Cain

[Chris Santee]

Dear skeptics and critics
By Herman Cain
May 30, 2011

Wow! I must be causing some people quite a concern as a candidate for the Republican nomination for president. The establishment skeptics are still stuck in the traditional campaign paradigm of immediate name ID, lots of money, and having held a worthy elective office before. The critics are pounding on what they perceive as my weaknesses. And the Democratic National Committee now has me on its radar and is sharpening its blades for a Cain attack.

No one is more emblematic of the Republican establishment than Karl Rove. He has an unmatched political record from his tenure with former president George W. Bush. I greatly respect and admire what he has accomplished in his career.

But I would suggest that he take a few minutes to review my record as a leader in business and as a problem-solver before he dismisses me as the radio talk show guy form Atlanta with not much to offer as a presidential candidate. Mr. Rove’s perspective also suggests that successful business skills are not applicable to changing the “Titanic” course our federal government is on.

People outside the political establishment are starting to recognize that those business skills are applicable. Maybe that’s why Cain is rising in the polls.

One of my favorite political commentators, Charles Krauthammer of Fox News, described my candidacy as entertainment. I enjoy his perspectives because he is usually very thoughtful and often correct in his analysis. Unfortunately, this time he got it wrong. Some people would describe being able to give an informative and inspiring speech as an asset, especially if one is running for president.

Or maybe Mr. Krauthammer was thinking of the announcement rally we held in Atlanta recently, which attracted over 15,000 enthusiastic supporters. Then again, maybe it’s because we do not have the funds or the fundraising network that the more well-known candidates have. And no, my campaign is not broke, as someone on Chris Wallace’s Fox News staff incorrectly concluded from a dormant PAC account.

My presidential campaign account is called Friends of Herman Cain, just in case Mr. Rove, Mr. Krauthammer and Mr. Wallace would like to make a contribution. I’m not mad! We just have temporary differences of opinions.

And to my critics who are scouting for more of my weaknesses to write about, I will give you three you have not discovered yet. I don’t know everything. I don’t pander to groups.  And I am terrible at political correctness. Like any candidate, I will make some gaffes and stumble in some interviews with the press.

On the other hand, my strengths include identifying problems, properly framing problems, solving problems, surrounding myself with good and great people, and giving those overly inspiring speeches to engage the people in my common sense solutions process. Oh! I also like to smile, laugh and have fun with people. I think people can handle those qualities in a presidential candidate.

Lastly, I’m surprised that the DNC already has me on its political radar screen when not all of the potential candidates have yet to even formally declare their candidacy for the Republican nomination. Maybe the Democrats are taking my candidacy seriously, and if I win the nomination then they will not be laughing.

I realize that the road to the nomination and the White House is long and difficult. I know we will encounter many new challenges along the way, and that many people see my chances as against the odds.

When one considers that I am up against the skeptics, the critics, the establishment, the Democrats, the liberals, gotcha journalism, a liberal-leaning mainstream media, the challenges of raising campaign funds and a host of other candidates seeking the same objectives, my candidacy is against the odds.

But then, that’s been the story of my life and my career.

Maybe my middle name should have been David. He defeated a giant against the odds.

[Chris Santee]

Cain's Economic Vision
http://www.northstarnational.com/2011/06/26/cains-economic-vision-a-job-for-every-home/

[Chris Santee]

Part II - America thrives again
http://www.northstarnational.com/2011/07/03/economic-vision-part-2-america-thrives-again/

[Chris Santee]

Economic Vision, Part 3: A fairer tax
By: Herman Cain
July 10, 2011

Paying taxes is a fact of life, because there are certain things that our federal government must provide as enumerated in the Constitution. But paying taxes does not have to be unfair, burdensome and costly. Our current system of taxation is all three, and it got that way little by little over time since 1913.

The Fair Tax (H.R. 25) is a fairer tax because it is just the opposite. It is fair because the consumer determines their taxes based on their purchase behavior instead of being determined by the government based on one's capacity to produce. Our production is measured in terms of personal income and business profits.

The Fair Tax is a one-time one-point national sales tax on new goods and services. It is not collected on wholesale purchases, but rather, it is collected on retail purchases when the consumer consumes, and not when the consumer or business produces. This is totally consistent with Economic Guiding Principle #1 as described in Cain's Economic Vision Part 1.

The Fair Tax is also fair because everybody pays the same consumption rate of 23 percent. Liberals hate that concept because it does not give them a tool to redistribute the income of others as with the current tax code. The rate is revenue-neutral and replaces all federal income and payroll taxes.

That's right! There will be no more income tax fillings and no more Internal Revenue Service! That would be another day of independence worth celebrating.

As the big government liberals start screaming about how the Fair Tax is unfair to the poor, it actually empowers those with modest incomes through a sales tax pre-bate for basic necessities when coupled with a zero tax on used goods and services. My dad would have achieved his American dreams a lot sooner if we had had the Fair Tax in his lifetime.

It is a burden on every worker and business to have to keep track of nearly every financial transaction made during the year in order to try and comply with the ridiculous tax regulations. Even worse, it costs us collectively about $430 billion dollars a year. That's insane!

In contrast, each state would collect the federal retail sales tax, as about 45 of them do today for their state sales tax, by adding one additional line to the sales receipt and sending those proceeds to the newly created Sales Tax Administration (STA). The STA would be for administrative purposes only, with no authority or mechanism to harass the taxpayers. The states would enforce the collection of sales taxes from retailers as they are already doing.

It's called not reinventing the wheel.

The opponents of replacing the tax code with the Fair Tax will launch their usual distortions and lies against the Fair Tax. The most common ones include that it’s on top of the federal taxes we already pay. That’s a lie. Or, that the rate is really 30 percent, which is another lie.

Proposed legislation clearly states that the rate is 23 cents on a dollar of goods purchased. Over time, the taxes embedded in that dollar will go away due to price competition, such that the item costing one dollar will now cost 77 cents. The consumer still pays only 23 cents, which would make the 23 percent tax look like a 30 percent tax, if you divide 77 cents by 23 cents. The liberals call it inclusive versus exclusive rate to confuse people, but they don’t bother to tell you it’s the same 23 cents.

Replacing the current tax code with the Fair Tax is Phase Two of my Economic Vision for America, discussed in Parts 1 and 2 in the two previous commentaries. We must take some time to introduce and explain the concept of shifting taxation from income to consumption, and how it is fairer, flatter, simpler and less burdensome and costly than what we are doing today.

As president, I will end the insanity of the current tax code.

It's common sense.

[rod anode]

sounds good think the rest will bite?

[Thor]

Sounds way better than Obamanomics!

[Chris Santee]

Don't count this guy out yet.......
http://politics.blogs.foxnews.com/2011/09/22/fox-first-cain-reveals-his-economic-secret-kitchen-cabinet

[Thor]

Chris,

     Getting ready to head back up into the mountains, but wanted to drop a quick line while I still had connectivity. Seems like Cain's message is resonating. Very interesting results in the Florida poll. This guy might just be the answer to our problem of only having "career politicians" on the ballot. And he is a Tea Party supporter. Which means it is only a matter of time before the left, a) realizes he is a legitimate challenger and b) begins labeling him a Tea Party Terrorist. What I cannot wait for is the day the lib's label him a racist! Cannot wait to see/hear the response from the Cain camp on that one!!

     More to the point, perhaps Cain can motivate others to try to get into the system and dismantle the career politicians stranglehold on the rest of us. I think it would be a great ticket to have a Herman Cain / Ron Paul or Ron Paul / Herman Cain ticket. Time will tell.

[Chris Santee]

Thor, be safe.

Cain/Paul
Paul/Cain
I could live with either.

Howabout this for a bumper sticker next year.......
Cain versus Not Able

http://www.thegrio.com/politics/why-herman-cains-florida-win-should-be-written-off.php

[mkr]

I really like the concept.  I would be in favor of it, however, how would it ever get through the BS that sits everywhere else in DC.....

[Chris Santee]

Crank it up !
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jPm8saNhbuQ

[rod anode]

did you see somewhere obama was giving a speech and somebody called him the antichrist that person  was swiftly removed

[GamingWeasel]

There is a story on Cain and his tax plan on VPR today.  I didnt get to hear the actual story though, just that it was coming up later.

I wont pretend to know enough about economics to have an opinion if the plan is a good idea or not.

[Chris Santee]

In my opinion, Rod, the Obama heckler was out of line and should have been removed swiftly.

Thanks for the Cain update, GW.

[GamingWeasel]

You're welcome.   I agree....best to have the raving loon escorted out so the speaker, and sane audience members, can speak.