Mitt Romney

Earth Day, The Environment, And Republicans From TR And Nixon To James Inhofe And Mitt Romney!

Ronald Leave a comment

The Republican Party under Theodore Roosevelt a century ago promoted conservation and growth of national parks.

The Republican Party under Richard Nixon promoted the creation of the Environmental Protection Agency, and expanded on the air and water pollution legislation of Democrat Lyndon B. Johnson.

The Republican Party under Ronald Reagan, despite his wish to destroy the Environmental Protection Agency, and having a terrible record on the environment, possibly the worst of modern times, actually came to realize the dangers of global warming, which became part of the national security agenda in 1985 and after.

The Republican Party under George H. W. Bush, and then Democrat Bill Clinton, continued to deal with the issue of global warming.

It seems clear that once Al Gore, an environmental champion before, during, and after serving as Vice President under Bill Clinton, lost the Presidential Election of 2000 in the Supreme Court, it became the clarion call of those who would deny global warming and climate change, to push against any such crusade, and to condemn environmentalists on principle, much of it based on fake science promoted by right wing Evangelical Christians, with their leading champion being Oklahoma Senator James Inhofe, but certainly joined by others in the Republican Party in both houses of Congress.

So we have even Mitt Romney now straddling the fence, refusing to take a strong stand on the environment, global warming, and climate change, and about to give a commencement speech next month at the late Jerry Falwell’s Liberty University in Virginia, where denial of environmental crisis, and even of evolution, runs rampant.

Look how far the GOP has fallen from the time of TR and Nixon to the present–a true national tragedy playing itself out, and certain to have a negative impact on the future of this country and the planet!

The All Crucial Hispanic-Latino Vote And The Presidential Election Of 2012: The Doom Of Mitt Romney

Ronald Leave a comment

There are many Anglo Americans (non Hispanic and Latino) who wish to imagine that their population will continue to control voting power and election results into the long term future.

That is an illusion, a fantasy, out of touch with reality!

The facts are that Hispanics and Latinos are the largest minority group in America, and combined with Asian Americans and African Americans, will tip to the majority of population, by estimate of the US Census Bureau, in about 30-35 years, by the mid 2040s.

Nothing is going to stop this, and it will influence all Presidential elections and Congressional elections more and more as the years go by.

So the facts about the Hispanic-Latino vote are worth noticing.

We have 50.5 million people of Spanish ancestry, one of every six Americans in 2010, a 13 percent increase since 2000. By 2030, it is expected that there will be a 21.8 percent increase to 78 million Hispanics-Latinos. By 2050 projections, there will be 27.8 percent of the population of this ancestry, about 111 million Americans.

More than six of every ten Hispanics-Latinos were born in America, with Mexicans being nearly two thirds of all people of this heritage, almost 32 million out of 50.5 million, and with Puerto Ricans, (who are automatically citizens), being the second largest group with 4.6 million, over 9 percent of the population of Hispanics-Latinos.

Cubans are third with 1.8 million; Salvadorans a surprising fourth with 1.6 million; Dominicans fifth with 1.4 million, Guatemalans sixth with about one million; Colombians seventh with about 900,000; Hondurans eighth with 600,000; Ecuadorans ninth with about 550,000; and Peruvians tenth with about 525,000.

In order, there are smaller numbers of Nicaraguans, Argentinians, Venezuelans, Panamanians, Chileans, Costa Ricans, Bolivians, Uruguayans, Other Central Americans, and Paraguayans.

51 percent of Hispanic-Latino registered voters are Democrats, with 31 percent Independents, and 18 percent Republican. But only 11 million are registered, and the push is on to register more Hispanic-Latino voters, particularly by the Democrats.

About two thirds of Hispanic-Latino voters have gone for the Democrats in their voting behavior in the past ten years, with the high point for Republicans being George W. Bush in 2004 with 44 percent, dropping to 31 percent for John McCain, and at the moment, 14 percent for Mitt Romney, who has taken a very hard line backing Arizona and other states which have passed discriminatory profiling laws.

If that 14 percent vote holds, or only goes up a bit, then the projection is that Barack Obama will win about 55 percent of the popular vote against Mitt Romney, what could be termed a landslide, since it insures that Obama would win all Hispanic growth states, including Florida, Virginia, North Carolina, Colorado, New Mexico, and Nevada, and get a larger percentage of the vote in Texas, Arizona and Georgia, all states that over time would trend Democratic in future elections. This does not include other states that are certain to go Democratic in 2012, including California, New York and Illinois.

If Mitt Romney won John McCain’s percentage of Hispanic-Latino votes, he would still lose the popular vote by 54-46, and if he won the 44 percent that George W. Bush won in 2004, he would still lose by 53-47 under typical simulations.

When Mitt Romney said last weekend that if he does not improve his percentage of Hispanic-Latino support, he is finished, he was absolutely correct!

But it is also the Independent and women’s vote that is crucial, plus the issue whether Evangelical Christians, who think of the Mormon Church as a cult, will be willing to come out and vote for Romney, when he is so much a chameleon, hard to believe what he says, whether he has any principles , and whether he can be trusted to keep his present right wing views.

If Romney attempts to modify his right wing views on immigration, he would be likely to lose those conservatives who are unhappy with him, while not winning anywhere near the percentage of votes of John McCain or George W. Bush!

So Mitt Romney is in an impossible position electorally in 2012!

What Is Wrong With Mitt Romney? The Bethel Bakery And Liberty University Commencement Speech Controversies

Ronald 3 Comments

What is it about Mitt Romney?

Romney has absolutely no sense of propriety, of what is right to do for his own candidacy!

Romney was in the Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania area the other day, trying to relate to “ordinary people” at a gathering, sitting down at a table to have a snack of cookies, provided by a local bakery of reputation, the Bethel Bakery.

So what does he do? He questions whether the cookies are really made by a local bakery, thinking they are from the local 7 11, and thereby insulting the owner of Bethel Bakery, and making the incident yet another embarrassment, and slip up on the part of Romney, who has had so many, it is easy now to lose count! A basic rule of civility is to NEVER criticize food provided by a host!

Heads have to be shaking and eyes rolling over Romney’s ability to self destruct. YES, we are all human and make mistakes, but if Romney can make this many on silly, stupid things, imagine him making decisions on important matters!

Then, to top it off, it was announced that Romney will give the commencement address to the graduating class at Liberty University in Virginia, operated by the son and heir of the dead Christian TV evangelist, Jerry Falwell, the founder of the Moral Majority and Christian Coalition.

Liberty University, now run by Jerry Falwell, Jr, is infamous for condemning homosexuality, and banning any known gay students or faculty. It is also where Governor Bob McDonnell of Virginia wrote a masters thesis, condemning “cohabitors, homosexuals, and fornicators”, and also attacked feminists, working women, and contraception by unmarried couples. He also condemned unwed mothers, no fault divorce, the New Deal, the Great Society, and he called for punishment for pornography, homosexuality and drug abuse by the state! This is the man who is Governor of Virginia, and a front runner for Vice Presidential nominee with Mitt Romney!

This is the university that Mitt Romney has agreed to speak before its graduating class! The question is WHY, as this only contributes to putting Romney “in bed” with the extreme right wing Christian conservative fanatics who promote hate and prejudice! Is this the way that Romney wishes to look to the average independent voter, to the average woman, to the average Hispanic or Latino, and YES, to gay men and women, a substantial number who are registered Republican? Is this his way to overcome his Mormon faith, which many right wing conservatives think of as a cult?

What is wrong with Mitt Romney’s head, his thinking pattern, his wife even (who could convince him of the stupidity of doing a commencement speech for the Jerry Falwell school)?

This is why Mitt Romney is going to be a total disaster for the Republican Party in 2012. He makes one long for John McCain in 2008, Bob Dole in 1996, and get this, even George W. Bush in 2000, with his vision of a “Compassionate Conservatism”, before the disaster of the Bush Presidency had a chance to emerge over the next eight years!

Hatred, Resentment, Indifference Toward The Poor: The Sickness In America

Ronald Leave a comment

There is a sickness in America, which is growing by leaps and bounds.

That illness is hatred, resentment, and indifference towards the poor!

The ability of most Americans to have compassion and concern for those less fortunate is lacking.

We are a religious nation, with so many claiming to be believers in God, but yet we look down upon the poor, and blame them for their own plight.

It is as if people love to be poor, and are unwilling to do anything to get out of poverty, when it is clear that those born in poverty have an inability to pull themselves out of poverty without assistance from others, as the majority of people in poverty are children.

We have politicians who make a career condemning the poor, and we have radio and cable talk show hosts who live to denounce the poor, and we have religious leaders who claim to be following Jesus Christ, but are not doing so.

We have seen the Social Darwinist theory about poverty arise again in the 21st century, when it was supposed to have died a natural death at the end of the 19th century.

Until we are willing to accept that it is our responsibility as human beings to help lift the poor, we are nothing but religious hypocrites.

Until we stop denouncing the poor for their plight, we are not the shining nation on the hill, offering America as a model for the world.

Our heads should be held in shame until we accept our role to care about and help the poor!

We had wealthy Presidents before who showed concern about the poor, including Franklin D. Roosevelt and John F. Kennedy. Now we have Mitt Romney, who does not give a damn about the poor! This crisis for America cries out for a change of attitude society wide!

The “Tantalizing” Concept Of Condoleezza Rice For Vice President: A Mirage!

Ronald Leave a comment

A CNN poll of Republican and Independent voters as to who they would like to see as the GOP Vice Presidential nominee came up with a surprise Number One–former Secretary of State and National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice!

This is a major surprise, as Rice’s name has not been listed as a realistic possibility, and she has not shown any interest in the past in running for public office, preferring to live the scholarly life at Stanford University, after eight grueling years in the midst of stress and tension as a major figure in the George W. Bush Administration.

Having been involved in a rivalry with Vice President Dick Cheney and Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld, Rice seemed perturbed at the memoirs of both men, and a need to defend her record and stands on issues. To believe that she would wish to get into the political fray is beyond comprehension of any intelligent observer.

But the thought of Rice running is “tantalizing” to many, as there are definite pluses, but also, however, minuses if she ran.

The pluses include:

Rice has broad and extensive experience in all areas of foreign and national security policy, a major plus for Mitt Romney, who has none of it.

Rice is highly intelligent, and would be a great contrast to Sarah Palin, the VIce Presidential nominee four years ago.

Rice, as a black woman, would possibly fill the image of diversity, even though most blacks would not vote for Romney because Rice is on the ticket. Maybe somewhat more women would vote if she was on the ticket, but not very much.

The minuses are:

Rice is a reminder of the George W. Bush Administration, and its failure to prevent September 11, and its long, drawn out wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.

Rice has no political experience, and has never been involved in domestic affairs responsibility of any kind.

Rice would likely be a problem for many Republicans, because she is pro choice on abortion and open minded on gay rights, two areas that would disqualify her for many hard line right wing Republicans and conservatives.

Rice is a strong willed person, and would not fit well into being a Vice President under a person, Mitt Romney, who seems to have traditional views of the roles of women, which Rice does not fit very well.

So it is interesting to think about the possibility of Condoleezza Rice, but don’t put betting money on the idea that she would indeed run for Vice President with Mitt Romney!

Baptist Pastor Robert Jeffress, The Mormon Church, And Barack Obama

Ronald Leave a comment

Pastor Robert Jeffress of the First Baptist Church of Dallas, Texas was very blunt a few months ago, that the Mormon Church was a cult, was not at all Christian, and that he was very uncomfortable with the concept of supporting Mitt Romney for President, since he is a Mormon.

Now, Jeffress has decided to openly endorse Romney, despite his being a Mormon, and despite his discomfort with Mormon beliefs, without convincing anyone of his sincerity.

Instead, it is clear to anyone who wants to be honest, that Pastor Jeffress is backing Romney, because Jeffress is a racist, who cannot imagine himself supporting a black man, Barack Obama, who has made it clear he is Christian.

Pastor Jeffress says it is because Obama has promoted abortion rights, and also has supported advancements in gay rights, which is not part of the Bible, according to Pastor Jeffress, even though many theologians argue that the Bible does not directly address these issues.

But, Jeffress can support a non Christian, as he describes Mormons, who years ago supported abortion rights and gay rights, a man named Mitt Romney, who has conveniently changed his views on every issue imaginable, and who one would think no one could truly believe or trust!

Realize Mitt Romney’s mother, Lenore, ran for the US Senate, in Michigan in support of abortion rights in 1970, so Mitt is even going against the memory and views of his own mother!

And this is a man for a “good, moral” Christian pastor to support? Give us all a break, and accept the fact that, under no circumstance, would Pastor Jeffress ever back a black man for anything, because of the color of his skin!

And Pastor Jeffress is supposed to be a model for tolerance and understanding since he is a pastor, right? What hypocrisy beyond belief!

Rocker Ted Nugent, Mitt Romney, And Threats Against Barack Obama

Ronald 3 Comments

Ted Nugent is a long time singer and musician, defined as a hard rocker and hevy metal musician, performing since age 10 in 1958.

Nugent has been a great influence on others in the hard rock and heavy metal music business, and has become well known for his conservative views on politics and public affairs over his long career.

Nugent is certainly entitled to have his views and to express them, but as with any public figure, and really any person, there is such a thing as going too far, if one threatens anyone, and particularly a public figure, and most significantly the President of the United States, whoever he happens to be.

In other words, there is the concept of “clear and present danger’, which allows government to prosecute anyone who threatens the breakdown of law and order, the promotion of bloodshed and violence and anarchy by one’s use of language.

Ted Nugent has reached that level of objectionable and dangerous language, and is being investigated, appropriately, by the Secret Service.

What did Nugent say?

At the National Rifle Association conference this past weekend in St. Louis, Missouri, Nugent said that if Barack Obama is reelected, he (Nugent) will either be dead or in prison. He spoke to a group of mostly young men, riling them up, by talking about decapitating Barack Obama and calling him a piece of excrement. He also bitterly criticized Hillary Clinton, Joe Biden, and Attorney General Eric Holder, and used threatening language against them.

One could sense that Nugent was provoking these gun enthusiasts with feverish language against the Commander in Chief, and could certainly have the effect of making some young man, similar to John Hinckley, Arthur Bremer, or Lee Harvey Oswald, be motivated by the comments of this famous rock star to attempt to bring harm against President Obama, or actually assassinate him, which would be a horrible tragedy beyond belief.

Mitt Romney has been endorsed by Ted Nugent, but he needs to make a clear statement of condemnation of Nugent, and repudiate his endorsement, as who would seriously wish to have the backing of an unstable public figure who, despite his right to criticize, shows a total lack of respect for the office of President, if not the individual in that office.

But don’t bet on Romney taking a principled stand, as he has failed to do that constantly during his political career.

The Likeability Factor: Obama 56, Romney 27!

Ronald Leave a comment

A new poll shows that on the issue of Likeability, Barack Obama scores 56 percent to Mitt Romney’s 27 percent!

Realize what this means: Romney has the lowest likeabiity rating in modern Presidential election history!

This is not a laughing matter, and the more one sees Mitt Romney, the more one tends to dislike him.

The author used to think that Mitt Romney was the best of the group running for President, except for former Utah Governor Jon Huntsman, and he seemed moderate enough to be barely acceptable, if he were to win. This is what the author used to write on this blog, but NO MORE!

The man is insufferable, obnoxious, elitist, snobbish, arrogant, phony, unpleasant, uncaring, distrustful, unprincipled, and has a sense of entitlement. Are those enough adjectives?

Notice that the top leaders of the party are now, grudgingly, coming around to endorse him, but they do not sound thrilled or excited about Mitt Romney. He does not inspire loyalty, commitment, or emotion in any Republican, all of whom, by their wording and body language, show they are resigned that Romney will be the nominee, and simply see him as the only alternative to get Barack Obama out of the Presidency.

The reality is though that Barack Obama is NOT going to be leaving the White House until January 20, 2017, as the American people do not LIKE Mitt Romney, and nothing he can do, after all of the verbal flubs he has made in the past year, will be able to resuscitate his candidacy, which enthuses NO ONE!

Modesty And Humility: Not Traits Of Mitt Romney, As Compared To Wealthy Presidents!

Ronald 3 Comments

Mitt Romney was born with a “silver spoon” in his mouth to a father who was a success story in the auto industry.

Mitt Romney had the opportunity to attend Harvard for a law degree and a business degree.

Mitt Romney was able to use personal contacts, through his wealthy family, to multiply the wealth of the Romney family.

Mitt Romney grew up with an attitude of entitlement, that he was ordained to lead because of his family connections and business contacts.

Mitt Romney is not the first modern President to have similar advantages.

Theodore Roosevelt had these advantages. So did Franklin D. Roosevelt,. John F. Kennedy, George H. W. Bush and George W. Bush.

But none of the above wore their wealth quite like Mitt Romney!

All of them engaged in politics more than Mitt Romney, who took the route of the least government service and experience, a minimum four years as Massachusetts Governor.

All of the other wealthy Presidents at birth had their own character flaws and shortcomings as we all do.

But none of them were cocky and arrogant, at least in public, quite like Mitt Romney is!

And none of their wives quite acted as Ann Romney is displaying, also an attitude of entitlement and arrogance!

It is one thing to be wealthy. It is another thing to boast about it, to emphasize it, to be cocky and arrogant, and act as if one is entitled!

What Mitt Romney and Anne Romney lack is a sense of modesty and humility!

The other Presidents tried very hard to make the American people forget their personal wealth and status, although, of course, it was there for all to see!

But Mitt and Anne Romney exude wealth, and make it out to be a virtue they wish to publicize.

And no one really likes a wealthy person who acts this way. It is not a nice character trait to brag or to boast.

Rather, it is nice when one goes out of his or her way to divert attention to one’s wealth, and to show concern for average Americans who are not so fortunate.

So Theodore Roosevelt showed concern with labor rights.

So Franklin D. Roosevelt showed concern about the poor during the Great Depression.

So John F. Kennedy planned a War on Poverty, and concern about racial discrimination.

So George H. W. Bush showed concern about the problems of the disabled and handicapped.

So George W. Bush showed concern about health care prescription costs for senior citizens.

How has Mitt Romney displayed concern for those less fortunate than himself?

The answer is that he has NOT displayed concern for anyone less fortunate, wanting to see the auto industry collapse, as just the tip of the iceberg as to his lack of care about how ordinary people are affected in their daily lives. He has displayed lack of concern about labor rights, the plight of the poor, discrimination against Hispanics and Latinos, and the cutting of Medicaid for the disabled and elderly.

This man has no “heart”, and while one who is cynical might argue that the other wealthy Presidents were just putting on a facade of concern, the old saying goes: Action speaks louder than words!

Mitt And Ann Romney: A Sense Of Entitlement And Arrogance, And “Spoiled Brat Prima Donnas”!

Ronald 1 Comment

Mitt Romney has the gall to laugh and say he wants Barack Obama to “start packing”! He shows himself to be a “spoiled brat prima donna”, who has a sense of entitlement, and a high level of arrogance!

And Anne Romney, who once might have been thought to be a “nice lady”, now comes across as a “spoiled brat prima donna”, who says that she got an early “birthday gift” by the outrage that erupted from the comment of Hillary Rosen about her last week. She also has a sense of entitlement, and a high level of arrogance!

Mitt Romney has made it clear that motherhood as an option is fine for privileged women such as his wife, but not for poor women, who, with children as young as two years old ,should be expected to pursue the “dignity of work”!

The more one thinks about Ann Romney, one has to wonder if she did not have all kinds of help bringing up her five sons!

If she did not, then her husband is more of a “male chauvinist pig” than anyone imaginable, considering he certainly could afford to have help for her!

Also, it must be said that Ann Romney, as a teenager, saw a handsome, rich guy named Mitt Romney, realized it was her meal ticket so she would not have to work, and was willing to convert to the Mormon faith, tell her parents they could not attend the wedding in the Mormon Temple in Salt Lake City, Utah, and then had the gall to allow her dead father, who was an atheist, to be converted posthumously to the Mormon faith!

Is this a woman to admire? Yes, one might say, because she has overcome cancer and has had symptoms of Multiple Sclerosis for years.

Well, those conditions are indeed terrible, and we can sympathize with her on those factors, but how about the many poor and middle class women, many of them single mothers, who have faced the same situation, and did not have the availability of health care that a wealthy lady like Ann Romney has had, and in many cases also could not afford the treatments needed, and therefore have not survived to the age of 63 as Ann Romney has!

Ann Romney is no longer a sympathetic figure, sorry to say, and it is clear both Romneys have a sense of entitlement and a high level of arrogance!

What the American people need to do is let them know on November 6, 2012, that they can go back to their wealthy private life, with the obscenely big mansion in California, with the automobie elevator, and leave America alone!