GROSS GUARANTEES CULVER'S REELECTION !!!

Doug Gross in his insistent campaign to drive social conservatives out of the Republican Party, practically guaranteed Chet Culver's reelection this week. With President Obamas total incompetence and Chet Culver's lilly livered refusal to defend the sanctity of the average Iowans home, Republicans were gaining ground and looking forward to big victories next year , until this week.

With Grosses coalition hiring a Texas polling firm, and the subsequent release of results, that were accumulated before the Iowa Supreme Courts ruling on Gay Marriage. The social moderates totally destroyed, and undermined the efforts of the new leadership at RPI, to repair the damage caused by the Iowa Caucus last year.

Thanks again social moderates, by backing social conservatives into a corner with your phony poll, the big tent has now collapsed, you pulled the tent stake out!!

Answer this for me Doug, why cant a Republican be a fiscal and social conservative? I believe Reagan was. Oh yes I am not supposed to bring that guy up. After all the people who truly believed in him, were the very same people your bunch didn't want in the party years ago. You just humored them to win elections, and now you want them out no matter what the cost.

There is a party where social liberals, and fiscal conservatives can go, and are going, its called the Democratic Party!! Don't forget many fiscal conservatives believe in balancing the governments books, not necessarily cutting government spending.

On the weekend of Jack Kemp's death, I am reminded of the conservatism that I believe in. Jacks idea of the big tent, is not what the Republican Party is pursuing today. Jack believed in a hand up, not a hand out. He believed that a strong family unit was the key to a strong community, that is why he always wanted us to help the minority community, because liberals had destroyed the family in that community, and Jack knew social conservative values was the key to recovery, for that segment of our society.

Kemp also believed in economic development , not economic bailout. The Republican Party is not the Party of economic development anymore, we spend our time getting sweetheart business deals for the multi national corporations that give us the largest donations, small donors don't count anymore. When Haley Barbour was RNC chair, I.E. Reagan he had the largest list of donors under $100 a year in the history of the party then, and since.

So where do you want us to go Doug? I don't see any victories for you to hang your hat on, that confirms a fiscal conservative, social moderate can win. Obama is really nothing more than McCain on steroids, and he was perceived as a new face, and hadn't been in Washington long enough to get blamed for all of the problems. THAT'S HOW HE WON!! THAT'S IT!! ITS AS SIMPLE AS THAT!!

What has won in the past for the Republican Party is a platform of Smaller Government, Less Taxes, and Personal Responsibility, at least that is what John Ensign said today.

Lets see what goes under Personal Responsibility: Oh yeah Not Aborting Your Baby, Trying to make a marriage work, ( one between a man and a woman) say what does the Hill group poll show about that? Seeing to it that the next generation has a chance to live at least as good as the present one, (hard to see how the bailouts have done that), See to it that the current generation lives in a safe and secure, and prosperous country ( illegal immigration has really helped toward that goal).

Just those three issues alone point to a Party that needs to bring social conservative values to the table and defend them, the lack of commitment to that has been our undoing.

So the lines have been split once again, Social Moderates the money changers of the Party, are trying to defeat the Social Conservatives, who have the numbers that make election victory possible. A situation that lead to defeat in the past.

So all I can say to Doug Gross, is if you persist in this manner, of wanting to exclude social conservatives from the mix, you are guaranteeing Chet Culver's reelection. It is up to you, I have yet to see candidates out there, who run only on social issues. The ones I like run as a social and fiscal conservative, and back that up when they hold office. The fact that you don't see any candidates out there who do, exposes your lack of understanding of politics in general, and average conservative Americans in particular.

Once again take good look at what you are saying, because you are guaranteeing Culver's reelection!!

THANKS SOCIAL MODERATES!!

Social moderates are dancing in the streets today, now that same sex marriage has been made legal in Iowa. Moderates, thanks for your decisive, and passionate defense of a culture that has proven to be the most loving and productive institution in the history of man. Your anything goes attitude will pay off big in future years. Your respect for the common American Families way of life, that hundreds of thousands of Americans in the past have died to protect, is evident, in the way you stood up to protect the institution that God had put together and that no man is allowed to tear asunder.

The only explanation for this attitude of the social moderates I can come up with is they are in the business that will benefit from same sex marriage. Lets see, well there should be a boost in the wedding planning industry right off the bat. Maybe you could start one of those Las Vegas style chapels out by the Des Moines airport so they can fly in get married and fly out in one day!! Then think of the boom in the divorce business, same sex partners tend to make more money than heterosexual couples so lawyers will be able to do more divorces for cash than they are now.

Oh and here is a good side effect for you Fiscally conservative, but Socially liberal people. By encouraging the risky behavior of homosexuality you will be able to put more patients in the health care system than there already are, increasing demand, and raising cost. Yes indeed you really thought this out!! All because you lacked the guts ,or rather considered yourself too sophisticated, to defend a lifestyle you would never choose or want your children to choose. CONGRATULATIONS!!

Well in the fine Iowa tradition of taxing or charging a fee for all legal activity that the state does not approve of (i.e. smoking,etc) which I do not smoke my self. I propose the State Legislature propose a bond of $1,000 on all same sex marriages performed in Iowa, to be held in lieu of the results of a referendum on permanently banning same sex marriage in Iowa. The bond will be returned if the referendum comes out in favor of same sex marriage. If not the State will keep the money. A $1,000 is a pretty cheap wedding if you think about it. Why shouldn't the state cash in on this? Anything goes right?

I would think this would be a windfall for all of the Socially Moderate, Fiscally Conservative big government lawyers and bankers out there who are working both parties but don't want to impose their personal beliefs on any one. Its just business guys!! Anything goes!!

This same sex marriage, anything goes attitude, really exposes what has happened to our economy, when we are willing to consider that marriage is something other than God made it, doesn't it follow that our business judgement would follow the same course? Anything goes, the fundamentals don't count, I am willing to accept anything as common, as long as i want to call it that.

So thanks again Socially moderate Republicans your appointment of two Iowa Supreme Court members who voted for this, and lack of leadership to make a ban of same sex marriage get through the legislature, is a stunning legacy that future generations will look back on and say THEY WERE GREAT AMERICANS!!

THE POSITIVE OF THINKING THE WORST!!

It has been sometime since I a have posted, I have been taking in much of the disaster that is becoming America. That's negative thinking you say? Well lets take a look at thinking negatively.

The best example I have seen of thinking negatively is the plane crash in the Hudson River. I watched the interview of the pilot and I believe what saved all of his passengers, was his preparation for something he hoped would never happen. He said he saw where a pilot had tried to land an Air India plane on the ocean and it didn't work out and the plane broke up. So since then he had studied, and practiced in his glider the proper way to land a plane with out power, and as smoothly as possible. He had the procedure down to where he was starting to give lectures about it. Now what if he had said that a wreck like is too negative of a possibility to happen to me and never prepared? Allot of people including him self would be dead right now. His negative thinking worked out in a positive way.

Now lets look at the disaster that is becoming the American economy, and the taking away of our children's freedom. How is it negative to say that the wreck less spending that our government has done since last August isn't going to work? Do we have any examples of this working in the past? Haven't we seen year after year, the government slip farther and farther behind on its budget, and incur debt on future generations, that will plainly cause our children to never know the prosperity that past generations have enjoyed?

There is still time 60% of this last spending bill will not be spent until after 2010,now I know the Republican Party is drooling thinking it will be 1994 all over again. Please tell me how you intend to win if you put challengers out there who essentially, say they will do the same thing but not as badly, or expect incumbents who voted for bailouts last fall, and are not voting for them now to explain the change of heart?
The American people are not that dumb. Lets think negatively here, lets up and say that things are not going well, admit to the public that their 401k probably isn't bouncing back very soon, have new faces out there who believe we need to get back to the fundamentals of the constitution. Have incumbents running for reelection who don't have to explain a double standard, and maybe, just maybe the Republic can be saved, along with it our children's future.

You see we have dropped the ball when it comes to them, the vote buying done through the appropriations process, and the total lack of oversight by the press, will have future generations wondering what happened. They will look back on this time and realize they were not loved enough by past generations because we didn't stop to think what will happen if this plan doesn't work. It can be argued that since this has been going on for several generations already, that our predecessors are guilty of this too.

We had a chance to stop it. This country was given to us from past generations to hand over in better shape, or at least the same shape as we received it. We failed to look into the mirror and take responsibility for the things we have done. Just like Captain Sullivan, we had seen crashes in the past but failed to study the problem, and come up with a positive solution through cautious reasoning.

Caution and prudence would have served America in this case, instead of HOPE. Now our children will be left with a tyranny caused by incompetence, more than evil.

BAILOUT GEORGE BAILEY!!!

Merry Christmas Everyone!!!

I was enjoying my annual viewing of, Its A Wonderful Life and something struck me. First let me say I own a DVD version of this movie first, because I purely love the movie, and second, I refuse to watch it on NBC with unlimited commercial interruption, and the entire NBC prime time lineup, telling us how much they love the film. The fact that it is a universally conservative film makes it even more sickening, when the liberal prime time stars rave about how much they love it. I wonder if it crosses their minds, this is a pro life film, Quote from Clarence: You see George, you really had a wonderful life! Don't you see what a mistake it was to just throw it away? There is no way the abortion on demand, NBC prime time star, who just told me how much they love this movie, could have seen it, with a line like that in it!!! There goes her NARAL membership!!

Now back to the title of the post, later in the film Uncle Billy loses the $8,000 bank deposit, and George is in trouble with the bank examiner. Keep in mind George and Billy didn't run the place into the ground and grab their large bonuses, and hit the street leaving the stock holders with the empty bag. Not at all, Uncle Billy left it in the rolled up newspaper, he gave back to Old Man Potter, after having a battle of words with him. Uncle Billy honestly misplaced the money, its as simple as that!!! Because of it George is going to jail for theft. WHAT?!!! Where is the bailout money when George needs it?!! If George goes out of business everyone in Bedford Falls will have to crawl to Potter for money. I would say George is too big to fail wouldn't you?
How can George be arrested for innocently losing money he was in charge of? Why didn't the government just print up some money for him so he wouldn't be in trouble?

Here in lies the difference between the world our grand parents lived in back then, and the way things are now. If you were in a position of trust back then, you payed for the betrayal of that trust, even if it was an honest mistake. The reason for that thinking was to promote caution with the people entrusted with the basic welfare of the people of the community, to get them to be prudent in their actions, and their decisions. When they exercised that prudence they were rewarded, with the prosperity they had helped the rest of the community earn. When the rest of the community failed they shared in that failure. That's Leadership!!!

So we will need to have a remake of Its A Wonderful Life, in it George will take over the old building in loan his father founded, negotiate a lucrative salary, with stock options at a guaranteed price. The company must pay that price, no matter what the current value of the stock is when George takes the option. He will then proceed to give out loans to the people of Bedford Falls, at 105% of value of their over inflated homes, the homes are over inflated in value, because the local government cant afford the decreased income, caused by deflated property values. Deflated property values caused by Sam Wainwright taking his plastics factory, with its high paying jobs to China. Meanwhile the remaining industries are receiving large economic incentives to move to Bedford Falls. They are bringing in illegal immigrants, that drive the wage base down so low, that no one can afford to pay for a mortgage. The resulting social services burden caused by jobs that don't pay benefits anymore, has bankrupted Bedford Falls, the housing market collapses, George cashes in his stock options, then negotiates a deal with the Mayor of Bedford Falls, to buy the building and loan, with yet to be collected tax dollars, that the children of Bedford Falls and their children will have to pay. George says he had nothing to do with the failure of the building and loan,during testamony in front a committee hearing, with the Bedford Falls City Council. Then he grabs Mary and they move to Dubai, or a tropical island they find at a bargain price.

ITS A WONDERFUL LIFE!! he says

MERRY XMAS!!!

MAGGIE TINSMAN'S HATE SPEECH

I was stunned by an opinion piece by Maggie Tinsman in the Quad City Times, seems she regards the social conservatives of the Republican Party with very little regard, and from the tone of the article, that disrespect seems to go into the area of hate. Funny thing Maggie, did you turn down any of the votes you got from social conservatives, when you ran for office in the past? How come your concern for the evil social conservatives seems to have shown up now, after you no longer hold office and are a(political consultant) in the same firm with Dick Durbins wife? Lets read this article and reflect on the total ignorance displayed in it:

Let tolerance move GOP back to the mainstream, By Maggie Tinsman | Monday, December 1, 2008 5:40 PM CST | (8) comments
As the Republican party examines the drift to a minority status in both the popular vote and an increasing minority in the Iowa Senate and the Iowa House, one finds the party has been heavily influenced by the religious right/social fundamentalists. The strong Republican core values of past years have been reduced to a lower level of importance. Indeed, Republicans are victims of change. Barriers have been built and litmus tests have been used that have restricted citizen participation and support and have diminished the number of Republicans.

For many years and before the infusion of social fundamentalism, the basic tenets that have carried the party have been:

I am a Republican because…..

n I believe that good government is based on the individual and that each person’s ability, dignity, freedom and responsibility must be honored and recognized.

n I believe in equal rights, equal justice and equal opportunity for all regardless of race, creed, age, sex, national origin or disability.

n I believe that free enterprise and the encouragement of individual initiative have brought this nation opportunity, economic growth and prosperity.

n I believe government must practice fiscal responsibility and allow individuals to keep more of the money they earn.

n I believe that the proper role of government is to provide for the people those critical functions that cannot be performed by individuals or private organizations and that the best government is that which governs least.

n I believe that the most effective, responsible and responsive government is closest to the people.

n I believe we must retain the principles that have made us strong while developing new and innovative ideas to meet the challenges of changing times.

n I believe that Americans value and should preserve our national strength and pride while working to extend peace, freedom and human rights throughout the world.

Finally, I believe that the Republican Party is the best vehicle for translating these ideals into positive and successful principles of government. These principles incorporate mainstream Republicanism, concentrating on limited government, fiscal responsibility, strong defense, individual rights and a government that is conservative and tolerant to all.

Will we Republicans embrace good government for all, regardless of gender, minority group, age, or faith? We must appeal to all women, Hispanics and other minority groups, young people, working men and women, all income categories of families and retired citizens, many of whom have either left the Republican Party or have felt unwelcomed by the Republican Party. How will we expand and encourage new people, as well as former Republicans, to embrace the Republican Party?

Having served as both a Scott County supervisor and an Iowa state senator for almost 30 years, I care deeply about Iowa and about America. Growing up in the Quad-Cities and having been married for 50 years provides me with a strong family foundation and a realization of the vast opportunities available in this great nation. Hopefully, one day, my grandchildren will enjoy an equally satisfying adulthood. However, as a mother and grandmother, a retired elected official, a community volunteer, and political consultant, I am concerned about the problems and issues faced right here in the heartland. I want this area to hear a tolerant political philosophy. I believe in helping people help themselves within a budget, and I believe strongly in a limited government that protects individual rights and prevents government from intruding into our private lives. Those tenets include values that have guided my life and my public service. They stem from a Republican philosophy, consistent with the Constitution that many people have forgotten or have never known. Let us, Republicans, reach out to people with tolerance and understanding and recapture the broad base. The return of the traditional mainstream multi-faceted Republican Party is worth fighting for in order to address critical issues facing our state and our nation. Let us choose change at once!

Former state Sen. Maggie Tinsman serves on the Iowa State Board of Health. She lives in Bettendorf.

AMAZING!!!
First off the strong Republican core values you talk about Maggie are social values. They are the only thing that separates us, from the Democratic Party. Defending life, marriage, and the traditional American Family are the things we Republicans do best, and we win elections when defend them. Please explain to us the barriers, and litmus tests you have found the social conservatives of this party apply to determine whether one is a conservative or not!!! INTOLERANT!! Please!! We have tolerated allot from candidates for office, who latched on to Reagan's greatness, talked like he did but couldn't walk the talk when it came time to deliver. Back to the litmus tests, seems to me you have put a litmus test on people. Anyone who believes in the traditional social values of this country is being an intolerant bigot, in your view.
To make it even worse you seem to think that women, minorities, and other groups of people too numerous to mention, don't share the same values of the social conservatives of this party. Please explain to me in your professional political consultant, Dick Durbin loving way, how the marriage initiatives in states Barrack Obama won passed so largely, especially with the very groups you say we are driving away from the Republican Party? Finally don't bring up the constitution here, the same old liberal separation of church and state thing is dried up, and no one believes it. The constitution protects the rights of people of all faiths to participate the political process, there is no one in America who believes different other than atheists, and lawyers who enjoy collecting fees for suing public entities, over the separation of church and state clause.

You are guilty of the same intolerance, and insensitivity you accuse the social conservatives of. I took this article as an out and out hatred of me,and other people who think like me, by you and I am sure I am not alone. You know, when you and your friends were in the majority in this party, the social conservatives were good sports and supported you guys through the election process, now that the shoe is on the other foot, your coalition of moderates don't seem to show the same character, it is quite a shame. It is your way of thinking that squandered the legacy Reagan left you and this Party. If you and the rest of the moderates who might be socially conservative in your private life, but cant seem to come up with the courage to stand up for those principles publicly, maybe you need to look at the Democratic Party, If hanging out with us riff raff is unappealing to you. By the way I haven't been to church in years!! Don't think we cant replace you, there are plenty of disgruntled Republicans in the Constitution, and Libertarian Parties you, drove away, that would love to come back.

THE 8TH OF NOVEMBER !!!

Here it is the eighth of November and time for my tribute to Duncan Hunter and his old Brigade from Viet Nam the 173rd Airborne. The first night I met Duncan, I knew he was a veteran but I didn't know the background of the 173rd, and their service in Viet Nam. On further study it was really quite an eye opener, the battles they fought in are subjects of songs, and movies, and a moving story lest we never forget the price they paid. I don't do this to demean or say other units didn't do their part, not at all, Duncan would never allow that, and he is right. But when you look into the service of the Brigade in Viet Nam and the price they paid, for a country that really didn't appreciate it, at the time. it is quite touching. Here is a short history of the 173Rd's service in Viet Nam:

Vietnam War
On March 26, 1963, the 173rd Airborne Brigade (Separate) was assigned to the regular army and activated on Okinawa. Brigadier General Ellis W. Williamson took command of the unit,[7] which was chartered to serve as the quick reaction force for the Pacific Command.[1] Under Williamson, the unit trained extensively, making mass parachute jumps. They earned the nickname Tien Bien, or Sky Soldiers, from the Taiwanese paratroopers.[1][7] During their time in Okinawa, they prided themselves as the "toughest fighting men in Okinawa, if not the entire US Armed Forces".[7] They took their theme song from the television series Rawhide.[7]

The brigade's deployment in May 1965 made it the first major ground combat unit of the United States Army to serve in Vietnam.[8] Williamson boldly predicted on arrival that his men would defeat the Viet Cong quickly and that they "would be back in Okinawa by Christmas".[7] The brigade was the first unit sent into War Zone D to destroy enemy base camps, introducing the use of small Long Range Reconnaissance Patrols. On November 8, 1965, the 173rd took part in Operation Hump, just north of Bien Hoa on the outskirts of Saigon,[9] the capital of South Vietnam. They were ambushed by approximately 1,200 Viet Cong fighters, suffering 48 deaths. Throughout their six years in Vietnam, they served under the command of the II Field Force, Vietnam.[10] The unit fought in the Iron Triangle, a Viet Cong stronghold north of Saigon,[9][11] seeing many engagements with enemy forces during that time. They participated in Operation Crimp in 1966, a failed attempt to root out enemy forces from the Cu Chi tunnels.[12]


1st Battalion, 503rd Infantry, 173rd Airborne Brigade soldiers battle for Hill 882, southwest of Dak To.
Specialist Six Lawrence Joel from the 173rd Brigade, receiving a Medal of HonorThe 1st and 2nd Battalions, 503rd Infantry were the first Army combat units from the 173rd sent to the South Vietnam, accompanied by the 3rd Battalion, 319th Artillery.[1] They were supported by the 173rd Support Battalion, 173rd Engineers, Troop E, 17th Cavalry and Company D, 16th Armor.[13] The 1st Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment[9] and the 161st Field Battery of the Royal New Zealand Artillery were later attached to the brigade in 1965.[14] Late in August 1966, the 173rd received another infantry battalion, the 4th battalion, 503rd Infantry from Fort Campbell, Kentucky. The 3rd battalion, 503rd joined the brigade at Tuy Hoa Province in September 1967 following the former's reactivation and training at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. The 173rd was also assigned Company N, 75th Ranger Regiment. At its peak of its deployment in Vietnam, the 173rd Airborne Brigade (Separate) comprised nearly 3,000 soldiers.[7]

On February 22, 1967, the 173rd conducted Operation Junction City, the only combat parachute jump of the Vietnam War.[15][16] During the summer and fall of 1967, the unit blocked North Vietnamese Army incursions at Dak To during some of the bloodiest fighting of the war, culminating in the capture of Hill 875.[17] Elements of the brigade conducted an amphibious assault against North Vietnamese Army and Viet Cong forces as part of an operation to clear the rice-growing lowlands along the Bong Song littoral.[1]

The intense fighting during the Battle of Dak To in November 1967 took a heavy human toll on the 173rd. While several of its units, including the 2/503rd and A/3/319th were ordered to Tuy Hoa to repair and refit,[17][18] the 173rd was transferred to the An Khe and Bong Son areas during 1968, seeing very little action while the combat ineffective elements of the brigade were rebuilt. The unit then served in An Khe until mid-1969, seeing little in the way of heavy fighting. From April 1969 until its withdrawal from Vietnam in 1971, the brigade served in Binh Dinh Province.[13] From April until August of 1971, the unit underwent the process of redeployment back to Fort Campbell, Kentucky.[1]

During more than six years of continuous combat, the brigade earned 14 campaign streamers and four unit citations. Sky Soldiers serving in Vietnam received 13 Medals of Honor, 32 Distinguished Service Crosses, 1,736 Silver Stars and more than 6,000 Purple Hearts.[1] The 173rd incurred 1,533 deaths and around 6,000 wounded.[19] The brigade was inactivated on January 14, 1972 at Fort Campbell, Kentucky.[1] Assets from the brigade were used to form the 3rd Brigade, 101st Airborne Division, a parachute component within the helicopter-landed 101st. The 3rd Brigade went off jump status on April 1, 1974, the same date on which the Airmobile Badge (Air Assault as of October 4, 1974) was introduced.[6]

With the results of this election, it is now more important than ever to make sure what happened to the Viet Nam generation, don't happen to this generation of brave Americans. I am committed to that. Maybe President elect Obama got an awaking at the FBI Building yesterday, and will listen to young Hunter, as he takes over for dad in the House of Representatives, I am sure it was quite an eye opener for Obama, since he was unable to get security clearance before election,election because of his past associations.

I am sure if called upon, the Hunters will help, as they have repeatedly shown they know how to put America first. Well another year has gone by, don't forget your local veterans this Tuesday, without all of them where would we be? As for my friend, and hero Duncan Hunter, hanging out with you, is an honor and a privilege, you are truly a GREAT AMERICAN!!!

Here is a video about Duncan's old brigade, I don't believe it is about the Dak To battle Duncan was in, but it is a great tribute to one of Americas legendary Brigades, from Big @ Rich:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LnsW82BFjsM

VOTE FOR CHUCK GRASSLEY!!!

So I am eating at a Pizza Ranch and they have KWWL-TV on their TVs, so the dinner time crowd can get the news. Hey Sara Palin visited Dubuque today, I was there lets see how the report looks!! A side note I walked up to the reporter and asked her if she was only covering the Palin story today, and if she was interested in any other stories. She paused for a little while not knowing what to say, "Is there some one else here today?" I said yes, Christopher Reed for Senate, and David Hartsuch for Congress, two candidates your viewers will be voting for tomorrow. "Oh well we only are covering Palin, if there is time for those two, we will come over and interview them" Now back to the 6:oo news and there is Sara on the TV, remember we are in the Pizza Ranch so the sound is on mute, all we have is the picture. So we are looking at a photo op here. Who is in the photo op? CHUCK GRASSLEY!! Whats that about? Is Chuck Grassley on the ballot Tuesday? Am I missing something here? There were at least 5 candidates for elective office at that rally. who could have used the face time on the 6:00 news and Chuck Grassley gets the photo op!! Please realize it is nothing personal Chuck, but you have been around awhile and the photo could have been given to some one else who is up for election!! How come victory or Chuck didn't think of that? Right then and there shows what has happened to us, we are not a team of selfless people working for the cause, its all about number one, and the rest can go to hell!!! If things turn out the way they are looking today, we have only one Party to blame. US!! We are so behind the times on how to campaign that its amazing we can get the old Model T going!! You need to have a theme and STICK TO IT!! You need to realize when there is an opportunity to do the right thing, to win an election and do it!! When we have no idea when some one is voting, because of the early voting rules, a strong consistent message will win every time. Since you have no idea when people will be voting the one size fits all campaigning, that doesn't respond to Joe the Plumber is out dated, yes i know it wasn't that many election cycles ago when it worked. Those were the good ole days!! You say we did respond to Joe the Plumber, yes indeed after the damage was done with the bailout vote. Did anyone think that maybe people are leaning Obama because they think he hasn't been in Washington long enough to screw up as much as McCain? We need to face facts the Democrats are more open to new ideas, and new people in the process than we are, they are organized and their organized lieing, is getting harder to beat with disorganized truth!!