- Cain A'Raising

The Perry campaign seems to be fading fast and I think it’s because of just two words: “No Heart”. That’s the kind of criticism that a liberal will offer when attacking conservatives and it’s making it harder for Perry to counter the Ex-Democrat, Ex-Al Gore campaign manager, Pro-big government image. He can come out in favor of burning socialists at the stake (although frankly that seems more of a Bachman position to me... and would only drive Hunstman into wearing his asbestos underoos) and conservatives will still think of him as a big government liberal who is trying to change his stripes.

My buddy Gary, Texas native and UT grad won't vote for an Aggie (at least it makes it a lot tougher), and my buddy Wayne thinks he's an illiterate boob after seeing him in the debates. They may both have good points.

The one thing I find particularly compelling about Herman Cain is that he will at the very least split the black vote. And if I’ve got the math right, that means that Obama can’t win. Obama and the Democrats have no track record to run on and that means they’ll be going negative. But Cain’s background as a private citizen and Federal reserve board member make him tough to hit from the leftist view. He doesn’t have a ton of political bodies buried in the yard like all the others, so there is little for the Democrat grave diggers to find.

And to be honest, I’d vote for anyone in this primary before Romney.

It would also be gut-bustingly hysterical watching the left trying to accuse Herman Cain of being a racist when he has twice as many black ancestors as Obama does.

As for his plan… feh. The 9-9-9 thing may be a kitch-y, but its basis is sound.

I like the idea of eliminating corporate taxes and replacing it with a sales tax. And Cain’s plan has the virtue of simplicity. A simple plan is better for the people who pay the tax and worse for the lobbyists and congressmen who would like to game it. It’s better than a vat (for the same reason), and it’s better than some complicated mess driven by the current tax code.

I don’t know how easy it will be to sell it to the American public. Even the people who aren’t stupid enough to believe the left’s ‘fair share’ nonsense don’t necessarily realize that corporations don’t pay taxes - they only pass them on. Some of you may remember a little exchange I had with some dummy over at Esquire on the issue. But if he could sell it to the public, then I’m confident that the result would be more vigorous economic growth. And growth forgives a lot of sins.

The one really big problem I have with Herman Cain is not his policies or his skin color or his manner or history. And I confess in advance that it’s probably wrong of me to feel this way. But try as I might, his Georgia accent reminds me too much of Jimmy Carter for me to offer him energetic support. I just can’t help it. That ‘Gone With The Wind’ inflection is as hard on my psyche as fingers on a chalkboard. All it ever does is conjure visions of killer rabbits, pastel cardigans, and crashed helicopters.

I know it's all in my head, and I’ll do my best to get past it. But if I have to choose, I’ll take that west Texas twang any day over anything that sounds like Jimmah. Some things you just don't snap back from right away, and the Carter administration is certainly one of them.

On the plus side though, I totally dig the picture posted above. That's a presidential look... certainly better than some feminized little girl in a bike helmet.