The Citizen Newsletter

The Conservative Voice of Henry County

Issue # 323 February 1, 2012

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In This Issue:
Message from Ashley Carr Style vs. Substance Newt Torches Romney Obama Ineligible in GA Your Voice Atlanta T-SPLOST Give Me Your Money Henry FOP Speaks Out Could Obama Withdraw? Math of the Nomination Only 49 States to Go! Danger Ann Coulter

regional field director for Newt Gingrich from Pensacola, Florida

Thanks to Ashley Carr,

The people of South Carolina sent a message Saturday night: they want a candidate with the grit to take on the Washington establishment. A conservative with big, bold ideas. That is Newt Gingrich. Newt Gingrichs record provides FOUR years of a balanced budget; a budget that has not been balanced since. His record stands on job creation, tax and regulation cuts. During his time as Speaker and working with President Reagan, Newt Gingrich helped to create hundreds of thousands of new jobs, all while standing in the face of strong liberal opposition. While other candidates in this race tout strong opposition from Democratic leadership as reasons for not passing the conservative agenda needed in their home states, Newt Gingrich blazed forward in producing a bold and CONSERVATIVE agenda despite strong opposition from Democratic leaders. Newt has a proven record of maintaining conservative principles in the light of a damaging Democratic Congress liberal agenda. However, I am not here to attack any fellow Republican. Governor Mitt Romney, Senator Rick Santorum, and Congressman Ron Paul should all be commended for the roles they have played in the Republican party and for their willingness to stand up and fight back while America is so

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clearly sliding down a path of destruction from this current administration. I am here to share with you why Newt Gingrich is the only man in the field with the ability to withstand liberal attacks, win the White House, and put America back on track for greatness. Newt has demonstrated from his debate performances and his skills as a communicator that he can provide the sharpest contrasts with Barack Obama. Newt has a plan to help our economy grow and create more jobs for Americans. Our campaign has great respect for the other Republicans in this race. But it has become increasingly clear that Newt is the only conservative able to stop the nomination of a Massachusetts moderate. This is why just this week Newt received support from Texas Gov. Rick Perry, Sarah and Todd Palin, Michael Reagan, and Chuck Norris.

just as damaging. But Republican voters in South Carolinaand, I imagine across the countryare hungry for a candidate who can articulate a proudly conservative message and make an effective case against Barack Obama. Gingrich improvised a different stump speech at nearly every campaign stopyou never knew what to expect. Like a professor, he didnt dumb down his stump speech to the same several, stale talking points. Many voters who attended as undecideds frequently came away impressed with Gingrichs depth of knowledge. This goes against Presidential Campaigning 101, but it worked for Gingrich. Gingrich may not be like Paul Ryan or Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels in style, but he is in substance. In Aiken, his wonky presentation about health care reform nearly put Texas Gov. Rick Perrys son Griffin, in attendance, to sleep. But it wowed the audience, who came away thinking Gingrich sounded presidential, reformoriented, and authentic. In his victory speech, Gingrich talked about leftwing rabble-rouser Saul Alinsky, who may not be a household name but is a buzzword with politically-attuned conservative activists. He took aim at the media for not scrutinizing Obamas record closely enoughan argument that South Carolina Republicans frequently made. They want someone who will give Obamas record the same scrutiny that the media has shown in diving into Gingrichs past marriages and Romneys tax returns. (Interestingly, this is an argument Washington Post ombudsman Patrick Pexton, no hard-right conservative, made in his Sunday column, suggesting the view is not just limited to the fever swamps of the right.) By contrast, Romneys events were all the same, down to the candidates oh-so-sincere Thanks, you guys! introduction at every stop. He continued to annotate America, the Beautiful to demonstrate his patriotic feelings. In his South Carolina concession speech, Romney spoke vaguely about the merits of free-market capitalism. Thats message discipline, one that strategists crave. Romneys career as a business consultant, no doubt, makes him very comfortable with this style of campaigning too. But as conservative

Style vs. Substance

Newt Gingrichs wonkiness trumps Mitt Romneys platitudes.
HTTP://WWW.NATIONALJOURNAL.COM/COLUMNS/AGAINST

-THE-GRAIN/STYLE-VS-SUBSTANCE-20120124

The postgame punditry out of South Carolina was that former House Speaker Newt Gingrich defeated former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney handily because voters were looking for the most conservative candidate. But thats only part of the story. The bigger problem for Romney is authenticity. Despite his inconsistent conservatism, South Carolina voters didnt dislike Romney and many thought he was conservative enough for their tastes. Even the most hardened anti-Romney Republican voters and activists I spoke with said they would work their tails off to support Romney if he is nominated. Polls showed they were inclined to support him over Gingrich as recently as several days before the Saturday primary. And on paper, Gingrichs conservative sinsfrom criticizing House Budget Chairman Paul Ryan, RWis., to advising Freddie Mac to taping an ad with then-Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif.,are as well-known as Romneys vulnerabilities and

columnist Mark Steyn wrote Monday in National Review: The finely calibrated inoffensiveness is kind of offensive. Romney advisers who are cautiously optimistic that their candidates organizational strengths will overwhelm Gingrich in Florida should think again. On paper, Florida plays to Romneys strengthsits a big media-market state where grassroots campaigning takes a backseat to television advertising. But Gingrich plays better on television, at least when hes on his game. South Carolina voters werent always looking for the most conservative candidate, but an electable one, too. The biggest surprise from Saturday night wasnt that Gingrich won, it was that Romney underperformed badly in the business-friendly conservative precincts around Charleston, Columbia, and even in fastgrowing pockets of Greenville, which is as much at the center of the New South as the buckle of the Bible Belt. A demographic analysis of election returns from Patchwork Nation shows that Gingrich performed nearly as well with the business-friendly voters as with evangelicals. In the counties listed as boom towns and monied suburbs which make up Romneys demographic base, Gingrich carried them with 38 percent of the vote. Thats not much lower than Gingrichs 41 percent in evangelical epicenters. These managerial types are conservative, but also very receptive to Romneys free-market message. Romney lost much of their support in the campaigns final days, not winning a single congressional district in the state. Romneys campaign was predicting a solid floor of about 33 percent in the days before the primary; he won just 27.8 percent of the vote. Make no mistake; this is a warning sign for Romney in Florida and beyond. Romneys advisers tried to downplay the scope of the South Carolina loss by noting how evangelical and conservative the electorate was there. The problem is, Romney also underperformed against Gingrich in the managerial-friendly turf thats supposed to be his stronghold. But to win, Romney cant just rely on pulverizing Gingrich. He will need to articulate a center-right vision for the country that goes beyond platitudes.

Newt torches Romney: It isnt good enough for the Republican party to nominate Obama-lite Right Scoop:
HTTP://WWW.THERIGHTSCOOP.COM/NEWT-TORCHESPARTY-TO-NOMINATE-OBAMA-LITE/

ROMNEY-IT-ISNT-GOOD-ENOUGH-FOR-THE-REPUBLICAN-

It isnt good enough for the Republican party to nominate Obama-lite. Now, let me tell you what the difference is. If youre a genuine conservative, first of all you dont say that you dont care about the poor. If youre a genuine conservative, you believe that we are endowed by our creator with certain unalienable rights, among which are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. And we think it is the left which has abandoned and betrayed the poor because its safety net is actually a spiderweb and it traps people in dependency. My goal the exact opposite of Governor Romney. My goal is not to ignore or forget the poor. My goal is to turn the safety net into a trampoline to allow the poor to rise and be like the rest of us and have a job and buy a house. We now know from Governor Romney [that] he joins Obama. Obama is Big Food Stamp. Hes Little Food Stamp. But they both thing food stamps are OK. I dont think food stamps are a future for America. They are a necessary bridge back to getting a job and back to being independent of the government.

Georgia Judge Orders Obama off the Ballot ALERT: Barack Hussein Obama has just LOST
his FIRST EVER Constitutional eligibility hearing!

YOU READ THAT RIGHT Barack Obama FAILED to appear before by a State Judge in Georgia to defend against charges that he is NOT ELIGIBLE to be on the Presidential Primary ballot in March. Now the judge is preparing to order Obama to be KICKED OFF THE BALLOT there because its been proven hes NOT a natural-born citizen! THIS IS IT THE BEGINNING OF THE END FOR THE GREAT PRETENDER SITTING IN THE OVAL OFFICE! The judge is set to make his final ruling by February 4th. An insider who had access to the lawyers involved in the case yesterday REPORTED: Judge Malihi talked to the attorneys in chambers before the hearing this morning and told them that he was going to enter a DEFAULT JUDGMENT against Obama and recommend that Obamas name not be on the Georgia ballot The Georgia SOS has already indicated that he will follow the judges recommendation. That means that Obama will not get any popular vote or electors from the great state of Georgia!

AND THEN, on February 3rd. GEORGIA JUDGE MALIHI UNDER SIEGE

HTTP://ATLAH.ORG/

Georgia Judge Malihi decides to keep Barack Hussein on the Georgia Ballot. Recorded on 3 February 2012. Length: 8:13

www.ProvisionProperties.com

Cemetery Research Group

WWW.CRGHENRY.ORG

www.henrycountybeekeepers.org

or for

more

information call 770-473-5434

Joanie Scott wrote: There is no such

thing as a "Moderate" or an "Independent". Those who claim to be are cowards who refuse to take a stand for whatever principles they may hold. Take a side. Socialism or Freedom. Contact Nicole Curry

Dmcur1@bellsouth.net

YOUR VOICE
Henry County Beekeepers
Learn about how to become a Beekeeper
Most beekeepers are in it for the honey, although others maintain colonies of bees to pollinate crops, or for the beeswax, propolis, pollen or royal jelly. But did you know it is a great Family Hobby? Join us on Saturday, February 25, 2012, 8:00 A.M., Public Safety Building Community Room, 116 Zack Hinton Parkway South, McDonough, Georgia, when the Henry County Beekeepers club will host a Beginner Beekeeping Short Course.

If you write on your Facebook page that you are intentionally not discussing politics in an effort to "keep the peace" and not cause conflict, then you are selfcensoring yourself because of some perceived pressure. My guess is that pressure comes from the Left because if you were MY "friend on FB, I would never, ever discourage you from speaking your mind. If your not brave enough to recognize this and reject it, I have no respect for you. Our Republic is at stake.

2012 Spring Meeting February 18 at

HTTP://WWW.GABEEKEEPING.COM/MEETING.HTML

Coweta County Fairgrounds & Conference Center 275 Pine Road, Newnan GA
The GBA Spring program will be held at the Coweta County Fairgrounds and Conference Center on Saturday February 18 in Newnan, Georgia. This one day program will bring beekeepers up to date with the latest regulations by the Georgia Dept. of Agriculture for Honey House Inspections, Having a Successful Local Bee Club, YouTube Beekeeping, Getting Involved with Local farm Markets, plus more.

To print out the registration application, go to our Internet website at www.henrycountybeekeepers.org or for more information call 770-473-5434.

Dr. Malcolm Stanford will be our key note speaker. Dr. Sanford is the

Professor Emeritus at the University of Florida. He has been published extensively in the apiculture press including the journals Bee Culture and American Bee Journal. He has been the newsletter author for over twenty years at Ohio State University and the University of Florida, writing on beekeeping management. He is the Coordinator of the Apis Information Resource Center and author of The Apis Newsletter. He has been a beekeeping management consultant in Egypt, Italy, France, Chile, Ecuador, Iraq, and Mexico. He lives in Florida. Several beekeeping supply companies will be attending with all the essentials you need for your beekeeping business. Great door prizes and lunch is included in your registration. Pre-registration (before 2/13/2012)

for road improvement. Cobb County is having a fierce internal issue over rail, but that battle in and of itself is progress. Ten years ago, the debate would have been considered settled before it even began. Atlantas exurbs, however, do not want transit, and will oppose the T-SPLOST. Their residents are generally anti-tax, and it would be doubtful that many would vote for a regional tax if it were just for roads. Many residents feel the T-SPLOST is just a vehicle to expand transit into their communities and will oppose it on that ground alone. Problems within the design of the program became clear this week when the model for governance of a regional transit program was revealed. Fulton and DeKalb residents were surprised to learn that despite their $6 Billion investment in transit and their continued payment of a one cent tax above the T-SPLOST to pay for MARTA, they will lose control of the board that governs regional transit to suburban interests which still oppose transit. They are asked to trust the state will still fund MARTA adequately. This is the same state that currently provides no transit funding, and has a political power structure that is adamantly anti-transit. In order to make transit acceptable to the suburbs, a governance model has been proposed that is frankly, insulting to those who have invested in and constructed the systems core over the past 40 years. To appease one bloc of voters within the Atlanta region, another bloc is offended. Finding the calculus to get to 51% of the vote remains a long shot.

Individual $25.00 Family $35.00 Individual $30.00 Family $40.00

Registration after 2/13/2012

Nonmember Registration $40.00

Atlanta T-SPLOST As Seen By Rural Georgia

Read the entire article at PEACH PUNDIT: HTTP://WWW.PEACHPUNDIT.COM/2012/02/02/ ATLANTA-T-SPLOST-AS-SEEN-BY-RURAL-GEORGIA/ [W]hile many in central and south Georgia may look at Atlanta as a single entity, it remains a region at war with itself. The central city is urban and transit dependent. The state, quite notably, does not contribute to MARTA funding at all, however. MARTA is the largest such transit system in the country that does not receive support from the state in which it operates. The suburbs are also divided among themselves. The inner and more populous counties have urbanized quite a bit over the past few decades. Gwinnett and Clayton counties are much more receptive to transit solutions than they were a decade or so ago, but also face immediate needs

Give Me Your Money in the Name of Jesus RED STATE posted by Breeanne Howe
This morning, in the middle of his National Prayer Breakfast speech, President Obama delighted those of us who love irony by quoting C.S. Lewis. It was an interesting moment in a speech that put forth the notion that taxing the wealthy is right in line with the teachings of Jesus. I mean, Jesus did hang out with tax collectors, right? The idea that government welfare is somehow the fulfillment of Jesus teaching on charity is a

common misconception that many people make, Christians included, and its the main reason that liberals believe conservatives are Christian hypocrites. Perhaps if the president visited church more often than only during campaign seasons, he might not be so confused. See, not only do we spend time praising God in church, we also gain insight from our pastors who have surely spent more time in the word of God than we have. While Obama may have been correct in saying that government mandated, shared responsibility is equal to the Islamic belief that those whove been blessed have an obligation to use those blessings to help others, he is incorrect to group in Jesus teaching, for unto whom much is given, much shall be required. Aside from the fact that Jesus was discussing requirements from God, not the government, he was actually teaching his disciples that they were stewards of Gods gift of Revelation. Their requirement was to spread the good news of Jesus Christ. Its the crux of Christianity that Obama seems to miss. Jesus came because we are imperfect. We could never fulfill all the requirements that the Pharisees loved to lord over the people. Jesus coming ended the rule of law and the began the acceptance that our only way to God was through Him. Yes, Jesus very much emphasized the importance of giving to the poor, but as a reaction in joy to what weve been given; not because of a law. Giving out of obligation is not truly giving, its merely following the rules. Just ask anyone whos ever written a check to pay their taxes, I doubt youd find them excited. The Bible also teaches that everything we have, including money, belongs to God. We are called to be good stewards with His money. The government is the epitome of mismanaging money. If you truly want to help the poor, you should probably seek out charities; but that would require a bit of work on the part of the giver and a great many find it easier to just let the government run every aspect of their lives. So it is that WELFARE MONEY ends up spitting out of strip club ATMs, and those same people who paid their charity to the government wonder why government hasnt solved the issue. Perhaps they should ask the 27 Democrats who voted against stopping welfare checks from being used at strip clubs, casinos and liquor stores. Another highlight in Obamas speech was his

proud proclamation that his administration has partnered with Catholic charities to help those in poverty. I wonder if those charities are among the ones begging the Obama administration, to no avail, to change the recent ObamaCare edict REQUIRING them to cover birth control costs in their healthcare even though it is against their religious beliefs to do so. Really, slapping them across the face would take less time and probably hurt less. Read more:
HTTP://WWW.REDSTATE.COM/BREEANNEH/2012/02/02

/GIVE-ME-YOUR-MONEY-IN-THE-NAME-OF-JESUS/

FRATERNAL ORDER OF POLICE HENRY COUNTY LODGE 95

Henry County FOP Lodge 95 has not currently endorsed any candidates for the upcoming Henry County Commissioner races. Currently, we are not in favor of endorsing any of the incumbents. Henry County Police Officers are not officially supporting any incumbent commissioners. Officers haven't gotten raises in 5 years, instead, the Commissioners have given them furlough days and uniform requisitions are cut by 2/3.

Very Possible Obama Will Bow Out of Presidential Race

In an interview with conservative radio icon Sean Hannity, former President Clinton adviser and campaign manager Dick Morris stated that, after speaking with a Democratic strategist, he thinks it is very possible that President

Obama might acquiesce to requests from the Democratic leadership in Congress and bow out of the 2012 race, leaving the door open for him to return sometime in the future. I asked a top Democratic strategist the other day and he thought that it was possible that, in January, Harry Reid comes to Obama and says, Look you cost us control of the House last year, youre going to cost us control of the Senate this year. For the good of the party you have to step aside said Morris. And, then, (Obama) pulls a Lyndon Johnson, he says Im fighting to solve the recession, and problem is because of partisanship and my reelection people reject everything I say because of partisanship, so Im going to not run for president and focus my full time attention on solving this recession and then go out popular, Morris added. POST CONTINUES ON WWW.CNSNEWS.COM

caucuses - Nevada (28 delegates), Maine (24 delegates), Colorado (36 delegates), Minnesota (40 delegates) and Washington (43 delegates) and two primaries, Arizona (29 delegates) and Michigan (30 delegates). The five caucuses (before being apportioned) decide just 171 delegates. The primaries decide just 59. The total is 230 delegates - if all the contests were winner-take all. With the single exception of Arizona, they are not. Instead, states apportion between the winner and the other candidates receiving votes. For example, if Governor Romney wins all of the caucuses in the same margins as he did in 2008 (and they were healthy margins), he would only have 135 delegates. Basically, none of the candidates will have much more than about 200 delegates coming into Super Tuesday - less than 20% of the delegates needed to win the nomination with 39 states plus territories to go. Then comes March 6, 2012 - Super Tuesday when eleven states decide. Caucuses will be held in Alaska, Idaho, and North Dakota. Combined, those states pick 87 delegates. To put that number in context, Georgia alone picks 76 delegates. The other big GOP delegate prizes on Super Tuesday are Ohio (with 66 delegates); Tennessee (58 delegates); Virginia (49 delegates); Oklahoma (43 delegates); Massachusetts (41 delegates); Vermont (17 delegates); and Wyoming (29 delegates). In all, on Super Tuesday, 542 delegates are at play - almost 5 times the number selected to date. By the time Super Tuesday is over, 23 states will have held either caucuses or primaries. To say that Super Tuesday will have a major impact, if not decide the GOP nomination, would be a gross understatement. There are a few possibilities for Super Tuesday. One possibility is that a single candidate wins all of the Super Tuesday states - unlikely. The more likely scenario is that the states split. If that happens, the main focus will be on Ohio, Tennessee, Oklahoma, and GEORGIA. A sweep of these four states would be big. They represent

THE MATH OF THE GOP NOMINATION

By Randy Evans For all the 2012 GOP candidates, it is the math that makes securing the nomination so complicated. There will be 2,165 delegates to the Republican National Convention in August in Tampa, Florida. In order to win the Republican Nomination, a Presidential candidate must have 1,144 delegates. To put this in perspective, only 112 delegates (less than 10%) have been won. In fact, the candidate with the most delegates (former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney) has only 71 delegates. This seems rather amazing given all of the media attention so far. From the Iowa caucuses to the Florida primary seems like an eternity for most voters, yet there are still 46 more states (plus American territories) to go. Already, there have been more swings than the crazy boat ride at White Water park. Just when the media thinks things are sewn up, voters send the signal that they are not done yet. Between the Florida Primary (held on January 31, 2012) and Super Tuesday, there will be five

243 delegates - likely more than any one candidate will have heading into Super Tuesday. Even then, it is a long way from locking down the nomination. Just four days after Super Tuesday, on March 10, 2012, there are caucuses in Guam (9 delegates), Kansas (40 delegates) and the Virgin Islands (9 delegates). Then, on March 13, 2012, there are more southern primaries in Alabama (50 delegates) and Mississippi (40 delegates) and caucuses in Hawaii (20 delegates) and American Samoa (9 delegates). Then the pace really picks up. During the balance of March, there are 3 primaries. In April, there are 9 with the biggest prize being Texas with a whopping 155 delegates. In all, 484 delegates are selected in April. May has 7 primaries with the biggest prize being California with another whopping number - 172 delegates. In all, 276 delegates get picked in May. The last GOP primary is on June 26, 2012 in Utah. In 2008, the Democratic nomination contest between Senator Barack Obama and Senator Hillary Clinton extended into June. It ended up being 'Super delegates' that put Senator Obama over the top. (Super delegates are delegates by status, like party chairs, not election.) Senator Clinton did not formally end her bid for the Democratic nomination until June 7, 2008 four days after winning the South Dakota primary. It is always possible that the Republicans might not pick their nominee until they reach the Convention. Insiders call this a 'brokered convention.' Basically, there are around 412 Super delegates (which means they could put a candidate over the top or decide to be kingmakers at the Convention). While cable news producers dream of a 'brokered convention,' it is very unlikely. Instead, look for Georgia and the other Super Tuesday states to set the stage for a GOP nominee. Now where did that prediction appear first?

NEVADA WITH NEWT

I pledge to you, in the tradition of our founding document, if you help me next Tuesday, and if with your help I become the nominee, and as nominee we decisively defeat the Left at every level, at President, at House, at Senate, and local governments. That I will give you for as long as I am allowed to serve, my life, my fortune, and my sacred honor. Together, we are going to give our grandchildren the country they deserve, not the country that's currently decaying. - Newt Gingrich
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VIRGINIA vs GOP! Vote Paul Today; Vote Newt in NOV!

Only 49 States to Go!

Hooray for Florida!
I-95 will be jammed for the next month or so...Druggies and deadbeats heading North out of Florida. Florida is the first state requiring drug testing to receive welfare! Hooray for Florida! In signing the new law, Republican Gov. Rick Scott said, "If Floridians want welfare, they better make sure they are drug-free. Applicants who test positive for illicit substances won't be eligible for the funds for a year, or until they undergo treatment. Those who fail a second time would be banned from receiving funds for three years. It's completely legal that every working person has to pass drug tests in order to get a J-O-B which supports those on welfare!

Ann Coulters COLUMN DEFENDING ROMNEYCARE. Mark Levin offers the definitive rebuttal, WHICH YOU CAN LISTEN TO HERE, but there is a point that too few are making that needs to be made. It relates to the dangers associated with supporting Mitt Romney and Ann Coulters column is exhibit A on why supporting Romney portends disaster for the conservative movement. There is no need to FISK Anns column line by line. Ill only quote the first paragraph, which is If only the Democrats had decided to socialize the food industry or housing, Romneycare would probably still be viewed as a massive triumph for conservative free-market principles as it was at the time. I love Ann. She is brilliant. In fact, she is too brilliant to think that Romneycare is a massive triumph for conservative free-market principles. It is free market economics 101 that a free market requires that individuals have the right to opt-out of a transaction. In other words, zero must be contemplated in the equation. Consider it A NULL FUNCTION. When individuals are, through state power, forced to opt-in to a transaction as individuals are forced to buy health care as a condition of breathing in Massachusetts, it is inherently not free market because a free market depends on the freedom to not purchase. Forcing demand is more akin to the keynesian economics Obama is pushing, not Milton Friedman or Adam Smith. But it also is not conservative. As Mark Levin notes in his monologue, when the state whether it is a nation or one of the fifty states can force an individual to engage in commerce it upends the relationship between the individual and the state. The conservative view of government is that the individual is supreme. The socialist view is that the state is supreme for the betterment of the collective. In other words, in Ann Coulters first paragraph she calls Romneycare both free-market and conservative, when any intellectually honest review of the facts would have no choice but to conclude it is neither. She confuses federalism and conservatism. Certainly, in our federal system, a state has plenary power to do as it

RED STATE
Posted by ERICK ERICKSON

DANGER WILL ROBINSON . . . OR ANN COULTER

The point I try to make is that the conservative movement is going through a necessary transition after the Bush years. YOU CAN READ THE WHOLE THING HERE but a really relevant part is here: The internecine fights we are witnessing are about a conservative movement starting to separate itself again from Republican Party. Unfortunately, neither of the front runners have legitimate conservative integrity to claim the banner of conservative movement leader, but they will both try. Romney will hold the banner for conservatives within the GOP and Gingrich will hold the banner of the traditional alliance of conservatives with the GOP. I see this playing out in, of all things, my friend

wishes except for those powers it chose, in adopting our federal constitution, to cede to the federal government. But just because something is federalist does not make it conservative. To use an analogy based on hyperbole as Ann does in her column, under the constitutions of one of the fifty states that state could constitutionally require all people buy a copy of the Communist Manifesto. It would be arguably permissible under the concept of vertical federalism, but it sure would not be conservative. Delete Communist Manifesto and insert health insurance and you have Romneycare. During the Bush years, conservatives all too often sided with the Republican Party rather than their own principles. AS I NOTE IN THIS WEEKS TIME: By the time George W. Bush arrived in Washington, the conservative movement had fully moved within the Republican Party. Conservative Democrats had walked across the aisle making bipartisan outreach unnecessary. By the mid-point of George Bushs Presidency, people were talking non-ironically about big government conservatives, which prior to Bill Clintons term would have been merely Republicans who put party ahead of principle. As George Bush left office, conservatives who had seen his father put David Souter on the Supreme Court were championing Harriet Miers, fighting each other over immigration policy, supporting TARP, were okay with saving General Motors, and turning a polite blind eye to Bushs claim that he had to kill the free market to save it. Leaders and strong voices within the conservative movement have an obligation to speak up in favor of, so to speak, true north within conservative principles and then leave it to the politicians to decide how far away from true north they must drift to build a coalition to enact policy. Debasing ourselves with silly defenses of Republicans along with a willingness to put party politics ahead of principle will, yet again, see voters rejecting conservatives. Groups like the American Conservative Union, the Heritage

Foundation, etc. have all made mistakes and have usually had to repent. But in making those mistakes, they have opened up both conservatives and the Republican Party to temptation and temerity that ultimately caused collapse at the polls or ceding issues in debates. Look at the Heritage Foundation and healthcare mandates. Look at the Republican politicians who expand the federal governments budget while hiding behind their ACU rating as proof that they are conservative. The conservative movement has been sick for the past decade. The further it became absorbed within the Republican Party, the less it could shine with conservative ideas. It compromised with itself because it had become part of the Republican Party and was as much about the acquisition of political power as it was about advocating particular policy. I am afraid supporting Mitt Romney will undo a lot of the repairs made to the conservative movement in the past few years. Already people are defending inherently not conservative ideas by calling them conservative. Already people are too willing to keep their mouth shut to do no harm to the party and, in the process, are doing harm to the intellectual capital built up within the conservative movement. Ann Coulters defense of Romneycare, released on the same day Romney rejected years of conservative arguments against the social safety net and the welfare state, is a canary in the coal mine. We are returning to that point where the voters decided they could no longer trust conservatives to be principled.

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