If Newt Gingrich gets blown out in Florida, is it time to drop out?
FROM CNN's Jack Cafferty:
Things aren't looking pretty for Newt Gingrich in Florida, but that doesn't seem to matter much to him.
Despite trailing Mitt Romney in the polls by double digits and being outspent by an estimated $12 million in the Sunshine State, Gingrich is vowing to stay in the race all the way to the convention.
And that has some Republicans worried.
They're concerned that if Romney and Gingrich keep battling for months to come, it could weaken the eventual nominee, who then must face off against President Obama in the fall.
Others suggest that a prolonged fight makes both Gingrich and Romney better candidates.
A piece in Politico called “Why Newt Won't Quit” suggests that for Gingrich, the next great challenge of the campaign comes from within:
"Gingrich may have the will to keep fighting, but whether he's capable of keeping his cool, delivering a consistent message and executing a long-shot plan to overtake Romney is an altogether different matter."
Also working against Gingrich, no more debates until February 22.
Meanwhile, although Gingrich is vowing to stay in it for the long haul, his campaign is already lowering expectations for some of February's races.
The campaign says Michigan and Nevada will be difficult contests for their candidate. Romney won both states in 2008. Also, Michigan is Romney's birth state, and his father was governor there; Nevada has a lot of Mormons.
Gingrich is largely setting his sights on March, when more Southern states start voting.
The question is whether the money and the media attention will dry up before then.
Here’s my question to you: If Newt Gingrich gets blown out in Florida, is it time to drop out?
Interested to know which ones made it on air?
Do federal workers deserve better benefits and higher salaries than private sector employees?
FROM CNN's Jack Cafferty:
At a time when the government should be making drastic spending cuts across the board, they might want to start with their own.
A new report out by the congressional budget office shows federal workers get much better benefits - including health insurance, retirement and vacation - than private sector workers.
On average, the federal government spends 48% more on benefits for its employees than private employers do.
As for salaries, federal workers make just 2% more than private sector workers.
But there's a big difference when you break it down by education.
For example, for federal workers with only a high school diploma, their benefits are 72% higher, and their wages are 21% higher than they would be in the private sector.
On the other hand, workers with doctorates or professional degrees are worse off working for the government. Their benefits are about the same and they earn 23% less than those in the private sector.
The CBO report suggests retirement benefits could be the key here. That's because most retired federal workers get pensions and subsidized health insurance. Not so for the private sector.
Overall, it's estimated that the government paid 16% more last year in salary and benefits than it would have for the same workforce in the private sector.
There are roughly 2.3 million federal civilian employees - less than 2% of the total U.S. workforce.
In 2010, Congress and President Obama agreed to a two-year federal pay freeze.
But the president now wants a 0.5% pay increase for federal workers in 2013. Hey, it's an election year.
Here’s my question to you: Do federal workers deserve better benefits and higher salaries than private sector employees?
Interested to know which ones made it on air?
How much will Sarah Palin and Herman Cain help Newt Gingrich?
FROM CNN's Jack Cafferty:
As the Florida primary comes down to the wire, Newt Gingrich finds himself trailing badly in the polls but getting support from two high-profile Republicans.
The question is whether it will do him any good.
Former presidential candidate and businessman Herman Cain endorsed Gingrich over the weekend.
He called Gingrich a "patriot" who is not afraid of bold ideas.
Cain – who pulled off a surprising win in a Florida straw poll last summer – remains popular among grass-roots conservatives.
But he dropped out of the race in December amid allegations of sexual harassment and marital infidelity.
Then there's Sarah Palin. While she hasn't formally endorsed anyone, it sure seems like the former governor of Alaska is rooting for Gingrich.
Palin is calling on Republicans to vote for Gingrich to "shake up" the establishment "if for no other reason to rage against the machine, vote for Newt, annoy a liberal."
Palin has described the establishment Republicans backing Romney as "cannibals."
While Palin says she respects Mitt Romney, she says there are serious concerns about his record as a conservative. Palin says this primary should not be rushed to an end, adding, "we need to vet this."
You mean the way Palin was vetted for the vice presidency four years ago?
Meanwhile, Gingrich may need all the help he can get in Florida.
Four polls in a row there show Romney with a double-digit lead over Gingrich; the latest one shows Romney up by 14 points.
Here’s my question to you: How much will Sarah Palin and Herman Cain help Newt Gingrich?
Interested to know which ones made it on air?
Is a 30% tax on millionaires a good idea?
FROM CNN's Jack Cafferty:
President Obama's proposed 30% tax on millionaires would only be a drop in the bucket when it comes to solving this nation's deepening financial crisis.
The White House isn't too interested in talking about the impact of the so-called Buffet rule.
And here's why: Tax experts suggest the additional tax on the wealthy would raise about $40 billion a year in revenue. That's less than 1% of what the government spent in 2011.
$40 billion is nothing compared to the more than $1 trillion annual deficits the Obama administration is running - or the national debt which now exceeds $15 trillion.
Republicans say the plan is nothing more than a political charade. One congressman tells Politico that the president wants to "pit one group against another so he can raise more money to spend on a bloated government."
In his State of the Union address, President Obama suggested it comes down to tax cuts for the wealthiest or investments in everything else, including funding for education, medical research and the military.
President Obama's senior strategist, David Axelrod, said on Meet the Press yesterday that in order to solve the deficit, "everyone's going to have to give a little and that includes people at the top." What about cutting spending or the size of government?
Meanwhile a new Gallup poll shows Americans are divided on whether our economic system is unfair. 49% agree with the president that it's unfair while 45% say it's fair. However, a majority - 62% - say the economic system is fair to them "personally."
This could make President Obama's re-election strategy of giving everyone a "fair shake" a tough sell if most Americans think the economic system is fair as is.
Here’s my question to you: Is a 30% tax on millionaires a good idea?
Interested to know which ones made it on air?
Should debate audiences be allowed to react?
FROM CNN's Jack Cafferty:
As the Republican candidates get ready for yet another face-off in Florida for tonight's CNN debate, there's a growing focus on what happens offstage during these events.
A piece in The New York Times asks if the news media have been creating too raucous an atmosphere by encouraging audiences to react, in order to create better television.
There's no question these debates are more lively when the audience reacts - from applause to cheers and boos. But the reaction from audience members who are partisan toward one candidate or another can distort the impression the viewer at home might otherwise get.
Newt Gingrich made a stink earlier this week after NBC's Florida debate, since moderator Brian Williams asked the audience to hold their applause until the commercial breaks.
Gingrich threatened not to participate in future debates if the audiences can't react. Picking on one of his favorite targets, the media, Gingrich said NBC's rules stepped on free speech.
But then Gingrich feeds off rowdy audiences, and they helped propel him in back-to-back knockout debate performances in South Carolina last week. Some even suggest Gingrich was off his game Monday night because the crowd wasn't allowed to respond to his zingers.
Well, Gingrich won't have to worry about that tonight. The audience at CNN's debate will be allowed to express their reactions, as long as they're respectful.
However, should Gingrich go on to win his party's nomination, he'll have to settle for debates versus President Obama without any applause.
According to the rules set by the commission on presidential debates, those audiences must remain silent.
Here’s my question to you: Should debate audiences be allowed to react?
Interested to know which ones made it on air?
Is it good or bad that Newt Gingrich makes establishment Republicans nervous?
FROM CNN's Jack Cafferty:
Newt Gingrich is sending chills down the spines of establishment Republicans, and it's positively entertaining to watch.
These Republicans say things like it would be "a disaster" if he's the nominee, "There's a reason most people who know him best aren't supporting him" and "Newt means losing 45 states."
They say they're worried Gingrich would bring back the erratic, chaotic and crazy leadership from his time as House Speaker.
What's more, many worry that Gingrich at the top of the ticket would drag down Republican candidates for the House and Senate. In a nutshell, they don't think Gingrich could ever beat President Obama.
So far only 12 sitting Republican lawmakers have backed Gingrich, while more than 60 support Mitt Romney. Many who worry about Gingrich also say they doubt he'll be the party's nominee.
The irony here is that being the anti-establishment candidate could be the best thing Gingrich has going for him. The so-called establishment includes a few hundred of the most powerful and elite Republicans, from lobbyists to senior members of Congress to TV and newspaper pundits.
But Americans are fed up with the political establishment and if the inner circle of Republicans is nervous about Newt, it could actually help him with the average voter. Gingrich also seems to thrive when he's playing the insurgent.
Meanwhile, you can bet the GOP establishment has got a close eye on Florida. They say they're not at DEFCON 5 yet.
But they just might get there if Gingrich wins Florida and presents an even more serious challenge to Romney. I love it.
Here’s my question to you: Is it good or bad that Newt Gingrich makes establishment Republicans nervous?
Interested to know which ones made it on air?
What does it mean for President Obama that Americans' dissatisfaction with the economy has skyrocketed since 2008?
FROM CNN's Jack Cafferty:
As President Obama heads out to campaign for re-election, he has his work cut out for him.
A new Gallup poll shows Americans are "broadly dissatisfied" with the state of the nation on many issues – and in some cases, that satisfaction has dropped off a cliff since 2008.
The most toxic issue for Americans? The economy, which also happens to be the top issue on most voters' minds.
Only 13% of those surveyed in this poll say they are satisfied with the state of the economy. 13%.
Most ominously for Mr. Obama, that's a 23-point drop since January of 2008, the year before he took office.
This is the lowest rate of satisfaction and the biggest decline in the last four years for any of the 24 issues Gallup measured.
Up next: Fewer than 3 in 10 Americans are satisfied with both the moral and ethical climate in the country and the size and power of the federal government. There's been a double-digit drop in satisfaction for both these issues since 2008.
There's more: Most Americans are also dissatisfied with the level of immigration into the country and with the nation's efforts to deal with poverty.
No surprise there with more than 46 million Americans living below the poverty line and a record number on food stamps.
On the plus side, Americans are most satisfied with the overall quality of life in the U.S. along with the nation's security from terrorism and its military strength.
But if you buy the election year admonition, "It's the economy, stupid," then where President Obama is concerned, it's a problem.
Here’s my question to you: What does it mean for President Obama that Americans' dissatisfaction with the economy has skyrocketed since 2008?
Tune in to the Situation Room at 4pm 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.
How would President Obama's second term look different from his first?
FROM CNN's Jack Cafferty:
President Obama wants four more years in the White House, but if he wins a second term - which is still a big "if" at this point - it's unclear what exactly it would look like.
A piece in Politico describes the president's agenda as "blurry" this time around.
Which is a far cry from the 2008 campaign. In addition to "hope," "change" and "Yes we can," then-candidate Obama ran on a long list of issues from health care reform to ending the Iraq war to imposing tighter regulations on Wall Street.
He also promised a new era of bipartisanship in Washington - and we all know how well that turned out. Washington, and the entire country, may be more bitterly divided today than at almost any time in our history.
Here's the thing about a potential second term: Unless Democrats win big in Congress, it's likely the next four years would only bring more division. That's why Mr. Obama's message may be more about stopping the Republicans than about what he can get done.
There are some items left on the president's to-do list, like a long-term budget deal and immigration reform. But don't hold your breath on those political hot potatoes in a divided Washington.
Other than that, the president is expected to campaign on the proper role for government and creating more fairness in society. This is the class warfare stuff we talked about last hour in the Cafferty File.
Meanwhile don't bet on getting too many answers in President Obama's State of the Union tonight.
Past presidents have mostly used the address to defend their first term record - instead of laying out an agenda for a second term.
Here’s my question to you: How would President Obama's second term look different from his first?
Interested to know which ones made it on air?
How concerned are you about class warfare in this country?
FROM CNN's Jack Cafferty:
Billionaire investor George Soros warns a class war, including riots in the streets, is coming to the United States.
Soros tells Newsweek the Occupy Wall Street movement will grow and turn violent. He says the response to the unrest could become an "excuse for cracking down and using strong-arm tactics to maintain law and order."
If things go far enough, Soros suggests it could bring about a repressive political system.
This may be a stark view of where the United States is headed, but the idea of class conflict is growing these days.
When President Obama pushed for higher taxes on the wealthy as part of his plan to cut the deficit last fall, he insisted the tax hikes were not "class warfare." But not everyone agrees.
And you can bet that same income inequality will be a theme in President Obama's State of the Union address Tuesday night. The president is set to talk about a government that should ensure "a fair shake for all."
Obama has said the system is rigged against the nation's middle class and that he wants to work toward an America where "everyone engages in fair play, everyone gets a fair shot, everyone does their fair share."
And there's no doubt Americans are feeling this clash between the rich and the poor:
A recent poll shows a large majority of Americans see class warfare, with two-thirds saying they think there are "very strong" or "strong" class conflicts.
But this is the scary part. The clash between rich and poor now ranks as the country's greatest social conflict, topping conflicts between immigrants and native-born Americans or conflicts between blacks and whites.
Here’s my question to you: How concerned are you about class warfare in this country?
Interested to know which ones made it on air?
What's the secret to Newt Gingrich's success?
FROM CNN's Jack Cafferty:
Newt Gingrich has risen from the dead for a second time in this roller-coaster that is the Republican nomination battle.
With his decisive double-digit win in South Carolina, Gingrich now heads into Florida with a head full of steam.
South Carolina has the distinction of picking every Republican nominee since Ronald Reagan in 1980, and what Gingrich did there is nothing short of amazing. It's also a bit puzzling.
A piece in Politico suggests that the surging Gingrich has mastered the art of both debates and disguise.
There's no question Gingrich's debate performances – and the free media he gets from them – have been a key to his success. Last week, his answer about food stamps and his beating up on the media helped him win over South Carolina conservatives.
As for the disguise part, Gingrich uses his master debate skills to camouflage his weaknesses as a candidate: the three wives, leaving the first two while they were ill, his erratic leadership, etc.
One ex-wife's claim that Gingrich wanted an open marriage might have done him in. But in the end, she didn't lay a glove on him. The voters yawned.
Mitt Romney must be tearing his hair out; it wasn't supposed to be this way.
With much less money and a smaller organization, Gingrich is once again threatening to take away his crown.
It’s a stunning comeback for a candidate who was sent off to the political graveyard for the first time last summer. His staff quit after he went on a Mediterranean cruise and reports surfaced of his million-dollar line of credit at Tiffany's. But Gingrich roared back to life in December, shooting to the top of the polls before collapsing again ahead of the Iowa caucuses.
He just won't go away.
Here’s my question to you: What's the secret to Newt Gingrich's success?
Tune in to the Situation Room at 4pm 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.
@jackcafferty on Twitter
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