Andrew Jones for America

Specter and Collins: Republicans Until it Mattered

2009-02-06T23:06:00.000-08:00

I am not experienced or sage or exceedingly wise, but I do know that the measure of a person is determined based on how well they stick to their bedrock principles when times get tough. Today, Susan Collins and Arlen Specter have shown the people and the nation that they purport to care about how utterly spineless and worthless they truly are. The bill they “compromised” on tonight will cast an anchor around the neck of our nation far longer than either of these politicians will live. It is my generation and that of my children that will be forced to clean up the mess made by these two spineless moderates.

We conservatives expected a tough road after the election and we knew that compromises would be made. What we didn’t expect was to be broadsided by two turncoat senators who were too worried about appearing to obstruct a popular president from ramming a massive and, by all reasonable accounts, inefficient and ineffective stimulus bill down America’s throat. When big things like this come up, we expected our Republicans in Congress to stand in the way and shout “NO!” When this matter was taken up by the house, every Republican and even eleven members of President Obama’s own party stood up and shouted “NO!” and yet when the matter came before the body with the power to stop the bill, two cowards whimpered “yes”.

In Specter’s case, it can be attributed to his re-election campaign and his need to not appear to be standing in the way of the president, who is very popular in his home state. This is no excuse for abandoning his party and his country. I can only hope someone with a backbone and a sense of what’s right can knock the capitulating senator out in the primary.

Senator Collins has no excuse. She was just re-elected in the face of overwhelming Democratic victories in her region. She would have had 6 years and a presidential election cycle to explain her no vote to the people of Maine. Even if we grant that Specter needed to worry about an impending election (which I do not), this is not an option for explaining Susan Collins. Both of these senators are truly penny wise and dollar foolish.

President Reagan told us never to speak ill of a fellow Republican. I have to take issue with the great communicator, even if today is his birthday. A political party is nothing more than a collection of people who like the name if there are no fundamental principles that all members share at their core. Although the Republican Party has gotten lost in the woods in recent years, I still believe that there is a core of conservatism and fiscal restraint engrained at the very center of what it means to be a Republican. If these two senators can’t seem to get a grip on that when the big issues come up, who really cares if they side with the Republican caucus to stop the small stuff? Once you run the ship into the shore, who really cares if you move the rudder? In short, why do we allow these people the right to call themselves Republicans if they will abandon ship the moment it looks like they would be standing in the way of a popular president and a hysterical media feeding exaggerations and false comparisons to the Great Depression?

Those of you who know me understand that I am not anything close to a party line hack, but this is no ordinary bill and we are not in ordinary times. If each terrible part of this godforsaken bill were separate, I would have no issue with certain items passing in compromise. But this is an all or nothing monolith of government intervention and power grabbing. This is a defining moment for our nation and the Republican Party. If Collins and Specter aren’t able to stand strong with the rest of their colleagues, why do they deserve to stand up with them at all? There are moderate members of the house who somehow found the courage the shout “NO!” so why couldn’t these two weasels find a way to do the same?

This “stimulus” bill vote is going to be a defining moment for every member of this body one way or another. When my grandchildren ask me why they were born into a nation with so much debt and obligation, I will have to look them in the eye and tell them that two senators buckled to the pressure of fleeting popular opinion. When given the choice to stand up and say no to the foolish majority, Senators Specter and Collins sold our children and our grandchildren over $1,000,000,000 in debt simply so they didn’t have to look like obstructionists to “hope and change”.

Thanks for reading,
Andrew

The 2012 Pelosi GTxi SS/RT Sport Edition

2009-02-04T16:13:00.001-08:00

Imagine Spot 1 - Super Bowl Ad NBC Rejected

2009-02-02T20:24:00.001-08:00

This makes me proud to be Catholic!

Obama Bombshell Redistribution of Wealth Audio Uncovered

2008-10-27T00:00:00.001-07:00

The Obama plan?

2008-10-24T00:48:00.001-07:00

Replace candy and ice cream with "income supplement checks" and "universal health care" and substitute the kids for all of American population and you've got a good outline for Barack Obama's plan. (Have a little fun people!)

The double standards of the campaign we have so enjoyed…

2008-10-19T21:30:00.000-07:00

Oh the media…your thorough reporting and tough questions to the candidates on some of our biggest campaign issues have left me wondering how you can be so fair, so unbiased, and so equal in your coverage…yeah right.

Here are some examples of your great double standards.

The Health of our Candidates
John McCain is 72 years old and had skin cancer a while ago, clearly this should make us look at Palin more strictly because John McCain probably wouldn’t last half a term.

There’s no need to worry about almost 66 year old Biden and his history of near fatal aneurisms though; those were a long time ago.

The “Washington Insider”
John McCain has been a Washington insider for far too long; 32 years! He is part of the broken mess in Washington that we need to change!

Joe Biden has been a part of Washington for 26 years, his long service gives him the experience that makes him qualified to lead as a vice president or a president should he need to assume that role; it’s an asset, not a negative issue.

Experience
Sarah Palin’s years of service as a community activist with groups like the PTA, being mayor and serving 2 years as governor gives her SOME executive experience you could say, but it was in it’s in a state that really doesn’t mean much to be a mayor in or a governor of, so really she is under qualified to even be VP.

Barack Obama’s experience in the Illinois State Senate, his role as a community organizer in Chicago and serving in the US Senate for 2 years before running for president, gives him more than enough experience to hold an executive office, like the office of President and be the commander in chief of the US armed forces.

Corruption
John McCain wrote some letters on behalf of an old friend and political contributor Charles Keating who was later indicted and went to prison, clearly a lack of judgment on McCain’s part to hang around such people and that shows he doesn’t have judgment to be President.

Barack Obama has been friends with Tony Rezko since he launched/financed Obama’s political beginnings. Obama even got a great deal on a house and some land out of the friendship, but Rezko got indicted and will be going to prison on several corruption charges…Its no biggie though, it’s tough to be a politician in Chicago and not deal with corrupt individuals, it’s not Obama’s fault.

The Tone of the Campaign
John McCain releases a tough new add questioning a view of Senator Obama’s, or perhaps asks if we even know Obama’s real view; the add is deemed as negative, McCain declared to be desperate because he is losing and overall it is said to be expected because after all, he is a Republican and that is what they do.

Barack Obama releases a tough new add where a little fact finding shows it can be labeled as untrue or even a lie, little comment is made of it as it is allowed to be just an add and it is not news worthy otherwise. The McCain campaign mentions that Obama is negative campaigning and lying, and then the news becomes that the McCain campaign is calling Barack a liar.

───────────────────────────────────────────────────────
These are only a few of the dozens of double standards in this campaign, feel free to post key ones left off this list…

-Michael Hilburn

About Collin Powell......

2008-10-19T14:30:00.000-07:00

This is exactly what the media had been predicting all week, and yet its now GROUNDBREAKING. Sorry folks, the groundbreaking story would have been Collin Powell’s endorsement of John McCain. After all the reports I have read this week, today’s announcement was a foregone conclusion.

And, if Powell had instead endorsed McCain, would the media have made such a big deal out of it? Of course not. I can’t see how this doesn’t hurt McCain in the polls, but it’s honestly a story going bonkers in the liberal press and frankly, I’m already sick of it.

I guess now Obama can actually roll around with someone with decent credibility on military issues; too bad McCain doesn't need surrogates for that.

Fight

2008-10-16T23:47:00.001-07:00

I wish I knew if they read my blog before they made this ad (my guess is no, but let me be disillusioned for a wee bit!). At any rate, this is exactly the kind of ad I had in mind and I LOVE IT! This is exactly the thing this campaign needed to reconnect with independent voters! WAY TO GO!

John McCain Brings Down The House - Al Smith Dinner Part 1

2008-10-16T20:26:00.003-07:00

John McCain Brings Down The House - Al Smith Dinner Part 2

2008-10-16T20:26:00.001-07:00

What McCain needs to say

2008-10-14T18:00:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow's debate will, barring some enormously ground-shaking event, be John McCain's last shot to win this election. We are three weeks out and the trend in every key state is not looking good for the senior senator. He needs to make this one count. If he doesn't, it's time for us to prepare ourselves mentally for a Democratic House, Democratic Senate and Democratic President running our nation in a time of war, recession and uncertainty on the Supreme Court, where 5 of the 9 Justices are age 70 or older.

McCain needs to make this country wake up and realize what's really at stake here. The issue that comes first, second and third is the ECONOMY. If I were advising McCain, I would make the following (lengthy) hypothetical quote as my final push message. It is formulated to fit in line with my idea for a commercial, but should also be adopted for the debate.

"Today, this nation faces challenges of a magnitude few of us have seen in our lifetime. We have a financial system on the verge of collapse at the hands of greed and corruption; we are engaged in a global struggle against forces of pure evil and hate; and the American people are suffering from the worst lack of confidence in their government in modern history. But for all of our troubles, we also have reasons to be optimistic. The foundation of our economy, our creative, innovative and industrious talents, are the greatest in the world; the freedoms our forefathers so elegantly articulated and defended are preserved; and our citizens have two drastically different choices in this historic election. I understand that, at this moment, I am not winning the hearts, minds or votes of the deciders in the American Democracy, the independent voters. I want to address them directly right now. After we cut through all of the talking points and polish, this election comes down to the independent voter choosing between style and substance. Despite what Senator Obama might say, you are not racist if you vote for me instead of him. You get to choose between a man who has spent his entire career running for higher and higher offices on the backs of domestic terrorists, radical America-haters and the people who's policies and philosophies have caused our current economic mess. Or, you can vote for me. I am person who has, despite all of my shortcomings, fought for what was right for our nation for my entire life. I have a record of taking on people who need to be brought to justice, regardless of party affiliation or personal consequence. Senator Obama, for all of his bi-partisan rhetoric, has never once stood up to his party. How do you, the independent voter, expect from Senator Obama the tough, relentless effort to bring the responsible parties to justice when he has never even made an attempt to do so in the past? I understand that you are angry about the mess we are in; I am too. I share your disdain for the Bush Administration's reckless ways. But I am also sick and tired of listening to my opponent lay this entire mess at the feet of my party. There are responsible people, some of whom are good friends and supporters of Obama, on both sides of the aisle whose hands are dirty; they need to be brought to justice. I have the fortitude to do it, Barack Obama has shown the world that he does not."

The One

2008-10-11T12:01:00.001-07:00

McCain's Way Forward

2008-10-08T01:26:00.000-07:00

Yesterday's debate, while a fantastic display of the fundamental differences between the two realistic candidates for President, largely appears to be a non-event in terms of campaign momentum. That spells trouble for our hero and candidate, John McCain. With Senator Obama's frightening climb in the polls as our economy falls into a state of near despair, Senator McCain needed to make a drastic shift in the race. He needed to (and still has the chance to) harness the feelings of average Americans. We are worried, anxious, fearful and mad as hell. While McCain's words came close to matching that tonight, his attitude didn't.

Democrats have, for some mysterious reason, been able to put this crisis almost completely around the necks of Republicans. This is hogwash of the highest order and if John McCain and the other Republicans running for office cannot mount a more convincing counter argument, they might not deserve to win. Please see the previous post for a very important news clip regarding these issues and where different key players have stood on this sub-prime issue. Here is what we wanted to hear Senator McCain say, in forceful posture, directly to Senator Obama:

"In 2006, I co-sponsored legislation that would have reformed Fannie Mae and Freddy Mac in an effort to prohibit them from using the polices that are DIRECTLY responsible for our current economic crisis. And Senator Obama, what did you have to say about that bill? Oh right, you were too busy taking campaign contributions from those organization's leaders and using it to run for President to be bothered with that silly little task of VOTING on the bill. You didn't even vote, but you sure got a lot of their money!"

In the real debate, he made mention of the contributions and some reference was made to his bill, but he largely allowed Senator Obama to get away with pinning McCain with the label "de-regulator". On this and several other key economic issues, this is simply a falsehood that hurts McCain greatly. McCain co-sponsored a bill in 2006 (thats two years ago, folks) that would have changed the regulations making it harder or downright impossible for Fannie Mae and Freddy Mac to continue the practices that caused this situation! Obama couldn't even be bothered to go on record by voting! You tell me who the de-regulator really is.

Now the debate is over and we need to map out a clear course of action for Senator McCain to recover in the polls and go on to victory in the general election. If anyone has the ability to come back from this, its John McCain. After all, the man has been counted out more times than last year's New York Football Giants! Both were underdogs going in and both will come out on top when the history books are written!

The best political asset McCain has is his brand. People know and respect the American hero that he is and the independent political leader he has consistency shown himself to be. The general reputation he has earned, outside the realm of the intellectually stunted media and the unyielding liberal Obamanation, is that of an honest and forthright moderate who works to join seemingly conflicting ideologies into coherent and proper policy decisions. The key is reconnecting the people to that image. The simple and paramount question is how?

The slick TV ads with the ominous female voiceover announcer might have worked a while ago, but they don't fit with McCain's stated goals for campaign content and we question their overall effectiveness on swaying undecided voters.

Instead of "I'm John McCain and I approve this message" followed by 30 seconds of Obama bashing, however warranted and accurate it may be, McCain needs to film himself talking and connecting with the voters on an individual level. We imagine a script would go something along the lines of : "Hello, I'm Senator John McCain and I'm asking for a small amount of time out of your busy day to explain to you why I am asking for the privilege of serving you as our nation's next President......." Then, for the next 30, 60 or 90 seconds, Americans (or, more specifically, citizens of key battleground states) see and hear John McCain explaining his position on a critical issue or theme and defining his policy agenda on his own terms, face to face with the voter. This format is much more personal and, we believe, will resonate much better with undecided voters who will see the ads as something of a mini-speech, a conversation if you will. This would be a stark contrast to the current ads both campaigns have running, where the candidates hide behind ominous music, narrators and flashy graphics showing quotes disparaging or contradicting their opponents interests. If John McCain can convincingly shoot an ad like this, it will be seen as a man coming out from behind the safety of his intellectual fort to directly stand in the way of Obama becoming our next President, rather than staying behind these safety walls of mind-numbing glossy productions and lobbing rhetorical grenades at the other side.

Additionally, and secondarily, McCain needs to articulate in a clear and accurate manner the differences in philosophy, judgment and policy that separate himself from Senator Obama. We are well aware that the McCain camp has been stressing this throughout the campaign and we are saying that they have thus far failed to do so in anything resembling a positive way. McCain has been allowed the Obama camp to cast him as "Bush's third term" when, in reality, we challenge the average outsider to find a more rage-inducing Republican from the standpoint of the Bush administration. The McCain camp should not think that negatively defining Obama is alone enough to make the case stick. The honest and "McCain-like" thing to do would be to lay out the differences and say "If you agree with Senator Obama, then he is who you should vote for. But if you are unsure or you share my values and goals but are anxious for change from the current administration, I'm the one you want." That kind of straightforward willingness to lay his ideals before himself and his political future is what got McCain where he is today and it would serve him well to do that at this juncture. A man who stands on rhetoric alone is a man soon to come crashing to the ground. The American people know that and if McCain can appear to be the man who stands for more than just words and empty promises, he will win this election.

We leave the target locations and specifics of the advertisements up to people much more knowledgeable in those areas that us. The electoral map and what issues resonate best in what parts of the nation are complex and require more studious review than any of us could provide to the campaign. However, coming from the perspective of college students in a state that is a good deal away from the fray and intellectual hangups of the beltway, we believe the basic strategy is the right course for this campaign going forward.

-Andrew Jones, Michael Hilburn & Eric Fischer

Democrats were WARNED of Financial crisis and did NOTHING

2008-10-07T23:22:00.001-07:00

Let's set the record straight here.

McCain, COME TO WASHINGTON (State)!

2008-09-15T00:01:00.001-07:00

Many in the political circuit in my home state of Washington were abuzz last week with word that a new poll shows Senator McCain a mere two percentage points behind Senator Obama in the Evergreen State.

That number is down from double-digit lead just weeks ago. If that poll is supported by others, it would be very wise for the McCain campaign to send one or both of the candidates out to the friendlier Washington along with some ad money. It would be a cheaper play than going full bore in California and it would force the Obama camp to spend time and money in a part of the country long thought to be a lock for their column on election night. And, with the governor of Alaska on the ticket, who knows, maybe Washington State will surprise a lot of people (myself included) and color itself red for the first time in a very very long time. Lets not forget that in Washington State, change equals Republican!

-Andrew Jones

Hate the Game, not the Players

2008-09-13T11:56:00.000-07:00

Let me say that I am a very big opponent to pork barrel spending. Let me also say that if I had a mayor or governor who didn’t ask for way more pork than they thought they would get or would need, I would vote against that person. The simple fact is that, as Washington is currently set up, if you want a road or bridge or research grant, you have to lobby congress for earmarks. That’s the way the game works. If you don’t like it, change the game, not the players.

In case you haven’t pieced it together, I’m ranting about all of this commotion surrounding Sarah Palin and Alaska’s so-called “Bridge to Nowhere”. The fact of the matter is that federal funding is essential to building large scale transportation solutions. As governor, she said no to the bridge, but the money was already granted to the state. Being that she swore an oath to the people of Alaska, can anyone actually argue that the proper thing for her to do would be to give money back to Washington, D.C so that some other state could spend it instead? I think not.

The bottom line is that local politicians are supposed to ask for money and federal politicians (Like Senators McCain, Obama and Biden) are, in my opinion, supposed to say no and work to reform the system in a way that gets states money for worthy projects without allowing some of the ridiculous and frivolous ones to get through. Senator McCain has taken on the status quo while senator Obama has spent his time in the senate running for President and winning earmarks for his home state.

If Governor Palin had been a US senator instead of a governor, the attack lines against her keeping the bridge money would be valid. As it stands, she is just a good player in a bad game. America gets to choose between a McCain/Palin ticket that would end this ridiculous and wasteful process and an Obama/Biden ticket that would, as evidenced by their senatorial records, embrace and potentially expand it. We need to hate the game, not the players.

The Case for Meg Whitman

2008-08-26T23:39:00.000-07:00

With all of this talk about Mitt Romney being the apparent running-mate in waiting for John McCain, I just wanted to make my case for someone else. It’s not that I wouldn’t supporter Governor Romney if he was the person on the ticket; it’s just that I think there is a better fit for McCain, not to mention the unity of the Republican Party. If I had my way, Senator McCain would pick Meg Whitman to be his running mate. In case you wondered why, I made a bulleted list of pros and cons.

PROS

· She knows the economy: She is the former President and CEO of EBay and one of America’s most successful business leaders. The appeal of Romney’s economic experience is also fulfilled in a Whitman pick. She was his economic advisor, after all.

· Many women would be drawn to vote for the first female Vice President in US history.

· She is not part of the Washington culture. A true outsider for true change would be enticing to people craving change, but still wanting correct judgment and perspective in a leader. Especially now that Senator Obama has gone with Joe Biden (the epitome of a Washington Insider), the argument that a McCain-Whitman ticket is true change would be easy to make.

· By choosing someone other than Huckabee or Romney, both men will feel that they have a strong future in the party (and a potential second shot at the White House later). This way, both groups of supporters can get behind the ticket without any hard feelings.

CONS

· We don’t know her views on abortion. The base of the party has made it clear to Senator McCain that anything but a pro-life running-mate would be met with significant disapproval and could singlehandedly keep him from winning in November.

· We know very little about her private life. According to all the sources I was able to read, she is single. That has been a point of interest for other single females in high office (i.e.: Condoleezza Rice).

· We don’t know if she can fill the role of “attack dog” strongly enough to combat the hurricane that is the wind that cometh from Joe Biden’s mouth.

From where I sit (far away from Washington, D.C. and from the decision makers in the McCain camp), I see the pros as a much stronger list than the cons. I think that choosing Whitman would generate extraordinary interest in McCain and would bring swing voters to his side come Election Day. Imagine the coverage the McCain campaign would get out from the mainstream press if he picked her!

The cons cannot be ignored; but I really do hope that as I write this, the McCain camp is vetting her to determine the unknowns that fill the list. If she passes through that as a viable option, I think Whitman is the right choice for this campaign.

This election season has told us that this country is primed for a change. Now that Obama has failed to deliver that change in his running mate, I say that it’s the perfect time for McCain to do it.

-Andrew Jones

Hey, Joe!

2008-08-23T11:56:00.001-07:00

First let me confess to something: I signed up for that ridiculous text message/email from the Obama campaign thinking that they would actually let their supporters in on the secret before the news broke. As we all know now, not only did they miss their mark by several hours, but they also had to send the text messages out at around 3 am EST, or midnight out here on the left coast. Nothing says well orchestrated campaign stunt like waking up your supporters at 3 am to tell them something that had already been leaked to the entire free world! I was further ecstatic to receive an official announcement email from the Obama people naming Joe Biden as Barack's running mate at about 10 am. The Obama campaigns timeliness would be nothing short of amazing....if this were 1890, but alas, as it stands it was just a comical thing to watch. They kept such a good secret for so long, only to have it leaked out and confirmed 12 hours short of the finish line. I think that is a sneak peak to a common theme for the remainder of the Obama campaign: Obama, a day late and a dollar short. I am now a happy former subscriber to Obama email updates (I would hate to waste any more space in my inbox with his updates).

I also wanted to share some thoughts about Joe Biden, the new running mate. First of all, I find it stunning that the Democrats continue to get thing so backwards. How in the world does the inexperienced, done-nothing junior senator take the #1 spot on the ticket while the 6 term senator (and current chairman of the foreign relations committee) is relegated to #2. This is the definition of a backwards and unbalanced ticket.

Even Senator Joe himself doesn't think Barack is Presidential material. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RDVUPqoowf8

And isn't it strange that Mr. Change felt the need to pick a 6 TERM US SENATOR to be his running mate. Its almost like experience actually does matter. Imagine that.

Obama and his Gas Problem

2008-05-05T13:27:00.000-07:00

I was watching Barack Obama talk at the Jefferson Jackson dinner and he stated something that is nothing new from him, or most Democrats and honestly, a growing number of conservatives. "You suffer and the oil companies put record profits in their pockets!" The correction that should be made to this complaint would be this: oil companies put record profits in YOUR pockets. While you may or may not own stocks or have investment portfolios, your parents, or your grandparents who have retirement accounts or investment portfolios most likely have oil company stock. Exxon Mobile posted a 10.9 BILLION dollar profit this last week and people were livid. "Gas prices are so high and they're making money!" the average consumer complains. But what that consumer, and evidently Obama doesn't know or doesn't want YOU to know that every day Americans get those profits. There isn't a man swimming in his pool filled with 10.9 billion dollar bills, every share in the company earned $2.03. Now unless we have decided that it is wrong for a company to earn money, unless we have decided that we no longer want to have a free economy, unless we have decided that a company who earns a profit should be taxed and punished for their success, oil companies should not be seen as villains. It's easy to blame the big guy when you’re not happy, but if you are really upset about oil prices, drive your car less, drive slower, decrease DEMAND for gasoline and the SUPPLY will rise and PRICES will decrease. Rather than complaining about a company being successful and making YOU, the public shareholder, money point the blame finger elsewhere.

By the way:
Exxon Mobile makes a profit of about 9 cents a gallon.

Should we start punishing other companies who make 9 cents profit per item? The only reason Exxon has such high profits is because of the massive volumes of gasoline sold. If a shoe maker sold his shoes for a $10 per shoe profit, and he sold $1 million shoes, would we be outraged that they made $1o million dollars in profits?

The real thieves here aren’t the gas companies, and John McCain wants to do something about it:

The US government takes 14.5 cents a gallon. Washington State takes 28 cents a gallon.

--Michael Hilburn

Obama and the "preacher"

2008-03-14T21:27:00.000-07:00

We are fully aware that there have been repeated calls for exclusively issue-oriented attacks in this campaign from the McCain people and we would ordinarily respect that. However, this business about Obama's pastor has us in a special kind of uproar and we feel it warrants the special attention:

A year ago, before Barack Obama had reached super-star status, questions were raised about his spiritual leader, mentor, confidant, and pastor Jeremiah Wright, Jr. and his often racially charged sermons and statements. Then, Obama was not overly challenged by this relationship, but now as new video of the prejudiced preacher have surfaced showing the outrageous rhetoric from Jeremiah Wright, Jr. and we are once again required to demand Obama to either align with or denounce his "spiritual leader". Some argue that a pastor does not represent the views or beliefs of the members of their church. While that may be true to a degree, it is preposterous to suggest however that some one, like Obama, who has attended a church for over 15 years under the same pastor (whom he has been friends with for around 2 decades) shares none of the views or beliefs as said pastor. Obama has likened his relationship with this man to that of a relative with a crazy uncle who says outrageous things but has to be tolerated. Unfortunately for Mr. Obama, this is a stupid analogy. We cannot pick our family, we certainly can and do pick our pastors. And if our uncle was seriously outrageous, as this pastor is, would any normal person still visit with him? We think not.

It is also ridiculous to suggest that the company a candidate keeps should not come into question during an election. If a candidate called a Klu Klux Klan member as their personal spiritual leader, and mentor, there would be outrage from the electorate. This is no different. The hate speech that "Rev." Wright preaches is not only racist, but anti-American. Any one who so closely associates themselves with the source of such rhetoric is not fit to be President of the United States of America.

Statements by Rev. Wright:
America and Al Qaeda commit the same crimes .
America invented AIDS to kill people of color.
God Bless America? No No No, God **** America

Should some one who says these kind of comments be supported by a candidate for President? What does this tell us about Obama's judgement in character?

Our liberal friends are quick to point out that Senator McCain and President Bush have met with and enjoyed the support of some people who have said some rather unseemly things. This is most assuredly true. Anyone running for the Presidency of the United States is bound to pick up some supporters who say nasty things and don't share the values of the candidate. So long as they make it clear that they disagree, and strongly denounce the people's inappropriate words, there is no great problem here. In Obama's case, this rule does not apply because he has remained a member of this church after repeated controversial comments made my Wright. For example, right after the horror that was September 11, 2001, "Rev." Wright said that America's "chickens had come home to roost."

Senator Obama has categorically denied hearing or knowing of the vast majority of these comments and has stated, for the record with Fox News reporter Major Garrett, that he would have left the church had he known about these comments. Now, all that needs to happen is for proof to emerge that Obama was made aware or in attendance when one of these comments were made and America will see what a disingenuous and dangerous illusion he is.

We want to provide some clips of the preacher that is Obama's "spiritual leader" and "mentor" and let you decide for yourself if you want a product of this "thought" to be our next President. We pray to God (and we didn't ask Rev. Wright for help figuring our how to do that) that you answer that question with an emphatic and absolute NO! We have.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VUbUBTlmAiA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Zs38vqJFfU

Thanks for reading,
Andrew Jones and Michael Hilburn

Man In the Arena

2008-03-12T15:04:00.001-07:00

John McCain blowup?

2008-03-07T17:43:00.000-08:00

Today Senator McCain had what some weak stomached yellow journalists are calling a “blow up” when he was asked about the conversation he had with Senator Kerry when he asked McCain to be his running mate.

I don’t want to even get into the stupidity of the question or the details of the conversation. Rather, I just think it is very bold of this reporter (considering she writes for the New York Times) to take offence to McCain’s reaction to the question. She is, in my opinion, lucky that he didn’t kick her off his plane as soon as it landed.

I propose that, in order to prove a point and to gain creditability with the conservative movement, Senator McCain revoke the New York Times’ press passes, bar them from his events and demand that they retract their endorsement of his candidacy. They have slandered him so greatly and so dramatically that I find today’s “blow up” to be far too polite for these snotty liberal jerks.

Rethinking MV08

2008-03-04T19:23:00.001-08:00

The arrogance surrounding my ongoing opposition to the attitudes of the MV08 administration has boiled over. It was emanating from both myself and them and it simply could not be sustained any longer. If they continue to devalue the little blogs, if they continue to belittle the young people, they will not be a very effective organization. This can only hurt Senator McCain, which is not acceptable. In the past few weeks I have tried to point this out, but to no avail. While there was negative things said on my part, they were rooted in a deep commitment to John McCain and strong emotions as a result of perceived negligence and abuse.

I am sad to say that if the McCain campaign is run by people with the same attitudes and ineptitudes as the same people that run MV08, this campaign needs a serious shakeup if it plans to win in November.

I do apologize for my words and tones in dealing with this situation, but they were a perfect mirror of the way I feel I was treated.

Tonight Senator McCain secured the Republican nomination for President and I am ecstatic about that. When the dust settles, I will remain here, doing what little I can to help the cause. This election is too important to allow arrogance and pride to get in the way of what is right. Because I cannot control the actions and attitudes of anyone but myself, I choose to go forward from this moment with nothing but respect the support that anyone who supports McCain shows him.

Thanks for reading and I hope some of you will continue to value my opinion,

Andrew Jones

It Began as a Question...(Our Debate trip to music)

2008-02-26T23:27:00.001-08:00

New York Times Shame

2008-02-20T21:52:00.001-08:00

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/21/us/politics/21mccain.html?hp

Huckabee drops out?

2008-02-12T22:55:00.001-08:00

For months, both Michael and I have been enjoying thoughts of a McCain/Huckabee ticket in 2008. As the race thinned down to these two, the idea we had cooked up during the long, drawn out flight between Seattle and Tampa seemed to grow some serious teeth. Until this evening, I was convinced that Huckabee was the most logical and most helpful choice McCain could make. While he may still prove to be a helpful choice, Huckabee is no longer the logical or likely choice.

By staying in the race beyond the point when he is mathematically able to win the nomination is selfish, egotistical, divisive and cowardly. It takes a real man to know the difference between a hard fight and an impossible one. Now that it is impossible for anyone other than McCain (or Romney, if this “suspended” business turns out to be a dirty trick), the fight has gone from hard to feudal. He is now running to hear himself talk; to divide the party and to, in his mind, secure running mate status. In doing this, however, he has angered McCain supporters and thusly seriously damaged his reputation and chances to accomplish his goal of becoming Vice President.

There is no good that can come out of this. There is no goal Mike Huckabee can have that is accomplished by him staying in this race. If his goal is to be McCain’s running mate, this action fights against it by angering McCain. If his goal is to promote conservative social values, this is fighting against it by keeping the party divided and thus making it harder for a lifelong social conservative to win the White House when fighting the general election against liberal abortion peddlers. So, unless Huckabee’s goal is to sit on his couch at home and watch Clinton or Obama take the oath of office, he is not helping himself.

Having said all of that, it is very important for McCain supporters to understand how dangerous it is to the party and its causes to be overly critical or disrespectful towards Huckabee and his supporters. He is a good and (generally) honorable man and his supporters are die-hards easily offended. We need to build the McCain Coalition, not alienate a key piece of the puzzle.

Governor, its time to follow the example of (I can’t believe I’m saying this) Mitt Romney and step aside for the betterment of the party, the nation and yourself.

McCain WINS the Washington State Caucus!

2008-02-09T23:34:00.001-08:00

Conservatives, UNITE!

2008-02-09T22:37:00.001-08:00

Conservatives Unite!

2008-02-09T00:51:00.000-08:00

The question for many of you is a simple one: Why should I support John McCain? Many of you feel betrayed by his refusal to adopt and fight for some of the causes you have undertaken. However, the bottom line is this: these are many very good reasons to support him. The fact that so many people have failed to get him to fall in line with ideologies he disagrees with is a surefire sign that what John McCain told you yesterday is what you can expect from him now and in the future. You can take comfort in knowing that John McCain says what he means and means what he says.

It is not often that we Americans get the chance to vote for an honest person. We have that chance this time.

It is not often that we Americans get the chance to vote for someone who isn’t afraid to stake their political future on principles. We have that chance this time.

It is not often that we Americans get the chance to vote for someone who can cross party lines to create common sense solutions, even when it is not a necessity of political survival. We have that chance this time.

It is not often that we Americans get the chance to vote for a genuine hero. We have that chance this time.

While I admire and respect the other serious Republican still in the race, and I hold the opinion that Governor Huckabee is a good (if not great) man, I strongly feel our nation needs a Republican president. Mike Huckabee simply cannot defeat the Democrats this go-around. He has a very devoted, yet homogenous base of support. This group will be exceedingly important to a successful McCain campaign, but at this time, it is simply not large enough for the governor to run on with any general election success. We need battle-hardened leadership. We need experience. We need untold amounts of courage. John McCain delivers to us all of these things.

Just as Ronald Reagan united the different types of conservatives into the Reagan Coalition, so to, we must allow Senator McCain to unite us into the McCain Coalition. If we hold out on him, if we don’t allow this to happen (and soon), we will be watching with tears in our eyes and worry in our hearts as Hillary Clinton or Barack Obama takes the solemn Oath of the Office of President of the United States of America.

That is how I answer the question “Why should I support John McCain?”

Thank you for reading,
God Bless,

Andrew Jones

Mitt Romney drops out

2008-02-07T10:35:00.000-08:00

Mitt Romney has left the race. He “suspended” his campaign for the presidency today at the CPAC conference. Let’s have a read:

"If this were only about me, I'd go on. But it's never been only about me. I entered this race because I love America, and because I love America, in this time of war I feel I have to now stand aside for our party and for our country."

I must say that I am very surprised by this. I will not lie and say I am even a little bit sad about it, but I am amazed by the timing and humble mood of the governor’s speech. He concluded his campaign with more dignity than he ran it and for that he should be applauded.

Let’s go Mac!

-Andrew Jones

Washington State Caucus preview

2008-02-06T17:59:00.000-08:00

With the election still very much undecided, I couldn’t be more excited for Saturday’s Washington State Caucus. I will be there and proudly supporting Senator John McCain and I hope to see a great deal of my fellow Washingtonians doing the same!

PLEASE BE ALERT: MY NEIGHBOR RECEIVED BAD CAUCUS DIRECTIONS AND INFORMATION FROM SOMEONE CLAIMING TO BE FROM THE MCCAIN CAMPAIGN. PLEASE GO TO http://washington.johnmccain.com/ AND CLICK ON THE LINK TO FIND YOUR REAL CAUCUS LOCATION.

Super Tuesday Recap

2008-02-06T17:55:00.000-08:00

Now that the dust has settled and Super Tuesday is behind us, its time for a recap.

I want to draw your attention to the prediction this blog/vlog made in November of last year: a McCain/Huckabee ticket. I hate to sound like a smarty-pants, but it looks like I am getting smarter by the day.

As it stands today, the delegate totals are as follows: McCain has 680, Romney has 270 and Huckabee, after his virtual southern sweep, now has 176 (all numbers from cnn.com).

What a great night last night was and now we can all agree with what I said after South Carolina; McCain is the frontrunner!

-Andrew Jones

Super Tuesday

2008-02-05T23:23:00.001-08:00

Almost over

2008-02-05T19:52:00.001-08:00

Super Tuesday is almost in the rear view mirror and things are looking pretty good. This is the last BLOG of the night, stay tuned for a VLOG!

Go MAC!~

Breaking News!

2008-02-05T19:01:00.000-08:00

Willard takes Utah, Mac takes OK!

all these states are starting to blur together...

NEW YORK FOR MCCAIN!

2008-02-05T18:20:00.001-08:00

JOHN MCCAIN WINS NEW YORK AND ALL OF ITS 101 DELEGATES!

MN for Ron Paul?

2008-02-05T18:11:00.000-08:00

If Ron Paul wins MN, the time has come to return the land to Canada!

Governor Richardson

2008-02-05T17:56:00.000-08:00

Well folks, Michael here live blogging from the Washington State McCain watch party.

We're watching MSNBC here and Gov. Bill Richardson came on to comment on the nights unfolding events. Just when I thought it wasn't possible for the Governor to let himself go, he proved me wrong.

Now THAT'S a man who wants to be Vice President!

Until Later,

Michael Hilburn

For all Washingtonians

2008-02-05T17:50:00.000-08:00

The McCain campaign has asked me to share with all of you some very important details regarding the Washington's State Caucus this Saturday, February 9th.

WHAT DO I DO AT THE PRECINCT CAUCUS ON FEBRUARY 9?

When you arrive at your caucus location, you will be required to present a valid ID, fill out a Registration Form, and sign your name on the List of Participants at the Precinct Caucus. On the far side of the sign-in sheet, you will be asked to fill in the name of the candidate you are supporting for President. Make sure you, your family members, and any other McCain supporters that attend the meeting write in "John McCain" when you sign-in! By doing so, you are casting your "vote" for Senator McCain.

Supporters of other candidates are hoping to show their strength during the meeting as well. If you are truly interested in the positive direction John McCain promises to take this country in the next four years; you, your family, and any other John McCain supporters you know who are registered to vote within your precinct must be willing to make the personal commitment to attend this short but all-important meeting and have your votes counted.

During the caucus, delegates and alternates to your district or county convention will be elected. The presidential candidate that has the greatest number of supporters elected as delegates will be considered the winner of the precinct caucuses in Washington State. When delegates and alternates are nominated, it is critical that you only vote for those who are supporting Senator McCain. Because you may not always know who is supporting John McCain, it is often best to nominate YOURSELF, a family member, or a neighbor you know who is a proclaimed McCain supporter. Caucus rules even allow you to nominate a John McCain supporter that you know lives in the precinct but could not attend the meeting on Saturday.

The number of delegates supporting John McCain elected statewide will be tallied and made public that evening. It is this number that will help determine how many of the seventeen Washington State delegates at stake will ultimately be sent to the Republican National Convention in Minneapolis this summer in support of Senator McCain.

Other issues such as platforms and resolutions may also be discussed during the meeting. In many cases, you will be asked to fill out a platform questionnaire before voting begins.

Do not be distracted by other meeting business or by supporters of other candidates hoping to change your personal decision to support John McCain for President. Remember, your mission first and foremost is to vote for John McCain during the sign-in process and elect John McCain supporters as delegates and alternates to the upcoming district or county convention. By pulling together, February 9 promises to be a fun and exciting day for the John McCain Campaign in the Evergreen State!

HOW DO I FIND MY CAUCUS LOCATION?

Find your precinct number by entering your name and/or address to the Sound Politics Voter Database at http://soundpolitics.com/voterlookup.html Your precinct number will appear on the right hand side of your voter record.

Find your county in the list of counties which follows below. Click on the link for your county to be directed to your county Republican Party's website, where you will find your precinct caucus location. For those county parties without a website, we have provided contact info for your county party office, or a list of precinct caucus locations for that county.

Find all neccessary Washington info on JohnMcCain.com

More live blogging!

2008-02-05T17:38:00.000-08:00

McCain has now won Delaware. He is also showing ahead in OK, MO, Alabama!

Things are subdued but confident here at the Washington State McCain party!

Super Tuesday

2008-02-05T16:59:00.000-08:00

Andrew Jones here, love from Washington State McCain headquarters Liveblogging the results of Super Tuesday!

We have begin to see polls close and McCain has won Connecticut , Illinois, and New Jersey!

I just wanted to mention the victory of governor Huckabee in West Virginia. Better him than Romney. Keep checking in throughout the night for more updates.

Check Back for live-blogging from a McCain supporter party!

2008-02-05T11:00:00.000-08:00

Hell all,

I just wanted to let everyone know that Michael and I will be (hopefully) live blogging from the Washington State McCain Super Tuesday watchparty in Seattle tonight! I hope to see all of you Washington State people out enjoying Super Tuesday tonight!

Please check back later tonight for live-blogging Andrew Jones for America coverage of Super Tuesday.

GO MAC!

Super Bowl foreshadowing Super Tuesday

2008-02-03T19:44:00.000-08:00

Hello all,

Congratulations are due to Eli Manning and the New York Giants for their upset victory over the much favored New England Patriots. It was a close fight, but in the end the better man prevailed.

Interestingly enough, this is the perfect lead in to talking about John McCain. How is that, you ask. Well, much like the Super Bowl, come Super Tuesday, we can expect to see a man who was once counted out come back strong and win a close and valiant effort against an arrogant and plastic-like New England establishment.

Just as Super Bowl Sunday has shown America that the tall guy will the good hair and pundit support doesn’t always beat out the guy with grit and spirit, so too Super Tuesday promises to show the world that not everything in America can be sold to the highest bidder. There must be something in the water in Arizona.

While I am always the last person to make predictions or call elections, I feel very confident that the voters in the Super Tuesday states will use common sense and vote their hearts and minds, rather than vote like a sheep, following the beck and call of Limbaugh, Beck, Coulter and the rest of that lot.

I am sure I will have much more to say in the days to come, but for now, thanks for reading and LET’S GO MAC!

God Bless,

Andrew Jones

The McCain Coalition

2008-02-01T17:00:00.000-08:00

Despite the apocalyptic cries of Sean Hanity and Rush Limbaugh, the Republican Party is not coming to an end. The Reagan Coalition, despite the suggestion of the above and many others, is not coming to an end either.

In reality, the Reagan Coalition lives on, but is evolving before our eyes into what I believe historians will look back and call the McCain Coalition. It is still true that economic, social, and national security conservatives are voting together under the Republican Party, and, other than the small group of far-right conservatives, these conservatives have begun to support John McCain, who aligns with their beliefs in free trade, taxes, government scope and spending, abortion, gay marriage, gun rights, the war on terror, and conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq. These voters are the same, mostly white, Christian, blue collar Americans the Reagan Coalition brought together in the 1980’s and are nothing new to the Republican Party.

The beauty of what McCain has begun to do however is to expand the party with individuals who were not Republicans before. Bringing in moderates and even some Democrats (who aren’t liberal enough for Clinton/Obama) is not just a tactic to get the nomination, but this coalition expands the party in an extremely positive way. The independent voter is key to not only victory in the presidential race, but virtually every partisan race throughout the country. Being able to bring these voters to the right and in support of the Republican Party is not something to be gawked at.

Also, McCain attracts Hispanics voters, due partly to his more humane response to the immigration crisis our nation faces. The Hispanic American population consists of large amount conservative individuals who have been previously turned off to the Republican Party. These voters not only share our conservative values, but are a rapidly growing demographic, and should be embraced and welcomed into the party.

This coalition of new Republicans, made up of independents, former liberals and Hispanics, doesn’t delude the party, but rather expands the base and increases Republican votes which will lead to defeating dangerous liberals, the creation of Republican majorities, and the ability to advance a conservative agenda.

The far-right cannot go in alone to achieve conservative goals and preserve a conservative America. A broader coalition than an exclusive club of Limbaugh and the like must be formed to create an expanded base and include independents and Hispanic voters. John McCain is the only candidate who can lead this movement and has already begun to bring these new Republicans together. The McCain Coalition is not the end of the Republican Party, but rather a positive movement evolving the party in a way which will allow it to continue a dominate presence in American politics, and further conservative ideals.

AG or VP for Rudy?

2008-01-30T21:27:00.000-08:00

Well, today was a great day to be a McCain supporter. The good Senator held his own at the Reagan Library debate and came off as the most Reagan-esque of them all.
He also received the stunningly full-fledged support of Rudy Giuliani today at the Regan Library.
I wanted to share one particular passage in the remarks McCain made that caught my attention. Please see the sentence in bold below:

"I want to say I not only thank him for his friendship, but his leadership of America...I want to thank him as we wage the struggle to secure the Presidency of the United States. There will be a clear choice this November and I believe that my life has prepared me- a life of service and a life dedication- to lead this nation in the transcendent challenge of the 21st Century, the great threat and evil of radical Islamic extremism that threatens all that we stand for and believe in. And my strong right arm and partner, and my friend in this effort will be the former mayor of New York City, an American hero, Rudy Giuliani.”

Now, when that statement is coupled with the amount of seemingly extraordinary enthusiasm with which a former serious rival is now on board with McCain, I am led to wonder, why? My best, uneducated guess is that McCain has lined up either Attorney General or Vice President for Rudy (THE LATTER CONSIDERABLY LESS LIKELY). In either case, I think this is HUGE news and great for the momentum of the campaign.

Mayor Rudy Giuliani Endorses John McCain

2008-01-30T21:05:00.001-08:00

The Florida Result Show

2008-01-29T21:15:00.001-08:00

McCain wins Florida!

2008-01-29T18:30:00.001-08:00

Well, my friends, I can sleep easier tonight. The far-right loons like Rush Limbaugh and Sean Hannity do not own, control or dominate the Republican Party! John McCain is the winner of Florida Republican Primary and is the current delegate leader in the race for the nomination.

This primary was a Republican-only affair. For the politically inept, this was an election where only registered Republicans can win. So much for McCain not being able to win an establishment election. It was also a winner take all primary where all 57 delegates go to McCain!

Also, take note that McCain beat Romney among voters who identified the economy as the most important issue facing voters. So much for the big business candidate being the choice for people worried about loosing their jobs and making less money.

If the reports turn out to be true, Rudy Giuliani will be dropping out of the race and endorsing Senator John McCain tomorrow morning. How amazing. A more “establishment candidate” choosing McCain over the country club bred, silver spoon Romney.

I am spectacularly optimistic now that the tide is clearly turning towards a McCain nomination and another term of a Republican President. However, Romney has the ego, the desire and the means to make this a hard and bitter fight. We must remember to never call anything before the rhetorical fat lady sings. We must remember also, that at the end of the day, Romney supporters, and even Willard Romney himself, are on our side in the general election and regardless of which camp get the nod, we must unite to defeat the liberal candidate.

Tonight we dance, tomorrow we get back to fighting,

Thank you for reading,
Please continue to support John McCain
God Bless,

Andrew Jones

It’s time for America to rethink the United Nations

2008-01-24T00:09:00.000-08:00

Because the overwhelming majority of what has and will, for the foreseeable future, be posted on this blog pertains to my feelings towards particular candidates and his or her positions, I must provide this disclaimer: THE FOLLOWING IS THE BRAINCHILD OF ANDREW JONES FOR AMERICA AND IS NOT REPRESENTATIVE OF, NOR ENDORSED BY, ANY POLTICAL CANDIDATE.

Often times, my liberal and worldly friends will cite the United Nations as the overarching entity to which the United States should appeal to before taking action in the arena of international relations. This is because many “progressive thinkers” (apparently that is not an oxymoron) believe that the last best hope for world peace is some grand government, where all states can have a seat at the coffee table of international diplomacy. Needless to say, I have many objections to this.

The United Nations, as defined by its own charter, is not a governing body, but rather as a type of global alliance to fight fascism and oppressive governments who violate the human rights of their peoples. It is to prevent armed conflict, "save in the common interest". Well, my friends, if we accept these premises, the United Nations as failed miserably in its many attempts to live up to its promise. For the entirety of its existence, the United Nations has stood by while countless injustices and mass violations of human rights occurred. In fact, since the UN was established, nearly 90 million people have died due to genocide. Sometimes they knew of these horrific tragedies, sometimes they didn't, but in many cases, it didn't matter because the idea that the majority of nations from around a planet of scarce recourses can act in "common interest" is a deeply wrong-minded and naive concept of what could be reality.

Now, some have countered this argument by saying that the United States is an artificially wealthy and powerful nation and that other nations deserve to have some chance to be included in international discussion. On this point, I don't disagree. Acting as a moral and just nation with regard to international retaliations is essential for America, or any advanced state, especially given this interwoven global economy. However, I firmly believe that it is simply counter productive and counterintuitive to pour American resources into an organization so inept at accomplishing even a small fraction of its stated goals.

Currently, the United States is the only member-state to pay the 22% maximum percentage of the UN general budget. That total hits the American taxpayers to the tune of well over $400 million. The US share of the UN Peacekeeping budget, a more worthwhile fund, hits the maximum allowable contribution of 27% and costs the American taxpayers $1.28 billion. While many of my liberal friends are quick to point out that America still owes about half of that is not impressive. My question is why did we pay the other half? Surely there must be more efficient and beneficial ways for America and other advanced western states to spread the wealth and usher the third world into the 21st. Century. The propensity of the American people to give to charity is unmatched by the citizens of any other civilization on the planet and the US military is one of the most economical and efficient means of delivering relief aid. We need look no further than the Asian tsunami for proof of these claims.

While the UN serves several important and ingrained functions that I did not mention in this brief opinion piece, the bottom line is that the United Nations has largely failed to live up to its main stated goals because it is an overly-idealist and bloated bureaucracy with no true political authority. Because of this, I think its time the United States rethinks its investment in the United Nations. I am not necessarily advocating the end of US membership in the UN, but merely an evaluation to make sure we are getting our money’s worth. I think we will find either that our involvement in international affairs would be more efficiently carried out without the UN as it currently exists.

The Effort to Declare McCain Un-Conservative Continues…This Time from the Left

2008-01-22T00:48:00.000-08:00

Hey everyone, I'm a new author on AJA and look forward to posting here everyone now and then. Thanks for reading...

I was watching the post debate coverage from tonight’s CNN democratic shouting match, and I noticed something interesting. Liberals are scared of John McCain.

Several of the commentators who had just gotten done praising Barack Obama and their own personally declaration of his victory in the debate, turned to John Edwards and his surprising prediction that the good senator from Arizona would win the Republican Nomination.

Larry King asked them if they too thought it was in-the-bag for Mr. McCain. Not to my surprise, they all insisted this was not the case, and since these commentators probably actually knew that John McCain is the only GOP candidate who beats all three democratic candidates, they began to downplay his front-runner status. Interestingly enough, they took a page out of the Rush Limbaugh book.

They all insisted that he wouldn’t get the nomination because he isn’t Republican enough. They cited his disagreements with Bush on the handling of Iraq, but failed to note his support of the now-working surge. They talked about him being “wrong” on immigration, but not citing his re-tooled, “right” approach to border security. They brought up him voting against the Bush tax cuts, but failed to mention his pork hating, tax despising, over-all conservative fiscal record. And lastly that McCain is against all forms of torture in any circumstance. This last comment is a flat out lie since McCain himself has said that he can understand the use of extreme techniques desperate situations but stands against making torture our official policy on interrogation.

Of course they are playing out of the Rush Limbaugh playbook so they wouldn’t want you to get the correct message about McCain’s conservative record, just the skewed one that works best for them.

Then another commentator brings up the claim that McCain only draws independent voters and that once the real conservatives get to him, he’s done. Though McCain does draw independent votes (which is one of the reasons he’s so dangerous to Democrats) this, as we have seen in South Carolina just isn’t true. McCain’s votes came from the conservative base, who turned out more for McCain than Willard Romney, the dream candidate of Limbaugh and the like.

Their reasoning for distorting the senators positions and voting base is much different from Limbaugh’s however. Whereas Limbaugh wants eight more years of G.W. in the form of Romney, the “liberal thinkers” (though I still consider that term to be an oxymoron) know that McCain is a threat, and would be very tough to beat in a general election.

Since they aren’t yet officially running against him, they have begun to try to scare conservatives away from him so that they never will be running against him. If the far right came to their senses, much as I have, that contrary to the all-knowing Limbaugh, John McCain really is a conservative, and fully realized that he is the only hope in winning the 2008 election for the GOP, he would win the nomination easily. The left can’t let this happen, and they won’t sit back quietly and just watch it happen.

As Conservative as Ever,
Michael Hilburn

The Democrats begin running against McCain

2008-01-21T19:06:00.000-08:00

Well folks, I just watched the CNN/ Congressional Black Caucus Democratic Presidential Debate and I am more convinced now than ever before that we need a Republican, specifically John McCain, to be our next President.

Both “serious” candidates, as well as Mrs. Edward’s little boy Johnny, gave their standard liberal “protect and provide everything for everybody” lines. But what really struck me is that, in total, there were 21 negative mentions of one man: George W. Bush. Now, the funny thing is, he isn’t on any ballots. The Democrats are going to run against the record of the President, not against the record of the Republican Party. Barack Hussein Obama even said, “The one thing Bush and Cheney have done for us is give their party a bad name.”

Let’s keep that in mind, folks. The Democrats have nothing to offer except cheap handouts at the expense of the overall well-being of the United States.

In addition, John Edwards called the Republican Nomination for John McCain. Please let the record show, that for the first time in history, I think and hope that John Edwards is correct. Now, he also says that, in polls, he is the only remaining Democrat that beats John McCain. Obama took issue with that, saying that he was the only Democrat running better than McCain in head to head polls. Well, former Senator Edwards and Senator Obama, you need some information. Have a look at this: http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2008/president/national.html . John McCain beats all three Democrats in head-to-head polls.

The Democrats are scared of McCain. They know he will beat any of them up and down the block, regardless of how many analogies they can make between him and Bush. That ought to be very telling and encouraging to all of us!

Thanks for reading,
Andrew Jones

We have a new contributor!

2008-01-20T22:46:00.000-08:00

Hello All,

I just wanted to let you all know my good friend and fellow right-wing political junkie Michael Hilburn is now a contributor for Andrew Jones for America!

Welcome Mike, now you better start pulling your weight! LOL

-Andrew Jones

We have a Front-Runner!

2008-01-19T19:53:00.001-08:00

My friends,

We have a Republican front-runner. And, I am ecstatic to say, IT’S JOHN McCAIN!

Eight years after being crushed by George W. Bush’s dirty and overwhelming political machine in the state, John McCain has one the First in the South Primary. What is striking about this is that it was done without mudslinging, without name calling and without disrespecting opponents. It’s no accident that this election took place largely without the presence of Willard Mitt Romney.

With this win, Senator McCain has shown that he is able to appeal to southern conservatives and not just, as some claim, independents and liberals.

I happened to notice both Romney and Rudy Giuliani attacking senator McCain’s positions today in interviews. That shows me that they are worried about Florida. They feel threatened, and they should. With wins in Independent New Hampshire, conservative South Carolina, a re-formatted economic message, building momentum and an honest, straight-forward approach, these men ought to be scared out of their corrupted little minds.

I also found it fascinating to note how remarkably improved Senator McCain’s victory speech was in comparison to his lack-luster performance in New Hampshire. This was the McCain I know and love! One line stood out as important to me and quintessential McCain; “I'm not running for President to be somebody, but to do something!”

Thanks for reading,
Congratulations to Senator McCain and his team,
Let’s keep on fighting and let’s win Florida!

God Bless,
Andrew Jones

The Michigan Result Show

2008-01-15T23:06:00.001-08:00

Michigan, what happened?

2008-01-15T19:54:00.000-08:00

As all of us are painfully and extensively aware, former Governor Romney won the Michigan Primary election today. Hats off to him. It’s not in good taste to harp on the fact that it is his true home state, or the fact that it took a very substantial chunk of his own personal fortune to accomplish what should have been a relatively easy feat, so I won’t do that.

What I will do, however, is take note of several interesting things.

First of all, the independents and moderate democrats that make up the dynamic of the general elections in this country stayed home. They didn’t show up to vote for McCain as some thought they would, and they didn’t show up to vote for or against Hillary Clinton. These were conservative Republicans voting. Now, that sounds great to hardliners, like Hugh Hewitt and Rush Limbaugh, but it spells doom for Republicans in November. Rush, you can huff, you can puff, but you won’t be able to blow the general electorate back to the far right after eight years of George W. Bush. I wish you could, but get real.

Secondly, take note that exit polls indicate the overwhelming majority of voters in Michigan found the economy to be the most important issue when they made their decision. Therefore, it would be understandable that voters concerned about the economy would vote for the candidate who has the most experience dealing with it. However, notice two things; A) It is exceedingly wealthy Harvard MBA’s like Romney that outsourced the vast majority of their jobs in the first place and B) Someone with as much education and experience in economics as Romney knows full well that senator McCain is right when he said that some jobs simply won’t be returning. Honestly, it’s downright disingenuous to make any claims otherwise. But, with people wanting to hear it and with Romney desperate for a win, he was willing to sell the people of Michigan a bill of goods in exchange for their vote. This is just one more example of Romney going against common sense and truthfulness. His slick hair now seems to be a mere analogy to his political prowess.

I also want to mention something Fox New’s Carl Cameron reported. The campaign managers for the McCain and Romney campaigns had reached an agreement by phone that Senator McCain would be allowed to make his complete remarks before former Governor Romney gave his victory speech. However, less than a minute into McCain’s speech, Romney began his, causing all major media outlets to switch to cover his speech instead of McCain’s. While this is a sneaky and cunning political maneuver with which I would ordinarily have no problem, his campaign had entered into agreement with another to not do just that. The fact that he made and broke an agreement marks a new low in the total lack of class and decency exhibited by Romney in the more desperate moments of his campaign. Even die-hard Romney supporters should be upset that their candidate made himself look like a back stabber on national television. This cannot help the Republican Party in any way, as the liberal media will make sure to mention it over and over again in their post-primary “analysis”.

My friends, it should be very clear to anyone who has read anything I’ve written lately that I am in no way a supporter of former Governor Romney. I don’t like his attitudes, his campaign tactics, his style or his personality. I don’t think he will be appealing to the general electorate. I don’t think he can beat a Democrat in this election. I don’t think he can solve our economic worries. I don’t think he fully believes in the hardline conservative positions he once rejected and now supports. I don’t think he has any concept of what it takes to act in the realm of foreign policy and I don’t think he has the military understanding to keep us safe from a dynamic and evil threat.

With all those things said, I will support and fight like hell for former Governor Romney if he is the Republican nominee because this election is measured in scales of greys, not black and white. There is no amazing conservative candidate to embrace, and even if there were, the pragmatist would see that there is no way our country would elect him or her. America cannot afford to elect a Democratic President. We cannot allow the ideals of the femi-Nazis and the liberal fascists to hold the weight of the office of Commander in Chief. And we certainly cannot allow the anti-Capitalist policies of any of the Democratic candidates to be implemented. I believe Senator John McCain is the best man to fend off t he threat of these liberals, not to mention the evil Jihadists who would like nothing better than to see a President Obama or another President Clinton.

With Michigan a discouraging sign in the rear-view mirror on the long road to the White House, I, like all McCain supporters, look with hope to South Carolina and Florida, where the message Senator McCain so honestly delivers has more days to shine.

Thank you all for reading,
Please support Senator McCain,
God Bless,

Andrew Jones

John McCain in his own words

2008-01-12T20:04:00.001-08:00

Andrew Jones the Piano Man

2008-01-12T02:01:00.001-08:00

My co-pilot and best bud Mike caught me acting as I do......no further comment.

The New Hampshire Result Show

2008-01-09T01:33:00.001-08:00

McCain wins big in New Hampshire

2008-01-08T19:10:00.000-08:00

My friends, it happened again. Mitt Romney has failed to win a state he’d spent millions on and spent a year vying for. This time, it was his backyard state, New Hampshire, where he was leading in the polls until a week ago.

The state where Romney vacations and where he has been pestering voters for over a year rejected him by a wide margin tonight. And that’s not McCain supporter spin; its fact.

Going into the election today, all the pundits were saying the Republican primary would be close and indecisive. That happened, but not on the Republican side. The voters of New Hampshire gave their support to John McCain, with his straight talking, no-nonsense style, over the fluff and slickness of the silver tongued chameleon that is Mitt Romney.

For team McCain, it’s on to Michigan, South Carolina, Florida, Super Tuesday and the general election in November!

Congratulations are also due to Governor Mike Huckabee, who went from polling 6th in New Hampshire two weeks ago to third in an un-evangelical, moderate state. Huckabee and McCain are on the rise and are showing voters who the real choices are for the Republican Party are. This is despite the efforts of people like Hugh Hewitt and Rush Limbaugh, who choose to look at the issues of this race within a philosophical vacuum, despite the reality that America will not elect someone who is as “conservative” as George W. Bush.

John McCain is conservative where it counts and the people of this country are beginning to see this and, for America’s sake, lets hope the momentum from New Hampshire can build upon itself and propel him to multiple victories and the nomination.

Today is a good day for America. With the Democratic race once again a cloudy, uncertain one, and the clear frontrunners beginning to emerge in the Republican race, we might just get the right man yet!

Andrew Jones Supports John McCain

2008-01-05T01:47:00.001-08:00

Andrew Jones for America Iowa Caucus Result Show

2008-01-04T01:33:00.001-08:00

An Andrew Jones Revolution

2007-12-24T01:25:00.000-08:00

The following is the most radical, revolutionary, forward-thinking thought I have ever put to words. And yet, it strikes me as seemingly fundamental and straight-forward. I believe it strikes to core principles and values that all free people acknowledge as the bedrock foundation of a free and democratic society:

My friends, our poltical landscape is bleak. We are more divided over partisan politics now than any other time in our great nation's history. While there are clear Right and Left distinctions, the basic values that the vast majority of us share far outnumber the disagreements.
The current generations of political theorists and policy makers devise for us party platforms that pit our economic liberty from our personal liberty; our freedoms from our obligations; our neighbors from ourselves.

I am not one to point to the politicians of the past and present as the doctors of division. I look through the pages of history and see that, since the dawn of society, we have been at odds with each other over political discourse. The “problem of factions”, as Madison called it, have been stark and distinguishable throughout all of recorded history. I feel, however, the time has come to strive for an evolution of discourse away from divisiveness and towards unity and community.

I am not a communist or collective thinker (in fact, if forced to choose between the current platforms, I am a stanch Republican), but rather a person who sees humanity as many different people, each with a unique voice, striving for their interests. I am not one who seeks to solve the problems of conflict with compromise as the first tool in the tool chest; rather, I first seek to point out that the values held dear by my political opponents and the positions they take on key issues conflict with one another.

We are a united people with individual wants. We must come together and take our destiny into our own hands. We must because we are at a pivotal moment in our history. We face an enemy who seeks to destroy all that is sacred and good in our society. We face the potential for the complete destruction of our planet at the hands of man. We are faced with what some see as a crisis of healthcare deficiently. We are faced with unfettered illegal immigration from citizens of foreign nations. And, my friends, we are faced with politicians who choose to make these issues matters of patrician politics, rather than issues we all must deal with.

Because I am but one man, with one perspective on things, I ask you, my friends of the YouTube generation to weigh in. To add your voice, your ideas, as we move forward. Share your ideas and help shape the political discourse of our great nation going forward.

I ask all who hear this message to please share with me your ideas. Post comments and video responses, send me messages, share with the world your concept for a more unified nation. We are a new generation, and I believe a great one; let’s establish our voice!

Please check back with me and subscribe to my YouTube channel, youtube.com/jonzie25, to share with me your ideas and watch this new vision take shape. The more ideas I get, the more inclusive and unifying it will be.

Thank you and God bless,
Andrew Jones

An Olive Branch to the Ron Paul Revolution from Andrew Jones

2007-12-19T02:22:00.001-08:00

Trying to make things right with "The Revolution".

Andrew Jones for America - Episode III

2007-12-18T14:34:00.001-08:00

Andrew Jones for America - Episode II

2007-12-11T16:02:00.001-08:00

A Vlog version of yesterday's blog posting.

Andrew Jones for America – The current state of the Republican Primary

2007-12-10T22:31:00.000-08:00

Many of us “bloggers” are finding out what a strong force Ron Paul has become on the internet. This is partly due to the unprecedented citizen access to the political table made possible because of sites like this one and YouTube. Increasingly, we are seeing traditional media sources adopt and partner with these new marketplaces of ideas; we need look no farther than the CNN/YouTube debates and the MTV/myspace.com presidential dialogue series for proof. Because of this, we would expect to see Ron Paul surge up in the polls and make a place for himself among the top tier candidates for the Republican nomination for president. Yet, alas, this has not happened.

While I am a political science major and a political junkie to boot, I can’t figure out exactly why this is. Perhaps the people are put off by the fact that Ron Paul rallies tend to look more like a drug-induced sleezefest of dirty youth reminiscent of the 1960’s. Perhaps it is because Ron Paul’s foreign policy is to not have a foreign policy. Perhaps it is because his supporters are the most annoying bunch of people ever to be granted access to a Republican debate. Or, maybe, it’s because America has had enough presidents from Texas for a while. I’m not sure and it’s not relevant. Ron Paul doesn’t stand a chance of winning and giving money to him is like paying a farmer for an old chicken and hoping to get a steak out of it.

Another Republican dark horse has stolen the attention away from Paul and run with it, all the way to the front of the pack. Governor Mike Huckabee is now the frontrunner in Iowa, and he is even running number one in some national polls. This phenomenon is much easier to understand. With little money and even less national organization, the little pastor (who used to be the HUGE pastor) that could, is steadily chugging his way to the Oval office on the steam of principled conservatism, compassion, wit and common-man appeal.

There is no secret to his recent success. As more and more Republican primary voters saw more of the former Arkansas governor at the debates, the more they liked him. Huckabee’s ability to tell a clever joke and still give the best, most appealing answer on almost every issue is a talent that lends itself to political success and its something Americans haven’t seen since Ronald Reagan (meaning this blogger has only seen it on film).

As we watch these debates and campaigns jockey for position in the early primary votes, its important to listen to the tone of the rhetoric. While Mitt Romney takes a hyperactive and negative approach to dealing with Huckabee’s recent capturing of a large section of Mitt’s voters, Huckabee remains calm, level headed and patient. While Rudy Giuliani franticly pleads with his cash-cows to fork over more money to an already expensive campaign, John McCain goes from town halls to college campuses connecting on a personal and honest level with the voters of New Hampshire and South Carolina. And lets not even get into Ron Paul’s crazy blimp flying up the east coast, with a stop in Boston to throw some tea out the window.

As the Republican ticket begins to take shape next month, I really do hope the voters will keep one simple creed in mind; principles before promises. It is very easy for politicians to promise to work for the interests of certain voter blocks in a desperate attempt to buy votes. It’s quite another thing to stand on principles and leave yourself to the supposedly honesty-loving voters of the early primary voters.

I would rather see an honest and principled president I agree with 65% of the time than a president who panders to my wants and desires with nothing but polls and election cycles in mind. We have enough lobbyists; we don’t need one in the White House. This is why I ♥ Huckabee. This is why I support Senator John McCain. These men stand on their beliefs, experience and honest opinions and leave themselves open to criticism from both the far right and far left. To my mind, the fact that mentioning my support for McCain garners strange looks and strong reactions from my leftist and extreme right wing friends indicate that I’ve found my guy!

With McCain’s foreign policy and military background leading the nation and Huckabee’s domestic expertise as a governor and pastor, I believe the Republicans have the dynamic duo needed to overcome the dismal approval rating of our current president. And, my Republican friends, make no mistake about it, this election is going to be about Bush. Elections in America are always a retrospective look back, rather than a true look to the future. We cannot run away from the policies of Bush and expect to fool the people; they know better and, like it or not, they won’t vote for another demagogue.

In closing, let me summarize the Republican field of presidential candidates as I see it today, December 11, 2007.
· We have two house members running just to show people they aren’t dead.
· We have another congressman who is the Republican’s Dennis Kucinich, only he has more money, so we get to be annoyed by him until he grows some smarts or runs out.
· We have a former mayor who embodies none of the social values we conservative Americans hold dear and has shown a great lack of professional judgment in the people he associates himself with in the workplace.
· We have an actor and former senator who is asleep at the helm, despite having a screaming infant in the room (that has many meanings, take it however you want).
· We have a former one-term governor from a blue state with a business background and no gumption or consistency on core issues. Oh, not to mention his Ivy League education, hair style, choice of clothing and recreation. He truly is John Kerry playing to a different, hopefully smarter base.
AND THEN WE HAVE THE REAL CANDIDATES
· A true American hero. A 4-term senator from a red state with a red record. Principled stances and the ability to appeal to the moderates and some liberals.
· A principled, compassionate former governor and pastor, who guided a poor blue state with conservative principles and direction for over 10 years

If we are as wise a group as we think we are, this will become a two person race and a no brainier ticket. If we want to win in 2008, I fully expect us to put up a McCain/Huckabee or Huckabee/McCain ticket to go against whatever liberal “progressive” (codeword for “hide your wallets”) the Democrats put up.

I welcome any comments or ideas you readers have. I won’t censor them; if you read that whole thing, you deserve to be able to say whatever you want.

Andrew Jones for America - Episode I

2007-12-06T21:52:00.001-08:00

Here it is! The first episode of Andrew Jones for America, the video blog!

Introducing Andrew, Part I

2007-12-06T21:51:00.001-08:00

A short into to who I am. Please go to http:youtube.com/jonzie25 to see all my videos.