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Subscribe to RSSHow did Romney get here?... Romney targets Big Labor, but could that hurt him in a general election?... The GOP united in targeting labor is a recent phenomenon… Santorum releases his tax returns… Obama: “Right now!”… And payroll tax cut legislation deal appears to be finalized.
*** How did Romney get here? As Mitt Romney finds himself in a real battle to win Michigan -- a state where he holds so many advantages -- it raises an inevitable question: How did he get here? How did he get to yet another moment where perhaps his entire candidacy is on the line? After all, he didn’t stumble in a debate (as he did in South Carolina). He didn’t commit a serious gaffe. And he isn’t on unfriendly turf (as he was in Iowa and South Carolina). Romney appears to be his current predicament 1) because he and his team gave Rick Santorum an opening in the contests of Colorado, Minnesota, and Missouri; and 2) because of ideology. Indeed, according to the polls, Santorum has become the latest conservative flavor of the month (or week) due to the support he’s getting from conservatives and Tea Party supporters. The good news for Romney: He’s been in this position before. After losing in South Carolina and after seeing polls showing Gingrich with momentum heading into Florida, Romney EASILY won the Sunshine State. Less than two weeks from now, we’ll see if he and his campaign can accomplish the same feat. Picking up the endorsement (and endorsement op-ed) of Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder is a big help.
Gerald Herbert / AP
Republican presidential candidate, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney speaks at a campaign rally in Kentwood, Mich., Wednesday, Feb. 15, 2012.
*** Are we headed for Thunderdome? But the bad news for Romney: He’s been in this position before. And what if the same tricks just simply don’t work. Team Romney may have the ability to throw 100 mph fastballs and most batters swing and miss. But if the ONLY pitch they have is a high hard fastball, then eventually the batter catches up to it. And the batter in this case is both Santorum and the voters. Less than two weeks from now, we’ll see if he and his campaign can accomplish the same feat and put another high, hard one past another conservative alternative batter. Because if he doesn’t, the GOP race for delegates and that nomination could become… well, we’ll let George Costanza say it: “Anything goes. It’s like Thunderdome.”
*** Romney targets Big Labor: As NBC’s Garrett Haake reported last night, Romney made his Michigan strategy clear at his rally in Grand Rapids: pick a fight with organized labor. "The president finally came around to my own view that Detroit needed to go through managed bankruptcy,” Romney said when talking about the auto industry. “But he gave the companies to the UAW [United Auto Workers] when he was finished with the process. That again is something which I think is consistent with the fact that he got a lot of money from organized labor and felt that he should give them a favor." He also said that Obama “got hundreds of millions of dollars from labor bosses for his campaign, and so he's paying them back in every way he knows how. I've taken on union bosses before, and I'm happy to take them on again."
*** But could it hurt him in a general election? This Romney strategy appears to have two components. One, it’s a way to set up a contrast with Santorum, with the Romney camp noting that the former Pennsylvania senator voted on organized labor’s side when he served in the Senate. (We’re betting Team Romney never planned on going this anti-union in their rhetoric, but it’s the best policy contrast they can draw to make Santorum look out of touch with rank-n-file conservatives). And two, the strategy is a way to explain his position on the auto bailout. (However, Romney’s auto talk produced this response from the Obama campaign: “Had Mitt Romney had his way, the government would have not provided the funding that GM and Chrysler needed to stay afloat during their managed bankruptcy and both companies would cease to exist.”) But Romney’s tough words on unions raise this question: Will it be a problem for him in a general election? After all, as Haake notes, 12% of Michigan’s workforce belongs to a union. And in the 2008 general election, per the exit polls, 34% of Michigan voters said that someone in their household was a union member (and Obama won 67% of that vote, though McCain still won 31%). There’s a fine line between bashing UNIONS and UNION MEMBERS, and it’s a tricky line for Republicans in the Rust Belt and Midwest.
The Republican presidential candidates are focusing heavily on Michigan, which holds its primary on Feb. 28, and Mitt Romney is playing up his Michigan roots on the campaign trail. NBC's Peter Alexander reports.
*** The GOP united targeting of labor has been a recent phenomenon: And Michigan isn’t the only presidential battleground state with a sizable union population; there’s also Ohio, Wisconsin, and Santorum’s home state of Pennsylvania. It’s worth noting that it’s only been in the last three years that the Republican Party has been united in targeting labor and with such intensity. In recent times, several GOP politicians -- Dick Lugar, George Voinovich, Spence Abraham -- tried to win over union voters. And, of course, those famous “Reagan Democrats” that the nation’s 40th president won in 1980 and 1984 were always considered to be folks from union households in places like Michigan. But those days are long gone.
*** Romney in ’08: “I actually believe that the union vote is very important to Republicans”: Here’s a final point on Romney and organized labor. When he was campaigning in the state four years ago -- in Jan. 2008 -- he made a pitch to the state’s union workers. "I actually believe that the union vote is very important to Republicans," he told FOX's Neil Cavuto a day before the ‘08 Michigan primary, adding: "We're in this together. The auto industry is going to succeed or fail. And if it fails, it's going to hurt not just the shareholders, but all the employees." A Romney campaign official tells First Read that Romney believes it’s still important for unions and management to work together. But the campaign draws a distinction from “union bosses” and the rank-and-file. “That is why he supports labor law reforms that will take power from union bosses who have no interest in a constructive relationship with management, and return it to workers,” the campaign official says.
*** Santorum releases his tax returns: Today, Rick Santorum campaigns in Michigan by giving a speech at the Detroit Economic Club and then addressing the Oakland County GOP Lincoln Day Dinner. And last night, according to NBC’s Andrew Rafferty, he released four years of his tax returns (from 2007 through 2010). They showed the Santorums filed an adjusted gross income of $659,637 in ’07, $945,100 in ’08, $1.1 million in ’09, and $923,411 in ’10. The largest portion they paid in taxes was in 2010, when their effective rate was over 28%. That rate, as Rafferty notes, is larger than Romney’s 13.9% from 2010 but smaller than Gingrich’s 31.5%. The tax returns also tell us something else: Santorum made money off being a former senator, though not to the extent that other ex-politicians have.
*** Right now: Traveling with President Obama yesterday in Wisconsin, NBC’s Ali Weinberg was struck by this exhortation from the president: Do it now! "Don't wait. Get it done. Do it now. Let's get it done," he said at his event in Milwaukee. Obama added, "This Congress should send me these tax reforms right now. I will sign them right away.” Weinberg recounts that a woman then shouted from the crowd, "Right now!" "Right now!" The president responded, smiling and eliciting cheers. Then, the chant, crescendoing as more of the crowd joined in: "Right now! Right now! Right now!" The Obama campaign has been looking for a sequel to their “fired up” mantra from four years ago that did help create passion at their rallies. Don’t be surprised if they try and reprise this “right now” again, especially since it appears this was actually organic… By the way, the president’s entire public schedule today is all fundraisers. Four separate events (L.A. and San Francisco). That ties for the most fundraising events he’s done in a day as president. In 2010, he had a handful of days where he did four events as well.
*** Payroll tax cut deal appears finalized: “Congressional negotiators gave final approval early Thursday to an economic plan worth more than $150 billion that would extend a payroll tax holiday and unemployment benefits,” the Washington Post writes. “A key roadblock was overcome when the lawmakers agreed to require new federal workers to contribute more to their pension plans, clearing the way around 12:30 a.m. for a majority of the House-Senate conference committee to begin signing onto the deal.” NBC’s Frank Thorp reports that Democrats in the Senate were able to secure enough votes to pass the plan through conference by changing a provision that would increase the amount federal workers pay into their pension funds. The new provision requires that ONLY new federal employees will have to pay more into their pensions. The provision was a major sticking point for Sen. Ben Cardin (D-MD), who had originally held out because the cost to federal workers.
*** On the trail, per NBC’s Adam Perez: Romney, remaining in Michigan, campaigns in Monroe and Farmington Hills before heading to Ohio… Santorum stumps in Detroit and Oakland County… Gingrich and his wife are still in California… And Paul makes stops in Idaho and Washington state.
Countdown to Arizona and Michigan primaries: 12 days
Countdown to Super Tuesday: 19 days
Countdown to Election Day: 264 days
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Let's be honest of all the current GOP candidates Romney likley has the best chance of replacing Obama. What were really talking about is what is best for the country in the given time. Just as gridlock is best for us right now given the poor leadership in the White House. No action is far better than the poor action we've seen so far. Who ever replaces Obama has alot of issues to fix from the healthcare bill to Dodd/Frank. Let's not forget the reason this country got into the mess it did was due to "Liberal" lending policies encouraged by liberals on the House and Senate Banking commitees.....
GM posts highest annual net profit ever
By Msnbc.com staff and wire
General Motors posted flat fourth-quarter income Thursday, but still managed to haul in $7.6 billion worth of net income in 2011, up 62 percent from the prior year.
It was the highest annual profit ever for the automaker, which emerged from bankruptcy protection in 2009 after a government-led bailout.
_____________________________________________—
I am looking forward to seeing all the FR lefty liberal OUTRAGE when they see that yet another HUGELY profitable corporation paid ZERO income taxes on record profits!!!!
Government Motors, which was handed a $50 billion taxpayer-funded bailout for the UAW, and still owes the taxpayers $23 billion (USA Today), not only didn’t pay a penny in taxes, it got a $110 million TAX BENEFIT, according to the company’s earnings press release today.
So, Bev, Nasty, Dr. Ron and all the other FR lefty liberals:
Is this an OUTRAGE, or is a corporation that still owes the taxpayers $23 billion in UAW bailout money, with record profits, not paying a penny in taxes AND getting a $110 million tax benefit OK if the corporation is a darling of the left??
LMAO!!!!
In a recent TV ad we have Mitt Romney diving around Detroit talking growing up there, going to the auto show with his dad and saying how much he supports the Detroit auto industry all the while driving a Chrysler 300 that is actually manufactured in Brampton, Ontario, Canada.
Now let’s hear about the “Big Black Bus” in 3 … 2 … 1 …
Romney, got to where he is by lying and exploiting people. The law of nature has now come back around to bite him in his butt. That's why Romney is going No where Slowly.
Because It's "Free"
The secular left has a long and sordid history of mocking and demeaning those who "cling to their Bibles." Catholic bishops provide these elitist trolls with a convenient whipping boy because most Americans could care less what the Catholic hierarchy has to say about anything. Heck, even many Catholic women don't subscribe to their church teachings about birth control. And yesterday's NYT poll on this issue shows most folks just luv the idea of getting "free" birth control coverage – good grief, I wonder if they asked how many supported getting free ice cream too.
But the issue that's been thrust before us by an audacious Obama administration goes far beyond Catholics and "free" birth control. Because now, every religion in the country has been put on notice that when their beliefs conflict with government mandates, then religion must yield. It doesn't matter to the leftist ideologues in power that the refusal to provide birth control coverage -- for religious reasons -- is clearly an exercise of religious freedom under the Constitution. What matters to them is lockstep compliance with their federal edicts, no matter how morally offensive those edicts may be to some.
What's at stake in this matter is nothing less than the prerogative to resist government attempts to FORCE religious institutions to facilitate practices that specifically violate their own teachings and principles of faith. That's an issue that touches all religions in America not just Catholics, and every person of faith in this country has legitimate reason to be outraged by the chilling pall the Obama administration has cast over our highly cherished religious freedoms.
These are provocative thoughts worthy of consideration by any American, yet the NYT poll shows we just luv the free stuff. Are we so easily bribed by an alleged insurance freebie into submitting to this travesty? Have we lost any capacity to recognize the constitutional implications of this adminstration's action? Can we not even ask the simple question of who will actually bear the real costs for this "free" coverage? The Obama people have made the cynical calculation that the answers to those questions are: yesssss, duhh, and whatever.
If this is the kind of government we really want, then we're getting exactly what we deserve.
New jobless claims fell another 13,000 last week to a four year low.
Really UAW? Then why can't Romney close the deal with his own voters?
And Bill: Of course religion must yield. We are not a Catholic country. Laws in this country must be made without regard to religious beliefs. Or would it be all right with you that murder is not prosecuted, if a religious claim is made?
Really? When did Mitt say that? I don't recall it. I remember him to be with the let them fail crowd along with Shelby and Corker.
Obama Popularity Rising While Republican Enthusiasm Falls
Recent polls show Obama's popularity on the rise, even among Independents and Republicans, while enthusiasm among the GOP base is falling.
Look Out For ALEC’s Candidate Jeb Bush If The GOP Goes Brokered Convention
In the event of a brokered convention, the GOP has a decision to make
Fox Unleashes Crazy Lady Sarah Palin To Claim Obama’s Unfit For Office
http://www.politicususa.com/
Speaking of Crazzzzzzy, FOX NOISE is going crazzzzzy, Finally,FOX NOISE is getting it. The economy is much better now. Like the President said we refuse to let you righties take this economy back to the WWII depression era.
I saw this morning FOX NOISE is having a hard time with the President's approval ratings being at 50%. FOX NOISE wants to know what they can do to stop President Obama momentum? As if they haven't done enough damage to this country already. Talk about being dumb!!!! These clueless fools could stfu. That would help the Republican Headquarters/Tea Potty aka FOX NOISE candidates a lot.
The more they open their toxic mouths, the more people find out just how ridiculous and hateful they are which makes the President's numbers go up. Fox Noise is arsenic
That's a good thing. Let them keep talking; they are NOT saying anything to help the people of this country unless you're a 1%er!!!
P.S I see that cross eyed badger from Wisconsin is using germ wafare. LOL. Gov Walker did all that bad talk about at CPAC about he schooled our President.
Suddenly, when it was time to meet with our President he got the flu. boo hoo hoo hoo
All that cross eyed badger could do was come to the tarmac, shake our President's hand with his disease ridden hand, and present our President with a jersey. Then the coward governor cut out to keep from having a meeting with our President.
LOL
It should make all righties feel proud , knowing that FOX NOISE can legally disrupt the moral fabric of America
♥ it. FOX NOISE is so crazy, LOL funny.
Romney can't even carry his own party. What makes you so sure he can beat a sitting President?
"Big Black Bus?" What is that Dennis, Michelle's posterior?
because the sitting President is a sitting duck, a zero, in over his head, a community organizer not a leader
OK, the tax returns are in. Gov. Romney, and Sen. Santorum, and President Obama have paid their taxes. Some say not enough. Santorum and the President paid at almost twice the rate as Romney. All followed the law and none are starving.
There's a very interesting question in there. What did these three do that was worth that much money? Well, the President leads the nation. He is the Chief Executive of the nation with the largest economy on the face of the earth. For that he earns a fraction of what Mitt Romney takes home for doing nothing. He earns about half of what Santorum gets for providing nothing.
Santorum has provided no jobs. Romney is in the same boat. He loves to point at Staples. As a matter of cold hard fact, the people who work at Staples simply handle goods that have already been produced. They pick something up and put it back down. That's it. It's pretty hard to find the creation of wealth in Romney's resume.
Let's take a mental walk. You can hardly miss the fact there's trash everywhere. Cigarette butts, hamburger wrappers, plastic shopping bags blown into trees, gutters clogged with leaves. Take a look at the school that desperately needs paint, thermal windows, air-conditioning, maybe a new roof. What must they look like inside?
Look at the houses along the potholed streets. They need paint, fences are falling down, some have piles of trash in the yards, they need insulation because there should be snow on the roof, but there's not. What must they look like on the inside?
Then there's the stuff that's a bit more subtle. We can't really see that aggregates under our streets are washing away. We can't see that our water systems are in horrible disrepair. We can't see that our sewage treatment plants are in terrible condition. We can't see that our power grid is in major decline. We can't see the filth in the air, the contaminants in the water, and the poisons in our soil.
There's a lot of work out there. Work! Not millions of hours of work. Billions of hours of work. Billions! Yet, we complain there's no jobs. There's a vast difference between work and jobs. That's the real reason job-creators have value. They see the work and package it into jobs. Romney can't do it. Santorum can't do it. They're both taking home good money. They're in the private sector where the fabled job-creators live, but they don't create jobs. All they know is how to take money OUT of the system. They do not know how to create wealth.
President Obama cannot create wealth either, but he can create jobs. He is trying to put money into the economy and start repairing our infrastructure. Republicans are fighting like hell to take money out of the economy, give it to the rich, and to hell with the country..
We can't keep borrowing money. We can't keep printing money. Let's figure this out. We need money and we know where it is. Forget this nonsense about fair taxes. Forget about fair. Each and every one of us has a different definition of "fair".
But what the heck. Let's ask one question about fairness. Is it fair to let the country disintegrate, while a very small group of people get very, very rich?
FOX NOISE IS ARSENIC. They have no respect for Black people. FOX NOISE can go straight to hell. Bill O'Reilly had the audacity to slander Whitney Houston. Let's not forget how the phonies @ the Fear Factor channel aka FOX NOISE criticized the entertainers for saying a prayer for Whithey at the Grammy. FOX is NOT the only Christians in this world.
Bill O'Reilly: "Whitney Houston Wanted to Kill Herself"
Read more: http://www.eonline.com/news/bill_oreilly_whitney_houston_wanted/294486#ixzz1mW3LeuRf
Just wtf does he know about drugs? O’Reilly stepped waaaay over the line trying to veil his racism by adding White entertainers in the mix to reeve up his racist audience.
Second of all, Billdo is neither psychologist, doctor, drug counselor, or human.
Like Maxine who does NOT want to see Speakers Boehnor & McConnell I don't want to see FOX NOISE spreading LIES anymore. I will rejoice once the day comes that FOX NOISE is removed from our air waves. They are devils. I loathe FOX NOISE. The sooner this cancer is removed from our society the easier it will be for this country to heal
Boehner and Cantor Are ‘Demons!’
http://www.theblaze.com/stories/maxine-waters-comes-unhinged-in-speech-boehner-and-cantor-are-demons/
=====================================================
So is FOX NOISE
Romney's going to take on the Unions in Michigan? Is he insane( don't answer that ). But he must be. Any thoughts of winning the State are blown out the window. What are his adviser's thinking. Or as I expect it's his own idea and ego.
First he says "let the Auto Industry go Bankrupt". The heart of Michigan. Then he says "I'll break and destroy the Unions". The major employer in the State. The man's insane.
He'll not only lose Michigan, but also every other state with strong Unions, but most of all he'll lose any chance of being the GOP candidate. And I say so long to bad rubbish.
Obama in 2012.
Yeah Bill, what exactly were you thinking? The statists are always correct, they are all knowing and all controlling. Independent thought that deviates from the controlling authority can not be tolerated. If we didn't have centralized control, all kinds of mayhem would occur, like kids bringing the wrong homemade lunch to school: http://www.nccivitas.org/2012/state-inspectors-searching-childrens-lunch-boxes-this-isnt-china-is-it/
Next the government will tell Muslims they have to eat pork, because they determined it's more healthy than what ever else they are eating.
Now Bill, bow to the Authority!
GM reports a 7.6 billion dollar profit, even with a $600 million loss in Europe and $100 million loss in South America.
This is good news for tax payers since we still own 26.5% of GM.
GM also said Thursday that its 47,500 blue-collar workers in the U.S. will get $7,000 profit-sharing checks in March. The checks are based on North American performance and are a record for the company.
Devie, The GOP is still a relatively conservative party. But to beat Obama they have to grab the people who thought they were liberal in 2008 until they got the bill for Obama's liberal policy's. Like Samuel L. Jackson who voted for Obama just because he was black. Granted almost all conservatives would never vote for Obama regardless of who the GOP candidate is as most blacks will only vote for Obama. The GOP needs as many for as they can get from the 90% of Americans who always work, always pay the mortgage and arent looking for a government hand out.....
Joe you and UAW are living in past talking points. These lies got old a long time ago and the tea people GOP koch republicans poll numbers are showing it. If you guys don't want to continue to be laughed at you need to come up with some new material, hopefully the truth this time, but I doubt that will happen. Seems you tea people GOP koch republicans enjoy lying. But you can't expect any thing better from people who watch Fox (aka tea people GOP Koch republicans propaganda machine).
How did Romney get here?
How is he now potentially on the verge of snatching defeat from the jaws of victory? I think maybe he's always been here. The rest of us didn't fully appreciate how strongly two-thirds of the Republican Party didn't want him as their nominee. I know I didn't.
For me, the blinders came off at CPAC, with the Romney joke (a liberal, conservative and moderate walk into a bar...). Everyone who laughed at that joke was laughing that their party's prospective nominee is a political changeling. That's not how prospective nominees actually get to the nomination.
Obama is the destroyer of wealth and he creates massive amounts of debt. The country continues on an unsustainable path of more people collection public benefits and less people able to pay the taxes for those benefits, all while the debt of the country soars out of control. Obama has failed.
Boehner and Cantor Are ‘Demons!’
____________________________
Bev: THANKS for the link to that story!!!
It was HILLARYOUS!!!!!!
Jeez, David. What s**thole of a town do you live in? Probably somewhere run by Democrats. If people can't keep their own home from looking like a disaster area, that's pretty much THEIR fault, isn't it? Show me a run-down house in a run-down neighborhood and I'll show you that the people who live there are of low character, have no self respect and no civic pride. Probably all big Obama fans too.
Possibly the most stupid and sanctimoniousness comment I have seen posted here (outside of Bev).
I would like to see a reduction in the government workforce but I do not belittle them by stating they simply pick up a piece of paper and move it to another pile. I guess the concept of knowledge jobs or the service economy is beyond you. Is a waiter/waitress useless to you. They only pick up the completed meal and move it to your fat face.
Your attempt to stretch a point is ridiculous in the face of the facts that Romney was directly responsible for creating these jobs in a capitalistic manner, and he made money too.
And explain to me why people at home receiving government benefits cannot perform some community good and pick up the trash (from a yard?), and clean up the litter from their neighborhood? Or do they need a capitalist to come in and organize that as well, because the government is obviously doing nothing?
Poor JoAnna: Apparently, it is all right if people are murdered, children don't receive life saving medical treatment if it is "all for Jesus." But, it is poor JoAnna, and logic has never been her thing.
GM also said Thursday that its 47,500 blue-collar workers in the U.S. will get $7,000 profit-sharing checks in March. The checks are based on North American performance and are a record for the company.
________________________________________________
Dennis: When are the taxpayers going to get their $23 billion in "blue collar union" bailout money back??
I'm getting concerned for Mr. Walker. The man goes on rants that make Ted Kaczynski's manifesto look like a letter to the local papers editor. Unhinged would characterize Dave's posts.
Looks like poor, poor, poor, poor, poor (and yes I am mocking you) newday is in the same boat. That nag of yours kick you in the head again RETURNING?
Joe,
When the price of the stock goes up enough so we, the tax payers, make a prifit ... that's when.
Since I don’t appreciate either Romeny or Santorum, (current front runners in Michigan) I’m not sure which one to vote for in our primary. I don’t know which one will be the least attractive to republicans in the general election. My guess is, that Rick will be the least liked buy the majority of registered voters because of his stance on the Terri Schiavo right-to-life case.
Santorum's comments on social issues also alienated voters. Among them was his high-profile effort to keep a brain-damaged Florida woman named Terri Schiavo alive in a right-to-life case, a book he wrote that criticized some working parents and his support of teaching intelligent design in schools.
He pushed the Federal Government (all the way to the Supreme Court) to get involved into basic family decisions, just the opposite he proposes when he a ledges smaller government and revoking health care. They’re both hypocrites, just which is the biggest hypocrite to help put on the ballot?
...says our expert in nonsensical rants, poor JoAnna.
Unhinged would characterize Dave's posts.
________________________________________
It's just the nature of liberalism, an incurable mental illness that only gets worse over time. Thus the term "progressive".
<because the sitting President is a sitting duck, a zero, in over his head, a community organizer not a leader>
Hahaha, it must hurt to realize that a community organizer is pulling us out of a deep hole that your hero, Party Boy Bush, got us into.
Romney will survive the 'Santorum Surge' (that sure sounds gross), and go on to lose in the general election. If somehow Santorum upset him, or Newtie Fruity, they would lose in a landslide. As it stands, it will just be a azz whooping.
damage That stick thats up your butt sure makes you a sad cantankerous lonely old man. He's a good example of how not to live. Just bless his heart.
[But, it is poor JoAnna, and logic has never been her thing.]
Poor Smiffy took a dive into the deep end of the stupidity pool long ago...but it's all OK..Jesus loves her, afterall...
Yep, Mickey. Definitely.
Mr. Walker probably doesn't believe a word he writes, it's just one big goof for him to stir up the Libs. The absurdity of what he writes gets more comical each and every time.
And don't you love the way David paints this pretty picture and implies that it's somebody's fault OTHER than the people who live there? You can bet all you got he's next gonna tell us that it's the taxpayer's responsibility to clean up this neighborhood. Un-friggin'-believable.
And I'd rather work at Staple's any ol' day of the week if I had to, than take one lousy handout from my fellow citizens.
Buck Naked Sr
because the sitting President is a sitting duck, a zero, in over his head, a community organizer not a leader
The community organizer Allinsyki-ed the hell out of you tea baggers. So much so the Koch Bros paid millions and millions of $$ to copy his style. But it is not paying off as evidenced by Americans waking up to the Koch bros scam.
So who's the real community organizer and leader? That'd be President Obama since he won the election. He is the real leader or else you freaks would not be going after him; tea bagger. .
So Romney is a flip-flopper? Well how about the current Administration that holds two views simultaneously (1984 anyone)
So which one is guys. What's the word from the WH or DNC Headquarters?
Nice Job David Walker!
You certainly struck a nerve with the right wing nitwits this morning!
Amazing how they can't refute anything you said so, they lay down on their yellow bellies and lob juvenile insults! lmao
PS: Snuffy could use a good milking - she is ready to burst from all the venom surging through her veins!
When the price of the stock goes up enough so we, the tax payers, make a prifit ... that's when.
___________________________________________________
Dennis, GM's IPO price in 2010 was $35.00. Even after a small pop today on the earnings news, it's at $26.00. I'll tell you what, why don't you get back to me and the taxpayers when GM is not so far under water the taxpayers couldn't see daylight with the Hubble telescope.
LMAO!!!!
http://data.cnbc.com/quotes/GM/tab/2
So Bev are you making the case for Citizens United? Seems you are agreeing with Judge Scalia when he stated that citizens are clever enough to turn off political advertisements they don't like. Wow! Allowing citizens to make up their own minds, how un-American.
The so called mess was caused by creative lending practices developed by greedy Wall Street taking advantage of laws that over reached their original intent. Nothing liberal about it, pure greed was the driving force. Unlike some blame-game posters, I am not so stupid as to assign greed to liberals, conservatives, democrats, republicans, for that is a human trait shared by all.
Joe,
As long as we hold onto the stock we will not lose any more money than we have invested. If we hold on to it we could at some point in time make a profit.
I say let it ride – it is a no loss bet.
Joe in Albany
Boehner and Cantor Are ‘Demons!’
____________________________
Bev: THANKS for the link to that story!!!
It was HILLARYOUS!!!!!!
Any time, that's my job to point out the truth.
Yes, it is so damn funny. I can't stop laughing; sadly it is true. Boehner, McConnell & FOX NOISE are demons!!!
Dennis, GM Stock has to get to 50+ for the taxpayers to break even. Do you know the last time GM stock was at 50?
Do you know what the trend has been for GM stock since they emerged from Bankruptcy?
Just another poor decision that our children will pay for thanks to Obama.
Does anyone remember the rage Obama had when the banks who took TARP gave thier employees trips and bonuses? My wife works for Wells Fargo and hasnt missed a day of work for anything in 7 years won a trip to Hawaii before the government forced them to take the TARP money. Wells Fargo was forced to cancel those trips and she got a plaque instead.
Where is the outrage now that GM is giving it's UAW members $7000???? Do the math Wells Fargo paid the government back 100% plus Interest. GM is still in debt to the tax payer. But it's ok to hand out $7000 in tax payer money? That is not fair and no liberal spin can change that....
WCA,
Actually our children and grandchildren will applaud President Obama for saving a million good paying jobs – well worth the cost (if any in the long run) to our citizens.
Alan, NJ
So Bev are you making the case for Citizens United? Seems you are agreeing with Judge Scalia when he stated that citizens are clever enough to turn off political advertisements they don't like. Wow! Allowing citizens to make up their own minds, how un-American.
No, Alan I am not.
I am saying it's pathetic tea bagger fools and others in the GOP can't make up their minds. Their leaders and the Supreme Court are wholly owned subsidiaries of the filthy Koch brothers and any other influence which could possibly even be foreigners who want to exploit our economy.
UAW,
So you are against profit sharing.
Wall Street was giving million dollar bonuses to people already making millions while their company lost money. GM workers helped to make a profit - big difference.
As long as we hold onto the stock we will not lose any more money than we have invested. If we hold on to it we could at some point in time make a profit.
__________________________________________________
Aaaaahhh Yes!!!!
The eternal optimism of the Buy High, Sell Low amateur investor. "If only I hold onto my loser stock long enough, I always have the hope that it might come back and be profitable, someday."
One of the first, most basic, lessons for successful investors is: "Just because you have lost money on one stock, doesn't mean you have to make it back on the same stock. Loser stocks rarely turn into winners. So, take your losses, learn your lesson, and find a better stock to earn back any losses."
Dennis, you just keep holdin' and hopin' on behalf of the taxpayers.
BTW, are you aware that the Wall Street banks have paid back ALL thier TARP money and the taxpayer's have collected BILLIONS in profits on those deals??
LOL!!!
Ah - more yammering from the Fairfaux view of free birth control. Since when does a medical treatment covered by insurance, without a co-pay equate to free, the answer if it doesn't. Years ago, I never had a co-pay on any medical treatment. Was that treatment free? No, it wasn't. It was a medical treatment covered by insurance. Then co-pays were introduced by insurance companies as a way to keep insurance costs down (think automobile deductibles). Did that mean the treatment somehow became 'unfree'? No, it became a medical treatment covered by insurance with an additional out of pocket expense to me.
As long as small minds cling to the idea that no co-pay equates to free, this argument is better suited to debate with a dumb fence post.
I don't have time for this crap, but I can't let this comment from Damage go:
Here is what Damage wrote in post #1.48 back on January 29:
So now tell us, Damage, who's fault is it for where YOU live?
But Dennis, you said when the stock goes up the taxpayers will make a profit.
Have you any hope that the stock is going to double in price any time in the near or very distant future?
Do you really ever think that the taxpayers will make a profit or was that just a thoughtless comment on your part?
Joe,
And if we sold now and took a loss you would replay that decision as a failure for the rest of your life.
There, in your opinion, is no solution that you would approve of.
Since we cannot go back in time and given where we are today what would you do?
Hi, Jack: good to see you this AM. Good post!
Dennis, GM isnt making a profit until they "Pay Back" the tax payer. Olny a liberal would take unearned money from a fellow citizen and consider it profit sharing....
newday,
I'm outta here. But it's interesting how often wca and damage and Albany Joe and Smiff (oh, yes, especially Smiff) shoot themselves in the
footbrain.David's post was so spot-on that anyone with half a brain would have been nodding and saying, "Yes, exactly right."
UAW,
Yet the Republicans approved of the banks paying its millionaire employees millions in bonuses.
Exactly, Jack. And the faux outrage expressed about David's post by those characters is just the fear they are feeling. After all, conservatism is about fear, not rational thought.
You have to break this down for me Bev. Who is exploiting our economy? The Koch brothers and unnamed foreign interests? You mean like the VP of China who was wined and dined at the WH yesterday? Is he trying to exploit our economy? Anybody else or is it only the Koch brothers? I think you have to buy a new movie. Trading Places is kinda old. (Although I still watch it for 20 minutes when it comes on).
There, in your opinion, is no solution that you would approve of.
Since we cannot go back in time and given where we are today what would you do?
________________________________________________
As I said above, have the taxpayers "take your losses, learn your lesson," and Move On. (Pun intended)
Also, do what I do every day: Laugh at the foolishness that's spouted on MSDNC and that gets posted on FR by lefty liberals. It's the reason I love MSDNC and FR. They are Hillaryous!!!!
David's post was so spot-on that anyone with half a brain would have been nodding and saying, "Yes, exactly right."
__________________________________________
Actually, Jack, there ARE a lot of people with half a brain here on FR saying EXACTLY that.
Fear, Newday? You wanna talk about fear? How about you people on here day after day calling Christians the "Taliban?" What's that based on, common sense? Uhhh, no. How many of you here daily go on and on that the Republicans "want to destroy the middle class?" Or that the election of ANY conservative will lead to a theocracy and women's right to kill their baby will be taken away? Or maybe "the Republicans want to start a war with Iran." ??? Get the picture? I could go on all day with examples of you liberals using fear, spreading fear and just plain being whiny little sissies pooping in your pants with fear. Try to keep up, Newday.
Some folksmight disagree with you:
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof
When an additional service is provided at no additional cost to the consumer -- as the Obama folks have been touting -- most folks would call that service "free."
Actually, Port In Jacksmouth. I live in one of the nice, clean normal neighborhoods. The 3 counties in my state that vote Dem in every election are complete dungheaps and are getting worse. Those are the places that look like what David Skywalkere described. I don't live in any of those counties. However, my JOB often takes me to those places and I always have a blast running the people with Obama bumper stickers off the road.
How did Romney get where he is in Mich..that is an easy question to answer,just play his previos statements.
TO: UAW Pleeeeeeeease who wrote:
"...poor leadership in the White House"! of all the nerve! The only thing Republicans are looking for in a president is someone who will sign whatever Grover Nordquist TELLS him to sign, and that's what Republicans call "leadership"!
If Republicans knew "what is best for the country" then WHY did Republican DESTROY our enconomy in the first place! Then Republicans REFUSED to do anything to help the economy, the country and/or the American People because of their obsession with Democrats and President Obama. YOU CALL THAT LEADERSHIP?!? It's not, it's pure foolishness and the abandonment of America and the American People for Republicans' own selfish causes!
I suppose Republicans also believe that was "best for the country" for Republicans to Lie us into War with Iraq too.
Sickening and wrongheaded!
Obama / Biden 2012
Hey Bev, is GM exploiting the US economy? Seems to me they're gouging the American consumer while cutting those foreign interests a break. Isn't this just like the Pharma companies who charge the american consumer more.
How can this be? What's good for GM is good for Obama.
Nice effort at backtracking, Damage, but you're not fooling anyone--indeed, you're not intelligent enough to fool anyone.
And anyhow, your January 29 post exposed you for the bigoted, racist punk you are. (And we won't mention the obvious display of hatred of women you've displayed in other posts over the months.)
Let's take a mental walk. You can hardly miss the fact there's trash everywhere. Cigarette butts, hamburger wrappers, plastic shopping bags blown into trees, gutters clogged with leaves. Take a look at the school that desperately needs paint, thermal windows, air-conditioning, maybe a new roof. What must they look like inside?
Look at the houses along the potholed streets. They need paint, fences are falling down, some have piles of trash in the yards, they need insulation because there should be snow on the roof, but there's not. What must they look like on the inside?
David-This is not the responsibility of the Federal government. Damage is correct, if those people don't take pride in where they live, why should they get help from anybody? Perfect example is Detroit. You ever been there? Baghdad is just as nice as Detroit, so you think the government should fix up those houses that the very people let go?
I like you're examples for the schools. Do you realize and I'm sure you do, the cost per student? It's $9963 per student ave. in the United States. Where do you think all that money goes too?
TO: UAW Pleeeeeeeease who wrote:
What do Republicans plan to use to "grab the people"? ALL of the policies Republicans want to implement work 1,000% AGAINST American Workers to lower our wages, deny us quality health care, and then steal ALL of our retirement money.
Don't you think you ought to direct your attention to Republicans because there's a 100% chance that you will NOT get all of the Republican votes either!
Obama / Biden 2012
Port In Jacksmouth- I told you a looong time ago to stop stalking me. Several times you've promised to put me on "ignore." What the hell happened? Don't let your obsession with me screw up what's left of your sanity. At least I got you to stop making up those old military stories.
So Fairfaux - you think religion is so far above any laws or rules that any religion can institute any practice against whatever you think is right or wrong? That means you support the Mormon activity of converting the dead to Mormons. Most living non-Mormons are appalled at that activity. Imagine, living life as a Catholic or a Muslim, and upon death, having your religion stripped of you and converted to Mormonism.
I would be for a law that prevents that activity. No church has the right to arbitrarily convert me to their faith. You see, that is a constitution protection. Screw the Mormon tenet that allows them to convert me after death. That should be considered unconstitutional.
she is an American Girl, Tom Petty
@RedDevPS
You seriously want congress to waste time to create a law that protects what victims from what practice? Not only that you want it inserted into the constitution? As an atheist it doesn't affect me one way or another whether the Mormons, or anybody else, want to waste their time and money over me when I'm dead. Chill out and watch the South Park episode on Mormons, or come to NYC and watch the Broadway show.
I think you have a little case of faux outrage.
And I still haven't heard a logical reason as to why contraceptives are exempted from co-pays.
Looks like Fairfaux is advocating for a return to the witch trials, eh? I am pretty sure that all of those states passing anti sharia laws are IN FACT '...prohibiting the free exercise thereof...', right?
Oh, and we don't allow human sacrifice in this country, either. I know, we're a little quirky about WHICH religious ZEAL to allow or disallow,...
I return you to the hyperbolic stylings of Fairfaux (RedDev, can't thank you enough!) - The SKY Will Continue to Fall until a Republican is elected President - lolololol
Hi Clara--if the sky doesn't fall, I am sure the TPGOP will try something to make it do so!
"We have met the enemy and he is us!" Pogo by Walt Kelly
[Let's create a "Whitney Houston" National Holiday and really peeve off some Teapublicans!!]
And let's not forget Governor Jackwagon wants to lower the American Flag to half-staff in honor of Whitney...
...way to cheapen the meaning of our flag...why do conservatives and republicans hate America so much?
Damage,
I'm not stalking you. I just look for the most ridiculous, ignorant post of the day--and invariably it's yours.
you ain't looking hard enough
@Alan - the no co-pay argument needs to be argued with all the items listed below. As I previously responded, this should be the argument, but the Catholic church re-framed the argument to a War on religion because of item #4 on the list.
No, I really don't want congress to waste time to create a law that protects dead people from Mormons, because I see dead people (kidding) and I see them laughing every time a Mormon is dunked. But seriously, the constitution doesn't protect dead people, only the living.
Dennis, Come on. The big banks paid back the TARP 100% plus interest. They can pay their millionare employees what ever they want. I would also agree that once GM pays the US Tax Payer back for Obama's bribe to the UAW they can pay thier employees what ever they want as well. I didnt like my money paying ACORN and I don't like it paying the UAW either. I am encouraged by the number of nfirst time voters in '08 who took a far more educated approach to elections in 2010 and I expect that trend to continue in 2012. We just can't allow Obama and his liberal policies to keep expanding poverty at this rate......
Alan, NJ
You have to break this down for me Bev. Who is exploiting our economy? The Koch brothers and unnamed foreign interests? You mean like the VP of China who was wined and dined at the WH yesterday? Is he trying to exploit our economy? Anybody else or is it only the Koch brothers? I think you have to buy a new movie. Trading Places is kinda old. (Although I still watch it for 20 minutes when it comes on).
Who is against green energy? LOL That'd be the Koch Bros.
Koch Brothers Owns Contract with TransCanada Like Other Companies Claiming to Profit from the Keystone XL
http://fredericacade.wordpress.com/2011/12/28/koch-brothers-owns-contract-with-transcanada-like-other-companies-claiming-to-profit-from-the-keystone-xl/
Who is stupid enough to make promises speculators he will help keep prices high? That'd be Eric Cantor
Cantor Promises Oil Speculators That GOP Will Block Financial Regulations
Eric Cantor (R-VA) visited the Chicago headquarters of the CME Group, "the world's largest owner and operator" of private exchanges for derivatives products. CME Group specializes in a number of markets, including trading futures contracts for various blends of crude oil and food commodities. Cantor met with executives, and at one point, gave brief remarks before CME Group employees and various commodity speculators.
Cantor told the audience of speculators that his Republican caucus would "do our part" to block the implementation of financial reforms passed last year as part of the sweeping Dodd-Frank law. He even called out the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, the regulators in charge of overseeing derivatives and energy speculation, and promised to stop regulations from going online:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wcXJR7eZ_jQ
Alan the VP is not the Chinese President yet. Could you use your brain. Perhaps the meeting had something to do with exploitation
UAW,
Everyone that bring this up as a payment to unions are all in favor of companies dumping their obligations to pay their employee’s (union and non-union) pensions they agreed to as part of their compensation package just because the company officers were not wise enough to avoid great financial problems.
As a non-union employee in a management position that after over 20 years of service lost his entire pension because the company went bankrupt, I was very happy to see that these hard working Americans didn’t encounter the same fate.
Hard working Americans deserve better from our Corporations.
Right, Buck Naked. I should have included you.
(Sheesh! You guys are stupid. Step in, why don't you?)
And I can't wait for the taxpayer footing the bill for the pension liabilities of New York, California and Illinois.
Alan, NJ
Hey Bev, is GM exploiting the US economy? Seems to me they're gouging the American consumer while cutting those foreign interests a break. Isn't this just like the Pharma companies who charge the american consumer more.
Not like those Jobs right wing corporations being shipped off shore; Alan. GM, in fact has added a second shift. You do know their loan was paid back
The Master Lock company the President visited yesterday and the currency bill will surely help too. That lost you spoke about tells me this President is more serious when comes to protectionism; unlike the exploitative right winger who aren't doing anything to make assure America has fair trade.
Alan,
Not what I meant. I believe that companies that provide pension plans should be required, by law, to carry insurance that guarantees that money or be required to have a separate account that cannot be touched by the company for any reason or if the goes bankrupt - much like 401K's.
On the auto industry bailout. If the government hadn't intervened and instead followed Willard Mittens' recommendation to just let GM go bankrupt (as in Chapter 7, not Chapter 11), the auto industry would have ended up being LIQUIDATED. The manufacturing equipment would have been sold off to foreign companies and much of the skilled industry work force would be out of luck. The loss of that manufacturing base would have put the national security of the United States in grave peril. Mittens would have sacrificed our national security on the alter of the "free" market. President Obama has preserved that vital component of national security.
On the nontroversy the Republicans and the Catholic bishops are desperately trying to keep alive: They claim that all employers, should be able to refuse to include not only contraceptives in health insurance, but any benefit that runs counter to their own religious beliefs. That would mean that a businessman who belongs to the Christian Science Church be allowed to refuse covering ALL medical insurance. After all, the religion is based on the belief that prayer is the only legitimate treatment for any illness (which might explain why there are so few Christian Scientists). Other religions don't believe in blood transfusions (I think that's a belief of Jehovah's Witnesses), so they wouldn't have to cover that procedure, either.
The whole idea of employer-based medical insurance would break down if the Republicans got their way. Fortunately, the American people aren't going to go along with their nonsense. I doubt the Republicans even believe it. They're just desperately searching for a way to divert the public's attention from the improving economy that's lifting Obama's approval ratings. But this is all futile. All they can do is pray for an Israeli war on Iran, the Greek debt crisis exploding, or some other major blow to the US economy beyond Obama's control. The Congressional Republicans' own obstructionism hasn't been enough to prevent the economic recovery.
[Cantor Promises Oil Speculators That GOP Will Block Financial Regulations]
Bev, Cantor isn't the only one with his face up BigOil's ass...seems Mitch McConnell has taken $1.5 million from the fossil fuel industry...mainly to lie about Keystone XL not requiring one penny of taxpayer money, yet the refineries receiving XL tar sands oil will receive at least $1 BILLION in taxpayer subsidies...
...McConnell is getting paid by BigOil to lie...so much for the self-proclaimed party of morals and ethics...
LOL! Funny how liberal math work...
GM has approximately 47,500 employees world-wide... but in the minds of liberals that's a "million good paying jobs".
(show me the clown nose, fisty!)
I have to throw this one open. Can anybody explain what Bev means?
Don't you mean Democrats? I thought you supported single-payer?
I believe that is the current law, and it is the same for public entities. The difference is that a private company can smooth out their investments over 10 years, but a public entity can do it over 30 years. So what is happening now is that states are forecasting 30 years of 8% growth in their investments to cover their pension liabilities. Likely?
In the case of GM you have a perfect case of moral hazard where a company that is considered to big to fail can play fast and loose with their pension obligations. Perhaps there should be a public escrow fund that calculates the company liability on an annual basis, but then you would have a political fight as to who controls the investment strategy. At the end of the day defined contribution is the way to go, as it should with Social Security, because you can't trust politicians of any party not to spend the surplus.
Actually, the idea of Mormons baptizing me in some masonic type ceremony is kind of amusing. They could have the decency to fly me out to Utah for a few days so I could attend and then bum around the Salt Lake City night life.
Oh yeah... everybody that works at a bank is a millionaire aren't they, Dennis. And they all got millions in bonuses! HAHAHAHA! You are such an idiot!
LOL!
(show me the clown nose, fisty!)
SOTB,
You are clueless!
What about all the support industries, the suppliers – that is where the million comes from. I worked as a quality auditor for Honda of America and had to visit all their suppliers on a regular basis. There are at least 20 people that are employed through the supply chain for every one employed by the auto company.
Then there are all the jobs created by the auto employee spending their income.
I wasn't talking about all bank employees - I was refering to the hedge fund mangers.
Lets really be honest with ourselves... Ron Paul has the best chance of replacing Obama, Romney barely appeals to Republicans and definitely not Democrats where as Ron Paul will take most of the anti war, anti drug war democrats, independents who are all fed up with the status quo PLUS the real conservative republicans (maybe even neo cons cause are they really going to vote for Obama?).
Plus a lot of people don't realize Paul is in an extremely good position in this GOP primary due to his supporters being so active in the primary process and they are becoming delegates at a greater rate than the other candidates. Remember delegates win primaries not straw polls which are beauty contests essentially. So really think about the political process before you discount someone.
Dennis, That is my point exactly I would rather control my own retirement plan than leave it in the hands of "the company" or the "government". Our political system is great but it's major down fall is that our politicians exploit our tax system to take money from some and give to others in exchange for votes. The UAW's pension obligations should never have been the responsibility of the tax payers. Obama's stimulus bribes to the government unions was just as egregious as the UAW bribe. It needs to end and the only way I see it ending is to replace the terrible leadership in the oval office....
UAW,
If companies promise, as part of their compensation package, certain benefits then they should be held responsible to provide what they promise.
You may be the exception but for most people in their 20's and some in their 30's are busy building a family, buying a home, appliances, cars, etc. to have enough extra income for a retirement plan. So the count on company promised pension, their profit sharing and maybe their 401K (if they are smart).
I have to throw this one open. Can anybody explain what Bev means?
__________________________________________
Alan, if you were a member of the FR libs-r-us cult, you could access their website which has a Bev-to-English transation feature. It also has a neat feature that sends a "Great post Bev" message from any cult member who uses it for a translation.
I agree with you Dennis if "companies" promise those benifits they should be held responsible for those obligations. I'm just not sure why Obama thought he needed to use tax payer money to buy the company for the UAW? Probably why I don't understand why he thinks someone elses birth control cost is my obligation as well....
LOL
Sadly I'm not part of that rollicking gang. I guess I'll have to stick to English, boring as it is.
Maybe it's time to start hacking again to find out what they think of the non-club members?
Naw, their gossip is as interesting as Mormon baptism ceremonies.
UAW,
97% of the population (both male and female) have or will take advantage of birth control during their life so why shouldn’t the other 3% chip in a few pennies a moth to help keep the total cost of health care down?
In the end you will save money on health care.
TO: Damage123 who wrote:
How do you attribute where you claim to live to the Republican Party?
We live in a beautiful neighborhood too, but I wouldn't give even one ounce of credit to the Republican Party because of it.
Obama / Biden 2012
Dennis, The olny costs rising faster than healthcare are education. The reason for that is the federal government excessivley subsidizes both of them. States gouge the crap out of Jr going to college because they know he'll get a gaurenteed student loan for $10's of thousands of dollars payable over his natural life time to pay for it. Lower the gaurentee and you will lower education costs to something the kid can afford in the first place. Now that Obamacare is passed and Obama feels everyone should be given medicare style benifits you will see the cost of healthcare explode for the same reason!
We need a better president and 2012 can't get here fast enough. Like I said gridlock is best until we can replace him....
UAW,
Your logic is flawed because privately owned educational institutions are increasing in cost faster than public owned and that is without any government subsidies.
What we need for health care is universal like most other countries and the cost will be contained. If we had universal coverage we wouldn’t be having this discussion.
I agree Derek, the Republicans have screwed themselves by blackballing Ron Paul. Oh well, at least even if Paul doesn't get the nod or run 3rd party we can vote for Gary Johnson as Libertarian candidate in the national election. And if that doesn't turn out, Obam is at least less evil than the rest of these crazy Republican candidates. Santorum scares the crap out of me.
Romney might be "better" than Santorum, but Mitt has about the worst case of "foot in the Mouth" disease of any candidate in the last 50 years. For you die-hard conservatives, you really don't like Obama because of his tan, really. Obama has an IQ of 170, is on the intellectual level of JFK and Lincoln, and the GOP is just so out of it with Billy Bobs, O'Reillys, and home-schooler-moms who don't "believe" in evolution or the scientific method, it is really burdening kids with 15th century viewpoints. Unless you do want to live the Amish lifestyle, don't force the rest of us to go milk the cow.
Dennis, Did you ever think in some crazy scheme called free market capitalism even "private" institutions take advantage of excessive subsidies that a student can get and raise their tuition as well? The problem is Jr. is given easy money regardless of where he goes to school and our nations educators public and private take advantage of that and gouge him for an education. Junior olny figures out he was hosed when he finally gets that piece of paper called a diploma and has to start paying for it.
Obamacare should never have been passed because all it did was increase the subsidy with -0- cost controls. That is a recipe for disaster. We shoudl have waited for a better leader who could work with both sides of the isle....
So prove it. Why does he not release his school records? Who backed his tuition for college??
Better you leave that subject now....maybe talk about Solyndra - oops no wait, how bout the Ca$h for Clunker$ - umm no again
How did Romney get here?
Dang good question! I'm mulling over one of three possible theories:
1.) an alien spaceship landed on Earth and he was kicked out;
2.) he was created by the same people who built the Stepford wives;
3.) a 'carpenter' had an illicit affair with his mother.
justoneguy - the stupidity of your questions is astounding! He headed Harvard Law Review - you have to have a great deal of intelligence to be selected for that. He had student loans - as did Michelle - which they paid back in full. He is not required to release his school records. Enough of the stupidity of the right wingers. These are the issues that keep you up nights? How remarkably idiotic!
GM is evidently run by good, capitalist Republicans. Why are all of you getting down on them for doing what all you right wingers like?
SeekingSanity
No 'seeking' that is not the issue, I was addressing a comment on this thread, but now that you ask:
Why don't we invite Obama's marxist preacher, Pastor Wright to come out and take a
bow. After all, he invented Obama.
And don't forget he took credit for the Gila Bend Solar Energy plant that was
started in 2004
And I still want to know why he gave the Finnish electric car company $500,000,000
to build electric cars in Finland.
The stock market is stuttering along waiting for the other shoe to drop. Though 'high' now...record lows of actual shares trading hands have predominted for many months now as the investor waits.
Obama pulled out of Iraq before setting up a secular government friendly to the U.S.
Obama issued orders to KILL bin Laden and not capture him. How stupid. He destroyed
the one person with all the information.
Obama dumped a body in the ocean before he was sure who it was. The DNA tests were
finished way after the body was disposed of.
.....just for starters..for now the billions of wasted $$ and Solyndra can wait.
justoneguy - when you make up things like this, does it somehow make you feel important? Wright no more invented Obama than Saddam Hussein invented you (he didn't did he???); bin Laden had no information and he was right to take the actions he did - including dumping the body in the ocean; the rest of your post is just the same kind of nonsense you insist on posting - all the time.
Let me state right off that bat that I'm a middle of the roader with slight leanings to the democratic side of things. I was against the bailout for anyone although I grudgingly agreed that we were forced to bail out the auto companies. Not just to save auto jobs but also the incredible amount of other jobs that are dependant on the auto industry (for those of you who say that the bail out only saved approximately 47000 auto jobs, not millions of jobs). However, I feel that the auto companies shld pay back Uncle Sam (The U.S. taxpayers) any and all monies that we footed to bail them out. We helped 'em get back on their feet, ok, but now let them learn from their mistakes and go it alone. I may not be crazy about Obama but he's definitely better than any Republican out there. In my opinion, while Romney may be rich, he doesn't seem too bright, as an example the statement he made about the poor. And I think the Republicans are more out of touch with what most Americans are going through. Now I'm not saying some of the Democrats aren't out of touch as well but they do seem to care more about the common Joe.
When will they ask Romney the real questions?
Like:
1."Mr. Romney, explain to everybody how placing your money into shelters overseas so you can get away with paying less then 14 percent in annual taxes is helping Americans?"
2."Mr. Romney, do you send the bulk of your money overseas because you value the trade of other countries over America's, or did you send your money over there so you didn't have to pay as much in taxes as everybody else does?"
3."Mr. Romney, you like to say that you pay what you owe in taxes and not a dollar more. What if the vast majority of America thinks you should pay a lot more? Do you agree with the majority of American people and pay more taxes or tell them you don't care and don't want their votes anyways?"
4. "Mr. Romney, do you think all Americans should pay less then 14 percent of their annual incomes to taxes, like you do, even though that would plunge this great nation into third-world status almost immediately?
5. "Mr. Romney only the rich could take advantage of loopholes you have used to insure you pay less in taxes then almost all Americans who pay taxes. Should that be how America's tax code works? Should rich people, like yourself, pay smaller percent of your income to taxes when people like our military, cops, social workers, firefighters have to pay a great deal more?
I'd like to share a few excerpts from an essay written for the Daily KOS called "A Voice from the 1%" -
Ron Paul 2012! Make a difference.
Scarey Question: Has Santorum signed the "Norquist Pledge"?? Mitt & Newt, Plus 238 Congressmen and 41 Senators have, which would put them in the pocket of Grover Norquist, the #1 lobbyest for the "pipeline". Also he is founder of the mis-leading / mis-named (ATR) Americans for Tax Reform. (1) No Tax increases for individuals or Corporations; Plus (2) NO reduction or elimination of deductions or credits. Really!! You want Tax Reform?? "AX THE TAX CODE".!! How can one man hold this Nation in Hostage Gridlock??
@UAW Pleeeeeeeease
Right...it had absolutely NOTHING to do with DUH-bya's tax cuts, his two UNFUNDED and, at least in the case of Iraq, unnecessary (weapons of mass distraction, anyone?) wars, his UNFUNDED Medicare Part D Prescription Drug Coverage Plan, and his and republiCONS' failure to properly regulate Wall Street and the big banks. UAW, you SERIOUSLY need to turn off Faux "News" before you OD on the Kool-Aid they are serving!
UAW: GRIDLOCK gets NOTHING done, and drags the country dowwnnn.... ! !
The following was posted by JoAnnaSmith 1 at post 1.16 above. Translation? BS Bagga blah!
Yeah Bill, what exactly were you thinking? The statists are always correct, they are all knowing and all controlling. Independent thought that deviates from the controlling authority can not be tolerated. If we didn't have centralized control, all kinds of mayhem would occur, like kids bringing the wrong homemade lunch to school:http://www.nccivitas.org/2012/state-inspectors-searching-childrens-lunch-boxes-this-isnt-china-is-it/
Next the government will tell Muslims they have to eat pork, because they determined it's more healthy than what ever else they are eating.
Now Bill, bow to the Authority!
So Beverly, who's signing your paycheck, Obama? the DNC? Daley? Rezko?
I once saw a environmental blogger who seemingly too many facts for the time it takes to make a post - did a little checking - he was an environmental lawyer, being paid for by a activist environmental group. 'Twas really unfair against the joe shmoe's of the world.
And no, I really don't care if you are. You just opened the door wide open for the response.
Okay...I'm stealing this joke because it seems appropriate here (I apologize if it's already been posted):
A conservative, a moderate and a liberal walk into a bar. The bartender looks up and says "Hi, Mitt!"
I know this post is so low on the totem pole ...It may never get a read...but AS an Independent...I think if any of these (dumb-ass) republicans get elected ...we will never recover (great recession..thanks Bush)
Somewhere in the world there is a room full of monkeys throwing poop at each other, wearing "team lib" and "team teabagger" t-shirts. Five bucks says even they have more substantive range in their conversation than this same old tired thread of back and forth blame.
Romney is finished if he cannot hold off Rick Santorum in Michigan, one of his many "home state" primary contests. In a nightmare scenario for the Romster and his team, 2012 is fast becoming a replay of the 2008 campaign where Romney blew a lead and quickly became an afterthought once the GOP electorate settled on an alternative. Romney dabbled in the Tea Party rhetoric, but he never fixed his "Mitt" problem; the problem that most conservative simply hate his guts. http://www.sunstateactivist.org
Romney is trailing Snatorum in the polls here in MI but Rick Snyder is has endorsed him...
http://www.detroitnews.com/article/20120216/POLITICS01/202160417/1361/Romney-to-begin-Michigan-campaign-day-in-Monroe
This may play well with some of the GOP in MI but it may well be be a death sentence for Mitt, if he makes it, in November. Sorry anti union doesn't play well in Michigan.
Santorum has a new commerical out here and it's a hoot. It shows a Mitt look alike running around a warehouse slinging mud around with a paint ball gun. Hilarious.
HOW DID ROMNEY GET HERE? Really? Seriously?
C'mon guys, he's in the position he is in because of two things: He's a Mormon and a moderate.
He's trying to appeal to a political party that has moved right of right in the last few years and it dominated by evangelical Christians who believe that the LDS church is a HERESY! His moderate views and his religious belief's make him a pariah in the new "just-right-of-hitler-holier-than-thou-GOP".
This isn't anything new. I've been saying this for a year now. JEEEEEZ.
Why don't you guys report on the three year, multi-million dollar "I'm a Mormon" ad campaign run by the LDS church in order to make their religion more mainstream and help Mitt in this election cycle?
Now that's news and needs to be reported on. It involves a violation of the separation of church and state and several violations of election laws. Hell, there ought to be an FBI investigation of the LDS church and they should be fined and maybe even lose their tax exempt status.
But what do we get from you guys on the topic (crickets) bupkis and BS stories like this.
It's enough to make person tear their hair out.
"Gee, I wonder why Mitt's in trouble?" Well, DUH!
Obama/Biden 2012
If Santorum wins nomination..WE LOSE! Independents will not vote against Obama for another inexperienced Senator! Especially one who wants to keep women in the kitchen & Gays back in the closet!
Hey Newday- Refer to R Terr's post above to see more FEAR.
Not by a long shot. Yes he will get the GOP base but his social conservative issues are why he would lose to Obama.
Skip Nicholson wrote
The purpose of the "I'm a Mormon" campaign is not to make the LDS religion more mainstream. Your comment suggests that pointing viewers of the ads to a website somehow changes the religion to something more acceptable to the majority. Nothing has changed in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as a result of or in connection with the ads.
The timing of the ad campaign and the election is entirely unrelated. The LDS church has always preached political neutrality. This means the church does not endorse a politcal party or candidate, a policy that not all churches can claim they follow. For more information, read the policy here:
The reason that the timing of the ad campaign and the election hasn't made the news is because it isn't news. Any respectable news agency would realize that.
Finally the issue of tax exempt status. The LDS church, along with leaders from other major religions, work together to defend the tax exempt status of religions. Religions of all kinds receive charities to support schools, hospitals, and to care for the poor. Removing their tax exempt status will only hurt these charitable efforts.
Skip Nicholson wrote
The purpose of the "I'm a Mormon" campaign is not to make the LDS religion more mainstream. Your comment suggests that pointing viewers of the ads to a website somehow changes the religion to something more acceptable to the majority. Nothing has changed in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as a result of or in connection with the ads.
The timing of the ad campaign and the election is entirely unrelated. The LDS church has always preached political neutrality. This means the church does not endorse a politcal party or candidate, a policy that not all churches can claim they follow. For more information, read the policy here:
The reason that the timing of the ad campaign and the election hasn't made the news is because it isn't news. Any respectable news agency would realize that.
Finally the issue of tax exempt status. The LDS church, along with leaders from other major religions, work together to defend the tax exempt status of religions. Religions of all kinds receive charities to support schools, hospitals, and to care for the poor. Removing their tax exempt status will only hurt these charitable efforts.
Skip Nicholson wrote
The purpose of the "I'm a Mormon" campaign is not to make the LDS religion more mainstream. Your comment suggests that pointing viewers of the ads to a website somehow changes the religion to something more acceptable to the majority. Nothing has changed in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as a result of or in connection with the ads.
The timing of the ad campaign and the election is entirely unrelated. The LDS church has always preached political neutrality. This means the church does not endorse a politcal party or candidate, a policy that not all churches can claim they follow. For more information, read the policy here:
The reason that the timing of the ad campaign and the election hasn't made the news is because it isn't news. Any respectable news agency would realize that.
Finally the issue of tax exempt status. The LDS church, along with leaders from other major religions, work together to defend the tax exempt status of religions. Religions of all kinds receive charities to support schools, hospitals, and to care for the poor. Removing their tax exempt status will only hurt these charitable efforts.
Santorum may not perfect, but he hasnt bouned around on his ideas. In 1979 Reagan trailed cater by 30 points at this time. Most republicans wanted to support Bush Sr. reagan went on to win in a landslide. Just wait. It all works out in the end.
The author of this article is either uninformed, or poor at disgusing pro-Republican bias.
For one, "conservative" opposition to labor, and unions, is not a new pheomenon, even if we only go back thirty years to Reagan's implementation the long-cherished dream of union busting.
For another, that MI's governor endorsed Romney is meaningless: it will only persuade those already persuaded to vote for Romney. It won't change a thing, and may make it worse for him, with labor and unions.
The long and short of it is that if he loses in MI, he is finished, and the only alternative for the general election is for the Party of No, No, No, and No, and Again No to throw in the towel, cry uncle, and go home and whine about being victims of the liberal MAJORITY.
If he doesn't lose MI, he still must contend with both Getrich and Sanitarium in the South, where both have strength Romney lacks.
In any event, he is going to be so bloodied and pulverixzed by the time he is nominated, if that happens -- and his negative campaigning has lost him a huge percentage of independents, and his anti-contraception position-for-the-moment is alienating evven Republican women.
Stocck up on popcor: it's gonna be fun watching Romney in the general election where he will not merely flip-flop-and-spin but whirl like a top trying to make his many faces appear to be one face.
What is worse than a republican?
Answer: A conservative republican.
What is worse than a conservative republican?
Answer: A severely conservative republican,
The reason "religions" have tax-empt status has nothing to do with their alleged good works. It is, rather, and agreed deal between Framers and "religions":
We won't require "religions" to pay taxes if "religions" agree to stay out of politics.
It also goes back to before the earliest state constitutions (adopted in 1776-77, and 1780) when "you" were exempted by law from contributing to "religions" other than your own, and "I" was exempted by law from contributing to "religions" other than my own.
It is about freedom of consccience, and belief. It is about separation of church and state: gov't doesn't melle in "religious" affairs; "religions" don't meddle in gov't.
Two-Bit Mitter thought he ordered a 150 mile per hour $400,000 ROLLS-ROYCE PHANTOM but he ended up with a 1972 Nash Rambler that won’t top 29 MPH, just like his campaign is mired at 25 – 30% approval.
Just as well, Seamus would probably blow off the roof at 150 mph.
Just saw a great sign - "Mutts against Mitt!" Those little guys will come back to bite ya!
This article pretty much says it all:
It is curious that the American Right, which waxes nostalgic for the happier days of the 1950s when the United States was supposedly more moral and more united, ignores one of the central reasons behind that middle-class era: very high taxes on the rich.
Granted, some on the Right may love the Fifties because it was a time of racial segregation and second-class status for women. But what arguably made the era work was the fact that the US tax structure "disincentivized" greed by ensuring that excess wealth was mostly recycled back into the Treasury for use building the nation and supporting research and development.
During Dwight Eisenhower's presidency the top marginal tax rate - what the richest Americans paid on their top tranche of income - was around 90 percent. In the 1960s, under John F. Kennedy, that was lowered to around 70 percent, but that rate still meant the rich had a limited incentive to be greedy since they wouldn't get to keep most of their extra money.
All that changed with Ronald Reagan's presidency and his slashing of the top marginal tax rate by more than half (before it was adjusted upward slightly late in Reagan's years and then during Bill Clinton's presidency before being reduced again to 35 percent under George W. Bush).
Various tax loopholes and lower rates for capital gains also have let many of the richest Americans enjoy tax rates about only half of even those lower marginal income tax rates. Billionaire Warren Buffett has famously described paying a lower tax rate than his secretary, meaning that he and others in his category get to keep about 80 percent of what they make.
In other words, the American tax structure has been roughly turned on its head. From the rich paying between 70 and 90 percent on their top income, some now pay 20 percent or less, which means there is a much bigger incentive to be greedy.
Arguably, it was that incentivized greed - more than any of the social movements like civil rights for blacks and equal rights for women - that eradicated the rhapsodized Fifties and the middle-class culture that it represented in the nostalgic view of many Americans.
So, it's ironic that the defense of lower tax rates for the rich is at the heart of the Right's current political agenda. Some leading Republicans have even suggested that "tax reform" should impose at least some income tax on the poor and working class so the tax rates on the rich can be lowered even more.
It's ironic, too, that the core of today's economic crisis is that American bankers became so excessively greedy - spurred on by the prospects of "earning" bonuses in the tens of millions of dollars and keeping nearly all that money - that they blinded themselves to the risks from exotic financial products built on an unsustainable housing bubble.
If the tax rates had been kept at Eisenhower or Kennedy levels, not only would there have been plenty of money to keep the United States modern and strong but there likely would not have been the kind of financial crisis that, since 2008, has cost millions of jobs and required massive government borrowing to bail out the greedy bankers.
Thus, in a variety of ways, the Right's orthodoxy of low taxes on the rich (or the "job creators," as Republican wordsmiths prefer) has been a major driver in creating today's massive federal debt and in savaging the middle class.
What a silly question - Willard GOT here because the GNOP does not want to put a 'ring on it'!
Is Willard seriously attacking 'labor unions' in the state of Michigan? lol
I agree Feisty it was a silly question. "How did Willard get here"? He got there either by car, plane or he walked.
Why is it racist to call Obama "Hussein" but perfectly ok to call Romney "Willard" or "Mittens?"
Damage123
Because calling President Obama "Hussein" might improve the reputation of Saddam.
Same thing with calling Obama a "socialist" - you don't want people thinking socialism is a good thing, do you?
"Because calling President Obama "Hussein" might improve the reputation of Saddam"
But that's his name right? He even says it himself.. Too funny.................
From Wiki: pretty much sums up Obama doesn't it. It's part of the defination of Socialism.
"Social democrats advocate redistributive taxation in the form of social welfare and government regulation of capital within the framework of a market economy."
Paul, please name one country which is a pure democracy? Please name one democratic country that does not have a mix of "socialist", "free market" and "democratic" policies. Schools, fire and police depts, garbage pickup, city streets, sidewalks, interstate highways, state highways, streets, bridges, are all socialist--done by all for the good of all. A fair tax code structure should not favor a select few. It is not a fair system when a person making $50,000 pays a higher tax rate than one making a $1 million. For 30 years wealth has been "redistributed" to the wealthy simply by an imbalanced tax code structure while wages stagnated and declined for everyone else. That imbalanced tax code which benefits the wealthiest 5% is socialism of a different kind.
Well Jody, Amy suggested that Obama is not a Socialist and the part of the defination of Socialism is what I posted right? Did Obama say that he favors redistributive of wealth? Well, that's Socialism is it not?
Now to your pure democracy question, you know well that's there's no such thing as a "pure democracy" and that's not what I posted. I'll play your game and answer your question. First of all schools, fire and police, and other things you mentioned is not "all Socialist". You say "done by all for the good of all" is a false statement because nearly 50% of the people in this country don't pay a damn thing for those services that my tax dollars provide. It's collecting a tax which is not Socialism when it's to run the Government. It's Socialism when you take MY tax money and redistributive to people. There's a huge difference. Majority of the people don't mind paying taxes, if it's for those services you mentioned.
Let's tackle your tax question, because this part pisses me off. I made under 200K and paid in just Federal over 34K and I still owe!! So based on that same amount from last year and the same deductions, how did I end up paying more when I had a return last year? Hey, Obama says I'm Middle Class, I have a family of 4, a house, no debt, and a cat. But to your point, I favor a flat tax where EVERYBODY pays reguardless of income. Hey, Bidin says it's un-American not to pay taxes, right?
I know this is off topic but i really need to shut Joe in Albany up. Joe,,GM has paid back ALL of the money it got from the US Gov. Fact check your spew before you make a fool out of yourself again.
Jody, don't confuse the Republicans with facts,their heads will explode.
Paul,
Not sure what planet you live on, but your 50% number is ridiculous. Schools, Fire, Police are paid primarily from County Taxes, which come from Real Estate Taxes. So if you are living in a home, or renting an apartment, you are paying Real Estate Taxes and the Socialist Services known as Schools, Fire, and Police. Cannot believe that 50% fo the US is living in boxes somewher in Hooverville.
Jody nobody making $50K pays a higher effective income tax rate than someone making $1Million (at least no if they're being remotely honest). You people keep wanting to mix marginal and effective tax rates and they're not remotely the same thing. I've made over 50K for the last 10 years and I've never paid higher than about 5% effective rate and it's usually negative including this year when I made over 90K. Why? Because the tax breaks in the system are designed to help income earners below $150K and especially below 50K. If you're making 50K and paying a higher effective tax rate than Mitt Romney then you're single with no dependents and with that kind of income and no dependents you're probably doing just fine.
Hey Damage123,
Because "Willard" is his name. Willard Mitt Romney, you dumba$$! Wake up!
BTW, there was a movie in the '70s about Willard the rat boy. This must be the remake.
Paul - it's the cat!
crrocker,
Really, you want to say that 47% don't pay? That's Federal, I never said property tax. I'm thinking you don't understand what you read do you?
What Mitt Romney gets wrong about the Detroit automakers’ bailouts
By Justin Hyde | Motoramic – Tue, Feb 14, 2012
Republican presidential hopeful Mitt Romney renewed his opposition to the Obama administration's bailout of General Motors and Chrysler today in several Michigan newspapers, contending President Obama's rescue made the companies worse. I wish I could leave politics to the professionals, but Romney's take just doesn't square with the facts as I lived them.
I covered those bailouts in Washington as a reporter for the Detroit Free Press, following them through Congress to the White House to the bankruptcy courts a few blocks off Wall Street. As a first-hand witness, I can attest that some of Romney's new arguments hold their own — but most don't. Let me explain, point by point:
"Three years ago, in the midst of an economic crisis, a newly elected President Barack Obama stepped in with a bailout for the auto industry."
In fact, the bailout began with President George W. Bush, who was forced to lend GM and Chrysler $17.4 billion in December 2008 after Senate Republicans blocked a rescue plan in Congress.
"The president tells us that without his intervention things in Detroit would be worse. I believe that without his intervention things there would be better."
The crux of Romney's argument: If Obama had not acted, private companies would have stepped in and run a "managed bankruptcy." What this ignores is that in the fall of 2008, before Obama was even sworn in, no one on Wall Street or anywhere else was willing to lend GM and Chrysler a penny — let alone the $81 billion they and their financial arms eventually needed.
Even after Obama took office, GM and Chrysler searched frantically for paths to avoid bankruptcy, including a possible merger. Chrysler held a one-week garage sale of its assets in February 2009, inviting anyone with enough money to bid for parts of the company. No one bit.
"Ultimately, that is what happened. The course I recommended was eventually followed. GM entered managed bankruptcy in June 2009 and exited it a month later in July.
The Chrysler timeline was similarly swift. But something else happened along the way that was truly egregious. Before the companies were allowed to enter and exit bankruptcy, the U.S. government swept in with an $85 billion sweetheart deal disguised as a rescue plan."
No entity blocked GM and Chrysler's path to the bankruptcy court except their own executives. Had the government not intervened as Romney suggests, GM and Chrysler likely would have been liquidated by their Wall Street bondholders, some of whom held out for a few more pennies on the dollar at the risk of the entire bankruptcy case. One auto industry think tank estimated doing so would have led to 1.3 million job losses and threatened Ford, Toyota and other automakers.
"Chrysler's 'secured creditors,' who in the normal course of affairs should have been first in line for compensation, were given short shrift, while at the same time, the UAWs' union-boss-controlled trust fund received a 55 percent stake in the firm."
Chrysler's secured creditors were a group of Wall Street banks — including J.P. Morgan, Citigroup and Goldman Sachs — and investment firms, some of whom had bought the company's secured bonds in the months ahead of bankruptcy hoping to cash in. They could have rejected the government's offer of 28 cents on the dollar in cash for their $6.7 billion in bonds and paid to liquidate Chrysler themselves, but decided that not only would they come out even further behind, they'd also be blamed for destroying an American automaker. (GM's secured creditors − also mostly Wall Street banks — were paid in full, and endorsed the Obama bankruptcy plan.)
As for the "union-boss-controlled trust fund," that's what's known as a VEBA trust that now pays the health care of 426,409 retirees from GM, Ford and Chrysler — and in return, owns all future health-care obligations from the companies for those retirees. With this, Romney appears to argue that before hundreds of thousands of UAW retirees got health care, Wall Street should have been made whole.
"American taxpayers have been left on the hook for billions to benefit unions and the union bosses who contributed millions to Barack Obama's election campaign. Such a state of affairs is intolerable, and as president I would not tolerate it. The Obama administration needs to act now to divest itself of its ownership position in GM."
If the Obama administration sold its 500 million shares in GM today, it would lose at least $14 billion. GM shares have struggled even as the company reported strong profits, in part over concerns about an underfunded pension plan. If GM shores up its pension costs, its shares could rise — although they would need to nearly double before the government broke even.
There's ample factual reasons to criticize the bankruptcies — from the treatment of Delphi's retirees and GM's unsecured bondholders to the advantages GM, Chrysler and Chrysler's new parent Fiat gained over Ford. But doing so requires acknowledging that Obama's decisions, including his call to save Chrysler when some advisors were ready to let it go, were mostly right: GM and Chrysler came out stronger and leaner, keeping jobs in the country that would have disappeared if they'd gone out of existence.
http://autos.yahoo.com/blogs/motoramic/mitt-romney-gets-wrong-detroit-automakers-bailouts-154006392.html
___________________________________________________________
Mr. Romney the truth shall set you free. So let’s look at the whole truth warts and all and see where we come out. Start by squaring up the facts to what actually happened instead of (like you’ll Yahoo’s are so fond of here lately) what you want to project happened.
Tell the truth Mitt old sock your just pissed off because you and your Vulture Capitalist Buddies missed a chance to rob all these pension funds and leave half a million folks that had worked hard for that money and security (like you did so many others)sucking wind. All so you could have an income of 58,000 a day instead of 57,000.
IR,
Great research on your part.
Informative, factual article. What annoys me is Romney now trying to take credit for President Obama's correct decision and attacking the auto workers and once again unions as evil perpetrators of some vast conspiracy ignoring that those union workers tookcuts in pay, benefits, pensions in order to help their employer survive. Romney is hoping no one notices that his idea was to let the companies; he hopes by using the GOP union-wedge tool, he can convince people that he really wanted to help the auto makers despite his Op Ed which clearly said the opposite. Romney's help would have been Bain Capital style.
IR:
That was absolutely terrific. It's a shame more people won't see that. It's amazing how complex these issues are, and there's so many.
President Obama can irk me now and again, but I don't see anyone out there who can equal his cool handling of crisis after crisis after crisis.
Couldn't edit. That should be "his idea was to let the companies die".
IR, your words are so true. That's what really irks Mitt Romney--the vulture capitalists were not given a chance to swoop in and suck out all the money they could, stick taxpayers will the bill to fund those pensions they robbed and then close the doors and leave town.
IR -- That article IMO is the best explanation of what took place and why. Thanks for posting in full. Maybe more people will read it.
Jody -- Where is the conservative outrage when these companies dump their employee's retirement obligations onto the taxpayer? No outrage, no objections and no rhetoric concerning personal responsibility. They love government safety nets when convenient. They all hail to the mighty hand of business and greed.
Jody Exactly............... David I think that The President does as well as he does because he generally has a tendency to start with the facts as they are rather than extrapolating what he wants them to be. Facts are generally Facts and don't contain bias untill you get to interpreting them thru the prism of politics........Morning Job 1
Had both Chrysler and GM went under it would have devastated the economies of many states, not just Michigan's, and would have destroyed many of the auto suppliers that would have led to big problems for Ford, Toyota, Honda, Hyundai, Mitsubishi, Mazda etc. If you think not just look at what happen to the automakers around the world in the wake of the Earthquake and the tsunami in Japan last year.
Nice post IR. Thanks.
Fantastic article, IR---thanks for sharing.
Mitt wants to demonize the unions but what he doesn't mention is that no one put a gun to management's head to sign the contracts they had with the unions in the first place. When push came to shove, the unions did their part to save an entire industry and made sacrifices to do so.
Well by golly, I can copy and paste with the best of 'em and pass that off as "great research" too.
GM Profits, but Taxpayers Are Still on the Hook
Three years after being rescued by a taxpayer bailout, General Motors (GM) last week announced some rather ambitious profit targets for 2012. But even if it meets these targets -- a big if -- taxpayers should not wait on one foot to recover their remaining "investment" in the company.
There is no doubt that GM has returned from the brink. It made $8 billion last year, a record high, and regained enough global market share to once again become the world's biggest automaker, a title it had lost to Toyota. More impressive, it is planning to bump its profit margins from 6 percent last year to 10 percent this year, on par with its best-in-class rivals such as Hyundai and BMW. This, it hopes, will allow it to post $10 billion in profits this year, something that only 17 public companies managed to do in 2010.
How did investors react to all this hope and cheer? With a giant yawn: GM's stock price, which has been hovering around $25 for months, barely budged. That's $8 below GM's IPO price. And it's $30 below what's needed for taxpayers to recover the $30 billion they still have stuck in the company.
Investor Caution
If investors aren't buying GM's rosy scenarios, it's for some good reasons. Peter De Lorenzo, editor of Auto Extremist, notes that GM is facing the most competitive market in history and investors are dubious that it can deliver. GM's $8 billion in profits last year resulted partly from the tsunami in Japan that disrupted Toyota and Honda's global supply chain.
Both are back this year and more formidable than ever. While GM reported a 6 percent drop in January sales in North America from a year earlier, its foreign competitors posted impressive gains. GM will have a hard time matching last year's performance, let alone upping it if it has even one more month like January, De Lorenzo notes.
Tougher competition in North America is not GM's only worry. Its sales in China are slowing. Also, Europe will probably remain a trouble spot. GM suffered $2 billion in losses in Europe last year, thanks to Opel, its hopelessly bloated German brand. But GM has been unable to obtain permission from the German government to restructure its labor costs, even as European sales plummet in an economic meltdown.
Toyota (TM) and Honda don't have the same exposure in Europe and hence have less to worry about. What's more, GM's global pension obligations are underfunded to the tune of $22 billion, about $10 billion in the United States alone.
If GM manages to address all these issues, notes Sean McAlinden of the Center for Automotive Research, its share price might go up $40 to $45, leaving taxpayers still $5 billion to $8 billion in the red. But that's under the best scenario. If stock prices remain at the current $25 level, the losses could mount up to $15 billion. That's not counting the $15 billion in tax write-offs that GM got as part of the bankruptcy deal. All in all, taxpayers are facing somewhere from $20 billion to $30 billion in losses.
That's not all the exposure that taxpayers will have going forward. The GM bailout has distorted the playing field so badly that its competitors are demanding their own handouts to even things out.
For example, McAlinden notes, the administration gave GM about $10 billion more than was strictly necessary to finance its bankruptcy. The money contributed to GM's nice $33 billion cash cushion right now. GM could use this money to buy its own stock and bid up prices, mitigating taxpayer losses -- or pay dividends. But McAlinden doesn't believe that's what GM will do. It could use the money to pay off its obligations to the union health-care trust fund, making this a direct infusion of cash from taxpayers to unions.
Or it will use the money toward product development, putting its competitors at a disadvantage. Moreover, because all but $10 billion of the bailout money GM got was in the form of equity, the company has no debt service costs. Ford (F), by contrast, is still servicing the $23 billion in debt it took to avoid a bailout.
Chrysler's Pique
This is unfair, and the Obama administration knows it, which is perhaps one reason it quickly approved a $5.6 billion retooling loan for Ford. That, in turn, elicited howls of protest from Chrysler's Sergio Marchionne. The administration gave Marchionne's parent company, Fiat, the majority stake in Chrysler without asking Fiat to contribute a single euro of its own.
Yet Mr. Marchionne complains that the administration hasn't been generous enough. In contrast with GM, it forced Chrysler to service the bailout loan. Now it's dragging its feet in approving Chrysler's new retooling loans, he claims.
Bailout supporters maintain that it was a one-time deal necessary to shore up companies in acute economic times. In reality, the rush for the bailout's spoils has produced ripple effects that may well haunt the economy for a long time.
As President Barack Obama campaigns to keep his job, he will spin the bailout as a success story that saved millions of American jobs. But taxpayers should bear in mind that the hit to their wallets will be substantial and will probably grow in years to come.
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-02-13/gm-profits-but-taxpayers-are-still-on-the-hook-shikha-dalmia.html
Bill is a selective fiscal social conservative.
You get half a point Bill. Seems to me you have very quietly conceeded the original point which was were we right in bailing out the Car Companies and moved to bitching about the outcome. That in and of itself is a discusion worth having but not today. I'll take my concession and live to fight another Day.
That was good research. the problem is that is this the governments role? Obama picked winners and losers. GM is a dinosaur. read about Conrail and how the government dealt with that. This is maintenance of the status quo. You also fail to mention that Obama closed many dealerships around the country, a majority of them big supporters of McCain in the last election. Lik our national debt, Obama has just kicked the can down the road a few years. GM, unless it changes its business model, is doomed
jojo - Obama did NOT close ANY DEALERSHIPS. GM, like Ford, Chrysler, etc., closed a number of dealerships but Obama had no hand in deciding which ones closed. What a moronic statement!
Can’t help but agree with Lawrence O'Donnell, a contest between Obama and Romney would be boring. So Newt, give it up to Ricky. It is time for a national referendum on where the American people truly stand when it comes to not just the economy but more so to social issues. (What is happening of late in Virginia when it comes to women and birth control is a travesty.)
Newton's ego won't let him quit. He believes he is entitled to be President.
Yes, I agree. However, I don't think a social conservative would ever be elected as President. Our country is too progressive for that to happen.
A total travesty, ideology, and one that is sure to bite them in the rear end when women vote.
Da Noid
He hates Willard ... often that is a stronger trait, I live in hope.
I have not disagree with Larry O' on this one!
In my opinion the contrast would be quite stark;
In one corner you have an energetic, intelligent, pragmatic President & in the other corner you have a boring, flip flopping vulture capitalist who makes 57K per day!
newdayDAWNING...RETURNED
It will be interesting to see how Governor Bob deals with the legislation when it comes to his desk as he can amend it before signing.
Is what they are doing in Virginia even constitutional? Wouldn't SCOTUS overturn what Virginia is doing?
I thought he was going to sign it, but I hope that cooler heads prevail. The Republican party doesn't even TRY to hide what misogynists they are.
Feisty, I have to disagree with you, If Romney wins he will do an about face toward the center. The argument has truly become one of a woman's rights. They cannot fight on the economy.
I don't think that Romney CAN turn toward the center, ideology, even if he is elected. The fringe right has taken over the Republican party, and their center is far to the right of mentally healthy people. The fringe right would turn on him in one big hurry if he tried.
I disagree also. It will be fun to watch President Obama tie Willard in knots in the debates. And watching Willard twist and turn trying to come up with an answer to anything. You know his answers will be the opposite of what he's said in the past.
For now - they will have moved onto a new 'boogyman' by the time the general election starts...
Especially, once some 'polling numbers' come in proving them to be on the wrong side of the tracks yet again!
I saw Lawrence's show and agree; it would be a stark contrast. If Santorum wins the nomination, it will be a stark contrast and those social/cultural conservatives will find that, despite their beliefs, most of America does not agree or support their extremist views. The part that bothers me about Santorum as the GOP nominee is the very idea of him being that close to the presidency--he and his views are down right scarey.
VA is the latest bunch of republicans hell bent on putting big intrusive government into the very most personal and private aspects of people's lives. Those two pieces of legislation are hideous, destructive and so off the cliff that my guess is come November, a good number of those VA GOPers will be on the unemployment line where they deserve to be.
ideology,
"The argument has truly become one of a woman's rights. They cannot fight on the economy."
And the GOP thinks this a winning argument in the general election?
I find this astounding.
So Romney and every GOP running down the ticket will be trying to put women back into the 19th century.
I cannot wait for the next GOP debate. Want to hear just how they are going to build this "Taliban society" for the good of America.
Virginia has gone backwards because the people were foolish in electing Bob McDonnell Ken Cuccinelli. Fortunately, Virginia allows only one term at a time for Governors. Unfortunately, Cuccinelli will still be around to cause harm to their state, by sending them back in time.
Feisty, I also agree with you; I think a campaign between Romney and Obama would be far from boring because Romney has moved so far right he will not be able to shift to center, too much is on tape. Where I agree with Lawrence is the idea that with Santorum voters would be exposed to what the real conservative party has become rather than the middle road they try to portray. In my opinion, there's a large segment of the GOP that is not far right but until the emergence of the Tea Party, they did not grasp how far right and extremist the party itself has shifted.
I think I heard something yesterday about Virginia starting to drug test welfare recipients. About damn time.
phinephancy, we could not count on SCOTUS to overturn the VA laws simply because with Roberts, Scalia, Thomas and Alito, the court has become an extension of right-wing conservative activism ruling time after time in favor of big business against workers, against women's pay issues as well. Think Citizens United, that expresses the Roberts' court views. John Roberts was carefully cultivated by President George H. W. Bush and the GOP; his appointment to SCOTUS and Chief Justice was planned from the first moment Bush 41 appointed him to a Federal Court.
damage just thinking does not make it a fact. When I think your a lier does not make that fact until I read your post's. Than I see I'm right.
Yep.
Jeez-o-Flip! What is up with you people and your spelling today? Aside from that, I can't even understand what you wrote. Smitty, back away from the typewriter and let one of the other patients have their turn.
If a man, holds a gun at the head of another man, and forces that man to rape a woman, who is guilty of rape? Short answer, the man holding the gun is the rapist, man #2 and the woman have been raped because the sex was forced, not consensual.
Enter Virginia's new law. They might as well call it the law that mandates rape. And the rape claim is viable by both the abortion doctor and the woman seeking the abortion. You see, this procedure requires, without consent of either party, the penetration of a woman's vagina.
What is it with the GOP/TP rape fantasies. Santorum flat out claimed rape is a "gift from God". Now the Virginia legislative body is forcing rape to get an abortion. The mind set if frightening. If the law passes, and it will, any abortion provider and woman seeking abortion in Virginia should be allowed to file felony rape charges against every law make that voted to enact this law.
Perhaps a good old prison sentence on rape charges will give these lawmakers a new understanding of rape, Oz style.
Maybe Virginia will have better luck than Florida...you know, 3% positive tests.
Damage123
I would hate for my daughter to end up in Virginia with SCOTUS in her vagina ... rape comes in many guises.
What's a "nasis" and a "Natsii"? Boo the Catholics, boo the Mormans...........and this from someone called moonbase........
Well ideo, if she can fit all NINE of them in there, you and she have bigger troubles than finding yourself in a conservative state with a conservative governor.
Moonbase- Aside from your peepee-pants fear mongering, what the hell is a "natsii?" Wow Newday, your friends here sure are doing a good job blowing your whole "Repubs are the party of fear" claim out of the water. Are you keeping tabs? I am.
ignore the 'shock jock', damage - he must have hit his head hard with the last blackout binge:
Let's talk cost effectiveness of a result this miniscule:
http://www2.tbo.com/news/politics/2011/aug/24/3/welfare-drug-testing-yields-2-percent-positive-res-ar-252458/
Personally, I like the idea of drug testing EVERYONE receiving pay from taxpayer funds. Including Congress,...In Fact, let's START with Congress, eh?
Damage123 ... well fella, I can see what your mind does with a metaphor, I am reminded of a great Brit word to apply to you ... wanker.
damage your robbing our world of oxygen.
Wait 'til Northern Virginia gets home from work and realizes what the American Taliban Party has done while they were out. Ok Virginia...still think Republicans outside the south would never be stupid enough to wage war on women?? How are we liking that "good for business" governor now?
Romney? How the hell did HUSSEIN get here?
He was elected.
you a real pr!ck damaged
Thanks Pat. I take that as a true compliment coming from someone who can't even type a 5-word sentence without multiple mistakes.
How did Damage get here? Who really cares? No one.
Come on Mo. Your name is really "Mohammed", isn't it? You can tell us.
When in doubt, resort to racism.
Mo---It must be easy for him, he was born that way. Brain Damage in 123 easy steps. He does it every day.
Well Ruken. I'm gonna have to call you out on your fave liberal card in the deck. How is that "racism?" You people are so hung up on accusing people all the time that you don't even stop to think. If I ask someone if their name is "Mohammed", I could very well be asking him if he's a follower of the Religion Of Peace. You know, Islam. Which, as I said, is a RELIGION. Religion is not a race. You liberals need to get that through your thick heads.
I see the wheels turning in your head. Well Damage is Islamophobic! He hates Muslims! Blah blah blah. If I had a nickel for every anti-Christian statement on this board every day, I'd be richer than Romney.
Damaged123: Why don't your ask your mother how did you get here?
Hawk The best part of him ran down his mothers leg.
Damage123: Seriously?? You throw around "Mohammad" like it was an epithet and then want to know "how was that racist"? OK, fess up. You're 12, right? Does mom know you are using her computer?
what is the one weird trick you have to do to sleep all night, get large implants in your chest? man those are some big uns.
I was wondering that too, Buck. LOL
straight out of the limpballs playbook...i think i'll vote for rick in the primary. It will be so funny to watch mittens lose "one" of his home states.
***waves to Chris***
Good to see my favorite rooster this morning! ;o)
right back at ya red! Always good to be seen by my favorite rwnj dragon slayer ;)
Well, well, well, President Obama was finally able to shame the John "I got 99% of what I wanted" Boehner into doing his damn job . . . wonders never cease. Seems like Americans have started to notice that the crooks in Congress don't do a whole hell of a lot to earn the money they are paid . . . memo to the GOP . . . your bait and switch days are coming to an end . . . it is put up or shut up time . . . and the President said it best . . . we need you to do your jobs RIGHT NOW . . . ya'll suckers have been coasting for long enough.
How kind of Congress to do its job before leaving on ANOTHER recess. They say they are back in their districts doing work but my representative has not held a town hall meeting in over a year. Not even one of the ones where you have to pay to attend.
Great point Steeler Fan . . . I can't think of another job in America where you can get that many paid vacations . . . and of course . . . WE are the ones paying for it!
Ok, there's plenty to whine about with this Congress, granted, but "recess" doesn't mean "play"...it means you go home to your district and face the music. Why on earth do you think they passed the payroll tax cut before leaving?
Why is Romney where he is? Because his appeal to his so called home state of Mich., is phony and fake. He's only showed up there when he's running for president. He has no interest in the state, especially when he would have let the US auto industry die a quick death. And...if you listen to his speeches lately, the tenor of his voice is one of utter desparation.
Last year, the head of Maine's Republican Party, Charlie Webster, cast aspersions on college students, claiming that voter fraud among students from out of state was widespread - prompting an official investigation by the Republican AG, which turned up nothing. No basis for these allegations. The AG, however, went ahead and mailed warning letters to all college students in Maine, spelling out the consequences to them if they vote fraudulently.
This year, Charlie Webster is under fire from his fellow Republicans for disenfranchising rural Mainers, in counties that were more likely to go for Ron Paul than Mitt Romney. No wonder Republicans are so fixated on voter fraud - they are up to the neck in trying to rig elections.
http://bangordailynews.com/2012/02/15/politics/waldo-county-republicans-call-for-censure-of-state-gop-chairman-after-caucus-controversy/
The only way the tea people GOP Koch republicans have a chance of winning, is to cheat, lie and steal it's what the do best.
Amy the Republicans epitomize the saying "Me thinks she douth protest too much".
Who were the wingnuts who screamed the loudest in the past.....
Rev. Ted Haggard preached weekly to 40 million other wingnuts about the evils of homosexuality and drugs while at the same time having weekly anal fisting /meth parties with a male prostitute.
Republican Congressman Mark Foley had himself put on every committee for missing and exploited children that was offered to members of congress while at the same time sending emails to underage boys asking them to send pictures of their penis's to him.
Tom Delay was constantly screaming about ethics and morality while at the same time doing everything in his power to prove he had neither.
Santorum pretends to be our moral compass but while in congress he was voted the most corrupt member of that institution.
Hypocracy is the GOP
No deprogrammer. Hypocrisy is accusing someone else of hypocrisy when you yourself can't even spell the damn word.
Newt Gingrich running on what he calls "traditional family values".
actually if you check my previous posts you will find that I do know how to spell hypocrisy, I just am human and make typoghraphical errors every now and then. I know it is hard for pod people to understand humanity but please try for the sake of Romney's money, if you guys don't win he may actually have to pay taxes, or even worse, GET A JOB!
While this is pure speculation with absolutely nothing to back it, I cannot help wondering how much cash Romney's Super PACs slipped to the Maine GOP heads to "mess up" the caucus counts. When Iowa's RNC Chair messed up, didn't think much of it. Followed by Nevada having more ballots than voters who cast them in favor of Mitt, and now Maine--it makes you wonder.
Hussein pretending to worry that police will lose their jobs.
deprogrammer, don't pay any attention to Damage, we all make typographical errors or in our haste, leave out a word--did it myself this morning. FR's spell check doesn't always get it right either; I've had that ABC Check tell me I misspelled a word ony to spell it the way I had.
Jody, did you hear a fart in the wind somewhere between your last two posts? Hmm, guess it was noting, but anyway to address your thoughful and intelligent post, YES I was wondering the same thing, I think the Paul campaign should file a lawsuit so an investigation can get underway in EVERY STATE the GOP has held primaries or caucuses so far, and I think we should bring in Inernational election observers to monitor the GOP primaries because they can't compete without cheating, it's in their blood.
Well off to work, I will leave the boards to the trolls and the unemployed.
I don't know why but they always ban me for a day when I post that line before I leave for work, so I guess I will see you Saturday. LOL
Amy & Jody---saw a feature on Rachel Maddow last night about how the Maine caucuses have been omitting votes from the county tallies, recording incorrect votes and not correcting and leaving out a whole county which postponed its caucus due to weather and not revising the votes after that county will have its caucus this weekend. It makes you wonder what they are up to. It is kind of sad when the best explanation is incompetence.
Damaged, I guess the answer to your question is that Willard is Romneycare's real first name, but he thought Mitt sounded manly and tough. It is pretty easy for most people to understand, but you go ahead and see the world through whatever colored glass suits you. It is obvious that facts only count when they help your case.
"Barack" was an unusual name for a politician, but, somehow, President Obama made it work. If Romney was appealing as a person, "Willard" would be considered sexy.
Well I guess we will see in Nov who gets the nod I just hope enough people get off their duff and vote. but then again, you have a few who do not have the brians to check anything out and vote the wrong way. Lets hope Romney hasnot bought enough votes to win, he is using his money to try and buy his way into the Oval Office.
Why is this battle for the GOP Nomination so fascinating?
It's not just that the candidates don't like each other...and let's face it, "HATE" is not too strong a word in some cases. You don't have to like your opponent...and if you'll recall there was some tension between Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama in 2008.
No, why it's so fascinating is that these candidates DO NOT RESPECT each other...and that's the big difference between this fight and the 2008 Democratic Nomination.
Willard hates Newton, Newton hates Willard, Willard hates Richard, Richard hates Newton...and everybody keeps on ignoring their crazy Uncle Ron (whom the GOP hierarchy was never going to allow to win the nomination).
The Pittsburgh Post Gazette reported that Santorum took the most cash from corporate lobbyists of any other politician in Washington, adding that Santorum "has a black belt in hypocrisy" Watch the youtube The Gang of Four starring Rick Santorum.
@USHonor,
REally?! That's interesting.
In the Baltimore Sun, there was an editorial whose writer feels an Obama-Santorum race would be very issue-oriented, because (unlike Romney and Gingrich) Santorum is virtually immune to personal attacks because he lacks the baggage of the other two.
When i do put on my Non-Partisan Political Scientist tin-foil hat, I can predict that if they are smart, the Democrats will run the dirtiest, most bare-knuckle campaign in their recent history against whomever the GOP finally picks as their candidate.
I guess Santorum could still be "in for it" if he gets the nod. Romney and Gingrich (who's very much a snowball in hell right now, IMO) surely would be.
Santorum, "immune" from personal attacks?? The lobbyist who got kicked out of his own seat for being a right wing nut job? One of the most personally unpopular guys in the entire Senate during his short tenure?? The guy who will cash a check from anyone?? Who was the columnist Ann Coulter? (oh wait, she can't write words...she needs a ghostwriter.)
@AP,
I laughed when I read that, too. Obviously, this columnist never heard the story about that poor, stillborn child, an obvious tragedy that he twisted into something...well, something very, very SICK.
Little Mitt: The conservative base of the GOP hates your guts? You will not get the nomination so just accept the fact you will NEVER be President no matter how much you want it. There are some things that even your money can't buy.
If Santorum wins nomination..WE LOSE! Independents will not vote against Obama for another inexperienced Senator! Especially one who wants to keep women in the kitchen & Gays back in the closet!
Rick Santorum was named among the top 3 most corrupt senators in 2005-2006 by a Washington watchdog group, Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington. Watch the youtube video Rick Santorum Who Is He.type in Rick Santorum Who is he Walmart
Negative campaigns tend to lower voter turnout which statistically favor the incumbent The more negative Romney gets, he will never win the general election because of his constant barrage of opponents. Santorum cannot win the general election because half the voters are women and will never vote for a Male Chavanistic Pig.
...women are MORE than half the voters....56% in the last general election. Oh yeah, they all can't WAIT to be sent back to the 1950's.
Watch the Gang of Four starrning Rick Santorum on youtube. wow.
TO: UAW Pleeeeeeeease who wrote:
"...poor leadership in the White House"! of all the nerve! The only thing Republicans are looking for in a president is someone who will sign whatever Grover Nordquist TELLS him to sign, and that's what Republicans call "leadership"!
If Republicans knew "what is best for the country" then WHY did Republican DESTROY our enconomy in the first place! Then Republicans REFUSED to do anything to help the economy, the country and/or the American People because of their obsession with Democrats and President Obama. YOU CALL THAT LEADERSHIP?!? It's not, it's pure foolishness and the abandonment of America and the American People for Republicans' own selfish causes!
I suppose Republicans also believe that was "best for the country" for Republicans to Lie us into War with Iraq too.
Sickening and wrongheaded!
Obama / Biden 2012
do you have one fact to support your claims? Because I would like to here facts other than your rant that said basically nothing
ibnobodee: Here...watch a 60 minutes piecce on Norquist's "hold on the Republican Party"...from November....maybe you can get up to speed about just why this unelected extremist is so powerful.
http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-18560_162-57327816/the-pledge-grover-norquists-hold-on-the-gop/
ibnobodee: The link won't post...but take a look at the 60 minutes piece from November on "Grover Norquist's hold over the Republicans". Perhaps you'll gain some understanding of why people are "ranting" in your words, about the power of one unelected man over an entire political party.
Guess the Dumbcrats and Barney Frank had nothing to do with it, pushing banks to give loans to people who couldn't pay them back.
Hey GOP, "PAC" your Newt and Mitt's up and go with RICK!
Watch the Gang of Four starrning Rick Santorum on youtube. wow. They will get some insight on him. Why aren't they reporting on this stuff.
Romney, son of Romney, thought the GM loan was bad. GM just reported record annual profits. Son of Romney's goose is severely, conservatively cooked. Now he has time for the 12 houses.
Bain will never get their hands on GM now.
To bad it would have been nice to see Bain break the union!