Newt Gingrich Lies To God and Me

Washington Post

Newt Gingrich has on multiple occasions sworn oaths before God to uphold the Constitution of the United States of America.

That doesn't stop him from taking the decidedly unconstitutional stand that federal judges should be removed from office for rendering decisions out of step with popular opinion and forced to justify their decisions to Congress. He also favors abolishing specific courts whose opinions he doesn't like. 

I figure if Newt would lie to God over and over again he wouldn't hesitate to lie to me.

Herman Gingrich and Newt Cain

Now let me get this straight. . . .

Herman Cain's GOP presidential campaign is off ther rails because of alleged sexual pecadilloes. At the same time, Newt Gingrich -- whose last two wives were his girlfriends while he was married -- rises in the polls.

On second thought I think that's too much to untwist.

No, the UK is Not a Democracy

The Brits were in a dither over who's going to run the country because they operate within a semi-feudal-anachronism rather than an honest-to-goodness democracy like ours.

Look at the facts:

The people are called "subjects" rather than "citizens" and never in their history have they been allowed to vote for their nation's leader. Instead, the head of government is selected by a handful of politicians and a hereditary monarch.

Without a vote of the people, the political party in power can swap out the head of government simply by choosing a new leader and any time it wants

There is no written constitution.

Some legislators are barred by law from voting on specific issues. Others are selected by the above-mentioned hereditary monarch and cannot be removed from office.

If the UK didn't possess nuclear weapons I might propose the U.S. invade and bring its people American-Style democracy.

Stealing From Obama

Barack Obama has offered just one thing during his run for the Democratic presidential nomination: the hope for change in the nation's political leadership.

That's pretty much all he offers at this point, but it is no small thing. He is different in many ways and his idealism seems sincere. He does not carry the baggage of years and years going along to get along.

That makes his opponents' sudden adoption of his theme so patently cynical. "Wow," they say, "that change thing of Obama's worked pretty well in Iowa, so maybe I should be for change, too."

There are legitimate reasons to vote for other candidates. But their me-too assumption of Obama's theme simply shores up his claim that he alone offers fresh leadership and new thinking.

Free Scooter: Vote Democratic

The White House says there is no talk on the Bush team of a pardon for convicted perjurer I. Lewis Libby.

Any kind of pardon is out of the question before the 2008 election. And a full pardon at any time by Bush, something that would wipe out the conviction itself, would confirm the White House threw Scooter to the wolves.

But a Democratic president could pardon Libby and come out ahead.

It would be impossible for anyone to claim self-interest or campaign money were involved in the decision, contentions that played heck with Bill Clinton’s image after his pardon of billionaire fugitive Marc Rich., half-brother Roger and pal Susan McDougal.

And by describing Libby as guilty, but also a victim of his evil bosses’ machinations, a Democratic president would appear statesman-like and compassionate.

Sure, the editorial page of The Wall Street Journal would argue the pardon was granted solely to keep the stench of a GOP-bred scandal fresh in the nostrils of voters for as long as possible. But most people would see that factor as nothing more than an unfortunate side of effect of making sure justice prevailed.

Right?

Barack Obama and Foreign Policy

The news media should stop using foreign policy experience as a factor when judging Barack Obama's viability as a presidential candidate.

The last president with any pre-election credentials in that arena was George H.W. Bush, who earned them as the director of central intelligence, UN ambassador and chief of the liason office to the Peoples Republic of China. And it was domestic issues, not foreign relations, that saw him out of office after one term.

Prior to Bush's election in 1989, the last president with important international political experience was Dwight D. Eisenhower, first elected in 1952 and the former supreme commander of allied armies in Europe during World War II.

While increasingly important in today's world, expertise in foreign relations has always been a secondary consideration for American voters when choosing a president. None of the other candidates on the political stage today have meaningful international experience so raising it as an issue in Obama's case is unfair.

Truth and Consequences for Joe Biden

Joseph Biden was correct when he said Barack Obama is the first viable African-American presidential candidate. It is equally correct to say that his mush-mouthed way of making that point demonstrates Joseph Biden is not a viable presidential candidate.

Hillary's Contribution to History

Will Hillary Rodham Clinton will be elected president of the United States? I'm on the fence.

Here's Why Not:
The women's vote will go against her because she is hanging in there with Bill and the visceral notion that a woman won't be strong enough.

Here's Why:
She is brilliant, seasoned, tough and credentialed. The other announced Democratic candidates are just trying to position themselves as players and voters see that. She also has one of the most popular presidents in American history on her side.

The Republicans? McCain is too old so it's a Bob Dole election for the GOP.

Hillary's Contribution:
She will be noted as the first credible female candidate for the presidency. And that's just a start.

Women in Power

The most interesting facet of Nancy Pelosi's election as Speaker of the House of Representatives is that she is now second in line of succession to the presidency.

If Hillary Clinton is elected the 44th president, the two most powerful elected officials in the most powerful nation in the world will be women.