Month: June 2011

Chinks In Mitt Romney’s Armor

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Mitt Romney, the frontrunner for the Republican Presidential nomination, has some chinks in his armor, that are starting to be noticed.

Romney is applauded as a great businessman, but most of his economic accomplishments in business came from cutting employees and saving money to make more profit.

Also, as Governor of Massachusetts, his state was dead last in employment growth coming out of the 2001-2002 recession, and the growth in his four years was only one percent, as compared to five percent nationally.

Also, Romney made a mistake in his debate remarks this past week, in referring to the people of Afghanistan as “Afghanis”, which is the name of their currency. The people of Afghanistan are known as “Afghans”!

This reminds one of John McCain constantly talking about Czechoslovakia in 2007-2008, when that nation broke up amicably in 1993 into the Czech Republic and Slovakia!

Of course, anyone can make mistakes, or have negative developments in his record, but the point is that Romney has a long list of shortcomings, all of which will certainly be exploited by his opponents for the nomination, and by Barack Obama, if Romney indeed is the nominee of his party for the White House!

Tim Pawlenty And “Co-Conspirators” Mitt Romney And Barack Obama

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Former Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty is striking out in his Presidential campaign, rapidly becoming the second Republican in the race to implode, after Newt Gingrich.

Pawlenty was critical of Romney on “Obamney Care”, as he calls the former Massachusetts Governor’s health care plan, in a Fox News interview.

But then, in the New Hampshire Presidential debate, when given an opportunity to say the same thing to Romney face to face, Pawlenty came across as weak and ineffective, as he refused to do just that.

This past few days, Pawlenty has been trying to undo the damage, but instead he has made things worse.

His new statement is that Romney and Obama are “co-conspirators” on health care!

What a ridiculous and preposterous statement, and all it does is make it ever harder for Pawlenty to make progress from the depths of public opinion polls, where he resides, and is unlikely to emerge from!

Mitt Romney: Will He Sell His Soul To Be President?

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Former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney may be in the lead in public opinion polls for the Republican Presidential nomination, but it is clear that many Republicans are desperately seeking for someone else, whether it is Governor Rick Perry of Texas or Governor Chris Christie of New Jersey or others.

The Tea Party Movement does not like Romney, and neither do evangelical Christians who are suspicious of Romney’s Mormon faith.

Plus, Romney’s health care plan causes discontent, and the feeling that he does not really relate to Republicans voters, or in reality, maybe to ANY voters!

The latter is shown by his insensitive comment in New Hampshire that he is unemployed too, said as a joke to unemployed people he was meeting with. Could he truly commiserate with them, when he has at least $200 million personal fortune behind him?

Also, he made a comment not much noticed right after the New Hampshire debate, but recognized in the aftermath. Romney criticized the federal intervention by the Federal Emergency Management Agency in the days after the floods and tornadoes in the Midwest in April and May. He termed the intervention and spending as “immoral”, said FEMA should be privatized, and declared that deficit spending to help the victims made no sense at all, and burdened future generations with extra debts!

If we pursued what Romney has now advocated, it would mean only wealthy, well connected people would be guaranteed food, shelter, clothing, and protection if a disaster struck. How moral is it for someone to be so heartless and unconcerned about the tragedy of natural disasters?

This is Tea Party Movement extremism to the level of crazy and loony, and is obviously Romney’s attempt to appeal to the extreme right wing of his party, but if he were to win the nomination and become President, would he really pursue such narrow minded views, defying the history of the United States regarding the “general welfare” of the population, as enunciated in the “Elastic Clause” (Article 1, Section 8) of the Constitution? Romney NEEDS to clarify this matter, as an issue to consider regarding voting for him to be our President!

Tim Pawlenty, Michele Bachmann, And Taxation Of The Wealthy

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Former Governor Tim Pawlenty of Minnesota, and Congresswoman Michele Bachmann from the same state, are campaigning for President advocating further tax cuts for the wealthy, even though they have received unbelievable tax cuts over the past ten years, creating the problem of the ballooning national debt.

Pawlenty’s economic plan would give the top one percent of the taxpayers 40 percent of the benefit of the tax cut, while the next nine percent would get 26 percent of the benefit.

So two thirds of the tax cut would go to the top ten percent, while the bottom 60 percent would get only 10 percent of the cut.

Bachmann, meanwhile, wants to cut all taxes for 23,000 millionaires–which would add $25 billion to the national debt in ONE year!

Meanwhile, the effective tax rate for the rich has declined dramatically since the 1950s–51.2 percent in 1955, 42.4 in 1961, 29.9 in 1995, 24.2 in 1997, 19.5 in 2003, and 16.6 in 2007!

This is all economic suicide, and fails to promote the idea that wealthy Americans owe the nation more of their success, as it is this country which gave them the freedom to become wealthy!

Netroots Nation: Progressive Group Trying To Push Barack Obama Leftward!

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Netroots Nation, the progressive activist organization, is meeting from yesterday through Sunday in Minneapolis, trying to promote an agenda to push Barack Obama away from corporate influence, and to end the wars in the Middle East and Asia.

Progressives are unhappy with the fact that, in their mind, Barack Obama is too willing to concede and compromise with the Republican opposition.

Former Wisconsin Senator Russ Feingold criticized the idea of Obama taking campaign funds from Wall Street and corporations when they are working constantly to undermine him and his agenda.

The argument is to raise campaign money for 2012 only from small contributors and the labor movement. The Democratic Party, he asserted, is in danger of losing its soul and its identity.

Feingold, who had promoted campaign finance reform with Senator John McCain a decade ago, and then saw it declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court, insisted that such reform was necessary.

Feingold now heads a group called Progressives United, which is working to promote progressive causes in Wisconsin and nationally.

Feingold represents the frustration and impatience many progressives have with Obama, and there is concern that the enthusiasm of 2008 for Obama may not be repeated, and that campaign funding and support by activists may not be at the same level as 2008. Particularly gay activists and those working on the topic of illegal immigration are furious with Obama at this point.

But if progressives decide to back away from Obama, then the conservatives of this nation will win power, so there is really no alternative to a decision to work with Obama, while trying to move him further to the left in his agenda!

Rick Perry: Is There An Economic Renaissance In Texas?

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Texas Governor Rick Perry is flirting with announcing his candidacy for the Republican Presidential nomination, after having earlier dismissed the idea.

Conservatives applaud him for his promoting an economic “renaissance” in Texas, where 37 percent of all jobs have been created in the past two years.

Sounds good, doesn’t it? But the truth is otherwise, beyond that number.

Yes, there are more jobs created, but remember Texas has the second largest population in the nation, so one would expect that.

But the unemployment rate is lower in nearly half of the states of the Union, and a majority of the jobs created are minimum wage jobs, hardly a great beginning for a middle class life!

So life is not so great in Texas, unless one is wealthy, but then again, isn’t that always the Republican reality, that they are only good for the rich?

The Extreme Radicalism And Looniness Of Michele Bachmann: A Real Threat To America’s Future!

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Minnesota Congresswoman Michele Bachmann gained a lot of attention by her performance in the Republican New Hampshire debate last Monday.

Many people are starting to notice her, and many social conservatives are ecstatic about her, and think she might have a shot at the GOP Presidential nomination.

Before we go any further along the road to President Michele Bachmann, let’s look at her record of statements and actions!

1. She said in 2004 that the LION KING was promoting gay propaganda. She is extremely anti gay, despite the fact of having gay relatives.
2. She claimed that many jobs would be created if the minimum wage was abolished, something that clearly is preposterous.
3. She asserted that “intelligent design” was supported by Nobel Prize winning scientists, a total falsehood.
4. She stated that carbon dioxide is not a dangerous gas, while it is well known that in large amounts, it is causing climate change.
5. She accused Democrats in Congress of being anti American and called for an investigation of their backgrounds, a new McCarthyism.
6. She advocated that her constituents refuse to fill out the 2010 Census, until she realized that if that was done in her Congressional district, she would lose her seat, as her constituents would not be counted as part of the population.
7. She has stated the belief that talk show host Glenn Beck could solve the issue of the national debt.

Is anything else necessary to say about Michele Bachmann?

She is crazy, loony, against anything that would improve the lives of the middle class or poor people, an ally of the corporations and the religious right, a mean spirited bigot whose attractive looks belie the truth: She would be a total disaster for America’s future!

June 17 Historic Day For Three Reasons!

Ronald 2 Comments

Today, June 17, is an historic day for THREE reasons!

First, it is the day of the famous Battle of Bunker Hill in the Boston area, a major moment in the American Revolution’s beginning, in 1775.

Secondly, it is the day of the Watergate break in, the beginning of the scandal that brought down Richard Nixon, with the event occurring in 1972!

Thirdly, and in the author’s mind MOST important, on this day in 1979, which also happened to be Father’s Day, he became a father for the first time with the birth of David Eric Feinman, who has gone on to accomplish great goals, and is as politically aware and involved as his dad!

So Happy Birthday, Dave!

The Harassment And Bullying Of Anthony Weiner By New York Media: Disgraceful!

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The New York media has always been more difficult and aggressive than most other media, but what they have just done to former Congressman Anthony Weiner is totally disgraceful!

The New York Daily News and the New York Post, both well known for being “rags” rather than reputable journalism, destroyed Anthony Weiner, harrassed, hounded, and bullied him to the extreme, sensationalized his faults and misdeeds to such an extent that it was literally impossible for him to survive in office!

Did Anthony Weiner conduct himself in a proper fashion on the internet, on Twitter and Facebook? Obviously, NO, but did his sins deserve the kind of mistreatment that he suffered?

The author thinks other politicians have conducted themselves in far worse fashion and have not been assaulted in such a vicious way!

And the fact that his party, the Democratic Party, also brought such great pressure on him is very different than what the Republican Party does with its transgressors! And in so doing, we have lost a major progressive voice for the middle and lower classes!

No one is saying to give Anthony Weiner a free ride, and overlook his faults, but if his district wanted him to stay, that should have been the ultimate decision maker!

So, as suggested yesterday by the author, Anthony Weiner, IF he is willing to do it, should announce for the special election, and leave it to the people to decide in his district, as to whether they want him back or not. Democracy should rule, not the reckless and insulting behavior of the New York media, best defined as TRASH!

Barack Obama’s Puerto Rico Visit: The Politics Of 2012

Ronald 1 Comment

President Barack Obama paid a visit to the island of Puerto Rico this week, the first such visit since John F. Kennedy fifty years ago.

Puerto Rico has a 20 percent unemployment rate, far greater than the mainland, but Puerto Rico cannot vote for President, although it can participate in the nomination contests in the primaries and at the conventions of the major political parties.

But Puerto Ricans are the second largest Hispanic group in America behind Mexicans, and their voting bloc can make a dramatic difference in the Presidential Election of 2012.

IF they vote in large numbers for Obama, they can swing the vote in many states in his favor.

So the emphasis of the President is to insure that the Hispanic vote, of both Mexican Americans and Puerto Rican Americans and other Hispanic and Latino groups, is mobilized to help the Democratic Party win back the House of Representatives, keep the Senate Democratic, and reelect the President.

Certainly, the Hispanic vote would be wise to realize that the Republican Party does not have its interests at heart, and that, therefore, the need to support the Democrats, rather than sit on the sidelines, is urgent!