From the Left to the Right

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Keywords: Conservatism, Conservative blog, Mark A. Cohen, From The Left to the Right, Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, Rep. Keith Ellison, Rep. Andre Carson, Rep. Peter King, Sharia Law, Taliban, Al Qaeda, Muslim, Islam

Keyword Phrases: " Conservatism”, “Conservative blog”, “Mark A. Cohen”, “From The Left to the Right”, “Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee", "Rep. Keith Ellison", "Rep. Andre Carson", "Rep. Peter King", "Sharia Law", "Taliban", "Al Qaeda", "Muslim", "Islam"

See Mark's 'Author of the Month' page at Castle Rock's Local Gathering Place

Mark A. Cohen is represented at AKA Literary by Agent Terrie Wolf. This page scrolls through authors whose last names begin with either an A, B, or C. You can either wait, or click on his name there.

Tuesday, March 8, 2011

Liberal Gaffs

Mar. 1 and 8, 2011

Senator Harry Reid (D-NV) said in 2005, "We strongly disagree with [President Bush's] plan to privatize Social Security." He also said, "The Bush plan would take our already record high $4.3 trillion debt and put us another $2 trillion in the red. That’s an immoral burden to place on the backs of the next generation." This is an amazing statement because the Democrats have added over $3 trillion to the national debt in just the last two years and are eager to bury us with much more federal spending in the near future.

In December 2009, Sen. Reid likened Republicans, who wanted to block the implementation of government-run healthcare, to those who opposed the abolition of slavery in centuries past. In a Dec. 7th speech on the Senate floor, Reid said: “Instead of joining us on the right side of history, all the Republicans can come up with is, ‘Slow down, stop everything, let’s start over.' If you think you’ve heard these same excuses before, you’re right. When this country belatedly recognized the wrongs of slavery, there were those who dug in their heels and said, ‘Slow down, it’s too early, things aren’t bad enough.’ To most conservatives (who are not racists, by the way), this is an absurd analogy.

Mike Capuano (D-MA) said this in Feb. 2011, "Every once in a while you got to get down in the streets and get a little bloody when necessary." Got civility? Not much.

Not yet convinced how out of touch the Democrats are? The country is now facing an oil crisis as expressed in skyrocketing gas prices and what does the president and the vice president want to do? No, they don't want to increase supply or open up the U.S. reserves or drill to decrease our cost. They don't care how much we pay for gasoline or other energy sources. Instead, they want to fund the railroads. How... um, nineteenth century!

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Keywords: Conservatism, Conservative blog, Mark A. Cohen, From The Left to the Right, Senator Harry Reid, Nancy Pelosi, Democrats, Republicans, Mike Capuano, civility

Keyword Phrases: " Conservatism”, “Conservative blog”, “Mark A. Cohen”, “From The Left to the Right”, “Senator Harry Reid", "Nancy Pelosi", "Democrats", "Republicans", "Mike Capuano", "civility"

See Mark's 'Author of the Month' page at Castle Rock's Local Gathering Place

Mark A. Cohen is represented at AKA Literary by Agent Terrie Wolf. This page scrolls through authors whose last names begin with either an A, B, or C. You can either wait, or click on his name there.

Tuesday, March 1, 2011

A Radical Difference

Feb. 19 and 21, and Mar. 1, 2011

Most of us say we support freedom and democracy all over the world. But, what do you mean when you say it? None of us wants any nation to live under a dictatorship, so free citizens of the world have been moved to ponder how the explosive protests in the Mid-East this past month relate to our way of life.

Some, like Amy Goodman of the TV show, Democracy Now! (broadcast on PBS), think these were popular movements, similar to the American Revolution. The uprisings were perceived by Ms. Goodman as 'power to the people' moments on C-SPAN recently. "It's very important that we support pro-democracy activism everywhere, whether we're talking about Manamah in Bahrain, or whether we're talking about Madison, Wisconsin," she said. I admit I don't know enough about these Middle-Eastern countries to agree or disagree with Ms. Goodman's comparison. We'll have to wait and see if these were workers throwing off the chains of their masters - or if their revolts were inspired by extremists, prepared for even more ruthless dictators to rule.

Are the protesters and their Democratic Party state representatives in Wisconsin supporting democracy, or only their own selfish interests and ideology? How have their actions helped the 'little guy,' when attainment of their goals will bankrupt their state and higher taxes to support state workers will hurt most of the other Wisconsinites? Has the left adopted brutal union tactics in the place of honest debate and a vote? It's important we raise questions and not accept what most of the mainstream media talking heads might say. Amy Goodman said, "...there is nothing that will guarantee our national security more than if we side with freedom; we side with those who believe in democracy - who are trying to throw off the yoke of these despots." Yes, we want all people to be free, but do we want to blindly support reckless revolutions with the chance that ruthless dictators will take over, or do we want a more thoughtful change to take place? I vote for 'thoughtful.'

Amy Goodman spoke of an independent media, one free of government oppression. Good for her! But, what does she mean? Ms. Goodman said, "We need to have [a free press] in the United States - to be able to get different perspectives. It's absolutely critical." I agree, especially when it comes to a true diversity of opinion. Listen for and beware of people who say they are sick and tired of cable news and who imply they want to put an end to it (either FOX and/or MSNBC). Don't shut down anyone's freedom to express their opinions and don't use vulgarities! Instead, argue your point with logic - if you can! But, when Amy Goodman stood up for free speech, was she talking about FOX News? No, she was talking about Al Jazeera English! Do you support the rights of everyone to express their beliefs when you speak about freedom and democracy, or just the rights of a select few? I want you to speak up, even if you disagree with me!

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You can also read this blog at “Your Hub”, which is part of The Denver Post online, at Your Hub. Next, scroll down or “Edit/Find” the word, “blog”.

Tuesday, February 22, 2011

Wisconsin Story

Feb. 20-21, 2011

Former Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), set off a firestorm when she described dozens of Tea Party protesters across the U.S.A. by saying, "They’re carrying swastikas and symbols like that to a town meeting on healthcare." Some reporters and pundits used the pejorative term, "Tea Baggers" for the Tea Party people and implied they were a bunch of right-wing extremists, intent on no good. In general, liberals agreed with Pelosi and the Democrats, but conservatives defended the Tea Party demonstrators. The latter claimed the protests were peaceful and that no single demonstrator carried a swastika. It was difficult, if not impossible to find a nasty sign, or an angry protester while watching news stories on the subject. But, left-wing blog sites backed up their defense of Pelosi by finding a couple of photos which proved there were indeed such signs present at some of the rallies. Next, Tea Party organizers claimed they had nothing to do with the signs.

What should we believe? As a right-winger I tell you that the Health Care debate had nothing to do with Nazism. If there were a couple of nuts in the Tea Party crowd using such comparisons, I condemn them. On the other hand, how do we know the signs weren't planted there by left-wingers who could have easily slipped into the crowd? If true, is it possible that they wanted to make the Tea Party look bad?

Fast forward to the recent, pro-labor protests in Wisconsin's state capitol, Madison, over a bill introduced by Governor Walker (R-WI), which called for a reduction in teacher's benefits and a limit to their right to collective bargaining. Clearly one can hear chanting in nearly every report, and see nasty signs from every angle. Many of the posters called the governor imperial, and several likened him to the recently deposed dictator, Hosni Mubarak, of Egypt. They labeled Walker a king, an emperor, a fascist dictator, Hitler, and called him the 'b' word, a turd, and clueless. It's easy to see that these protesters are far more hateful than the Tea Party crowd. Yet, neither Republicans, conservatives, libertarians, nor Tea Partiers tried to silence them, or tried to make them look bad. They did that job well - all by themselves! Teachers are supposed to be role models for students, but they were shown obtaining falsified doctor's notes from doctors who were also heard criticizing the governor. Teachers and doctors collaborated to fake illnesses. If learning is the all-important aspect here, what will the students learn from this?

Sarah Palin used targets in a political campaign, and this angered many on the left, yet there were signs in the Wisconsin rally with the very same target symbol super-imposed over Republican Governor Walker's face with the word 'Reload' over it. I saw one which said, 'Up Yours, Walker, Not Ours' and one with the false generalization, 'Why do Republicans Hate People?' And, where were the Democratic State Senators during the crucial Senate debate over Walker's controversial bill? The upstanding lawmakers were holding up state government by hiding out in a hotel in Illinois!

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Tuesday, February 15, 2011

Conservative Wisdom I

Written : Nov. 2, 2010 and Feb. 15, 2011

”We are different from previous generations of conservatives. We are no longer working to preserve the status quo. We are radicals, working to overturn the present power structure of this country.” - Paul Weyrich

”We don't have a trillion-dollar debt because we haven't taxed enough; we have a trillion-dollar debt because we spend too much.” – President Ronald Reagan

”I'd rather entrust the government of the United States to the first 400 people listed in the Boston telephone directory than to the faculty of Harvard University.” - William F. Buckley, Jr.

”That government is best which governs the least, because its people discipline themselves.” - Thomas Jefferson

”Liberalism is based on wishful thinking and not on reality.” - Dennis Prager (and others)

”And conservatives know that if you reject these principles of limited government and urge others to reject them you can be my ally, you can be my friend, but you cannot call yourself a conservative.” – Rep. Mike Pence (R-IN)

”The inherent vice of capitalism is the unequal sharing of blessings; the inherent virtue of socialism is the equal sharing of miseries.” - British Prime Minister Winston Churchill

”The prudent capitalist will never adventure his capital... if there exists a state of uncertainty as to whether the Government will repeal tomorrow what it has enacted today.” – The ninth U.S. President, William Henry Harrison

"Government is not the solution to our problem. Government is the problem." – Ronald Reagan (R-CA)

”…And, maybe all they’re waiting for is a word from you. And, you know, sometimes that word is so simple. It goes like this: ‘Hey John, you can do it!’ “ – Rich DeVos

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Tuesday, February 8, 2011

Another Look at Newt

Written : Sep. 21 and 28, Dec. 12, 2010, and Feb. 8, 2011

When you hear the name Newt Gingrich (R-GA), what do you think? Do you remember he was once the U.S. Speaker of the House? He co-authored the 1994 Contract With America. He showed he can reach across the aisle because he worked with President Bill Clinton (D-AR) to reform the U.S. welfare system in the 1990’s. Gingrich’s successful negotiations with President Clinton helped bring about reduced federal deficits and balanced budgets by 1999.

Mr. Gingrich may be close to announcing his candidacy for the office of the President of the United States. Recently he said, “We are at a point where our establishment is sliding into policies of such disastrous impact that they will in fact fundamentally challenge the survival of America as we know it… On the one front we have a secular socialist machine led by Obama, Pelosi, and Reid, and on the other front we have radical Islamists who would fundamentally change this country into a system none of us in this room would recognize…” He’s able to articulate a problem and usually has a solution. Mr. Gingrich is strong and forceful, and yet he’s neither hysterical nor radical.

If new ideas are what you’re looking for in a presidential candidate, then Newt’s your guy. Did you know that he is the author of twenty-three books? Or that there are at least three information-packed web sites for which he is responsible? These are: Newt.org, American Solutions, and Health Transformation. He does come with some baggage, but like him or not, you have to admit – after viewing these sites – that he’s not just a bag of wind. Listen to him speak on TV, and you'll understand the former Speaker is a deep thinker.

On Fox News Sunday, on Dec. 5, 2010, Mr. Gingrich said that the WikiLeaks web site founder, Julian Assange, is an agent of terrorism. [Assange] “should be treated as an enemy combatant.” He also pointed out that the WikiLeaks website should be shut down permanently. Newt Gingrich is good at revealing an issue’s hidden angle. He posed a rhetorical question, “How can we have a National Security system which allowed one person to download half a million classified documents? You’d think there’s be a software failsafe put in place which would raise a red flag...” I like a politician who finds political correctness distasteful and who is bold enough to stand up for America. Now, isn’t that refreshing?

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Tuesday, February 1, 2011

NM State of the State Reminds Me

Written : Jan. 30, 2011

New Mexico Governor Susana Martinez (R-NM) gave her first State of the State address on January 18, 2011. Not the perfect speaker, she pitched the positive and appeared practically presidential. Sounding a little like no one I've ever heard, her talk rang true. Inspiring, non-partisan, and motivational, she framed the issues and laid a foundation to fix the state’s problems with examples and specific solutions. That, my friends, is what we call Reagan-esque!

Reminiscent of someone we haven’t heard in years, and out of left field, she shocked me by saying she'd cut the state's film subsidy from 25 to 15 percent. What? But then she explained, "When a film is made in the state, New Mexico taxpayers cover 25 percent of the costs." She also said, "I support the film industry and support maintaining the incentive at 15 percent. But in these tough times, when New Mexicans are facing an historic budget deficit, I cannot support subsidizing the expense of Hollywood by cutting programs like child care services for working moms." Nice to hear, right?

Governor Martinez also said, "Unfortunately, some are still pushing tax hikes: Doubling the tax when you buy a car. Taxing job creators. Even taxing the Internet. To make them sound better, some call them 'revenue enhancements.' They can be called many things but they will all be vetoed." I found this statement refreshing, but we have the right to be cynical. We’ve heard it all before. Let's see how she handles the power of the veto pen.

To help address her state's deficit, she spoke about cutting costs "by reducing the governor’s budget. I cut overall salaries within my cabinet by 10 percent. I will reduce the number of political appointees in state government by at least 20 percent." The Governor then widened some eyes when she offered to "cut costs at the Governor’s residence by 55 percent – permanently eliminating the positions of two personal chefs." She added, "The First Gentleman will just have to help out with the cooking." Unfortunately, she flubbed the line, saying it in a way that made me think of the first personal chef! I have to admit I didn’t get it until I read it.

Remember how Nancy Pelosi, when she was Speaker of the House, demanded the use of a large, private jet at the federal government's expense? Well Gov. Martinez said in her State of the State that she "will get rid of that ultimate symbol of waste and excess, we will sell the state’s luxury jet." The Governor of New Mexico is a politician who seems to be aware of what's going on. Her address can be read and heard at: Gov. Martinez' first NM State of the State Address I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

For more information about Mark A. Cohen, see The Castle Rock, CO Gathering Place, Writer of the Month for Nov. 2010

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