Is Gov Mitt Romney a viable threat?

I found this article in The New York Times interesting: "Group Unleashes Early Ad Against Romney."

Two thoughts come to mind:

1. This is the approach the Obama re-election campaign will take should Gov Romney get the Republican nomination (i.e. focusing on Romney's seeming flip-flops on certain domestic policy issues over the years); and,

2. Some supporters of Pres Obama must be worried about a "Romney for President" campaign to be running such an ad so early before the primary's have begun.

I am not endorsing either Gov Romney or President Obama. However, I expect President Obama will be re-elected because the Republican Party is not likely to nominate a viable candidate. That is, I am not confident Republican voters understand that 2012 is not 1980: there does not appear to be a Ronald Reagan among the Republican candidates, and President Obama is no President Jimmy Carter.

In this light, I think President Obama's supporters would love to see Newt Gingrich or Michele Bachmann get the nomination, or better yet, Sarah Palin.

This is why I find this NYT article intriguing. Are certain Obama supporters showing their hand too early? Do they see Mitt Romney as a viable threat?

I think a former or current Republican governor would make a better nominee for president, former Governor Palin not withstanding, than would a House member or Senator, or someone who has not previously been elected to office.

Indeed, whoever the Republican party nominates, President Obama will have the advantage because he is an intelligent, dignified man who knows how to present himself to the American people. Furthermore, he has a good grasp of the political environment and is willing to do what is necessary to get re-elected.

However, a Romney campaign could be a threat to President Obama's re-election chances should the economy continue to stagnate, especially if the unemployment rate does not fall. In such a case, the Obama campaign will need Republicans to nominate a "wingnut" to ensure victory. This may be the reason for this anti-Romney ad to appear so early: to weaken a viable candidate.

Debunking the 9/11 Myths: Special Report

For anyone who still believes in conspiracy theories about 9-11: Debunking the 9/11 Myths: Special Report .

These myths rank up there with those who deny that the Holocaust happened: very cruel, indeed.

It is sad that we still hear people now and then who believe in such myths.

Osama Bin Laden's Death: Is the War Over?

Osama Bin Laden's death brings justice to a very evil man, and is a blow against a very evil network. Congratulations to the American military forces involved. I understand these included US Navy Seals. They are heros. You don't mess with the Navy Seals!

President Obama's speech tonight was very good. He took the high ground. Well done!

Now, our hope is that this is the beginning of the end of the war against terrorism. This can occur if the war was based on personality, that is, on the person of bin Laden. If he is the equivalent of Hitler, then the war may indeed be over. With Hitler's death, the core Nazi movement also died leaving behind the petty hatred of those we now call "Neo-Nazis."

So, I cannot help but consider that if the motivation of those involved with bin Laden is based on more than personality, that it is a clash of ideas with unresolved issues still persisting, then the war will indeed take a different turn, but will not necessarily be over. I pray this is not the case because I, too, want this war over.

We must remember that bin Laden's organization is a network, not a hierarchical authority as was the Nazi government. These sort of networks thrive because they are based on ideas which guide the actions of its members. Killing the leader does not necessarily mean the movement ends. Rather, the war against terrorism will effectively be over when one side or another wins the political war, which is a war of ideas. A good book to read about networks is The Starfish and the Spider: The Unstoppable Power of Leaderless Organizations by Ori Brafman and Rod A Beckstrom.

So, if bin Laden's death takes away the mind and heart of this terrorist network, then the war will be over. Let us all hope this is the case.