President Obama: Campaign Finance Bill

 

In this clip President Obama talks about a bill that allows people to spend without limit and without disclosing who they are. He encourages us to question ourselves when we see theses anonymous ads on who is paying for the add, whats the motive, and why can't they identify themselves.

Opensecrets.org

 

This clip compares past years campaign cost. It also shows an ad that talks about campaign finances and tells us about a website that tracks campaign cost.

Republican's Secret Weapon

Cain Wins Flordia Straw Poll

Cain, the unexpected bomb, detonated his first wave of fire, when he the underdog in the race, beat both top runners for Florida’s straw poll. Turns out Herman Cain may be just what the Republicans need to beat Incumbent President Barack Obama in the 2012 general election.

Republicans voters just didn’t see the silver Cain’s nomination could bring to their horizon -- until Saturday's Florida straw poll.

They thought that perhaps Rick Perry would win; the man who talks a good talk, but sometimes stumbles when he tries to walk the walk. On the other hand, maybe Mitt Romney would take Florida; because he’s the opposite of Perry, in that he can walk the walk, but occasionally crumbles when he talks.

But like a great suspense movie Saturday’s results built up a quiet hum in the voters. On a muggy September day in Florida, when the ‘favorites’ were expected to steal the goal, the ‘long shot’ came and made the impossible shot, and scored. On the day, Perry’s win would have helped to solidified him as the Republican Party’s presidential nominee; Cain snuck up on him and stole the win.

In a speech before the Poll vote, Cain encouraged Florida's Republican delegates to disregard "the nasty rumor that Herman Cain can't win" and "send Washington a message," and they did when more than 37 percent of the 2,657 delegates showed their support for Cain.

Prior to the straw vote, Cain’s influence in the race had been so far below the radar that it seemed as if the Republican party hadn’t even known he was a participant. His lack of experience in holding a political office compiled with the thought that an African-American wouldn’t have a snowballs chance in a microwave at achieving the Republican nomination made him too much of a risk to consider.

But what if they were mistaken? Maybe Cain’s lack of political experience is the perfect disguise, to have him swim below the surface, and win in the final seconds of the game. His victory in Florida proved that his strategy worked and might be the ticket to winning the nomination. An insider’s looks reveals that he has the potential to beat Obama, America's first African American president, in the 2012 general election.

While, Cain has his biggest negative being that he has never held elected office before, he has his postives:

• ·         He’s  anchored several offices in a leadership role.
• ·         He was the CEO of Godfather's, the pizza chain.
• ·         He was a successful and respected CEO at Pillsbury.
• ·         He served as the Federal Reserve Bank Chairman in Kansas City.
• ·         He was president of the National Restaurant Association.

According to International Business Times, "Cain has proven to be a leader, with economic sense and a consistent, strong economic voice, at a time when America desperately needs economic sense and a consistent, strong economic voice. They believe that he will appeal to many African-Americans, who typically vote Democrat but who are downtrodden in America's jobless, slow-growth economy."

While the Washington Post reports that "although Florida voters did not hold a straw poll in 2007, the previous three winners (Ronald Reagan 1979; George H.W. Bush, 1987; and Robert J. Dole, 1995), all went on to the Republican nomination, the Republicans here who backed Cain don’t believe he is likely to repeat that history."

 

Ricky Perry "I Don't Think You Have a Heart"

Ricky Perry's Stance on Paying Illegal Immigrants State Tuition

To be the hare in the race, the favorite to win, so far ahead of your opponents, that you trip over your feet at the finish line and lose to the turtle.  Many republicans would view Governor Ricky Perry as the hare and his comments on allowing immigrants to pay in-state college tuition his tripping over his feet. 

In 2001, Perry signed a bill that made Texas the first state to grant in-state tuition to children of non-documented immigrants, of whom must have resided in the state for a minimum of three years and are trying to obtain permanent residency.

Orlando was filled with conservative campaigners all lined up to participate in the three day weekend calendar of events centered around Presidency 5, when Perry’s comments floated through the air like the national anthem streaming through the speakers at a stadium game, quickly ensuring itself as the main topic of everyone’s conversation.

According to the Huffington Post Perry stated, "If you say that we should not educate children who have come into our state for no reason than they've been brought there, by no fault of their own, I don't think you have a heart," he said. "I still support it greatly."

The American poet William Williams once stated, “It is not what you say that matters but the manner in which you say it; there lies the secret of the ages.” In this case, it a different set of words, or a better follow up response would have made a world of a difference. But to alienate your voters in the defense of those who at this point can’t win you the nomination is a move only a dare devil would make. To add salt to the wound he infers that you should agree with me because I am right and if you don’t not only are you wrong, but you are heartless. Within the context of one statement Perry managed to distance himself from his once allies by fighting opposite to them on an issue that will stir the waters, testing their faith in him, and then label them heartless if they don’t swim to the shores of his defense.

According to CNN their response was immediate:

Vero Beach activist Dorothy Frances, one of the more than 3,000 diehard Republicans who attended the convention, came into the weekend supporting Perry. That changed when Perry answered a question about the roughly 16,000 young illegal immigrants who took advantage of the Texas tuition law last year.

• ·         "He was my man until then," Frances told CNN. "He defended it so strongly, about giving illegals breaks and things like that. He defended it so vehemently, so strongly. It disturbs me."

• ·         Naples resident Randy Freeman said Perry "stumbled greatly" on the immigration issue and may have seriously damaged his reputation with the Republican base.

• ·         "I don't think a lot of conservatives knew as much as they did now," Freeman said. "That's pretty much the vetting process. But I am not sure how he recovers from this."

• ·         Then there was Newberry retiree Ann Stone, who entered the debate a Perry supporter but left looking for someone else. "It's absolutely an issue," she said. "He lost me. $100,000 for an illegal immigrant? You bet he lost me."

Saturday’s rising sun shed light on just how much damage Perry’s comments in the debate hurt his campaign when in Florida’s straw poll, what was supposed to be a landslide for him, he was defeated by political underdog Herman Cain. What was supposed to be his cakes icing in showing a early dominance in campaign turned out to be  a tremendous let down for both him in the polls and all the Republicans that turned their resignation into the governor and are now looking elsewhere for a candidate.

Public Financing in the Presidential Campaign

This clip discusses and compares the past financing strategies used for the presidential campaign, and the present ones used. It also talks about how President Obama opted to use his own strategy that proved to be successful.

Electoral College II

 

In this clip a caller, poses the question why cannot we do a proportional count system. If we were to do a percentage vote than we would get to see more of both candidates because they would feel they have more to gain by going to the state.

Electoral College III

 

In this clip a caller questions where the electoral system is outdated? If the reason why it was created is still relevant?

Jobs Act

On September 8, 2011, President Barack Obama presented the American Jobs Act to a joint session of congress. He begins his speech by addressing how analyst expect this speech to impact his polls, but goes on to say that, the common man doesn’t care about politics, but rather focuses on his number one priority, proving for his family. President Obama goes on to say that Americans were taught that all you need to make it is a good work ethic, to go out and get a job with some benefits, that will lead to them being able to pay the bills, and put food on the table. However, he believes this dream has eroded over the years, and needs to resurrected and reconstructed to suit to the needs of the people who live under its rule. President Obama, then added that he believed he had the cure to solve our problem, the American Job Act.

According to americanjobsact.com, the American Job Act will:

• Help women and families keep more of what they earn: The President is proposing to extend the payroll tax cut in 2012, which will benefit an estimated 77.9 million women in the workforce. A household with $38,000 in income would typically pay about $2,350 in Social Security taxes. By expanding the payroll tax cut, that household will pay $1,100 less.

• Rebuild and revitalize Hispanic communities: The President is proposing targeted investments in infrastructure to support communities hardest hit by the recession. Programs will include a school construction initiative with a significant commitment to the largest urban school districts and an investment in revitalizing communities badly affected by foreclosures.

• Offer aid to African Americans looking for work: The plan will extend unemployment insurance to benefit 1.4 million African Americans and their families. As these families continue to receive unemployment benefits, the President's proposed reforms will ensure that the program is better tailored to help people who have been looking for work for more than six months get back on their feet and get back to work.
• Create job opportunities for young African Americans: President Obama is proposing support for subsidized jobs and work initiatives for African-American youth, for whom unemployment is above 30 percent. The new initiatives will build on successful programs like the TANF Emergency Fund to create jobs and provide training for those hardest hit by the recession.

• Target Investments to Modernize Schools Serving Low-Income Students—From Science Labs and Internet-Ready Classrooms to Renovated Facilities: The President is proposing a $25 billion investment in school infrastructure that will modernize at least 35,000 public schools—investments that will create jobs, while improving classrooms and upgrading our schools to meet 21st century needs. Funds could be used for a range of emergency repair and renovation projects, greening and energy efficiency upgrades, asbestos abatement and removal, and modernization efforts to build new science and computer labs and to upgrade technology in our schools. And they would be targeted at the lowest-income districts—with 40 percent, or $10 billion, directed towards the 100 largest high-need public school districts. The President is also proposing a $5 billion investment in modernizing community colleges, bolstering their infrastructure in this time of need while ensuring their ability to serve future generations of students and communities.

For more bullet points on the American Jobs Act go to:  http://www.americanjobsact.com/

Michele Bachmann

To start I must first be honest. I, like many of my peers do not watch the news on a regular, nor do I read the newspaper. Most days I find things out by word of mouth, or the quick blurbs I see when I sign into my email, having them to occasionally peak my interest enough to read the article. Currently, I am taking a course called “Road to the Whitehouse”, in hopes that it will force me to become more aware of the world around me. I feel that this needs to be said because a lack of the youth’s interest in the election, is a major obstacle all of the candidates must face. In addition, because I am new to the race I will start with the fundamentals. Who the candidates are and what they are about, this is the most important thing I could learn from them because everything else they do, say, fight for, or pass, will be a reflection of who they are and what they believe.

Getting to know

Michele Bachmann

Who is she? Where is she from? What does she want?

•  She is Michele Bachmann
• She is from Stillwater, Minnesota
• And she wants to be our next president

MicheleBachmann.com raves that she is a leading advocate for tax reform, a staunch opponent of wasteful government spending, and a strong proponent of adherence to the Constitution.Additionally, she believes government has grown ridiculously under Obamacare. Michele wants government to make serious spending decisions that many families and small businesses have been forced to make. She a champion of free markets, believes in the vitality of the family as the first unit of government. She is also a defender of the unborn and staunchly stands for religious liberties.

Assessing Bachmann’s Chances

According to nytimes 

Bachmanns

Background She was elected to Congress in 2006, and drew national attention in 2008, when said in tv interview that Barack Obama, (a candidate for president at the time), “may have anti-American views.” Since then she has expanded her biting condemnations of Democrats — and of tax increases, the health care law, and big government and its spending to cable news. Consistently conservative on social issues, Mrs. Bachmann also founded a Tea Party caucus in Congress.

Challenges Bachmanns credibility with the Tea Party movement may be her biggest asset, and her biggest hindrance in attracting voters in the Republican primary. For example, her attempt to seek a House leadership position after the Tea Party movement made strong gains in the 2010 midterm elections failed when she attracted little support.

For more information go to her website: http://www.michelebachmann.com/

Electoral College

 

In this Clip they are talking about the times in history when the popular vote and the electoral vote don't match up. They also talk about how candidates target swing states, giving certain states more attention.