Jealous of Herman Cain

Moulay Idris, Morocco - photo by JoAnn Sturman

Scott Sturman
fliesinyoureyes.com

In 1994 and 1995 one of the area’s well known and respected journalists and I published a newsletter, Common Sense Solutions, which discussed politics, economics, and philosophy. The twelve page periodical was published monthly, typed on colored paper, folded, placed in stamped envelopes, and sent through the mail to subscribers. Although we wrote most of the material, nationally known educators and politicians contributed articles. In the days before a sophisticated Internet, the effort was extremely time consuming.

This part of California's Central Valley is conservative politically, but the local newspaper which is owned and run by the McClatchy Corporation dances to the beat of NPR, CNN, and The Nation. One would think the local Republican Party would be interested in supporting a conservative, well written counterpoint to the Fresno Bee. With this in mind we approached party officials, not for financial support, but for help with the distribution of the newsletter which required so much extra time. To our dismay and surprise we were turned down; it was apparent that those who controlled the party wanted your money but not your voice it they cannot control it.

As long as I can remember leaders of the Republican Party have complained that there are too many career politicians, the tax code is too complicated and in need of a major overhaul, the government spends too much money, and society should reward the ants of the world, not the grasshoppers. Well, guess what? Herman Cain, a Georgia businessman who has never held a political office, decides to run for President. One would think Mr. Cain is the answer to prayers of the Republican Party: a man of faith raised by hardworking but poor parents, educated in mathematics and computer science, a successful businessman, and a former member of the Federal Reserve. Yet the most refreshing aspect of his candidacy, is rather than relying on platitudes and making promises that are easily broken, he has proposed a definitive solution to replace the hated national tax code. His answer, the 9-9-9 program, is simple and straight forward - perhaps overly so for the naysayers who either live by ambiguity or wish they had the courage to advocate such a clear minded approach.

Democrats and Republicans alike are lining up to to take pot shots at Mr. Cain, because his innovations will transfer power back to the people by depriving the major parties of the ability to adjust the tax code to reward friends, punish enemies, and influence economic behavior of the voters. However, Mr. Cain’s transparent and concise approach sits well with conservatives who are tired of the back room deals and loopholes.

In reality there is not that much difference between old school Republicans and Democrats. They may vary on the social issues, but both love to spend money, thrive in a system which if not opaque is close to it, and despise newcomers who achieve notoriety without their blessing. The old guard Republicans know what the voters want to hear but are uncomfortable with a man like Herman Cain whose actions are not confined to words.

Kudos to Mr. Cain for his boldness, willingness to tackle an immense problem, and do battle with the special interests who will do their best to obfuscate and confuse. If he is not elected President, then hopefully the Republican victor will have the good sense to keep him close by to help repair the economy. By the way, if in 2013 Herman Cain sits in the Oval Office, what are the chances he will win the Nobel Peace Prize later that year?