March 6, 2012

RNC 2012 Presidential Platform Survey

2012 March 06
Click History for a list of changes and updates.

    The Republican National Committee 2012 Presidential Platform Survey is an example of what is wrong with the Republican Party.  Most of the questions can only be answered with Republican orthodoxy.  Some are "Do you still beat your wife?" questions. 

    Mr. David Walker, former U.S. Comptroller General, suggests what politicians should provide:  truth, leadership, and solutions.  The survey indicates that the Republicans have none of these. 

    The continuation of this post provides comments on some of the questions.  Please add your comments and send them to "RNC" <ecampaign@gop.com>. 

Don Nordeen
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Continue reading RNC 2012 Presidential Platform Survey.
  • Key Words:  Republican Party, debt, deficit, health care, Social Security, entitlement
Click Continue for Post Continuation plus Comments.  Or Click Show All for Above plus Post Continuation and Comments.

RNC 2012 Presidential Platform Survey (continued)

    Below are comments on on selected questions in the Republican National Committee 2012 Presidential Platform Survey.

SECTION I. – Presidential Performance and Issues
2.  How important is it to voters in your state for Republican candidates to give attention to the following issues during the 2012 campaigns?
Survey Question Detail
Comments
Reducing federal spending No way to answer the survey item.  Motherhood and apple pie.  The critical question is how.  Need survey questions on how.  Which programs should be cut? 
Keeping taxes low No way to answer the survey item.  Motherhood and apple pie.  The critical question is how.  Need survey questions on how.  Since spending are taxes — either current or future — the emphasis should be on reducing federal spending.  See above.  
Exposing Obama’s radical left-wing policies No way to answer the survey item.  Which policies?
Repealing ObamaCare No way to answer the survey item.  And replace with what?  What are the objectives for the RNC health care plan? 
Stimulating job creation in the private sector No way to answer the survey item.  How and at what cost?  How can this be done without deficits?  
Reining in government employees’ unions No way to answer the survey item.  Form of the question is wrong.  What does this mean?  Government needs competent employees paid competitive wages and benefits.  Why not state in terms of proposed policies? 
Demanding free and open trade to get U.S. manufacturing growing No way to answer the survey item.  "Free and open" trade is a misnomer.  What we need is "trade for mutual benefit". 

SECTION II. - Economic Issues
3. President Obama has indicated that if reelected, he will fight to increase tax rates on individuals and families he considers to be “wealthy. ” Do you support Obama’s position?
Survey Question Comments
3. President Obama has indicated that if reelected, he will fight to increase tax rates on individuals and families he considers to be “wealthy. ” Do you support Obama’s position? Which taxes?  Which loopholes?  The economic analysis by the CBO and CRS indicate that the tax preferences on capital gains, dividends and carried interest have contributed to the income inequality without providing an increase in the rate of investment.  President Obama will win the "fairness" argument because it is true.  Republicans should support the Simpson-Bowles proposal and pass tax reform in the House in 2012. 
4. Do you believe Congress should block President Obama’s efforts to raise the federal debt ceiling for borrowing and demand real cuts to federal spending? Dumb question.  The debt ceiling should be consistent with the budget. 
5. Would you support another federal bailout of the automobile industry or large banks? No way to answer the survey item.  What are the circumstances?
7. Do you believe that the policies of Barack Obama have helped create good jobs and improve the economy in your area? Analysis by CBO indicates that many aspects of the stimulus have added to the GDP, and therefore have produced or retained jobs.  Republicans need to understand the CBO reports, particularly those involving multipliers.  Multipliers for many elements of a Republican "growth" agenda are small. 
8. Do you support a federal Balanced Budget Amendment to the U.S. Constitution to stop deficit spending in Washington? Nice in theory but difficult in practice.  The issue is in the language which should have strong bipartisan support. No such consensus on the language exists. 

SECTION III. – Entitlement Spending
Survey Question Comments
9. Would you support a phased-in increase in the retirement/eligibility age for Social Security benefits that would not affect anyone over the age of 50? Politicians must understand the implicit principles in Social Security
  • The truth is that, unless action is taken, benefits will be reduced by about 25% for all beneficiaries in 2035±.  
  • What is needed is truth, leadership and solutions.  
  • Not changing benefits for current beneficiaries will result in a greater loss in benefits for the younger participants.  
  • Need more information (truth).  
  • More alternatives should be studied, debated and presented at Town Hall Meetings.  
  • One alternative is to make Social Security permanently solvent by making a small annual adjustment in benefits.  
  • Changing the cost of living index would also help. 
10. Do you support reforming the way the government pays for Medicare for future retirees – while preserving the existing program and options for those who now utilize it?
  • What is needed is truth, leadership and solutions.  
  • Not changing benefits for current beneficiaries will result in a greater loss in benefits for the younger participants.  
  • See comments above.  
11. Should retirees be exempt from property tax increases on their residence? Dumb question.  State issue.  Of course not. 
12. Would you support allowing individuals under the age of 50 to opt to put a portion of their Social Security withholdings into private accounts that they control, but cannot access without penalty until their retirement? Basically a dumb question unless accompanied with an analysis showing the effects on the base Social Security and the benefits to those who might opt out.  I have been unable to locate any such analyses on the internet. 

SECTION V. – Health Care Issues
Survey Question Comments
20. Do you support immediate and total repeal of the ObamaCare health care legislation? And replace with what?  What is the content of the Republican plan?   
21. Do you believe medical malpractice reform to stop frivolous lawsuits and ever-increasing insurance premiums should be a priority of healthcare reform legislation? Reform of medical practice liability is needed, but should be a state issue.  Federal law is required only to address issues that states can't do for themselves. 
22. Have the government and news media provided information to ensure that citizens have a good understanding of the composition, impact and costs of the Democrat-passed ObamaCare health care legislation? Communications have been difficult because the law is way too complex.  Where is the Republican plan in terms of objectives and major content. 
23. Are you concerned that Barack Obama and the Democrats intend for their ObamaCare legislation to eventually lead to the creation of “single-payer” government-run health insurance and health care system? Wrong question.  The needed focus should be on the drivers of health-care costs and how their effects can be reduced. 
24. Do you believe you can receive the same quality of health care and accessibility to quality care through a federal government-run health care system? The prior system was gamed by the employers, insurance companies and others.  Regardless of how the health care is delivered, a better understanding of the quality of care and the drivers of costs is needed.

If the market place is used and health-care plans are offered that have lower cost but limited coverage, who pays for the costs of the inevitable catastrophic health events that are not covered in the lower-cost insurance.  

    Please add your comments and send them by email to "RNC" <ecampaign@gop.com>. 

  • History:  Changes are usually identified in the text with the date which facilitates searching by date. Edits are usually noted by add and delete changes. 
    • 2012 Mar 06 — Initial Post
  • Links:   RNC 2012 Presidential Platform Survey at [http://curntbk.blogspot.com/2012/03/rnc-2012-presidential-platform-survey.html]

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Copyright 2005-2012 © Donald L. Nordeen.  All Rights Reserved.  See Copying Posts on This Weblog.
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1 comment:

  1. Wow, I just received a 2013 questionaire and they haven't bothered to change the questions.

    ReplyDelete