This and That

~ The debates mercifully are done --- for a while. Time to let the voting do the talking for now.

Voting in Florida is currently ongoing and a great deal of balloting has already occurred. Based on the two Florida debates Newt Gingrich has lost his strong lead versus Mitt Romney. The GOP establishment has fallen into line behind Romney.

Would a loss here bury Gingrich. I think not. A different approach will be necessary, to wit, no more Mr. Nice Guy. The new more feisty Romney has set the tone for now.

With the full court press executed by the GOP Romney needs to win convincingly or his anticipated victory will leave many questions unanswered. A couple of wild cards are how well Ron Paul and Rick Santorum will do. The key players are still Romney and Gingrich.

~  The latest Gross Domestic Report is just out and it ain't good. Real GDP increased 1.7 percent in 2011 , compared to an increase of 3.0 percent in 2010 last year. This has just got to be George Bush's fault.

~ He earns about trenty million a year. Yup, that's what the former Massachusetts Governor said in the debate. Anyone believe Mitt Romney is clueless about how his money is invested? Could I interest you in waters edge land along the Muddy River? Maybe his blind trust isn't so blind.

~ I thought modern luxury liners were un sinkable. Shucks, that's what they said about the Titanic. Galosh.

~ Another day, another great stimulus investment bites the dust. This one an electric car where we lost more than a hundred million smackeroos.

~ Do you recall the old question of whether you are better off than four years ago? Well......are you?

~ Guess who is getting married? None other than Barney Frank. His longtime partner  Jim Ready and Barney will tie the knot after a longtime relationship.

C ya tomorrow.

Ciao.......Moe

Another Debate Day

Here we go. Another day, another debate. No debate last night and I found myself lost, like a junky in need of a fix. We should get our fill tonight since Newt Gingrich should be loaded for bear. There will be audience participation unlike the sterile show Monday night. Because it will be the last for a few weeks it will be important for the candidates to make their points and make them memorable as well.  Unlike the sterile event we had Monday we will be treated to audience participation.

As an observer of this race nothing surprises me. A seriously anti Ronald Reagan person is now trying to make us think he was a Reagan backer back in the day. If  I've learned nothing else it is Mitt Romney has chutzpah. You see, the former Massachusetts governor was opposed to Dutch throughout his time in office from 1980 to 1988. In 1994, during his debate with Ted Kennedy and at other times during the senate race, Romney took umbrage at the suggestion he either supported or voted for Reagan. He made it clear in the gubernatorial debate he was not a "Reagan Republican".

The anti conservative sentiments expressed by Romney continued into and throughout his race for governor.

A friend recently disagreed with me that Romney is and in reality always has been a liberal by citing Romney's Mormonism, as though all Mormons are conservative. Nothing could be further from the truth. May I remind you uber-liberal senator Harry Reid of Nevada is a devout Mormon.

In terms of one's religion and politics, a religious affiliation tells us little or nothing about a person's politics. The above mentioned Ted Kennedy and I are/were Catholic. Teddy was almost as liberal as Mitt while I am an adherent of Barry Goldwater and Ronald Reagan.

It took me longer to get to this than I expected. Mitt Romney is and has always been a liberal, plain and simple. No, that's not a sin, it's just a fact. If Romney can carry out this charade what will be electing, a committed liberal or a newly minted conservative? What are Romney's true political leanings? His record says a strong leftward tilt.

Watch tonight's debate, we may be treated to some interesting fireworks.

Ciao.......Moe

This and That

~ In the do as I say category, Mr. Big Heart B. Obama gave a whopping piece of his income to charity, 1%. Romney 15%. How about Loose Lips Biden, 350 bucks.

~ An item inn the Washington Times sends up a red flag:

"Warren Buffet, whom President Obama likes to cite as a fair-minded billionaire while arguing for higher taxes on the wealthy, stands to benefit from the president’s decision to reject the Keystone XL oil pipeline permit."

A you scratch my back and I'll scratch yous proposition.

~ Economics 101..... If you want to kill investment push up the cost of doing business by increasing the penalty for making successful investments. By increasing the capital gains tax to thirty percent you will achieve that goal and drive capital out of the country. Good going Barry.

~ Various news sources are reporting the Post Office will lay off more than a quarter million people. The check is in the mail....Hmmmmmmm.

~ Mitch Daniels looked very presidential in delivering the response to the State of the Union.

~ The words of Ronald Reagan rang true last night --- 'the more the plans fails the more the planners plan."

~ Rasmussen says Gingrich leads 35-26 in Florida. That makes tomorrow's debate a very important item on the road to the nomination. This vote shapes up to be a back breaker for Mitt Romney. A loss here where he has led by as much as 15% would mean he will need to wait nearly a month before evening the score. A Gingrich win would affirm the South Carolina results and gave him time to fund rise and organize for the all important next few primaries, especially Super Tuesday.

~ In the "good news" department, Michelle Bachman will run for a fourth term as a congresswoman from Minnesota. Some of us are pleased she will remain in the Republican spotlight.

~ Gabrielle Giffords said goodbye to the House of Representatives today. It is sad not only because Giffords seems to have been an ethical representative and a decent person but because a two bit punk could dictate to a great country who will represent the people. Assassins bullets have changed the course of our government be it Abe Lincoln or Jack Kennedy and others.

The punk who shot Giffords should never see the light of freedom ever, not even for a minute. The only justice for her assassin is execution. There were a number of people killed that day and but for the Grace of God  the congresswoman was spared.

Anything less than death would be a disgrace to justice.

 

C ya tomorrow.

Ciao.......Moe

Do politicians lie???????

You bet your boots they do. Which ones??? All.....(maybe most...)

Are they all alike? No, some tell little white lies, some have a habit of inflating their importance while some lie for the sake of it. The worst types do it to gain favor and an "edge" versus their opponents. Vladimir Lenin pushed the idea to tell a lie so big enough that no one would believe it is a lie.

We've had an opportunity to observe some of our candidates for president. All but one lies. All are good at it and have the capacity of doing it with a straight face. Of our current crop of candidates Ron Paul stands alone as a truth teller. I've not caught him in a bold faced lie. He in some ways is close to pure as any candidate could be. On domestic matters he is a straight arrow and could make a fine president. On foreign affairs he could place us in serious jeopardy thus causing me to cross him off our list possible votes come Election Day.

I had the pleasure to introduce him at Faneuil Hall in Boston when he ran for president in as a Libertarian in 1988. To say the lease I like Ron Paul allot. His son Rand, Senator from Tennessee is a chip off the old block. I'd love to have Ron as my congressman and Rand as my senator.

However I cannot vote for Dr. Paul for president because of his foreign policy stands. Frankly it pains me to say that. His candidacy brings allot to the debate for president and for that I am grateful the old warrior is making one final run.

That brings us to three men from which to choose. The biggest surprise of the bunch is Rick Sasntorum. In this corner the thinking was the former senator had played out the string in the Iowa caucus. He beat Mitt Romney and exposed Mitt's Achilles heal, something he has yet to overcome.

Ole Mitt usually does not lie or dirty his hands in the fray. Four years ago he played the role of Saint Mitt and allowed his surrogates to sully the reputations of his opponents. When the chips were down in '08 he rolled up his sleeves and dug up mud to fling and did so with a broad grin. No remorse. So much for his religious piety.

Romney seems like a man with little basic street instincts or common sense. Do you remember his taking the family dog for multi hundred mile trip--- on the roof of the car? At first the story seems funny but I doubt the Romney family pooch saw the same humor. It must have been like a scene out of the movie Family Vacation.

One other thing about old Mitt. He's no conservative. He didn't even vote for Ronald Reagan and bragged about it during his debate with Ted Kennedy in 1994, the same year he refused to sign the Contract with America. There is no instance in his history of giving anyone a sense he ever entertained a conservative thought in his life before deciding to run for president.

In baseball there is an old adage about some 'fancy dan' ball players that they talk a good game. I can't say that about Romney. He doesn't even seriously stake out conservative positions.

Romney is only one more entry of the establishment wing of the GOP. Ole' Mitt is a conservative pretender.

This gets us to Mistah Speekah, Newt Gingrich.

Is he pure? I doubt it. Frankly he has always had a bit of the rogue in him. I suspect he would accept that characterization.

First his weakness. He was the consummate arm twister and showed a propensity of living and working close to the edge. Newt is an old fashioned arm twister. Arm twisters make enemies. In his four year speakership he made plenty of enemies. I understand there was a run on steel toed shoes while he was speaker. because he didn't shy away from stepping on toes. Sort of a throwback to previous speakers. Tip O'Neill for example was no shrinking violet. Ditto for the fabled Joe Martin (1940s from Massachusetts).

Gingrich's personal life is a fertile hunting ground for any character assassin. While he has had three wives, he says he has found God and turned to religion for strength. He is now a practicing Catholic who has made his peace with the Almighty. Is he telling the truth? Your guess is as good as mine. What's the old saw let he who is without sin throw the first boulder. Sinner take my sinner's hand.

Gingrich is a throwback to another era. As president he could be another Teddy Roosevelt, at least the TR of his time as president. Hard right conservative? No. Certainly a solid record however. Gingrich strikes me as being a pragmatist not wedded to a particular orthodoxy.

Can Newt Gingrich, baggage and all be elected president? I don't know. One thing is for sure, the old rules are out the window. We no longer have to kiss the posteriors of a few big publishers or TV networks. The Internet and Cable TV have changed the entire scene and it seems Gingrich has learned how to navigate in these unchartered waters.

Could we envision Newt Gingrich as the President of the United States? Sure, why not.

Last night's debate was a draw at worst for the Speaker. The next debate should be telling. It may be the turning point for the rest of the campaign.

Time for a nap. C ya tomorrow.

Ciao…….Moe

This and That.......

~ It's the New England Patriots and the New Jersey Giants in the Super Bowl......again.....bring it on.

~ The owners of the Costa Concordia demonstrated a sincere concern for their customers by offering a discount on future trips with them. Bets are good there's not a rush to the ticket window.

~ We have a sinking feeling the situation with Iran is worsening rather than being resolved. Letting this get out of control could lead to a shut down of the Straights of Hormuz. Iran's Mullahs are nutty enough to bring everyone down with them in one glorious ball of fire.

~ Headline in this morning's Drudge Report - NEWT EATS THE PRESS...... Gotta love it.

~ President Obama said in a statement the Supreme Court's decision in Roe v. Wade makes it clear that the government "should not intrude on private of family matters. That's Obama Speak for allowing abortion as a means for freeing up our daughters from the scourge of pregnancy by converting their own body to become the death chamber of their babies. The president has such a way with words.

~ We just bought our soda and popcorn in preparation for tonight's latest GOP presidential debate. I'm beginning to like this stuff --- great entertainment.

~ Representative Gabrielle Giffords announced on her face book page Sunday that she will resign from the congress this week. It's a shame she is stepping down. It's a shame for her and her district she will take this action but the people of her district have a right to full-time representation. It further shame that a pinhead could do the harm he did. We wish her the best in whatever she chooses to do. God Bless her.

~ Is the occupy Wall Street crowd planning a Spring Offensive? We bet they will try. Something tells us we'll be better prepared this time. Maybe we should present them with a bill for repairs and cleanup costs before they are allowed to "occupy" again.

~ Very funny line in Newsmax --- "A U.S. aircraft carrier sailed through the Strait of Hormuz and into the Gulf without incident on Sunday, a day after Iran backed away from an earlier threat to take action if an American carrier returned to the strategic waterway." Even the nutty leaders of Iran don't believe Allah could stop a carrier. Sort of like a like a mouse attacking a cat's tail.

~ Crazy thought for today --- How long before BHO takes credit for approving the Keystone project? The pressure from the labor unions is intensifying. When the Obama spine turns to mush (it's just a matter of time) he'll cave. When he caves he'll blather about with something like he was only concerned with public safety. Yuck, yuck, yuck.

~ Is it the end of the line for the Celtics' big three? The team looks slow and disorganized. Could it be the end of the road for Paul Pierce, Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett? The short time they were together they gave us many "Celtics" moments. Could they put together a serious run? Maybe, we can hope.

C ya tomorrow.

Ciao.......Moe

Good Morning.......

If your name is Newt it is a very good morning indeed.

I won't try to bore you with data and the like about yesterday's rout, the numbers speak for themselves. Heck Mr. Speekah even won the married woman's vote. If yesterday's action was a boxing match the fight would have ended after the first round with Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Utah mauler spread out on the canvas. One solid right hand punch did it. It was then tweetie birds and stars. There was little punch in Romney's mit(t).

Ron Paul heads for caucus states while the star gazer, Newt and the coal miner's son head to Florida.

Mitt has Romney on the ropes and this becomes a "must win" situation for him. Another Gingrich rout and it's back to the boardroom for Romney.

If I were to be calling the shots for the Gingrich campaign I'd privately be helping Rick Santorum stay in the race. That allows those voters who need more convincing Gingrich is the real ticket to ride a neutral place to park their votes without the need to hold their collective noses to vote Romney.

Another good reason to keep Santorum in the race is he could be an excellent choice for vice president. Sure there are some super stars Gingrich could select such as Florida's Senator Marco Rubio, but Santorum has developed a reputation as a straight shooter and would likely be a bulldog as a veep candidate. Besides, who would you bet on in a veep debate with Joe Biden. That fight might need to be stopped in the first round....TKO for Santorum.

Gingrich-Santorum? Yup, we could handle that.

Ciao.......Moe

Barry and Nelson Redux.......

I cut my teeth in politics for the first time in 1952 when I was ten. My dad ran for the state senate from Fall River, Massachusetts. That year he lost 55/45 in a 10 to one Democrat district. Republicans customarily lost there by 9 and 10 to one margins. Even the fabled Joe Martin, then US Speaker of the House, lost in the city though he carried the congressional district because the suburbs in the region were heavily Republican.

 

In that same year (1952) Dwight Eisenhower visited Fall River and I got to ride in an open car with the then future president along with my Dad. It was a heady experience for a young boy. Dad had run for the state senate in 1948 and 1950 as well and had about the same results. After that the dye was cast.

 

My early experience in political life was normal. A young boy with his heart in baseball and not politics was the order of the time. Baseball now coexists with my interest in politics. As time went on my love affair with first the Boston Braves and then the Red Sox was cemented while my political orientation came on more slowly.

 

1960 was a real challenge because most of my friends were in support of John Kennedy for president. I was hooked on Richard Nixon. None of that mattered since in 1960 neither me or my pals could vote anyway (the lowering of the voting age to 18 had not yet happened.

 

By 1964 I had finally come of voting age. Like this year, 1964 was a seminal year. Initially the race for president occupied my thoughts. Early on I had decided not to vote for Lyndon Johnson. The remaining choices were limited. There was Henry Cabot Lodge, Margaret Chase Smith, the venerable Harold Stassen who was a perennial presidential candidate, Nelson Rockefeller and ultimately Barry Goldwater who challenged the GOP status quo.

 

Goldwater's nomination came against the entire GOP establishment. It was known not so fondly as the Eastern Establishment. My understanding is the so called establishment peaked in 1948 with the nomination of New York Governor Thomas Dewey. It was the precursor of the of the current GOP division of which Mitt Romney is the current representative of the establishment. The establishment is neither liberal or conservative. I can't describe what it is with any certainty. The former Massachusetts governor has been running for president since 1994 when he was an extreme liberal. I suspect he feels he has a date with destiny going back to his father's failed attempt in 1968.

 

George Romney was always bitter because the question of his foreign birth (in Mexico) was a dis qualifier from the mandatory "native born" admonition of the US Constitution.

 

Thanks to the efforts of the current inhabitant of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue the 2012 election shapes up as possibly the most important election of my lifetime. We are at a crossroad.

 

Until the last few days I was unsure of who to go with for president. Romney has only one qualification for president, to wit, he is not Obama. Would Romney be better than the current White House occupant. Yes, by all means. If Barrack Obama is a broken leg then Romney would be a sprained ankle.

 

If not Romney then who? A personal acquaintance Ron Paul is probably the cleanest and most honest of the bunch, however age and positions on some foreign policy matters will keep him from a serious chance at the nomination.

 

Well then, how about Rick Santorum? He's not a bad choice but the question is whether he can put on a national race. My guess is no.

 

How about the bruised and bloodied Newt Gingrich. Three wives not withstanding he could be the best chance of electing a committed conservative to the presidency.

 

So there we are with choices, none of which are perfect.

 

Then again I am reminded Ronald Reagan was divorced and remarried, Jack Kennedy had a gaggle of beauties wearing out the entry mat at the White House and when I traveled the East Coast many many establishments gleefully pronounced "Washington slept here".

 

So now all eyes are on South Carolina. A solid Gingrich win could set the stage for a marathon.`A poor performance could spell doom for Rick Santorum.

 

Voting has been going on for a few days so far and the effect of Gingrich's drubbing of Romney in the debates in Carolina will not be reflected in Florida.

 

The polls close in a couple of hours in The Palmetto State and the race to the nomination will get very serious.

 

Have a good weekend

Ciao.......Moe