By R. James Towe

Yes, it’s true that Hillary Clinton has more in common with Karl Marx than Adam Smith. Yet as president, Clinton would be far more of a centrist than Barack Obama. Although Obama’s heart seems to be in the right place, he would be a hands on idealist; à la Jimmy Carter. As all the young Obama supporters scream with irrational exuberance, President Obama would unleash his promised ‘audacity of hope’ approach. Couple this with young, naive leadership, and you’ve made quite a pot of soup. The recipe for disaster would include an old Democratic favorite, class warfare. Chef Obama would toss in some tax increases, pushing the wealthy right out of job creation. And as a nice garnish, place olive branches in the hands of our enemies, while they hide grenades in our pockets. This would be a President Obama.

So, while John McCain is about to split the Republican Party, I look at the lesser of two evils Democrats are offering the country. Two red flags come to mind when considering an Obama nomination. Firstly, his campaign machine is well oiled, with an enthusiasm not seen in recent memory. Thus, his campaign raises mega dollars. His likely opponent, John McCain, too old for the rigors of a presidential campaign, will be pummeled in fundraising. McCain can, in part, thank his own campaign finance reform for this conundrum. Secondly, Obama’s sincere ideological passions would risk serious damage to the Republic. A new mask for the old and tired liberal program would find its renaissance in an Obama administration.

If Hillary were to become president, the world wouldn’t come crashing down, judging from the record of her husband’s flirtatious presidency. Certainly, a liberal social agenda would be advanced, but our economic and global well being wouldn’t be further damaged in the short run. In other words, the world won’t end. As we all know, the Clintons are far too concerned with legacy and approval ratings to revolutionize anything. This includes her far more cautious approach with the situation in Iraq.

It’s clear that John McCain will be the nominee of the Republican Party, so Hillary Clinton must be the balance. As much as I would like to put the Clintons away once and for all, taking Hillary to the doorstep of the presidency is necessary if Republicans have any hope in the fall. McCain can beat Clinton, but Obama is another story.

By R. James Towe

Firstly as a patriot, followed by my Republican loyalties, I feel some hesitation in not supporting a war hero of Senator John McCain’s stature. As I try to live in good conscience and with his repeated violations of American conservatism’s basic principles, I have to support Mitt Romney. I urge the three people that read this blog to do the same.

From the War on Terror, to taxes, to immigration, Mitt Romney tells us what we want to hear. And, judging from his tenure as Massachusetts governor, there is little reason not to believe his sincerity. Yes, he has adjusted his views in recent years to fit those of the conservative base of the Party. Unfortunately, that’s the face of politics: give and take.

Who believes as president, Romney would do an about face and violate the trust of those he courted during the primaries? Highly unlikely.

Because of that calculation, his conservatism shouldn’t be questioned. It shouldn’t be questioned in favor of a man who cares little about, and most likely dislikes the very conservatives the Reagan revolution brought to the forefront of Republican and American politics.

McCain is the darling of the media, as seen with the glowing endorsements from two of America’s biggest liberal mouthpieces: The New York Times and the Los Angeles Times. As any good Republican should know, when the media approve of a candidate, a good conservative should go elsewhere.

The senator is a man known for compromise. He works across the aisle with Democrats. In fact, John McCain likes the Dems so much, he’s considered joining their gang. There was a serious discussion in 2004 as he contemplated a VP run with John Kerry. In keeping with his ‘maverick’ reputation, McCain has thought long and hard about becoming an Independent.

Compromise is for those of weak hearts and minds. It inevitably destroys a movement. Ronald Reagan’s vision of America is in jeopardy this evening.

Remember what Reagan stood for, and what a Romney defeat on Tuesday will mean for the future of the Nation and our Party: a sad return to the Party of Richard Nixon and Gerald Ford.

By R. James Towe

The vitriolic atmosphere of last night’s final Republican presidential debate at the Reagan Library further showcased John McCain’s temper and obvious dislike for former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney.

The unsettling and sometimes distasteful attacks McCain lodged at Romney seemed to express an outrage at anyone who might question his credentials or his views. Does McCain, because of his war hero status, believe the country owes him the presidency? Certainly, the nation is indebted to his service and sacrifice, but as a long time player in the game of national politics, he should stop being surprised every time a candidate questions his conservative credentials.

Romney ran ‘negative’ commercials in early primaries, and McCain will never forgive him. The former Massachusetts governor had the audacity to question some of the less than conservative alliances McCain has made over the years.

Misrepresenting Romney’s positions on an Iraq timetable and his record as governor of was anything but ‘straight talk’. It was flat-out dirty campaigning, right out of an old Louisiana political play book. I wish McCain would stop the fiction: he doesn’t have a moral high ground. He plays as nasty as the worst of them. Call him ‘Clinton light’.

It’s clear that McCain has a disdain for the conservative base of the Party, and would like nothing better than to return us to the ‘country club’ constituency which dominated the Party before Ronald Reagan.

By R. James Towe

More disturbing news about presidential candidate John McCain has surfaced. It’s just another problem in the festering pile of issues that keep conservative Republicans up at night, and another reason why I won’t be punching the ballot for the Arizona senator.

One of McCain’s top advisers, Juan Hernandez, was the top adviser to former Mexican president Vicente Fox. When looking at patriotism and loyalty, Hernandez’s priorities lie to the south. In recent years, Hernandez has crisscrossed the United States pushing for acceptance of the constitution…the Mexican constitution. Hernandez and the Mexican government believe that US law should be ignored when rounding up illegal border crossers, in favor of the benevolence of Mexican law. In other words, let them come as they please. Luckily, he found little traction among his American audiences, but I digress.

Hernandez advises John McCain. That’s the point.

Vicente Fox referred to US efforts to secure our southern border from terrorists, criminals and environmental destruction as tantamount to war crimes; an irresponsible statement from an irresponsible leader.

Why would Senator McCain be interested in advice from such an ethnocentric, agenda driven individual? As if the conservative base of the Party weren’t already concerned about the senator’s intentions, we see exactly why McCain supported the failed amnesty bill.