I have Always Said: "It's The Economy, Stupid!" Now Democrats Are Planning Their First Hit On John McCain On It.

The question is: how much of the weak economy can be blamed on John McCain -- or President Bush -- or will the voters only care that they are both Republicans?

Time, like always, will tell.

A Question Of John McCain's Temper: REAL Or Made Up?

Washington Post seems to suggest it is real.

And if so, will it "BADGER" John McCain this November?

Sigh. John McCain says our problems are "psychological".

Someone needs to get John McCain some BETTER talking points.

Senator John McCain Will Make His First Visit To Kentucky Next Week. Details To Follow.

Senator John McCain, the Republican Party nominee for President will make his FIRST visit to Kentucky next week. No details have been released, though the visit will be on Wednesday and to Inez.

As soon as more details are released by his campaign, they will be posted here.

On Tax Day, John McCain Promises A Flat Tax If Elected. I Say: GREAT. Now He Needs To Promise To Rid Us Of The IRS.

John McCain is making a speech on the economy in Pittsburgh (I'll embed later). One of the first things he has promised is that we will be offered a choice of a flat tax or the current tax.

I say GREAT on the flat tax idea.

But he needs to promise to rid of us of the IRS, too.

CONDI WANTS THE VP

My DC sources are saying don't believe the denials, Condi Rice badly wants the VP slot from McCain.
No surprise there, Rice is a determined Beltway inside player and has no interest in going back to her old job at Standford to teach Conversational Russian 101.

The fact that she's going for VP, and not hoping to be named to an appointive job in the McCain administration is an interesting reflection on the Bush dynasty and how far it has sunk. They are desperate to get one theirs in with McCain ASAP and they can't trust waiting for January.

George W. surrounded himself in the White House with suck-ups from his Austin days like Harriet Miers and Margaret Spellings ,et al. None of them are going to be asked to stick around by McCain or anyone else. The most talented Bushies, such as Jeb and his son George P. are not in a good position to find a top job in DC right now, either. So that leaves the polished and presentable Rice carrying the Bush banner, trying to force her way onto the McCain ticket.

My guess is though, McCain will be respectful but say no thanks. Rice would prove a weak running mate. She is responsible for a lot of the Bush administration's problems and has no policy success of her own to trumpet. She brings no states to the mix, and has no cross-over appeal for any Democrats, especially black voters. And being a social liberal, she doesn't help fortify any conservative votes.

Having never run for public office, I don't think she could handle the give and take of a rough campaign, either.

Better get out that Russian grammar book and start preparing your syllabus, Professor Rice.

Republican Columnist Takes Party To Task, Advocates "A New 'Third Way' Alternative To Partsan Political Gridlock".

Courier Journal Columnist, John David Dyche, has penned a column where he takes his Republican Party to task for its aversion to taxes, not withstanding dire need. You can read the column here.

Some excerpts:

... Being anti-tax at the federal level is completely consistent with conservative, and constitutional, principles. The national government is supposed to be one of limited powers, but now grossly exceeds them. Its bloated bureaucracy poorly performs functions that under federalism, to which conservatives at least pay lip service, should be state responsibilities.

It is, therefore, perfectly consistent with conservative principles for one to advocate for smaller government and lower taxes in Washington, but at the same time support bigger government and higher taxes in Frankfort. Some, like state Rep. Jim DeCesare, R-Bowling Green, nonetheless suggest that only ultra-liberals could back a budget containing a cigarette tax hike. ...

Kentucky formerly featured more philosophical diversity among its Republican politicians. Many will argue that is the very reason why the GOP was so long in the minority. Perhaps aggressively pairing an inflexible anti-tax stance with fundamentalist Christian positions on social issues is the key to a renaissance of Republican political success.

But nothing in the conservative intellectual tradition requires any such linkage. And little, if anything, in Kentucky's quality of life or future prospects proves that the commonwealth is better off because of it.

This stagnant state is in desperate need of a new "third way" alternative to its current partisan political gridlock. Pragmatic Republicans with the courage to reclaim real conservatism from the misguided ideology that has consumed it can point the way.

As many of you know, I have consistently said on the issue of "sin" taxes, that they do not bother this Conservative; and I have even gone far enough to defend Governor Steve Beshear's call for .75 cigarette tax, if the tax revenue generated thereby will be used to address issues associated with smoking.

And I have also consistently argued that we have too many in the Republican Party who are NOT REAL Conservatives, but who think that Conservatism means anti-gay, anti-abortion and anti-tax.

Granted taxes should be imposed as a LAST resort, after spending is curtailed, and gay and abortion issues are equally important, but REAL Conservatism goes beyond those issues.

Sometimes, it is acceptable to raise taxes to address problems that CANNOT be addressed otherwise. If you think that just because the legislature doesn't raise your taxes, that you pay less, think again.

All forms of taxes are imposed on citizens in the benign or hidden form of INCREASED fees and costs.

A tax by any other name is STILL a tax, folks! Believe it or not.

So whether a "third [party] alternative" consisting of "pragmatic Republicans with the courage to reclaim real conservatism from the misguided ideology that has consumed it" is the panacea is open to debate.

You can guess on which side I stand should that debate take place.

Alan Greenspan Endorses John McCain, A Man He Respects.

This endorsement from the former federal reserve chairman, Alan Greenspan, will do much to improve his economic creds.

John McCain Speaks The TRUTH To IDOTS, Says Barack "Obama 'Absolutely' Qualified To Be President".

Enough said.

John McCain is "absolutely" a REAL man, an AMAZING man of integrity.

And you know what the naysayers are, don't you?

Update: John McCain And African American Voters, And A Visit To Lorraine Motel In Memphis Tennessee.

A few days back I wrote about John McCain's possible visit to the Loraine Motel, where Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., was martyred.

Read that post.

Well, today he made that possible visit a REALITY. Watch the videos below:





We MUST give it to John McCain; it takes a MAN to admit his past mistake (Note to John McCain: having a Black Man hold the umbrella for you, probably did NOT bode well for the occasion.

Also, we think it irresponsible for John McCain to NOT have secret service protection. We hope he relents and gets one.

John McCain And African American Voters.

Will African Americans "shy away" from John McCain, or has he made amends?

That will be the question that will possibly confront John McCain, as he travels to Memphis, Tennessee, tomorrow and when he presumably stops by the Loraine Motel to pay homage to the late Right Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. .

John McCain wants to distance himself from the Bush Presidency, but ...

... will he be successful in doing so? That is the question.