Front Row

Jester
In Obama’s own on-camera commercial — “the choice . . . couldn’t be bigger” — what’s his big idea? A 4.6-point increase in the marginal tax rate of 2 percent of the population.

That’s it? That’s his program? For a country with stagnant growth, ruinous debt and structural problems crying out for major entitlement and tax reform? Obama’s “plan” would cut the deficit from $1.20 trillion to $1.12 trillion. It’s a joke. (Charles Krauthammer, Washington Post, 8/16/2012)

Krauthammer nails Obama on the essence of his campaign: "Everything would be better if only we could collect more taxes from the rich." It also occurred to us that past Democrat efforts to win the presidency by painting the other guy as rich (e.g. GHWB, W) did not work. The average American does not despise the rich as Dems do.

The Haunting
It was Smith’s successor, Brigham Young, who adopted the policies that now haunt the church. He described black people as cursed with dark skin as punishment for Cain’s murder of his brother. (John G. Turner, assistant professor at George Mason University, NYT, 8/18/2012)

As predicted, the 'national discussion' of Mormonism begins notwithstanding repudiation by the Mormon church almost thirty-five years ago of past racist practices. The headline proclaims that "Race is still a problem for Mormons." Such discussion, of course, could have begun when Democrat Harry Reid became Senate majority leader. (If race is still a problem now for Mormons, was it a problem several years ago?) Better though (for Obama) to have the discussion when running against a Republican Mormon.

Ain't No Sunshine
From the Media Research Center
The three networks have, thus far, ignored the revelation that American taxpayers will only recover a mere $24 million of the $527 million lost on Solyndra, a new report by the Dow Jones newswire revealed last week.

The evening newscasts and morning shows have skipped the announcement. (WSJ, 8/15/2012)

Consider the headlines if Halliburton lost $500 million of government money. Nancy Pelosi would demand that Dick Cheney be arrested and the New York Times, Washington Post, ABC, CBS, and NBC would have wall-to-wall coverage. This is why it is so hard for Republicans.