A Disgusted Review of the NBC GOP Debate

It was a debate for the ages - or at least that's how long it seemed to last. An audience drugged with Thorazine and NyQuil combined with a Floridacentric thrust and inane questions led to two painfully long hours. I cannot say with certainty that those in attendance were opening their veins in the lobby as they brutally bashed their own heads with mallets to escape the pervasive boredom, but it is almost an inescapable image in which I found refuge while suffering through NBC's vacuous version of a political debate.

NBC tugged Fidel Castro into the GOP debate
Image via Wikipedia

I "do" politics like some other junkies do heroin and even I had reached my limit well within the first hour as I began to wonder if I would OD on the ceaseless droning of Brian Williams's voice. The drip, drip, drip of uninspired syllables forming uninspired questions began to feel like undergoing Chinese Water Torture on amphetamines. My skin was beginning to crawl as I was rescued by the first commercial break.


Attention, you addlepated, lizard-hearted, makers of television: The all-sizzle and no-steak formula may work for advertising but it does not work for theater or for informing the populace of anything greater than 30-seconds from Vince the Pitchman on why the world will collapse if we don't all own a Shticky within a fortnight - or maybe it's 3 Shtickies, who the Hell knows. At least Vince knows his audience and has some passion for his product, two things clearly absent from last night's floor show.

Keystone: How President Obama Politicized American Jobs

- How Intentional Ignorance, Political Correctness and Thoughtlessness Shape 

Obama's Energy Policy -

There are two theories on why President Barack Obama blocked the implementation of the Keystone XL Pipeline (KXP) and neither is good. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Incompetent) had blocked KXP and it was suspected this was at the request of President Obama and this recent development gives more credence to that theory. See: The Do-Nothing Senate's Pipeline to Hell

The Man Who Killed 20,000 Jobs At Once
Image via Wikipedia

The first theory is that Obama was following the dictates of the Green movement. This is where the willful ignorance comes into play. The tie-dye crowd is of the opinion that if the evil United States refuses to buy Canada's oil reserves that it will sit idly in the ground. Canadians; however, are not dumb and we are not the only nation on the planet in need of oil.

The Canadians are our friends and it made economic sense for us to get first shot at this much-needed oil. President Obama wanted Canada to sit on the oil while he waited until after the 2012 election to make a decision, which does not make sense. President Obama rejected a great opportunity to make our supply of oil more secure and create 20,000 jobs.

The CNN GOP Rhubarb

Newt Gingrich started off with a bang and ended on an even, but less-than-exciting note. Rick Santorum did well during the debate, and probably won the debate on points, but is proving irritating and tiresome. Mitt Romney, for the second consecutive debate, looked unsure of himself at times but escaped the debate relatively unscathed. Ron Paul got lots of rest and would have been ignored more often by CNN if he had not been persistent and if the Paulistas in the audience had not been so vocal.

Former Pennsylvania Senatoe Rick Santorum
Image via Wikipedia

CNN managed to both host and lose the debates; a feat of marvel and amazement. CNN moderator John King, proving he deserves that bed allotted him at "the home," began by picking a fight with Newt Gingrich. You can imagine how that went. King was outgunned intellectually and emotionally before Gingrich rolled him into a little ball and dropped him, smoldering, into an ash can.

King insisted on bringing up Gingrich's ex-wife Marianne's statements about their divorce. Marianne Gingrich has long flirted with the idea of "ruining" Gingrich's political career "with one interview". With, not just South Carolina but, the entire GOP nomination at stake she decided to strike. Angry much, Marianne?

Gingrich Clearly Wins South Carolina Debate

Newt Gingrich clearly dominated the South Carolina GOP debate last night. He received two standing ovations and his statements were often followed by loud, lengthy applause. The former US House Speaker needed to do well after he allowed the negative ads run against him in Iowa to affect him and his campaign, and he did so.

Former US House Speaker Newt Gingrich
Image via Wikipedia

Gingrich won the debate by dealing in specifics. Other candidates, President Barack Obama comes to mind, do better when they are allowed to make broad, gilded generalities that have less substance than a cotton candy hologram. Gingrich revels in applying the lessons of the past to the present and it's one of the reasons most people believe that Gingrich would destroy the sitting President in a debate.

Gingrich started slowly, having an uneasy time defending his attacks on former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney's stint at Bain Capital. He muddled through eventually, though.

Former Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum cleaned Romney's clock in an exchange about the attack ads run by the superPAC that supports Romney. Santorum forced Romney to admit that his state of Massachusetts had a more liberal law than the one Santorum voted for and that the representation in the ads did not fairly depict Santorum's position. Santorum failed; however, to look at Romney and add the killer line that I expected: "In fact, Governor Romney, the position your superPAC accuses me of having is identical to the one you tolerated as Massachusetts Governor, isn't it?"

A Part-Time Congress Is Not the Answer

- A Well-Regulated and Restrained Federal Government -

Texas Governor and Presidential candidate Rick Perry has suggested a part-time Congress as a way to reduce the power of the federal government. Governor Perry is still one of the candidates that I would prefer to both President Obama and to leading GOP candidate Mitt Romney but, in this instance, Governor Perry is wrong.

Image via Wikipedia

I am certainly in favor of the reduction of federal power, but this is the wrong place to start. I understand that people are disappointed with Congress, but the US Representatives and the US Senators are directly elected by the people. If we citizens do our jobs properly, then we should want them to be full-time agents of the American people. We have certainly made mistakes in whom we have chosen, but we can also correct those poor choices.

Far more importantly, the power in Washington will not go away simply because Congress is in session a lesser amount of time. All of the power that the federal government has purposefully accumulated over the past 150 years or so will not disappear. Those powers will be wielded by others that we do not elect. The usage of those powers will be publicly justified as the necessary means of conducting the people's business.

Analysis of the 2012 Election for Conservatives

Let's step back from this squirming pile of electoral nonsense for just a moment, take a calming breath and quietly look at things. Just you and me. No agendas, no group think, no hidden motivation. If you haven't had a chance to do this, who can blame you? It's been a whirlwind from the beginning and there is no sign that it's going to slow, but it needs to be done.

If you're a conservative or a libertarian, then the current president is doubtless as unacceptable to you as he is to me. Please keep this thought in mind as you read this and then as you choose a Presidential candidate.

The Liberty Bell - Image via Wikipedia

Even the supporters of President Obama cannot deny that his own Congressional Budget Office numbers show a massive increase in debt over the next decade and those numbers assume nearly miraculous job growth with none of the negative symptoms of the "quantitative easing" policy of Obama.

The continued printing of money will destroy the small amount of wealth that the middle class had managed to retain. This is not a hypothesis. It is a fact. The people of the middle class are the glue that holds our nation and our society together. As the size and wealth of the middle class decreases, so do our chances of surviving this economy and this lack of national leadership. 

Why is it that when the Left aims at the wealthy it always shoots the middle class right between the eyes?

Congratulations, Debbie Wasserman Schultz!

Admittedly, congratulating Debbie Wasserman Schultz (DWS) for her recent behavior amounts to praising your pup for leaving an unusually large pile of crap on your carpet, but when the towering pile of doggie doo is actually larger than the dog himself, it's at least noteworthy. When it comes to crap, Schultz is a scatological genius.

Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL)
Image via Wikipedia

Schultz continues to blame the Tea Party for causing the shooting of Arizona Representative Gabby Giffords. Despite overwhelming and undisputed evidence to the contrary, DWS continues to appear on national television and lie. In the hands of the left, truth becomes a victim, expendable in the quest for the one thing leftists' prize most: power.

If you actually believe that Schultz cares about finding answers, then I suggest you consider something. One year ago yesterday, I asked a simple question that I believe continues to make an important point.

New Poll: Is the GOP Presidential Primary Over?

The talking heads, the cream of the crop who live in our televisions are proclaiming that the GOP Presidential Preference Primary is either over, or nearly over. What do you believe?

The poll is located in the upper right corner of the pages of this blog. Feel free to add comments below.


New Poll: What's Your Opinion? The GOP Presidential Primary:
 - Is already over; Mitt Romey has won no matter what.
 - Is over if Romney wins South Carolina.
 - Will be down to two people after South Carolina.
 - Will be down to three people after South Carolina.
 - Will be over after the Florida and Nevada results.
 - Will still be up for grabs in April.


Please vote in the poll which is in the right column near the top of the page. You may vote once, and in this poll you may choose to vote for multiple answers. The poll will close at Midnight, the morning of January the 20th.


Poll Results: How Important is Winning the Iowa Caucuses?

  6.7% - Extremely Important
40.0% - Somewhat Important But Overrated
  6.7% - It All Depends on the candidate
26.6% - It's Good to Get Delegates, But That's It
20.0% - Not Important, Could Be a Negative


Please note that this is not a scientific poll and is used for entertainment and to generate discussion. Do you have more to say? Add your comments below. I'd like to hear them.


Ken 

Pack Up Your Daughters, Jon; It's Time to Go Home

- Jon Huntsman: The Non-Republicans' Favorite Republican -

Politics is filled with uncertainties. For that reason, it is somewhat reassuring that the mainstream media can be counted upon to miss or misinterpret the main story.

Former Utah Governor Jon Huntsman
Image via Wikipedia

"I suppose tonight's big story is whether Jon Huntsman finishes second or third," intoned a news anchor this evening. Of course this was agreed to by those present and so group-think again fails miserably. It doesn't matter where Jon Huntsman finishes tonight, because after tonight Jon Huntsman is finished for good.

It's not even a question of, "Where will Huntsman win?" It's a question of, "Where will Huntsman finish third again?"

I don't see another third place finish for Huntsman anywhere unless at least two or more major candidates drop out of the race before the former Utah Governor. Huntsman's trip to South Carolina will succeed as a vacation trip, but as a political mission it is dead on arrival.

Who voted for Huntsman in New Hampshire? Huntsman got 41% of the self-described Democrats who voted in the Republican primary, 23% of independents and members of other parties and only 10% of Republican voters. As an excellent tweet pointed out, the exit polling data reveals that Huntsman is running in the wrong party. Go to this page on Politico for their story and the link to the numbers.

President Obama Doubles Down on Ignorant and Stupid

- In (Jacob) Lew of (William) Daly -

Like all socialist regimes, the Obama Administration does not tolerate dissent. William M. Daley, the brother and son of former Chicago mayors, has discovered this open secret for himself. Daley was brought into the Obama White House as President Obama's Chief of Staff. This move was hailed by brain-dead pundits as a sign that President Obama was sending a pro-business signal.

Daley lasted less than one year, which is far longer than Obama's furtive nod to what makes the nation work. This is not surprising. Daley's successor, Jacob Lew, will be Obama's fourth Chief of Staff in less than three years. It was not even that Daley was overly pro-business, it was that he was insufficiently anti-business.

Former Obama Chief of Staff William M. Daley
Image via Wikipedia

I have no idea why businessmen should have seen Daley's appointment as a positive sign. Daley was never a businessman; he has always been a mere appointee. Daley was appointed to: be the special counsel to President Clinton on NAFTA, the Advisory Council of Economic Opportunity, the Fannie Mae Board of Directors, US Secretary of Commerce, President of SBC Communications, Chairman of Al Gore's Presidential Campaign, Advisor to the Obama-Biden Transition Team and the Midwest Chairman of JPMorgan Chase.

Daley has not been an entrepreneur or a venture capitalist. He is a constantly recycled board member whose last name is Daley. But, if Daley did represent a positive turn toward business, then what does it mean that Daley "resigned" and why does the media ignore the continued anti-business moves of the Obama Administration?

ABC GOP Debate Reveals ABC's Positions

By my unofficial and admittedly incomplete count, there were nearly as many tweets sent about the questions and commentators during the ABC New Hampshire GOP Debate as there were about the candidates' answers. One candidly blunt tweet was, "Does Diane Sawyer know these debates are not about her?"

Diane Sawyer, expression enigmatic
Image via Wikipedia

Not completely unexpectedly, ABC News spent the vast majority of the debate asking questions about the hard-core left's favorite topics and encouraging dissension and attacks among the Republican candidates. Diane Sawyer, George Stephanopoulos and Josh McElveen spent more time on gay marriage and gay adoption than on energy policy or jobs.

The answers were relatively unimportant because ABC News was determined to be in the spotlight at the expense of extracting relevant information and informing voters. If ABC News is so Hell-bent on being irrelevant, then the GOP should oblige and just skip their future debates.

The Unaware, Undecided and Indifferent will Choose Our President

If you've been closely following the current events of the past few years because you are concerned about the massive unemployment, trade deficits, increased government spending, the galloping herd of Obama Administration scandals and Obamacare then I am about to make you angry. If these issues are your concerns, as they are mine, then make yourself a stiff drink and sit down.

Obamanomics
Image via Wikipedia

The Gallop Poll conducts a daily Presidential Approval Poll. They now have president Obama's approval rating at 47% - above his disapproval rating of 46%. Scott Rasmussen's daily Presidential Approval Poll has President Obama's approval rating at 45% and his disapproval rating is 53%. Rasmussen also measures strongly approve and strongly disapprove, which reveals that 20% more Americans strongly disapprove of President Obama's performance than strongly approve.

What does this tell us? First of all, a poll is a snapshot of people's beliefs at a given time. Second, a poll is not necessarily a predictor of the future. Third, polls can often disappoint you in your fellow human beings.

Dear Yankee Pundits: I Apologize

Dear Yankee Pundits (And you know who y'all are),

Please accept my humble apologies. I was wrong and so I will make a real apology. A real apology restates the offense without any euphemisms or diminishing comments or excuses. Here is my offense. A mere two days ago, in "Romney's Southern Problem: The "M" Word", I wrote this:

I can see Romney winning Iowa or at least finishing second in Iowa. He should win his neighboring state of New Hampshire; anything else would be a major upset. As for South Carolina - listen to me, well-meaning Yankee pundits - it's not going to happen. It's the "M" word.

Cobb County, GA Courthouse - Image via Wikipedia

What? "Mormon"? No, get real; you guys are far too quick to project your prejudices on others. There are members of the Church of Latter Day Saints all through the South and while they may not be ultra-active in politics, they are viewed as being good people and good neighbors. They are walking examples of the "family values" that the Republican Party endorses so heartily. Mitt Romney's "M" word problem is Massachusetts.

Romney's Southern Problem: The "M" Word

- It's Not What You Might Think -

For all of the pundits who are putting a spit-polish shine on Mitt Romney's coronation-ready, GOP crown; slow down. The fat lady is still in the wings running through her scales.

I'm actually seeing predictions that Romney will win Iowa, win New Hampshire, and then win South Carolina. I would rate those projections as obviously possible, almost certain and simply not going to happen.

Former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney
Image via Wikipedia

I can see Romney winning Iowa or at least finishing second in Iowa. He should win his neighboring state of New Hampshire; anything else would be a major upset. As for South Carolina - listen to me, well-meaning Yankee pundits - it's not going to happen. It's the "M" word.

What? "Mormon"? No, get real; you guys are far too quick to project your prejudices on others. There are members of the Church of Latter Day Saints all through the South and while they may not be ultra-active in politics, they are viewed as being good people and good neighbors. They are walking examples of the "family values" that the Republican Party endorses so heartily. Mitt Romney's "M" word problem is Massachusetts.

Desperate and Nasty: Obama's Coming Campaign

The 2012 US Presidential campaign will be the most ugly, mean-spirited, bloody, public event since the War Between the States. I know that people constantly complain about negative campaigns, negative campaign commercials and negative political messages, but this time it will be inevitable, nasty and pervasive.

President Barack Obama has a record of accomplishments that would make even the most loving mother wince, undergo plastic surgery and move to Antarctica under an assumed name. The Obama record cannot be overlooked without wholesale misdirection, an army of SEIU's pathological liars and the introduction of mass amnesia among American voters - or $1 trillion or so of negative advertising.

Can President Obama defend:

Image via Wikipedia

1. Being the only US President to oversee a reduction in the sovereign credit rating of the United States.
2. Spending 25% of the gross domestic product (GDP) by the federal government, the most since the last world war - with nothing to show for it.
3. Increasing the average time spent on unemployment insurance from 19 weeks to 39 weeks.
4. A home ownership rate of only 59.7%, that is the lowest since 1965.
5. An increase in the federal debt from $10.6 trillion to $15.1 trillion dollars with another $1.2 trillion on the way.
6. Twenty-one consecutive months of unemployment rates over nine percent and 34 consecutive months (and counting) of unemployment rates of 8.2% or higher.
7. The misery index increasing from 7.83% in January, 2009, to 11.99% in November, 2011 - an increase of over 53%.
8. Thirteen million more Americans being forced onto food stamps, an increase of nearly 41%.
9. And all of the many more embarrassing numbers.