; those who are consuming the service are the most interested in having more options. The survey also found that nearly 18% of households include individuals who are employed in the public education system. When their responses are removed, support for choice is 60%.

"It's obvious—parents want options,” said Elisa Peterson, PCE Executive Director. “Public education, despite offering their definition of "choice" within the system, can’t meet the full spectrum of needs that Utah children have. It’s only fair that we let parents choose the best education for their kids.”

The survey also revealed a surprising level of ignorance regarding in-state K-12 education spending. Over 50%, or 207 of 409 respondents believe that Utah is spending less than half of what is actually being spent per student per year (approximately $6,309*). When asked, less than 3% of those surveyed identified the correct amount (between $6,000-$7,000 ) highlighting that Utahns may know the price of groceries and gas but through no fault of their own, are solidly in the dark on education.

Want to read more? (http://choiceineducation.org/pressroom_press_releases_2007_jan_30.htm)

DON’T SIGN AWAY YOUR PARENTAL RIGHTS!!

DON’T SIGN AWAY

YOUR PARENTAL RIGHTS!

Say NO to the Referendum Petition


BACKGROUND

In February, the Utah Legislature passed and Governor Jon Huntsman signed into law House Bill 148, the Parent Choice in Education Act. They believe this voucher program will provide valuable options to parents whose children aren’t succeeding in public schools. Equally important to them was a program that would not harm public education, and in fact, benefit public education.



BENEFITS OF PARENTAL CHOICE

1. Give parents more options to find the school that’s BEST for their family.

2. Leave more money for fewer students in the public school system. (a 2004 USU study showed a similar program would save the state over $1 BILLION in 13 years)

3. Make schools more accountable because they’ll have to answer to PARENTS & not just bureaucrats.

WHO’S BEHIND THIS ATTACK?

The aggressive drive to repeal the voucher program is led by the same groups who have always opposed parent-empowering reforms such as charter schools, tuition-tax credits, and performance pay for teachers. These groups include:

• The national teachers union, the NEA
• The Utah affiliate of the national teachers union, the UEA
• The Utah Democratic Party
• Other groups who support the education establishment and the status quo
  

No one should find this any more surprising than buggy manufacturers opposing Henry Ford.


WHY DO THEY OPPOSE PARENTAL CHOICE?

They say that vouchers will take money from public education.

Let’s take a look: The Legislature appropriated $9.2 million for the voucher program. They also appropriated $3.5 BILLION for public education. The public education system in Utah spends more than twice the amount allocated for vouchers every school day. Not only that, but vouchers allow the state to educate a child at 1/3 the cost of what would be spent on that same child in the public schools.



MAKE NO MISTAKE: THIS IS NOT ABOUT MONEY. IT’S ABOUT THE EDUCATION ESTABLISHMENT (DOMINATED BY A BIG UNION) MAINTAINING ABSOLUTE CONTROL OF A MONOPOLY. The $500 million in incremental funding the legislature provided for education this year is not as important as protecting that monopoly.



The Union extends the claim by saying that public dollars should not be used for private institutions. But wait a minute; can food stamps only be used in government grocery stores? Can Medicaid and Medicare benefits only be used in government hospitals? Once again their rhetoric reveals their real interest: retaining control of a monopoly.



WHO SUPPORTS INCREASED PARENTAL CHOICE?

We believe parents, not unions and bureaucrats, should have greater say in the education of our children. And we’re not the only ones – school choice is supported by the likes of Governor Huntsman, President Bush, Mitt Romney, Rudy Giuliani, John McCain, and Ronald Reagan.



WHAT YOU CAN DO TO STOP THIS ATTACK ON PARENTAL CHOICE IN EDUCATION:

• Don’t sign the petition.
• Forward this email to everyone you know.
• Print off this flyer and distribute it in your neighborhood and your kids’ schools. http://www.choiceineducation.org/documents/Anti-PetitionFlyer.pdf
• REPORT ANY PETITION SIGNING ACTIVITIES THAT USE PUBLIC SCHOOL RESOURCES by emailing info@choiceineducation.org or calling (801) 532-1448.
  
  
  

E-mail from the Romney Camp

A friend passed this on to me, and I think it highlights some positive press Mr. Romney got over the weekend.


Dear Friend, Congratulations!
As one of the early Team Mitt supporters, you are in good company. Team Mitt's growth has been astounding.
The more voters get to know Mitt Romney, the more energized they get about his candidacy. Just last week at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC), one of the largest gatherings of conservative Republicans nationwide, Mitt spoke to a packed crowd, receiving a standing ovation. He went on to win the event's Straw poll, beating out Mayor Rudy Giuliani and Senator John McCain, and to receive accolades from the pundits and prognosticators across the country.
Where Mitt goes, new supporters follow, but he needs your help to keep building the momentum. On March 31st, just a few short weeks away, the candidates will be judged in an invisible primary, based on amount of contributions.
Will you help Mitt show the media and the country that he has what it takes to win? Please contribute $1,000, $500, $250, $100, or even $50 or $25 today. Don’t wait!After Mitt Romney’s CPAC speech, the LA Times’ Molly Hennessy-Fiske reported:
"Some who arrived at the conference undecided left with Romney campaign signs, including Margo Saule, 65, a horse breeder from Charlottesville, VA. Saule called Romney's speech 'straightforward,' saying 'I liked his convictions.'"
And the New York Times' Adam Nagourney reported:
"...Mr. Romney arrived to a much more subdued reception but left to a rousing roar of applause."
Mitt is changing minds and hearts, and he needs to have all the resources necessary to take his optimistic, pragmatic message straight to voters. Do you want to help?Then, there are two things you can do today: 1) Forward this message to everyone you know, asking them to join Team Mitt; and 2) Contribute whatever amount you can today to help Mitt make a big splash in the invisible primary – the fundraising deadline of March 31st. There are new signs every day that Mitt has the momentum. A recent poll of some of the Republican Party’s most politically active – the Republican National Committee’s members – showed a majority favor Mitt Romney for the Party’s nomination. Now, Mitt is counting on you to help him reach as many voters as possible with his message of strong, new leadership.

CONFERENCE CHAMPIONS

(Just like football!!!)

Congratulations to BYU's basketball team.


CONFERENCE CHAMPIONS!!!

Jeter, Mantle, and Bush

(www.nydailynews.com

Romney Trending down

A month ago Mitt Romney's campaign was flying on all cylinders and doing well. Currently they have hit a bump in the road. Does that mean he will lose the GOP nomination? Not necessarily. Look at what happened to John Kerry in '04, he was written off as dead until he won in Iowa (some called it an upset).

The GOP traditionally doesn't make changes swiftly in the Presidential race. It is vital that Romney stay in the top-tier of candidates. In my opinion, as long as Speaker Gingrich stays out of the race, it is a three-man fight (McCain and Rudy are the others).

If Newt gets in, then he and Romney will duke it out for the 3rd spot.

My opinion, the momentum has shifted to Rudy. His poll numbers keep climbing, and as more "moderate" states move up their primary, he gets stronger and stronger. The other interesting thing to note is that McCain has been attacking Bush really strongly and his numbers have dropped. Is there a parallel, perhaps, but perhaps not.

Buckle up folks! We are in for a wild ride, and I haven't touched the Clinton-Obama fued.

BYU is ranked!!

In the latest AP poll, BYU is #21, and #22 in the Coaches Poll.

Kudos to BYU!!!

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/rankingsindex

Majority of Americans want to win in Iraq

A new national survey by Alexandria, VA-based Public Opinion Strategies (POS) shows the American people may have some different ideas from their elected leaders on this issue (Link)

Some Highlights - (tip to DrudgeReport)

• By a 53 percent - 46 percent margin, respondents surveyed said that Democrats are going too far, too fast in pressing the President to withdraw troops from Iraq.
• By identical 57 percent - 41 percent margins, voters agreed with these statements: I support finishing the job in Iraq, that is, keeping the troops there until the Iraqi government can maintain control and provide security and the Iraqi war is a key part of the global war on terrorism.
• Also, by a 56 percent - 43 percent margin, voters agreed that even if they have concerns about his war policies, Americans should stand behind the President in Iraq because we are at war.

Please explain this stadium

Why on Earth would the state want to have this stupid stadium built when the County already said it wouldn't work?

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MR. PRESIDENT

Today is the birthday of my political hero, and one of the greatest Presidents in U.S. History, Ronald Wilson Reagan.

" Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn't pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same, or one day we will spend our sunset years telling our children and our children's children what it was once like in the United States where men were free."

"Freedom is one of the deepest and noblest aspirations of the human spirit."

"Politics is not a bad profession. If you succeed there are many rewards, if you disgrace yourself you can always write a book."

"Politics is supposed to be the second oldest profession. I have come to realize that it bears a very close resemblance to the first."

"The government's view of the economy could be summed up in a few short phrases: If it moves, tax it. If it keeps moving, regulate it. And if it stops moving, subsidize it."

"The nine most terrifying words in the English language are, 'I'm from the government and I'm here to help.'"

Attacking Wal-mart may be political suicide

Wal-Mart gets 25,000 applications for Evergreen Park store

In Chicago there was a new Wal-Mart, and there were 325 positions. 25,000 applied. Can't be that bad of a place to work.

Message to BYU: Don't play Utah State

It is time to get rid of the charity case of USU athletics off of BYU's schedule. Until they are willing to fully invest in their football program and basketball team, don't waste your time.

According to reports, BYU is willing to do a home-home-neutral game, but the babies up North don't want to. Who has Utah State played? NO ONE outside of their conference.

As a side note, Congratulations on the big win today. Hopefully BYU gets a tournament bid!!

Who killed the feed?

So I was listening to the debate on the voucher bill through my laptop. All of the suddent I got a lady saying over and over, "The Legislature is not meeting at this time."

So who killed the feed?

Non-political news...

...that makes me really happy!!

BRETT FAVRE WILL BE BACK NEXT YEAR!!

Once again, George Will is right

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/01/31/AR2007013101809.html?sub=AR

My favorite part: “The public school lobby, which apparently has little confidence in its product, lives in fear of competition -- the fear that if parents' choices are expanded, there will be a flight from public schools". Isn't that what the whole issue is?

Can we get Will to run for President?

Some thoughts on voucher debate

It appears that Rep. Sheryl Allen wants the schools in the state to never succeed. She called the public schools a Volkswagon. Is that all she wants the schools to be?

She claimed the voucher bill is a cadillac system. Well, I would rather have a Cadillac than a Volkswagon. Maybe Rep. Allen doesn't want my children to succeed, but I want them to get the best education possible.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME!!

OVER 100 POSTS and 12,000 VISITORS...

I hope it is not the same person visiting so many times in a day....

Thanks for your support, I can't find the exact day that I started this blog, but it was around this time of the year, so can I wish myself a happy birthday?

New Senate Site

The Utah Senate Dems are responding with their own site: http://utahdemsenate.com/

As always, the Republicans are at: www.thesenatesite.com

YES!

A voice of reason: Reach Upward has an excellent post on why all day kindergarten is bad. I agree. Why our wacky Governor is for this and educating the illegals at in-state prices is beyond me. Perhaps we now know he is a RINO, or a recovering DINO.

all-day-kindergarten-is-not-answer

Who will lead?

It looks like the conservatives need to draft a decent candidate to take on Enid (from political spyglass):
Lampropoulos will not seek State GOP Helm

Big Deal

I was reading an article in the Trib and on KSL.com (that came from the Trib) and began to think, big deal; who cares.

Freshman Rep Gives Legislative Salary to Schools

He donated his $4K salary to four schools' PTA organization. So what? I have donated money to various service organizations, why don't I get any recognition. Does this really matter? No.

It is quite funny to see the Democrats so excited about this, looking at his previous profession "He is retired from the oil-and-gas industry", made me wonder. Aren't all oil-and-gas people bad? That is what they say about Bush and Cheney, and additionally about the whole industry.

So Democrats, don't lump all employees of the oil-and-gas industry in one pile.

Evangelicals for Mitt respond

An excellent letter:

http://www.evangelicalsformitt.org/massleaders/massleaders.pdf

Which begs the question, why isn't anyone going after McCain for his stances on issues? Why the free pass?