1 Smugger’s Perspective: Cain Conservatism

He’s got the credentials. He’s from the South. And he’s Republican.

Herman Cain, the former CEO of Godfather’s Pizza (never heard of it by the way) is running for President of the United States. Using the conservative mantra as his platform, Cain is for the Ryan budget (which essentially gives seniors a gift card to go out and purchase their own insurance), is not a fan of raising the debt celing and is considering the Fair Tax, which essentially would erase the IRS. But can Cain get the nomination for President?

The problem Herman Cain faces is he is not using the front stage to his advantage. Everytime I’ve heard him speak, despite the so-called love he received from the 1st Republican debate, I haven’t heard anything different than what George Bush did/proposed. It seems to be empty rhetoric. Of course, the Ryan budget is something new and its potential effects on us young folks when we get up there in age. While attacking Obama is somewhat expected, it is important for him to try and distinguish himself from Gingrich, Pawlenty and Romney, the front runners in the elephant race. Telling us Americans that you used to work for Pillsbury and Coca-Cola doesn’t really do it for us. I mean sure I’ve got cinnamon rolls in my fridge that I’ll probably make tomorrow morning and I just finished a Cherry Coke (it was delicious btw) but what you did for them adds nothing to what you will do for me and for the American people.

Conservatives do like him however, especially the Tea Partiers. There are many I’ve talked to who say Cain is out there just to make money, to divide the Black vote and garner publicity. Do I agree with that? Well, yes and no. Yes, because the only reason he has gathered so much political extravaganza is for the mere fact that he is anti-Obama and those who get their jollies and kicks out of that type of manuevering like it. And no because he may actually get the nomination given the state of the Republican party nominees at the moment. I don’t think Gingrich will because of his sleight of hand parlor tricks. Pawlenty is not polling well and Romney has already begun flip-flopping on conservative principles and is Road Runnering away from his healthcare model Obamacare was crafted after.

That is not to say Cain isn’t entertaining. He speaks well and is pretty sharp. It would just be better if I knew that he wasn’t for everything Bush was for and then some. I definitively know that is a problema for America. While Obama hasn’t lived up to the full potential as of yet (he did after all inherit a colossus of garbage from the prior HNIC minus the N), I think we can do much better than the gold standard (which if I recall from elementary history is depression economics) don’t you.