printBAB’s Myron Pauli has a “quickie” take on the debate that CNBC moderated at Oakland University:
Michele Bachmann (U.S. Representative, Minnesota, State Senator; Attorney): Was she even allowed to speak for 5 minutes? She made a point about the feckless payroll tax cuts and overspending BUZZ! Shut up!
Herman Cain (Chairman/CEO, Godfather’s Pizza): If you train Oscar-Wood, ilana’s adorable parrot, to say “Nine Nine Nine” repeatedly, does OW get into the next debate [yes!]? My problem is with the people who buy into this “999-solves-all-ills” nonsense.
Jon Huntsman (Ambassador to China, Governor, Utah; Deputy U.S. Trade Representative): Somewhat avuncular centrist who recognized that China is actually floating our economy and that starting a trade war over their subsidies is rather pointless. [A case of Pot. Kettle. Black, as far as the US goes. But Myron: was it not Rick Santorum who made this point? I thought so.—IM]
Newt Gingrich (Speaker of the House, U.S. Representative, Georgia, History Professor): Makes some good points from time-to-time. Most assuredly comes out better than Cain, Perry, Santorum, and insipid Romney.
Rick Santorum (U.S. Senator, U.S. Representative, Pennsylvania, Attorney): He talks and words come out – sound and fury signifying nothing. But compared to Perry, the man is Socrates. [Myron: I think you hate Santorum enough to credit Huntsman with a point about China Santorum had made. But then my memory could be failing.—IM]
Ron Paul (U.S. Representative, Texas, Physician): Prophet Jeremiah speaketh the truth – let’s all stone the prophet!
Mitt Romney (Governor, Massachusetts; CEO, 2002 Winter Olympics Organizing Comm.; Co-Founder, Bain Capital): An automated bloviation machine with no philosophical anchor. He emits some good points and some bad points – but he is waiting for the others to slowly flame out and leave him standing by default. [MyRon: another of your pet peeves. Romney is quick on his feet. He can think; but he’s a utilitarian, as are most Americans. “It doesn’t work” must be the most frequent, and most pathetic, counterpoint to an argument Americans make.—IM]
Rick Perry (Governor, Texas: State Representative; State Agriculture Commissioner): Oh my F****NG G*d! Call the men with the white coats – quickly!
Ilana here: I’m still laughing. As I put it in the “Rick Perry Infarct” post: Perry stroked again. He mentioned three government departments he’d eliminate, but was unable to come up with the third. Commerce and Education were the first two.
Ten minutes later, Perry got his vim back and remembered the department he’d axe: Energy.”
[* For our youngster readers, the title of the post comes from this Woody Allen film.]
I remember when I thought Fred Thompson was the real deal. Of course he turned out to be a dud. Rick Perry the same thing. An even bigger dud. I love Michelle Bachmann but realize she won’t get to first base because the powers that be don’t want her, Herman Cain, a good guy who is being run out of political town on a rail, is not Presidential material. Santorum might be OK but is farther in the shadows than Bachmann. Huntsman, a mealy mouthed “democrat in sheeps clothing”. The darling of Republican establishment, just like Romney. Romney? Another DISC. The co-darling of the Republican establishment and the candidate the Democrats media suck-ups seem to support the most. This leaves us with Newt. The original snake oil salesman with so many warts on his
nose that a lesser candidate would not have even attempted to run. However an ugly girl at 9:00 pm starts to look better and better the more drinks you have. By closing time she looks like Raquel Welch and she wants to go home with you. The closer to closing time it gets the better Newt looks. Pardon me now, I have to go check my head for rocks.
Mr. Pauli, I loved your comparison of Dr. Paul to Jeremiah and the reaction he received from his own people when they were presented with the truth. SPOT ON!!!!
Ilana, my memory was that Huntsman warned against a trade war after Mitt went on his “I’ll screw China” screed – but we could be both right / wrong – who knows? For all the internet, media, etc. – you would think that THE TEXT WOULD BE AVAILABLE on-line! Oh well.
(both Santorum AND Huntsman were anti-tariff war!):
FOUND THE TEXT LINK !!! http://www.cnbc.com/id/45074943
Santorum: Some have suggested we need to go into a trade war with China and have tariffs. That just taxes you. I don’t want to tax you. I want to create an atmosphere where businesses and manufacturers can be profitable. We’ll lower taxes, repatriating funds, 0 percent tax if you repatriate those funds and invest them in plant and equipment.
—– Later in the debate came “the China question” —
HARWOOD: Mr. Cain, let me ask you a question, under a Republican governor, the state of California hired a company in China to build major portions in the new San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge, creating thousands of jobs in China. And California did that because it was cheaper. Is that smart, purchasing by government in a global economy, or is there something wrong with that?
CAIN: There’s something wrong that, which is why I have proposed a bold plan, 999…
(LAUGHTER)
… Quickly followed by Mitt doing his “get tough with China act” the Newt making a point about America becoming more competitive followed by ….
BARTIROMO: Time. Thirty seconds. Jon Huntsman, you were the ambassador to China, 30 seconds to respond.
HUNTSMAN: Thirty seconds? For Heaven’s sake. Let me just say that we’ve had a 40-year relationship with China. It’s a — it’s a troublesome and problematic relationship, very, very complicated.
But the bottom line is, I mean, you can give applause lines and you can kind of pander here and there. You start a trade war if you start slapping tariffs randomly on Chinese products based upon currency manipulation. That’s not a good idea.
But longer term, we’re just going to have to keep doing business the way we’ve always done, is sit down, you find solutions to the problems, and you move forward. It isn’t easy. It isn’t glamorous. It’s grinding it out the way we’ve done for 40 years. And for 40 more years, we’re going to have to do it the same way.
HARWOOD: Are you saying Governor Romney’s pandering?
HUNTSMAN: I’m saying that you can throw out applause lines and you can say that you’re going to slap on tariffs. You know, that doesn’t work…
MB – Is right on a lot of things, just not articulate enough to be elected
JH – Has good ol boys credentials of politics as usual
NG – He does make some good points, but his record is you can not trust him to stand by what he says
RS – would probably be better off if he would tone down the religious aspect of darn near every thing he brings up
Ron Paul .. THE MAN ! nuff said
MR – he has Corrupt Capitalist written all over him
RP – Tricky Ricky as I have stated many times is the dumbest all hat no cattle Texas politico ever …. I chuckle every time that he proves me right LOLLLL !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Forgot Mr. Tax Tax Tax
The Hermanator repeating 999 every three seconds is getting real old real fast LOLLLL !!!!!!!!!!
China Trade:
1. All imported commodities are classified in the HTSUS. 2. The TARIFF DUTY RATES are there as well.
3. If China is doing something “bad”, ANTI-DUMPING and COUNTER-VAILING Duties can be applied, Special Trade Agreements can be negated, Duty Rates can be increased, etc.
Since global trading takes place each and every day, why do some of these guys / gals have a look of surprise upon their faces?
My suggestion is for the FedGov to unleash U.S. industry, mining, drilling, etc. and get the hell out of the way. The Free Market Capitalist System – even though there is some pain now – can crush the opposition. BET ON IT! VOTE FOR RON PAUL!!
If “evil” Hu Jintao wants to sell me a shirt for a green picture of George Washington, why should I pay someone a green picture of Ben Franklin to make that shirt in Michigan etc.? And if “evil” Hu Jintao tries to raise his prices, then Rajiv Chandreskhar will take over the business … that is how capitalism works.
Hey Ron,
No merde Sherlock! It is the idiocy of the U.S. Federal Government that is screwing U.S. Manufacturers. If anyone truly wishes to visually see what all businesses face in terms of compliance, go either online or to your local library and try to read all the rules contained in the actual TITLES of the CODE of FEDERAL REGULATIONS…IT’S A TWO YEAR PROCESS UNLESS YOU SHOOT YOURSELF FIRST TO STOP THE AGONY.
The simple fact is we, taxpayers and voters, go though hell trying to get politicians to believe in “CAPITALISM: THE UNKNOWN IDEAL” They, except for a few, do not want CAPITALISM.
http://mises.org/daily/5646/Law-without-the-State
http://mises.org/daily/5788/Keynes-Was-No-Liberal
I suggest that everyone should take a look at George Friedman’s books, i.e. THE NEXT TEN YEARS & THE NEXT 100 YEARS.
Also: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cL9Wu2kWwSY&feature=youtu.be
and http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cL9Wu2kWwSY&feature=youtu.be
Masses of Low-skilled labor pools? Not the answer! Our U.S. Government must get out of the way…ASAP.
China is doing what is best for them. The U.S. government IS NOT DOING THE BEST FOR ITS CITIZENS.
Oops! My Rick Perry moment…this should have been the second LINK:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nd5WGLWNllA