Below is an article and reader comments on the piece written by Dick Armey, Chairman of FreedomWorks.
It's entitled "Why I think Hillary will Win" and is very enlightening, but not in the way Mr. Armey thought. Much of what he says about Hillary is dead-on true; that's not my issue with this article. Mr Armey's intent was to scare the Republican base into action. Instead, it shows how Mr. Armey and his fellows are still living in 1993 and have completely wiped from their mind the damage a Republican Congress and our current Republican President have done to the cause. Before I present Mr. Armey's article, I wanted you to see one of the reader comments which I think sums up the whole problem for Mr. Armey's position and the Republican Party:
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C. Vance Shannon from Mesquite, NV 2007-11-16
Dear Mr. Armey, Your comments about the GOP and their propensity to spend our money are dead on target. GOP spending excesses led to their loss of congressional control last year. Other major factors leading to the GOP congressional losses was their failure to secure our border and their support for amnesty leading to citizenship for illegal immigrants. I've address these three issues to GOP congressional members in my state. I've also sent several such notices to the RNC and other forums. Yet, many GOP congressional members continue to support big government programs and more amnesty programs. Why should those of us who favor border security, no amnesty for illegal immigrants, private social security accounts, smaller government, less government spending and less taxes support the GOP? They do NOT deserve our support! Unless the GOP alters their support for issues proposed by congressional democrats, there will be more losses for them in next year's election. Failure to adopt a backbone and support conservative principles will lead to a Clinton presidency with a huge congressional democrat majority. Sincerely, C. Vance Shannon
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And now, Mr. Armey's copywrited article from Freedom Works:
FreedomWorks
http://www.freedomworks.org/
November 13, 2007
Why I Think Hillary Will Win
The former House Majority Leader looks at the issues debate in the presidential campaign.
If the 2008 presidential election were held today, Hillary Rodham Clinton would win.
Hillary’s minor stumbles in the MSNBC debate notwithstanding, she is simply running the most disciplined and effective campaign. She’s one of the most able politicians in America, and no one should underestimate her desire to be President and her calculating focus.
What you need to understand is that Hillary Clinton is, quite simply, craftier and more aggressive than the rest of the field. I know this firsthand, having battled with the Clinton Administration throughout the 1990’s while serving as a leader in Congress.
She’s only gotten tougher since then.
Early on, there were many fights, but one of the most important was over Hillary Clinton’s 1993 plan to expand government control of the health-care system. We were lucky to stop it, and we did so by standing our ground on the principle of putting patients ahead of bureaucracies. But now she’s back, and the health-care issue is a perfect example of the way she’s learned on the job and evolved her tactics.
Her latest health-care plan is more of the same stuff—greater federal control of our lives—but this time she’s presenting it in a way that is far more politically savvy. She leaves open questions of funding and enforcement, and is actively working to buy off the groups who opposed her plan in 1993.
Hillary Clinton and her agenda are not going to fade away. She is relentless and determined. Once she resolves a course of action in her mind, she is not going to be wishy-washy. The other candidates, and the rest of the world, will quickly learn that Hillary Clinton means business.
No doubt, Hillary Clinton has the Democrat primary all wrapped up. A couple of one-term senators are simply no match for the political machine she and her husband have built. I won’t go so far as to say that it’s not possible for a Republican to defeat her in the general election. But as things stand today, the GOP has a very real set of problems that are larger than any of the party’s candidates.
First and foremost, the Republican brand as effective stewards of the taxpayer dollar is in tatters, and the shredding doesn’t look to stop any time soon. Just last week, 138 House Republicans joined the Democrats in voting to override the president’s veto of a wasteful and pork-ridden Water Resources bill. That vote was a shameful display of personal politics over the national interest, and it contains the seeds of destruction of whatever conservative principles remain in the Republican party.
The callow accommodation to big-spending Democrats in Congress is one of the ways the Republican party will return itself to the days of serving as a compliant, permanent minority. Happy for table scraps, elected Republicans will simply abandon the ideas of their party in order to “get along”.
No wonder Americans prefer Democrats on the economy, taxes, and spending issues, according to recent polling data. When the choice is between Democrats, and the Democrat-lite ideas the GOP has become so comfortable offering, the Democrats will win every time.
The only way the Republican party will beat Hillary Clinton is to return to its limited-government roots. That’s the only way to rebuild a majority coalition.
For example, today religious conservatives are confused, disillusioned, and somewhat fractured. Too many of the current crop of self-appointed social conservative leaders have embraced an agenda that splits the GOP coalition. Big government ideas— runaway spending on “conservative” social programs, social engineering in the tax code, and greater government intervention into Americans’ personal lives—are the wrong path. This pandering has hurt the GOP in swing states, especially in the Mountain West and Great Lakes states.
To counter Hillary Clinton’s perfectly oiled political machine, Republicans need to return to their Barry Goldwater and Ronald Reagan roots. They need to present an alternative vision for America—a positive vision that limits government and trusts individuals and leaves families, churches, and businesses free to make their own decisions, and not have bureaucrats and politicians calling the shots.
Right now, the country is headed toward a date with Hillary Clinton, and big government is on the agenda. The only way to change that rendezvous is for candidates to offer a clear, principled, limited government alternative.
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READER COMMENTS
Emiliano Antunez from Miami, FL
2007-11-16
I have respect for Mr. Armey's career in the house, it somewhat resembled Ron Pauls. This letter is very correct in its analysis. I voted for Ronald Reagan and remember that of the very few congressmen that supported him in 1976 one was Ron Paul. Today all the candidates are frantically trying to wrest the Reagan mantle; Rudy (Pro Gun control and very agressively anti-business as a prosecutor), Thompson (Very talented actor and Lawyer but is more of the same), Romney (has Reaganesque hair but that's about it, too slick for his own good), McCain (Campaign Finance "Reform" and his own campaign finances are in the red enough said), and Huckabee (it's 2007 and he still doubts the science pointing too evolution, plus what good christian would even consider a "pre-emptive" nuclear strike that would murder millions). Needless to say I will be voting for the most balanced and truely "conservative" candidate Ron Paul.
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Art Onweller from Evergreen, CO
2007-11-16
You are probably right as of today. However, it is still eleven months to the election. Hillary and Bill will have to explain why all their correspondence and documents are locked away until 2011. Will the media force them to release the documents before the election. "What's so important that they are sealed?" will be the call. Can Hillary capture more of the independent vote to replace the negro vote that she will lose when the Democratic Party shoves Obama out of the way? No, they will stay home. Putting Richerson in as VP won't do any good as it will be remembered that he put civil rights in other countries ahead of our national security interests. True, the Republicans have to get their act together. But the old GOP guard is retiring and new vigorious GOP candidates are emerging in key States. At the National level, a strong team, not just one candidate, will take the day. We need to focus on our principles into campaign slogans. People are being taxed more and more each day for all sorts of reasons. We need to FOCUS!
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C. Vance Shannon from Mesquite, NV
2007-11-16
Dear Mr. Armey, Your comments about the GOP and their propensity to spend our money are dead on target. GOP spending excesses led to their loss of congressional control last year. Other major factors leading to the GOP congressional losses was their failure to secure our border and their support for amnesty leading to citizenship for illegal immigrants. I've address these three issues to GOP congressional members in my state. I've also sent several such notices to the RNC and other forums. Yet, many GOP congressional members continue to support big government programs and more amnesty programs. Why should those of us who favor border security, no amnesty for illegal immigrants, private social security accounts, smaller government, less government spending and less taxes support the GOP? They do NOT deserve our support! Unless the GOP alters their support for issues proposed by congressional democrats, there will be more losses for them in next year's election. Failure to adopt a backbone and support conservative principles will lead to a Clinton presidency with a huge congressional democrat majority. Sincerely, C. Vance Shannon
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Jim from Houston, TX
2007-11-16
The Republicans have squandered 7 years of opportunity to realistically deal with healthcare and have paid more attention to pharmacy, insurance and healthcare lobbyists than the needs of the citizens. Costs are too high, too many people do not have realistic access to basic healthcare and a lot of people are saying anything is better than the status quo. Now we face the potential of Hillarycare. What a disaster!
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Robert House from Midland, MI
2007-11-16
Hillary WILL WIN because a majority of Americans believe there really is a free lunch (health care).
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Harriet from Stuart, FL
2007-11-16
I am not going to beat around the bush on this one, any person, dem or rep. who votes for illegals and decides that there should be more then the English language here, does not deserve to be elected to anything. This election is going to be tuff enough, but to know that 33 senators voted against English as our language has got to go and that includes Obama, clinton, and several others. It's totally wrong, you want to be head honcho, then make illegals, illegal and English our language. Ancestors had to learn english and apply to come here why can't the cubans, why wet foot, dry foot deal and everyone else sent back to their country. Something is wrong here and it needs to get straight before anything else get's done. No Social Security for these people, plus the government needs to put the money back they borrowed from there and quit using it in their budget it is not their money, we the american people worked for it. It's our's not the governments. Why can't we fight for what is ours and quit giving it to others. Americans first and foremost, that is what needs to be asked and get done first. we will get out of Iraq and we will get health insurance, but these other two things have got to get resolved and I think these issues should come at the top. I would like a straight answer from our senators about both, illegals and social security.
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Richard Wahl from Blaine, WA
2007-11-16
I just cannot stand that woman..........period! I will write in a candidate before I vote for her! Is the general public so caught up in being politically correct, and the government so intent on trying to get her elected, that it has everybody running scared! Is it any wonder this country has been going down the tubes, well, electing her is not doing this land of ours any favers.
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Mike Puerling from Prairie du Sac, WI
2007-11-16
Well Congressman, that's an incredibly depressing point of view. I dearly hope, for the country's sake, that you are wrong. I also hope you are working your magic behind the scenes to focus our Republican candidates on the need to return to their conservative roots. God help us if this woman gets elected.
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Donna from Calabash, NC
2007-11-16
We must join together, and get behind the nominee of the Republican Party. This is an election that we cannot afford to lose. Look at what how we got together to defeat the Immigration Bill that President Bush wanted. If there is something that the next Republican President wants to do that we, the people, do not agree with, we make our feelings known. I call or email my Senators and Congressmen all the time. We must take an active part in our Government. Rudy, Mitt, John, Fred, Mike, and yes even Ron Paul, would make superior candidates over Hillary. Hillary has the machine behind her, and it is a powerful machine. Do you want this Country handed over to George Soros and Moveon.org? Do you want this Country turned into a socialist government? I am 50 years old, and this woman (Hillary) scares me to my core. We must do everything in our power, and that is our vote, to make sure this woman does not became President, not for 4 years, not even for a day.
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LD from Flower Mound, TX
2007-11-15
Oh well, I also remember when Dick Armey confidently predicted that his son Scott would easily inherit his congressional seat after he retired. His comments about Hillary Clinton actually made her sound pretty good. Traits like "disciplined, effective, one of the most able politicians in America, calculating focus, aggressive, tougher, learned on the job, evolved her tactics, relentless, determined, not wishy-washy, means business, etc. Maybe if our GOP candidates had some of these characteristics, they wouldn't need to be so worried.
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ken from Duncansville, PA
2007-11-14
Dick Army's column rings loud and clear. If you notice he does not wildly prophecy the future from an ideology but builds his outlook on historical reality. Mrs. Clinton is not a bad choice because she is a democrat or because she is a woman, or even because she is Bill Clinton's wife. She is a bad choice because she will push for more government and less individual freedom and responsibility. She is a bad choice because she is obligated to many self interest groups and will eventually have to pay up for their support. She is a bad choice because her lust for personal power far exceeds her principled patriotism.
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Michael Hessler from Unv Hts, OH
2007-11-14
If Hillary wins will that make Bill "The First Lady's Man"?
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Casey from Ames, IA
2007-11-14
Republicans do not vote for the Republican candidate, no matter what, they either vote or not. Look at recent history. Our current President won running against terrible candidates, selected based on their percieved liklihood of winning. Ross Perot (percieved as more fiscally responsible than Bush1 or Dole) elected Clinton1 by splitting Republicans. Reagan won landslides as an extreme fiscal conservative, not social. Hillary (with Obama or Ewards as VP) will win because no one will show up to vote for Mitt, Rudy, or John. The path to Republican victory is extreme fiscal & monetary conservatism, social moderation, novel (constitutional) foreign policy, hardline (but rational) immigration views, and definable differences from both Hillary and Neoconservatism. Huckabee and Thompson are better candidates than Mitt, Rudy, or John, but Ron Paul is the only candidate that will beat her, for the above reasons and because he will motivate traditional and new voters by offering them a real, pro-active choice. The only demographics that will show up to vote for Hillary, and against Ron, are Social Security addicts that don't understand how they are being robbed by our current monetary policies and the hardcore pro-Abortion crowd. Ron has her beat on every other issue that motivates voters. In politics, supporting the front runner because they are perceived as more likely to win is suicide. Remember your ABC's?
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Casey from Ames, IA
2007-11-14
Ron Paul beats Hillary on every issue that motivates voters to show up except for the hardcore pro-abortion crowd and SocSecurity addicts that don't understand how our current monetary policies are robbing them.
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Bob Richardson from Al Asad AB, AE
2007-11-14
Hillary will win because Republicans fail to support the only conservative in the primary field - Ron Paul.
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Mark from bradenton, FL
2007-11-14
Amazing that the tax and spend label comes out for the democrats, yet that is exactly what Bush has done for allthese years. The republicans dont understand common people, or they dont want to. Thats why despite RUSH, BECK , Hannity ,etc and their pleading to people to vote republican, they lost the house and senate. Now they are doing the same for Guiliani who is a crook, criminal and an extension of the BUSH doctrine. Heck no, I will vote democratic regardless who the nominee is, and I WAS a republican!
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Eric from Houston, TX
2007-11-14
Dick Armey is reading my mind. He's saying what I've been telling my friends. Republicans are losing because they're not doing what they were elected to do: limit government in our lives. They get to Washington and all they can think about is the power and how to hold on to it. They lose their morals. We need to send all of these Congress members home looking for other jobs. Hillary is playing on the growing entitlement mentality, which will eventually lead our country to socialism. If she's elected, it'll happen sooner than later. I'm afraid that's going to be the case.
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Richard B. Boddie from Huntington Beach, CA
2007-11-14
And you clearly describe your former colleague Dr. Ron Paul as the ONLY person who can beat Billary. That's of course, if after he wins the GOP nomination he doesn't have "an accident" or get bladder cancer like Aaron Russo did (after distributing "America:From Freedom to Fascism"). This is the most important presidential election in my life, and I'm old.... But as Dennis Miller always said, But I could be wrong. ~ RBB Crazy African American Libertarian (an endangered species)
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R Glan from San Jose, CA
2007-11-14
Afraid to post my last message. Too much truth?
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