Posted on 04/23/2015 6:59:54 AM PDT by Cincinatus' Wife
It's early in the Republican presidential primary process, but at this point former Florida governor Jeb Bush is a slight favorite. However, the latest CNN/ORC poll indicates that Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker is closing in on Bush. In a large GOP field that features archconservatives and outright crazies, Walker is the most disturbing because his stock-in-trade is mobilizing the resentment of working-class white voters.
According to the CNN/ORC poll, the ranking of Republican presidential candidates is Jeb Bush (17 percent), Scott Walker (12 percent), Kentucky Senator Rand Paul (11 percent), Florida Senator Marco Rubio (11 percent), former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee (9 percent), Texas Senator Ted Cruz (7 percent), followed by surgeon Ben Carson (4 percent) and New Jersey Chris Christie (4 percent). Pollster Nate Silver observed that most of these candidates have approval ratings that are "net-negative," unfavorability ratings greater than favorable. Scott Walker is an exception -- his favorability ratings nearly match his unfavorable -- perhaps because he has the lowest name recognition of the major candidates.
Who is Scott Walker? At this point in the competition for the Republican nomination, voters know about as much about Walker as they did about George W. Bush before he won in 2000.
Writing in Mother Jones magazine, political blogger Kevin Drum argued that Scott Walker would be the 2016 Republican nominee because he is the one candidate that could unify the various factions of the GOP: "Scott Walker" has a record of governance. His persona is generally adult. He doesn't say crazy stuff. Relatively speaking, he's attractive to moderates. But at the same time, the tea partiers love him too."
Barack Obama's presidential campaign took off after his famous 2007 Iowa speech at the Jefferson-Jackson dinner. Scott Walker's prospects have heightened after his January 24,2015, speech at the Iowa Freedom summit.
In that address, Walker positioned himself as the champion of "commonsense conservative reform." He bragged of defeating "big government special interests" to be twice-elected governor in a traditionally Democratic state and attributed this to his willingness to "go big and bold."
In his Iowa speech, Walker worried about the future of the US; expressed concern that America won't be as great in the future as it was when he was growing up. His twisted explanation for this (alleged) decline was an expression of classic Reagan-era conservative logic: Washington is controlled by big government special interests, taxes are too high ("It's the people's money not the government's money"), and too many Americans are content to "be dependent upon the government." Walker said he wants to build an economy that works "everywhere not just in Washington" and be a leader "who stands with our allies against terrorism." Predictably he's pro-life and anti Obamacare. He's muddied his stance on global climate change but his Wisconsin record is virulently anti-environment. On immigration he's recently shifted his position to the far right.
As a result of his Iowa speech, Scott Walker is ahead in the early polling among Iowa Republicans. In New Hampshire Walker and Jeb Bush are in a virtual tie (Walker has 17.6 percent Republican support and Bush 18 percent).
Many observers believe that Walker is a puppet controlled by the notorious Koch brothers. Walker's core message is targeted to harness the resentment of working-class white voters. It's based on the typical conservative lies often promulgated in campaigns funded by the Koch brothers.
The substantial economic gains of the last seven years haven't been shared by all Americans; rather than blame the rich and powerful, Scott Walker blames Washington. And, by implication, he blames the least fortunate Americans, those who need government assistance. This is classic Reagan rhetoric but with a sharp edge that denigrates the poor and America's racial minorities.
Recently, The New York Times contrasted the campaign strategies of Jeb Bush and Scott Walker. Both are conservative, but Bush has an inclusive message: "He is telling Republicans, in effect, that they must accept a changing country: that the path to the presidency will be found through appealing to voters who may not look like them." On the other hand, Scott Walker has an adversarial message: "The Party's way forward" lies in demonstrating toughness in the face of intense opposition from the left and mobilizing those who are already inclined to support conservatism."
In the 2012 presidential contest, Barack Obama defeated Mitt Romney with 51 percent of the vote. Obama carried women and racial minorities; Romney carried men and white voters. Most tellingly, Romney carried white women.
Scott Walker's 2016 strategy is simple: He will seek to defeat Hillary Clinton by mobilizing the resentment of working-class white voters, male and female. Walker will take his adversarial message to swing states such as Colorado, Florida, Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada, Ohio, Virginia, and Wisconsin; and hope to mobilize a massive turnout by angry white voters. Walker is dangerous.
An illustration of the diseased minds of the left.
"You won't have me and Bill to kick around, anymore."
That these people have weathered all their “scandals” is testament to - “Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.” Especially when you control the state media. The ONLY reason they’re getting the boot now, is because the Democrats saw no way to cover up the Clinton’s landfill of corruption in a presidential campaign.
Ah yes the attacks and name-calling....these radical leftist progressives must not feel too confident with Hillary.
WATCHING THE CLINTONS OPERATE IS A LESSON IN WHAT BEHAVIORAL SCIENTISTS CALL "NARCISSTIC IMMUNITY"--- under the mantle of "narcisstic immunity"---they portray themselves are being so good, so tolerant, so much more compassionate than us peons, that they can even operate above the law---nothing can touch them.
We know full well---every move the Clintons make is laser-focused on political "survival".
The Clintons have the survival instincts of a cockroach---once they infest your domain---its almost impossible to get rid of them.
They are ultimately driven by greed-----salivating to get back into office....selling out the WH---thoughts of adding billions to their massive holdings dancing in their greedy heads.
THE CLINTONS NEVER LET
A-N-Y-T-H-I-N-G INTERFERE W/ POLITICAL PROFITEERING
Oh my, I am so envious of you. My dream is to visit Ireland and Scotland, but I can’t talk hubby into the transAtlantic flight. Since his heart surgery, I don’t push it.
My ancestors were traced back to Ireland and lived in Castle Kilkenny during the 15th century. I think it would be neat to tour there.
I miss Maggie. She was a treasure as was our “Ronnie”.
Thanks for sharing!
Starting in those days living in Ireland, along with vacation travels since, I have crossed the Atlantic a couple dozen times or so. Also trip to the far east (Taiwan, with stops in Japan and Korea). I travelled to Ireland three times after returning to the US from my three year stay there. Lovely country, both Northern Ireland and the Republic. Also Scotland...when I lived there I visited Scotland several times...would take my car on the ferry from Larne to Stranraer, about a 2 1/2 hour crossing then.
On one vacation trip I had the privilege to travel with my Dad to England (his mother was born there) where we looked up ancestral stomping grounds and visited relatives. That was an extraordinary time together with Dad, and we found the house where his mother was born.
Sounds like you have had some grand adventures and wonderful memories. It must have been remarkably touching to visit where your mom was born. Your travels are treasures that will stay with you always.
I’m a certified tour director and one of my instructors was a fairly well known character actor who lived in Ireland for six months out of the year where he conducts tours. I attended my classes in Hollywood and met several actors while there but he was the most genuinely warm and memorable.
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