Solutions - Not Talking Points

Abigail and Dolley readers, people are hungry for concrete solutions.  I, for one, am sick to death of campaign slogans and political positions.  Without an actual plan, political positions are defacto advocation of the status quo.  We elected Barack Obama on "Hope and Change" without specifics, and the fact of the matter is that he has led with no specifics.  Obama has abdicated his role as President to the czars and the liberals in Congress to absolute disastrous consequences.

Ultimately, that is why I could never get behind Ross Perot.  He did not have a plan, simply stating we need to get to Washington and have a look under the hood and let the experts fix things.  It rang hollow then and it still does today.  We the people, want some meat on any candidates proposal.  Perry's talking point about, "We need to get America workin' again" was great the first 5 or 6 times he said it, but when you went looking there was no plan to actually accomplish anything.  He has since released a plan but in the interim proved to most Americans that he's not up to the task of taking on the smooth debating Barack Obama.  In a stroke of complete irony, it was ultimately a poor debate and a mangled explanation on illegal aliens that sunk his campaign.  Perry has been handled horribly by the same people who parted ways with Newt early in the summer... Now, Newt grabs that third rail and in the end may actually strengthen his candidacy and have it play in the general election.  Put your big boy pants on folks, Newt is on a roll! 

Finally, everybody is up in arms about immigration.  People are politically posturing all over the place with impassioned absolutes.  They feel quite righteous in their political purity, but therein lies the rub.  Where is your plan?  It's great to have principals and positions, but what are you actually going to do about it?  I believe we have to stop being Political about this.  We need to leave our Party/Candidate jersey's at the door and finally do what is right for our country. 

Here are a couple of links to detailed solutions, no matter the outcome of the election, these serious proposals should be examined and adopted in whole or in part.

Immigration Overhaul
Newt on Immigration

Why I Left the Cain Train

Abigail and Dolley readers I find that I am increasingly insulted by the arrogance of some who subtly suggest that I have been fooled into supporting Newt Gingrich.  Others assume that I left the Cain camp because of the media firestorm over the sexual harassment charges; the facts declare a different story.  I left several days before that story hit the headlines.  I determined, in the end, that while I like and admire Herman Cain, his grasp of the issues is too shallow for this election.  His inexperience in the field for the job he is seeking is a major strike against him.  Honestly, we have had a novice in the White House for three years and I don't think the country can take more on the job training.

I have serious questions about 999 and sent them to the Cain campaign for clarification.  Eight weeks later, I still have not received and answer.  I went to his web site and searched for solutions on the most pressing items of the day.  There is little more than a paragraph or two of surface level positions and answers.  I have to say, "Where's the Beef?", Cain is missing the substance that I require.  The difference between Herman Cain and Newt Gingrich was readily apparent in the Lincoln Douglas debate held in Houston.  There is really no comparison between the two when it comes to substance.

Further more, I am  astounded that after putting Obama in office with little experience and not much in the way of a voting record that we would seriously consider doing that again.  Herman Cain does not have years of public service and votes to substantiate his points of view.  I can live with that, but on the converse with over 7500 votes in the House, Gingrich opponents will single out a few to hold up as objectionable.  They refuse to place them in the context of the times and instead use 30 years of hindsight to pick apart a record.  If they actually bothered to look, they would find that Newt has addressed many of these votes in recent years and realized himself some of them were mistakes.  We have no such record on Cain, his supporters assert that we have to take the man at his convictions and that what he represents now is how he will govern; yet they will not apply the same logic to other candidates.

It is lamentable to me that avid supporters of the Cain Campaign have turned on Newt like a brood of vipers.  When the two candidates were hanging out in the 6% range, there was a camaraderie between the two camps.  During Cain's rise this mutual admiration remained.  I am sad to say though, that the friendliness from the Cain supporter has evaporated as quickly as his lead has disappeared.  The Newt Camp remains largely friendly to the Cain folks but the reverse does not seem to be true.  Cain supporters have been willing to jump on every attack with a vengeance, refusing to entertain the whole story and seizing upon the opportunity to proclaim a fellow conservative as a villain. 

For me, this election is about substance and real solutions.  Newt has said over and over again that he trusts the American people to sift through the rhetoric and the hyperbole and make a good decision.  I can only hope he is right.

Political Purity, Flip Flopping, and Changing Positions

Abigail and Dolley readers, I have been a busy girl.  Since declaring myself a supporter of Newt Gingrich, I have become a social media warrior for the cause.  Much of my creative energy, writing, and talents have been given to persuading my fellow conservatives to join me.  I believe I have been moderately successful in this endeavor.  None the less, my sweet little blog has been terribly neglected and I shutter think what my once so important Google Analytics would tell me if I had the heart to look!  I will strive to do better.

Now, on to the subject of the day:  the consideration of political purity, changing positions, and flip flopping, all of which are playing a part in this primary season.  Many will hold up their esteemed candidates and declare ideological purity.  They claim that purity to cause and ideals must trump governmental compromise.  They proudly proclaim that their candidate never strays from absolute purity.  They fail to recognize that purity and inflexibility in our form of governance translates to ineffective and non-existent leadership.  Purity of purpose leaves no room to actually accomplish the things we elect leaders to do.  The purists do not seem to understand that even the Founding Fathers had to compromise, flex, and sacrifice some of their beliefs to actually get things done.  The case in point, the northern delegates that were against slavery.  If they followed in the "Purity" model, they would have never compromised and then where would we be?  I guess speaking with English accents...

Then we have the flip floppers.  These are the political animals that hold no position or conviction other than the ones help by whatever audience they are addressing at the time.  They stand for everything and hence stand for nothing.  The flip flopper does not hold a firmly held conviction and it is said that a double minded man is unstable in all of his ways.  The flip flopper is the lukewarm drink of water that voters spit out of their mouths in disgust.  These political opportunists are interested only in power and position.  They care for nothing except their own personal aggrandizement and as such must be rejected completely.

Thus, we are left with the Position Changer.  This is the politician who once believed, spoke, or campaigned for an issue and has since changed their mind.  The purists rail against this claiming that the perfect candidate would never do such a thing.  The flip floppers gladly post videos showing the perceived flip flop and accuse the Position Changer of being a pot calling the kettle black, yet therein lies the rub.  People change.  People grow and learn, adapt and study, they take some ideas and strengthen them and they take others and say, "No, upon further review I don't believe that anymore."  Contrary to showing weakness, those who can grow and learn from their past positions show an emotional and intellectual growth that the purist lacks and the flip flopper will never know.

Given the choice between the three, I will take the position changer because at least they have thought about it.  They have studied it and examined it and researched it - whatever that may be.  Typically they have the intellectual honesty to say that in the past they were wrong, they made a mistake, and here is why they now believe as they do. The position changer is also in the unique position to engage with others who believe as they used to about and issue and come to a solution that solves the problem and moves the country forward.  That my friends is what we elect them to do in the first place.

Newt Gingrich - The Environment

Abigail and Dolley readers some of you long time readers will know that I have written extensively about the Environment.  Most of my articles have focused on the misguided policies on one hand to the fanatical religion on the other.  One of the reasons why I initially rejected Newt Gingrich for President was the commercial he did with Nancy Pelosi on "Climate Change".  Honestly, it still disturbs me.  It was a horrible idea and one of those missteps people make.  To all the critics out there who will post a link to the You Tube video of Gingrich on the couch with Pelosi, I would say that with a character such as Gingrich there are about 17 layers to the man and we can not define a career or a person by segments.


I do not pretend to understand all there is to know about this complicated man and his beliefs, I will tell you this is what I have been able to extrapolate from my research.  He is an avid naturalist, he loves animals, and he views the Earth with a stewards heart.  He is a Christian, he believes in a Creator, and thus he takes the biblical view that man is given dominion over the Earth with a responsibility to care for it.  He will also tell you he is not a scientist but that there is enough concern in the scientific community that we need to be cautious.


When asked what role he felt man played in global warming, he admitted he did not know but in typical Newt style told the crowd what he did know from a historical perspective. The Earth at various points has been much colder than it is right now, but it has also been much warmer.  He shared the common sense scientific view that the sun is the primary driver of our climate and that it is well documented that sun spots have direct correlation to the Earth's temperature.  He went on to add that he doubts that humans are more important to climate than the Sun.

On policy, you do not want the Federal Government trying to manage local challenges.  He wants to completely disband the EPA and replace it with a business and solutions organization.  There is a direct correlation between environmental policy and energy policy but that is for another blog.

If you have some time, here is a link to a conversation:  
http://fora.tv/2008/03/20/The_Business_of_Going_Green_with_Newt_Gingrich#fullprogram

Getting Back Together with Newt Gingrich

Abigail and Dolley readers, I have had a ton of fun this year "dating" the candidates.  At one time or another, I entertained them all, as I wrote about in Dating the Candidates.  I am pleased to announce that I am sporting a big ole engagement ring and have made my choice:  Newt Gingrich.  As my previous blogs have covered, Newt and I go way back and I initially rejected him out of hand (Newt Gingrich - The Candidate I Did Not Want to Like).  He IS like an old boyfriend that you get back together with, one where you know his flaws, one where you know his mistakes, but one where you decide the good far outweighs the bad.

Your best friends are quite skeptical, your Mother is heartbroken, and your Father looks across the dinner table and sends him "You better be good to my daughter" looks.  You try to convince them that you've made the right choice and if they love you, they will give him a chance.  In the end, it's his responsibility to convince them, not yours.  Newt is smart enough and articulate enough to win them over.

Why have I come to this conclusion?  Well, I have been leaning this way for several weeks and have watched all of his interviews and speeches - I mean all of them, since he announced.  I have read just about every news article written; at least the ones written by people who don't believe that conservatives are minions of evil.  I have researched the 21st Century Contract With America.  I have dug into the dirty laundry. and looked at the high profile mistakes, missteps, and scandals.  I've prayed about it.

What finally convinced me?  I have to say it was the video embedded below.  I have worked with manufacturers and distributors my whole career.  As a salesperson, I have watched manufacturing sputter and in the case of furniture, textiles, and woodworking, all but die in the great state of North Carolina.  My livelihood depends on a healthy manufacturing environment and at the end of this video I was imagining the big fat commission checks that were going to grace my bank account if this man becomes President.

Alas, I am not merely voting my pocketbook.  I have chosen to support the candidate with the best ideas, the clearest understanding of the issues facing the country, and the greatest experience and credentials in the field.  If you have not already done so, I encourage you to give Newt a serious look.