Thursday, October 13, 2011

No brain needed

After explaining that he opposes Herman Cain's 9-9-9 tax scheme, Grover Norquist lays it on the line.


Asked about the "intellectual heft" of Cain's plan in light of the candidate's refusal to name the members of his economic team, save Rich Lowrie, an accountant for Wells Fargo in Ohio, Norquist said that the next Republican president "doesn't need to come up with ideas."


"The good news is the next Republican president only needs a forefinger and then pen and the capacity to hold a pen, he doesn't need to come up with ideas," Norquist said. "We have a Republican House, we will have a Republican Senate, they will fix the tax code and send them stuff to sign. He can fly around in a cool big plane and hang around the White House and he can sign the legislation that [House Speaker John] Boehner and [Senate Minority Leader] Mitch McConnell send him, and we'll be fine."

Just like Reagan? That's wonderful: President wanted, no brain needed.

Go, Herm, go!

Cain names Jim DeMint, Paul Ryan as possible 2012 vice presidential picks. That'd be a balanced ticket, fair and balanced (get it?).

Wednesday, October 12, 2011

An offer; who could refuse?

Herman Cain appears to be the latest Tea Party sensation. A new poll from Public Policy Polling has the one-time Godfather's Pizza CEO leading Mitt Romney by eight percentage points, 30 percent to 22 percent. Those are the exact same percentages the very same polling outfit reported yesterday for Cain and Romney in Iowa where the first formal GOP presidential preference caucuses will occur in early January.

Aside from the startling fact that were Mr. Cain to actually get the Republican nomination both candidates for the Presidency of the United States would be black (Cain was quoted in a story I glanced at yesterday that Obama is not part of the African American experience, whatever that means), Barack Obama could nto possibly wish for a better opponent – except, perhaps, Michelle Bachmann, but her star has faded.

Before Cainiacs get too excited, this is still just one poll. And recall that both Texas Gov. Rick Perry and Rep. Michele Bachmann rode the Tea Party wave for a while before it beached them. (Bachmann is now at five percent, the same as Rep. Ron Paul in the national poll.)

Too bad. Bachmann would have made some candidate.

... it's a striking and historic result even if it's transitory. It is the first time an African American who is a declared candidate for the Republican presidential nomination tops a national poll from a reputable public opinion organization. 

Too bad it won't last.