Day: October 27, 2013

Hillary Clinton Now 66–On Way To White House In 2017?

Ronald Leave a comment

Hillary Clinton celebrated her 66th birthday yesterday, October 26, a day before the birthday of Theodore Roosevelt.

One can wonder whether Hillary Clinton will join the pantheon of Presidents with her famous husband, Bill Clinton, TR, and the other 41 Presidents, all men, who have occupied the Oval Office.

Certainly, few have ever been so hailed as a likely future President as Hillary, who comes into the campaign for 2016, super qualified to be our Chief Executive.

But it is highly unlikely that she will have an easy ride, with an almost guaranteed challenge within the Democratic Party, and a vicious campaign by whoever is the Republican nominee for President in 2016.

And one can wonder if she might have second thoughts on running, although so far, it looks likely that she will run, and has a better than majority chance of being our 45th President of the United States!

155th Annniversary Of Theodore Roosevelt’s Birth

Ronald Leave a comment

Today is the 155th Anniversary of the birth of our 26th President, Theodore Roosevelt.

Few Presidents have had the impact of our youngest President, who was affectionately known as “TR” or “Teddy”!

Few have been as popular as he was in his time, and in most of our history since.

Few were ever as open and outspoken about their belief in political, social and economic reform as Roosevelt was.

TR became a model for later Presidents, including his distant cousin, Franklin D. Roosevelt.

TR was proud to call himself a “progressive”, and he inspired generations of people with his belief that America could be a better place, and not be under the thumb of powerful corporations.

Certainly, one can disagree with TR on many ideas and beliefs, particularly in his promotion of “imperialism” in Latin America, and his limitations on the issue of race, but that does not take away from his greatness, with him usually being ranked just below the “great” Presidents, Abraham Lincoln, George Washington, and FDR.

TR changed our country for the better, and the fact that he is attacked by the likes of Glenn Beck and other right wing extremists, only adds to his magnificent stature!

A trip to his home at Sagamore Hill in Oyster Bay, Long Island, New York, is well worth it!

A Third Party In The Offing: Not Likely!

Ronald Leave a comment

With the disgust over the disaster of the 113th Congress, and the GOP inspired government shutdown, the public opinion support for a third party has risen to its highest point in a decade, with 60 percent stating such a belief, in a Gallup Poll.

The frustration is understandable, but the American system of government has never moved toward a three party system, which would create the need for coalitions, and prevent passage of legislation, making it more difficult than the split Congress has demonstrated.

Third party history has been one of protest, and having an effect on who wins the Presidency, and promoting new ideas that often are later accepted by one or the other major political parties.

What is much more likely than a third party competing with the two major parties is a political realignment, with the Democrats likely to benefit by the civil war in the Republican Party.

And the Tea Party Movement is doomed, as the American people are catching on as to how destructive and negative that movement has been in the past four years.

The Republican Party has had a history of some great leaders and accomplishments, but their ability to compete is doomed, until and when they recognize that moving to the Far Right is a disaster, and that they must appeal to the voting groups that they have antagonized, including minorities, the young, woman, labor, and the struggling middle class.

And they must repudiate the hold of religion over their party, and emphasize tolerance, open mindedness, and a belief in the power of science, or else they will never be competing, and might be replaced by a new party!