I’m having difficulty reconciling these two Megs.  The first Meg Whitman says she’s a fiscal conservative, intent on getting California back on track as Governor:

The second Meg Whitman says that she supported the bank bailouts, which is resoundly non-fiscally conservative:

Update:

·         Endorsed Barbara Boxer in 2004  –MORE: “Darned good” Republican Whitman endorsed U.S. Senator Barbara Boxer in 2003”

·         Endorsed Al Gore in 2000 – MORE: “The Politics of Technology”

·         Supports Public Funding of Abortion –MORE: Interview With Meg Whitman, Part III – “Extreme On Abortion”

·         Against Across The Board Tax Cuts – VIDEO: “Meg Whitman Supports Higher Taxes”

·         Supports the Government Stimulus – VIDEO: “Meg Whitman Praises Obama Stimulus”

·         Supports the $700 Billion Wall Street Bailout – VIDEO: “Meg Whitman Supports The Bank Bailout”

Just something to make you think.  I’ll be voting for Steve Poizner.

Yesterday the Republicans and Democrats finally met together to discuss health care reform.  I guess Scott Brown (R-MA) really scared the crud out of the progressives, so much so that Obama actually made good on one of his campaign pledges.  That brings us to three promises fulfilled.  1) Take Michelle on a date, 2) Get a dog for the First Daughters, and 3) Air the health care debate on C-SPAN.  Actually, let’s strike number 2. The President promised to rescue a shelter dog, but instead accepted Bo as a gift from Ted Kennedy.  Which I don’t really care about, but it just goes to show that this guy has a really, really hard time staying true to his word.

My favorite moment was when Congressman Paul Ryan (R-WI) became my new hero.  He flat out explained that the CBO scores weren’t real, and explained exactly why.  The best part is the look on the President’s face as Ryan is explaining that “hiding a deficit is not reducing a deficit.”  I almost felt sorry for the guy, he looked so confused.  No wonder he’s racked up our debt- he does not understand that you can’t print more money.  Now I really want to see his transcripts.  He probably failed econ 101.

The Smart Girl Report

 
Interviews with Steve Poizner, Chuck DeVore, Steven Crowder, and Ben Howe. Also favorite moments from CPAC attendees.

Continued from here:

Dick Cheney walked onstage to thunderous applause.  He has become a loud voice for national security ever since our President appointed Janet the-system-works Napolitano as Secretary of Homeland Security.  You know, because he actually likes America, is proud to be an American, and wants to keep America around for a few more generations.

He said that when Liz asked him for advice on what to say, as she usually does before a speaking engagement (smart girl, I do the same thing with my dad) he mentioned that he’d like to attend CPAC with her.  “Ok,” she said, “But only as arm candy.”

Vice President Cheney said that he enjoys CPAC because it keeps conservatism and its fundamental principles alive.  He also said that he’s encouraged by recent conservative developments in Virginia, New Jersey, and Massachusetts, and that he expects to see more in the novemeber elections.

2010 is going to be a phenomenal year.

Dick Cheney said so.

From USA Today:

Nutritionists have long warned of the perils of hot dogs: fat, sodium and preservatives to name a few.

Now, the American Academy of Pediatrics wants foods like hot dogs to come with a warning label — not because of their nutritional risks but because they pose a choking hazard to babies and children.

Better yet, the academy would like to see foods such as hot dogs “redesigned” so their size, shape and texture make them less likely to lodge in a youngster’s throat. More than 10,000 children under 14 go to the emergency room each year after choking on food, and up to 77 die, says the new policy statement, published online today in Pediatrics. About 17% of food-related asphyxiations are caused by hot dogs.

How about having a little faith in parents to actually be responsible for their children?  I’m a mom, and it’s not exactly rocket science to figure out how to feed your kids.  Mushed up food first.  Then easy to chew finger foods like Cheerios or diced fruit.  As they get more teeth and more control over their mouth and throat muscles, you can move into bigger and better things like hot dogs or carrot sticks.  Parents should use their brains and rely on common sense a little bit more, instead of on government to take care of their every parenting question.

I always love hearing Liz Cheney speak.  She just has a way of getting to the core of issues with common sense truisms.  Like the time she said, “America needs a commander in chief, not a community organizer.”  Or how about last week when she said, “Vice President Biden has a famously tenuous relationship with reality”?  The girl is a genius, I tell you, a genius!

I made sure to be there for her speech at CPAC to catch the pearls she would undoubtedly throw out to the audience.  I was not disappointed.

She encouraged us Americans not to believe the mainstream media when they us that conservatism is dead.  Massachusetts voters told the mainstream what they could do with their “info”.  We know what Obama’s about now.  He can no longer hide behind hopey-changey campaign promises.  The truth is, he ‘s going to raise everyone’s taxes, because he wants government in every aspect of everyone’s lives.

He also wants terrorists in everyone’s lives.  Obama’s weird pledge to close Gitmo and bring the terrorists into Thompson County, Illinois prisons is not only a bad idea, it’s an expensive one to the tune of $200 million dollars.  And that’s in addition to the taxpayer money already spent on the cost of building and maintaining gitmo.

Ms. Cheney told us that even her 9-year-old daughter had it figured out.  “Mom, is President Obama really bringing terrorists into the US?” her daughter asked.  After hearing her mother’s affirmative response, she responded, “Man, use your brain Dude! That’s really stupid.”  This is not rocket science, people.  Terrorists belong in Gitmo, not America’s heartland.

President Obama is not on top of his game in the national security department.  He revealed US interrogation techniques and then stopped paying attention.  To keep the US safe, he needs to make it a priority, and not treat it like a part time job.

As Americans, we have the right and the obligation to say something.  Too many men and women have paid too high a price for that right to speak, so let’s send a message to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue: You will never silence us.  We have the courage of conviction, which she learned from her dad….

…who then walked on stage.

Dick Cheney was in the house.

To be continued….

My regular readers (I love you both, by the way) know that I’m a big dork.  Remember when I met Michelle Malkin and Liz Cheney last fall?  Or how about two days ago when Marco Rubio said “Hi” to me?  I get excited when I meet people that I admire and respect from the far off distance of my living room.  I blog with a toddler in my lap; my life is not glamorous. People like Malkin and Cheney and Rubio are like rock stars to this political nerd.

I was in the blogger’s lounge at CPAC this afternoon when Steven Crowder walked in.  I wanted an interview for The Smart Girl Report.  So I grabbed him.  ”Hi, I’m Jenny Erik-”

“Yeah! You’re Jenny Erikson! I know you!”

I think my heart skipped a beat.  I really admire Crowder’s guts in truth seeking and his humor and energy in reporting it.  He’s, you know, a real reporter, not some smart-mouthed chick with with a blog like yours truly.  Once I got the knot out of my tongue, I asked him if he would please do an interview with me on RFC Radio.  He said he’d love to, and he gave a great interview about being a young conservative and of course some new media talk.  I’ll link you guys to it when the tech czars at RFC get it up for me.

When we were done chatting on the air, I asked him to record a quick promo for my show.  Which he did.  And he said I was a dish.  *swoon*

That promo is going to get played a lot.

Tucker Carlson, the creator of the fun new news site The Daily Caller, gave a talk about media and journalism.  Being a member of this new world of new media, I was interested to hear what he had to say.

He pretty much slammed the main stream media up against the wall.  And then he laughed at it.  And then threw a snowball at it.  And then laughed some more. ”The goal is to produce honest news coverage that reflects reality, not your stupid world view,” he said.  And then for emphasis he added, “really stupid.”

The thing is, people don’t have a moral duty to read your publication.  The media needs to make things interesting for people to continue reading and watching them.  They’re not “mainstream” any more, they’re propaganda, and the need for bailouts by the government is proof that no one is reading them.  No circulation, no hits on websites, no money to run the publication.

Carlson encouraged us to give up the use of the term mainstream media.  The new news, the news of the people and by the people is here to stay.

The newly elected and seated Senator from Massachusetts introduced Mitt Romney at CPAC.  It was a surprise visit, and the crowd erupted when he came on stage.  My friend Jimmie Bice said, “Senator Hunky Pants is here.  Yeah, I said it.”  He is kinda cute.  In that rugged, good-looking way.  If you’re into that.  Please excuse me while I fan myself for a moment.

Ok, I’m back.

Senator Brown started out by introducing himself, saying, “I’m Scott Brown, the newly elected REPUBLICAN Senator from Massachusetts.”  Lots of applause on that one.  Then he answered the number one question he’d been asked so far at the conference, “Yes, I drove my truck here.  It’s parked outside.”  Even more applause.

Rugged.  If you’re into that.

He asserted the need for greater accountability and transparency in Washington, and used his election win as proof that Americans are demanding it.  We can change what’s happening in America, and we can do it from the ground up.  His campaign was truly a grassroots one, his first rally could have been held in a phone booth.  Through the power of new media and citizen journalists, he was able to get his message of fiscal responsibility out, and the people responded.

As he was introducing Mitt Romney, he heaped praise on him, saying that he was such an encouragement during his campaign.  That’s nice.  Really, I’m sure Romney is a nice guy.  I’m sure Scott Brown is too.  And Massachusetts needs Republicans like them.  Much better than Martha Coakley or Deval Patrick.  I will encourage and support Republicans like that in a state so blue it’s navy.

But they aren’t our guys for the top of the ticket in 2012.

I had quite a time getting set up for blogging CPAC this morning.  There will probably be a post about my adventures since my airplane post soon.  Trust me, it was definitely an adventure.  A humorous one.  Because, well, sometimes you have to choose whether to laugh or cry, and I always choose to laugh.

Because I was so behind in getting setting up, I missed the opening speaker.  Marco Rubio.  I saw the last 20 seconds of his speech, just enough time to snap one ridiculously tiny & fuzzy picture on my blackberry.  I was bummed.  I almost cried.  Then I decided to laugh instead.  I’m like that.

Then I was walking from one place to another and ran into Leon & Jillian Wolf, two very awesome people that I’m happy to call my friends.  Oh yeah, and Erickson was there too.  ”You want to meet Marco Rubio?” He asks me.  Do I?  Um… YES.  ”He’s right in there with a small press group.”  I just stared at him.  Nerves, yah know.  ”Go on in,” he said, giving me a little push into the room.  ”Everyone thinks you’re my wife anyway!”  (Ask me about that story sometime, it’s really funny.)

So that’s how a found myself standing ten feet from Marco Rubio, taking questions from a dozen or so journalists, both real and citizen, although the distinction is getting very blurred very quickly these days.  In fact, citizen journalism and social media was the topic de jour.

He said that he wouldn’t have a campaign if it weren’t for the bloggers.  The ability to communicate online has made it possible for anyone to become a candidate, or a journalist.  There’s a whole new set of rules in today’s political world.  Because of the wide access to information, Americans no longer have to choose between two candidates that are sort of the same, picking the one that we like better.

People understand what’s at stake, and candidates are being more widely vetted than ever before.  We don’t need to rely on the traditional media to tell us what to think about a candidate, we get the information ourselves and get it out there.  Some really consequential things are happening in Washington, and will continue to happen if we don’t stop it by sending sensible people to congress.

His hope for the 2010 elections, of course, is to win a senate seat in Florida, but also to be one of a crop of newly elected Senators and Congressmen determined to restore our country to it’s greatness, not fundamentally transform it into something not recognizable in our Constitution.  Which is why he spoke at CPAC: to reach a broader audience.  He hopes that the attendees from across the country go home and seek out reliable candidates to support and vote for.

When asked about Scott Brown, he commented that if the Obama agenda is not safe in Massachusetts, it’s not safe anywhere.  And then his handler said he had to go, so he politely said it was nice to talk to us, walked right past me, smiled directly at me, and said (and I quote), “Hi.”

Awesomeness.