William Russell, Heather Wilson: Excellence

A Vets4Russell web site will be appearing soon, and I urge everyone to visit it. Veterans are a critical constituency for Murtha opponent William T. Russell. There are approximately 50,000 veterans in Russell's 12th Congressional District of PA. We won't get all of them, but we will get the vast majority of them. The damage Murtha has done with his irresponsible comments about Haditha is incalculable.

I'll be one of the contributors to the site.

I also urge everyone to visit the Web site of the only female veteran ever elected to Congress -- Air Force Academcy graduate and Rhodes Scholar Heather Wilson. She's running for the New Mexico Senate seat to replace Sen. Pete Domenici. You can find her at: http://HeatherforSenate.com.

The absolute best way we can "support our troops" is to elect quality people like William Russell and Heather Wilson. Contributing to these fine people is the best step we can take to improve the quality of our government. Please do so today!

steve maloney
http://camp2008victorya.blogspot.com
http://stevemaloneygop.blogspot.com

SMART POLITICS HAS MOVED!

SmartPolitics101 will not be having any new posts. All my blog activitiy will focus on the following site: http://stevemaloneygop.blogspot.com. I'll also be cross-posting at: http://camp2008victorya.blogspot.com. I urge all bloggers to sign up for "Bloggers 4 Russell," an online group that will be backing Lt. Col. William Russell in his battle against John Murtha. You can sign up by sending me an e-mail at: TalkTop65@aol.com. Thanks for your support!

steve maloney
http://stevemaloneygop.blogspot.com

Moved To Other Sites, Please Visit

SmartPolitics101 is phasing out, and my efforts from now on through the election in November, 2008 will be directed toward: http://stevemaloneygop.blogspot.com and http://camp2008victorya.blogspot.com. Please go to either of those sites to see a column that incoprorates the image of heroism portrayed above. Also, as soon as you can, visit William Russell's http://williamrussellforcongress.com. He needs your support in his all-out effort to defeat John Murtha. God bless all of you!

New Column on Defeating Murtha

There's a new column on http://stevemaloneygop.blogspot.com. It deals with three issues that can result the election of Lt. Col. William Russell in his campaign against John Murtha. During the month of December, I'll be folding "SmartPolitics101" in with my two other sites, which are: http://stevemaloneygop.blogspot.com and http://camp2008victorya.blogspot.com.

The number of "Bloggers 4 Russell" continues to grow. Thanks for visiting!

ABORTION & THE DECEITFUL DEMOCRAT

You can find this column on either of two sites: http://stevemaloneygop.blogspot.com or on http://camp2008victorya.blogspot.com.

It starts out with a story from Howard Dean's campaign guru Joe Trippi, who writes in The Revolution Will Not Be Televised:

“I remember working on a [Democratic] congressional campaign in the mid-1980s. We were meeting with the candidate to film a commercial about his views on abortion. . . [Then] the guy casually informed me that he wanted to film two spots.”

“I was confused. Two?”

“That’s right. He wanted to make a pro-choice ad, then – as long as we had the crew and everything – just ‘turn the camera around’ and make a pro-life spot. That way, he explained, he’d have one of each ready when his polling people told him which way to go.”

Trippi adds, “After it was all over, I think we all wanted to go home and take a shower.”

(Go to one of the sites mentioned above for the remainder of the column.)

MURTHA, ALTMIRE: PA'S ODD COUPLE

THE FRIDAY COLUMN IS NOW UP ON MY NEW SITE (CLICK). C'MON OVER!

By tomorrow morning (Friday), I'll have another column up on my new site: http://stevemaloneygop.blogspot.com/.

It will deal with the close -- and even somewhat disturbing -- relationship between Cong. John Murtha (D, PA 12th District) and Cong. Jason Altmire (D, PA 4th District). Both individuals are about as low as it goes in Pennsylvania and national politics. At one point in 2006, Altmire called the much-older Murtha "his campaign manager." Murtha apparently taught Altmire everything he knows about campaigning one way and voting another.

During elections, both claim to be "pro-life," but they don't always vote that way. Yes, I support Murtha's and Altmire's opponents -- William T. Russell and Melissa Hart -- and I do so for some very specific reasons. Russell and Hart are individuals of unquestioned integrity, and Murtha and Altmire most certainly are not.If you're someone who strongly wants Murtha "out" of Congress, you'll surely wish the same fate for Altmire.

During his football "career" at Florida State University, Altmire was nothing more than a bench-warmer. After his bizaree first-term as a congressman, it's time to return him to the political bench.

YOU CAN HELP DEFEAT MURTHA

Thursday, December 6, 2007

YOU Can Help Defeat Murtha
Thursday, December 6, 2007 (This column appears on my new, main blog, which you can reach by clicking on the link below. Your comments are always welcome.)YOU Can Help Defeat Murtha

Note: What if you're not in Jack Murtha's district? Should you care about the race there? YOU SURE SHOULD! If Lt. Col. Russell can defeat "The Prince of Pork," it would be the race-heard-round the world. It would have a tremendous -- positive -- effect in undermining al Qaida and other terrorists worldwide. It would let them know they can't play politics in the U.S.Also, the principles and tactics that will lead to Murtha's defeat will work in many other districts around the nation.

Murtha is widely -- and wrongly -- perceived as a "conservative" Democrat. That view of him is dead wrong.

As perhaps Nancy Pelosi's closest ally in Congress, Murtha is a critical component of the Democratic majority.Mrs. Pelosi is opposed to nearly everything that's important to 12th District voters. If you don't like Pelosi, the worst way to express that is to vote for Murtha.A loss by Murtha will send a message to all Democratic elected officials. It would show them that can't play "fast-and-loose" with the lives of American troops, as Murtha has done with his disgraceful comments on the Haditha Marines. I've said that Lt. Col. Russell deserves and needs your support. If you can make even a small contribution, it will be a factor in helping him defeat Murtha.

Let's just do it!

(Scroll down for columns exposing the myths that Murtha tries to perpetuate.) As I've noted before, I'm moving my main blog activity to: http://stevemaloneygop.blogspot.com. Please visit and bookmark the site. Thanks.

Murtha: My "Problems" With Him

Wednesday, December 5, 2007

JOHN MURTHA: SNARES, DELUSIONS, & MONEY (please click on the link preceding).
I'll be focusing on my new blog in days ahead. But I even have a column today on this site. It's another "practical politics" piece about what Lt. Col. Russell is doing right -- and should do in the future, in my humble (?) opinion -- and what Jack Murtha is doing wrong.

I even mention a money-figure ($500,000) that I believe Russell needs, which is never done in politics! Of course, getting a significant amount of "early money" (almost a year before the elction) if you're a challenger -- like Russell -- is a little like pulling off a suntan in Johnstown on December 4. It's about 25 degrees and snowing in these parts by the way.

Today, I'm "suggesting" that the campaign get 1,000 tee-shirts (Russell for Congress!) for volunteers to wear proudly every day until they disintegrate (the tee-shirts, not the volunteers). I don't blame the people at Russell headquarters if they're rolling their eyes. To some of them I might as well be suggesting they buy 1,000 tiny mousetaps. "Mouskateers for Russell!"

The reason you never mention money goals is that (at least) three things can happen, all of them bad.

• You can be right on the number, which the media interprets as "barely met expectations."
• Or your number can be too high, which makes the press say "fell short of expectations."
• Or your number can be too low, which results in the story that you were "playing possum" and knew all along you were lowballing. (Mixed metaphor, I know.)

Please scroll down for comments on Murtha's claims about his legislative accomplishments, which are two parts snares, and three parts delusions. Some people in Johnstown know that but are afraid to say it. They're afraid they'll be tarred, feathered, and ridden out of town on a rail.

Not that http://camp2008victorya.blogspot.com will be folding up its tent near the end of December, but http://stevemaloneygop.blogspot.com/ will go, in the poet's words, "as long as forever is."

Please visit it, bookmark it, and recommend it to 500 of your closest friends (even if they won't get tee-shirts).

I love my many visitors. Their presence not only honors me, but also amazes my rational side. In Ambridge, PA, we keep our expectations low, which means we're rarely disappointed.

I'll be with you until Election Day -- and beyond.

Please visit my new "SteveMaloneyGOP" site -- link in this sentence and above. I hope you'll find it to be the kind of place you'll want to return to every day.

___________________________________

A friend asked me why I dislike John Murtha so much. I sent him the following explanation:

"My problem with Murtha is that I despise the guy so much he unhinges me at times. I think he's a phoney, and I believe he turned his back on our military in order to run for Majority Leader. God, that's a terrible thing to do. What kind of a "man" would do that?

Also, he's totally inflated his accomplishments in the District. If he's one of "Nancy's boys" how can he have any connection with the mostly good people in his own District? Dozens of kids from the District have died and been seriously wounded. I have never heard the guy condemn al Qaida."

"He's either an egomaniac or the most cynical man in DC."

RUSSELL: PUTTING HEAT ON MURTHA

As I indicated previously, I'm shifting all my "main" blogging activity to the following: http://stevemaloneygop.blogspost.com. My primary emphasis from now until Election Day, 2008, will be on the challenges offered by Democrats to Republicans. I'll be moving this column over to the new site, and soon SmartPolitics101 will be strutting its stuff at SteveMaloneyGOP.

I'll always stay away from the staple of most blogs, political "tidbits" largely culled from the MSM (mainstream media, for my Australian visitors, of whom I have many). I want to discuss practical steps that good GOP candidates can use to defeat less-good (and sometimes, awful) opponents. In short, I'll stay away from "tidbit journalism."

A generation ago, a political science professor, Seymour Scher at the University of Rochester, told us that "politics is the art of influencing public decisions." That's a good definition, and it covers everything from electing good candidates to having a positive effect on laws and regulations. Remember, a lot of apparently "social" activities have a strong political component.

By the way, don't ask me how I feel about this group or that group (e.g., Blacks, Hispnaics, older veterans, union members, young people, women professionals, and the like). I want their votes, and if you're a candidate interesting in operating "of, by, and for the people," you should also. The ideal is to get majority support from all groups.

On my other blogs -- this one and that one, as we'll affectionately call them -- I focus often on how to take votes away from "the other guy" (or "other gal") as well as how to find new votes.

In a district like the Pennsylvania 12th (now held by the odious John Murtha) registration (in either party) is low -- and so is voter turnout. Many of these non-voters are people who've given up hope on every influencing elections and public policy. For example, they're so used to John Murtha running unopposed that they're surprised on occasions when he does have a strong competitor.

There are tens of thousands of people in the 12th District who could (and I'd say, should) vote but don't. If he can figure out how to get a lot of these people registered, Lt. Col. William Russell -- Murtha's Republican challenger -- should get the lion's share of their votes.

At the same time, Russell has to accomplish something more difficult. He needs to tear away -- on analogy with ripping the bark off trees -- voters who have cast ballots for Murtha in the past. In short, Russell has to convince them that he's far the better choice. Doing so will mean convincing people -- tens of thousands -- that Murtha is not the man they've believed him to be.

The fact that Murtha's old (i.e., older than me) isn't by itself an argument against him. However, the fact that he makes daffy statements about the Iraq War and our soldiers is a sign that he's not aging well. His recent statement that "The surge is working," combined with statements the next day that it's not, calls into serious question the man's judgment.

His political "romance" with Nancy Pelosi is a problem for Murtha. If he believes a far-left social radical like the Speaker is an appropriate leader for his Party, then what type of leadership is he offering to his moderately conservative -- and pro-military -- district? He can't be one of the "Nancy Boys" and still be an effective representative of the 12 District of Pennsylvaia.

The 12th District, supposedly a "lock" for Democrats, is one that's long been tending Republican in national elections. There are a lot of nominal Democrats there, "Reagan Democrats," and a good chunk of them should be winnable by Russell.

If George Bush can win Murtha's Cambria County in 2004, that doesn't necessarily mean Russell can carry it. However, it means he can come a lot closer in Cambria than will make Murtha comfortable. Several other counties, including rapid-growth Washington, in the District should be winnable for Russell.

A majority of the voters in the 12th will cast their votes for Russell IF HE GIVES THEM GOOD REASONS TO DO SO. One good reason is that he's assuredly NOT Jack Murtha.

Also, if Russell can make real inroads in conservative Democratic areas like Uniontown, then this could be a real horserace. Murtha's recent bizarre statements about the War in Iraq show that he's already feeling the heat as the Russell Campaign begins to warm up.

Russell needs to think back to Ronald Reagan in 1980 and 1984. He carried some distinctly un-Republican places (at the time) like Massachusetts, New York and Michigan -- not to mention Pennsylvania. Voters may have Party preferences, but few of them qualify as robots.

For Murtha, let me paraphrase some famous words from Harry Truman: If you can't stand the heat, get out of the race. I have a hunch that on Election Day, 2008, The Prince of Pork is going to be sweating profusely.

If Russell can raise $500,000 in this election, he can win. There's evidence that, with the continued support of people like you, he can generate enough cash to get his message across. Murtha is on pace -- take a look at "Murtha" on opensecrets.org -- to raise $4 million. If he continues to demonstrate a constant state of anger and befuddlement, he may not be able to win with $40 million.

Look for him to enter "The Murtha Panic Mode" and start making wild charges against Lt. Col. William Russell and his supporters. He did the same thing against Diana Irey, and "Old Dog" Murtha refuses to learn any new tricks.

If Lt. Col. Russell, an authentic American Warrior, ends up congressman-elect, please don't faint from shock. When and if Russell wins, it might be the most significant victory in the history of the PA Republican Party.

Note: Please go to: http://stevemaloneygop.blogspot.com and bookmark it for future reference.

I like SmartPolitics101, and I'm going to stick with it for a while longer. Tomorrow, I hope to put up a column about political guru Lee Atwater, who played a central role in the Reagan campaigns and in the first campaign of Bush 41. He was also a mentor to S J Reidhead of the legendary site: http://ThePinkFlamingo.blogharbor/blog.

However, my main purpose right now is to announce that I have a new main blog. I'll be moving away over the next 10 days or so from my CampaignVictoryA site and going to a new "blog home." It will be, forevermore I hope, http://SteveMaloneyGOP.blogspot.com.

I've decided that when it comes to my bete noire, John Murtha, that I am taking the gloves off. Today's column (and it will stay up tomorrow, Tuesday) is: The Most-Hated Congressman: Murtha

Has a nice ring to it, huh? On Wednesday, I'll have another column: "Murtha's Rancid Bacon," about his supposedly "bringing home the bacon." Actually, the 12th congressional district is largely what it was a generation ago when the steel mills and coal mines went bottom up: a chronically depressed area.

That will come as a shock to people, especially those in Johnstown, who look at Murtha as the economic savior of the region. He's not.

When someone has nothing to eat, you can always give him a slice of moldly bread. I'm sure he'll be grateful -- and perhaps even regard you as a kind of savior. And there we have the city of Johnstown. The rest of the district, 90%, with the exception of a few enclaves of Republicanism, is worse.

Come visit. We'll have fun together!

Moving Soon -- C'mon Along!

NOTE TO VISITORS: Between now and the middle of December, I'll be focusing mainly on a new, primary blog named something "original" like: SteveMaloneyGOP.blogspot.com. It will have advertising from Google and Amazon, but any funds generated (and they won't be exactly mega-bucks, to say the least) will go to the candidates noted above.

I'll be spending much of my time the next 11 months working mainly (as a volunteer) on the Russell campaign against Murtha. I'll spend some of my remaining time on the other candidates I've "selected," especially Melissa Hart in the PA 4th district and Air Force veteran Heather Wilson, who running for the Senate in New Mexico.

I very much appreciate the many visitors I've gotten, some frequent, some occasional. Your comments are always welcome. I'm especially grateful to those who've contributed or offered other support to Lt. Col. William Russell, a superb human being.

Please donate at least a modest sum to his campaign. It's relatively painless. :-)

The way you win a political race is just to go out and DO IT. "The one who shakes the most hands win." That's in fact the approach we're taking. I hope many, many of you will come along for the ride, which will have many thrills and, inevitably, a few spills.

God bless you all.

TEN COMMANDMENTS FOR CONSERVATIVE ACTIVISTS

My comment today to someone who thought I might be too vigorous on my condemnations of John Murtha: "This will not be a pillow fight." I stand by the veracity of every observation I've made about "The Prince of Pork," including my statement that "He has blood on his hands." Murtha has created his own political pig sty and calling attention to that is in no way "unfair."

Would I be spending so much time, energy, and money opposing Murtha if I didn't believe he was a total narcissist, someone out for his own good at the expense of nearly everyone else? Answer: NO!

Do I believe Murtha falsely condemned the Hadith Marines -- and emboldened the enemy -- for any reason other than this political gain? I do not. His anti-military messages were designed to curry favor with the far-left-wing of his Party, a group called "The Nancy Boys." There is NO evidence that suggests otherwise.

Also, do I believe Murtha has brought home the bacon anywhere in the 12th Distrcit other than a scant few of his favorite locations? The vast majority of people in the District have not benefited at all from Murtha's huge earmarks, directed to the rich and the few rather than the poor and the many. There is NO evidence that suggests otherwise.

Those are the reasons why I strongly oppose Murtha and all he represents.

__________________________________
If you're a conservative or moderate individual, merely "hoping" your favorite candidates win is not enough. That's especially true when it comes to Republican congressional hopeful who -- in most cases -- are not going to raise as much money as their Democrat counterparts. So, what can you do?

• First, make a financial contribution to the candidate you support. If you can't donate $50 or $100, then send in $20 -- or even $10. All campaigns need to pay the light bills and phone bills, and a Republican candidate like William Russell is a man of modest personal means. Unlike Murtha, he hasn't "sold out" to anyone.
• Second, make sure you're registered to vote. I've talked to several people who are strongly for Russell, but -- like tens of thousands of people in the 12th congressional district -- they haven't yet registered.
• Third, don't just keep your support in your own head and heart. Talk up the candidacy to your family and friends. Tell them briefly exactly why -- in 50 words or less -- that you support the candidate (e.g. "lower taxes . . . strong on national security . . . a solider who knows the real story in Iraq . . . a person of good character");
• Fourth, show visible signs that you support the candidate -- such as displaying a yard sign, putting a bumper sticker on your car, wearing a "campaign tee-shirt," and the like.
• Fifth, write letters-to-the-editor of the local paper or call a talk-show and promote your candidate;
• Sixth, volunteer to work at the candidate's headquarters where you can help stuff envelopes and meet and greet "walk-in" voters;
• Seventh, make phone calls in support of your candidate;
• Eighth, go door-to-door to show voters face-to-face that your candidate has good people supporting him or her (and always be courteous when you find people who support the opposition);
• Ninth, support the candidate on your blog -- or by using your e-mail list to tell people about him or her. For Lt. Col. Russell, you should also sign up at: http://joinrussell.com/.
• Tenth, attend as many campaign meetings and press conferences as you can to demonstrate support.

Actually, there are more than "10 commandments" for conservative (and moderate) activists, but this is a very good start. Understand that how well your candidate does on Election Day depends on the degree of support you provide.

Like everything else in life, politics has gone high tech. However, the same principles Abraham Lincoln used -- basically, being a good person and asking people for their vote -- still hold true today. As an individual, you need to leverage your political beliefs in every way possible.

Yes, you have only one ballot. However, if you work hard enough, you can influence 20, 50, or even 100 votes by other people. In the Russell Campaign, we're aiming for 1,000 dedicated volunteers, and they might influence 30,000-plus votes.

If you're committed to the William Russell campaign against Murtha -- and most people reading this are -- you can get important information at the main Russell site.

BLOGGERS FOR RUSSELL

"And as for YOU, you shall have NO earmarks for Christmas!"

Cong. John Murtha speaks authoritatively on The Surge:

“There is no way the surge will work.” John Murtha, March 2007

“I think the surge is working.” John Murtha, November, 2007




Generally, I don't cross-post between this site and my other one, but I'll make an exception thisweekend. You'll find a longer version of this piece at CampaignVictory2008A. Any ideas you want to share on defeating Murtha will be very welcome.

On my other site, you will see this weekend approximately 45 "Bloggers 4 Russell." All of them are "active blogs" who get a number of visitors every week. Some of the blogs may get 30 visitors in a week. Others, like The Pink Flamingo (Cindy's site), 911 Families (Tim's site), and the band of mothers (Bev's site) get tens of thousands of visitors in a week.

Michelle Malkin has one of the most popular blogs in the universe, and she's strongly supporting William. The Blogging effort does three things. First, it creates "buzz," that is talk about Russell's candidacy by many thousands of people. Second, it attracts volunteers who will mainly seek out voters. Third, it will draw contributors to Russell's site.

Right now, contributors are critical because a campaign can't run on "air." If you have a blog and support William Russell, you need to sign up now. You can do so by leaving a comment (with your e-mail address and/or blog link) or by e-mailing me at TalkTop65@aol.com.

By the end of this year (it's still 2007, isn't it?) we should have 100-plus Bloggers 4 Russell. By next October, a month before the election, we should have more than 500 -- and perhaps as many as a thousand. If bloggers approach the Russell-Murtha race systematically and frequently, they should attract (and include) thousands of voters in PA's 12th District.

They should also attract many contributors. Yes, we'd love to get the big bucks $2300 (or $4600) contributions that will flow into Murtha's coffers. But right now we're asking for $10, $25, and $50. Of course, we'll be overjoyed in those cases where we got larger contributions, as we have in several cases.

Ron Paul Goes Ga-Ga, Ca-Ca

This is a rather crazy week in politics. On CNN, we watched John Murtha turn into a human shambles as he explained to the ever-credulous Wolf Blitzer why the U.S. couldn't win the war and was in fact incapable of losing it. Also, there were several sightings of Ron Paul -- the man with two first names -- usually accompanied by Big Foot.

People accuse me of hating Ron Paul (or is it Paul Ron?). Actually, I worship the quicksand upon which he walks. He's the one who's certain 9/11 was our fault -- with us offending certain perfervid Muslims and all that.

Recently, one staunch Paulite threatened the life of mild-manner blogger, S J Reidhead at The Pink Flamingo. Apparently, in her comments on Paul she failed to show sufficient adoration. What will the Paulites do to the poor soul who described their favorite candidate as "a human bug-light?" One shudders to imagine.

I prefer to imagine Paul as David Duke without the sheet.

I did, however, enjoy immensely the following story about the libetarian Mr. Paul. I found at a truly outstanding blog, Sword At-the-Ready.


RENO, Nev. — Republican presidential candidate Ron Paul, an underdog Texas congressman with a libertarian streak, has picked up an endorsement from a Nevada brothel owner.

Dennis Hof, owner of the Moonlite BunnyRanch near Carson City, said he was so impressed after hearing Paul at a campaign stop in Reno last week that he decided to raise money for him.

“I’ll get all the (working girls) together, and we can raise him some money,” Hof told the Reno Gazette-Journal. “I’ll put up a collection box outside the door. They can drop in $1, $5 contributions.”

Hof and two of his prostitutes, Brooke Taylor and a woman who goes by Air Force Amy, attended a Paul news conference.

In the last campaign -- 2004 -- there was a national effort to "Get Dennis Kucinich a Date." I propose that we busy ourselves by getting Ron Paul a life.

Australians and Americans: Brothers and Sisters in Freedom

Thanks to the visitors on my other site from Australia: Gympie, Queensland; Melbourne; Victoria; Sydney; Brisbane; and Bringelly. Oops, there are more! One just showed up from Perth. I've been reading Niall Ferguson's World of War (a stunning book), and he writes a fair amount Australians' superb performance in World War II.

I regularly talk about how some American political campaigns (William Russell, Heather Wilson, Jean Schmidt, Melissa Hart; and James Gilmore) must be national efforts. In fact, they should be international undertakings, as we join with our brothers and sisters around the globe. For several generations, Australia has been one of our noblest allies, and those of us in the U.S. look forward to working with you on critical issues.

If you're looking for SmartPolitics101's version of "Comedy Central," scroll down to the next column.

A lot of us complain about the heavy hand of bureaucracy. In the early 1800s, when the federal bureaucracy might have fit within a single building, someone asked President John Adams what he thought of the group.

Adams reflected for a few seconds, shook his head, and said: "Few die . . . NONE retire." As the French saying goes, "The more things change, the more they remain the same."

HILLARY'S FOLLIES, MURTHA'S JOLLIES: POLITICAL HUMOR

(Above) John Murtha Reacting to Lt. Col. William Russell's run for Congress

I promise today will not be a serious column. I shall instead look at the lighter side. I'm doing a separate light-side column on my other main blog. Please visit and tell all your friends -- well, at least tell both of them.

Why does John Murtha fear William Russell's candidacy? You might as well ask why a vampire isn't enamored with bright sunlight.

What does Murtha have in common with the Johnstown Flood? Both are all wet.
How long exactly has Murtha been in Congress? Since shortly before the Birth of the Republic.

Why did John Murtha cross the road? Because on to the other side he saw a lobbyist.

There's no truth to the rumor that Lt. Col Russell advocates re-naming Johnstown's "The John Murtha Cancer Center" and calling it "The American Taxpayers Cancer Center."

What did John Murtha change into when he stopped being a "hawk?" A chicken-hawk.

What was John Murtha's response when he got condemned for falsely criticizing the Haditha Marines? He asked, "Can't these people take a joke?"

Why does Hillary Clinton favor driver's licenses for illegals? Maybe she thinks one of them will run over Giuliani or Obama?

What will John Murtha's first TV ad look like? Him waving a white flag?Tuesday on NCIS Agent Gibbs said "There's no such thing as an ex-Marine." But has Agent Gibbs ever met John Murtha?

Hillary Clinton says there will be "no co-presidency" with hubby Bill. In that family, we know who wears the pants suits.

What's the difference between Washington lobbyists and Murtha? They write the checks -- and he signs them.

What will happen to Murtha's Johnstown cronies when he leaves the political scene? It will be forever known as "The Night the Lights Went Out."

What did Bill say when Hillary first confronted him with the Lewinsky rumors? "Liar, liar, your pants suit's on fire."

This is the year from "halves" in the Democratic Party -- Obama is half-Black, Richardson is half-Hispanic, Kucinich is half-grown, and Hillary is . . . half-baked.

Endorsement of the Week: "I support Dennis Kucinich because . . . I believe he offers an essential, viable and exciting option to the candidates who are more popular." (Larry Flynt, pornographer)

Why does Hillary really want to be President?

Oneupwomanship?

Votes For Sale: A poll of New York University students revealed that 20% would give up their vote in the next election for an iPod . . . Imagine that, college students with the right priorities.

Hillary's Follies, Murtha's Foolishness: Poltical Humor

John Murtha Reacting to Lt. Col. William Russell's run for Congress

I promise tomorrow (well, today, since I stayed up late) will not be a serious column. I shall instead look at the lighter side. I'm doing a separate (mostly) light-side column on my other main blog.

Why does John Murtha fear William Russell's candidacy? You might as well ask why a vampire isn't enamored with bright sunlight.

What does Murtha have in common with the Johnstown Flood? Both are all wet.

How long exactly has Murtha been in Congress? Since shortly before the Birth of the Republic.

Why did John Murtha cross the road? Because on to the other side he saw a lobbyist.

There's no truth to the rumor that Lt. Col Russell advocates re-naming Johnstown's "The John Murtha Cancer Center" and calling it "The American Taxpayers Cancer Center."

What did John Murtha change into when he stopped being a "hawk?" A chicken-hawk.

What was John Murtha's response when he got condemned for falsely criticizing the Haditha Marines? He asked, "Can't these people take a joke?"

Why does Hillary Clinton favor driver's licenses for illegals? Maybe she thinks one of them will run over Giuliani or Obama?

What will John Murtha's first TV ad look like? Him waving a white flag?

Tuesday on NCIS Agent Gibbs said "There's no such thing as an ex-Marine." But has Agent Gibbs ever met John Murtha?

Hillary Clinton says there will be "no co-presidency" with hubby Bill. In that family, we know who wears the pants suits.

What's the difference between Washington lobbyists and Murtha? They write the checks -- and he signs them.

What will happen to Murtha's Johnstown cronies when he leaves the political scene? It will be forever known as "The Night the Lights Went Out."

What did Bill say when Hillary first confronted him with the Lewinsky rumors? "Liar, liar, your pants suit's on fire."

Endorsement of the Week: "I support Dennis Kucinich because . . . I believe he offers an essential, viable and exciting option to the candidates who are more popular." (Larry Flynt, pornographer)

Why does Hillary really want to be President? Oneupwomanship?

For sale: A poll of New York University students revealed that 20% would give up their vote in the next election for an iPod . . .

CONSERVATIVE CHEAPSKATES? LIBERAL FAT CATS

Let's see, Republicans are the candidates with all the money, and the poor Dems have to run a bare-bones operations, right? Wrong, wrong, wrong. A recent analysis by the Center for Responsive Politics (CRP) shows that the Dems are way ahead of Republicans might as well be selling pencils.

Here's what the CRP says: "Top industries and interest groups have increased their giving over 2004 by 46 percent, the Center finds. As money shifts to Democrats, giving from Republican strongholds is mostly flat.

"The sharpest increases since 2004 tend to be in the ideological sector. Democratic/liberal interests have increased their giving 396 percent since 2004, fueled particularly by Internet fundraising organizations such as ActBlue."

"Candidates have been donating money to each other at a greater rate, too. Contributions from candidate committees are up 164 percent compared with four years ago, and contributions from leadership PACs—political action committees formed by politicians to support other candidates—are up 88 percent over the '04 [election] cycle."

"The industries with the smallest increases [in political giving], and even decreases in several cases, tend to have Republican-leaning track records. The automotive industry, which has contributed 75 percent of its money to the GOP since the 1990 cycle, has decreased its contributions by 20 percent since 2004."

'Democratic donors seem unusually mobilized for this election," [one expert] said, "but those industries who've traditionally given to Republicans seem to be either nursing their wounds from '06 or sitting this election out."

"As interest groups and industries contribute substantially more money, they are also shifting their giving to Democrats, both to members of Congress now that the party is in control and to Democratic presidential candidates. The typical big-giving industry is now giving 57 percent of its contributions to Democrats, a shift of 14 percentage points from both 2006 and 2004, when the party and its candidates collected only 43 percent of the money."

The CRP article notes that the sectors increasing their political giving include the securities and investment industery, lawyers and law firms, and the entertainment business -- all traditionally big donors to Democrats.

What's the good news for Republicans in the piece? There isn't any.

CRP drives the nail in us by saying, "As interest groups and industries contribute substantially more money, they are also shifting their giving to Democrats, both to members of Congress now that the party is in control and to Democratic presidential candidates.

Overall, CRP says, "The typical big-giving industry is now giving 57 percent of its contributions to Democrats, a shift of 14 percentage points from both 2006 and 2004, when the party and its candidates collected only 43 percent of the money."

Clearly, the CPR story isn't exactly the kind of music that's going to get the GOP elephant dancing in the streets. It makes one think that the pasting we took in 2006 may be nothing compared to the beating we experience in 2008.

A major reason SmartPolitics101 exists is to discuss ways that under-funded Republican campaigns can still be winners. This blog's columns emphasize the need for organization and relatively low-budget communications, mainly those that take place over the Internet. Essentially, it means we have to knock on every door in order to get voters to support our candidates.

I'm also emphasizing the need to get people who have never contributed to a political campaign to turn over a new lead and become at least small donors. My assumption is that somebody who finally unlocks a wallet or purse and gives $25 probably will donate again. They'll be "invested" in a campaign in a way that will make them effective activists.

Specifically, there are hundreds of thousands of people (probably millions) who would really like to see Lt. Col. William Trower Russell defeat John Murtha. If 10% of the people who believe "MurthaMustGo" made even small contributions to Russell, he would have enough money to wage a winning campaign.

Being a conservative doesn't mean just having spouting off regularly on what's wrong with America. It also means doing what is necessary -- including making contributions -- to ensure conservative views get a real hearing in Washington, DC.

Frankly, we do more for terrific candidates than just wish them well. We need, as the saying goes, to start putting our money where our mouths are.

There are 85,000 military veterans in the 12th District of Pennsylvania. If one percent of that number -- 850 people --make a relatively small donation to William, which they should, it could add tens of thousands of dollars dedicated to his effort. He's making a big sacrifice, and all of us should make at least a small one.

The upshot: If you haven't contributed yet to Lt. Col Russell, please do so today. Otherwise, we'll all end up singing the same old sad song the day after the Election.

John McCain, William Russell: How to Combine Efforts

Hillary Clinton: The Candidate We Love to Hate

The Economist magazine recently announced a poll that shows the "Hillary Paradox." They asked voters which candidate they would most like to come to dinner at their house and go on a family vacation with them. The winner (with the highest percentage total) was . . . Hillary Clinton.

Guess which candidate the highest percentage of voters would least like for the dinner/vacation combo? In fact, the loser was . . . Hillary Clinton.

Clearly, she's the woman Americans love . . . and hate.

I sent the following to Brad, an outstanding activist working hard on the John McCain Campaign. You can find Brad's current Internet enterprise here.

I hope at some point you might suggest to people on your extensive mailing lists that they would benefit from visiting William Russell's site and offering him any support they can (hint! hint!).

If they like John McCain, they're also going to like William Russell (and, I believe, the other candidates I'm targeting for support). For example, Heather Wilson of NM is the only female veteran -- Air Force -- ever elected to Congress, and she's in a tough battle in her state for the Senate nomination.

Second, you've contributed $50 to the Russell Campaign, and I told you I'd reciprocate by contributing $50 to your personal fund-raising effort for Senator McCain. I'm ready to donate when you ask.

Third, in 2004, a number of students from Massachusetts (and many other states) came to Pennsylvania, a presidential battleground state, to campaign for GWB and other candidates. The students knew that Massachusetts would not be competitive. I'm hoping some of them (and others) will return in 2008 to go door-to-door for the Republican presidential candidate and other fine candidates such as Russell and (Melissa) Hart.

Fourth, I write on my Camp2008 and SmartPolitics blogs about some old (and some new) campaign methods that will work for many Republican candidates. For example, in the 12th District there are 85,000 military veterans. The vast majority of them will vote for William if we can get to them and point up William's "Warrior" status. If we can get to all of the 85,000 veterans and their families, William will wake up one day next November as Congressman-elect.
The methods I talk about in my blogs also will work for McCain and other Republicans aiming for the presidential nomination. Frankly, for William to win his race, it's essential that the presidential nominee perform strongly in PA. If most voters cast their ballot for a McCain or a Giuliani, they'll be more likely to vote for William.

Fifth, it's important to ask potential supporters to make small contributions. Heather Wilson is asking for as little as $25. The idea is that if someone contributes $25, they'll probably contribute more at a later date. Such a person will also be "invested" in the campaign in an important (financial) way.

At Heather's site people can contribute as little as $10. My belief is that when people hear about all the millions going into presidential campaigns, they get intimidated. Ten bucks or 25 bucks won't scare people away.

OpenSecrets.org says that out of every 100 voters, only about 3 actually contribute to ANY political campaign. If we can -- somehow -- find a way to double that (to 6 out of 100), we will raise a good deal of money.

Six, tonight William Russell will appear at 10 p.m. Eastern on Political Pistachio Blog Talk Radio. I'm a believer in Blog Talk Radio, because it appeals to Republican activists, ones who vote, contribute, and influence others.

I'll do what I can to advance McCain's cause, partly because I'm so impressed by your actions on his behalf. I've said that the race could come down to McCain-Giuliani, which frankly would make me happy. I believe either of them could defeat either Clinton or Obama.

Brad, let's keep working together. As Benjamin Franklin put it, "We must all hang together, or most assuredly we shall all hang separately."


Steve Maloney

BLOGGER BARES ALL FINANCIAL INFORMATION!

I sent the following message to the Queen of the Blogosphere, Cindy at The Pink Flamingo, which has more visitors than Paris Hilton's boudoir: "SmartPolitics101 moved up 1.5 million spots on Technorati (meaning somebody showed up finally) Soon, I shall control the entire Western world. I'm now putting jokes at the head of each column. Yes, I've become a techno-slut.

If Ron Paul is so smart, how come he has two first-names?

If Ron Paul ran with John Murtha, what would their campaign slogan be? Tweedle-Dum and Tweedle-Dummer.

On my other primary site, I put up the following plea today:

BLOGGERS 4 RUSSELL!

LATER TODAY (TUESDAY), I'LL BE LAUNCHING A RENEWED "BLOGGERS 4 RUSSELL" EFFORT. AS YOU SEE ON MY BLOGROLL SIDEBAR, THERE ARE ALREADY ABOUT 35 BLOGGERS 4 RUSSELL ALREADY LISTED -- PEOPLE WHO STRONGLY SUPPORT AND WRITE ABOUT LT. COL. RUSSELL. MY PERSONAL GOAL BY NEXT SPRING IS TO HAVE 300 BLOGGERS 4 RUSSELL , REPRESENTING JUST ABOUT EVERY STATE IN THE UNION. I ASK EVERY BLOGGER 4 RUSSELL TO CONSIDER AT LEAST A SMALL FINANCIAL CONTRIBUTION TO GIVE THIS CAMPAIGN A FOUNDATION FOR VICTORY. BECOME A BLOGGER 4 RUSSELL BY LEAVING A COMMENT ON THIS SITE, OR BY E-MAILING ME AT: TALKTOP65@AOL.COM. THANKS! IF YOU DON'T HAVE A BLOG (YET), YOU CAN JOIN THE GROUP BY SENDING YOUR E-MAIL ADDRESS

In all candor, why do I want to collect a long list of Bloggers 4 Russell?

One reason is that, at the early stage of a campaign, it's essential to create "buzz" (word-of-mouth) about the candidate. Lt. Col. Russell is running in one district (out of 435) in an area of Pennsylvania few people know much about. Bloggers are people who tell others what's going on, and Russell needs them a great deal at this time, even though it's 11 months prior to the election.

I have another motive: Many bloggers for Russell will contribute money to his campaign, and they'll encourage others to do so. People who go to William Russell's web site will be motivated to offer their support -- even if they live far away from the 12th Congressional District.

In 2006, Diana Lynn Irey ran against Murth and got a remarkable 7,000 contributions. In 2008, William Russell could get as many as 10,000 contributions, partly because so many people dislike John Murtha, but mostly because Russell is such an excellent human being.

In politics, many people feel strongly about issues and candidates. However, very few individuals -- fewer than one-in-50 voters ever contribute money to candidates they favor. In the case of "big donors" ($200 or more), they're a relatively rare breed. You can check the statistics by going to opensecret, which outlines who contributes and who doesn't.

John Murtha, William's opponent, isn't going to have any trouble raising money. If you check out his "contributions" for 2008 on OpenSecret, you'll note that he is approaching a million dollars at this point. In the last election, against Diana Irey, Murtha raised more than $3 million -- much of it from "contributors" he'd paid off with large piles of taxpayers' money.

You can see how it works by looking at this report: http://kxmb.com/News/Nation/178645.asp
or by checking out the Seattle Times extensive report on Murtha trading federal dollars for campaign contributions.

In short, Murtha gives lobbyists and companies your tax money -- and they give him a chunk back as a "contribution." William Russell, an honest man, won't be doing any of that.

Lt. Col. Russell is not some rich guy. He's an Army brat who served his entire adult life as a soldier -- in unfriendly venues like Desert Storm, the Balkans, and Iraqi Freedom.

I'm trying to generate funds for Russell by asking people to contribute a small amount. By that, it mean a sum around $25. My assumption is that people who make one small contribution will make another one or two in the future. Also, they might urge friends and family members to follow their lead in contributing money.

People who live paycheck to paycheck perhaps can't contribute money. However, they can contribute their time and effort, and that's eventually going to count for a lot.

A campaign can't run on thin air. It costs money for heat and light in a small headquarters. There are phone bills and travel costs. A few full-time staffers need to be paid, as they won't have time to work at another job.

What about me? I have never revealed what I contribute to campaigns, but I will now.

In 2007, as of today, I have contributed the following:

• William F. Russell $250 (actually, $249, but what's a buck or two among friends);
• Diana Irey for County Commissioner ($200),
• Melissa Hart for Congress ($100) -- check with me on how to contribute to her;
• Jean Schmidt for Congress ($25),
• Heather Wilson for Senate ($25).

I've told William's campaign that my contributions to him by the end of December will total $400. By Election Day, 2008, I may be up $1000 for William's effort. Yes, I believe in him that much.

I'll also give some modest support to Sen. Lindsay Graham of South Carolina.

At my urging, one staunch McCain supporter (Brad) contributed $50 to William's campaign. I told him I would contribute $50 to Senator McCain's presidential campaign.

I'm not exactly "made of money" (to say the least!). I live in an old mill town in a house that cost an unremarkable $70,000. My wife has been disabled since 1991. We also have a partially disabled child living with us. I'm semi-retired, and I don't live in a mansion (to say the least!)

I'm contributing to William's campaign (and the others) because I want this to be a country my children and grandchildren will love as much as I do. I want William to run a campaign that will make John Murtha sweat -- and possibly reflect for perhaps a minute on the errors of his ways.

The candidates I support (and I'd add Gov. Sarah Palin and former Gov. Jim Gilmore, who is running for the Senate in VA) are truly exceptional people. Yes, they're all conservatives, but what they want to conserve is what's best about America. If we don't financially support good men and women, we'll end up with a Congress overflowing with John Murthas, Nancy Pelosis, Ted Kennedys, Howard Jeffersons (the man with $90,000 in his freezer), and Harry Reids.

So, please consider giving a small contribution (hint: large is also okay) to Lt. Col. William Russell. Trust me, you won't regret it.