As we do every year at Bearing Drift, we try to look into the future. Thankfully, for J.R.’s sake, he lost all previous predictions in the transition to the new site!
That being said, that’s not going to stop us from continuing the tradition!
This is an open-thread, so any predictions you’d like to add are fair game. Here are mine for 2009:
Bill Bolling wins the LG nomination, barely, after the same people who helped Bob Marshall help Muldoon, and Bolling has to drain his treasury just to get the nomination. Maybe the Muldoon people genuinely think they are doing something good for the Commonwealth of Virginia. Everyone else can see that they are only doing good for Terry McAuliffe’s campaign war chest (by reducing Bolling/McDonnell resources). Cuccinelli wins the AG nomination handily. He will overestimate his appeal because of this.
I like McDonnell and Bolling, but I give the McDonnell-Bolling-Cuccinelli team a no more than even chance of winning in November 2009, due to several things:
1. Obscene amounts of money will be given to McAuliffe – he will own the air war.
2. The media are too busy swimming intoxicated in their lovely warm Obama trance to do their job, and I don’t see this changing any time soon. Although, I will make this surprising prediction – Jeff Schapiro will shake it off first and will actually do some good reporting. He’s smart and can read the red-ink writing on the Media General wall. He knows he will be helping himself if he brings his “A” game to the reporting of this election. Let’s hope. Because this paragraph can’t handle one more metaphor. Okay, I guess it could.
3. Cuccinelli will say something that somehow goes too far (it might not actually be too bad, but it will fall into the hands of eager oppo-spinners and will be spun to be outrageous); he will do this several
times during the campaign, upstaging Bob McDonnell and causing the campaign as a whole to go into defense mode, wasting precious time and more-precious campaign funds. McAuliffe’s well-funded media team will play these incidents like a violin. Related: McDonnell will one day say something perfectly reasonable that gets misquoted, widely, to make him sound bad. He will have to spend time fighting this, too. Unfair, but there it is.
4. 527s, some funded by Ron-Paul-friendly sources, will make and air ads in Virginia that will be meant to help the Republican team but which will manage to outrage practically everyone, nationally. It will
be something worse than the Kilgore “death penalty” ad. Much, much worse. If the GOP leadership (especially McDonnell and Bolling) condemns it VERY strongly, VERY quickly, and repeatedly, then there is a chance that they can make sure that the public knows that those are not GOP ideas. This will be made more difficult by the press, as usual, which is maddening, as they should be using their journalistic resources to do what Deep Throat told Woodward and Bernstein – “Follow the money,” this time on the 527s. Instead most of the media will be gossiping about trivia.
Meanwhile, Libertarians will claim to be the real Conservatives. They will continue to promulgate their ideas, assuming that if they Could * Just * Get * Their * Message * Out, more people would like them. They are wrong on both counts, which they will continue to not “get.” (Don’t believe me? You may see proof in the comment section here…).
As for the 2009 Session: citizens will again be shaking our heads in disbelief as we see the lugubrious legislators intoning for any available TV camera or microphone that they are so “Concerned” about
the “Serious Issues facing us”… while their actions will look like “business as usual” (except with more calls to reduce spending). Yeah, yeah, I know, I really went out on a limb with that prediction.
POLITICAL TECH PREDICTIONS FOR 2009
Jeff Frederick will retain his job and will redesign the RPV website, again, and both he and the website will continue not setting the world on fire.
Dirty tricks will be played with Twitter and Facebook. Both sides will try it. The one to get caught first will take much more blame. Unless it’s the Democrats. Anything they do is perfectly justifiable.
There will be some kind of unholy convergence between robo-calls and Facebook. On the Dem side, someone will be smart enough to tie this in to the iPhone, too. Maybe an iPhone app for operatives that will allow the iPhone to import numbers from the address book and push out robo-calls?
On the other hand, it could happen that someone will have his Twitter feed go to his Facebook page, which feed will be picked up by his blog, which will tweet his Twitter acount, and so on, dragging
Facebook and Twitter into a catastrophic mutual DOS attack. It could bring down the whole Internet, or at least the social-networking side of it, for what might be a blissfully quiet few hours.
Final prediction: at least one wildly unexpected and huge event will occur to make all of these predictions, even if true, pretty much irrelevant. I don’t know what that event might be. If I knew that, I’d be rich.
Jane Dudley has enjoyed conservatism and photography for over 30 years. After looking around at the mediocre state of affairs of political photography as it exists on the right, she decided to start making better images, to document Virginia Republicans and to inspire them to make more of an effort to put a fine face on their fine ideas. She is a graduate of the University of Virginia and works in new media. 
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not sure why those annoying Libertarians consider themselves “conservatives” since Conservatism means you want to maintain the status quo and they are obviously not happy about the GOP and Dems finally using bipartisanship to lead America down its rightful socialist future.
I’ll tag on to the Facebook/Twitter prediction that future campaigns will vastly increase their use of YouTube commercials.
I think these are good predictions, however, I don’t see the same coalition who opposed Jim Gilmore line up behind Patrick Muldoon. Bolling has much more appeal among the Republican Party. I’ve been to several state conventions and I predict this nomination fight will make the Frederick v Hager results look close.
I really don’t think you’re right about Muldoon. Number one, the guy has shown he’s kind of an idiot (phone calls over tgiving). Number two, he hasn’t gained any traction at all. Go off these blogs, see what you can find out about him. He’s invisible. Number three, as far as the Marshall people are concerned, they’re not backing Muldoon. A lot of them are backing Bolling. You can’t draw a comparison between the Marshall and Muldoon just becuase they’re both longshots…
“Meanwhile, Libertarians will claim to be the real Conservatives. ”
Then why’d the hell did conservatives talk like Libertarians in 1994? Oh yeah…now I remember…because they wanted to win. Many of those libertarians are going by the 1994 definition because that’s when they got in.
Prediction for the 2008 convention:
The common misconception that ALL of the far right in the GOP know how to run a political convention will fall flat. Muldoon is a farce, and the results will demonstrate it.
This is great PC, I believe that we should unite behind those conservative principles from ‘94. Together conservatives like me and libertarians like you can stand for limited government, traditional values, and national security.
You guys are on board with traditional values and national security, right?
Steven, please define traditional values.
Protecting the sanctity of marriage between one man and one woman, just as our founding fathers did by opposing polygamy. Protecting the unborn child’s liberty by opposing abortion. In all seriousness, I think that most libertarians and conservatives have a genuine desire to protect our God-given liberties. The constitutional purpose of our government is to safeguard our liberties. I think that there is a case to be made for libertarians to join conservatives in opposing the redefinition of marriage and abortion.
Its very unfortunate but Jane is right on. Bolling will win a very narrow convention because many of the Cuccinelli supporters will be told Bolling is pro-choice. These are classic one issue voters. Most of the convention delegates that show up for Cuccinelli probably have never heard of Bolling. It will be up to him to get his message out to these new delegates. If the same type of voters show up that showed up for the Gilmore-Marshall convention Bolling has alot of hard work ahead and will probably need to spend big time.
That being said, if Cuccinelli cannot bring a large majority of his supporters to Bolling he could be in very big trouble if he does not show up with over 50% on the first vote. He will probably lose the nomination to Brownlee or Foster for that matter. There will be a major backlash because Cuccinelli will be expected to deliver for Bolling since he has endorsed him.
I was pro-Marshall but won’t go near Muldoon.
You’re underestimating Brownlee. I like his chances.
Finally, J.R., I agree totally about the Libertarians.
“Most of the convention delegates that show up for Cuccinelli probably have never heard of Bolling. ”
State delegates who’ve never heard of our Lt. Governor? Did you mean Muldoon?
Anyhow, Marshall supporters were the smart ones (yes, me). They won’t support Muldoon. Gilmore’s loss was a foregone conclusion, but the Establishment refused to accept it. At the very least the Party had nothing to lose by putting up Bob Marshall against Mark Waner. Bolling is an incumbent, popular among the party and has the best shot at winning a general. Obviously, I’m a former (future?) Marshall supporter who will be voting for Bolling in May.
I could be wrong, however. Many of Marshall’s supporters may turn out for Muldoon thinking they’re being “revolutionary” and all that jazz, but they won’t be, and they won’t have the numbers that Marshall had.
There seems to be this idea that the Cuccinelli and Marshall people are not going to be team players. The fact is that Cuccinelli has won in a heavily Democratic district. He could help motivate the grassroots, and judging by the amount of mony that Terry McAullife is expected to raise, we are going to need it. I think that Cuccinelli will play well in the mid-size cities like Lynchburg, Harrisonburg, and Roanoke. This year Obama won several mid-sized cities that the GOP usually wins. No matter who the nominee for AG is, we can’t let that happen again
Steven, how do you expect to protect the sanctity of marriage by getting the federal govt involved? I don’t remember where in the US Constitution it says polygamy is illegal. In fact the founder of my alma mater, Thomas Jefferson, is rumored to have participated in some polygamist activities.
In a congressional race here in Columbus Ohio, the Republican lost by about 1100 votes… The Liberatarian recieved 16,000 votes. I think the Liberatarian party is gaining some small forward progress, if for no other reason than to be a spoiler.
As for “Traditional Values” what gots my blood boiling is too many Conservatives and Republicans care more about banning Gay marriage than stopping socialistic spending, bigger govenrment, etc. Talk about symbolsim over substance.
Here is MY two cents… Gays getting married does not effect me in any way, but having to pay to bail out the ass-hats in Detroit does. Watching States rights being stripped does.
Am I fan of gay marriage? No, I guess not… I just don’t care… like I said, it has nothing to do with me. My marriage does not feel threatened by two dudes or women getting married. It is not like marriage in America between men and women is so bullet proof.
But in the end, “Social Conservatives” will spend time getting red in the face screaming about gays while our taxes go through the roof, national security is weakened and State’s rights are raped… Hopefully the pastor they quote in their attack on gays is not caught with a dude on the side… Funny how the most passionate anti-gay people seem to, well, never mind.
Thomas Jefferson was not a polygamist… He never actually married the slaves he banged.
Amit,
The judiciary has already involved itself in the issue, as a libertarian thinker I think that you would agree with me that government has no right to redifine marriage. Yet some judges have, and that is why we need the legislative, executive, and the judicial branches to undo the mess that some in our government have created. Also, our founding fathers actually refused to seat a congressman because he was a polygamist and the state of Deseret was rejected from the union because it’s state constitution allowed polygamy. It was ruled that Deseret’s provision was not in line with federal constitutional principle on that matter.
As far as why we should not allow government to redifine marriage, it is simple. The Roman Republic became the Roman Empire when it’s family structure fell apart. Show me any nation that has survived the test of time, and I will show you a morally righteous nation. Several nations in Europe have decided to redifine marriage, and the result has been that marriage has become meaningless as an institution. These same nations are also currently in a state of decay.
Brian, the Squeaky Wheel,
Most social conservatives that I know are also very passionate about keeping government limited and taxes low. They get just as aggravated as libertarians when they have to pay toll at the toll booths, and ride on bumpy, pot-hole filled roads inbetween the booths. I also know many socially conservative people who are ardent supporters of the FairTax which would eliminate the IRS. I support de-centralizing our economy which under the current system can be manipulated by a handful of beaurecrats. Instead of libertarians getting all bent out of shape over social conservatives, why not let the social conservatives keep their planks and then work with them on economic issues?
“Most of the convention delegates that show up for Cuccinelli probably have never heard of Bolling”. No I meant Bolling.
Many of these convention attendees will not be active followers of state government. They will be one issue voters supporting Cuccinelli. This is both good and bad for the party. Its good because it brings in new blood but bad because they don’t know Bollings conservative record. Key leaders of the Bob Marshall for Senate campaign are already helping Muldoon behind the scences. It does not matter who runs against Bolling. The guys name could be John Doe for that matter. Many of these first or second time delegates in the Cuccinelli-Marshall camp will be told and are already being told Bolling is the liberal establishment Republican incumbent.
That is exactly why this could have a tremendous backlash against Cuccinelli regardless of who he claims to have endorsed.
Steven, if you changed “redefine” to “define” I would agree with you. also, I hardly think we can blame the fall of the Roman Empire on its family structure. The Romans simply inflated their currency to unsustainable levels because they couldn’t control their spending. A lesson the United States needs to learn. Anyway, I’m not sure which nations are morally righteous in your opinion.
if we want marriage to be a meaningful institution then we shouldn’t let the govt cheapen it into a govt contract. by trying to define marriage as one man and one woman, we are actually cheapening marriage. Just wait for someone with a sex change to challenge the law further making a mockery of marriage.
Amit,
The “bread and circuses” mentality only came about when Rome allowed the strong family structure to fall apart. The “bread and circuses” culture had inflation as a symptom of another cause. The economic troubles never would have happened without the moral collapse that weakened the Republic.
As a conservative I believe that if we are to truly have a limited government, we must ensure that we overturn the action that government officials have taken or are currently taking to redifine marriage. A Constitutional Amendment would allow the legislature to execute it’s constitutional power to be a check to the power of the judiciary. We agree that our Constitutional liberties must be protected. Throughout human history a collapse of morals has always led to the fall of liberty.
Steven, was it just coincidental that Christianity entered the Roman Empire around the same time of its moral collapse? Regardless, at a minimum, Marriage is a state issue and since the Constitution was designed to limit Federal power not to increase it, an amendment to define marriage is not a check on the Judiciary but rather an over-extension of power into the States.
also, I am still interested in which countries you believe are morally righteous.
Steven Osborne,
Libertarians (as a group) are also in favor of legalized prostitution and legalized recreational drug use.
My prediction is that the Democratic Party will continue to gain power in Virginia – and across the nation – at a very rapid and escalating pace. A tsunami of BLUE will flood the political landscape. The table has been set and the GOP leadership clearly isn’t understanding how to convince voters to support their party. This forum topic is interesting in that some of those posting here who feel they are supporters of the Republican Party choose to attack and denigrate the members of the Libertarian Party. No room in the “big tent” for Libertarians, eh? It is laughable, really.
Hummm. let’s see – GOP/GOB “big tent” leadership, advocates, and political “pundits” preach that the GOP needs to “reach out” beyond their core base to attract new voters in order to survive, right?
Let’s apply some logic here, shall we? What type of voters are more philosophically similar to what the Republican Party claims to be? You know, smaller government, less taxes, anti-socialism/pro-Free markets? Would that be . . .
(1) Left-leaning Democrats that love Nancy Pelosi, Harry Reid, Bill Clinton, Hillary Clinton, and Al Gore?
(2) So called “Moderates” – you know, big government- Socialists seeking more government hand outs or tax breaks, and government subsidized “healthcare” (i.e. Socialized medicine). You know, people that will vote their pocket book over their principles?
(3) The “youth vote” that is a product of the public education system and whom are facing a really difficult economic meltdown? The GOP leadership offered Grand Pa John McCain and Joe-the-Plummer – the Democratic Party leadership offered rock star Barack Obama and the sexy Obama Girls. The DEMS offer a lot of free stuff. The GOP tried to make the case that lower taxes means young people can buy the stuff they need – yet they are facing a dubious and scary job market and global recession/depression.
- Or, what about those “annoying” Libertarians that the GOP arrogantly casts aside? You know, those people that ALWAYS VOTE – who are politically active and that support a return to a Constitutional Republic that results in limited government, individual responsibility for success or failure based in a nation of equal opportunity, lower taxes, property rights, and the belief that government exists to protect the rights of citizens and not to act as some sort of all powerful and intrusive “nanny-state” that seeks to inhibit our freedom by the use of seizing too much of our wealth and passing too many laws intended to prevent citizens from “harming” themselves?
Gee – clearly the task of “selling the GOP ” to win over Libertarians should be far easier for the GOP then selling Republican principles to Left-leaning Democrats or big government “moderates”, right? You know, to add more voters under the so-called GOP “Big Tent”, right?
Or has the GOP leadership decided that in order to “win” the GOP will simply become the “Democratic-Socialist Party”-lite?
Instead of reaching out to Libertarians and other Conservatives we witness a fool’s game by the GOP leadership attempting to out pander the Democratic Party to ‘entice” so-called “Moderates” to vote for the GOP instead of the Democratic Party.
“Pandering” by the GOP includes Republicans voting to support massive growth and expansion in the powers of government, leaps and bounds towards Socialism as demonstrated by the MASSIVE Federal bailouts of private businesses – businesses that failed because their management assumed too much risk, and the gross failure following Sept. 11th, 2001 to secure our nation’s borders due to a misguided attempt for pandering to the “Hispanic Vote” by offering them open borders and some repackaged form of amnesty to the millions of illegal aliens that have already snuck into our nation – millions of illegal aliens that are clearly in the control of the Democratic-Socialist Party because they are largely low paid slave labor seeking a better life.
The GOP never understood the need to take back control over the curriculum used to teach our young people in public schools, nor to fill our institutions of higher learning with Conservative professors. This failure has lead to a massive Leftist-Socialist indoctrination program and the Democratic Party is harvesting the fruits of what they have sowed. The media was finally challenged using “Talk Radio” and Fox News, but too little – too late. One wild card in the deck was the free-for-all found on the Internet. But both Parties have awoken to this and have launched their efforts to spread their “messages” in the so-called “new media”.
Meanwhile, while the GOP tried to fight back against the MSM, the public school system and colleges and universities have been left to continue to warp the minds of each successive generation. Breeding new generations of leftist-leaning, indoctrinated minds.
These are a few of the reasons I predict the nation will dramatically change to a largely BLUE map – and the RED will fade and become overwhelmed. The GOP leadership already lost.
Match, set, game.
Myself as a fiscal conservative, christian, who recognizes the need to have strong national defense people and social conservatives in the greater Republican coalition.
To all the social conservatives on the gay marriage issue specifically.
Imagine what would happen if the time and energy some of you spent on the gay marriage issue was spent on preventing divorce AND ACTUALLY PROTECTING EXISTING MARRIAGES.
That giant sucking sound is the air leaving the room
Just something to think about
Go Herrity
Go McDonnell
Go Bolling
Reid Greenum,
John Warner achieved repeated electoral success by standing against what you seem to be in favor of.
If the Republican Party goes in your direction they have not yet seen the end to their problems.
Libertarians might be a significant minority. Problem is it is extremely difficult to fit this minority opinion into majority preferences.
My prediction – I will continue to be amused by threads like this.
Reid, my first comment had a lot of sarcasm in it. I was in a snippy mood yesterday.
LD, most people are fiscally conservative and socially liberal which is actually in line with Libertarians.
Reid buddy just had to respond to you,
Type 1 voters of course will never vote R
Type 2 the moderates you have it totally wrong. Majorities of Americans support health care its up to the Rs to propose a better more efficient way of implementing it. And on the tax issue you totally lost me. Of course we want tax cuts it used to be a Repbulican issue until Obama outflanked the Republican party by proposing a tax cut to 95% of the population…
Type 3 the youth vote um hello. Of course we went for Obama. See tax cuts above also making college more affordable. You contradicted yourself in your own statement here as well “The GOP tried to make the case that lower taxes means young people can buy the stuff they need – yet they are facing a dubious and scary job market and global recession/depression.” which once again failed because the DEMS had lower taxes for over 90% of the population especailyl more goodies for us in the younger demo bracket.
Yeah the GOP is a joke you can’t win by pandering to the top 5%.
And that indoctrination stuff is bs. Most high school and college kids could care less about politics either way. But when faced with a choice between Obama and McCain of course we went dems. Lower taxes and a focus on actually addressing complex problems.
Game Set Match
Little David,
If the price for Senator John Warner winning his election is to oppose the following Republican Party core principles – why would any principled Republican support him?
Are not core Republican party principles to support a return to a Constitutional Republic that results:
* in limited government
* individual responsibility for success or failure based in a nation of equal * opportunity
* lower taxes
* property rights
* the belief that government exists to protect the rights of citizens and not to act as some sort of all powerful and intrusive “nanny-state” that seeks to inhibit our freedom by the use of seizing too much of our wealth and passing too many laws intended to prevent citizens from “harming” themselves?
What good is electing someone to office like John Warner that acts like a Democrat once in office?
Unless the goal is simply to retain a majority of “Rs” in office – at any price?
Maybe that is a reason principled Conservatives are leaving the GOP?
Amit – thanks. I was somewhat surprised to read that Libertarians are so unwelcomed witin the GOP tent.
NovaMiddleMan:
(1) (Hard core Left will never vote for GOP) Agreed. Yet we have RINOs that are really Democrats wearing an “R” beside their name that are supported by the GOP leadership. Why? Do we feel that “Moderates” are too dumb to tell the difference between Republicans and Democrats? Or is the GOP so arrogant they think they can decieve the “Moderate” voters by cleaver marketing? Meaning that somehow “Moderates” will vote for RINOs instead of Democrats? because … why? What do RINOs offer “Moderates” that Democrats do not?
(2) Healthcare. It is not a responsibility of the government to provide healthcare. That is left to the individual to deal with. Government is meant to be limited – certainly at the federal level. Taxes. Republicans are living in a fantasy world if they feel they can both “cut taxes” without reducing government spending. Under GOP leadership we have witnessed massive increases in government spending – and governmnet debt. The committment to lower taxes goes hand and glove with the need to reduce government spending.
(3) (Youth/young adult vote) The GOP simply failed to make the young people understand that the “free stuff” the DEMS offered isn’t really free afterall and that the future of the next generations to come was just placed into massive debt used to fund the irresponsible and reckless spending and borrowing of the current generation. Expanding government leads to expanding the need for more tax money to fund more government. Paying for “free” “Universal Healthcare” will really break the bank! Free post K-12 education is going to have to be paid for – and the GOP failed to explain that the young people heading out into the job market will become indentured servants to their government if they vote for the policies of the Democratic Party and Barack Obama. The GOP could have offered a more appealing candidate than John McCain to attrack younger voters. They gambled – they lost. The GOP did what to appeal to young people? John Mccain could have OPPOSED the wall Street bailout and used the media attention to expose the mess the DEMS plan to leave for future generations to pay for.
Nope. John McCain – standard bearer of the GOP – chose to act like a Democrat and voted FOR socialism – and mortgaing the future of the next few generations to pay for the mess they did not make.
He could have explained his stand in such terms and help the younger voters understand why voting for him would have been more in their own self interest than voting for Barack Obama.
President Bush – the current standard bearing of the GOP also failed to veto the bailout – and he even over rode Congress when they voted to oppose the bailout of the privately owned auto companies.
Frankly, the GOP leadership simply failed to make a convincing case to vote FOR them – instead of the Democratic Party.
Reid Greenmum,
Problem for you is that John Warner won elections and Ron Paul did not.
You can not win elections in a democracy while you champion minority viewpoints.
Perhaps you can find some alliance within the extreme left. They support proportional representation as well.
MB – my prediction…I will continue to not.
By the way, Jane is one-for-one in her predictions – she predicted this would happen to the thread!
As for me….
Democrats:
Governor: Moran
LG: Wagner
AG: Fishwick
Republicans:
LG: Bolling
AG: Cuccinelli
November:
Gov: McDonnell
LG: Bolling
AG: Cuccinelli
House: GOP picks-up one seat
Stanley Cup:
Detroit Red Wings
World Series:
Tigers v. Cubs
Oh, and Reid finally admits he actually is a Democrat.
Reid I think we agree more than we disagree but you have to look at the polls
Majority are in favor of the bailouts. Sure it might be republican lite to some people but we need votes. Its kind of the same situation at the state level. We can’t just be the party of no. We have to be the party of not the D solution instead of just no. The R solution should be much more efficicent and cost effective. Also the hypcrosity of embracing the 700 Billion big bailout and then screaming about the 50 Billion Auto bailout is appaling. It goes back to the theme that Republican only care about the top 10% again.
I love your statement about you can’t reduce taxes without reducing spending.
I had high hopes for McCain who is know for following that religiously. But then he flipped on the tax issue and then God knows why the heck he picked Palin and it was all over. Didn’t hurt that Obama gives me more than McCain would have which is true for 90% of the population making under 200k individual 250k family.
If only libertarians controlled the world :-p.
and one final thing. Obama is actually intelligenct. Thats a factor I am going to weigh heavily in the future especailly since Obama and Bush were at opposite ends of the spectrum.
McCain for all his promise did too much to signal he was Bush III. He needed to appear he had a clue on the economy. Obama isn’t much better but at least he knows it and is surroudnin g himself with non-ideological competent people who understand even libertarian ideals need to be relaxed when you are in such a big crisis we are facing.
Amit,
I was not referring to the Roman Empire which collapsed around A.D. 450, I was referring to the Roman Republic, which became the Roman Empire around 50 B.C. The Republic became an because the very thing that preserved liberty in the Republic(strong morals) were forgatten. This led to a pseudo-socialistic Empire.
The United States is a morally righteous nation at it’s core, and we are the only government in centuries to retain the same form of government for it’s entire lifespan. The United Kingdom was for years a morally righteous nation it is when their morality began to decline that the British Empire began to dissolve. Compare that to Australia which was originally founded as a penal colony but churches are growing there and as a result the country is on a morally righteous track. Australia is a growing nation, that is not on the decline.
As to a Constitutional Amendment; the states are a part of the Amending process. It does not contradict federalism to support an Amendment that will promote morals. The Founding Fathers allowed for laws that promoted good morals, their precedent is clear.
2009 elections- I think that Bob McDonnell is going to be a top notch candidate. I think Bill Bolling will be nominated and will then win the general. I think that Cuccinelli will win the AG nomination, but I’m not counting out a Brownlee or even Foster upset. Then I think that Steve Shannon is going to have a hard time in SWVA, giving the GOP AG the edge.
mytwocents,
I get where you’re coming from, but I’m more optimistic. Again, I agree there could be that Marshall-Muldoon connection, but not so much in tie with Cuccinelli. Also, as I stated earlier, I don’t think Muldoon will pull the numbers from Marshall delegates he needs to make anything too interesting.
Regardless, I do believe it’s a waste for Bolling to have Muldoon kicking him in the behind.
Some background info on myself: I’ll be 20 in May just before the convention, which will be my second. I was an ardent supporter of Marshall’s, but I’m for the McDonnell-Bolling-Cuccinelli ticket. I have a feeling there’s plenty of young Marshall delegates who are going to pull for Bolling.
We shall see.
Libertarians will find problems with any of the candidates for Governor. Deeds might have been the least repugnant. I predict blank spots and write-ins. Nose holding McDonnell votes if McAuliffe is the Dem.
I loved Gilmore.
I really like Bolling. (I guess I just don’t think about abortion everyday)
I really like Cuccinelli
Who is Muldoon again?
Just to confuse everyone, I liked John Warner. He was always Pro-Defense even if not in favor of the way things were handled. Yea, Warner made me angry at times but, he didn’t carry water for anyone. I respect that.
My biggest prediction?
Libertarians will realize the message is getting out. They just have to convince everyone that they can win. Otherwise voting for the “lesser of two evils” will continue.
Can one of the sixteen Muldoon supporters in Virginia explain why in the world he is trying give the Lt Governor’s office to the Democrats? Bolling is a conservative and he can win. He has a proven history of conservatism and winning. Muldoon is a conservative and can’t win. He has a history of losing. Why should we replace Bolling?
I like Bolling.
I’m with MB
Glad folks are amused. That’s nice. Entertainment is good.
Of course Democrats can afford to be amused when they witness thr train wreck that is what is left of the once powerful Republican Party.
But then again – power ebbs and flows in cycles.