Month: May 2012

Barack Obama Campaign Strategy Evident Through Obama Victory Fund 2012 Store

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If one is an Obama supporter and decides to purchase T shirts, buttons, hats, posters and other campaign paraphernalia form the Obama Campaign Store online, one becomes very aware of the President’s strategy for the upcoming election.

Contributions to the Obama Victory Fund 2012 are divided among state Democratic Party committees in ten states, all of which are “swing states”.

It is interesting to note the percentages assigned to these ten states.

They are as follows: Florida, 17 %; Ohio, 16%; Pennsylvania, 13%; Colorado, 11%; North Carolina, 11%; Virginia, 11%; Nevada, 6%; Wisconsin, 6%; Iowa, 5%; New Hampshire, 4%.

Note that two states which Obama won in 2008 are not on this list: Indiana, which the campaign believes will be very hard to win this time; and New Mexico, which seems much more certain this time as guaranteed for Obama.

Also, the idea that states which John McCain won in 2008 might be in play in 2012–Missouri, Arizona, Georgia, Montana–and are worth an investment, seems to have been dismissed.

It is clear most of the campaign will be fought in the ten states that the Obama Victory Fund lists, so any Obama supporter needs to consider purchasing campaign paraphernalia as a worthwhile investment in the future.

Republicans Claim To Be Pro Women’s Rights: Really?

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The Republican Party leadership in Congress loves to claim that the Democrats are wrong in calling them anti women, and campaigning against women.

But the facts belie Republican claims as shown as follows:

Both in Washington DC and in the states, Republican leadership is attacking women’s rights, women’s health, and women’s safety.

The House of Representatives passed a bill weakening the Violence Against Women Act two weeks ago.

Virginia passed legislation requiring women undergoing an abortion to undergo medically unnecessary and physically invasive sonograms.

Senate Republicans are blocking a measure to deal with wage discrimination against women.

On abortion, seven states have made it more difficult to get an abortion, by making the deadline for getting one much earlier, before knowledge of fetal abnormalities or health risks are available, Criminal penalties are also set up to intimidate doctors from performing abortions, making it more difficult to stay in business, and endangering the lives of women who often cannot gain an abortion even at the risk of their own lives.

Planned Parenthood has been systematically attacked, with funds cut for basic health care services for the poor, on the argument that the main activity of the group is abortion, when it is only about 3 percent of the funding of the organization, and is not its primary role in promoting women’s health.

The 1963 Equal Pay Act under President Kennedy is being fought bitterly, with the attempt to update the law to help women gain equality in pay for equal work being opposed by Republicans, and states such as Wisconsin are going backward on women’s rights to equal pay.

Domestic violence legislation is being fought by Republicans, who do not wish to include lesbians, native American women, and undocumented immigrant women who are in danger, and can no longer report abuse to law enforcement authorities, to go after the abusers.

How can anyone say that the GOP is NOT declaring “war” on women? One is judged by one’s actions, not words!

Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley: The Man To Watch For 2016

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Maryland Democratic Governor Martin O’Malley, who has been successful as Mayor of Baltimore and Governor, is actively campaigning for Barack Obama, and is one of his best surrogates.

Already having bested Virginia Republican Governor Bob McDonnell in a debate a few months ago, O’Malley was on Meet The Press this morning, and debating former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich, no easy challenge as a debater.

O’Malley again performed very well, and came across as cool, calm, and collected in his defense of President Obama, and critical in a respectful way of former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney, the Republican Presidential nominee.

Realize that IF Romney were to be elected this year, O’Malley could very well be his opponent in 2016!

But even if Obama is re-elected, it is clear that O’Malley plans to run for President in 2016, and has been doing the legwork required at this distant point from 2016.

O’Malley, however, when asked about running in 2016, said he was not thinking that far ahead, even when David Gregory asked if he was waiting to see if Secretary of State Hillary Clinton or Vice President Joe Biden would end up declaring for the nomination.

That is a smart tack to take at this early point, but the reality is that the battle for 2016 in the Democratic Party could be between the “Old Timers”, Clinton and Biden, and the “Newcomers”, the younger generation, including O’Malley and New York Governor Andrew Cuomo.

Struggling Working Class Whites And The Presidential Election Of 2012

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Polls make it clear that President Barack Obama is having a very tough time connecting with struggling working class whites, as he also experienced in 2008 against Senator John McCain.

With the economy still in trouble, although the situation is far better than when Obama became President, the question that arises is why this classification of voters is so anti Obama.

How can these people, who were victimized by the economic policies of the George W. Bush administration, and now see that Mitt Romney wants to go back to the policy of no regulation at all, plus more tax cuts for the wealthy, and who himself is from the “one percent”, wish to vote Republican?

How can they ignore that Barack Obama, while certainly not solving the economic problems in four years since the inception of the Great Recession, has made a lot of progress, and has presided over 4.2 million jobs created over the past 26 months?

Sadly, two factors play a major role:

Pure ignorance, lack of knowledge of what has been happening, and lack of understanding that Mitt Romney, no more than John McCain, or ANYONE, is going to have magical powers to create a quick revival of the economy. It is highly doubtful that the economy would have improved more now if John McCain had been President.

The element of racism, which rears its ugly head too often on conservative talk radio, Fox News Channel, and numerous blogs, including the idea that Obama was born in Kenya, is anti white in his policies, is a Marxist, or a Socialist, or a Communist, or a Nazi or whatever new appellation they can come up with. Demagoguery and the promotion of hate has a great role in promoting this mythology about Barack Obama, and it is very hard to overcome. If a white had been President, this element would not exist, without any doubt, no matter how much conservatives and Republicans will deny it!

It would be extremely ironic if Mitt Romney won, the economy assuredly would NOT get better quickly, and we would go into a new era of right wing conservatism, nastier and more mean spirited than under Bush, and prefaced by the “Bully Governors” in the states who are making life miserable for millions of Americans, while corporations continue their destructive policies, and the top one percent get richer at the expense of these very people, struggling working class whites, as well as people of minority status, who are even worse off!

And what would the GOP say in 2016, after four years of worsening conditions, than they are in 2012? Blame African Americans and Hispanics and Latinos for the plight of the struggling working class whites, continuing the mythology that keeps their support from this group which is being exploited, and does not realize it!

The true champion of the struggling working class whites is Barack Obama, but they do not realize it, tragic as that is!

Why Should Mitt Romney Be Able To Set Up Limits Of What Is An Issue In Presidential Campaign Of 2012?

Ronald 2 Comments

Why is Mitt Romney, the Republican Presidential nominee, able to declare that his years as Massachusetts Governor from 2003-2007, and his Mormon religion, are off limits as topics for discussion and debate in the 2012 Presidential campaign? And why is he not required to explain the truth of the effect of Bain Capital on workers and communities which lost out because of the drive for profits over 25 years?

All that Romney seems to want to be discussed is his “success” at Bain Capital for 25 years, making lots of profit for himself and stockholders, but not willing to admit that hundreds of thousands of workers lost their jobs, and that his equity company undermined many towns and other communities with the shutdown of many companies that were taken over by Romney’s company.

And the fact that he promoted a health care plan similar to that passed under Barack Obama is something else he wishes to avoid. Plus the fact that his state was 47th in job creation during his years as Governor!

And forbid the idea of him discussing his religious beliefs, knowing full well that it might antagonize many evangelical Christians and others, who are suspicious of the religion they and many others consider to be a cult.

But since when does a candidate get to decide what can be discussed about his past?

Did Barack Obama, George W. Bush, Bill Clinton or others, each of which had so called “skeletons in their closet”, have that same freedom?

The answer is NO, and Mitt Romney MUST be forced to discuss the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth about EVERYTHING in his background!

He is not, despite what he may think, a “privileged character” who must be treated with “kid gloves”, so as not to hurt his feelings or sensitivities!

Nothing is off limits, as it is not with Barack Obama, so the opposition must not be cautious or careful in their exposure of Mitt Romney, with all the warts included!

Mitt Romney And Donald Trump: A Mistaken Alliance!

Ronald 5 Comments

Republican Presidential nominee Mitt Romney has decided to associate himself closely with Donald Trump, a massive mistake!

Trump is an arrogant, condescending jerk, and unfortunately, Mitt Romney already comes across as an arrogant, condescending individual, leaving out the word “jerk”!

Trump is now promoting the “Birther” idea anew, that Barack Obama was born in Kenya, not Hawaii, and Romney spokesmen say that does not mean that Romney endorses what Trump is promoting.

But it is not that easy, as the old saying is that we are “judged by the company we keep.”

There is no way that allying with Trump helps Romney, and one wonders why he cannot see that.

All the connection does is promote the idea of one very rich man supporting another very rich man, with neither having a clue as to the struggles of everyday Americans in the midst of the recovery from the Great Recession!

Romney is casting his lot with a notorious publicity seeker, and will be held accountable for whatever Trump says as his surrogate during the next five months.

And one can be sure that IF Romney somehow wins, the “friendship” between Romney and Trump will deteriorate, and Romney will come to rue the day that he decided to associate so closely with the man who, for anyone who is sane, comes across as a clown!

The National Geographic Bee: What It Tells Us!

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Today, the National Geographic Channel had the finals of the National Geographic Bee, one of the scholarly competitions that need to be promoted much more than they are.

The ten finalists, nine males and one female, comported themselves extremely well, and made anyone proud that we have some extremely brilliant students of 13 and 14 years of age to give us hope for the future.

But when one saw people on the streets who were asked very basic questions on American geography and history, the response was absolutely pitiful, as compared to the difficult questions on World Geography, which required sophisticated knowledge by these young scholars.

And also noticed was that the vast majority of the ten finalists were of Asian heritage, with most from Indian heritage, and one of Chinese heritage. Only two of the ten were so called Anglo Americans!

This tells us that Asian Americans far outshine the average young person of any other ethnicity or race, and this is clearly due to the parental influence in Asian American families, over whites, African Americans, and Hispanic and Latino Americans.

This should be a clarion call for parents of all backgrounds to get to work, promote learning, and stop blaming teachers and schools for the failures of their children to excel, as the best educators are really parents, who are motivated to promote their children’s intellectual ability!

If only as much attention was paid to academic pursuits as to sports, this would be a far better nation!

Meanwhile, let everyone salute these ten very outstanding young people who make their families and themselves proud!

Finally! Democratic National Committee Provides Support For Tom Barrett In Scott Walker Recall Election In Wisconsin!

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It has been a long haul to get the Democratic National Committee to recognize that they must provide funds and ground support to the massive effort to help Mayor Tom Barrett of Milwaukee unseat Governor Scott Walker in the recall election in Wisconsin on June 5.

Debbie Wasserman Schultz, the DNC Chair, announced such support yesterday, a crucial element in the upcoming Presidential election, as if this recall election is lost, it will be a major blow to the Obama re-election campaign.

It is not as if that loss, if it occurs, is a guarantor of trouble in November, but it would be a major setback for progressive forces, as Scott Walker represents the worst of the “Bully Governors” and the Tea Party Movement, which has been the major negative force since the midterm Congressional and state elections of 2010.

The labor movement, the role of education, the effect on women, the role of powerful special interests (including the Koch Brothers), and so many other strands of politics are tied together with the Wisconsin recall race, only the third time there has been a recall election in the history of the United States.

The other two times, in North Dakota in 1921, and in California in 2003, the cause for recall was far less serious than the case is in Wisconsin, but both efforts succeeded.

A victory by Walker would show the power of the wealthy special interests to corrupt our system of government and make life more comfortable for the “one percent” against the “99 percent”, and would set Wisconsin back to before the time of Governor Robert La Follette, Sr., who made “progressivism” a cause that would impact the state and the nation numerous times over the next century.

The battle for progressive reform, and to keep it strong, is a never ending battle, but it is good that the DNC has finally entered the fray!

The Wisdom And Good Sense Of Colin Powell On Gay Marriage And Economic And Foreign Policy

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Former Secretary of State and General Colin Powell is on a book tour, and he has made clear his views on issues that really matter.

For one, he has now endorsed gay marriage, saying he has no problem with it, as he knows gay couples who are bringing up children and creating a stable, loving environment. At the same time, he said he understands how some religious groups disagree, so he makes it clear that if a religious group is against endorsing gay marriage, that is fine, but that gays should be able to marry through civil legal authority.

Regarding foreign policy, Powell said that Mitt Romney is totally wrong in saying that the Russian government is no different than it was under the old Soviet Union during the era of the Cold War. He pointed out that Russia is now about half its size, and is working to provide better economic opportunity to its citizens, and that they have been cooperative over the years on many international issues, while at times disagreeing with American views. But in the course of normal diplomacy among nations, the fact that Russia does not always agree with America is not something to be alarmed over, and that Romney needs to realize the changed times, and be more cautious in making public statements that could undermine future diplomacy if he is President next year.

Powell also expressed the desire for better coordination between President Obama, Congress, and business leaders to help promote economic recovery sooner.

These views on gay marriage, Russian relations, and economic issues demonstrate that Colin Powell remains a very admirable figure, and one could only wish that others who call themselves Republicans would have the sensible views that the former Bush cabinet member has!

If Mitt Romney Wins Presidency, A Likely Challenge From Day One By Senator Rand Paul Of Kentucky!

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If Republican Presidential nominee Mitt Romney somehow wins the Presidency this November, he should be forewarned that he will not automatically be the GOP nominee for re-election in 2016.

There is great discontent within the Republican Party with Mitt Romney, and what is happening now is a “shotgun marriage”, as Republicans realize he is their only hope to dislodge Barack Obama from the White House.

But with Romney’s history of moderation until recently; with his alliance with neoconservatives on foreign policy; with the evangelical Christian right uncomfortable with a Mormon nominee, and distrustful of his social conservatism being real; with his close alliance with Wall Street big banks and corporations; and with his refutation of the libertarianistic views of Texas Congressman Ron Paul, it is certain that a President Romney would have rivals in 2016, most notably the highly ambitious Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky, Ron Paul’s heir.

Paul running would set up a new civil war in the GOP, as the Wall Street Republicans would shun him; the foreign policy neoconservatives would look on him with trepidation; and the question would arise if the social conservatives would be able to accept some of his libertarian views.

Let’s just say that Rand Paul is a nightmare to many in the national political scene, including his fellow Kentucky Senator and Republican Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, who will not be able to count on Paul’s support to be Minority Leader or Majority Leader of the Senate in the 113th Congress.

Like it or not, the impact of Ron Paul, and his son Rand Paul, will haunt the Republican Party for a long time to come!