The Case For Optimism: Part I

The Case For Optimism: Part I

We have lived in "The Twilight Zone" for over four years. We have been lied to in a systematic way such as humanity has never before seen. Big Brother has grown more sophisticated over the years. So too, The Ministry of Truth.

A topic worth exploring after the election is the effect of large scale systematic misinformation on physical and mental health. But that topic will have to wait. Let's examine mind control as it is currently being inflicted.

So the polls show us that Obama will win in a landslide? How can that be? You have to read between the lines. If you cannot read between the lines, you are illiterate.

Right Track/Wrong Track Polling still suggests widespread dissatisfaction with the way America is being run. Right Track received a suspicious bump after Bill Clinton's election speech viewed by maybe twenty million mostly Democratic viewers. But when you have a 40% differential in August, there is room for improvement.

Other trends portend bad news for Team Obama as well. Registered Republicans are on the increase. Registered Democrats are on the decline. The Minsistry of Truth can influence a lot of surveys but they cannot yet influence every poll. Dig a little deeper into the polling and you will find quite a few issues--especailly the economy--where the public trusts Romney more than Obama.

There are two broad cases for optimism:

1. The Romney ground game.

2. Obama's overstated popularity.

Let us examine the second topic first and we will examine the first topic in the near future.

Obama won the Democratic Primary in 2008 largely by cheating. Sad but true. He then faced a withered John McCain powered by the grossly-incompetent Steven Schmidt. Yes We Can!

Obama's popularity peaked on Inauguration Day. There would later be a joke that US skier Lindsey Vonn had been stripped of her gold medal when it was learned that Obama went downhill faster than she did.

 Obama rose to power in the midst of a financial crisis that was exacerbated by a gargantuan national debt. Obama's solution was to add more debt and to do so with expenditures of extremely dubious merit. The infamous stimulus bill was loaded with political pork destined for mismanaged blue states. This would be followed by the silliest, most conspicuoulsy wealth-destroying program in US History, Cash For Clunkers.

Obama's numbers slid and Tea Party protests flourished. If Obama had been a leader, he would have talked to the Tea Party protesters. Instead, he ridiculed them and a protest would morph into a political movement. If you dislike the Tea Party, blame Obama for its inception. It would not have happened without his snide remarks.

Obama's numbers would slide even further when in the Summer of 2009, he would call the Cambridge, Massachusetts Police stupid for arresting a friend of his. His approval ratings have never recovered.

Fast forward to the New Jersey gubernatorial race in 2009. Incumbent John Corzine, one of the wealthiest men to ever hold public office and a spendthrift when it came to buying elections squared off against an obese Federal Prosecutor whose only elected office was, drum roll please.... he was in 1994 elected as a Republican to the Morris County Board of Chosen Freeholders. (Wikipedia.)

Corzine kicked in $22.6 million from his own wallet. This amount was double his oppponent's total war chest. As of mid-September Corzine had over three times the number of TV spots as his Republican opponent.

Let us summarize Corzine's advantages:

1. Incumbency.

2. Political experience. Corzine had previously served as Senator from New Jersey. He has politcal affiliations, name recognition, political patronage working against...a former member of Morris County Board of Chosen Freeholders, whatever that might be.

3. New Jersey is a Blue State with a powerful Democratic machine.

4. Deep, deep pockets.

And yet, the mortally obese, former Morris County Board of Chosen Freeholders solon was cleaning his clock. But the Governor had an ace in the hole he had yet to play. The eminent and ever-popular President Obama would jet to New Jersey to save the day. Yes We Can!

We know how this story ends. Far from closing the deal, Obama might have actually helped Christie get elected. Ten months after inauguration, the rock star had become a pariah. Chris Christie would rise to national prominence and John Corzine would devote himself to white collar crime, a pursuit that so far has served him well.

Meanwhile in Virginia Republican Bob McConnell carried 58% of the vote to defeat Democrat Craig Deeds. Obama carried the state the year before and campaigned for Deeds. It did no good. The bloom was off the rose.

In 2010, Republican Scott Brown won a special election in Massachusetts to win the Senate seat long occuppied by Ted Kennedy. President Obama campaigned for Democratic candidate, Martha Coakley. Even in this dark blue state, Obama could not close the deal. He might as well have stayed home.

And of course, there were the historic 2010 elections largely viewed as a referendum on Obama. One could make the case that Obama was not an active player in the 2010 elections. That is because most Democrats did not want to be seen with him. He was asked by his own party to stay in Washington. Obama's approval ratings have not changed much since then. On a given day, they are worse.

I heard one pundit state that gaining the governor's office is worth five points in a presidential election. The GOP picked up six governorships in 2010 including some key battleground states.

Finally, let us recall The Recall. Despite a collossal media blitz, union money and probable voter fraud, Scott Walker survived a 2012 gubernatorial recall effort. Did Barack try to help the losing cause? No. He was asked to keep his distance. That wasn't even five months ago.

Note: Bill Clinton did make an appearance at the Wisconsin Recall much as he did at the DNC. He did not influence the first election and I doubt that he influences the second one either.

To review, Obama is the Anti-Midas. His touch turns gold into garbage. He has lost a lot of political capital since 2008 and his personal image has not improved either. In 2008 we did not know that Obama was petty and vicious and mean. We know it now. Two jets on a family vacation. Relatives who live in poverty. A nephew who faced a life-threatening situation with no help from his uncle. On and on and on. We know this guy now and that is not to Obama's advantage.

I for one, look forward to November.