Rational Nation USA

by: Les Carpenter Rational Nation USA Birthplace of Independent Conservatism Representative Allan West will be the closing speaker at this years CPAC conference. It is fortunate, at least in this writers opinion, that Former Alaskan Governor Sarah Palin declined the spot. The official word is she declined due to scheduling conflicts. Given her political sense I suspect she has other reasons. The choice of Allan West is significant in that he is an independent minded freshman legislator and is not wary of bucking the status quo within the rank and file GOP. A real deal conservative he is fully aware of the need to reign in the spending of an out of control Military Industrial Complex. Representative West, having served the nation as a Lieutenant Colonel in the military, recognizes and supports the need for a strong defense. He also recognizes the need to cut wasteful and unnecessary spending not only in domestic programs but in the defense budget as well. Representative West is ...

by: Les Carpenter Rational Nation USA Birthplace of Independent Conservatism As I again go out on a limb....Senator Jim DeMint (R-SC) is the most recent "prominent" GOP legislator who has opted out of attending CPAC because of the inclusion of GOProud, a gay conservative group. In addition to his apparent concern over gays in the GOP he also has a problem with what he views as an increased libertarian tilt within CPAC. While opting out of this year's gathering his spokesperson stated that he hopes to attend a unified event next year. One cannot help but presume he really means to attend -- only if GOProud and libertarians somehow just disappear. This from Politico: South Carolina Sen. Jim DeMint will skip this year's Conservative Political Action Conference, making him the most prominent conservative figure yet to express objections to what critics see as a pro-gay, libertarian tilt to the 38-year-old event. "With leading conservatives organizations no...

As an independent conservative , and one who has only followed the CPAC conference minimally, I was pleased over the announcement Ron Paul was the top vote getter in the CPAC straw poll  field of eleven . However, I was puzzled by the boos erupting from the crowd. After a few brief moments it hit me. Boos were coming from those entrenched in the Republican Party establishment. The power structure of the party that has held control of, and was responsible for many of the failings of the out of touch current Republican party hierarchy. While it is unlikely the seventy four year old Ron Paul will be a serious contender for the 2012 Republican nomination, he represents real conservative and libertarian principals. Principals not unlike those that fueled the conservative movement during the sixties and seventies. A movement that included Bary Goldwater, William F. Buckley, and Ronald Reagan. Modern conservatives were a...