Two Days After Obama Win: Fiscal Cliff; Mass Layoffs, Stock Market Down, Gas Rationing...; Will Administration & Congress Listen To Us?; Republicans Needs To Energize Their Base & Expand Their Appeal; #Sandy Is Obama's Katrina But Not Being Reported; Veterans Day

To paraphrase Greg Gutfeld of The Five the day after the election: "I'm moving to a foreign country. I'm moving to Texas."

• "In a world of children, Santa Claus will always win." Sent to me by a friend after the election.
• "U.S. Businesses Worry They Can't Compete." That's the headline in USA TODAY, and it got me thinking. Only two days after the election, and we're already witnessing the Market tanking, gas rationing and layoffs being announced. Of course, some of this cannot be attributed to the Obama administration. The mess in Europe is also affecting our markets.
• But the Obama administration can be blamed (why not, Obama inherited it) for the lack of confidence in the business sector.  The "Fiscal Cliff" is quickly approaching.  Taxes and regulations place American companies at a major disadvantage when it comes of global competitiveness.  And layoffs and planned layoffs are just one side effect.  Two weeks ago, the Department of Labor, announced employers issued over 1,300 "mass layoff actions." Those affect companies with 50 employees or more. It's estimated that at least 50 major companies will be laying employees off soon. These include Stryker, ING, Boeing, and Westinghouse. The Daily Job Cut and Layoff News reported the following:  Today about 10 companies will be laying off almost 3,000 employees. Yesterday, twenty-three companies let employees go. And the day before, more than 25 did affecting thousands. Get the picture?
• So this is the question I have for the Obama administration and Congress. Businesses are telling you exactly what the problems are, why are you NOT listening? Among many, they are telling the government we need to avoid the "fiscal cliff." (will increases taxes by over $6 billion); we need to lower corporate taxes (the highest among industrialized countries at 35% fed rate); and eliminate burdensome regulations (the U.S. has enacted over 2000 regulations on businesses in the last 3 decade).
• According to the World Economic Forum, the U.S. is currently ranked 140 out of 144 other countries when it comes balancing our budget as a percentage of our GDP. We're ranked 103 globally when it comes to total tax rates, percentage of profits.
• When the Princeton Survey Research Associates asked: How much emergency living expense savings do you have?, they found the following: 48% said less than 3 months. 20% responded they have 3-6 months and 29% reported they have more than 6 months saved.

• Yesterday I wrote about the elephant in the room that Republicans appear to be ignoring, namely demographics. I think, in the coming months and years, Republicans need to focus on energizing their base and expanding their appeal to Hispanics, younger women, younger voters and Asians. As Henry Olson of the American Enterprise Institute wrote recently, "Talk less about how much we will cut and more about what we will do with the programs we support." Keep in mind, every survey and poll shows conservatives outnumber liberals by a factor of 2-1 nationally. The mission for Republicans should be to simply: Reach Out.
• #Sandy is starting to look like Obama's Katrina. And, in the middle of all, this including the battle over the impending fiscal cliff, Pres. Obama decided to take an overseas trip. Still leading from behind. This is Obama's 9th Ward but the presstitutes, as usual, are giving the president cover. There are still places in the New York area that have not seen the Red Cross or FEMA.  And amost 300,000 are still without power in New Jersey.
• Remember Benghazi!!!
• If you see any veterans this weekend say Thank You. They will appreciate it.

 

Republican Challenge: The Elephant in the Room;Can Anyone Trust Harry Reid?; FEMA Closes Office Because of Storm

Ron Paul Elected Rule Of Planet Inhabited By 1 Billion Tiny Ron Pauls...The Onion Politics

• Before I begin, there is a presidential announcement of considerable consequence. I doubt many Americans even heard about it. At the Alaska Zoo, Ahpun, a polar bear, fended off a spirited campaign by Denali, the gray wolf. Ahpun was elected president of the zoo. According to zoo officials, "It was paw to paw." Alaska Zoo.com
• Over the next weeks, months and years, Republicans will be autopsying yet another presidential election loss. Let's be frank here: Republicans were handed this election on a platter. With perhaps the exception of Jimmy Carter, they faced an incumbent with one of the worst records in modern American history. And they still lost.
• The usual pundits will be blaming Romney, Ryan, campaign staff, and more. But all of those were a small part of the problem in my opinion. The big part of the problem is the "elephant in the room." It comes down to demographics. In fact, Newt Gingrich said this week: "Republicans are going to have to take a very serious look at what happened and why it happened and why we not more competitive at the presidential level." While he's part of the Republican establishment, largely responsible for the party's poor showing, he makes a good point.
• The other reason, as I believe Rush said yesterday, it's hard to beat Santa Claus.

• One of those demographics are Hispanics. For the first time, Hispanics reached a double-digit portion of the turnout (10%). In other words, Republicans better start responding to the conspicuous demographic changes occurring in America. If they don't, they will be the minority party for a long time to come (for example, as evidenced by this election, if they fail to win states like Pennsylvania, Ohio and several others in future elections, America will not have a Republican president for quite some time. In fact, as one observer put it, demographics are trumping ideology). It's time for the Republican Party to look more like the Party of Lincoln.
• There is some good news for the Republican Party. The post election map is largely Red (viewing a map of all the nation's counties).
• Having said that, I know at least half the country has a lot of skepticism that Obama can handle all of the nation's problems (a majority of Americans feel we're on the wrong track according to most polls taken in the last few years).  And the problems are many. The "fiscal cliff" is looming. We're talking over $600B in taxes according to the Congressional Budget Office (the stimulus program was about $800B). Unemployment still remains a major problem.  The overall miserable state of the economy will continue to haunt the administration (just today, McDonald's announced sales dropped for the first time in a decade). In addition, the global challenges are monumental from the Muslim Brotherhood's rise in the Middle East to al-Qaeda's resurgence in North Africa to Iran's nuke program to the economic crisis in Europe. It's a full plate for any president. If his previous four years are used as a benchmark, many doubt Obama can handle these challenges.
• And then there's Benghazi and the Fast and Furious scandals.
• I noticed an interesting phenomena at the Obama networks yesterday (especially MSNBC, ABC, NBC and CBS). While they talked about his victory, no one talked about his horrific record for the past four years.

• Last week, Sen. Harry Reid, the Senate's loon, said he wouldn't be able to work with Romney if Romney was elected.  Now, he says he'll be conciliatory. Don't believe this prick. He's held up almost every single significant Republican bill--including many jobs bills--in the last 4 years. He's also held up the Senate publishing a federal budget for 4 years. The guy is a skunk.
• Someone explain to me why the Obama administration is not being taken to task for its lousy response to Hurricane Sandy victims. How bad? Yesterday, FEMA closed its offices due to the approaching Nor Easter. Say what? WTF? Can you imagine if Bush was president now? We would not hear the end of this.
• Employers are already announcing they will need to reduce employee work hours to avoid ObamaCare mandates. Another employer told CBS News in Vegas, he had to let go 22 employees after Obama won because of the ObamaCare mandates.  In fact, last week, Michelle Malkin wrote a piece about all the impending layoffs in the coming weeks and months. CEO's and small business owners know they cannot afford the looming taxes and fees coming down the road.

Obama: Style Won Over Substance & Reason; Observations: Revenge Can Be Sweet, But It Can Also Be Bitter; Republicans: It's Time To Throw Out The Trash; And Chris Mathews Is Still An Asshole

"Hey, Don't Blame Me. I Voted For The Old White Guy And Hot Chick Last Time" Poster

• When I watched Democrats and Liberals cheering last night, it reminded me of a group of people standing around a swimming pool watching swimmers drowning instead of rescuing them.
• It's clear to me that style and popularity won over substance and reason last night.  How can one reconcile these dilemmas or facts: a majority of Americans believe we've been on the wrong track (52% in most recent polls). Romney led Obama in every poll when it came to handling the economy and the deficit. Twenty-three million unemployed and marginally employed. African-American unemployment at 14.3% (U-6 rate much higher). One in two college grads unable to find work and unable to pay back their college loans. Four straight years of $1T deficits. Forty eight million people on food stamps. Poverty highest in 4 decades.  So on and so on. If Obama was anyone else, especially a Republican, he would have been toast last night.

So now it comes down to my observations:

• Whatever you say about Romney, he ran an honorable race. Same cannot be said for Obama. In fact, Romney did not disappoint me, many Americans did.
• The good news: when you look at the post election map, it's still very Red. Republicans can see clearly where the next battles need to be waged.
• As of now, the Dow is down 200 pts. Sending America a message?
• Conservatives have to stop relying on the garbage Republican establishment types keep feeding them. Almost every single Republican pundit--from Rove to Morris to Hewitt--got it wrong---got it bad wrong.
• Republicans: it's time to throw out the trash.
• Republicans need to grow some brass ones. Whatever one might say about Democrats, they know how to fight. They follow the old adage: when someone brings a knife to a fight; they bring the big guns.
• When a liberal brings up the race card, shove down their throat. Pres. Obama could not have won in 2008 and 2012 without the white vote.
• If there is any blame to be placed on Romney for losing, I'll go with two points: He didn't fare well this summer in pushing back the Bain and wealthy hits. And he should have brought up Benghazi.
• Revenge can be sweet, but it can also be bitter.
• I wonder if Castro, Chavez and Putin called Obama to congratulate him (Well, it is all about flexibility don't you know).
• The Polls were relatively accurate.
• Obama does not have a mandate. The results were a narrow vote of confidence.
• Benghazi will continue to haunt Obama.
• Obama's support dropped among those under 30.
• Those who have been really hammered by the Obama economy still supported him (they fell for the style over substance AGAIN).
• Late voters went to Obama.
• I wrote last week that as soon as this election was over, the media would be focusing on the coming "fiscal cliff." It's already started.
• What happens when the takers overpower the producers?
• Obama voters: don't ask the producers for charity. The well is dry.
• 80% of women voters chose their candidate BEFORE the debates.
• Thousands of Hurricane Sandy victims still need help.
• Only 23% of Americans said their personal finances are getting better. The other 72% are screwed. Rasmussen
• Republicans: you need a better House Speaker. Boehner has been useless.
• Regarding Christie (whom I still like TO A DEGREE), a Tweet said it best: "Now that Obama is done with you, he'll kick you out the door like a cheap one night stand without the courtesy of cab fare." Brian

Obama just got a second chance. And we'll all be watching how he will use it.

Obama: Four More Tears?; All The Oval Office Needs is a Leader: That's Romney; Let Troops Vote by Email; Black Panther Thugs are Back; Remember Benghazi

Atlantic City Faces Long Recovery Before It Can Start Destroying Lives Again...The Onion

• Remember, F--k the polls, it's all about turnout today.
• "Four More Tears." I wish I can take credit for that headline, but I can't. It's on Drudge right now. All I did was add the ?. I believe that headline should be used tomorrow if Obama wins.
• NY Post, as usual, has a great headline. It has a photo of the Oval Office. The headline says: "All This Office Needs Is A Leader: America Must Elect Romney Today."
• NJ residents displaced by Sandy can vote via email. I have no idea how secure that is, but I felt compelled to Tweet yesterday something like this: if NY residents can vote by email, then why can't our troops considering all the problems associated with getting their ballots in on time. That Tweet took off like a cat on a hot tin roof. I never experienced so many retweets on anything I've Tweeted before as I did on that one. In fact, The Hill is now reporting that thousands of ballots are unlikely to reach our overseas troops in time.

• Speaking of voting, I already voted for Romney this morning. But news is now coming out of Philadelphia that the New Black Panther thugs and cowards are back at some polling places. I only have one question: Where are you Eric Holder?
• If conservatives come out as they did in 2010 and then countering the Left's Chick-fil-A's boycott, Romney should win.
• According to Real Clear Politics, Obama's last campaign appearance last night was to a half-empty arena in Ohio.

• Bill Clinton uttered a strange line in a speech he gave yesterday allegedly in support of Obama: "Who wants a president who will lie to you?" he asked.
• Right now, Gannet News is reporting Romney has a 92,000 edge over Obama in early voting in Ohio.
• Remember folks, Republicans tend to vote early and later because they have to go to work.
• Also, if it's not close, their cheating won't help them.
• One guy just Tweeted: I waited two hours to vote until I found out I was at a gas station.

 

Election: Now It's About Turnout; Don't Curb Your Enthusiasm; Romney Expresses Optimism; Marines Arrive To Help Sandy Victims In Obama's & Bloomberg's 9th Wards; 500 Retired Military Officers Support Romney

Undecided Voter Pretty Sure He's Some Kind Of Idiot...The Onion

• F&%k the polls.  It all comes down to turnout tomorrow. Don't perseverate on those polls. Perseverate on voting tomorrow.
• Remember, if it's not close, even if the Dems cheat (which is often in many elections), they can't win.

• However, there is one data point that is telling. The percentage of registered voters in swing states who say they are extremely enthusiastic about voting is 7 percentage points higher among Republicans than among Democrats. That "enthusiasm gap" is huge and well out of the margin of error. This was in evidence in Bucks County, PA, last night. Over 30,000 people turned out in the cold evening (mind you, Sandy hammered Bucks County and many people were still without power) to listen to Mitt Romney.
• So my message to Republicans and Conservatives: Don't Curb Your Enthusiasm.
• I firmly believe one of the main reasons Obama started tanking right after the debates had not only to do with Romney's good performances but the Obama campaign's continued character assassination of Romney. Most Americans don't like that crap. In addition, Obama campaign strategy focused on binders, lady parts instead of lady smarts, continued casting blame on Bush, etc. just got to be old.

• And don't drive yourself crazy regarding all the scenarios pundits list about winning electoral votes.  There are actually 10 different scenarios that lead to over 270 electoral votes for both candidates. And two of them do not include Ohio.
• As I was thinking of all the damage that the Obama administration has done in the last 4 years (and I've documented that damage on this blog for several years now) to Americans and to America, I suddenly shuttered at another thought. If he's re-elected---imagine the damage he'll do in the next four years. Frightening! Even more frightening when I read Michelle Obama's comments this past weekend: "Imagine what Barack can do in 4 more years."
• I believe one of the best newspaper endorsements I've read for Romney (21 national newspapers flipped from 2008 when they endorsed Obama and now are endorsing Romney) was by the Des Moines Register, "Obama Sharpens Criticism---Romney Expresses Optimism."

• Have you listened to Pres. Obama's stump speeches? I can't help laughing when he says at every event: The economy is on the right track. The problem is most Americans know that's not true. In fact, in USA TODAY, both Obama and Romney had editorials to pitch themselves. I almost fell out of my diner booth when I read the headline for Obama's editorial: "With Jobs On The Rise And Rebounding Growth, Don't Give Up." Folks, as many of you know already, unemployment went UP again last month. And the nation's GDP (economic growth rate) is still stagnant.
• There is some good news on the post-Sandy front or as I like to refer to it: Obama's and Bloomberg's 9th Ward. Marines arrived in parts of NYC this past weekend to help disaster victims. You can read about it here: http://dedicatedtoheroes.blogspot.com/

• Speaking of Sandy, nearly a week after Sandy struck the East Coast, more than 700,000 people and businesses in the NYC area are still without power (in previous posts we reported on the 40 or more generators that were standing idle in NYC as recently as this past Saturday. As one resident of the Rockaways yelled at Mayor Bloomberg yesterday: "When are we gonna get some help?" Larry Gold, 61, whose oxygen tank needs power to work, said "I need power to breathe."
• One of the biggest problems facing New Yorkers now is housing. There's just not enough to take care of Sandy survivors who have been displaced. As of today, 40,000 + NYC residents remain displaced.
• Speaking of the Marines, over 500 retired military officers, including retired Generals, have come out in support of Romney. Most polls show Romney has about 70% of support of the military. That tells me one thing: our military no longer trusts their Commander in Chief. Washington Times