Time to shore up the base!

I got an email this morning from a conservative group that is urgently needing money to start shoring up the base for the 2010 congressional races. I am a conservative just like Ronald Reagan. For those of you who do not know, a conservative is a person who believes in low taxes and low spending. It really is not very complicated. I voted for Ross Perot in 92 because Clinton was a liberal and Bush Sr. was a Republican. There is a difference and it was clear in 92 that Bush didn't cut taxes and people didn't trust Perot (probably a good idea). Clinton benefited from a conservative led congress and technological boom and spending cuts during the 90's. Bush 43 won in 2000 because Clinton was morally bankrupt and the country wanted change. It did not hurt that people in Florida can't punch holes in paper. People wanted moral leadership and despite the fact he was not fiscally conservative we compromised and elected him over the alternative. In 2004, John Kerry was by far the most liberal out of touch guy in the race and for some reason the democrats nominated him. We stuck with a man of God who stuck to the moral conservative values the country wanted in Bush 43. What he did not do and this really put us in a serious amount of trouble was cut spending or manage international affairs. His veto stamp was left in the drawer and not because he was afraid to use it but because he is a big spender. Now for the big elephant in the room: Iraq. We went to war for the wrong reasons. Period. We can argue it was bad information or someone lied or the sand was really fun but the bottom line is we were wrong. I have never led a nation to war but I have been wrong before and that I recognize pretty easily. Did we go in to avenge his father or to get the oil? I don't know and I don't really care at this point. My buddy is taking me over Thanksgiving to Brooks Air base to visit some of the guys that have returned from Iraq. I am scared out of my mind because I know it is totally going to be a punch in the gut. So why go? Well because I get 4 days off to go anywhere in this country and feel safe. I owe them more than I can ever repay, this will just be a small thank you for giving up so much for me and my family.

So did we lose because McCain/Palin was a bad ticket? No! We lost because the country decided we were wrong to go into Iraq. I believe the economy tanked because we went into Iraq. If we had been paying attention to the economy the way we have been paying attention to Iraq, I don't think it would be in the shape it is right now. Did it all happen because of Iraq? NO! Some people got greedy and took advantage of the system. We might have caught them if we had been paying attention. Greenspan, Former Chairman of the Fed, said even he didn't see it coming and that was all he was paying attention to for the last 20 years year. So how could we have seen it coming? I don't know but if we had been paying attention it may have helped.

Mr. Obama did not get my vote and he may not get it in 2012 but he has my prayers and my support because he is the President. I don't know how to get out of Iraq or this financial mess. I do know it will require some programs to be cut and you may have to pay for that Hummer without the tax break. Business will be done a little different around the world. We may even have to raise taxes a little, although this is not how revenues grow long term and especially not if spending is not cut. You may have to do a few things for yourself instead of depending on the government to do it all.

Bottom line is this is where we are because we got away from conservatism the way it was intended. Save more and spend less. This works at your own house as well as your government's house.

PS: If you want my money to get elected in 2012, you better get your butt out front now and start sacrificing in your own back yard showing leadership. I will not put people back in there that are not fiscally conservative period!