Archive → March, 2011
Herman Cain firebrands his way into the ring
Herman Cain, a popular columnist, businessman, political activist and talk-radio host has formed an exploratory committee to gauge interest in a possible 2012 run at the GOP presidential nomination. Cain, no shrinking violet, is an outspoken conservative who launched his potential campaign by saying the liberal media is “scared a real black man” might run against President Obama.
I wouldn’t want to take out a personal loan against Cain’s appeal, but as he’s held no elected office before, I’d gauge his 2012 changes to be, well, not as strong as many others. At least not for the top of the ticket.
However, if some other strong conservative GOP candidate came along and teamed up with Cain as a running mate? His public speaking skills and no-nonsense style could make him particularly effective. Just imagine the conundrum the Democrats would find themselves in if they faced the prospect of a Palin-Cain ticket in 2012, or even a Walker-Cain ticket, Christie-Cain ticket, or Rubio-Cain ticket. Even a Bachmann-Cain ticket holds potential appeal.
With Cain’s oratorical skills and his masterful understanding of conservative principles, he’s make anyone an effective apologist for the GOP cause.
Not only would the conservative value of such tickets stand several notches above 2008′s McCain-Palin ticket, but I just can’t imagine Joe Biden even wanting to risk a debate with him.
The oddest thing
OK, this is going to be more of an aside from my usual politics-centered entries, but I’d like to talk for a bit about an experience I’ve had with my wife of late.
My wife has really sensitive skin. As such, there’s very little in the way of lotions, creams, conditioners and makeup that works for her. Her skin reacts to it, especially when wheat is involved because of her wheat gluten allergy.
But we’ve found one type of natural makeup that seems to work for her. The type she responds well to are those using mud from the floor of the Dead Sea.
It’s odd how it’s used; you rub it in just like any other mud-mask, but then you use a magnet (included) to lift all the dirt away. All that’s left behind, when done properly, are the pure minerals and oils abundant in that water.
It’s one of the few things that works for her. Oddest thing.
GOP House, White House far apart on budget
The White House is claiming a budget that proposes spending cuts – they say – that consist of $51 billion less in spending in 2011. The House GOP’s budget proposes over $102 billion. So that’s not bad; at least the White House is only half-way to the GOP proposal, right?
Well, newsflash, both budgets are lying. They reach those totals by including a proposed $40.8 billion thanks to a spending freeze. Only trouble is, that money was not close to being spent; it was “built-in spending increases” due to the “cost of inflation.” Because Washington doesn’t do zero-baseline budgeting like normal Americans; they assume everything they spent last year will be spent again, plus more for “inflation.”
So all that’s being truly cut is the so-called “inflation adjustment” increase. But it’s not real money, so it doesn’t count.
Between Harry Reid’s Senate plan and the White House, the Democats came up with only $10.5 billion in additional cuts. That’s nothing compared to the cuts the GOP-led House came up with; subtract the same $40.8 billion in fake spending cuts from their budget, and you are left with savings of $61.5 billion.
That’s nowhere near close on the White House’s part. So at least the GOP budget is somewhat aggressive. But aggressive enough? By my count, the GOP still owes the American people at least another $40 billion in cuts. Real, actual spending cuts that shrink the size of government. Either that, or giving us each a set of nice shoulder braces. That might work, too…
Nah. I’d still prefer the spending cuts.
