Paul Ryan

Ted Cruz, Rand Paul, Marco Rubio, Paul Ryan: You Have Disqualified Yourself From The Presidency By Refusing To Uphold The Payment Of Government Debts!

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Memo to Senator Ted Cruz of Texas; Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky; Senator Marco Rubio of Florida; and Wisconsin Congressman Paul Ryan:

You have all disqualified yourselves from becoming President by refusing to uphold the payment of government debts, when the ultimate moment of decision came yesterday, October 16, in the US Senate and US House of Representatives!

The four of you are considered so called front runners for the Republican Presidential nomination in 2016, but by doing what you have done, you have put into the forefront such contenders as:

Governor Chris Christie of New Jersey
Governor Scott Walker of Wisconsin
Former Florida Governor Jeb Bush
Governor John Kasich of Ohio

It is not as if these governors and former governors are ideal choices, as none of them are such, but they have known what it is to govern a state, and they are not looney enough as you have been, to do something which would undermine the nation and the world economy, as you demonstrated in your irresponsible vote.

So goodbye to all four of you, and have a good time associating with the Tea Party Traitors to America!

John Kerry Makes Rand Paul Look Foolish And Naive!

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Secretary of State John Kerry “cleaned the clock” of Kentucky Senator Rand Paul in yesterday’s hearing on Syria in the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, suggesting that Paul attend secret briefings and become “informed” about the Syrian matter, rather than spout isolationist propaganda.

Anyone watching had to be impressed by Kerry, and appalled by the ignorance and pure stupidity of Rand Paul, who has this vision of being our President!

The fact is that Rand Paul would face vehement opposition within the GOP if he runs for President, and if he, somehow, became the nominee, with his bankrupt libertarian ideology, he would lose in a massive landslide, which might actually be the only way to wipe out of national politics the delusional, crazy ideas not only of Rand Paul, but also of the “godmother” or libertarianism, Ayn Rand, who is also “loved” by Wisconsin Congressman Paul Ryan, Mitt Romney’s Vice Presidential running mate in 2012.

50th Anniversary Of Martin Luther King’s “I Have A Dream” Speech And The March On Washington!

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It is hard to believe that this weekend, and specifically next Wednesday, four days from now, marks the 50th Anniversary of the March on Washington by a crowd estimated at a quarter of a million people, calling for racial equality and justice.

It was a peaceful march, with a crowd of people of all races, an historic moment on the way to the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965.

It was a time of the greatness of the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther, King Jr, and his brilliant “I Have A Dream” speech, one of the few greatest speeches ever given by any American in our entire history!

It was a time of hope and optimism, before the tragedy of the assassinations of John F. Kennedy, Robert Kennedy, and Martin Luther King, Jr himself, as well as the tragic war in Vietnam, which took 58,000 lives!

It was a time of optimism and a sense of progress, and now, sadly, the same battles fought over race and voting rights haunts us, as the Supreme Court majority, created by Republican Presidents who represent a desire to move backwards on the subject of race, seem to believe that denial of voting rights and the issue of race no longer is of importance in America, when it continues to be a divisive matter that prevents the full development of justice and equality in this nation!

This is a sad time when the Republican Party, which in large measure supported the civil rights legislation of the mid 1960s, now has adopted the old Southern Democratic racist policies that the national Democratic Party repudiated fifty years ago, and the GOP seems unembarrassed that they have become the “poster boy” for racial prejudice and nativism!

So while we celebrate the anniversary, we are still having to fight the battles won, and then lost, due to the party that once boasted of Lincoln, TR, and Ike, and now boasts of despicable leaders who have no shame, including Mitch McConnell, John Boehner, Eric Cantor, Paul Ryan, Ted Cruz, Rand Paul, Rick Santorum, Rick Perry, et al, and their ilk!

The Case For A New Generation Of Democrats For The Presidential Election Of 2016!

Ronald 7 Comments

As the Presidential race begins, and it has started already, like it or not, it is clear that Hillary Clinton, who will be 69 in 2016, and Joe Biden, who will be 74 in 2016, are the frontrunners, and that Hillary is using up most of the oxygen in the room, way ahead of Biden in polls, with other potential Democratic candidates in single digits.

But despite the confidence and optimism about Hillary and even Joe as a backup, there is a growing case for the argument that the Democratic Party should bypass both Hillary and Joe, no matter how much one may love or admire either of them, and go for a new generation of Democrats, as was done in 1960 with John F. Kennedy, in 1976 with Jimmy Carter, in 1992 with Bill Clinton, and 2008 with Barack Obama!

All of these successful Democratic Presidential winners were young–43, 52, 46, and 47 respectively at the time of the inauguration. All were younger than their GOP opponents, although Richard Nixon was only four years older, but represented a continuation of Dwight D. Eisenhower, our oldest President at the time when he retired in 1961!

But Jimmy Carter was eleven years younger than Gerald Ford; Bill Clinton 22 years younger than George H. W. Bush; and Barack Obama 25 years younger than John McCain!

The fact is ONLY three Presidents were inaugurated at age 65 or older—William Henry Harrison at age 68 and dying a month later; James Buchanan at age 65 but only 50 days short of age 66, and rated by many historians the worst President in American history; and Ronald Reagan, inaugurated at just weeks before his 70th and 74th birthday, and judged by many to have deteriorated mentally, with early Alzheimers in his second term of office!

And we have seen Bob Dole defeated at age 73 in 1996; John McCain defeated at age 72 in 2008; and Mitt Romney, defeated at age 65 inn 2012, but also about 50 days short of age 66 if he had been inaugurated, the same exact age as Buchanan was when he won in 1856!

Meanwhile, the Republican Party future is clearly in the hands of young politicians, including Ted Cruz, Marco Rubio, Rand Paul, Paul Ryan, Chris Christie, and others, with these candidates being mostly in their 40s and 50s, and all younger than Hillary Clinton or Joe Biden!

Historically, in most elections, the younger candidate wins, and the party of the President usually does not do well if it utilizes someone connected with the administration leaving office, no matter what level of popularity reigns when that President leaves office, as witness:

Richard Nixon lost after Eisenhower
Hubert Humphrey lost after Lyndon B. Johnson
Gerald Ford lost after Richard Nixon
Walter Mondale lost after Jimmy Carter
Al Gore lost after Bill Clinton

If Hilary Clinton runs, she represents Obama’s foreign policy record, for good or for bad, and also brings back the good and the bad of the Presidency of her husband, Bill Clinton.

If Joe Biden runs, he represents what happens to a Vice President under a President, that the negatives of that President harm the Vice President, as with Nixon, Humphrey, Ford, Mondale, and Gore.

Only George H. W, Bush was able to overcome this hex, and succeed Ronald Reagan in 1988, although then losing reelection in 1992, the greatest percentage loss of any President in American history, except William Howard Taft in 1912!

It is reality that Democrats will be heavily favored in the Electoral College in 2016, no matter who runs, but it would be easier for a “New”, younger Democrat to be the Presidential nominee, such as Martin O’Malley, Andrew Cuomo, KIrsten Gilllibrand, Amy Klobuchar, Cory Booker, Deval Patrick, Mark Warner, John Hickenlooper, or Elizabeth Warren, all of whom are much younger than Hillary Clinton and Joe Biden, with the exception of Warren, who would be 67 in 2016, which makes her a less ideal candidate based upon age!

It is important for Democrats to think carefully before they decide for a continuation of the Obama Presidency through Hillary Clinton or Joe Biden, as nominating someone younger and separated from the Obama Administration would be preferable, and easier for the grueling campaign ahead!

Potential Republican Presidential Candidates And Foreign Policy, As Compared To Hillary Clinton And Joe Biden

Ronald 2 Comments

The Republican Party is offering potential Presidential candidates who have no clue on world affairs, or have dangerous views on foreign policy, and/or have no experience to speak of in diplomatic situations.

The following potential candidates have NO credentials at all in this important area in a world that is changing rapidly:

Rand Paul
Ted Cruz
Marco Rubio
Paul Ryan
Rick Santorum
Rick Perry
Chris Christie
Jeb Bush
Bobby Jindal
Scott Walker
John Thune

it is true that Rand Paul and Marco Rubio sit on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and that Jeb Bush’s brother and father were President of the United States, and foreign policy has been discussed within that family.

But compare that to Hillary Clinton, who was Secretary of State for four years, and learned about foreign policy under her husband, President Bill Clinton, in the 1990s.

And Vice President Joe Biden had 36 years in the Senate, including time as Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and now is in his second term as Vice President, intimately involved in foreign policy issues.

So NONE of the GOP potential Presidential candidates have any real, valuable experience, except in speaking out on issues they know nothing about!

Foreign policy will be a most important issue in 2016, so who could the GOP run who could compete with either Hillary or Joe, and give them a real challenge?

The only person who fits this profile is former Utah Governor and Ambassador to China, and earlier Ambassador to Singapore, Jon Huntsman, who is a moderate mainstream conservative. He is very talented, brilliant, multilingual including Chinese, and knows and understands world affairs!

But would the Republican Party have the brains and intelligence to choose Huntsman as their Presidential nominee?

The answer is ZERO, and because of that, the GOP does not offer experienced, qualified candidates for the Presidency on foreign affairs, such as Richard Nixon, George H. W. Bush, Bob Dole, and John McCain in the past!

The Democratic “Farm Team” Or “Bench” For National Office

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When one looks at the Democratic Party, most of the attention for the 2016 Presidential Election centers around Hillary Clinton and Joe Biden, both exceptionally qualified and popular political figures, with tremendous experience in government.

But both Hillary and Joe are getting on in age, with Hillary to be 69 in 2016, and Joe to be 74 in 2016.

Either would face a much younger Republican opponent in 2016, so one has to wonder whether it might be preferable to go for “new blood” for the Democratic nominee.

If that was to occur, there would be a fantastic “farm team” or “bench” for the Democrats, including:

Senator Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts
Senator Kirsten Gillibrand of New York
Senator Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota
Future Senator Cory Booker of New Jersey
Governor Deval Patrick of Massachusetts
Governor John Hickenlooper of Colorado
Governor Andrew Cuomo of New York
Governor Martin O’Malley of Maryland
Senator Mark Warner of Virginia

This list of nine potential President candidates includes three women; two African Americans; and four white men, with seven states represented, and five US Senators and four Governors.

Any of these nine would be preferable, by far, to any Republican nominee for President, with many of the potential Republicans being horror stories, including Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky Senator Ted Cruz of Texas, Governor Rick Perry of Texas, former Senator Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania, Congressman Paul Ryan of Wisconsin, and Governor Scott Walker of Wisconsin.

Quinnipiac National University Poll Puts Hillary Clinton And Chris Christie Ahead In Popularity, And Elizabeth Warren A Surprising Third!

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Public opinion polls are endless, and often are believed to be a poor barometer of future political success, but they are fascinating as a moment in time in how those polled see political leaders and issues.

We are still in the first year of the Presidential term, but already there is speculation as to who has the advantage for the Presidential nominations for 2016, as well as interest in how politicians come across to the American people in general. In other words, which politicians are the “hottest” is part of many surveys.

So the latest Quinnipiac National University Poll puts New Jersey Governor Chris Christie and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton ahead of all other politicians in the “hotness” question, with Christie somewhat surprisingly being ahead of Clinton in precise numbers, with Christie at 53.1 and Clinton at 52.1.

Right behind them are Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren at 49.2 in third place, and President Obama and New York Senator Kirsten Gillibrand tied for fourth with 47.6.

Then comes Senator Ted Cruz of Texas, with 46.8; Senator Marco Rubio of Florida with 46.5; Vice President Joe Biden at 46.2; Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley with 45.7; and Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal rounding out the top ten with 45.2.

Others further down include potential Presidential candidates, including Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky with 44.8; New York Governor Andrew Cuomo at 43.9; Wisconsin Congressman Paul Ryan with 43.0; Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker with 41.1; former Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum with 40.7; former Florida Governor Jeb Bush with 40.4; and Virginia Senator Mark Warner with 39.4.

If one is to take this poll seriously, that would put Chris Christie in a very good position for 2016, but the poll also indicates that his popularity is as high as it is because of independents and Democrats, and he ranks only eighth in this poll among fellow Republicans. How could Christie win the GOP nomination, by having to fight in Iowa’s caucuses and New Hampshire’s primary, where the right wing Republicans tend to win, and how could he carry enough delegate votes if he is well received by Democrats and Independents?

This poll also draws attention to two women other than Hillary Clinton, who could be other choices in replacement of her–Elizabeth Warren and Kirsten Gillibrand, both who rank ahead of Joe Biden, Andrew Cuomo, Martin O’Malley, and Mark Warner, alternative Democratic possibilities. all male.

At this point, the poll is basically food for thought, as it is still much too far ahead to make a judgment as to what is likely to be the scenario for 2016 for the Presidential race. But certainly, it should, as it always is, be a fascinating series of events and personalities that will emerge over the next three years!

48th Anniversary Of Medicare: Time For Celebration, And Concern About Pension Issue Displayed By Detroit Fiscal Crisis!

Ronald 19 Comments

Medicare became law on July 30, 1965, 48 years ago, and America has never been the same!

Imagine America without this most significant Lyndon B. Johnson Great Society program, which gave the elderly, those over 65, peace of mind, knowing that they would be able to afford to survive, many on fixed incomes in retirement. without the fear of being unable to have medical treatments, including surgery that could prolong life! Nothing has been as important since the passage of Social Security under Franklin D. Roosevelt’s New Deal in 1935!

My own mother had open heart surgery at age 80 in 1987, and lived another four years, due to Medicare, and the number of such situations are in the millions!

Yes, there is a budget crisis involving Medicare now, but that is not a reason to wish to do what Congressman Paul Ryan, head of the House Budget Committee, has proposed, to have a voucher system for future retirees, something that will assure poverty and lack of medical care, and shortening of life span. Such an idea is immoral!

The answer is to raise the percentage of tax paid on Medicare, as an essential to promote security for the senior citizens and prolonging the quality of life, as part of the responsibility of all of us for our parents and grandparents!

And not only should Medicare be protected, but also what has happened in Detroit, the threat of NOT paying pensions to senior citizens who have dedicated their lives to public service, because of a financial crisis, reminds us of the urgency of not only protecting those in Detroit, but ALL public workers who do their years of service, and should be guaranteed payment of their pensions until death, no matter what the cost!

Anything else on Medicare or pensions is unconscionable, immoral, unethical, and ultimately illegal!

This nation cannot afford to do anything else in meeting its obligations to the elderly, and if that requires higher taxation, so be it!

Howard Dean’s Statement About Generational Differences Of Presidents We Elect Brings Up Interesting Point About 2016!

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Former Vermont Governor, 2004 Presidential competitor, and Democratic National Committee head Howard Dean was on MORNING JOE yesterday, and brought up an interesting point about generational differences of Presidents we elect to the Oval Office.

Dean said it is highly unlikely that we will see Hillary Clinton have no competition for the Democratic Presidential nomination in 2016, because for the nation to go back a generation in birth from one President to the next is unusual—in this case to go back to a “Baby Boomer” born in the late 1940s after electing a President born in the early 1960s. Therefore, Dean states that he believed someone born closer to the birth year of Barack Obama would be more likely to be the nominee, a person such as Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley or New York Governor Andrew Cuomo as examples–with O’Malley one and a half years younger than Obama and Cuomo three and a half years older than Obama.

So Dean has brought up the age issue, just as Republicans have, with their numerous potential candidates in their 40s and early 50s–including Marco Rubio, Ted Cruz, Paul Ryan, and Rand Paul among others.

This statement by Dean caused this author to check out how often has America elected a President much younger than his predecessor, and has uncovered the following:

William Henry Harrison—nearly ten years older than Martin Van Buren
Zachary Taylor—eleven years older than James K. Polk
James Buchanan—thirteen and a half years older than Franklin Pierce
Ronald Reagan—thirteen and a half years older than Jimmy Carter

A few other Presidents have been a few years older than their predecessor, but these are the only four cases of “generational” differences of Presidents we elect, although not precisely a “generation”, which is described as twenty years.

If Hillary Clinton was elected, she would be nearly 14 years older than Barack Obama, more difference than even Buchanan or Reagan from their predecessors.

If Joe Biden was elected, he would be nearly 19 years older than Barack Obama, the greatest difference between two Presidents in American history, and literally a “generation”!

This is food for thought, and realize that Harrison and Taylor were elected for their war exploits as generals, and all the cases mentioned above were before the Civil War, more than a century and a half ago, with the one exception of Ronald Reagan.

The question is whether, and said in irony, is either Hillary Clinton or Joe Biden another Ronald Reagan? Again, this is said with tongue in cheek by a writer who has never been a big fan of Ronald Reagan!

Vice President Joe Biden: The Consoler In Chief, Because He Is Genuine!

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Vice President Joe Biden presided appropriately and with feeling at the funeral service of 19 Arizona firefighters yesterday.

He said all the proper things to say, expressed with emotion, and united those gathered in the mourning of the loss of 19 heroic young men, who devoted their careers to helping others, rather than going the “fast track” to wealth and status.

These young men represent the best in American youth, commitment to state and nation, not to the almighty dollar, wishing to do something significant for others, saving the public from the disaster of forest fires.

Joe Biden is the ideal “Consoler in Chief”, as he is the most genuine political leader we have seen in a long time. He is from the people, a person of average means, who has devoted his life to public service, setting a model for young people as to his commitment to do what is right, even if it is unpopular.

We are fortunate to have such a man in the Vice Presidency, and to know that IF emergency arose, he could fill the shoes of the Presidency very well, rather than having to worry about the competence and compassion of a Spiro Agnew or Dan Quayle who both caused great concern when they were in the Vice Presidency, or Sarah Palin or Paul Ryan, who caused many sleepless nights during the Presidential campaigns of 2008 and 2012, that they just might end up a heartbeat away from the Oval Office!

Whether one agrees or not with the public policy positions of Joe Biden, his sincerity, his genuine nature, his compassion, his competence, cannot be debated!