Take a Lesson from My ‘Boys…

I think it is safe to say that I have a particular affinity for tragic figures: Batman, Siegfried, Rorschach when I suffered through the movie The Watchmen, Fred Thompson in 2008, and my beloved Texas teams (NOT the University of Texas) including the Dallas Cowboys.  The Dallas Cowboys are finally taking the steps necessary to correct a season that transcends the term “tragic.”

The Cowboys fired Wade Phillips.

Praise the football Gods (which, as everyone knows, is a Holy Trinity consisting of Emmitt Smith, Daryl Johnston, and Troy Aikman) or human reason.  However, I learned very quickly that there can be a negative flip-side to every good action: the interim head coach for the Dallas Cowboys is now Jason Garrett, who is undoubtedly an even bigger reason for the Cowboys’ failures.

I got what I wanted… and now that old adage be careful what you wish for is ringing in my head.

So for those of you within the conservative movement that argue in favor of impeaching President Obama, keep this in mind: behind every Wade Phillips is a Jason Garrett, and behind President Obama is Vice President Biden…

-rj

Interview With Radio Host Jeff Akin of Texas and Arkansas

Thanks to Allie Winegar Duzett for the video.

Kucinich Thrown Under The Bus

Ohio Democratic Representative Dennis Kucinich is truly a far-left liberal. He supports a Department of Peace, told me he was against free trade when he visited my campus, was the only 2008 Democratic candidate for President who voted against invading Iraq and was slammed by Daily Kos founder and far-left fanatic Markos Moulitsas for being too principled on health care reform. (Kucinich is opposed to the current version of health care reform because it is not liberal enough.) Being a conservative, I disagree with Kucinich on just about every policy issue and perspective. However, as is true with most extreme Members of Congress- Rep. Ron Paul (R-TX) and Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT), for two examples- I respect his holding to his principles.

Unfortunately for Kucinich, President Obama has an odd way of showing his respect for Kucinich’s principles. The president was in Kucinich’s district to talk about health care reform today, where he commended Kucinich for fighting for the average person. As a follow-up, literally seconds later, Obama asks an audience member who yelled “Vote Yes” to repeat his statement.

Perhaps I’m reaching for straws here, but why is President Obama needling Kucinich? The man introduced impeachment articles against former President Bush and former Vice President Dick Cheney, and supports enacting a new Fairness Doctrine. He is not going to bow to pressure. Besides, as AllahPundit put it, Kucinich could very well be the deciding vote on health care reform. Alienating him is not a good way to get his vote.

Saturday Ramblings

We survived the week, and our feet are firmly placed on that oasis of time surrounded by five day long treks on both sides: the weekend!  Usually we are fairly hard-nosed here at thelobbyist, and for good reason because politics and culture are hard things to deal with.  However, I want to use this brief moment to look at some lighter sides of life, just to prove to our readers that if you thought we did not have lives before, your opinions are about to be confirmed!

First and foremost, we are excited for this coming week here at thelobbyist!  We put a lot of blood, sweat, tears and coffee and Mountain Dew into our work; our recent project will be no exception.  Stay tuned!

Secondly, Lacrosse season has started.  For those who played… ’nuff said!

Third, I do not speak on behalf of everyone here when I say Beat The Hell Outta texas.  Texas A&M vs texas basketball game at two o’clock.  As my snobby D-I friends are always quick to point out, no I did not attend A&M.  But then again, neither did they.  So what do I care…

Finally, I have taken it unto myself to try and sway Liz Cheney into the political arena on a more official capacity.  Draft Liz Cheney Blog is up and running, my own private endeavour, because there are some people who don’t share my sentiments on the matter.  We can’t all be right I suppose.

Happy Saturday

-rj

Charlie Wilson’s War

Anyone who has a relationship with the state of Texas and her people, knows that a) Texas is a special state and b) she has within her borders, special people. I mean this with all seriousness. I remember Dr. Harvey Mansfield’s 2007 Lecture on the Humanities in which he uses Lyle Lovett’s “You’re Not From Texas” to help show honor’s relationship with thumos.

Lyle Lovett has a song “You’re not from Texas” that ends like this: “That’s right you’re not from Texas, but Texas wants you anyway.” Lyle teaches us the central problem of multiculturalism: if it’s so important to come from Texas, how can Texas want you if you’re not? Those of us not from Texas have to live with the shame of it, rather doubtful that Texas wants us anyway. For with honor goes the shame of dishonor.

Everything’s Bigger in Texas is how the saying goes. A telling statement about the soul of the people who inhabit the state. There is a spirit that there be told, of people who can have so much energy and perhaps more thumos than citizens of any other state, while at the same time the same people are more than willing to pull their cars (or old trucks) over and onto the shoulder so you can pass on a narrow two-lane country road. People don’t do that often in many other states. How can someone with a “If you can read this, roll me over” bumper sticker and gun rack be so overt about their spirited manliness, while at the same time demonstrating humility by pulling over and acknowledging that you are going faster than they? The two don’t mix, or so we should think.

Only a state like Texas, could produce a man like former Representative Charles Wilson. Charlie Wilson was a larger than life figure, The Liberal from Lufkin, who entered politics to get back at the man who killed his dog. Charlie Wilson’s story was brought to the younger folks of my generation in the form of (alas!) a movie staring Tom Hanks (with my personal favorite, Amy Adams, in a supporting role) which told how the extravagant Mr. Wilson became engulfed in Afghanistan’s battle for freedom against the Soviet Union. At the end of the movie, Charlie Wilson is quoted as saying:

“Those things happened and they were glorious, and then we fucked up the end game.”

It was true then, and continues to be true for us in Afghanistan today.  Charlie passed away Wednesday, after battling heart problems for the better part of two decades.  Goodbye to the Liberal from Lufkin, I’ll be having a few glasses for him tonight.

-rj

What it Means To Be A Conservative

From Austin Russell:

At times, it can appear almost impossible to identify the fundamental philosophical precepts that define the Conservative—or, as it has come to be called by many popular news sources— the Tea-Party Movement. Many dismiss it as nothing more than a marketing gimmick employed by the Republican Party to turn public sentiment against the current administration. Indeed, some argue that the only ideal underlying the movement is outrage. Politico reported yesterday morning—without providing any direct quote—that Representative Ron Paul (R-TX) himself, a popular figure within the movement, suggested that “the GOP should be wary of aligning themselves too closely to protesters who can be unpredictable in their actions and messaging.” The obvious inference is that the Movement lacks a firm philosophical leg upon which to stand.  Additionally, The New York Times yesterday published a criticism of Governor Mitt Romney for his participation in the formation of the Massachussetes socialized healthcare program. It calls Romney “One of the most prominent supporters of the main ideas behind the health care plan passed by the Democratic Senate”—equivocating support for state government social programs with that of federal social programs in an attempt to demonstrate that “the [Republican] [P]arty’s voice has been dominated by people who make things up, and then condemn the rhetorical phantoms of their making.” While the article does not directly refer to the Conservative Movement, it does place Rush Limbaugh, Senator John McCain (R-AZ), Mitt Romney, and Governor Sarah Palin into the same philosophical camp, once more implying that there is no true difference between the Conservative Movement and the Republican Party. The reality, of course, is that nothing could be further from the truth.

Barack Obama’s ascendance to the presidency, combined with the Democratic takeover of Congress did not, as many suppose, signal a desire on the part of the American people to empower, much less to expand, the size of the federal government. Rather, the continued expansion of the federal government under President George Bush and the Republican Congress, despite campaign promises to the contrary, convinced voters that the Republican Party was, at the very least, dishonest. It was upon Democratic promises of responsibility, accountability and change upon which so many relied for their vote. After all, if the previous administration had practiced a policy favoring bigger government, would not a change from such require a policy favoring smaller government? Unfortunately, the reality was not, as many supposed, a choice between big and small, but rather, big and bigger. In an effort to understand and correct their mistake, Americans have taken it upon themselves to more narrowly define what it is they actually want. And what do they want? The answer is obvious: a smaller, less intrusive, cleaner and more efficient federal government.  That is why the latest Gallup poll found that an overwhelming majority (40%) of Americans identified their political ideology as conservative.

The new movement favors principles over individuals and values what politicians do over what they say or how they present themselves. In short, conservatives care most about what happens rather than who is in power. If Barack Obama were, today, to begin supporting the ideals of smaller government, and individual liberty—and not only in word, but in deed—there is no doubt that those same conservatives that now seek his political head would rally behind him in numbers greater than those following his election fourteen months ago.