THE ELECTION IS TURNING NASTY AND THE GOP IS COMPLAINING. HAVE THEY FORGOTTEN SWIFT BOATING AND RUSH LIMBAUGH?

…the Bleacherman has entered the stadium…

There is no question in anyone’s mind that the 2012 Presidential campaign’s overall tone has turned into a dialogue that is very nasty, offensive and just plain revolting.  What we are seeing and hearing sounds more like the tenor and theme of a Fox News broadcast filled with character assassinations instead of a debate that addresses the merits and specifics of the real issues that we face today.  It seems as if our country’s most critical challenges have been demoted to a AAA minor league level.

Extremely important issues like the economy, job creation, foreign policy and the national debt have been replaced by issues relevant but none-the-less of lesser importance.  Today the news headlines focus on Romney’s tenure (or lack thereof) at Bain Capital and his refusal to release tax returns and on Obama’s reported use of recreational drugs as a teenager, his asserted taking advantage of affirmative action to get into and advance through college, his ‘hatred’ of America, his inability to be an American and his place of birth.

Disgusting.  Just disgusting.

But what we must remember is politics is, has been and always will be nasty.  It is the nature of the beast.  In the 1800 campaign, the country’s first contested presidential election, supporters of Thomas Jefferson claimed incumbent John Adams wanted to marry off his son to the daughter of King George III, creating an American dynasty under British rule.  Almost sounds like right wing radio ranting.

In the 1884 race, Republicans accused the Democratic candidate, New York Gov. Grover Cleveland, of fathering an illegitimate child.  Almost sounds like the 2000 Republican primary campaign where a sinister rumor was leaked to the press alleging that John McCain fathered a bastard black child.

And one cannot overlook the 2004 swift boat attack on John Kerry.  Most of what was portrayed against Kerry was pure fiction and absolute slander but there was no way for Kerry to fight back the tidal wave of a well-financed, well executed political attack.

The truth of the matter is that we, the American constituency, gave birth to this environment and every election cycle reinforce the use of such negativity.  Everyone loves to complain about negative ads but the truth, undeniable and unavoidable, is that negative ads work.  It is a fact of life and until they do not work, until voters rally against and ignore negative ads, political campaigns will continue to use these tactics because they work.  Political election managers  may spit out the taste of this tactic at the end of the day but none-the-less will not hesitate to use a negative ad tactically and strategically to win an election.  So let us be honest; blame who is at fault and we, the voting constituency of this country, are at fault.

We must also put blame on talk radio and the super PACS who seem to believe they exist in some alien, existential environment and can say and do what they want yet insulate their candidates from assuming any responsibility for the PAC’s insulting, vile and vicious commentaries.

Mitt Romney has no right to call a foul on Obama after what Romney’s super PAC did to Newt Gingrich and his other primary opponents.  I still can see Romney standing at a podium pleading innocence over the negative advertising being blasted by super PACs aligned to his campaign.  “Blame them, not me,” was the mantra he offered Gingrich.  “I’m nice so blame them. I have no control over their activities and the content of their message.”

Yeah, and Santa Claus is a left handed fast ball pitcher who will bring a World Series to Wrigley Field.

So in closing here is my question to Mitt Romney:  If you want to get back to talking about the economy then when are you going to release all the specifics of your proposed new and job stimulating tax plan?  We’re still waiting for where you’re spending cuts are going to take place and where you’re new tax brackets fall.

So, if you want civil discourse; shut the likes of Sean Hannity and Rush Limbaugh up and bring forth the specifics and details of your economic game plan.  Then and only then do you and your wife have the right to complain about the tone of the political discourse.

…the Bleacherman has left the stadium…

THE IRRELEVANCE OF THE ATTACKS ON ROMNEY’S TENURE WITH BAIN CAPITAL

…the Bleacherman has entered the stadium…

As I sit here and watch the nonsense of the attack on Romney and his tenure with Bain Capital bounce across my television screen, I wonder just how much it all really matters.  Other than the news media on the left, far left, center, right and far right, and anywhere and everywhere in between, does anyone out there in voting America really care what Bain Capital did or didn’t do?  Does anyone really care that Romney is super rich?  Does anyone really want to examine the dirty laundry of capitalism at its worse?

While the media runs to commend or condemn venture capital and corporate raiding, no one is really asking the relevant questions.  It really is simple. What Bain Capital did is not the issue.  What is the issue is whether or not Romney, because of his experience with Bain, has skills that can be transferred and translated into successfully running the American economy as President of the United States.  THAT is an issue.

Let’s face it; there is a fundamental and significant difference between a CEO of a company and the President of the United States.  The former just has to snap his or her fingers and people go running.  Policy is easy to implement and grand plans easy to execute.  For the latter, the implantation of policy is much more difficult.  Even if the President has a Congress that somewhat agrees with the chief executive’s economic ideology; translating policy into effective and efficient legislation is a completely different ballgame than that which is faced by a CEO.  So what does Bain Capital have in common with the US economy?  What real qualifications does Romney have because of his Bain Capital experience?  Again, THAT is an issue.

We really should be examining Romney’s tenure as Governor of Massachusetts.  How did his economic policies translate into job growth?  What did he do or didn’t do that added to the state’s job growth?  What capital investments, loans or tax breaks did he offer corporate America to come to the state and create jobs?

So Romney’s history with Bain Capital is irrelevant. Totally.  Everyone knows that the Republican’s other candidates cannot beat Obama in a general election.  That is a fact.  Karl Rove knows this.  Most Republicans know this.  And there is no choice but for them to nominate Romney.  Whether he is a true certifiable conservative is also irrelevant.

Doesn’t anyone really want to know more about Romney’s stance on Iran?  Or does most America not care since their children would never volunteer to join the Army.  Does anyone really care that Romney’s tax plan raises taxes for many Americans.  Does anyone care that Romney will work very hard to insure that government will dictate a standard moral conduct for individuals to abide by even in the privacy of their own house

With the advent of the Super PACs this is only getting worse.  Needed questions will go unasked and truth becomes the victim.   America has been reduced to being nothing more than collateral damage.

…the Bleacherman has left the stadium…confused…sad…

YET ANOTHER DEBATE. YET MORE LIES. YET NO SOLUTIONS

…the Bleacherman has entered the stadium overdosed on political debates…

Like some political junkie I spent last night and very early this morning watching the two Republican Presidential debates and my first take away is that there was nothing Presidential about the debates.  It was, at best, intelligent men regressing back to a sandbox mentality where name calling and lying was standard operating procedure.

I’m not sure who to blame more; the candidates or the moderators although I did find the Meet The Press version much more professional and more focused on issues than the ABC version.  Maybe that is just the liberal nature of my being.  Although the truth is that I have never been one who has put much value in the way these political debates are structured.  They really are a platform for much rehearsed, much thought out talking points.  There is no real back and forth; there really is no back on forth on the specifics of the issues.  Lies and distortions go unchallenged.

My take on the candidates…

Santorum…seems to be enslaved to an absolutely ridiculous notion that by having a family solves all ills.  Santorum believes that if everyone just gets married (a man and a woman type), have a child or two or three or four, have a dog and build a white (a very white) picket fence around your home all will be well in America unless of course the company that someone works for downsizes and forces a worker into an unemployment system that punishes the worker for non being a CEO.

Paul…knows only of the Gospel of Liberty and has no idea that there is a difference between liberty and freedom and when there is a conflict freedom must always prevail.  An individual has the right not to be trampled over by the exercise of another individual’s liberty.  The rest of his political montage is so over the top that it does not merit comment…especially from a Zionist like myself.

Romney…should not be embarrassed about his affiliation with Bain Capital.  The question that needs to be asked:  how does his knowledge of Venture Capital translate into managing the fiscal machinations of this country?  There is no direct connection between venture capital and corporate raiding and building and controlling an economy…  Cutting corporate taxes does not create jobs…as I have ranted over and over again taxes are only a distribution of profit, they are not a creator of either revenue, operational profit and jobs.  Period.  Will someone tell the truth?

Gingrich…a bright, witty, smart man who is just out of touch with reality.  This man would best serve this country by putting him a room with a microphone and let him spend all day long dictating anything that comes into his mind.  Somewhere in that spewed intellectual vomit is a thought that can be used as the genesis of something good for America.

Huntsman…the ONLY! real American running for the GOP nomination.  He is too good to be a Republican.  He is too honest to be a Republican.  I am not a Republican (yeah..you’re shocked I’m sure) but if I was he would have my vote.

Perry…needs to go back to Texas and stay there.

Super Pacs…a reflection of the Supreme Court being an activist court and yielding to the power of money…not the power and rights of the people…but wait, six months from now all those Republicans crying over the Super Pacs will be defending them as they attack Obama.

…the Bleacherman has left the stadium wondering if democracy can survive Citizens United ruling…