The American Spectator : The Emerging New GOP Leadership

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The Emerging New GOP Leadership

By Peter Ferrara on 6.23.10 @ 6:08AM

Not what you would have expected, even a short two years ago.

In his new book, To Save America: Stopping Obama's Secular-Socialist Machine, Newt Gingrich accurately explains the deep troubles threatening America: "[S]aving America is the fundamental challenge of our time. The secular socialist machine represents as great a threat to America as Nazi Germany or the Soviet Union once did." By the "secular socialist machine," he means not just the Obama Administration, but the entire, highly organized structure of the Left in America, which has expanded its power "through control of academia, the elite news media, union leaders, trial lawyers, the bureaucracy, the courts, and lobbyists at the state and federal levels. They share a vision of a secular socialist America run for the interests of the members of the political machine that keeps them in power."

Newt continues: "Today, we face a challenge equally grave [as the Civil War]: whether the United States as we know it will cease to exist. I'm talking about losing what defines us as Americans…. America is facing an existential threat." (Emphasis added).

Fortunately, the elections that have already begun this year show that the American people are up to overcoming this challenge. Those elections reveal America reaching beyond the political establishment to select new leaders from the grassroots who not only recognize but themselves represent that fundamental American exceptionalism that Barack Obama denies even exists.

Leading this American renewal is the increasingly brilliant Tea Party movement, which is rapidly disproving all the fears regarding its emergence of a year ago. Rather than dividing the conservative, free market vote, or chasing the Republican Party off an extremist cliff, in race after race it has demonstrated an uncanny ability to coalesce around the most conservative candidate that can win. In this, it has served as a Club for Growth on steroids, knocking the RINOs where they belong, all the way to the Democrat party. What I love most about the Tea Party is the way it has remained a thoroughly decentralized movement without the emergence of an identifiable national leadership, yet in a classic free market way that very decentralization has operated all the more effectively.

Here are some of the genuine, grassroots leaders that the American people aided by the Tea Party movement have now called forth in the new emerging leadership of the GOP.

Sharron Angle
Sharron Angle took on the political establishment in Nevada and won. I am not talking about her recent, stirring, come from behind primary victory over 10 other candidates to win the GOP nomination to oppose Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid.

In 2003, the political establishment in the state in both parties wanted yet another tax increase. But the Nevada constitution wisely required a two-thirds supermajority to pass tax hikes, ensuring that only increases with broad support could gain approval. State Assemblywoman Sharron Angle rallied a third of the Nevada House to oppose the increase. The political establishment blew off both Angle and the state constitution, and purported to pass the increase with a simple majority.

Taxpayer groups sued. Even though the constitution included no exceptions to the two-thirds requirement, the state supreme court made one up, a huge loophole that effectively said the requirement did not apply to tax increases for important purposes, and this increase was for education. This shows how quickly our country can descend into Venezuela, or Argentina.

That didn't stop Angle. She not only took the case to the U.S. Supreme Court. She supported recall drives against all the Justices of the state supreme court who joined in laughing off the state constitution. Some resigned under the pressure, others were removed. A newly reconstituted court then reversed the prior case, upheld the state constitution, and struck down the tax increase.

A consistent record of brave, conservative, grassroots leadership like this, and her consistently conservative, free market positions on current issues across the board, is why she won the recent primary, with the endorsements of the Tea Party, the Club for Growth, Phyllis Schlafly, and national radio talk show hosts Mark Levin and Lars Larson.

Recent polls show her already leading Reid 50% to 39%. Reid not only voted for, but led enactment of, the TARP bank bailouts, President Obama's wasted and failed trillion dollar stimulus, and the Obama budgets with their explosive runaway spending, record shattering deficits, one-third increase in federal welfare spending, and more national debt than all prior Presidents combined. In return, the people of Nevada now enjoy the highest unemployment rate in the country, higher even than Depression-plagued, Democrat Michigan, along with the highest rates of home foreclosures and personal bankruptcies.

Together, Reid, Obama, and their San Francisco Democrat colleague Nancy Pelosi are leading a fundamental attack on the standard of living of the middle class, with their government health care takeover that creates 159 new federal bureaucracies to govern the health care essential to the lives of everyone you love, their cap and trade assault on the energy supply that fuels your job, your home, and your family car, and their scheduled across the board tax piracy next year against the nation's employers.

But Angle is not just standing pat with her withering critique of Let's Make a Deal Harry Reid, who foolishly said during the health care debate that if your Congressional representatives are not cutting special deals for your state they are not doing their job. She is advancing a positive vision to restore traditional American prosperity and economic growth.

She understands, unlike President Obama, that the incentives of low marginal tax rates are what promotes jobs and economic growth. So she supports replacing the current income tax code entirely with a simpler, flatter, fairer tax. She favors a 15% corporate income tax rate to replace the current 35% rate that is killing American jobs and prosperity with the second highest overall corporate tax rates in the industrialized world. And she would repeal President Obama's scheduled tax increases next year of nearly 60% for capital gains tax rates, and almost 300% for corporate dividends, reestablishing 15% rates for cap gains and the corporate dividends on which many retirees rely as well. The death tax, however, would enjoy a complete, well-deserved execution.

She is committed next to balancing the federal budget over her first term by shoehorning federal spending into the revenues that would be generated by this explosively pro-growth tax system. She would immediately terminate all TARP bailouts, and rescind all unspent "stimulus" spending. She would return all federal spending to the 2007 budget levels (when the deficit was one-tenth of today's $1.6 trillion), except for Social Security, Medicare and federal debt interest. Also unlike President Obama, she favors true financial industry reform by dissolving Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac and restoring their roles to the private sector.

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About the Author

Peter Ferrara is Senior Fellow at the Carleson Center for Public Policy, Director of Entitlement and Budget Policy for the Heartland Institute, and General Counsel of the American Civil Rights Union. He served in the White House Office of Policy Development under President Reagan, and as Associate Deputy Attorney General of the United States under the first President Bush. He is the author of America’s Ticking Bankruptcy Bomb, now available from HarperCollins.

Letter to the Editor View all comments (104) | Leave a comment

Bill Hussein O'Stalin| 6.23.10 @ 6:39AM

The liberati in the media are already doing everything they can to make the candidates you mentioned look stupid or incompetent.

However, another loser over the last 4 years has been the main stream media, who the public has come to distrust as much as the Democrats in general, and politicians in particular.

The American public is looking for leadership and that's precisely what each of these candidates encompasses.

It's not quirk of fate that candidates Obama endorses when he's not out hitting the links regularly lose while candidates Sarah Palin endorse usually win.

In the meantime, what we see in Washington is a lack of vision, hamstrung by the federal leviathan that Washington created.

All the cures dispensed by Doctor Washington are limited by Washington's knowledge of creating new federal bureaucracies to handle any situation, no matter how small.

Common sense and Washington have become two mutually exclusive terms.

Alan Brooks| 6.23.10 @ 7:55PM

There is no 'American public' anymore, America is now a hodgepodge-- an overheated ethnic stewpot.

saleboter| 6.23.10 @ 7:11AM

"coalesce around the most conservative candidate that can win"

That's what is needed.

Christopher Holland| 6.23.10 @ 10:07PM

Give credit where credit is due. Barack Obama has done more for conservative politics than any national leader since Ronald Reagan. He has done far more to motivate conservatives than both the Bushs, Bob Dole and McCain did, combined. The tea party movement would probably never have emerged without the incentive of Barack Obama. I wish Barack Obama a long, long life - keep up the excellent work, you are doing a heck of a job. With an enemy like this, friends are easy to find.

darcy| 6.23.10 @ 8:00AM

Not to put too fine a point on it, but when men won't lead, women have to step forward to save the day. It happened in the OT during the time of the Judges, when those rascally male wimps succumbed to inertia or vice and lost their nerve. Deborah the judge stepped forward to assert leadership for her people.

Our metrosexual males and lefty-compliant rino pols have failed the nation. So our women step in to stave off and reverse our nation's decline -- to stand and FIGHT the destructionists in both parties.

Now the ball's in your court, men (no pun intended) to cast off your fear and develop some spine -- men of character, wherever you are -- join the ladies in crushing the socialist/corporatist juggernaut before our country is lost forever.

Thank God that over the horizon I see Chris Christie joining the fray

bull-gator| 6.23.10 @ 8:25AM

GOP Presidential Ticket 2012: Chris Christie - President, Paul Ryan - Vice President

Tim*| 6.23.10 @ 5:44PM

We ,Tea Party Rebels Support South Carolina's Senator Jim DeMint for President in 2012.

The Tea Party Rebellion Escalates.

darcy| 6.23.10 @ 7:45PM

Jim DeMint is solid; he merits our support.

RCV| 6.23.10 @ 11:13PM

As a Democrat, I second DeMint's nomination!

RCV| 6.25.10 @ 12:03PM

...because he would lead the GOP to a lopsided defeat.

Paul Revere| 6.24.10 @ 7:56AM

And a loud "HUZZAH" from a Massachusetts Yankee!

Guy| 6.24.10 @ 11:35AM

Me Too! DeMint is worthy.

Michael Handley| 6.24.10 @ 2:52AM

Amen to that....

Eric Cartman| 6.23.10 @ 9:15AM

Sarah Palin, Jan Brewer, Sharron Angle and Michele Bachmann, are what the Republicans need - people not afraid to actually make sense and talk clearly instead of like a politician. Meanwhile weasels like Micheal Steele and John Boehner just can't seem to get their tongues wrapped around the English language lest the offend the Hispanic/Gay/Eco-NAZI/Progressive/Dykes on Bikes voter block. It's disgusting to see the neutered class running the GOP. They didn't have enough testosterone between them to tell W. where he could stick his latent liberalism. Now maybe we will see a difference in the parties. Don't hold your breath, though. Look for the clown car to pull up and the "GOP Leadership" to get out, adjust their red rubber-ball noses and fright wigs and start giving each other wedgies in hopes of getting the "Bart Simpson" vote. Putzes.

Doctor Right| 6.23.10 @ 9:45AM

NOOOOOO!!!!!!

Leave Chris Christie right where he is - in my state of New Jersey, kicking Liberal ass and taking names!!!

WE NEED HIM!!!! Without him, the NJ GOP are the most feckless, useless state organization in the country...Next to New York's....

Eric Cartman| 6.23.10 @ 9:53AM

C'mon, Dr. Right! You gotta share! You can't hog the one guy with all the testosterone and leave us these Sponge Bobs! Until our guys grow a pair - and honestly, would you hold your breath for that to happen? - NJ is going to have to share at some point. Don't Bogart that Christie, dude!

Doctor Right| 6.23.10 @ 10:00AM

NEVER!!

You can have our hard-core, take-no-prisoners, stick-it-to-Liberals Republican Guv when you pry him from our cold, dead fingers...

Dr. Evil| 6.23.10 @ 10:21AM

I have a plan, Mr. Cartman! First, we drive into New Jersey at midnight. THEN, we stop at a casino and play some 21 and roulette and have a few beers. THEN, we sneak into the Governor's Mansion and use the bathroom because beer always makes me go. THEN, we knock the governor out by showing him reruns of John Kerry and Al Gore speeches. THEN we kidnap the Governor and take him to my secret laboratory hidden in the giant Earth on the front of the Ripley's Believe it or Not Museum on the Boardwalk . THEN clone the Governor, creating a whole army of Chris Chisties! Boowaa, booowaaahaahahahahah! THEN we return the Governor to his home before he wakes up! HAHAHHAHHAHAHAHAHAH! It's magnificent! And much quicker and easier than waiting for the Republicans to grow a pair, as you so gently put it! Booowaaaahahahahhhahahahhahah!

Eric Cartman| 6.23.10 @ 10:22AM

Don't make us come down there!

Alan Brooks| 6.23.10 @ 8:47PM

"Now maybe we will see a difference in the parties"

yeah, MAYBE.
(in your dreams)

Becky| 6.23.10 @ 10:13AM

Darcy, you are spot on. I believe Deborah did not actually lead men into battle.

Judges ends with "every man did what was right in his own eyes" and is a kind of parallel to today's moral culture. It was a time of apostasy and idol worship.

On a brighter note, the book immediately following tells the beautiful story of Ruth (which is set in the time of the Judges), with a famous passage used in weddings "...where you go..."

Chris Christie, Marco Rubio, Bobby Jindal, Paul Ryan; there are some developing male leaders.

I don't know why conservative women are having so much success other than they seem to work better with men than liberal women.

darcy| 6.23.10 @ 7:55PM

Yes, Becky, the constant refrain of the Book of Judges is that every man did what was right in his own eyes. And today, we may call it progressivism, modernism, postmodernism, socialism or any other ism that makes man the measure: they're all of a piece of a nihilist worldview that pushes God out of the conversation altogether -- and is unhappily the reigning worldview in our pop culture, media, and academy. Yet how could it be otherwise?

I enjoy reading your posts. darcy

chuck| 6.23.10 @ 4:43PM

The two ton from Trenton is getting fatter every day. Vote for Romney!

American Militias| 6.26.10 @ 9:23AM

You can thank the Feminazi's in this country for "SOME" men having no balls...... The men that still have them are hated by the Feminazi's and the Left......

Kelly Staples| 6.23.10 @ 8:52AM

Go Sharon Angle!

Lynn Vogel| 7.20.10 @ 10:16PM

nice to meet you!

Louis Jenkins| 6.23.10 @ 8:53AM

No! Sharron Angle for President! At least she has the ba--s to fight and has proven it. Give the girl a hand!

Scott| 6.23.10 @ 9:39AM

You mean the prohibistionist Sharron Angle? no thanks. She's another version of Palin.

JmsA| 6.23.10 @ 11:06AM

Scott, how did you sneak in here?

JmsA| 6.23.10 @ 11:06AM

Scott, how did you sneak in here?

HotPat| 6.23.10 @ 3:28PM

Through the sewer pipe, of course.

Nate| 6.23.10 @ 3:01PM

Yes, please God, please! Angle for president! Or Palin / Angle! Or Angle / Palin! I don't care how you run them. Just run them!

Whatever you do, ignore Ryan, Cantor, and the other intelligent, articulate, and educated Republicans in your camp!

Don't let us down!

Osamas Pajamas| 6.24.10 @ 1:37AM

Harken back to the stirring language of the First American Revolution, to the words of its principal and most radical advocates, and to their intellectual antecedents, to the ideas of John Locke, Samuel Adams, Thomas Paine, Thomas Jefferson, and many more. Freedom works, and we must look to these men, and to the free-marketeers of contemporary America, to inform our actions, going forward. Here's a wee taste of strong and eloquent stuff....

SAM ADAMS IS MORE THAN JUST A GREAT YANKEE BEER! TAX HATER SAMUEL ADAMS, ON A ROLL AND ARMED TO THE TEETH, AUGUST, 1776……

"You darkeners of counsel, who would make the property, lives and religion of millions depend on the evasive interpretations of musty parchments; who would send us to antiquated charters of uncertain and contradictory meaning, to prove that the present generation are not bound to be victims to cruel and unforgiving despotism, tell us whether our pious and generous ancestors bequeathed to us the miserable privilege of having the rewards of our honesty, industry, the fruits of those fields which they purchased and bled for, wrested from us at the will of men over whom we have no check.

"If you love wealth better than liberty, the tranquility of servitude better than the animating contest of freedom – go from us in peace. We ask not your counsels or your arms. Crouch down and lick the hands which feed you. May your chains sit lightly upon you, and may posterity forget that you were our countrymen.

“Courage, then, my countrymen, our contest is not only whether we ourselves shall be free, but whether there shall be left to mankind an asylum on earth for civil and religious liberty.

"Dismissing, therefore, the justice of our cause, as incontestable, the only question is, What is best for us to pursue in our present circumstances?”

Chuck Miller| 6.24.10 @ 4:11AM

Because of what Obama has and is doing to destroy America, the American people will beg for a Sara Palin and Sharron Angle!!!

blarset| 6.23.10 @ 9:28AM

Go Sharon....

Scott| 6.23.10 @ 9:38AM

Many of Angles's tax policy ideas are good policy, but they are unatainable if the current fiscal situation. Unless she wants to cut Medicare/SS in about half, her tax policies have no chance.

Besides this though, Angle is social conservative whacko who once wanted to re-institute prohibition.

Publius| 6.23.10 @ 9:59AM

Hey Scott,
You mean the Harry Byrd that was once a member of the KKK? No thanks.

R Martin| 6.23.10 @ 10:01AM

Good luck to the candidtates highlighted. Unfortunately there are some Republicans running who are not regarded so enthusiastically by conservatives. For example, here in Delaware, Mike Castle, currently Delaware's Representative, is a certaintly to be nominated to fill the seat vacated by Joe Biden. Castle is the quintessentail RINO (and he has never lost an election in DE). He voted for cap and trade in the House and supports Obama's offshore drilling moratorium. As a senator he will be no certain vote to repeal Obama care, and I suspect he likes the idea of a VAT. His opponent for the nomination, a woman as it turns out--Christine O'Donnell, is a legit conservative but with very limited prospects. She would have to pull a Sharon Angle to overcome the Party's support for Castle. On the good news side, another conservative woman, Michele Rollins, is the Republican nominee for Castle's seat. She is well liked with a strong chance, but there is a powerful Democrat machine here. How else would Biden have endured so long in the Senate?

Ken (Old Texican)| 6.23.10 @ 10:17AM

Peter,
thanks. I needed that pick-me-up. TEAM America is going to be supporting these ladies. Maybe they can shame some GOP men to grow some.

Hey Scott
Quit being stuck on stupid! Build an adequate stash of your favorite wiskey, and quit worrying about it. If we can't take back the ccongress this fall, you can use that wiskey for barter...you will need it.

Elizabeth Craine| 6.23.10 @ 10:43AM

Great article! We need conservatives in congress to save our nation. I live in Fl so I will be voting for Rubio for Senate. Bill McCollum will get my vote for Gov. They are both true conservtives. I have watched Bill McCollum for years and he has always voted conservative. Rubio I have watched for a while. He was a great House speaker here in Fl. We need both of these men to help save our country.

Grace| 6.23.10 @ 3:56PM

Be careful of the Mc Cullam vote - he may be somewhat convervative but he is for illegal immigration. I'm going with Rick Scott - He spoke at one of our first Tea Parties last year and he was awesome. Rick Scott and Marco Rubio in Fl.

darcy| 6.23.10 @ 5:42PM

Being the cynic I've become over the stark contrast between the charming appearance of our candidates versus the ugly reality of our elected officials, I've been spending HOURS doing research since my 8am post.

Then I went back and read the entire "Emerging new GOP Leadership" again, looking for specific info on our open-borders, illegal immigration PROBLEM and candidate positions on it. Nothing.

Grace, I live in SoAZ; this means this is issue numbero uno for me. And so I went all over, ferreting out (chiefly from opensecrets.com) info on financial support of these candidates, and most importantly, looking further to find what is the agenda of various 527s and PAC who funded these races.

And then I found this:

"The second group of tea-party leaders who have fought the inclusion of immigration in the tea-party agenda are open-borders libertarians who support amnesty. They are folks found at Freedom Works, the Club for Growth and the editorial board of The Wall Street Journal. They have opposed allowing immigration onto the tea-party agenda because they understand very well that grass-roots conservatives and tea-party patriots oppose amnesty by a margin of at least 80-20." So said Tom Tancredo at: http://www.wnd.com/index.php?f.....eId=168369

That struck a cord with me since CFG contributed $600,000 to Sharron Angle's campaign (http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Club_for_Growth). So now I am left to wonder whether Angle herself is -- like CFG -- "a Cato-style conservative: against big taxes and spending but in favor of unlimited Hispanic immigration and [amnesty]" (http://www.amnation.com/vfr/archives/014669.html).

I despise Harry Reid and he must be defeated; but will Sharon Angle be weak on amnesty when CFG calls in its chit? I need to know before I send her any money or talk her up to my friends and fellow precinct committeemen.

Tim*| 6.23.10 @ 5:53PM

Do your homework.

The Club For Growth is focused only on Economic Issues. Their Policy is to not engage in other issues.

darcy| 6.23.10 @ 6:32PM

Tim: did you do your homework and follow my links?

Tim*| 6.23.10 @ 8:27PM

You, darcy wrote ," So now I am left to wonder whether Angle herself is -- like CFG -- "a Cato-style conservative: against big taxes and spending but in favor of unlimited Hispanic immigration and [amnesty]"

That's a Lie.

The Club For Growth does Not favor unlimited Hispanic immigration and [ anmesty]
The Club For Growth supports Economic Conservatives .
The Club For Growth takes " No Stand " on issues such as , Illegal Immigration.

darcy| 6.24.10 @ 12:40AM

I have two sources, Tim*, that indicate otherwise -- as I've linked to. Please provide more information, say in the form of an article, that supports your claim, so that I may be disabused of my false notions, as they my prove to be.

My purpose here is not to be casting aspersions but to get at the truth. I trust my two sources implicitly; give me some evidence -- besides what CFG says about itself -- so that I may weigh it in forming a conclusion about them.

Tim*| 6.23.10 @ 6:18PM

" Arizona's SB 1070, the legislation that would allow law enforcement to demand proof of citizenship from anyone they find suspicious, is getting some clutch support from the local tea party movement.

From the Arizona Tea Party's page on how to rally for the bill:

We are asking for you to spread the word to see if anyone is available to come down there... to show your support of the bill.

They are meeting by the Arizona Flag on the House Lawn. Bring American Flags and signs if possible... Signs: We support "LEGAL" Immigration, In Mexico, You Must Be Legal... Why not here? - etc..."

darcy| 6.23.10 @ 6:36PM

Is this a non sequitur? How does this important information you've provided constitute a reply to my 5:42pm posting? Please clarify.

Tim*| 6.23.10 @ 8:56PM

First, You left the preceding Tom Tancredo paragraph . " There have been two distinct groups within the tea-party leadership attempting to keep immigration off the tea-party agenda. One group is amenable to reason and has in fact become accommodated to the issue. Those are individuals who oppose amnesty but believe that the tea-party movement must stick to economic issues of low taxes and limited government if it is to be successful in changing the direction of government. That's a reasonable viewpoint, and reasonable people can disagree over how important the immigration issue is compared to other issues. "
Second , Tancredo said , "They are folks found at Freedom Works, the Club for Growth and the editorial board of The Wall Street Journal. "

Tancredo was referring to certain individuals among Freedon Works, The Club For Growth and The Wall Street Journal .
The Tea Party Patriots are Neither controlled nor led by any of these groups nor certain individuals within those groups.

This is your own zany leap of logic , because The Club For Growth gave Tea Party Rebel Sharron Angle $600,000 for her Senate Campaign .

You may wanna reconsider .

darcy| 6.24.10 @ 12:59AM

I hope you understand that when you use words like "lie" and "zany form of logic" you lose your credibility with me. I have to wonder if it is your goal to alienate and disparage me or do you seek to bring me along as all good teachers do to enlighten?

I understand the Tea Party Patriots are not controlled -- I'm one myself; and that's the beauty of the Tea Party, if ever anyone arrogates to themselves the authority to speak for the Tea Party as a whole, they will be roundly put in their place. But it is true (for I was there myself in DC on 9/12) that Dick Armey's Freedom Works was one that event's organizers. In fact, Dick Armey himself spoke that afternoon. There were probably another dozen or so additional sponsors of the event; and I would say that they each have their own conservative niche following. I think it's fair to ask if some of these groups are trying to co-opt -- or leverage -- some advantage by endorsing various so-called Tea Party candidates. Nothing wrong with that as long as we know what their full agenda actually is.

That's all I'm trying to do; no more buyer's remorse for me.

Mikey| 6.23.10 @ 11:36AM

I agree that Angle is a superior candidate. I also find the Republican rank and file like Boehner, McCain, Lindsey Graham, etc. repulsive. They don't have a backbone and will NOT stand up for the American people. There is so much this Administration has done to hurt this country. Elected Republicans; SILENCE. chirping like crickets.
We need to start electing people that actually CARE about America - not destroying it. I am somewhat optimistic about some of the candidates up and coming in November, but I still don't understand how McCain can be ahead of Hayworth in Arizona - Crist is coming from behind on Rubio, etc. What gives America?

RCV| 6.23.10 @ 2:07PM

What gives, Mikey, is that the far-right philosophy is appealing only to a small minority of Americans, most of whom are TAS readers. Americans prefer a Crist to a Rubio and a McCain to a Hayworth.

Osamas Pajamas| 6.24.10 @ 1:44AM

SAM ADAMS IS MORE THAN JUST A GREAT YANKEE BEER! TAX HATER SAMUEL ADAMS, ON A ROLL AND ARMED TO THE TEETH, AUGUST, 1776……

“Courage, then, my countrymen, our contest is not only whether we ourselves shall be free, but whether there shall be left to mankind an asylum on earth for civil and religious liberty.

"Dismissing, therefore, the justice of our cause, as incontestable, the only question is, What is best for us to pursue in our present circumstances?”

Ken (Old Texican)| 6.23.10 @ 12:01PM

WOW
check this new blog out at Am Thinker!
http://www.americanthinker.com.....dated.html

See there! Me calling them communists, (pardon the shorthand, is not so gouche (sic) after all

darcy| 6.23.10 @ 6:40PM

Great link, Ken. AT is a regular with me, but I hadn't seen this article yet. Commies abound, sad to say.

Oldefarte| 6.23.10 @ 12:01PM

As usual, Peter, you have written a informative and true editorial. These accompolishments/movements by the tea partiers and conservative cadidates is JUST THE BEGINNING of the long road to American freedom. We conservatives cannot let our guards down and have to keep fighting [by voting] in each and every upcoming election. The left has for decades gradually moved this country to where it is today [it did not just happen in November of 2008]. I implore and bed my fellow conservatives to keep up the good fight by VOTING!!!!!

Ken (Old Texican)| 6.23.10 @ 12:03PM

Oldefarte,
I like you...but you still cain't bed me. (smile)

Linda Cebrian| 6.23.10 @ 1:23PM

As long as it isn't Newt himself. The LAST thing we need is twice-divorced misogynist adulterer as the face of American exceptionalism.

AMENBRO| 6.23.10 @ 2:09PM

Agreed on the misogynist face of America, however have you read current event lately?

I'm watching this CREEP spineless ass OBAMA announcing his acceptance of the good general's resignation. TRANSVESTITE pansy ass panty waste delivering judgment on a REAL MAN & GEN-U-INE AMERICAN HERO. The GENERAL saw his wife 30 days a year for the past NINE YEARS. Can you IMAGINe just how humiliating it is for the conquestor of the ANIMAL SOCIOPATHIC PSYCHOs of Al Quieda in IRAQ to have to apologize for his HONESTY concerning the monogamous OBAMA??????.

Like you, Obama's talking about STANDARDs. Far as we know this dipshit like many dems & republicans Obammie Bam's MONOGAMOUS. What other STANDARDS or QUALITIES does he possess????????

ANSWER FEW!!

At least we know NEWT's got the OATS luv. He firebombed Jim Wright's ass right outta the Speaker of the House's chair, took back the Legislative Branches and set the ship of conservatism's re-emergence in AMERICa. The second morning in America. The ThIRD, Bush surely wasn't,, sure as hail could use the leadership of someone like NEWT, with the brains and vision necessary to right the ship state.

I do agree on marriage vow principles specifically how lackadaisically folks take the solemnity of the same being a happily married MONOGAMOUS husband & father. Sometimes character defects of the errogenous zones do not disqualify RAW INTELLECT & TALENT.

How many of the movers & shakers in the history of the world were moral paragons of blemish-less virtue??? Even the founding fathers sowed WILD OATS.

Ronald Reagan was an actor married how many times? I'm not gonna call him an adulterer but does not that action usually preclude marital bliss.

We can amicable agree to disagree. However we are at war here with idiots running two wars of national security, one on American Exceptionalism, war on business particularly SMALL BUSINESS and every damn thing this good ole boy holds dear.

Now's not the time to not be Pollyannish about the best players we have. Wouldn't it be stupid as hail to wind up like the FRENCH SOCCER team over someone's sexual proclivities of yore???

Nate| 6.23.10 @ 2:59PM

You're a few hymnals short of a choir, aren't you Amen?

AMENBRO| 6.23.10 @ 3:06PM

Yup, just a political junkie Yawl.

As well a stone cold AMERICAN PATRIOT who is ABSOLUTELY DISGUSTEd. I ain't no saint, I ain't eh smartest Mf alive but I sure as hail know the difference between SHITE & SHINOLA YAWL.

Doctor Right| 6.23.10 @ 4:18PM

Ronald Reagan DID NOT commit adultery.

His first wife, actress Jane Wyman, was a flaming Liberal. She grew increasingly disaffected with her husband's involvement with the Republican Party and Conservative politics in general, told him she couldn't take it anymore, and asked him for a divorce.

Reagan loved Wyman deeply, and went into a deep depression after the divorce. His depression began to lift when he met a young actress named Nancy Davis, who came to him initially because she'd been mis-identified as a Communist sympathizer (another actress with Communist Party ties shred her name), and she was hoping that Reagam as President of the Screen Actor's Guild could help her.

Reagan was instantly smitten. He and young Nancy began dating, and the rest is history.

Speaking of history...Learn some.

AMENBRO| 6.23.10 @ 4:43PM

READ SIR. I did not call Ronald Reagan an adulterer. I sincerely hallow the ground he trod upon.

Al Adab| 6.23.10 @ 2:39PM

With late breaking news, add Genl McChrystal to the list.

Louis Jenkins| 6.23.10 @ 2:51PM

Yes, it's official. So is O bummer gonna commendeer the Afghanistan war effort and run it from the White House? Might as well. What a man! "Ya can't stop me! No! I can even do a lay-up with my eyebrow! Just watch me!"

Nate| 6.23.10 @ 2:57PM

He put Gen. Petreus in charge, jackass.

Obama was right to fire McChrystal and really had no choice but to do so. Civilian control of the military is fundamental to a democratic society.

Al Adab| 6.23.10 @ 4:04PM

Is that the same Gen. Petreus who became a campaign slogan as Gen betray-us? My how times change. Duplicitous hypocracy.

Nate| 6.23.10 @ 6:06PM

You're making a common mistake. Attributing the speech of some small, marginal sector of the left to the entire left is not fair or accurate. Obama never called Petreus "betray-us." Indeed, Obama promoted Petreus and now is entrusting him with commanding one of the most difficult military campaigns since WWII. I'd say that's trust.

Al Adab| 6.23.10 @ 7:35PM

The now Secretary of State did, the Speaker of the House did, is that enough to tar the administration for you? The point is this, your people will say and do anything to ridicule their opposition and achieve POWER. That is their only purpose and the governance of the United States takes second place to that goal.

AMENBRO| 6.24.10 @ 1:14AM

YEAH there is such a thing as a MODERATE MUSLIM too. We have heard LOUD & CLEAR from them since 9-11 on how they feel about what their extremist PALS are up to.

At least have the testicular fortitude to own up to your own beliefs. Course when I was a kid I watched a baby possum in a cage displayed at a natural center museum while the family camped at a state park eat its own refuse while it was exiting.

Every-time one of you moderates pipes up I remember that experience DISTINCTLY.

blackwatch| 6.23.10 @ 10:14PM

Empty suit--EPIC failure of a man.

Poor Barry he is going to have to "actually" do the work of a President instead of "pretending" to work at it. Keep that boot on BP's neck Barry--you can do it if you try. Tough to do it from the WH or the golf course though...

So is this the beginning of Biden's predicted "tests" of the man-child president? How soon until Little Barry announces the complete withdrawl of the Christian Occupation Army from the 'Stan??

Osamas Pajamas| 6.24.10 @ 1:56AM

I'd have felt better today if McChrystal had marched into OhBummer's office, handed him a gold watch, and thrown his ass out of the closest window.

Nate| 6.23.10 @ 2:55PM

First, Gingrich is NUTS to compare the age we live in to that of the Civil War. He's an ass, and YOU are an ass for not calling him on such an absurd use of empty hyperbole.

Second, if Angle is an example of the new Republican leadership, Democrats can relax. There's just no way the political "middle" that decides so many elections is going to fall into line behind such a person. She's clearly a zany and stupid person.

If Republicans read the current mood of the people -- admittedly a mood that does not favor Democrats -- as a widespread desire to abolish the Department of Education, Social Security, and so on, they're making an awful mistake. That sort of childish libertarianism makes for good rhetoric on talk radio shows, but we can still trust the American people are by and large interested in having a government.

Bob| 6.23.10 @ 3:53PM

As soon as the GOP wins back the House of Representatives the sooner we can begin impeachment procedings on you know who. People of color will riot and nostalgia will return not for the 1860's but the 1960's. Burn baby Burn!

Scott| 6.23.10 @ 5:32PM

Bob, what exactly are the "high crimes and misdemanors"???

Go back to your WND reading now Bob.

Nate| 6.23.10 @ 6:02PM

What a nasty, low comment. Bob, you've got problems man. What do you do in your time away from the internet? Burn crosses in black preachers' front yards?

Blackwatch| 6.23.10 @ 10:18PM

He tried to bribe Sestak to drop out of the PA senate race. clear and simple--your team can't read laws or chooses to ignore them at will. The Hugo-chauvinism will come out. Little Barry is doomed by his own inexperience. Also the Blago trial should be illuminating.

Blackwatch| 6.23.10 @ 10:21PM

Nate, Nate, Nate,

Burning crosses on lawns? How Robert Byrd-esque. Sorry that's a Democrat habit.

Ken (Old Texican)| 6.23.10 @ 5:54PM

Nate,
I have been in the midst of TWO civil wars. Nasty.

I'm not sure you quite realize yet that you are in your first one.
See,
The "means of production" are still in OUR hands.

You nuts have neither the know-how or the willingness to get your hands dirty to "produce".

...and you cannot force us to produce for you. You gonna' call "ghost-busters?"
See,
as various ones of us producers opt out...you are screwed....and you starve in the dark.

Why can't you get that simple concept into your mind?

Nate| 6.23.10 @ 6:03PM

Ken,

You have a couple screws loose, don't you?

Ken (Old Texican)| 6.23.10 @ 7:33PM

Nate,
YEP!
I can afford it...

YOU ARE FIRED! (eat dog food, communist)

Blackwatch| 6.23.10 @ 10:26PM

Ken they know its comming. That's why all the Obama-Biden bumper stickers have been removed off the Libtards cars. They don't want the "man" to can their little asses for being a stooopid lefty.

I like you have not expanded my business this year. Sitting on the sidelines making do with the labor we have. I should hire another marketer but who can risk the taxes, health care costs etc. when we have such an inexperienced fool for a president. Glad I'm not in the petroleum industry.

Tim*| 6.23.10 @ 6:35PM

Do Your Homework ObamaBoy.

Rasmussen Polling :
" Obama only scores a 34% approval on the economy, with 68% of independents rating him only fair or poor, above the 59% of the general population giving Obama a thumbs-down. He also only gets a 38% job-approval rating on energy, and only 33% among independents. On national security, Obama gets a 38%, with 63% of independents disapproving."

AMENBRO| 6.24.10 @ 1:16AM

BOB YOU IGNORAT SLUT

You haven't a clue dude.

Osamas Pajamas| 6.24.10 @ 1:57AM

SAM ADAMS IS MORE THAN JUST A GREAT YANKEE BEER! TAX HATER SAMUEL ADAMS, ON A ROLL AND ARMED TO THE TEETH, AUGUST, 1776……

“Courage, then, my countrymen, our contest is not only whether we ourselves shall be free, but whether there shall be left to mankind an asylum on earth for civil and religious liberty.

"Dismissing, therefore, the justice of our cause, as incontestable, the only question is, What is best for us to pursue in our present circumstances?”

Al Adab| 6.23.10 @ 4:02PM

Nate, my goodness. I thought we celebrated diversity and tolerance around here. Of course that involves respecting other's views not the worship of difference.

Bob: Think President Biden. We need another strategy.

Bob| 6.23.10 @ 4:09PM

H. Rap Brown for President!

Al Adab| 6.23.10 @ 4:44PM

Isn't that what we have?

David Williams| 6.23.10 @ 5:04PM

Good one, Al.

Ken (Old Texican)| 6.23.10 @ 6:00PM

Al Adab,
Heh heh ...I'm with David. That was a good one.

Al| 6.23.10 @ 6:22PM

Ken,
Did you get "Fighter Pilot" yet? You'll enjoy it.

Ken (Old Texican)| 6.23.10 @ 7:25PM

Al,
No, darn it! I have ordered it from amazon.com, but my days are jammjed. no I have not even peeked at my mail box :=(

Mimi| 6.23.10 @ 6:11PM

Peter thanks again for the very good informative article...Learned a lot about these candidates that I didn't know. Now... big news day! The Kid in the candy-store fired the General,....Called him immature!!!!.....Sat back while Jonathan Alter smeared the military, in a recent book. Can dish it out but can't take the truth! Uh , first report... the General's folks called the WH... " The WIMPS". Note to "O".... the only President in history to play, golf, play and pay to play! Grow-Up!!!! do your job. After what we have seen you do, to damage our country, and our lives you have no right on this earth to call anyone immature. The great General has more honor in his little finger than you will ever had if you havelived a thousand lives.... and you know it!!!!!

Blackwatch| 6.23.10 @ 10:29PM

Barry Hussein Obama Sotero et al

EPIC FAILURE OF A MAN.

RCV| 6.23.10 @ 11:22PM

Seems to have accomplished a bit more with his life than you, sir. Maybe that's what's really bugging you.

AMENBRO| 6.24.10 @ 1:19AM

Checked the death toll this past weekend in the NEIGHBORHOODS of Chi-Town BARRY BOY organized lately EINSTEIN???

RCV| 6.24.10 @ 11:18AM

Yeah, I guess he's responsible for that, too.

Osamas Pajamas| 6.24.10 @ 1:32AM

SAM ADAMS IS MORE THAN JUST A GREAT YANKEE BEER! TAX HATER SAMUEL ADAMS, ON A ROLL AND ARMED TO THE TEETH, AUGUST, 1776……

"Contemplate the mangled bodies of your countrymen, and then say, What should be the reward of such sacrifices? Bid us and our posterity bow the knee, and supplicate the friendship, and plough, and sow, and reap, to glut the avarice of the men who have let loose on us the dogs of war to riot in our blood and hunt us from the face of the earth? If you love wealth better than liberty, the tranquility of servitude better than the animating contest of freedom – go from us in peace. We ask not your counsels or your arms. Crouch down and lick the hands which feed you. May your chains sit lightly upon you, and may posterity forget that you were our countrymen.

“Courage, then, my countrymen, our contest is not only whether we ourselves shall be free, but whether there shall be left to mankind an asylum on earth for civil and religious liberty.

Dismissing, therefore, the justice of our cause, as incontestable, the only question is, What is best for us to pursue in our present circumstances?”

David| 6.24.10 @ 4:23PM

Mr. Ferrara, the list of folks you name are truly admirable people and the types we need running governments at all levels. As to them being the "new GOP leadership", let's wait and see how well they perform. We already have some seasoned Repubs who will make good leaders - people like Mitch Daniels, Rick Santorum, Bobby Jindal, Mike Pence, and I can't recall the other young guy who is extremely knowledgeable about budget matters.

That said, why invoke the name of Gingrich and plug his book? He is exactly the type of establishment Republican that needs to go. He could work to get real conservatives elected, but he won't do that. Didn't he support Dede Scozovafa in the NY congressional race (you know, the repub who dropped out of the primary and supported the democrat rather than the conservative repub). I believe he supports Crist in Florida and McCain over JD Hayworth in Arizona. Didn't he sit on a park bench with Nancy Pelosi in a television ad to warn us about global warming? Wanna bet that he supports comprehensive immigration reform?

Gingrich has some good ideas, but he an opportunistic, self-serving snake.