Mitch Daniels Gets In The Clown Car

For reasons that escape me,the Washington punditry have literally begged Mitch Daniels to throw his hat into the ring for the Republican presidential race. The balding Governor of Indiana won the hearts of people like Ed Klein, David Brooks and Andrew Sullivan by calling for a truce in the culture wars and a renewed focus on the country's economic situation. He called the national debt situation the "New Red Menace."

The Republican-controlled Indiana Legislature put Daniels in a bind with their bill to defund Planned Parenthood. Observers thought this was test whether Daniels had the courage of his convictions. What's more, the bill would cost the fiscally responsible Governor $4 million in federal aid. By signing the bill, Daniels would deprive 22,000 low-income women of basic health services like breast cancer screenings. So what can a courageous politician do? Well, sign it of course.

This gets us back to your definition of serious. Mitch Daniels was W's OMB director. He is the man who squandered the Clinton surplus because, naturally, there was a recession. He is credited by W with coming up with his plan to reduce taxes on the wealthy,which was to stimulate the economy and produce government revenues. You should see his projects of the time to believe it. He projected the cost of the Iraq War at roughly $90 billion, about $2 trillion too low.

This is the new definition of seriousness, which makes Mitch Daniels roughly equivalent with that other demented accountant Paul Ryan. A Daniels-Ryan ticket could be the way to oblivion and they would bore you to death on your way to disaster. So in short, Mitch Daniels today qualified for the Republican race. He would be pitted against Mr. Personality, Tim Pawlenty. Pawlenty would have the advantage because Daniels hasn't renounced evolution---yet.

Since January,read this number slowly--it is not a typo--Republicans in D.C. and the states have introduced 916--916--916 bills against choice and reproductive rights. There has never been a more intense war waged against the uteri in our Republic. It is absolutely amazing and disgusting.

If Mitch doesn't do it, the stalwart Christian Newton Leroy Gingrich and his lovely bride Calista are scheduled to make the plunge soon. The questions that should be asked is Where's Newt's Birth Certificate and Whose his Father. Newt wants you to know that the right to bear arms comes from God, not the constitution. He'll be right at home in the roach motel.

The Mitt is already scrambling around to cover for yesterday's "hanging" gaffe. Of course, what it means is that the whole flap just blew the effectiveness of his Misery Index because everyone will just remember his lynching analogy. But maybe that will solidify his southern vote.

Cartoonists have been busy at work on the Ryan Budget and the Donald's escapades. These are being printed in Republican districts and creating enough comments that the GOP should be concerned.

Speaking about the Ryan Budget, maybe we should send him for townhall meetings in Alabama and the South to discuss why he cut FEMA and assistance to NOAA, our weather service. The Washington Post wrote a piece that said that the tornado disaster challenges the Obama Administration. He seems to have gotten down there as fast as possible and FEMA and Homeland Security was already on the phone to the Governors minutes after the disaster. Where's Brownie?

Tomorrow is the eighth anniversary of George W. Bush's "Mission Accomplished" Speech. Let's all remember the Beltway Pundits who swooned over the codpiece. U.S.A! U.S.A!