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October 14, 2004

Up For Debate

Posted by at 3:53 PM

Last night, two ridiculously rich rivals went at it, as the media relentlessly over hyped every machination, every physical nuance, every utterance, and every detail of a contest between the two "favorites" even though there are scores of citizens across the country who could care less about either one of them...but enough about Yankees/Red Sox, there was a presidential debate for Pedro's sake.

(The previous punch line is in memory of a truly great - and always trustworthy -- American worthy of everyone's respect. Godspeed, Mr. Dangerfield.)

Back to the debates. I'm not here to say who "won," and last time I checked debates aren't sporting events, there is no final score, well other than that White House mailing address. (Although how great would it be if one of the candidates called the other one his "Daddy" after it was over?) The three debates helped John Kerry more than George Bush in terms of public polling, but they basically ended up where they started, in a dead heat. That's good by me because offshore gaming websites are currently taking electoral college parlays.

So after three debates and months of campaigning, what do you think? Is one candidate THE candidate for entrepreneurs? Are you sure about that? Our current Inc.com poll about who would make the best CEO is running 88% GOP (Bush and Cheney are counted separate), but maybe that's because they both have business experience. Or maybe not, maybe Inc. and the NRA are one in the same? I find it hard to believe that in a country as red/blue as this one, basically divided in half, that Inc. has an 88% audience of any kind, but maybe I'm wrong. If so, why? What was said in the debate, or in the platform -- RELATED TO ENTREPRENEURSHIP - by either candidate that wrapped up your support? (Please folks, let's keep the cultural issues at bay for one blog).

More intriguingly, is anyone out there still on the fence? This could be your chance to persuade a fellow entrepreneur...let's hear it my fellow Americans. Who are you going to vote for on November 2nd for the office of President of the United States?

After all, it's two weeks from Tuesday.

1 Comment

Posted by: Reginald Thornton at October 19, 2004 12:08 PM: Bush
o HSA's: As a small business operator, I am looking forward to instituting our HSA, and to its projected savings. The sooner that more consumers become decision-makers in their health care expenditures, the sooner that its skyrocketing costs will abate. And by the way, health care costs have been skyrocketing for much longer than Bush has been in office. Just like al-Quaida was operating without impunity long before, as well.
o Taxes: Whatever your perception of taxes, it is inarguable that they are under pressure with Bush in charge. And this crap about more taxes on the rich means more taxes on the small business owner. And that means less capital available to expand by hiring and by buying equipment.
o Terror: I'm not the best one to speak to this topic because I seem to be so out of the mainstream. You see, I was one of those (apparently) few people who listened to Bush's first post-9/11 State of the Union address, and understood and applauded the Bush doctrine. And that is, we have already been attacked, by an enemy that only understands force, and which enjoys various state-sponsorship that makes those states as culpable as the terrorists. And with our troops bravely attracting terrorists to Iraq where they can see our power first-hand, they are both too pre-occupied and disheartened to wage full-scale war on our soil. That ain't bad for business.
o Religion: It's so nice to have moral leadership in the White House, something I truly missed last decade. I'm an athiest, myself, Jewish by birth and by tradition, but I appreciate operating in an environment where morality is considered a virtue and not a hamstring.
o Consistency: I'll accept that there are disagreements with every one of Bush's programs (although, not from the shrill naysayers). But the programs' underlying tenets have been unwavering, and I see no evidence of that changing. My business planning tasks and efforts have never before enjoyed such predictability.
Kerry
o It's hardly worth debating any of the planks in his platform. For two reasons. First, the guy is a reed in the wind, with a 20-year record of staking out every nuanced side of every issue. And second, even if he could be pinned down on any single issue, that same 20-year Senate history proves that he would be ineffectual at achieving any goal. At least, not without bending over backward to satisfy every little fringe interest by watering down and obfuscating a bill's outcome

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