The projected turnout is up 15 million from the record set four years ago. With more than half the popular vote, President Bush has topped Bill Clinton and Ronald Reagan’s popular vote tallies. He will earn the distinction of being the presidential candidate who has earned more votes than any other in the nation’s entire history. — Michelle Malkin
Do you understand the position we’re in? With a greater majority in Congress and Tom Daschle gone, President Bush is poised to make some real changes in this country. Fifty-five out of 100 senators are Republicans, which is not enough to defeat a Democratic filibuster (60 votes needed); however, they will have a less-difficult time passing legislation.
Notice how I framed that in the negative. Democratic congressmen and women ought to represent their constituents, whether I agree with their policies or not, and it shouldn’t be a cakewalk for Republicans.
Our Supreme Court is split 5-4 on social issues. For example, to my irritation, they support skin color preferences for certain groups. Four are 70 or older, and Chief Justice Renquist is having severe health problems. Bush needs to nominate conservatives to the bench, not moderates or liberals, and I don’t care how down and dirty the confirmation hearings are. This is a fight.
Do you think liberals would compromise with conservatives? I will be sorely disappointed in Bush if he doesn’t come out swinging. What he does in the next four years will affect generations.
He’s in the White House for 4 more years with no worries about re-election. He may be tempted to moderate his views and policies out of concern for his successor in 2008 (which I think will be his brother). Don’t do it, Mr. President! Listen to the tiny voice of one conservative Christian (who carries a big stick!).
I hope to add more “meat” to this topic when I get more time.
Update: My site meter is off the charts (tripling my modest stats). Thanks to Kerry’s concession, this post has new life and is generating fresh comments.
Update II: Funny referral that lead someone to my site — “heritage foundation” liberal slur
It seems liberals are looking for dirt on conservatives.
THIS is real classy.
From a Democrat to fellow Democrats: “Our error is that we Democrats are far less understanding than we think we are. Our version of understanding the other side is to look at them from a psychological point of view while being completely unwilling to take their arguments seriously. “Well, he can’t help himself, he’s a right-wing religious zealot, so of course he’s going to think like that.” “Republicans who never served in war are hypocrites to send young men to die. ” “Republicans are homophobes, probably because they can’t deal with their secret desires.” Anything but actually listening and responding to the arguments being made.”
Commerical Break: For those who want to “subcribe” to my blog, click on “Subcribe” in the sidebar. For one-time donations, click “Donations.” A big thanks to everyone who’s donated so far!
It will not be Jeb Bush. I think people are going to be surprised by what the Governer of Florida does in the coming years but I am positive it will not be to run for President.
Comment by JThomas — 11.04.04 @ 1:13 pm
For the justices… I don’t expect any really conservative nominees, for any court, until 2006. Any appointments will be used by the dems as a hammer to try to win back the senate.
If the republicans can gain 5 seats in 06, then it truly will be Bush’s moment to act. And the Dems know it, so expect to hear alot about court appointments in every state that has a senate seat up in 2 years…
Comment by SCSIwuzzy — 11.04.04 @ 1:18 pm
Hope he doesn’t choose another justice Souter he turned out to be as liberal as they come.
Comment by ratso ferrari — 11.04.04 @ 1:22 pm
>>…”his successor in 2008 (which I think will be his brother)”
You don’t think that would raise questions about US democracy?
Comment by Richard Hall — 11.04.04 @ 1:54 pm
I don’t think Jeb will run and if he does I think the people will want to give someone else but “a Bush” a chance. I do look for one of Jeb’s sons to run one day though. They’re conservative, a Bush, and their mother is hispanic (the first minority president maybe?). It bodes well for everyone except Michael Moore.
Comment by Nate — 11.04.04 @ 2:04 pm
JThomas,
You wrote:
It will not be Jeb Bush. I think people are going to be surprised by what the Governer of Florida does in the coming years but I am positive it will not be to run for President.
And how might I ask that you come to such a conclusion? I believe that are others who are electable maybe, but don’t overlook Jeb. He’d have wide support among Southerners and Hispanics (not sure, believe his wife is Hispanic). Remember, people said his brother Dubuya wouldn’t run and if he did he’d lose.
Comment by Dominic — 11.04.04 @ 2:05 pm
I agree LB. America has spoken and they have told the President what is important to them and what they expect of him. They believed in him. He needs to continue to believe in them and stick to those core beliefs that brought us out in droves to vote for him.
Did you hear that Arlen Specter “warned” the president about trying to nominate “conservative” judges for the bench? Perhaps the president heard about his comments becasue in his press conference he said he would CONTINUE to nominate the same types of judges he did in the past. The same conservative judges he mentioned all during the campaign.
I think the president learned a valuable lesson about his base of support. We will support him as long as he does not compromise his/our beliefs. Compromise is what made him almost lose his base of support.
Comment by Renee — 11.04.04 @ 2:18 pm
Richard Hall,
If he is elected, like his brother, father, Clinton, Reagan, Carter etc were, why would it?
Waiting for another election, like ‘12 would be prudent… or come in as vp or a cabinet posistion before running.
Comment by SCSIwuzzy — 11.04.04 @ 2:24 pm
I don’t think they will allow (Read the Bush Family) Jeb to run in 08 because they will need someone with far greater impact like Rudi to confront Hillary who I am sure will be spear heading the Dems. Watch her voting record over the coming years. If she stops voting like kerry did so she can’t have her voting record used against her then we know Hillary is the one. That means we need someone with far more weight than Jeb.. Now if Bush had an awesome 4 years and we ride another tech bubble like Clinton did.. we could see Jeb because then the Bush name would be a lot more powerful.
Random thoughts
Comment by Chris — 11.04.04 @ 2:27 pm
Renee,
Arlen is a Rino, but with an electorate like Philly, that voted over 4-1 for the dem ticket, he’s the closest thing PA can have to a conservative, at the moment.
Now that ratio of voters is some combination of a liberal population and vote fraud… but most of it is still an increasingly liberal (albiet shrinking) population.
Comment by SCSIwuzzy — 11.04.04 @ 2:27 pm
This is what im worried about, and so are a lot of Americans. With Bush no longer having the American electorate to keep him in check, it will be easy to pass hardline legislation with the aid of a strong Republican house. Id be equally worried if it were a Democrat in the same position. You dont want a President with such power.
Comment by ElMariachi — 11.04.04 @ 2:37 pm
I agree. Jeb Bush won’t run.
What’s more, if he does, he’ll go down in flames.
I don’t know Who WILL run in 2008. But it would seem too much like royalty for it to be Yet Another Bush at this point I fear.
Comment by Sarah Schreffler — 11.04.04 @ 2:46 pm
Just today, Arlen Specter is out saying that he’ll block any anti-abortion judges. He’s up for the Judiciary Chairman position.
If he’s going to be the chair, it’s time to vote in a new chair. Let Arlen (the RINO) go to the Donk side, for all I care.
Feel free to contact your Republican Senators (if you have one).
TV (Harry)
Comment by Inspector Callahan — 11.04.04 @ 3:08 pm
Jeb Bush told Hannity that he would not run for Pres., and I tended to believe him.
Oh, and Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton are starting in already. Here’s an exerpt from Jackson (from a site called NCM):
“Expect more Right-wing hostility toward civil rights and social justice,” warns Jesse Jackson, who ran for president twice in the 1980s. “Expect more attempts to buy our leadership. We must resist at every level attempts to stack the courts with Right-wing judges, when they seek to use FCC rulings to monopolize the media, when they seek to make court decisions against our interests. We must be more vigilant, more determined and more resistant than ever. This will be a difficult period, but we still have resourceful people. We have a lot to fight back with.”
Oh, boy.
Comment by WayneB — 11.04.04 @ 4:12 pm
Gee…I’d almost forgotten about those two!
Comment by La Shawn — 11.04.04 @ 4:16 pm
The notion that Jeb Bush will run is just ludicrous. It doesn’t matter how well he polls or anything else. He will not run. It has nothing to do with his brother or father - it has to do with him and he will not run in 08.
Comment by JThomas — 11.04.04 @ 4:20 pm
Frist, Rudy… these are prime contenders. Watch Frists votes and speeches for signs of running.
Comment by SCSIwuzzy — 11.04.04 @ 4:51 pm
La Shawn,
You and Michelle Malkin have become known writers. She is mother and Montgomery County writer. I graduated from High School in Montgomery County which physically exists but not logically as of 2001. If they update BCC, Blair, Walter Johnson ( a 1920’s Senator all-star player), they bus students to what was Northwood. Now for Supreme Court, we need conservatives. Scalia and Thomas are great with Thomas being the youngest at 59. Janice Rogers Brown would be double strike because she is consevative, black, and female! What are they going to bring up on her, aka Thomas.
Jeb Bush (the President’s younger and taller brother) will not run in 2008 by my understanding. The next President Bush will be George P. Bush and yes he speaks Spanish, etc.
I went to high school with children of German scientists. Kennedy should have said “Ich bin Berliner” which is correct German and not “Ich bin ein Berliner”. I was given choice of German or Russian at Un of MD and took German because it was easier.
Do you realize power of pen (or word processor) for La Shawn Barber or Michelle Malkin! Will Larry Thompson give up big bucks at Pepsico to take over at Justice or at the Supreme Court. I wish we had 60-vote majority in Senate because of the Supreme Court. Any Senator from red or Republican state will think what happened to Tom from SD.
We should join with Jewish such as Dennis Prager at townhall.com for politics. GWB has been better for Israel then any President in recent times.
JMB
Comment by James M. Barber — 11.04.04 @ 7:46 pm
I’m just hoping the Republicans grow some cajones and make the Democrats have to ACTUALLY fillibuster, not the polite, easy crap they’ve been able to pull so far. Make them stand up and speak for hours and hours with no bathroom breaks, halt all other business, and bring Capitol Hill to a standstill. I’m sick of the constitutional process being held up by nothing more than a procedure of politeness.
Comment by Podkayne of Mars — 11.04.04 @ 9:01 pm
I think 55 seats in the Senate is enough to beat a judicial filibuster.
If you combine SD Tom’s demise with Democrat Senators in red states, like LA, there are enough Democrats running scared to beat a filibuster in my view.
Comment by Vanyogan — 11.04.04 @ 9:04 pm
Lets keep CLARENCE THOMAS and lets get our judges more incline to not do the will of left-wing special interest groups and the UN dweebs lets restore the pledge and others and restore the U.S. Constitution to what it real is and quit interpeting it for liberals
Comment by firebird — 11.04.04 @ 9:18 pm
Arlen Specter is poised to wreck any Supreme Court nominations that don’t meet with his approval. Look for more Souters if Specter becomes Judiciary Committee Chairman. Click on my name to find out how to derail Specter’s bid to become Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman.
Comment by Salt1907 — 11.04.04 @ 10:22 pm
Watch Lindsay Graham, he is a force to be reckoned with.
Comment by Steel Turman — 11.04.04 @ 10:31 pm
Hey La Shawn,
You ever think about running for office?
Comment by Dan "lottajota" Smith — 11.04.04 @ 11:34 pm
The potential to appoint Supreme’s was high on my “reasons to vote for Bush” list. Such privilege creates a legacy stretching far beyond the next four years. My children’s children may be affected by the next justices. Powerful stuff.
The quoted comments, “From a Democrat to fellow Democrats,” ring so true. The party supposedly protected beneath the banner of tolerance and acceptance now exhudes vitriolic hubris and disdain for anyone who dares believe differently.
Comment by Lisa M — 11.04.04 @ 11:51 pm
John McCain is on Leno and brought up a good attorney general candidate… Joe Leiberman… discuss amongst yourselves.
Comment by Nate — 11.05.04 @ 12:15 am
OT:
Thank you for your refreshingly honest blog. I have been reading your blog for a few weeks and everytime I feel uplifted and encouraged that there are others out there that are like me and not what I see from the MSM or hollywood liberals.
I guess over 59 million americans also join us in our beliefs and desires for this great country.
Thank you again and keep up your inspiring blog.
Comment by Carmen — 11.05.04 @ 1:42 am
La Shawn responds to Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton reference: “Gee…I’d almost forgotten about those two!”
You’re becoming a member of the majority La Shawn. If someone hollers but there is no one listening, is there still a noise?
Comment by Jim R — 11.05.04 @ 8:07 am
Jim and Carmen -
Comment by La Shawn — 11.05.04 @ 8:27 am
Yo!! Hold up!! What about Meesta Julian Bond - shaken AND stirred - and NAACP Head Negro In Charge Queasy & Fumey?
Hey, from what I last heard from a Blue State in mourning, someone had better call the Suicide Jumper Negotiator ‘fore I get to the sidewalk with my binos & bullhorn…………….Jump!! Jump!! Juuuuuuuump!!! Uh-oh. Splat.
I’m so cruel.
Oh well - back to the mandated use of newly gained political capital……minus Monica. Hah-ha!!
Comment by Beau — 11.05.04 @ 9:49 am
If you want to be educated on politics especailly Republican politics et al read “The Right Nation” by John Micklethwait&Adrian Wooldridge . These two Englishmen know more about American politics than most Americans do !
Comment by Paul — 11.05.04 @ 9:52 am
I don’t want Jeb Bush running for president because I’m not in favor of a familial monarchy running my country. Love the guy, but I wouldn’t vote for him in the primary. I want Condi.
Comment by RepJ — 11.05.04 @ 10:15 am
This is not a fight. It is the fight.
Comment by Mike O — 11.05.04 @ 10:21 am
Even if Jeb ran, it would still be up to the voters to decide whether they wanted him in the White House. That’s not how monarchies run, so I wish we’d stop using what would absolutely be Dem talking points to dismiss it out of hand. Do I think it would be a great idea for Jeb to run? I have no idea. I don’t know what he believes or where he stands on any issues.
Re: Arlen Specter…Rush said yesterday that Specter’s office was going to put out a press release of what he actually said rather than what the press communicated. Has anyone seen it?
Comment by LawWife — 11.05.04 @ 10:28 am
Perhaps more people are becoming aware of how important the courts are becoming. When a survey asked me if I thought the country was heading in the right direction and I answered, “No,” it was the Federal courts I had in mind, not President Bush. I listened to almost all of the Senate hearings to confirm Sandra Day O’Connor and from her responses, it seemed to me that she would be a strong supporter of state’s rights. It has been disheartening to watch the shift in her thinking in the time she has been on the court. The temptation of the Supreme Court to appropriate more and more power to itself is apparently irrestible. Then Justice O’Connor had the chutzpah to write a book titled “The Majesty of the Law.” Considering the actions taken by the Supreme Court, the title should have been “The Finality of the What the Law Should Be According to at Least Five of Us” with the subtitle “And if You Don’t Like It, Tough!”
Comment by Evon Bachaus — 11.05.04 @ 10:36 am
The Supreme Court will be a big issue. I, too, hope that the Bush team make the Dems do more work in a filibuster. And also complain, constantly, that the radical Dems are dividing the nation. And yes, do NO other business while the Dems fiddle.
But I don’t expect judges who will honestly overturn the Roe Abortion Amendment. I am more hopeful of a Federal Abortion Amendment which sends the decision back to the states.
And I am MOST hopeful of cultural shifts. Like the abstinence Silver Ring Thing; and Promise Keepers. And Feminists for Life.
Comment by Tom Grey - Liberty Dad — 11.05.04 @ 10:36 am
Though I’m more familiar with Jeb Bush, what he’s done in Florida - helped elect him twice - and would prefer him……what about Colorado Governor Bill Owens & Dr. Rice? Sounds like a powerful ticket, should they be interested.
I might be able to live with a mostly conservative Guiliani (who I believe could win a national election), however, I don’t know that his pro-choice stance would fly party-wide. Not to mention, fly-over country, i.e., red states.
On the other hand he could pull alot of swing votes IF he could secure the nomination. BUT, how will the #s balance out with the many pro-life voters……….for whom choices would seem limited to bad and worse, at best.
Did I actually just say something sensible, worthy of debate? I’m losing my touch. And getting way too full of myself.
Comment by Beau — 11.05.04 @ 10:37 am
Beau,
If Kerry could say he is personally against abortion, but would support the party line to protect abortion, I imagine Rudy could do the same.
Promise that abortion will be left in the hands of the legislature and the courts. The job of the president is to enforce the law, protect the citizens, etc.
To offset the hard core pro-lifers, give him a pro-life VP to go with the hands-off pledge. Similar to the Gore-Lieberman match up.
Comment by SCSIwuzzy — 11.05.04 @ 11:12 am
This is the press release from Specter’s office:
****
November 4th, 2004
SPECTER COMMENTS ON THE JUDICIAL CONFIRMATION PROCESS
Washington, D.C. - Senator Arlen Specter (R-PA) made the following comments today on the judicial confirmation process.
“Contrary to press accounts, I did not warn the President about anything and was very respectful of his Constitutional authority on the appointment of federal judges.
“As the record shows, I have supported every one of President Bush’s nominees in the Judiciary Committee and on the Senate floor. I have never and would never apply any litmus test on the abortion issue and, as the record shows, I have voted to confirm Chief Justice Rehnquist, Justice O’Connor, and Justice Kennedy and led the fight to confirm Justice Thomas.
“I have already sponsored a protocol calling for a Judiciary Committee hearing within thirty days of a nomination, a vote out of Committee thirty days later, and floor action thirty days after that. I am committed to such prompt action by the Committee on all of President Bush’s nominees.
“In light of the repeated filibusters by the Democrats in the last Senate session, I am concerned about a potential repetition of such filibusters. I expect to work well with President Bush in the judicial confirmation process in the years ahead.”
Comment by LawWife — 11.05.04 @ 11:34 am
Hey Wuzzy,
I think I see where you’re coming from, Podnah…something like a Guiliani-Jeb Bush or Bill Owens, maybe?
The long & short, it would have to be a balanced ticket to work. Better still, a Guiliani-Schwarzenneger ticket would mean we’ve all been hitting the GOP peace pipe wwway too much.
Keep dreamin, right? Might as well be Guiliani-Hillary. I know - I’m surely goin to hell for suggesting the last two, stupid, idiotic presidential tickets. (Especially the last one…..that’ll get the hell express.)
Anyway, I feel like a moron, so let those 2 name combinations NEVER again be seen together, for the sake of our children to be.
I suppose I should also - AT LEAST - ask everyone to please forgive me for cussin & swearing like that on Barber’s Corner. I have not touched the pipe…………lately.
Comment by Beau — 11.05.04 @ 11:52 am
RepJ: “I want Condi.”
Well who doesn’t?
…
Oh! You mean for President. Nevermind.
Comment by AWG — 11.05.04 @ 3:19 pm
Bad Boy!!
Comment by Beau — 11.05.04 @ 3:27 pm
I secretly wish Ann Coulter would run, but I’d hate to see her paired with a liberal Congress.
Comment by Shayne White — 11.05.04 @ 9:39 pm
I think everybody should give ‘08 a break, we’ve been hard at for almost a year. Who knows at this time who would be the winner, think back to four yrs ago, I didn’t think Kerry would be the candidate, never had heard of him. Also, Supreme Court nominee is gonna come faster than we think. I think Renquist will retire early in ‘05, after the new COngress is sworn in. THAT’S the fight right now. GW can take this majority, should be able to nail a few Senate Democrats with Reid now minority leader, and the DEMS severely chastened. Don’t wait to ‘06, when GW becomes a lame duck, hit them right now!!
Comment by Carl — 11.06.04 @ 9:17 pm