Just outside the DC Beltway, in Maryland’s sprawling first congressional district, an electoral battle is underway that exposes unique ideological fault lines beneath America’s political landscape.

The campaign pits freshman “Blue Dog” Democratic congressman Frank Kratovil in a rematch against Republican Dr. Andy Harris. Given the political tilt of the district, coupled with the Tea Party tsunami gathering force this year, one would think that this race should be a slam dunk for Harris.

A tall, affable family man, Harris is an anesthesiologist, Navy veteran, hardcore free-marketer, and constitutional conservative. By contrast, Kratovil, a former attorney, tries to portray himself as an “independent” who distances himself from Nancy Pelosi and the House Democratic majority. However, the Washington Post reports that “Frank Kratovil has voted with a majority of his Democratic colleagues 84.6% of the time during the current Congress.” Among his least popular votes since taking office: support for the “cash for clunkers” program, for the near-trillion-dollar “stimulus” spending orgy, and for the hugely expensive “cap-and-trade” energy bill. Plus, of course, his vote to elevate the widely reviled Pelosi to the Speaker’s position.

Yet, despite all that, a recent poll finds Harris holding only a statistically insignificant three-point lead over Kratovil. This, while other GOP candidates are faring much better even in usually “safe” Democratic districts.

What’s going on here?

One of the most infuriating spectacles this election season is supposedly “Republican,” “conservative,” and “pro-business” individuals and groups supporting entrenched liberal incumbents against free-market, limited-government challengers. For many special-interest “insiders,” even on the right, philosophical convictions are far less important than sharing a “seat at the table” with the politically powerful.

(more…)

Starting today, the RNC should offer Free Passes to targeted Congressional Democrats who will agree to vote NO on health care.

The Free Pass should include:

• A guarantee no national money will be used against the Democrat in the general election.
• A guarantee if the Democrat wants to jump parties (far less likely), he/she will receive the RNC’s endorsement in the primary & national money in the general.

Yes, Pelosi still faces hurdles. Yes, a government take-over of health care would inflame America’s likely voters and lead to greater Republican gains in November.  Yes, we can attempt to repeal it.  Yes, we can cheer SCOTUS to rule it unconstitutional.

But, none of these things is worth the current Republican passivity.   We have no time for party purity here.   Our own focus must be jobs, jobs, jobs.   And we cannot get bogged down with “repeal it,” even if we gain power.

Right now, Republicans should be locking down NO votes with as much carrot as we have stick.  We’ve put the fear of god into them, for the ones still fence sitting, it is time to offer salvation.

Here’s my list of persuadable Democrats to be offer a Free Pass:

(more…)

Slate’s Jacob Weisberg came unhinged on Friday and gave the country the finger.

“Down with the People!” he screams from Bill Gates lap.  As Jacob sees it, we the people are demanding two mutually exclusive things: premium government services and tax cuts, and when we can’t have what we want, we become unruly children.

There is of course a third option, and I think it is the voting issue for the 2010 elections.  It frankly amazes me that TPM-style Democrats going after Paul Ryan’s Roadmap, don’t see it coming…

You can thank me later, but I just saved the United State of America at least  $278,309,600,000.00 PER YEAR. You read that right.  $278 BILLION per year.  That’s almost entirely what Medicaid will spend this year for children and the disabled.  That’s what our normal deficit looks like without TARP and stimulus.

The crazy thing is how easy it was to do.   It took me like three minutes.  And since I’m a big open source, creative commons guy I’m even posting my magical formula shown here using 2008’s budget:

(more…)

Today, a historic debate will commence on a bill that would impose big government health care on all Americans.  Nobody knows if this bill is going to pass and many questions about the bill remain unanswered.  All those who cherish the idea of limited government and a health care system driven by free market principles are hoping that good prevails over evil.

Yesterday, the House Rules Committee passed the rule to consider H.R. 3962 (PelosiCare), the Affordable Health Care for America Act, and this debate will be covered live on C-SPAN all day long.  Today, the American people can watch the debate in the House of Representatives on legislation that would dramatically change the way health care services are delivered.

Who is the Next Marjorie Margolies-Mezvinsky?

The vote on final passage of the bill is going to be close and people looking to the 2010 congressional election cycle are going to watch this vote to see which Blue Dog Democrats, Democrats from conservative leaning districts, are going to be forced to Walk the Plank and vote for an unpopular bill.  Dan Perrin of Red State has an excellent review of what happed to one term former Congresswoman Marjorie Margolies-Mezvinsky of Pennsylvania.  Perrin wrote “we are reminded of the case of Marjorie Margolies-Mezvinsky (D-PA) who famously switched her vote to give then President Clinton his tax increase.”  She lost her re-election the next year and became the poster child for the 1994 Republican sweep of Congress.

(more…)

Rep. George Miller (D-CA) is Chairman of the House Education and Labor Committee. Noone would ever mistake him for a member of the Blue Dog Caucus–the organization of relatively ‘moderate’ democrats in Congress. Not to put to fine a point on it, he is an unreconstructed leftist of the highest order. A Saul Alinsky Sith Lord, if you will. Yet, even Rep. Miller thinks ACORN’s days may be numbered.

Appearing tonight on the Ed Schultz show on MSNBC, Rep. Miller had this to say about ACORN:

But, they’ve made some horrendous mistakes. I don’t know whether or not they can survive it.  We’ll see what the investigations say.

Yes, we will. (more…)