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United States presidential election, 2012

2010-06-17T03:24:14Z

Daisport: Uncited prediction, not encyclopedia material. Needs a poll or something to back it up.

The '''2012 United States Presidential Election''' when America is scheduled to pick a new president will take place on Tuesday, November 6, 2012. It will occur at the same time as elections to all seats in the [[House of Representatives]] and to one-third of seats in the [[Senate]]. Incumbent Democratic president [[Barack Obama]] is presumed to be seeking re-election in this election, although [[liberal]] President Lyndon Johnson did voluntarily decline to run for reelection after his poor showing the New Hampshire primary in 1968.

As yet, no Republicans or Democratic challengers have declared their candidacy. The current GOP front-runners, however, are former governors [[Sarah Palin]], [[Mitt Romney]] and [[Mike Huckabee]], Governors [[Bobby Jindal]] and [[Tim Pawlenty]], and former Speaker of the House [[Newt Gingrich]]. With Obama's declining popularity among independents, liberals, and moderates, [[Hillary Clinton]]'s public approval ratings have gained.<ref>Peter Roff, [http://www.usnews.com/blogs/peter-roff/2010/01/27/a-hillary-clinton-primary-challenge-to-obama-in-2012.html A Hillary Clinton Primary Challenge to Obama in 2012?], ''USNews and World Report'', January 27, 2010. </ref>

Beginning in January 2011, candidates will signal publicly their intentions to run. Mitt Romney, for example, filed papers with the Federal Election Commission on Jan. 3, 2007, in order to seek election as president in 2008. His early commitment is credited for his ability to far out-raise the other candidates, and to earn endorsements from conservatives such as [[Rick Santorum]] and [[Marsha Blackburn]]. Of course, intentions to run are communicated privately much earlier than the public filings, so many will be lining up support and potential endorsements throughout 2010 for the 2012 presidential election.

The key early primaries are Iowa (caucuses), New Hampshire, Michigan and South Carolina.

== Four Segments of the Republican Party ==

There are four basic components of the Republican Party. '''To win the nomination, a candidate needs to obtain the support of at least two out of four''':<ref>Traditionally commentators have referred to the three legs of the Republican Party: the values voters, the small businessmen, and the national security supporters. While that model still has support, it fails to account for recent shifts (such as the Tea Party Movement) and the impact of new media (such as FoxNews).</ref>

#social conservatives (pro-life, pro-marriage, pro-Republican Party platform)
#libertarians (lower taxes, less government, pro-business, anti-union)
#religious voters (Baptists, Presbyterians, Catholics, evangelicals, Mormons)
#neoconservatives (foreign intervention, "better" government)

In 2008, John McCain won the nomination by capturing the support of 1 and 4 above. Ron Paul had the support of 2. Mitt Romney enjoyed support by 2 and part of 3. Mike Huckabee had support of 1 and part of 3. The division of 3 by Romney and Huckabee caused them to block either other: Huckabee blocked Romney in Iowa, and Romney returned the favor in New Hampshire. This dynamic prevented either from winning the nomination.

In 2000, George Bush won with the support of 1 and 3. But John McCain enjoyed the support from 2 and 4 and this enabled him to win the New Hampshire and Michigan primaries, giving Bush a close contest. Some felt McCain mishandled his victory in Michigan.

In 1980, Ronald Reagan had the support of 1 and 2.

== Potential Republican Candidates for 2012 ==

{| class="wikitable"
|-
!Candidate
!Pros
!Cons
![[Fox News]] Exposure
|-
|[[Mitt Romney]]
|First runner-up in 2008, business experience, Republican governor of a Democratic state, prodigious fundraiser
|Once supported [[abortion]] and [[civil unions]]; his costly [[health care]] plan included mandatory insurance and became the model for ObamaCare; won only 15% in the South Carolina primary in 2008
|Occasionally on Fox
|-
|[[Newt Gingrich]]
|Articulate, credited with 1994 landslide, balanced the federal budget in the Clinton era, leader in fundraising<ref name="April 2010 Fundraising">http://www.usnews.com/blogs/robert-schlesinger/2010/04/19/sarah-palin-lags-in-2012-fundraising-primary.html</ref>
|Takes not-so-conservative positions today, such as promoting a [[Con Con]]
|Promoted by Fox
|-
|[[Marco Rubio]]
|A rising young star in Florida, a key swing state; an electrifying speaker
|Will face liberal [[double standard]]: what's OK for Obama (e.g., inexperience) is somehow not OK for a [[conservative]]
|On Fox in connection with Senate bid
|-
|[[Rand Paul]]
|heir-apparent to massive support for [[Ron Paul]]
|needs to win the Kentucky U.S. Senate seat first
|Sometimes on Fox
|-
|[[Jim Demint]]
|strong support by social conservatives, libertarians<ref>Jim Demint has the best favorable-unfavorable rating of anyone at CPAC 2010.</ref>, Tea Party, and evangelicals; a tenacious advocate willing to criticize Obama
|a Southern conservative who will need to work hard to gain support in Iowa and New Hampshire, the key early primary states<ref>http://politics.theatlantic.com/2010/02/the_2012_dark_horse_is.php</ref>
|Rarely appears on Fox
|-
|[[Sarah Palin]]
|Empathetic, attracts crowds, [[pro-life]], popular
|Doubts whether she is a [[movement conservative]]; resigned early as governor; could be a [[stalking horse]] for [[Newt Gingrich]]; lags in fundraising despite publicity<ref name="April 2010 Fundraising"/>
|Promoted by Fox
|-
|[[Michele Bachmann]]
|A [[movement conservative]] who is popular in a Democratic region and with the [[Tea Party movement]]
|As with [[Ronald Reagan]], [[liberal bias]] is at its worst against her; she's said she's not running for president this soon<ref name="Bachmann"/>
|On Fox as she's in the news
|-
|[[Steve King]]
|A conservative Iowa congressman who could win the [[Iowa caucuses]]; resonates well with independents; recommended by Bachmann<ref name="Bachmann">http://www.siouxcityjournal.com/app/blogs/politically_speaking/?p=1205</ref>
|Not well known yet
|Rarely allowed on Fox
|-
|[[Ken Cuccinelli]]
|Has won statewide office
|Effective critic of Obama
|On Fox because he's been so newsworthy
|-
|[[Jeb Bush]]
|More conservative than his brother [[George W. Bush]], and popular in pivotal [[Florida]]; criticized Palin as a rival candidate might<ref>In a Newsmax interview in February 2010, Jeb criticized Palin by saying, "my belief is in 2010 and 2012, public leaders need to have intellectual curiosity." [http://www.newser.com/story/81720/jeb-bush-sarah-palin-not-intellectual-enough.html]</ref>
|Could be tagged with negatives via George, and may not attract Tea Party support; why not wait and defeat Hillary in 2016 or 2020?
|Rarely appears on Fox
|-
|[[Todd Akin]]
|A [[movement conservative]] from Missouri, which he serves as a congressman
|Not well known yet
|Rarely allowed on Fox`
|-
|[[John Thune]]
|Defeated [[Tom Daschle]], relatively conservative voting record for a senator; also taller than Obama
|Lacks essential "fire in the belly";<ref>http://voices.washingtonpost.com/thefix/eye-on-2012/assessing-john-thunes-2012-cha.html?referrer=emaillink</ref> voted for TARP financial bailout<ref>http://hoghouseblog.com/2009/09/01/thune-wants-to-end-bailout-he-voted-for/</ref> and McCain-Feingold campaign finance; no-show at some conservative events; hasn't effectively criticized Obama
|Rarely allowed on Fox
|-
|[[Mike Huckabee]]
|Pro-life, pro-Second Amendment and pro-Bible
|Supported bigger government, released man who then killed officers
|Promoted by Fox
|-
|[[Bob McDonnell]]
|Won landslide election as [[Virginia]] governor; has Obama's height
|Not widely known yet, but gave Republican response to State of the Union
|Rarely allowed on Fox
|-
|[[Tim Pawlenty]]
|Young; popular in his home state of [[Minnesota]]
|Still not well known outside of Minnesota; accepted stimulus funds after arguing against them
|Sometimes on Fox
|-
|[[Scott Brown]]
|Proven ability to appeal to moderate voters even in blue states
|Inexperience; already voting with the Democrats in the Senate
|Has been on Fox
|-
|[[Rick Santorum]]
|Outspoken supporter of conservative values as a senator, well-received by Iowan evangelicals at campaign-like event in March 2010
|His all-out support of [[RINO]] and now-Democrat [[Arlen Specter]] prevented [[Pat Toomey]] from defeating him in 2002, and Santorum endorsed Romney for President in 2008; could simply be a [[stalking horse]] for Romney
|Promoted on Fox
|-
|[[Rudy Giuliani]]
|Widely respected for his post-9/11 leadership in New York City
|Struck out completely as a candidate in 2008; very weak on important social issues; cross-dressing for comedic purposes when it suited him
|Frequently on Fox
|-
|[[Dick Cheney]]
|Prominent and consistent opposition to Obama
|Of dubious health; has explicitly disavowed interest in running
|Has been on Fox
|-
|[[Mitch Daniels]]
|Rust Belt Governor, effective critic of the Obama administration
|Unknown nationally
|Rarely allowed on Fox
|}

== Potential Democratic Candidates ==

{| class="wikitable"
|-
!Candidate
!Pros
!Cons
![[MSNBC]] exposure
|-
|[[Evan Bayh]]
|Democratic base sees Bayh's retirement from the Senate as "a symbol of what's wrong with the party" as moderates are increasingly marginalized. <ref>[http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/02/15/evan-bayh-for-president-s_n_463202.html?view=screen Evan Bayh For President? Senator May Be Eyeing White House Run,] Ryan Grim, ''Huffington Post'', 02-15-10.</ref>
|Lags behind Obama in fundraising. [http://www.opensecrets.org/politicians/summary.php?cid=N00003762&cycle=2010]
|Has appeared on MSNBC
|-
|[[Hillary Clinton]]
|Kennedy and Reid can't stop her now, and she would be 71 if she waited until 2016; highest approval ratings of any potential challenger.<ref>[http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/general_politics/january_2010/58_view_hillary_clinton_favorably 58% View Hillary Clinton Favorably], January 19, 2010. Retrieved February 15, 2010.</ref>
|Her [[feminism]] is not wanted and she'd lose as [[Martha Coakley]] did
|Disfavored on MSNBC
|-
|[[Barack Obama]]
|He's not Hillary Clinton, and he receives biased support from the media
|He depends on a teleprompter to speak, and has run the nation into the ground
|Heavily promoted on MSNBC
|}

==References==
{{reflist}}

== See also ==

*[[Gubernatorial elections, 2010]]

[[Category: United States]]
[[Category: United States Presidential Elections]]
[[Category: United States Presidential Election, 2012]]

Muslim agenda of the Obama administration

2010-01-09T05:06:36Z

Daisport: Obama refused to help pro-democratic protester in Iran

Since his inauguration, President [[Barack Obama]]'s Administration has taken the following actions relating to the ''Muslim'' world:

*Obama’s first interview, within days of inauguration, was with the [[Dubai]]-based Al-Arabiya Networks. In it he stressed his own Muslim ties and his hopes for a Palestinian state. His message was “U.S. is not your enemy.”

*One of Obama's first acts as president, he decided to close [[Guantanamo Bay|GITMO detention center]] and bring Muslim terrorists to [[American]] soil.

*In February, Obama ordered the expenditure of $20.3 million in migration assistance to the [[Palestinian]] refugees and conflict victims in Gaza. In addition, he pledged to provide $900 million in aid for rebuilding the [[Hamas]]-controlled Gaza Strip.

*Obama sets a withdrawl date for U.S. troops in [[Iraq]] of 2010

*Obama orders additional [[U.S.]] troops to [[Afghanistan]] to fight the [[Taliban]].

*On March 19th, Obama delivered a customary speech to the Iranian people on their New Year referring to the Islamic Republic of [[Iran]] which amounted to an acceptance of the regime.

*Obama has lifted some sanctions on Syria and intends to meet personally with Assad. <ref>[http://www.jcpa.org/JCPA/Templates/ShowPage.asp?DBID=1&LNGID=1&TMID=111&FID=442&PID=0&IID=2905 Obama administration reaches out to Syria] Jerusalem Center For Public Affairs, March 18, 2009</ref>

*Obama cancels the use of the term Global [[War on Terror]] in favor of Overseas Contingency Operation, so as not to offend Muslims.

*In March, Barack Obama said he was open to the idea of reaching out to moderate elements of the [[Taliban]]. <ref>[http://www.reuters.com/article/newsOne/idUSTRE52U2EC20090331 Clinton offers olive branch to Taliban] Reuters, March 31, 2009</ref>

*March 31st, U.S. Secretary of State [[Hillary Clinton]] said those "who abandoned [Muslim] extremism must be granted an honorable form of reconciliation." <ref>[http://www.thefoxnation.com/politics/2009/03/31/hillary-offers-olive-branch-taliban Hillary offers olive branch to Taliban] The Fox Nation, March 31, 2009</ref>

*Obama arrives in [[Turkey]] to proclaim the [[U.S.]] is not at war with Islam.

*Obama signs order to release documents from President [[Ronald Reagan]]'s White House and President [[George H.W. Bush]]’s presidential library records on the topic of [[Saudi Arabia]]. <ref>[http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0409/21121.html Obama releases Reagan records] Politico, April 10, 2009</ref>

*Obama requests emergency war funds for Afghanistan and [[Iraq]].

*Obama orders the successful rescue of American Capt. [[Richard Phillips]] from Muslim Somali pirates.

*Obama nominated Dalia Mogahed to the President’s Advisory Council on Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships. She has ties to the U.S. Muslim Brotherhood. <ref>[http://familysecuritymatters.org/publications/id.2987/pub_detail.asp Esposito Protégé Appointed To Obama Advisory Council] Family Security Matters, April 14, 2009</ref>

*April 21, Obama meets with [[Jordanian]] King Abdullah in the Oval Office.

*Obama said that despite the hate speech by [[Ahmadinejad]] at Monday's [[U.N.]] racist conference, the administration is "serious about engagement with Iran with no illusions." <ref>[http://thehill.com/leading-the-news/obama-iran-diplomacy-to-continue-despite-appalling-speech-2009-04-21.html Obama: Iran effort continues despite 'appalling' talk] TheHill.com, April 21, 2009</ref>

*The Obama administration declassifies Bush administration harsh interrogation methods used against Muslim terrorists

*Barack Obama has approved plans for the U.S. to help the [[United Arab Emirates]] become the first Arab nation with a nuclear power industry. <ref>[http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/05/20/obama-approves-plans-uae-nuclear-power-deal/?test=latestnews Obama Approves Plans for U.S.-UAE Nuclear Power Deal] Fox News, May 20, 2009</ref>

*Obama State Department issues U.S. ambassadors abroad to invite Iranian diplomats to embassy events celebrating the July 4 U.S. Independence Day. <ref>[http://www.voanews.com/english/2009-06-02-voa64.cfm US Inviting Iranians to July 4 Embassy Events] Voice of America, June 2, 2009</ref>

*The Obama administration refused to help pro-democratic protesters in Iran.<ref>http://newledger.com/2009/06/say-goodbye-to-cairo-obamas-inaction-on-iran-clashes-with-his-words/</ref>
===References===
<references/>
[[Category:Obama Administration]]
[[Category:Islam]]

Command economy

2010-01-06T01:09:48Z

Daisport:

A '''command economy''' is an economic system in which a central authority, usually a [[government]], has the power and responsibility to make all economic decisions.

The most undisputable examples of command economies are those countries where the government owns all businesses and enterprises (these are usually communist countries). However, there have also been a number of countries where business remained private but business owners were in some way or other subservient to the government (for example, some fascist countries, and some democratic countries as well, particularly in times of [[war]]); it is not clear whether these can also be called command economies.

Command economies can be less wasteful in some respects (and from the point of view of those in command) than the free market but also tend to encourage conformity and standardization instead of experimentation and creativity. Often, in a command economy, economic stability becomes more important than innovation. For instance, many command economies eliminated unemployment and gave everyone a job, but encouraged people not to seek to improve their condition. As a result, a great number of the world's command economies were dismantled in the early 1990s due to changes in the availability of [[natural resources]] and in [[demand]]. Many command economies have also been subject to resource shortages when government set quotas for goods production fall short of the actual demand, or demand rises unexpectedly . Command economies also encourage workers to sacrifice their well being for the good of the state, resulting in lower standards of living then demand-driven economies.

[[Category:Economics]]