23,000,000

If the number '23 million' doesn't ring a bell with you yet, let me introduce it.   23 million is the number of Americans who are currently unemployed, 'under employed,' or who have stopped looking for work out of discouragement.  That is a huge number, and a number that should not be nearly that high if President Obama had followed smart economic policy and principles; but he has not.

Among all the other things that could determine the outcome of this election in November, this one stands out.  The President does not control the economy, but economic policy led by the President has the power to create conditions under which the economy can flourish.  President Obama is out of his league.  It is not among his strengths, and he seems perilously close to clueless at times about how to get the economy going again.  He simply has had other priorities.

I'll post more thoughts about the Republican National Convention going on in Tampa Florida through tomorrow night, but for now, let me introduce you to two very well done, and very interesting speeches given at convention in the first half of the day yesterday.

The first is Artur Davis, who has a unique perspective and is a powerful speaker.  Artur is African-American and from Alabama.  He also was co-chair of Obama's election team in 2008.  You heard that right.  In fact he spoke in a key spot in the 2008 Democratic National Convention in Denver in nominating Obama.  Four years later, he is as disillusioned as many are who voted for Obama in 2008. Here he is speaking at the Republican National Convention yesterday:



And finally, Mia Love.  A very interesting speaker and a new face for the RNC.  She is also African-American, her parents are from Haiti and came to America with "$10 in their pockets" - she is the mayor of the town of Saratoga Springs, Utah, just over a mile west of where I sit.  She is in her first major campaign, taking on Jim Matheson to represent Utah's 4th Congressional District.  Excellent speech from a unique and powerful perspective: