Jimmy Brannon Blog

To the parents of children lost in Connecticut

There is a special fraternity that exists for those who have lost a child. It is a fraternity that is filled with disbelief, sadness, sometimes despair, anger, resentment, and other emotions that dont easily fall within a particular classification. The event in Connecticut has touched everyone in America in different ways but the video that touched me the most was the one that showed the salt and pepper father shown next to a white van who was unconsolable upon apparently learning that his child's voice would never be heard again.  I wrote a book about my son, who died of cancer at age 13, mostly as a self therapeutic effort but I later found that it helped others who had experienced a similar fate. My experience involved wathcing a child suffer for three years before his death. But also it provided so many opportunities to enjoy our life or as some might say to "say goodbye." Those that have lost a child in a sudden, inexplicable event like that in Connecticut face a different set of horrors. To those of you in Connecticut I welcome you to a faternity I wish no one had to join

Senate Candidate is an idiot and should resign from race

Missouri Senate candidate Todd Aken, the Republican Senate candidate who is under fire for his comments about rape and a woman’s body should immediately resign from the race. Aken in an interview about abortion in rape cases said: "First of all, from what I understand from doctors [pregnancy after rape] is really rare," Akin told KTVI-TV in defense of his stand that rape victims should not be allowed to access abortions. "If it's a legitimate rape, the female body has ways to try to shut that whole thing down." At the outset, it is true that there is way too much “gotcha” politics going on these days and it’s also true that much of it is orchestrated by the media against republicans in furtherance of the media’s democratic party agenda. But this is not such a case where anyone else is to blame but the candidate himself. A parade consisting of everyone on the planet has rejected Aken’s comments calling them offensive. Aken for his part has apologized and said that people are forgiving. Offensive the comments may have been and forgiving the people may be. There are a millions of ways for candidates to get caught with their proverbial pants down especially with Democratic Party henchmen, the media, waiting in wait. And it is a shame to see legitimate candidates ruined over an indiscretion, bad act or misspoken word. HOWEVER, and this is the point with regard to Aken. How do you get to the point of being a candidate for the U.S. Senate and not know better than to even get close to that kind of a statement about rape and a women’s body? If it was just a matter of making an offensive statement or committing a bad act, forgiveness for his indiscretion might make sense. The real problem here is NOT that it was offensive, but that it was idiotic. I forgive him for being an idiot. But an idiot he remains.

57 % favor smoking bans in buildings open to public, final poll indicates

The blog's week-long poll has indicated that 57.1% favor a ban on smoking in buildings open to the public. Another 14.3 % favor such a law if there is an outdoor smoking area available, while 28.6% opposed the law.

While the issue is moot for many folks such as in Lexington where there is already a smoking ordinance, other places such as in Bourbon County do not have such a rule.

So the issue lives on.

Romney/Martinez is the blog's choice

The Romney campaign has apparently indicated that it will be making known the announcement of vice-presidential nominee Saturday which has forced the blog to move more quickly to beat the campaign to the draw.

While it appears that the blog’s first choice, Virginia Gov. Rob McDonnell may be the choice, (the announcement being made in Virginia) the blog feels there is a better choice.

The blog favors a vice presidential candidate:

    A.  That has demonstrated ability to win in a Democratic state.

    B. That has appeal in most of the swing states.

    C. That brings into play a state that is basically out of contention.

    D. That has a broad range of experience that renders the candidate invulnerable to the Democratic Party and media slander campaign that is likely to be made.

The Romney campaign has apparently indicated that it will be making known the announcement of vice-presidential nominee Saturday which has forced the blog to move more quickly to beat the campaign to the draw.

While it appears that the blog’s first choice, Virginia Gov. Rob McDonnell may be the choice, (the announcement being made in Virginia) the blog feels there is a better choice.

The blog favors a vice presidential candidate:

    A.  That has demonstrated ability to win in a Democratic state.

    B. That has appeal in most of the swing states.

    C. That brings into play a state that is basically out of contention.

    D. That has a broad range of experience that renders the candidate invulnerable to the Democratic Party and media slander campaign that is likely to be made.
   
While Gov. McDonnell has been the blog’s choice and is a “safer” choice, it appears to the blog that a more vigorous approach is going to be necessary to win the White House and for that reason the blog has opted for a different approach.

The blog’s VP choice is a three time elected U.S. prosecutor having served in that capacity for 14 years. The VP choice has been elected statewide in a highly Democratic state but who has conservative credentials.

Efforts by the media and democratic party to ‘catch her with her pants down’ as they successfully did with Sarah Palin is not likely to succeed with this candidate because of the bonafied credentials of the candidate.
   

New Mexico Governor Susana Martinez

The blog endorses New Mexico Governor Susana Martinez, the nation’s first Latina Governor, as the nation’s first Latina and first woman vice-president.

There is no doubt that Gov. Martinez will bring into play her home state of New Mexico but will likely on two fronts bring into the Romney side a number of other close states such as Colorado, Iowa, North Carolina, in addition to the other swing states.

The Romney/Martinez campaign is more risky that Romney/McDonnell but it is necessary in order to win.

There will surely be a smear campaign by the media and Obama campaign but the fact is that Susana Martinez is no Sarah Palin. Her experience as a federal prosecutor of 14 years will insulate her and the fact that she is not only woman but also Latina will make it very dangerous for those who seek to attack her, with a very high risk of backfiring.

With the announcement that Romney will be making his choice known Saturday in Virginia, it appears that Gov. McDonnell may be the choice but the blog favors a big tent approach that would be best served by the choice of Governor Martinez.
   
While Gov. McDonnell has been the blog’s choice and is a “safer” choice, it appears to the blog that a more vigorous approach is going to be necessary to win the White House and for that reason the blog has opted for a different approach.

The blog’s VP choice is a three time elected U.S. prosecutor having served in that capacity for 14 years. The VP choice has been elected statewide in a highly Democratic state but who has conservative credentials.

Efforts by the media and democratic party to ‘catch her with her pants down’ as they successfully did with Sarah Palin is not likely to succeed with this candidate because of the bonafied credentials of the candidate.
   


New Mexico Governor Susana Martinez

The blog endorses New Mexico Governor Susana Martinez, the nation’s first Latina Governor, as the nation’s first Latina and first woman vice-president.

There is no doubt that Gov. Martinez will bring into play her home state of New Mexico but will likely on two fronts bring into the Romney side a number of other close states such as Colorado, Iowa, North Carolina, in addition to the other swing states.

The Romney/Martinez campaign is more risky that Romney/McDonnell but it is necessary in order to win.

There will surely be a smear campaign by the media and Obama campaign but the fact is that Susana Martinez is no Sarah Palin. Her experience as a federal prosecutor of 14 years will insulate her and the fact that she is not only woman but also Latina will make it very dangerous for those who seek to attack her, with a very high risk of backfiring.

With the announcement that Romney will be making his choice known Saturday in Virginia, it appears that Gov. McDonnell may be the choice but the blog favors a big tent approach that would be best served by the choice of Governor Martinez.

It may be Gov McDonnell which the blog supported (as the #1 choice) until a few days ago-

Rubio, Condoleezza Rice, Portman and a host of others have been suggested.

In a few hours Mitt Romney will make it official. The blog for a number of weeks has been quietly supporting Virginia Governor Rob McDonnell as the best candidate who is ready to serve as President but who also will serve the Romney campaign well in the fall campaign.

Of primary note in favor of Gov. McDonnell is the fact that he has made it a primary focus of his governorship in Virginia the campaign against “welfare as we know it” and in a “Clintonesque” manner has exemplified the philosophical difference between the Romney campaign and the Obama White House. 

Gov. McDonnell is qualified and has demonstrated his bipartisan appeal in Virginia which is an important swing state. Gov. McDonnell is a “safe” choice to a great extent because he has demonstrated that he can endure the attacks and vigor of such a campaign and is a “marketable” candidate and personality. The fact that the announcement Saturday is being made in Norfolk, Virginia seems to suggest that Gov McDonnell is the pick and if so the blog is pleased with the pick.

HOWEVER, in the past several days the blog has made a further review and as a first choice picks another qualified Governor as the candidate that Gov. Romney should pick.

The Blog's Romney VP pick is coming soon

CNN has said that the Mitt Romney campaign is poised to announce the VP running mate tomorrow (Saturday) which has prompted the blog to beat the Romney campaign to the draw with the preferable VP choice. The blog is working it up but suffice to say the VP choice is a candidate that has proven that he or she can win in a Democratic state and is a candidate that will help Republicans in all of the swing states. The candidate the blog advocates will bring into play a state that was not officially in play as yet.  stay tuned for blog updates.

Blog Is Back! Chick Filly, Election Issues Demand Common Sense-

The Blog Is Back!

The upcoming national election and the Chick Filly
controversy has so urgently cried out for common sense that the Jimmy Brannon
blog has been forced out of hibernation.

Friends on both sides of the Chick Filly controversy
have disappointed me.

Let’s start by getting the background to this affair
straight.

First, this blog as a voice of common sense and
independent thought has no qualms about gay/lesbian marriage.

While friends on the right, especially Christian conservatives
may be dismayed by that statement, I would suggest that we examine what it
means to be a Christian. Sure, it may be said that to be a Christian is to
believe in Jesus Christ as the son of God and that the Bible is the word of God
and so forth. However, if in a single line one had to explain to another what
it means to act as a Christian, would I as a non-church-goer, be far off base
if I said that it meant to treat others like you would want to be treated, to
not judge others lest I be judged myself, and to believe in understanding and
forgiveness of others?

The facts as we know them are that some CEO of Chick
Filly has made statements or given money to causes or otherwise come down on
the side of those who oppose the legalization of gay/lesbian marriage.

As a lawyer, I will tell you that I would be
concerned by the involvement of executives in such controversial issues for a
variety of reasons. Sooner or later out of the hundreds of franchises out there
you are probably going to get some sensitive situation that blows up. It may be
one where the franchise is in the right like an employee that gets dismissed
for being late for work but whom turns up gay after he gets dismissed and sues
the company. It may even be a set up: I wouldn’t be surprised to see a lesbian
couple show up on a Friday night somewhere across the land and do a kissy-huggy
in the front pew, to the possible chagrin of a customer or manager which may
blow up into an incident that may wind up in litigation.

At the same time, however, I am dismayed by my
gay/lesbian friends on the other hand who have overreacted to this whole
affair. Just as it is your rightly held position that America stands for the
proposition that people of different persuasions should be given equal
protection under the laws, and I think that is a significant basis for the
legalization of gay/lesbian marriage, how do you at the same time condone the
use of governmental authority to attack those who disagree with you.

We have a Mayor of Boston and Chicago who have in
strong words suggested that a business whose CEO opposes gay marriage does not
belong in those cities. I could care less about Chick Filly but my question is
about those people, perhaps millions of such people who reside in those towns
who share the same opinion. Is the Mayor of either of those two cities saying
that residents who disagree on that position are not welcome in their town? Do
we banish such people, jail them, or worse? Talk about the H-word- hatred?

I and most Americans agree that America stands for
equal treatment under the laws, including for gay/lesbian Americans. I also
believe that America stands for that old statement that “while I disagree with
what you say, I’ll defend to the death your right to say it.”

This affair may damage Chick Filly in the long run
because while popular opinion may support them, it is likely to lead to long
term damage as radicals single them out for lawsuits and the like.

If the goal of gay/lesbian activists were only to punish
Chick Filly, they may claim to have won this battle. But many such activists
have broadened their attacks to include allegations of “hate” and so forth
which is likely to backfire. The fact that some ill-advised executive of some
company gave money to support a cause you disagree with, does not necessarily
mean a war of “hate.”  Vandalism and so
forth on the other side may well suggest such. Many companies have voiced
support through their CEO’s in favor of gay marriage, such as Target and
Microsoft. I hear no hue and cry over that because it is their prerogative.

The reality, however, is that this public opinion
war won’t be decided by the extreme left or the extreme right but rather by the
reasonable folk in the middle. I wouldn’t be surprised to see such people so
turned off by the whole affair on both sides that “a political pox on both
their houses” may be the opinion of end result.

Seeking the political higher ground would have been
the better course here and it seems that contrary to the normal course, the
Christian conservatives, believe it or not, may be winning that one.

 

 

Gatewood Galbraith's Legacy: One Proposal

Friends of Gatewood Galbraith know that forcountless thousands of Kentuckians who came to admire him over the past few decades, Gatewood’s persona will not be forgotten.

But it seems that the Commonwealth of Kentucky could benefit from an effort to memorialize Gatewood’s legacy in a more permanent way that honors our friend but more importantly carries forward some meaningful part of Gatewood’s legacy.

Friends, family and some of those who have worked closely in Gatewood’s campaigns over the past years may have a better idea but one that has crossed mine is the notion of a permanent Galbraith Commission chartered to fulfill some legitimate state policy on a permanent basis. Others may have a different idea but one such policy area that comes to mind is the area of open government.

A Galbraith Commission on Open Government charged with the responsibility of making recommendations relating to open and transparent government would seem to be a fitting tribute to Galbraith and more importantly a useful non-partisan commission that would help guide government in Kentucky toward greater transparency in the future.

Such a commission would seem to fit in with one of things I think of the most about Gatewood Galbraith’s policy goals, ‘transparent government,’ but at the same time would likely be supported by the Kentucky Press and others with an interest in ensuring government accountability.

There may be other ideas; perhaps already in place, but the idea of Galbraith’s legacy being carried forward in a permanent and useful means ought to be considered.

Newt Gingrich –the best choice for Republicans to lead the fight against Barack Obama

With the departure of Governor Jon Huntsman from the cast of characters known as the Republican candidates for President, the chore of picking a candidate that is capable of the job, and at the same time electable, has become a more daunting task.

For good reasons the best of what is left has to come down to Mitt Romney and Newt Gingrich. Ron Paul brings some interesting ideas to the table but his foreign policy ideas are potentially dangerous and his electability against Barack Obama is dubious. Paul has vehement supporters but the average American is more likely to see him as a nice, but kind of quirky uncle, who you wouldn’t want to leave minding the house while you were out of town, unless you had someone check in on him from time to time. Rick Santorum, meanwhile, has drawn support from evangelical circles but has not seemed to catch fire beyond that. His foreign policy statements have been mostly a hodge-podge of one liners and it doesn’t seem he is ready for prime time.

So, the effort to unseat Barack Obama is going to be left to Romney, who has never been able to garner wide support among Republicans, despite several years of campaigning, and Gingrich, who everyone admits is intelligent and knowledgeable enough to be president, but who is also seen as less likely to be elected in part due to baggage from his prior service or personal life.

But another point makes it clear that Newt Gingrich is the best candidate to carry the Republican banner into the fall campaign with Barrack Obama. A presidential campaign should be more than a personality or popularity contest. It is the one single part of our Democracy which offers to the people an opportunity to be a part of a meaningful dialogue about the philosophical direction on which the nation needs to embark.

What is the proper role of the federal government, state government on a wide array of items such as entitlements, welfare, energy, social programs, etc.? What is the proper role of the United States abroad in the post Iraq War era? How should the U.S. deal with emerging movements in the Middle East or the economic and security issues raised by the emergence of China as a world superpower?

My friends on the left have different points of view than those who espouse a more conservative agenda and approach. And that is good. The right result is more likely to be found from a spirited debate based on intellectual and informed opinions that underlie our nation’s policies rather than a resort to policies based on buzz words, media blurbs, teleprompter speeches laced with ‘yes we can’, and knee-jerk partisan attacks.

Newt Gingrich is uniquely capable to lead that debate, no matter whether you love him or hate him. Newt, no matter the attacks of Newt-haters, is more than capable of taking the conservative debate to Barack Obama, head to head, which is the only way it should be.

But Newt is not an ideologue. During the period of the Clinton presidency, Gingrich displayed immense ability to work with the Clinton folks for the benefit of the nation as a whole. Mitt Romney on the other hand is incapable of leading a philosophical debate with himself much less Barack Obama. [This blog originates from Kentucky for those in South Carolina that read this endorsement. Kentucky is viewed as a safe state for Republicans in most polls. Some have suggested that Biden may leave the ticket in the fall and be replaced by Hillary Clinton. Whether that occurs or not, no matter, the fact is that Romney versus Obama is going to be a closer race in Kentucky than expected, and the blog predicts that Obama/Clinton would beat Romney in Kentucky.]

In summary, there is no doubt that Newt Gingrich is capable of being President on day one. The only question for Republicans is one of electability. The blog believes that it is far better for the GOP to be led by a candidate that stands for something even if everyone doesn’t agree, than one who stands for nothing.

MITT ROMNEY’S CRITICISM PROVES GOVERNOR HUNTSMAN IS THE BEST CANDIDATE

Mitt Romney, in criticizing Governor Jon Huntsman for his service of his country as Ambassador to China, has displayed the very heart of the problem we face in America today: the inability of leaders to put country first and politics to the rear. Jon Huntsman did that by serving as Ambassador to China, perhaps the most important foreign policy position other than secretary of state. Yes, he was asked to serve by Barack Obama. But Mr. Romney fails to grasp two very important points: Number one, he fails to note that Governor Huntsman also served when he was asked to serve by US Presidents George W. Bush, as trade ambassador, and by President Ronald Reagan for whom he was a staff assistant in 1981. Does Mr. Romney care to discuss his comments about Ronald Reagan when he was a liberal Massachusetts candidate attempting to distance himself from President Reagan? The author of this blog was on the floor of the nominating convention for Governor Ronald Reagan in Detroit in 1980 and perhaps those of us who admire Ronald Reagan would find your response interesting. Number two and more importantly, this is the precise type of “put the politics first” style that has led our nation into retreat over the last few years. Governor Huntsman by putting his country first has proven that he is the kind of leader that we can trust to make America Great Again. Finally, the blog urges New Hampshire voters to consider another practical point. The fact that Governor Huntsman did serve his country when called, even by a Democratic president, is going to handicap the Obama billion dollar attack dogs from attacking nominee Huntsman. It is hard to attack a guy you appointed to a high position. Stick to the facts Mr. Romney! If you do, the voters will know that Governor Huntsman is the best candidate. Fact 1. Huntsman is the most qualified by experience. Fact 2. Huntsman is the most consistent conservative, no flip flops here. Fact 3. Huntsman is the most electable in the general election.