The Keystone Boys

Return to normal

2008-11-12T12:08:00.000-08:00

Well, the election is over. The democrats were successful in winning the White House, along with several more Senate seats and a good chunk of House seats. So for the most part, the campaigns are over and we can sit back and relax for a bit until the 2010 midterms.
So what is left to be excited about? Well, we have a State House in Pennsylvania that remains very tight with possible leadership battles looming in the future - especially with Rep. DeWeese continuing to hold his seat. Furthermore, we have an election for governor in 2010 which will prove to be hotly contested, especially with Tom Corbett and Jack Wagner being re-elected.
Furthermore, we can only sit back and wait to see if the Republican party can mount any kind of a comeback. The democrats seemed to pick up seats just about everywhere, and it is yet to be determined if the republicans will just sit back and let the democrats lead or if they will fight back and work to re-take those seats in the 2010 and 2012 elections.

Politics Aside...Another Maverick Move in a Dogfight

2008-09-24T12:16:00.001-07:00

Drudge is reporting that John McCain is suspending his Presidential campaign to return to Washington to help put together a piece of legislation to help get our economy back to good. Of course, this is the kind of leadership we need, of course this is what we have come to expect of John McCain, of course this is what needs to be done. Thank God someone is doing it.

Politics aside, this is one of the most American things a Presidential candidate has done during his bid for the White House. Coming from the man who said that he would rather lose an election than have his country lose a war is living up to his principles and committment to keep this country, his country, our country strong. To put Country First.

Sen. McCain has extended the offer to suspend the campaign to Sen. Obama. Once again, this country is faced with one of the most heated Presidential campaigns in history. It would be an awesome display of unbridaled patriotism if both candidates could come together to express their desire to make this country strong. This is not a political issue. This is an American issue (anyone remember Obama's convention speech in '04).

With debate prep underway, with the campagins in full swing, with the election 6 weeks away, the winner of this election will not be decided on the stump. The winner of this election will be decided by a record of leadership, the kind of leadership that has been shown by John McCain.

It is a shame that our leaders in Washington have not yet come to a final resolution on how to stem the ebb of the current economic flow, and, of course, a hasty resolution is not going to help anyone (I mean, we are talking about vesting a huge amount of power in one agency), but it is time to get off the bench. It is time to do something.

Break's over.

49 days until the election

2008-09-16T15:53:00.000-07:00

With 7 weeks left until the election, the republican lead in national polling has come back down to 1 point over Obama in both Gallup and Rasmussen.

Gallup - McCain 47 / Obama 46
Rasmussen - McCain 48 / Obama 47

While the lead held by the republicans a week ago has dwindled some, the post convention polling remains stronger than the polls prior to the convention - clearly showing that the American people like what they see with Senator McCain and Governor Palin.

It's ironic that with the polling remaining strong for the republicans, and Pennsylvania polling as strong as ever, that John Baer (of the Philly Daily News) published a column a few days ago chiding Gov. Palin for her interview with Charlie Gibson. While I enjoy Baer's unique ability to discuss politics in a serious and yet comical manner, I think his comments in this article were a little misplaced.

Joining the ranks of the liberal media, Baer attempts to paint Palin as an un-educated redneck who doesn't understand the Bush Doctrine or the situation in Pakistan. In response, I would like to say that the PRESIDENT is the commander and chief of the military and I would take John McCain over Obama any day on foreign affairs. Second, 3 of this country's past 4 presidents were governors and didn't come into the White House with a wealth of foreign policy experience. (and the last time I checked, Ronald Reagan did manage to defeat communism - so he clearly got things figured out pretty fast) Continually questioning her ability to lead our country, Baer is simply continuing the trend of subtle implication that McCain won't live 4 more years.

Lastly, he attempts to mock her for references to God and the unalienable rights guaranteed by the Constitution. If I'm not mistaken, the Supreme Court of the United States declared pretty clearly in D.C. v. Heller that the right to own a gun is one of those unalienable rights. Not so long ago, the democratic nominee for President mocked the people of Pennsylvania for clinging to their guns and religion - it appears that Baer has now turned to insulting Alaskans for the same thing. It's no big surprise that the democrats can't pull themself out of the polling deficit as they are evidently busy coming up with new ways to insult people.

State System of Higher Education Gets Smoking Ban Wrong

2008-09-16T09:27:00.000-07:00

Today's Patriot News details how the 14 Universities of the State System of Higher Education has banned smoking, inside and out. Whoa! Hold on a minute. Granted, I understand smoking is bad for your health and second-hand smoke is generally accepted as having an adverse affect on non-smokers. That being said, however (and all respect to Janis Joplin), but freedom is not just another word for nothing left to lose.

I do not doubt that the SSHE has every right to ban smoking indoors under the new smoking ban and frankly, they should have this power anyway, but a complete ban on smoking for all of the Commonwealth's public universities is simply over-inclusive discrimination. It is not simply a regulation of location, but it is a regulation of behavior. A behavior that all free Americans have the freedom to enjoy. Should one be free from second-hand smoke? Put it another way, does it impinge upon the freedom of non-smokers to be subject to second-hand smoke? I think the answer is both yes and no. Certainly nobody is forcing a non-smoker to enter smoking areas and certainly nobody is forcing non-smokers to associate with smokers. A simple inconvenience to a non-smoker in having to walk around a designated smoking area is a far less greater intrusion into our fundamental liberties (i.e. the freedom to choose what legal behavior in which we engage) than banning a LEGAL behavior all together.

Pa.'s smoking ban in no way requires the SSHE to ban smoking all together, nor does the implication even arise from the ban itself. The thrust of the smoking ban is to regulate private entities to require patrons to smoke OUTSIDE. Certainly, a public institution implementing an outright smoking ban is both fundamentally outrageous, but in all likelihood opens up the Commonwealth to litigation over a violation of civil rights. How would the SSHE and the Commonwealth feel if the Supreme Court were to find smoking to be a fundamental right under the Constitution which cannot be limited by the government? Such a conclusion is not that outlandish considering the test for determining which rights are fundamental under the Constitution.

For the anti-smokers out there, a reasonable accomodation for smokers should be preferrable to having no accomodation for non-smokers. There can and should be a reasonable accomodation for the smokers of the SSHE. In reality, the Pa. smoking ban was enacted to force people to GO OUTSIDE. If the SSHE wants to ban smoking indoors, fine, go ahead and do it. You won't hear many complaints. Yet, the second you begin banning a behavior is the second that the bastion of higher thought becomes the bastion of tryanny.

The actions of the 14 public universities of the State System of Higher Education needs to be stopped and stopped now.

50 days until the election

2008-09-15T16:01:00.000-07:00

With 50 days left until the election, the national polling again held steady today with Gallup and Rasmussen continuing to have McCain 2 points up.

Gallup - McCain 47 / Obama 45
Rasmussen - McCain 49 / Obama 47

More importantly though was a group of state polls released by Fox News/Rasmussen which continued to show the Republicans strengthening their lead in typically red states. (I.E. Ohio, Florida, and Colorado)
Most important though was the state poll for Pennsylvania which shows McCain and Obama tied - a dead heat at 47 to 47. This is just the latest in a set of polls that shows the Republicans closing the gap in Pennsylvania.
Yesterday we mentioned that a win in Minnesota would probably cause an early decision on election night - to go one step further, a win in Pennsylvania would all but secure the election for McCain, and possibly lead to a much bigger victory than anyone has anticipated.

DeWeese Gets it Right...After He Got it Very Wrong

2008-09-15T08:29:00.001-07:00

The front page of yesterday's Philadelphia Inquirer had a story about how House Majority Leader Bill DeWeese (D) is getting back to basics in his campaign to keep his State House seat. The articles goes on to describe how DeWeese has taken off his searsucker and put on his Marines T-Shirt. It says how he is driving around Greene County in a mud-stained pickup as he fights the campaign of a lifetime.

While I like seeing DeWeese get back to his roots, I think it is too little too late. The fact that he has to pretend that he is "one of the folks" only after being smeared following Bonusgate is disheartening. The fact that politicians feel like they need to return to their roots only once they learn that they have become an insider is troubling. I think it a theme that spreads beyond Mr. DeWeese and is a symbol of our entire Republican form of government. Of course, Rep. DeWeese has served the Commonwealth with distinction and he should not shy away from the fact that his portrait hangs in the State House next to our other distinguished Speakers, but he should have been always remembering where he came from and the people who put him where he sits.

It is always disheartening to see things like this. There should be a concerted effort to always be with the people, they are the ones that, in fact, have put you where you are. I would like to see Paul Clymer in short pants at the grocery store or Ron Marisco at Five Guys. Politicians are not better than us, even though they do weild a great deal of power.

If Rep. DeWeese wanted to impress me, he should have been doing this from the beginning, they all should have. Instead of holding back riposte metaphors, they should have been hanging out with those who love them the most, the people who put their faith and confidence in them, the people amongst whom they live.

Sorry Rep. DeWeese, it is too little too late.

51 days until the election

2008-09-14T15:56:00.000-07:00

With 51 days left until the election, nationwide polling continues to show McCain-Palin up a few points over the democratic ticket.

Gallup - McCain 47 / Obama 45
Rasmussen - McCain 50 / Obama 47

More interesting today was the release of two polls in Minnesota that show McCain-Palin in striking range for the 10 electoral votes in the Gopher State.

Minneapolis Star Tribune - McCain 45 / Obama 45
Survey USA - McCain 47 / Obama 49

Minnesota has gone to the democrats in the past two presidential elections and a win there for McCain-Palin would probably provide an early decision on election night. This is just one example of many in the past few weeks that show the republicans strengthening their lead in many traditionally red states (I.E. Indiana, Florida and North Carolina) while starting to make it interesting in states that have a tendency to go blue. (I.E. Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Minnesota)

Swing State Analysis is Lost in Translation

2008-09-14T08:56:00.000-07:00

On the front page of this morning's Patriot News is a mildly thorough analysis of Pennsylvania as a swing state. Now, while I appreciate the Patriot's attempt at psycho-analyzing the Commonwealth, I feel their analysis is lacking.

First of all, the "contentious" Philly suburbs are not what they used to be. The only tough Congressional race is in my beloved 8th District where Tom Manion (R) is facing off against incumbent and carpet-bagger extraoridnarie Patrick Murphy (D). While the '06 race in the 8th District was one that political junkies dream of, Murphy (being part of the do nothing Democratic Congress) is running against a formidable, yet less divisive opponent. (Note: Mike Fitzpatrick was not divisive, but his votes on several major issues (i.e. CAFTA) put him in the hot-seat with many moderate Republicans). While Manion is an incredible choice (and lord knows I hope he wins), Rep. Murphy has the current advantage. Even Terry Madonna isn't polling in the 8th District. When TM thinks it isn't worthwhile, you know something is awry.

While I do not have the answer for how to win the 8th district, I think it would help to show the handfull of times that Rep. Murphy made his face known on CSPAN. Watching Rep. Murphy flounder around asking questions during a hearing is certainly something that will give some voters some pause.

Second, the 10th and 11th Districts are more up for grabs than the Patriot's analysis would have one believe. Hazleton Mayor and outspoken patriot Lou Barletta (R) has one heck of a chance against Beltway-Paul Kanjorski (D) in the 11th. Also, Chris Carney (D) is floundering in the 10th against Chris Hackett (R). Hackett definitely has a chance so long as he can shake the Sherwood feeling from his shoulders. While, the Patriot news makes these regions seem solidly blue or solidly red, it appears that they are neither.

Bottom line, there is a sea-change in Commonwealth and the old dogmas are no longer going to cut it in political analysis. Like most states and like most things in politics and in life, the Commonwealth is a mystery whose secrets will be revealed only on election day. I am a firm believer in Pa. going red in November, I am a firm believer in Manion over Murphy, Barletta over Kanjo, and Hackett over Carney, but my beliefs are just as sound as the Patriot's political analysis.

The one-sided undertone

2008-09-14T05:57:00.000-07:00

In the most recent issue of Time magazine, Joe Klein wrote a column which referred to "Sarah Palin's Myth of America." In an attempt to paint Palin as an out-of-touch, redneck from a small town in Alaska, Klein continually invokes the idea of rural america being a myth. Using almost abrasive style, Klein paints Palin as the new leader of a party whose "blinding whiteness and fervent religiosity... are an enduring testament to the myth of America that existed before we had all these problems." The undertone of the article is simply that conservatives are a group of overly religous and racist white people who have united behind Sarah Palin to take out the first african-american nominee for president.
I'd like to make two points in response to this article.
First, Klein's habit of referring to rural america as a myth is slightly offensive. While America is certainly becoming more and more suburban every day and the cities are expanding into the countryside, the belief in hard work and less government has not disappeared.
Second, the continual references to rural america and the "whiteness" of the Republican party makes very clear the underlying belief of the press. What I can't seem to understand is why the democrats can continually talk about the chances of McCain not being able to live through his first term and nobody ever stands up and says "Suggesting the Republican candidate can't live four years is borderline treasonous." If a conservative would even think about mentioning anything about Obama not being able to serve his full term, that person would be painted as a traitor to America and a monumental racist. While I am more than confident that Sen. Obama could serve if elected, I am simply frustrated at the suggestion that Sen. McCain could not - and even more frustrated at the suggestion that when he dies, we will be left with a mythical leader from rural america who is evidently evil because she enjoys hunting.

McCain-Palin come to Lancaster

2008-09-13T15:18:00.000-07:00

To kick off our new blog, we've decided to post this video of Sen. McCain and Gov. Palin from their recent campaign stop in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, an event which we both attended. This was a wildly successful event, with over 7000 supporters in attendance and clearly demonstrated why McCain-Palin are going to win Pennsylvania's 21 electoral votes in the upcoming election.