Ace wants to know:

Has he been properly vetted?

I had to write a short paper on a current events issue, and relate it to Machiavelli's The Prince.  Props and apologies if I cribbed anyone's lines directly.

Appreciate any snark/edits/suggestions/snark

Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) will run for re-election as a write-in candidate after losing her bid for renomination, according to sources briefed on Murkowski's decision.

Murkowski's decision will set up a 3-way battle between the incumbent, Miller and Sitka Mayor Scott McAdams (D), potentially turning the race on its head. Private 3-way polling has shown Miller leading, but by a narrow margin.

Murkowski had been mulling her options after losing to attorney Joe Miller (R) by 1.8% -- or about 2K votes out of 110K cast.

Certainly, a slap in the face to the voters of one of our various states, coming from the hand of an entrenched Washington politician on the Republican side of the aisle.  Senator, you can't be accused of "quitting" now-- you've been fired by the electorate!

This is the latest, but not the only, incumbent Republican to put his personal power over the wishes of his constituency. 

Charlie Crist, the formerly-popular governor of Florida, left the Republican party after it was clear he could not beat the GOP voter's choice, Marco Rubio, in the GOP primary.  He has since changed his position on any number of red-meat fiscal issues especially important to voters this cycle, supporting public unions and increased government transfer payments, to name two, presumably to garner Democrat votes.

Mike Castle, the 40-year incumbent liberal Republican was ousted by newcomer Christine O'Donnell in true-blue Delaware in the GOP primary.  Castle has not, one full week later, endorsed O'Donnell-- nut he has had long conversations with the President and the Vice President.  Many of the entrenched Washington elite Republicans have not, either.  Karl Rove and Charles Krauthammer have come out scathingly against O'Donnell, with personal attacks and a blunt dismissiveness that neither could muster against a Democrat.

Bob Bennett, Senator from Utah, was eliminated from consideration at his party's convention.  Bennett called the political atmosphere "toxic" and said it's, "Clear some of the votes I've cast have added to that toxic environment, looking back with one or two minor exceptions, I wouldn't cast any any differently, even if I knew it would cost me my career."

The three-term senator was targeted by Tea Party activists and other groups for supporting the first launch of the Troubled Assets Relief Program.

Even here in the People's Republic of Massachusetts, Former nude model Scott Brown beat sure-thing successor to Ted Kennedy's throne, Martha Coakley, by promising to derail the Democrats' agenda with regards to socialized medicine.

In any of these cases, Machiavelli's advice would be the same to the candidate:  Save yourself for another day.  For when your "usurpers" fail, there will be many in the population who will turn against them.   They will look back to you for new leadership.  Flailing about for power after being removed by the ultimate Sovereign, the People, puts a target on your back by making you look weak, and keeps you from the business of rebuilding your army (in cash and volunteers) for the eventual turn of tide.

Especially in the case of Murkowski, who is a legacy candidate who is a "big wheel" in Alaskan GOP politics, waiting until the next Senate election (in 2014) would have been the smarter move.  She could stay active in state politics, keep her volunteer network intact, raise money, and return rejuvinated for another bite of the apple.  As it is, she's thrown away her Republican bona fides, GOP money, and her big claim to relevance:  the ability to milk the legislative process from well within the GOP inner circle for more pork for Alaska!

It has become clear that the TEA movement is not a movement of Republicans, but rather a movement against entrenched, comfortable, powerful politicians of both parties.  The Republicans are feeling the bite of the TEA movement in the primaries, and the Democrats will likely feel it in November.  If the movement was against only Democrats, then the TEA movement may have waited in some part until general elections.  No.  This is an insurgency.  It has been conducted upon the soap box, and to a limited degree, at the ballot box.  And it has been created through the actions of the President, and the inaction of the minority party against him.

Machiavelli clearly instructs those who are princes to destroy all adversaries completely, down to the destruction of their blood relatives.  He instructs the Prince to consider himself the ultimate authority in all things, and never waver in his decisions.  While this is a good instruction for a principate, it is useless in a republic, where the people hold Sovereign power.

The mistake that entrenched Republicans and most Democrats are now making is to believe they are the root of power, as well as inhabiting it's seat.  I often hear, especially from Democrats, that this or that legislation needs to be "explained," or that the people need "reeducation" on this or that topic.

The People have Sovereign power.  Our word is final in these matters-- ones that can be remedied at the ballot box, anyway.  In this sense, those politicians who are frightened by the TEA movement have forgotten who holds the ultimate power over our Legislative and Executive branches.

Had these politicians remembered that this is not a principate, but a republic, perhaps they could have listened closer when they still had a chance to save their necks!

But the hour of decision in this most mild of revolutions is at hand, and there is nothing within the structure of our republic which can save legislators who have repeatedly and gleefully gone against the will of the people.

Ace/Bacon

You know, I just read over O'Donnell's short position statements. 

She sure sounds like a normal person to me.

http://tinyurl.com/2ebnjnq

If you were suppose to do only the Prince

maybe you should have shown the diff between Idealism and Realism more and compare it to Conservative vs Moderate

Thank you again.  BUT... next time, can you add some snark?  I start falling asleep when people aren't insulting me or comparing Ace to an ewok

This just in:  Mexico killed in drug violence.  Border fence "seems superfluous now," says senior White House aide.

ok no problem

Ewoks were Idealism Lucas wanted something cute to sell more tickets

Princess laya's brass bra in the desert scene was a good example of Realism

because her tits sold more DVDS

Posted by: Bomber at September 20, 2010 11:59 PM (d88g9)

What about Palin/O'Donnell?

I'd vote for that.  I'd vote for that ticket three times a day.

_Pence/Beck

O'Delay!

CHESTER MARCOL!!!!!

Talk amongst yourselves.

I would have loved to have heard that speech live.    Maybe, the best description of the presidency, and what it should be, that I've heard in a very long time.

May be one of the best ass kickings that the O has received, lately, without even using his name.

31 Great speech and yep he's running....for vice president.

Yes, probably for a Palenty or Romney who would annoy the base. But remember that I think a guy in 2008 was running for VP and managed to take the prize.

Let's nominate Christine O'Donnell. 

Auntie Zetumi gives and interview, her arrogance is astounding, just like nephews. She says, "The system took advantage of me."

http://tinyurl.com/2djo9k7

the guy is one heck of a communicator. check his speeches on the house floor from the healthcare debate, about israel, about fiscal policy.... he understands what is going on, and how to deal with it. with plenty of passion to spare.

if i had the monopoly money to do it, i'd give him the individual max.

"pence makes sense"

If not for what happened to Coolidge's son, we might have seen a second Coolidge term instead of Hoover's big-gov't prescriptions, and the Great Depression, the collapse of the Weimar Republic, WW II and the Cold War might all have been avoided or greatly minimized.  We might be enjoying a GDP per capita of around $70-100K instead of $40K.

And all because of a blister.

Auntie Zetumi gives and interview, her arrogance is astounding, just like nephews. She says, "The system took advantage of me."

http://tinyurl.com/2djo9k7

Posted by: madamex at September 21, 2010 02:41 AM (dXGcy)

Holy crap..... What an arrogant nut.  We owe her?

Why isnt Obama helping her? 

Posted by: Bevel Lemelisk at September 21, 2010 08:03 AM (FkKjr)

 I think he likes them just fine under the bus because it would remind people of his questionable birth. How many people know that he has about 10 step-brothers and sisters via his dissolute father?

I like Pence and yeah, this is a good speech.  #2 on my depth chart for 12 and has to be on a ticket sometime down the road, I would think.

108--He's running to take Mitch Daniels's spot for Governor, when Mitch Daniels decides to run for President.

That strikes me as bass-ackwards.  What I've seen, Daniels isn't in Pence's league.  Not on the depth chart.

Posted by: PoconoJoe at September 21, 2010 08:26 AM (KOIXa)

Obama looks nothing like his father, though I have heard (I think) there is a half brother who looks like him.

Posted by: Bevel Lemelisk at September 21, 2010 08:03 AM (FkKjr)

Yes, but him helping her voluntarily would be charity, not "Fundamental Change".  "Fundamental Change" (as most of the electorate is slowly discovering) is when the power of the state is used to coerce YOU and ME into taking care of her!

And, of course, we know that this president is all about "Fundamental Change"*

_{* I wonder if, instead of "Fundamental Change", his election slogan had been the more truthful "Reparations for Slavery" would he have still won?}