POLITICS AND NATURE

Mitt's Gotta Be Thinking "Thanks Dad"

Mitt Romney won with big numbers in Michigan, keeping hope alive in the Romney campaign and increasing the interest on the right wing of the American political ship of state. He finally got a real gold medal. Mitt earned himself 39% of the vote to McCain's 30%, exhibiting the danger of listening to the early exit polls which I failed to heed earlier when I wrote how close the race was. The only thing which would make the GOP efforts more interesting would be if big Fred wins South Carolina. Maybe Rudy's team did know what they were doing by waiting until Florida. He needs to hope so because he came in sixth, behind not only Romney and McCain but Huck (16%), Ron Paul (6%), Fred (4%), and just ahead of the 2% uncommitted vote. Rudy had 3% of the vote. Bizarre at best. Duncan Hunter came in with a solid 0.

Dems in Vegas

In the meantime, the three remaining Democrats sat around a table with Brian Williams, Tim Russert, and Natalie Morales of the Today Show, to discuss their views of the future of the American nation. Chris Mathews of CNBC, host of hardball, proclaimed a march to the convention for Hillary resulting from this debate. It is difficult to really take Mathews seriously at times. First of all, it is hard to understand why he feels the need to yell every question and point. But this was after the debate.

They began talking about the race question arising out of the last few days. Both Hillary and Barack affirmed their beliefs that race and gender should not be an issue in the campaign. On a side note, which is rather funny, just before the debate, Fox News was making a big deal about the racial division Hillary was causing in the Democratic Party and in the country as a whole. Of course, they are fair and balanced. But that is another, ongoing story.

While Fox crushed the next best thing to a terrorist in subtly bashing Democrats, Barack, Hillary, and John conversed in a civil and informative discussion about home foreclosures, energy policy, green-collar jobs, 2 Wars, 47 million uninsured Americans, support by foreign nations of mega banks, bankruptcy laws, tax policy, money, failed leadership, the troops, national service plans, immigration, the drop out rate and high gun crimes among black boys, and vision.

It must be hard in any debate to keep things civil. The Republicans did a decent job of it when they sat close together around a table with the Fox moderator. The Democrats, like most other things, in my humble opinion, did a much better job. There's not a great deal of policy positions differentiating these candidates from one another. The point of debates now gives an even greater sense of how they would govern. What they will do to bring the nation together and what their realistic ideas are about what they will be able to do if they get the office. How will they work with, or against Congress, state governments, and other nations with whom we share the planet.

Issue Management

Democrats believe in using government effectively and to create a state in which people are cared for. There is a chasm between Republicans and Democrats on underlying philosophical motivations. Republicans trust in the free market and their goal is total freedom of the movement of money and self reliance (unless we're talking about moral decisions--which they then think they know better). They believe anything done sans governmental involvement is good for the nation while any government involves stealing from the hard working, most productive (in Fred Thompson's words) class in the country.

These Democratic leaders have a vision of the future, including:

1.  Regulate industries so the spirit of the free market exhibits itself without the criminal aspects society sees every so often creep into business practices by protecting individuals--transparency and accountability with lenders

2.  Federal assistance/guidance/investment in the new economy which will be based in green technology

3.  Withdraw troops from Iraq and help figure out Afghanistan

4.  Lead for the creation of a national energy policy taking away subsidies to oil and gas and coal

5.  Revise the bankruptcy bill of 2005--lobbied for by the big banks--some of which are looking for a bailout from foreign nations

6.  Help people pay for college

7.  Universal pre-K education

8.  Tax relief for the middle class

9.  Kill Yucca Mtn: Edwards says no more nuke power, Obama says more research, Hillary says more research but no Yucca: Each will get rid of Yucca Mountain nuclear waste site.

10.  Apollo type project for energy independence. We got to the moon in ten years. Why does this administration talk about things for 2020?

11.  Barack was the only one talking about reducing consumption and using energy efficient buildings, lighting, appliances, and generally making all our stuff more efficient.

12.  Help reduce crime rate among black teens through better, earlier education, focus on the family, community, and emphasize importance of Dad's role.

13.  They realize the power of the gun lobby so Barack and Hillary support a gun registry making sure felons and psychos don't get guns, cities have ability to deal with issue as they see fit. John is against a registry, he's from rural N. Carolina. They all agree on an assault weapons ban.

Democrats should be very happy with the choices available to them regarding the presidency of the United States. These are thoughtful, Democrats also need to be ready for a long and ugly campaign waged against the chosen candidate, especially Hillary. Barack will be a positive leader with the ability to unite people around his vision and to motivate the people of the nation to make the country greater. Hillary has proved her dedication, intelligence, and willingness to work hard with people of all parties, but be ready if she wins.

The right wing is outraged at the possibility of President Hillary Clinton and if she wins they will go ugly and fast. The warnings will emerge from the woodwork by people who simply hate her. They have been planning their attacks for over a year now and they will make thinking people ill. Her resolve and toughness will be tried to an endless degree just in the election cycle. Then, unless thoughful Republicans tell their leaders they are tired of their negativity and dark visions, it will be a nasty period and the only hope will be the support of people throughout the nation. But, that's a ways off now, still a long way to go before we know anything.