" am only in the planning stage for building the Gulch."
I have a feeling your Gulch will spring up faster than you think b/c so many people crave freedom.

"And remember, the balanced budget was achieved by raiding the Social Security Trust fund. "
I agree with everything else you said, but there was no move to raid the SS trust fund. People say that to express the idea that surplus at a time when baby boomers where in their prime earning years should not be counted toward the general budget surplus/deficit and the idea that maybe we should count future SS obligations as debt. I agree with those points. I'm just saying there was never a pile of money in a trust fund that someone transferred out to call the budget balanced.

"From her point of view that must seem very close to a bifurcated monarchy."
I'm 39, and I know what you mean.

In my daughter's life, she's 38, she was a toddler during the Carter years. for most of her memorable life there has either been a Bush or a Clinton in the White House. The pundits are now confirming the last 8 years have been an aberration, and the probable choice for 2016 is Bush or Clinton. From her point of view that must seem very close to a bifurcated monarchy.

From my view, they say Romney had his chance and lost, he should bow out. Fair enough! I say the establishment machine lost as well and there should be some new blood besides Romney's replacement. There has to be more people well qualified besides Jessup and Hillary.

I like Ted Cruz, Rick Perry, Scott Walker and Sarah Palin pretty much in that order. But what we really need is someone seriously right of center and I believe those fit that bill.. Time to move on from the Bush's, Clinton's and Romnery. We need someone who has the stuff to put America back at the top where she belongs. But we also need remember that Congress has a say and they scare the hell out of me. And jbrenner please let me know when the Gulch is ready!!

I am more than 'good' with Perry...his record in Texas would sound good in D.C.

My money on the final ticket will have Rubio in the lead slot....

That may be true, but he's also a proponent of Obama's immigration policies and keeping around the welfare net. I'm willing to listen to the man's ideas, but so far, he's nothing more than just another establishment Republican to me.

No candidates on the horizon, will be a perfect candidate for Objectivists but Cruz comes might damn close.

If I can use a famous quote from the Battle of the Bulge: "Nuts"!

Use this link to see all that the Contract gave to us:
http://www.heritage.org/research/lecture...

What I saw was that half of his "Contract" was blatantly unconstitutional, but his "leadership" after '94 directly led to Clinton getting elected a second time in '96, when he clearly should have been a one term president. And then a scandal plagued, impeachment bound second term caused Clinton to "moderate". And remember, the balanced budget was achieved by raiding the Social Security Trust fund.

Indeed they have changed that much.

I am glad to have you on the Gulch Planning Task Force.

If you had lived in Florida during Jeb's two terms, you would probably have a different (read: better) opinion of him. He downsized our state government tremendously, and did wonders for education.

Jeb Bush was HATED by state employee, and teacher, unions...and that was good enough for me!

His "Contract With America" was a stroke of genius and a political success, and even managed to get a welfare reform bill past Bill Clinton's two vetoes...not to mention a balanced budget in spite of a liberal executive branch.

Well, honey, when you have your plans ready, I will be ready, too!!!
And, yes, 30 years ago I thought as you did. I often wonder was I deluded, or have things changed that much? some of both, I think

+1 for truth JB

I am in the same boat.

Thirty years ago I thought the USA was Galt's Gulch. Now I feel like a stranger and an alien. I am in the 11 months per year outside the Gulch, and am only in the planning stage for building the Gulch.

I'm still roughed raw by how Gingrich ran the charge into the ditch with "Contract" back in the 90's.

That makes two of us. I prefer Ben Carson as Pres.

SOMEONE needs to attack big government on its lack of performance and efficiency. Most, if not all, the things government does arent done very well and are expensive (if you can find out in fact what they spend on it). Non-crony capitalist Private enterprise, with the competition that follows, does it better and cheaper. Even welfare is done cheaper, given how much the government bureaucracies spend on administration, and the lousy job they do

lets just say we will be to some degree better off if a republican wins but miracle not hardly.

Gingrich is a talker and could definitely school the rest of the Republicans on how to deal with the media, but I despise the man - especially after he went after Paul Ryan's budget plans. He'll get no love for me.

I didn't say any of them are perfect, just that those are the ones in the running I would prefer.

My favorite line from "Master and Commander" comes into play here - something about the lesser of two weevils... ;)

Newt is intelligent and an idea man. Unfortunately his ideas are not always rooted moral foundations-he is pragmatic and a deal maker.

I've been talking to a number of people who live in TX who are Conseratives and haven't been happy with some crony stuff they say he's been involved with. but I don't remember any details. Perry just fizzled so badly last time around. He came off arrogant and also is a lousy public speaker. Dr. Carson is just too clueless about the economic picture. He also rarely chooses to speak about economics which I see as the cornerstone of the platform