"In the meantime, the Republican party has the vital task of shaking the American people out of a long sleep. Sedatives have been prescribed by people, in and out of government, telling us that there is no external threat to America, that all is sweetness and light in the world and that a squadron of fighter planes or a company of marine commanders are less important than some new subsidy. The Republican Party must now sound the warning."
Note: TCR has "adapted" Lady Thatcher on the importance of military strength. This is particularly important in this era of the wholesale dismantling of our military.
Obama's Temper Tantrum After He Loses Gun Regulation Plan As 5 D's Desert Him
You'd think in his fifth year in office, President Obama would act with class when he loses.
Last week's gun regulation failure found the President striking out at the opposition. Accusing them of lying, and attacking the Senators that "dare" oppose him.
Of course, what Obama forgot to tell the media was that his gun law proposal would not have stopped Newtown, or for that matter, the Boston terrorist attack and that we have plenty of gun laws on the books that are not enforced.
Fiscal Commission Back As Moment Of Truth Project And Updated Recommendations, Can Obama Finally Embrace A Bipartisan Plan To Solve Our Fiscal Crisis?
We all remember that the Simpson-Bowles Commission, appointed by President Obama, whose final report he promptly abandoned for "his plan" of higher taxes paired with higher spending.
The commission has morphed into the Moment of Truth Project, which has an updated plan out, and it's a pretty good one worthy of serious discussion.
Here is a brief summary:
- Replace mindless sequestration and unnecessary tax rate hikes with intelligent spending cuts, structural entitlement changes, and comprehensive tax reform.
- Put the debt on a clear downward path relative to the economy, falling to 69 percent by 2023 under base projections and as low as 65 percent if the reforms in the plan provides the increases in economic growth that reports by the Congressional Budget Office and Joint Committee on Taxation suggest are possible and if war spending declines faster than our projections assume.
- Increase total deficit reduction achieved since 2010 to $5.2 trillion through 2023, with over 72 percent of those savings coming from spending reductions.
- Reduce the deficit by over $500 billion in 2023 alone, compared to the $60 billion that would be generated by sequestration, reducing deficits to 1.9 percent of GDP in that year.
- Reform the tax code in a way that improves fairness, lower rates, raises revenue, and promotes economic growth.
- Make structural changes to reduce the growth of federal health programs, backed up with a cap to ensure per capita health obligations grow no faster than the economy.
- Establish mechanisms and procedures to ensure long-term sustainability of entitlement programs and keep debt under control over the long term.
Their ideas would require compromise, but can put the U.S. on a sustainable fiscal path and it is certainly a place to start discussion.
It would require both sides putting "their cows on the table..."
Will This Texas Legislative Session Accomplish Anything For Transportation And Water?
The ideas are out there of how to get us ready for two major problems heading our way in the areas of water and transportation. Both require a long-term plan with adequate funding that will keep pace with inflation and population growth. Right now that isn't happening. It is good to see leadership coming from Republicans in the legislature taking these issues on. It is unfortunate that Governor Perry doesn't want to supply gubernatorial leadership or use his bully pulpit to assist in passing conservative solutions here. Let's hope he decides to get fully engaged.
Remember no matter how good our business climate is, in the end it won't matter if we don't have enough water or highways, will it?
Congrats To Rep. Phil King, Pushing For Moving State Public Integrity From Travis Co. DA's Office
Soon after TCR recommended moving the State's Public Integrity Office out of the partisan Democratic Travis County DA's office, State Representative Phil King began pushing for this due to the current DA's DWI issue. This is a long needed reform. We all remember the GOP victims of this office, among them, Kay Bailey Hutchison and Tom DeLay. Let's hope the legislature makes this happen.
This is the U.S.A. -- Don't Mess With Us By Bruce Bialosky, Contributing Editor
Thomas Friedman of the New York Times has received many accolades for his column following the bombing at the Boston Marathon. Under the category of "a stopped clock is right twice a day," Friedman nailed the situation on the head.
His column spoke of how Boston should immediately rebuild the area where the bombing was done. He drew the analogy to our younger brothers, the Israelis, and how they immediately cleanup and repair after a suicide bomber kills and maims. They leave no scars for the madmen to praise and the citizens to be reminded of their losses.
In that manner, what has gone on in New York after 9/11 is a national disgrace. I speak with a voice of authority and authenticity. May I remind you that I was leading a group visiting Washington D.C. and standing in the center of the Capitol when the plane hit the Pentagon? If it were not for Todd Beamer and many other proud Americans on Flight 93, we might not be here today because that plane was coming at us.
My wife and I toured the 9/11 site in New York last year. I felt a tremendous sense of unease. Why were these buildings not finished? What kind of statement was that to the animals that had done this that 11 years later we were still rebuilding? That is just unacceptable. We have to show these maniacs that if they hit us not only are we going to hit them back we are going to rebuild. We are going to rebuild faster and better and more beautiful than before. You cannot and you will not affect us or defeat us.
Thus, in that vein, the people in Boston should be repairing the terrorist scene. Americans should come to Boston this summer to take the Freedom Walk, go to a Red Sox game and sing Sweet Caroline. Then they should say let's go visit where those disgusting people set off those bombs. When they get to the scene they should be able to look around and say "Where did the bombs go off?" They should not be able to tell. The sidewalks and streets should be glistening and the shops should be bustling with business. That will show these madmen you are not going to shake us.
It is easy to misunderstand the United States as an outsider. We have been quibbling for years. As an outsider you may think we are weak because of our internal disputes and sometimes misplaced priorities, but don't ever get that in your mind. If you think that you can come here and blow up other Americans and we will stand for it you are seriously confused. Here is one for you. Go off and kill a few left-wing fanatics who happen to be Americans. Wait until you feel the wrath of every Redneck in this country. They will be coming after you and you will feel the pain. They wave those flags so that those leftists can say what they do and those Rednecks understand as much as the detest them leftists, they will fight and die to protect them.
It is quite unimaginable to us Americans why these sick people do what they do. They are just very unhappy people. We are currently traveling and when this column prints we will be in mainland China. We notice how few people smile as we walk the streets of other countries in our foreign travel. It is reminding of the experience we had coming out of world famous Grand Bazaar in Istanbul in 2007, one of the true bastions of capitalism. There are people everywhere coming up to you trying to sell you whatever their wares. In these situations I speak to them in Spanish and tell them I don't understand English. As I walked by one man, he called to me and said "You are an American." Since I had no gear on that would show I was American I turned to him and asked how he knew. He said "You smiled. Europeans don't smile. Americans smile."
That is the message the enemies of America need to get. We are the happy ones, but don't mess with us. We will hunt you down. Our security services will find you. Our special forces will come after you. Our Marines will get you. And if that is not good enough we have 100 million Americans who are armed and ready to take you on. If you think those Marines are nasty, wait until you face down a 70-year-old granny with a double-barreled shotgun.
Rebuild, replenish, move forward. Make sure these terrorists know they will never get to us. Just like Mickey Rooney, we will always come up smiling.
Bruce Bialosky is the founder of the Republican Jewish Coalition of California and a former Presidential appointee.
TCR on the Air
Red, White & Blue featuring TCR Editor Gary Polland, liberal commentator David Jones and moderator Linda Lorelle on Fridays at 7:30 pm on PBS Houston Channel 8.1, replaying Sundays at 12:30 p.m. on Channel 8.1, Mondays at 11:30 pm on Channel 8.2 and on the web at www.houstonpbs.org.
Upcoming Shows:
David Keene, President NRA, Stephen Klineberg with 2013 Houston Area Survey Results, Medicaid in Texas-What Should We Do?, Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott, Americans for Tax Reform leader Grover Norquist, Texas Comptroller Susan Combs and Houston Mayor Annise Parker.
The current show as well as past shows are available on YouTube.
About Your Editor
Gary Polland is a long-time conservative and Republican spokesman, fund-raiser, and leader who completed three terms as the Harris County Republican Chairman. During his three terms, Gary was described as the most successful county Chairman in America by Human Events - The National Conservative Weekly. He is in his fifteenth year of editing a newsletter dealing with key conservative and Republican issues. The last twelve years he has edited Texas Conservative Review. As a public service for the last 10 years, Gary has published election guides for the GOP primary, general elections and city elections, all with the purpose of assisting conservative candidates. Gary is also in his eleventh year of co-hosting Red, White and Blue on PBS Houston. Gary is a practicing attorney and strategic consultant. He can be reached at (713) 621-6335.
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