Month: October 2012

Discussion Of Obama Campaign Abandoning Florida: The Wrong Idea!

Ronald 5 Comments

Recent public opinion polls indicate that Mitt Romney, the Republican Presidential nominee, is surging ahead in Florida, the biggest “swing” state with 29 electoral votes.

So, as a result, there is speculation and discussion of the Barack Obama campaign abandoning the fight in Florida, and taking the campaign to the other “swing” states, although at this point, Vice President Joe Biden is campaigning in Florida, and President Obama is due in Delray Beach this Tuesday.

It would be a serious mistake to abandon Florida, and it would undermine the campaign were that decision made at this point, with 17 days to go.

The odds of Obama improving his poll numbers after the Foreign Policy Debate in Boca Raton on Monday are excellent, so ONLY in the last week of the campaign, if the situation does not improve, should any consideration of abandonment of the fight for the Sunshine State be considered.

Iowa: Barack Obama’s Beginning In 2008, And The Ultimate State Toward Second Term?

Ronald 1 Comment

Iowa, the Hawkeye state, started Barack Obama off toward the Presidency in January 2008, with his caucus victory.

Iowa was the state in which Barack Obama began his reelection effort after announcing for a second term.

And now, the indications are that early voting in Iowa is starting Barack Obama off to victory for the Presidency for a second term, after Iowa voted for Obama over John McCain in 2008.

Iowa might very well be seen in history as the ultimate state that mattered the most in so many ways to Barack Obama’s successful run for two terms as President!

And remember that Iowa is a state more white than the national average, but also a state that is becoming less rural, more suburban, and is the state that has accepted gay marriage, the only one outside the coastlines at this point, so Iowa is a path breaker in so many ways!

Interesting Survey On NYC Mayoralty Race For 2013

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In a poll of NYC voters on who should run for Mayor in 2013, at a time when Mayor Michael Bloomberg will retire after 12 years,, very unusual results were reported.

While City Council President Christine Quinn (who is lesbian) has 23 percent in the polls; former City Controller Bill Thompson (who is African American) has 15 percent; and present City Controller John Liu (who is Asian American) has 9 percent; what is more interesting is that a third of those in the poll want former NY Governor Eliot Spitzer to run, and that a quarter of those in the poll want former Congressman Anthony Weiner; and only 18 percent want actor Alec Baldwin to enter the race.

What does this say about NYC voters? Do they really want a disgraced former Governor and a disgraced former Congressman to be their Mayor–even more than a well known actor and comedian? Isn’t the idea of the first woman Mayor who is gay; a black Mayor to follow up on David Dinkins; and an Asian American Mayor enough exciting?

No one is denying that Spitzer and Weiner may want vindication that they can come back from sex scandals, but somehow the alternatives, including Alec Baldwin, and the three city officials, seem like a more amenable set of choices!

Arnold Schwarzenegger, Lance Armstrong, John Edwards, And Mitt Romney: Lies, Dishonesty, Narcissism Repudiated By The American People!

Ronald 1 Comment

Good news is occurring, as American society turns against dishonest, lying, deceiving public figures.

Arnold Schwarzenegger, former California Governor, who had a child with his maid while having a child with his devoted wife, Maria Shriver, and says he is imperfect and takes no responsibility for his reprehensible behavior, goes on a book tour with his autobiography which brags about his exploits, and embarrasses his former wife and children, and the book is a total disaster, hardly selling at all, well deserved!

Lance Armstrong, who lied and deceived about his use of steroids, and won seven Tour De France races based on the illegal use of such chemicals, is stripped of his medals, and now has lost millions of dollars of endorsements, well deserved!

Another person, now in the dustbin of history, the same personality traits as Schwarzenegger and Armstrong, is former Senator and Presidential contender John Edwards, who also pursued a Presidential campaign while his wife was sick with cancer, and also cheated on her and had a baby out of wedlock, and his name is now “mud”!

And in 17 days, Republican Presidential nominee Mitt Romney, a control freak and narcissistic personality, who is setting a record for lies and deception, and putting his wife, Anne Romney though hell, when he should be staying home and taking care of her suffering from Multiple Sclerosis, rather than his mad dash for power without principle, will face the judgment of the American people on his misbehavior!

These people, including Romney, deserve our repudiation in every way possible, and three of the four have already faced that rejection, and Romney will be added to that list in November! Goodbye, Mitt, and good riddance!

Democratic Senate Candidates: What Are The Odds For The Senate In 2013-2014?

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Presently, the Democratic Party has 51 seats in the Senate, plus two Independents (Joe Lieberman of Connecticut and Bernie Sanders of Vermont), who caucus with them.

What are the odds of the Democrats keeping 53 seats, but at least having a majority of 51 without the Vice President casting the tie vote, and possibly gaining one or two seats?

The odds seem excellent at least to keep control and possibly gain a seat or two, based on recent polling.

At the optimum, IF every one of the contested five Republican seats were to be won, and every Democratic seat was retained, the Democrats could control 58 seats, but that is not, realistically, going to happen.

But a possible gain of one or two seats is possible, when considering all of the contested races.

If, as stated in an earlier entry, the Democrats gain three of the five contested seats of Republicans, most likely in Arizona, Maine and Massachusetts, but lose in Indiana and Nevada, they could have 56 seats, but not all Democratic contentious races are seen as likely to be won.

Those Democrats in races seen as competitive but likely to win include:

Florida—Senator Bill Nelson against Republican Congressman Connie Mack IV.

Michigan—Senator Debbie Stabenow against former Republican Congressman Peter Hoekstra

Missouri—Senator Claire McCaskill against Republican Congressman Todd Akin

Montana–Senator Jon Tester against Republican Congressman Denny Rehberg

Ohio—Senator Sherrod Brown against Republican State Treasurer Josh Mandel

Eleven other seats also seem safe, but there are seven highly contested seats that are more problematical.

Connecticut—Democratic Congressman Chris Murphy against Republican Linda McMahon, the owner of the World Wrestling Entertainment organization, who ran against Richard Blumenthal in 2010 and lost, but now is seen as a slight favorite, taking away a Democratic seat if that occurs.

Hawaii—Democratic Congresswoman Mazie Hirono against former Republican Governor Linda Lingle, a race of a Japanese American vs a Jewish American, with Hirono slightly favored, keeping the seat Democratic.

Nebraska—Former Democratic Governor and Senator and Presidential contender Bob Kerrey, against Republican state legislator Debbie Fischer, a Tea Party favorite, with Fischer favored, although Kerrey is a major figure of the past now returning to Nebraska, but if Fischer wins, the seat switches parties from retiring Ben Nelson.

New Mexico—Democratic Congressman Martin Heinrich against former Republican Congresswoman Heather Wilson, with Heinrich a slight favorite to keep the seat Democratic.

North Dakota—Past state Attorney General Heidi Heitkamp against Republican Congressman Rick Berg, with Heitkamp running ahead and if winning, would keep the seat Democratic.

Virginia—former Governor Tim Kaine running against former Republican Governor George Allen, with Kaine ahead and expected to keep the seat Democratic.

Wisconsin—Congresswoman Tammy Baldwin, an openly lesbian member of the House, against former Republican Governor Tommy Thompson, with Baldwin running ahead and would keep the seat Democratic.

Best guess is that Hawaii, New Mexico, North Dakota, Virginia, and Wisconsin will stay Democratic, but Connecticut and Nebraska might switch to the Republicans.

So IF everything works out as projected by the author in the earlier entry on the Republican held seats, it means that seats would remain in the same party’s hands, EXCEPT:

Connecticut and Nebraska would go Republican from Democratic.

Arizona, Maine and Massachusetts would go Democratic from Republican.

So the end result would be a Senate of:

54 Democrats, including Independents Bernie Sanders of Vermont and Angus King of Maine.

46 Republicans

Meaning: a ONE seat gain for the Democrats!

So out of the 23 seats that were Democratic or Independent, 21 would remain Democratic.

Out of the 10 seats that were Republican, 7 would remain Republican.

So we have a slightly greater Democratic Senate, if this all works out, and we shall see how accurate this projection is when the elections take place 17 days from now!

Newspaper Endorsements For Barack Obama Smack At Mitt Romney In An Embarrassing Manner!

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Many people might say that newspaper editorial board endorsements do not matter very much in the modern age, but still it is impressive that Barack Obama is gathering newspaper endorsements in places that are embarrassing to Mitt Romney.

The Tampa Bay Tribune, in the city where the Republican National Convention was held, endorsed Obama.

The Denver Post, in the city where the first Presidential debate was held, endorsed Obama.

The Salt Lake City Tribune, in the city and state of the Mormon establishment and the Mormon temple, turned against a person who is a leader of their faith, and endorsed Obama.

Additionally, it is quite apparent that other major newspapers, more significant than those mentioned above—including the NY Times, Washington Post, Boston Globe, and Los Angeles Times—will endorse Obama, and the Philadelphia Inquirer already has done so.

Sure, Mitt Romney has won some endorsements and will gain more, but it seems clear that the majority of newspapers, and the most prestigious and influential ones, will be backing Barack Obama.

Significant food for thought, one might say!

A New Term For Romney “Flip Flopping”: “ROMNESIA”

Ronald 2 Comments

Barack Obama, back on the campaign trail again, has come up with a new term that can be used to describe Mitt Romney’s constant “flip flopping”–constant switches of view from moderate to right wing conservative to moderate, sometimes switching daily.

Obama’s joking term is “Romnesia”, that Romney “forgets” what his prior stands on every conceivable issue has been, although he is well aware of the deception he is practicing.

When Obama discusses Romney, he says that his “disease”, however, is covered under “ObamaCare”, as it is a “pre-existing condition”!

This causes a hearty laugh among the members of the audience, but, in reality, it is not a laughing matter, as those who plan to vote for Romney truly have no idea of what he truly believes, or who he is, as he has refused to discuss his religious beliefs in depth, his finances, and his vision for the future. Instead, he says to just trust him, but that is difficult because he does not engender confidence or commitment to any principles.

Instead, he is an unknown quantity, without any fundamental principles, asking us to gamble, and that is not something any rational person can think of doing, in the midst of economic recovery starting to accelerate.

Mitt Romney And “DAY ONE”

Ronald 2 Comments

Mitt Romney, the Republican Presidential nominee, has utilized one term in his speeches and comments so often that it is irritating beyond belief.

Romney has pledged to do so many things, and all on “Day One”.

This man could not have enough time to do all that he pledges to do on “Day One”, even if he had four years.

It is part of the phoniness, and constant deception, of this man, and how any intelligent person could believe anything he says is beyond human understanding.

But it will not matter, as Mitt Romney, on “Day One” will be watching the inauguration of Barack Obama for a second term as President of the United States!

The Death Of Newsweek At Age 80 As A Print Periodical: A Sign Of The Times!

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The announcement by the publishers of NEWSWEEK Magazine that it would stop print publication and only be available on line in 2013 and after is a sad commentary on the changes in journalism, with the rapid decline of print and the rise of electronic journalism as the answer for the future.

NEWSWEEK dies as a print publication on December 31, 2012, at the age of 80, having started publication in the worst year of the Great Depression, 1933, the first year of the Presidency of Franklin D. Roosevelt.

It became a major competitor of TIME Magazine and US News and World Report, and now only TIME will survive as a print periodical, with no serious competition in the general news magazine market, on the news stands or by subscription.

Whenever any print journalism source dies, it is a loss to journalism, and sadly will add to the unemployment rolls!

While still on line, the world will never be the same once NEWSWEEK leaves us in print. It contributed a great deal to public discourse about important news events, and stirred intellectual debate. Overall, a very sad development!

Mitt Romney “Aint” No George W. Bush! So Says Barack Obama, And He Is Right!

Ronald 3 Comments

The most interesting discussion last night at the second Presidential debate was about Mitt Romney being compared to George W. Bush, the last Republican President.

Romney tried to show how he was different from Bush, and was pretty lame at that exercise.

But Barack Obama took advantage of the situation to say that Bush was not for making Medicare a voucher system; was for a plan for illegal immigrants to become citizens; did not suggest that the government get involved in contraception decisions of women; and was for a more “compassionat” conservatism than Romney!

Imagine–George W. Bush brought to a level where he stands out on some issues as BETTER than Mitt Romney!

There is no case for Romney as President, because he is a totally callous individual, and not likeable, which George W. Bush actually was, by comparison!