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Global Warming on 15-Year Hold
April 2, 2012 | 12 comments
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Suddenly This Summer
March 31, 2012 | 8 comments
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FakeGate: Just Another Day at Team Green
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“Climate” and the Campaign
January 12, 2012 | 8 comments
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Germany’s Green Bubble Follows Spain’s; Will Congress Waste More Billions on Ours?
December 15, 2011 | 3 comments
The Spectacle Blog
AmSpec blog readers know about Tim Pawlenty’s wretched history as governor, not only in pandering to the greenies but seizing the mantle as an activist. He was an opportunist, plain and simple, abandoning whatever intellectual curiosity he might possess to dig at any level into the claims of the movement whose water he not only carried, but brought into his administration (by hiring the Center for ClimateStrategies to run his relevant policy).
And he never escaped this past, because it was a long-running version of Newt’s moment on the couch with Pelosi. And this is despite fairly aggressive, recent efforts to undo this past: Good.
Pawlenty saw this as beneficial to him, and championed dangerous rhetoric and policies in the name of advancing his political career and it came back to bite him. As a colleague has written me, although a fad, this is bigger, and more important than the year’s “in” tie color. “If one doesn’t understand that, he can be hornswoggled into anything, at home or abroad.”
You fall for the ‘pet rock’ because you want to fall for the pet rock, your instincts are to fall for pet rocks, or you see personal benefit in promoting the pet rock. It reflects judgment. It is a litmus test: judgment, yes, but in its current ‘green jobs’ incarnation it is also reflective of one’s understanding of the economy and the state’s proper role.
I say this trying to beat the mantra that the Pawlenty candidacy’s failure can be tied to his refusal in the first Fox debate to repeat to Mitt Romney’s face his “ObamaneyCare”. To hold water that would indicate he cratered after the duck. But he never got anywhere from which position he could crater. This despite an on-paper record that was otherwise quite strong.
Pawlenty’s pandering and political disappearing act is an object lesson that no longer will these people be able to get away with green activism or heavy petting, even if they then apologize for it. It sticks to you, because a larger number of voters now see that it reflects so much about you.
View all comments (20) | Leave a comment
More Blog Posts by Chris Horner
http://spectator.org/blog/2011/08/14/pawlenty-out-more-climate-pand
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kingsmill| 8.14.11 @ 10:29AM
Mitt is about to suffer the same fate. Good riddance to both of them!
A. Doer| 8.14.11 @ 12:05PM
Bachmann looks weak against Perry's executive experience, so I guess that road leads to Perry.
Which, as a liberal, is fine with me. I like that under Perry's leadership the state of Texas has reached out to the Islamic community. Perry even counts Aga Khan as one of his long-time friends, a Muslim who is a direct descendent of Mohammed and a Shiite Imam.
http://governor.state.tx.us/news/speech/5156/
A GOP candidate who quotes the Quran in a speech, is a personal friend of an influential Imam, and who has reached out to the Islamic community? He might even pull in some progressive votes!
I also like that in 2002 Perry said that his faith doesn't particularly influence his decision as governor. (Texas Monthly, August 2002) I know he started talking very differently about his faith recently, but he had to do that to compete with Bachmann.
He's also got a good record on immigration, including supporting the DREAM act that lets children of illegal aliens stay and go to college. That kind of progressive thinking is a refreshing change from the red meat politics of someone like Bachmann.
But of course Perry was a Democrat until 1989, and so I think all we're seeing on issues like this and mandatory vaccinations and so on is that he hasn't forgotten his roots.
Dai Alanye | 8.14.11 @ 12:24PM
A. Doer is perfectly correct, Rick Perry would be the worst kind of candidate for conservatives to support--a professional politician who changes his views to suit prevailing winds, a flip-flopper on every important issue, and a man with a troubling history of "assisting" his cronies and donors.
A. Doer| 8.14.11 @ 12:54PM
On the contrary I think Perry is the GOP's best chance to win. And the more I learn about him, the less worried about it I am. I voted for Obama, but look at where that's gotten us. Obama is so weak now the only way the GOP could lose would be to run someone like Bachmann or Palin or Santorum, someone who alienates the moderates and independents and at the same time is so scary to progressive that they line up behind Obama even though they're disappointed in him.
Romney would be able to appeal to moderates, too, but Perry is doing a better job of getting the Tea Partiers to support him in spite of his track record.
It was brilliant to announce his candidacy at the Red State gathering. Erick Erickson would normally have opposed Perry, a former conservative Democrat turned moderate Republican, but there was no way Erickson was going to turn down a ratings boost like that!
I don't think even Palin could knock out Perry. She's got almost no executive experience compared to Perry. Being the former half-term governor of a state with an economy about two percent of the Texas economy isn't going to cut it. She could have knocked Bachmann out of the race, but Perry's changed the game.
Occam's Tool| 8.15.11 @ 3:03AM
I paid $1400 in 1985 to go to med school in Texas as an out of stater. I paid $14,400 in 1988 to finish. Not kidding. Screw the illegal aliens---they have considerably less right than I did to instate tuition in Texas---by the time I was paying $14,400 I had been in Texas for 7 years and had voted there---yet I still wasn't a resident. We would be better off if we cut off ALL aid to illegals, and didn't have their babies in our hospitals unless they pay cash. We owe NOTHING to Mexico.
creeper| 8.14.11 @ 10:50AM
Michell Bachmann is every bit as much a "pet rock" as Pawlenty. Republicans appear poised to do the same thing Democrats did in 2008...nominate an incompetent who promises the moon but does not have the skills to deliver.
There isn't one declared Republican candidate I could vote for. What is the matter with the Republican party? This crowd is so bad they're making Gingrich look good.
Bob| 8.14.11 @ 11:13AM
I just love the Republican Party, their front runner was beaten by a dumb cluck who thinks Lexington & Concord are in Siberia, a senile old man who endorses a nuclear Iran, a candidadte who is not a candidate anymore, a Catholic demolished in his home state, a black and a write-in who started his campaign the same day. Simply delicious, keep it up, politically I've never had it so good.
Clint| 8.14.11 @ 11:26AM
ObamaBoy Bob Blows Smoke At Us.
" The Rasmussen Reports daily Presidential Tracking Poll for Sunday shows that 20% of the nation's voters Strongly Approve of the way that Barack Obama is performing his role as president. Forty-two percent (42%) Strongly Disapprove, giving Obama a Presidential Approval Index rating of -22 "
The Tea Party Rebellion Is Here.
Rise Up.
W| 8.14.11 @ 1:44PM
Bobbie, "a Catholic...a black..cluck.."
Another open minded liberal Democrat.
Please stay a Democrat and keep posting.
Thom| 8.14.11 @ 3:53PM
And you voted for Joe Biden as VP and against Sara Palin as VP why 3/5th Boob? Tell us again Boob?
Mike W| 8.14.11 @ 10:00PM
You moronic troll - I haven't seen the buffoon that you voted for, do anything about Iran. He has been too busy destroying the economy and putting people out of work.
Racer99| 8.15.11 @ 6:51AM
That's the problem with democrats, you are all politics and no ability or leadership.
Clint| 8.14.11 @ 11:15AM
The Mainstream Media Agendists Are All Upset Because We Tea Party Patriots Landed A Solid One-Two Punch To The Washington Ruling Elite & Their Flunkie Media Propagandists.
The Tea Party Rebellion Is Here
And We Are In A Media War.
Rise Up In Rebellion.
martin j smith| 8.14.11 @ 11:25AM
We have the usual name callers. Beyond that I think should be said that ALL candidates must have scrutiny so that the winner is most capable to standing up to Obama and defeating him. Romney should have been given the business in the last debate and it troubles me that he was not.
They all should get theirs. The winner is the one who is most convincing and capable of standing under pressure. That should be decisive as far as I am concerned so I will wait and see what happens.
Margie| 8.14.11 @ 12:16PM
Martin,
You always say it so well, and you just did it again.
Right on.
Occam's Tool| 8.15.11 @ 2:59AM
What concerns me about Perry is that he is VERY SOFT on our borders.
Me, I want a Candidate who is strong on borders, strong on taxes, strong on the deficit, strong on bashing shariaists, strong on ObamaCare, and who doesn't think Iran should get the bomb, and who has actually voted on these issues despite pressure. There's one Candidate, ONE, who meets all these requirements. It's the real woman in the race, and not RuPaul.
Bachmann is Taking Care of Business! (Taking Care of Business was a hit by Bachman Turner Overdrive, for those not up on Pop Culture)
Dai Alanye | 8.14.11 @ 12:37PM
Horner is off-base in this column. Pawlenty's flip-flopping hasn't helped him, but what drove a stake through his heart was the appearance of weakness. Americans haven't had good luck with weak Presidents.
First came his failure to defend his earlier designation of Obamneycare, thereby appearing timid. He was finished by his gratuitous attacks on a women. What kind of man attacks a lady? A weakling. While scuttling his own campaign, Pawlenty probably added several hundred sympathy votes to Bachmann's total.
Oldefarte| 8.14.11 @ 4:25PM
If as is stated that Perry not only is casually affiliated with Muslims but also supports the Democrats' Dream Act etc, then that should be a red flag to most all of you to run away from his candidacy. Anyone who does so is a definite RINO or Democrat-lite IMHO and should be avoided. This country has enough devastation due to the real deal of BHO and his wealth redistributing Democrats, so we don't need any more of same past 1/1/13!!!!!!!!!!
falcontinker| 8.15.11 @ 11:30AM
Chris Horner, you hit the nail on the head. If he fell for this scam, then what else will he fall for?
What criteria did he look at to arrive at his positionS... then and now. Did he fall for those pictures of polar bears on icebergs? If so, he will be known as Tim 'Polar Bear' Pawlenty.
Brian Valentine| 8.15.11 @ 1:36PM
It is so hard to wash off green spray paint after allowing greenie cynics paint you with it (or worse, to be a big enough buffoon to do it to yourself).
"Wha's that there green stuff all over you, Mistah Pa-lentee? cain't you do nothin' 'bout that?"
"Tried, but cain't. Won't come off."