In our younger days, we always used to say - you wanna bet?!

And generally what we bet were cigarettes. But I gotta say in all honesty, I haven't heard anyone say that in years and years. Since I was about 12 actually.

Romney is strange and out of touch with working Americans. $10,000. My oh my.

He's getting killed over this statement everywhere. Especially in Iowa.

The only thing that could have topped Mitt's "$10,000 bet" gaffe would have been if Newt had matched it, and raised him one of his dozen or so companies. Rich people. Whadda ya ganna do?

Romney might just as well have bet Gingrich a jillion bazillion dollars. He appeared immature and silly. Not presidential material at all.

Romney is on the canvas and the ref is giving him the slow count, one...two...three...

Eh .. $10k .. only the cost of a window in his million dollar La Jolla remodel. Chump Change (emphasis on Chump).

I thought we were supposed to be the country that looked up to people who
through their own achievements were able to make a lot of money. Now it's
bad?

Yep, we'll hear many times about the $10K bet, but we won't hear this:

Not only does Romney give time to charitable causes, but he donates around
14% to charity including: the LDS church, health causes such as cancer research,
etc., and numerous other charities for humanitarian efforts. Additionally, when
he was elected to office, he didnt take pay so the funds could be used elsewhere
to help the state out. He has also said he wouldnt take the $400,000 annual
salary if he was elected president.

Out-played... and sucker-punched to boot.

Money can't buy you love.

@Lindy1014 Wow, you make such a strong argument, lol. Lindy should be in the GOP debates and pull those kind of power-moves like name-calling. She'd probably be just as good as the other opponents.

None of them looked presidential at all.. which is fine w/me. Let Gingrich get the nomination, it will be a landslide victory for Obama

Gingrich and Perry are both jokes... on the American people. If this is the best American politics can offer in a presidential race we are in deep trouble as a nation. Fortunately, we still have President Obama and while far from perfect he looks exceedingly presidential and adult compared to these Republican bafoons!

When Mr. Romney offered his $10,000 bet, I kept expecting him to complete the comment, to make such an ill-advised comment more acceptable by saying that the money would go to charity. But there was nothing! Nada! The silence was deafening.

A $10,000 bet, made flippantly over an issue of pride, without any regard to or understanding of what that amount of money means to 99% of all Americans just shows how out of touch with the voters and the middle class of this country Mr. Romney's vast wealth has put him. He demonstrated on national TV in Prime Time that he has no clue what most Americans are struggling with.

without any regard to or understanding of what that amount of money means to 99% of all Americans just shows how out of touch with the voters and the middle class of this country Mr. Romney's vast wealth has put him...

if a paltry $10K is a lot of money to a person, then that individual is not worth worrying about

Yikes! Clearly, neither has Mr. Genareli... How big is your silver spoon, bubba?

How many have ever said, " bet you a million dollars"? Even when all you had was a few bucks!

I guess ole Mittens will be placing wagers on our Government with other countries given the chance.

What a jerk and so not ready for the POTUS job!

The entire GOP field is a group of duds....and I don't mean Milk!

@dudogger

Tongue-in-cheek my friend, tongue-in-cheek...

One of the stupidest lines of the debates. And that's saying a lot considering Perry's brain farts.

Put the "$10,000 wager" in with "corporations are people too" and file Mittens away. he's done...

Pat really? Whats that hypocrite john forbes kerry worth? You know! The senator from mass who talks about jobs! Has his multi million dollar yacht built overseas! Then docks it in Rhode island instead of ma to avoid sales and excise taxes!

@CommonSenseSarah - The LDS actually requires its members to fork over 10% of their salary. So, according to your figure, that leaves Romney donating 4% of his income which makes him slightly less charitable than the average household with an income > $300K (4.4%).

http://library.generousgiving.org/page.asp?sec=4&page=161

Well, all I have to say on this subject is ...."Mitt what were you thinking?" Obviously, Romney meant the $10,000.00 bet as a joke to counter, Perry's "Texas Handshake" quip. However, Romney lives in a microscope. Primarily due to his faith... People are just itching to find ways to knock him down.. You would have thought Romney would have realized he wouldn't be treated the same, as if "Newt had bet Perry." I understand Romney just wanted to appear more human and normal; however, that "joke bet" will come back to haunt him in the polls, unfortunately... You can "Bet" New Gingrich is enjoying his morning coffee today...

Funny

I thought Gambling was against the Mormon Religion?

LOL

Gee, if Romney said $100 dollar bet, Perry would have accepted just to prove he thought he was right. But $10,000 made Perry eat his words by proving he was unsure about his facts. If you knew you were right and another was wrong, wouldn't you make a ridiculously high bet to either win or shutup the other person? I've done it! As usual, the media has blown this out of proportion.

Uber rich guy casually making a $10,000 bet in the worst economy since the Great Depression. He might as well be Thurston Howell III or Daddy Warbucks. I don't think he could be more cartoonish if he tried...

I think 99.9% of everybody winced when he made that statement....

I just want to know: If they had bet..........would the winner claim it on their taxes?

Gingrich, who can earn $10,000 in an hour, suggested firing school janitors making $26,000 a year to hire kids and save lots of money. Talk about out of touch!

The question is not how much he could beat, the reality is that Perry did not take the beat because what he saidwasn't truth, Romney knew it , even a poor people can say I bet you a million bucks knowing that the truth is in their side. I can see more hypocrisy in this place than anywhere else.

Hank -----don't be silly , what you prefer , kids making money saling drugs or consuming it or doing some work like I did mowing grass or shoveling snow when I was a kid, what happend is thet you are getting lazy like Obama said.

The point at hand was a minor interpretation issue, but Romney's response was inappropriate, childish and reactionary. Not what we want in POTUS. The same characteristics disqualified everyone else on the stage except for possibly Ron Paul. Santorum had a chance until he started sucking up politician style and proved his gullibility. If the hope of the hour was a consistent conservative, Santorum should have the votes. Unfortunately, as it is precisely the policies and beaurocracy created by the Conservatives that has us in this mess in the first place, this whole clown show is for naught good.

Ah...... Common Sense Sarah, would 10% of that 14% charitable contribution you claim Romney makes, be his LDS tithing? That leaves quite a small benefit to the others you mentioned.

Yeah, the bet was silly and childish, kinda like the whole GOP party as of late.

From the start, out of all of the "candidates", Romney has always been the best for the nomination. Is he perfect? Hell no, but better than the rest of the clowns in the circus. In my opinion would have given Obama the best run for his "money".

Look at the other candidates, all lunatics! Don't people see that? Even Ron Paul, while I actually agree with many of his opinions and potential policies, he goes off the wall on others that put him into the same lunatic bin.

And Gingrich, when he first announced his candidacy, he was on Meet the Press. he made statements that made sense, my wife and I looked at each other thinking, "hey, I agree with him", but of course, he had to recant all of what he said, because it didn't follow what the extreme right wants.

Gingrich has his other problems, hypocrisyduring the Clinton fiasco, the ethics thing, the monies accepted while "lobbying", and basically he's sack of sh!t (OK, that's my opinion, but I call em' as I see em').

But in the end, the President is not really the problem, it's the idiots in the House and Congress who will ruin this country in order to try and win the next election. Sure, the Republicans are the ones doing it now, ut how long before all politicians act this way, either party.

We are doomed if this nonsense continues...

@CommonSenseSarah: Do you have a lot of money? If not, do you think you should, as Herman Cain said, blame yourself? A lot of us got a good education and work hard at full time jobs but still don't have a lot of money. And I consider myself lucky in these times to even have a job.

I don't think Romney is evil because he's rich but he seems out of touch. That's great if he gives some of his millions to charity, but we need a president who understands the concerns of the middle and working class. I don't think that he does. He answered "Corporations are people, my friends" when asked about the Citizens United case. Translation: "Corporations are my friends, people".

During the last Great Depression the US had a president who came from a very wealthy family but still fought for the 99% of his day. Romney is no FDR. Obama isn't either--he has good ideas but caves in too easily--but at least he understands the concerns of people like me (and likely you). Despite his imperfections, I'll still take someone who cares over someone who makes callous remarks.

Mitt that was one stupid remark.

Rainman If Obama really understood anything at all about the plight of the average man the white house would not be full of The smarmy harvard theorists and the theives from Goldman Sachs. Have you noticed that everytime there is a financial scandal Goldmans name comes up somewhere along the way?

ssmike,

Don't forget Soros too. He cleaned up the MFin Global mess spendin 2 BILLION gettin one heck of a good discount on it. Just like he profitted by BILLIONS on the Fannie Mae and Freddie Mack. And of course Clinton and Blair got their 50 G a month to Teneco to to tell CORZINE to buy LONG on EURO Bonds. What could be their motivation? Surely a losey 1.2 BIllion lost in someones coat pocket couldn't be it when TRILLIONS are bein given away or lost. LOL!

OWS needs to get their head out of their rectum and figure out Soros' NGO's are financing them. They need to want to JAIL the BANKSTERS AND corrupt Politicians. LOL!

ROTFLMAO!!!!!!

I see the little limp-wristed Libbies panties are all in a bunch about Romney's innocent wager of $10,000 to prove a point.

Of course the Lamestream Liberal media will take this as a "gotchya" moment against the Republicans. Nobody in their right mind actually believe this was a real bet.

I suppose the $10,000 per plate "fundraiser's' that Barrack has are totally acceptable. I'm sure all the poor, disenfranchised and exploited that he loves to abuse in his class warfare and envy, is OK.

Or maybe when Moochelle has a $10,000 fundraiser "photo-op" for Rahm Emanuel in good ole Cheecago it's OK too. I mean those people buying those tickets had to be from the South Side of Chicago right?

HYPOCRITES!

The only thing that could have been more stupid would have been for Perry to accept the bet. Since both men's religions that they flaunt don't approve of gambling.

Whoever posted a person who worries about a $10,000 bet is a loser and not worth worrying about is just about as out of touch with reality as the candidates and is also a liar. Anyone that thinks $10,ooo is nothing would'nt been sitting alone in the dark talk crap on a computer when they had that kind of money at hand.

Anyone who thinks the line about the bet is the main issue of the debate and has nothing else to talk about can go join the above loser. Wake the hell up!! This is all you take from all of the candidates and their speeches??? All the candidates and the President are a bunch of losers. But as far as candidates Gingrich is a thief and a liar, pretty much kicked out of DC because of his worthless work ethic, morals, etc.. THis reprehensible creep is what you people want to lead this country???????? GEEZ people let's just go ahead and hand the country over to china or the terrorists then.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

NOT ONE of the people in that debate is middle class. Not one. A poor person might bet a few bucks. Maybe buy some lotto tickets. A middle class person might bet $20-50 dollars or spend a night a a local casino and spend $200 bucks. They're all rich so any meaningful bet should be a large amount. Having said that who cares? Just more of the smoke screen. We haven't had a truly middle class president since Truman. Every one in that debate has lined their pockets with government money. Even Ron Paul. NOT ONE of them has a non government job AND returns their government salary to the US Treasury NOT ONE. Bachmann has plenty of income streams from the government. She doesn't return the cash she gets for the farm subsidies or for the foster kids. With her income the money she gets from the state for fostering should be put in an a savings account for the kids. Huntsman comes from great wealth. Even sad sack Sanatorium has big money. Gingrich made big money off Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac while they were failing financially. Gingrich says "I am a Reaganite". Remember the deficits under Reagan/Gingrich? I have voted for EVERY GOP candidate for president from Ford to McCain. I will not vote for any of this group. GOP if this is the best you can do. IT WON'T DO.

Devil's son,

So are you voting for Obama? The same you said about the GOP candidates also holds true for Obama. And by the way, Romney never accepted any pay as Governor of Massachusetts. Sure he used the position for a political stepping stone, but many do and take the money to boot.

When someone like you or I who obviously doesn't have a million dollars makes a bet for that amount, we're doing it for hyperbole.

When someone who has $10k for a week's worth of groceries makes the bet, they mean they'll cover that bet. They're doing it because they can.

A little critical thought goes a long way, people.

More than a "Big Mistake;" open wager is expressly forbidden in the Church,,, grounds for excommunication.

Why couldn't Romney just act like an adult and just say "my book makes no mention of this, you should read it". Instead he flaunts his money and reduces the conversation to school yard taunting. What a total bunch of losers the (r)'s are!

ssmike,

RE: your post #1.20

The relevancy of John Kerry in the 2012 Presidential Election, or pre-election debates is........? Perhaps you have news we ALL have not heard about John Kerry running for president in 2012?

'FreedomRingsLoud' wrote:

"ROTFLMAO!!!!!! .....

..... "the little limp-wristed Libbies .....

..... "the Lamestream Liberal media .....

..... "when Moochelle has a $10,000 fundraiser "photo-op" ....

..... "good ole Cheecago"

REPLY: Wow! All of that in a single Newsvine post? If you are over 12-years-old you should really reevaluate your method of communication and the quality of your rhetoric. Juvenile playground insults aren't taken very seriously by grownups.

FreeDUMBStinksLoud...

Your bovine snark against the First Lady sounds like a typical low-IQ dittoheaded, anti-woman comment made from a well-warmed barstool. Remember, pigs don't turn into men when they drink...and you should grow up!

Don't knock the Studebaker! I had a 63 Lark and it ran better than most that America built after 69. Rolls? Eh.... Studebaker actually made good cars.

Ron Paul is a clunker among clunkers! Like what this country needs is libertarian....in 1929, this country didn't Herbert Hoover and that is what Paul is now....that idea that government has no role in directing society is anarchy.

I'd offer up Edsel instead of Studebaker. The Stu had a reputation for not being very attractive, but being solid reliability transportation.

The Edsel on the other hand was the biggest mistake Ford every put on the design boards.

This bar room brawl just crashed through the plate-glass window and into the horse**it-covered street in front of the tavern. And all this started by a tea totaler for heaven's sake!

Ron Paul is delusional if he thinks he could accomplish any of his goals as President. It is not a one man show.

Lol, "with the exception of Ron Paul." He's the biggest fool of the lot! NO schools, NO roads, NO police, NO social security, NO unemployment help, NO drug-free zones, NO clean air and water, NO civil rights or womens rights if your state so chooses, NO air conditioning for our troops in the 130 degree desert. Sound okay to you? Then go ahead and vote for Ron Paul.

To simply bash Studebakers is not only generalization but is representative of automotive bias. It discredits the fact that an innovative auto maker tried and failed in a very competitive market.

So far as the Edsel is concerned, it had push button automatic transmission controls and again, was innovative in a competitive field. The primary reason for the Edsel's downfall was that it looked like a ford sucking on a lemon.

The Rolls Royce corporation was instrumental in defeating the Nazis. See, there is good in all.

You may not prefer a Studebaker but they are cars. Try not to hate Edsels because they too are cars just like the rest, trying to survive in a rough world. You may not agree with their approaches to gear change or aesthetics but that is no reason to hate them all. If not for the Rolls Royces of this world we would lose not only employment but freedom from totalitarianism.

There was this really weird guy who did not live long because of his radical views. He suggested that we should love our enemies. The polarization of American parties will be our undoing.

Ron Paul has some good qualities, especially compared to this clown pile of idiots surrounding him, but he's honestly just too old and past his prime at this point. He will turn 78 in 2013. The US has never seen a president inaugurated while in his 70s at all, and that will not change in January 2013.

WOW Cameron- are trolling? Because you make no sense. Except for Ron Paul, all these candidates are corporate tools and just bickering about fixing symptoms while the only one going after the disease itself is Dr. Paul. Ron Paul is a statesman- the reason why people like you run him down with no facts to back it up is because you consider him a threat. And that is because he makes sense and is working for the good of US citizens. He is focused on America. He isn't in the game for wealth or power. He has never voted to increase his pay.

Youre comment is a lie- Ron Paul is NOT against anything you mentioned- He is against bureaucratic federal control of these things. The government does not know how to spend our money in a way the represents the people, just as the colonists were taxed without representation. Why have Federal AND State regulation? The states can handle the needs of each of their unique residents. The increase in the federal government's scope and size since Bush (supposedly conservative) has blanketed the land. And if Ron Paul is elected the military will be put on the border, building bridges, helping with domestic recovery and rebuilding the industrial infrastructure needed to get manufacturing back in the US. He is the only true consistent conservative. He understands history. He knows what is needed, however inconvenient for some of us, to be done.

Just a bit of info for everyone....

Abc news internet poll at abcnews.com at 10:27pm pacific time

total votes 6145

Rick S. 82

Rick P. 118

Michelle B. 139

Mitt R. 388

Newt G. 667

Dr. Ron P. 4751

by the way, according to ABCnews.com this poll is for entertainment only, and not scintific. HMMMMMM.

Ron Paul aced this debate, Hands down, Nice touch at the end, every candidate giving props to Dr Paul except the Grinch....

Ron Paul 2012

Actually, SS - Obama's the Shelby GT. Better dive back into those mothballs for another 4 years, pal.

RP the Elf will never stand a chance among a petty Rethuglican electorate - they're just too stupid and shallow overall to allow it, dontchaknow...

please dont put obama and ford in the same sentence, its a discrace to the ford

That's stupid. Ford along with GM almost went out of business. How could it be a discrace to a company that nearly tanked. Take your stupid glasses off and wake up and smell the coffee.

JBobbitt:

There is a WORLD of difference between ALMOST failed and WOULD HAVE failed without a Taxpayer BAILOUT!

And, as for many years, the best selling vehicle is the FORD F150 pickup truck (F150 being the latest model).

To the people who say that taxpayers know how to spend their money, you may be right. But then again, can the average citizen pay for an army to protect the nation, find intelligence on hostile nations, manage Social Security, or regulate the economy? No, they can't. Nor can they negotiate trade agreements with foreign nations. Taxpayers may know how to spend their money, but only the GOVERNMENT can use funds to serve society.

OBAMA BIDEN 2012

that idea that government has no role in directing society is anarchy.

Ron Paul does npt believe that government has no role in directing society. The states can go ahead and make as many rules as they want, it's the federal governement that has no role.

And of course the opposite is government attempting to CONTROL society which leads to the friggin mess we're in now.

Backcountry, States Rights was the slogan of the slave holding South for generations and eventually led to the Civil War. Not sure I'd like to relive that part of our history.

If this is the best liberals can come up with, you have a long year ahead of you,and an even longer four years! I can't tell you how many times I've bet a million dollars, whats offensive to me is shovel ready, thats out of touch, and clueless!

@Bruce -848280

Backcountry, States Rights was the slogan of the slave holding South for generations and eventually led to the Civil War. Not sure I'd like to relive that part of our history.

Ummmm, states rights are pretty clearly defined in the Constitution, it's the Tenth Amendment. Slavery has been banned, it's the Thirteenth Amendment, so I think you can stop worrying about its return now. Honesty, what an asinine argument against the 10th Amendment to the Constitution. The First Amendment is used by those a-holes who hold anti-gay protests at military funerals as well as a whole host of other d-bags, do you think we should abandon the First Amendment also? Well?

Without the tenth amendment none of those east coast framers would've signed the constitution. They were definitely against centralist government. A central government is good for foreign affairs, but they can't even secure our borders and you want them to run your life. Maybe if they weren't so busy running everybodies life they could find the resources to do the job they are supposed to.

Rolls Royces are British/German. Screw Paul too then.

The Lord works in mysterious - if not sometimes creepy - ways. I'll bet you a quarter Mitt's out after Iowa.

This goes back to his wife's comment about Mitt being her most disobedient child. I'll bet Romney's campaign manager is giving him quite a spanking right about now.

i diagree

Well, Lindy, you can "diagree" until you are blue in the face but you witnessed history this evening. Yet another Republican hopeful self destructed in a public forum. In fact, let's review the events of the past several months to put this evening's debacle into perspective, shall we?

First, Sarah Palin was going to be the hard charging champion of the Tea Party until she choked on her own foot. Bachmann was hastily recruited to be the figurehead of the TP but she choked on her own foot, too. Then Perry was going to rescue the GOP with his rugged good looks and expensive haircut, but he tragically choked on his own foot Then Cain was going to raise the standard, but he tripped over a few personal scandals and choked on his own foot. Then Perry was going to stage a comeback, but he choked on his own foot, instead. Finally, Romney was widely regarded as being the GOP front runner, but he inexplicably decided to choke on his own foot.

If I were you, Lindy, I would take a class on the Heimlich Maneuver as soon possible because, if history is any gauge, Gingrich is going to be needing your services any day now!

$10,000? Chump change. That's like only a DOLLAR for every mistake the Republicans have made in these debates - so far.

In the next debate he's going to "double-dog dare ya!"

RON PAUL 2012

:)

Yet another Republican hopeful self destructed in a public forum.

Better to let them self destruct in a public forum and learn from their mistakes than have them self destruct AFTER they're in office taking the country down with them as has happened to our current POTUS.

Clearly, none of these losers are going to make it as far as the presidency, Backcountry.

For such a righteous group, they put on the most incredible display of intellectual pornography I've ever seen.

Ron Paul does npt believe that government has no role in directing society. The states can go ahead and make as many rules as they want, it's the federal governement that has no role.

Which puts us right back into the Articles of Confederation.. yea, that worked well.

Applause from Texas Ines.

You know after the 2008 election, during the run up to the obamacare debate and vote, the republicans tried to go to the democrats to help with it. They were told by Ms Pelosi that "We don't need you we have the votes and can do what we please, there is nothing you can do about it so sit down and shut up.

If you have followed politics in the congress for any time, you have to know how strong a declaration of war that was.

You guys want to blame the current gridlock mess on the republicans/tea party when the truth of it is the democrats, namely Ms Pelosi are directly responsible for it...

I can't fault the republicans for a political war that they did not start...

Applause from Oregon, Ines.

If you have followed politics in the congress for any time...

Gosh, Egilman, perhaps you were snoozing during the prior 8 years, when such maneuvers were commonplace amongst all the GOP shills who were busy running our good nation into the ditch over their own greed and ambition. Shame on Pelosi for fighting for the American people. Your lackeys should try that sometime!

P.S. - There was never any 'help' offered...

Bravo Ines. There has been a significant amount of good done by this administration despite the Mitch McConnell approach by congress.

Applause from Atlanta Ines

Applause from Idaho Ines

Applause from California, Ines.

MORE applause from Texas, Ines. Too bad the repubs don't have the common sense to see this....

After the mess the republicans left the country in the last time they were in charge and the trouble they have caused in congress while this office has been trying to repair that damage.

What the fcku are you all talking about? Are you seriously that blinded by your own partisanship? As mentioned by Egliman the Dems had total control for 2 friggin years and what did they do with it? Obamacare and the, ineptly named, "stimulus", BOTH UTTER FAILURES! How did either of those things IN ANY WAY even attempt to "repair that damage"? Anyone?

The REALITY is that Obama is basically George Bush on steroids! Every failed policy of Bush, and there were many, has been CONTINUED by Obama. Even the things he specifically promised NOT to do during the campaign. Obama has literally done as much damage in three years as Bush did in 8. ANYONE who bitches about Bush but supports Obama, or vice versa, is a blind parrot and puppet. Wake the fcku up and start looking at those standing around you instead of focusing all of your ire on those on the other side of the fence. For Christ's sakes at least the republicans have realized the horrible mistakes they made from 2000-2008 even if they don't have the balls to admit to them. They've all run screaming from Bush and his policies of big gov and big reg. The dems are just holding course, steering the country straight and steady towards the precipice. Yes, Bush started us down this path but Obama is hell bent on finishing the job as fast as possible.

Applause from Missouri Ines

Unfortunetly Backcountry has it right. President Obama is just Bush on steroids. Quick lookin at he words and start lookin at what's happening. You people really happy with 8.4 unemployment because over 300,000 people STOPPED lookin for work and their bennies ran out?

We won WWII in less than four years, creatin the largest manufactoring base and supply the entire world with war materials and food. Yet, we can not get out of a simple recession/depression? We need to:

1. Secure the borders

2. Dig, Drill and Build/ Natioanlize mineral rights

3. ReIndustrialize America

4. Stop bankrupting America

5. Fair Tax, Fair Trade, JAIL the corrupt BANKSTERS and Politicians!

You people happy that Congress on a average increased their net worth 25% in the last two years? You really happy with the deals Pelosie and Boner and the other crooks are makin to benifit themselves? Quit playing the Red/Blue game. How long are other countries goin to give us energy and manufactoring products? How ya goin to eat if the grid goes down? You really think the DEMOs or Repugs care about you?

Egilman

I can't fault the republicans for a political war that they did not start...

The Republican party is expert at starting wars; not so good at finishing them. but whatever, Egilman.

Point to Rick for accuracy and extra credit for a large helping of irony to go with it.

Thank you for that! The idea of Mr. G. working was enough to make me smile, but with a mop?!? Priceless! I thought the idea was to be compassionate to all and protect our children, the aged and infirm. These things are what define us...right?!? If not, I need to go back and re-parent my children. I've obviously been doing it wrong.

Absolutely on the mark, Pat and Tribble.

Our country needs a healthy reordering of our priorities. We need to get back in touch with our compassion and our humanity. And once we do that there is NOTHING we can't accomplish.

If we can just dispense with all of this pointless and childish polarized political rhetoric (and also rid ourselves of the polemic and demagogic politicians) and remember that we are all Americans first, we can work together toward a better future for our children and their children.

We have lost our way. It is time to look to our moral compass and find our way back home.

Robert - wholeheartedly agree.

What the citizens of this country need to do is examine their own values - what is REALLY important to you as a person. Then, compare those values to the candidate and see if they match.

Every one of these red candidates except Paul value money over just about everything, to the point where they openly sell books right at each stop. They are so arrogant and brazen, they do it right in front of you, almost daring you to say something about it. If you did, they'd say this is capitalism. Not at all. It is exploitation of the people trying to find a true leader and being milked for another $19.95. None of these people could ever be leaders, and none of them share our values.

I do appreciate Ron Paul's honesty, and he seems to be the only one not in the self promotion book business. However, I feel that completely shutting down the government beginning in 2013 might not be a good idea.

Ron Paul's the Grandaddy TeaPhony of them all, dude...

When did Obama ever hold a mop?

They can't say God Bless you or Merry Christmas in school without the zero tolerance police suspending them and you tell them to have one. And please don't bring your green army men to show your friend after the holidays or you'll be suspended for bringing a weapon to school. Those 3" high guys have rifles ya know.

A mop!?! If a corporate person defined by the slimmest majority of the Supreme Court of the United States paid a few million bucks to his campaign - Newt would suck dirty water off of the floor of a McDonalds restroom. And that's just the kind of commitment Republicans are looking for in a president!

you must be referring to this comment: "It’s for the great middle class, the 80 to 90 percent of us in this country.” he was making a point about how the lowest end and highest ends haven't seen their lifestyles change much under obama. twist it however you want and least he knows how many justices there are, how old you have to be to vote, what the dates of important elections are, and what the department of energy is.

Slight, he also knows How to Make an A$$ out of himself the size of an Elephants!

But with this Circus of Clowns, you already knew that did'nt ya?

Romney is being Villified as well he should be.

Maybe he can turn it around & ask the Carnival Barkers(formerly known as the MSM), why Perry gets a Pass on America has Lost 2 Million Jobs since President Obama took office, but Perrys State of Texas has Created 1 Million! Did Texas finally Seceed?

WTF!

Occupy SoggyBottom!

i disagree with your posted comment.

Lindy, I think it's well past your naptime...

Lindy, I think it's well past your naptime...

Seems like an odd comment considering it is far more of a childish statement than Lindy made. Must be speaking from experience.

Rick: Not sure I understand your statement: "America has Lost 2 Million Jobs since President Obama took office, but Perrys State of Texas has Created 1 Million! Did Texas finally Seceed?"

Admittedly, I don't know the actual numbers, but Perry's statement is possible, even with TX remaining in the Union. If the rest of America lost 3 million jobs, and TX gained 1 million, the net result would be that America LOST 2 million.

The sad thing about the job loss is that there are between 2 to 2 and a half MILLION less full time workers as there was in Feb 2009. Also I read that the US has the same number of workers as it did in 1999. How many more people of workin age do we have now? One number is 64% of working age people work, another I read is only half. We gotta work to survive as a nation.

Lets see, there are 320,000,000 people in the country, lets pull a figure out of thin air, (I just want to give the liberals a reason to debunk this) lets say 40% are employable.....

128,000,000 workers in the country.....

Real unemployment, (I'll use 20% it's actually higher or lower depending on who is doing the counting liberals say it's 8.5%)

25,600,000 true unemployed, 10,880,000 unemployed by (liberal) government methods of counting unemployment.

I wonder where the other 14,720,000 unemployed went to after the government stopped counting them as unemployed?

Anyone have a good answer for this? Republicans? Democrats? Anyone?

2.5 million lost full time jobs, to make relevance of this figure you would have to discover how many of those jobs have become classified as part time employment less than 35 hrs per week. then you might be closer to an actual count of lost jobs.....

I don't know what the uproar was all about. Poor Mitt would have had to welch on the bet anyway: "I'm running for office for pete's sake".

slight right - iowa has way too much power. they certainly don't reflect the majority of americans and not even the republican party

LOL, Iowa has to much power? What the H*LL does that mean. You know the candidates come to Iowa every 4 years, and after they do, Iowa no longer exists to these people. No, Iowa has about 3 million people in it, and no city over 1 million people. However, Gay Marriage is LEGAL in the state of Iowa, and the MAJORITY of american's favor it.

Thank GOD iowa does not represent the republican party. If my home state did, I would be embarrassed to say I am from Iowa.

Farm Subsidies drive up the price in the store? LOL that has got to be the biggest joke I have ever heard. Do you know the state of Iowa produces enough food to feed the entire world for 1 DAY!? Yes, 9 billion people on this planet. Also, there is a lot more things in the grocery store than what comes from Iowa. Lastly, do you know the #1 state in the US for agriculture is CALIFORNIA. Jeez, no subsidies in that state.. oh and #1 - is TEXAS.. which was just hit by the worst drought in a hundred years. So when you buy a steak in the grocery store, so its NOT the subsidies that are driving the price up. I will say, subsidies are not required by all farmers, and some have abused it naturally, but its not just Iowa.

I won't even get into the debate with you on Ethanol, but Iowa has been using it for over 30 Years, long before ther est of the country started using it.

Lastly, the postal service is NOT going bankrupt because of ANY flex fuel requirements. It's going bankrupt because it is managed poorly.

Please do some homework before you insult an entire state.

i meant they had too much power in picking our nominee

there's my homework

boom, roasted

msnbc keeps deleating my links to other sites so you'll have to google them

how farm subsidies harm taxpayers, consumers, and farmers, too by brian reidl heritage foundation

going postal: with flex fuel trucks postal service burns more gas by keith johnson wsj

@slight right

OMG! Most of your comments are literally laughable. I'd love to see what sort of ass-backward sites you're getting them from! (btw, you have to be a member for a while before they'll let you post links, eventually you'll have to use the contact form to ask them to enable the feature). I did google the article you mentioned and all I can say is LOL! They aren't getting worse mileage because they're flex fuel they're getting worse mileage because they have bigger engines. You can't blame ethanol subsidies for the fact that the Post Office was forced to buy alt fuel vehicles.

I'll agree that ALL subsidies should end but quite frankly none of your reasons make much sense or are even true. Farm subsidies may drive up the cost of SOME foods but they also drive down the cost of many more, not that that's a good thing necessarily but it is the truth. Stick with the facts and avoid the rhetoric and you'll put forward a much better defense of your position.

Of course Iowa uses ethanol they need to so they can clear the infield of the Buena Vista raceway before the snow flies. They also use a lot of pollution free corn pellet stoves too, exhausts water vapor only. Very enviornmentally sound and no dependance on foreign oil.

It's About Time - The Postal Service is not going broke because of bad management - in 2006 the Congress dipped into their funds and took $5 Billion dollars from it - next the Republicans hate the Postal Service because it is Unionized

I live in the Pacific Northwest - most of our produce comes from California, Washington, Oregon and Canada

When I lived in Virginia - never saw anything from Iowa - Idaho potatoes

When I lived in New Jersey - produce was coming from New Jersey and Pennsylvania

When I lived in Chicago - Iowa - maybe

So who is getting all of that wonderful produce - shipped overseas maybe?

Just like with the stimulus, the Republicans fall short once again: Romney should have made the bet for 10 trillion dollars.

Like it or not, Sandman, doug has a valid point, and we all know it. Gingrich is at the top of his little short popularity curve right now.

When the public starts to scrutinise his marital infidelities and political duplicity, he will end up on the trash heap with Trump, Palin, Bachmann, Perry, and Cain. Get used to Romney. With his many flaws, flip flopping positions, complete disconnect from the common man, and weird cult religion, he is the best they got. It is pretty pathetic.

doug's pants is on fire, only a fool would vote to re-elect a Man Made Disaster.

Unfortunatly your choice on that side of the aisle isn't any better. None of those in Washington give a rat ass about the people of the United States if they did we wouldn't be in this mess now. And none of them care to fix the disaster they created. All the current politicians and those running for office care more about ideology then solutions. They all sound like kids saying if I can't have my way I'll take my ball and go home.

It was a foolish thing to do.

It's one thing to lose $10K on a home or a stock speculation over time. Quite another to lose $10K over a simple fact bet like this.

Romney might as well have shouted "let them eat cake". It would amount to the same thing.

Game over for Romney.

Well.. Millions of Americans are not running for President of the United States... Romney is....

He may as well have shouted "let them eat cake". It would amount to the same thing.

Now he can face the guillotine in the republican primaries.

ok southern sandman. we get it, you know who marie antoinette is. I agree with farewell.

Farewell,

Uber rich guy casually making a $10,000 bet in the worst economy since the Great Depression. He might as well be Thurston Howell III or Daddy Warbucks. I don't think he could be more cartoonish if he tried...

I think 99.9% of everybody winced when he made that statement....

farewell: I dsagree. I can "buy" that there was no actual bet intended, and that Mitt was only trying to make a point...but I do think it's indicative of his maturity level (or lack of it), and I'm really concerned about how that fits in with the office of President.

Actually, I laughed my A** off when he made it, STUPID move in a presidential election debate, made him look like the little rich kid that couldn't care less about the point but trying to use his money to shut someone up, Childish.

And reveals that he does get frustrated, which I'm sure he is getting quite frustrated given all the media support he is getting, and he's still fighting upstream. Mittney would like it to be all over now and concentrate on Obama. He didn't expect this much resistance to his running. and his platform getting chopped up and spit out.

I'm sure he didn't figure that he would have to move as far right as he has had to, Ron Paul's issues are driving the debates, as much as the media doesn't want to go there, they have to because the electorate is behind most of Ron's platform.

So far, none of them have come up with an alternative they are willing to put to paper, Like Paul has.

i think you meant right and right

ron paul's idea of foreign policy would be to cede south asia to china the middle east to iran and central europe to russia. In 08 i thought that he made some interesting points so i picked up the chambers johnson Blowback book he had on his reading list. Scary stuff.

Sir, and I mean that, WOW! It's so good to hear such wisdom---I would never make much of a Republican, but that honest and intelligent discussion is what will bring stablity back. I think Obama's doing some good things, but we have to turn this thing around and get out of the circus mentality and find our focus. Closing the bases and getting out of the whole imperial mindset is a great start. Some of these clowns don't even know we're in it. It's coming down to the area where it's not a Repub OR a Demo thing, we just have to get away from the money mentality. I hope we can do it. I hope it's not too late

I understand the appeal Ron Paul holds for you guys; he's certainly a damn sight better than these other idiots the GOP keep trotting out. But Ron Paul will also be nearly 80 years old by the time inauguration day rolls around. If he were 10-15 years younger, sure, maybe. But after the McCain/Palin fiasco last time, no way the GOP nominates another old man for their candidate.

No, your best bet is to either jump to the other side, or lie low on election day and hope that, for the sake of the nation, whatever buffoon the Republican party chooses from this clown pile ultimately loses to Obama in the general election. Can anyone even fathom a country where Rick Perry was the president? *shudder*

Chad: Was it the "old man" or the young woman who was the source of the fiasco last time? Personally, in 2008, I didn't like either choice because of the possibility that their running mate would end up as POTUS.

This is not an endorsement of Ron Paul or any one else, slight right, but the fact is we are ceding America to China right now. Americans don't want to pay the price to be a strong nation and I am not just about government affairs. It is also things like people who make a good wage shopping at wal mart so they can buy cheap Chinese goods. This may be most selfish collection of citizens in the history of the world. A house devided against itself cannot stand.

America is bankrupt because George W Bush squandered the the robust economy that he inherited from Clinton and ran the economy into the ground with his reckless Bush tax cuts, The unfunded Medicare part D program he started, Sure 9/11 happened but then he had to invade Iraq who had nothing to do with 9/11. The two wars he got us involved with have cost our country trillions of dollars. And he didn't even get rid of the 9/11 mastermind Osama Bin Lauden when he had him cornered in Torra Bora he back off and let him escape. As to the economy he cut the prime interest rate which made mortgages interest rates lower than they have been in the last 50 or so years which sparked the housing bubble. Greed then took over and due to Reagan era banking deregulation that allowed for sub-prime mortgages Country Wide and a hand full of other started to push the Sub-prime mortgages which were a rarity before the housing bubble.

Obama has been much tougher on terrorism than Bush had since he actually has eliminated Osama Bin laden, Muammar Gaddafi, and Anwar al-Awlaki, Also Obama fought to restore banking regualtion that were stripped when Regan was in office as well as in 2003 when Greenspan pushed for more deregulation that essentially took the risk of of making bad loans. This was the Hydrogen bomb that took out our economy. In fact many economists say that the derivatives market was the straw that broke the camels back since it bankrupted AIG as well as many other financial firms that sold these derivatives. It literally bankrupted the big banks and Goldman Sachs was actively using these derivatives to actively bet against their own clients who bought their mortgage backed securities. It was a perfect storm of Greed and Corruption. Greed in that stupid people took out sub-prime loans that they could never pay as well as the greed of Country Wide and Realtors that pushed for these sub-prime loans. The big investment firms took it one step further and created the Credit defaut swaps which took a bad situation and made it a whole lot worse. Beware Of the Republican Politician's who want further banking deregulation since they are the crooks that destroyed our economy. They made billions of dollars and their actions were destructive to economy Their mantra of "Screw you I have mine" has got to go.

Charles - Cicero? Get a grip - I just read Ron Paul's life - lived during WW11 and had to sacrifice - so did I and we all had to - my grandmother had 10 children - raised her owns chickens had a victory garden - ration stamps - Grandfather worked two jobs and walked the neighborhood at night for lights out

Put himself through college - we all did

His life was no different than countless Americans and somewhat better

But what stops me on him is his adoration of Ayn Rand - if you follow him closely he is spouting Ayn Rand's "Objectivism Theory" no differrent than Paul Ryan and by the way Alan Greenspan was at her apartment sitting at her feet while she spouting her garbage

No thank you Cicero he is not!

[NOT a political comment, just analysis]. In 04 everyone was bored by john kerry and he was beaten up by the primaries. Looking at the numbers, Bush was not supposed to win re-election but the Democrats helped write the Flip-flop stories for him. Republicans are in danger of repeating the democrats mistake of 04. The Obama white house should not win re-election but they will if the primaries provide them with free material.

Typical Romney, it's not his turn yet to self-destruct.

All religions are cults. They were created in midevil times to control people through fear. There is no place for magical (religious) thinking in a 21st century world. We have science today and real knoweledge. Remember that with magical (religious) thinking, things are true unless proven false. In the REAL world, things are false unless proven true.

people said the same crap about catholics, i suppose you would still. Hey Cooper, aren't you guys looking to change your name because so many people think you're wacks? Go figure.

A. Actually, according to "Mormon theology," God does not live on Kolob. Kolob means "the first creation" and is the name of the star closest to the "residence of God." It is not God's actual residence.

We learn of Kolob from Abraham's account found in The Pearl of Great Price, one of the Standard Works of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

AND I, Abraham, had the Urim and Thummim, which the Lord my God had given unto me, in Ur of the Chaldees;

And I saw the stars, that they were very great, and that one of them was nearest unto the throne of God; and there were many great ones which were near unto it;

And the Lord said unto me: These are the governing ones; and the name of the great one is Kolob, because it is near unto me, for I am the Lord thy God: I have set this one to govern all those which belong to the same order as that upon which thou standest.[1]

Kolob governs all the planets which belong to the same order as the earth and is after the reckoning of the Lord's times, seasons and revolutions thereof. One revolution of Kolob is a day unto the Lord and one day in Kolob is equal to a thousand years on earth.

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

This is what this cult believes. They are a bunch of fruitcakes.

I get tired of Mormons coming to my house and telling me I'm responsible for the inquisition when they won't take responsibility for a massacre and religious kidnapping of children under 8 years of age they killed those over 8.

Lets see if being a member of a church that worships christ is a cult most everyone in america is in a cult ! A cult is where someone puts themselves above everyone else as a member of the Church Of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints our leaders are not compensated in anyway for being in posistions of leadership we have a lay Priesthood next time there is a disaster pay attn of who comes to help the entire community not just members of thier church the LDS church isn't a cult and i know cults i was in one for a while turns out the leader was using his posostion to have sex with women who weren't his wife ! the lds church promotes family values first and foremost no pornography ,no alcohol,being prepared by haveing savings to live on for a year and having food storage to make the money go further anyway it isn't a cult i promise you

Actually, everybody has been attacking Gingrich, not Romney lately.

This bit with the $10K bet was a purely self-inflicted wound. Can't blame the media for this.

"I will be ashamed if media makes a big news out of such small statement."

So, Romney sticks his big foot in his mouth and his fellow GOP wannabes, led by Gingrich, are going to beat him to a pulp over it. However, teabaggers like farcier are going to blame a huge liberal media conspiracy simply for reporting it.

Is this low comedy or high drama? It's hard to tell any more...

i agree farcier democrats want this to get ugly and drag on just as republicans would if the tables were turned. Did anyone catch donna Brazils comments about bachman perry and santorum you would have thought she was about to switch parties.

I thought it was because Romney's dad wasn't born in the USA. Of course, the GOP was okay with that, huh...

I'll bet you $10,000.00 that Romney isn't fine at all, Lindy!

No appletoad, not really. When someone says "I'll bet you a million dollars" in a make believe bet, they don't follow it with an extended hand to "seal the deal". Nice try.

Remember Perry's comment about a handshake in Texas. Shake on it it's real. You lose you better pay up. What a childish move on Romney's part.

are you ever delusional! time for another bong hit and a swig of the Mad Dog right outta da bottle! then kick back in your vinyl la-z-boy and pass out for the night...

I wonder if, maybe one day far in the future, you will post something of value or use the time you waste on this board to do something constructive. On second thought, that's a pretty stupid thing to contemplate. I'd bet $10,000 it will never happen

Too bad you misinterpreted, (as Bible readings often are).

There was conflict, and the Jews were already there.

The 1947 Partition was agreed upon by all (including the Palestinians).

Then the so called "Palestinians" decided that was not good enough.

This is where we are now.

Forget the Bible, this is the present day.

Check out your history Jack, there were several if not many massacres in the Promised land in the 1920s.

All of Jordan and Israel was the british mandate of Palestine. In 1948 the UN voted to partition Palestine into two countries. The majority of jews lived between the Jordan river and the sea so the UN gave that part of Palestine to the jews and the trans-Jordan area to the arabs. So all arab descendants of the palestinians your country is Jordan. Thats the one created for you by the UN. Go home and quit asking to change the rules. Our wishy-washy politically correct attitude has left people thinking we won't stand by decisions if they whine enough. The UN should also make clear they won't change the rules because of whiny terroristic fanatics.

jackierawlings - you are absolutely right about the Palestinians - I saw the movie Exodus when the Jews arrived how the Palestinians embraced them

Plus I have an old map dated 1945 which says "Palestine" and clearly defines all the borders and now the Israelites contain the Palestinians in what a "Ghetto"? Isn't that is what was done to the Jews?

You are right, Ian. Critical thinking is a skill no longer getting much exercise, or none of those clowns would even be considered by any political party for any political office. It is beyond incredible.

Well spoken Ian

I disagree with your assessment that it is only the Republicans, both parties are so agenda driven that they cannot see the light of day. Both parties are stuck. Don't blame just the Republuicans, the Democrats are bad, if not worse. I had high hopes that this Occupy movement might provide a viable third party not dictated by party line politics, but they cannot even get organized to do anything but trespass and civil disobediance. I am (was) a Republican, but I am very dismayed over the lack of a believable leader in this party. On the same token, I will not vote Democrat, because they pretty much gave us four years with only a health care reform that most folks don' like. Obama and the Democrats have fumbled too. I wouldn't have passed them past the seventh grade either.

Ian you are insulting 7th graders these guys aren't even in their league. In my day their behavior wouldn't have flown in 3rd grade.