John McCain's win tonight in South Carolina makes him the day's only clear winner.
Consider - the Clinton/Obama muckfest threatens to alienate and dishearten the Democratic party in ways that could make it almost as depressed as the Republican party. Between them which constituency aren't they ticking off? Perhaps only Democratic bass fishermen and there aren't that many of those.
The Romney win in Nevada was nice but hardly a momentum builder after New Hampshire. It isn't entirely clear if he will beat Fred Thompson in South Carolina... and Thompson is probably dropping out of the race.
Huckabee has done a masterful job of going from compassionate conservative to heartless and soulless conservative since Iowa. The winsome man who said he didn't want to go negative in Iowa because it was wrong became Pat Buchanan part deux saying illegal immigrants should all be shipped home and the Confederate flag really isn't such a bad thing after all. Mike - it is time for a spiritual retreat.
But McCain won. Eight years after getting smacked around he won South Carolina. And if the exit polls are to be believed, lots of different groups like him - evangelicals like him, independents like him, veterans like him.
To say he is the front runner, however, is a bit of stretch right now. Romney's got the money. Giuliani's strategy of going for the bigger states - the more moderate states - is yet to be tested. Things don't look very good for him right now but in this year who knows. McCain may well win but look for it to get a LOT uglier before anyone is named the nominee of either party.
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No, I agree with you in part, Doug; specifically where you talk about job competition and compatibility of parts and so on. Where I disagree is with the fairness of that job competition, the quality of those low-cost imports, and especially with the unemployment data. It's true prima facie that we have low unemployment, in some areas around 5%, higher in other areas. However, that figure is misleading in that it measures only the first week's filings and does not count either those folks who have dropped off the roster of the unemployed collecting benefits or those who work 2 or 3 low-paying jobs or part-time jobs to try to make ends meet.
How can the American worker compete fairly against workers in Asia making pennies per day? One thing that would reduce the cost of goods made here is some sort of rational health care program (hmmm...National is Rational...I should trademark that). Another, and this is one of my pet peeves, is to tie worker pay to executive pay and limit the ever-increasing salaries of the greedy bastards in the executive offices. That may sound anti-American to some but to my view it would help restore American manufacturing and keep Americans working.
Now that I've completely alienated you, which was not my wish, may I sincerely wish you a good trip.
thanks, patient witness, you haven't alienated me. I like to think I can be arrogant without being resentful.
"I think that politics shouldn't be preached from the pulpit. I attend church regularly and would happily walk out the door when my pastor suggests even remotely who I should vote for."
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Brian, Jesus condemned many kinds of people. In fact he said to leave alone those refuse the Gospel and that He'll deal with them on judgment day. The wheat and the weeds? Ever read that Bible of yours Brian? All sorts of judgmental condemnation FROM Jesus. Even going so far as saying that those that reject the Gospel will be worse off than Sodomites (So there muct have been some inhospitable homosexuals that repented as the fire reigned down on them). I read my Bible pal. Now, in regards to politics and racism, in "Black Churches" they stump ONLY Democrat politics. If you look into the shoddy theology of Obama's Church, you'll see the taint of Kwanzaa poisoning the truth.
Remember "in your Bible" the whole NOT yoking yourself with unbelievers? I'll be happy to bash greedy corporate conservatives with you, all day long. But, in comparing apples to apples, the Liberals do not even qualify as Christians "ACCORDING TO" dah-dah-dun-DAH!!!! The Bible. And progressives are even worse than Liberals in discarding Gospel truth for social power.
Brian, you don't scare me with playing the racism card. Obama's Church is wrong in mixing Kwanzaa (which is pure racism) with the Gospel and for their being extremely racist thmselves. Cruise their website and see. Afrocentrism? How is it different than Aryanism?
Donny:
I think Kwanzaa is goofy myself.
But I don't think it's proof that President Barack Obama is going to herd all non-African Americans into slavery to take revenge for the first 250-odd years of our history, either.
Perhaps Kwanza seems a bit goofy, but let us recall the story of a large fat jolly guy who comes down chimneys, leaves coal for some and gifts for others, the fact that we buy actual trees to put in our living rooms and go into debt like religious ritual and then try to connect it to Jesus the Christ. Kwanza doesn't look so goofy - it is a ritual to honor virtues - not particularly a good ritual, but not that bad either.
I like ritualizing the virtues we have been given by previous good men and women. I like Mother's Day and The Fourth of July (what's the deal with firecrackers there) and Thanksgiving. All are rituals that honor virtues and the virtuous. Why does Kwanza make you angry? Got an email telling you something weird about it?
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