Stan Geiger

Who is Next?

It seems the Republican field is set. Christie has bailed; Palin has finally bailed. Mitt Romney will be the choice.

Some months ago, I said he couldn't make the cut. I must now eat my words. Romney will be the choice. The two already mentioned are out. Rick Perry jumped in and immediately shot himself in the foot. The rest of the field isn't worth mentioning---and yes, that includes Herman Cain.

Cain seems to be the flavor of the day. He likes to tout the fact that he has never held public office. That's one of the things that takes him out of the running.

Remember a fellow named Ross Perot? He made a bit of a splash in 1992. I am almost ashamed to admit I voted for the guy. I suppose it was my little way of rebelling against the establishment. Some time later, Perot went on television to debate Algore. Algore chewed Perot up and spit him out. Perot got flustered. Algore just went about his business.

See, a CEO is more like a king. He or she says and it gets done. People that disagree get handed pink slips. Gubment don't work like that.

I believe Ronald Reagan used to say that 70 percent of something was worth more than 100 percent of nothing. I think it was John Kennedy that said he had no idea how little power a president had until he became one.

Lyndon Johnson---love him or hate him---got things done Kennedy couldn't. Why? Well, because Lyndon had spent years and years figuring out the system, making connections, and racking up favors owed.

I watched a PBS show done about what would have to be considered Oklahoma's most successful politician ever: Governor/U.S Senator Bob Kerr. Kerr wanted a zinc bill passed that would have benefited much of eastern Oklahoma. President Kennedy owed Bob Kerr. Still, he refused to sign Kerr's zinc bill into law. Kennedy called Kerr to explain that the bill was too expensive and that he wouldn't sign it. Kerr proceeded to explain to the prez that he had visited all those small towns in Oklahoma preaching about how the bill would benefit them. Now, Kerr said, he would have to return to all those small towns to explain that it wouldn't happen. That would take some time, Kerr told Kennedy.

Meanwhile, Kerr was a key member in the Senate Finance Committee. Kennedy had a tax bill on the table. Kerr explained that he would get around to Kennedy's tax bill, but it might take a year or two.

Such is politics. Sam Rayburn, famed Speaker of the House of Representatives, used to say, "To get along, you have to go along." (I hope I have that right and not backwards.)

We don't need a CEO in the White House. It just won't work.

---