Herman Cain's big advantage (Here's another item to put on the plus side of the scales)

American Thinker ^ | 09/28/2011 | J.R. Dunn

[SeekAndFind]

It's anybody's guess as to whether Herman Cain can go the distance. But here's another item to put on the plus side of the scales.

The Dems have gotten considerable mileage out of accusations of scientific illiteracy on the part of the GOP candidates. This is largely due to the healthy stand taken by most of the field against global warming panic, but has also Rick Perry's clumsiness in dealing with questions concerning evolution and Michelle B's ill-advised attack on the Gardasil vaccine. (There's scarcely a vaccine in the medical armory that hasn't been accused of causing "retardation" at one time or another.)

Well, lo and behold, one widely overlooked entry in Cain's resume is the fact that he's a trained scientist, with degrees in both mathematics (from Morehouse College) and computer science (from Purdue) Furthermore, he actually worked as a professional mathematician, computing potential missile trajectories for the Navy, something that not even the great Al Gore can claim.

Science has always been a Republican weakness, with scientific ignorance acting as a facet of the GOP troglodyte caricature so beloved of Democratic campaigners. (Which would beg the question as to how the Dems can lay claim to superiority concerning the topic if we all weren't aware that liberals know, like, everything.) But with Cain on the ticket, this failing simply vanishes. It's difficult to see how they can turn the anti-science cannon on a man fully trained in the rigors of the scientific method. Nor is there any doubt whether Cain, in many ways the most outspoken of the current crop, would let them get away with it.

The point is, even if Cain does not gain the nomination, he would be formidable as a vice-presidential candidate.

[BwanaNdege]

Math is one of the languages of science.

Science probably predates the invention of math or is a contemporary.

About the time early man learned “One, Two, Three.....Many” he was also making the Observation that the first Red Flower (to quote Mowgli) he tried to touch was Hot, as were the second and third. He then made a hypothesis that ALL Red Flowers were Hot. Testing confirmed that “One, Two, Three.....Many” were Hot, therefore he concluded that All Red Flowers were Hot.

Thus, FIRE WAS DISCOVERED!

Backyard barbecues, tailgating and FOOTBALL soon followed.

Man became Civilized and Life Was Good!

[Prokopton]

They can’t amend those rights but have complete control over those powers not enumerated

Except those "reserved to ... the people".

[dblshot]

The states cannot unilaterally change the constitution or the Bill of Rights which protect the people, those rights being reserved to the people. Even if the people’s representatives at the state level want to change them, it has to be done at a Constitutional Convention. That’s all theory though, practically local governments write all kinds of laws that nobody challenges so tey stand.

[expat1000]

“The point is, even if Cain does not gain the nomination, he would be formidable as a vice-presidential candidate.”

Am I wrong, or has the choice of VP never materially affected the outcome of a presidential election except for swinging over a ‘favorite son’ state?

[07Jack]

I share your sentiments there. One thing is for certain, Herman Cain through his lifetime has defied some overwhelming odds to get to where he is today. If he actually pulls off the GOP nomination, I believe he will be more than capable of getting legislation passed. Given his life experiences, I think it’s a mistake to underestimate this man in any regard.

[IceAge]

He could appoint Newt to handle getting his plan thru congress.
Any president is only as good as the people he has around him. His cabinet, his advisors and his appointees make or break his presidency.

BO appointed a bunch of left wing nutjobs and that is how his presidency looks to the whole world. Of course, his disire to dismantle the whole system has a lot to do with it too.
I like Cain and look forward to learning more about the man.
Is he married? Does he have a wife who is just waiting to take all her friends and relatives on a paid vacay to every country in the world?
We have learned that the wives can cost the country a lot. Thanks, Moochelle!

[bcsco]

Yes math is a basic of the sciences. But that doesn’t mean he is conversant in all the sciences and at most levels of a given topic. It all depends on the topic and his level of knowledge.

[ConservativeDude]

I think he’s smart enough to learn quickly, and I’m going to vote for him in the primaries, but I would like to see him address this issue; you are right that the skill sets do not necessarily transfer.”

In my previous post, I yammered on a little about this. You are so right. This is THE issue for Cain. I also used Ike as a data point.

The skills from business are NOT transferable. I have seen that wayyyyyy too many times, especially at the congressional and lower levels. Very good business people run for office, and they get slaughtered by people with no real world experience, with half their intelligence, etc., etc., etc. The problem is that successful business people don’t realize that their skills don’t transfer.

So I think you are spot on. It would be extremely helpful for Cain to demonstrate that he doesn’t have this particular skill set. (And it is a perverse one...I hate having to concede that “politics” is a skill set!). But by showing that relity, he could also say, “but I am bringing a skill set that we haven’t had in the oval office for a long time and I am hoping that my experience as a CEO will help address the problems that the permanent political class have built up”.

I think that is a good line of reasoning; it also has, I think, the virtue of being TRUE.

All in all, I think Cain is a real positive thing for this primary. I hope he goes far!

[SeekAndFind]

I like Cain and look forward to learning more about the man. Is he married? Does he have a wife who is just waiting to take all her friends and relatives on a paid vacay to every country in the world? We have learned that the wives can cost the country a lot.

MR AND MRS HERMAN CAIN :


PERSONAL LIFE:

WIFE: GLORIA CAIN (TEACHER, LIBRARIAN)

Herman and Gloria have two children and several grandchildren.

•Melanie Cain: Born 1972.

•Vincent Cain: Born 1978.

Melanie currently manages Herman's Intelligent Thinkers Movement

Vincent works in the Banking Industry

Herman and Gloria met during their college years.

Herman: "One month after she graduated from college, I swept her off her feet — we knew each other — and we got married a month later."
Source: Alex Pappas. "Herman Cain: My wife will not be traditional 'campaign wife.'" DailyCaller.com. 5/19/2011.

Quotes About the Marriage of Gloria and Herman Cain:

Herman Cain: “Don’t expect the traditional amount of exposure you normally get from a campaign wife. She’s not going to do that ... My wife is one of the most unassuming, not-looking-for-the-limelight-people you’ve ever met. And I’m going to keep it that way. I’m not going to push her out there to try to do things she doesn’t want to do. That’s not her personality.”
Source: Alex Pappas.

"Herman Cain: My wife will not be traditional 'campaign wife.'" DailyCaller.com. 5/19/2011.

Herman Cain: "Together, we had achieved a life at fifty-eight years of age consisting of no worries, no drama, and no stress except for the minutia of day-to-day living. To say that we were truly blessed was an understatement. This is what we had worked to attain in all of our thirty-six years of marriage."
Source: Herman Cain. They Think You're Stupid: Why Democrats Lost Your Vote and What Republicans Must Do to Keep It. 2005. pg. 198.

Herman: "If two people are a good match, their love enables them to reach some compromises, which is good and fine so long as the two individuals do not also have to modify their own identities."
Source: Herman Cain. CEO of Self: You're in Charge! 2001. pg. 100.

[SeekAndFind]

Herman Cain is a self-made multi-millionaire currently with a net worth of $18 Million.

See here:

http://www.celebritynetworth.com/richest-businessmen/herman-cain-net-worth/

[Ratman83]

Wow you give up your rights so easily.

the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.

It does not say just congress, it is a statement that all are to follow.

[McGavin999]

What are you talking about?

[ari-freedom]

“Yes math is a basic of the sciences. But that doesn’t mean he is conversant in all the sciences and at most levels of a given topic. It all depends on the topic and his level of knowledge.”

He minored in physics. I think the point is that he has an analytical mind and not a weasely lawyer mind. This isn’t about electing a scientist-in-chief but we do need someone who can handle all the economic data on Obamacare, tax plans, etc

[IceAge]

Thanks, saved me some research. Looks good!

[Ratman83]

Unconstitutional laws are just that unconstitutional; your fleeing to another state is giving up your rights. The 2nd amendment applies to the states.

[CGalen]

You realize, of course, that if Cain is elected, then you can forget about National Reciprocity.

You can also forget about owning a gun in any state in the future which has a large number of Democrat voters because Cain will not interfere.

Lastly, the United States Supreme Court is just 1 judge away from determining that individual citizens are not allowed to own, possess, or carry guns.

[Marie]

***”Any comments on Cain’s undercutting of House Republican efforts to link disaster aid increase with cuts in nonsensical green jobs funding? I would argue that Republican efforts to get assertive in this area should not be punished. Of course, the Republicans should learn to explain their positions in ways that voters can understand, but Cain should be helping them do this, not publicly undercutting them the way Newt did on Obamacare.”***

I actually saw the interview where he discussed this and the rumors are incomplete.

He said that the cuts needed to be made. The Republican’s were correct in this.

But you don’t play politics with tragedy.

He proposed funding FEMA, with the agreement that the cuts would be made later. Help the people in trouble, then deal with the politics later.

[dusttoyou]

Will check the link, but if what you say is true, this is not the best news for Cain. Sortof like Christie’s Globull Warming position. Deal breakers.

[Iron Munro]

I have concerns about his 999 plan. Where is he going to cut taxes enough to compensate for a 9% federal sales tax...on top of your current state or local sales tax. My current tax rate, with deductions, is about 11%. So while I would gain a little on the income tax I would immediately pay much more on the 9% federal tax. Am I missing something?

Considerably more than 18% of the amount you spend to purchase goods or services will actually be taxes going to the federal government. Imagine a basic transaction where you purchase something directly from the manufacturer.

Your income is taxed at 9%.

You pay another 9% national sales tax on the price you pay for goods.

The price you pay for the goods is comprised of the actual manufacturing cost, plus profit, plus 9% in corporate income tax.

Therefore a product the manufacturer would sell for $100 must have $9 in corporate income tax added to it; so it will be priced at $109.

When you buy it for $109 another $9.81 will be added as a 9% national sales tax so it will cost you $118.81.

You have already paid a 9% income tax of $11.75 on the $118.81 you will spend to purchase the product.

So, in this scenario, the total taxes to the government are:

• $9.00 corporate income tax of 9% paid by the manufacturer

• $9.81 national sales tax of 9%

• $11.75 income tax of 9%

• $30.56 = TOTAL TAXES TO THE GOVERNMENT

This is a simplified transaction where you buy directly from the producer or manufacturer. Actually, in a more complex transaction the government would probably realize much more in taxes than the $30.56 because there would be other parties involved.

Usually the maufacturer sells to a distributor and the distributor sells to a retail outlet and the retailer sells the product to you.

In that case the manufacturer pays a 9% business tax, the distributor pays a 9% business tax and the retailer probably pays a 9% business tax also.