Returning for the '06 Stretch Run ... Predictions, Any One?

Greetings. I return from a self-imposed exile/blog vacation just in time for Labor Day.

Labor Day means, of course, that football season is upon us. The Longhorns are playing again, and the Buckeyes will be in Austin next week. Maybe Mark will reappear, but I predict he will only do so if the Bucks can win in Austin. So here's my first prediction of the election season: Mark won't appear, because the Buckeyes won't appear (or at least will wilt) in the Austin heat.

More to the point ... I see that the MSM drumbeat to assist the Demo takeover of Congress has reached a fever pitch. It is now considered all but a done deal that the Demos will take over at least the House, if not the Senate, as well.

My thoughts? Well, the environment in many ways does stack up nicely for the Demos. Some vulnerable Republicans are up, Pres. Bush's numbers are down, there's the six-year itch, the public is frustrated over Iraq, and Republicans have failed on Republican issues (i.e., spending and immigration).

But we are still in a war. I think the political calculus changed on 9/11/01. Some haven't figured it out, yet. But I am convinced it has.

So, I am going to go out on a limb and say I think the Republicans will hold on in both the Senate and the House. But should they?

I think the answer is a definite "yes". Many have talked of their disapppointment with Repulican, particularly in the Senate ("I am going to take my toys and go home"), but in these times, I think this attitude is, well, childish.

And behaving childishly in serious times is a serious matter.

The Republicans have a slogan this year that I really like. Let's face it. A lot of political slogans are designed to appeal to those who don't realize there is an election during a particular year until after Labor Day. But this one is good -- This election is a choice, not a referendum.

It communicates a simple truth: Whatever one feels about a particular candidate, that opponent has an opponent. In virtually every race on the ballot this year, there are two candidates who can win. Voting for one is voting against another, and vice versa. Failing to vote for one is to give a vote to the other candidate.

So, viewing the election as a choice, let's examine what I see as the key issues in the coming election:

1) National Security: On the issue of fighting Militant Islam, does any one really believe that the Demos would be better than the Republicans? We all know they wouldn't, and there is no, I mean no evidence to suggest otherwise. Not even the Demos believe they can compete on this issue. That's why they change the subject when this issue comes up, and they also try to detach Iraq from the greater struggle against Militant Islam.

But the record is clear: They voted against the Patriot Act, they support legal rights for jihadis, and they seek to undermine America's fight against Militant Islam at every turn, equating our troops with terrorists and Hitler.

In Iraq, the Monday morning Demo QBs of today (who have all seen the light from their politically motivated pro-war votes of 2002) offer nothing constructive. They see not one positive thing coming out of America's efforts in Iraq, and their efforts are assisting our enemies. A Democrat victory would result in a swift withdrawal from Iraq as an end, not merely a means. And our enemies would notice.

On this national issue alone, the Demos are unqualified to assume power. A vote for them is irresponsible.

2) Federal Judiciary: Here we go again. The appointments of C.J. Roberts and J. Alito have been master strokes by Pres. Bush. Seeing that they have been had, Demos will make the next appointment to the Supreme Court a war. A loss of Republican strength in the Senate means that this war will be harder to win and the inevitable pressure to nominate either a stealth Miers-like nominee or an outright Souter will be great.

3) Immigration: Conservative Republicans in the House and Senate derailed an ill-advised Senate Immigration bill supported by Pres. Bush. Although it's true that too many Republicans supported the measure (and Demos were wildly cheering for it), again, conservative Republicans shot it down. Now, we are in the election stretch run, and the bill has no chance.

But if Demos win this fall, it has a great chance. In fact, I think we'll get something even worse.

The Perfect Churchers often fail to note that the only people in Washington fighting to stem the illegal immigration tide are conservative Republicans. Elect enough of them and then bad legislation can not only be defeated, but we can also secure the border.

4) Demos Gone Wild: If Demos assume power, expect them to naturally overreach and start investigations of the Bush Admistration on all fronts. They are keeping quiet now, but expect some major effort to investigate and/or impeach Pres. Bush. There is a deep, brooding resentment on the Demo Animal Farm as a result of Florida 2000, Ohio 2004, and the Bush Administration's aggressive pursuit and detention of jihadis. A Demo takeover would present the opportunity to "even the score" ... to Win One for the Zipper (Clinton), if you will.

I will let this happen over my dead body.

5) Culture Preservation: One party favors gay "marriage", and the other doesn't. One party is overwhelmingly pro-abortion (and tolerates no dissent), while the other party is overwhelmingly pro-life. Case closed. See also "Federal Judiciary" above.

6) Spending/Scope of Government: Traditional economic conservatives are upset with the Republicans, and as one them I understand ... to a point. A couple of points need to be made here, though: First, in these times, this issue is much lower on the priority scale. If we are dead, it doesn't matter what our tax rates are; and 2) Again, Demos would be far worse. Far worse. Think about Charlie Rangel as head of the House Appropriations Committee. Let your mind feel the terror, the horrah.

Finally, Republicans have lowered taxes. Personally, I like the temporary nature, too, for it keeps returning the debate to the public's mind periodically. More fundamentally, Pres. Bush proposed real changes in the Social Security system. This needs to happen, and with more conservatives in Congress, it will.

So, in the end, it's a choice. Choices have consequences. Conservatives know this, and in the end, I believe they will make the right choices in November.