Newt Gingrich
Bloomers And Newts, Oh My?
The increasingly bitter nominating contests in both parties seem likely to offer an ample supply of disgruntled
voters from whom billionaire New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg could draw upon for a Presidential run. He could hijack Ralph Nadar’s Green insurgent party or petition himself as an entirely new party candidate. Giuliani, McCain and Obama are political androgynous candidates, they draw well among both Democrats and Republicans and, so far, seem to alienate relatively few voters, and thinks one time Clintonista Dick Morris, pose obstacles to Bloomberg. But, if Hillary and either Huckabee or Romney get their party’s nod, it is easy to see Bloomberg emerging as an alternative.
Less Affluent Favor Gas Tax Holiday.
According to a rasmussen Poll released Thursday forty-six percent (46%) of America’s Likely Voters favor a federal gas tax holiday this summer. A Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey found that 42% are opposed and 12% are not sure. Most voters who earn more than $75,000 a year oppose the gas tax holiday. Most who make less than $60,000 a year favor that policy change. Among those make less than $20,000 a year, 62% favor the gas tax holiday while only 11% are opposed.
McCain proposed suspending the 18 cents a gallon federal tax and Hillary supports it. Obama opposes it.
Dizzy’s Ten Post Round-Up
There’s no news like good news. Sadly, there is no good news in today’s Ten Post Round-Up:
1: A serious drug ring was busted up at San Diego State University….
2: Whites and Blacks use drugs at the same rate, yet Blacks are far more likely to be arrested for drug offenses…
3: The offices and home of Special Counsel, Scott J. Bloch, who oversees protection for federal whistleblowers, have been raided…
FBI Searches Office of Special Counsel Building–Crooks and Liars
4: The “Robbins” half of Baskin-Robbins, has passed away (the other half - Baskin, died awhile back). Both left behind more than 1000 flavors enjoyed by ice cream lovers the world over…
5: They saved the school and were served with pink slips…
CENSUS BOONDOOGLE RAISES COSTS TO $14 BILLION
UPS can put thousands of delivery-drivers on the streets everyday each carrying a hand held gadget to track millions of packages but the U. S. Census Bureau failure to build an effective hand-held computer will cost taxpayers an extra for $1.3 billion – no, you are not seeing things that’s a $1,300,000,000,000 boondoogle.
So, it is turning instead to 600,000 temporary workers to do a paper and pencil census in 2010 just like 1910. Another massive federal bureaucracy run amuck. The $1.3 billion hi-tech gadget glitch will add $2.2 to $3 billion to the 2010 census costs that are now expected to total a mind numbing $13.7 to $14.5 billion.
GM CEO Predicts Bankruptcy
In a letter to shareholders General Motors’ Chairman and CEO Porter Stansberry says he sees light at the end of the tunnel but it is a GM bankruptcy and that a company cannot suffer 40 years of bad decisions, bad ideas, and bad debts and expect to compete with the rest of the world’s automakers.
He says, “what’s killing us is a legacy of debts and obligations we cannot possibly repay.” Stansberry says, “nor do we have any pleasant way to repudiate our promises. The only answer is bankruptcy.” He likens it to promises made under Social Security saying, “we cannot make enough money selling cars to afford the service on our $33 billion debt load, ” and “or the $11 billion we owe in cash pensions. These debts are killing us.” He thinks, “we’ve finally entered the end stage – the death spiral.”
“Given our current burn rate, I estimate we will declare bankruptcy in a little more than three quarters, “he predicted.
Toyota pays workers $43 an hour to make cars in the U. S. but the United Auto Workers demand $67 an hour from GM, Ford and Chrysler. Plus, they make cars that consumers judge to be inferior. Turn out the lights the party is over in Detroit, and Dearborn.
Mike, Arnold, It Takes a Constititutional Amendment
|
|
New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg and California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger grace this week’s Time magazine cover, and on Tuesday the two “joked” about forming a presidential ticket. Bloomberg’s was very palsy-walsy with California’s Governor Schwarzenegger as he ripped Washington for various sins. Maybe that explains Arnold’s flip-flop telling the press he refuses to endorse anyone on the eve of the California February 5th primary. Schwarzenegger is term limited. Rumor was he had been eyeing Senator Barbara Boxer’s seat if she does not run for reelection in 2010 but she has announced she will run and she remains very popular so that’s off the table.
Which Candidate Can Prove The Most CHANGE?
Picture this: The six leading candidates in both parties getting together, pitching their spare change into one of those games where you use a crane controlled from outside the glass enclosure in order to get coins to drop out into a tray. It’s popular at many family restaurants in parts of the country. Dreamy isn’t it. Bipartisan agreement.
Hillary Understands How the West Was Won
Hillary overcame the casino workers endorsement of Obama in Nevada, to secure a real but not overwhelming win. Her voice was strained but she is definitely on a roll in and after the casino state.
After the Clinton and Obama first tier win in Nevada, the other tier of Edwards, Uncommitted and Kucinich picked up a few votes, but the Democratic race is narrowing to Clinton and Obama, with the odds in favor of Hillary and the Clinton machine.
Despite that, the recent political incorrectness over Martin Luther King may be a long shadow on the rivalry to play out next week in the Dem Primaries in South Carolina, then Florida and of course followed by Super Tuesday states.
Non candidates are observing carefully, looking for an opening. Chief amongst them is our very own Chief Hypocrite who is one of the less well know candidates feeling the pull of the disenchanted. The Chief, however, is most worried when he notices that Bill Clinton continues to show enthusiastic support for the “best candidate he (Bill) has ever known”. Even the Chief has limitations.
Clear Thinker Rooted in History
Newt Gingrich is a clear thinker with deep historic knowledge and honed perspectives. He says there are four lessons from Iowa and
New Hampshire including: message beats money; enthusiasm beats paid staff; hope beats negativity, and people are smarter than the consultants. Finally he thinks Red versus Blue has been replaced by a Red, White and Blue non-partisan approach.
One thing is clear — tactically almost anyone running for anything in November 2008 better have a strong strategy for women and younger voters.
