Last night's debate--anything electable?

Ryan, Romney, Nadler and Schiff 4 peas in a pod

The panic is building in both parties; Trump has completely upset the gentlemen's agreement that was Washington DC. Ryan and Romney are flummoxed. What will be the next impeachment staged play starring the vaudeville team of Nadler and Schiff? Where is the next woman hiding who remembers Kavanaugh from 30 years ago? What will be the next Democrat candidate carrot--free cars for everyone? Two ponies for every child? All high school students get an automatic PHD and guaranteed government think tank job? Free tummy tucks and eye-lid lifts for anyone over 45--why should only the rich benefit?

What a sore, sour loser! Stacey Abrams

“This is not a concession speech,” Ms. Abrams said, delivering a fiery speech to supporters saying the voting process was poisoned from the start by Republicans — and in particular Mr. Kemp, who had been secretary of state until he resigned after the election.

He led by 60,000 votes, well over the number needed to avoid a run-off.  If every time a black and/or female candidate loses and she cries foul, what happens if there are two black candidates?  Doesn’t someone have to lose?

Considering Abrams’ socialist stance and Georgia’s traditional conservative views, Kemp should be embarrassed that his lead wasn’t greater.

https://amp.washingtontimes.com/news/2018/nov/16/brian-kemp-wins-georgia-governors-race/

NPR snarked that African Americans fought “only decades ago” for the right to vote and is playing fast and lose with history.  That was 50 + years ago and it was the Democrat Party that had special rules for blacks to votes, like counting beans in a jar.  If any election season showed why every voter needs to have ID it’s what has happened in Florida, Texas and Georgia. The Democrats are still acting as though blacks aren’t smart enough to follow the rules.  These recounts with people trying to figure out the “intention” of the voter are ridiculous.

https://www.npr.org/2018/11/16/668753230/democrat-stacey-abrams-ends-bid-for-georgia-governor-decrying-suppression

They are all progressives and authoritarians

"If you value classical liberalism/conservatism, you have to be very uncomfortable with the choices you are faced with this year - there are no good ones. Here are my personal rankings in order of unacceptability:

1. None of the below/not voting: guarantees you have to live with some other idiot's choice - and idiots do vote...early and often.

 2. Jill Stein: full-on red diaper doper baby, Bernie Sanders with a vagina and a bad attitude (but a much better haircut).

 3. Hillary Clinton: crony socialist corruptocratic criminal machine politician - should be rocking a jail cell instead of a five star hotel room right now.

 4. Gary Johnson: Liberalitarian statist pothead - possibly high right now, dude.

 5. Donald Trump: crony capitalist influence peddler - has Tourettes and possible brain damage from his Studio 54 days

Folks, they are all progressives and authoritarians of some degree. There is not a single "smaller government" candidate among them. I know many will say "Trump will eliminate many departments!" but if you listen to his proposals and what he claims to want to do, there will be a need for just as many, if not more, government agencies to administer his "policies."

Mike Pence is Trump's conservative "beard" (the Urban Dictionary defines a "beard" as "Any opposite sex escort taken to an event in an effort to give a homosexual person the appearance of being out on a date with a person of the opposite sex"). Many have bought it but this Trump guy is just as progressive as Bill Clinton.

What a shame it is that the most acceptable candidate for classical liberals/conservatives must be chosen because he is the least unacceptable - but to do otherwise will make for a much bigger disaster for America."  Michael Smith

Yes, Mike, what a shame.

Looking over the possibilities for 2012

Bachmann
Bolton
Ryan and Cain

Perry
Pawlenty
Thune and Paul

God bless them all.

Wide-Open GOP Presidential Field Spurs Dark Horses - WSJ.com

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My current choice

Harris Sherline has an editorial at American Daughter about the choices Republicans have at this point in the 2008 campaign. Romney is the only one I'd support. So I left this comment.

I realize there are no perfect candidates, but here's how I make my choice. No womanizers who will have constant stories being leaked to the press from the angry ex's and the other party; no one with cancer, even in remission, because the stress of the campaign could cause it to return and then we'll either have the wife or the Veep running the country; no one who has deserted his wife and married money. That only leaves Romney of the top contenders. This is a problem, not for me, but some Republicans are living in the 19th century. So maybe we need to also look and see if the bench is deeper than we think. Someone who will be realistic about our borders and illegals; someone who will do some of the fiscal things Bush promised, like fixing SS; someone who understands terrorism isn't going to go away with nicey talk; someone who has character, charm and a good television presence just for those voters who never look any further. Someone like Tom Tancredo.

My candidate has a plan

All the others want is a vacation.

[from Taranto's column] The Associated press asked the candidates for president what they would most like to have if stranded on a desert island. Here are the responses:

Joe Biden, Dennis Kucinich, Duncan Hunter and Mitt Romney said they'd bring their wives. (Notably, Hillary Clinton did not say she'd bring her husband.)

Mrs. Clinton, John Edwards, Barack Obama and John McCain all said books. Rudy Giuliani said "books and music."

Chris Dodd said "coffee with cream and sugar."

Sam Brownback said a tarp.

Mike Huckabee said a "laptop with satellite reception."

Tom Tancredo said a boat.

Bill Richardson said "BlackBerry and a Davidoff cigar."

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Rosie's anti-Catholic, anti-Christian tirades

She's gone from The View (although probably not from view), but I don't think her virulently anti-Christian, bigoted remarks are the reason. A new columnist for the St. Louis Dispatch, commented on the long term affects of the Catholic compromise beginning with JFK in her February 2007 piece. So I doubt that they really bombarded Barbara Walters and Disney with their anger:

"What role should a Catholic politician's faith play in his governing decisions? After dominating U.S. headlines during the 2004 presidential contest between Catholic Senator John Kerry and Methodist President George W. Bush, the question has emerged again. The midterm elections of 2006 swept pro-choice Catholic Senator Nancy Pelosi into the third-highest position in the U.S. government, cost the pro-life movement more than a dozen House and Senate seats, and found Catholic voters migrating back to the Democratic Party despite its staunch support for legal abortion. Pro-choice Catholic and former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani has informally launched a presidential bid, as has pro-life Catholic Senator Sam Brownback. And the U.S. bishops recently released a statement affirming that Catholics must uphold Church teaching in public life if they wish to receive Communion." Collen Carroll Campbell

If there's a group wimpier than Republicans, it has to be Christians. The PC chat that a Lutheran pastor gave at the VA Tech memorial clearly demonstrates that.