George W. Bush

Texas Governor Rick Perry And The Christian Right: Reason To Oppose Him For the Presidency!

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Texas Governor Rick Perry has been flirting with running for the Presidency, and while the author has previously stated his belief that he will NOT run, there is certainly a very good reason to oppose him IF he indeed decides to run!

That reason, among others, is that the Christian Right is rallying to his support, and that is bad news for those who believe in separation of church and state, and an open minded attitude on the issue of abortion rights, gay rights, immigrant rights, and keeping religion out of government!

Among those supporting Perry if he runs are: Tony Perkins of the Family Research Council; David Barton, the Texas self trained historian who has distorted American history, including inaccuracies on Thomas Jefferson’s views on religion, and opposition to deficit spending, a graduated income tax, minimum wage, and global warming; and San Antonio pastor John Hagee, whose hateful views caused John McCain to reject his endorsement in 2008.

The goal of an election for President is NOT to elect a Christian government, but rather a government that promotes the long held tradition of the separation of church and state!

Perry, who succeeded George W. Bush as President, has much the same swagger as Bush, but he is making Bush look more moderate by comparison, and although he would never have been Governor of Texas if Bush had not gone to the White House, he is actively separating himself from Bush and his family, who have never been thrilled by Perry as Governor of the Lone Star state.

Hard to believe, but in so many ways, Perry would actually be WORSE than George W. Bush, which shows just how far downhill the Republican Party has descended, if it is even slightly considering Perry for the Presidency!

Since this entry is about religion and Perry, let us finish this entry saying about his potential candidacy: God forbid!

First Appeals Court Test Of Obama Health Care Law: It Is Constitutional!

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In the first appeals court test of Barack Obama’s Health Care Reform this week, the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals in Cincinnati voted 2-1 that the law was constitutional!

There will be two more such judgments by Courts of Appeal in Atlanta and Richmond, before the subject goes to the US Supreme Court for final judgment this coming term.

Interestingly, the two judges voting in favor were a Carter appointee and a George W. Bush selection, while the one judge opposed was a Reagan pick.

The majority upheld the concept that an individual “mandate” to buy health insurance was legitimate, as refusing to insure oneself puts the burden on everyone else when a person not insured ends up having to obtain health care that he has not paid for. The financial burden, therefore, falls on others because a person is irresponsible in obtaining his own health care, but cannot be denied care, nevertheless.

So the majority upheld the Commerce Clause of the Constitution as making mandated health insurance coverage an acceptable use of federal power!

In five District Court judgments, judges have divided directly on partisan limes, with three Democratic appointees backing the law, and two Republican selections opposing the legislation.

So it will be up to the Supreme Court, in what will be one of the most watched and significant cases in the next term of the Court, and just in time for the Presidential Election of 2012!

The Shutdown Of Minnesota Government: Is It A Microcosm Of What Will Happen With The US Government?

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Minnesota certainly is the center of controversy recently, what with the contested Senate race between Senator Al Franken and former Senator Norm Coleman in 2008-09; the decision of former Governor Tim Pawlenty to run for President after having presided over a $5 billion dollar state budget deficit; and Congresswoman Michele Bachmann embracing the Tea Party Movement and suddenly emerging as a serious Presidential candidate for the Republican Party.

But now, Minnesota may be a microcosm of what will happen nationally, as the Democratic Governor Mark Dayton, faced with a Republican state legislative majority in both houses, has become engaged in a battle over the budget, forcing the shutting down of much of the Minnesota state government and many of its functions!

Dayton insists that those citizens with more than $1 million income, three one hundreds of one percent of the population, about 7,700 individuals, pay higher taxes, so that budget cuts on education, health care and other essential programs, be limited.

But the Republican legislature, just as on the national level, refuses to consider ANY tax increases, so Dayton is playing it tough, showing courage and conviction!

In a way, it is a microcosm of President Bill Clinton fighting the Republican Congress in 1995, and winning the struggle over Speaker Newt Gingrich and Majority Leader Bob Dole, after a shutdown lasting a couple of weeks.

The Minnesota debacle may go on for a long time, but Dayton is becoming a model for President Obama, who needs to stand up to the Republicans over the debt limit crisis.

Since constitutionally, the 14th Amendment, Section 4, allows the government to pay its debts no matter whether or not the Congress formally raises the debt ceiling, Obama should declare he will use that constitutional method and wait for the GOP to bend, as they must, or else we have reached a reality level that we are a plutocracy, where the rich dominate and dictate to the rest of us, and that CANNOT be allowed!

Talking tough at his press conference, and comparing the procrastination of the opposition party to his daughters doing their homework ahead of time, Obama angered the Republicans, who did not appreciate being compared to children, but that is exactly what they are doing–acting childish, and not doing their job, and having the gall to suggest that Obama should not do anything other than deal with the fiscal crisis, while in fact, he has to deal with multitudes of issues all of the time, unlike them, who take many holiday breaks and vacations!

Obama has taken fewer vacations or holiday breaks than George W. Bush or Ronald Reagan, both infamous for constant vacations and holiday breaks, sometimes leaving the impression that they were away from their responsibilities more than they were on the job!

Mr. President, use Governor Dayton of Minnesota as a model, and give the Republicans “hell” as Harry Truman used to do, and you will win the battle of public opinion as Bill Clinton did in 1995!

Lingering Debate About Obama Being A Muslim, And Yet US Is Fighting Al Qaeda and Taliban In Six Muslim Nations!!

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There remains even now an underlying belief of some Americans that Barack Obama is a secret Muslim, out to undermine Christian values and American democracy and freedom.

This comes despite the killing of Osama Bin Laden and the addition of troops to Afghanistan by President Obama in December 2009.

This comes despite his constant sending of drones and CIA operatives into SIX Muslim nations, and his cooperation with NATO in fighting Al Qaeda and the Taliban.

This comes despite the killing of more high level Al Qaeda and Taliban leadership than under George W. Bush.

Realize that we are involved in some form militarily in Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya, Yemen, Pakistan, and now, as revealed this morning, in Somalia with armed drones!

How in the world can critics still claim that Barack Obama is a secret Muslim, when he is condemned by Al Qaeda, as well as many Muslim leaders? If anything, he has engaged the United States against Muslim nations and radicals MORE than George W. Bush, Bill Clinton, George H.W. Bush, and Ronald Reagan combined!

And yet the poison and lies continue, and it is not just by right wing extremists, but by so called “responsible” and “sensible” Americans who should hang their heads in shame!

The House GOP, Barack Obama, And Libya

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The House of Representatives, led by Speaker John Boehner, slapped President Obama in the face symbolically on Thursday by refusing to back the President’s intervention in Libya. Interesting, since we did not see the Republican House of Representatives refuse to back George W. Bush constantly in his interventions in Iraq and Afghanistan.

But then when one realizes that the Republican House failed to back Bill Clinton in his intervention in Kosovo in 1999, for the same reason to prevent a total massacre of civilians, one understands this is all about politics.

But it also divides the party nationally, as John McCain and Lindsey Graham see it as a sign of isolationism in the party, in their mind a dangerous trend.

Also, the House acted as a “paper tiger” when they went ahead and refused to cut funding for the war effort against Moammar Gaddafi, but then again, NEVER has the House refused to support a President’s intervention in financial terms.

So it comes down to the reality that the War Powers Act is an ineffective way to deal with foreign policy, and the President of the United States, whoever he is, remains the Commander in Chief, with final control over decisions on committing troops overseas!

Prediction: Texas Governor Rick Perry Will NOT Run For President In 2012!

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Texas Governor Rick Perry is basking in the publicity he is gaining as he considers running for the Republican nomination for President, but he has been hesitant to announce his candidacy. Why is this?

1. His economic record in Texas is NOT good, as most jobs created are minimum wage jobs, education funding is among the lowest nationally, spending on the environment is atrociously minor, and the budget deficit is one of the highest in the nation!

2. Perry promotes social conservatism, which is guaranteed to be a losing proposition for the Republicans, as a majority of Americans are socially liberal while economically conservative.

3. Perry procrastinated all along, not having it in his makeup to want to run for President, and time is running out to wage a successful campaign, and yet his decision is weeks away, so it demonstrates poor planning and a lack of “fire in the belly”!

4. Perry may have been Governor longer than anyone else at this time in history, but remember the Texas Governorship is an extremely weak office, so his being Governor is NOT that great a testimonial to his executive leadership. It is true that George W. Bush overcame this, but realize he was a son of a President, and a family which has a lot of impact on politics, and the Bushes have never been keen about Rick Perry!

5. Rick Perry does not have the intelligence or vision or knowledge needed to compete with an intellectual President such as Barack Obama. Only Jon Huntsman and Mitt Romney have that potential!

So a prediction here: Rick Perry will continue to flirt with running, milk it for all it is worth, be just like Donald Trump and Sarah Palin, and then NOT run for President, just wasting our time in the process!

And the same for New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, as well!

The Republican Lies About The Obama Economic Record!

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The Republican Presidential debate in New Hampshire last night demonstrated the GOP ability to lie and deceive gullible voters!

You would think that Barack Obama walked into the Presidency in good economic times, and that George W. Bush left him a positive legacy!

Of course, George W. Bush left the worst economy to his successor of any President since Herbert Hoover left the Great Depression to Franklin D. Roosevelt!

The facts are as follows:

1. The economy has come out of the depths it was in in 2009, although the level of economic growth has slowed up in recent months.
2. Over 2 million private sector jobs have been added in the past 15 months, not enough certainly, but compared to the 750,000 jobs a month being lost at the end of the Bush Presidency and the early months of the Obama Presidency, it is certainly a good sign.
3. The stock market has improved, whereby half of the lost household wealth has been regained.
4. The auto industry has revived from its low point, when we almost lost the entire domestic auto market, which would have led to far worse conditions in the Midwest and South, where most of the auto factories are located.
5. Housing is the big area of lack of improvement, with home prices and home construction still declining. Of course, the nation’s leading banks are major culprits in this regard, refusing to give mortgage loans and trying to foreclose illegally on many properties!

The point is that there is no magic potion by government and the private sector to restore the economy quickly, and the Republicans have come up with no strategy or plan to create jobs or revive the economy, deciding that just attacking President Obama is enough.

And cutting taxes and spending is just the old Herbert Hoover concept, which only made the Great Depression worse!

Do we really want to go back to Herbert Hoover, as Tim Pawlenty proposes, and to believe that miraculously there will be five percent growth annually for the next decade?

It is time to put up or shut up, meaning that the GOP leadership in Congress must stop talking and attacking, and start producing results in cooperation with President Obama, instead of just working to undermine him and making the economy worse!

Is Rick Perry The Savior Of The Republican Party?

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Texas Governor Rick Perry, a strong social conservative, has not been willing to enter the Republican Presidential race before now, but with the decision of Mike Pence, John Thune, Haley Barbour, Mike Huckabee, Mitch Daniels, and Donald Trump to avoid the race, and with Newt Gingrich disintegrating and Sarah Palin flirting with, but unlikely to enter the race, he is being courted to run.

Perry has been the longest serving Governor of Texas in history, having served more than ten years, after succeeding George W. Bush in December 2000.

Perry is Governor of the second largest state in population, but his position is also the weakest Governor constitutionally in the nation, although that did not hurt George W. Bush.

Perry has spoken up for the concept of secession; has flirted with religious leaders of the far right, and condemned abortion and gay rights; has a tremendous state debt which he is solving by ruthless cutting of spending, and refusing to raise taxes; and has seen his aides who went to Gingrich a few month ago decide to abandon the former Speaker and make themselves available to Perry for a Presidential run.

Perry is seen by many as a lightweight intellectually, but that is not necessarily a bad thing for the Republican Party.

Many think that if he enters the race later this month, that he will automatically become the major challenger to Mitt Romney, and surpass Tim Pawlenty and Jon Huntsman.

He would be likely to win support away from Michele Bachmann, Sarah Palin, Tim Pawlenty, Herman Cain, and Rick Santorum, and could become the surprise candidate who becomes a major threat, not only to Romney, but also to Barack Obama.

No one should underestimate his appeal to the caucus voters in Iowa and the primary voters in New Hampshire@

Rick Santorum, Social Security Privatization, And Denial Of Climate Change

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Former Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum, in announcing his Presidential candidacy this past week, demonstrated how far right he really is, and how he is basically a lunatic fringe candidate!

In the midst of the outrage over Congressman Paul Ryan’s budget plan to privatize Medicare over ten years, Santorum reminded all of us that he had supported and promoted George W. Bush’s privatization plan for Social Security in 2005, and still believed in it now, despite the total collapse of the stock market in 2008, and at a time when the stock market again is presently in a slide.

He also declared that there is no climate change or global warming, and that it is just a plot of liberals and progressives to make national government bigger, and allow the government to intrude more in our lives.

But at the same time, Rick Santorum has shown great willingness to work against abortion rights of women, and to become the Republican candidate most opposed by gay Americans because of his total condemnation of everything gay, as he promotes “family values” which would deny any human rights to those of homosexual orientation.

Santorum was soundly defeated for re-election in 2006, and is seen as a fringe candidate, but he will add entertainment and comedy to the race, much like Sarah Palin, Michele Bachmann, and Newt Gingrich. Comic relief is needed in a tough economic time such as this!

Tim Pawlenty: Another George W. Bush On Tax Policy?

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Former Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty has been considered a serious, if dark horse, Presidential nominee. Many people have seen him as having fewer faults, and as avoiding ridiculous or outrageous statements or actions, and therefore as having a good shot at the nomination, even though he tends to be quite boring and uninspiring!

But even if he is seen as better than Newt Gingrich, Rick Santorum, Sarah Palin, and Michele Bachmann, and put into the short list with Mitt Romney and Jon Huntsman, Pawlenty this week destroyed any illusion that he could be President, by demonstrating total irresponsibility on the tax and spending issue!

Pawlenty sounds like a second George W. Bush, who cut taxes, put us into two wars not paid for in Iraq and Afghanistan, and started a Medicare Prescription plan unpaid for by tax increases. Bush doubled our national debt, and there had been a $3 trillion surplus when Bill Clinton left the Presidency!

On the tenth anniversary of the first Bush tax cuts, which made the rich richer and the poor poorer and the middle class disintegrate, Pawlenty came up with an economic plan strangely reminiscent of Bush.

He argues for further tax cuts and further spending cuts, and claimed there would be a five percent economic growth rate annually under his plan, because cuts in taxes on corporations and the wealthy would create new economic activity!

The problem is that this policy of Bush did exactly the opposite, and with lack of regulation, led to the Great Recession, which is still existing in many ways, if not officially.

So Pawlenty has learned nothing, and shown himself to be totally reckless and delusional, all to gain support of the right wing of the GOP, but not the way to win the nation, which is suffering still today from the failed Bush policies.

So, just like that, Pawlenty’s likelihood of success is lessened, and leaves rational thinkers to feel that only Mitt Romney or Jon Huntsman makes any sense, assuming the Republican Party regains its senses!