THE RYAN TALK

Paul Ryan’s talk was as expected two pronged; an introduction of himself to the nation and an attack on the Obama administration. Like all politicians he made no specific mention of programs that the Republicans would advocate if elected.

He attacked this Presidency for not correcting the economic crisis. After nearly 4 years unemployment remains high, college graduates can’t find work in the field for which they trained.

He faulted the administration for a lack of aggressiveness in foreign policy and for a 50% increase in the national debt; from 10 billion to 15 billion.

Ryan did denounce the Bush administrations as well as the Clinton years for their fiscal policies stating: “In a clean break from the Obama years, and frankly from the years before this president, we will keep federal spending at 20 percent of G.D.P., or less. That is enough.”

His strongest words were about "Obamacare"; a subject that I have strong feelings “Obamacare comes to more than two thousand pages of rules, mandates, taxes, fees and fines that have no place in a free country.”

“And the biggest, coldest power play of all in Obamacare came at the expense of the elderly.” referring to a provision of the health law that cuts more than $700 billion in projected spending from the Medicare program.

At the same time he promised that the Republicans would preserve Medicare. It is presumed from previous statements that he is referring to those presently covered and/or eligible, not those who would become eligible in the future.

Please note that I am trying to be neutral in my comments about the speakers at this convention as well as at next week’s Democrat Convention. Subsequently over the weeks prior to the elections I will express opinions on the candidates.

CONVENTION STUFF DAY 2

Inexcusably the Republicans started Condoleezza Rice’s address to the convention over 5 minutes before the major networks began their 10 o’clock coverage. In fact even after they went on the air the channels insisted on their experts vocalizing their nonsense instead of directly broadcasting the words of one of this country's most brilliant women.

One of the truths that history has shown to be fact*; she iterated; "We must work for an open global economy and pursue free and fair trade to grow our exports and our influence abroad," she said. "In the last years, the United States has ratified three trade agreements, all negotiated in the Bush Administration.

"If you are concerned about China's rise, consider this fact: China has signed 15 Free Trade Agreements and is negotiating 20 more," she said. "Sadly we are abandoning the playing field of free trade and it will come back to haunt us."

Rice harped on the theme that each of us can and must help ourselves rather than depend on the government doing it for us. She remarked in referring to her own career “On a personal note, a little girl grows up in Jim Crow Birmingham, the most segregated big city in America. Her parents can’t take her to a movie theatre or a restaurant. But they make her believe that even though she can’t have a hamburger at the Woolworth’s lunch counter, she can be president of the United States, and she becomes the secretary of state.” A Republican before Hillary Clinton.

I am trying to digest Paul Ryan’s talk before commenting. I hope to do so later Thursday. If not I do not know when since from later tonight I will be entertaining a daughter, son-in –law, granddaughter, great grandson , myself proclaimed 2020 Olympic gymnastic gold medalist( she is 8), and a family friend. The Ohio gang of four will be leaving on Monday but son-in-law and daughter will be here in various stages until next Sunday.

Do note that I will be giving the same standard of "coverage" next week when the Democrat Convention starts. It will be afterwards that I may express my own convictions.

* It has been acknowledge that the restrictive trade tariffs of the 20s contributed to the great deprerssion.

CONVENTION THOUGHTS

It is a good thing that New Jersey will be a safe state for the President. Tuesday night Ann Romney wowed them. Chris Christi blew his own horn as Keynote Speaker but was forceful in his endorsement of Romney.

The election may be closer than people expect but it would take an unforeseen disaster for Obama to lose New Jersey. Many of the other 49 States are "committed" it is the few swing states that will decide this election.

We must remember that our election system gives proportional electoral votes to each of the of the states. It is the popular vote in each state that counts; not the total popular vote. That may seem wrong, but it truly is a better system of nation wide representation. No state with an overwhelming population can dominate the results. The United States is that; a confederation of individual states each with its own character. It is the parts that make the whole and although many will disagree it is the system that has worked best.

We in Plainfield, in Union County and in New Jersey should pay greater attention to the candidates that are up for election than to the Presidential race.

TUEDAY GAB.

It is still summer and Tuesday; so just a few comments; tonight NJ goes on national TV, Governor Christie is the Repub's keynote speaker. Will it be fire and brimstone or just an extolment of why we need a change.? I will DVR it so if I fall asleep,very likely, I can if I wish listen to it tomorrow.

Due to the competitive lull between the two conventions and Isaac the TV media must be hard put for news for ABC (7) to flash as 'Breaking News" the accident at Park and 7th. Eyewitness gave the impression that the dump truck belonged to PMUA. They did not specifically state so but seem to imply that it was the Utilities vehicle. Turns out that the truck belongs to the BOE.

Along with the news Monday night was the report that the Bayonne BOE has approved lowering the passing grade from a 70 to 65. The reasoning is to give more students the "opportunity to succeed (in school) and have a greater opportunity to participate in after school activities".

I suppose that the score sheet will look better with more entering students graduating. Will Plainfield follow suit? Unlike other states such as New York with its Regents; New Jersey does not have a state standard passing grade. A district could make 50% or even 25% as its level.

And, I thought that the goal of mandatory education was to have a literate population.

LOCAL BETTERMENT ISSUE: Dunellen just received State designation an support for a Transit Village development. Over six/seven years of outside consultants and studies for Plainfield has yielded ZERO results. Chalk that up to this Administrations commitment to improve the city.

MONDAY AM 8/27/12

No Isaac is not responsible for this non-blog. My car is due in the hospital early this morning. It seems that one has to be careful in stopping at a stop sign. Beware of the car behind you. The old fashion rear bumper served a purpose especially at 5 mph.Wraparound i/3rd car panels look pretty and they must help the economy (Republicans take note) but they do not do the job the old timers did.

Many years ago I had a Studebaker Avanti; it was the second one delivered in Central NJ. One day I was hit on the right front fender. That car was one of the first fiber glass bodies made. Instead of a dented mangled fender there were multiple pieces of fiberglass on the street which I picked all of them up.

When I took the car to the body shop I was told that I had done a good thing because they could cement them all back together, which they did. They did not know when they could get a new fender. Do you think anyone would consider doing that today?

This is the anniversary of Irene, and along is coming Isaac. It is the middle of the Hurricane
season . Perhaps it is symbolic that the Republicans would schedule their convention in Florida.
But, the Democrats also goofed and have a conflict in Charlotte NC due to the Labor Day weekend activities. They too will have a shortened convention. We will be spared lots of hot air.

MEMO

Son and daughter-in-law visiting Saturday. Summer rules this weekend. Can you believe college football this coming weekend?

Please note; I found out that I can accidentally delete forever all comments fpr the past two weeks. Sorry! Also I have no control over those horrible security codes that must be entered.

OZmania tidbits.

Friday in summertime was to be a serious blogging day. There should be no excuse for the doldrums, but life is what it is. Thus after Labor Day and a visit from 40% of great grandchildren we plan to try (key word) posting early every morning.

Great names: “Freeze”, The weatherperson on NY TV;”Tort”, name of one of the partners in a legal firm listed in the August Resolutions.

This coming week was to be dominated by the Republican Convention in Tampa with our Governor as the Key Note Speaker. In a change from the days when the networks made a major issue of the Convention shenanigans the major networks have announce that there will be limited coverage because of “lack of public interest”!.

That may be true. In the mid to late 20^th Century conventions the candidates were not selected beforehand and politics was rampant. The “demonstrations” were often spontaneous and viewer fun. Since there is now so little unknown except for some elements of the platform; in recent years those outbreaks have been so orchestrated that they are sterile.

The two most important events about this year’s Republican Convention will be the impact of Isaac and whether the Republican Party will remain a viable force in American politics.

It has been reported that of the ignored speakers will be Mrs. Romney. As the candidates wife I would thing she would be just as important as the Democrat Candidates wife, who happens to be the present “First Lady”.

Politics in Oz will be an ongoing subject for the next 9 months until the Primary 2013 elections. The suspense is over; the Mayor recognizing the City’s need for efficient clean government has succumb to the pressure and announced her intention to run for a third term.

Oz continues to be a subject for prime time TV. Fortunately it is not always bad or bizarre.

Only in Oz would several good Samaritans help a criminal escape from her victim. Overlooked in the laughter is the fact that in OZ there are individuals willing to take the risk and intervene in a criminal act.

It is nice to know that not all Plainfielders are criminals. The Council should pass a resolution in their honor.