Republican National Committee

The Fox News-Republican Debate Of August 6—Which Ten Should Be In Debate?

The Republican National Committee has put itself in a hole, by allowing Fox News Channel to limit the number of participants in the first GOP Presidential debate on August 6 to ten.

Yes, there are too many candidates, and now it looks as if it will be 17, not 16, with assurances that Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker, Ohio Governor John Kasich, and former Virginia Governor Jim Gilmore will enter the race before that debate.

The whole concept of 17 candidates, unprecedented in American history, is absolutely crazy, but why should national public opinion polls decide this, rather than common sense, as to who is really qualified to be a potential President, based on experience and accomplishments?

So this blogger will now eliminate SEVEN of the 17 potential debate participants, on the grounds that they do not have the credentials to be President of the United States. This does not mean that the ten who are, on paper, qualified, SHOULD be President or be the nominee, but simply that they have better credentials to compete for the White House.

Former Virginia Governor Jim Gilmore–out of office since 2002, not one chance in a thousand of being nominated.

Carly Fiorina—no government experience, failed in the corporate world, never has a non politician been elected, and only Wendell Willkie was ever nominated by a major party.

Dr. Benjamin Carson— a fantastic pediatric surgeon, but no government experience, and there is no chance he can be elected, and his statements are often totally loony.

Former New York Governor George Pataki—a moderate, probably the most moderate, but absolutely no chance of being the nominee of the 2015 Republican Party.

Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal—-the most low rated governor in public opinion polls, a true disaster, and not a chance of being the nominee.

Former Texas Governor Rick Perry—had a chance in 2012, came across as moronic, and has no chance, even with new glasses, to be the nominee.

Business Donald Trump–who has NO qualifications to be President, and no government experience, no chance to be the nominee, and is out to destroy the Republican brand to feed his ego.

So the “serious” candidates who SHOULD be allowed in the debate are:

Five Senators–4 in the Senate now (Marco Rubio, Ted Cruz, Rand Paul, Lindsey Graham) and former Senator Rick Santorum.

Five Governors—3 in office now (Chris Christie, John Kasich, Scott Walker) and two former Governors (Jeb Bush and Mike Huckabee)

Those who would object to this elimination of seven candidates have to answer the question: Do you REALLY believe any of the seven eliminated have ANY chance to be the nominee? Come on, get real!

Chris Christie Playing Politics With Hurricane Sandy Relief? If Proved, He Is Impeached!

New Jersey Governor Chris Christie is now accused of playing politics with Hurricane Sandy relief, denying requests of the Hoboken and Jersey City Mayors, among others, because they would not endorse his re-election as Governor last November.

If this is so, then Christie faces impeachment and removal, and he would also face legal complications and could go to federal prison!

It is hard to feel sympathy for this “bully”, who is abusive toward teachers, parents, journalists, and is cocky, arrogant, and self serving to the extreme.

Anyone who felt admiration for this “bully” looks pretty bad themselves right now, as to want a politician of his characteristic to be President, which we could all see, is a reflection of the bad character of the admirer!

It is clear, just as this author said a few days ago, that Chris Christie is toast, as far as the GOP nomination for President, and having Reince Priebus, the Republican National Chairman (best described as a total fool and embarrassment), and former New York City Mayor Rudy Guiliani (himself the center of personal scandal while Mayor), defend you is a sign of the true collapse of Christie’s Presidential bubble!

The Total Hypocrisy Of Republican Politicians!

The Republican Party and the conservative movement love to pontificate about morality and ethics, and yet are the biggest hypocrites that exist!

So we have the late Congressman Bill Young of Florida, who left his wife of 36 years in 1985 for his secretary, and totally ignored his children from that first wife, and they were even denied allowance to come to his funeral, after he died last year, after 42 years as a senior “Family Values” Republican in the House of Representatives.

So we had House Judiciary Committee Chairman Henry Hyde of Illinois, who led the impeachment move against President Bill Clinton in 1998-1999, who it was shown he had a child with another woman while condemning Bill Clinton for his sexual exploits.

So we had Congressman Bob Livingston of Louisiana, who was supposed to be Speaker of the House in 1999, after Newt Gingrich left, but was also shown to have had children and relationships outside of his marriage.

And of course, Newt Gingrich, the most obvious hypocrite of all, had spent his years in Congress, cheating on his wife, serving her with divorce papers while undergoing cancer surgery, married the woman he had the affair with at that time in the late 1990s, and then divorced her, after having an affair with wife number three, the blond bimbo who accompanied him on his Presidential run in 2012. Gingrich has no shame, never has, and was condemning Bill Clinton while doing the same thing, but acting puritanical.

There are so many other examples, including gay members of the Republican Party, such as Ken Mehlman, Republican National Chairman under George W. Bush, who finally “came out of the closet” after doing great damage to gays and lesbians; former Congressman David Dreier of California; Senator Larry Craig of Idaho; and most recently, Congressman Aaron Schock of Illinois, all of whom have done everything to harm and limit gay rights, while all being clearly gay men.

The lying and deceit of these GOP Politicians past and present, in the midst of condemning others for what they do, is beyond normal condemnation. It is worse than committing the acts that others do, and being “holier than thou”, and this includes evangelical pastors who are corrupt, and Catholic priests who are corrupt, but are only too willing to condemn the behavior of others who conduct their lives in the same fashion.

So the Republican party and the conservative movement are NOT the paragon of virtue. and NOT good role models for “Family Values”!

Republican Lunacy Is Getting Worse By The Day!

All that one needs to do is wait, and the Republican Party harms itself and its reputation!

Examples abound, such as just recently, the following:

Virginia Lieutenant Governor nominee E. W. Jackson, a minister, has stated that one cannot be a Christian and also be a Democrat!

Texas Senator Ted Cruz, who looks and acts more like former Wisconsin Senator Joseph McCarthy as each day goes by, makes clear that he wishes, with other Tea Party radicals, to force the federal government into being shut down, until and when ObamaCare is defunded, no matter what damage it does to the American economy and our system of national defense, and payments to the elderly and disabled under Social Security and Medicare!

And Republican National Chairman Reince Priebus has threatened to forbid any Republican Presidential debates to be conducted by NBC and CNN, if they go through with plans, in their entertainment divisions, with specials on the life of Hillary Clinton, failing to see that the news division and the entertainment division are separate, and that neither station will give in to his threats! All it can do is undermine GOP attempts to gain public support, as if these two major networks are not engaged in the political campaign, it is the party that loses, more than the stations!

What is wrong with these Republicans, and many other examples, and that only a small coterie of Republicans, such as John McCain and Chris Christie, seem to have any sanity and common sense?

This portends a civil war for the future of the GOP, which will overshadow the 2016 race, as the Republican Party is self destructing before our eyes, more every day!

Sniping Back And Forth Among Republicans: Wonderful To Witness!

It is very clear that the Republican Party is bitterly divided on strategy toward President Obama, and on the issue of foreign policy and national security.

So we are witnessing sniping back and forth, and this is a hint of what is to come, as the Presidential rivalries heat up in the coming months!

Examples of the sniping are that between Arizona Senator John McCain and Texas Senator Ted Cruz, with it being clear that the two Senators have no love lost for each other.

At the same time, we see Governor Chris Christie supportive of the gathering of intelligence by the National Security Agency and Central Intelligence Agency, due to the reality that New Jersey suffered the second most losses on September 11, 2001, and being critical of those who are libertarian, such as Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky!

Also, New York Congressman Peter King of Long Island has attacked the Tea Party Movement Republicans who were against aid to New York and New Jersey after Super Storm Sandy last fall!

And Rand Paul, Ted Cruz, Mike Lee of Utah, and Marco Rubio of Florida have been criticized for their threat to shut the government down if ObamaCare is not defunded, with major critics being John McCain, Ron Johnson of Wisconsin, Tom Coburn of Oklahoma, Roy Blunt of Missouri, and Richard Burr of North Carolina!

And Establishment Republicans such as former Governor Jeb Bush of Florida, former Utah Governor and Ambassador to China Jon Huntsman, former Republican National Chairman Michael Steele, and George W. Bush adviser Karl Rove are shaking their heads at the splintering of the party, and the recklessness of many of the younger members of the party in the House of Representatives and Senate, as they well know that the future of the party is in tatters, if this extremist wing is allowed to become the face and image of the party! Finally,

Finally, Iowa Congressman Steve King’s ranting against immigrants has led to condemnation by Speaker of the House John Boehner and others in the Republican Party.

It looks more than ever as if the GOP is on the way to the worst Presidential defeat for their party since the demise of Barry Goldwater in 1964, nearly fifty years ago, and even Goldwater now looks “moderate” by comparison, and far less reckless!

Bob Dole Indicts 2013 Republican Party As Not A Party For Himself, Richard Nixon, Or Ronald Reagan!

Former Senator Bob Dole of Kansas, former Vice Presidential running mate of Gerald Ford in 1976; former Presidential nominee of the Republican Party in 1996; Senate Majority Leader and five term member of the Senate overall; and a total of 36 years in both houses of Congress, was on Fox News Sunday today, and he indicted the present day GOP as a party which would not welcome such venerable political figures as himself, Richard Nixon, and even Ronald Reagan in the 2013 political climate that has been established by a party he does not recognize!

Dole condemned the overuse of the filibuster, making it nearly impossible for any progress to be made on any significant legislation, or nominees for many government positions, including to regulatory commissions and to the judiciary.

Dole suggested a sign “closed for repairs” on the door of the Republican National Committee, as the party tries to come up with positive ideas, and returns to the conservative mainstream, which it has left, with its extremist agenda, with 115 cloture motions in past two years as compared to seven in the first two years that Dole was a Senator during the Nixon Administration!

As long as the Republican Party continues on its present course, it will NEVER win the White House again, and will continue to promote the image that it is only a party that is out to obstruct and block, rather than come up with real solutions to America’s domestic and foreign policy agenda!

Republicans Double Down On Anti Gay Stand: Long Range Move To Oblivion!

The Republican Party’s National Committee has decided that they will double down on their anti gay stand, just at a time when the nation is rapidly accepting gays as equals in every way, including the civil right to marry.

This is a losing proposition, as within the next ten years, the GOP will look like a dinosaur culturally, as the nation is moving away from narrow mindedness, prejudice, discrimination, and the bullying that goes on, encouraged by lack of concern for and respect for the rights of those with a different sexual orientation. And gay marriage is being considered right now by the Supreme Court, and no matter what they decide in June, the momentum is with movement in that direction.

Senator Rob Portman of Ohio and Senator Mark Kirk of Illinois are the only two sitting GOP Senators who have endorsed gay marriage, although former Senators Lincoln Chafee of Rhode Island, Dan Evans of Washington, Chuck Hagel of Nebraska, Larry Pressler of South Dakota, Lowell Weicker of Connecticut, and Olympia Snowe of Maine have also backed gay marriage.

A number of College Republican groups, and s few Republican members of the House of Representatives. along with prominent former Republicans Governors, including Jon Huntsman, Tom Ridge, Jesse Ventura, Tom Kean, James Thompson, William Weld, and Christie Todd Whitman have also supported gay marriage.

Additionally, many other non elected Republicans have signed statements calling on the Supreme Court to accept gay marriage as constitutional everywhere in America!

When we look back by 2025 to 2030, the Republican Party will have paid a heavy price for their refusal to adjust to changing times, and to their decision to allow organized religion to dictate social policy, in a nation that is based on the Founding Fathers’ promotion of the separation of church and state!

Republican National Committee Report: “Too Old, Too White, Too Insular”, But Is Change Of Tone Enough?

The Republican National Committee has come up with a 100 page report, making clear that the party is in deep trouble because it is seen by the general population as “too old, too white, too insular”, and that a change of “tone” is needed!

Actually, the report does not go far enough, as the party is also seen as a party that is against women, against Hispanics and Latinos, against African Americans, against Asian Americans, against the younger generation, against gays and lesbians, against the poor, against the working class, against the middle class, against the environment, against labor unions, against science, against the environment—while being pro the top two percent, pro corporation, pro foreign policy interventions overseas, pro extreme right wing evangelical Christianity, pro gun rights, and condemning of the news media, the universities, and the entertainment industry!

The GOP has a need to change a great deal, but based on the Conservative Political Action Conference display of its motivations and statements, and the embarrassment of many of the speakers, including Sarah Palin and Michele Bachmann among many others, their road back to majority status is a very long one, and possibly will never occur!

Wisconsin: The Home Of Progressivism, Now A Center Of Right Wing Conservatism

Wisconsin was the birthplace of modern progressivism, with the Governorship of Robert La Follette, Sr. from 1900-1906.

Regarded by scholars as the greatest Governor in the history of all states throughout American history, La Follette promoted regulation of corporations, labor protections, environmental conservation, the direct primary, and the role of women and intellectuals in government policy making.

A Republican, when many believed government was good, he would go on to the US Senate, and be regarded as one of the top five US Senators of all time, and his son Philip would promote progressive reform as Governor in the 1930s.

Others would be in state government and in Congress promoting what La Follette believed in, including Democrats such as William Proxmire, Gaylord Nelson, Russ Feingold, and Herbert Kohl.

But two years ago, Wisconsin took a sharp turn to the right, defeating Russ Feingold for reelection to the Senate, and putting into office a Tea Party activist, Ron Johnson.

At the same time, Scott Walker was elected Governor, and declared war on labor rights, women, and education, and was able to win a recall election through the power of the funding of the Koch Brothers and other right wing interests.

Reince Preibus, the Republican state chairman, succeeded Michael Steele as Republican National Chairman.

And Paul Ryan, in the House of Representatives since 1998, became head of the Budget Committee, and promoted the Ryan Plan, which wishes to destroy Medicare as we know it, and calls for major cuts in Pell Grants, the end of ObamaCare, privatization of Social Security over time, the gutting of Medicaid, and massive cuts in Food Stamps, among other aspects of the plan.

And now, Ryan could be a heartbeat away from the Presidency next January 20, were Mitt Romney to win the Presidency on November 6.

The battle between progressivism and conservatism is in full heat, and Wisconsin is the center of the battle, and one wonders what Robert La Follette, Sr. is thinking in the afterlife, as he realizes what has happened in his beloved state!

The Republican Party Establishment In Panic: Jeb Bush, George Will, Haley Barbour

The Republican Party Establishment is fully aware that the party is doomed if it follows the crazy path being tread by Mitt Romney, Rick Santorum, Newt Gingrich, and Ron Paul.

These candidates are absolutely a calamity big time.

Mitt Romney spends time talking about the height of the trees in Michigan; the fact that his wife has two Cadillacs; the concept that he likes firing people; jokes about being “unemployed”; suggests a tax plan that would be worse than that under George W. Bush in cutting taxes on the wealthy; and continues to say that the auto industry bailout was a bad idea even though it saved between one and two million jobs.

Rick Santorum talks about Satan taking over America; attacks public education and higher education as promoting secular humanism; advocates the end of contraception availability to women; condemns homosexuality in the most extreme language; advocates religion in government; and calls for war on Iran immediately.

Newt Gingrich says that Barack Obama is dangerous to American security; calls for immediate action on Day One to wipe out everything Barack Obama has promoted; calls for a moon colony despite no funds available for it anytime soon; brags about his own brilliance and intellect and knowledge; has no shame about his moral lapses; and enjoys stirring a “hornet’s nest” and being a “flame thrower”.

Ron Paul calls for the elimination of the Federal Reserve; the immediate withdrawal of our troops from all nations overseas; the ending of five federal government agencies; is for massive immediate cuts in the federal budget;
believes in no regulation of corporations; and is a total advocate of libertarianism.

All four are a true disaster, and we have heard the lament from Establishment figures.

Former Florida Governor Jeb Bush deplores the promotion of fear and emotion; while George Will, of ABC’s THIS WEEK and also a Washington Post columnist, states that none of the candidates have made a good case for the nomination; and former Mississippi Governor and Republican National Chairman Haley Barbour also is critical of the performance of the candidates for the Republican nomination.

Whether anything can be done to avoid electoral disaster is very hard to predict at this point, but a sense of foreboding is clearly evident in Republican circles!