From newsmax.com (May 18, 2008 by Phil Brennan titled McCain Rebuffs Dobons: Will Evangelicals bolt?), U.S. Sen. John McCain's campaign has, for the time being, rejected invitations to meet with Dr. James Dobson, a politically influential evangelical broadcaster and psychologist.
According to veteran columnist, Robert Novak of the Chicago Sun-Times, McCain's move leads to U.S. Sen. Barack Obama becoming the next U.S. president.
Key conservatives have reached out to McCain but the GOP presumptive nominee has debranched such olive branches.
Surprised and dissatisfied, many of Dobson's supporters "are looking beyond 2008 to seek a new leader of the conservative movement for the 2012 election," reported Novak.
Will other conservatives branch out away from McCain or will they fall in? The band wagon effect is powerful and so is the Straight Talk Express but shouldn't McCain at least sweeten the pot. A bit of sugar makes the medicine go down.
A humble McCain would also allow his Straight Talk Express to go down the highway farther in November.
May 19, 2008
Academic and speech freedoms: endangered species?
Academic Freedom and Freedom of Speech?
Academic freedom and freedom of speech apparently do not exist at the University of Toledo (not holy Toledo, but unholy Toledo!).
University of Toledo Associate Vice President Crystal Dixon was recently fired from her job for writing, not for the campus paper, but for the Toledo Free Press, regarding her support for traditional marriage.
In her published article, Ms. Dixon also opposed homosexual rights activists tactic of using civil rights, that is, equating race with homosexuality. As an African-American, Ms. Dixon objected to a column that compared the gay rights movement to the civil rights movements.
The Free Press agreed to print Ms. Dixon's rejoinder opposing homosexual marriage for traditional marriage.
After hundreds of e-mails protesting her response, the president of UT buckled under pressure in just a few weeks, deciding that Ms. Dixon's right to free speech and her right as a thinking academic is superceded by homosexuals right not to be opposed or offended in the marketplace of ideas on and off campus.
It seems, that UT President Lloyd Jacobs supports freedom of speech and academic freedom only when it offends traditional views.
Let's hope that Ms. Dixon's legal team from nearby Thomas More Law Center will win back her constitutional rights.
Where have all our freedoms gone?
Academic freedom and freedom of speech apparently do not exist at the University of Toledo (not holy Toledo, but unholy Toledo!).
University of Toledo Associate Vice President Crystal Dixon was recently fired from her job for writing, not for the campus paper, but for the Toledo Free Press, regarding her support for traditional marriage.
In her published article, Ms. Dixon also opposed homosexual rights activists tactic of using civil rights, that is, equating race with homosexuality. As an African-American, Ms. Dixon objected to a column that compared the gay rights movement to the civil rights movements.
The Free Press agreed to print Ms. Dixon's rejoinder opposing homosexual marriage for traditional marriage.
After hundreds of e-mails protesting her response, the president of UT buckled under pressure in just a few weeks, deciding that Ms. Dixon's right to free speech and her right as a thinking academic is superceded by homosexuals right not to be opposed or offended in the marketplace of ideas on and off campus.
It seems, that UT President Lloyd Jacobs supports freedom of speech and academic freedom only when it offends traditional views.
Let's hope that Ms. Dixon's legal team from nearby Thomas More Law Center will win back her constitutional rights.
Where have all our freedoms gone?
Mar 3, 2008
Alamo: Hillary Clinton's Last Stand
Much like Davy Crocket, Jim Bowie and Col. William Travis, U.S. Sen. Hillary Clinton will make her last stand on similar terrain. After 10 consecutive losses and an uneventful debate performance, Clinton is also facing great odds in the Lone Star state.
Though the polls indicate a dead heat, U.S. Sen. Barack Obama has the “big mo,” mimicking the power of General Santa Anna, the Alamo’s eventual victor. Obama’s momentum seems insurmountable. Former President Bill Clinton, has said that his wife has to win Texas. Can she still win this state and the nomination?
Media prognosticators from left to right are already writing her political obituary: “Hillary Should Get Out Now,” said Jonathan Alter of Newsweek and “Who Will Tell Hillary?” asked Robert Novak of the Chicago Sun Times.
According to Real Clear Politics, it is a statistical tie — Clinton and Obama splitting four current polls. Clinton’s home state, Arkansas, is a close neighbor to Texas, so Clinton’s familiar face may be the one advantage she has left — and it may be enough.
Hillary can still win in one of three ways: 1) a successful last stand in Texas and future wins in a few big states; 2) seating of Michigan and Florida delegates; or 3) in a brokered convention, persuading super delegates to nominate her, thus, snatching the win from the jaws of defeat.
Clinton will need everything from tears to toughness, maternal instincts to meanness to win the next three big states (Texas, Ohio, Penn.) by even slim margins. In Ohio and Pennsylvania, she leads by 8 and 14 percentage points respectively. From these three states, Clinton can win most of 577 combined delegates, which would reshape the delegate race. Currently Obama has at 1,351 and Clinton for 1,262.
Another way of avoiding political ruination for Clinton emanates from the fluxed fate of the Florida and Michigan delegates.
Clinton won both states in questionable circumstances but by wide margins. If those delegates are seated, Clinton’s deficit to Obama would immediately close. A decision on those delegates, however, does not seem likely in the near future.
The Clinton camp would like to see them instated outright, which may happen if the Obama agrees to a compromise.
In any event, if the Clinton machine can reinstate those delegates, the race is once again summarily changed.
Finally, the last and least attractive scenario involves the unique concept of the Democrat Convention’s 796 super delegates. If neither Democrat candidate has the necessary 2,025 delegates by the convention, these super delegates will be the deciding factor.
With the power of the Clinton name within the Democrat Party, many of those super delegates could be swayed Clinton’s direction. Even if Obama goes into the convention with a slight lead in the popular vote and delegate count, Clinton may have the influence to overturn the will of the Democrat electorate and take the nomination.
Of course, that would be the least attractive avenue for winning and would require a major effort to reconcile and heal the party’s divergent interests and interest groups.
Crockett, Bowie and Travis lost at the Alamo during the Lonestar state’s decisive drive for Texas Independence. Hillary has a chance to reverse history by winning in Texas against the likes of Mexican Gen. Santa Anna, the Napoleon of the West. The general she’s fighting — Barack Obama — who is overseeing a new political army, however, is much more polite, polished and dynamic.
The Santa Anna winds seem to be blowing Obama’s way, but Clinton cannot be counted out.
Though the polls indicate a dead heat, U.S. Sen. Barack Obama has the “big mo,” mimicking the power of General Santa Anna, the Alamo’s eventual victor. Obama’s momentum seems insurmountable. Former President Bill Clinton, has said that his wife has to win Texas. Can she still win this state and the nomination?
Media prognosticators from left to right are already writing her political obituary: “Hillary Should Get Out Now,” said Jonathan Alter of Newsweek and “Who Will Tell Hillary?” asked Robert Novak of the Chicago Sun Times.
According to Real Clear Politics, it is a statistical tie — Clinton and Obama splitting four current polls. Clinton’s home state, Arkansas, is a close neighbor to Texas, so Clinton’s familiar face may be the one advantage she has left — and it may be enough.
Hillary can still win in one of three ways: 1) a successful last stand in Texas and future wins in a few big states; 2) seating of Michigan and Florida delegates; or 3) in a brokered convention, persuading super delegates to nominate her, thus, snatching the win from the jaws of defeat.
Clinton will need everything from tears to toughness, maternal instincts to meanness to win the next three big states (Texas, Ohio, Penn.) by even slim margins. In Ohio and Pennsylvania, she leads by 8 and 14 percentage points respectively. From these three states, Clinton can win most of 577 combined delegates, which would reshape the delegate race. Currently Obama has at 1,351 and Clinton for 1,262.
Another way of avoiding political ruination for Clinton emanates from the fluxed fate of the Florida and Michigan delegates.
Clinton won both states in questionable circumstances but by wide margins. If those delegates are seated, Clinton’s deficit to Obama would immediately close. A decision on those delegates, however, does not seem likely in the near future.
The Clinton camp would like to see them instated outright, which may happen if the Obama agrees to a compromise.
In any event, if the Clinton machine can reinstate those delegates, the race is once again summarily changed.
Finally, the last and least attractive scenario involves the unique concept of the Democrat Convention’s 796 super delegates. If neither Democrat candidate has the necessary 2,025 delegates by the convention, these super delegates will be the deciding factor.
With the power of the Clinton name within the Democrat Party, many of those super delegates could be swayed Clinton’s direction. Even if Obama goes into the convention with a slight lead in the popular vote and delegate count, Clinton may have the influence to overturn the will of the Democrat electorate and take the nomination.
Of course, that would be the least attractive avenue for winning and would require a major effort to reconcile and heal the party’s divergent interests and interest groups.
Crockett, Bowie and Travis lost at the Alamo during the Lonestar state’s decisive drive for Texas Independence. Hillary has a chance to reverse history by winning in Texas against the likes of Mexican Gen. Santa Anna, the Napoleon of the West. The general she’s fighting — Barack Obama — who is overseeing a new political army, however, is much more polite, polished and dynamic.
The Santa Anna winds seem to be blowing Obama’s way, but Clinton cannot be counted out.
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