Rand Paul – In Iowa – The Media drumbeat – Rand Paul on Israel – much ado about nothing – intentionally

CNN reporting on Rand Paul in Iowa states the obvious – that the Senator from Kentucky is “barnstorming” across Iowa in a campaign style. It is obvious that Paul makes the media, Democrats and standard Republican’s a tad nervous – he’s pretty straight forward and he has that appeal to most of the middle road – who veer not to the right or the left, but can appreciate someone who does not fit neatly in any one pocket. (CNN)

Meanwhile, the balance of the media, seeking the latest method of finding something, anything, to pin on Paul, are now “screeching” from the rooftops that Paul was in favor and did he proposeending aid to Israel however, the opposite is true. (Yahoo News). The focus on Paul is so intent, from charges of plagiarism, to being too much like his father, to taking his words out of context in a conversation on the Civil Rights Act, the left hangs and rearranges the basic “gist” of Paul, who confounds them in acting very un-standard Republican – by confronting them and setting them straight. That’s refreshing.

As polls bear out, he either is the current front-runner, or darn close, including polling against the Democrat standard bearer – Hillary Clinton. What appears to be much ado about nothing is the media grasping at straws –try as they might to tar and feather him - it does not appear to be picking up much traction. What does appear to be picking up traction is Paul’s appeal.

Hopefully, those who would unseat him from poll perch, will continue, it only gives Paul the opportunity to showcase to the public, who he is – and lends further fuel to the fire, of who those detractors are.

Who is Elizabeth Warren – Former Republican turned Democrat?

Not knowing much about Elizabeth Warren, other than the fact that she was caught with her hand in the cookie jar, claiming a bit of Indian Heritage to qualify for a Harvard slot, and bested, on Obama’s coattails, one Scott Brown, not a great deal. For starters, one might associate the Jr. Senator from Massachusetts as being a rubber stamp for the Democrat Party, a lifelong Democrat, who frankly, would be another guaranteed vote for the Progressive left. However, a few recent articles, and not much research on a Tuesday morning revealed a bit more that just made Elizabeth Warren a lot more interesting. She is, based on the Democrat Party and its proclivity to come up with the next shiny new toy, projected to upend Hillary Clinton in the 2016 Democrat primary, similar to the upending that Clinton sustained under Barack Obama. Warren is less known, and that unknown quantity can be remodeled, so to speak, to fit the “everybody” mold and then walk under the banner of the “First” right into the White House. The funny thing is, the Progressive left adores her, perhaps for her angst against big banks, and the legislation that allows them to run rampant, the brouhaha over high interest rates and student loans, and of course, the middle class, a group that is fast becoming extinct.

That said, she may just be one of those evolving politico’s who cannot quite find what’s right, or wrong, with a particular party, and has a bit of an independent streak. Here’s where that line of thought comes from:

Think Progresshas a piece in “Why Elizabeth Warren Left the GOP”, which was somewhat of an eye opener, and first thought was: Hillary Clinton, former Goldwater Girl (Goldwater – a Libertarian-Republican). The first note was about her GOP history, she was a registered Republican from 1991 through 1996, with no mention of previous party affiliation. Therefore, she was a registered Republican when the Clinton’s held the White House and the GOP both Chambers of the House – interesting schematic. She left due to what she perceived as a GOP affiliation with the big banks, but has since argued with the Obama administration as well. Think Progress.

In the same Think Progress article she refers to herself as an Independent, so one just had to look at the Congressional Record to see how well she played across the aisle.

Apparently, quite well, given the fact that on a quick review Warren sponsors and cosponsors, what appears to be equal amounts of legislation written by both Democrats and Republicans.

One has to be honest, if she was a free-market, Libertarian leaning Independent, she’d be perfect.

Of course, no-one is, and the obvious quick review does not answer questions on reliable voting with a certain party, or what ambitions Senator Warren holds regarding the 2016, that said, she is worth watching. It may be she sees the writing on the wall, and will wait until the following general election, but that’s and all this is speculation for the most part. As there is no mention of her party affiliation prior to 1991 (and she was of an age to vote, one would hazard a guess in the 1980’s), one might hold out hope that a pattern may develop – shopping parties like a thinking woman. If she were more “Liberty-minded”, and for the middle class, while hanging out with say, Ted Cruz, Mike Lee and Rand Paul, alternately with Bernie Sanders and throw in a few Democrats, and be able to campaign on that – she would sail into the White House – no problems. Perhaps she should take another look at the upheaval in the GOP – should it change (historically) to a re-branded Liberty Party – it might be time for her to re-up. Just a thought.

MSNBC – Run Elizabeth Warren, Run! On her very Popular Policies

Krystal Ballover at MSNBC lays out the case for why she feels Elizabeth Warren, brand new Senator from Massachusetts, should run for the Presidency on the Progressive Democrat ticket:

This view is puzzling because Warren and her policies are quite popular.

For starters, she is a strong backer of lifting the minimum wage which is massively popular across the ideological spectrum.

And Warren’s supposedly radical idea that we should expand Social Security by more accurately calculating the cost of living is also very popular. The National Academy of Social Insurance found that 7 in 10 Americans preferred expanding Social Security and paying for it by lifting the income cap to our current system.

But Warren has really made her name by fearlessly challenging banks and trying to reign in their predatory practices. Here again, she’s got the public’s backing with 68% of Americans believing that banks are hurting the country. On the issue of inequality, to me the central issue facing our nation, voters overwhelmingly believe inequality is growing and that the government should do something about it. So, if Warren’s a radical leftist, well I guess much of the country is as well.

The real problem is not that Warren is too left, it’s that we’ve allowed our politics and what is considered the “center” in our politics to be pulled farther right. That’s no accident. A lot of money has gone into convincing us that the moderate, centrist responsible thing to do is to lower corporate taxes, cut social security and basically let banks do whatever the hell they want. So yeah, Warren might be too liberal for the donor class, and Bill O’Reilly might want you to think that she’s too liberal for America, but America overwhelmingly disagrees. It is long past time for a course correction.

That doesn’t mean Warren can’t fundraise. In fact, she raised more in her Senate race than any other congressional candidate in the country. It turns out that there are a lot of folks who’d be willing to make a small investment in some actual people-powered, unbought democracy.

(MSNBC)

Although Ms. Ball finds that one might think Warren is too far left (seriously), all of her policies are wildly popular – the question remains, with whom? – Generally, the minimum wage is popular among a segment of the society that believes all things should be equal –and that tacking on the price of a raise to the customer is not an issue, nor the burden the small employer – go figure. – Who needs jobs and affordable groceries/fast food anyhow?

Inequality in voting does not keep most American’s up at night –there is an old history book, circa 1860, that offers an overview on the duty to vote: Once, in one place, and as a citizen, one got a ticket to vote – granted women were not given that ticket – times have marched on but the principals are the same.

Yes, the banks, we can all agree we’d love to have more in them, but, stretching the hard earned money of those still employed in order to put money into savings is becoming more difficult.

Had she said, nice old lady, a professor, looks like a grandmother, who can’t trust their grandmother – and she’s feisty, a carpetbagger from Oklahoma who suggested she had some Cherokee blood in her veins (the tribe hotly denies), in order to get tenure at Harvard. – So smart, and not above a bit of larceny.

Presidential Material – absolutely, especially if one is one the left –watch for a Warren center-right makeover and that will be the writing on the wall.

Fear - Dems Turn to Delay of Health Care Mandate – Obama Delays Individual Mandate for Six Weeks - The Apolitical Cruz was Right.

As the healthcare mandate known as Obama Care or the Affordable Health Care Act implodes to the strains of health insurers dropping individual’s converge across the nation, and the “glitches” in the on-line systems allowing for enrollment in Obama-care are at critical mass, the 21 hours of reasoning by the Texas powerhouse Senator – Ted Cruz, lampooned by his critics in both parties and especially the media, have apparently begun. What are Democrats to do, especially those that live in states where the party has a tenuous hold on the seat, at best?

They begin to beg for wavers and delays on the individual mandate! (U.S.A Today.)

What does the President do, after refusing delays or fixes to the program put forth by the Libertarian leaning Republican’s in the House and Senate? (i.e. Cruz, Lee, Rand, et al.) He has granted a reprieve of an entire six weeks for the individual mandate to begin.

Which begs the question, one’s insurance company has dropped their coverage in anticipation of Obama Care starting immediately – what is that person to do? As millions loose health care and millions more cannot enroll in the Federal Health Care System, known as Obama Care or the Affordable Health Care Act, what will they do?

One might hazard to guess those who are most effected or even moderately effected will remember whom this bright idea this entire fiasco belonged – Senate Democrats, specifically Harry Reid who refused to do anything to stop the mandate, including every possible parliamentary procedure followed by Ted Cruz, and his cohorts in the House – Nancy Pelosi, and those living in the la-law land of bigger government means more money in her pocket.

At the top of the Obama Care or bust standoff was the President himself, who called Republican’s out, including those no longer, serving the nation, as those who would prefer to see people go uninsured – seriously.

One can no longer vote the President out of office, however, one can ensure that anyone silly enough to have wholeheartedly supported a roll-out of an untested program, or for that matter, had done a seriously in-depth study on the ongoing disaster - which is the State of Massachusetts’s program post rollout – would have stopped this mess from occurring in the first place. Politically it would have been far better for the Democrats, in general, to have taken an anti-approach to Romney Care and then laid out a better plan (i.e. cross border insurance purchasing, with no mandates to purchase to name two).

They just could not help themselves.

The Libertarian-Tea Party-Republican types so maligned and so correct in their assessment of this debacle apparently will be the ones who will benefit. The GOP who runs the game and their candidates (generational politicians (any Bush), or moderates like McCain, and Christy) might have fared better had they jumped about the Cruz, o Paul or pick anyone member that was actually bucking the system not to get along.

One has to believe that those members will be stepping up the challengers against every Democrat in every conceivable district, from dog catcher on up in the next three election cycles.

The play for a coup it the National GOP should also become more evident as times rolls on – as to the Democrats, they hitched their ponies to the wrong horse, and frankly – there is little in the way of the media, or anything else, that can get them out from under – Way to destroy a political party!

Since the American people are so sick of the two party system, perhaps the DNC could run their Progressive candidates, the Unions and the old style Democrats could run their candidates, The GOP could run their McCain’s and the Libertarian-Tea Party could do the same – why stop at three parties for choices why not go to four or five and end the stranglehold these political behemoths have on the nation.

There’s much to play out in the next two to four years, and to those political junkies one can predict a period of extreme enjoyment in the goings on in the political arena.