Quickies

• Took the day off yesterday to tend to sick twin boys.  Even though the weather was crappy and the boys weren't feeling well, still had a pretty good day spending time with the wife and kids.

• Over the weekend Herman Cain decided to drop out of the race.  I don't care what terminology he uses to define his exit, he's out.  He can call it a suspension or a time out, or claim he was acting on advice from God like he does everything else. He's delusional and narcissistic.  Luckily for him The Fold Blog refuses to accept that he's quitting.  Oh no, he is the standard bearer of a very quacked out Republican Party.

• Yesterday Big Love Mitt Romney changed his mind on supporting an extension for the payroll tax cuts.  He'll probably change his mind again before the day is over so I don't know why I'm even spending time on it.

• It seems too that Big Love Romney was so worried about his records as Governor from going public that he spent $100,000 of tax payer money to replace all the computers in his office.  If the old computers were destroyed, which I don't know, I'm sure that's a felony.

• I get this feeling that Ron Paul really doesn't like Newt Gingrich.

Deep Thought

I'm so glad Herman Cain is the only black person in America with a birth certificate.

Cain Will Never Leave

I don't care if Cain suspends his campaign today or tomorrow.  The Fold Blog will never accept his absence.  He is the precise symptom of a disastrously cluttered GOP, the comic relief notwithstanding.  But here's a guy that knows nothing about politics, the federal government, foreign policy, or Congress and he's considered a top tier candidate in today's modern GOP.  How is this even possible?  Well, it's possible because the GOP is a void of ideas and rationale human participation.  It's a lost cause that has deflated upon itself.

They know the trillion dollar deficit is their fault.  They know the Endless War Program was their fault.  They know 75% of the federal debt is from their presidencies.  They know they have not an ounce of moral fiber between the bunch of them.  They know they have failed.  They'll never admit it, however.  They will keep pretending that they are morally superior fiscal conservatives who tirelessly work for smaller government.  They will insist we all follow that script and join in their Fantasy World.  And that is what makes candidates like Herman Cain possible.  Failure to them only means they are winning.

Quickies

• The next "non Mitt Romney," Newt Gingrich?  Sure, why not.

• Bushism v. Conservatism?  Here's a hint: they are both Republicanism!

• Why anyone that belongs to a union would ever vote Republican is beyond me.  They have to be the least informed people in the world.

• Matt Yglesias is changing jobs and url's again!  Must be nice to have a rich family so you never know what being out of work feels like.

• My post, "Cain is Just Telling GOP Voters Exactly What They Want to Hear," set a new record for page views.  So far it has over 15,000 and still climbing.  My guess is Cainbots are hitting it.  His following is starting to look suspiciously similar to the Paultards. 

Cain is Just Telling GOP Voters Exactly What They Want to Hear

Can the Republican lineup really get any sadder?

Sure Perry's jaw dropping ooops is going to steal the show, and it probably should.  There hasn't been a more epic moment of failure in a televised presidential debate since 1960.

Had it not been for Perry's Dumb and Dumber moment, surely Herman Cain's name calling of Rep. Nancy Pelosi or Mitt Romney's answer for why people call him a flip flopper would be center stage.  For me, though, Cain's name calling is the highlight of the debate.

Calling Nancy Pelosi "Princess Nancy" is exactly what the GOP base loves.  They love this sort of childish name calling almost more than they love talking about small government and slashing deficits.  This sort of campaign rhetoric is exactly what the base wants, and it's exactly how Cain can keep climbing in the polls and distract Republican voters away from his many sexual harassment scandals taking place.

One of Rick Perry's greatest days with Republican voters is when he questioned Obama's birth certificate and his college transcripts.  This sort of conspiracy theory mud slinging is what Republican voters are all about.  They really love this stuff.  Remember when Trump was the frontrunner?  His whole existence was based on his Truth Seeking Mission to prove Obama had a fake birth certificate.  Republicans couldn't get enough of it!

What made Republicans so furious with John McCain was not that he wasn't right wing enough, it's that he refused to question Obama's birth certificate, refused to call him un-American and refused to say he was friends with terrorists.

Likewise, Sarah Palin's greatest hits soundtrack is when she said Obama was "palling around with terrorists."  That's the stuff they want to hear.  She's a pro at saying the things Republicans truly want to hear.  That's how you get Republican votes.  Don't forget to mix in a jab about how Reagan shrunk government, cut spending and restored America.  And don't forget to mention how Iraq had something to do with 9/11 and how George Bush killed bin Laden and you'll have nary a problem with getting Republican votes.  It's all about catering to the stupidest, most idiotic conspiracy theories mixed in with complete fantasy talk about things Reagan never did.

Too bad for Cain, though, after the debate he did say calling Pelosi names was something he should not have done.  But, hey, this is Cain's first run for public office ever.  He'll learn that you don't have to apologize for living in the Republican Fantasy World.  You dig in deeper with even crazier stuff like numberless budgets, how God has chosen you for this very moment, or how anyone who doesn't vote Republican is a islamofascistterroristliberal and hates America.

Quickies

• Been at home tending to sick twins for the past couple days.  They seem to be feeling better today so maybe I'll get a chance to catch up on all that I missed.

• Over the course of the weekend, prior to the twins getting sick, I was busy watching my St. Louis Cardinals win the World Series!!!  I meant to post about it sooner but never got around to it.  Go Cards!

• It seems, too, that my familial distractions forced me to miss Herman Cain's latest revelations that he sexually harassed two women.  I'll be honest on this one, I don't care if he did or didn't.  This is the sort of stuff that turns politics into soap operas. However, if you're going to run for president it's fair game.  To be brutally honest, it's not going to matter one bit.  He wasn't going to win the nomination in the first place. There is no way the GOP would nominate a black man.  The whole thing distracts us from the real issues facing this country.  So I'm glad the media will have something else to talk about other than unemployment and the president's jobs bill. Wheee!!!

• It's entirely possible Rick Perry was drunk or had just gotten high with Rush Limbaugh during this speech in New Hampshire.  The dude is a total whack job.

• How is Jon Huntsman even considered a Republican?  He's by far the most rational and proven candidate in the race.  I guess that's why he doesn't stand a chance at getting the nod.

666 999 Will Raise Taxes on 84% of Americans

Pizza man and presidential hopeful Herman Cain has a plan for America.  Ask him.  He'll tell you about it.  He calls it 999, which is actually just 666 upside down.  He claims his plan is so fantastic and will be so great for America that people will be begging for it.  Essentially, much like SimCity 4, Cain's Freedom Fighting Plan will create a federal tax rate for everything: 9% on personal income, 9% on sales tax, 9% on business profits.  Wiola, America is free again!

As we've discussed before, Cain has admitted some people's taxes will go up if his new plan is enacted.  The key word in all this is "some."  Who are the some that will see higher taxes?  As the Tax Policy Center notes, 84% of Americans will see a tax hike if 666 takes effect.

As you can see, people who make less money have a higher tax burden under 999.  But isn't making the tax code uniform for everyone a FAIRer system?  Not really.

People who make less money spend more of their money.  They don't spend more money, just a higher percentage of their income gets spent as compared to people who make a lot of money.  Someone who makes a million dollars actually makes enough money to save some of their income.  But someone who makes $40,000 doesn't and is probably spending almost every penny that comes in.  The person spending the higher percentage gets their income taxed two and three different times under Cain's plan and thus carries a higher tax burden.

The $40K person gets it taxed at 9% when they make it.  Another 9% when they spend it.  And will get taxed again to make up for the businesses who are simply passing their 9% tax on to consumers, cause you know they will.  The person making $40K will see their taxes go up about 10% under Cain's plan.  In all, 84% of Americans will see an increase in their taxes anywhere from 2% to 20%.  Only people making over $200,000 will see an actual tax cut.  Seeing how about 85% of Americans make less than $200K, Cain's plan is nothing but a tax increase on the Middle Class and a huge tax cut for the wealthy.  No wonder he flipped the 666 upside down.

Fiscal Conservatism Version 1412

TPM breaks the story of over $100,000 of Herman Cain's already tight campaign cash being transferred to private companies owned by none other than Cain himself.  According to FCC regulations, a candidate is not allowed to profit from book sales purchased with campaign money, which is the reason Cain is giving for some of the money transfers.

Quickies-- Herman Cain Alternate Universe Edition

• Under Herman Cain's Patriotic Freedom Fighting Tax Plan 999, billionaire Warren Buffet, who has been begging government to increase his tax burden, would pay ZERO income taxes.  How's that for shifting the tax burden?

• Cain admits his tax plan would raise taxes on some people.  Who, you ask?  The Middle Class to be exact, which accounts for more than just "some people."  Because the Middle Class and lower income level people spend a greater percentage of their income-- almost all of it actually-- they will be subject to the 9% sales tax and the 9% income wage tax. That's not fair in any sense of the word.

• Cain's tax plan is 666 turned upside down.

• Imagine there's no pizza.

• The default tax rate in SimCity 4, 2003 ed. was 9% income tax, 9% business income tax, 9% sales tax.  Scared yet?