Well, It's Not Quite Star Trek...

...but I would pay the $200,000 (if I had it) in a heartbeat to go for a ride into space - if only for 4 1/2 minutes. I'm not a huge Richard Branson fan, but he's got the right idea when it comes to seeing tourism as a means to spur development in space travel. I figure, any guy who can actually put me a step closer to the childhood promise of living on the moon someday is alright in my book.

And while I'm all for private investment in spaceflight and believe that it will be the driving force in making things cheaper, I still believe that governments are the only entities capable of providing the amount of funding necessary for large, deep-space exploration missions that will ultimately be beneficial for all of us. Just think where we'd be without NASA... I mean, no Tang? That's not a world in which I'd want to live...

Man Arrested Near Capitol With Shotgun, Bow and Arrow, Samurai Sword!

And of course, I was right there. I took this picture after he was arrested. His car was a white Toyota 4Runner with Utah plates. It was being surrounded when I was there, and it appeared that the police had called for a tow truck, and not a bomb disposal unit. That was odd, considering that the cop I spoke to said the car had explosives inside (according to the barking dogs).

More on the breaking story HERE.

Go Ahead, THROW Your Vote Away! Choose McCain or Huckabee!

If you're a good republican, your first clue that you shouldn't vote for McCain or Huckabee should come from the mainstream media. They love those guys. The New York Times just looooves Huckabee, comparing his populist message to Reagan's. They also know that a Huckabee nomination would mean the end of the GOP. He's a weak candidate with a poor record and a penchant for crusading. And McCain? Why, he's a decorated war hero! What they don't mention is their knowledge of the fact that an old haggard like McCain has absolutely NO chance against a young Obama or Girl Power.

While I don't have any particular love for outspoken political columnist Ann Coulter, she sums the situation up very well with this statement (which, by the way, is pro-Romney, like me):

"I've been casually taking swipes at Mitt Romney for the past year based on the assumption that, in the end, Republicans would choose him as our nominee. My thinking was that Romney would be our nominee because he is manifestly the best candidate.

I had no idea that Republican voters in Iowa and New Hampshire planned to do absolutely zero research on the candidates and vote on the basis of random impulses.

Dear Republicans: Please do one-tenth as much research before casting a vote in a presidential election as you do before buying a new car.

One clue that Romney is our strongest candidate is the fact that Democrats keep viciously attacking him while expressing their deep respect for Mike Huckabee and John McCain."

I would suggest reading the FULL ARTICLE. But the point is that we should not be taking the advice of our sworn political enemies (NYTimes, MSNBC, Wolf Blitzer, etc.) when it comes to choosing a candidate. If the media is ever pleasant towards a Baptist Minister (Huckabee) or a pro-war Republican (McCain), you can be pretty sure there is a hidden agenda, because it never happens otherwise. In this case, the agenda is to give the weakest candidates the most press.

Why did Huckabee suddenly surge in Iowa? He would say it was his message, and that would be baloney. Huck's been on the same message for a year (more Jesus in government, legislation, etc.). So, it wasn't his message. He surged because of the fact that he got hundreds of hours of favorable media coverage for free, by CNN, MSNBC, ABC and CBS while the former front-runner in that state, Romney, had to pay millions for it. The media played the evangelical electorate in Iowa like an angel's harp, and they bought it like a televangelist healin'.

Romney is the the DNC's worst fear. He's intelligent, was popular in a liberal state, is conservative, articulate, a proven strong manager and leader, decent, and yes, good looking. He is the ONLY person who can beat Hillary or Obama in November. What about Giuliani? He's got a fair shot. But have you ever noticed that Giuliani's strongest moments come when he's discussing 9/11? On other subjects, he falls apart. His 9/11 leadership mystique will not carry him into the White House. Only someone who can hammer liberals can claim that prize. And that man, right now, is Mitt Romney.

If the press gives Romney half as much coverage they gave Huckabee (outside of the Mormon issue), you will see his numbers surge faster than the lines in Wal-Mart on the 1st of the month. He's good. Yes, that good.

Flat Stanley Visits the White House

See, we're not all about political diatribes, ranting and nerdspeak here at the Conservative Futurist! In fact, just yesterday my new friend, Flat Stanley, made a visit to the area. Being the playful guy that I am, I rewarded Mr. Stanley with a trip to the White House! You can see here how excited Flat was. I'm sure he'll have lots of stories when he returns home to his best friend Hope in Utah.

As you can see, Flat Stanley was having trouble standing still in the wind. So, my friend helped him stand up while I took the picture. He looks like he's having fun, doesn't he?

The Addiction Continues...

This time I beat Rock Band for the XBox 360.

In New Orleans. Again.

Things are still in bad shape down here. This is 5 miles from downtown.

Why Huckabee Has Ruined the Republican Party

Mike Huckabee is ruining the republican party. And what's worse, he's not even a real republican. Sure, he's a former preacher turned politician, and knows how to court those of faith (who typically tend to be republican). That's important, right - having faith? Normally, I'd tend to agree. But in Huckabee's case, he seems to be relying a little too much on the faith of his followers believing that he's a real conservative. Well, I have news for them - he's not. As The Wall Street Journal recently noted:

"But one wonders whether his newfound supporters would really say that if they took a close look at his policies. With increasing frequency, Mr. Huckabee invokes his faith when advocating greater government involvement in just about every aspect of American life. In doing so, Mr. Huckabee has actually answered the prayers of the religious left."

This is very concerning for the future of the republican party. A great portion of the religious right, a critical base element of the party is being duped just because this guy happens to speak their language.

While I agree with the religious right on many issues (close to 95%), I don't consider myself a part of that faction. Nor do I agree with the way they politicize their faith. As a Mormon, I have been unfairly treated by the other so-called Christians of this group who have ostracized members of my faith time and time again. It's funny that after complaining for so long that they have been marginalized by the left, been labeled kooks and wackos, this same group of religious right Christians is the quickest to do the same thing to Mormons - who are arguably one of the largest bodies of Christians who actually try to live like the the Savior did. But I digress. Needless to say, I have no love for the religious right.

Naturally, I am appalled at the level of blind support being given to Huckabee just because he "walks like a sheep and talks like lamb." One of my good friends who supports Huckabee was surprised to know that he supports a heavily expanded role of government. Again, I quote The Wall Street Journal:

As governor, he championed the ARKids First, which extended free health insurance not only to children of the working poor but to some lower middle-class families. He pleased teachers unions with his consistent opposition to school choice and voucher programs. He satisfied labor by signing into law a minimum-wage hike of 21%. "Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me" -- Mr. Huckabee's oft-cited scriptural justification for growing government -- proved costly for Arkansans, who saw government spending double and their taxes rise about a half-billion dollars during his tenure.

This is blatant propagandizing. He knows exactly what to say to conservative republicans in a language they can understand and have a difficult time refuting (because of its religious context), and then turns around and governs like a liberal democrat. What gives, Mr. Huckabee?

Because of this duplicity, thousands of religious voters are voting for Huckabee just because "he's a good Christian." As a result, they are taking votes away from candidates who actually legislate like good Christians. Take Romney for example. Here is one of the most straight-forward conservative candidates in 20 years who actually has a chance. Yet, because he is Mormon, the religious right applies unfair pressure on him. They encourage people to "oppose the Mormon at all costs" (I got this quote from that same Born-again Christian friend). At what cost? The destruction of the only party that can counter the Godless nanny-state looming on the left?

And for those of the religious right who make abortion their clarion call for candidate support, and who would bash Romney for his past stance on leaving the states responsible for abortion legislation, Huckabee is no abortion saint either:

"In August, he told a group of Washington reporters that the application of his faith to politics must include concerns for the environment, poverty and hunger. "It can't just be about abortions and same-sex marriage," he said. "We can't ignore that there are kids every day in this country that literally don't have enough food and adequate drinking water in America."'

The votes that may have gone to Romney have now gone to Huckabee, causing both to lose in New Hampshire. We'll wind up with a left-centered republican nominee like Giuliani or McCain simply because the religious right was too blind to see that Huckabee wasn't even a true republican. And as a result, the GOP will likely lose in November. So, when Barack Hussein Obama or Hillary Rodham Clinton is being sowrn in this November, we have nobody by the religious right to thank.

Thanks guys.