[newzjunkey]

I suggest you read the whole thing unless you think Romney's an outsider.

On Cain, I'm not aware that the bizarre smoking guy ad is mean for TV instead of just having been shot for the internet. That would be very odd and poor use of media dollars.

I'm not so concerned about Perry running on the idea of an "optional" tax system instead of promising to replace the current code. It's political strategy. It's been used for 15 years or more. He's not the only candidate doing that.

He nails Romney on his lack of conviction over the Ohio union situation having supported the law in the summer and with it down in polls run away on Tuesday and Wednesday saying he supports it. The man is a weather vane. Weather vanes don't lead, they follow.

[fightinJAG]

As for the author’s critique of the Perry plan, it is spot on.

I have been posting from the get-go that we need bold and Perry’s “optional” plan in UN-bold. It is weaselly.

And leaving the old Fedzilla tax code in place is just despicably insulting. I have detailed my substantive objections to this scheme elsewhere.

Finally, the Perry plan does nothing to accomplish what is really at stake at this point in history: much more than economic revival, we must act to preserve our freedom!

Perry’s plan does nothing to make more nontaxpayers into taxpayers. Without that, no matter how many goodies you get under his “flat” tax (and he’s been VERY generous with the jellybeans), we are still going to shortly be outnumbered by the takers. At that point, GAME OVER.

[TomGuy]

On Cain, I'm not aware that the bizarre smoking guy ad is mean for TV instead of just having been shot for the internet. That would be very odd and poor use of media dollars.

Luntz on FoxNews showed a brief audience reaction graph to it. They didn't like it and liked it even less when the narrator took a drag on the cig.

Maybe it was made for the Internet, but it is getting air time on the cable news -- with negative commentaries.

[ding_dong_daddy_from_dumas]

Romney’s fundamental lack of principle is overpowering as well. Yesterday, in Ohio, he refused to say whether he opposes a ballot initiative now headed for easy passage next month -- an initiative that would reverse an Ohio law passed earlier this year ending collective bargaining for state workers. It was shepherded through by Republicans over vociferous Democratic and liberal objections.