Post Election "Low"

[dualrated]

I just read the thread started by Timebuilder about his political shift from the left to the right. I watched the election returns with mixed emotions. I loved watching Daschle and Carville squirm. I enjoyed Terry McAuliffe's tantrum. Watching Peter Jennings and Dan Rather bite their lips was priceless. But I can't share Timebuilder's optimism. I know that this Congress, with Lott in charge of the Senate, and McCain on the Transportation Committee, may end my career as an airline pilot. I have voted Republican since a was old enough to vote. But not anymore.

I, too, had an epiphany a couple of years ago. I shifted, not from the right to the left, not to the Democrat Party, but away from the GOP. I share the same philosophy as Timebuilder's, but I have come to realize that the Republican Party isn't particularly interested in personal responsibility or personal freedom or smaller government. They have all the conservative planks in their platform, but the platform has very little in common with the policy. I don't think the Republicans have a vision for a freer America with smaller government and a private sector that lifts up the common citizen any more than the Democrats do. The actions of the Republican leadership aren't the same as the speeches that they have written for them. The more history I read, the less I like. The more I read, the more I find that my Republican heroes (Gramm, Armey, Reagan, Gingrich) are and were just career politicians. Republican Congress and White House for the first time in decades..."meet the new boss, same as the old boss."

For all you folks out there that see this election as a shining path to flat-tax, the death of affirmative action, economic stimuli, less regulation, tort reform etc...I have a few predictions for you. In the next two years, we will see:

More, not less, tax law.
Tremendous growth of the federal government.
An increase in spending.
An increase in entitlement spending.
An increase in abortions.
More good-paying American jobs will go overseas and to Mexico.
More immigration.
More illegal immigration.
Less privacy.
A smaller middle class.
Exports will shrink and foreign tariffs will grow.
Imports will grow and domestic tariffs will shrink.
Fewer family farmers.
More corporate farms.
The rich will get richer. A lot richer.
The poor will stay poor (nothing will change that). Those of us in the middle will get a little poorer, and there will be fewer of us.

Here's more to chew on...

Did you know a Republican president started affirmative action?

Did you know that the largest growth period of the federal government was presided over by a Republican president?

Did you know the EPA was formed by a Republican president?

Did you know that the largest tax-increase (at the time) was signed into law by a Republican president?

Did you know that when terrorists first began targeting U.S. soldiers and citizens, a Republican president set precedent by withdrawing all troops from the hot-spot (turned tail and ran)?

I haven't switched sides. I'll never pull a lever for a liberal Democrat---I'm part of the God, Guts and Guns crowd. And if the GOP, the real GOP that makes policy, was truly committed to conservativism, I could vote for them, even knowing that they are out to take food off of my table (I'm a union member). But they are not, so I can't. I guess I'll have to go to the polls and write in Roger Staubach's name until a palatable third party is created.

I remain a conservative, and I probably always will. I'm just no longer a Republican.



Flame away Ditto-heads.

 

[rjcap]

Your quite the spin master.

 

[Toecutter]

I must say that I feel the same way. I used to think Reagan and Oliver North were great people. I wasn't until 1990 when I graduated from college that I realized that our President at the time, Bush, could give a darn about the middle class. What I can't understand, is that some of the people that write in on this board think that things are going great!!! They must be real Republicans, because real republicans have so much money socked away, the state of the economy doesn't affect them. As far as guts, this is what really really bothers me. Most of these "great patriotic leaders" are draft dodgers. To me, that's worse than a scab. These men want to send us war, but skipped out on Vietnam.

Dick Cheney-draft dodger
Trent Lott- draft dodger
Tom Delay-draft dodger
Saxby Chambliss-draft dodger
Pat Buchanan-draft dodger
Rush Limbough-draft dodger
Bill O Reilly- draft dodger
Dick Armee-draft dodger
Phil Gramm-draft dodger
Newt Gingrich-draft dodger
George Bush- AWOL from Guard unit

The list goes on and on, and oh by the way, many of those "liberal" democrats have served honorably in uniform. Go the www.awolbush.com to find out more about it.

 

[pipers]

amen toecutter.....except I never though Oliver North was a good guy.

 

[Hovernut]

Seminar Callers

Dualrated, you sound like one of Rush's "Seminar Callers." They're the ones who say, "I believe just about everything you say, BUT..." Don't turn tain on the GOP, help change it into what you believe in!

I'm a conservative; currently, the GOP is the closest party that matches my ideals. Rest assured, if the Dems held all the power, do you really think Utopia would suddenly appear? No WAY!! We all work **CENSORED****CENSORED****CENSORED****CENSORED**ed hard to get where we are...mostly on our own dime. How do you like supporting all the free-loaders that are out there when you know they can support themselves if prodded. You bet I'd like a flat tax, and provide for my own retirement instead of Social Security! But, change takes place slowly and we must make baby steps toward those ends. No doubt taking incredible heat along the way.

Are the republicans perfect? Heck no, but in my opinion, they'll be the best party in office to place those chips of freedom back in place that have been eroded away over the years.

Who better to rid this planet of terrorists? Gore/Daschle, or W/GOP? I was in Reagan's Navy. Morale and readiness couldn't have been better back then. I saw the beginning of the decline when the Dems took over in 93. Now that W's in office, it looks like the military is again back in good hands.

I could go on and on, but alas this is an aviation forum. The impact on us might not be so good if we blast Iraque, but the long-term will be. Stop thinking of yourselves right now and let's give the future generations peace and prosperity. Maybe they'll be able to support us in our old age!

....off the soapbox...

 

[surfnole]

The Democrats would do much better if:

1) They stopped the class warfare. If the last tax cut went to the richest 1 percent, lets see their tax cut which helps everyone else.

2) Quit pandering to every fringe/wacko/far left group out there such as the transgendered, NOW, NEA and trial lawyers.

3) Got rid of the sleazy Clinton/Mcauliffe crowd

4) Actually believed in budget cuts in something besides the military (the Republicans have abandoned this principle lately too however).

 

[flywithastick]

Dualrated -

I share most of your concerns, but if you are a believer in personal liberty, less intrusive govt, US soverignty... then you should be moving farther right, NOT left. The Repubs have been moving left as long as I can remember. It would be truly amazing if this new Republican controlled govt did what was good for the country, and not act on their own special interests, but I won't be holding my breath.

I learned about voting in '92. I supported Pat Buchanan. But the elitist media successfully demonized him to the point he could never compete. I also supported Perot, being an outsider and seemingly a devout capitalist. But this was a terrible mistake.

Many people like me basically voted the tratorous worm clinton and his mobster associates into the White House. I now vote strategically. The Republicans, although not what they claim many times, are the best choice currently. When the Libertarians or any other conservative group can compete against the arrogant leftists, I'll vote for them. Remember a half full glass is better than one taxed empty, declared a wetland and seized by the leftists.

 

[ksu_aviator]

Dick Cheney-draft dodger
Trent Lott- draft dodger
Tom Delay-draft dodger
Zaxby Chambliss-draft dodger
Pat Buchanan-draft dodger
Rush Limbough-draft dodger
Bill O Reilly- draft dodger
Dick Armee-draft dodger
Phil Gramm-draft dodger
Bob Dorn-draft dodger
Newt Gingrich-draft dodger

So anybody that isn't drafted is a draft dodger? You do realize that there is a very narrow window to be drafted in. I've passed that window at a wopping age of 25. I'm an old man now, and bonified draft dodger. Along with Millions of other men and women in the US.

 

[414Flyer]

That list is especially suspect, since one of them "Bob Dorn" on the list, which is mispelled for Bob Dornan, was an USAF fighter pilot in the 1950s. Even if he had not been, he still would have been much too old for Vietnam

 

[flywithastick]

"Bob Dorn" Glad you pointed that out, 414. Former US Rep CA Robert Dornan is a true conservative hero. I still remember him speaking out against then candidate bill clinton referring to his (WJC's) travels with a group called the Peace Train. This was the group clinton travelled europe (including the soviet union) with at the height of the Cold War in the early/mid '70's while he was supposed to be attending Oxford as a Rhode Scholar.

Bob Dornan will always have my admiration as a conservative and pilot - he dead stick landed an F-100 TWICE. Pretty good record for a draft dodger, IMO.

 

[Toecutter]

First, considering the draft started in WW2 and lasted until the early `70s, I would not consider that a small window. Secondly, I would say that four student deferrments in a row and then when those ran out, a marriage deferrment, yes, thats a draft dodger. Like our VP. Now if you registered, thats fine, Clinton even registered, but these men I mentioned are so pro war, but failed to answer the call. Not just that , but if they like war so much, you would think they would have wanted to join up. Not only that, many of these men were called, but had some lame ass excuse not to go, like Saxby Chambliss and his "bad knee". Bill McBride had a bad knee too. It ended his football scholarship in college, but he was still able to join the Marines and go to Vietnam. As far as Bob Dornan, I must have misread the article about him. I stand corrected. He is not a draft dodger. The article read that he avoided combat duty in Korea to take college classes. It just really bothers me that there are a lot of people out there that think that real republicans care about average working people. Even our soldiers are going to get screwed. How do you think our government is going to pay for the war? Not with all of those tax cuts. Its going to come out of the soldiers paychecks and benefits. All of the money set aside to improve family housing and base improvement is now going to pay for the war. If any of you are really pro war, and love your tax cuts, and do not want to or have no intention to serve, I suggest you go out and buy some savings bonds. Its the least you can do. OK I'm now in MOPP 4 and in my hasty fighting position ....flame away.

 

[ksu_aviator]

The draft started in WW2 but it didn't go continuosly until Vietnam. It is activated for short terms to meet immediate demands. So, you do have a small window, you have to be between ages 20 and 25 to have a high probability to be drafted and there has to be a draft at that time. If those to scenarios exist, you then have to have your birthday picked early enough to be required. Here is an exert from the Selective Services web page.

If and when the Congress and the President reinstate a military draft, the Selective Service System would conduct a National Draft Lottery to determine the order in which young men would be drafted.

The lottery would establish the priority of call based on the birth dates of registrants. The first men drafted would be those turning age 20 during the calendar year of the lottery. For example, if a draft were held in 1998, those men born in 1978 would be considered first. If a young man turns 21 in the year of the draft, he would be in the second priority, in turning 22 he would be in the third priority, and so forth until the year in which he turns 26 at which time he is over the age of liability. Younger men would not be called in that year until men in the 20-25 age group are called.

Because of the enormous impact of this lottery, it would be conducted publicly, with full coverage by the media. Accredited observers from public interest groups will have full access to observe the proceedings.

To make the lottery as fair as possible, the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) developed a unique random calendar and number selection program for Selective Service. Using this random selection method for birthdays, each day of the year is selected by computer in a random manner, and that date is placed in a capsule. The capsules are then loaded in a large drum on a random basis. By the same method, numbers from 1 to 365 (366 for men born in a leap year) are also selected in a random fashion, placed in capsules, and the capsules are placed into a second drum. The process, repeated a second time, results in two sets of drums. Official observers certify that the capsule-filling and drum-loading were conducted according to established procedures. This certification is secured to each drum; they are sealed and placed in secure storage. Should a lottery be conducted, one of the first actions would be an inspection of these stored drums and the selection of a set to be used in the lottery.

Here is how the lottery would work: One capsule is drawn from the drum containing birth dates January 1 through December 31. One capsule is then drawn from the drum containing the sequence numbers from 1 through 365 (366 if the draft will call men born during a leap year) and the date and number are paired to establish the sequence number for each birth date. This is done in full view of all observers, officials, and the media.

For example, if the date of August 4 is drawn first from the "date" drum, and the sequence number of 32 is drawn from the "number's" drum at the same time, then those men turning 20 on August 4 would be ordered for induction processing only after men whose birthdays drew sequence numbers 1 through 31. The drawings continue until all 365 (or 366) birthdays of the year are paired with a sequence number.

After the lottery is completed and results certified, the sequence of call is transmitted to the Selective Service System's Data Management Center. Almost immediately the first induction notices are prepared and sent via mailgram to men whose birth dates drew the lowest lottery numbers.

This system, based on random selection of birth dates, with the order of priority for reporting assigned in a scientifically random manner, is a fair and equitable method of calling men to serve.

That is why I said you have a relatively small window to be drafted. I'm also getting the feeling that your information comes from Art Bell or some other wacko and not a credible news source.

 

[dualrated]

Two things. One reply mentioned I should be moving further right, not left. I can't get any further right. I'm for all the conservative ideas, I just believe that the GOP isn't. Maybe never really was. Personal liberty? Ashcroft has some precedent setting ideas that will change personal liberty forever. Less intrusive government? Have you been felt-up by the TSA lately? McCain's S.1347 will definately intrude on your paycheck if you work for an airline. U.S sovereignty? We'll talk about that when our troops, wearing UN Blue, come home from Kosavo (maybe NEXT christmas will be the one). I'm as conservative as I've ever been. I'm just completely disallusioned with the GOP.

The other thing. There was a continuous draft from WWII until the end of Viet Nam. My uncle was a peacetime draftee in the late fifties. Other than that, I won't weigh in on the draft-dodger debate.

 

[Timebuilder]

I remember draft dodgers.

They would run to Canada, or make up an illness or new religion to get a 4-F designation or conscientious objector status.

Having a student deferment was a legal method of avoiding the number asssignment in a particular year's draft lottery. When your education ended, you were placed in that year's draft lottery. When the draft ended, there was no further lottery, but those who had taken student deferments did not know, and could not have known, that this would happen.

Perhaps some are being mis-labled "draft dodger" for this reason.

Note: I spent one year in the lottery, as a 1-A candidate, and was reclassified as 1-H when my year in the draft lottery ended.

Hey, dual rated! We are building a NEW and IMPROVED Republican party, from within! Come and help!