BloggeRhythms

Widely read syndicated op-ed columnist.Cal Thomas, provided his thoughts @foxnews.com, regarding Tuesday’s Republican debate. After praising the event, its contestants and quality, he contradicted himself farther on, suggesting that those same debates are actually worthless.   

Mr.Thomas wrote: “The public does not get the answers it needs from these debates for several reasons. First, there are still too many people on the stage. Only three, possibly four, have any real chance of becoming president. For the good of the country those single-digit candidates should drop out after Iowa and New Hampshire and certainly by the South Carolina primary, if they fail to finish strong.” 

He then went on to make the most important point: “Details on how the candidates would actually reach their stated goals -- making America great again, protecting the country, reducing the debt, creating jobs, health care, fixing the tax code, fighting wars -- are addressed only in sound bites because there isn't enough time to discuss details. Yes, the candidates have websites and there are other sources where those details are available, but how many voters in the TV age will take the time to search for them?” 

And that’s the crux of the matter. Because by recognizing that most voters may be too lazy, uncaring, disinterested or busy to do the necessary homework in appropriate candidate selection, he condones debates as therefore a viable method of candidate qualification. 

However, since what’s presented in debates may certainly be unadulterated hogwash or unfullfillable campaign rhetoric, that’s how an Obama or Trump hoodwinks the public. It also illustrates clearly why a voting public that’s too otherwise engaged to properly vet candidates, winds up with smooth-talking, incompetent, hustling charlatans obtaining the most important office in the world. And therefore, they truly deserve what they've wrought unto themselves.     

At the same time, as mentioned yesterday, the budget deal moving through the House might as well have been drafted by Democrats. Republican Paul Ryan, supposedly still on his “honeymoon” as newly elected Speaker, put up almost no objection at all to his opposition's demands.  

Many Conservatives are scratching their heads in confusion as to why Ryan performed so much like the reviled Boehner, the man he replaced. A certainly probable explanation was offered by Rush yesterday, providing what seems to be the incredible but likely accurate scenario, as follows: 

“The reason they did that is because for some inexplicable reason, they are literally paranoid and scared to death of even being accused of doing something that would shut down the government.  

“So to avoid even the accusation that they were going to or would ever even think of shutting down the government, they signaled that whatever Obama wanted to spend, he would get, because they figured that had less damage to them politically than the allegation that they were shutting down the government.  So, very simply, ever since the Republican Party became the party of keeping the government open at all costs, we get bills like this.  There's simply no stopping the Democrats.  There's no mechanism.  Every constitutional mechanism found in the power of the purse, Separation of Powers, the Republican Party years ago gave it away, in total fear of the media.” 

So, here we have another horrendous occurrence that’s as bad, if not worse, than the debate results discussed above. And for the very same reason; a lazy, disengaged voting public. Because any reasonable individual would have certainly realized that the last government shutdown resulted from Republican objection to funding Obamacare and EPA overregulation.  

However, the left-leaning major media supported the Democrats in the headlines, while the vast majority of the public never bothered to research the facts. And as a result, the nation’s now stuck with two major reasons, Obamacare and the EPA, that the nation’s in the worst economic condition since the 1970’s, and almost half the workforce is un or under-employed.  

Therefore, if the vast majority of Republican voters are unhappy with the nation’s current condition and its elected officials, instead of chasing their tails and screaming about horrendous leadership, if they really want someone to blame for their plight, look in a mirror instead. Because, that’s who did it to them.   

Following up on Wednesday’s item regarding the cost of the POTUS’s upcoming vacation trip, akumar@mcclatchydc.com, wrote about Judicial Watch’s arithmetic that shows: “[T]he overall cost of personal or largely personal travel is at least $70.5 million since Obama took office in 2009, according to the group’s analysis.” 

So, this must be a way for him to demonstrate leadership by example, offering proof that he’s not concerned about spending taxpayer’s hard-earned money in a weak and faltering U.S. economy. 

Which brings us to today’s update on Bill Clinton’s wife. 

The same Cal Thomas, quoted above in today’s first item, also wrote: “The real winner in these [Republican] debates is Democratic front-runner Hillary Clinton. Little attention is being paid to her, though the FBI continues with its investigation into whether she broke the law by receiving and sending classified information on her private email server. In the still unlikely event she is indicted, all bets are off and the chances of a Republican victory next November would be all but assured. The question is, which Republican?” 

Mr. Thomas’s hesitation regarding any future indictment of Bill’s wife is certainly understandable. However he should also remember that current  FBI Director James Comey is also the one who hasn’t been shy about prosecuting high-profile figures. His bureau took the lead on investigating former CIA director Gen. David Petraeus for passing classified information to his mistress, and also the federal corruption case of Sen. Robert Menendez (D-N.J.). 

Furthermore, the attention being given Bill’s wife case, despite major media efforts to downplay it, will make attempts to give it short thrift most difficult. Which leads to the ongoing question: Joe Biden, Mayor Bloomberg, Jerry Brown, and Starbuck’s chairman and CEO, Howard Schultz, are you guys reading this?    

That’s it for today folks. 

Adios