Jeb Bush and Multiculturalism

Most nations in the world reject multiculturalism. Even in Canada they have decided to define Quebec as the French speaking, French oriented province while the rest of the country speaks English and is oriented towards the UK.

CNN reported that Jeb Bush argued today that the United States is “creeping toward multiculturalism” and described it as “the wrong approach.”

But Bush, who’s fluent in Spanish and lives in Miami, has made cultural diversity a key staple in his campaign. He routinely talks about his wife, who’s from Mexico, and the “bicultural” children that they’ve raised together. On Monday, while addressing the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce in Houston, Bush lauded the country’s mixture of cultural backgrounds, saying the immigrant experience adds a “vitality that is different and unique and extraordinary for our country.”

So what is Jeb Bush’s real opinion? At this point in the race to win the GOP nomination I am guessing that his words today, Tuesday, are meant to win the Conservative vote in Iowa.

His real problem is that his desire to win the nomination has made him turn and twist as Mitt Romney did in 2012. We all know how that worked out. No one believed him in the race against Obama and the loss that year was overwhelming.

No matter who the Democratic nominee is; Jeb as the GOP candidate, will face the argument that he does not have a clear reliable opinion and cannot be trusted on any issue. The Democrats are collecting the words of every GOP candidate and will be using them after the conventions in 2016. Hillary couldn’t be happier.

Democrat and Republican Race to the Bottom

It continues to astonish me that the leading candidates for president, according to recent polls, are a group of people who were rejected for the job either four or eight years ago. Finally one commentator has had the courage to state the obvious. Eugene Robinson wrote in the Washington Post that the race is devolving into a contest of re-treads. “In a nation of more than 310 million souls, we can do better.”

Robinson is so right. Mitt Romney is pitching for donors as Hillary Clinton seems to have the Democratic Party nomination secured without one primary election.

It is a contest of shopworn seniors who have more to say about what they have done than what they are likely to do. Of course they will try to tell us that they still have lots of new ideas. Romney will now be concerned about the 47% and Clinton will have fresh ideas to counter terrorism and enabling middle eastern country partners and their people. Are we to believe that Hillary Clinton, one of the leading advocates for toppling Muammar Gaddafi, has a new understanding of Middle East issues and really has any new ideas?

The problem is the political parties. The power structure in both parties defines the likely nominees. It seems our choices will be either Jeb Bush or Mitt Romney for the Republicans and Hillary Clinton for the Democrats. We will hold our noses as we go to the polls; knowing we could do better.

Russia Resuming Cold War Behavior

President Obama belittled Mitt Romney for his prediction over the course of the 2012 campaign, Romney repeatedly called Russia “our number one geopolitical foe.” Then came this debate confrontation.

Now in response to NATO’s “anti-Russia inclinations,” the Kremlin will resume its Cold War-era practice of sending long-range bombers to patrol the western Atlantic and eastern Pacific. The flights, which will extend to the borders of U.S. territorial waters, follow a markedly more aggressive air defense posture by Russia in the eight months since it seized and annexed Ukraine’s Crimea region in March, according to European strategic analysts.

Newsweek reports:
“Russia has announced plans to build a drone base for military reconnaissance in a town just 420 miles off mainland Alaska and just over 300 miles off the US state’s St Lawrence Island, Russia’s state news agency reported on Thursday.”

“The command of the eastern military district in charge of the military development of the Arctic zone has moved forward with plans to form an unmanned aerial vehicle division,” Alexandr Gordeev, spokesperson for the district said.”

Hungarian leadership is now saying that it feels a kinship with Russia. Russian speaking Latvians are leaning towards Russia. Russia does not need to be communist to stand as the opposition to western style democracy. Mikhail Gorbachev recently warned of a renewal of the Cold War.

Barack Obama as leader of a new Cold War is very frightening. I am looking forward to a new tough American leader.

They’re Back!

Hillary Clinton appeared in Iowa this past week and used the words “I’m back!” Mitt Romney appeared on Fox News Sunday. Neither has said they are running for president. Are they doing these reappearances just for fun? It’s unlikely.

Both of them had their chance to run for president and both lost. Why would we want to consider the loser as our next president? Richard Nixon proved that it can be done. Of course look at how his presidency turned out.

AOL conducted a poll of their readers and the results should be a message to both of them. Who would you pick for president in 2016? The choices Romney, Clinton, or Anyone else. The results should be the message. 61% chose Anyone else.

“In a match up between Hillary and Satan himself, I would have to go with Satan,” said Stacy Marston reports AOL.

Despite those cutting words it is obvious that Mrs. Clinton is planning another run for president. No one of consequence is likely to challenge her in the Democratic Party. Sorry Bernie Sanders.

With no clear front runner in the GOP, Mitt Romney is an odds on favorite in my view.

The question is who wants re-runs?

I believe both of them consider themselves able candidates for president. Are we likely to have a choice of “the lesser of two evils.” I fear the answer is yes.

One More Reason There is a Federal Government

Those in the path of Hurricane Sandy should be grateful that Mitt Romney was not elected president. Last year Mr. Romney pledged that if elected he would shrink the deficit by axing FEMA and handing the responsibility of disasters over to the states and local governments.

During a CNN debate at the height of the GOP primary, Mitt Romney was asked, in the context of the Joplin disaster and FEMA’s cash crunch, whether the agency should be shuttered so that states can individually take over responsibility for disaster response.

“Absolutely,” he said. “Every time you have an occasion to take something from the federal government and send it back to the states, that’s the right direction. And if you can go even further, and send it back to the private sector, that’s even better. Instead of thinking, in the federal budget, what we should cut, we should ask the opposite question, what should we keep?”

“Including disaster relief, though?” debate moderator John King asked Romney.

“We cannot — we cannot afford to do those things without jeopardizing the future for our kids,” Romney replied. “It is simply immoral, in my view, for us to continue to rack up larger and larger debts and pass them on to our kids, knowing full well that we’ll all be dead and gone before it’s paid off. It makes no sense at all.”

The Los Angeles Times is reporting today that New Jersey Governor Chris Christie is planning to ask the federal government to pay 90% of the associated costs. Those costs are estimated to be in the billions of dollars. They are already at $20 billion. New York officials have indicated they will seek more than $30 billion in federal aid.

It is unlikely that any state could handle the costs of devastating climatic or geological occurrence. Think Hurricane Sandy, Hurricane Katrina, and the Northridge Earthquake.

If we are the United States we come together to help those in need. This is just one of the many reasons Americans re-elected Barack Obama.

Romney the Pathetic

A pathetic phone call from Mitt Romney to his donors was reported tonight by the Los Angeles Times. The Republicans decried class warfare but they know that it is a fight between the rich and poor. Mr. Romney didn’t consider some other factors like women’s rights, the snuffing of the middle class, and his constant calls for armed confrontation with every foreign adversary. There were many other issues that put both Romney and Ryan on the side of a minority group.

“The Obama campaign was following the old playbook of giving a lot of stuff to groups that they hoped they could get to vote for them and be motivated to go out to the polls, specifically the African American community, the Hispanic community and young people,” Romney told hundreds of donors during a telephone town hall Wednesday. “In each case they were very generous in what they gave to those groups.”

Romney’s frank analysis echoed his secretly taped comments at a May fundraiser, where he told a small group of donors that 47% of the electorate was unlikely to vote for him because they paid no income taxes and were dependent on government. It followed his running mate Paul D. Ryan‘s assertion that Obama’s win stemmed from turnout among “urban” voters.

“With regards to African American voters, ‘Obamacare‘ was a huge plus — and was highly motivational to African American voters. You can imagine for somebody making $25—, or $30—, or $35,000 a year, being told you’re now going to get free healthcare — particularly if you don’t have it, getting free healthcare worth, what, $10,000 a family, in perpetuity, I mean this is huge. Likewise with Hispanic voters, free healthcare was a big plus.”

Happpily other Republicans quickly denounced the comments, including Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal and Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker, who were in Las Vegas for a meeting of the Republican Governors Association.

“We have got to stop dividing American voters,” Jindal said. “I absolutely reject that notion, that description. … We’re fighting for 100 percent of the vote.”

Washington Post’s Chris Cillizza says: “This won’t help the GOP’s efforts to win over minority voters, especially given Romney’s past “47 percent” comments. And the fact that Jindal and Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker (R) so quickly denounced Romney suggests party heavyweights are ready for the Romney chapter to be over.”

If All Else Fails Use Fear

Sorry Mitt, the electoral map shows it’s all over but the shouting. I hope!

I find this truly depressing. Mitt Romney has resorted to fear to obtain a win. It’s not a new idea.

The NRA has successfully used fear to promote a high level of gun sales during the past four years. That organization has warned its members that Obama has plans to stop all gun sales and confiscate your guns. The reality is there has not been any gun legislation suggested by the administration. No new controls were suggested after the Gabrielle Giffords shooting nor any other shooting.

The Huffington Post reported “Mitt Romney’s campaign, in a last-minute robocall, warns voters that “President Barack Obama is hostile to the Christian faith.”

If that isn’t enough AP reports tonight “Mitt Romney warned Friday that re-electing his Democratic opponent would threaten another government shutdown and national default.” This was part of his presentation in front of more than 18,000 people in suburban Cincinnati.

So my question is if elected president will he use fear to obtain congressional support for the things he wants? You know, things like war with Iran, an extra $2 trillion dollars for the defense budget, the tax cuts he wants, and the reason we should not give any attention to global warming.

I guess I won’t have to hold my nose. Romney has made it easier for me to cast my ballot for Barack Obama.

Presidential Debate One Goes to Mitt Romney

Even before tonight’s presidential debate was over I knew that Mitt Romney had won. He strongly stated the case that Barack Obama had spent too much time on health care when jobs were the issue facing many Americans.

Romney’s ideas for creating jobs are full of holes. However, he emphasized that he could provide the stimulus to create 12 million jobs in his first four years as president. The president had no response.

The reporters and commentators on CNN agree with my assessment. James Carville was part of the CNN panel and he too agreed that Romney was the winner.

This does not mean that Romney will win the election. It does give the Republicans confidence that their man can win the White House.

Why I believe Mitt Romney Will Win the Election

Are Americans stupid or just plain desperate?

I have never voted for a Republican for president. I could not discern the differences between Richard Nixon and Hubert Humphrey in the first time I voted. I was correct in saying there was little to differentiate the two. Nixon imposed price controls on the economy and that was a decidedly Democratic Party kind of regulation. Richard Nixon supported a national health care plan that the Democrats refused to support.

Now we have Mitt Romney promising to “create 12 million new jobs over the next four years.” He won’t tell us how that will be done. Without the details his words are meaningless. However, Americans are desperate for a recovery so they will buy his promise.

Americans vote for the person who can offer us the promise we want to hear. Proof? “Hope and Change” but no details enabled Barack Obama to win the election four years ago.

Despite the poll trends, I believe Romney will win. It will be mostly about those jobs and the economy. He won’t win CA, NY, IL or MA. He will win a majority in the battleground states.

The result will be that four years from now we will vote for the Democratic challenger.

The Real Mitt Romney

Wow!

Mother Jones magazine obtained this video clip. It tells what Mitt Romney thinks about 47% of us.

Responding to a question from a donor about how he could triumph in November, Romney replied:

There are 47 percent of the people who will vote for the president no matter what. All right, there are 47 percent who are with him, who are dependent upon government, who believe that they are victims, who believe the government has a responsibility to care for them, who believe that they are entitled to health care, to food, to housing, to you-name-it. That that’s an entitlement. And the government should give it to them. And they will vote for this president no matter what…These are people who pay no income tax.

Romney went on: “[M]y job is is not to worry about those people. I’ll never convince them they should take personal responsibility and care for their lives.”

How stupid can this man be?

As reported by the Associated Press;

According to the TaxPolicyCenter study, 38 million — half of those who owe no federal income taxes — escape owing money to the IRS because their income is too low. For them, merely using the standard deduction, personal exemptions and other basic parts of the tax code allow them to avoid income taxes.

Overall, 93 percent of those who owe no federal income taxes earn $50,000 annually or less. But 5 percent of them earn $50,000 to $100,000 and the rest — around 430,000 nonpayers — earn more than $100,000 annually. That includes 4,000 households earning more than $1 million a year, thanks largely to tax exempt interest, reduced rates on capital gains and dividends and other deductions.

This entire event is not going to derail the Romney campaign. Obama made his remarks about some people clinging to their guns in 2008 and it made little impact on his win – but we all know what he really believes and that comment will have an impact on this election.

The question is: what does Romney stand for and what would he do as president? Unless he can provide convincing answers his chances to win the election are considerably diminished.