Dear skeptics and critics

By Herman Cain  

May 29th, 2011

 

Wow! I must be causing some people quite a concern as a candidate for the Republican nomination for president. The establishment skeptics are still stuck in the traditional campaign paradigm of immediate name ID, lots of money, and having held a worthy elective office before. The critics are pounding on what they perceive as my weaknesses. And the Democratic National Committee now has me on its radar and is sharpening its blades for a Cain attack.

I’m running for president . . . and I don’t run for second place

“Just to be clear, I’m running for president of the United States of America, and I’m not running for second place.”

That was my announcement on Saturday May 21, 2011 in Atlanta’s Centennial Olympic Park. It was a high noon event with over 15,000 of my closest friends in attendance!

I wanted to be very clear of my intentions because of the usual three reservations expressed by skeptics about a “dark horse” candidate winning the Republican nomination for the presidency. Name recognition, money and not being a previous office holder are the usual negatives pointed out by political pundits.

I’m not going to shoot from the lip on Afghanistan

5-15-2011

Ever since the South Carolina Republican presidential debate, reporters have continued to challenge me for not having a specific plan for our nation’s involvement in Afghanistan. They continue to think that if you are running for president then you must have an answer for everything. I don’t! A real leader has the right questions for everything.

When asked about what I would do about our involvement in the war in Afghanistan during the debate, I answered by asking the questions that should have been asked before we got involved many years ago. What is our mission? How does it serve our interest? Is there a path to victory? If not, then what is our exit strategy?

Top three priorities: Real economic growth, energy independence, national security

5-9-11


“Fellow patriots of this exceptional nation, the United States of America, we need real economic growth. We need a real energy independence plan. We need real national security clarity. But most of all, we need real leadership, and not more political position-ship. God bless you, and God is blessing America.”

That was my 30-second closing statement at the South Carolina Republican presidential debate on May 5, 2011. Since we were only allowed 30 seconds to close, I was forced to severely narrow my usual seven critical issues down to three, which I consider co-critical number one issues that we must solve for the survival of this nation.

There is no reason for the U.S. to let China pass us by

5-2-11
Many economists have estimated that if China’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) continues to grow at approximately 10 percent annually, and the United States continues to grow at its anemic rate of 2.5 percent or less, then China’s GDP will be bigger than ours in 15 to 20 years.

Last week, the International Monetary Fund released an analysis showing that if the differences in exchange rates between the two countries are factored out (purchasing power parity), then China will surpass the USA in economic strength in less than five years!
Neither of these observations sets well with the American psyche, and losing our economic dominance in the world is not who we are. But more importantly, China’s economic dominance would represent a national security threat to the USA, and possibly to the rest of the world.