Christie and Sandy

"I don't give a damn about the election.  Let the politicians worry about it".  So says NJ governor Chris Christie.  You mean he can't do two things at the same time?  Somewhat like people liked to say about Gerry Ford; he couldn't walk and chew gum at the same time.  How can a state governor say he doesn't care about the democratic process and elections?  That doesn't mean he can't also care about hurricane relief; it seems he should be able to do both at the same time.  Maybe if NJ was going to vote republican he would have different opinion.  Or maybe he realizes that the hurricane damage will thwart the elections process and voting machines in democratic areas of NJ like Newark.  It will be interesting to see what happens in regard to the election due for next Tuesday.   On another note, how can Christie say "let the politicians worry about it?  Doesn't he realize he is a politician? 

Politics and Guns

I find the presidential endorsement of the NRA in the upcoming election to be totally confusing.  Mitt Romney campaigned in 1994-when running for the Mass senate seat-on what would appear to be a gun-control platform.  He backed two laws the NRA opposed; one on the Brady Law that would impose a five day waiting period on gun sales (wow, that's radical) and another on a ban on certain types of assault weapons.  While governor he signed the "first ban on assault weapons" in the nation and "steeply increased fees on gun owners by 400 %.  Even thou he stated in Nov 2008 that he was a hunter "pretty much all his life", he later admitted he never had a hunting license.

Barack Obama has presided over a gun industry that has "thrived" during his administration.  The NRA has more money on hand than at any time in the past few years.  During the first three and half years of the Bush II admin the FBI conducted 28 million background checks.  During the same period of the Obama term the FBI conducted 50 million such checks.  The assault weapons ban expired under Bush II and Obama has done nothing to re-instate it.  

So who does the NRA endorse for president in 2012?  Romney.  Now does that make any sense?  Not to me it doesn't.

(Source:  "US gun industry is thriving during Obama's term" by Eileen Sullivan and Jack Gillum of the AP.  In The Virginian Pilot on 10/20/12)

Small Business

What is a small business?  The term has been tossed around by the GOP candidates at every chance they get.  It sounds like something we would all be in favor of; you know "Mom and Pop" candy stores and suburban landscapers hiring a half dozen workers to cut your lawn, and other such occupations.  But what is the definition of a small business.  In the Vice President debate in October of 2012, Joe Biden said a small business could be someone making $ 1 million a year.  He also said that 90 % of small businesses make no more than $ 250,000 a year; that is an amount below which Barack Obama would not increase taxes on (or so he says).  I had a house guest recently who-before he retired-worked for a small business as one of the partners.  He said a small business-in this case his own-could make up to $ 50 million and employ over 50 people.

More research will be needed on this question.

Assault on the Political system

Some developments politically of late that do not bode well for our democratic system of government.  First, the Supreme Court has allowed an unlimited amount of spending on campaigns by groups that do not have to identify themselves.  Second, the Court has told us that corporations are people and as such deserve First Amendment speech rights like people (right...see what happens if I tell the President to "----himself").  Third, state legislatures have disenfranchised millions of potential voters in order to keep a handful of people who should not vote away from the polls.  Fourth, the Senate has filibustered to death some 300 pieces of legislation that would have passed due to the old concept of "majority rules".  Fifth, the Senate GOP leadership saying back in Jan of 2009 that their first order of business was to defeat President Obama.

The GOP has administered a major attack on our democratic system of government in order to win one election.  When they win, I hope they can say it was worth the cost.

Romney and Taxes

So what is going on here?  During the TV presidential debate the other night Mitt Romney said "I will not reduce the share paid by high-income individuals" and again he said "All right"  I will not reduce the taxes paid by high income Americans".  I watched the debates and heard him say it.  CNN OnLine on 10/4/12 reprinted the above quotes.  However, it was reported in the NJEA Reporter for Sept 2012 the following:  "Romney does want to keep taxes low for the richest Americans, and, though, and continues to call for the extension of the Bush era tax cuts for the wealthy".  That quoted from FOX News 2/9/09.

Debates, President

I watched the presidential debates last night and can not for the life of me figure out why Obama didn't point out to Romney why he got no republican support for his health care program.  First, the republican leader in the Senate said some time ago that the number one job for him was to see that Obama did not win a second term.  Second, the Senate republicans filibustered to death some 300 plus pieces of legislation that Obama supported.  Remember a filibuster is used to defeat legislation that has the support of the majority of the Senate.  Third, the House voted some 30 times to repeal ObamaCare; like one time was not enough.  Knowing this, how can anyone blame Obama for not "bringing the parties together".  Like its his fault the GOP has made a conscious effort to oppose anything-even things that they have supported in the past-that Obama has proposed.