phine,

I see this more as a statement of confidence by Mr. Romney, and a direct challenge to his rivals - "Hey, guys (and gal), I've got this thing, if you want it, you are going to have to take it from me."

Happy New Year!

Hillary had the same confidence. That didn't turn out so well for her. I just want to see the process through.

Obama is the one responsible for the worst recovery in modern history, not Newt.

Obama is the one responsible for the worst longterm unemployment since the 30s, not Paul.

Obama is the one responsible for the greatest number of Americans on food stamps in history, not Bachmann.

Obama is the one responsible for the greatest debt in history, not Perry.

Obama is the one responsible for the highest misery index in decades, not Huntsman.

Obama is the one responsible for greatest number of Americans at the poverty level in history, not Santorum.

The focus needs to be on the problem - an inept, over his head, community organizer - Obama.

Romney understands this.

Majority of Americans understand it too.

Phew. Whopper attack above!

BACK TO REALITY NOW:

Have to laff when GOP-ers repeat that ould line about the 'failed stimulus' etc.

It is acknowledged by economists in the round, that the stimulus, watered down by the Norquistians as it was, saved the US from falling from a Bush Great Recession down further into a Great Depression.

Our economy continues to grow, no thanks to Republican senators who continue to filibuster and block Jobs Bills, recently two million jobs in the President's American Jobs Act.

The non-partisan CBO reported:

"The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) said Tuesday that President Obama's 2009 stimulus package continues to benefit the struggling economy.

The agency said the measure raised gross domestic product by between 0.3 and 1.9 percent in the third quarter of 2011, which ended Sept. 30. The Commerce Department said Tuesday that GDP in that quarter was only 2 percent total.

CBO said that the stimulus also lowered the unemployment rate by between 0.2 and 1.3 percentage points and increased the number of people employed by between 0.4 million and 2.4 million.

"CBO estimates that, compared with what would have occurred otherwise, [the stimulus] will raise real GDP in 2012 by between 0.1 percent and 0.8 percent and will increase the number of people employed in 2012 by between 0.2 million and 1.1 million," a Tuesday report adds.

By CBO's numbers, the $800 billion stimulus added up to 0.9 million jobs in 2009, 3.3 million jobs in 2010 and 2.6 million jobs in 2011. As the effects of the stimulus wind down, Obama has been pushing Congress to enact a $447 billion jobs bill that includes infrastructure spending and tax cuts."

http://thehill.com/blogs/on-the-money/budget/195181-cbo-says-obama-stimulus-still-helps-economy

@BOB - What has Romney accomplished since, your party did not make him the nominee in 2008?

Nothing.

BoB, you could circle Bachmann with all your pretenders to the throne and no matter how often they shot their loads she would still not get pregnant.

ideology,

Her childbearing years are over. She will become a pundit on Fox network, and abdicate her kingdom . In fact her kingdom(6th District of MN) will lose 100,000 voters in redistricting.

Northstar ... I am waiting for all of her voters to move to Santorum, along with Perry's. Might make SC a wild place if he wins.

Phew. Whopper attack above!

BACK TO REALITY NOW:

Couldn't refute one thing, huh?

It is acknowledged by economists in the round, that the stimulus, watered down by the Norquistians as it was, saved the US from falling from a Bush Great Recession down further into a Great Depression.

Real economist , not thinkprogress "economists in the round" room trying to find a corner, understand that it is historic fact (as defined by economic science) the recession began in December 2007, peaked in September 2008 and ended in june 2009.

It is an economic fact that the recession was over before Obama found time to even address the economy.

We have been in a recovery for the last 2 1/2 years ... you don't go from a recovery to a depression without going through a recession.

Why do you continue to lie?

About the CBO, you don't understand that they use Obama assumptions, not facts, to run their Keynesian computer models?

It is not reality - it is fabricated / computer modeling used to fool the fools and tools.

You want reality .... see #1.3 - all indisputable facts.

But the reality is that backhouse can't challenge any of it .... he can't accept reality.

Let Romney focus on Obama, who cares what can he say that has not been said 24/7 for the last three years by Fox and friends. The fact is Obama's numbers are going up, because of the republicans in Congress so the American people have figured it out and it now only plays to the republican base. The good news is that he is not focused on Ron Paul who is going to spell big trouble for republicans straight through the general election. Paul is gaining a lot of support and has been asked repeatedly if he will run as an independent if he does not get the nomination and he has consistently answered that it is an option he will keep open. His supporters are not on a mission to get a republican elected they are on a mission to get Ron Paul elected and they will not support Romney just because the republican establishment wishes them to do so. The more Romney focuses on Obama the better it is for Obama, because only fools blame the president exclusively for our problems, the rest have already placed the blame where it belongs by better than a 4 to 1 margin. They can beat on him all they want now it has no more I'll effect on Obama's numbers and is now having the opposite effect. Welcome to Waterloo Mitt, republicans in congress have doomed your election, and Ron Paul supporters would rather write his name in on a ballout than vote for you.

BoB ... @!$%# reality, let's dance!

Bob

About the CBO....you mean the same CBO the republicans use as a "reference" when numbers agree with what they want?

As for the "recession" are you talking about the one President Bush and his economic advisors said "didn't exist"?

ideology,

As Phine said yesterday, SC is the South! Romney the Mormon and Santorum the Catholic will have a rough road to win the religious vote down there. Perry, on the other hand, the darling of the Army of God and deep pockets of his super pacs can hang on through SC.

I am sure Canada has those same regional differences?

Northstar

We do to a certain extent but they are not a political force in Canada. My experience living down south was that one's religious denomination cared less as long as one was born again ... it's the one church evangelical ideology that to me seems to rule the 'modern' theocratic thought and Santorum fits in as well as George did.

Bob, have you ever heard of a couple of fellas named George W. Bush and Dick Cheney or are they ignored once out of office? It is the same people whining about Obama that would whine when Bush was criticized and they would envoke Clinton. Those hypocrites thought it okay to go back and blame Clinton for all that they thought was bad but dare us go back and blame Bush for anything and that isn't allowed. Hypocrisy is still alive and well with the right wing extremists.

Forrest,

Obama's numbers bumped up a little because he has the bully pulpit and the liberal media's lips stuck on his butt.

Give me a break, how many people actually understand that Obama is simply taking their money out of their Social Security - bankrupting their Social Security - to give to them today?

Pathetic.

TWO MONTH LEGISLATION?

Obama sets a tax policy based on 2 months to be fixed later? Nothing but pandering for approval.

The funny part is that the repubs wanted to give him a year .... AND OBAMA TOOK MONTHS FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SIMPLY BASH THE REPUBS!

Gimmicks are short term ... it will catch up.

About Ron Paul, Paul is simply running for his ego. He will run 3rd party for the attention, lose and hopefully revive his pathetic news letter for an income of $1- $3 million a year.

It certainly doesn't help the repubs, but don't be surprised if he pulls a lot of the young, idealistic numb nut vote away from Obama.

Have a Happy New Year Forrest.

Baldy,

Bush spent all his time blaming everything on Clinton? Got any quotes?

Yea .... Bush spent too much ..... had a deficit of $160.7 billion in 2007.

Obama has a deficit of $1.645 trillion in 2011 - 10 times Bush's Deficit!

What was your point about hypocrisy?

Happy New Year Bob and to all on this blog while I am at it so I don't forget any of my friends on both sides, so again Happy New Year to Everyone.

Come on Bob Obama asked for a one year deal and the Senate came back with this two month thing, Boehner agreed and his house balked, and McConnell bailed out on Boehner, so how is that now Obama's fault. Ron Paul will take some votes from Obama, but will take a lot more from republicans because he is the only one that actually wants to practice the small government mantra that republicans preach. It is PC incorrect to talk about openly and honestly but Romney is not a Christian and that will be a big problem for republicans that have had the idea of Christian representation in government sold for many years. I will have to catch you tomorrow maybe, the wife says we are running late for our activities tonight.

Forrest,

I don't care for McConnell or Boehner, they are the old school big government, go along to get along politicians that helped get us in this situation.

Regardless, the 2 month legislation is bull crap anyway. The Senate didn't even try to do their job and you know it.

The Senate has done nothing, not even a budget required by law and you know it. Obama let them bail so he could demonize the House.

The House was stupid enough to get trapped ... it is all nothing but pure political gamesmanship and you know it.

Americans need jobs, not games and gimmicks.

How did it help anything?

What did Obama improve other than his numbers?

bob, your posts are trash... each and every line can be rebutted with simple facts and TRUE history. You ever notice that you never post in dissertation? No discussion, just one-liners filled with BS. To tell you the truth I feel like I just Googled "FOX news talking points". Most people see right through the idiocy.

Here, let me counter your imagination with some facts...

The stimulus created some number of direct jobs and supported some much greater number of indirect jobs as determined by the CBO and SIMPLE logic. We all saw construction projects that supported the hardest hit industries... we all saw stimulus money help keep local, county, and state governments running until the economy somewhat recovered.

Purposeful or not, Bush and the GOP almost killed this country. We were dying. They "forgot" to fund two wars, a massive new Homeland Security, Medicaid, and the Bush Tax Cuts... which STILL have a burn rate of nearly $500 Billion a year.

Purposeful or not, under Bush we cut back real regulations and underfunded the regulators themselves, all of which can easily be shown to contribute directly to the collapse of our economy... a collapse that reduced our revenue by $500 Billion per year... which makes a total continuing annual Bush Debt contribution of 1 $Trillion.

But we realize you need to lay all this at the feet of Obama. We realize that a successful Obama would annihilate your party and power. And we realize that you purposely ran up the debt ("Deficits don't matter"). And we realize you purposely blocked any positive legislation to make Obama fail. And we realize that big-money has run 24/7 all-media campaigns against Obama for nearly 4 years now...

But, somehow, he keeps winning legislative battles. But, somehow, our economy is slowly but steadily recovering. Why on earth the GOP thinks we will forget what Bush did so soon and forgive the ugly tactics in Congress and believe your one-line lies... we may never know. But my bet is that these few short 10 to 12 years will not kill America... it will kill the Republican Party.

TOMORROW IS JAN 1st !!!!!!

GOP/Koch/Norquisters-ers All:

And your denial/proof of refutation of this Fact is?........

TOMORROW IS JAN 1st !!!!!!

YES!!!

2012!!

That means bob numbers can sober up, right bob?

Get sober and stop posting all that RNC/GOP half-truths, spin, talking points and LIES.....

2012: President Obama's re-election year!

He didn't fare so well when asked by a young boy if running for President was a hard job?

Yes or No question, huh?

If Romney says ... Yea, it is a hard job .... Mark, or Domenico, or Ali, or Will, or Jo Ling, or Natalie write a piece questioning how Romney can handle being President if he thinks just running for President is a hard job.

And if Romney says .... No, it is a pretty easy job .... Mark, or Domenico, or Ali, or Will, or Jo Ling, or Natalie .... write a piece about how arrogant and cocky Romney is.

So you try to make a stupid comment to marginalize him anyway?

Who cares ... it's a stupid point about a stupid question that Romney wasn't stupid enough to fall for.

Bob It was a fair question since, running for President is the only job Romney has had since 2008.

running for President is the only job Romney has had since 2008.

Kinda like Obama, huh?

From (buried in) the previous article:

And turning away from Iowa and to the team at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. (or in Hawaii), NBC’s Kristen Welker reports that the Obama White House is in the process of distancing itself -- and contrasting itself -- from Congress.Speaking from Honolulu, where the president is vacationing, White House spokesman Josh Earnest said, “We ended 2011 with the president basically rolling out, over the course of the last two months of the year about 20 different "We Can't Wait" initiatives,” he said, referring to the small-scale initiatives aimed at jumpstarting the economy. “You have an image of a gridlocked, dysfunctional Congress, [versus] a president who's leaving no stone unturned.” Earnest also said, "In terms of the president's relationship with Congress in 2012 … the president is no longer tied to Washington, D.C."

How nauseating is that, Obama doesn't even plan to have any pretext about solving problems - just trying to marginalize the opposition in the hope of being re-elected.

Want more?

Welker adds that Obama is planning to address his supporters -- via video-conference -- on the night of the Iowa caucuses and will travel to the battleground state of Ohio the very next day, a clear indication that he will not be sitting on the sidelines during the Republican primary contests.

How pathetic.

Record number of poor, on food stamps, so many millions suffering and the guy could not care less ... only thing that matters is Obama.

Bob You did not answer my question? What has Romney done since 2008?

So, I am donating to the DNC in your name.

Sandy, Happy New Year.

Keep those posts coming...bob with# really need to answer your question.

Bob

"kinda like Obama"...

there is a difference Bob - Obama actually won and will again!

NorthstarDFL, Happy New Year

Bob has no answers. Just hot air. Fits the GOP platform for what they will do for the country.

Mitt's comments in the article are all Obama bashing. No solutions, NONE

Sandy isn't a nickname implying where your head is ... is it?

Bob You did not answer my question? What has Romney done since 2008?

This was your post ...

Bob It was a fair question since, running for President is the only job Romney has had since 2008.

You made a declarative statement. Where is your question that I didn't answer?

What has Romney done since 2008?

Preparing to run for President in 2012 is fine with me.... just like Obama.

The difference is, Romney wasn't supposed to be actually governing, trying to lead the country out of a crisis.

So, I am donating to the DNC in your name.

I would prefer you invest the money in a reading course at Sylvan Learning Center, but do what ever you want.

Happy New Year Sandy.

Don't put your money on Mitt yet Bob. Not only do conservatives not trust Mitt, many primaries are open so that means dems and indies will have a say in who your nominee is as well. Since Obama has no opponent, my guess is most folks who have a choice will vote in the repub primary.

No, my head is not in the sand. Believe it or not, I voted for Bush twice.

I do not need that reading course, because I have nothing to read from the GOP about any

solutions. The GOP Learning Center: hate gays, hate Muslims, be born again, then hate some more.

Chucky,

I'm not ... you are right ... anything can happen .... a community organizer that had never run anything in his life got elected last time, right?

sandy,

Who hates gays? Most conservatives probably wish they would call their unions something other marriage, but for the most part - no big deal.

What Obama has done to the country is a big deal.

Who hates Muslims? Most conservatives hate the idea of creeping Sharia law, but if they accept America and our way of life including the court sytems - no big deal.

What Obama has done to the country is a big deal.

Be born again? Huh? That is an issue?

Then hate some more?

That wouldn't be your hateful opinion would it?

It's pretty easy to tell who the haters are.

Bob They have made social issues and religious issues a big deal in this campaign.

It does in my un-hateful opinion seem like the wrong issues.

vs. how they would govern.

I am born again, The Jesus I love and worship was a community organizer.

My Jesus teaches me to love one another and respect the office of President.

I still would like to know how the GOP wants to govern?

Did I miss the GOP convention? When was Willard made the official nominee of the GOP. Bet some of other candidates running would like to know the answer to that question, too.

@ left is fuzzy Mr. Romney's accomplishments since, your party did not make him the nominee

in 2008? Nothing. But, now he can get it done! Who is fuzzy?

Fuzzy wuzzy wuz a bear. Fuzzy wuzzy had no hair. Fuzzy wuzzy wasn't fuzzy. Was he, was he, was he?

Fuzzy

The "whole country"......???

That sums up the problem republicans have right there, they think that whatever they think the "whole country"agrees with them. The new people in Congress keep saying the American people want us to do this and to do that but they have the lowest approval rating ever recorded and it continues to sink to new record breaking lows. Newly elected republicans in WI said they knew what everybody wanted and they lost recall elections, and now the Governor himself will likely face a recall election. The governor in Ohio said he knew what the people wanted and that agenda went down in flames. I would be careful if I was a republican and was claiming what the country wanted, because the track record indicates they don't understand what the country wants. Ha they think the country wants Mitt Romney and 75% of republicans don't even want him.

I can agree with you Forrest,

The Neo-Con Republicans don't have a clue, but neither do the Democrats currently in power. If either of them did there wouldn't be a Tea Party, there wouldn't have been an OWS movement and Libertariansm would still be a forgotten political philosophy.

The Voters in Wisc. were not as successful as it seems, only two were recalled out of seven attempted (all seven went to vote) and it seems like they are taking their sweet old time getting up the required votes to recall the Gov.

In Ohio, they voted to reinstate their collective voting rights, but the same union brothers voted to exclude the state from Obamacare.

Based upon these things I believe Both haven't a clue what the citizens really want. Not surprising since they have been ignoring the electorate for at least the last 20 some odd years, probably in large part much longer.

On the Kelly Clarkson Twitter Supporting Ron Paul thingy... (she was slammed by some of her liberal fans)

money.cnn.com/2011/12/30/news/kelly_clarkson_ron_paul/

As of 1:30 am this morning her latest record went from #41 on Amazon, to #1 OVERNIGHT!!!!

Does this open anyone's eyes to what you are dealing with campaigning against Dr Paul?

CNN is recommending to leading musicians that they just might want to announce their support for Libertarians in the upcoming elections!

I think the sleeping giant in politics (the silent majority) has awakened!!!

Egilman,

Wow... Ron Paul should get a job on American Idol when the primaries are over. I hear he is not running for relection in Texas.

NorthstarDFL

Well, we will just have to wait and see, he does have prospects you know....;-0)

Egilman,

Happy New Year. Yes we will all have to just wait and see... until we each cast our vote.

Off topic. Love your avatar. I live by the bluffs of the Miss. River and see bald eagles sitting in the trees watching over the open water of the river for their dinner during the winter.

And a Happy New Year to you too!

Thank You! I also get the opportunity from time to time to actually watch eagles do just that, I tell ya it's amazing! I was out on a lake here in WA St. once with a friend of mine, he is a DNR officer. The lake is about 1.5 miles long and there was a mating pair with an active nest in a tall snag on the north end of the lake. We were fishing on the south end when we spotted another pair swoop in and perch on a high branch of a tall tree at the south end.

My friend muttered "Damn" and I asked him what was wrong. He was agitated and was cussin the fact that he didn't have his DVR with him. (which he usually brings with him when he goes out in the wild) I asked him why. He told me in a whisper to shut up and watch, I was about to see something VERY few people get to watch in real life.

they were both established mating pairs the females wingspans were about 5' or so one of the males were 5.5' the other was about 6.5'.

The nesting female came off her perch and started tracking fish as they had been doing on and off all morning. but, after two or so turns she abruptly made a short turn and headed back to the nest on a rope. As soon as she landed the male took off and we heard this blood curdling SCREECH! He flew directly to the middle of the lake and started making wide sweeping circles screeching constantly.

After about four turns while he was heading north, the southern male left his perch and headed for the other male.

My friend turned to me and said "OH MY GOD!!! you are about to see WWIII eagle style" I guess the southern pair was interloping on the northern pair's territory.

For almost an hour they swooped and dove at each other claws out and snapping and they passed, the loops were tight but wide graceful. Then, all of a sudden, the northern male coming out of a swooping upward turn, kinda stood on his wingtips and cut inside the turn of the other, and struck.

Both feet, claws extended, right into the turned up chest of the other! There was a little puff of feathers and the smaller male dropped about 50 feet before he righted himself. The bigger male continued to circle above in a wide circle and resumed SCREECHING Loudly!

The smaller male climbed back up in a circle towards the other and when the big one turned again into the smaller the southern male cut inside the turn and exited south, followed by the northern male a short distance behind.

As the southern male passed the perch where his mate was waiting she came off the perch and joined his flight south....

The northern male circled the whole lake three or four times screeching on every pass up and down the full length of the lake.

My friend turned to me and told me that we had just witnessed one of the most difficult thing to see in nature, a territorial fight between two mating males, he explained that if it was just a fight over the lake (food source) it would have been over in a few minutes, this took 45 minutes. It was a fight over home territory, he told me there were probably egrets in the nest and the resident Male wasn't going to quit until he was dead. Very rare thing to see in real life...

Nature has some of the most amazing sights if you just keep your eyes open and leave it alone.

Matt,

He sure doesn't want his tax returns looked at. I find that telling also.

Matt,

I believe the 2012 election is going to be a close one, and the people that are going to decide it are people like me - moderates, who at this point are uncommitted to any candidate or either side.

It is the job of the committed to sway the uncommitted. A tip - though undecided at this point I am informed and smart and have no interest in negative campaigning and sweeping hyperbole. You characterization of Mr. Romney in you post is exactly the kind of generalization I turn away from. If you are going to convince me Mr. Romney is as awful as you paint him, I need facts. Game on!

Happy New Year!

Mark, the problem with voting for Mitt is which Mitt are you voting for. The one who has a record as governor or the one who, as a candidate for president, seems to be running against his own record? And after deciding which Mitt to vote for, if he wins, which Mitt will actually show up? Since this makes it pretty hard to provide the facts you seek, I'm probably not being much help. But its hard to pin Mitt down. Either way, its gonna be a crap shoot with Mitt.

Mark in so cal, Great post I think most americans have more in common then the far-right or the far-left would like us to believe. Whoever I vote for will have win my vote and they better not take it for granted.

To get Mitt's honest opinion on anything is like trying to nail jello to a wall.

And Jello is quite a bit firmer than Mitt!

Independent in Illinois, I also voted up Mark from so cal. I think that both the Dems and Rep are going to be surprised by the voters. It's going to take more than propaganda and negative ads to get independent votes this time around.

I agree with you Robert. Its so easy to blame the President for anything and everything. Its so much easier than checking out what the real cause of the problems are.

Romney is very pro business -( Corporations are people, after all) because that's where he earned his money. Here in Canada we have 5 banks - AND RULES FOR HOW THEY OPERATE. You may have noticed that we have not had the mortgage crisis here like you have had in the U.S. From the way I see it the mortgage crisis has been the root of all your other problems. Yet U.S. banks are going about their business today just as before - handing out big bonuses willy nilly. Your house and senate members get to cash in on knowledge that isn't available to others. Its a get rich quick scheme for the whole lot of them.