GOP candidates woefully inadequate

At $7.50 an hour, a minimum wage earner will make about $15,000 a year, according to the AARP. I can’t imagine a single person paying for shelter, eating, running a car, buying insurance and paying for medical care on that meager amount, much less support a family.

But when Democrats attempt to raise the minimum wage to a basic standard of living, our frugal Republican politicians have a financial fit, their fiduciary tears soiling their expensive suits.

Recently, a leading Republican candidate, Mitt Romney, usually posing in worker-blue shirt sleeves, flippantly bet another confused-cowboy-former-Texas-governor $10,000 to make a point. Now, I realize that is chump change for a “businessman” who has made many millions buying companies, selling off pieces and incurring deductible debt to pay minor taxes on enormous profits. But what would this country have to sell to balance his budget?

Does he care that many workers lost their jobs? The movie told us, “Greed is good.” For the wealthy, that is.

But Newt Gingrich makes even movie villains look benign. He brags about making $60,000 a speech. He has a credit line of $500,000 at Tiffany’s. He has pocketed $1.8 million for consulting in history for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, two government agencies he has salvaged. Yet he is the current darling candidate of the Republican right.

Are these the best candidates that Republicans own after three years personally attacking President Barack Obama and his programs? Who would you choose among this bunch of ignorant, squabbling clowns? Why?

I feel embarrassment for my Republican and religious friends.

As I study the current cackle of Republican hopefuls, I look forward to four more years of an intelligent, caring man as my president: Barack Obama.

David G. Kives

Hoffman Estates