The Sunday News Shows concentrated on the Democratic candidates, Friday’s debate and the upcoming N.H. Primary tomorrow. It was a nice break from the normal administration bashing and most interesting.
so what happened and what’s next:
Friday nights Democratic debate moved two candiates forward. Pete Buttigieg and Amy Klobucha. I think that is going to show up tomorrow in the primary.
Sanders may hold on and win, but Buttigieg is going to get accolades for his showing. The surprise could be Klobuchar who could pull a surprise and get to third. If she does then Senator Warren is about done and VP Biden’s fire wall in S.C. is going to crumble.
Once again we will have Iowa and N.H. defining who are real contenders and who are done in the first week.
After tomorrow’s primary we get a lull until next Saturday (Feb.22) when the Nevada Caucus is held. Following that S.C. looms the next Tuesday, and by then we could be down to 2 or 3 standing when Super Tuesday comes and Mike Bloomberg enters.
All the while the President will be out and causing havoc. Tonight he has a rally in — New Hampshire.
Did you see the Facebook ad running with the President praising those in the SOTU audience altered to show Speaker Pelosi ripping the speech after each introduction? Here’s a link:
https://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/2020/02/07/trump-video-nancy-pelosi-tearing-sotu-speech-remain-facebook/4694454002/
That move tearing up the speech with such vehemence was just wrong, and it is hurting her and the team.
Mike Bloomberg released a tax plan. He would raise the top individual income tax rate to 39.6%, from 37% set by the 2017 tax cut.
He wants to raise the corporate tax rate from 21% to 28%. It had been at 35% before passage of the tax law cut in 2017.
He would increase the capital gains tax rate to the same rate as ordinary income for taxpayers making more than $1 million per year.
He would lower the estate tax threshold, and end a special small business deduction in the 2017 law.
He also would impose a 5% “surtax” on income above $5 million, which would apply to income both from capital and labor.
You may have noticed that he and the President have been sniping at each other (They are “old friends” from their NYC days). Well Bloomberg put this ad out on why Donald Trump cannot stay as President. Take a look at it and ask yourself if this would sway his supporters or not.
https://twitter.com/noltenc/status/1226688255376199682?s=11
Here’s another example of the difference between the President and his potential rivals. The President in his speeches touts “U.S. energy independence,” and that “we are the number one oil producer in the world.”
Well on Friday Senator Sanders introduced legislation to ban hydraulic fracturing, or “fracking,” across the United States. He called for an “immediate” ban on new federal permits for fracking infrastructure and a ban on fracking within 2,500 feet of homes and schools by 2021. The proposal would ban fracking across the U.S. starting in 2025.
That’s it for today except I wanted to provide access to what I thought was a great column in the WSJ from Peggy Noonan, the former Speech Writer for President Reagan. She covers both sides and really lays it out.
Here’s her opening paragrapgh:
“Democrats, when they’re feeling alarmed or mischievous, will often say that Ronald Reagan would not recognize the current Republican Party. I usually respond that John F. Kennedy would not recognize the current Democratic Party, and would never succeed in it. “
You can read the full article here:
https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-democrats-unserious-week-11581032929