"A wise and frugal government which shall restrain men
from injuring one another, which shall leave them otherwise free to regulate their own pursuits of industry and improvement, and shall not take from the mouth of labor the bread it has earned. This is the sum of good government."
(Thomas Jefferson)


Thursday, February 23, 2012

Are Rand Paul and Bob McDonnel on the Short List of VP Candidates by Romney?

Republicans across the Country have been asking what agenda Ron Paul shares with Romney because he refuses to say anything against Romney while being aggressive against other candidates.  Then last night a good friend sent me the Daily Caller link about Rand Paul for Vice President and all of a sudden the puzzle pieces fit.

Started thinking recently that the attacks on Rick Perry by Bachmann started with Ron Paul doing a favor for Romney since she is a huge Ron Paul person.  Establishment types especially Bush 41, Karl Rove, and Romney were scared to death of Perry getting traction so they would be willing to use anyone to go after Perry.  It never occurred at the time that Paul aligning himself with Romney was happening as Ron Paul is almost a 180 degrees from Romney or is he?  Now wondering if Paul is actually more liberal then he portrays himself to be or could there be another reason?  How about his son, Senator Rand Paul, for Vice President?

These two stories within one day of each other speak volumes.  Could not figure out why Paul was supporting Romney and being his attack dog after Bachmann got out of the race.  Now it makes sense.  He is trolling for his son to run as the VP for Romney knowing that neither Gingrich or Santorum would come close to putting Rand Paul on the ticket.  That thought wouldn't even cross their mind.
February 22, 2012
Rand Paul says ‘it would be an honor to be considered’ as Romney’s veep (this explains a lot) 
On Wednesday, Chuck Todd, NBC News’ political director and host of MSNBC’s “Daily Rundown,” rhetorically asked: “Just what has Romney promised Ron Paul.” 
Nobody knows if some sort of bargain has been made, but it is interesting that Rep. Ron Paul has never really attacked Mitt Romney, yet he has frequently attacked more conservative candidates at just the moment they were beginning to pose a threat to Romney. (For example, consider his latest ad, attacking Rick  Santorum.) 
The timing has been noticeable. 
Now, a Kentucky media outlet, WFPL News, might be offering us a clue: 
Kentucky’s junior senator says it would be an honor to be considered as a possible running mate for Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney
… After a speech in Louisville today, [Sen. Rand] Paul held that door firmly open, saying he wants to be part of the national debate. 
… “I don’t know if I can answer that question, but I can say it would be an honor to be considered,” he said. 
Of course, this could be much ado about nothing — just a politician answering a question. On the other hand, it is sure to spark more speculation that some sort of deal may be in the works between the Romney and Paul camps. It’s not as if Ron Paul’s campaign hasn’t stoked speculation. As the Dallas Morning News reported, Paul’s national campaign chairman, Jesse Benton, recently said: “Any Republican should have Rand Paul on his short list.” 
On the surface, tapping Paul as veep might not make sense. But conservatives are refusing to go along and eat the dog food with Romney — and adding Rand Paul to the ticket would fire conservatives up – and ensure that Ron Paul drops any plans to launch a 3rd party challenge. And just imagine if Romney arrives at the GOP convention needing some of Paul’s delegates to win the nomination? 
It’s not an absurd idea.

Read more:  The Daily Caller
Rand Paul is showing that he will throw conservative values overboard in his quest to be VP as a stepping stone to the White House.  We had doubts about Rand Paul when he ran for Senate in Kentucky when he semi-pulled away from his Dad to get elected.  Thought it might be all programmed on his part to show himself independent of his Dad when he wasn't.  Turned out it was all for show to get elected.  He is a grand stander and always trying to get attention even as a Freshman in the Senate.  Still not sure he is this big conservative or is he playing the part?  I am opting for playing the part  Look at Jim DeMint who endorsed Romney in 2008.  He is not endorsing in the primary -- think he learned his lesson on Romney or at least I hope he did.

Now we have Rand Paul who took office as a Senator in January of 2011, held no other political office before that, wanting to be on the national stage.  That is less time than Obama spent in the Senate and he was a State Senator before that.  What does Rand Paul bring to the ticket?  A younger version of Ron Paul and his Libertarian views?  Our military will be right in the bulls-eye with a Romney/Paul ticket.

If Rand Paul is truly on the list, it shows that Romney will do anything to get the Ron Paul delegates especially if they would put him over the top.  Just don't see a Romney/Paul ticket -- talk about a strange ticket -- that one would take the cake.  One thing it would do would show some conservatives who support the Paul family that they will do whatever it takes for power selling themselves to a moderate to liberal Republican politician Romney.

First it was the story about Rand Paul and now Governor Bob McDonnell of VA tosses conservative values out the window to appeal to Romney for VP.  Enough to make your head spin after Pawlenty sold his values out to attack Rick Santorum for Romney in order to get his campaign debt paid down.  It is duly noted that Romney had promised to help Pawlenty with his debts when Pawlenty quit the campaign, but it didn't happen until after Pawlenty made the conference call attacking Santorum.   No one needs to be a consultant to figure that one out that once Pawlenty made the call Romney called into the donors to help retire his campaign debt.

Found this gem about Bob McDonnell as I was reading RedState.com this morning which makes perfect sense why McDonnell is throwing conservatives values out the window.  He should have done a better job of choosing his aides since they seem to be on the liberal side:
VA Governor Bob McDonnell Hangs VA GOP Out To Dry 
Is he abandoning pro-life legislators as the price of being Mitt's running mate?

Posted by streiff (Diary)
Wednesday, February 22nd at 10:05AM EST

[UPDATE: I'm informed by someone very much in touch with the Virginia political scene that the root of the problem is the Bob McDonnell's staff are, at the best, pro-life squishes and they are presently negotiating with themselves over the best way of selling out.] 
Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell, a Romney supporter and leading contender for the VP spot on a Romney-headed ticket, demonstrated his complete philosophical alignment with Romney yesterday by flipflopping on a bill he has championed and in the process hanging VA GOP delegates out to dry. 
For those who haven’t been paying attention, Virginia’s legislature has been going after the abortion industry root and branch. Last year they passed a law requiring aborttoirs to be regulated as if they did what they do: perform a surgical procedure which can be life threatening. This year a bill is being finalized that requires a woman seeking an abortion to see ultrasound pictures of the baby. Somehow this bill, which does not require any medical procedure the woman was not going to receive in the first place, has the pro-abortion lobby in a tizzy. Dahlia Lithwick at Slate has predictably styled this as rape. 
Up until yesterday, Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell had unconditionally supported the bill.
Gov. Robert F. McDonnell is backing off his unconditional support for a bill requiring women to have an ultrasound before an abortion, focusing new attention on one of the most controversial pieces of legislation in Virginia’s General Assembly this year.\ 
Until this weekend, McDonnell (R) and his aides had said the governor would sign the measure if it made it to his desk. McDonnell, who strongly opposes abortion, will no longer make that commitment. 
As the political damage has already been done to the GOP senators who have taken a courageous stand on this issue, one may rightfully ask why a governor who is barred from running for re-election wouldn’t stand behind the very people he encouraged to take up the bill in the first place? 
“Something is happening,’’ Jessica Honke, a lobbyist for Planned Parenthood Advocates of Virginia, said hopefully. 
Yes, indeedy. Something is happening. 
There is only one explanation that fits all the facts. McDonnell wants to be Mitt Romney’s choice for vice president should Romney almost certainly win the GOP nomination. The ultrasound bill is causing too much controversy and probably has Romney’s handlers wearing brown trousers at the thought of having to actually take a pro-life position in a general election campaign. McDonnell takes to opportunity to look moderate and abandons ship. 
In fact, McDonnell’s actions are really a great metaphor for Mitt Romney’s political career. 
So, again, we are on the verge of having a defeat snatched from the jaws of victory by someone who appears to be more concerned with what people who will never like him are saying rather than doing the right thing. 
In a way, it is sort of fitting that this story breaks on Ash Wednesday. Maybe McDonnell should swear off political games for the next 40 days.  
Source:  Red State  (my bold in the article)
Going to throw out something that has been bothering me about Governors McDonnell and Christie.  As soon as Perry declared he was running, he gave up being the Chair of the Republican Governor's Conference (RGA) because he didn't think it was fair to run for President and also be the RGA Chair.  Look at who steps up to the plate:  two Romney supporters McDonnell and Christie as Chair and Vice Chair.  Then you add the fact that McDonnell agreed with the ballot access law keeping all but Romney and Paul off the VA ballot.  A judge said the ballot access law was unconstitutional but candidates should have filed their suit at the beginning of the process so he ruled in favor of Virginia.  So what does McDonnell do knowing the ballot access law is unconstitutional?  He goes right ahead with only having Romney/Paul on the ballot.  Now he wants to be VP?

Believe the word is 'sellout' to describe McDonnell.  Then we have Christie who has been a very vocal attack dog against Santorum.  Before that Christie had snarky comments about Perry while McDonnell shows up for Romney in SC.  Were they set up by Romney/Rove to help take out Perry so Romney would have his people heading the RGA?  Sounds far fetched but what I have seen in this election makes me think that Romney and his people including Rove will say and do anything to get Romney the nomination.  They don't care if they are ethical or Romney has to lie about where he stands on issues.  Is it the end game of a Mormon becoming President and as some Mormons have been posting about using the White House to outreach around the world for the Mormon Church and turning America into a Mormon Country?  Frankly the more I read about the Mormon connection, the more I agree with Franklin Graham and others about the Mormon Church.

There is an excellent article, What POTUS Campaigns Say About the Candidates and Their Supporters , on the Pink Flamingo that everyone should read as it discusses not only the candidates and their supporters but the Mormon Church compared to the Nicene Christianity and is very enlightening:
“…Unlike Nicene Christianity, Latter-day Saints believe that the scriptures teach of multiple types or levels of salvation ..."
The Mormon Church has been brought up first in 2008 by Romney as he tried to convince everyone at a speech at the Bush 41 Presidential Center on Texas A&M that they were just like any other religion but they are not like any church I know.  The more it has come out about Romney as a Mormon who is part of the church hierarchy, the more you realize that you should take a look at the Mormon Church.  The Pink Flamingo has done just that.

This has been an election of  'scorched earth' pretty much from the day Romney entered the race.  Any candidate gets near Romney and the Romney bought and paid for attack dogs surface.  Seems Romney was involved with Chistie and McDonnell campaigns for Governor in 2009 with donations and help.  Today McDonnell and Christie are very pro-Romney who will do anything to get him elected.  Now we learn McDonnell wants to be the VP?  Imagine that!

This is the same Romney who endorsed and donated to Kay Bailey the more moderate Texas Senator when she took on Rick Perry for Governor in 2010 and lost in a three person race.  The third person was a Paul supporter.  Looks like the Romney/Paul connection was alive and well in the Texas Republican Primary in 2010 when Paul camp ran a 'Truther'  in the Republican primary who was outed by Glenn Beck.   Perry won in the primary without  a runoff as he just got 50%.  Do you see a pattern developing from the Romney camp?

It is becoming clearer as time has gone on that Romney buys endorsements by supporting candidates and paying off their campaign debt by getting Bain Capital connections to help along with family.  The 2010 election was about Romney throwing money around to candidates so they would support him in 2012 -- Ayote (NH Senator), O'Donnell (I am not a Witch), Haley (Governor of SC), Pam Bondi (AG of FL) and the list goes on to include other candidates running for the House and Senate.  In the Presidential race it was Pawlenty and Cain.  We are waiting to see the Bachmann FEC report.

Must be nice to have a sugar daddy pay off your campaign debts or help finance your campaign, but is it worth it in the end to sell out your values?  It is one thing to endorse but to be so underhanded and on the attack for Romney is another.

I do have a major problem with the Chair and Vice Chair of the Republican Governor's Association being so vocal in their attacks like Christi or being under handed like McDonnell against a current sitting Governor to keep him and others off the ballot.  Now we learn that McDonnell has tossed Republican State Senators in VA under the bus on a bill he said he would sign.  Why?  One word:  "ROMNEY" -- McDonnell must feel he will have a better chance at VP if he appears more moderate.

When did Republican conservatives become such sellouts?

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