Nov 16 2011
Presidential Character: Snap Decisions Or Bold Strategies?
As Herman Cain begins to feel the grinding pace of not only the Presidential campaign (which is brutal) but also the force of the Political Industrial Complex lined up against his bold plan to fundamentally change Washington (as opposed to Obama’s failed plans to change Amerika), we the frustrated voters need to step back from the media feeding frenzy and ask ourselves is Herman Cain the man to lead this nation?
Recently Mr. Cain has had a few minor policy flubs in lightening round interviews which he immediately walked backed. He admits when he misspeaks openly. The truth is though, no President better be making snap decisions in an interview. Yes, he should be prepared to make his case – but Herman Cain is right now operating without a Cabinet, without a full time professional cadre to provide advise, options and details from which he can craft a well thought out and balanced strategy. If we look at his 9-9-9 plan we get an inkling of how the man crafts his strategies.
And all that is positive. Given time and experts I am still convinced the man will develop well thought out strategies.
Besides, it’s not like we have not seen Presidents and Presidential Candidates make blunders on the campaign:
So if Obama gets a pass, so shouldn’t Cain? But of course Obama was the chosen winner by the media, and the same media wants Romney to be the anointed one for the GOP. Thus, no pass for CAIN from there – but we don’t need the media to explain life to us.
And let’s not forget Obama’s other epiphany – which took him and the same liberal media 2 brutal years to figure out:
Cain’s missteps are minor compared to Obama’s legendary failed results. Cain corrected his misstatements – Obama is intent on repeating his mistake by changing the name of the same government trickle-down policies that failed nefire and hoping the media can and he can dupe the voters into pretending their are fresh new ideas! Yeah, that’ll work. Speaking of screwy strategies…
The problem with Romney is he is way too much like Obama. Not only is his RomneyCare the same disastrous government intervention (and subsequent financial screw up) as ObamaCare. Not only does he believe in the clear science fiction of man-made global warming (which is different from the natural warming trend we recently experienced and which has disappeared or reversed over the last decade). Not only does Romney reach for government solutions first (instead of last, and only then with a gun to one’s head) – he is the same slippery talker who can rattle on for 90 seconds and say nothing concrete.
Obama’s only real gift was he could spin with slippery ease. He would prattle on and people projected their views to fill in his hazy words what they wanted to believe. Romney is also gifted in the non-binding, misdirecting, dodging, political speak of politicians. That is why Newt Gingrich is so popular – he does not mince words. Neither does Cain. Newt’s only problem is he too is a creature of the Political Industrial Complex, and also known to switch positions when needed (same man-made global warming problem). While better than Romney, he is not as outside the DC cesspool as Cain is.
Interestingly, in Gallup’s latest poll the two front runners in terms of favorability are Cain and Gingrich, with Romney fading back:
Cain’s favorability has taken a temporary hit, and he may continue to slide. But the voters are cycling through their options because they know Obama is out in 2012. They just need to agree on the replacement (which won’t be perfect). It is clear they prefer a bold outsider who puts America before the Political Industrial Complex. All Cain has to do now is pivot to be a dedicated champion of the people – a Mr Smith Goes to Washington candidate – and he will become the front runner again. And I predict Newt is well on his way to stealing second place.
The other candidates have been evaluated and found wanting. The top 3 will be Cain, Newt and Romney – and Romney has no hope for the election because he splits the GOP and libertarians. Those too desperate to win they will take any old candidate are not in the majority this round. Obama is so damaged that we can have a bold candidate like Cain and still beat Obama. Obama is a cooked lame duck:
By contrast, only 35% have a positive view of his economic track record, and just 38% approve of how he is handling health care policy. It all adds up to an overall 46% approval rating for the president, with 52% saying they disapprove of how Obama is handling his job in the White House.
An incumbent is pretty much done when polling around 45%. In all the match ups against specific GOP contenders – and that wily generic GOP candidate – that is where Obama polls. No matter where the GOP candidate is Obama runs from 40-45%. They could be tied or 18 points behind, Obama is already sitting at those lame duck levels. More than half the people (not likely voters, just adults) disapprove of him, his policies and his results. And as Obama’s policies continue to grind into utter failure (health care costs rising, insurance being lost, unemployment remains high, deficits continue to mount, the housing market stays stuck in the basement) the number ready to try a new President will rise.
Folks need to step back and think (which I believe they are actually). Will we rush to judgement like we did in 2008 and allow ourselves to be led by the nose by the media and political industrial complex (who claimed McCain was the only option for the GOP – just like the claim now Romney is)? Or will we think for ourselves and send a clear message to DC?
The Tea Party movement and 2010 election (and many other elections since 2008) indicate the voters are going to send a signal.
Now we need the proper champion to carry that message – and I think Cain and Gingrich are the best of the pack to do so. And I think Cain has the overall edge since he is not a creature of DC. We shall see, but Romney has been anointed numerous times over the last few months – and it has not and will not happen. Cain has been declared done many times over the past few weeks – and it has not and probably will not happen either. The media and Political Industrial Complex (pols, consultants, talking heads, professional political pundits) are not in the driver seat this round. Just like they weren’t in 2010.
Update: Right on cue:
This might be the ultimate Cain clip, just because his response is the perfect synthesis of his good and bad attributes. On the one hand, he’s not going to pander with a slick answer designed to reassure some reporter. He’s doing this the Cain way. If you don’t like his response, keep walking. On the other hand: What?
Quintessential Cain.
Good article, however Obama is far from cooked. Although he may have some statistical weakness in national polls, remember the leftist Chickens will always return to roost in the waiting arms of Big government. Even if they are somewhat dissapointed in him, and that is part of the reason for his low numbers, he has not inflicted enought distruction. When push comes to shove they will vote for Obama, perhaps with less vigor.
The real poll to watch is the electorial map. California, Oregon, Washington, Illinois, New York, Michigan, Minn, the N.E., …Maryland, Mass, …almost all Democrat by default.
The election will come down to Florida and a few other key states.
I am scared he Obama will win!
“If we look at his 9-9-9 plan we get an inkling of how the man crafts his strategies.”
Thank goodness he finally put out a plan? where did you find it, I’ve been looking and no searches have linked to it yet? There is a general outline of his plan (basically a plan to have a plan) on his site. But no plan.
According to the ‘outline’ my taxes would go up by about $6000 annually. (and that’s on a 107 K income) I’m certainly not in favor of that.
But, generally speaking, I agree with most of what you said.
Good points, especially about how biased the press is in comparison with their treatment of Obama. Still, Obama is such a low bar to set the standard by! It’s almost damning with faint praise: “Well, at least Cain’s not quite as bad as the biggest idiot to ever sit in the White House!” I demand better than that!
what worries me about Cain is that the questions he’s flubbed haven’t been hard; they have all been questions that you or I or just about anyone who’s paid any attention at all to politics could answer easily off the top of our heads. And that complaint in the clip about having to handle “7, 8 different topics” – what the hell kind of job does he think the presidency is? I handle 7, 8 different topics every hour of every day of my life! Good thing he wasn’t trying to chew gum at the same time, I guess that would have brought on a total breakdown!
This is like Perry forgetting which cabinet agencies he wants to cut. A man who is serious about his ideas does not forget things like that – a shallow dilettante does. You could wake me up from a dead sleep at 3 am and I could tell you what agencies I want to cut! But someone else who has trouble with that is a guy who deep down just isn’t very bright, even though he’s very good at pretending he is. Hell, that’s every salesman I’ve ever met. Cain gives the impression that he has spent his entire life without giving even the slightest thought to foreign affairs and how they affect the US. I understand, a lot of people are like that – just not anyone that I think is fit to be President.
When a serious person is asked questions like the ones he’s flubbed, some people will have left leaning answers, and some will have conservative or libertarian answers, but the man who worries me is the man who acts like that’s the first time in his life he ever thought about the question. Right of return? What’s that? Never heard of it! Libya? Wha, did Obama support that? Abortion – well, he’s against it. Or for it. Or against it. maybe. What’s that “pro-choice, pro-life” stuff mean again, I forgot?!!
The worry I have is that Cain is just a slick motivational salesman who is great on the stage but who deep down underneath hasn’t spent 10 seconds trying to really understand any of the deep issues – and a man like that is always a tool for his backers, who he depends on to know how to tie his shoes in the morning. This claim of “I’ll have better advisers” is a huge Red Flag to me – because I’m not voting for those advisers, who the hell are they even going to be? I want a man I trust, but how can I trust a man who’s every decision is going to be made for him by some shadow group that I’ll never see and never be allowed to vote on? Having had 4 years of a liberal clown on the stage doesn’t make me want to sit through 4 years of a conservative one.
Gingrich I still don’t trust, but at least he’s not an idiot. Ditto for Romney – if he wasn’t running such a damned candy-ass campaign I could almost be ready to give him another look.
I am a tax attorney and finance professor. I have run 9-9-9 through a simulation and found, at various income groups, that it generally ends keeping tax rates overall similar regardless of income, except at fairly high incomes….over 250,000 per year. Many in the media add up the “9’s” and come up with extra taxes owed – but sales taxes are not paid until income is spent. Income paid in the form of taxes is not spent on retail purchases…and so is not subject to sales tax in Cain’s proposal.
Some have misgivings that Cain’s 9-9-9 plan will not pass Congress. Whether or not the actual plan passes, the idea is that this man will propose bold solutions, and has a track record of success in multiple businesses, and has a charismatic persona to persuade. He is likeable! His track record over the last 40 years indicates that he is not just some flim-flam sales artist…though the media is trying to make him out to be just that, as well as vacuous. His record of success at Coca-Cola, Pillsbury, Burger King, and his selection by the industry to be the CEO of the National Restaurant Association indicates he is not just sophisticated, but able to lead effectively.
Finally, it takes a great deal of courage, and character, to have gone through the media-created hell of the past three weeks, and have the personal strength to still smile, enjoy people, and be joyful. I so admire this man’s character. And I think based on the above, that he would be a very strong, free-market centered President.
One clarification to my thought posted above…I said the 9-9-9 plan would keep taxe rates similar across income groups. What I meant to express is that my simulation showed that people would pay approximately the same amount of income in taxes, regardless of their marginal tax rate, under the Cain plan as under the current income tax system, including miscellaneous taxes, Social Security and Medicare taxes, etc. Thus, someone paying $5,000 in total taxes now, would pay about $5,000 in taxes under Cain’s plan. Someone paying $40,000 in taxes under the current system would pay about $40,000 under Cain’s plan as well. But the advantage of Cain’s system is tax simplification, which dramatically lower compliance costs for both businesses and individuals – savings that are real, measurable, and that benefit our economy tremendously.
AndrewCS1
“I have run 9-9-9 through a simulation and found,”
where did you find the details of 999 that allowed you info to do this? and don’t say his website because it isn’t there. Many people give details of his plan, EXCEPT CAIN DOESN’T GIVE ANY DETAILS. His website only gives an outline. I have posted details of my income several times on this site and using info that others ‘claim’ to be the plan, my taxes would go up by approx 6K a year.
Here are the details once again. I’m retired, don’t pay Social Sec or medicare (except what is held out of those checks for medicare) total retirement income last year 107 K total federal taxes paid 12K. Used all standard deductions. So, if i take 107 x 9% = 9.63K 107-9.63 =97.37 97.37 x .09 = 8.76K 8.76+9.63 = 18.39K 18.39-12 = 6.39 or an increase of 6.39K. Now we can quibble over the amount that would be taxed at the 9% sales tax but to get the total down to 12K, it would have to be a 9%x 26 K. Now admittedly, I’m only using the numbers people are throwing around, because as I said: THERE IS NO PLAN, ONLY A PLAN TO HAVE A PLAN. Now you might be okay with a retired person with a fixed income having his taxes increased by over 6K a year, but me being the taxee, I’m not.
So, since you’re a tax guy, tell me where I’m going wrong.
Trickle down econ (the only type that works to create jobs) would say that my taxes would be reduced, not increased. If everyone’s taxes stayed the same or went up, unemployment would go up and poverty would go up. So, we need to lower my taxes, not increase them, so as I asked, will you kindly show me how my situation would be improved?
Hey AJ,
Are you going to translate this blog into the language of “Cuban” for the benefit of Cain’s Cuban fans.
http://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2011/11/16/cain_how_do_you_say_delicious_in_cuban-comments.html
It’s hard to believe that you are still supporting this dummy at this point.
I guess it’s just . . . quintessential Strata.
gkm1959,
As for supporting dummies, I never once claimed to support you …
According to Wiki “Cuban Spanish is the dialect of the Spanish language as it is spoken in Cuba. As a Caribbean dialect, Cuban Spanish shares a number of features with nearby varieties, including coda deletion, seseo, and /s/ debuccalization.”
Pronunciations from Cuba and even throughout N and S America can vary greatly. There are even language books specific to “Cuban Spanish’. So, what’s wrong with saying “Cuban” in the casual sense to infer ‘Cuban Spanish’? May not be technical; but, geesh does a gaffe (if it is one) like this rise to a level of media hysteria? Especially when no one cared that Obama said “Austrian” was a language?
They are simply pulling out the “How to paint the Republican nominee as a Dummy” playbook out.
Frogg1,
The media is seeing how many dupes they can sucker. Got one at least!
To: RedTeam
Thank you for your reply. My simulations generally applied to families with working members, who would thus pay Social Security and Medicare taxes. Having said that, please know that the following is not a “dodge” to your post, but an attempt at a broader answer:
There are several assumptions that will impact people’s taxes paid. Cain’s plan allows the deduction of charitable contributions from income taxes. I assumed a 6% contribution to charity out of income, which is slightly higher than the national average, though my wife and I give a higher rate than that to charity. Also, dividends and capital gains would no longer be taxed. That can result in significant tax savings…and converting retirement accounts to a Roth IRA would result in even more savings if taxes are owed at only a 9% rate for many retirees out of their 401(k)’s and non-Roth IRA’s. As I said, it does depend on individual circumstances, type of savings, etc. But economic growth would also result in higher stock prices, which would vastly benefit retirees, because as a class, they have the most savings to grow, and thus the most potential for economic gain through investment growth. And many retirees invest in dividend-paying stocks and bonds…taxes from those would disappear. So…in summary, I think Cain’s 9-9-9 plan would benefit the vast majority of citizens, including retirees, and lower compliance costs. But, “your mileage may vary”, depending on individual circumstances, and Herman Cain himself has been honest, and has acknowledged that for some – not most -but some, taxes would rise. I value highly his honesty in his answers. I hope this helps!
I’m open to the possibility that 9-9-9 could work, and I’d love to see anything radical tried, since the same old same old isn’t working.
Sadly, I no longer think Cain can be the man to implement them, he keeps doing something new every day to sink his chances. I feel like Dennis Miller, who was on the Cain Train but who has jumped off.
Miller mentions the Libya pause, but today it’s Cain looking clueless while being asked some simple questions about Cuban policy. He said it was a “gotcha” question, but he was in frackin’ Florida! Anybody who doesn’t know that Florida politics is all tied up in the Cuban questions doesn’t deserve to be running. It is as if the idea of getting briefed on what was gonna be important to that State never even occurred to him or any of his advisers.
And now he’s canceled a news interview in New Hampshire – because they wanted to record the interview? Does he have any idea how weak that looks? He’s running scared now, and that’s a real bad place for any candidate to be.
MILLER: What about my endorsements? Listen, you know why I’m off the Cain train, Billy.
O’REILLY: Why?
MILLER: He can’t win. Listen, he’s still a great guy, and this is a fluid situation for me. If he gives us the best chance to win tomorrow, I’m back on. But today, he can’t win. And it doesn’t have anything to do with the chicks. That doesn’t interest me. It’s just that after that 11-second pause, he’s too easy for them to whack.
O’REILLY: The Libya — you’re talking about the Libya thing?
MILLER: Yes. All they have to do is dust off the Palin playbook, and they can hit him with that.
O’REILLY: I know, I know. I mean, his numbers are down. The Fox News poll just out today got him at 15 percent. And the people who have defected from Herman Cain have gone to Newt Gingrich. And I suspect, Miller, that you are one of those.
MILLER: Well, listen, I don’t know where I’m quite going yet. I might stop at Newtville. I might go to Planet Ron Paul. I have a feeling, like everybody else, I might end up at Romney Acres eventually. But those are the three right now, I think, because of this. Romney makes it hard for them to hit. Newt hits back. And Ron Paul doesn’t even know he’s been hit.
Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/on-air/oreilly/2011/11/17/dennis-miller-jumps-cain-train#ixzz1dzd3QhX5
http://www.foxnews.com/on-air/oreilly/2011/11/17/dennis-miller-jumps-cain-train
Golly AJ:
Don’t know which is more endearing… your metastisizing hatred for Romney or your unconditional love for Cain. One thing is for sure, however. Time to break out the “I Heart Cain” kneepads.
Layman – you’re outta here just because you lack basic class to debate like a mature adult.
AndrewCS1
thanks for your response. but could you tell me where you got the details of the 999 plan that allows you to make any assumptions? He doesn’t have that detail on his site and I’ve seen or read several people talking details. I just can’t figure where they are getting the details.
So, in trying to prepare for what appears to be the downward trajectory of a Cain election due to unfounded anonymous sources, a bit of he said/she said, and a minor gaffe or two…..I’ve been looking at the articles about what’s wrong with Newt, and what’s wrong with Romney…..and, all I can think is “no wonder the Dems had to take out Cain.” Cain was the only real threat to Obama.
Sample on Romney (the video makes me cringe beyond belief):
http://legalinsurrection.com/2011/11/will-we-ever-get-around-to-vetting-mitt-romney/
and, a couple on Newt:
http://campaign2012.washingtonexaminer.com/article/gingrich-made-big-bucks-pushing-corporate-welfare#.TsRzuKuSK0t.twitter
and,
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1111/68547.html
These things from their past really play into the theme of the 2012 election.
As for Cain, I don’t care about the insignificant/overblown gaffes or that he isn’t currently as knowledgeable on foreign policy as the other players who have been playing the game for decades. There is no doubt in my mind that would have come in short time. He has mastered every challenge ever given him with grace and intellect. Cain represented something else. An outsider. Someone to bring fresh eyes into the growing government corruption–a man who would see it for the ugliness that it is. And, someone who would not have been afraid to then say, “enough” and call it out for what it is so we can cleanse our government palette and bring it back to a representation of a good and honorable people.
I appreciate Cain’s amazing life story. Mostly, I appreciate all that he brought to the table during the current election cycle. He didn’t nibble around the edges of the failed path we are on. He took it head on with great honesty and amazing ideas for correction. He changed the conversation for the better. I don’t know if he can recover from the political media smear job. It doesn’t seem likely at this point and time. And, that is too bad. Romney and Gingrich represent the same past we have been disgusted with. Cain was the bright future. The Republican Party always seems to drag behind by several years and on their elections. Like I said…..it is no wonder they had to take Cain out before the general election. Romney and Gingrich may both manage victory if Obama continues to fall; but, Cain was the only real theat to Obama. “We, the people” will still get there. It just may not be in the current election cycle.
As to the rest of the election cycle….
“Ay ay ay”
I don’t know what to make of this: It appears that Cain has recently discovered that the Press is out to get him, so he asked for Secret Service protection. And he’s not gonna allow news people to video tape him when he’s being questioned because he may make a mis-statement that can be used against him. And he sees the press in Florida as “trying to get him on his Cuba Policy”
I will certainly agree that the Press is out to get him and every other “not Obama” that is running. But if he can’t stand the heat, he doesn’t need to be in the kitchen. You certainly don’t see Newt hiding from the press. We all saw him put Pelley in his place a few days ago…
The campaign has had many ups and downs for all the candidates, it’ll be interesting to see what the next ‘event’ is that starts Cain back uphill…
As long as we get that job creator Obama out his ” No New Energy that Ain’t Green Energy” policy.
Cain’s got some big pluses on his side: he’s a great salesman, and a wonderful motivational speaker. He’s willing to try new ideas that have never been tried before. Also, he’s fearless and handles confrontation well, a plus in this environment. Those all make him an attractive candidate.
His big minus, that I am more convinced of every day: he’s just not much of a thinker, which is actually pretty typical for most of the good salesmen I’ve ever known. They tend to thrive by learning their pitch so well that they can give it in their sleep, and then staying far away from anything they haven’t focused on so that their lack of any general ability is masked. In a business which rewards a highly focused concentration on one area, this is an effective strategy.
But when these people are moved into an area which requires a strong generalized knowledge and an ability to absorb a lot of new information in a very short time, they generally flop miserably. This is what we are seeing with Cain’s campaign – whenever the questions veer even slightly outside the realm of his memorized sales pitch, he flops, and embarrassingly so. The question about Libya was the perfect example, and his explanations after the fact don’t wash. I believe that was exactly what it appears to be – that it had never before occurred to him to even bother thinking about Libya, because until he was asked he had no interest in it. In the terms of his claim he will rely on advisers, apparently no one had bothered to tell him that overseas military operations are something a Presidential Candidate should be interested in, and on his own that thought had never occurred to him.
That kind of myopia can work for a Pizza Chain executive, barely – but it just won’t cut it for a President. Cain could make a wonderful cabinet member, but he needs a job where he can tour the country giving speeches while farming out all the hard work and hard thinking to his staff. And he just doesn’t have what it takes to run the United States of America.
(would he be better than Obama? Oh hell yes, but as a I have said before, that’s an embarrassingly low bar to get over. Most bums on skid row – pick one at random! – would be better than Obama)
WWS, very good, well said.
“That kind of myopia can work for a Pizza Chain executive, barely”
when you said that, the first thing that popped into my mind was, Suppose (when he was head of Godfathers) that the press had asked him what he thought of Pizza Hut’s new (something fabulous) pizza.
Would we expect him to say that he really hadn’t thought about it and that he would hire an adviser to tell him what he thought about it?
LOL,
Redteam, most of your Cain criticism is fair (whether one agrees or not). However, the Secret Service doesn’t protect a candidate because of the media hounding them and they have said so. His protection was due to real threats. I’m sure they are serious.
However, that reminds me….I still love that moment when Bush 43 was in S. America and security surrounded his secret service guy and wouldn’t let him enter the building where Bush was getting photos taken with the guest host. When Bush saw the commotion and realized what was happening he walked outside into the crowd, grabbed his secret service guy with his own hands and freed him from the guys surrounding him, said “he’s with me”, and brought him inside. I loved that one!!!!