Brandon

Monday, February 29, 2016

Will Hillary Stop Claiming Voter ID Laws Suppress Black Vote After Winning w/ Record Black Turnout in SC?

Of course not. She's got to continue whipping up the spectre of racism whenever she can. Otherwise black voters might ask why Democrat policies have left them further behind than ever before!

Hillary has made a big deal about voting rights and attacked states that passed laws requiring voter identification (1,2,3,4). She has repeatedly claimed that Republicans are trying to suppress the black vote. She has claimed that “what is happening is a sweeping effort to disempower and disenfranchise people of color," and suggested that Republicans are "determined to keep other Americans from voting."

Funny then that there was a record turnout of the black vote in the South Carolina Democrat presidential primary last Saturday. South Carolina requires identification to vote. I had to show my driver's license before casting my ballot in the GOP primary. So did black voters in the Democrat primary. Apparently no one had a problem voting with identification. Who knew?

Why does Hillary spend so much time talking about a non existent problem? It's easier to scare black voters that whitey is out to get them than it is to defend the appalling failure of the Democrat's economic policy particularly as it relates to African-Americans. Under Obama and the Democrats blacks are far worse off than they were under George. W. Bush (1,2,3,4)

Saturday, February 27, 2016

Bye Bye Bernie! 48 Point Clinton Blowout Win in SC Shows Not Even Dems Are Ready for a Crazy Socialist

Besides, aren't Hillary's policies far enough to the left?

A question for all the far left zealots out there (you know who you are) are you "feeling the bern" tonight? After months suggesting that American voters might be on the verge of going absolutely insane and voting for an angry uncle socialist retread from Vermont Democrat voters in South Carolina proved that Hillary Clinton is far enough to the left for them. No reason to drop off the cliff!

All that left wing la-la happy talk about Republicans for Bernie? What a laugh. He can't even win among Democrats.

With Hillary scoring a margin of victory this "YUGE" (another Bernism) her vast lead in nearly all the upcoming races can only get stronger.

Perhaps I shouldn't gloat too much. It would be far easier to defeat Bernie than to defeat Hillary despite what early matchup polls say. The Clintons have already proved they will do anything to win. I guess the outcome in November depends on whether the GOP nominee is prepared to fight fire with fire?

In South Carolina Bill Clinton Tells Marine Veteran to "Shut Up and Listen"

Imagine the hell that would break loose if the Clinton's treated a Black Lives Matter protester that way!

If you needed another example of the contempt that Democrats have for the U.S. military here it is. A man stands up at a rally a few minutes down the road from Mike's America headquarters in Bluffton, SC identifies himself as a U.S. Marine Veteran and begins to ask Bill Clinton a question. Clinton repeatedly tried to cut him off but the Marine persisted and brought up the four dead Americans in Benghazi before being removed from the event by Beaufort County Sheriff's Deputies. This may be one of the few times anyone has dared to speak truth to power and the Clintons. Watch:


Veteran: “We had four lives in Benghazi killed and your wife tried to cover it up.”
Woman: “Hillary lied over four coffins.” 

Later the veteran refused to give his name to a reporter perhaps fearing retribution from angry and violent prone liberals who are known to attack those who dare to expose the truth.

Contrast the bum's rush given to the Marine to the almost fawning white glove treatment of the Black Lives Matter protester who interrupted Hillary Clinton at a fundraiser in nearby Charleston, SC a few days earlier.

The bottom line is that Americans who put their own lives at risk to serve this country in the U.S. military get no respect from the Clintons or the Democrats. Black Lives Matter protesters who don't even understand the holocaust black gang members are inflicting on the black community get star treatment. No wonder Trump is doing so well!

Friday, February 26, 2016

Did NJ Gov. Chris Christie Just Endorse Hillary? Earlier Christie Suggested A Vote for Trump is a Vote for Hillary!

On Friday, Christie endorsed Trump.  In January Christie suggested in New Hampsire that a vote for Trump is a vote for Hillary....
PORTSMOUTH, N.H. — Gov. Chris Christie of New Jersey warned primary voters in New Hampshire that their ballots must be more than “an expression of anger,” and that picking Donald J. Trump as their candidate could hand the White House to Hillary Clinton.

At a town hall meeting in Portsmouth, N.H., Mr. Christie expressed disbelief at Mr. Trump’s comment Saturday that he could shoot someone on Fifth Avenue in Manhattan and lose no support in the 2016 campaign.

“It’s pretty amazing to say it, isn’t it?” Mr. Christie asked.

Briefly slipping into an impression of Mr. Trump — “We’re stupid,” he deadpanned in a throaty baritone — Mr. Christie said he empathized with voters who want to “burn Washington down.”

“But who’s going to rebuild it once it gets burned down?” Mr. Christie said. “That’s what you’ve got to think about.”

By nominating the wrong candidate, he continued, “We could wind up turning over the White House to Hillary Clinton for four more years.”

That prospect, he said, would be “like the eight years we’ve just had, except worse.”
Of course this isn't the first time, or the second, or third... that Christie has been critical of Trump. Perhaps if Bernie Sanders was equally honest about Hillary Clinton we might see a real race among the Democrats!

Rubio on the Warparth: Trump "A Circus Act," "Unmasked," "Con Artist as Front-runner of the Republican Party"

Rubio no longer Mr. Nice Guy!

Up to now Rubio has avoided much of the negative campaign tactics we saw in earlier contests. That time is over. In Thursday night's debate Rubio battled with Cruz to see which candidate could do the better job of attacking Donald Trump. Like many of their election contests it was a close contest but I'd have to give the nod to Rubio. He was like a dog with a bone last night and just would not let it go when attacking and goading Trump.

Rubio attacked Trump for being weak in support of Israel, for hiring foreign workers to build Trump Tower and running a fake university. But all that pales in comparison to what he said at a rally in Dallas on Friday morning. The first few minutes of this clip are pure dynamite:



Rubio adds that the media is "pulling it's punches on Trump" because they know he'll be weak in a matchup with Hillary. And like McCain before him, the media will turn on Trump with relish once he's the nominee!

Thursday, February 25, 2016

Cruz Ad Asks: Do You Support Rubio/Obama Immigration Amnesty?

This ad came out 3 days before the South Carolina primary.  I never saw it. Had it come out earlier it might have mattered more!

Want to know why so many otherwise conservative voters don't support Marco Rubio? Watch this:



Little difference between Obama and Rubio is bad enough. Worse is Rubio's pre-election promise to oppose amnesty. Conservatives have been betrayed once too often!

Tuesday, February 23, 2016

More Evidence of Dem Hypocrisy on Judges as Statements of Biden and Reid are Uncovered

Dems always demand a higher standard of Republicans than they do for themselves!

So, Senate Democrat Minority Leader Harry Reid was in Nevada suggesting that Republicans will "cave" on Obama's request for a hearing and a vote for a Supreme Court nominee. Reid added " I think they’re going to have to hold hearings and have a vote."

This is the same Reid, who said this regarding Bush judicial appointments in May 2005:
REID: “The duties of the Senate are set forth in the U.S. Constitution. Nowhere in that document does it say the Senate has a duty to give Presidential appointees a vote. It says appointments shall be made with the advice and consent of the Senate. That is very different than saying every nominee receives a vote.”
After blocking Bush nominees for years Reid changed Senate rules to make it easier to confirm Obama judicial appointments. Expect Democrats to change the rules back if a Republican wins the White House this November.

And let's not leave Vice President Joe Biden out of this. In 1992 he was the Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, the same body where Democrats are now pressuring Republican Chairman Chuck Grassley to allow hearings. Here's what Joe said:


BIDEN: It is my view that if a Supreme Court justice resigns tomorrow or in the next several weeks or resigns at the end of the summer, President Bush should consider following the practice of a majority of his predecessors and not — and not — name a nominee until after the November election is completed.
...
the Senate Judiciary Committee should seriously consider not scheduling confirmation hearings on the nomination until after the political campaign season is over.
Biden is now shocked that Republican would even think of doing the same thing that he openly suggested 24 years earlier. In a recent interview he said "They've never done this before." No, Republicans haven't but Democrats have done so repeatedly! Last week I posted other examples of the two faces Democrats wear regarding judicial nominations. They're all for process and fairness when a Democrat is in the White House and anything goes to stop a Republican nominee.

And for all the boo-hooing about demanding a hearing, This editorial from The Wall Street Journal is yet another reminder of what Democrat obstruction led to.
When Democrats ran the Senate from June 2001 to January 2003, they denied even a hearing before the Judiciary Committee to 32 of Mr. Bush’s nominees. When Republicans regained a 51-49 majority in the next Congress, Democrats broke the then-longstanding Senate norm of granting nominees an up-or-down vote. Before 2003, only one judicial nominee had been blocked with a filibuster, and that was the bipartisan 1968 rebellion against promoting the ethically challenged Justice Abe Fortas to Chief Justice.

Democrats applied the higher 60-vote standard to a rainbow coalition of Bush nominees, judging them not by traditional measures like experience or temperament or even “diversity.” They simply didn’t like their politics.

The targets included Priscilla Owen (a woman), Janice Rogers Brown (a black woman) and Miguel Estrada (a Hispanic). The 28-month Estrada filibuster was especially egregious because Democrats feared the smart young attorney’s ethnic background might make him formidable Supreme Court material if he served on the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals.
Not only did Democrats block qualified minority applicants, their henchmen went out of their way to smear them in the most racially derogatory terms. Janice Rogers Brown was a particular target perhaps because of her strong views on the dangerous path socialism and collectivism can lead to.

Warning GOP: Don't Get Conned Into Holding Hearings

There will be great pressure directed towards Senator Grassley to hold hearings on Obama's eventual nominee. What can be the harm in that, right? Get real! The hearings will turn into a circus and if Republicans do vote against the nominee then Obama will just send up another one and the whole show starts again. Better to block all hearings and wear the obstructionist label like a badge of honor then get sucked into the Democrat media circus that's just waiting to launch.

GOP voters throughout the early primary process have made their extreme displeasure with the GOP leadership's unwillingness to fight harder on their behalf very clear. If GOP leaders buckle now, it could very well mean big loses for Senate seats in November with voters staying home!

UPDATE: GOP showing spine! Judiciary Chairman Grassley says committee will follow "Biden rules" and NOT hold hearings in election year. Grassley's statement, read on the floor of the U.S. Senate, lays out comprehensive Biden approach and notes his agreement. You have to read it for yourself!
GRASSLEY: These are the Biden Rules.

The Biden Rules recognize “the framers intended the Senate to take the broadest view of its constitutional responsibility.”

The Biden Rules recognize the wisdom of those presidents – including another lawyer and former state lawmaker from Illinois -- who exercised restraint by not submitting a Supreme Court nomination before The People had spoken.

The Biden Rules recognize the court can operate smoothly with eight members for some time, and “the cost of such a result, the need to re-argue three or four cases that will divide the Justices four to four, are quite minor compared to the cost that a nominee, the President, the Senate, and the Nation would have to pay for what assuredly would be a bitter fight.”

The Biden Rules recognize that under these circumstances, “[the President] should consider following the practice of a majority of his predecessors and not name a nominee until after the November election is completed.”

The Biden Rules recognize that under these circumstances, “[It does not] matter how good a person is nominated by the President.”

The Biden Rules recognize that “once the political season is under way … action on a Supreme Court nomination must be put off until after the election campaign is over. That is what is fair to the nominee and is central to the process.”

The Biden Rules recognize that “Senate consideration of a nominee under these circumstances is not fair to the President, to the nominee, or to the Senate itself.”

The Biden Rules recognize that under these circumstances, “the Senate Judiciary Committee should seriously consider not scheduling confirmation hearings on the nomination until after the political campaign season is over.”
Republicans who have the majority on the Senate Judiciary Committee have concurred. In a letter signed by all GOP members of that committee they declare that "this committee will not hold hearings on any new Supreme Court nominee until after our next President has been sworn in."

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell spoke on the Senate Floor on Tuesday and reaffirmed Grassley's support for Biden Rules. No hearings on any Supreme Court nomination until after the election is over.

Sunday, February 21, 2016

In SC Trump Wins Big But So Did Rubio

Will the Trump attack machine that cut down Cruz now turn to Rubio?

Final SC GOP primary result:


As polling in the last week indicated, Florida Senator Marco Rubio came on strong in the final week of the South Carolina primary. Few would have foreseen a tie with Cruz for second place a few weeks ago. Some attribute his stronger than expected showing to endorsements by Governor Nikki Haley, Senator Tim Scott and Representative Trey Gowdy. All well and good but perhaps there is more to it than that.

From the exit poll:
Attacks on Ted Cruz from the Trump campaign did a great deal of damage to Cruz who also may have lost ground by being dragged into the fight with Trump. In the last days before voting robo-calls from Sarah Palin and others attacking Ted Cruz on behalf of Trump had to bite.

Rubio escaped most of the mudslinging though he was the target of a very expensive mail campaign by the political action committee supporting Jeb Bush. Ironically, now that Jeb Bush has dropped out of the race it would appear that Rubio will be the prime recipient of Bush's supporters who tend to be more pro-establishment.

There is a strong desire on the part of many GOP voters to support a candidate who is NOT Donald Trump. Cruz and Rubio would seem to be the obvious contenders for that mantle. Now that Rubio looks ready to mount a more serious challenge will the Trump attack machine be turned on him next? Will Rubio do a better job than Cruz in avoiding getting sucked into the mud?

Why doesn't Trump pay a bigger price for the mud throwing? Well, it's clear his supporters don't care. Remember when Trump said "I could stand in the middle of 5th Avenue and shoot somebody and I wouldn't lose voters." That may be true. But it may also be true that Trump's tactics are turning off a large portion of GOP voters that would be needed in the fall if Trump is the GOP nominee.

Trump continues to benefit from having both Cruz and Rubio split the ABT (Anybody but Trump) vote. Once we enter states with winner take all primaries Trump can win with 30% of the vote and clinch the GOP nomination.

P.S. Trump won evangelical Christian vote in SC. What's up with that?


Saturday, February 20, 2016

Saturday Afternoon Flash: Is Rubio Posed for Upset in South Carolina?

Last minute polls suggest Rubio could beat Cruz and come in only a few points behind Trump!

Report suggests that the endorsement by South Carolina Nikki Haley might have something to do with it. Either way, if Rubio pulls ahead of Cruz and within striking distance of Trump it could be a game changer for the race moving forward.

All along it's been known that a significant percent of GOP primary voters prefer a candidate other than Trump. Should those voters now decide Rubio is the ticket it may propel the Florida Senator to the front of the race just before the crucial Super Tuesday primary in March.

Early in the contest Cruz gained footing by avoiding attacks on Trump. That changed in Iowa where Cruz's attack enabled him to win that state. But some voters I have spoken to did not like Cruz's more aggressive style. Rubio has low keyed his attacks using surrogates and mail to do the dirty work.

Of course if Rubio does threaten Trump directly the billionaire developer won't be so kind to Rubio in future forcing him to respond.

It's these little ups and downs that make this race so much more interesting than the Democrat snooze fest. Stay tuned!

Friday, February 19, 2016

Is the Jeb Bush Firewall in South Carolina About to Implode? Mike's America Opines at LifeZette.Com

"The best laid plans of mice and men!"

The new online publication LifeZette ran this from yours truly Friday evening.

Feel free to read the article and come back here to comment.

It's Frenzy Friday as GOP Candidates Scour South Carolina for Every Last Vote in Advance of Saturday Primary

The stakes could not be higher for ALL candidates!

Here's the latest polling from Real Clear Politics:


Notice any trends here?


While it may confuse some voters to have a presidential primary on a Saturday, you would have to be in a coma not to know that an election is near. The South Carolina Republican Presidential Preference Primary is on Saturday, February 20th. Democrats host their primary the following Saturday. A registered South Carolina voter can vote in either one but not both.

Jockeying for attention among so many candidates started in earnest last year. The first event I attended was In July with Ohio Governor John Kasich. I supported Kasich in his first congressional election in Ohio and it was good to reminisce with him about those days. However, Kasich’s more moderate views make him less appealing among the Palmetto State’s conservative primary voters.

GOP candidates have been crisscrossing the state over the past months but the last days have become a frenzy. The South Carolina GOP maintains a Candidate Tracker with notices for the latest campaign appearances. The South Carolina Lowcountry, the region along the coast from Charleston to Hilton Head Island where I live, is a particular target. It’s an area with a large retired population and military voters. Candidates have announced seven visits to the Lowcountry on Friday, half of their schedule for the day.

Voters may appreciate the numerous opportunities to see, hear and even speak to the candidates. Less appreciated are the constant phone calls. I even received two “real person” calls from the Bernie Sanders campaign! The phone rings constantly with robo-polls mostly but also last minute attack calls. On Thursday I received a recorded message from Jerry Falwell Jr. on behalf of Donald Trump attacking Ted Cruz for what Falwell said were Cruz dirty tricks directed at Ben Carson in Iowa. I also received an attack call by Ben Carson directed at Cruz on that same issue.

It looks like both Trump and Carson are trying to pull evangelical voters away from Cruz who has countered with radio ads featuring some of Trump’s saltier language. There’s a definite Christian tug of war going on in a state where evangelicals make up a large voting block. It was a similar block of Christian voters who helped Cruz do better than polls predicted and win Iowa. Will they come out for him again and blunt Trump’s large lead?

Mailings are another feature of the South Carolina primary. There has been a blizzard of expensively produced glossy mailings. More than a dozen of these have arrived from the Right to Rise political action committee (PAC) supporting Jeb Bush. Half of those touted Jeb’s experience and national security views the other half were attack pieces aimed almost entirely at Marco Rubio.

Rubio’s PAC sent two mailings attacking Bush and Cruz while the PAC supporting Ted Cruz sent two pieces, both positive touting Cruz’s stand on national security and immigration.

The only mailing I’ve received from Donald Trump is a Christmas card!

Before I move on, I have to say South Carolina gets a bad rap on negative campaigning. Watching the talking heads on the news programs there seems to be general agreement that South Carolina politics are nasty. It’s only natural that a few punches are going to be thrown and how candidates handle those attacks are a good barometer for voters to decide which candidate has what it takes to go up against the Democrats in the fall. Do you really think Democrats are going to be playing nice in November?

For most voters I’ve spoken to finding a candidate who can beat the Democrats is one of the most important calculations they make in deciding whom to support. Forget the polling matchups showing how various GOP candidates fare against the Dems. It’s way too early for those polls to have any meaning. It’s more of a gut feeling for voters here.

More than anything, South Carolina voters, like so many in other states, are looking for a winner who can help restore the American Dream that has been lost during the Obama years. Voters in the Palmetto State are excited about this election and proud of our role in the process and how we help to set the table for the mega primaries to come.

Wednesday, February 17, 2016

Do Democrats Fear to Let Voters Have Their Say Before New Supreme Court Justice is Approved?

Do they have so little confidence in their party's chances this November?

When the news broke that Senate Republicans might block (might being the operative word) any nomination by President Obama to replace the late Justice Scalia to the Supreme Court Democrats launched into full attack mode displaying the greatest sense of both outrage and hypocrisy seen in many years.

Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) declared that the GOP might be "Abandoning the duties they swore to uphold [which] would threaten both the Constitution and our democracy itself." Oh my!

Senate Minority Leader opined that failure of Senate Republicans to allow a hearing and a vote "would rank among the most rash and reckless actions in the history of the Senate. And the consequences will reverberate for decades." Reid went on to warn Republicans that "the consequences of blocking any nominee, regardless of merits, would hang over their heads for the rest of their careers."

Senate Democrats Routinely Blocked GOP Nominees

There is ample precedence for blocking nominees, even without a hearing, and it comes from Senate Democrats. Consider this excerpt from an editorial in the Washington Examiner:
No lameduck president for 60 years has successfully nominated a Supreme Court justice in his last year in office, as the Washington Examiner's Michael Barone recently pointed out. Lyndon Johnson was the most recent president blocked from doing so. He is in good company with John Quincy Adams, whose nominee the Senate voted to postpone until Andrew Jackson took office.

In four other cases, Supreme Court nominations failed because the Senate took no action at all, not even a vote to postpone, until the next president was sworn in.

That the Democrats wouldn't hesitate to do exactly what the Republicans are doing now is plain enough. The GOP can argue truthfully that it has learned a few tricks from adversaries across the aisle.

George W. Bush still had seven years left to serve — yes, seven — when Senate Democrats began bottling up his perfectly qualified appointees to the federal appeals courts. When they held the majority in the Senate, Democrats blocked these even from getting a hearing, in hopes that they could defeat Bush in 2004 and fill the vacancies themselves.

Democrats lost their majority in 2002, and then launched a filibuster that was then unprecedented against some of the nominees. And they did so from racial motivations. Their internal communications, which were leaked, showed that Senate Democrats feared political damage from having the conservative Miguel Estrada elevated as the first Hispanic Supreme Court justice. So they blocked him.
Is it possible that Senator Reid forgot the role of Senate Democrats in blocking Bush nominees? Or what about Sen. Chuck Schumer(D-NY) who also now demands Obama's nominee get a hearing and a vote. In an interview over the weekend he insisted that "We Democrats didn’t do this" sort of thing when Bush was in office. Yet we have the tape:


SCHUMER: [F]or the rest of this president’s term and if there is another Republican elected with the same selection criteria let me say this: We should reverse the presumption of confirmation...I will recommend to my colleagues that we should not confirm any Bush nominee to the Supreme Court nominee EXCEPT in extraordinary circumstances.
Sen. Schumer made those remarks in July 2007. The Bush Administration still had 18 months left to go.

Senator Obama Openly Blocked Qualified Nominees for Partisan Purposes

Let's not leave Obama out of this. As a Senator he said the following about the Senate confirmation of Justice Alito:
SEN. OBAMA: As we all know, there's been a lot of discussion in the country about how the Senate should approach this confirmation process. There are some who believe that the President, having won the election, should have the complete authority to appoint his nominee, and the Senate should only examine whether or not the Justice is intellectually capable and an all-around nice guy. That once you get beyond intellect and personal character, there should be no further question whether the judge should be confirmed.

I disagree with this view. I believe firmly that the Constitution calls for the Senate to advise and consent. I believe that it calls for meaningful advice and consent that includes an examination of a judge's philosophy, ideology, and record. And when I examine the philosophy, ideology, and record of Samuel Alito, I'm deeply troubled.

I have no doubt that Judge Alito has the training and qualifications necessary to serve. He's an intelligent man and an accomplished jurist. And there's no indication he's not a man of great character.
After describing Alito's "great character" and his qualifications for office Obama went on to filibuster Alito's nomination. He is the only President in history to have blocked a Supreme Court nominee and now calls for a fair process.

Ironically, Obama's major concern was that Alito believed a "President should not be constrained by either Congressional acts or the check of the Judiciary." You would have thought Obama would approve of that.

Also we remember that as a Senator Obama said this during the confirmation of Justice Roberts:
"There is absolutely no doubt in my mind Judge Roberts is qualified to sit on the highest court in the land. Moreover, he seems to have the comportment and the temperament that makes for a good judge.
But he voted against him anyway!

The idea that Democrats support a fair process when Republicans are in power is absurd. They will stop at nothing, even trash fully qualified nominees, filibuster or even refuse a vote. Now the tables are turned and they demand better treatment than they ever gave to Republicans.

With Democrats it's always about politics and so it must be for this nomination too. But what are Democrats afraid of? Do they worry that they won't be able to retake the U.S. Senate despite a clear advantage in the November election? Despite their boasting, are they worried that a damaged Hillary Clinton or a wildly out of the mainstream Bernie Sanders will lose the presidential election?

Republicans have the opportunity to make this November's election about more than just who sits in the White House or a particular Senate seat. The motivation for conservative voters to go to the polls with the Supreme Court hanging in the balance could swing all the other contests our way as well. Apparently, I have more confidence in the American voter and the democratic process than Democrats do. The question is, do GOP leaders in the Senate share my confidence?

Sunday, February 14, 2016

Slew of Pre-Debate South Carolina Polls Show Trump Lead Remains Strong

And with a big gain for Kasich and a slight drop for Cruz!

All polls taken before the Saturday debate in South Carolina in which Trump basically insulted voters who supported President Bush through America's dark time after September 11th.

From Real Clear Politics:



Republicans vote next Saturday, February 20th.

Unforgivable: Trump Attacks President Bush Over September 11th and Iraq

UPDATE:  Left wing crazies, Code Pink, praise Donald Trump. What's next? An endorsement from Michael Moore?

Bush led the entire nation through dark times and now Trump dishonors his legacy in this attack!

Someone needs to tell Donald Trump that South Carolina is Bush country. In the Palmetto State we admire the leadership of President George W. Bush during the September 11th attacks and through the dark times that followed. Ours is a state where veterans of the wars that followed can be proud of their service. At least they could be until Obama tossed away the victory in Iraq. Apparently, Donald Trump doesn't realize this or he would never have said what he did in Saturday's GOP debate in Greenville, South Carolina.

If you didn't see it, watch. Trump nears an epic meltdown:



BUSH:"While Donald Trump was building a reality TV show, my brother was building a security apparatus to keep us save and I'm proud of what he did"

TRUMP: "The World Trade Center came down!"

In South Carolina we remember, even if Trump forgot:


Disparaging the service of George W. Bush is something that Democrats do. It's not something that GOP voters in South Carolina respect!

Saturday, February 13, 2016

A Calamity for Our Republic: Justice Antonin Scalia Dies

He was the bedrock on which our Constitution rested. Now what?

Justice Antonin Scalia with President Ronald Reagan. 
Antonin Scalia, the most senior Justice on the U.S. Supreme Court died overnight in Texas at a hunting ranch. He had been hunting and attended a party but went to bed early not feeling well. Full story here.

You cannot overstate the loss to the Court and to the Nation by his passing. His steadfast and unwavering defense of the U.S. Constitution defined the very essence of what a Justice on the Supreme Court SHOULD be all about.

Over the coming days there will be many tributes to his tireless work, his sense of humor and his shining intellect. I'll start with the statement by Texas Governor Greg Abbot:
Justice Antonin Scalia was a man of God, a patriot, and an unwavering defender of the written Constitution and the Rule of Law. He was the solid rock who turned away so many attempts to depart from and distort the Constitution. His fierce loyalty to the Constitution set an unmatched example, not just for judges and lawyers, but for all Americans. We mourn his passing, and we pray that his successor on the Supreme Court will take his place as a champion for the written Constitution and the Rule of Law. Cecilia and I extend our deepest condolences to his family, and we will keep them in our thoughts and prayers.
An excerpt from the statement by Texas Senator Ted Cruz:
He was an unrelenting defender of religious liberty, free speech, federalism, the constitutional separation of powers, and private property rights. All liberty-loving Americans should be in mourning.
Battle Stations!

Unfortunately, Scalia's passing cannot simply be a time for mourning and reflection. Key issues before the Supreme Court include Obama's constitutional overreach on climate change and immigration among others. If Obama were successful in confirming another very liberal justice in the mold of Sotomayor or Kagan the entire balance of the Court might shift for a generation. But to stop that from happening would require the Republican establishment in the U.S. Senate to do more than talk tough and only take symbolic action. Symbolism is not enough for an issue of this magnitude.

Already the battle lines within the Republican Party are being formed.
Excerpt from statement of Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell:
“The American people‎ should have a voice in the selection of their next Supreme Court Justice. Therefore, this vacancy should not be filled until we have a new President."
Expect to hear our liberal friends charge that it's wrong for the Senate to block Obama's nominee suggesting that it tampers with his consitutional powers to appoint. But that power to nominate does NOT mean the Senate must agree. Check and balances my friends. CHECKS AND BALANCES. I know that's become a foreign concept under Obama but it's about time we remembered how important it is!

God Bless Scalia. God Save Our Republic!

Friday, February 12, 2016

In Debate Both Hillary and Bernie Declare America to Be Horrible Country. Who Has Been in Charge Last Seven Years?

Both Dems say they have solutions to fix America. Why haven't they done so already?

Forgive me for pulling a Marco Rubio but I can't repeat this too much. Democrats have had near total power for much of these past seven years. And yet listening to the Democrat candidates in the Milwaukee debate you would never know it. That debate was a litany of what is wrong with America. Here's a montage courtesy of Rush Limbaugh:
SANDERS: ...aligned with a corrupt campaign finance system is a rigged economy...

SANDERS: ...working longer hours for lower wages...

HILLARY: Americans haven't had a raise in 15 years.

SANDERS: The very rich are getting richer.

SANDERS: Our wastewater plants, our rail, our airports are disintegrating!

SANDERS: The highest rate of childhood poverty of almost any major country.

HILLARY: ...really systematic racism...

SANDERS: ...low wages and high unemployment....

HILLARY: ...inhumane treatment visited upon families, waking them up in the middle of the night, rounding them up...

SANDERS: We judge a nation not by the number of millionaires and billionaires it has, but by how we treat the most vulnerable and fragile people in our nation. We're not doing particularly well.

HILLARY: Poison in the water. Poor minorities who are being left out. LGBT people who get married on Saturday and get fired on Monday. We have work to do.

SANDERS: We have a lot of work to do.
"We have a lot of work to do." What have they been doing for the last seven years? Why have these problems only been getting WORSE when they are in charge? Democrats claim to care SO MUCH, yet where are their results? Would voters really trust candidates to fix something when all they do is complain about the problem and still do nothing?

Sanders continues to say in his speeches and debates that it is "time for change." Wasn't that what Obama promised eight years ago? Hope and Change; remember that? If Americans want change, elect Republicans. We tried it the Democrats way. It didn't work. Now, let's give Republicans a chance!

Donald Trump Promising to Change After Election If He Wins. But Change to What?

GOP voters have been fooled before. I say, NO MORE!
Does this raise questions about who and what Donald Trump really is? It should. Going back to last summer there have been many questions about what Trump really believes (1,2,3).

This Bush ad summarizes the Trump problem for conservative voters:





Can you trust Trump to be the President he currently tells voters he wants to be? Or is he signaling above that conservative voters are in for a real shock if he wins? Trust Ted instead!

Black Student Threatens, Then Assualts Female Trump Supporter. Where are the Defenders of Women's Rights?

And they say South Carolina politics are nasty?

At St. John University in New York a black male student posed this threat on Twitter directed at the female classmate sitting behind him:


After learning of the threat this brave woman confronted the thug in a coffee shop. She threw her drink in his face and he assaulted here. More threats followed:


The Daily Wire and the New York Daily News are on the story. Campus officials promised swift action but supporters of the thug claimed any disciplinary action was proof of "racism" on campus.

Hillary Clinton in Hell? 

Former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright declared the following at a Hillary rally in New Hampshire: “There’s a special place in hell for women who don’t help each other.” No sign of Hillary or any other Democrat coming forward to support this woman. Does that mean Hillary is wearing an asbestos pantsuit?

New South Carolina Poll Shows Little Has Changed Since Iowa and New Hampshire.

Trump still has large lead over Cruz with others following!

It's an Augusta Chronicle poll with a large sample of 779 very likely GOP voters. Here are the full results.  Interesting that not much has changed at the top of the race from the previous polls taken before Iowa and New Hampshire. The previous Chronicle poll had Trump leading Cruz by fourteen. Now his lead is sixteen. And while the previous poll suggested momentum for Jeb Bush he actually dropped two points in the latest. Meanwhile, Carson has dropped four points to five and Kasich up six to nine. Essentially, it's a two man race with a bunch of others who haven't figured that out yet.

South Carolina Not Down and Dirty

Meanwhile, the race is heating up with negative ads. This is a natural consequence of the race tightening and the candidates desire to score a knock out punch on opponents to consolidate their position before the "SEC" or Super Tuesday primary of mostly southern states. Yet if you watch the talking heads on television all you hear is about how brass knuckled South Carolina politics are. Sure, we're not afraid to throw a punch down here but it's not much worse here than you find anywhere else. So knock off the Palmetto bashing!

Built in Advantage for Cruz?

Aaron Blake at the Washington Post put up this interesting item. Many of the upcoming states in the SEC primary have large evangelical Christian communities which gave the victory to Cruz in Iowa.


Eight days  to go before Republicans vote in South Carolina. It's going to be interesting!

Wednesday, February 10, 2016

Hilarious Cruz Ad Bashing Trump

Cruz knows if you're going to bash another candidate, do it with humor, not with spite!

This is sooo funny!


Dem Contest is Rigged! Hillary to Get New Hampshire Delegates Equal to Bernie

The Democratic Party is not democratic. Who knew?

Last fall, rank and file Democrats in New Hampshire staged an open revolt against Democrat leaders who limited debates to help Hillary Clinton. Many of those who protested were supporters of Bernie Sanders who won Tuesday's New Hampshire Democrat primary by over 20%.

So, imagine the surprise of the Bernie Bros when they learn that Hillary Clinton is estimated to get the same number of New Hampshire delegates to the National Convention as Bernie.

The fix is in. Democrats have what are called "Super Delegates" made up of state and local bigwigs. Hillary has the pledged support of 360 nationwide while Bernie has 8. Sanders may have gotten more delegates in the primary, but with Hillary's six NH Super Delegates she will have the same amount of NH delegates as Bernie.

While the GOP has an increasingly confused way of assigning delegates, they do not have Super Delegates as such. There are 210 state party leaders who are "unassigned" through the primary process but not in any way the same as the fix in the Democratic Party. No where near enough in each state to upset the results of a landslide primary win.

What will the Berniebots do when they learn they've been cheated? Can't blame this one on Republicans!

Big Win in New Hampshire for Trump, Kasich Among GOP and Sanders Blowout for Dems

Now a whole new ballgame in South Carolina!

New Hampshire primary Results from the New York Times:

In 2012 there were less than 250,000 GOP voters. This year's primary saw an increase of more than 30,000. Exit polls showed 15% of those who cast a GOP ballot were first time voters. They went for Trump by 36% and Kasich by 19% so perhaps more of a boost to Kasich. From the Dem exit poll, 17% were new voters and they voted for Sanders by 78% so a big boost to his margin there.

Strength of Trump Alternative is Divided

Across the range of issues examined in the GOP exit poll Trump wins nearly every category.  This might not be the case if Trump faced just one or two conservative challengers. And that presents the problem as we move to South Carolina.

Polling for South Carolina is weeks old (Real Clear Politics Average) and that makes it practically worthless. Still, it's a safe bet Trump retains the lead in the Palmetto State and Cruz also is strong. Polls in the RCP Average were taken before Iowa voted so expect Cruz to increase support. Don't forget that South Carolina also has a larger population of evangelical Christian voters than New Hampshire and that evangelicals gave Cruz the win in Iowa.

What about the bump that John Kasich will get from New Hampshire? Do you get a bump for coming in second and would it translate to South Carolina? Some perhaps. But South Carolina is more conservative than New Hampshire and John Kasich is more moderate than many South Carolina voters in the GOP primary. Still, he's making a number of appearances in the Palmetto State  and I remain impressed with him as I did 34 years ago when I supported him in his first election to Congress. He's a good, decent man and I enjoyed meeting him again last July on Hilton Head Island.

Christie Out?

Candidates will be crisscrossing South Carolina over the next ten days. Here's a handy guide to show where they will be. Note that New Jersey Governor Chris Christie has canceled an event scheduled for Wednesday evening in Charleston. Expect him to withdraw soon. News leaked of a talk between Trump and Christie on Wednesday. But that won't help Trump much in South Carolina. Not that he needs it.

Whose Winning the Money Race?

Carson and Fiorina have announced they will go on as have the others. A big question is how much money these campaigns have left. A full breakdown is here. The leaders from the previous quarter reporting:

Note that former Florida Governor Jeb Bush has burned through a mountain of money. John Kasich has only $2.5 million left though he will likely raise more after his strong showing in New Hampshire.

South Carolina will Sort it Out!

So where does this leave us? Once again, South Carolina will have to shake things up and I have no doubt we will. If I had to guess now, I'd say Trump wins because of divided opposition but Cruz will give him a solid run and do well. That leaves Rubio, Bush and Kasich battling for third which is ok if you have the money to go on. But if money is getting tight, it might be time to call it a day. After South Carolina comes two weeks of primaries in 26 states (calendar). Only candidates with sufficient funds will be able to compete. 

UPDATE: Fiorina drops out. Christie to follow shortly. Both amounted to 11.5% in New Hampshire. How will supporters in South Carolina split?

Monday, February 08, 2016

Shakeout in New Hampshire Looms for GOP 2016 Race. Make Your Predictions for Tuesday Voting

It could be a "jump ball" for second, third and fourth place!

From Real Clear Politics. Charts updated Monday 5 PM:





To this point Rubio and Kasich appear to be the beneficiaries after some of the air was let out of the tires of Donald Trump's airplane. However, these polls were all taken before Saturday's debate.

Christie Gave Rubio Smackdown in Saturday Debate- Poll Suggests Rubio Damaged

In the opening of the debate New Jersey Governor Chris Christie repeatedly savaged Florida Senator Marco Rubio likening him to a wind up doll who just repeats canned phrases. It didn't help that Rubio proceeded to repeat himself nearly word for word in response. Critics are calling him "Marcobot," "Robot Rubio" and say he had a "Marco Malfunction." Not good!

Brit Hume at Fox News said Rubio's performance was as bad as Dan Quayle's debate with Loyd Bentsen in 1988. A deer caught in the headlights! A private poll taken on Sunday for Kasich's political action committee says Rubio was damaged by his debate performance. But take that with a grain of salt coming from a partisan organization. If true, it may help Kasich or lift one or more of the others.

Conservative Smackdown on Rubio Immigration Move

It didn't help that the Eagle Forum group headed by  Phyllis Schlafly, an icon of the conservative movement and whom yours truly met many years ago, published a 15 page beatdown on Marco Rubio's shifting immigration position. It tracks his broken promises on the issue and accuses him of lying about it and betraying the conservatives who helped elect him to the Senate in 2010. If you are unclear about the importance of the immigration issue (you can't repeal amnesty once you grant it) and Rubio's role in it, then read this. It concludes:
Unlike other legislation, the effects of bad immigration policy cannot be repealed. They are forever. The Republican party would never nominate a pro-Obamacare candidate, and it must be an even stronger maxim that it should not nominate any candidate who is committed to a policy of mass immigration. Rubio wrote the Obamacare of immigration policies: a bill that would have eviscerated the middle class, plunged millions into poverty, legalized the most dangerous aliens on the planet, overwhelmed our schools and safety nets, and done irreversible violence to the idea of America as a nation-state. Rubio is the candidate of open borders, Obamatrade and mass immigration, making one last attempt to pull off one big con.
Ben Carson Left Behind at Debate. Foreshadowing Things to Come?



This was an awkward moment. Dr. Ben Carson missed his cue to appear on stage at Saturday's debate so he just stood there while the other candidates passed him by. Sort of like his campaign since he began the long slow slide in the polls. Very sad for an otherwise decent and honorable man.

Place Your Bets on New Hampshire

Carson looks finished in New Hampshire and it doesn't look like he will do much better in South Carolina (need new polls in the Palmetto State). But from what you can see in the chart above it looks like Cruz, Rubio, Kasich and even Jeb Bush have a shot at placing well in New Hampshire. And who knows, Trump's unorthodox campaign style where he prefers big rallies over the handshaking in small towns Granite State residents are used to, may not work here.

It's likely we will see more exits after the New Hampshire primary before South Carolina Republicans vote on February 20. If Christie doesn't vault into the top four I don't see how he goes on to South Carolina. Of course there's often a surprise here so it will be fun to watch.

Friday, February 05, 2016

Happy Reagan's Birthday! 105th Anniversary of One of Our Greatest Presidents is Reminder of What We Can Do

As you prepare to vote in the upcoming presidential primaries ask yourself: what would Reagan do?

Friday evening I am speaking at a special Reagan Birthday event presented by the Beaufort Federation of Republican Men. Here's a preview of what I may say. It's based on my own personal experience with the Reagan Revolution.

Then Governor Reagan and George H.W. Bush accept the
GOP nomination in Detroit July 17, 1980. Here's Reagan's speech.
I first met Governor and Nancy Reagan in Fountain Square Cincinnati in May 1980. This was prior to the Ohio primary and after George H.W. Bush had dropped out of the race. A friend and I were able to walk right up to the Reagan's as they arrived and welcome them. Later, on the ropeline after Reagan's speech I watched as my friend shook Reagan's hand and told him to "pick Bush" for Vice President.

Imagine my surprise when as a Youth Delegate to the Republican National Convention in Detroit a few months later that Reagan did just that. And what a thrill it was to be in the Joe Louis Arena on that magic night.

Six months later I was in Washington to witness the Inauguration of President Reagan. Jump ahead to October 1982 when I volunteered to assist the White House prepare for a presidential trip to Columbus, Ohio. I was the driver for Secret Service agent Tim McCarthy who was wounded in the assassination attempt on Reagan's life in March 1981. McCarthy used his body to shield Reagan from what might have been the fatal shot.

In 1984 I organized Students for Reagan Bush at Bowling Green State University. Our group had asked an Ohio Congressman to speak on behalf of President Reagan but the congressman said "why not get President Reagan?" We jumped at the chance. It was the first event held on a college campus and the President's team was no doubt concerned about the reaction but they need not have worried. The energy in Anderson Arena was electric and it was packed to the rafters with enthusiastic student supporters.

Thousands of enthusiastic students crammed Anderson Arena at Bowling Green State University September 26, 1984 to hear President Reagan speak on world affairs and how peace through strength works. Speech here.
Three weeks later I took the following photograph at a Whistlestop tour of Ohio. The famous "U.S. No. 1" train car, now resides in the Gold Coast Railroad Museum in Miami, Florida.

Lit by torchlight this train tour was one of the last whistlestops that were so much a part of
20th Century presidential campaigns. This stop was in Perrysburg Ohio October 12, 1984.
Text of Reagan's remarks (sixth item here) still holds true today. 
A few months later I was back in Washington again for the second Inauguration. Temperatures were at zero so the outdoor swearing in took place indoors. And few were outside to watch the Inaugural fireworks in the snow. It was an incredible sight. Flares circled the Washington Monument and it appeared as if the Monument was a rocket blasting into space!

Three years went by until I left Columbia University in New York City where I was doing postgraduate study in national security and government affairs to work in the White House Political Office during the 1988 presidential election. Long hours spent drafting correspondence and coordinating events was punctuated by visits to the White House lawn to wave goodbye to the Reagan's as they departed on the Helicopter or welcome visiting dignitaries.

Highlights from that time:

First, the arrival of British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher for a final State Visit. All the stops were pulled out. I took this picture after Mrs. Thatcher reviewed the honor guard:

British Prime Minister thanks military representative following Honor Guard review.
This was the final State Visit by Margaret Thatcher on November 16, 1988.
Another favorite photo. Me with the boss after a fundraiser at a Washington hotel. Earlier I posed with other staff members with a lifesize cardboard Reagan that was popular with tourists at the time. I told the President: "I hope this comes out better than the one with the cardboard president." He laughed.
President Reagan visit's Mike's America's hometown of Bowling Green Ohio October 19, 1988 (speech here). I suggested the trip and was pleased to help coordinate it. A bonus was that my parents got to meet the President.
Win One More for the Gipper

Finally, the day after the November election (Bush won in case you forgot) the President asked the White House staff to gather in the Rose Garden to say thanks for all our hard work. It was a beautiful fall day. Remembering how Reagan used the phrase "win one more for the Gipper" (a reference to his classic movie role as George Gip in 'Knute Rockne All American'-video clip) Yours truly shouted out "that was one for the Gipper" as the President turned to leave. He smiled and then proceeded to tell us all another of those classic Gipper stories. The Reagan Library provided me with this clip. Cue the player to the 2 minute mark to get the warmup for my interuption at 2:40:




Reagan Farewell Address: Solid Accomplishments That Stand the Test of Time

In his last address from the Oval Office President Reagan remarks on the achievements of the Reagan Revolution. It's worth a look if you haven't seen it:



As you get ready to vote this year ask yourself "what would Reagan do" then go out and WIN ONE MORE FOR THE GIPPER!

P.S. Thanks to the Republican men and women of Beaufort for their warm and gracious welcome. It was like a reunion of old friends taking a walk down memory lane!

Thursday, February 04, 2016

Jimmy Carter Endorses Trump. Calls Him "Completely Malleable"

How do Trump fans explain THIS?



From Politico: “I think I would choose Trump, which may surprise some of you,” the former Democratic president said during an appearance at Britain’s House of Lords on Wednesday afternoon. He was asked who he would pick for the GOP nomination.

“The reason is, Trump has proven already he’s completely malleable,” Carter explained. “I don’t think he has any fixed [positions] he’d go the White House and fight for. On the other hand, Ted Cruz is not malleable. He has far-right wing policies he’d pursue if he became president.”
Oh Oh!

Wednesday, February 03, 2016

Mike's America's Endorsement for South Carolina GOP Presidential Primary

With so many fine choices it's been a tough decision to make!

I got a call from the Bernie Sanders people on Tuesday. Apparently the phone number for the landline I have was once owned by a Democrat. I played along with the caller like a cat does with a mouse. I wanted to hear how far they would go with the Bernie giveaway spiel. Finally I drew the line when the caller pointed out Bernie's strong position on climate change. I informed her that I had worked for the Environmental Protection Agency and had been following this issue for many years. I went on to point out that despite all the scaremongering, the sky hasn't fallen as Al Gore and the rest swore it would by now if we didn't act. CO2 has gone up but the temperature has not. Fewer hurricanes, not more. After that spanking I let her go.

Bernie doesn't stand a chance to either get the Dem nomination or win the general election if he did. Remember George McGovern? I do.

Now, back to more serious business.

Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker was my early favorite but he bombed out. That left me considering two others, Marco Rubio and Ted Cruz. Rubio has a certain Reaganesque quality when he talks about America and has certainly become an impressive candidate. Long gone are the days when he looked like a deer caught in the headlights delivering the Republican response to the State of the Union Address and pausing to take a drink of water (video). His focus and presentation in the debates has been masterful. And most pundits agree with me that he delivered the best speech from Iowa on Caucus night. For me, he has the best grasp of foreign policy and national security.

But there's one thing I can't get past and that was his big flip flop on immigration amnesty. He ran as a Tea Party candidate for Senate in 2010 repeatedly swearing he would never support amnesty. Fox's Megyn Kelly played the video clips at last week's debate. The bill he co-sponsored would have granted immediate legal status, or amnesty, for illegal immigrants.

Now Rubio says that he understands that border security must come first. Something most of us understood all throughout the debate on immigration policy. After the immigration amnesty debacle in 2006 Senator John McCain personally told Mike's America in 2007 that he understood border security had to come first. But McCain joined Rubio in the 2013 bill that did exactly the opposite.

Having been burned once by McCain, I am reluctant to trust Marco Rubio who also says he has learned his lesson. Fool me once shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me.

Mike's America Endorses Ted Cruz!

The most reliable conservative and the most unapologetic fighter for conservative principles is Ted Cruz. I will vote for him in the South Carolina GOP presidential primary on February 20. After eight long years of Obama's excesses we need a fighter who won't compromise but will seek to rollback Obama's hard left agenda. Cruz is that man.

There are some who say he can't win. These same naysayers might have said the same thing about Reagan in 1980. With a weak candidate like Hillary Clinton, I believe any Republican can win if they stop playing with the same failed GOP consultant rulebook that sent both McCain and Romney to defeat. Democrats know how to target their key voters while Republicans ignore their base and scurry after harder to get votes. If they correct that mistake and target the handful of key states upon which victory depends with a more effective ground game there's no reason Hillary, or any Democrat can't be beaten.

So, I follow the William F. Buckley Jr. rule and support the most conservative candidate who can beat the Democrats: Ted Cruz.

I know he has a tough slog ahead in New Hampshire and here in South Carolina but my vote and support isn't predicated on whether he can win every contest but whether he should!

Finally, I restate my pledge to support whoever the GOP nominee is. I challenge fellow GOP voters to do the same. If you can't then, please don't try and persuade me to support your candidate. We either win this together or we lose.

Here's my column for the local newspaper:
Voters face stark choice for change or more of the same

Voters in Iowa had their say. Soon, voters in New Hampshire will have theirs. On Saturday, February 20 South Carolina will hold the GOP presidential primary. The following Saturday Democrats hold theirs.

The choice between parties, like candidates, is as stark as it ever has been. Vote for one of the Democrats and expect more of the same empty promises and failed results. A vote for a Republican is the best chance for a new way forward. The choice you will make will have a direct bearing on how well you live your life.

Last month my Democrat counterpart in this space talked about Democratic values without being very specific and claimed somehow that they were more “mainstream.” Lotz said their candidate’s “values are America's values.” Always good for chuckle is our Mr. Lotz.

He cited immigration as one example. By that, Democrats mean an open borders policy with amnesty for all illegals currently in the country. Is it any wonder comedians call today’s illegals “undocumented Democrats!” Also big on the Lotz list was “freedom of religion.” For whom? Muslims perhaps but have you seen how Obama and the Democrats attack Christians at every available opportunity? They even struck references to God from the Democrat 2012 platform.

Gun safety was another item on the Lotz list. Who can oppose safety right? But none of the Democrat proposals in the wake of tragic shootings would have stopped those shootings. And under Obama, prosecutions and convictions of those committing gun crimes has gone down. Just as it is with immigration, the problem isn’t the need for new laws, but the lack of enforcement of existing law.

To watch the Democrat’s debate (hidden on a Saturday night) or listen to one of their candidates speak you would hear an endless litany of what is wrong with America and how so many voters are little more than victims who need an all powerful government to take care of them.

Democrats claim to care. I get it. But who doesn’t? The problem isn’t with the plethora of promises they make, the problem is that year after year they continue to fail to achieve results. During the Obama years this failure has been particularly agonizing for groups that Democrats say they care most about: African Americans and the Middle Class.

Among African Americans, who have been promised the most, both the crime rate and poverty have gone up, median household income has gone down, the wealth gap with white America has gotten bigger and unemployment continues to be much higher. Things are not much better for the Middle Class.

Under Obama the rich have gotten richer while the rest of us either tread water or sink. Meanwhile, prosecutions of Wall Street criminals have dropped. Tell me again which party is the party of the rich?

Democrats had majority control of both houses of congress and the White House the first two years of Obama’s presidency and the GOP didn’t take control of the Senate until a year ago. You can’t blame Democrat’s failure on Republicans.

But what are Republican values? Friday is the 105th anniversary of the birth of Ronald Reagan. The Beaufort Federation of Republican Men has invited me to speak at a benefit dinner that evening. It causes me to reflect on the timeless values that Ronald Reagan and the GOP embody.

President Reagan believed in the fundamental goodness of the American people. America is a “shining city on a hill” not a place of despair or systemic injustice. Reagan understood that getting government out of our way and off our backs was the key to a more prosperous society fairer to all. Remember his words “government is not the solution to our problem; government is the problem.”

He demonstrated that “peace through strength” works and won the Cold War and ended the threat of nuclear Armageddon. Democrats fought him every step of the way.

Any of the current GOP candidates represents a better chance to repair the damage done by Obama’s wishful thinking and far left ideology. 
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