Kaimin

“GOP students keep faith” by Chandra Johnson, Montana Kaimin. After the quotes by Will Selph and Candace Bergum, it says:

David Knobel, state Web master for the College Republicans, said too often media outlets concentrate on controversial issues like the troop increase, when actually the increase is only one aspect of a three-part plan President Bush outlined for victory in Iraq.
“The first is a political solution that includes incentives to disarm militias, amnesty and national reconciliation to stop sectarian violence, and also incentives to get Iraqi Shiites and Sunnis a fair representation in government,” Knobel said. “The second is an economic solution that would share oil revenues with every Iraqi and create jobs. To do these things, we need a stabilization and to do that we need a military increase.”
Knobel also said he doesn’t think most Americans were focused on the war in Iraq.
“I think the top issues for most Americans during this election were corruption and minimum wage,” Knobel said. “They voted Conrad Burns out because he was perceived to be corrupt. If policies had been the main focus, he probably would have won.”
Opinions differed on the future of the Republican presidency.
“In the next election I think it will be very difficult for a Republican to win,” Bergum said. “In wartime I think it’s always hard for an incumbent party to win.”
“I don’t foresee a Reagan-type situation in 2008, but I think we have a good chance of a moderate Republican winning,” Selph said.
“We absolutely have a chance in 2008,” Knobel said. “Right now we have to educate people on the issues, because if we do that they’ll elect the right person and the right person will ultimately be a Republican.”
The College Republicans will host a semester kick-off on Jan. 30 at 7 p.m. in UC 330.

I think Chandra did a great job. She was really nice so I guess a few mistakes in the quotes don’t make much of a difference. I can’t really remember exactly what I said either so I’m not worried.
The last quote I would redo. I can’t say for sure that the right person will be a Republican. I believe it most likely will, but I don’t know who the candidates are so I shouldn’t have said that with such certainty.
The other thing she forgot to mention is that a lot of what I said I got from the Iraq Study Group Report. Specifically, their recommendation that we increase troop levels temporarily.
I realize the position I hold is very unpopular and less than half of the population agrees with me. I do understand where my opponents are coming from. I can see how they perceive the situation the way they do.
However, I have done research on the situation sufficient to give me faith that we are doing the right thing. Whatever your beliefs, let us respect each other and not let this issue get in the way of any others that we agree on.

1.99

Yesterday I filled my tank up at $1.99 for the first time since I was a freshman in high school. It felt great! There are so many aspects of it and things to discuss but I’ll just say we are really sticking it to OPEC and it brightens my day.

This morning it was twenty-seven degrees outside and clear up here in the South Hills where I live. I didn’t wake up in time to catch the 7:30 bus like I have been all week, so I filled a travel mug with coffee and drove down myself. Driving down was even more exciting than usual because there was a layer of fog completely covering Missoula. I drove down into it and saw what freezing fog does. All the trees were heavily frosted and everything was frozen.

But now it is fifty degrees and sunny! It feels great because it is that change that I like so much about Montana weather. We have a definite four seasons that a lot of places don’t. The warm felt so good after having been below freezing for a long while. Likewise, the cold feels so good after a long while of blazing heat.

Today I was recruiting members for the UM College Republicans with Will Selph, State Chairman, and Candace Bergum. He was interviewed by the Kaimin and then she was and then I was. The reporter, Chandra Johnson, asked if I supported George W. Bush’s new plan. She asked me what I thought about the troop surge. She asked me if I thought the next president would be elected wrongly because of a focus on Iraq. She asked me who I was watching for the Republican nomination. She asked me what I thought the role should be for the College Republicans.

I replied as you would expect me to if you read my blog. I orated to her many of the things I’ve written. I told her I supported Bush’s new plan. I told her I supported the troop surge and then explained that that is only one aspect of a much broader plan and explained that to her as well. I thought her question about the next president being elected on the one issue of Iraq was way off and told her that voters care more about domestic issues such as corruption and the economy. I told her I hadn’t made a decision on a Republican candidate. I told her the College Republicans are there to educate people about the issues. She told me she liked some of my points and would definitely make note of it.

I can’t wait to see what Will and Candace get quoted as saying and I can’t wait to see what I get quoted as saying. The recruiting was pretty fun too. I got into quite a few people. The way to “table” as we call it is to stand in front and ask people if they want to join the College Republicans as they walk by. I think I got three people to sign up in an hour, most of which was spent just chatting with old acquaintances and new.

haven't really been that productive

It has been so long since I have written anything. I haven't really been all that productive this break. Since I've been back I haven'’t left Montana and I've only left the Gallatin Valley three times that I can remember. The last thirty-nine days have reminded me of summer during middle school.

The only thing I'’ve done worth noting is read Undaunted Courage and The Iraq Study Group Report. I'’ve also started 1491 by Charles C. Mann.

The Iraq Study Group Report is brilliant. The best diplomats, statesmen, and foreign specialists the United States has to offer worked for eight months researching the situation in Iraq. Their tone is matter of fact and they don'’t pull any punches.

George W. Bush should cite more from the report because many of the recommendations are exactly what he is doing.

Tomorrow I'm off to Missoula and right now I'm packing.

Once I get to Missoula and start going to classes, working, and doing College Republicans, I'll have affairs, proceedings, and occurrences to write about.

On Minimum Wage

I have been watching the U.S. House on C-SPAN for the past couple of hours. Today is day two on the Democrats' 100 hours and they are trying to pass a minimum wage increase from $5.15 to $7.25 over two years.

The Democrats say the poor in this country need a raise. The federal government hasn't increased the minimum wage in ten years.

The Republicans say raising the minimum wage will put the poorest people out of work and hurt small businesses. The Republicans proposed a different bill the raised the minimum wage exactly the same but also gave tax incentives and health care options to small businesses.

Some of the members mentioned that 28 states have already raised the minimum wage above $5.15. One Democrat said that the federal government should be leading instead of following.

This really gets me fired up. I believe in states' rights, and I can't believe all these Washington politicians think they can blanket the U.S. in federal regulations. I think it is great that states raised the minimum wage. They should! Each state has a different economy and different needs. Montana raised it to $6.15 while some other states have raised it to close to $8.00! It makes sense to have the government closer to the people and let them make the decision.

The federal government needs to cede power to the states. Let the state legislators determine what is right for the state.

Denny Rehberg, please vote no on H.R. 2 and vote no on the Republican alternative. Senator Max Baucus and Senator Jon Tester please vote against the bill.

On Iraq

President George W. Bush will let the nation know what his plan for Iraq is on Wednesday, January 10. But of course there is article after article of speculation daily. I’m quite sick of the speculation and even sicker of the focus. The media is focusing on what Bush does with American troops and that’s it.

Let’s take a trip down memory lane and look at Bush’s proposal for the illegal immigration problem. He had a comprehensive plan that included a wall, sending troops, increasing business’ cooperation with law, and setting out a path to citizenship. I don’t agree with everything in it, but when I look at all of it I see how it could work. Of course, the media focused on one thing about the plan and never supported it.

Now, George W. Bush has done it again. He has come up with a comprehensive plan. Well I guess I’m just speculating, but from all the speculation I’ve read I feel pretty confident. He plans on surging troops, increasing reconstruction money, creating jobs for Iraqis, and training Iraqi security forces. Maybe one doesn’t agree with all of it but taken together it makes sense. The media is focusing on the troop surge obviously and lambasting the president over it. The media likes to say there needs to be a political solution not a military solution, while blaming Bush for only looking at it militarily.

Bush thinks it should be not only political and militant but also economic. Ordinary Iraqis need jobs, and we can provide them. When people get enough money to feed their family, they have less of an incentive to pick up guns and fight. I think Bush’s economic plan for Iraq is right on target.

But his economic plan won’t work if we pull troops out and quit training Iraqis at the same time. Politically, we need to train Iraqis to secure the country and put pressure and give time to the Iraqi government to put an end to the sectarian violence and militias. Militarily, we need to support the government and support our political and economic plan. We can use our military might by surging troops to give legitimacy to our reconstruction and stabilizing policies, as well as give time to the Iraqis.

George W. Bush has spent more time and heard from more sources on Iraq than any person on the face of the Earth. Only he knows everything everyone has had to say on Iraq, and we’ve elected him to make the decision. I hope the newly controlled House and Senate see it my way.