Hispanic Voters and Campaign 2010 (Cont'd)

Brent Wilkes talked about the role of Hispanic voters in 2010 midterm elections and civic group efforts to increase Hispanic voter participation. Other topics issues of importance to the Hispanic community and allegations that some groups are trying to discourage Hispanic turnout in 2010.

Hispanic Voters and Campaign 2010

Brent Wilkes talked about the role of Hispanic voters in 2010 midterm elections and civic group efforts to increase Hispanic voter participation. Other topics issues of importance to the Hispanic community and allegations that some groups are trying to discourage Hispanic turnout in 2010.

Race an Issue for Obama

As President Barack Obama begins to roll on his reelection campaign, he has an ever growing weakness in a demographic, that by all accounts, ought to be rock solid: African-American Democrats. Their support for his programs, belief in his leadership and enthusiasm for another term is becoming unstable just as he needs it most.
Recent developments in the past few weeks have been concerning; the president has been chastised by the Congressional Black Caucus for avoiding troubled inner-city districts, bombarded with questions on BET, and suffered plummeting poll numbers among black voters.
That last item is critical. During the 2008 election, their turnout was massive and their support almost unanimous. Now, however, a Washington Post/ABC News poll finds that black voters with a "strongly favorable" view of Obama dropped from 86% to 58% in just five months. The drastic drop in approval for the President over recent weeks is something to discuss. Simply put, if you think back to 2008 the white voters heralded the election of a black president as a sign that long-standing racial gaps were closing, and they expected Obama to play a post-racial role; a president for everyone, who just happened to be black. Meanwhile, many of the African-American voters similarly saw his election as a great leap forward and hoped the presence of a black president in the Oval Office would bring a new level of understanding, acknowledgment, and relief for their community's problems.
The driving problem, however, is neither black nor white -- it is green. Joblessness, bad for everyone, is much worse in African-American communities, where unemployment is pushing 17%, the worst since the 1980s. That is what triggered the revolt in the CBC and those tough questions during TV interviews. The president has been on the defensive, pointing out that his initiatives, such as health care reform and the recent jobs bill, especially help lower-income families, many of whom are black. On BET, he quickly dismissed talk about a lack of specific programs for minorities.
"What people are saying all across the country is we are hurting and we've been hurting for a long time," the president said. "The question is: How can we make sure the economy is working for every single person?"
He also insisted that even if black leaders are complaining, it's not really about him or his policies. There's always going to be somebody who is critical of the president of the United States. And at a CBC fundraising dinner he raised eyebrows by telling members to quit complaining and start "marching" with him for change.
To be sure, most African-Americans still support Obama. Political analysts do not expect a massive shift of their votes to the Republicans; and even the president's most adamant black critics often follow their barbs with a quick salve, saying African-American voters ultimately will not oppose him. Still, the danger for the White House is not that black citizens will vote against Obama, but that they won't vote at all. A less than expected  turnout in just a few key states could tip the electoral balance against him. What's more, every moment he spends making sure black Democrats come to the polls increases his risk of distancing himself from white voters, and is time lost winning over independents, whom he also must have if he wants to return to 1600 Pennsylvania Ave for four more years. He faces a balancing act in the 2012 campaign in appealing to various blocs.

Obama and Campaign Finance

President Obama talks about a campaign finance bill that would require corporations, unions, and other groups to identify themselves in campaign advertising.

Herman Cain for President??

Businessman Herman Cain surprised many by beating Texas Gov. Rick Perry, the GOP presidential front-runner in a Florida straw poll Saturday. The loss is another disappointing blow for the Perry campaign, coming off a shaky debate performance just two days ago.
The former Godfather's Pizza executive, who has to date been far behind the two top-tier candidates Perry and Mitt Romney, won with 37 percent of 2,657 votes that were cast, while Perry trailed with a distant 15 percent. Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney followed with 14 percent, while former U.S. Sen. Rick Santorum drew 11 percent.
"Thank you to the Republican voters for this incredible honor of being named the winner of the Presidency 5 straw poll in Florida today," Cain said in a statement after the results were in.

The Perry camp shrugged off the results. "Cain won, we still have work to do," said Perry spokesman Mark Miner. While this can be seen as another stumble for Perry, more focus should be put on Romney's third-place finish. Romney has been running for president for years and is still seemingly not breaking through. "It's more of what happened to Mitt Romney. He's not going to be crowned president of the United States. He's going to have to work for it. And after five and a half years he once again got rejected in a key state in the Republican primary process," said Miner.
Perry, who was expected to finish strong, had told the more than 3,000 GOP activists who came from across the state that his rivals made a mistake by skipping the straw poll. His strident defense of in-state tuition rates for illegal immigrants put him on the wrong side of the GOP's conservative base.
Other first-tier candidates hadn't actively organized for the Florida vote, either. So the results probably won't shuffle the campaign's standings and were shaping up as little more than a popularity contest among the delegates selected by local party organizations. From Florida, Perry was headed later Saturday to a gathering on Mackinac Island in Michigan. Romney, the son of a former Michigan governor, also was set to address the crowd in the state. Perry, leading in the polls for the Republican presidential nomination in 2012, had needed a victory in the key test of strength in a crucial state to salve the wounds left over from a debate with his rivals on Thursday in which he struggled.

Campaign Finance (Continued)

Mr. Doyle responds to telephone calls and electronic communications. In this section he discusses the Fair Elections Now Act.

Campaign Finance Laws

Kenneth Doyle talks about the 2008 campaign and future elections. Topics included the Citizens United Supreme Court case, congressional efforts to change corporate contributions to campaigns, and recent decisions at the Federal Election Commission.

Immigration Beliefs Could Cost Perry

Texas Gov. Rick Perry's stance on immigration is causing an uproar among conservative voters, jeopardizing his front-runner position in the race for the Republican presidential nomination.

Perry's support of education benefits for illegal immigrants has led to a myriad of attacks and questions of character by fellow members of the Republican Party. Many more are even going as far as to say that Perry's done for

"If you say that we should not educate children who have come into our state for no other reason than they've been brought here by no fault of their own, I don't think you have a heart," Perry said at Thursday's Fox News/Google debate in Orlando.

Rivals are looking to take advantage of Perry's woes in Iowa. Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney is expected to step up his campaign presence in the state after visiting only twice this year. And Minnesota Rep Michelle Bachmann is focusing on Iowa to reclaim the attention she stirred in the state before Perry entered the race. In an interview with Fox News, top Perry strategist Dave Carney said the notion the governor is floundering is "more wishful thinking from other camps." And Perry supporters note that he entered the presidential race just six weeks ago, a very late start.

 Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, who ran for president in 2008, feels that Perry's debate performance shows he's not ready for the pressure of the presidential spotlight yet, particularly his answer on the immigration issue. Huckabee believes that  Perry should have answered the question in a way that would have defused the issue. Perry arrived to great fanfare and seemed poised to steal significant support from his top rival, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney. Many influential Republican activists saw Perry, with his executive experience and good jobs record, as an attractive alternative to Romney, who has struggled to win over conservatives who make up a sizeable portion of the party base. Since then, the Texan has campaigned repeatedly in New Hampshire and Iowa, states that host the nation's first presidential voting contests in roughly four months. And unaligned Republicans in those states -- including some who backed Romney four years ago and are looking for an alternative -- have watched Perry closely this month to see if the early buzz would become lasting campaign strength. But his debate performances, including bobbled attempts Thursday night in Florida at painting Romney as a flip-flopper, did not impress some influential activists.

Besides accusing Romney of being a flip-flopper and suggesting opponents of Texas' immigration law are heartless, he gave a wobbly response to a question on Pakistan, making him seem unprepared. He has drawn sharp criticism for requiring 6th-grade girls in Texas to be vaccinated against a sexually transmitted virus that can cause cancer, a position that frustrates libertarians and social conservatives alike.

History of the Electoral College

Thomas Mann talked about the casting of electoral votes today and the history of the electoral college

New Tax Rate for Wealthy Americans on the Way?

The White House looks like it is set to propose a new tax rate for people earning more than one million dollars a year to ensure that they pay at minimum the same percentage of their earnings in taxes as middle-wage Americans, reported CNN on Sunday. This proposal, called the Buffett Rule, will be part of a deficit reduction plan that President Barack Obama could unveil as soon as Monday, according to White House sources.
The plan is named after billionaire investor and philanthropist Warren Buffett, who has been highly vocal in regards to the fact that wealthy Americans pay less than their share in taxes under current tax codes. In particular, Buffett says, wealthy taxpayers who generate significant investment income pay the lower capital gains rate on that money. According to White House officials, the Buffett Rule would impact just about 0.3% of taxpayers -- in total, fewer than 450,000 individuals. The president will not specify a specific rate or details of the Buffett Rule, leaving it up to Congress to evaluate how to calculate such a rate as part of the larger debate over rewriting the tax code. This could become problematic; leaving it to the Congress to decide on the rate could delay the passage or even get the proposal completely thrown out all together.
The issue of tax increases has been at the epicenter of a heated policy struggle between Democrats and Republicans for over a decade. President Obama wants to put an end Bush-era tax cuts on families earning over $250,000 a year, but Republicans have blocked his efforts, arguing that it will hinder investment. This theory is known as "trickle-down economics;" the more the wealthy are taxed the less they will potentially spend having a very negative effect on  an already shaky and unpredictable economy. Speaker of the House John Boehner, last week expressed his opposition to any tax increases being part of a deficit reduction package being negotiated. The Speaker believes like many other Republicans that raising the taxes of the wealthy is not a solution to aide in reducing the national debt.
     Meanwhile on NBC's "Meet the Press," former President Bill Clinton expressed how a tax reform is necessary, and that "right now we don't need what the Republicans want, which is further spending cuts." He also said that "conflict seems to be better politics; cooperation is better economics," in what he described of the Republican obstruction of Obama policies, such as the $447-billion jobs plan introduced last week. With divide on both sides of the issue it may be difficult for the President to lobby successfully for the passage of a new tax rate on wealthy Americans.

The Electoral College Effect (Continued)

Rob Richie and John Samples answer callers questions about the Electoral College. Mr. Richie's organization is working to elect the president by popular vote. Mr. Samples supports retaining the Electoral College.

The Electoral College Effect

Rob Richie and John Samples talk about how the electoral college influences the nature and strategy of elections.

The GOP and the Privatization of Social Security

According to a report this week by Fox News, many top Republican presidential hopefuls are beginning to welcome plans to partially privatize Social Security, reviving a contentious issue that fizzled under former President George W. Bush when Democrats posed strong opposition. In 2005, Bush made a push to give workers the option to privately invest a portion of their payroll taxes to provide a supplement to government benefits. Lawmakers were reluctant to jump aboard as Democrats argued that Bush was trying to "end Social Security as we know it."

During this time when President Obama is focused on his American Jobs Act, would-be rivals want to allow young workers to divert part of their payroll taxes into an account that would be invested separately from Social Security. Texas Gov. Rick Perry has raised the idea of letting groups, like state organizations and local union workers, opt out of Social Security altogether. These proposals seem to have been popular among conservatives who feel that workers could get a better return from investing in publicly traded securities. However, the majority of the candidates have been careful to say they would fight to preserve traditional Social Security for current retirees and those approaching retirement. Perry's camp is claiming that he is forcing the candidates to talk about an important issue rather than just throwing it aside. "Other candidates in this race were content on continuing to sweep it under the rug and continuing the status quo," Perry spokesman Mark Miner said. Despite Perry's rhetoric, he hasn't released a comprehensive plan to address Social Security's financial problems. It seems that Perry is not afraid to tackle unpopular issues unlike his peers, but one has to wonder if he'd be as bold if he wasn't at the moment, maintaining a comfortable lead in the polls. Obama mostly has avoided the issue in the first three years of his presidency, believing that Social Security has not been a major contributor to the nation's fiscal problems.

Social Security is facing long-term financial problems mostly because aging baby boomers are starting to retire, leaving fewer workers to pay into a system that is supporting a growing number of retirees. In 1950, more than 16 workers paid into Social Security for every person who received benefits. Today, the ratio is down to three workers paying in for every beneficiary taking out.

Social Security already pays out more in benefits than it collects in payroll taxes. The system has built up a $2.6 trillion surplus. But that surplus is projected to run out in 2036, unless Congress acts. At that point, Social Security will collect only enough payroll taxes to pay about three-fourths of benefits, according to the trustees who oversee the program. Nationwide, about 4 percent of workers, mostly state and local government employees are in alternative retirement plans. It seems like a logical choice to allow for a much higher percentage of Americans to be able to invest in alternative plans, however experts believe allowing people to opt out of Social Security, or to divert a portion into their private accounts, would drain even more resources from the system, at least in the short term. No matter how cloudy this issue has become, one thing that is clear is that Social Security will remain a hot-button topic of conversation for the GOP candidates throughout the debates and primaries.