Barry Goldwater - a real conservative

Saw an interesting biography last night of Barry Goldwater.  Interesting to note that:                                        

• he was pro-choice (he thought it was none of the government's business)
• he actually supported civil rights laws before 1964, and only opposed the 1964 law on constitutional grounds
• he hated Nixon ("the most dishonest politician I've ever known"), had a very low opinion of the Christian right's influence in the Republican Party (thought all good Christians should give Jerry Falwell a kick in the ass) and thought the Republicans needed to lay off Clinton in the impeachment issue.

Interesting to see how the "father of modern conservatism" viewed some of these issues...            

Ted Kulongoski...against Ted Kulongoski?

OK...I'm new to Oregon...so I'm still learning all the issues...but this opinion piece in the Oregonian is pretty brutal to Ted Kulongoski. It basically says that he indicated he wouldn't go looking for more taxes, then went about doing exactly what he promised he wouldn't do.

Anyone with a viewpoint on this? I don't have an opinion...yet.

Colin Powell

This is what George Bush said about Colin Powell when he left his office as Secretary of State in 2004:

He has been one of the most effective and admired diplomats in America's history. Secretary Powell has helped to rally the world in a global war, has helped to resolve dangerous regional conflicts; he's helped to confront the desperate challenges of hunger, poverty and disease. He has been tireless and selfless and principled, and our entire nation is grateful for his lifetime of service.

It's interesting now that Powell is being critical of Bush, conservatives seem to be coming out of the woodwork criticizing him. This is a guy who basically put his reputation and 30+ year-career at risk to deliver the administration message at the United Nations, among other things. I think to rip him to shreds now, simply because he expresses a contrary opinion (which he has every right to do), is frankly shameful.

Why I like Hugh Hewitt (and Alan Colmes) and hate Air America and Michelle Malkin

It's really quite simple...I am about fair, honest, respectful debate. I am a person who occasionally has a conservative perspective, occasionally a liberal one. I think conservatives are basically decent human beings (for the most part)...same for liberals. Hugh and Alan have the ability to disagree without frothing at the mouth or calling the other side hateful names simply for having a different point of view (unlike the aforementioned Michelle Malkin, whose book, "Unhinged," has to be the ultimate in the pot calling the kettle black, or Air America, a network whose entire corporate charter is based on disgust with President Bush on every level). By the way, Lanny Davis has a new book which talks about this very issue...it's excellent and even has a ringing endorsement from conservatives like Michael Medved. Check it out.