Something More Than Glory-Senator Bunning’s Heroic Stand Against Socialism

In an article published this morning, The Washington Post accuses retiring Senator Jim Bunning of “his fellow Republicans hostage” as “He stood his ground, angry and alone, a one-man blockade against unemployment benefits, Medicare payments to doctors, satellite TV to rural Americans and paychecks to highway workers” thereby imperilling “jobless benefits for millions”.  While advocates of centralized government will continue to condemn Bunning’s actions as unnethical, the heroics displayed in his unwavering loyalty to principle–even in the face of opposition from those within his own party–provide an example for all would be conservative champions.  True leadership requires courageous actions that are, more often than not, unpopular.  As Senator Scott Brown correctly explained, “I don’t think it’s about party, it’s about good government … if it takes one guy to get up and make a stand … I think that speaks for itself.”

Dividing Lines-The Aftermath of Brown’s Stimulus Vote, Jeb Bush on Charlie Crist’s Socialist Policies

In an article published this morning, The Washington Post details the political backlash against Senator Scott Brown’s (R-MA) decision to vote for increased stimulus spending in the form of the ‘jobs bill’.

A month after being crowned the darling of national conservatives, Republican Sen. Scott Brown of Massachusetts is being branded “Benedict Brown” for siding with Democrats in favor of a jobs bill endorsed by the Obama administration.

However, according to the Post,

Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky wasn’t particularly perturbed about Brown’s vote, saying his election last month has “made a huge, positive difference for us and for the whole legislative agenda.

In other news, Politico reports that Jeb Bush has openly condemned his successor, Florida Governor Charlie Crist, and his decision to support last year’s American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.  A bold move, considering that Bush’s own brother was responsible for signing The Economic Stimulus Act of the previous year into law.  “”I know I’m supposed to be politically correct and I said I was neutral and all that,” Bush said, but added of Crist’s move: “I got a problem with that.” While the former governor called Crist “about the nicest guy I’ve ever met in politics,” Bush called Crist’s support for the stimulus bill a critical “mistake.””  Bush’s words provide a superb example of both diplomacy and leadership, and a sharp contrast to McConnell’s slippery appeal to party politics.

While some may question the significance of drawing fine lines in the political sand, it is nevertheless of the utmost importance that we stand firm on those principles necessary to our country’s success and survival.  Any and all votes for federal stimulus and subsidies, the expansion of federal social programs, and increases in federal regulation of private enterprises must be strongly opposed regardless of their source.

However, it is also important that we distinguish between sin and sinner.  Although All proponents of socialist legislation, whether Republican or Democrat–Scott Brown or Barack Obama–inhibit progress through their acts, there is no reason why we must question their intentions.  Nevertheless, playing nice does not require that we cease to play, but rather, that we play with grace and style.  Kindness is not Compromise.

Huffington Post Misleads Readers

Reporting on a recent poll by Daily Kos/Research 2000, Huffington Post had this headline: “Large Portion of GOP Thinks Obama is Racist, Socialist, Non-US Citizen: Poll.” Curiously, I read the article, and noted that in several of the results specifically noted not even a plurality of Republicans believed Obama to be something negative, whether it was racist, wanting terrorists to win or not being a natural born citizen. What consists of a large number, I wonder- personally, I would expect at least a plurality in the areas referenced in the headline. I would also expect the reporter, Sam Stein, to report and not editorialize, as he did in the article.

Take a look at the poll by Daily Kos- on the one hand, it was comprehensive in the numbers and kinds of questions asked. On the other, a number of the questions were phrased in a way obviously designed to create a negative view of the Republican Party. Either way, however, Huffington Post should be above the intellectual dishonesty practiced in the published article.