Herman Cain, are you running for president? Or are you just busing around the country, dropping into debates and Sunday talk shows to say you are, for vanity? Or so you can sell books
(that you buy yourself) and land a show on Fox News?
This is a stupid, silly and pointless question. The man is running. But that hasn’t stopped the media—forced to confront the “pizza magnate’s” (has this been fact-checked? did Godfather’s really make a magnate?) unexpected frontrunner status—from speculating about his motivations: Herman, are you for real?
Or from writing story after story on the candidate, based on such speculation and laced with skepticism: he’s your frontrunner but …
He’s spent only 33 days in Iowa this year (less only than Santorum, Bachmann, and Gingrich).
The media frames this as a problem.
From National Journal’s Naureen Khan and Alex Roarty: “Herman Cain Skips out on early states to push his new book; The former Godfather’s Pizza CEO has risen to the upper echelon of the 2012 GOP field. Is his campaign selling a candidate or a hardcover?”
But even as he enjoys the fickle embrace of the party’s social conservatives, doubts are being raised about the straight-talking businessman’s legitimacy, and even his motives. Instead of capitalizing on his newfound momentum by hitting the campaign trail hard, Cain this week opted to spend most of his time promoting his book, This is Herman Cain! My Journey to the White House, which just arrived in retail stores this week.
Rather than visit diners in early voting states like Iowa and New Hampshire, he’s signing books at Barnes & Noble outlets in Texas and Washington D.C., although his tour does also include several stops in South Carolina and Florida, two key primary states.
Reid J. Epstein of Politico, wrote today:
For much of this year Cain seemed to be enjoying his role as political novelty act—an entertaining sideshow at debates, and even an occasional presence on the early-state campaign trail—when he wasn’t otherwise occupied with speeches, television appearances and book-tour publicity.
But now that Cain, buoyed by bulging poll numbers, is demanding to be viewed as a credible contender for the GOP nomination, Cain’s greatest peril is that primary rivals, journalists and the political world broadly will grant that wish.
The New York Times’s Susan Saluny struck the same tone, but made an important allowance, in her story “Herman Cain is a Candidate Writing His own Campaign Rules”:
On a whirlwind trip through New York City this week that marked the beginning of a nearly monthlong book tour, Herman Cain chatted with the hosts of ABC’s “The View,” promoted his new memoir on Fox News, met local titans like Donald Trump, shared ideas with former Mayor Edward I. Koch and enjoyed power lunching in Midtown.
Mr. Cain, a contender for the Republican presidential nomination, did all but one thing—campaign. Not in the traditional meet-the-public and kiss-the-babies sense, anyway.
Indeed, Cain’s campaign strategy is unconventional.
And it may very well be that Cain is more interested in promoting his book than becoming president. It may also very well be that Cain will not win. But he is campaigning, and it’s just as silly for reporters to suss out Cain’s seriousness as it is for them to try to measure the fire in Rick Perry’s belly.
But it is at least as troubling to see the media so dismissive of a campaign strategy that does not adhere to their travel itineraries or come straight out of their Iowa-New Hampshire-and onto the presidency playbook.
What makes the media’s resistance particularly odd, is that it often quite rightly points out that states like Iowa and New Hampshire wield outsize and distorting influence in presidential politics and the nation’s political economy. (It’s less often pointed that this dynamic is one that the media has created and exacerbated itself, by lavishing attention on and appointing bellwether status to these states.)
It’s not as if candidates have not successfully employed—let alone attempted—the bypass-Iowa strategy before.
If you read up on the Cain 9-9-9 plan, the plan would benefit the lower and average income workers the MOST, contrary to what the misguided opponents are saying, and this is why… Lets take an average worker who has a current income with a federal withholdings of 20% and a state income tax of 7% would equal a total personal tax burden of 27%….
Current Example: 20% Fed Tax+7% State Income Tax = 27% Total Personal Taxes.
Compare to Cain’s 999 Example…
Cain 999 Example: 9% Flat Tax + 9% Sales tax +7% State=25% Total Personal Taxes.
NOTE: Your Personal Tax burden drops by a total of 2%…
Now, Say that same person has NO state tax then they STILL would end up with a 2% total Personal Tax Burden reduction…
Example: 20% Current Fed Tax withholdings. Versus 9%Flat tax+9%Sales Tax==18% total tax burden for a 2% tax burden reduction…
SO, you see you state taxes are completely irrelevant in discussing the Cain 999 plan..
“ They are trying to compare Apples and Oranges” as Herman Cain has said….
Now, Here is another example that shows how the lower income and average worker would be HELPED THE MOST by the Cain 999 plan:
An employer has employees with an average salary range of $30K=$70K a year with average Federal withholdings from their pay checks of 15-20% would see that drop to 9%Flat Tax under that part of the Cain plan yielding those employees an instant 7-11% pay increase in their income as a result… But you would end up with a 9%Federal sales Tax on new retail items that is true, but you would see that 9% sales tax would also replace much of the embedded taxes that are currently being passed on to the consumers,(which ranges from 10%-25% on average)by that 9% sales tax component of the Cain plan which would make most prices of retail items slightly less expensive as a result.
AGAIN if you read through Cain’s 999 plan you will also see that it would allow for vacant used houses, used automobiles, and used equip to be sold tax free, and it would allow for companies that purchase their raw materials here in America, as well as American made components/ parts/content used to manufacture finished products to be also tax free…
BUT, parts / components made or assembled overseas or from foreign materials WOULD BE TAXED...
THAT would force companies that have OUT-SOURCED their manufacturing of components overseas to bring THOSE factories, and THOSE jobs, back to the USA...
THAT IS BRILLIANT !
Cain's 9-9-9 plan is bold, its simple, its COMMON SENSE, ITS FAIR, & ITS BRILLIANT...
Most of all Cain's plan would STOP PUNISHING small businesses owners, which provides over 70% of the JOBS in the private sector. IT would give them the "clarity & certainty" so small business owners an companies can better PLAN OUT their future business strategies & equipment orders, but more than that, its future JOBS growth so they can HIRE MORE PEOLPE and REVIVE our economy...
Now as the economy starts to recover even MORE revenue would be generated into the government tax base. THIS along with the need to make immediate cuts in the size and scope of government & government spending would MORE THAN MAKE UP any short falls that the naysayers speak of when they criticize this plan. They do NOT take that into consideration in their calculations; hence that is why Cain is telling them that "Their calculations are incorrect."
Cain is NOT a career politician, unlike every one else on the stage, & unlike our current President who is a BIG part of what is wrong with our nations economy & the JOBLESSNESS that we are experiencing as a nation now...
IT IS TIME WE HAD A NON-POLITICIAN, SUCCESSFUL BUSINESS MAN / CEO / PROBLEM SOLVER / PATRIOT AS OUR PRESIDENT & LEADER OF THE FREE WORLD...
Herman Cain has it RIGHT... The "OCCUPY" protesters are on the WRONG STREET !
Instead of marching on WALL STREET, the protesters should march
#1 Posted by Sam Mullins, CJR on Wed 19 Oct 2011 at 08:33 AM
>> If anything, Cain’s tactics seem shrewd and far more fitting for these times...
Oh, come now.
Cain's comments range from making himself seem mentally unsound to giving the impression he's the sly film director for a neo-blaxploitation flick.
He's said there should be a 20 foot tall electrified border fence (with alligators too?). He's compared himself to "black walnut" ice cream. He even went so far as saying people should "get on the Cain train". Some right-wing managed pizza chain could come out with a "Cain train" flavor... Get it while it's hot (ya'll)!
And, of course, my imaginary film director would have to be black.
Minstrel show
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minstrel_show
Such actions don't demonstrate a "shrewd" and "fitting" political strategy. Even Lee Atwater would have trouble making them work as a serious strategy.
But, if you consider Cain's true goal as being something other than a serious run for the presidency - they are solid gold.
Cain won't be president in 2012 but his book will have sold really well and unless he decides to golf in the rain and is struck by lightning - he'll have a nice juicy gig on Fox News.
---
In other news...
Who wants to bet that #1 is copypasta? At least, I hope so. I'd hate to think that "Sam Mullins" typed all that out for a one shot. It was a waste of effort. None of us is going to read it - except maybe for padikiller. But that guy's a right wing nutcase. Hey, padikiller, you riding the Cain train?
#2 Posted by F. Murray Rumpelstiltskin, CJR on Wed 19 Oct 2011 at 02:07 PM
His campaign isn't serious, but then again, neither are the voters.
#3 Posted by Hardrada, CJR on Wed 19 Oct 2011 at 06:04 PM
Cain stopped in town a few days ago on his book tour and I happened to be passing by when he was there.
I was amazed to see a couple of things:
1. The guy knows how to handle himself. He's convivial and convincing.
2. He attracted a huge black audience - surprising to me because the black population of Lynchburg is overwhelmingly Democratic and gave Obama more than 92% of their votes.
3. He attracted a huge general audience for Lynchburg - a relatively small city. He sold a thousand books in a couple of hours and the line to meet him wrapped around the building.
As for his ideas - I favor many of them. Securing our borders should be a top priority (even though the Obama administration has deported more people than any other administration). Illegal immigration and the illegal employment of illegal aliens reduces wages and tax revenues and increases the deficit. Open borders are, of course, also a huge security issue.
I also support the Fair Tax (though I have not carefully examined Cain's proposed 9-9-9 plan). Taxing consumption instead of earning makes sense to me. You tax what you don't want, and you don't tax what you do want. We don't want overconsumption and we do want earnings. Reducing corporate income tax is also a no-brainer. Corporate profits are not only double-taxed (at least on dividends) but our corporate tax rate is insanely high. We need to lower it to expand the private sector. It appears that the 9-9-9 plan is at least a step in the right direction.
Anyone who isn't taking Cain seriously is making a mistake, in my opinion. He's squared away and he is running a serious campaign that is gaining momentum. He's connecting with a huge segment of the population, and he's already in position to be the Spoiler, if not the nominee.
Ultimately, I think the GOP establishment has already settled on Romney, but Mitt's going to be tough sell to GOP voters in Flyover Country. It's going to be an interesting nomination process, that's for sure.
#4 Posted by padikiller, CJR on Thu 20 Oct 2011 at 09:18 PM
The fact that some voters are calling Cain's 9-9-9 plan "a step in the right direction" is indicative of how screwed this country really is.
#5 Posted by Hardrada, CJR on Fri 21 Oct 2011 at 03:40 PM
I've spent a little time looking at the 9-9-9 plan and while I have some problems with it (including its unnecessarily complicated implementation and its potential double taxation on wages paid by small businesses) overall it's a whole lot better than what we have now.
No more tax credits. No more employment taxes. A flat tax on income. A simple sales tax.
All very good ideas.
Half the people in this country pay nothing into the system and this system would put them on the hook for a small contribution and require (as President Obama demands) some "skin in the game" from everybody.
#6 Posted by padikiller, CJR on Sat 22 Oct 2011 at 10:16 AM
"Half the people in this country pay nothing into the system."
C'mon padikiller, you aren't even trying anymore. We both know this is nonsense. You're referring to the income tax only and that's misleading.
Leave it to Padikiller to justify a 9 percent national sales tax. I know, I know, you guys want to prove that We Have Black Friends Too, As Long As They Hate Poor People.... we get the point. But seriously... there's no need to vote against your own best interests and nominate some huckster who wants an economy-destroying 9 percent national sales tax just to prove you aren't racist.
#7 Posted by Hardrada, CJR on Sat 22 Oct 2011 at 03:10 PM
hardrada wrote: "You're referring to the income tax only and that's misleading. Leave it to Padikiller to justify a 9 percent national sales tax"
padikiller responds: I'm not misleading anybody. The 5.65% in payroll taxes that the "working poor" pay are repaid many times over to them in benefits received under Social Security's extremely progressive benefit scheme.
You commies want to count the taxes paid to fund welfare, but you never want to count the benefits paid to welfare recipients.
Cain's 9 percent sales tax and 9 percent income tax would R E P L A C E the existing employment taxes paid by low income wage earners.
People who pay no income taxes now would put some skin into the game, and it's about damned time this happened.
Half of Americans pay no federal income taxes at all. Low income Americans suck up welfare benefits paid for by productive Americans and the top 1% of income earners pay 38% of the federal income taxes.
This caste system needs to go, and culture of dependency and sloth created by commie policies needs to be replaced with a system that provides equal opportunity to everyone, but also demands equal contributions from its citizenry.
Finally... So Cain isn't "black" enough for you, huh, Hardrada? You commies are racist to the core...
Fortunately, most Americans don't espouse such bigotry.
#8 Posted by padikiller, CJR on Sat 22 Oct 2011 at 04:23 PM