It’s imperative that write something today, just to break the lazy hangover I have enjoyed all week following the frantic, emotional stress of Mike Jr.’s wedding last week.  I promise to follow-up with details and pictures of the great time we had; but that would require sorting through 8000 photos (my estimate) to pick those that would best tell the story of our Lost Weekend in Williamsport.  (Trust me.  That title connotes a very favorable experience within the crazy motions and emotions of a son’s (or daughter’s) wedding.  More on that later … )

I could write about my recent lawn treatment.  But that would require an uptick in my Lawn Geek Level that I’m not willing to invest in this Sunday morning.

And so I’ll turn to more recent news, and one of my favorite pastimes … Cranky Political Observations.

First, let’s look at Mitt Romney and some of the absolutely ridiculous claims President Obama‘s campaign and supporters continue to make when it comes to Romney’s wealth and tax history.  The important thing to keep in mind is every minute spent defending Romney against such nonsenseical attacks is time diverted from hammering away at the sorry state of The Obama Economy.

Afterall, with almost four years of President Obama’s stewardship, the Economy – or lack thereof - is rightfully his to won!  (You only get to blame your predecessor for so long, and certainly not through a full term in The Oval Office when – as President – you have shown no Leadership whatsoever on Issues of Economic Recovery.)

Now Mitt admittedly caused himself a self-inflicted wound with his meanderings on the “47% of Americans who do not pay taxes”.  Not paying taxes does not automatically make you a slouch.  There are plenty of people, rightfully classified as disabled, aging veterans, etc. who fall into that very broad 47% category.  Mitt might have bitten off more than he could chew; but let’s be honest, he was at least 53% correct about that 47%.

Regardless of the dangers associated with judging-by-percentages into which Romney stumbled, we ALL KNOW what he meant.  Within that group is a hardcore class of people who have not the slightest interest or desire to break their dependence on the REDISTRIBUTION of other people’s hard work and income!  And within that sub-class is another that not only shows little-to-no interest in self-sufficiency, they REVEL in their status as Economic Sponges!

Even Bill Clinton recognized the need to fix this when he joined with Congressional Republicans to pass the Welfare Reform Act of 1996.  So this is not news to even the most hardened of Liberals.

Sunday’s Philadelphia Inquirer attempts to make the claim that REDISTRIBUTION of income is not a “bad word”.  They try to soft sell this idea by stating that REDISTRIBUTION is used for small business loans, Pell Grants for college education, veterans’ benefits, etc.  Of course they also throw in food stamps and welfare, but almost as an afterthought.

Intelligent, reality-educated people can distinguish between good uses for REDISTRIBUTED INCOME and other programs that simply rely on the toils and work ethic of the majority of Americans to fund the never-ending cycle of handouts to perpetual non-contributors.  And that’s what MOST objectors to the Welfare Mentality think of when they hear INCOME REDISTRIBUTION … not Pell Grants, small business loans and taking care of aging veterans.

Liberals – and Obama supporters – KNOW this; but it suits their intentions in this 2012 election year to make it about the whole of benefits that come from INCOME REDISTRIBUTION, not the perfectly acceptable Social Contract that expects those who work at good jobs to provide TEMPORARY assistance to those who need a hand up in tough times or even those with legitimate long-term disabilities and maladies that prevent even part-time employment.

Do not allow them to suggest that there is no difference between Good Income Redistribution and the ugly realities of the Welfare State of Mind!

As for Mitt’s tax records, one observation is enough to put that entire subject into perspective.  If President Obama’s proxies, like the half-baked Liar from Arizona – Harry Reid, are so desperate as to criticize Romney for tax rates and wealth shelters that were perfectly acceptable for Al Gore (2000) and John “Heinz 57″ Kerry (2004), then you must recognize them for what those attacks are … Deperate attempts to distract you, me, and all voters from the Unemployed Economy.

So the more we spend talking about this, the less time we have to address what the REAL PROBLEM is in 2012, the stagnant National Economy and the broken stewardship of a Leadership-challenged President!  Those of us longing for REAL Economic Leadership need to ignore these straw men and do what we can to refocus on the horrible state of President Obama’s own Economic Malaise!

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Tom Smith for U.S. Senate

Will Pennsylvania U.S. Senate candidate Tom Smith ever get the chance to smoke out do-nothing U.S. Senator Bob Casey in his race to challenge a man who has nothing on his resume’ other than a famous father?

You can’t find anything on Bob Casey’s re-election campaign without a brace of media savvy internet bloodhounds.  Casey refuses to come out into the open, like any politician with little track record, and a recognizable name.  (How many voters still think they are voting for his father?)  Casey continues to hide behind Barack Obama, even while doing anything to avoid endorsing him too much, too often.

He and Congressional REP Allyson Schwartz (See Joe Rooney) are probably sharing the same remote Pocono cabin; waiting for election day to come so they can sneak into their neighborhood polling location and hope for the best … meaning of course, voters who don’t bother looking at how their support of a poor Presidential leader has contributed to the Economic Stagnation we still face after four years of Democrat control over the U.S. Government.

For that reason alone, Bob Casey, Jr. would gladly spend this election cycle hiding under his bed!  Add to that his opposition to the Liberal Litmus that is Abortion, his obvious implied stance against Gay Marriage,  (Go ahead and try to find any reference to Gay Marriage on his official campaign or Senate websites!) and you have a Liberal Democrat’s biggest nightmare … Supporting a family values candidate that disdains everything a Good Liberal loves all because he has a “D” connected to his father’s name!

The REAL Bob Casey

Fortunately for Pennsylvania Liberals, Casey’s middle name is not “Fracking”!

Tom Smith stands for Ending Out-of-Control Federal Spending, Reducing Job-Killing Regulations, Promoting American Energy to Provide American Jobs, Simplified Tax Codes, and reasonable solutions to Healthcare and the long-term viability of Social Security and Medicare.  These are the issues of the day that need discussing.  But Bob Casey will not be found this election season discussing anything you care about in the presence of Tom Smith, and that’s a shame for all Pennsylvania voters!

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Finally, if you get the chance, read Trudy Rubin’s column on The Real Muslim Movie Outrage in the Philadelphia Inquirer’s Opinion page this Sunday.  I rarely agree with Ms. Rubin’s view on domestic politics, but her concise, honest review of the radical Islamic elements working to inflate Muslim tensions is enlightening.

Thank you, Jeb Bush for putting into words what I have been thinking for quite some time!  How exactly to express my frustration with a National Leadership that is getting absolutely nothing done.  Nothing fair, nothing honest … simply nothing at all.

Washington, D.C. is broken.  And while Jeb Bush touched on one aspect of the problem – the severe hyper-partisan divide, my frustration is centered on another cause of this political stagnation.

What has happened to the Moderate Middle in American politics?!?

First off, allow me to lay the basis of my beliefs for this post:

• Hyper-partisanism is a problem with BOTH political parties.  The Democrats in Washington are just as hyper-partisan as the Republicans.  A point which former Florida Governor Jeb Bush acknowledged in his e-mail to The Associated Press this week. 
• There is no such thing as RINOs (Republican In Name Only) or DINOs (Democrat-INO).   

I have a HUGE issue with this blatant misrepresentation, intended to do nothing more than silence all but those on the extreme Right or Left of the political parties.  This is also problem relevant to BOTH parties, although RINO seems to get much more play than DINO.  In my opinion, Liberal Dems are simply more subtle in their efforts to trample over The Middle.

There was a time when the Democrats included conservative elements, such as those in The South known as Dixie Democrats.  There was also a time when there were Liberal Republicans, those who were more liberal on social issues while sticking to the economic virtues extolled by established GOP Conservatives. 

Barry Goldwater, a stalwart Conservative Republican in the ’60s and ’70s was more tolerant in his views on social issues.  Goldwater even appreciated the need for Liberal viewpoints as a counterweight to conservatism.  Anticipating that Somewhere in the Middle the two would meet!

Well, that’s simply not happening anymore …

• The true and proper context for these misleading labels – assuming we even need them – is CINO (Conservative In Name Only) or LINO (Liberal-INO)
• The Political Middle is the real issue here.  Moderate political viewpoints and participation serves as a buffer to the far edges of the political spectrum.  And it offers a middle ground for the germination of political compromise. 
• The problem?  The Political Middle has all but disappeared in this country!

I consider myself a Moderate Conservative Republican.  I believe in Smaller Government, reduced Government spending, and a strong National Defense.  But I also hold more moderate views on Social Issues (e.g. poverty, illegal immigration, LGBT lifestyles, education, and women’s rights).  I believe there are times when increased Government spending is both necessary and unavoidable (e.g. economic crises, disaster, military conflict, international leadership). 

I have a pragmatic view about taxes.  I hate like hell paying them.  I despise paying more of them.  But at times you simply have to cringe and bear it.  And yes, some people should pay more if their financial means allow for it, especially when the condition of the fiscal house rivals an EPA Superfund site.

The spread of views I possess apparently classifies me for the title RINO.  Not that I care …

Yet this explains exactly how we have gotten to the point in this country where no National Leader will dare make compromise or reach “across the aisle” to work towards solutions to our very real problems. 

• It led to President Obama’s decision to throw his own debt reduction plan - Simpson-Bowles Commission – under the bus, because - God forbid – we can’t deal with the specter of social benefit reductions at a time when the federal deficit is roiling out of control!  Don’t want to get on the wrong side of the Liberal political base!
• It led to the recent attempt to recall Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker for nothing more than his desire to reign in state spending and break the cycle of union-politician cronyism.    
• It led to the rejection by every single Republican Presidential candidate of the very pragmatic suggestion of increasing tax revenues by $1 for every $10 reduction in government expenditures.  Because – ya know – you don’t want to piss off the Tea Party or Grover Norquist …  

I wholeheartedly agree with Jeb Bush’s statement, “If you could bring to me a majority of people to say that we’re going to have $10 in spending cuts for $1 of revenue enhancement — put me in, coach.” 

Dealing in absolutes in politics is a recipe for stagnation.  Stagnation in Leadership, stagnation in developing solutions to real problems, stagnation in progress, stagnation in a much-needed, too long developing economic recovery.  What you get - what we have now – are both the Left and the Right burrowing down and digging in behind jingoism and intransigence. 

So how did we get here? 

In essence, the Political Middle has abandoned the political field of play to both political extremes.  It’s simple really to understand.  Most people disdain or - perhaps more accurately - are apathetic towards politics, especially given its hateful tone in recent years.  For those with no hard and fast anchors on the more edgy political and social questions of the day, politics are just nasty, dirty, aggravating … a waste of time better spent elsewhere.  In some ways, it’s hard to blame The Middle for its retreat.

On the other hand, those individuals who possess solid political and social issues anchors, see politics as a Means to their Ends.  And this is magnified in those who willingly describe themselves as Ultra-Liberals or Right Wing Conservatives.  For instance, they recognize the importance of the primary vetting process for weeding out Presidential candidates they perceive as weak on their respective anchor issues.  This is why the early primaries in Iowa, South Carolina, New Hampshire receive such out-of-proportion attention.  By the time those of us in Pennsylvania get the chance to cast a primary vote, the candidate list has been pared down to one or two candidates.  Indeed they will simply be the candidates who could repeat their talking points without making the Left or the Right throw up in their mouths.  

This explains how we so often find our National political choices limited to Evil and The Lesser of Two.  It explains why many well-qualified individuals will forego involvement in politics and the responsibility of civic leadership.  They simply won’t subject themselves to cannibalization by those on the edges of the political spectrum.   

 Yet few of those who survive this vetting ordeal can be elected without the votes of the Political Middle.  And so we see, as soon as the primary process ends, the rush by the annointed candidates to appeal to The Moderate Middle.  Their sole objective: to win a general election so they can continue to pander to the only segments who will pay attention to what they do and say afterwards – The Left and The Right.

And so the cycle repeats.    

What has happened to the Political Middle? 

I guess they think they have better, more important things to do.  They do not appreciate that crucial decisions on issues and problems that could potentially affect them for years are being made without their input, long before they – The Middle – even realizes another Election Day is coming.  And these decisions are not limited to the social issues that drive stalwart Liberals and Conservatives to action.  They include decisions critical to the economy, to education, to fuel and energy prices, the environment, the deficit, and ultimately their futures and the futures of their children. 

The Middle’s political apathy is – mildly put – mind-boggling! 

So while we wait for America’s Political Middle to wake up to today’s reality, the partisans dig in and refuse to budge, refuse to solve, refuse to govern.  The economy continues to falter; the federal deficit continues to grow.  We wait for yet another Presidential election where our choices are weak and uninspiring; all the while knowing, nothing’s going to change regardless of the outcome.

Jeb Bush recognizes part of the problem.  When will we recognize the solution is a formidable, continuous presence of Moderate political voices?