Posted on 07/06/2009 6:59:32 PM PDT by RED SOUTH
(Washington, D.C., July 6, 2009) -- As I traveled throughout the U.S. on my recent book tour, I kept running into people who would ask me, "Where is Steve Forbes? The economy is melting down. We need his economic expertise right now."
I couldn't agree more. Steve's message in the 1990s of free market ways to create hope, growth and opportunity at home and abroad may have seemed too bold to the GOP establishment at the time. But it's desperately needed today. His plan to scrap the corrupting federal tax code - "We need to take the tax code and kill it, drive a stake through it's heart, bury it, and hope it never rises again to terrorize the American people" - and replace it with a simple flat tax that's a real tax cut for American families and businesses is the right prescription for the the mess we're now in.
Steve was passionate about eliminating wasteful government spending, and eliminating pork barrel earmarks and ridiculous corporate welfare schemes. He had serious plans to advance market-based health care reforms where individuals and families get to choose their doctors, and market-based education reforms so that parents could choose the right schools for their children. In foreign policy, Steve was a strong proponent of missile defenses, and recognized the threat Russia and Iran were becoming before many others in Washington did.
The problem is that few in Washington today seem to believe in such bold, dynamic reforms, or have the courage to advance them. I certainly don't hear any of the potential 2012 presidential candidates proposing such sweeping reforms to counter the President's plan to rack up another $10 trillion in debt and socialize much of the American economy, notably the health care sector.
As troubling, few are demonstrating Steve's understanding of global trends and threats or insisting on missile defenses or a tougher stance towards Russia and Iran. Indeed, the biggest news the GOP makes these days are by politicians who have marital affairs and should resign but don't, and successful governors who shouldn't resign but do. What's wrong with these people and this party?
Finally off the road from my book tour, I finally called Steve last week to catch up. The good news: he hasn't disappeared. To the contrary, he's spent the last few months working on a fabulous new book, Power, Ambition and Glory: The Stunning Parallels Between Great Leaders of the Ancient World and Today . . . and the Lessons You Can Learn.
Last month, Steve embarked on a national media tour. He's talking about the lessons we can learn from history's most effective and provocative leaders and how we can apply those lessons to the challenges we face today. This week, the book hit the New York Times hardcover non-fiction best-seller list at #30. I hope it climbs much higher.
He’d do a great job, but we have become a “rock star society” which means Forbes and his boring personality have NO CHANCE.
But when Steve Forbes came out in support of TARP last fall, he lost any chance of my vote forever.
I will never vote for anyone who supported that atrocity.
NO! That ‘anyone but Obama’ will get us a RINO like Mitt or Huckabee. Hold to your principles. 2008 should have been a big enough lesson for us all.
You may not, but obviously the majority did as witnessed in the last election.
The “Too ugly to cheat. Too rich to steal” ticket.
DeMint or Hunter or someone with spine, guts, and gonads. No RINO’s!!!
I like Steve, has great econimic prowess obviosuly.
Yep. And that’s the problem.
I vote for experience and what is needed at the time.
Exactly! He should be the Treasury Secretary. Someone else needs to be the ‘pop star’ smooth talker most dumb Americans will vote for. Sorry...it’s the world we live in. We have to play the game.
Oatmeal kicks ass.
I mean, if you think about it. Oatmeal really does kick ass.
Just sayin.
I agreed with the first TARP.
Unfortunately, it was needed.
The more speculation the more desperate the GOP seems. Let’s focus on 2010 - district by district.
I don’t vote on charisma
You may not, but obviously the majority did as witnessed in the last election.
AMEN TO THAT!!!
Actually, I was a Dole Delegate, last time Forbes ran, and I was pulling for Forbes to do better, behind the scenes.
I think Forbes is acceptable, on the social issues. Not as strong as I would like, but far better than Rudy and some others.
Think of it this way, if Forbes ran again, he would suck a big chunk of Romney’s support, for those who want a financial whiz!
Just what the country needs, another wonk.
Forbes? Emphatically no!
I would still go with Mitt Romney.
Yeah, I think a “wonk” is exactly what we need.
We are in dire condition.
I was thinking about this the other day. Steve Forbes could be Sarah’s Dick Cheney in the War on Liberals.
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