Category Archives: Progressives

by Barry Kelly | May 6, 2016 · 3:22 pm

INSIGHTS 259 ENOUGH OF THE GOP PURISTS

How much of this whining do we have to hear from the ideological purists of the Republican establishment? They had their chances and failed every time. They supported two flawed candidates, McCain and Romney. We gave them control of the Senate and House and they failed again. Now the Bushes, Romney, George Wills, the National Review and Weekly Standard pundits, Paul Ryan in his Speaker of the House position, McConnell as the Majority Leader in the Senate and failed presidential candidate Senator Graham are vowing they cannot support or vote for Mr. Trump. In the long-term who cares about them but in the short run to the elections, they should grow up and do what is good for America. That is not a hard choice if they can get over their self-appointed political guardianship of intellectual conservatism and focus on what the nation so desperately needs.

Clearly the Obama Administration will leave the nation with several critical areas that need immediate bipartisan attention. The ideological conservative purists need to focus on what is good for America and not solely on worshiping at the altar of Conservatism. These areas need a pragmatic approach consistent with the Constitution and the rule of law:

Re-establish the co-equal branches of government with the checks and balances spelled out in the Constitution;

Control America’s national borders;

Rebuild our military force levels and weapon systems;

Replace OBAMACARE;

Make American companies competitive by reducing taxation and regulation by Executive Departments and Agencies;

As the national economy grows, pay down the debt and rebuild the nation’s infrastructure;

Shift responsibilities such as education and healthcare back to the States; and

Apply common sense to the size and scope of the Federal Government.

GOP leaders get over your purist problems and get on with fixing problems. No more ‘leading from behind’ or the ‘issue is never the issue.’ You are being paid by the people to make their lives safer and better, not to enforce your own brand of ideology of government. Get with the program. Take on the issues. You may not get another chance. Socialist and Progressive controlled governments do not give second chances.

1 Comment

Filed under Barry Kelly, Conservative views, democrats, Eight Decades of Insights, General, Intelligence & Politics, Obamacare, political solutions, Politics, Progressives, Republicans, Romney

by Barry Kelly | March 14, 2016 · 3:10 pm

INSIGHTS 255 FIRST AMENDMENT SPIN

Candidates for the Republicans and Democrats are all showing what they really feel about the Ist Amendment to the Constitution. When they think it benefits their campaigns, they are quite willing to claim it is Donald Trump’s fault demonstrators are disrupting his political rallies.

Free speech rights end when people with opposing beliefs attempt to prevent a candidate from speaking to people who want to hear the candidate speak in an open forum. What you are seeing is the ugly hand of the progressive party’s supporters. How else do demonstrators coordinate their actions and show up with professional signs? I expect this kind of biased PC from the liberal left, but not from competing Republican candidates. A number of FOX commentators have joined the progressive media in the spinning of the blame for these disruptions that endanger the First Amendment, the people and the police.

Where does the establishment of the political class end? Has the political class established roots throughout our government? Do they even care who governs as long as they can control the political process to protect their positions?

1 Comment

Filed under Barry Kelly, Conservative views, democrats, Eight Decades of Insights, Intelligence & Politics, Politics, Presidential Debate, Progressives

by Barry Kelly | March 12, 2016 · 4:12 pm

INSIGHTS 254 FORGET THE LABELS-GET IT DONE

Are you as tired as I am of hearing politicians say I’m a true conservative or I hold strong liberal views or I’m a fiscal libertarian, or I vote for progressive candidates? Enough of the ideological purists. We’ve had one for the last 7 plus years. How has that worked out? Well, we elected twice, the worst president in living memory, if not in our total political history. So, over half of us must be attracted to candidates claiming to be ideological purists. Enough of this madness. Whatever their beliefs, it is what they do that counts. Can the candidate of our choice, protect Americans and the American nation? Can they govern within our economic realities? Do they understand how wealth is created? Will they surround themselves with smart people and listen to them and the American people?

We understand the difference between verbal claims and performance in the world of sports. If you don’t produce, you’re out. The coaches and managers don’t care about your political ideology. In each contest you have to prove you can do your job. Imagine a professional sports coach starting their interview for the head coaching job by saying, I’m a conservative, or a liberal, or a Presbyterian, or a Buddhist or a Muslim. Think the team’s owner would be impressed? The whole infatuation with purist titles is not relevant when it comes to solving problems and managing something as vast and complicated as our government.

President Obama got his job by speaking eloquently about his vision of transforming America. He had no experience managing anything. College instructors, community organizers and state or federal senators don’t manage anything. In President Obama’s case his ideology, was influenced, if not formed, by the writings of Mr. Saul Alinsky. Mr. Alinsky’s central premise is, “The Issue is never The Issue.” By that he meant issues don’t matter. Don’t even try to solve problems or fix things. Just use each issue to destroy the opposition. Take any side of any issue and change sides whenever it is to your advantage to do so. The end always justifies the means when your purpose is to take power away from those who have it and give it to those who don’t. Progressives, following Mr. Alinsky’s teaching, believe lying is not a bad thing. Hillary Clinton has also been influenced by Mr. Alinsky, whom she knew personally. Lying to accomplish goals is a part of her drive to win the highest office in the land.

I don’t care if the coaches of the professional sports teams I follow, share my personal beliefs or a political label with me. I just want them to build the team and win games. Let’s get over voting for ideological purity and elect someone who can solve problems and fix what’s wrong with the nation and put American back it is proper place in the world. Both our people and the world will benefit.

INSIGHTS 253 THE TRUMP PLAN

In a few hours we will see the Republican debate from Detroit. But what have we learned so far? Perhaps the most important thing we have learned is that the GOP establishment, that makes up the political class, does not trust the electorate to choose a candidate. Now that Donald Trump has convincingly won the title of the ‘front runner,’ the old guard is pulling out frantic efforts to stop him.

The latest offensive was a pathetic speech in Salt Lake City by Mitt Romney. It seems in the four years since he effusively thanked Trump for his endorsement, he has changed dramatically his view of Mr. Trump. Would he have made such a speech without support from the old line Republican establishment that gave us two losing candidates in the last eight years. This same group also pleaded with the Republican base to elected a Republican Senate and House in order to stop the Obama progressive program. They did absolutely nothing with the majorities we gave them but make excuses and cave into everything the President wanted. They failed to show the courage and resolve that was needed.

Trump has won all but a few state-wide contests and has energized huge across the board voter turnout. But a great number of these people voting for Trump are not conservatives or traditional members of the Republican Party. That is a good thing. The Republican political class did not listen to the old membership. Maybe they will finally figure out the people are angry and want real change from the last eight years of Obama progressivism. It is too late for them. This new movement of working people, men, women, Hispanics, evangelicals, young and old, middle class and professionals are in such vast numbers, it dwarfs the Tea Party that has now joined the stop Trump campaign.

The political pundits are chanting what is the Trump program. Tell us the plans. When he does tell them, they don’t recognize the genius and simplicity of his message. They are all looking for big government solutions where a centralized government plan must be laid out and debated. Perhaps the clearest example is Mr. Trumps version of a replacement for Obamacare. He told us that Obamacare will be replaced with private insurance that will be able to sell their plans across state lines. This is not a big government implement plan. Sure some regulation will be needed, but the essence of the plan is private companies who will put out hundreds of plans to meet the needs of the populace. Capitalism cannot exist without competition. Some government subsidies will be need to help the very poor to get quality medical care. Decentralization is the way to go. Centralization always is the plan of big government, especially those who practice socialism. Effective management comes from clear lines of command and reasonable spans of control unlike the Obamacare structure. Remember the Rollout for Obamacare?

The second important area where Mr. Trump’s plans are ridiculed by the political class is in the area of foreign trade. No plan is necessary unless you are a big government believer or a socialist. No plan could fit all trade negotiations. What does work is smart, tough, experience negotiators. The people who whine about plans for foreign trade have never really been involved in trade deals or arms negotiations. It takes smart people not plans. Please let’s stop expecting real leaders to lay out plans for every situation. Yes, the military has plans and needs them. But they are called contingency plans and there are several of them to meet a wide range of threats and they are not revealed to the general public or our adversaries.

Vote your conscience. Pay no attention to the wailings of the political class. I hope every day we will get ‘term limits’ to get rid of our professional politicians who for, too long, have stopped listening to the people.

1 Comment

Filed under Barry Kelly, Capitalism, centralization, class warfare, Conservative views, Eight Decades of Insights, Intelligence & Politics, Obamacare, political solutions, Presidential Debate, Progressives, Romney

by Barry Kelly | February 25, 2016 · 6:41 pm

INSIGHTS 252 Senator Sanders’ Big Lie

Why does Senator Sanders, a self-proclaimed socialist, draw such crowds to his rallies? The answer is not complicated. The historical message of the far left socialists, progressives or communists is attractive. It always has solutions to fix all of the problems of society. More equal distribution of wealth. Social welfare programs that support citizens from ‘cradle to grave.’ It’s not your fault you are not rich. The deck is stacked against you by the rich and powerful. The only way to get your rightful share is to take it from the few rich people and corporations.

All societies have victims. Victimhood is a very comfortable cloak for many citizens. It gives them an excuse for their failure to climb the success ladder. The socialist answer is to take the ladder away and hide it from all except the elite who always emerge to rule the government-owned and managed economy. The great truth about socialism and communism is that it never has improved the lives of the people. Those who were the victims remain victims, only now there is no hope once the socialist/progressive elite is in total control. There is no dissent. The people have the freedom of never having to make a choice. There are no choices except those offered by the governing elite.

While Senator Sanders is not an evil person but what he is preaching hides a very ugly ending. You see he knows what is good for you and the nation. He doesn’t tell you his message has always required a strong repressive police and security force to enforce the guidance of the elite managers. Socialism, progressivism and communism cannot govern without repression. For when you take away the freedom of choice from the people there will be dissent. The ugliness of the Sander’s way always begins with the necessity to force people to follow the rules of their elite rulers. Besides losing the freedom of individual choice, the people soon see a mantle of economic stagnation settle over their once productive economy. President Obama, Hillary Clinton and Senator Sanders cannot tell you where their way of government has ever worked. Because it never has. Look at Cuba, Russia, East Germany, China and even the pseudo socialist states of Europe. On a large-scale or small, as some of cooperatives tried in America, collective/socialist schemes have all failed for the same reason. The management of collectives of any kind requires repression that eventually is rejected by the people. Reality never matches the socialist message.

This message is taught in very few colleges or universities. These institutions are run mostly by an intellectual elite that believes in the message and promise of the left-wing ‘isms.’ Very few of these professors have ever really worked for a living or lived in a socialist country. They believe the message because it’s kinder, gentler promise than the reality of the rough and tumble of free market and capitalism. Anyone who is rich, and not a member of the socialist elite or a revolutionary, is an enemy of the majority of social study curriculums in our colleges and universities. Since the real truth of the Sanders’ message will not be taught in our education system, it is up to the rest of use to expose the real truth behind the attractive message of socialism. Just ask where has it ever delivered what it so seductively promises?