Destroying Romney right way for Pres. Obama to win 2nd term?
FROM CNN's Jack Cafferty:
"Hope" and "change" may be a distant memory when it comes to President Barack Obama's 2012 re-election campaign.
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Politico reports the president's campaign will center on a "ferocious personal assault" on Mitt Romney's character and business background. This is based on the expectation that the Republican front-runner will be his party's likely nominee.
The president's aides have apparently been studying former president George W. Bush's 2004 takedown of Democratic Sen. John Kerry. Remember swiftboating and flip-flopping? As one Democratic strategist tells Politico, "Unless things change and Obama can run on accomplishments, he will have to kill Romney." Figuratively speaking.
Sources say there are two aspects to the strategy. The first is to go after Romney on a personal level as inauthentic, unprincipled and "weird."
The second is to go after the former Massachusetts governor's record as a businessman. He was CEO of the venture capital firm Bain Capital, which both created and eliminated jobs. The goal is to paint Romney as the picture of greed.
Romney's campaign describes this strategy as despicable, desperate and disgraceful. They insist there's nothing the president can do to make the election anything but a referendum on the economy. And they may very well have a point if things continue in the direction we're headed.
Meanwhile, the Obama campaign is pushing back against Politico's story saying anyone who claims to hold a "crystal ball" for their strategy doesn't speak for the campaign. And they claim that Romney is shedding "crocodile tears."
Let the games begin.
Here’s my question to you: Is destroying Mitt Romney the right way for President Obama to try to win a second term?
Interested to know which ones made it on air?
Are England's riots a sign of things to come here?
Firefighters battle a massive blaze at the Sony distribution center in Waltham Abbey, north of London. (PHOTO CREDIT: LEON NEAL/AFP/GETTY IMAGES)
FROM CNN's Jack Cafferty:
London is burning - along with many other parts of England - and the United States may want to take note.
More than 560 people have been arrested in London alone after the past three nights of violence. The city's jails are full.
And when you look at these pictures, it's hard to believe this is London, one of the world's great cities, and not some third world country with a ragtag government.
Looting, fires, rioting, attacks on police officers: Residents say it's like a "war zone" and that there's a "carnival atmosphere" among the gangs of hooded youths.
This all started after the shooting death of a 29-year-old black man at the hands of the police in London last week. It's still under investigation. But it's almost like that was the spark that ignited an explosion of anger and frustration from Britain's young and unemployed.
There are reports of children as young as seven participating in the violence and looting. Seven years old.
Prime Minister David Cameron has cut his Italian vacation short, and he's recalling Parliament. He's vowing tough action to stop the violence. Critics say the police have been missing in action so far, but 16,000 will report for duty on the streets of London tonight.
And the violence isn’t just in London. It has also broken out in cities like Liverpool, Birmingham and Bristol.
There are many culprits for what's going on here - including ethnic tensions and absence of law enforcement.
But make no mistake - it's no coincidence that these riots are happening as the global economy hangs off the edge of a cliff. Income inequality in England is greater than at any time since the 1920s. And this rioting began in one of the poorest parts of London - Tottenham, where unemployment is devastating.
Here’s my question to you: Are England's riots a sign of things to come here?
Interested to know which ones made it on air?
Is another religious, conservative Republican governor from Texas the answer to our prayers?
FROM CNN's Jack Cafferty:
The great Yogi Berra said, "it's like deja vu all over again."
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What we have here apparently is another religious, conservative Republican governor from Texas who wants to be president.
Only this one's last name isn't Bush.
Texas Governor Rick Perry is expected to strongly signal his intention to run for president in a speech in South Carolina on Saturday.
Perry's announcement is timed perfectly to upset the Iowa Straw Poll in Ames which is also on Saturday. Although Perry's name isn't on the ballot in Iowa, supporters are waging a write-in campaign.
After the speech in South Carolina, Perry is off to New Hampshire and then to Iowa to headline a fundraiser Sunday night.
The tea party favorite already has a certain appeal among conservatives who are looking for more options in a pretty sad Republican field. Working in Perry's favor, the Texas economy is doing better than most. Almost 40% of all the new jobs created in the U.S. since the recession started are in Texas. The state also has a balanced budget.
But Haven't we been here and done this? We already lived though eight years of a Christian evangelical governor from Texas in the White House... and we're still in therapy from the trauma of that little experiment gone awry.
This past weekend, Perry addressed believers at an all-day prayer vigil in Houston. Perry asked God to help comfort Americans stung by the troubled economy. He also prayed for President Obama.
He did all this in a stadium that was less than half full. And what about that separation of church and state thingy?
Here’s my question to you: Is another religious, conservative Republican governor from Texas the answer to our prayers?
Interested to know which ones made it on air?
Is the economy killing Pres. Obama's chances of a 2nd term?
President Obama's chances of winning a second term may have been downgraded... right along with this country's credit rating.
Consider the recent rough economic news facing the United States:
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- An unemployment rate that remains stubbornly above 9 percent
- A tumbling stock market... down more than 630 points today after a 513 point drop last Thursday
That historic downgrade in our credit rating - the first time ever in U.S. history and it happened on President Obama's watch.
There's also a possibility of a further downgrade if we don't straighten out our debt situation. And that's doubtful after watching the charades in Washington that passed for negotiations on the debt ceiling.
- Economic growth under 2 percent... with many worried we're headed for a double-dip recession
- Home values worth one-third less than they were five years ago.
- Only 58% of working age Americans in the labor force... that's the lowest in nearly 30 years.
- Consumer confidence at two year-lows... and polls showing majorities disapprove of president obama's handling of the economy.
All this is not lost on Republican candidates for 2012... they have already linked President Obama to the S&P credit downgrade and the weak economy and you can believe they will ramp up the criticism as the election gets closer.
Perhaps the only factor working in Mr. Obama's favor is he's got time... the election is still more than a year away.
Suffice it to say if the election was held today he would be back organizing communities.
If the president is going to turn this ship around, he better start soon. Americans who are out of work and seeing their life savings evaporate in the stock market probably don't have much patience left.
Here’s my question to you: Is the economy killing President Obama's chances of a second term?
Interested to know which ones made it on air?
What will it take to change things in Washington?
(PHOTO CREDIT: JEWEL SAMAD/AFP/GETTY IMAGES)
FROM CNN's Jack Cafferty:
I guess we should all send Congress thank-you notes. Don't know where to send them, though. They're on vacation ... for five weeks.
Before they rushed through that phony bill on deficit reduction and the debt ceiling, they were told by the ratings agencies that a minimum of $4 trillion in cuts would be necessary to preserve this country's AAA credit rating.
They passed, and the president signed, less than $1 trillion in cuts. We may or may not get an additional trillion or so in cuts from the "special commission"; that remains to be seen. Whichever happens, it's not nearly enough.
In the meantime, while President Obama is celebrating his birthday and Congress is partying it up on vacation, the country has lost its triple-A credit rating for the first time in our history.
Standard and Poor's, one of the ratings agencies, says there's a one-in-three chance the United States’ credit will be downgraded again in the next six months to two years if the government doesn't come up with the cuts necessary to satisfy the current AA+ rating.
Meanwhile, the rest of the world is in shock. Markets around the world are selling off as trillions of dollars in valuation are being wiped out. Our stock market is headed straight south, and our citizens are watching as their savings and retirement plans are becoming worth less and less by the hour; a lifetime of hard work and sacrifice disappearing before their eyes. And the president parties and Congress is on vacation.
No one deserves a government that treats its people this way. And none of these people who voted for this deserves to be re-elected. None of them. But sadly, a lot of them will be. The Reids and Pelosis will still be there after the 2012 election, along with many of the rest of the incumbents.
And that's the real problem. The country is being destroyed, and we continue to send the destroyers back to Washington.
I guess in the end, we get what we deserve.
Here’s my question to you: What will it take to change things in Washington?
Interested to know which ones made it on air?
Tea party's effect on the federal government?
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FROM CNN's Jack Cafferty:
The old saying is you can't fight city hall. The country's city hall is Washington, D.C.
And the frustration being felt by Americans with that city is palpable. We are lied to, pandered to, taken advantage of and taken for granted. And election after election, we watch the quality of our lives and our country continue to ebb away.
Most of us feel powerless to do anything about it.
Enter the tea party.
Love them or hate them, they are making a difference, changing the debate. When the conservative faction of the Republican Party was formed, it subscribed to a set of principles that, surprise, it continues to cling to today.
Tea party movement members said they would go to Washington and work for smaller government, lower taxes, less spending and a general disengagement of the federal government from our everyday lives.
Now granted, their recipe for success doesn't appeal to everyone.
But the point worth making here is this:
It is possible to fight Washington. They just finished doing it with the debt ceiling fiasco. The government was brought to its knees and made to look absolutely silly by a small group in the House of Representatives – just 60 out of 435 members.
They came to Washington and did exactly what they said they would do. That doesn't happen often in Washington.
But there is a lesson here for all of us:
Vote in enough numbers for the people you believe in and can trust, and who knows what might be possible.
Here’s my question to you: What's your impression of the effect the tea party has had on the federal government?
Tune in to the Situation Room at 5pm to see if Jack reads your answer on air.
And, we love to know where you’re writing from, so please include your city and state with your comment.
Govt. decide if poor people get free cell phones?
FROM CNN's Jack Cafferty:
Free cell phones for the poor. Yet another example of where our government is getting involved.
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The Pittsburgh Tribune Review reports on programs that provide free cell phones and 250 monthly minutes to people receiving government support like Medicaid or food stamps.
These programs, which exist in most states, are paid for by the federal Universal Service Fund. Federal law requires all telecom providers contribute to this fund.
An industry spokeswoman tells the newspaper that all cell phone carriers charge consumers a fee to recover the cost of their contribution to the fund.
Translation: People who pay cell phone bills are also helping pay for those who get free cell phones.
There are millions of participants nationwide in these programs. Customers only need to provide proof of income in order to qualify.
Supporters say the program is about "peace of mind,” that it's one less bill for someone to pay so they can afford to pay their rent or day care.
But critics say free cell phone service is no right, that you don't need a cell phone to live.
One expert at the Heritage Foundation calls the free cell phone programs "particularly wasteful and unnecessary,” adding that our society can't afford to give free everything to everybody.
Other experts suggest programs like these could help the overall economy since having a phone can help people find jobs – especially since public pay phones aren't on every corner like they used to be before cell phones became so prominent.
Here’s my question to you: Should the government decide whether poor people get free cell phones?
Tune in to the Situation Room at 6pm to see if Jack reads your answer on air.
And, we love to know where you’re writing from, so please include your city and state with your comment.
Sarah Palin & Donald Trump answer to country's problems?
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FROM CNN's Jack Cafferty:
With the 2012 election sneaking ever closer, there's still a chance Sarah Palin and Donald Trump might throw their hats in the ring. Which would tend to fit nicely with the political insanity we've been experiencing the past couple of weeks.
Trump says he would consider running for president if the economy continues to be bad and if the Republicans pick the wrong candidate. Trump would be the wrong candidate.
Nevertheless, he tells CNBC he would give it "very, very serious thought," adding, "there are so many people wanting me to do it." That list would fit on a cocktail napkin.
We've been here before. Trump flirted with the idea in the past, including this year, before deciding against it. At the time, he blamed many of the economy's problems on "foolish leaders" who let countries like China steal American jobs.
As for Sarah Palin, she'll be keeping herself in the spotlight when she headlines a tea party rally near Des Moines, Iowa, over Labor Day weekend.
The "I quit after half a term" former governor of Alaska says the U.S. needs a "restoration of all that is good and strong and free,” whatever that means.
The September appearance will mark Palin's second in Iowa this year. In late June, she and her husband, Todd, attended the premiere of the pro-Palin documentary "The Undefeated."
Meanwhile, turns out that film has been soundly defeated at the box office. The movie, which opened nationwide mid-July, earned a lousy $5,000 this past weekend, the worst performance yet. The popcorn stand at the theater took in more.
Palin recently said she plans to decide about 2012 in late August or September. God help us.
Here’s my question to you: Are Sarah Palin and Donald Trump the answer to the country's problems?
Interested to know which ones made it on air?
Illegal aliens leaving U.S., returning to Mexico for better life?
FROM CNN's Jack Cafferty:
In case you needed it, here's yet another sign of just how bad the economy is:
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Illegal aliens are leaving the United States and returning to Mexico in search of a better life.
You heard that right. One Mexican official tells the Sacramento Bee that Mexico has "become a middle class country" where it's now easier to buy homes on credit, get higher education and find a job."
Not so here in the U.S. where the employment picture remains grim. Just today came announcements from Cisco and Goldman Sachs that they're cutting thousands of jobs.
Plus - a report from payroll processor ADP shows that although the private sector added jobs in July, growth is below what's needed for a steady recovery.
Meanwhile - As we wait for the monthly jobs report Friday, consider this: Mexico's unemployment rate is 4.9%... compared to 9.2% in the U.S. You do the math.
It's estimated that about 300,000 illegal aliens have left California alone since 2008.
Experts say the weaker U.S. economy along with rising deportations and tougher border enforcement means fewer illegal aliens. But - there have also been significant improvements in Mexico's society.
Its economy is growing at 4-5% and, according to the UN, Mexico's average standard of living - which includes things like health, education and per capita income - is higher than in Russia, China and India.
Turns out Mexicans might just have better luck of achieving the American Dream south of the border.
Here’s my question to you: What does it say that illegal aliens are leaving the U.S. and returning to Mexico in search of a better life?
Interested to know which ones made it on air?
Is U.S. economic leadership at an end
FROM CNN's Jack Cafferty:
There's a saying that "When America sneezes, the rest of the world catches a cold."
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And that's why the ripple effect of the debt ceiling crisis in Washington reaches far beyond our borders.
The whole world has been watching - and worrying - as Congress carried on like children the past few weeks, threatening to send the U.S. into default.
A piece in The Daily Beast suggests that the debt ceiling debate was "the most disturbing sign to date that a global economic system that hinges on the United States is a system waiting to crash."
A growing number of experts suggest it's past time to come up with an alternative to the dollar and to U.S. Treasuries in the global market.
One of the first signs that America's economic leadership was unraveling came with the financial meltdown of 2008. And since then, the situation has only become more dire.
Russia's Prime Minister Vladimir Putin is accusing the U.S. of living beyond its means "like a parasite" on the global economy.
Putin says if there's a "systemic malfunction" in the U.S., it will affect everyone. And he's right about that.
So it's no surprise everyone from Saudi Arabia to China to Canada has questioned the antics in Washington surrounding the debt ceiling.
And - even though President Obama has now signed the debt bill into law raising our borrowing limit, there are still jitters in international markets that the U.S. credit rating could be downgraded.
For countries that hold billions - or trillions - of dollars of U.S. Treasuries that's not good news.
Interested to know which ones made it on air?
@jackcafferty on Twitter
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