Month: December 2011

Barack Obama And The American People Given A Christmas Gift By The Caving Of The House Republicans And Speaker John Boehner!

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The House Republicans, led by Speaker of the House John Boehner, caved in this afternoon, under pressure from the Wall Street Journal, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, Karl Rove, and numerous Senate Republicans including a new convert, Senator John McCain of Arizona, and agreed to the two month temporary extension of the payroll tax cut, unemployment compensation, and delay in Medicare cuts to doctors.

The House Republicans were pushed into a corner, and this is a major victory for the American people, the Democrats, and President Barack Obama, who finally took a no negotiation stand and forced the hand of Boehner, Eric Cantor, and the Tea Party radicals.

The effect of this victory is that Boehner has been weakened as Speaker; the Tea Party radicals have been shown to be destructive to the nation at large; Eric Cantor, Paul Ryan and Kevin McCarthy, the chief deputies to Boehner, have been shown for the deceit they practiced on Boehner in their mad rush to seize power from him; and this event has likely assured a Democratic majority in both houses of Congress!

The Republicans have, symbolically, shot themselves in the foot, and will have trouble convincing the American people that they care about the middle class, and that they are not beholden to the corporations and the top one percent wealthy in this country!

Barack Obama looks a lot stronger and more assertive as a result of this confrontation, and with Ron Paul rising in Iowa, and being exposed for his racist and anti Semitic past, and with the GOP in total disarray, the odds of Obama winning reelection have improved tremendously!

Speaker John Boehner Under Attack From Senate Republicans And The Wall Street Journal

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Speaker of the House John Boehner is rapidly losing respect and support, as many Senate Republicans have condemned him and the Tea Party radicals for holding up the payroll tax cut, continuation of unemployment compensation, and delay in Medicare payment cuts to doctors.

Along with Scott Brown of Massachusetts, Richard Lugar of Indiana, Dean Heller of Nevada, and Olympia Snowe of Maine, we have now seen Senator Bob Corker of Tennessee, Senator Chuck Grassley of Iowa, and Senator Roger Wicker of Mississippi also condemning the House Republican leadership.

And imagine, the Wall Street Journal, a loyal conservative and Republican newspaper, has also called for immediate action on the legislation, so that taxes do not go up on January 1, as that would be a winning proposition for Barack Obama and the Democrats in Congress!

Indications are that Boehner might lose his Speakership sooner rather than later, and that Eric Cantor is salivating at the thought of becoming Speaker sooner rather than later.

In any case, it seems less likely now that the GOP will hold on to the House, and that Mitch McConnell will NOT be as likely to become Senate Majority Leader in 2013!

In Interview, Barack Obama Compares Himself In Accomplishments To Abraham Lincoln, Franklin D. Roosevelt, And Lyndon B. Johnson! Is That Appropriate?

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President Obama has now compared his accomplishments after three years in office to three other Presidents–Abraham Lincoln, Franklin D. Roosevelt and Lyndon B. Johnson.

This comment will stir much reaction and commentary, and it requires analysis and judgment, which will go on forever!

Certainly, Obama’s time in office has caused tremendous controversy and turmoil, but one could argue the same for Lincoln, FDR, and LBJ!

Assuming that the Supreme Court does not declare Obama’s Health Care plan unconstitutional, that achievement will stand out as one of the most profound in American history!

Obama also has saved the auto industry, prevented a Great Depression, and has brought about more reforms in his time in office than anyone except FDR, LBJ, and possibly Woodrow Wilson! He also has been extremely impressive in his attack on terrorism and Al Qaeda, and in ending the war in Iraq.

It is certainly true that George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Andrew Jackson, Theodore Roosevelt, Woodrow Wilson, Harry Truman, and Ronald Reagan had a great significance in our history!

It is also true that even James K. Polk, John F. Kennedy, Richard Nixon, and Bill Clinton had major accomplishments that will not be forgotten.

But in terms of pure legislative accomplishments, Obama must, at this point, rank with FDR and LBJ, and again possibly Wilson, and Lincoln always needs to be mentioned when talking about accomplishments, although for Lincoln, it was in time of the Civil War.

But it will be the whole record of Obama, not just the first three years, that will be part of the ultimate judgment on his tenure. If he is reelected, the odds of a favorable view of his Presidency will grow, while if he is defeated for a second term, his reputation will be dimmed, typical of one term Presidents.

Evangelical Christians, Orthodox Jews, And Prejudice Against Women, Gays, Blacks

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It is a very unpleasant reality that people who claim extreme religiosity, whether evangelical Christians or Orthodox Jews, often have proved to be bigoted and prejudiced against women, gays, and blacks. It is a sad commentary on those who profess to be closest to God!

This reality rears its ugly head when we learn that the leader of an evangelical group in Iowa has called upon Minnesota Congresswoman Michele Bachmann to withdraw from the Presidential race, even though she is polling better than Texas Governor Rick Perry and former Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum in the state polls before the Iowa Caucuses that occur thirteen days from now. What reason other than being a woman could there be for such a statement? It is well known that evangelical Christians believe in the “traditional” role of women as walking behind men and being subjugated to their husbands. Also, Orthodox Jews see women as not worthy to sit with men at a synagogue service, and separate men from women at weddings. It is time for such discrimination to end in both religious groups!

It is also well known that both groups are anti gay, and both have promoted racist attitudes against African Americans historically, and have not repudiated such attitudes even recently. This is a good explanation why the “n” word has been utilized so often in both evangelical and Orthodox Jewish circles.

All of this is extremely outrageous, and undermines the whole concept of what it means to be religious!

House Republican Standoff Against Bipartisan Senate Vote May Hurt Senate Majority Chances Of Republicans In 2012!

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The refusal of the House Republicans, led by Speaker of the House John Boehner, to vote on the bipartisan Senate vote of 89-10 extending unemployment compensation, the middle class tax cut, and delay in cutting Medicare payments to doctors, is likely to boomerang on the party, not only in House elections in 2012, but also Senate Republicans facing tough reelection contests.

That explains why Senator Scott Brown of Massachusetts, soon to be opposed by Elizabeth Warren in a tough race in which Warren is leading in public opinion polls, denounced House Republicans for their reckless, outrageous action.

Similar outrage and anger has also been expressed by Senator Dean Heller of Nevada, Senator Richard Lugar of Indiana, and Senator Olympia Snowe of Maine, all of whom face tough reelection challenges.

If these seats are not retained, the odds of a Senate Republican majority in 2012 is far less likely to occur.

So the Republicans are in the process of likely slaughtering themselves, and coming across as unconcerned about 160 million Americans, and that will be paid back by middle class voters when the vote comes for Congress and the President ten and a half months from now!

The Republicans Are Self Destructing Before Our Eyes, And The American People See It Clearly!

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The Republican Party is self destructing before our eyes, as House Republicans led by the “Young Turks”–House Majority Leader Eric Cantor of Virginia, House Majority Whip Kevin McCarthy of California, and House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan of Wisconsin–and supported by the 80 Tea Party Caucus members—are tying the hands of Speaker John Boehner, and making him look foolish!

Boehner had said an agreement of Senate Republicans led by Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, with Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada, and backed 89-11 in a bipartisan vote, allowing a temporary two month extension of unemployment compensation, the continuation of the middle class tax cut, and delay of cuts to Medicare doctors, was acceptable, with further action in January. But then, under pressure from the leaders mentioned above, he backtracked, and has brought about a situation where the continuation of the policies mentioned will be prevented, as the New Year comes on!

It is clear to anyone who watches what is going on, that Cantor, McCarthy, and Ryan are working together with the Tea Party supporters to paralyze the legislative process, and that their aim, ultimately, is not just to defeat Barack Obama for the Presidency in 2012, but also to remove John Boehner from the Speakership.

And as this goes on, a CNN poll shows Obama’s popularity has risen five points from 44 to 49 percent; the ratings of the Republicans have fallen six points from 49 to 43 percent; the Democrats ratings have stayed steadily at 55 percent; a majority now say they trust Obama more than the Congressional Republicans as compared to 44 percent before now; and dramatic gains among the middle class are being made by Obama, while Republicans continue to have the support of the wealthy.

So, Republicans, continue what you are doing and saying, and you are doomed to defeat in 2012 on all levels, as your arrogance and elitism are backfiring on your party!

The Death Of Kim Jong Il: Its Possible Effect On Jon Huntsman

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The death of North Korean dictator Kim Jong Il could have the effect of boosting the candidacy of Jon Huntsman for the Republican Presidential nomination!

Huntsman, the former Utah Governor, has not been doing well in most polls, although he is now third in New Hampshire, but as this author has said over and over again, as former Ambassador to China, and formerly to Singapore, Huntsman EASILY has the best foreign policy background of any GOP candidate!

In a difficult time in Asian affairs, with the uncertainty about the future of North Korea, a nuclear nation, and the great significance of China in world affairs, Jon Huntsman is uniquely qualified, and is a real potential threat to the reelection of Barack Obama.

Don’t be surprised that Jon Huntsman suddenly has his “surge”, and just at the right time in foreign affairs, reminding us that the economy is NOT the only issue that matters,and in the long run, is not important as compared to foreign policy!

Newt Gingrich’s Attack On Activist Judges: Hypocrisy, Since Only Against Progressive “Activists” But NOT Conservative “Activists”!

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Former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich is already showing signs of decline from his “surge” two weeks ago!

Not soon enough, as Gingrich is declaring “war” on “activist” judges, but is totally hypocritical in that he is only attacking “progressive” activists, and not “conservative” activists!

He would wish for a court system which was one sided, only promoting conservative advocacy, and setting America back to the 19th century Gilded Age!

He claims to know history, since he has a History Ph.D. from Tulane University in European History, but he boasts too much of his knowledge about American History and the American Constitution!

If it was up to Gingrich, he would wipe out Warren and Burger Court decisions that have transformed this country politically and socially, and really would wish to wipe out the “judicial review” established by the Supreme Court under John Marshall in the early 19th century!

To claim that only “progressives” are activists is totally ridiculous, as ALL Justices are “activist” in different ways, as they are INTERPRETING the Constitution, which is meant to be a “living” document, adaptable to changing times!

Just one example of conservative “activism” on the Supreme Court is Bush V Gore, where the conservative majority Court in 2000 decided to intervene, stop the ballot recount in Florida, and decided the Presidential Election Of 2000. What gave them the right to do that? And look at what it led to, eight years of foreign and domestic disasters that will reverberate for many generations on our nation!

So Gingrich, as usual, is acting as a demagogue, also demonstrated by his demand that lower federal court judges be required to explain their decisions to the Congress in committees, or be arrested! What a revolutionary, radical grab of power such a requirement would be!

Florida Governor Rick Scott Demonstrates A Racist Power Grab Over Florida A & M Hazing Death Incident!

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Florida Governor Rick Scott, already extremely unpopular in public opinion polls, with a terrible public reputation, has now worsened his image further by an attempted power grab over the state university system!

A tragic event took place at Florida A & M, a leading historically black university, with great academic results. A student in the marching band for the university was murdered in a hazing incident, and this tragic event was made worse by the intervention of Governor Scott into the situation, attempting to fire the university president over the issue.

This was a shocking intervention, as hazing, as bad as it is, occurs at many universities all over the country, and we don’t see the firing of university or college presidents over that tragic set of events, particularly without an investigation and due process!

Interesting development, which makes one wonder IF this event had occurred at a university such as the University of Florida, Florida State University, University of South Florida, University of Central Florida, or any other branch of the state university system, would Governor Scott have been so quick to intervene, as he does at a black university campus?

This incident can only be seen as racist, and undermines the whole state of Florida and its university system, as the old South seems to be arising again, the era where racism and lynchings occurred regularly!

What Scott attempted to do was a “lynching” of the university President in a different form, and must be condemned as an abuse of power! If there is a problem with any branch of the state university system, there is a Board of Trustees and a whole administrative network that can deal with any issue that arises!

It is NOT the business of the Governor of Florida or ANY state to interfere with educational matters, even those that are legal problems! That is up to the judicial system, not a governor out of control and overly egotistical and narcissistic as Rick Scott is!

Ron Paul In Lead In Iowa Polls, But That Will Be His Peak, With Jon Huntsman In New Hampshire The REAL Story To Watch!

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Texas Congressman Ron Paul, the libertarian favorite, and seen by some as a Tea Party original due to his libertarian views, now leads in Iowa, according to the Public Policy Polling organization, considered a reputable poll of public opinion.

It now seems likely that Paul might win the Iowa Caucuses, but before one gets “excited”, realize that Iowa is far from a barometer as to who shall become the Presidential nominee.

The better barometer, by far, is the New Hampshire primary, and latest polls indicate that Jon Huntsman, the former Utah Governor and Ambassador to China, is rising as Mitt Romney and Newt Gingrich are falling. This should be Romney’s state, but Huntsman has been predicting that he will win New Hampshire, which would catapult him into a position of leadership that so often has led to “momentum” to go on and become the Presidential nominee of either political party.

The most interesting development will be whether Huntsman, who has been ignored by just about everyone in political prognosticating, can “surge” at just the right moment.

If he does, he could be Barack Obama’s greatest nightmare, as he is still, by far, the best qualified candidate the GOP offers for President–a rational, reasonable, sane person in the tradition of the Republican Party of the past!