Thank You President Bush!

Thats the slogan that is on the bumper sticker that adorns my car and I can't explain how sincere that thank you really is.

While President Bush may not poll well, and while some conservatives constantly complain about him because of this or that, President Bush remains true to the office, and vigilant in our nation's defense like very few President's in our nation's history.

Many forget that President Bush's legacy includes but isn't limited to:

Lowering Taxes.

Pushing through the passage of the Partial Birth Abortion Bill, which ended the disgusting procedure.

Standing up for life in other ways, including blocking embryonic stem cell research and cutting off funds for overseas abortions by reinstating the Mexico City Policy.

Bringing God, Faith, and Decency back to the Oval Office.

Nominating the best group of Supreme Court Justices of any President.

Keeping us safe from terrorism with policies like the Patriot Act, Survellance Programs, Guantanamo Bay, and enhanced interrogation techniques.

President Bush has also single handedly set the course and direction of our War on Terror by outlining beliefs that few can disagree with. These include believing that we are in a battle between good and evil, a battle against Islamofacsim that we must strike nations that pose potential threats before those threats can be realized, that we must hold other nations accountable for harboring terrorists, and that we must act with our own coalitions of nations when necessary to ensure our saftey and freedom.

Finally, in his Presidency's darkest hours (not including 9/11) and against the conventional wisdom, and a newly elected Democrat Congress he initiated The Surge which saved many of our own troops lives, many Iraqi lives, and the idea of Freedom in the Middle East. Looking back it is hard to remember a President who went against his advisors and the natinoal mood to do what he believed was right.
Now that the surge is a success, I think that our President, just like our troops deserve a "Bravo", "Right On" and "Thank You".

His legacy will be one of Courage, Conviction, and Strength.

Thank You Mr. President. And God Bless.

"I can hear you. The rest of the world hears you. And the people who knocked these buildings down will hear from all of us soon!"
-President Bush

Police Departments and SUV's

Driving around the suburbs of New York City gas is very expensive, the price of gas at 4.25 a gallon doesn't catch many New Yorkers eyes as it would say in Maryland or North Carolina.( where on a recent vacation I saw gas as cheap as 3.62) The high prices are starting to have an affect on how people view driving. For example my mom points out how she fills up her Toyota Corolla less often then her old Nissan Pathfinder, and my girlfriend's dad is looking to buy a small car in addition to his truck to drive around when not on a construction job. But to conservatives this behavior should be expected, I mean we are always saying the markets will work, and this is an example of how demand goes down when price goes up.

But there are a few notable governmental organizations that don't seem to let high gas prices get them down, (probably because they are not footing the bill): I'm referring to our local and state police departments. As I drive around I can't help to notice there are so many Police SUV's instead of police cars on the roads nowadays. I see a lot of Chevy Tahoe driving New York State troopers. Now forget the fact that a Chevy Tahoe costs 12,000 dollars more than the the Chevy Impala (a popular new police car), but the Impala gets 11 more miles per gallon on the Highway (Which is the only place New York State Troopers ever seem to be) than the Tahoe SUV. See Chevy's Website So why in the hell are the New York State Police driving around a bunch of Chevy SUV's. When you think about it they shouldn't be charging the taxpayers to drive around the more expensive SUVs in the first place, but with gas so high they are really starting the waste a lot of money.

Now I know upstate New York is a little more rugged than Manhattan, but last time I checked I don't see the advantage in having a Police officer drive an SUV over a car unless there are Adirondack Mountain high speed chases that I have been missing.

Gas has been increasing in cost since 2005 and yet these Police Departments have 2008 Tahoes and Chargers, its not as if they bought them before gas prices skyrocketed.

To put the icing on the cake all the New York State Troopers do is sit around with their cars running (which burns a heck of a lot of gas) waiting to pull me over when the speed limit changes from 55 to 45. I guess thats because they weren't wasting enough of my hard earned money driving an SUV to begin with.

To conclude I have a plan to solve the problem since most of the New York State Government believes that we should do something about make believe global warming they should mandate that the cops drive Prius's. I mean think of the benefits, they aren't costing the taxpayers huge amounts of money, they THINK they are saving the environment, and on the rare occasion that a New York State Trooper isn't writing a cellphone or seat belt ticket, but rather arresting a criminal, the criminal won't be so comfortable in the back seat of a hybrid.

A Likely Scenario

Not saying that this is how it is going to play out but if certain things happen what follows could be a likely scenario.

Let's start in mid July.

Barack Obama continues to maintain a statistically insignificant lead over John McCain. He is up nationally by 3 to 5 points. Which is disappointing and worrisome because given the political climate and the disaster that has been John McCain's campaign Obama should be up big. July comes and goes without notice but behind the scenes the McCain camp is rebuilding with the help of Karl Rove protege Steve Schmidt.

August begins and Obama realizes that fundraising gets harder when rich donors amounts are limited and poorer donors can't give up an extra couple hundred dollars to Obama with food and fuel prices rising and spending to get their kids back to school is more important than helping Obama.

The dynamics of the campaign aren't changing and that's not good for Obama because he can't pull away. Meanwhile McCain's campaign is getting more agile, focused, and organized. Mid August McCain starts playing up the his position on the war, which is increasingly viewed at as a success. Obama tries to dance around his earlier bring them home now positions. Heading toward the convention Obama is faced with his Veep pick. Some advisers say to go with a full out change ticket and pick Gov. Sebelius or Kaine, others tell him to shore up military and conservative votes with Sam Nunn, or Jim Webb, or a General, but Obama travels the safe route and picks Evan Bayh. The base isn't energized by the pick, the public doesn't know Bayh well, and he is kind of dull. This equals no Veep bounce.

Heading into the conventions McCain picks Mitt Romney as VP. He brings more organization, lots of money, and economic conservatives, and talk radio get fully on board. McCain receives a bounce and as the Democrat convention looms the polls show the race a dead heat.

After a good convention Obama sees a little bounce but is faced with the daunting task of raising money for the next two months that McCain has in the bank (public financing). Hilary Clinton donors don't deliver the big bucks because they are salivating over the idea of Hilary Clinton v. 76 year old John McCain in 2012 with a Barack Obama loss. For the first time ever a major political candidate has fundraising in the back and front of his mind in the all important 2 month final stretch.

The debates begin and are mostly seen as a draw. Obama and McCain aren't the greatest debaters but McCain can be nasty when attacking and Obama much like he was when on the defensive in debates earlier in the year looks like a deer in headlights. As a result many undecideds don't see a commander in chief in Obama.

Obama chooses to focus on CO, NM, IA, and NV in the final weeks. Leaving McCain to have the last say in PA, MI, and OH.

A few weeks out from election day a well put together Reverend Wright Ad makes more undecided blue collar whites who weren't paying attention in the spring pause.

Between fundraising, a too expansive electoral map to play with, and fighting the inexperienced and radical liberal associations charges Obama limps into November. McCain battens down the hatches in OH, MI, and PA and seems to have a couple point lead on election day.

Although many swings states end up down to the wire. OH, FL, VA, NV, and CO are held by McCain and he picks up NH and MI. Although he cracks NM and IA its not enough for Obama. The final electoral count McCain 295 Obama 243. In the end Obama's diconnect with rural voters hurt him in Ohio, VA, and CO. Latinos didn't flock as was hoped costing him CO, NV, and FL. And new enthusiasm for Romney helped tip NH, MI, and NV. As the dust clears America is still not ready for a very liberal President.

Hilary getting ready to exclaim "I told you so " Is more ready than ever.

A Little Late

I posted on the notion that there was no way Obama could win the south right after he started claiming he could. Now two weeks later the NY Times finally catches up.