Mario Piperni dot Com

GOP - Searching for a leader

Anyone following the circus act at this years CPAC (Conservative Political Action Conference) can’t help but scratch their head and wonder what ever became of the Grand Old Party? When republicans turn to clowns like Rush Limbaugh and Joe the Plumber for direction, you know they’re in trouble.

One of their major problems, of course, has been the disastrous leadership of George W. Bush. How bad was it? I’ll let Andy Barr of Politico tell you. In a piece titled ‘Bush a four-letter word at CPAC‘, he wrote:

“Conservatives aren’t sure who’s the Republican presidential frontrunner in 2012. They disagree over how sharply to attack President Barack Obama and on the question of whether a back-to-basics approach is the path back to majority.”

“But if there’s one thing those attending the annual Conservative Political Action Conference this week agree on, it is this: They don’t want another George W. Bush.”

“Few come out right out and say it, but they don’t have to. There’s no nostalgia for the past eight years, no tributes to Bush and no sessions dedicated to exploring his presidency.”

“Indeed, for a president who publicly embraced conservative principles, there is little evidence that the movement returns the sentiment.  When the subject of the 43rd president has come up at CPAC — where he spoke each year of his presidency — it’s usually been in an unflattering context.”

Hmmm…not too surprising I’d say.  Mike Huckabee, who many believe will run once more in 2012, said in a speech on Thursday:

“You know what kind of conservatives we need most? Competent conservatives.  It’s when we lose our competence, that Americans lose their confidence.”

Right you are, Mike.  And Americans discovered in 2006 that the current version of the Republican party was highly incompetent and they reaffirmed their discovery in 2008…and both times they let you know at the voting booth.

My belief is that Republican’s problems lie deeper than the Bush fiasco.  It appears more and more that the party is out of step with what Americans want.  It might be time for them to examine their core ideology and determine what parts of it are no longer tenable to Americans.  Simply saying “NO!!” to every non-conservative idea without offering alternatives which make sense to Americans would appear to be a losing proposition.

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President Obama today announced his plans on Iraq. The New York Times wrote,

“President Obama declared Friday that the United States has now “begun the work of ending this war” in Iraq as he announced the withdrawal of most American forces by the summer of next year while leaving behind as many as 50,000 troops for more limited missions.”

“Nearly six years after American troops crossed the border into Iraq to topple Saddam Hussein, Mr. Obama said “renewed cause for hope” produced by improved security would allow Americans to begin disentangling militarily and turn the country over to the Iraqis themselves.”

“Let me say this as plainly as I can,” the president told thousands of Marines stationed here. “By August 31, 2010, our combat mission in Iraq will end.”

Obama’s speech presented a balanced, reasoned approach to ending the war in Iraq in much the way he promised during the election campaign when he repeatedly stated that he would do so in a responsible manner.  As a matter of fact, his plan is so responsible that he has Democrats like Reid, Pelosi and Schumer complaining that leaving 50,000 troops in Iraq until the end of 2011 is unnecessary while Senator John McCain praised the president for his approach.   Wow.

Anyone out there who still doubts Obama’s intellectual genius and his determined effort to be a president for all?

Here’s the president’s entire speech on Iraq.

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Robama Hood!

President Obama has submitted his budget plan to Congress. The summary plan is a prelude to the complete budget package which will be finalized in April and prepare the way for the next fiscal year beginning in October.

The Washington Post described the budget as follows:

“President Obama delivered to Congress yesterday a $3.6 trillion spending plan that would finance vast new investments in health care, energy independence and education by raising taxes on the oil and gas industry, hedge fund managers, multinational corporations and nearly 3 million of the nation’s top earners.” “The blueprint, meanwhile, would overhaul programs across the federal bureaucracy to strengthen assistance for millions of people who have borne the consequences of what Obama called “an era of profound irresponsibility,” helping them pay for college, train for better jobs and save for retirement while taking less of their earnings in taxes.”

This year’s budget deficit will reach $1.75 trillion while next year’s deficit is predicted to be $1.2 trillion.  Obama has proposed cutting the defict in half by the end of 2012.  In part this will be achieved by allowing the Bush tax cuts to the wealthy expire at the end of next year. Republicans are already on the rampage and most soundbites coming out of conservative mouth’s point to Obama as a Robin Hood, taking from the rich and giving to the poor.  While that is an exaggeration, I kind of like it.  For 8 years, the middle class received little or nothing in tax cuts while those earning over $250,000 a year were the happy recipients of multiple tax cuts.

So yes, my conservative friends, feel free to call Obama the new Robin Hood while the rest of us portray Republicans as the evil Sheriff of Sherwood Forest.

Click on the play button and sing along!

[audio=http://mariopiperni.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/Audio/The-Adventures-of-Robin-Hood.mp3, Robin Hood]

He called the greatest archers to a tavern on the green
They vowed to help the people of the king
They handled all the troubles on the English countryside
And still found plenty of time to sing

[Chorus]

Robin Hood, Robin Hood, riding through the glen
Robin Hood, Robin Hood, with his band of men
Feared by the bad (conservatives), loved by the good (everyone else)
Robin Hood, Robin Hood, Robin Hood

He came to Sherwood Forest (Washington) with a feather in his cap
A fighter never looking for a fight
His bow was always ready, and he kept his arrows sharp.
He used them  fighting for what was right.

[Chorus]

With Allen, Dale and Little John they had a roguish look,
They did the deed that others wouldn’t dare.
Recaptured all the money on the English country scene
And still found plenty of time to sing.

[Chorus]

The King of England knighted him the Earl of Huntington,
And that’s the way the legend goes.

Robin Hood, Robin Hood, riding through the glen
Robin Hood, Robin Hood, with his band of men
Feared by the bad (conservatives), loved by the good (everyone else)
Robin Hood, Robin Hood, Robin Hood!!

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