The Dust Clears:

Yesterday I posted a prediction that I thought Christie would change his mind and decide to run for POTUS. Obviously I was wrong…And conservative Republicans were disappointed. So now what? With the primaries beginning in January, the time has run out and the field is now set.

The Tea Party is a fickle group as they have vacillated from Bachmann to Perry and now to Cain. They don't know who they like, but they know they don't like Romney. At one time I thought they might run their own third party candidate, but I don't believe that any more. The reason is they have already asked the likes of Daniels, Huckabee and Jeb Bush, and they all said, "No". There is no one left to ask.

Looking at the remaining candidates, it looks like a toss-up between Ron Paul and Perry. Paul has won a number of straw polls, has a following of supporters, and Libertarians could be considered first-cousins to today's right wing. His problem is he cannot win.

Rick Perry rocketed on the political scene and like fireworks, and he exploded. A previously written book and some major debate gaffs put his chances of winning the GOP nomination at great risk. His problem is he cannot win either.

Given the choice between President Obama and Mitt Romney; the Tea Party will likely fall in line and support Romney. The race may be over before it begins. And the happiest man in the GOP is Mitt Romney. That must really gall a lot of conservatives.

Yesterday, Romney did not approve of the Occupy Wall Street protestors and said they were "dangerous".

How is it OK for people to demonstrate when they speak for and are financed by the wealthy (Exxon, Koch et al.), but "dangerous" when they are not?

There are others like the CWA, who believe the Occupy Wall Street Movement is an "appropriate expression of anger for all Americans, but especially for those who have been left behind by Wall Street." These are folks from all walks of life who do not say they're anti-capitalist, but they want democracy. They are against corporate greed. They're angry about being squeezed out of the solution, the debate about how this country can best move forward in a fair and inclusive way.

It's fair to ask at this point, do the chosen few in the top income bracket truly want to avoid sliding back or further into recession? Because those who speak on their behalf in Congress give us no solace. Their No-compromise positions show us again and again and yet again that they are not pursuing economic recovery, and that they do not care about us.

"There's a system where we socialize losses and privatize gains. That's not capitalism. That's not a market economy. That's a distorted economy, and if we continue with that, we won't succeed in growing," said Nobel Laureate Joseph Stiglitz.

This fits with Ari Berman (The Nation) who said recently about Koch cashflow: "It's in redistricting, it's in voting, it's in a larger campaign, basically, to make Republicans the dominant party. And so, what we saw is the Koch Brothers bank-rolled so much of the victories of Republicans in the 2010 election....
......Koch brothers and other aligned groups are, basically, undermining the very fabric of our democratic process."

http://thinkprogress.org/economy/2011/10/04/336089/romney-wall-street-protest-dangerou/
http://thinkprogress.org/media/2011/10/04/335360/not-anti-capitalist-to-protest-wall-street/
http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2011/10/04/ari-berman-koch-brothers-undermining-democracy/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+TheRawStory+%

Forget the Obama Referendum Dem Wins WV

President Obama runs

http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/10096f1c-641a-11e0-b171-00144feab49a.jpg

http://www.abc.net.au/news/image/1173924-16x9-940x529.jpg

Christie doesn't

http://obamadiary.files.wordpress.com/2011/10/ta111004.gif?w=500&h=335

http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/wireStory/voters-choosing-governor-west-virginia-14669379

====================================================================

Ain't it funny the media is touting how 7 in 10 say President Obama has not helped economy

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162-20114996-503544.html?tag=contentMain;contentBody

But, don't mention that in the same poll on page 5 the (latest CBS News poll) asked national respondents whether they’d support higher taxes on millionaires to lower the deficit

http://obamadiary.files.wordpress.com/2011/10/poll.jpg?w=285&h=412

http://www.cbsnews.com/htdocs/pdf/Sep11b-Econ+Prez.pdf?tag=contentMain;contentBody

PASS THE BILL!!!

Better call the "Word Doctor", FOX NOISE's Frank Luntz to implore some new socialist terms to appeal to St. Reagan's very own words.

Flash Back: Reagan--No Loopholes For Millionaires

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=cgbJ-Fs1ikA

Ron Indiana

The Dust Clears:

Yesterday I posted a prediction that I thought Christie would change his mind and decide to run for POTUS. Rick Perry rocketed on the political scene and like fireworks, and he exploded.

Hi Ron I agreed Perry explodes gun and bible and Christie is a tease.

Whew...

That was close.

Dodged a bullet in the West Virginia governor's race, eh First Readers?

Democratic pollster Public Policy Polling had the Democrat up by 33 pts in April; by 15 pts in May; by 6 pts in September; and by just 1 pt the day before the election.

Good polling! Democrat Tomblin wins by 3; that's within the poll's margin of error.

Good job by Tomblin as well, although a little close.

After all, PPP's final poll in the race shows West Virginians give President Obama a 28% job approval number; 63% disapprove of the job he's doing.

28%!

Christie - The Great White Hope? - NOPE.

So Sad

To Bad

I'm Glad

Obama in 2012.

What’s more, Obama “now holds a 49 to 34 percent advantage over congressional Republicans when it comes to the public’s trust on creating jobs. That is a change from September, when they were evenly split at 40 percent each.”

OUCH!

That ones got to HURT! lol

Evidence America is sick & tired of political stunts!

As for the current Teapublican party - they remind me of the victims who went down with the Titanic at the end of the movie...

You can only tread water & wave your arms for so long...

We humans love drama. We love beating our chests and telling the world how “great” we are.

Think Progress:

A new poll finds that “one in three U.S. veterans of the post-9/11 military believes the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan were not worth fighting.” The “first of its kind” Pew Research poll finds that veterans are “scarred by warfare and convinced that the American public has little understanding” of the problems wartime service created for them and their families.

____________________________

How sad this is. What a shallow being we humans are. We think through nothing. Our attention span is next to zero. Everybody, especially cable, wants an entertainer as a presidential candidate. Thus, Christie. And before him, Palin. They will settle on anyone until the real journalists provide facts. Not just images. Facts.

Chris Matthews is unhappy with Christie yet again saying no, he will not run. What does Matthews know? He was on tv saying Gore doesn’t look like us. This is when Gore was running for the presidency. That’s about as deep as Matthews is going to get.

Karl Rove is pouring millions and millions of dollars into beating the president. Do republican supporters know this? Do they realize the damage Rove has done to this country?

Do they care? No. They don’t care about suppressing votes. They don’t care about the corruption of the Koch Brothers.

Romney says Occupy Wall Street protests are “dangerous”. What a pity he didn’t say that in the lead up to the Iraq invasion.

But then neither he nor his sons were scarred by the wars. So to him, protesting is dangerous. Unbelievable. The guy never stood up for one single working American in this country. Not one.

Well, I would like to thank the protestors. After Countrywide used this country as an ATM machine, my mortgage was transferred over to BOA. When I wanted to refinance at a lower rate, BOA told me the fee for this would be $3,100.00. Can you imagine? Three thousands dollars.

Next week my refinance will be complete. And I will be quite happy with my credit union. And it cost me $200.00.

Stuff it BOA. Romney will NEVER understand protestors. Never.

The guy understands nothing about working Americans. Nothing.

Question of the Day:

When Perry is President, will he and Dick Cheney go hunting together on that ... you-know-what ... ranch?

@ Bag Boy:

I was anxious to see how a learned pundit like you might spin the West Virginia governor election, and you never disappoint.

It was within the margin of error. LoL

FT:Don’t count out Rick Perry, at least not yet.

It doesn't matter; just like Christie got creamed Perry's gun toting bible thumping , rhectoric can be shot down.

Perry is between a painted rock and a bible.

Great posts Feisty, Ron, Bev+ and Pat!!

Today OWS:
"The "Occupy Wall Street" website said the demonstration, scheduled for 4:30 pm (2030 GMT), will begin at Foley Square and end at Liberty Plaza, in southern Manhattan.
The march is supported members of the United Federation of Teachers, which represents most of the city's public school teachers; the Workers United and Transport Workers, which represents many of the city's bus drivers; and Professional Staff Congress-CUNY (PSC-CUNY), which represents more than 20,000 professors and staff at the City University of New York."

http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2011/10/04/occupy-wall-street-protesters-prepare-for-union-backed-demonstration/

Damage, how are YOUR ears doing?

This is hilarious. LWNJs grasping for every blade of unsustainable grass they can as they sink every so slowly but ever so assuredly into the quicksand.

As to WV, being born and raised in WV the state has a 2-1 margin in registered Democrats, but the Republican lost by only 3 percent. The ex-governor (now Sen. Joe Manchin) and now Gov. Tomblin ran against some of Obama's main failures as president -- health care and cap & trade. These are blue dog democrats. The Democrat party needs to wise up and look towards Joe Manchin as their next presidential candidate. He's a good man with family values. I have known his family for over 50 years.

Thanks, AM-

28% job approval for President Obama in West Virginia; 63% disapprove.

I'd say Governor-elect Tomblin overachieved...

Wouldn't you?

Backhouse, I see you and I had the same thought when we heard what Romney said.

He's not a leader. He has no clue what this economy is doing to working people.

Has he spoke up about suppressing votes? We're talking about democracy here in America. Has he said anything about what the Koch Brothers have done to this country? Does me mind the millions Karl Rove is putting into next year's campaign with his usual lies?

Because we all know. Karl Rove is a liar. That's all he is. Nothing more. Nothing less. But then, so isn't Romney.

The GOP makes me ill.

Does anyone else think these are awfully low numbers? 22% of Republicans favor Romney for their nominee, 17% Cain ,14% for Perry. Only 14% of Republicans support Perry and the headline is "Don't Count Out Perry?" Forget which candidate has fire in their belly (the usual cliche) do Republicans in general have a fire in their belly? I mean, beside heartburn over how bad their candidates are.

@Amy -- Ahh don't fret your little head over the Republican primary. Worry about the general where it counts.

Bag Boy:

I'd say Governor-elect Tomblin overachieved...

Wouldn't you?

Oh, yes. Indeed, I would. And good for him.

As far as I'm concerned, however, it mostly goes to demonstrate how little Republican candidates are offering.

And that is exactly what gives me hope.

Hey Romney, look at this! It is the protestors who are looking out for everybody. The protests you call dangerous?

Well, look at what the banks are doing to veterans.

And you call protests dangerous? You Romney, are the dangerous one.

Think Progress:

According to a whistleblower lawsuit, some of the nation's biggest banks, including Wells Fargo, Bank of America, and J.P. Morgan Chase, "defrauded veterans and taxpayers out of hundreds of millions of dollars by disguising illegal fees in veterans' home refinancing loans." Under VA rules, mortgage lenders are not allowed to charge attorney's fees, so the banks allegedly instructed mortgage brokers "not to show attorney's fees on their estimates, but to add them to the title examination fee." The plaintiffs in the case claim that 90 percent of refinanced loans to veterans included the illegal fee.

*********************

How horrible this story is. Illegal fees for veterans.

Thank you protestors. Thank you.

Anyone who votes for Romney is a sell out.

why prolong the agony ... get one of the koch brothers in the race .. they are paying for it anyway

Anna Molly,

Yes, the spinners never disappoint. :)

You were so right last night.

@ Pat, Boston -- Danged trial lawyers. ;-)

$17 million is a drop in the bucket when compared to the $1 billion Obama said he was selling out for for his campaign.

Feisty, Ron, Backhouse, Pat, Beverly--great way to start the day.

No surprise that Mitt Romney thinks the Wall Street protests are dangerous; he knows the protesters are right. One reason the GOP establishment was courting Christie, Jeb Bush, Perry, and others was their fear of what happens when the truth about Romney is revealed and it will be revealed. Ted Kennedy successfully used the facts about Romney to defeat Romney and retain his senate seat. A venture capitalist who bought successful and profitable companies, borrowed millions and mortaged those firms to the hilt and subsequently bankrupted them. It's all out there.

Post #1 No sign of human Intelligence...Straight from the DNC..

Pat , from the Declaration of the Occupation of New York City,

...Accepted by the NYC General Assembly on september 29, 2011:

"As we gather together in solidarity to express a feeling of mass injustice, we must not lose sight of what brought us together. We write so that all people who feel wronged by the corporate forces of the world can know that we are your allies.

As one people, united, we acknowledge the reality: that the future of the human race requires the cooperation of its members; that our system must protect our rights, and upon corruption of that system, it is up to the individuals to protect their own rights, and those of their neighbors; that a democratic government derives its just power from the people, but corporations do not seek consent to extract wealth from the people and the Earth; and that no true democracy is attainable when the process is determined by economic power.

We come to you at a time when corporations, which place profit over people, self-interest over justice, and oppression over equality, run our governments. We have peaceably assembled here, as is our right, to let these facts be known..."

Looks like Mitch McConnell has demonstrated for about the 500th time that he's incapable of dealing in good faith. Conservatives will be crowing for weeks, probably months about how they "tried" to pass the American Jobs Act. Don't fall for it. His bid to bring the American Jobs Act to a vote is coupled to a measure that would place punitive tariffs on Chinese goods and bring WTA violations upon the United States. http://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/05/world/asia/china-criticizes-senates-currency-manipulation-bill.html

I've been saying for quite some time that Conservatives are intent on recreating the recession of 1937 by withdrawing needed stimulus before the economy is fully self-sustaining. Now they've decided to up the ante by recreating the Republican disaster of Smoot-Hawley. http://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/05/world/asia/china-criticizes-senates-currency-manipulation-bill.html

Special thanks to Backhouse for connecting the dots to the Conservative mega-rich who fund and fuel the war on the middle class.

“The Koch brothers, as you know, their money is all over the place here,” he said. “It’s in redistricting, it’s in voting, it’s in a larger campaign, basically, to make Republicans the dominant party. And so, what we saw is the Koch Brothers bank-rolled so much of the victories of Republicans in the 2010 election.”

“And now what’s happening is, now that the Republicans have power, they’re trying to keep it and they’re trying to keep it by, for example, writing congressional maps to their favor and writing election laws to their favor. These are two ways, two huge sleeper issues in which the Koch brothers and other aligned groups are, basically, undermining the very fabric of our democratic process.”

http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2011/10/04/ari-berman-koch-brothers-undermining-democracy/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+TheRawStory+%

Amy B.-

You need to read up on the current "enthusiasm gap" between Democratic and GOP voters.

They'll be no lack of enthusiasm among conservatives for the candidate that runs against President Obama in November of next year.

Last month a CBS/NY Times poll recorded an 18 pt gap in favor of the GOP; Gallup, a 14 pt GOP edge.

On the contrary...

Conservatives will be "fired up, ready to go".

The lefties are indeed grasping for straws. Trying to screw Perry with a BS story about a rock painted with a word that Beverly says isn't offensive to Blacks. Fond memories of their trumped up "Macaca" assaults on George Allen.

Look folks; our little "lets elect a guy just because he's black so people will see how tolerant we are" experiment is over. Let's get a qualified person in there whose not beholden to every grievance group tha comes down the pike.

And as for these dirtbag, professional whiners in NYC, do you all want me to post some links of pictures of these people? I don't think you do. Your LIE that they are just ordinary, cocerned Americans will be exposed once again.

why prolong the agony ... get one of the koch brothers in the race .. they are paying for it anyway

Great comment independent jim...didn't work though, they've already tried it. David Koch ran for VP with a hand-picked Presidential candidate in 1980 on the Libertarian ticket. At the time his philosophy for governance was labeled "Anarcho-Capitalism", which pretty well describes the brothers' approach. They believe that if they sufficiently destroy the support and regulatory apparatus of the government there's a pile of money for the already wealthy to make in the ensuing disintegration of the existing society. They truly are trying for a recreation of the Robber Baron era in American history.

Governor Christie made the obligatory GOP jab at President Obama, after first saying he agreed with him on a number of things, by saying he failed the ultimate litmus test to lead and decide. What a crock of GOP talking points. If Christie really felt that he could win the GOP nomination and the general election in 2012, don't kid yourself, he would have jumped in this race yesterday. Christie knows his comments about President Obama are bull pucky.

@EDD -- You nailed it brother!!!!!! Well said!!!!!

Just got back from a trip in my way-back machine (googling poll numbers from past primaries.)

First thing that popped up was a poll from October 2007 showing Hillary Clinton favored by 50% of Democratic voters, Obama 37% and Edwards 30%. When they added Gore to the mix, he pulled 32% and Clinton dropped to 37%, Obama 16% and Edwards 7%.

Compare this to only 22% of Republicans polled in 2011 favoring the front runner, Romney, and you gotta think ...hmmmm....not to mention that Obama went on to win the Democratic nomination and, at one point, he was polling almost lower than Cain is now.

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/10/25/opinion/polls/main3411229.shtml

John B,

What you don't hear is that Mr. Cantor flat-out has refused to even debate the American Jobs Bill, and says he won't let it come to the floor. Meanwhile the stunt with McConnell hides the lie that there has been no debate yet.

Is McConnell promoting that stuff gets passed in the Senate with no debate now?

And thanks for joining a slew of dots for us....as always.

The cry is PASS IT NOW!!!!!! I didn't hear the president say AFTER DEBATE. This is pathetic. The president can't even get his majority in the senate to listen to him. No filibuster means there is no need for a super majority. What are you scared of????

His bid to bring the American Jobs Act to a vote is coupled to a measure that would place punitive tariffs on Chinese goods and bring WTA violations upon the United States.

I've been saying for quite some time that Conservatives are intent on recreating the recession of 1937 by withdrawing needed stimulus before the economy is fully self-sustaining. Now they've decided to up the ante by recreating the Republican disaster of Smoot-Hawley.

Is this the same bill that passed the Senate (procedural vote) 79-19, and has been critizied by the Speaker?

"House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) sharply criticized Senate legislation to target China over the valuation of its currency, calling it “a pretty dangerous” move for the Congress to make."

Seems that facts don't fit your narrative John, but that is nothing new. We know you're a good advocate of Animal Farm, "Democrats Good, Republicans Bad" even if the facts state otherwise.

And how's playing the racist card working for you (Democrats) these days now they have a tape of an Obama supporter calling a black TP supporter an "Uncle Tom N....r? Class, just class guys.

Mixed Bag

did you see the latest match up between obama and congress? that's where this election will be decided. it's obama vs congress. that's where the enthusiasm and battle ground is.

My dream is to someday see the likes of people such as the Koch brothers and their kind go to jail, for crimes against the people. Gosh, this Radical Right and their supporters are a dangerous lot.

Ray-4054460:

The cry is PASS IT NOW!!!!!! I didn't hear the president say AFTER DEBATE. This is pathetic.

Funny thing ... I'm from Wisconsin, and during our recent battles over Wisconsin's budget and collective bargaining rights, I got the distinct impression that "pass it now" and "without debate" were exactly how Republicans like it.

Or would you agree that was wrong, too?

Not to mention pathetic.

What are you scared of????

Don't know. What was Scott Walker scared of?

Great point, Backhouse, and a HUGE thumbs up to President Obama for taking to the ring in support of the American people and the American Jobs Act. The GOPTP refuses to even DEBATE doing anything to help the American middle class and the American economy.

President Barack Obama is naming names.

First he singled out House Speaker John Boehner and Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell.

On Tuesday, Rep. Eric Cantor, R-Va., came in for a presidential scolding as Obama used an economic sales pitch in Texas to criticize the House majority leader for refusing to take up the president's jobs bill.

"Eric Cantor said that right now, he won't even let this jobs bill have a vote in the House of Representatives. That's what he said. Won't even let it be debated," Obama said in a speech at a community college in Mesquite, a Dallas suburb. "Think about that. What's the problem? Do they not have the time? They just had a week off. Is it inconvenient?"

"At least put this jobs bill up for a vote so that the entire country knows exactly where members of Congress stand," the president said. "Put your cards on the table."

Even as Obama spoke, McConnell was attempting to call his bluff by pushing for a quick Senate vote on the jobs bill, which Senate Democrats have acknowledged doesn't have the support to pass.

White House press secretary Jay Carney called that a "political ploy," and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid objected, arguing that the bill should not be acted on without Senate debate.

http://www.businessweek.com/ap/financialnews/D9Q5QQ180.htm

Job1

My dream is to someday see the likes of people such as the Koch brothers and their kind go to jail, for crimes against the people. Gosh, this Radical Right and their supporters are a dangerous lot.

Why bother. The President can simply declare them Terrorists that incite harm on the US and execute them by drone.

The DOUCHEBAG PARTY loves to idolize Reagan, all while completely ignoring what he actually did.

Christie brought that up in yesterday's speech: "If you think compromising makes you a liberal, you are dead wrong." He went on to say that without compromising on your principles, you can compromise and not get everything you want. He pointed to the Reagan speech in reference to that.

So, what IS your average Douchebagger actually up to? As usual, lying and basically being a traitor to conservative values. It really is too bad Christie isn't running right now, but I don't blame him. He'll be President in either 2016 or 2020.

@ Gary ##:

$17 million is a drop in the bucket when compared to the $1 billion Obama said he was selling out for for his campaign.

Indeed. Well, then, how about the $250 million that Karl Rove just announced his Crossroads PACs would be spending to defeat President Obama?

http://fredericksburg.com/News/FLS/2011/092011/09262011/654288

Rove has founded two major PACs, American Crossroads and Crossroads GPS, and said in a telephone interview that he hopes to raise--and spend--$250 million from those committees in the 2012 election cycle.

A quarter of a billion dollars from just two groups, and apparently, just a handful of right-wing donors.

Get the picture?

President Obama will need that billion dollars, and very likely a whole lot more help from left-wing groups, just to keep up.

Why do you suppose that conservatives are fighting so hard to get rid of unions?

Ray:

@Anna -- Quite frankly I don't care about Wisconsin. The only thing I ever read on the matter was what you and a few others wrote and I took that with a grain of salt. Yawn.

Another funny thing. When it was going well, you all loved Walker.

Not so much anymore. ;-)

Pat,

Your 1.15, The Rove Ad shown yesterday on the Maddow show was beyond disgusting. Rove & Co. took the supportive words of an (MSNBC?) reporter speaking about how President Obama wants to pay for the AJA, crunched it around and turned it into a complete fabrication. Evil stuff.

Good and evil is not just an archaetype here, when you think of what the big Money corporates are doing to ordinary people. The President is standing between us and them ~~ as GOPTP/ Koch/ALEC/Norquist et al. continue to back their own country to the edge of a precipice.

Derek-381097

GOP/TP suffer from chronic selective amnesia.

Does it mean he can still really pack a punch ... OR ... in means there are still a bunch of rednecks in this country? What was the name of that country club ... duh!!!!

Perry will report raising more than $17 million in the 3rdQ

That is $17 million wasted. He is not electable in the general.

fr -- "You want to know who the true ‘axis of evil’ is. Look no further then Koch Industries, Halliburton & Black Water!"

so, let me get this straight -- the 70,000 people that work at koch industries are evil, the 50,000 people that work at halliburton are evil and however many work at blackwater are evil???

how can you possibly say things like this? that is like saying everyone in roselle is evil!

how can you possibly say things like this?

Um - I don't know...

Maybe because it's TRUE...

I am glad you're cool with the Koch Brothers padding their coffers by aiding the enemy!

You may now continue your regularly scheduled grazing... BAAAA!

@james -- The LWNJs don't care about the working class.

@Feisty -- You have to throw GE in on that mix.

@John B -- You have to throw Soros, the Bildenbergs etc. in on that mix.

Way to deliberately miss the point, james. You and everyone else who read that comment knew it was referring to the Koch brothers, Erik Prince of Blackwater/Xe, and the upper management of Halliburton.

Add in Grover Norquist, Karl Rove, Richard Mellon Scaife, Rev. Sun Myung Moon, Rupert Murdoch...

These people are well known. They can no longer hide from the American public, pulling strings from behind the curtains.

Gary

EACH Republican Presidential candidate had $1Billion in each of their pots.

Rove gets his cash from 3 billionaires. Basically money no object and all as scurrilous & undercover as can be.

Corruption and bribery delivered direct to the American people via the US Supreme Court.

Mixed Bag -- As in sports a win by 1 or 10 is still a win. Like it or not.

John B-- Interesting things going on in Congress on the China bill......it seems to me though it's just political cover for those about to run.

Alan NJ--

Senate voted for cloture on a motion to proceed on a bill to discourage China’s currency manipulation, with a bipartisan 79-19 vote. 31 Republicans voted for the bill with 48 Democrats.

The House has it's own version of a similar bill put forth by Republicans.

Again and again, Republicans demonstrate conclusively that the only issue in the upcoming Presidential election is the defeat of President Obama. To some extent, I can understand that.

In 2004, there was absolutely no way I would have voted for President Bush. However, I could demonstrate and defend my reasons. He never vetoed a single spending bill. He managed to get us involved in two separate invasions, while pretending they cost us nothing. He signed into law an unfunded prescription benefit. For me, as a veteran, I found it particularly galling that he tried to hide the deaths of American G.I.'s. No cameras, folks.

For the upcoming election, there is no coherent objection to President Obama. Republicans simply trot out talking points and repeat them ad nauseum, as though repetition turns a falsehood into a truth.

Again and again their talking points are challenged. Oh gosh, say Republicans, jobs would be created by the millions were it not for these odious regulations. Name one. What do we get? Well, says Spanky, there's those horrible regulations about fences. Well, of course, now there's a federal issue for ya.

Oh gosh, it's that uncertainty about the future, say Republicans. Yet, anyone who has ever decided to run a small business knows damned good and well that is flatly untrue. EVERYTHING about the future is uncertain. The relevant uncertainty tracks to potential customers who may or may not buy the good or service the small business person is selling. If the business person succeeds, a tax bite means he is making money. That's how it really shakes out.

Cut those taxes, say the Republicans, that'll stimulate job creation. Yet, after almost 11 years of reduced taxes we have seen unemployment climb. There is not a shred of proof that tax cuts are going to stimulate the economy. None.

The wonders of the Republican mind never cease to amaze. We love the unborn, they say. After they're born.....well, the lovely little tykes are on their own. We are pro-life, they say, but we sure get the warm fuzzies about the death penalty. We honor our veterans, they say, unless they're gay. We are THE TRUE CHRISTIANS, they say, but they are more than happy to let the uninsured die.

No, the ends justify the means for these hateful "Republicans". The reality about these terrifying totalitarians is this: They are truly NOT Republicans. They are truly NOT conservatives. They ARE the real RINO's, and they are willing to destroy the United States, and they are too stupid to know it.

Republicans - yeah, the real ones - when are you going to take your party back?

fr -- so you are saying that all of the employees of these 3 companies are evil. please confirm.

try to stay away from the insults when you respond, very childish but fascinating

James:

so, let me get this straight -- the 70,000 people that work at koch industries are evil, the 50,000 people that work at halliburton are evil and however many work at blackwater are evil???

how can you possibly say things like this? that is like saying everyone in roselle is evil!

And why is it that whenever we're talking about corporations hoarding wealth while working men and women are asked to sacrifice, we hear about how the owners ARE the business, and as such, they are entitled to maximize their profits, even where it means cutting jobs, and they have no reason or obligation to share their wealth with the workers or provide them with decent wages and benefits?

But when the tables are turned, and you want to protect those same corporations from scrutiny for their crimes, as in the present case, you have no compunction about hiding behind the skirts of those same workers with phony-baloney expressions of concern about them and their jobs.

Concerns that amount to nothing more than threats.

try to stay away from the insults when you respond, very childish but fascinating

Don't make me laugh. You're nothing but cowards, all of you.

For the upcoming election, there is no coherent objection to President Obama.

Escalated the war in Afghanistan

Started a war in Libya

Passed a failed stimulus bill that added $1T to the debt

Passed a partisan Healthcare Insurance Reform against the wishes of the majority

Has failed to lead on entitlement reform

Has failed to lead on tax reform (extended the Bush tax rates)

Has presided over an economy that has not shown ANY improvement during his term (his words)

James -- Who said anything about employees. In fact it was the good employees of that company that exposed the corruptions.

Thanks Anna Molly - you nailed it!

It's called having their cake & eating it too...

Don't make me laugh. You're nothing but cowards, all of you.

Couldn't agree more!

Alan, NJ

You just proved that there's no coherent objection to Obama's re-election by repeating the same but busted lies of the crazy right nuts. What else have you got?

Looks like the tea people GOP republican trolls are disappointed this morning. They were all geared up to tout their win in WV. Now they have to retool and find something else to rant about. They haven't fond it yet as they are all over the map this morning.

"Hiya kids, hiya, hiya." Froggy

Thanks and a big shout our to Fiesty for keeping the Koch's in the spotlight this morning. We need to keep that fire going until somebody, ANYBODY, conducts a proper investigation and we the people see some justice.

Nice job everyone, inspiring posts from the usual intelligentsia, you know who you are, Backhouse, Bev, Pat, Ron, et al. Keep up the good work. The tide has finally turned.

On topic.

Nope, Perry is still Texas toast.

West Virginia is a big deal despite all of Chuck Todd's hand wringing and dire predictions.

Christie, like New Jersey, looks best in the rear view mirror, buh-bye.

I just had a lengthy discussion with one of my co-workers (a Republican) regarding the GOP/TP/LDS field and my prediction that Romney is the guy and will not be embraced by the GOP/TP/LDS because he is not conservative enough for them AND he's a Mormon. (to borrow a line from the LDS advertising campaign). That will lead to the President's re-election next year.

After a long "yeah but" argument from my co-worker he said, "Well, I'll probably vote for Romney if he's the nominee, despite the fact he's a Mormon and it's a heresy. But my wife probably won't vote for Romney for that reason."

EXACTLY. You prove my point.

Romney/Pawlenty 2012. buh-bye.

"Plunk your magic twanger Froggy."

America held hostage, day 278

Obama/Biden 2012 Take it to the bank, kiddies

Alan:

1.59 is beyond ridiculous and demonstrates exactly what I wrote earlier. Facts are not going to move you from your untenable position.

Just for starters. We are not at war in Afghanistan. President Obama escalated the invasion of Afghanistan begun on the Bush watch.....exactly as he said he would. It becomes clearer by the day, that Afghanistan is probably not the end game. The issue is actually the encirclement of Pakistan. (I cannot prove that, but it certainly seems to be the case.....to me.)

President Obama did not start a war in Libya. That is absurd on its face. I'd like to add, "and you know it", but it's possible you actually believe that.

The "stimulus" to which you refer did not cost one-trillion dollars. The approximate amount is 787-billion-dollars. Hey, when you're fabricating, what's a couple-hundred-billion-dollars, right? The consensus is that the stimulus clearly DID work. That's one of those talking points to which I referred earlier. The fact that you repeat this lie is not going to make it true.

Perhaps you'll enlighten me on the subject of the passage of the health insurance reform bill. How did it pass against the will of the majority? The passage of the bill - I know this is confusing - requires a majority vote. IT PASSED, ALAN.

To what entitlements do you refer?

Yes, he extended the income tax rate cuts. That was the price of compromise. You should know that too.

I have written repeatedly that the bromides of the past are not going to solve the economic problems of today's economy.

Willful ignorance is very unseemly. Really Alan, we're done.

Or it just means they are putting their money on the dumbest and easiest to manipulate.

And if you thought Christie was gonna run, you are an idiot! But this was already known.

am & feisty -- "You want to know who the true ‘axis of evil’ is. Look no further then Koch Industries, Halliburton & Black Water!"

no place is there a qualification that about owners, that is a later clarification (a courtesy for which no opposing view is given), for most businesses the owners are the stockholders so now you are saying they are the evil ones. got it. lots of accusations -- they have no reason or obligation to share their wealth with the workers or provide them with decent wages and benefits? examples please or is this just the same old talking point?

share the wealth? how? take all revenue and divide by the number of employees? regardless of contribution, risk and investment??

no place is there a qualification that about owners

Go find somewhere else to split hairs!

From my original comment;

These are the same two jokers who have called the upcoming election; ‘The mother of all Wars’ – will they also be supplying the tea baggers the necessary equipment for the battle other besides obscene amount of $$$?

Pretty crystal clear if you ask me...

Again, your silence on the Brothers Grimm selling equipment to Iran is deafening... lol

Alan, you forgot to mention that Obama has deported THOUSANDS of illegal aliens. That's a positive for the nation so naturally a negative to libs. They don't like to bring it up because they're embarrassed about how they spent years calling anyone against illegal immigration a "facist."

David,

from TACTICS FOR EFFECTIVE CONSERVATIVE BLOGGING By Karl Rove

Engage Demand an elaborate, time-consuming comparison / analysis between your position and theirs. Entangle Insist that the Liberal put their posts in their own words. That will consume the most time and effort for the Liberal poster.

They will be unable to spread numerous points on numerous blogs if you have them occupied. Allowing a Liberal to post a web link is too quick and efficient for them. Tie them up. We are going for delay of game here. Demoralize Dismiss their narrative as rubbish immediately.
Do not even read it. Once the Liberal goes through the trouble to research, gather, collate, compose and write their narrative your job is to discredit it. Make it obvious you tossed their labor-intensive narrative aside like garbage. This will have the effect of demoralizing the Liberal poster.
It will make them unwilling to expend the effort again, and for us, that is a net win for us.

@David and Pen

Just for starters. We are not at war in Afghanistan.

What do you call it? A kinetic action? Well a kid who used to play with my kids came back from there with no legs in July, he's still in Bethesda, so pardon me if I consider it a war and I hold Bush and Obama responsible.

President Obama did not start a war in Libya.

True, but he had a choice as whether to involve American Armed forces, which he did.

The "stimulus" to which you refer did not cost one-trillion dollars. The approximate amount is 787-billion-dollars.

The most recent figures from the Congressional Budget Office, released in August 2010, put the total cost for the stimulus -- from February 2009 through 2019 -- at $814 billion. (Politifact) So I'll accept I overstated the amount if you can point me to the consensus that thinks it worked, because it's main author Christina Romer admits that it didn't hit it's objectives.

Perhaps you'll enlighten me on the subject of the passage of the health insurance reform bill. How did it pass against the will of the majority? The passage of the bill - I know this is confusing - requires a majority vote. IT PASSED, ALAN.

Yes it passed by a majority of elected representatives at that time. However, it has never enjoyed a majority support in the country if we believe the polling data (you can ignore that if you want because it doesn't fit your narrative).

To what entitlements do you refer?

Being obtuse now. SS and medicare which by consensus have huge unfunded liabilities and will need to be restructured. To quote Dr Howard Dean from this very morning, Medicare will have to change from being a Fee for Service program.

Yes, he extended the income tax rate cuts. That was the price of compromise. You should know that too.

Yes he did compromise. But I have the right to disagree with his decision and use that in my decision as to whether he deserves re-election.

Willful ignorance is very unseemly.

Yes it is and you should stop displaying it because your assertion that there is coherent arguments against the current Administration is willfully ignorant and illogical.

James --

no place is there a qualification that about owners,

Too little, too late, James. Corporatists always say they're entitled to hoard all the money, and not required to pay their employees decently or provide them with benefits, because they make the investments and the decisions and take all the risks.

In fact, you appear to be saying it again.

share the wealth? how? take all revenue and divide by the number of employees? regardless of contribution, risk and investment??

As if all those people who toil every day to make the products and provide services never take any risks and are merely fungibles, whose lives and wellbeing have no value, and if they lose their jobs, so what?

Very well, then, have it your way. If corporatists are entitled to keep all the money because they make the decisions and take all the risks, then let THEM take the risks of criminal prosecution for the decisions they make. And leave the workers out of it.

If Koch Industries is a corporate person, then -- as some would say -- man-up, and accept responsibility.

@Backhouse

from TACTICS FOR EFFECTIVE CONSERVATIVE BLOGGING By Karl Rove

Of course this document does not exist and is in fact a research paper by

Art Silverblatt

Jane Squier Bruns

Gina Jensen

Art Silverblatt, Ph.D

Department of Communications and Journalism

Webster University

470 E. LockwoodSt. Louis, Mo. 631193

140968-6925

silveram@webster.edu

Art Silverblatt, Ph.D is Professor of Communications and Journalism at Webster University, St. Louis, Missouri. Jane Squier Bruns was co-founder and Vice President of the Communications Company,one of the leading political media-consulting firms in Washington, DC. Her firstcampaign was the Hubert Humphrey presidential election in 1968. Gina Jensen is Instructor of Oral Communications at Webster University, St. Louis, Missouri

www.webster.edu/medialiteracy/journal/FINALKARLROVE.pdf

You guys are too funny. Now you have to make stuff.

Good post Backhouse. Let's keep repeating what the paid trolls are trying to do. Ignore their requests, just keep posting the facts, pay no attention to the man behind the curtain. By the way it's Karl Rove.

I'm glad someone broached the subject of Koch Industries employees, actually. There are a lot fewer employees there than there were a few short years ago. Meanwhile the fortunes of the owners exploded.

So much for the myth of the "job creators."

fq -- split hairs? ok, cannot answer. understood.

koch and iran -- Koch Industries may not have violated the law if no U.S. people or company divisions facilitated trades with Iran, says Avi Jorisch, a Treasury Department policy adviser from 2005 to 2008.

guess you got it a bit incorrect. nothing illegal.

more stuff about them -- Koch Industries has donated millions of dollars to the Nature Conservancy, the Red Cross, the Salvation Army and victims of the March 11 earthquake and tsunami in Japan.

and just think of these nasty products they sell -- The most visible part of Koch Industries is its consumer brands, including Lycra fiber and Stainmaster carpet. Georgia- Pacific LLC, which Koch owns, makes Dixie cups, Brawny paper towels and Quilted Northern bath tissue.

Damage123

The lefties are indeed grasping for straws. Trying to screw Perry with a BS story about a rock painted with a word that Beverly says isn't offensive to Blacks. Fond memories of their trumped up "Macaca" assaults on George Allen.

Damage, STOP your lies. I never said the "N" word was not offensive to Black. I acknowledged that from time to word is used in my family. I also said it is a black thing you would not understand.

So let me be perfectly clear to you; blockhead.

We try to use the word as sparingly as possible. It has very negative connotations. We don't want our children to grow up with. I said the word had been around seen slavery . When I said it was a endearment that is because during slavery the plantation owners used the term as a sign of possession; consequently, the slaves mocked this thought of a human being thinking they could own another. Hence you are my----- became a joke and term of endearment.

The way Perry's rock depicted it was insulting; especially, in the heart of the south considering it's past and present day history!!!

I would never call another race any offensive term such as redneck because I know the consequences of its sting.

You on the other hand, blockhead, have no idea what bigotry is as evidenced by your posts

in james world of absolutes:

Koch industries MAY not have violated the law

vs

...nothing illegal

mighty big if, skiffy. let's see what the 'judge's ruling' says,...oh wait,...Koch has a judge in his pocket? Well, I never.

Sarcasm, meet james and his dithering 'rationalization' for all things Koch!

Bev, we found us a sucker,...

guess you got it a bit incorrect. nothing illegal

Good grief!

It's difficult to keep up with you when you're bouncing off the walls... lol

Where did I imply it was illegal?

It might be legal but it is most certainly IMMORAL!

PS: Thanks for the list, actually, I already had it and currently boycott ALL of their products!

clara -- and the name of the judge in the pocket is.. or is this just another opinion, which is fine, but it would be intellectually honest to declare it as such.

Damage123

The lefties are indeed grasping for straws. Trying to screw Perry with a BS story about a rock painted with a word that Beverly says isn't offensive to Blacks. Fond memories of their trumped up "Macaca" assaults on George Allen.

Damage,

STOP your lies. I never said the "N" word was not offensive to Black. I acknowledged that from time to time word is used in my family. I also said it is a black thing you would not understand.

So let me be perfectly clear to you; blockhead.

We try to use the word as sparingly as possible. It has very negative connotations. We don't want our children to grow up with it. I said the word had been around seen slavery . When I said it was an endearment that is because during slavery the plantation owners used the term as a sign of possession; consequently, the slaves mocked this thought of a human being thinking they could own another. Hence words such you are my-----, for example, became a joke and term of endearment.

The way Perry's rock depicted it was insulting; especially, in the heart of the south considering it's past and present day history!!!

I would never call another race any offensive term such as redneck because I know the consequences of its sting.

You on the other hand, blockhead, have no idea what bigotry is as evidenced by your posts.

fr -- you did not say illegal, my apologies. see it is not that hard to be civil

have a nice day, will come back when i need some laughs.

Alan, NJ:

You are correct that the health care reform act did not enjoy majority support of the American people, but a good percentage of people disfavored it because it did not go far enough to reform the system - they wanted it to include a public option.

James:

Koch Industries may not have violated the law if no U.S. people or company divisions facilitated trades with Iran, says Avi Jorisch, a Treasury Department policy adviser from 2005 to 2008.

LoL the word "may" seems to play a huge role here.

And you are willing to accept the speculation of a lower-level Treasury Department employee during the Bush administration about something that would have fallen under the jurisdiction of the State Department ...

... why?

(a) Because you couldn't find another, more authoritative, source who would defend Koch Industries' actions?

(b) Because all the other authoritative sources refused to answer on the grounds that the answer might tend to incriminate them?

or

(c) a and b

James -- You miss the point. The fact is they were found in many instances to have broken laws and had to pay out huge sums of money over the decades to those harmed by their neglect and arrogance to assume they are above our laws. Are they the only example of such business practices? No, just look at BP, Transocean and Halliburton in the Gulf spill tragedy. Does not loss of life count in your book as a transgression????

Alan,

This is the link I was given. The thing is it describes EXACTLY what goes on from the GOP contingent that is not interested in anything but tear-down, dumb down, search and destroy.

Will ask around because I really want to know. However, betting it was yourself as got spinned upon.

We shall see......

In the meantime, keep your hair on though.

.

Someone tell me why this whole string has been collapsed. Please.

The collapse cowards are busy little beavers who can't handle the truth...

Feisty – While I don’t mind a congressional investigation into the Koch/Iran situation, shouldn’t Congress first investigate Solyandra? Koch is a private company and the allegations put forth so far at most violated our Iran sanctions and pollution standards.
Solyandra on the other hand has squandered over $500 million of taxpayer money, allowed other investors to be paid back before the American people and was the cornerstone example of “green technology” for the Obama Administration. Emails from the White House released this week show that MOST people in the Department of Energy, the Office of Management and Budget as well as the White House knew just how risky this was. The emails lay out just how embarrassing a bankruptcy could be for President Obama. Sadly, most people within these departments and at the White House were more concerned about the political risk for Obama than the financial risk for the American taxpayer. If Congress should investigate anything, Solyandra and the other “green energy” loans given out in the past 2 years rated even more risky than Solyandra should be top priority and thoroughly researched.

Feisty good to see you are here first bashing everything Republican again.

TripleDogDareYou:

Feisty – While I don't mind a congressional investigation into the Koch/Iran situation, shouldn't Congress first investigate Solyandra? Koch is a private company and the allegations put forth so far at most violated our Iran sanctions and pollution standards.

Seriously? Let them off the hook for violating the law because they're a "private company"?

So is Solyndra. What's your point?

And by the way, pollution standards are one thing, and bad enough at that, but violating our Iran sanctions amounts to treason.

That's why there are sanctions in the first place.

Or doesn't that matter when there's a buck to be made?

Nice set of double standards you've got there, and EXACTLY why we want no corporate capitalists in the White House.

Why not do both? Solyndra and the Koch Brothers and we'll we're at it, Rupert Murdoch and News Corp.

I think we can all support that.

The President will be vindicated and Solyndra, the Koch Brothers and Rupert Murdoch will ball be indicted and if there is any justice in the world, when we are done with them we will have retired the national debt and the Koch brothers can go back to selling Bratwurst in Berlin.

America Held Hostage, day 278

Obama/Biden 2012

Perry is completely un -electable. And I'm a Christian with conservative values... I don't believe in abortion, or that people should get special privleges for being gay... but Noone with his record on race can win an election againsta black candidate... Barack Obama will be re-elected, and by a bigger margin than people think... Especially with the view rising that the Tea party and right wing od th GOP are wanting to defeat Obama more than they want what is best... (Mitch McConnells comments about his top goal of defeating Obama doesn't help..) The anti-tax pledge seems to be held in higher esteem than the loyalty to this nation. The GOP has proclaimed the President an enemy of the GOP. Not a rival.. that may get some fundraising from folks that hate Obama, but won't play in a National election.. (See John Kerry)

Bev,

Those are hard concepts to get across, specially without much knowledge of the other person.

I am with you 150%.

james,

I believe the judges names are Clarence Thomas and Antonin Scalia,...although, with the 'blind' guest lists,...I feel certain there are more; but lesser known.

http://www.kansas.com/2011/01/21/1683876/supreme-court-controversy-over.html

We'll have to wait for the investigations. Since The Repubs have the house, currently, those investigations will be delayed, I am sure.

Anna Molly - did you even read my comment?
I said I wouldn't mind an investigation into Koch and I listed why. So how is that letting them off the hook or a double-standard?

Just because I believe the allegations against Solyandra should be prioritized and investigated FIRST doesn't mean I think Koch should not be investigated. Quite the contrary.

Seriously? Let them off the hook for violating the law because they're a "private company"?
So is Solyndra. What's your point?

Again, I'm not letting Koch off the hook. The allegations against them are serious if true.
But with Solyandra, we already have significant evidence proving wrongdoing. Remember, Solyandra used TAXPAYER money and has now gone bankrupt so we can't even collect from them. They may have been a private company, but they received over 5 times the amount of their highest annual revenue in the form of loans from us taxpayers so close to 90% of their operating capital in 2010 was taxpayer money. Money we will never get back. The investigation should also focus on what our government knew and when.

The allegations against Koch Industries are very similar to GE, who used subsidiary companies for years in the 2000's to get around Iran sanctions. GE was never investigated by Congress so why the double-standard for Koch?
Heck the CEO that oversaw GE circumventing Iran sanctions is now President Obama's job czar. Talk about double-standards.

We will not be taken by another country Odumba will give us away.I am a Democrat who is fed up with him and you bleeding heart lib's.

ittdy,

New technologies need $dosh to get going on a new research idea.

Imagine how many new companies were formed before Apple-style computer took off.

If we had not taken those risks, we would not be writing to each other right now, because I do not know u.

Risks in business do not always work out. Research ideas do not always work out. There are countless ideas out there that can lift America, now 17th in the world in Infrastructure, up.

China is investing $billions in green and new techs.

I for one, do not want to go back to Pony Express with bad roads, bridges, postal services, R. Governors refusing cash to build railroads. Do u?

This here 2011. In twenty years will be 2031. After another twenty will be 2051. Our kids will be pretty ancient then. We might be dead.

If we do not self-destruct tot-ally the USA might still be here.

END.

Food for thought: Speaker Boehner told his fellow Congress persons and of course all of his fellow Americans that President Obama simply couldn't expect to get everything he asked for in his guidelines for a proposed jobs bill.

Speakers Boehner also told us recently that he got 98% of what he wanted following passage of the odious - and unnecessary - debt limit fight. 98%, folks.

I'll bet President Obama would be more than happy to take 98% of what he has asked.

What do you say, John? Sauce for the goose, eh?

Good point, DW. At this point it would be nice if Republicans in the House would at least agree to debate the bill. Apparently Conservatives are so uncomfortable with the American Jobs Act they're afraid to debate it in public.

The last thing republicans want now is a jobs bill. Got to keep the economy in the crapper for another 13 months so that even their stupid ideas that didn't work under the previous administration would look good when they bring them around for a second time.

Better to rule in hell than to serve in heaven there repubs?

The Ron Paul 2012 Presidential Campaign announced today that it has raised more than $8 million in the third quarter from more than 100,000 unique donors – more than five times the number of total donors to the campaign of Texas Governor Rick Perry.

http://www.ronpaul2012.com/2011/10/05/ron-paul-campaign-raises-more-than-8-million-in-q3/

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1011/65219.html

The news media sure like pushing the "pay for play" American political game. The way the media see's the strength of a candidate is the measurement of money the candidate has to spend on an election. Seems to imply political office can only be gained in this country through various bribe's and purchases by those who have the money to spend on such things. The candidate's fitness, character, and qualifications are ancillary to money amounts. Hmmmm, where is most of this money spent? Perry really isn't worth a damn, yet he has so much money he could become "chief angel"????

The GOP has brought "beyond ugly" to american politics. Romney asks for civility from his own party because of Perry's religious extremists. What does he expect? The republicans have shown no decency, civility or honor towards the president, why would they show any to one another? Poor ol Mitt will just have to live with it because this next year is going to be the same as the last 3, "beyond ugly".

IR,

that was a very predicative video of FDR warning about the insipid, greedy Republicans of today.

Thanks, IR.

This bogus "class warfare" claim is "fine whining," indeed.

I would not get so excited about the results of the Fox poll- there aren't that many people paying attention to the message. Moreover, whether they think he's trying to "bring the country together" or to "divide and conquer", matters very little-

They don't approve of the job he's doing, no matter what rhetoric he uses.

Once again, First Read does an article about a poll, and leaves out salient facts- the Q poll showed that, by 54% to 42%, people DO NOT believe Obama should be reelected.

He's left an unfavorable impression on 53% of people, while just 42% view him favorably.

Lousy numbers for any politician- dreadful for an incumbent seeking reelection.

The latest Solyndra revelation will only cement in people's minds that Obama is out to lunch on reality- warned by his own big dollar donor, an administrator of the Dollars for Donors program, that a visit to that sinking ship was a bad idea, and that, if he had to go, he should play down the company's prospects, Obama did what he wanted to do- making himself look the fool he is. That's what happens when you're convinced you know more about anything and everything than anyone else ever born.

Well, he'll always have the loyalty of the Treehouse Klub Kids, including the adjunct members on the payroll of this site.

There are what, 50 of you?

That's how many votes he can count on.

IR, thanks for sharing that information. Your added thoughts, as always, are terrific.

I've been enjoying the Ken Burns documentary on Prohibition this week. There are so many similarities to what happened then and what is happening today. While the subject matter may be different, the conservative intent to legislate morality continues its relentless march.

Ah I see we are trying to revieve the Poll Dancing career there Nojo. Don't worry Dearie they'll come out with one that has a better tune to dance to next week and your tips will pick up.

There are what, 50 of you?

@NJNB,

You will never know until November 2012...

Just keep dreaming... :)

Hi Jody--I have also been watching the program on Prohibition. It is amazing how history keeps repeating itself--thanks to those folks who don't study it and would rather believe some revisionist claptrap than research for themselves! I am taking this as an opportunity to do some research myself. Seems as though the history I learned in school bears little resemblance to what actually happened! If we don't take lessons from what has gone before, we are doomed to repeat--and that is exactly what is happening now!

"We have met the enemy and he is us!" Pogo by Walt Kelly

Feisty Redhead Roselle, IL

Well…well…well… the hits just keep on rolling with these traitors…

The iniquitous Koch Brothers have no ethical dilemma whatsoever becoming even richer off Iran!

Bloomberg News is reporting that Koch Industries benefited from bribes to win business and sold millions of dollars of equipment to the Iranian regime which is known for their sponsorship of terrorism and calls of "death to America."

These are the same two jokers who have called the upcoming election; ‘The mother of all Wars’ –

GF,

These filthy monsters are destroying this planet and America. They even paid bribes to win contracts in southern France. I think secret Iran sales is worth an investigation?

Why doesn't FOX and Rupert Murdoch talk about an investigation for treason?

Maybe, Roger Ailes is held up in his office bunker looking for the right spin before his FOX MINIONS can try to defend these traitors.

Boehnor and McChinless may want to preface their statements with "the American people want... J-O-B-S not nukes.

Champagne Time @ Occupy Wall Street Protest probably won't be so delightful now that the Kochs are exposed more and more.

I have also been watching the program on Prohibition

Good Morning Nurse!

If you get HBO - I would highly recommend you check out Boardwalk Empire...

Jody, the events described in "Prohibition" were absolutely eery, weren't they? The politics of the time were described in matter-of-fact terms, but clearly show Republicans practicing the same dirty politics that are so much in evidence now.

I was particularly disgusted by the government attorney who wasn't against drinking but became a dramatic and effective defender of Prohibition because it financed her job. She used her office to torpedo Al Smith's presidential run, expecting to be appointed Attorney General as a reward from Hoover. When that didn't happen she quit and went to work for the WET side...She would have fit in perfectly with today's Republican Party.

The series on "Prohibition" should serve as a reminder that corruption prevails.

If all that you gleaned from the series was partisan political rhetoric, then you missed the lessons of history.

I guess you all missed the point that the majority of America was for "Prohibition."

Greed and corruption throughout the government kept Prohibition from succeeding.

Criminals bought off the government for their GREED.

Sound familiar?

The "dry" counties today, mostly in the South, are no longer staying "dry". Most of these communities had a change of heart when the economic crisis hit. One religious woman, a staunch advocate against alcohol, said she changed her views and recently opened up a liquor store in her neighborhood when her community dropped the ban on alcohol. I only caught part of the "Prohibition" program but it was fascinating.

Disabled Voter:

The clear lesson of history is that human beings love their drugs. Get a grip.

David:

That's what I said. Corruption!

Can't argue the drug issue other than for a whole lot of Greedy people, Money is their drug of choice.

Have you ever known a person to get high off of a big WIN?

Some people get high on Money and Power!

quoting the post about what American's think, and you call that credible?

Well, as a matter of fact it IS a good point that Americans voted for Dry candidates while drinking...even Dry candidates who were known drinkers. The American people have a tendency to buy a "morals" line, even one to which they don't fully subscribe. The series summed it up best with a quote from Will Rogers;

"Oklahomans will continue to vote Dry as long as they can stagger to the polls to do so."

Perry never was the people's choice.

Perry was nominated by the media, who then proceeded to tear him to pieces for the sake of generating news. Was this a setup for Perry, who was too stupid to realize what was happening?

The Ron Paul 2012 Presidential Campaign announced today that it has raised more than $8 million in the third quarter from more than 100,000 unique donors – more than five times the number of total donors to the campaign of Texas Governor Rick Perry.

http://www.ronpaul2012.com/2011/10/05/ron-paul-campaign-raises-more-than-8-million-in-q3/

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1011/65219.html

Good news for Dr. Paul.

You're right, GM.

The West Virginia governor's race did not turn out to be a referendum on President Obama.

Good thing, eh?

The Democrat won by 3...in spite of the fact that President Obama's job approval numbers in West Virginia are 28% approve, 63% disapprove.

28%!

Well said, Gingerbread Mamma. We seem to be on the same page this morning!

Gingerbread: It is the responsibility of the media to propogate a close race - their responsibility to their advertising department. A significant amount of the money necessary to run for office goes towards buying media time. Nobody watches a game that has a 40 point spread going into the fourth quarter and I would love to see the statistics that have the teams miraculously pulling to within 4 points before "we cut to commercial before the start of the fourth."

So, anything the media can do to create a tight race will be done at the risk of the public sorting it all out correctly and making a wise, informed decision on the eve of the election. The problem, of course, is the risk.

Polls are touted that are based on a sample audience. Poll results that don't create a wedge are seldom quoted.

Ask a man-on-the-street if we should pull out of Afghanistan and he will record an answer to the pollster; ask if he can point to Afghanistan on a map and you might not get a correct response.

Ask a man-on-the-street about his thoughts on the economy and you will get an opinion; ask him to explain Q-3 and he might point to Afghanistan.

In this election cycle, we are more polarized than ever before. Viewers who only watch Fox or MSNBC are not informed, they are indoctrinated. Both these channels- and most others - ARE in the business of inflaming and selling media time rather than reporting facts.

You hit the nail squarely on the head GingerBread Mamma.

Right Mixed Bag it was within the margin of area wasn't it.LMAO. It wasn't a poll bag boy it was an election it was final. You're getting to caught up in the tea people GOP republican talking points, you're not even using them in the right context.

Thanks Gingerbread M for making all these points.

What to think and when and in what order is coming at us all the time. Hard to imagine what it's like to be President of the USA in that environment ~ the 24/7 moment-to-moment is a zillion times crazier in 2011.

Belfast,

"It is the responsibility of the media to propogate a close race", you say.

"anything the media can do to create a tight race..." you say, "a game".

Then you say viewers are polarized, indoctrinated, by channels selling media spin over facts.

Sounds like you're a betting man who enjoys the spectate and criticizing the ol' referee. Channels beholden to their sponsors create a horse race for their benefit, not ours. We know and look what it does to the facts, the facts, the facts.

WE have an urgent desperate need for an informed and American people. So we can create a pathway to the future together, and not divided and pitted as never before by corporate interests.

The clock really is ticking away from us now.

Anyone ever seen "Backwash" and "Supposed Disabled Navy Guy" in the same room?

Who asks?

Damage123 is lost today, all his talking points have been taken away from him. He has nothing to say but garbage.

Mo-1852032

Damage123 is lost today, all his talking points have been taken away from him. He has nothing to say but garbage.

Mo,

Damage is a blockhead and spews garbaged right wing lies not just today; but daily.

Backhouse

Thanks Gingerbread M for making all these points.

Then you say viewers are polarized, indoctrinated, by channels selling media spin over facts.

Backhouse

I've been saying the MSM is in the pockets of the corrupt, multinational, corporations on several occasions. How else can they pay their bills?

I enjoy reading you comments. It is so refreshing to have an intelligent, thought provoking, factual voice; and it heightens the level of discussion.

Thank you

Backhouse:

You might want to re-read my post because I believe you and I are in agreement.

- And, I seldom bet on anything. I don't like the money based political process any more than I suspect you do.

Belfast, If so, apologies. It's good we all here have a few braincells left to tell the story!

Gosh, Bev+++

You've been whirling up a storm your own self today! ++++

"...margin of area...", Mo?

"MARGIN OF AREA"...?

Oh my.

Count your blessings that dangerfield didn't see THAT, Mo.

Anyway...

Were you talking about the "margin of area", AM?

That's a completely different discussion, isn't it?

lol

Excellent post Jody!

The selective way that the "news" is reported in this country just highlights the fact that the "free press" is actually a wholly owned subsidiary of the "corporate people", leading the American people from one distraction to another, and hoping like hell that we don't notice and something crazy like occupying Wall Street! :o)

@Jody -- I agree with you on one point. The media is now not so liberal (except for the tards on in the afternoon and evening on MSNBC). The once awe struck media has now begun to see through the shallowness of the administration; his in ability to lead; his inability to get his head out of his a$$; his arrogant attitude; his ineptness.

So, the total lack of reporting on Obama's voting record in the U.S. senate, which revealed him to be the most liberal member of that body, thereby enabling Obama to run a walking, talking lie of a campaign as a "pragmatic centrist" was a mere oversight on the part of the media?

How about this site? Two days in a row, we get stories on polls- that leave out Obama's upside down approvals and reelect number. Did they just run out of space?

How much coverage have you seen on Solyndra? Evergreen? Tesla? Fisker Automobile? Or any of the other Dollars for Donors recipients?

How much coverage haven you seen on Fast and Furious?

Not reporting is lying by omission. Professional journalists are supposed to avoid that- it's kind of like a code.

Both Pew and Gallup have done extensive surveys on people's faith in the media- and both found that the vast majority SEE the liberal bias- and distrust the media for it.

You can tell yourself that Obama's upside down numbers are because the media are unfairly portraying him as a failure- but the facts- GDP, Unemployment, foreign policy failures, and corruption- are there for all to see.

Obama did not need any help to fail- and he has only himself to blame. That's what happens when the voices in your head tell you that you are right, everyone else is wrong, and policies that failed in the past will surely work this time, because, after all, you are behind them!

It's a bad idea to put a narcissist in charge of anything.

Ray:

You got all the talking points into one sentence . . . pretty awesome . . . has the teleprompter talking point been retired? That was my favorite . . . that and the "dithering" thing . . . boy, President Obama has dithered the hell out of some terrorists, eh? lol

@Nash -- Actually the president has done an excellent job on the war on terror. No argument there. And yes, I like to be concise. LOL.

Quick question for you -- If it was President Bush approving the drone strikes where we know that innocents are killed as collateral damage and a known terrorist -- but American citizen -- was assassinated without a trial by a drone before conviction -- would you approve of his actions?

It’s such a shame in what the Radical Right and Big Business are doing to America and our Citizens. What is sad are the marching orders Big Business is given to this Radical Right supporters who are just being played.

The big shots pick a target, give the order and suddenly the FOX News folks and the Radical Right radio shows jump on board and the issue at hand is demonized.

Oh just wait, the Radical Right will spin the spin and the little foot solders will suddenly be taking up the fight and the Radical Rights target list will grow again in demonizing yet another target that the Radical Right and Big Business Bosses, want placed in the cross hairs.

It’s a fact that these little Radical Right foot solders don’t think for themselves but instead follow in the same pattern of believing anything these bosses tell them.

Just wait and see.

Ray,

I like to be concise as well: yes.

The problem I had with President Bush was not so much his tactics, as the fact that his strategies didn't work, bankrupted the country, weakened our moral authority in the world, killed and maimed thousands of folks, and ultimately created more problems than it solved.

I accepted long ago that life ain't fair and that sh!t happens, but if you are going to use gangster justice, you can't be an inept gangster, ya know?

@Nash -- I believe the same about Obama but I am willing to give him credit when due. So the answer to my question is . . . . . ???????

If it was President Bush approving the drone strikes where we know that innocents are killed as collateral damage and a known terrorist -- but American citizen -- was assassinated without a trial by a drone before conviction -- would you approve of his actions?

Ray, I lived through the 2007 and 2008 presidential campaign, watched the media nitpick every word President Obama said as well as what was said about others. The weeks of the loop of Rev Wright's cherry picked sermon; the clinging to guns and bibles nonstop for days. There was also criticism of Hillary Clinton and the others. Do not claim that the media was in Obama's pocket; the media reported what was going on in America. It was not the media who went to his campaign rallies by the thousands, it was citizens. The media had to report that because it could not be ignored. They also reported on McCain, criticized him; Palin, criticized her; they gave equal coverage of the leading candidates and equal criticism. But don't forget that was on stations devoted to politics and news and elections are always been draws.

You also failed to acknowledge my comment recognizing that right/left leaning entertainment TV is what cable is about. Most of those shows begin around 5 PM Eastern. They are for the entertainment and at the discretion of the viewing public. The news, however, is another story completely. We are forced fed only what the media wants us to know and too often, the Corporate owned masters are dictating what is to be fed. For example, the next evening news cast after Christie's speech at the Reagan Library, Chuck Todd eagerly reported that Christie had left the door open to running; he showed a clip of the lady urging Christie to run and Christie's answer except he left out Christie's final words--that's not reason enough for me to do it--thus providing viewers with the notion that Christie would run.

In addition to demanding fairness for the 99% of us who are not millionaires, that Main Street be treated fairly, it is critical to demand accuracy and facts in the news.

Quick question for you -- If it was President Bush approving the drone strikes where we know that innocents are killed as collateral damage and a known terrorist -- but American citizen -- was assassinated without a trial by a drone before conviction -- would you approve of his actions?

I'll tell you Nash I am uncomfortable with the precedents that has been set. I was never happy with drone attacks that take out civilians as I don't see the moral difference between that and a car bomb, that a terrorist could claim was aimed at a military or political target. In fact drone attacks almost legitimize the 9/11 attack on the Pentagon. Similarly, the current Administration has pushed the envelope further through their claims in Libya and by the targeting and execution of an American citizen. I don't know what the answer is but to me it does not feel right.

Ray:

Reading is fundamental . . .

I like to be concise as well: yes.

To make it even clearer . . . the answer to your question is Y-E-S I would have and DID support President Bush's efforts to retaliate against those who made 9-11 possible.

However, it is difficult to maintain support for someone who lies to your face, squanders your money, and then laughs about it all over a game of golf, ya know?

I don't think foreign policy is a game to play politics with . . . I always supported President Bush's objectives, I always wanted us to be successful in every military operation we undertook . . . even misguided Iraq . . . but the simple fact was, the Bush/Cheny Administration did a bad job smugly.

That's just sad for everyone involved.

Part of the problem is that only those of us who are old enough to remember Walter Cronkite have a basis for comparison. We can watch what passes for "news" these days and filter out the crap. Those younger than we have no such filter.

Ray. You have a right to your opinion but always make sure it is your opinion. Most of us posting here are of one political view or the other. We come here to debate and discuss, to agree and disagree. The difference is whether or not we look at the facts to make our point instead of spouting platitudes provided to us. While you are entitled to your opinion, your comment shows a complete disrespect of our President and tells me you believe what you choose to believe and nothing more. I do not believe everything democrats say; do not agree with everything they or President Obama says or does but I always remember that whoever the CIC is, that person represents ALL Americans not just me, not just my political views. There was a time when Congressional legislators believed that, too, and worked to find common ground for the good of all instead of spending their time obstructing progress and campaigning for the next election.

Job1, terrific additional thoughts to my own.

MKM, true. I'm old enough to remember Walter Cronkhite when news was news and opinions were not included.

Alan,

I completely understand how you feel and you are right. I am not saying I like it. I am not saying that it is wonderful to kill folks with drone planes. What I am saying is that the Commander in Chief of the United States of America is tasked with doing what it takes to keep this country safe. When your opponent is not a country, but a few delusional jacka$$es working the system, you either adapt or lose.

That's just the simple truth . . . its a brutal world out here . . . and I think there are lots of opportunities for these policies to be abused . . . but there are no good choices. . . perhaps if we can find a way to more equitably distribute the world's resources, we would not have so many desperate folks doing desperate things in the first place. . . just a thought.

no joe, no bo, nj

So, the total lack of reporting on Obama's voting record in the U.S. senate, which revealed him to be the most liberal member of that body, thereby enabling Obama to run a walking, talking lie of a campaign as a "pragmatic centrist"was a mere oversight on the part of the media?

no jo,

WTH are you babbling about? Your governor is a walking red meat market of contradictions.

I think with the connection to Bernie Maddow perhaps as a lobbyist Gov Chris Christie worked to remove securities fraud from a consumer fraud act on behalf of an organization run by Bernie Madoff.

http://crooksandliars.com/susie-madrak/former-wall-st-lobbyist-chris-christi

============================================================================
I'm thinking despite all the big money that would have backed him during the campaign, the mob affiliation and Bernie Maddow would have hurt him; particularly with most Americans waking up, finally, setting a new tone to "mad as hell" by being upset with Street Bandits.

You never answered my question from yesterday. Did he pay the feds back the money?

Papers say the teachers and police call him a liar and a tease.

http://obamadiary.files.wordpress.com/2011/10/ta111004.gif?w=500&h=335

@Nash

As you say no good choices.

However, and how you do this with out being political I don't know, I think there should be a review of these policies to see if we can maybe walk some of them back. What partisans don't realize is when they support "their" guy in some of these actions, then the next President who may not be "their" guy merely has to point to their predecessor as justification. I do think it's time for congress to get their collective head out their ass and put some limits on the executive.

I don't trust any of them except maybe Ron Paul because he speaks what he really believes; trouble is I think his views are unrealistic. Pure ideology is roadmap to failure. We only have the failed USSR, Hitler in Germany as proof that extreme ideas, left or right, in any form are disastrous.

True. It is laughable when Mitt Romney says he isn't like the others; he's not a politician, he's a business man. If he weren't a politician, he would not have been Governor of Massachusetts or run for Ted Kennedy's senate seat.

Nashville_fan

Good morning ya'll. . .

Guess what?

President Obama did an interview with a local Nashville reporter!

http://www.newschannel5.com/story/15587020/exclusive-newschannel-5-interviews-president-obama

Does this mean that President Obama is making a play for Tennessee?

I sure hope so . . . YES WE CAN! :o)

Good morning Nash,

Thank you for the link and your positivity, wit, and seriousness. I'm always inspired when I read your posts.

Yes we can and yes we can do more

Obama/Biden 2012

http://ametia.files.wordpress.com/2011/05/obama-biden-2012.jpg

Thanks for the kind words Bev . . . made my day! :o)

The teabaggers / republicans are extremely gullible. They believe anything they are told by the Right Wing Propaganda Machine.

Tell a republican to his face that George W. Bush enacted the exact policies that the GOP is currently advocating and that there was a steady decline in employment during his entire adminstration. They will have NOTHING to say. However, they will continue to believe that these policies work.

That is the very reason I think that Perry will be the nominee. The republicans have never wanted Romney and after all the tea party rallies and the signs they carried, I can't see them picking Cain.

The tea party would rather holds it nose and vote for Perry than hold their nose and vote for Romney as their candidate.

I have been predicting Perry for a couple weeks now, it will be fun to watch and see what happens.

Well said, Sparticas.

We read it here everyday, conservatives buying the notion that asking millionaires to pay another 4.6% in taxes to help the country economically and to move everyone forward is class warfare. Now if President Obama and democrats said they planned to raise those millionaires taxes to 90% as it was under Eisenhower, that might make sense but ranting against a 39.6% high end tax bracket (when most will not pay anywhere near that) is the equivalent of buying a rusted out car with no engine and calling it a new Cadillac.

*** Don’t count out Perry: After a string of solid debate performances, after being largely outside the intense glare of the presidential spotlight.....What?

Does this statement mean if Perry were to become POTUS that he would stay outside of the Presidential spotlight?

How do you stay outside of the Presidential spotlight when you president? Bush had Cheney so who will be holding down the Fort for Perry?

Actually, George W. Bush was smarter than Perry. Bush was smart, he was simply incurious and didn't care to get into anything detailed--a dangerous combination. Perry is scarey because underneath that perfect hair is someone who is not smart, is incurious and is nothing more than a corporate backed robot.

When I was a small child I saw a scary clown at the circus. might have been MB

Jody---I would add that the "play for pay" stories that I've heard imply that personal financial gain is a strong motivating factor for Perry. Remember---he can't be bought for $5,000. I never thought that of Bush.

Wow . . . it's official . . . OccupyWallStreet can no longer be ignored . . . even by Damage . . . love it! :o)

The great news is, "OccupyWall St" will surely meet the same fate as other lefty "movements." It's lack of a coherent message/demand, it's population of unsavory, stinky, radical, obnoxious professional gripers, and all-round unattractiveness will cause it's collapse.

I am not a wealthy person, I have saved up 1,000 dollars by denying my children a vacation trip . I am going to donate that to the fund to defeat Obama. We will go another summer without a vacation to be able to contribute more.

Benny - you & the dead beat daddy Joe Walsh should get together and swap Father of the Year tips! lol

Feisty,

Sure makes one wonder WHY some schill for the Corporate Master? Sounds like another Joe (I might be a plumber and I might buy a business and I might make it rich someday) defense strategy. Odds are,...most Americans would do better worrying about where they are RIGHT now in life and not focus so much on what the tax climate MIGHT be like should they strike it BIG.

But I guess I am just pragmatic that way. I can assure you,...the withholding of vacations is probably NOT creating little mini damages that will toe the party line because, well, daddy said so!

Oh well, you can't pick your parents,...or your family for that matter.

Geez, Damage, what a description of the many Tea Partyers, and Republicans who are ALSO Occupying Wall Street. Did you miss that part of the report?

Clara, so true. I've never understood the logic of not favoring tax increases on millionaires because someday I might be one. Even old Joe the Plumber later admitted that President Obama was right in what he said that day Joe became a star.

I never understood the logic of "punish the millionaires because I'm not one and never will be." It's pathetic, really. I don't expect the the rich guy down the street from me with the huge house to buy me a new lawnmower when I need one. I don't expect him to give me one of his cars because he has four and I only have one.

Bono once said: "I love America because in America someone will walk past the house of a rich man and say "some day I'm going to live in that rich man's house"..."In Europe, they walk past the rich man's house and say "someday I'm going to kill that rich bastard." And you people idolize Europe. Go ahead.

Millions of people HAVE worked hard, got rich and successful etc...They're the people who built America. To punish those who want to continue that tradition is un-American.

You're delusional Damage123, it was the middle class that built this nation. With out the middle class the rich wouldn't be where they are.

Damage:

Re. OWS - me thinks you doth protest too much.

Damages, I've noticed a lack of understanding for the unemployed in you. When an economy does worse people lose jobs regardless of if they are hard workers or not. There are many hard working americans who have lost their jobs for reasons beyond their control... its called a recession. The economy has not got better overall since the recession. For whatever reason, you must believe a vast majority of these people don't have jobs by choice. Its sad you are this ignorant. Its a fact that anytime our economy is doing well, there is a STRONG middle class. You can't live the dream if there is no job in the first place. Especially not if you spent years as a hard worker only to have your job taken, quite simply by, the tanking economy. The economy did not tank because people all of the sudden decided they did not want to work anymore. But hey as long as you have money then screw the people who cannot get a job for reasons beyond their control right? As for "punishment", it's not aimed to take away money for anyone that's rich. It's aimed to take money away from the people who where greedy enough to suck so much money out of the economy that it begins to FAIL and continues to FAIL.

Damages' logic reminds me of pirates. "Take what you can. Give nothing back."

Occupy Wal St mantra:

What do we want...? We don't know!!!

When do we want it...? Now!!!

The sad thing is that the ticket you mentioned would defeat Obama. Hell, none of the above would beat Obama.

If none of the above would beat President Obama, then what is your dissatisfaction with the republican hopefuls? Bachmann for president, she is ready for a real conservative to run.

You were hoping that Christie was your none of the above and he said no. The broom handle and the rock that conservatives have been bragging about that could also beat President Obama are also not running.

None of the above would beat President Obama, but do you have any real living people that can beat him?

This is just more of the same crap the conservatives repeated over and over before the 2008 elections and they didn't know what they were talking about that time either.

None of the above would have beaten Bill Clinton and Bush 43 if polls this early in an election were relevant. In fact, John Kerry was ahead the month before until amazingly Osama bin Laden appeared on video and the terror threat level rose. Fear is a major driver for the GOP, they must fear someone or something always.

Right now, voters are looking around just as they always do. Every incumbent president is looked at through the prism of an alternative. As an Obama supporter from the beginning of his campaign, I welcome that scrutiny, welcome the polls that keep things within the margin of error. Nothing worse for the voting process than the idea of a presumptive winner.

IF Palin became president, were are thoroughly screwed.

Benny...you lose......BIG TIME!!!!

The other day I got pissed off. I had to blow off some steam so I gave $500 to the re-election campaign.

Benny - I would suggest you wait for the med cart to arrive prior to making comments on which you know nothing about... ;o)

Your ignorance is showing...

Gotta disagree with you on this one Feisty . . . cleary benny is WELL MEDICATED this fine morning . . . its just that he didn't get much sleep with those communists chasing him and all! ;o)

I am not a wealthy person, I have saved up 1,000 dollars by denying my children a vacation trip . I am going to donate that to the fund to defeat Obama. We will go another summer without a vacation to be able to contribute more.

Benny - you & the dead beat daddy Joe Walsh should get together and swap Father of the Year tips! lol

Mike you are living in la la land and don't have a clue what the occupy wall street movement is about. They want to raise taxes on the richest not protect the rich from any sacrifices at all.

Republicans are all about protecting their rich donors from tax increases. From the signs I have seen the Occupy movement is not about protecting the rich.

With Romney calling the Occupy Wall Street Movement nothing more than class warfare, that is surely going to win their votes. So much for pandering.

The Occupy movement is young. The Tea Party also was very disorganized and had confusing and contradictory messages when it first started out. Give the Occupy movement a chance to mature. Once the message is clarified as preventing the top 1% from having total control of our political system and preventing any real democracy, lots of people will sign on. That's a populist appeal that speaks to most people in America right now, so it could really take off similar to the Tea Party.

If, and that's and "if" that expansion and growth does happen, they will be a very large voting bloc that both parties will be actively wooing. Currently, I'd give this "if" maybe a 25% probability.

My main "if", though, was the mainstream GOP and Tea Party heading for a split ticket, since no candidate can satisfy both and neither wants to give in much. I'd give this "if" more like a 50% probability.

You must be having flashbacks from too much "orange sunshine" or other forms of acid ingested. You are hallucinating.

That's how Obama won, isn't it?

Of course, the media narrative was to regurgitate Obama's talking point that all his money came from little people. That turned out to be a bald faced lie- more than 75% of his donations were big dollar- but the media never corrected that false story.

They did not bother to investigate the claim during the campaign, either. Tell me, have you ever before, in your lifetime, seen a media so besotted with a candidate that they would print, as news, that candidate's talking points?

Their lack of due diligence during the campaign has led directly to Obama's Dollars for Donors program, where his big dollar donors now get tenfold their investment in his campaign- from the taxpayers.

Most of the media ignored that, too. Think it would have happened with a different president?

The one difference I see, this time, is that the electorate is a little more cynical than four years ago. They see what Obama has wrought- and I doubt that they will be swayed by a besotted press corps, yammering about all the little people being parted from their dollars for an unknown quantity masquerading as an able candidate for office.

They want real answers, and will look into the candidate's record.

Obama shelved in 2012.

Real Americans want to put America back to work.

Republicans want to give more tax cuts to the richest. After all the republicans pledged to Norquist to kill America and they can't let Norquist down.

For the love of America Obama 2012

Here is what we need to do:

getmoneyout.com

Believe it or not, there is one common thread on both sides of the political debate and that is we all oppose special interests’ influence on politics and policy decisions. Democrats, Republicans, Tea Partiers, Libertarians, right-wing, left-wing, liberals, conservatives, you name it – they all agree on this one issue. Imagine that!

Do something about it. Go to: getmoneyout.com and sign the petition then pass it along. Be a part of the solution. Support a Constitutional Amendment to ban all political contributions, whether from corporations, political pacs or individuals.

All of us, no matter what our affiliation, need to take back our government.

It's very simple Larry, the right wing wants us to look more like China, low wages, low benefits and a slave to all controlling corporations. The left wants us to look more like Germany the second largest exporter in the world, high wages, good benefits and a high standard of living, which do you want?

Let's see ... Germany's federal corporate tax rate is 15%, no capital gains tax, sales/VAT tax rate of 19%, no payroll taxes. Does that sound like a structure to be proposed by the right or the left?

I don't think the left has any intention of modeling after Germany. If you are looking for a country that has adopted all of the Democratic party's economic policies, it is Cuba.

Right, and we even have a dictator just like Cuba.

The commies are coming, the commies are coming.

Why is it that republicans don't want our country to succeed? Fear factor, is that all you have left? If we are patriotic and raise taxes like Reagan did, then our whole country will go communist?

I'm not a Republican.

Really, I just didn't think it was fair to compare the Dems plans for taxes and the economy to Germany. They are not even similar. Further, if you look at Germany's tax policies, the closes proposal you will find is Herman Caine's plan.

Do you honestly think raising corporate income taxes, increasing capital gains taxes, and increasing payroll taxes, all of which are proposals of the Democratic party, are from Germany's model?

LARRY:;::::::::::::::: Thats an easy one! It is all about the POWER to control The U.S.A.

The Christian Right is not going to vote for Romney, a Mormon! The Christian Right controls the Tea Party, it will have to be Perry!