Why I’m Willing to Throw Away the ‘08 Election

Anyone who knows me cannot doubt my conservative credentials. I am a card-carrying member of the RNC, but I am willing see President Hilary Clinton before I will vote for Rudi Giuliani.    

I know the phrase President Hilary Clinton sends evil chills down the spines of anyone who supports a strong military, free enterprise, and low taxes. However, should the election come down Rudi v. Mrs. Clinton, I will vote third party, preferably for former Gov. Mike Huckabee.    

There are multiple reasons why, and none of them are because Dr. James Dobson said so. I cannot bring myself to vote for anyone who is pro infanticide, also known as pro-choice. I know that Rudi has promised not to appoint liberal activist judges, but he has also told three wives “til death do us part”. His promises do not mean very much to me.    

Many conservatives do not trust Mitt Romney because he has flip-flopped on abortion and the exclusive right of marriage for homosexuals (heterosexuals have no such right). But, those same conservatives ignore the fact that as Mayor of New York, Rudi was for gun control, government payment of abortion up to the moment of birth, and special rights for homosexuals. Why is Romney a flip-flopper but Rudi is the candidate who can beat Hilary? Rudi is not trustworthy. The only conservative value that Rudi brings is leadership on the war on terror. There are other conservative candidates who also bring this and they are true conservatives, not a liberal in sheep’s clothing.   

Second, there are two main philosophies when it comes to voting in an election. One can vote for the lesser of the two evils or one can vote the person that you want to win. When social conservatives pull the lever for Rudi because they do not want Hilary, they are not voting for who they want to win. I am a proponent of the second philosophy.      

I vote for the person I want to win, not against the person I want to lose. This leads to partisan politics, voters vote for Republicans because they do not want to see a Democrat win. This foolishness abandons all control over the parties. Conservatives should tell the Republican Party who our candidate should be, not the other way around. What is the point of having a primary if we are going to vote only for the person most likely to defeat the other party’s nominee? The primary process is designed to pick the candidate you want to win, not the candidate that can best beat the other side.    

Third, I cannot see how any conservative can encourage the Republican Party to take a giant step left. The reason why Ronald Reagan was so popular with conservatives while losing the primary to Ford in 1976 was because he forced the Republican Party back to the right.    

Reagan’s campaign forced the Party to accept a philosophy of superior national defense, opposed the welfare system that reduced the incentive to work, and an endorsement of the Human Life Amendment. Even in his loss, Ronaldus Maximus impacted the future of the Republican Party for decades. All my life the Republican Party has stood for protecting those who cannot protect themselves and now my fellow conservatives are going to vote for a pro-choice, pro-gun control, and pro-special rights for homosexuals candidate. They are going to do this in order to keep Hilary out of office even though she is to the right of Rudi on abortion!    

Conservatives have a responsibility to keep the Republican Party conservative.  Many years ago, it would have been un-thought of to have a nominee who would not fight to keep prayer in schools. Many years ago, it would have been un-thought of to have a nominee who would not fight against an un-Constitutional federal income tax. Those issues are now all but lost; I will not stand by and watch the protection of innocent life go down the same drain.    

I cannot bring myself to vote for any of the Republican front-runners. Rudi Giuliani is not a conservative and is barely a Republican. Fred Thompson will not support a federal amendment to support the traditional definition of marriage. I am all for states’ rights, but I do not want Indiana to have to recognize a phony marriage performed in Massachusetts. John McCain has never been a Conservative, so at least he is not a flip-flopper. I also cannot see how I can vote for Mitt Romney. As Governor of Massachusetts, he was elected by the people who have voted for Senators Kennedy and Kerry for over twenty years!    

My great hope is with Mike Huckabee, Tom Tancredo, Duncan Hunter, Sam Brownback, or Alan Keyes. I know that as it stands right now, none of them have a real chance to win the nomination, but they are true conservatives.     

As much as I loathe the idea of Mrs. Clinton as our next President, four years of socialism is a small price to pay in order to protect the future of the Republican Party. If we vote for Rudi, we are endorsing the misbehavior of the Party. If we vote for Rudi this election, who will the next nominee be: Richard Lugar, Arlen Specter, Chuck Hagel? 

Jarrod Brigham 

Interview with a True American Hero

       This week’s article will be a little different than most. Recently I had an opportunity to sit down with one of our country’s finest, a serviceman in the military. There is no better way to get an understanding of what is happening in Iraq than to speak directly with the soldiers. Due to restrictions set in place by the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ) I am not able to release the identity of the interviewee. I am able to tell you that he has served during the last couple of years, and has recently returned from a surge deployment in the Middle East, arguably the most controversial part of the war.

Q:  Why did you choose to enlist in the military?
A:  Simple, college.

Q:  What do you think is the biggest threat to the United States today?

A:  The biggest threat is not war with another country, because of our ability to resolve things politically, and both countries fearing war. It is genuinely terrorism; the small single cell groups, working independently, getting through our boarders and making their moves. That’s what terrifies me. 

Q:  I am going to read two comments spoken earlier this year to you, one from Sen. John McCain and one from Sen. Harry Reid. Which statement is more accurate in your opinion and why?“For the first time since 2003, we have the right strategy. In Petraeus, we have a military professional who literally wrote the book on fighting this kind of war. And we will have the right mix and number of forces.” – John McCain“I believe … that this war is lost, and this surge is not
accomplishing anything, as is shown by the extreme violence in Iraq”- Harry Reid

A:  I would side with John McCain, and I know my fellow servicemen would do the same. Just because it’s a frustrating war doesn’t make it a lost war. I don’t want to do surge deployments any more than the next guy, but if I start believing that we aren’t accomplishing anything, that kind of morale hit to the serviceman would be terrible. Q:  Do you think it was the right or wrong thing to go into Iraq?A:  Right, but poorly planned and that is acting as a direct affect as to why I just returned from a surge deployment.
 

Q:  In your opinion, do the majority of soldiers want to end this war by
winning or by retreating?
A:  Winning, soldiers and sailors are some of the proudest Americans I will ever see and retreating would be demoralizing even if it is better for our well being.

Q:  Do you believe the coverage of the war has been fair to the military? 

A:  Hardly, because it changes so much depending on what source your going with. One day you might see something that leads you to believe that the war is won then the next you see 10 soldiers killed in battle.
 

Q:  What is your opinion of Blackwater USA?

A:  I think it’s a fine idea and I think the majority of my serviceman would agree. 

Q:  How do our troops react to the in-fighting between Bush and the Congress?

A:  The armed forces as a majority support our President, and from there they believe in the fight they are fighting. If Congress tries to cut the legs out from under us who do you think we would side with? 

Q:  What has been the most rewarding part of your experience?

A:  The most rewarding part of any experiences I have had, has been how much I have seen the world, how much my perspective has changed since I joined the military, and how much I have grown-up and matured. 

Q:  What is one of the ways your perspective has changed?

A:  How much I care about America, and how much I admire our country, compared to some of the other countries I have seen.
 

Q:  How can Americans best support the troops?

A:  I have received nothing but love and support from my friends, family and complete strangers, that’s not too much to ask for but it makes all the difference in the world to a soldier or sailor when they are away from home. 

Marcus Vigil 

If it is Right, You Will Feel It

It is incredible that the human condition can allow us to be completely satisfied with ourselves and our lives one day, or perhaps one moment, and in the turn of relatively small circumstances we can forget all about it. I am speaking of those moments in our daily lives where we say “I am happy to be alive, even though there are so many things wrong in the world.” Those moments don’t only come when we are satisfied with all of our circumstances; they can come simply based upon a mood.    

From personal experience, the differentiating features of the two moments seem to contain one primary catalyst, the individual’s feelings. When one is feeling wonderful, often times it is because they have an extremely intense euphoric passion that is behind it, whether self or chemically induced. But as we all know, there are those moments also when we self induce ourselves or chemically induce ourselves into moments of misery. Many times that happens once that morning coffee (or those morning coffees) wear off. “I feel wonderful” and “life is great” can quickly take a turn to “I feel miserable” and “life is depressing”.    

It is interesting that these polar opposites can happen within a small amount of time. Both ideas cannot be absolute simultaneously – yet we often make statements as absolutes. Life cannot be just great or just miserable. Unless, of course, one realizes life is often both simultaneously. The problem arises when one’s decisions are not based upon the truth that the things they love are often also the things that can bring them pain. Our generation believes if we do not always love it, it must not be what is right for us.    

Take a new relationship as an example. Although the often forced “getting along” exists in the beginning of the relationship, it is inevitable it will go away and conflict will ensue. The one who has the belief they should always have a good feeling about something if it is right will find themselves in trouble when faced with this truth. They will find themselves constantly pursuing something that does not really exist. We tend to do this in all aspects of our lives.  We get that new job, that new movie, the new videogame and find it does not hold our passion, attention and interest for long – so it must not be as right as we thought it would be.    

It is a depressive notion, I know. “And they lived happily ever after” doesn’t really exist in a relationship. Unless the two in that relationship considers the inevitable conflicts they will face which is part of being happy. We can and should take a lesson from ourselves, and when we are in misery remember that there is always tomorrow for the mood, the feeling and the circumstances to change. If it is right, you will probably feel it, but will you feel it always?  It is not likely.    

“Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”  – Jesus (Matthew 6:34) 

Craig Chamberlin 

“Out of the Blue”: Help is here for Depression

One in 20 Americans experience depression at some point during their lives and nearly half of all college students report experiencing depression. The good news is that most individuals experiencing depression benefit from treatment and, if you have experienced depression, you are not alone.    

In conjunction with National Depression Screening Day, the Student Counseling Center (SCC) at IU South Bend is sponsoring a campus-wide Depression Screening Week. Beginning Monday, October 8 through Thursday, October 11, information tables will be provided throughout the campus to raise awareness of depression and the services available to assist in the treatment of depression. Tables will be placed in the Student Activities Center and Wiekamp Hall from 9 a.m. – 6 p.m. The counseling center staff will be available to provide information regarding depression as well as the services offered by the SCC.      

Recently added features to the SCC services are free and confidential online mental health screenings, including a depression screening. To access the screenings, log on to the SCC website at: http://www.iusb.edu/~sbscc and click on the “Online Mental Health Screenings” button.     For more information or to make an appointment with a counselor, contact the SCC, located in the Administration Building, Room 130, at 520-4125. 

Economic Forum Seeks All Who Wish to Learn

Are you interested in learning more about Economics and how it applies to real world problems or how Economics applies to your life? Would you like to gain a deeper understanding of the world while building your academic portfolio and making new friendships? If your answer is yes to any of the above, take a look at the Economic Forum!  

The Forum is a club that seeks to promote interest in the study of Economics and its applications to real world problems through interdisciplinary dialogue, debate, and scholarship among all students at IU South Bend, all while having a good time with friends.     For students interested in an Economics degree, the Economic Forum is perfect. The Forum is a great addition to any academic portfolio, especially for those interested in a career involving Economics. The Forum helps build and encourage the critical thinking skills necessary for a career in Economics.     Think you need to be an Economics major to join the Economic Forum? Think again! All students are welcome to join the Economic Forum. Amanda Groendyke, Vice President of Communication, is a biochemistry major.  

Groendyke says, “I think it is important to gain a greater knowledge of the world around you. The Economic Forum provides an opportunity to learn not only about economics, but how it affects your life as well. If other students are like me, it took being able to see Economics in a real sense to appreciate it. Being in the Economic Forum has not only helped me increase my critical thinking skills, but my leadership skills as well.”    

Faculty sponsor, Dr. Douglas Agbetsiafa, is a professor of Economics in the IU South Bend School of Business and Economics. Dr. Agbetsiafa encourages the participation of all students in the Economic Forum.    

The Forum hosts several Open Houses each semester with guest speakers highlighting key issues in current economics. This fall has 3 events planned, the first of which is coming up soon on October 9^th at 7pm. The event will be held in room 251 (the Alumni Room) in the Administration Building. The topic of this first Open House is “Current Global Credit Conditions:  Challenges and Prospects for the Automobile Industry,” presented by Mr. Perry Watson III, MBA, President and /CEO of Lexus of Mishawaka.     

All are welcome and encouraged to attend this free event. Refreshments will be served following the key speaker.     If you missed the first event, keep on the lookout for more to come! Information about all Forum events is posted on bulletin boards around campus. The dates for later events have not yet been set, but the proposed topics include “Financial Market Turmoil and Federal Market Action.”      

The Open Houses are also an opportunity for Honors students taking Economics classes to present their research. Student presentations normally take place at the final Open House and are the culmination of semester long research about one of the many Economic sectors.     If you find yourself interested in the Economic Forum, contact Dr. Douglas Agbetsiafa at dagbetsi@iusb.edu or at (574)-520-4208. The Economic Forum homepage is at http://www.iusb.edu/~ecoforum.  Check it out today!

Article Contributed by:The Forum Executive Committee