Watch what you call a Holocaust...

Rep. Alan Grayson (D-FL) is refusing to apologize for claiming that the Republican solution to health-care is for people to "die quickly" and instead said “I apologize to the dead and their families that we haven’t voted sooner to end this holocaust in America.”

If that's what he truly (misguidedly) believes, that's fine, but there's no reason that this should suffice when Rep Joe Wilson's formal apology was required. If you're going to cite a need for civility and respect within the chambers, then it needs to be seen on both sides of the aisle.

Having Fun In Hillsdale

The county fair is going all week and I would highly encourage everyone to take an afternoon or evening and go check it out. Not only can you visit the Hillsdale County Republican Booth in the Merchant Hall, you can have fun riding the rides, eating deep-fried Twinkies and petting the animals. It's a great place for some off-campus fun, and a way to go out and support the community. See you there!

Pulse of the Nation: Health care Reform hits New Low

That's right folks. There is a new low in support for Obama's health care proposal (read Obamacare), according to the latest polling data by Rasmussen.

"Just 41% of voters nationwide now favor the health carereform proposed by President Obama and congressional Democrats. That’s down two points from a week ago and the lowest level of support yet measured," writes Pollster Scott Rasmussen.

"The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 56% are opposed to the plan."

Interestingly, support is strongest among young voters and weakest.... among the elderly? Wait -- if there were no waiting lines, death panels, or rationing, why would the elderly be against health care reform?

Perhaps the truth of the matter is that Americans maybe largely divided between the responsible, rational, prudent citizens, and the irresponsible, feelings-driven, irrational citizens -- a division that often falls along the lines of adult vs. youth just as in the 1960s.

Perhaps we should trust the wisdom of our elderly, many of whom are members of that greatest generation who sacrificed so valiantly for our freedom.

To view the poll, copy-paste this url:

http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/current_events/healthcare/september_2009/health_care_reform

Keeping it Confidential

In a 24/7 news cycle, there seems to be very little that is left private, especially in the political sector. Every administration has their share of defectors, who, for various reasons, decide that what the world is really lacking is their, not at all biased, perspective on various political situations.

The most recent example can be seen in Matt Latimer's new memoir Speechless: Tales of a White House Survivor. Its certainly Latmier's Constitutional right to share his story, but that doesn't make it the classy thing to do. From various reviews, it seems that Latimer's book is more an opportunity to settle personal vendettas, rather than share crucial information about the administration's day-to-day operations. William McGurn, responsible for hiring Latimer, has spoken out, discrediting Latimer's authority, in a recent WSJ article.

Latimer's book begs the question: Just because you can share something, does it mean that you should? Americans complain about internal Washington politics. Are petty arguments going to help dispel these fears?

A Foreign Perspective

Sometimes it's enlightening to look at an editorial from a foreign perspective. Just as we learned about the valuable contributions of Alexis de Toqueville, a Frenchman who arguably gave us the best assessment of the U.S. to date, it can be good to see what they are saying about us "across the pond."

The British paper The Telegraph, no friend to conservatives, has this to say about our current president and foreign policy:

"Regimes in Moscow, Pyongyang and Tehran simply pocket [Obama's] concessions and carry on as before. The picture emerging from the White House is a disturbing one, of timidity, clumsiness and short-term calculation. Some say he is the weakest president since Jimmy Carter."

They continue scathingly on domestic policy:

"The grizzled veterans of the Democratic leadership in Congress have found Mr Obama and his team of bright young advisers a pushover. That has gravely weakened his flagship domestic campaign, for health-care reform, which fails to address the greatest weakness of the American system: its inflated costs."

Finally, the knock-out punch:

"Mr Obama's public image rests increasingly heavily on his extraordinary speechifying abilities... But for what? Mr Obama has tactics a plenty - calm and patient engagement with unpleasant regimes, finding common interests, appealing to shared values - but where is the strategy? What, exactly, did "Change you can believe in" – the hallmark slogan of his campaign – actually mean?"

You can read the full-text of the editorial here:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/usa/barackobama/6210152/President-Barack-Obama-is-beginning-to-look-out-of-his-depth.html

Pay Attention to ME!

I'm not sure how popular the Sunday morning news programs are with the Hillsdale crowd, but this morning, President Obama appeared on 5 of them, both to promote his health care bill and to reprimand the MSM for their bias towards rude people. Apparently it's upsetting to the President that so much coverage is going to Joe Wilson, and his health care bill is being overlooked.

I know the President is pretty busy, but maybe he should take a second to read the 1st Amendment. Freedom of speech and freedom of the press are right there. Just because he "occup[ies] a pretty special seat at the moment", doesn't mean that he can control the press coverage. That's not the way it works in a democracy. And that's what we're aiming for, right?

IF WE CAN UNITE....

...We can certainly win back the soul of America.

The latest poll from Gallup shows Obama's approval rating at its lowest level to date: just 51% of Americans approve of Barack Obama's job as president. The poll was conducted among Americans at large, instead of "likely voters," who typically tend to be more conservative as a group than a randomize sample.

This 51% approval rating is a full two-percent lower than Obama's margin of victory, which was 53%. This further corroborates the trend across a variety of pollsters showing that many Americans who voted for Obama are no longer supportive of the his actions.

This is a tremendous opportunity for all Republicans everywhere. So long as we unite around our core principles, we can be the alternative for disillusioned Americans who want real reform.

So long as we can bridge our own gaps of personality, practical policy, and self-ambition, and begin playing as a team dedicated to our foundational political presuppositions -- our belief in an absolute, enduring moral order created by God that should govern all of our actions, our recognition of man's intrinsic fallibility, our commitment to strive for a "more perfect union" -- then we may be able to save our country.

To see the poll, look here:

http://www.gallup.com/poll/113980/Gallup-Daily-Obama-Job-Approval.aspx

Legislating from the Oval Office

We face the end of separation of powers within the United States. Originally proposed by Montesque and co-opted by the Constitutional convention, the concept had a rather straight-forward goal: slow down government. Like checks and balances and federalism, separation of powers institutionally put speed bumps in the process of government action and personal ambitions. Unsurprisingly, this idea has been on the decline over the 20th Century. Obama means to kill it completely.

In the healthcare debacle, Obama has shown that he has no regard for this. Between his speech to congress, his outline of what the bill should look like, and particularly his rhetoric, Obama has shown no regard for the fact that the president carries out the law, rather than making it. For example, he told CBS about the bill, “You know, I intend to be president for a while and once this [healthcare] bill passes, I own it.” Clearly, has no intent of respecting the constitutionally defined role of his branch. He is consolidating power for the sake of efficiency and political expediency.


Our country is now taking so steady a course as to show by what road it will pass to destruction, to wit: by consolidation of power first, and then corruption, its necessary consequence.
-Thomas Jefferson

The Blame Game

Since it's been almost 6 months since he's caused a controversy, I assume former-President Jimmy Carter chose to jump in to defend President Obama from Rep. Joe Wilson, so as to give the American people a reminder that Carter is in fact, still kicking. The trick he is using? The race card. Calling someone a liar is now considered a racial slur. The idea that you might actually believe the other person is lying? Completely beside the point.

Fortunately, several people in Washington, seem to be siding with the saner side of logic and are able to recall all the times when other past presidents have been called liars, without their race being called into question.

Is Carter so unsure of the agenda of his own party that he has to resort to false labels to demonize his opponents?

Name Calling

It seems like a few people in Washington have gotten into the habit of name calling. Last week we had Representative Joe Wilson yelling 'You lie!' during President Obama's address to the nation on health care reform, and more recently President Obama called Kayne West a 'jackass' in an off-the-record moment during an interview with CNBC.

True, there are several differences in the way these two men expressed themselves. One did so in front of the nation, breaking rules of decorum, while the other spoke in what he thought would be a private conversation. While some have expressed disgust at the name calling, I applaud these men for having the courage to stand up and speak the truth. There may be more polite ways of saying what, they did, but at least President Obama is finally living up to his campaign promise of bringing more transparency to Washington, by saying what he feels.

Ask not what you can do for CRs, ask what CRs can do for the country.

We want your ideas for making this year the best possible in Hillsdale CR history. If you know of a local candidate or organization that you think we could partner with, or have ideas of speakers or groups to bring to campus, please let us know!

Post a comment below or shoot us an e-mail at hillsdalegop@gmail.com Also, come to our planning meetings Thursdays at 6:30 in the Grewcock.

Health Care

President Obama will not let this idea go. He can't be stopped by upset citizens at town hall meetings, reprimands from his colleagues, or even a lack of support. President Obama announced on this evening's '60 Minutes' that he still holds his goal for passing the legislation this year, even if he has to do so without support from both sides of the ailse.

His willingness to pass laws without support is perhaps the most jarring thing about Obama's presidency. The citizens have expressed their displeasure and have been ignored. Worse, the representatives they have chosen are being overlooked and told that their support is not necessary for major American reform. It's hard not to feel that the system of representative government is slowly crumbling away.

Never, never forget

Where were you?

That's the question I hear again and again.

I was on vacation. It was my father's birthday. I watched the second plane hit the second tower on the television. I watched the black smoke billow. And as I watched, I know my life changed.

Let us never forget.

This Weekend!

I know it's almost the weekend, but save some time for College Republican events this weekend.

On Friday we will be holding a Candlelight Vigil to remember all those who lost their lives on this day, in 2001. The vigil will be at 8 pm in front of Central Hall. We'll be out on the quad all day, selling flag pins.

On Saturday a group is heading to the Branch County Teaparty, which is at 10 am. Check your e-mail from the CR's for more information. Come and make your voice heard!

I received an e-mail today from the American Family Association, a conservative and pro-family group, that literally made me feel sick to my stomach. These are the folks we are fighting. This is why we should, or rather must, take a stand. Read this excerpt below:

"There are many reasons to oppose President Obama's push to take over the nation's health care system, but among the most important is this one: his plan will put Planned Parenthood clinics inside your child's school. "Yes, you read that right. Under an innocuous-sounding section titled "School-Based Health Clinics," H.R. 3200 will authorize Planned Parenthood, as a "sponsoring facility," to run a clinic during school hours on the grounds of public schools, with absolutely no accountability either to parents or school administrators. "Clinics would be accountable only to the Secretary of Health & Human Services, the radically pro-abortion Kathleen Sebelius, who was a fervent supporter of late-term abortionist George Tiller. "All this will be done at taxpayer expense. And unlike the rest of the bill, which isn't slated to go into effect until 2013, these clinics are scheduled to go into schools next fall. "As you know, Planned Parenthood is the nation's largest abortion provider and the most dangerous purveyor of the mythical "safe sex" message which has deprived so many American teens of their sexual innocence and left them with diseases and unwanted pregnancies." --AFA, 9/10/09

GOP LEADS 7% ON GENERIC CONGRESSIONAL BALLOT.

Oh Yeah. Can you say "remember '94?" Here we come 2010...

From Rasmussen, 9/8/09:

"The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey shows that 44% would vote for their district’s Republican congressional candidate while 37% would opt for his or her Democratic opponent.

"Support for both parties rose one point over the past week, giving Republicans their highest level of support of the past several years. Support for Democrats last week reached its lowest point during that same time period."

Just keep standing strong and advocating the truth, Remember, virtuous, prudent, and limited government with a heavy dose of frugality is the path to winning America's future, and voters are starting to agree. I think we have a shot to win this one if we unite and push forward.

Fighting The Busy Schedule

So, now that we're almost a full week into school and you're beginning to get an idea of just how busy you'll be this semester. And it's kind of scary. You're starting to rethink your membership in all those clubs you signed up for at the Source. But I'm telling you, don't rethink College Republicans.

As a member for the last four years, I can attest to the multitude of benefits this club will bring to you. For instance, I've met Mitt Romney, John McCain, and taken free trips to Mackinac Island and Washington DC. Even more, however, is the benefit you provide to this state and this country. As an active College Republican, you have the opportunity to influence and 'change' the government. I've worked on campaigns for congressional, senatorial, gubernatorial, and presidential candidates.

The part we maybe don't promote enough, is the fun. College Republicans is fun. It's fun because of the friends you make participating in various events. It's fun because traveling is fun. It's fun because networking and finding potential job opportunities, for which you get paid is fun.

Take it from a senior involved from day one - make time for College Republicans and you'll have taken part in history by the time you graduate.

Don't Bite the Hand That Feeds You

He's taken on health care. And gun control. Even former President Bush. But now, Michael Moore is seeking a complete overthrow of capitalism. He's new 'documentary', "Capitalism: A Love Story", premiered today in Venice. The movie makes the claim:

"Capitalism is an evil, and you cannot regulate evil," the two-hour movie concludes. "You have to eliminate it and replace it with something that is good for all people and that something is democracy."

Is Michael Moore unaware that capitalism is essential for his movie to succeed? Without capitalism, people lack the incentive to make the money needed to afford luxuries, like movie tickets. I know that railing at Michael Moore is pretty tired ("American Carol", anyone?), but his lack of reasoning and logic astounds me.

Too bad he wasn't enamored enough with Cuba's health care to stay there a few years ago...

O's Afghan Woes

Below is an article from the New York Post, reprinted in part . It highlights the both the mess the Obama administration has made in its mishandling of the war in Afghanistan and its attempts to cover it up. Thanks to our left-wing media, unlike Bush, Obama is getting a mainstream media pass in the face of rising casualties among our brave men and women -- But not from the Hillsdale College Republicans.

O's Afghan Woes

By RALPH PETERS

September 3, 2009 --

THE classified status report from Afghanistan by Gen. Stanley McChrystal was censored by the White House before its submission. As a result, it's all bun and no burger.

According to multiple (angry) sources, McChrystal -- our top soldier on the ground -- intended to ask for 28,000 more US troops. A presidential hatchet man directed the general not to make the request: Troop increases would be "addressed separately."

Worried about his poll numbers, our president's making a bad situation worse. He's given McChrystal the impossible mission of turning Afghan Flintstones into Jetsons, while starving him of means.

This violates a fundamental principle of the American way of war: Once the president assigns the mission, the commander must receive due consideration when he asks for the necessary resources.

Obama's message to McChrystal was "Just don't ask."

I don't believe the general's correct, but he has a right to be heard. Any decision about troop levels should be made based upon the facts on the ground, not politics. By playing along with White House censorship, McChrystal's allowing himself to be used as a political tool. That's not a proper role for any general.

When the military fails to speak the truth in wartime, the republic suffers. And the republic is more important than any floundering presidential administration.

Ralph Peters' new novel, "The War After Armageddon," will be published Sept. 15. To read the rest of this article, follow this link: http://www.nypost.com/seven/09032009/postopinion/opedcolumnists/os_afghan_woes_187815.htm?page=0

Obama's Poll Numbers Are Falling...

...and that means we need to keep up the pressure! According to Rasmussen, the polling firm that most accurately predicted the results of both the 2004 and 2008 elections, only 46% of likely voters approve of Obama's performance. 53% disapprove. 40% of likely voters claim to "strongly disapprove" of the president, indicating that they would be willing to be active in spreading their opinions.

Ironic. Last November, Obama won with 53% of the vote and McCain lost with 46%. Seems the tables have turned....

Link:

http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/obama_administration/daily_presidential_tracking_poll

Hopefully everyone survived, perhaps even enjoyed, their first day of class. As Hillsdale, we are so lucky to attend a school where the principles of this club are soundly affirmed in the lectures we attend.

We cannot, however, allow this acceptance turn into complacency. It's easy to fall into the trap of losing motivation, because it seems like everyone around you shares your opinion. This advantage allows us to be even more involved in our community and state. Get involved in local campaigns and come to events we co-sponser with the the community, like the 9/11 vigil next Friday night.

Many of you came to Hillsdale College with hopes to change the world. Join with us, and we'll do just that.

Welcome Back!

A big thanks to everyone who came out to the Source today. We've been busy this summer getting ready for the upcoming year and we're excited about our involvement in upcoming elections, the speakers we're bringing to campus and new ways that we can spread the Republican message across campus. Keep up-to-date with the group here, and at our Twitter page, www.twitter.com/hillsdalegop Become our follwer and you'll never miss a meeting or event!

In the mean time, has everyone seen this new cybersecurity bill? If passed it would give the president the power to shut down 'at-risk Internet networks'. Guess we don't really need the First Amendment. It was beginning to get in the way anyway.

http://thehill.com/homenews/administration/56947-obamas-power-over-internet-central-to-cybersecurity-debate