I missed the GOP debate last night. Like any good grandfather, I was watching X-Men: First Class with my grandson. I have watched most of the snooze-fest this morning. (CNN has everything that you ever wanted to know about this debate.) Here are a few of my observations:
Michele Bachmann, in spite of her years in the House, will self-destruct. You have to be patient and wait for it. She will say something so outlandish that it will cause almost everybody to the left of Attila the Hun to recoil. We also need to recognize that she will raise a ton of money.
Herman Cain did a terrible job of trying to explain his Muslim phobia. I don’t understand how you can say in a national forum that you’re going to actively discriminate against a group of people because of their religion. It doesn’t make sense. It is racist discrimination based on religion which really isn’t any better than discrimination based on race.
Former Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty had an opportunity to stand up and back up what he’s been saying on the trail about Mitt Romney. He has been taking swipes at Mitt Romney over the health-care policy that he implemented in Massachusetts. He tried to soften his language. That was an opportunity for him to show that he was a fighter and would stand up for what he has said on the trail but he wimped out.
Mitt Romney appears to be running the same campaign he ran last time. It is kind of a variation on the George Bush campaign model. Stand tall, smile and don’t say much.
What did you think of the debate?
Update: Here’s what I was looking for. The meat of the debate – jobs and the economy.
What the heck are these guys saying? Cut taxes – we did this during the Bush administration. It didn’t help the middle class at all. Cut capital gains taxes. How does this put money in the pocket of the average American? How? We have cut capital gains twice in the last 15 years. If this magic bullet were truly magic why didn’t it prevent the crash of 2007-2008? Republicans continue to believe that cutting the capital gains taxes for the rich will increase government tax revenue but that hasn’t happened before. These Republicans are simply serving up huge helpings of Reagonomics. This is the same old drill-baby-drill that we have all heard before. The middle class didn’t benefit under Reagan/Bush I/Bush II. The Center for Budget and Policy Priorities revealed that a cut in capital gains taxes (back in 2006) would benefit the average the American by pouring a whopping $11 in his/her pocket every year. (You and a buddy can have a quarter pounder with cheese meal with the benefits of cutting the capital gains taxes.) Not one of these guys has a proposal that will help the middle class. Not one. That’s the take home message from this debate. The Republicans are more that happy to shower money on the rich but only $11 for you and me.
So the important stuff. How was the new X-men movie? I saw the new Pirates movie and it was better than the last but not the first.
Just wondering when the candidates step out of the running what happens to the money they have raised? Do they get to keep it for themselves and if they do then wouldn’t you think they would jump in just to get the money?
for the most part, most candidates get out of the race because they are out of money. in theory candidates can’t put campaign moolah into their own pockets. They can roll the money into a PAC if i’m not mistaken. let me look into this and get back to you.
Thanks for your question.
If you are an X-men fan, this is a GREAT movie. I really enjoyed the movie. I don’t think that the movie is really good for 7 year olds. It isn’t fast paced enjoy and there was too much plot development for a 7 yo but for a 10 yo or adult it was great.
Thank you because Trump started up and then quit so the money that was put into to his fund I wonder what happens to it.
Okay here’s the update (from FactCheck.org) – As Bob Biersack from the Federal Election Commission points out, most candidates don’t have much left over to begin with. Campaigning is expensive, and “leftover” money gets used for bills and debts first, including expenses incurred while winding down an abandoned campaign or a lost political office.
Candidates do sometimes end up with surplus funds, though, particularly if they’re incumbent members of Congress who decide not to run for another term. State and local governments have their own rules, but those running for federal office — including presidential candidates — must abide by strict FEC guidelines when it comes to their extra campaign money. They can donate an unlimited amount to a charity or political party. They can also, within limits, make contributions directly to other candidates. A campaign committee can give up to $2000 per election to each candidate. If the committee is converted into a political action committee, the limit jumps to $5000 – but to be established as a PAC, the committee would have to be in existence for six months, receive contributions from 50 donors, and make contributions to five recipients.
What candidates can’t do with leftover money is use it for personal expenses. Retiring federal lawmakers used to be able to pocket extra cash and use it for cars, vacations, clothes, pet grooming, whatever — but that changed in 1989 with the passage of the Ethics Reform Act.
http://www.factcheck.org/askfactcheck/print_what_happens_to_a_candidates_leftover_campaign.html
I hope this answers your question.
I would just like to mention that hating on Muslims is not racist. It’s a faith-based discrimination. I agree with the rest of your points though.
You are exactly right. thanks for pointing that out.
Yep thank you. I was just wondering because Trump and Palin seem to be in it for the publicity. Not actually entering the race but forming exploritory committees and raise money and then say nope don’t want to do it. Utah the candidates could use the money as they saw fit after they quit office. I think they changed it somewhat.
Uh, it’s pretty common for many candidates to test the waters, by doing exactly what you are describing. Perfectly legal, and very standard. It would not make sense to not be allowed to do that, as that would force people to make an all-or-nothing decision without nearly the necessary information to make that decision.
Yes, and Reaganomics was the greatest period of wealth creation in world history. So I am all for that.
Anything and everything Obama is doing has totally, completely and utterly failed.
what do you think McCain Palin would have done except invade Iran. Just wondering what you think we would be doing now?
nothing can be further from the truth. Let me say it again just so that you can understand, nothing can be further from the truth. Yes, Reagan did create a few gazillionaires. The average American make more money under Bill Clinton. Look it up. There were more millionaires created under Bill Clinton. The average standard of living rose more under Bill Clinton than under Ronald Reagan. So, if you for second class, go on with your bad self.
Let’s see, our economy was shedding jobs at a rate of over 600,000 per month, now the economy is making jobs. How is this a failure? The president said that he would turn this economy around and that the economy would start making jobs. He did this. Is the economy is good as we would like? No. Did the president want to do more and was blocked by Republicans – yes. The reality is that you hate president Obama. You hated him before he came into office and therefore even if he excreted gold bricks, you would still hate him. Your input on the current president is completely worthless because of your visceral hatred of this president.
Thanks for your comments.
McCain and Palin would’ve instituted huge tax cuts for the rich. (look at Tim Pawlenty’s plan or Mitt’s.) We would’ve all gotten some rebate of $250. We would’ve been told to be happy with the billions of dollars that were spent “stimulating the economy.” we would’ve been told that times are hard and we need to accept a higher unemployment level. That is the world which Republicans would’ve given us and will give us in 2012.
Thanks for your comments.
Bud- I believe our economy grew most during the Clinton years. And are you supporting all the times Reagan raised taxes? Errington is completely correct- the endless Republican mantra of “cut taxes, cut taxes, cut taxes” hasn’t improved anything for middle- and lower-class Americans other than the pride we can feel over carrying increasing shares of the national tax burden. Personally, I don’t take much pride in that. I pay taxes without the loopholes the super-rich take advantage of and I don’t squawk about paying them. It is the responsibility of each of us to support the common good (even when we don’t directly benefit) and to help those in need. While I’m no Christian scholar (or a Christian) I refer those on the Right to Mathew chapter 7- the Sermon on the Mount. Unless you’re very wealthy yourself you are advocating against your own best interests; perhaps you might examine that. Your generalization regarding OUR President’s record is absurd, and doesn’t at all show the insight and thought I look forward to in your posts. It’s a comment not worthy of you.
But didn’t he do this by deregulation of the credit card industry and the loan industries? These types of businesses boomed in the nineties and then they all jumped ship a decade later to cause the crash of the late 2000’s.
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Bill clinton was a very bright man. I agree the economy was better. But i regret that he signed the free trade and our businesses started leaving. At the same time we started a war soon after that noone could forsee the cause coming ( bombings). I liked bill clinton. But i think he might agree in hindsight that one thing might have been a bad idea. We cant survive as a consumer only economy. Our economy boom was created by having income to spend…. income from working and making things. Production!. I think obama is doing as good as can be expected. He took on mamy tough issues in a society that thinks they should all own everything and do nothing for it. Some of society is becoming lazy and needs a good old fashion whooping for motivation to do something other than drugs and live off of the working people. Dont tax us more so u can be lazier. I work hard for my salary and put in years of school . Which i worked to pay for.. .. just my personal thoughts.
I agree you have to like the comics and he story behind xmen and xavier. I enjoyed it. Wolverine was a great movie as well.