George W. Bush

Struggling Working Class Whites And The Presidential Election Of 2012

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Polls make it clear that President Barack Obama is having a very tough time connecting with struggling working class whites, as he also experienced in 2008 against Senator John McCain.

With the economy still in trouble, although the situation is far better than when Obama became President, the question that arises is why this classification of voters is so anti Obama.

How can these people, who were victimized by the economic policies of the George W. Bush administration, and now see that Mitt Romney wants to go back to the policy of no regulation at all, plus more tax cuts for the wealthy, and who himself is from the “one percent”, wish to vote Republican?

How can they ignore that Barack Obama, while certainly not solving the economic problems in four years since the inception of the Great Recession, has made a lot of progress, and has presided over 4.2 million jobs created over the past 26 months?

Sadly, two factors play a major role:

Pure ignorance, lack of knowledge of what has been happening, and lack of understanding that Mitt Romney, no more than John McCain, or ANYONE, is going to have magical powers to create a quick revival of the economy. It is highly doubtful that the economy would have improved more now if John McCain had been President.

The element of racism, which rears its ugly head too often on conservative talk radio, Fox News Channel, and numerous blogs, including the idea that Obama was born in Kenya, is anti white in his policies, is a Marxist, or a Socialist, or a Communist, or a Nazi or whatever new appellation they can come up with. Demagoguery and the promotion of hate has a great role in promoting this mythology about Barack Obama, and it is very hard to overcome. If a white had been President, this element would not exist, without any doubt, no matter how much conservatives and Republicans will deny it!

It would be extremely ironic if Mitt Romney won, the economy assuredly would NOT get better quickly, and we would go into a new era of right wing conservatism, nastier and more mean spirited than under Bush, and prefaced by the “Bully Governors” in the states who are making life miserable for millions of Americans, while corporations continue their destructive policies, and the top one percent get richer at the expense of these very people, struggling working class whites, as well as people of minority status, who are even worse off!

And what would the GOP say in 2016, after four years of worsening conditions, than they are in 2012? Blame African Americans and Hispanics and Latinos for the plight of the struggling working class whites, continuing the mythology that keeps their support from this group which is being exploited, and does not realize it!

The true champion of the struggling working class whites is Barack Obama, but they do not realize it, tragic as that is!

Why Should Mitt Romney Be Able To Set Up Limits Of What Is An Issue In Presidential Campaign Of 2012?

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Why is Mitt Romney, the Republican Presidential nominee, able to declare that his years as Massachusetts Governor from 2003-2007, and his Mormon religion, are off limits as topics for discussion and debate in the 2012 Presidential campaign? And why is he not required to explain the truth of the effect of Bain Capital on workers and communities which lost out because of the drive for profits over 25 years?

All that Romney seems to want to be discussed is his “success” at Bain Capital for 25 years, making lots of profit for himself and stockholders, but not willing to admit that hundreds of thousands of workers lost their jobs, and that his equity company undermined many towns and other communities with the shutdown of many companies that were taken over by Romney’s company.

And the fact that he promoted a health care plan similar to that passed under Barack Obama is something else he wishes to avoid. Plus the fact that his state was 47th in job creation during his years as Governor!

And forbid the idea of him discussing his religious beliefs, knowing full well that it might antagonize many evangelical Christians and others, who are suspicious of the religion they and many others consider to be a cult.

But since when does a candidate get to decide what can be discussed about his past?

Did Barack Obama, George W. Bush, Bill Clinton or others, each of which had so called “skeletons in their closet”, have that same freedom?

The answer is NO, and Mitt Romney MUST be forced to discuss the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth about EVERYTHING in his background!

He is not, despite what he may think, a “privileged character” who must be treated with “kid gloves”, so as not to hurt his feelings or sensitivities!

Nothing is off limits, as it is not with Barack Obama, so the opposition must not be cautious or careful in their exposure of Mitt Romney, with all the warts included!

The Wisdom And Good Sense Of Colin Powell On Gay Marriage And Economic And Foreign Policy

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Former Secretary of State and General Colin Powell is on a book tour, and he has made clear his views on issues that really matter.

For one, he has now endorsed gay marriage, saying he has no problem with it, as he knows gay couples who are bringing up children and creating a stable, loving environment. At the same time, he said he understands how some religious groups disagree, so he makes it clear that if a religious group is against endorsing gay marriage, that is fine, but that gays should be able to marry through civil legal authority.

Regarding foreign policy, Powell said that Mitt Romney is totally wrong in saying that the Russian government is no different than it was under the old Soviet Union during the era of the Cold War. He pointed out that Russia is now about half its size, and is working to provide better economic opportunity to its citizens, and that they have been cooperative over the years on many international issues, while at times disagreeing with American views. But in the course of normal diplomacy among nations, the fact that Russia does not always agree with America is not something to be alarmed over, and that Romney needs to realize the changed times, and be more cautious in making public statements that could undermine future diplomacy if he is President next year.

Powell also expressed the desire for better coordination between President Obama, Congress, and business leaders to help promote economic recovery sooner.

These views on gay marriage, Russian relations, and economic issues demonstrate that Colin Powell remains a very admirable figure, and one could only wish that others who call themselves Republicans would have the sensible views that the former Bush cabinet member has!

Vice President Joe Biden: The “Pit Bull” Of The Presidential Campaign Of 2012!

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Vice President Joe Biden has been in the news more than usual in recent weeks.

Biden spoke up on endorsement of gay marriage two weeks ago, and this led to an earlier assertion of support from Barack Obama than might have occurred otherwise, although it seems clear that Obama would have endorsed the concept before the Democratic National Convention in September.

And now Biden, always a vigorous campaigner throughout his career, has come out like a “pit bull”, going after Republican nominee Mitt Romney with a vengeance in the “swing” states, attacking Romney for claiming that he would take some credit for the revival of the auto industry, and also criticizing how Romney acquired his great wealth at Bain Capital, double the assets of all the eight Presidents from Richard Nixon to George W. Bush combined!

Biden knows how to hit the jugular vein, how to “punch and jab”, and reminds many of the fighting spirit of President Harry Truman, who gave the Republican opposition “Hell” during the 1948 Presidential campaign.

Some have thought of Biden as a negative for Obama, but in actual fact, he is a tremendous asset, and reminds people that despite the fact he will be 70 shortly after the election is resolved, that he should not be dismissed as a possible Presidential candidate to succeed his boss in 2016, when he would be 74 years old!

Don’t ever count Joe Biden out in any form or fashion!

Florida Disgracefully Working To Deny Right To Vote: Corruption In Action, Making Florida Look As It Was Pre Civil Rights Laws Of 1960s!

Ronald 7 Comments

The state of Florida was part of the Confederacy that fought to break away from the Union during the Civil War of 1861-1865.

Florida was a promoter of racial segregation, and great racial violence, in the years from Reconstruction after the Civil War, up through the passage of the Civil Rights laws of the 1960s.

Florida promoted various methods to deny African Americans the right to vote, including the poll tax and literacy test.

Once Florida rapidly grew in population, with a massive increase of people from Northern states, in the decades from 1960 to the present, one would have thought the state had finally given up its infamous past.

But No to such an assertion!

Under a Republican state legislature that has three fourths of the members of their party, and with a corrupt, former medicare and medicaid fraud executive, Rick Scott, able to be elected Governor with no political experience, but having Tea Party support, what is now happening?

Florida is rapidly becoming corrupt in a way that reminds us of the old restrictions on voting that existed just five short decades ago.

So 180,000 poor, black, Hispanic, college student, and elderly voters will soon be off the voting rolls, without any recourse for most, with the design to fix the election of the members of Congress, and the Presidency, in the Republicans’ hands!

The Republicans have also made registration of new voters much more difficult a procedure, and they are ready to do what happened in 2000–use corrupt methods to help fix the vote, which led to the contested election of George W. Bush, by 537 votes, throwing the election to Bush over Al Gore, who had a national popular vote lead of over a half million votes,

Florida may be the fourth largest state, and soon to be number three, but it needs to overcome a disgraceful image that undermines its future in more ways that can be listed here! Time to get over the Old South mentality and promote fairness and equality!

New Statistical Method Predicts Election Victory For Barack Obama In November

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Three political scientists–Seth Hill of Yale, John Sides of George Washington University, and Lynn Vavreck of UCLA–have set up a new election forecasting model, and used it to judge past Presidential elections, as well as the present one.

The factors involved in the predictions are the gross domestic product in the first three quarters of the election year; the President’s public opinion rating in June of the election year; and and whether one of the candidates is the incumbent in the office.

By these standards, Barack Obama, if his popularity rating holds at 48 percent, and even if there is ZERO economic growth, he has a 58.4 percent chance of winning a second term in the White House!

This works if one looks at 12 of the past 16 Presidential elections, and is, therefore, seen as authoritative by many observers.

Using this model, Bill Clinton and Ronald Reagan had a 97 percent rating; George W. Bush had 76 percent, his dad 64 percent (but affected by Ross Perot’s third party run and Pat Buchanan’s challenge in the primaries), and Jimmy Carter at 34 percent, with everything against him in 1980.

This is just another indication that Mitt Romney has a major challenge overcoming Barack Obama this coming fall!

Did Barack Obama Go Far Enough On Gay Marriage? Ted Olson Does Not Think So!

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In the midst of all the celebration and joy over President Barack Obama’s strong endorsement of the right of gay men and women to marry, he included in his statement on the issue that the matter should be dealt with on the state level, state by state.

But Ted Olson, former Solicitor General under President George W. Bush, disagrees.

He and David Boies, the two lawyers involved in the Bush V. Gore election controversy in 2000, are fighting to bring the denial of gay marriage in California, after it was first allowed, to the Supreme Court, with the idea that the Court can determine the constiitutionality of gay marriage, much as they did with interracial marriage in 1967, with the Loving V. Virginia case.

Yes, it is true that 31 states have banned gay marriage in votes of the people of those states, but why should a basic human right, the right to marry, be subjected to a vote of the people?

If this was done about interracial marriage, even today, a majority in many states would ban such a relationship, but it is not the right of anyone to tell others that they cannot have happiness, and this is the point of conservative Ted Olson and liberal David Boies!

There should be a national standard on marriage, and it should be legal and consistent everywhere in the country.

A Supreme Court decision could mandate this and end the issue for good!

And it is certain that such a decision would not prevent churches and synagogues from deciding not to marry gay people, since civil marriage is all that would be covered by such a decision.

Hopefully, sometime soon, the issue of gay marriage by civil method will be resolved in the law in favor of human rights!

Two Former Governors As Third Party Candidates: Could It Affect The Presidential Election Results Of 2012?

Ronald 4 Comments

Just a few days after an post about the likelihood that no third party would have a significant effect on the Presidential Election of 2012, suddenly the possibility arises that while no candidate is likely to win a state or gain a large percentage of votes, a 2000 Presidential Election scenario, where two candidates had small numbers of votes and percentage, and yet helped to determine the electoral vote in Florida, and therefore decide the winner of the Presidency, presents itself!

In 2000, Ralph Nader ran as the Green Party candidate and won 2.74 percent of the national vote, and Pat Buchanan ran as the Reform Party candidate and won 0.43 percent of the vote. But in Florida, about 97,000 people voted for Nader; and in Palm Beach Country, Florida, about 3,400 people incorrectly voted for Buchanan over Al Gore, because of confusion about filling out the infamous “butterfly” ballot, throwing the election in Florida to George W. Bush, and deciding the election of Bush over Al Gore.

Well, in theory, the same situation could arise in 2012, although highly unlikely that “lightning” would strike for a second time in 12 years.

Having said that, neither Ralph Nader nor Pat Buchanan were officeholders, while this election, two former governors are running, and cannot , therefore, be ignored!

The Libertarian Party has just nominated former New Mexico Governor Gary Johnson, and the Reform Party is likely to nominate former Louisiana Governor Buddy Roemer in August at their convention in Philadelphia.

Just being governors gives them a lot of status and clout, so we cannot assume that they will have no effect on the election results, just hope and pray that that is so!

The Cinco De Mayo Holiday, And Recognition Of Role Of Mexican Americans In American Politics

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Today is the 150th anniversary of a Mexican uprising against a French army taking over Mexico during the rule of Emperor Napoleon III in France. Although the Mexican people did not overthrow French influence and control until five years later, this is seen as a celebratory Mexican national holiday.

This celebration of Mexico’s history should remind us that Mexican Americans are part of the largest minority group in America, with over ten percent of the nation being from Mexican heritage, and almost two thirds of all Hispanics-Latinos being of Mexican heritage, and all Hispanics and Latinos being 16 percent of the nation, more than the 12.5 percent of the country which is African American.

Mexican Americans who vote have always voted overwhelmingly Democratic, although about 40 percent did vote for George W. Bush when he was Governor of Texas in the 1990s, and in his two terms as President.

The growth in the Mexican population, and the fact that they are very young as a group, makes them prime factors in the future of American politics, as with the growth of Mexican American population, states that have been Republicans and anti immigrant in their politics are starting to move toward a situation where the Republicans will lose those states over time.

With over 60 percent of Mexican Americans already residing in California and Texas, California is already lost to Republicans in the Presidential race, and it is believed that Texas will turn Democratic in the next decade.

The same is likely in Arizona, the ground zero of nativism toward Latinos, and it is already so in Nevada, Colorado and New Mexico,

Additionally, the Hispanic and Latino population is affecting the politics of Virginia, North Carolina, and Georgia, as well as Florida, with much of the transition being because of Mexican Americans.

So while there is a lot of anger about an estimated 7 million illegal immigrants from Mexico, the actual Mexican American population which is legal is growing and coming of age, and will have a dramatic effect on the future of Congress and the Presidency over the coming decade, including having a great influence on the upcoming election in November.

Dan Rather Memoir Worthy Reading For Anyone Who Is Journalism “Addict”!

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Dan Rather, the former long term CBS News journalist, and anchor, who has spent nearly 50 years in the news business, has just published RATHER OUTSPOKEN, a revealing and stimulating book on his long news career.

Rather was a man of courage and conviction in the news business, and was one of the author’s most admired television journalists of the past, including also Walter Cronkite and Ted Koppel.

Rather made a lot of enemies over the years, and had particular challenges with the two Bush Presidencies, but the man never held back on his search for the truth, and he is still seen often on MSNBC as a guest, and has his own show on HDNet.

It is always good to see Dan Rather on television, and his book will reveal a great deal about the controversies he dealt with, and help us to understand this man who has had a great impact on television journalism!