NEW HAMPSHIRE

Frank Guinta, former Mayor of Manchester, is the Republican nominee for US Congress - New Hampshire CD 1

From Eric Dondero:

A conservative blog out of Wisconsin had the opportunity to interview libertarian Republican for US Senate Ron Johnson. The Republican Senate candidate challenging Russ Feingold is heavily backed by fiscal conservative stalwart Sen. Jim DeMint.

George Will in a syndicated column last month called Johnson an a hardline capitalist and Ayn Rand devotee: "the idea of running for office never crossed Ron Johnson's mind. He was, however, dry tinder -- he calls Ayn Rand's "Atlas Shrugged" his "foundational book." His main focus as a candidate has been the country's enormous debt and cutting the tax burden for Americans, and small business. But now Johnson's giving indications on his foreign policy beliefs, as well. They are indeed views that clash with those of ultra-leftist "Moveon.org" backed Russ Feingold.

LettersinaBottle blog:

I’m very concerned about President Obama, the way he even announced the strategy, the fact that he announces the surge and the next sentence after that, he says, “Oh, by the way, we’re going to pull out in 16 months.” To me, the Taliban strategy is to surge 16 months and a day. And particularly in a conflict like Afghanistan, where we need the villagers to feel confident that, you know, whoever – that we’re going to be there for victory and that we’re committed to that. Because let’s face it, we’ve got the Taliban that’ll happily move into those villages and, you know, enact some retribution on anybody that sided with the other side. So, my concern is that President Obama has set us up for failure, quite honestly; and that’s not what you do when you’re going to commit our fine young men and women into battle. So, you know, highly concerned about his particular strategy.

I would like to achieve victory in Afghanistan. I mean, I’d like to finish off the job; I mean, I’d like to be able to say that, you know, we’ve cleaned up another nest of terrorists, quite honestly. But I’m just, again, very concerned about the direction of, you know, this policy under this president. The only thing that kind of keeps me supportive of it is the fact that we have David Petraeus. Which, by the way, Russ Feingold was one of only twenty Senators that refused to condemn the ad by Moveon.org that called him “David Betray-us.” I don’t think that’s a real way – a real shining moment in Senator Feingold’s voting record, quite honestly.

Swedish Democrats look to enter Parliament

By Clifford F. Thies

In 2006, a four-party, center-right coalition achieved a wafer thin majority in the Swedish national parliament. Almost immediately, the Social Democrats and their erstwhile coalition partners - the Left Party and the Greens - surged to a lead in opinions polls. Progress in restoring the Swedish economy to a market-orientation appeared to be in jeopardy.

According to the Wall Street Journal / Heritage Foundation index of economic freedom, the Swedish economy had dramatically improved from 61 in 1995 to 70 in 2005. During the most recent years, it has improved further, to 72 in the latest assessment. In contrast, the United States economy, which had improved from 77 in 1995 to 79 in 2001, and, further improved to 81 in 2009, fell back to 78 after the first year of the new Obama Administration. With even more regulations and tax increases enacted this year, the economic freedom rating of the U.S. is sure to fall even further in the next assessment. Would the socialist left accomplish in Sweden what it is accomplishing in the United States in terms of rolling back market-oriented reforms and ruining the economy? Or, would the center-right parties rebound so as to be able, after this September’s election, to continue to advance the reform agenda, possibility to overtake the emerging USSA (United Socialist States of America)?

As the accompanying chart shows, the parties of the center-right in Sweden, now to include the Democratic Party, have jumped ahead of the parties of the left. These parties include the four parties currently forming the ruling coalition (the Christian Democrats and the Center, Moderate and Peoples parties), as well as the Democrats. The largest party of these five is the Moderate Party. This party is a neo-liberal party, i.e., a fusion of market-liberalism and conservatism. It refers to itself as the “New Moderates” because its aim is to revive the market as well as other social-intermediating institutions of a free society within a country that had become famous not only for democratic-socialism, but for the breakdown of the economic vibrancy, family and community life previously associated with the Swedish people.

Among the potential problems for organizing a five-party coalition is the issue of immigration. The Center Party, which was formerly a party representing agrarian interests, has evolved into something of a libertarian party, representing small business interests as well as small landholders. It is also a green party, being favorably disposed to issuing green cards to immigrants. The Peoples Party, a market liberal party, has also evolved into something of a libertarian party, and favors the integration of immigrants into Swedish life, including establishing language and work requirements. The Democrats, on the other hand, come across as opposing immigration. It may be possible to reconcile these divergent viewpoints; but, as the Dutch are showing us, it may be difficult.

From Eric Dondero:

Steven Benen of the far left Washington Monthly gives a snarky yet somewhat accurate description of House Budget Comm. ranking Republican member Rep. Paul Ryan's proposal.

From the Washington Monthly, "ARE REPUBLICANS ON BOARD WITH RYAN'S RADICAL ROADMAP?....":

I'm inclined to give Paul Ryan, a devoted fan of Ayn Rand's novels, at least some credit for putting his beliefs on paper, and subjecting them to public scrutiny. He has a plan to radically transform governmental institutions and Americans' way of life, and he's not afraid to say so.

Indeed, many on the right are on board with the radical Ryan plan. Jonah Goldberg loves it, and when it comes to deficit reduction, House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio) described Ryan's proposed $1.3 trillion in potential cuts as "a pretty good list of options."

it privatizes Social Security; it eliminates Medicare, the Children's Health Insurance Program, and most of Medicaid; and it wouldn't actually get rid of the deficit anyway. The whole plan offers a breathtaking vision of how the government would operate in the 21st century if conservative Republicans had their way.

Privatize Social Security... end Medicare... shut down government agencies

From Eric Dondero:

Some hardened Libertarians might be a bit surprised by the new description of the Republican Party by Democrat National Committee Chairman Tom Kaine.

From the AP "Dems election strategy: Equate GOP and tea party" July 27:

"The Republican Party agenda has become the tea party agenda, and vice versa," Kaine said.

If the GOP were to retake the House and Senate, they would try to privatize Social Security, end Medicare and shutter those two federal agencies, he said.

"We're determined to make sure Americans understand this," Kaine said.