America's broken election system

Campaign 2016- learning about rapid response

"...Right to Rise, spent more money on negative ads against Rubio than against Trump..."
It's impossible to forget the campaign 2016 moment when candidate Governor Jeb (!) Bush stood like a manikin, stage right of Donald Trump, during the first Republican debate, while Mexican immigrants were being vilified. Jeb Bush was passive, while Trump descecrated the heritage of his wife's family, who he stereotped as being criminals. Jeb (!) and his campaign never recovered.

"He delivered a performance drained of passion" wrote Stephen Collinson

The New York Times reports:

The single biggest strategic failure of the 2016 campaign so far has been the failure of Trump’s opponents to attack him until the die was already cast. Partly, this is because of the preoccupation that Bush, Rubio, Christie and John Kasich had with one another — the antiquated obsession with “winning the Establishment Lane” — and the need to define what they themselves stood for. But the one candidate who did go after Trump, Bush, came off worse for the experience, which no doubt caused the other candidates to think twice before doing so. (That Bush’s “super PAC,” Right to Rise, spent more money on negative ads against Rubio than against Trump will remain one of 2016’s crowning perplexities.)

Jeb! never recovered after the first Republican "debate", when he stood lifelessly, following Trump's attacks on Mexicans.

The hesitancy to attack Trump can also be explained by the fact that much of the resources for doing so remained on the sidelines until very recently. “A lot of the so-called establishment donors didn’t want to commit to anyone, out of fear of offending everyone else,” DuHaime said. “If you’re a friend of Chris Christie, you’re probably also a friend of the Bushes. They all wanted to wait. And waiting ended up hurting all of us.”  (Oh my! So, the rise of Trump was all about the candidates being fearful of turning off donors and risking loosing their money?  Who knew?)

Obviously "you reap what you sew", fits.

In fact, the American election system is broken.  It's ridiculous to see all the candiates spending reckless amounts of money trying to undermine each other, while the issues are not being addressed.

1.  How do we save Social Security?

2.  What does America do to grow our workforce?

3.  Where are American manufacturing jobs?

4.  How can Americans honor our immigrant ancestry?

5.  What is the plan to protect Americans right to access quality health care?

6.  Is there a plan to defeat the evil ISIS (Islamic State) and rebuild a safe and secure Middle East?

7.  Can America rebuild the nation's inrastructure including high speed rail service?

8.  How our president best protect America's national security?

9.  Will the US accept more refugees from Syria?

10.  Can veteran's care and benefits be improved?

Instead of any one of the above issues being discussed, the presidential campaign has, instead, become a series of personal assaults on individual candidates against one another.  

Sooner or later, and inevitably, America's broken election system will take down our nation's public policy issues. As a result, the ineptness of our system will paralyze efforts to engage in progress. God forbid, but something must change and let's pray we can break the log jam by electing a progressive Hillary2016! 

In a Brunswick Maine diner - politics of course!

A small group of senior citizens eating breakfast in a Brunswick Maine diner must've included one among them who was hearing impaired. Otherwise, the conversation overheard would've been very difficult to discern over the clinking diner noise. "What's that, you say?"

And the response, "I said, did you know Bush pulled out?"
They were talking politics, of course. So, I perked up to eavesdrop, as the decibles were clearly audible.

This logo just didn't work out.

According to this group of sage diners, the problem Bush had with his campaign was that people were still angry at his brother for what happened in Iraq.  

"He shoud've waited four more years to run," said another.
"Give people more time to get over what his brother did," they agreed.  

Well, surely this kind of focus group was lacking with Jeb! decided to run for president in a line up of candidates who couldn't articulate a vision for America. Sadly, Jeb! seemed like he was a political deer caught in the headlights.  Surely, he must have known how the nation felt about his brother George '43, having invaded a sovereign nation without cause. It took Donald Trump to finally state the obvious, in the GOP argument-debate, in Charleston SC.  Salon reported how Trump clearly said George '43 had no reason to invade Iraq.  In fact, Donald Trump accused the former Republican president of lying about weapons of mass destruction in Iraq. He even called the war "a big fat mistake".  (Broken clock award to you, Trumpy!)

It's a mystery to me why Jeb! would've entered the race to be president, when there were ghosts of Operation Iraqi Freedom at work against him. Undoubtedly, he felt his money, the influence he had with his brother's, and his father's former colleagues and the copious money he was able to raise must've blindsided him into believing the nomination was an inherited right. Obviously, events just didn't turn in the right direction. It's likely, Jeb! is out of politics for the forseeable future. Clearly, the nation rejected the Bush era. In contrast, the Clinton family should stand proud, because the progressive nation has certainly continued to support the Hillary2016 campaign, while rejecting Bush 41, 43 and Jeb!

Here is an interesting article published in The Hill about where Jeb! lost his way: By Jesse Byrnes and Niall Stanage
Ten moments that doomed Jeb Bush's presidential campaign

Jeb Bush was considered the dominant front-runner when he entered the Republican presidential race last June. 

Then it all fell apart.

Bush committed a series of gaffes, rivals attacked him with abandon — most notably Donald Trump, whose “low energy” label stuck to Bush like glue — and the former Florida governor sank in the polls.

Bush ended his presidential bid on Saturday after he failed to win 10 percent of the vote in South Carolina and finished well behind Trump. The Palmetto State denouement followed disappointing results in the Iowa caucuses, where he placed sixth, and the New Hampshire primary, where he finished fourth.

Bush’s campaign has reached the end of the road. Here’s a look back at some of the potholes he hit along the way.

The Iraq question

Before he was out of the gate, Bush struggled for days to produce a clear answer to questions about the Iraq War launched by his brother, President George W. Bush.

The week-long controversy began with an interview on Fox News in May, a month before Bush formally entered the race. Host Megyn Kelly asked him whether, “knowing what we know now” about faulty U.S. intelligence and a lack of weapons of mass destruction, he would have invaded Iraq in 2003. Bush said he would.

Amid consternation, the governor later said he had misheard the question and wasn't sure what he would do. Then he said that discussing hypotheticals would be a “disservice” to fallen troops.

Finally, during an appearance in Arizona, he stated, “I would not have engaged. I would not have gone into Iraq.”

The confusion — and the agonizingly slow u-turn on a question Bush must have known he was going to face — raised early doubts about his candidacy.

‘Not sure’ about women’s health funding

Bush’s tendency to speak freely — and sometimes to think out loud in public — got him into difficulty a number of times during his campaign.

In early August, he questioned whether the $500 million Planned Parenthood receives in federal funds each year could be put to better use. But it was a single clause within those remarks — “I’m not sure we need half a billion dollars for women’s health issues” — that sparked controversy.

Hillary Clinton was among those who seized on the remark, tweeting that Bush was “absolutely, unequivocally wrong.”

Bush’s full comment, made at the Southern Baptist Convention, was: “You could take dollar for dollar — although I’m not sure we need half a billion dollars for women’s health issues — but if you took dollar for dollar, there are many extraordinarily fine community health organizations that exist to provide quality care for women on a wide variety of health issues.”

Bush later said he misspoke. But, coupled with other gaffes, the controversy put him on his heels heading into the first GOP debate on Aug. 6.

'Anchor babies' and ‘Asian people'

Bush defended his use of the term “anchor babies” — panned by critics as derogatory — during a visit to the U.S.-Mexico border in August. But he inadvertently fanned criticism by stating that his use of the term applied more to “Asian people” than to any other ethnic group.

“What I’m talking about is the specific case of fraud being committed where there’s organized efforts — frankly, it’s more related to Asian people — coming into our country, having children in that organized effort, taking advantage of that noble concept, which is birthright citizenship,” Bush said.

The head-scratching remark was never adequately explained.

Jeb!

Bush suffered endless ridicule from Trump for relying on his first name in campaign advertising, something that the former Florida governor had done in multiple campaigns going back to 1994.

The addition of the exclamation point was the subject of even wider mockery. “It connotes excitement,” Bush told late-night host Stephen Colbert in September of his “Jeb!” logo.

The exclamation mark came to be seen as more and more incongruous given the former Florida governor’s struggles to elicit enthusiasm from voters. When asked by a reporter recently if the exclamation point was still appropriate, Bush retorted: “Take a hike, man.”

'Stuff happens'

Bush’s think-out-loud tendency struck again in early October. In the wake of a mass shooting at Umpqua Community College in Roseburg, Ore., Bush ill-advisedly used the phrase “stuff happens” in the middle of a broader point about the efficacy of gun control.

President Obama held a news conference on that same day, at which he was asked about Bush’s comment.

“I don’t even think I have to react to that,” the president said. “I think the American people should hear that and make their own judgment based on the fact that every couple of months we have a mass shooting. And … they can decide whether they consider that ‘stuff happens.’”

A debate attack backfires

Struggling to find his footing several months into the race, Bush opened up a line of attack on Sen. Marco Rubio (Fla.) during the third Republican debate in Colorado in late October.

The long-simmering feud burst into the open when Bush went after his former mentee for missing votes in the Senate, suggesting Rubio “campaign or just resign.”

Bush’s body language suggested an uneasiness even making the attack, and the problem was exacerbated when a calm Rubio shot back that “someone has convinced you that attacking me is going to help you.”

It was one of the most memorable debate moments up to that point and a deeply damaging one for Bush.

'Jeb Can Fix It'

Following that October debate, Bush began a “Jeb Can Fix It” tour in an effort to re-launch his flagging campaign. The push coincided with the release of a new 730-page e-book of emails from his time as governor. The effort seemed as much aimed at calming nervous donors as attracting new supporters.

His polling figures refused to budge. Meanwhile, the website JebCanFixIt.com continues to direct traffic to a website for a Texan who unsuccessfully ran for city council in Austin. (JebBush.com continues to redirect to Trump's website.)

The hotness of ‘Supergirl’
Some of Bush's most memorable moments were awkward rather than substantively awful.

In October, he fielded a question about his favorite superhero at the end of a lengthy policy forum in Las Vegas, saying he'd seen a promo for a new season of “Supergirl.”

“She looked pretty hot,” Bush said of the show's star, Melissa Benoist. The actress later laughed it off, saying she didn't know what to think but that she was excited that Bush wanted to watch the show.

In a similarly uncomfortable vein during a televised debate at the end of that month, Bush offered a “warm kiss” to any Democrat who would promise to help cut taxes and cut spending.

'Please clap'

During a campaign stop in New Hampshire on Feb. 2, a day after taking a dismal 3 percent in the Iowa caucuses, Bush's fiery call for the country to elect a strong commander in chief was met with silence.

“Please clap,” Bush deadpanned. The crowd laughed. But the moment went viral on social media, as a snapshot of the apparent futility of Bush’s campaign.

‘America’ and guns
In the twilight of his campaign, Bush’s official account tweeted a picture of a gun engraved with his name. The photo was accompanied by only one word: “America.”

The tweet seemed intended to appeal to gun rights enthusiasts, especially in South Carolina, which was due to hold its primary four days later.

But the tweet caused a storm on social media, and many saw the move as a desperation bid.

The New York Daily News, which has been advocating for increased gun control, put the tweet on its front page on Feb. 17. The headline read, “Dolt .45.”

Indeed, the Brunswick Maine breakfast group and The Hill got the Jeb! campaign right, while the candidate, obviously, got it a;; wrong. Yet, the race was lost for Bush, in my opinion, when he balked at defending his wife's Mexican-American family during the first GOP debate, when Donald Trump "the chump" slandered the entire Mexican nation with name calling.  No one challenged Trump but Jeb! was standing right next to him and didn't say one word.  He lost his "machismo" at that moment.

Obviously, the Brunswick, Maine diner group would've been a far better investment for the Jeb! campaign, not to mention a value for the money (which was another of the "What'd you say?" topics discussed) than the millions spent to loose the campaign and a political career, at the same time.

Republicans musical chairs 2016

Republican debates or "stand up stump speeches" have yet to prove any of the candidates are qualified to be elected in 2016 to become President of the United States. Nevertheless, a nominee must be selected and maybe it's going to be the one who survives a musical chairs style of decision.

So here are the opt outs and names most at risk of loosing a chair at the "sit down" political game signal.

Governor Rick Perry of Texas- he never found any suitable chair because his political performance in 2011 made him an easy pick off.

Governor Scott Walker of Minnesota- seems like he's tanking faster than a ship lost in Minnesota's 10,000 lakes.

Governor Bobby Jindal of Louisiana - as the "namer" of the GOP "stupid party", he never dissociated himself from the label he created.

Governor Mike Huckabee of Arkansas - he's a Creationist, doesn't believe in global warming, supported the Kentucky town clerk who wanted to break the law by not issuing same sex marriage licenses and he's made up very strange analogies about the Holocaust.  Obviously, Huckabee-wannabee is a concrete thinker who needs to prove he's taken science and history courses to graduate from high school. 

In this political game of trying to find a qualified GOP presidential nominee for 2016, we've removed four and that means a fifth chair must be taken out of the circle.  Who will fall flat on their political ass when the "stop" game signal is again called?  

I predict the next unqualified candidate to miss a seat in the game is going to be former Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum, because, frankly, he's just plain boring. Too bad, because he's an appealing right winger with a nice family. Unfortunately, Santorum needs a charisma transplant.

Of course, Kentucky Senator Rand Paul is quickly becoming an irrelevant 2016 presidential candidate.  His political game chair is disappearing as fast as the smallest letter "e" on an eye exam chart, read with one eye closed. Dr. Paul is likely an okay ophthalmologist, but his political skills are myopic at best.

Although Dr. Ben Carson appeared to be a candidate who'd be quick to find his seat in the political game, his fatigue factor has set in quickly. What was Carson thinking when he told Chuck Todd, on NBC's Meet the Press, that he opposed an American Muslim becoming President of the United States? No way can Carson win an election to become the leader of the free world, when 23 percent of humans who inhabit the earth are Muslims, and the US Constitution clearly separates church and state in the very first amendment.  Besides, Dr. Carson is a neurosurgeon.  Obviously, he has no public political experience.

Carly Fiorina is an ambitious woman who wants to run the nation like the failed CEO of a major corporation. She isn't politically nuanced enough to run a successful campaign, because her communications needs polishing and she sends messages like an armed Rottweiler.

Selecting from the circle of candidates who are finding their place in this political musical chairs game is becoming a process of who can upstage Donald Trump?  

It's clear, the Republican establishment will not nominate "Trump the Chump" because the party "brand" is being neutralized by his outrageous behavior, late night (or early morning) "tweeting" and finger pointing when he doesn't get his own way.  Therefore, it's been my opinion, for a long time, that the Republican candidate who survives the circus of "stump speech sound bites" and political musical chairs will be the one who comes in second in the series of primary elections, beginning with the Iowa caucuses. This finalist candidate, in my mind, will be Jeb! Although he's quiet, his place in the musical chairs circle is saved by his name and family's long political reputation, ie his father and brother, regardless of how well or ill they're remembered.  Jeb! has the name recognition, the experience, the even temperament and the money needed to outlast the GOP political chair seekers. Moreover, Jeb! will receive support from the GOP faithful, even if he can't prove he's worthy of being the most conservative of them all.

Therefore, there's little reason to finish the 2016 musical chairs political selection of a GOP presidential candidate, because the crowded group who began their national campaigns will never find a final chair. Until the Republican establishment anoints their preferred candidate, the circle of candidates competing for selected chairs will continue to skiffle until, taaadaaaa, "Jeb!", the one with the foresight to seize the right chair at the right time, is ultimately nominated. 

Qualified to be president, or not? Trumponian un-qualifications list

It's easy to criticize Donald Trump's presidential campaign, because of his boisterously, over the top, political behaviors. 

He's acting like a Saturday Night Live (SNL) parody, rather than a serious presidential candidate. Nevertheless, although Americans appear to be enjoying the "Trumponian" stump speeches, the fact is, Donald Trump isn't qualified to be the Leader of the Free World, as President of the United States.  

Indeed, the Trumponian presidential campaign is upsetting
mainstream Republican political stereotypes. But, like The Music Man, who couldn't play an instrument, he doesn't know the territory!

For example, what's happened to the Moral Majority?  Remember them?  Does this now antiquated group (many of them still around, I'm sure) understand how Donald Trump is a three times married man? Also, Trump (the Chump!) claims to attend a prestigious New York City Presbyterian Church. But, the church's community denies he's an active member.

The Moral Majority was a prominent American political organization founded in 1979, associated with the Christian right. Although it was eventually dissolved, the group played a key role in the mobilization of Christians as a political force and in Republican presidential elections. I can't imagine anyone from the remnants of The Moral Majority supporting a Trumponian presidential campaign. (Of course, they're still looking for their political moral savior.)

Another reason the Trumponian candidate is unqualified to be president of the United States is because Donald Trump (the Chump) never held a political office. In fact, he's never even campaigned for an elected position. 

It's egotistically absurd to see Trump the Chump leap from being a reality television show star, into becoming a candidate for leadership of the free world.

Finally, Trumponian political philosophy seems void of an understanding about the US Constitution's 14th Amendment, protecting children born in the US as citizens. Otherwise, Trump the Chump would be more cautious about how he claims to know the solution, according to him, for solving the nation's growing illegal immigration problem. 

How does America protect our borders from receiving thousands of illegal immigrants, every month, without infringing on their human rights? These immigrants are desperate and, thereby, deserve humanitarian care. Nevertheless, in the process of receiving these immigrants, American border security is also confronted with how to deport them, when there's clearly no enforcement for how to keep them from returning.

In summary, Trumponian qualifications for his presidential campaign are non-existent. Clearly, Trump the Chump has no experience or qualifications to be the Leader of the Free World. Apparently, Republican voters are becoming aware of the Trumponian experience deficit, because Trump the Chump can't break the 25 percent poll numbers he seems stuck at, while another political novice, Dr. Ben Carson, is gaining in political status.  

In my opinion, no Republican 2016 candidates are qualified to fill the job as President of the United States. Trump the Chump is a showman. Dr. Ben Carson is a surgeon, who can't possibly solve America's deficit by becoming our president (his only campaign theme).  Unfortunately, Jeb! (Bushy Boy) is loosing traction, because he just doesn't stand for anything. Ted Cruz "to loose", is a braggart who speaks like an uninspired political Evangelist. Cruz doesn't instill pride in being an American when he refers to his Senate colleagues, all duly elected, as being a "cartel".

Trump the Chump is a bully who rules by intimidation. His anti-women name calling is disgusting. Trump is a man with enormous financial power. Therefore, he should know better than to intimidate women by calling them names or telling them they are "not nice". Surely, Trump's mother taught him better manners.

Donald Trump isn't presidential material. Although his brutal stand up stump speeches have certainly electrified a bland slate of Republican presidential candidates, he just doesn't have the right stuff to lead our nation. 

Republican poster joke - "How many Republicans does it take to.....?" fill in the blank

CNN photo

This wall paper portrait could be a political "pin the tail on the face" game.  Put a blind fold on the player and ask them to find the candidate who they can actually name. 

In other words, who are all these people? More important, why are they crowded in this picture? Clearly, the central figure being Trump the Chump, isn't even a politician at all. Rather, he's an entertaining actor, who's playing the political role.

On the other hand, this portrait could also be a political "Where's Waldo?" game. Ask the player to find one candidate for whom they can verbalize a biography. In other words, how are any of the poster puzzle figure heads qualified to be the president of the United States?

Regardless of the rules, this political quiz game is a confusing collage of names and faces, but no outstanding leader. Obviously, Donald Trump the Chump is the popularity contest winner, like the cliche beauty queen who gets the most votes from the judges. But, he's clearly not a political leader.  He's more like a political joker.

In fact, the lack of leadership is what leaps out of this political montage. Most disappointing in the picture packet is how Republican party faithful would like to support Jeb! the Bushy-boy, but his leadership is non-existent.  Jeb! led a lackluster response to the terrible Trump the Chump label of Mexicans as criminals, and worse. Yet, Jeb! is married to a Mexican-American.

"How many Republicans does it take to create a boring poster?"
Yawn....

This wallpaper pattern of political faces has no sparkle whatsoever.

"How many Republicans does it take to find one qualified to be president of the United States?"  Perhaps a "pin the political tail" game would be a reasonable way to select one of the above.

Donald Trump "the chump" and Ambition 101

Politicians are driven by passion and ambition. 

Otherwise, their egos would be unable to defend them against the inevitable personal attacks they can expect as they pursue their goals of winning elections and serving their constituency - of course, assuming they really care about their constituents.

Unfortunately, Donald Trump, the multi billionaire "chump" who's trying to win the Republican nomination for president of the United States, is positively consumed by ego. I believe "Trump the Chump" has an ego bigger than the planet Jupiter. As a result, he's blinded by his ego and simply can't conceptualize his vision for America or how he intends to govern (assuming Americans are sucked into his sphere of gravity and votes for him).

Americans were diligent about watching William Jefferson Clinton for mistakes of passion. Imagine what the White House will become if "Trump the Chump" happens to be elected to live there. In my opinion, the Playboy Mansion might be considered G rated if Trump the Chump takes over residence of the White House.
Talk about a real estate mogul? Trump the Chump, as (God forbid) chief executive of the government, can declare his personal residence to be a condo or a haunted house on Halloween. After all, it would be his house.

Donald Trump the Chump can't run for president with just his name recognition and inflated ego. Although he'll have ample money to self fund his ambitious campaign, his limited energy will eventually wear down and he'll have to collapse under the weight of his own ego. Remember, Mr. Trump the Chump, you can't delegate the job of running for president of the United States. You have to show up.

Unfortunately, Trump the Chump seems to focus his ambition; he's apparently more strategic right now than his "clown car" of competitors, who are vying for the nomination he's seeking. 

Scott Walker is like Howdy Doody without Buffalo Bob; Jeb! the Bushy-Boy is acting like the retired Phillips Exeter Academy development director - just show him the moneeeee! Huckabee-wannabee is preaching like an Old Testament Prophet - the ones nobody ever listened to. Rand Paul has become too myopic to see where his political campaign is going. Perry is like the rodeo clown, trying to draw attention away from the charging bulls to save himself. Yawn...are we having fun yet?  (Wait! This political show doesn't end until the last lady sings.....) Yet, the audience is getting agitated and Donald Trump the Chump is, at least, entertaining the crowds. Unfortunately, Trump's one man comedy act isn't raising any money for the Grumpy Old Party faithful but he's getting all the laughs.

Therefore, maybe Donald Trump the Chump may have all it takes to win the Republican nomination. He has the money, the ambition, the name recognition and a natural ability to do stand up comedy.

Yet, in "ambition 101" class, Trump the Chump's ego doesn't seem to need any education. Of course, when it comes to political substance, we'll see Trump the Chump asking himself all the policy questions, so he can answer only what he chooses.  

Unfortunately, none of Trump the Chump's competitors have egos the size of Jupiter (maybe Mars, but not Jupiter); nor do they have the money needed to independently fuel their political ambition. 

As a result, Trump the Chump is a dangerous politician who has aced the ambition 101 class and, worse, has the capacity to give a failing grade to all of his competitors.

Unless, of course, Americans stop laughing and start paying attention to the dangers of a Donald Trump the Chump potential (gulp) administration. Our White House might as well consider what color of red or purple it will become if, God Forbid, we see a Donald Trump the Chump as.....well, as....an occupant.

Nicknames in the Republican clown car

I've decided to index my Republican 2016 clown car candidates with nicknames.  After all, a good team of clowns needs nicknames.

It seems like the joker candidates have defied the rules of matter by filling space, as their numbers grow inside the Republican circus scooter.  Here's my nickname list:

Governor Chris Christie -   Humpty-Dumpty Christie

Governor Scott Walker -    Howdy-Doody with a hair dye

Carly Fiorina-                     Fiorina-lie-orina 
(she misrepresented her leadership of Hewlett-Packard)

Governor Mike Huckabee   Huckabee-wannabee

Governor Bobby Jindal       Stupid Party Jindal-Jandal

Governor George Pataki      Spanky-Panky

Senator Ted Cruz                 Elmer Gantry of the Senate
                                             (also known as "Cruz to loose")

Donald Trump                     Trump  the Chump

Dr. Ben Carson                    Carving Carson (he's a surgeon)

Governor Jeb Bush              Bushy-boy Jeb!

Senator Lindsey Graham     Grampsie

Senator Rand Paul                Myopic-Madhatter
(he's an ophthalmologist)

Governor Rick Perry            Sarah Palin's lost twin

Senator Marco Rubio           Blinky Bottle Baby
(needed his "blinky bottle" during his response to State
of the Union addess see YouTube 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=19ZxJVnM5Gs)

Senator Rick Santorum        Little Ricky

Governor John Kasich         Why-O-Why-O 
(Governor of Ohio)

What do all of the above have in common?

They all have campaign money in common.  

How in the world these list of clown car passengers can sustain a presidential campaign, is beyond me. Certainly, no circus I know of should have so much money.  Does this list of candidates know how serious their responsibility will be, if they're nominated? I submit they do not know.  To them, being a candidate is more like taking money from babies.

They're in a clown card full of unqualified presidential candidates. They have no message, whatsoever, except to take as much money as they can grab from donors before fading into political oblivion.

Perhaps Bushy-boy "Jeb!"will be the clown car's driver, but by the time he shows some presidential leadership, the electorate will have fallen asleep.  

Republican clown car candidates must make a strategic plan. At the top of the list of their goals should be finding somebody who will re-brand Republicans as viable presidential leaders. None of the above show anything but entertainment value.

Meanwhile, Mrs. Hillary Clinton is, fortunately, retail campaigning. She's meeting real people while getting her message out to voters, regardless of how mesmerized the news media has been on the Republican circus clowns. 

What is the agenda in Bush-Romney Kennebunkport lunch

"Jeb!" (aka Jeb Bush son of Presidents George and brother of "W",  is planning to win the Republican nomination to run for the 2016 US presidential election.  He's raising oodles of money and now there's a report, in the Maine newspaper "Portland Press Herald", about a scheduled power lunch, planned between "Jeb!" and the previous Republican presidential nominee, Governor Mitt Romney. They're reported to be scheduling a lunch meeting in Kennebunkport, Maine at Walker's Point, the home of President Bush and his family.

It's difficult to understand why "Jeb!" needs to align himself with Mitt Romney. The former presidential candidate won't bring anything new to a 2016 presidential campaign. Think about it. "Jeb!" has money and name recognition.  I suppose what "Jeb!" lacks is Republican party enthusiasm for his candidacy. After all, the Republicans have lost every election where their candidate has been a centrist. Therefore, party loyalists are pulling their political alliances towards the right. In other words, Republicans need another Ronald Reagan. They're hoping for a candidate who can "sell" the Republican brand. "Jeb!" isn't a Ronald Reagan caliber of political salesman, someone who can delude the American voter into believing in right wing conservatism.  He simply doesn't have the right stuff.  

On the other hand, Mitt Romney is a vetted conservative. Although Romney lost his election in 2012, to President Barack Obama, his conservative experience might help "Jeb!" to gain credibility among ambiguous partisans, who don't want another conservative who pretends to be a centrist, just to win an election. Evidence of this is the strong showing of the business magnate and acrimonious ideologue Donald Trump in the presidential race. Most Americans polled can't imagine voting for the brazen Donald Trump, especially after his absolutely obnoxiously outrageous stereotyping of Mexican immigrants. Nevertheless, right wing political partisans appreciate the outspoken non political Trump style (gulp!).  

Trump is unapologetic when speaking the conservative message

Obviously "Jeb!" needs help selling his brand of conservatism to Republicans. Otherwise, he wouldn't invite Mitt Romney to lunch in Kennebunkport, at Walker's Point.  "Jeb!"needs a salesman to promote his brand and he'll ask Mitt Romney for help. Surely, he could ask his brother, the former President Herbert Walker Bush, for help. Nevertheless, doing so raises the ghosts about the "hanging chad" 2000 election. Worse, the former president, who is "Jeb's!" brother, will remind Americans about the failed Operation Iraqi Freedom, a war where thousands of Americans and Iraqi people were killed as a result of America's illegal invasion of a sovereign nation, without cause.

It's difficult to understand how Mitt Romney can help "Jeb!" to sell his Republican conservatism to the party faithful.

As the obnoxious Donald Trump rises in the public opinion polls on the Republican right and Bernie Sanders is cresting on the Democratic left,  even eclipsing Hillary Clinton, it seems "Jeb!" is reaching out to the only lifeline he knows.  Mitt Romney may well be the only friend "Jeb!" has, among political conservatives.

Meanwhile, "Jeb!" continues to roll in campaign contributions.
He has plenty of money to spend, but he still must explain to the American people how it is our nation continues to be embroiled in an Iraq war, when we never should've invaded the country, in the first place. Money won't help "Jeb!" to win the 2016 election, unless Republicans are convinced he can win the election. And they are not convinced, regardless of how much money or name recognition the Bush legacy can access.

Meanwhile, too many GOP candidates are in the field of egotistical clowns who think they can be the next Republican President of the United States. None of them have the right stuff.  


Maybe a lunch is just a "lunch". Although "Jeb!" doesn't need money, he sure needs a political friend. (It's remotely possible, the lunch was even requested by Mitt Romney, rather than by "Jeb!".)

Most of all, what "Jeb!" needs to win are votes in the 2016 Presidential election. Maybe, Mitt Romney can bring in the same 47 percent he won in 2012, but he certainly won't convince the Independents and Democrats who are unimpressed by the failed Bush family legacy.   

We may never know what the agenda is for the Bush-Romney lunch in Kennebunkport. Yet. whatever it is, the outcome will not impact Democratic voters, who remain completely unimpressed by right wing conservatives, regardless of how they're sold to the electorate.