Clinton Catapulting to Lead in PA

According to a recent poll, Sen. Hillary Clinton is leading Sen. Barrack Obama in the Pennsylvania Primary by an even 20 percentage points, with four percent left undecided. Additionally, ten percent of those surveyed, likely Democrat primary voters, say they would never vote for Sen. Clinton, whereas 24 percent said they would never vote for Sen. Obama.

The question remains whether or not Sen. Obama has support among, and the ability to turn out, young voters who are not considered “likely primary voters.” If he does, then most of the poling data that comes out during this cycle is off. If not, then the hype and mystique that Sen. Obama has worked up over this past month was a sham. He has convinced many of his inevitability, but has offered up little proof of this. A month of loud and uplifting (only in that it is so empty it can lift itself and take voters with it) does not a successful campaign make.

April 22. We’ll see what’s next.

Polls Are Like Bills...

they just keep coming, they all say something different, and it takes just a single odd one to turn everything on end.

Between Zogby, Rasmussen, and Gallup, you can pick and choose to get the picture of the election you really want (unless you are Rep. Ron Paul, in which case the picture rarely changes). I was already over this whole primary process, but I guess I can follow along and try to keep up with all the new numbers. In the meantime, here are my presidential picks for 2008.

Democrats: It's gonna be Sen. Clinton. Sen. Obama might have glittery poll numbers, but is still behind in fundraising by almost ten million dollars. And even with a Clinton slump, she still leads nationally by a wide margin. She's politically experienced, something which Obama still is not, and has an army of rich Hollywood liberals to help her along the way, another thing, Obama is lacking.

Republicans: This is more complex, as there are more people. Giuliani is the clear frontrunner nationally, but Romney, according to most polls, leads in Iowa and New Hampshire. If Mike Huckabee continues his rise to national prominence, the fact that he is a liberal with a fundamentalist Christian streak will come out. Exactly how much momentum he picks up after Iowa and New Hampshire will be the ultimate test. I think that Romney will be able to pull it out, and thus I predict Romney will win the nomination.

Independents: Mayor Bloomburg, with up to one billion dollars at his disposal, could still launch a center-left campaign as an independent. If Bloomburg does enter the race, everything is out the window. But I find this unlikely, as he will probably use the threat of his entry to try and influence the process.

In closing, elections are better than television. You know why.

Lott Leaves Senate In Suprise Move

In a surprise move, Sen. Trent Lott, the Republicans second in command int he Senate, will leave office by the end of the year. According to reports, despite the Senator's insistence that he is leaving to spend more time with his family and pursue private-sector opportunities, Larry Flynt is alleging that Lott had a relationship with a male escort.

If it is the former, then that's all good and well. But if it is the latter, then America has another instance of a smear king taking down a good man for no reason. Just like when Lott expressed support for the late Sen. Strom Thurmond's presidential run in 1948. Thurmond was by no means perfect, far from it, but Thurmond was a good man, and a bunch of latter-day feelings police tried to take a good man (Lott) down for saying something good about another good man.

Where Flynt is coming from with these allegations, I don't know. But I highly doubt they are true, and when they are proven to be false, someone needs to come out in public and decry him for what he has done. and somehow, the of America needs to learn that nothing good happens from dragging a good man down.

Oregon Splits on Dem Designed Ballot

Oregon voters approved Measure 49, but rejected Measure 50 in a special election on Tuesday. So now we have it on record: Oregonians care about taxes, but not land use rights.

Eminent domain is now statute in Oregon. Even those with property inside UGBs, who supported the measure out of financial interest, will have to worry that government will want their land for something else. If any level of government wants your ground, they can take it out from under you. Doesn't mean they will, but the idea that they can is a blow to freedom.

Even though there were a million good reasons to oppose 50, the tobacco funded ads, cited by liberals as the deciding factor, picked the "Not in our constitution" argument to appeal to the lowest common denominator. The next print edition of The Liberty will showcase some of the arguments not given by the measure's official opponents.

About that print edition: it'll be out soon. Promise up and down.

Rep. Ron Rakes In Internet Cash

Rep. Ron Paul, Republican candidate for President, managed to raise 4.2 million dollars in an exclusively online fundraising effort to commemorate Guy Fawkes Day, November 5. Many will remember Guy Fawkes Day as the day, in 1605, a group of anti-royalist conspirators attempted to assassinate the King and Parliament of England by blowing up Westminster Palace during the State Opening of Parliament. Conclusions about Paul’s intentions for Congress and the President may be drawn now.

But the better question is, what could have $4.2 Million have gone towards that would provide more benefit to the 37000 people who donated it. Well,

• At current estimated cost of attendance, 80 people could have earned degrees from OSU
• Alternatively, one could have purchased 23333 cases of Natty Ice beer and had one hell of a frat party
• 168 Environment saving hybrid cars (estimated cost of 25000 per)
• Thirty million copies of The Liberty could have been printed.
• We could have gotten an office. The most epic college newspaper office ever
• Or 210 thousand gallons of Rogue Dead Guy Ale

But to be more realistically, here’s what $4.2 million won’t buy Rep. Paul

• Fame and adoration outside of his small internet following
• Legitimacy
• Any sort of sensible approach to government
• Any shot in hell of wining the Presidency, or the Republican nomination.

Happy Spending, Rep. Paul!