Posted on 07/06/2009 6:59:32 PM PDT by RED SOUTH
(Washington, D.C., July 6, 2009) -- As I traveled throughout the U.S. on my recent book tour, I kept running into people who would ask me, "Where is Steve Forbes? The economy is melting down. We need his economic expertise right now."
I couldn't agree more. Steve's message in the 1990s of free market ways to create hope, growth and opportunity at home and abroad may have seemed too bold to the GOP establishment at the time. But it's desperately needed today. His plan to scrap the corrupting federal tax code - "We need to take the tax code and kill it, drive a stake through it's heart, bury it, and hope it never rises again to terrorize the American people" - and replace it with a simple flat tax that's a real tax cut for American families and businesses is the right prescription for the the mess we're now in.
Steve was passionate about eliminating wasteful government spending, and eliminating pork barrel earmarks and ridiculous corporate welfare schemes. He had serious plans to advance market-based health care reforms where individuals and families get to choose their doctors, and market-based education reforms so that parents could choose the right schools for their children. In foreign policy, Steve was a strong proponent of missile defenses, and recognized the threat Russia and Iran were becoming before many others in Washington did.
The problem is that few in Washington today seem to believe in such bold, dynamic reforms, or have the courage to advance them. I certainly don't hear any of the potential 2012 presidential candidates proposing such sweeping reforms to counter the President's plan to rack up another $10 trillion in debt and socialize much of the American economy, notably the health care sector.
As troubling, few are demonstrating Steve's understanding of global trends and threats or insisting on missile defenses or a tougher stance towards Russia and Iran. Indeed, the biggest news the GOP makes these days are by politicians who have marital affairs and should resign but don't, and successful governors who shouldn't resign but do. What's wrong with these people and this party?
Finally off the road from my book tour, I finally called Steve last week to catch up. The good news: he hasn't disappeared. To the contrary, he's spent the last few months working on a fabulous new book, Power, Ambition and Glory: The Stunning Parallels Between Great Leaders of the Ancient World and Today . . . and the Lessons You Can Learn.
Last month, Steve embarked on a national media tour. He's talking about the lessons we can learn from history's most effective and provocative leaders and how we can apply those lessons to the challenges we face today. This week, the book hit the New York Times hardcover non-fiction best-seller list at #30. I hope it climbs much higher.
Steve Forbes reminds me so much of my wonderful father.
(And my siblings and I don’t call him “father” for nothing, if you know what I mean).
And, no, that’s not why I supported Steve Forbes.
Tell us then, please.
Agreed that he’d probably make a lousy President, but as an economic advisor to a willing-to-listen conservative, he’d be fantastic. He’d damn sure be better than the bunch of recycled Communist clowns that are in there now!
}:-)4
I was standing in the room the first time Malcom Forbes, Junior forayed into Iowa. His words were those of a typical country club liberal Republican.
Once he figured out that that wouldn’t work he spent four years morphing into something else entirely and spreading his millions around to anyone who could be bought.
He’s a fake, as his endorsement of Giuliani in ‘08 proves beyond any shadow of doubt.
You pick your RINO idiot to support, I’ll go with Hunter.
The Forbes headquarters in Keene, NH in Feb 2000 was dead. I was there. We lost.
Not as dead as Fred Thompson NH headquarters in Jan ‘08. But dead is as dead does.
Not only are you a RINO, you're not a good Christian if you don't support Huck. I know, I've been called names by those who believe they are better Christians than I.
it is peculiar that peeple on this thred are upset at tht thought of Forbes runnin’ for Prezident! I jus’ hope he don’t get involved with that rascal Romney.
I must say it is an honor to post a response to you, pissant. I have seen your very brief musings for years and I have always loved your handle.
i’m sure they aren’t better Christians than you, but I hope their grammar is better than yours. (Just kiddin’, granny.)
Hunter has left the door open to run. Right now, no one knows with certainty who will or won’t. Though it is a good bet Huck and Mitt and Palin and Newt are seriously thinking about it.
Got the shock of my life when someone called ‘The Original Pissant’ posted to me today.
Oh I know those folks. Some are on FR. But the issue you describe isn’t one that can be solved by becoming more liberal. It can only be solved by a candidate with core conservative values. As for Huck carrying Iowa, I’m sure it would have been a different outcome after the debates. Huck showed his true colors during the debates, and was anything BUT Christian.
An Iowa salute to you Grandma. I’m sure you’ll back a winner in the ‘12 caucus.
I was the lead recipient of its FReepmail obscene assault in private and passed it along to JimRob without responding to it. I think it tried to claim the rest of us were going after him in private, but not a one of us did. He went from being muted to being outright banned after the mail to me, JimRob and a few others. Just dumb. A 10-year account flushed down the drain of Socialist idol worship lunacy.
Knowing you I figured it was something like that. That is not your style. I would have turned it over to when someone acts lilke that. What a jerk but then he supports a jerk.
Believe me, I’m mighty tempted to give them a what’s what in private... but the twit decided to fire first, though it was like a gnat firing at the USS Enterprise. There wasn’t anything left to scrape up. ;-)
when people on this site find out I didn’t join the Keyes 2000 campaign, I will forever be ID’ed as a RINO. East coast RINO at that.
Who were we supposed to support? By some folks standards, the Manchester Union Leader is a RINO publication. Because they refuse to endorse candidates that are at 6% in the polls. Some of us try to remain relevant.
ROFLOL! That’s too funny!
The Union Leader (Manchester, NH) Friday, December 3, 1999
Forbes for President
Steve Forbes is The Union Leader’s choice in the Feb. 1, 2000, New Hampshire Presidential Primary.
.....
George Bush has said virtually nothing substantial in this campaign because he thinks that will get him the nomination. And John McCain will say virtually anything because he thinks that will get him attention.
.....
Bush is a nice guy but an empty suit with no philosophical underpinning.
McCain could finish a strong second, in the Democrats’ race.
Steve Forbes is not charismatic. (Some would say he looks like a geek.) But he’s also not a phony. Ask him a question, you’ll get a thoughtful answer, not a soundbite.
He is one tough, smart customer who can be the strong, principled leader America needs. Joseph W. McQuaid
http://www.gwu.edu/~action/nhendrsul.html
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