Can Cain win?

[Maggie]

None of the candidates strictly adhere to conservative orthodoxy – that is all a meant by Cain not being perfect.

Well I think Cain and Romney are similar in that they are both, to a certain extent, running on their experience in the private sector. Romney’s record at Bain Capital, a private equity investment firm, was pretty good. Among other things, Romney was also asked to step in and save the 2002 Winter Olympics that, before he took over, was racked by scandal and hundreds of millions of dollars in debt. The 2002 Winter Games ended up turning a huge profit. Don’t get me wrong, as you should already know, I find Cain’s business experience impressive too.

I could but I won’t defend what Romney did with regard to health care while a governor. I share you skepticism about Romney (and we obviously are not alone) not because I don’t believe he a capable manager (that is, in fact, what he is best at) but because I am not sure I trust him. I believe Romney is at heart a technocrat which means his natural inclination may be to be a little too hands on when it comes to economic matters. He is saying the right things at the moment; but will he follow through? Someone mentioned, it might have been you, that regardless of who gets the nomination should they beat Obama the new President will likely have GOP majorities in the House and the Senate. So….when a new budget drafted by Paul Ryan hits the new President’s desk….lets just say I agree that conservatives Congress will be able to keep a Republican president “honest”.

I was speaking generally about immigration being touted as the primary, and even sole, concern of Hispanic voters. I think your percentages are about right – even if someone like Rubio is on the ticket. But the GOP has to do a better job communicating with Hispanics – most Hispanics are socially conservative, frugal, many own small businesses – a GOP message should resonate with the average Hispanic.

If Cain, and it is a big IF, took 20% of the black vote from Obama (I do think blacks would take a second look at Cain if he won the nomination) – that would effectively destroy the Democratic Party. Talk about a political earthquake – you would have progressives/liberals jumping out of windows.

I wanted Ryan to run for President. Even if he ended up losing the nomination he would be out there debating his ideas on a larger stage. But short of that, he is better off in the House – Ryan has a lot of power there now and he is one politician that I believe will use it wisely. In any event, Ryan doesn’t seem interested in being President. I could be wrong but that is why I don’t think Ryan, if asked, will run for V.P.

I hope you are wrong about a Obama/Clinton ticket.

[Maggie]

Cain he do it? Yes he Cain!

Cain vs. Unable? - Dennis Miller

[Ixiah]

Cains 9-9-9 plan seems very dangerous - it is very close to a VAT tax and may well become one. It also breaks the Republican pledge of "no new taxes". Here is one site that was reviewing it:

http://www.freedomworks.org/blog/dean-clancy/herman-cains-999-plan-the-good-the-bad-and-the-ugl

[Maggie]

Cains 9-9-9 plan seems very dangerous - it is very close to a VAT tax and may well become one. It also breaks the Republican pledge of "no new taxes". Here is one site that was reviewing it:

http://www.freedomworks.org/blog/dea...ad-and-the-ugl

I completely agree. The creation of a national sales tax is akin to a VAT or a consumption tax. I am open to a consumption tax (but the devil is in the details); but I would require the elimination of federal income tax first.

Cain's motives are sound; however, I am not sure, despite his defense of the national sales tax, he fully appreciates how easily a consumption tax can abused.

[1979Shocker]

Cains 9-9-9 plan seems very dangerous - it is very close to a VAT tax and may well become one. It also breaks the Republican pledge of "no new taxes". Here is one site that was reviewing it:

http://www.freedomworks.org/blog/dea...ad-and-the-ugl

The Cain 999 plan gets rid of Social Security and Medicare and transfers it to the State and Local governments. You know they have all kinds of money. Also charities and churches will be asked to help.

The 999 plan would continue the redistribution of wealth that was started in the 80's.

[SubGod22]

And from PPP: Cain leads Romney by eight nationally, Perry in 4th

Raleigh, N.C. – After jumping in front of the leadoff caucus race in PPP’s Tuesday
release from Iowa, Herman Cain holds an identical 30-22 lead over Mitt Romney in the
national standings. Newt Gingrich lags with 15% to Rick Perry’s 14%, Michele
Bachmann’s and Ron Paul’s 5%, Jon Huntsman’s 2%, Rick Santorum’s 1%, and Gary
Johnson’s less than 1%. Perry is down a shocking 17 points in the last month; he led
with 31% in PPP’s September poll. In his stead, Cain has jumped 22 points from sixth
place. Gingrich is up a nominal five points, and Romney four, while Paul is down six,
and Bachmann four.

Where Perry can take heart is that significantly more of his supporters (48%) say they are
firmly committed to him than the rest of the top four’s backers do. Overall, only a third
of voters say they are immobile, while two-thirds could possibly switch to another
candidate between now and when voting begins. That is a perfect example of how
chaotic this race has become.

For the moment, at least, Cain has usurped Perry as the hero of the far right. In
September, Perry led among the third who say they are very conservative with 39%,
ahead of four other candidates in the low teens. Perry has now slipped 19 points to 20%
with these voters, with Cain up 23 points from 10% to 33%. Romney is also up seven
with them.

[Maggie]

Cains 9-9-9 plan seems very dangerous - it is very close to a VAT tax and may well become one. It also breaks the Republican pledge of "no new taxes". Here is one site that was reviewing it:

http://www.freedomworks.org/blog/dea...ad-and-the-ugl

The Cain 999 plan gets rid of Social Security and Medicare and transfers it to the State and Local governments. You know they have all kinds of money. Also charities and churches will be asked to help.

The 999 plan would continue the redistribution of wealth that was started in the 80's.

I need to take another look but I don't believe Cain's plan addresses entitlements directly.

[Kung Wu]

Cain he do it? Yes he Cain!

Cain vs. Unable? - Dennis Miller

Hahaha, that's a good one!

[Kung Wu]

I completely agree. The creation of a national sales tax is akin to a VAT or a consumption tax. I am open to a consumption tax (but the devil is in the details); but I would require the elimination of federal income tax first.

Agree. Fair Tax is excellent. But you do need to eliminate the income tax entirely -- otherwise you are a slippery slope to right back where we are WITH a VAT tax!

[DUShock]

Flat tax no deductions...

[Ixiah]

The Cain 999 plan gets rid of Social Security and Medicare and transfers it to the State and Local governments. You know they have all kinds of money. Also charities and churches will be asked to help.

If Cain's plan did that, and he wins the nomination, you might as well pen in Obama for another 4 years. There is no way on this earth a candidate is going to win with a plan to eliminate social security. It's just too popular a program.

[Maggie]

The Cain 999 plan gets rid of Social Security and Medicare and transfers it to the State and Local governments. You know they have all kinds of money. Also charities and churches will be asked to help.

If Cain's plan did that, and he wins the nomination, you might as well pen in Obama for another 4 years. There is no way on this earth a candidate is going to win with a plan to eliminate social security. It's just too popular a program.

He or she may be referring to the payroll tax.

[Kung Wu]

Flat tax no deductions...

Yes that would be better than the status quo by a long shot too.

[1979Shocker]

Here's what it says about entitlements on the Herman Cain webpage.

http://www.hermancain.com/the-issues/entitlements

For the generations or workers who have paid into Social Security and Medicare, the federal government’s inevitable failure to pay them as they retire is undeniably stealing. These are generations who have worked and sacrificed to leave this country a better place for their children and grand children as they retire. The current behavior of an out of control federal government does little to ease their minds.

The federal government has imposed expensive and often counter-productive social and welfare programs on the states and the people. It is time to admit the mistakes, and get the federal government out of the way. This will allow states, cities, churches, charities and businesses to offer a helping hand instead of a handout where they live. People closest to the problems are the best ones to solve the problems effectively.

The highlighted text sounds like he wants to eliminate entitlements at the federal level and let the state and local governments and others take care of it.

That is why I said, facetiously, that the state and local governments had all kinds of money.

[WuDrWu]

That is why I said, facetiously, that the state and local governments had all kinds of money.

First, Cain is right as rain. It should be a state issue.

Second, I think we all got your facetiousness.

Third, and the Federal government is in a lot better shape than state governments???

Just because the Feds can turn on the printing presses doesn't mean they have more money. It just means they are less competent.

Until we realize the solutions are not going to be pain free, and that the people, places and things taking the money right now are going to be the ones that are going to have to cut back, we're not about to solve any problems and we will continue to accelerate down a path from which we may not survive.