As a junior in high school, I once locked eyes with the homecoming queen.  We just stared directly at each other from 50 feet apart while our classmates bustled around us.  She was completely out of my league; completely.  It would have been more appropriate for me to turn my eyes away and find someone more fitting for my caste.

But I was smitten.  And only a bold gaze in that moment would challenge her favor, or finalize my rejection.

There are those moments in life.  We cannot create them.  Planets rarely align themselves.  But sometimes they do align.

Mark Baisley

Mark Baisley

Mark Baisley is CEO of Slipglass, a cyber security product and services firm.

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Bill110 Wrote: Jan 03, 2012 7:07 AM
It was South Carolina's "Prom Queen" Fred Thompson that sabotaged the GOP in 2008. Thompson entered the race to knock out Huckabee. After doing that he got out and so McCain could lose to BHO. You can thank Fred Thompson for giving us Obama.
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AgrarianDecentralist Wrote: Jan 02, 2012 8:19 PM
BAISLEY: "We are not replacing a bumbling peanut farmer from Georgia this time. We are repudiating a flirtation with socialism that has become quite serious."

Ah, give it a rest. I doubt that any serious historian or political scientist would rate the Obama administration substantially more liberal than Carter's. What HAS changed since 1981 is the rise of an ultra-conservative strain of voter and commentator that sees a socialist or communist behind every bush. .
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Bill110 Wrote: Jan 03, 2012 8:04 AM
You've got to be kidding! "I doubt that any serious historian or political scientist would rate the Obama administration substantially more liberal than Carter's."
Gays in the military, nationalized health care, take-over of the banks, unions and auto industry, 40 communist czars in the WH! Carter was a socialist but lacked the imagination of BHO.
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Vote_for_Ron_Paul Wrote: Jan 02, 2012 7:45 PM
Say NO to TAXATION!
Say YES to Personal FREEDOM!
Vote libertarian. Vote for Ron Paul.
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Earl29 Wrote: Jan 03, 2012 2:15 AM
Ron Paul is not running as a Libertarian. Gary Johnson is.
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Bill110 Wrote: Jan 03, 2012 8:05 AM
Vote true conservative; vote Bachmann.
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DHE Wrote: Jan 02, 2012 3:45 PM
Nominate Gingrich, lose the election. Let's pretend that Gingrich is less of a flip flopper and a truer conservative than Romney. In order to win the election, he needs a majority of independents. It is the only class of uncertain voters available, and without them, no one becomes president. Independents, in general, will not care about his adultery but will be turned off by his insistence that those who don't pray can't have good judgment, his willingness to forego the 1st amt. and ban mosques based on Saudi Arabian policy, his chicken little crying that the sky is falling b/c he's afraid of Sharia law, etc. I'm an independent. If he is the GOP nominee, I will stay home or vote 3d party.
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Summers Wrote: Jan 03, 2012 12:05 AM
WHEN ROMNEY WAS GOVERNOR, MASS WAS 47TH IN JOB CREATION.

ROMNEY WAS GOV FOR ONE TERM AS HE HAD A 30% APPROVAL RECORD AND WOULD HAVE LOST A SECOND TERM.

ROMNEY SADDLED MASS WITH ROMNEYCARE THAT ALWAYS RUNS OVER BUDGET TO THE POINT THAT SERVICES HAVE TO BE CUT BACK AND WAITING TIME TO SEE A DOCTOR IS FOUR TIMES LONGER THAN ANY OTHER COMPARABLY SIZED CITY.
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Earl29 Wrote: Jan 03, 2012 2:20 AM
We don't have to pretend that Gingrich is more conservative than Romney. Only an ignoramus or a mentally deficient believes otherwise. Of all the candidates, only Michelle Bachmann has a higher ACU rating than Newt Gingrich. Bet you didn't know that.
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Bill110 Wrote: Jan 03, 2012 8:06 AM
YOU ARE RIGHT ON!
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Chries Wrote: Jan 02, 2012 2:01 PM
Choosing between Romney-Gingrich-Perry-Bachmann-Santorum and Obama is like choosing between Manning-Rodgers-Romo-Brees-Brady and Pleasanton (he was the third string quarterback on my high school team who one time blew a 42 point lead when he was allowed to play - in other words, he was like Obama).

Doesn’t really matter who the nominee is…

They're all better than Obama.

• Spending is too high.
• Obama must be defeated.
• Democrats must be stopped.
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Summers Wrote: Jan 03, 2012 12:08 AM
It does matter who the nominee is. We don't have to nominate a liberal with a failed jobs record as governor (Mass was ranked 47th in job creation) and whose personality and ideas had him left with only a 30% approval rating in Mass.

We don't need to elect the Mother of ObamaCare.
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Bill110 Wrote: Jan 03, 2012 8:07 AM
And we don't need a shill for the UN like Newtered.
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david176 Wrote: Jan 02, 2012 1:37 PM
problem with Newt he is in bed with the Trorskyite neo-con-men and if he is the nomination the race for the WH will be between a Trotskyite and the leninist Bama. Same sheeit, just different piles.
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John1921 Wrote: Jan 02, 2012 2:12 PM
Remember the history you were taught in school? A third of the colonists were pro-Brit, a third pro-revo, and a third clueless? If the Revolution had been put up for a vote, it would've lost for sure to the Tories and the status-quo crowd. Same thing today, except the electorate is quickly approaching 50% non-American. If you're willing to place your freedom in the hands of 50% plus one of voters, I don't guess Jefferson or Sam Adams would take you very seriously.
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AgrarianDecentralist Wrote: Jan 02, 2012 9:27 PM
"...except the electorate is quickly approaching 50% non-American."

Would that be the 50 percent of us who are insufficiently reactionary for your tastes, or the 50 percent who are too ethnic?
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Mokki Wrote: Jan 02, 2012 1:33 PM
I like Santorum, Perry and Bachman, but, if none of them were nominated, I would sure as heck vote for Gingrich. Please, don't let the nominee be Romney or Paul.
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Summers Wrote: Jan 03, 2012 12:11 AM
Paul will fall away in short order.
As to Romney, just keep repeating simple truths:
GOV ROMNEY WAS 47TH IN JOB CREATION IN MASS.
GOV ROMNEY HAD A 30% APPROVAL RATING IN HIS ONE AND ONLY TERM.
GOV ROMNEY IS THE MOTHER OF OBAMACARE.
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arpiem Wrote: Jan 02, 2012 10:26 AM
I agree with this article with the exception of Newt Gingrich, who is a big government, NWO politician and a gas bag who lovers to hear himself talk. I would prefer Bachmann, then Perry, then Santorum, but Gingrich is no conservative, and he has demonstrated that time and again by reaching across the aisle for no apparent reason.
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Earl29 Wrote: Jan 02, 2012 11:07 AM
Anyone with a 90% ACU rating is a conservative.


1998 ACU ratings, the last time Santorum and Gingrich were both rated: Gingrich--100%; Santorum--84%. BTW, Paul--88%.
Pro avortion Emily's List says Gingrich worst, from their viewpoint, on abortion.
Gingrich lifetime ACU rating--90%.
Not a conservative? Hogwash.


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Earl29 Wrote: Jan 02, 2012 11:08 AM
abortion, not avortion.
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Earl29 Wrote: Jan 02, 2012 11:20 AM
Only Michelle Bachmann, with a 100% ACU rating, is more Conservative than Newt Gingrich.
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Summers Wrote: Jan 03, 2012 12:14 AM
You go, Earl! Slap those nitwits around with the facts!

Mass was 47th in job creation under Romney.
In his first and only term as governor, he had a 30% approval rating.
He's neither a leader nor a job creator.

ROMNEY IS THE MOTHER OF OBAMACARE.
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Shlomo O'Kelly Wrote: Jan 02, 2012 11:49 AM
Arp, Allow me to inform you of something .Actually, Tony Blankely, Newt's former press secretary in his Speaker days, summed all this up in an article here in TH a couple of weeks or so ago. You can look it up for yourself. Basically, he said that after the Republicans won in '94, Newt surveyed the political scene and correctly determined that the balance of power was with the northeastern moderates. In politics, it is obvious that you have to play the hand you've been dealt. In spite of the former, plus the opposition from Bill Clinton, and the media, and the remaining horde of liberal Dems, Newt still got a lot of things done.
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para_dimz Wrote: Jan 02, 2012 9:50 AM
From the mouths of babes: "He has been adjusting his brand for years to accomplish the goal of getting elected as President of the United States".
What color is a chameleon?
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Summers Wrote: Jan 03, 2012 12:15 AM
Same color as Willie Mitt Romney.

Obama has purple lips; chameleons don't.
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Weisenheimer Wrote: Jan 02, 2012 9:00 AM
Bravo, bravo! Never have I read an article that was more on point than this one. The fact that Newt will make people uncomfortable in Washington is what makes my choice an easy one for President. Yes, he has baggage, but I'm not going to marry the guy, I just want someone who can get things done.

Newt's 15% tax plan is supported by the great economist Art Laffer of the Reagan Administration. So I'm confident that America can come back economically and prosper as a great nation once again.
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Earl29 Wrote: Jan 02, 2012 11:33 AM
I also like Santorum's zero tax for manufacturing.
Actually, I see no reason why, since corporations really pass taxes along to their customers, all their taxes should not be zero. If we must tax income, of course. I prefer the Fair Tax.
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Collateral Damage Wrote: Jan 02, 2012 1:37 PM
Newt has what it takes, period! RINO Romney (aka Obama-Lite), reallyjQuery15207213951527224132_1325529249839? Your crazy uncle Ron?? WHAT??? Guess a lot more folks have COWPIES-For-Brains the just Iowa!?! Wise up, and get back on board with Newt!!!
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Collateral Damage Wrote: Jan 02, 2012 1:37 PM
Newt has what it takes, period! RINO Romney (aka Obama-Lite), reallyjQuery15207213951527224132_1325529249840? Your crazy uncle Ron?? WHAT??? Guess a lot more folks have COWPIES-For-Brains the just Iowa!?! Wise up, and get back on board with Newt!!!
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Collateral Damage Wrote: Jan 02, 2012 1:38 PM
Newt has what it takes, period! RINO Romney (aka Obama-Lite), reallyjQuery15207213951527224132_1325529249841? Your crazy uncle Ron?? WHAT??? Guess a lot more folks have COWPIES-For-Brains the just Iowa!?! Wise up, and get back on board with Newt!!!
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Collateral Damage Wrote: Jan 02, 2012 1:38 PM
Newt has what it takes, period! RINO Romney (aka Obama-Lite), reallyjQuery15207213951527224132_1325529249842? Your crazy uncle Ron?? WHAT??? Guess a lot more folks have COWPIES-For-Brains the just Iowa!?! Wise up, and get back on board with Newt!!!
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Collateral Damage Wrote: Jan 02, 2012 1:38 PM
Newt has what it takes, period! RINO Romney (aka Obama-Lite), reallyjQuery15207213951527224132_1325529249843? Your crazy uncle Ron?? WHAT??? Guess a lot more folks have COWPIES-For-Brains the just Iowa!?! Wise up, and get back on board with Newt!!!
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Collateral Damage Wrote: Jan 02, 2012 1:40 PM
Newt has what it takes, period! RINO Romney (aka Obama-Lite), reallyjQuery15207213951527224132_1325529249844? Your crazy uncle Ron?? WHAT??? Guess a lot more folks have COWPIES-For-Brains the just Iowa!?! Wise up, and get back on board with Newt!!!
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Don Evanson Wrote: Jan 02, 2012 8:46 AM
Good decision and choice with your wife! Howver, you have picked the wrong prom royalty this time.
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Jo334 Wrote: Jan 02, 2012 8:10 AM
Great article! I'm sending this to everyone I know. It's the most simple, plain spoken reasons to vote Newt and not Romney.
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Docnick Wrote: Jan 02, 2012 8:00 AM
Good article mark....Thanks

I think if people would take the time to look at how Kennedy beat Romney a big lesson would be learned. Kennedy focused on Romney's history.... The liberal press will not do this until and if Romney becomes a candidate.... He is easy to beat given his history... Do some home work...

Ron
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thyr Wrote: Jan 02, 2012 6:40 AM
"It's the libs ruining our nation, not Newt, illegal aliens !"

Really ?

Illegal-aliens are invading the USA,

1,000,000s of militant anti-US-citizen, armed-criminal-gang-members, crime, unsafe; cities, towns, n-hoods, schools, public areas, streets.

Most dire problems causing the bankruptcy-destruction of the USA !

Illegal-aliens-Anchor-babies-families-gang-members costing the USA,

300-billion-$$$ per year !

Buying way-too-much from China, OPEC-foreign-oil,

Way-overdoing foreign military intervention,

Federal-Reserve-Wall-Street-Banks-WDC-collusion-derivatives-credit-default-swap-sales-500-trillion-$$$-heist-swindle !

Big-US-foreign-Corporations hording their trillions-$$$ in offshore accounts, via-criminal-level-tax-loopholes !
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JaxJM Wrote: Jan 02, 2012 5:24 AM
You are selling Romney short. He is a great deal better candidate than Dole, McCain, or either of the Bushes were. I think he has the potential to be Reaganesque.
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Magna Wrote: Jan 02, 2012 7:12 AM
Stop- I just had breakfeast and do not wish to eat twice-.Romney is no REAGAN -just a RINO and flipper and will tell you anything you wish to hear -say and play to the crowd just like someone else we all know by now-Obama.Yes they are very similar rather you want to believe it or not.
He is ineffective -no action -and we need a person of strong conviction and will take action on many diverse issues and Romney rides the fence on many just as Obama voted present while a senator.
Newt lets you know where he stands on any issue -he can not help it if the GOP is in the tank for Romney -if that is the case -count on for more of Obama as they are so much alike people will pull for him again.
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Brian1078 Wrote: Jan 02, 2012 12:39 PM
The truth of the matter is that the President doesn't matter nearly as much as electing enough CONSERVATIVE REPUBLICANS (AKA NOT RINOS) to the Senate as to be able to override a Democrat filibuster. McCain and the gang of 14 insured that Obamao would have more open judiciary seats to fill by blocking the Republicans from using the "nuclear option" to prevent Dems from filibustering conservative judicial nominees. Guess what the Dems did to insure that Republicans weren't going to be able to filibuster Obamao's radical leftist nominees. They invoked the "nuclear option" to prevent the Republicans from doing exactly what they had done while Bush was in office. Harry Reid has said that it might come back and bite them in the butt. I hope so.
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Brian1078 Wrote: Jan 02, 2012 12:42 PM
If we can elect enough CONSERVATIVE REPUBLICANS to the Senate to override a filibuster (invoke cloture) and/or override a veto, who is in the White House won't matter. We still need to get rid of Obamao. He's a liar and a criminal who needs to be investigated, prosecuted and fitted for an orange crotch biter jumpsuit. While you're at it, suit up the bulk of his cabinet (AG HOLDER as a minimum) for their own suits.
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dhampton Wrote: Jan 02, 2012 1:30 PM
Enough with the GOP is in the tank for Romney, that is so worn out and not true. Newt has no organization skills and can't quit making a fool of himself.
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Earl29 Wrote: Jan 02, 2012 11:12 AM
If you want an establishment Republican, go for it, but don't pee on my shoes and say it's raining.
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Collateral Damage Wrote: Jan 02, 2012 1:41 PM
No we're not! RINO Romney (aka Obama-Lite) will have his campaign just beat to death by Axlerod and the MSM for racism in Mormonism. Look, the Doltocrats are ALREADY throwing the race card all over the place. Trust me, Romney is next. Done even before he gets started.
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Hokmen Wrote: Jan 02, 2012 4:31 AM
My thoughts and sentiments exactly (with the possible exception of bouillabaisse).
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Cambermeister Wrote: Jan 02, 2012 3:05 AM
Mark Baisley, you stated: "California is locked in an economic death spiral". As a Californian, I understand the people of this state tried a Rino called Ahnold and he failed to have the rectless courage we needed. We need reckless courage now. Settling for an arrogant Rino on the national stage will lead us all to the California place.
Reagan wasn't electable...but compared to Jimmy, we took a chance. Where would the world be without Reagan?
Barry is the new Jimmy. Let's not waste this precious gift.
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Bob52 Wrote: Jan 02, 2012 4:37 PM
Rino called Ahnold, I voted for McClintock!
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AgrarianDecentralist Wrote: Jan 02, 2012 9:30 PM
"Where would the world be without Reagan?"

Better off.
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mrcommiekiller Wrote: Jan 02, 2012 11:17 PM
No. We would be better off without commies like you!
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Cambermeister Wrote: Jan 02, 2012 3:03 AM
Yeah, I like Newts' ability to dissect idiotic questions from the media and I'm a big fan of his intellect and knowlege of History. I belive he could weather the old southern white guy verses young hip Obama but....he favored an unconstitutional insurance mandate. Because of this, and only this he's not qualified to uphold and defend the Constitution. What else might he favor?

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IllinoisRoy Wrote: Jan 02, 2012 1:52 AM
"But Newt Gingrich brings the right measure of eccentricity necessary to run through the temple overturning the tables of the money changers."

You gotta be kidding, right?
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Earl29 Wrote: Jan 02, 2012 12:04 PM
No kidding, Roy. I prefer a candidate woth some personality.
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james207 Wrote: Dec 31, 2011 8:42 PM
Well Mark the question has to be- Have you gotten over your wondering?
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Mark415 Wrote: Dec 31, 2011 9:30 PM
It has been 40 years since “the stare.” Four kids and six grandkids later, it is looking like our relationship just might pan out.
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Bob52 Wrote: Jan 02, 2012 4:34 PM
40 years for me too.
bob
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dhampton Wrote: Dec 31, 2011 7:16 PM
I like Baisley's analogy of his wife the prom queen, but his story..well not so much. I don't believe it for one minute.
That is what we need to do is step out on a limp and just fire from the hip and nominate someone we are not sure can beat Obama. Just so we can feel good about ourselves, I don't care if its Peter Pan we need to nominate. BUT we need to beat Obama..HELL-O
Right now Romney is the man that can beat the Big O. If he's not squeaky clean conservative enough for you, Well get over it. There isn't anyone running now that's perfect and has all the right credentials for everyone,,,, All you naysayers will be eating your words when Romney has this country running like a well tuned engine....
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JOE1CR Wrote: Jan 01, 2012 8:56 AM
Hope Mitt does not leave the country in the same shape as some of the companies he took over.
Mr. Wallace-Wells lays at Mr. Romney's feet a portion of responsibility for the rise of corporate takeovers, the "shareholder-value revolution", the astonishing increase in executive compensation, the acceleration of outsourcing, the rapid rise of economic inequality, as well as a decisive shift in America's corporate culture.
Mr. Wallace-Wells writes:
By the time Mitt Romney left Bain Capital for good, in 1999, American CEOs looked very different from the predecessors he had met in the seventies—the genial paternalists, spending their careers at a single company. More and more, they were pure meritocrats—well-educated, well-compensated,...
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JOE1CR Wrote: Jan 01, 2012 8:57 AM
moving frequently between jobs and industries, trained to look ruthlessly for efficiency everywhere. They look a great deal more, in other words, like Mitt Romney.
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Brian1078 Wrote: Jan 02, 2012 1:00 PM
So being compensated on Merit and working to improve efficiency is a bad thing? Considering the level of waste in the federal government, I WANT someone with the brains to recognize the waste and the balls to eliminate it. I'm not sure that Romney is the guy for the job, but he certainly has better business credentials than any of the other candidates. I was always amazed at the manner in which the government is set up to encourage waste. If you don't exceed your budget, it's cut the next year. They reward inefficiency. IS it any wonder we're in the budgetary mess we're in?
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americanproud Wrote: Dec 31, 2011 5:51 PM
The big prize is beating BO in November. It will take someone with a spine, the right words, the right sincerity, the right intelligence, and the will to win. Polls mean nothing. Romeny will say anything to win, Paul could never be elected, Perry is too cozy with amnesty, Santorum is too weak, and Bachman could never win. that leaves Newt Gingrich a history professor with lots of baggage and not afraid to admit it. A man who is brilliant politically, and not afraid to speak his mind, and who is the only candidate that can take BO to the mat in a debate and win by TKO. PERIOD!
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AgrarianDecentralist Wrote: Jan 02, 2012 9:30 PM
". It will take someone with a spine, the right words, the right sincerity, the right intelligence, and the will to win."

Not to mention an ocean of plutocratic cash, thanks to the shameful Citizens United decision by the Supreme Court .
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BostonMA For Romney Wrote: Dec 31, 2011 4:10 PM
I hope conservatives unite behind Newt Gingrich as the Romney alternative.

Santorum gets most social issues right, but he is an awful big time spender in the mold of GWB and Mike Huckabee.
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Gene222 Wrote: Dec 31, 2011 2:51 PM
Great column. For some reason - maybe it's the waist-line - Newt makes me think of Ben Franklin every time I
see him. Comparing their known "baggage" will make you laugh. I hope Newt sweeps it in 2012. We deserve it.
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AmericanLibertyFirst Wrote: Dec 31, 2011 2:44 PM
Is radical Islam not thriving and growing now and in past administrations? You have absolutely no proof of radicals becoming more numerous under Paul non-interventionist (not isolationist) policy. One thing we do know is that the current policy of bombing countries and propping up puppet regimes that are dictators over their people DOES create radicals who hate the US. And Islam is not the only religion with crazies in it, just look back at what happened in Oslo, Norway earlier this year with the killing of all those kids.
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Bob319 Wrote: Jan 02, 2012 9:39 AM
One gets tried of the logic that you think you are offering us -- This reminds me of the 60's when it was give peace a chance and love ins -- The world is a dangerous place to live in and no matter what their will all be bad people and groups of bad people that want to overpower the top dog. Go back to the 60's if you can remember.
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