My Soft Side.

I usually don't get caught up with emotion much. There is usually a time and place to catch a man getting a lil' choked up. After reading this upbeat story, I couldn't help myself.

Even though this is a scenario set up among two teams, the reward outweighs that immensely. It takes you a step back from the competition and superficial life, and it puts events like having a fine young person who happens to have Down's Syndrome score a touchdown into a great perspective. It is moments like these the define everyone involved from the players, coaches, and parents. I applaud the fine men and women who took a simple gesture that meant the world to this young lad.

Political Hero!!!

This man is my new favorite politician. For those who know me, I want to see if you know why!

Edit: Space saver for this blog!!!

Health Care Disastor

I am usually pretty open-minded. I don't really buy into the Health Care scare tactics that the left or the right spits out. I just read this article, and I must say I turned full on against health care reform. Before there was a cloud of skepticism, but no there is no way in hell I can support the Gubmint getting their hands anywhere near my health care.

I will concede the article is UK based but it is still not changing my view.

Here is a snippet from the article:

Miss Capewell, 23, said doctors refused to even see her son Jayden, who lived for almost two hours without any medical support.

She said he was breathing unaided, had a strong heartbeat and was even moving his arms and legs, but medics refused to admit him to a special care baby unit.

Sad. Truly pathetic, and sad.

With Regards to the Obama School Speech...

I personally feel that you can do with your kids anyway you wish to. If it were my kids, I would NOT take them out of class. I would let them go and then we can talk about what the president said around the dinner table.

I do have a problem though with teachers using this as a platform to promote certain ideas. There has been some memo passed around the blogosphere that suggests what the teachers are going to talk about--not sure about the authenticity of the memo though. I don't feel this is or should be a platform to discuss politics with young and impressionable students. That is the parents' job and should be avoided at all costs in a school setting.

More Republicans Entering the Fray...

As Obama's numbers drop, more Republicans feel the need to capitalize on the lost Hopeychangey promises that the current president lectured Americans on during the campaign and early stages of the Presidency.

The names being thrown around in the article are MSNBC morning host Joe Scarborough, General David Petraeus, Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels, Former Senator Rick Santorum, and Tennessee Senator Bob Corker. A list of other Republicans running for 2012 can be found by reading this.

It’s a fool’s errand to appraise whether any of these candidates — or the half-dozen other top-tier GOP possibilities — stand a chance in 2012. And top GOP strategists say they recognize that history gives them little chance of unseating Obama if the economy improves noticeably.

"The independents who were so critical will come back to the Republican Party when they realize, as they're coming to realize, that we're the ones that can be trusted both on the economy and on national security," she [Liz Cheney] said. "So the substance is a lot more important than: Is it this person? Is it that person?"

2012 will be about the economy and national security. I don't think there will be major social issues on the table outside of ethics. But with the economy being as unstable as ever, I think this is where a strong fiscal conservative can gain some major political capital. It also depends on where the media steers us with respect to how candidates view issues.

I will delve into the candidates a little further based on the articles writing and my personal opinion on them.

Scarborough:

As much as anything, it’s an expansive search for more options than there are at present, one that could yield a candidate as unorthodox as Scarborough, the youthful former congressman-turned-cable-TV-personality...

...Scarborough was mentioned as possible candidate for Senate seat in Florida earlier this year but told friends he was much happier hosting a popular television show and making money. Since then, he has emerged as a critic of Obama on government spending and other issues — but one who also prides himself in taking on his own party...

...“Morning Joe,” which reaches just under 500,000 viewers each day, is a strong platform for reaching voters and landing speeches before audiences of people who could vote for him or, more importantly, raise money for a presidential run. It’s also a great practice arena for getting up to speed on issues and testing ideas and lines that might one day resonate with voters.

The show could also hurt him. He has popped off on camera for hundreds of hours, giving any opponent plenty of footage to exploit. And what might make him appealing to a liberal donor in New York — his willingness to reason with opponents and buck his own party — would be appalling to many conservatives...

He is a center-right Republican that reaches into the Conservative spectrum at times--more moderate in a sense. He has good qualities: appeal, a national forum as a TV personality, and will be able to raise money. I don't think he has the ambition to go all the way, but who knows. I like that he will take on his own party, but like the article says, that may hurt him. He is attractive across the spectrum. My take is he needs the money to be a serious contender, and right now, does not have my ears.

Petraeus

"Well, I'd like to see Gen. Petraeus warm up,” Dole said. “I don't know anything about his politics, whether he has an interest. It's kind of a time for another Eisenhower, in my view."

This isn't the first time the popular general's name has been floated as a possible GOP savior — and it won't be the last. Petraeus has political impulses but hasn't revealed if they are conservative ones, and he might not even be a Republican.

The CFR’s Senor is skeptical, even though Petraeus would be an appealing candidate. “He has to be focused like a laser beam on Afghanistan,” Senor said. “If he is as successful in Afghanistan as he was in Iraq, nothing else matters, and he will instantly be considered a top-tier candidate for president.

“But in order to be successful, he has to work very closely and effectively inside this administration, and very loyally to the commander-in-chief. He’s going to work successfully with this administration, and then all of a sudden announce that he’s stepping down to run against the commander in chief under which he served? As a practical matter, that’s unlikely.”

The big thing for Petraeus is recognition. Could people pick him out of a series of pictures and identify him correctly? His campaign would have to seriously market him nationally for him to have a chance in the primaries.

The second issue, goes with the unknown status, is that we do not know his politics. I think that is a good thing partly. He is a military man first and politics should not get in the way of doing the job of directing and helping keep our troops safe. But to be President, you have to exercise some political judgment. This is amplified by the articles questions into whether or not he is even a Republican.

My last issue is--again ties into the rest--how will Petraeus prove to the public that he can deal with issues that are not military in nature. Economics, health care, green policy (lol), and other elevated issues. We don't know yet, but he will have to start going political if he is serious.

The other guys:

Don't care...

I mean they could be good candidates, but I am not sure they are going to turn into front-runners.

The bottom line really is that I am not even 100% sure I like any candidate yet. None of the Republicans can hold a candle to Ron Paul's policy issues and logic. None of them have shown that they aren't damaged either. Palin, not to her fault really though some is, has been tarnished unfairly by the media. Romney has to explain why RomneyCare failed and that will linger. Huckabee, while attractive and pragmatic, has to get rid of the tax-hike Mike moniker.

There is one candidate that I will think can make a splash, but I won't discuss that. A time will come to do so, but I think it is better to drool or to tear down these guys and gals for now.

UPDATE: Michelle Bachmann throws this out there.