Note to self...

Sunny - Hi 73 Lo 52 for Baghdad, Iraq
Mostly Sunny - Hi 48 Lo 33 for Northern KY, USA

Song of the week: The Space Between, Dave Matthews Band

Ramble:

First, I want to take a moment to congratulate the Democrats on their victory. It was an exciting race to watch and you on the left did the better job of winning votes this time around. Congratulations.

I've had a few days to think about the results of the elections. I was sick about the loss. However, my immediate thoughts went to our military and their wellbeing. I'm still concerned. What will the coming days, weeks, and months mean to them and our war on terror?

Upon further reflection of the elections, we had that loss coming. Whether one wants to blame it on the natural trend of history and how the American people voted (or stayed home), or for the simple fact that the Republicans in office were sprendthrifts and depleted opportunities to secure our borders, stop illegal immigration, and cut spending, it simply does not matter.

I visited several blogs after the election. The gut reactions ranged from "we had it coming" to "blaming cut and run Republicans". The resounding voice on conservative blogs was NOT to blame voting machines or accuse Democrats of cheating. We lost... and we took it. Some of us are still licking our wounds but we'll get over it... Sadly, some real conservatives with good strong character, integrity, as well as a backbone were the ones that ended up being the sacrificial lambs for this election.
Ohio was simply a self inflicted nightmare... Republican Governor Robert Taft- (another Cincinnatian- why he was ever elected is beyond me), the guy that initiated ethics training for all state employees should have taken his own subscribed training... Instead he took money he shouldn't have, and was charged with ethics violations. He plead no contest.... He should be ashamed of his actions and his behavior. He should have resigned immediately but Taft allowed his ego and narcissism to stand in the way. Ohioans in turn reacted negatively to all Republicans... Who can blame them? On that same note, had I been a resident of Ohio... it would have been difficult for me to cast a vote for Mike Dewine, one of the Gang of 14, but Sherrod Brown was a worse choice in my opinion.... I would have had to drink a bottle of Pepto Bismol with a Ketel One chaser and hold my nose on that one...

Many conservatives have already started looking ahead to 2008. It's a little early for me. Jes' gimme till after the holidays...k?

So, what am I going to do? I keep referring to the Republicans as "we". Well..... quite frankly... I'm not a "we"... I'm not a registered Republican. I'm an Independent and up until this past week took pride in the fact that I did not associate myself with a party. After all, they really are just rotten politicians and one is just like the other.... right?

I don't think so- not anymore.

I've been looking at this all wrong. I believe one of the reasons why the Republicans took a beating is because they lost sight of what they are supposed to represent- smaller government, less waste, socially conservative, etc etc..

The Primaries are where we the people determine who to send to the dance... Paying close attention to the Primaries must become critical to conservatives. I have written on this blog that I would not vote for John McCain for president... but I will not vote for Hillary (just thinking about that causes me to cough up a hair ball). How do I make my conservative choice known? I need to speak my mind--- My voice will be heard in the Primaries.

Note to self... On Monday, go register as a Republican.

Blogs and Links to Check Out This Week:

Lemuel Calhoon of Hillbilly White Trash has been on a roll this week. His observations are sharp and intuitive. He provides perspective that often times is neglected.

On Wednesday, Lem wrote about President Bush being a liberal. Well... he is. I voted for him- knowing his liberal leanings. I stand by the man, I still pray for him. I know he has the best interest of our men and women in the military in mind. I know that 9/11 had a profound affect on him and he made an oath to the American people that wouldn't happen again on his watch. With all that said, Lem wrote:

What we saw this afternoon and will continue to see for the next two years is the fact that George W Bush is not a conservative. He is a smart and principled liberal. He believes in big government because of what he sees as its potential to help people. Unlike the Democrat left which sees big government as a way to create a population in dependency who will be forced to vote for Democrats in order to continue to receive the basic necessities of life.

Read the rest here.

Lem also wrote about the possibility of Rudy Giuliani running in 2008 and possible obstacles he faces. I adore Mr. Giuliani, but he will never get my vote. Why? Gun control... never will I vote for someone that is against the 2nd Amendment.

Lem also sent me over to Townhall to read Hugh Hewitt's take on the election results.

[...]The criminal activities of Duke Cunningham, Bob Ney and Mark Foley were anchors around every Republican neck, and the damaged leadership could not figure out that the only way to slip that weight was by staying in town and working around the clock on issue after issue. The long recesses and the unwillingness to confront the issues head on --remember the House's inexplicable refusal to condemn the New York Times by name in a resolution over the SWIFT program leak?-- conveyed a smugness about the majority which was rooted in redistricting's false assurance of invulnerability. Only on rare occasions would the Republicans set up the sort of debate that sharpened the contrast between the parties. In wartime, the public expects much more from its leaders than they received from the GOP.[...]

[...]On April 15, 2005 --less than three months after President Bush had begun a second term won in part because of his pledge to fight for sound judges-- Senator McCain appeared on Hardball and announced he would not support the "constitutional option" to end Democratic filibusters. Then, stunned by the furious reaction, the senator from Arizona cobbled together the Gang of 14 "compromise" that in fact destroyed the ability of the Republican Party to campaign on Democratic obstructionism while throwing many fine nominees under the bus. Now in the ruins of Tuesday there is an almost certain end to the slow but steady restoration of originalism to the bench. Had McCain not abandoned his party and then sabotaged its plans, there would have been an important debate and a crucial decision taken on how the Constitution operates. The result was the complete opposite. Yes, President Bush got his two nominees to SCOTUS through a 55-45 Senate, but the door is now closed, and the court still tilted left. A once-in-a-generation opportunity was lost.

A few months later there came a debate in the Senate over the Democrats' demand for a timetable for withdrawal for Iraq led to another half-measure: A Frist-Warner alternative that demanded quarterly reports on the war's progress, a move widely and correctly interpreted as a blow to the Administration’s Iraq policy. Fourteen Republicans voted against the Frist-Warner proposal --including Senator McCain-- and the press immediately understood that the half-measure was an early indicator of erosion in support for a policy of victory.

Then came the two leaks of national security secrets to the New York Times, and an utterly feckless response from both the Senate and the House. Not one hearing was held; not one subpoena delivered. A resolution condemning these deeply injurious actions passed the House but dared not name the New York Times. The Senate did not even vote on a non-binding resolution. [...]

Read the rest here.

Have a great week everyone!