Day: April 23, 2012

2012 Presidential Election: Possibly Another Bush, And Even A Clinton?

Ronald 3 Comments

Speculation is rampant that former Florida Governor Jeb Bush might indeed agree to run for Vice President with Mitt Romney.

After denying it for so long, Jeb now has left the door open, but makes clear he would rather not be on the ticket.

It is interesting how Florida Senator Marco Rubio promotes Jeb, and Jeb keeps on promoting Rubio for Vice President.

Would Jeb Bush help Romney in the Fall campaign? Both yes and no!

Obviously, Jeb is very intelligent, a good speaker, and a mainline conservative, who is not reckless, and does not make loony statements about issues. He is married to an Hispanic (Mexican) woman, is seen by many as a successful Governor of Florida, and in theory, could help to deliver that state to Romney in the fall. He is seen as a potential candidate for President in 2016, and even being on a losing ticket, he probably would gain stature for such a race by coming to the aid of Romney and the party now.

On the other hand, the question is whether there is a desire for a third Bush on a national ticket, particularly with the controversies over his brother, George W. Bush, and his eight years in office. There is believed to be an exhaustion with things Bush at this point of time. And imagine the idea of having a Bush on the national ticket every election since 1980 except 1996 and 2008, six of the last eight Presidential elections! Those who dislike the Bushes, particularly, George W. Bush, might not be willing to vote for Mitt Romney with Jeb Bush on the ticket.

And then, there are still the rumors flying that Secretary of State Hillary Clinton might agree to run for Vice President, in place of Joe Biden, in order to add strength to Barack Obama’s campaign. She laughs it off, and says it will not happen, but if Obama were to ask her, could she really say no?

So imagine an election with a Bush AND a Clinton on the national tickets, which would mark one or both names on the national scene every election since 1980, except 2008, and only not in 2008 because Hillary Clinton lost the nomination to Barack Obama.

There could very well be exhaustion and disgust at the thought of what might be seen as two “royal” dynasties in America, the Bushes and the Clintons!

Jon Huntsman Compares Republican Party To Communist China

Ronald 3 Comments

Jon Huntsman, former Utah Governor and Ambassador to China, in a speech in New York City last evening, compared the Republican Party of today to the government of Communist China, in that in both cases, dissent is cracked down upon.

Huntsman said the extreme right wing, controlled by the Tea Party and religious conservatives, has made it impossible for even Ronald Reagan to be nominated and elected in today’s political climate.

Doubting that he could be elected Utah Governor now, Huntsman deplored the challenge against traditional conservatives, including Utah Senator Orrin Hatch, who has been forced into a primary by right wing elements, and Indiana Senator Richard Lugar, who faces a similar challenge next month.

Huntsman said that the Republican Party today has little in common with the party of Abraham Lincoln, Theodore Roosevelt, Dwight D. Eisenhower, and Ronald Reagan, but has hopes that Mitt Romney can move the party back toward the center.

In that, Huntsman is overly optimistic, as Romney sadly has catered to the right wing on the road to be the GOP nominee for President, but in the process, has not won their hearts!

Supreme Court To Hear Arizona Immigration Law Challenged By Federal Government

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In a term already historic for the significance of cases to be decided, the Supreme Court will hear oral arguments today on the Arizona Immigration law that permits the state to do the following:

Require state and local enforcement to verity the citizenship status of anyone stopped, detained or arrested.

Authorize law enforcement officials to arrest without a warrant when an officer believes someone has committed a public offense that could lead to deportation

Make it a state crime to be in the US unlawfully, and require non citizens to carry documents to prove they are legally in the country

Make it a state crime for such a person to work or seek work, instead of the employer having the burden to verify legality of those seeking to work

This Arizona law has led to similar laws in Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina, Utah and elsewhere.

The Supreme Court, with only eight Justices participating in the case, because Elena Kagan was Solicitor General in the Obama Administration, will have to decide if states can have their own immigration laws, or if this is only a federal matter.

This is one of the most controversial issues in America right now, and so far, a federal judge and the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals have held up enforcement of much of the Arizona law, pending the decision in June of the Supreme Court.

The federal government is seen by many as not enforcing immigration laws, while others would say that more illegal immigrants have been deported under Barack Obama than under George W. Bush.

This Arizona law is seen by many as an issue of basic civil rights, and as racial profiling, so the decision in the case is going to be one of the major political stories of the year, and will have an effect on the Presidential Election of 2012.