Three Fantastic Years!

My dear and wonderful readers, your beloved
Peasant wants to take a moment to thank you all
for your taking time out of your busy workaday
lives to examine the political and economic news
from across our land each week, identifying those
who serve the cause of the preservation of freedom
in these United States and those who serve only 
themselves at the expense of our freedom, praising
the former and castigating the latter.

It has been a privilege and a pleasure for your
humble Peasant to get together with you each
week over the past three years since establishing
this blog! You all mean more to me than I can
ever say with any words!

May we have even more reason to celebrate
come November, when we will have the
opportunity to reestablish what our great
country stands for, not only for ourselves but
for generations of Americans to come. Let us
capitalize on this great opportunity, for if we
fail to seize this moment we may never get
get another one; the established elites will have
then become more entrenched and will make
very sure that such an opportunity will not
come again for many years, if at all!

God bless you all, and God bless America!


MEM

Is Telling the Truth a Gaffe?

The word "gaffe" means a misstatement, usually a spoken
mistake, an verbal miscue. In politics, the word is
understood to mean an inadvertent and unscripted
truth which when uttered sends certain key consti-
tuencies into a raging froth which abates only when
its members vote en masse to punish the politician
and/or his party in an election. Republican presidential
nominee Mitt Romney uttered one of these in a
recent post-convention speech, and has tongues
wagging all around the country as a result.

Romney's comments? "There are 47% of the people
who will vote for the president, no matter what ...
All right, there are 47% who are with him, who are
dependent upon government, who believe that they
are victims, who believe the government has a
responsibility to care for them, who believe that they
are entitled to health care, to food, to housing, to
you-name-it ... that the government should give it
to them. And they will vote for this president no
matter what ... These are people who pay no income
tax."

Let us examine the content of Mitt Romney's words
and see what we can learn as to the truth of his
message, shall we? Now, democracy in these
United States has deteriorated into a perfectly
legal means for us to steal from each other,
that is, for some of us to vote to confiscate the
hard-earned rewards of those who do the required
hard work to earn and receive them. And it is not
so simple to identify all those in the former group
who so prey upon those in the latter; this goes
beyond those who just want an big enough
subsistence to keep them housed, clothed, fed,
medicated, and perhaps entertained (going to
bars or to racetracks, for example), this includes
those who want their college education underwritten,
their businesses subsidized, or financial support for
whatever some people want to build, purchase,
rent, fund, expand, maintain, create, experience,
or who knows what. It ranges from idle slobs
on street corners to business CEOs, from
artists to teachers, from single mothers to
Planned Parenthood clinics, from community
organizers to practitioners of identity politics
seeking redress for some perceived grievances,
often in the form of good old fashioned cash.
What candidate Romney was getting at was
a simple truth that most, if not in fact all
Americans have long been aware of; that
there are some among us who think, for
whatever reason, that they are entitled to
a portion of what we strive and sweat to
obtain for ourselves and our families. And
these people say it with votes, voting for
those politicians who promise to deliver
the goods by taking them from those who
produce them to distribute them to those
who would consume them and come back
demanding more.

The 47% figure has been disputed by some
conservatives, including your favorite Peasant.
We feel that the percentage is too high, that
if it were accurate then our country would not
only be in still more serious economic trouble
than it now is but that the state of things would
be irrevocably in disrepair. But there is, to be
sure, a not-that-small minority of Americans
who do think and behave this way, and there
are politicians in both major political parteis
who happily cater to their whims, sensing
easy votes. Romney is sending a clear signal
(let's hope) that he won't be one of them if
elected President.

Romney also presumed another simple truth:
People vote their economic interest. Always
have, always will. Politicians have to concen-
trate their time, energy, and resources on
where they can get the most for their expen-
ditures of these assets. This is not, it must be
pointed out, a dismissal of half the country;
it is merely an acknowledgement that elections
are not won by the partisans or extremes in
either camp but by the people in the middle.
this is also not an admission that it is fruitless
to campaign on an unvarnished conservative
platform, but is a nod to the idea that while
a conservative office seeker can offer his
conservative ideas to the electorate, he
has to find a way to appeal to the electorate
in a way that will attract the most of that body
to his conservative ideas. Some give and take
must take place. Liberals do this too, by the
way; it's just that when they get elected they
then brush aside their campaign rhetoric and
promises and govern as they really are with
little if any regard for the wishes of those who
voted for them. Remember Obama's saying
that there was no reason to raise the taxes
of the middle class (for just one example!)?

Romney went on to say that his job as a
candidate for the White House is to appeal
to the independent 5% or so who are not
in either party's camp but could turn the
election in Romney's favor. Of course, it
follows that Romney will thus ignore those
who just want an existence as fully subsidized
as possible, and therefore will never support
him. In this way, politics is about giving and
getting, often giving to get. But this very set
of facts so upset so many in the nation's
electorate that no one will openly admit this,
and few will actually act in accordance with
same. Political parties are, therefore, not
about ideas but interests, pitting those of one
party against those of the other(s). This
begets the endless assaults on our earnings,
our property, our liberties, our very freedom.

And this is why we cannot rely upon any
political party to truly protect our interests.
Instead, we must work to keep our earnings,
our property, and our liberties from the
grasping clutches of the political parties
and their politicians. Is it any wonder that
so many people who are active in the Tea
Party are not Republicans or Democrats?
Your faithful Peasant left the GOP six years
ago just for these reasons. We can work
for the election of our candidates from the
Republican Party, but once they are in office
we cannot walk away thinking that we have
done our part, and our elected candidates
will automatically do what we elected them
to do without fail. We have to keep an eagle
eye on them, and for the reasons given here.

Mitt Romney spoke the truth, albeit a bit
clumsily. He should not be castigated for
being open and honest about what every-
body knows but will never oepnly acknow-
ledge.


MEM

Thoughts on the 2012 Democratic Convention

With the conclusion of the Democrats' convention in Charlotte,
the presidential campaign season goes into its counterpart to
football's fourth quarter, the final session of a game in which
a winner and a loser will emerge. From this final portion of
the campaign, there will be a winning candidate and a losing
one. Your probing Peasant has expounded on the Republicans'
convention in Tampa and shall now do the same on the Dem's
party confab.

Having heard some of the speeches given, and followed some
of the drama centered on some key happenings such as the
removal, and quick replacement, of certain content in the
Democrats' party platform as well as the removal of the
gathering to a smaller venue in terms of seating capacity,
your bemused Peasant has found some entertainment along
with much predictability in the convention's proceedings.
Regarding the speeches, Vice President (and Gaffe Master
General) of the United States Joe Biden actually delivered
a first-rate speech (!). No gaffes for which he is (in)famous;
Biden was in reality passionate and sincere in his words.
No, really! He did make an interesting statement regarding
the American people, saying that one cannot sell them short.
Most interesting, coming from a pol from a party that has,
especially in the past four years, consistently sold us short
on many things, especially our ability to make choices
concerning our health care and living whatever religious faith
we adhere to (especially Catholics). Your dependable Peasant
has discussed these topics in past postings here, and shall have
still more to say on them in the near future. But congratulations
to Joe Biden for giving a stellar speech, perhaps the most
stellar speech in his entire career to date.

First Lady Michelle Obama gave an OK speech. Your thorough
Peasant praises her and her speech not so much for what she had
to say but for what she did not say; unlike four years ago, she
didn't promise that her husband would fix our supposedly broken
souls, nor did she again state that she is at last proud of her
country for one of its major political parties nominating her
hubby to run for the Presidency. Small but appreciated
mercies!

Former President Bill Clinton gave the nominating speech for
President Obama, and did what he often does when at a podium;
he droned on and on and further on (remember the 1988 Demo-
crat Convention?).

And a Hollywood liberal got to give a speech as well (any surprise
here? Perhaps she earned the privilege by writing a fat check to
the Obama campaign); Eva Longoria, an actress who has appeared
in the TV show "Desperate Housewives" gave a supportive speech
for Obama, focusing on his economic policies. "The Eva Longoria
who worked at Wendy's needed a tax break; the Eva Longoria
who works on movie sets does not." Well, bully for her. But she
does not realize, and likely does not grasp nor cares about the
very fact that there are many people at many income levels who
do need a tax break, especially those who establish businesses
which employ people as Longoria has been employed, first as
a hamburger-flipper at Wendy's and later as an actress in TV
shows and movies. If business owners are going to be subjected
to ever-increasing taxes on their income from their enterprises,
then their ability to employ people to assist them in producing
and marketing their products and services shall be diminished.
Workers will lose their jobs and with them their own incomes.
Many of these workers make nowhere near the kind of money
that Longoria makes. But if this airhead wants to pay more in
taxes to shore up the nation's budget deficit and reduce its
debt (not that either will ever happen under an Obama 
administration) then let her write a larger check to the IRS,
above what she owes. If the vapid Vuitton-accessorizing vixen
wants to fund her candidate's programs which are designed to
poke into every aspect of our lives with the intent to micromanage
us and create a society of dependence and acquiescence to replace
our society of independence and initiative, then let her make the
financial sacrifice that she and her candidate exhort the rest of us
to make. If the Gucci-wearing goofball actually believes that this 
is preserving the American Dream, and she does seem to so
believe, then let her take the lead and pony up that extra cash.
Your skeptical Peasant won't hold his breath waiting for this
to happen, but with her speech Longoria is surely a smash
from Rodeo Drive to Hollywood and Vine! Isn't it grand
to be a lefty show biz celebrity?

The Democrats' 2004 presidential candidate, Sen. John Kerry,
put his two cents in. All Kerry did with his moment in the sun was
attempt to paint Republican nominee Mitt Romney as a fat cat
elitist who waffles on issues. He'd talk, eh? Perhaps the senator was
exhibiting a bit of self-loathing while standing in the limelight? My
money, and I certainly don't have nearly as much as this fat cat, is
on Kerry simply being a hyper-elitist, hyper-hypocrite. Hey,
at least Romney EARNED his money through his own enterprise;
Senator, while you married into yours, you stiff!

Sandra Fluke, the Democrats' "It Girl", the over-privileged white
liberal activist and self-proclaimed champion of the downtrodden
(here defined as women deprived of free birth control devices),
gave a shrill, lame diatribe about a non-existent "war on women"
her party claims that the GOP is waging. All people want her and
others of her mindset to do --- and these are both men and women
saying this --- is to grow up and take responsibility for themselves
and cease demanding that we as a nation subsidize her sexual
adventurism, especially since birth control devices are easily and
affordably obtained at many drug stores, even at (so I'm told)
Target department stores! And besides, don't most, if not all
county hospitals still give these items out gratis to anyone who
asks for them? There are lots of women around the country who
would love nothing more than to see this fool take a long walk off
of a short pier, as she does not speak for them and can never do so!

Caroline Kennedy, daughter of long ago President and enduring
party icon John F. Kennedy, defended the current president
on his stand on women's rights (herein being and read as:
contraceptives and abortion) proclaiming that as a catholic
she takes these rights seriously, and that they are today under
attack from the Republicans led by Mitt Romney. Caroline,
like so many of her fellow Kennedys, have never understood
their professed faith's teachings on these matters, let alone
have ever stood in agreement with same. The Kennedy
clan has long seemed to practice a Catholicism of their own
invention, Caroline's father included, especially regarding
women and their treatment of them, i.e. John's affairs that
continued even after moving into the White House, and
Teddy's (Sen. Ted Kennedy) Chappaquiddick catastrophe
with a female Bobby Kennedy presidential campaign worker
being but two examples.

And as for the star of the show, President Obama gave a speech
that had little, if any, resemblance to his 2004 speech at this bash.
Although Obama , I'm sure, tried to sound optimistic, his sounded
pessimistic, tired, and had a very left-wing flavor. Giving no 
specifics as to action, he spouted platitudes. Talking ad nauseum
about his health care plan, education, and the environment while 
scarcely mentioning workers, families and jobs, he excited the  
party faithful but likely made the nation's vast ranks of 
jobless people roll their eyes.

Weather was the reason given for the Democrats moving their
event, but the stadium which was their first choice of venue 
would have had lots of empty seats which would have looked
quite embarrassing on national TV. The seats were left vacant
by people who have "voter's remorse" after having been so
badly let down by the very candidate that only four years earlier 
they had such joyous and soaring expectations in.

And how about the flap over the removal of mention of God
and the declaration of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel?
The announcement of these changes in the Dems' party
platform, followed by bedlam on the convention floor, then by
public needling from GOP candidate Romney, caused the Dems
to reinstate these items. Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa,
the convention chairman, called three different times for a voice
vote on reinstating with the "yeas" and "nays" seeming to cancel 
each other out for balance. After the third go-round, however,
Villaraigosa ruled that the reinstatements were approved, getting
boos from many of the delegates. One delegate, when interviewed
by a reporter, stated that there was no discussion about whether 
or not to make these removals, that they were blindsided by it all.
Other delegates who were supportive of the removals were
enraged at the reinstatement of the items heretofore removed.
This was a clumsy way for the Dems to save face over their
attempted deletions of references to God and not recognizing
Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, which only ended up in
cheesing off many of the convention delegates.

Now, the language in a political party platform does not at all
directly affect the country's domestic or international policies.
But while this is true, the Democrats' trying to enact these changes
in their platform signal an unmistakable break from both their
acknowledgement of a higher being giving people their potential
to be and to do whatever they so desire to become and to
achieve, as individuals and as a nation, as well as the party's
commitment to the security of Israel and its supporting the
status of Jerusalem as its capital in the face of our ally's
regional enemies who are sworn to eliminate Israel from
existence. The Democrats reinstated the removed language
concerning these points after internal and external opprobrium,
clumsily trying to explain away the flap as, stated by DNC
Chairwoman U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman-Schultz,
"essentially a technical oversight." Really. All of this
inspired challenger Romney to comment "I think this
party is veering further and further away into an extreme
wing that Americans don't recognize."

And your observant Peasant couldn't put it better. The con-
ventions held by the Republicans and the Democrats, having
been markedly different in both content and tone through
the years, now make for the starkest study in contrasts one
could ever hope to see. And these conventions give us a
comprehensive view of exactly what these political parties
stand for. Now we must decide whom we stand with.


MEM

Thoughts on the 2012 Republican Convention

The Republican Party's national convention in Tampa has
concluded last week, and former Gov. Mitt Romney has
been formally nominated its presidential candidate. Prior
to the convention, Romney made a surprise maneuver by
announcing his running mate, U.S. Rep. Paul Ryan from
your beloved Peasant's home state of Wisconsin. Both
candidates gave riveting speeches at the bash, rallying
the troops for the most crucial part of the presidential
campaign season; making the case for America voting
for the GOP-chosen duo by stressing their strong points
while also pointing out President Obama and Vice
President (and Gaffe Master General of the United States)
Joe Biden (your mirthful Peasant couldn't resist that poke
at Biden!).

As I have been listening to the speeches given there over
the radio (your connected Peasant does not have a functioning
TV), I have heard speeches ranging from passionate to
emotional to electrifying to humorous, and all of them were
spot-on in terms of identifying the problem in our country's
leadership and the need to get this misbegotten president and
his chums in the Senate out of power. The nominee, Romney,
truly pinned the tail of envy and resentment on the Democrats'
donkey with this:

"The centerpiece of the president's campaign is attacking
success... In America, we celebrate success, we don't apologize
for it!"

Vice Presidential candidate Paul Ryan stated that with so many
Americans out of work, what made the Democrats think that
with a continuation of their leadership the next four years would
be any different than the last four years? A powerful question,
to be sure. Senate candidate Marco Rubio from Florida talked
about his family fleeing their native Cuba on the heels of Castro's
takeover and his father obtaining work as a bartender while his
mother took on three jobs --- as a cashier, a hotel maid, and as
a stock clerk at a K-Mart. All to help Marco and his siblings to
have a better life than the ones that their parents had, and that
they all would have had if they remained in a totalitarian Cuba.
The stuff of American success stories. Condoleeza Rice,
President George W. Bush's National Security Adviser,
talked about the need for the United States to take an active
leadership role in the world on foreign affairs once again,
being critical of though never mentioning the incumbent president
by name.

And there was surprise speaker Clint Eastwood, Hollywood film
icon known for his Western movies and his "Dirty Harry" cop
movies as well as a long-time Republican. Eastwood had an
"interview" with an "invisible" President Obama, in which the
actor told the audience that he wanted to "ask (obama) a
couple of questions". First, he asked "How would you handle
promises you made when you were running for election?"
After the predictable silence he made his next query:
"What do you want me to tell Mr. Romney?" Eastwood
followed that up a few seconds later with "I can't tell him to
do that! He can't do that to himself. You're absolutely crazy.
You're as bad as (Vice President) Biden!", all to gales of
laughter from the delighted assembly. Leave it to an acclaimed
actor to give such a unique and witty presentation!

Gov. Romney's wife Ann gave an emotionally-charged speech
about her life-long partnership with her businessman-turned-
politician husband Mitt, and their family life. New Jersey
Governor Chris Christie stated flatly that "Our problems are big
and the solutions will not be painless." No sugar-coating from
the eastern governor who was urged by many in the GOP to run
for the presidency himself but declined in order to continue to
serve the people of his state in the office that they elected him to.
No panacea offered. No sunny predictions of painless escape
from the troubles ensnaring our nation. Just a most refreshing
declaration of what we can, and should, expect from a Romney
presidency. And rising political figure Mia Love, black woman,
Mormon, and mayor of Saratoga Springs, Utah gave a brief
speech which excited the party faithful assembled. By the way.
Love is also a candidate for Congress; if elected, she will be
the very first black Republican woman ever sent to that body.
Word has it that Love is also considerably conservative, making
her a triple-threat to the Democrats: female, black, and
conservative GOP. One can hear the screams of horror from
the Dems over the prospect of Mia Love being elected!
They would retreat to their offices and play R.E.M.'s song
"It's The End of the World As We Know It" continuously
as they knock back strong booze.

And your proud Peasant's home state's courageous governor,
Scott Walker, gave a speech in which he praised Gov. Romney
for picking fellow Badger State Republican Paul Ryan, member
of Congress, as his running mate. Walker was very warmly
receievd by the cheering throng, as he is one of the GOP's
"rock stars" along with Gov. Christe. Wisconsin was at front
and center at the convention, and basked in the glow of the
attention and accolades. These men are of the new breed of
Republicans, of elected officials, of public servants who
have the medicine to cure what ails our nation!

So now the Republicans have had their bash, and now must roll
up their sleeves to do the long, arduous work of waging the
campaign to unseat the Democrats from control of the White
House and the Senate. But it is all for the opportunity to hold
an even bigger bash --- the one to celebrate taking back our
country from those who have tried to push it over the brink to
unrelenting statism and tyranny, thereby re-establishing the
United States as the beacon of freedom and opportunity to
the world, the very reason why so many people seeking a new
beginning in their lives came to our shores over the course of
our nation's proud and unique history. And that's something
that's certainly worth our labor. Let's get to work!


MEM

Happy Labor Day!

My dear and wonderful readers, your grateful Peasant
thanks you for your continued support through your
visiting me at this blog each week and wishes you all
a very happy and fun-filled Labor Day!

We shall get together again next week with some more
news items to examine and discuss. May you all have
a safe and wonderful time during this holiday! God bless!

Two Astronauts Embark Upon The Ultimate Journey

America bade farewell to two of its heroes, both of whom
were revolutionary space explorers who fired the imagination
of our nation and the world and inspired the study of science
and outer space in our youth. Neil Armstrong, the first human
to set foot on another planet when he landed on the moon on
July 20, 1969, left Earth for the last time after a long battle
with a heart ailment at the age of 82. Sally Ride, the first
American woman to travel in outer space in her historic flight
in 1983, embarked upon her final journey after seventeen-month
fight against pancreatic cancer.

Neil Armstrong was one of the three-man crew on board
Apollo 11 along with Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins.
On the moon, Armstrong took the first step on that planetary
frontier, followed by Aldrin. Collins remained in orbit
on board the command module. Your fascinated Peasant
watched the historic event on TV, spellbound by it all,
as did and were millions of Americans. Big stuff for an
11-year-old boy, I can tell you. Armstrong's stroll on
a planet other than Earth made me all the more proud to
be an American, as this feat reinforced the reputation of
Americans as the "can do" people, the people of accom-
plishment, the people who could push through boundaries
and make possible the impossible simply by doing it!
He would receive decorations of award from 17 countries
including his own, among the many accolades being the
Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Richard
Nixon and the Congressional Space Medal of Honor
from Presidential Jimmy Carter. Armstrong also received
the Congressional Gold Medal with his crewmates in
later years.

Sally Ride was the first American woman in space, and
probably the first lesbian in space. She was survived by
her partner, Tam O'Shaughnessy, a professor emerita of
psychology at San Diego State University and a childhood
friend of Ride's. Ride would name her the Chief Operating
Officer and Executive Vice President of her company,
Sally Ride Science, which assisted schools in creating
science curriculae. A very private person, Ride's sister
revealed her relationship with O'Shaughnessy upon Ride's
passing. Your appreciative Peasant's admiration for Sally Ride
is as boundless as space itself. Her life and career prove
that if you have enthusiasm, drive, persistence, and proper
preparation, you can achieve anything that you desire;
whatever labels you may wear have no bearing.

Godspeed, our valiant space explorers, as you experience
traveling in and exploring that frontier which lies beyond
the frontier which you have explored in this finite life.


MEM

Foot-In-Mouth Disease Strikes a Senate Candidate

Your part-Irish Peasant returned from a joyous celebration
of Irish culture, the Milwaukee Irish Fest, with a light and
joyful feeling. But almost immediately after my annual
personal holiday had concluded and I returned to business
as usual, something came to my attention which had all but
swept away my happy mood; a Republican candidate for a
U.S. Senate seat held by a very vulnerable incumbent
Democrat had uttered something so volatile that he had all
but wiped out his nearly insurmountable lead over this
senator in the polls --- and not only could his controversial
statement hurt the GOP's chances of capturing the Senate
but the clueless fool gave an almost cavalier-sounding
apology and will not step aside for another candidate to
replace him on the Republican ticket in his state, even
though the list of Republicans from around the country
calling for him to do so reads like a Who's Who of
the political Right!

U.S. Rep. Todd Akin from Missouri won a three-way
Republican primary to win the nomination to face
Democrat incumbent Senator Claire McCaskill in
the general election in November. The opposition
he overcame consisted of Tea Party choice Sarah
Steelman and John Brunner, a businessman with deep
pockets. Enjoying an eleven point lead at the time,
Akin made the following comment:

"It seems to me, from what I understand from doctors,
that's (pregnancies resulting from rape) really rare ...
If it's a legitimate rape, the female body has ways to try
to shut that whole thing down. But let's assume that maybe
that didn't work or something: I think there should be
some punishment, but the punishment ought to be of the
rapist, and not attacking the child."

Rep. Akin made these comments during an interview with
KTVI-TV which was posted on the station's web site on
Sunday, August 19, after which the smelly stuff hit the fan.
Let us now examine Akin's words and determine how he
could have avoided this fiasco if he in fact felt that he must
comment on conception coming about through rape.

Now, it is true that pregnancies occurring from rape are
quite rare. The Alan Guttmacher Institute, the research
and statistics arm of Planned Parenthood International,
has averred as far back as the 1970s that pregnancies
through rape are statistically small in terms of percentage
among all pregnancies and their circumstances. But what,
pray tell Congressman Akin, constitutes a "legitimate rape"?
For rape, after all, is actually less about sex than about
domination. It is the feeling of conquest of his victim that
a rapist's twisted, fevered mind feeds upon. Since forced
intercourse may be attempted but subsequent conception
is not very likely, is a rape not "legitimate" unless (A) there
is attempted sex, but no resultant conceiving of a child,
or (B) sex is attempted and conception does come about?
Or, according to the Missouri Congressman, a rape achieves
legitimacy through some other criteria? Somehow your
quizzical Peasant does not think that Rep. Akin has expert
knowledge on such matters, including how a woman's body
could naturally protect itself from being impregnated by
a rapist.

As to a child being conceived as a result of rape, one could
credibly hold the opinion that since the child's life came about
through such a terrible circumstance, but the child itself had
done nothing to assist in its creation; that it was not an agent
or co-agent of its creation but simply the result of the action
in question, then it would be wrong to terminate the child's
life as the child is absolutely innocent of having anything to
do with the awful event which brought it into existence. Some
people on the pro-life side of the abortion issue do hold
this view. But most people who hold this view state their
opinion and their reasoning in a less ham-handed way than
did Rep. Akin, and this is in fact not a difficult thing to do.

What Rep. Akin should have said would be something like
this:

"While, thankfully, pregnancies occurring as a result of rape
are rare, they still in fact do happen. So I say, let us punish
the rapist but not the unborn child. We should make the rapist
pay for his crime but not make the child pay with its life for
a crime in which it had no active role, but was instead a
consequence of that crime."

But, alas, words are like bullets fired and missiles launched;
they cannot be called back into the gun barrel or the launch
apparatus once they are set forth. So Rep. Akin would be
prudent to apologize for his ill-conceived (no pun intended
by your aware Peasant; I have a far better sense of humor
than that!) and crude comments. In fact, he has already
done so. However, the fallout from same has resulted in
the loss of what was a most comfortable lead in the polls
over Sen. McCaskill, and if this seat cannot be won in
November the quest for winning the Senate will be much
more difficult and even more unlikely for the Republicans,
hence the growing line of Republicans nationwide calling
for Rep. Akin to step aside and leave the ticket in order to
put up a candidate who will not have such baggage and will
stem the loss of points in the polls before the election. But
here's the rub: Akin won't comply. He won't take the hint.
Hell, no, he won't go!

Here's just a few conservative figures that your favorite 
Peasant is aware of who have called for Rep. Akin to
remove himself from the ticket for the good of the party
and its election chances:

*Reince Priebus, Chairman of the Republican National
Committee and former Chairman of the Wisconsin GOP.

*U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson, also from Wisconsin.

*Rush Limbaugh, the veritable dean of conservative talk
show hosts.

*Ann Coulter, controversial columnist who has as many
detractors as admirers among conservatives. Some
people, including conservatives (this conservative too)
think that Coulter is off her rocker because of some of
the things that she herself says, so if Coulter states that
Rep. Akin must pack it in for his own verbal miscues then
you KNOW this fool is done!

*Vicki McKenna, conservative talk show host who hosts
shows in Madison and Milwaukee. She was apoplectic
over this shmuck's spoutings.

*Jay Webber, conservative talk show host in Milwaukee
whose show is on the air just before Vicki's on WISN-AM
Radio on weekday mornings. A greatly respected
statesman for conservatives on the local airwaves
here in Beertown.

*Sean Hannity, a prominent conservative talk show host
himself, who interviewed this self-serving, kack-handed
candidate on his show just a few days ago. Sean lobbed
no softballs; he threw like Nolan Ryan and in the end
made the suggestion of resigning from the ticket in order
to preserve the GOP's chances of winning the Senate seat
from Missouri and also winning the Senate itself. Akin's
response struck me as what a clueless, self-centered teen
would say if confronted by an adult in authority about a
misdeed, saying that maybe he/she shouldn't have done
what they did but what's the fuss? And the teen is SO
sincere and all that so why should there be any punishment?
Regarding Akin and his own misdeed, the fuss is that he
has embarrassed himself, his party, conservatives in general,
and has damaged (hopefully not irreparably) the Republican's
chances of winning the U.S. Senate. Democrats are having
a field day with this pop-off pol's remarks and being aware
of the possible benefits to them if he sticks around for the
election are not calling for his stepping down. Why should
they? The Dems have little to lose and perhaps much to
gain if Rep. Akin remains on the ballot. And this boob
won't take the hint, even when it is applied with a sledge
hammer!

The lesson in all this: the Republicans need all of the voter
groups and their votes that they can get in order to not only
unseat Obama from the presidency but to win the Senate
and gain control of it while also keeping the House. The
conservative prospect for restoring constitutional, limited,
responsive and responsible government lie in achieving
these goals in November. We must convince the electorate,
key voting blocs (i.e. women) especially, that we are not
zanies from the political fringe, nor extremists with a hell-
or-high-water agenda and matching zeal to enact it, nor
agents for evil --- in other words, we must disabuse the
voting public of the notions that our liberal opposition have
worked to plant in their minds to frighten them off from us.
And yes, it is unfair and a crying shame that there is a double-
standard concerning the words and actions of those on
the left and those on the right (your observant Peasant
has written about instances of this in previous posts). But
we must mind our words and our manners, and bring out
heavier artillery when, and only when, there is no other way
to counter our enemies. Off-hand, ill-informed comments
such as those by Rep. Todd Akin are tantamount to our
shooting ourselves in the foot. And your concerned Peasant
also thinks that Rep. Akin should go. Away. Over the hills
and far away, to quote the words from an old Scottish song.


MEM