Doing the right thing

On Saturday, Senator Stacey Campfield, who had been the co-director for former House Speaker Newt Gingrich's campaign in Tennessee, announced that he was withdrawing as Newt's statewide co-chair, and as a Gingrich delegate, and throwing his support behind Rick Santorum. Stacey also announced that he wasn't alone.

Therefore, as of now, I am stepping down as the statewide co chairman for Newt Gingrich and throwing all of my support behind Rick Santorum. Going with me are the top 3 second congressional district delegates for Newt (Dr. Leonard Brown, Dr. Aaron Margulise and Scott Smith).

I know that this was a tough decision for Stacey, and I am not just saying that because it is the polite and politick thing to say, I am saying it because I really do know. I've known Stacey personally for years, and I consider him to be one of my best friends, and he is certainly the best friend I have in the politics of this State-he has stood with me and stood up for me and behind me when no one else would. He is a real champion of the conservative movement if there ever was one in Tennessee.

Stacey called me Thursday to let me know that he was considering this switch. He said that Rick had called him personally, and they dealt with scenarios and with political realities. Stacey said he really enjoyed his talk with Rick, and said he felt that Rick had a real strategy in place to win. When I talked to Stacey, though, he still hadn't made his decision. He's a loyalist to the bone whose word is known to be his bond. He didn't want to seem like he was betraying a commitment that he had made. I reminded him of words he had once said to me: "Politics is a cruel and expensive mistress, and when the votes aren't there, you just have to move on."  He repeated part of that in his blog post announcing his decision. It is a reality that any of us who have ever been involved in political campaigns have had to deal with at some point, and it is always a hard one, especially when it is confronting a candidate that you believe deeply in.

I shared with Stacey why I feel the way I do about Rick, of course, but I didn't try to persuade him, only offered my help in any way I could to help make it a smooth transition if he did decide to switch. "I can only offer you one word of advice," I told him, "do the right thing."

He, Dr. Brown, Dr. Marguilise, and Mr. Smith made their choice for the good of the Republican Party and the country.

Consecrate a Fast; Call a Solemn Assembly

I believe this presidential election is the most critical election of my lifetime so far. America is at a crossroads, and depending on who we elect, we will either return to the values and principles that have made the United States a great nation, or we will descend into secularism, European-style socialism, and increasing size of both government and national debt.

This Super Tuesday will be critical to Rick Santorum's success; 419 delegates are at stake. I support Rick not only for his sound economic ideas, but for his corageous stand on social issues. All of the GOP candidates have at least paid lip service to pro-life issues and religious liberty, but Rick has been more outspoken on these issues by far. In fact, he hasn't just spoken of life and liberty--he's fought for them.

This is bold (and even a little risky) in an age in which even "conservatives" are urging candidates to avoid discussion of  abortion and same sex unions and focus on the economy. I believe this is a mistake. A conservative movement without social conservative is a watered-down, compromised conservatism. What we need in this hour is a strong conservative, both fiscally and socially. Rick Santorum is the strongest conservative currently running for the GOP nomination.

That is why tomorrow I will be fasting and praying that the American people would awake from their slumber and take their country back. I am also calling on all people of faith, especially Christians, to fast and pray with me for another Great Awakening. I am fasting and praying on Super Tuesday in hopes that Rick will get the necessary boost he needs to win, because I honestly believe he's the best candidate. If America picks Rick, it will be a sign that my fellow Americans are hungry for a return to the Judeo-Christian values our nation was founded on.

In the words of the prophet Joel:

"Yet even now," declares the Lord,
"return to me with all your heart,
with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning;
and rend your hearts and not your garments."
Return to the Lord your God,
for he is gracious and merciful,
slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love;
and he relents over disaster.
Who knows whether he will not turn and relent,
and leave a blessing behind him,
a grain offering and a drink offering
for the Lord your God?

Blow the trumpet in Zion;
consecrate a fast;
call a solemn assembly;
gather the people.
Consecrate the congregation;
assemble the elders;
gather the children,
even nursing infants.
Let the bridegroom leave his room,
and the bride her chamber.
~Joel 2:12-16 ESV

Let's fast and pray and bring an end to this wretched age of compromise. Let's send a message to the world that we are still one nation, under God, and we still believe in liberty and justice for all. Let's send a message to Barack Obama that we're not interested in his hope, his change, or his fundamental transformation of America into a Marxist republic. Let's send a message to Washington D.C. that we are sick of pork-barrel spending, high taxes, special interests, gratuitous mandates and programs, and all other waste and corruption. Let's start by crying out to a merciful, Almighty God Who can set this nation right again.

Whuh? No Santorum delegates on ballot?

Many Santorum supporters, when looking over the sample ballot (here), are wondering how to vote for delegates in light of the fact that Santorum does not have any "committed delegates" on the ballot.  Good question, my friend, and I'm here to help.  First, a little explanation about GOP delegate selection (hat tip my friends at Tennessee Eagle Forum).

Each voter, ideally, has the opportunity to vote for 17 delegates to attend the Republican National Committee Convention.  That number (17) includes 14 delegates who "serve" as at-large representatives (essentially for the entire state) and 3 delegates who serve as representatives of a particular congressional district.  Most of the delegate candidates are "committed" to vote for a certain candidate at the convention.

If a presidential candidate wins 2/3 of the vote, then s/he is entitled to have fill ALL of the 17 available delegate slots. If no candidate receives more than 2/3 of the votes cast, delegates are appointed (spread out) to all candidates that receive more than 20% of the vote.  Delegates shall be apportioned according to the ratio of votes received among candidates receiving more than 20% of the votes cast.  Here's an example:

Candidate A (42% of vote) - wins 6 delegate spots
Candidate B (33% of vote) - wins 5 delegate spots
Candidate C (21% of vote) - wins 3 delegate spots
Candidate D (14% of vote) - wins 0 delegate spots

Given that the dividend (the number being divided) is 14, the equal apportioning of delegates could be mathematically impossible, and in that event, the State GOP executive committee is "authorized to modify the provision that causes the problem to ensure a mathematically possible result.

Delegates from each congressional district are allocated in a similar fashion. If a candidate receives two-thirds (2/3) of the vote, that candidate receives all the delegates for that congressional district. If no candidate receives two-thirds (2/3), the candidate that receives the plurality of votes receives two delegates. The candidate receiving the next highest number of votes receives the remaining delegate.

The "committed delegates" essentially must win a campaign within a campaign in order to serve, because they will only have the opportunity to represent TN at the convention (a) if their candidate (the one to whom they're "committed") wins a high enough percentage of votes to earn delegates and (b) if they win enough votes to beat out other delegates committed to the same candidate.

So, where does that leave a voter whose candidate does not have any committed delegates?  The bottom line is that how you vote for delegates will neither help  Well, you can just vote for none, or vote for delegates who are committed to other Presidential candidates. It will not affect your vote for president.  The key (duh) is to vote for your presidential preference, which will help your candidate to earn more delegate spots, and if you know a particular delegate (committed to another candidate) whom you would most trust to represent Tennessee at the National Convention, then it might be wise to vote for him or her.  Given the nature of the primary system, perhaps the most under-appreciated aspect of the Convention is that delegates must vote on the party's platform.  Squishy Republicans have been agitating for decades to move the GOP leftward, and your delegate vote can help prevent that.  I just voted for a couple of folks I know and trust who were running as delegates . . . and then wrote my name in ;)

Tennessee Conservative Legislators Endorse Rick Santorum

Santorum garners endorsements from Conservative legislative leaders.

6-year headstart ain't nothin' to sneeze at . . .

Latest from the Romney campaign (Romney Camp Slams Santorum Over Organization - WSJ):

The Mitt Romney campaign seized on Rick Santorum’s failure to qualify for delegates in a handful of Super Tuesday states, saying he has flunked the test required to be the party’s nominee.

Of the 391 bound delegates up for grabs on Tuesday, Mr. Santorum will be ineligible for up to 16% of them, according to an analysis the Romney campaign distributed to reporters Saturday.

First, this criticism from Romney 2012 attorney Ben Ginsberg is ironic in light of their campaign's weaselly grab for one extra delegate in Michigan. But, I just love the "16%" figure, and the fact that Romney has been running for president for 6 years, longer than every other candidate but Lyndon Larouche (and Ron Paul, who has pined for the job since at least 1988 when he resigned from the GOP and ran the first time).

That being said, I will not deny that Mitt Romney's organization is impressive and that it reflects well on him. One thing that I couldn't help but observe from attending the Nashville/Belmont U. event on Wednesday night was that the Santorum campaign is unconventional and driven by ideas. The man was over an hour late; there was no upbeat music; the audience was packed with sitting-on-their-hands Ron Paul followers; there were no warm-up speakers or long introductions . . . it was just Rick Santorum, speaking for over an hour without notes and challenging the conventional wisdom that big government is better and that American Exceptionalism is blase. So, yes, Santorum's campaign is unconventional, but if and when he wins the nomination, I hope we'll be able to count on Ben Ginsberg's expert assistance . . .

The mud is slinging

The negative ads from the Frontrunner's SuperPAC were all over the radio this morning, deceptively telling us that no "candidate" authorized them, with their soundbytes quoting Rick conveniently out of context. It is to be expected, because if the polls are to be believed at all, the Frontrunner is in some trouble, and he knows it.

Reproductive "Rights" are a Fluke!

Sandra Fluke has been practically canonized as a saint by the left. She became a "martyr" for the cause when Darrel Issa barred her from testifying before congress. When she was allowed to testify later on, the left championed her as an activist for women's reproductive rights. The question is: What is Sandra Fluke really standing for--rights or entitlement programs?

Sandra Fluke is not fighting for womens' reproductive rights. She's fighting to have the rest of us pay for her sex life! Ms. Fluke can have as much sex as she wants--that is none of my business. But now she wants the government to force insurance companies to provide free contraceptives to all women. My wallet is my business.

That means Hospitals, universities, and other employers affiliated with the Roman Catholic Church will be ordered by the government to go against their ancient moral convictions. It also means that insurance premiums will go up to cover the cost of Ms. Fluke's sex life. The fact of the matter is, Ms. Fluke is not fighting for anyone's rights. No one has ever advocated the outright ban of birth control (despite what the leftist propagandists have said). She's fighting for the state to tell the church what to do, which violates the First Amendment. She's fighting for free contraceptives--free to her, that is. Nothing is actually free, and the rest of us will have to foot the bill. Both of these "causes" that she fights for under the false banner of reproductive rights are despicable.

The government needs to get their nose out of the insurance business and out of the healthcare business. Whether these businesses want to provide contraception or not is, well, their business. Ms. Fluke testified before congress that without insurance coverage, contraception could cost a woman over $3,000.00. She gave no convincing reason why the American people, or anyone other than her, ought to pay for it.

I asked my wife, who is a woman, and who works for an insurance broker whether she thought birth control was a "right." She said no. Ms. Fluke would like to characterize the lack of insurance coverage for birth control as a "medical crisis." And yet, somehow, women have survived for approximately 100,000 years without it.

Take away all the emotional pleas, and the sad tales of woe (in other words, manipulation and propaganda) from Ms. Fluke's testimony and look at the facts. Birth control, like any other aid to recreational activity is not a right. I love fishing. Do you suppose I ought to become an activist for fishermen's rights and persuade the government to force bait shops to give away fish hooks free of charge? I had a friend who was forced to go noodling because he couldn't afford a fish hook, and a catfish bit his finger off! It's a medical crisis!

That never happened of course, but I hope you see my point. We're not talking about rights here; we're talking about entitlements.

Rick Santorum is a crusader against entitlements. He has fought against government dependency because he believes the American people are able to take care of themselves better than the government. He was an author of the Welfare Reform Act, passed in 1996. He has pledged to repeal Obamacare and has been an outspoken critic of President Obama's HHS birth control mandate.

If you are sick of paying for everyone else's entitlements, and sick of gratuitous government mandates, pick Rick on Super Tuesday!