The Republican Convention has finally kicked off in the USA. Isaac, the gathering storm delayed the start of the convention. Isaac may yet still cause problems and increase in intensity but the convention cannot delay for too log. The US 2012 election has a timetable to follow albeit a rather lengthy one. The Republicans have been campaigning for half of President Obama's term in office. No wonder Americans look election weary. The hard core political pundits will be having a field day and those voters who border on extremists will be having a ball. As for the rest of Americans they must be heartily sick of election rhetoric.

Surprisingly in Tampa Florida Mitt Romney will be officially announced as the heir apparent for the GOP. All of this seems very strange to a Brit. He has been travelling the country and even undertaking visits to Israel and the UK when in fact then he was just still an "also running"

President Obama is concerned that the Romney campaign is raising huge amounts of money, now regularly outstripping the President's election campaign. That of course shows who has a vested interest in Romney being elected. It is not the ordinary man and woman on the street but rather the monied elite in the US and beyond.

The problem for Obama will be the amount of money available to spend on advertising. It is sad that in so many countries these days ads will win the day. Brainwashing people was something Russia was accused of many years ago. In reality the West does it every day in more subtle ways.

The election should be fought and won or lost on substance. There should be a manifesto of aims and the President should have the ability to fulfill promises. In the US Obama has had his hands virtually tied when it comes to implementing change. Perhaps those who will view election ads and allow themselves to be persuaded, or should that be brainwashed, should think outside of the box occasionally.

In the West we so often vote for who we consider the "lesser of the evils" No President or Prime Minister after all is going to please everyone. Most people are looking at what an election will do for them. Some may say vague statements hinting that they care about their country but in the end elections boil down to what you may gain and what you may lose. People should at least be honest.

In Florida there will be more money wasted on GOP pomp and fluff. Speeches from those who want to show that Romney is the man for America. As with all such conventions of course ALL will be specially selected to praise him

An Ideal, World class leader is hard to find. One that has the best interests of many, especially the vulnerable of society, in mind is worth electing. Now does that fit Romney or Obama? You decide.

The 2012 Presidential Campaign seems to have dragged on forever. What it must be like for US citizens heaven only knows. Of course if you are a 100% Democrat voter you may have bypassed the apparently everlasting election for the GOP presidential hopeful. At least now Americans know that it is a straight forward election between Republicans with Mitt Romney at the helm or incumbent Democratic President Barack Obama.

Each Party's campaign has been costly and full of propaganda. As always election hopefuls negatively portray the opposition, more than they explain what they will do should they be elected.

As The Romney Election Machine continues to secure huge funding President Obama is going to be outspent. Should that matter in an election? No. Will it matter in the US election? Yes. 

Money allows the candidates to run advertising campaigns which latch onto any flaws in the other side. Clever editing will be utilised meaning that in reality the ad campaigns are useless to would be voters. They will however play a part in deciding the winner. Voters will choose to believe slick ads rather than seeing them for what they are.

Today July 16, 2012, Mitt Romney has asked that the Obama camp back off. He claims they are making false allegations regarding his time at Bain Capital. As you sow so shall you reap though. The GOP candidates slated each other with unreliable truths. It was a sorry sight. Each in an attempt to secure the nomination verbally attacked the others. It is hardly surprising then that the proper opposition follows suit.

The Romney camp has attacked President Obama and intends to continue doing so until the November election. Politics is a dirty business. It is far from honourable.

This weekend Romney has called Obama's attacks "dishonest". He went on to say "What does it say about a president whose record is so poor that all he can do in this campaign is attack me?"  "I think when people have accused you of a crime, you have every reason to go after them pretty hard."

But they are both playing the blame game. Remember those words Mitt when Obama hits even harder.

President Obama's response today July 16, 2012, was that "No" he would not apologise. As Obama said if you want to run an election on your record in business expect that to be scrutinised.

In truth America deserves better than what is on offer in the 2012 Election. We in the UK deserved better than what was available for us in the 2010 election. Western democracy is floundering under a swathe of fat cats attempting to buy leadership for their own ends. Fact.

As the 2012 election predictably plunges into child like tit for tat nastiness huge amounts of money will be wasted. It must surely be time to re-think how western elections are played out.

In the meantime expect some ridiculous, far-fetched name calling to follow, in a anything goes attitude as Romney and Obama race for the White House.

Tags: Romney claims Obama dishonest, US 2012 election, US politics, Bain Capital

Yesterday the big news was that GOP Presidential candidate Mitt Romney had raised yet even more money in June 2012. In fact his campaign had raised a staggering $100m in June alone. Back in May Romney's camp raised $76m.  If big bucks will win the 2012 US election then Mitt must be home and dry. His supporters may say yippee to that statement but do the American people really want the White House to go to the highest bidder?

In effect that is what seems to be happening. In recent weeks President Obama's campaign managers have been concerned about Romney's "out spending potential"  The GOP faithful always react in tit for tat mode especially if money is brought into the debate. They claim that Hollywood is funding Obama with huge sums of money. The fact is though that such is the US election campaign, period, that money is an essential ingredient of success.

At TEK we have written on this matter in the past. Our American blogger Julia wrote that in the US there is a movement that would support taking the money out of presidential elections. Julia believes that it is time for a Constitutional Amendment to achieve this.

The UK has similar problems and it always leads to a government which is not truly independent. Instead there will so often be a government with allegiances to Trade Unions or Big Business. Both will have their own agenda and so their own reasons for supporting election campaigns.

In the current economic climate spending such huge sums of money on elections is obscene. When the elected government then instigates austerity measures,which cut people's incomes, it is a disgrace.

President Obama's top campaign advisor, David Axelrod, commented on the June fund raising figures for Romney not long after they were announced. He said that the Obama campaign already realised they would be out spent by Romney's team. With Romney's personal wealth and the type of backer he attracts that is not rocket science. Axelrod tried to appear nonchalant ultimately dismissing Romney's funds as no big deal.

The Obama campaign though to date has stressed to supporters that it needs money to win the campaign. Central has been the assertion that they must outspend Romney if they are to win. 

Romney supporters will dismiss this as damage limitations in case President Obama loses. The problem for President Obama is that of many such leaders who are liberal minded. So often the people who they fight hard to help do not have money. They are not the fat cats of society. The fat cats after all are putting their money were their best opportunity will be. In the Us that is supporting Mitt Romney.

In the end though it will be the ballot box that decides. If people choose to ignore the political propaganda manipulation and vote with their heart the money will mean nothing. it is up to the people to refuse to play the campaign game.

Tags: Mitt Romney wealth, GOP, US 2012 election, US campaign fund raising, Romney's massive funds