Republicans - Their Worst Enemy Is Themselves

Harlingen, Texas, September 3, 2010:  As we move closer and closer to Election Day, I really start to worry about the GOP.  It has always been a strange political party that could never really understand its own strengths and weaknesses.  Because of that failing, especially during good times, it tends to form that old cliché called the Circular Firing Squad, and shoot itself in places where it really hurts.

We saw the Republican majority vanish, not because it had the wrong ideas about governance, but because it decided the safest way to hold office was to emulate the actions of its opponents.  It started spending the people’s money like a Sailor or Marine on a Saturday Night Liberty Call. (Before those Sailors and Marines write nasty letters, we should all remember we have been there---and done that!) The main aftermath of such extravagance is that on Monday morning you suffer for your indigestions.  The GOP suffered great losses from being labeled Democrat-Lite, and they are still having a hard time shaking loose from that title.

As Republicans start feeling secure in their party positions, they have also become very lazy in preparing to face opponents.  We saw this in the poorly managed McCain presidential campaign.  We saw it in multiple debate performances.  We saw it in poorly designed and ill received attack ads.  We saw it in campaigns where the Republican candidates tried to be pleasing to everyone, the result being nobody was pleased.  Most of all, we saw it on the stump, where candidates lost their message time and time again.  Last night we saw it in Arizona Governor Jan Brewer when she became lost in space for one of the longest dead air events in television.  In the vast majority of these examples, the difficult situations would never have surfaced if there had been adequate advance preparation.

Republicans in office have another major failing.  They all want to be loved.  Well that is something they should really rethink.  The American public accepts politicians because we realize that some governance is required, but none of them was voted into office because they were the Prom Kings and Queens at the last big dance.  In fact, even at this hour when Republicans hold a six point generic poll lead over the Democrats, two out of three Americans would rather see every one now in office out on the street.  So, forget about all that love, candidates…It ain’t gonna happen!

Most important of all is the attitude of Republicans once they obtain those lofty seats of power.  Historically, they have became arrogant, insufferable, egoists who suddenly became all knowing and all seeing.  They refused to pay the slightest heed to the very citizenry that placed them in elected office.  Time and time again, telephone calls, emails, letters and face-to-face visitations let those in office know the public was very unhappy with their accommodation of opponent’s wrong-headed legislation and their own wild spending. It made no difference.  Those in office only bowed to Party leadership and ignored the public…much to their own peril.

We are now about to elect a new Congress.  There is strong public sentiment for a new Contract With America.  What it should contain has been well documented.  If the candidates will adopt such a document …and can convince America they will honor it completely, there can be a huge victory for the GOP come November.  The other side of the same coin is…If Republicans continue to be their own worst enemy and recommit the sins of the past…. Well, just like before…nobody really loved you, anyway.

Running For Office - They Might Want To Heed This Advice

Harlingen, Texas, August 27, 2010:  The request went out to just over 7,000 readers.  They were asked what they want to see from the next officials they place in office.  Surprisingly, 752 people have answered.  Now that is well over a ten percent response rate, and most statisticians will tell you that anything over a 3% response is considered good.  My thought would be those who took the time to reply will also be the most likely voters to cast ballots reflecting their concerns in November.

Be it the Congress of the USA or those who will fill legislative seats in state houses, all should be very much aware of the fact that the American public is very angry and has noticed nobody is listening to their concerns.  In order of their responses, here is the list of actions these readers want to see set into motion.

1. Term Limits
2. Balanced Budget
3. Reduced Spending
4. Secured Borders
5. Repeal of Mandated Healthcare
6. End Earmarks
7. Congress Must Live By All Laws Passed
8. Reduce The Size of Government
9. All Laws Must Have Constitutional Applicability
10. Reaffirm States Rights
11. Develop A Strong Energy Bill Using All National Resources
12. Stop Lying To Citizens and Keep Promises

The dozen desired actions listed here are the consensus of those who responded to the request for reader input.  There was also a multitude of single-issue wishes on the part of voters.  Of course there were a few who demanded no amnesty for illegal aliens.  There were those who wanted a cessation to the practice of denying veteran disability claims.  There was the demand to impeach all activist judges and a law to stop officials from apologizing about America.

Dave Fisher wants all elected officials to show up for work with no agenda and become statesmen instead of self-serving politicians.  He also wants them to read, understand and defend the Constitution.

Bob Sewell sees the world as too dependent on the United States.  I want Congress to focus its energy on “America First” legislation and activities.  He also wants to see a strengthening of North America security.

Colonel Harry Riley believes those in Washington are out of control.  In addition to the consensus recommended term limits, balanced budget and anti-earmark legislation, he would like to see the government bureaucracy cut by 24%.

Bill Bentley sees nobody of value now serving in Washington and plans to vote against any and all incumbents.  He also wants a freeze on all government wages including Congress.

William “Boats” Miller sees two departments as a major waste of federal resources.  He would like to see the Department of Education and the Department of Energy have their budgets reduced by ten percent a year for the next ten years.  Then a wasteful problem area would be resolved.

John Marshall would like to see all candidates sign a notarized contract that includes honoring America’s Judeo-Christian principles, values and traditions.  It would include the candidate’s oath to protect and defend the Constitution, support America’s ethical capitalistic economic system and protect it from socialist or fascist systems.  The contract would agree that the candidate would represent those who elected the person to office and not special interest groups or campaign donors.  Finally the candidate would agree not to seek reelection if any of those provisions were violated.

My old friend John Boring desires to see every candidate express his or her faith in God publicly.  He would like to see each session of Congress open with the members reciting the Lord’s Prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance…and end that pledge stating that today they will do no harm to the American people.

Colonel Mike Duva would like to see the new Senate not ratify the START treaty with Russia.  He would like us to open ANWAR to exploration and drilling, expand the development of petroleum resources, natural gas and nuclear energy until such time as alternative resources can abundantly and economically become available.  He wants all candidates to remember “we are the good guys” and we must stop apologizing for being a great, successful nation.

Not everyone sees the upcoming election as a happy time for Republicans or conservatives.  Dubyah Tinch sees they need to provide full disclosure of resources and wealth before entering office and again when they depart the Washington scene.  He sees the need for proof of American citizenship and acceptable resolution to the anchor baby and illegal alien problem.

Julian Krasta says he is fed up with politicians’ pathological pride and over-inflated egos.  He wants no more spontaneous sincerity out of candidates.  He says Americans are looking for the glow of victory at the end of this tunnel and not just another freight train coming at us.

“I was a stanch Republican”, says Nasario Ortiz.  “But these past few elections have really put a burr under my saddle.  The GOP has alienated itself from the Hispanic vote.  I have not voted for any Democrats in my lifetime, but, sad to say, I may vote for some conservative ones…if I can find them.  Our political system is not the cause of our woes.  It is the people within the political system who are.  We see greed, corruption, pride, lust and hunger for power to name a few candidate traits.  If we voters can’t point a finger at them and see them for what they are…we are to blame.”

Finally, one unsigned reader remarked “My question is where’s the fire? I see no fire in any candidate.  No one appears willing to stand up and blast the hell out of what Obama and the Democrats are doing to this country.  The Republicans need a fire-breathing dragon to rouse the populace to action.  Where is he or she?”

The November Election - Have Candidates Heard The Voters?

Harlingen, Texas, August 26, 2010:  Those who have been following the various primary elections across the country must have noticed that nobody is safe.  Just being an incumbent places the candidate in a danger zone.  Having a Democrat or Republican nametag will only garner a person a small following of voters.  Some observers feel that a candidate coming from “political nowhere” has a better chance of winning than anyone with a long track record in politics.

The Republican Party left me when it decided to become Democrat-Lite.  As a fiscal conservative I could not accept the elected GOP clan being engaged in a spending spree that defied logic.  Little did I know at the time there was to be a migration of conservative voters away from the Grand Old Party and into the ranks of the Independents.  With the upcoming election Republicans will win back many of the disaffected, but not on their own merit.  Having no place else to turn and seeing how radically leftist the Democrats have become, Independents will vote for the least offensive of remaining candidates.

I recently told readers of my election quandary and stated that what I was looking for from the Republicans was a platform I could believe in and one they will pledge to follow.  I want the candidates to sign a contract similar to what they had in 1994.  But, this time I want them to keep all their pledges and promises. Nothing turns voters off faster than broken promises and those out-and-out lies.

I then asked my readers what they would like to see happen in Washington.  The responses are still filling my mailbox, but I have already seen some very unexpected answers to my question. 

First of all, there seems to be a huge number of people who once wore party labels and now vote only as independents.  Though most of my readers come from the ranks of the military, military retired, veterans, plus business and professional people, they all have one thing in common…distrust of government.  Layered on top of that would be… rage against big government.

We have all heard that people are angry about the poor economy, the Obama healthcare legislation and our high unemployment.  Those three things did not appear the main concern of those responding to my inquiry.

At the top of the list so far…people want to see term limits for everyone in Congress.  In related comments they would like to see a freeze on congressional wages, a requirement that all laws passed by Congress must apply to every member of that body, and along with term limits, no retirement for those who serve in the legislative branch.

Next up on this voter shopping list was securing the borders, an end to earmarks and a strong examination of converting our tax system to either the flat tax or the fair tax model.

The readers want a return to constitutional values and strict adherence to states rights.  They want to see smaller government, meaningful morals and ethics legislation, and a logical plan that will solve the Social Security and Medicare insolvency situation.

There will be much more to report concerning voter comments on the upcoming election.  However, as of today, there are more than thirty areas where these voters want to see change. But, unlike the change promised by the Obama campaign, the changes these voters want are to correct everything they dislike in Washington today.

Guy Gabaldon - Do You Remember?

Harlingen, Texas, August 22, 2010:  It happens every time a few grey-haired members of the warrior clan assemble for casual conversation.  Veterans of the Navy and Marine Corps call them “Sea Stories”.  The Army and Air Force crowd refer to them as “War Stories”.  Regardless of their exact title, these tales are told time and time again…and with each telling the details become more enhanced and the actions more thrilling.

As the pages on the calendar turn rapidly toward August 31, I am finding myself taking one of those mental trips back in time.  Some of you may equate this to just another Sea Story, but I can assure you the reported exploits are true.

Guy Gabaldon was my friend.  He left this world and reported for duty with what Marines call Sky 6 and others will say went to his final reward on August 31, 2006.  He was with us for 80 years.

Outside the Marine Corps family, the name Guy Gabaldon may not be well remembered, but during an age when the slaying of human beings seems to be as routine as stopping at the corner street light, it wouldn’t hurt to revisit the accomplishments of this unique individual.

Guy was a product of the Los Angeles streets.  He was taken in by a Japanese-American family at the age of 12 and by the time he was 17 had absorbed many of their customs, traditions and a good understanding of the Japanese language.  When the nation went to war, 5’4” Hispanic-American Guy Gabaldon enlisted in the Marine Corps.

He landed with his unit on Saipan and found himself deeply inserted into the battle for that island. Touching him the most was seeing wave after wave of Japanese soldiers making suicide charges at the Marine lines and entire families of civilians leaping to their deaths from island cliffs rather than be captured.  In one of our long conversations he told me he thought this was such a sad waste of life.

Early in the battle Guy decided to take some individual action.  He slipped into the jungle in advance of his company’s line and moved within voice of a Japanese position.  Using his functional, but limited Japanese, he convinced the soldiers they were surrounded by Marines and that if they surrendered everyone would be treated well and returned to Japan after the war.  The small unit surrendered.

He kept up his nightly infiltrations obtaining much needed intelligence and while so engaged even entered caves and buildings in search of more people he could talk into laying down their arms.  He continued to call out and talk to the Japanese in their language convincing many of them to surrender.  At one point, he talked a group of more than 800 soldiers and civilians to follow him back to the Marine lines.

In the final days of the battle for the island, this “Pied Piper of Saigon”, as he was called, ran out of his magic.  He was seriously wounded by machinegun fire and was evacuated from the island.

He was awarded the nation’s second highest decoration for valor, The Navy Cross.  In part, his citation read “Working alone in front of the lines he daringly entered enemy caves, pillboxes, buildings and jungle brush, frequently in the face of hostile fire, and succeeded not only in obtaining vital military information but also in capturing well over 1,000 enemy civilians and troops.”

In talking to me Guy said that number was actually well over 1,500 people.

After the war, Guy returned to Saipan and lived on the island for several years.  In addition to a number of business ventures he continued to have a deep interest in bettering the lives of people around him.  On a small island near Saipan he started a youth camp for young people who really had no other home to call their own.  He financed much of that work by raising sheep and goats on that island and selling the products of that effort.

The motion picture “Hell To Eternity” starring Jeffery Hunter told the story of Guy’s exploits.  He told more of his story in two books he authored, “Saipan – Suicide Island” and “America Betrayed”.  A documentary film titled “East LA Marine” also told his story.

Guy Gabaldon was nominated for the Medal of Honor but never lived to see that award presented, though time and time again leading political figures did plead his case. In a telephone conversation just before his death, Guy told me that Newt Gingrich had visited him and that the Speaker was attempting to have the Medal of Honor finally awarded.  “But, I never did that for a medal”, he said.  “I just wanted to save some lives.”