The No Kool Aid Zone

Today the Cherokee Tribune, Tomorrow…Variety? Entertainment Weekly?

Posted by Byron January 22nd, 2012 at 3:15 pm
Filed Under A Good Laugh, Free for Coming... | Leave a Comment |

Guess whose mug graces the cover of that august chronicle The Cherokee Tribune this fine Sunday morning? None other than Yours Truly…

And here’s a closer-in shot:

There are a few things I feel the need to point out:

1. Note the relative size of my picture as compared with that of Newt Gingrich, winner of the South Carolina primary. I’d say it’s about 8-1, wouldn’t you? Seems fitting.
2. Notice the juxtaposition: I’m usually the guy smiling, and Newt’s usually the guy with his mouth open screaming.
3. OK, Broadway it ain’t, but improv is sure fun.
4. If you live in the area, and haven’t come yet, you’re missing it!

If You Like Political Grandstanding…

Posted by Byron January 20th, 2012 at 1:54 pm
Filed Under Conservative/Libertarian Politics | Leave a Comment |

You gotta love Newt Gingrich—or not. Last night, Newt got a standing ovation from the red-meat crowd as he tossed ‘em a juicy steak, a diatribe about he was “appalled” and “astounded” at the “despicable” idea that John King would begin a presidential debate by throwing out such “trash” as to ask Newt about his second marriage and the things that his ex-wife said in an ABC interview. You can watch if you can stand it:

Newt Gets ‘Em Going in South Carolina

Frankly, it doesn’t take much parsing to see through Newt’s protestations. His taking-to-task of CNN comes off as rehearsed, at least to me; it doesn’t take much of a brain to figure that Newt had to know it was coming at some point, and he used it, predictably, as a camera-ready opportunity to bash the press. Yes, the mainstream press needs some bashing; fine. But his words are a very convenient dodge; there is nothing inappropriate at all about him being asked such questions. Yes, Newt, every person is touched by pain; we get that, but get this, spud: you caused her pain. And the pain of your first wife (who is even a more sympathetic figure; this second wife was, apparently, culpable in the first divorce. Hard to feel terribly sympathetic toward her, come to think of it). You carried on a long-term affair (or two). You are to blame. Are you forgiven by God? Hope so, but that’s not the issue. Are you a conservative? Some of the time, but that’s not the issue. Can you be trusted to lead? Absolutely not; we’ve seen enough of you that we all ought to know that. And your grand telling-off of John King is a pathetic attempt to mitigate your indiscretions, a nice sleight-of-hand trick to take the focus off the very legitimate issue of character.

Now, it’s fair enough to say that it’s hard to trust Flip Flopney because of his, shall we say, “fluid” approach to convictions. Flip isn’t my first choice by any means, and if I do pull the lever for him this fall, it’ll be with a clothespin on my nose, perhaps literally. But we know what your convictions are, Newt, and what they aren’t; we’ve seen enough of you to know that it would be a crying shame if America had to choose between you and President Obama. It would leave this American searching for the best third-party choice he could find.

Reilly on Tebow

Posted by Byron January 13th, 2012 at 9:24 pm
Filed Under Life as a Jesus-follower, Rants about Sports | 3 Comments |

Though I once considered the Denver Broncos my co-favorite team in the NFL, I was hugely disappointed that Tim Tebow led them to an overtime victory over my clearly-number-1-favorite team, the Pittsburgh Steelers. That said, I am like a whole lot of Americans in loving Tim Tebow and what he stands for.

Rick Reilly is now, after what seems like a conversion of sorts, also a Tebow-lover. Read what he has to say.

Just What I’ve Been Saying about Newt…

Posted by Byron January 5th, 2012 at 4:25 pm
Filed Under Conservative/Libertarian Politics | Leave a Comment |

Newt Gingrich, the Religious Right, and Rank Hypocrisy

Thankfully, Newt’s windbagging notwithstanding, there now appears little chance that he will be the nominee.

So I Was Wr…Wr…Not Exactly, Totally Right

Posted by Byron January 4th, 2012 at 5:08 am
Filed Under Conservative/Libertarian Politics | 6 Comments |

Of course, Rick Perry will not be the next president. In fact, since he apparently knows when to hold ‘em, and more importantly right now, when to fold ‘em, he will no longer be in the race 48 hours from now. Michelle Bachmann, apparently at this point, lacks such knowledge…

But in one sense, of course, I was…closer to right. Conceptually, I was right, just had the wrong guy, of course, as Rick Santorum proved to be—out of the absolute blue, of course—the person who grabbed the mantle of “not Romney and not Paul”. Now, can he sustain that momentum? Remains to be seen. Paul is a non-factor long-term, as I’ve long argued. Romney’s front-running status was enhanced last night, but he’s not the inevitable nominee, given the “Romney Ceiling”, given the obvious fact that conservative Republicans en masse don’t trust him, though I think most of them find him an acceptable alternative to Obama.

So all of that said…go, Rick!

A Definition of Liberalism

Posted by Byron December 30th, 2011 at 2:56 pm
Filed Under Conservative/Libertarian Politics | 7 Comments |

Contemporary Liberalism can be defined as the attempt to verify the proposition that reality is optional. Thomas Sowell provided the insight for that observation.

A Bold Prediction…

Posted by Byron December 19th, 2011 at 1:46 pm
Filed Under Conservative/Libertarian Politics | 7 Comments |

I’m neither a prophet, nor the son of a prophet. And yet I am prepared, on the week before Christmas 2011, to name the man who will be the Republican nominee and, I believe, the next president of the United States.

Rick Perry.

Yes, I could be accused of doing some wishful thinking here, I concede, since I’ve made it clear ever since he announced that he is my first choice for the Presidency. But here is my rationale, why I really have begun to believe, debate stumbles and all, that Rick will emerge as the nominee:

1. It is abundantly clear that the rank-and-file doesn’t trust Mitt Romney as the Republican standard-bearer. I have some ideas why this is the case, and you probably do too, but they’re not germane to this discussion. Suffice it to say that while others have risen and fallen, Romney’s lukewarm support has stayed roughly the same. Romney is this year’s McCain, albeit a bit more conservative version (if he can be trusted): he’ll do, but he’ll never, ever thrill Republicans. Ever. Nobody will wake up on Election Day and proclaim, “Hot Diggity, I get to go vote for Mitt Romney!!!”

2. Newt’s popularity is falling—fast. What is becoming clear is that he’s not the conservative some think he is; he’s not got the support of many of those who worked closest with him in Congress; he’s prone to saying some incredibly stupid things; he can’t win the Presidency. Thankfully, people are onto him, and I predict his slide will continue.

3. Ron Paul excites a certain percentage of people, but scares a much higher percentage. The people who love Ron Paul love him more than any others love their candidates. He’s truly a pucker-or-duck figure; nobody is ambivalent toward Ron Paul. Personally, I like a whole lot of what he says, but I don’t like his foreign policy, and I don’t like his unelectability, and he’s not my guy. And despite the fact that he’s now taken his turn atop an Iowa poll—and even though it’s conceivable he’ll win Iowa—he will not be the nominee.

4. This, then, leads us to ask, “who’s left?” And the polls are beginning to trend to Rick Perry. He is, in my judgment, the one candidate with a stellar record of governing, a stellar position on social issues, and no (known) character issues. Granted, there are a few positions Rick has taken in the past that I think were unwise; granted, he needs work in debates (only because these exercises in silliness seem to matter to some people). But all of that said, given that the other conservative candidates, Michelle Bachmann (unelectable) and Rick Santorum (a nice Veep candidate, perhaps) aren’t getting traction (and won’t), it looks to me like Rick is well-positioned to be the conservative choice. He may win Iowa—I’m betting on it, in fact—and though he isn’t running strong in New Hampshire, a good Iowa performance will help his standing there. Then comes South Carolina, and by that time, it may be down to Mitt and Rick. Nikki Haley’s endorsement aside, South Carolinians are quite the conservative lot, and I see him being very competitive there.

In the end, I think Rick is the last man standing.

And the next President.