Zombie Poll: Vote For Your Favorite Republican Presidential Candidate

This particular poll excludes Ron Paul.

And Mitt Romney….

And Newt Gingrich….

Actually, it excludes, ALL of them.

Which is a good thing.

Since Herman Cain bowed out, I’ve had little to say about the Republican candidates because I’ve been so full of despair over the situation. Damnit! How did we end up with such a weak field?

I want a do-over.

Zombie expresses almost exactly what I’ve been thinking for the past month or so:

Newt Gingrich? Newt Gingrich????? The guy peaked nearly 20 years ago. Compromised, corrupt, amoral. He has about as much chance of winning the general election as do Calvin Coolidge’s decomposing remains.

Ron F-ing PAUL?????????????? The most charitable thing I can say about him is: Joke candidate. Wrong, wrong, wrong. If he gets the Republican nomination, I would actually stay home on election day, as would most voters forced to choose between a communist and a madman.

Michele Bachmann’s vaccine conspiracies have doomed her as a viable mainstream nominee, unfortunately, even though she is the most likeable of all the candidates and I would have gladly voted for her, “crazy eyes” notwithstanding.

Rick Perry has already made far too many unforced errors, and his extreme social conservative activism has turned off many Constitutionally-minded voters like myself who worry that if he wins he’ll use his power not to shrink government but to meddle in Americans’ private lives. No thank you.

Herman Cain: Toast.

Rick Santorum: If we were all in hell, I’d put my money on the snowball.

Huntsman, Johnson and the rest: Who?

Which leaves us only with Mitt Romney. He’s the sole Republican in the current field who even has a ghost of a chance at beating Obama, but as many have noted, he’s an old-school-checked-pant-double-talking-insider-flip-flopping pseudo-Republican who looks, talks and acts like a phony. I’d still vote for him over Obama, but only out of desperation; I’d rather have a president with magic underwear than an emperor with no clothes. But the growing tide of anti-Mormon bigotry in this country means that I fear few would join me in this protest vote.

Which of the undeclared Republican presidential candidates are your favorites? (Choose up to three.) Vote here.

• Allen West (46%, 145 Votes)
• Paul Ryan (42%, 133 Votes)
• Marco Rubio (42%, 132 Votes)
• Sarah Palin (31%, 98 Votes)
• Chris Christie (31%, 97 Votes)
• Bobby Jindal (24%, 74 Votes)
• Other (name your choice in the comments section below) (4%, 14 Votes)
• None; I prefer one of the existing Republican candidates (2%, 6 Votes)
• They’re all stinkers; I plan to vote for Obama (0%, 1 Votes)

Zombie’s dead serious. His post is titled, Barack Obama Will Still Be President on January 19, 2017 which he believes will be the case unless something drastic happens:

I might seem lighthearted about all this, but I am actually deadly serious. A lame-duck Obama will have four years of not worrying about re-election to complete his conscious destruction of American capitalism and constitutionalism. It’s too hideous to even contemplate. And, aside from a long-shot chance by the slightly-better-than-a-crash-test-dummy Romney, none of the current candidates has any chance whatsoever to defeat Obama.

I know the public is waiting for an end to the unfunny charade known as the 2012 Republican Party nomination, so the real battle — between, for example, West, Palin and Rubio — can begin.

Let’s make it happen. You and I. Stop sitting on our hands waiting for a miracle.

Choose your favorite(s) from the six (temporarily) non-candidates above, and join the popular uprising to get some or all of them to change their minds.

Next: On the next page are a few resources to get you involved in the various groundswell campaigns to draft potential nominees. Send emails to your preferred candidates containing the Absolution Coupon above (download the jpeg here) and a link to this post — contact info given on the next page:

I voted for Human Events Conservative of the Year, Paul Ryan.

Am I the Only One…

…who wants to choke the s*** of the people on “our side” of the political spectrum when they keep attacking the non-expert/experienced politicians who have decided to endure hostile, partisan reporters spelunking in their sphincters and uteruses, and the scorn and derision of pundits, who often have done nothing remotely risky in their lives other than ordering iffy fish at swanky restaurants or daring to buy a suit off the rack, rather than visiting their tailor for their latest Armani.

I’d like to know when so many conservatives bought into the idea that our leaders must be drawn from the pool of experts and experienced politicians.  A careful reading of the Federalist Papers and other assorted writings make it clear that the Framers certainly never envisioned a government consisting of career politicians and professional experts rich in “knowledge” largely or completely unsupported by real world experience.  But honestly, as far afield as we have strayed from so many other things that they intended, I find this gradual acquiescence less frustrating than the unrestrained contempt that so many of these so-called conservative “journalists”, talking heads, and their devoted followers have for people like Sarah Palin, Herman Cain, or even Michelle Bachmann.

Whether it’s the vacuous and groundless criticisms leveled at Sarah Palin, (She’s dumb, she’s a hillbilly, Trig isn’t hers, OMG, she didn’t give a polished and pat answer to the hostile reporter’s query, its her fault the nutbar shot Gabby Giffords, or that she’s a quitter because she decided to stop costing the taxpayers of Alaska money fighting boundless and, ultimately frivolous ethics complaints and resigned the governorship), the “he doesn’t have a policy plan for every single contingency” leveled at Herman Cain, someone who I would wager has more ideas that would actually grow the economy and jobs in his little finger than The President and all of Congress have between themselves and their legions of advisors and staff.  Besides, I’m quite sure that the only reason an “electable candidate” like Mitt Romney can cogently answer a specific foreign policy question because at least one or more paid advisor has advised him on a safe, or expected answer to such question.  Be honest, do you think at his first inauguration, George W. Bush was planning to spend the majority of time in office in charge of conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan, or that he thought that we would suffer a devastating terrorist attack on our soil that would kill thousands of American civilians, or that a cadre of career Democratic appointees going through a revolving door at Freddie and Fannie would feed an unsustainable bubble by guaranteeing bad loans and personally enriching themselves in the process, despite it being brought to his attention once in office, and his numerous warnings to Congress about their dreadful oversight after it was brought to his attention.

The fact that these criticisms come from people who haven’t decided to subject themselves to the inevitable criticism and scrutiny directed at these candidates is irritating.  These people aren’t making the decision to run because they want power.  Despite the claims to the contrary, they don’t do it for “the fame”.  I’m quite certain that Governor Palin hasn’t appreciated “the fame” that has made her daughters the focus of David Letterman’s creepy sexual innuendos, or Andy Sullivan all but petition the courts to make his own gynecological examination of her nethers.  I’m equally certain that Herman Cain didn’t decide to move into the public eye and run for office because he’d like to be President.  Representative Bachmann on the other hand, clearly enjoys driving partisan hacks like Chrissy “Tingles” Matthews insane when she purposely doesn’t play the role that he hamfistedly tries to maneuver her into.  But then, to hear some talking head with a complete lack of understanding of the tax code prattling on and pretending to know more than her would lead me to frustrate the sputtering simpleton at every opportunity as well.  No, these people made the decision to step away from their lives because they could no longer ignore the fact that decades of leadership by the experienced and the experts isn’t working.  And what thanks do they get?  A complete eclipse of consideration by self-appointed deciders obsessed with talking points, elaborate plans which may or may not survive the events of the potential candidate’s administration, ‘electablity’-otherwise known as the careful positioning that ensures that the candidate doesn’t really have a position that would evoke a strong feeling by any potential voter, and policy expertise informed by, well, more experts.  And then they lament months later the fact that the new boss is largely undistinguishable from the old boss.

I have an idea.

How about you journalists, pundits, loyal followers and other deciders who purport to be on our side try a novel strategy this time?

Shut the hell up and let us decide, m’kay?

Video: Joplin Tornado Victims Hunker Down In Gas Station Storage Fridge As Building Falls Apart Around Them

You may have seen this already. It has almost 3 million views on YouTube, and has probably gotten extensive play on cable news. I had heard about the story, but not seen the video. I just saw it for the first time over at Gateway Pundit.

It starts with a group of customers and one or two  employees huddling in the back of the Fastrip store, and moving quickly to the storage fridge when the windows get sucked out. That fridge saved them.

The action doesn’t start until about 2:13 in, but watch from the beginning to get the full range of emotions — from casual concern “I can’t find my cell phone” to outright *on their knees praying to God to save them* mortal terror. You’ll hear horrified cries of “GOD? GOD?” , children screaming and crying, one girl yelling, “I can’t see my mother!”, a woman’s voice praying to Jesus, a male voice saying, “we’re good…we’re good…”

Then the full force of the F-5 tornado hits the store.

More praying to Jesus….A male voice saying he loves everyone…

 

There were some prayer warriors in that group…Thank God they all survived.

Gateway Pundit has the video of what’s left of the Fastrip store. Pretty much the storage fridge.

Senate Negotiators Approve Bank Bailout Bill/House Passes Disclose Act

Chief negotiators, Frank and Dodd, What could go wrong, right?

Don’t tell me Obama is failing just because of  his weak poll numbers. He’s been stunningly successful at passing a radical agenda thanks to Dem Socialist majorities in Congress, and Republicans will have much work to do to undo the damage when they take control, next year. And they will take control of at least the House.
True to form, the partisan bank bailout “compromise” occurred in the wee hours of the morning, spurring Rep. Scott Garrett (R-N.J.) to ask:  “Why is it that Congress always sees the need to raise taxes on the American people in the dead of night at 3 o’clock in the morning?”

The Politico reports:

An all-night House-Senate conference committee delivered President Barack Obama and Democrats a far-reaching and historic achievement Friday – a realignment of the rules that govern Wall Street and a second victory toward Obama’s legislative triple crown.

The compromise bill now goes to the House and Senate for approval. For all the messiness of the process, financial reform and March’s health care reform win cumulatively make clear Obama and Democrats are governing in consequential ways – and once again Friday, without a single Republican vote. The results make clear the argument over Obama is no longer whether he’s effective or not, but whether voters will like the results.

The agreement came at 5:39 a.m., after 20 straight hours of work in the committee, a marathon session that tested the negotiating skills, patience and endurance of several dozen lawmakers tasked with reconciling two competing approaches to reining in Wall Street.

But it left no doubt about the mark Obama has left on his twin Democratic majorities in Congress – reluctant, even recalcitrant at times, but in the end, doing his bidding to remake two of the most important sectors of the U.S. economy.

His hoped-for third act – a wide-ranging climate change and energy bill – is next on Obama’s docket, and absent these successes, it would be easy to believe there was simply no way he could bend Congress to his will yet again, with midterms looming, poll numbers sagging and the nation’s financial coffers tapped out.

Do not underestimate the abilities of this particular group of delusional Utopians, drunk with power. It’s now or never! Weeee!

H/T: Big Government.

Meanwhile, yesterday, the House passed the Disclose Act,  the Democrats’ big legislative “fix” to pushback against the Supreme Court’s Citizens United decision. It passed along partisan lines, 219-206, with  36 Democrats voting against it.

Mark Hemingway reported:

House Republican Leader John Boehner’s already declaring that the legislation will “Shred Our Constitution for Raw, Ugly, Partisan Gain.” Normally, I’d automatically dissmiss such a press release as hyperbole, but this time I’m not so sure. For one thing, the DISCLOSE Act does this:

A Democratic amendment tucked into campaign finance legislation Wednesday night also drew fire from Republicans and their allies, who contend it gives special treatment to Democrat-allied labor unions. The language in question would exempt from disclosure requirements transfers of cash from dues-funded groups to their affiliates to pay for certain election ads. It was inserted into the bill by Rep. Robert Brady (D-Pa.), chairman of the House Administration Committee and a big union backer.

So unions now get nearly unrestricted, undisclosed political spending. Further, the restrictions in the DISCLOSE Act only cut one way — against business.

LifeSite News:

With a political audacity that has become characteristic since the caustic health care debates, the Democrat-controlled House of Representatives voted Thursday to approve a campaign finance disclosure bill that critics on both the left and the right say will disable grassroots political voices – including the nascent “Tea Party” movement that has been looking to sweep away liberal incumbents in November.

***

Should the Senate approve the DISCLOSE Act, and should it be signed into law by President Barack Obama, the act would take effect in 30 days, even if the Federal Elections Commission has not yet crafted new guidelines – just in time for the mid-term elections in November.

During the one-hour debate on the bill, Rep. Dan Lungren expressed outrage that unlike every other campaign finance bill passed by the House, this bill has no provision for expedited judicial review. He said the lack of such a provision makes it clear the DISCLOSE Act is meant to influence the outcome of the 2010 midterm elections.

He also expressed frustration that so little time was given the House to debate a matter impacting Americans’ First Amendment rights.

“We have spent 40 hours in this Congress naming post offices. Can’t we spend a little time protecting the Constitution of the United States?” Lungren exclaimed.

“We’re talking about political speech: the essence of the First Amendment.”

The Dems believe in political speech! Just more for some than others, that’s all.

Here’s John Boehner speaking on the House floor about the disparities in the bill, (starting at 1:50 in):

It’s going to be a long 4 months heading into November, folks.

See also:

Ken Klukowski at the Washington Examiner: DISCLOSE Act attacks freedom of speech

Dana Loesch: Dems Urge Socialist Takeover of Financial Sector

Quote of the day goes to Doug Powers:

I want to get these slimy jerks on an airplane, lock them in, tell them the plane was manufactured by a bunch of guys with a history of shady dealings, no experience in the airline industry and who were up all night, tell them “nobody knows if this will work until we’re airborne” and see how many of these worms wet themselves when the plane starts taxiing down the runway.

Word.

RELATED:

How the most transparent administration evah, operates:

The NYTs: Across From White House, Coffee With Lobbyists

Here at the Caribou on Pennsylvania Avenue, and a few other nearby coffee shops, White House officials have met hundreds of times over the last 18 months with prominent K Street lobbyists — members of the same industry that President Obama has derided for what he calls its “outsized influence” in the capital.

On the agenda over espressos and lattes, according to more than a dozen lobbyists and political operatives who have taken part in the sessions, have been front-burner issues like Wall Street regulation, health care rules, federal stimulus money, energy policy and climate control — and their impact on the lobbyists’ corporate clients.

But because the discussions are not taking place at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, they are not subject to disclosure on the visitors’ log that the White House releases as part of its pledge to be the “most transparent presidential administration in history.”

Hat tip: Juanell