Courage of Conviction

The Loft did an article on Dobson’s comments.  It appears that Dobson’s ploy is backfiring, as it should - his comments were idiotic at best. 

The last week or so I’ve been blogging on Cumberland County politics and also Presidential politics.  It’s back to Presidential today. 

I saw the following in an e-mail today from Newsmax.com.  I’ve cut away the fluff to get to the point. 

Dr. James Dobson: Fred Thompson ‘Not a Christian’

Focus on the Family founder James Dobson has dealt a potentially devastating blow to Fred Thompson’s presidential aspirations, saying the former senator is not a Christian.

“Everyone knows he’s conservative and has come out strongly for the things that the pro-family movement stands for,” Dobson – considered the most politically powerful evangelical figure in the U.S. – said in a phone call to Dan Gilgoff, senior editor at U.S. News & World Report.

“[But] I don’t think he’s a Christian. At least that’s my impression.”

Thompson’s spokesman Mark Corallo took issue with the statement.

“Thompson is indeed a Christian,” he said. “He was baptized into the Church of Christ.”

Focus on Family spokesman Gary Schneeberger sought to clarify Dobson’s statement, telling Gilgoff that while Dobson didn’t believe Thompson belonged to a non-Christian faith, he “has never known Thompson to be a committed Christian – someone who openly talks about his faith.

“We use that word – Christian – to refer to people who are evangelical Christians. Dobson wasn’t expressing a personal opinion about his reaction to a Thompson candidacy.”

 

Thompson has said he is leaving the door open for a presidential run. A Gallup-USA Today poll released on Tuesday has the Tennessee Republican running third behind Rudolph Giuliani and John McCain among Republicans and Republican-leaning voters.

 

Although Dobson has not endorsed any Republican presidential candidate, he told Gilgoff that former House Speaker Newt Gingrich was the “brightest guy out there” and “the most articulate politicians on the scene today.”

Here is my commentary on this - Way to be out there bringing all the demoninations together Dobson!!!  You’re such a team player.  More specifically, since I am Catholic, Dobson just told the over 1 billion Catholics of the world that they aren’t real Christians.  Good job. 

Since when does he get to define who is a real Christian or not?  Ok, so Thompson doesn’t wear his religion or faith on his sleeve - there are lots of people who don’t who live a very Christian life.  Do you think Mother Theresa was going around shoving religion down people’s throats - I doubt it.  She spent most of her life toiling away actaully doing the good works that needed done as opposed to judgementally pontificating on who is a Christian and who is not.  But then again, according to Dobson’s definition, Mother Theresa wasn’t a Christian either. 

Those are the words of Gov. Ed Rendell in reference to mass transit in PA.  The article is mostly about the financial mess known as SEPTA.  And yet there are some in the Harrisburg area that want to take the same idea and implement it here.  Those who do of course stand to benefit financially at the expense of Cumberland County taxpayers. They are the same people who are behind Karen Gunnison’s campaign for County Commissioner. 

Word on the street is that John McNally, the Dauphin GOP Chair, has hosted a fundraiser for Karen Gunnison, candidate for county commissioner, here in Cumberland County.  Hmmm, why is Dauphin County inserting itself into Cumberland County politics.  This is another example of special money interests in Dauphin County attempting to buy this seat. 

On the Dauphin County GOP website it states the following:

PRINCIPLES OF OUR REPUBLICAN PARTY

 

Reducing the size of government.
Streamlining the bureaucracy.
Returning power to the states.

These are all stances the Republican Party, in opposition to the Democratic Party, adopted early in our history. The Republican Party, since its inception, has been at the forefront of the fight for individuals’ rights in opposition to a large, bloated government.

For 150 years, our Party has found its purpose in its principles. We confront big challenges instead of passing them on to future generations. We move forward with needed reforms to make the government work better for citizens. We fight important battles and champion freedom because by expanding liberty, we make our nation more secure.

As the party of the open door, while steadfast in our commitment to our ideals, we respect and accept that members of our Party can have deeply held and sometimes differing views. This diversity is a source of strength, not a sign of weakness, and so we welcome into our ranks all who may hold differing positions. We commit to resolve our differences with civility, trust, and mutual respect, and to affirm the common goals and beliefs that unite us.

These are values worthy of a great nation. And they are values worth fighting for.

The Central Penn Business Journal ran the following piece in their daily e-mail:

MTP honors Miller, Jones for commitment to mass transit
Two area men were honored today by the Modern Transit Partnership, a nonprofit organization that promotes public transportation, for their service to the community and commitment to public transportation in the midstate.

Dick Miller, senior vice president of Benatec Associates, a regional engineering firm, and Cliff Jones, a consultant for Commerce Bank and Harrisburg International Airport, were honored at the MTP’s annual transit breakfast fundraiser at the Hershey Lodge.

“These two men are very outstanding people in the mass-transit transportation in south-central Pa. Dick has done an outstanding job over the years and Cliff has been very effective in opening doors to get funding and things of that nature,” said John Ward, president of MTP.

Miller has served on the MTP board since its establishment in 1997. He has also been a member of the Capital Area Transit board for 21 years, holding the position of chairman for 17 years. Until his retirement from the board in December 2006, Miller helped initialize the study and establishment of a regional rail network beginning with CorridorOne.

Jones has served in many elected and appointed offices within the Pennsylvania government. He is a charter member of the MTP board and also helped initiate CorridorOne. - Ashley McAndrew

Know this much, Cliff Jones is serving as Karen Gunnison’s campaign coordinator.  Also know this, the publisher of the Journal recently held a fundraiser for Gunnison.  From what I heard, an advertiser was not happy about it and pulled a substantial amount of advertising money from the Journal.  John Ward was the Chief Clerk, I believe, under the previous county commissioners also. 

BTW, “Cliff has been very effective in opening doors to get funding” statement means that he was very effective as making Cumberland County, under the previous commissioners (who also now serve as Gunnison’s campaign chairs), the sugar daddy for Dauphin County special money interests. 

All you have to do is follow the money.  It is very evident what is going on.  That sound that you hear my friends is the sound of a train taking tax money from Cumberland County across the river.  Only if Gunnison gets the nomination though - which is nothing short of a steep hill to climb and I really don’t see her as the little engine that could. 

Karen Gunnison has supposedly been on this “listening” tour as she calls it.  My sources tell me she has been interrupting work at the many row offices during this tour and bothering county employees with her “listening.”  Why is she campaigning in the courthouse, interrupting county employees as they work?  Isn’t that some kind of violation of the law? 

In the mean time Commissioners Eichelberger and Barclay have been actually accomplishing a great deal of work for the citizens of the county.  Here’s just one recent concrete example of the commissioners doing the people’s work, not just listening. 

I’m all for listening, but I can tell you this much - the voters care about results.  Commissioners Eichelberger and Barclay are delivering results.

I’ve added two websites to my blogroll - both Thompson related:

Draft Fred Thompson

Draft Thompson ‘08

Lowman Henry is right on target again about what is wrong with the GOP.

Yes, I am referring to Fred Thompson.  I’m not impressed with any of the other announced candidates and from what I have read, neither are many other people.

Here’s a good article about the GOP hopefuls with a plug for Fred Thompson.

Also, here’s a website that was put up to help draft Fred.

The Montgomery County GOP is showing the entire state the reason why endorsements in primaries should be ended.  MontCo is turning into something that looks like a power struggle of a 3rd world banana republic.  Here’s the story.

As long as arrogance continues in the endorsement process, not just in Montgomery County, but also here in Cumberland County, there will continue to be more and more people who will openly defy the party.  As that happens, more of these folks will win.  Maybe then the party elitists will get a clue.  I won’t hold my breathe though, the weenies over in the state capitol still don’t get it.