Finally some evidence that Americans reject extremist views. Ohio voters reject Republican-backed union limits (about 61 percent voted to reject the law) and Mississippi defeats life-at-fertilization ballot prop (rejected by more than 55 percent of voters) reassured me that a majority of us rejects ideas that trample our rights to unionize and supports a woman’s right to obtain a needed abortion.

Just as most of us would reject extreme Republican views we would reject extreme Democratic views.  Most Americans are unhappy with the Obama health plan because it interferes with individual right to decide the need for health care insurance.

According to the Public Policy Institute of California the share of independent voters continues to increase.  The share of California voters who say they are independent or decline to state a party continues to rise and is now at 20.4% (3.5 million voters; it was 18.8% or 2.9 million in 2007.

Where will this independence lead?  More people are refusing to vote party line on ballots.  That could lead to a more representative government where public opinion really does count.

It was a spirited debate.  The three leading candidates all showed their ability to speak about the things they believed are most important.  While none of them were overwhelmingly successful, all of them made their supporters quite happy. The confrontations in this debate make me suspect there could be a nominee that will not bring out the support needed to win a general election.

Herman Cain’s 9-9-9 tax plan is at least something that most of us can understand.  From all the reviews I have heard or read the plan would impact the majority of Americans in a negative way.  The rich would benefit from this plan.  Of course Mr. Cain denies this conclusion.  People on both right and the left might support the basic idea because it would over throw the long existing tax system.  His plan may be faulty but his idea of overturning the status quo is very appealing.  I like the man.

Rick Perry has focused on oil and gas drilling as the way to create jobs and energy independence for the nation.  Despite his emphasis on Christian evangelical beliefs as a cornerstone to his election he will continue to be a leading candidate.  His religious beliefs will sustain him well in the primary elections but will be his undoing in a general election.

Mitt Romney is not a “Tea Party” Republican.  His more moderate views make him the best choice as the nominee to win in the general election.  However the passions of the right could result in half hearted support that will make re-election of Obama the likely outcome in November.

The Democrats couldn’t be happier!

Mitt Romney Offers a New Military Might

Mitt Romney is the best candidate the GOP now has to nominate for the presidency.  He is the least extreme and will be the most likely to appeal to independents that will be needed to win the office.

Why, then, did he call for 100,000 new troops to active personnel in the armed forces? He wanted to prove his military bona fides.    He obviously gave the speech in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina as a preliminary to his speech at The Citadel.  The Citadel is The Military College of South Carolina.

Interestingly he did not repeat his call for 100,000 new active military personnel at The Citadel.  Was that intentional?  Perhaps his initial presentation was a test to determine the acceptability of this idea. This country is having a hard time finding funds to pay for our current military endeavors so backing off from this proposal does make sense.  Furthermore where would these new troops come from?  Is Romney proposing a new military draft?  Everyone at The Citadel may favor a draft but it is unlikely that the general population would favor this idea.

You can read Romney’s speech posted by the Wall Street Journal here.  The military-industrial complex couldn’t be happier.  More weapons, more ships, more planes all mean more money for the defense contractors.  On top of that military expenditures are the one item that congressional Republicans will support no matter if it does take the nation further into debt.  The consequence would be the jobs created by a new surge of arms manufacturing.  Those jobs will be the
stimulus that will help bring the nation out of its funk.

So you see, the Republicans do have a plan to reinvigorate the economy.

James Carville is a Democratic strategist who also serves as a CNN political contributor. As Bill Clinton’s campaign manager came up with the slogan, “It’s the economy, stupid.” He recently spoke out about what President Obama should do about the curr.ent economic problems. Here is an excerpt of a column he wrote on the topic and a video interview he conducted on the subject. (He said some silly things in that column but what I’ve included from the column is the good stuff I think worth reviewing.)

“People often ask me what advice I would give the White House about various things. Today I was mulling over election results from New York and Nevada while thinking about that very question. What should the White House do now? One word came to mind: Panic.

We are far past sending out talking points. Do not attempt to dumb it down. We cannot stand any more explanations. Have you talked to any Democratic senators lately? I have. It’s pretty damn clear they are not happy campers.

This is what I would say to President Barack Obama: The time has come to demand a plan of action that requires a complete change from the direction you are headed…

Fire somebody. No — fire a lot of people. This may be news to you but this is not going well…

Mr. President, your hinge of fate must turn. Bill Clinton fired many people in 1994 and took a lot of heat for it. Reagan fired most of his campaign staff in 1980. Republicans historically fired their own speaker, Newt Gingrich. Bush fired Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld. For God’s sake, why are we still looking at the same political and economic advisers that got us into this mess? It’s not working.

Furthermore, it’s not going to work with the same team, the same strategy and the same excuses. I know economic analysts are smart — some work 17-hour days. It’s time to show them the exit. Wake up — show us you are doing something…”

This article from the Sacramento Bee confirms my belief that Americans want a new leader.

Field Poll: Californians sour on Obama

By David Siders

Published: Wednesday, Sep. 14, 2011

Even in heavily Democratic California, President Barack Obama’s job approval rating has plummeted among voters, largely on his handling of the economy, according to a new Field Poll.

Though Obama is strongly favored to win California in his re-election bid next year, the poll suggests many Democrats may vote for him only begrudgingly, and it is yet another indication of weakening support nationwide.

“When you’re seeing vulnerability in a state like California, I think that really is ominous for his national standing,” Field Poll director Mark DiCamillo said.

For the first time since Obama took office in 2009, less than half of California voters – 46 percent – approve of the job he is doing, just two percentage points more than disapprove, according to the poll.

Obama’s decline has been quick and widespread: As little as three months ago, his approval rating in California was 54 percent. Since June, his rating has suffered double-digit percentage drops among Democrats, nonpartisans, Central Valley residents, men, African Americans, Asian Americans and voters over 65.

It has fallen nearly 20 points since Field’s post-inaugural measure in March 2009 had him at 65 percent approval.

Though a plurality of Californians remain inclined to re-elect Obama, his margin is slimmer than before. Forty-nine percent of California voters are inclined to re-elect him, according to the poll, five percentage points more than are inclined not to.

via Field Poll: Californians sour on Obama – Sacramento Politics – California Politics | Sacramento Bee.

I watched about one half of the first GOP debate and honestly it was a bore.  The Mitt Romney/Rick Perry disagreements over job creation and Social Security were the only two disagreements that slightly stirred my attention.  Since there are at least two more GOP debates perhaps there will be something substantial spoken.  The Obama job creation speech, tonight, will giver GOP candidates some fodder to chew on.

Today’s latest BLS, Unemployment Insurance Weekly Claims Report, provided continuing disappointment along with a struggling stock market should give Republican candidates sufficient ammunition to continue their attacks on the Obama administration.