Hurricane Christie

Memo to conservatives: These images of President Obama and Gov. Christie did not lose you the 2012 Presidential Election.

President Obama is touring the Jersey shore with Gov. Christie later today.  Like an approaching hurricane far off in the distance, the conservative criticism of Gov. Christie that is about to reappear is both predictable and ludicrous.  Before the “conservative intelligencia” restart the anti-Christie movement, let’s take a moment and set the story straight.

The president’s visit is sure to remind conservatives of Gov. Christie’s post-Hurricane Sandy comments, comments they viewed as tantamount to treason. 

Six days before the election on NBC’s Today, Gov. Christie was asked about the federal response to Hurricane Sandy to which he replied, “The federal government response has been great. I was on the phone at midnight again last night with the president personally. The president has been outstanding in this. The folks at FEMA … have been excellent.”

President Obama and Gov. Christie brief the press after touring New Jersey and seeing the effects of Hurricane Sandy.

Matters, in the eyes of conservatives were made worse when Gov. Christie was photographed showing President Obama the decimated Jersey shoreline.  Too some in the conservative movement, including many Romney aides, Gov. Christie’s comments were what helped sway the 2012 election towards President Obama.

To that I say, get real!  Is it any reason you lost?

Chris Christie did not lose the 2012 race for Mitt Romney, Mitt Romney did that for himself.  And furthermore I counter by asking what should Gov. Christie have done?

President Obama and Gov. Christie tour the Jersey Shore via Marine One after Hurricane Sandy.

Hurricane Sandy, in New Jersey alone, killed 37 people, damaged 346,000 homes and caused $30 billion in damage.  Gov. Christie, did what good public servants do.  He put service ahead of party and went to bat for his state.

The real act of treason is that the conservative movement still views the anti-Christie sentiment as acceptable.  So before the conservative movement re-ignites the debate, this conservative want to get out ahead of the storm and set a course-correction.

The Republican Producers

Sometimes people fail for a reason.  In the musical The Producers, the main characters purposely fail to con others out of money.  Why the Republican Party consistently fails, and seems to enjoy doing so, is beyond me.

If you think I’m being partisan let’s take a look at the Republican’s blunders over the past two years and see why these events are so harmful.

2012 Republican Primary

Action: The primary race turned into a proverbial debate over which candidate was the most socially conservative.

Result: The primary race alienated female/gay/immigrant voters and positioned the Party as out-of-touch and out-dated.

Rape Comments by Reps. Richard Mourdock and Todd Akin

Action: In their respective 2012 races, Representatives Richard Mourdock and Todd Akin essentially associated rape to an act of God.

Result: Failure to condone these statements by Party leaders (including nominee Mitt Romney) further alienated female voters.

2011 Grand Bargain and 2012 Fiscal Cliff Failures

Action: Republicans were unable to reach a debt limit and fiscal cliff deal with President Obama on two separate occasions.  Furthermore, they could not articulate what their actual positions were in these negotiations.

Result: Not only did taxes go up, but public opinion shifted against the Republican Party.  The public now approves of the tax increases that were enacted.

2013 CPAC Convention

Action: While not an official Party action, it spoke volumes when the Conservative Political Action Convention (CPAC) invited Donald Trump and Sarah Palin to speak, however Governors Chris Christie (NJ) and Bob McDonnell (VA) were not invited.

Result: I’m not sure that the public took note of this, but for those who did, these actions created the image of an out-of-touch conservative wing of the Party.

The first step is admitting you have a problem…

Fortunately the Republicans have at least another year until the 2014 midterm elections, three years until the next presidential election and several leaders are aware of their perception problem.  Majority Leader Eric Cantor, Governors Bobby Jindal (LA) and Chris Christie have all begun publicly discussing the need to broaden the Republican Party’s appeal.   As one leader recently said, the Republican Party needs to stop being the party of stupid.   But it will take more than speeches to do this including: public condemnation of members when they take to saying unintelligent comments, an ability to publicly communicate their message and to position themselves beyond the Party of tax cuts and abortion.

The Producers may have set out to fail, but if you’ve seen either movie version or the stage show, you know their fate takes a wildly hilarious turn.  In a black humor sort of way, the Republican’s fate may be similar, however nobody in the Party will be laughing when their failures culminate in electoral defeat.

 

Go See Lincoln

Washington is abuzz this week with pre-inaugural festivities.  By next Monday, the Capitol will be aglow with the majesty of the inaugural ceremony, the pomp and circumstance of the inaugural balls and celebrations of America’s 44^th president, Barack Obama.  In preparing for the start of his second term, I hope the President will go see the movie Lincoln, hopefully learning that acting like a politician is not shameful behavior.  For if President Obama is to survive the second term battles that lie ahead, he will need to act like politician of the highest caliber.

Lincoln is principally set in January 1865 and centers on the passage of the 13^th amendment.  Having just been re-elected, President Lincoln is trying to pressure Congress to pass the amendment during their lame duck session (remember prior to the 20^th amendment, Congress didn’t start their session till March).   What may surprise moviegoers were the tools Lincoln used to get the amendment passed, many of which are still employed.

Lobbyists, federal appointments, political maneuvering and dodgy answers, were all used by Lincoln to get Congress to pass the amendment.  The film makes no secret of this, and neither does Lincoln.  At one point in the film Lincoln turns to his cabinet, raises his hand and declares, “I am the president of the United States of America, clothed in immense power! You will procure me those votes!”

In the next sixth months President Obama will have battles with the Republicans on: cabinet appointments, the budget, the debt ceiling, federal spending, gun reform and possibly immigration.  Furthermore, President Obama will also have to compete with the fact that presidents tend to get weaker as their second term progresses, remember they are lame duck leaders as well.  If President Obama is to cement his legacy on the debt and federal spending, he’ll need to wield a Lincoln-ian style deal that includes the Republican.

President Obama has long made it known of his admiration for our 16^th president.  In fact, at next Monday’s inauguration ceremony the President will be sworn in on the Lincoln bible, and his 2013 State of the Union Address is currently scheduled for Lincoln’s birthday, February 12^th.  The lesson thought that President Obama must take from his predecessor is that politics matters.  He can’t keep a pious attitude towards the professional, when he is the profession’s most notable leader.  Politics doesn’t always have to be nasty, it does however need to achieve results.

President Obama, congratulations on your second term.  The American people, of both political parties, are counting on you!

Where’s the Outrage?

I was watching the Monday Night Football game when the replacement referees blew the infamous ‘failed Mary’ play which cost the Green Bay Packers a win.  Normally I go to bed after the game, but that night I wanted to see how the post-game commentators would handle the call.  In retrospect I didn’t need to stay up, because the game would become a national outrage and media sensation for the following week.

Over the last three months there has been a news story that has received similar media coverage; consistently making the A-section above-the-fold and always the lead story on all the evening news broadcasts.  The story is the fiscal cliff – a series of financial taxes and regulations set to expire on January 1, 2013.  Unlike the Monday Night Football game though, the fiscal cliff has failed to really capture the public’s imagination, leading me to ask: where’s the outrage?

I know that after the longest Republican Primary in history (or so it seemed) and the election, the last thing Americans want to focus on this holiday season is another political drama.  But pause for a moment, and ponder what happens if Congress fails to act.  If all the tax cuts expire and sequestration procedures go into full effect, they will essentially slow American economic growth to roughly .5%, essentially throwing the country back into a recession.

Now I am not naïve, and will acknowledge that football is a much easier game to understand than Congressional politics and the debt.  However, it’s shocking how apathetic Americans are about this subject.  Americans frequently like to think of their nation as a world superpower, the victor of the Cold War and so on, but our political inability and public apathy on this subject could doom the country to second-class status.

Ironically enough the Monday Football Game ultimately has had little to any effect on the Green Bay Packers this season.  They will make the playoffs.  However, the public’s lack of motivation on Congress to pursue solid public policy answers will cause the United States to suffer in its overall performance.  All of this leads me to ask the question: where’s the outrage?

For complete coverage and analysis of the fiscal cliff please visit: http://www.politico.com/p/pages/fiscal-cliff

The Most Powerful Man in Washington

Shortly after President Barack Obama won re-election on Tuesday night, Speaker of the House John Boehner was elevated to the post of most-powerful-person-in-Washington.  For as Congress returns for a marathon Lame Duck session, it is Boehner who holds the fate to: Obama’s political legacy, the future of the Republican Party, any potential economic recovery and the debt deal needed to continue that recovery.

Next week Congress returns to address the looming fiscal cliff and series of sequestration cuts set to go into effect in 2013. If the cuts go into effect, they have been predicted to lower the American GDP rate to .5%, essentially halting the economy. The only way to avoid that is to financially reform the tax code, entitlement system and government spending. That means, both Obama and Boehner have to agree to a comprehensive deal, almost similar to the one which fell apart last summer.

Boehner’s position could not be more Machiavellian, even if it had been written by Shakespeare himself. For while the Lame Duck session contains the same characters from last year’s failed debt negotiations, Boehner is politically in a different place. He has proven that he can defend the House majority electorally, and unlike the president, he is not term limited.  That being said, a few things bear mentioning.

It’s worth remembering that in 2011, it was Obama who walked away from the grand bargain.  This action burned Boehner, and did significant damage to their relationship, emboldening House Republicans to block all Obama-favored legislation in Congress.  Second, Obama is a now a lame duck president and the economnic recovery is a major part of his legacy.  In an unusual way Boehner’s ability to work with Obama, gives him access to shaping what exactly that legacy will be.  Remember, a deal is need to prevent the sequestration cuts and Boehner is key to the negoiations.

Finally, Boehner’s ability to deal, and the type of deal he may/may not enact, will also cast a shadow on the looming Republican civil war. Make no mistake, after Romney’s loss Republicans are fighting for the soul of the party and Boehner is at the center of that fight. As the Party leader, any deal he constructs will shape the GOP’s economic messaging for the next two years, and possibly the 2016 presidential election.  Boehner can move the party’s economnic image beyond tax cuts and smaller government, to something that is more tangible.

Boehner is an old-school politico, whose only ambition was to be speaker. He is the type of speaker, like Tipp O’Neil and Sam Rayburn, willing to cut a deal. Regardless though, President Obama, the Republican Party, and the financial health of the country are all relying on John Boehner.  Hence why he is the most powerful man in Washington, DC.

For more information on Speaker John Boehner, please visit: http://www.speaker.gov/

For more information on the Lame Duck Session please check out:

The Economist – July 14, 2012 edition – “The American Economy: Comeback Kid”

National Journal – July 2, 2012 edition – “Field Guide to the Lame Duck Session”

The Price of Politics by Bob Woodward, Available for purchase on amazon.com

Debate Follow-up: Fight Night in America Round 3

“Over…finally!”

That was probably the thought running through both President Obama and Governor Romney heads the minute moderator Bob Schieffer concluded the debate.  After three presidential debates, two conventions, one vice presidential debate and with two weeks remaining until the election, it’s now up to voters to make the ultimate decision.  As per MarqueePolitics tradition, I won’t tell you who won the debate, but will comment on what you just saw.

Tonight’s foreign policy debate was probably the least substantive of all debates.  The debate lacked the tough questions on China, Libya and the national debt’s role in foreign policy. This is troublesome because while foreign policy debates are often based on hypotheticals, they provide great insight into a candidate’s thought process.

There are two weeks left until the election, and the choice now resides with voters as to what happens next.  As MarqueePolitics said after the first debate, think about the choices that are important to you and determine which candidates align with your views.

Debate Follow-up: Fight Night in America Round 2

Last Saturday, the 50^th anniversary revival of Edward Albee’s Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf opened on Broadway.  And while audiences love to see a good fight on-stage, that enthusiasm doesn’t transfer to candidates running for the American presidency.  The demeanor of both President Obama and Governor Romney in tonight’s debate was unbecoming of the office they seek, and a reminder about why Americans find the electoral process so sickening.

Once again on this presidential debate night, I will not tell you who won and who lost.  That is your decision to make.  However, I find it necessary to comment on the in-your-face, you’re wrong-I’m right attitude of both candidates.  The lack of civility underscores why we are divided as a nation.  In having such confrontational attitudes, both men evaporated any chance they had of elevating themselves and winning this debate simply on style.

I enjoyed the revival of Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf when I saw it during it’s out of town tryout at Washington, DC’s Arena Stage.  Seeing two forceful personalities go at it on stage is thrilling.  In politics, it’s just disgusting.  If I could say one thing to both presidential candidates it would be this, “For Monday’s debate, leave the ego at home, and remember, Americans are still hurting and struggling.”

Until then, see you at the stage door.

Notes from the Stage Door: Oct. 10th edition

With the weekend coming up, and the weather making it perfect to sit outside with a cup of coffee and read, it’s time for another edition of Notes from the Stage Door. These are the best articles from the last week which you might have missed:

“Inside The Campaign: The Romney Rebellion” from Politico – 10/9/2012

When the campaign is over, after the advisors have moved on and the press corps is gone, the last person left standing with the candidate is their spouse. Angry over the mismanagement of her husband’s campaign, “The Romney Rebellion” tells of Ann Romney’s frustrations with the general election campaign and how she sought a course correction with the Romney/Ryan ticket.  It’s a fascinating story behind Ann Romney’s fight to save her husband’s campaign before his first debate.

“The Contemporary Musical Theatre Songwriters You Should Know, Part One” from Playbill – 10/9/2012

Often times, I review shows from established composers such as Stephen Sondheim and Andrew Lloyd Webber.  However, I would be doing theater fans and music lovers alike a disservice by not talking about the next generation of musical composers.  Playbill, one of the great theater websites, published a feature story on the up and coming artists sure to make their mark.  Take a moment and read the story, because your next ticket or cast album purchase maybe for their show.

“Adele’s ‘Skyfall’ Theme Will Hit #2 on Singles Chart” from Celebrity-Gossip.net – 10/11/2012

Last week I wrote about how composer John Barry helped save the James Bond franchise with his music.  While John Barry has passed on, his legacy of using music to tell Agent 007’s story lives on.  Last Friday at 12:07 am ( or 0:07 in military time), music songstress Adele released her new single expressly written for Bond #23, which comes out in four weeks.  Entitled “Skyfall” after the film, the song jammed itunes and raced to the top of the charts.  While last week’s post focused on James Bond composer John Barry, and how his music shaped the celebrated espionage franchise, it safe to say the 007 legacy is far from over.

To read the stories mentioned above, please click the hyperlinked titles.  To watch the music video for Adele’s new single ‘Skyfall’, please watch the Youtube clip below:

Debate Follow-up: Fight Night in America

MarqueePolitics watched the presidential debate while sipping a dirty martini.  I will not use this post to tell you who won and who lost.  The “horse race” aspect of politics is best left to the characters on cable television.  What I will do, is help you to make sense of the madness.

Watching a presidential debate is a lot like seeing a Broadway show for the first time.  You have a general idea about what to expect, but there are still details and questions you want to hear addressed.  So if you’re still digesting the debate and pondering who to vote for, ask yourself the following questions:

• What issue is most important to you in this upcoming election and what makes this issue so consequential in your life?
• What other topics matter most to you as a voter?
• On those topics, what would you like to see happen?
• Did any candidate address those topics during the debate and if so how did you feel about their response?

The post-debate spin has only begun, but only you can answer the questions above.  Keep in mind that there are still two presidential debates and one vice presidential debate, so if something you care about wasn’t mentioned, stay tuned.  Below is the debate schedule.  For now, MarqueePolitics, is turning off the television spin rooms, washing the martini glass and heading to bed.

October 11^th at 9 p.m. EST – Vice Presidential Debate

October 16^th at 9 p.m. EST – Presidential Debate (Townhall on foreign and domestic politics)

October 22^nd at 9 p.m. EST – Presidential Debate (Foreign Policy Debate)

The Most Important Question Not Being Asked

You wouldn’t spend $100 on a Broadway theater ticket unless you had some familiarly with the show.  We do this as consumers because when making important financial decisions it is necessary to be informed.  So why then are theatergoers/consumers, who are also voters, failing to ask incumbent candidates the most important question of this election: What policies will you pursue during Congress’s Lame Duck session?

In case you missed it, Congress adjourned over the weekend and will not return until after the election.  The post-election Congressional session is called the ‘Lame Duck’ session.  This is when, regardless of the election outcome, incumbents return to Congress for 36 days and vote on legislation which they failed to address during the regular congressional session.  How important is this session?

The spending and tax bills which will be discussed account for roughly 4% of America’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).  Below is a quick outline of just some of the items being discussed:

Bush Tax Cuts – To Renew vs. To Expire

The Bush Tax Cuts are set to expire after several extensions.  It’s unclear what position President Obama and the Democrats plan to take, while the Republicans will most likely vote against any tax increase/expiration.  The tax cuts effect roughly 72% of the population.  In FY2013 they are worth $221 billion dollars, providing tax payers with average savings of $1,765.  Just think for a moment, how you would be affected with $1,765 less in your pocket?

Sequestration – A Tough Reality

Last summer, when Congress and President Obama failed to achieve a grand bargain on the debt ceiling, they left the American public with sequestration.  This is a Congressional procedure where, if Congress failed to cut spending, a series of automatic spending cuts totaling more than $110 billion would be enacted.  The Congress Budget Office estimates that this would slow American GDP growth down to .5% and throw us back into a recession.

The Debt Ceiling – America’s Cancer

Even though the debt ceiling does not need to be raised until spring, another debacle like the one last summer could do lasting damage to the America economy.  Our debt is a cancer, and further inaction to get it under control could do lasting harm.  Both the Bush Tax Cuts and Sequestration influence our debt situation, but it remains to be seen whether Congressional action will be a positive or a negative.

The 36 days that will make-up the 112^th Congress’s Lame Duck Session is what Washington is gearing up for.  Without the shadow of incumbency, or an election, legislators will need to address America’s pending fiscal problems.  It’s a question worth asking every candidate on the campaign trail, and one often being ignored: What policies will you pursue during Congress’s Lame Duck session?

For more information on the Lame Duck Session please check out:

The Economist – July 14, 2012 edition – “The American Economy: Comeback Kid”

 National Journal – July 2, 2012 edition – “Field Guide to the Lame Duck Session”

The Price of Politics by Bob Woodward, Available for purchase on amazon.com