Jan 09 2008
Rudy And Romney Make Some Moves
Interesting moves today. Romney is pulling ads out of SC and FL in a clear sign his campaign is reeling:
Mitt Romney hasn’t extended his television presence into next week in South Carolina and Florida, an aide confirms.
Romney has been on TV for months in both states, owning the airwaves long before his GOP rivals purchased their first spots.
But his multimillion-dollar investment in the two key states that may ultimately decide the GOP nominee has not paid off as he continues to lag behind rivals there.
He needs to do well in MI or else, so he seems to be giving up on FL and SC. On the other hand the Giuliani campaign is proposing a tax cut package that should warm the hearts of all conservatives, especially those concerned with John McCain:
.. Make permanent the bush tax cuts NOW…not in 2010
… Permanently index the alternative minimum tax (AMT) and then eliminate it when practical (no timetable).
… Get rid of the Death Tax
… Lower the capitol gains and dividend rate to 10% and index to inflation. (Here is where he could go further and actually eliminate the capitol gains tax).
… Lower corporate tax rate from 35% to 25%.
… Trio of tax free savings accounts – Roth style – available to ALL income classes.
… Tax simplication strategy – one page tax return
… Three rates – 10% (40k), 15% (150k), and 30% (150k ).
Rudy is showing he will be stronger than McCain or Huckabee on taxes, as he was in NY City (given he operated in the middle of the world capitol of liberal thought). Romney doesn’t have anything like this (he has decided to use the immigration card to distinguish himself). Rudy is strong on Terror and Taxes. And my guess is he can convince social conservatives he will continue to select judges in the manner of Bush’s choices. He is not Bush and is not from DC. He is very different from anyone else in the race. He is “change” without being vague and out of control and inexperienced (i.e., Obama).
If Romney doesn’t win MI, I agree he’s out… the golden age we would’ve entered under him won’t see light. I’ll be cheering for Giuliani, then. I like McCain, I just can’t help but picture the old geezer being pushed around in a wheel chair by the time 09 comes.
What sucks in Michigan is that Democrats AND Independents can vote in the Republican primary. This “open primary” idea is really stupid.
Good tax strategy and good pitch. Klimt, I gotta laugh at the idea of a “golden age of Romney” – LOL! Now I think he’d be fine, but I’ve never seen anything from him that would justify that kind of grandiose billing.
There are benefits to an open primary, too. The biggest is that people being the way they are, someone is much more likely to vote for someone in the general election if they’ve voted for them in a primary. In other words, it’s a great way to pull a significant number of independants over to your side right from the start – and that’s especially important now that independants can swing any race either way anytime.
Overall, I very much favor open primaries. Of course, I’m one of the few who like Louisiana’s primary system, even though it’s completely different than anything anyone else in this country does. (of course that Loozyana for ya)
Rudy ain’t goin nowhere. He’s near last place ….everywhere…and he’s likely to stay there. But, very much UNLIKE the DNC, The RNC doesnt’ look prepared to force him out of the party and force him to run as an Indie. McCain is “still” a republican. There isn’t going to be a “faux” centrist correction…and run all HARD right candidates as “centrists” on the RNC side.
The DNC by comprarison…is running hard left candidates and ideas…as “centrist” and are seeking to force the centrists out.
They don’t have a “Ron Paul” on their side. They dont’ becuase they have purged them from the party (Lieberman). Their “Ron Pauls” are further LEFT than they are…not further right. There’s RNC candidate running in this election that does not support the WOT and believes we should withdraw from IRaq/AFghan all over the world! (yes..to keep germans from flying planes into buildings)
Which DNC candidate supports the WOT??
It’s easy enough to see…if center is the bullseye..that the RNC is the one closest to it. The DNC is WAY far left of it. The momentum is there though cause EVERYBODY is moving “left” of where they were. The far right is moving left..and the DNC is just getting FURTHER left than they were. Thats what happening (not that both sides are seeking center..they aren’t) Given that the results are that exponentially more people are turning out to vote for far left canidates…than anyone close to the center…my guess would be…that any analysis here that people are trying to move center is complete bullshit.
The voters on the right don’t know what to do right now or how to repsond becuase they don’t have a far rightwinger who has a chance in hell of winning the RNC nomination BECAUSE the RNC is moving center and not hard right. But, trust me on this AJ…..when it comes down to it. These people will turn out in DROVES to carry McCain OR Gulliani before they’d vote for any of the DNC comrades. They dont’ know WHO to pick to be “center”. But, they sure as hell will vote for whomever that is before they’ll go down the other road.
I take note here as well…that the “youth vote” did not turn out (again).
Thus far Romney leads the GOP with 24 delegates. Huckabee is second with 18. McCain is a distant third with 10 delegates. Giuliani and Thompson aren’t even on the radar, but that could change. The race is still wide open, and unless their last name is Paul or Keyes it’s a little too early for any of the Republican candidates to bow out.
Remember in 1992 Bill Clinton lost 7 of his first 9 primaries/caucuses and wasn’t crowned the front runner until Super Tuesday.
If Romney comes in 2nd everywhere (with variations on who is the guy who wins each one) isn’t it possible he’d win?
I just want a candidate who will beat eith Obama or Hillary. They both scare me to death. I don’t think Romney can do this. He seems so plastic. And Huckabee would be a disaster. I haven’t forgiven McCain for his senate activities so he is out as far as I am concerned. For me, it is toss up between Guiliani and Fred. I prefer Fred but like Guiliani also. I want someone tough who will not back down to the dems. I like Bush but he has never come out fighting. He gives the dems plent of rope and lets them hang themselves. They back him into a corner but he always slips out. I want someone who never gets into the corner. My biggest agendas is the war on terror which also includes Iraq. Next comes taxes and judges. If the dems win we are screwed on all of these. No doubt about it. I will vote for ANY republican nominee because the alternative is so bad and I will vote regardless.
WWS, I can sort of agree with you on “semi-open” primaries where independent’s can vote, but not in fully open primaries like Michigan where even the opposition party can vote. I am going to imagine there will be a lot of Democrats voting for Ron Paul in Michigan just to mess with the Republicans.
It happened first in the MSM. After they did some good hits on Rudy, they went into their Silence Mode. Never speak his name. Many Pugs decided he was not pure enough and the pundits took a page from the MSM. Never speak his name.
Unless we have a major attack the day before the election, I think Dems have it all going their way. The Republicans are not happy with their candidates. You can’t get around that.
I can not even begin to imagine this country 5 years from today if we allow Dems to win. I truly fear the Voice might beat the Machine. Dems want to win and even though they are forced to hide it, they are angry at Bill/Hill. It would have been nice if Pugs could have built up Rudy (warts and all) because he stood a chance. I can only assume that winning was not a priority. I will vote Republican regardless of the candidate (believe me, there are 2 I truly do not like). But why can’t we at least run someone that has a tiny chance in hell of winning? There is not a perfect candidate and I have seen this party do this before.