Caffeinated Thoughts

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• Rand Paul Isn’t Ready to Be President
• ABC News to Broadcast 3rd Iowa GOP Debate From Des Moines
• Iowa’s Late Term Abortion Ban (HF 5) Voted Out of House Government Oversight Committee

Rand Paul Isn’t Ready to Be President Posted: 24 Mar 2011 10:15 PM PDT I like much of what newly minted Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) represents – he believes in limited government, he's a constitutionalist, he's prolife (though some in Kentucky would disagree), and he believes in fiscal restraint and wants to cut spending at the federal level.  In my book he is a welcome addition to the U.S. Senate. During a recent interview with the Courier-Journal after giving a speech at the Rotary Club of Louisville, KY, he said he isn't ruling out a 2012 presidential run. Say what? He's been on the job in the Senate for like what… three months?  He said, "Really the biggest decision for me is whether my father runs or not."  No, Senator Paul, with all due respect the biggest decision is whether you are qualified to run for President. Being a Senator for three months and being an ophthalmologist before that doesn't adequately prepare one to be President.  It kind of reminds me a little of the current occupant of the White House who started running to be President shortly after joining the Senate.  President Barack Obama wasn't adequately prepared either. I have no doubt that Senator Paul would make better decisions, but let's consider 2020 (I hope we have a conservative in the White House in 2016). While he certainly has the right to run if he so chooses, I think throwing his hat in ring with minimal experience demonstrates an arrogance that we don't need right now. I hope he reconsiders and belays anyone around him entertaining the thought, it's bad advice. Share and Enjoy:

ABC News to Broadcast 3rd Iowa GOP Debate From Des Moines Posted: 24 Mar 2011 09:24 AM PDT We don’t know exactly where and we don’t know exactly when, but Iowa Republican Party Chairman Matt Strawn announced today a co-sponsor for its third debate leading up to the Iowa Caucuses in early February, 2012.  What we know for certain is that, Lord Willng, the debate will be broadcast on ABC network TV sometime the weekend of December 10th, later this year, at an undisclosed location in Des Moines (perhaps near the elephants at Blank Park Zoo)! This may be the last debate before the Iowa Caucuses, the first week of February. Candidates usually shy away from debates too close to voting, figuring they may need time afterwards to recover from any gaffes they commit (of course, time might make it worse). The GOP has scheduled two other debates, one in Sioux City, and the other in Ames right before the Iowa Straw Poll in August. So far, only Tim Pawlenty and Herman Cain have filed exploratory committee paperwork, making official the possibility of them running for president. Yes, it would be official: they might run. Michele Bachmann announced she’s starting to form a committee that might be ready by June.  Newt Gingrich is exploring the possibility of an exploratory committee. Rick Santorum has been booted off Fox News cause everybody knows he has been running for about eight years now.  Dittos with Mitt Romney.  Who knows when and if Mike Huckabee and Sarah Palin will announce they might announce?  Haley Barbour keeps hiring staff away from other candidates but hasn’t even discussed the possibility of an exploratory committee. If you love politics, this debate will be fun.  We don’t know for sure who will be debating   But we do know that Diane Sawyer and George Stephanopoulos will moderate (is it possible to use the word “moderate” with this pair!?)   It will also be thrilling to find out when ABC plans to announce its announcement about the exact date and location.  Dragging things out seems to be in vogue during slow political news seasons. Share and Enjoy:

Iowa’s Late Term Abortion Ban (HF 5) Voted Out of House Government Oversight Committee Posted: 24 Mar 2011 06:45 AM PDT It's kind of like watching sausage get made. The bill, HF 5, which would ban abortions after 20 weeks (and prevent LeRoy Carhart from setting up shop in Iowa) was voted out of the House Government Oversight Committee last night on a 5-4 vote.  Before that happened Democrats on the committee – State Representatives Janet Petersen (D-Des Moines), Bob Kressig (D-Cedar Falls), and Deborah Berry (D-Waterloo) offered an amendment that would strike out HF 5 language and replace it with the personhood language from HF 153. This placed Republicans on the committee: State Representatives Chris Hagenow (R-Windsor Heights), Chip Baltimore (R-Boone), Clel Baudler (R-Greenfield), Dawn Pettengill (R-Mt. Auburn), and David Tjepkes (R-Gowrie) in the strange position of voting against personhood language or losing the HF 5 language.  Stranger still was to see the Democrats on the committee along with State Representative Kim Pearson (R-Pleasant Hill) (she authored HF 153) to vote in favor of it. With that amendment being defeated the bill then passed out of committee with all Democrats with Pearson voting against, and five Republicans voting for the bill.  The bill will be eligible for debate and a full vote in the House this coming Monday, March 28, 2011. Share and Enjoy:

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