Republican Presidential Candidate Status, October 19, 2011

Boy, I am sure liking the Republican Presidential Debates. The field is starting to be whittled down now, allowing Americans to see and hear more of the candidates they are interested in. If the truth be known, each one of these candidates are a much. much better choice than the current clown we have in office.

The measurement of previous public office,loosely termed as experience, has to be off the table now that we have a President who was elected without any experience.

It will be interesting to see how the polls change after last night's debate. Just before the debate the following CNN survey, taken from Friday through Sunday, showed Mitt Romney and Herman Cain essentially tied.

Romney gets 26 percent of the vote, Cain gets 25 percent, and Perry gets 13 percent.

Ron Paul is in fourth place, at 9 percent, Newt Gingrich gets 8 percent, Michele Bachmann 6 percent, Rick Santorum 2 percent and Jon Huntsman 1 percent.

The number of undecideds, including those who would vote for someone else or no one else, is 10 percent - a relatively small number.

So accordingly to CNN the Republican Residential Candidate Tree is looking like this:

I think last night's debate will not change the leader board too much, but the changes will be in this direction: Cain - unchanged or up slightly; Romney - unchanged or down slightly; Perry - down a little; Paul - down a lot; Gingrich - up somewhat and perhaps the bigger winner of this debate; Bachmann - down a little; Santorum - down somewhat, but not because of his performance but due to people's perception that he is too much of a dark horse candidate;

What's that? The poll lists Huntsman, but Johnson's picture appears above? Wait a minute,......Yeah, you're right. Can anybody tell them apart?

Debunking Obama's Tax Demagoguery

I had previously written a post on the truth about taxes incurred by various income levels. Dick Morris and Eileen McGann wrote a much simpler to understand piece which I had included below. This piece by Morris and McGann entitled "Debunking Obama's Tax Demagoguery", was published on DickMorris.com on October 1, 2011

When President Obama says that the rich don't pay their share of taxes, he is lying, distorting, and demagoging. Here are the facts according to the IRS:

• Those making more than $1 million pay 24% of income in taxes
• Those making $200,000 to $300,000 pay 17.5%
• Those making $100,000 to $125,000 pay 9.9%
• Those making $50,000 to $60,000 pay 6.3%
• Those making $20,000 to $30,000 pay 2.5%

And what of millionaires who pay no taxes?

There are 1,470 of them. They represent six-tenths of one percent of all those with million dollar incomes in the U.S. If we assume that they make an average income of $2 million a year each, taxing them at the same rate as other millionaires (24.4%) would yield $367 million, which would increase Treasury income tax revenues by 30 one-hundredths of one percent or one-third of one-tenth of one percent!

Overall, the IRS reports that the revenues from the income tax are sharply skewed toward taxes on the rich:

• The top 1% pays 39%
• The top 5% pays 60%
• The top 10% pays 72%
• The bottom half pays 3%

So who does Obama think he is kidding?

Secret Service "Impressions & Observations" book

"You all have really made us feel at home and safe, and there is no amount of thanks that I could convey that would give you a sense of how important you all are to us," Mrs. Obama told hundreds of Secret Service employees. She spoke to the group for about five minutes after touring classified areas of the building, including the protective intelligence division and the joint operations center.

The first lady paid tribute not just to the agents who protect the Obamas, but to all the workers behind the scenes, "whether it's filing or looking at terrorists."

Some people are surmising this impropmtu scheduled event was in response to a book called "Impressions & Observations" of Secret Service personnel assigned to guard U.S. Presidents/First Ladies, and Vice Presidents, which the below snippet from was released two weeks ago across the internet:

Snippets from a book of "Impressions & Observations" ofSecret Service Views of Presidents & First Ladies John and Jacqueline Kennedy: A philanderer of the highest order. She ordered the kitchen help to save all the left-over wine during State dinner, which mixed with fresh wine and served again during the next White House occasion.

Lyndon and Lady Bird Johnson: Another philanderer of the highest order. In addition, LBJ was as crude as the day is long. Both JFK and LBJ kept a lot of women in the White House for extramarital affairs, and both had set up "early warning systems" to alert them if/when their wives were nearby. Both Kennedy & Johnson were promiscuous and oversexed men. She was either naive or just pretended to "not know" about her husband's many liaisons.

Richard and Pat Nixon: A "moral" man, but very odd and weird, paranoid, etc. He had horrible relationship with his family, and in a way, was almost a recluse. She was quiet most of the time.

Spiro Agnew: Nice, decent man, everyone in the Secret Service was surprised about his downfall.

Gerald and Betty Ford: A true gentlemen who treated the Secret Service with respect and dignity. He had a great sense of humor. She drank a lot!

Jimmy & Rosalynn Carter: A complete phony who would portray one picture of himself to public and very different in private, e.g..,would be shown carrying his own luggage, but the suit cases were always empty; he kept empty ones just for photo ops. Wanted the people to see him as pious and a non-drinker, but he and his family drank alcohol a lot. He had disdain for the Secret Service, and was very irresponsible with the "football" nuclear codes. He didn't think it was a big deal and would keep military aides at a great distance. Often does not acknowledge the presence of Secret Service personnel assigned to serve him. She mostly did her own thing.

Ronald and Nancy Reagan: The real deal --- moral, honest, respectful, and dignified. They treated Secret Service and everyone else with respect and honor. Thanked everyone all the time. He took the time to know everyone on a personal level. One "favorite" story which has circulated among the Secret Service personnel was an incident early in his Presidency, when he came out of his room with a pistol tucked on his hip. The agent in charge asked: "Why the pistol, Mr. President?" He replied, "In case you boys can't get the job done, I can help." It was common for him to carry a pistol. When he met with Gorbachev, he had a pistol in his briefcase. Upon learning that Gary Hart was caught with Donna Rice, Reagan said, "Boys will be boys, but boys will not be Presidents." [He obviously either did not know or forgot JFK's and LBJ's sexcapades!]

She (Nancy Reagan) was very nice but very protective of the President; and the Secret Service was often caught in the middle. She tried hard to control what the President ate, and he would say to the agent, "Come on, you gotta help me out." The Reagans drank wine during State dinners and special occasions only; otherwise, they shunned alcohol; the Secret Service could count on one hand the times they were served wine during their "family dinner". For all the fake bluster of the Carters, the Reagans were the ones who lived life as genuinely moral people.

George H. And Barbara Bush: Extremely kind and considerate Always respectful. Took great care in making sure the agents' comforts were taken care of. They even brought them meals, etc. One time Barbara Bush brought warm clothes to agents standing outside at Kennebunkport ; one agent who was given a warm hat, and when he tried to nicely say "no thanks" even though he was obviously freezing, President Bush said "Son, don't argue with the First Lady, put the hat on.." He was the most prompt of the Presidents. He ran the White House like a well-oiled machine. She ruled the house and spoke her mind.

Bill and Hillary Clinton: Presidency was one giant party. Not trustworthy --- he was nice because he wanted everyone to like him, but to him life is just one big game and party. Everyone knows of his sexuality. She is another phony. Her personality would change the instant cameras were near. She hated with open disdain the military and Secret Service. She was another one who felt people are there to serve her. She was always trying to keep tabs on Bill Clinton.

Albert Gore: An egotistical ass, who was once overheard by his Secret Service detail lecturing his only son that he needed to do better in school or he "would end up like these guys" --- pointing to the agents.

George W. and Laura Bush: The Secret Service loved him and Laura Bush. He was also the most physically "in shape" who had a very strict workout regimen. The Bushes made sure their entire administrative and household staff understood to respect and be considerate of the Secret Service. Karl Rove was the one who was the most caring of the Secret Service in the administration. She was one of the nicest First Ladies, if not the nicest; she never had any harsh word to say about anyone.

Barack & Michelle Obama: " Clinton all over again" - hates the military and looks down on the Secret Service. He is egotistical and cunning; looks you in the eye and appears to agree with you, but turns around and does the opposite---untrustworthy. He has temper tantrums. She is a complete bitch, who hates anybody who is not black; hates the military; and looks at the Secret Service as servants.

Cowboy's Comment: I took awhile to decide to post this or not. I decided to with the caveat for people to make their own determination on the validity of these "snippets". Some we read and can just know to be true as they ring true. Other snippets are damning in and of themselves but reflect the common perception of the "class" or "entitlement" mentality. Make up your own mind.

But I do know one fact,...the Secret Service treats all Presidents, their families and cabinet officials with the respect that these office holders deserve holding these important positions in the Federal government. Just wish the Federal Government worked a little better for common Americans.