Re-posted from PJ Media 

By Myra Adams

Move over Senator Marco Rubio!   Step aside Congressman Alan West!

Make room for another shining Republican star on the ascent in the Florida sky,  Florida’s Attorney General Pam Bondi.

While it was Congressman Alan West who ended up making national headlines with his brief remarks this past Saturday in Ft. Lauderdale at the Broward County Republican Lincoln Dinner — with a message that, while fighting on the “ideological battlefield” for control of the nation’s political landscape conservatives “must be like sharks that smell blood in the water, you must attack,” — it was Attorney General Bondi’s speech that kept the packed ballroom audience spellbound.

Ms. Bondi was the opening speaker and for at least 30 minutes spoke with passion and eloquence about the many difficult battles confronting her office in a state as complex and crime-ridden as Florida.

Bondi regaled the audience with exciting tales of hunting down and closing illegal pill-mills and wrestling with the big bad EPA. She also railed against President Obama and his Justice Department, and then captured everyone’s attention with her eye witness account from the front row of the mother of all Supreme Court battles, Obama Care, in which she is the lead Attorney General.

This is a gift Bondi inherited  from the previous Florida Attorney General Bill McCollum, when she won the office in November 2010 (her first elected post) and continued Florida’s fight against Obama Care that could end up paying her huge national political dividends.

Attorney General Bondi, who is easy on the eyes and extremely articulate, is a regular guest and legal analyst on Fox News. For years now, her frequent appearances on Sean Hannity and Greta Van Susteren’s shows have been and will continue to be very helpful should she decide to seek even higher office.

This headline last December from a website in her hometown of Tampa summed it up quite well, “Attorney General Bondi’s Ascent Has Been Meteoric”.

So last Saturday night as Congressman Allen West was literally bidding farewell to Broward County, forced, because of re-districting to seek his second term further north in friendlier Republican territory, he went out strong, profusely thanking all the Republicans in the room who gave him his start in politics after his return from a tour of duty as an Army Lieutenant Colonel in Iraq.

This November, whether West wins or loses his new Congressional seat, there is no doubt he will continue to be a “general” leading the charge against liberalism and socialism, fighting for America, in the national conservative army. However, it is doubtful that Allen West will ever hold the office of governor or senator.

But with Pam Bondi the opposite is true. It would be very surprising if she does not win one or both of those titles down the road.

From her perch as Attorney General — made even more high profile by Florida being the lead state in the Obama Care fight — coupled with her regular appearances on Fox News, Pam Bondi, at age 47 is someone who conservatives  need to watch carefully, and not just on cable.

This woman is impressive. I was there in the audience and the vibes she projected into that large ballroom were powerful enough to put her on a trajectory that might even propel her into the office with a distinctive oval shape.

In America, anything is possible.  The current occupant of that oval shaped office is certainly proof of that.

Re-posted from PJ Media

Is it possible that George W. Bush could be the last Republican president ever, or at least for the foreseeable future?

Am I crazy to even formulate that question?

Maybe not and here are 10 reasons why.

1. Rapidly changing demographic trends that favor the Democrat party.

2. An education system controlled by liberals that churns out young liberals.

3. A population with an ever increasing dependence on government in the form of entitlements and subsidies.

4. A mainstream media that is overwhelmingly comprised of journalists who subtly and not so subtly spin the news in support of Democrats and liberal causes.

5. The influence of Hollywood which makes it cool to be a liberal Democrat.

6. The growing power concentrated in local, state, and federal government worker unions whose members actively campaign against Republicans on the taxpayer dime.  (See WI Governor Walker’s upcoming recall election for an active example of this.)

7. A culture where non-traditional social and sexual behavior has become mainstream.

8. A hatred for Republicans in general and a tendency to blame the party for “the mess we’ve inherited.”

9. A Republican party that is growing increasing white, old, southern and male, while alienating majorities of younger voters, Hispanics, African Americans, gays, teachers, young professionals, atheists, unmarried women and even suburban married women.

10. The internet and the growing social media phenomenon that strongly tilts in favor of Democrats.

Together, all of the above reasons are reflected in the latest Obama vs. Romney Real Clear Politics Electoral College map.

Currently with 270 electoral votes needed to win, the states that are either likely or lean Obama total 253, while Romney’s likely or lean states total 170.

What is even more significant is the list of toss-up states.

Below is a list with their electoral votes and a hyperlink to the latest Obama vs. Romney polling averages in each state.

Arizona (11)

Colorado (9)

Florida (29)

Iowa (6)

Missouri (10)

New Hampshire (4)

North Carolina (15)

Ohio (18)

Virginia (13)

Together these 9 states total 115 electoral votes of which Romney must win 100 if he is to reach 270.

Consult your nearest statistician for the odds of that happening.

Upon examining this lopsided electoral match- up one could conclude that Romney is not the strongest candidate the Republicans could nominate to go up against Obama.

Sure, you could say that, but you would be wrong.

The truth is Romney at this time, is actually the best candidate the Republicans could have to spearhead the ticket. The reasoning is since Romney is perceived as “more moderate”, he has a better chance of converting independent voters in those 9 toss-up states with 115 electoral votes, than any of his former GOP rivals.

(Do you seriously think Gingrich, Santorum, Bachmann, Cain or Perry would be doing any better?)

Romney’s problem with the electoral map is NOT Mitt Romney. But it is his problem in that the attitude and composition of the voting electorate is trending away from what the Republicans as a brand, have traditionally stood for — less government, traditional values, taking charge of your own destiny, strong defense, God, family and apple pie.  Does anyone seriously have a plan to turn around current social and cultural trends?  Think about the 10 reasons at the beginning of this piece and it becomes clear that the Democrat voting mold is cast.

This pains me to write, but let’s just say the statistical chances of Romney winning 100 out of those 115 electoral votes prove to be too much and President Obama is re-elected.

What happens to Republicans as they try again for the White House in 2016?  Here is a preview.

Base conservatives who were against Romney and wanted a “true conservative” at the top of the ticket in 2012 will blame Romney for the loss and the cycle of finding a “Reagan Conservative” leader will begin again just like it did after McCain’s loss to Obama in 2008.

Meanwhile, traditional Republican states like North Carolina, Virginia and Arizona have become fierce battlegrounds joining the usual battlegrounds of Ohio and Florida. Thus, the path to 270 for ANY present and future Republican presidential nominee becomes narrower and narrower while the Democrats have an increasing number of options.

Looking back, based on how much the demographic composition of the nation had changed, there are studies (by Democrat think tanks) that conclude John Kerry in 2004 and even Michael Dukakis in 1988 would have won the White House if they faced the same electorate then that President Obama is facing this November.  The Democrats know that today’s demographics are their destiny.

I wish I had better news to report but based on the 10 reasons cited above I conclude that President George W. Bush and President Millard Fillmore might have something in common.

Fillmore in 1850 was the last Whig Party president and Bush re-elected in 2004 might be the last Republican Party president.

For the sake of this nation’s future, I hope I will be proved wrong. However, when I look at all the young Democrat voters in my own family I shake my head.

The thought of any of them voting for a Republican president this time or anytime in the future, is as unlikely as any one of them quitting Facebook.

It’s the culture, stupid.

Today in The Wall Street Journal, Kimberley Strassel has a piece that Drudge has picked up with this teaser line:

Obama attempts to intimidate donors to Romney’s campaign.

Apparently President Obama not only looks to Abraham Lincoln for presidential inspiration but also now to Richard Nixon.

Nixon you may remember, became infamous during Watergate for formulating an “enemies list” of people he thought were his political enemies and arranged for them to receive a special visit from the IRS.

Obama’s version of Nixon’s enemies list is just as sinister because Obama’s campaign is naming names of major donors to the Romney campaign and publicly criticizing them on an Obama For America campaign web site called KeepingGOPHonest.com. The site headline reads: — Behind the curtain: A brief history of Romney donors.

Check out the site and weep.

Do we still live in America, Home of the Free or has Obama For America morphed into Obama Against America?

Let’s watch and see if the mainstream media calls out their Beloved Leader on this horrific assault on free elections and democracy.

While Obama today is speaking to troops in Ft. Stewart, Georgia who defend our freedom from enemies abroad, the Commander in Chief himself is assaulting our electoral freedom directly from White House.

One can only imagine how much ink and bandwidth the media would have used to show outrage if in 2004 President George W. Bush’s campaign had a similar web site denigrating John Kerry’s major donors.

Like I said, start weeping for our nation.

Re-posted from PJ Media

With Obama about to launch his re-election campaign on May 5^th (cough cough) his grand strategy for victory has been formulated.

News Flash…Mitt Romney is a radical.

In case you missed it, Obama’s campaign narrative goes something like this:

Romney used to be a flip- flopper with no core and you could not trust him.

But now, since becoming the presumptive Republican nominee, he has morphed into a radical and not just a run-of-the-mill radical, but a Goldwater ’64 radical.

David Plouffe, one of Obama’s highest ranking generals said recently in a NYT interview (where else?)  “.. he (Romney) is the most conservative nominee that they’ve had going back to Goldwater.”

Ah… Arizona Senator Barry Goldwater vs. President Lyndon Baines Johnson (LBJ)  November, 1964, the glory days for Democrats, with LBJ winning his only full term in a landslide with 486 electoral votes to Goldwater’s 52.  LBJ received 61.1% of the vote and Senator Goldwater earned 38.5%.

Even worse, Goldwater only won 6 states.

That 1964 election resonates with me because it is the first presidential election I can remember. Now a little background is needed. I was born and raised in the radical Democrat state of Massachusetts, in a Boston suburb, and literally never met a Republican until I was 18 and left for college in Ohio.

On the morning of Election Day 1964, I distinctly recall yelling out the school bus window with fellow students to people on the sidewalks, “LBJ for the USA” and “LBJ all the way”.

I also remember being told (probably in school) that Goldwater was very dangerous and if elected, was going to blow up the world.

Recalling all this so clearly obviously means LBJ’s message of Goldwater’s radicalism made a huge impact on me as a nine year old and more important, how that message was so much a part of the ’64 election narrative.

So will Obama’s branding of Romney as a Goldwater radical be as effective?

Will today’s nine year olds remember it when they are in their 50s?

Probably not, because like the flip-flopper label, (after much focus-group testing),  “Romney the radical label will most likely not last.

So then it is on to President Obama’s next feeble attempt at branding which I predict will be “Romney the puppet”.

Expect in the next few months to hear David Plouffe say something like this, “Romney, if elected, would be totally controlled by the right wing radical Congress. He would be their puppet on a string, moving and swaying to their direction and then signing whatever legislation they put in front of him.”

From flip-flopper to radical to puppet to who knows what else after that?

Obama’s strategy reminds me of jujutsu, using your opponent’s own strength against him to your advantage.

From a Republican point of view, Obama is really the radical so if he paints Romney as a radical, it is harder for Romney to say, “No Obama YOU are the radical”, without sounding like the election has denigrated into a name calling exercise. Which it will anyway.

With that thought in mind,  I would like to pose a more serious question, how are we as a nation ever going to endure seven more months of what the Obama campaign is going to put us through?   The lies, distortions and endless promises of spending, oh, I mean investment.

Will someone please check and see if Prozac is included for free in Obama-care because we are all going to need it even more than we need contraceptives.

Re-posted from PJ Media

The current GSA scandal is continuing to make news  in Washington with the headline that $820,000 was wasted on a lavish Vegas convention in 2010.  Heads are rolling, cable news is chattering, hearings on Capitol Hill are ongoing, and most agree that “Big Government” has run amok.

One of the reasons why this scandal has generated such outrage, I believe, is the fact that everyone can wrap their arms around $820,000.

For example, according to the US Census the average sales price of a home is $272,900.  So a home three times as much is $818,700, just about what GSA employees spent to party down in Vegas.  Every functioning American adult can emotionally connect to the monetary value of $820,000 and even write out that number if asked.

Now, what happens when a “functioning American adult” is asked to write out $15 trillion?

Most likely many people would flunk that test by failing to put enough zeros behind the 15. The amount of $15 trillion is so off the charts it might as well be a gazillion, which according to its definition on Wikipedia is an indefinite and fictitious number.

So, for those unsure what $15,000,000,000,000 looks like, here it is.

Therein lays the problem confronting our nation during this election season.

For at this writing the national debt of the United States of America is $15,676,773,250,419. (increasing by the second) which is also a rather indefinite and fictitious number in the minds of most voters and that is most unfortunate

Even more unfortunate is most Americans are unaware that in January of this year a huge disgraceful milestone was reached. It was then that the amount we owed on our national credit card surpassed what our economy generates (gross domestic product), commonly known as GDP.

On a more personal level it would be as if your credit card bills were more than your annual salary.

Now, wouldn’t that keep you up at night? What should also keep our elected leaders up at night is never in the history of the world has a nation been in as much debt as we are now.

Also, I am quite sure that most Americans are not aware of this disturbing fact.

Now, since math education is such a hot button issue, I would like to propose a national math test that every American citizen must complete before being able to cast a vote in November. (Even MORE important than showing a voter ID)

The test is learning to write out $16,000,000,000,000 because that is the amount the federal debt will be in the month before the election.

$16 trillion should not be an indefinite and fictitious number to the voters in 2012. In fact, that number adds up to doom for our nation’s future and should be as familiar to every American as GSA’s infamous $820,000.

The second part of my proposed national test is for voters to take a hard look at what I consider the scariest web site on the planet.

That site is the US Debt Clock  aka the ticking time bomb. Every American should be mandated to look at that web site and understand what it means to them and their children before being eligible to vote.

Here is a sad fact to note that I mentioned earlier.

The clock says our national debt is $15.6 trillion and our Gross Domestic Product is $15.1 trillion. Tutors will be made available to explain whatever part of that equation you don’t understand.

The third part of the national mandated voter test (most likely paid for by a grant from the Romney campaign), would be to make all voters aware of these three numbers.

First is $9.7 trillion or what the national debt was on this day in 2008 when then Senator Barack Obama was railing against government spending on the campaign stump.

Second is $15.7 trillion or what the national debt is today.

Third is $21.7 trillion, what the national debt would be on this day in 2016  projected out at current spending levels.

If only Americans and the media would get as outraged about these numbers as they are about the $820,000 GSA spent on clowns and mind readers at the Vegas convention, than perhaps we would have a national election that puts the “ticking time bomb” at the center of our national stage.  Maybe even run it at the bottom of every news channel or feature it in a skit on Saturday Night Live.

Only then, if voters truly knew just how broke we are as a nation, perhaps we would all come together to solve the problem and the nation.

Be mindful of how the first step in solving any problem is realizing that there is a problem, which is itself a real problem regarding the debt issue.

For according to a recent Gallup poll only 11% of Americans think the federal budget deficit/federal debt is the most important problem facing our country today.

So perhaps the Romney campaign should start there. Beat this drum until every American voter is aware and outraged about our $15.6 trillion debt and actually knows how many zeros there are in that number.

Americans should also be mandated to look at that ticking time bomb of a debt clock once before they vote to reelect President Barack Obama – who just happens to be the biggest spending president in our history — increasing the national debt by $5 trillion since taking office.

The term “Teflon President” was first used to describe Ronald Reagan because, with reference to the non-stick Teflon pan, because criticism and blame of President Reagan seldom seemed to stick.

President Obama, one could argue, has also been a “Teflon President”.

For when you consider the sluggish economy, historically high unemployment rates, soaring gas prices, an unpopular war dragging on, the highest deficits in history, the disastrous 2010 mid-term election and the increasing unpopularity of Obama Care, why then is President Obama still considered the odds on favorite to win re-election?

Well maybe those odds are about to change now that a series of concurrent scandals rock the White House.

Which begs the question, do the GSA and Secret Service scandals have the potential to burn off Obama’s Teflon, while arguably more serious on-going scandals like Fast and Furious and Solyndra have not?

Unlike Fast and Furious and Solyndra  both the GSA and the Secret Service scandals are “made for media” with all the elements needed for maximum over-drive.

A “made for media” scandal must have at least two out of the three following elements.

First is a visual, like a photo or series of photos or best of all a video.

(See Edwards, John sex tape as an example)

Here the GSA scandal receives five out of five stars including the first place winning video produced for and shown at the convention in question.  Scandal visuals do not get better or more entertaining than this one (except maybe Edwards, John, sex tape, but that was not played 24/7 in the media, it just existed.)

Now for purposes of comparison, at this writing the Secret Service scandal does not have any images of those 21 lovely Columbian ladies at the center of the controversy.  But watch this space, because it is only a matter of time.  (More on this below)

Second, a “made for media” scandal needs either abuse of taxpayer money, or a corrupt office-holder stealing taxpayer money and or receiving large pay-offs.

(See Blago for fun and there are just too many others to name.)

Here, the GSA scandal earns the highest marks because the video itself tells the story of taxpayer waste and abuse. (Although the $825,000 spent at the convention is really only chump change in federal government land.)

The Secret Service scandal on the other hand, does not involve abuse of taxpayer dollars except that the agents were on duty at the time of the unfortunate dust-up over payment for services rendered. However, it does have the magic ingredient that fuels all scandals.

That third and final ingredient is, of course, sex.

The GSA scandal gets low marks for sex. But, because elements one and two are so powerful, lack of sex should not hurt this scandal’s staying power, especially since the Congressional hearings are filled with such “outrage” from both sides of the aisle.

The press loves nothing more than sex scandals involving men who carry guns whose job it is to protect the president while working for an organization representing the highest professional standards that our culture holds dear. Combine all that with Secret Service folklore — the stuff movies are made of like “taking the bullet”, and you have a five star scandal that could soon develop into its own fledging media empire especially when the 21 women come forward seeking fame and fortune.

You can just see the headline now,  “The Women Who Rocked the Secret Service – photos inside, download now or click here.”

So will these two scandals now clobbering the White House succeed in rubbing the Teflon off President Obama?

The GSA scandal certainly has the greatest potential and not just because it is an easy scandal for the American people to grasp with parties, trips and bonuses — its true potential for damaging Obama goes much deeper.

John L. Mica, R-FL who is chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee said on CNN recently:

“People from the White House knew about it, did nothing, kept it quiet until just a few days ago when a statement was released by the president condemning the act.”

Mica then raised the scandal to Watergate levels by adding:

“We think they’ve held this information.”

Yes, the true potential for removing Obama’s Teflon is “what did Obama know and when did he know it?”  This is the most important scandal meter question of all time. It has become an evergreen gift from when Tennessee Senator Howard Baker, first asked it during the Senate Watergate hearings in 1973.

Now certainly, Fast and Furious and Solyndra are both serious scandals. Especially Fast and Furious, which involves the death of a US Border Patrol agent, and has the greatest potential to blow up the Obama White House any day now with that ever-present Watergate question they seem to be avoiding.

PJ Media  has been on the forefront of this scandal and Forbes made a grand statement last year with a piece entitled,  Fast and Furious Just Might Be President Obama’s Watergate.

Almost as disgraceful is Solyndra, that cost US taxpayers over half a billion dollars, which over 600 times as much as the “good-time” GSA convention.

But so far, these scandals with low scores on the “made for media” scandal meter have not gained much traction.

However, it is my bet that the GSA scandal will be the one to strip Obama of his Teflon if it is firmly established that the White House knew about it back in 2010 and proceeded to cover it up.

For what was the great lesson we all learned from Watergate?

The cover up is always more damaging than the crime.

Re-posted from PJ Media

In honor of Tax Day 2012 this is a little tale about how $1.25 million of your tax dollars was spent or as President Obama likes to now say, “invested” in your nation’s future.

Last weekend on a nature trek in the Florida Everglades this sign caught my eye.  (Sorry Redstate but I can not figure out how to insert a photo into this site.)

Obama’s infamous “economic stimulus” aka The 2009 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) (remember that?) aka “The Porkulus Bill”  spread its wealth to the Florida Everglades.

Now in 2012, the stimulus funds are dried up and all that remains is this large sign, a monument to glorious out of control spending of old.

Being an inquisitive soul, I did a little research about the “economic stimulus” program behind the sign.

Here is what I discovered.

The sign itself directs one to www.recovery.gov.

There I plugged in the zip code where our “recovery dollars (were) at work”.

Upon further investigation, I found this press release from March 29, 2010:

Everglades’ Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge Receives Stimulus Funding to Remove Invasive Species, Restore Natural Habitats.

It turns out a firm called Aquatic Vegetation Control of West Palm Beach, FL received a contract for $1.25 million to complete this task.

The press release goes on to say:

“These non-native plants pose a serious threat to the delicate ecological balance of the Everglades and their removal will greater enhance this precious national treasure,” Secretary Salazar said. “In addition, the ARRA funding will provide employment for several dozen skilled workers who will be executing this project throughout much of 2010.”

Then the press release sums up:

“The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 gave $3 billion to the Department of the Interior. The ARRA funds represent an important component of the President’s plan to jumpstart the economy and put a down payment on addressing long-neglected challenges so the country can thrive in the 21st century.”

So basically what this press release said was — our nation can thrive in the 21^st century if long-neglected challenges like Everglades’ weeds do not thrive.

Here are some questions that come to mind.

How exactly did “removing invasive species and restoring natural habitats” stimulate the economy beyond the “several dozen skilled” folks who got paid directly in 2010?

Now more than two years later, have the invasive species grown back?

(Melaleuca species was the primary target and according to the press release is a “persistent weed”.)

How many hours of work and how many US taxpayers were needed to accumulate the $1.25 million that was spent so “several dozen skilled workers” could be stimulated removing persistent weeds from the Everglades? (A task Mother Nature was most likely capable of handling.)

How much did the sign itself cost?

It looked like a large hardy sign, one that could withstand the harsh environment of the Everglades.

How long will the sign remain standing, obstructing the natural landscape, even through the “recovery” program has been over for two years?

If I did not have a life, I might have gone back and asked visitors how they felt that their economic stimulus tax dollars were used to remove Everglades’ weeds. Did they feel happy, sad, ticked off or ripped off upon seeing the sign?

(Of course half of all American taxpayers do not pay federal income taxes anyway, so that question had a 50% chance of not being answered.)

Fortunately, our family is blessed to be among the 50% who do pay federal income taxes, and today, as I was about to send in our little gift to the IRS I felt I had three options.

Option 1:

Burn the check and send the IRS the ashes.

Option 2:

Send the check, save the match and have the IRS burn the money themselves on things like a lavish $825,000 GSA convention. Although this convention was headline making, it is really only chump change compared to reports of $60 billion wasted in fraud and poor planning in Afghanistan and Iraq.

Today is a good day to have some fun finding your favorite way the IRS will burn your tax contribution.

Option 3:

Make sure President Obama is defeated so the American taxpayer will never again have to pay $787 billion for economic stimulus which largely stimulated  wasteful projects and government at all levels but (per the sign) left the Everglades’ most important residents, the alligators totally unstimulated.

Re-posted from PJ Media

This post is to get you up to speed on this fast-breaking story with many moving parts.

Hilary Rosen is now a household name after saying on CNN about Ann Romney, that “She Has Never Worked A Day In Her Life”.

If you have never heard of Hilary Rosen before today, here are some facts about her that will put this huge national dust-up in context.

She has visited the Obama White House 35 times according to official visitor logs. Unless you believe Jay Carney.

According to Wikipedia, “Hilary Beth Rosen is a partner in the political communications firm, SKDKnickerbocker with offices in DC and New York; she also is a LGBT activist.”

It is important to note here that SKDKnickerbocker is the un-official public relations arm of the Obama White House and reelection campaign.

Anita Dunn who was Obama’s White House Communications Director is a managing partner. Dunn left the White House after publicly praising Chairman Mao Zedong, whose policies killed millions of Chinese under his rule This is the firm (what a surprise) that represented Sandra Fluke in all that Rush Limbaugh “slut” controversy.

Hilary Rosen has been a Washington power player for decades and a well known face in democrat fundraising, social and media circles.

Wiki states: “She was with the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) from 1987 to 2003 and served first as President and then chairman and chief executive from 1994 to 2003. And she was President of a start up website, OurChart.com from 2006 to 2008.”

Rosen led the RIAA’s disastrous effort to curb online piracy by pursuing children via major lawsuits

Rosen is also a mother of twins adopted when she was with her former partner.

Ms. Rosen’s current partner is Randi Weingarten who happened to be a powerful union boss as President of the American Federation of Teachers.

Together they are known as a “lesbian power couple”. Both were invited to the White House State Dinner in March honoring British Prime Minister David Cameron in which numerous guests were openly gay.

What is interesting is this entire morning with all the massive media coverage, the press never mentioned Rosen was a lesbian. Now it’s widely reported but in the context of a new battleground, the “war on gay parents who adopt.”  According to the Democrats, conservatives are now launching this war against Hilary Rosen because she is a gay parent who adopted.

The plain ole “War on Women” was so this morning.

Truly I am thankful that there are no major issues or real wars confronting our nation so the press can wage these fun little wars.

“She Has Never Worked A Day In Her Life”

That is the screaming headline this morning on Drudge, uttered by top Democratic consultant and Obama adviser Hilary Rosen about Ann Romney last night on CNN with Anderson Cooper.

This attack on Mitt’s wife, mother of five boys and grandmother of 16, has ignited a media firestorm and opened up a new battleground as the ongoing (real or imagined) “War on Women” now takes casualties on both sides.

The Obama campaign high-command has dressed down Ms. Rosen via Twitter.

From ABC News: “I could not disagree with Hilary Rosen any more strongly. Her comments were wrong and family should be off limits. She should apologize,” Obama campaign manager Jim Messina said in a tweet. Top Obama campaign strategist David Axelrod also tweeted his disapproval: “Also Disappointed in Hilary Rosen’s comments about Ann Romney. They were inappropriate and offensive.”

So with Obama’s top generals weighing in, expect this battle to rage on for at least a news cycle or two.

Now, here is a question worth pondering:

Does it matter that Hilary Rosen is openly gay? Should this fact even be mentioned?

Is it worth knowing?

As I was reading numerous mainstream media accounts of the controversy, I did not see this fact mentioned anywhere. Why won’t the media mention this?

I am merely raising the question, not making a judgment.

Ms. Rosen is a long time top Obama advisor. She has visited the White House 35 times. In March, she was invited to the White House State Dinner honoring British Prime Minister David Cameron where numerous guests were openly gay.

Ms. Rosen’s date for the White House dinner was her partner, Randi Weingarten who happens to be President of the American Federation of Teachers — a union boss, in other words.

Together, Ms. Rosen and Ms. Weingarten have been cited as a “lesbian power couple”.

Again, I am not judging, I am just stating some facts about Ms. Rosen since she is front and center today.

The heart of one question in this dust up between Ms. Rosen and Mrs. Romney is:

Does sexual orientation matter in shaping one’s opinion on working women vs. stay-at-home mothers who are supported by their husbands?

It will be interesting to watch if the mainstream media bothers to ask that question or bring Ms. Rosen’s sexual orientation into today’s heated discussion.

Back in the ancient political days of January 2011, I co-authored a piece with the title 12 Reasons Obama Wins in 2012.

Now that Mitt Romney has a lock on the Republican presidential nomination, this is a good time to revisit the 12 original reasons and (unfortunately) add 10 more.

First, let’s see how the 12 reasons from that January 2011 piece have stayed relevant over the last 16 months.

1.  The Power of Incumbency  

This reason stood tall and is still #1.  For more on this important factor here is a piece I wrote back in mid-2011.

2.  Love Story Continues    

Yes, the mainstream media is still in love with “The One”, and they do not seem to be embarrassed about it either.

3.  Billion-Dollar Campaign 

Obama’s campaign may not make it to the $1 billion goal but close to a billion will sure come in handy and more than likely surpass Romney’s take. (Although Obama’s Super PAC is falling flat in its fundraising and the strength of Romney’s Super PAC could even the playing field.)

But one of the reasons Obama’s actual campaign could out-raise Romney’s campaign is Obama’s campaign is playing a little fast and loose with credit card donation security measures. In other words, there are none. This makes it easier for foreign or illegal funds to grease the wheels of Obama’s money machine.

4.  Experienced Campaign Organization

All that money has bought, and will continue to buy, loads of media, staff, and offices resulting in an Obama campaign organization that is battle-tested and ready. While Newt Gingrich and Rick Santorum were beating up on Mitt Romney (and he was beating back) Team Obama was busy building a campaign machine second to none, spread across the fruited plain and especially heavy in battleground states.

5.  Obama Charm Offensive

Yup, Obama is still charming and personally likable, especially to the gullible. This is a strength that should not be underestimated. His latest favorability ratings revealed a ten point spread with 53% favorable vs. 43% unfavorable.

Meanwhile, the First Lady is playing an integral part in sustaining the First Couple’s Charm Offensive.

6.  Economy is Improving

That was the trend back in January of 2011 when the unemployment rate had dropped to 9%. Now, the latest March 2012 rate has dropped again to 8.2%.  This official number is still very high by historical standards but the trends are in Obama’s favor.

However, the most negative factor dogging the Obama recovery are rising gas prices. This is the issue on which the election could hinge. No surprise there.

7.  They’ll Be Back  

This was referring to the demographics of the voters who did not show up en mass in the 2010 mid-terms. These were liberals, minorities, and younger voters, otherwise known as Obama’s 2008 core groups. But for the 2012 general election they will be back in a voting booth near you (with or without picture ID).

8.  Obama, “The Moderate”

Of course this premise is absurd to any conservative but perception is reality for most general election voters.

At the time this piece was originally written, 44% of independents called Obama a moderate. Now Obama is playing the moderate card in a high stakes game by saying the GOP has moved so far the right that even Reagan could not make it through the primary process. This talk makes Obama appear moderate by comparison which is of course his strategy in what is still a center-right nation.

9.  Republican Sparring Match

This one we called spot on, but more on this later.

10.  Never-ending Campaign

Organizing for America, Obama’s high stepping virtual army is still marching in overdrive. But more important is the “Campaigner in Chief” himself who has attended more fundraisers at this point in an election year than any president in history. As a result, Air Force One is badly in need of an oil change and a tire rotation, all on the taxpayer’s dime of course.

11.  Hispanic Vote Growing

Still growing and the growth could be a huge problem for Romney. It has been calculated that he must win 40% of the Hispanic vote if he is to win the general election. McCain only won 31% of this vote, compared to Obama’s 67% in 2008.

Consider a recent Fox News Latino poll that is disastrous for Romney. It shows him capturing only 14% of the Hispanic vote with 70% voting for Obama.

12. Several Paths to 270

Obama has several different paths he could travel to arrive at the 270 electoral votes needed to win. Meanwhile, Romney has to get through what is the political equivalent of the eye of the needle. If for example, he loses Florida it is over. If he loses Virginia than it’s back to Bain Capital instead of the US Capitol.

In early 2011, I also wrote about Obama’s path to 270 and that has not changed.

Now, speaking of Romney’s political “eye of the needle” here are 10 new reasons that can be added to the aforementioned 12.

1.  Romney Is Losing Woman Voters

This fact has been dissected in the media ad nauseum, but the poll numbers are still chilling. With Obama leading Romney by 9 points in swing states, women voters could be the difference between defeat and victory. The “women problem” would not just hurt Romney’s election prospects but also prevent Republicans from keeping the House and winning the Senate.

Romney’s loss of women is directly related to the issues surrounding the “Republican Brand” and the primary fight which led to the 9 point gap.  In my opinion Romney is not personally responsible for the exodus of women, so he might be able to turn it around by November.

2. The GOP Base Is Not Excited About Voting  

Currently, there is an 11 point “enthusiasm gap” between Democrats and Republicans. A poll says 57% of D’s are excited about voting in the fall vs. 46% of the R’s. Obviously the GOP base has had problems embracing Romney as their nominee and this could be cited as a major factor if Romney is defeated.

3. The Gift of Sound Bites

Romney has handed Team Obama the gift of sound bites; “I like firing people,” “Ann drives a couple of Cadillac’s”, and who can forget this one sure to be played over and over in the fall, “I am not concerned about the very poor”.

The Obama campaign will use these little gems to help define Romney in the minds of undecided voters.

4.  Battle Wounds

The primary battle terribly wounded Romney’s favorability rating. Now only 34% of voters have a favorable opinion of him compared to 53% for Obama. This is a 19 point gap that could spell landslide but there is plenty of time for a reversal.

Not only must Romney now work to improve his favorability rating but he must also move to what is considered the political and ideological “middle” where general elections are won. Neither task will be easy.

5. Romney Embraces the Ryan budget

Paul Ryan’s budget plan passed the House on a party line vote of 228 – 191. It is also a budget that Obama has called “thinly veiled social Darwinism”.

This all important budget battle will add gas to the already raging fire of class warfare. Obama is essentially accusing Romney of being a cold-hearted rich guy who does not care about the poor, sick or elderly.

Nothing could be further from the truth about Romney or the budget. The Ryan budget plan is only attempting to inject a dose of reality into a nation close to $16 trillion in debt with federal spending levels that can not be sustained.  Romney, to his credit, is trying to fix a problem that no one wants to fix.

However, with a growing underclass, coupled with Obama’s penchant for fear mongering and distortion, Obama’s emotional arguments will most likely prevail and Romney’s embrace of the Ryan budget plan will hurt him with the same voter groups that he needs to curry favor with in order to win.

6. Romney Is Boring

He looks great but his speaking skills are no match for Obama’s. More important, in our pop-culture-obsessed-society is which candidate will win the question of “Who would you rather have a beer with?”  Ah, probably not Romney because as a Mormon he does not drink.

This question of course is really about likeability/favorability and we know who is winning that contest.

7. The Digital Divide is Destiny

There is a huge “Digital Divide” favoring the Democrat party and the GOP needs to play catch-up really fast.

8. Right Track – Wrong Track Direction of Country

Real Clear Politics always posts an important question about whether you think the nation is heading on the right track or wrong track. Now that number is heading in Obama’s favor with those who think we are on the wrong track at 60% down from 67%.

9. Intrade Bets On Obama

The Intrade market is currently betting that Obama has a 60.8% chance of winning re-election, while Romney has a 37.4% chance of defeating him.  (These numbers are always changing because this is an active futures market.)

Like all self-fulfilling prophesies, if voters keep thinking and betting that Obama will win, he probably will.

10. The Topic In the Shadows

I hate to even bring up this topic and only will because it could be a factor in peeling off votes from Romney. The issue is Romney’s Mormon faith. A widely quoted Gallup poll from 2011 found that 22% of Americans said they would be hesitant to support a Mormon for president in 2012.

Then, just last week, Utah Senator Hatch predicted that the Obama campaign would use Romney’s faith against him. Also last week, Laurence O’Donnell slammed the Mormon faith on MSNBC and then Bill O’Reilly on Fox News slammed O’Donnell.

A political observer can not dismiss the possibility that Romney’s faith could be a factor that lingers in the shadows and could quietly work to undermine him.

Finally, here is the only good news for Republicans and Romney supporters in this entire piece.

When you add these 10 new reasons to the original 12 reasons, it appears that Romney has almost insurmountable challenges to overcome.

But do not despair, for there is still one question with an answer that could land Romney in the Oval Office. That is the infamous question asked by Ronald Reagan in 1980 about President Jimmy Carter in a debate one week prior to the election when polls showed Reagan was losing.

Reagan turned to the cameras and asked the American people, “are you better off today than you were four years ago?”

This moment turned potential defeat into a landslide victory.

So, if voters in late October answer this question negatively, that, more than any other factor, could work in Romney’s favor and overcome a multitude of Obama’s advantages.