Wednesday, April 25, 2007
Thursday, April 19, 2007
Thoughts on Abortion...
In the wake of an overall good decision from the Supremes recently, it is worth pointing out that we continue to need leadership on the issue of abortion. The decision, albeit a step forward, is a minor one. While this decision seems largely the result of replacing Justice O'Connor with Justice Alito (she voted the other way in Carhart I), there is substantial evidence it isn't part of a larger landslide in the direction of life.
Neither of Bush 43's appointments joined the concurrence of Thomas and Scalia that, while supporting the majority opinion's result, maintained that the court's jurisprudence in Planned Parenthood v. Casey was flawed. In fact, the decision in Carhart II, affirms the central tenets laid out in Planned Parenthood v. Casey and relies on that reasoning.
While Justice Kennedy would probably maintain that the new decision applies the Casey decision in the way that it was intended. I find the fact that he voted for Casey troubling. Which basically means, you have two people for supporting over turning Roe v. Wade (Thomas and Scalia), two people currently upholding Roe v. Wade but otherwise unknown (Roberts and Alito), and one member of the current majority who we know upholds Roe v. Wade (Kennedy).
Where does that put people like me who believe that Roe v. Wade has nothing to do with the Constitution and that states should be allowed to enact reasonable regulations of abortion?
We need a President like Mitt Romney who is on record as supporting that goal and who wants to protect life and appoint judges who will follow the Constitution.
Neither of Bush 43's appointments joined the concurrence of Thomas and Scalia that, while supporting the majority opinion's result, maintained that the court's jurisprudence in Planned Parenthood v. Casey was flawed. In fact, the decision in Carhart II, affirms the central tenets laid out in Planned Parenthood v. Casey and relies on that reasoning.
While Justice Kennedy would probably maintain that the new decision applies the Casey decision in the way that it was intended. I find the fact that he voted for Casey troubling. Which basically means, you have two people for supporting over turning Roe v. Wade (Thomas and Scalia), two people currently upholding Roe v. Wade but otherwise unknown (Roberts and Alito), and one member of the current majority who we know upholds Roe v. Wade (Kennedy).
Where does that put people like me who believe that Roe v. Wade has nothing to do with the Constitution and that states should be allowed to enact reasonable regulations of abortion?
We need a President like Mitt Romney who is on record as supporting that goal and who wants to protect life and appoint judges who will follow the Constitution.
Wednesday, April 18, 2007
Carhart II...
Today, Governor Mitt Romney issued the following statement praising the U.S. Supreme Court ruling upholding the Partial Birth Abortion Ban Act:
"Today, our nation's highest court reaffirmed the value of life in America by upholding a ban on a practice that offends basic human decency. This decision represents a step forward in protecting the weakest and most innocent among us."
"Today, our nation's highest court reaffirmed the value of life in America by upholding a ban on a practice that offends basic human decency. This decision represents a step forward in protecting the weakest and most innocent among us."
N. Virginia Tech Council...
A nice blog from Pamela's Punch about Mitt's recent speech at the Northern Virginia Technology Council:
Who is this Mitt Romney? All most of us knew of him was that he is a Republican Mormon. The media has done a fabulous job of getting the American public all in a tizzy that here we have a woman, black man, and a MORMON for goodness sakes, with their hats in the ring to run our country. Well, we were about to find out who this Mormon was.
First and foremost, as I read Governor Romney’s bio, I learned that this man was one smart cookie, AND he was one of ”us”. By us, I mean worked his entire life in the private sector. He was not a career politician. Mitt made a huge mark in the corporate world when he founded Bain Capital in 1984, which is one of the nation’s most successful VC and investment companies. (Ever heard of Staples? or DoubleClick? or Brookstone? how about Domino’s, Sealy, or The
Sports Authority? ah ha. Exactly!)
This was the first time Mitt has spoken in the Commonwealth since announcing his candidacy. When he stepped up the the podium, we all felt a particular presence. He was tall, handsome,
clean cut, and extremely genuinely well-spoken. His delivery was impeccable. He spoke clearly straight from the mind. It was impressive. His content was very intriguing and ideal for this audience at this time of the morning. He kept it lite and business focused. He discussed how since he came from a “data driven, highly analytical, debate intensive background”, it was a total 180 when entered into his four years as MA Governor. Mitt’s philosophy is concentrated on ensuring that this great country remains the world super power. His father gave him
some profound food for thought:
“There is nothing more vulnerable than complacent success.”
Mitt shared with us challenges the US faces regarding the above quote and some answers as to how we can continue to be the super power we are today. One of the challenges he mentioned was the rise of Asia as a competitor. Another, we spend too much money in DC (Fed govt) and way too much on oil: $1 billion a day. Healthcare and schools must be brought to a higher standard. And of course, the big white elephant in the room, the conflict in the Middle East. His answers were: technology, assistance in the educational world with awarding the best and brightest, not just the low income children, with scholarships as he had in his home state. Middle income families should be able to save money and not get taxed on capital gains nor dividends.
Several times, the focused audience laughed with the Governor, but also clapped at a few inspiring comments. He earned a standing ovation as he walked in and after he finished answering all questions. Interestingly enough, his track record speaks for itself. Mitt inherited a $3 BILLION budget gap when he entered the MA Governor office, but was able to balance the budget every year without raising taxes or increasing debt. (Reminds me of that Kevin Kline movie “Dave“) I think also with his strong successful background the private sector, he makes for an experienced outside the box (ouch!) thinker.
Who is this Mitt Romney? All most of us knew of him was that he is a Republican Mormon. The media has done a fabulous job of getting the American public all in a tizzy that here we have a woman, black man, and a MORMON for goodness sakes, with their hats in the ring to run our country. Well, we were about to find out who this Mormon was.
First and foremost, as I read Governor Romney’s bio, I learned that this man was one smart cookie, AND he was one of ”us”. By us, I mean worked his entire life in the private sector. He was not a career politician. Mitt made a huge mark in the corporate world when he founded Bain Capital in 1984, which is one of the nation’s most successful VC and investment companies. (Ever heard of Staples? or DoubleClick? or Brookstone? how about Domino’s, Sealy, or The
Sports Authority? ah ha. Exactly!)
This was the first time Mitt has spoken in the Commonwealth since announcing his candidacy. When he stepped up the the podium, we all felt a particular presence. He was tall, handsome,
clean cut, and extremely genuinely well-spoken. His delivery was impeccable. He spoke clearly straight from the mind. It was impressive. His content was very intriguing and ideal for this audience at this time of the morning. He kept it lite and business focused. He discussed how since he came from a “data driven, highly analytical, debate intensive background”, it was a total 180 when entered into his four years as MA Governor. Mitt’s philosophy is concentrated on ensuring that this great country remains the world super power. His father gave him
some profound food for thought:
“There is nothing more vulnerable than complacent success.”
Mitt shared with us challenges the US faces regarding the above quote and some answers as to how we can continue to be the super power we are today. One of the challenges he mentioned was the rise of Asia as a competitor. Another, we spend too much money in DC (Fed govt) and way too much on oil: $1 billion a day. Healthcare and schools must be brought to a higher standard. And of course, the big white elephant in the room, the conflict in the Middle East. His answers were: technology, assistance in the educational world with awarding the best and brightest, not just the low income children, with scholarships as he had in his home state. Middle income families should be able to save money and not get taxed on capital gains nor dividends.
Several times, the focused audience laughed with the Governor, but also clapped at a few inspiring comments. He earned a standing ovation as he walked in and after he finished answering all questions. Interestingly enough, his track record speaks for itself. Mitt inherited a $3 BILLION budget gap when he entered the MA Governor office, but was able to balance the budget every year without raising taxes or increasing debt. (Reminds me of that Kevin Kline movie “Dave“) I think also with his strong successful background the private sector, he makes for an experienced outside the box (ouch!) thinker.
Donations...
There is some truth to this article, I believe. Namely, that Mormons political contributions have never really been tapped. Of course, it is silly to suppose that Mitt is merely raising money from Mormons and Wall Street types.
Tuesday, April 17, 2007
Guns...
I believe in the right to bear arms but I am going to go ahead and say something that may come across as very unpopular to some and probably entirely obvious to others.
In the post 9-11 world we live in, does anyone seriously think that resident aliens should be allowed to own guns in the U.S.? It seems to me that owning a gun in our country is a privilege of citizenship. It is a privilege I have no problem endorsing for citizens in reasonable measure. But people who come here on visas don't share that privilege in my estimation. To me, they are here on probation. When the appropriate time comes that they are extended the opportunity to become full-fledged citizens, then they can have a gun.
So, some people will probably talk about the need for gun control in the coming weeks. Others will maintain that everyone should have unlimited ability to possess guns. Somewhere in this debate, I hope someone kindly points out that there is a real issue here related to ownership of guns by non-citizens. I am not saying the tragedy would have been averted (and yes, for the semantic back-benchers, it is fairly described as a tragedy). But I would still rather a non-citizen not be allowed to own a gun until we know enough about them to give them citizenship.
In the post 9-11 world we live in, does anyone seriously think that resident aliens should be allowed to own guns in the U.S.? It seems to me that owning a gun in our country is a privilege of citizenship. It is a privilege I have no problem endorsing for citizens in reasonable measure. But people who come here on visas don't share that privilege in my estimation. To me, they are here on probation. When the appropriate time comes that they are extended the opportunity to become full-fledged citizens, then they can have a gun.
So, some people will probably talk about the need for gun control in the coming weeks. Others will maintain that everyone should have unlimited ability to possess guns. Somewhere in this debate, I hope someone kindly points out that there is a real issue here related to ownership of guns by non-citizens. I am not saying the tragedy would have been averted (and yes, for the semantic back-benchers, it is fairly described as a tragedy). But I would still rather a non-citizen not be allowed to own a gun until we know enough about them to give them citizenship.
Monday, April 16, 2007
Thursday, April 12, 2007
Foreign Policy Strong Suit...
Pipeline reiterates earlier praise of Romney after his speech at the Bush 41 library in College Station:
"In this address Mr. Romney has taken not-a-small step towards elevating himself intellectually above his rivals. His remarks reveal him to be thoroughly conversant with the threat that radical Islam represents and willing to speak plainly and forcefully about it."
"As such he is not only the first of the 2008 presidential hopefuls to broach what is arguably the most serious challenge of our time he is the only presidential candidate from either party so far who seems to fully understand the implications inherent in a failure to defeat it."
Thanks to Mitt Romney for President 2008 for pointing it out.
"In this address Mr. Romney has taken not-a-small step towards elevating himself intellectually above his rivals. His remarks reveal him to be thoroughly conversant with the threat that radical Islam represents and willing to speak plainly and forcefully about it."
"As such he is not only the first of the 2008 presidential hopefuls to broach what is arguably the most serious challenge of our time he is the only presidential candidate from either party so far who seems to fully understand the implications inherent in a failure to defeat it."
Thanks to Mitt Romney for President 2008 for pointing it out.
Ann Romney...
As I have said before, I believe Mitt's wife is one of his greatest assets. She was in Alabama yesterday. Read about her speech there and reaction here.
Wednesday, April 11, 2007
Global Warming...
What's going on with Newt? Has he turned global warming activist? I would think that he would respond more intelligently than simply agreeing with Kerry.
Monday, April 09, 2007
Word Associations with Leno...
Even I can appreciate this piece. You may need to turn up the volume:
Friday, April 06, 2007
Where does the money come from?
A good article, about it, thanks to My Man Mitt:
"The unexpectedly large fundraising total raised by Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney in the first quarter of 2007 had less to do with a "Mormon network" than with the former Massachusetts governor's business acumen and strong ties with the financial community nationwide, according to political analysts."
"'He's a businessman first and a politician second,' Sabato pointed out. 'When you look at the key factors behind his successful fundraising I would stress the business connections. That's the major source of his support.'"
"The unexpectedly large fundraising total raised by Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney in the first quarter of 2007 had less to do with a "Mormon network" than with the former Massachusetts governor's business acumen and strong ties with the financial community nationwide, according to political analysts."
"'He's a businessman first and a politician second,' Sabato pointed out. 'When you look at the key factors behind his successful fundraising I would stress the business connections. That's the major source of his support.'"
Thursday, April 05, 2007
Abortion "Rights"...
I know this video was up at My Man Mitt. But I thought it deserved more thought. Let me start by saying I like Rudy Giuliani. He seems affable. I think he would make a good VP. He might even make a good AG. I don't think he should be President though. Having said that, even I was confused by the following video. Let me tell you why...
Neither Roe v. Wade or Planned Parenthood v. Casey held that there is a Constitutional right to an abortion. Describing it as a right is merely a rhetorical device used to legitimize a broader read thatn the legal opinions suggest. What is Giuliani's view of "rights"? Does his incorrect legal thinking lead him to the conclusion that abortion would need to have public funding?
One way of looking at a right is to say it is appropriate, it is absolutely justified, in any situation. So, to say a woman has a right to an abortion, you are essentially saying at any time, for any reason. If you say a woman has a right to an abortion in the first trimester, you are essentially saying a woman can have an abortion for any reason in that time period.
Even this reading of the law is stretched, in my opinion. But Giuliani goes further. Giuliani seems to think that a woman not only has the right to choose to have an abortion, she has the right to an abortion. This is way beyond even the most liberal reading ot the law. But his statement about publicly funded abortions makes sense when you realize that his how he views the abortion "right".
Giuliani's view is terribly flawed both legally, and from a public policy perspective. He claims that he doesn't personally think women should get abortions. Typically, when you want to reduce certain behavior you create disincentives. When you don't want to support it, you simply do nothing. When you fund it though, you increase the number of abortions. Giuliani isn't even in the mainstream on the issue. He is to the far left.
Neither Roe v. Wade or Planned Parenthood v. Casey held that there is a Constitutional right to an abortion. Describing it as a right is merely a rhetorical device used to legitimize a broader read thatn the legal opinions suggest. What is Giuliani's view of "rights"? Does his incorrect legal thinking lead him to the conclusion that abortion would need to have public funding?
One way of looking at a right is to say it is appropriate, it is absolutely justified, in any situation. So, to say a woman has a right to an abortion, you are essentially saying at any time, for any reason. If you say a woman has a right to an abortion in the first trimester, you are essentially saying a woman can have an abortion for any reason in that time period.
Even this reading of the law is stretched, in my opinion. But Giuliani goes further. Giuliani seems to think that a woman not only has the right to choose to have an abortion, she has the right to an abortion. This is way beyond even the most liberal reading ot the law. But his statement about publicly funded abortions makes sense when you realize that his how he views the abortion "right".
Giuliani's view is terribly flawed both legally, and from a public policy perspective. He claims that he doesn't personally think women should get abortions. Typically, when you want to reduce certain behavior you create disincentives. When you don't want to support it, you simply do nothing. When you fund it though, you increase the number of abortions. Giuliani isn't even in the mainstream on the issue. He is to the far left.
Wednesday, April 04, 2007
Iraq Timetables...
Whenever Mitt Romney says something about Iraq, I listen. He clearly prefers a flexible course of action that seeks to set goals. From The Hill:
"There’s no question that the president and Prime Minister al-Maliki [of Iraq] have to have a series of timetables and milestones that they speak about, but those shouldn’t be for public pronouncement. ... You don’t want the enemy to understand how long they have to wait in the weeds until you're going to be gone”.
Some are billing this as Romney supports a secret timetable for withdrawal. Actually, I think it reflects Romney's management style more than anything else. Romney wants goals and wants a timetable for assessing the progress on those goals. As long as their is a reasonable probability of success, we should continue working towards those goals. In fact, I think Romney is one of the few politicians venturing some discussion about Iraq that is blanketed in reasonableness, not rhetoric.
"There’s no question that the president and Prime Minister al-Maliki [of Iraq] have to have a series of timetables and milestones that they speak about, but those shouldn’t be for public pronouncement. ... You don’t want the enemy to understand how long they have to wait in the weeds until you're going to be gone”.
Some are billing this as Romney supports a secret timetable for withdrawal. Actually, I think it reflects Romney's management style more than anything else. Romney wants goals and wants a timetable for assessing the progress on those goals. As long as their is a reasonable probability of success, we should continue working towards those goals. In fact, I think Romney is one of the few politicians venturing some discussion about Iraq that is blanketed in reasonableness, not rhetoric.
Tuesday, April 03, 2007
Back on the Air...
Romney is taking his fiscal conservative message back to the TV in New Hampshire and Iowa."'I know how to veto. I like vetoes. I've vetoed hundreds of spending appropriations as governor,' Romney says in the ad. 'And frankly, I can't wait to get my hands on Washington.'"
Monday, April 02, 2007
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