No Candidate is Perfect

I’ve been asked by some people why I haven’t criticized Bobby Jindal regarding his vote FOR the House Farm Act of 2007 (H.R. 2419). I did mention Jindal’s vote as “questionable” a couple weeks ago, but certainly did not criticize it in my usual, “What the heck?” tone.

One reason is that I was awaiting a response as to why he voted for it. Of course, we do know the obvious reason, he’s running for Governor and didn’t want to alienate the corn farmer vote, but I wanted to wait and see if there was another reason.

However, since I hadn’t received an answer, I’m going to assume it was political pandering. After all, even Congressmen such as Duncan Hunter (R-CA) and Charles Boustany (R-LA), who broke away from Republicans to vote AGAINST CAFTA to protect local farmers, voted against the Democrat’s farm bill.

So was this a bad vote by Jindal in my opinion? Yes. It was a horrible choice, as it increases the subsidies on corn at a time when corn is reaching its highest demands, causing the price of everything from milk to beef to cooking oil to escalate.

But is that vote going to cause me to change who I support for Governor? Certainly not. Bobby Jindal is by FAR the best gubernatorial candidate, certainly heads and shoulder above a guy who can’t decide if he wants to be a Republican or Democrat and another guy who thinks good economic policy is to impose witch-hunt taxes on one of the few prospering industries in Louisiana.

Look at the 2008 Presidential Election. Anyone who reads this site knows that I am a big fan of Congressman Duncan Hunter. He is my choice for the next president of the United States. Other than Ron Paul on domestic issues, no other candidate, in my opinion, comes close to matching the ideas, political ideology, and credentials of Duncan Hunter.

However, Duncan Hunter loves his earmarks, especially when it comes to military spending. Of course, I can think of worse things to splurge taxpayer money on than our military, but nevertheless, I believe Hunter is wrong, and I believe all these earmarks need to be done away with ASAP.

But my disliking of Hunter taking advantage of congressional earmarks does not cancel out his military experience and record, his record on illegal immigration, protecting American jobs, support of the Fair Tax, and his canny to tell it like it is. Duncan Hunter is a politician just like the rest of them in D.C., but he is a no B.S. politician.

So, no politician is going to be perfect. For crying out loud, they’re POLITICIANS. However, I personally believe that Bobby Jindal is by far the best person running for Governor of Louisiana, and Duncan Hunter is by far the best person running for President of the United States.

The GOP has Lost It, Or at Least Lost Me

The Republican Party of Iowa released the results of their extremely popular straw poll yesterday.

Mitt Romney was the winner, Mike Huckabee, second, and Sam Brownback, third. My personal choice, Duncan Hunter, finished eight, and third to last just ahead of John McCain and John Cox.

But come on!! Sam Brownback third?? And ahead of Duncan Hunter and John McCain.

What is wrong with our “mainstream” Republicans? We are in the middle of a War on Terror. Fighting terrorists and stopping illegal immigration, which does pose a terror threat to the U.S., should be the most important issues in this election. Duncan Hunter and John McCain lead the Republican field in military experience and knowledge, while Sam Brownback has ZIP. Duncan Hunter has lead the fight to secure our borders, while Sam Brownback enthusiastically supported the Kennedy-McCain-Bush-LaRaza immigration “reform” bill.

Am I missing something here? We know John McCain is soft on illegal immigration, but his military experience trumps that of Mitt Romney, Sam Brownback, and Rudy Giuliani, three guys who lack military experience AND who are either soft and/or complete flip-flops on illegal immigration.

Mitt Romney, the winner of the poll, is nothing but a Republican version of John Kerry, and Sam Brownback is nothing but a religious Right conservative, nothing else of substance to offer.

I know many Republicans are mad at McCain for his stances on campaign finance reform and illegal immigration. But campaign finance reform can’t destroy our country. Terrorism can. Having no real border/immigration enforcement can. At least John McCain has the record to serve our country well in one of those two important battles. Rudy Giuliani, Mitt Romney and Sam Brownback have none.

As for Mike Huckabee, I find myself warming up to him. He appears to have a decent stance on illegal immigration. However, his a time of war, I do question in military knowledge.

Regardless, Duncan Hunter and John McCain certainly deserves better than 8th and 9th place, unless the GOP powers that be are content to go forth with their heads up their rears.

As for this Conservative Cajun, barring someone like Hunter, or even better, Col. David Hunt as the V.P. mate (I’d actually prefer Hunt over Hunter for President, but he’s not running), it will be extremely hard, maybe impossible, to bring myself to vote for Romney, Brownback, or Guiliani for President, even if the Democrat nominee is Hillary. That Constitution Party has some good ideas.


Bobby Jindal for Governor 2007

Duncan Hunter for President 2008