My favorite prediction for 2012:

Barry wins the election in a very close vote, and quickly discovers the REALLY, REALLY, unpleasant reality that blaming the prior administration's (2009-2012) failings is not a very good strategy for covering up his own inept lack of leadership skills. The Republican's keep control of the House, making Miss Nancy very, very, angry and providing endless opportunities to laugh at her humorless reaction. The Dems, defending 23 of 33 Senate seats lose control of the Senate majority, and it's suddenly OK, or maybe even "their solemn duty to protect the nation, and indeed, freedom itself, from the majority party" to use the filibuster to "obstruct" every bill.

Regardless, I'll be LMAO!!!!, and enjoying the entertainment.

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Nelson exit gives Dems bleak outlook
By: David Catanese
December 27, 2011 05:14 PM EST

The odds of Democrats clinging to control of the Senate just got that much steeper.

Sen. Ben Nelson's retirement deals a mental and mathematical blow to a party already struggling to maintain its tenuous four-seat majority.

Even before the 70-year-old Democrat announced Tuesday his decision to pass on pursuing a third term, operatives on both sides of the aisle believed his reelection chances were bleak.

Now — absent the seemingly long-shot recruitment of former Sen. Bob Kerrey — there's no Nebraska Democrat who could immediately make the seat competitive, cementing it as a likely Republican pickup.

Nelson's exit marks the seventh Democratic retirement of the cycle and creates yet another open seat in a year when the beleaguered party is already defending more than a third of its caucus.

Gallup Most admired for 2011

Men: Barack Obama 17%, G.W. Bush 3%, Bill Clinton 2%

Women: Hillary Clinton 17%, Oprah Winfrey 7%, Michele Obama 5%

Most times at #1

Men: Dwight Eisenhower @ 12 times, Ronald Reagan & Bill Clinton @ 8 times

Women: Hillary Clinton @ 16 times, Eleanor Roosevelt @ 13 times

Bob #s,

Other Vets besides myself have said that your friend IntheMiddle (ITM) is a fraud, and now he has given proof in his own words. In “First Thoughts: Here we go again” post #8.16 - Mon Dec 19, 2011 11:40 AM EST he wrote:

Jack: I'm a veteran and bled for this country. . . .

BTW: I have 10 combat tours as an 18D. Panama (Just Cause), Desert Storm, Somalia, OIF x 4, Afghanistan X3:

3 PH, 6 AC, 3 with V device........and spent 22yrs serving not 1 yr. See how that works.

And then yesterday in “Controversial Sheriff in tow, Perry takes aim at rivals” post #1.20 - Tue Dec 27, 2011 9:15 PM EST he wrote:

I don't need to produce my DD214 to please ur simple azz. No one on here can question my patriotism. I bled so jackazzez like you can complain all day on a puter. 24yrs of elite service. thank you.....

So what is it? 22 years? 24 years? Or is it 26 years? Or 28 years? Honest mistake, right?

I spent a number of years as an interviewer and an interrogator, and the old adage is true: it’s easy to remember the truth; it’s almost impossible to remember a lie.

The reason Vets having been calling bu**s**t on ITM is because we can smell a fraud a mile away. He reveals himself in so many ways other than the discrepancy concerning the number of years served.

Why do we Vets care? We care because his false claims dishonor those who did fight and bleed and die.

The two of you disgust me.

A Challenge to the Right

Okay. You are very good at your ODS and hating anything and anybody even slightly left of center. But here is my challenge to you. Tell me which of you candidates you are for and why. Not liberal bashing. What policies does your candidate support?

The only ones I ever see here doing that are the Paul supporters. The rest of you just fly off on tangents, complaining about why no one ever writes articles on the President (could it be because the political news right now is about the GOP primary).

So, come on, show us your stuff, tell me why and who you support. I know others have asked, but now it is down to the wire. So put up or shut up, as my daddy would have said!!!!

Gingrich and Romney are probably going to devourer each other, not only in Iowa but throughout their entire campaign, Couldn't happen to more deserving people.

My prediction, Paul wins Iowa and Huntsman comes out of nowhere and becomes the Repug nominee. After the"Narcissistic" Grinch and "Corporations Are People" Romney destroy each other, there's no one else left but Huntsman. Just a thought.

Obama in 2012.

joe in albany Any fool can make a prediction and your doing it. Convince me who is the best candidate is out there. I'll bet you can't.

We care because his false claims dishonor those who did fight and bleed and die.

Good Morning Jack!

Excellent post - you can add jollyold@sshle to the club.

His posts about returning from Viet Nam & being accosted with urine filled balloons might tug at ones heart strings...

That is, until, the FACT he didn't graduate high school until 1975 came to light!

The service members I know, do not wear their sacrifices on their sleeves.

In fact it's quite the contrary...

Jack,

I am right behind you there. Most of these so-called "vets" probably only know of real service in a video game (or movies like the Deer Hunter and Apocalypse Now).

Feisty,

You are so right about the service members not wearing the sacrifices on their sleeves. Mr. phinephancy works with a lot of vets (some of the volunteers are from WWII), they DO NOT like to talk a lot about it.

I'll bet you can't.

Especially after the smack down he suffered here yesterday! lol

The 'emperor' is naked this morning with no place to hide! ;o)

they DO NOT like to talk a lot about it.

Phine,

Most would rather forget the sights & sounds of war, including my husband who did two tours in Viet Nam!

Speaking of Mr. FeistyRedhead - Happy Anniversary baby!

20 years & still going strong! ♥♥♥

Fiesty,

I recall that your husband and phinephancy's husbands are Viet Nam Vets. I am sure they would be as pissed off as I am about this.

You are correct that we don't wear our sacrifices on our sleeves. Nobody, nobody would claim 10 combat tours and 3 purple hearts and other medals and follow it up with "24yrs of elite service". [emphasis added]. ITM never served a single day in combat. The closest he has come is to run around in cammies shooting paintballs at other like guys.

Hey! Just saw your post above--Congratulations!

Feisty,

Woo Hoo! Happy Anniversary!!! Hope you have a real "special" evening planned! If you are late tomorrow, we will all understand! :)

And thank your hubby for me for his service.

Jack,

There are several volunteers at Mr. phinephany's work who are from WWII. A couple of them are Pearl Harbor survivors. While he would love to hear their stories, he knows better than to ask, and they do NOT volunteer any information except it was a time they wish to both remember AND forget.

Feisty, Happy anniversary.

So it was a Christmas Season wedding...

Enjoy your day. Now get off the thread and go play with Mr. Feisty Redhead.

Mr. and Mrs, Feisty, you devils. Happy Anniversary!

@phine

Okay. You are very good at your ODS and hating anything and anybody even slightly left of center. But here is my challenge to you. Tell me which of you candidates you are for and why. Not liberal bashing. What policies does your candidate support?

I don't know if I would support them but the only candidates that I would consider as an alternative the current President are Mitt Romney or John Huntsman. However, living in NJ it's kind of irrelevant.

BTW I don't have ODS but I do think he has been a very mediocre President. (definitely NOT top 4)

Thank you Alan. If you don't mind me asking, why do you favor these two? What policy tips the scale for you? Not being snarky. Just curious.

Feisty, congrats on your 20th. I agree, go play cuddle up with hubby. You won't wear it out, and some Dr's say they need their pipes cleaned, helps reduce prostate cancer.

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY FEISTY TO YOU AND YOURS. Here's to you guys ( toasting with glass of fine wine). May you two have many many more.

Tom

phinephancy,

We all handle it (the aftermath of war) in our own ways. I got involved in the anti-war movement when I returned and went to college. And then, during the late 70's - early 80's, when all the "boat people" were fleeing Viet Nam, I worked in the U.S. Refugee Program in Singapore and Indonesia helping to resettle them. And I've worked for years on a novel of the war.

I'm also married to a Vietnamese woman and have 3 kids from Viet Nam. The youngest are 15-year-old twins who are in their first year of high school. The first words I speak in the morning are in Vietnamese, as well as the last words at night. The kids (whose English is now nearly perfect) have been my "cure".

Jack

Good for you!! And, FYI, when you finish that novel, I want to be the first to read it!!!

Jack:

You know I'm just about getting tired of your lame azz comments. Retired after 24yrs, spent 22 in SF....shows how much you know. Interrogator???lol...... What did you interrogate; the toilet bowl, because you are definatley full of ish. Man you had better go play with some of these kids.

You damn right I wear my service proudly because people like you need to know exactly who made it possible for you to sit on this puter all day and whine about Republicans.

Kick Rocks trick

Thank you Alan. If you don't mind me asking, why do you favor these two? What policy tips the scale for you? Not being snarky. Just curious.

Don't know about their social policy although I suspect Romney is playing to the right and will be fairly moderate. If Huntsman actually got any traction I think it would surprise people how conservative he is (socially). I believe both with bring executive experience to the area of the economy (and Romney's experience with the Olympics was impressive), but until they draw comparisons with the current administration then we'll see if their policies are workable. I'm pretty liberal socially and Joe Mankin put it well "If you try and help everybody you can't hurt the people who really need it". We have a Federal government whose fiances are out of control, and have been for over 10 years. If this is not brought back into balance then safety-net programs will be shredded.

I know that Republicans want to cut spending, but I haven't heard how the Democrats want to raise revenue, and if they continue with tax the rich rhetoric they lose me because with no cuts in spending taxing the rich is not enough.

So at the end of the day I'll see which side presents the best fiscal plan, and if they both simply attack each other then I'll just turn off.

Thanks to all of you for the Anniversary wishes!

You're cracking me up! lol

Unfortunately, Mr. FR has to work today... he might now know it yet, but, he'll be putting in some serious O/T tonight! ;o)

@Jack - What a beautiful story!

You are 100% correct about everyone 'healing' in their own way...

Thank you for sharing...

PS: Ditto what phine said about the book.

Convince me who is the best candidate is out there. I'll bet you can't.

_______________________________________

Umm..... maybe I didn't make it clear enough for you, or maybe you just have a reading comprehesion problem. Barry is the best candidate in the race. Not the best person, or the most qualified to be President, but, the best candidate running.

How freakin' pathetic is that?????????

And I do look forward to seeing him spin how it's "all the prior guy's fault" he is so inept at running the country.

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Jack

Are you stalking ITM? Careful with that........some may think you have a crush.

I've noticed that FR does quite a bit of repeating of the info they report on. I feel this to be an injustice for those of you who rely solely on this site for your marching orders and info. There is a lot happening that you appear completely ignorant of. I think if the information was made available some of you wouldn't fantasize quite as much as to what it's like to be Michelle, or Bo for that matter.

Here ya go.....one for today.....the Big O circus continues and you're missing the show....

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2011/dec/27/mf-global-chief-missing-12b-financial-adviser-epa/

As to who will be the nominee? Romney.

ITM,

Go back to your paintball games.

Ponders,

Are you stalking ITM?

Who posted first, jerk? And who was my post directed to?

Alan,

Thank you very much. I really respect your reasoning. If either makes it to the nomination, I look forward to respectful, civil debates with you on the issues.

Ron Paul for peace.

FYI- My "little" cousin was on the last flight out of Iraq. He is AF. Guess what he told his parents when he got to Kuwait before his flight home? "The war in Iraq was a waste of money and soldiers. Everything the US has done there will be undone as soon as we leave".

Ron Paul for non-interventionism

Unfortunately, Mr. FR has to work today... he might now know it yet, but, he'll be putting in some serious O/T tonight! ;o)

__________________________________________

Now, that's a serious threat, and I thought all FR lefty liberals were opposed to torture.

My bad.

LOL!!!

Hey little Dougie and ITM wanna be,

Can you tell me which candidate you are for and why without your liberal bashing or attacking Jack? Hmmmm. Bet you can't.

Joe,

Can you do the same thing? Or has ODS completely destroyed your brain?

Happy Anniversary to Mr. and Mrs Feisty! Enjoy the day!! (and evening....!)

Has President Obama earned a second term? Yes he has. More so than any other President in my lifetime.

All this GOOD news and yet all we get is a bunch of hate-filled rhetoric from the GOP. And cable. President Obama isn't in the entertainment business like everybody else seems to be.

The PeoplesView/Deaniac83:

An improving job outlook helped the Consumer Confidence Index soar to the highest level since April and near a post-recession peak, according to a monthly survey by The Conference Board. The second straight monthly surge coincided with a decent holiday shopping season for retailers, though stores had to heavily discount to attract shoppers. [...]

The Conference Board, a private research group, said Tuesday that its Consumer Confidence Index rose almost 10 points to 64.5 in December, up from a revised 55.2 in November. Analysts had expected 59. The level is close to the post-recession high of 72, reached in February.

1.28 million jobs were created in the last four months along with a lower cost of financing the US debt (we are drawing more bids for every dollar sold in bonds and treasuries than ever thanks to investors flocking to US treasuries as the safest investment), and the economy might indeed not be heeding the dire warnings of the Republican party and falling off a cliff due to the infamous "spending problem."

Much of the holiday consumer spending spree can be tied easily to the deal the President made last December with the Republicans to pay the price of keeping the Bush tax cuts for the rich in place for a couple of years in order to extract economic stimulus measures such as a payroll tax cut, a yearlong extension of unemployment benefits, and kept in place President Obama's other targeted tax cuts for working families and the middle class: the American opportunity tax credit for students, the expanded earned income tax credit, and the expanded child tax credit. When direct spending isn't legislatively available, the next best stimulus is tax cuts targeted to people that will most readily spend it: namely to the poor, the middle class, and students - all people who have a relatively low level of discretionary income to begin with.

I said it back then, and I will say it now: the President got a second stimulus from the Republicans by paying the price of their dear tax cuts for the rich. The result? Read up.

I have been hearing on TV that the year-end economic news is good for President Obama. And it is. But it misses the point. The news is good for the American people, for American businesses, for American jobs, for the American consumer. And President Obama is not simply the beneficiary of this good economic trend. He is the architect of it. He held the economy from falling off the cliff with the American Recovery Act, he relentlessly pursued and extended unemployment benefits and preserved the jobs of teachers and firefighters; he fought hard for the middle class and got the payroll tax cut and other targeted measures to inject consumer demand; he brought a 35% tax relief to small businesses for providing health care; he gave the fragile economy some breathing room even as the Republicans were trying to choke it off.

If anyone has any doubts about why the Republicans wanted to eliminate the payroll tax cut for middle class and working class Americans, there is your answer. They do not want positive economic news in an election year. After all, Barack Obama has already taken away national security (see: Osama bin Laden dead), fiscal responsibility (see GOP logic: tax cuts do not need to be paid for except the payroll tax cut), and damn nearly every other issue. Their only hope was to demagogue the economy, and the President's efforts seem to be paying off there too. Darn.

And if these trends continue - if jobs keep being created at a good pace, consumer confidence keeps heading north, new unemployment claims continue heading south, and so forth, there isn't much that will stand in the way of President Obama and a second term.

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

Romney is a liar. Romney only cares about the 1%. They are the only people he has ever cared about.

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY FEISTY & CHEERS!

Jack:

You know I'm not into the, "I told you so," stuff, but did I nail ITM's response, dead on or what?

I told you he'd double down. I know he's tough, he's bad, and he's saved America several times all by his lonesome, but I just don't get that fellow veteran feeling. Know what I mean?

Speaking of "big brawls", you all see the chaotic scene from a couple days ago at the Mall Of America in Minnesota? Dozens of Deomocrat voters and their children ran wild attacking, stealing, throwing chairs, and generally creating chaos

Democratic kids rioted at the MOA? Did they stop to ask their political views as they arrested them? Or are you just spewing bullsh*t?

Ah, Dougie and Damaged in the Brain. You never fail to amuse.

(Oh, and Dougie, I need to gain some weight, but if you like a little meaty blow up doll, just keep on dreaming)

Stop smoking the crack girl. You might gain some weight.

I just countered your "little dougie" remark. I have no idea what you look like.

Doug, you have "no idea what she looks like", yet you call her fat and assume she's a druggie?

Get professional help. Thanks to Obamacare even you will have insurance soon.

Jack, nice post. I'm not one to question anyone's military service but having read ITM's and a few others many claims about his/their military service which sadly, like Romney's positions, change depending on the point he/they wish to make. The discrediting of ITM and his friends from my view came when they attacked liberal poster US Navy Disabled Vet Retired questioning his honor and integrity not to mention mocking his disability.

Mr. & Mrs. Feisty Redhead--Congratulations on your 20th Anniversary, have a happy celebration!

"Dozens of Deomocrat voters and their children ran wild attacking, stealing, throwing chairs, and generally creating chaos. Lovely. This has been happening a lot lately at state fairs, malls, concerts etc..."

Wow, so now you have to show your voter registration card to get into the mall, the state fair, or a concert, too? Isn't that carrying this whole Voter ID thing just a little too far?

Come on Damage, even for you, this one's a stretch.....

Poor old Mr Fiesty will need one of these for tonight's festivities! I would suggest an OBA but the combined heat value would incinerate Mr Feisty on the spot. Putting the EMTs in danger of having to remove him with the jaws of life!

http://www.specwargear.com/images/gasmask-M40-1.jpg

Joe in Albany

Convince me who is the best candidate is out there. I'll bet you can't.

_______________________________________

Umm..... maybe I didn't make it clear enough for you, or maybe you just have a reading comprehesion problem. Barry is the best candidate in the race. Not the best person, or the most qualified to be President, but, the best candidate running.

How freakin' pathetic is that?????????

And I do look forward to seeing him spin how it's "all the prior guy's fault" he is so inept at running the country.

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Your mirth is a direct result of what you perceive as a crisis for America. How sad is that? One of two things has become apparent, watching your posts over time:

1. You're trolling for effect
2. You don't give a damn about the state of our country; only how much you loath "Barry"

If it' the first option, you're terrible. You go for the easy "sicburn" with name calling and perpetual rantings and ravings directed at the "lefty libs." If it's the second option, it speaks volumes of your lack of maturity.

Either is pathetic. I sincerely hope that you don't represent the "right" wing's capacity for forward thinking and the ability to legitimately search for solutions plaguing our country. Otherwise, we're truly f*cked.

We had a go around yesterday; care for another whoopin'?

Please Ruken. Look at the video. If you were to ask every single one of thosebags of s**t who they want to be president next year, is there any doubt what they would say? True though. I doubt any of them could even tell you the difference between a Dem and a Repub, or even what 20 x 4 is, for that matter. I'm sure all their parents are BIGTIME Dems!

And Feisty Redhead. Give my condolences to your husband.

Pat, Boston, terrific post!

Absolutely, President Obama has earned a second term. The ones who do not deserve any more time in Washington DC earning taxpayer dollars are the GOP legislators who have done nothing to help solve our problems. The GOP Senators and House Representative deserve to be thrown out on their backsides for filibustering, denying, blocking and obstructing everything our President has tried to do. Their defeat Obama at all costs agenda has them voting against their own ideology, against ideas they previously embraced from tax cuts to infrastructure spending. Not sure the GOPTPers have a clue what exactly they stand for these days beyond their unreasonable and unfounded dislike of President Obama. Party First, Country Last really should be their bumper sticker.

@Joe in Albany, 1.1. Totally agree with you're predictions, but I think Obama will win by a huge margin.

Not because his so widely popular and certainly not because his is so good but because the GOP presidential field is so poor. I can't see gains in the House and I can see Dems losing the Senate.

I totally conceded the election in previous posts. And you're hearing this from someone who would like to see Obama gone.

Jody,

Thank you. The Swift Boat Veterans set all Viet Nam Veterans back when they attacked Kerry. It was jealousy, anger at his testimony before Congress when he returned from Viet Nam, and extreme right wing politics. Nothing more.

David,

Yes, you did nail it. As you have pointed out before today, you can "feel" it when someone's not telling the truth about their service. Everyone who reads this today will know him for what he is. I'm done with him. As for those other two clowns up there, neither is worth replying to. Hyenas. That's what they sound like. And they make about as much sense.

I'm outta here for the day. Good waves, clean conditions, sunny day. Gonna get it while I can.

Best bumper sticker for 2012 so far;

Caution!

I don't brake for right wing nut jobs! ;o)

Allen NJ. You just plain don't hear well. President Obama has put forth hundreds of Billions in cuts and stopping waste. But we need to close loop wholes and make the rich pay their fair share as well. When a Billionaire pays less tax then one of his workers making $50k Or less, there is something wrong. And the people that make there money and call it capital gain and pay 15%. That is BS too. I say we all pay a flat tax. No loop wholes, no wright offs, no nothing, everyone pays like maybe 10% and everything you make is income, no matter how you make it. And then we stop taking care of the rest of the world. We take care of our people first, If there is anything left then we can help others. And Its time we stop fighting everyone's wars for them. Israel is trying to get us to start a war with Iran right now. Let them go to war with Iran, we don't need another war nor do we want one. No one is ever there for us when we need help. So we need to take care of our own and that's it.

Thank you. The Swift Boat Veterans set all Viet Nam Veterans back when they attacked Kerry. It was jealousy, anger at his testimony before Congress when he returned from Viet Nam, and extreme right wing politics. Nothing more.

Maybe, but imagine if he had won (and Bush 43 was no bargain). President Kerry, who calls for higher taxes while striving to avoid them in his own state, and Vice President Edwards who can burn in the same circle of hell as Dick Cheney as far as I'm concerned (and I'm an atheist)

"Hiya kids, Hiya, Hiya!" Froggy

Well, the holiday must be over because we're back to trench warfare on the vine. Pitiful, just pitiful.

But no use getting into all that today, we've got more important issues to discuss. Let's not forget who the real enemy is here folks, ignorance, intolerance and Iran. The new "Axis of Evil". It's time you all stopped your mud-slinging and turned your attention to the East, the Middle East to be more precise, where we are rapidly sliding towards war with Iran. A catastrophe on many, many fronts.

Did 2011 damage the GOP? You betcha! Only the most ardent Fox News watchers and Rush Limbaugh listeners (and if you believe the poll numbers they are very few, but very vocal) think the GOP is their only hope and is doing a good job. The GOP is very much in danger of losing the House. They've already lost the Presidency, thank goodness.

Let's pause for a moment of silence for the nearly departed Republican Party. The Party of Lincoln, TR, Eisenhower, and Reagan is no more. David Duke would feel right at home in today's GOP.

And how about the new Ayatollah of the American Taliban, Rick Perry? Pandering to those evangelical voters in a desperate attempt to jump start his failed campaign. Religious extremism scares the HOLY CRAP out of me!

The smartest thing I have heard anyone say recently is "What happens in Iowa, stays in Iowa" and that about sums it up. It's an interesting side-show but, as Shakespeare said, "Tis a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury and signifying nothing." Let it go people and turn your attention to Iran. They are feeling mighty froggy now that the US has pulled out of Iraq and they have moved in.

And ol'Froggy knows "froggy".

Plunk your magic twanger Froggy!

Obama/Biden 2012

Doug Ponders tells us that he will support Mitt Romney because he doesn't back any failed policies--seriously? Odd, what I hear Mitt speak about are the same failed trickle-down financial policies and de-regulation nonsense that bankrupted the country. Mitt spews the same "war, let's get to it" nonsense as his neoconservative foreign policy advisors, the same ones who were run out of Washington after their grand plan for Iraq failed which meant they couldn't invade Iran or North Korea either.

Oh, yes, vote for Mitt Romney and be guaranteed four years of repeated failure, another Bush 43 disaster. Thanks, but no thanks.

It is truly difficult to understand the supporters of the GOP candidates other than those for Ron Paul. Other than being against Obama what are the positions of the other candidates that are so compelling for you to vote for them? With the two so-called front runners being caught supporting the twin to the AHCA, and another ''revising' his position on abortion - a major GOP ideology issue, and another denouncing federal programs she used for her own personal gain, just what is it that compels you to believe that they will deliver what you think they stand for?

Ron Paul should get the nod by default of the other candidates.

Oh, yes, vote for Mitt Romney and be guaranteed four years of repeated failure, another Bush 43 disaster.

...and the last 4 years have been a success? Thing is Jody, Bush 43 set the bar so low that anything can seem like an improvement. Mitt Romney has had 3 items on his resume that point to executive success. You may not like it but Bain Capital also saved and created a lot of jobs (where did that metric come from). I believe his tenure in Massachusetts was successful, and his "rescue" of the Olympics was particularly impressive. To compare him to Bush 43 is apples to ranges.

BTW, and this is a serious question, do you honestly think it would be in America's interests (forget Israel), for Iran to get a nuclear weapon? This is in the context where we convinced Ghaddaffi to dismantle his program peaceably, and then we support a war against him. I am not for military action against Iran, particularly after the last 10 years, but our options are decreasing, and our actions in Libya have made a peaceful resolution (one where Iran does not get the bomb) much harder to achieve.

"Did 2011 hurt the GOP’s brand?"

• This has gotta be the understatement of the year. Between the GOP clownfest and the traitor Tea party, this year has got to mark the very bottom for the GOP.
• Looking at the bright side though, hopefully these miscreants will be cast off and some decent politicians from the center-right will emerge...
  

Your mirth is a direct result of what you perceive as a crisis for America. How sad is that?

_____________________________________

In the race to see who is more impressed with themselves, you are giving David Walker and Jack-off a real challenge.

Too bad it only proves you are all very easily impressed.

As I said yesterday: Living well is the best revenge, and, it sucks to be you.

One thing you all DO have going for you is that you are not Mr. Nasty Redhead.

LMAO@U!!!!!!!

On the "I was a killer veteran" controversy. The most important qualification for success in lying, is that the liar MUST have a stellar memory. ITM failed. He got busted. The same is true for Jolly old soul who also serendipitously showed up today. Busted for lying. Can't get those stories straight.

There's any number of veterans who show up on these boards. Quite a number will offer a glimpse now and then into their service. The WWII types? Well, they're a different story. They just don't want to talk about it at all - pretty brave folks in my opinion. Of course, there's not all that many of them left, and the same is true of Korean veterans, the ones we hardly remember at all.

Then there's the ITM's and the JOS's. There are some who can't seem to tell the truth, and veterans or not, the Swift Boaters are in that class too. I want to think that regardless of political stripe or persuasion, when it comes to defending this country, I can count on ANY fellow veteran. You have to be able to trust the guy who has your back, and he has to trust you. I sure as hell don't trust ITM or JOS.

On that score, we would do well to remember that all these Republican Presidential candidate who are so busy trashing each other right now, are the same ones who are going to line up behind the winner and tell us what a really wonderful guy he is. No matter how much they lie, they have to be better thn President Obama, right? That's the way it works with liars, folks. You can't trust them.

ROMNEY'S "Business experience" consisted of buying companies, laying off workers, stripping pension funds, and taking the companies public again - 80% of which shortly went bankrupt.

ROMNEY'S "Business experience" consisted of buying companies, laying off workers, stripping pension funds, and taking the companies public again - 80% of which shortly went bankrupt.

Specifics?

Happy Anniversary Feisty! Now, it's back to work for me! Catch you all, later! wink wink ;-)

Feisty - I love your new title - "left wing nut job"! Got any post-Obama plans? (his term will end someday.)

Jody

Do you need to be reminded who the current warmonger is? Do you really need to be reminded of the crony capitalism practiced by the Big O administration? The corruption he allows to run unchecked at the DOJ? The 11% real unemployment rate in our country? His lack of a work ethic? His proficiency at lying?

Sheesh....liberals are delusionally uninformed.

2012 is not projected to be a banner year. The left leaning media will have a very difficult time spinning anything possible out of it. Housing looks bad. People will be ready to vote for change. There's not enough brain dead Obots to re-elect him.

Doug: boy are you in for an awakening. Talk about delusionally uniformed. No wonder your post is filled with unsubstantiated gibberish, hysterical rants about no one buying your propaganda. Let me guess: you just pine for the days of the "mission accomplished" guy who racked up record vacation days, and still somehow managed to launch two ill conceived wars with no gameplan, sell them to the American people on trumped up lies, keep the cost of those wars off the books, rack up record deficits with unbelievable spending sprees and bring the nation to the brink of financial ruin. No wonder you think you're headed for victory with the likes of the weakest Republican lineup since Wendell Wilkie.

AP - Yours was one of the best "hysterical rants" I've read today!

Nice try JK, nice try.

Joe in Albany

Your mirth is a direct result of what you perceive as a crisis for America. How sad is that?

_____________________________________

In the race to see who is more impressed with themselves, you are giving David Walker and Jack-off a real challenge.

Irony. You win at it.

Too bad it only proves you are all very easily impressed.

Impressed by ... ? The only impression I have is that you really are kind of poor at this thing. It's akin to squeezing your eyes shut and wildly swinging.

You'll have to do better.

As I said yesterday: Living well is the best revenge, and, it sucks to be you.

You're making an assumption that you're living better than me. I asked yesterday, and will again, how do you define "living well"?

One thing you all DO have going for you is that you are not Mr. Nasty Redhead.

Again -- I have a lot going for me. Not the least of them being the upper-hand in our exchanges. Work harder.

LMAO@U!!!!!!!

Sorry, kid. The joke's on you. Come at me, brah -- let's see something of substance: who are you backing for the GOP nomination? You still have yet to go on the record in regards to that question from yesterday.

Here's a follow up: who are you supporting for the VP nomination?

Feisty, Happy Anniversary to you and Mr.Feisty. My husband also did two tours in Vietnam he almost never talks about it.

JK lotsanumbers;

I challenge you to refute one single point - just one - that AP lotsanumbers made at 1.63! Just one!

Since you won't be able to do that, perhaps you could help me with this seemingly paradoxical notion of left-leaning, but corporate-owned media. Left wing and corporation go together like sugar and gasoline. Please explain this.

This has gotta be the understatement of the year. Between the GOP clownfest and the traitor Tea party, this year has got to mark the very bottom for the GOP.

Absolutely agree. The Tea Party is the sole reason the GOP will lose in 2012. You never win a Presidency by turning into an extremist, you win with independent and moderate voters.

I don't know a single independent who would vote for a religious extremist... especially one who wants to promote the religious fascism that the Tea Party is pushing. But I do get a laugh when I hear someone yell "smaller government" while demanding MORE government in your bedroom and body. Apparently, in Tea Party logic, smaller means MORE.

Happy Anniversary Feisty!

I can not only prove my service record but I also the service record of my family going back to bunker hill. I find no need to prove to any of you anything. I never claimed to be a Vietnam Vet, because I never set foot in that country. I will tell anyone who asks that I am a Vietnam era vet, because I was assigned to a destroyer off the coast. Someone on here latched on to a wrong piece of info (gasp on the internet) which had my 2nd wifes highschool listed as mine. She grew up and went to Brunswick HS in Brunswick ME. I grew up in Ct and went to HS in a small town until 11th grade when I quit and took the GED test in order to join the military. I spent 4 years active duty and 6 years active reserves as a part of a Mobile Weapons detachemnt MOMAGDET (a number) that I will not announce. This is the last time I will make any of this public, because I really dont care what or if you think.

Please Ruken. Look at the video. If you were to ask every single one of thosebags of s**t who they want to be president next year, is there any doubt what they would say?

Right. And Ted Nugent is a Republican, so how's that for looks? Do you really think most of "thosebags of s**t" give a damn about politics one way or the other?

Shallow thinking does you no justice.

The most important thing for this election is to remove Barrack Obama (The Occupier) from our Oval Office so we can begin to rebuild this great Country. The Damage that this occupier has done will take years to correct. The Mistake we made in 2008 is like having a 4 year Nightmare.

And replace him with who, exactly?

The most important thing to do in this election is to give Barak Obama and the Democrats a clear mandate. We need to kick the entire Tea Party and all Grover Norquist pledgers out of congress so we can get back to fiscal sanity. The Damage they have done to the national credit rating, and the uncertainty they still thrust on us because of their single-minded focus on the coming election has been detrimental to our nation. The mistake that was made in 2010 must be undone so we can wake up from this nightmare!

R estore
O ur
N ation
P rotect
A merica
U nderstand
L iberty

Davis said

"I sure as hell don't trust ITM or JOS."

I will second that, I read JOS account of coming "home", and having blood filled balloons yadah yadah yadah. Ad nauseam, ad infinitum. One thing you can expect from a die hard "R", rear with the gear type, is EMBELLISHMENT. I would like to blame it on Bush but it has been going on longer than that. ROFL!!

David Walker the pseudo-intellectual partisan hack.

Refute just one?

OK.....I don't pine for Bush. That was easy enough.

How about another?

rack up record deficits

There's no doubt Bush racked up huge deficits. But record deficits? No. That title belongs to King Obama.

http://dailybail.com/home/comparing-federal-deficits-bush-vs-obama.html

And, of course, his last comment concerning the Republican nominees being the weakest is his own conjecture. I would opine that the field for the election of '96 was weaker.

I understand why you would jump to his defense....mental midgets should stick together.

Now do me. Refute my post he responded to. Allow me the opportunity to further enlighten you.

Where can the voters go to view the Drug & Alcohol test results on these prospects.??

Because, of course, winning Iowa means EVERYTHING, right?

Just ask Mike Huckabee.

Meanwhile, Obama called from Hawaii- he wants another $1.2 TRILLION to play with- seems the cash he got in July ran out.

Explanation? Well, there is this

http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/story/2011-12-26/federal-starting-salaries/52236360/1

It's called "buying votes"- its the Chicago way.

Obama shelved in 2012.

If winning Iowa is no big deal then why does Ron Paul make the collective GOP hierarchy pee themselves at the mere mention of his name?

Federal pay is controlled by Congress not the President.

Congress is controlled by the Teapublican House and the Republican filibuster in the Senate.

Uh, Dennis? You need to take a civics course. Entry level pay is dictated by department heads- noi congress.

Obama's selections have been responsible for these increases, not Congress. All congress does is pay the bills- and Obama squalls like a scalded cat whenever they suggest that he is overspending.

See Jay Leno the other night? In his opening, he said something to the effect of 'when Obama took the pooch to Petsmart, when asked how he was paying he told the clerk to put it on his grandchildren's credit card'.

Everybody gets it. Well, except the remaining cult members.

If Ron Paul was to win Iowa, things would get very interesting.

Job1

I think it would be the end of the "Iowa First" primary/caucus.

no joe, no bo, nj

It's called "buying votes"- its the Chicago way.

Obama shelved in 2012.

Sorry No Jo but in Chicago it vote EARLY and Often. Now since i have moved to new York, and these dudes here, its called buying votes. since august i have seen story's about cops fixing tickets for $, a US congressmen could not control the bulge in his pants and a Brooklyn political paying for ma lease on a car that was twice as mush as it should have been only to find out he was getting a kick back on the lease payments.

Chicago VOTE EARLY AND OFTEN

New York get as much $ as possible

New Jersey, having a Governor blow hole that cheats the government out of 270 million he was given for a project he canceled and wont give it back.

I prefer vote early and often

You still watch Jay Leno? That explains it.

Shouldn't one be "snuggling" with their honey at 11:35? That explains at lot about nojo.

Shouldn't one be "snuggling" with their honey at 11:35?

For some strange reason - I don't think the 'honey' spends much time at home...

Just a hunch! lol

I don't think the "honey" spends much time at home...

Yep, imagine it is pretty hard to snuggle up to an ice cube that leaks battery acid. LOL

@Phine. I see your holiday good will did not last long. As my mother always said, it is easy to be nice to only those who are nice to you.

ksw,

I tried for days to be nice to her - and got slammed for it. You can only beat a person down for so long unitl they stand up and fight!

Speaking of fight, instead of bashing me, how about you step up to the plate and say who you are for in the GOP field and why (if you can do it without bashing anyone or anything left of center)

@Phine I am not a Republican but am an Independent. I haven't decided who I am voting for. Unfortunately I do not like the extremists on either side. Fighting for what you believe in is one thing but sinking to a lower level is another. Most of the people I know respond much better and are willing to listen to your point of view when you respectfully disagree. Having said that I admit I used to be an in your face kind of person. I have come to realize what my mother had been telling me all along really had a lot of wisdom. Nobody listens to you when you are screaming at them or insulting them, they just put up a wall and tune you out.

ksw,

Thank you for your civil reply. If you don't mind me asking, do you lean right or left of center? Do you focus more on social or economic issues? These are questions that I am asking without a bit of snark. It forwards the debate in a more respectable fashion.

I tend to be socially progressive and fiscally conservative.

Social issues go out the window when the economy is bad- and this is the worst economy we've ever seen, in terms of recovery from a recession.

Obama's solutions seem to be- blame others, whine about the unfairness of it all, and last of all, lie.

http://news.investors.com/Article.aspx?id=595589&p=2

Obama is simply incompetent, and should never have been nominated, let alone elected. He had absolutely no relevant experience, or coherent plan for the economy- and still has none.

Tell me, oh remaining members of the cult- what is his plan going forward? "fairness" is a slogan, not a plan- but, stop to consider what could be considered "fair" to Obama.

Is it fair that due to sacrificing immediate gratification, and saving the maximum allowed by law, some people will retire with fat 401k portfolios, while others, who spent all they had and then some, or invested in high risk instruments, will have little or nothing?

How do you suppose Obama will make that "fair"?

If, heaven forfend, he gets a second term, those of us who have assets will have to bury them in our backyards- or they will be confiscated in the name of "fairness". Don't think so? Anybody else remember that Obama was deadset against an insurance mandate?

I do.

He sees a big pot of money he can't get his hands on- and, believe me, he intends to get his hands on it, by hook or by crook. Bank on crook.

I see we will be able to have enlightening conversations in the future. (But, please, do not expect that from me with several others on the right - sometimes a little snark is good for the soul - and I only do it to the worst of the worst)

nojo,

Naw, you just aren't worth it. Back on ignore for you girl.

By the way, and I realize it's probably not important enough to report on this site, but the Iranians just threatened to shut down the Straits of Hormuz.

For those who don't know why that matters, it is because one fifth of the world's oil supply is shipped through that piece of geography.

Tell me again why we don't need the Keystone pipeline? Leave out the fairy tales about wind and solar, and please address the reality.

Hey, blo jo in nj:

Did you catch the latest trend?

Americans named President Barack Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton as their "Most Admired Man" and "Most Admired Woman," according to a USA Today/Gallup survey released Tuesday. Gallup asked respondents, without prompting, the man and woman whom they admired most in the world.

How does THAT fit your ranting talking points?
You may as well give it up and jump on the Obama bandwagon with the rest of America's voters.....

By the way, and I realize it's probably not important enough to report on this site

Poor Donna from Lincroft!

She truly is BLINDED my her HATE!

From above since you missed it;

*** Don’t lose sight of what’s happening in Iran: The news coming out of Iran -- that it might block all oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz to retaliate against U.S. economic sanctions -- is a reminder for all politicos that next year’s issue matrix could change in the blink of an eye. After all, how many people in Dec. 2007 were talking about the perilous state of the U.S. economy? In Dec. 2009, who could believe that Republicans (with power from the Tea Party) were set to win back control of the House? And in Dec. 2010, was anyone talking about the Arab Spring? A U.S. military confrontation with Iran in the Strait of Hormuz would certainly change the landscape of the 2012 presidential election, no matter how high the unemployment rate is

Honey - reading really is FUN-DAMENTALl

Amazing how you continually bash this site when you don't even bother to READ it... lol

Feisty,

It is the "FUN" part in fundamental (and she is also mental) that she can't stand. LOL

no joe, no bo, nj

How do you suppose Obama will make that "fair"?

If, heaven forfend, he gets a second term, those of us who have assets will have to bury them in our backyards- or they will be confiscated in the name of "fairness". Don't think so? Anybody else remember that Obama was deadset against an insurance mandate?

I do.

He sees a big pot of money he can't get his hands on- and, believe me, he intends to get his hands on it, by hook or by crook. Bank on crook.

No Jo why would he want to, sorry but his is rich, he is not like blago who was going to have to get a second job to send his kids to college. No, barack sacrificed his 20s and 30s to pay his college loans write a few books and put that nest egg away for his kids and this does not include Michelle. your full of hate, more hate that some felt for Reagan.

you need your blood pressure medicine or something.

can people imagine this woman use to teach our kids, no wonder she had to quite, when they got rid of corporal punishment No Jo had no way to make her kids sit still and learn, because just by her posts i can see she was what we would call a

HORRIBLE TEACHER!!!!!!!!

I'm sure grandma will soon follow.

“By the way, and I realize it's probably not important enough to report on this site, but the Iranians just threatened to shut down the Straits of Hormuz.”

Anyone that listened to yesterday’s news already knew this; how it impacts oil supply, the price at the pump, the dilemma the Administration faces and where our ships are located should Iran even try this.

Since most, by far, of our oil supply comes from Canada, Mexico and South America the biggest impact will be in the way of price increases with an overall world supply shortage. Building the pipeline does not increase our supply much and it will do nothing to keep the price of oil down.

The major impact will be to our allies.

Blind fools no doubt

It is the "FUN" part in fundamental (and she is also mental) that she can't stand. LOL

phine,

I like to think of her as First Reads very own spinball wizard.

Not only is she deaf & dumb, apparently she is also blind!

What's that old song?

Something about venom getting into your eyes? lol

Um, yo? I notice that you didn't print any of the numbers.

17% is not, exactly, a bandwagon. It's not even the clean up crew for the bandwagon.

It's all that's left of the cult.

Not as stupid as yo uthink

How does THAT fit your ranting talking points?
You may as well give it up and jump on the Obama bandwagon with the rest of America's voters.....

No Jo would rather swim on a frozen lake first.

well at least No Jo has finally dropped the wing nut talking point about us still being in a recession....the fog will lift very, very slowly apparantly, but it will lift.

Um, yo? I notice that you didn't print any of the numbers.

Um nojo?

EVERYONE notices that YOU miss the point. Allow me to state again:

Americans named President Barack Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton as their "Most Admired Man" and "Most Admired Woman,"

The fact does NOT change, even when you attempt to deflect the point and spin the results to fit McConnell's misguided goal.

Once more so it might sink in:

"AMERICANS" - that is me and the other November 2012 voters...

"named President Barak Obama" you know, America's Chief Executive, leader of the free world...

"...their most admired man..." the one person in the entire WORLD that we hold the highest regard for and think the most of.

And this is a Gallup Poll/Today FACT! You do know what a fact is don't you? THE TRUTH!

And this particular truth proves how wrong and in error YOUR position, spin, and opinion is. Accept the FACT and deal with it.

Obama has the election in the bag, the only worry is maitaining a majority in the senate. If the Dem's lose the majority expect 4 years of our government doing nothing as the republicans are content on gridlock, at the expense of the middle class.

Another point I'd like to mention is what happens to Ron Paul as his racist newsletter comes to light. I see a stong democratic candidate being able to beat him if he gets too much attention.

Finally on Iran, why not save the money it would take to bomb them and put that towards getting ourselves an electric car worth a damn. It's about time America wake up to the reality that our consumption can no longer be supported by the global energy supply.

No joe.

You are the one that needs a civic lesson. It is congress that spends the money. The President can't spend a dime. So get over it. It was Little Bush and the Rep congress that put us in this mess, spending like drunken sailors. " John McCain". And the reason we don't need that keystone pipeline is that we know they wont maintain it and when it leaks oil into the ground water that so many people relay on, then What. I know who needs clean water to drink. Or to water the farm lands. Tell me something. Where does all the oil that comes out of Alaska go? Japan, and there is no way to know where the oil from the sand will go. What we do know is we will get stuck with the waste from it. Where will that go? Besides that, if we use our own oil and gas. We wont have any reasons to start wars over there. Israel might have to fight Iran with out us. Opps I guess we have to fight so everyone else can have the middle East oil, like China, Japan.

No joe,

About your comment re: the Iranians are threatening to shut down the Straits of Hormuz and that no one is talking about it. Well, it might be because that subject can be found elsewhere right now. In addition, this threat has been implied for most of my adult life (soon to be 60 years) and is still just a threat. By the way, the U.S. Navy just said " Oh no they won't"! Now , who do you believe can back their statement?

As to the pipeline, why would we want to create a 1700 mile long target? Why not spend money to build a refinery closer to the source and employ more people for a longer period of time?

Meanwhile, Obama called from Hawaii- he wants another $1.2 TRILLION to play with- seems the cash he got in July ran out.

Exactly according to plan. Tea Party Plan. Force the President to ask for the money to pay for the budget in 3 different chunks so that folks like you can pretend it's his fault.

Hey were Iowa the state that introduced you to Obama. PT Barnum was right "A sucker is born every minute"....

Sorry to burst your bubble but this Iowan and thousands of others remain proud supporters of President Barack Obama, proud to have picked such an extraordinary person to be President. And by the way, UAW Pleeease, in 2008, the GOP candidates were pretty darned good ones and not the circus show brought to us this year. In 2008, the GOP candidates were not clowns, their primary was not a circus show of book tours and wacky, unintelligent nonsense.

The GOP presidential field, their handlers, and the Super PACs have gotten so big, they had to trade in their clown car for an A380.

Jody, I'm not sure we've seen who the next President is going to be yet. There is no doubt we need better leadership than we have now. In 2008 alot of first time "Novelty Voters" came out. I think you will see voters take a more informed interest in who runs this country in 2012. I shudder to think where America would be today if the tides had not turned in 2010. Hopefully the OWS crowd will distract the majority of the poverty lobby and other un-informed voters into doing nothing this election....

well that's an interesting spin on the election. "novelty" voters. No wonder the GOP is working so hard to make sure those "novelty voters" don't return to the polls. Goodluck with that 'no one cared who was President last time around parallel universe argument.

AP - based on exit polling, there were far more first time voters in the 2008 presidential election. The "novelty" of voting for the first black president did draw out more people.

Danno,

Are you insinuating that these new voters some how don't count? What will you and yours call them when they come back and vote again?

I thought it was a good thing when more people took advantage of their civic rights and voted, regardless who they voted for. Lots of good people have died to make that right available to every person of voting age in this country.

vw, I think Danno was just pointing out that 90% of the first time black voters voted based on race rather than issues. Those same voters if they do come out in 2012, might be more informed on who they are casting thier vote for....

And so will again vote for President Obama

Watch Iowa give the nod to Ron Paul. Then, it will have been proved, once and for all that Iowa is politically irrelevant.

Then again, so is the GOP. They can only achieve power through fraud, deceit and fear.

Please make my "popcorn" extra salty!!!

Da Noid,

How about a locked cage match?

I say have them fight it out. Whoever survives is the nominee.

Hi Progressive,

This is Great! What role would Sarah Palin play?

Hi Progressive,

This is Great! What role would Sarah Palin play?

I nominate Sarah Palin for Mayor of Clownville, but we'll need to get a replacement to finish serving her term. 6 months after she quits, she can show up with a reality TV show crew, to capture her cleaning up after the elephants. She could also be their "Designated Shopper" if the circus gets close to the Mall of America.

Here's another role for Sarah Palin: "The Ferocious Mama Grizzly" with Roger Ales as the bear-tamer; using a million dollar contract and a Sean Hannity sock puppet to keep her at bay. A team of English professors is off to the side, attempting to translate her unintelligible gibberish into complete sentences for the crowd - they are driven to madness and have to be replaced periodically.

I hope we don't run out of popcorn. This circle jerk is getting to be very very funny.

Sally Ann, isn't it delightful to watch the Republicans pointing out the same flaws and inconsistencies in each other us Democrats have seen in them for years? The hypocrisy, the self centeredness, and the greed - it's great to see Republicans confirm publically what the rest of us have always thought.

Amy:

If you want a real laugh, look up the Amy Koch scandal currently underway in Minnesota. It's great.

@Ruken: it's going to take a very big frame for that mental picture.

And a tip of the cap to the gay and lesbian community for their public apology to Ms. Koch for threatening her traditional marriage: http://www.citypages.com/2011-12-28/news/gay-community-apologizes-to-amy-koch/ ... note that Ms. Koch and her paramour were instrumental in introducing legislation earlier regarding a traditional marriage amendment be placed on the next ballot. You can't make this stuff up.

Good morning Jody,

As always, you are on target.

Jody,

Are you eating a lot of "popcorn" watching this circus?

Gee, just like the circus that Barack, Hillary, Joe Biden, Dodd, Edwards, Gravel and all the rest put on in 2008.

Were you throwing your filth out about them also when they held their circus Jody?

No, it's left over Chex Mix. I did hear a rumor, though, that the liquor stores have been selling bottles of "numbing liquid" faster than they can put them on the shelves this year.

Jody,

LOL, that is the best!!!!

I miss T Pawl. He was the only respectable Repub candidate in that straw poll.

But with his loss we gained some valuable entertainment.

CherylLM, sorry to burst your bubble of democratic hatred but in 2008, the GOP candidates in Iowa were thoughtful, debated issues with logic and no way resembled a circus clown show presented to us this year. In 2008, the GOP had a pretty solid group of candidates. In 2008, I watched the GOP debates as well as the democratic ones. Both parties always have at least one wacky, far left or right candidate in the mix; sadly, this year, the GOP has a majority of wacky clowns running to be President of the U.S. That's a sad commentary on the GOP not to mention the country.

Jody----I don't know whether to be happy or sad that you omitted Pennsylvania's contribution to the clown show---Rick Santorum. You have to like the optimism of someone who is thrown out of office by Pennsylvania yet still thinks he can win the Presidency.

This clown show will make a great movie someday.

@Job1: I think we're selling them short; rather than a clown show, I think we're seeing the establishment of "Clown College" with these candidates. Maybe Tiffanys will endow Newt's chair; the companies that Mitt broke up can support his - or the "corporations that are people too" could throw in a few bucks; Ron Paul could sell a few more newsletters, etc.... these folks and "creative funding" never seem to be far apart.

No, they don't want to get rid of MediCare and Social Security, they want to keep it SOLVENT without bankrupting the country.

They want to lower taxes for EVERYBODY, despite the lies and filth you spread. And if you actually checked, which you will not do because your handlers tell you not to, EVERY tax break in this nation has led to more jobs created and actually more tax revenue collected by the government.

Unemployment benefits go out to almost TWO YEARS, how much longer should they be extended?

The House has passed bill after bill and EVERY single one of them except raising our DEBT has been tabled by Reid. No negotiations, no compromise, no discussion. Just put away without EVER even holding a vote of ANY KIND. And yet you say it's the House that doesn't want to work with Obama?

THREE YEARS of record deficit spending. For the first year you got away with blaming Bush. But the NATION sees that Obama and Democrats are about borrowing, taxing, and spending. All to buy votes, maintain power, and maintain "control" over the country. Democrats are about NOTHING except massive, over regulating, overspending, overborrowing, overreaching government.

Why don't you take a REAL look at when this nation's most prosperous times have been? And it sure hasn't been during the Depression days when Roosevelt was President and Congress was 75% Democrat. It sure hasn't been during this recession where Democrats dominated Congress for FOUR years and Obama and Democrats have run RECORD deficits, have borrowed RECORD amounts of money, have passed RECORD laws and regulations that have driven millions of jobs out of this nation, and even said that EVERY American will actually buy a product for the first time in our history, as well as having our credit rating lowered for the first time in our history.

If you are so blind that you think that sitting on your butt and waiting for your next "entitlement" that you did NOTHING to actually earn is "good" for this nation, then go ahead, keep voting for Democrats.

After all they, and apparently you, don't really want a UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, they want us to be part of Western Europe. You know, the place that we came to this country to GET AWAY FROM in the first place.

This nation was founded on FREEDOM, freedom from an over controlling government, freedom from an over taxing government, freedom from and over regulating government, and freedom to succeed or fail on our own personal responsibility. People like you want to subsidize failure on the backs of those that actually WORK and EARN what they have.

Why don't you take a REAL look at when this nation's most prosperous times have been?

You mean under Clinton, a democratic president?

I heard we had a budget surplus then. I wonder what happened to it under the subsequent Republican.

"You mean under Clinton, a democratic president?"

"I heard we had a budget surplus then. I wonder what happened to it under the subsequent Republican."

An unfunded war and tax breaks we couldn't afford.

Oh that's right, I almost forgot!

Arizonaron has GOT to be some teenage geek who learned his politics from reading the clowns on this board. Seriously. His post read like a bad parody of republican bashing. Are you for real, arizonaron? Do you believe Dick Cheney is a dark lord who lives on a death star?

Tell me, ron. If the Dems are the party of the working man, then why do so many MILLIONS of "working men" vote for the Republicans? I've asked that question many, many times on this site and nobody has ever given me a serious answer. The best they can do is "all non'rich people who vote for the Repubs do so because they are brainwashed by FOX NEWS." They don't bother to explain why so many of the working men and women voted Repub BEFORE there ever was a FOX NEWS, but that's not important to them. It screws up their BS theory. Too bad.

Just from personal experience, I do know that at my job, all the people who can never be bothered to show up, and when they do, do NO work, are STRONG Obama supporters.

So c'mon rarizonaron. Explain to me, without using the old "FOX NEWS" BS excuse, WHY so many millions of the middle class feel the Republican party is a better answer than the Dems. Can you do it?

His post read like a bad parody of republican bashing. Are you for real, arizonaron? Do you believe Dick Cheney is a dark lord who lives on a death star?

If Dick Cheney is Darth Vader, I bet Karl Rove is the Emperor.

I bet that would make Obama be Lando Calrissian, Hilary Clinton can be Chewbacca...

Congress would be Admiral Akbar. They just talk a bunch about how "it's a trap" but really don't do sh*t about it.

So c'mon rarizonaron. Explain to me, without using the old "FOX NEWS" BS excuse, WHY so many millions of the middle class feel the Republican party is a better answer than the Dems. Can you do it?

Simple truth, FOX Lies

2008 Election:

Obama 66,882,230

McCain 58,343,671

(I need a )Job1 --

You mean to tell me that over 58 million people voted for McCain? WOW. That's a helluva lot of one-percenters, dontcha think? What the hell was wrong with those people? Are you trying to tell me that they ALL are super-rich? Surely, there were some truck drivers, plumbers, electricians, mechanics, deliverymen among that 58 million, right? Were they all dupes of FOX NEWS? How did FOX manage to retro-lie their poison back to 1984 when Reagan won 49 states?

Sometimes, stupid is as stupid does.

"If the Dems are the party of the working man, then why do so many MILLIONS of "working men" vote for the Republicans?"

A large number of these MILLIONS of "working men" who vote Republican also believe professional wrasselin' is real. 'Splains a lot.

The rest of us "working men" read.

Damage123

Arizonaron has GOT to be some teenage geek who learned his politics from reading the clowns on this board. Seriously. His post read like a bad parody of republican bashing. Are you for real, arizonaron? Do you believe Dick Cheney is a dark lord who lives on a death star?

As, as alluded to yesterday, your talking points are typical neocon misdirects. Here's your current challenge: can you refute anything arizonaron said?

Tell me, ron. If the Dems are the party of the working man, then why do so many MILLIONS of "working men" vote for the Republicans? I've asked that question many, many times on this site and nobody has ever given me a serious answer. The best they can do is "all non'rich people who vote for the Repubs do so because they are brainwashed by FOX NEWS." They don't bother to explain why so many of the working men and women voted Repub BEFORE there ever was a FOX NEWS, but that's not important to them. It screws up their BS theory. Too bad.

Oh, f*ck off. The inception of FOX News and that style of "reporting" -- MSNBC inclusive -- are resultant of profit-driven, cable news-reporting facilitated by Ronald Reagan's deregulation of news reporting.

It's not a Goddamned mystery. Both sides of the cable news-wars do it: pander to the lowest f*cking denominator of the political base.

In other words: a good percentage of McCain voters DID do it simply because FOX "told" them to. The same goes for Obama voters.

Just from personal experience, I do know that at my job, all the people who can never be bothered to show up, and when they do, do NO work, are STRONG Obama supporters.

Amazingly, the unemployed fellas around here hunkered up to the bar, night after night, drinking their "old lady's" Wal-Mart checks away are whole hearted Liptonites.

Do you see the dangers of anecdotal evidence?

So c'mon rarizonaron. Explain to me, without using the old "FOX NEWS" BS excuse, WHY so many millions of the middle class feel the Republican party is a better answer than the Dems. Can you do it?

I can. I did. Now how about you express some critical thinking of your own, admit the f*cking problem isn't just "liberals", but -- and I hope you're following along here, dipsh*t -- the Goddamned divisive nature of the radical right, compounded by a whole f*cking hill of do-nothings on both sides of the aisle?

Can you pull that one off, "damage"?

I fail to understand, YouJustSaidWhat, how you call the "radical" right divisive but at the same time call someone with whom you don't agree a dipsh*t. Are you not being as divisive as you claim the right is without pointing out that the "radical" left is just as divisieve?

Bookem' Danno

I fail to understand, YouJustSaidWhat, how you call the "radical" right divisive but at the same time call someone with whom you don't agree a dipsh*t. Are you not being as divisive as you claim the right is without pointing out that the "radical" left is just as divisieve?

My response to a person with a history of inflammatory statements seems divisive to you? Should I hug him instead? I used language and demeanor he understands and I'm not going to stand there while he pisses on my leg ... or anyone else's.

You Just Said what,

Thanks for taking the time to explain things to Damage123.

He continually fails to make the distinction between anecdotal evidence and critical thinking.

then why do so many MILLIONS of "working men" vote for the Republicans?

Anyone who has taken a basic poli-sci class knows this one. It is really a product of the civil rights era, and the lower class working men, afraid that blacks might take their jobs (and, more insidiously, their women). It was the same fear that was used to fuel bigotry against the Irish and Eastern Europeans in the 1800's, and the undocumented aliens today.

The supreme irony in it all, is that the GOP, primarily beholden to business interests, is the very SAME group that has looked the other way, in terms of real action, in order to maintain the cheap labor represented by those dreadful, feared groups! The GOP cannot let go of the notion of slave labor. How twisted and disgraceful that THIS was the party of Lincoln.

Yeah, right. Times HAVE changed... 180°

THAT is where we got the Southern Strategy, which has now gone nationwide; thank Karl Rove for that one. At any rate, it is all driven by fear, not thinking and reason. THAT is how so many millions vote - demonstrably against their own interests - to support those who only use them as tools.

cherylLM said They want to lower taxes for EVERYBODY, despite the lies and filth you spread.

And that, dear robot, is a mathematical impossibility, except in the fantasyland of the Supply Side morons. David Stockman, chief architect of that sad group, even recanted the whole thing as a book, admitting that it was done just to see how thick the wool could be woven.

Simple, immutable fact: The cost of society has, like everything else, gone UP. So, then, must revenues, or else we choose by default, to become less than a 1st world nation.

And, for those whose understanding of history does not predate 1980, the best times in this nation's economic history, were the period during and after Eisenhower, when tax rates were at the highest, as was investment in our nation.

Now, we have the mass national delusion that we can have a 1st world nation, and not have to pay for it. Thanks for nothing, Mr. Raygun.

Maybe the Republicans no longer want the US to be a super power. Maybe they are tired of being part of the best nation on the planet. Personally, I don't think the average GOP voter even thinks like that. They just believe the lies they are being sold, and cannot do any research at all on the facts, whithout being drowned in bought and paid for information. Maybe we deserve what is coming. Maybe the powers that fund the GOP have already won, and the middle class will simply go away.

Are you going to keep saying that when Obama and the unions start spending their hundreds of millions on political ads on television?

Trust me, they are using direct mail - it is more effective and cheaper than TV ads. It means nothing because I can promise that the GOP caucuses will be poorly attended; there is just no GOP candidate people care about this cycle. Unless you are counting naive college kids supporting Ron Paul - but they won't be there either.

Gee, and we've seen how wonderful that works for the past three years, haven't we? Record laws passed that intrude on the personal life of EVERY American, record spending, record borrowing, and record DEBT.

Yeah, the country needs more of that.

Cheryl, yes we have.

The economy was recovering from the Bush recession, thanks to the stimulus and auto industry bailouts, up to the moment the Republicans took control of the House, then all hell broke lose. Who can forget the debt ceiling crisis and how Republicans flirted with defaulting on our loans? Who can forget how they threw themselves on the train tracks to protect tax cuts for the wealthiest, then threatend to raise the payroll tax on the middleclass in order to give polluters more room to defile our environment? Republicans deserve to lose big in 2012, considering they seemed to have deliberatly prolonged the financial crisis.

...Record laws passed that intrude on the personal life of EVERY American...

Such as?

...and if you're even thinking of including HCR on this list I can guarantee you my personal life has not changed one bit since it was passed.

News flash, Cheryl----there are many of us who are proud to have voted for President Obama and proud to vote for his re-election. We understand that it will take a while to reverse the disastrous policies of George Bush, especially given the total lack of cooperation by the Republicans in Congress.

I'm not voting for any party that associates itself with Michelle Bachmann.

Obama / Biden 2012

The only real choice.

Ron Paul won't get the nomination because he is what Republicans claim to be but don't really want (small government, not serving special interests). In reality, most Republicans are just as big government as their Democratic counterparts but they like to toss around the idea of limited government and individual liberty but really couldn't care less about either. That is why all the conservative pundits hate him so much.

While I don't always agree with Ron Paul and find his philosophy to be too idealistic, he genuinely believes what he says which is admirable. The fact that the Limbaugh's and Hannity's of the world despise him as much as they do makes me think he might be viable.

Ron Paul puts too much faith in people. As the internet has taught us, many people deserve no faith.

The political spectrum is not a line but a horseshoe. The extreme left and extreme right are actually pretty close to each other as evidenced by Ron Paul's following among college students who are not known for their conservative values (outside Utah). Ron Paul's far right philosophy, just like the extreme left philosophy of people like Ralph Nader and Dennis Kucinich, relies far too heavily on everyone doing what is in the best interest of everybody else. It fails to take into account basic human nature qualities of greed and selfishness. The world would be a much better place if there were more people like Ron Paul, but that doesn't mean his philosophy would work to improve things, nor would it have much impact if Congress is still populated by the lobbyist whores who currently reside there.

There's a real All Star Team, fuzzy. Problem is that the Republicans are desperate for a closer from the bullpen but there is nobody there.

As we got used to saying in Cleveland, the bench has no depth.

@Nashville - you have hit the nail on the head. In an earlier post, Phine asks the same questions but receives no real answers. All I have heard from these candidates is that repealing Obamacare, providing corporate tax breaks, bombing Iran, eliminating abortions, and promoting discrimination against gays, will magically herald in a new prosperous era that will eliminate the debt, drive unemployment to 0%, and increase everyone's 401k balances to over 1 million dollars.

Really GOP/TP? Please tell us how any of the proposed policies will magically bring on this new prosperous era.

Explain anything positive that Obama has done in the last 3 years??

@bashbrothers: First, go ahead and change your moniker to BashObama .. we all know that is what you are really all about.

One positive Obama has done in the last 3 years: Killed Osama Bin Laden. Now, stretch your imagination and let's see if you can come up with one.

How about making it against the law for insurance companies to deny health care coverage to children? I like that one.

John ... take a valium!

Actually, he's right. The GOP is so focused on making Obama look bad, they can't even extend the payroll tax holiday without conflict. They approved a budget agreement only on condition that the debt limit only be raised a little way, so that the President has to request it be raised a couple extra times, for NO REASON. Then, they can't even compromise just a tiny little bit to get massive government spending cuts. Rich people pay 15% tax on income generated by investments, no matter how much they make. And the GOP had to take the Norquist Pledge that forbids them from raising it to match normal income tax. As a former member of the GOP, I can only shake my head in disgust. Reagan is turning in his grave these days.

Keeping up with the Teapublicans?

Keeping up with the Teapublicans?

No. Axe Men.

Taking a hatchet to America.

I agree Bighorn. The media has to write something "sensational" politically. This is it, but it's a big yawn. Iowa is so passe. Social networking is the new way to get your message across. Iowans are farmers, their biggest city is Des Moines, and like you stated, they have no clue about Urban problems. They probably don't know where Panama is located. This is a bunch of nothing, but it gets the media ink coverage.