Nobody who cares about America wants to see a bad president in the White House.  So  for those who may be voting for the first time but don’t know a heck of a lot about politics, what follows is a handy guide of do’s and don’ts for the coming election in November:

(1) Don’t vote for the person who simply smiles better or cuts a more dashing appearance.  Do vote for the person who appears more “real.”  Remember that boring old adage your elders told you, “Don’t judge a book by its cover?”  Well, guess what?  It’s true.  Demeanor and looks won’t produce  policies that will prevent terrorist attacks so you and your friends (or somebody else and their friends) don’t get incinerated — you know, like those poor people in far-away lands you see on TV every so often, or, for that matter, 3,000 of your fellow Americans on……now when was that day?….oh, yes, September 11….of course…..

(2) Don’t vote for the better talker.  Do vote for the one who knows what they’re talking about.   The purpose of hearing a speech is not to get your ears tickled.  It’s to glean what the speaker will do if elected.  Once you find that out, you can make an informed choice on whether the candidate deserves your vote.  

(3) Don’t vote for the one who “inspires” you more.  Do vote for the one whose ideas are better for the country and for the people you care about — including you.  If you want to hear a pep talk, hire a life coach.

(4) Don’t vote for the candidate who wields a tax club (or any other kind of club) to divide the rich against the poor or everybody else.  Do vote for the one whose policies work for the whole nation.   This is not the Middle Ages; it’s the modern interdependent world.  The shin bone’s connected to the ankle bone, so no matter who gets their taxes raised, others will get hurt, too.   No pity parties for the rich, but we don’t want to be biting our noses to spite our faces.  Friends don’t let friends vote for high taxes on anybody.   If the government’s devouring more than what’s coming in, raising the tax burden isn’t the answer.  What it needs is to go on a diet. 

(5) Don’t vote for a candidate who blames the messenger when the news is bad.  Do vote for a candidate who heeds the message, precisely when it is bad.   High gas prices are the messenger.  So what’s the message?   Not enough oil and too many people wanting to buy  oil.  And the answer?   For the consumer — buy less of it.  (Do we really have a choice?)For the folks who produce it — In the short run, let them drill for more oil — unless you enjoy emptying your wallet with every trip to the pump.  And in the long run, well, you know the rest — alternative energy. 

This is a good start.  Privileged person that you are, you are among the few human beings in history who actually will have a say in choosing who the most powerful person in the world will be starting next January.  So consider these things between now and Election Day.

To: Republican Candidates for President

From: Your Friendly Republican Base (most of us, at least)

Date: Now

Re: How to Win our Support

(1) To John McCain: We like your courage and prescience on foreign policy, particularly Iraq. You’re acceptable on (continue reading post »)

The latest from pundit-land is “no” since up to 50% of Americans say they will definitely not vote for her.

But for those of us who have watched her public appearances over time, from speeches to debates, the answer isn’t so clear.

Here’s a good analogy: If you’ve seen the original Rocky movie on DVD (or VHS), you may recall a scene where Apollo Creed, the heavyweight champion, (continue reading post »)

Government controls our lives in two ways. First by policy, and second by taxation.

The first we should call “The Nanny State”, the second is the taking away the freedom to create your own quality of life. Here in California Democrats have bills to change your light bulbs, limit the age you may spank your child, mandate the neutering of non-pedigree dogs and cats, AB 1634. There is even a bill to mandate that elephants in California must be walked a minimum of five hours per day (Levine–AB 777)—seriously.

In San Francisco they have, starting July 1, 2007, a universal health care rule. If employers don’t provide (continue reading post »)

I’m on a conference call with Karl Rove right now, and he’s just outlined in brief what the President is trying to do with his health plan, widely attacked already as a tax hike even though no one has heard the State of the Union yet.

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While conservative Democrats were winning races on tax cut platforms, voters were rejecting higher taxes on the ballot. In California, two major tax increases, one on cigarettes and the other on oil production were defeated and in Missouri, a measure to raise the tax on cigarettes was also defeated.

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This Week: Rod D. Martin on “The GOP at 150″; plus: Frist calls a new Death Tax vote, Jack Wheeler on Democrat Hell Week, Marvin Olasky on Christian CEOs in China, and Jack Kemp’s White Guilt.

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Thank you to everyone who fought for permanent repeal of the Death Tax. Though today’s vote did not turn out as we hoped, we learned who our friends are, we outed some key enemies, and we saw clearly what a Democrat-led Senate would mean. There’s more to this story than meets the eye. Continue reading….

Two key votes next week — on permanent Death Tax repeal and the federal Marriage Protection Amendment give Republicans a chance at redemption. But though the GOP’s record is far better than anyone remembers, a White House that can’t communicate its way out of a paper bag surely can’t lead, and a Senate which forgets who elected it and why should expect to be sent home.

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Here’s my tax day column — pointing out the widespread international popularity of abolishing the Capital Gains Tax and the economic boom such wisdom creates — in the Manchester Union Leader, the paper of record for the state which hosts America’s first-in-the-nation primary.

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