Things that are wrong with America v. 3

The G.O.P. is holding the 2008 National Convention in St. Paul, MN.

Why you might ask?

The location is the primary thing for the G.O.P.

They will be less than an hour from the Wisconsin state line, and two hours from the Iowa state line. This means that three critical swing states will be flooded with G.O.P., and the local media will have little choice but to cover the process en mass.

But it seems early to be making such decisions doesn't it? Well, there is a secondary rational for this decision as well.

According to Teagan Goddard:

Second, the timing of the decision reveals two goals. First and most obviously, the GOP seeks to preempt national Democratic efforts to convene in the Twin Cities. But also, the announcement gives Minnesota GOP candidates in 2006, particularly incumbent GOP governor Tim Pawlenty who is locked in a tight reelection race, something to crow about. Minnesotans tend to believe they don't get the national attention they and their state deserve, and this national GOP decision may curry favor with Minnesota voters by shining a spotlight on the state.

So, this is politics right? You may wonder, how does this express "what is wrong with America".

The answer?

Democrats.

Are we really going to continue to be a clueless party? A reactionary party, as Barak Obama recently said in his new book The Audacity of Hope: Thoughts on Reclaiming the American Dream.

How is it that the democrats continue to be beat to the punch? I thought that Dr. Dean was going to change the way this party worked. Thus far, its not looking that way.

We are less than 6 weeks from a serious election. I know its a mid-term. People don't get as excited because its all about local campaigns. That is understandable. It doesn't have the fan-fare associated with a Presidential Election. But in terms of importance, this one is huge.

Divided government is responsible government.

Right now we have a G.O.P. House, Senate, Judiciary, and Executive.

The result? Record deficits, international political disasters, a stalled domestic agenda, and a slowing economy.

The fact of the matter is, that if the Democrats would wake up, this election should be a cake walk. They might not be able to take back both houses, but they are sure in the position to say "Look what this republican government has done for you." The result of such a tactic would be gaining significant ground in both houses.

Every day Iraq looks more and more like a never-ending saga of civil unrest and military incompetence.

We lack a mandate and an objective right now.

The democrats have been handed a golden opportunity.

What do they do with it?

They wait to see what the G.O.P. does, and they try to respond.

Ask John Kerry what happens when you spend more time responding than making your own statements.

I did want to say, Harold Ford Jr. might have the election for Senate from TN handed to him. You should see the commercials that Bob Corker is putting out there. He has completely given up on showing the state what his agenda is in exchange for telling us that Ford is too liberal for Tennessee.

This, from a guy who won the primary based on the claim that his opponents were too conservative.

When is Mr. Corker going to start talking about himself?

Ford is the only democrat I'm seeing that has made the conversation about himself, rather than about how he is different from the Republicans.

In regards to the commercials. Watch "50 percent" and "America". Corker has the audacity to claim to be a hard-liner on illegal immigrants, but one of his construction projects was shut down because he refused to clean up the illegal alien labor mess.

Hypocrite.

To further illustrate my point, lets look at the "Red v. Blue" debate that occurred at UT last night:

In the blue corner: Peter Beinart, editor-at-large of The New Republic said that Democrats uphold greater morals in America; "Democrats care about helping the poor, balancing the budget, preserving our planet, and human rights."

In the red corner: Jonah Goldberg, contributing editor of National Review countered saying that "conservatism in America is changing, and is no longer about small government. Conservatives stand for a better America through accountability and making plans that work"

I am totally blown away. If I were to make a list of the 2 things that the current administration has failed for do, at the very top would be (1) accountability, and (2) making plans that work.

Who is being held accountable for the faux pa that is the intelligence failure in the leadup to Iraq?

Who is being held accountable for the total failure of intelligence leading up to September 11th?

Is the plan that tax cuts would help stimulate the economy working out well?

See also Record Deficits, inflation, consumer confidence index

Is the plan that was going to make Iraq a modern democracy, funded by its own oil wealth going pretty well?

See also, 2,900 dead American Soldiers and 43,000 dead Iraqi's, $318 billion spent by the U.S. Government

This 1984 language has got to stop, and its up to the Democrats.

And a thank you to Moof for putting me on the trail with the article about the 2008 Republican National Convention

Stay Tuned...