After the Debate

On December 11, 2011 ABC News reported that Gingrich’s lead was frightening his own party. I heard New York Representative Peter King say he saw the damage that Newt did when he was the Speaker; he’s concerned over what he would do if he were President and owes it to the country to see that it doesn’t happen again. King is not alone, Tom Davis a former Republican congressman and many others are frightened by what Gingrich would do; their saying he had many ideas and many were a distraction and he lacked discipline and often put himself before the party. Republican South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham said he thinks Newt has matured but still won’t get his endorsement. The ABC correspondent said he spoke to many Republicans that were critical of Gingrich but won’t go on camera because they thought if Newt would get the nomination he may retaliate. On December 12 it was made known that Romney is estimated to be worth $250 million and that he did help to start Staples who employees about 90,000 employees when he worked at Bain & Company Inc. but mostly the company streamlined processes and people were cut (normal business efficiency practice).

Jon Huntsman was on the View on December 13 (he was not at the December 10 Iowa debate). They asked why he’s not higher in the polls. Huntsman said he’s not signing those silly pledges, I don’t pander and there are some things I just won’t do. He was asked why Republicans keep saying that you have to cut taxes on corporations and billionaires to create jobs when it’s been what we’ve been doing for at least the last 13 years and it hasn’t created jobs. His responded with - people aren’t focused on the real issues that matter – we’re divided as a country because we don’t have the dignity of employment. He repeated his October approach (see my October 19, 2011, US Tax Code blog) and basically he wants to lower the tax rate, broaden the base and simplify. He wants to say to the lobbyists on Capitol Hill that if there are no more loopholes and deductions to lobby for they have nothing to do. He said we’ve corrupted the system with crony capitalism; people no longer trust the system and people are getting screwed. He said we have a jobs problem on one side and a trust problem on the other; he called it a trust deficit and wants to campaign for term limits for Congress. He was asked why Republicans haven’t seen him as a qualified candidate. He responded that he thought it was because he crossed party lines (accepted Obama’s appointment as the Ambassador to China which he did because he puts country first). Huntsman said he believes that this country is still a beacon of hope and standards for the rest of the world; we’re the ones that radiate rights whether it’s human rights, markets, liberty or democracy and when we let ourselves become diluted that’s not a good thing for this world and that’s what he’d worry about more than anything else. Although I stick with my opinion that certain loopholes should remain as long as they’re across the board, benefit both the rich and poor and that subsidies should be considered loans not gifts, if I were inclined to vote for a Republican it would be Huntsman. December 15 it’s reported that Gingrich losing ground; Mitt calls him zany right before the last Iowa debate that was held that night and the Conservative National Review published a sort of anti-Gingrich campaign. Per the Committee Against Government Waste the number and cost of pork barrel projects skyrocketed (1994 - 1,318 for $7.8 billion and in 1997 – 1,596 for $14.5 billion) during Gingrich’s tenure as speaker.

December 16 it’s reported that Perry is double-dipping in Texas (TX), he draws a $150,000 paycheck as Governor and collects $90,000 in a state pension as he formally retired this year (it’s all legal in TX). Gingrich in a conference on December 17 said he would abolish some courts that are out of step with the country if he’s President. Since this time, Romney is endorsed by the South Carolina Governor, Bob Dole, the Iowa Register newspaper and HW Bush. December 21 Santorum gets 2 endorsements from major Christian groups. On December 24 it’s reported that Gingrich, who has lived in Virginia (VA) for years, and Perry did not qualify for the VA primary ballot; others didn’t try so only Romney and Paul are on the ballot. Gingrich began attacking Ron Paul, saying that in the 80s and 90s newsletters that were racist, anti-Semitic and anti-Gay went out in his name; this brings White Supremacy and other hate group support to Paul. December 26 it’s reported that Perry’s security is costing TX taxpayers as much as $400,000 per month and on December 27 he changed his position on abortion saying he’s against it even in rape and incest. ABC also reported that 5 years ago Gingrich wrote a letter to Romney praising his health care plan in Massachusetts and that in addition to ads run by the candidates’ campaign funds they each have outside groups called Super Pacs running ads (there’s no limit on donations to them). December 28 Bachmann’s Iowa Co-chair now supports Paul and the latest Iowa poll shows Romney still has the lead, then Paul, Santorum, Perry and Gingrich – who has no funds left (Huntsman has only 1%); national poll shows Gingrich 2^nd, Paul 3^rd. On December 30 protesters were arrested outside Romney and Paul Iowa HQs and ABC said Paul said Iran is justified in closing the strait because US sanctions against them are unjustified; I guess he forgot the attempt on our soil of the Saudi Arabian Ambassador’s life to which the UN overwhelming approved a resolution deploring the plot on November 19. I have a problem with a couple issues here – taxpayers having to provide security for rich people running for office; because Cain was a private citizen his protection was provided with our federal dollars and these Super Pacs are, to me, just a way to circumvent the donation limits.