Learning About Herman

Herman Cain.

The more I listen, the more I like.

He took some flak some months ago over his comments on Islam, and terror. I stepped back, since I've always been attracted to men or women who have actually created wealth. But Mr. Cain never resorted to the Cleavon Little line. That is to say, Mr. Cain never relied upon a stereotype to define himself. After the recent memorials to the victims of the attacks of 9/11, Mr. Cain's stated distaste for those who define themselves as Muslims first has greater resonance. When I first heard his comments, I distanced myself.

"Cain’s apparent rationale for refusing to even consider a Muslim nominee for any position in his administration is as simple as it is abhorrent: he believes all Muslims would try to “force their Sharia law onto the rest of us.” This type of bigotry has been promoted by conservative figures like Frank Gaffney and Brigitte Gabriel for years. Now, it appears to be seeping into the presidential race via Herman Cain."

Let's examine the article cited, further.

"Earlier this week, Cain gave an interview to Christianity Today in which he declared that, 'based upon the little knowledge that I have of the Muslim religion, you know, they have an objective to convert all infidels or kill them.'”

Upon reflection, after the events of 9/11, how is it that Mr. Cain can be called the name "as the Islamophobia candidate: Herman Cain?"

Easy, if you don't have a sense of what is occurring around you. Is the Islamic world around you seeking to find accommodation? Rilly? No, it is not. In fact, the Islamic world, given the current situation in Turkey, is more dangerous today than it was a year ago. The stalwart tenants of American foreign policy are no longer in place; a strong military and a clear foreign policy. This, after just three years of an Obama Presidency.

It's almost as if we've returned to the Jamie Gorelick years.

We tend to ignore. We tend to hide our heads in the sand.

This is not the enlightenment that the Obamists offered. The antithesis of enlightenment is ignoring the events that are occurring around you. Sure, we do it a lot. It doesn't make it the stuff of which policies are determined. Policies are determined by plenty of bright young men and women who have the time and inclination to examine the efforts of those who operate on the international scene. From colleges and universities, to the military and the folks who work at State. The sad thing is, I don't know if there are any bright young men and women working in these agencies who have the intellectual curiosity to ask the releveant questions.

So, the Pizza Guy.

If you're building a company, what is your first impulse? Chances are, you've never built a company. Chances are, you're not the key person in your company. Chances are, you're a nebbish. Nebbish isn't bad. It just isn't you're being a mensch. Herman Cain is not a nebbish. He is a mensch.

There are times when we want a certain luster to be worn by our Presidents. Thankfully, our recent Presidential elections have made this consideration moot. The lackluster performance of our current Commander in Chief have been illustrative of a certain reality of American politics; even the weakest of us can survive the weakest of presidents.

So, let's think about a Presidency occupied by one Herman Cain.

Former chairman and DEO of Godfather's Pizza. Former deputy chairman and chairman of the board of directors to the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City. A mathematician in ballistics for the U.S. Navy. A minister at Antioch Baptist Church North in Atlanta, Georgia.

This is a distinguished career. He is a true hero of the working man, rising to his level of authority based upon his own work, his own effort. He is a true, American icon.

He received his B.A. in math from Morehouse. Do you know what that means? Do you know the difference between a B.S. and a B.A.?

He did more than was required.

He received his M.S. in CS from Perdue.

He served on the boards of Nabisco, Whirlpool and Reader's Digest.

On his 9-9-9 Plan.

I'll admit that I was skeptical when I first heard his enunciation of the 9-9-9- Plan. But imagine, not having to spend thousands of dollars each year filling out your tax return. Or, hours upon hours. How much did you spend?

The income tax rate will be nine percent.

Businesses will pay nine percent.

A national sales tax of nine percent. No deductions. If you make one-hundred thousand dollars, you will pay nine-thousand dollars in income tax. You buy one-hundred thousand dollars in purchases each year, you will pay an additional nine-thousand dollars in a national sales tax. If you own a business, nine percent of your net income will be paid in taxes.

If you make thirty-thousand dollars a year, your tax load will be $2,700.00 a year. Right now, you're paying $2250.00 a year on Social Security taxes. Plus, whatever other taxes you need to pay. Chances are, your actual rate will go down. A true tax break for the middle-class.

And, on reflection, I think that revenues to government will actually increase. And one of the biggest threats to America, crony capitalism, will be decreased. Imagine crony capitalists like GE and Jeffry Immelt finding out that their lobbying won't have any effect on their competitiveness? Ending crony capitalism is one of the fundamentals of a "level playing field" that we begin to form governments upon. Any government that can bestow favours upon its friends is not a government of the people, for the people or by the people. That's not what we signed up for. It's not what we need to expect.

Make of this, what you will. I don't need a perfect candidate. I do wish, hope and pine for, an honest, ethical, sincere candidate. Given his range and depth of experience, I do believe that Mr. Cain's bona fides are as great, and greater, than any of his current or future competitors. Is being a lawyer a greater or lesser credential than being a mathematician? Is being former Chairman of the Kansas City Fed a greater or lesser credential than being a Congressman? Is building, training and maintaining a private corporation a greater of lesser credential than being a full-time, professional politician?

If you're a Democrat, or a Leftist, the answers are clear; a lawyer defeats a mathematician; a Congressman, no matter how mundane should defeat a chairman of one of our federal reserve banks; and building, training and maintaining a private corporation is no match for winning successive terms in the national legislature.

That is, someone who can sound good should never be defeated by someone who can do good.

Herman Cain.

The more I listen, the more I like.