Brain Trust - Matt Barber

Matt Barber is Director of Cultural Affairs with Liberty Counsel and also serves as Associate Dean with Liberty University School of Law. He joined the Brain Trust segment of the show to talk about Ron Paul. Below are the "CliffsNotes" of his interview.

Tell us about your recent article on Ron Paul.

It's in the Washington Times. The article is titled "Ron Paul's Presidential Dance: Cute, But Unstable."

Basically, I'm pointing out and hopefully alerting conservatives and Christian evangelicals that Ron Paul is a likable guy, but no conservative.

Ronald Reagan had his "three-legged stool" of conservatives: strong national defense, strong social values, and strong economic values.

Ron Paul is strong on economic values, I will give him that. But he is a social liberal, and he's a pacifist; essentially, an isolationist.

Is his economic policy the reason he's leading in Iowa?

I will give him that. On the economic issues, he makes a lot of sense. He is resonating with people because of the dire straits we find ourselves in economically.

But he goes completely off the rails when he talks about radical Islam, especially in Iran. Where you stand on economics kind of becomes a moot point.

What about the allegations that he's a racist?

That will sink him, I think. He has an active, devoted base of supporters. He may win the Iowa caucuses, but strange things happen in Iowa.

I think the GOP establishment is freaking out, thinking that if Ron Paul wins, their credibility is sunk.

This presidential race has been, if nothing else, all over the board. This week and next week may be Ron Paul's 15 minutes. But when the dust settles, I think clearer heads will prevail.

But hey, it's getting exciting. It's fun to watch, no doubt about it.

Brain Trust - Matt Barber

Matt Barber is Director of Cultural Affairs with Liberty Counsel and also serves as Associate Dean with Liberty University School of Law. He joined the Brain Trust segment of the show to talk about the Republican debate and Occupy Wall Street. Here are the "CliffsNotes" of his segment.

Tell us about last night's debate.

It's interesting; all the talk today is about Gingrich and his immigration policy. But it seems like the dust from that is dying down and it's down to the final three candidates.

It looks like it's boiling down to Romney, Gingrich, and Cain here in the final stretch. It'll be interesting to see where this thing ends up.

I just don't think the American people are going to be fooled by Mitt Romney, with his finger in the wind.

Will Gingrich take a hit for his immigration stance?

I myself have kind of evolved on this immigration issue. There is a reality of the existing problem; the toothpaste is out of the tube.

Do we just load everyone up on buses and ship them back? Or is there a way that is logistically possible and compassionate?

This is a tough issue, but it probably does hurt him with the conservative movement, especially with all the other candidates jumping on him. The reality is that he is going to take a hit for this.

Does the Occupy movement actually benefit conservatives?

I completely agree with that. I've said that the Occupy Wall Street movement, for conservatives, is the gift that keeps on giving. 

They can't even vocalize a position on any of the issues; it's just anarchy. Let them continue to be anarchists! 

President Obama said that the Occupy Wall Street movement was the reason he was elected. He's exactly right. 

We need to start calling the OWS camps ObamaCamps, because that's what they are.

Brain Trust - Matt Barber

Matt Barber is Director of Cultural Affairs with Liberty Counsel and also serves as Associate Dean with Liberty University School of Law. He joined the Brain Trust segment of the show to discuss several current issues. Here are the "CliffsNotes" of his segment.

Why is Occupy Wall Street perceived more favorably than the Tea Party?

It's because we have a massive mainstream media that has embraced this anarchist vision that the Occupy Wall Street mob seeks to impose by their lawless behavior.

The media is portraying them as freedom fighters, the next civil rights movement. But I don't recall rapes happening at Tea Party events.

It's an increase of left-wing radicalism that's happening around the world.

Is the Tea Party still alive and well?

I think the Tea Partyers are waiting in the wings, biding their time as we approach the next election.

I think they will come out of the woodwork as an organized cogent answer to this Occupy Wall Street mess that we're seeing.

[Occupy Wall Street's philosophy] didn't work in Communist Russia; it didn't work in Nazi Germany; it's not going to work in the United States.

Does the Republican nomination inevitably go to Romney?

I hope not. Speaking as an individual, I have to say look at the mainstream media, and see who their pick is. Who does the Obama Administration want to run against?

It's Romney. I think it's because they recognize that he is that establishment Republican who will keep them in the White House.

I don't think it's inevitable, though.

Does Cain have any staying power?

I've seen a Fox News poll that has Cain several points ahead of Romney.

The game is still very much on. Herman Cain seems to continue to defy all the odds.

Do we give Obama credit for eliminating bin Laden and Gaddafi?

I guess there's some credit due, but I was opposed to his circumventing Congress and illegally go into Libya and get Gaddafi.

Sure, there's a certain element of credit that has to go to him because he happens to occupy the position of commander in chief.

But really, the credit goes to our fighting men and women who are getting the job done.

Brain Trust - Matt Barber

Matt Barber is Director of Cultural Affairs with Liberty Counsel and also serves as Associate Dean with Liberty University School of Law. On today's Brain Trust segment, Barber talked about the current political scope. Below are the "CliffsNotes" of his interview.

How about Herman Cain?

He's really looking strong. We know that there's a bunch of malarkey trying to paint conservatives and Tea Partiers as racists. There's a long way to go, but he's really going strong. If he starts looking like he'll go all the way, expect the media to pull out the long knives.

He would take probably a third of the African-American vote away from Obama. And if that happens, it's done. President Obama is president no more. Then we'll see who the real racists are. The only people who can't tear themselves away from the race issue are the leftists.

What will people start saying about Herman Cain?

"He's just an Uncle Tom, he's working for the man, he doesn't really represent his people." Which is all racist.

They cannot accept the black Americans who pick themselves up by their bootstraps and make themselves successful.

Is Obama going to retain the African-American vote?

We saw with Rep. Waters, she was really frustrated. He's condescending. His whole voice changes when he's addressing that kind of crowd. Why can't he just speak like he always does?

It's condescending, it's patronizing. I think they're starting to wake up to this.

Are Americans going to fall for the jobs bill ploy?

I don't think so. I think they see it for what it is. It's a straw man theory. "Those obstructionist Republicans."

It's a cynical political ploy. He knows his bill can't pass, he knows it won't work, but this way he has someone else to blame.

What about the education budget?

I don't understand it. When are people going to realize that throwing billions of dollars at this problem isn't going to work?

This is not about education, it's about power. We've seen that this centralized education plan hasn't worked. This experiment in socialized education has been a failure.

Your prediction for the election?

I think Herman Cain is gong to continue to gain some momentum.

It's definitely too early to say who's going to win. These polls are a flash shot at the moment of what's going on right now.

Brain Trust - Matt Barber

Matt Barber serves as the Director of Cultural Affairs with the Liberty Counsel and is the Associate Dean of Liberty University School of Law. Below are the CliffsNotes of his segment.

Talk to us about this Orlando teacher situation

Jerry Buell, who has been a long-time teacher in Florida, was suspended because he posted on his personal Facebook page his opposition to same-sex marriage. He used some strong language, and was very clear in his opinion, and so the school suspended him.

That's a big no-no. We have a little thing here in the US called the First Amendment. This is one of the grossest violations that I've seen.

How have morals become so unpopular?

The agents of tolerance and diversity define tolerance and diversity.

Tolerance for Christianity and Judeo-Christian values is cast by the wayside.

 Tolerance for moral relativism. Tolerance for perversion. Anything that flies in the face of what God's will is for us human beings, that's what they want to tolerate.

Tell us about the approval ratings recently.

We had a little earthquake here in Virginia, and my understanding was that it was Barack Obama's plummeting approval points that caused it.

As Obama heads the wrong direction in, Rick Perry seems to be going up.

The way that the Obama administration has Perry in the cross hairs, it seems that they are worried about the potential run against him.

Is Perry more than the "flavor of the month"?

That remains to be seen. We are a long way out. There are ebbs and flows and peaks and valleys.

You may recall in '07 McCain was down in the low 'teens in his poll numbers. He kinda shot out of nowhere in the last little bit.

Perry may be the flavor of the month. It remains to be seen whether he will be a staying factor. But he's certainly further out in front of the pack than anyone else.

The Tea Party is receiving a lot of vilification regarding racial issues. What are your thoughts?

I think the Left's favorite thing to use is the race card. Every once in a while, when it backfires on them, they'll let it gather dust for a while and then pull it back out.

When they start accusing the Tea Party, and start calling them racist, America does a double take.

When your argument has no merit, that's when you have to use the ad hominem attack.

"I'm just disgusted with those on both sides of the aisle, honestly."

Matt Barber is Director of Cultural Affairs with Liberty Counsel and also serves as Associate Dean with Liberty University School of Law. On today's Brain Trust segment, Barber talked about the debt ceiling.


Is John Boehner's bill going to pass the house?

If it does pass, it will be by a razor thin margin.

The obstructionists in the senate are saying it will be dead on arrival anyway.

This bill that Boehner is pushing here is woefully insufficient.

You keep hearing president Obama, Harry Reid, and other saying that we need a balanced approach.

You don't have a balanced approach when you're in a nosedive. You have to yank back as hard as you can.

I'm just disgusted with those on both sides of the aisle, honestly.

Why are so many conservatives supporting the plan?

I think they're looking at this in terms of political considerations.

But this plan just doesn't do enough.

I guess it's a tourniquet to stop the immediate bleeding here. But something big needs to be done.

I think there are political calculations at play here.

Republicans, particularly establishment Republicans, are scared to death that they are going to get strapped with the blame.

There are a lot of scare tactics going on here as well.

This plan, apparently, even if it gets through the Republican house, it's sounding like Obama and liberals in the senate are going to make sure it doesn't see the light of day.

What happens after the Senate punts Boehner's plan?

If Democrats in the Senate kill this plan, then there's no one to blame but them for the debt ceiling not being raised.

This plan only carries us down the road about six months. I think there may be a little bit of bluffing on the part of Harry Reid and President Obama.

Erick Erickson said that Reid will take Boehner's plan and amend it, adding tax increases to the bill, then send it back to the House. What do you think about that scenario?

That may be what Harry Reid plans to do.

I think Boehner has been clear that absolutely, unequivocally there will be no tax increases included.

People are also forgetting the fact that just because the debt ceiling is raised, does not mean our credit rating will necessarily be downgraded.

I expected that our top-notch credit rating might be downgraded no matter what we do.

I'm not sure what we can get out of this in terms of a lower credit rating no matter what we do.

Rick Perry is polling well. Give us your perspective.

I've got a few concerns about what Rick Perry said the other day about gay marriage.

I'm hoping he'll still be joining the big prayer rally in Houston.

It remains to be seen. I think he's got a pretty solid record.

Obama Afghan strategy "clearly geared toward having a victory for his radical leftist base"

Matt Barber is Director of Cultural Affairs with Liberty Counsel and also serves as Associate Dean with Liberty University School of Law. On today's Brain Trust segment, Barber talked about the president's Afghanistan strategy.

Anything that you know about the president's speech last night that changes the course of what we ought to be doing?

My problem with his whole strategy here is that it's so obviously politically based.

His plan draws down 33,000 troops by September 2012.

That's not even subtle. It's so clearly geared toward having a victory for his radical leftist base to be able to tout.

He is going completely contrary to the direction and advice of his generals and boots on the ground.

Here we're talking about a constitutional law instructor and former community organizer saying that he knows better.

The guy's arrogance and narcissism really is staggering.

If you're the president and have his economic record, wouldn't you do something this baldfaced?

Well he's gotta do something. His ratings are falling faster than MSNBC's.

He's falling faster than a shotput in a bathtub.

He has the homosexual activists. You cannot appease this homosexual activist appetite.

He's losing them. So the more he tries to throw the radical left a bone here and there, it's never enough.

It's like Jimmy Carter on steroids...everything is based on a political calculation. His move in Afghanistan is clearly, not even subtly, based on political calculation.

The Democrats say what we need is more spending, because of this debt crisis!

It's just mind-boggling. Truth is stranger than fiction. This is really surreal.

Here we are driving towards the cliff's edge, with Harry Reid and Obama driving the car. Instead of hitting the brakes, they're pressing the accelerator.

We're looking at a future in fairly short-term here that the Great Depression could pale next to.

I don't see anyone on either side of the aisle willing to do what needs to be done.

What's going on out there in the presidential sweepstakes?

This is the drama associated with the presidential primaries.

I wrote an article: Bachmann - Reagan in pumps.

Here we see that based on her performance in New Hampshire...she had jumped based on a Zogby poll to the top of the pack.

Brain Trust - Matt Barber

On the Matt Friedeman Show's Brain Trust today: Matt Barber, Director of Cultural Affairs with Liberty Counsel and Associate Dean with Liberty University School of Law. Barber commented on the GOP presidential field, Israel, and the Oprahfication of America.

 

The Republican presidential field is starting to firm up. Anyone you see who excites you?

You know, there are some good candidates - there doesn't seem to be a real rock star yet that we know of - I've been impressed with Herman Cain. Michelle Bachmann is a full conservative.

 

I'm kind of keeping my eye on Rick Perry from Texas as well.

 

Frankly, I think any one of these people who we have in the Republican field, none of them are particularly exciting. But that's not what the presidency is about.

 

I think any of them would be better than this secular socialist we've got in the White House.

 Anyone would be better. 

There are some dealbreakers. We can't have a GOP candidate who does not recognize the sanctity of life, who does not recognize the sanctity of marriage.

 

Whoever gets the nomination, conservatives and Christians need to rally around that person.

 Is it fair to dislike Mitt Romney based on his past views and positions? 

I think you're being perfectly fair.

 

Mitt Romney is one of those dealbreakers.

 

I think RomneyCare is a millstone around his neck.

 

Any other candidate he's going to face in a Republican primary, you're going to hear the word RomneyCare everytime he steps on the stage.

Is it fair to say that based on background, we can't consider Newt Gingrich? 

I want to see where he's at now more than where he was in the past.

 

How someone governs themselves can be an indicator of how they will govern and conduct themselves in higher office.

 

I'm not ready to write Newt completely off.

 Barack Obama went after Israel in a speech last week, then Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu responded strongly. Then he received a rock star welcome when he spoke before Congress. Were you suprised by the 30 standing O's he received? 

I was heartened by that welcome after the welcome he got from Obama, getting thrown under the bus.

 

The only word that really applies here is anti-Semitism.

 

To see the two side by side, and the contrast in presence and oratory...you couldn't help see the contrast in true leadership. 

Oprah Winfrey's last show this week. How big of an impact has Oprah had on America? 

Unfortunately, I think she's had a bigger impact than people think.

 

She's a likable person and a good entertainer.

 

But I've often talked about the Oprahfication of America that's emasculating us.

 

We've kind of lost our masculinity ...as males in America. And a lot of that has to do with Oprah.

How do we get our masculinity back? 

Listen, we need to get back to our founding roots.

 

We need to get in our Bibles.

 

Jesus cracked some whips - there is something called righteous anger. He turned over some tables.

 

We need to get tough again as leaders of Christ.

Brain Trust: Matt Barber, Liberty Counsel

Matt Barber is Director of Cultural Affairs with Liberty Counsel and Associate Dean of Liberty University School of Law.  


Tell me about your recent column on mainstreaming radical Islam.

We've heard a lot in recent days about the Muslim brotherhood and their stated mission to destroy America from within.

More shocking than that is the Left fawning and drooling all over the Muslim brotherhood in the last few weeks and holding them out as some kind of examples of democracy.

Today's "useful idiots" in America are the Left, including the mainstream media.
If our nation is ever to be destroyed, it won't be from outside, but from the inside.

Do you think it's an honest position they're taking?

They have a disdain for their country best-case, or worst-case a dislike for their country.

You have to wonder what's going on here. I think it's spiritual.

I think they have a shared enemy that is truth. And a nation that was founded on Christian truth isn't  something they want.

Their goal is to wipe out America as it currently is, built on Christian principles.

Did Obama really shift his stance on gay marriage?

No. He didn't really.

He took the politically expedient stance during his election, and now he's finally showing his true colors.

Could it be that the ground is shifting on homosexual marriage?

I think it's a little bit of both. Politically, the issue is the Independents, and right now they're split right down the middle. President Obama sees that it's now or never to get it done.

What's your opinion about inviting Muslims into conduct their own worship services in churches?

That goes again to that "useful idiots" mentality. The Quran says they have to execute, enslave, or convert us.

And we say, "Sure, c'mon in, share the donuts and coffee and have your service before ours, just don't behead us on your way out the door."

Christ said, "I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through me."

The Muslim religion is Satanic. Anything that is not of Christ is of is the enemy.
When you invite them to worship in your church, you're really rebelling against the very God you purport to represent.