Jackson Jambalaya

There are times when one must take a stand and the election to replace Congressman Chip Pickering is one of them. As we live in turbulent times with much uncertainty while the Republicans are rudderless and afflicted with a malaise, it is clear that the best choice to replace Congressman Chip Pickering next week is Charlie Ross.

In war, goals and needs determine what personnel, weapons, and strategies are used to fight the enemy. In politics the same holds true as different situations require different types of leaders. A leader that is great for a time when domestic policies are important may not be a great wartime leader.

The temptation for voters is to elect someone who is "just like them" or "reflects our values". However, Conservatives in the 3rd district must consider the current state of the Republican Party and the challenges facing America as it is clear the Democrats will retain control of Congress and possibly win the Presidency. If a Republican elected, is he going to Washington to just send back the pork and vote right so he can stay there for 20 years or is he actually prepared to go into congressional combat?

The winner will have to deal with these issues:
1. The Democrats will fight to undercut the War in Iraq despite the current success of General Petraeus's strategy. The same Democrats that backstabbed Petraeus and called him a liar in much more polite terms. The same Democrats that said the war was lost and said success in Iraq would hurt their chances in the elections. The Democrats will seek to withdraw the troops as quickly as possible, forgetting how their immoral decision to cut off the South Vietnamese government resulted in a bloodbath.

2. If the Bush tax cuts expire, Americans will suffer from one of the largest tax increases ever even though the economy is in much turmoil right now, thus making a shaky economy even more unstable. If capital gains tax rates are raised (as Obama has mentioned), expect the markets to go into a deeper tailspin. Economic sages in Congress are rare these days.

3. The House Democrats currently seek to take away from the President the ability to intercept terrorist communications overseas without a warrant. Their position is so extreme and reckless that in their minds, if Muhammed in Damascus is calling Khalid in London to plan an attack against America, the government must obtain a warrant even though both callers are overseas if the packet somehow is routed through the U.S. In their ivory tower, fighting paperwork is more important than fighting overseas terrorists.

4. The Republican party and Conservative movement are unfocused and adrift. While pockets of hope exist, the Conservative movement has lost most of its Congressional leaders. Gone are Conservatives such as Gingrich, Armey, and Gramm who were not just intellectuals but also warriors. There is no drive as in 1994 to win Congress. Where once Newt and his young turks went on CSPAN every night and talk shows to educate the American public on Conservative principles, Republican leaders now dash off to the cocktail and lobbying circuits. The Republican party needs Warrior Jesuits: Better educated, dedicated, and deadly. (This phrase was my original choice for the title of this post.)

Too often the Republican Party in the last decade has been led by Republicans who bragged about bringing home the bacon and having a conservative voting record even though they were usually missing in action when the battle was fought. Who can forget Phil Gramm standing up on the floor of the Senate saying Hillary's health care plan would pass "over my dead body" while Dole prepared to surrender or Newt bucking the Bush White House on tax hikes? Are David Landrum and the other candidates Doles or Gramms? Can Conservatives afford to vote and merely hope for the best?

Charlie Ross is the best candidate given our national politics. It is time we start electing our best and brightest. Mr. Ross graduated from the Air Force Academy, no small feat as Academy graduates are definitely a notch above everyone else. His degree in economics gives him the intellectual tools he needs to fight the Democrats and me-too Republicans who try to raise taxes and spending. Mr. Ross graduated from Harvard Law School and was a leader in the Mississippi Legislature. As a leading Republican in the legislature who knew the ins and outs of the rules, he proved himself to be a smart street-fighter, not just a policy wonk or staffer who looked good on tv.

The other candidates are all good men and will probably cast the same votes on issues Conservatives hold dear. However, it is important that we send someone prepared for battle as he will be jumping directly into a combat zone and not a country club.

Mr. Ross may not be the fuzziest and prettiest candidate. What is needed is not the nicest guy or the one who shares "our values" but someone who is smart enough to beat the Democrats at their procedural power plays and give Republicans a kick in the butt when they need it. Conservatives need to elect pit bulls, not poodles. As the Conservative movement seeks to rebound from its current state, it needs pit bulls like Mr. Ross in Congress.