Return from long hiatus & my 08 endorsement
Though its been several months since I last blogged, I am now back. Though the 2008 Presidential election is still 21-22 months away, the race is already beginning to take form as potential candidates declare whether or not they are running, build the groundwork and conduct fundraising that determine how well their campaign may fare, and are already in some cases campaigning. My head above shoulders favorite at this stage is dark horse Sam Brownback.
Brownback has a lot going for him as well as a lot of obstacles to overcome. Starting with the negatives:
1. He is barely on the radar of most polls right now
2. No senator has been elected president since the 60s, while many have lost, (Kerry, Gore, Dole, etc.) and he is a Senator
3. Democrats, particularly pro-abortion Democrats seem to hate him more than any other GOP candidate currently in the field.
On the positive side, however, he has an ideology and consistently held platforms that may have broad appeal. First, unlike Giuliani, Pataki, possibly still Romney, and even McCain, Brownback is strongly and truly Pro-Life. He is a Catholic and his web site states, “honored and deeply moved by the opportunity to meet two giants of human history, the late Mother Teresa and Pope John Paul II. It is their same vision of human rights, freedom, and respect for life that illuminates Senator Brownback’s work on daily basis.” See http://www.brownback.com/default.asp. He has himself adopted a girl from China, where due to a forced abortion policy by their government, and a prevailing cultural preference for boys has caused massive selective gender motivated abortions against baby girls. This gives him credibility, I believe, and would sit well with Asian Americans.
He opposes embryonic stem cell research, which, by 2008, will hopefully be exposed for the political wedge issue and hoax that it is. He is a brilliant orator and makes emotionally compelling and persuasive arguments. He has also worked across party lines to sponsor legislation combatting human trafficking, and has a consistent life ethic that spans to show he truly values human dignity and human life at all stages, and in all places. To laundry list his other stances, which although I don’t agree with in toto, are generally good:
1. He supports Social Security but opposes the death tax
2. Wants to amend the Constitution to prohibit flag burning, wants to prohibit protests at veterans’ funerals
3. Supports welcoming Hispanics who have immigrated to America
4. Advocates American involvement in ending the Darfur genocide
5. Supports the 2nd Amendment
6. Is a favorite of the FFA, and was himself a former national level FFA officer (Future Farmers of America is a powerful coalition in many midwestern states)
7. Supports lowering taxes, free enterprise, small business creation and incentives, and cutting wasteful government spending. His web site states, “The American system of free enterprise and free markets has created more wealth for all members of our society than any economic system in human history. The verdict of history is clear: socialism has failed mankind and capitalism has created a far more just system for both rich and poor alike.” In this respect he has also described himself as a Ronald Reagan mold conservative.
8. Supports the nomination of strict constructionists to the bench, that is, judges who exercise “judicial restraint” and faithfully adhere to interpreting the Constitution and enacted laws, not grafting their own interpretation and ideology upon the Constitution or positive law. He has been arguably the strongest member to this end on the Senate Judiciary Committee and strongly supported Alito and Roberts.
9. Opposes gay marriage.
10. Supports simplification of the tax code, a flat tax, and a BRAC-like commission for the elimination of wasteful / failing federal programs. (BRAC is the Base Closing and Realignment Commission, not sure how that equals “BRAC”, but anyway, it is a commission that reviews the need for military bases and periodically makes recommendations as to which ones should be closed. Congress usually follows these recommendations).
Again, I don’t support all of his stances, but I endorse him because he is solid on what matters, and seems to be the “consistent life ethic candidate” and candidate most concerned with promoting human dignity.
