Big Poppa's One Hit Wonders

"Make a Hole, Make it Wide"

Well Big Poppa has returned to the corner of the bar and seated comfortably on the 2 bar stools. I've received comments and emails from all sides of the aisle concerning last week's blog on my visit to Pittsburgh's Tea Party rally and I thank everyone for the words of appreciation and even the hateful ones as well. But a few readers asked Big Poppa about his views on everything from gun control to nuclear energy to even who's gonna be the Republican choice in 2012. So this blog is dedicated to what I'm gonna call "One Hit Wonders," my personal view on many topics. So pour a tall frosty one, fill the peanut bowl and let's roll...

1. Do I think Sarah Palin is a psycho bitch?
Well that's a good one to start off with and Big Poppa's answer is No. I do believe she is as polarizing a figure as Hillary Clinton. Gov. Palin entered the national scene on a wave and is still riding that wave. How she handles that wave is up to her, not All Media.

2. Do I think Sarah Palin will run in 2012?
Another No. Gov. Palin will not run, but will be a factor for whomever the Republican choice shall be. Big Poppa's feeling is that the next Republican choice will have to have Gov. Palin's stamp of approval for many voters to get vote for the choice.

3. Who does Big Poppa think will represent the Republicans in 2012?
There's a small list of possibilities out there right now. Minnesota's Gov. Tim Pawlenty, Congressman Ron Paul and Gov. Mitt Romney are on top now. But I'm looking at names like Mississippi's Haley Barbour, Nebraska's Dave Heineman, Utah's Gary Herbert or Senator Jim DeMint, Judd Gregg or even Tom Coburn to jump into the shark tank. One name I wish not to see is that of former Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum

4. Do you own a gun?
I read that question and looked over my shoulder as precaution. No I do not own a gun of any sort, yet I do believe in the 2ND Amendment. I still have yet to get a true answer on why someone needs to own a AK-47 for hunting. But there are over 180+ gun laws on the books, if we cannot enforce those laws then any new law would just be added to the list for no reason. Pennsylvania's Ed Rendell attempted to pass a law that a person could only buy one gun a month, which I also think is fair as well.

5. Who did I vote for in 2008?
I admit I voted for President Obama. Hey, if Senator John McCain of 2000 was running in 2008, I would've probably voted for him, but it wasn't. Senator McCain ran a bad campaign, his campaign managers were a horrible lot, it became a campaign of cliches

6. Do I believe in homegrown terrorism?
Yes, I do believe that it exists and for those who do not, drink more "Morning Joe" coffee and wake the "F" up. There are more homegrown terrorists in this century then there were in the past 3 decades.

7. Why do I hate the Tea Party so much?
I went to a Tea Party to see firsthand what I was missing through All Media, FOX and MSNBC especially. I found the 150 or so that attended a civil bunch and expected the typical talking points from the speakers. It's the crowds that get the media coverage, not the speakers. I have said it before, it takes only person to start the wave at a stadium and it takes only person to make a crowd unruley.

8. Whose better MSNBC or FOX?
Well I'm glad CNN wasn't in the question, because the don't really report on CNN, they expect the viewer to report for them. Both FOX and MSNBC are looking at ratings. If you want to compare the 6p-10p opinion talkers, it depends on your thirst for opinion. I do enjoy watching MSNBC's Morning Joe. I like Joe Scarborough, and it's sad that people think Joe is a Liberal because he's on MSNBC, not knowing he's a Conservative, entered Congress on that great wave of 1994 and was one of the many that pushed the Contract with America.

9. Why do I hate Glenn Beck?
I do not hate Glenn Beck and I am tired of people claiming I do. I was listening to Glenn Beck in 2004, a fellow coworker told me to give him a try and I did. I had liberal friends calling me insane for listening to him, only for them to tune in daily now. I can listen to Glenn Beck and agree/disagree on many topics. I do not like watching his FOX Show, because you can predict when he will say "I love this country" with a tear in his eye. I give Glenn Beck loads of credit for everything he has accomplished in life and career.

10. Do you favor one party over the other?
It depends on the topic. I have always sat in the middle and listened to both sides, do the homework, and go from there. If you vote straight Democrat/Republican ticket only because you dislike the other then you are not listening. Can you honestly say you believe your party of choice 100%? There are good Democrats/Republicans out there, you have too find them and listen with an open mind. By voting straight party ticket, you are really becoming part of the problem, not the solution.

11. Who's gonna win Dancing with the Stars?
As long as it is not Kate Gosselyn, I don't care, don't watch the show.

12. Who's your first pick in Fantasy Football 2010?
Well it sure ain't gonna be Pittsburgh Steelers Ben Rothlisberger!! You never take a QB in the first round, but it depends on the fantasy league. I'd say Titan RB Chris Johnson or Texans WR Andre Johnson (hint hint).

13. So, sicne you're a Democrat, you're against Nuclear Energy?
Nope, I'm for Nuclear Energy as long as it is regulated correctly. It works in France and Europe because they only use 2 models of design. I'm not sure how many power companies we have in the US, but say we have 18 companies, I can guarantee each would want their own design model. Now if regulated correctly and they are only allowed 3 models of option across the country, and something goes wrong at design model #1, then everyone with that model can look for the very same issue. If you have 18 different models you can have 18 different problems.

14. Can Obama win in 2012?
I honestly believe President Obama can win again in 2012, but by the narrowest of margins. It's really going to be up to the Economy, Health Care, and the strength of the Republican candidate.

15. Who wins in 2010?
There are so many that are retiring in 2010, that it will come down to how the candidates present themselves. Like I said, there are good Democrats/Republicans out there, you as the voting public need to listen to both sides and make the choice. Simply saying "Candidate Bob is a Democrat and I refuse to vote for him" is not good enough for me. Listen, pay attention and for goodness sake, no matter the party affiliation be civil. Stop being a polarized nation of voters.

Well that's it. That's Big Poppa's "One Hit Wonders" for this round. The peanut bowl was empty on question 8 and someones gotta pick up my thirsty political tab for my 37Th birthday.