Conservatives for Michelle Bachmann – What Does She Believe?

by on January 4, 2012

Conservatives for Michele Bachmann are hoping that she can win the presidential nomination for the GOP in 2012. Based on the recent polling numbers, it looks like she has a good chance to become the Republican nominee. Most people are just now learning who she is, as she is relatively new to the Republican scene.

Bachmann’s early life
Michele Bachmann was born in Waterloo, Iowa. after her parents divorced, she was raised by her mother in Anoka, Minnesota. She attended Winona State University and graduated in 1978. She attended Law School at the O. W. Coburn School of Law. the school became a part of Oral Roberts University. the school moved to Regent University in 1986 after she graduated, and she helped establish the law school at Regent. She and her husband moved to Stillwater, Minnesota in 1988 where they have lived for 23 years. She and her husband have five children, and they have also provided care for 23 foster children.

Bachmann’s Christian background and tea party support
Bachmann has a history of supporting Christian values. She supports pro-life causes and opposes gay marriage. She is the founder of the House Tea Party Caucus. Conservatives for Michele Bachmann recognize that she supports conservative causes, and she is a favorite among Christian conservatives.

Michele Bachmann views on gay marriage
She served in the Minnesota Senate from 2000 to 2006. She established a strong conservative record and organized religious leaders to support a state amendment to define marriage as between a man and woman. the amendment failed to pass. She has taken a strong stance against raising taxes against the wealthy.

Michele Bachmann views on political issues
Michele Bachmann first rose to national prominence in 2006 when she was elected to Minnesota’s 6th congressional district for the 110th United States Congress. In her early years of Congress, she opposed the Iraq troop surge of 2007. She wanted the President to hold a hearing to explain why we needed a troop surge before voting yes for the resolution.

Conservatives for Michele Bachmann love that she is not afraid to speak her mind. unlike many of the political figures in the federal government, Bachmann has strong views on most conservative issues. In 2007, she opposed the higher education finance bill. She felt that the bill favored government run lending programs and did not include any serious reforms for education financing.

Michele Bachmann views on oil exploration
Conservatives for Michele Bachmann love her strong views on gas and oil exploration. When gas prices spiked at over $4 per gallon in 2008, Bachmann was one of the leading voices for expanding oil exploration in the United States. She also believes that global warming is a hoax. this is in stark contrast with her GOP opponent Mitt Romney, who recently proclaimed that I believe the world’s getting warmer. I believe that humans contribute to that. She may be able to garner a lot of support among conservatives for her views on this issue.

Conservatives for Bachmann believe she can win the GOP nomination. Based on her voting history and her Christian background, she is a strong conservative candidate. I think that conservatives for Michele Bachmann have a good chance to see her nominated as the GOP candidate for 2011.

Conservatives for Michelle Bachmann – What Does She Believe?

Jordan Tours – Witness the Perseids Meteor Shower

by on January 4, 2012

Travel to Jordan on an amazing Jordan tour. Witness the incredible Perseids Meteor Shower from the desert camp at Wadi Rum, where you can spend two nights star gazing, when the Meteor Shower is at its peak Combine this amazing celestial event with Roman ruins, Crusader castles, floating in the Dead Sea and exploring the ruins at the Rose City of Petra. all of this in just eight days

Your Jordan tour begins in the capital, Amman and from there you will drive to Jerash, the Graeco-Roman city known as the ‘Pompeii of the East’. Built over 2,000 years ago, Jerash is widely regarded as the best-preserved city of the Decapolis, a confederation of 10 Roman cities dating from the 1st century After a visit to Mt Nebo you head south to spend a couple of days at the Rose Red city of Petra.

No Jordan tour could possibly be complete with a visit to Petra Access the hidden archaeological treasures of the Rose City on a walk through a narrow, deep siq, where the rocks finally give way to reveal the famous facade of Al-Khazneh (the Treasury). Continuing your walk, you will then go on to explore chunks of this fantastic once-lost city which is full of tombs, temples, an impressive amphitheatre and a Roman colonnaded street. The intrepid can ascend the hundreds of rock-cut steps to Ad-Deir. Better known as the Monastery, Ad-Deir has a similar facade to that of the Treasury, but is far bigger and the views from the nearby cliff-tops are awesome.

Next it’s off to Wadi Rum to experience the Perseids Meteor Shower – the highlight of the Jordan tour This spectacular celestial light show has mystified and amazed sky watchers for nearly 2000 years. at its peak, between the 8th and 14th August, the night sky is lit up by often over 60 meteors per hour, streaking across the darkness. as with all celestial events, the Perseids is best observed in a completely clear night sky and where better than Jordan’s Wadi Rum desert, which is renowned for its beautiful blanket of stars. you will spend two incredible nights on this Jordan tour star-gazing, when the meteor shower is at its peak.

Jordan Tours – Witness the Perseids Meteor Shower

Can Mitt Romney Afford to Alienate Hispanic Voters?

by on January 4, 2012

The election campaign that Mitt Romney has run so far, has not taken into consideration basic arithmetic. This is because the more ‘conservative’ he tries to appear to ultra-conservative republicans (a voting bloc that tends to vote in the primaries) in a very conservative primary fight, the more he is in danger of losing a very important swing vote: the Hispanic voting bloc. yes, I know the Hispanic vote is not monolithic, and I know that Cuban-Americans in Florida do not always see eye-to-eye on every issue with the Mexican-American vote from Texas, or that the Puerto Rican vote from new York City does not always vote the same way that Dominicans do in the city of Boston. nevertheless, after taking all of these differences into consideration, there is one issue that unites all Hispanics, and it is not the immigration debate. the main issue that unites all Hispanics is the one of perception and acceptance. This has to do with the belief that Republicans will never really accept them, and represent their interests, and that Democrats just take them for granted. Signs of this well-placed belief regarding Republican perceptions are being reinforced by the debate taking place within the Republican Party in the primaries. Hispanics are paying close attention to the rhetoric, and some of the xenophobic attitudes emanating from the discourse. One may assume that this vitriolic and ugly debate will only get nastier. This is the belief that as the ensuing debate gets more heated; the candidates will keep shifting to the right, as they reach the early primary battles states in the South. due to all of these events, it is almost impossible not to get an impression of dj vu regarding the last election cycle. four years ago, after having voted Republican in the last two elections, most Hispanics felt betrayed by Senator McCain’s sudden reversal on every issue and overwhelmingly supported then-Senator Obama thus guaranteeing his election to the presidency of the United States.

George Bush was elected president in 2000 because he was able to break the hold that democrats had over the Hispanic vote in key states. he again repeated this feat four years later in 2004. We can deduce that Jeb Bush had a lot to do with this, by going all out and getting the Hispanic vote for his brother in those important swing Southwestern states, in addition to Florida. in 2008 President Obama followed the same winning formula and was elected president winning the majority of the Hispanic vote, in those same key Southwestern states that George Bush won in 2000, and 2004. he accomplished this by defeating Senator McCain after his flip-flop on the immigration reform debacle that had turned off so many Hispanic voters. it must be clear to the president that with the present economic situation hitting Hispanics disproportionally, the Hispanic vote this time around is up in the air, and no one can predict which of the candidates will end up obtaining it. One thing that is clear is that what the candidates do or not do in the next thirteen months will be crucial in determining who will end up obtaining it.

Unfortunately for Mitt Romney he does not have someone like Jeb Bush to go and deliver the Hispanic vote for him, like he did for his brother. This puts Mitt Romney in a very precarious situation where in order to appease his foes in the extreme right of the party; he may alienate Hispanics with his ever-growing anti-immigrant tone. This may be a repeat of 2008 as he runs into the same situation that finished Senator McCain’s presidential aspirations.

In the coming election the political landscape is just as divided as in 2004, with one very important distinction that may hurt Republicans. there is a growing anti-business fever that will only increase as the campaign gets closer. This is product of the public dissatisfaction with all politicians, as they are perceived as playing irresponsible brinkmanship political games that have only contributed to the worsening of the economy. the anti-capitalist anger due to the bailouts and the banking crisis can not be underestimated, and there are signs that some Republicans may do so at their own peril. This issue will become very important because as the economy worsens, (with unemployment at over 9%, the bailouts, and the foreclosure debacle fresh on their minds), voters will not be in the mood to hear the same old Republican arguments of small government, low taxes, anti-abortion, anti-gay marriage, and free trade agreements. I believe that with the high costs of heating a home in winter (and the perception that Wall Street speculators are to blame), high fuel prices to fill up your tank, and no jobs to pay for it, the argument instead will become more government help, higher taxes for the rich to pay for it, protectionist sentiment against China, and a throw- the- bums- out attitude for anyone that gets in their way.

Just as voters voted President Obama in and then showed their dissatisfaction two years later, I believe that this time around they will have the same anti-incumbent attitude that is neither Republican or Democrat but a rebellion against a government that is perceived to be run by the captains of finance and masters of the universe dwelling in lower Manhattan. Democrats, Republicans, Progressives, Tea Party followers, and Libertarians alike are all missing the point. I believe that it is for this reason that there are demonstrations all over the country springing up without any prior planning, political affiliation, and composed of people of every political stripe and ethnic makeup that are united in only one common belief: the system of government as it stands has failed us, and it is about time that we do something about it.

In view of this political minefield, it would make sense for Mitt Romney to get as many friends as he can get, and do his best not to marginalize any political group, or voting bloc. for this reason I believe that in order for mr. Romney to even have a chance at winning this election and defeating President Obama, the last thing he can afford is to alienate a political bloc that may catapult him into the presidency of the United States.

Can Mitt Romney Afford to Alienate Hispanic Voters?

What is Santorum’s path forward?

by on January 4, 2012

Former Sen. Rick Santorum’s strong showing in Iowa doesn’t guarantee him momentum in new Hampshire.STORY HIGHLIGHTS

  • Rick Santorum has a tough challenge translating his momentum into post-Iowa success
  • Santorum likely needs to do well in new Hampshire and finish first in South Carolina
  • The GOP is sharply split between business pragmatists and more rigid social conservatives
  • Romney still has to prove he can win over more than 25% or 30% of GOP voters

(CNN) — Congratulations are in order for Rick Santorum. The former Pennsylvania senator rose from the ranks of the political dead Tuesday night to come within eight votes of a first-place Iowa finish. saying he defied expectations could be the biggest understatement of the 2012 election cycle so far.

But where does Santorum go from here? And what does his virtual Iowa tie with frontrunner Mitt Romney say about the state of the Republican Party?

The short answer to the first question, according to analysts, is that Santorum probably needs to finish strong in moderate new Hampshire on January 10 and top the field in conservative South Carolina on January 21. If Santorum can knock the former Massachusetts governor off his stride — however long the odds — we could have a more serious nomination fight on our hands.

As for the second question, we’re looking at a severely fractured GOP.

“The general electorate is now seeing the stark divisions within the GOP up close and personal,” says Brown University political scientist Wendy Schiller. “Libertarian, social conservative, and fiscal conservative. will the real GOP stand up?”

McCain endorses Romney

Evangelicals flock to Santorum Gingrich: Romney has limited appeal

Exit polls in Iowa showed a party largely split between its more pragmatic, business-oriented base and conservative religious voters that provide the bulk of the party’s grass-roots muscle. Romney’s the candidate of the establishment, diminished though it may be. Santorum’s the favorite of religious and tea party conservatives.

Specifically, in Iowa Romney ran best among voters most concerned with defeating President Barack Obama in November. The former venture capitalist was also the favorite among the majority of caucus-goers who said business experience is more important than a government background.

For his part, the adamantly anti-abortion Santorum ran best among the Iowa GOP’s powerful born-again and evangelical voters — nearly 60% of the Iowa electorate. he also ran strongest among the nearly half of caucus-goers who described themselves as very conservative.

Santorum topped the field among the 65% of voters who feel positive about the populist tea party movement.

There was also a split along financial lines, with Romney running best among voters making more than $50,000 a year. Santorum and Texas Rep. Ron Paul did better among voters making less.

“Usually Republican races have not fallen along those lines but there’s a real possibility you will see that class divide in the Republican Party, because Mitt Romney is a very strong candidate for the upper middle class Republicans,” political analyst Ron Brownstein told CNN. “They relate to him as a manager and business guy. He’s struggled more with the blue collar components.”

Santorum, on the other hand, excels at “both cultural conservative and economic nationalism aimed directly at those voters. “

Santorum feels like Rocky Balboa

Can Santorum translate his support into the kind of campaign capable of challenging Romney’s financial and organizational edge?

Santorum’s model, according to Northeastern University political scientist bill Mayer, should probably be similar to Gary Hart’s path in 1984. Hart didn’t win the Democratic Party’s nod that year, but he used a better-than-expected showing in Iowa to win new Hampshire and create a far more serious contest than most observers expected.

But “it’s by no means certain that Santorum will get a bounce out of Iowa,” Mayer warned. Multiple candidates have won Iowa, only to fall short in new Hampshire, including George W. Bush in 2000, Bob Dole in 1988 and 1996, and Dick Gephardt in 1988.

John Edwards finished a close second in Iowa in 2004, but gained virtually no traction in the Granite State.

“New Hampshire is quite conservative on economic issues, but quite liberal on social issues. it really meets the old stereotype of the traditional Yankee conservative,” Mayer said.

Santorum will have far fewer evangelical or hardline conservative voters to depend on in new Hampshire, he stressed.

As for bypassing new Hampshire and holding out for South Carolina, momentum “tends to be a short-lived commodity” in nomination fights, Mayer warned. Iowa will be ancient history by the time January 21 rolls around.

Rick Perry’s decision Wednesday to stay in the race and campaign hard in South Carolina also complicates matters for Santorum, who would benefit from a less divided pool of Palmetto State social conservatives.

Santorum may actually be auditioning for the vice presidential slot, argued Schiller.

Since Santorum “can’t claim to bring Pennsylvania with him — he lost his last re-election bid there — he has decided to consolidate the very social conservative and activist wing of the GOP behind him,” Schiller said. Santorum’s ability to do so may “show Romney that if he wants those folks to get out and vote on Election Day (in November), Romney needs Santorum on the ticket. “

Schiller also noted that “the longer Santorum can stay in … the more he can lay claim to being properly vetted (unlike Sarah Palin) and the more he can start to look like he belongs on the ticket. “

Romney, however, still has a few questions of his own that need to be answered. For all the talk of his frontrunner status, Romney didn’t do much better in Iowa in 2012 than he did in 2008, at least in terms of overall vote share. The former governor has yet to prove that he can break a national ceiling of between 25% and 30% support among Republicans.

There are “still a lot of Republicans that are less than thrilled with his candidacy,” Mayer said. Romney’s fear all along has been that some kind of “relatively plausible alternative candidate emerges. He’s been fortunate that there aren’t a lot of other strong candidates in this field.”

But the Iowa caucuses are noted for their low turnout and are “very heavily weighted toward the types of people that tend to be most skeptical of Romney,” Mayer noted. Going forward, the most likely Romney skeptics will not comprise nearly as large a share of the GOP electorate, he said.

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What is Santorum’s path forward?

Sugar Bowl: Michigan returns to its winning ways in football

by on January 4, 2012

The losses mounted, the embarrassment escalated, and the coaches came and went. This wasn’t the way it was supposed to go, not at Michigan and certainly not for a Wolverines senior class that entered college ranked among the top 10 classes in the country. but college football almost never goes by the script.

brady_hoke.jpgRusty Costanza/The Times-PicayuneAlthough players had bought into Coach Brady Hoke’s system, Hoke said the seniors held the team together through three losing seasons and got Michigan off to a 6-0 start this season.

Michigan’s seniors found this out the hard way, as they endured a tumultuous stretch that left them the laughingstock of the big ten.

It’s no longer that way, however.

After missing bowl games in 2008 and 2009 and suffering the worst bowl loss in school history in 2010 (a 52-14 setback to Mississippi State at the Gator Bowl), this season they’ve turned it around.

The Wolverines (10-2) are ranked 13th in the country and will play against 17th-ranked Virginia Tech (11-2) in the Allstate Sugar Bowl on Tuesday night at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. the Sugar Bowl berth is Michigan’s first BCS invitation since the Wolverines made the 2007 Rose Bowl.

“We’ve been through pretty much everything that a player could go through during a career, coaching change all the way through twice,” Michigan fifth-year senior defensive end Ryan Van Bergen said. “we had a 3-9 season. we broke every record that you didn’t want to break as a team. we were the team that snapped the bowl streak. we had seven straight losses to Ohio (State). we had done pretty much everything incorrectly.

“but then we came around this year and were able to right the ship. As far as a full-circle career, this is probably one of the most complete careers you can have as a senior at Michigan.”

Michigan first-year Coach Brady Hoke praised the seniors for helping with the turnaround.

Although it was obvious the players bought into his system, Hoke said the seniors were the catalysts in holding the team together through three losing seasons in the previous four years before the current one.

He said they were instrumental in helping Michigan get off to a surprising 6-0 start. And when the Wolverines lost twice (to Michigan State and Iowa) in a three-game stretch, it was the seniors who kept keep things from spiraling, and closed out the season with wins against Illinois, Nebraska and archrival Ohio State.

Michigan’s 40-34 regular-season finale win against Ohio State was especially special because it snapped a seven-game losing streak to the Buckeyes.

“our guys, our seniors and our captains have done a tremendous job making sure we are sharp,” Hoke said.

That hasn’t stopped this week.

Though Michigan’s seniors said they are proud of helping get the program back on track after having three head coaches (Lloyd Carr, Rich Rodriguez and Hoke) in the past five seasons, they maintain they still have some unfinished business.

Although they’ve already guided Michigan to its first 10-win season since 2006, they desperately want to get the school’s first BCS bowl victory since the Wolverines beat Alabama 35-34 in the 2000 Orange Bowl.

“it couldn’t mean anything more, especially going through the years that we went through,” senior center David Milk said. “if I had left without bringing Michigan back to where it was in my senior class, it would have been awful. What we did is, we brought it back to where it should be, and I couldn’t be more grateful.”

Before the fifth-year seniors arrived on campus, the Wolverines played Southern California in the Rose Bowl. it was their third Rose Bowl in a five-year stretch, and several of the Michigan seniors said they expected to play in a few of their own.

“going to a school like Michigan, that’s what they are known for,” senior tight end Kevin Koger said. “You expect instant success when you come in. but that’s how every freshman is, wide-eyed and thinking everything is going to go well for you for all four years, and that just wasn’t the case. but I think it made us stronger, and this BCS bowl game sweeter.”

It wasn’t easy, though.

Michigan players said it was tough to persevere through the coaching changes and the losing. In three years under Rodriguez, who was fired last year, Michigan tallied a 15-21 record. although they showed some progress last season and qualified for the Gator Bowl, they finished no better than seventh in the big ten under Rodriguez.

“we have been through a lot,” senior receiver Junior Hemingway said. “the fifth-year seniors have been through three coaches, three position coaches, three strength coaches.

“but we just stayed, and we decided to work. we knew something good was going to come out of it. Good things come to those who wait, and those who stay will be champions. That’s something that we live by. we just came out this year, and we were determined we would make something out of this year.

“we were going to show the world that Michigan is back.”

Experts Agree This Is The Most Effective Diet In The World

by on January 4, 2012

Image: Flickr

For the majority of Americans committed to getting fit and shedding pounds in the new year, U.S. News & World Report has ranked the best diets of 2012 with help from a team of 22 nutrition experts. 

The DASH diet grabbed the top spot for the best overall diet followed by the TLC diet.

A total of 25 diets were evaluated and divided into seven categories including best weight-loss diet, best commercial diet plans, and easiest diets to follow (read the full rankings here).

The DASH diet, which stands for  Dietary Approaches to stop Hypertension, focuses on lowering blood pressure by reducing sodium intake and chomping down on a healthy mix of whole grains, fruits, and vegetables rich in vitamins like potassium, magnesium, and calcium. 

The Weight Watchers Diet, which assigns every food a points value rather than emphasizing calorie-counting also fared well, taking the the No. 1 spot in three separate categories. 

The weight-loss industry has made huge strides over the last several years, raking in more than $60 billion in 2010. 

Fortunately, consumers looking to shed pounds packed on over the holiday season don’t have to lay out a ton of cash. Just check out these tips to lose weight without blowing your budget. 

Rick Santorum: Top 5 controversial quotes

by on January 4, 2012

Rick Santorum has said quite a few newsworthy comments during his campaign for Republican candidate in the 2012 president election.

The former Pennsylvania senator came in second in the Iowa Caucuses Tuesday night, trailing Mitt Romney by just a few percentage points. it looks like he’ll be sticking around this election for a while longer, and GlobalPost has therefore put together five of his most controversial quotes. Consider this your Santorum refresher course.

Read more at GlobalPost: Michele Bachmann suspends her campaign

1. on Sunday, just days before the caucuses, Santorum sparked controversy with his comments about African Americans and the welfare system on his last campaign stop in Sioux City, Iowa, CBS News reported.

"it just keeps expanding. I was in Indianola a few months ago and I was talking to someone who works in the department of public welfare here, and she told me that the state of Iowa is going to get fined if they don't sign up more people under the Medicaid program. They're just pushing harder and harder to get more and more of you dependent upon them so they can get your vote. That's what the bottom line is." Santorum then added, "I don't want to make black people's lives better by giving them somebody else's money; I want to give them the opportunity to go out and earn the money."

2. Santorum has been an outspoken supporter of the military’s former “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy. his comments about homosexuals serving in the US Military have shown his concern with the idea of men “living in close quarters” and showering together, Fox News reported. The candidate also compared the differences between African Americans and homosexuals serving in the armed forces.

“There are people who were gay and lived the gay lifestyle and aren’t anymore. I don’t know if that’s the similar situation or that’s the case for anyone that’s black. It’s a behavioral issue as opposed to a color of the skin issue, and that’s the diff for serving in the military.”

3. rather than refer to it as the “War on Terror,” as many do, Santorum has come to identify the United States’ anti-terrorism efforts as “the war against radical Islam,” the Fiscal Times reported.

“we are not fighting a war on terrorism. Terrorism is a tactic. we are fighting a war against radical Islam…What all the radical Islamic leaders are saying is just ‘Wait America out. America is weak, they will not stand for the fight… we will be the strong horse in the region.’ President Obama, by making political decision after political decision about timelines and constraints on rules of engagement has validated everything these radical Islamists are saying.”

More from GlobalPost: Iowa Results: clear as mud

4. Santorum’s foreign policy ideas have also been controversial, such as when he stated that there is no Palestine. Fellow competitor for the Republican candidacy Newt Gingrich has also made some questionable remarks concerning Palestine. Here are Santorum's remarks, according to The Jewish Week.

“There are no Palestinians. all the people who live in the West Bank are Israelis. There are no Palestinians. this is Israeli land.”

5. to round out the top five controversial quotes from Santorum are his thoughts on global warming, or the fact that he doesn’t believe there is such a thing, which he told Glenn Beck on Fox News in June. He even encouraged everyone to "drill everywhere!"

"I believe the earth gets warmer and I also believe the earth gets cooler. and I think history points out that it does that and that the idea that man, through the production of CO2 — which is a trace gas in the atmosphere, and the man-made part of that trace gas is itself a trace gas — is somehow responsible for climate change is, I think, just patently absurd when you consider all the other factors."

Read more at GlobalPost: Mitt Romney wins Iowa contest

http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/regions/americas/united-states/120104/rick-santorum-top-five-controversial-quotes

Rick Santorum: Top 5 controversial quotes

Paul wins, Bachmann falls in Black Hawk County

by on January 4, 2012

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa — in the end the hometown girl nearlyfinished last in the county of her birth.

Ron Paul staged a revolution, winning among the UNI-Dome crowd,even though the students that support him so fervently were nowhereto be found.

And the Black Hawk County Republicans redeemed themselves ingrand fashion, pulling off a smooth event where voters were able toget in, vote, speak their minds and be home by shortly after 8 p.m.to watch the caucus coverage on TV.

Paul took 870 votes, or 24 percent, to win Black Hawk County,topping the 835 votes, or 23 percent, earned by Mitt Romney and 783votes, or 21 percent, for Rick Santorum.

Paul, who spoke before the Black Hawk County faithful during the2008 caucus, opted to stay in Des Moines for caucus night. however,his supporters came out with a passion, chanting their candidate’sname behind live TV shots and rushing around to count votes as theprecincts rolled in.

Jason Burns, 36, of Waterloo, volunteered for the Paul campaign,making calls and putting up signs. He even wrote a speech to giveat his precinct, but let his wife, Dawn, deliver it.

“I’ve seen the way our country is going and I don’t like it,”Burns said. He thinks Paul is the only one who is serious aboutgetting the country out of debt.

Judd Saul of Cedar Falls is the leader of the local tea party.He was impressed with the support for Paul and noted that while agood portion of the crowd was young, in their 20s and 30s, very fewcollege students turned out to support the libertarian-leaningcandidate.

Bachmann, who was born in Waterloo, finished with only 8 percentof the votes in Black Hawk County. Rick Perry came in last in thecounty among the six candidates who actively campaigned in Iowa,but fell just three votes shy of Bachmann.

Bachmann took the stage at the dome and gave a fiery speech tovoters. she hammered on President Barack Obama while stressing herown conservative credentials and faith in God.

“Stand up America. Stand up Iowa. Reclaim our country. Tonightwe begin the process of taking it back,” Bachmann told thecrowd.

Bachmann stood with her mother, Jean Lafave, on stage beforenetwork television cameras, local media and thousands of caucusgoers.

Following her speech Bachmann worked the crowd, shaking handswith voters even while Gingrich spoke a few yards away and lingeredpast the 7 p.m. start of the caucuses to walk the floor and meetmore caucus goers.

Statewide, Bachmann finished last among those who campaigned inIowa with 5 percent of the vote, leaving the future of hercandidacy in jeopardy.

Bachmann had competed throughout the campaign with severalcandidates for the social conservative vote. Rick Santorum pulledaway from that pack in the last two weeks of the campaign andmanaged to finish in a virtual dead-heat with Mitt Romney.

Dr. Ron Cervetti of Waterloo was one of those who would havebeen happy to cast a vote for Bachmann, but eventually supportedSantorum because he felt Santorum’s late surge made him more likelyto mount a credible campaign. He weighs the economy and deficitreduction more heavily than social issues as he prepares to vote,but also considers values.

“I think they both have strong values and are consistent in whatthey say. I would have been happy going with either one,” Cervettisaid.

Bob Vander Plaats endorsed Santorum late in the campaign seasonand he came to Cedar Falls to speak in favor of his candidate. Inan interview prior to the start of the caucuses, Vander Plaats saidhe believes Santorum can pick up momentum in South Carolina andFlorida, but that would require other conservative candidates, likeBachmann, to drop out.

Newt Gingrich also took advantage of Iowa’s largest caucus siteto make a live appearance. He had been sick over the weekend, andappeared tired Tuesday as he stepped to the podium. He told votersto trust his experience.

“This is not a time for another amateur, Washington is toocomplicated. We’ve had three years with an amateur in the WhiteHouse,” Gingrich said.

Gingrich finished fourth in Iowa and in the same position inBlack Hawk County.

Four years ago, the Black Hawk County caucus was marred by anovercrowded venue at Central Middle School and a nightmarishparking situation. Many voters turned away upon seeing the chaosbefore even entering the site.

The new venue at the UNI-Dome proved much more accommodating.the site attracted 3,650 voters who found ample parking and room tomove around to find their precincts. Additional observers pushedestimates of attendance over 4,000.

“I think it was a positive experience for Black Hawk County. Iheard nothing but good comments about the parking, the location andhow we set it up,” said Mac McDonald, Black Hawk County Republicanchairman.

Seven Possible Republican Presidential Candidates For 2012

by on January 4, 2012

What follows is a short synopsis about each of the seven most likely Republican nominees for President in 2012. They are listed in order of how likely I think it is that they will win the GOP nomination. I’m basing prediction on polling and some other factors.

#1 Sarah Palin

Palin at #1? yes, that’s how out to lunch the modern Republican Party really is. It’s become a good thing among Republicans to be ignorant and not particularly intelligent and in these two ways Sarah Palin excels like no one else (besides perhaps Michelle Bachmann of Minnesota.)

Palin quit her job as Governor of Alaska to become a professional Twitter poster.

Her lack of basic knowledge and her below average intelligence may make her a favorite among Republican voters but it should also make her an easy opponent for President Obama among the general electorate.

#2 Newt Gingrich

Palin & Gingrich? Am I joking? if only I were. This is where we are at in 2010. People who should be laughed off the stage are being taken seriously as potential Republican nominees for President.

Gingrich is best remembered for dragging the country through the dirt as Speaker of the House in the 1990s. Remember when he shut down the government because of a personal problem he had with President Clinton?

#3 Mike Huckabee

Huckabee comes across as generally likeable (which makes him much different than Palin and Gingrich) and his social conservatism will definitely appeal to a big part of the GOP base. On the other hand his reputation as a big spender as Governor of Arkansas will put him at odds with anti-everything spirit of the billionaire funded Tea Party movement.

#4 Mitt Romney

I believe Romney has the best chance of actually beating President Obama in 2012, but luckily for the Democratic Party I don’t think he’s crazy enough to win the Republican nomination. He comes across as far too moderate for the Tea Party crowd and his flip flopping on abortion (along with his Mormonism) makes him an uncomfortable fit for the Evangelicals who make up a big portion of the Republican primary voters.

#5 Jeb Bush

Another Bush? It seems unlikely, but when looking at the extremely weak GOP field I think it could actually happen. That said, I think it’s more likely he won’t run. perhaps he’ll try it in 2016 when the bad memory of his brother has receded farther into history.

#6 David Petraeus

This seems like wishful thinking for Republicans who think the rest of the field is weak (and they’re right about that.) I think it’s highly unlikely that Petraeus would run.

Also Petraeus once described himself as a Rockefeller Republican (socially liberal) which would probably be a point in his favor in the general election but would make winning the GOP nomination much more difficult.

#7 Rudy Giuliani

After his disastrous run in 2008, it seems unlikely he would try again.

Others

Bobby Jindal & Chris Christie have also been mentioned as possible candidates but I do not think either of them stand a chance.

Seven Possible Republican Presidential Candidates For 2012

Michigan outlasts Virginia Tech in Sugar Bowl, 23-20

by on January 4, 2012

NEW ORLEANS — Brady Hoke leaned in, hugged Junior Hemingway and gave him a kiss on the forehead. Hemingway’s Most Outstanding Player Trophy sat on the table in front of him, and Hoke wore a smile as he took his seat.

Earlier, Hemingway cried on his mother’s shoulder while celebrating Michigan’s 23-20 overtime victory in the Sugar Bowl over No. 13 Virginia Tech. Hoke always said he’d lead with his seniors, and a fifth-year senior had capped the coach’s blessed first season with a win.

“You’ve got to have guys who can make those plays, and when (Denard Robinson and Hemingway) are the ones doing it, you feel pretty good about it,” said Hoke, whose team became just the fifth in modern Michigan football history to win 11 games.

On a day Michigan amassed just 184 yards of offense, it wasn’t Denard Robinson or Fitzgerald Toussaint that saved the day, it was “Big Play” Hemingway, as Robinson calls him. No one will be quick to call Michigan’s win pretty, but the few plays Michigan did make came at the most crucial of times, when the game was in the balance.

The first half had belonged to Virginia Tech, but Michigan held the lead. the second half belonged to the Hokies too, but Michigan had overtime. When overtime came, Virginia Tech’s third-string kicker — who had was a perfect 2-for-2 to that point — missed a 37-yard field goal. Michigan’s Brendan Gibbons made his 37-yarder.

After the game, Hemingway found his place on the stage at the 20-yard line, maize and blue confetti falling, right near where he initially caught in his first touchdown catch-and-run.

At that point, right was left. Up was down. and, still, Junior Hemingway was celebrating in the end zone.

Call it magic. call it luck. but Robinson and Hemingway routinely made plays like this all season.

Robinson had thrown a pick on just his second pass attempt of the game, when he lofted a ball toward Hemingway, who had a one-on-one matchup. Earlier this week, Robinson said he wouldn’t second-guess himself when he looked towards Hemingway.

“We had a lot of confidence in that combination,” Hoke said.

With Virginia Tech romping and the half winding down, Robinson had Kyle Fuller, Virginia Tech’s best cornerback, reaching for his ankles. but the junior quarterback reloaded and fired off his back foot as two more Hokies crashed into him.

The ball floated. Virginia Tech safety Eddie Whitley whiffed on the pick, while his teammate, Antone Exum, was two steps out of place. the ball landed neatly in Hemingway’s hands. the fifth-year senior raced for a 45-yard touchdown.

For Robinson, it was another head-scratching decision that turned out OK. Borges has resigned himself to the fact that his quarterback doesn’t always listen to the advice he gave him before the season: “Make plays and let God do the miracles.”

“Sometimes he elbows God outta the way and decides he wants to do it anyway,” Borges said.

On that play, Michigan inexplicably took its first lead, 7-6.

Virginia Tech quarterback Logan Thomas had put on an aerial show, lasering passes in and around a Michigan secondary that lived almost exclusively by the motto “bend, but don’t break.” His favorite target was receiver Danny Coale, who was a nuisance for the Michigan secondary all game.

And Thomas’s running back, ACC Player of the Year David Wilson, found room on the edges, where so many teams exploited Michigan this season.

On defense, the Hokies’ front seven blitzed Robinson, containing him to modest gains. Toussaint’s quickness wasn’t always enough, either.

Virginia Tech had more yards in the first half than Michigan did the entire game (185), but the Hokies were held to just six points due to an opportunistic Michigan defense and timely mistakes.

“This defense made this game happen,” said redshirt sophomore tackle Taylor Lewan. “Because God knows our offense didn’t.”

On Virginia Tech’s first drive of the game, facing a first-down-and-goal, with the ball on their own 4-yard line, Wilson bounced outside. but he quickly aborted the original plan, as his offensive line lie obliterated on the ground. Thomas Gordon, Craig Roh, Jordan Kovacs, Jibreel Black and Jake Ryan stared him down like a pack of foaming dogs. Relentless, they chased Wilson as he retreated.

Briefly, Wilson entertained the thought of running around them.

Michigan outlasts Virginia Tech in Sugar Bowl, 23-20

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